Rants and Weekly Raves (RAWR) #332
Trotwood: I didn't watch much this past week or weekend, which is when I usually catch up. There was snow and snow day baking. Thus between the near 16 inches we got last Monday and the additional 8 inches this weekend, I didn't get to much. Started a Saturday Korean class, so there was homework to do as well. I did pick up some new shoes in between snow storms, but I'm behind in everything--even them--except for Manner of Death.
It's because you always glow.
KOREA
Mr. Queen
Didn't have time to watch this weekend. People seemed happy with these penultimate episodes, though. I'll try to catch up and finish finale episodes for next week's RAWR.
Love Scene Number
This drama is made up of 8 episodes, every two about a different woman at a different stage/age in her life. It is supposed to address things that women think about but can't talk about. The first two are about a university student who is dating three different men at the same time because of each of them gives her an aspect of a relationship that she really likes. If this was a consensual, I wouldn't have cared, but none of them knows about the other and she wasn't a good friend to her best friend either. Still it was an interesting exploration of her pain and longing, too. I'm interested in seeing what they do with the women closer to my age. I also love Park Jin Hee and can't wait to see her.
L.U.C.A.: The Beginning
I was looking forward to seeing some sci-fi and Lee Da Hee fighting and that's all I really knew when I watched the first episode. Lee Da Hee doesn't disappoint, but you know you are going to be in a dark space when the first episode opens with a disclaimer that all the child actors were taken care of during filming and closes with a disclaimer that no animals were hurt. The main character, Ziyo, seems to be a product of an experiment that he doesn't remember. It's like Frankenstein meets the Handmaid's Tale plus a story of an orphan cop searching for the culprits behind her parents' deaths. I only got to watch one episode, but I actually really want to catch up with this one.
To My Star (series review)
Nine short episodes, so I'm sure they will make a "movie" version of it like they did with the other Korean BL shows, but once again this really was quite a joyful ride. We have taciturn chef Han Ji Woo. Some of the plot synopsis call him dashing. I would NOT say that. However, he is handsome and earnest and a hard worker with a chip on his shoulder because he's poor and has had to scrape by. He doesn't know what to do when popular actor Kang Seo Joon busts into his life, hiding out at his place to ride out a scandal. Seo Joon is like a golden retriever and seems to love him right away. I like what they do with his character Often characters like his--unfailingly optimistic, loyal, kind--are shown to be naïve. However, that isn't the case here. He clearly chooses to look for the positive. He chooses to be open to love. He also know how to sacrifice for others but also confront them and call them out on their foolishness. He's another character that I found annoying at first, but i grew to love him almost as much as Ji Woo does. I hope to see both actors in more shows. They were both quite good.
JAPAN
Kimi to Sekai ga Owaru Hi ni/ With You on the Day the World Ends
It's interesting that none of the plot synopses that I found for this show state outright that it's a zombie apocalypses drama when you find this out in the first minute. I have only been able to watch the first episode, but the show has already made me invested in our hero's search for his girlfriend--who we all know he was going to propose to that night. She even finds out about the "surprise" herself. I'm also interested in why his old high school acquaintance doesn't trust him when he seems like such a warm, good guy. Three episodes have been subbed so far, but you know how suspicious I am of getting subbed Japanese shows. 
Attack on Titan - The Final Season
It makes me cry. It's really not the optimal pandemic watch... I need something slightly more optimistic in my future.
Shennai Marriage Honey
This was the fluffiest drama ever. So fluffy, the perfect background drama. I don't mean to disparage it because I did enjoy it :) It has insta-love in episode 1 and the remaining episodes were just there to flesh out the skinship. LOL.
CHINA/TAIWAN
Love Unexpected
This seems like it is going to be the stereotypical cold-hearted CEO paired with a spunky working class girl show. And it is, but then we have the fact that he can't feel emotions, and she was paired up with him for his therapy that involved them connected to each other electronically. I can't explain how it happens (and it's not really important how), but an accident occurs and they exchange characteristics. Now he can feel all her pain, and she can feel the emotions he is supposed to be feeling . . . I guess. I do know he can feel everything, and him dealing with her period cramps was hilarious. I think I've only seen three episodes, but I'm hoping she starts to understand what's happening soon. Oh, did I mention she's his bodyguard and trains with MMA fighters?
We Best Love: No. 1 for You (series review)
This was one of those shows that I wasn't sure I'd complete because I was so annoyed with half of the main couple that I wasn't sure that I'd forgive him enough to want him to paired up with the hero. Zhou Shu Yi seems a little annoying, but the reason why he is so dissatisfied with his life (despite all his financial advantages) is that since he was a kid, no matter how hard he has tried and now matter what he tried, Gao Shi De beats him. It seems like he is doing it on purpose--because he is. It turns out that he's done this all these years because he believes that this is the only way that Shu Yi will pay attention to him since Shu Yi is so driven. To my surprise despite this beginning and me wanting to punch Shi De for Shu Yi's sake, I ended up invested in their love story. They've already filmed a sequel with a five-year time jump and our love birds clearly at odds. Sigh. Why mess with a good thing? Can we have some happy?
THAILAND
Manner of Death
Everyone is now chomping at the bit for episode thirteen after the end of episode 12. This show really is a lesson not to trust anyone. I was wondering why no one said anything about the confrontation that Jane had with the others at the party that they showed in the beginning of the episode, but I was always concerned about the fact that they weren't making copies of things and despite the set backs and the injuries, our Scooby gang seemed to be getting too close to the truth too easily. I don't buy that Inspector M is as injured as he is, but I am wondering what trumped up charge the chief has cooked up to arrest Dr. Bun. So many people going to be on the run now, and so many bad guys. It's pretty much equal in number, but with the some of the good guys being teenagers . . . Plus, they give great fan service.
A Tale of a Thousand Stars
While Manner of Death, despite the strength of the source material, still seems to struggle with scene organizations and some uneven tone, this show reveals an example of smoother construction and character development in theses first two episodes than we've gotten in all 12 of the other show. Chief Phupha does tease our new teacher, but our new teacher also doesn't seem to be really prepared for what he's gotten himself into. He has good motive, but he clearly didn't even do basic google research about the place he was going or even about teaching itself. He shows up with no lesson ideas whatsoever. Still, the two bond over what could have been another tragedy, and I'm convinced now that Tor would have never won his heart because he clearly is already starting to fall for Tian while Tian will be confused because he with think it's merely Tor's heart that longs for the chief not his own. I'm anxious about Tian and the food and his medication. We know that's going to be a problem in the future. But while we wait, let's have more scenes of Chief Phupha at the waterfall.
