Rants and Weekly Raves (RAWR) #339

Trotwood: More and more shows are popping up, and I really have given up. Thanks to Kakashi for the post about the cancellation of Joseon Exorcist and lessons about not making assumptions. It looks like historical controversies are hitting another drama even before it airs. But we shouldn't complain as viewers because there are just so many dramas coming out and so many that are being subbed. Thanks to subbers the world over for giving us so much content from which to choose. Zhang Han has another show airing now--One Boat, One World-- with thirteen episodes out already. I'm almost relieved that no one has subbed that one yet. Anyone watching? Anyone watching Palace of Devotion? Can someone tell me (with spoilers blocking on) what happened in the time traveling Times?

One Boat, One World poster

kakashi: I'm in one of those time loops again where time flies by and nothing ever happens. It's very warm and very pollen polluted here. I keep watching the anime Seven Deadly Sins, it's very entertaining. In other news, my daughter turned 12 yesterday. That seems impossible, but I tell you, it's true.

KOREA

Navillera

I know some of my reaction to this show is that I am getting at the age where time is running out for the things that I really want to do and was just wondering last week at work if "this is all there is?"; however, I also think it is the kind of show that will make a lot of people cry, especially in the first episode. Our adorable lead, Shim Deok Chool, is a 70-year-old retired postman who has a wife and three kids and would appear to be having a nice quiet retirement, but we see that th life he lives is not at all the life he dreamed of. He had wanted to be a ballet dancer when he was a child, but that is clearly NOT an appropriate option according to his father, so he grew up doing something else. But losing friends makes us really think about what and who we want to be. Of course, he meets up with the talented dancer boy who has to have parent issues as well as a stereotypical bully. I'm also a bit disappointed that he also has the stereotypical self-indulgent fighting grown children and a wife that nags only because they seem such obvious choices for this story when following his dream would be hard enough. We also know that his granddaughter will find love with our handsome dancer boy. But the light in Park In Hwan's eyes as he embodies Deok Chool who is a man of surprising gifts makes me keep watching.

How to Be Thirty?/Not Yet Thirty

I'm not sure why anyone didn't come out and tell Ran Ju that her show was being cancelled. What were they hoping to happen, that she did the last show, leave, and they could tell her by text? She handled it very well, but I loved how the puppy took her to the car wash, so she could cry in the car while it was being washed. I can't tell you how many times while going through my divorce that I went through the car wash (one of those automatic ones) and cried. But the meat of the last episodes is what is going on with Ji Won and Seung Joo, as much as I was saying I was getting this weird vibe from him, the show hints that the "girlfriend" really isn't his girlfriend and his voiceover reveals that he loves her, but what am I supposed to think? I still don't like them together, but though I feel good when she is with the director will the show really put her with a character who has been in it for a total of 30 minutes?

Oh My Ladylord/Oh! Master/Oh My Master!

After, binging stressful and sad shows (why does it seem like I'm watching so many now?), I was looking for some fluff. I completely forgot all about this show, but decided to watch because of Lee Min Ki. I know there are a lot of Nana fans out there, but I really don't know her, so if you do, give me some recommendations because I like her here. Lee Min Ki plays a popular, perfectionist drama writer who can be nasty to people but only if he doesn't think they are good. Nana plays a famous actress who wants to break out of her RomCom image. The producer wants her for a role in our prickly writer's upcoming drama, and she wants the opportunity but of course all sorts of things happen which causes them to fight, co-habitate, and hopefully becomes friends. . . . who am I trying to kid? They are going to become co-conspirators and best buddies who fall in love. We know it, but I like the two of them, so I'm in.

Miss Monte Cristo (daily)

I laughed hysterical in last week's episodes where they try to bury the heroine alive. I'm like guys, "you dropped her off a bridge and she came back to life. You don't think she is going to climb out of a grave?" The bad guys really need to pick better minions because they are just so incompetent. I do feel badly for her ex-fiance because he is clearly miserable in the marriage he's been trapped into. I wonder if she will ever find out what really happened and find forgiveness. It's too early to know whether the show is going to pair her up with the goofy guy who likes her or the man who can't forget her as I said last week. I like that now she is finding other of her father's allies to take back the mall that was stolen from them, so her revenge is not just her own.

CHINA/TAIWAN

Word of Honor

We continue on our journey with our small family of uncle and Cheng Ling whcih also now includes an annoying older uncle. It's clear, he is just trying to front as an annoyed guy, but you know he is clearly worried that Zi Shu is so calmly and willingly slowly dying.I really enjoyed the intricacies of the trying to get out of this week's entrapments, especially the mechanical nature but also the idea that they are just martial arts masters because years and years of training but also they need to be smart as well. We also get the ruthless Scorpion King and his very uncomfortable relationship with Zhao Jing. Zhao Jing may have been masterful in his takeover, but he is an idiot for thinking he can control Prince Xie. Watching Prince Xie take him out eventually is going to be a delight. The CG in this show is cheesy but pretty.

Killer and Healer

I'm only through episode 26 of this show, but we are clearly at the point in a Republican Era drama where a main character dies in every episode (one of the reasons why I was searching for fluff). And even though I knew the time would inevitable come, the deaths weren't any less sad. I think they also helped make the relationship twist a surprise for me. Dulling my analytical senses is one way to make me miss all the clues the show was giving. Lots of people are talking about the relationship between our villain and his pet opera singer, but I want to comment on the relationship between our villain, Jun Bai, and the hero. Jun Bai could have easily killed off Yuelong several times by now--even his secretary says so. Ironically, though Jun Bai seems to actually like Yuelong probably respects him more than anyone else in the show. It's like he admires him enough--despite knowing that they have to be enemies--that he doesn't want Yuelong to have an ordinary death. I just hope he takes out his disgusting uncle before this is all over, but in the interim, I'm keeping my tissues handy.

HIStory 4: Close to You

If you thought I was merely annoyed last week at the fact that the franchise seemed to go out of its way to ruin a really good friendship group and fun relationship story by feeling the need to add stalking stepbrother plotline, then you should know how enraged I was at this week's episode. I don't want to hear that this wasn't rape because it was. It doesn't matter that he has been in love with him his entire life. I really feel badly for the actors because they are all really good in this,  and it isn't that rape doesn't happen, but I feel as though the writer decided to take 2021 characters and go back to a stereotypical BL drama from twenty years ago, especially if she continues to push them as a couple. The genre has come so far that it is disappointing to see such a high profile show go back to roots that it should have left behind long ago. 

I just want to rescue these three and put them in another drama

JAPAN

Kimi to Sekai ga Owaru Hi ni: Season 1

Still no time to finish this show, and they've already started season 2!!!!

Attack on Titan - The Final Season

Who knows what the words is on this? My information is that 16 episodes were commissioned (as now aired) - but we all know this is not the end. So, when will the show continue? 2021? 2022?

Nishiogikubo Mitsuboshi Youshudou (finale)

Last week was the week for shows really making ask what I want to do with my life and am I happy with what I'm doing with my life! Thank goodness this lovely show's episodes are short because I basically cried my way through this one not because of the obvious sad parts but because it really makes you think of the chances we don't really have been given to us. I'm also a sucker for friend groups, and unlikely grouping of guys who more like frenemies in high school being back together with this business and to help the one who is always helping others to find his dream was great. I really recommend this show. 

Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai vs. Zettai BL ni Naritajunai Otoko

While HIStory 4's playing with tropes left a nasty taste in my mouth, this show did the exact opposite. Our main character, Mob, realizes that he is a Mobu, a side character in a manga, but not just any manga but a BL one. He doesn't want to be sucked into any one of the crazy relationships that he hears about going on these mangas, and the whole show plays upon all the crazy coincidences that appear in most of these stories--things like the traditional meet-cute or the fact that there are sooo many really handsome guys in his school and hardly any female students even though it's co-ed. I laughed out loud throughout the entire first episode. I want to see where the show takes this. Can Mob keep being an ignored side character?

THAILAND

A Tale of a Thousand Stars

We knew the angst was coming, but I didn't predict the twist about Chief Phupa's relationship with Tian's father. All this time, most of thought there was going to be problems because of Tian having Torfun's heart and/or his connection to the accident that caused her death. But nope. This episode gave Mix a chance to really shine, and many people are surprised that this is his first role. He's doing a great job. I'm also really happy that the show is getting them fans and seems to be doing well. As we know, if you get a quality show that does well, then we can get more quality shows, and Earth has been working for awhile and deserves some popularity. I'm wondering how this will all pan out, especially since Tian has been changed forever by his time in the village. It's insulting to him that his dad thought it was all a game.

Talay Luang

Finally, the finale. And what a humdinger it all was. Worthy of a lakorn. We have more gunfights,  even arson, and even a missing body with like a half hour left! Good for you show. But I have to say that I actually really liked what they did with the villain and his back story with the mom. Yes, of course all the lovebirds lived happily ever after, and hopefully our hero won't get knocked over the head again. But I have to give all the credit to our villain who made the end really enjoyable.