I was thinking that if I must live a solitary existence because of this coronavirus, I’d choose to live in a barn surrounded by acres and acres of blooming tulips.
credit: Carol J Van Dyke, photo of springtime in Burnside Farms in Nokesville, Virginia
Of course, the barn must have water, plumbing, electricity, gas, bidet, chocolates, Uber Eats delivery, Verizon signal, and internet.
Let’s be realistic here: I’m no modern-day Thoreau in Walden Pond. Henry David Thoreau was a 19th century American writer who lived in a small cabin in the woods in Massachusetts. During his two-year, hermit-styled sojourn, he reflected on his changing world at that time. He came to believe that people should reject materialism and technology and instead live a simple life in communion with nature. “Walden” was the result of this reflection. If he was alive today, he would have plenty to discuss with Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Bill Gates of Microsoft and Elon Musk of Tesla.
For me, the extent of my Thoreau-like aspirations is dreaming of a barn with all the modern-day conveniences so I can devote my time comfortably watching dramas and blogging about them. The only sort of communing I’ll preach is chatting online with fellow bitches like you.
The tulips are for inspiration.
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Here are the kdramas I’m planning to watch for April.
1. Hospital Playlist
Comment: As long Dr. Maggot isn’t dating JW the Buddha, I’ll be reviewing this weekly drama.
2. Find Me in Your Memory
Whoops. Wrong gif. Rowoon (Haru from “Extra-ordinary You”) only cameo-ed.
Starring:
Moon Ga Young as HaJin
Kim Dong Wook as Jung Hoon
A man with hyper-memory meets a girl with no-memory. He’s a news anchor and she’s a celebrity.
Comment: I’m watching this and occasionally reviewing it. I like the actress before in “The Great Seducer.”
3. A Piece of Your Mind
Starring:
Jung Hae In as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) programmer
Chae Soo Bin as a classical recording engineering?
Another robot show.
Comment: I’ll have to admit that Chae Soo Bin is on my list of “Do Not Watch” Actress. I don’t like the way she looks (like a cat) and the way she acts (too conscious that she’s cute). Her unprofessional character in “Where Stars Land” crystallized this image I have of her as annoying brat. But I want to give her a chance to get out of DNW list so I’m watching this. With Jung Hae In as her costar (ugh! another try-hard), I’m expecting this kdrama to be a contest on who can out-cute the other. lol.
Besides, I promised my long-time friend, mslee1107, to watch and review the first two episodes. I’ll do anything for her. .
Dear drama gods, let me survive two episodes of saccharine encounters between two aegyo-producing actors, so I can write a review.
4. Meow, the Secret Boy
Starring:
Shin Ye Eun (from “He’s Psychometric”) as Sol Ah
Kim Yung Soo (the fake Angel from the anti-Catholic “Angel’s Last Whatever”) as Hong Jo
It’s another fantasy drama. Kim Yung Soo is a cat who can take on a human form. Bizarre. Why can’t this actor ever take a role where he’s a normal guy?
Comment: I like the actress so I’m going to try kdrama out. But since it’s based on a webtoon, I expect this to be shallow.
Update: I watched the first 15 minutes, and I’m already annoyed with this pseudo-psychoanalyzing of people. What’s the point of identifying their personality trait as either a cat or dog? Why a cat? And why a dog?
Is this a Korean thing??
Dang it. What if I self-identify as a cobra?
Grrrr Ssssss… I might do a first and last impressions for this kdrama.
5. When the Weather is Nice
Starring:
Seo Kang Joon as Eunseob
Park Min Young as herself (lol)
Comment: I haven’t given up on this drama. It’s just too slow and out of season. It’s jarring for me to view the wintry landscape in the drama when the cherry blossom tree outside my bedroom window already bloomed. As I write this, almost all of the white petals have fallen to the ground.
So the timing of this kdrama is all wrong.
I’ll catch up when I’ve time.
6. Memorist
Starring:
Yoo Seung Ho as an easily-triggered detective with psychometric skills (ha. Psychometry is another invention of kdrama writers)
Lee Se Young as a genius profiler
Comment: I started to watch this because I like the two actors. Plus, I like the idea of the lead female character is a genius. How often do we see that in a kdrama?
But a serial murder case is hard for me to watch in installments. I must watch it in one sitting so I’ll return when the series is done.
7. The King: Eternal Monarch
Starring:
hahaha. Have you been living under a rock? #EverybodyKnows
Kim Go Eun as Tae Eul/Luna
Comment: I said to Save-the-date April 17, but we shall see. I’ll do an Open Thread so we can part-aaaayyy and post comments. The Cynical Islanders and the Shallow Islanders will host a joint orgy, I mean, joint reception for the coming of the King.
Breaking news: The new teaser is out!!! Will post soon.
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Do you see that now? Do you see how many good dramas there are out there this month? I didn’t even list the Cdramas….
So, thank you, but no, thank you, Thoreau! As much as I agree with a *few* of his ideas, I have no desire to live Thoreau-ly in a spartan existence with so many lovely dramas to enjoy and discuss.
I may check out some of the one’s you’ve listed.
In Progress Watch List:
Heart Surgeons
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?
Hi Bye, Mama!
Recently Completed Watch List:
Itaewon Class
Find Yourself (cdrama)
Black Knight
Touch Your Heart
TBD Watch List:
The King: Eternal Monarch
When the Weather is Nice
I can’t wait to rejoin you guys for The King: Eternal Monarch.
Wow! You’re on a roll. How do you have the time???
See you for “The King.”
@packmule3 – Working from home, quarantined, and no offspring. As soon as I’m off the clock (4-5), I start watching till 11ish on weekdays. On weekends, it’s all day. I understand why people obsess over it now. Yes, I have a problem.
@PM3, I think Mr. Thoreau would have liked kdramas. I wonder what kind of insights he would have…
I will also totally agree to watch kdramas in a barn with all the amenities you listed. Tulips are pretty, but I’d rather have a lettuce patch, some herbs, and a couple of tomato plants in front of the barn. And toilet paper. Lots of it. But wait, I forgot there is a bidet!
These are the dramas I look forward to watching in April:
Hospital Playlist, because I want to find out who YYS is going to end up with
The King:Eternal Monarch, for 2 reasons:
1. The comments on this site
2. Woo Do Hwan
When the Weather is Nice (maybe)
@Snow Flower “Hospital Playlist, because I want to find out who YYS is going to end up with”.
It’s not sure you will have the answer. Hospital Playlist is planned to have multiple seasons.
@Sayaris: I heard about that and I am not happy. I hope that the first season will give us some hints at least…
I am currently watching
1. 365 – Repeat the Year (gripping stuff and it’s only 12 episodes. Short and sharp)
2. A Piece of Your Mind (ditched Weather is Fine for this one. Similar themes explored. I like both lead characters so far. No aegyo thus far from either so it’s a plus. Not sure if I will stay watching because I really struggle watching more than 2 dramas at a time)
3. Hospital Playlist (love it and will watch to the end for sure)
Will start Eternal Monarch (May his name endure forever). So long as WDH keeps swimming between the 2 islands 🌴 and serving drinks when he lands (picturing beads of sea water dripping off his chiselled face…err…torso 😂)… it will be worth it. And the top notch company here will definitely see me through rough patches when drinks are few and far between.
I have fallen in love with when the weather is nice.
It was really slow for me in the beginning. Nice but slow and I wasn’t very engaged. But stay patient and you get a nice payoff. I think the characters grew on me and the story is layered and beautiful. I really like the male lead family, the mom, dad, sister all of them. Love isn’t always have to be about blood. It’s heartwarming
My Plan To Watch for April:
Drunken To Love You-just fun silliness with a nice kiss scene in the middle, which is what I need right now
Smile-this rom com finally fully edited at Viki-looks cute
Someday Or One Day-everyone saying this drama best of 2019 full stop. I started it and had to out it on pause, so now able to finish it
Amensalism-Romantic Suspense/Fantasy/Thriller-trailer looks good-Viki got the lisence. I’m def checking this one out. Downside is waiting for edited subs, but this is a TW drama so Viki usually good at keeping up with TW drama since they are 1 ep a week schedule.
The King: The Eternal Monarch-watching for Woo Do Hwan and Kim Go Eun. We’ll see if the storyline is interesting or not, also not a fan of KSE endings for the last couple of dramas.
Maybe List-Not sure about these, I’ll wait to see what the reviews are
Meow, The Secret Boy
A Piece of Your Mind
Memorist
Fatal Promise
Nobody Knows
Wait there is a love triangle? Or is he just a tease? A woman PM – youngest ever and first ever female PM of Korea. Okay, whatever floats your boat. The superlatives in this drama mounts by the day. 😂
https://www.soompi.com/article/1391608wpp/lee-min-ho-and-jung-eun-chae-have-a-quiet-but-tense-exchange-in-the-king-eternal-monarch
“The superlatives in this drama mounts by the day.”
I know, right?
It will be grim watching the fallout when reality doesn’t meet expectations.
Yes, there’s a love triangle involving the Prime Minister but it’s supposedly one-sided. But I hope she isn’t going horseback riding with the lacy blouse on. Wrong material. That will rub against her skin. lol.
@packmule3 I don’t mind a hermit-like existence if certain pre-conditions are fulfilled too – electricity and internet connectivity, little stream with wildflowers in the background of my nice little house (which somehow I will inherit/be gifted), temperature controlled rooms with all modern facilities (not 19th century amenities please), lots of money magically wired to my account (meaning I don’t have to earn any for next 6 months) and of course, Uber Eats so I don’t have to cook 😛😛😎😎 I will have interesting chats with everyone here and watch and dissect K-dramas. The first ones I will check out are:
1) Some day or one day (T-drama) – Need to finish. I’m liking it so far and I’m in love with the OST. Listening to the title track by Shi Shi on a loop.
2) I’ll come to you when the weather is nice- I want to check this out when I’m in a pensive mood and want some mellow nostalgic romance to wallow in.
3) WWW The Search – Because I love the way women are portrayed in this one. I’ve only 5 episides left to complete and I will have all the time in the world once I become Ms. Hermit with a K-drama fixation 😛
4) King-The Eternal Monarch – Goes without saying because I love my virtually trips to shallow Island to ogle at His Highness (May his name endure forever🤣) and WDH. And there’s no way I’m going to miss the launch orgy..errr..party🎉🎉🎊🎊
Sounds like a blissful existence me! I may even start envying Mr. Thoreau, especially because I seem to have more office work now because I’m working from home 😭😭 I could really do with some virtual distancing with office people🙄😤
You read my mind!! That’s the reason I said I wanted “Uber Eats” so I don’t have to cook. I’ll just order food to be delivered. lol.
More time for watching dramas.
Same here. I thought I would have more time now because I didn’t have to commute to work. But because of the cellphone and internet, my office can always find me.
Plus, my hubby is such a big baby. I’ve to entertain him when he’s bored or think of chores for him to do around the house. I made him replace the mailbox today. Tomorrow, I’ll ask him to replace the bird feeders. lol.
Sailboat for me. Either a catamaran or a trimaran, plenty of solar/water/wind generation for a water maker, biggish fridge, etc… Hang out on a mooring or at an anchorage with good wireless connection. Sail when the wind is good, watch dramas when it’s not. Oh by the way, there’s ALWAYS chores to be done on a boat, and while the husband may be the captain, the wife is usually the Admiral.
And cat vs dog is no more stranger than tying for blood type to personality features.
Playlist is the one that I find most interesting; after reading the commentary on this blog, I feel the need for a rewatch – I think my sensitivity training wasn’t up to snuff.
LOL, @@packmule3 All the more reason for you to go into hermit mode maybe for at least a month 😛 Take a sabbatical from work, get a new cellphone number, go to that house in the tulip field, grab a few books from your TBR pile, watch as many K-dramas as you want, post lots of blog entries that we love (I have a vested interestin this, see😛), and leave your hubby behind for a month to become independent💪💪💪
I just want a beach house complete with big open windows over looking the ocean. The sound of the waves will definitely make me calm and at peace especially during this time.
I’m watching Hospital Playlist. Memorist is really good and I’m just loving YSH there. I’m definitely watching The King, Eternal Monarch and I’m interested in Meow, The Secret Boy too.
A Piece Of Your Mind and Find Me In Your Memory are not on Netflix?
I’m looking for a new cdrama but no luck there.
Re. the beach house.
Just be prepared with a summer calendar in January because you’ll be asked by family and friends if they can use your beach house. When my sons, nieces and nephews were in high school and college, they had to coordinate who got it on weekends. 🙂
Memorist, Piece of your Mind and Find Me in Your Memory are on Viki.
Isn’t Memorist scary though?
I think my dream beach house will be a retirement place though but family and friends will be welcome to stay if we ever have one. ☺️
Yes those series are all in Viki but I don’t have membership so I can only access the 2 episodes if it’s vip.
Memorist is very good actually because his supernatural powers are known by the people and the story is not slow. There were bits that’s scary and I did close my eyes a few times but other than those, I really like it. Also there’s someone that can erase memories too so it made it interesting. 😊
You know the online mass that we did in Boston? It’s from the Cathedral Of The Holy Cross Boston, Massachusetts.
We’re getting ready for our Palm Sunday mass. 😊
@agdr03 The beach house sounds lovely @agdr03. I love hearing the sound of the waves too throughout the day, walking batefoot on the beach and getting the sea spray on my face.There is something soothing about watching wave after wave crash on the shore too. Hope your dream comes true1😇
“Robot drama”… I love your expression.
So true…
“Meow”, “Extraordinary you”… ordinary dramas…
I prefer to see the classics.
I don’t watch a lot of dramas these days, I’ve had a relapse… I’m back to 4x games. ^^