Can you believe it? It’s December already? Where did the year go?
1. Unlock My Boss
I thought this would come out in November but it was pushed back either because of the soccer games or the tragedy in Itaewon during Halloween.
I said that the concept of this drama intrigues me since it reminds me of “Memories of the Alhambra.” Instead of being trapped in a videogame, the CEO of a large company finds himself trapped inside his smartphone after he’s killed.
Fortunately, a young man picks up his cellphone. With help and guidance of the CEO, this young man, played by Chae Jong Hyeop (“Sisyphus”), will step in as the temporary CEO of the company to seek out the CEO’s murderer and to prevent hostile takeovers of the company.
I don’t think this is a romcom. From the trailer, it looks like more like a mystery and suspense drama. But there’s bound to be romance in the mix as the CEO has a pretty daughter who can be Chae JongHyeop’s love interest.
This is based on a webtoon but I’m sure the screenwriters will polish the plot to suit TV audience.
Cast:
Chae Jong Hyeop, the young guy who had a crush on Park ShinHye’s character in “Sisyphus”
Park Sung Woong, an ahhussi actor, lol.
Seo Eun Soo: never heard of her
Episodes: 12 (thank goodness!)
Start Date: Wed, Dec 7
Airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays
Where to Watch it: Viki
Network: ENA
2. Forbidden Marriage
The premise is interesting.
[It’s about] King Yi Heon, who falls deep into despair after the death of his wife and ends up prohibiting marriage in his kingdom. Seven years after the loss of his wife who was then the crown princess, he comes across a con artist named So Rang who claims that she can be possessed by the late princess’s spirit.Source: soompi
Cast:
Park JuHyun as the con artist So Rang. She had me laughing in “Zombie Detective” so I want to see her do well.
Kim Young Dae as the King (“Sh**ting Stars” and “Extraordinary You”)
Lee Shin as the King’s bodyguard.
Though I don’t look forward to a love triangle, I don’t see how a king could marry a commoner, much less a con artist.
Episodes: 12 (hurray!)
Start Date: Fri, Dec 9
Airs on Fridays and Saturdays
Where to watch it: Viki?
Network: MBC
3. Alchemy of Souls: Season 2: Light and Shadow
The production team is surely ramping up the media buzz around this kdrama but I’m ignoring the hype.
Cast:
The same cast as Season 1 minus Jung So Min. She’s replaced by Goo Yoon Jung.
Episodes: 10
Start Date: Sat, Dec 10
Airs on Saturdays and Sundays
Where to Watch it: Netflix
Network: tvN
4. New Life Begins
Is this a fun show? Should I open a thread for you, @GB and @Kate?
I found the introduction very interesting. It hooked me in.
There are nine states in the world. Everything is different in the each state.
Mo State in the north has a strong army where herdsmen live in a scattered manner. Gang State in the northwest is dry and barren with a few resources.
Dai State in the center is mountainous and rich in minerals.
Yan State in the south is small with few resources but abounds with flowers and fruits. Ying State in the southeast has abundant rainfall where plants are evergreen.
In most states, men are considered superior but Ji State in the southwest pursues monogamy where men and women are equal.
In Dan State where everybody loves spicy food, women rule. The women there are shrewish and straightforward (is this a euphemism for domineering wives, lol.) who usually have a matrilocal husband (matrilocal = husband will live with wife’s family after marriage). Jin State in the east is along the coast where trade flourishes. Generations of local do business; rich people are deemed superior.
Xin State is the strongest state among the nine where lineal descendants (or direct descendants) are more honorable and women are inferior to men. These nine states had been fighting wars for years until the Xin State won. A peace agreement that would last for a century was made. Girls of the right age from each state shall marry young Lords of the Xin State.
Based on this long description, it’s in the best interest of the ruling Xin State to marry into the noble families of the other eight states in order to preserve peace in the land. Meanwhile, the noble families of the other eight states can ensure their influence or increase their clout by marrying the more favored sons of the Xin State ruler.
The Xin State and the Ji State appear to be natural antitheses of each other. Whereas Xin deems women inferior to men, the Ji State views men and women as equals. It isn’t surprising that the male lead of this Cdrama is from the Xin State, and the female lead is from the Jin State.
Cast:
Bai Jing Ting: the hero in “You Are My Hero”
Tian Xi Wei: never heard of her, but she looks cute
Episodes: 40 episodes?!!
Start Date: Nov 10
Airs on every day except weekends
Where to Watch it: Viki
Network: iQiYi
5. First Love
Hellooooo, fans of Sato Takeru (“Love Lasts Forever”). He has a new dorama on Netflix, and it’s a love story.
Synopsis from mydramalist:
In the late 90’s, Yae and Harumichi met and fell in love. After graduating from high school, Yae went off to college in Tokyo, while Harumichi joined the Self-Defense forces as an aviation student, and like that they separated. One day, Yae suffered a tragic accident, and 20 years passed without their lives intersecting again. Now, Yae works as a taxi driver and Harumichi has become an employee at a security company after serving in the Self-Defense forces, both in the same city. About 20 years after their unfulfilled first love, fate brings them together once again…
Cast:
Sato Takeru
Mitsushima Hikari
Episodes: 9, all nine episodes are out. I took a peek at the ending because this looks like a sad drama but spoiler alert….they do end up together.
Where to Watch it: Netflix
I’ll open a thread for us.
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
What are YOU watching this month? Whatever it is, I hope you’ll find time to spend with your loved ones this holiday season.
🙋🏻♀️ Forbidden Marriage and First Love!!! I’m watching the FF’s 😂
I’ve seen the first episode of First Love and I still like Satoh. 🥰
I’m on episode 5 tonight of May I Help You so I should be good for a rewatch sometime. ☺️
I want to start on She And Her Perfect Husband but I won’t rush into it for now. ☺️
I can’t believe it’s that time of the year again but then I’m wrapping Christmas presents as it is. 😂
Kumawo! 🙇🏻♀️
Hi there Packmule … how are you?
Anyway I just finished watching “First Love” last night. Love it so much.
The story line, the acting, and the cinematogrphy are good.
I didn’t feel like a jet lag or confuse about the back and forth plot.
Hi @pkml3, thanks for being really on the ball with the What Are We Watching thread.
A side note: For the Liar Game thread, there’s a little amendment needed. The Paris time is 1.30pm (not 2.30pm as originally stated) because of their Daylight Savings, I believe.
Early notice: @WE and I would like to do a rewatch of Memories of the Alhambra in January 2023. Would you care to join us?
I feel I’m watching a lot 😳 🤭 😇 and these are likely to go into December.
Summer Strike – It’s a relaxing journey (slice of life style) watching our protagonists ‘find themselves’. The characters are more realistic than merely dramatic. Few are likable. Most have a backstory.
May I Help You – Full of metaphors which I like.
A New Life Begins – I believe it was @TY who asked for a thread. I’m sort of speed watching it: watching for the nice relationships, and may not comment much. I’d say this is a relatively light, sometimes very funny show, with enough conflict and tension to balance out the sweetness. It’s quite strong in its comment about how women are treated and champions change in society’s (read Xin State’s) attitude towards women. The cast really includes a large number of women and their characters are not the doormat type, most of the time. I guess I like the show’s rendition of sisterhood and family. The romance(s) take(s) second place.
For something short, thought provocative and riveting I just started rewatching The Twilight Zone. LOL.
What I may want to pick up especially while rewatching MOTA, so that I may compare them… is Unlock My Boss
First Love – To have some jdrama after Liar Game S1. 🙂
I just read the pitch for Unlock My Boss. Definitely the genre I like. 😉
Hi @WE, yes, the kind of premise that brings me in to have a look-see. I hope it’s a smart show with very few or no WTH moments. 🙂
@packmule3, thank you for posting this. Quite a few of these dramas start at the end of November. I may have to watch the first episodes of all of them because they sound so good. Forbidden Marriage, certainly, since it’s supposed to be a comedy and stars Park JuHyun.
Thank you for the trailer for First Love. It looks as though we’ll get a tour of historical events from the end of the last century as well. You know I can’t resist Sato Takeru.
Imma gonna try this one. It premieres December some time. Trying to wipe Winter out of my mind when I see YYS.
https://www.soompi.com/article/1555727wpp/watch-yoo-yeon-seok-moon-ga-young-and-more-describe-their-roles-in-jtbcs-new-office-romance-drama
Hi @packmule3,
NLB is fun. Lots of fresh content. Like @GB I am watching in a very light way and would not make best use of a thread devoted to it.
I especially enjoyed the earlier episodes when they were setting up the story and the world in which it was set. Some hilarious scenes. Always enjoy BJT.
@packmule3Ah the temptation. I will watch any one of these where a discussion is convened here. I am finishing up Love is for Suckers and Under The Queen’s Umbrella and am waiting for the next door outside of May I Help You(FIFA postponed).
I did a fast binge watch of the four episodes Fanletter Please that I enjoyed. It starts Sooyoung and Yoon Park and a sweet child actress Shin, and is about the child leukemia patient writing to her favorite star but getting responses back written by her Dad(we’ve seen this trope before I’m Start Up). I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick watch.
@packmule3, I am a fan of Park Sung Woong. He can do anything. He was great in Method. But I got a big kick out of him in his comedy role in Okay Madam. He is equally good as a villain or a hero. He is great doing ambiguity. So I am definitely in for Unlock My Boss.
I’ll be watching AoS2. I’m currently watching, as episodes are released: Kdramas May I Help You, Summer Strike, Reborn Rich; and Cdramas New Life Begins, and She and Her Perfect Husband.
Having watched through Episode 20, I’m a little behind with New Life Begins: I slowed down because I became a bit bored. The focus has moved away from the relationship developing between the FL and ML to lots of side stories. Much as I appreciate the show highlighting women’s issues, I feel it is getting preachy. The plot deviations don’t feel organic to the story, but teeter on the brink of virtue signaling.
I’ll take a look at Sato Takero’s new drama, First Love. I may also watch Recipe for Farewell because I liked the male lead in his role as Dr. Romantic.
@Packmule3, looking ahead to the new year, I’d like to request a retrospective thread to highlight the shows, themes, actors, OSTs etc. that stood out for us in 2022. What do you think?
@nrllee, it will premiere in December 21. i’m curious to see how Yoo Yeon-seok can pull out great chemistry with the female leads. it’s his first time being paired to a much younger actresses, right?
@GMPL I am not an avid fan of his so I don’t know if this is the first time he’s paired up with someone who is much younger.
@GMPL, I recently read that Too Yeon-seok criticized Moon Char Wan’s in looks and body shamed her after appearing with her in one by if my favorite movies, Mood I’d the Day.Apparently he has been known to have these opinions about other women. Given these stories, my regard for him has diminished. He also didn’t awuit himself in season 2 of HPL. So I may watch his next drama but with less appeal for him. He still is a good actor but that’s why it is good to keep their opinions away from their jobs. And I loved MCW in Flower of Evil where her love scenes were electric. She is a fine actress. And in Mood of the day,she made YYS look good, making his remarks about her look petty and downright wrong.
Good idea, @Welmaris. I’ll think of something and open a thread.
@Kate,
Yes, I like Bai Jing Ting. There’s something calming about his onscreen persona that inspires confidence.
I plan to watch Alchemy of Souls Part 2. The Forbidden Marriage looks interesting too. Currently rewatching 30 but 17, The Princess’s Man, and Live Up To Your Name.
@nrllee, oh, sorry for asking. i do think it’s his first time being paired with a much younger actress in this upcoming drama.
@OAL, so that explains why some viewers are wary of YYS. that’s petty and uncalled for. lucky for him, Moon Chae-won didn’t make a big deal out of it. he’s still a good actor though, and i’ll try to watch his upcoming drama to see if it’s in my liking.
i think i will also add ‘Unlock The Boss’ in my watchlist. i feel it’s gonna be more comedic than it should be. Park Sung-woong is great at comedy films. meanwhile, Chae Jong-hyeop is good enough at portraying a funny guy, especially in Love All Play.
REWATCH PARTY OPEN INVITATION: MEMORIES OF THE ALHAMBRA (January 2023)
Hi @packmule3 and all Bitches (BODers),
This is an open invitation to one and all to join us for a Memories of the Alhambra Rewatch Party.
Bitches interested so far: @WEnchanteur, @Feifei, @Old American Lady, @Cleopatra, @Growingbeautifully
Start Date: Saturday 7 January 2023
Start Time: 13.30 UTC which at my last check is:
5.30am PST
8.30am EST
9.30am Caracas
1.30pm London
2.30pm Paris
3.30pm Athens
9.30pm Singapore, Perth
The time of the parties can be challenging wherever we all may be, and there are the Daylight Savings times that suddenly kick in, to confuse matters too, so please let us know when your clocks get moved up or down the hour.
Please let us know on this thread or on the ‘party notice’ thread that @packmule3 will open up, if you’re interested to join in!
Thanks @pkml3!!!
🎈 🎊 🎉 🎁 🍧 🍨 🍰 🍬 🧋 🧃 🥤 🍇 🫐 🍓 🍑 🎁 🎉 🎊 🎈
Hi Friends! I always look forward to these threads! 🙂
I’m finishing up Love Is for Suckers. It was fun and entertaining at the beginning, but then the story went all over the place and there were unnecessary and prolonged misunderstandings and drama. Hopefully our leads will end up together. We’ll find out tomorrow in the finale.
Like @Welmaris, I look forward to watching Recipe for Love because of the main lead from Dr. Romantic is in it. It’s going to be a sad story (women asks her ex-husband to help take care of her as she is dying, he cooks many delicious meals for her, etc.) but I’m looking forward to how the story unfolds and the food they will show.
I also want to watch Fanletter and First Love. We’ll see how things go. With Christmas coming up, there is a lot of do so I might stick to my usual one-live-drama-at-a-time schedule.
It was 30 degrees Celcius in Taipei yesterday! Glad December will be cooler. With the looming energy crisis I’m thankful we live in a place where heating is rarely needed.
Happy December chingus! 🙂
Friends! I just watched the trailer of First Love our Queen Bee shared here, and I know I’ll love it. I’ll save it to reward myself later this month.
I lived in Japan before so can understand some of what they are saying, and am familiar with some of the landmarks and streets in Tokyo. Thanks for sharing about it, I’m excited!
Hoping to make my first trip to Korea next year with my sister. I’ve never been…
And congrats to Hyun Bin and Son Yejin on the birth of their baby, Crash Landing on You was my first K-drama and that how I found this wonderful community. Since then, my world has been so much happier and colorful. During the past three years when life was tough and work was overwhelming BOD has been my joy, comfort and solace.
Thank you everyone!!! Take good care! 🙂
@GB,
I made the time correction for Liar’s Game. The last Open Thread should indicate 1:30pm start time for Paris/@WEnchanteur.
Summer Strike: I like Siwan and the coastal setting. But the female lead is driving me batty. I’ll keep on opening the thread for you and @nrllee, though.
A New Life Begins: Cdrama. I watched till Ep 11. When the “wife” came into the picture, I skedaddled. I’m not interested in polygamy. I may open a thread just for those who want to follow the show.
First Love: Yes, it’s on my to watch list. I just have to make time to binge-watch it.
@OAL, I googled this controversy, and here’s the link from kbizoom.com.
kbizoom.com
According to the site, YYS and MCW appeared on the show to promote their movie. YYS commented on clothes he would like to see a woman wear on a date. He said that he’d like her to wear “see-through” clothes because he’d take it as a sign that she was interested in her date.
By “see-through,” I’m assuming that he meant sexy clothes that show a bit of skin, not clothes made of clear plastic.
Moon Chae Won then disclosed that she only wore turtlenecks and pants. Upon hearing this, YYS chimed in, saying, “Pants and a covered neck? That’s why you’re single. (then pointing to her clothes she was wearing) Dress like this when you go out (indicating that he approved of her outfit).
I think if he had ended at “That’s why you’re single,” then he would indeed have come off as obnoxious twerp. But the addition of his advice, “Dress like this when you go out,” signified that he believed that MGW was hiding her beautiful light under the bushel to avoid attracting men’s attention.
I’m sure he could have said it a more diplomatic way. 🙂
@packmule3, You know how I feel about Mood of the Day. That’s why I was so disappointed in YYS after I read about his insensitive and to me, misogynistic comments about actresses. If I remember correctly he also commented on those who “need” Botox. He is a good looking guy but is a far cry from Adonis and I’m sure something negative could be said for his looks because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I watched clips of the Blue Dragon Awards where he and Kim Hye Soo we’re hosting. She is a class act who is not afraid to look bad on screen and who is reputed to be kind and supportive of the casts and crews of her productions. YYS could learn a lot from her. She also is not cookie cutter when it comes to style. She wore a turquoise goddess gown to the awards and truly looked glamorous and distinctive. She also is not afraid to take roles that are age appropriate. Men in that industry have longer running careers especially as romantic leads(I never could stand Audrey Hepburn paired with Fred Astaire).;women paired with younger men, especially in American films are made to look creepy. At least K Dramas give us noona dramas. But having Digressed, I hope Kim Hye Soo gave YYS an earful.
@Hatlady, I’m with you on Love Is For Suckers but liked the second story line with the Chef and the Webtoon writer who did not meet Korean beauty standards but was pretty and had a beautiful soul and enjoyed the chef’s food. Fanletter is something you can probably fit in if you have down time(a big assumption on my part) because it only has four episodes. I hope to find the time to watch our Dr. romantic in his new series. I am preparing myself to cry. I hope the temperature cools off for you.we in New York City are having a relatively mild Fall.
@Hatlady,❤️🍕🌟🌼🌄⛩️🇰🇷🇯🇵
December dramas I want to check out:
First Love
Forbidden Marriage
The Fabulous- Slated to premiere on Netflix Dec. 23, 2022
I watched the first few episodes of C Drama New Life Begins and enjoyed it. It comes across as more of a straight drama or perhaps a “dramedy” rather than a rom com, so I was a little leery of watching it but so far I have been enjoying the episodes. Will see how it goes as I heard that the second half of the drama really focuses on the palace politics which I am not a fan of normally.
Hi @Table122000, WRT New Life Begins, I’ve begun skip watching big time to avoid too much angsty scenes and ‘politics’. I’ve stopped temporarily at around Ep 24. I guess the nice OTP scenes will come in towards the end, but it’s a 40 episode drama… still lots of other side stories and scenes to go through. Show may want to showcase all permutations of ill-treatment towards women and how the victims get out of it.
Even with all those scenes, the show is not too bad and the relationships between the many, many girls are still nice to watch, however I guess I want more BJT and Tian Xi Wei scenes, since they’ve barely scratched the surface of being a couple in a committed relationship.
Kalispera Ladies and Gentz!
December is finally here. I do hope you are all well.
The shows I am currently watching are :
1. May I Help You?
2. The First Responders
3. Reborn Rich
I want to start:
“Under the Queen’s Umbrella” that I have heard that is a really good sageuk and “Behind Every Star” for our Buldogi and brilliant musical actress Kwak Sun Young. I have heard that “Summer Strike” is interesting too and I know that you are watching and commenting on it.
So, at some point I am going to take my time with these.
From the new shows that are starting this December:
I definitely going to watch:
1. Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow
I want to see the conclusion of the series.
2. Island
I have watched the trailer and I really liked it. Kim Nam Gil, Lee Da Hee and Cha Eun Woo are staring in it.
“Unlock the Boss” and “The Forbidden Marriage” look promising.
But I am not going to pressure myself, since I have a full schedule.
“Missing the Other Side” Season 2 is also coming this December and I am interested, since I finished Season 1, 10 days ago.
Also, I saw that The Swoon posted a teaser today for “The Glory” by Kim Eun Sook.
That’s all for now! *smiles*
@Cleipatra, I highly recommend Under The Queen’s Umbrella.Kim Hye Soo in in a sageuk, a genre that she doesn’t generally do, can do no wrong She also has a great villainess played by our Halmoeni/Rosa from Start Up and HPL.They are an acting lesson to behold. I also like Behind Every Star that is an inside show business drama that is fun. I think that right now there are so many good things to watch that for the most part, in any given week, we have at least two great watches. A good very short drama is Fanletter Please-foyr episodes and very sweet.
So no matter what you choose to watch, you’ll be fine. The best thing about the choice of Asian Dramas is that they stick around. My big problem now is that I have Disney+ but it doesn’t have much Asian content for the US market
I hope that you enjoy whatever you choose.
@Packmule3, please check your email. I’ve sent you notes on Episode 1 of First Love.
Hey my dear @OAL!
Thank you for your recommentations!
“Fanletter, please” caught my eye as well. It is a “4-episodes” series and I really like Choi Soo Young.
Generally speaking, I just don’t want to overload my system. I will watch something when I really have some time to spare and when I feel like it. As it seems, I have become picky in what I watch for after the HP#2 fiasco…
I do hope you are okay!
Hi @Cleopatra,Totally understand. When your life is busy, dramas are important leisure time activities. Your choice in your time. There are so many choices now, where I can see that it pays to be discerning. I hope you find something enjoyable. And the HPL fiasco is keeping me from watching Reborn Richbecause the female lead played Dr. Maggot and it just made her inwatchable to me. I think part of it was that Jeon MiDo seemed to get so much less screen time (and thinking about it now, the drama was male actor oriented with four males to one female lead).
I’m putting in another plug for Silent. J drama on Viki. Just watched episode 8 – so good as the story fleshes out some of the back stories. The worst part of Silent is waiting for episodes to air, but if you watch now you have 8 to enjoy while waiting for the last 3 .
Request denied, @Good_Twin.
🙂
You’re making it really difficult for me to choose which Jdrama (or “dorama”) to watch this weekend!
There’s Sato Takeru’s “First Love” on Netflix
“Liar Game” Final Ep for @GB’s rewatch
and now this “Silent” on Viki.
So many choices! Pick Silent! 😂
Shhhhh, @Good Twin! Be “Silent.”
I’m finishing up “Liar Game” right now.
Hi @pkml3, what a nice surprise, you have watched Liar Game? You’ve been so silent, I thought it would not be your cup of tea. So you’re actually ready for the rewatch in 11 hours time!!! If it’s too early for you, we always welcome comments from any time at all that you can hop in. I’ll go back to read when I get a notification that a post has come in. Always will be so happy to read you! 🙂
LOLOL, I just realised that I said ‘You’ve been so silent…’ pun was not intended LOLOL, but so apt!!!
@GrowingBeautifully: Thanks for your comments on New Life Begins. Much appreciated. Yes, I keep hearing about a shift in focus in the second half. Also saw many complaints about the romance turning non-existent in the 2nd half for the OTP, and a major reduction in general to focus on palace politics. Very disappointing for a rom com junkie like me. I did see a few posts in another forum that the last 5-6 episodes bring back some romance scenes for main couple, so there is hope for a satisfying ending, at least. I guess I will have to prepare myself for possible FF during the second half.
–I am finishing Under the Queen’s Umbrella this weekend (fingers crossed the queen saves the day!)
–I am going to try Reborn Rich though it’s not my usual kind of k-drama because I’ve seen so much good buzz about it.
–I might watch Forbidden Marriage, although going straight from one Joseon drama to another often confuses me (especially since a lot of the old guys of the royal court are often the same actors, wearing similar garb to their previous drama!) and I need a break in-between.
–I started Summer Strike at the gym but gosh is it bleak at the beginning. I hope it picks up or it may not be a good workout watch.
–I also tried First Love but it looks too gorgeously filmed to watch it on an iPad… (and also a little bleak). I need to wait until I can watch it on a bigger screen, when I’m in a more optimistic frame of mind.
–In the non k/j-drama department: hubby and I are going to watch all the Marvel movies in order of when they were issued this December–kind of like a Marvel movie Advent calendar, aiming for one an evening. This is partly my gift to him for Xmas since he’s been wanting to do this for years so he can discuss the movies with me. So all the k-dramas I watch for the next few weeks (other than UTQU, which I will finish tomorrow) will probably be on my iPad.
@BethB Marvel Advent 😂😂😂. Made my morning. Hubby and I are trying to decide if we will “go to the movies” (remember that?) and watch Black Panther 2 or not. I didn’t watch the first movie so I am not sure if it will make sense for me to watch number 2 in the series.
Hi @Table122000
I’ve paused New Life Begins for a bit. I feel I can safely skip watch and then watch slowly when it comes to episode 33 onwards or something.
I feel show was trying to highlight social issues more than give viewers a simple warm romance.
I’m going to continue with dorama First Love before I go back to NLB. 🙂
@BethB, great that you’re going to spend Marvel time with hubby. LOL doing it in Advent. I was thinking that if I had to sit through a series of shows that did not interest me, just to keep hubby company, then Lent would be a great time!!!
@GB and @Beth, Am liking the religious references here. If only the husbands would agree to watching our Asian Dramas. When you think of it some are right up their alley like the action adventures, police procedurals and mysteries. Oh well…
He did watch Money Heist Korea with me (I was curious about it but it wasn’t a show I’d normally watch). Too bad it wasn’t that great—we’re not bothering with the second season.
@BethB, see if your husband is interested in the older Kdrama Signal. It’s a police procedural with a twist. Excellent screenplay and acting. It’s on both Netflix and Viki, at least in my area (USA). It’s a classic, sometimes referenced in newer dramas.
@Welmaris, I know this is off topic. Correct me if I’m wrong, isn’t Kim Hye Soo a main lead in Signal. I haven’t watched it yet. It’s on my very long watch list. I will watch anything she does. She is wonderful in Under The Queen’s Umbrella. I watched Juvenile Justice and she was great in that. In that drama there were many silent scenes. Great actors know how to do them well. Kim Hye Soo is no exception. She also is not afraid to choose a variety of roles. When I started watching K content I watched Coin Locker Girl where she played a hardened criminal opposite Kim Go Eun. While the movie was grim, their acting was electric. park Bo Gum had a heartbreak of a role in that. But my point is that KHS is in a class by herself. And she also has the reputation of being exceedingly kind to the other members of the cast and crew. No prima Donna there…
Hi @OAL, yes indeed, Kim Hye Soo is one of the leads in Signal. There are 3 of them. She was wonderful there, playing the younger rookie police officer and then playing the senior detective. A very good show and I really wanted a Season 2.
I imagine South Korea is practically at a standstill right now, with everyone watching the World Cup Round of 16 matchup between SK and Brazil. South Korea…fighting! 💪
Brazil-4, South Korea-1. Oh well, at least SK got something on the scoreboard. Brazil advances to the quarter finals.
I understand where you are coming from, @GB. I’ve put New Life Begins on hold as well. I will check back later after all episodes are released.
@Welmaris, S.Korea was the underdog. Pele watched the match from the hospital where he is being treated for a lung problem so the Brazilians had an impetus to win. Also, given Brazil’s winning soccer history. It is great that S. Korea got on the scoreboard.
Hi Everyone!!!
Miss you all ❤️
I am so behind lol on reading posts.
Everyone in my house has gone through 2 bouts of sickness. So it’s been busy on my side of town. I haven’t had much time or interest to watch current dramas. I did watch a few movies. Most recently was Perfect Couple on Viki with Lee Dong Wook. The movie was meh , the FL had the squeaky voice, but it was still fun to see a younger version of the ML.
I’ve dropped more dramas than I can remember.
Planning on watching all the short one
1. AOS – I want to know what happens.
2. Forbidden Marriage- sounds interesting
3. Unlock My Boss- hoping it’s funny
I am interested in watching Under The Queen’s Umbrella but haven’t wanted to delve into it just yet.
Qatar is keeping me entertained at the moment. I follow soccer every 4 years and when 🇨🇱 plays. 🤪
Ooh I just saw recommendation for Silent so I might watch that. Thanks @goodtwin
Hope everyone is rating healthy
@Carolina, I hope that the sickness in your household is over for good now. Having everyone down at once or even nearly everyone is such a drain on everything good. May you have a healthy winter and new year.
Hello Ladies and Gentz!
I would like to inform you that “Connect” is available on Disney+.
Since it’s thriller + horror, I don’t know how many of you would like to watch something like this. Still, it is satisfying that it is open for us as well.
More here: https://asianwiki.com/Connect_(2022)
Hi @Cleo, I just watched on YT the MyDramaList recommendations for Dec 2022 dramas and was struck (read flabbergasted) by the rather large number of scary, stressful, violent sort of dramas starting in the same month. What happened to the warm year-end shows or happy start-to-the-New Year sort of shows?!?
Although I do sometimes watch scary shows, it occurred to me that I’d probably prefer to watch some completed non-scary shows or do rewatches instead and avoid the thriller and horror genre.
If you do watch, I’ll read your review! 🙂
Hi @Cleopatra, Unfortunately Disney+ offers very little Korean programming in the USA. I would love to watch Big Mouth and Connect but they are not available here.vi can watch Snowdrop, the wooga squad reality show, BTS’ Permission to Dance and Sound. I guess they haven’t factored that there is a large audience for K Dramas in my country(including the ever growing Asian population that includes a sizable Korean population So right now I’m missing out but I have plenty of content on Netflix, Amazon,and Viki.
Dear @GB Unnie and @OAL,
I watched the first episode of “Connect” and I will continue to watch it since it is only 6 episodes. Each episodes is between 40-50 minutes long. It has an interesting premise but I cannot say more for now. Let me continue this and I will return to report you back!
@OAL we have some shows open in Greece on Disney+. I am glad that they are opening content for us, because it makes it easy to download some shows to watch them offline. We shall see…
@Unnie, There are times I need a good rom com and others I want a psychological thriller. Still, everyone watches what makes them happy and that is a very good rule for me!
Hi!
Came here to thank @goodtwin for Silent rec. it’s sooo good. I’ve caught up already 🤪
Highly recommend. It is a very touching story and delves into different points of views.
Not sure how much details to give. It’s really good, and I normally stay away from drama – like real life kinda stuff- but it’s good.
December seems to be getting full with things to watch now. I had stayed away a bit, not anymore.
@Carolina – so glad you’re enjoying it as much as I have. I really enjoyed Episode 8 and the conversation between Nana and Adobo and then the conversation between Sou and Nana. Episode 9 was also good on fleshing out why Sou chose to isolate himself like he did and the impact on his family. I’ve really enjoyed this drama except waiting for new episodes. I have been looking for some backstory on it and how it has been received by deaf community but haven’t found anything. I look forward to the final two episodes
I may have confused episode 7 with 8 – but no matter. I found the conversation between the two women and Nana’s reaction afterwards to be very moving and insightful. The actress who portrays Nana is very good!
* her name is Aoba not Adobo – I’m blaming my phone for the original misspelling.
Hi @GoodTwin, Don’t stress it. It’s autocorrect. I realized that I have to go over my comments because autocorrect changes so many words that sometimes my comments come out as gibberish. One of the pains of the computer age…
Amongst other things, in my exile from Viki, I am still watching She and Her Perfect Husband.
It is great at times then so slow and meandering that the dramatic tension is fogged… and then it sharpens up again (some of the central couple’s relationship dynamics come into the more sharply drawn bits of the narrative) and then meanders…
It’s a funny combination of genres…sharply observed material about men and women and relationships and love … and some legal investigative plots… work politics… and some slice of life comedy and not so comedic slice of life…
I know it took a while to be broadcast and perhaps there were problems with too many stories to edit together and too many cast members to give substantial screen time to. I gather this can dog chinese dramas.
Anyway, I wonder if anyone is still watching it?
I am enjoying our main leads and their gently meandering romance… it’s worth it to follow their journey together. I am not bored.
@Kate, I have started it but am watching some of other kdramas, so it is on my back burner. I have to catch up on AoS from last season, am watching Summer Strike, May I Help You and of course, YAMH. Only so many hours, right?
Stay warm. I could smell that someone in our neighbourhood is burning coal. My husband has good associations with that smell, but I can’t get used to it.
@Fern – such a lot of good stuff around. I am looking forward to getting a personal laptop and being able to load on the recommended browsers for Viki – I especially fancy Forbidden Marriage.
Coal! Oh. The snow has been a blessing. I was due to take a much loved lap top into the IT team where I work to be decommissioned… I may or may not get it back. But my trains are cancelled. Hoorah!
or is it Forbidden Romance?? The fusion sageuk anyway! haha
Yes, I’m watching that one as well. It’s SO funny so far. Definitely contemporary humour as @GB pointed out.
You had snow? We only had frost down here in the lowlands of semi-tropical SW. Day off. Wheeeee.
Clearly you are living the Vida Loca!! haha
Yes London is as cold as it has ever been pre Christmas. I think…
I work at home too – sadly – but so relieved not to have schlep in and lug in 2 laptops while one of them is sent off to its uncertain Orwellian future! hahaha. What is galling is that my externally funded project paid for the laptop only 2.5 years ago, complying with the request from the organization within which I work that it be a particular model – not cheap. Now the organization’s team no longer support this model etc etc I have put up a good fight on its behalf… but the snow has helped greatly!
It sounds like your day off might be filled with laptop emails. Best wishes to get your good one fixed well.
As to me living la vida loca, I need to get off THIS laptop and get into gear with my to-do list. As I’m getting used to not working, I need to pay more attention to my time management. I’m shockingly still sitting next to my breakfast cup of now well-chilled coffee.
This weather invites leisurely late breakfasts @Fern! Enjoy – you have earned it!
But I do get the time management issue…
@Fern, Take it from this retiree, unsolicited advice-take a little time to enjoy not being on a schedule. It is sort of like decompressing. As somebody who is used to being busy and scheduled, you will find that in shirt order you will have naturally occurring timeframes and will get your to do list done. Please don’t give yourself a hard time. From all of your comments, you seem to be an organized person. That does not go away. As they say, just take a little time to smell the roses.🌹
Haha, Thank you, @Old American Lady, I take plenty of time to smell the roses, believe me. My last job was so small that I was nearly retired anyway.
@Kate, I’m also watching She and Her Perfect Husband. You’re right about it being a mixed bag. I’m not loving it, but not hating it either. I use it as filler when waiting for new episodes of other shows I’m watching. But the past few days I’ve dropped everything because I’m so engaged in my rewatch of YAMH.
@Welmaris – I love YAMH and I think in holds up well to rewatching although I did fast forward through the second couple’s scenes. I just watched Nothing But Thirty because I read it created a lot of buzz when it aired in 2020 (also with a lot of fast forwarding). I enjoyed the main lead’s ingenuity. Apparently, the show’s feminist take on women in their 30s was considered novel. It is certainly a theme that seems to be emphasized in many cdramas lately – A New Life Begins (I enjoyed it) and Perfect Husband (which I am finding hard to watch). I don’t know what it is about CDramas (maybe because Cdrama couples actually make out and even get in on occasionally) but I am finding them more entertaining these days.
Oh it just occurred to me that my favorite C-drama from this year and one that I watched every episode without ffing was also very much a feminist theme – Master of My Own. Despite what I said above about Cdramas – the main characters barely kiss in this drama but I still loved it (same for YAMH)!
@Good Twin – glad you enjoyed ‘Master of My Own’! I did too. I think that’s one I could re-watch sometime later next year.
Dear @Packmule3,
You are My Hero – Episodes 5 and 6
I’d like to ask you for another thread for Friday 23 December, same time, for @GB, @Fern and me + possibly @Welmaris for a You are My Hero, Eps 5 and 6 re-watch.
I hope that’s possible and thank you!
Correction to that request – please hang fire @Packmule3.
@GB and @Fern and @Welmaris- I will find it tricky to make our Friday December 23rd date for Eps 5 and 6 – I am away for Christmas and not sure it will be possible when I look at that day.
A) I can comment and send thoughts before the Friday re-watch or
B) We postpone until December 30th when I’m back home.
Hi @Kate, I vote that we take a break for Christmas. On top of real life, there are also many other shows I seem to have on my plate that I can’t catch up on.
@Kate, I am happy to wait if that’s what’s wanted. Since it’s a re-watch, we don’t have to stick to a strict schedule, imo.
@Kate, I hope that you have a great time away.
@Fern and @GB – that’s great. Let’s re-convene after Christmas in that case, I suggest we go for Friday 30th December if that suits and at the same time – 10 pm GMT etc
@Fern – thank you. The rail strikes have had an impact so I am going to be dotting around Derby – for some of the time on the edge of the Peak District – which is where various family members live!
@Fern,
Kyuhyun and Lee Da Hae are back on Singles Inferno on Netflix – so charming and funny. SI is a PG reality show a long way from some of the UK/US products and it is very watchable – especially if you enjoy the celebrity panel who are delightful.
I like Singles Inferno (although it’s not something I watch with extreme attention…). The panel is charming and never cruel. The second season participants seem a little less superficial than the first. For example, in the first Paradise selection this time, three of the women chose a man for his charm and kindness rather than (just) his looks.
I consider this show a nibble between my normal meals of k-dramas.
@BethB – absolutely agree – glad to find another watcher!
And the man the three women chose said he was looking for someone with ‘wisdom’!
I think the panel add so much to the show…
How wonderful to go to the Peaks District for Christmas. I hope that there’s just enough snow on the tops to make it lovely. Stay safe in your travels. Any travelling we are doing this year will just be car journeys.
I’ll have to check out Singles Inferno. I’ve given up on LDH and CSW now, they drew pretty firm lines in the sand right? But I can’t help wishing that they both find the right person because I admire them.
@Packmule
You are My Hero re-watch episodes 5 and 6
We have voted to have the next one on Friday December 30th at 10 pm UK time etc etc
I’ll send a thread request to you nearer the date – this is just letting you know that we won’t be meeting this Friday.
Many thanks for making this possible!
@Fern – thank you for your well wishes. Derbyshire is beautiful in the snow.
Let us know what you think of LDH and K on the panel if you watch SI…I sit there smiling at them!
It sounds like you’re planning to be mostly at home… I wish that were an option this year but there is a need for family solidarity and our usual Christmas tradition!
@Kate, Truth be told I watched season 1 and liked it.I don’t watch American dating shows on that are too sexed up. I wonder whether Lee Da Hae was on Singles Inferno or Love Is For Suckers(a fictional account) first. I enjoy the irony.The celebrity panel was indeed enjoyable. I think the paradise hotel suite was beautiful and that those left on the island in glamping tents weren’t that put out. They cooked their own food. The cultural differences were interesting too. Should we ask @packmule3 for a thread if enough BODers in are interested?
@Kate and @BethB, Re: Singles Inferno, Will start season 2, Now there are three of us. I agree with the nibble comment
It is also a bit of a palate cleanser between Dramas.
@OAL – that would be great fun!
It is a very different show from the US/UK offerings.
I would happily comment with you and any others who enjoy this type of show.
We were wondering what came first for LDH. My guess is that SI came before Love is for Suckers… [I had a theory – which bit the dust – that Kyuhyun had recommended LDH to his fellow Super Junior band member. Others in the Love is for Suckers discussion kindly indulged me. But we gave up on that theory quite soon! The facts got in the way.]
But yes if you fancy watching SI – I will certainly watch it – with some gaps when I am away for Christmas.
Question: Was Derbyshire where Pemberly, Mr. Darcy’s home was? Forgive me for not knowing English geography l.love Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice. Years ago I went to Bath and walked around The Assembly Hall and imagined myself in Austen’s time.
Yes, Derbyshire was the home of Pemberly and I gather that some of the filming for Pemberly took place near Chatsworth House.
My sister lives nearby.
https://www.chatsworth.org/news-media/chatsworth-on-film/pride-and-prejudice/#:~:text=In%20Pride%20and%20Prejudice%2C%20Chatsworth,the%20residence%20of%20Mr%20Darcy.
@Kate, thank you for the link to Chatsworth.
Yes, I can understand why you want a traditional family Christmas this year. I hope that the gathering is as warm and memorable as possible.
@Kate, Thank you so much for the behind the scenes look at Chatsworth. In 19883 My boyfriend(now husband) and I went to the UK and visited Castle Howard because I was then addicted to Brideshead Revisited. At the time we had Britrail Pass and flew the bargain Laker to London. We reminisce about that trip all the time. We went as far as the Isle of Skye. We loved that we also had a museum pass. We were on our own, stayed in B&Bs and met so many wonderful people including our B&B proprietor in York who was a WWII RAF fighter pilot. 8 would love to visit Chatsworth. The Statue of the veiled 2oman is fascinating. @Kate, thank you again. You made my day.
@Fern – got it on one!
@Fern and @OAL – glad you enjoyed the link to Chatsworth!
@OAL – it sounds like you really covered the ground back in 1983. What a trip! The Isle of Sky is wonderful – I remember sunshine, seals ( I think – I was only 10) and bright blue clear water.
This looks like quite a romp! A trailer/teaser for ‘Sword and Fairy’.. no less.
I am an Esther Yu convert – I think she has great comedic flare. I would imagine that she and Xu Kai would have fun filming this.
@Kate, thanks to your recommendation and my need for light entertainment, I tried Single’s Inferno. I ended up bingeing through Season 1 after watching the beginning of Season 2. I spent a couple enjoyable days relishing the view from my lounger on Shallow Island.
For those who don’t mind paying a fee to stream a movie, the South Korean film Decision to Leave has been nominated for a Golden Globe in the category Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language. Golden Globe nominations are often good predictors of Academy Award nominations.
Another film with Asians in front of, and behind, the camera that has received multiple Golden Globes nominations is Everything Everywhere All at Once. I saw it, and agree it deserves the accolades. Its absurdist humor may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but overall the film is poignant with a strong underlying message. And any movie that leaves me thinking about it long after watching gets a thumbs up from me. The Golden Globes nominations it received are:
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy / Michelle Yeoh
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture / Jamie Lee Curtis
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture / Ke Huy Kwan
Best Director – Motion Picture / Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture / Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
In my opinion, Everything Everywhere All at Once should win in all these categories!
@Welmaris, thank you for your recommendation of “Everything Everywhere All At Once”. I may be able to give it a watch later. 🙂
Kalimera @Welmaris!
I have watched “Decision to Leave” at the cinema. I fell in love with it! It was so intense in so many levels. I am still thinking about it here and there.
I think if we ever do a rewatch party in a movie, we should watch this one.
Here is my favorite track from the Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAKzo_k_cp8
I also want to watch “Everything Everywhere All at Once”. I have heard that is pretty good!
Thank you for the recommendations!
@Welmaris – I’m chuffed that you enjoyed Singles Inferno! It is eminently bingeable.
😂😂😂 Interest of Love just dropped on Netflix. This is Yoo YeonSeok’s drama with Moon GaYoung. I am getting dejavu. Actor who plays SeokMin is YYS’s colleague. 😂😂😂. They sit down for lunch and actor playing SM is ribbing him about MGY’s character. Ep1 is showing promise. YYS has a crush on MGY. She’s gorgeous as usual. Palate cleanser from his last drama with she-who-shall-not-be-named. Chilbongie is back 😂😂😂. The longing discreet looks. The not so subtle attention to her needs. I need to watch and pen some thoughts. From the get go, this drama gets the audience thinking with the voiceover (by YYS) to set the scene (hierarchy within the bank, outside the bank, contrasts starkly with the upside down economy of “love”). Off to watch now properly.
Oh dear, @nrllee. Another good drama! What shall I do?
I’ll open another thread for you.
@OAL,
I opened a thread for this kdrama. I’ll move your post over there. Thanks.
@packmule3, we certainly have a bounty of riches. However, past performance tells us that we are due for a dry spell. As our leader, you have license to pick and choose your dramas. And the one thing I have learned is that we are all free to drop dramas or not go there. Interest of Love(what a pun for the banking sector) se3ms promising and actually gives YYS a lot to do and MGY also has stretched as an actress. It definitely is a serious drama and covers things like sexual harassment, discrimination, social stratification and much more(a la Misaeng).so far the voice over makes it seem like the romance is not promising but given K Dramas, we probably will see lots of twists.
@packmule3, Thanks so much.
Hey @Kate and everyone who has watched One and Only,
I really enjoyed this drama! I have also started Forever and Ever. Currently up to ep 14 but so far I found One and Only has more impact. May be because it has a tragic ending? Allen Ren and Bai Lu did an excellent job in One and Only. There is no kissing, holding hands etc but the love story between Zhou Sheng Chen and Cui Shi Yi is intense and beautifully told! I can totally feel the sadness they love each other deeply but couldn’t do so openly. I cried when she touched his nose to feel his “beautiful bone”. The very appropriate soundtracks with matching lyrics also help to add the sadness to the moments.
Therefore I am quite happy to watch Forever and Ever which they get to do what they couldn’t do in the first drama. That’s why Shi Yi is so understanding of Zhou Sheng Chen. That’s why Zhou Sheng Chen has a somewhat blessed life as he served his country well in his previous life.
Hey @GB
I almost finished New Life Begins (up to ep 39). Fair to say it is not another Love Between Fairy and Devil. I enjoyed the love story between Bai Jing Ting and Tien Xie Wei up to around ep 14. Fondness of this drama slowly drop off when Bai Jing Ting was forced to marry the princess from Jin State. I think once there is fewer romantic interactions between the leads, it became less interesting for me. I don’t mind finishing it, but I found I rather watch One and Only.
Hopefully I will be able to join you all in another drama soon! I have transferred to another team in a different field so lots to learn. I have been visiting the BOD frequently, just haven’t been able to contribute much. Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year!
Hi @Viva, thanks for your warm note!
I, too, lost interest in NLB. I decided to spend my time on other shows. Truth to tell, I watched ‘Forever And Ever’ without watching ‘One and Only’. Hence I can’t say I cared much for the modern day version, having not suffered the angst of their separation in the period drama version. I found it too bland and just ‘slice of life’ with one thing after another happening that ML had to solve, but no arc. Still, I imagine those who really wanted the couple to be rewarded with their committed togetherness, must love FEAE.
I’m glad to know that you’re still reading us although you didn’t have time to post. Here’s wishing you good health and happiness and a great Christmas and New Year too!
I just watched Shinee’s Minho on a quick reality TV video. It made me want to see his latest drama. Just don’t know how I’ll fit it in.
@Viva – with you on your response to ‘One and Only’ – it worked so well as a drama and left an imprint. Agreeing with all your comments.
I followed up with the present day sequel and for me it didn’t have sufficient of an inner momentum/logic to keep my interest. I think that the story may have been clipped of some of its more direct historic resonances.
I may go back and finish it off over Christmas – encouraged by your example
I am relishing a re-watch of ‘My Love from another Star’ — FL never ceases to amuse me although the very first time I watched it I was blown away by Jun Ji-hyun’s comedic talent and vulnerability. The OST is also compelling and draws you into the story so beautifully. I am sappy but I love ‘You ARRRRRE My DestinYYYYYYYYY’!!
Did you see that there’s a Japanese version on Viki and a Philippine version on Netflix (?). 😂🤦♀️😂🤦♀️
No, I didn’t @Packmule3 … now, of course, I will need to do a quick ‘test watch’ of an episode of, at least, one of them before Christmas… haha. I can’t imagine anything comparable – it goes without saying!
@Kate, are you current with Season 2 of Single’s Inferno? It is closely following patterns set in the first season, even to contestant types and food menus.
Last season the two girly-girls were the most popular among the male contestants. This year one of the girly-girls is being avoided. I think her whiny personality is a turn-off.
I had a weird idea for shaking it up next season with a social experiment: having a set of twins among the contestants.
Wait a sec. The Japanese version is on Amazon Prime. The Philippine and the Korean versions are on Viki. 😂
The Japanese show only has 10 episodes. 👍
@Packmule3- I checked out the reviews for the J version – not good at all despite it being recent – bad CGI etc. But I’ll take a look out of sheer curiosity! Just checked out the first 10 minutes of the Philippine version!
@Welmaris – yes I’ve watched the first four episodes.
It does seem to have the same pattern … I can’t see a lot of difference. Possibly, in the calibre of contestants? The last show was such a hit and made a number of the contestants very popular/successful etc…
Twins is a great idea!
Which girly girl do you mean? If you mean the petite Lee So-E, agreed – she is making big mistakes in her pursuit of the charming stockbroker…! She is telling him not to feel under pressure while cornering him and letting him know her feelings and that is the only one she is focused on…
The artist who went to paradise with charming stockbroker …was Miss Korea at some point too.
I like the fact that she chose the less beefy guy – Kim Han-Bin- who is sincere in his pursuit of her for her second trip to Paradise.
@Kate, the questions we see these contestants ask each other in Single’s Inferno aren’t the ones I’d use to dig deeper into a person’s psyche. I’d ask: Do you come from a close-knit family? What three words would you use to describe your family? What is the best gift you’ve ever received? Do you have a favorite book? What activity makes you happiest? Is there something that never fails to make you angry? When you’re sad, what would be the best thing someone could do to help you feel better?
You get the idea…
@Kate, That song is a classic-soo romantic. Whenever I hear it, it sparks feelings of love.
Am finishing May I Help You and starting Interest In Love and The Fabulous. Continuing with Forbidden Marriage and Unlock The Boss. This is pretty doable. I’m thinking that there is so much out there to tempt us. Am thinking that an easy way to watch Asian content and that’s to watch some movies. The time needed is around one and a half to three hours(at most) but there is a great payoff.
@Welmaris – yes indeed and of course that would make for some fascinating conversations and enrich the audience’s experience too.
Probably not Singles Inferno though… haha …many of the young women are drawn – it would seem – at the moment to the least articulate of the male contestants – the new guy who is looking for the immediate spark!
@OAL – yes! Gorgeous song.
And here it is after 40 seconds intro:
ps In case anyone hasn’t seen it – this is full of scenes which you may prefer to see as part of the flow of watching the show itself.
@packmule3, It’s like You Are My Destiny and Fated To Love You as well as Boys Over Flowers. I’m also thinking of the original K Drama, The Good Doctor and it’s American version. It’s also the Call My Agent reboot in Behind Every Star(I liked it-anbeasy watch, very fast paced,good acting). Life On Mars is another. So is Suits. Great fun to see the cultural differences.
@Kate, Will be watching this. Am looking forward to a where are they now show or an epilogue.
@GB & @Kate
With spoilers on One and Only
Hmm, I think it is a bit like after watching the Red Sleeves, we get to watch the happy second life.
One and Only set up the tragic end convincingly. The characters are very consistent. The Junior Prince of Nanchan always put the country first, himself last. That’s why the parting words he had for Shi Yi was that (roughly translated) “Throughout Chen’s life, (he) didn’t disappoint the country, only disappointed Eleven (nickname for Shi Yi)”. The good thing about One and Only is there is little I dislike about the Junior Prince of Nanchan or Cui Shi Yi. You know sometimes some stories force a sad ending on viewers to make us cry? Or have some silly noble idiot behaviours? I don’t feel like that with the leads. It’s just them. Those are the choices (or lack of choices) that they would have made given the duties of a loyal prince and the girl born from a noble family.
There are many things I fell in love with our leads and wish them they can have what they want:
-The war scenes to show the heroic and selfless behaviours of the Junior Prince.
-The beautiful costumes of our leads (furry coats, war outfits, princess outfits)
– The drawing of lotus flowers (symbolise the hidden love of Shi Yi to the Junior Prince)
– The calligraphy/poem reading (the love they had for each other are just like the poem) and
– the unjust deaths of a great hero and the woman who loves him so much to follow him to his death. (not to promote self-harm though)
Their unspoken love was shown through how he spoiled her, how excited they felt when they know they were about to see each other after each separation, how they longed for each other but not expecting to really “have” each other.
Spoilers on Forever and Ever to ep 16
Amongst Chinese, sometimes people joke around saying – they must have done something good in their past lives, that’s why they have such a good life/wife/friend. That’s how I felt when I saw Zhou Sheng Chen in Forever and Ever.
Zhou Sheng Chen is portrayed as a rather boring, super smart geeky scientist that set to inherit great wealth just because he was born as the eldest son. He didn’t need to chase Shi Yi, she found him. He has a good friend, Lawyer Mei who is so protective and loyal to him (I am only up to ep 16, in case there is a plot twist he seems to be a good guy so far). In this life, wealth/love/best friend seem to come to him easy. Just because I went through all the angst and felt he was treated very unfairly in One and Only, I am OK with that. I felt it is about time he has these.
I noticed a few matching regrets/responses between the two dramas
1. The poem Cui Shi Yi and Junior Prince wrote on the wall. We know Shi Yi spent 10 years to fully understand the meaning of this poem – how a woman felt when fell in love with a guy. We didn’t get to hear it from Junior Prince. In Forever and Ever, we heard that Zhou Sheng Chen quoted the same poem when describing his first impression of Shi Yi. We finally get to hear a response from him, although not the first him. It felts like it’s something he would have said and finally got to tell Shi Yi.
2. The tea leaves. He bought Cui Shi Yi all sorts of expensive tea leaves in One and Only because Shi Yi loves tea leaves. When he saw Shi Yi wasted the tea leaves (due to wrong water temperature) he penalised her, explaining to her that tea leaves are a lot of hard work of worth a lot of food in an ordinary family. He penalised her by writing the tea leaves names. In Forever and Ever, we see him read all the tea leaves names to put her to sleep. Also, he gifts her a tea leave making workshop.
3. The rain. In One and Only, every time when Junior Prince and Cui Shi Yi are together on a raining night, I always wonder – will they, will they not? There was a memorable scene that Junior Prince just stood outside Cui Shi Yi room all night watching the rain. He didn’t go into Cui Shi Yi room. She spent the whole night drawing lotus flower disappointed. In Forever and Ever, they had their “first time” after the rain. I felt like that’s what they would have wanted that rainy night, but finally happened in the next life.
Apart from our main leads, I read somewhere that reincarnations are:
Second lead Hong Xiao Yu = General Hong Xiao Yu. Although the modern Hong Xiao Yu is the least favourite character of mine. Somewhat annoying. Nothing like the brave and loyal general in her previous life. The weakest part of the drama.
Du Feng = Cui Feng. Note that the last name is no longer Cui. As he said he would no longer has the surname Cui in One and Only.
Lawyer Mei = Crown Prince.
Princess Xin Hau = Weng Xin (the little sister)
The Monk = Zhou Sheng Ren
Yuan Yuan (Shi Yi’s cousin) = Feng Qiao
Zhou Wen Chuan = the young emperor
Tailor Man Man = the young emperor’s wife
Since I am only halfway through, I am yet to see how the side characters’ lives in Forever and Ever correspond to their previous lives in One and Only.
@Kate if you are watching again, let me know!
@Viva – this is making me want to watch again… am just off to my sister’s and going to be off-line probably until the 26th but will read this post properly and port back later in the holidays if I get to watch to the end!
Thank you!
I went a bit crazy and binged Singles Inferno just because it was mentioned here. Made judicious use of the skip button to eradicate the long suspense creating gaps of time, which made it watchable. It’s interesting only because most of the time those young people were showing their real emotions.
But I do wish that they went beyond the superficial in their choosing of their dates.
This reality show reminds me of a 2005 kdrama, “Marrying a Millionaire”, with the very good looking Go Soo. It was about the ML, a normal wage earner, who was put on a reality show posing as a millionaire. A group of women were to attempt to date him on the reality TV show, with a view to real dating and marriage. I remember liking that they filmed in parts of France. And the young Go Soo was simply a sumptuous feast for the eyes.
Hi all! I had taken a break from reading BOD posts mostly due to time/internet constraints (drama? posts? drama? posts?) —drama always won and I have done a lot of bingeing in the last month and a half. This post reminds what I have missed: fellow travelers! Both in life and in drama watching.
@Fern your earlier post rang true for me: I retired in October and just figuring out what time I (underline) would like to wake up rather than when I had to in order to get to work on time and do chores was a major revelation. I don’t yet have an order to my days though. The most I am managing is to do the laundry when we run out (I did better at that when I was working!) and find coffee-shops to write in when I am running errands.
Anyway, if I have time I will post more later. It was lovely to skim through your posts and meet all of you anew (@OAL any more retirement words of wisdom would be appreciated).
I am mostly watching the same as everyone above although I have not watched AOS2 set as I decided to re-watch the first one. I am not so emotionally involved this go around so am picking up a few things I missed the first time. I did decide to watch S**ting Stars as Viki said it was free and am also watching Record of Youth which makes an interesting compare and contrast.
Anyway. Merry Christmas all. I still have a little last minute Xmas Eve shopping in the bone-chilling cold (-3F with windchills of -26F) and tonight I will be singing in the later Xmas Eve service such a treat after COVID. Take care.
Hi @salteddust, My advice to you is not to put pressure on yourself. Take your time. You will find that you are used to work habits that are ingrained. Please give yourself some slack. I was able to take early retirement after more than 35 years in the workforce. At the time our son was a high school senior going through the college application process. My husband was still working. That meant that I was involved with stuff related to them. Circumstances have a lot to do with how you’re going to spend early retirement. You will have more time to yourself so you’ll find your clues to do what you want and need. No matter what, give yourself some time to smell the roses. You will eventually find your groove. All of my retiree friends have found that they are happily busy enjoying their interests and doing the things by they didn’t have time to do before. Please try not to stress this and again, congratulations on meeting this milestone.🌄
Hello, @salteddust. We are retirement twins, both of us around October. I still have 2 daughters at home, so it’s no less busy, but I was better at planning when I had an external schedule. Tsk!
Best wishes for warmer temperatures and a fine Christmas.
@AoL, hi…. I just read your comment about yys on the botox related statement. We have never heard about it before. Do you mean, Park Hae Jin? He was known to make such statements though.
Re.
http://netizenbuzz.blogspot.com/2016/01/instiz-park-hae-jins-past-controversial.html?m=1
That thing with MCW was a mistake by YYS, admittedly. Not the place and time. She sees him as a brother whom she can be carefree. And they remained playful in the subsequent promotional shows. He probably meant well, but that conversation should have been reserved between them. Not on public event. He even had an earful from knets because of it. He bears the consequences of his action. It keeps popping up whenever he is promoting a new project.
I trust as time passed he has become more mature, reserved and careful with his words. Especially when I watched him in the recent Elle Korea promotional video for Interest of Love. He gave off a different vibe behinds the cheerfulness and laughters. More reserved, unlike before.
People changed over time. And based on the comments from those working with him, he ain’t that bad of a guy and I am willing to give him another chance to be a better person😊. Since that incident, so far he has been behaving rather well. Hopefully it stays that way til he settles down.
P/S: I sincerely apologise in advanced if I am offending you or anyone with this comment.
Cheers! ❤
Hi Miracle23, No offense taken. I think his comments in the past about see through clothing showed a lot of immaturity. MCW is a beautiful woman and methinks that she was out of his league at the time. Mood of The Day is one of my favorite rom com movies in any language. I rewatch it often. I think that when he commented on her lack of a boyfriend then speaks volumes. I wonder what he really thought about SHB’s looks in HPL1 and 2. Jeon MiDo is a true beauty and should have been paired with him. I have seen SHB in other works and have to say that she lacks vibrancy and spark. We didn’t get disparaging comments about her from him during HPL because he was the heartthrob who appealed to fangirls fantasies of getting the handsome guy.Any negative comment would be detrimental to his career. So far, I like him in the new drama. He is more if an everyman and he still is very nice to look at. His role is also more demanding in this part. In HPL he was more one dimensional. He was the almost priest, great technical practitioner doctor and stunted romantically for a person approaching 40. I am also watching because our True Beauty star is now in an adult role where she has to be subtle. I hope YYS only compliments her. I think this whole controversy is why K orean actors are kept under tight control personally. The idea is to keep the fans’ fantasies alive, so unlike how we know So much good and bad and personal about American actors. I think the only taboo for some is still sexuality and even that is changing. So much for cultural phenomena.
@GB, Dylan Wang’s Unchained Love is out! They have released 4 episodes on Viki today!
Thanks for the notification @Viva! I’ll check them out soon!!!
Forbidden Love/Unchained Love Episodes 1-4
This show is an odd mix of serious, somber and dark with moments of funny (but the latter came later). I wouldn’t call this entertaining, but it managed to hold my attention better than expected. It might even be riveting if one cares to follow the intrigue and find out how characters get themselves out of the messes that others create.
I do not usually care to watch period dramas on palace intrigue, however I may continue with this show for a while longer. I find that while I do not approve of our leads, they are interesting and may be unpredictable, and surprisingly are good for a few laughs despite the generally unfunny circumstances. 🤔 🤨 😉 I did enjoy the misinterpretations from every quarter.
Besides they are supposed to get romantically involved when the situation is far from conducive, and that will be the test of how convincing they are.
@Kate, have you watched the latest episodes of Single’s Inferno? Commentator Hong Jin Kyung’s outfit…uh, nope. To me it didn’t speak of being fashion forward or say Christmas, it screamed clown.
@GrowingBeautifully, I also gave Unchained Love a look-see last night, and it has its problems. It tried to treat as matter-of-fact some horrifying scenes. Dialogue is filled with plot setup: telling, not showing. Viewers who are not well versed in palace politics tropes would be lost, I imagine, with such brief intro to tensions caused by: palace vs. ministers, queen vs. flavored concubine, adoptive mother of emperor’s young heir vs. emperor’s brother, etc. I think this production assumes viewers already have background knowledge, so only allusions will suffice.
Oops. Make that favored concubine.
@Welmaris, I have been watching some shorter Dramas. I like the two I’ve and I’m watching. One is The Fabulous about four friends in the fashion industry. It is basically glossy and light-a very easy binge with very pretty people and fun fashion. It is predictable but that’s fine for what it is. The other is Birthcare Centerand I have to say that it is spot on about describing the experience and expectations of new motherhood. There is an internal mystery, an ongoing debate about wet nursing v formula and a whole lot of guilt that seems to bridge cultures. The babies are adorable. But for anyone who has experienced motherhood it is spot on. One segment involved the dad stroller shopping. It was so funny how he was being upsold. For those wanting a quick binge, these two have worked for me.
@Welmaris
As I finished commenting and before I headed off to bed, Episodes 5 and 6 dropped as well. I’ll add on notes if anything strikes me but the so-called ‘romance’ is about on it’s way because of a promise that Xiao Duo made.
I feel that the ‘romance’ part is going to white-wash and bury the troubling fact that while XD says he has to act like the bad guy for his own ends, he really is doing evil things. He’s not a hero that’s easy to get behind since unlike other heroes who kill only when they have to, XD kills as a matter of course, unfairly, without remorse, adding in torture as well perhaps, for his own self-aggrandizement. This goes beyond acceptable in an anti-hero one is supposed to ultimately approve of, but I feel show wants us to forgive it all based on the later swoonworthy things that XD will do for the FL (and young impressionable people who are Dylan fans are likely to). I gather he’s to show his ‘goodness’ (that FL mistakenly thinks she sees) by falling hopelessly in love with her.
I agree that show treated terrible acts of violence in too casual a manner.
I was troubled by the upbeat music for the opening credits and the killing, dying, torture etc that took place in the episodes. It was incongruous. Every episode ended with sad music however, not as easily likable as other OSTs. Unlike other dramas, the dialogues took place mostly in silence with at most background noises to increase tension. I did however like the sound effect of water splashing as in when cold water was poured on someone’s inflated ego.
The lighter parts with the FL doing her best to join in the ‘make-use-of-that-person’ scheming game of the palace, seemed funny at the time, but on looking back, they too were incongruously light-hearted, compared to the overall tone.
So far characters are tolerable but just short of likable. I wonder if it’s possible to have a redemption arc. Revenge for a friend does not seem to justify what XD is doing.
Unrealistic scenes popped up from time to time…for eg. notwithstanding the horrible situations that others suffer, the FL seems to get away with impunity after doing things worthy of execution. I’ve a feeling (have not bothered to analyse in detail) that show adds or subtracts difficulties to serve the plot, without a coherent logic.
Unlike other period dramas with emperors, this one has a strangely casual attitude towards approaching royal personages. I’m used to seeing guests being announced before they can even enter the august presence, but here, eunuchs and visitors traipse into rooms of royalty unannounced. A sign of decadence or lack of respect?
Yes show is trying to truncate matters by leaving out lots of preliminary info, although I fancy that happens in other shows quite often too. It also breaks the big rule of drama to ‘show and not tell’, despite which series is still 36 episodes long! I expect there will be filler in the middle to 3rd quarter of the series.
I feel that Dylan Wang did better menacing looks and evil smiles in LBFD than here. Somehow his smiles didn’t go well with the queen’s heartless orders to kill. They weren’t evil enough? I watch with a smirk and a satirical eye. Does not meant I won’t enjoy it though!
@Welmaris – yes I did watch those latest episodes and I was idly wondering why she decided to go with that look. Is there a team that style the panel and suggested she look sparkly/jolly for a show streamed near to Christmas? Agreed – an odd choice.
The other thing weird about Forbidden Love was the casual way of speaking that they had and the informal behaviour as well. It’s another fusion period-modern drama perhaps.
@GB, I will need to catch up on Forbidden Love soon, I’ve been waiting!! I watched about the first 10minutes before being interrupted and dropped it.
Then I still have AOS & Reborn Rich to catch up too. Forever playing the catch up game! But then I binged Forbidden Marriage. haha…so it also depends on how much a show hooks me in.
Anyway I’m also watching Singles Inferno S2, with hubby and enjoyed Season 1 a lot. we found the interactions in S1 slightly more relaxed than S2. I’m not sure if it’s because they know how the game is played? Happen to find the content creator guy…JinYoung (so hard to remember their names!), he was also on a dating kind of show called Love and Joy.
@Grace – good point re SI… perhaps the more process-aware singles in Season 2 of SI are being more strategic. Although, they still seem to be surprised by the timing of the various challenges.
Ah – re Jin Young – so he is not a dating show newbie? Well. His background is fascinating to me – he is very well prepared for a strategic show where self-control and knowing how to ‘operate’ is required! I can’t see him and Seul-Ki lasting beyond the show… they are from very different worlds. It is fascinating just how mesmerized everyone is by him. She would be better off with the adoring Jong-Woo (who would suit her well) but is looking for challenge.
I just watched 10 minutes of ‘The Glory’ and then stopped.
I have this uneasy feeling – I’m sure I am not alone here – that this is a vehicle for SHK to demonstrate that she is indeed a versatile actress and not someone who plays the same character over and over again – the criticism of her role in ‘Now we are breaking up.’
It all feels too calculated and I am not attracted to watch further as a result. But perhaps someone else is watching and enjoying this series?
@Kate I just started watching, ahem inhaling, Flight to You. FL is same lead as Master of My Own and her very tall boyfriend from Master of My Own is also in it – although he has a small role and is a much nicer guy. Nothing earth shattering but highly watchable! Perfect watch for a rainy afternoon!
@Good Twin – Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll check it out. I don’t deliberately hard-edged shows at the moment.
@Kate, I’m going to give this one a shot primarily because SHK is being negatively publicized in the press because of her ex-husband, his new series and his British girlfriend(who looks like a Caucasian version of SHK-so we now know his type). I hope she can transition from eye candy to serious actress because even in the Korean world there is a huge difference between the salaries and roles for top actors and actresses. And the fangirls are much more sympathetic to him. I sort of hope she ends up like Glen Close or Meryl Streep. So I think she’ll be experimenting and working on changing her image and doing whatever she has to do because women’s beauty is what is so important and as they age their roles become moms to men who are actually the same age-yuck ! Perhaps she’ll end up doing character work. The double standard exists that’s why I get so happy for Youn Yuh-Jung who has the last laugh.
@OAL – great points! It is very difficult as you say for a Korean actress, known for her beauty, to transition.
Do let us know what you think… it isn’t my cup of tea … but I’d be really interested to know if this role is one that she inhabits well.
Yes, I thought the same about SJK’s girlfriend! They are so similar looking.
Ladies Island is beckoning (shallow or not, it remains to be seen). Let’s just say the 2 MLs are sufficient reason to even begin this. A tad gory with the demons but if you’ve seen zombies 🧟♀️ I would say just ignore them. CEW is speaking Italian (Giovanni?) and with all the dark broody halls of the monastery so far…he’s hitting all the right notes for me. 😂. His exorcism rites are a tad risqué for my liking but I guess he’s supposed to be a bit unconventional with his earring and headphones. KNG is sexiness personified. And he made quite the entrance with his disposal of a demon early on. FL is not your shy violet either. She can handle herself. So far the world building isn’t too complicated so it’s easy to follow.
@Good Twin, it’s been dreary and wet today in “sunny” Southern California, so I took your rainy-day suggestion to heart and started watching Flight to You. I think I’m going to like it. Sometimes part of the enjoyment of watching a show is learning about a career or industry. This, I hope, will be a good overview of what keeps an airline operating safely and efficiently. I have spent a lot of time as a commercial airline passenger, so this interests me.
@Kate, I’m with you in not being in the mood for hard-edged dramas at present.
@welmaris I am in dreary NorCal! If being entertained is the goal, this drama checks the boxes. I don’t think I have watched a drama with this ML before but I like him. I really like the FL!
@Good Twin, the two leads of Flight to You are new to me as well, and I am also liking them both. They have a natural air to them: each believable in their respective roles. What isn’t believable, what I find totally unrealistic, is how the passengers behave when the boarding announcement is made. Organized lines? Calm approach? Such fantasy! Where are the pressing hoards waiting to pounce as soon as their boarding group is called?
@Welmaris, not even in England – Land of Queuing. 😲🤣
Laughing here! ‘Land of queuing’! haha … very true of course. It is ingrained. Deeply. One queues.
I spent a year in France and was horrified at non-queuing behaviours. Queuing was not rewarded.
But I behaved badly on my return to the UK and had to be re-enculturated!
@Welmaris trust that the passengers will start behaving badly soon. I was going to say behaving in a way you’d only see in movies – except it seems that bad behavior on airplanes is becoming more common place. I read that the drama is adapted from a novel based on 12 actual airline incidents.
I just finished The Glory! It is really good. Finally, I watch Song Hye Gyo again after Full House… so so long ago😂😂😂
The hardship that SHG’s character has to go through made my brain auto-compared with SY from TIOL. I can’t help to root for Dong Eun (SHG) more. 🤧
@Good Twin, @Welmaris, I also picked up Flight to You. It’s nice to know what goes on in the cockpit! Unlike ‘Forbidden Love’, FTY already gets me invested in the characters. 🙂
Come to the USA and go to a supermarket.byou’ll see lots of bad line behavior like the sneak in front, the two person additions to carts making what one thought was an emptiet cart become very full. Then the person with one or two items slowly get to the front of others with apologetic looks. There are also back pushers…
I like the civilized queue.
@Old American Lady, I’ve noticed that there is more queuing in driving in the UK too, although this may be regional. People actually yield to traffic on the on-ramp on highways here, moving into the more central lane to make the entrance easy for the new traffic. I can’t imagine that in Chicago, where you look for a slight gap, take your chances and floor it. Also, if you put the blinker on here, chances are someone will let you turn or change lanes, even if you are late to do it, because you are asking nicely.
While waiting for the correct thread…
Happy New Year Everyone!!! May you be blessed with good health, and peace of mind and body!
Also… what I think I’ll be watching in January 2023…
– Continuing Kdrama Forbidden Marriage – for the love triangle.
– Continuing Kdrama Unlock My Boss – for the softening of the loan shark, the discovery of the Boss and the soon to be romance.
– Cdrama Flight to You – for the rounding off of the rigid, sharp edges of the male lead and for the details on what goes on in flying an aircraft.
– Rewatching Memories of the Alhambra
– May pick up Island – to see CEW as a priest (Heh!)
I may drop Forbidden Love (pity, since for once, I waited for this show) – because it’s not convincing, writing is patchy, characters have not warmed my heart.
Happy New Year Everyone!!! Many blessings to you all in 2023. Hope the watching keeps you healthy, happy, and bitching 😉
I see so many good recs that I’m curious about but I am not able to add anything just yet.
@GoodTwin did you finish Silent? I finished already when it aired. I was wondering what you made of the ending. I have trouble with symbolism and this one had a few at the end. I wished they had talked out why ML pushed FL out, but I’m glad they at least decided to stay together. I did look up the meaning of that flower at the end and it made me feel better about their future, but there are parts that I felt I missed the meaning. Overall, I really liked this story and the way the supporting characters matured or were so giving and how everything connected. Thanks again for the recommendation. I had fun watching it.
I am still watching AOS, Forbidden Marriage, and Unlock My Boss (although I have not kept up with this one, just cause of time).
Based on everyone’s convo, I’ll try Flight to You, Forbidden Love only because of Dylan but based on what you say @GB and others it may not stick. I saw some of the reels for Glory, I prefer something lighter but I’ll give it a try only because I just want to see how it goes.
Happy 2023!!
@Carolina Happy New Year to you and all the BODs!
I have to confess to some fast forwarding of the last episode of Silent because I was not interested in a bittersweet ending where the lovers enjoy their time together but then part. So I peaked at the ending and lost a lot of the content as a result. Even though it was a satisfying enough ending – I think ithe series could have been one or two episodes shorter. My overall thoughts- I really liked it – but I think it is a series where individual scenes or episodes are more impactful that the whole narrative arc. Almost like reading a book of poems. The acting was great especially the two female leads. Nana had some scenes that really stayed with me when she discussed sign language and her jealousy that a woman (Tsumugi) was coming into Sou’s life and he was communicating with her with the gift that Nana gave him.
In the end, I think Sou pushed Tsumugi away because she reminded him of what he had lost and he was afraid of burdening her. I’m glad they worked through it. I enjoyed the scene between Tsumugi and Sou’s mother where she subtly communicates her approval (and how the rest of the family teases the mother after). I loved that Tsumugi’s little brother was learning sign language recognizing that Sou was going to be a big part of their lives and I enjoyed seeing the couple FaceTiming each other – to me it showed how the relationship had progressed to normal day to day interactions – where before it had seemed like each interaction was pretty fraught. All in all, I would definitely recommend this drama. I still think about it, so it made an impact.
I probably would have binged it in a couple of days if it hadn’t been still airing.
@Good Twin, good commentary in Silent. You speak for me as well. I’ve also been mulling over this Jdorama after finishing it. I wondered why Sou didn’t receive more targeted education once deafness seriously impacted his life. The answer I settled on came from his refusal to join others on the deaf futsal team: he was struggling to accept the change in his life. I’d think psychological counseling would have helped him a lot, but maybe he refused that as well. By the end of the show it seems Sou is coming out of his self-imposed isolation from family and former friends. I’d like to believe that his character will continue on a path of making better choices relating to his mental health.
The other character who confounds me is Minato. Why did he give up on his relationship with Aoba the moment Sou came back into their lives? He did it unilaterally, which was cruel to his fiancée. She was sincere in her love and commitment to him, but he apparently wasn’t. He says the whole time they were together, he feared the reappearance of Sou. If that were the case, why did he continue with Aoba for such a long time? Why didn’t he discuss his insecurity with her so they could work through it together? He basically thrust Aoba and Sou back together when Sou wasn’t ready to be in a serious relationship.
I thought the role of Nana was realistically written. She was no saint. She battled her own prejudices. She was clingy and jealous. I’d like to think her character arc included being more accepting of hearing people.
It was interesting to have watched First Love: Hatsukoi right before watching Silent. There’s a deaf character in First Love, but we don’t see the same kind of hearing vs. deaf tensions. She is shown functioning well within a loving family that communicates with her in sign. Even her brother’s best friend, who’s always hanging around with the family, learned to sign. Her brother’s girlfriend chose on her own to learn sign, and was encouraged rather than rejected for her awkward communication skills.
@Welmaris, Your posting and the general discussion over Silent has prompted me to put this drama on my watch list. This drama seems to explore how various people cope with deafness. It has been said that this is isolating but members of this community who accept deafness have ways to diss so-called normal people. Lip reading has been used in sports to read coaching signals and help the opposite team cheat. I would imagine the knowledge and use of sign language could come in handy legally and illegally.Could make for a great caper drama.s
@Welmaris I think Sou’s age at diagnosis – basically a teen, really contributed to how he handled his hearing loss. There were parts of this show that I just had to suspend disbelief like that no one in the friend group learned he had lost his hearing. Minato was an interesting character – a little too selfless – but it did seem that the relationship between Sou and Aoba was notable to everyone including the their high school teacher. And I think Minato really did see where this was headed with Aoba immediately starting to learn sign language. I liked Nana because she was slightly annoying, but also honest. Nana was the best written character in the series in my opinion.
I read that a nurse wrote the script and it was her first and only screen play. I’m curious what her relationship is to the deaf community and how this series has been received.
@OAL curious as to what you think of Silent when you start it. Though flawed it is highly watchable, with an emotional storyline, and no villains or toxicity. Perfect soul cleanser for the New Year. And thanks for The Fabulous recommendation – what a treat. I understand why they postponed it’s airing for a few weeks especially with the Halloween scene – but that scene was so important to the narrative I’m glad they didn’t cut it. I don’t think I have ever seen an actress as stunning as the lead model. It was really fun to enjoy the beautiful people and bad behavior in fashion.
*its airing – I can literally blame the phone for that In this instance. Heck I’ll just blame it all my bad writing on the phone.
The three 2022 currently airing shows I’m carrying over into 2023 are: Unlock My Boss; Forbidden Marriage; and Singles Inferno, S2.
I’m still enjoying UMB and think it is well-constructed. It’s also fun to come up with theories about how the boss is locked in the phone or if he is actually there. Forbidden Marriage so far has been my favorite historical from 2022 (with Under the Queen’s Umbrella a close second). SI is unexpectedly addicting, but doesn’t take much brain power to watch. Still, I look forward to it every Tuesday.
I’ve loved other Kim Eun-Sook shows (Goblin; TKEM) but I’m hesitant to start The Glory because it sounds brutal. If there is a new thread for it here I’ll follow it to better determine if this is something I’m up for.
On to 2023!