Now that “To My Beloved Thief” has happily ended last weekend, I can’t wait for the next drama to give my single-minded focus. I’m raring to go.
Unfortunately, however, there isn’t many to choose from. Yu Yoon Seok has “Phantom Lawyer” with Esom but as you know, I don’t watch legal dramas. I may have to stick with “Undercover Miss Hong” or give “Our Universe” a second whirl.
1. Siren’s Kiss
This is heavily promoted by Park Min Young (“Marry My Husband,” “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,” etc.) so I should take a look at least.
The male lead is an investigator and he suspects her of being a “black widow,” or woman who kills her lovers for financial gain. I guess, since she’s an art auctioneer, he thinks she dated her exes in order to acquire their art collection then kills them afterward. The term “black widow” is derived from a venomous spider of which the female species is known to a) have a hourglass mark (sexy!) on its underbelly, and b) kill and eat the male after mating.
Cast: PMY and Wi Ha Joon (“Squid Game,” “Little Women” and “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon”)
Episodes: 12
Start Date: Monday, March 2
Airs on Mondays and Tuesdays
Where to Watch it: Amazon Prime, not Viki???
Network: tVN
2. Still Shining
Lol. The central plot is on the posters. “I met you again, the one I could never forget.” “Can we be together?”
I’m watching this for Park Jin Young because I dropped his “The Witch” after the 2nd episode.
Cast: Park Jin Young and Kim MinJu
Episodes: 10
Start Date: Friday, March 6
Where to Watch it: Netflix
Network: jTBC (ugh. I often avoid dramas produced by jTBC – or as I call it “Just To Be Controversial – because they hook you in with an artsy beginning but bungle the third act. This doesn’t bode well for this drama.)
“The Third Charm” (2018) – remember that ending?
“The Atypical Family” (2024)
“Run On” (2020)
“Nevertheless” (2021) – ugh! Red flag guy
“Snowdrop” (2021)
“Sisiphus” (2021) – I’ll never get my time back
“Mirror of the Witch” (2016) – much ado about nothing
3. Boyfriend on Demand
The premise is wacky, but I’ll check this kdrama out because of the virtual boyfriends.
The female lead is a burned-out webtoon producer who signs up for a monthly subscription of virtual dating service. She gets a different boyfriend each month. Lol.
The male lead is played by Seo InGuk, her co-worker. No doubt, he has a tsundere role here.
Cast: Jisoo (she’s a singer in a girl group or something) and Seo Inguk
Episodes: 10
Start Date: Friday, March 6
I think all episodes will drop at once.
Where to Watch it: Netflix
Network: Netflix
I’m watching this for the cameo appearances of Lee Soo Hyuk, Seo Kang Jun, Lee Jae Wook and Kim Young Dae as her virtual boyfriends.
I don’t have any cdrama in the offing. If you have any cdrama rec, please give it a shout out.
As for dorama (or jdrama), I have my eyes on:
Ameku Takao’s Detective Karte
A rom-com about a female Dr. Gregory House. She’s a genius diagnostician with zero knowledge on how to interact with people.
Episodes: 9
Released in 2025, all episodes out
Where to Watch it: Viki
I am excited about Still Shining, for among other things, a look at a promising young actress, Kim Min Ju, who played the daughter of the crazy headmistress in Undercover High School.
I will at least take a look at The Practical Guide To Love coming this saturday on Viki — The third member of the love triangle is a 31 year old actor named Lee Ki Taek who seems interesting, the Fl is Han Ji Min who must choose between stability and passion.
Cdramas sometimes seem to drop suddenly from the skies without warning…the ones coming up dont attract me, many on Viki now are short-form…..and kind of icky.
Thanks for reminding me about “The Practical Guide to Love.” Maybe we can talk about it here.
I don’t get the point of these “short-form” cdramas. I told you about that suicide-as-ultimate-revenge cdrama last month. I had to undo the the damage it did to my cerebral matters by going on a long walk. As much as I dislike the 40+ episodes of cdramas, the short-form isn’t the answer.
@pkml3 , @IB, I will take a look at The Practical Guide to Love as it has a premise I like. Also it’s just going to start airing tomorrow (for me) so I will not be binge-ing it.
I’m just back from Friday Stations of the Cross and Reconciliation. Feeling edified! Mustn’t rush back into too much time-wasting drama watching. 😇😅😆
You’re welcome, @GB.
I haven’t DONE anything much except for the daily readings/meditations. I’m even exempt from the Friday abstinence now. But yes, confession. I should go more often. The Stations of the Cross depends where I am on Fridays. If I’m staying in a predominantly Catholic city (or where the Catholic presence is at least, visible) then I can join one easily.
@GB and @pkml3
RED CDRAMA Alert!
I looked every day this week to see if that March 6th premiere of Pursuit of jade might possibly issue forth from its iQiyi nest,
And yes it did.
On Netflix next Friday.
Zhang LingHe, hurray. Tian XiWei not so much, but she is a butcher’s daughter who apparently fights battles wielding a cleaver, so she wont be too sugary sweet.
Hopefully.
He is a fallen noble.
Happily waiting.
Re Pursuit of Jade, the scriptwriter is Yue Zhou (or is it Zhou Yue?) –Coroner’s Diary, The Rise of Phoenixes, Love Like the Galaxy amongst others.
Hi @IB about “Pursuit of Jade”… the Writer is Zou Yue.
While this show also has one of my fave premises (marriage first, fall in love later) I do not ‘dare’ to start watching because I’ve got too much to do. Dramas just suck away most of my attention and brain power LOL.
I’ll be ‘a good gal’ with just the Rewatch Shows and maybe the Practical Guide show.
@GB
Okey-doke.
Then I will give a just few impressions after the first six eps, if no one minds. I dont usually remark on dramas early in the show..
OK @IB. I don’t mind spoilers so post whatever or if you prefer to not post spoilers here, then message me on MDL and post there.
BTW Please see R:WotS Ep 16 thread to start on voting for the show after Imaginary Cat. 🙂
I will watch “boyfriend on demand”, I like a lot main actor.
And about Jisoo, Guys of my kdrama frenchgroup (mostly men) are fans of her, so I can watch and comment with them. I watched already Snowdrop and I’m currently watching Newtopia (horror-comedy) with her. Low-mid rating on MDL but good and funny drama.
She comes from famous girlband “blackpink” but I know nothing about kpop:
I was expecting “pretty girl – bad acting”, but it turned to be “not so pretty – good acting”.
I find her better at acting than Suzy or UI, then her two roles asked lot of crying, fear and emotions, she’s quite natural.
Love Story in the 1970s
I’ve decided to start 1 cdrama, “Love Story in the 1970s”. I hope to take it slow instead of binge-ing it, even though 27 out of its 29 episodes are already out. I like the premise of a couple faking a marriage, only to fall in love later. I know the ending, but the process is what interests me.
The first episode was quite riveting. This isn’t one of those glossy, polished productions; it feels raw and stripped down and looks very realistic. Life is difficult but not entirely depressing. People are hard-pressed but still willing to help each other. The poverty and harsh realities of the era are portrayed vividly and without being romanticised: we feel the weight of the times without being crushed by them.
The characters of Fei Ni and Fang Mu Yang were clearly drawn, in a way, similar to how Mu Yang was able to sketch strangers on the train. Sun Qian and Arthur Chen Fei Yu do a solid job establishing their characters from the outset. Even in a single episode, I felt drawn into their tentative, lightly outlined beginnings.
I didn’t intend to watch this at first, because I did not care for Arthur Chen’s character or acting in ‘Lighter and Princess’. He has either improved or this role simply suits him better. Mu Yang is far more endearing, and Arthur portrays being likable well. As for Sun Qian, I did not remember having seen her before in “Way Back Into Love” Her performance left little impression on me then, but she’s making one here.
I found it cute the Fei Ni was so single-minded about getting a chance to enter college that she appeared to pursue the winning basketball player, but was really in pursuit of his mother, who could recommend her for college. It’s ambitious, calculating, and completely understandable given how she’s thwarted repeatedly in her attempts to get her factory to recommend her.
The ‘meet-cute’ of Fei Ni and Mu Yang as high-schoolers was not cute at all! Their beginning did not seem to auger well since the times they were together were the times that something unfortunate happened to Fei Ni due to Mu Yang. Remembering those times led Fei Ni to almost regret taking on the care of Mu Yang, however her desire to get into college won out. Despite an inauspicious start, they did get on well enough and became friends.
I’ll be rooting for Fei Ni to get into college one day or at least to find out that she’s doing well even without it. I wonder if Mu Yang will be able to survive creatively in those days of the Cultural Revolution. He would have to be careful about what he draws. I liked his sketches and the promise he made to sketch what he sees when he leaves town, so he can one day show his work to Fei Ni.
We very quickly end the first episode with Fei Ni already starting her long haul commitment to care for an unconscious Mu Yang. She did so with hardly an altruistic thought but only a self-serving hope to ‘use’ him so that she’d have a chance at college. It’s not romantic, but it’s compelling, and I’m curious to see how something so pragmatic transforms into love.
How do you like the Practical Guide kdrama so far? Aren’t you watching this with @ibisfeather?
@pkml3, I’ve watched 3 episodes of “Practical Guide” and will continue. It’s different, at the moment quite sweet… I expect more drama later. I like it well enough and am happy (read: ‘more impressed by’ rather than ‘not annoyed by’) with the 2 main actors.
@IB hasn’t been back to comment on it.
I’m pacing myself…. maybe 2 episodes a night. So I’ll be slow to comment. 🙂
Oh,… hang on @pkml3…. I’m getting my dramas mixed up.
Yes, kdrama “Practical Guide to Love” is okay with Han Ji Min…. it’s 2 episodes a week. I watched Ep 1…. do not feel compelled to watch the next one but I’ll do so before Saturday’s episode is out. I’ll watch it to see why the FL chooses the guy that she does and if it’s a wise move.
The drama I was referring to above is “Love Story in the 1970s” that’s a cdrama that I find more compelling. It is different because I have not watched/watched very few shows of that era,… or during the Cultural Revolution. It does not have the high production, glossy vibe and tells the tale slowly through stark scenes that look real.
I’m totally on board with the FL’s character, wondering to what extent she is being calculating and to what extent she’s been taken advantage of. She knows the possibility of the latter, but is prepared to take the risk. I watch to see the results of her gamble.
Well, well, ‘Love Story in the 1970s’ has taken an organic twist. I don’t know whether to laugh or to cry that despite losing his memories of the past, Mu Yang is still super intelligent and now between him and Fei Ni there’s a relationship of bribery and/or threats so that he can get his way (and she too wrt university!). And what Mu Yang seems to want a lot of is different kinds of food! LOL
He forgot everyone but he remembers the restaurants, their location and the pretty high class food that he used to eat.
It might be a bit of a red flag that he’s like this ie using bribes or threats, but at the same time, we see how he looks at Fei Ni, and it’s not likely that he’d ever make good on his threats.
I’ve watched up to Episode 4, and Fei Ni will be disappointed in Ep 5. It’s a good time to pause so that I won’t be too upset for her, although I have to admit that she’s also to blame. 🙂
@pkml3,
re The Practical Guide to Love,
I didnt feel like watching such a slow-paced show this week. (I am watching Rugal, its that kind of week).
I dont like to speak ill or even mildly sadly of shows others may be getting more out of –if I dont come back to comment it usually means I didnt get far.
But if friends like something that didnt thrill me straight off, I keep it in the back of my mind for a second look some sunny day in the future!
Unless you ask I will only show for shows that make me happy.
@IB, I, too found Practical Guide to be not as fetching or dynamic in it’s first episode. I’ve decided to wait until after it has aired 2 more episodes to watch the first 3 of them in 1 fell swoop to see how I feel.
I’d even prefer to rewatch something I know I enjoyed to an extent, if I’m not too sure about a new show that’s not that compelling.
I will need to continue to rewatch Imaginary Cat too, to gear up for our next party!
Oh dear! Love Story in the 1970s has become so entertaining. I find that I’m enjoying it far too much!
I’ve reached Episodes 5-10 and I find myself laughing out loud. I didn’t know I’d be hooting about being tricky and creative to ‘outwit the enemy’.
I like that the love stories are so practical, or rather that the couples are. There are 3 young couples to consider plus Fei Ni’s parents who celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in 1975, and still hold a torch for each other.
Amidst the dark times, the in-factory politicking, and the dreams that remain elusive, there are still warm and happy times with simple pleasures, solid friendships and heart-warming family support. Fei Ni’s parents add such a bright spark. Her brother was a hoot and such a softie with his sister.
There seems to be only a couple of grey characters causing trouble by blocking Fei Ni’s opportunities, but with the help of Mu Yang, there’s no telling how creative will be the tricks and strategems they may come up with to get what is rightfully theirs. And get it they did!
@GB (hopefully snoozing away)
Pursuit of Jade: after the 1st 15 minutes I know it will be good. Why?
Characters
— the butcher’s daughter/ChangYu/actress Tian XiWei looks sturdy as she throws some pig blood over the awful village crones, who in the way of all great dramas are giving us all the info on her life in the guise of spiteful Gossip. (I did see a little more of TXW last week in ‘Fated Boy’ in a solid comic supporting role too)
— in a sillier way, Zhang LingHe comes to light under some fallen snow/a fallin’ noble, and after he gets dragged home, physicked and washed, ChangYu assures her little (cute!) sister that she didnt just pick him up because he was handsome. Then side by side they both peer down at them and in perfect unison their mouths fall open just a tiny. For, in fact, Xie Zheng/the actor ZL, looks toothsome a little bruised abed.
Themes and visuals
— the credits are interlaced with spreading frost and snow crystals, and lushly packed with interesting images.
— We start with a winter village pig-butchering. Setting off home after being tagged as a lone star of calamity, ChangYu assures her employer that the ‘almanac’ says today is her lucky day. On the road home the ML is found wounded in the snow but the blood doesnt bother the butcher’s girl. She does, however, nearly kill him by unwisely using medecine.
I am planning to have a very good time.