Greetings from South Korea!

Remember that series “One Day Off”? In the final episode, the heroine went to Gyeongju, a city on the eastern side of the peninsula, filled with antiquities from the great dynasty of Silla. I decided to do a “meta” travel of sorts, and retraced the footsteps of the heroine who was retracing her footsteps with her schoolfriend who had long passed away. For full effect, I left my hubby in Seoul and explored Gyeongju solo.

Anyway, this was the bridge where the kdrama female lead said her goodbye to the ghost of her good friend. Was I also saying goodbye to my kdrama addicted soul? Who knows?

Anyway, what dramas am I watching this month? Not many.

After spending a whole day in a palace, museum or market, it’s hardly a shocker that I want to immerse myself in something different when I come home to our rented apartment. Nowadays, I’ve been watching cdrama, notably this cdrama called “The First Jasmine.”

The First Jasmine (2026)

Cast: Ryan Cheng (“The Legend of the Female General”) and Bai Lu (who doesn’t know her?)
Episodes: 40
Start Date: June 9
Airs an episode or two everyday
Where to Watch it: Viki
Network: Tencent

I’m sorry @agdr03 and @ibisfeather, but I tabled “Pursuit of Jade” for now.

IMO, “The First Jasmine” is a female version of Alexander Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo.” Instead of pretending to be a member of the French nobility, the main protagonist in this cdrama is the granddaughter of the founder of the acclaimed Li Shan Academy. Instead of being imprisoned for 14 years on an island, she’s trapped for 8 years in solitary existence in the mountains. And instead of exacting revenge of those who wrongfully jailed her, she sets out to destroy the men who killed the scholars of the academy as well as her beloved mother, and to seek justice on behalf of the male lead. I don’t mind the cold-blooded way she manipulates the events to punish the wicked, given that she herself is suffering from deep psychological trauma. I especially admire how she accomplishes to avenge the sufferings of those she cared about … except her own ordeal. She’s her own blind spot.

What are you watching this month?