The TV Roundup #15

You'll notice the last TV Roundup was last year April. Something you should probably know about me: long-term follow through of hobbies is not my strong point. I am easily distracted by the next shiny new thing (hobby) or activity until I get bored. The new distraction could be a new show or something as mundane as real life problems or an anxiety spiral and avoidance of productive activities. Ho hum. Aaaaaaanyway.... I'm feeling that writing itch again and I don't want to spoil on Twitter, hence a blog post. A large majority of my viewing time has been sucked in by Netflix. This is great news for my budget as that means I could cut other streaming subscriptions.

Twenty-five Twenty-one (2022, TVN)

Go Yu-rim's woe-is-me brattiness was getting on my nerves and affecting my enjoyment of the show, so much so that I dreaded watching episodes 9 and 10. I actually put it off until Monday (I usually watch day of release) and likely would have put it off even more if I had any other shows. I am so glad I bit the bullet though. The show handled Go Yu-rim and Na Hee-do's reconciliation in a very satisfactory manner and now the show's back to being my weekly happy pill. <3

Thirty-nine (2022, TVN)

We are six episodes in and fully into the meat of the story. While the acting remains great, I was starting to get annoyed that the focus of the show was primarily Cha Mi-jo's (played by Son Ye-jin) POV. I get it. Son Ye-jin is the big star. Of course she'd have the most screen time. I initially didn't mind, I love Son Ye-jin unni, but the disproportionate screen time doesn't feel organic anymore. The show was marketed as an ensemble story but its 80% Son Ye-jin all the damn time. The dying friend, Jeong Chan-young (played by Jeon Mi-do, who is knocking it out of the ballpark btw), gets may be 15% and Jang Joo-hee (portrayed by the lovely Kim Ji-hyun) is lucky if she gets 5% POV screen time. That's what it feels like anyway. Unfortunately, Cha Mi-jo is kind of boring and so is her love line. Jeong Chan-young is actually the more interesting of the trio and its not just because she's dying.

The show was preempted last week to cover South Korea's presidential elections. Hopefully this week rectifies my gripes, because I would love to see more of the Chan-young's and Joo-hee's POV.

Forecasting Love And Weather (2022, JTBC)

This was another weekend show I dreaded watching. I AM SO ANNOYED at the insecure man-baby second male lead. I swear whenever he's on screen, I want to reach in and sock him. I don't get it. Whatever did the ladies ever see in him??? One stayed with him for 10 years and almost married him, one actually did marry him after only a few months of (adulterous) dating. He has little to no self-awareness, he's overly proud despite not having the competence to back it up, he even gets his girlfriend to do the work and then takes credit for it. He's immature, jealous, and insecure, and thinks everything is about him him him. IT'S SO AGGRAVATING AAAAARGH. 

What's her face, the cheating partner, her name escapes me right now. I actually pity her. Marrying Assface was her punishment.

That reminds me, I'm actually quite pleased with the way the show handled the aftermath of the cheating and showing all four leads as nuanced characters - yes, even Assface McCheater. No one is "bad" 100% of the time. Reporter lady cheated on her boyfriend, I'm not disputing that what she did was wrong, but I was surprised to see that she had completely valid reasons for falling out of love and needing to move one from that relationship. I just wish she had the balls the end the relationship before jumping into the next one. It's the same with Assface, he was unhappy with the relationship but too much of a coward to end his relationship. Sigh. Both of them were wrong and are each other's punishment, with her being punished more than him imo. I have no sympathy for him.

A Business Proposal (2022, SBS)

This show was  a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much I did. I even binge read the source manhwa after watching the first two episodes. It was clear from the get-go that the drama adaptation made changes to the female lead and some plot points, such as the FL's job and work ethic, which I think really works and even elevates the drama. And can I just say that this is excellent PPL for company Bibigo. It gets exposure without being put in any negative light. *cough* Coffee Bay in Pretty Noona *cough*

Kim Se-jeong continues to impress, Ahn Hyo-seob is pretty good in this too. Both of them have different vibes from the manhwa characters but they've made the characters their own. The other two leads, Seol In-ah and Kim Min-kyu, are REALLY good. Chemistry-wise, it's fantastic. All four leads have chemistry with each other. I LOVE the friendships in this, the girls especially. They crack me up so much. I'm looking forward to lots more chaotic besties hijinks, with their lawful good loves staring on fondly.

AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!
Screen grab from @notseorina on Twitter.

The Love Equations (2020, WeTV)

I started a Gong Jun drama watching spree. I think I first watched TLE in 2020 but never got round to finishing it. It is just as enjoyable a watch as the first time I saw it, but once again got bored at around the same plot point. I will try to finish it this time though.

Begin Again (2020, iQiyi)

Still can't believe Gong Jun's in his late 20s. He has such a young-looking face. I would've guessed late teens to early 20s at most, but he's turning 30 this year. Begin Again is EXACTLY the kind of show I was in the mood for: sexy fluff. Well, it could be sexier - it was mostly talk - but I'll take what I can get. This show is funny and I love that the female lead (Zhou Yu-tong looking fiercely fashionable and radiating big boss energy) openly admires and lusts after the physical attributes of the male lead. It's something I could never do in real life, I'm much too reserved for that, but I admit my internal thoughts are sometimes more in line with FL's antics. Lost interest in the show towards the end but I enjoyed it overall. Oh, and there is a VERY CUTE KID in this. Kiddo was actually the reason I wanted to watch this show in the first place. 8/10 would recommend. (I almost forgot. Shout out to the gorgeous Wu Man-si. She's so pretty it almost hurts.)

The TV Roundup #12

I spent a third of the past week fighting off a low-grade migraine but I still somehow managed to "watch" a lot of episodes. "Watch" in quotation marks because I was only paying half attention for most of these. Oh and I was able to finish several coasters, a bottle cozy, and one baby mitten! I am slowly getting better. Next week's project is the other half of said baby mitten and a second pair using different colored yarn and slightly pattern.

Mask | E01-E12

Started off the week with this rollercoaster makjang craziness. Did it make much sense? No. Was I entertained? Very much so. All the actors gave their 110% and, to quote Anna Kendrick:

LOL no you can't click play. It's just a screenshot off YouTube. This is my favorite behind the scenes episode. Trevor Noah + Anna Kendrick is the dream team.

It blows my mind that Mask came out in 2015. I thought I first watched this nearly a decade ago. That's how far ago 2015 feels like. This trip down memory lane brought to you by a hankering for a good contract marriage drama. Mask was just the ticket. Su Ae and Joo Ji-hoon going from sorta enemies to becoming each other's ride-or-die was *chef's kiss*.

 

Oh! Master |  E05-06

I actually started this show last week but forgot to add it to the list. It's cute enjoyable fluff but not very memorable. If I stop watching for whatever reason, I don't have much incentive to go back. Lee Min-ki's character here feels like a slightly different iteration from his last two projects. Nana, as much as I would love to love her, just isn't there yet. She's still very green and it shows. I got the impression off twitter that she was one to watch out for so I went in expecting her to be much better than what she's showing right now (this is her first acting project that I've seen). I am probably being harsher on her than I normally would be, but I want her to be good damn it. I like her and she does show promise. I hope she gets to demonstrate her acting chops as the show progresses.

Confession: I have a not insignificant girl crush on Nana. Pic from Pinterest.

The Sword and The Brocade | E37

Losing interest with this one. Not very surprising considering my only interest in the show was to see the OTP get together and now they're finally shacking up and being lovey-dovey like a true married couple. Don't even talk about the stupid politics. It's dumb and boring. Show ends next week so maybe I'll watch the remaining episodes on 1.5x while I do chores or something.

You Are My Hero | E01-E31

YAMH ate up my week. The TV "Medicine" drove me bonkers in the beginning but Ma Si-chun is so gosh darn adorable I had to keep watching. I'm glad I pushed through (only paying half attention and skipping whole scenes helped hehe). The OTP is wonderful together. Considering both Mi Ka and Xing Ke-lei are each other's first, they're giving us old married couple vibes and a maturity that is not often seen during the first blush of a new relationship. The secondary OTP is cute too. Ruan Qing-xia (another lovely face to add to my girl crush list) more than Shu Wen-bo. Shu Wen-bo is a frustrating, dense block of wood. Multiple times I just wanted to reach in through the screen and knock some sense into him.

Jiang Pei-yao looks like a cross between Rainie Yang and Nana. Pretty pretty <3. I definitely have a girl crush type. This gif and more here.

Cutest little munchkin ray of sunshine. Source of this adorable gif.

The TV Roundup #11

Easter egg hunt! Find the eight hidden eggs.

Happy Easter Sunday? I hope you and yours are safe and healthy and may you continue to be in this increasingly dystopic world.

Jane The Virgin | S1E01-E06

This was a comfort binge. I am in dire need of a cute English language rom-com or family show -English language anything really - to watch while I ate so I had the option of just listening and not pay much attention to the screen. But there are SO MANY available options and analysis paralysis hit me like a ton of bricks. My go-to is usually Jeopardy but I'm running out of episodes to watch on NF and I'm not really in the mood to look at pretty houses and get house envy in BBC's The World's Most Extraordinary Homes. Then I remembered Jane The Virgin. Rewatching Jane and Rafael fall in love felt like a good use of my time and this show always gave me good vibes. I skipped most of the murder mystery bits, Petra's machinations, and the family drama though. Good times.  

The Sword and The Brocade | E31-36

The problem with smart people is that they think too much. And that's basically what happened for the majority of episodes 31 to 34, where the two leads obviously care for each other but won't communicate. There's an element of pride and fear of rejection at play that keeps them from laying it all out in the open and asking the other person to love them. Finally, the dam bursts in episode 35 and we get our confession, first kiss scene, and some bow chika wow wow. Shiyi's cherry is popped and the marriage is consummated at last. And then the merrily wed cuteness we'd all been waiting for. Yay!

The only other plot point that interested me was Shiyi realizing that she no longer hates Madame Luo and her narcissistic step sister. She recognizes that both of them were products of a misogynistic system that pits woman against woman and in they end the women all lose. It's a downer but evidence of further character growth for Shiyi. Down with the patriarchy!

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime aka Slime Isekai | E01-E27

"What if we make the lead character a slime? No, I mean a literal slime. Hear me out."

This is how I imagine the pitch went. It's...odd. I'm not even talking about the slime protagonist, although it IS a factor. The story features a mismash of various fantastical creatures: orc, troll, demon, goblin, dwarf, dragon, etc. The plot isn't anything I haven't read before (minus the slime part) but something about this particular story felt slightly off. I can't quite put my finger on it. Perhaps you could call it quirky and that's the charm? To be fair, it IS enjoyable enough and very easy to watch. It's got humorous moments and I managed to watch a full season (24 episodes of <20 minutes each) before I got tired of it. My sister LOVES it and had been raving to me about it for a while now. She says she's watched Slime Isekai three times and switched to reading the manga and later the light novel when she ran out of episodes and translated chapters to read. Different strokes for different folks. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

That's the protagonist caught in a tug of war between two female characters in his pseudo harem. I did say it was weird.

Search (2020) | E01-10

I checked this out for Jang Dong-yoon, who I'm happy to report was eminently likeable even when his character was being a dumbass. For a mystery series, this show was plenty stupid and I've lost count of how many times I caught myself metaphorically scratching my head. From a common sense stand point, the characters do things that make no fucking sense. I'm disappointed this drama didn't live up to potential because it has a bunch of solid actors (Park Yoon, Moon Jeong-hee, Lee Hyun-wook) and they are the reason I kept watching when the writing kept going to Idiotville. When I was just about ready to call it quits, they turn Yeon Woo-jin's character into a DMZ monster, which pretty much guaranteed I was staying 'til the end. I know he was only a cameo but man was he criminally underused. I'm glad there are only 10 episodes. There's only so much story they can milk out of this premise. Search would probably be better as a movie.

 

The best and the only non-stupid character on the show. Good girl Mac.

The TV Roundup #9

The world, or at least my world, is back to where it began a year ago -- a lockdown. We've come full circle. Vaccines are available but supply is limited so healthcare workers, front liners, and other vulnerable populations are given priority. And if you can get a vaccine, do it! For your sake, and for the others who cannot get safely vaccinated for health reasons.

The Sword and The Brocade | E01-E25

This was an accidental binge watch. It's like I made up for lost drama watching time in one day. I watched 19 straight episodes. I did skip most of the political scenes but that's still a lot of hours. I haven't done a marathon binge of this length in a while. 

I really like the OTP dynamic here. Individually, they are smart, capable people, but together they are the most awkward beans ever. Watching them change their minds about the other and slowly fall in love (slooooow burn) has been an absolute delight. I do have to report that Episode 24 onward has been rather boring. I don't know if it really is that way since our couple has been separated (one is off to do his duties, the other is left at home) and the politics has been ramping up or because I've hit saturation point and need to do something else. Which I did.

This may be my most favorite Wallace romantic leading man yet. Xu Lingyi is awkward, sweet, respectful. He's flawed but he tries his best. When his wrongs are pointed out, he accepts criticism and tries to change his ways.

Shoutout to actresses Ying Er and He Hong Shan for their riveting portrayals of first wife Luo Yuanniang and concubine Qiao Lianfang, respectively. I especially liked Ying Er's calculating Yuanniang. She was a big reason I stayed during the first 10 or so episodes when she was alive and the romance hadn't started yet. She schemed and planned all so her son's safety and legacy is protected. I do not condone the things she did, but I admired her strength and composure in the face of death. Concubine Qiao, on the hand, is an utterly hateful woman and yet I do not find her annoying to watch on screen. Actress He Hong Shan has breathed life into this character, made her feel real and at times even sympathetic. No small feat that.

New (to me) actresses to watch out for.

She Would Never Know | E14 - E16 Finale

There was a tonal shift in the final two episodes. It's like the first 14 episodes were shoujo and then a 5-year time jump later and we have a josei in our hands. It's a different flavor but I liked it. I liked it a lot. It was a lot less cotton candy fluff and melodrama. The effect of those five years really showed and I'm happy to report that all main leads, including annoying secondary characters all showed growth and maturity. Let's count it down:

Whiny Mom. I think hers is the most drastic change, except for the Banshee Princess. She finally woke up, looked in the mirror, and gave a good, hard look at herself. Then she stopped living in denial land and actively took steps to improve herself. The immediate result is a shocking 180. It's like they cut out her necrosed personality and grafted a new one in place. Amazing. I even found her interactions with our OTP cute in the final episode.

Cheating Ex and Banshee. I'm still not sure how I feel about the eleventh hour character rehab but I appreciate the maturity and perspective they both obtained after five years. I am glad that they both managed to move on, get closure, and be civil down the line. Nice little bow ending I suppose.

Chae Ji-seung and Lee Jae-woon. A couple we stan. The OTP might bring the chemistry and cuteness, but this couple isn't any less sexy or desirable. We have two mature individuals who went in knowing their own and the other person's worth. They knew what they wanted - a life with each other - and lived their best life to make that happen. It's honestly amazing how well they suit each other. I can only wish that I be blessed with the same kind of stable, loving, respectful relationship they have.

Chae Yeon-seung and Dr. Doth Protest Too Much. Internalized homophobia and cowardice. That's what ultimately killed their marriage. Sad. She is everything that is good and kind. It is his greatest fortune that she fell in love with him and continued to love him despite his fuckery. (And to be clear, being gay or whatever the hell gender he is is not the instigating problem. The problem is he had an emotional affair with an ex and dragged her into the cesspool of his self-destructive confusion and cowardice.) She was beyond generous when she offered to stay with him and be his beard shield while he came to terms with his true self. And finally, finally she's free. It only took five years. Ultimately, I believe divorce is good for everyone involved. All three (mom, dad, kid) will be happier and mentally and emotionally healthier in the long run.

Yoon Song-ah and Chae Hyun-seung. Have I mentioned that I really like the shift in the OTP dynamic? For the longest time, it felt like Song-ah held the power in their relationship and Hyun-seung, like a true adoring puppy, tailed after her and selflessly gave her what she needed. She herself saw how unfair that was on him and broke up with him for "his own good." Pfft. Correct diagnosis, wrong treatment. Breaking up was not the answer, but she finds that out for herself. Now girlie is chasing after puppy. Turn about is fair play and I love it. I really enjoyed the moments of her "wooing" him and having her be vulnerable and open, so he can finally see how much she loves him too (in vino veritas hahahaha).

There was a point when I wasn't sure if I wanted to go back and finish this show but I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed these final two episodes and the series as a whole. Lots of warm fuzzies and smiles from me. In the end, there's really not much to the show: it's just two lovely people meeting at work and falling in love in the process. Shows like this live and die on the chemistry of the leads and I'm glad to say both Won Jin-ah and Ro Woon delivered in spades.

❤❤❤

Jeopardy | Austin Rogers episodes

Champion Austin Rogers has amassed over USD 400,000 at the point I stopped watching. His brain capacity for trivia is amazing.

Suits | Season 6

Suits is one of my all-time favorite shows. It's so easy to watch and sometimes I watch random episodes just because I miss the OG cast. This is one of those times. I didn't watch the whole season, just selected episodes of Mike in prison and when he first got out.

The TV Roundup #8

Due to circumstances outside of my control, I once again have more time on my hands. Should I be spending this excess free time studying? Probably. Am I going to do that? Probably not. I am thinking of trying a modified Pomodoro where for every hour of studying, I spend 30 minutes relaxing or watching a show. Or maybe I'll do 45:15 studying to watching. We'll see. As usual, spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own risk.

Vincenzo | E05-E06

I think I'm dropping this. As much as I love looking at suited up Song Joong-ki, Vincenzo does not spark sufficient joy. I hate to say this but Vincenzo the character is boring. The point where I threw up my hands in surrender was when he told Hong Cha-young about the gold in the secret basement. She didn't believe him but he was seriously telling her the truth. They're not lovers. They barely count as friends right now. He's known this woman all of five minutes and he tells her a secret people would kill to keep hidden??? *head desks, face palms, hulk smash keyboard*

Speaking of Hong Cha-young... SIIIIIIIIIIIGH. Hers is probably the most frustratingly written character on the show. I want to like her but she's not making it easy. I wish the show would stop telling me she's good at her job and actually show me. Because so far, she's done diddly squat to convince me that she was once Woosang's ace lawyer. All the legal strategies and plans come from him. She's nothing more than Vincenzo's legally licensed mouthpiece and love interest. Blech. The romance feels forced and the progression is not organic at all. It doesn't help that she has more chemistry with the puppy.

The most interesting character so far is Jang Joon-woo. Ok Taecyeon is doing a great job playing up the harmless puppy-evil mastermind duality. He could show more of the psychopathic aspects of his character, but that's just my nitpicky evil villain preference. And unlike the OTP romance that's being shoved down our throats, I actually believe Jang Joon-woo is fond of Hong Cha-young. He dotes on her and obviously finds her antics amusing. Though why he thinks she'd ever come back to Woosang when the firm ordered the hit on her father, I can't fathom. Evil villain logic?

Oh and shoutout to actress Kim Yeo-jin who has been phenomenal at playing the slightly unhinged, unapologetically kookie ex-prosecutor Choi Myung-hee. It's such a juicy character. By hook or by crook, she gets the job done. And it is such a DELIGHT and so refreshing to see how effective she is. Between her and Vincenzo, she's actually the one who's more like a cunning consigliere.

She Would Never Know | E13

Dr. I'm-Not-Gay doth protest too much.

This episode centers on two main conflicts. We begin with the first one between the lone married couple. Is doctor dude gay or just an emotionally constipated faker? What is this mistake they keep harping on about? Was it an emotional affair or did he and Chef actually go further in testing their sexuality in college?

My heart breaks for Yeon-seong. With tears in her eyes she asks her husband, "Do you love me?" And he couldn't immediately answer. *stab in the heart* He answers yes after a beat, but the damage is done and I don't think either of them believe what he said.

This conflict is so poignant, so painful for everyone involved. Yeon-seong of course, for this massive betrayal of her trust. (I don't like that they keep making it a Gay/Not Gay issue when the crux of the matter is Husband introduced an old flame as just his friend. Even if Doctor and Chef weren't boinking then or now, there's an emotional component there that never went away and was rekindled when Chef came back.) Then there's the precocious daughter who senses her mom's sadness, and Chef who not only lost his love again but also his new friend. I believe Chef was genuinely fond of Yeon-seong as a person, and I think he found kinship with her, perverse as it sounds, for loving the same man. I can empathize a little with Doctor dude's gender identity confusion, but he's such a coward that any sympathy I managed to scrape for him went down the drain the moment he presented her with divorce papers. She's right. He's a coward who wanted an easy out.

She is the best, most thoughtful daughter ever.

Our main couple continues to be lovely together. I'm really glad that their conflict now is internal as opposed to external. Career or love - ah that age old question. Which path will bring less regret? I feel for both of them truly. In her shoes, I'd pick career too. As cute as they are together, Song-ah is far too practical and ambitious to throw away her dreams for a guy she's been dating only recently. The last instance with the scummy ex doesn't count. She was never gonna go because of the strings attached to that job transfer, unlike now where it would be purely for her own career progression. But this being a kdrama, I have faith our OTP will get their HEA one way or another.

Cuties <3.

Jeopardy | Too Many Episodes To Mention

I've been rewatching a lot of reruns of Jeopardy this week. It's a lot of fun and so easy to watch. It just hurts whenever I remember Alex Trebek no longer walks among us. May he rest in power wherever he is. :(

The TV Roundup #7

Has it really been 7 weeks already? Man, time flies. I found some time and energy to watch a new show this week. Which of course means I didn't have time to watch that other show. Oh well. (Spoiler warning: Don't read this post if you haven't seen the first 4 episodes of Vincenzo.)

Vincenzo | E04

Let me preface this by saying I love The Godfather trilogy. (A remixed version of the theme is my ringtone!) I like my fictional mafiosi morally grey or straight up evil, capable of doing really bad things to get the job done, and most of all - compelling.

Vincenzo Cassano falls very short of that standard. Especially since he was made out to be this incredibly sly and scheming dude at the beginning. He managed to easily foil an assassination attempt by professional mafia hitmen and then less than 48 hours later he gets drugged, beaten up, and his possessions stolen by small time crooks??? Explain that to me. 

It was like his brain power halved when he landed in Korea. He kept letting bad shit happen to him and making a move after the fact. That's not how I imagined a powerful mafia's (former) strategist would move. I was promised a sexy, scheming brain dammit!

I guess I'm disappointed because I went in expecting a dark, gritty, beautiful show about an ex-consigliere and what I got was a typical Korean story of a team of underdogs fighting against a greedy corporation. The mafia background story is little more than salad dressing at this point.

I also disliked the annoying ahjussi lawyer on his moral high horse. He is, predictably, dead. Good riddance. It's just funny that this actor keeps dying whenever he plays lawyers. LOL.

And I hate that the Hong Cha-young is being wasted! She's supposed to be really good at her job but she morphed into useless arm candy once she teamed up with Vincenzo. She's quick on the uptake and I love her chutzpah. She has a lot of potential and I really wish they'd do more with her character.

Now that my complaints are out of the way. Let's talk about what I love. The weird motley of tenants. Jeon Yeo-bin's sass and unapologetic demeanor as Hong Cha-young. Puppy Taec doing his best puppying yet. Dapper Song Joong-ki.

My favorite about the show so far (other than the visual treat that is Song Joong-ki) is the reveal that puppy Taec is THE big bad. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense. Taecyeon wouldn't get cast for a simple love rival character. His antics and actions take on a very different color now that we know he's the evil mastermind.

So that's Vincenzo the show. I went in with high hopes. Said hopes were promptly dashed within the first episode. When will I ever learn? If it's a crime show not on OCN, it's never going to be as dark as I want. To be fair, it IS an enjoyable show and I am definitely enjoying all the looks Song Joong-ki and Jeon Yeo-bin are serving. I just needed to adjust my expectations and enjoy the show for what it is.

Now here are some pretty pictures to brighten your screen! I will never tire of looking at Song Joong-ki in sharp suits.❤️

So handsome. How does one compliment a handsome guy in Italian? I'll find out.

The TV Roundup #6

Busy, busy week. I only had time for/was in the right mood for just one show.

She Would Never Know | E12

11 and 12 are probably the most enjoyable episodes yet. Lots of OTP cuteness and kisses, quietly supportive colleagues, cute kiddos, minimal screen time for the feral fiancee, and best of all ZERO screen time for the annoying mother... And then I saw her in the previews and wah wah wah. Ugh.

I'm really liking the development of ex-bf Lee Jae-shin. I like that he's not interfering with Song-ah anymore. He's got a fuckton of his own problems and demons (like that banshee of a woman he very wisely dumped) to contend with.

I am sad for Lee Jae-shin's friend though. Lee Jae-woo seems like a good guy and a good friend. Jae-woo is rightfully grieving what looks like the death of his longest friendship. But Jae-woo has to realize their friendship had too many strings and the dynamic was too uneven, especially after he and his family forced Jae-shin to date the banshee.

This was so adorable.

Kdrama unicorn man. Where can I get me one of you?

The TV Roundup #5

So a life update. I am back to doing physical internship, but with much more favorable hours than I would've had pre-pandemic. Today marks day 5 of hospital work. Things are hectic but honestly a lot less stressful and tiring than I was expecting. Basically my anxious self overprojected the potential physical and mental toll physical internship was going to put on me. Don't get me wrong, I am still tired as a dog at the end of each day, but it could be a lot worse. The consultants, residents, and nurses were all SO NICE and supportive. That alleviated a lot of anxiety honestly. It is such a different culture here than I am used to and it fucking blows my mind. I'm so grateful that I chose to intern at this hospital. Also because of the work hours, I still have some time to keep up with the blog. For now I can see myself, posting at least the TVR each week albeit with much less shows on it.

To All The Boys: Always And Forever

This is probably the most boring of the 3 films, but it gets by on the oodles of charm of Lana Condor and Noah Centineo have individually and together. I appreciate the messaging though, and I'm glad Lara Jean chose New York, chose the path that lead to self-growth and development. For a hot minute there, she was turning into THAT girl, who gave up her dreams for her SO, and we know that rarely ever ends well. Because few people, let alone teenagers, know themselves well enough at this age to know if this was what they truly want out of life. You need to get to know and love yourself first before you can be in a healthy, loving relationship. And part of that process is opening yourself up to new experiences, new places.

Peter K also did some growing up and patched old wounds. As much as he loves LJ, I disliked that HIS vision of their future, his growth, his needs, seemed to take precedent over hers. I don't think he did it intentionally, but it felt like he made plans without considering if this was the best move for her objectively. It could've been, yes, but it wasn't. To be fair, before Lara Jean went to New York, she didn't have any solid plans or anything she wanted for herself beyond being happy with her beautiful boy. When she finally did realize that, Peter K was surprisingly mature about it. He was sad but he didn't lash out (much) or insist that she come with him. It was surprisingly less dramatic than I was expecting. A breakup was expected. Their paths were diverging, they were moving literally cross country from each other.

During this difficult time, Peter K reached out to his dad. And he gave some pretty solid advice about putting in effort and not giving up too easily on a person you loved. He has apologized for his past actions and they've formed a tentative relationship.

At the end of the day, alls well that ends well. LJ and PK get back together and agree to LDR. Will they survive the distance? Who knows. They're certainly confident. We're different, says Lara Jean. I may have rolled my eyes so hard I had to manually unstick my eyeballs from the top of my orbital sockets. Probably the the tropiest, most cliche thing in the entire movie. Really wish they hadn't added that line. Oh, well. 3/5 stars for this film. Solid, enjoyable YA fare.

Lana Condor is cute as a button.

She Would Never Know | E10

Hurray hurray they're together and we have lip contact! I am enjoying everything about this couple. They talk, they listen to each other, they consider the other person's needs. Lovely.

The director person and the designer noona are my other favorite couple. They're actually even cuter than the OTP. The director is so freakin' earnest and forward, he's like a puppy on a mission. He knows what he wants and he goes for it without hesitation. It's adorable. It says a lot that I can call him adorable because the actor played a very effective cheating asshole in My Name is Kim Samsoon and I still haven't forgiven him for it. He has that classic asshole face you love to punch. But it's all good because my gosh he's really selling madly crushing on Wang Bit-na. Can't blame him though. She purty.

Song-Ah's cheating ex - I keep forgetting his name - is surprsingly a non-issue. He has moved on essentially and busy dealing with his own demons. Lashing out at his entitled fiancee (and wow she's going full Harpy in the previews). He's still scum, but he's almost pitiful now. Almost. He needs to learn how to cut off toxic people in his life. That's his biggest problem. After a certain point, he can only blame himself for not being decisive in cutting out the cancers in his life (his dad, the obsessive fiancee then suicidal admirer). He's his biggest obstacle. 

The most annoying character on the show is Song-Ah's mom. I have zero patience for her and her pa-victim (playing victim) ways. Even more than the cheating ex and the harpy, this character is the one that inspires violent passions. I can't help but feel for Song-ah and scream my support that YES, SHE SHOULD LEAVE YOU. The mom's an emotional vampire sucking all the joy out of Song-ah's life, a dead weight pulling her into the miserable black hole the mom lives in. Their relationship is a perfect example of not liking someone you love. And it sucks.

This is my face whenever the insufferable mom shows up.

Mr. Queen | E18

I think I managed to watch half an episode before I got busy for work. I'm going to savor this and watch when I have more time.

I am going to miss them. [cries] Source: IG @zzang_cowdragon

The TV Roundup #4

 

It's been a sparse TV week. I wasn't really in the mood for a new show although I did pick up a new book that was very engaging but unexpectedly hits too close to home. Lunar niú year snuck up on me and mooed its way into my consciousness. No, really. Mooing cow videos were my clue that it's the year of the Ox we're welcoming.

Mr. Queen | E17

Best episode yet. Pistons firing on all relevant cylinders: the romance, character development, even the political machinations did not suck. Color me surprised.

I love love love how comfortable the OTP are together. They don't always understand each other (him more than her), but they "get" each other. There's a lot of trust and love implied and obliquely referenced. They haven't outright said their iloveyous, but their actions speak louder than Lady Choi screaming her frustrations into the bamboo forest. It's wonderful to behold.

Sad Orabeoni is still on his dark merry path, but surprisingly hasn't completely turned his back on the Queen. I thought he was ready to go scorched Earth spurned lover but he's still scheming, protecting her in his own way. I know other people are done with him and want to punch him in the face, but my soft spot for him remains. I acknowledge my bias and don't care. His sorrowful puppy dog eyes won me over completely pretty early on. Eh. What can I say? I love what I love. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The even bigger surprise is Eui Bin Jo Hwa-jin. She finally stopped being in denial and accepted that she was losing herself, turning evil due to greed and selfishness. Then she had the self-awareness and bravery to get herself out of that situation. Gossip and reputation be damned. Brava, lady! First time I've liked and admired the ovaries on her. Now I see the woman Cheoljong fell for.

I haven't seen episode 18 yet, and don't plan to until the final two episodes are out. It's going to be a fun binge watch come Monday.

This whole scene was probably my favorite sequence in the entire show so far.

She Would Never | E08

The story has settled into a nice pace. Cheating ex seems to finally be accepting his lot in life and trying to move on. Song-ah is putting herself first and trying to heal before getting into anything new. And rightfully so for her own sake and for the sake of any future relationship she'll have. It really is just bad timing on Hyun-seung's part that he fell for and confessed to a woman who just got out of a serious relationship. (Or good timing depending on your view point? At least he confessed at the tail end of her relationship rather than when she was actively, blissfully in a relationship.) Never fear though. I have faith our cute OTP will pull through. That preview certainly has me hopeful.

Cutiepatooties.

The TV Roundup #3

Mr. Queen | E16

Lots of amusing things in the last 2 episodes.

1. The eunuch pissing his pants at the littlest non-threatening things the king says. Spineless spy is feeling very guilty.
2. The "sexy times" music that plays whenever SoBong and Cheoljong have a heated moment is HILARIOUS. Imma find that song and add it to my kdrama OST playlist.
3. The Three Musketeers thing the king's got going with his trusted left and right hand.
4. On the opposite end, we've got the Queen and her ladies maids channeling the Three Stooges. That "crying" gambling scene was a hoot.

I still dont give a damn about the palace machinations although I do find Sad Orabeoni's political savvy very sexy. And with Eui Bin shedding her white lotus* mask in front of the King, I wonder if after "finding herself" she'll go back to being the flawed but overall good woman the King fell in love with. She hasn't done anything iredeemable yet. Sure she almost got the Queen killed, but the King himself once tried to off the Queen and he received forgiveness. Or will she persist being a white lotus (trying to fool others AND herself that she's not a selfish bitch) or perhaps embrace the dark side she so clearly has?

*'White lotus' 白莲花 (bái lián huā) – a person, typically female, who appears pure as a white lotus, but her true nature is the opposite. (definition adapted from Written Chinese)

No white lotus here. Just a thorny black rose out to prick anyone who dares harm her. Image source: MDL.

She Would Never Know | E06

I binged 5 episodes last weekend and now that I'm all caught up, I'm sad. This is the kind of show that's perfect for mindless, feel good binge-watching. There isn't much plot. It's basically two incredibly good-looking people falling in love and navigating the problems that arise from work place romance and a cheating ex who also happens to be their boss. It's the perfect vehicle to launch Rowoon to A-list romantic leading man status. Emphasis on man, because while high school romance Extraordinary You was his first big break in the acting scene, She Would Never Know is the one that I think is going to take him to the next level. Boy got helluva lot hotter playing a namja. Rowoon has natural charm and presence on screen. He's still quite green, but he's actually not a terrible actor all things considered. He's already improved some since his first acting foray. I was pleasantly surprised by that.

Won Jin-ah I have no complaints about. This is the first project I've seen her in. The more I see her, the more attractive I find her. She has a peaceful elegance about her and I am digging that energy and the quiet dignity with which she portrays Song-ah. She and Rowoon have cute chemistry together and that's already a win my book.

Ship ship ship! Gif source: The Qoo.

Run On | E16 Finale

The ending was rather anticlimactic even for a relatively low stakes show. This show is like a journey where I enjoyed the process more than the destination/ending. I'm glad it ended well and am thankful for the comfort it gave me. I'm also really glad we have couples who frickin communicate (such a rarity in kdramaland) and the main couple in particular are so sweet together and make a lot of effort to cherish and understand the other. Couple goals!

The other OTP...ended as I expected them to. Oh well. At least I got several weeks of watching Soo-young be awesome.

Zoey's Extraordinary Play list | E05

I watched episodes 3-5 over the course of 2 days. Still charming and winsome. Episode 4 was by far my favorite of the season for giving me Simon absolutely slaying Juice by Lizzo and Alice Lee singing. I don't even remember what she sang. I just remember stopping whatever I was doing with my hands and closing my eyes to enjoy her lovely singing.

Can you blame Emily (Alice Lee) for being Team Simon? Lol.

The TV Roundup #2

The other day I found out that I may be going back to physical internship, meaning I have to actually be in the hospital, as early as February 1st. It's not yet final as we're still waiting for the official memo from the Commission on Higher Education, but my hospital wants us ready to go as soon as we get that memo.

I spent a good part of that day with a lump in the pit of stomach and went to bed anxiety-ridden. The next day wasn't much better, so I distracted myself with chores and cooking. Between studying, cooking, chores, virtual internship activities, and trying to keep my anxiety at bay, it's been a slow week TV-wise. Last week's "up next" list is laughably optimistic in hindsight.

Currently Watching

Mr. Queen (South Korea) | E14

Plot advancement huzzah! King Cheoljong has successfully maneuvered himself into a position of power. He is no longer a weak puppet at other people's mercy. For how long is anyone's guess at this point and we see that his newfound power is already being challenged. This time, the one caught in the crosshairs is a 5-year-old girl. Damnitall. Kid's pure love for the Queen, and the Queen's doting affection for Kid had me ugly crying.

T____T

Identity crisis aside, I am loving the developments between SoBong and Cheoljong. They already crossed each other's physical boundaries, now they just need to be on the same page emotionally. And they need more hanky-panky! This time with both of them sober participants. They deserve the stress release and we deserve more than that short and deeply unsatisfying fade out we got. XD

More moving than that bed scene amiright? <3<3<3

True Beauty (South Korea) | E12

I'm glad the boys are slowly mending their friendship. That was long overdue. Both of them don't have many bosom friends -- ones they can rely on for the heavy stuff -- so I'm glad they have each other. But what I feared about the girl friendships came true. Hell hath no fury like Kang Soo-jin scorned. She basically ignited a bomb on her friendships and Joo-kyung's reputation. This week's episodes (13 and 14) will be rough and I don't have the mental fortitude to suffer through that right now. Real life is distressing enough. I think I'll just wait for all remaining episodes to come out and see how it goes.

The Uncanny Counter (South Korea) | E16 Finale

After episode 11, the show started to lose steam and I started to lose interest. Episodes 12 and 13 went by and didn't make much of an impact. There were big stakes in the plot, but it wasn't connecting. This continued until the very meh finale.

I'm glad the good guys won in the end, but Mayor just wasn't compelling nor interesting enough as a bad guy. I would've immensely preferred the previous murderer host to be the final Big Bad, since he was a fleshed out and much more nuanced character. And IMO this 16-episode show would've been served better by a 12-episode length. I remember watching episode 6 and being so surprised to find it was only episode 6. It felt more like it was already at the half-way point of a tightly plotted show.  I feared the show was going to lose steam or didn't have any more story to tell. Not for 16 episodes anyway. I was right.

I hear there's going to be season 2? I hope they have an explanation for So Mun's souped up counter powers. One of my dissatisfactions was the Deus Ex Machina-like power-ups he keeps getting. He's like Super Saiyan on speed. He keeps leveling up within a short period of time and no one knows why.

Overall though, this was a really good show and I'm glad I watched it. My favorite thing about it is the deep, unconditional affection of the various kinds of families - So Mun and his besties, So Mun and his grandparents, and the Counter Team. Onwards to Season 2!

Fate: The Winx Saga | E01

Tried watching it while having dinner. I couldn't even get past a third of the first episode. It's too cringy.

My face as I watched the cringe-fest going on in Winx.

Run On (South Korea) | E14

Surprise, surprise! Asshole Abeoji is even scummier than I thought. Seo Dan-ah's "elder" brother isn't just an idiot, he's also a dicknuts waste of space. The only reason he's in the running to inherit controlling interest in their family business is good old-fashioned patriarchy and having the luck to be born legitimate. What an ass. I hit FF over both of them.

I'm just glad both OTP romances and individual friendships are progressing nicely. We're even getting a double date scene in the next episode. That said there isn't really much story left to mine. The final two episodes are more than enough time to tie up loose ends.

Vincenzo aka SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY

 

Tis a thing of beauty besuited Song Joong-ki is. Gimme dark and broody Song Joong-ki stat please.

A quick primer: Vincenzo is the story of the titular character Vincenzo Casano, aka Park Joo-hyeong. At the age of eight, he gets adopted and moves to Italy. He later grows up to be a lawyer and consigliere in the mafia. War breaks out between rival groups and he flees to South Korea, where he meets lawyer Hong Cha-young (played by rising young star Jeon Yeo-bin). And, in typical kdrama fashion, they fall in love. 

I kid, I kid. I'm sure other lawyery and melodramatic things happen along the way. Vincenzo is written by screenwriter Park Jae-beom, who wrote the cult classic God's Quiz on OCN, so you know this isn't going to be simple romance between a Mafioso and his lady love. He also wrote the vampire medical headscratcher Blood. I dropped that show right quick, so his credentials are 50-50 right now for me. The show is being directed by Kim Hee-won PD-nim. Taecyeon, Yoo Jae-myung, Kim Yeo-jin, and Kwak Dong-yeon also star.

Vincenzo will premiere on February 20, 2021 on TVN. I can't wait!

Just Watched: Mr. Queen E13

CLAP CLAP CLAP. I've got to hand it to King Cheoljong. I didn't think he'd have the balls to stage his own assassination attempt just to take down his enemies. Everyone underestimated him and he used that in his favor. Very well done.

And then he swaggered into that meeting hall and showed everyone who's Boss. I LOVE IT. This is the most compelling and interesting he's ever been for me. I really, really like seeing him finally BE King and vent dragon rage on his treasonous subjects.

This was extra delicious. The look on Grand Queen Dowager's face -- priceless!

Obligatory shoutout to SadBoi™ Orabeoni, who keeps playing my favorite song. The Queen finally gets her memory back and the first thing she does is kick him to the curb. Poor sucker can't catch a break.

LOLOLOL I can't wait for Episode 14 and all the hilarity this is going to cause. Identity crisis hijinks here we come! xo

The TV Roundup #1: The Inaugural Post

TV Roundup is a new series* I'm starting where I talk about the shows and movies I watched during the past week. There will be venting, snarking, gushing, lusting, and the occasionally insightful opinion. I considered doing a post per show but sometimes I don't have much to say so I figured it's better to just round em up in a single post.

*Being optimistic here. I don't know how long I can actually keep this up. I'll either get swept up with my studies and/or RL stuff, or I just get bored with rounding up the week.

Currently Watching

Run On (South Korea) | E12

Let's first talk about what I love: The OTP. Whenever I watch them interact, I get the warm fuzzies. Like that feeling you get drinking hot soup on a cold day. It warms you and comforts you and makes you feel good inside. I especially love how well Ki Seon-gyeom and Oh Mi-joo communicate. It's such a rarity in kdramaland. They talk about their feelings, clarify expectations and misunderstandings, and they listen to the other! Their conflicts are organic and center around the couple as individuals learning to navigate a new relationship and the complications that arise because of their identity and place in society. And I enjoy how lovey-dovey they are without being cringey about it. They're happy being in love and it shows.

The contact lens PPL was my favorite scene in episode 12. They wrote that in very well. I can't blame Mi-joo for not wanting her man's handsome face obstructed by pesky glasses. XD

Neither do I, Mi-joo. Neither do I.

I am more ambivalent towards the second couple. I like them individually -- Seo Dan-ah more than Lee Young-hwa. She is delightfully oddball and 4D, and he's fine when interacting with others. I just don't necessarily like them together. Their "romantic" interactions are somewhat off. I want to like them just as much as the other couple, but I'm not there yet. It doesn't help that I don't buy even for a second that Kang Tae-oh is a college student. I'm not buying the noona-haksaeng part of the romance. He's older than her and it shows. Okay I just googled Kang Tae-oh's age and I was wrong. He's 26 to Soo-young's 30. Wow. I thought he was in his early 30's. My point still stands though. He doesn't look like a university "kid."

What I dislike, nay, HATE: Ki Seon-gyeom's asshole father who has more ambition than moral fiber and human decency, as is the case with most kdrama politicians. I usually just fast forward his scenes, but this week he finally gets dressed down by his son. AND I AM HERE FOR IT. The more of an asshole he is to his daughter and his son's girlfriend, the more his son fights back.

Ki Seon-gyeom hit the nail on the head when he said that he is his dad's weakness and that he doesn't know yet what he's capable of. Don't poke a sleeping tiger, Asshole Abuji! I probably need to come up with a catchier nickname for the Asshole, but is he even worth the brain cells?

Mr. Queen (South Korea) | E12

Still hilarious, but with significantly upped stakes and drama in the last two episodes. In the next episode preview, it looks like the King sheds all pretenses and openly fights with the Andong Kim clan. How will this affect his relationship with the Queen? He knows s/he's just trying to survive like he is, but s/he's caught in the middle regardless of which side s/he picks.

I don't really care all that much about the politics but I do wonder how they'll resolve a problem like Queen SoBong. Where on Earth is So-young? Is she dead-dead, forever gone? Does this mean Bong-hwan is stuck in the past in a female body? And if so, do these recent developments mean s/he's discarding his macho hetero self and accepting the feelings s/he's obviously developing for the King.

Special shout out to Orabeoni and his sad, sad eyes. He's still pining and drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Is it sadistic that I like him best when he's in pain?

The Uncanny Counter (South Korea) | E11

Hooboy. I dreaded it but I knew it was coming. There was no way none of the good guys would die. It's too delicious a plot point, and it does advance the plot. Rest In Power, detective lady. I'm sorry you didn't get the romantic reunion you deserved with your lunkhead ex-amnesiac fiance. You deserved to be happy.

Zoey's Playlist (USA) | S2E2

Yay Team Max! He was so sweet and I honestly think at this point in the story, he is what Zoey needs. He gets her. Even when he doesn't, he supports her.

However, it's too early to count Team Simon out. With her dad's death so fresh, Zoey has the option of turning to Simon -- a person who understands losing a father and taking it hard. Plus Simon's got it going on and Zoey can get it any time she so desires.

Up Next

True Beauty (South Korea) | E10

I put off watching this week's episodes (11 and 12) because I fear my cool goddess Soo-jin is going to pull a Darth Vader on us. Ugh. This story has enough conflicts to mine without breaking female friendships because of a boy! Double ugh.

Cherry Magic (Japan) | E9

I saw a possible breakup in the previews and chickened out. I decided to wait for all the episodes to be out and subbed, and then I'll binge watch this cotton candy fluffy goodness for maximum sugar high.

Shanai Marriage Honey (Japan) | E4

Another very fluffy watch. The subber was busy with year-end real life hoohah, so the subs for episode 5 got postponed. That was weeks ago. I think it's fully subbed now. I may pick this back up at any time.

Sen Çal Kapımı / You Knock On My Door (Turkey) | E11

When I last watched (episode 11), the shit had just hit the fan. She called it quits on the whole ruse. The subs had caught up to the live airing schedule so I thought it was a good time to stop and wait for subs to pile up. Then I got busy with other shows and decided to just wait for the finale (episode 20). What I did not expect was SCK becoming such a local and international hit that the show has been extended. It's now on episode 28. Eda and Serkan are getting married! For real this time!  I don't know where the story is going anymore. I have 17 two-hour episodes to catch up on.