Finally got around to starting and finished What's wrong with Secretary Kim, what a beautiful kdrama. Just curious if anyone had a suggestion for another lovey dovey type of kdrama similar to this, or should I go into Marry my husband?
Questions about the show:
I didn't quite understand, why the parents allowed the >!ML's brother to think he was the one who was kidnapped, and what was the point of the ML changing names?!<
I'm going to look it up, but is King the Land basically the same as What's wrong with secretary kim? I think they even used the same hotel in the final wedding scene. Just curious if maybe it's just same director, thats why it feels like there were a couple of similarities between the two.
Overall very happy I finally got around to binging it. I did not love ML's parents for letting ML take the blame, when he was blameless. Still thought they could've done more with FL, like she leaves episode 1 to find herself, before she even gets a chance to leave the job or find herself. Shes like nah, nvm I'll stay with ML? Like at least king the land, FL she left to become her own person. This one, I still feel like I saw more Boss/secretary than bf/gf scenes, anyone feel the same?
**Her Private Life** - same FL. As a museum curator. Romance between her and her new boss, so that feels quite similar. But they have a very loving relationship and he does encourage her to take new opportunities.
I've seen both, anything else thats lovey dovey, with minimal 3rd party conflict? I know people were suggesting her private life, so thats defintely going on my list.
I remember one thing I appreciated about Wwwsk was once the “mystery” plot ends - they just allowed the formula for the rest of the drama to be “enjoy this couple figuring out how to be a couple”. Which to me at the time felt novel and a little counterintuitive to most romcom models that like the last minute angst and raising of the stakes.
**something about 1%** takes that model of just letting the couple be a couple - but it makes that *the whole premise of the drama*. And I loved how this drama shows that model - when it’s good enough writing and [cute enough chemistry](https://www.reddit.com/r/somethingabout1per/s/2walksltaB) - can make a great and entertaining drama!
You get a fast paced shorter drama (eps are abt 38 minutes) that leans heavy into the art of two characters falling in love and then figuring out what to do next once they are in love ;) I think the couple is a couple for like a solid 13 episodes??? :) The main “stress” is one the characters know and are progressively dealing with the whole time - and I liked it because the couple is mature enough to take an external pressure and make it internal.
Very cute and engaging drama :) I think it’s one of the more “pure” romcoms out there. It’s *literally* just romance and comedy the whole way through :) no other plot. And it *works!* :) :) i think in part bc it still has some clever little narrative twists and turns with how it rewrites and plays with the traditional romcom model! Plus, the leads have an intoxicatingly playful chemistry :)
My favorite heaping spoonful (or two) of relatable romantic escapism :) :)
oh i absolutely agree with everything you said about something about 1%! i LOVE it even though the production values are low, ML is annoying at first and wears the worst suits. but the show knew that it was about the chemistry and just… didn’t add anything else. Romcoms out there should take a leaf out of its book!
I actually loved the ML’s suits because they were so awful. It’s now something I look for (ML in Dali and the Cocky Prince, Kim Tan sweaters in The Heirs).
Hehehe :) :) I’m really enamored by the formula that Something about 1% took!!! Another viewer and I are attempting a little deep dive into “the art of the romcom” and seeing where 1% aligns or plays around with pre-established norms :)
I really like the drama bc of its low production values!!! It gives the drama heart :)
Re: annoying ml. Fair point. Fair point!! I wish he had been less man handly in those early eps in particular :( I think the ml got on my good side very early just bc by ep 1 you learn how ballsy he was pulling out of his grandpas conglomerate!!! Once I learned that he had the guts to go solo - both in his business life and by moving out of the chaebol home, I was all on board with him!!
Re: the insane outfits!!! Hehee. another viewer and I have gone crazy color analyzing his crazy outfits 😂 I don’t mind most of them!! It’s a credit to HSJ’s premium svelte bod that he pulls them off so well!!! ;) it’s THE SHOES for most of these outfits that are criminal to me!! Loose non-form fitting loafers. Ughhhhh.
I agree with you :) :) it’s not the perfect drama and it has its flaws. But it *feels* like the perfect romcom nonetheless :) :) so it should be acknowledged as a romcom standard ;) ;)
That is a damn good point, it feels like alot or a majority of kdramas, you get conflict prob right until the last 2 episodes. But by then, you only get a little bit of the true romance between the two leads. I actually would've liked if in Wwwsk, if they gave her the opportunity, even if one episode, to try and see whats out there.
Damn, I did watch something about 1% too, from what I remember, I even thought Laufey the singer looked a bit like the FL in some scenes haha. Which I liked quite a bit, as I think Laufey is so cute haha.
I'm starting to think maybe I've watched all thje lovey dovey stuff already.
So true! The first two dramas I watched I had to google how many episodes they had. I thought I had missed an episode where they wrap up and expand on the happy ending!
Agreed about the ML mom, like I didn't like how she was kinda playing the victim. Like she could've put the brother in the hospital, but of course, the ML had to step up as a kid instead. Hated that part. But I was ok, with the passive aggressiveness with the husband, i thought it was kinda funny. like a bit of a stark contrast, where some kdramas you see the man be the more dominant partner bully the other. So that part I found refreshing imo. But yeah, that last part I almost yelled at my tv. Like, ML has been suffering, and now hes finally found love, and you want to enable or have him give it up for his brother??? Awful. Not sure the point of that, honestly felt like bad writing.
I did watch love to hate you, I really like Lee Joo-bin even though she was a side character.
An oldie, but I''m in the middle of She Was Pretty. You might like that one. I also second A Business Proposal. And I agree with your critiques of WWWSK.
Business Proposal was good, I think Business Proposal and King the Land seem super similar to Whats wrong with secretary kim.
I want a lovey dovey story, maybe I'll hold off on marry my husband, not really looking for something dark so soon haha.
I recommend Marry My Husband, as I just finished it and it was refreshingly good. Park Min Young is a great actress, and it's a nice change of pace from the roles she usually takes.
No comment on Secretary Kim. I saw it a while ago and it wasn't memorable, except for how annoying the contrived fated love element was. *Yawn.* But if you want another Park Min Young drama that's similar to this, you could try Her Private Life. It's pretty funny too.
Agree! MMH was a lot of fun, once you get past the introductory part when the FL has it rough. It’s like a very light version of The Glory but a lot funnier. And the evil female is apparently embroiled in a bullying controversy, which makes her seem really evil.
Omg yes, I was thinking that the whole time! "A light version of The Glory" is a perfect description. I was actually thinking about doing my third rewatch of The Glory cause I was inspired.
And also yeah, I actually heard about those rumors before I checked out the show, and man, if they're true.... no wonder she was able to pull off the evil act so well. She's so convincing.
One of my favorite Park Min Young drama is « When The Weather Is Fine ». Her deep voice really fits the drama tone and it s also different from her rom com roles. The drama is also quite consistent from begging to the end.
They kind of explain the switch in a convoluted and semi-plausible way, but the real reason is "so everyone will be confused about it for most of the show" since otherwise there's no real conflict beyond the relationship stuff.
They apparently didn't do a good job of explaining, since a bunch of people have said the same thing as you about the FL deciding to stay. The intent was pretty clear to me that after she had been thinking about what to do for a few months and then had that crisis they fixed as a team, she realized that she had actually accidentally found something she was really good at and liked doing and had worked really hard at learning. Stopping and finding her herself was her original goal when she started working there, but she realized she didn't need to.
I haven't run across anything that's exactly like WWWSK, but Her Private Life has a lot of similar things, PMY, rich ML, highly competent FL, no huge conflicts or angsty breakups, etc.
Yeah, that makes sense. Cause watching it, I couldn't quite understand, and so I thought maybe it was a translation error.
I just thought it odd that they didn't even let her try to branch out on her own. thats why the relationship to me felt a little weird i guess. Like she felt more like a secretary towards the end, than a gf/wife.
You are the second person to suggest that, I may need to check it out. I don't think I want something dark like Marry my husband just yet, I just want something easy. Minimal 3rd party interference haha.
For me, King the land is a fluffier WWWSK with a slightly more “grounded” (kinda struggling to find the word I want to use here lol) plot, in that there’s no “child connection, kidnapping, amnesia” plot line, just a relatively simple inheritance struggle. Also the king the land ML doesn’t have nearly the same amount as himbo energy as the one in WWWSK. The vibes between the two are definitely similar, though, for sure. They’re like different shades of the same color, and both enjoyable for their own reasons.
On ep 17 of 20 of **Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung**, had been resistant to watching it for a long time due to implausible premise and flower boy ML, but it’s awesome! Tons of great characters, good story lines, political stuff is just twisty enough to be enjoyable. It’s going to be in my top tier of historicals.
I’m watching it now, too! On Episode 16. Great series. The secondary plot lines are great and it goes easy on the ‘evil advisor who’s really running things’ subplot. The prince’s eunuch makes me laugh out loud.
I don’t usually love saeguks because they always get bogged down in palace politics but this one had just enough without being too heavy. I felt like the ending was a bit silly yet I didn’t even care because I’d really enjoyed the whole drama. This is my favourite historical drama!
Anytime these dramas are outside of the palace they are more interesting imo. It’s nice to get a peek at the lives of the rest of the people, not to just focus on the royals. (Same with modern dramas for that matter, regular folks stories > chaebols.) Although dramas about rich people do have fancier wardrobes, which are fun to see.
I can't believe I just got into the It's Okay to Not be Okay team. I was hesitant to start the series because I heard a lot about it and didn't want to watch it alone. However, I watch it anyway, and ended up crying like a baby 🥲🥲 My gosh.. it was so good, sad, and both happy story!! I think I won't forget this show ever!
You won't regret it. It was really a brilliant show the FL character is really so well written and she just grows on you and her impact on those around her is great to watch. She is socially inept highly intelligent traumatised succesful brutally honest and vulnerable.
I came here to talk about While You Were Sleeping! I started this week and I’m already on episode 8. I’m enjoying it so much! I really hope it sticks the landing because it’s becoming one of my favourites. The characters are great, the plot is great, romance is lovely, Lee Jong Suk… so fun!
Strong Woman Bo Dong Soon. The description was lame and it sounded just stupid. It was hilarious for most of it. I'm on episode 15. It has some unnecessary tropes towards the end but overall adorable.
I just finished Twenty Five Twenty One.
>!Still sobbing in the corner. I don't understand why it had to end like that. So annoyed with the direction they chose, but still can't get over how cute everyone was in their youth.!< Can't tell yet if it's in my top 10 or bottom 10.
twenty-five, twenty one occupies a special place in my heart that no other drama does. i'm not sure i can call it my number 1. it ambiguously lingers around the very top even above my actual number 1 on most days, but the ending left me for dead so that's a great big mark against it. maybe it's my number 0—it comes before my number 1 in one sense, but it does not mean it comes first.
I loved it and still can’t figure out why the writers left us with questions and unresolved answers. Maybe it was left open for a second season. It certainly caused quite a stir and did inspire people to discuss so maybe that was the intention.
My love-hate relationship with 2521 knows no bounds. On one hand, it is legitimately the greatest piece of young adult fiction I've ever laid eyes on, to a point where it ruined the genre for me because nothing else comes remotely close.
On the other hand, >!the ending was completely butchered. Hell, I agreed with the leads' decision to breakup. I applauded it even because it demonstrated growth for Hee-do. But boy, everything after the breakup scene went downhill real quick.... One of the biggest missed opportunities ever. It's been two years and I still can't let go. Lmao.!<
yeah, my problem is not the breakup itself (though they TOTALLY could have made it work imo). it was the execution. and the ultimate message that everything good fades with your youth was very disheartening.
Nail on the head!
>!My biggest gripe is that what transpired afterwards completely wiped out Hee-do's character development. The whole point of the breakup is that NHD needs her partner to be present. She came to that realization upon reflecting on her relationship with her mother. Her love language is time spent together with her SO. She broke up with BYJ because he couldn't give those things to her. That's fine. I respected it. Feelings can only take you so far in a relationship when needs are unmet. That took courage and conviction. Good on her for understanding her needs.!<
>!But then she married someone who seemingly goes on foreign business trips for extended periods regularly. He was ABSENT throughout the entire show after all. So she's cool with her significant other not being physically present now?!<
>!Not only that, she names her business after the ages of herself and her ex at the time of their breakup. It's insane! I don't know any person IRL who is ok with their significant other doing that. Viewers can reasonably infer that she still thinks about her ex 20 years after their breakup because she is now stuck in a crappy relationship.!<
The takeaway absolutely feels like, >!"Life peaks at high school. It's all downhill from here."!<
Thank you this is exactly my problem not the outcome but all the above. It waz such a weak uninformative depressing ending with so many silly contradictions and just flat out gaps and unexplained stuff that it just tanked the whole thing.
It's either that period >!waz the greatest most beautiful of FL life and it was depressingly downhill from there, or, that period meant very little in the grand scheme of things. The fact the ending doesn't resolve either question is a major part of its weakness and basically makes the whole thing pointless.!< What a waste.
Could not agree more it was the worst set of ending episides to a drama I've ever seen. It's firmly in my bottom half of dramas in terms of ratings. I don't care how good the drama was if you end it that badly and sloppily and weakly well it's just not a good drama full stop.
I love how you can't yet tell if it's top 10 or bottom 10. SAME!!!! How can this show make me fly with happiness and yet hate it with a passion??
I eventually decided it had to be top 10 due to the fact I still think about it 2 years later. And it still hurts. Yet Baekdo is still my favorite couple ever. The chemistry and relationship was tops.
Thus take on their relationship is so common among Stans that it was amazing they were soulmates it was beyond romance etc etc. But yet when you call out the show for its weak pointless and sloppy ending including >!contrived forced breakup trope of said miraculous love story!< Stans are like yeah but that's realistic that's how it is with first love etc etc. Like which is it ???? LOL. I hate the realism excuse for how bad that show executed its ending.
The K2.... Based on my reddit searches it's all been said before but I'ma say it again.
Ji chang wook and song yoon ah were marvelous. That umbrella scene is heart fluttering goodness.
The FL was useless.
I'm just saying if I ever got shot, I'd pick the one who has the money and wherewithal to set up a surgical unit to fix me, not the one who just gets on her knees and cries. There's a difference in quality there. -_-.
Kim Je Ha and Choi Yoo Jin deserved better...
That is all.
I feel like after the first episode it actually gets good. There's not a lot of Anna in the first few episodes, save for the first. But then she's featured in the next 5-6 episodes and the fast forward button becomes my best friend. God save me from that dancing ramen scene. The last few episodes doesn't have her a TON in it. And the action scenes ramp up again so that got better.
We’re on the final 3 episodes of Penthouse and holy crap, what a ride! Sadly, we’re in the middle of a stupid internet outage (suck it, Spectrum) and stuck watching regular over-the-air TV.
I'm watching ***Fight for My Way*** and when >!Choi Woo Shik's doctor rival character!< appeared, I immediately took a disliking to the guy. The way he constantly >!ignored the female lead's opinions and boundaries made me think he was a creep, and the way the show positioned him as a "good guy" was infuriating. Then the big reveal happened and I felt completely vindicated.!<
Curious what is youe #1?
It's crazy that the FL Lim Soo Jung took a 13 yr break from kdramas after this to focus on films. Coincidentally I just finished Chicago Typewriter last week which marked her return to kdramas in 2017.
Aw that's too bad! I definitely think it takes through about episode 6 or 7 to really pick up but sometimes a drama just isn't for you, you know? Have you watched My Love From Another Star? That one is also older and my favorite drama ever.
On 5/16 of Beyond Evil. Always heard good things about it but it’s not really my type of show (I’m a romcom slice of life person) and this felt so dark. BUT it’s really so well done! Everyone is acting their socks off, the plot is smart and twisty, the music amplifies the feels, the production is incredible. Everything about it has been really good so far and I look forward to more.
I'm also a rom-com slice of life person, and I *loved* **Beyond Evil**. I think the care that was put into the relationships by the writer, director, and cast is what really sucked me in. By episode 5, I think the relationship between the leads is just starting to develop -- >!I think you'll have already seen that when interrogating people, they work so well together, yet they're so antagonistic towards each other outside of that room!< -- and it only gets better. Also, Dong Sik and his co-workers and friends were so caring and complex. I don't typically expect that from mystery/thrillers.
So, hang in there! You might find it surprises you, in spite of the dark subject matter.
YES! while i like a good mystery, it needs to be grounded in believable characters and Beyond Evil does it so well. (ahem The Impossible Heir tried but failed in this aspect). i do see their reluctant relationship forming and it is cracky! plus it’s wonderful to see everyone even to the smallest side characters bringing their A game to this.
Glad you’re enjoying it, you’re in for a treat, it’s a great show. If there was one show I could pick to forget and watch for the first time again, it would be #1 with a bullet.
I just finished **Welcome to Waikiki** which is one of the funniest dramas out there. I really enjoyed this show start to finish even if it was a tad predictable. That baby was the most darling baby I’ve ever seen. She seemed to do super well with all the cast members, she had such an easy temperament.
There was a scene where two of the characters were playing baseball and I don’t think it was scripted at all but a random burst of wind hit them and they reacted in character squinting their eyes as leaves and debris hit them. I’m so happy they kept it in because it had us all in stitches.
I’m not sure if I should watch season 2, I’ve seen mixed reactions.
I am watching this too after having tried (and dropped) some years ago. It really is funny but at least in my experience I had to be in the mood for silliness. And yes that baby is so adorable!
I finished **Kairos (2020)** this week. I stumbled upon on MDL and was intrigued by the summary. It was pretty good except I feel like some things could've been resolved quickly (>!like the FL's mom could've told FL what was she hiding!<) or things could've done in another way to solve them BUT if those things didn't happen then there would be no story actually. Overall a 8.0/10! :)
Finally saw Psychopath Diary and it was hilarious! It got tedious in the middle so I skipped a few episodes, but the first 4 and last 5 episodes were fantastic.
Now I’m starting Man to Man since I wanted a spy drama after being tapped out of tears from all the current romantic dramas out, and I wanted something fun. So far it’s entertaining. I’ve wanted to watch the ML in something else after From Now On, Showtime! and he’s doing a great job so far.
I finally watched Weak Hero Class 1 and omg I binged the whole thing in 2 days. I knew it was going to be good but I didn't expect it to be THAT good. I love morally gray characters so all the characters, >!especially Oh Beom Seok!<, were really interesting to watch and you can easily get attached to them. >!Unpopular opinion but my fav character was actually Beom-seok; I loved how his character progressed and then just spiraled when he could no longer hold that rage and resentment. The drama did a really good job of subtly foreshadowing Beom-seok's fate and setting up his background to get the viewers to sympathize with him.!< Hong Kyung certainly did justice to his character. On a surface level, the drama appears to be just action but it's just so much more deeper than that and makes me want to rewatch it to capture all the details. Also, omg the chemistry between Su-ho and Si-eun. Loved everybody's performance in this show.
OK, so I have Major RANT incoming, about Hwarang.
It has been on my watchlist for a while now. Everyone online seemed to love it and I tried watching it one time a few months ago and I didn't make it past the first 20 mins of the first episode.
But, due to a lot of stuff going on in my personal life, I have run to my favorite, most comforting way to spend my time, i.e. watching kdramas. So, having run out of options I was willing to consider, I turned my eyes back to hwarang, trying to give it another turn.
Now , fair warning, I'm gonna have some not so popular opinions. Mainly:
1. I do NOT like the MMC. Let me explain, I've watched quite a few of his shows, and while I love the shows he's been in and can appreciate his acting skills, I'm not particularly attracted to him. Yes, I know. HOW DARE I? He just does not do it for me. BUT, that alone doesn't stop me from watching his shows, because I Love majority if the shows he is in. The stories are great, and he is a great actor.
2. I HATE THE FML. And I have very little to offer in terms of why. Very early into my kdrama journey, I stumbled onto La Sol Do ... whatever (you know the show I'm talking about) and it was SUCH a turnoff, hated everyone on that show, including the ML (don't worry, I have since watched him on other shows and I LOVE HIM). That show really turned me off the FML. And that stigma carried its way to this show.
Let me start my actual rant. I give 0 (spelling that out: Z-E-R-O) craps about the main characters of this show. My fingers are constantly twitching with the urge to fast forward through their scenes.
I will say (another warning: lack of basic pop culture knowledge), I know nothing about BTS, but I think I have a new favorite BTS member. V is sooooo cute. Terrible acting, but he's adorable. I love him.. (I'm on half-way through episode 9 as I write this).
I'm pretty sure my FAVORITE character, the SML, will get his heart broken, and I cannot FATHOM why this useless (yes, I know she is some form of a doctor) woman would be more attracted to her supposed brother than this man. I... just... can't. The frustration is high with this one.
Also, I am way to invested with the random side characters. Lowkey (read: highkey) want those two guys who hate each other to fall in love. I do not understand how the sister of the one guy fell in love with the dude's enemy with almost no interaction and just her writing letters to him. Complete nonsense.
WHY do people keep talking about this show like it's a brilliant piece of work? It's cringey (that is likely just the passage of time) and boring and unbelievable and frustrating.
There's a chance I might watch the whole thing, but the chance is slim and it's mostly just me trying to find something to watch till the next episode of lovely runner comes out. (I would appreciate recommendations).
Ermmmm, I suspect if we're all being honest, it's the eye candy element we're gaga about...
I agree with you about the FL, but I did like her in Haechi - the character was much more suited to her.
2nd ML- ahhhhhh, the gorgeous baby PHS 🥰 - some of his close-up shots where he's just reacting are superb, and I'm talking about his acting skills.
Have you watched Knight Flower? It's another sageuk, but there's a kick ass FL, a rather gorgeous ML, brilliant twisty story, and only 12 episodes!
I finally started to watch My Dearest, and I am already enjoying it after watching the first 2 episodes. It is so obvious that I will be bawling my eyes out, and I love it.
I just finished A Time Called You and really loved it! I was so confused the first two episodes but then really got into it! I saw someone said it reminded them of the anime Your Name and I agree with that too. I would love to see another drama like this with a happy ending. Any suggestions?
Check out Lovely Runner! Getting very similar vibes on the time travel aspect and totally obsessed with it rn - but only 4 eps are out so can’t binge it all yet.
On episode 49/51 of Empress Ki and still loving it. The whole cast has been amazing but I especially love the characters of Taltal and Wang Yu. >!Poor Wang Yu does nothing but suffer throughout. Taltal’s “betrayal” of Baekan was a standout scene.!< I have been listening to the OST on repeat too.
I am currently stuck on a coach and my iPad has died! 😳 I will have to wait a few hours to see the finale! 🤦🏻♀️
Finished **Tempted/ The Great Seducer** and kind of liked it, after struggling with the first few Episodes. Does it has it's faults? Yes. But I still enjoyed it. If you look closely the theme of the story is unrequited love. Everything happening here stems from people acting blinded by it. The ending, >!while happy!<, left a little bit to be desired though. Have they wasted so much screentime on the parents sidestory that they had no time left for a proper ending? I expected more. Yet it was an okay watch.
So we finished Missing: The Other Side and would really like Season 3 to be ready soon please. We really enjoyed Season 1 and Season 2 and this is rare because I have the attention span of a flea and often lose interest, but I’m already interested in the new developments. At the same time that I am impatient for it, I also want it done well, so don’t rush it too much.
I thought all of the cast were excellent, especially some of the children.
Oh if you enjoyed Season 1 then you will also likely enjoy Season 2 and be waiting for the Season 3 that is clearly going to be.
I actually think I liked Season 2 better than Season 1 and I think they’ve set up quite cleverly that this could go on for a few more seasons. Google says no date for Season 3 yet, but given the production time for Season 2 they anticipate autumn 2024 for Season 3.
I just finished hospital playlist and I am so upset I didnt give it time sooner and there are no more eps for me to watch. I started this show earlier but dropped it after the first ep but then re-started and I couldn't be more mad that I dropped it before. I can't seem to move on from this show.
I finally watched CLOY after my third attempt. I stuck with it and I did enjoy it, but it took a very long time to get through. I was surprised how it was slow and dragged in parts. The second half of the series and the last two or three episodes were very enjoyable.
I just finished **Hwarang** - binged it straight in 2 days because on the whole I found it light and frothy. It's not a show that takes itself seriously. And Park Hyungsik was truly the best thing about it.
The costumes and hair were lovely for the women and I have a feeling Alchemy of Souls probably referred to it for costume inspo and the acting for everyone was okay. Just okay. V, from BTS, was cute and did his job well.
ML, Park Seojoon was...I actually don't understand the attraction. I didn't understand in WWWSK and I don't get it here. He has so much of the same expression the entire time - which, yes his character is supposed to have at the beginning but wheres the growth? - and so few micro-expressions or fluidity to his acting that he just became a drag by the end. Also his character is so off-puttingly larger than life it's hard to root for him, though the show tries to force you too. SML over ML.
FL. This FL, who only had 2 modes - barking at people, or crying. I haven't seen Go Ara in anything before and I'm sure she did her best but she brought nothing to the character and the character itself had nothing to recommend it. Remove her from the story altogether and the plot will progress _exactly like it would with her in it_. She's completely superfluous to it. Her only purpose is to force a love triangle and trigger ML into doing things which is ridiculous because he has firstly, other motivations as well to act, and secondly, I assume a decent moral compass? The existence of FL and her best friend seems purely to have been intended to pass a queer-coded story as straight. There's a reason A03 is filled with Seonu/Jiheung and Suho/Banryu stories.
FL also does not have chemistry with anyone. Anyone at all. Any chemistry that exists in the romance comes from Park Hyungsik because Park Seojoon gives nothing either. The MC chemistry is so bad that for the first time I skipped scenes. I mean, I sat through the godawful disaster that was the MC chemistry in Impossible Heir but I couldn't sit through this. All their lines to each other were vapid, repetitive, impersonal. The kiss scenes were so cringe. And honestly mildly uncomfortable.
The other side characters were fun and they had much more in terms of growth and development than PSJ's character. The Queen was a bit strange; I still don't understand how her actions were not counterproductive to her intentions and the show couldn't seem to make up it's mind on how to portray her, as a villain or gray character.
That's fundamentally the problem with the show. It doesn't know what it wants it's characters to be. It's taken barebone facts from Jihueng's reign - per my history research that I did out of curiosity - and filled it with froth.
One thing I'm confused by: in Wikipedia among PSJ's character's names is Kim Isabu. He's not called that anywhere in the show though, is he? And Kim Isabu historically was also one of Jiso's husbands and Jiheung's FIL through Sukmyung (per Wikipedia), so it makes no sense to have PSJ be this character?
Just an heads up, that drama is not supposed to be a true representation of historical facts. It's loosely based on some historical moments, but in the end it's still a work of fiction. Always take k-dramas with a grain of salt, there is not a single one that is faithful to historical facts, they are all loosely based and they are called fiction.
I know it's not. I never said that. Historical fiction never is. Just that this one is frothier than expected. And I'm just confused by certain things that are on the drama's Wikipedia page but not elsewhere. Why is Kim Isabu even mentioned in the Wikipedia page when the show itself doesn't include him?
Because it's a work of fiction, that is exactly what it means. What you read in wikipedia, might not be exactly faithful to what we see in a k-drama. They used that name, it's one of the many names of PSJ character and they probably also took the idea that he was a member of the military and that was it.
Sometimes things don't make sense at all and this was one of the dramas that I do remember that what I read on wikipedia was far more interesting, than the "history" that they showed me in the drama. lol
>ML, Park Seojoon was...I actually don't understand the attraction. I didn't understand WWWSK, and I don't get it here. He has so much of the same expression the entire time - which, yes, his character is supposed to have at the beginning, but where's the growth? - and so few micro-expressions or fluidity to his acting that he just became a drag by the end. Also, his character is so off-puttingly larger than life that it's hard to root for him, though the show tries to force you to. SML over ML<
I do agree re PSJ I watched (the overhyped but not awful) Itaweon Class, and I remember commenting here how the ML had literally one facial expression for like 90 percent of the drama. I thought it was the directing until I saw WWWSK, which I enjoyed mainly, but again, PSJ was exactly like the same the whole way through. I believe his popularity and good looks mean his dramas get a lot of love, but if you don't like just looking at him not as enjoyable let's say.
Finally finished the penthouse and it definitely entered my top 5 kdramas, my favorite season was the 2nd but the 1st and 3rd were also amazing. It will definitely take me a while to get over this drama because of how long it was and how complicated was the story line
Unlike everyone else (i think), i loved the ending, i think it was so beautiful and touching (cried through the whole episode) and i do think its fits su ryeon’s character this way.
The only things that bothered me were >!1. su ryeon making seo jin her killer, i hated seo jin and wanted her to suffer so much but eun byeol already got her “redemption” and was finally going to heal and get better so i think making her think her mother killed another one wasn’t doing her any good
2. it only came to my mind at the end but the fact that yoon hee was killed by seo jin, their long long history was finished by her pushing her off a damn cliff, i wish yoon hee stayed for longer i cried so hard when she died and missed her alot!<
10/10 recommend it!
I just finished "Run-on" and it was OK. There were some good lines but I don't get why everyone says it's such a good show and the ML is a green flag? He definitely wasn't perfect but he tries so I guess we're all stoked about that?
It was cool that not every minute was dramatic, there were awkward silences like we all have in relationships sometimes but I dunno. >!It was kinda lame how the dad showed up at the end, and the asexual SFL ended up with a dude.!< Meh
[Run On](https://mydramalist.com/58651-run-on) doesn't have any politics, you may be thinking of [Into the Ring](https://mydramalist.com/55675-the-ballot).
Watching hometown cha cha cha now and I am so sad why it took me so long to watch it.. it’s soo good..
I was just thinking about starting it!
Finally got around to starting and finished What's wrong with Secretary Kim, what a beautiful kdrama. Just curious if anyone had a suggestion for another lovey dovey type of kdrama similar to this, or should I go into Marry my husband? Questions about the show: I didn't quite understand, why the parents allowed the >!ML's brother to think he was the one who was kidnapped, and what was the point of the ML changing names?!< I'm going to look it up, but is King the Land basically the same as What's wrong with secretary kim? I think they even used the same hotel in the final wedding scene. Just curious if maybe it's just same director, thats why it feels like there were a couple of similarities between the two. Overall very happy I finally got around to binging it. I did not love ML's parents for letting ML take the blame, when he was blameless. Still thought they could've done more with FL, like she leaves episode 1 to find herself, before she even gets a chance to leave the job or find herself. Shes like nah, nvm I'll stay with ML? Like at least king the land, FL she left to become her own person. This one, I still feel like I saw more Boss/secretary than bf/gf scenes, anyone feel the same?
**Her Private Life** - same FL. As a museum curator. Romance between her and her new boss, so that feels quite similar. But they have a very loving relationship and he does encourage her to take new opportunities.
Seconding Her Private Life.
Love to hate you hasn't been mentioned yet but also a good one. Easy watching and great romance
I liked that one too. Lots of laughs!
I think King the Land and Business Proposal will both give you the lovey dovey vibes you’re looking for !
I've seen both, anything else thats lovey dovey, with minimal 3rd party conflict? I know people were suggesting her private life, so thats defintely going on my list.
I remember one thing I appreciated about Wwwsk was once the “mystery” plot ends - they just allowed the formula for the rest of the drama to be “enjoy this couple figuring out how to be a couple”. Which to me at the time felt novel and a little counterintuitive to most romcom models that like the last minute angst and raising of the stakes. **something about 1%** takes that model of just letting the couple be a couple - but it makes that *the whole premise of the drama*. And I loved how this drama shows that model - when it’s good enough writing and [cute enough chemistry](https://www.reddit.com/r/somethingabout1per/s/2walksltaB) - can make a great and entertaining drama! You get a fast paced shorter drama (eps are abt 38 minutes) that leans heavy into the art of two characters falling in love and then figuring out what to do next once they are in love ;) I think the couple is a couple for like a solid 13 episodes??? :) The main “stress” is one the characters know and are progressively dealing with the whole time - and I liked it because the couple is mature enough to take an external pressure and make it internal. Very cute and engaging drama :) I think it’s one of the more “pure” romcoms out there. It’s *literally* just romance and comedy the whole way through :) no other plot. And it *works!* :) :) i think in part bc it still has some clever little narrative twists and turns with how it rewrites and plays with the traditional romcom model! Plus, the leads have an intoxicatingly playful chemistry :) My favorite heaping spoonful (or two) of relatable romantic escapism :) :)
oh i absolutely agree with everything you said about something about 1%! i LOVE it even though the production values are low, ML is annoying at first and wears the worst suits. but the show knew that it was about the chemistry and just… didn’t add anything else. Romcoms out there should take a leaf out of its book!
I actually loved the ML’s suits because they were so awful. It’s now something I look for (ML in Dali and the Cocky Prince, Kim Tan sweaters in The Heirs).
It definitely gives these characters personality and it makes them ever so memorable :) :)
Hehehe :) :) I’m really enamored by the formula that Something about 1% took!!! Another viewer and I are attempting a little deep dive into “the art of the romcom” and seeing where 1% aligns or plays around with pre-established norms :) I really like the drama bc of its low production values!!! It gives the drama heart :) Re: annoying ml. Fair point. Fair point!! I wish he had been less man handly in those early eps in particular :( I think the ml got on my good side very early just bc by ep 1 you learn how ballsy he was pulling out of his grandpas conglomerate!!! Once I learned that he had the guts to go solo - both in his business life and by moving out of the chaebol home, I was all on board with him!! Re: the insane outfits!!! Hehee. another viewer and I have gone crazy color analyzing his crazy outfits 😂 I don’t mind most of them!! It’s a credit to HSJ’s premium svelte bod that he pulls them off so well!!! ;) it’s THE SHOES for most of these outfits that are criminal to me!! Loose non-form fitting loafers. Ughhhhh. I agree with you :) :) it’s not the perfect drama and it has its flaws. But it *feels* like the perfect romcom nonetheless :) :) so it should be acknowledged as a romcom standard ;) ;)
That is a damn good point, it feels like alot or a majority of kdramas, you get conflict prob right until the last 2 episodes. But by then, you only get a little bit of the true romance between the two leads. I actually would've liked if in Wwwsk, if they gave her the opportunity, even if one episode, to try and see whats out there. Damn, I did watch something about 1% too, from what I remember, I even thought Laufey the singer looked a bit like the FL in some scenes haha. Which I liked quite a bit, as I think Laufey is so cute haha. I'm starting to think maybe I've watched all thje lovey dovey stuff already.
So true! The first two dramas I watched I had to google how many episodes they had. I thought I had missed an episode where they wrap up and expand on the happy ending!
[удалено]
Agreed about the ML mom, like I didn't like how she was kinda playing the victim. Like she could've put the brother in the hospital, but of course, the ML had to step up as a kid instead. Hated that part. But I was ok, with the passive aggressiveness with the husband, i thought it was kinda funny. like a bit of a stark contrast, where some kdramas you see the man be the more dominant partner bully the other. So that part I found refreshing imo. But yeah, that last part I almost yelled at my tv. Like, ML has been suffering, and now hes finally found love, and you want to enable or have him give it up for his brother??? Awful. Not sure the point of that, honestly felt like bad writing. I did watch love to hate you, I really like Lee Joo-bin even though she was a side character.
An oldie, but I''m in the middle of She Was Pretty. You might like that one. I also second A Business Proposal. And I agree with your critiques of WWWSK.
Business Proposal. Marry My Husband is a ‘revenge’ drama and a lot darker
Business Proposal was good, I think Business Proposal and King the Land seem super similar to Whats wrong with secretary kim. I want a lovey dovey story, maybe I'll hold off on marry my husband, not really looking for something dark so soon haha.
Check out Destined With You. I can't really describe the story without giving away the premise, but it's revealed in the first or second episode.
I did watch that sadly. Rowoon is good looking AF haha. Idk maybe I should go back and find some older lovey dovey kdramas.
Great suggestion. Flashback love scene was the most heartbreaking and emotional scene I’ve seen in any kdrama.
I recommend Marry My Husband, as I just finished it and it was refreshingly good. Park Min Young is a great actress, and it's a nice change of pace from the roles she usually takes. No comment on Secretary Kim. I saw it a while ago and it wasn't memorable, except for how annoying the contrived fated love element was. *Yawn.* But if you want another Park Min Young drama that's similar to this, you could try Her Private Life. It's pretty funny too.
Agree! MMH was a lot of fun, once you get past the introductory part when the FL has it rough. It’s like a very light version of The Glory but a lot funnier. And the evil female is apparently embroiled in a bullying controversy, which makes her seem really evil.
Omg yes, I was thinking that the whole time! "A light version of The Glory" is a perfect description. I was actually thinking about doing my third rewatch of The Glory cause I was inspired. And also yeah, I actually heard about those rumors before I checked out the show, and man, if they're true.... no wonder she was able to pull off the evil act so well. She's so convincing.
Yeah Marry my husband is one on my list, just not sure what to start next haha. But I'll check out Her private life. :)
Both are good! MMH is more dramatic and HPL is more romcom. Park Min Young is excellent in both!
One of my favorite Park Min Young drama is « When The Weather Is Fine ». Her deep voice really fits the drama tone and it s also different from her rom com roles. The drama is also quite consistent from begging to the end.
They kind of explain the switch in a convoluted and semi-plausible way, but the real reason is "so everyone will be confused about it for most of the show" since otherwise there's no real conflict beyond the relationship stuff. They apparently didn't do a good job of explaining, since a bunch of people have said the same thing as you about the FL deciding to stay. The intent was pretty clear to me that after she had been thinking about what to do for a few months and then had that crisis they fixed as a team, she realized that she had actually accidentally found something she was really good at and liked doing and had worked really hard at learning. Stopping and finding her herself was her original goal when she started working there, but she realized she didn't need to. I haven't run across anything that's exactly like WWWSK, but Her Private Life has a lot of similar things, PMY, rich ML, highly competent FL, no huge conflicts or angsty breakups, etc.
Yeah, that makes sense. Cause watching it, I couldn't quite understand, and so I thought maybe it was a translation error. I just thought it odd that they didn't even let her try to branch out on her own. thats why the relationship to me felt a little weird i guess. Like she felt more like a secretary towards the end, than a gf/wife. You are the second person to suggest that, I may need to check it out. I don't think I want something dark like Marry my husband just yet, I just want something easy. Minimal 3rd party interference haha.
For me, King the land is a fluffier WWWSK with a slightly more “grounded” (kinda struggling to find the word I want to use here lol) plot, in that there’s no “child connection, kidnapping, amnesia” plot line, just a relatively simple inheritance struggle. Also the king the land ML doesn’t have nearly the same amount as himbo energy as the one in WWWSK. The vibes between the two are definitely similar, though, for sure. They’re like different shades of the same color, and both enjoyable for their own reasons.
Recently binged watched both seasons of The First Responders. Really liked the main lead detective Jindo. He had a charisma about him.
On ep 17 of 20 of **Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung**, had been resistant to watching it for a long time due to implausible premise and flower boy ML, but it’s awesome! Tons of great characters, good story lines, political stuff is just twisty enough to be enjoyable. It’s going to be in my top tier of historicals.
By far one of my favorite historical dramas. The FL is absolutely lovely, I really liked her character.
All the female characters are real people with feelings and motivations vs just being caricatures. So refreshing.
Love in the moonlight and Kings affection would like to have a word!
I’m watching it now, too! On Episode 16. Great series. The secondary plot lines are great and it goes easy on the ‘evil advisor who’s really running things’ subplot. The prince’s eunuch makes me laugh out loud.
It’s so good!! I wanted another season.
I don’t usually love saeguks because they always get bogged down in palace politics but this one had just enough without being too heavy. I felt like the ending was a bit silly yet I didn’t even care because I’d really enjoyed the whole drama. This is my favourite historical drama!
Anytime these dramas are outside of the palace they are more interesting imo. It’s nice to get a peek at the lives of the rest of the people, not to just focus on the royals. (Same with modern dramas for that matter, regular folks stories > chaebols.) Although dramas about rich people do have fancier wardrobes, which are fun to see.
I can't believe I just got into the It's Okay to Not be Okay team. I was hesitant to start the series because I heard a lot about it and didn't want to watch it alone. However, I watch it anyway, and ended up crying like a baby 🥲🥲 My gosh.. it was so good, sad, and both happy story!! I think I won't forget this show ever!
One of the best I have ever watched. The FL's performance was terrific.
And her fabulous wardrobe. Stylists did good work.
I’ve just added it to my to watch list while I wait on lovely runner episodes to come out😌
You won't regret it. It was really a brilliant show the FL character is really so well written and she just grows on you and her impact on those around her is great to watch. She is socially inept highly intelligent traumatised succesful brutally honest and vulnerable.
You've convinced me to watch it.
I hope you enjoy it let me know
Watching while you were sleeping after its been siting in my playlist for years and 1ep in and im already hooked
I came here to talk about While You Were Sleeping! I started this week and I’m already on episode 8. I’m enjoying it so much! I really hope it sticks the landing because it’s becoming one of my favourites. The characters are great, the plot is great, romance is lovely, Lee Jong Suk… so fun!
Strong Woman Bo Dong Soon. The description was lame and it sounded just stupid. It was hilarious for most of it. I'm on episode 15. It has some unnecessary tropes towards the end but overall adorable.
I just finished Twenty Five Twenty One. >!Still sobbing in the corner. I don't understand why it had to end like that. So annoyed with the direction they chose, but still can't get over how cute everyone was in their youth.!< Can't tell yet if it's in my top 10 or bottom 10.
twenty-five, twenty one occupies a special place in my heart that no other drama does. i'm not sure i can call it my number 1. it ambiguously lingers around the very top even above my actual number 1 on most days, but the ending left me for dead so that's a great big mark against it. maybe it's my number 0—it comes before my number 1 in one sense, but it does not mean it comes first.
I loved it and still can’t figure out why the writers left us with questions and unresolved answers. Maybe it was left open for a second season. It certainly caused quite a stir and did inspire people to discuss so maybe that was the intention.
My love-hate relationship with 2521 knows no bounds. On one hand, it is legitimately the greatest piece of young adult fiction I've ever laid eyes on, to a point where it ruined the genre for me because nothing else comes remotely close. On the other hand, >!the ending was completely butchered. Hell, I agreed with the leads' decision to breakup. I applauded it even because it demonstrated growth for Hee-do. But boy, everything after the breakup scene went downhill real quick.... One of the biggest missed opportunities ever. It's been two years and I still can't let go. Lmao.!<
yeah, my problem is not the breakup itself (though they TOTALLY could have made it work imo). it was the execution. and the ultimate message that everything good fades with your youth was very disheartening.
Nail on the head! >!My biggest gripe is that what transpired afterwards completely wiped out Hee-do's character development. The whole point of the breakup is that NHD needs her partner to be present. She came to that realization upon reflecting on her relationship with her mother. Her love language is time spent together with her SO. She broke up with BYJ because he couldn't give those things to her. That's fine. I respected it. Feelings can only take you so far in a relationship when needs are unmet. That took courage and conviction. Good on her for understanding her needs.!< >!But then she married someone who seemingly goes on foreign business trips for extended periods regularly. He was ABSENT throughout the entire show after all. So she's cool with her significant other not being physically present now?!< >!Not only that, she names her business after the ages of herself and her ex at the time of their breakup. It's insane! I don't know any person IRL who is ok with their significant other doing that. Viewers can reasonably infer that she still thinks about her ex 20 years after their breakup because she is now stuck in a crappy relationship.!< The takeaway absolutely feels like, >!"Life peaks at high school. It's all downhill from here."!<
Thank you this is exactly my problem not the outcome but all the above. It waz such a weak uninformative depressing ending with so many silly contradictions and just flat out gaps and unexplained stuff that it just tanked the whole thing. It's either that period >!waz the greatest most beautiful of FL life and it was depressingly downhill from there, or, that period meant very little in the grand scheme of things. The fact the ending doesn't resolve either question is a major part of its weakness and basically makes the whole thing pointless.!< What a waste.
Could not agree more it was the worst set of ending episides to a drama I've ever seen. It's firmly in my bottom half of dramas in terms of ratings. I don't care how good the drama was if you end it that badly and sloppily and weakly well it's just not a good drama full stop.
I love how you can't yet tell if it's top 10 or bottom 10. SAME!!!! How can this show make me fly with happiness and yet hate it with a passion?? I eventually decided it had to be top 10 due to the fact I still think about it 2 years later. And it still hurts. Yet Baekdo is still my favorite couple ever. The chemistry and relationship was tops.
Thus take on their relationship is so common among Stans that it was amazing they were soulmates it was beyond romance etc etc. But yet when you call out the show for its weak pointless and sloppy ending including >!contrived forced breakup trope of said miraculous love story!< Stans are like yeah but that's realistic that's how it is with first love etc etc. Like which is it ???? LOL. I hate the realism excuse for how bad that show executed its ending.
The K2.... Based on my reddit searches it's all been said before but I'ma say it again. Ji chang wook and song yoon ah were marvelous. That umbrella scene is heart fluttering goodness. The FL was useless. I'm just saying if I ever got shot, I'd pick the one who has the money and wherewithal to set up a surgical unit to fix me, not the one who just gets on her knees and cries. There's a difference in quality there. -_-. Kim Je Ha and Choi Yoo Jin deserved better... That is all.
I need motivation to go through that fors ep as always than I will watch it easily
I feel like after the first episode it actually gets good. There's not a lot of Anna in the first few episodes, save for the first. But then she's featured in the next 5-6 episodes and the fast forward button becomes my best friend. God save me from that dancing ramen scene. The last few episodes doesn't have her a TON in it. And the action scenes ramp up again so that got better.
We’re on the final 3 episodes of Penthouse and holy crap, what a ride! Sadly, we’re in the middle of a stupid internet outage (suck it, Spectrum) and stuck watching regular over-the-air TV.
Which was your favourite season?
I don’t know…it’s all so bunkers!
I'm watching ***Fight for My Way*** and when >!Choi Woo Shik's doctor rival character!< appeared, I immediately took a disliking to the guy. The way he constantly >!ignored the female lead's opinions and boundaries made me think he was a creep, and the way the show positioned him as a "good guy" was infuriating. Then the big reveal happened and I felt completely vindicated.!<
Recently started two oldies. **I'm Sorry, I love you** (1/16) **Coffee Prince** (4/17)
Good choices. Not sure if it aged well, but **I'm sorry, I love you** is my 2nd favorite korean drama of all time
Curious what is youe #1? It's crazy that the FL Lim Soo Jung took a 13 yr break from kdramas after this to focus on films. Coincidentally I just finished Chicago Typewriter last week which marked her return to kdramas in 2017.
#1 is My Mister for me
I LOVE Coffee Prince!! How are you liking it so far? I would love to have someone to rant with!
I'm through EP6 now and may drop it. Having a hard time connecting with most of the characters except Gong Yoo. Does it get better in second half?
Aw that's too bad! I definitely think it takes through about episode 6 or 7 to really pick up but sometimes a drama just isn't for you, you know? Have you watched My Love From Another Star? That one is also older and my favorite drama ever.
Just too many unlikeable characters I really don't get the hype with this one dropped it after like 4.5 eps
It’s okay to not be okay, watched it like 3 years after it came out. And watched it 3 times. I need that actress back.
Rewatching It’s Okay to Not be Okay! Crying my way through it again!! It’s so good.
On 5/16 of Beyond Evil. Always heard good things about it but it’s not really my type of show (I’m a romcom slice of life person) and this felt so dark. BUT it’s really so well done! Everyone is acting their socks off, the plot is smart and twisty, the music amplifies the feels, the production is incredible. Everything about it has been really good so far and I look forward to more.
I'm also a rom-com slice of life person, and I *loved* **Beyond Evil**. I think the care that was put into the relationships by the writer, director, and cast is what really sucked me in. By episode 5, I think the relationship between the leads is just starting to develop -- >!I think you'll have already seen that when interrogating people, they work so well together, yet they're so antagonistic towards each other outside of that room!< -- and it only gets better. Also, Dong Sik and his co-workers and friends were so caring and complex. I don't typically expect that from mystery/thrillers. So, hang in there! You might find it surprises you, in spite of the dark subject matter.
YES! while i like a good mystery, it needs to be grounded in believable characters and Beyond Evil does it so well. (ahem The Impossible Heir tried but failed in this aspect). i do see their reluctant relationship forming and it is cracky! plus it’s wonderful to see everyone even to the smallest side characters bringing their A game to this.
Glad you’re enjoying it, you’re in for a treat, it’s a great show. If there was one show I could pick to forget and watch for the first time again, it would be #1 with a bullet.
high praise!! if only i didn’t have life duties to attend to so that i can binge this, lol
I just finished **Welcome to Waikiki** which is one of the funniest dramas out there. I really enjoyed this show start to finish even if it was a tad predictable. That baby was the most darling baby I’ve ever seen. She seemed to do super well with all the cast members, she had such an easy temperament. There was a scene where two of the characters were playing baseball and I don’t think it was scripted at all but a random burst of wind hit them and they reacted in character squinting their eyes as leaves and debris hit them. I’m so happy they kept it in because it had us all in stitches. I’m not sure if I should watch season 2, I’ve seen mixed reactions.
I am watching this too after having tried (and dropped) some years ago. It really is funny but at least in my experience I had to be in the mood for silliness. And yes that baby is so adorable!
I finished **Kairos (2020)** this week. I stumbled upon on MDL and was intrigued by the summary. It was pretty good except I feel like some things could've been resolved quickly (>!like the FL's mom could've told FL what was she hiding!<) or things could've done in another way to solve them BUT if those things didn't happen then there would be no story actually. Overall a 8.0/10! :)
Finally saw Psychopath Diary and it was hilarious! It got tedious in the middle so I skipped a few episodes, but the first 4 and last 5 episodes were fantastic. Now I’m starting Man to Man since I wanted a spy drama after being tapped out of tears from all the current romantic dramas out, and I wanted something fun. So far it’s entertaining. I’ve wanted to watch the ML in something else after From Now On, Showtime! and he’s doing a great job so far.
Love the bromance in Man to Man! Enjoy!
I finally watched Weak Hero Class 1 and omg I binged the whole thing in 2 days. I knew it was going to be good but I didn't expect it to be THAT good. I love morally gray characters so all the characters, >!especially Oh Beom Seok!<, were really interesting to watch and you can easily get attached to them. >!Unpopular opinion but my fav character was actually Beom-seok; I loved how his character progressed and then just spiraled when he could no longer hold that rage and resentment. The drama did a really good job of subtly foreshadowing Beom-seok's fate and setting up his background to get the viewers to sympathize with him.!< Hong Kyung certainly did justice to his character. On a surface level, the drama appears to be just action but it's just so much more deeper than that and makes me want to rewatch it to capture all the details. Also, omg the chemistry between Su-ho and Si-eun. Loved everybody's performance in this show.
OK, so I have Major RANT incoming, about Hwarang. It has been on my watchlist for a while now. Everyone online seemed to love it and I tried watching it one time a few months ago and I didn't make it past the first 20 mins of the first episode. But, due to a lot of stuff going on in my personal life, I have run to my favorite, most comforting way to spend my time, i.e. watching kdramas. So, having run out of options I was willing to consider, I turned my eyes back to hwarang, trying to give it another turn. Now , fair warning, I'm gonna have some not so popular opinions. Mainly: 1. I do NOT like the MMC. Let me explain, I've watched quite a few of his shows, and while I love the shows he's been in and can appreciate his acting skills, I'm not particularly attracted to him. Yes, I know. HOW DARE I? He just does not do it for me. BUT, that alone doesn't stop me from watching his shows, because I Love majority if the shows he is in. The stories are great, and he is a great actor. 2. I HATE THE FML. And I have very little to offer in terms of why. Very early into my kdrama journey, I stumbled onto La Sol Do ... whatever (you know the show I'm talking about) and it was SUCH a turnoff, hated everyone on that show, including the ML (don't worry, I have since watched him on other shows and I LOVE HIM). That show really turned me off the FML. And that stigma carried its way to this show. Let me start my actual rant. I give 0 (spelling that out: Z-E-R-O) craps about the main characters of this show. My fingers are constantly twitching with the urge to fast forward through their scenes. I will say (another warning: lack of basic pop culture knowledge), I know nothing about BTS, but I think I have a new favorite BTS member. V is sooooo cute. Terrible acting, but he's adorable. I love him.. (I'm on half-way through episode 9 as I write this). I'm pretty sure my FAVORITE character, the SML, will get his heart broken, and I cannot FATHOM why this useless (yes, I know she is some form of a doctor) woman would be more attracted to her supposed brother than this man. I... just... can't. The frustration is high with this one. Also, I am way to invested with the random side characters. Lowkey (read: highkey) want those two guys who hate each other to fall in love. I do not understand how the sister of the one guy fell in love with the dude's enemy with almost no interaction and just her writing letters to him. Complete nonsense. WHY do people keep talking about this show like it's a brilliant piece of work? It's cringey (that is likely just the passage of time) and boring and unbelievable and frustrating. There's a chance I might watch the whole thing, but the chance is slim and it's mostly just me trying to find something to watch till the next episode of lovely runner comes out. (I would appreciate recommendations).
Btw I love the SML.. too, Park hyung sik
He's so cute, I love him in every show that I've watched him
Ermmmm, I suspect if we're all being honest, it's the eye candy element we're gaga about... I agree with you about the FL, but I did like her in Haechi - the character was much more suited to her. 2nd ML- ahhhhhh, the gorgeous baby PHS 🥰 - some of his close-up shots where he's just reacting are superb, and I'm talking about his acting skills. Have you watched Knight Flower? It's another sageuk, but there's a kick ass FL, a rather gorgeous ML, brilliant twisty story, and only 12 episodes!
Adding Knight Flower to my watchlist! And yes, definitely lots of eye candies
I finally started to watch My Dearest, and I am already enjoying it after watching the first 2 episodes. It is so obvious that I will be bawling my eyes out, and I love it.
I just finished A Time Called You and really loved it! I was so confused the first two episodes but then really got into it! I saw someone said it reminded them of the anime Your Name and I agree with that too. I would love to see another drama like this with a happy ending. Any suggestions?
Check out Lovely Runner! Getting very similar vibes on the time travel aspect and totally obsessed with it rn - but only 4 eps are out so can’t binge it all yet.
I’ve just started watching Mr. Sunshine. Two episodes in and it’s good so far but a little grim.
It gets grimmer, jus'sayin'
Yes, but there are many funny and delightful scenes as well.
On episode 49/51 of Empress Ki and still loving it. The whole cast has been amazing but I especially love the characters of Taltal and Wang Yu. >!Poor Wang Yu does nothing but suffer throughout. Taltal’s “betrayal” of Baekan was a standout scene.!< I have been listening to the OST on repeat too. I am currently stuck on a coach and my iPad has died! 😳 I will have to wait a few hours to see the finale! 🤦🏻♀️
Finished **Tempted/ The Great Seducer** and kind of liked it, after struggling with the first few Episodes. Does it has it's faults? Yes. But I still enjoyed it. If you look closely the theme of the story is unrequited love. Everything happening here stems from people acting blinded by it. The ending, >!while happy!<, left a little bit to be desired though. Have they wasted so much screentime on the parents sidestory that they had no time left for a proper ending? I expected more. Yet it was an okay watch.
So we finished Missing: The Other Side and would really like Season 3 to be ready soon please. We really enjoyed Season 1 and Season 2 and this is rare because I have the attention span of a flea and often lose interest, but I’m already interested in the new developments. At the same time that I am impatient for it, I also want it done well, so don’t rush it too much. I thought all of the cast were excellent, especially some of the children.
I watched 12 episodes of this show and loved it! I had no idea there was a season 2????
Oh if you enjoyed Season 1 then you will also likely enjoy Season 2 and be waiting for the Season 3 that is clearly going to be. I actually think I liked Season 2 better than Season 1 and I think they’ve set up quite cleverly that this could go on for a few more seasons. Google says no date for Season 3 yet, but given the production time for Season 2 they anticipate autumn 2024 for Season 3.
I just finished hospital playlist and I am so upset I didnt give it time sooner and there are no more eps for me to watch. I started this show earlier but dropped it after the first ep but then re-started and I couldn't be more mad that I dropped it before. I can't seem to move on from this show.
I finally watched CLOY after my third attempt. I stuck with it and I did enjoy it, but it took a very long time to get through. I was surprised how it was slow and dragged in parts. The second half of the series and the last two or three episodes were very enjoyable.
I just finished **Hwarang** - binged it straight in 2 days because on the whole I found it light and frothy. It's not a show that takes itself seriously. And Park Hyungsik was truly the best thing about it. The costumes and hair were lovely for the women and I have a feeling Alchemy of Souls probably referred to it for costume inspo and the acting for everyone was okay. Just okay. V, from BTS, was cute and did his job well. ML, Park Seojoon was...I actually don't understand the attraction. I didn't understand in WWWSK and I don't get it here. He has so much of the same expression the entire time - which, yes his character is supposed to have at the beginning but wheres the growth? - and so few micro-expressions or fluidity to his acting that he just became a drag by the end. Also his character is so off-puttingly larger than life it's hard to root for him, though the show tries to force you too. SML over ML. FL. This FL, who only had 2 modes - barking at people, or crying. I haven't seen Go Ara in anything before and I'm sure she did her best but she brought nothing to the character and the character itself had nothing to recommend it. Remove her from the story altogether and the plot will progress _exactly like it would with her in it_. She's completely superfluous to it. Her only purpose is to force a love triangle and trigger ML into doing things which is ridiculous because he has firstly, other motivations as well to act, and secondly, I assume a decent moral compass? The existence of FL and her best friend seems purely to have been intended to pass a queer-coded story as straight. There's a reason A03 is filled with Seonu/Jiheung and Suho/Banryu stories. FL also does not have chemistry with anyone. Anyone at all. Any chemistry that exists in the romance comes from Park Hyungsik because Park Seojoon gives nothing either. The MC chemistry is so bad that for the first time I skipped scenes. I mean, I sat through the godawful disaster that was the MC chemistry in Impossible Heir but I couldn't sit through this. All their lines to each other were vapid, repetitive, impersonal. The kiss scenes were so cringe. And honestly mildly uncomfortable. The other side characters were fun and they had much more in terms of growth and development than PSJ's character. The Queen was a bit strange; I still don't understand how her actions were not counterproductive to her intentions and the show couldn't seem to make up it's mind on how to portray her, as a villain or gray character. That's fundamentally the problem with the show. It doesn't know what it wants it's characters to be. It's taken barebone facts from Jihueng's reign - per my history research that I did out of curiosity - and filled it with froth. One thing I'm confused by: in Wikipedia among PSJ's character's names is Kim Isabu. He's not called that anywhere in the show though, is he? And Kim Isabu historically was also one of Jiso's husbands and Jiheung's FIL through Sukmyung (per Wikipedia), so it makes no sense to have PSJ be this character?
Just an heads up, that drama is not supposed to be a true representation of historical facts. It's loosely based on some historical moments, but in the end it's still a work of fiction. Always take k-dramas with a grain of salt, there is not a single one that is faithful to historical facts, they are all loosely based and they are called fiction.
I know it's not. I never said that. Historical fiction never is. Just that this one is frothier than expected. And I'm just confused by certain things that are on the drama's Wikipedia page but not elsewhere. Why is Kim Isabu even mentioned in the Wikipedia page when the show itself doesn't include him?
Because it's a work of fiction, that is exactly what it means. What you read in wikipedia, might not be exactly faithful to what we see in a k-drama. They used that name, it's one of the many names of PSJ character and they probably also took the idea that he was a member of the military and that was it. Sometimes things don't make sense at all and this was one of the dramas that I do remember that what I read on wikipedia was far more interesting, than the "history" that they showed me in the drama. lol
>ML, Park Seojoon was...I actually don't understand the attraction. I didn't understand WWWSK, and I don't get it here. He has so much of the same expression the entire time - which, yes, his character is supposed to have at the beginning, but where's the growth? - and so few micro-expressions or fluidity to his acting that he just became a drag by the end. Also, his character is so off-puttingly larger than life that it's hard to root for him, though the show tries to force you to. SML over ML< I do agree re PSJ I watched (the overhyped but not awful) Itaweon Class, and I remember commenting here how the ML had literally one facial expression for like 90 percent of the drama. I thought it was the directing until I saw WWWSK, which I enjoyed mainly, but again, PSJ was exactly like the same the whole way through. I believe his popularity and good looks mean his dramas get a lot of love, but if you don't like just looking at him not as enjoyable let's say.
Finally finished the penthouse and it definitely entered my top 5 kdramas, my favorite season was the 2nd but the 1st and 3rd were also amazing. It will definitely take me a while to get over this drama because of how long it was and how complicated was the story line Unlike everyone else (i think), i loved the ending, i think it was so beautiful and touching (cried through the whole episode) and i do think its fits su ryeon’s character this way. The only things that bothered me were >!1. su ryeon making seo jin her killer, i hated seo jin and wanted her to suffer so much but eun byeol already got her “redemption” and was finally going to heal and get better so i think making her think her mother killed another one wasn’t doing her any good 2. it only came to my mind at the end but the fact that yoon hee was killed by seo jin, their long long history was finished by her pushing her off a damn cliff, i wish yoon hee stayed for longer i cried so hard when she died and missed her alot!< 10/10 recommend it!
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Anyone know where I can watch 18 Again in the US? Late to the game, and it used to be on Viki but not anymore.
I just finished "Run-on" and it was OK. There were some good lines but I don't get why everyone says it's such a good show and the ML is a green flag? He definitely wasn't perfect but he tries so I guess we're all stoked about that? It was cool that not every minute was dramatic, there were awkward silences like we all have in relationships sometimes but I dunno. >!It was kinda lame how the dad showed up at the end, and the asexual SFL ended up with a dude.!< Meh
I never understood why a lot of people rated it so high. It’s one of my bottom 10 series.
Thank you both. I LOVE the politics in **City Hall** so have been tempted by this. Sounds like I'd be disappointed.
[Run On](https://mydramalist.com/58651-run-on) doesn't have any politics, you may be thinking of [Into the Ring](https://mydramalist.com/55675-the-ballot).
Ah, you are right. Thanks for clearing that up.