#My Daughter Seo Yeong.

[fake-married-my-dead-fiance]

Fear is a huge driver of plot in Alchemy of Souls and most of it is centered around Jang Uk and Naksu. Almost every character's main motivation is fear except Naksu (revenge) and Jang Uk. (This is long)

Park Jin is terrified that Jang Uk will fulfill his destiny because his main goal is to maintain social order. He is therefore fully committed to impeding any progress Jang Uk might make. His turning point (finally) is the near death of Seo Yul, probably not because he actually loves Yul or Uk for themselves, but because as everyone acknowledges, Seo Yul being killed by Jin Mu will overturn the social order (General Seo will invade Daeho Fortress and start a war). Park Jin knows Jang Uk will try to save Yul, so he supports him.

(I'm pretty sure the only major decision he makes motivated by love is trying to save Maid Kim from Jinyowon, everything else is to preserve social order. He's extreme lawful good)

Go Won spends most of S1 trying not to be afraid of Jang Uk/the concept of a King Star, because he doesn't want to be like his father who is terrified of the prophesied King Star's existence. Jin Mu eventually succeeds in making Go Won afraid which results in Jang Uk's death (it doesn't take). But then in S2, with a Jang Uk who is 100x more terrifying, Go Won realizes that he doesn't have to be afraid because Jang Uk doesn't want to be king and will use his power protectively:

Which means that Jin Mu can no longer control Go Won through fear, as he is able to do with the king and basically everyone else.

Jin Mu definitely fears what Jang Uk might become, since he can be displaced from his position of power if Uk ever becomes a real mage.

And yet, he mostly makes other people afraid of Uk instead of really fearing Jang Uk himself. This is probably because Jin Mu believes that compassion and protection are signs of weakness. I think the only time he really believes Uk might kill him is when Seo Yul is dying. What he fears the most is being rejected by those in power, which is why when Go Won turned on him he was so angry.

The king and the Unanimous Assembly decide to release the fire bird because they both fear and envy Jang Uk and his ice stone. As for the general population, they generally fear super-powered Jang Uk but also want him around (just not like, too close) because they are more frightened of soul shifters. They both fear and idolize Naksu and are manipulated with their fear.

And to quickly include Lady Jin, her fear is centred around losing control of Jinyowon, which is why she searches so desperately for Bu-yeon, is dismissive of her under-powered second daughter, and is so determined to keep resurrected Naksu/Bu-yeon under control.

Seo Yul is complicated because he doesn't know what Jang Uk is until pretty late in the game, he mostly is afraid of what Jang Uk is doing (hanging out with a soul shifter, Naksu herself) and what his beliefs will result in (which to be fair was a legitimate fear given what happens at the end of S1). He is also afraid of breaking his personal moral code:

And then we have Maid Kim, who is literally never afraid of Jang Uk, she just loves him no matter what. By S2 she knows exactly who he is and that he's haunted by ghosts and she does not care. "Oh my super-powered adopted son is home to spend a haunting night, let's make sure he's comfortable!"

What she is afraid of is Naksu: she thinks her sword is ominous, she holds a funeral for Cho Yeong so that Naksu's spirt won't attack Jang Uk, and she fears that Naksu will drag Jang Uk to the grave in S2. However, her fear is never centered on herself, she's pretty much only afraid because she wants to protect Uk (like mother like son). Which is why she's one of the good characters, her fear isn't selfish.

When it comes to Naksu/Cho Yeong and Jang Uk, they are never really afraid of each other or really drive by fear, unlike everyone else. Jang Uk recognizes Naksu right away, isn't afraid of her threats at all, and then sends men to capture her. He's almost immediately willing to put his life in her hands.

His motivation is more to prove himself, which is both about himself and his mother whose memory he is trying to protect by convincing people that he's Jang Gang's son.

Cho Yeong's motivation in S1 is revenge at least at first, which she needs her powers back to have. But then she switches to protection and remains that way through S2.

Naksu doesn't have any reason to fear Jang Uk in S1. Then in S2, even when she has no memory of who she is, she is very much not afraid of him. Even when he threatens her:

She takes like a whole minute to let go and step away from him. And when she sees the ice stone, she decides to try and use him rather than retreat in fear.

But of course all Naksu/Jang Uk plot is driven by both of them running straight towards things that they should fear, including each other. They are the antithesis of living in fear, they chose protection and love (and constantly being in mortal danger) instead.

[imjustasexymotherfucker]

Here’s my rant on SWEET HOME SEASON 2 since no one else around me really watches it🫡 typos ahead

First thing first I’m not biased so practically all the characters pissed me off also I only now some of their names

*they could’ve kept a lot of the characters off my screen☺️

*I was so glad that the boy who pressed the button died he got on my fucking nerves

*R.I.P Seok-chan can’t believe they killed my man🤧

*all of the soldiers were fucking dumb didn’t have any common sense, Their deaths could’ve been avoidable

*Like they were really fucking dumb^

*Im trying to give grace to the little boy and Yi-Kyung daughter cause they kids but they’re really aggravating.

*we should’ve seen more of Hyunsu 😚 my baby

^he couldn’t find a sweater that wasn’t torn

*how did he survive being stoned? ^

*Eunyu been through hell and back also the people at the stadium need to leave her alone

* Eun-hyeok pls don’t be evil and try to kill your sister next season

*possibly evil but still look good as hell^

* Park Chan-yeong is so nosey

* Ui-Myeong is gonna put the doctor through hell omg that probably be whole episode next season

*I wonder what happened to his foot^

*I like Sergeant Tak and his handsome I definitely want to here his backstory

*I love Dr. Lim he’s a new character I actually like seeing a lot but Ui-Myeong is definitely going to torture him

* Dr. Lim is funny asf

*It’s cool how the monster are reborn

*the scene with Eun-hyuk being born reminded me of the monster house

* chef ji is a terrible person she’s pretty tho

*her daughter is funny^

*I wonder if that’s her husband or a new monster, what does she have up her sleeve??

*Father Peter😚 I don’t trust him tho

* Jin-ho why did you cut your hair😖

* Seok-Chan I miss you baby🤧

*seo-Jin I hate you and i hope you don’t make it to season 3

*also why would you just trust a random person who popped up out of nowhere?^

*I don’t think an actual solider would make the mistakes you did^

*I know jong-hyun wished he would’ve stayed at the stadium

*yong-Seok and his girlfriend also got on my nerves also why didn’t he warn them earlier

* Seok-Chan should’ve ran for the exit 🤧

And I would love recommendations for shows like this one 💜

[papaya2000s]

Amergency Act 19 (긴급조치 19호)

It is a satirical 2002 South Korean film about a government act that prohibits popular music and passed in response to a number of musicians being elected to government elsewhere in the world. It is notable for the numerous K-pop stars that make appearances in the film.

Directed by: Kim Tae-gyu

Written by: Kim Sung-dong and Lee Seung-guk

Produced by: Song Chang-yong

Starring: Kim Jang-hoon as himself, Hong Kyung-min as himself, Gong Hyo-jin as Min-ji, Noh Joo-hyun as the Chief Secretary and Min-ji's father and Ju Yeong-hun as himself

List of Cameos:

Besides the main cast, there are a number of actors and K-pop singers and groups who make cameos in the film as themselves.

They are: Kim Sung-oh as soldier 2 at Vinyl House, Baby V.O.X., Brown Eyes, CAN, Chakra, Click-B, Fin.K.L, Harisu, Kangta, Koyote, NRG, Shinhwa, UN, and Psy

Plot:

Troubled by the growing worldwide trend of pop singers being elected as politicians, the President of South Korea orders his Chief Secretary to invoke "Emergency Act 19". This new law criminalizes all pop singers, and the army is deployed on the streets of Seoul to round them up. One pop star, Hong Kyung-min, is arrested while performing a concert, but his angry fans mob the soldiers as they try to take him away. The Chief Secretary's teenage daughter, Min-ji, is amongst the fans, and leading her idol to safety gives him her phone number. Kyung-min finally makes a getaway with his friend and fellow pop star, Kim Jang-hoon.

Once Jang-hoon and Kyung-min become fully aware of the situation, they contact Min-ji, who is able to hide the two singers in a secret location. The Chief Secretary finds out that his daughter is working against him, and when she refuses to give them up, he has false news reports created, accusing the singers of sexually assaulting minors. Meanwhile, more pop stars are rounded up by the authorities who are now aided by another singer, Ju Yeong-hun, who decides to betray his friends in order to save himself.

Angered by their tarnished reputations, Jang-hoon and Kyung-min acquire a gun from a shady weapons dealer, and with Min-ji's help they are able to take the Chief Secretary and his staff hostage. They take their captives to the park, where Min-ji has organized a mass demonstration with her friends and other music fans. The army arrive on the scene and engage the demonstrators in conflict, finally capturing Jang-hoon and Kyung-min. The Chief Secretary is able to walk free in all the chaos, but he is appalled by the violence and orders the fighting to stop, convincing the President to repeal the emergency act and restoring peace.

I couldn't find this movie with subs anywhere I usually watch kdramas but found it on YouTube in 2 parts without eng subs.

If anyone knows where I could watch this movie fully with eng subs would be very helpful.

(Part 1 above and Part 2 below)

This movie is based on events that happened in South Korea during the 1970s and 1980s with censorship during the Park Chung Hee Presidency (1961-1979) and Chun Doo Hwan Presidency (1980-1988).

This blog explains a bit about how Seotaji combatted censorship after the 1980s.

More about the censorship during the 1980s in South Korea.

This blog is about the evolution of Korean music in the 70s to the 80s with censorship

The wiki about the Amergency Act 19 (긴급조치 19호) movie.

Should probably go into more detail about this topic, but it gets very long and can be very confusing, and I would rather explain this in my Korean music history on male and female groups.

[thebogwitchsworld]

One of the things that bothered me from this episode was the way mama jin treats her supposed daughter that came back from the dead. At first when choyeon says " she isn't my sister, but that other women" the mom reprimands her and says she is buyeon. But she then tells her to get married and give birth and stay in that basement for the rest of her life.

She says the first born gives birth to those with the greatest power.( and since the man is coming from the seo family she would have powerful kids indeed). This all coming from the lady who blindly accepted soi

And gave her her daughters room that she has kept the same for all those years. She is keeping the girl she insisted is her daughter in a basement.

When said daughter refuses her mother's decision she outright tells her she has no choice. The supposed mother who had been so sad she lost her daughter that she mistreated choyeon for years. And what stood out most to me in this scene more that any thing else is the fact that she keeps her self distanced from buyeon. So much so it bothered me when I first saw it.

When we see flash backs she is always hugging, soothing or holding her daughters hands. We saw this even with soi. But buyeon(yeong) we see none of this . Which is to say I'm 100% percent sure this is not buyeon in any way.

[salanaii]

Learn Korean with me - Week 4/Day 2

Day 2: Vocab 101 - 221

Thin (duolingo/Papago) – 날씬 – nal ssin

Thin (google) – 얇은 – yal beun

Busy – 바쁘따 – ba ppeu da

Smart – 똑똑한 – ttog toog han

Nice/good – 적합한 – jeok hab han

Clever – 영리한 – yeong ri han

Strange/weird – 이산한 – I sang han

Children/ sons and daughter – 아이들/자녀 – a I deul / ja nyeo

Letter – 편지 – pyeon ji

A gift/a present/ the present – 선물 – seon mul

Teach/teaches – 가르칩니다 – ga reu chib ni da

Receive/get – 받아요/받습니다 – bad a yo/bad seub bi da

Send/sends – 보냅니다 – bo naeb ni da

Give/gives – 줍니다 – jub ni da

Exercise – 운동 – un dong

Exercises/ is exercising – 운동합니다 – un dong hab ni da

Study – 공부 – gong bu

Studies/ studying – 공부합니다 – gong bu hab ni da

Learn/learning – 배우고/배웁니다 – bae u go/bae ub ni da

Throw/throws/ is throwing – 던집니다 – deon jib ni da

Catch/ is catching/catches – 집습니다 – jib seub ni da

Do not study/ does not study – 공부하 (않습니다) – gong bu ha ji anh seub ni da

Do not learn/does not learn – 배우지 (않습니다) – bae u ji anh seub ni da

Does not catch – 집지 (않습니다) – jib ji anh seub ni da

Do not throw/ does not throw – 던지지 (않습니다) – deon ji ji anh seub ni da

Magazine – 집지 – jib ji

Dream – 꿈 -  kkum

My – 저 – jeo

No, not me – 아니요, 저는아닙니다 – a ni you, jeo neun a nib ni da

It is awesome – 멋있습니다 – meos iss seub ni da

Awesome/cool – 대박 – dae bak

Is attractive / is charming – 매력이있습니다 – mae ryeok I iss seub ni da

Is not attractive / is not charming – 매력이없습니다 – mae ryeok I eobs seub ni da

Am/are drinking – 마십니다 – ma sib ni da

Is/am eating/eat – 먹습니다 – meok seub ni da

Reads/reading – 읽 습 니 다 – irk seub ni da

Writes/writing – 씁니다 – sseub ni da

Drinks/drinking – 마십니다 – ma sib ni da

Large/big/tall – 큰 – keun

Bad/mean – 나쁜 – na bbeun

Is/are long – 깁니다 – gib ni da

Short/shorter – 짧다/짧습니다 – jjard da/jjarb seub ni da

Olders/lots/(there) is many – 많아요/많습니다 – manh a yo/,anh seub ni da

Small/little/short – 적어요/작습니다 – jeok ro yo/jeok seub ni da

Say/speak – 말해요 – mal hae yo

Talk/conversation – 대화 – dae hwan

To talk/ to have a conversation – 대화합니다 – dae hwa hab ni da

Motors – 모터스 – mo teo seu

Cola – 콜라 – kol ra

Coffee – 커피 – keo pi

Party – 파티 – pa ti

Ice cream – 아이스크림 – a I seu keu rim

Apartment – 아 파트 – a pa teu

Woman – 여자 – yeo ja

Women – 여자들 – yeo ja deul

Man – 남자 – nam ja

Men – 남자들 – nam ja deul

Or/either – 또는 – tto neun

School – 학교-  hag gyo

Apple – 사과 – sa gwa

Pencil – 연핀 – yeon pil

House/home – 집 – jib

Bread – 빵 – ppang

Book – 책 – cheag

Country – 나라 – na ra

More – 더 – deo

To divide – 나누다 – na nu da

Road – 도로/길 – do ra/jil

Person/People – 사람/사람들 – sa ram/sa ram deul

Cat – 가양이 – go yang I

Thing/object – 물건 – mul geon

Child – 아이 – a i

This – 이 – i

Milk – 우유 – u yu

Friendship – 우의 – u ui

Above/on – 위 – wi

Song – 노래 – no rae

Kiss – 뽀뽀 – ppo ppo

Ant – 개미 – gae mi

Tokyo – 도쿄 – do kyo

Seed/Mr./Mrs./Ms. - 씨 – ssi

Starbucks – 스타벅스 – seu ta beog seu

Hyundai – 핸대 – haen dae

Samsung – 삼상 – sam sang

Baskin Robbins – 배스킨라번스 – bae seu kin ra bin seu

McDonald’s – 맥도날드 – maeg do nal deu

Doughnut – 도넛 – do neos

Busan – 부산 – bu san

Washington – 워싱턴 – wo sing teon

Seoul – 서울- seo ul

Berlin – 베를린 – be reul rin

London – 런던 – reon deon

Paris – 파리 – pa ri

New York – 뉴욕 – nyu yok

United – 유나이드 – yu na I ti deu

나 NA i or me

너 NEO you

우리 U RI we or us

머리 MEO RI head

나비 NA BI butterfly

아기 A GI baby

오이 O I cucumber

커피 KEO PI coffee

소리 SO RI sound

소녀 SO NYEO girl

소년 SO NYEON boy

표 P YO ticket

유리 YU RI glass

나무 NA MU tree

피부 PI BU skin

가구 GA GU furniture

버스 BEO SEU bus

바지 BA JI pants

지구 JI GU earth

허리 HEO RI waist

여자 YEO JA woman

야구 YA GU baseball

기타 GI TA guitar

치마 CHI MA skirt

후추 HU CHU pepper

휴지 HYU JI tissue

[lenteur]

random thoughts about run on, episode fourteen

(please do note that this post contains spoilers so read at your own risk.)

so i was right when i said that mi joo treated su bin the way she wanted to be treated when she was younger.

this quote is heartbreaking “it’d be nice to have that type of friend but that means i’m lacking something. i think i was looking back on my childhood years hoping i also had someone who would stand up for me like i did for su bin” and with that mi joo’s entire upbringing is summarized. on top of being lonely because she didn’t have parents like most of the children around her, she was ostracized by others and nobody else stood up for her when she needed it the most

and being lonely from such a young age does have a lot of impact on someone

which brings us to something i relate to so much “i want to get along with myself” all those years hating yourself, feeling hurt and lonely messes someone up. but now that she somehow has her life together, she wants to heal her heart and focus on herself because she’s the person she’ll have to live with for the longest time 

on a more funny note, i like how mi joo basically asked seon gyeom to netflix and chill only for it to be cutely awkward right after lol

the kiss felt so intimate. i felt like i was interrupting something hehe

we’re now at 2/3 people telling ki jeong do that he needs to step back step back silly boy

when yook ji woo told him “my life isn’t yours. i’m the star of my life” i was doing a little victory dance because that feels so nice whenever someone just stops that old man in his tracks

when both dan ah and mi joo came to see yeong hwa, i thought it was funny how both women were dressed as if they were secret agents or something. and then there’s yeong hwa in his beekeeper outfit (idk what it’s called)

talking about dan ah, myeong min came to see his father at the hospital shedding crocodile tears “worrying” about him. but it was such a meaningful moment to see seo tae woong interrupt that moment by showing that he truly cares about his father

dan ah knows she’s being followed and that’s why she asked mi joo to come with her meet yeong hwa. and she was right. myeong min is keeping tracks on her whereabouts. it seems he wants to catch her doing something immoral/scandalous just so he can take her spot, even though he’s an illegitimate child...

right after this touching scene at the hospital, rumors start spreading around that seo tae woong is a b*st*rd and i can’t help but think myeong min is behind that. i’m saying that because he’s the one who told him to think about who his (tae woong) shares belong to. myeong min threatened tae woong to let the cat out of the bag if things didn’t go his (myeong min) way

but the rumors are extending to someone else. maybe myeong min? and, as expected, dan ah will be the one dealing with the scandal and rebuilding the company’s image if the general public knows that her dad had affairs

seo dan ah isn’t paid enough for this sh*t

now going back on dan ah’s little trip to yeong hwa’s town. it was nice to see her be vulnerable and comfortable enough to sleep in yeong hwa’s arms. it’s like the first time she allowed herself to rest and just relax

and finally going to the part that made my blood boil. ki jeong do finally agrees to meet seon gyeom after several attempts from the latter’s part. the first thing the father does is bring kim woo sik’s incident and blaming it all on seon gyeom’s change in behavior... typical ki jeong do behavior. blaming everything on other people instead of taking accountability

however, he offers his son to take both him and woo sik in his track and field team. under the condition of seon gyeom marrying dan ah. once again, saving face and caring about his reputation only

seo dan ah’s father acknowledging his daughter’s hard work as seomyung’s ceo but then wanting seon gyeom to take over once they get married. sigh dan ah has to put up with so much... 💔

seon gyeom is now faced with a harsh decision: will he throw everything away for love? i mean the romantic answer would be yes but he has to take into consideration woo sik’s career. i don’t know how that mess will be resolved but i sure hope it does

when mi joo was on the verge of giving up, seon gyeom’s words motivated her and she kept on seeing images of her life. seeing how much she struggled as a young girl and in need of a friend. that friend ended up being seon gyeom. whereas seon gyeom just wished he was with mi joo from the start. it was such a beautiful moment to see both younger mi joo and seon gyeom meet each other at the end of that scene 💞

seon gyeom being the only one waiting for her at the finish line. so romantic and intimate. i feel like all their moments together in this episode were all so intimate. it felt kind of rude to see them with my eyes. i shouldn’t have been there to witness this kind of vibes

the codename candy scenes were all nice! especially anthony’s outfit

[mystiquewanderlust]

KOREAN DRAMAS MUST WATCH [PART 1]

Alchemy of Souls 🔮

SEASON 1 & 2

Genre: Historical Fantasy/Action/Adventure

Rating: 100/10

No. of Episodes: S1- 20, S2- 10

Date Watched: June, Dec 2022-Jan 2023

WARNING: A LOOONNGG REVIEW

Ahhh I cannot! I cannot believe that it's overrrr! This series may be one of my favorite, if not the most fave, korean fantasy drama to date. The plot and the twists are so spot on. I really love how this drama was created from the production, the casts (Naksu at the beginning of S1 AHHH), the costumes and the plot. It keeps you wanting more. And oh, not to mention the handsomeness and beauty of the casts!! Naksu and Seo!! Season 1 is all about our main lead--Naksu--who turned out to be a victim only of our evil antagonist, finding her true self instead which took turn from its original plan of revenge. I saw only some few action scenes unlike in Chinese dramas where fighting scenes are indeed very satisfying.. so yeah it was quite a downfall from the thrill I felt from Naksu's fighting scene in the beginning. But yeah, since she was in a different body which embodies no powers at all, it was quite obvious that there won't be that much fighting scenes even for the guys. Chinese dramas influence is real!!

But then in Season 2, mygoodness.. I can't even remember a satisfying fighting scene which used Tansu or whatever power they have. All swords and that, nothing carved in my memory at all. Also, this time, the story focuses on Naksu--who's real name is Cho Yeong--who were Jin Buyeon now--finding who she really is.. again, as her memories where wiped out by Master Lee.. and Jang Uk being a hunter of soul shifters to atone for the sins of whoever, I forgor haha. Anyways, the ending of Season 2 was super satisfying. I was so relieved, knowing how kill joy the writers of this drama is! I can't still forget about Scarlet Heart OMGGG..

Season 3? There definitely should be! The season 2 ending gave us a LOT to think about that this series is not over YET. And here's why:

1. The last episode first and foremost showed us that Maidservant Kim was pregnant. Yes, this is something to add to the next season definitely. 2. Next, the 2nd Jin daughter and the leader of Songrim (sorry forgot their names), got twin boys. And it was said that Jang Uk and BJinyowonuyeon plans to have a daughter as their firstborn. Isn't this something to anticipate for?? The next successor ofJinyowon and the incredible divine powers. Not to mention that her father also possesses the ice stone. Imagine the immense powers their kids will have! 3. The very charming Seol will head Songrim with its recruitment with his so-called new system. And there were two mages with great potentials in becoming the next high-level mages that will eventually surpass even Jan Uk's level. Imagine?? A definitelymust watch! 4. Master Heo's granddaughter who had a crush on jang Uk and became the kontrabida in our eyes, evantually had this very mysterious "handsome" man who was said to be as handsome as Seol. Imagine!!! I am getting the chills even thinking about who this mysteryguy is. I mean, is he good or bad? Hmmm! 5. The episode ended with our favorite couple Jang Uk and Buyeon looking for the relics that escaped. Like 32 escaped and they only captured 12 so far. So imagine what their next adventures would be! This is what we all will be thrilled to watch definitely!6. And of course let's not forget about our very charming the crown prince--I mean King. Well, it's match-making time! Who did Buyeon chose as his future Queen?? It was Buyeon who suggested potential queens so it's a must watch!Ahhh the thrill the next season would bring. So why end this series when there are still lots to look out for? Right?

So please Netflix, let there be season 3!

Under the Queen's Umbrella ☂️

Genre: Historical / Drama

Rating: 12/10

No. of Episodes: 16

Date Watched: Feb 17-18, 2023

A Netflix original.. again--so what do I expect?? Of course it is a superb drama! I am so not new with the palace twisted plots about revenge and fighting for throne. I mean, brothers filth theor hands with blood just to be the King or Crown Prince.. and this is what this drama is all about. I said I wasn't new in all these, right? But heck, watching this drama.. it was like watching an unfamiliar plot for the first time! THE QUEEN!!! I cannot.. she is AWESOME! To be honest, she was the reason why I backed out from watching this drama few months ago. Like seriously, she creeped the hell out of me. She just looks so intimidating! Srsly! But then two days ago, I saw a short clip from this drama wherein the Crown Prince was changing his clothes and then the Crown Princess suddenly barged in, seeing his nakedness (just topless, ehem) ...ahhh! And he is sooo handsome! So yeah, my weakness was kinda shaken and pushed me to watch the entire drama.. WHICH I REALLY THANK FOR BTW! And I am not exaggerating with the capital letters. She is the best Queen I have watched ever. Like Queen MOTHER to the highest level. She earned my respect, really. Because of her, many wrong doings were corrected and she saved a lot of lives.. not only her family and the King btw which is a very though thing to do honestly if the Queen isn't headstrong and witty. Being in the palace entails guts and more guts.. but of course, a ton of brains too. Those two things should be solid to be able to survive the evils of the palace.. which she succeeded in doing. The fights between princeses and concubines are such a terrifying thing to watch, but it was kinda okay with this drama compare with the other dramas I watched. (Nothing beats Yanxi Palace in Queen vs. Concubines btw.. NOTHING!) And speaking of.. The Queen is a Korean version of Wei Ying Luo.. such badass female leads. Femme fatale!

Another kudos to K-drama and Netflix collab 💖

[enterenews]

Jeon Do-yeon, daughter Noh Yoon-seo passed the medical school entrance examination class..

'One Big Scandal' Noh Yoon-seo passed the medical school entrance examination class.

In the tvN Saturday and Sunday drama 'One Big Scandal', which aired on the 21st, Haeng-seon Nam (played by Jeon Do-yeon) suggested to her daughter Hae-yi Nam (played by Noh Yoon-seo) how about entering the 'medical school all care class' in the academy.

Nam Haeng-seon, who saw an announcement related to 'medical school all-care class' at Mom Cafe, called Nam Hae-i right away and suggested, "Is it a level test tomorrow? Do you want to try it too?" In response, Nam Hae-i hesitated, saying, "It will be expensive?", but she said, "Don't worry about that. I'll send it to you even if I work part-time."

Afterwards, Nam Hae-i took the entrance exam to enter the 'medical school all-care class'. With a score of 92 on her test, Nam Hae-i passed the 'medical school all-care class' with a high score. Hearing the news of her passing while she was working, Namhaeng Seon expressed her joy by screaming at her. Nam Hai also shared her joy with her friends. Her friend Jang Dan-ji (played by Yoo Da-in) said, "All-care classes are only for Manlap, but two of them stick together. It's worthwhile that this older sister raised the two of you." ) were also congratulated.

Nam Haeng-seon shot her beer at Kim Young-joo (played by Lee Bong-ryun) with Nam Hae-yi's passing chin. As long as she was simple, Kim Young-joo sarcastically said to her chin, "I shot her so hard that she took her to a good place." In response, Kim Young-joo also sincerely congratulated the ship, saying, "Okay, I admit it. Congratulations again. President Nam."

Next, Haeng-seon Nam told Kim Yeong-joo, "Young-ju, this is so strange. As you know, I didn't have much interest in studying Hae-i. Life is my own life. Emotions come up at that moment,” he explained in detail his joy at the news of the acceptance. In response, Kim Young-joo showed understanding, saying, "My mother was also against handball so much, and then, at that time, they hung a banner and held a party in the neighborhood." Nam Haeng-sun said, "I see. Is this a real mother's heart?"

[binging-asian-dramas]

Seo Yeong, My Daughter / My Daughter Seo Yeong. 7

Story: 8

Acting: 8

Chemistry: 10

Comparable to: ?

This is a long haul one. Fifty episodes long. Is it worth it? Well maybe sorta, it depends on if you’re a big family drama fan I would say yes. It’s a bit draggy and is very melodramatic at times. It was made in 2012 so some of the scenes feel a tiny bit dated too (can’t believe we’re in 2022 already ugh) I honestly mostly watched for Park Hae Jin who’s storyline (Lee Sang Woo) felt less melodramatic and more on the romcom side. 🤷‍♀️ This one is a mixed bag for me since I usually love family dramas.

[offbeatcappuccino]

My Love Letter for Run On

You have your world, and I have mine. But, we could align our worlds next to each other, couldn’t we?

- Oh Mi Joo to Ki Seon Gyeom| Episode 16 

Run On came to me during a special time in my life. Last fall was a period, where I was working towards immense personal growth and self reflection and watching kdramas was a form of self care and preservation. When the winter arrived, I struggled with a sense of emptiness that permeated when the semester ended. Also, the kdramas that ended during the winter, like Start Up and Tale of the Nine Tailed Fox left me deeply unsatisfied with the ending and shows like More Than Friends were difficult to stay committed to because of the weak storyline. I was bored out of my mind and worst of all, I was stuck in a k-drama rut. I started watching Run On because there was nothing else to watch at that time. Run On was initially a drama that I was indifferent to at first. However, I watched it every week without skipping an episode and slowly I realized that this show was making my Wednesdays and Thursdays just a little better. Halfway through the show, I realized I was deeply committed and in love with the plot. Ki Seon Gyeom, Oh Mi Joo, Lee Yeong Hwa, and Seo Dan Ah, were all characters that grew on me. Run On is not only a drama, but an experience that its audience lives through vicariously. Every episode feels like a mental breakthrough that pushes you to reflect on your own relationships, values, and ambitions. Simply put, Run on is a refreshing masterpiece rooted in realism. 

At first glance, the characters in Run On are anything but relatable. Oh Mi Joo is a quirky translator and orphan, Seon Gyeom, a national track runner who also happens to be the son of beloved Korean film star and influential politician. Lee Yeong Hwa is a sometimes naive optimistic energetic college student, and Seo Dan Ah, is the blunt slightly offensive very ambitious CEO who also happens to be an heir for one of the biggest conglomerates in South Korea. With a diverse set of unique characters, its very easy for such rom-com focused k-dramas to easily slip into the fantastical. Run On could have very easily become a drama like What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim, one that unashamedly embraces the grandiose. Seon Gyeom could have used his influence to shower countless expensive gifts upon Oh Mi Joo and essentially liberate her from her middle class status. Lee Yeong Hwa and Seo Dan Ah’s relationship could have been the classic “noona” trope, where Yeong Hwa, despite his younger age, could have become the typical overprotective boyfriend and Seo Dan Ah could have been the woman who only understands her worth through her relationship with Yeong Hwa. What these two alternative storylines ultimately hinge on is this concept of unrequited love, the idea that my happiness solely comes from your happiness and I will sacrifice anything for you even if it comes at the cost of my own wellbeing. These storylines also promote a problematic understanding of what it means to be a man and a woman. A man is only expected to give and a woman is expected to receive.  This characterization sends the problematic message that men are perfectionists and women are incapable of being independent. K-drama writers often fall back to these tropes because societally, we have a misconception that these clichés are what make watching romance worthwhile. 

Run On is special because the actual storyline is one that demonstrates that healthy relationships can be engaging and entertaining to watch. Run On “runs” leaps and bounds to show us that romance can feel ordinary yet fulfilling. In both dramas and real life, we see characters pursue relationships because of the excitement and highs that accompany them even if it’s a relationship that feels unhealthy and unstable. In Run On, Seon Gyeom’s status, does not become the major focus of their relationship. There are no grandiose over the top gestures of romance on this show. What there are sincere genuine moments of compassion and support. When Seon Gyeom and Mi Joo live together as roommates, Seon Gyeom shows his love for Mi Joo in the way that he makes her kimchi fried rice and advises her to stop pulling all nighters and drinking green smoothies and eating cereal as a form of sustenance. On the other hand, Mi Joo makes Seon Gyeom’s favorite japchae during one of their dates. In Run On, its the simple things that truly allow us to express our love for another person. 

 Another one of my favorite scenes is when Mi Joo gets the flu and is running a fever, Seon Gyeom helps relocate her to a better room and tells her that he can be someone she can rely on when things get tough. Similarily, throughout the show, Mi Joo helps Seon Gyeom find his passion for mentoring and guiding young athletes and supports him when he is forced to retire from athletics. Yet, these characters don’t exist only within the confines of their relationship. We see Mi Joo continuing to actively  pursue professional success as a translator and Seon Gyeom continues in his journey to help his friend Kim Woo Sik get back on the race track after his injury. Both characters have goals and aspirations outside of their relationships and this show normalizes the fact that our personal needs can coexist with our romantic relationships. Unlike what other k-dramas and other shows depict, relationships don’t have to be all consuming activities for us to engage in. While this concept may seem like an obvious expectation, Run On serves a powerful reminder that gently conveys the fact that embracing romance is not synonymous with being swept up in it. 

As a South Asian woman, love and relationships have always been closely tied to this idea of relentless sacrifice. Relationships come first before anything else and this can breed toxic ideas of what romance look likes. In my own community and many other Asian communities , everything from parenting and marriage is closely tied to this idea of living for another person. As a daughter, you live to fulfill your parents’ ideas of success. As a wife and mother, you live to solely ensure your husband and childrens’ wellbeing. What Run On taught me is this idea of balance and space that needs to exist in all our relationships. Relationships need to be built on a principle of clear communication, reciprocity, and respect. Thank you Run On for making this cold winter just a little warmer. 

[weirdthingshappenman]

Romance Is A Bonus Book

So I finally got to this kdrama in my list. Since last year Lee Jong Suk won me over after two years of me insisting I did not find him attractive or his acting good. He shut me up and made me a fan of his in the blink of an eye. This little jerk keeps making me watch his kdramas. 

Romance Is A Bonus Book is one kdrama that I was not sure I would enjoy. I am glad to say I was wrong. They represent the romance in such a natural way. I liked how she was hiding in his house and he had no clue. The first scenes with the wedding were surprising. 

There was an important lesson in this kdrama for me. Love means not imposing your feelings on the other person. He never forced himself on her, he always supported her and let her make her own decisions.

This couple got divorced because he never supported her. It was not a big cheating scandal or physical violence. It teaches you that if yo do not feel cared for, you have the right to put yourself first. Also, that the other person is not a monster. You are both human.

With Ms. Go, I am glad that they portrayed how a woman can follow her career and not follow the marry-and-be-a-mom lifestyle. She met the guy again and he found with someone else what he could not have with her. Yes, it did pain her when she saw him, but she was also able to find her own happiness with someone else. Even if she remained single, she was true to her beliefs, and that is important. 

I was a bit upset when this girl said Dan-i had not sent the contract termination because I thought she did it intentionally. She kinda did, and I was upset that they just let it slide like that but oh well...

I was also a bit upset that Dan-i´s daughter was only shown once and barely mentioned. I felt like she did not really act like a mother, because when I watched When The Camelia Blooms, the relationship mother-child was very important. I do need to keep in mind there was a lot already going on here, though.

I cried when Song Hae Rin has friendzoned by Eun Ho. It pained me so much. She was very sweet and I am glad she was able to get oveer him. They also dealt with that correctly. I do not like when in a drama the second leads fall in love too quick. It seems as if they are just settling for someone else. 

The major plot twist at the end with Seo Joon was pretty cool and I was left with a good feeling from the kdrama. All the references to us being like books were amazing.

A lot to appreciate and I do need to point out that someone said Jong Suk seemed so natural here with Na Yeong. I did see it throughout the drama that they were comfortable with each other. Jong Suk has been acting for a long time and in every drama he improves, so I think that also needs to be taken into consideration, but yeah they did have wonderful chemistry.

FOR MORE REVIEWS CHECK MY BLOG

[myfavoriteskdramas]

So guys, I've wanted to do this kind of list since a lot of time ago, of the kdramas that from my point of view are underrated, and I think more people who loves kdramas should give them a chance and watch them, so here is the first part:

1. Hogu's love aka Fool's love.

Ho Goo has a twin sister Ho Gyeong. He has tried to pass the civil service examination, but has failed for 7 years. He also has never dated in his life. One day, he meets Do Hee. She was the most popular girl back in his high school days. She is a member of the national swimming team and has a burning desire to win. She also talks like one of the guys. They spend the night together, but the next morning he finds a baby next next to him and Do Hee is gone. After Ho Goo meets Do Hee again, he becomes involved in a complicated romantic relationship and a dangerous friendship.

Link where you can watch it: https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/hogoos-love

2. The tale of nokdu aka Mung bean chronicles (one of my faves).

Jeon Nok Du is a man with extraordinary ambition to experience the big, wide world. With looks, brains, and athletic abilities, he is the epitome of perfection. After being swept up in an incident, he disguises himself as a woman to join a mysterious all-woman community and meets Dong Dong Joo.

Dong Dong Joo is a prickly gisaeng trainee. Along with her fiery personality, she is clumsy, has absolutely no sense of rhythm, and is tone-deaf, which makes all of her peers look after her. However, she is skilled with her hands as she can make anything if given the right tools. Unable to stand injustice, she speaks her mind.

Due to this fact, Jeon Nok Du ends up saving Dong Dong Joo from a dangerous situation. After that, she suddenly becomes Jeon Nok Du’s adopted daughter and he decides to live in the widow village for 1 year.

Link where you can watch it:

Is on Viki but you can watch it in this link too https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/mung-bean-chronicles

3. Clean with passion for now.

Jang Sun Gyeol has wealth and good looks but suffers from severe mysophobia. He is obsessed with cleaning and even owns his own cleaning company. However, he meets a carefree and untidy girl named Gil Oh Sol after she enters his company as a new employee.

Oh Sol has worked all sorts of part-time jobs while striving for a full-time job and does not have the luxury to date or be clean. She gave up on being neat after facing the tough reality of the world and is known for always wearing her trademark tracksuit. But she has a bright personality and does not mind getting dirty. With the help of Oh Sol, Sun Gyeol faces his mysophobia and also falls in love with her.

Link where you can watch it: https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/clean-with-passion-for-now

4. Live up to your name aka Deserving of the name.

Heo Im, who is born in a concubine family in Joseon era and has very outstanding medical skill, is frustrated about his career as he fails to climb to higher positions in the government because of his background. By accident, he travels through time to modern Seoul 400 years later and meets modern doctor Yeon Gyung. Thinking that Heo Im is weird, she hopes to get rid of Heo Im but instead, they travel back to Joseon together again.

Link where you can watch it:

Is on netflix, but you can watch it too in this link https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/deserving-of-the-name

5. Live On (Just finished one or two weeks ago) if you want to watch a short kdrama, this one it only has 8 episodes.

Live On” is set to be a romance story that follows the lives of Baek Ho Rang (Jung Da Bin), who is at the top of food chain at her high school where being trendy and popular brings higher social status, and Go Eun Taek (Minhyun), a perfectionist who is the head of the broadcasting club. Baek Ho Rang joins the broadcasting club in order get help from Go Eun Taek in uncovering the identity of a mysterious figure who is trying to bring to light parts of her past she wants to keep hidden.Baek Ho Rang immediately shot up to social media star status because of her beautiful looks and is one of the most popular girls at Seo Hyun High School. Despite being at the top of the social pyramid, she only has one true friend as she believes she is the center of the universe and looks down on others. Meanwhile, Go Eun Taek is in charge of the school’s broadcasting club and is someone who is sensitive, detail oriented, can sometimes be irritable, and plans everything out perfectly. Though he is strict and inflexible when it comes to his leadership, he never shies away from any task that is given to him and is loved by his fellow students.

Link where you can watch it:

Is on Viki but also you can watch it in this link

https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/live-on-2020

6. Dinner Mate.

This drama is about a young woman going through a rough breakup with a longtime boyfriend she’s still in love with, and a young man who’s a serial dater and kind of tired of relationships. They both like to eat out but dislike having to go to nice restaurants alone, and they happen to meet while waiting to be seated at a restaurant, each of them alone. The hostess mistakes them for a couple and offers them a couple special, which prompts them to sit together and end up having dinner together. After their first unexpected meeting, they meet and have dinner together weekly. That’s how they strike up an unusual friendship where they get together just to eat out, and over multiple dinners, they open up to each other about their relationship troubles and grow closer.

Link where you can watch it:

https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/dinner-mate

7. Oh my venus.

This is a drama about two Childhood friends meet again in their adulthood and find themselves making a bet on a “diet challenge”. The story focuses on their journey of searching for love and health.

Kang Joo Eun meets Kim Yeong Ho, who agrees to be her personal trainer to help her get healthier. As they work on her physical transformation, they both discover they have feelings for each other. As they grow closer, they heal each other's emotional wounds and fall in love.

Link where you can watch it:

Is on Viki but here's the link too

https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/oh-my-venus

8. Cheat on me if you can ( Is still on emission, there's only two episodes left).

For her work, best-selling crime author Yeo Joo researches how to make a murder look like an accidental death. Next to her is her younger husband, Woo Sung, who is a family man and works as a divorce lawyer. Woo Sung still thinks he's a sexy, attractive partner, and lives on with his wonderful marriage life. However, lately, Yeo Joo, who would rather be a widow than a divorcee, starts finding some of his behavior suspicious. Could he be cheating on her? Could Woo Sung possibly be enjoying a thrilling affair behind her back? Yeo Joo tells it straight: If he cheats, he will die.

Link where you can watch it:

Is on Viki but also here's the link https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/if-you-cheat-you-die

9. The beauty inside (one of my faves).

Han Se Kye is a top actress, also known as a troublemaker, with many rumors around her. To others, her life appears as a mystery, when in fact she is faced with a strange occurrence where she must change into a different body and new identity for one week a month. She encounters Seo Do Jae, a brilliant man who is an executive at an airline company. He seems to have it all: a perfect appearance, knowledge, and a good job; but he has a secret too. He suffers from Prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize faces. However, he manages to hide this from the world, every day he makes an effort to remember people by their personalities.

Seo Do Jae's life begins to change when he meets Han Se Kye. She is the only person whose face he can recognize. But with Han Se Kye's constant disappearance and change how long can she keep her secret?.

Link where you can watch it:

https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/the-beauty-inside-korean-drama

10. Royal secret inspector aka Secret royal agent (is on emission now, there's a few episodes left).

Set towards the end of the Joseon era, Sung Yi-Gyeom placed first in the state examination and he now works at the Hongmungwan (administrative and research department). He doesn't have a goal or ambition for his life. One day, Sung Yi-Gyeom is caught gambling. As punishment, he is assigned to work as a secret royal inspector. His job is to eradicate illegal acts and corruption by public officers. He carries out his new job with the help of Hong Da-In and Park Chun-Sam. Hong Da-In is a female inspector and solves cases with Sung Yi-Gyeom. Park Chun-Sam is Sung Yi-Gyeom’s servant. Park Chun-Sam is talkative, affectionate, and tearful.

Meanwhile, Sung Yi-Beom is Sung Yi-Gyeom’s younger stepbrother. His father is a nobleman, but his mother is a slave. Due to his mother's low social status, his father does not accept him as his real son and he is barred from having certain opportunities. He opposes his older stepbrother Sung Yi-Gyeom.

Link where you can watch it:

https://dramacool.so/drama-detail/new-secret-royal-inspector

[eggsaladstain]

don’t mind me i’m just crying about korean zombies again

spoilers for kingdom season 2 under the cut

i have a lot of thoughts about this show, but let’s start with the central theme of hunger, specifically how it repeats itself across generations.

first, there’s the very literal hunger of the people. a food shortage has left the people starving and while the adults may endure, it’s the children who suffer the most. it’s the hunger of this young generation that drive their parents to action, often with disastrous consequences. a father asks seo-bi for more soup so his wife will be able to breastfeed there child, unaware that the meat is infected. the pregnant women are lured to the queen’s private residence by the promise of ample food to nourish their unborn children. another father’s desire to feed his child results in a fire that destroys the entire citadel’s food supply. in all these cases, it’s the hunger that ultimately dooms them. 

what about the hunger of the undead? by episode 3, we learn the truth - that the first zombies were created in a moment of desperation by cho hak-ju and lord ahn hyun, who hunted down an entire village of sick peasants and turned them into monsters in order to win a war against the japanese. after the invaders are defeated, the undead are disposed of as well - they are consumable, having served their one purpose, and now, the dead stay dead. later, cho hak-ju resurrects the king, sacrificing countless innocent people to satisfy the king’s new hunger for flesh. the bodies are disposed of in the lake, weighed down by heavy stone, and the dead stay dead. but one of victims - dan-i - leaves the palace and returns to jiyulheon, a clinic full of sick villagers. staying at the clinic is yeong-sin, a member of the first village, who seeks revenge for the deaths of his family. he sees the hungry people, sees the dead body, and knows what must be done. the villagers devour the meat, their stomachs full for the first time in a long time, but the clinic soon falls silent. history repeats itself as another group of sick villagers succumb to a very different type of sickness. this time, the dead don’t stay dead - they rise. 

finally, the hunger for power. this is arguably the most dangerous of all because it is a conscious choice, not driven by instinct. cho hak-ju is guilty of this time and time again, but most of all when he resurrects the king in order to secure his family’s position in the palace. but his greed is no match for his daughter’s, who leaves a trail of dead women and infants in her desire to produce an heir to the throne. by the end of the season, her hunger for power has surpassed even her desire to live as she would rather the entire kingdom be consumed than give up her seat on the throne. lee chang, too, spends most of the show trying to gain power and secure his position as the crown prince, and his path is littered with bodies as well, though their lives were willingly given to protect him. by the end of the season, he gives up the title he fought so hard for, intent on allowing the next generation to restore order to the kingdom while he fights the battle on the ground. but when we meet the young prince - a lonely boy who misses the family he believes he has lost, unaware that his birth mother is within the palace walls - it’s hard to see chang’s decision to step back as a good one. he has placed an incredible burden on those young shoulders, and without knowing it, has left the kingdom with yet another infected king on the throne. 

looking back at all this, it’s hard to believe this show has only had 12 episodes. there has been such a deftness of storytelling and pacing with season 1 building the tension by showing us the horrors of the infected, while season 2 gives us the payoff as the plot threads come together and we see the horrors of men. 

easily my favorite scene this season is the beginning of episode 3 where we see the flashback of the first zombie hoard attacking the japanese. it’s so viscerally disturbing because it’s clear that these undead are not soldiers, they’re just ordinary sick people, skinny and small and still covered in bandages before being sent out to fight someone else’s war. when we see an hyun’s men rounding up this group of terrified people, it’s hard to remember that he’s supposed to be one of the good guys. in the next scene, when we see the undead an hyun’s snarling face, it’s still devastating because he was a friend and ally, but it also feels like justice for the part he played in the war. 

this show reminds me another netflix original, the haunting of hill house. both shows have elements of horror - zombies and ghosts respectively - but the true horror is not the supernatural itself, but rather its consequences on humans and the emotional fallout. who could forget the final scene of season 1 when chang slowly realizes they have survived the night only to face the undead during the day, the fear on his face so palpable and arresting. season 2 is still fresh in my mind, but there are so many scenes i know i won’t soon forget - from the visual of a newly resurrected an hyun stumbling into screen, his familiar face contorted in an inhuman growl, to mu-yeong’s tragic death, to the queen’s shocking murder of her father, reminding us that the undead are not the only monsters we have to fear. 

i will probably be in the minority here, but i really liked the relatively open ending and found it so satisfying. considering netflix’s penchant for canceling its shows after 2-3 seasons, it was the smartest way to handle the uncertainty of whether there would be another season because we got the conclusion of the central story about power and hunger along with a nice teaser of the adventures that may still come. 

that said, netflix, please do renew this show for so we can continue to watch lee chang slaying zombies, yeong-sin bodyslamming everything in sight, seo-bi saving the day, and beom-pal just doing his best and tagging along for the ride. 

[coreastories]

The question of heirs

So we have father’s-day-baby-fever for #CoreaNews. Lol

This is something I’ve outlined some time ago, so stick with me, guys. We’re getting there. 

In the meantime, I leave you with this:

That’s the line of succession who entered the palace directly behind little-Gon in Episode 1. 

That’s Prince Buyeong. Then Seo-hyeon, Prince Buyeong’s smarmy son, and... Se-jin! 

As a reminder, Se-jin is Seo-hyeon’s daughter, and Gon’s named heir when Prince Buyeong was killed, skipping Seo-hyeon entirely. 

What a cutie! She’s only a little younger than Gon. 

And she was already alive on the night of the treason. 

Continuity mistake: They made Seo-hyeon so young on the night of the treason that so many people think Yeong just undid the life of Se-jin when he broke Seo-hyeon’s neck just like that. (Swoon).  

Technically, they didn’t. Technically, Seo-hyeon should have looked older the night of the treason. I was all geared up to make him out to be some smarmy teenage father but I re-watch this show like it’s my meals so I saw little Se-jin. 

And that’s what I’ll use for #CoreaNews and #CoreaFiction. 

I want Gon and Tae-eul decide to have heirs because they want to. 

Not because they need to. 

But yes, they do need to, because it’s the king’s duty. But technically, a king always has heirs he can name. This is why they absolutely try to have an heir and a spare/several spares. You never know when the spare will come in handy, even generations down the line. 

Even if Se-jin was undone, there would be other cousins. 

I don’t want a duty-baby. I want a love-baby.  

 #CoreaNews #CoreaFiction

(You can absolutely tell me to just get on with it, but be nice, lol. And talk about your own thoughts, of course!) 

[kdramalifee]

What are your most favorite/recommended dramas? I've honestly only have watched 4 cause never know where to start once I finish one. Thank you!! 💕

Sorry of the late reply ❤

Here’s a “few” dramas that I enjoyed. Some of them fall into more than one category so I’ve written what categories I feel they fall into for each one. I’m going to write the amount of episodes for each show, but I’ll only be counting by (approx.) hour, so if the drama has 32 episodes where each “episode” is half an hour, I’ll write it as 16 episodes. Also some of these have several names, so I’ve just used the one they use on mydramalist. I’ve bolded my favourites.

This list might seem a bit daunting (as it is quite long) but I recommend looking at the specific genres you know you enjoy and just pick one you think seems interesting (there’s no shame in dropping a drama if it doesn’t grip you). If you can’t decide which one to start first, send me a message with the ones you’re trying to choose between and I’ll help you decide ^^

Action/suspense/Crime:

Bad Guys: 11 episodes, Action, Thriller, Psychological. A police detective gathers a team of criminals to combat crime in exchange for reducing their sentence. Throughout the drama, secrets are revealed. 

Class of Lies: 16 episodes, Suspense, School, Mystery, Law. A highly successful lawyer falls from grace after the fallout from one of his cases. He fakes his identity to get the position as a teacher at the school connected to this case in an attempt to uncover the truth and save his reputation. 

Cross: 16 episodes, Medical, Suspense. To get revenge for the death of his father, Kang In Kyu becomes a (highly skilled) doctor/surgeon and gets a job at the prison where his father’s killer resides in order to kill him.

Doubtful Victory: 20 episodes, Mystery, Crime. A man who was wrongfully sentenced to death when he was younger escapes from prison and fakes his identity as a police officer to help prove his innocence.  (Just a heads up: I don’t think a lot of people liked this drama (it gets a bit draggy in the middle). I liked it, but I think that’s an unpopular opinion)  

Kill It: 12 episodes, Action, Thriller. Kim Soo Hyun is a veterinarian who is also a professional killer. One day he is hired in exchange for information about his past. At the same time a detective is trying to find Kim Soo Hyun. They both uncover a mystery regarding their shared past. 

Healer: 20 episodes, Romance, Action, Mystery.  "Healer” is a special kind of night courier, that gets his clients whatever they want, as long as it doesn't involve murder. He is hired by a famous reporter to collect information on a second-rate tabloid writer. He begins to uncover the mystery of his own shared past with the two reporters, thus putting them all in danger. (This is a very popular drama that a lot of people have seen, so if you haven’t seen it I would recommend it.)

Mad Dog: 16 episodes, Action, Investigation, Mystery. A group calling themselves “Mad Dog” fights against insurance scams. They start working with Kim Min Joon, the brother of the man who crashed a plane killing the child and wife of the leader of Mad Dog. They try to uncover the truth behind the plane crash.

Player: 14 episodes, Action, Investigation. A private investigation team consisting of a swindler, a fighter, an elite hacker, and a talented driver is asked to take back property hidden away by criminals.

Save Me: 16 episodes, Psychological, Suspense. Following the failure of her father's business, Sang Mi and her family move to Muji-gun where they have no friends or relatives. After a tragic event, the family is taken in by the “Spiritual Father” resulting in them being trapped in a cult. Four young men try to save her.  

Stranger: 16 episodes, Investigation, Mystery.  Hwang Shi Mok had brain surgery when he was a child, which caused him to lack emotion. Now, Hwang Shi Mok works as a prosecutor. He meets Police Lieutenant Han Yeo Jin at a murder crime scene and they work together to eradicate corruption at the prosecutor's office and solve a serial murder case.

The Guardians: 16 episodes, Action, Thriller.  After the murder of her daughter, Jo Soo Ji joins forces with a few other people to monitor criminals 24 hours a day and rescue potential victims before the crime is committed. Together with these people she fights to get justice for her daughter, who’s murderer is still free.

WATCHER: 16 episodes, Action, Suspense, Investigation. Kim Young Goon became a police officer after his father was imprisoned for the murder of his mother. The detective who imprisoned his father is the leader of the internal affairs investigation team and gets Young Goon to join in order to fight against corruption and uncover the truth behind the tragic incident.  

Fantasy/sci-fi: 

Angels Last Mission: Love: 16 episodes, Romance, Fantasy.  Lee Yeon Seo is the prima ballerina, but after an accident she has to give up her dream. After her parents' sudden death, she doesn’t trust anyone since there are a lot of people lurking around her and her inherited money. Kim Dan is an optimistic, carefree angel who is always getting into trouble. In order to return to heaven, he is tasked with a mission to find true love for the talented but emotionally distant ballerina

Are You Human Too?: 18 episodes, Romace, Sci-fi. After loosing her son to her father in law, a woman creates an android to replace him. Years later the android called Nam Shin III must pretend to be the son of the rich family when the real Nam Shin falls into a coma.

Chicago Typewriter: 16 episodes, Fantasy/Supernatural, Romance. The story of a popular writer suffering from writers block, a fan of said author and a literal GHOST writer who starts writing for the main character. In a past life, these three people were all members of the resistance wanting to free Korea from the Japanese occupation. The story is set in modern times and in the 1930′s. 

Circle: 12 episodes, Alien, Sci-fi, Mystery. This drama is set in both 2017 and the year 2037. In 2017 we follow the story of a college student working together with a woman that looks identical to a girl he knew as a child to investigate suicides that she insists are actually murders. In 2037 technology has advanced to the point where you can control human emotion (creating a city without crime). A detective enters this city in order to investigate a missing persons case from 2017. (The first half of each episode is set in 2017, the other half in 2037). 

Duel: 16 episodes, Sci-fi, Crime, Suspense. After his daughter gets kidnapped a detective tries all he can to get her back. Suddenly the culprit shows up without any memories, denying that he has anything to do with the case. They work together to find the detectives daughter and uncover secrets along the way. 

EXIT: 2 episodes (drama special), Sci-fi, Psychological.  Kang Soo is a loan shark that tries to get by day to day in his depressing reality. No matter how hard he tries, he can't escape the nightmare of his reality, and when he was about to give up on his life, he sees a flier asking, "Do you want to become happy?" He goes to the research center, however, he learns that happiness comes at a steep price of 300,000 dollars. He decides to steal the money.

Extraordinary You: 16 episodes, Romance, Fantasy, School.  Eun Dan Oh, a 17 year-old high-school student, experiences gaps in her memory and eventually comes to the realization that she’s living in a comic book. Not only that, but she is also a secondary character who’s supposed to die later on in the story due to a heart condition. She decides to change her fate and defy the writer to get a happy ending for herself. 

Go Back Couple: 12 episodes, Fantasy, Life, Romance.  Choi Ban Do and Ma Jin Joo are both 38-years-old and a married couple. Choi Ban Do has been burdened with being the breadwinner and Ma Jin Joo is a housewife with low self-esteem. Even though they loved each other when they married, they now hate each other. They both regret marrying at such a young age. The couple travels through time and finds themselves as 20-year-old university students when they met for the first time.

He is Psychometric: 16 episodes, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Comedy. After losing his parents in a fire, Lee Ahn acquires the power of psychometry, the ability to read a person or an object's past through physical contact, and he decides to use it to take bad people down. While he does not know how to control his power yet, he meets Yoon Jae In who tries her best to hide her painful secrets. Together with his foster guardian, prosecutor Kang Sung Mo, and the latter's colleague, investigator Eun Ji Soo, they team up to solve an elusive case that has been haunting the lives of Ahn, Sung Mo, and Jae In.

Life on Mars: 16 episodes, Fantasy, Mystery, Suspense. As leader of a crime investigation team, Han Tae Joo has propelled his career and risen through the ranks by trusting data over all else. One day, while investigating a serial murder case, he has an accident. When he wakes up, he suddenly finds himself in the winter of 1988. He doesn't know why, but he's now a detective appointed to work at a police station in a small city. To get back to the present day, Han Tae Joo tries to solve the case.

Signal: 16 episodes, Mystery, Fantasy, Crime.  Fifteen years ago, a young girl was kidnapped on the way from school, and Park Hae Yeong, who was an elementary school student at that time, witnessed the crime. A few days later, the girl was found dead, and the police were not able to find the culprit. As time went by, Hae Yeong started distrusting the police. Fifteen years later, Hae Yeong is now a police officer and criminal profiler. One day, he finds a walkie-talkie that allows him to get in contact with Detective Lee Jae Han who is in the past. They then set out on a journey to solve cold cases.

Splash Splash Love: 2 episodes (Drama Special), Romance, Fantasy. Dan Bi is a high school senior who has given up on math. On the day she is about to take the KSAT for college, she is transported back into the past during a freak rain shower. She finds herself hundreds of years in the past at the height of the Joseon Kingdom, which is suffering from a severe drought. She encounters King Lee Do who yearns to learn advanced mathematics and falls in love with him.

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon: 16 episodes, Romance, Fantasy. Bong Soon is a woman with supernatural strenght who pines after a childhood crush who now works as a police officer. She is approached by the CEO of a gaming company who has a distrust for the police and she starts working as a bodyguard for him. (There are some problematic elements to this show, but the romance is really sweet) 

The Guest: 16 episodes, Supernatural, Horror, Mystery. It centers around three characters who had their lives ruined by a demon called “Son” (the guest) when they were kids. Yoon Hwa Pyung is a psychic that can see ghosts and who was once possessed by “Son” causing his mother and his grandmother to die and his father to try to kill him. Kang Gil Young is a detective whose mother was killed by the demon and Choi Yoon/ Mateo is a catholic priest that exorcises demons and whose brother was once possessed by “Son” causing him to kill his family. They band together to find and stop “Son”.

You Who Came From the Stars: 21 episodes, Romance, Fantasy. Do Min Joon is an alien who landed on Earth 400 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty period. He possesses a near perfect appearance and enhanced physical abilities involving his vision, hearing and speed. Later, he discovers that he has three months left on Earth. And that is when he meets Cheon Song Yi, the biggest Hallyu star in Korea.

Romance:

Come and Hug Me: 16 episodes, Suspense, Romance, Melodrama. When they were children, Yoon Na Moo and Gil Nak Won were each others first love. They are forced to break apart when Na Moo's father Yoon Hee Jae, a psychopath serial killer, murders Nak Won's parents. 12 years later, Jae Yi has become a popular actress and Do Jin is now an experienced detective trying to repent for his fathers sins. They meet again and start to develop a relationship.

Descendants of the Sun: 16 episodes, Romance, Medical, Action. Kang Mo Yeon works as a cardiothoracic surgeon and Yoo Shi Jin is the Captain and team leader of Alpha Team. They both get sent into an area of conflict, and start to devolop a relationship.

Hospital Ship: 20 episodes, Romance, Medical. This drama is about army doctors aboard a hospital ship, which is a floating hospital that serves people who live on remote islands. Eun Jae, a cold perfectionist surgeon whose fast-track career was derailed, starts working at the ship.

Just Between Lovers: 16 episodes, Romance, Melodrama. A shopping center collapses killing many people. When he was 15, Lee Gang Doo dreamed of playing for the Korean national soccer team, but a serious injury sustained as a result of the accident destroys those dreams. In the years after the accident, Gang Doo spends his days fighting through physical and emotional pain, struggling to support his sister and pay back a hefty debt, and working as a construction worker. When she was 15, Ha Moon Soo lived through the accident, and years later she is still plagued by nightmares. She lives above the women’s bath house that her mother runs and specializes in making architectural models that are an important safety element in any major building planning process. Years after the incident, a construction project is due to kick-off at the accident site, and they both get involved in the project, causing them to develop a relationship while struggling with the painful memories it brings back. 

Shopping King Louie: 16 episodes, Romance. The story of “Shopaholic Louie” revolves around a handsome shopaholic named Louie, who is the successor of a vast business empire but becomes homeless after suffering from amnesia. Meanwhile, Koh Bok Shil, a country girl who lives a life that is worlds apart from the rich and famous, encounters Louie in Seoul. They develop a relationship.

Thirty but Seventeen: 16 episodes, Romance. Woo Seo Ri, a violin prodigy at 17 who was about to study in Germany, got into a bus accident and fell into a coma waking up 13 years later. Mentally she is still only 17, while physically she is now 30. Due to a trauma he experienced 13 years before, Gong Woo Jin does not want to have a relationship with others. They get to know each other and try and open the door to the happiness that they once thought had been closed to them.

When the Camellia Blooms: 20 episodes, Romance, Thriller, Life. Dong Baek is a single mother living in the small town of Ongsan. She runs the bar-restaurant Camellia, while also taking care of her son Pil Gu. The people of Ongsan frequently gossip about Dong Baek. She grew up as an orphan, is a single mother and runs a bar where many of the men in Ongsan frequent. Regardless of what the locals may whisper about Dong Baek, local police officer Hwang Yong Shik is deeply in love with her. Meanwhile, Dong Baek's ex-boyfriend Kang Jong Ryeol suddenly reappears in her life. He is a famous baseball player, that hid their relationship when they dated. While Dong Baek tries to find happiness, something truly sinister lurks in the background. A serial killer roams Ongsan and Dong Baek may be a target.

Historical:

Kingdom: 6 episodes, Action, Historical, Zombie. The King falls ill to smallpox and rumors start to spread that he has actually died. Meanwhile, Crown Prince Lee Chang is labeled a traitor by the Haewon Cho Clan, the clan of the current pregnant Queen and her father, Chief State Councillor Cho Hak Joo. While trying to uncover the mystery of what happened to his father, the Crown Prince goes with his guard, Moo Young, to Dongnae to look for the physician that treated his father, only to be stuck with Assistant Physician Seo Bi and a mysterious man named Young Shin in a village plagued with a terrifying disease.

My Country: 16 episodes, Historical, Action, Romance, Tragedy. Two friends ends up on opposite sides in a conflict involving the fight for the crown. Confronted with betrayal the two of them have to learn how to fight against their best friend all while trying to stay good in a cruel world.  

The Tale of Nokdu: 16 episodes, Action, Romance, Comedy. One day, Nok Du’s father and older brother are attacked by a group of female assassins. Jeon Nok Du chases after one of the assassins to the capital. To find out why his family was attacked, Jeon Nok Du disguises himself as a woman and enters a widow village where the assassins are hiding. There, he meets Dong Dong Ju who is an apprentice to become a gisaeng.

Misc:

Age of Youth: 12 episodes, Friendship, Life.  Five girls in their twenties come to live together in a house called "Belle Epoque. As the girls feel a bond of sympathy and become closer, they also deal with their personal issues as they live out their eventful twenties. The drama follows their struggles and incidents dealing with relationships - within their circles, with dating, and with each other - and a variety of events they are experiencing including credits, part-time jobs, drinking, hopes and dreams. (This drama also has a second season)

Avengers Social Club: 12 episodes, Friendship, Life.  Features three women from different walks of life coming together for revenge: a fish store ajumma who envisioned a better life for herself, a housewife, and a chaebol’s daughter who was raised like a delicate greenhouse flower. They’re an unlikely trio who would never otherwise meet, but they join forces to carry out their individual revenges. Although they start out as co-conspirators, along the way they’ll build a strong friendship.

Chief Kim: 20 episodes, Business, Comedy. Kim Sung Ryong is a skilled accountant who works for gangsters. He makes his way into a company called TQ Group as a middle manager in the accounting department with the intention of embezzling money from the company. As he contends with hot-shot accountant Yoon Ha Kyung, financial prodigy Seo Yul and peppy intern Hong Ga Eun, Sung Ryong finds himself embroiled in office politics and notices other shenanigans by those in power that threaten to bring down the company. Sung Ryong slowly comes to realize that he’d rather fight against corporate corruption and fight for employees’ rights than complete the mission he originally came to do. 

Miss Hammurabi: 16 episodes, Law, Romance. Park Cha Oh Reum is a newly appointed judge who is assigned to the 44th Civil Affairs Department at the Seoul Central District. She is always on the lookout for injustice and is able to profoundly empathize with others. Compared to her, Im Ba Reun is a cool-headed man of principle with the creed of ‘Court that is equal to all’, and he is displeased with junior judge Park Cha Oh Reum who is overly sympathetic when it comes to cases. (There is one moment in the first episode (I believe) where something problematic occurs, but I think its only that one thing). 

Psychopath Diary: 16 episodes, Comedy, Mystery.  Yook Dong Sik is a 34-year-old office worker who is so weak and timid that he is used by everybody around him. After an incident, he becomes the scapegoat of his company, and so facing losing his job and his family turning their back on him, he decides to commit suicide. While doing so, he unexpectedly stumbles across a murder scene, but gets into an accident while running from the murderer. He wakes up with amnesia with the psychopath's diary in his possession. With no clues to his true nature other than the diary,and his fragmented memory lining up with the diary entry, he begins to believe that he is in fact a psychopath serial killer.

Happy watching! 

[lenteur]

random thoughts about run on, episode twelve

(please do note that this post contains spoilers so read at your own risk.)

continuing with the kiss that happened at the end of the previous episode, we see yeong hwa sad and crying about dan ah playing with his feelings 💔 i’m a bit disappointed the show didn’t make this scene more serious. however, i do understand why they chose that angle

ms. seo (as he likes to call her) always calls him kid. we see him cry over the kiss then instantly become happy when he eats chicken, pouting when things don’t go his way. he truly is a kid. it’s like we saw him through dan ah’s eyes

i find it amusing how he’s the only one who can drive dan ah crazy like that. makes their relationship even more interesting

may’s reaction to mi joo’s a*gyo is the same as mine whenever i see a*gyo. #cringe

the first half of this episode focused more on dan ah and i really enjoyed it because the writers developed her complicated relationship with her younger brother.

i feel for tae woong because all he wants is a family and some affection. he’s ready to do anything for his sister. “i guess i have a weakness for people who like me. i’m not immune to love yet” that explains a lot

this might be a detail for some but i was waiting to see woo sik run because we couldn’t at the beginning of the show.

contrary to what mi joo says, i think seon gyeom’s super cute with glasses. adds 144562545896523 points to his natural charms. and her excuse made me roll my eyes so much 🙄 “i don’t want anything covering your face” well, allow me to disagree with you

ki eun bi is a queen 👑👑👑 she’s talking back to her father’s friends while still being polite and courteous. and then we see her defending children’s dreams and careers when she says “does your daughter want to play golf?” she’s living her father’s dream and i’m not sure if she began playing golf for herself or her father. i like that she has enough distance with her childhood to realize she doesn’t want other kids to go through what she’s been through

“i don’t want to talk to married men” i’m so sorry your father forces you to do that queen :( you don’t deserve it

i’m happy this show still gives us many interesting quotes about translating (just so i can annoy the 0 people who are reading this) “some people say it’s treason to translate” it’s such a true statement. i’ve seen people, especially for movies, say well you’re just twisting what the original version says. you don’t know the truth. you’ll never be able to give a good translation of this word/sentence. and as translators, trust me, we know. and that’s one of our biggest fears. we can spend hours focusing on one word because we don’t want the message to get across the wrong way. we’ve had nightmares about it as well. which is why i’ve never wanted to work for movies/shows because i know the impact is bigger than any other field of translation.

it was obvious that ki jeong do (seon gyeom’s father) would spy on the main couple. it still sent chills down my spine though

thank you to ki eun bi for letting mi joo know. i luv sisterhood 💕

in case you didn’t know it already, lee yeong hwa is my favorite character. he can go from cold to cutie in .2 seconds. i prefer the cute version even more (even though i cringe at his a*gyo)

i like that whenever yeong hwa is in a scene, it always ends up being funny lol

like for example when he was trying to put the lens in seon gyeom’s eye. everything stopped and cue the romantic music. add on top of that yeong hwa saying things like “don’t you feel the tension?” (i forgot to copy paste the exact words sorry for that)

or when mi joo asked yeong hwa if he saw anyone suspicious. yeong hwa: *points at mi joo* idk if it was on purpose but it brought me back to mi joo saying seon gyeom is suspicious lol

it felt nice to see dan ah share her feelings about yeong hwa “you’ve been my comfort but also my despair” “i used to be content with your paintings but it made me miss you more.” “it felt like wasting time without you by my side” i don’t know how their story will end but i hope we’ll get a few more moments like this one please?

“using the family to your advantage disgusts me” yes seon gyeom! tell your father the truth! when he came to save eun bi from these men, i let out a sigh of relief. FINALLY!!!

ki jeong do blaming seon gyeom’s behavior on mi joo. it’s partly true because she’s the one who encouraged him to do whatever he wants, to not listen to everything anyone else has to say and to focus on what he feels. but i think seon gyeom had it in him. mi joo was just the catalyst in that change of behavior

“you ruined seon gyeom. he used to be such a good boy but he won’t listen to me anymore” “i have the right to own him” like mi joo said, it feels like ki jeong do thinks his son is an object and not a person. he’s been using his family all along. and he’s mad that he can’t do that with his son anymore.

and then mi joo counteracts with “your son isn’t an object. why do you talk as if he’s yours?” “then you’d discard him if there’s a seizure warranty on him” thankfully mi joo is here to defend seon gyeom and prove she cares for him

when seon gyeom said “she (mi joo) is my strength, not my weakness” i went weak in the knees. mi joo is the one who helped him be more confident and bold. she pushed him out of his comfort zone. he gives it his all when he falls in love