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veronica-nardi · 4 years

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Graceful Family

"Esiste qualcuno che non sia un doppiogiochista?"

Ho iniziato questo drama assolutamente per caso, non era previsto e non era in lista. Qualche giorno fa sono andata su Viki con l'intenzione di vedermi una serie con Yeo Jin-goo (mio amore dell'anno), e ne avevo anche trovata una, ma il fato ha voluto che i miei occhi cadessero sulla locandina di Graceful Family e che, per qualche motivo, ne rimanessi attratta.

Incuriosita, ci ho cliccato sopra e ho dato una letta veloce alla trama, giusto per capire di cosa si stesse parlando. Sempre più incuriosita, mi ha convinta del tutto vedere Bae Jong Ok figurare nel cast. Ho già avuto modo di vedere quest'attrice in Designated Survivor 60 Days e Live, due drama oggettivamente buoni e che mi sono piaciuti molto, quindi sono andata sulla fiducia e ho spinto play.

Una volta entrata nel circolo vizioso che è questa serie, non sono riuscita più a fermarmi.

Gli episodi sono lunghi (il finale dura quanto un film), ma annoiarsi diventa impossibile quando la trama è intrigante e avvincente e i personaggi in scena sono dei profili psicologici oltremodo interessanti (questa famiglia è una gabbia di matti) :

Mo Seok Hee torna in Corea dopo quindici anni di assenza per scoprire la vera identità dell'assassino di sua madre. Quella morte è avvenuta in circostanze misteriose e nessuno dei famigliari sembra felice del ritorno della ragazza. A complicare le cose c'è la questione dell'erede dell'azienda: il nonno vorrebbe lasciare tutto alla nipote Seok Hee ma il resto della famiglia non è d'accordo. Partono quindi uno spietatissimo "gioco del trono" e una frustrante partita a Cluedo piena di rivelazioni scioccanti.

Completano il quadro l'avvocato Heo Yoon Do, un giovane idealista che si mette a collaborare con Seok Hee perché anche lui desidera rivelare la verità, e TOP, una squadra speciale che si occupa di gestire le situazioni critiche dell'MC Group, capitanata dalla satanica direttrice Han Je Kook.

Detta la trama (in linea di massima), parto subito col dire che questa serie mi è piaciuta un sacco. Erano almeno due mesi che non vedevo una serie che mi prendesse in questo modo (alla fine di ogni episodio dovevo subito cliccare sul successivo perché mi lasciavano sempre con un cliffhanger incredibile) e cominciavo a soffrirne.

Questo drama mi ha dato una delle cose che adoro di più quando guardo una serie, ovvero il "gioco del trono" alla Game of thrones, qui rappresentato dalla posizione di Capo dell'MC Group. Inoltre, essendo una grande amante dei gialli, ho anche adorato la ricerca del colpevole, di cui ti svelano l'identità solamente all'ultimo episodio. Prima ti dicono chi sono i sospettati e perché, ma la verità te la concedono solo all'ultimo, motivo per cui mi sono maratonata gli episodi.

Il fatto poi che l'assassinio fosse avvenuto all'interno di una casa e che il colpevole fosse uno della famiglia (questo non è spoiler, è chiaro fin dall'inizio), mi ha sempre ricordato una partita di Cluedo.

Penso che questa partita sia stata gestita molto bene: mi è piaciuto molto l'espediente di un piccolo pezzetto di flashback all'inizio di ogni episodio, stile puzzle che si viene a formare puntata dopo puntata fino a mostrare l'immagine completa. E quando la verità è venuta tutta a galla è stato... beh, tosto.

Questa serie mi ha dato tante emozioni, qualche risata, qualche pianto, ma sopratutto mi sono sentita così frustrata, impotente e arrabbiata in tanti momenti, ovvero tutte quelle volte che venivano attuate strategie per spuntarla, per insabbiare, per calpestare, per vincere il gioco.

Su questo punto, a livello di strategie, alleanze, complotti, vendette ecc, la serie ha fatto un ottimo lavoro a mio avviso, e mi ha regalato delle perle davvero incredibili.

Per quanto riguarda i personaggi, chi più chi meno mi sono piaciuti tutti. Ho amato la protagonista e la villain è stata una vera chicca.

Avendo visto da poco The Umbrella Academy, non ho potuto fare a meno di pensare ai rapporti a volte complicati dei fratelli Hargreeves, ma posso assicurare che Five & company sono la famiglia del Mulino Bianco in confronto a questa famiglia.

Ho impiegato un po' per capire per bene l'albero genealogico, perché tra vari mogli, amanti e figli, all'inizio mi ero un po' persa. E proprio quando pensavo di aver capito tutto, ecco che verso la fine la serie decide di scioccarmi con una rivelazione alla Game of thrones Style, e non ho potuto fare a meno di pensare a questa famiglia come a dei Targaryen 2.0.

Ma devo ammettere che è stato anche divertente: le facce sconvolte dei famigliari come se fossero appena stati colpiti da un fulmine quando vengono rivelati certi dettagli, sono state oro colato che mi hanno fatto scoppiare a ridere più di una volta.

Ho pensato a delle ipotetiche evoluzioni, ma più che evoluzioni, nel corso della serie ci danno informazioni che ci fanno capire i personaggi a 360⁰. Alla fine abbiamo un quadro generale davvero completo e ben fatto.

A livello tecnico la serie è fatta davvero bene: ottima recitazione, bellissimi gli outfit (sopratutto quelli della protagonista), buona la regia, la fotografia, bella la storia intrigante e piena di tensione.

Molto bella anche la colonna sonora, anche se un po' povera e ripetitiva.

Graceful Family offre anche alcuni spunti di riflessione su temi importanti ed è anche una serie di critica e di denuncia su alcuni aspetti del sistema capitalistico.

Caldamente consigliata.

Punteggio: 8.5

DA QUI SPOILER.

Dunque, riguardo i personaggi dei famigliari, i miei preferiti sono stati due: Seok Hee e Wan Soo.

Ma vediamoli uno per uno:

- Seok Hee è stata una protagonista che ho amato davvero tantissimo: forte, combattiva, orgogliosa, fragile, sensibile, empatica. Una ragazza il cui obiettivo più grande è la vendetta, ma che non diventa un mostro lungo la strada. Capace di non abbassare la testa e farsi rispettare, intelligente, strategica, ma anche umana nei suoi momenti di crollo e capace di provare dispiacere ed empatia per gli altri, l'ho trovato un personaggio piuttosto sfaccettato e per cui ho tifato tantissimo.

Ci sono state tante scene in cui mi sono sentita talmente frustrata da voler entrare nella storia e fare qualcosa per aiutarla, ma sono molto contenta che questo personaggio femminile sia stato abbastanza intelligente da poter gareggiare in questa partita. Sopratutto la scena in cui riesce a ingannare la direttrice Han e a registrare la conversazione con la penna, sono stata talmente orgogliosa di lei da voler piangere (anche perché la tensione era alle stelle).

Seok Hee è sicuramente una delle mie protagoniste femminili preferite dell'anno, e ora non so proprio chi la spunterà tra lei e Jang Man-wol di Hotel del Luna.

Tra l'altro, ammettetelo: QUESTE DONNE SONO SORELLE SEPARATE ALLA NASCITA.

In Seok Hee ho rivisto la stessa aria da "badass" di Jang Man-wol, e allo stesso tempo la sua sensibilità e il suo dolore nascosti dietro una corazza di rabbia. Per non parlare dello stesso stile fashion: entrambe una gioia per gli occhi in ogni singola scena con i loro bellissimi vestiti.

Ok. Chi ha copiato chi?

Battute a parte, protagonista assolutamente approvata sia come personaggio che come recitazione.

- il padre di famiglia. Ok, un padre di merda (soprattutto la battuta "non dovevi nascere" alla figlia è stata davvero terribile), ma posso dire una cosa? Quest'uomo mi ha anche fatto tenerezza. Nel vederlo tra la moglie e la figlia che si scannano a vicenda, tra un figlio transessuale e l'altro figlio che passa le giornate a bere e a elemosinare soldi per girare il suo film, tra la spietata direttrice Han (di cui a una certa inizia ad avere paura, e con ragione!), e la verità tra il suo stesso padre e Seok Hee, ci credo che quest'uomo alla fine sia crollato.

Devo dire che le sue espressioni da gattone confuso e smarrito mi hanno sempre fatto morire dalle risate XD.

EPICA LA SCENA DEL ""REGALO"" DI COMPLEANNO. Ho adorato.

- la Matrigna. Ok, ammetto che il cliché della matrigna cattiva è un po' banale, però mi è piaciuta anche lei come personaggio. Stronza, cattiva, ambiziosa, arrogante, l'idea che mi ha dato questa donna è quella di credersi superiore rispetto ad altri, come se lei facesse parte di un élite privilegiata. Mi è rimasta impressa la scena della musicista con i piedi nel ghiaccio: una vera e propria tortura.

Ma sopratutto è stata crudelmente umana nella sua preferenza verso Wan Joon. Questa è una cosa terribile per un genitore, nessun padre o madre dovrebbe preferire un figlio rispetto a un altro, però succede, è una cosa reale. Ed ecco perché questa è una famiglia disagiata, ecco perché è finita com'è finita.

La cosa bella di questa famiglia è che è tutta apparenza, e con il procedere degli episodi le maschere cadono una dopo l'altra che è una bellezza.

La Matrigna ad esempio, anche se passa il tempo a dichiarare il suo enorme affetto per Wan Joon e a sbandierare quanto è bravo, alla fine non lo ascolta davvero e non vuole davvero il suo bene: a lei non importa quello che può volere o sognare lui, non le importa CHI è davvero suo figlio, la sola cosa che vuole è vederlo diventare nuovo AD dell'MC Group.

Lei e il marito Genitori dell'Anno subito.

- Wan Joon. Freddo e antipatico, non ho mai provato una forte simpatia per lui (ma questo vale per me), però ammetto che è un personaggio scritto bene con una buona psicologia. E forse non sarà Mister Simpatia, ma se mi metto nei suoi panni e vedo le cose dal suo punto di vista, Wan Joon diventa un personaggio abbastanza triste che posso riassumere in una parola: prigioniero.

Prigioniero delle aspettative, degli stereotipi, della paura, del giudizio, di se stesso. Sarà anche stato il favorito, ma alla fine nemmeno lui si è sentito amato e accettato dai suoi genitori dalla mentalità ristretta ed ipocrita.

- il Nonno. O dovrei dire, il padre? TARGARYEN LEVATEVI PROPRIO.

Lui mi stava simpatico all'inizio, credevo che fosse un bravo nonnino affezionato alla nipote e che volesse lasciarle tutto perché si rifiutava di lasciare il suo patrimonio a quelle altre serpi della sua famiglia, e perché vedesse nella giovane nipote una mente genuina e brillante, invece lo faceva perché era sua figlia. Hai capito il bravo nonnino XD.

- Baek Soo Jin. Un personaggio che ho rivalutato, e io adoro quando rivaluto i personaggi. Una giovane donna algida e impostata a una prima occhiata, per me lei e il marito, nel loro matrimonio più falso di una banconota falsa, erano "la coppietta antipatica". Ma Soo Jin si è rivelata più spontanea e affabile di quello che all'inizio sembrava, e quindi fuori luogo nella famiglia Mo.

Mi è piaciuta la sua voglia di libertà, il suo essere ingenua, il suo desiderio di essere amata, la sua dignità nell'andarsene di casa. E ho adorato il risvolto finale della sua storyline che le ha regalato la vittoria.

- Choi Na Ri. Pensavo fosse una pazza superficiale e approfittatrice (oddio un po' pazza lo è nella scena in cui urla come una scimmia mentre butta a terra i computer), ma alla fine ho capito che è più profonda di quello che sembra, e mi è dispiaciuto davvero quando l'hanno messa fuori dai giochi e costretta ad emigrare nel Laos.

Ma sopratutto mi è dispiaciuto tantissimo per il povero Seo Jin, l'unico davvero innocente in quella gabbia di matti.

Nota: mi sono piaciute molto le alleanze al femminile tra la protagonista e la terza matrigna prima, e la protagonista e la cognata poi.

- Wan Soo.

Ho cercato di ritardarlo, ma è l'ultimo membro della famiglia rimasto quindi è arrivato il momento di parlare di lui.

Uno dei miei personaggi preferiti, mi ha fatta ridere con i suoi modi di fare e le sue espressioni, mi ha resa orgogliosa quando ho capito che non era uno stupido come tutti pensavamo, e mi ha spezzato il cuore nel finale.

Sì, è lui il colpevole, colui che ha colpito a morte la mamma di Seok Hee, ma il perché questo sia successo mi ha reso impossibile odiare Wan Soo.

Gli è stato detto per tutta la vita che era un fallimento, che non valeva abbastanza, che non andava bene come successore dell'azienda. Non si è sentito considerato, amato, a volte nemmeno degnato di uno sguardo. È sempre stato visto come il burlone nullafacente della famiglia, nessuno ha mai creduto in lui e nelle sue capacità (e le aveva).

Si è lasciato andare a comportamenti autodistruttivi quando tutto quello che voleva era essere amato per quello che era. La mancanza di amore lo ha portato a compiere quel gesto estremo. È stata la sua mano a colpire la mamma di Seok Hee, ma è stata la mancanza di amore che Wan Soo ha sempre sofferto ad ucciderla davvero.

Lo porterò sempre nel cuore.

Se le cose non fossero finite così, avrei amato vedere Seok Hee e Wan Soo insieme come fratello e sorella (o dovrei dire come zia e nipote?), perché il loro rapporto era davvero carino, e poi ammetto che non mi sarebbe affatto dispiaciuto vedere Wan Soo come presidente dell'MC Group. Una parte di me tifava per lui.

Qui la faccia che fa Wan Soo mi ha fatto sputare un polmone.

Finita la famiglia, i personaggi restanti non sono molti:

- Direttrice Han Je Kook.

PER FAVORE FACCIAMO UNA STATUA A QUESTA DONNA. ADESSO. SUBITO.

Quanto l'ho amata. Per me, lei e Seok Hee sono state le Queens di questa serie, ma dopo averci pensato attentamente penso che la diabolica direttrice sia a un livello superiore.

Una villain e una antieroina allo stesso tempo, la direttrice Han è stata un Personaggione, uno dei miei preferiti dell'anno.

Questo è un tipo di villain che io reputo essere scritto e interpretato con i controca**i.

Non sopporto i personaggi che fanno cose cattive perché sono stronzi e punto. La direttrice Han mi ha regalato un personaggio con un passato e un percorso, una donna che fa quello che ritiene deve essere fatto, una direttrice disposta a sporcarsi le mani senza rimpianti per proteggere il sistema.

Ho letteralmente adorato tutti i "faccia a faccia" tra lei e Seok Hee. Con le due Queen a confronto, i loro momenti erano ricchi di tensione e adrenalina, e morivo dalla voglia di sapere la prossima mossa.

Bella anche la discussione tra la direttrice e l'avvocato Heo, capitalista versus idealista.

Complimenti non solo alla scrittura del personaggio, ma anche alla messa in scena e alla recitazione, davvero ottima. L'aurea di cazzutaggine di questa donna ha raggiunto picchi altissimi di epicità, tanto che ci sono stati momenti in cui mi sono detta che fosse indistruttibile.

Comunque sarà stata una stron*a senza precedenti, ma non ha avuto sempre tutti i torti: per esempio capisco il suo discorso sul dover prendere delle decisioni quando sei a capo di un'azienda come il MC Group. Quando sei in una posizione di potere, come essere un presidente o un re, fare delle scelte difficili e scendere a fastidiosi compromessi è qualcosa di inevitabile e che bisogna imparare ad affrontare.

Meraviglioso il finalissimo cliffhanger della serie: a questo punto pretendo una seconda stagione! Non so bene di cosa potrebbe parlare ma lo voglio.

Per quanto riguarda gli altri membri del TOP, i principali sono quattro, due uomini e due donne. Quello che mi è piaciuto di loro è stato il rapporto con la direttrice Han: eseguono ogni suo ordine senza esitare, hanno fiducia in lei e nelle sue capacità, e se capita che non sono d'accordo con lei non le voltano comunque le spalle. Mi è piaciuta molto la lealtà che hanno dimostrato verso la loro capa fino alla fine.

Quello che mi dispiace un po' è che questi quattro personaggi non sono stati approfonditi più di tanto. Di loro non si sa praticamente nulla. Ora, ci sono tanti altri personaggi (più importanti di loro) di cui parlare e la trama è già abbastanza intrigante di suo, però sarebbe stato carino conoscerli meglio. Sapere di più sul loro passato, perché hanno deciso di lavorare nel TOP, come hanno conosciuto la direttrice Han ecc. Sarebbe stato più completo, ecco.

E per finire, manca solo lui. L'ho tenuto alla fine perché tra tutti è il personaggio che mi ha convinta di meno:

- il protagonista maschile. L'avvocato Heo Yoon Do è un personaggio carino e con cui si empatizza anche, ma troppo semplice rispetto alle forti psicologie degli altri personaggi. Lo posso racchiudere in poche parole: un idealista un po' ingenuo che lotta per la giustizia, fine. Non è un personaggio complesso e quindi non spicca. È una cosa che ho notato fin dai primi episodi, confrontandolo con la protagonista, che a differenza sua si è presa tutta la scena con la sua personalità.

Per carità, ci sono stati alcuni momenti in cui mi è piaciuto, quando comincia a giocare, quando fa la spia in TOP mentre lavora per TOP stesso. Ma la serie mi ha fatto tenerezza quando mi instilla il sospetto se Heo Yoon Do possa "diventare un mostro mentre cattura il mostro", ma io sapevo che non lo sarebbe mai diventato (ma che tradisse Seok Hee per schierarsi dalla parte oscura era il mio sogno).

Sarà anche il protagonista maschile di questo drama, ma per quanto mi riguarda è rimasto nell'ombra rispetto agli altri. Anche i due fratelli della famiglia spiccano più di lui.

Bello però il padre e il rapporto con lui. Ho trovato il padre davvero tenero, simpatico e commovente. Mi è piaciuto. E poi che dire della scena in cui lancia l'acqua addosso alla direttrice Han? Semplicemente epica.

Sulla storia d'amore tra i due protagonisti, io ho poco da dire: non mi ha conquistata.

È carina, ma nulla di entusiasmante. Io sono molto romantica e una ship mi può partire molto facilmente, ma questi due sinceramente non li ho mai shippati, semplicemente perché la loro storia l'ho vista come un di più, come un'aggiunta non necessaria alla trama, esattamente come la storia d'amore di Live. Questa storia non li fa evolvere in alcun modo e non è legata alla trama principale, che stessero insieme oppure no non faceva nessuna differenza.

Credo che l'abbiano messa giusto per inserire il romanticismo nella serie, ma sembra più un contentino, a me sarebbe andato bene anche se fossero rimasti due complici e amici. Non capisco perché l'amore deve essere sempre infilato a forza.

E poi le loro scene insieme, intese come scene romantiche, sono poche, quindi questa storia non è proprio riuscita a farmi innamorare. Non mi ha nemmeno fatto impazzire il bacio che lui le dà quando esce dalla polizia, sembra dato un po' a caso.

Il protagonista e la storia d'amore sono davvero gli unici "difetti" che riesco a criticare a questa serie. Per il resto mi è piaciuto tutto.

Di solito quando faccio le gif per i miei commenti cerco sempre di includere il maggior numero possibile di personaggi perché mi piace dare spazio un po' a tutti, ma ho notato che tra le gif preparate per questo commento la direttrice Han è presente nella metà di esse. Ma stica**i, questa donna è l'Onnipotente.

Concludo con questa perla:

La nonchalance con cui se ne è andata in prigione XD.

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dilebe06 · 3 years

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My Top Male Characters 2022

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madeineden · 2 years

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Lee Dong-wook as Cha Jae-wan Lee Da-hae as Ah Mo-ne Lee Deok-hwa as Lee Joong-goo Alex Chu as Yoo Joon-sung in HOTEL KING (2014)

#hotel king #cha jae wan #kdrama #jaewan pics

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ericmun · 3 years

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Comments and Replies for August 10th Posts + Shinhwa’s Eric’s Comments on Dongwan’s Post

Eric’s stylist: Ah…Your tags are making me sigh…Phew………. MunEric: You would have hit me on the side of the head as usual if you were next to me, Director Eric’s stylist: What are you talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In a public platform like this……

👩🏻: Eric, please take care of yourself by having a good meal today!! Take care of your health when you are about to receive your vaccine soon. Heh MunEric: I almost forgot about Malbok thanks for reminding me~

T/N: Malbok = final 'hot days' for the summer and you eat nutritious foods like Samgyetang or chicken broth soup.

👩🏻: I lost my appetite too after feeling dumbfounded by the ludicrous hashtags😂 Lost my appetite and my sense! ㅋㅋㅋ MunEric: I love this comment!👏

👩🏻: I don’t have an appetite either so I order chicken… MunEric: You are eating alone right…?

👩🏻: I am falling in Ric, hyung ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ MunEric: Let’s go boy!🔥🔥🔥

👩🏻: I didn’t have an appetite either so I ordered pork feet + makguksu and left some guksu broth MunEric: Wow that’s a genius adlib🔥

👩🏻: Mine (phone) is mini purple! 💜 I feel like Oppa is navy..?!!🤔💙 MunEric: Red for the man🔥

👩🏻: I want a cup of coffee~ (summoning my inner Choi Joon) MunEric: The portion is a little too small👏

👩🏻: #DlibTheBeat MunEric: You are born to be dlibber👏 twice in a row now👏

👩🏻: Oppa!!! They say there is a war that started because of you just now!!! Cute-WAR. Lovely-WAR. Beautiful-WAR T/N: She used adjectives that end with “woh” and replacing them with WAR. MunEric: That's an adlib dripping with old style. Are we the same age? 👩🏻: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋSame age ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

👩🏻: Hyesung Oppa has a small head, I have a big head, Eric Oppa What you gonna do… T/N: small head = sodu, big head - daedu. OP is making everything end with the sound “doo” MunEric: clap clap clap that was a good adlib👏

👩🏻: Drib come true~~~ will protect you~~~ T/N: ablib from a song by S.E.S 'Dreams Come True' MunEric: 👏

👩🏻: How is boiling coffee? Would you recommend it? MunEric: No

👩🏻: Lee Gye-in… T/N: Lee Gye-in is a Korean celebrity. His name sounds like the “again” in “Begin Again” MunEric: That was great👏 T/N: microwave= jeonja-range. OP replaced Doctor Strange with it. “You humiliated me” is a line from a famous movie 'A Bittersweet Life' (which Eric had a cameo). OP replaced the word "mo-yok-gam (humiliation) with mok-yok-gap (bath money) MunEric:I like the microwave part

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2021.08.10 Dongwan asked people for suggestions for a food brand name and said that he’ll give out headphone to 5 comments with the most like.

ERIC: Hanpyeongsik, Meal God, Like Honey Bee, Gapyeong Farmer, Wansoshik, Very special meal, Natur Yijoon, 684ram, I really want to win the prize~ Please choose me👏 But just give me the headphones. I appreciate the autograph, but will decline ✋🏼

T/N: Wansoshik = Dongwan's Wan, wanso is a slang for 'really precious,' shik is food. Natur Yijoon = 'given by nature'. Eric gave a bunch of names that mostly are wordplays.

DW: Oh, you're pretty good at naming😮

ERIC: Again, you don't have to sign autograph. Only headphone! 🔥

ERIC: I'm a kkakdugi, so I'm greatful if you don’t include me in the top 5 who receive most likes when you pick 5 people👏

T/N: Kkakdugi refers to a person who participates in a game regardless of win or lose, a Korean metaphor.

DW: Then do it a little more 👏👏

ERIC: They don’t do flashy brand names these days. I've put my heart and soul into these simple ones so please consider them.🔥

ERIC: Show off your think-big talent that you've practiced hard for one day. I'm busy now so bye🔥

DW: First of all, you got a 50,000 won package~❤️

Source: muneric (1, 2) + danedkim11 Translation: EricMun.tumblr

#Shinhwa #Eric Mun #Eric Moon #Mun Jung Hyuk #Moon Jung Hyuk #Eric #Dongwan #Munstagram #Eric: IG #신화 #에릭 #문정혁

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brainless-out-imkd · 4 years

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The Only Woman On Earth

Drama : The Only Woman On Earth

Director : Mo Wan Il

Screenwriter : Jung Sung Joo

Genre : Romance, Life, Family, Melodrama

Network : jTBC

Episodes : 8

Runtime : Wednesday & Thursday

Joo Wol (Seo Kang Joon) is the son of a famous writer and professor, Jang Tae Soo (Park Sung Woong). Although he doesn’t like his father’s books, Joo Wool admires and fear him. When he was a child, he often saw parents fight violently but the couple now lives peacefully. Joo Wol doesn’t understand what love is or why is absent father doesn’t love him. Wandering in Seoul, he wonders what his life will become and what kind of man he will grow to be.

Joo Wol’s quiet life is shaken after he catch his father in company of his mistress, a beautiful woman named Yoon Jin Yeon (Jeon Do Yeon). Afterwards, the way he looks at his family change. He becomes curious about his parents and the people they really are. Joo Wol and Jin Yeon’s lives then become entangled into a complicated relationship.

#jang do yeon #seo kang joon #park sung woong #imaginary kdrama #imaginary korean drama #kdrama #imkd #romance imkd #melodrama imkd #slice of life imkd #family imkd #love affair imkd

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malaysiankpopfans · 4 years

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7 NEW KOREAN FILMS AND SERIES TO LOOK FORWARD TO ON NETFLIX

There’s so much amazing content to look forward to!

It’s an exciting time for K-content fans! In addition to currently airing popular shows Start-Up, Private Lives, and Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, new must-watch titles will be coming soon to Netflix. The impressive lineup includes movies like The Call, Space Sweepers, and dramas like Run On and Lovestruck in the City. Check out more details below.

UPCOMING K-FILMS

Netflix is continuing to introduce best-in-class films made by Korean creators to the world. Minyoung Kim, Vice President of Content (Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia & New Zealand) at Netflix said, “This year marked an incredible milestone for Korean filmmakers with the triumphant of Director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite winning the Oscars, positive reviews around Netflix film Time to Hunt, and the global popularity of #Alive via Netflix across the world. Netflix is at the forefront of changing the way entertainment is enjoyed throughout the world. We believe that great stories can come from anywhere and travel everywhere. We’re bringing Korean storytelling with the goal to entertain our members around the world.”

The Call

Popular actress Park Shin-hye and rising actress Jun Jong-seo team up in a mystery thriller that will have you guessing until the very end. When 28-year-old Seo-yeon (Park Shin-hye) loses her cell phone on her way to visit her sick, estranged mother in a rural area, she digs up a decade-old cordless phone from the junk closet of her childhood home. She suddenly gets a call from a woman named Young-sook (Jun Jong-seo) asking for her friend. Seo-yeon hangs up thinking the woman has the wrong number, but later learns that the call was coming from the same house 20 years ago.

Premiere Date: November 27, 2020

Cast & Creators: Director Lee Chung-hyun, Park Shin hye, Jun Jong-seo

Genre: Mystery thriller, Crime

Space Sweepers

Song Joong-ki and Kim Tae-ri star in this fun, space blockbuster set in 2092. Earth has become a bleak planet and 95% of the human race struggle to survive. The main crew work on the Spaceship Victory and live off salvaging space debris. It’s extremely risky, but with a genius space pilot Tae-ho (Song Joong-ki), a mysterious ex-space pirate Captain Jang (Kim Tae-ri), an ex-con spaceship engineer Tiger Park (Jin Sun-kyu), and a reprogrammed military robot Bubs (Yoo Hai-jin), Spaceship Victory surpasses all other space sweepers. After successfully snatching a crashed space shuttle in their latest debris chase, Victory’s crew find a 7-year-old girl inside. They realize that she’s a wanted humanlike robot, and decide to demand ransom in exchange.

Premiere Date: Q1 2021

Cast & Creators: Director Jo Sung-hee, Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Sun-kyu, Yoo Hai-jin

Genre: Sci-fi action, Space blockbuster

What Happened to Mr. Cha

Famous actor Cha In-pyo portrays himself in this tongue-in-cheek comedy. With the image of a gentle and perfect man, Mr. Cha enjoyed immense popularity in the 90s. However, he is now a has-been who reminisces about his glory days and waits for someone to cast him again. One day, Mr. Cha visits a gym to take a shower after a stroll. The building suddenly begins to crumble and he gets stuck in the pile of rubble. Will he be able to get rescued while maintaining his immaculate image?

Premiere Date: January 1, 2021

Cast & Creators: Director Kim Dong-kyu, Cha In-pyo, Cho Dal-hwan

Genre: Comedy

UPCOMING K-DRAMA

The Uncanny Counter

Featuring hot young talent like Cho Byeong-gyu and Kim Se-jeong, webtoon-based The Uncanny Counter is a satisfying tale of superheroes who hunt down evil spirits and also toil in a noodle shop. The dynamic story depicts the struggle between the evil spirits who come to Earth from the afterworld in order to become immortal and the Counters, each endowed with a special gift such as brute strength, psychometry and healing, who chase them down.

Jo Byeong-gyu plays the uncanny So Mun, a Counter unlike any other in history. So Mun is a hero-in-training who musters the courage to combat evil spirits after seeing a friend suffer injustice. Ga Mo-tak, a Counter with unrivaled brawn, is brought to life by Yu Jun-sang’s characteristic wit and acting skills. Kim Se-jeong plays the role of Do Ha-na, the human radar among the Counters with an infallible record of evil spirit detection. Her character exudes a detached vibe and shows serious action chops.

Premiere Date: November 28, 2020

Cast & Creators: Director You Sun-dong, Writer Yeoh Gee-na, Cho Byeong-gyu, Yu Jun-sang, Kim Se-jeong

Run On

Run On brings the highly awaited comebacks of young stars Yim Si-wan, Shin Sae-kyung, Choi Soo-young, and Kang Tae-oh. The series is a romantic drama about the intermingling of people who have trouble communicating, even while speaking the same language. It features people from different backgrounds who nurture relationships using their own languages.

Yim Si-wan plays the lead role of Ki Seon-gyeom, a former popular sprinter on the national team who is forced to retire due to a fateful event. Shin Sae-kyeong portrays Oh Mi-joo, who constantly has to retrace her steps being like a bridge between different languages as a movie translator. Choi Soo-young takes on the role of a sports agency CEO Seo Dan-ah, who is the only true heir of the Seomyeong Group by birthright, but on the account of being female, is forced out of the line of succession. Kang Tae-oh transforms into the role of Lee Yeong-hwa, a popular art student who likes movies and croquis drawings.

Premiere Date: December 16, 2020

Cast & Creators: Director Lee Jae-hun, Writer Park Si-hyeon, Yim Si-wan, Shin Sae-kyung, Choi Soo-young, Kang Tae-oh

Lovestruck in the City

Lovestruck in the City comes from Director Park Shin-woo of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay and writer Jung Hyun-jung who penned the In Need of Romance series and Romance is a Bonus Book, while starring popular actors Ji Chang-wook and Kim Ji-won. The romance drama is a realistic portrayal of young people who pursue love and happiness while struggling to get by in a busy, competitive urban environment.

Ji Chang-wook plays Park Jae-won who is an honest man, a passionate architect, and a lover of city alleyways. A romantic at heart, he cannot forget a certain woman. This thief of his heart and his camera had disappeared like a fleeting midsummer night’s dream. Kim Ji-won plays the freelance marketer Lee Eun-o, an ordinary woman who temporarily reinvents herself as the spontaneous and free-spirited Yun Seon-a. She takes off to a remote place on an impulse and falls in love with Jae-won under this new identity.

Premiere Date: December 2020

Cast & Creators: Director Park Shin-woo, Writer Jung Hyun-jung, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Ji-won

Recently Launched & Currently Streaming

Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol

Service Cadence: 10PM MYT, every Wednesday & Thursday, For Japan, all episodes will be available from December 3

No. Episodes: 16 episodes

Genre: Romance / Comedy / Drama

Creators: Kim Min-kyoung (Director), Oh Ji-young (Writer)

Cast: Go A-ra, Lee Jae-wook, Kim Ju-hun

Private Lives

Service Cadence: 10PM MYT, every Wednesday & Thursday. For Japan, all episodes will be available from December 3.

No. Episodes: 16 episodes

Genre: Romance / Comedy /Drama

Creators: Nam-Gun (Director) / Yoo Sung Yeol (Writer, My beautiful bride)

Cast: Seo Hyun, Go Kyung-Pyo, Kim Hyo-Jin, Kim Young-Min, Lee Hak-Joo

Start-Up

Service Cadence: 10PM SGT, every Sat & Sun

No. Episodes: 16 episodes

Genre: Romance / Youth / Drama

Creators: Oh Choong-hwan (Director), Park Hye-ryun (Writer)

Cast: Bae Suzy, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Seon-ho, Kang Han-na

#Netflix #TheCall #SpaceSweepers #WhatHappenedtoMrCha #TheUncannyCounter #RunOn #DoDoSolSolLaLaSol #PrivateLives #StartUp #kdrama #kmovie #article

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dandyshoecare · 5 years

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AFRIKAANS gelukkige nuwejaar / voorspoedige nuwejaar

AKPOSSO ilufio ètussé

ALBANIAN Gëzuar vitin e ri

ALSATIAN e glëckliches nëies / güets nëies johr

ARABIC عام سعيد (aam saiid) / sana saiida

ARMENIAN shnorhavor nor tari

ATIKAMEKW amokitanone

AZERI yeni iliniz mübarək

BAMBARA aw ni san’kura / bonne année

BASAA mbuee

BASQUE urte berri on

BELARUSIAN новым годам (Z novym hodam)

BENGALI subho nababarsho

BERBER asgwas amegas

BETI mbembe mbu

BHOJPURI nauka sal mubarak hoe

BOBO bonne année

BOSNIAN sretna nova godina

BRETON bloavezh mat / bloavez mad

BULGARIAN честита нова година (chestita nova godina)

BURMESE hnit thit ku mingalar pa

CANTONESE sun lin fi lok / kung hé fat tsoi

CATALAN bon any nou

CHINESE (MANDARIN) 新年快乐 (xin nian kuai le) / 新年好 (xin nian hao)

CORNISH bledhen nowedh da

CORSICAN pace è salute

CROATIAN sretna nova godina

CZECH šťastný nový rok

DANISH godt nytår

DARI sale naw tabrik

DUALA mbu mwa bwam

DUTCH gelukkig nieuwjaar

ENGLISH happy new year

ESPERANTO feliĉan novan jaron

ESTONIAN head uut aastat

EWE eƒé bé dzogbenyui nami

EWONDO mbembe mbu

FANG bamba mbou

FAROESE gott nýggjár

FINNISH onnellista uutta vuotta

FLEMISH gelukkig nieuwjaar

FON coudo we yoyo

FRENCH bonne année

FRISIAN lokkich neijier

FRIULAN bon an

FULA dioul mo wouri

GALICIAN feliz ano novo

GEORGIAN გილოცავთ ახალ წელს (gilocavt akhal tsels)

GERMAN Frohes neues Jahr / prosit Neujahr

GREEK Καλή Χρονιά (kali chronia / kali xronia) / Ευτυχισμένος ο Καινούριος Χρόνος (eutichismenos o kainourgios chronos)

GUJARATI sal mubarak / nootan varshabhinandan

GUARANÍ rogüerohory año nuévo-re

HAITIAN CREOLE bònn ané

HAOUSSA barka da sabuwar shekara

HAWAIIAN hauoli makahiki hou

HEBREW שנה טובה (shana tova)

HERERO ombura ombe ombua

HINDI nav varsh ki subhkamna

HMONG nyob zoo xyoo tshiab

HUNGARIAN boldog új évet

ICELANDIC gleðilegt nýtt ár

IGBO obi anuri nke afor ohuru

INDONESIAN selamat tahun baru

IRISH GAELIC ath bhliain faoi mhaise

ITALIAN felice anno nuovo / buon anno

JAVANESE sugeng warsa enggal

JAPANESE あけまして　おめでとう　ございます (akemashite omedetô gozaimasu)

KABYLIAN aseggas ameggaz

KANNADA hosa varshada shubhaashayagalu

KASHMIRI nav reh mubarakh

KAZAKH zhana zhiliniz kutti bolsin

KHMER sur sdei chhnam thmei

KIEMBU ngethi cya mwaka mweru

KINYARWANDA umwaka mwiza

KIRUNDI umwaka mwiza

KOREAN 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (seh heh bok mani bat uh seyo)

KURDE sala we ya nû pîroz be

KWANGALI mvhura zompe zongwa

LAO sabai di pi mai

LATIN felix sit annus novus

LATVIAN laimīgu Jauno gadu

LIGURIAN bón ànno nêuvo

LINGALA bonana / mbúla ya sika elámu na tombelí yɔ̌

LITHUANIAN laimingų Naujųjų Metų

LOW SAXON gelükkig nyjaar

LUGANDA omwaka omulungi

LUXEMBOURGEOIS e gudd neit Joër

MACEDONIAN Среќна Нова Година (srekna nova godina)

MALAGASY arahaba tratry ny taona

MALAY selamat tahun baru

MALAYALAM nava varsha ashamshagal

MALTESE is-sena t-tajba

MANGAREVAN kia porotu te ano ou

MAORI kia hari te tau hou

MARATHI navin varshaachya hardik shubbheccha

MARQUISIAN kaoha nui tenei ehua hou

MOHAWK ose:rase

MONGOLIAN Шинэ жилийн баярын мэнд хvргэе (shine jiliin bayariin mend hurgeye)

MORÉ wênd na kô-d yuum-songo

NDEBELE umyaka omucha omuhle

NGOMBALE ngeu’ shwi pong mbeo paghe

NORMAN boune anna / jostouse anna

NORWEGIAN godt nyttår

OCCITAN bon annada

ORIYA subha nababarsa / naba barsara hardika abhinandan

OURDOU naya sar Mubarak

PALAUAN ungil beches er rak

PAPIAMENTU bon anja / felis anja nobo

PASHTO nawe kaalmo mobarak sha

PERSIAN سال نو مبارک (sâle no mobârak)

POLISH szczęśliwego nowego roku

PORTUGUESE feliz ano novo

PUNJABI ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ (nave saal deeyan vadhaiyaan)

ROMANCHE bun di bun onn

ROMANI baxtalo nevo bersh

ROMANIAN un an nou fericit / la mulţi ani

RUSSIAN С Новым Годом (S novim godom)

SAMOAN ia manuia le tausaga fou

SAMI buorre ådåjahke

SANGO nzoni fini ngou

SARDINIAN bonu annu nou

SCOTTISH GAELIC bliadhna mhath ur

SERBIAN Срећна Нова година (Srećna Nova godina)

SHIMAORE mwaha mwema

SHONA goredzva rakanaka

SINDHI nain saal joon wadhayoon

SINHALESE ශුභ අළුත් අවුරුද්දක් වේවා (shubha aluth awuruddak weiwa)

SLOVAK šťastný nový rok

SLOVENIAN srečno novo leto

SOBOTA dobir leto

SOMALI sanad wanagsan

SPANISH feliz año nuevo

SRANAN wan bun nyun yari

SWAHILI mwaka mzuri / heri ya mwaka mpya

SWEDISH gott nytt år

SWISS-GERMAN es guets Nöis

TAGALOG manigong bagong taon

TAHITIAN ia orana i te matahiti api

TAMAZIGHT assugas amegaz

TAMIL இனிய புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள் (iniya puthandu nal Vazhthukkal)

TATAR yaña yıl belän

TELUGU నూతన సంవత్శర శుభాకాంక్షలు (nuthana samvathsara subhakankshalu)

THAI สวัสดีปีใหม่ (sawatdii pimaï)

TIBETAN tashi delek / losar tashi delek

TIGRE sanat farah wa khare

TSHILUBA tshidimu tshilenga

TSWANA itumelele ngwaga o mosha

TULU posa varshada shubashaya

TURKISH yeni yılınız kutlu olsun

TWENTS gluk in’n tuk

UDMURT Vyľ Aren

UKRAINIAN Щасливого Нового Року / З Новим роком (z novym rokom)

URDU naya sal mubarak

UZBEK yangi yilingiz qutlug’ bo’lsin

VIETNAMESE Chúc Mừng Nǎm Mới / Cung Chúc Tân Niên / Cung Chúc Tân Xuân

WALOON ene boune anéye, ene boune sintéye

WALOON (“betchfessîs” spelling) bone annéye / bone annéye èt bone santéye

WELSH blwyddyn newydd dda

WEST INDIAN CREOLE bon lanné

WOLOF dewenati

XHOSA nyak’omtsha

YIDDISH a gut yohr

YORUBA eku odun / eku odun tun tun / eku iyedun

ZERMA barka’n da djiri tagio

ZULU unyaka omusha omuhle

#dapper #patina #design #hand painted crocodile leather #happy new year #2020 #international service #the best in the world

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im-just-here-for-the-drama · 5 years

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LGBTQ Characters in Asian dramas: The Good, The Bad, and The Mediocre: 2019 Edition

No one asked, but here it is-all the gay I saw in 2019!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

The Bad (I’d say don’t waste your time on these, but who am I to tell you what to do?)

Graceful Family: Mo Wan Joon

The Story: Blah blah blah, revenge or something- at a point it’s revealed that Mo Wan Joon is a trans woman.

Should you watch?: If you really like revenge melos maybe, but if you’re looking for this show to do something good and offer up some good trans rep? Nope.

Literally nothing about Mo Wan Joon’s story is watchable. I wasn’t even entirely sure the show even knows what being transgender even means. It comes off as more of a plot twist to put the family all in a tizzy more than anything else. They don’t really show much of Wan Joon’s struggle or anything poignant or engaging.

TharnType

TRIGGER WARNING: Sexual assault/rape

Country: Thailand

Official Links: https://www.facebook.com/notes/line-tv/tharntypetheseries-line-tvs-official-links-for-international-fans/2525229217761969/

The Story: Type is a homophobe who ends being roommates with the openly gay Tharn.

Should you watch?: No. The good you get isn’t worth sitting through the bad. But if you really can’t help yourself, you’ll have to learn to ignore its problematic elements.

Type was molested as a child, and as a result he hates gay people. He’s clearly still traumatized by his experience. He has nightmares and is triggered by Tharn at least once remembering his assault. Type eventually tells Tharn about his assault and it’s pretty much never brought up again.

Type is shown to be ridiculously homophobic and he equates gay people with pedophiles and is never really corrected in this logic (even though his boyfriend is a whole gay man). Even after Type starts dating Tharn, Type’s homophobia is never really properly put to rest.

For some reason, the writer of TharnType loves incorporating rape/sexual assault into her shows when it’s clearly a sensitive topic she knows next to nothing about. And it’s clear in this show, because the show take the topic way lighter than it should. Because of what happened to Type in his childhood, he believes that gay men like forcing themselves onto others without their consent, and then the show proceeds to have Tharn do exactly that to Type multiple times. Also, thankfully, this happens offscreen, but another character pays several men to gang rape another character and that’s too heavy for a show that clearly wasn’t going to address it properly.

At the beginning of this show, Tharn had a huge issue with knowing what boundaries and consent were, but by the second half, Tharn chilled out and Type stepped up and became ridiculously childish and violent towards Tharn. Clearly these two have no real business being in a relationship with each other if you ask me.

Though there was a lot I hated about this show I did like some of it. I think this writer writes some really nice and sweet scenes between Tharn and Type. Mew and Gulf have great chemistry. I’ve seen plenty of videos of Gulf and Mew together and they are adorable. They work well together and they come off more natural than some other couples, but the way the relationship is handled in TharnType and some of the things that are glossed over in this show leave a bad taste in my mouth.

The Mediocre (These aren’t the best, but they’re watchable.)

Moment at Eighteen: Jung Oh Je

Country: Korea

Official Links: https://www.viki.com/tv/36633c-moment-of-eighteen?q=moment%20of

The Story: Transfer student Jun Woo has no interest in school life, as he is traumatized from being expelled from bullying. Meanwhile, Soo Bin has been watching Jun Woo all this time. She sees a different side to Jun Woo than the one that other people see. Oh Je, is Jun Woo’s best friend who starts to discover his sexuality.

Should you watch?: Hmmm… sure.

Oh Je has a decent side plot. It was interesting to see him figuring out he liked Hwi Young and coming out to his ex girlfried, Da Young and his friends. I do wish his story was expanded a little more though. There were several things I would have liked to have seen, like coming out to his family, and I thought they wrapped his story up a little too quickly at the end.

2moons2

Country: Thailand

Official Links: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdoEouCtbBvjdNkB5Wl0eYS4V4Zx-1MZY

The Story: Wayo is accepted at the Kantaphat University, in the Faculty of Sciences. Wayo has always been in love with Phana, who studies at the same university. When Wayo has the chance to become the “moon” of his faculty, the two begin to spend time together because Phana himself has been the “moon” of the medical school the previous year and must supervise the freshmen participating in the competition. The two slowly get closer and closer.

Should you watch?: Yeah.

Honestly, it’s not super memorable,and not super impressive, but there’s some cute moments, and an easy storyline. We get to see more of the other two couples (MingKit and ForthBeam) than we saw in the original 2moons. It’s fun and interesting enough. I’ll look forward to the next one.

Theory of Love

Country: Thailand

Official Links: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVsizYwoQ6B3LsKmcDDMNtHGXnjG88i4C

The Story: Third is a filmology major and a member of the Savage Team along with his best friends Two, Bone, and Khai, but he has a secret. Third has been secretly in love with Khai for years.

For three years he has kept his secret love in his heart, silently supporting and loving Khai while knowing there is absolutely no future between them since Khai is as straight as a streetlight pole and also an absolute player.

To make matters worse, Khai has a “no dating friends” policy. How long can Third love Khai silently while watching Khai bring a different girl home every night? Third has tried to see Khai as just a friend. But has failed time and time again. Because as easy as it is to fall in love, to stop is just as hard. Maybe even harder. But when Third finally decides to stop loving Khai, Khai decides to start loving Third.

Should you watch?: It wasn’t my cup of tea but, yeah.

Who knew one of my most anticipated shows of the year would turn out to be one of the most disappointing? The show spent way too much time on Third crying, wallowing, and letting his friend walk all over him, and not nearly enough time on Khai making a believable turnaround. Khai spent at least half the show being a dick of a friend, to the point that I was unsure as to why Third liked him for so long. Then when Khai started to have feelings for Third, I just thought it happened way too quickly and unbelievably to me. But despite all that there were some cute moments in the end that made all of that kind of okay and kind of worth it. And the side couple was cute.

Dark Blue Kiss

Country: Thailand

Official Links: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdoEouCtbBviEVFNHbg7dKw7Lfd8-6zB1

The Story: Kao and Pete being in a blissful romance, have grown closer. But Kao is closeted, and he fears the thought of others finding out. His mother introduces Non, a son of a colleague, to be tutored by Kao. With Non constantly giving off ‘iffy’ vibes towards Kao, it only fuels Pete’s jealousy. Their relationship is put in strain, but through this, they must ultimately overcome each other’s flaws.

Whilst Sun pushes his brother Rain to stay away from Mork, the younger man’s uncontrollable behavior brings him in. As his wildness is intriguing, Sun’s seriousness holds Mork down somewhat. Underneath it all, the two start to care for each other. However, with Mork’s dangerous life, he can’t shake who he is. But maybe he can for someone like Sun.

Should you watch?: If you’re a fan of Pete/Kao or a fan of the typical GMM show.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Pete and Kao from the series they were originally in and this show honestly didn’t really help. Pete and Kao’s relationship is pulled into an annoying direction when an outsider tries to come between the two of them. It’s classic bl tactics and frankly it’s boring and frustrating to watch when it drags on for multiple episodes. I did love Sun and Mork from the beginning, but even the writing for their storyline got annoying towards the end. The huge problem in this series is that none of our leads really communicate with each other. There’s some enjoyable things in this show but it’s ultimately more frustrating than it should be.

Ossan’s Love: In The Sky

Country: Japan

The Story: Haruta, a 35-year-old single man, has to switch careers and he begins a new career as a cabin attendant in Tenku Peach Airlines. Even though he’s clumsy, he seems to be protected by the Great Captain Kurosawa. One day, he finds drawings of himself in a locker and accidentally discovers tries to figure out who drew them. Haruta discovers that not only is the mechanic Shino in love with him, but Captain is secretly in love with him too. Meanwhile, Haruta takes an interest in the co-pilot Naruse.

Should you watch? Yes, but you might be disappointed by the end.

I’m a fan of the original Ossan’s Love and I know what this show usually gives so I expected this show to be silly, ridiculous, fun. And it was for the most part. I always love Haruta. I would literally watch him in any reincarnation of this show and not complain. He’s always a joy to watch and that’s still true here. But this time around, things are a lot more messier than usual. There’s a complicated love triangle, which I hate, but even that was fine because I enjoyed the other characters. My only complaint was how it ended, because I would have preferred him with someone else rather than who he ends up with.

Love with Flaws: Won Suk and Ho Dol

Country: Korea

The Story: Joo Seo Yeon, is a hot-tempered physical education high school teacher who always wears sneakers, jeans and training uniforms. The death of her parents helped instill a deep sense of compassion, a generous heart and an outspoken objection for anyone who drinks and drives. Living in a house with three wild and very attractive brothers, she loathes flower boys. Her ideal type is someone who is “not handsome.” Won Suk is one of her handsome older brothers.

Won Suk has closed his heart to relationships and love, but he lives his life as an openly gay man. Ho Dol is closeted and lacks confidence. They meet one night at Won Suk’s bar.

Should you watch?: People have been kind enough to condense Won Suk’s and Ho Dol’s story into parts on YouTube so yeah, go ahead and check it out.

These two don’t get a whole lot of screen time, but the little they do get is nice. We get to see Won Seok help Ho Dol open up and be more confident with who he is and in turn, Won Seok opens up his heart.

The Good (These are worth the hours of your life you won’t get back.)

History3: Trapped

Country: Taiwan

Official Links: https://www.viki.com/tv/36410c-history-3-trapped?locale=en

The Story: Shao Fei’s police officer mentor and Tang Yi’s gang leader father were killed in a gunshot attack. No one knows why or what really happened. The only survivor, Tang Yi, stepped up and is now the gang leader. Police officer Shao Fei wants to find out what happened that day and he’s sure that Tang Yi’s hiding the truth. Shao Fei decides that the only way to figure out the truth is to investigate Tang Yi to the fullest and Tang Yi just wants Shao Fei to leave him alone since he’s trying to take the gang in a more legitimate direction, but what happens when the two keep crossing paths and ultimately start to fall for each other?

Should you watch?: Absolutely.

I watched this show twice last year and somehow I liked it even better the second time around. The story is fresh-school/university plots get real old real fast (not that I don’t love them though). Instead we get a story about a mob boss and a police officer. The plot is well written, coherent, interesting, and fun, and doesn’t revolve solely around the romance. And speaking of romance, it’s well integrated into the larger plot that focuses on figuring out what happened to Tang Yi’s father and Shao Fei’s mentor years ago. There’s just the right balance between plot and romance. There’s also a second couple that’s super cute. Both couples have great chemistry. What’s not to like?

He’s Coming To Me

Country: Thailand

The Story: After his death, Mes is a ghost that is consumed by loneliness. That is until he meets a strange boy that can see him. The two bond in a state of happiness and joy as they develop into friends. But what happens when Mes falls for the boy who is alive?

Should you watch?: Of course!

This is by far, in my opinion one of the most slept on shows of 2019. Who would have thought things could work out between a ghost and human? I went into this show expecting it to be full of sadness and angst and it really surprised me. Of course it does have those things, Mes is ghost so… but it’s definitely one of the sweetest dramas of the year. The boys forge a strong friendship and bond from the beginning, they’re ridiculously cute, the side characters are enjoyable, the friends are supportive, and there’s an interesting story of Mes and Thun trying to figure out the mystery behind Mes’ death. You should definitely put it on your list to check out.

What Did You Eat Yesterday?

Country: Japan

The Story: Kakei Shiro is a 45 year old lawyer who works at a small law firm. He is a good cook and a meticulous and thrifty person who keeps the monthly food budget to 25,000 yen. Shiro’s daily routine is to leave work on time and head to a discount supermarket nearby. His partner Yabuki Kenji is an affable hairdresser in his 40s. The two of them share a two-bedroom apartment and the finer points of two men living together comes up at the dining table every day. Although two of them have been in a relationship for three years and Kakei’s parents know he is gay, Kakei never shares the fact that he is gay or Kenji is his partner to anyone else.

Should you watch? Definitely.

Very slice of life, very sweet, very heartwarming. We get to see two older gay men navigate their lives and society. We see how Shiro struggles with coming out and being open and we see how he deals with his accepting but ignorant parents. We see Kenji struggle with Shiro’s closed-offness and the strain its puts on their relationship when Shiro refuses to let people know they’re together. Shiro and Kenji interact with other gay couples too, and it’s interesting to see the dynamics between the different couples. It’s a nice change of pace to the shows I’m used to. Also, there’s plenty of food to salivate over.

Hello? Spring Is Coming

Country: Korea

Official Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnyivXs1rWk

The Story: Every coming out is difficult, but most of all, coming out in front of family is the hardest.

Should you watch?: We get way too few shows about wlw. And also they’re way too short, and on that note yes you should watch. It’s sweet.

The Effect

TRIGGER WARNING: Rape, bullying, attempted suicide

Country: Thailand

Official Links (in the comments): https://mydramalist.com/32424-the-effect

The Story: Shin, a shy and reserved 1st-year university student, admires his senior Keng from afar. Keng is tall, handsome, smart and owns the heart of many girls on campus. But what others don’t see is the pressure to be perfect from his family that weighs on Keng’s shoulders. Due to Shin’s clumsiness, he becomes acquainted with the handsome senior. As Keng takes a liking to his junior, jealousy from peers makes the cyber world a breeding ground for hate and nasty rumors. Shin falls victim not only to the strangers online but to Keng as well. Nobody but Shin can overcome the trauma that will be placed upon him. All he needs is for the strangers to listen. Because only then can they understand “the effect” that they have on others.

Should you watch? Heed the trigger warnings, and if you can handle them, then yes.

You know those BL shows where one of the characters is forced or coerced into having sex with their love interest and then falls in love with him at the end? This show is thankfully, not that. I wouldn’t even consider this a BL because, well because it’s not. It’s not a love story. It takes a very very different and serious path that most shows in this genre don’t even come close to. This show did a good job of really showing the effects of social media, bullying, and rape, what they could really do to a person, and the support system one needs after a trauma. At a (way too) short 3 episodes, it was super emotional, mostly realistic, and it really left a memorable impression. There were a few things I wish had been explored and fleshed out more and I wished they’d changed the ending from the novel. I would have preferred something more uplifting, less open ended potential tragedy. But on another note, James as Shin was a stand out here with such an emotionally draining role. I’ll definitely be looking forward to his future projects.

Mood Indigo/Indigo No Kibun

Country: Japan

The Story: The story begins with Shiro Kido’s reunion with a former classmate, Rio Kijima, at a college teacher’s funeral. In the past, when they were students, Kijima used to show talent as a novelist, even earning a big prize. Kido was jealous of Kijima’s success, but after reading his works he became aware of his lack of talent and gave up writing novels and became an editor of erotic novels. However, after reuniting, it became clear to Kido that Kijima was stuck; facing a wall. He had used up all his talent. With Kido also being in a lost state he offers Kijima the opportunity to write pornographic novels.With the intense eroticism and closeness, both men open up and feed into their desire.

Should you watch?: Yeah.

As one of the more erotic shows on this list, It was interesting to see the development between Rio and Kido. Their dynamic certainly isn’t anything romantic,cute, or healthy but still very beautiful, passionate, and raw. I wasn’t a huge fan of this shows predecessor Pornographer, but this one really made me appreciate it from another perspective. It helped me realize why Rio was the way he was and how this relationship impacted his later relationship with Kusami.

Really Lily?

Country: Korea

Official Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=167D6kmuspU

The Story: Are we friends? Or…

Should you watch?: It’s short, sweet, and funny. Absolutely.

Rural Outcasts

Country: Korea

The Story: Sun Hui moves to a small village where she lives her life as Soon Ho until she can make enough money to become her true self. Dong Ja, a feisty 12 year old, breaks into her house one day.

Should you watch? Yes.

Found family always makes for a heartwarming story and this one is no different. I loved the bond between Dong Ja and Sun Hui and I loved their mother daughter relationship. Very sweet and heartwarming, but be prepared for some heartbreak too.

History3: Make Our Days Count

TRIGGER WARNING: Forced kisses, bullying

Country: Taiwan

The Story: At first glance, high schoolers Xiang Hao Ting and Yu Xi Gu appear to be polar opposites: While Hao Ting is an outgoing, hot-headed extravert and some-time bully, Xi Gu prefers to keep a low profile and focus on his schoolwork. They seem bound for totally different futures – the bookish Xi Gu looks destined for academic success, while life is just a long popularity contest for Hao Ting. But a quirk of fate – and a crucial intervention by a female schoolmate – results in the two young men’s paths crossing. But there is more to both young men than first meets the eye. Hao Ting was not always this way. He started out as a perfect student until he discovered the joys of going off the rails. Xi Gu has a reason for being so aloof and studious: His parents died in a traffic accident while he was younger, and he is being fostered by his aunt. As such, he works hard to get good grades in an effort to win a scholarship and ease the financial burden on his relatives. Xi Gu and Hao Ting find themselves drawn together, and passions ignite. The former notices that he has the unique ability to bring Xi Gu out of his shell – and becomes intent on melting his cold-as-ice exterior. What will happen when their two worlds collide? And can love be the catalyst that helps bring these two unlikely students together – as their high school days draw to a close?

Sun Bo Xiang is Hao Ting’s friend who has a crush on a man, Lu Zhi Gang who he meets at the gym. Zhi Gang’s runs the shop that Xi Gu works at part time. When Bo Xiang confesses to Zhi Gang, and tells him that he’ll love hm forever, Zhi Gang doesn’t believe it because Zhi Gang is young and overzealous. Also, nothing lasts forever, or does it?

Should You Watch?: Yes, but it doesn’t end happily so keep that in mind..

Given this show’s predecessors it had some big shoes to fill. I expected this show to be good and honestly, it was. The general consensus is that the ending ruined the entire show. And had I had time to sit on this series-if I had watched it over the weeks, I might have felt the same way. But I watched the entire show in one sitting over the course of a day and I just can’t bring myself to hate it completely. The writing was good, the directing was good, and the acting was so good I think a lot of the show was elevated because of it. This show made me feel so many things. The couples are great with natural chemistry, and the side characters fit so well (there’s never a dull moment with Hao Ting’s friends). I smiled, I laughed, and of course I cried (#heartbroken). I was sad and upset when episode 10 came around. I wasn’t disappointed once the credits rolled because I was still riding the emotional high of the first nine episodes, but after I had time to sit and think about it, the more disappointed and angry I got. Just like grey rainbow and wise prison life- why did you give me everything I ever wanted and then rip it out from under me? But even so, the first nine eps were great. Does it have its flaws? Well obviously, some things in the show are a little iffy (Hao Ting and Sun Bo practice some problematic behavior at the beginning towards their love interests, that’s where the trigger warning comes in) and the last episode is a glaring misstep. Do I wish things had ended differently? I think they absolutely should have. Even this ending would have been satisfactory with some proper execution and build up. Overall this show could have cemented itself as one of my favorite shows if not for the last episode, but I really don’t regret watching it, because when it was good? It was gold.

Out of Breath

Country: Taiwan

Official Links: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuUQH5CiOw6n9Z0O5ytuQY2EFuvbF_7DX

The Story: Ha Eun has just broken up with her girlfriend when she meets out and proud Min Seo.

Should you watch?: Yes!

It’s a short webseries about coming out and no longer wanting to hide who you are. It’s very sweet and realistic. The ladies are cute and their characters are believable. My only complaint is that I wish the show was longer.

Until We Meet Again

TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide

Country: Thailand

Official Links: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPXE51seODgcGxLQF_X5jzQ/playlists

The Story: Thirty years ago, Korn and Intouch were university students in Bangkok. Intouch entered Korn’s life despite knowing that he was the son of one of the most influential people in Bangkok, the mafia. At first, Korn kept pushing Intouch away, but in the end, he couldn’t resist him. However, in a time where homosexuality was unacceptable and having parents that were against their relationship and each other, Korn and In’s love was bound to be doomed. Amidst the chaos, while Intouch kept on fighting for their future, Korn could not deal with all the suffering his lover was facing and decided to give up. That day, two sounds of a gunshot rang through the air. Their story ended with tragedy, but something had already tied itself between them, bounding them together even after they were dead.

Years later, a freshly returned to Thailand, Pharm who is a freshman in T- University has grown up always feeling like he is waiting for someone. Being riddled with sad dreams that always left him waking up with a wet face, fear of loud noises, and a birthmark on his temple, the boy has always felt like there is someone he is missing. Dean, the third year swimming club’s president at T- University has also spent his life searching for someone whose face he can not remember. The red thread of fate that had tied them together in their past life once again pulls the two boys back to each other, tying them to each other and a past that might not be worth remembering, but a love that is unforgettable. Because the red thread that binds the two hearts together will always lead one back to the other. Even though it might tangle or stretch, it will never break.

Should you watch?: 100% yes.

This show isn’t finished yet, so I’ll just talk about what I’ve seen up to this point. I read a few comments about this show before I watched it and although it was one of the shows I was looking forward to the most, I was skeptical about watching it since the reviews were mixed. Lots of people love it, but there was also an overwhelming about of people saying it was boring and average at best. After watching the 12 episodes that are out, I gotta admit that it’s not perfect. It is a little slow in some parts, some times you feel like you’re watching Thailand’s version of the food network, the director needs to learn when a scene is over, the product placement can be distracting, the kisses are more awkward than I’d like them to be, and that sounds like a lot to be bothered by, but honestly- I love this show. I feel like Until We Meet Again is what happens when a production crew cares more about making a good show rather than making something that fuels the typical bl fan’s fantasies. It has an interesting storyline and it’s well acted. There’s great emotional moments filled with sweetness and sadness. It’s funny and there’s loving and supportive family and friends. A lot of the typical bl drama tropes aren’t involved here. There’s no girlfriends, no portrayals of women as evil incarnate, no cheating, no coercion into sexual activities, or the popular I’m just gay for you crap. I saw on Twitter a while back that someone was asking how they could get bl to branch out-how to reach a larger audience because there’s a lot of people that won’t watch it-this is how you do it.

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