Dal Ja's Spring and what I look for in dramas

[dangermousie]

It’s official: kdramas about thirty-something office ladies are very much not for me.

I have watched three episodes of Dal Ja’s Spring, turned it off, and started instead Marry a Millionaire, a much less acclaimed but much more entertaining to me kdrama based on (yes, indeed) the reality show. Half an ep in, and I am enjoying it hugely. Is it objectively as good as DJS? No way. But it has angsty hot boys, plucky poor gals, true love, oodles of angst and a ton and a half of cheese. I do plan to continue with DJS – it’s rather cute and the heroine is adorable, but I don’t think I will fall into mad love. It would be a fabulous show to watch with a bunch of girlfriends, though. (For those who are wondering, DJS follows a bunch of people but centers around a thirty-something office worker named Dal Ja. The story takes off when, on impulse, she hires a 26-yr old guy to be her fake boyfriend. It’s rather jdramaish).

DJS MV:

I have watched (all or in part) three of the most famous kdramas of the 30+ladies subgenre: Kim Sam Soon, DJS and 9 In 2 Out. While I don’t dislike DJS the way I ended up disliking KSS (in fact, it’s rather cute), it does not grab me the way my favorites do. 9I2O was also very good but I still can’t get past ep 6 or so, even with the fast-forwarding.

That’s the thing: people watch kdramas for all sorts of different reasons. My viewing needs are simple: step-sibling forbidden love, revenge, ninjas with tragic past. And angst angst angst. I don’t watch for real life: I have that at home. And I am not big on fluffy romcoms, either. But then if you look at my Top Kdramas list, there are very few comedies on it, and even those that are there, like Capital Scandal and My Girl, have serious issue underpinnings or major angst. Goong is probably the fluffiest of the list but I cried during it and the whole premise is delicious crack, another thing I love about dramas.

Part of the reason in my lack of interest, I think, is that I can’t identify with Dal Ja or Sam Soon or whoever at all – Mr. Mousie and I met in undergrad. I am only a couple of years younger than Dal Ja, but I have been with my husband for almost a decade and I have a baby. True, I have just as little in common with a 19-yr-old in an arranged marriage to an emo icy prince, a medieval female warrior. or a Mob Princess but they are more entertaining to watch (or perhaps that’s not it – perhaps I can imagine myself as Dal Ja in some alternate universe as well as I can imagine myself as all other kdrama heroines, however far-fetched, but I just don’t want to because she is all too human and failure-prone).

*This is not to say all older ladies’ dramas are not for me – I adore Hello Teacher and like Romance. But they are a LOT more ‘drama-like’ in their set-up and angstier. And I like pure fluffy comedies once in a great while (Sweet 18) but the set-up has to be cracktastic.

Comments

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

she is all too human and failure-prone
That's actually one of the reasons why I really really love DJS (plus the fact that they pretty much took all the kdrama cliches and turned them upside down) and 9 In 2 Out.

But I really hated MNIKSS though.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I loathed the heroine and didn't like the hero in KSS. Which is a recipe for disaster.

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

If I watch one more "office romance" my head will probably explode. I know I won't enjoy them, but there's always some combination of actors to make me think, oh, maybe this will be the one to turn me around... AND NO, IT NEVER IS.

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to get to the age where I don't identify with high school romances anymore (23, apparently). But then, I'm quite easily brought around to things that I don't like by actors/tropes/other things that I love.

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

Do you want to beat them for being such teenagers? I feel that way a lot and I was a teenager until last month. XD

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

I've felt like that since I was a teenager. Those halcyon days, back '05.

(O/T: As we SPEAK/TYPE, I'm applying to teach English in Korea. One step closer to marrying Gong Yoo and gainful employment!)

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

Woo! Since you're getting Gong Yoo, can you wrap up Lee Jun Ki for me?

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

If you really wanted him, you would go there yourself. I'm not rewarding half-arsed stalking.

(I'm not actually going for Gong Yoo. Isn't he at the border, or wherever it is that the military hang out, anyway?)

[joonni.livejournal.com]

I've reached that age too and it is so strange because I thought I would never be tired of the angst. Although I admit! Twilight did bring a flare back. But unlike when I was younger, I got tired really easily and I don't want more of it.

[uisceros.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way. I still love watching the younger dramas, but I've been out of highschool for 7 years now. I can no longer relate. Course I can't exactly relate to the 30+ year old women dramas either...

[mishane.livejournal.com]

I'm 22 and I feel that way.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

The only office drama I have ever liked was Sapuri because Kame's adorableness trumped all. But normally, forget office romances, I don't even care fo office dramas that aren't romance-centric, like Super Rookie. Just if it's set in the office, I am out.

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

Different strokes for different folks! Although I love some step-sibling romance angst, too much angst is a turn off for me, in general.

I've grown to dislike MNIKSS more the further away I've gotten, bu probably for different reasons than you. I'm thinking of watching 9 in 2 out now, though.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am very curious why you don't like MNIKSS? I hated that neither of the two main characters matured or grew very much and the heroine ended up a dishrag anyway - hello, being fine with dating someone who is still formally dating someone else? Have you learned nothing from your scumbag ex? When she said she won't sleep with Hyun Bin because she is chubby, I checked out of the drama utterly, emotionally - my reaction was sheer incredulity that she didn't bring up his taken status first instead.

9I2O is excellent - it's not the type of story that grabs me but even I can appreciate how well written and acted it is.

[joonni.livejournal.com]

office dramas are a no-no for me too.

why are 30 year old office woman always portrayed as little loud, a little too ambitious, lacking in life, etc. And they meet someone who is younger. why???

I watched samsoon in the beginning and in the end. I had no opinion of it really. It was good but most of the appeal for me was hyun bin :) I think I liked the ending the most actually. It wasn't "they lived happily ever after" and for me at that time, it was refreshing. For some people who were much more invested in the couple probably hated the ending.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I guess if office woman was successful and married and mature there'd be nothing to show. :)

Seriously though, the office dramas I managed to enjoy have been the few where the woman is mature (the excellent jdrama Brand comes to mind). Why must the guy be younger, anyway? Is it because no "grown-up" equal guy will go for her because they are too busy hunting Cinderallas? One of the reasons I adored Lovers was because BOTH leads were grown-ups: she was a surgeon in her thirties but ended up with a guy her age who was quite successful in his chosen field (granted, his field was the Mob but we can't have everything).

[uisceros.livejournal.com]

I apparently really like the office dramas with the thirty-something girls. I've only seen three real office dramas so far, and I've loved them all.

As much as I adore fantasy in dramas, I think I like realism a bit more.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am clearly realism-allergic. I need my amnesia :)

[mishane.livejournal.com]

I think I'm more of a fan of the realistic than the fantastical. I usually end up scoffing at some of the crazy story lines. If acted well, then it's fine, but unfortunately that's not the case with most of them.

That said, I really didn't like MNIKSS. However I absolutely ADORED 9 Ends 2 Outs, but probably for all the reasons that you would hate it (it's very realistic to me, the slow progression of their relationship and it doesn't rely on plot devices to advance the OTP and also there is no crazy angst, cancer, hidden stepsiblings or amnesia).

I did hear that Dal Ja's Spring was good and I have that on my hard drive to watch, as well as Marrying A Millionaire, and I'll probably end up watching MAM first, as I'm in the angst mood right now.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

9I2O I could appreciate even if it wasn't my thing but MNIKSS made me loathe the two main characters...

MAM is not that angsty. Biggest problem with MAM is that Go Soo can act circles around everyone else in the cast and it sort of unbalances it.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

This is so my topic. I think out of all the "office dramas" where the older woman finds love with the younger man out there, I have watched three or five. Somewhere along those lines. And I have either disliked or hated them. It's not that I dislike older woman/younger man stories - I've enjoyed many of those. And I've watched and enjoyed several office type dramas. Something just happens when you put the two together.


As someone said - the woman that is 30 or 33 or 35 is always very loud and immature. Very ambitious, but completely lacking in a personal life. Then, a oddly mature 23/25 year old comes along, who may or may not really have a great job/no job or direction and suddenly - it's love. It's just, in a way, realistic, but in another it's like watching a weird romance/chick lit novel.


That said, I do think there comes a time when people just get bored of certain types of dramas. I used to like the high school drama, back when I was in my late teens/early 20s. But now, that I'm a week from being 25, I find myself going more toward comedy, drama, family, and romance for my drama genres.


I did watch DJS on and off and I personally found the episodes boring at some points. It was a nice show, but was lacking for me.


You know, the writer of MNIKSS wrote another drama with an older woman/younger man called What's Up Fox? that I actually rather enjoyed. It had a nice balance of drama, angst, comedy, and romance. Basically, a 30-32 year old virgin (whose never even really kissed), who writes the dirtiest articles and short stories in a smutty man's magazine gets really drunk and sleeps with the younger brother of her best friend of 25 years. Awkwardness, "let's pretend it never happen"s, jealously, etc ensues. All while the poor woman beings to think she's found "the one" - a slightly older and very handsome doctor. Meanwhile, the woman's younger sister (whose an aspiring model) falls for the doctor's childhood friend - a much older (like 14 years older) gentleman, who's angry, brash, and who "looks like a bulldog"

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Fox sounds like it could be cute.

I just wish that in the older woman dramas they wouldn't always end up with younger man - as if no guy their age would want them because they are immature. Weird.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Seriously cute.


I agree. There aren't many dramas where the woman in her 30s falls for and gets together with a man their own/slight above their age. I think that was one of the things I liked about Fox - for a good parent of the drama, the female lead likes/is likes by/dates the slightly older doctor. While she and the younger man remain more or less friends. (Though there is angst (mostly on his part)) I would rec you the first episode, just to test it out.

[december-clouds.livejournal.com]

I *love* the 30+ ladies subgenere. Dreams of Romance (a J-drama) is one of my all time favs.

I don't know why. I'm 26 years old, married since the day after I turned 25, no children, not really a housewife, not really that sort of type, but there's something about those that just works for me.

I now must watch 9 in 2 out. And if you find any other 30+ ladies subgenre, please tell me about it.

[december-clouds.livejournal.com]

Also DJS and KSS I love! I'm not faulting you for not loving them, it's just me. :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Brand is a jdrama in that subgenre. I love it. Also Love Story (another jdrama I like).

[kitkat-cat.livejournal.com]

I havent watched DJS although i do have it on dvd...but i absolutely adored MNIKSS and 9 In 2 Outs! And like you, I can't really identify with these ladies in terms of their relationship problems, and propensity to go for younger men...the BOYFRIEND *is* 10 months younger than me, but at least we're the same age for 2 months out of 12!

I do need something to balance out the teeny-bopper, cutsey fluffy things that i watch!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I say one can't have too many teenybopper things - I am immature perpetually :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am different - and actually, my tastes must also relate to my personal romances. My first husband (it didn't work out, but there were reasons and I remember him without any bitterness) was an office romance.

My present husband - I met him when I already was 31 and thought that my marriage life is over 100%. He is't younger than myself, but we had a definite element of cross-star lovers from the very beginning (different countries/languages/cultures!) and also because I didn't want to move to the UK AT ALL.

And truly enough these are the things I like in drama: office romance, star-crossed lovers who come from different backgrounds, stories about older women (not necessary with a young man, just women who think their marriageable life is over). I either like icy-arrogant-workaholic-bad-boys as my first husband or good-guys as my husband.

I haven't had any serious romances at school /Uni so these stories are less favourite.

Hmm, it seems this all goes back to our own experiences!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup - our experiences majorly play into it. I noticed that now I am a Mom, I identify with mom parts of stories so much more and can't bear to see anyone hurt who has a parent - because I can only imagine how much it would hurt the parent. Odd :)