Thursday Drama Round-Up

[dangermousie]

1. I have watched ep 11 of You're Beautiful, which was cute as always, but ruined a bit for me by two things:

a. They stole the bit with the reporters/hiding the girl from Last Scandal. Let me correct that - not just from Last Scandal, but from one of the best, most powerful scenes in it. I find YAB version derivative and lacking and it kinda made me grumpy. Nobody messes with my Jae Bin/Sun Hee otp not even cute crossdressing boybanders.

b. The fact that I have been recently watching IRIS and it just doesn't compare. There is a saying that women are either Bronte people or Austen people and I suppose it's the same here - you are either an IRIS person or YAB person. Because I like YAB - it's cute, sweet, enjoyable, and fun. But watched in close proximity with IRIS I just get impatient with how dim everyone is. I mean, Minam - you are not retarded - so wtf - she does all these things a ten-year-old could think their way out of (gluing her fingers together? Really? REALLY?) But not just Minam - Jeremy and even Tae Kyung - come on, use those braincells! Anyway, YAB is fine but note to self - do not watch it and IRIS together, it will wreck the former for you as they are so tonally different.

I wonder if, at 31, I am getting too old for teenage dramas because I am at such a different place in my life? I hope not - I love spazzing about them :)

2. I have decided to try to wait watching more Tamra the Island until the extended DVD is out, especially since too much viikiiing leads to eye-strain. Let's see how long I can hold out.

3. I started On Air on dramafever and I really like it - it's solid and a good way to spend the time - it's won't make me rabid or sleepless but it's steadily good. Plus, Park Yong Ha and the world of dramamaking. How could I not want this?

And we get this:


















4. I like JIN but the bodily fluids and the curing of said things grosses me out - I kina skip through those parts. I am so not made for medical shows.

5. I went insane and downloaded ep 9 of IRIS just so I could cap this bit from the preview.





Hyun Joon and his terrorist (!!!) group break into NSS and he sees:



I totally know he is thinking Is she alive IS SHE ALIVE?????



Meanwhile Seung Hee is inside, hunting him down. Only she doesn't know it's him, of course.







Meeting. Only in IRIS would the OTP meet this way after believing the other one is dead. OMGOMG.





(the tears in his eyes - eeeeee!)

Comments

[issy-chan.livejournal.com]

"There is a saying that women are either Bronte people or Austen people and I suppose it's the same here"

oh, how interesting. at the moment i am an Austin person because i really love YAB type stories. but, have not seen IRIS yet and i know that i also like this types of dramas.
we also have to remember that YAB is my 1st ever kdrama and thank god i loved it. you are really tempting me to watch IRIS. :-)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you are enjoying YAB - it's sweet and funny :)

IRIS does make me think of jdramas a bit - I mean, it's longer and there is more tongue action :P than you'd normally have in a jdrama but in some ways it has that vibe.

[fivil.livejournal.com]

I think I might follow your advice and drop YAB for now because IRIS is compelling me (though I still haven't watched ep 3 - crazybusy this week ugh) and it's something I really want to focus on. And I really fear what you describe happening to you might've already happened to me with eps 1-2 of IRIS vs ep 1 of YAB. Also, YAB is the sort of drama that follows a pattern I'm already semi-familiar with - ice-cold hero meets and dislikes cutesy heroine, and I know it'll take at least 4-5 eps for them to warm to each other and while getting there might be funny and all, I'm not hugely attracted to either hero or heroine so it's difficult to work up a very active interest, funny as it is.

Whereas IRIS is something new. It might end like the world's biggest cliché but for once I relish in the unpredictability of the storyline and all the layers in it. :)

Btw, do you know if there's a good dvd for Black & White? Disillusioment with American TV has once again made me turn to Asian dramas (been rewatching Capital Scandal before bed, for example) and that one was so praised I might give it a go.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah - YAB is sweet and fluffy and inoffensive but nothing about it really 'pings' for me - you know? Not when contrasted with IRIS which keeps me at the edge of my seat (I do get amused imagining any of the characters in IRIS tearing through the world of YAB. Heee).

There are good Black & White dvds with English subs on yesasia, or so I heard - haven't bought them myself yet (shame on me!) I really loved that drama.

[timescout.livejournal.com]

I'm with you in that YAB and IRIS should not be watched back to back. Nor any combo of sweet fluff and something serious. They just don't match up and generally tend to leave a bad taste for either of the shows, depending on what kind of mood you are.

I have my YAB days and IRIS days now as I tend to wait for better quality vids to watch for IRIS. I want my murder and mayhem as clear as possible. :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

The thing with me is that it's usually a one-way street - I can switch from a cracky drama to a serious one and after a few minutes of culture shock be fine. But the other way around I end up irritated.

I think it's because, at my baseline, I prefer epic/serious dramas - must be my Russian upbringing :)

YAB is actually probably the fluffiest drama I have ever really enjoyed - there is minimum of angst. Even lighter dramas I love have wagonloads (Capitol Scandal etc) so this is pretty unusual.

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

I mean, Minam - you are not retarded - so wtf - she does all these things a ten-year-old could think their way out of (gluing her fingers together? Really? REALLY?) But not just Minam - Jeremy and even Tae Kyung - come on, use those braincells!
This is why I haven't been able to get into YAB like everyone else. It irks me when characters can't act their age and acting dumb is supposed to make them seem endearing or something. Everyone in IRIS is just so smart and tough and awesome! I love that the women can take care of themselves and won't just lie on top of a very loud mp3 player to stop it. Plus I love that IRIS is so different than all the kdramas airing right now.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I love the IRIS women. They could deal with this whole situation in 2 seconds flat, while rolling their eyes and holstering their guns.

I don't mind dumb if they are also self-reliant but Minam is a kitten. Sometimes that works for me, sometimes - less so.

I wonder why Hong Sisters made her so - heroine of Chunhyung was tough and whip-smart and heroine of My Girl was sharp and no dummy. Even Yinok from Hong Gil Dong was pretty self-sufficient and tough, even if no brain trust. She was certainly not helpless.

So why Minam?

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's because she's a nun? But being naive and innocent shouldn't mean that people have to hold your hand through every little thing. I'm still recovering from Jandi's brain dead crippled kitten act so it just annoys me even more than it probably should.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

And yet, some people think Jandi's problem was in being TOO fierce. LOL

I found this comment on dramabeans:

, I felt so annoyed each time JanDi said Yah! Goo Yoon Pyo…. she was not cute but really fierce. Man will run away….

Ahahahaha

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

Lmao were these people watching the same drama?
But then again, these are the same people who found the scene where Jandi drowns herself really beautiful *stabs eyes out*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I don't know about you, but I dream of drowning myself for a guy!

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

Well, that is the best way to prove your undying, eternal love.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Eternal, maybe, but after a few glugs of water, I bet it will stop being undying.

Ahhh, Jandi - the girl who repeatedly almost drowned in the shallows and had to be saved, twice, by a hydrophobe. All the while dreaming of swimming for the Olympics.

Somehow that just sums up everything that was wrong with BOF

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

omg

IT'S SO TRUE

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

lolol that's true.

And let's not forget Jun Pyo, the boy with a huge water phobia who kayaked out to the middle of a big body of water and then angsted in another big body of water.

*does not look at IRIS spoilers* *is strong*

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it makes me an awful person, but I'm so glad I'm not the only one frustrated with YAB. She bothered me from the first episode when she LET TAE KYUNG WALK AWAY WITH HER TICKET because she couldn't think of a better plan than a snatch'n'go. I literally thought of a half-dozen solutions while she just stood there.

I haven't even seen past ep four because she annoys me so much -- I can take any number of passive, weepy, naive, cutesy heroines, but I can't stand one who can't use her brain.

Given IRIS airing at the same time, there's just no contest. :)

Re: *does not look at IRIS spoilers* *is strong*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Wolfie, I have no patience so am spoiling myself for IRIS left and right and so good! *come to the darksiiiiide*

Re: Minam. I actually don't mind a 'dumb' heroine as long as she doesn't always need to be rescued etc - e.g. Yinok in Hong Gil Dong was, arguably, thick as a plank, but she was also street-smart, practical, and I don't think Gil Dong had to rescue her even once. She might not have been brainy but she was a strong person. Of course, I am also more forgiving of that sort of thing in someone brought up as a medieval peasant than I am of someone from the modern world.

It's like - Minam is cute - I get it. I can even get why all 3 boys like her for various reasons. But it doesn't mean it's something that resonates with me.

Yeah - IRIS has utterly ruined it for me. It's like they are set in two different worlds. Boohoo, Minam has a problem - she doesn't want the guy she likes to find out she likes him (whyyyyyy?) It's alien to me.

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

*bites lip* I can't! I'll regret it! I know I will! aklfjslfkldjldf waiting is torture.

Boohoo, Minam has a problem - she doesn't want the guy she likes to find out she likes him (whyyyyyy?) It's alien to me.

Has she finally realized it, then? I checked out somewhere when she was still utterly bewildered by her thumping heart around Tae Kyung. I mean, what on EARTH could that mean?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's spoilery to say that Seung Hee gets even more awesome :)

Actually Minam realized she likes TK pretty quick - except then she thought he and Fake Fairy girl were dating (he was fake-dating her) so didn't act on it. So far so good. But now she knows it's fake so I am rolling my eyes and all 'just tell him, idiot - put 2-and-2 together.'

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

That's not a spoiler, that's a given. >:D

I must be getting too old for teen/shoujo-esque dramas as well, because your comment made me roll my eyes from start to finish.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I really want assertive women as leads and don't get them too often - that is why dramas like IRIS (or Legend, or Worlds Within, or Mawang) really work for me.

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

It's all about self-possession for me. I can handle young/naive leads and "cute" spunk and quirkiness as long as she has an ounce of bearing and self-awareness. (I think that's part of the reason I love jerk heroes so much -- not only do we get to watch them melt, but the heroine has to be strong and sure enough to deflect his crap.)

[scanky-chops.livejournal.com]

I was talking to Wolfie about this and how i'm not a fan of Minam at all because i know the girl's grown up to be a nun but can she seriously be that clueless? I'm only really watching it for the guys but there's still a part of me wondering why the hell the other two bother 'cos it's kinda obvious she's set on Tae Kyung and gah, i don't really like female characters who can't do anything right.

I should probably watch IRIS just to get away from it.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I can actually buy her being this clueless - she is 19 and always a nun. Fine. But it doesn't mean that it's something I find appealing in a character. Not to mention clueless, unworldly, not into her emotions - fine, nunlike. But shouldn't she also have strong will and a learning curve?

IRIS is so goood so gooooood.

[scanky-chops.livejournal.com]

I don't think i've been a fan of female characters like that either.

But shouldn't she also have strong will and a learning curve?

YES. The girl has been in her situation for how long now? She's got manager telling her what to do all the time. She should have picked something up right?

I think it's a bad thing when i'm actually more of a fan of the bitchy sweetheart character 'cos yeah, she's a bitch but she's also resourceful, changing and actually kinda sad.

But i'd end up shipping LBH with sniper woman (IT'S A PATTERN) or something. Also, while i can take JIN'S medical stuff torture isn't my thing. Even with the added bonus of stripped LBH.

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

All this Mi-nam discussion is actually very interesting- something about her has been bugging me and this finally made me realize what it was - because I am much the same way, I take my heroines cute and cutesy but also intelligent, thank you very much. I remember her stupidity hugely annoyed the first 2 episodes but I think after that I shut my brain off to it because I'd fallen for the drama fast and hard. hmm. Also, that point about the Hong sisters is somewhat frightening - their heroines seem to be getting dumber as we go along, I mean Yi Nok was th last one right(and she at least could defend herself). Mi-nam can't even do that. hmm:(

however, if we're talking Bronte versus Austen lovers, both are among my favorite authors of all time, but I have to say-Austen being the light, fluffy, well-written You're Beautiful and Bronte being the dark, angsty, epic Iris - I have always loved Austen more(it's actually rather a good analogy). So there you go.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

While I am definitely a Bronte person - Jane Eyre is a desert island book for me but as time goes on, the less and less I like Austen. So it works :)

Yeah, their heroines used to be fierce (Chunhyang, Anna, Yoo Rin) progressed to not bright but self-reliant (Yi Nok) and now Minam...????

[bae-mac.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one who's going to say that I can watch IRIS and YAB and still would love the heroines in it that are totally poles apart?

Ok, granted that I have watched four episodes of IRIS so far, but I have read all your posts on IRIS that I somehow know how the whole story is going so far. hehe!

I love both. Wait. Let me rephrase that.

I adore You're Beautiful.
As for IRIS - let's just say that I am a craving for the subbed episodes please!!!

hehe!

ON AIR is about to air here (or is it airing already? ). Maybe I'll watch because I adore Song Yun Ah. :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I can like them both better if I don't watch it too close together

[prismatic-star.livejournal.com]

You're right, mousie. My feelings are becoming the same about YAB. It's becoming dull and frustrating. What happened, Hong Sisters? Where did the magic go from Hong Gil Dong, My Girl, DGH, etc? Le sigh.
Thankfully, the viikii fan comments are keeping me well-entertained.

I really really tried to get into IRIS. It just... didn't catch my attention from the first ep. Oh well.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am hoping my interest in YAB will pick up with ep 12. I was bored and doing other things during 11. (I loved DGH, My Girl, HGD but was bored with Fantasy Couple so YAB is still not the least interesting Hong Sisters drama for me).

Chances are if IRIS first ep didn't draw you in, it won't be a drama for you. (Though I suppose you never know - I want wildly different things depending on my mood).

[karened.livejournal.com]

OMG. On Air. You watched it!!

That ending scene was one of my favourites, after the scene of their regretful kiss in her work studio, and the one where he found her at the deserted train station under the cherry blossoms and started spewing all the cliched drama lines she wrote.

PYH. <3