Kdrama slump

[dangermousie]

As you can tell my this LJ becoming cdrama-central lately, I am in a major kdrama slump.

No kdrama seems to keep my attention since the beginning of Dream High (and the last kdrama I loved from beginning to end was Secret Garden). Even dramas I can tell are good (Royal Family) don't seem to grab me. I don't even seem motivated to check out 49 Days or Crime Squad, which normally sound 100% my thing.

I am going to try both tomorrow anyway, in hopes of being free from the slump. We'll see.

The thing is, I am in the mood for (a) period drama (b) romcom (I know, shocking!).

If a drama combined both, like JPLH, it would be ideal, but either one is fine.

I don't think there is a single romcom on in kdrama-land right now. Zero! Everything that's airing is melo, melo, and more melo. I am waiting for Festival like a parched person in the desert.

As to period dramas, the only choices are King Geunchugo, which, according to momosan has gone downhill and, in any event, seems to be "old men talking" (tm meganbmoore) - traditional sageuks about royals and I don't do well. Fusion is great or sageuks about lower orders of society are fine but one of those legthy, traditional, talky sageuks and I don't mix. The Kingdom of the Winds (which I adore) is the closest I came to liking a traditional sageuk about a king, and it's not very traditional at all, miles closer to Return of Iljimae or Legend than something like Yi San. The other choice is The Duo, and the lengthy childhood section lost me. Whenever I contemplate checking it out, I think that I am going to have to sit through 8+ hours of childhood stuff and my hands sort of fall to my sides and I give up.

Well, let's hope either 49 Days or Crime Squad snaps me out.

Comments

[shinystory.livejournal.com]

Correct me if I'm wrong but my impression is that you wouldn't even watch "Festival" at all.

I really hope Jung Yong-hwa gets some acting skills. It really made me squirmy watching him in "You're Beautiful."

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am not big on romcoms but occasionally I crave them and for some reason I glommed onto this one.

Re: JYH. I don't mind even outright bad acting as long as I like the story and the dynamic.

[happahaole.livejournal.com]

I'm really liking 49 days. The acting is really not that bad. The girl who plays the dead girl is a little weak, but she doesn't bug me that much. And I really like Jung Il woo as the Grim Reaper and the girl who plays the host-body. She goes in and out from depressed to happy really well. It was a slow start (in episode 1), but by the end of episode 2 it suddenly became amazing. I think this is a drama that will just keep getting better (sorta like Dream High). There are so many ways this drama can go, especially with the romance. It has lots of potential. I just hope I'm not let down.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info - I am going to be cautiously optimistic now.

[hanjae.livejournal.com]

I was in the exact same slump you were in until I tried Once Upon a Time in Saengchori last night. It's funny, really quirky and well-directed. Plus, Ha Suk Jin/Lee Young Eun are cute, and Kim Dong Yoon is serious eye-candy. I don't think it's really your thing though; there's a murder mystery in the background but almost zero angst until later on.

The only historical drama I've enjoyed recently is Chosun Police 3 - dark and gritty, and the romance between 2 of the lead agents is super adorable. They got their happy ending after some serious angst (guy was going undercover and was given the choice of stabbing girl himself or letting his fellow assassin stab her... so he does it himself so that he can at least maximize her chance of surviving). The other one I've watched is Dong Yi, but omg that was a snorefest. And this is coming from someone who adored Yi San.

[timescout.livejournal.com]

Seconding Saengchori. :) It was one of my 'whim picks' but I ended up rather loving it. The slightly off kilter feel really appeals to me. It may be a bit too OTT for you in places though. Yup, the OTP is cute but not cutsey, I'm totally onboard there, ha.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I'd love ChosunP3 - viki was trying to sub it at some point, I should go back and check the status.

Re: Dong Yi. If a period kdrama is 50 eps or over, I am out. Cdramas somehow manage to make the pace work but kdramas grind to a deadly halt.

[(Anonymous)]

i thought i am the only one who felt all the Kdramas that are shown now BOORINGG. nothing caught my attention. so, i check the dramabeans and read her comments. according to her 49 Days and Crime Squad are worth to try. so.... i did watch the 1st episode of 49 days and found it to be interesting and better compared to the recent drama showing. of course, do not compare it with Secret Garden. but the drama got potential and i think it's better than not having anything to watch. i have not tried crime squad though. hope for those who response to the comments above can give some indication about this drama.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am going to check out CS today so will let you know.

[orangebreeze.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way. Right now I'm watching older dramas to get over this season. Tried 49 Days yesterday and frankly, I was bored :/ I've only seen the first episode so far, so I haven't lost hope yet.
Other than that I'm watching some weekend shows. They aren't what one would call brilliant, but at least there are some quirky shows contrary to all the melodrama during the week :)
I'm actually looking forward to next season. "Maids" and "The Manny" seem to be right up my alley :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Manny sounds delightful, plus I am a big fan of SJS after Gloria.

Maids - ehhhhh. I really didn't go for Pasta. But you never know.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am the same. I am also in Cdrama moment - they seem to you know.. have plot? I balme it all on Chuno - Kdrama was never the same for me since then.


I watch mostly a combination of Western shows, cdrama (Yang warriors - so plotty and I finally got to the Four) and anime (mind-bending)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

True. I am watching about a dozen cdramas at the moment and whether chirpy romance like JPLH or epic like 3Kingdoms, they all have a ton of plot. It's not all about the OTP all the time. That gets tiring. I like seeing other things and other relationships. (Even in JPLH which is very shippy, shippy stuff takes less than 50% of the time).

Re: Yangs. You got to Four! Yay!

[cranberrysheep.livejournal.com]

I've kind of fallen out of dramas completely for the moment. And it's not like I don't have a huge backlog of things I want to watch. I don't know. I guess I'm in more of an American/British mood currently.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Speaking of, have you checked out the Borgias yet?

[karened.livejournal.com]

Me too. I've totally switched over to cdramas after Secret Garden. I think I'll go back to jdramas soon, with the upcoming Jin 2 (have you watched the 1st season? It's so good - visually and plot-wise, I managed to get over me distaste for all period dramas not Chinese).

Nothing on the kdrama horizon makes me excited....Festival seems ok, but it's just not attention grabbing enough.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I liked the first season of Jin so I am game for second.

Yeah, this year is pretty lackluster so far for kdramas.

[jaydk.livejournal.com]

I really want to watch Royal Family, but no complete subs yet. I did watch the first episode, only getting the general gist of the action, but I loved the lead actor and the set-up, so I'll be back for more whenever subs appear. I'll probably check out 49 Days too, but right now what I want to watch is Royal Family, not the other new show! ;-)

At the moment I'm caught up in Jade Palace; kdrama That Fool/Accidental Couple, which has been on my "to be watched" list and I'm enjoying a lot; and my guilty pleasure Thai lakorns. They're so bad! But some of the actors are really good or at least very charismatic and fun to watch together, and the chemistry can be really intense. As an old-school soap fan, I can put up with a lot in the name of good chemistry!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, rec some lakorns, I want!

[enagwolo.livejournal.com]

There's nothing going on for me. Not in cdrama, twdrama, kdrama or jdrama! So I'm back to watching Bones. LOL

Funny you're now craving a romcom when there's none. LOL.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

LOL.

Yeah, everything in kdramaworld is so emo. It's annoying.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, me too - my rapture for Kdramas seems to have waned a good bit. I have failed to finish any of the Kdramas that I attempted to start since, well, late last year?! Like you I have turned to Cdramas and am finding myself pleasantly surprised. After Summer's Desire and YWotYC and Sunny Happiness, I am now watching My Queen. MQ starts off rocking and I don't know if it will hold my interest till the end, but I can only describe Cheryl Yang with one word and that is - well, two words: SERIOUSLY AWESOME. It's nice to see such quality acting in a Taiwanese idol drama. DM you really must give My Queen a whirl.

[(Anonymous)]

At least you finished. The last kdrama I finished was Capital Scandal 3 years ago

[dante-levine.livejournal.com]

Crime Squad is GREAT. The writing and acting is good and the story arc is intriguing. Every couple of episodes there is a case that gets solved, while clues to the bigger mystery are dropped and pursued.

Still digging NTOG. Don't care if anyone else is or isn't watching! Same with Midas -- although I get that it may not be everyone's cup of tea.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am going to check out CS today.

[threebits.livejournal.com]

Same here, but in my case it's Dream High's fault! It wasn't even OMgah amazing in any department (well, except for the Baek Hee-Hye Mi slash teehee) and yet I was so hooked it successfully managed to lure me into the kpop universe. o_o Darn.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

:P