Musings of the Obsessive Kind

It's no secret that period dramas are my favorite...and I am currently swamped in them. Let's take stock.

1. The Princess' Man - my current obsession. I am currently on ep 20 (22 has aired, 24 is the total number of eps). Politics, star-crossed lovers and tragedy. This is in the running for my favorite drama of the year.



On a shallow front, the fact that Park Shi Hoo never looked hotter doesn't hurt.

If you need subs, WITHS2 (best quality), DarkSmurf (best speed) and Viki (in the middle on both) are subbing this puppy. It's also the highest-rated prime time drama currently, so there is that :)

2. Warrior Baek Dong Soo. I am currently on ep 11 (I know!). 26 has aired and 30 is the total number of eps. It's not really art the way TPM is, IMO, art. But it's the closest I've seen kdrama come to wuxia (or shounen manga) and has a good ensemble cast who have a lot of fun with its adventure-and-intrigue in a coming of age package. I find it a lot less emotionally taxing than TPM and rather lighter but, be warned, it's still far from a light drama.

3. Gyebaek, the war epic. I always meant to check it out just for the cast - Lee Seo Jin, with his physicality and overpowering masculine screen presence, was born to be in a sageuk (together with Song Il Gook, I think they are the two actors who fit better in sageuk than in modern drama). Plus Seo Ji Hye and Cha In Pyo. But I was going to wait until TPM ended until evil evil evil meganbmoore tempted me with a clip I posted earlier (number of times said clip was rewatched? 5). Still, this looks pretty darn heavy so I am not sure I can handle this and TPM at the same time. Let's see if my common sense or my obsession win. Meanwhile have a MV. This is Gyebaek's parents and all I can say is his daddy was an utter BAMF.



20 eps are out, 11 are subbed. Withs2 and viki are subbing this.

4. Tree with Deep Roots, starring Jang Hyuk (OMG YES!) and Shin Se Kyung, is starting next week, replacing the recently ended Protect the Boss. It looks like an intense mystery and I cannot wait.



5. Qng Shi Huang Fei - started airing on the 30th and will air two eps per day. I've blabbed enough about this one. Viki is subbing.

One problem - every freaking one of these is depressing! I am going to eat my own head soon. I think I'll take a break and watch Gumiho to keep my sanity.

It's no secret that period dramas are my favorite...and I am currently swamped in them. Let's take stock.

1. The Princess' Man - my current obsession. I am currently on ep 20 (22 has aired, 24 is the total number of eps). Politics, star-crossed lovers and tragedy. This is in the running for my favorite drama of the year.



On a shallow front, the fact that Park Shi Hoo never looked hotter doesn't hurt.

If you need subs, WITHS2 (best quality), DarkSmurf (best speed) and Viki (in the middle on both) are subbing this puppy. It's also the highest-rated prime time drama currently, so there is that :)

2. Warrior Baek Dong Soo. I am currently on ep 11 (I know!). 26 has aired and 30 is the total number of eps. It's not really art the way TPM is, IMO, art. But it's the closest I've seen kdrama come to wuxia (or shounen manga) and has a good ensemble cast who have a lot of fun with its adventure-and-intrigue in a coming of age package. I find it a lot less emotionally taxing than TPM and rather lighter but, be warned, it's still far from a light drama.

3. Gyebaek, the war epic. I always meant to check it out just for the cast - Lee Seo Jin, with his physicality and overpowering masculine screen presence, was born to be in a sageuk (together with Song Il Gook, I think they are the two actors who fit better in sageuk than in modern drama). Plus Seo Ji Hye and Cha In Pyo. But I was going to wait until TPM ended until evil evil evil meganbmoore tempted me with a clip I posted earlier (number of times said clip was rewatched? 5). Still, this looks pretty darn heavy so I am not sure I can handle this and TPM at the same time. Let's see if my common sense or my obsession win. Meanwhile have a MV. This is Gyebaek's parents and all I can say is his daddy was an utter BAMF.



20 eps are out, 11 are subbed. Withs2 and viki are subbing this.

4. Tree with Deep Roots, starring Jang Hyuk (OMG YES!) and Shin Se Kyung, is starting next week, replacing the recently ended Protect the Boss. It looks like an intense mystery and I cannot wait.



5. Qng Shi Huang Fei - started airing on the 30th and will air two eps per day. I've blabbed enough about this one. Viki is subbing.

One problem - every freaking one of these is depressing! I am going to eat my own head soon. I think I'll take a break and watch Gumiho to keep my sanity.

Yes, I realize it's a posting frenzy but due to various things, I am not posting tomorrow :P

Anyway, I can't believe it, but I am about to restart Warrior Baek Dong Soo. I don't think it's an amazing drama, the way The Princess' Man is, and I like the concept of it better than the execution, but what can I say? I am powerless before angsty assassin's mane of glory...



Plus, I ship assassin/nun just on principle. I mean - he's an assassin and she's a nun. It's a relationship dreamed up by my id.

Have a MV:

Even though I haven't watched Protect the Boss past ep 6 (I liked it, but I wasn't obsessed thus it fell by the wayside, victim of my short attention span and huge viewing list), I confess to adoring reading the soompi thread. It must be the trainwreck lover in me because for the last few weeks, that thread has been one giant flame war between rabid Jaejoong fangirls and Jaejoong antis who think he's ugly/bad at acting/has too much screentime/whatever.

Since I have no stakes in that particular contest - I like PtB but am not attached to it in the least, I think JJ is good-looking (if too much like a Korean Robert Pattison for my tastes) but I am not particularly attracted to him, and I think he is a mediocre actor who is, at least, not unbearably stiff. So I just have spectator entertainment. Even if I will never understand the defense 'he/she is new at acting, so give him some slack.' WTF? A person should be qualified for the job he or she is doing. If I go to a restaurant and get a bad meal or buy a table that falls apart asap, I severely doubt 'oh, the chef is new' or 'this is the carpenter's first table' is going to excuse it. Also, the fight over whether JJ has more screentime than Ji Sung (no idea, as not watching) is very entertaining. On general principles, Team Ji Sung though, because I've loved watching that man for years :P

I am HORRIBLY behind with Warrior Baek Dong Soo - I believe I haven't seen past ep 10. I like the drama, and it's certainly pretty and well-acted, but I think it never crossed into love for me because I am not emotionally attached to any of the characters, though I like a lot of them and find most of them interesting (more so the old generation than the new). Plus, it seems to be headed into the direction of Dong Soo/Ji Sun and while I don't hate that pairing or anything, I find it the least interesting one of all possible realistic combinations. It doesn't help that I like Ji Sun better on paper than as we see her - I think the actress is having a hard time portraying this very contained, intraverted character. I keep wondering what is off with Dong Soo to prefer her to Jin Ju.

And last random note - I find it funny that I like dramas where relationships and life overall is not one I'd want in a million years and be largely indifferent to those which portray life/relationships I might like for myself. I mean, my favorite airing drama is The Princess' Man and I think one might very well be better dead than have the life either of the protagonists has and to call their relationship a trainwreck is using too kind a term.

Even though I haven't watched Protect the Boss past ep 6 (I liked it, but I wasn't obsessed thus it fell by the wayside, victim of my short attention span and huge viewing list), I confess to adoring reading the soompi thread. It must be the trainwreck lover in me because for the last few weeks, that thread has been one giant flame war between rabid Jaejoong fangirls and Jaejoong antis who think he's ugly/bad at acting/has too much screentime/whatever.

Since I have no stakes in that particular contest - I like PtB but am not attached to it in the least, I think JJ is good-looking (if too much like a Korean Robert Pattison for my tastes) but I am not particularly attracted to him, and I think he is a mediocre actor who is, at least, not unbearably stiff. So I just have spectator entertainment. Even if I will never understand the defense 'he/she is new at acting, so give him some slack.' WTF? A person should be qualified for the job he or she is doing. If I go to a restaurant and get a bad meal or buy a table that falls apart asap, I severely doubt 'oh, the chef is new' or 'this is the carpenter's first table' is going to excuse it. Also, the fight over whether JJ has more screentime than Ji Sung (no idea, as not watching) is very entertaining. On general principles, Team Ji Sung though, because I've loved watching that man for years :P

I am HORRIBLY behind with Warrior Baek Dong Soo - I believe I haven't seen past ep 10. I like the drama, and it's certainly pretty and well-acted, but I think it never crossed into love for me because I am not emotionally attached to any of the characters, though I like a lot of them and find most of them interesting (more so the old generation than the new). Plus, it seems to be headed into the direction of Dong Soo/Ji Sun and while I don't hate that pairing or anything, I find it the least interesting one of all possible realistic combinations. It doesn't help that I like Ji Sun better on paper than as we see her - I think the actress is having a hard time portraying this very contained, intraverted character. I keep wondering what is off with Dong Soo to prefer her to Jin Ju.

And last random note - I find it funny that I like dramas where relationships and life overall is not one I'd want in a million years and be largely indifferent to those which portray life/relationships I might like for myself. I mean, my favorite airing drama is The Princess' Man and I think one might very well be better dead than have the life either of the protagonists has and to call their relationship a trainwreck is using too kind a term.

Oh, Yeo Un, why? Why why why why why?



I honestly don't get it - why is he following Cheon's orders? It's not as if he's still that abused kid who sees no way out than to join a gang of assassins? Being with Dong Soo and Cho Rip and the rest of them for years surely showed him another way to live and showed him he's capable of caring and being cared for and there is a way to live as an honorable human being. So why is he still in Cheon's thrall? Is it because he's been told from the cradle it's his destiny to be a monster? But surely he should know he should at least try to fight it! It's not as if he enjoys murder - he's clearly destroyed over having to do it. Plus, I am with Dong Soo - blindly following destiny is stupid - one must fight.



I am afraid I have switched to Team Dong Soo for good.



I have been loving him in the latest eps anyway (the boy is growing up quite amazing) but even if it wasn't for that, I was never one for bad guys. Yeo Un is still fascinating and I wish he had a different father than the psycho monster one who seems to have broken him for life, but ultimately he's old enough to make his own choices - his background is an explanation not an excuse. And the moment he went to stab his old comrades (who were sleeping, no less) I was done with loving him. YSH has ridiculously expressive eyes btw - even with most of his face covered by that mask, you know exactly what he's feeling.

Oh, Yeo Un, why? Why why why why why?



I honestly don't get it - why is he following Cheon's orders? It's not as if he's still that abused kid who sees no way out than to join a gang of assassins. Being with Dong Soo and Cho Rip and the rest of them for years surely showed him another way to live and showed him he's capable of caring and being cared for and there is a way to live as an honorable human being. So why is he still in Cheon's thrall? Is it because he's been told from the cradle it's his destiny to be a monster? But surely he should know he should at least try to fight it! It's not as if he enjoys murder - he's clearly destroyed over having to do it. Plus, I am with Dong Soo - blindly following destiny is stupid - one must fight.



I am afraid I have switched to Team Dong Soo for good.



I have been loving him in the latest eps anyway (the boy is growing up quite amazing) but even if it wasn't for that, I was never one for bad guys. Yeo Un is still fascinating and I wish he had a different father than the psycho monster one who seems to have broken him for life, but ultimately he's old enough to make his own choices - his background is an explanation not an excuse. And the moment he went to stab his old comrades (who were sleeping, no less) I was done with loving him. YSH has ridiculously expressive eyes btw - even with most of his face covered by that mask, you know exactly what he's feeling.

This is my favorite character in Warrior Baek Dong Soo:








I am so predictable. Of course, I'd go for messed-up suicidal woobie with deadly sword skills and abusive backstory. Also, if Yoo Seung Ho was ten years older, I'd be a rabid frothing fangirl.

Why can't this drama be "Conflicted Maybe-Assassin Yeo Woon, with occasional appearances by Baek Dong Soo" instead.

Also, it is a rare drama where I have close to zero canon shipping going on - I don't mind the romantic stuff at all, but to me the crux of the emotional relationships is the brotherly bond between Dong Soo and Yeo Woon, the odd friendship between Sword Saint and Sky Lord, the warped mentor thing btw Yeo Woon and Sky Lord, the sort-of-triangle between Sword Saint/Ji/Sky Lord, and the complicated duty/burden thing with Crown Prince and Ji Sun. I don't mind Dong Soo/Ji Sun but I find it pretty dull - I stand by my belief that it would make much more sense to have Dong So/Jin Joo and Yeo Woon/Ji Sun.