![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kdrama rec and other tv-like stuff
Hey, y’all. I’m generally okay, but still feeling too overwhelmed to actually wade through my flist, so again I entreat you: link me to things! I can click on links when I can’t scroll through things. Ah, the joys of mental illness.
Anyway! I started watching Gaksital and I Do, I Do, and I like both of them lots in very different ways. Gaksital is great in a Robin Hood/Scarlet Pimpernel/City Hunter sort of way (and I never get tired of those stories), but with an added twist of having our protagonist be a bad guy at first. His moral journey is going to be SO MUCH FUN. I’ve only seen the first three episodes, so I need to catch up on the fourth before the next one gets subbed.
IDID is just light, breezy fun with Kim Sun Ah being flawlessly beautiful and Lee Jang Woo being too adorable for words, and I don’t hate the second leads for once! I do hate how much emphasis there is on the competition between the two main female characters: do we really need another bitch-off? Can’t they be friends? And I’m wary of the show going the route of “taking the competent career woman down a peg;” I really hope it subverts that at least a little. But other than that it’s hella cute and as long as it doesn’t get too annoying I’ll stick with it for a while.
I’ll probably be checking out Big despite my wariness of the Hong sisters. But I can’t resist Gong Yoo and that precious kid who looks like Sungyeol and Myungsoo’s love child and also I’ve heard good things about it. So.
Ranking King is finally decent! Especially since this latest episode was the “Dongwoo is the most delightful person on the planet” show. Because Dongwoo is the most delightful person on the planet, and I want to squish him. And also do naughty things to him, because he is also HOT. I’m also rejoicing that everyone else recognizes that Sungyeol is the smartest kid in that band because he is. And Myungsoo coming in last was hilarious. Actually, the whole episode was fun, which was such a relief after the last two that just weren’t. I’ll try to keep the rest of my Infinite feelings to tumblr. Except for fic, which is totally forthcoming (Lauren writing slash, did you ever think you'd see the day?).
As for Western TV, I realized that I never finished the last few episodes of this season of Cougar Town, so I need to get on that stat. I watched the pilot of Revenge and enjoyed it well enough (I won't lie: I'm checking out this show because tumblr has made me love Nolan), so I'll probably be working my way through it slowly. And I intend to start Teen Wolf shortly because everyone on my tumblr dash is obsessed with it and while I am typically impervious to peer pressure, somehow I am completely susceptible to it when it comes to TV.
And now for what I’m really here for: a new rec!
Queen In-Hyun's Man
Summary: Kim Boong Do is a scholar who had supported the reinstatement of Queen In Hyun when Jang heebin's schemes resulted in her being deposed and replaced as King Sukjong's queen consort. He travels 300 years into the future of modern Seoul and meets Choi Hee Jin, a no-name actress who is expecting a career renaissance through her role as Queen In Hyun in a TV drama - dramawiki
Can be watched on: dramacrazy, kimchidramas
Starring: Ji Hyun Woo, Yoo In Na, Kim Jin Woo, Ga Deuk Hi
Watch it if you like: time-travel, adorable people in love, smart heroes, smart writing, excellent pacing, romances that are sweet without being saccharine, plot twists that will actually make your jaw drop, barriers to romance that are actually barriers and not just idiot plots, culture clash, costume dramas, political intrigue (but not too much political intrigue), competence in your leads, characters who totally deserve to be happy, good people doing the right thing because it’s the right thing.
Why you might not like it: If you hate romance and love and adorableness. No but really: this is a straight-up romance with time-travelling goodness, and though it is swoony and adorable and lovely, it isn’t cheesy at all
Y’all, this is one of the most satisfying romances I have ever seen, and the leads are definitely one of my all-time OTPs. And Boong Do might just be my ideal man. I cannot gush over it enough. It’s a straight-up romance without having to be a guilty pleasure at all, because the writing is smart and the characters are smart and good people, and you just want them to be happy and together and everything in it feels earned. There’s no insulting of intelligence the way there so often is in romances. There’s angst enough for conflict but the angst is driven by both the plot and characters in ways that make total sense. It doesn’t lag in the last third like so many shows do. And just when you think the plot twists are behind you, a new one shows up! All in all, I love every single thing about this drama, and if it weren’t for Shut Up Flower Boy Band, I can’t imagine another drama getting anywhere close to this one on the top of my Best of the Year list. WATCH IT.
Anyway! I started watching Gaksital and I Do, I Do, and I like both of them lots in very different ways. Gaksital is great in a Robin Hood/Scarlet Pimpernel/City Hunter sort of way (and I never get tired of those stories), but with an added twist of having our protagonist be a bad guy at first. His moral journey is going to be SO MUCH FUN. I’ve only seen the first three episodes, so I need to catch up on the fourth before the next one gets subbed.
IDID is just light, breezy fun with Kim Sun Ah being flawlessly beautiful and Lee Jang Woo being too adorable for words, and I don’t hate the second leads for once! I do hate how much emphasis there is on the competition between the two main female characters: do we really need another bitch-off? Can’t they be friends? And I’m wary of the show going the route of “taking the competent career woman down a peg;” I really hope it subverts that at least a little. But other than that it’s hella cute and as long as it doesn’t get too annoying I’ll stick with it for a while.
I’ll probably be checking out Big despite my wariness of the Hong sisters. But I can’t resist Gong Yoo and that precious kid who looks like Sungyeol and Myungsoo’s love child and also I’ve heard good things about it. So.
Ranking King is finally decent! Especially since this latest episode was the “Dongwoo is the most delightful person on the planet” show. Because Dongwoo is the most delightful person on the planet, and I want to squish him. And also do naughty things to him, because he is also HOT. I’m also rejoicing that everyone else recognizes that Sungyeol is the smartest kid in that band because he is. And Myungsoo coming in last was hilarious. Actually, the whole episode was fun, which was such a relief after the last two that just weren’t. I’ll try to keep the rest of my Infinite feelings to tumblr. Except for fic, which is totally forthcoming (Lauren writing slash, did you ever think you'd see the day?).
As for Western TV, I realized that I never finished the last few episodes of this season of Cougar Town, so I need to get on that stat. I watched the pilot of Revenge and enjoyed it well enough (I won't lie: I'm checking out this show because tumblr has made me love Nolan), so I'll probably be working my way through it slowly. And I intend to start Teen Wolf shortly because everyone on my tumblr dash is obsessed with it and while I am typically impervious to peer pressure, somehow I am completely susceptible to it when it comes to TV.
And now for what I’m really here for: a new rec!
Queen In-Hyun's Man
Summary: Kim Boong Do is a scholar who had supported the reinstatement of Queen In Hyun when Jang heebin's schemes resulted in her being deposed and replaced as King Sukjong's queen consort. He travels 300 years into the future of modern Seoul and meets Choi Hee Jin, a no-name actress who is expecting a career renaissance through her role as Queen In Hyun in a TV drama - dramawiki
Can be watched on: dramacrazy, kimchidramas
Starring: Ji Hyun Woo, Yoo In Na, Kim Jin Woo, Ga Deuk Hi
Watch it if you like: time-travel, adorable people in love, smart heroes, smart writing, excellent pacing, romances that are sweet without being saccharine, plot twists that will actually make your jaw drop, barriers to romance that are actually barriers and not just idiot plots, culture clash, costume dramas, political intrigue (but not too much political intrigue), competence in your leads, characters who totally deserve to be happy, good people doing the right thing because it’s the right thing.
Why you might not like it: If you hate romance and love and adorableness. No but really: this is a straight-up romance with time-travelling goodness, and though it is swoony and adorable and lovely, it isn’t cheesy at all
Y’all, this is one of the most satisfying romances I have ever seen, and the leads are definitely one of my all-time OTPs. And Boong Do might just be my ideal man. I cannot gush over it enough. It’s a straight-up romance without having to be a guilty pleasure at all, because the writing is smart and the characters are smart and good people, and you just want them to be happy and together and everything in it feels earned. There’s no insulting of intelligence the way there so often is in romances. There’s angst enough for conflict but the angst is driven by both the plot and characters in ways that make total sense. It doesn’t lag in the last third like so many shows do. And just when you think the plot twists are behind you, a new one shows up! All in all, I love every single thing about this drama, and if it weren’t for Shut Up Flower Boy Band, I can’t imagine another drama getting anywhere close to this one on the top of my Best of the Year list. WATCH IT.
no subject
And, I have link for you! I just started watching Mad Men (which I think you also watch(ed), yes?), and I have lots of thoughts!.
no subject
I watched the first two? three? seasons? I seem to have abandoned it, but I'm sure I'll enjoy your thoughts!
no subject
I'm going offline tomorrow, probably for a month or something :(. But I've been vomiting D/E thoughts like it's my job. Manifesto, yet again, and also a top ten. This is actually getting embarrassing.
no subject
I hope you enjoy your time away! And I will DEFINITELY be checking out those posts at some point because obviously your TVD feels are always relevant to my interests.
no subject
no subject
This is henceforth on my To Be Watched list. (Though, I admit, is a very long and slow-moving list.)
I'm very glad you're doing well! As for linking things, well, I've written fic?
http://laeria.livejournal.com/3895.html#comments
It's a modern AU of Tanya Huff's novel Fire's Stone. I'm working on the sequel, very slowly.
(er, disclaimer, you're perfectly free to not read it, etc, etc. Linking things is so weird-feeling. Although I totally get what you mean re: clicking vs scrolling.)
no subject
Boong Do is incredibly smart and competent. The show doesn't play up the culture clash in a jokey sort of way, either: they let it be subtle and they let Boong Do figure things out as he goes along, just like a smart, observant guy would. He's absolutely a good guy, dedicated to doing what's right and taking responsibility for things, but he also has a sense of humor and likes to tease his lady love. She seems on the surface kind of a shallow pretty-girl, but she's such a good, warm-hearted person. She has lots of emotions and isn't afraid to stand up for herself. And the show makes a point that even though she's ignorant in a lot of ways (to contrast with scholar!Boong Do), she's one smart cookie herself, just in a more street-smarts kind of way.
They just like each other, and there's no conflict between them except for the fact that they're separated by 300 years (Boong Do keeps having to go back in time for plot reasons). They like each other, they treat each other well, but they're also incredibly silly and love to tease each other (sooo many jokes where Hee Jin tells him things that are inaccurate and you know he knows they're inaccurate, but he goes along with it). They also do this thing where it looks like there's magnets in their heads and they can't keep apart. They basically have chemistry like crazy, but it's not just sexual: it's two people who genuinely enjoy each others' presence. You can totally imagine them being incredibly functional in a real relationship. IT'S LOVELY.
Also the actor confessed at a press conference out of nowhere that he's in love with the actress, so.Boong Do basically is fascinated by this new world he's arrived in--there's so much to learn! He loves the books and the library and he likes asking questions, but he also enjoys figuring things out for himself. You get a real sense that this new world is intellectually stimulating to him, and he loves it. He wants to travel, he wants to learn things, it's fabulous.
He pretty much only confides in Hee Jin, and he really doesn't need to tell anyone else, because she's pretty competent in her own way. He does a good job of faking being a normal guy, too. It takes her a bit of time to believe him, but once she does, their interactions become even more fun.
[eta] Ah! Sorry, I got carried away. I like your writing loads, so I want to check out your fic--will I be able to invest even though I don't know the source material? I assume so, so I can't wait to look at it.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
I hope you get int he mood soon, too!
no subject
no subject
no subject
... You're starting to sway me with all of these kdrama recs. It feels like ages since I've watched something good and swoony. Are the shows you watch generally subtitled?
no subject
All of them are subbed, yeah--I don't speak any Korean, so I have to hunt down subtitles. Fortunately most of the big ones are on dramafever and/or hulu, so it's pretty easy to access them. But if you decide to check any of them out and need more direction on where to find them, let me know! And I will say this: Queen In-Hyun's Man is the swooniest show ever, without insulting your intelligence at all.
no subject
i've been meaning to jump on the teen wolf bandwagon too, but this show has no merton, so.
the way everyone's been raving about QIHM i'll have to watch it eventually. i hope i can and i'm relieved at what you said about it allowing its characters to be smart bc i feel i'm getting too cynical for kdramas. i watched the first 2 eps of love rain and it's so pretty and yoona's face (... lol did i really write 'yoona's fair') and the clothes but. in the first ep. he read her diary. and then he just decided to keep the thing but mostly he read her diary and i'm irrationally irritated by this?? and i quite like dong wook actually but. dude. you're serious about a girl just bc she put a plaster on your finger. .____. i don't quite want to quit either though; i think i might just be in the mood for something angstier, cathartic.
no subject
. in the first ep. he read her diary. and then he just decided to keep the thing but mostly he read her diary and i'm irrationally irritated by this?? and i quite like dong wook actually but. dude. you're serious about a girl just bc she put a plaster on your finger.
Oh, the older generation is frustrating as anything because they won't tell each other anything. I really feel like the first generation is a study on failure of communication. When they jump forward 30 years, the kids are much, much smarter.
no subject
PLEASE TELL ME YOU'VE SEEN THIS:::
I don't know what your feelings are regarding Big Bang - but after a long (and *quite* ~serious) discussion, Roomie and I decided that I shall marry Daesung and she will marry G-Dragon - so that I can live in a world where G-Dragon and TOP call me "noona" .... These conclusions are the important things in life :)
... anyway, I'm convinced these adorable faces helped alleviate my funk a little, so I'm sending it on to you
((HUGS))
no subject
I haven't seen that video yet! Will be checking it out tonight. I'm familiar with Big Bang, but I don't have any ~feels about them, mostly because I'm annoyed that people keep trying to convince me that TOP is so hot when I just don't find him attractive (current obsession as far as hotness: Key). But I always approve of boys using the word 'noona' (best word) so I like your plan.
*hugs*
no subject
*Hugs you*
link me to things! I can click on links when I can’t scroll through things. Ah, the joys of mental illness.
Well...I just posted something that I would love love LOVE to know what you think of:
http://green-maia.livejournal.com/548623.html.
It's about concentration and attention.
But please, please, if you start reading and it's not what you need to be thinking about right now, please, please just hit the back button!
Lots of love to you, Lauren.
*Hugs you tight*
no subject
I send you lots of love and hugs!
no subject
no subject