Eleison

Ji Chang Wook looks SO different with the beard and all. Takes me a minute to figure out which one is him! 😂

I could see why Goblin was popular, and why it's a classic (the OST is one of the best as far as Kdramas go), but I couldn't stand the ending. It ruined it for me. 😭

Oh, those classic wrist grabs! Definitely glad they're getting less and less.

I do like watching MLs (or FLs) grow over the course of the series. That's the only thing I like about the old Kdramas (and the soundtracks; the old Kdrama era of music was so cozy); I love watching the character progression. It's not very realistic that the MLs would change very much, of course (the MLs like Sun Jae aren't either, I suppose), but it makes for a good story!

I like that he addressed it, too. He didn't force himself on her, but he leaned in and she didn't stop him. Definitely toeing the line of consent but it passed muster for me, and I like he pointed out that she didn't stop him. He seemed confident she liked him regardless of her pretense of indifference, cause I think he picked up on her nonverbal cues. He does feel a bit like an ML from another era, though. If this is indeed from a 2011 webtoon, it's age is on display in these subtle interactions! 😂 Not necessarily problematic, but definitely not quite preferred.

I think it's important that Hong Ju's resistance is more out of denial than actual dislike or discomfort. She's not afraid of him, she's just giddy. The fact that all her close friends are pushing her despite her "fighting" them indicates to me that they know she doesn't mind it deep down. They know her best, and they wouldn't force her into something they truly thought she would dislike.

And the way Hong Joo's friend's dad was like, "Dude, man-to-man, don't go near her again. That bridge is burnt, and there's no going back. Be a man and move on!" 😅 He's usually a comedic role, so he just pulled that sweet dad hat out of NOWHERE. 😂 Too bad our 2ML was too dense to listen.

They definitely showed his reasons more clearly. I think they portrayed her as liking him all along after they started being friends (she's always enjoyed being around him) but largely in denial because she either thought she was in love with someone else at the time or thought her friend was in love with him which is why she never really processed her own feelings. Her side definitely feels less developed, though, so I could see why you think that!

"You could have dodged it." 😉😘😂

The synopsis gives me ZERO idea of what to expect, and the poster is weird. I will pass for now, unless the rating improves or many positive, reasoned perspectives show it's worth my time.

Yeah, that worries me about this one, too. These romances can be enjoyable to watch as long as you realize they're toxic and should never be replicated in real life (I'm looking at you, Goong and BOFs! 😅).

I sense this ML will be similar to Baek Du from Like Flowers in Sand or Ho Goo from Hogoo's Love, but at least in these dramas the characters were from similar economic backgrounds and of a similar age. I'm curious to hear what people say about it!

One plus in it's favor is that both leads have good comedic timing and are hilarious in comedies. KYD was adorable in Forbidden Marriage and Shooting Stars, and SMA was quite funny in Oh My Venus and Hometown Cha Cha Cha.

Why is it tough to get into? A lot of people to keep track of?

This is helpful, thank you!

This seems to be the oldie but goodie Cdrama everyone raves about now that I've dipped my toes into Cdramas and am hearing more of the buzz about what to try. But I'm confused by the number of Watchers which doesn't line up with this drama's supposed popularity? 9.1 is a very high rating, but 36,000 is low for watchers. Is it because it's old?

He has a way of bringing comfort just by being onscreen. It's hard to explain, his character just makes me feel like everything is going to be okay in the story, as long as he's there. I felt the same way about his character in Season 1. Maybe "reliable" or "steadfast" is the word I'm thinking of? Maybe also comes from the nonchalant way he breezes through life and the challenges he faces. LDW manages to make him carefree enough that's he's funny and even at times hilariously clueless (seemingly), and yet he never feels threatened by anyone or incapable of a task. And despite his nonchalance, he's never indifferent to people, and has this strong compassion underlying the carefree vibe that endears him to people. He never underestimates the stakes involved with a problem, and always responds appropriately to the seriousness of the occasion when he's called upon to do so. I think he's my favorite LDW character! I just love when we see his gumiho eyes--it makes him looks 10 times cooler. 😎

And to your point about Ji Ah (from another comment on here), I agree that you feel her presence even though she's never on screen because all the 1938 characters can see this is a different Lee Yeon than they knew, and he's different in large part because of Ji Ah. They can smell the effect she's had on him, and can't place how/why he's changed. 😂 When Shin Ju and Yeon were talking about their wives at one point it felt so weird to have two of the main MLs so detached from the possibility of romance. It was a refreshing (and unique) moment in a Kdrama!

Doesn't the cartoonish element fit the poster, though? 😂

The Cai Nue, that's it! 😂 Thank you. This was all very helpful. :) I appreciate you breaking it down for me.

Interesting! So then how does she become the most educated scholar of her town? There's a name for it, the position or reputation she held when married to Yu Rong, but I can't remember it. Someone told me about it on this thread but I've forgotten the term. Haha, do you know what I'm talking about? 😂

Yes, and she's quite young still!

It's now in the reviews. :) I tried showing this drama to my mom and had to create a little family tree so she could keep everyone straight, but she's never seen a sageuk before so she can't tell them apart from their facial features alone and keeps getting everyone mixed up. I've realized this is not a good watch for someone new to Asian dramas, but especially sageuks, haha. Once I figured out who the characters were and what their titles meant and how they related to each other, I tracked just fine, but if you can't even tell the characters apart then it's just plain confusing from start to finish.

I suppose it can depend on why you're vegan/vegetarian.

If you think it's wrong/irresponsible to eat meat, then, yes, this is not the show for you!

Haha, well, if you keep watching Kdramas, you'll continue to be disappointed. What you mentioned is a nonnegotiable of the Kdrama rom-com formula. It's going nowhere fast. I suppose you can try to change the formula by not watching them (since by watching them, you're supporting them)? And you'll have better luck with original Disney or Netflix Kdramas! They experiment more.

Lots of great "art" and "masterpieces" aren't more popular because they fail to entertain and appeal to their audience. I'm always skeptical when people say the stuff no one watches or rarely likes are masterpieces (achem, the Oscars).

And most people don't watch Kdramas (or any film or TV) because they're great art, they watch them because they are enjoyable and entertaining. They can end up being great art, but that's usually because the creators told a good story, and a good story well-told is art. :) And that's why people liked it!

That said, Kdramas entertain in a very specific way and in a specific format. In my experience, they tend to specifically entertain people who want more restraint regarding the depiction of gratuitous sex and who like to see their entertainment champion characters who are measured by their ability to conform to or uphold important moral values like being good or just or selfless (hence the wave of popularity among those fed up with Western TV and film because it fails to appeal to them due to the evolving nature of its content). I'll concede your point about rom-coms; I think that is a somewhat valid observation, though I don't agree 100%.

Besides, I think the masterpieces that are artistic AND entertain get ironed out over time. And just because something is beautiful or entertaining to someone, or a few people, doesn't make it art. The best stuff will entertain the most people but do so in a timeless or unique way. But it takes time for these gems to emerge, and honestly, Kdramas are still such a recent format (they really didn't take off until the early 2000's, right?); it will take time for the true masterpieces to emerge, and they will be determined by the community, not just a few "truly in the know" and with "good taste."

Another way of putting this: every now and then the Oscars hit on masterpieces the populace already knew were great, not the other way around.

I always find your posts interesting and thoughtful, and like to dialogue about this stuff, so that's why I chimed in! So please see my response as an attempt at healthy discussion, not a dig.