Eleison

I thought you might, based in your list! I'm pretty easy to please so I usually like the majority of Kdramas I select after reading comments and reviews if I spend time looking rather than just trying the next, new thing (like right now, I'm personally loving Knight Flower, but waited until it ended to start).

I had fun getting introduced to the Busan accent in Reply 1994. That was the first time I heard it, and I vividly remember puzzling, "Why do the actors sound so different when they talk in this drama?" 😂 I can now hear the different accents pretty quickly and obviously, though the North Korean accent is still subtler than some of the southern SK accents (which I find interesting) and I can't always hear it except on the endings. Anyway, it's fun, and that made Reply 1994 special and unique for me. It, ironically, gives similar vibes to our southern accent in the U.S. as well!

Also, I see you're from the U.K., so I'll just add that I grew up on English literature, folk music and BBC period films/shows so I'm a big anglophile, too. 😆 Been to the U.K. over half a dozen times and studied there for a semester. One of my family's favorite places to go when we travel out of the U.S. We stay in National Trust cottages and use them as a base camp to explore all the historical sites nearby. Particularly loved Devon and the Dales (and the Brecon Beacons!). 😏 Does your exposure to many accents in the U.K. give you a better ear for picking up on the accents in Korean? American English does have some accents but they are extremely region specific and some are quite subtle and only show themselves with certain words.

I became a big fan of Sang Min in Under The Queen's Umbrella, so I want to watch it for him, but I'm gonna wait until I hear what people say about it.

I kinda think Wu Lei would do a good job as Su Ho, too. :) He can do sweet and stoic/stiff at the same time, like Su Ho.

I agree with @OliviaW. My assessment would be similar. Liked the leads in TB better, and thought they were cuter together and had better chemistry. They are also more likable and easier to relate to. The FL in Gangnam does a lot of repeat expressions and I got a lot of secondhand embarrassment from the talk about plastic surgery and bullying; it felt very personal and painful. I remember wondering a lot about how the actors felt about the script since I'm sure all of them do some kind of plastic surgery. Probably felt very close to home, and just thinking about it made me uncomfortable. 😂

I wonder if it's because of the love triangle? And for many of us fans watching it as it aired, the last two episodes were a noticeable drop in quality/enjoyment (they pulled the separation trope which messed up the momentum of the drama). At the time, I remember they didn't live up to the hype. 🤷‍♀️

You can't argue with the popularity of it, though; you rarely come across dramas (and ones so recent), with this many watchers. This alone (with it still in the almost mid 8s after so many people rated it) speaks volumes.

P.S. I also liked TB better than Business Proposal. Don't know what the hype was for BP. It was fine, but it felt low budget to me. And I loved the leads in School 2017 and Dr. Romantic 2, but their acting in BP felt cringey to me...

Yes, I know of a few couples personally, and their situations were... rough. For different reasons, but yeah, it caused a lot of issues that wouldn't have existed but for the age gap factor. Marriage is already hard, but age gaps make it harder.

Loved AADSIG, and I Hear Your Voice is also great. Have you tried any of the Replys? Similar in vibe/tone to Prison Playbook (a mix of friendship and nostalgia and cozy and bittersweet and funny). 1988 is the best (though I found the beginning agonizingly slow. Took a long break, and when I revisited it, managed to push just far enough to get hooked (around Episode 5 of 18)). Like Flowers In Sand is new and while it has a very gentle pace, it feels similarly people-driven, like in Prison Playbook.

I'm sure someone already made this comparison, but the FL's like a female, Joseon Batman (i.e. her Bruce Wayne persona is widow Cho Yeo Hwa and her Batman persona who saves people in Gotham is the masked champion of the victimized of Hanyang; Su Ho combines Alfred, Robin and Gordon and (plus he's an added love interest... so)... Catwoman? 😅). Love the dynamic duo. (Also, the title is "Knight Flower" ... hey, "Dark Knight" sounds similar and still applies to her, too. 😏)

Only a few episodes in but already enjoying it! can't wait to see how things unfold.

Yep, enjoy! Things get intense near the end, but it ends happily for our leads and their group of friends. :) (Even Gil Dong's nemesis, Mo Ri, gets a fun arc!)

She does, and they're so cute (Chae Soo Bin is adorable). She becomes integral to some big decisions he makes near the end (and don't worry, she doesn't die). Some people might not think they had enough time together, but I loved them. I think they tie the knot in Episode 18.

Makes sense since their accents sound like Busan accents I've heard.

I think you're looking for a sub-genre of a sub-genre if you're hoping for polyamory. 😂

Is the "g" pronounced with a hard "g" ("guh") like in "protagonist"? I keep wanting to pronounce "deuteragonist" with a soft "g" ("juh") to make it sound better. 😅

Kinda like how the SML usually plays a less cool role, which is why we're sad when actors we like get stuck with them. 😅

Interesting. I've had some conversations about concepts like this with my Indian friend that I'd never heard of before, which is always fascinating to hear. I probably need a bit more information to know exactly the type of relationship you're describing.

But based on what I just read (and I apologize if I missed your point or mangled your words), I agree that it's cool to have people who help guide you to your purpose and who become a big part of your life, even if it's just for the short term, but not if you're romantically involved with them after knowing that the relationship won't last or continue (and romantic relationships are more complicated than other types of relationships anyway because sex is involved, and that takes relationships, vulnerability and attachment to an entirely different level).

In this case, you're just prolonging the inevitable because of the acute pleasure found in the moment; but the other person WILL get hurt (the closer you become and the longer you're intimate, the more painful the separation), and why would you knowingly continue to hurt someone you love? I think that's an irresponsible and selfish way to live, even if the pain inflicted is mutual.

I learned a new word today. Never heard of a "deuteragonist" until I read your comment (and looked it up). It sounds way less cool than a protagonist. 😂

Oh, yes, I figured that. But once they've helped each other get revenge and helped the other heal from the pain, what kind of life can they share? Their love will be based on bonding over emotional trauma and such, but I struggle to see what could carry their relationship past that hurdle once it's been got over... that's why I find this premise for romance unappealing (similar to how I felt about the romance in Search: WWW; the leads knew they were incompatible and that they couldn't make things work long-term but persisted in their fantasy of the present moment even though they knew they were hurting each other by doing so... I couldn't get behind it).

I recognize that both characters are adults, so obviously there's nothing wrong with them being romantically involved, but I think an age gap of this kind is profoundly impractical, and honestly, not romantic (and what about the ML being similar-ish age to her son? 😳).

And building a life with someone does not happen in a vacuum of just two people's love. A healthy, balanced life should not revolve around just one person. I get hung up on scenarios like this (you know, like ordinary scenarios of life): what kind of friendships would they have as a couple? Who will they hang out with--friends her age (his "mom's" friends), or friends his age (hanging out with her husband's buddies who might as well be her son's age...)? How would they navigate the social stigma and awkwardness of people struggling to respond in such a way that will not offend or step on toes...? What about when one spouse is left a widow or widower in their 50's or 60's simply due to the age gap rather than a freak, tragic accident or atypical health problem? When their children don't get to have much time beyond childhood and young adulthood with one parent because one will inevitably die earlier? What about when, in addition to taking care of your ailing parents, you also have to start taking care of your declining spouse?

I don't know. I think it's a far less rosy prospect in real life for age gap romances to work out well. But hey, Kdramas don't promise practical or realistic much of the time, so if any genre can convince the audience that an age gap of this stretch is romantic, it'll be a Kdrama. 😏

EDIT: for anyone who reads my two comments below, it looks like I'm talking to myself, but that's because the person I was dialoguing with deleted their posts for some reason. 🤷‍♀️

Huh. I'll admit I don't know much about all this, but I can't imagine it wouldn't be important or ideal for the entire drama to be strong and liked by viewers? Don't the number of viewers and ratings matter, and if a drama goes downhill as it airs, won't it inevitably lose viewers?

Also, isn't it a little weird there's no poster yet?