Mertseger

Blacklisting is SOP in Japan but it usually only lasts 6 months or so. Non's case was complicated by a libel suit by the agency to a newspaper that only tangentially involved her from what I can tell. Nevertheless, the case dragged on until this spring, and all the TV and film outlets happily complied with the agency's request for blacklist until it resolved - it's just awful.

Well, at least, Natsuzoura doesn't have the really bizarre amnesia plot to go with the missing family (the only thing I did not like about Hiyokko.)
And, the blacklist against Nounen Rena appears to be breaking finally - the FTC is putting pressure on the TV stations fueled by the Johnny's and Yoshimoto scandals, and she's got a movie booked for next year. It's a national disgrace that she's been kept off TV since 2016 simply for leaving an agency.

Wow. Week 4 is great. It's too early to tell but this may be as good as Amachan.

I completely agree, and was wondering what was wrong with me. And then I tried Produce Camp (2019) and was like, "Oh, yeah, this was what I was missing." I'm only one ep. in compared to ProXduce's 4 at this point, and so it may fall apart, but I'm already seeing people with dance and vocal talent to root for which I'm not with ProXduce.

Holy balls of CGI cows, Batman: this series is bizarre. I knew Takahata was good from Mondai no Restaurant but she is great here.

She also has a reason to take him back which you may not have gotten to.

There are certainly no scripted lines, and it is VERY unlikely that any scenes are ever re-shot because of tech failures (there have been events over all the seasons that have been referred to but not captured on camera which other reality shows would have simply re-shot). There are also no confessionals where individuals are prompted by producers to provide narration. That being said, it has been leaked that the camera crews are not at the house every day, and that the crews are only there at fairly predictable and specific times, and, clearly, all external locations require the production and crew be in on the set up. Thus, those "you want to go have curry?" scenes cannot be as spontaneous as they are edited to look. Furthermore, the reality within the houses are a bit off from how most people live their lives. After the first season, no one ever just has friends over, and so despite the fact that their supposed to be living their lives as normal, going off to work etc., and despite the fact that they can leave the show at any time, life within the house is still comparatively isolated. All that being said, it definitely does not feel acted or directed. In fact, one of the original members decided to become an actor while on the show and is pretty bad at it. Yet, his emotions in moments on the show are incredible. Either the production were evil geniuses who hired a great actor to play a bad actor, or what we see on the show is a pretty accurate reflection of these people's lives. And that supposition is supported by how the cast's lives have played out after the show.

He really does make an effort, and as far as we are shown he does stop cheating. She never fully trusts him, but they seem to be doing well as a family in the flashfoward.

Both couples end up with who they started with. In fact, the joke of the original was that it was a drama that was called "The Best Divorce" in which no one gets divorced (the paperwork was never submitted). (The main couple does divorce in the 2 hour sequel). Matrimonial Chaos does have Sook Moo and Hwi Ru divorce, but, in the final flash forward, they're still together albeit no longer married .

Not if it follows the original, but keep watching ...

Agreed. I'm up through Ep. 8, and I'm thinking that this is as good as the original which is hard because the original is great. The changes and additions are all supporting the themes, and the acting has been reaching similar levels. Cha Tae Hyun's Suk Moo is less likable and comedic than Eita's Mitsuo but his reactions are superb. Worth watching if only for the throw-down at the end of Ep. 8.

At least in the first two episodes, there's been nothing from the SP at all. It's the routine infidelity of the man in the second couple (the guy with the golden yellow bike in both the Japanese and Korean version) in both versions of the story that's the issue.

Sorry to say but that plot line seems identical even from what is in episode 1.

Oops, sorry the previous reply is for the jdrama: the kdrama starts this week and who knows when or where subs will be available.

In case kisskh does not permit links to streaming sites, I'll link you to the review on my blog which includes a working link (just checked) 5 lines down: http://mertseger.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-tv-dramas-of-sakamoto-yuji-part-7.html .

The Japanese original was great - probably the third best thing Sakamoto Yuji has written. My only hesitation is that this is slated to 3x as long as the original which may well be too much. But it's really kind of a modern version of the Odd Couple with some great insights into how marital problems can be generational and that relationships to both families also matter.

And Shakespeare is the King.

The fan sub team Costco Subs is taking a break, but will do Closing Doors.