burhaa aadmi

The Drama may not be high art, but your review was - and a public service too, thanks!

Nobunaga Concerto was my first, still a favourite

As a fellow fan of Punch (too few people appreciate it imo), I strongly agree with your comments about female roles in K Dramas. That's why I'd encourage you to at least try "Goodbye to Goodbye". I see it's on your dropped list, listed as dropped at 0 episodes watched. To me, that's a shame, because the Drama is all about the two women at the core of the story, and Chae Si Ra shines to the end. YMMV of course, but if you give it a chance, you might enjoy it.

Our recollection of the ending differs. I don't recall him inviting her to accompany him, nor her saying that she would go looking for him. The final scene of them together impressed me precisely because everything was left up in the air. I do agree that the trigger for their relationship was convenient, but not implausibly so, given how often such random drunken assaults occur irl.

Part of that is the natural result of novelty wearing off, too. I started watching East Asian Dramas in May 2013. It took me just over 6 months to watch my first 100 KDramas. It's taken me another 6 years to watch 237 more Dramas (~97 J, C, TW, the rest K) As you get a better idea of what you like, and as your tastes develop, you get more selective and either start fewer, or drop more, or both.

"I would love to see 'mydramalist' statistics on this. This side would be able to tell us when it all started, how many people, who once watched 90% of KDramas, now watch 90% CDramas "
The solution is to do it yourself - spreadsheets are fun http://tiny.cc/formdl :)

I *DID* read another review here that mentioned this, happily. I'd watched the first episode and part of the second and was looking forward to the rest, but this was an absolute dealbreaker. I really can't understand how ANYONE can like and rave about this Drama knowing what he did. Despicable and disgusting, people like you who share this are doing others a big favour - thank you!

". It's just like in one episode, leads are like we should definitely get together and be in a relationship. " THIS - very much this. That's why most of the romance arcs I've ejoyrd from recent K Dramas have been secondary, not lead, as in Be Melodramatic, the fascinating arc involving the documentary film maker. That was a credible and interesting loveline that actually held me to a Drama I otherwise would have dropped.

I've seen pleasantly surprised by the quality of C-Drama fluff of late. I loathe and avoid Dramas with any elements of the supernatural or "fantasy"; ghosts, demons, angels, reapers, gods and goddesses are not remotely entertaining for me. And my aversion to violence, especially graphic violence, means that sageuks/historicals have no appeal. The Tale of Nokdu started off fun for me until they started slaughtering basically everyone in it with loving attention to all the gory bloody dying. So my K Drama viewing is very selective, and devoid of "crack". That said, there have still been a few K Dramas in the last couple of years that impressed me - Goodbye to Goodbye, Search:WWW, Be Melodramatic, A Poem a Day.
One's tastes change over time, a look back at Dramas I loved confirms this. For now, the PRC is providing most of what I look for in Dramas, with Japan in support. C'est la vie

"When last have you loved a drama with all your heart from the last two years?" Only one, the outstanding Goodbye to Goodbye. I only started watching K Dramas in 2013, but like you, I've watched well over 200 K Dramas (My J, TW & C count combined is only 97), and like you, I'm in a K Drama slump. Then again, as a male closer to 60 than to 40, I'm not exactly the standard K Drama viewing demographic, and my tastes reflect that - you couldn't pay me to watch Waikiki or Angel's Last Mission. Dramas are supposed to be entertainment, if they're not entertaining, it's time to move on

Plenty more confusion coming in that regard for you. The author of this post and I clearly have different concepts of what "fluff" means

Thanks for that - I keep meaning to check it out because at least 90% of people who've seen both say exactly the same thing

You missed NOTHING - except a Drama in which "friends" literally STOLE HER HOUSE AND HER MONEY AND GOT AWAY WITH IT. Just thinking about the Drama makes me break out in a rage rash all over again

5 out of 8 are firm favourites, and of course number 1, featuring the happy union of two
Gooners, is pretty near perfect! :)

Yeah, don't get me started on K Drama cable episode length - J dorama norms win hands down!

"..this year was prison Playbook" slightly OT, but a Korean friend who watches basically NO K Dramas loved that one, he said it depicted Korean prison life very well, reminding him of his time in one.

Oh, Nobunaga Concerto definitely not a romance, but still the romance arc in it was great- which made the SP so VERY hard to watch :(

Here, teachers get sent to prison for getting into romantic relationships with underage students, but one of my favourite J-romance dramas DOES involve a teacher, the delightfully slow and delicate Hayako Sensei. My other faves would be Bara No Nai Hanaya (although the real otp are the father and daughter), Date , Takane No Hana and Nigeru Wa Haji.
Several of my favourite J romances are not primarily focused on romance, but still deliver such satisfying romantic arcs. Nobunaga Concerto a prime example(waaaah!), along with Okitegami Kyouko no Bibouroku(sigh!). Then there are two where the love affair is mostly with the city, Tokyo Sentimental (only partly subbed, sadly, I had the pleasure of QCing the eps that were subbed), and A Sharply Graceful Girl. From your list above, the one that appeals most is Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku , I will add that one to my watchlist, thanks!

I just want to say thanks for sharing an honest review. It gets a bit tedious seeing practically every Drama getting 9s or 10s, even utter drek like this one, your score was refreshing. I dropped it after only 2, so I'm impressed you lasted for 6. :)

Interesting you should say that - although Takane No Hana's 2018 release was recent, looking at the related lists others shared, it confirmed my feeling that this a trope not frequently used in recent years - several from 15+ years ago, not so many in the last 5. Like you, I'd like to see it revisited more often.