John Smith

I will keep on, but I am also wondering how the whole mystery/time travel thing will play out. If it is not allowed, why are they allowed to take us on a time travel journey only to have some other destination?

I hope things start progressing on all fronts.

I meant that he has already done a villainous role in a historical drama. I mentioned it had to have a really good cast because who wants to be the good guy if he is the bad guy. lol

We still seem to agree, but come to a different conclusion. If the things you do are right in spite of being mistaken, then I suppose that is better than doing wrong things in spite of being correct. I also never questioned your personal thoughts about the drama (they are your personal choices and would be like arguing why someone likes the color red), only the meanings of the words you use. JCW is not in danger of being forgotten nor does he pick scripts that he thinks are bad. Just like dramas, articles will exaggerate or use exaggerated words to get clicks/views.

Teng Xi seems to be written as the SFL that most viewers would want versus the ones we get, but maybe her limited role is why. I think that the more the two (Jin Chuan and Teng Xi) come into contact with each other, the less likely the balancing act will continue., especially given the recent events with Jin Chuan.
A lot of people say a lot of things when they still think they have a chance. I am curious as to how they will write Teng Xi's character. (Especially after what I assume will be an eventful photo exhibit?)

Also, not to rain on your parade, but it is Teng Xi with the pure friendship with Chi Yu. That is still a very positive thing in dramas, especially since she does not act like a "bro" to spend time with him like you can see in other dramas. Since it is Xiang Qin Yu, we do not really know Chi Yu's true feelings.

I think the drama Sweet Teeth would fit that criteria. I would recommend it. I think it is rare to find because dramas tend to exaggerate human behavior to get a response from the viewer. Creating friction is much easier when a pair has some contrasting personality traits or attitudes. Sweet Teeth worked because it was a slow burn romance with a heavy hand on the fluff. Actually many hands pouring a lot of fluff into it. That is probably not for everyone.

A flop is a total failure. New Coke was a flop. Google+ was a flop. Korean versus worldwide viewership make it hard to determine what drama would be considered a flop, but I would say Imitation which set the lowest viewership on KBS2 (less than 1%) and from my understanding has not exactly lit up the rest of the world either. I thought it was okay, but I wonder how much of that was Park Ji Yeon.
It is not about acceptance, but putting everything in its place. Just like there is a difference between a flop and underrated, there is a difference between failing and failure. Maybe these dramas failed to meet yours or others standards, but that does not make them failures.
Be disappointed, show concern, heck, expect more. But you do a disservice to actors and dramas by being so quick to label someone or something a flop or failure.
I actually think we understand the facts and agree on most things but you tend to drift with your word meanings. I just do not think this drama or his choice of dramas are something to be really concerned about. Now if he came out and said he only chooses scripts for guaranteed ratings hits, then I might say there is a problem because the expectations of his choices might not match the outcome. His dramas are not flops, but it is understandable to be disappointed. His drama choices are not failures, but they might fail to meet the expectations of his fans and others.

Perhaps English is not your first language and slang might easily be misunderstood. Flop informally means a complete failure. It does not mean sorta failed or underrated or anything like that. It means total failure. I would accept that none of his dramas have been as widely successful as Healer. Or if data shows that the dramas he starred in failed to match dramas during the same time span or aired on the same day. I would even think if his social media count either decreased or has become relatively stagnant you could question that. Your words carry weight and you should be responsible for the words you choose to use. I doubt anyone commenting thought you were not a fan of JCW. You made it seem like the sky is falling and he is just a has-been. Pump the breaks and relax. I liked Suspicious Partner, Melting Me Softly, and Backstreet Rookie. I am sure others did too.

It is like JCW is a musician and every time he has a concert, fans start yelling "Play Healer! Play Healer!" even though he has a whole catalog of works that span well over a decade.

I understood what you were trying to say, but it did not make much sense. If you feel like his recent works have not been up to par with is ability, then I can understand that. If you have your definition of popular or a flop and his dramas fall under one or the other, I can understand that too. I think there is a distinction between a drama being popular and a drama being good. A drama can be one, both, or neither. I think there is also a difference between lower ratings and low ratings. Any casting director worth their pay can tell that he is a really good actor. I doubt that will change. As far as regaining popularity, assuming one thinks he has lost it, maybe doing what makes him happy is more important than taking a role that might make him more popular. In regards to the type of drama, I think the presentation is more important than the genre when it comes to whether people are tired of it or not. I mean it is airing so someone thought people would like to see it.

Trust me, there is more than me, you, and the commenters here watching. I will also go out on a limb and say if his next drama is not some action/romance drama, you will hear the same people make the same comments about scripts, popularity, and ratings.

I think an edited version of this drama with just the ML and FL would be rated over 9 to me. I have already seen it awhile back, but episodes popped up when I was looking at dramas on YouTube. Watched a few episodes again, and rarely come across dramas with that amount of natural chemistry.

No one should ever look that good that quick after falling from the top of a building. Falling on the fashion runway, maybe. The perks of being in a Korean drama.

Do you bring something new to the table every time? I know nothing about you but your screen name and comment, and both are nothing new. Does that mean that we should not bother to respond or that your thoughts do not deserve to be shared? MDL should thrive on the exchange of thoughts, and you should be heard. I am not sure what you consider a serious healing drama, but healing, and by extension the change and growth of characters are what drives many dramas. This is not a defense of JCW, but more of a request to make a fair critique. As far as his pick of dramas, he seems to like picking different roles and challenging himself which I like because he can act. Would I like to see another Healer-type drama? Sure, but he has had better roles in less popular dramas as defined by MDL. For example, you mentioned Backstreet Rookie. His character was totally against type. For someone who most see as Healer or K2 (my thoughts too), that disappeared and he was only the meek Choi Dae Hyun.
JCW could play it safe and make lots of money and adulation by sticking to action romances. But do you really want to see a 60 year old JCW struggling to put on a too tight turtleneck, making sure he takes his fanny pack of medicine with him when he goes to save the granddaughter of a former client in Healer Season 21? An exaggeration, but I do not think he should be typecast.
For the record, I think every dramas since K2 has had these discussions, at least in the MDL comment section. I wish every drama I watched was the greatest, but it does not always happen. I would like for him to play the role of a villain in a modern drama, but the cast would really have to match him. I suppose a role like Vincenzo (dark grey character) would be more likely. As long as he is happy and his endeavors are out there to see, he will always get recognition.

I am not going to say that it is the best thing to do, but it is pretty SOP for dramas to take that route. The most aggravating part for me is that the ML usually acts tough and roars at the FL for a scene, then almost immediately falls apart and cannot stick to his convictions.

He tells her all these upsetting things, then makes excuses to be near her, then the obligatory drunk scene where we see how unhappy he is. Rather than shedding any insight into his character, I have learned to deal with it like a cold until it passes. At least in Korean dramas (for the ones I have seen), the noble idiocy is followed with separation and time. In Chinese dramas, the leads tend to find themselves drawn even closer and even more in danger of the trouble one was trying to avoid.

The usage of noble idiocy this early has me worried that it will be used again by the FL.

I do think that he is not like the other two in that he never seemed to surrender to the darkness even though he may have lived in it and been surrounded by it most of his life. He is a work in progress, but he is making it easier on those trying to help him versus the other two who seem to have "accepted their fate" (for whatever that may mean). I did see a glimmer of hope in Ha Joon Kyung and Jang Seok Joon seems to care about Ha Joon Kyung, but not in the most healthy way. His boss is probably the truly bad one.
What follows is pure speculation. Maybe Team Genie has got me in a wishful mood because I would like to see all three of them get better. My heart says yes, but my gut says that would be too happy of an ending for this drama. My guess would be one of the two get their redemption through sacrificing their life for another character. I would say JSJ towards HJK, but HJK for Seo Yeon Joo would be an interesting way to go as well. I am still not sure how they are going to work Yoon Gyeo Re back into Team Genie while all of this is going on, but I suppose episode 10 will go a long way towards that.

I always feel that once Korean dramas hit double digits, I am wondering how will they wrap up all of the plots, and have a fleshed out proper ending. Usually angst is dragged for a bit too long, and the ending is rushed. Of course, that may work for this drama since its has been a bit chaotic from the beginning and dealing with the circle of life (yes that was The Lion King theme song you heard) means this drama is always saying goodbye. Life is messy and maybe that would be poetic for this drama.

They say that today's ending is tomorrow's beginning, so you have something to look forward to. I think the title sequence is quite boring because I see it at the beginning of every episode. I think I would be nitpicking if I expected a drama to change it up though. That is very thoughtful of you to be glad I liked the episode even if you might not have. I appreciate it.

I agree, today's episode was so good that the rest of the day has seemed quite boring waiting for tomorrow's episode.

I liked this episode even if it was a bit different from the previous ones. My concern was how they would balance Team Genie versus Yoon Gyeo Re's past, and it seemed evident that it will not be an easy balancing act because this episode seemed to tilt strongly towards his past and seemed to fan the flames while bringing it to the present. I know his past has to be dealt with, but YGR as part of Team Genie is one of the best parts of this drama. He still has some healing to do and some healing to do, so let's get him back where he belongs.

I may be visually biased, but I like Ha Joon Kyung's character and especially Won Ji An's portrayal. She has issues, but you could see the pain on her face and in the way she carried herself. Ha Joon Kyung could have been less dynamic if written and acted as a classic second lead love interest. I am rooting for her to at least end up starting on the path to finding her own happiness.

Of course, JCW is still doing all the little things that make his character seem uncomfortably too real. Maybe some of that can be taught, but he is really talented too.

I suppose it can be reported, but should it? And if it should be reported, what should be done about it? It seems to me that if the comment is the threshold for reporting, a large swath of comments need to be reported. If you read the comments replying to it, most were respectful (for fans, I cut them some slack) and quickly knocked down the article that was referenced. I think the thoughtful responses from MDL users without attacking the poster personally was the best response the site could ask for. It also serves as an example of users trying to make the site a friendly place without being unfriendly.

True, but I am sure someone would say things have gone downhill since vaudeville.
I have not started the drama, but will once there are more episodes and I clear up my queue. Kim Seul Gi is one of my favorite actresses, and she is listed as a main.

Don't you know the only great dramas were on radio?

They could have afforded to have her plant friends come back instead of disappearing to never be seen again.