So, what are we all watching this week?
What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…
javabeans
My Sweet Mobster: This show is a prime example of a drama that isn’t trying to be more than it is, but is spot-on and satisfying at accomplishing what it intends to do. Which is: Be silly and good-natured, embrace a little nuttiness, hit us in the tropes, convey a nice message about treating people well despite their past mistakes, and let its amiable spirit smooth out some of the rough corners. I’m not sure we would’ve gotten Han Sun-hwa in this bubbly, optimistic role if not for her aggressively chipper character in Work Later, Drink Now, but it’s nice to see a more toned-down version of that sunniness here. (Work Later‘s Ji-yeon was a memorable and impressive character, but took a bit of getting used to and definitely not for the faint of heart.) Six episodes in, we’re seeing a teensy bit of humor poking through Uhm Tae-gu’s deadpan mobster facade, but I have to say I really enjoyed the first couple weeks when everybody else was filming a slapstick rom-com while he was neck-deep in a noir gangster drama, which just made everything funnier. I actually worry that the more we head into conventional romance waters, the drier this drama will become, so I’m hoping this retains its simple, silly charm.
missvictrix
Connection: Every week with every reveal this plot just gets one notch tighter. So well done. So well acted! It’s kind of crazy, too, that with all the information that gets revealed and all the forward motion, the mystery still feels so deeply buried. Even more so than it did in Adamas, where I figured out the twist a few episodes before it was revealed. Here, I have no idea what’s going on, and I kinda like it that way.
Dare to Love Me: With one week to go, I think it’s safe to say I’m pretty disappointed with this one, and the dragged out pacing in the final quarter has made me lose my interest even more. There was not enough plot (well, ever) between our main leads, so now we’re in a bunch of side plot weeds that should have been better integrated all along. I don’t hate that I’m watching it, but I don’t love that I am either. One more week for the bean.