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…
missvictrix
Currently covering: Race
Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938: Sadly, I did not enjoy Episodes 9 and 10 that much — but then again, after the wonderful metaness of Episode 7 it was hard to top that. Sudden zombies and Japanese mercenaries aside, I really do love this season. It’s been full of laughs, is beautiful to look at, and has made me have Deep Thoughts about plot versus plot development. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the finale episodes and seeing Rang go into grief-induced rage when Yeo-hee dies and he starts raising hell and spiraling out of control. Okay, I just made all of that up, but I’m curious to see what happens with this storyline — because if there’s anything we learned from skimming the heck through Season 1, it’s that Tale of the Nine Tailed likes to put Rang through the wringer.
mistyisles
Currently covering: Delightfully Deceitful
Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938: I fell behind last week and caught up through Episode 9 this week, so let me start by saying Episode 7 was just fantastic! Fun, tense, weird (in a good way), heartfelt — everything I could have asked it to be. As for Episode 9… I have mixed feelings, for a few different reasons. 1) I didn’t sign up for zombies… But this is also far from the first show to spring surprise zombies on me, so I can deal. 2) I was just starting to like Moo-young a little, but one minute he’s holding hands with Yeon while they punch each other and the next he’s subjecting me (and more importantly innocent people) to zombie attacks. I had hope for him, but he’s teetering over the irredeemable line, and that makes me sad. 3) Before last week, I wasn’t all that invested in most of the characters, and I was okay with that. Now I am invested — but that means I’m also worried about their respective fates. Whatever happens, though, this show has been a wild ride, and I’ll be sad to see it end.
solstices
98 Percent: Shin Hyuk-soo! Shin Hyuk-soo!! Ever since I became his fan during Equal, I’ve been looking forward to finally hearing my favorite musical actor sing in person, and he surpassed my expectations by far. His voice is so strong and stable, and he imbues such raw and rich emotions into his singing. I teared up several times because of his character, especially during the last number. (Also, shoutout to Kim Tae-hyung, who did such an excellent job that I couldn’t believe this was his debut musical!)
The Brothers Karamazov: Based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel, this was a thought-provoking musical that questioned the basis of faith, while also highlighting the thin line between love and hate. Park Jwa-heon impressed me with his nuanced portrayal of the complex yet childlike Smerdyakov, and BF’s Donghyun was particularly compelling as the devoted Alyosha.
The Pirate: So much fun! Jung Dong-hwa’s acting prowess blew me away — he was so convincing as both the energetic teenager Louis and the poised sharpshooter Anne. Full of hilarious hijinks in the first act, the jolly adventure drew to a close with a poignant and heartwarming conclusion. And the numbers are so catchy — I still find myself humming them from time to time!
Beastie: A dark and intense musical that reminded me of old-school gangster noirs. Jung Dong-hwa was barely recognizable here as the host bar’s madam — I was genuinely terrified of his character in certain scenes, yet I found myself shedding tears for him in the epilogue. Meanwhile, Hong Ki-bum was so adorably endearing as the bar’s maknae, giving the first half a very welcome dose of levity.
Trace U: My first rock musical! The plot was ambiguous and somewhat confusing — I doubt I’d have understood it if I hadn’t gone in already knowing the storyline — but the curtain call was so much fun. With our neon LED wristbands, it really felt like an actual rock concert! I didn’t think I was a rock person, but this musical might just have converted me.
Dramaddictally
Race: I’ve been trying to watch this show since it started and finally smuggled some time into my schedule this week. What a breath of fresh air this is! It’s so realistic, and I’m in total awe of the writing. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a character who lived abroad for a long stretch actually act like she’s been living abroad. She doesn’t abide by the local culture and always seems a little out of place — which is exactly how it would be. Plus, the drama’s got a bunch of awesome female characters, a well-done central flirtation, and some insanely on-the-nose stuff about social media marketing. The big shocker? People are smoking! Like, really smoking. And even though I don’t like it, I can’t turn away from the excitement of breaking the rules. All in all, this is a gem, so far. Although, I’m a little concerned about how the story will wrap up with only two episodes to go. Here’s a case where I think I could handle a 16-episode run.