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 weecapping: The King’s Affection
School 2024: Episode 3 down, and I’m loving it, yet I can’t seem to sit down and just watch it without getting distracted a hundred times. I imagine it’s my restless mood lately, and not the drama’s fault, because the plot is settling in, and the character dynamics are too, and I love our three leads and all the attraction and angst that awaits. Our heroine Ji-won, in particular, continues to be delightful, and it’s super fun to see how the two feuding boys around her react to her presence. It’s my catnip!
quirkycase
Currently recapping: Happiness
Jirisan: I’m not that into the whole killer mystery aspect, but I do like seeing the various aspects of the rangers’ jobs and the disasters they handle. What I am curious about is Hyun-jo and his connection to the mountain. I hope we get some explanation for that.
The Red Sleeve Cuff: I’ve been enjoying this one more than I expected. We get a lot of male politicking in sageuks, so I always appreciate it when we see more of the women in the palace, especially the servants. I like the tone so far – it’s not too heavy or too light – and the leads have good chemistry.
Melancholia: I have to say, Seung-yoo really irritated me this week. He’s being way too pushy with Yoon-su and disrespecting her wishes. One of my pet peeves is people making others uncomfortable by not respecting their boundaries, and he’s really overstepping. She has every right not to want to see him after all that happened, and he’s ignoring her discomfort by continuing to contact her when she asked him not to. Seung-yoo still has some maturing to do.
DaebakGrits
Currently recapping: Inspector Koo
The King’s Affection: Our Lady King’s identity has officially become the worst kept secret in the palace, and I found my interest waning a little bit this week as our couple continuously made goo-goo eyes at each other. It was cute and I do appreciate the romance, but I don’t enjoy the will-they-won’t-they-get-caught (again) suspense side of it. Instead, I find myself facepalming at their lack of restraint. At the rate they’re going, our Lady King is going to have to hide a pregnancy. Meanwhile, Evil Grandpapa has proved once again that he isn’t smarter than our Lady King, just better connected, but even so, I still prefer him as an antagonist over the scheming Uncle and Cousin duo.
The Red Sleeve Cuff: I think Red Sleeve has moved to the top of my list of currently airing dramas. I enjoy the palace intrigue and politics more than in The King’s Affection because, instead of giving us one seemingly unstoppable villain to hate, we have multiple characters whose alliances are fluid and murky (I’m looking at you, Deok-ro and Head Court Lady). I’m a little surprised with how quickly trust and affection was built between our prince and court lady, but despite its speed, it feels like a natural and realistic progression that has me wanting more, more, more.
Let Me Be Your Knight: Ok, I’m a bit happier with the direction this drama is taking after watching episode four, especially if the cliffhanger ending isn’t a misdirect and our lead man has figured out Yoon-joo isn’t a doctor. The attention given to the other band members this episode was nice, too, and I’m very curious about their backstories.
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim: I forgot how delightfully narcissistic Young-joon is. You’d think his obsession with his own reflection would make him an unappealing character, but he remains likable because his overflowing self-love doesn’t result in the mistreatment or belittlement of others. I guess some could argue that he runs Mi-so ragged, but as he pointed out in episode two, she never said no to any of his requests. Also, something I’m appreciating more during my watchthrough: the random animal noises. When Young-joo gave Mi-so the stuffed cow and there was a mooing sound effect, my friend — who’s absolutely adoring this drama, by the way — and I had a good chuckle. I need more rom-coms like this one in my life