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: Now, We Are Breaking Up
Melancholia: This was much more thoughtful and interesting than I expected — and, despite not being A Math Person, the math-y angle of it turned out to be my favorite part. Though our characters only just crossed paths in the first episode, I quite like the infatuation with numbers and the world of mathematics that they both have in common. Particularly, I like Im Soo-jung’s character, her excitement to find a diamond in the rough that truly thinks about numbers in a unique way (instead of the rest of the students, who just want to learn the answers and get the highest exam score). The evil, scheming school leader paradigm is getting a little old for me, but there’s also nothing like the lone teacher fighting for her students (a la Dead Poets Society). So, in sum, I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to, which I was hoping not to say, since I don’t need another drama to live watch. Sigh.
quirkycase
Currently recapping: Happiness
Jirisan: I didn’t do much digging before watching, so I was taken off guard by the supernatural element. Not that I dislike it – I was just surprised. But why does it seem like every other drama these days has a serial killer? I’d imagine there’s enough danger in the mountains to keep the rangers busy without someone purposefully offing people.
Dal-li and Gamjatang: This was a cute, if not particularly memorable, drama. Its strength was most definitely Dal-li and Moo-hak as characters. Dal-li was one of the most refreshing leads I’ve seen in a while, and she alone made it a worthwhile watch for me. I was never all that into the conspiracy aspect of the plot. I remain baffled as to why so many modern rom-coms feature murder mysteries and find myself nostalgic for the days when a rom-com didn’t involve so much death.
Melancholia: I didn’t know what to expect going in, but I really liked the first two episodes. Although the themes may be familiar, the math focus is different for a drama. And I already feel for Seung-yoo and just wish everyone would let the poor, traumatized boy live. His joy from math is so pure, and I hate seeing everyone try to use him for their own ends. I like Yoon-soo as a character too, but it was obvious from the start she’s in over her head at this cutthroat school.
mistyisles
Currently recapping: Inspector Koo
The King’s Affection: The upside: I’m (finally) all caught up. The downside: I have to wait for new episodes… This show has me by the heart, and I find Dam-yi’s position particularly devastating because she had no choice in it. First, she was trapped in the palace by the prince’s reckless actions. Then she was kept there by both love (for and from her mother) and force, and raised to emotionally isolate herself. And now she’s had to give Ji-woon up a second time, for both their sakes. I’m in love with Ji-woon’s quick and wholehearted acceptance of his feelings, I’m intrigued by Ga-on, and I’m really curious to see how Dam-yi and So-yeon interact — especially since the masquerade can only go on so long with a prospective wife in the mix. I almost want Dam-yi to confide in her first before anyone else, and for the two of them to become friends and allies working together to either get Dam-yi out of the palace or find some other solution.
DaebakGrits
Currently recapping: Inspector Koo
The King’s Affection: After the excitement of last week’s episodes, I think I was expecting episodes 9 and 10 to be equally fast paced. Slowness aside, I really did enjoy the refreshing approach this drama took as Ji-woon came to terms with his love for our Lady Prince. Usually when we see this trope, the man freaks out in disgust and goes to great comedic lengths to prove his heterosexuality by ogling the nearest set of boobies, so it was nice to see a character who was more chill and accepting. Love is love, you know? His confession was downright sweet, but — damn — that pity goodbye date Dam-yi took him on. Ouch!
Dal-li and Gamjatang: Now that this series is over, I’m left feeling…meh. I liked this drama, but I wanted to like it more. It had so much potential as a straight rom-com, but they had to muck it up by trying to make it a thriller/mystery, too. I wish the sole source of conflict had been Dal-li butting heads with Moo-hak, her quirky creditor, as he sweeps in and uses unorthodox methods (think Hot Stove League-like conflict) to help increase the struggling museum’s profits.
Find Me If You Can: I usually prefer to binge an entire web drama in one sitting since they’re so short, but I had fifteen minutes to kill and decided to check out the first episode of this new series. Premise is simple: Woman has three annoying guys confess their love for her, and one of them may be a psycho stalker leaving knives in her coffee box. I’m calling it now: None of them are the stalker, and the baddie is the other random coworker who showed up when she cut her finger on the knife. Can’t fool me, drama writers!
Mr. Sunshine: Welp, shit got real. I’m now at the point where I abandoned this drama my first time watching it, and I’m definitely fighting the urge to bail on the last four episodes again. When this drama repeatedly foreshadowed that there would be a “sad ending,” what they really meant was a bawl-your-eyes-out-for-six-episodes-straight-until-you-feel-dead-inside ending. At least one of the bad guys is finally dead, but I’m eagerly awaiting the demise of the Japanese colonel. I know the fact that I hate him so, so much is a testament to the man’s acting, but I’ve never wanted a white-truck-of-doom (or whatever the equivalent was back then) to run over a character so badly.