I decided to make a quick post on some of the kdramas in my "continue watching" list. I'm pretty much never going to return to some. Others, I left there with the intention of getting back to it. Here are a few of those.
Rediscovered: Come and Hug Me
Recently, I started watching Come and Hug Me again... as mentioned multiple times:
I was bored with, what I felt, was very repetitive cut scenes. However, I thought that the present timeline would really kick into gear soon, so I played the next episode after a few months break. I don't regret it. It's lovely.
And as mentioned, I love the male characters. Especially the older brother who is horribly manipulated by their father. He is so pitiful and sweet in his own way (as discussed at length in the Touching Kdrama Characters post.
Rediscovered: Graceful Family (2019)
Tonight, I started Graceful Family again. I enjoyed this one from the start. It's a great corporate espionage sort of drama. I was instantly hooked on the premise of the bad guys being the security/lawyer staff who protects the chaebol heirs from themselves.
It was established early that they know everything, can stop anything, will lie-cheat-kill to protect the company. That's pretty badass.
There has been nothing in the way of love yet. I don't much care, since the stars aren't people I'm super into (Lee Jang-Woo & Im Soo-Hyang), and the corporate and family dysfunction elements are enough. I'm already questioning why this has been back-burnered for months.
Abandoned: Secret Garden (2010)
There are a few now that I've straight up abandoned. The first is a classic. Secret Garden is a kdrama that I just don't intend to continue. I'm on ep 17 or something, and it is 1. going on way too long and 2. far too abusive a relationship for me to overlook. I have trouble with the disgusting levels of sexism and downright abusive/violent behaviors the ML has for the FL.
It's gross and hard to watch at this point. I tried to go back to it the other day and watched maybe 10 minutes before yet another violent/abusive relationship scene happened. Nope. I'm done. I know that things are products of their time, but even in overtly sexist movies from 50 years ago in the U.S., there is more gender sensitivity than this simply because the male characters want to get laid once in a while.
The subservient woman role is just... ill-advised, especially for a badass stunt woman who can take a physical beating. She's going to let herself be emotionally abused, huh? Suuuure.
The actress, Ha Ji-Won, is doing a cheesy job. Hyun Bin is doing a bit better, but his woman/gay guy acting is not quite appealing to me. He won awards for this? Hey, at least he got better... Crash Landing on You was a much better acted role for him.
Oh, and the whole magic angle with the weird ass restaurant and changing bodies just when it rains and stuff... it's a wee bit random. Can you say 'plot device'?
Abandoned: Personal Taste (2010)
Another is Personal Taste. I know that this is a slightly older one too, and while the premise isn't super cringe... it is pretty cringe. Pretending to be gay? Questionable.
The real reason I quit though: I just think it hit that ep 12 slump and had nowhere to go. Like, there was no twists and turns left that I'd be interested in. If someone thinks there is a reason to watch past here, do let me know. Seems so straightforward at this point as to be a straight up who cares.
This is also another situation where I don't care much about the actors. Son Ye-Jin is cute, but the character is meh to me. Lee Min-Ho... I don't really understand why he's as big a star as he is? Like, I don't find him that charming or attractive at this point. BUT, I have not seen Boys Over Flowers or Legend of the Blue Sea yet... so I get that maybe my opinion will change. Maybe.
Older Doesn't Mean Bad
I know that it might seem like I just hate older dramas or something. 100% not the case. I've watched dramas from all eras. For instance, I watched and truly enjoyed Coffee Prince (2007). It stood the test of time and also had a bit more of a "woke" type of premise.
Sure, Gong Yoo's character thought just because she wasn't "feminine" that she was a guy. Dick move. However, in the end, he fell in love with the person regardless of gender. He was all in, even though he thought she was a guy.
Literally, he went from straight to pansexual in this drama. I can't get too mad at that, even if it had some scenes or behaviors I wasn't a fan of.
Plus, there's Kim Jae-Wook. I mean, need I say more about that?
화이팅!
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