Announcement: Dr. Romantic Group Watch! [plus bonus Money Flower Group Watch!]

51 Replies

First of all, my sincere apologies to any of you who might have been saving your votes for the final day of voting; the poll closed earlier than I intended (at the beginning of 23 February, rather than at the end of 23 February), oops! 🤭 This is my first time using this poll plug-in, so I didn’t realize that that’s how the settings work. When I realized my mistake and tried to extend the poll, I found that I couldn’t. My bad, guys. I promise it won’t happen again! 😅

Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll; Dr. Romantic came out on top, with 136 votes, woot! In second place, While You Were Sleeping came in with 126 votes.

At the same time, while all the voting was going on, my fangirl heart was seriously swayed by all the effusive love for Jang Hyuk that was being poured out on the final Chuno Open Thread – and I couldn’t help but want to rewatch Money Flower, even though it was clearly not going to win the poll.

So.. we will be having not one, but TWO group watches on the site! Surprise..? 😉

The experiment

Ok, to be honest, this is all a bit of an experiment, because I’ve never actually attempted to host two group watches at the same time. However, I do think it’s a worthwhile experiment, to compare what it’s like to host a group watch where I haven’t yet seen the show, but the show itself is very popular and well-loved, and compare that to hosting a group watch where I have seen the show, and am confident that I will love it to the very end.

Feel free to join both group watches (like me! 😉), if you are able, since I think both shows are worthy watches, or, feel free to pick the one you prefer. Or, try both out for a bit, and then settle on one. I’m just very happy that you guys are excited to do this. ❤️

In the sections below, I outline for each show, the schedule, availability and reasons to watch. If you know of other streaming sources that I haven’t mentioned, or if you’re passionate about the shows and want to help stir up some excitement for them to draw in more group watchers, feel free to share in the comments below!

PS: Remember that you can always use Opera’s free, built-in, unlimited VPN to get around geo-restrictions. A tutorial on that can be found here, and an article on why it’s not illegal to use a VPN to access legal streaming content can be found here.

Group Watch 1: Dr. Romantic

Schedule: Wednesdays, starting 3 March 2021. Posts will go live at 8:00am, my time (GMT+8)

Commitment: 20 episodes. 2 eps per week = 10 weeks

Availability: Available for free on Kocowa, iQIYI and Viu. Also available on Viki, if you have Viki Pass Plus.

Why you should watch: 

I hear this one is heartwarming, exciting and highly engaging, and is appealing, even if you aren’t actually a fan of medical dramas. Also, Han Seok Kyu is reportedly fantastic in this. I also hear that there’s some head-turning, crackling chemistry between Yoo Yeon Seok and Seo Hyun Jin.

(I’m sorry that I have less to say about this show than Money Flower, but that’s only because I haven’t watched it yet! 😅 Feel free to help me out in the comments! 😉)

Also, in case you’re wondering, I will not be writing a separate review for Dr. Romantic, because everything I have to say would already be in the Open Thread posts. However, I do plan to give it a final verdict and final grade in the last Open Thread.

Trailer:

Dr. Romantic Open Threads:

I’ll be linking the Open Threads here, for easy reference. You’ll also be able to find the Open Thread links on my Full List page.

E1&2 | E3&4 | E5&6 | E7&8 | E9&10 | E11&12 | E13&14 | E15&16 | E17&18 | E19&20

Group Watch 2: Money Flower

Schedule: Saturdays, starting 6 March 2021. Posts will go live at 8:00am, my time (GMT+8)

Commitment: 24 episodes. 2 eps per week = 12 weeks.

Availability: Available for free on Kocowa. Also available on Viki, if you have Viki Pass Plus.

Why you should watch: 

Show is tightly written, gripping, and satisfying to the very end (unlike other revenge dramas I’ve watched), and has a hauntingly effective OST to score it all. Also, Jang Hyuk is truly fantastic in this. I always thought Chuno would hands-down be his most iconic role, but I was so blown away by his performance in this, that I had to reassess whether this outing is perhaps even more brilliant than his turn in Chuno. Ultimately, I think this outing at least matches his brilliance in Chuno – and is worth a watch on that merit alone, heh. 🤩 But Show itself is great too, and everyone else in it, honest! Lee Mi Sook is especially commanding and intriguing, and makes a great foil for Jang Hyuk. When they share the screen, it feels like electricity is always sparking beneath the surface, getting ready to blow up in your face. 🤩

Money Flower review is here.

Trailer:

 

Money Flower Open Threads:

I’ll be linking the Open Threads here, for easy reference. You’ll also be able to find the Open Thread links on my Full List page.

E1&2 | E3&4 | E5&6 | E7&8 | E9&10 | E11&12 | E13&14 | E15&16 | E17&18 | E19&20 | E21&22 | E23&24

In closing

..That’s about it, really! Now that we’ve got our group watch shows selected, please go forth and enjoy your first couple of episodes – and remember to tune in for the Open Thread posts, going live next week! ❤️

51 thoughts on “Announcement: Dr. Romantic Group Watch! [plus bonus Money Flower Group Watch!]”

  1. Kay

    Yes! I’m thrilled that your Money Flower love (aka Jang Hyuk love) allowed it to be a group watch despite not winning 😍 I’ll definitely be following that one. I rarely do medical dramas, so hopefully everyone else has fun with that one, which I’m sure they will since I have heard just how good Dr. Romantic is 🙂

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    1. kfangurl Post author

      I rarely do medical dramas too, so this is definitely a bit of a step outside my comfort zone, but I’m putting my trust in all the love that the show gets. 😉 YAY that you’ll be joining the Money Flower watch, I really think you’ll like that one! 😃

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  2. Antonio

    Regarding “Dr Romantic” that I have seen in the last few weeks, I can tell you that the first episode is totally different from all the following ones. The show changes TOTALLY after the first episode.

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  3. Sarah lantz

    Love love love Money Flower!! Remember when I told you it wasn’t on your full shows? Such a travesty😱. But how does this work? Do we all get on discord or something? I’ve never done such a thing, please pardon my ignorance… and GMT +8 est is 3pm, right? Thank you!

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    1. kfangurl Post author

      Hi Sarah!! Yes, I remember! Thanks for alerting me to that – I must’ve been too happy to post the review, and forgot to update the links. 😝 Thankfully you had my back! 😘

      So how the group watches work, is that we all watch 2 eps of the show each week on our own, and then once a week (for Money Flower, that’ll be Saturday), I’ll post an Open Thread with my episode notes for the week’s episodes. That’s where everyone can come to read and comment and share and discuss! So it all happens right here on the blog. Which also means that time delays don’t matter, so you just come on and add your comments and respond to other people’s comments when you can. 😃 I checked and 8am for me, is 3am for you. But because this isn’t a “live” thing it doesn’t matter. Most folks on the previous Chuno watch chatted about the week’s episodes for several days at least – and sometimes even after the following week’s episode notes were up. 😊 I hope that helps to clarify! Do join the fun if you are able! ❤️

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  4. MC

    Hooray!! I’m so glad that Money Flower is in despite not winning, since I was the one who suggested it. 😅 I’ll try to join both (whew I’m not typically someone who watches multiple shows at a time ) but Dr Romantic sounds good too and YYS always is a bonus. Haha. Ok folks, see you all there! I’m assuming I should start watching now so that by time the threads are released on 3 and 6 Mar I can participate?

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    1. kfangurl Post author

      MC!! I was hoping you’d be able to make it, since you were the one who first suggested Money Flower! 😃 YAY that you’re planning to join both group watches!!! The answer to your question is YES, it’d be great if you could watch the first 2 eps of both shows, between now and when the Open Threads go live, so that you’ll be all ready to talk about it! 😉 Happy watching! ❤️

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  5. Ele Nash

    SQUEEE-EEK!! 😃 So excited! Third watch of Money Flower and I know it will still grip me! And very happy to see what Dr Romantic is like. Both are on Netflix in the UK so I am set and ready to go. Thank you so much, kfangurl! Xx

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    2. kfangurl Post author

      Tee hee! Your squee-eek made me giggle, you’re so cute! 😄 So glad you’ll be joining both watches, Ele!! ❤️Also, that’s great to know, that both shows are available on Netflix UK! That’s good information for everyone!

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  7. beez

    Y’all know I’m a Hyuky fanatic so I’ll be rewatching Money Flower, and I’ll give Dr. Romantic a chance to grab me. I’ll try to read and comment when I can. If you direct something specifically at me, please include “@Beez” as the greeting so that when I check my email, it’ll stand out and I won’t miss it.

    “See” you guys next week in the open threads!

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    1. kfangurl Post author

      Aw, so glad you’ll be joining both watches, Beez! 😃 As phl put it, Money Flower is definitely worth a rewatch – or a third watch! 😉 Also, that’s a very helpful tip on using “@Beez” to get your attention. Good thing many of the OG group watchers are already used to doing that too! You’ve trained us well, Beez! 😉😆

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      1. beez

        Well, this is not my usual bossiness 😆 It’s just the email that the comments go to is so full of spam and the like that in order to see what I’m looking for I have to use the search feature.😵

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      1. beez

        @BE – capitalization doesn’t matter. It’s just that besides all the junk and spam, even once I search “Verdict”, which brings up all the comments, there are still too many for me to cope with so to be sure I don’t miss anything directed directly to me, I can at least see them so I can make sure I respond.

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    1. kfangurl Post author

      Yay that you’re planning to join both watches, Elaine!! 😃 Also, that’s great information about the shows being available on Netflix Singapore, thanks for that! ❤️

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  9. reaper525

    😂 tomorrow you will be like: „omg I have such a graving for … . And you will start a third group watch. ^^

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      1. reaper525

        And I thought there is always extra time for some more sexy dudes 😂 just like women have a extra stomach for desserts

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  11. BE

    I will be in on both if I can. Saw Dr. Romantic about three or four months ago, so I do not know if I have had the time since I previously watched it to be able, given I am watching other shows as well. It has been long enough since Money Flower so that I do not remember it that well, except to say it did not make the same impression on me that Chuno did on my first watch, but I can think of few dramas that have. And I am watching about three others right now, so I probably will be, thus, less talky, which will be a relief to everyone I am sure.

    However, I did get a kick out of the DR ensemble. And in preview, may I say SPOILER ALERT: Master Kim is one bad hombre! And ah, Friday nights at the Doldam! “Scalpel! Bovie! Metzenbaum! Suction! Cut! Cut!”

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  12. Ally

    I LOVE Dr. Romantic, and it is hands-down the best medical drama (and super realistic) I had ever seen before and since. The first episode where the female lead’s attending slapped her almost made me stop watching though. So trigger warning there. Also, she is suicidal, so second trigger warning. But everyone embodies their roles and as someone who has gone through medical training, they do an excellent job showing how tight knit you can be with your coworkers. So many great performances in this. And the chemistry!!! I won’t likely be able to join as I have two Wed-Thurs dramas on my plate already but I will be watching from the sidelines and joining the open thread if I can.

    But I’m ALLLLLL INNNNNN for Money Flower. I wanted to see this when it came out. Saw the awards shows that year (2017) where it like swept everything for the MBC awards and was like DANG!!!!!

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          1. BE

            He has had some sort of voice training. Few actors I have seen can do so much with voice as he can, why I thought this might be an influence.

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              1. BE

                @beez I wasn’t thinking of his singing, but his approach to voice projection in character. I have heard him speak several times and his speaking voice is rather soft, almost whispery, but in dramatic roles, especially in sageuks, he does all sorts of vocal gymnastics and the training for pandori singers, who are also story tellers, as presented in the vid, made me think he might have studied those techniques.

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    2. kfangurl Post author

      I agree with DF.. both are really excellent outings, but the two are completely different roles, despite both being antiheroes. I really hope you’ll enjoy Money Flower, Leslie – I loved it! 🤩

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  14. phl1rxd

    I am going to have to cave in and squeeze these both in. And for those of you who have not seen Money Flower – be prepared for stupendous Jang Hyuk-ness all over your screen. The music is perfect in every way so make sure you stay along for the ride ’til the end. I had to catch my breath in this several times. Excellent acting across the board and an excellent story. This is worth a third watch.

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