Hi everyone! It’s already time for my October edition of This Month On Patreon! Wow. We are literally in the last quarter of the year, you guys! 😱
This is my monthly post on:
1. What’s happening on Patreon in a given month,
2. Exactly when you can expect to see various Patreon-related reviews in the month,
3. What shows I’m considering for coverage on Patreon, to replace shows that have completed their cycles, and
4. What you can expect, as a patron.
I hope you guys find this helpful &/or informative, and I hope you’ll consider supporting me on Patreon! ❤️
Why I’m on Patreon
My work has been on hold for more than a year now, because of the pandemic, and this is my way of trying to create a viable alternative source of income. As it stands right now, it’s murky and uncertain, whether work can resume for me, and if so, when that might happen.
I love this blog and if I had to switch careers, I would most likely have to quit blogging (those of you who’ve blogged before, or are still blogging now, would know what I mean when I say that blogging takes up a LOT of time 😅). Rather than quit the blog, I decided to try blogging full-time, and that’s where Patreon – and everyone who values what I do on this blog – comes in.
I am very grateful for all the support that has already been given (thank you to all my existing patrons, you guys are the best! 😘). At the same time, the amount raised each month isn’t quite enough to cover my living expenses, and is still quite far from being a proper income, which is why I do hope that my Patreon page will be able to continue growing.
If you value the work that I do here on the blog, please consider supporting my work on Patreon. ❤️
Psst! If you’re curious about the nuts and bolts of the work that goes into maintaining this blog, here is a Dear kfangurl post about this very topic; I hope you enjoy!
Shows currently covered on Patreon + their tiers
Adblocker Tier (US$1): Breakup Probation, A Week
Early Access (US$5): +Bossam
Early Access Plus (US$10): +Lost (Human Disqualification)
VIP (US$15): +Lovers of the Red Sky
VVIP (US$20): +Hometown Cha Cha Cha
Ultimate (US$25): +The Rational Life [China]
* Just to be clear, the tier benefits are cumulative, so if you sign up for the Ultimate tier, you wouldn’t only receive episode notes for The Rational Life, you’d receive episodes notes for all the other shows as well!
* I publish one set of episode notes each day, so each show’s episode notes will publish once in 5 days, since I currently cover 5 shows on Patreon. For example, Lovers of the Red Sky E4 will post today (1 October 2021), and Lovers of the Red Sky E5 will post in another 5 days, on 6 September 2021.
* For an actual example of episode notes, you can go here. 😊 It’s my E1 notes for Navillera, a show which I loved (so much!), which I hope more folks would give a try. If you haven’t watched it, and your drama taste is like mine, please consider checking it out!
When Patreon-related reviews will post this month
This month, two of the shows I’m covering on Patreon will finish their cycles. Here’s when you can expect to see the reviews:
Bossam: 7 October 2021
Breakup Probation, A Week: 22 October 2021
Do stay tuned for those! 😃
Replacement shows I’m considering
This isn’t yet cast in stone, because I’d need to check out the shows to make sure I like them enough to cover them on Patreon, but here are the ones that I’m considering:
Bossam: possibly to be replaced by Yumi’s Cells
Breakup Probation, A Week: possibly to be replaced by Our Sister’s Soulmate (Japan)*
* I don’t always have a show assigned for the US$1 Adblocker Tier, but from time to time I like to cover a bonus show on this tier. Breakup Probation, A Week is a bonus show, and I’ll very likely cover Our Sister’s Soulmate as a bonus too. I will make a separate announcement on this!
Other back-up shows I have in mind (in case Yumi’s Cells doesn’t make my cut): The Veil, Dali and the Cocky Prince, The King’s Affection.
If you have other great shows to suggest, do let me know in the comments! Please do remember to bear in mind their airing schedules, though!
Patreon Highlights
If you’re new to my Patreon page, here are a handful of things you might like to know:
1. ALL tiers receive my episode 1 notes for any show that I’m covering on Patreon.
Therefore, if you’re curious about my notes for The Rational Life, but aren’t sure whether you’d like them enough to want to join the Ultimate tier, joining the US$1 Adblock tier will give you immediate access to The Rational Life E1-2 notes. After this, if you wish to upgrade to the Ultimate tier, Patreon would simply charge you the difference, while immediately unlocking all the posts that your new tier entitles you to. That’s exactly what Michelle did with Vincenzo, and I’m happy to report that it worked out really well! 😃
2. The Ultimate tier also receives E1 notes for all shows that I’m watching (or have checked out), INCLUDING shows that I’m NOT covering on Patreon.
This has included E1 notes for shows like True Beauty, Lovestruck in the City, Sweet Home, Shanai Marriage Honey (Japan), Must You Go?, Love In Between (China), A Thousand Goodnights (Taiwan), Zombie Detective, Here’s My Plan, Hello, Me!, Taxi Driver, At A Distance Spring Is Green, Monthly Magazine Home, Takane and Hana, You Are My Spring, The Witch’s Diner, and D.P. (Deserter Pursuit). I call these posts Early Access Extras, and as a patron on the Ultimate tier, on average, you can expect to see about 2 of these posts each month.
In case you’re wondering, whether I eventually review these shows on the blog, really depends on how my experience with the various first episodes works out. I’ve carried on to review a number of the shows listed above, but I’ve also chosen not to continue watching a handful of them as well.
3. You can interact with me and with one another, on Patreon.
There is a comment feature on Patreon, so, much like here on the blog, you’d be able to comment on posts and share your thoughts with me and with other patrons. There is also a private message function, so you’d be able to message me directly on Patreon, if there’s something you’d like to talk with me about, but you feel isn’t relevant to the posts on Patreon themselves.
Aside from a web browser, you can also access my Patreon posts and messages on the Patreon app. You can find the Patreon app on Apple’s app store here, or on Google Play here.
4. You can feel safe to pause your subscription, or move between tiers at any time.
Moving between tiers
Because you are charged upfront on the 1st of each month, that tier’s privileges will continue to be open to you, even if you choose to move down a tier sometime during the month, or if you choose to pause your subscription.
For example, if you were on the Early Access Plus tier, and on the 15th of the month, you decided that you’d like to move down one tier, to the Early Access Tier, you can make that change right away – but because you’ve already paid for Early Access Plus privileges, those will remain open to you until the end of the month. And then you will be charged your new tier rate, at the beginning of the following month.
If you choose to upgrade your tier, you can also do so at any time, and you will simply be charged the difference, eg, US$5, if you’re moving from the Early Access tier, to the Early Access Plus tier, and the additional privileges will be immediately unlocked for you as well. You will then be charged the new rate on the 1st of the following month.
Pausing your subscription
If you choose to pause your subscription on the 15th of the month, you will not be charged on the 1st of the following month, and your Patreon benefits will remain open to you until the end of the month. Thereafter, feel free to reactivate it at any time.
Please let me know if this explanation isn’t clear!
5. There’s now an annual subscription option available!
I only activated this option recently, because someone expressed interest in it. I just.. hadn’t realized that you guys believed in me enough, to want to sign up on a yearly basis. 😅
With the yearly subscription, you receive a 5% discount, and you will be charged on each anniversary of your join date. The only downside to this, is you don’t have the flexibility to move between tiers from month to month, according to which shows spark your interest.
What about one-time contributions?
If you prefer, you can also support the blog through easy one-time contributions by clicking on this other cute lil icon below.
I’m told that you don’t need to have a Paypal account in order to do so, but if that changes, or is different in your region, a Paypal account is pretty easy to set up; there are no sign-up fees involved, and you don’t have to keep a balance in it, unless you actually want to. You can choose to link a bank account, a debit card, or a credit card, to facilitate your contribution.
Thank you!
..And that’s about it, for this month’s updates! If you have suggestions for other things that you’d like me to include in these monthly update posts, do let me know in the comments, and I’ll see what I can do, to incorporate them into future posts. I aim to publish future update posts on the first of each month.
Thanks for reading, thanks for your support, and thank you for being here! Big hugs to ya! 🥰❤️😘
Once again, you can find my Patreon page by clicking on this cute lil icon below:
Sooo many great dramas are going on right now! 🙂
@Trent – that’s good. I’m glad Viki is giving us the option to rent movies, but if something is free…
Is Memories of the Sword free or one of Viki’s rentals? I’m asking because I believe that it’s free on Tubi.
@beez It looks like it’s available just on standard level (free-with-ads) on Viki, no need to rent.
@phl1rxd – Kim Go eun is amazing in Memories of the Sword.
@Beez – I agree with you on that. Yes, amazing.
Oh it woukd be really cool if you could watch Jirisan. Jun ji hyun on our screens after so long.
Aargh, totally forgot, also really looking forward to Jirisan aka Cliffhanger, coming near the end of October and apparently going to be available on Viki. Stellar cast (although we’ve already touched on how that’s no guarantee…still, rather have a great cast than not, right?)
I saw the trailers and it looks quite promising! As in, I have more interest in it after watching the trailers, which is always a positive trajectory (versus what happened with me and Dali’s shouty trailers 😂)
@Trent – Thanks for the heads up on Jirisan aka Cliffhanger! Just found the trailer. Looks interesting.
Well, I am enjoying Da Li and the Cocky Prince. It’s delightful actually, and I can’t help but laugh out loud at some scenes. The OTP are the perfect combination for such a show. The Veil is awesome too – NGM has taken things to a whole new level. He in my view, has now become the acting powerhouse in SK.
Oh! That’s good to hear! 😃 Actually, the main reasons those two shows are on my radar, is because of the leads.
I love Park Gyu Young and Kim Min Jae, so their pairing in Dali is a must-check-out for me. I mean, the premise doesn’t sound that compelling, and the initial trailer put me off, but I need to see how these two pair, heh. And I’ve really grown to appreciate Nam Goong Min, so he’s the only reason The Veil is on my list!
KFG, they are truly a delightful pairing. The various synopsis do not do show justice at all. She is fearless despite her nerdy and delicate character and he is great with business and money, but is prone to be ignorant on some things and is totally entranced by Da Li.
The Veil also has another favourite of mine re Park Ha Sun and she is playing the ice queen to a tee. Beware though, as the opening scenes are tough going, but the whole premise of the show is done so well and not a second is wasted.
Ooh, you make Dali sound so much more enjoyable than I’d imagined! The first trailer for Dali had Kim Min Jae being wayyy too shouty for my taste, and that put me off. Is his character actually shouty in the show itself? (Though if he’s entranced, which I love the idea of, I might be able to close one eye to the shouty.. 😜)
Thanks for the heads-up on the opening scenes of The Veil! Always good to be prepared!
Kim Min Jae is not shouty as such, but when he is, it is not all that often. He is a shrewd business man who “barks” at times and is shouty when coming to Da Li’s rescue. She just has to say “Mr Jin” and he goes to pieces 😂 She can see right through him. And they seem to have a developing mutual appreciation of each other.
The underlying premise is that her family is one of the prominent and reverred families. Her father is murdered. So she finds herself returning to SK to keep the museum art gallery afloat (which in her mind embodies her father). The real emerging issue is there are those who know how valuable the museum land is – and there is appropriate scheming afoot.
Ooh, thanks Sean, that does sound much more palatable than what the initial trailer suggests! Who okayed that trailer, anyway?? It was thoroughly effective in making me think that I would absolutely NOT like the show! 😂
I find this quite often with shows re their trailers, kfangurl. The secret on this occassion was not to watch the trailer 😂 🤣😂 I think you would like it. The poster is what drew me in initially, immediately after I had started watching One the Woman (which is very entertaining) and A Gentleman and a Young Lady (a 50 ep weekender).
Ooh, what do you think of A Gentleman and a Young Lady? I haven’t seen any of it, but by chance I did catch a bit of the apparent blowback/controversy over the ML/FL age difference. Or is there nothing to that?
I like it, Trent. There is absolutely nothing to the controversy, although I know some who will say it is the perpetuation of such issues in SK. Essentialy, we have several scenes where a young naval officer assits a little girl, who he ran over on his bike, and is feeling miserable after feeling rather ignored by her family. He basically sets her straight and gives her a ride on his bike to her home. Many years later she bumps into him again and again, but they have no idea who each other is. She is a young teacher and he is a widowed businessman with three children that needs a nanny…
@Sean Personally, after just seeing ep. 3 this afternoon, I still find Kim Min-jae’s character a bit shouty for my taste (but I have a pretty low tolerance for dudes who are shouty, so that is partly a “me” thing). I agree that she kind of has his number, and that he’s kind of a moth to her flame in spite of himself.
I just find PGY really entrancing in this; not only the perfectly turned out “visuals” (gah, there’s a Korean-ism I swore I would never get sucked into using, but it does fit here….), but as you mention above, she has a very elegant, self-possessed, with a core of steely strength personality that is great to watch.
@Trent. That is interesting, Trent. I don’t find KMJ really all that shouty. Mind you, I have had to deal with some very shouty individuals in my time 😉 I think you will enjoy Ep 4. There is a scene near the end that sums it all up beautifully 😊
I’ll look forward to it; for some reason, Viki is taking it’s sweet time on subs over here…
Appreciate the good word on The Veil, which had been flying very much under my radar. I am enjoying my first encounter with NGM, in Stove League, which I just started, do nice to see he is heading it. I don’t believe I’ve yet seen Park Ha-sun in anything. I might have to try to squeeze this one onto my plate.
I think you will like The Veil, Trent – the iceman cometh… Park Ha Sun first caught my attention in the thriller: 3 Days. I found NGM was quite delightful in Good Manager (a very clever comedy) and awesome in the deliciously over the top Doctor Prisoner.
So KFG I thought KMJ was slightly miscast in the role. I think KMJ has got that boy next door going on and not the road man vibe (as we say in these parts).
But having said that although he is shouty it isn’t that annoying to me it just feels odd as it is KMJ but having said that he is good actor it just feels he is trying really hard in those scenes but where he is quiter he is is excellent!
Yeah, just going by the trailer, I feel that the shouty doesn’t become KMJ.. I do love when he’s allowed to be awesome in his quietness. I’ll give the show a look, to see where I land. And out of affection for KMJ and PGY!
@KFG – I am watching Dali now and thoroughly enjoying myself 🙂 I am glad I didnt see the trailer 🙂 The little picture on Viki was off putting enough for me as well as the title. I am glad I was wrong and jumped in finally 🙂
@JJ Good to hear that you’re enjoying it!! Sometimes show promos can be so misleading! 😅I need to give it a try (like I need to give, like, 1000 other dramas a try! 😝)
@KFG – I put this on the Patreon’s Drama Exchange to Shahz & Trent –
OMO! OMO! OMO! I watched the first episode of Dali & The Cocky Prince. I laughed so much!!! Note to Self: never believe the snapshot pictures on Viki or on Netflix. I know better!! And I am so flippin excited for Park Gyu Young to have a lead role!!! I loooooooooved her in Romance is a Bonus Book, she was fantastic with her comedy. And I thought then, wow, would love to see her as a Female Lead because she did comedy so well which is so hard to do! AND HERE SHE IS!!! I also saw her in Rain or Shine (also called Just Between Lovers) and IONTBO. She is a chameleon for sure and excellent at her acting!
@seankfletcher – Thanks for the more details about Dali! Shahz and Trent have been talking about it and I was reluctantly diving in since they started Episode 3 or finished it. I had been waiting. We shall see if it works for me.
I adore Park Ha Sun, but tough opening scenes sound a little off putting for me. Maybe I will wait for Spoilers from KFG’s review 🙂
@JJ. My pleasure, JJ. Da Li is really quite enjoyable.
The Veil is a very good espionage drama at this point. It leaves other shows re the NIS for dead 😂 You could skip the first 15 minutes. It becomes fascinating after that point.
@seankfletcher – Oh thanks for the heads up. I only was able to get through D.P. because Trent gave me several heads up on what to expect and steel myself for some tough scenes. I had lots of mute going on with that one and covering the screen so I could only read the subtitles 🙂
So for me to skip the 1st 15mins is easy peasy. 🙂
Ok Sean – I am buying and both drama and movie are locked and loaded and ready to go! 😉
Wel, phl, Ahn Kil Kang is “shouty dude’s” dad and he is hysterical in Da Li. Of course due to the name of the show, Salvadore Dali gets quite the mention here and there 😂
Sean – only you would remember that Kil Kang is my main man. Watching E2 now. He is iconic, and fits in seamlessly in all his dramas. I have to laugh at the shouting – in this case, “like father, like son”.
I meant to say both dramas….
Yes Sean – I just finished E1 and they are so delightful, separately as well as together! I love how smitten he is.
@seankfletcher – Delightful is a perfect word! I just started Episode 1 and I, too, have been laughing out loud at some scenes. Shahz & Trent started this first and I had been waiting until they got to Episode 3 to jump in since I had some others to finish and wanted to jump into a sure bet. Your little tidbit pushed me over the edge and into Episode 1. Thank you!!!
Hey Sean. So I am watching Dali as well. I struggled with the comedy scenes initially thought ML was slightly miscast but despite that really enjoying the sweet chemistry between the leads.
I really want to watch The Veil as I think NGM is amazing but geo restrictions be damned! Still haven’t been able to watch On the Verge of Insanity. And I wanted to ask you what you thought bof Ideal City I know you mentioned you were watching it and I have heard a lot of good things about it.
Hello Shahz! That is interesting re KMJ. I find him well suited for the role. Some say his character is immature. I think, compared to many other similar characters in the same age bracket in other dramas he is well ahead of the pack. The sweet chemistry though is awesome.
Well NGM is at the point where he and Hyuki will have to face off against each other – imagine that! That comment will get Beez’s attention 😜
I find Ideal City is a very good busness drama. It comes across as quite natural, if that makes sense. The FL is great. I have parked it for the moment though, as I catch up on other things, viewing wise.
Hey Sean. So I think for me KMJ has that boy next door vibe going on rather than a bit rough around the edges. And sometimes I feel he is like he really trying when he is acting larger than life but is much more natural ( as it comes easier to him) in the quieter moments. And maybe it is because I have seen him in Second 20’s and then Do you like Brahms and they are all boy next door so it all lends itself to that image.
Anyway I am on board with it for now and may bail later. I found myself laughing at a number of parts in Episode 3 where is the previous episodes I went from bemusement to this is so forced. S o I think I now have the right lens for the show!.
I so hope we get The Veil here because you have sold it to me!!! Ooh and interesting comparison with Hyuki! Who is definitely an acting god. I have never even thought of comparing them but ooh it might be close. Probably need to see NMJ in a proper romance to make up my mind how close it is! I am finishing a few dramas this weekend so Ideal City might make it on my viewing list.
@Shahz – I hope Dali stays solid because I started laughing from the first episode as I mentioned on Patreon’s Drama Exchange (shameless plug again!) 🙂
Ah ok, I have not seen KMJ in Second 20’s nor Brahms, so he is completely new to me. Not that I am fan of the shouting persona he utilizes at times, but its not rubbing me wrong, yet.
Gosh, I hope you stay with Dali because I am so in right now. 🙂
With Squid Game exploding in popularity worldwide maybe a review might bring some extra traffic and new fans to the blog.
Thanks J23, I hope to have that review out soonish! 😊
Oh, have you been watching Squid Game? I hadn’t thought you would, as it is so very bloody and brutal.
I wasn’t going to watch it, but then I received a media request from someone from the BBC (!!!) who asked if I could talk about it for an article he’s writing, so I binged it over the last 2 days. 😅
Brave woman. Brave…..2 day binge of that Show. GAH! Brave.
Ahaha! It wasn’t that bad, surprisingly! (Or maybe my ability to tolerate dark is greater than I thought? 😅)
Really?!?!?!!!! Wow…….*Shivers*. I dont think I can do it….Ill see what your review says and some of the others who decided to dip their toe in the Squid Game Water 🙂
Well, look how well you did with Sweet Home, right?
@Trent True, dat! But that’s probably mostly because the monsters weren’t that scary, and there weren’t many jump scares (only 1 that I recall).. Or perhaps I have this tolerance for dark that I just.. didn’t know about? 😂
@Trent & KFG – I have been debating Sweet Home because Horror is a total capital N O for me, always. But, KFG your review was so compelling and Song Kang is in it, so I have been milling this one over. BUT, also because of your review the story seemed soooo emotional……
@JJ Song Kang is very good in Sweet Home! The role suits him well. And it really is emotionally compelling, which is what kdramas tend to do so well. I’d say give it a look, I thought the monsters were very manageable; not that scary, honestly!
@KFG – Ok, I will give it a go because you know so far I have adored Song Kang 🙂 I am always in for emotionally compelling 🙂
Because Sci Fi/Fantasy is so my wheelhouse, I am ok with Monsters, its just violence and gore that does me in these days. Especially gratuitous gore and violence that doesnt serve the Story.
Ill let you know how it goes 🙂
@JJ Ah, fair warning that aside from monsters, there’s a recurring extreme nosebleed sort of thing where there’s a lot of gushy blood. It didn’t bother me, but it did feel a bit much for a friend of mine. 😅
@KFG- Thanks for the heads up. Ill let you know if its too much for me 🙂
BBC?! wow!! i’m so impressed KFG, everyone tells me it’s so dark and scary (and the trailer freaked me out too!)
@MC Right?!?? I blinked several times, to make sure I was reading my email right! 😂
I just rewatched the trailer for Squid Game, and I’ll say that the trailer is more freaky in tone than the actual show. It’s to do with how the trailer’s been put together; it makes everything look and feel extra bizarre and freaky, by selecting carefully curated clips and condensing it in a short trailer. The show itself is much more manageable, I thought! And it’s much more philosophical than I’d expected as well.
@KFG – Thanks for highlighting the detail between the trailer and the actual show!!! Very relieved to hear this information. Is there any Hope in the Show?!?!
@JJ I’d say yes, though Show leaves it rather open-ended as well. But importantly, Show doesn’t paint everything as hopeless. 😊
@KFG – All I need is a little Hope. Ill peak at this Show after reading your Review because I welcome all and any Spoilers on this one 🙂
BBC! Wow, KFG, congrats! That’s amazing!
@Medea Thanks!! Fingers crossed that it all works out!
@KFG – Awesome! Sad to say goodbye to some Shows (Bossam’s OTP and Family) and looking forward to the Replacement Shows. I hope very much you take to Yumi’s Cells as we have for the beginning episodes! I echo what Trent has written about the animation 😂😂😂
Yes, I’ve seen how you guys have been really liking Yumi’s Cells – that definitely piqued my curiosity to check it out! 😉
@KFG – Here’s hoping our sense of humor lives up to your Standards 😉
My sense of humor is hard to predict.. sometimes I giggle at the most random things, and sometimes, a show’s sense of humor just doesn’t work for me. 🙈 Here’s hoping, coz everyone’s having so much fun with Yumi’s Cells that I don’t wanna miss out!
@KFG – Fingers and toes crossed for you !!!! I will say I struggled with Episode 1 (probably my Mood), but after that…..I have had several laugh out loud moments and lots of snickers along the way with the animation. And Shahz and I have been fixated on if Ahn Boh Yun had lost weight or gained weight for the role 🙂 We still cant decide 😂😂😂😂
@JJ Ooh, thanks for the heads-up! I will adjust my expectations for E1, when I get to it!
@KFG – Trent and Shahz would be more reliable about Episode 1 because I think I was so wrapped up with The Bond (shameless plug) I did not want to start anything new, but I did not want to miss out the fun Shahz and Trent were having!!!
@KFG – I just went back to Patreon’s September Drama Exchange (Shameless Plug Again!) to look at the conversations between Trent, Shahz and I about Yumi’s cells. Dont look, we werent great then about Spoiler Alerts. We have since completely self corrected.
For me it was the first 20mins and I was so fixated on if FL had a wig on or not 😂 When you see the Episode you will understand my fixation 😂😂😂 I say no more.🤐 Enjoy!
@JJ Ahaha!! Ok, thanks for the heads-up! I won’t have a chance to check out E1 until I finish Bossam, but it’ll be soon enough. Ack, I can’t believe the Bossam review will be up next week! (I need to get back on top of my schedule; this 2-day Squid Game binge really put me behind! 😝)
@KFG – you are welcome. Ah ok! We will be waiting for you when you get there 🙂 Wow! Bossam full review so soon! Sniffle, I will miss our lovely OTP 🙂
Oh you do have an intense schedule since we have seen it! Trying to shamelessly plug that post of yours of your intense schedule! Good thing you ended up enjoying your 2 Day Binge of Squid Game 🙂
I would have thought that the totally gratuitous
@Trent – 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Now that I think about it after that gratuitous, but very well done scene 🤣 Shahz and I have stopped debating the issue 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂😂 This has amused me this morning. Trent you may have given me the prefect excuse to rewatch that scene.
@Shahz – I think we DO need to rewatch that scene and compare notes and finally come to a decision if he has gained weight or lost weight for this role 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I definitely think it is worth your time . It is so much fun!
I’ve heard too many good things to pass it up, so once I’m done with Bossam, I will be jumping in!! I’m looking forward to enjoying it as much as you guys – fingers crossed! 🤞🏻😃
I went in KFG expecting to bail after 30 minutes or so it was just curiousity more than anything .Expecting it to be a bit of a cheap knock off for Inside Out but I was so charmed by it! And glad you are picking it up as it is the perfect balance Lost.
@Shahz Charming sounds very promising! Also, that’s very true, that it’d be a nice balance for Lost!
Yeeessss! I love that you’re considering _Yumi’s Cells_ to replace _Bossam_, because the first four episodes are so dang delightful. I had serious reservations about the animation/live-action hybrid, but the animation turns out to be SO FLIPPIN’ HILARIOUS (or maybe I just have a weird sense of humor, you know?). I hope you enjoy this one, too.
I’ve liked the first couple episodes of _Dali and the Cocky Prince_ (tangent: it drives me nuts that the official translation of the title leaves out the “the” for some reason). Not as much as _Yumi_, but I’m a big Park Gyu-young fan and she looks fantastic in this, and also it’s a well-deserved leading role as compensation for being done dirty in _The Devil Judge_.
Also, I’m looking forward to at least checking out _The King’s Affection_ in a couple weeks. What will you do if you don’t pick it for an October patreon slot? Watch it separately, or reserve it for a November slot? I just started _Hot Stove League_, so I could see some Park Eun-bin before this one starts…
I am also looking forward to _My Name_ in a couple weeks, but that is a full-on Netflix production, so will be binge-able as soon as it drops, I believe (so I probably will. There are advantages to spacing out the watching of a show over a number of weeks, but there’s also something to be said for getting absorbed in a show and just pushing through quickly).
_Reflection of You_…I literally just saw this, premiering in a couple weeks. Anyone heard any buzz about this one? Looks like a fairly accomplished cast.
@Trent – I was going to post to KFG how much we (You, Shahz and I) have been enjoying Yumi’s Cells!!!
@Trent If Yumi’s Cells works out, I’ll most likely keep The King’s Affection for a November slot. Of course, if I end up dropping any of the current Patreon shows, The King’s Affection would be first in line as a replacement. I’m really looking forward to that one, as you know! 😉
I hope Yumi’s Cells works out, because I’ve heard so many positive reactions!!
As for Reflection of You, I haven’t heard a lot of buzz about it, but it does look like it’ll be a revenge melodrama. Here’s the trailer (sorry I couldn’t find a subbed one):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KicKfPlrsgw
@KFG – Thanks for the link to Reflection of You. I watched it and had a wonderful surprise after the trailer ended, Healer Scenes Popped UP!!!! YAY for Healer 🙂
A Healer surprise is ALWAYS a good surprise! 🤩🤩
🥰
Ah, good plan. Yes, it would be an injustice to miss out on some new Rowon… (I kid!)
I will look forward to seeing how you get on with Yumi…I don’t know if Kim Go-eun is objectively fabulous, or I’m just severely biased in her direction, but I’m really appreciating her in it, and also she and Ahn Bo-hyun seem to have a really nice, understated, but real chemistry going.
I would not normally be that interested in revenge melodrama, but then…look how I took to Money Flower and Lie After Lie (maybe not precisely revenge melo, but in that ballpark), and also Go Hyun-jung and Choi Won-young would seem to add instant credibility up front.
True, the cast is very solid! But because I’ve seen shows waste great casts by being terrible on the writing front (like Doom At Your Service! 😒), so I’m only tentatively keeping this on my radar, since revenge melos aren’t typically my thing. But, like you, I loved Money Flower, and had a good time with Lie After Lie, so if I hear good things, I’d probably be interested in checking it out!
PS: It would be an injustice to miss out on some Rowoon! (But also, Park Eun Bin playing a king!!! 🤩)
Ooh, yeah, DAYS is a killer argument for the “great cast can’t save trash script” side…fair enough. I will probably follow your lead and sit back to see if any buzz develops about it first.
Yeah, PEB is already fun in the opening of Hot Stove League, so..
Right??? DAYS was just.. SUCH a waste of a great pair of leads!
Good to hear that you’re liking Stove League so far – I found it very solid and enjoyable, even though I know next to nothing about baseball!
The Road wasted a great cast, who still managed to make show watchable, however. For me, I will always check out Go Hyun Jung, and do not know quite what to make of how Reflection of You is being framed. But I am looking forward to it.
Myself kind of in a K drama slump. Dropped both Red Sky and Cha Cha, not because either was particularly bad, just not that good. Checked out Yumi’s Cells and while entertaining, I guess I am not in the mood for the comedic love neuroses of someone forty years younger than me, albeit I did like its unique set up. Did check out first two episodes of Squid Game, which does seem better than I had expected, and yet…I dunno, I live in Texas, dystopic shows about desperate folk, not really what I need to see right now. We have so many real life, contemporary siht shows going on, what can I say?
And I am kind of hankering for a more straight up drama covering these issues in South Korea as they actually exist rather than futuristic dramas with such. It does strike me as strange that this show is the one getting all the international buzz, but what do I know about popular culture? But then a mash up slice of life, or romance, contemporary societal breakdown drama seems more than anyone anywhere is ready to produce. I do not suspect that any Sandglass is likely to come down the pike soon in South Korea any more than I expect another The Wire to hit the States. But it seems right now that is what I am hankering after. A grand epic of a show.
Well, the group watch poll has My Mister in the lead, so unless there’s a last minute upset, there’s that to look forward to?
I don’t see any true epic on the horizon, but I wonder if you’ve checked out D.P. (Deserter Pursuit)? That’s been very well-received, and it deals enough with the not-so-pretty realities of military service in Korea, that it’s driving some actual change. Apparently it was because of the show, that the Korean military made a statement that going forward, servicemen serving their MS would not be allocated D.P. work. It’s not quite what you described, but it does deal with a very real issue in Korean society?
@BE I feel your pain, man. Sometimes we’re not sure what we want, we just know it’s not what’s on offer. And sometimes we think we know what we want, and that’s not on offer, either…
It would be wonderful to be surprised the way I was with On the Verge of Insanity, which from my perspective strangely went under everyone but Sean’s and my radar. The handful of us who got it, really did love it. I think being older, and male, sometimes limits my taste range for a whole raft of reasons, not the least of which I have seen a lot of television and film in my lifetime, so I am kind of jaded. But as I said earlier this year, I know that the quality of K Dramas is likely to produce a few gems each year, and has done so this year.
But I will also say this, popular culture has a habit of being streaky, and it becomes more and more difficult to sustain any popular art form over time. I do not know the shelf life of K Dramaland, but I do find it a bit scary that an okay dystopic reality game fiction show like Squid Game becomes the breakthrough drama for Korean television series, when so much really significant work has gone unnoticed by larger world audiences. People will produce what succeeds monetarily, and who knows how that bodes for the future of K Dramas?
@BE – I agree with your statement so very much and then some – “I do find it a bit scary that an okay dystopic reality game fiction show like Squid Game becomes the breakthrough drama for Korean television series, when so much really significant work has gone unnoticed by larger world audiences.”
For months now, I have been trying to get so many of my friends to join me down what I call the Korean Netflix Rabbit Hole because that is where I started almost a year ago now. I have had a tiny bit of success, tiny. Now, those same friends have jumped into Squid Game while leaving to the side My Mister, Secret Love Affair, Hospital Playlist, Mad for each Other, Itaewon Class, Romance is a Bonus Book, and so many others as you know.
I have seen some of the top Korean Stars come over to American Films and Movies and my thought is oh no, dont make that move to the US film industry! Your quality for TV shows is far superior to the US. Lee Min Ho for an Apple TV series and Park Se Joon for a Marvel Movie. Not that I do not wish them success and more exposure to a wider and larger audience. I just dont think what the US has to offer anymore compares to the quality out of Korean Drama storytelling in their TV shows and films.
@BE – Have you tried Cdrama – The Bond? Shahz started the show and talked me into joining her and I have fallen completely in love with this family drama. And the music, for me, is amazing. And the Show is based on a Chinese Novel which I am trying to find the English Translation because Shahz and I feel we have been missing some things because of the time period (70’s and to almost present day )and obviously being set in China.
I may check it out. Thanks
You are welcome! I hope you enjoy if you do decide to check out this gem 🙂
I recently saw some reviews of Giant (2010) and though I haven’t watched it yet, it might fall after the category “grand epic of a show” that you’re looking for.
Trent – if you are seriously biased about Kim Go-eun, then I am guilty as well. She is fabulous. When (ha! – if) you get a chance, you should check her out in the movie Memories of the Sword.
@Trent & phl1rxd – I am with both of you because I adore Kim Go Eun 🙂 Oh, she is in a movie! Memories of the Sword?! Sounds promising!!!!
I actually saw that one go floating by on a Viki splash screen within the last couple weeks, so I should carve out some time to see it.
Have you seen Tune in for Love? That periodically shows up on Netflix as recommended, and Jung Hae-in as the ML seems like probably a good bet…
I am embarrassed to admit this Trent, but I could not place this drama when I first read your comment. I looked it up and found out that I actually did watch this 2 years ago. Yikes – so many dramas, not enough memory. Thank goodness I log everything into MDL or I would lose track.
@Trent – I saw Tune in for Love and loved both of them in it. I usually do not do films and I think, I have watched this one 3 times. She doesnt disappoint nor does he, in my opinion 🙂
Saw this almost side by side with Fortress, another Lee Byung Hun vehicle, and it was not in the same category of great as Fortress is, albeit Memories does have a woman lead character, lacking in the far more austere Fortress.