Hey everyone!
Like what we did for the past couple of years, we’re having guest posts from the lovely folks on Patreon, to help us take stock of our drama years, yay! 🥳
We’ll be seeing about 2 guest posts per week, and this will unfold into January 2023, and that’s perfectly ok.
My annual year-in-review, which usually comes out in December, will also come out in January (or thereabouts 😅), after all the guest posts have been published.
If you missed our earlier posts, you can check them out as follows: Ele, Natalia, JJ, Sean, j3ffc, Uyen, MC.
Today, I’m pleased to announce that Elaine is sharing her drama year.
You know that Korean phrase 열심히 살아 (yeolsimhi sal-a), which literally means to live hardworking-ly?
Well, I feel that that’s what Elaine does, because she’s got so much going on, in the multiple roles that she plays, in her life.
With work, family, kids, friends, a dog, and everything else in-between, Elaine’s got a lot going on, and I’m so grateful that she continues to make time for dramas – and for us! – in the midst of it all.
Not only that, she also makes time to remind me not to push myself too much, and often gives me suggestions on how to do things in a way that would allow me to be kinder to myself. Thank you, Elaine. 🥲
If you’d like to read more of Elaine’s writing, she wrote a wonderfully insightful post about doppelgängers and the question of identity, which you can check out here.
I hope you guys enjoy!
~ KFG ❤️
Introduction
A little about me…
I’m a working mother of two living in sunny Singapore frequently pulling at her hair (due to work stress, my kids are actually lovely) and finding escape through Asian dramas, mostly Korean.
My gateway drama was Crash Landing on You which I started during the COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020! Soon after that, I found Kfangirl’s review of CLOY on this blog and the rest is history haha.
I’ve had a lot of fun chatting about dramas on this blog and over on KFG’s Patreon, and I consistently thank her for putting up a warm, humane, considerate and kind safe space on the Interwebs for us to chat about dramas and life!
You can read a little more about me and why I find Korean dramas so appealing in my 2022 year-end post here!
2023 – The Year in Dramas
I must confess that 2023 was a very patchy year for me in terms of drama quality.
In 2022 I felt like many of the new shows told really good stories and gelled well with me e.g. Twenty Five Twenty One, Our Beloved Summer, Reset, The Red Sleeve, My Liberation Notes etc.
But in 2023 I struggled to find a currently airing show that I really fell in love with.
So, unlike 2022 where I listed 9 best shows from the 2022 slate and left off older shows from my post, this year most of the shows in my best-of list are older shows.
I will be doing my “best-in-genre” picks first (Best Mysteries, Dip-Your-Toe Into Horror and Rom-Coms) before ranking my top overall dramas for 2023, which I feel were super good and worthy of recommending to anyone who loves dramas!
Best Mysteries
My two favourites in the mystery genre this year were Beyond Evil (2021) and Life on Mars (2018). These two shows are quite different.
Beyond Evil focuses on one main mystery storyline that is deeply entwined with the main character Lee Dong Sik (Shin Ha Kyun)’s past.
Show also delves into the mystery of who else in the suffocating, eerie small town he lives in might also be involved, or whether he himself was the perpetrator.
I didn’t agree with all the story choices, especially towards the end, but there was no doubt that this was an extremely memorable, twisty, at times eerie and disturbing journey full of excellent nuanced performances, not just from leads Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo, but from the rest of the supporting cast as well.
For Life on Mars which I watched later in the year, I also expected that one main storyline would dominate the series, and that it would also link to the ML’s past.
This is because ML starts to investigate a serial killer in 2018 but then suddenly finds himself thrown back in time to 1988 and starts to see clues that link to that same serial killer.
So I was a bit surprised when a few episodes in, Show appeared to become a procedural, as the team investigated non-related cases.
But I needn’t have worried, each case was interesting, and more importantly, shed light on ML’s past and/or the main serial killer storyline in meaningful ways.
Although the screenshot I picked appears lighthearted, and indeed show had plenty of humour and found family goodness, Show is also not afraid to go dark in the mystery storylines.
Han Tae Joo also has to grapple with what’s real and what’s imagined and navigate being thrown back to 1988. (If I had to compare, I would say though that Beyond Evil was darker overall.)
[Spoilers for Life on Mars]
One thing I found fascinating about Life on Mars is that ML Han Tae Joo (Jung Kyung Ho) meets his younger self, who is about 5 or so in 1988.
I don’t think I’ve seen a time travel show before where the adult protagonist meets their child self in the past and spends time interacting with them.
More importantly, through his time travel he learns more about his parents and their secrets, the origins of some of his childhood trauma and begins to heal from some of his psychological wounds and secrets.
Somehow all this is not corny, but just very well done.
[End Spoilers]
Best Dip-Your-Toe Foray into Horror
I rarely dip my toe into the horror genre because I am a lily-livered chicken who often got too spooked to go to the toilet at night by myself if I watched a scary movie.
Somehow though in 2023, I got intrigued to try Happiness (2021); kfangirl had rated it highly even though horror is also not her genre of choice.
I’m not a complete newbie to the zombie genre, I’ve watched a fair number of zombie movies with friends and family and know the key tropes.
Yet I still found Happiness to have an interesting and often times unexpected take.
Key to this was that the zombies were not undead, but were humans infected with a virus.
The virus took time to incubate, and initially the humans would try to control their bloodlust and would only go into a frenzy periodically, and then return to normal human state.
So there would be those in government and society (including our ML and FL) advocating humane treatment of the patients while scientists try to find a cure, while others advocated harsher measures to contain the outbreak and keep the remaining humans safe.
[Spoilers for Happiness]
A key success factor for me is that ML and FL were awesome, moral and capable law enforcers, but I did not always agree with some of their choices.
The third character in the screenshot above, Han Tae Seok (played by Jo Woo Jin) was a fascinating character.
He was the morally ambiguous head of the Korean military task force in charge of managing the zombie outbreak, and it was not always clear whether he was an ally to the main couple.
And speaking of the OTP, they form a contract marriage! Say what?
Yes, just before the zombie outbreak, the two good-friends-since-high-school decided to tie the knot in order to qualify for a generous subsidy for (married) civil servants to buy a coveted apartment unit.
And you guessed it, said apartment complex turns out to be ground zero in a major zombie outbreak, so they spring into action to protect the survivors.
At times they kick ass and take names, at other times they become the beleaguered “class monitors” trying to manage and appease the unruly and self-centred humans who at times behave even worse than the monsters outside their doors.
[End Spoilers]
I found it fascinating how Show used the apartment complex as an environment for the protagonists and zombies to navigate in a cat-and-mouse game of survival and violence.
Considering that there are so many similar high-rise, modern apartment complexes in Singapore, that sure resonated with me!
To be sure, this is not just a happy happy cute show. There is violence and zombie attacks, not gory like I would put it at NC-16 rather than a hard R, but there were some parts which were psychologically disturbing.
Nevertheless, I count the whole show as a very worthwhile watch, which made me think. And I loved the OTP! Nuff said.
Best Rom-Com
In 2023, the rom-coms I watched were an uneven bunch.
Some put too much focus on the murder sub-plot (e.g. Crash Course in Romance, My Lovely Liar), while some were too thin on plot (King the Land).
The one rom-com that stood out well for me in 2023 was Love to Hate You (2023).
I enjoyed it from start to finish; it was solidly written, lively, funny and satirical, and you could see why the ML and FL fell for each other and broke down each other’s defences.
Also, gotta love the contract-dating trope! Some parts are OTT (like when the FL gets stridently vitriolic against male chauvinism) but just role with it as webtoon-style humour and know that it will turn out alright in the end!
I was most impressed with Yoo Teo, who made the transition from supporting actor to leading man with this role.
He proved himself to be a master of tender eyes and smitten face, and I totally swooned at his confession scene!!
Yoo Teo’s ML had a bombtastic bromance with 2ML Kim Ji Hoon (who is so handsome and charming that he threatened to overshadow Yoo Teo at times!). Some of my favourite scenes in the series involved the two of them.
[Spoilers for Love to Hate You]
One scene came in episode 5, where the two dudes are having brunch at a nice café together.
Later the paparazzi take photos of Kim Ji Hoon wiping Yoo Teo’s mouth with a napkin to allege that they are gay lovers.
After the scandal breaks out, the two talk on the phone and trade accusations. Yoo Teo asks his bestie “So why did you bring me to a café??” and Kim Ji Hoon replies “Dude, I was craving Eggs Benedict, what can I say?” LOL!
I loved loved loved Yoo Teo’s confession to Kim Ok Ran in episode 8.
She has just been injured in an accident and while she feigns sleep he tells her tenderly how awesome he thinks she is, and that he likes her. Swoon!!
The next day he is frustrated at her lack of response and while venting to bestie Kim Ji Hoon he mentions that he confessed to FL’s sleeping back and Kim Ji Hoon is like, “Is this a Stone Age romance, why would you confess to the back of a sleeping woman’s head??” Again, LOLOL!!
Also, since Yoo Teo’s ML is an A-list actor, towards the end of the series we are treated to a number of episodes on a film set with him and 2FL, where they are acting in a period action gangster movie.
The movie set and costumes are gorgeously detailed and Yoo Teo and 2FL are styled beautifully in scenes which appear to be a tribute to Chow Yun Fatt’s retro gangster films and Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood for Love.
As someone who has enjoyed a lot of Hong Kong cinema, I definitely enjoyed that!
[End Spoilers]
Honorable Mention
I cannot do my year-end 2023 post without mentioning My Lovely Liar (2023).
I really really liked the OTP and found the first 6 episodes to be very fresh, exciting and funny.
The FL had a super interesting profession (she has a supernatural ability to detect lies so goes on various assignments which people pay her handsomely for).
She then meets ML who is naturally transparent and honest (highly ironic since he also goes around incognito most of the time due to a scandal in his past) and finds it refreshing that he doesn’t set off her alarm bells. Cuteness and hijinks ensue.
[Broad structural spoiler for My Lovely Liar]
Alas, episode 8 onwards became overly dominated by the death plotline, which yes, had been telegraphed since the first episode, but on balance the substance of that storyline was not quite enough to justify spending most of our time and energy from episode 8-15 to resolve!
I would rather have had a bigger proportion of exploring the various facets of FL’s liar hunter job as well as OTP relationship development and cuteness.
[End Spoilers]
Show did introduce us to Hwang Minhyun as a badass secret agent though, even though it was just a fantasy sequence in episode 1.
The action scene itself lasts less than a minute but took 10 hours of on-location work to block with the stunt crew and film with and without practical effects. Plus many more hours of action choreography and practice before that.
Jeepers!! Very well done though, I appreciate a good action sequence =)
YouTube video of the making of the action scene
I am writing Hwang Minhyun into a spy thriller Dream Drama for sure!
I imagine him to be in a team together with Jung Kyung Ho as the mother-hen eldest brother, and Wi Ha Jun as the emotionally constipated middle brother who keeps hurting others’ feelings with what he says, and Hwang Minhyun can be the nervous neurotic maknae of the team.
Best OTP
Hands down, my favourite couple of the year was Kim Doo Sik and Lee Mi Hyun in Moving, played by Jo In Sung and Han Hyo Joo respectively.
Yup, not a rom-com or romance-centric drama, yet within the space of 2 episodes, they thrilled me with their story of falling in love, and convinced me they were right for each other, where other rom-coms failed to do so by the episode 8 mark!! How did they do it?
Here I present to you my totally personal Framework of OTP Compatibility, haha.
Admiration for the other person’s core traits
It is kryptonite for me when I see an OTP that really bonds over compatible values and character, or even if they are dissimilar, they really admire a core trait in their partner like courage, resilience, pluck or kindness.
Meeting of minds
Eg laughing at each other’s jokes, “getting” what the other person is trying to say, or lighting up when talking about similar pet topics
Emotional bond
– Building emotional connection and trust, e.g. through one person providing the other with emotional support or empathy in hard times
– Most commonly achieved by having the OTP go through a life-or-death situation together. Not convincing enough if life-or-death situations is the main connection the OTP have.
Sexual chemistry
– In other words, am I convinced that the couple are into each other, and would like to jump each other’s bones if given the chance
– Necessary for an OTP to not seem anemic, tepid or friend-zoned, but not satisfying if chemistry is the predominant reason for a couple getting together
Influencing each other
In relationship research, “accepting influence” is a marker of relationship health. In other words, does your partner shift their decisions or behaviour because of your influence, even if slight. Importantly, this is not about slavishly obeying your partner, but recognising that their points have merit, and making compromises, or shifting the way you think or act because you respect and love them.
Those who have watched Moving will know what I mean when I say this OTP scores full marks for each category!
And they managed to do so in a brief amount of time.
In other words, the writing, directorial and acting choices were just so to provide me with convincing indicators of their compatibility in a short amount of time.
I mention above that “admiration for the other person’s core traits” is chef’s kiss for me when I am convinced of it in an OTP.
I also mentioned this in my year-end post last year with regards to the OTPs in The Red Sleeve and Our Beloved Summer!
And I see it in Kim Doo Sik and Lee Mi Hyun too.
[Spoilers for Moving]
Towards the end of episode 8, Doo Sik confesses that he had cottoned on to Mi Hyun’s scheme to get close to him (“Meeting of minds”, see, they are equally intelligent).
Mi Hyun asks teasingly why he continued to meet with her even though he knew it was a ploy, and he says that he fell for her when he saw her face. She chokes on her coffee at the corniness of the line.
But shortly thereafter, we learn that the actual first time Doo Sik saw her was when she deliberately sabotaged their agency’s mission.
Her superior was cruelly shooting everyone in sight, not just the confirmed North Korean double agents, she couldn’t stomach it and put a stop to it by “accidentally” releasing a flash bomb to blind her own side’s agents.
Doo Sik saw it from afar; he was ordered to kill those escaping but he sided with Mi-hyun instead and let them live.
AUGH MY HEART this was SO ROMANTIC because Doo Sik fell for Mi-hyun’s compassion and strength of character; he knew and she knew that she would be severely punished by the agency for that “mistake”.
And they didn’t just connect on “values”, they connected on “Emotional bond”, cos earlier in the episode Doo Sik tells her that a deliberate mistake is not actually a mistake, and those simple words help Mi-hyun start to forgive herself for sabotaging her own career.
AUGH MY HEART.
Bonus points of awesomeness:
The fact that the diabolical Director Min was the clever one who spotted their compatibility and matchmade them.
He accurately diagnosed that they would fall in love, and he could then use this to yoke the unpredictable Doo Sik and force him to return from a highly sensitive upcoming mission. You are a fiend Director Min, fiendishly clever.
We then see Director Min being a dedicated wingman, calling Doo Sik and his partner Ju Won in for extra target practice and my personal favourite, the civil servant’s specific hell of paperwork, forms and post-mission reports.
At one point Director Min makes Ju Won do all the paperwork by himself, allowing Doo Sik to waltz off for another office romance moment with Mi Hyun and Ju Won, slightly dim action man that he is, has to battle with the 7th ring of hell all by his lonesome!
[End Spoiler]
So listen, I’m not the only one who was wowed by Han Hyo Joo and Jo In Sung’s chemistry, the director and crew were reportedly shipping them to get together in real life too (see link, video and images inside has spoilers for episodes 8 and 9 of Moving)!
Look at them grinning away during the shoot, they’re so cute. Fingers crossed that this ship will sail!!
Best Actor
The award goes to Jung Kyung Ho.
I saw him in three different dramas this year (Prison Playbook, Crash Course in Romance, Life on Mars) and had also watched him previously in Hospital Playlist 1 and 2.
He managed to make every character different in energy and mannerisms (while still imbuing them with his signature JKH irascibility and crabbiness when called upon haha).
I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of his performances. It was totally not his fault that CCIR got too murdery and I dropped it!
Honorable Mentions:
Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo killed it in their roles in Beyond Evil.
They brought out each character’s traits so well, including their incompatibilities and synergies with each other. They brought both fiery sparks and tenderness to very difficult roles.
I think intense roles particularly suit Yeo Jin Goo, I found him extremely hot in this role (and The Crowned Clown) whereas I heard that he is meh in romance dramas (which to be fair I haven’t watched him in yet!).
Best Actress
Similarly, I saw Han Hyo Joo play two different badass women this year, and each portrayal was very different.
Her Sae-bom in Happiness was confident to the point of being brash, capable in a fight, yet kind in a sunny way with kids.
She walked with her hair swinging, eyes clear and bright as she faced zombies and meddlesome neighbours alike with decisive action.
Mi Hyun in Moving was completely different.
She was meticulous, quiet yet observant, struggling at times with self-doubt yet determined to do what she must to protect the ones she cares about.
Also lethal in a fight but her determined gaze was completely different from Sae Bom’s determined gaze.
And most charmingly, Doo Sik was the one who brought out Mi Hyun’s wry humour and gently teasing smiles, peeking out like little glimpses of light behind the grey mousy bookish exterior.
Much applause and hopes for bigger things to come for Han Hyo Joo!
Best Supporting Actor
Choi Dae Hoon in Beyond Evil blew me away in his performance as Park Jeong Je, it was a completely different role than the one I first saw him in, as the comically whiny eldest brother of Yoon Se Ri in Crash Landing on You.
Honorable Mention
Park Sung Woong as Kang Dong-Chul in Life on Mars. Larger-than-life, full of charisma and warmth, he was the pillar of the detective team in 1988.
Best Supporting Actress
Ah, Kim Sun Young – can I give her a career achievement award? She has played such a variety of memorable supporting roles, all unique and all awesome!
I first saw her acting as a funny ahjumma in Crash Landing on You, and later saw her play a working mom juggling career pressures and a failing marriage in Romance is a Bonus Book.
In 2023, she played a commanding, diffident, scheming mum out to push her kid to succeed in Crash Course in Romance, and also made me laugh out loud with her cameo in My Lovely Liar as a cougar with a younger male lover.
Sadly, Kim Sun Young cried recently in a YouTube interview over how she had been repeatedly typecast as an ahjumma.
Here’s hoping she will get bigger and more complex, challenging roles, cos she is simply awesome.
I have in mind a Dream Drama where she will play a glamorous Bond-villain type role. Look out for the post in the coming months!!
Honorable mention
Go Ah Sung was pitch perfect as Officer Yoon Na Young, at first content to pick up after the men, stuck as she was in the 80s role afforded to women.
Slowly though, she proved her worth and value as an investigator through her perceptiveness and empathy. Her growing confidence in contributing her own insights and views to the cases was a treat to see.
Best Overall Dramas
And now, *drum roll* I present to you my top 3 drama picks that I watched in 2023.
These dramas are simply excellent in terms of writing, performance and direction, and offer something special and unique which exemplify the best Dramaland has to offer (in my personal opinion of course, heh).
The three dramas I have here are very different in subject matter.
But I have put them in the top category because they each offer something so worthwhile that I would recommend them to any drama fan (especially if your tastes overlap with mine, but even if not, please give them a try please please??)
One thing I did notice – the “crack” did not really bite me with these 3 shows, unlike with other shows.
Instead, I watched them at a steady pace, taking in the story as it unfolded. At times I even found the middle episodes slow going. But once I got over the mid-season hump, I was well-rewarded by amazing storylines all round.
I rate all 3 of these dramas so highly because they have such insightful things to say about the human experience, while telling it in a spellbinding way that only the visual medium of long-form television serials can achieve. Fantastic stuff.
3. Prison Playbook (2017)
A very quirky blend of different elements – sports underdog drama, prison drama, buddy drama, found family drama, slice-of-life with weird humour, character study, etc etc.
I found it all worked extremely well because of the wonderful writing, sensitive acting, and assured directing, which made all the tonal shifts between wacky humour, serious crime, menacing bullies, and absolutely heartwarming buddy dynamics work so so so so well.
I confess this was sort of on my watch list for a number of years, but I only clicked “Play” earlier this year cos Netflix imposed a deadline by which time they would remove the show and it would not air anymore!!!
So I was using my lunch hours during the work day to get through episodes to make it by the deadline (was it 31 January? Something like that) and it became a mini-group watch with JJ and others on Patreon!! Very very fun.
Ironically Netflix still has the show in its roster, but I’d like to think my views helped contribute to Netflix’s decision to keep the show!
The main highlight of the show is Bromance with a capital B for sure.
We have a key friendship between Park Hae Soo and Jung Kyung Ho which is wonderful, but it’s not the only bromance to appreciate.
We also see the friendship bond grow between certain inmates and even with certain prison guards.
Some characters might start off OTT but you see their more human stories later, which I really appreciated.
Yes there is also some violence and prison bullying but it’s not too heavy and doesn’t darken the whole show. There are a couple of very subdued romance storylines but nothing to write home about in my opinion, though Trent would beg to differ!
Adjusting expectations – Show did take a while to grow on me. I found there was a time jump from ep 2 to 3 (if I remember correctly) which was extremely jarring and I almost dropped the show. Thankfully I persisted on the recommendations of other patrons, and I’m so glad I did.
Very memorable and very special.
2. The Light in Your Eyes (2019)
I struggled to figure out what to write, that would intrigue you guys to give it a try, and yet not give any spoilers away.
Really really really please avoid any spoilers, reviews, or even reading synopses or premises for this show because it is twisty and will take your breath away, but you need to let the story unfold in its own way (and give it some patience too, I found it very compelling right away but I do remember a slow stretch, somewhere around the episode 9-10 mark if I remember correctly).
My advice is to just click into episode 1, do not pass Go, and see if it bites you.
The thing is, this show has SO MUCH story to tell, it just amazes me that there was yet more and yet more story to unfold, and it was so worthwhile.
There is some fantasy, family bonds (and hilarious sibling rivalry between FL and her brother), and a wonderful wonderful romance at the heart of it (but this is definitely not a formulaic rom com, fair warning), strong female friendships, a lot of humour, love and life.
This was my first time watching Han Ji Min as FL Young Hye Ja and she was absolutely luminous and adorable at the same time. Kim Hye Ja was also amazing as Old Hye Ja.
This was also the best performance I’ve ever seen from Nam Joo Hyuk.
He really inhabited this role fully and vividly, more so I feel than he did in Twenty-Five Twenty-One, so that is definitely saying something!!!
This show was beautiful, vibrant, surprising and tender and has a very special place in my heart now. I hope more will give it a chance!
1. Moving (2023)
Moving was a big, big win in my books this year.
Since my teenage days, I have consumed A LOT of superhero content – the Batman and Superman movies, the X-Men Animated Series of the 1990s, which led me and my good friend to delve into the X-Men comics and wider comics world, darker fare like Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore’s Watchmen etc, as well as the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe shebang starting with Iron Man in 2008, until my interest gradually fizzled out after Endgame and Shang Chi.
All that to say, I have been around the block with superhero stuff. As well as a fair amount of spy movies.
And yet I still loved Moving’s take on a blend between the superhero and spy genres. SO GOOD.
The writing, direction and acting all around were simply excellent.
Nobody felt like they were phoning it in, everyone was sincere and skilled at conveying their emotions (making it all the more jarring to watch shows like Gyeongseong Creature and My Demon where I sometimes feel people are Acting with a capital A, or not able to convince me of the depth of their feelings).
Show also had a lot to say about the human experience.
I’ve already written further up that my favourite OTP of the year was in this show, and WHY it was so effective for me in tugging my heartstrings. But Show also had bromance, romance, friendship, betrayal, victories, losses, grief and hope.
[Mild Foundational Spoilers]
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a storyline which put together not just teenagers growing into their powers for the first time, but also the superhero parents’ deep fierce love for their children and protecting them from those who would abuse their powers.
I also found HILARIOUS the sequences which show that our superhero adults are effectively civil servant flunkies.
They may jet set for high-stakes dangerous missions overseas, but when they come home, they have to file paperwork and finance claims and answer to the bureaucratic hierarchy just like every other civil servant in the world.
[End Foundational Spoiler]
[Spoilers for the final episodes of Moving]
Show also had things to say about the powers-that-be and whether they truly protect the nation or just seek to keep themselves in power.
A point that other shows have made before, to be sure, but it wasn’t till I reached the end of the series that I realized how well Show played out this theme all the way to the end.
Specifically, I was frustrated at first with what I felt to be the glacial pace of the last few episodes, around 16-19 because of over-long (I felt) fight scenes and so many backstories at the last minute, and then episode 20 was super rushed.
Some of the fight scenes also didn’t seem as high in quality as earlier fight scenes, for example there was a scene where Ju Won goes toe-to-toe with his North Korean counterpart, also a healer and built like a mountain.
The two just stand facing each other squarely and land huge punches against each other, but the thing is, neither makes any effort to block or avoid those punches.
Bizarre to think that an experienced agent like Ju Won would just stand still and do that, it looked comical.
I also felt that there were too many backstories of the North Korean antagonist operatives.
After griping a bit on the Deep Dive Zone over on Patreon, I then thought about how I would edit those episodes, and which characters’ backstories I would remove.
I then realised that I wouldn’t remove a single one, and each had contributed to a subtle Empathy Challenge (where the director challenges viewers to identify with characters they thought they would hate or view as other), where you learn that the North Korean supers had as little choice in the fight as the South Koreans did, and both sides had been fighting futilely over the decades just to keep their leaders in power, rather than serving the people.
This meant that in episode 16-17, we as the viewers were cheering on Mi Hyun for being precise and badass in taking down a number of these North Korean operatives all by herself.
But by the time we get to episode 18 or 19, when the leader of the North Korean team walks around the school and sees the bodies of his comrades whom Mi Hyun has killed, by then we know his and their backstories and we grieve with him. Yoiks!
And that’s what Moving is about – the human connection, love, loyalty, empathy and “humanism” or valuing human life.
Aw man. The most schmaltzy life lesson to a rather gritty, dark and hyper-violent superhero tale.
I guess the ultra-violence whacks away our defences so we can be “Moved” by this lovely lesson on human rights and the value of family and connection. SO KOREAN OMG.
[End Spoilers]
I don’t know if what I have written so far adequately conveys what I found excellent about this show.
Suffice to say that it did action well, and it did drama, feelings, romance, suspense and story well too. That is all. Chef’s kiss!
Interlude – Moment of Silence
That about wraps up my year-in-dramas-2023. But before I go, I do want to take a little time to remember someone special.
In Memoriam
Lee Sun Kyun
In Dec 2021, I joined the Group Watch of My Mister on kfangirl’s blog. And what an experience that was.
A masterful, moving story, and a critical ingredient to that was Lee Sun Kyun’s portrayal.
He inhabited the main character Dong Hoon – closed-mouth, controlled, calm, yet barely holding himself together as he weathered societal expectations, ill-treatment from his bosses, as well as his suspicion that his wife is having an affair behind his back.
We see his quiet, non-showy moments of decency, kindness and, yes, heroism.
Despite his instinct to stuff his suffering, to not make waves, to make life peaceful and passable for his wife and family, he is innately kind, noble and decent.
He stands up for his brothers when others disrespect them, he cares for Ji An when everyone else has assumed her to be trash. And little by little, he gains courage to stand up for himself and do what he believes in, when he has pushed that aside for so long.
I was heartbroken to hear the news of Lee Sun Kyun’s passing on 27 Dec 2023.
I vaguely knew that he had been undergoing police questioning in recent months for allegedly taking illegal drugs, and there were rumours of his infidelity with a bar hostess. But did it have to end up like this?
Various analyses have been written about why he may have been driven to take his own life, including the immense financial penalties he would have had been liable for in breaking his advertising contracts (even though it was the companies which dropped him at the first sign of scandal), and immense pressure and scrutiny due to the investigation.
The Hollywood Reporter pointed out that the Korean police and media singled out Lee as the topline of their investigation, and subjecting him to a perp walk before the press every single time he reported to the police for an interview, even though several other people were also being investigated in the case, and even though the evidence was thin (witness testimony only, and his drug tests came back negative).
But right now I am mad, because at the heart of all this, it speaks to something hard and unforgiving in Korean culture, that will not allow their stars to have any dirt or stain, and that does not allow for atonement or redemption, even though their dramas such as My Mister and Prison Playbook depict and celebrate such themes.
South Korea has the highest suicide rate among OECD countries, which is a damn waste and a red warning sign that something deep must change.
It is typical on such occasions to wish for the departed soul to rest in peace, and for the family he left behind to be comforted. But I know this is a hollow wish.
The pain for the family will resonate for years and years to come, as I know from my own past experience of loss.
My only wish is for Korean society and culture to come to a reckoning and a real sea change, in order to turn the tide of suicide among its celebrities and its wider population before more lives are lost.
Conclusion
I’m sure many of us have faced challenges and down moments this past year including health scares and personal losses.
In this new year ahead, let’s all try to be kinder to ourselves and others, and continue drama watching to help us feel just a little bit better and able to weather the challenges ahead.
~Elaine
Hi Elaine! What a great post, thank you! I am in 100% agreement with re: the dramas and actors you discuss that I’ve watched: Beyond Evil (so great IMO), Happiness, Choi Dae Hoon, and others I admire but haven’t see the drama you reference. I’ve already got Prison Playbook, Moving, and The Light in Your Eyes on my watchlist and I’m adding Life on Mars. And I’m glad you talk about the tragic death of Lee Sun Kyun. I was very new to dramaland when it happened and hadn’t seen him in anything yet. Seeing him in Coffee Prince got me choked up frequently. I haven’t been able to watch him in anything else yet, as I get too emotional about it. All that you said about the toxicity of fan culture and societal expectations in SK really resonates and I hope change can take root. Thanks again for a wonderful read!
Elaine, thank you for sharing your year in dramas <3
Lee Sun Kyun’s suicide also made me very sad and angry. I am more and more disenchanted with Korea’s treatment of celebrities and their “alleged” missteps. I often think would anyone in Hollywood even bat an eye? Aren’t drug escapades and cheating husbands (or wives) so normal? I am not into fandom of individual people so I’m having a hard time relating to this personality cult in general but this overblown putting people on a pedestal and then tearing them down for sport because of their “failings” is just toxic. Can’t people just leave them be? Yes they are celebrities but they are also people with lives and emotions and rights to be respected and treated fairly. I am so sad this happened and I really hope it had enough of an impact to change the culture in Korea.
Like you I also loved Han Hyo Joo (she can do no wrong for me, I saw her first in “W” and have loved her ever since). And I was blown away by Happiness, such a great watch, even if you are not into “zombies”. Coincidentally, this may also be my favorite Park Hyung Sik project 😀
Beyond Evil wasn’t perfect but it was exciting and captivating and so well done and Shin Ha Kyun blew me away. He deserved all the awards <3
And I agree, Love to Hate You was such a fun drama, the perfect marriage of silliness and yet it felt very grown-up and fresh.
Hello, Elaine!! Thank you for your post – and your meticulous attention to OTPs!! The JOKE 😆 I totally agree, only my husband has never made me laugh 😅
And you remind me again that I must watch Life on Mars!!
Elaine! This was an incredible post! I can understand why you would rate the top shows you watched this year rather than only the ones that aired in 2023. I adored all three of your top choices and loved all the subgenres of shows that I’ve seen. I’ve been trying to watch Life on Mars for years. I can’t find anyone in the US who carries it. I know it has to be good. Someday I’ll get to see it.
I particularly love how you laid out the OTP argument for Kim Doo Shik and Lee Mi Hyun. Stellar! I agreed with you in every part of that. They were the most amazing OTP!
I also really appreciated you In Memoriam. It broke my heart when I heard about Lee Sun Kyun’s death. He will be greatly missed. He was an incredible talent with the most gorgeous speaking voice. I will always have a soft spot for him and his voice!
Top notch post Elaine! For 2023 I want to thank you for the great discussions over at Patreon. While I could not always join in, reading them all gave me great pleasure!
Happy New Year Elaine!!! 😘😘😘😘
Also thanks for the good kind words on LSK. I couldn’t agree more but somewhere deep down I am also feeling very pointless about all this in the sense that nothing is going to bring him back for good. Anyways I will leave it at that and as you rightly emphasised – hope 2024 turns out kinder for all of us and the world in general.
Hello Elaine,
I finally managed to read through your EOY post in detail and noted all the relevant information.
First things first, thanks for the “Framework on OTP compatibility” – it sounds lovely/fun and something unique. Maybe KFG could pin it for those rom-com dramas and we can refer to it simultaneously as the drama progresses.
And secondly, I am all for that spy thriller with Jung Kyung Ho, Wi Ha-jun and Hwang Minhyun – bring it on 🥳👍🙃. Though I had my fair share of Wi ha-jun for 2023 with TWoE, I can take more of him anytime especially in a well-made action work.
Thanks for all the AMAZING words on Moving and it’s definitely in must-see list for the first half of 2023. Once I am done watching that drama, I will come back to read all of your reviews on it in the EOY post and I will promptly report back in Patreon – promise 🤞. Also thanks for mentioning good words on Han Hyo Joo. I really liked her in W:Two Worlds (watched in mid-2021) and kept wondering why she isn’t that popular and viola in 2023 she seems to have hit it BIG time and I am very happy for her 🙌. Happiness is on the list as well.
Also good heads up on Beyond Evil. Again haven’t seen it yet because of it’s darker theme but someone I know loves Yeo Jin Goo and keeps posting on this drama. Glad to know you liked it well.
And finally on Life of Mars – I have seen only 4 episodes so far but based whatever I have seen so far I agree with everything that you have written on this drama. Kudos to Jung Kyung Ho as he is doing a great job so far as Han Tae Joo and I am hoping that he makes a lasting impression by the time the drama ends. Also this is my first time seeing Park Sung Woong in a non-villainous role and his character is the perfect foil to the upright HTJ. Also never knew he had this fun side of acting TBH. And thanks for the honourable mention on Go Ah Sung – again never knew of this actress before but she is so good in this drama so far.
I’ve been reading this absolutely excellent blog for some time now. Being quite new to K-dramas I have a lot of reading of reviews to do to choose the best ones. As soon as I found this blog I realised that this is the place to go for the best and more accurate reviews. K-fangirl, you are really an excellent review writer! Thank you! Such a nice idea to let other people write about their year in drama as well. Elaine, I really enjoyed your writing here, and I thought yor explanation of what makes a great OTP was absolutely spot on!
I would also like to thank you, Elaine, for your kind In Memoriam for Lee Sun Kyun. Like other people here has written, I was really sad when I heard the news. I don’t think I have ever reacted so much at the death of an actor, singer or writer, but I think what got me was the utter meaninglessness of it all . I am absolutely appalled at how Korean media treat their celebrities. I am from Sweden, in Northern Europe, which has a very different culture in many ways, compared to South Korea. While I can see that the Korean culture has many aspects we lack here, e.g respect for elders, I do think that we have a more forgiving culture, not only in my country but in Europe as a whole. As several of you have written, I do hope that media in South Korea does take some time to reflect on how they treat their celebrities. Let us hope for a kind and friendly 2024 in the world!
Hi there, My! Welcome to the blog; it’s great to finally meet you! ❤️ Thank you so much for your kind words, I’m so happy to know that you enjoy and value the reviews! 🥰 I’m glad that you’re also enjoying all the guest posts; isn’t everyone so lovely, to put in the time and effort to write? 🥲 My own End of Year post will come out in a few weeks, when all of the guest posts have been published, I hope you’ll enjoy it! ❤️
Thank you for your nice welcoming. I am looking forward to your End of Year post as well as reading all the others. They are all indeed lovely to put in the time and effort!
@Elaine – Another beautiful post from you ❤️❤️❤️
I am working backwards here though and will start by thanking you for honoring Lee Sun Kyun. Such a loss for the Kdrama community and an even bigger loss for his family and friends. A tragic ending that was so unnecessary. Thank you for all your beautiful comments you made on Patreon and the articles you posted for us to read. They were very helpful when trying to make sense of the terrible tragedy. We can only hope his family finds some peace and solace somehow in some moments as they try to cope with their profound loss. *Hugs* to you, Elaine ❤️
Now onto Dramas!
Because of you I watched Beyond Evil!!! Thank you 🙂 I had avoided the Show for years because of the title and the premise. I am glad though you finally made mention of the Show and gave me enough of a heads up for me to jump right in with FF at the ready and mute! I would have missed such a fantastic Ensemble and a bromance as well. So well done. I really wish for this one, we could have had a season 2 with the team back together for another mystery.
I am avoiding anything about Life on Mars bc I was told I must watch the British Version first!!!
Happiness sure does deserve the love you give it! And that OTP!!! And I love that you highlight the character, Han Tae Seok as well. I loved having him in the story and that actor, Jo Woo Jin, ALWAYS delivers. He was in Goblin as well and had a great comedic moment when he did a solo dance singing a BTS song 😂💜
Love to Hate you was just plain fun. And I cannot decide who I liked more ? The OTP or the Bromance. They all had great chemistry. Makes one wistful for a couple more episodes than we did get. Well, at least for me 🙂
Whew! So glad My Lovely Liar received an honorable mention from you 🥰 All your behind the scenes videos you found were awesome and at one point for me, I just enjoyed waiting to hear what you had to say about the episodes to keep me going with the Show! Here’s hoping Hwang Minhyun gets another chance to spread his acting wings and with a more depth filled role.
Um, yeah, regarding Moving, I kid you not, and dont make fun of me please for too long, but I never got that Ladyfinger joke until you spelled it out in your post 🤣🤣🤣 Thank you for enlightening me 😂 p.s. please dont tell anyone I didnt get the joke until now 🫣🫣🤭🤣
Moving was such a fun watch with everyone in the Deep Dive and with KFG wasnt it? So nice to see a superhero story finally get its due.
Another Show I watched because of you that I had been dancing around for quite some time was Prison Playbook!!! It was by January 31st we had to finish and we both were working hard to meet that deadline which became obsolete 😂 But it was good fun during our must get this done watch!
Always love your comments, posts, your insights and how you share about your life ❤️❤️❤️
May you have a beautiful 2024 filled with lots of Kdrama watching ❤️
@JJ thanks for your sweet comment!! And yes, thank you for being a drama buddy for Prison Playbook and Beyond Evil. You’re often up for a mini-group watch on Patreon and I do appreciate the company! Especially for Prison Playbook where you zoomed ahead of me so could tell me to persist through the jarring time jump around episode 3 or so. Such a great show, I’m glad I watched it!
I actually didn’t know, or I forgot, that I helped to prompt you to watch Beyond Evil!
Ladyfinger joke – haha, I can’t take credit for this composite shot, I found this nicely done up graphic online! Complete with subtitles =) In the Korean though, apparently the joke was even lamer.
@Elaine – 🥰🥰🥰
Ummm, you are welcome, but I am a terrible drama buddy because I always speed ahead somehow!!! If I have a chunk of time I have to utilize it well with drama watching. But this time, I got lucky because helped you plow ahead with a great Show!!! I do agree that time jump was quite jarring! They tend to be 🙁
Hmmmm, I think it was you who encouraged me to watch Beyond Evil??? 🤔🤔🤔
Ah ok! Well, regardless, I finally got the joke to only now learn about the original joke 🤣🤣🤣 so I dont feel as ridiculous as I did about the English joke. 😂
The BBC Life on Mars is one of my all time faves and I have to say I was rather skeptical about Korea being able to do justice to the story. But, as it turns out, the kdrama version is a great remake with a Korean flavour and the actors are all spot on. They even managed to do a few things better than in the original. 👍🏼 I wish I had time for re-watches because I suddenly have a hankering to watch both versions, ha.
It is rather hard to talk about The Light in Your Eyes without getting spoilery and it IS best to dive in with one’s eyes closed, so to speak. 🙂 The story hit home in more ways than one and even though I’m not yet (quite) Old Hye Ja’s age, I can relate to several of the things she had to get accustomed to because of her age. Some amusing, others… not so much. Kim Hye Ja is always great and I love how funny she can be with a totally staight face. 😀 I also think that this was the best outing so far from Nam Joo Hyuk. The drama made me laugh out loud and and it made me tear up. “Beautiful, vibrant, surprising and tender” – definitely!
Prison Playbook is pretty much just as you wrote. Nothing to add. 🙂
Such a lovely tribute to Lee Sung Kyun. I’m utterly disgusted by how he was treated by everyone involved, but especially by the way the law enforcement handled the case. Ugh. Just thinking about it makes me angry.
Wow Timescout, so cool to know that Life on Mars managed to impress you even though you watched and loved the original!! Yes it was very well done and thought provoking too. It made me think about how I have been shaped by my childhood experiences and start to consciously let them go.
What a lovely reminder of some of the most enjoyable shows I have watched, Elaine.
I remember being drawn into Happiness within minutes of starting my watch. This show was such a welcome change not only in terms of the spin put on “zombies” and what they represent, but also in terms of how the occupants tried to find different ways to survive within an apartment in a sealed off compound in what was becoming a post apocalyptic society. I couldn’t get enough of OTP who were not only fabulous together but also in terms of working together as a team.
In terms of the other creature feature shows out there, I enjoyed Sweet Home, but not Sweet Home 2. Natalia is right in terms of Kingdom. Once you get past the first few episodes, you have this masterful Shakespearean drama that unfolds. Not only that, season 2 is better than season 1. If you want a funny, welcome zombie change, then take a look at Zombie Detective – humans are the bad guys and our zombie hero is afraid of them. I have started GeongSeong Creature and despite the awesome, amazing stylish first episode, I’m feeling a bit fatigued by it half way through episode 3.
Life on Mars was a delightful show and did the original BBC production proud. I did mark Love To Hate You quite highly, but I thought the ending took the easy way out with Min Ran. Sadly I dropped My Lovely Liar after 12 episodes. The magic had worn off by then.
I thought your discourse regarding Moving was superb. I didn’t watch it as such, because although I’m into superheroes, just not the type as set in this show. However, I watched on YouTube a wonderful snippet of your favourite couple of the year. I was totally absorbed by it and I just went wow, what phenomenal acting to put across such amazing chemistry.
To have an in memoriam section for Lee Sun Gyun (Kyun) was a lovely and heartfelt thing to do. He always struck me as an amazing actor, even going way back. I have trawled through a lot of material around this sad turn of events and it’s now clear to my mind at least what really went down. Will SK learn from this – I hope so. One thing I do know regarding public life – it is never what it seems. That being said, My Mister is my favourite tv show of all time, by any country. Slow Horses comes next, followed by Deadwood.
So, here is to a very Happy Chinese New Year on 10 February and I hope between now and then you have a few more wonderful shows in the completed column 😊🐲🎇
Thanks Sean for your thoughtful reply! And thanks for the recommendations, I will put Sweet Home and Kingdom on the list. I have already watched Zombie Detective, I found the humour delightful! I enjoyed our deadpan zombie lead and how he trained himself up to walk and run like a human, haha.
As for Gyeongseong Creature, I started Part 2 but my interest is also waning, and it is quite bloody. I will see how it goes, I may just finish it to see how it ends I think I’m already at episode 9 out of 10!
Lee Sun Kyun 😔
Hey @Elaine and @seanfletcher! I was thinking about picking a zombie-centric horror show for a watch. I’ve seen all of the Kingdom shows, so if you had to pick one….which would it be?
Hi j3ffc! The only zombie-centric K drama I’ve seen was Happiness, and I was very pleased with its blend of subdued horror, social commentary and some OTP romance.
Besides Kingdom and Sweet Home mentioned by Sean, I think Trent and KFG enjoyed All of Us Are Dead – these zombies are the hardcore undead violent kind, unlike Happiness where at least some of the zombies are trying to fight their bloodlust and the government is trying to manufacture a cure.
Thanks! I may end up rolling some dice on this one….
@j3ffc – All of Us Are Dead was very good and way better than I expected. I enjoyed some of the waste of space individuals getting their just desserts 😂 This show is considered right up there in terms of Zombie appreciation.
There is a long history in Kdramaland re zombie stories. The earlier ones aren’t particularly the best, but many of their themes are replicated in what Elaine and I have discussed above and are also vast improvements. SK zombie movies over the same period of time tend to be better than the dramas.
That’s another one I was considered. I have seen “Train to Busan”, which was excellent.
I appreciate all of the suggestions, @Elaine and @seanfletcher! I think I’m going to go with “Korean Odyssey” (not wholly zombified but I must get to know Zombie Girl) and either “Happiness” or AOUAD (dice clunking in hand).
And for your own fun, check out Ms. Nellie McKay when you have a chance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPmSUyj10SA
@j3ffc – Zombie Girl is a MUST! A must, must, must!!! Korean Odyssey is quite fun. Enjoy 🙂
Cheers, J3ffc – I enjoyed this very much. Awesome – do the zombie, do the voodoo shake…
Thought you’d dig it! 🧟♂️
@j3ffc – for a non horror, Zombie Detective is really funny with a human touch – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDHBm4lV4ys
@phl1rxd, thanks for the suggestion, although I think I’m more afraid of detective shows than zombie pics 😳😂
I really loved this elaine! Not just because you cite Life on Mars and Jung Kyung Ho, but I think Go Ah Sung and Park Sang Woong did a fantastic job too. In fact PSW and JKH worked so well together that JKH got PSW in (or vice versa, not sure) to do When The Devil Calls Your Name. proof that their bromance was real. And that subtle love line between JKH and Go Ah Sung was well done.
Yes, Moving had it all! Jo In Sung and Han Hyo Joo had such great chemistry, the magic of Moving is in how it squeezes so much emotions out of you when it doesn’t really have that much airtime for each character and their journey. Yet they are so effective within that limited time. I would love it if they got together for reals. Thanks for sharing the little story that everyone wanted them to get together too! Hahah!!
I have yet to watch The Light In Your Eyes but I know fangirl also highly recommends it. I am staying as blind as possible so I didn’t read anything you wrote about it. I will get there eventually!
On Lee Sun Kyun, Im still sad – thanks for having a little space for him. My write up was done much earlier so I didn’t get to write about him. All I will say is that I hope justice is served and that Korean culture changes. And that the surviving family finds a way through their grief and pain and finds some peace, eventually 🥲
Ah. MC, that’s so cute to know about JKH pulling PSW in for The Devil Calls Your Name (or vice versa). How is that show, is it worth watching?
The Light in Your Eyes – oh dear, your watch list is getting every longer and longer haha! Well if you’re ever at a loss as to what to watch, put on the first episode and see if you like it, but yes bear in mind that
@Elaine, thanks for the great post. Interesting choices all around. Also, I am glad to see your composite actor photos throughout as it makes me feel better about the inordinate amount of time I spend on such stuff.
I’ve seen about half of your shows, if you count half of Moving (actually just got up to to E 10 so I peeked and saw it was safe to read your spoiler section on that). Embarrassed to admit it, but Han Hyo-joo totally Clark Kented me in “Moving” – there is no way I would have guessed her to be the same actor from Happiness from the photo you showed (haven’t seen the show yet). I love it when actors have a chameleon quality.
On the other hand, you asked re Kim Sun Young, “can I give her a career achievement award”? And of course the answer is “yes! You should!” She is a prime example of an anti-Han Hao-joo: an accomplished character actor. I am sympathetic to her feeling as though she is typecast, because she is, but what she ALSO is is a working actor. That’s a pretty tough gig to land, and she has been highly successful in supplying a particular type of performance in her shows. I also think she’s great and love seeing her on my screen. She is also a supporting player in the Cambodian film “Return to Seoul”, where she plays an aunt of the lead character.
Finally, a simple amen for your tribute to Lee Sun Kyun.
Let’s hope that Korean drama shows more signs of life in 2024. Happy new year to you and thanks again for your excellent post.
Ahaha j3ffc high-five on the compulsion to make composite photos and also to find JUST the right screenshot to capture the moment or actor I’m thinking of. I think I downloaded at least 7 different shots of Go Ah Sung cos it’s tricky to get one which captures the essence of the character and performance I found most appealing.
I also downloaded a number of Yeo Jin Goo looking hot in Beyond Evil but decided they weren’t relevant to my post.
Oh nice, you proved my point that Han Hyo Joo’s performance was very different in Happiness vs Moving!
Yay for the Kim Sun Young appreciation club!
And yes amen to prayers for Lee Sun Kyun and his family.
And yes, hope for more high-quality K dramas in 2024!
Dear Elaine although I am a fan of Korean dramas I couldn’t find one, just one, worthy this year (except, maypbe, Twinglin Watermelon and I haven’t seen Moving). Silly nonsense like King the Land and Park’s Marriage Contract become great hits so why not the producers to continue the same way! I am afraid that the good old times have past and I (and maybe you) belong to a minority. Thank you for your post and please forgive me for my poor English.
Hi Christina! Ah such a shame that you couldn’t find good shows in 2023. Yes I do see in quite a few of our year-end posts that people are feeling the “good old times have past” and high-quality shows are not coming out in 2023. I hope 2024 will turn out better!
Christina, maybe take a break and watch some Cdramas?
Dear Natalia thank you for your advice. I have already tried some Cdramas (I dropped some of the modern era) but then I found out LOST YOU FOR EVER which I liked very much. I hope there will be a second season.
Love to hate you is so cute! I really enjoyed it too, thank you for mentioning it, hardly ever comes up but I also think it was one of the best of the year, and I certainly was so surprised then as well when Teo Yoo was also in one of the movies of the year – ie Past Lives. I also agree with your comments on Prison Playbook, one of my absolute favourites, and also loved Moving and My Lovely Liar so all up have enjoyed your year end review immensely.
The death of Lee Sun Kyun, I have not been able to concentrate on any new dramas in the past couple of weeks. I am just too sad and disappointed he was treated this way given everything he has done for the industry.
Oh yay, glad you enjoyed Love to Hate You too! Have you watched Past Lives? I haven’t done so yet, need to be in the right mood.
And high-five on Prison Playbook, Moving and My Lovely Liar. =)
I’m sorry to hear that you have been so affected by the news of Lee’s passing, I think a lot of us are feeling that heaviness too. MeriJ on Patreon said that he recently watched Parasite in honour of Lee Sun Kyun, I wonder if it also appeals to you to watch a show with him in it to honour his memory?
Elaine, please accept my thanks on three grounds:
1) For adding the in memoriam part. Such a sad, sad story. Let’s hope something will change. K-celebrities and suicide should not be a stereotype anymore.
2) For giving me the occasion to say, once more, how much I enjoyed Happiness. If anyone reading hasn’t watched it yet, give it a chance. Also, it just became available on Netflix in my region (European Union).
3) For being such a good drama-buddy here and over at Patreon!
Once again, happy new year!
Natalia, you are most most welcome!!
1) Thank you, it was a last-minute addition that I thought of, I’m glad I didn’t over-think it but yet I managed to get some things off my chest.
2) Oh I didn’t know you enjoyed Happiness so much! What show would you recommend I watch next? Gyeongseong Creature is a bit meh for me. I tried Kingdom before but the first zombie outbreak already creeped me out (especially the zombie wearing a mask!)
3) Thank you for being a great drama buddy too, love your funny and ruthless comments on shows you don’t enjoy, it really helps me narrow my drama choices haha!
Elaine, Kingdom is a masterpiece. It’s on a whole different level.
It is worth fast-forwarding the zombie scenes just to watch the Shakespearean drama.
Anyway, if you really want horror recs😨, have you watched the classics? Namely, Train to Busan?
Other that that, All of us are dead and Sell your haunted house were fun and I personally loved a show that in my opinion was underrated: The Guest (“Park Il-do!”).
Elaine, based on this post we watched the first two episodes of Love To Hate You this evening. I’m really enjoying it. So thanks!
As for Lee Sun-kyun, ugh. I’m disgusted with the Incheon police & prosecutors, the Korean media and the alleged “fans” in SK who, at the slightest whiff of scandal, turn so callously on the celebrities they claim to adore. Thank you for your In Memoriam.
Wow MeriJ, I’m so honoured that you picked up Love to Hate You because of my post!! And so fast, you watched 2 episodes already!! Hope you will continue to enjoy it, I really did, and it’s only 10 episodes so it will zip right along.
Excellent post Elaine. I watched all the drama that you listed here except Life on Mars. That’s one I should pick up soon given my adoration for Jung Kyung Ho.
I liked all the titles that you listed in this post pretty much and my thoughts are also quite similar to yours for them.
Really nice passage on the attributes that are required to constitute great OTP and I fully agree with it. Thank you for taking the time to write about this.
Awesome picks for your special awards too. Loved all of them.
Finally, really appreciate that you wrote about Lee Sun Kyun too. I also hope that things take a turn for the better after this tragedy albeit it’s difficult to expect a change in this regard.
Have a wonderful 2024.
Wow ABV, we have a lot of overlap! Yes Life on Mars is worth a watch, it’s a very interesting storyline and great performances all round. It came out on Disney+ recently in my region (Singapore).
Yay, glad you liked the framework of OTP compatibility! I think some elements had been kicking around in my head for some time, and then somehow while watching My Demon and Gyeongseong Creature, where I felt that the OTP development is not as well done as other romances, it got me thinking and comparing! I was like, ah, just them saving each other’s life is not enough for me to buy their romantic feelings. And so I got more ingredients for the compare and contrast, to fill out the framework =)
Yes let us send our energy and intentions towards things changing in Korea for the better 😔
Yeah. Really glad that you liked all these shows. Happiness is a series that I have a real soft spot for. It’s one of a kind.
As for Life on Mars, I did more research yesterday and I really do want to check it out soon. It’s not on Disney+ for me unfortunately.
I have been reading your thoughts on Patreon for both those shows and understand why you were motivated to write about it. Saving each others’ lives can work but there has to be a sufficient build up to it and it has to contextually make sense as well. It all depends on whether it feels natural to the viewer really. Just putting them in that situation and shoehorning romantic feelings out of the blue will obviously not work. That is just an easy way out and lazy writing.
Hopefully, there will be some initiative to change things because as it stands, it’s simply not acceptable.
Elaine — great choices up and down the line, and I love all three of your top drama picks! (And I know the Krystal-Park Hae-soo romance wasn’t central to Prison Playbook, but yes, even as a more muted subplot, I liked it a lot).
Thank you for taking a moment to reflect on the passing of Lee Sun-kyun. I’m still plenty mad about it too, and hopeful that it will lead to a sea change in the way celebrities are viewed and treated. Even though I’m fearful that it won’t. We’ll see.
Fingers crossed for a good crop of dramas this year, yeah?
Hi Trent, you’re the first to comment! I have actually been peeking at my post while at work today to see who commented (oops, distracted employee!), but didn’t get around to replying till right now!
Lee Sun Kyun’s passing, honestly feels surreal doesn’t it? It’s like a drama come to life, and not in a good way. I so wish he could have been inspired by Dong Hoon’s arc in My Mister to stand up for himself and seek another way out of the mess 😢We have been wondering on Patreon why we got so affected by the death of someone so far away, that we don’t even know personally. I guess we did feel like we knew him in a way through his performances, and we identified with him and the characters he played. And loved his kind eyes. AND the fairness-seeking parts of ourselves are just outraged at the injustices involved in this situation.