MDL's 2024 Challenge FAQ and Discussion

 Shiro:

Wouldn’t that take out part of the fun of trying to find 5 that fit the same on your own? Like playing Bingo while watching.   I'm not saying it is not allowed, just curious.... 

I was going through the prompts and for most categories it is impossible to find all 5 prompts. Like I found shows that match 3 and even 4 prompts but 5 is almost impossible except maybe for 3 blocks?

Like for example:

Block 1, each require a title from different years.

Block 3 and 4 each have 5 genres but MDL lists upto 4 genres.

Block 5 - all are asking for very different titles.

Block 8 - 3rd prompt says no remakes or adaptations which contradicts the other prompts so it's out.

Block 9 - I might have to change my username if I find a show with the other 4 prompts.

Block 11 - Pressed plant is so rare that even though I know I saw this in some drama, I can't remember what it was called.

Block 12 - Botanist is such a rare occupation and then to find a show where they are also kissing someone under a plant. I'll be amazed if I find this show. 

Block 13 - Need to find a Hawaiian shirt wearing criminal essentially. :P

Block 14 - Flower festival is also rare and can only remember 1 show which matches this prompt but not others.

Block 15 - laundering money at a laundromat essentially. Also rare to see all of these prompts in a single show. People who visit a laundromat also use their dryer. People who hang clothes to dry usually wash clothes at home. Again I'd be amazed if I find this one.

Block 18 - ex returns and long distance relationship along with everything else. Can't remember any past title. LDR itself is not a common prompt.

Block 20 - LGBTQ tag is throwing me off. No option for cis-gender this year.

Block 21 - friendly game vs death game and then amusement park is throwing me off.

Block 22 - Behind the scenes tag means it won't be a drama but under the documentary. I only recall one drama that included BTS scenes after each episode. Doesn't meet other 2 criteria.

Block 23 - flower allergy is killing me.

Block 24 - Will probably need to find a show about a person living in the wild to experience all of the mentioned bugs.

Even with the others that I've left out, at least 1 prompt doesn't match the show I have in mind. I can really only work with maybe 3 blocks. I guess I could get lucky with the ones I left out but the odds don't seem to be in my favour.

So it's really quite tough (for me at least) that's why I asked for tips. I don't know if I'd ever discover some of these specific prompt shows on my own because there are no tags for many of them eg pressed flower.

Sorry about the long post. I was just sitting and thinking about each category yesterday and analyzing it so that I know what I need to watch out for or what I can realistically set as my goal. I wanted to find the lawnmower categories first because imagine I have 3/5 shows for a block and then I find a show that's perfect for the entire block. That would feel like a bit of a waste especially if it's hard to move the other titles.

 Shiro:

If you want the Lawnmower badge it is enough to find one block. We limited it to 5 per round just so that it would not get overused. But we could just as well have limited it to one per round, or one per season 5 but we figured some seasons would be easier than others so we wnet with 5 per round. As for your list of rare combinations, you would be surprised how many of them you can find since a lot of those are spot it so basically one just has to flash by to count.

It's something new so I was drawn to this particular badge. And yes, the categories individually are doable, I don't think I'll be able to do more than 1 round this year so that is another reason I was drawn to this option. It would help me get through at least 1 round since otherwise my goal is Peonies at the moment. In the last 2 challenges, I didn't opt for any shortcuts. I like that the first round only requires 3/5 prompts to be completed though.

It'll be interesting to find those shows you've mentioned. Can I get a country hint? :P

 Shiro:

ColourMePurple  I understand that you are a person who likes to plan ahead, as well as have options and I fully respect that.

I know that this is supposed to be a challenge for fun. lol. It's not because I'm being competitive or anything. It's just how I function in general and find it enjoyable to organize my work. But it can seem like a pain to others. If you look at the lists I had created for past challenges (and the current one), you'd understand how detailed I like to be. :P

 Shiro:

So my advice would be to maybe just go for one lawnmower that you know you can find (like maybe block number 2) and then just add the rest as happy surprises in a game of title bingo...

Okay, I'll give that a try. And I could defer filling in some blocks just yet. I might find those surprises in the meantime. :)

Hi! I would like to ask about Rosaceae Badge. It says I have to watch all the adaptations of a title.

Let's say I go for "In time with you" - I have already watched 3 versions of it and 2 are left. Do I have to watch all these 5 versions this year or the remaining ones will do?

Had you added this last year, :( My last year plan was to watch remakes and adaptations. ?? ;)

 ColourMePurple:

I was going through the prompts and for most categories it is impossible to find all 5 prompts. Like I found shows that match 3 and even 4 prompts but 5 is almost impossible except maybe for 3 blocks?

I reckon best bet for this is Block 16 In the same vase. I'm thinking many youth/school dramas can fit all 5 prompts. The "School" K-drama series comes to mind, specifically School 2017.  Been a while since I saw this series, but I think it fits all prompts. FL's family covers the Parent-Child and Siblings prompts, Teachers as colleagues, High School setting covers Student-Teacher, and Bromance between the 2 MLs

Update! 

The list linked as  New was a list for titles and not actors/actresses so the old list has been deleted and a new one has been made. 

New - First leading role 2024 

 ColourMePurple:

Thanks for those examples of pressed plants. I didn't consider wall decorations. But I am still struggling to remember titles with those because I don't usually notice such things unless important for the plot. I'll keep an eye out from now.

Maybe I'd have better luck in a modern day cdrama since they have more episodes so more chances of finding all 5 prompts. XD

Thanks for your help!

Same for me. I remember diaries in two of the dramas I watched but not if there was a pressed plant in them... ? So far I have not found any title that would fit all 5 prompt. Well except for Block 2 that is, but that's not hard. I also like to plan ahead, but this time I think it's gonna be hard. xD

I got a recommendation for the drama "Meet Yourself (2023)" today and that looks really promising. I think it can fulfill quite some prompts as well, maybe even 5? 

On the photos on MDL I've already noticed Flower in a pot, Plant farm/garden/agriculture, Flower in nature, Flower pattern on clothes, Flower on the cover, Flower in an art piece, Watering a plant, Tea and probably Kissing under some kind of plant as well if you look at this photo. There might be even more. 

• Block 8.5 - A remake/adaptation that has been remade/adapted again by the original country. Do I have to watch the adaptation? Can't I watch the original?

You may watch the original 

• Block 17.4 - Discrimination. May I use "Gender discrimination" tag or other discrimination tags instead? 

As long as it includes some type of Discrimination you may use it. Gender discrimination is a type  of discrimination so go for it. 

• Block 18.3 - Arranged Relationship. May I use "Arranged Marriage " tag instead?

 Relationship. May I use "Arranged Marriage " tag instead?

As long as in includes some type of arranged relationship you may use it. Arranged Marriage is a type or arranged relationship so go for it.

While you are at it why not add these tags there too ;)

Leap flowers:

• Bouquet - Does this leap flower mean I do my regular challenge, and then I'll have to watch 26 additional titles? Or do I get the bouquet by completing 1 round of the challenge at level 9? (Actually I am planning to do level 8 (22 blocks) and then watch 4 titles, one from each block I did not fill, to get the bouquet badge. But I'm not sure that works).

You don’t have to watch 26 additional titles, just at least one from each block. You do not have to complete a single block to get it but watch at least one from all 26. 

• Leap Year - Could I do 2 leap years? so 2 blocks where I do 5 prompts +1 additional prompt  made up by me? I don't mind if it only counts for 1 badge.

 Go for it, only one badge but you may do this as often as you want... you never know you may need it for round 5 ;)

• Evergreen - Does this leap flower get completed with the titles we watch in our round 1? Or do we need to watch 40 additional titles after finishing the challenge round?

 It gets completed in round 1

• Seasons and Monsoon - Do these leap flowers get completed with the titles we watch in our round 1? Or do we need to watch 4 additional titles for Seasons, and 1 for Monsoon?

Both can be completed within round 1

I hope this clears it up , feel free to keep asking 

 Shiro:

You don’t have to watch 26 additional titles, just at least one from each block. You do not have to complete a single block to get it but watch at least one from all 26. 

This rises a question for me. Theoretically we would get our first badge once we watch 3 titles for 2 blocks 3x2 = 6 titles. Is that right? So when I watch one prompt per block (26 titles total ) it doesn't qualify me for a level but the Bouquet Badge? 

Let's say I want to reach Level Lotus - Round 2 which requires 35 Blocks. Is it correct that I need to watch 3 titles per block (26 blocks total) and then one more title for 9 blocks, so I reach 35 blocks? Can I choose the blocks from any season, let's say block 1, 5, 7, 10, 20-24? That wouldn't give me a butterfly though, because that would require 4 completed titles for every of the 26 blocks, right? 

I wonder if I got that right or lost myself in the blocks... xD