I don’t get why people keep calling it the "lawyer version of Hospital Playlist" when it doesn’t even…
See, I haven't tackled HP yet because I don't want to self-diagnose as I watch. Resident Playlist I can do because I'm not currently pregnant nor will be in the near future, and stuff like Dr. Romantic and Trauma Code are primarily in ER with trauma patients which are pretty different from normal health experiences so it feels easier to disassociate. So, that's one thing this drama has going for it: health anxious people can watch it, no problem. 😅
Many have said it's boring, while others love it. I can't really see why people find it boring, so clearly the consensus is divided. It's very tightly written, as a self-contained thing. Whether people find that self-contained thing interesting seems to be another issue. 😅
They fall for each other pretty naturally and organically and without lots of fireworks and fanfare and drama (there is a tad bit of drama 😉, but light as far as Kdramas are concerned). Honestly, it feels totally accurate to the way a romance might begin at a hostel while traveling the world. 👍
Really good drama. TikTok brains can't watch this.
It's definitely not what everyone is wanting out of a drama, and that's okay. Hopefully those who aren't enjoying it will use this opportunity to learn more about how to use this site better to curate their viewing experience and settle on dramas that are a better fit for them.
Seriously, this drama deserves way more than a 7.9 in my opinion. I understand it's not for everyone, it's not…
Yes, hopefully the people that stick around to the end and who end up rating it will bring it back up closer to where it belongs. I think a decent number of people who started it and were like, "Whoa, this is boring and not my thing," have already moved on.
Usually only dramas loved by the largest majority of users get an 8.5 or above on MDL, but I think this drama at least deserves an 8 for quality on MDL as an overall rating. I will personally give it much higher if it continues as it's been going, but it needs at least an 8 in my opinion to pay proper homage to the good writing. While an 8 is generally not seen as super strong, that lower score may just indicate that it's more niche, like the Cdrama Under The Microscope. A very, VERY well-written drama, but very niche, and not everyone's thing. Hence, an MDL score in the low 8s.
People throw around that scores are meaningless on MDL, and I just don't agree. They do mean something, but sometimes you have to dig a bit to find out why it has that score (e.g. is it a genre that appeals to only some, a different pace than is typical, tropes that some people hate, a lame or weak ending, boring bits in the last 1/3 of the drama which is the 16 episode Kdrama's PLAGUE, poor/inconsistent writing, etc.). From what I've seen, lower scores can range from showcasing that a drama is legitimately shoddy to dramas that appeal only to a small audience. Once you find where it lands on that spectrum, the rating system makes more sense.
I think it's a little reductionist to say that it's just "capitalists" who make people feel guilty for…
I often enjoy your comments and like to dialogue with them and/or read them (love getting takes from people in other countries, too), but I'll admit I was disappointed by this in your response: "I came from a generation where we don't have to spell out 'not everyone,' it's already understood." Come on now, there's no such generation, and it kind of soured your, "in any any case, I apologize" with a passive aggressive jab about how I must come from a generation of denser individuals who can't think with nuance about generalizations. I was trying to push back on a misleading generalization (which I'll admit I maybe got a bit overly triggered by), not fishing for an "apology" couched in an ad hominem attack.
That said, I could have probably kept my point simpler and less verbose (I got carried away with the weeds, haha), since I actually largely agree with your points, sans the capitalist one.
As for the rest of your point, I suspect they might go for it; this might be one of those areas where Korea is having to radically change their approach due to the population decrease. Most of the news coverage about Korea in the U.S., besides things like the plane crash, celebrity suicide or the president's martial law debacle, has been about their inevitable societal collapse in about 50 or 60 years. So, the world is watching to see how they try to solve it (Japan, too, who's in a similar boat). Both countries are very patriarchal AND have workaholism deeply entrenched, so in addition to changing laws and incentives, they'll need to try and start influencing people's thinking and societal assumptions (maybe to women: "You have these rights, and we want to support you in claiming them"). Not sure how effectively dramas can do this, but earlier this year they had a drama about OBGYNs (timing doesn't seem concidental), and I think they brought this up on purpose in this drama so they could tackle it (I'm also excited to see how they handle it--this could educate women on how to pursue their rights!).
I read that Korea's government has been implementing initiatives to incentivize and support FAMILIES (not just women) more effectively, and apparently there has been a recent uptick in 2024 birth rates. I really think it's becoming such a priority that they're having to come down hard on their old societal scripts and try to rewrite new ones. I mean, the stakes are VERY high; the bandage must be torn off, and the wound addressed in earnest.
If more countries in a similar situation (or who are soon to be in a similar situation) make some really innovative moves, it might inspire other countries to do the same and pave the way for some (exciting!) precedent. Korea has grown exponentially in so many ways in the last 25 years, and I'm so fascinated to see how they tackle this next, very serious hurdle. But as far as the drama--we'll see, I guess!
They always depicted Korea as a country without maternal and paternal leave, so they just quit. It's surprising…
I think it's a little reductionist to say that it's just "capitalists" who make people feel guilty for taking parental leave (though I agree her boss in this is being a turd about it. Ew). My dad is also a small business owner, and in some sense I suppose he would identify as a capitalist, but he hasn't done this in the slightest. That said, I've seen him struggle with how to temporarily replace two women (due to maternity leave) in his seven person business. It's very tricky, and a logistical nightmare (e.g. will she be one of those women who has perpetual nausea? Will she have to miss a lot of work? If so, how can she train someone if she has to leave sooner than anticipated?, etc.).
So, I think there can be a multitude of factors why an employer would put some pressure on an employee in this regard (intentionally or unintentionally). Small business owners are thinking about how to keep a company running so it doesn't go under. The ability to stay afloat if you're a small business can be really tough, and it's very difficult logistically and financially for employers to employ women who repeatedly (or even once) have babies. In the U.S., there is not a lot of support for small business employers who can't sustain much turnover and have very small staff and don't have much infastructure to train and retain employees temporarily to replace moms on maternity leave. So, in this case, it's not just moneygrubbing; there are some real, practical challenges that society/the government has not worked out (again, due to a multitude of reasons, I think). The culture has not caught up here, and that's the biggest shift that needs changing, I think. As you point out, it is partly because many people, especially in big businesses, prioritize money over people, but that's definitely not the only reason in every case (and people paint all business owners with broad strokes that should really only be applied to the multimillion dollar monopolies). It's also the culture that in order for a women to be a good employee she has to be able to do exactly what a man can do in the exactly the same way he can do it. That's just not realistic. Men can't have babies, so if women are going to be in the work force AND you don't want population decrease, there has to be some give somewhere, haha.
The PPL is well done, but there is not enough. Hopefully, there will be more in the final four eps.
I don't know, Kopiko and Subway have already made a few appearances. 😉 I even saw Maxim instant coffee at one point, too.
I actually got a kick out of the subway ad because it stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all the delicious-looking, authentic Korean food in each episode, so I thought it fell flat. The characters complimenting the subway flavors did just make me laugh. Not the best drama to advertise Amercan fast food in, methinks.😅
I absolutely love it, but I can clearly see how people don't like it. It's way slower than like 90+% of the dramas…
Funny thing is I don't find it boring at all. It's cozy and well-written to me. It's just doing a very specific thing, and I guess fewer people are into it than I would have thought. 🤷♀️
I'm only 20 minutes in to Episode 1, and the mother-in-law is already INSUFFERABLE.
She reminds me of the mother-in-law of one of the FLs in My Father Is Strange; different types of insufferableness, but both VERY difficult to bear with on screen.
Aww, the friends are SO sweet. I think it feels extra adorable because the drama has made it clear these people already work crazy hours, and here they are helping Hui Ji in their off time.
Also, the way Sang Gi shooed her off and worked on the embezzlement case for her... 🥹 Darling.
I didn't think the Advisor would actually do that. She's so sunshine-y and clearly tries not to offend people, so I was kind of surprised she did something a little passive aggressive. But it made me laugh!
Many have said it's boring, while others love it. I can't really see why people find it boring, so clearly the consensus is divided. It's very tightly written, as a self-contained thing. Whether people find that self-contained thing interesting seems to be another issue. 😅
Usually only dramas loved by the largest majority of users get an 8.5 or above on MDL, but I think this drama at least deserves an 8 for quality on MDL as an overall rating. I will personally give it much higher if it continues as it's been going, but it needs at least an 8 in my opinion to pay proper homage to the good writing. While an 8 is generally not seen as super strong, that lower score may just indicate that it's more niche, like the Cdrama Under The Microscope. A very, VERY well-written drama, but very niche, and not everyone's thing. Hence, an MDL score in the low 8s.
People throw around that scores are meaningless on MDL, and I just don't agree. They do mean something, but sometimes you have to dig a bit to find out why it has that score (e.g. is it a genre that appeals to only some, a different pace than is typical, tropes that some people hate, a lame or weak ending, boring bits in the last 1/3 of the drama which is the 16 episode Kdrama's PLAGUE, poor/inconsistent writing, etc.). From what I've seen, lower scores can range from showcasing that a drama is legitimately shoddy to dramas that appeal only to a small audience. Once you find where it lands on that spectrum, the rating system makes more sense.
That said, I could have probably kept my point simpler and less verbose (I got carried away with the weeds, haha), since I actually largely agree with your points, sans the capitalist one.
As for the rest of your point, I suspect they might go for it; this might be one of those areas where Korea is having to radically change their approach due to the population decrease. Most of the news coverage about Korea in the U.S., besides things like the plane crash, celebrity suicide or the president's martial law debacle, has been about their inevitable societal collapse in about 50 or 60 years. So, the world is watching to see how they try to solve it (Japan, too, who's in a similar boat). Both countries are very patriarchal AND have workaholism deeply entrenched, so in addition to changing laws and incentives, they'll need to try and start influencing people's thinking and societal assumptions (maybe to women: "You have these rights, and we want to support you in claiming them"). Not sure how effectively dramas can do this, but earlier this year they had a drama about OBGYNs (timing doesn't seem concidental), and I think they brought this up on purpose in this drama so they could tackle it (I'm also excited to see how they handle it--this could educate women on how to pursue their rights!).
I read that Korea's government has been implementing initiatives to incentivize and support FAMILIES (not just women) more effectively, and apparently there has been a recent uptick in 2024 birth rates. I really think it's becoming such a priority that they're having to come down hard on their old societal scripts and try to rewrite new ones. I mean, the stakes are VERY high; the bandage must be torn off, and the wound addressed in earnest.
If more countries in a similar situation (or who are soon to be in a similar situation) make some really innovative moves, it might inspire other countries to do the same and pave the way for some (exciting!) precedent. Korea has grown exponentially in so many ways in the last 25 years, and I'm so fascinated to see how they tackle this next, very serious hurdle. But as far as the drama--we'll see, I guess!
So, I think there can be a multitude of factors why an employer would put some pressure on an employee in this regard (intentionally or unintentionally). Small business owners are thinking about how to keep a company running so it doesn't go under. The ability to stay afloat if you're a small business can be really tough, and it's very difficult logistically and financially for employers to employ women who repeatedly (or even once) have babies. In the U.S., there is not a lot of support for small business employers who can't sustain much turnover and have very small staff and don't have much infastructure to train and retain employees temporarily to replace moms on maternity leave. So, in this case, it's not just moneygrubbing; there are some real, practical challenges that society/the government has not worked out (again, due to a multitude of reasons, I think). The culture has not caught up here, and that's the biggest shift that needs changing, I think. As you point out, it is partly because many people, especially in big businesses, prioritize money over people, but that's definitely not the only reason in every case (and people paint all business owners with broad strokes that should really only be applied to the multimillion dollar monopolies). It's also the culture that in order for a women to be a good employee she has to be able to do exactly what a man can do in the exactly the same way he can do it. That's just not realistic. Men can't have babies, so if women are going to be in the work force AND you don't want population decrease, there has to be some give somewhere, haha.
I actually got a kick out of the subway ad because it stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all the delicious-looking, authentic Korean food in each episode, so I thought it fell flat. The characters complimenting the subway flavors did just make me laugh. Not the best drama to advertise Amercan fast food in, methinks.😅
She reminds me of the mother-in-law of one of the FLs in My Father Is Strange; different types of insufferableness, but both VERY difficult to bear with on screen.
Also, the way Sang Gi shooed her off and worked on the embezzlement case for her... 🥹 Darling.