Wow, great article! I am waiting for the new Matsujun drama to be subbed, but you have some great suggestions for me to try out in the meantime. I would also like to add one thing I can appreciate about Japanese dramas: their length--most are 10 or 11 episodes. Oftentimes, with Kdramas, it seems like some of the later episodes (say, after episode 12 or 13) seem to be filler and not much substance. When that happens, watching becomes a chore, rather than a pleasure. I can't quit, either, because I am usually too invested in the characters to give up.
Wow, I LOVED THIS DRAMA. I think I even loved the second season a bit more than the first, maybe because I was so invested in the characters. Get ready for tissues! Loved the music too!