Popcxqueen

Let me think about it and get back to you. In the meantime feel free to visit my profile and look at my lists for favorite Japanese dramas - there might be one that jumps out at you there.

Feel free to look at my profile for a list of my favorite J-dramas

Other Japanese dramas or Korean makjang drama?

Actually I read these opinions on lots of other places besides this article, and I don’t think there’s any shortage of negativity written on MDL around her and her dramas, including on her profile page.
I didn’t say I love everything she’s done, and I haven’t seen all of her dramas (and won’t) but I would have rather read even more about the writers you do like rather than just piling on KES.

This comment section is quickly turning into "let's all bash Kim Eun Sook"and it seems to have become very fashionable on MDL to hate Goblin as well. I don't share that opinion - at all - and I also thought that both City Hall and Mr. Sunshine were very well-written. People complain that Kim doesn't write women well, but I'm not sure how much more of a badass Go Ae Shin could have been (Mr. Sunshine). (Also, characters die in historical dramas - that's kind of their thing.)

I agree, however, that Lee Woo Jung is a great writer, and Reply 1988 is brilliant, (and I love Hospital Playlist as well.) And she writes really emotional dramas, which I personally love. But I've got to strongly disagree with this statement here: "You can't win the audience by showing a smart criminal detective story." Stranger and Stranger 2 are two dramas that pretty convincingly say otherwise. Lee Soo Yeon wrote two absolutely brilliant dramas with characters that get stuck in your heart and take up residence there. (She also wrote Life, which wasn't as good as Stranger, but has one of my favorite scenes in all of dramaland in it.)

I'm glad you mentioned Nogi Akiko, because her Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu was a breath of fresh air and just enjoyable and sweet all the way around. Other Japanese writers I've loved are Kuramitsu Yasuko who co-wrote Alice in Borderland, Tourist, and Koi suru Hong Kong, and
Tsubota Fumi, who wrote Colorful Love: Genderless Danshi ni Aisareteimasu, and Ojisan wa Kawaii Mono ga Osuki.

Lastly, Chi Feng Chien wrote Someday or One Day, which is a frickin' masterpiece,

MDL commenters: I hate multiple seasons! It's the reason I watch K-dramas, because they don't have more than one season!
Also MDL commenters: I am so excited for the third season of Dr. Romantic!!

LOL.

I fit squarely into the second category, and am thrilled to pieces about this third season possibly coming. Multiple seasons give us more time with the characters and allow them to grow and development and face obstacles while learning how to overcome them. I loved the second season of Dr. Romantic, maybe even more then the first one, (and I liked that one a lot.)
And I really want to see Yang Se Jong back in the hospital again!

Thank you!

During the first episode where Keiko Mizukawa's character says to Haruma's character: "[The Thai people} believe in an endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Therefore death isn't a sad thing" I almost had to the turn the whole thing off, it was just too much. But I consoled myself by thinking that then maybe we'll be able to see Haruma again one day in some other place, in some other form, where he's been reborn.

Coming here to say just this!! :-)

This was fantastic on all levels and the rating needs to be way higher than it is.

He shouldn't be called an idol actor anymore - he has proven himself to be a phenomenal actor in his many dramas and movies. He's most certainly an "authentic" actor. Have you actually seen anything he's been in?

The song from Reply 1988, "Don't Worry", is phenomenal.

One of my favorite recent OSTs is Where Are You, by Katie, for the Undercover soundtrack:
What's wrong and right?
My hidden memories haunt me
Hard to decide
Don't wanna face the old, past me

And then later: "My lie was perfect until it was not" which is my favorite line from the song and fits the drama perfectly.

I think you're right, @TalkingWithYou.

I'd heard about that controversy when it came out, but I hadn't seen any of the drama yet...

Thanks! I was getting ready to start River Where the Moon Rises even before your recommendation but that's extra validation. :-)

Depending on where you're moving, you could probably get the movie on VOD or the equivalent - lots of countries have something like that. If someone bought the DVD in the US and sent it to you, unless you're taking along your Region 1 Blu-Ray player, you won't be able to play it (much of Southeast Asia and SK is Region 3.) I'm sure that it will play in Korean theaters but it might be dubbed into Korean? (It could happen and does a lot of places but hopefully it will just be subtitles.) Maybe just ask around when you get there and see what they recommend.

And YES to Black Panther 2 in 2022!! (Rest in power, Chadwick.)

Excellent question....I have many favorites! :-) On my profile I have a list of my favorite dark and/or mature J-dramas and a list of all the J-dramas I've seen so far. I don't, however, have a list made yet for those new to J-dramas or my overall favorites. I will say that depending on what you like, probably my favorite J-drama is Alice in Borderland, on Netflix. It's quite violent in parts though, in case that bothers you.
One of my absolute favorites that's not dark or violent at all would be Kikazaru Koi - I co-wrote an MDL article about it:
https://mydramalist.com/article/kikazaru-koi-niha-riyuu-ga-atte-a-reason-for-love

I'll have to make up my top ten list and send it to you!

No worries - I'm an avid J-drama fan, so I was just curious. We each have our preferences for sure. I peeked at your profile and see that you like historical C-dramas, which I don't much, (although I have seen a few.) For me it's the dubbing and the amount of episodes that throws me off every time. Luckily there are enough dramas from enough countries to go around! :-) Do you have a favorite?

As a fellow American, I know what you're talking about, unfortunately. I haven't been to the theater in a lot of years, and I certainly won't start again anytime soon. I'm hoping that they'll release this on a couple of platforms as well as in the theaters, but that has had mixed success this past year.