kura2ninja

It's not fansubbed, but available legally on Viu. People then would rip the subtitles and upload them on Subscene.

Thank you for compiling this list. I'm interested in Gossip Girl adaptation, for some reason. And I didn't even like the American series :p

This drama is set in 1988. So of course they had to insert soundtracks from American TV, er, masterpiece like "Airwolf" and "Knight Rider". I'm still on episode 4, and I'm already wondering what's next. Miami Vice? Moonlighting? Ah yes, I am old. And if you recognized those tunes (and those series), you're probably as old as I am :p

Nope, not in this drama. Pork barrel politics, maybe?

Thanks for the article :D.

You're absolutely correct in that dialogue matters. Case in point: I've rewatched Lovers in Prague three times. Lovers in Prague is a shit drama, terrific cast notwithstanding, arguably the worst of Kim Eun-sook's dramas. It's the fantastic back and forth between the leads that made me enjoy it, even with the stupid plot.

If I remember correctly, there was a plan to build a bridge when Sakura was younger, but the plan was scrapped/delayed for some reason (I can't remember why). The company that was supposed to build it was the one she's currently working for.

Personally, I think it would be "interesting" if Yukari ends up (or implied to) getting together with Akio. I don't think it would happen, though. I imagine people would take out their pitchfork if it were to happen.

Anyway, I'll be happy enough if there's decent character development for everyone, even if that means Yukari is still single by the end of the drama.

I giggled reading your article, so thanks so much :D

And as if many Yurikas weren't enough, now we get many Makochins too. This viewer feels so blessed :D

The manga is still ongoing, right? Which means it can end in whatever way the showrunners want it to end. I'm guessing they're going to end up together again? But for some reason, I kinda don't want that ending, ha :D

It's only 20 episodes? (40 episodes because in terrestrial TV in South Korea, they split each episode into two so that they could put more commercials.) There won't be any new season as far as I know. FYI multi-season format remains the exception rather than the rule for Korean dramas.

Just some addition to your summary and @biased's excellent explanation. We don't know completely about HHJ's past yet, but my take on her motivation to serve LSG's second wife is this. She wanted some degree of independence that was impossible to attain if she continued to depend on Ihwaru's madam. So obviously she needed to leave Ihwaru.

She still wanted to find out what happened to her mother after she left her to the care of Ihwaru's madam, though. (This was her initial motivation. Later on, there's also the desire to protect Hwi.) Which means that even after she left, she would still need the ability to gather intel. But for a woman at that time, there's only two ways that you could do that a) being a courtesan (and eavesdropped the conversation of important people when you entertained them), or b) getting close to the center of power itself. HHJ chose b.

By the time she left, it's become pretty clear to people in the know (but not to the general populace) that LSG was planning to overthrow Goryeo's throne. HHJ made a gamble that he would succeed, by offering her service to LSG's second and favorite wife, whom she hoped would become future queen. And of course the gamble paid off, so far.

I've been wondering the same. Did the production team "adjust" the plot somehow in response to ratings and viewers' reception? I still like the drama, though (SURPRISE!), so maybe I have no right to complain.

Thank you so much for compiling this. For some reason, I'm kinda surprised that the best rated Korean and Japanese dramas here on MDL are actually ones that are very good and deserved their respective rating :D

I want me some Sunny Side Up merch.

Dakara Watashi wa Oshimashita is awesome. Have fun watching it!

And since you like slice of life, I highly recommend Kinou Nani Tabeta (What Did You Eat Yesterday).

If I remember correctly, Fukakyon's drama (Hajimete Koi wo Shita Hi ni Yomu Hanashi) was pretty popular here on MDL. Its comment section was lively, which is a rarity for Japanese drama here on MDL.

As for Japanese viewers themselves, Kinou Nani Tabeta was making waves when it aired, which was pretty impressive since it's a late night drama.

Good recap, thanks so much for this! I've watched quite a few Jdramas this year, more than usual anyway (thank you, subbers!), and I'm planning to watch some more when time permits. Anyway, my favorites this year are Kinou Nani Tabeta, Channel wa Sonomama, and Dakara Watashi wa Oshimashita.

On another note, I Don't Love You Yet is mentioned twice here (as "I Don't Love You Yet" and "Boku wa Mada Kimi o Aisanai Koto ga Dekiru").

helldraco has pretty much elaborated what I didn't like with the drama so far, but let me sum it up: meandering plot, not enough screen time for our main characters (Sun-shim and Mr. Yoo in particular), the drama's attempt to rehabilitate the conniving Director Oh.

But I'm trying to be optimistic, so I'm going to note what I do like:

1) How the drama portrayed the toxic effect of rigid hierarchy. Witness how Cheongil's office staff looked down on the factory workers, or how the subcontractors in effect trying to bribe TM/Cheongil with fine dining into giving them orders.

2) Ms. Oh, the floor manager who doesn't take shit from anyone. It's also nice to see Ms. Oh and Mr. Yoo's interaction in ep.8, when she's calling him "Oraeboni", which means that they have pretty close personal relationship.

Plus it gave the gorgeous Araki Yuko a reason to cosplay into various types *ahem*