Tia

This is the thing I hate THE MOST about Im Sung-Han's dramas and exactly why I don't watch them... scenes consist of nonstop dialogue where the characters are in one place... either sitting or standing. And they're just talking. Simply. Talking. It irritates my soul. 😭

He was also in Return and did an incredible job there as Doctor Seo Jun-Hee.

Very, very true. I guess you could consider her an anti-heroine in Reflection of You? 🤔 But my thing is it was hinted early on even while Go was filming... I just finished this and I'd say that Ja-Hye's character shift made a lot of sense and was quite compelling. I wish she didn't leave, but oh well... Park Jin-Hee did an amazing job with the material she was given.

Me too! I haven't watched a horror drama (yet), but I've been into thrillers, recently got into crime dramas & political thrillers too. Might check out Whistle. But I totally agree with you. Shitting on a show without watching it at all makes no sense.

Exactly! And there's no "set" style for a makjang, I feel like you kinda know once you start watching and really get into it... like oops, there goes a power struggle... or a catfight, or class division, or greed somehow lol

This is why I kinda stopped watching this drama for a while, the constant gag/funny scenes are EXTREMELY annoying.

I haven't watched First Man in a long minute myself, but I would not consider this the best (yet.) The revenge is definitely doing its thing, though, can't disagree with that part.

Some dramas/shows have a morally grey & complex cast of characters, and this is one of them... 👀 but, I do hope the FL grows a bit stronger. She already seems kinda shady, so I hope they lean into her greyness. My hot take is that characters shouldn't be black & white all the time.

Maybe because I wasn't talking about you, and this was a general statement. There is nothing wrong with makjangs. I enjoy them. They can piss me off and I'll drop 3 within a day, and I'd STILL enjoy it. 😭 I grew up watching soap operas (and still do when I find the time...) so I'm used to it. I loved watching Penthouse even if season 3 was trash. I watch daily dramas, for goodness sake! Most of my finished dramas? Makjang. My flair on the k-drama subreddit is literally "makjang addict". 💀

But this is not a makjang. A makjang pertains to the STYLE of a drama, not its genre. Again, if we're going this route, then *every* drama that's been released within the past 30 years is a makjang. THIS is a melodrama. Melodramas can be considered makjang in its elements, historical dramas can also be considered makjangs. That doesn't mean ALL of them are. The original Korean definition even says that it's a TYPE of drama, not an actual genre.

Also, how is The Glory a makjang? Because it focuses on revenge? Is every revenge-centered drama a makjang now? Genuine question. 🤔 Are political thrillers gonna be considered makjangs too, then? I'm curious...

I just read about her... it's so tragic what happened to her. Wow.

Who's Lee Jin-Ho?

He was??? Damn, that actually makes more sense... MDL was a little wrong with the cast listing lol

Oh, then in that case, I agree 💀 I just started Climax and it's not boring, just... puzzling. I am looking forward to season 2 of Made In Korea though.

HARSHHHH lmao. I understand though! I heard from a lot of people that Siren's Kiss was boring, I wanted to check it out but I think I won't now. 😂 Climax seems like a slow-burn to me and a little confusing. Thankfully it's not too makjang-y.

I definitely recommend Made In Korea. It's a political crime drama, very noir, gritty, violent, and intense. Nothing too sexual (in fact, it's the *least* sexual male protagonist drama I've watched so far.) Historical drama too, since it's set in the 70s. I didn't think I'd like it but I did, and I know I watch certain types of dramas. It was so out of my comfort zone too.

Would you recommend c-dramas? I've never been into them, but I'm willing to give some of the royal/political historical-type dramas a try! 👀

OMG. Then in that case I'm glad I've stuck to anime rather than getting into the actual dramas. 💀 I hate the cutesy voices the girls have sometimes, I feel like it's a 100% a "cultural preference". It creeps me out- like sir... that's a GROWN WOMAN we're talking about!!! She's 32, not 9!

Very understandable. Sadly the k-entertainment industry is more unfair towards women than they are towards men. 🙄

The SFL in Secrets and Lies was Han Woo-Jung played by Seo Hae-Won (she wasn't good at all to me, really), and the SML was Yoon Jae-Bin (I think?) played by Lee Joong-Moon. Good actor there, but a bit over-the-top in his performance. The FL was Shin Hwa-Kyung played by Oh Seung-Ah and she won an award for it, and the ML was Yoon Do-Bin played by Bu Bae.

Have you started Siren's Kiss or Climax? Or Made In Korea? Or are you more into Chinese & Japanese dramas? 🤔

16-20 episode dramas would count as primetime/weekly dramas, I think. Anything under that would be considered a miniseries. I've watched a few great dramas under 50 episodes:
Penthouse
Return (one of my favorites)
Artificial City
Queen of Ambition (another fave of mine)
Lie After Lie
I'm Sorry I Love You (HEARTBREAKING)
Mine
Made In Korea
Royal Family
Golden Empire
Stairway to Heaven
Autumn Tale
The Lady In Dignity
Dear X
Angel's Temptation
A Korean Odyssey (one of my first k-dramas)
Home Sweet Home... and more.

Currently watching Climax and I just finished Return.

I definitely used to think that non-daily dramas were overrated and boring (makes me cringe now that I think about it, haha), but you really have to find the type of dramas you're into and the ones that you prefer. What are your favorite genres? Tropes? Things you like or dislike the most in a drama? Types of characters? I know I'm not into rom-coms, so I don't really watch them, for example.

So far I'm enjoying Climax! It's more like a noir melo to me, very dark, tense, and gritty. Mature, too. I haven't watched Stranger but I plan to.

I definitely don't think it's a makjang. A melodrama, yes.

Yes, and it's important to remember that a makjang is the STYLE of a drama, not the genre of it. Penthouse is a makjang because it's over-the-top and insane, but it is still a mystery-thriller drama. Mixed with crime and a bit of dark comedy.

Plus makjang tropes don't necessarily make a drama a makjang. If this is the case, then EVERY drama produced in the past 30 years is a makjang. Which isn't true, ya know? 👀