Hello Dramas, My Old Friend

We are well underway with the Get Stephanie A New Life Scheme. We left the job, the commute, and the hub of all civilization (New York) for the wilds of the rockies. With the schedule of the past, there was just no time for little things like…a life. And by life I, of course, mean drama watching. Hours of work on top of hours of commuting left little time for things like hours of tv watching. But now I’m here, mid life change. Which means dramas, right?

Surprisingly? Yes — 

thanks to the loving support of Roommate Alix and her big tv and Roku fully loaded with Viki, Netflix, and DramaFever, that is! Full access to dramas and a jobless budget which does not lend to spending money willy nilly? Is it any surprise my drama watching upticked?

With Roommate Alix, I snarfed down Fight My Way. Yes, I watched a currently airing drama from start to finish — can you believe it? Of course, it helped that the show was AWESOME. So good. Literally delightful. Well. Until that last episode. But even with the issues I have with the ending and the questions it brought up about the drama as a whole (keep your eyes out for a special bonus podcast with SaraG and Roommate Alix and a full review — yes, I’m going to brush off my reviewing skills for this one) I really liked the show, thought it was absolutely not a waste of time and really would not only recommend it to others, but I can totally see myself watching it again. 

Turns out I’m NOT watching a Chinese drama, as I originally thought, but instead, I’m elbows deep into my first ever Singaporean drama! Dream Job was a new Netflix find. (Whatup, Netflix, stepping up your drama game…) It’s a bit of a confused drama, and if were to equate it to something, I feel like it would be one of those Korean daily dramas. A lot of episodes, half hour in length, with crazy characters and a plot that increasingly tries to out do itself. At first, it seemed like it was going to be the filming of a reality drama — Who Wants to Be A Chaebol? (I’ve decided to leave off the heir as I feel like that would be redundant to the term Chaebol — correct me if I’m wrong.) An old rich man scours the country to find people who want to be his heir. So, you know, totally realistic. As I mentioned this is daily drama material, we can all go in with the understanding that this guy has some ulterior motives, as do the people who apply (or were tricked into applying). I hope to be able to stick around with this show to see the oldest daughter get together with the ‘brother’, but the plot just took a turn which may have cost themselves a viewer. 

Lookout! I’ve watched a couple of episodes of this new drama. (Or a just finished drama which, as I’m coming out of a place where I was watching pretty much negative hours of dramas, I’m counting as super new.) Though I love Kim Young Kwang as an actor in other things he’s done, I’m having a hard time swallowing him in this. Saloretta24 says the show is worth hanging onto, and I do love an underdog story, but if they don’t get to the main plot soon, I’m gonna heave-ho this thing into the river. Sorry, Kim Young Kwang, I know you’re trying to stretch your acting wings, but I’ll catch you on the next one. Maybe. 

Take Care of My Refrigerator. Every time I think of this title, it reminds me of the drama I always meant to watch, Take Care of Us Captain. In the land of Kdrama, that show was like a million years ago and the actors are not great, but for some reason the show always made me want to take a second look.(Not enough to actually look, but, the desire to watch should count for something, right?)

We’re reaching the variety portion of this list… in this riveting show, we take stars, stars refrigerators, and mix in a bunch of chefs competing to make the best dish out of what’s found there. Sound exciting? It’s not. But I do enjoy seeing inside stars fridges, so I’ll hang in there. (And how odd is it that it’s Netflix who has this show?) 

There are others out there who would probably say Fluttering India should not be included on this list as… truth be told…I didn’t see that much of it. But it is not my fault I fell asleep halfway through the mini-marathon — blame SaraG! Or, more specifically, SaraG’s couch of irresistible napping. I held out as long as I could, but I was no match for that pile of loveliness. Luckily this show about a bunch of idols going to India to do news reports about spreading the word of Kpop, is only 4 episodes long, so, even with my nap, I’m still pretty much done with it. These guys are cutely obvivious and now, I hate to admit it, I’m experiencing a softening towards Suho from EXO. I think not only will I finish this show, but I’m also going to finally watch Youths Over Flowers — the one where they go to Peru.

Here’s an old one for you…or me. Shopping King Louis? Another Roommate Alix watch, we did a couple of episodes together. Seo In Guk? I’m going to have to say that he’s a pretty good actor. I’m not suuuper enjoying his character, how he became an almost non-functioning human as soon as he lost his memory (yes he was sheltered before the accident, but I don’t think he was that bad.) After that initial day, I haven’t really been back to it, so I’m not sure if this one is going to stick for me. Sorry, Seo In Guk, can’t win ’em all. 

Now that Fight My Way is done, I’m on the lookout for a new drama (stand down Lookout, I didn’t mean you). I mean, I’m a roll, why stop now? I really have no idea what new show is on the horizon, (man, I’ve got to get up on that) I think I’m going to be starting the Thai drama, 2Moons. Xe and Amber have been squeeeeing over this show for a while now, and now that it’s done (and the squeeees didn’t die down), I think I’m ready to give it a try. (And by think I’m ready, I mean I’m actually really suuuuper excited to start this drama. )

BTS Bon Voyage? Number one with a bullet is getting my hookup for subbed episodes of the new BTS show. (Ahem. Hookup…you know I’m looking at you— hook me up!) 

Hate to say it, I’m thinking I may start Weightlifting Fairy soon. Roommate Alix, loves, loves, loves this show and seems to have made it her personal mission to get me to give it a try. I believe the words ‘perfect drama’ may have been bandied about and we, as drama fans, don’t just use that term willy-nilly — it’s against our nature.

 

Yay, drama watching! I’ve missed you! Let’s do this. I’ve got time. Oh wait. Shoot. I just got a job. And an hour commute. And for some reason, I get crazy car sick here in the rockies, which means I can’t read on the bus, let alone watch tv where I need to read subtitles. Sigh. Oh well, maybe next year!

What are you guys watching? Anything knocking your socks off?