Rants and Weekly Raves #120 (RAWR)

kakashi: Happy New Year, everyone! May it be good to you and yours. I only recapped this week, I watched almost nothing. We are now done with Old Nine Gates and it makes me sad (it'll take a few days for all of the recaps to post though). Oh, and Ice Fantasy is on Netflix.
Shuk: Spent lots of time with family and friends, and earned lots of overtime at work.
Trotwood: It seems like a lot of people are on vacation. There have been no subs for this week's episodes of Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku (We Married as Job) or IQ246. So instead, I did a quick review of Jimi ni Sugoi (Pretty Proofreader) that I was actually able to finish.
JoAnne: Man, let's put 2016 to BED, huh? Happy New Year! 

Korea

Hwarang 

I'm actually looking forward to new episodes of this show. Still trying to figure out how I feel about it - it's a fairly equal mix of fan service/humor and serious business/sad. If it keeps to whatever plot they developed, it should be okay - but if it starts going all over the place in response to ratings, forget it.

Legend of the Blue Sea 

Only one episode aired (I don't even know why), and it was cute. And boring. Booooooring. But cute, even sweet. Lee Min-ho gave his very best and I liked him. 
I think it was awards shows. There weren't any Thursday episodes for the prime-time dramas. And yes, it was a mostly fun episode. Loved Delusional Girl's discovery of Joon Jae's mother, in particular.

Weight Lifting Fairy, Kim Bok Joo 

I was particularly sad about missing an episode of the adorable babies this week. They are so CUTE in love. And did you see them on the red carpet in real life? I would change up her hair, but that dress was beautiful, and Big looked really nice in his tux. Oh, and back to the show - I'm glad Hyung's lady friend turned him down. She deserves better. I'm not saying he won't be the one in the end, but his 'confession' would have to have been a humiliating experience for her. He's pretty dense, for a good guy. It almost makes him a bad guy.
First: More coats. . . 
I love them. they are adorable. I could watch Big flail about on his sofa texting her all day.  I love the weightlifting team. I even like the ex-girlfriend. I'm also glad that Dr. Jo rejected Hyung. He asked her because he hasn't broken out of his bad habit of trying to make everyone feel better when he thinks he is at fault. Even Big knew she liked him but he wasn't paying attention. She wants him to miss her and to want her not just go out with her because it's habit.

Oh My Geum Bi 

Oh, I think it's going to be hard going from here on out. I'll just say one thing: her mother's decision to leave for Hong Kong? I get that she is trying to take responsibility for her life, turn it around, be someone better - but how do you leave your dying child? Don't you stick around so you can be with them? Unless you can fly over from Hong Kong to Seoul for $50 and a couple hours travel time, I'm thinking this is not something I would do.

Goblin 

To continue or not...
Not even a question for me. I actually love it more each week. It's not perfect and I think the editing could be better, but overall I like the central dilemma, I like the backstory, I love how each week there are new details - not just about Kim Shin, but about other characters, ones who might have been dismissed as simple fillers - I like that there have been many fateful encounters along the way that we only learn about slowly, I like (scratch that, LOVE) the bromance, I think it's visually impressive, and I love the music.
Yes ... but I dropped it. Sorry, Goblin lovers
 

Solomon's Perjury 

I'm enjoying this show. it isn't as dark as I thought it would be (i.e--it's no White Christmas), but the shifting dynamics are really interesting and characters don't always do what I expect. For example, the heroine's mother came through for her unexpectedly and in an interesting and humorous way. This show is also on my "how can they afford so many expensive winter coats" watch.
I'm catching up! I like it too, but I wish I'd paid more attention at the beginning. Right now I'm giving Mi Joo many suspicious looks. Update: caught up and very curious where it's going. As expected, the horrible boy has a terrible home life and probably is NOT the killer, if there even is the killer. Also, the kids are going to have a trial to decide what happened, but they've done no investigation?
 

Father, I'll Take Care of You 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh she rejected him! I get it, but how do you summon up the internal fortitude to reject that beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Giant Puppy of mine? The switched cousins continue to interest me and I was impressed that that idiot middle brother stepped up to the plate for Chang Soo.

Seven First Kisses 

I love how the heroine starts getting used to the role and then starts getting all grabby once she realizes that she may not get a kiss or tries to avoid kisses because she wants to prolong the time.We are all through the main guys, and the angel has come back to tell her that she needs to choose which one she is to kiss (and keep?). We still have Lee Min Ho to come, so is she going to keep him? I wonder what his storyline is going to be. It seems we've been through all the stock male leads in dramas. I'm still voting for Park Hae Jin, but my daughter is voting for Lee Jun Ki (because "he is sooo hot") even though she thinks she had the most fun with Kai.
Weirdly, I did not find Lee Jun Ki hot in that bit. The whole thing was just too stalker-y weird. Maybe if they had made him someone she remembered, within the daydream? But she had no memory of him at all and I couldn't get past that. I'm still very much on the SS Park Hae Jin. I'm impatiently waiting for the next episode, which has been put off until the 5th. I think it's the last one, too, with Lee Minho. I wonder what kind of sweater he will have on...
King of Puppies demonstrating his pre-surgery face

Ghost (2012-2013)

유령, the one with Soo Ji-sub? Sigh, Kim Eun-hee and I ... I couldn't finish this one either.
Yes, that one.  I've only watched 3-4 episodes though so far, and she hasn't been objectionable personally, although her character does some stuff that should get her arrested even if she's a cop.
You mean the actress, Lee Yeon-Hee ... Yes, she's an issue too
I saw 3 episodes and feel no great desire to return to it, although I'll probably dip in now and then. I'm at the point where Daniel Cho is taking on Subbie's life in order to avenge his death. I'll admit that I was a bit surprised to find out that So Ji Sub was a dirty cop, albeit one with regrets.

Not Korea

Nicholas Tse

I know, he's been around forever. I'd heard the name but hadn't ever seen anything. I watched But Always, a sweet, sad movie where he adores this girl since he was a boy and they keep getting pulled apart despite loving each other - liked it, loved him. Then I watched 2002, which is much earlier (2001, I think) - I like him better older, but he already had whatever that mysterious thing is that pulls me to him even when he was quite young. I think it's the way he talks. Quiet, sure, a little sad. And his nose. Love his nose. Also his jawline. And his sad eyes. And his smile, which is happy, but that happy that knows sad. He's a bitty little thing but yum. Oh - about 2002? Ridiculous movie. I actually enjoyed it a lot because it's squarely in WTF category but it's objectively terrible. Hong Kong SciFi. I didn't even know such a thing existed.
I like it when actors get their own category on RAWR :D I must admit I don't know him though. I saw on Twitter that you came across William Chan while on your Tse spree.
I did! He was a rookie fireman. I didn't finish it - fell asleep - but when I woke up toward the end they were all trying to get out of some horrible warehouse fire, of course, and my general impression of Tse's character is that he was fairly meek and timid but a decent guy, and so I assume in the end he does something heroic.

Candle in the Tomb 

I absolutely loved episode 6. This Prof. Chen knows a lot about Bayi, right? A bit too much to be normal.
I loved the ep for the bromance.
And I don't think 3 short eps per week are enough
Right? What's with THAT, China? You shove 10 episodes a week of WeiYoung down our throats, but you can't give us 5 of the good stuff? (And yes, I'm thinking they absolutely knew who he was.)

Behind Your Smile 

The jealousy is ramping up to delicious levels.
I was squeeing over the medicine induced confession that he hates hearing her keep saying the other guy's name. I love the bromance, but they are on a collision course since they both are starting to recognize that she means more to them than just someone whose mother they despise. Frankly though, I rewatched the ditching the fiance in front of her father bit more than once. He has an adult conversation with her. It dawned onto me that she reminds me exactly of Puff Go's character in Miss Rose. Rich girl. Poor boy mentored by rich girl's dad. Glad daughter wants boy because boy is smart, ambitious, and thus can be controlled . . . NOT.

When did he ditch her in front of her father? Have I missed an episode? There's no way I'd SLEEP through anything. I did see the medicine confession. Man, do I love them together. How on earth did she get me to like her dumb self? Because I do, I can't help it.
I meant the scene where he tells the father that he isn't going through with the engagement and she shows up all manic self-pity. Don't you remember this?
Oh yes, I do remember this.  This was the reinforcing of the dump.
I found that scene fairly believable, and he was brutally honest with her, based on his past self-image. But will she really announce their breakup? Or use his promise to go back and torture Xin Yu once she realizes who he's pining for. Another question. "Uncle Qing" has disappeared, and HotFaust identifies him as the only other person who know about the organized destruction of Lin Man's businesses. There seems to be something shady going on. And after Qianni "breaks up" with Yiting, she desperately tries to contact "Uncle" as the only person she can talk to. I wonder if he is the linchpin somehow, that we miss because our focus is distracted elsewhere.
Well, we know that Qianni's dad didn't know up front that Yiting was trying to destroy Lin Man in particular, and that Yiting didn't know that Qianni's dad was the one who helped Lin Man escape.  I think he even said Uncle Qing helped with it.  Is Uncle Qing a subordinate of Qianni's dad, or some sort of colleague?  If a colleague, I'm like you - he's the one.

Novoland

I still like it! (now on episode 24 ... he does angst and pain so well, our Mr. Lucious) I'm even considering recapping it. I'm done with the Old Nine Gates recaps, that means I have time, right? haha. I can't promise anything, but how to resist the Wingkind Emperor ....
I guess I have to go find it and check it out...
You and Chinese fantasy shows .... I don't think you are made for each other
I very rarely like outright fantasy of this type in any language.

Princess Wei Young 

JoAnne marathoned this tonight, but I don't think she's awake yet to tell the tale.
Well, I have a long way to go, still. I think there are 54 episodes. I had halted at 9 and now am up to 20, I think. Chiyun Rou and her hateful children Chang Le and Min Feng (now dead, yeah!) have so far had people beaten to death, hung, stabbed, poisoned - and even poisoned themselves to frame Wei Young; they have lied, stolen, cheated, betrayed, and employed imposters (including with facial disguises made of something silicone-y) - all because they can't stand to see the half-sister Wei Young have any happiness at all, and the real Wei Young is in fact already dead because of them. They like to slap people, too, when they're too mad to have their maids do it for them. It was very satisfying last night when Chiyun Rou's husband slapped her for her scheming. I cheered

The fake Wei Young (who is of higher rank than they are) has outsmarted them at every turn but not without cost, and it moves fast so you never have a chance to feel bored. The funniest part for me is that a lot of the hatred is based on Chang Le's jealousy of Tuoba Jun's interest in Wei Young. When he was 9 or something he told her he'd marry her and she has grown up believing that they're a couple. When he finds out he's flabbergasted that she'd be hanging on to the words of a little boy and tells her in no uncertain terms that he has never been romantically interested in her. But even after that she thinks Wei Young 'stole' her sweetheart and so she's about 1 click away from 'crazy' on the mental stability dial.

Husband's Secret Stash

I want to watch this but so far only 5 episodes have been painfully, slowly subbed. Is it worth starting?  
I have never heard of this before, what is it?  
It's a Chinese comedy on Viki about a woman who discovers her husband has been hiding money from her, and then gets her daughters fighting with their husbands over money.  Once a few more episodes have been subbed, I'll try it. 
Is the episode count really 45?

Jimi ni Sugoi/Pretty Proofreader

Due to a twitter friend giving me access to his secret link to the show, I have finally been able to finish this lovely drama that seems like it's going to be shallow but really has a lot of heart. Of course, I must first talk about the clothes rather really her clothes. Our lovely Ecchan continues to rock outfits that would seem to be horrible choices on her small frame with great accessories and practicality for work and warmth. She looks great even in her "depressed episode" when she wears all grey because she's upset over a serious mistake she makes. Of course, she, too, has fabulous winter coats.
Now there is some romance, but as I said before the show is really about her learning about her self and her own skills. It turns out that she is an excellent proofreader and is really perfect for the job even though it isn't her dream job. It is interesting how the show establishes the importance of proofreaders and how it's a thankless job but also how so many necessary jobs are also thankless.
Oh, I like her clothes.