This Week in Dramas: Cross-Dressing Scandals
Here I am again. I should really change these post to this month in dramas because I’ve hardly taken the time to write them each week or every other week. I’m so horrible, but since the past month has been devoted to watching past dramas on dramafever.com I haven’t really picked up any new dramas besides the ones I spoke about before. I’m sporadically watching Joker because I like to watch it in bulk and Natsu Niji is moving a long like a cool summer’s breeze. Though nothing really serious happens, I feel like I’ve finally become invested in the characters and I’ve come to understand (and like) Taiga for being a somewhat nervous wreck. I think besides Taiga and Shiori, I’ve become almost unnecessarily interested in Umi and her love triangle in school. I wish they would mention it every episode because little Touku’s efforts to impress Umi are unbearably cute and definitely remind me of Domiyougi. Maybe I just need to have a HanaDan marathon to get it out of my system? (I always fall in love with MatsuJun during Matsulove dramas…boy knows how to 'werk' it.)
My Korean wave has finally come again. You all know I’ve been feeling like I’m seriously lacking in terms of Korean dramas I watch every week. That brief spring wave when I moved smoothly from drama to drama was both exhausting and fun. I loved that if one drama was a little slow the other was moving quickly. Sungkyunkwan Scandal and Playful Kiss started this week, and My Girlfriend is a Gumiho is far enough in that I can get past the first couple of episodes through marathon. I wanted to wait until I’d seen Playful Kiss, but the Viikii licensed drama is be placed on hold until tomorrow and I’m bursting with excitement over SKK scandal.
As some of you know, I have a thing for cross-dressing dramas, just like the fact that I like pregnant heroines, leads with kids, opposites attracts and a mirade of other gimmicky plot devices, I’m a sucker for when a girl dresses as a guy and subverts the status quo. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I’ve always had a fascination with male conversations and practice when girls aren’t around. Whether they are misogynistic or sensitive, men will not say certain things around girls and approach them differently. I like the joke’s on you feeling I get when watching the cross dressing dramas. It’s my revenge of sorts in a wholly passive aggressive mel style.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal has gained a lot of attention for being a period drama with a modern twist and also for staring Micky, but while it’s easy for one to want to lump this with other cross dressing gender bending dramas like You’re Beautiful, Coffee Prince, and Hana Kimi. SKK is on a totally different wave length by being placed in a historical period. I’m not familiar with Korean history, but I have a motto when I read historical novels (and I read them A LOT): When you have money, you have a power; when you have a penis, you have power; when you have both…well clearly you’re the shit. It’s clear that rule applies here since the one thing the East and the West have in common are a stringent Patriarchal system.
What I like about SKK scandal is first and foremost why Yung Hee decides to parade as her brother Yung Shik. Unlike the other dramas mentioned it’s not a case of mistaken identity, or to cover for her brother so he doesn’t lose his reputation, or to boost the morale of the boy
she instantly fell in love with; no, Yung Hee must become Yung Shik because she needs to make money to save his life. On top of that it’s not some scheme we the audience are in on from the beginning. Yung Hee has been doing this for awhile. Thus Yung Hee is something of a pro. Also she doesn’t have to go through a ridiculously awkward (though I don’t mind these scenes) lesson on how to be a boy mostly because this being a period film, if you’re wearing boys clothes people assume you’re a boy because no one would actually break laws governed by social structure. Thus ‘Yung Shik’ is merely thought of as a ‘beautiful boy’ (shout out to the youi fans…lol).
After only two episodes I’m already loving the characters good and bad. Some great choices in terms of actors where made and it shows instantly through in the subtle characterizations. I think my favorite character may be the womanizing scholar Yong-ha who displays Second Banana powers of being able to detect female mojo from ‘Yung Shik’. He’s played by the same actor who was Dr. Ang (one the only characters I cared about) in ObGyn Doctors. I also like Micky as the uptight Sun-Joon (for now). While he doesn’t make a great impression on me, he’s not an awkward fit. Another character I’m interested in Cho Sen, the number one courtesan in town (still deciding on whether she’s the equivalent of a Courtesan or a Madame or a Mistress since there’s a bit of difference). She’s emotionless, but you can already tell she has major ambitions. I feel like she’s over working my imagination and I see her finding out relatively early about ‘Yung Shik’s secret. How will she use it? Time will tell, but I know there will be jealousy on Cho sen’s part over Yung Hee’s sudden luck of opportunities and favor with the King.
I think I blabbed enough. I knew I was going to watch this drama but I didn’t think I would get so caught up so quickly. I hope it doesn’t fizzle out after the 5th episode cause that would suck. Still waiting for Playful Kiss. I’m not surprised by its low ratings (3.5% geez!) but to be honest the story doesn’t pick up until after she moves in and definitely after the first kiss (I mean that’s why they call it ‘It Started With a Kiss’ right?) so expect the ratings to get higher after the third or forth episode.
PS: I’m not sure if many of you go to this site, but I thought I would plug, Dramafever.com. It’s an excellent (legal) streaming site for Korean dramas (and some Japanase dramas like Moyashimon). While it rarely ever licenses dramas as they’re airing since they’re subject to rules and delays often. The site has an excellent variety of past dramas like Bad Couple, My Love Patzzi, My Lovely Samsoom, Iris, and much MUCH more. They’ve even added a new batch from this past Spring season so if you missed out on Personal Taste or Stars falling from the Sky, but don’t want to fool with Viikii’s dead links or downloading a drama you won’t keep, check it out. It’s free. I’m currently watching Prosecutor Princess (it’s pretty good). I think the only downfall is that you’ll be able to recite the Pretzel M&M commercial after a couple of episodes.
“There is no way you’re putting a giant pretzel inside of me!”
“Look buddy, I’m not too thrilled about this either.”
Anyone else find that extremely dirty?