too much tv for me.

[mekosuchinae]

I'm officially in my annual summer funk, which means: kdramas! Kdramas everywhere! I did this last summer, too, when I had my breakdown (wah wah, comedy! Welcome to my lj; remember to tip your waiter) - I marathoned so many dramas, and I did that the year before, too. Suddenly: a pattern! It isn't that I don't love kdramas, period, because I do, I

Comments

[bookelfe]

It isn't just the beats and storytelling quirks common to kdramas, though I love those, too, but, I think, the comfort that comes from engaging with a narrative that is purposefully designed to end. I like finite narratives!

The biggest reason I have veered almost entirely away from US television for my watching pleasure and into anime and kdramas and sometimes jdramas: you have just described it! I don't know, I just had my heart broken too many times with US narratives that did not function as narratives because they did not know when to end. BRING ON THE KDRAMA PLEASE, which is to say I am extremely excited for you talking about kdramas a lot, because my repertoire so far has been AMAZING but limited and I need to broaden it!

[mekosuchinae]

Haha, I think it's telling that the only USA shows I keep up with are Parks and Recreation and (of all the shows on all the networks) Archer. Well, really, what it tells you is that I just don't watch a lot of TV. But YES, so very tired of investing emotionally and time in narratives that don't progress or function - like, The X-Files has been on my mind lately and I think it's emblematic of so many of the things I'm not interested in wrt narratives, which is the glacial progression of character relationships and a dissatisfactory narrative built piecemeal over time without regard for actual narrative structure. IDK, IDK, I think it comes down to seasons and the drive to renew a show for additional seasons, to which end most shows, if they deal with any sort of mytharc, create some huge, shadowy thing that needs multiple seasons to explore (and which is, as with The X-Files, invented in pieces) instead of doing, say, a season-long story with another season-long story if the show is renewed. And it's not like kdramas can't also fail on

[peri_peteia]

I'm just sitting here nodding my head thoughtfully at this comment thread, but apparently have nothing to add at this time.

JSYK.

for years, i thought he said "and die from NOT surprise." i prefer that, tbh.

[mekosuchinae]

I, for one, am shocked - SHOCKED! - that you would agree with me on this. To quote a greater orator than I, I am going to have a heart attack and die from that surprise.

[moonsheen]

...but... but there doesn't have to be a Japanese adaptation of You're Beautiful! unless it's an anime The original was perfect! The only thing it lacked was maybe more Tae-Kyung and Min Nyu snoggings! ...and even then we had a enough of that to make me happy!

i'll probabaly end up watching this anyway becase...well, it's You're Beautiful

[mekosuchinae]

AFAIK, they're adapting it specifically because the original Korean drama was so popular in Japan, so: ??? Not that I'm complaining, you understand, because let's face it, I will take all the You're Beautiful I can get on account of my great love for all of these characters. Exception: Shin-woo. Mostly I just laugh at him. Tone it down, Salazar Slytherin.

The only thing it lacked was maybe more Tae-Kyung and Min Nyu snoggings!

God, and you do realize, THERE WILL BE EVEN FEWER SNOGS IN THE JDRAMA. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF THIS REMAKE AT ALL. AT ALL!

[moonsheen]

I REALIZE. THIS IS WHY I ENJOY K-DRAMAS COMPARED TO J-DRAMAS. COUPLES ACTUALLY GET TO SNOG /BEFORE/ THE BIG FINALE SCENE. (and sometimes they don't even do that in jdramascryyyy)

(I like Shin Woo too, but mostly because at least the series admits he's totally kinda a manipulative jerk who didn't get the girl because...well, he was kinda a manipulative jerk! also, I forgave him a lot of his Nice Guy-ness when he proves he COULD be Min Nyu's friend in the last ep)

Although, okay, I could go for more of the real Go Mi Nam. I love what little we see of that punk. I want there to be an anime adaptation one day because I'd love to actually get interaction between the twins! Which is sadly sort of tricky in live action especially wtih a limited budget for fun special effects etc etc

[mekosuchinae]

LOOOOOOL, OMG, DID YOU WATCH HANA YORI DANGO? Never over them obscuring the big finale kiss with the setting sun. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? UGH. I lost so much hair that night on account of ripping it out in frustration at how they obscured the big finale kiss with the setting sun.

Yes! I wanted so much to see Mi-nyeo and Mi-nam interacting, tho obvs that would be difficult to achieve. They're clearly close and they love each other very much, and it would be wonderful (but not likely) to see that explored some more.

[mekosuchinae]

Don't enable me, Tropie! I'll never shut up again. (Ha ha. TOO LATE.) I'm so excited for Scent of a Woman, wtf. I latched on a little too firmly to the idea of a Last Holiday scenario, and now I'm convinced everything will end like a Disney fairy tale, with kisses and wedding bells and rosy sunsets. She doesn't die, and she marries the prince chaebol! I LOVE IT ALREADY. Sold!

[ningen_demonai]

Omg, so many k-dramas. I approve. *_*b

[mekosuchinae]

I don't think I'm going to get anything other than watching kdramas done this summer, tbh. So much tv!!

[ningen_demonai]

Hahah, I feel that it's a good use of your time, cuz you seem to be having tons of fun watching all this tv. ♥

[mekosuchinae]

Check on me again in a couple weeks after I've burned my eyes out from sitting too close to my laptop too late at night! *g*

[viviolo]

I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT KDRAMAS A LOT!!11!! YES, stressed importance on relationships! YESSSSS FINITE NARRATIVES. (That is just a GIANT UNHEALING WOUND wrt my relationship with comics.)

And aaahhhhhhh your TO-WATCH list is great. Greatest Love is adorable (NON-VILIFIED SECONDARY LADY OMG), I LOVED Dream High (I-I really like choreographed dance routines), the first two episodes of Heartstrings have been cute, and I love all of the classical Korean music that gets played throughout.

The ending of 49 Days made me cry on and off for days just thinking about it. But I really appreciated the ways they dealt with death and mourning, and I really did love the portrayals of all the lady friendships. But ohhhh why did it have to be like that!!

Myung-Wol needs to be in my eyeballs right now, and hahahaha the DILEMMA of Scent Of A Woman! I just don't like having my heart crushed, okay. But maybe fans will send in enough letters begging the writers to spare Kim Sun-ah's character, ala Beautiful Days, and she will live!

HNNNNNGH