Check In: end of Week Two!

[topazera]

Hey, fellow drama watchers! I hope you've had a good week that involved a bit of drama-watching at least! :D As with last week, feel free to share any thoughts about your specific watching so long as you use a spoiler cut for any potentially spoilery information! We're here for anything you want to share, come on in

Comments

[ltgmars]

I am behind and it is terrible! I actually haven't even started anything yet, but I have confidence in my ability to watch dramas; I'll be able to get one of these things crossed off my list, and if not, at least the thought's there. :D

My difficulty, like last time, is finding it in me to get past the "starting a new series" inertia. There's just something about the thought of starting something new -- a whole new set of characters and storyline, a whole new world they live in -- that's very exhausting to me. But I'm excited to get going on them, so maybe that'll help me push through.

I usually pick dramas based either on recs I've gotten from other people (a few on my list like Kazoku Game, Yasashii Jikan, Trick, and Spec come critically acclaimed), and the more unusual it feels to me that I haven't actually seen them (perhaps by the general buzz around them, or by the number of people I know who ask me why I haven't seen them yet), the more I'll want to see them. Otherwise, favorite actors/actors I want to get to know better -- I

[tokeruyouna]

There's just something about the thought of starting something new -- a whole new set of characters and storyline, a whole new world they live in -- that's very exhausting to me.
That's interesting. I always saw it as an exciting chance to see a whole new point of view and set of possibilities.

LOL people critically acclaimed Kazoku Game? Of course if people like something they like it, but the idea of "critically acclaimed" is taking it too far for that drama in my opinion.

Whose videographies have you gone through?

[ltgmars]

It's certainly exciting, but it's a lot of work for me, somehow. Maybe it's because I usually stretch myself pretty thin in terms of what I'm consuming (I spend 90% of my free time scrambling to keep up with currently airing dramas and variety shows because I've got nothing else going for me in my life). I find that I have to have a certain amount of energy/oomph to get things started in general, so the inertia unfortunately outweighs the excitement much of the time. Any advice on how I might be able to change my attitude about it? Or maybe I should just drop some of the meh dramas I'm watching, but I'm also annoyingly compulsive about finishing things I've started, so I've watched a lot of meh dramas just because I watched the first couple of episodes. :/

So many of my friends have said that Kazoku Game was really well done, one of the best they've watched, etc. I haven't started yet so I've got no opinion one way or another, but it's critically acclaimed in the circles I run in, at least. XD

[tokeruyouna]

Hmm, I don't think I really have any advice on that since I've never felt like it was a lot of work. I usually tend to be more interested in the big idea of "dramas" in general and the connections between them, etc. than the particular stories. I don't tend to get very emotionally invested in dramas except in the rare case that they make me invested, but by that time I'm already used to the characters/world anyway so it's not a big deal. It might help a little if you stuck to dramas that have finished airing or, as you suggested drop more of the meh ones, going into it with the philosophy that you don't have to finish them. I used to be a lot more compulsive about finishing them too, especially since there have been a few that I almost dropped that ended up as favorites. However, now I am more likely to drop them if they really irritate me or if after the first few episodes I can say I don't care what happens in the end

[ssumiya]

1. How many episodes have you watched this week

[topazera]

Happy watching!! :D I'm glad the challenge has been helpful to you already! You're making such a good progress too, that's quite a marathon you pulled off. ♥

Actors. Deifnitely. So I can cling to whole new word and a whole set of characters I need someone to focus on :3 I usually en up loving the rest of course ;D
Heeee, yeah, it can definitely help you get established to have someone who already "know" in the world who can introduce you to all these new people ;)

[quaggy_mire]

I've watched... half of episode 6. :-/ Despite my slow pace, I'm really loving Reply 1994. I love the friendships. I love all the characters character (except one). I love the humor and I love the little details. I'll come back with more details later in the week. Not sure how much to put under spoiler cuts yet. There are no big twists or anything. Just recap level spoilage.

Normally, I pick shows because the plot, interesting, enjoyable characters and how consistent the writing is. I have to really like the premise and know that the show is handling itself well. So generally I wait to see how other people are liking the show, especially friends who have similar tastes to mine. It's a little harder with Asian dramas, since none of my friends watch them, so I rely more on recaps.

Okay, brain is fried, so that's all I got right now. But I'll be back later. :-)

[tokeruyouna]

So you mean you make a determination of "the plot, interesting, enjoyable characters and how consistent the writing is" through what other people say about it then decide if you want to watch it or not? Not trying to be critical, just wasn't entirely clear on your method. :)

[quaggy_mire]

Sorry! That wasn't as clear as it could have been. My fault for trying write anything with no brain cells left

[tokeruyouna]

No problem, I was just curious because I couldn't determine those things from what other people say. I suppose episode-by-episode recaps might give a better idea, but wouldn't want to find out that much about a drama before watching it because then I don't really think I would see a point in watching it.

I'd rather like at least a large percentage of them
I agree. I have a hard time enjoying something when I'm hating people.

Are there specific elements that constitute "ending well" for you when I comes to Asian dramas?

Personally I care a lot about the pacing of a show. Not in the sense that I prefer certain pacing over others but in the sense that I prefer it to match with the story or--better yet--enhance it. And I almost always figure things out early on, so for me it is always about how the show gets me there.

[tokeruyouna]

So I ended up dropping Hakuba no Ouji-sama after the first episode because it was just awful and ended up starting Taiyou no Wana instead. Mostly, however, I am just working on getting through Family's Honor. The first thirty episodes or so were amazing, but then it started getting rather clunky, so I'm hoping it pulls itself back together soon.

1. I never count/keep track of episodes. I only did last week because I could count from my comment in the original post, but that is enough for me.

2. Out of what I have finished, Urero Mikansei Shoujo.

3. No. I do watch Japanese variety shows too, but not at the same times I watch dramas, so they don't really interfere.

4. This might just be because I have somewhat eccentric tastes, but here are some I really like that don't seem to get as much attention as they probably deserve:
Jdramas--Beautiful Sunday, Byakuyakou, Boyhunt, Dousoukai (1993), Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu, Kanojo ga Shinjatta, Kon'ya Hitori no Beddo de, Mama wa Newhalf, Manhattan Love Story, Mou Ichido Kiss, Nemurenu Yoru

[ltgmars]

Ahhhh Hakuba no Ouji-sama was so bad. I commend you for your ability to drop it before you've wasted too much time on it.

Out of curiosity, are you watching any of the currently airing J-dramas? (Sorry, that's all I can really comment on.)

[tokeruyouna]

After watching the first episode I knew the things that made me interested in checking it out were actually non-issues in the drama, and I hated the characters as well. The acting and directing were horrible too, and that obviously wasn't something that was going to improve. There was no way I was putting myself through any more of that even if by some drastic miracle the story ended up turning good later on.

I usually don't watch currently airing dramas, but I am watching Urero Mitaiken Shoujo this season because I can't take more than one episode of that style at a time and it's not like there are any plot points I have to remember anyway.

[lastingdreams8]

I usually don't watch currently airing dramas
I wish I wouldn't watch things while airing, because I hate waiting, but I'm always so tempted by things people say or things on Tumblr xD

[topazera]

Right, I should probably answer some of my own questions too

[tokeruyouna]

What do you want in a kdrama, or what did that drama have specifically that you want in one?

If you pick up shows mostly because people are excited about them, does that mean you don't watch many old shows?

[topazera]

I don't think my criteria for a good kdrama is very stringent or objective: what I want the most from a kdrama is two lead characters I'm equally invested in and find myself thinking about and enough conflict to keep things moving preferably without shifting into an angstfest. Ideally there is internal conflict for the character, something about themselves they're working on resolving, and external conflict pushing along a plot (bonus points when this plot is slightly unreal with aliens/ghosts/time travel/etc). I know that's pretty basic storytelling but for me, I'm not that picky about my entertainment, I just want characters I'm really engaged with as individuals and then preferably characters who are something even greater than the sum of their parts when they interact with each other. People who experience something transformative, whatever it is. Usually something with some lightness and humor in it too, that doesn't leave me in too bleak of a place about life. XD

[tokeruyouna]

two lead characters I'm equally invested in
I agree, at least when it is about a romantic relationship between the two leads. I hate it when I like one and dislike the other and thus don't know how to support the relationship.

I've really only seen old dramas get hyped up when they are the ones that are really famous to begin with like HanaKimi, etc. There just aren't enough new shows to keep me interested, and I also like a lot of variety that you can't get if everything you watch is from the same time period. I tend to search for things myself rather than follow the hype so I find older shows anyway, but I wish there were more people watching/talking about them.