Comments | timescout: Drama talk

timescout

Drama talk

Dec 08, 2013 15:59

I've had dramadraughts before but never has the kdrama year been as piss poor as 2013 is turning out to be. There were many dramas that others seem to have thoroughly enjoyed but the premise of which I just found utterly 'meh'. Then there were all those I dropped after a few episodes for various reasons. Most of which had to do with crap scripts ( Read more... )

musings, kdrama, jdrama

Comments 7

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timescout December 9 2013, 15:02:27 UTC

I do believe a lot has to do with the fact that I'm now an 'old hand' when it comes to kdramas so I won't tolerate any old crap anymore. It IS very hard to fall in love with the new fare these days.

your_insomnia December 8 2013, 16:45:57 UTC

Okay, so I wasn't the only one. I think aside from watching That Winter the Wind Blows in the beginning of the year and loving it, I haven't watched anything else. I tried Good Doctor, Mirae's Choice and Heirs but all three were abhorrent to some degree and now I am just so demotivated to pick up anything else, even stuff that's potentially good (Reply 1994?)

I think for me it's fatigue with the manufactured, inhuman feel of all Kdramas (but especially something like Heirs, UGH that drama just personally offends me on some level). When I just started watching kdramas a couple of years ago, I loved how romance focused they were and could ignore lots of wrinkles and missteps. But like you I am just tired of constantly feeling frustrated with one thing or another. Also, Kdrama endings get no cred from - I don't remember a kdrama ending I've loved completely. And in general, there is always that fear that a show might start out good (Jang Ok Jung) and then derail completely.

timescout December 9 2013, 15:26:12 UTC

I still check out dramas that at least sound potentially watchable but I've craked my expectations pretty low. Reply 1994 is the only kdrama I'm following right now. It's not bad at all, if you are willing to live with the 'who's the hubby' thingy. It hasn't bothered me so far but then I'm about 4 epis behind. I really like the characters and their friendship.

Kdramas have generally been more flashy than dramas from other Asian countries but they have definitely become more manufactured and sort of cold. All shiny surface and nothing inside. The 2nd half curse has been the bane of kdramas for a long while now but even that has become more common these days imho. Like you I'm always in fear of a sudden derailment.

idlewilds3 December 9 2013, 05:29:24 UTC

I think all veteran drama watcher run into this problem where everything is the same old and your tolerance for crap is so low to almost non-existant.Gone is the giddiness and thus the willingness to turn a blind eye to those glaring imperfections cause you were in the throes of first love and stuff. I had the same problem before with Jdrama cause I just watched so many of them that all of them become way too formulaic. I haven't started a new jdrama for awhile and just took up a new one this season, it's called "Hard Nut" which is sometimes as silly as its title. hur. But the main girl is all kind of adorable with her oddness and the guy's voice makes me melty a bit. It's a procedural but a bit different in that both main characters kinda have some shiftiness going on in their background so that keeps it interesting. Check it out if you have time!

timescout December 9 2013, 15:40:30 UTC

Yup, I think you are right. The heady 'first love' is gone and the rose tinted glasses don't work anymore, so I'm much more critical and nitpicky. I still think that the quality of the writing is not what it used to be though.

I haven't watched all that many jdramas and I'd say a lot of them have been procedurals, of which I never seem to get tired of. :) I've heard good things about 'Hard Nut' so I'll prolly check it out. Not sure if 'Tokyo Bandwagon' is your cup of tea but I really like it. It's centered around this quirky family who runs a secondhand bookshop. It's warm and a bit naive but that's how I like 'em. ;)

idlewilds3 December 9 2013, 17:54:01 UTC

"Tokyo Bandwagon" is definitely on my list. I love that sort of family-centric drama where not a lot seem to happen but they fill me with the warm fuzzies nevertheless. Plus I have a soft spot for Kame, despite most of his dramas tanking, I like his acting style a lot.

I just started "Heartless City" and OMG! @ Doctor's Son. I haven't seen that much magnetism on screen for a long, long time! The writing is not as smart as I thought it would be but man, just for that character, I would be tuning in obsessively.

timescout December 9 2013, 20:27:50 UTC

Fun fact about Tokyo Bandwagon... for the longest of while I tried to figure out why the guy who plays the younger son of the family looks vaguely familiar. Then I looked him up "Hmmm... Kamenashi Kazuya? Who...? Kame!?" LOL! I did not recognise him at all. I really like his 'Hotta Ao'. But yeah, warm fuzzies are a given with this drama. So far anyway, I'm eagerly waiting for more subs (up till ep 6 now ( ... )