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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

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KBS Drama Hello? It’s Me Confirms Main Leads Choi Kang Hee, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Re, and Eum Moon Suk

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 7, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 7, 2020
Four portraits of smiling individuals.

This drama premiere may be delayed due to production shutdowns for quarantine and whatnot but currently it’s scheduled to premiere at the end of January 2021 on KBS. I’m talking about the fantasy rom-com Hello? It’s Me! which this week confirmed the four leads with Choi Kang Hee, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Re, and Eum Moon Suk. Choi Kang Hee … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Choi Kang Hee, Hello It's Me, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Re

Lee Sung Kyung, Kim Sun Ho, Joo Ji Hoon and More Win Acting Side Prizes at the 2020 Asia Model Awards

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 7, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 7, 2020
Smiling person making a heart shape gesture.

The Asia Model Awards always has an acting and actor/actress category since so many South Korean models go into acting or do it concurrently. This year’s 2020 awards highlighted actors and actresses who had hit dramas or was quite buzzy this year. Kim Sun Ho and Lee Sung Kyung won the Model Award, Joo Ji Hoon took home the Asia … Continue reading →

Posted in Awards | Tagged Jeon Mi Do, Joo Ji Hoon, Kim Sun Ho, Lee Sung Kyung, Ong Seung Woo, Shin Ye Eun, Son Dan Bi

A Warm and Happy Ending Bids Fond Farewell to the Plucky Characters in Episode 16 of Tech Romance Drama Start-Up

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 6, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 7, 2020
"Promotional poster for Korean drama Start-Up."

Those who have only watched Start-Up will likely be shocked to hear that screenwriter Park Hye Ryung‘s previous dramas had serial killers, wrongful deaths, future dreams, and so much higher stakes. This was her sweetest drama to date, pared down in problems so she could focus on the small but vitally important things: family and dreams. Episode 16 brought this … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kang Hana, Kim Sun Ho, Nam Joo Hyuk, Start Up, Suzy

Song Joong Ki Hosts the 2020 MAMA Awards in Seoul with Many K-acting Stars in Attendance

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 6, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 6, 2020
Man in tuxedo speaking at award ceremony.

Aaaaahhhhh this feels nice, a sense of normalcy and nostalgia for how big this awards got in recent years and perhaps a nice slimming down to focus on just the core competencies. The 2020 MAMA (Mnet Asian Music Awards) went off this weekend with a huge red carpet and many stars walking it in person. This is foremost a music … Continue reading →

Posted in Awards | Tagged Hwang In Yeop, Im Soo Hyang, Im Soo Jung, Jeon Mi Do, Jung Kyung Ho, Kang Hana, Kim Ji Suk, Lee Do Hyun, Lee Sang Yeob, Lee Sun Bin, Park Ha Sun, Park Seo Joon, Song Joong Ki, Sooyoung, Yoo Yeon Seok

Lee Jun Ki and Seo Ye Ji Adorably Reunited 2 Years Since Lawless Lawyer Accepting Best Acting Prizes at the 2020 Asia Artist Awards

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 6, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 4, 2020
Two stylishly dressed presenters on stage.

I’m not a die hard K-drama fan for nothing and I definitely do not forget the old whenever I encounter a shiny new love. I love ALL of OTPs past and recent equally and sometimes the two cross paths and I kinda go with what first feels come to mind. Last week’s 2020 Asia Artist Awards had me nostalgic for … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Lee Jun Ki, Seo Ye Ji

Ji Pyeong Plays the Noble Cupid in Episode 15 of Start-Up to Bring the Emotionally Clueless OTP Babies Back Together

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 5, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 5, 2020
Two people staring at each other, colorful backdrop.

Casa Koala had an eventful watch of episode 15 of Start-Up. Koala Teen Boy woke up early to group watch but laid in bed waiting to hear us watching or be summoned and thus missed the group watch. Once he watched later by himself he just yelled “Poor Ji Pyeong, I can’t believe Idiot Do San is going to get … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Sun Ho, Nam Joo Hyuk, Start Up, Suzy

Kim Dae Mi, Kim Hee Ae, and Park Bo Gum Lead the 2020 RACOI Values for 2020 Buzzy Actors and Actresses Combined with Drama Ratings

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 5, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 5, 2020
Young woman in various casual settings.

RACOI is a kind of system for value analysis in South Korea, achieved by estimating the value of broadcast program contents based on not only viewing rates combined with viewers’ responses from lots of social media activity (i.e. search, mentions, etc.). Since it’s a combo method, an actor or actress with a highly rated drama but not a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged Jo Han Seon, Jo Jung Seok, Kim Da Mi, Kim Hee Ae, Kim Soo Hyun, Kim Tae Hee, Lee Min Ho, Park Bo Gum, Park Eun Bin, Suzy

Tiffany Hsu is All of Us Precariously Balancing or Falling With No Net in New Striking Pictorial

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 5, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 5, 2020
Two models in vibrant, surreal settings.

I came across this recent fashion pictorial with TW-actress Tiffany Ann Hsu and was really taken. She’s an incredibly beautiful woman and I have really enjoyed her vastly improved acting over the years, but what I love about this pictorial is that is really captures the emotional anxiety people have been feeling in 2020. At times balancing so much change … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | Tagged Tiffany Hsu

Namgong Min and Park Eun Bin Win Drama Best Actor and Best Actress at the 2020 Grimae Awards Selected by Korean Director’s Association

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 4, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 4, 2020
Two smiling people posing together.

The Grimae Awards is less prominent in the international audience as it’s a prestigious but smaller awards platform given by the South Korean Director’s Association. It’s the Korea equivalent of the DGA Awards in the US (Director’s Guild Association) and wins are definitely coveted and appreciated because it comes from the talented group that does all the directing behind the … Continue reading →

Posted in Awards | Tagged Namgong Min, Park Eun Bin, Stove League

First Stills of Jang Ki Yong and Hyeri for tvN Gumiho Romance K-drama Falling Cohabitation

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 4, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 5, 2020
Two young stars posing for the camera.

Okay, this drama sounds like a mash up off Goblin’s cohabitation element and Tale of Gumiho‘s fox bead aspect, and Tale of Gumiho ended up being a stupid and lame mashup of Goblin and Hotel Del Luna. I would castigate this drama for retreading except it’s based on a manhwa as tvN will air the K-drama adaptation of Falling Cohabitation … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Falling Cohabitation, Hyeri, Jang Ki Yong

Teaser Stills for Episode 15 of Start-Up Shows the Leads Focusing on the Self-driving Car Tech with a Side of Long Overdue Bro Talk

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 4, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 4, 2020
Group discussing ideas at a meeting table.

Thank you tvN! I love getting teaser stills early and even better that it’s laying the groundwork going into the finale weekend for a drama I’m addicted. I’m going to be so sad to bid farewell to Start-Up, it’s been a family affair in Casa Koala with even Mr. Koala and the now grown up into Koala Teens watching and … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Sun Ho, Nam Joo Hyuk, Start Up, Suzy

Tale of Gumiho Ends with a Whimper Ruining the Great Start and a Fabulous Second Male Lead

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 3, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 3, 2020
Three people smiling in a casual setting.

Man, the last four episodes of tvN Wed-Thurs drama Tale of Gumiho (Tale of the Nine-tailed) has been as bad as the first two episodes were great. The drama started going downhill after episode 6 when it was clear the two leads had zero romantic onscreen chemistry no matter how angsty the backstory written, and the big bad was just … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Jo Boa, Kim Bum, Lee Dong Wook, Tale of Gumiho

Kingdom and It’s Okay to Not be Okay Only K-dramas to Make the New York Times Top TV Shows of 2020 List

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 3, 2020 by ockoalaDecember 3, 2020
"Scenes from Netflix series Kingdom Season 2."

The end of year lists are starting to come out and this has been a banner year for K-dramas in elevating to a broader viewing audience with a combination of Netflix making a push on the streaming and also COVID-19 keeping people at home without the other forms of entertainment. I actually have friends who have never watched K-dramas reaching … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Its Okay to Not be Okay, Kingdom

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Recent Posts

  • Kim Moo Yeol Shares that Hoobae Heo Nam Joon Texted Him Thrilled for Their Mutual Success with Recent Dramas Teach You a Lesson and My Royal Nemesis
  • C-actress Tang Yan’s Expected Big Female Lead Drama Lady Liberty Flops with Viewer Feedback Focused on Her Terrible Wig and Stiff Acting
  • C-ent Screenwriter Publicly Accuses Bai Lu of Using Her Clout to Remove Her From the Script of Recently Premiered C-drama The First Jasmine
  • Long Time K-celeb Couple Jung Kyung Ho and Sooyoung Confirm Breakup After 14 Years Together
  • Chen Yao is the Female Lead Opposite Deng Wei in Director Guo Jing Ming’s Next Drama the Fantasy Romance Bai Yao Pu
  • Tencent Modern Thriller C-drama Kai Dao Tu Mi in Talks with Bai Lu, Peng Guan Yin, and Chang Hua Sen as Leads
  • Well Known Supporting C-actor Jin Zhe Confirmed to Have Passed Away at 33 Years Old
  • K-netizens Call for Netflix to Remove Newly Premiered K-drama Teach You a Lesson with Kim Moo Yeol Due to Controversial and Edgy Take on School Violence and Discipline
  • Tian Xi Wei Offered Female Lead in Big Budget Adaptation of C-novel Deng Hua Xiao From the Writer of The Glory and Legend of the Female General
  • K-actress Moon Chae Won is a Glowing Bride in Wedding Pictorial Ahead of Upcoming June 2026 Wedding




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  • Royal We on Long Time K-celeb Couple Jung Kyung Ho and Sooyoung Confirm Breakup After 14 Years Together
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