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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

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Nam Joo Hyuk is the New Menswear Eider Spokesperson Replacing Longtime Brand Representative Kim Soo Hyun

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 21, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 21, 2025
Two men wearing red and black jackets.

I’ve chosen not to follow along on the still ongoing legal saga with actor Kim Soo Hyun after he was accused of dating now deceased actress Kim Sae Ron when she was still underage. Much ensued in the two months since her death and those allegations, and now there are lawsuits going both ways (his agency against her side, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged Kim Soo Hyun, Nam Joo Hyuk

Tencent to Schedule Period Comedic Culinary Drama Yummy Yummy Yummy with Li Yun Rui and Wang Ying Lu for Early Next Month September 2025

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 21, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 20, 2025
Period drama couple with red roses.

So word on the street is that Tencent will follow up currently airing period fantasy drama Moonlit Reunion when it finishes in early September next month with a genre pivot to comedic toned food themed period drama Yummy Yummy Yummy. I love the ridiculous English title so much but the Chinese title is totally normal called 宴遇永安 Yan Yu Yong … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Li Yun Rui, Wang Ying Lu, Yummy Yummy Yummy

Legend of the Female General Wraps Wholly Underwhelming Run as Douban Ratings Drop to 5.4

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 20, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 20, 2025
Ancient Chinese drama couple in traditional attire.

There is usually only a few points up or down movement with Douban ratings on any drama after it comes out, and the hope is always to gain a few points if possible with a strong ending. Legend of the Female General ended its two week run today and the Douban ratings dropped by a point down to 5.4, and … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Cheng Lei, Legend of the Female General, Zhou Ye

Kim Eun Sook Penned Fantasy Romance K-drama Genie, Make a Wish with Kim Woo Bin and Suzy Release First Poster and Teaser

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 20, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 20, 2025
Two people holding a golden lamp.

If anyone with eyes can tell me that I am somehow totally wrong for finding the first poster and teaser for the upcoming Genie, Make a Wish just the most terrible looking thing ever please share your take. Because I was making “ugh” faces from the moment this poster and preview dropped and even writing about it makes me want … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Genie Make a Wish, Kim Woo Bin, Suzy

China to Restrict BL C-dramas Further with Prohibition on International Platform Airing and Ban on Actors Starring in Them From Appearing in Other Projects

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 20, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 20, 2025
Two romantic drama posters side by side.

So it looks like the ban on BL-dramas the last few years wasn’t strict enough, or that the demand remained high enough that even the limited avenues for release was still getting to more viewers. There was a recent meeting of the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) to go through revising show guidelines across a variety of areas. In … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Chasing the Light, Immortality, The Untamed, Winner is King, Word of Honor

Korea’s Perennial Bachelor Variety Star Kim Jong Kook Announces September 2025 Wedding to Non-celeb Girlfriend

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 19, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 19, 2025
Man in tuxedo making heart gesture.

Well it looks like top variety K-star Kim Jong Kook does not want to start off his fifth decade as a bachelor still lol. The popular and well-liked star announced this week that he’s getting married next month in September 2025. His girlfriend is a non-celeb and it will be a non public (i.e. no entertainment reporters allowed) wedding with … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged Dating, Kim Jong Kook, Married, Wedding

Bai Lu and Wang Xing Yue Investigate Tang Dynasty Crimes in Youku Period Drama Unveil: Jadewind

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 19, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 20, 2025
Woman in traditional attire holding a sword.

Watching The Wanted Detective recently got me in an investigative drama mood, and male lead Wang Xing Yue actually has another such drama on deck that I am hoping gets released sooner now. It’s called Unveil: Jadewind (The Mysterious Case of Tang Palace) and stars Bai Lu as the female lead and third time reuniting with Wang Xing Yue after … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Bai Lu, Unveil: Jadewind, Wang Xing Yue

iQiyi to Schedule Period Drama Shadow Love with Song Yi and Cheng Lei for This Month End of August 2025

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 18, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 18, 2025
Couple in traditional attire, dramatic text overlay.

It’s a busy month of August for Cheng Lei, starting it off with the premiere of Legend of the Female General with Zhou Ye and likely ending the month with the premiere of Shadow Love with Song Yi. The two dramas won’t overlap for him but he will stay buzzy thanks to being on the small screen in two different … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Cheng Lei, Shadow Love, Song Yi

Wu Jin Yan and Chen Zhe Yuan Kick Off Filming on Equal Billing for Period C-drama Jiang Shan Wei Ping

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 18, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 17, 2025
Woman in red robe with calligraphy background.

So this drama is already on the second title and will likely get a different English title later, but filming has indeed started for Jiang Shan Wei Pin (A Kingdom as Dowry). The leads are Wu Jin Yan and Chen Zhe Yuan in equal top billing, which honestly should be fine for both fandoms but really sucked a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Chen Zhe Yuan, Jiang Shan Wei Pin, Wu Jin Yan

Legend of the Female Lead with Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei Opens with Low 5.5 Douban Ratings Reflecting Viewer Disappointment with the Drama

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 17, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 17, 2025
Epic romance drama promotional poster with text.

The C-drama Legend of the Female General, adapted from the popular and very fun novel Rebirth of a Star General, is my biggest C-drama disappointment of 2025 so far. It’s not as bad as some other C-dramas but since it came with such high expectation due to my love for the source novel it makes the wholly mediocre drama version … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Cheng Lei, Legend of the Female General, Zhou Ye

Producer Yu Zheng Confirms and Blasts the Director of Genius Girlfriend for Replacing Supporting Actress Zhao Jia Min Abruptly Two Days into Filming

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 17, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 16, 2025
Two women smiling, holding items, wearing black shirts.

Well this is another glimpse at the cutthroat and dirty world of entertainment, though the one speaking one has probably done the same if not worse himself. Producer Yu Zheng has gone public to confirm and blast the director and production of recently started filming modern C-drama Genius Girlfriend. His agency actress Zhao Jia Min, who played a memorable good … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Genius Girlfriend, Hu Yi Tian, Tian Xi Wei, Zhao Jia Min

Prestige C-drama This Thriving Land with Yang Mi and Ou Hao Premieres to Rapturous Reviews and is the Fastest iQiyi Drama to Hit 10,000 Heat Index and Also Breaks 3% Ratings on CCTV

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 16, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 16, 2025
Group in wheat field and reading scenes.

Well this drama is gunning for not just best C-drama of 2025 but also the most heat and views. Right now I would put Legend of Zang Hai as the frontrunner but that aired in the first half of the year and there was always going to be contenders that come in the second half. Prestige and period C-drama This … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Ou Hao, This Thriving Land, Yang Mi

Investigation and Revenge C-drama The Wanted Detective with Wang Xing Yue and Xiang Han Zhi Ends Placid Run with an Oddly Addictive How-Dun-It Element

A Koala's Playground Posted on August 16, 2025 by ockoalaAugust 16, 2025
Period drama characters in elaborate traditional attire.

This week iQiyi wrapped the run for The Wanted Detective, by all measure of heat and viewership metrics on the platform and beyond a total dud. This wasn’t a big budget or big name drama so being underwhelming won’t garner any articles about it, but I want to write about it because it’s the only drama I’ve finished from start … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged The Wanted Detective, Wang Xing Yue, Xiang Han Zhi

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  • Im Shi Wan and Seol In Ah Confirmed for tvN Mystery Romance Cross-dressing K-drama My Guilty Person
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