↓
 
A Koala's Playground 
 
  • Home
  • About
  • Drama/Book Recaps
  • Favorites
  • Glossary
  • Headers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Ratings/Top Ten
    • K-dramas Ratings/Top Ten
    • TW/C dramas Ratings/Top Ten
  • Reviews

A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

Two women with dramatic expressions on layered background.

Post navigation

← Older posts
Newer posts →

Namgoong Min Takes Home the Daesang at the 2021 MBC Drama Awards for The Veil and the Cast of The Red Sleeve Cuff Wins Big Across Multiple Categories

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 30, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 30, 2021
Smiling man in tuxedo on award stage

The first of the three network drama awards was the 2021 MBC Drama Awards which was less about the depth and breadth of offerings (slim pickings this year) but about the veteran versus the youngster for Daesang. It was a genuine competition with two very compelling acting performances that were nevertheless a comparison of a great orange with a great … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Cha Seo Won, Jang Hye Jin, Jung Moon Sung, Junho, Kang Hoom, Kim Do Hyun, Kim Hwan Hee, Kim Ji Eun, Lee Deok Hwa, Lee Sang Yeob, Lee Se Young, Namgoong Min, Park Ha Sun, Uhm Hyun Kyung

Five Actors Make the Sports Donga List of Top 10 Korean Contents Worldwide Leaders in 2021 Including Lee Jung Jae, Youn Yeo Jung, Song Joong Ki, Shin Mina, and Ro Woon

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 30, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 29, 2021
Four-panel collage of Korean actors and idols

Hahaha, four out of five that make sense isn’t so bad a batting average for this outing. Korean newspapers Sports Donga released an article listing the 2021 Top 10 Worldwide Korea Content Leaders, basically the ten people/groups in Korean entertainment that wowed the broader global audience. Of course BTS is on there lol, those boys remain singlehandedly generating their own … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Ro Woon

Gong Yoo and Kim Tae Ri Offered Leads in Jirisan, Kingdom, and Signal Screenwriter Kim Eun Hee’s Next Drama The Devil

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 29, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 30, 2021
Portraits of two smiling individuals.

I would say screenwriter Kim Eun Hee played a meaningful part in why tvN big budget big name cast K-drama Jirisan was a relative failure in bringing in the ratings. There was wonky directing in the beginning but it settled down reportedly, and leads Jeon Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon while not getting lauded as deserving awards for their … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Evil, Gong Yoo, KIm Tae Ri, The Devil

Seoul Court Denies Injunction Request in Lawsuit Filed by Korean Civic Rights Group to Stop jTBC From Airing Snowdrop

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 29, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 29, 2021
Couple in dimly lit room sharing a moment.

I think jTBC did not set out to give a different take on the late 1980’s student democracy protests and the actions of the military government in cracking down but it ended up shooting itself in the foot regardless with Snowdrop. By combining that real life era and events with a made up North Korean spy in South Korea fiction, … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Jisoo, Jung Hae In, Snowdrop

Dr. Who Fans Complain that Netflix K-drama The Silent Sea is a Ripoff of the 2009 Episode The Waters of Mars

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 29, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 28, 2021
Astronauts conversing in a futuristic spacecraft.

The recently premiered Netflix sci-fi drama The Silent Sea was did not get as much positive reception from the critics as the prior few Netflix premiered dramas did and the viewership also is not as high. But the viewers who did watch appear to like it as the general audience commentary has been positive, with the general view that the … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Bae Doo Na, Gong Yoo, The Silent Sea

Powerhouse Soop Entertainment Releases Adorably Hilarious Doodles by Choi Woo Shik of His Fellow Agency Colleagues Including Gong Yoo, Seo Hyun Jin, Suzy, and More

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 28, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 28, 2021
Artistic collage of a person and drawing.

In the currently airing SBS drama Our Beloved Summer, male lead Choi Woo Shik‘s character is a successful adult artist after being an academic loser in high school. He belongs to Soop Entertainment agency and this week he’s the pen behind a series of colleague doodle sketches of their face. The most LOLWUT has to be top star Gong Yoo … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged Choi Woo Shik, Gong Yoo, Jung Yumi, Kim Jae Wook, Nam Joo Hyuk, Seo Hyun Jin, Suzy

Lee Je Hoon Gets His Dream Casting Wish Pairing Up with Koo Kyo Hwan for Action K-movie Escape

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 28, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 29, 2021
Serious man in white turtleneck, black background

One of the cutest love calls in recent memory for K-actor Lee Je Hoon at the Blue Dragon Film Awards sending his dream casting wishes to the current It Actor Koo Kyo Hwan. There was finger hearts and it made everyone watching so excited to see if these two can work together. It’s now come true as a Christmas wish … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | Tagged Escape, Koo Kyo Hwan, Lee Je Hoon

K-ent Lists the 5 Breakout Male Drama Actors of 2021 as Na In Woo, Lee Do Hyun, Song Kang, Kim Young Dae, and Lee Jun Young

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 28, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 28, 2021
Four men at an award ceremony event.

Okay, these guys are busy bees this year and most on the list did at least two K-dramas this year and some even more than that (Song Kang, imma looking at you). With the year coming to a close, there is a promising new crop of breakout male drama actors who are expected to rake in more casting offers to … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Young Dae, Lee Do Hyun, Lee Jun Young, Na In Woo, Song Kang

Lee Joon Makes First Appearance in Episode 4 of Bulgasal and K-netizens are Swooning Over His Cool Evil Character

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 27, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 27, 2021
Dramatic scenes featuring stressed characters in danger.

I remember watching Interview with a Vampire and being way more entranced with the evil Lestat than the emo with human regret Louis. When one is the undead it’s more fun to just embrace it, at least cinematically. The tvN weekend drama Bulgasal deals with main character(s) who are immortal and must deal with the consequences of their inability to … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Bulgasal, Lee Joon

Kim So Yeon, Song Hye Kyo, Lee Je Hoon, and Honey Lee are the Daesang Nominees for the 2021 SBS Year End Drama Awards

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 27, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 27, 2021
Smiling woman holding a hairdryer in salon.

Well this is going to be a tight two lady race for the winner and it’s trending nearly evenly split among the K-netizens commentary. SBS released the four nominees for this year’s SBS Drama Award Daesang and it’s Kim So Yeon in Penthouse, Song Hye Kyo for Now, We are Breaking Up, Taxi Driver himself Lee Je Hoon, and Honey … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Honey Lee, Kim So Yeon, Lee Je Hoon, Song Hye Kyo

The Hosts of the 2021 KBS Drama Awards with Kim So Hyun, Lee Do Hyun, and Sung Si Kyung More Interesting as Daesang Winner Likely a Veteran From Hit Weekend Family Dramas Revolutionary Sisters or Gentleman and Young Lady

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 27, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 26, 2021
Trio with hand-heart and formal tux

I would love to see a talented grown up child actress like Kim So Hyun or Park Eun Bin win a year end drama Daesang but alas it’s likely not their time (yet). The KBS 2021 Year End Drama Awards are being postulated to be the least competitive and interesting among the Big Three networks due to having zero major … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim So Hyun, Lee Do Hyun

tvN Sat-Sun Fantasy Drama Bulgasal with Lee Jin Wook and Kwon Nara Takes a One Way Ratings Fall from 6% to 4% Range 4-episodes In

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 26, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 27, 2021
Dramatic scenes featuring emotional characters and tension.

The hullabaloo around jTBC Sat-Sun drama Snowdrop and its highly controversial premiere last weekend overshadowed the same time arrival of new tvN Sat-Sun drama Bulgasal (Immortal Souls). Starring Lee Jin Woo, Kwon Nara, Lee Joon, and Gong Seung Yeon, I wasn’t personally interested but it was occupying what has been tvN’s prime airing slot taking over for Jirisan. It actually … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Bulgasal, Gong Seung Yeon, Kwon Nara, Lee Jin Wook, Lee Joon

Beleaguered jTBC Drama Snowdrop Ratings Fall to 1% Range in Episodes 3-4 as Acting Criticism of Female Lead Jisoo Rises

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 26, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 26, 2021
Man and woman on bicycle, romantic scene.

So this weekend there are new topics to discuss about jTBC weekend drama Snowdrop outside of K-netizens wanting to yeet it out of existence for distorting sensitive aspects of modern South Korean history on the student democracy movement of the 1980s. The first is the ratings, which appear to be in a freefall, or as the very glib K-netz say … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Jisoo, Jung Hae In, Snowdrop

Post navigation

← Older posts
Newer posts →

Currently watching:

K-dramas: When the Phone Rings

Recent Posts

  • CCTV and iQiyi Medical Drama Small Town Remedy with Xiao Zhan is the Most Well Received C-drama of October 2026
  • Where the Mask Ends Completes Airing with 19th Consecutive Days of Over 10,000 Heat Index on Youku Surpassing 18 Day Record Set By Legend of Zang Hai and The Immortal Ascension
  • Agent Kim Reactivated Chosen by K-ent Industry Insiders as Best Drama of 2026 Followed by Teach You a Lesson and We Are All Trying Here
  • Vertical Mini C-drama Male Lead Dai Gao Zheng Breaks Out with Mainstream Hit C-drama Where the Mask Ends as the Oft Beaten Beefcake Antagonist
  • K-ent Industry Insiders Vote on Worst K-drama of 2026 and Royal Romance Drama Perfect Crown with IU and Byun Woo Seok Leading the Ignominious List
  • Republic Era War and Romance C-drama The Lament of Autumn with Cheng Lei and Xu Ruo Han Peters Out From Hot Start and Frustrates Viewers with Ending
  • Reunion of Blossom Leads Li Yun Rui and Meng Zi Yi in C-drama Tigers Sniff the Rose is Heading Towards Flop Territory Midway Through Airing
  • C-actor Song Zu Er to Ditch Her Stage Name and Go By Birth Name Sun Fan Qing Going Forward as Confirmed by Promos for New Dramas The Palace Stewardess and Wish You All the Best
  • Wuxia C-drama The One with Wu Lei Releases Insanely High Budget Looking First Official Trailer
  • Song Wei Long and Tian Xi Wei Cast in Tencent 2027 Big Budget Period Drama Da Tang Pi Zhu Ji




Latest Comments

  • Quinn Zhao on Youku Modern Romance C-drama The Early Spring with Jing Bo Ran and Sun Qian Becomes Unexpected Summer Hit and Notches a Respectable 6.7 Douban Ratings
  • Diego Duarte on C-actor Dylan Wang Faces Wild Rumor that He Attempted to Enlarge His Private Part But a Botched Procedure Lead to Erectile Dysfunction
  • Opal on CCTV and iQiyi Medical Drama Small Town Remedy with Xiao Zhan is the Most Well Received C-drama of October 2026
  • K on Vertical Mini C-drama Male Lead Dai Gao Zheng Breaks Out with Mainstream Hit C-drama Where the Mask Ends as the Oft Beaten Beefcake Antagonist
  • kam on Where the Mask Ends Completes Airing with 19th Consecutive Days of Over 10,000 Heat Index on Youku Surpassing 18 Day Record Set By Legend of Zang Hai and The Immortal Ascension
  • HL on CCTV and iQiyi Medical Drama Small Town Remedy with Xiao Zhan is the Most Well Received C-drama of October 2026
  • avarachika on Agent Kim Reactivated Chosen by K-ent Industry Insiders as Best Drama of 2026 Followed by Teach You a Lesson and We Are All Trying Here
  • Kate on CCTV and iQiyi Medical Drama Small Town Remedy with Xiao Zhan is the Most Well Received C-drama of October 2026
  • AWUC26 on CCTV and iQiyi Medical Drama Small Town Remedy with Xiao Zhan is the Most Well Received C-drama of October 2026
  • Ximena Delgado on Youku Modern Romance C-drama The Early Spring with Jing Bo Ran and Sun Qian Becomes Unexpected Summer Hit and Notches a Respectable 6.7 Douban Ratings
  • LW on Where the Mask Ends Completes Airing with 19th Consecutive Days of Over 10,000 Heat Index on Youku Surpassing 18 Day Record Set By Legend of Zang Hai and The Immortal Ascension
  • Nina Quiroga on Tencent Period Drama The Road to Splendor with Ding Yu Xi and Deng En Xi Gets More Good Reviews than Viewership with Solid 7.1 Douban Ratings

Categories

  • Awards
  • Books
  • Discussion Forum
  • Download Links
  • Drama Previews
  • Fashion
  • Films
  • First Impressions
  • J-doramas
  • Japanese Manga
  • K-dramas
  • Miscellaneous
  • Music
  • Musings
  • My Loves
  • Oldies but Goodies
  • Recaps
  • Recess
  • TW & C dramas
  • Year End Reviews

Tags

Dating Gong Hyo Jin Gong Yoo Ha Ji Won Han Ji Min Hyun Bin IU Jang Geun Seok Jeon Ji Hyun Ji Chang Wook Ji Sung Jung Hae In Jung So Min Kim Go Eun Kim Ji Won Kim So Hyun Kim Soo Hyun Kim Woo Bin Kim Yoo Jung Lee Dong Wook Lee Jong Seok Lee Jun Ki Lee Min Ho Lee Seung Gi Liu Shi Shi Married Moon Geun Young Nam Joo Hyuk Park Bo Gum Park Min Young Park Seo Joon Park Shin Hye Shin Se Kyung Song Hye Kyo Song Joong Ki Song Seung Heon Son Ye Jin Suzy Wedding Yang Mi Yoo Ah In Yoona Yoon Eun Hye Yoo Seung Ho Zhao Lu Si

Archives

Blogroll

  • Dramabeans
  • Jomo's Findings
  • Mookiehyun
  • Thundie's Prattle
  • WaterOB

Favorite Book Translations

  • Da Mo Yao (Ballad of the Desert) Da Mo Yao (Ballad of the Desert)
  • Lost You Forever Lost You Forever
  • Yun Zhong Ge (Song of the Clouds) Yun Zhong Ge (Song of the Clouds)

Favorite Drama Recaps

  • In a Good Way In a Good Way
  • Nice Guy (The Innocent Man) Nice Guy (The Innocent Man)
  • The King 2 Hearts The King 2 Hearts
©2026 - A Koala's Playground - Weaver Xtreme Theme
↑
error: Content is protected !!