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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

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KBS Mon-Tues Youth Sageuk The King’s Affection Wraps Up 20-episode Run with Drama High Ratings of 12.1%

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 14, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 14, 2021
Couple in traditional Korean attire outdoors.

The entirety of the run of The King’s Affection felt unexpected. The promos looked so good, lyrical and gorgeous, but I didn’t love the drama at the outset and the general viewing public didn’t love it either that much so the first four episode ratings were low. But then it started picking up slowly and then steadily until it hit … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Park Eun Bin, Ro Woon, The King's Affection, Yeonmo

Kim Nam Gil Grows Out His Hair and Expands His Ability to Criminal Profiling in First Posters and Stills for SBS Fri-Sat Drama Through the Darkness

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 14, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 14, 2021
Man in black polo stands in alley.

I’m glad this drama is starting after the new year in 2022 because it definitely seems too dark and serious for a Christmas holiday start. With that said, SBS is likely looking forward to the arrival of police procedural Through the Darkness (Those Who Read Hearts of Evil) on the next Fri-Sat slot to see if it can revive the … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Nam Gil, Those Who Read Hearts of Evil, Through the Darkness

Ahn Bo Hyun Steps in for Kim Sun Ho in Romance Movie 2 O’Clock Date with Yoona While Lee Hyun Woo Takes Over in Ensemble Film Dog Days

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 14, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 14, 2021
Two portrait shots of young celebrities.

One out of three isn’t bad for K-actor Kim Sun Ho in crafting his slow comeback, and it looks like all projects are moving forward one with him and two without him. After his October scandal with his ex-girlfriend, Kim Sun Ho will remain filming the movie Sad Tropics but has been confirmed to be replaced in his other two … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Ahn Bo Hyun, Dog Days, Kim Sun Ho, Lee Hyun Woo, Sad Tropics

Park So Dam Diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer, Has Gotten Surgery and is Now in Recovery

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 13, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 13, 2021
Woman in a white dress, serene expression.

It’s a bad then good news in one bundle about K-actress Park So Dam this week. Her agency revealed that the star is taking a work hiatus after recovering from thyroid cancer surgery. She was diagnosed recently after undergoing a routine medical exam and since it’s a less aggressive type of cancer and it was caught early she was able … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged Park So Dam

K-dramas Vincenzo and Hometown Cha Cha Cha Sold by Studio Dragon for Overseas Drama Remakes

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 13, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 13, 2021
Mafia noir and sunny rom-com posters

Hhhmmm, this feels like a money grab from production company Studio Dragon but it could be net positive if the end products work for those viewer tastes. Hit K-dramas Vincenzo and Hometown Cha Cha Cha have been licensed for overseas international remakes, though no word yet on which country(ies). I feel both dramas are uniquely Korean, the former for that … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Vincenzo

tvN Fri-Sat Night Drama Happiness Ends its Underrated Run But with Plenty of Cult Fan Love and Laments for How Poorly it was Promoted

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 13, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 12, 2021
Four scenes featuring couples and families together.

This past weekend an underrated gem of a K-drama Happiness, according to the very vocal audience feedback, wrapped up its tight 12-episode run on tvN Fri-Sat late nights. The drama averaged mid 3% ratings through its entire run and the final episode was the only to break 4% with 4.185%. It’s considered a ratings disappointment based on the popular profile … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Han Hyo Joo, Happiness, Park Hyung Sik

High Profile Sat-Sun tvN Drama Jirisan Ends with 9.225% Ratings and Final Wave of Viewer Criticism on the Script Giving an Inexplicably Happy Ending

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 12, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 12, 2021
Multiple characters in a diverse outdoor setting.

I legit forgot it was the final airing weekend of tvN Sat-Sun drama Jirisan. Normally such a high profile drama would be generating buzz and chatter heading into the finale but it was crickets because the ardent drama fans that would generate content have long since checked out. The final episode got 9.225% ratings which is higher than the 7%-8% … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Jeon Ji Hyun, Jirisan, Joo Ji Hoon, Kim Eun Hee

Vogue Korea Picks the Four Hottest K-ent Ahjusshi Male Leads as Kim Hee Soon, Lee Jung Jae, Park Hae Soo, and Shin Ha Kyun

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 12, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 12, 2021
Four men in formal attire posing stylishly.

You’ll get no quibbles from me for this collection of four aged like fine whiskey hotties but it easily can expand to 8 or even 12 because K-ent actually does have plenty of great, plenty sexy male actors in the 40’s and above range. Vogue Korea picked its four Hottest Ahjusshis in K-ent and selected Park Hee Soon, so dark … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Lee Jung Jae, Park Hae Soo, Park Hee Soon, Shin Ha Kyun

Suzy Wraps Up 2021 with December Vogue Korea Dior and Decor Themed Pictorial

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 12, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 11, 2021
Young woman with a floral headscarf.

This year 2021 didn’t see K-actress Suzy in any acting project but she’s bookended it with 2020’s Start-Up and 2022’s The Second Anna. Start-Up was definitely a Suzy type of role, plucky and determined with a down-to-earth charm, but for The Second Anna she’s going to play a woman who lies about her life and ends up living another life. … Continue reading →

Posted in Fashion | Tagged Suzy

Now, We are Breaking Up Episodes 9-10 Stay in High 6% Ratings as the Core Parental Conflicts Also Stay Stagnant and Lamely Old School

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 11, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 11, 2021
Two people in an emotional conversation outdoors.

Last week I marathoned 7 episodes of Now, We are Breaking Up to catch up on the drama since I watched the first episode and left the rest on read. I read all the complaints, everything actually felt valid but also personal, the same criticisms could lead to someone not wanting to continue and another not being too bothered by … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Jang Ki Yong, Now We Are Breaking Up, Song Hye Kyo

Park Shin Hye Shares First Update After Her November 2021 News of Upcoming Wedding and Baby

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 11, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 12, 2021
Two studio portraits: woman and man

Winter is always nesting season, more so that holiday partying season, for me at least especially as I get old. I just get lazier lol and also basically played myself plenty out living a great social life pre-marriage, pre-kids, and even after both, so now I am a total happy holidays homebody. I also think it’s nesting season for K-actress … Continue reading →

Posted in My Loves | Tagged Park Shin Hye

2010 College Grad Classmates Lee Sang Yi, Kim Go Eun, Ahn Eun Jin, Lee Yoo Young, Park So Dam, and Kim Sung Chul Form Legendary Line of Current Hot Acting Talent

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 11, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 9, 2021
Three individuals posing for a photoshoot.

Running this blog for so long there are times I still think the era is X when it’s really moved on to Y. It happens fast in K-pop more than K-dramas and definitely K-movies rarely move the top line. But for actors and actresses there are generational shifts and formerly it was the ’87 line that K-ent kept a close … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Ahn Eun Jin, Kim Go Eun, Kim Sung Chul, Lee Sang Yi, Lee You Young, Park So Dam

Squid Game and Kim Sun Ho Make the List of Top 10 Most Searched Terms on Korean Google for 2021

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 10, 2021 by ockoalaDecember 11, 2021
"Group of people surrounded by money and games."

The helpful Google search engines continues to be the go to platform for anyone seeking information and the Korean search words in 2021 helps understand what was on people’s minds in Korea. Without splitting by category or top, only 2 entertainment related names made it on the overall Top 10 search terms in Korea – Squid Game was number 3 … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Sun Ho, Money Game, Queen Cheorin, Squid Game, The Uncanny Counter

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