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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

Four portraits of a young man.

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New Netflix Produced K-drama Hellbound Premieres to #1 on Worldwide Top 10 Viewing Stats But with Mixed Reviews

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 21, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 21, 2021
"Characters facing supernatural forces in Hellbound."

Streaming platform Netflix continues to pace out its produced K-drama drops, the schedule it basically one drama a month, with Squid Game in September creating the biggest K-drama buzz of all time with the worldwide audiences followed by a good reception for My Name in October. November was this past Friday’s release of Hellbound (To Hell), the supernatural and religious … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Hellbound

Netflix Japan Daily Top 10 Dominated by K-dramas Led by The King’s Affection and Squid Game

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 21, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 21, 2021
Netflix top 10 shows in Japan, November 2021.

Every few years K-drama will get super popular in Japan, the trend starting with the granddaddy of them all Winter Sonata and continuing most recently into Crash Landing on You, with plenty in between. But those standalone hits did not seem indicative that K-dramas were fully mainstream there which makes sense since J-doramas are still being churned out in droves. … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Crash Landing on You, Itaewon Class, My Name, Squid Game, The King's Affection

Famous Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean Stars Smack Faces as Look-a-likes

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 21, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 20, 2021

There are probably a whole lot more look-a-like female stars among the Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese contingent that I follow but I was really pressed to prepare this post when I saw the picture of C-actress Zhao Li Ying opposite the never-aging wonder K-actress Jang Nara. Never thought of them as lookalikes but once you see it then you can’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings

Idol Turned Serious Actor Junho Draws Mad K-netizen Praise for His Sageuk Acting, Diction, and Onscreen Presence in The Red Sleeve Cuff

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 20, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 20, 2021
Historical drama scenes featuring a male character.

Okay, for anyone wondering how well Junho is doing in MBC sageuk court drama and romance The Red Sleeve Cuff, just go watch yourself. Because he’s just phenomenal, as good as a young actor can hope to achieve in a serious sageuk setting. He holds his own against the veteran heavyweights, he generates young energy as the prince, and he … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Junho, The Red Sleeve Cuff

Shin Dong Wook Makes a Cameo in Now, We are Breaking Up as Song Hye Kyo’s Ex-boyfriend and Jang Ki Yong’s Older Brother

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 20, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 20, 2021
Actors sharing a tender on-screen kiss

Man, family reunions are going to be hella awkward. SBS drama Now, We are Breaking Up plucked one of the familiar tropes of K-drama romantic destiny/complication and used it this week, and no it’s not the first love or met at childhood one. This one was used in My Lovely Girl and a few other dramas and it’s the “dated … Continue reading →

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

New Teaser for jTBC Period Drama Snowdrop Elicits Criticism of Female Lead Jisoo’s Dialogue Reading and Schizo Narrative Tonal Shift

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 20, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 20, 2021
Romantic scene from the drama "Snowdrop."

Okay, setting aside any individual critiques, this is just an awfully cut trailer for a drama. It makes me actively not want to watch it because it’s just so poorly done. Upcoming jTBC romance period drama Snowdrop got tons of criticism for maybe distorting history and even a petition that it never air, which was absurd to lob a complaint … Continue reading →

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

Ratings Tighten as Episode 3 of SBS Romance Now, We are Breaking Up Gets 7.3% With MBC Sageuk The Red Sleeve Cuff Going Up to 7.0%

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 19, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 20, 2021
Two people under rain, one holding an umbrella.

This is such a great time to be a K-drama viewer with so many actually decent to good dramas out there to watch across various genres. The Fri-Sat battle between same day premiered dramas Now, We are Breaking Up on SBS and The Red Sleeve Cuff on MBC tightened in the second week and one went down and the other … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Jang Ki Yong, Junho, Lee Se Young, Now We Are Breaking Up, Song Hye Kyo, The Red Sleeve Cuff

tvN Teacher-Student Romance Melancholia Drops to 1% Rating Range by Episode 4 as K-viewers Find the Story Discomforting and Dated

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 19, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 19, 2021
Students in classroom, focused on studies.

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, they just had to pick this real life relationship to turn into a K-drama. I’m talking about the production for tvN drama Melancholia saying that it was based on French President Macron and his wife and everyone knows how they met, how old they were at that … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Im Soo Jung, Lee Do Hyun, Melancholia

Lee Min Ho Returns to Huntington Beach for the US Filming Locale of Heirs Nearly Ten Years Later

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 19, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 18, 2021
Person walking near beachside restaurant.

It’s a nice walk down memory land for me as a K-drama viewer and for actor Lee Min Ho as well, as last week he posted on his SNS pictures of him at a very easily recognizable place if you watched all his dramas. He was in front of Duke’s on the beach and of course that meant he was … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged Lee Min Ho

Yoo Seung Ho is the Beleaguered Straight Man to Goofy Hyeri in New Poster and Stills for KBS Youth Sageuk Thinking of the Moon When the Flowers Bloom

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 18, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 18, 2021
Young woman clutching a wine jar, man behind

I take solace in knowing that if a story is good I can usually overlook bad acting, especially if I’m fond enough of said actor or actress. The new poster and character stills are out for KBS Mon-Tues sageuk Thinking of the Moon When the Flowers Bloom, which will take over the time slot from The King’s Affection (Yeonmo) in … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Hyeri, Thinking of the Moon When the Flower Blooms, Yoo Seung Ho

Streaming Platform TVing Subscribers Triple in One Week After Most Recent Episodes of Well-received Drama Work Later, Drink Now

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 18, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 18, 2021
Three women holding colorful bottles, smiling.

The streaming viewers have spoken and there is an unexpected K-drama hit that should be great fun to watch during a holiday marathon. TVing exclusive drama Work Later, Drink Now (Drinker City Women) is adapted from a webtoon and stars Lee Sun Bin, Han Sun Hwa and Jung Eun Ji as three libation loving single working lady best friends in … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Choi Si Won, Han Sun Hwa, Jung Eun Ji, Lee Sun Bin, Work Later Drink Now

Park Seo Joon, Han So Hee, and Wi Ha Joon Cast in 2022 Period Drama K-Project

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 18, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 17, 2021
Young man posing against a window.

Well this is definitely a buzzy beyond belief casting trio and with filming to start in January 2022 it’s definitely one of the big projects for next year. Park Seo Joon, Han So Hee, and Wi Ha Joon are cast for the period K-drama titled K-Project (initially called Gyeongseong Creature). It’s set in the early 1900’s during the Korean occupation … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Han So Hee, Park Seo Joon, Wi Ha Joon

Gong Hyo Jin and Lee Min Ho in Talks for 2022 Space Rom-com Drama Ask the Stars

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 17, 2021 by ockoalaNovember 17, 2021
Woman with long hair smiling in a portrait.

Okay, just picked myself off the floor, nothing to see here. I thought I had the potential K-drama OTP pairings all figured out but somehow this one never once crossed my mind. K-ent is reporting the Lee Min Ho and Gong Hyo Jin are in talks to star in the first ever K-drama rom-com set in space called Ask the … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Gong Hyo Jin, Lee Min Ho

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  • prettyautumn 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
  • prettyautumn on CCTV and iQiyi Medical Drama Small Town Remedy with Xiao Zhan is the Most Well Received C-drama of October 2026
  • 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

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