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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

Portraits of young men with soft expressions.

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Episode 14 of Record of Youth Brings in 7.772% Ratings with Surprise Cameo of Choi Soo Jung and Hye Joon Moping About His Success

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 20, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 20, 2020
Three scenes featuring two characters in conversation.

We’re one week away from the final two episodes of Record of Youth and it can’t happen fast enough for me. This drama is both treading water and on its last breath in sincere narrative development, I’m grasping at straws to enjoy episode 14. The best was the surprise (total shock as it was not spoiled by the news) cameo … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Park Bo Gum, Park So Dam, Record of Youth

Production Company of Sci-fi Movie Space Sweepers with Song Joong Ki and Kim Tae Ri Mulling Different Release Options Including Netflix

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 20, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 19, 2020
Three characters in a futuristic control room.

Third time may not be the charm for sci-fi Korean movie Space Sweepers (Spaceship Victory). The movie has been delayed twice now due to COVID-19 shut downs and limitations at movie theaters, first in March and then later again in August. Some Korean movies have premiered and within the context of limited seating still managed to do well, but this … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | Tagged Song Joong Ki, Space Sweepers

Kim Kyung Nam, Jeon Hye Bin, Go Won Hee, and Lee Tae Ran Confirmed for KBS Weekend Drama Happy Other People

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 20, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 19, 2020
Person in plaid suit seated against wall.

Weekend K-dramas remain a safe and happy place for actors and actresses, devoid of fanwars and the viewers tend to connect with 50-episode lengths like a family. The number of weekend dramas being produced has also gone down and hopefully that means more quality fare. KBS has cast its 2021 spring weekend K-drama called Other Happy People (Happy Other Family) … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Go Won Hee, Jeon Hye Bin, Kim Kyung Nam, Lee Tae Ran

Record of Youth Episode 13 Gets 7.760% Ratings But the Relationships Stagnate in Career and Life Complications

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 19, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 19, 2020
Conversational scene with three characters and newspaper.

Okay, I’m officially so bored by Record of Youth, even the Park Bo Gum magic charisma isn’t enough the save it at this point. Episode 13 stayed steady in ratings from last week at 7.760% but honestly fell off a cliff for me on narrative and relationship development every which way in the main storytelling. Maybe Hae Hyo’s mom inching towards … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Byun Woo Seok, Park Bo Gum, Park So Dam, Record of Youth

Lee Min Ho Signs on for Apple+ K-drama Adaptation of Award Winning Novel Pachinko About Korean Immigrants in Japan

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 19, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 19, 2020
Man in a black suit sitting on stool.

Wow, everything about this project sounds great! Hallyu top star actor Lee Min Ho has picked his next acting project and it’s an elevation of K-dramas to a broader audience. He will be the male lead for streaming platform Apple+ 8-episode adaptation into a K-drama the award winning novel Pachinko. The novel follows three generations of Koreans starting during the … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Lee Min Ho, Pachinko

C-netizens Critique Victoria Song’s Dress as the Coveted Pick for 2020 Golden Eagle Goddess

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 19, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 19, 2020
Pageant contestants in glamorous golden dresses.

The Golden Eagle Awards are held every 2 years and the Golden Eagle Goddess selected also every 2 years. It’s basically a sign that C-ent thinks you’re the Current Drama It Girl. This year 2020 has selected Victoria Song as the Golden Eagle Goddess and she follows in the footsteps (reverse order) of: Dilraba Dilmurat (2018), Tang Yan (2016), Zhao … Continue reading →

Posted in Fashion | Tagged Victoria Song

Start-Up Ratings Remain Steady in Episode 2 as Story Smartly Lines Up All Four Leads with Compelling Connections

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 18, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 18, 2020
Young adults interacting on a sunny campus.

Some dramas star a fan’s favorite star and the lengths by which I hear devotees try to rationalize the bad writing, lackluster directing, and even bland acting doesn’t make it actually any good. tvN‘s latest Sat-Sun drama Start-Up is the opposite for me, I could write it off easily but it’s just so so sooooo good, with a story that … Continue reading →

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

Kim Sun Ho and Younger Counterpart Nam Da Reum Steal the Show in Excellent and Tear Inducing First Episode of Start-Up

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 18, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 19, 2020
Three scenes of a young woman engaged in various activities.

She’s back!!! Screenwriter Park Hye Ryun I mean and she’s firing on all cylinders and arguably better than ever with her new tvN drama Start-Up. I watched episode 1 and immediately beelined to write about it. Well, after I stopped crying and it’s a total deju vu from my experience watching the first episode of Pinocchio years ago. Park Hye … Continue reading →

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

Yoo Ah In is Ridiculously Handsome in New CF Pictorial for Menswear Brand

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 18, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 16, 2020
Young man wearing a black hoodie.

I’m having flashbacks to Sungkyunkwan Scandal and this isn’t even a sageuk pictorial. That was the breakout role for Yoo Ah In and probably when I thought he was the most young and handsome, because he’s such an auteur he disappears into whatever role is required which mostly doesn’t do justice to his good looks. This menswear pictorial is totally … Continue reading →

Posted in Fashion | Tagged Yoo Ah In

tvN Sat-Sun Drama Start Up with Suzy, Nam Joo Hyuk, and Kim Sun Ho Launches with 4.278% Ratings in Episode 1

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 17, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 17, 2020
Scenes from a Korean drama series.

I totally forgot it was premiere weekend for tvN and confess that I haven’t had a chance to watch the first episode yet so will reserve my opinion and commentary until tomorrow. This Saturday saw the premiere of new tvN weekend drama Start-Up and the initial ratings are on the low side for this time slot on the network. Starring … Continue reading →

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

Song Hye Kyo Rocks the Auburn Locks with Black and Grey Fall Fashion in New Footwear Pictorial

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 17, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 16, 2020
Woman in oversized sweater poses stylishly.

The arrival of fall feels welcome after a scorching summer and with it a breath of fresh air to don warmer threads. K-actress Song Hye Kyo has been dropping a succession of footwear ads in the last three months and each set is as lovely as the others. This latest batch released this week skew towards darker tones of black … Continue reading →

Posted in Fashion | Tagged Song Hye Kyo

Eric, Yoo In Ha, and Im Joo Hwan Navigate Awkwardness of First and Current Husband Love Triangle in Promos for The Spies Who Loved Me

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 17, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 19, 2020
Romantic moments between two characters.

I feel like Im Joo Hwan was hired to be the sacrifice in upcoming MBC drama The Spies Who Loved Me as the barrier between ex-spouses Eric and Yoo In Na getting back together. That’s fine as long as he has a great role and interesting narrative, but ooomph is it going to hurt to watch. Eric is so good … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Eric, Im Joo Hwan, The Spies Who Loved Me, Yoo In Na

Episode 13 of Alice Turns into Ouroboros and Fails to Deliver Clarity or Catharsis With Lots of Talking But Lack of Important Information Shared

A Koala's Playground Posted on October 16, 2020 by ockoalaOctober 16, 2020
Two characters in a dramatic cross-section scene.

SBS Fri-Sat drama Alice would have benefited so much from airing on OCN and being a tight 12-episodes like Train. I’m making this conclusion even though it’s not finished yet because the last few episodes have felt like much ado about not a lot, dragging things out to fill screen time when it could be much tighter to maintain the … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Alice, Joo Won, Kim Hee Sun

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  • Leia on Veil of Shadows Ends Run with Low 5.2 Douban Ratings Continuing Director Guo Jing Ming’s String of Visual Over Substance Dramas
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  • Ceiling on Xianxia C-drama Fate Chooses You with Allen Ren and Wang He Run Air Drops on iQiyi
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