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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

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tvN Sageuk Queen Cheorin Releases New Poster and Stills of Leads Shin Hye Sun and Kim Jung Hyun

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 17, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 18, 2020
Four characters in traditional attire, dramatic setting.

I’m so excited for tvN sageuk Queen Cheorin that I’m not even annoyed it can’t settle on an English drama title. I think using the Korean title would be best but first it went with No Touch Princess and now it’s going to be Mr. Queen. That’s a little to cheeky and I won’t want to run afoul of the … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Jung Hyun, Mr. Queen, Queen Cheorin, Shin Hye Sun

Lee Yeon Hee Parts Ways with SM Entertainment After 19 Years, Signs with Hyun Bin’s Agency VAST Entertainment

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 17, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 17, 2020
Woman wearing white coat and layered necklaces

Dang, big news either way and honestly so wild that K-actress Lee Yeon Hee has been in the industry for 19 years! Lee Yeon Hee has elected not to renew her expiring contract with SM Entertainment, which has repped her since she debuted. She has signed with recently formed agency VAST Entertainment which was founded by Hyun Bin and has … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Lee Yeon Hee

Lee Do Hyun Wraps Up 2020 on Career High Note with Indelible Performance in K-drama 18 Again

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 17, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 16, 2020
Person with hand on chin, neutral expression.

One thing Record of Youth did convey realistically is that K-ent is always primed for the next big thing, and in some ways retaining success is even harder than that serendipitous big break which feels in some way like luck. It’s safe to say K-actor Lee Do Hyun is one of the breakouts of 2020, like last year we had … Continue reading →

Posted in My Loves | Tagged Lee Do Hyun

First Look at Second OTP Sooyoung and Kang Tae Oh in jTBC Drama Run On

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 16, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 16, 2020
Two characters promoting the show "Run On."

I like to think of upcoming jTBC drama Run On as two separate dramas that are interconnected because it has two sets of OTPs so the second leads are just different leads with their own cute story. The drama has released the first pictures of Sooyoung as a sports agency CEO and Kang Tae Oh as a college arts student, … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kang Tae Oh, Run On, Sooyoung

Kim Hye Yoon to Make Cameo Appearance in High School Romance K-drama Live On

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 16, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 16, 2020
Student wearing a school uniform, looking surprised.

I thought K-actress Kim Hye Yoon would be a lot more active this year in 2020, after her two breakout roles the prior year with Sky Castle then Extraordinary You. She does have a K-drama lined up with next year’s Snowdrop but she’s the second female lead with Ji Soo and Jung Hae In, and now her fans will have … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Hye Yoon, Live On

Excellent MBC Mon-Tues Drama Kairos is the Dark Horse Tightly Plotted Thriller Sliding Under the Radar

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 16, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 15, 2020
Drama poster featuring three characters from "Kairos."

MBC has been bottom of the ratings barrel for so long that I’ve really stopped paying much attention to its ability to deliver dramas worth watching. Consider me even more impressed with recently premiered Mon-Tues drama Kairos, currently with 5-episodes aired. It’s so good, like a tightly plotted thriller I would expect to find on OCN mixed with the layer … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Ahn Bo Hyun, Kairos, Lee Se Young, Nam Gyu Ri, Shin Sung Rok

Emotional Complications Abound in Start-Up Episode 10 as the Leads Need to Balance Professional Goals with Personal Hang-ups

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 15, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 15, 2020
Couple sharing tender moments at night.

I love that the truth revealed in episode 10 of Start-Up doesn’t get glossed over but also doesn’t get unrealistically compounded. Dal Mi learns that her pen pal Do San was actually Ji Pyeong but her biggest issue is that all the comforts she grew up with were manufactured and she doesn’t know if her feelings for present day Do … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Start-Up

Pale Faces and Dark Pink Lipstick Distract in Comedic New Teaser for True Beauty

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 15, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 15, 2020
Diverse emotional scenes from a drama series.

If the premise of upcoming K-drama True Beauty (Goddess Descends) is about the power of makeup alone to transform an ordinary girl into a wondrous beauty then the makeup team for the cast has already failed. The second teaser is out and I’m wildly distracted by the terrible makeup job on all three leads Moon Ga Young, Cha In Woo, … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Cha In Woo, Hwang In Yeop, Moon Ga Young, True Beauty

18 Again is the Feel Good K-drama of 2020 with Breakout Star Lee Do Hyun and Heartfelt Performances by Leads Kim Ha Neul and Yoon Sang Hyun

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 15, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 14, 2020
Three characters promoting a drama series.

I haven’t written about jTBC drama 18 Again since it premiered but I’ve been watching weekly, addicted and totally won over by this underrated gem. The feels it delivers is similar to the second chances sincerity in Thirty But Seventeen and the catharsis of Knowing Wife, with the entire cast giving it their all and bringing to life this complete … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged 18 Again, Choi Bo Min, Hwang In Yeop, Kim Ha Neul, Kim Kang Hyun, Kim Yoo Ri, Lee Do Hyun, Lee Mi Do, Noh Jeong Eui, Ryeo Un, Yoon Sang Hyun

Both Male Leads Acknowledge Uncomfortable Truths as Episode 9 of Start-Up Builds the Sweetness and Drops the Shot of Pain

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 14, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 14, 2020
Two people in a flower-filled night scene.

Gosh, I’m seriously appreciate of how well crafted Start-Up is, the plot has hidden surprises in each episode and it always adds color and depth to the proceedings. Episode 9 didn’t reveal the truth of the Letters right off the bat, but let that build slowly so that the viewer is as anxious as Do San and as frustrated as … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Start Up

Namgong Min Offered Male Lead in MBC Spy Thriller Drama Black Sun

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 14, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 14, 2020
Four images of a young man in various outfits.

Normally I would say spread the wealth but eh whatevs this man has earned getting whatever lead roles comes his way. Namgong Min is being called the potential savior of MBC, the network toiling in the bottom of the barrel in drama ratings, buzz, and even cult hits. It’s like no one is watching anything from MBC. The network is … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Black Sun, Namgong Min

Song Joong Ki’s Agency Releases New Pictorial and He Pens Caring Note to Fans as He’s Busy Filming K-drama Vincenzo

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 14, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 13, 2020
Smiling individual in a cozy sweater.

This may be our first glimpse of what K-actor Song Joong Ki will look like in his upcoming K-drama Vincenzo. He’s smack in the filming right now and his agency History D&C released a batch of new stills for fans including a handwritten note on one picture where he sends his best wishes to his fans to stay warm during … Continue reading →

Posted in My Loves | Tagged Song Joong Ki

A Wintry Beach Outing Brings All the Warm and Fuzzies in Start-Up Before the Coming Heartbreak

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 13, 2020 by ockoalaNovember 14, 2020
Couples and family moments on the beach.

It’s now three for three in how much I love Suzy as long as she’s in a Park Hye Ryun penned drama. Dream High with Kim Soo Hyun is still one of my favorite OTPs, then While You Were Sleeping with Lee Jong Seok milked me for tears and smiles equally. Now in Start-Up, she’s just firing on all cylinders … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Nam Joo Hyuk, Start-Up, Suzy

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Recent Posts

  • C-actress Wang Chu Ran Lands Big Budget Female Lead Centric Hunan TV Period C-drama General Chang Ning Set for 2027
  • Cast Confirmed for Royal Revenge Drama Sister, I am the Queen in This Life with Kim Tae Ri, Ha Yoon Kyung, Jo Han Gyeol, and Moo Jin Sung
  • Meng Zi Yi Reportedly Selects Republic Era Revenge Drama Jing Gui as Next Project and Male Lead Rumored to be Cheng Lei
  • 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




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  • Yuhyi on 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
  • Yuhyi on 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
  • Bluey on C-actress Wang Chu Ran Lands Big Budget Female Lead Centric Hunan TV Period C-drama General Chang Ning Set for 2027
  • Elena Gallagher 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
  • lev on C-actress Wang Chu Ran Lands Big Budget Female Lead Centric Hunan TV Period C-drama General Chang Ning Set for 2027
  • Ehhhh on C-actress Wang Chu Ran Lands Big Budget Female Lead Centric Hunan TV Period C-drama General Chang Ning Set for 2027
  • Raya on C-actress Wang Chu Ran Lands Big Budget Female Lead Centric Hunan TV Period C-drama General Chang Ning Set for 2027
  • K 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
  • arlene on Meng Zi Yi Reportedly Selects Republic Era Revenge Drama Jing Gui as Next Project and Male Lead Rumored to be Cheng Lei
  • Jeannie on CCTV and iQiyi Medical Drama Small Town Remedy with Xiao Zhan is the Most Well Received C-drama of October 2026
  • Jeannie on Cast Confirmed for Royal Revenge Drama Sister, I am the Queen in This Life with Kim Tae Ri, Ha Yoon Kyung, Jo Han Gyeol, and Moo Jin Sung
  • Rina on Cast Confirmed for Royal Revenge Drama Sister, I am the Queen in This Life with Kim Tae Ri, Ha Yoon Kyung, Jo Han Gyeol, and Moo Jin Sung

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