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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

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Shin Hye Sun, L, and Lee Dong Gun Confirmed for KBS Fantasy Romance Dan, Only Love

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 19, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 18, 2019
Three young adults posing for a portrait.

It’s funny how with the casting of the other male lead suddenly I think this drama has more potential. The three leads are confirmed for KBS angel-human fantasy romance Dan, Only Love, with Shin Hye Sun as a ballerina who doesn’t believe in love, L as the cheerful cupid angel, and Lee Dong Gun as the ballet troupe director. Since … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Dan Only Love, L, Lee Dong Gun, Shin Hye Sun

Fluttering Warning Makes for a Satisfying Albeit Smaller Scale Drama for Yoon Eun Hye and Chun Jung Myung

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 18, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 18, 2019
Couple in formal attire, smiling together.

Sorry it took me this long to post a reaction and opinion piece on cable network MBN drama Fluttering Warning, which starring my fave Yoon Eun Hye with another fave Chun Jung Myung. It was third time the charm for these two as they almost worked together in Coffee Prince and Missing You but this was the right drama for … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Chun Jung Myung, Fluttering Warning, Yoon Eun Hye

12 Year Old Lee Re is the Actress Scene Stealer of Memories of Alhambra

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 18, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 18, 2019
Two characters engaged in a conversation.

You win some, you lose some, and K-actress Park Shin Hye herself was a child actress who got acclaim for being more memorable than her adult counterparts when she first started out. It’s not her fault she was saddled with two plot device characters in Memories of Alhambra but I also felt her acting just didn’t elevate the wafer thing … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Lee Re, Memories of Alhambra

Current K-drama Male Leads on the 10 Year Challenge Have Aged Like Fine Wine

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 18, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 17, 2019
Comparison of images from 2009 and 2019.

The current It thing on Facebook is the 10 Year Challenge, to post a picture of yourself today versus 10 years ago on your first post when Facebook started. Some people have aged hard, some hardly at all, but looks are merely superficial to have much everyone has emotionally and mentally aged in a decade. For the K-actors we know … Continue reading →

Posted in My Loves | Tagged Gong Yoo, Hyun Bin, Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Jun Ki, Lee Min Ho, Lee Seung Gi, So Ji Sub, Song Joong Ki, Song Seung Heon, Yeo Jin Goo

Encounter Stays Steady in 7% Ratings for Episodes 13-14 and Teases Upcoming OTP Breakup in Penultimate Episode

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 17, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 17, 2019
Couple exchanging flowers in a romantic setting.

I think tvN Wed-Thurs drama Encounter (Boyfriend) is going to run the entire gamut of classic K-drama tropes with the second to last week of episodes setting everything up, but with a twist that I hope continues into the finale. The motherly opposition now comes from the kind Jin Hyuk’s mom, not because Soo Hyun isn’t good enough like the … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Boyfriend, Encounter

Gong Yoo is an Overgrown School Boy for Bazaar Pictorial and Readies for Movie Comeback with 1982 Kim Ji Young

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 17, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 17, 2019
Man looking back in urban setting.

It took me a few seconds to place where K-actor Gong Yoo was at in his latest Bazaar Korea pictorial shot in the US. I thought Queens, NY and then switched correctly to San Francisco once I saw the famed row houses. It’s an interesting shoot with the stylistic choice of dressing Gong Yoo like an overgrown school boy or … Continue reading →

Posted in Fashion | Tagged Gong Yoo

Han Ji Min and Kim Hye Ja are Mirror Images in New Promos for jTBC Drama The Light in Your Eyes

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 17, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 17, 2019
Two women enjoying nature in vibrant scenery.

Upcoming jTBC drama The Light in Your Eyes (formerly called Dazzling) is rightly focusing all its promos on its two female leads. Han Ji Min and veteran Kim Hye Ja play the same character but forty years apart, with a fantasy conceit that the younger self ages forward and then has the ability to manipulate time. I don’t mind fantasy … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Dazzling, Han Ji Min, Kim Hye Ja, The Light in Your Eyes

Suzy Gets Decked Out for Dior Art Event in Seoul

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 17, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 16, 2019
Woman with long hair and elegant attire.

I think it’s such a hassle to get dressed head-to-toe matching, especially including accessories, so it’s easier and way more fun to check out stars when they do go the entire mile. Actress-singer Suzy is one of those K-stars that doesn’t have any down periods in her promotional career, ever since her debut 8 years ago she’s always seen somewhere … Continue reading →

Posted in My Loves | Tagged Suzy

Ji Sung Returns to Being a Doctor for SBS Medical Drama Dr. Room 11 Years After New Heart

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 16, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 16, 2019
Smiling speaker at UNICEF press conference.

There’s two good reasons why I’m excited to hear that Ji Sung is coming back to the small screen. The first is that he’s reprising a doctor role in upcoming SBS medical drama Dr. Room, a good long 11 years after he played a doctor for the first time in the wonderful New Heart. The second is that New Heart’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged Dr. Room, Ji Sung

jTBC Drama Sky Castle Episode 16 Breaks All Time Cable Ratings with 19.243%

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 16, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 16, 2019
Ensemble cast portrait showcasing formal and casual looks

Sorry I haven’t been covering jTBC Fri-Sat drama Sky Castle, it’s purely due to not watching (yet) though I’m fascinated by the meteoric ratings rise and viewer chatter about the drama developments. Having near high school age kids makes me unmotivated to watch a drama about rich parents wrangling over their kids academic achievements (too close to home) but the … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged Sky Castle

Memories of Alhambra Screenwriter Explains Story is Male Lead Centric and Didn’t Have the OTP Romance Until She Shoehorned It In

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 16, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 15, 2019
Man pointing gun, guitarist, pensive teen

At this point two major groups of viewers watching Memories of Alhambra are hopping mad at screenwriter Song Jae Jung. That would be female lead Park Shin Hye‘s fans and also the general K-drama fan who wanted to watch a comprehensively well-written story. On the flip side male lead Hyun Bin fans are likely content with his lot in this … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Hyun Bin, Memories of Alhambra, Song Jae Jung

Jeon Ji Hyun and Cha Seung Won to Cameo in SBS Drama Vagabond with Lee Seung Gi and Suzy

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 15, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 16, 2019
Two men in stylish coats, staring intently.

SBS action thriller drama Vagabond has a big budget, big name stars, and now even bigger name cameos. The drama is already generating positive buzz after a nicely edited teaser trailer showcasing a lot of Lee Seung Gi running around and glimpses of Suzy trying her best to act like a government agent. Now it has the added bonus buzz … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Cha Seung Won, Jeon Ji Hyun, Lee Seung Gi, Suzy, Vagabond

D.O. and Nam Ji Hyun Reunite as Modern Couple in Drama Cameo for Eun Joo’s Room

A Koala's Playground Posted on January 15, 2019 by ockoalaJanuary 15, 2019
Three people discussing a document at a table.

There’s an under the radar drama airing on small cable network Olive called Eun Joo’s Room (Dear My Room) and having two big name stars cameo is really a boom because now even I’ve heard of it. D.O. and Nam Ji Hyun have traded their crown prince and destined wife Joseon garb from 100 Days My Prince for comfortable and stylish … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged D.O., Eun Joo's Room, Nam Ji Hyun

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  • 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
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  • Ulises Whitfield on C-actor Dylan Wang Faces Wild Rumor that He Attempted to Enlarge His Private Part But a Botched Procedure Lead to Erectile Dysfunction
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  • Dakchigo 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
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