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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

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Guardians of the Dafeng Premieres to Strong Opening Viewership Numbers But Mixed Reviews with Usual Complaints About Male Lead Dylan Wang’s Acting and Dialogue Reading

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 31, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 30, 2024
Cast of "Guardians of the Dafeng" series.

It’s been a few days since Tencent premiered period C-drama Guardians of the Dafeng with Dylan Wang and Tian Xi Wei and the first reactions are out. The viewership is strong off the bat, one of the best viewership numbers of the year in terms of opening days which makes sense due to Dylan’s buzz (good and bad). Whether it … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Dylan Wang, Guardians of the Dafeng, Tian Xi Wei

Yang Zi and Li Xian Spar and Partner Up for Business in First Trailer for C-drama Flourished Peony

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 30, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 30, 2024
Woman in traditional Asian attire, serene expression.

The trailer is out for Flourished Peony ahead of it’s rumored early January 2025 premiere. Starring Yang Zi and Li Xian, the Tang dynasty drama from the preview looks the most luxe of the slate of Tang dramas airing in recent months including The Story of Pearl Girl and Brocade Odyssey. Yang Zi and Li Xian are also exuding a … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Flourished Peony, Li Xian, Yang Zi

Kim Tae Ri Takes Home the Daesang at the 2024 APAN Awards for Jeongnyeon: A Star is Born

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 30, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 29, 2024
Smiling woman in a white dress.

This weekend the 2024 APAN Awards also took place, before the tragic plane accident in South Korea so there was media coverage. There were a lot of winners as the best actor and actress type awards were given for different lengths of K-dramas so I won’t list each one. The biggest winner was Kim Tae Ri who was awarded the … Continue reading →

Posted in Awards | Tagged Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, KIm Tae Ri

C-actress Zhao Lu Si’s Agency Confirms She’s Getting Medical Attention After Netizen Reveals Seeing Her Infirm at a Hospital

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 29, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 29, 2024
Cute koala sleeping on a tree branch.

So this is really distressing to hear happen to an actress I love so much. C-actress Zhao Lu Si is reportedly in the hospital or at least getting medical treatment. This news has been confirmed by her agency after a netizen claimed to have seen her in a wheelchair at the hospital including with a picture evidence. She has not … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Zhao Lu Si

Many Korean Variety and Year End Shows Cancelled in Light of Jeju Airlines Plane Crash Tragedy Today, MBC to Hold Drama Awards But Without Live Broadcast

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 29, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 29, 2024
Four Korean drama posters featuring different characters.

It’s a terrible tragedy to happen in South Korea today December 29th. Regional carrier Jeju Airlines had an plane crash today during a hard landing and by current count over 180 passengers have perished with two survivors. Since this is year end days, there are a lot of award shows and events scheduled many of which have been cancelled. MBC … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings

Former Top C-actress Zhao Wei Announces Her Divorce Years Ago From Non-celeb Husband Mr. Huang

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 28, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 28, 2024
Woman with long hair posing elegantly.

December 2024 has seen not one but two social media updates from C-actress Zhao Wei, breaking her silence years after getting cancelled for tax issues. This weekend she announced that she has been divorced now ex-husband Mr. Huang for many years now and their marriage has legally been dissolved. So no news involving him has anything to do with her … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged Zhao Wei

Squid Game Season 2 Premieres to Number 1 Viewership in 92 Countries on Netflix

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 28, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 27, 2024
Cast running in a game show setting.

Well, it doesn’t matter if you think Squid Game the original season was just okay or that this new season 2 is underwhelming. The thirst and demand for SQ2 is there as the drama premiered on December 26th and in one full day of airing has reached number in 92 countries. That is astonishing numbers and for a Korean drama … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Squid Game

Kim Soo Hyun Awarded the Daesang at the 2024 Asia Artist Awards

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 27, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 27, 2024
Smiling koala perched on eucalyptus tree.

Fans of tvN K-dramas have always lamented the cable network not having year end awards like the big three networks since tvN airs so many hit dramas where the leads should be feted by the network. This year the biggest ratings hit came from the network with Queen of Tears so it’s nice to see the male lead Kim Soo … Continue reading →

Posted in Awards | Tagged Kim Soo Hyun

Netflix K-drama Squid Game 2 Premieres to Mixed Reviews But Still Expected to do Gangbuster Viewership

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 27, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 27, 2024
Character stands before a large gift box.

The Games are back and just in time for the Christmas break and viewers to settle in for a marathon of 7-episodes. Netflix released Squid Games 2 on December 26th and so far the reviews from all publications international and domestic are mixed, with some happy with the return and see the second season as good while others find it … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Squid Game 2

Tencent Releases Top 10 Biggest Dramas of 2024 Led by Joy of Life 2, Blossoms Shanghai, and The Tale of Rose

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 27, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 26, 2024
Traditional Chinese costume drama promotional image.

Streaming platform Tencent aired the most hit C-dramas this year in 2024 so it’s list of the biggest dramas on its own channel encapsulates nearly all the big buzz makers of this year. Topping the list is Joy of Life 2, which reportedly wasn’t as good as the original but still good enough that viewers tuned in and stayed till … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Blossoms Shanghai, Joy of Life, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, The Legend of Shen Li, The Tale of Rose

Lee Se Young Goes Through All the Emotions with Na In Woo in the Holiday Season in New Teaser for MBC Drama Motel California

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 26, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 25, 2024
Four people posing in a stylish interior.

I loved this new preview for Motel California which brought in the current Christmas season and feels so festive. We see more of leads Lee Se Young and Na In Woo‘s characters and interactions and it’s definitely still the prickly female lead with the caring male lead set up, but so far in the promos doesn’t seem to cross the … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Lee Se Young, Motel California, Na In Woo

Tang Dynasty Flower Cultivation C_drama Flourished Peony with Yang Zi and Li Xian Release New Character Posters

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 26, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 25, 2024
Traditional Asian woman in ornate dress.

Well this is as Tang dynasty a drama as it gets. The era is polarizing with how C-netizens view the hairstyles and costumes and makeup but upcoming C-drama Flourished Peony absolutely captures it spot on without trying to tweak it. The drama is rumored to air in mid-to-late January 2025 so in the next few weeks for sure and expect … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Flourished Peony, Li Xian, Wei Zhe Ming, Yang Zi

K-movie Harbin with Hyun Bin and Strong Supporting Cast Opens Christmas Week in South Korea

A Koala's Playground Posted on December 25, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 25, 2024
Dramatic group of men in dark coats.

I feel like K-movies are lacking in that big cast and big budget allure in general with now only the occasional buzzy film arriving. Harbin which opened this Christmas week feels like a throwback with a top leading man in Hyun Bin and a big supporting cast of Park Jung Min, Jo Woo Jin, Yoo Jae Myung, Jeon Yeo Bin, … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | Tagged Harbin, Hyun Bin

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Recent Posts

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  • Kay on Tang Dynasty Investigative C-drama Unveil: Jadewind with Bai Lu and Wang Xing Yue Release Full Trailer Ahead of Likely Premiere in Next Week or Two
  • Trish on Wu Jin Yan and Wei Zhe Ming Cast in Hunan TV Period C-drama Feng Bu Qi to Kick Off Filming in Two Months March 2026
  • tlovertonet on jTBC Releases First Teaser for Rom-com K-drama The Practical Guide to Love with Han Ji Min, Park Sung Hoon, and Lee Ki Taek
  • lu on iQiyi Period C-drama How Dare You with Wang Chu Ran and Cheng Lei Release New Comedic Trailer Ahead of Likely Early February 2026 Release
  • Somebody on Young K-stars Shin Eun Soo and Yoo Seon Ho Confirmed to be Dating
  • Somebody on Choi Hyun Wook Joins Fantasy K-drama Soul Starring Kang Dong Won and Kim Go Eun From the Screenwriter of Queen of Tears and Crash Landing on You
  • Raya on iQiyi Period C-drama How Dare You with Wang Chu Ran and Cheng Lei Release New Comedic Trailer Ahead of Likely Early February 2026 Release
  • scoobydont on Hunan TV Period C-drama Dancing with the Tide Kicks Off Filming with Leads Tan Jian Ci and Lu Yu Xiao
  • Rero on iQiyi Period C-drama How Dare You with Wang Chu Ran and Cheng Lei Release New Comedic Trailer Ahead of Likely Early February 2026 Release
  • Rero on Choi Hyun Wook Joins Fantasy K-drama Soul Starring Kang Dong Won and Kim Go Eun From the Screenwriter of Queen of Tears and Crash Landing on You
  • Cc on Hunan TV Period C-drama Dancing with the Tide Kicks Off Filming with Leads Tan Jian Ci and Lu Yu Xiao
  • Linti on Yang Yang and Zhou Jie Qiong to Start Filming Tencent Wuxia C-drama Bu Rang Jiang Shan Next Month February 2026

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