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A Koala's Playground

I'll talk about dramas if I want to

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Kim Nam Gil Explains that He Turned Down K-drama Get Schooled Already After Netizens Upset Since the Webtoon Has Problematic Elements

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 9, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 9, 2024
Promotional poster for "The Fiery Priest."

There was news this week that actor Kim Nam Gil was doing the K-drama Get Schooled (based on webtoon True Education) as his next drama. Netizens got upset because the original webtoon story has elements of violence, racism, and misogyny. But if you ask me, those elements likely are the issues in the webtoon the teacher character is there to … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Nam Gil

Tan Song Yun’s Tang Dynasty Female Empowerment Drama Brocade Odyssey Tentatively Scheduled for End of November 2024 Premiere

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 9, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 8, 2024
Female figure in red overlooking a serene landscape.

So the reception to the female empowerment, growth, and overcoming adversity aspect of currently airing C-drama The Story of Pearl Girl isn’t getting a lot of love from viewers. But the genre remains a frequently tapped on and earlier this year there was Blossoms in Adversity and coming up next is Brocade Odyssey. Youku has reportedly scheduled the Tang dynasty … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Brocade Odyssey, Tan Song Yun, Zheng Ye Cheng

Liu Yu Ning and Ding Yu Xi Reaping Different Results as Last Minute Male Lead Replacements in The Story of Pearl Girl and Love Game in Eastern Fantasy

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 9, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 8, 2024
Young man in blue attire wielding a sword.

Even if the final airing numbers come out with The Story of Pearl Girl on top, the industry talk now is that same time aired Love Game in Eastern Fantasy will likely be the bigger “winner”. It had a smaller budget, less promo, and has reached near same level if not more popularity than Pearl Girl. Both dramas also had … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Ding Yu Xi, Liu Yu Ning

Wang Chu Ran Gets Career Boost with Well Received Turn in Summer 2024 Period C-drama Are You the One

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 8, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 7, 2024
Two women in contrasting elegant outfits.

To say career boost feels less accurate than returning her career to the very promising state it was in before her big stumble last summer. I’m talking about C-actress Wang Chu Ran who was one of the up-and-comers among the current slate of Flowers but last summer 2023 her mega high profile C-drama Fireworks of the Heart turned into a … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Are You the One, Wang Chu Ran

C-actor Fan Cheng Cheng Accepts and Promises to Improve After Broad Criticism Over His Bad Acting in 1970’s Homespun Period Drama Romance in the Alley

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 8, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 7, 2024
Young man walking in a serene environment.

There are a lot of nepo babies in entertainment industry in any country so C-ent is no different and some are okay while most are unskilled but trying hard. C-actor Fan Cheng Cheng, the much younger brother of former top actress Fan Bing Bing, has been pursuing his actor career since he came of age and through his own sister … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Fan Cheng Cheng, Romance in the Alley

Hou Min Hao Criticized as Culturally Ignorant for Mistaking Bone China for Blue and White Porcelain in Giving Present in Tanzania for Divas Hit the Road Season 6

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 8, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 8, 2024
Young man with peace sign near flowers.

So another C-actor is being coined with sad sack description of “Hopeless Illiterate” or “Desperate Illiterate” and it’s Hou Min Hao. He’s been in the variety program Divas Hit the Road Season 6 and in the latest episode the squad visited Tanzania and at a senior center Hou Min Hao gave a present to the director that he said was … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Divas Hit the Road, Hou Ming Hao

Bai Lu Fans Upset with Her New Drama Strange Tales of Tang Palace After Learning the Script is Male Lead Centric and the Drama is Orchestrated to Cement Wang Xing Yue’s Status as Top Male Lead

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 7, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 6, 2024
Woman in red dress against nature backdrop.

The upcoming C-drama Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty (唐宫奇案之青雾风鸣) has now confirmed both the female lead Bai Lu and a day later male lead Wang Xing Yue. Filming will start soon and more info is coming out and a big industry chatter is on the plot. Apparently the drama plot is male lead centric (so-called Big Male Lead) type of … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Bai Lu, Strange Tales of Tang Palace, Wang Xing Yue

Both The Story of Pearl Girl and Love Game in Eastern Fantasy Hit 200 Million Views in 5 Days as C-ent Gets the Much Needed Drama Hits

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 7, 2024 by ockoalaDecember 2, 2024
Couple holding hands under a colorful umbrella.

Oh this is just good news all around and one that needn’t be a competition with each other. There is way too much room for everyone to succeed then to try to nitpick. Maoyan data congratulated both The Story of Pearl Girl and Love Game in Eastern Fantasy for each surpassing 200 million views as of November 5th, making it … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, Love Like the Galaxy, The Story of Pearl Girl, Yu Shu Xin, Zhao Lu Si

C-actress Ju Jing Yi’s Former Agency Sues Her for Violating Contract But She Counters that Her Contract Expired and There is No Additional Term

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 7, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 5, 2024
Woman in flowing green traditional attire.

So C-actress Ju Jing Yi‘s acting gives me eye hurt but on this issue I’m totally on her side. Her long time agency Star48 (Siba Media) recently sued her for promoting solo in violation of what it claims is still a valid contract in place. Star48 claims there was a supplemental contract put in place that extended the terms of her … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged Ju Jing Yi

C-netizens Loved Seeing Bai Lu, Zhao Lu Si, and Dylan Wang Chatting and Hanging Out at this Week’s 2024 Weibo TV & Internet Summit

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 6, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 6, 2024
Celebrities interacting in a theater setting.

So many of my loves together not just at the same event but sitting next to each other and interacting is just adorbs. This week’s big Weibo TV & Internet Summit 2024 saw a ton of C-stars in attendance and one combo got fans super excited. Top drama actresses Bai Lu and Zhao Lu Si were sitting next to each other … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Bai Lu, Dylan Wang, Zhao Lu Si

Comedic Road Trip K-drama Mr. Plankton with Woo Do Hwan, Lee Yoo Mi, and Oh Jung Se Arrives on Netflix November 8th

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 6, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 5, 2024
Four cast members at Netflix premiere event.

Before the arrival of high profile Netflix K-dramas The Trunk at the end of this month and Squid Game 2 at the end of December, this week a light hearted road trip caper K-drama drops on the streaming platform with a cute name of Mr. Plankton. Starring Woo Do Hwan, Lee Yoo Mi, and Oh Jung Se, it’s one of … Continue reading →

Posted in K-dramas | Tagged Kim Hae Sook, Lee Yoo Mi, Mr. Plankton, Oh Jung Se, Woo Do Hwan

Zhao Lu Si and Liu Yu Ning’s Tang Dynasty Drama The Story of Pearl Girl Delivers Solid Production But Focus on the Trade Element Undermines the Audience Friendly Romantic Rizz

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 6, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 6, 2024
Two women in traditional attire, side profile.

So I finally started watching The Story of Pearl Girl after much expectation and hype and my takeaway is fairly mixed. Solid production values (aside from some dubbing not matching lip movement well), a methodical story about merchants and trade and jewelry and female empowerment, and a nice cast that are all doing well so far. But it lacks excitement … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Liu Yu Ning, The Story of Pearl Girl, Zhao Lu Si

Ju Jing Yi Gets Top Billing in Director Guo Jing Ming’s Next Drama Painted Skin with Chen Du Ling as Co-female Lead

A Koala's Playground Posted on November 5, 2024 by ockoalaNovember 5, 2024
Young woman in a satin dress, sitting gracefully.

The battle of the dual female lead billing has appeared to have a decision. C-actress Ju Jing Yi will be top billed over co-female lead Chen Du Ling in director Guo Jing Ming‘s next drama Painted Skin. The male leads will be Zeng Shun Xi and Tian Jia Rui but no one cares about that haha. The billing makes sense … Continue reading →

Posted in TW & C dramas | Tagged Ju Jing Yi, Painted Skin

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  • prettyautumn on Kim Hye Yoon and Park Solomon Embark on Their Own Nine-Tailed Fox and Human Rom-Com in SBS K-drama Human From Today
  • Sammy on Youku Premieres Period Strategy Thriller The Vendetta of An with Cheng Yi to Positive First Reviews
  • Sammy on iQiyi Airdrops Speed and Love with Yu Shu Xin and He Yu This Week as Expected Delivering an Old School Idol Romance Tableau
  • Somebody on Modern C-drama Sniper Butterfly with Michelle Chen and Zhou Ke Yu Reportedly Doing Very Well in the Older Woman-Younger Man Romance Genre
  • Somebody on Modern C-drama Sniper Butterfly with Michelle Chen and Zhou Ke Yu Reportedly Doing Very Well in the Older Woman-Younger Man Romance Genre
  • Somebody on Modern C-drama Sniper Butterfly with Michelle Chen and Zhou Ke Yu Reportedly Doing Very Well in the Older Woman-Younger Man Romance Genre
  • foulthings on Modern C-drama Sniper Butterfly with Michelle Chen and Zhou Ke Yu Reportedly Doing Very Well in the Older Woman-Younger Man Romance Genre
  • Rero on Chae Soo Bin and Kim Young Kwang Kick Off Filming for Rom-com K-drama Take Care of My Heart
  • HL on iQiyi Airdrops Speed and Love with Yu Shu Xin and He Yu This Week as Expected Delivering an Old School Idol Romance Tableau
  • HL on Modern C-drama Sniper Butterfly with Michelle Chen and Zhou Ke Yu Reportedly Doing Very Well in the Older Woman-Younger Man Romance Genre
  • Coralie on iQiyi Airdrops Speed and Love with Yu Shu Xin and He Yu This Week as Expected Delivering an Old School Idol Romance Tableau
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