I often get asked to recommend dramas but its so hard to gauge what others like or are in the mood for, whereas I watch what floats my boat sometimes in line with the consensus on quality and other times personally enjoying admittedly crappy dramas. Those wanting rec’s for recent K-dramas are in luck as TV Report just released an … Continue reading →
Year end drama reviews always starts off like a looming chore, telling me to wash the dish one more time even though I’ve washed it thoroughly already. But then I grow to appreciate it, the added step may yield a dirty spot I missed before, or even the chance to slow down and enjoy the process rather than bemoan the … Continue reading →
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z392/Jomo143/sla16/HWalne_zps804b54a0.png If we listen to Sun Jae, he has us convinced he understands Hye Won better than she does herself. He sees that her loneliness doesn’t have to be a permanent part of her life, but he hasn’t seen her turn away from all the trappings she feels she earned over the years. Yes, she doesn’t want to lose him, … Continue reading →
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z392/Jomo143/sla15/think_zpscbf856f3.png We have a hard time reading Hye Won since she communicates so little of her schemes and thoughts. Her words are as spare as her sleek wardrobe lines. Nothing is wasted. If Hye Won were a poem, she’d be a haiku. Listening to the few honest words she does speak, I think we can decipher what is in her … Continue reading →
The jTBC Mon-Tues drama Secret Love Affair wrapped up today after raking in the high ratings and near universal warm reception. I handed off the recapping baton to dearest jomo for last week’s episodes since I took up two more newly premiered dramas. The result was like peanut butter meets jelly and the readers the happy bread to sample extra servings … Continue reading →
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z392/Jomo143/sla14/agony_zpsda96a2b6.png The most puzzling relationship portrayed in this series is between wife Hye Won and her husband Joon Hyung. Why him, Hye Won? Surrounded by many musical and creative people back then, was he the only option? How detached could she have been to enter into this sham of convenience? Maybe the answers don’t matter because nobody ends up in … Continue reading →
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z392/Jomo143/sla13/game_zps08853f04.png If Seohan had been an ancient kingdom and Hye Won a man, King Seo would have been wise to employ her skills to lead his troops. Her comfort with and talent in waging battle on several fronts simultaneously impress me. I can imagine marshalling thousands of troops would not daunt her any more than dealing with all the intricacies … Continue reading →
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z392/Jomo143/sla12/lookbacktrest_zps6b7f1a8d.png A somber week in the real world parallels the sadness that Episodes 11 and 12 deliver. I search for any hints to satisfy my optimistic view of things, and I may have found a glint or two of hope. All along, Sun Jae has held his lantern high trying to show Hye Won the way out of her darkness. … Continue reading →
I find myself quite enamored of the very direct title of Secret Love Affair for this drama because of how the English title stands on its own broken up into each individual word. There is a secret in this drama, not just one but so many and multi-layered and overlapping I can’t keep track of it all. Secrets are for things … Continue reading →
The nominations are out for the 50th annual Baeksang Arts Award which will be held a month from now on Mary 27th. There is a separate section for movies and television and this post will only discuss the television section. I haven’t caught most of the nominated movies yet so I don’t have any opinion value to add other, other than … Continue reading →
The preemption of K-drama and variety shows stemming from the Sewol ferry sinking tragedy last Wednesday continues into this week somewhat. The major networks have started airing some nightly K-dramas but cable channel jTBC elected to cancel the airing of Secret Love Affair this week. That means no new episodes and episodes 11 and 12 will instead air next Mon-Tues. … Continue reading →
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z392/Jomo143/sla10/successs_zps731a7bef.png Those above Hye Won believe it is greed for a position of power in Seohan that drives her. They exploit this as a way to keep Hye Won in check. Look at the way Mde Han manipulates the Sun Jae situation. Everyone knows or at least suspects something is going on between the student and teacher, but somehow that … Continue reading →
There is such undeniable quiet beauty in this drama rendering it such a joy to watch. But paired with a story where characters engage in behavior that isn’t acceptable in society increases the difficulty for me to write about it. It’s shallowly dismissive to say that watching Secret Love Affair equals condoning adultery or not watching it means having high … Continue reading →
