June 2020 Blogging
A. I’ll complete this series mid June....
The King: Eternal Monarch. This tvN network series ends Jun 12, 2020. Is a happy ending for our couple possible?
B. I’ll complete this series at the end of June….
Sweet Munchies. This 12 episode drama airs on Monday and Tuesday JTBC May 25 – June 30, 2020. I believe Viki is subtitling the drama, so there could be delays.
* Why am I watching this show? Jung Il Woo – He is one of my cadre of cuties, an actor I’ve followed and watched many series he has been in. His 1st drama after military service, Haechi, was stellar.
* What’s this show about? Desperate for money, a chef pretends to be gay for a TV show conceived by a contract worker desperate to become a permanent employee and director at a TV station.
* How can you watch this show? Viki will air this series which airs on the JTBC network.
C. I’ll start this series mid June…
Backstreet Rookie. The 16 episodes of this SBS network series airs Friday and Saturday from Jun 12, 2020 – Aug 1, 2020.
* Why am I watching this show?
1. Ji Chang Wook – He is one of my cadre of cuties, an actor I’ve followed and watched for years. His first drama after military service, Melting Me Softly, was uneven (due to writing). I’m hoping this drama has better writing.
2. Kim Yoo Jung – I loved her in Angry Mom and enjoyed her in Love in the Moonlight.
* What’s this show about? Convenience store owner and hires a part-timer, who is the trouble making girl he met years ago. This series is based on the webcomic Pyeonuijeom Saetbyeoli written by Hwalhwasan and illustrated by Geumsagong. Hopefully that means Writer Son Geun Joo has a solid story to utilize for this series.
* How can you watch this show? This is on the SBS network.
D. I’ll start this series June 20th…
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Also known as Pyscho but It’s Okay, The 16 episodes of this TVN network series airs Saturday and Sunday from Jun 20, 2020 – Aug 9, 2020.
* Why am I watching this show?
1. Seo Ye Ji – As I noted in my 2020 intentions, I am picking dramas for actresses, not only actors, I like. I loved Seo Ye Ji in Save Me and Lawless Lawyer.
2. Kim Soo Hyun – This is his first lead role in almost 5 years. I’ve watched the series Dream High and The Producers and enjoyed this actor. If you can believe it I’ve never seen the popular You Who Came from the Stars.
* What’s this show about? A man who denies love and a woman who doesn’t know love defy fate and fall in love.
* How can you watch this show? This is on the TVN network and available on Netflix.
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
amusings 
Kjt – I’m sooooo happy that most of what you’ll be blogging next are shows that I plan on watching.
Now, you knew this was coming – WHAT?!!! You haven’t seen You from Another Star??? lol I feel the need to rewatch it myself. I didn’t enjoy it very much but I can’t remember if it was because of the over hype so it just couldn’t possibly live up to what the hype or if it’s just my memory. Sort of like I need to rewatch Goblin. But unlike Star, I know I enjoyed Goblin immensely but I knew while I was watching it that I wasn’t retaining it from episode to episode because it’s what my brain processes as “too busy”. I’m experiencing the same thing with Monarch right now.
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“Kjt – I’m sooooo happy that most of what you’ll be blogging next are shows that I plan on watching.” – Beez
DITTO❣
It is hard to believe you haven’t seen My Love From Another Star. It is worthy of your kdrama watching time.
DD, like you, I tend to binge watch dramas when they are done or almost done, but trade-off for agonizing week to week waiting for the next episode is you have the KJT crew to discuss the episodes and commiserate with, which I find to be VERY WORTHWHILE.
I’m looking forward to watching these dramas with you.
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I’m looking forward to watching these dramas with you.
Me too!
My Love From Another Star. It is worthy of your kdrama watching time.
I’ve got it on my Viki watch list.
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kjt – I hope you have your watchlist also written down somewhere besides on Viki. It’s just that I’m reeling from another company that has pulled a DramaFever on me this week.
If any of you have ever used Bluprint (formerly Craftsy), be aware they’re closing down but without sending notice to its users. Go to their homepage to read the letter where they state they’re trying to figure out how to give us access to the classes we’ve paid for over the years. (As if it’s some big deal to allow us to download them.) If a friend had not notified me they’re closing down, I would’ve gone to their site maybe 6 months, maybe 2 years from now to access any one of my 23 classes which I’ve purchased over the years (they called then “forever owned”) and I would’ve been surprised to find nothing.
And this is why I try to tell my son that I’m not comfortable buying movies that are stored on Amazon or other outlets. (I do own Chuno on Amazon and Rain’s Ninja Assassin on Google Play. But I’d rather have a DVD in my possession.
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Oye, the dramafever fiasco. And viki was sold by giant Softbank to giant Rakutan …who knows what will happen with interest in Asian, particularly Korean, shows picking up so much recently. Warner Bros bought dramafever specifically to shut it down because they were starting their own channel, which I have yet to see, although some of the shows are turning up on Netflix. I still haven’t finished some series I was watching at the time. I keep my list on an excel spreadsheet because I am not just a nerd, I am a beancounting nerd. Hope you are not losing anything beez.
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I am interested in purchasing Chuno on DVD, with good English subtitles, but Amazon tells me it is not currently available. I am in the US, so that’s Region 1. If anyone has any experience with buying DVD box sets of kdramas, please share. Thank you!
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Hi snow… I have tried to buy kr DVDs with some success and some failure. Recently I found a used Secret Garden on Ebay that was the authentic region 1 set in good condition. At the same time I found My Beautiful Sam Soon and even after asking that seller for verification I received a blackmarket copy that has fabulous hd video but some of the worst subtitles I have ever seen. I think a Chinese person was translating Korean into English. I found a US midwest site that sells decent aftermarket sets but they are usually more than I can spend. Yesasia has a few but maybe not region 1 and usually 150-300 usd. I lucked into a few things at Kcon LA, I actually got an original Coffee Prince for $10! But not likely to happen again. I have an Australian ebay seller page I use, they are down due to the pandemic and I feel guilty when I buy from them but it’s decent quality decent price. Lol. I check shopgoodwill, and craigslist using the google /korean finder. Probably more than you need to know…. lol Good luck!
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I purchased some Korean movies from an ebay store called “Life is Beautiful Hong Kong DVD Store” aka “Life is Beautiful HK”. They even included two free dvds. All played in my region (USA) and the subtitles were good. It’s been at least 5 years so I don’t know if the store still exists.
I also purchased from JCCInternational. Also from ebay; also many years ago.
There’s YesAsia.com but I’ve never ordered anything from them as yet because they’re always sold out of whatever I’m looking for. And you have to watch carefully that it’s got English subs and your DVD region.
There’s one more but I can’t seem to recall the name of it.
I ordered Chicago Typewriter DVD box set from Amazon. But you have to be careful. I ordered the movie Always (So Ji sub) from a seller on Amazon and the one small love scene (barely a good kiss) was cut out of the movie. I returned it and ordered it from the ebay site I mentioned earlier.
I want to own Healer on DVD but so far I haven’t found it at a price below $79.
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I do have my watchlist stored on my blog and have tagged watchlist shows available on Viki and Netflix, the two streaming services I have.
Your experience with Bluprint makes me want to go download my recent audiobook purchases now!
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I am appreciating the inclusion here.
Meaning no disrespect to kjt, I have found some blogs have established cohorts that want to talk to each other and are not particularly inclusive to newbies. It’s easy to understand how that happens. As I said in another post, I also find kjts recaps clear and straightforward.
You all have been welcoming and responsive. Thanks.
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Repeat…As I said in another post, I also find kjts recaps clear and straightforward….. which makes me wonder why there aren’t a bazillion people commenting on these recaps…but… selfishly… I am pleased to have found space. Cheers.
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I like the exclusivity feeling. 🙂 But you’ll notice that some recaps will be busier than others. Just wait until kjt recaps the next Jang Hyuk series. Lol
Even me, it may look as if I’ve disappeared but that’s only if kjt isn’t recapping the same stuff that I’m watching.
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I always enjoy someone else’s perspective, they might (and HAVE) seen things that I completely missed. I 💗KJT’s recaps❣ The more the merrier DD, I’m glad to have you as part of KJT’s crew.
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The more the merrier!
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Glad you’ll be watching these dramas too! It is true, I haven’t seen You from Another Star. Just checked, Viki has it. I’ll have to binge watch it.
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Great to see your plan, kjt. I have the same reasons for being interested in your list: the actors. I started Sweet Munchies but haven’t looked at your recaps yet, it has an unusual style and rhythm. I have noticed that a few dramas are starting to address gay people. I am glad to see the possibility of shift in the culture. Usually I wait until all episodes are posted instead of watching week to week, so not sure how well I will keep up with you. I’m with beezrtp – sorry you haven’t seen You from the Stars… Jun Ji Hyun, Park Hae Jin, Ahn Jae Hyun, Shin Sung Rok and the ubiquitous Yoo In Ah are all well reflected in the power that is Kim Soo Hyun. Laughed and cried. Sometimes I watch saeguk – and KSH is in the strange and romantic The Moon Embracing the Sun too. Thanks for the heads up. Cheers.
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I have noticed that a few dramas are starting to address gay people. I am glad to see the possibility of shift in the culture.
Yep, past dramas have tended to be stereotypical. I’m interested to see how Sweet Munchies handles this. I hope they do it better than I’ve seen in the past.
I have the same reasons for being interested in your list: the actors.
I lean heavily on actors for my selections though I’m trying to include writers in 2020.
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Up to now, I have mostly looked at story line, but not the writer, for interest, but that can be superseded by actor – Money Flower is an example: I don’t usually watch revenge dramas but I couldn’t resist Jang Hyuk and it was a good bet. Next interest would be actor, actress and I found one director that I watch whenever I come across something – An Pan Seok, who was also the screenwriter for South of the Border, a film I enjoyed. (Big Cha Seung Won fan). I didn’t realize until this blog that I had seen so many of Kim Eun Sook’s stories. And on we, go… 2020 is close to half over.
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Writer Kim Eun sook gets criticized a lot but people tend to forget that the same dramas that they look back at with millennial eyes of disdain – those same dramas created some of the most iconic moments in Kdrama with audiences watching clips of scenes over and over on YouTube and Korean variety and Kpop groups parodying her scenes over and over. The foam on the lip kiss. Sit ups have never been so filled with sexual tension. Anyway, although I know she has lots of iconic moments, I can’t think of them right this moment. But as I searched Google to help me remember, I came across this article. Now the stuff it talks about in her dramas we all know already but there are snippets of quotes from her mixed in and a little bit about how she grew up sort of like a “Candy” herself.
https://thedissolve.kr/the-transformation-of-womens-fantasies-in-the-world-of-kim-eunsook/
Because of this article, I’m going to stop putting off her Lovers trilogy.
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I enjoyed reading the article, I am amazed to see even more dramas of hers that I liked. I’ve seen at least 2 of the Lovers trilogy and City Hall is a great favorite. It seems to me that Writer-nim escapes the Candy description because she made it to the ranks of the rich by her own work. I will look to see if I find Lovers.
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Terrific article! I liked Writer Kim’s comment There aren’t many dramas that are based on experience. We all make them up. I get more excited in my imagination that I do in real life.
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I checked out An Pan Seok’s list of dramas. I’ve only seen two Heard it through the Grapevine which was very good and Secret Love Affair whose cinematography choices could be annoying.
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Wow! I love your June recapping list. So many great dramas to get excited about. I look forward to your new batch of recaps 🙂
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I noticed I’m recapping your pick for June Backstreet Rookie. Is your list of 10 dramas to watch a month in priority order?
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That you are! I was happy to see that 🙂 No, aside from My Pick being the one I’m most interested in, the rest are in no particular order. Although, if I had a hard time choosing My Pick in a particular month, I’ll likely go ahead and put my second choice in the second slot to give it some extra love, hehe 🙂
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Great article Beez, it makes me want to watch the Lover’s trilogy
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Without posting illegal sites (but please abbreviate or hint) -where are you guys watching Backstreet Rookie?
I must say the wind is knocked out of my sails. I have a Netflix, Viki, Prime and Kocowa subscription yet the only place I can see to watch it is DramaC**l. And this makes no sense because it’s on SBS which is one of the networks who had the bright idea to enter the western market as Kocowa. (I’ve heard conspiracy theories that they were somehow involved in DramaFever’s demise.)
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Check your email.
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I got it. You’re awesome, kjt 👍
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You know, you would think that the powers that be would’ve made sure Ji Chang wook’s show is available for Western audiences (after all its SBS, part of Kowcowa) because, JCW doesn’t have a large following in S. Korea but international fans adore him. So even if the show is good, he’s probably looking at another ratings flop. Look at the homegrown ratings for Healer. Which explains his lack of popularity in S.K., because they didn’t tune in for Healer. I’m sure if they had, they’d fall in love with him too. (I wonder what aired opposite Healer?) I know that I didn’t find the description of Healer all that interesting and only watched it about 6 months after it aired because the people who did watch it wouldn’t sop talking about it. 🙂
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I wasn’t aware the JCW doesn’t have a large following in country. Being part of his international fans, I find that surprising. One need only watch the man act to love him.
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That’s just it, they didn’t watch Healer. And if they’re like me, I watched Empress Ki for Joo Jin mo. I saw JCW as the bumbling prince (at first) and thought “Uh, he’s kinda cute” but not much more. It was only after I watched Healer, I went back and rewatched Empress Ki.
He’s got huge followings throughout the rest of Asia – Philippines, China and Japan – they all watched and loved Healer.
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Hi kjt…I would like to receive the info sent to beez, if you are willing. I looked for Backstreet Rookie to no avail.
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I found Backstreet on a legit app called iQiyi
Mostly Chinese shows but they have Backstreet and with English subtitles. I also saw a few other Korean shows just from glancing
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Check your email.
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