What Dramas Am I Watching This Week?

Here's what I'm watching this week! Of course the list is split by country and episodes I've seen so far are written below! There will be spoilers from now on so if you aren't caught to the episode number I list, you might want to go watch that episode and then come back! If you're interested in previous lists, click here and if you want to see a list of my favorite asian OTPs and ships, click here!

KDRAMA

FINISHED Avengers Social Club (12/12): Features three women from different walks of life coming together for revenge: a fish store ajumma who envisioned a better life for herself, a housewife who grew up an orphan, and a chaebol’s daughter who was raised like a delicate greenhouse flower. They’re an unlikely trio who would never otherwise meet, but they join forces to carry out their individual revenges. Although they start out as co-conspirators, along the way they’ll build a strong friendship.

I'm really not sure why I wanted to watch this show at first or why I even put it on my to be watched list cause it's so different from what I normally watch but I ended up having a fun time watching this show so it all worked out. I enjoyed watching the friendship grow between the three women and I loved watching Jung Hye and Soo Gyum bond. It was everything every time those two worked to protect the other at the expense of themselves and the ramen joke was amazing from start to end. I was so glad that by the end of this show that both Jung Hye and Mi Sook left their awful husbands and those husbands did get punished cause I was afraid that nothing would change which was one of my complaints with this show. The premise made it sound like the women would actually get some revenge but they spent most of the show bumbling around and getting thwarted at every end. Honestly though it wasn't that bad because I enjoyed watching their antics anyway. Jung Hye was the most interesting character for me and I low key shipped her with Soo Gyum but in a that's never going to happen kind of way so I would have been happy if they ended up as mother/son too but I was disappointed to find that neither scenario happened. It seems they ended as friends (?) but that he reconciled with his awful birth parents which I understand that in kdrama world that's important but in real life sometimes it's okay to cut ties with family cause they don't always have your best interest in mind. Overall I enjoyed myself with this show and it was a really weird show tbh so I'd give it a 8.5 / 10!

The Ghost Detective (26/32): Lee Da Il is a private investigator. Jung Yeo Wool becomes his assistant to solve a mystery related to her younger sibling’s death. They work together to solve other mysterious crimes.

I still don't entirely understand the rules cause I feel like they keep changing and I'm getting tired of wondering how this or that will happen so I guess I'll just be like cool whatever the characters say I'll believe. I do like the idea that Sunwoo wants to possess Yeo Wool now cause her human body is rotting cause it died the moment Da Il stabbed it so many episodes ago. It raises the stakes in a fun way cause not only would that hurt Da Il the most but Yeo Wool is our main lead. I also liked the idea of Da Il offering his body up as a substitute but I was pretty sure Sunwoo would never take that offer cause she really wanted to punish both Da Il and Yeo Wool for having family who would kill themselves before letting someone hurt them cause her parents didn't do that and as I predicted, that happened. Also how hilarious is it that we've found a way to bring Da Il back from the brink so the evil spirit thing isn't too bad anymore. The poor cop was possessed again this week and stopped our crew from getting Da Il's body but it wasn't as bad as it seemed cause Gyeul wasn't possessed and working with Da Il which I kind of like retrospectively. At least now we have Da Il's body and it'll be safe until the show ends. Now it's just a matter of waiting until Sunwoo dies in her body? Idk like I said I don't understand the rules cause they keep changing every week!

The Player (6/14): A police redemption team consisting of a swindler, a fighter, an elite hacker and a talented driver is asked to take back property hidden away by criminals.

So it looks like maybe we'll be spending a week at a time getting to know each of our characters cause last week it was Jin Woong's time and this week was centered on Ah Ryung who is my favorite member of this crew tbh so I had a blast. I loved the fight Ah Ryung and Ha Ri had in the car as they were taking a criminal to the prosecutor's office cause it was such a married couple fight and the guy was just like um excuse me and they screamed at him to stop interrupting at the same time. I also loved when the guys realized that Ah Ryung was in trouble and lost it on those thugs and how terrified Ha Ri was when he was found her in the basement. It was a little cheesy cause we're still pretty early on in the season to see the crew as a family but I'll let it go cause it was so precious seeing how much they cared about her. It was juxtaposed with flashbacks showing us how she went to jail and how the previous gang she ran with was so disloyal and honestly I'm surprised she joined another team after what happened though I suppose that's why she had so much trouble bonding with these guys. I also didn't realize that she was so much younger than all the others until they were calling her a kid this week but like straight up Ha Ri is twice her age! The case took a bit of a backseat this week (even if it was solved in the end) and I really didn't mind too much cause I enjoyed getting to know Ah Ryung instead.

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (6/16): A TV series centered around the unfolding relationship between free and unpredictable yet dangerous Kim Moo Young, who is called a "monster". He is the first assistant in a Korean beer brewery who becomes a suspect when his girlfriend's suicide turns out to be murder. His life begins to change when he meets a kind, warm advertising designer named Yoo Jin Kang, who wishes to be Moo Young's safe haven. She bears as many emotional scars as him. Yoo Jin Kang also has a brother, a homicide detective named Yoo Jin Gook, with 27 years of job experience. He strives to "reveal" who Moo Young really is and attempts to keep his sister, Jin Kang, away from Moo Young, with whom she begins to know.

After this week I'm sure that this show isn't going to follow the jdrama and honestly I'm a little happy about that cause it feels more like a new take on a similar story rather than a copy of the old one. Cause of this, I'm left guessing on a lot more! Like I'm pretty sure that it was Yu Ri who did the murdering and if anything Moo Young probs just cleaned up the site to help. I don't get the feeling like he manipulated her into doing the killing cause she seems to snap without any other trigger cause of her mental illness. I also don't understand why Jin Gook let Yu Ri go for attempted murder. So she has a sob story: cool motive, still murder. On another note, I kind of love that as soon as Moo Young started to feel feelings for Jin Kang, he immediately stopped texting Seung Ah who honestly is crazy. Like girl you've been dating for 2 months and half of that time was spent apart so of course it's completely insane for you to decide that you are going to run away with the guy. The fact that Jin Kang was so disappointed in Moo Young not being in love with Seung Ah was weird too cause who hasn't gone out with someone out of curiosity and you can't force feelings! She's supposed to be dating that cop but she's been on like two dates with him and literally never gives him any thought. I also feel like Moo Young is actually Jin Gook's real brother and that Jin Kang was the one who's father was killed. From what Jin Kang said a while back her mom died before she was born and she has a sister so could the people in Moo Young's picture be the dad (who died after Jin Kang joined the family so he would have been around for Moo Young to draw him), Jin Gook, Jin Gook's sister and Moo Young? Maybe Jin Gook and Jin Kang's dad were friends or even partners in the police force and somehow Jin Gook accidentally shot him and because of the guilt he decided to adopt Jin Kang but somehow there was a fire and both kids got hurt but then Moo Young ran away from the hospital and lost his memories?

Terius Behind Me (16/32): Go Ae Rin is a single mother who after unexpectedly losing her husband, gets involved in a spy war. She lives in the apartment in front of Kim Bon. Kim Bon, who's code name is Terius, is a legendary black ops agent for the National Intelligence Service (NIS) who has gone into hiding after disappearing without a trace. 3 years ago in a failed secret operation, he lost the woman he loved. Since then, Kim Bon has hid away in his apartment, next to Go Ae Rin, isolated from the world around him and living in secrecy, trying to uncover the mystery behind what happened back then. When a mysterious incident arises in which Go Ae Rin's husband dies, they both team up to uncover a huge conspiracy which Go Ae Rin's husband had become involved in.Joining them is Jin Young Tae, a former con man who may hold the key to what Go Ae Rin and Kim Bon are searching for, and Yoo Ji Yeon, a fellow NIS agent who appears cold and unfeeling on the outside but harbours feelings towards Kim Bon, who she is kind towards.

The show is finally starting to get interesting and it's about damn time that Ae Rin found out the truth cause she's straight up in the most danger out of the group and no one's telling her anything so she's running around telling other people things that shouldn't be told. Like the fact that CEO Jin knows that Kim Bon is her friend and now he pretty much knows that Bon is a NIS agent cause that's his real name. Everyone's also hunting her down cause of her husband and then J International and now this NIS operation! I mean let's not even talk about her being kidnapped again! I know so far that ignorance has been keeping her safe but if she trusts her ex boss so much that she actually questions Bon on his identity after he did so much for her and her kids, she's too trusting and could be next to die! I also don't love how moronic the NIS agents are portrayed as. Like the female agent is so in love with Bon that she can't focus and they literally cannot figure out anything without the accidental help of the KIS and Ae Rin which is idiotic especially when the villains are so on point with everything. Like I know this is a comedy before anything else but still if we're going to play around in the spy world, I want my spies to be excellent at their jobs! Because the tech guy snuck into J International, the whole operation was blown. I'm also interested to know whether it's that one guy's wife who's the assassin cause of the red heels or if it's Yu Ra's mom cause Bon's fortune for her is that she doesn't have any kids and the others claimed that her "kid" looks exactly like the father so maybe the kid is from another woman?

Where Stars Land/Fox Bride Star (12/40): Lee Soo Yeon and Han Yeo Reum are rookies who works at Incheon Airport. Soo Yeon dreamed of becoming a pilot, but vision in one of his eyes was bad enough that he had to give up on his dream, he joins the general planning department. Yeo Reum begins to work in the CS management department at the airport. She wants to be a perfectionist, but her reality is a little bit different.

I seriously don't understand why everyone is so interested in Soo Yeon's arm brace. Like we the audience know that it's closer to robotic tech than a normal brace but the people in the show don't so there's so cause for excitement. Maybe it's a Korean thing tbh but I don't understand how an arm brace would be "dangerous" and instead of Soo Yeon having to prove that it's safe, they should have to prove that it's dangerous. I've been saying for weeks, his job does not require manual labor and so a disability shouldn't matter especially since it's clearly listed in his job file that he has the disability and the arm brace so it obviously didn't stop him when he was hired so why kick up a fuss now? It makes no sense to me honestly and like I get why In Woo is doing this but the director and the head of security? Speaking of, In Woo is the worst™cause he seems to be the reason that Soo Yeon got hurt in the first place and now he's running around all whiny and upset cause the guy he hurt is "hovering around him" causing him to think about what a terrible person he was and honestly it's like grow up dude. The world doesn't revolve around you and Soo Yeon got a job cause he got a job and the only one bringing up the past is you. On another note I did love that Soo Yeon was so confident in telling Yeo Reum that he liked her and that he didn't act any differently after the confession but I'm not loving how Soo Yeon's attraction to Yeo Reum is making him go crazy. Like I was so afraid that she would break the rules and try to get on the runway but instead it was him who did that and for no reason. The airplane clearly landed perfectly fine and they were told there were no injuries so why panic like that? My favorite interactions though have to be with the two security guards and how Dae Ki is clearly into Young Joo and she's constantly shutting him down and now he thinks she has a crush on Soo Yeon but also has a boyfriend and I'm living for it!

CDRAMA

Fights Break Sphere (36/45): Xiao Yan is a genius child who suddenly loses all his powers.In a world governed by strength and power, Xiao Yan’s lack of talent is an embarrassment to his family. At the age of 15, Xiao Yan accidentally summons Yao Chen from his mother’s ring. With the elder’s help, Xiao Yan’s skills improve by leaps and bounds. After his entire family is assassinated, Xiao Yan embarks on a journey to find his family’s killer and return peace to the Jianghu (martial world.)

This week was fun cause we go to see Xun'er become the Dragon Mother and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for what the catch would be cause it seemed too good to be true! Unlike Xiao Yan who had to learn Xiao moves step by step, Xun'er got the Gu moves passed to her through the old Dragon Mother which in these types of shows is never without consequences. So far though the conditions don't sound too terrible cause she needs to kill everyone who caused the rebellion in the Gu Clan and the head of Soul Hall who stole the last Dragon Mother's life pearl. She did mention something about taking the Xiao jade but she didn't say do it regardless of anything, she said do it if the Xiao clan dies out and since Xiao Yan is still alive, Xun'er won't have to do anything she doesn't want to! I can't wait to see what the bow does and I hope that she won't decide to live on the island forever tbh cause I want her to be with Xiao Yan and he has business in the world!

Martial Universe Season 2 (5/20): The story takes place after Lin Dong and Zhou Tong have joined hands to defeat the enemy. Evil lingers as Yi Mo Huang survives and the search for the two remaining talismans continue. After witnessing Ying Huan Huan sacrifice her love for him in order to assume her position as the Ice Master, Lin Dong realizes that he must take up his duty as the successor of the Zu talisman. He helps his younger sister Qing Tan become the Master of Darkness and heads to the Demon Realm to obtain the Life and Death Talisman. A final battle awaits Lin Dong and his former friend Lin Lang Tian who has been overcome by his greed for power.

We're finally back and I'm so excited! When I started season 1 of this show I really didn't think I was going to like it as much as I did and mostly that was due to my love of Lin Dong and Huan Huan as a couple. I lived for their interactions and I honestly love how much these two love each other though the back and forth thing the show is doing to is ridiculous! One minute she's cultivating, the next she runs away and now she's back to cultivating. I'd like to believe that their love is strong enough to overcome this mind erasing obstacle cause all Lin Dong has to do is make her fall in love with him all over again and I'm sure that's not hard cause they did it once. My favorite moments between them was when he crawling around in despair in the snow looking for her in episode 1 and that scene in episode 4 when he literally snapped out of his funk because he feared losing her and that she was like I will always be by your side so don't worry. In other news Lin Ling Tian is still the worst™cause now he's actually a Yimo and loving it like the asshole he is. Poor Yuan Gate lost all it's good members and now Dao Sect is completely destroyed which is super sad cause Yuan Gate has been the "evil sect" for a while now (and they're the most powerful sect cause heaven forbid that the evil sect isn't the strongest) which sucks cause the only the only Sect left untouched is the Purity Palace who's leader is such an idiot in thinking with let's hide in our mountain and not aggravate Yuan Sect. So you're chill with the world being destroyed as long as you're okay? I'm a little thrown with how time is moving right now cause apparently months have passed between episode 3 and 4 already? Either way, we have gained the Chaos Emblem so by my count: 4 on the good side, 1 with the Yimo (Lin Ling Tian) and 2 location known (Darkness Palace and Monster Realm) which means there are still 1 to find and only 2 Yimo Kings and the Emperor left to defeat. I wonder if we're going to go back to Darkness Palace after the Monster Realm or if we'll save that for last since it's pretty much the safest Emblem with a Successor already in sight.

FINISHED The Journey (24/24): According to an old saying, the life you have in this lifetime is a karma of what you did in the last. What if you can go back to your past lives and change your actions? Ye Yin is a girl who can look into the past for the cause, examine the present for the adversity, and see into the future for the solution, an art she learned from her mysterious master.She has the ability to send a person back and forward in time and to any place. All she needs from the person is one sincere drop of tear. By helping others resolve their past conflicts, perhaps, she can move closer to changing her own fate.

What an amazing drama guys! There was so many amazing things to love from the characters to the time travel to the romance! I originally started this because I have a soft spot for time travel and I stayed for the romance cause the way the relationship between Ye Yan and Ya Long grew was so beautiful. I honestly don't know how anyone is confused about who the main lead is and who the second lead is after watching this show cause it was clear pretty early on that Ye Yan was going to fall in love with Ya Long and she did and the only reason they didn't end up together was because of Si Yin who I actually started the show not only loving but shipping with Ye Yan until I realized that he was more creepy than I expected. Both leads started out pretty selfish but the thing is that Ya Long evolved and took Ye Yan's thoughts into consideration while Si Yin literally thought of her as a belonging and rather than trust in his love for her, he caged her. It's honestly disgusting the more I think about it cause the only reason Ye Yan even wavered in her love for Ya Long was cause Si Yin raised her which is mega creepy cause again he purposefully took her most recent reincarnation so that she would be attached to him and then used her familial affection for him to blackmail her into never leaving his side. His reincarnations fell for her over and over but Ye Yan spent her time slowly falling in love with Ya Long. Even in the celestial realm where Si Yin claimed that Ya Long stole his girl it was obvious that Yi Sha loved Si Ling and Si Yuan literally went to war cause he refused to let her go. I honestly hated the ending cause Si Yin was a controlling asshole until the very last second and everything would have been fine if he just asked Ye Yan how she felt. I really expected him to realize what a horrible person he was but he never did and it astounds me that people actually rooted for him over Ya Long. Despite the ending and my slow building hatred for Si Yin, I adored watching Ye Yan and Ya Long fall in love and the time travel was fun too! I'd definitely give this show a 9 / 10 for both season 1 and 2!

xoxo Allie