frozentundra

I'm glad others are watching this, I feel like it needs more attention. The writing is really stellar; I love how you think it's good, and then it just escalates another notch every time. I can't wait for the moment when not only MY finds out what her husband REALLY does for a living (don't tell me if it's in ep 8, I'm waiting for subs on that one still), and even more, for the moment they end up on the same side against this villain girl. The acting is also really good. Siwon is HILARIOUS, he has comedic timing down to an art form. I love the mom-daughter relationship, too, you can really feel that these are two people who care a lot about each other. Even though they have some pretty serious communication problems, and spend a lot of time apart, I can also feel that MY and JK love each other a lot. Not in the fantasy, too-good-to-be-true sense that pervades many a kdrama, but more like real, normal people. It's good acting, and makes me invested in the characters. Kim Eui Sung also is really an amazing actor. Like...he plays so many bad guys or at least conflicted people...but he's seriously a different person in this one. (And he was two different people in W...)

Agreed, he has the ability still to look quite young. (But that Fashion Week one--he looks seriously, 12 years old....)

Wow, JS looks soooooooo young in that 2011 Fashion Week picture! He's really grown up, hasn't he?

Aw, what a cute drama! I was laughing all along. I loved having a chance to basically see Sunny and Grim Reaper get a truly happy life together. Loved all the sly Goblin references throughout. Also, I can't help seeing a few parallels between this and Encounter (even though Encounter was Extremely Serious). In a lighthearted way, this one also seems to ask the fans to consider their idols as real people. The celebrity dating thing in Korea...I don't know if I can ever truly understand why it has to be a scandal and why these people cannot simply date like anyone else in the regular population. I felt quite a lot of sympathy for actors who may have a real life significant other but who are expected to pretend there is something going on with their costars for the sake of promoting the drama/movie. Or for the ones who have to endure all kinds of crazy rumors when fans take photos out of context and stories flare up. Or for the ones who are supposed to give the aura of always being single and available so that fans can secretly ship themselves with their idols. Actors are real people too, you know. They want to act and to tell us stories, but they also deserve personal happiness of their own. Anyway. This drama was SO fun. The cuteness was over the top. Perfect acting, perfect mix of funny and sweet. Kudos to everyone involved in making it happen.

Welcome, @pupsik. Eloquently said. As a fan, these three things have always stood out so much to me. I like many artists' work, but to say I am truly a fan of someone...hm, I can say that of only a handful of artists. Hard work, lack of ego, gentleness with others... I have also really respected his view of women, which is not only found in the scripts he chooses but also backed up by the things he has said he values in real life (ie smart, kind, capable women)--these are the things that cement me as a fan. Not only an excellent actor, but a decent human being as well.

Some of the songs on the OST that I particularly love include Powerdance, Walking on Sunshine, You're Beautiful, and Happy End. I know you can't translate exactly when a song has to fit the meter of the music, but you get a double feature with Happy End, because the Korean and English versions are very different in terms of what the lyrics say. (Both are nice.) People keep posting that double gif of Dani and CEH running, looking over their shoulders from the beginning and ending of the drama. Endings like that--that repeat something from the beginning, only with new insight, are so nice. What a satisfying ending!

Everything you said.

This drama was pretty slow to sub and post where I normally watch my dramas, but I finally finished it yesterday. Wow. I did not expect to be such a mess of snot and tears. The scenes between Kim Hye Ja and Ahn Nae Sang really got me (have always liked ANS, and wow, he really blew it out of the water here), and likewise the family flashbacks and ultimate reunion between Han Ji Min and Nam Joo Hyuk. (I always thought NJH was a good actor, and that the script of Habaek was a mess.) Those ending scenes were so, so beautiful, I'm feeling teary again just thinking about them. I was glad to see HJM getting to work again with her mother from Familiar Wife. And Son Ho Joon was great in this. Oh, and one of the friends (SHJ's gf) was the rude girl accused of pushing someone out the window in I Hear Your Voice! It was nice to see her again, too. The grandpa who was crushing on KHJ (he was the ahjussi in Healer), all of the side characters... Well, the whole cast deserves an award, they were fantastic. I cried and cried. I follow a bunch of people online who work in the entertainment industry (whether it's makeup artists or agency staff), and even some of them who are not directly related to this project were posting about it with a lot of love. I think it really hit a lot of people in the feels.

Thanks for that, @ibru! Yes, I recognized that poem (it is in the orange book), and was smiling when I saw it come up.

내일 아짐이 안이에요, 지금이에요 (not tomorrow morning, but today), from the poem immediately above, is a frequent quote at my house. Actually, Jongsuk collected the poems and of course they are his photos, and he also did the narration and directed the video that accompanies the book. But the poems themselves are not by him but by Na Tae Joo. If you watched RIABB, then you got to hear many more of this man's poems. I think all of the real poem books used in that drama were NTJ collections, and at the end where Cha Eun Ho announced that "poet Na's" book had just gone into its 5th printing--I'm sure that was on purpose. Jongsuk really loves the poems of Na Tae Joo.

Ahhhh, it's just so satisfying to see Sunny and Grim Reaper with all the cuteness. Also Mr. Lawyer GR punching the stalker dude. You go, Mr. Lawyer! But my gosh, the most recent episode is straight out of this week's real life headlines. I hope it changes. (And yes, abuse of power is a problem everywhere, not just in Korea. It's wrong anywhere.)

I am sorry that you feel sad, @ibru. Jongsuk has had such a prolific career, plus he is so active on IG, we have gotten used to seeing him all the time, and now suddenly it is all silent. It's quite an adjustment. I think the whole fandom feels a bit lost and blank. I'm guessing he simply ran out of time to do all of the things he wanted to or needed to and was not able to attend the wrap up party. Perhaps he felt that in his last moments, he wanted to spend that time with his family. Or maybe he was concerned about having enough time to prepare, or worried that he might be followed too much, too close to his departure. Or maybe it was easier for him to just leave without a word--he was quite sad at his FMs at the thought of saying goodbye, after all. We don't know. It's kind of a big life change for him; you don't always get to do everything you intend at times like that. As for serving quietly, it's only my opinion as a non Korean, non celebrity, and non soldier. But I think that sometimes when too much attention is given to celebrities while serving their duty as a regular citizen, it can create a bit of resentment. People in general don't WANT to serve in the military, so when some celebrities seem to be getting special treatment, the regular soldiers feel as if it's not fair. It can build a bit of a negative attitude towards the person. Of *course* it would be lovely if we were able to hear updates on how he is doing. But I also think that people at home might respect him more if he is quietly doing his duty like anyone else. (Note: I have my doubts that he will be able to keep his location a secret for the next what, 662 days? But we'll see how long he manages.) Does anyone know, can they post online when they are on leave? I want to say yes, but I am not sure.

RIABB is one gigantic cf for Jongsuk's favorite poet, lol. In today's episode they are all reading this one (which you can buy here: http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/detailViewKor.laf?mallGb=KOR&ejkGb=KOR&orderClick=LEB&barcode=9788925561820#N): Then earlier, he was reading from this one (which you can buy here: http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/detailViewKor.laf?ejkGb=KOR&mallGb=KOR&barcode=9788925565736&orderClick=LEA&Kc=#N): And of course, you can still find this book here: http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/detailViewKor.laf?mallGb=KOR&ejkGb=KOR&barcode=9791196184803&orderClick=JAj#N : I do not work for the publisher, lol. But if you can read Korean at all, these poems are really lovely.

Haven't watched ep 9 yet because Viki has been SO slow to post and sub this one. I see it's up now, though, so I'll catch up. But yeah...I can see where some are finding it a bit slow. I think it's because it felt like the drama was promising one thing in the beginning, but now it's delivering another. It was funny and light at first, but now it's deadly serious--not just in that it discusses the problems faced with ageing, but even just in the family dynamic, where they are all a bit depressed. Not every story has to be a love story, but it felt very much set up to be one at first, and it's not turning out that way at all. There are things I really like about it, and I think it's trying to say something, but at this point I'm still hoping all the pieces come together in a way that is satisfying and makes sense. I think the cast is fantastic, though, no question about that for me.

I came here after spending two years in jail, but it's only been a week here. Honestly, I was worried time was going at the same rate for us. For two years, I worried you would die of sadness from being alone. I'm so relieved. - I hope it feels a lot shorter than two years. Go well, Jong Suk ssi. All your fans and all the people you love most will be cheering you on. And we'll be glad to see you back on the other side.