[Drama 2024] Red Swan, 화인가 스캔들

[WeunXK]

I am here mainly, for Rain and Kim Ha-neul’s  chemistry 😊 That being said, the drama is turning out to be a very mellow watched. I liked the opulence and the scandals. It’s a makjang.🤫

 

On 7/8/2024 at 11:10 PM, joccu said:

 luckily this only has 10 episodes so probably no filler episodes. 

On 7/9/2024 at 6:51 AM, partyon said:

The chairwoman is a lunatic - I think we can all agree on that. She is in serious need of anger management classes. Not that it would probably help as I'm pretty sure she's had quite a few people killed...

@partyon  reminded me of choi Myung Hee(Vincenzo)

 

===

 

Rain (#JungJiHoon) and #SeoYiSook new stills from Disney+ drama #RedSwan Episode 3-4. A judo match between Doyun and Miran.

 

c.https://x.com/kdramahandle/status/1810902974639788299

 

[WeunXK]

I live for this type of dialogue!🤩

 

I live for this type of dialogue!

====

thoughts

I am a little unsure why Mi-ran starts to smell Do-yoon all of a sudden during the judo match and what it’s supposed to signify ,but  I think it was an odd scene to add.🤔

One  issue I have with the series was how abrupt the editing and the story sequences are. One thing suddenly leads to another and the story feels like it doesn’t flow naturally. 

 

Spoiler

 

I am waiting for @partyon insights👋 🙂 also @lilyphenix👋for eps.3&4

====

https://goodhappiness4.wordpress.com/2024/07/10/red-swan-ep-3-4-review-hwain-familys-hidden-truths-and-wan-soos-deceptions/

[partyon]

9 hours ago, WeunXK said:

One  issue I have with the series was how abrupt the editing and the story sequences are. One thing suddenly leads to another and the story feels like it doesn’t flow naturally. 

 

I'll try to catch up tonight with the new episodes. The editing is so unbelievably bad - it's like they give it to someone's kid as a summer job.

[lilyphenix]

I finally have a break and can comment!
This week's episodes seemed loaded with lots of comedic moments, which I enjoyed:

• It is not often that villains build a fanbase, but despite the over the top acting, the mother in law got my attention because she was so funny in these 2 episodes! I mentioned having a fun drinking game while watching this show, now I want to take tea shots every time MIL screams! I also enjoyed the judo scene, minus the sniffing, which was another #MeToo moment in my opinion (what is it with it hitting on employees?!). The grandma having mad fighting skills adds to the show's commitment to portraying strong women as opposed to going the traditional "damsel in distress trope." The bodyguards reactions to sparring with the MIL were predictable, as well as Rain's actions, but I went along.
• The maids more or less discreetly having fun at the mistress' expenses...
• The twist created by the FL's handle of the out-of-wedlock son => funny reactions to that event from several characters, including her brother-in-law. As much as the show can be at times predictable, I didn't see it come.
• The mistress is a comical character, too... This statement is meant to compliment the actress' acting in episode 4.
  
  That said, I tried really hard to resist, but I have to agree with people's complaints of KHN's acting: why are her eyes devoid of expression? Why does she seem lifeless all the time? Robotic almost? Is she okay?
  Her mother-in-law or other nemesis (mistress) give more emotions to their storyline. I know some people compare the show's storyline to Blood Free, but even though the FL in Blood Free was cold, socially awkward and had had her fare share of life traumas, I think she did a good job in helping the audience connect with her character: her pain was visible (visible hints), her silences still spoke volume, and the trust in her bodyguard and annoyance or anger at him were conveyed in a way that built up the story and at times, the suspense...
  
  Just my two cents. My guilty pleasures in watching this show are:
  - Rain's coolness
  - The Mother-in-law antics
  - The mistress' cluelessness 
  
  I am still distracted by the scene transitions, and still not at a point where I take the threats or suspense seriously. 
  I also still don't understand why Wan-Soo doesn't seem to take her security needs more seriously, and though she insists on having full control of the foundation, we're past episode 4 now and it still doesn't seem as if she has an actual plan to keep her family-in-law in check, at bay, and she acts as if she is not aware they are capable of going as far as killing for their greed... She already knows they're criminals (frauds), why does she appear so nonchalant about it?
  
  Sigh. 
  But Rain! 😁

 

 

2 hours ago, partyon said:

The editing is so unbelievably bad - it's like they give it to someone's kid as a summer job.

lol! I want to know how the budget was split, and why it seems as if they didn't have enough money to deliver better editing. It's weird and way below Disney+s' standards...

[partyon]

5 hours ago, lilyphenix said:

I also enjoyed the judo scene, minus the sniffing, which was another #MeToo moment in my opinion (what is it with it hitting on employees?!). The grandma having mad fighting skills adds to the show's commitment to portraying strong women as opposed to going the traditional "damsel in distress trope." The bodyguards reactions to sparring with the MIL were predictable, as well as Rain's actions, but I went along.

 

So the judo scene was quite refreshing and quite unpredictable. It was not like one normally sees halmonis doing judo in kdramas  

I was wondering if the MIL actress actually did some of her own stunts. She didn't look totally unnatural in the scenes. Apparently Seo Yi Sook was a talented badminton player when in school.

 

5 hours ago, lilyphenix said:

That said, I tried really hard to resist, but I have to agree with people's complaints of KHN's acting: why are her eyes devoid of expression? Why does she seem lifeless all the time? Robotic almost? Is she okay?

 

I agree with this. Am a bit frustrated over how monotonous her acting is. And Rain isn't doing much better either. And don't get me started on the lack of chemistry... Yikes!

 

So it was confirmed in ep 3 and 4 that the cheating hubby actually has feelings for his wife. I am not defending him, but I am gonna make a guess that he is the reason that the son died on the skiing trip. She probably blamed him for it and the marriage turned sour after that. He looked for solace elsewhere, she closed up. The usual story.

 

Am interested in knowing what pact she made with the chairman that was killed, though.

 

At this point in time, I'm watching this because it's so bad. Sometimes I feel like they have done a parody of the early 2000s makjang dramas, and with the bad editing and overdramatic music/scenes, I sometimes think this drama was made 20 years ago.

[partyon]

Red Swan: Makjang Poll #1

 

Chingus, I put up a poll! Vote and please comment.

 

@WeunXK @lilyphenix @joccu @africandramalover @SuZy Leoo @rocher22

 

@maribella @Lmangla @liyahsbutterfly Surprised you aren't watching this drama as it is the most makjang thing I've seen on air in a long time

[africandramalover]

On 7/11/2024 at 4:11 PM, partyon said:

At this point in time, I'm watching this because it's so bad.

 

After this week's episodes, I am enjoying this drama!!  it is what I needed! However, they better give us compelling reasons for our leads getting together, and they better do it soon because we're halfway through and all that is clear is that the leads are hot and look hot together, which isn't good enough! Lol!

 

 

Let them have the cliché "stuck in a cabin in an off the road forest somewhere because of a puncture or problem" situation where they have to be alone together and bond convincingly. Also include some passion where they want to kiss one another but just as they're about to, they remember that "he's just a bodyguard and she's his boss and married, so this is so forbidden, but they're dying for one another" scene.

 

 

 

[partyon]

EVENT: The Most Beautiful K-drama Wedding Dresses

 

Vote for your favorite k-drama wedding dresses!

Your Event Organizers

[forumsoomp]

Script is morally very bad, following western culture trend of powerful women being protected by bodyguard with sexual desires in their minds. KHN acted well in other dramas but not in this boring Red Swan, forever moody & temperamental - guess it's part of the script. She can touch the body of her bodyguard by nursing him but forcefully pushed away her own hubby like he is a rapist & allowed her bodyguard to take her away. By 3rd episode, gave up watching - felt so demoralised by this messy, complicated Asian drama not suitable for younger generations esp when most Koreans & Asians are very conservative to such cheatings where spouses doing a "tit for tat" revenge to get even but refused to divorce over power.

Sincerely hope the script will improve the relationships of KHN & her husband to end up happily together esp when he admitted he still loves her. Traditionally, common to see men cheat or have numerous mistresses/wives but women should always remain pure & loyal to their husbands.

[lilyphenix]

15 hours ago, forumsoomp said:

Traditionally, common to see men cheat or have numerous mistresses/wives but women should always remain pure & loyal to their husbands.

I thank you for sharing your perspective and yes, many of acknowledge the mess that is the drama. At this point I am watching it for some of the humorous scenes... and maybe to see how worse it can get.
I can't help but respond to your comment just from my personal perspective. Despite what the culture might be in my community (growing up and now), I am motivated to call out double standards and hold men accountable to higher standards as well, with the expectation that they show their partner/wife respect. TV shows can, indeed, help convey that message as opposed to condoning the status quo...
On that note, I am also relieved that we are mostly past the era where tv shows made "forced kisses" look cool as if it is an okay and romantic thing to do. I can't believe the number of times scenes like that where integrated in shows, both Western and Eastern...

[partyon]

1 hour ago, lilyphenix said:

I thank you for sharing your perspective and yes, many of acknowledge the mess that is the drama. At this point I am watching it for some of the humorous scenes... and maybe to see how worse it can get.

 

I'm only watching this because it's so bad I can't stop watching. I'm also here for the laughs. Am starting to think this is a parody.

 

1 hour ago, lilyphenix said:

On that note, I am also relieved that we are mostly passed the era where tv shows made "forced kisses" look cool as if it is an okay and romantic thing to do.

 

This scene made me extremely uncomfortable. Can't believe they showed us a forced kiss, which thankfully have been absent a few years already from kdramas.

 

@africandramalover @lilyphenix You know, I was thinking just yesterday about the fact that this drama was penned by the writer of Emergency Couple, Second to Last Love and Lie to Me - all non-makjang and decent dramas. What happened with this one?

 

Then I thought maybe it's the director that took the scriptwriter's drama and made it into this hot mess. Checked the director's list of works and noticed he had directed Queen Seon Deok, The Greatest Love, Warm and Cozy and Hwayugi. Except for Hwayugi (the mess was created by the writers with this one), all nice shows.

 

So then I thought, who the heck made this into a makjang drama? My suspicions turn back to the editors again....

 

[lilyphenix]

2 hours ago, partyon said:

So then I thought, who the heck made this into a makjang drama? My suspicions turn back to the editors again....

You've been doing lots of thinking and investigating!! 😂😂
I am honestly sooo puzzled by how this drama turned out, I have nooo explanation! At this point I am thinking someone lost a bet or something and though knowing all that needed fixing, lost the bet and had to film despite time constraint (maybe that's the problem?), or else! I am also obsessing with the money, and this point speculate that the person in charge of it lost it in that Macau Casino (was it Macau?) and just had to cut corner on the script and editing. Sigh! I don't know anymore, lol!   

[larus]

Red Swan: Episodes 3-4

by starrygazer

 

The melodrama lands full force this week in Red Swan! Our leading couple are growing to rely on each other and I think they are going to need this bond in the coming weeks. There are stones thrown at our heroine and while she’s white-knuckling it to survive, our hero is trying to help her while staying under the radar. How long he can keep this up is yet to be seen.

 
EPISODES 3-4

 

Wan-soo is getting hit from all angles this week. She goes to meet with Tae-ra and suggests that Tae-ra should make herself scarce. Wan-soo tells Tae-ra to take her son and go to Switzerland — basically telling her to not rock the boat and stay out of sight. Tae-ra being the money-grabbing mistress she is, bites back. She throws some nasty jibes about Wan-soo being childless (we learn her son died in a skiing accident, so this is just too cruel). Tae-ra demands Wan-soo get a divorce as she informs Wan-soo that her marriage was a lie from the start.

Tae-ra tells Wan-soo that Yong-kook was previously engaged. Yong-kook was sleeping with an actress, on the side, and she overdosed whilst the two of them were together in a hotel room. Yong-kook’s fiancée at the time found out and called off the engagement. In order to avoid a scandal, Chairwoman Park had given Yong-kook a bag of money to go to Africa and target Wan-soo. Wan-soo had a great image for them: Rags to riches! Angel of charity! Chairwoman Park is so over-the-top diabolical I can believe she did this, but I’m still undecided about Yong-kook. Yong-kook comes across as someone who is spoiled, but I’m not sure if he’s that cunning. He openly admits he doesn’t need to take responsibility for anything – a sad way to live if you ask me.

 

In addition to Tae-ra, Chairwoman Park is doing her utmost to hurl stones at our heroine, too. Tae-ra visits Chairwoman Park and complains about Wan-soo wanting her to leave the country. Chairwoman Park obviously thinks Tae-ra is beneath her (I suspect she thinks everyone is), but decides to use her as a pawn to try and keep Wan-soo in her place. Chairwoman Park has Tae-ra and her son come to the family photoshoot the next day, to knock our heroine off her stride. Wan-soo is not so easily shaken, but when Chairwoman Park moves all of her deceased son’s things out of his room and replaces them with Tae-ra’s son’s things, it hits her hard.

Chairwoman Park shows Wan-soo the paternity test for Tae-ra’s child and tips the press off about the death of Wan-soo’s son. Wan-soo had wanted to keep it quiet — it seems she carries a lot of guilt for going to work instead of staying with him the day he passed. Wan-soo is getting a little suffocated with the nasty attacks on her and takes off for the beach for breather, with Do-yoon in tow.

At the beach, Do-yoon stays close but not too close, giving her room to breathe. When Wan-soo goes back to the car, Do-yoon dusts the sand off her feet and carefully places her shoes back on. Do-yoon’s respectful yet caring gesture obviously affects Wan-soo — and me. But Wan-soo draws a line between them and tells Do-yoon to stick to his bodyguard tasks, because she doesn’t trust him yet.

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/07/red-swan-episodes-3-4/

 

[larus]

Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (July 13, 2024)

by DB Staff

 

So, what are we all watching this week?

 

What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…

 

missvictrix

Red Swan: Have to say, now that I know what to expect with this one (heavy duty silly melo), I’m all on board. It’s funnnn! I have no idea what I’m watching but I’m not sorry. You can continue to have Rain brood and wrist grab and beat people in the ring and I would be here for it.

 

https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/07/team-dramabeans-what-were-watching-july-13-2024/

[partyon]

6 hours ago, lilyphenix said:

You've been doing lots of thinking and investigating!! 😂😂

 

I'm just so shocked. How can a Disney+ show be of this caliber?

 

6 hours ago, lilyphenix said:

Sigh! I don't know anymore, lol!

 

You know, I have a feeling that this drama was filmed as a 16 episode drama and then someone said no, we're only gonna air 10 episodes. They got busy editing it but added extra dramatic music and poor CGI to compensate.

[africandramalover]

10 hours ago, partyon said:

 

 

@africandramalover @lilyphenix You know, I was thinking just yesterday about the fact that this drama was penned by the writer of Emergency Couple, Second to Last Love and Lie to Me - all non-makjang and decent dramas. What happened with this one?

 

 

The writer of Red Swan and Emergency Couple share the same name. There's no way someone who writes the brilliant Emergency Couple can write this drama (even if I am enjoying it).

 

Speaking of which, the writer of emergency couple needs to write another Romcom!!! ASAPest!!

[partyon]

26 minutes ago, africandramalover said:

The writer of Red Swan and Emergency Couple share the same name. There's no way someone who writes the brilliant Emergency Couple can write this drama (even if I am enjoying it).

According to Mydramalist, it's the same writer, chingu....

 

https://mydramalist.com/people/16014-choi-yoon-jung

 

 

But Asianwiki claims it's a different writer.

 

Which one is correct?

 

I do agree, we need an Emergency Couple season 2 ASAP. Pali!

[rocher22]

Liked the garden scene from ep 3,  the FL's outfit and the song ''I Dont Know Why''.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[larus]

Red Swan: Episodes 5-6

by starrygazer

 

This week’s episodes went off with a bang. Quite literally! Our lead couple are definitely leaning on each other more… and becoming dangerously close, in more ways than one. It’s also becoming a little clearer who will be friend or foe when things finally come to a head. Meanwhile, I’m just here for the drama and general over-the-topness that is making this a really enjoyable watch.

 
EPISODES 5-6

 

Last week our show ended on a cliffhanger, with Wan-soo screaming when she goes into her mum’s cell, and Do-yoon running in to see what had happened. Wan-soo has a lot of resentment towards Mum, so she is shocked when her mum genuinely apologizes to her. It’s difficult for Wan-soo to see her in this situation and I think this surprises her. Wan-soo’s mum suddenly passes away, and that cliffhanger scream was from a very distressed Wan-soo.

Back in the lair of the Grand Palace, Wan-soo is summoned by Chairwoman Park. Chairwoman Park says she’s sorry about Wan-soo’s mum’s passing. However, Chairwoman Park follows this by demanding Wan-soo not attend her mother’s funeral. Instead Wan-soo is ordered to go with her to a meeting to “grease the wheels” with the Chinese ambassador for Chairwoman Park’s deal to go through. Wan-soo is so heartbroken she politely declines, telling Chairwoman Park she needs to say goodbye properly. Chairwoman Park is a nasty piece of work, which we already know, and goes on to threaten Wan-soo. Chairwoman Park suggests she could lock up Wan-soo and no one would ever know, or indeed Wan-soo’s brother… Yikes! That’s cold.

 

Wan-soo knows she has to play this little game and dutifully goes to the meeting, missing her mother’s funeral. In a rare moment of vulnerability, when she returns, Wan-soo decides to take her mother’s ashes and ask Do-yoon if he can take her somewhere. Do-yoon readily takes her, and they go radio silent – turning off their phones and the car’s GPS tracker. This throws the security team into disarray and Yong-kook is going berserk because they can’t locate Wan-soo.

In a touching scene, our lead couple have gone back to Wan-soo’s childhood home and she says her goodbye to her mum. Wan-soo also explains to Do-yoon that her son died — she just doesn’t like to acknowledge it, which is why Wan-soo tells people her son is in Switzerland. Do-yoon has this very calm and in control demeanor as a bodyguard, but he decides to comfort Wan-soo, which she allows. Once our lead couple are in each other’s arms, Do-yoon encourages Wan-soo to cry, saying it will make her heart ache less. This scene really hit me in the feels; our couple has great chemistry. This touching moment is marred slightly, however, by some hidden figure taking sneaky photos of them.

 

Circling back to the Grand Palace, upon their return Wan-soo and Do-yoon are met with a very upset Yong-kook. Yong-kook proceeds to insult Do-yoon by asking where he was with his wife and then punching Do-yoon. (The rich people in this show are pretty scary.) Chairwoman Park is looking at the secret photos taken of Wan-soo and Do-yoon earlier – I am not surprised it was her who gave the order at all. Chairwoman Park orders Mr. Park to do whatever Wan-soo tells him to with regards to Do-yoon’s employment, as Chairwoman Park is convinced Wan-soo will protect him, even though Yoon-kook demanded Do-yoon’s dismissal.

In an hilarious turn of events, Yong-kook enters and is slapped quite a few times by Chairwoman Park — not hard enough if you ask me. Chairwoman Park bellows at him for insinuating Wan-soo was having an affair when she is grieving, just because that’s what Yong-kook does doesn’t mean that’s the way Wan-soo behaves too. Now that did surprise me. Chairwoman Park explains to him that Wan-soo is holding the foundation hostage as it hides all of their “dirty laundry” (i.e., slush funds). If Wan-soo divorces him and exposes everything, Yong-kook will lose his inheritance and his management rights. Chairwoman Park is quite chilling when she tells him the only way to get Wan-soo out of the family is through death. At first Chairwoman Park didn’t want Wan-soo and Yong-kook to get divorced, then she did, and now she wants to kill Wan-soo. Make your mind up, woman!

 

Meanwhile, Wan-soo turns up at Do-yoon’s room and they have a very charged exchange. Do-yoon asks her to be “his woman” (oh my!), and to stop putting herself in danger. Wan-soo’s reaction to this is to ask Do-yoon to be “her man” instead because she needs him. He wants to know why she needs him, but Wan-soo says she’ll explain later, and she needs to fully trust him first. Do-yoon wants to know why she is doing this: is it for money, fame, or vanity? Wan-soo sincerely says she wants to help children in poverty because they remind her of herself — she couldn’t care less about anything else. Our heroine really is admirable trying to hold on to such pure intentions while living in this pit of vipers.

In a stroke of bad timing, Mr. Park knocks on the door and Do-yoon’s initial reaction is to hide Wan-soo, so he’s shocked when she invites Mr. Park in. This is definitely a smarter way to play this situation — after all they weren’t doing anything wrong. Mr. Park asks why Wan-soo is there and she tells him she received another threat from ISIS. She explains she can’t trust new faces, so he is not to swap Do-yoon for other security personnel. (Well played Wan-soo!)

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/07/red-swan-episodes-5-6/

[larus]

Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (July 20, 2024)

by DB Staff

 

So, what are we all watching this week?

 

What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…

 

missvictrix

Red Swan: Despite Kim Haneul feeling miscast here, her chemistry with Rain is really good. Gosh, they about killed me in the hospital room. But of course I’m just here for the exploding car bodyguard rescue trope, which could be shoehorned into every drama and I’d bite. Here in Red Swan, though, it fits the high-octane ridiculousness… and I think 10 episodes is perfect for this drama.

 

https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/07/team-dramabeans-what-were-watching-july-20-2024/