Kdramas are critical to mental and emotional health, right?
I write reviews of kdramas that seem more like personal essays.
photo: Suncheon Filming Site (2019)
Recent Posts
I try to post reviews seven days after they conclude. Do I generally succeed? No! But bear with me!
Snowdrop: The Case of the Hysterical Hostage
My resentment towards Snowdrop can be summarized by one particular point; it actually made me question the legitimacy of the beloved drama, SKY Castle. To have it sullied after watching the sophomore endeavour of the writer/director feels insulting because now the original drama feels transformed from a critical satire on Korean elites and their nefarious plans to buy their children’s futures into a run-of-the-mill makjang (though these elements were ever-present). Nonetheless, I still assert that SKY Castle was refreshing, tawdry, and fun; Snowdrop was vanilla, repetitive and pretty boring.
It’s Always the Quiet Ones: When the Weather is Fine and A Piece of Your Mind
This transition from winter to spring isn’t all sunshine and cherry blossoms, it can bring anxiety alongside with anticipation. The Spring of 2020 (one that will likely go down as one of the hardest for the entire world in recent memory) brought the release of two quiet and meditative dramas. Keeping viewer interest is sometimes a challenge with slower plots but the payoff can be quite exceptional if the story is accessible and the writers credit their audience’s intelligence. It is a delicate balance. I have decided to review these dramas together because one is an exceedingly well-done quiet drama and the other has garnered some well-earned contempt (from me in particular but also from kdrama fans!).
