Kmuse's Musings - Kdrama Trends: Yay or Nay?

We all know that in Kdramaland the writers/producers/kdrama gods really love a good trend.  Love it enough that they saturate our tv's with a concept so thoroughly, that if we hear the word Noona Romance one more time, we involuntarily cringe.  So why do they feel the need to jump on a concept bandwagon?  Are they afraid that if they wait 6 mths that everyone will forget that they enjoy multiple personality dramas?  

King of High School Episode 10 - Let the Brooding Begin

This episode took a break from our OTP (one true pairing) and really focused on the side characters, letting them have their moment in the sun.  Not that the writers have not been doing a fabulous job in getting us to care about a lot of the extra employees and family connected to our leading couple, but so often we are distracted by the awesomeness that is Seo In Guk that we forget there is still a whole other slew of characters inhabiting Min Seok's world.

-The Twitty Duo-

These two continue to steal my heart.  They are the uber cute space cadets that you associate with the concept of the ideal high schooler.  They eat an intense amount of food, are obsessed with girls but can't seem to get actual experience, and are extremely loyal to their bestie Min Seok.  They also are so cute (like little puppies) when they finally meet the popcorn noona and finagle their way in to having dinner with them.  I love how they were so supportive of their relationship and wished them well on all the upcoming "surprises" that they would face in the future.  They might not be the smartest guys ever, but they are the one's who will support Min Seok when things begin to fall apart (or when he flunks out of high school.  Seriously?  How is he actually passing his classes when he is literally not there?)

-Noona Office Romances-

We are also getting some movement by some of Soo Young and Min Seok's coworkers.  The coworker (we will call him babyface since he looks so innocent and young) who is always being overlooked has fallen for the short haired girl coworker (going to call her cougar).  Babyface starts to spout off a lot of negative stuff to his hyung coworker who is interested in dating cougar, and when confronted about so said negative gossip he works up the courage and just kisses her.  WOW, did not see that coming.  Is anyone else wondering what kind of workplace this is?  And how do they not have sexual harassment seminars every week?  I guess cougar was not against the assault since she tells him to close his mouth next time and goes in for some more action.  HEHEHE we are even getting excessive skinship from the side characters now.  This show really likes to deliver with good kisses.

-Poor Stalker Girl-

Is it just me, or is everyone starting to really feel bad for the stalker girl?  She turned out to be a really nice person, despite her stalking tendencies.  And her earning enough money to buy new skates for Min Seok is enough to make even the coldest hearted person wince.  It is not her fault that her crush and her beloved sister fell in love.  Yoo Ah has a lot of heartache in her future and I personally hope that she rises above it and does not add to the hurdles that our OTP need to overcome. 

-Jin Woo-

Is it wrong that I kind of wish that Jin Woo and Min Seok could have a mini bromance going on?  But judging from the events of today's episode, I don't foresee that happening anytime soon.  Poor Jin Woo is overwhelmed with worry for his mother who is in rehab for alcohol addiction.  Jin Woo begs his evil father to go see his mother and be supportive, but of course evil father refuses.  I just feel so sad for Jin Woo that he has such horrible selfish parents.  And then I will start to find myself wondering if I can forgive him for his horrible actions?  But then of course he is unable to handle his issues and attacks poor innocent Soo Young both physically (with an unwanted kiss) and then verbally when he is rebuffed.  So sorry you Jin Woo fans, he is still a total complete tool and finds no redemption in my blog.  Just because there are reasons he is a cruel sadistic jerk does not mean that he should be forgiven.  I do hope that somehow he is able to rise above it.  Maybe with a lot of therapy he would be ready to be around normal people again.

We knew it was coming and I am surprised we actually got this far into the drama without Soo Young figuring out Min Seok's secret.  I kept hoping that maybe Min Seok would tell her himself (It never happens that way, but a fan girl can hope), but in the end she comes across him at the high school while visiting her sister.  The cat is out of the bag and I am just left wondering how bad the fall out is going to be.  Usually I would say that things are going to go really really bad, but Soo Young tends to be unique in her outlook, so I am praying their separation will be short lived.

I swear if they don't end up together I will take up Wicca (or whatever the black version of Wicca is) to learn witchcraft so I can curse the writers with a thousand warts all about their body.  I need my Min Seok to be happy again.  We have become accustomed to a certain amount of Seo In Guk smiles and I can't go back to a in despair and brooding bias.  

Kmuse

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Flashback Friday - The Noona Edition

We all know that the kdrama theme of the year is definitely noona/younger man romances.  As a viewer you see them left and right, with no end in site for this cougar trend.  But where did the noona romance start?  It was actually way before Cha Chi Soo romanced Yang Eun Bi in Flower Boy Ramyun Shop.  So I decided that I would give you avid kdrama addicts a list of classic noona tales, just in case you are like me and need some good  suggestions to help supplement your watching list.  Please keep in mind that some of these dramas are really old so the quality is not going to be HD, but if you overlook that for the story then you wont be disappointed.   If you have any questions on where you can find these dramas, or if I have missed any that you would like to share with the community, be sure to leave a comment.

-Snow White 2004-

This is actually one of my top suggestions for those of you who have watched all of the regular favorites and are starting to search deeper into the drama vault.  Even though it is not a 10 rated drama, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and would happily watch it again.  So sit back and enjoy some big hair and pretty boys in this sweet and funny romance about a younger brother falling for his older brothers best friend.

Synopsis:
Ma Young Hee has been in love with her best friend Han Jin Woo since the first time they met in high school. Han Jin Woo, on the other hand, does not see Young Hee's love for him and blindly goes out with other girls in front of her. On a trip to Japan, Young Hee meets a young man on the street who takes her back to his apartment since she is drunk. Young Hee accuses this man of raping her even though he didn't, but before she can rightfully press charges, he runs away as the government officials of Japan chase him down for an expired visa. Upon returning to Korea, Jin Woo stops by her apartment and introduces his younger brother, Han Sun Woo who just happens to be the young man she met in Japan. Jin Woo asks if Sun Woo may stay at her place, and Young Hee accepts out of love for Jin Woo. The story unfolds as a sudden high school classmate of Young Hee, Jang Hee Won, begins to court Jin Woo.

-Biscuit Teacher and Star Candy 2005-

This drama has an amazing cast of future top stars, Gong Yoo (Coffee Prince, Big) and Gong Hyo Jin (Masters Sun, Greatest Love) star together as a student and thug teacher.   (Hmmmmm was Flower Boy Ramyun Shop a rip off of this drama...  never thought about it but the plots are somewhat similar in the beginning.) And as a person who is not a huge fan of Gong Yoo (EEEEK ducking from everything thrown at me by rabid Gong Yoo fans), this is one of the few dramas I actually enjoyed him in.  Again, this is not ever going to be on my all time favorites list, but those of you willing to hunt down the subs will not be disappointed

Synopsis
A tough teacher with an attitude and her cute student have an exciting time at school.
Na Bo Ri was a legend in high school for being a troublemaker and getting into fights. Then one day she gets expelled from school for being involved in a fight. After overcoming numerous hardships, she gets a job as a substitute teacher at her old high school. She is excited with the fact that she will be able to meet her old teacher, Ji Hyeon Woo, whom she has had a crush on for years. But a womanizing troublemaker in her class, Park Tae In, keeps getting her into trouble. Tae In is a smart and an athletic student. From Tae In’s point of view, he dislikes Bo Ri because she isn’t smart, but at the same time, has a headstrong personality. As his relationship with his teacher turns for the worst, he gradually becomes attracted to her through a series of complicated events...

-What's Up Fox 2006-

At the time this drama aired, it was actually considered a bit racy.  It actually indicates that the characters not only talk about sex, but actually go past the hand holding stage of Korean courtship and have sex before marriage.  I would probably compare it to the I Need Romance dramas with a Noona theme.  When the main girl, Go Byeong Hee, accidentally sleeps with her best friends younger brother, Chul Su, chaos erupts in everyone's lives.  At times the drama can get a bit slow, but the budding relationship between the two opposites is still very entertaining and I would definitely call this drama a hidden gem.

Synopsis
Single 33 year-old Go Byeong Hee works as a reporter for a sex magazine. She wants more romance and a more respectable life but isn't sure how to get it. 24-year-old Park Chul Su, mechanic and world traveler, is the younger brother of Byeong Hee's best friend. He's free spirited and not concerned with what the world thinks. One night the two old family friends get drunk and wake up in bed together. Go Byeong Hee wants to forget it ever happened, especially since a good marriage prospect has just made an appearance. Unfortunately for her, Chul Su has other ideas.

-My Queen 2009-

I decided to add in this Tawianese drama in my list since the kdrama remake is just around the corner, starting in April.  My Queen (the first 2/3rds of the drama) is actually one of my favorite Tdramas.  It has a plucky heroine who is funny and plagued with relatives trying to marry her off.  Then we have Ruan Ethan (one of my favorite Tleading men) as the young twenty-something entrepreneur that enters her life initially pitying her.  But pity soon turns to love and moves him to change her opinion on dating younger men.  I will let you know that this drama suffers from what I call the Tdrama curse.  Tdramas are renowned for their need to throw in a good six episodes of nonsense drama (deathly diseases, cancer, dying relatives, amnesia, etc to keep the OTP apart for longer then needed).  Watch accordingly, you have been warned.

Synopsis
Shan Wu Shuang (Cheryl Yang) is a 33 year old magazine reporter who devotes herself to her career after her fiancee Yun Hao (Wen Sheng Hao- Office Girls) leaves her. Lucas (Ethan Ruan) is a 25 year old romantic who barely scrapes by doing odd jobs. When he ends up helping her on an assignment, the two begin to fall for each other, despite their age difference. But when Yun Hao returns to Taiwan hoping to rekindle his romance with Wu Shuang, she doesn't know who she should trust: the former love who knows her inside out, or the young romantic offering her a fresh start.

That completes my list of classic noona dramas. What do you think?  Do these stack up against the current older women, younger man dramas?  Are you done with the trend or do you still want to see more socially forbidden love?  Be sure to let me know your thoughts and also tune in for my top 5 kdrama countdown this week.  A certain noona/jail-bait drama takes up several spots in my favorites list.

Kmuse


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