Kdrama Recreation Therapy: First Half of 2023

I remember complaining that January 2023 felt so loooong, and now here we are done with June and the first half of the year. Things are better compared to the first half of the year but not exactly good. I'm still surprised and confused as to why we don't have benta. As in. Is it us? Is it the market? Is it the economy? I'm almost convinced that it is the economy but when I was in SM North last June 28, I think it's just me. Maybe I've been watching too much Kdrama kaya I didn't get much work done? Or, maybe I don't have enough orders that's why I have too much time to watch Kdramas? I think it's a tie.

Anyway, kung Kdrama lang ang pag-uusapan, I think I've watched a lot this year compared to last year. As of date, I have seen 

The Glory 1 & 2

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I liked it. Medyo heavy lang most especially that it's my first Kdrama for 2023 and I guess it sort of set the tone for the year. I won't comment on the actors' acting cos I'm not an expert on that pero I guess okay naman, except I feel there were scenes where Lim Ji-yeon was OA. 

What's shocking about this drama is that it was based on real cases. Terrible. How can people be so mean? Hindi lang mean- THEY ARE EVIL. And to think these were done by teenagers? What's the world coming to? Baka kaya sobrang init na ngayon- this is literally HELL on Earth. Half charot. 

What I also realized from this drama is that I am old. Song Hye-kyo doesn't look a day over 40 (over 30, even!) pero I remember vividly watching her in Full House which was shown 19 years ago. Has it been that long already? Just wasting my life away watching Kdramas, reading webtoons and drinking iced coffee? Although, they say that time you enjoy wasting is not wasted at all.

I get why Dong-eun wanted revenge. Pero parang hindi ba nakakapagod that your entire life has revolved around it? At least successful siya diba? Albeit successful, I don't think she felt good after. Vindicated, yes. But, happy that she's finally gets the justice she thinks she deserve for being maltreated- feeling ko hindi. This is where Lee Do-hyun's characters comes in handy. Or his mother, actually. Cos if it weren't for them, she might have ended her life after exacting her revenge.  

I liked the ending. It's not happy-happy, but it's real. Although I wanted sana a friendship between Dong-eun and Hyun-nam. And if it were me, I would have chosen Ha Do-young over Yeo-jung, hahaha! Pero that's just me kasi ang pogi. LOL. 

Anyway, where does Dong-eun get all that money? 

Misaeng

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I liked it. I just found it a bit slow-paced. 

I started watching a few Kdramas this year thinking they were comedies/romcoms and this is one of them. May comedy naman but the overall feel of this drama is sad. Definitely not feel good, which what I was looking for when I started watching it. This drama sort of depicts real life- it's not what you know, it is who you know pa din. You can be very hardworking pero kung hindi ka bet ng boss mo, waley. 

I felt bad for Jang Geu-rae's character at first but I feel he's actually lucky. He may have had it hard at first, but in spite of the odds being against him he still was able to get in One International, he had a boss that supported him and he had colleagues who helped whenever he needed help. I love Jang Geu-rae. I wish I had Jang Geu-rae's willpower. I'm so happy that good things happened to him. It wasn't all roses, but still he got to work in a big, stable corporation and he had good people around him. So ayun, swerte siya. 

My favorite character aside from Jang Geu-rae was Oh Sang-sik. I loved how he supported Jang Geu-rae even if at first, he was also skeptical about him. He saw Jang Geu-rae's potential and that he just needed guidance to be able to do a good job. Minsan mas maigi pa na hindi gaano kagalingan pero willing to get one's hand dirty compared to someone who thinks he's too good to do mundane tasks like Baek-ki for example. I felt sad for him that even if he was good at his job, he still wasn't promoted because he wouldn't kiss ass. I felt bad for him that he had to sacrifice quality time with his family for a job that didn't value his worth. 

So ayun, my key takeaway from this drama is life is not fair. 

Crash Course in Romance

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The first half was entertaining bilang I am a fan of bickering leads who eventually end up together ;) But the second half of the drama I found boring.

I cannot fathom why these mothers/parents subject their children to too much academic pressure. Aside from school, they have academies pa after until around 10 in the evening. Kung may work-life balance for the adults, kids should also have school work - life balance. Plus, kids are meant to enjoy their youth. How can they when they're too caught up with their studies? Good grades and getting into good schools are important but aren't our kids' mental health and happiness more important? Ayun lang. Ang OA lang na wala silang ginawa kung hindi mag-aral. And the lengths their parents would go through. At hindi pa ako nakapanuod ng Sky Castle sa lagay na yan ha. 

Love to Hate You

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Fun romcom plus it's only ten episodes! 

My Liberation Notes

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Opened this draft today- August 24- and now I barely remember anything except that I liked this drama. It's sad but I loved it. It has a happy ending though which was one of the factors why I liked it. Also, how to have Mi-jung's boldness? Hahaha! I have a person in mind na gusto kong sabihan nang "worship me and make me feel whole" emeruts. Actually, I feel whole naman. I just want someone to worship me. Hahahaha!

Call It Love

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Another sad drama. Usually talaga I steer clear of sad dramas cos kdramas are supposed to be my escape, but I don't know with 2023- halos puro sad/heavy yung themes ng pinanuod ko. 

I liked Call it Love although all throughout the drama, I felt that Woo-joo's misery was self-imposed. She and his siblings, with their mother, could have moved on with their lives... I know easier said than done. Bwiset naman talaga yung tatay nila (plus the querida), pero mas lalong nagwagi si querida kung naging masalimuot yung buhay nila, diba? I sort of understand Han Dong-jin's misery though- ganun ba naman nanay mo tapos wala ka pang kapatid. Woo-joo and Dong-jin's relationship may have been complicated, but at the same time I feel it was easier to reconcile since Dong-jin doesn't really like his mother... I guess the conflict nga was more on Woo-joo's family's reaction to their relationship. Okay tama na, magulo na haha. 

Queenmaker

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I liked this one. Although masyado siyang malapit sa realidad- it was actually too close for comfort. Medyo fresh pa sa isip ko yung 2022 elections and this drama was mej too similar to what happened and is happening. I was actually wondering if this drama was inspired by the Philippine politics LOL. But I guess all governments are corrupt. Depende na lang kung gaano kagarapal. 

Under the Queen's Umbrella

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I liked this one, too. Akala ko comedy pero ayun nga isa pa uling masalimuot ng sageuk. Again, I am baffled as to why people would like to subject their loved ones to such a life (royalty), when it's a life filled with betrayal and fear- walang peace of mind. I'd rather live in the mountains peacefully than live in a palace pero hindi ka naman makatulog nang mahimbing. 

Aside from the story, of course contributing factor ang mga cute na princes, most especially Grand Prince Sung Nam (played by Moon Sang-min). And I'm happy that he ended up with someone he really likes.

That's it- proud of how many kdramas I've finished the first half of 2023. Ang hindi proud eh yung wallet ko na palabas ang pera at wala masyadong papasok kasi hindi ako nagtratrabaho. But it's almost Christmas and orders are starting to come in... not exactly for Christmas yet pero at least meron. Please keep 'em coming ☺