gilaswan

I’m rewatching the latest episode again and totally love the scene where Hae-in dresses his wounds. KSH just acts so well there, down to the flinches in pain when she puts ointment on his lips right after he tells her the wounds don’t hurt. Aigoo… the interactions between them were so cute. And yes, I love that Hyun-woo as a character has these skills and traits that are just so understated - which is probably why he makes an excellent special forces soldier - but he does humble brag to Hae-in. And it’s so brilliant that she tells him she’s not impressed by any of the supposed fighting skills he has cos she’s actually worried for his safety. Love it! Cos that’s love. Something I don’t understand - why does Hyunwoo’s mum get angry with him when he revealed that he decided to call off the divorce when he found out she was terminally ill? Wouldn’t that in general have been the right thing to do anyway? Oh. And I loved that at the press conference, Hae-in still speaks of Hyunwoo as her husband, not her ex-husband. Love it!

Loved this weekend's episodes! @Mouse summarised my thoughts exactly! Again I say, I am someone who rarely cries watching movies or tv shows, but by the end of ep. 10, I was in tears. I feel Hyunwoo's pain, despair, anxiety, shock, love... For everyone else who thought SJK's cameo character outshone Hyunwoo, I just have to say, the fact that despite Hyunwoo being such an impressive person he could still cower and be diminished in the presence of Vincenzo, just points to exactly how brilliant KSH's acting is. He is just that good. Throughout ep 9 and much of ep 10, I was starting to get annoyed by the supposed "love line" between Eun-seong and Hae-in, but ah! How the tables have turned on him! No wonder the twists and turns and twists again! She's smart. If it's out on such a public platform, how would Eun-seong be able to recover from that?! I'd like to see. She's not gonna die so easily - there are 6 more episodes to go. I just wonder how quickly her health would have deteriorated by the next episode. And as frustrated as we might be with the couple's lack of absolute transparency with each other, I can see why she would keep this from him - his worry for her might have put him in harm's way given how he just might confront Eun-seong too. Grace's comment about how transactional the "other team" was is telling in how relationships were managed and so easily discarded. That's the weaknesses of ultimately very myopic reasons for the gains they want to make - while the plan took 20 years to come into effect, the way they very quickly and readily discarded people when they deemed their goal accomplished just shows the flawed foundations they held. If nothing else, Hyunwoo really did keep Queens on the straight and narrow as best as he could. Therein lay the difference. Although, I have to say Grace being the first to betray them seemed a little quick. They were never really on the same page. Even son is ready to stab mum in the back. C'mon grandpa, hurry up and wake up already! You've got to give your statement to be able to drag the fraudulent mother-son team down!

@Alice Wonderland Safe to binge through both episodes this past weekend I think. The ending to episode 8 is quite smile inducing. I was kinda expecting to see all of them in the village when the news report came out to say no one knows where the Queens family has gone. Hahahaha... But I do have questions - were they ousted from their own house or did they choose to vacate because they now know it's no longer a safe space? - Hyunwoo is no longer a director - granddad removed him - but as he mentioned, he is still an employee - does this mean he can still enter the office and "work" or has he been fired by Yoon Eun Seong? No mention of it ya? - Everyone involved seems to have fled the country - is Grace still around then? The take over was certainly very sudden and very swift. They just needed granddad to sign off on those papers and that was it! Aiyoh. I wonder what the reclaim Queens plan is going to be. I think we need the elder brother back in the game too. And poor Soo Cheol. I wonder what was in the note Da Hye left him.

@ssteph What was the “come from spaceship” reference to? Which drama?

@Alice Wonderland I’m hoping we see some positive movement tonight towards battle. Last night was sad on so many levels. But I like it that Da Hye looks like she’s wavering. I think it had not dawned on her until now that there’s going be real bloodshed coming up. Soo Cheol is also - as idiotic as he can be - a real tragic product of his mother’s reaction to the death of her elder son. He’s simpleminded because his mother has over sheltered him. I see so much of that at my work place. It’s very sad when you have very rescuing parents. The children don’t get to grow up and malfunction as adults. Ms GF is starting to really get on my nerves. I really wonder why her motivations are. Is she simply a swindler? Is this just a very complex and long standing heist that has nothing to do with revenge? I’m still trying to figure out why Grace and Da Hye are in the picture. Simply for the ride? And will Hae In’s memory loss continue from here? If it does then she’s not going to be able to run the business any longer. How will they hide it? I need Aunt Beomja and eldest uncle to come in quick and become the unknown formidable force that hits back at OTOQ because they’re assumed to be non-threatening elements in the game.

Aiyoh! Haein’s condition has gotten worse! She’s losing more recent memories! I feel so sad for the couple.

The background music sounds funny, so let’s hope it’s exactly intended to be a ruse to be reported to those who want to believe the marriage is ending. I hope they don’t drag too long with Haein and Hyunwoo being unaware that Grandpa is being bugged through the painting. So far, the reveals have been well paced and nothing’s been too dragged out. I’m hopeful. What time does the drama air on Netflix? I want to watch tonight’s episode but I don’t wanna sleep late!

You're right. But if they are out to destroy, it would not matter. They just need a foot in. I do however think that that is not the relationship Eunseong has with the Hong family. I don't really know what the motivation is except for that he is certainly in cahoots with Ms GF and very possibly the son she had while in prison. There's a lot of mystery shrouding Ms GF too - she has been around with the family for the last 20 years and from that scene where Grandpa visited the orphanage to speak, it seemed to me as if that was where they first met, not before. But I'd prolly have to do a rewatch to get s sense of exactly what was being suggested there. It seemed to me like she entered the family shortly after Grandma's passing. Out of curiosity though - are chaebol families in Korea so young? Only 3 generations long with the first being a rags-to-riches generation?

We're officially at the mid-point mark in this drama! The constant reveals are keeping everyone on the edges of their seat and next week's going to be frustrating for us as we prepare to watch Hyunwoo get kicked around unjustly by the ingrates that are his in-laws and the seeming small victories that Operation-Take-Over-Queens (which acronym phonetically spells otoQae?! ) is having. The set up now makes it seem as if Yoon Eunseong is Grandpa's son. Aunt Beomja was certain that Ms Girlfriend caused mum's death, though Dad Beomjun and Grandpa seem very assured that mum died from natural causes. I am now suspicious. Did Grandpa have an affair with Ms Girlfriend prior? It's made to look that way, but she was director of the orphanage when Eunseong was already a young boy and looks to be about the same age or close to in age to Hae-in and her older brother. Would Grandpa not have known if Ms Girlfriend was pregnant? Da Hye and Grace were also from the orphanage, but why are they part of this elaborate OTOQ team? If Eunseong and Ms Girlfriend are related, I get it. Are the other 2 just in for the ride? This has been a 20-year heist in progress, but you do have to give it to Eunseong that he has enough of the smarts to even be successful in his own right, else this OTOQ would not have been possible to begin with. Da Hye's son - who is he? Another child taken from the orphanage? Was she even pregnant? Or was she one of those who bluffed her way into a 9-month solitary confinement because her "weak constitution" needed that quiet isolation in a seaside villa? Grandpa is a rags-to-riches story to become the largest conglomerate in Korea. No wonder the pride and now paranoia in his old age. He probably had to step on many toes to get to where he is. The hurt experienced by Ms Girlfriend and Eunseong must be sufficiently great for them to want to do this, not just as a matter of getting a share of the inheritance, but also a way of revenge. I agree with the observation that Ms Girlfriend is very scary. Her complete calm when hurling the meat tenderiser is one kind of vicious psychopathy which Eunseong displays too. I think too the boat accident that happened was planned and Hae-in's brother's death was a small victory for them. Who knew Hae-in would grow up to be the formidable heir apparent they now had to fight? No wonder Grace wanted Eunseong to marry her instead and gain entry through a legitimate way, but the emergence of Hyunwoo foiled that plan. She's been trying to plant hate against him since then. And Soocheol's dimwittedness is amazing. No wonder Da Hye has to drink to keep sane! This weekend's episodes are going to really frustrate and annoy me, I think. @Alice Wonderland's plan to wait till episode 10 to binge through is a good one. Hahaha... I have to say, just seeing Eunseong on screen fills me with annoyance. I really question why the private residence isn't locked up. How can it be that anyone can waltz into their rooms so easily? Room doors not locked. There's a strange level of trust for a family so full of distrust. MVP for the last weekend's episode? Aunt Beomja. While I know there is a sense that Hyunwoo is the wildcard with strengths he's kept hidden so long, I think Aunt Beomja is the one who is going to surprise everyone, Grandpa Dad especially who has written her off. She smells a rat and knows that her older brother is innocent, but she hasn't quite managed to put things together yet. However, she's the first to know and experience the extent of Ms Girlfriend's viciousness - perhaps it was her mistake to show her hand to Beomja afterall. Being in jail has given her some other resources perhaps uncommon to the chaebols, and she is going to use them all. Aunt Beomja is also going to be the unexpected link between the generations - she loves Haein and thinks very well of Hyunwoo. She will see through this injustice just as she has with regard to her own late mother, and she's not going to take it lying down. I hope in the coming episodes, she will reach out to Hyunwoo and make Haein see the logic and reality of what's going on. Perhaps they will set up their own clandestine operation of Reveal-OTOQ. It's 3 against 4. Let the games begin!

@mademoiselle Couldn't decide if I wanted to laugh or clap at your post, so I did the neutral "like". Hahaha..."I-will-bleed-or-die-in-your-stead" definitely made me laugh. Hahaha... Which dramas did this writer write before? I'm halfway through episode 6. It's starting to get heavy - I totally get @Alice Wonderland's thought process here... it is indeed starting to get difficult on the heart. Will be back with more thoughts once I'm done watching everything...

I loved episode 5. The emotions, the scheming, the cracks starting to show in everyone... It is often said that women become mothers before men become fathers. That's cos when you're carrying a child, you can feel the change in yourself - it's physical. You can't pretend it's not there. Whereas for men, they have a concept of becoming a father, but it doesn't really happen until the baby is in your hands. Men become fathers at that point. I am not someone who generally cries when watching movies or TV shows, but I did tear many times watching this episode. The loss of a child is a very painful thought for mothers. You have literally lost a part of your physical self. When I know of people who have lost their children, I am afraid to imagine the pain they are going through - I never want to experience it myself. So Hae-in's pain would have been tremendous. I think that Hyunwoo's pain wasn't any less, though the source could have been very different. The joy of anticipation being taken away from you would have been painful; the sudden apparent rejection from his wife would have been painful. And I think that was what happened. She would not have removed the nursery immediately after knowing. There must have been at least a few days before she did that but in that time she must have also already started to withdraw from him. And we've seen it in her general manner - she's dismissive, cold, and doesn't want anyone thinking she is soft and in need. Yet Hyunwoo's fundamental personality is that - he wants to be needed. His sister said that about "his type". Hae-in's personality would have been a refreshing change to that, though if you think about it, that was what attracted him to her in the first place too - she seemed to need his help. Unevenly matched relationships however cannot really work. You actually need to need each other, and you need to communicate that need to each other. Hae-in actually needed Hyunwoo while she was hurting but she closed up instead; Hyunwoo needed to be the head of the household and take charge when crisis hit, but he withdrew from Hae-in instead. All the misunderstandings from unsaid words! That last scene at the steps of Sanssouci Palace was done very well - when they finally allowed themselves to say what has likely been bothering them for the last 2 years - "I should be by your side at times like this" He realises he did not protect her like he said he would. I think aunt Beomja's words woke him up. "Did I ever tell you not to? I wanted you to be by my side. I didn't want to be alone. Ever." She never articulated her need but it was there. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." He accepts he is to blame too. He has rejected her, she never actually rejected him. She extends her hand out to him. She realises she needs to open her heart to make her thoughts known to him Loved episode 5.

Am finally done with this drama. All in all, I think it was a healing sort of drama. Nothing extreme, nothing nail biting, a very on-the-ground attempt to look at mental health issues from the position of those themselves in the medical profession, but nevertheless relatable to the everyday person. Would I highly recommend it? No. I will recommend it, but if you want a drama for the purpose of excitement with something to look forward to each week, then this is not going to be it. At times, the story was almost forgettable because it's such an everyday sort of story. But I did appreciate the effort to address mental health which is really plaguing many societies and people today. Did I like how they wrapped up Haneul's depression? Not quite. I think they made it look so easy to overcome. But I appreciate the message they were trying to put out there - you don't really get over it; you learn how to cope with it. If you're looking for a drama which episode endings make you go, "darn the wait!", then it's gotta be Queen of Tears. See y'all on that thread!

I had to decide - if time was limited on the weekend and I had to pick a drama to watch, what would it be - Queen of Tears. @mademoiselle I’m with you on being a crackpot for this drama; @abs-oluteM I too am down to just this drama for the weekend now… in fact for the week! I’m keeping my Dr Slump ending episodes for when I need to relax in the next couple of days… Love this week’s episodes and how they were delivered. Love how each new reveal may seem so small but in reality adds so much to the story. The biggest and saddest reveal this week was the loss of the baby. Very heartbreaking and very likely what led to the marriage breaking down. My guess is it probably looked like Haein lost the baby because she was “careless” at work and she likely brushed it off as ‘better anyway since it would be a hindrance to her work life’ because she’s the sort that needs to rationalise away her hurt. If she had done that, then it would’ve led to a huge fight between them. Something similar probably happened with her older brother’s death which was why her mum blamed her for the selfishness with which she responded to his death. Truth is more likely that Haein carries deep hurt and guilt for her brother’s death and baby’s miscarriage. This life incident also sheds light on why she didn’t want to let her parents know about her illness - she has actually experienced the pain of losing a child. I wonder if her parents knew about her pregnancy. They may live on the same compound but they clearly have their own quarters. That investor dude is clearly trying to bring the family down. I wonder if he’s in on it with Granddad’s live-in girlfriend. I don’t like him at all (I don’t reckon we are supposed to at all) and I can’t wait for Hyunwoo to bring him down and have her entire family finally appreciate him for who he is and not his background. Brother and wife are also quite an interesting couple to watch. He’s such a gullible person and wife is such a two-faced person. I wonder how such people lead such tiring lives! And then there’s the eldest uncle. I wonder if granddad’s girlfriend was the one who did him in and what actually happened there. Granddad’s books aren’t clean but it doesn’t seem like Granddad is at fault. More like he’s trusting the wrong people and not keeping things in check. I’m waiting for Hyunwoo to work with this uncle and aunt to uncover questionable corporate shenanigans that could harm the empire. There were also lighthearted comedic moments, especially when Hyunwoo has conversations with that lawyer friend of his who’s teaching him all sorts of nonsense. My husband found me chuckling many times and remarked, “You’re really liking this show, huh?” Yes, I am! And I’ll even rewatch it to see if there’s anything else of significance I missed! I liked the epilogues that tell us more about their past. I did wonder too if they knew that they had met each other briefly in high school. I think they probably did - her mp3 player was kept in Hyunwoo’s old room.

After this weekend I will also only have one drama left…

I was satisfied with the ending. I actually would put it as likely to be among the best dramas of 2024 for me. I've all of given up with Wedding Impossible.

@mademoiselle Nope. He doesn't really watch many Kdramas or Kmovies. Just that a long time ago he used to watch some with me and remembers KSH as, "ah...the good looking one." Hahaha...

Have you watched it or are you planning to watch it? I feel that at the point of the show ending, there were still many “loose ends” the king needed to get through. He was only 9 months in from the point when he started to clean the house. Being the type of monarch that he was, I am certain he would not indulge in his own desires; she was also not the sort who would put her own desires above that of the state as well - she too wanted to return to her father in Qing. But me being me and always wanting to complete the story myself, I would imagine that if the story were to continue, Mongwoo would manage to establish a good relationship with the new Emperor of Qing and like Lee In before her, be discharged from the Qing court to return to Joseon. There would be no need for any spies to be left in Qing so father will also return. Lee In will restore her father back to his court; Mongwoo will also return to her position as Heesoo. Should anyone ask or suspect her of the “crime” of cross dressing, he would simply give the unsaid impression that it was all under his own plans that the family - father and daughter - was appointed to do his work. But no one would dare ask the King for fear of suggesting that he would allow something “wrong” to be done, and so it would go silent. As far as the Qing court is concerned, Gidaeryeong had been dismissed from the Joseon court and never returned. Lee In then abdicates his position as King to finally hand the throne over to his nephew as he had always planned since the court would now be filled with trustworthy men. Then he marries her and live simply as “normal” nobility out of the palace. Tadah.

To quote my husband, "KSH always gets the best scripts and production team..." I hope it will remain true for the rest of this drama because so far, I'm liking it! Very much! The cast, the characters, and definitely the leads' interpretation of their roles so far. There's something so chaotic and looney but mysterious and intriguing about the characters that have been introduced so far. Where do I begin? Baek Hyunwoo. He's such a tragicomic hero. I feel the pain of his belittlement by his in-laws - they're quite the horrid sort of people. It's like they expect him to work for his position in the family because he came with nothing (but his intellect). It's very easy to build up resentment that way. And then to learn that your wife is supposedly dying - wow, what a "way out" from the gods! It's funny and sad all at the same time. You're meant to feel sorry for him, and his wife dying presents as some sort of strange relief that allows him a resolution without any apparent long lasting negative consequence to him and his immediate family and friends (such as his law school bestie). Yet deep down we know, it can't be morally right to rejoice in the light of such tragic news. So the gods must really be playing some painful and game of irony - as he tries his best to "love" her so that all's well that ends well for him, he will start to discover that he does love her after all, only to have it come to an end in 3 months. A true tragicomedy in the making. Hong Haein. You've got to hate her to like her. She's is such a tragic product of harsh and loveless parenting. Every bit of her upbringing was intended to develop a coldhearted and hard personality intended for surviving in a dog-eat-dog world. But no person can truly be like that. Humans aren't meant to live that way. In fact all of her points to a person who really needs help, which was actually what Hyunwoo first saw in her when she was an intern kicking the photocopier. I do wonder what she was really like when they were dating. The montage at the start showed a much softer person, different in fact from the intern he'd met. She does still love him for sure - see all that she does to protect him in front of his in-laws without him knowing. But she's so emotionally stunted, she doesn't actually know how to express herself fully to him. Imagine having no emotions to process your own impending death too. Hong Beomja. That absolutely looney aunt. Just you wait. She's got something on her dad's girlfriend. That woman, as Haein's mum puts it, is worse than having a mother-in-law. And I think aunt is going to be Hyunwoo's biggest supporter yet. I believe she does like Hyunwoo and for the right reasons. Mum. I wonder why it is she hates Haein so much. Something must've happened to the elder child when she was carrying Haein. Poor Haein to be rejected by her own mother. Brother. Love the actor. Don't love the character. But he does come across as a poor little stupid rich kid. His wife is very sus... I'm sure she's manipulating him. Haven't quite decided yet if I like grandpa. It does not seem like he has raised his family well if you ask me, cos Dad does not look like an impressive son at all. And anyone who can be easily bewitched by a long-term live-in girlfriend does not seem all too great in my books. Well, let's see how this continues. Cos Mr Investor is an annoying but necessary intrusion now. I'd like to see how he intends to disrupt things, all without know that Haein has only 3 months to live...

In truth, humanity is complex and the Korean social psychology is very complex. Watching dramas is like taking an extended online course in “Understanding the Social and Cultural Complexities of Korean Society”. I cannot begin to express how all of this kdrama watching has helped me understand my Korean international students and the issues that come with them and their families! A drama that successfully highlights their very real challenges is very much appreciated and Doctor Slump does this quite well I feel. Sometimes I look at these caricatures in the dramas, like Jeong Woo’s parents, and I think, “Surely not!” But fact is, these characters are written because they probably really do exist! You should see the type of emails I receive from time to time from Korean parents. At times I think, “maybe it’s a Google translate issue,” but then I go back to these dramas and go, “perhaps not…”

Re: the doctor strike in S. Korea - @abs-oluteMI had a similar thought as you. It did feel like the reasons were very selfish, and I wonder if it’s because there’s just too much focus on status in SK. I would think if you were being overworked in your profession you would welcome more manpower… @peperomia I don’t think I felt sorry for Kyungmin in that I don’t think his actions, whatever motivated them, could ever be justified for all the reasons you pointed out. I do wonder if the accident never happened and he was never at death’s bed, if he would’ve eventually come clean with Jeongwoo. Nevertheless I did feel sorry for him that he became a victim of his own low self-esteem. That was regrettable because clearly he was academically gifted and could’ve achieved much just on the straight and narrow. I didn’t catch that one bit - when he found out it was JW’s clinic he tried to prevent the accident from happening? And the nurse that JW visited in the prisons - was that an abetting staff? Jeongwoo is such a resilient character, really. Life hasn’t been very kind to him but he’s always responded with such cheer. His parents don’t deserve him. So glad he met Haneul and family. I’m hoping the series ends with a wedding and our single parents finding their joy. Have yet to see how Dr Bin’s daughter will take to Hongran. Why did he get a divorce? I don’t remember it ever being said though it did happen while he was a resident, was it?

Haven’t finished watching this week’s episodes yet - still have episode 14 to go. But while we‘re on the topic of doctors, sort of, has anyone seen the news on junior doctor strikes in S. Korea?

Good grief. it’s like being married into the mafia!

Anyone watching CJH’s J-drama “Eye Love You”?

I have to say I’m enjoying this show, loving PHS’s interpretation of his role - he does indeed do comedy so well and he’s the best lovesick puppy ever - and equally surprised that his pairing with PSH actually works! Glad also they gave us a good 2 episodes of the couple developing in their relationship with each other - glad it didn’t drag out with her family not knowing. Loving it too that they’ve all sorta had a double date too. As expected, the pain and angst has come but I’m not complaining. The story needs to progress and I do want to know what this Kyungmin has actually been up to. Is he married already or going to get married? He’s just absolutely slimey. I just want to know why it is that he wants to do Jeongwoo in.

Looks like I’m not the only one who found ep 3 difficult to get through! I was falling asleep through various points and decided to start surfing the web while it played in the background. Seriously contemplating dropping this show. While the premise does give the ol’ marriage-for-benefits trope a good twist, the story progression is a little meh. It’s getting a bit stale this issue of why Ah Jung isn’t advancing in her career, and I’m not sure I care for why Dohan doesn’t want to inherit the business nor that Jihan would be the better man for the job. Jus5 doesn’t seem intriguing enough. And I don’t know why it is, but I never liked the actor playing the grandfather, whatever the show and whatever the role he takes. Something about his acting that always makes me think he’s unconvincing…