Favourites of 2013

I’m sorry to inflict yet another best-of list on you but I figured it would be good for my swiss cheese memory to jot these down for posterity.

It’s been a year of many firsts: my first year of K-drama watching, of blogging, of tumblr-ing (is that a word?), and of meeting a lovely community of fellow drama obsessives (that means you!) which has been totally awesome.

I wish everyone lots of love, happiness and many more good dramas in 2014!

Favourites

These worked for me in all the ways that matter–heart, story, substance and execution–and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend every one of them. In no particular order:

On Endings

[spoilers for Breaking Bad, The Master’s Sun and Two Weeks]

It’s been a transitional period for me in real life and naturally I’ve been thinking alot about transitions in dramaland as well. That in-between period of endings and beginnings, when you’re fishing around and sussing out new keepers is like being in drama limbo. Especially if you’re coming off a crack drama, you end up searching for your next fix in a kind of wandering funk.

Endings have such a huge impact on how you perceive a drama. A consistently good drama with a weak ending dulls the whole show and vice versa. The nature of the K-drama making machine ensures that we can expect a certain amount of unpredictability, which is why we always watch a drama’s home stretch with a combination of hope that the show won’t let you down, and fear that it could go off the rails at any moment.

So when three dramas I’ve enjoyed immensely–Two Weeks, The Master’s Sun, Breaking Bad (yes, I do still watch a few US shows)–ended really well last month I was overjoyed. And it also got me thinking about what makes a satisfying ending. Is it enough for it to be merely pleasurable? Or does it have to end meaningfully as well, offering closure and significance while staying true to the show’s vision? 

Two Weeks: Tae San’s favourite films

So I’m liking Two Weeks alot. With its expert plotting, range of characters and Lee Jun Ki’s willingness to get endearingly dirty and desperate, I have few complaints.

But what I really get a kick out of the most is Tae San’s love of movies and his gut instinct of mining films for survival tips. It’s like movies are apart of his immune system.

Since I’m a little OCD(ee) here’s a list of movies he’s watched and/or referenced so far:

Episode 1: A Moment of Romance (1990, directed by Benny Chan)

Thanks to others savvier than myself, we know that this is the movie that Tae San is seen enjoying early in this  episode. I’ve never seen this but after some Google fu I kinda know why this might be one of Tae San’s favourites.

It’s a classic Hong Kong actioner starring Andy Lau as a low-level self-loathing gangster (sound familiar?) who falls in love with a wealthy good girl he takes hostage in a robbery gone wrong. The scene we see Tae San watching is the famous climax of the romance between the good girl-bad boy leads. The song that plays over this is also Tae San’s ring tone (thanks to Gabby‘s sharp ears).

Tae San also jumps on a bike to make his escape echoing the hero’s love of racing motorcycles in the movie. (Gotta respect the attention to detail in this show.) This action romance was a major hit that went on to spawn two sequels and is regarded as one of Andy Lau’s best performances. 

Premier week smackdown: The Chaebol vs The Fugitive

It’s been a helluva week in dramaland. The dust has barely settled after the exit of I Hear Your Voice and already we’re moving on with such speed. Speaking of moving on, for those who haven’t been able to (and I know there are plenty of you out there), these translations of Su Ha’s diaries might help to soothe the pain ;P.

As for me, my dance card needs to be filled. There are only two viable contenders: Master’s Sun and Two Weeks. It’s a battle between the asshat chaebol and the douchey fugitive on the redemption trail. A completely arbitrary point scale determines who fills the spot.