Just finished:
1. Love For You — just finished the last 3 episodes – I just love how quiet, grounded, and heartfelt their love is (yes, they finally say “I Love You” in the last episode. It’s official: the Chinese cornered the market in the art of extreme s-l-o-w burn and hard earned love (a trait I hardcore endorse especially in the face of A.I. instant-everything) Only grouse: they surely can excise 1/3 of the plot (all that soporific deets about auditing & tax fraud – I am lookin’ at ya. Look, fraud is very exciting –BUT only if you do it right. This is not it)
2. Key to the Phoenix Heart — just finished it. Really good development arcs for even the side characters, everyone has their moments to shine and make it count in the larger narrative tapestry. OTP is so refreshingly healthy in their emotional dynamics with each other (and very funny too) And plot twists and surprises to the very end (stay for post-credits epilogue, there’s a truth bomb there) Also, Hou Ming Hao is such a discovery here – it makes me wanna watch him in Glory (cos, the tea) not so sure about Love in the Clouds cos the plot sounds thinner than tissue lol (though I heard it’s full of gorgeous people and a face card that never declines)
3. Agent Kim Reactivated — a blast — short and sweet. Unlike others, I didn’t mind the fights past Ep 7 to the end. Cos I really want every last axxhole to be duly punished. I just love these father-daughter stories, and of course our Ahjussi trio!
Dropped:
East Palace — dropped, after one episode. Disclaimer: not that it wasn’t good, but the occult is in-your-face graphic (I am sensitive to bad spiritual energy in my atmosphere, so HARD pass)
Current Watches:
1. Human Vapour: A Japanese-Korean co-production. I was totally intrigued by the premise (a serial killer who is gaseous – yes, you read me right. Like, what’s the murder M.O. right?) and started watching (also, sucker for sci-fi in general). THEN I found out the writer is Yeon Sang-Ho (whose directing & screenwriting credits variously include Colony, Train To Busan, Parasyte: The Grey, The Bequeathed, Hellbound, King of Pigs) and I am SEATED. The opening titles and first 10 minutes of the pilot blew me away (just watch the first murder in the first 10 mins – that alone is worth your money) Also, I realised the ML is Oguri Shun (see? this show is full of serendipitous discoveries)
2. My Perfect Stranger: Finally got started. The premise, look, feel and era just gives me deja vu vibes (hard on the heels of Life on Mars). Ignoring the shabby production values, the arresting premise and plot of the first 8 episodes engage me straightaway. EVERYONE is a suspect. Give me books, Virginia Woolf, serial killers, and time-travel, leads hilariously infiltrating schools as *mature* students, and two leads with compelling aims, what’s there not to love?
Long weekend here: so I have the luxury of downtime to sample my new slate — my serial…