August catch-up and watch list

For this issue, I’m playing catch-up with a Korean movie that has six dark stories and some freshly dropped kdramas I have my eyes on.

So, how are your kdramas/Asian dramas going? Mine’s been at a snail’s pace, but you could say I’m savoring it. I’m at episode 15 of “Miss Night and Day” and guess who pressed pause on “Serendipity’s Embrace” because she wants to binge-watch it, only to find out that she wants to watch other completed kdramas? 😅

So now, while I have 2 episodes left in “Miss Night and Day” + 7 episodes in “Serendipity’s Embrace”, I also want to watch the freshly dropped “Black Out” and “Love Next Door.” Will I finish them within this weekend or will Life Errands That Suddenly Seem to Pop Up Out of Thin Air™ win? Stay tuned and find out in the next issue! 😆

But enough blathering. Let’s get to the good stuff, shall we? Without further ado…

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“New Normal” – Six dark stories that will chill, surprise, and probably confuse you but all in a good way.

In this thriller omnibus, we have six different stories that are all tied to each other. It kicks off with a news about a serial murderer on the loose, followed promptly by a creepy pervert of a maintenance guy who is fixing something in the apartment of a beautiful woman who lives alone. The second story centers around a teenager who, during a conversation with his friends, voices his doubts about helping strangers. This brings an animated discussion among them. Soon he finds himself compelled to help an old lady (할머니 halmeoni) in a wheelchair. He’s about to find out that his doubts are not completely uncalled for. In the third story, a dating app causes misunderstandings, a murder, and the reveal of the serial killer.

Brace yourself because it doesn't stop there. Things only get more interesting.

The fourth story (my favorite among all of them) revolves around a cynical guy who finds a love letter inside a vending machine. Soon, he finds himself slowly inching closer to the person who wrote it. Will he find his happily ever after?

In the fifth story, we have a peeping Tom. A man is obsessed with his next-door neighbors. He waits for her so they both get inside the elevator on time. Then there comes a time when he sneaks inside her apartment. He even uses her toothbrush! 🤢 The question is this: What else will he find inside his object of obsession’s apartment?

The sixth and final story revolves around a young woman who works at a convenience store. You can see all the other stories overlapping here. It’s so good! This is my next favorite story after the vending machine love letter. It starts out unassuming, but with a hint of edginess and danger. All I can about this story is that you better be careful about who you chat with and meet online! 😱

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On my watchlist – A mixed bag of friends-to-lovers, murder mystery, and finding a genetically compatible partner

I love kdrama romcoms, especially when they’re the perfect balance of romance and comedy. (I’m not really a fan of sob love stories.) “Love Next Door” seems to fit that bill and I’m pretty excited to watch it. Especially since it stars one of my favorite actresses, Jung So Min! (Side note: I remember way back in 2017 or 2016, I told one of my friends that if I could do a face swap with one of the actresses in a kdrama, I would choose Jung So Min. 😁)

“Love Next Door” – That one person we know from childhood…

“Love Next Door” kdrama is a story about two children who grew up together during their younger years. Based on the plot I’ve read in My Dramalist, I’m guessing it wasn't all fond memories between them. 😆

The two meet again years later when they’re working adults. Their love story starts there. This one better have a happy ending! This kdrama has the same writer, Shin Ha Eun, who also helped bring to life the kdramas “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” and “The Crowned Clown.” The director, Yoo Je Won, was also responsible for “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha”, “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes”, “Abyss”, “Oh My Ghost”, and “Hi Bye, Mama.” Okay, with the writer and director’s line-up of past projects, I’m getting nervous. 😅 Will I still watch “Love Next Door”, though? ABSOLUTELY.

“Black Out” – When your classmates died and you were there, but you remember nothing.

This kdrama revolves around Go Jung Woo, who takes the blame for the deaths of his classmates. He gets sentenced to jail and spends 10 years there. When he is finally freed from prison, he comes across questionable circumstances that tie back to what happened a decade ago.

I’m always eager to try murder mysteries and when I read the plot for this, I thought it was right up my alley. Needless to say, I’m very excited to start with this one. I’m already thinking about the food I’ll be pairing with this kdrama! 😁

P.S. If you also love the same genre, please give “Beyond Evil” a try. It’s just SO GOOD!

DNA Lover – What in the kdrama craziness is this? Because I’m in!

“A captivating story intertwined with genetics! This story portrays the struggles, love, and everyday lives of young friends.” - My Drama List

We have a female lead who’s a genetic researcher and she’s set on finding a new partner who’s genetically compatible with her. I may be stumped about this, but hey. Stranger things happen when someone is heartbroken. Also, I noticed that when it comes to kdrama some plot synopses don’t do the actual series justice. This is the reason why I’m giving this kdrama a try.

So Jin, a genetic researcher who loves DNA, decides to end her relationship with a playboy boyfriend and sets out to find a genetically compatible partner for a happy relationship. Who among the two men that So Jin meets, obstetrician-gynecologist Yeon U and firefighter Gang Hun, will be the perfect match for her? A captivating story intertwined with genetics! This story portrays the struggles, love, and everyday lives of young friends.

I’m sure the synopsis above isn’t really saying a lot. All the more reason for me to give “DNA Lover” a try. I like the female lead, too. Jung In Sun’s “Grand Shining Hotel” is pretty enjoyable and its synopsis was just one sentence short: “A fantasy story about a man who accidentally gets drawn into a fictional world inside of a horror novel.”

We’ll see if this romcom drama is as colorful and quirky as its poster. 🙂

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And that’s it for me. I hope you’re enjoying the new kdramas that are rolling out. Which ones are you watching? How are the first episodes for you?

I wish you a wonderful latter half of August! ✨🫶🏼