DRAMA CLUB: Roommate, Episodes 1-5

Oh look who's back to writing non-fiction commentary again! ME. I've been asked once again to join a Drama Club for DramaFever about my new favorite Kvariety program Roommate along with Lore from Lore in Stone Cities (our first collaboration that I'm super excited about) and new friend Qisti from QT K-POP (another blog I seriously need to start exploring)!

• Check us out in this week's first intro recap to Episodes 1-5 and be on the lookout for a round-about discussion panel on DramaFever.

K-Variety Review: We Got Married Global (2013)

We Got Married: Global
Taec & Gui Gui        4/10
Hongki & Mina    100/10  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 


I’m heartbroken. This show that I started 15 weeks ago against my better judgment (with no lack of initial scoffing at the concept) has ended. 

Verdict: What, I’m supposed to go back and ship fictional couples again? 

Well this sucks. Heads up - I’ve never watched the regular WGM except for maybe the first 3 episodes from season 1 and while I thought it was interesting, I wasn’t particularly attached to any of the couples at the time –Andy and Solbi were cute, but I didn’t have the patience to sit through the rest, or catch up to the show and watch later couples (not even for Yonghwa, sorry baby) and definitely not for the current couples (again, sorry, Taemin).

But there was something very cute and inspired about putting international couples together. Awkward as it was, Guigui was really adorable for the first few episodes, and her virtual marriage with 2pm’s Taecyeon was highly realistic in that situation: just what does a laid back male idol do with this Taiwanese bundle of energy girl and her limited comprehension of English? Oddly enough, he seemed like a normal guy. Kind of confused, more than a little bewildered, often vexed and doing a damned good job of holding it in. I’m not saying he succeeded throughout the show (far from it), but it was engaging for a while.

What got me on the slow simmer burn (and proceeded to boiled over) was FT Island’s Hongki and Japanese actress Fuji Mina. I haven’t seen onscreen chemistry this hot since the last time I watched Coffee Prince. I haven’t shipped two people this hard since Queen Inhyun’s Man. But the minute those two met, and I got that glimpse of Hongki’s totally smitten face – I fell hard. 

Kind of like this

I tried to remember that this was a variety show, that these marriages were just fake… but at some point it doesn’t even matter. I get jittery and weepy over scripted drama couples all the time. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to do the same for these couples? Bonus points because there is obviously some percentage of interaction that is unscripted and natural. Taec’s allowed to act standoffish and aloof. Mina’s allowed to cry the first time Hongki serenades her. I can buy that.

And I did.

Read on for why I loved these two + my favorite scenes (Yes I re-watched most of their scenes just to write this section).