2024 12ep S. Korean

You can find this TV series on Netflix.

Okay…going to binge one more series…then I have beta reading to do! Let’s try “Frankly Speaking” – looks like a daytime drama comedy. Let’s go!

Oh…I know this actor! Fun. You know, this is one thing I love about Korean dramas that the U.S. is just starting to figure out. Have a beginning, middle, and an end. 16 episodes – and done. Then we do something else!!!

I asked my husband if they even make “daytime TV” anymore in the United States – and we ended up looking at the number of episodes in Guiding Light, General Hospital, and Days of our Lives. Over 10,000 episodes each. Puts Supernatural to shame. Like – they just go on and on.

When I first started watching Korean dramas this was jarring. Where is my season 2? There isn’t one. The story is over! The writers and actors aren’t telling the same story with the same characters for 100 years.

So, this one starts out with a news anchor who is doing a story in a sort of cartoonist way, with a very expressive sign interpreter in the corner (very cool). Now a small child in a T-Rex costume is speaking – let’s see where this goes.

Oh…the kids are some big-wigs children and now they are running around using the TV equipment like toys…everyone is exasperated. So, the premise is (according to the blurb) – the MC gets cursed with compulsive honesty and hilarity ensues. We are establishing his patience.

He is keeping it in! Being a good sport! Even when these kids are being obnoxious and bothering him, he’s not acting irritated or saying anything. I suspect more of this will occur until the switch over happens – and he can’t not say what is in his mind. Fun times.

We are 3 min in. Lol.

Still in the first episode and they are setting this up hard. Now he is tripping over himself white lying to be diplomatic.

His anchor motto is: “I sincerely promise you, that I’ll only report the truth and never lie to you.” Which I suspect he will accidentally say to a magic frog or something at some point.

They are doing a great job of establishing various characters. Enter in : incredibly attractive generic K-pop guy who is super charming in public, but actually a complete diva asshole to his staff. I think I see a theme here.

It’s not a magic frog… *Drum roll* It’s…. Electrocution. Danger! Danger! High Voltage!

Already told off the k-pop diva. Now…we have…the accidental close proximity with the potential love interest. Remember, in Korea, if you break someone’s fall or catch them when they trip. You will get married. I think it’s the law.

So, he switched from being able to lie to being compelled to say whatever is on his mind every time that he sneezes. The premise is silly, right, but we all know this is all very deep. It’s a coherent theme. Another reason I love the 12 – 16 episodes and done.

You can’t create a whole world to explore a coherent theme – such as honesty and integrity and speaking your mind and standing up for yourself. And have 10,000 episodes. It would get boring and old. But you can neatly do this with a limited series.

He’s about to do a job interview and I am waiting for him to sneeze.

I love that they *know” everyone is waiting for the sneeze. And they really ham it up. Ha…. Haaaa! Ah. AH…… Choo!

On Ep. 4. It’s the slow burn with coincidental proximity. Who knows that their families literally lived in the same building?!? Now, he moved home. So, they are under the same roof. Fate!

That’s one thing these stories don’t worry too much about – too many coincidences. Is that unrealistic? Is it lazy writing? Nope. Fate. It’s even *more* romantic!

So – it’s a love triangle – no – a love quadrangle. Or something. That involves a dating show. But like, I swear the “frank” speeches are directly lecturing the audience. The writers were like – stop being fucking weird about celebrities.

Just finished Ep. 7. The whole thing is about honesty! And they still did the thing where being honest about a situation would make it *much* easier on the characters and make *much* more sense. But NOT explaining what’s going on to another character is more dramatic!

So, I mentioned they had a k-pop diva earlier. He is a minor character whose only point of existing is to be told off. But they also have an MC who is a celebrity singer and personality who deals with overbearing fans, over work, anxiety attacks,… Who just collapsed.

As everyone knows – Korea has a huge entertainment industry. And I appreciate them mentioning these sorts of things. Sort of like how Lovely Writer was a commentary on the Thai Y-series industry and fandom, as well as being a nice story.

So, the impulse of the MC to tell the truth is becoming less of a prominent plot pusher as the series continues. It’s sort of interesting that they decided to create a medical explanation for that – but then just have a random mind reading child character.

OMG. So, one of the characters is dealing with new found fame and is asked for his autograph in the supermarket – and he is like – but, but I don’t have one yet !!

This happened to me! We were passing around copies of Atheist Voice of Minnesota to sign at the author party and I’m desperately trying out different autographs on a napkin before the books get to me. I like – shit! I’m going to be stuck with whatever I decide today!

The scene in Ep. 10 starting at 19 : 20. They nail it. The look on Joo Jong-hyuk’s face is amazing. Just spot on acting. Love to see it. The scene is also well written and gut wrenching in this deep, multilayered, way. Love these moments.

Oh ffs – it’s gotten to the point where if anyone crosses the street or drives in the country – I wince because apparently huge trucks constantly just randomly drive over people if the plot pacing is slightly slow. Just stop. Geez.

If things are going too well – and people mention how well they are going. This is also potentially fatal.

The show: “Don’t bottle it up and hide it. Be brave and say it out loud.” Me: Don’t tell me what to do!

This was your typical, nice, light drama, with a theme and moral and product placement – I’ve watched MANY of these. But like yeah – it got to me. I tend to bottle stuff up – A LOT. That might not be obvious if you know me only from twitter. This is where I get it out.

It’s about all these folks with very serious problems – who resolve a whole mess of shit by finally being honest about their feelings and putting it out there. And also, standing up for themselves and figuring out what they want in life. *sigh* Oh ffs.

Dawned on me why this particular romance story got to me so much. There is a certain parallel with the MC having subtle autistic traits, masking in order to succeed professionally, and then losing that ability to mask due to stress, but eventually being happier for it.

Just a second while I go have a good sobbing fit.