121 | The Guest (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants)

Dramabuds is back to talk about her (very) unproductive Kdrama year so far + the third season of TRANSIT LOVE/EXCHANGE, the Korean dating show that’s been driving her crazy for months. How did the new PD team switch things up, and does Season 3 live up to the iconic Season 2 cast and stories? 🍿 Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: Transit Love 2 https://spoti.fi/410F3IT TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (2:23) Q1 Recap (6:11) Transit Love 3 Thoughts (14:52) S2 or S3: Which is Better? (19:26) Final Thoughts

Goodbye 2023, hello 2024! Our last episode on 2023 dramas is our annual awards for the best performances, best directing and music, funniest, saddest, most disappointing, and our overall rankings for the year 🏆 Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: My Dearest https://spoti.fi/44IQAx4, https://spoti.fi/46pLKXs The Guest https://spoti.fi/499ao03 Castaway Diva https://spoti.fi/47gkAm9, https://spoti.fi/48yXhnN Call It Love https://spoti.fi/3L9qywC Daily Dose of Sunshine https://spoti.fi/3SxfEou One Spring Night https://spoti.fi/43Tw3pp TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (2:32) Best Actor (6:02) Best Actress (8:52) Best Supporting Actor & Actress (10:58) Best Squad (12:45) Best Chemistry & Couple (15:33) Best OST & Best Score (17:41) Best Director (19:15) Funniest Drama, Most Tears, Most Disappointing (22:29) Top 15 (23:50) Top 10 (25:18) Top 5 (29:16) All-time Favorite Kdramas (32:50) Final Thoughts

Before we say goodbye to 2023, Francine recaps the dramas she watched from October to December, with her final thoughts on the dramas she shared her first impressions on. Bonus segment, only on today's episode: she dives into her 10-year love for EXO’s discography and her new Kpop obsession, RIIZE 🧡 Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: The Guest https://spoti.fi/499ao03 Save Me https://bit.ly/3FKU9sx Daily Dose of Sunshine https://spoti.fi/3SxfEou My Dearest Rant https://spoti.fi/44IQAx4 My Dearest Midpoint Recap https://spoti.fi/46pLKXs Castaway Diva https://spoti.fi/47gkAm9 Lightning Round https://spoti.fi/3TochRi TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (1:40) Finished Ongoing: Daily Dose of Sunshine, My Dearest (8:09) Finished Ongoing: Love Attack, Castaway Diva, Soundtrack #2 (13:30) Dropped + Currently Watching: Death’s Game, Hot Stove League (19:31) Kpop Talk: EXO Renaissance + Discography Ranking (29:02) Kpop Talk: RIIZE Rabbit Hole, the Seunghan Situation (37:49) Kpop Talk: Seunghan-Sohee Bias Line (46:17) Final Thoughts

To build her currently watching list up again, Francine tries 4 ongoing dramas and shares her very quick thoughts on the first two episodes of Soundtrack #2, Maestra: Strings of Truth, Welcome to Samdal-ri, and My Demon! Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: Love Triangles https://spoti.fi/4a4wXUf TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (1:24) Soundtrack #2 (4:30) Maestra: Strings of Truth (8:32) Welcome to Samdal-ri (15:16) My Demon (18:54) Final Thoughts

Dramabuds is back with a quick episode about love triangles (in the year 2023?!?!?), how Francine never falls for second lead syndrome, and her thoughts on Castaway Diva and other dramas with famous love triangles. Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: Castaway Diva First Impressions https://spoti.fi/47gkAm9 TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (2:23) Prolonging the Inevitable (3:47) Love Triangles that Worked (7:42) Second Leads = Glorified Supporting Character (9:22) Trust the Billing (12:48) Castaway Diva Final Thoughts (16:42) Final Thoughts

We’re celebrating our 3rd anniversary by sharing our first impressions on CASTAWAY DIVA: writer Park Hye-ryun’s newest drama starring Park Eun-bin 💚 Enjoy this full circle moment of talking about old favorites (and old enemies) on the podcast! Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: Musical Episode https://spoti.fi/3WmC0cb IDOL: The Coup Review https://spoti.fi/47q6PkM Writer Park Hye-ryun Dramas https://spoti.fi/49tSSDY TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (3:11) The Good: Pilot, Emotional Core (7:14) The Good: Potential Brainrot Ship, Ran-joo, Ki-ho (10:49) The Bad (13:58) The Park Hye-Ryun Redemption Drama?: Stakes + Unlikable Female Lead (21:03) Love Triangle? + The Verdict (25:33) Final Thoughts

Today, we share our first impressions on DAILY DOSE OF SUNSHINE: a gem of a drama that does its best to educate about mental illnesses while still being hopeful and heartwarming ☀️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (2:07) Portrayal of Mental Illnesses (9:52) Instantly Lovable Characters (15:08) Final Thoughts

For our second Super Special Spooky Episode, we review SAVE ME: a creepy psychological thriller Kdrama about a cult in a countryside town. Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: Horror episode: The Guest https://spoti.fi/499ao03 TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (1:51) Plot and Characters (8:21) Villains > Protagonists (13:46) Creepy Factor: Why do people fall for cults? (20:47) Final Thoughts

We love our silly little romcoms, but not everyone means well when they say it. Today, Francine unpacks the phrase and some of the common issues she’s had with recent romantic comedies in Kdramas. Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: Third Quarter Recap https://spoti.fi/46Z8ugD Crash Course in Romance First Impressions https://spoti.fi/3jpVttC Business Proposal Review https://spoti.fi/3vxvAK9 TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (3:20) Silly Little Romcom (affectionately) vs. (condescendingly) (7:10) “It’s just a silly lil romcom” ≠ Can’t Be Criticized (10:12) The MM in RoMcoM Stands for Murder Mystery (12:51) “Unnecessary” Conflict vs. Just Fun & Vibes (16:38) Romcoms I Liked (19:55) Final Thoughts

Looking for a thrilling Kdrama to binge this Halloween season? For the first of our Super Special Spooky Episodes, Francine reviews her first ever horror Kdrama: THE GUEST. No jumpscares here, so enjoy this drama (and this episode) before you sleep tonight 😈 Twitter: https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp Discord: https://discord.gg/44gGwrSeN3 Email: [email protected] 🌺 EPISODES MENTIONED: First Impressions Challenge Part 1 https://spoti.fi/45QY6a5 Third Quarter Recap https://spoti.fi/46Z8ugD TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (1:59) Plot and Characters: Yoon Hwa-pyung (Kim Dong-wook) (5:13) Plot and Characters: Kang Gil-young (Jung Eun-chae) (7:45) Plot and Characters: Choi Yoon/Matthew (Kim Jae-wook) (10:32) Plot- AND Character-driven Thriller (15:07) Horror Factor: Can I watch this at night? (19:31) Final Thoughts