First…
We have new clothes! *ducks a steady stream of brickbats* How do you dig the makeover? *gets bonked on the head by an extra-large brick* Wait, let me explain!
The other day it occurred to me (an epiphany of sorts, rather like being hit on the head with a, yup, brick) that this year marks my tenth year watching kdramas. To celebrate the milestone, I ought to retrieve my first drama from the dusty bottom shelf of my bookcase and give it a smooch or two. Alternatively (and I perk up at once at the prospect of NOT having to kiss Winter Sonata), I could always give the blog new threads as a way of commemorating said momentous occasion.
Okay, I kid. This bloggy makeover has nothing to do with ten years of kdrama-watching. Rather, it is just a little something that I want to do for myself. Two months of not watching (and not downloading) kdramas. Two months of actually contemplating walking away from this addiction for good. Two months of ruminating on the past, the present, and the future. (During which time I also happened to acquire two new chinchillas, haha!) And then I read the blog comments that continue to come in and something stirs deep within me. I have readers who care, who miss me. How sweet is that, huh? And how very encouraging, too. Yesterday, with an odd mix of both detachment and ownership, I read my episode 1 recap of Biscuit Teacher and Star Candy and it made me laugh. “Gosh, thundie, your writing can be so silly sometimes,” I say aloud, startling the kdrama-deprived lizards in my room.
Admittedly in the larger scheme of things, kdramas are unimportant. And yet, I’ve enjoyed them for ten years and believe I can continue enjoying them another ten (or more).
So, to get back to watching and writing, what stronger impetus than a new blog theme. (Yes, thundie, that totally makes sense.) Once I’m done tweaking widgets and stuff, I’m ready to pick up my second drama this year (Fermentation Family being the only thing I’ve watched so far). What do you recommend I watch first? Which dramas are rocking and which ones are tanking? And what’s been happening in k-land? Anyone got hitched (or ditched)? Is Kang Dong-won out of the army? Is Lee Min-ho still as dishy? *keels over from being hit by the largest brick ever hurled by Dahee Fanel*
thundie's prattle 
Thundie!!
You’re really back!YAY!
I had to double check the address since I thought I had entered another site!The new look is great and I’m so happy you’re finally back.
As for what to watch,I think Rooftop Prince is great.It’s cute,hilarious and at the same time full of heart,oh and there’s a mystery element as well.It’s PERFECT!!
OOOHHH, Thundie!!! I’m so glad to see you back!
I was so confused at first by the new layout and had to double-check the address, but I like the look!
You should definitely watch Shut Up Flower Boy Band. It was a great drama with lots of warmth, heart, bromance, and a functional OTP.
Dear Thundie, I’ve been silently following your blog for a long time, only posted one or twice but definitely miss you and your post! have been coming here every once in a while to see if you are back. Welcome back!!!!
am watching king 2 hearts now. Love LSG in it π He has nice hairdo too π
Hrm… This new makeover is going to take some getting use to…
The last Drama I’ve just so happens to be Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, which I see that alot of other people here agrees that it’s worth the watch.
If you’re anything like me… and I’ll bet everyone else, Lee Minki is going to rip your heart out in this one.
For Movies, Have you see Chilling Romance/Spellbound? It stars Son Yejin and Lee Minki. The Title says it all, it’s a Chilling Romance comedy.
Wait… So does this mean our Thundie is back for good?!
Thundie!
Great to see that you’re back! **fingers crossed that this means all is well**
Looks like quite a few of us who kept checking your page were like – What – Huh – Really? -YEAH! (nothing like a format change to keep your devoted followers on their toes.)
If you need some laughs, Rooftop Prince is a MUST. Hilarious! I really want to start King 2 Hearts and will someday as I’ve heard great things about it. Personally I’d skip TMTETS – absolutely no comparison to TPM. After loving the first 6 episodes and fast forwarding through 12 more, the final two are still sitting in my download file, unwatched. (Who does that? I must be officially past the honeymoon phase of KD watching!)
I hope you’re as happy to be back as we are to see you here! Anything you write about will be well received, I’m sure! π
thundieeeeeeeeeeeee!! yay!
So glad you decided to come back to dramaland with all its craziness. It’s true that dramas are unimportant in the scheme of things, but they bring us a lot of joy, don’t they?
As many others have said before me, you must check out Shut Up, which is pure awesomeness despite its silly name. Great music that is integral to the story, bromance, growing up, friendship and its ups and downs – it will remind you what it was like to be a teenager, when everything was possible. Plus oh so much pretty.
I’ve also loved Wild Romance, The King 2 Hearts, History of the Salaryman, and High Kick 3 recently. Rooftop Prince is very cute and funny too, although it’s not at that crack level.
Can’t wait to read what you think about whatever drama you choose to watch next! Love and kisses!
Yay! Thundie you’re back… and gosh I’m soooo late in welcoming you… so glad you’re back missed you a lot…Welcome back THUNDIE!!!!
Dear Thundie! WBWBWB! Hope all is well. I was just loitering around your SKKS threads last wk missing you and your parties.
Love the clean and crisp layout. And your posts make it feels as warm and inviting. It’s new but notnew. It doesn’t matter how things look tbh, it’s really really nice to have you back.
I’m only watching Rooftop Prince atm. It can be so cute and zany yet non-life-ruining cracky, ie best fit when RL hecticness hits in full force.
hugsssss and kisses.
Thank you for the love and thank you for all the recommendations, everyone. Muah!! I’m taking notes (and checking them twice) and will start watching soon (provided I can tear myself away from my high-maintenance chinchillas; alrighty, I know I’m no gifted toymaker but don’t toss the toys I made for you out of the cage!). Looks like Shut Up Flower Boy Band is a must-watch (eight episodes already downloaded two months ago, phew). I plan to churn out some movie reviews too; that guilt pile of unwatched stuff needs to go down pronto.
Once again, thanks for sticking around even when I’m tardy about writing. I’ll try not to wear down your patience! π
Thundie!!!! Welcome back!! ^_^
We’ve all missed you!
~ The Moon that Embraces the Sun
~ King 2 Hearts
~ Some others whose titles escape me right now…
^_^
Anywho, it’s really great to see you back! Hope you keep up your good work, but don’t forget – put what’s more important before k-dramas~ ^_^
best news!!! i’m so happy you’re back π
Hi Thundie!! Welcome back.
You’ve been missed!!
the bad news : unfortunately Kang Dong Won is still in the Army, Lee Seunggi quits Strong heart and 1n2d (along with Eun Ji Won and Na PD).
the good news : Lee Dong Wook in strong heart. Big Bang and CN Blue and SHINee and Shinhwa made a good comeback!
i know you might know all of the above, but i still have to tell you myself! kekeke.
the good (watched) dramas : King 2hearts, Shut Up! and Queen In Hyun’s Man has a good start.
Have fun!!
thundie, welcome back!! i have been a silent reader since the awesome brilliant legacy days.. do you still remember that drama?? ^^
anyway, i will be grateful if you can give the king 2 hearts your opinion.. maybe just a look at the first episode?? please.. please.. ^^
have fun, thundie!! glad to see you agaiinn!!
Welcome back Thundie. You’re heartily been missed *hugs*
WELCOME BACK THUNDIE!!!
don’t mind the recaps for now, just enjoy all the Kdramas you’ve missed. We’ll be waiting for your witty recaps when you find your footing once again in this crazy Kdramaland. so many good dramas this year, it’s literally raining with so many good looking actors on screen. with the cable offering good dramas too the blogosphere’s in need of good recappers. so it’s really a good news for us that you’re back!!!
Thundie, love the new look! I’m so glad you’re back. I really miss your writing. K-drama watching felt a bit incomplete without reading your thoughts on the dramas. So far, 2012 is a good year. So many good shows have aired but right now Im not watching anything (partly because Im busy and partly because nothng interests me right now). Shutup and wild romance are both must-watchs.
,welcome back thundie!! looking forward to your future blogposts..
HURRAY!!! Thundie is back. I watched Biscuit Teacher, Star Candy because of you, and now you have a fan for life. I love the new look. Welcome, welcome, welcome back. If you like revenge, you should watch Equator Man.
You’re back!!! Thundie is back!!! ***trying to imitate an Irish jig***
I too stopped and stared if I went to an invalid url and was super duper elated that I did not. Just new kits! Whoa!
Waiting for your views on what your fans has recommended for you to watch…because I too have seen them avidly particularly Flower Boy Band, History of Salaryman and gone stalking gaga over King 2 Hearts and Yoo-chun’s Joseon speak in Rooftop…Oh must mention Queen In-Hyun’s Man ,too.
Felt sorry for Yoo Ah-in and the rest of cast of Fashion King. The neurotic script failed them.
Uhmforce is still rocking in Equator Man but the story is becoming tedious(***ducks down as I can see some bricks flying my way too*** hehehe)
idk if you’re caught up with all the lated kdrama casting news yet, but I thought you would love to hear that Song Joong Ki has finally gotten a lead role in a drama written by the writer of I’m Sorry I love you, Sangdoo and Thank you!!!!! possibly opposite Moon Chae Won from Princess’ Man
I’ve missed you π
Wild Romance to make you smile, with a nice mystery too. Rooftop prince and King 2 Hearts (well written subtleties you’ll appreciate).
Hugs x
Just discovered your blog last week, and feel so lucky in my timing. I was totally bummed when I read the goodbye message – I arrived too late, party over. And how mysterious it was. Is she having a baby? Entering the army? Serving time? I vowed to return soon and backtrack through earlier posts to see if I could find out more. And when I did, you are already back!
So it was the addiction dilemma, probably known to everyone who is reading this. My dilemma is whether to call it that. ‘Cause if it IS addiction, that’s bad, and I should quit, right? And if it’s not, I should probably not throw around such heavy words. After all, I count recovering alcoholics among my friends. Since it’s only been a year for me, I waffle, and decide to call it a “passion” rather than an addiction. Korean drama, I like you. I like you very much.
I have to disagree that in the scheme of things, kdrama is unimportant. Anything that attracts and moves so many people, across every conceivable divide of age, gender, nationality, ethnicity, political philosophy and spiritual belief has got something going on. I don’t know what, exactly, so I guess I’ll just have to keep watching ’til I figure it out.
Mihansa,
It gets harder to quit after a year! Yes, you may start more than you finish, but now you are really getting to know the actors and news of impending dramas starring your favorites sends your endorphins racing to euphoria at one glance of a blog.
As one of the oldest commenters here (though not THE oldest, as I got my older sister addicted, lol), I will say Thundie’s blog is the best and ***sorry Thundie***one of my biggest enablers. So glad she’s back!
Enjoy!
Hi Korazy – love the name π
I don’t know about a quitting window the first year. Kdrama pretty much had me at μλ . And now I’m working on the language, which makes it even more fascinating. I’m so happy to find myself among those who understand!
If you haven’t already, these are “must reads” regarding the Kdrama addiction:
http://thundiesprattle.com/2011/05/17/the-define-a-kdrama-giveaway/
http://www.dramabeans.com/2010/07/your-addiction-stories-giveaway-winner-announced/
(If you want to read the original with over 400 entries, you can visit: http://www.dramabeans.com/2010/06/dramabeans-giveaway-tell-us-your-drama-addiction-stories/) Of course, that is a whole addiction, uh, er, passion, in itself, Korean Drama related blogs.
If you’re ever feeling down, these are sure to make you laugh out loud.
BTW, I’m pretty sure that learning the language crosses the line into addiction…I’m just saying……;)
Your forgot leonardswench’s My Personal Train Wreck and comment thread (http://thundiesprattle.com/2011/11/30/my-personal-train-wreck/) which is the first post on Thundie’s blog that I came across. What was I searching on that brought that up? I don’t think I ever got back to it π
To me, one of the most intriguing aspects of Korean drama is the uncertainty about where the line between fiction and reality lies. That turns even the most makjang and mundane daily into a perpetual mystery, and I love a mystery.
I wonder sometimes whether breaching the language barrier might shatter the mystique and take all the fun out of drama. However, I’m only 4 months into my language project, so I won’t have to worry about that for awhile.
Does anyone know what kind of training Korean actors receive that makes them SO much better at so many things than American actors? I’ve really been wondering about that.
While I do think some of the story lines border on the ridiculous, I have come across many real life situations that seem just as unbelievable. Only now I think – that would make a good Korean drama! As they say, truth is stranger than fiction.
I don’t think there are a lot of Korean actors that surpass the level of American soap actors, but I am still in awe at a few things, like the crying. Wow. How do both men and women bring on the tears like that? Not to mention their physical stamina working in blazing heat or frigid temps (you can always see their breath, even in indoor scenes, and sometimes their ears and nose are so red it hurts to look at them), all on maybe 2 to 3 hours sleep. Some go from drama to drama with no break (this seems especially true with actors over 50 – I would think they need their rest the most!)
I don’t know about the actors’ training (good question to anyone who can help us out!) but I do feel sorry for them. While the “slave contracts” they are trying to abolish, along with the
“director’s couch”, are more common for the acting pop stars, It is amazing how they have no personal life, have to apologize publicly for every little misstep, and are always promising to “work harder” in interviews. Here in the US, the actors do whatever they please and if you don’t like them or their acting, so be it. It must be the incredible work ethic and respect for authority that separates them from other actors. They know where their bread is buttered (or is it their manager’s bread that gets the butter?) unlike many American actors, and athletes for that matter, who have a feeling of entitlement.
Gosh, Mihansa, we could get into some lengthy discussions here! Sorry for hijacking your blog, Thundie, but thanks for giving us the outlet to converse and opine!
Lovin’ the new look (though I had to double check the URL, lol). Yep, ditto the Shut Up Flower Boy Band recommendation. I’m quite excited to read what you have to say about it. Welcome back! π
omo welcome back thundie!!! recommendations for 2012 so far: the king 2 hearts and equator man!
Thundie! you’re back! Am so glad! And the blog looks great.
Welcome back to your addiction. We’ve missed you deeply.
Thundie! It’s so good to see you back π I haven’t been around on the k-drama blogsphere as much lately (which is so weird to think about when once I used to check JB’s site several times a day π But the Prattle has always held a special place in my heart and always will π Without you and the Prattle, being a k-drama addict would not have been as interesting or enjoyable. And I love the new layout! And as for new recs, I have two: Wild Romance (which may be a bit choppy but I adore PYS’s writing) and History of the Salaryman (which I’m still catching up on). Also have been hearing rave reviews for A Wife’s Credentials from the usual suspects π Hope you’re doing well!
yayyy, your back! THE KING 2 HEARTS!! SO.GOOD!! So relevant, poignant, moving, and cerebral! β€
BTW, Thundie, I forgot to mention how I love the new layout. I’ve been laughing all over again while rereading some of the old posts that have popped up!
Wow Thundie, after a long time, I wander to your site again and woot a new nice display!!
A blog makeover!!! Congratz for the new look, and I hope you still keep your love for K-drama blogging.
Looking forward for a new post from you.
I am currently enjoying Rooftop Prince… as mentioned in others comment, it is hilarious. The princess murder mystery is another element that I’m looking forward on how they are going to solve it.