In this episode, we talk about how K-dramas became a highly profitable export long before the entry of streaming platforms in the mid 2010s. This is a story of a nation's economic crisis, the creation of a unique opportunity, and a two decade long struggle for air wave supremacy in East Asia. Leave us your thoughts in a voice note here:

We are back with a long yak on three dramas we started 2024 with: Doctor Slump, Marry My Husband, and Like Flowers In Sand. This episode was recorded on 11th February. Our feelings on these dramas have stayed the same (with Doctor Slump getting special love for staying so reliably warm till the end). Leave us your thoughts in a voice note here:

Awards season is the perfect time for us to share our review of Past Lives, our favorite film of last year. Saya, Anisa and our friend Yunah talk about why this movie's meditations on grief, love, diaspora and selfhood spoke to us so deeply. (We recorded this at the end of last year.) Leave us your thoughts in a voice note here: TI…

The 5th Annual Goguma Awards have landed! Your votes have been tallied and the results range from unexpected to unsurprising, all of which we dissect with glee. Get your tea and biscuits, it's long! Leave us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINKS MENTIONED: Actor Jin: The Handsome Hotelier TIMESTAMP: 00:00:00 - Introducing the G…

The Year-End Yak is here! Or Part 1 anyway, where we talk about what K-dramas did this year, and how we felt about them. Goguma Awards coming in Part 2! Leave us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINKS MENTIONED: Paroma's excellent 2023 Wrap for Film Companion Paroma's My Demon Halfway Review (Spoilers) K-drama Research Institute…

Just Saya popping in to share her thoughts on an assortment of dramas: a mixture of bright and dark, exquisite and questionable, therapeutic and aggravating. The tl;dl (?) being: My Demon is darkbright and exquisite, Death's Game is just dark, Park's Marriage Contract is bright and aggravating, and Welcome to Samdal-ri is therapeutic, bright, and f…

Perfect Marriage Revenge is a drama that kept all its promises: revenge! marriage! perfect! We revel in how the drama revels in its story, with special props to writer Im Seo-ra for some of the best writing in dramaland this year. SPOILERS EVERYWHERE, BEWARE BEWARE! Feat. beloved and returning guest, Zaynab, who does not want to be found. Leave us …

Saya and Anisa talk about 8(!) dramas, including writer Park Hre-ryun's newest Castaway Diva, gorgeous romance melodrama Call it Love, and the actually perfect Perfect Marriage Revenge. Lots of time travel, revenge and contract relationships in this one, so you know we're both happy campers. Leave us your thoughts in a voice note here:

Kick back with us on a diatribe filled episode where we talk about women written by men, unearned forgiveness, and the ethics of love potions. Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINK: Listen to the trailer of The Broadside (new podcast hosted by Anisa) TIMESTAMP: 00:09:00 - Titanic (Spoilers) 00:19:00 - Women written by me…

We are joined by kfangurl on an ultimate fan trip episode where we deep dive into a cult classic time slip romance that set new standards in storytelling for all of us. This drama has also been recently remade into the Korean, A Time Called You, which we discussed in episode 161. Tell us your thoughts about either drama in a voice note here:

Anisa, Paroma and Anisa's sister Zaynab talk about A Time Called You, remake of hit Taiwanese drama Someday or One Day, how it compares to the original, and the eternal question of the adaptation: why? Catch our spoiler review of Someday or One Day next week! Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: TIMESTAMP: 0:00 General thoug…

Welcome to another anniversary Mailbag episode! We asked for your thoughts on dramas, on us, anything at all, and you gave us a lot to talk about! Also, let us know if you liked, loved, or FF'd this episode in a voice note here: LINKS MENTIONED: The Hollywood writers’ strike: Vox explains LA Times article about Netflix's affect on …

We bring you another long yak this months where we talk about two new dramas and final thoughts on three completed ones. Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINKS MENTIONED: The anime Paroma mentioned: How A Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom (on Netflix) TIMESTAMP: (No spoilers = NS) 00:00:40 - My Lovely Liar (NS) 00:21:08 -…

Saya and Paroma pick apart Our Blooming Youth and pore over its bests and not-so-best things. Bests include: Park Hyung-shik and Jeon So-nee. Dissatisfactions include: plot lapses, villains with unconvincing motives. Erratum: Saya's first Park Hyung-shik drama was Nine (2013). Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: TIMESTAMP: …

We are back with a long yak after a very long while. Settle in as we discuss two new romances and one completed romcom with a side serving of murder! Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINKS MENTIONED: Paroma's video about kdramas badly solving classism [here] Jun-ho and Yoon-ah's 'Senorita' at MBC's music festival [here] …

In this Spoiled Yak, Anisa and Paroma review Dr. Cha and talk about why dramas about a middle-aged woman getting a new lease on life are so enjoyable - and mention some other favorites in this genre. Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: TIME STAMPS: 00:00:00 Dr. Cha Spoiler Review 01:03:40 A wild Kwon Min-woo appears! (Yes, …

Bora! Deborah was mostly frustrating yet sometimes joyous to watch. So we do a needlessly long deep dive into why it gripped us so hard. Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINKS MENTIONED: Mattie Kahn's excellent Vox piece on Viktor Frankl [here] (the real source of Bora's "getting pretty" quote) My own short piece on why …

Saya and Paroma went to see BTS's concert film, Yet to Come in Cinemas, which took place in Busan on 23 October 2022 and released in cinemas worldwide in February 2023. We talk about the boys, the music, the fans, and our good and bad experiences at the cinema. Check out the official trailer here. Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here:

We finally talk about why Crash Landing on You is SO GOOD. And we discuss Anisa's master's thesis on media portrayals of love across the borders created by partition - and why CLOY's depiction of that yearning is the best we've ever seen. Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINKS: Anisa's thesis, Visualizing the Fractured N…

Here's a special sneak preview of something we've been doing on Patreon: The Lone Yak! We take a moment (or a few) to tell you what's on our minds, whether about a drama we've been watching, general K-drama thoughts, or life! This episode contains Saya talking about becoming a new version of yourself in public, Paroma talks about when we defend our…

If you've missed Park Hyung-sik in a sageuk or if you have a fondness for tortured Crown Princes, we have the drama for you. As a pleasant surprise, you also get a capable heroine with her own heroine arc in the story. As Saya puts it, Jeon So-nee might actual be the real protagonist of this show! Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here:

In Part 2 of our discussion on K-drama screenwriting, we talk about Kim Eun-sook, whether great acting can rescue a bad script, why dramaland has so many serial killers, and much more! Listen to Part 1 HERE. We recorded this episode during a livestream discussion in 2022. If you here us speaking about comments, it's from the attendees of the stream…

There is something special about the way K-dramas are written beyond the formulas and tropes. In this episode we talk about the way dialogue, story acts, and unique writing styles collide to make our favourite dramas. We recorded this episode during a livestream discussion in 2022. If you here us speaking about comments, it's from the attendees of …

Understanding deeply that nobody wants a brutal analysis of this candyfloss, I have stuck to talking about two things that I found really interesting: (ONE) how the drama tries to equate the female lead's wariness of men to the male lead's shallow beliefs and hostile reactions to women... and then undermines its own thesis (TWO) how the male leads …

In Part 3 of our year end yak, friends of the podcast visit to give us a heads up on dramas that have gone unnoticed or underappreciated in 2022. Leave us your thoughts in a voice note here: TIMESTAMP: 01:48 - Our Blues (Frabby and Yunah) 12:12 - Kiss Sixth Sense (Anja) 15:27 - Summer Strike (Just Me) 17:53 - Bloody Heart (Mimi) 22…

In Part 2 of our annual Year-End Yak, we first give out our personal Goguma Awards, and then we chat about our current relationship with k-dramaland. Part 3 (finale!) coming out next week. Leave us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINKS MENTIONED: Paroma's YouTube Channel TIMESTAMP: # ANISA’S PERSONAL GOGUMAS 00:01:15 - Lee Min-…

Anisa, Paroma and guest Frabby chat about the miseries and joys of relationship melodrama The Interest of Love, which gently, brilliantly destroyed us every week—and we loved it all. Expect major spoilers in this one! Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: LINKS MENTIONED: Read Frabby's wonderful reviews of The Interest of Lov…

In Part 1 of our massive (as usual) Year-End Yak, we talk first about trends in K-drama and our general thoughts on 2022. Then we break down the winners of our Audience Gogumas (some silly, some Very Important). Part 2 Part 3 Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:57 Trends and general thoughts 00:58:36 4th A…

Shooting Stars (aka sh**ting stars) starring Lee Sung-kyung and Kim Young-dae was one of the more entertaining dramas of 2022. We liked it a lot, but it also deserved all the thrashing it got online on certain subplots in the story. We talk about all of it in this spoiled yak. Tell us your thoughts on the episode here: LINKS MENTIO…

Anisa sits down with Paroma to convince her to watch If You Wish Upon Me, an unexpectedly healing drama with a wonderful ensemble cast and moving depictions of grief, redemption and reconciliation. Ji Chang-wook is finally in the kind of role he deserves, Choi Soo-young brings her unique brand of incandescence, Sung Dong-il is giving FULL DAD, and …

This episode started as a spoilery discussion of Arsenal Military Academy (a 2019 chinese drama set in the early 20th century, starring Bai Lu and Xu Kai), but became a longer conversation on the history of imperialism and china's use of underdog stories to ignite national pride. But it's still a dramas over flowers episode, so expect lots of fangi…

In this second part of our conversation about celebrity, authenticity and Korean variety, we talk about the miracle of entertainment that is Youth MT, and the lovely, warm experience of watching In the Soop: Friendcation. (And its 2017 ajusshi predecessor, Dragon Club.) Spoiler warning: You may want to catch a few episodes of Youth MT before you li…

A beginner friendly discussion of K-pop sensation BTS and how idol groups connect deeply with fans by opening up about their vulnerabilities. Tell us your thoughts in a voice note here: MORE EPISODES YOU'LL LIKE: Episode 138: The Red Sleeve Episode 137: F4 Thailand and the Boys Over Flowers Extended Universe NEWSLETTER: Join our em…

The Red Sleeve is a story of a woman's wish to belong to herself and the man who couldn't let her go. It's also about a king who couldn't trust his grandson and a crown prince who survived against all odds so he could some day be a good ruler to his people. Mimi from The Talking Cupboard joins Paroma in a very spoilery episode where they wonder at …

At last Dramas Over Flowers talks about Boys Over Flowers! With our amazing guest Frabby, we discuss the latest adaptation of the memorable Hana Yori Dango, and how it stacks up against the Korean version that is a guilty watch for many. Don't forget to tell us which shows you've decided to pick up! DM on Insta or Twitter! LINKS MENTIONED: Book Rec…

The second part of our extra long discussion of extraordinary attorney woo is here! (Find Part 1 here.) Don't forget to tell us which shows you've decided to pick up! DM on Insta or Twitter! LINKS MENTIONED: Register for the Writers on Writers livestream here. For REPLAY of the live sign up to our newsletter here. MORE EPISODES YOU'LL LIKE: Episode…

The first part of our spoiler discussion of Extraordinary Attorney Woo (season 1). We also covered our early impressions of the show on episode 133. Don't forget to tell us which shows you've decided to pick up! DM on Insta or Twitter! LINKS MENTIONED: The interview with writer & director of EAW (translated by Anisa) Park Eun-bin answers 10 questio…

We loved Lee Min-ki in My Liberation Notes and decided to talk about all his dramas and movies that we sought out over the years cause you can never have enough of this guy. Don't forget to tell us which shows you've decided to pick up! DM on Insta or Twitter! TIMESTAMP: 01:19 - Important announcement 02:46 - All about Lee Min-ki <3 LINK: What Woul…

Our love for Extraordinary Attorney Woo is as deep as our dislike of Kwon Min-woo is high. Anisa and Paroma talk about all that has happened in the first half of this excellent show about a rookie autistic lawyer who learns how the law really works while making new friends, battling workplace discrimination, and entering true adulthood. Don't forge…

Saya, Anisa and Paroma talk about timey-wimey dramas Reset, Again My Life and Legally Romance, with digressions on binging C-dramas, ideal episode lengths (again), and why K-dramas are still doing romance better. Don't forget to tell us what you're watching and what you think we're missing out on! DM on Insta or Twitter! TIMESTAMP: 00:01:05 - We te…

Stephan Lee talks to us about his books, K-pop Confidential and its sequel K-pop Revolution, which follow a Korean American teenager chasing her dreams as a trainee idol in Seoul. We discuss his writing process for each book, the relationship between art and activism, his personal experience of anti-Asian violence, and his trip to Seoul during his …

Saya is here for a Wild Yak to convince Paroma to watch 2020 Chinese drama CROSSFIRE, about two young men who meet each other in a game - but are eleven years apart in time. A spoiler-free intro to the show. PS. Saya really, really loved it. We talk about: The Signal conceit The rise of pro-gaming Gaming dramas as an emerging genre in C-dramas The …

We bring you a shorter long yak on two dramas we're watching and a lot of discussions on actor micro-expressions, the impermanence of cancel culture for powerful actors, and why we some time pause dramas we love. Don't forget to tell us which shows you've decided to pick up! DM on Insta or Twitter! [More information about the disgraced actor, Lee K…

It's been almost 2 years, guys. It's definitely time to move on from #KimSeonHo's breakout performance in START-UP. But before we do, here's a look back at why #HanJiPyeong captured our hearts, how much of this effect was intentional on the creators' part, and why his fans walked away bitter after that ending. (Also maybe why #NamJoohyuk also got a…

Saya rewatched Goblin for the dozenth time and pulled Paroma into a discussion of our deep love for a story that also has so many elements we feel conflicted on. Dive in with your SPOILER hats on. Also, don't forget to tell us which shows you've decided to pick up! DM on Insta or Twitter! Or leave a comment on our blog for this episode! Paroma's Vi…

Welcome to our first proper Long Yak of 2022! In this one, Anisa and Paroma dig into our widely varying first impressions of Twenty-Five Twenty-One and Forecasting Love and Weather. And Saya makes a good case for why Rookie Cops is a worthier successor of Police University. Don't forget to tell us which shows you've decided to pick up! DM on Insta …

Welcome back to our monthly What's Up in Dramaland. Let's talk about what dramas we're adding to our watchlist this February? Don't forget to tell us which shows you've decided to pick up! DM on Insta or Twitter! Or leave a comment on our blog for this episode! TIMESTAMP: 00:53 - Forecasting Love and Weather 11:42 - 2521 15:37 - Crazy Love 18:12 - …

Finally, it's part 3 of the longest yak we've ever done! In Part 3 of our 2021 Year End Yak, we bring you Listeners' Choice Awards, each of our personal top three dramas, and some reflections and thanks to round out the year. Note: We recorded this in December, so if you became a Patreon subscriber since then, not to worry, your patron shoutout is …

Have the perfection of drama story lines ever made it hard for you to accept reality? It has for us, and that's what we are discussing on this episode. This is actually a recording from a livestream we did last year during the K-Pop Social Night Conference, so if you notice that the audio is funky, don't blame us, blame the internet. Terrible stuff…

Welcome, welcome to Part 2 of our year-end celebration gala! With no less than 28 different awards, this not so much a Yak as it is a Mammoth Marathon, as we try to conquer the highs and lows of Dramaland 2021 in the space of two wild hours. If you've listened to Part 1, you may already know that we thought this was going to be in 2 parts (big mist…