Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (December 10, 2022)

by DB Staff

So, what are we all watching this week?

What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…

Curtain Call: I’m past the point of defending this drama, and now I’m at the point where I want to challenge it to a duel. Are you going to surprise me with some wonderful, tense moments and emotional reveals? Or are we just going to wander around aimlessly for the final 3 weeks?

mistyisles

Currently covering: Reborn Rich, Unlock the Boss

Revenge of Others: I don’t really know what to say at this point, because I don’t know what to believe or not believe out of all the reveals we got — if they’re actually reveals and not more lies (looking at you, Oh-seong). I will say, though, I’m not sure exactly when I crossed over from “I don’t know if I even like this show” to “Is it Wednesday, yet??” but here I am. Unsurprisingly, I give Jae-bum 100% of the credit for that.

DaebakGrits

Currently covering: Behind Every Star

Reborn Rich: I’m intrigued, but I’m not hooked. The cast and cinematography are great, but I think I’m kinda burnt out on time-travel revenge dramas. (Again My Life, I’m looking at you.) Not to mention, all the backstabbing chaebol family drama has never been my cup of tea. I say all that, but I’m pretty sure the cast will keep me coming back — perhaps at a slower pace than I’d normally watch — even if the story doesn’t take a turn in a way that captivates me.

solstices

Dracula: Being back in Korea for winter break means that I can finally watch musicals in person — yay! I caught the November 26 evening performance, and I was certainly impressed. The musical did a breathtaking job with its symbolism, and I particularly liked the art direction. Its ensemble choreography was so well done, creating a magnificent spectacle brimming with grandeur. Kim Jong-hyeong did a remarkable job as Dumitru, Dracula’s faithful servant — his puppy crush on Lorraine was so adorable, and his unwavering loyalty to Dracula had me in tears several times. And of course, theater veterans Shin Sung-woo and Kim Beop-rae anchored the musical with their gravitas. I’m curious about the other cast, too, so I’ll definitely be catching one of the livestreams sometime.

The Devotion of Suspect X: This musical is based on my all-time favorite crime novel of the same name by my favorite crime author Higashino Keigo, so you can imagine how excited I was to see it in person! I watched the December 7 evening show, and the cast did a phenomenal job. Choi Jae-woong was the perfect Ishigami I could’ve possibly asked for — he embodied Ishigami’s single-minded devotion and complexity of thought, right down to the steadiness of his voice and his world-weary posture. I first noticed Choi Jae-woong in Forest of Secrets, but the small screen absolutely does not do justice to his detailed acting. And his singing voice is so beautifully resonant! Listening to his numbers gave me actual chills. Meanwhile, Oh Jong-hyuk surprised me with how clear and bright his singing voice was — it was a higher register than I expected, and it complemented Choi Jae-woong’s deeper timbre nicely. This pair had an understated and comfortable chemistry that convincingly encapsulated Ishigami and Yukawa’s friendship. This musical will be livestreaming selected performances from December 17 to 31, so you can bet I’ll be catching it again!

Sweeney Todd: Shin Sung-rok! Singing! Live! I had sky-high expectations, and this musical somehow still managed to surpass them by far. The cast of the December 9 evening performance was stable and solid from start to finish, making even the most quirky and complicated numbers an easy and entertaining listen. For a dark comedy, the musical was more humorous than I expected, and Shin Sung-rok’s Sweeney Todd was unexpectedly cute! From his delicate details to his amusing adlibs, Shin Sung-rok exuded an endearing charm. He portrayed Todd’s eccentricity with a childlike elation that felt reminiscent of Liar Game’s Do-young, except elevated several levels higher — the camera simply cannot capture his sheer charisma, intensity, and stage presence. It was simply stunning how effortlessly he swung from eager enthusiasm, to wrathful fury, to devastated grief. Also, I could write odes about Shin Sung-rok’s gloriously rich singing voice! At one point, I was listening to him sing with my jaw hanging wide open beneath my mask because I was just that awestruck. I would go on and on about the rest of the wonderful cast, but this blurb is already growing too long, so I’ll just pick one actor that caught my attention. Yoon Eun-oh has such a sweet singing voice, and his Tobias was innocent and sincere in a way that tugged at my heartstrings. I’m so sad that this musical won’t be livestreamed, because I already want to watch it all over again. And I want to watch Lee Kyu-hyung’s Todd too! Can I hold out hope for an OST or a DVD? Pretty please?

Dramaddictally

Currently covering: Cheer Up

Summer Strike: I don’t think I can continue with this after what happened in Episode 6. I’m willing to put up with a lot of nonsense story-wise, but what happened to Bom is just so wrong there is no way any of these characters can be redeemed for me. A victim of a violent crime is recovering in a hospital bed and everyone around her (including her new friend, our female lead) is telling her to cover for the perpetrator because it’s easier for them? No. Unless they plan to bring in Attorney Woo Young-woo to take care of this case later, I’m done. Bom is actually the reason I had kept watching these last few episodes. Not only is her character the current voice of reason, but I’m liking this actress. I also just watched her this week in the KBS Drama Special Like Otters where she played a similar tough character. I’ll look forward to her next project, but I can’t stick this out.

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Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (December 10, 2022)