Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
A smart, 20-episode series that was well cast, it offered intrigue, action, comedy and a bittersweet love story that ends in such a way that the viewer is left assured that the couple stays together forever. This is also one of the rare Korean dramas I’ve seen where the lead characters aren’t involved in a love triangle (though there is a sub-plot where unrequited love between secondary cast members plays a role).
A legal thriller filled with comedy and romance, “Suspicious Partner” is an addictive K-Drama that will keep viewers engaged. Don’t let the 40 episodes put you off. Each episode is less than half an hour long. And the plot is so engaging that the 20 hours goes by quickly.
Moreso than any of the previous episodes of “Burn the Stage,” this finale is a love letter from BTS to their fans. The eight-part docu-series ended with “Spring Day” playing over the credits. As many of you already know, that song touches my core every single time I hear it, so I’m a little verklempt as I write this.
Having your music cut out mid-song is a living nightmare for musicians. But if you have the wherewithal to go with the flow with the good and the bad, those moments also can become a highlight of the evening. During a concert in Osaka last year, J-Hope was faced with exactly this dilemma. He describes it as the worst thing that can happen at a show. But he handled it with aplomb.
“Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon” came out around the same time as “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo.” And that was one reason why I waited so long to watch it. While the latter was a cute drama, it wasn’t great. “Strong Woman” is a wonderful series that started off with so much potential. The first few episodes were so great that I thought I might be awarding it four stars. But I ended up docking it a point, because of the cringe-inducing way it treated gays.
The men in BTS are still so young. But I get the impression that they are not oblivious to the passage of time. They know the half life of a musician’s career isn’t forever. Far from it. And while a part of me feels sad that they had to grow up so fast in the music business, the other part is grateful that they appear to be making plans for the future, even as they are enjoying what they have today.
I was delighted that Chicago was so beautifully prominent in this episode. Late one night back at their hotel, they’re trying to figure out how to perform on a tiny stage for their first U.S. television appearance. I used to do a little work for JBTV way back when, and I can tell you that the stage is tiny. It’s fine for most of the bands that pass through Chicago. But most bands aren’t BTS.
The argument between two members of BTS was hyped up as being a shocking revelation in the previews. But for anyone who has a sibling — or who has ever been in a serious relationship — speaking the uncomfortable truth is par for the course. Arguments often aren’t about what you’re addressing at the time, but rather all the little things that have built up to make you reach that boiling point. What was more interesting to me was watching Jin and V dig to the bottom of the real issue: respect.
A common element running throughout the plot is that you are not a “real” child if you don’t share your parents’ DNA. One of the central characters views herself as superior to her adopted sister, because … adoption. The emphasis on a family’s pure bloodline is still in effect today in Korea. And though more adoptive families are telling their children about their adoption stories, many still let their kids assume they are biologically related to their adoptive parents.
정 (jung) is a Korean word that is difficult to define in English. 정 encapsulates a feeling of love and loyalty that people have for one another. They will do things out of the kindness of their hearts, rather than as quid pro quo. As I watched the members of BTS drinking and laughing together, I realized that it was this 정 they had for each other that was as much of a component of their success as anything else.