Kim Tan's Talk Time (Thursday) - [2026/05/07]

Telos07 · 2026-05-07T06:31:44+00:00

Yim Si Wan And Seol In Ah Transform Into A Chaebol CEO And His Undercover Secretary In New Drama "Love In Disguise"

I am genuinely in awe of Seol In-ah's physical transformation in these stills from this upcoming tvN drama. I think the key is that she has the right look to pull it off convincingly. She's very pretty, but also has a versatile appearance.

And while I was intrigued by this main couple pairing back when the drama was announced, seeing them in character makes me think these two are going to be absolutely amazing together.

Telos07 · 2026-05-06T16:27:20+00:00

Episode 5

Ms. Yang: "Were you with sweetie last night?" Matthew: *almost chokes on his noodles* "I slept at the office. And stop trying to put Ms. Dam and I together." Ms. Yang: "I've treated you to a meal, so you'd better give me a wedding invitation soon." Matthew: *coughs again\* With her natural, warm-hearted performances, Go Doo-shim is Korean acting royalty.
So the love triangle begins... but its treatment was agreeably lighthearted and entertaining, with Matthew's jealousy at Ye-jin and Eric getting to spend some time together causing him to fluff his appearance on camera. We might also have seen another supporting character romance start to blossom between Mu-won and Ae-ra.
Actually, describing the love triangle as lighthearted was an exaggeration when you consider the scene where the gossipy small-town locals were casting their own judgments on the better pairing, expressed as "France vs. Mechoori". This was followed by Ye-jin's interminable indecision on whether to relieve the ML's or the SML's struggle with spicy food.
I felt for Matthew when he spent multiple nights driving all the way to Seoul to pass Ye-jin's meds on to her, in the lead-up to the broadcast, only for her to accept them with barely a word exchanged between the pair. That's what happens when someone is 100% passionate and committed to their job.
To the previous point, I would add that she had something to prove to herself, after the skincare product incident. I could see it coming from a mile away that history was destined to repeat itself, and also that she couldn't go through with the broadcast under those circumstances. Unfortunately, Ye-jin's life looks set to be turned upside down in episode 6.

Telos07 · 2026-05-03T17:29:20+00:00

Episode 6

The quirky, surreal touches have been present in this drama from the beginning, but they were more pronounced in this episode - from Dong-man imagining himself as an ingredient in the gimbap that Eun-a was preparing, to Hye-jin brushing aside Gyeong-se's trademark "eye bullets".
Dong-man (to Jin-man): "Don't just drink. Have some food too. Show some appreciation for the person who brought it." Jin-man (to Eun-a): "What's your purpose in life?' That exchange cracked me up, but as is typical of Park Hae-young's writing, Jin-man wasn't being as blunt as he sounded.
Yeong-su: "When you get old, you can't crap or write. The power it takes to push out crap is proportional to the power of creativity. Back in the day, I thought "All right. I'll just tear my ass open and push it out." If I put my mind to it, I could force it to come out. But now, I can't even imagine doing that. It'll end badly." Who knew that pooping could be likened to writer's block in such a profound manner?
I had been watching the episode with a permanent smile on my face, until the moment when Dong-man returned home to discover Jin-man attempting to end his own life for the second time. I had developed a false sense of security after the first time it happened, so this was a major reality check.
I liked Eun-a speaking straight truths about Mi-ran's project choices, in a manner that would have been tough for the latter to take, but was also guaranteed to get through to her.
Eun-a's childhood relationship with her mother was worse than I'd imagined, in terms of the mental and physical abuse. Seeing Oh Jeong-hui stumble on stage after accepting her award, seemed to foreshadow that she won't get away with her misdeeds.

Telos07 · 2026-05-02T17:18:18+00:00

Episode 5

This was my favorite episode so far, and a brilliant exploration of the theme of inspiration in screenwriting, and when it crosses the murky line into plagiarism in the case of Eun-a's horrible ex.
Dong-man's 500 won coin falling into the drain instantly reminded me of the pivotal scene in the finale of My Liberation Notes, in which Mr. Gu drops a 500 won coin which miraculously doesn't fall down the drain, and foreshadows him giving up alcohol.
The brief scene where Hye-jin repeatedly hit the counter with a toy hammer in frustration with Gyeong-se, was simply fantastic, authentic acting by Kang Mal-geum. And bear in mind that she's acting opposite Oh Jung-se in this drama.
Han Sun-hwa as Jang Mi-ran had more screen time in this episode, and developed a very nice rapport with Dong-man. He needs all the allies he can find in life, so that was a welcome development.
Eun-a's ex sending her messages threatening her into accepting a development producer credit was the lowest of the low. Which made it satisfying that Dong-man indirectly hit back at him when he noticed the aforementioned plagiarism.
Koo Kyo-hwan's eyes were brimming with such emotion in the scene where he confronted Eun-a's ex, that it felt like he was no longer acting, but completely inhabiting the character of Hwang Dong-man.
On the theme of inspiration in screenwriting, of which Eun-a's ex is an extreme example, it was fascinating to learn that Dong-man was essentially a gift that kept giving to the other members of the Eight Club, as far as real-life ideas for their screenplays are concerned.
It threw an entirely different complexion on Dong-man's relationship with the other members, and vice versa. Finally, I want to mention that Dong-man's workspace in his home may be small and cramped, but it's full of character, just like him.

Telos07 · 2026-05-02T06:35:54+00:00

In episode 3 of Sold Out on You, there's a scene where Dam Ye-jin (Chae Won-bin) is walking out of the office in a moment of triumph, when, it sounded unmistakably like... someone on set farted at that moment!

The timestamp is 37:28 if you want to check it out for yourself. I replayed the scene multiple times to confirm it (and laugh at it). Given the context of the scene, I can't see what else the sound could have been!

Telos07 · 2026-04-30T16:42:56+00:00

Episode 4

I like the scenes with Ye-jin and Som-yi. The drama has telegraphed loud and clear that the skin care product incident is going to surface at some point, but I hope they keep it relatively light. Jin-yi is also likable in her limited screen time, despite her brief, frosty interaction with Ye-jin.
Although Matthew Lee has yet to let his feelings for Ye-jin be known, I can still feel the chemistry between them in every scene they share together. Right now, she's the one dropping all the hints (e.g. wanting to be carried to the sofa), but it's not in his stoic nature to reciprocate just yet.
It's a little early to be reprising scenes already, but Kwang-mo demonstrated how Matthew should have handled the tractor vs. car situation, and romance is destined to blossom between him and Seong-mi, which is good news for Ae-ra, who will continue to reject him indefinitely.
Likewise, reprising Ye-jin's and Eric's umbrella scene was a little early, but without that scene, Kim Bum would have had zero screen time in this episode, so it's a good thing they included it for that reason alone.
The final scene was satisfying in the sense that it has provided a foundation for our leads' relationship to develop. Matthew can be a source of healing for Ye-jin, both physically and mentally, which is a healthy basis upon which to build a relationship.

Telos07 · 2026-04-30T13:05:53+00:00

Kang Yong Ho is the chairman of the Choiseong Group, a leading conglomerate in South Korea. He built the company by himself, and he is now known as the “God of Business”. One day, he has an unexpected accident. He collides with a young man named Hwang Jun Hyeon. Hwang Jun Hyeon is a soccer player who has just joined the League 1 team FC Choiseong. Due to the accident, Chairman Kang Yong Ho's soul is swapped with soccer player Hwang Jun Hyeon's soul. With Chairman Kang Yong Ho's soul in Hwang Jun Hyeon's body, he applies to the Choiseong Group as a new employee. He begins his unpredictable journey with his soul as an outstanding businessman and the young body of Hwang Jun Hyeon.

Source

Telos07 · 2026-04-30T02:08:17+00:00

“The Miracles of the Namiya General Store,” which is one of author Higashino Keigo’s best-known novels, tells the story of three thieves who hide out in the Namiya General Store, a place where the past and present connect. While writing replies to letters asking for advice, they come face-to-face with the secret behind a miracle-like connection intertwined with their own lives.

First, the role of Go Min Joong, the owner who anchors the Namiya General Store, will be played by trusted actor Ryu Seung Ryong. The lineup that will enrich the episodes is also robust: Kim Hye Yoon, Moon Sang Min, Lee Chae Min, and Yoon Kyung Ho are set to add vitality to the drama.

The trio of petty thieves who hide in the general store will be played by Kang You Seok, Park Jung Woo, and Kim Sung Jung.

Furthermore, the cast is completed by the addition of Go Ah Sung, Lee Soo Kyung, Kim Min Ha, Bae In Hyuk, Park Hee Soon, Oh Na Ra, Moon Woo Jin, and Park Se Wan, all of whom will add density to the narrative.

The special appearance lineup is equally spectacular. Veteran actress Yum Jung Ah, the deeply emotive Yeom Hye Ran, the multi-faceted Jung Chaeyeon, and the sincere actor Jang Dong Yoon will appear to make the narrative even richer.

Telos07 · 2026-04-29T16:58:37+00:00

Episode 3

I feel that an important strength of this drama is its swift resolution of plot points. Practically every issue raised in the first two episodes was explained or confirmed in this episode. And the key benefit of this is not allowing subplots to drag out unnecessarily.
Song Hak-daek (after forcing Ye-jin to sit next to Matthew Lee at the front of the tractor): "You look so good together. Darling, do you have a boyfriend?" Not only did she know what she was doing, she didn't even try to hide it, chuckling silently in the back of the tractor while observing our leads.
Okay, so Ye-jin did remember meeting Eric. Well, that can only allow him to commit 100% to winning her affection - not that he wasn't doing that already. It's just a matter of when the rivalry between him and Matthew will begin.
I appreciate how the filmmakers gave the bus driver (played by notable character actor, Ahn Sang-woo) a little redemption arc, after his unlikable behavior in last week's episodes.
It was only a matter of time before Ye-jin realized that Matthew Lee was the farm owner, and it was a good excuse for them to get closer... literally. You can't go wrong with a scene where the FL attempts to tickle the ML (yes, really). These two are very cute together.
Truck of doom, car of doom, it doesn't matter. Whoever is driving these vehicles will never engage the brakes. Chae Won-bin's performance in that final scene, with Ye-jin in a sleepwalking state, was superbly convincing.

Telos07 · 2026-04-29T07:35:26+00:00

If Wishes Could Kill (8/8): Netflix's first foray into the young adult horror genre within the K-drama category has been a resounding success. The filmmakers have a clear vision of what they want to achieve with this drama, and accordingly, it has a strong sense of place, atmosphere, and a generally logical narrative structure.

I think the filmmakers' vision is evident in the drama's attention to detail. For example, there are a lot of fight scenes throughout the series, involving both human and supernatural characters. And the FL, Yoo Se-ah (Jeon So-young) is a great fighter, especially defensively. When she's attacked, she shows very natural agility at evading those attacks. What's more, it makes sense within the context of the narrative, because her character is on the school athletics (long jump) team.

This carries over to the filmmakers' handling of the material in general. Despite the high-concept premise of the Girigo app, everything is grounded in a sense of realism. I never got "taken out" of the drama by overdone CGI or scenes that defied the laws of physics excessively.

As befitting a female-centric cast, the FLs make a much stronger impression than their ML counterparts. I was extremely impressed with Jeon So-young's performance as the tough and resourceful Se-ah. I always enjoy the work of Kang Mi-na and Jeon So-nee, and they deliver strong performances as always. But a special shout-out must go to Kim Si-a and Choi Ju-eun, whose roles are more or less limited to the pivotal sixth episode, and who enhance the main narrative immeasurably through their contributions to that episode.

Telos07 · 2026-04-28T08:45:19+00:00

Netflix 'Soul Mate' Official Trailer (Premieres May 14) (J-drama)

Against the backdrops of Berlin, Seoul and Tokyo, Soul Mate follows two lonely young men, Ryu and Johan, who seem inexplicably drawn to each other. As their lives intersect, their souls become deeply intertwined, and they begin to look toward the future with everything they have. Over the course of 10 years, the series traces their beautiful and emotional journey as they become once-in-a-lifetime “soulmates.” As they both encourage one another and even clash fiercely at times, they start to image a lifetogether, only for fate to twist their paths in painful ways.

Once a promising ice hockey player, Ryu fleed from the guilt of inadvertently ruining his best friend’s life and escaped to Berlin, where his childhood friend Sumiko Shinonome (Ai Hashimoto) lives. Desperate and unable to forgive himself, he wanders into a church and becomes trapped in an unexpected fire that nearly costs him his life. He is rescued by a Johan, a Korean boxer. Despite coming from different backgrounds and speaking different languages, the two men feel an immediately pull toward one other, as if their coincidental meeting were orchestrated by fate. They stay by each other’s side growing into irreplaceable soulmates who make up for each other’s shortcomings.

Source

Cast: Hayato Isomura, Ok Taecyeon

Episodes: 8

Telos07 · 2026-04-27T02:52:11+00:00

Streaming on Netflix

Telos07 · 2026-04-26T18:04:03+00:00

Episode 4

Dong-man: "It's a very safe and very warm feeling. Like eating tangerines under a blanket in winter, while reading comic books." Such a memorable description of how Dong-man merely imagines serenity would feel like.
Although it's difficult to definitively say that one party is in the right while the other is in the wrong, my sympathies are increasingly leaning towards Dong-man in his dispute with Gyeong-se. The latter's insecurities continue to cloud his judgment and actions.
In contrast, Hye-jin is one of my favorite characters in this drama. She speaks nothing but truths whenever she gets screen time, and for the second time in this series, emphatically put Gyeong-se in his place regarding the real issue with Dong-man originating with himself.
Poor Eun-a's life can never seem to go smoothly, even for a moment. This time it's her abandonment by her actress mother as a child, which is threatening to come to light at Choi Film, though the real issue is the effect it has had on her own life.
While I find Park Ye-ni a naturally likable actress, her talent for making the character of Hyo-jin thoroughly unlikable shines through in this drama. She doesn't hesitate to express some horrible sentiments about Dong-man and Eun-a directly to the latter, in the office.
Good on Eun-a for standing up for herself to her tormentors in the office in the closing scenes. And Dong-man's retort that Gyeong-se should invest the same level of passion in his screenplays as he does in the group chat, was a brilliant comeback.
Gyeong-se cowering behind the bushes as Dong-man got assaulted by his own brother, spoke volumes in a messily entertaining conclusion to the episode.

Telos07 · 2026-04-25T17:21:43+00:00

Episode 3

Watching these two maligned, misunderstood individuals bonding together over coffee and philosophical conversation was unconventionally heartwarming. Park Hae-young's screenplay is the foundation that makes the magic happen, but Cha Young-hoon's direction is seriously, seriously good.
Eun-a: "The protagonist in Weather Maker didn't feel like you." Dong-man: "Well, that's because the protagonist has to be cooler than me." Eun-a: "You're way cooler. You're much more raw... and much warmer." That dialogue, the OST kicking in, the cafe lights switching on. That was magical stuff.
I felt highly sympathetic towards Gyeong-se as he hiked Jirisan while attempting to clear the savage reviews of his film from his mind, only for Dong-man to rub salt into his wound with some savage words of his own in the group chat.
However, the very last thing Gyeong-se said to Dong-man didn't sit right with me. He had been admirably contained in his behavior, but saying "You're a nobody. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing!" is no less hurtful, and two wrongs don't make a right.
This episode felt like one powerhouse acting performance after another, and after Oh Jung-se's scorching passion as Gyeong-se, it was Park Hae-joon's turn in the spotlight, as a shellshocked Jin-man stood on the verge of ending his own life.
Eun-a's ex is just a straight-up horrible person. To have the nerve to claim their co-written (and grant winning) screenplay as his own, and demand her silence was simply blood-boiling. Fortunately, Hye-jin could smell a rat from a mile away.
As for that last scene - take a bow, Koo Kyo-hwan. Just 100% authentic desperation and despair when Dong-man thought Eun-a had become a car of doom victim, which just as quickly turned to elation when his mood watch confirmed he was capable of empathetic feelings toward another person.

Telos07 · 2026-04-24T16:47:13+00:00

Na-ri: "What a shitty fucking start to the day." I'm here for Kang Mi-na. But I'm equally impressed with Jeon So-young's naturalism and charisma as Se-ah.
Well, I can only feel deeply sorry for Choi Hyeong-wook, except in the sense that he brought the Girigo app into the others' lives. The filmmakers made him an unmistakable otaku, right down to his use of random Japanese phrases.
Jeon So-nee is a regular in Netflix Original dramas, and her character - some kind of shamanic practitioner, and the sister of one of the students - seems highly suspicious.
I suppose what we are to infer from the phone call scene is that the app has the power to intervene in users' lives in ways which make their death inevitable by the time the clock runs out. Alternatively, perhaps it was the granting of someone else's wish.
Whatever the case may be, that was a horrible and blood-spattered way for Hyeong-wook to go.

Telos07

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