What happened lately to Kdrama world? It may be me and my overreacting, but the happy fluffy dramas are shrinking. The last truly nice and leave-your-brain-and-enjoy series was... hmm, lemme see. Something like Coffee Prince, to enjoy good story, good acting and fabulous music? Since I was confined to not moving for past 2 weeks, I watched and caught up with all dramas I wanted, and while finishing Babyfaced Beauty (yes, I finished that finally), I had this strange feeling that fluffy dramas are somewhat in minority now.
OK, let me explain it in details. Maybe few past months, and especially weeks weren't the easiest times for me, but I'm not miaouling, there are people whose lives are more miserable than mine, and my Mom told me once - never complain, it can always be worse. So no, not complaining. What was I saying? Ah, ok...
In every drama lately I find depressing moments. I do get serious times even in a comedy drama, especially kdrama - there HAS to be angst, it's just a pillar of it. But I was enjoing The Musical (well, not much since there is no real musical in it, sniff) until ep 10 hit me twice. First - the talk on the stairs, with many bitter, but oh so true statements ( my favorite part so far) and later - "slave contract". This depressed me even more.
And then there is Kkotminam Ramyeon Shop, a hilarious series, taking a swing into usual rom-coms. I do enjoy that drama a lot, it's like a 50 minutes of pure entertainment, with Jeong Ilwu being over-the-top hilarious and good. With some bitter salt that even sweet idiot dongsaeng can't wash away.
Episode 6 just punched me in the face. I may be oversensitive to this, but since I'm not going any younger, the monologue of Eunbi before her father's memorial rang true.
I'm not complaining, no. Looks like shallow dramas, or at least those I follow, start to incorporate something more from real life than just phone brands. They start to point out other sides of life. Or maybe it's too early to call "the King is dead, long live the King?" There will be fluffy dramas, I know, but somehow I do see the shift in topics. Still, "princess-fairytale-meets-prince-on-white-horse" idiotic teenagers will get their dramas, but 2011 has shown that it is possible to incorporate (I almost wrote "to smuggle") normal, usual thinking of common people into dramas.
And I do like this change.
Maybe November is the reason? I don't know.
I have loved this song for many years, but the plot pattern bothered me for some reason. Now I know why:
Harmonie du soir:
Voici venir les temps où vibrant sur sa tige
Chaque fleur s'évapore ainsi qu'un encensoir;
Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir;
Valse mélancolique et langoureux vertige!
Chaque fleur s'évapore ainsi qu'un encensoir;
Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir;
Valse mélancolique et langoureux vertige!
Chaque fleur s'évapore ainsi qu'un encensoir;
Le violon frémit comme un coeur qu'on afflige;
Valse mélancolique et langoureux vertige!
Le ciel est triste et beau comme un grand reposoir.
Le violon frémit comme un coeur qu'on afflige;
Valse mélancolique et langoureux vertige!
Le ciel est triste et beau comme un grand reposoir.
Le violon frémit comme un coeur qu'on afflige,
Un coeur tendre, qui hait le néant vaste et noir!
Le ciel est triste et beau comme un grand reposoir;
Le soleil s'est noyé dans son sang qui se fige.
Un coeur tendre, qui hait le néant vaste et noir!
Le ciel est triste et beau comme un grand reposoir;
Le soleil s'est noyé dans son sang qui se fige.
Un coeur tendre, qui hait le néant vaste et noir,
Du passé lumineux recueille tout vestige!
Le soleil s'est noyé dans son sang qui se fige...
Ton souvenir en moi luit comme un ostensoir!
Du passé lumineux recueille tout vestige!
Le soleil s'est noyé dans son sang qui se fige...
Ton souvenir en moi luit comme un ostensoir!
— Charles Baudelaire
Evening Harmony
The season is at hand when swaying on its stem
Every flower exhales perfume like a censer;
Sounds and perfumes turn in the evening air;
Melancholy waltz and languid vertigo!
Every flower exhales perfume like a censer;
Sounds and perfumes turn in the evening air;
Melancholy waltz and languid vertigo!
Every flower exhales perfume like a censer;
The violin quivers like a tormented heart;
Melancholy waltz and languid vertigo!
The sky is sad and beautiful like an immense altar.
The violin quivers like a tormented heart;
Melancholy waltz and languid vertigo!
The sky is sad and beautiful like an immense altar.
The violin quivers like a tormented heart,
A tender heart, that hates the vast, black void!
The sky is sad and beautiful like an immense altar;
The sun has drowned in his blood which congeals...
A tender heart, that hates the vast, black void!
The sky is sad and beautiful like an immense altar;
The sun has drowned in his blood which congeals...
A tender heart that hates the vast, black void
Gathers up every shred of the luminous past!
The sun has drowned in his blood which congeals...
Your memory in me glitters like a monstrance!
Gathers up every shred of the luminous past!
The sun has drowned in his blood which congeals...
Your memory in me glitters like a monstrance!
— William Aggeler, The Flowers of Evil (Fresno, CA: Academy Library Guild, 1954)
