Shows
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch January 2026Happy New Year! We beckon another year of too many dramas. 0:00 Introduction and greetings0:36 absoluteM talks about what she’s been watching on: Typhoon Family, Dynamite Kiss, Idol Eye, including Wallace Chung’s latest Second Chance Romance — widely thought to be something of a dud. 2:04 She mentions his 2022 drama Because of Love in passing.4:27 Sniper Butterfly — a sleeper hit. A noona romance ie. an older woman romancing a young man. Neither of us have seen it yet.5:48 I briefly mentioned what I watched on Viki before I went travelling last month. Taxi Dri...
2026-01-131h 07
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 12 November 20250:00 Introduction — could be my last podcast for 2025.1:09 Where we begin our conversation about Walking on Thin Ice, the underwatched crime K drama led by Lee Young-ae and Kim Young-kwan as partners in crime. This conversation does contain spoilers for the show. If you’re trying to avoid spoilers please go to my spoiler free review of the first half of the drama.28:05 We talk about Kim Young-kwan and his career so far.32:50 Our chat shifts to Typhoon Family. The historical backdrop of the Asian financial crisis and a brief synopsis. This heartwarming drama is s...
2025-11-171h 00
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch October 2025Recorded on 27 September 2025 for October.0:00 Introduction0:28 absoluteM begins the conversation with a review of Queen Mantis starring Go Hyun-jung and Jang Do-yoon as a mother-son pairing in this police procedural. 8:31 absoluteM mentions Tempest with Ju Ji-hyun and Kang Dong-won as leads and Bon Appetit Your Majesty led by Im Yoo-na and Lee Chae-min as well-regarded dramas that are currently airing.11:49 I do a quick review of Beyond the Bar with a focus on the characters.17:07 I say a bit about SK police procedurals18:31 absoluteM talks about her...
2025-10-011h 01
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 1 Sept 202500:00 Greetings and absoluteM immediately launches into a review of Summit of Our Youth, a second chance story featuring Sun Zhenni and Chen Jingke. 5:19 We shift the conversation to The Legend of the Female General led by Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei. Be warned: I have nothing complimentary to say about the show. absoluteM mentions Cheng Lei’s other drama Shadow Love, currently airing. It also stars Song Yi. 26:17 absoluteM takes a turn to talk about Wang Xingyue’s latest, The Wanted Detective.31:47 I am asked if I’m watching any K dramas and so the...
2025-09-0859 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 2 August 2025I apologize for the sound quality. While I managed to boost the volume more generally I couldn’t get rid of the earlier distortions from absoluteM’s side of things. Thankfully the misbehaving audio righted itself after a time. Maybe it’s time to invest in a decent microphone.Greetings and introduction: A brief summary of what we’ve been watching1:49 The Princess’ Gambit — What in the world went wrong with his?16:56 We switch our attention to shows absoluteM has been watching — A Dream within a Dream and the sequel to Flourished Peony, In the Name of...
2025-08-051h 09
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 3 July 20250:00 Greetings. What we’re watching and what we want to watch. We refer to The Legend of Zang Hai, The Princess’ Gambit, In the Name of Blossom, Mercy for None.4:33 We begin our discussion of The Princess’ Gambit.29:48 absoluteM asks about Legend of Zang Hai and I give a review.41:26 absoluteM goes into what else she’s been watching: Perfect and Casual, The Best Thing, Our Movie, Head Over Heels52:03 I ramble on about the latest in short C dramasThanks for everyone’s support. I apologize for the sound qual...
2025-07-0659 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesBonus Podcast Episode: The Prisoner of Beauty (2025)absoluteM and I come get together for a chat about the show. absoluteM kicks the conversation with her overall feelings about the show.If you enjoyed this podcast episode, please like, comment or share the post. Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2025-06-1543 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 1 June 20250:34 Starting off with Resident Playbook that ended two weeks ago.37:06 absoluteM raves about The Prisoner of Beauty, Liu Yuning’s latest. He’s paired with the talented Song Zu’er. I have since seen several episodes and am quite impressed. It’s been a while since a C drama has been able to grab my attention right out of the block.53:08 absoluteM moves on to talk about another Liu Yuning drama, Eternal Brotherhood which also stars Yang Xuwen from Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty. A show that’s not romance 56:36 A quick mention of Li Xian...
2025-06-031h 05
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 3 May 20250:00 Greeting and introduction0:33 absoluteM mentions what she’s watching at the moment: Resident Playbook, Heavenly Ever After, Serendipity, Pump Up the Healthy Love2:31 We launch into a lengthy conversation about Resident Playbook, the Hospital Playlist spin-off.38:29 absoluteM does a quick review of Heavenly Ever After.43:18 I ask if absoluteM has seen The Art of Negotiation. Then I give a brief review while she asks the questions.57:19 Then I shift my attention to The First Frost starring Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan.1:07:10 absoluteM talks with mixed feelings about Wa...
2025-05-051h 14
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 9 April 20250:23 absoluteM lists the dramas she’s been watching on various platforms: When Life Gives You Tangerines, Undercover High School, Buried Hearts2:48 absoluteM delves a little more into Buried Hearts’ storyline and characters — a a makjang that she found engaging.5:02 Our discussion of When Life Gives You Tangerines begins. At the time of recording I’d only seen 2 episodes.14:04 We review Undercover High School, the recently completed spy comedy with Seo Kang-joon and Jin Ki-joo in lead roles. Praise was also given to Kim Shin-rok who played the show’s primary antagonist, Seo Myeong-ju. 18:49...
2025-04-091h 01
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 8 March 2025In this episode, we start off by talking about:Love Scout which stars Han Ji-min and Lee Joon-hyuk16:19 absoluteM is watching Undercover High School (Seo Kang-joon), Buried Hearts, The Potato Lab (Kang Tae-oh, Lee Sun-bin).24:57 We yak about C dramas that are airing that we aren’t watching. Filter (Tan Jianci) and The First Frost (Bai Jingting) get mentions.27:13 The conversation switches to Tan Jianci’s rising popularity after Lost You Forever. 29:11 We switch gears and start talking about reverse harems as done by Scarlet Heart’s author Tong Hua.
2025-03-151h 10
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 3 February 202501:58 Wang Xingyue’s latest entry Perfect Match — an ensemble drama with strong Jane Austen vibes. Currently airing on Netflix. A tale of a family of women in search of husbands21:09 absoluteM mentions Flourished Peony which sees Li Xian and Yang Zi collaborating again after Go Go Squid. Trailer found here.23:34 Despite flaws and criticisms of Perfect Match, absoluteM is still planning to continue after 17 episode.28:17 absoluteM asks me if I liked Blossom starring Meng Ziyi and Li Yunrui. 30:21 We’re back talking about Perfect Match and notable cameos. 33:48 Trends in cos...
2025-02-041h 03
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch January 20250:00 Introduction and state of our relationship with dramas2:17 Looking back at 2024 and thoughts about the output6:03 Ji Sung's drama Connection: Our differing views of its relative success10:38 Miss Night and Day: An example of what goes wrong13:12 Lovely Runner -- my critique14:07 Too many dramas and production line thesis. Too many episodes.15:42 absoluteM's quick (very positive) review of Love Your Enemy19:05 We talk about When the Phone Rings.22:43 absoluteM has seen The Tale of Lady Ok with Im Ji-young as the titular character
2025-01-0957 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 20 November 20240:00 Greetings, introduction and travel plans1:05 The current state of C dramas — what’s the problem2:43 Discussion around The Story Pearl Girl and Kill Me, Love Me — symptomatic of issues with the most recent spate of C dramas.20:51 We have a chat about Dong-jae, The Good or the B*****d the spin-off from the Stranger franchise, featuring the wonderful Lee Joon-hyuk in the lead role. 35:45 What’s around the corner…36:29 absoluteM gives a quick review of Mr Plankton and at around 38:07 she launches into the subject of Fiery Priest 2 helmed by Kim Nam...
2024-11-211h 02
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 17 October 20240:00 Welcome and Introduction1:08 We chat about what we liked and didn’t really care for in Love Next Door that’s still available on Netflix. It had likeable characters but was probably too long for what it set out to do. Still a better watch than Hometown Cha Cha Cha. Both scripted by the same writer.15:27 We briefly mention The First Shot, a C police procedural with Johnny Huang and Wang Ziqi as leads.15:49 We launch into a discussion about short C dramas and try to account for their popularity. I talk about the...
2024-10-191h 10
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 18 September 20240:00 Introduction and what absoluteM has been watching1:22 Discussion around Are You the One and comparing our different takes. I misspoke when I said “the last thirty episodes” when I really meant the last 10 episodes. 26:10 We move on to Love Next Door starring Jung Hae-in and Jung So-min. What I like about it33:05 absoluteM reviews The First Shot, a period police procedural set in late 1990s China with Johnny Huang and Wang Ziqi at the helm. We do our bit to put the word out there.48:11 I rave on a little about the...
2024-09-181h 07
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 28 August 20240:00 Introduction2:35 We begin with Miss Night and Day, a Netflix show that ended a few weeks ago. Definitely a show with missed opportunities and misguided use of characters.9:45 Sweet Home 3. My critique of it after 5 episodes. Conceptually fascinating but execution is all over the place. Like a lot of sci-fi, it’s about the ideas rather than the characters. Integration of various elements is the weakest link.31:20 I make some quick comparisons with Kingdom.37:12 absoluteM asks me about The Auditors. My review of it can be found here.42:16 We ha...
2024-08-301h 12
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 31 July 20240:00 Introduction and what we’ve been watching2:38 absoluteM reviews Sweet Home 3 in relation to Season 2. Spoiler free.6:19 We have a conversation about Miss Night and Day. What we like about it. It’s led by Jung Eun-jin, Choi Jin-hyuk and Lee Jung-eun.18:35 I go off on a tangent about the clumsy female lead rom com trope often deployed to establish chemistry. I draw on my extensive experience with short dramas 😛 and launch into a tirade.23:06 A review of The Auditors — a brief summary and the characters. Why I like it. S far.
2024-08-041h 02
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 10 July 2024 Bonus Episode0:00 Introduction and objectives1:49 We begin the conversation with Connection, a recently completed K drama. Started well and ended well. We discuss the plot, complex characters, themes and specific performances. A quality script with a top-notch cast. Beware of crucial spoilers.34:31 We move on to talk about the slice-of-life series The Midnight Romance at Hagwon helmed by Jung Ryeo-won and Wi Ha-joon in the vein of My Liberation Notes about the education system, cram schools in South Korea with a romance on the side. We speculate about the lack of interest in the show.1:01:06...
2024-07-121h 12
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 3 July 20240:00 Introduction and my relationship with short dramas3:36 We chat at length about The Double which concluded recently. Beware. The conversation contains major spoilers about character arcs and deaths. 48:26 We switch our attention to the excellent K police procedural Connection starring Ji Sung, Jeon Mi-do and Kwon Yool. Watch out for my early impressions post.1:05:50 absoluteM mentions Midnight Romance at Hagwon briefly. We are both aiming to finish it.1:09:39 Miscellaneous dramas: absoluteM makes reference to Princess Royal which features Zhao Jinmai and Zhang Linghe; Bai Jingting’s The First Frost; Me...
2024-07-041h 32
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 4 June 20240:31 absoluteM out of the block with a review of Lovely Runner a well-received K drama that ended recently.10:08 After mentioning Marry My Husband briefly, we turn our attention to Will Love in Spring? We comment on the performances and the characters. Read my review here. We go deep about the final act and the actions of the female lead.21:50 We critique Go Go Squid, another Li Xian drama that was popular. 23:08 I make reference to the sub-genre of a much older man romancing a much younger woman. We make mention of Yang Zi’s other wo...
2024-06-061h 10
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 3 May 20241:16 The Legend of Shen Li — We opine about the show overall, characters and the resolution.23:41 Queen of Tears discussion. We also go into length about Park Sung-hoon and fans’s response to his role as the interloper; Our response to Kim Ji-won not being nominated for a Baeksang this time round.50:21 A brief tangent discussing the Baeksang nominations and acting awards53:08 absoluteM gives her views on Twenty-Five Twenty-One that co-starred Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk.56:14 absoluteM discovers Li Xian in Will Love in Spring and Meet Yourself. She goes into...
2024-05-061h 35
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 25 March 2024This recording was made on the 25 March 2024.4:43 A conversation about Doctor Slump starring Park Hyun-sik and Park Shin-hye. We talk about the rise in clinical depression, burn out and taking time out of the rat race.15:15 An extended discussion of Queen of Tears in which we talk about the leads, characters, plot points and themes. We also praise the writer and the script. The drama boasts a stellar cast headed by Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, Lee Mi-sook etc etc53:47 absoluteM reviews The Impossible Heir 1:01:06 absoluteM highlights her...
2024-03-261h 34
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch March 20241:05 We discuss Amidst a Snowstorm of Love and our problems with low conflict dramas.27:54 Wang Xingyue from the Scent of Time and the Story of Kunning Palace. Beware of spoilers. We go off on various tangents about rebirth dramas, Wang Xingyue, pairings we prefer and even Lin Gengxin.59:07 absoluteM talks about what she’s watching. A Shop for Killers and the controversial ending? A Killer Paradox starring Choi Woo-sik and Son Suk-koo. Who’s the male lead? That’s the question. Doctor Slump starring Park Hyung-sik and Park Shin-hye. The Impossible Heir starring Lee Jae-wook and Le...
2024-03-111h 19
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 9 February 2023This recorded was made on 9 February 2024.1:17 Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023-24) discussion.18:37 Death’s Game (2023-24) discussion. 31:46 Song of the Bandits (2023)35:10 Big Bet (2023)39:35 A Shop for Killers (2024)45:05 Dr Slump (2024)49:52 Twinkling Watermelons (2023) first impressions53:15 Amidst a Snowstorm of Love (2023) and low conflict dramas 1:01:18 The importance of conflict in stories and life1:06:06 Short C dramas tropes Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2024-02-131h 18
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 29 December 2023 - Yearly Wrap0:00 - Intro, Lee Sun-kyun obituary and trial by media10:20 - The “Best Of 2023” Lists: Are they reliable?13:30 - We opine about the current state of K dramas more generally — “Too many dramas” and the streaming wars20:30 - Moon in the Day as an example of what’s wrong with the streaming war22:52 - Sequelitis 24:32 - MDL ratings28:42 - My relationship with low conflict dramas and I go into my early impressions of Tan Jianci’s Love Me, Love My Voice40:02 - My two favourite C slice-of-life...
2023-12-301h 39
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 29 November 2023In this episode we natter about current offerings and completed watches. So nothing new. :D As far as drama titles are concerned, we will also be talking about drama contract marriages, reincarnation and second chance stories. I apologize for the blocked nose but I’ve been suffering some really bad hay fever in the last month or so. 0:00 Introduction0:57 Contract marriages and a little bit of makjang — The Story of the Park Marriage Contract, My Demon, Perfect Marriage Revenge16:57 I review and critique Moon in the Day24:08 We review C drama Chas...
2023-11-301h 15
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 1 November 20230:37 The Worst of Evil discussion. ***Beware of major spoilers*** Last three episodes and ending24:59 Critique of The Kidnapping Day35:43 My Dearest — Episode 15-16 *** Some spoilers***1:12:42 Evillive — Starring Shin Ha-kyun, Kim Young-kwang, Shin Jae-ha Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2023-11-021h 30
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 18 October 2021: Special Bonus EpisodeI’m thankful to absoluteM for making herself available for this episode.0:00 Introduction2:10 We begin our long discussion of My Dearest38:47 Our conversation about The Worst of Evil begin here1:04:56 Brief mention of The Kidnapping Day Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2023-10-191h 06
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 25 September 20230:00 Greetings and a lament (again!) about the numerous dramas on offer.6:47 absoluteM talks about The Kidnapping Day currently airing on Prime featuring Yoon Kye Sang and Park Sung-hoon11:00 Our really long discussion of My Dearest begins here44:40 We launch into our review of Fake It Till You Make It.51:00 Johnny Huang and Wang Ziqi’s latest drama, Brightest Eyes in the Dark.52:43 I do a quick review of the latest Stand By Me featuring Zhao Jinmai of Reset fame adapted from a novel by Tong Hua.1:03:35 absoluteM gi...
2023-09-271h 38
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 25 August 2023In this recording we talk about:0:20 Not Others 25:20 absoluteM recommends My Dearest44:00 absoluteM talks about Moving 46:29 We chat about the strengths and weaknesses of Miraculous Brothers55:08 I mention that we watched Oppenheimer 58:06 I rave about Lost You Forever and Tan Jianci (Spoilers alert)If you enjoyed this podcast, please like, share or leave a comment. Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2023-08-281h 15
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 7 August 2023This podcast episode was recorded on the 4 July 2023.0:55 absoluteM opines on the current state of romance and the popular King the Land12:18 The relationship dynamics in Not Others and the actors31:26 Raving about Park Sung-hoon — Upcoming and past projects37:40 My Dearest plug38:42 We wander our way into Shadow Detective41:19 I bring up Revenant and recommend it48:56 Miraculous Brothers51:55 absoluteM gives DP Season 2 a plug55:25 I am asked about Fireworks of My Heart1:01:17 We move on to natter about Hidden Lo...
2023-08-071h 19
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 4 July 2023In this meandering conversation we go into multiple dramas. At some point we go into some length over See You in My 19th Life which I’m currently watching.2:37 I mention Gaus Electronics3:48 I launch into a quick review of My Perfect Stranger8:58 We start our discussion on The Good Bad Mother15:21 absoluteM cautiously makes reference to Miraculous Brothers, a newish crime drama.16:27 I mention my interest in Bloodhounds and absoluteM gives a quick review.18:06 absoluteM mentions she’s watching King The Land.21:08 See You in M...
2023-07-0657 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 30 May 2023IntroductionDrama endings 0:35Bo Ra! Deborah / True to Love: The good, bad and incomprehensible 2:37Stealer: The Treasure Keeper. The ending and the villain. 18:39Family: The Unbreakable Bond. absoluteM recommends it. 20:50Rant about Disney Plus. 28:36Race. absoluteM recommends it highly. Office drama. 31:52 Teaser’s out for Ji Chang Wook and Wi Ha-joon’s drama The Worst of Evil. 34:59The Love You Give Me. Comparisons with other similar C dramas. 37:03Nothing But You. 40:33Cute kids 45:35Oh No! Here...
2023-06-011h 04
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 1 May 2023Audio Notes0:00 Introduction0:59 Taiwanese dramas1:54 My relationship with the recently aired Duty After School and we rant about splitting dramas2:53 I talk about Decoy and make special mention of Heo Seung-tae. Splitting this drama hurt its visibility and continuity.4:27 We move on to Duty After School and why I watched it.6:42 absoluteM talks about her latest watches — the C drama rom com The Love You Give Me (Wang Ziqi) and Family: The Unbreakable Bond starring Jang Hyuk and Jang Na-ra. Bad subs are a terrible thing....
2023-05-041h 00
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 12 April 2023In this conversation we have chin-wag about* Decoy Parts 1 and 2. A decent noir detective series starring Jang Geun-suk, Seo Heung-tae and Lee Elijah about individuals related to a pyramid scheme. * 8:45 : Our Blooming Youth. An unengaging sageuk. Comparisons with Warm on a Cold Night. Imperial Coroner gets a mention.* 16:43 : What fictional “strong” female leads look like… apparently. A study in extremes* 18:32 : Divorce Attorney Shin featuring Cho Seung-woo, Jung Moon-sung and Jang Hyung-geun. Legal procedural and slice-of-life.* 23:30 : Taxi Driver S2...
2023-04-1457 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 3 March 2023: Taxi Driver S2 and other dramasThis is the third of three parts in a conversation that I had with absoluteM from Janghaven Forums where we discussed Taxi Driver S2 for the first 10 minutes or so. From there we went on to discuss other shows that we’ve been watching.* Taxi Driver S2’s themes and attractions* Shin Jae-ha’s role in Taxi Driver S2. * Shows with multiple leads and their own romances. I mistitle A Gentleman’s Dignity during our chat.* I talk about Unchained Love and A League of Noblemen. * I look forward to more...
2023-03-0628 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 3 March 2023: Crash Course in RomanceThis is Part 2 of a 3 part conversation between absoluteM and myself about recent K dramas. This segment mainly covers Crash Course in Romance up to Episode 14. We discuss our views on the recent controversies about what the show’s primary genre should be. There be spoilers.* the crime angle of the show* the chemistry between the leads and the purpose of the romance* performances especially Shin Ha-jae’s outing as Ji Dong-hui* the younger members of the cast* speculations about the final episodes* the show’s messaging
2023-03-0516 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 3 March 2023: Strangers AgainIn this segment, the first of three parts in my latest drama chat with absoluteM, we critique Strangers Again’s resolution and finale. We go into the weeds of the show’s narrative and inevitably drop spoiler bombs. The words “disappointing”, “cynical” and “pessimistic” escape my lips repeatedly.* Why we don’t like the finale* Where’s Eun-beom’s character development?* Is this show really “realistic”?* Bad endings are becoming a bad habit* What’s the show trying to say? Get full access to The Urban Lily Tal...
2023-03-0426 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch: Taxi Driver S2 Part 2Daughter Liz and I had a conversation yesterday about Episodes 3 and 4 broadcast last weekend. We start by giving a short synopsis of the second arc of the season — the villain(s) and their modus operandi.We also discuss the obvious differences between the two seasons. We also speculate over whether romance is in the air for two of the characters and if Shin Jae-ha’s new addition is worthy of suspicion.Liz makes comparisons with the story of a game she’s been playing. Get fu...
2023-03-0219 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch: Taxi Driver S2 (2023) Part 1My daughter Liz and I recorded this podcast episode on Tuesday, 21 February 2023. We discussed* bits and bobs from Season 1 (contains some spoilers from the “Maria” story)* ratings* the first couple of episodes from Season 2 with some spoilers* Liz’s fangirling over Lee Je-hoonPlease let us know what you think. Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2023-02-2323 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 31 January 2023: Meet Yourself (2023) and other dramasIn this third and final segment of my monthly conversation with absoluteM we yak a bit about the mainland Chinese hit Meet Yourself, critiquing the horror fantasy Island and what else we’re looking forward to coming down the pike. Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2023-02-0421 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 31 January 2023: Strangers Again (2023)absoluteM gives her perspective on this apparently controversial new K drama starring Kang So-ra and Jang Seung-jo about a divorced couple who are lawyers specializing in divorce. I chime in to give my two cents on this compelling drama and pontificate more broadly about marriage. We also speculate briefly about Jang Seung-jo’s script choices.Post-scriptAs mentioned, I had only partially seen Episode 3 at the time of the recording. Since then I have caught up with all the available episodes (up to Episode 4), I’m now in the position of maki...
2023-02-0221 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 31 January 2023: Crash Course in Romance (2023)In this half hour segment of a three-part episode, absoluteM and I discuss Jang Kyung-ho and Jeon Do-yeon’s latest tv outing, Crash Course in Romance. We go into the weeds of Episodes 1-6 and delve into after-school tutoring, education, helicopter parenting and a smidge about the romance.Further Comments on Episodes 5 and 6The death of the seventh student in the All-Care programme casts a shadow over events in these episodes. Choi Chi-yeol is visibly shaken as are the other students. Everyone thinks it’s suicide. Or prefer to think it’s suicide becaus...
2023-02-0132 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 28 December 2022 Part 3 What we're looking forward toThis is the third part of a conversation I had with absoluteM about what’s on offer from K dramaland down the track.We talk about * Trolley * Crash Course in Romance* Can We Be Strangers?* Flight to You* Tan Songyun and her leading men* Road Home* Big Bet* The Glory* Chernobyl (2019) — excellent US mini-series Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2022-12-3110 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 28 December 2022 Part 2: Our Top 10 for 2022In this second part of the podcast we recorded on the 28 December 2022, we both shared our personal favourites for the year.Addendum: It occurred to me afterwards that I had forgotten to mention Ordinary Greatness which was actually one of my favourites for the year. I rate it more highly than most K dramas to be frank. Not sure why I left it out of my list. Talk about being hyperreal. A terrific slice-of-life show with a great cast and deeply moving arcs.What were your Top 10 dramas for 2020? Get...
2022-12-3025 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 28 December 2022: Part 1 Reborn Rich*Spoilers galore*This podcast is the first of three parts that absoluteM and I recorded yesterday. In this portion we have a chin wag about Reborn Rich and that ending. The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced I am that the ending was plainly disingenuous. If the writer had the courage of her convictions she would have made the switch in narrative direction a lot sooner. I do think ratings played into this to a large degree. Perhaps the showrunners did anticipate the blowback which is why the ending fe...
2022-12-2920 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 29 November 2022In this episode we natter about:0:39 absoluteM talks about what she’s watching — Reborn Rich, Under the Queen’s Umbrella, Curtain Call, The First Responders2:03 Me on Reborn Rich, The First Responders3:15 absoluteM jumps in to talk about The First Responders3:40 We go off tangent and critique Blind. *Spoilers alert*4:48 The King of Pigs6:55 Shadow Detective plug from me7:56 Too many dramas and consequences8:55 Unpolished/unfinished scripts10:03 Back to Blind and comparisons with The King of Pigs *Spoilers alert*13:17 Two C...
2022-11-3052 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 28 October 20220:28 Warning: A twenty minute rant about Little Women and the disappointing last couple of episodes. What we liked and what we didn’t. *Spoilers Galore*21:05 Segue to May it Please the Court. A better 12-episode drama in our opinion 29:50 One Dollar Lawyer. We also talk about The Veil and its spin-offs.39:22 Blind and all its absurdities49:04 Me talking about Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty53:03 Mr Bad — a pleasant tropey fantasy rom comHope you enjoy it! Get full access to The Urban Lily...
2022-10-2958 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 30 September 2022In this podcast, recorded on 30 September, we chat about the following dramas:0:30 The Good Detective 28:35 Chasing the Undercurrent10:01 Little Women (contains minor spoilers and speculations for the show up to 8)29:29 Heartless City31:26 Legal dramas — We compare notes on One Dollar Lawyer and May It Please the Court36:12 absoluteM recommends Blind, the police procedural starring Oh Taecyeon and Ha Seok-jin from tvN/OCN39:00 absoluteM brings up Once Upon a Small Town, a sweet little rom com on Netflix 39:44 I commend Si...
2022-10-0245 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 31 August 2022Recorded on 31 August 2022.In this episode absoluteM and I chatted about:* The final act of Love Like the Galaxy and the leads 0:53* Zhou Yitong — Wu Lei’s co-star in his next project — sports themed romance* The strengths and flaws of Extraordinary Attorney Woo 22:23* The Good Detective 2 : Some spoilers for existing episodes 44:04 Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2022-09-021h 03
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 2 August 2022Recorded on the 2 Aug 2022In this podcast episode, absoluteM and I have a good yak mainly about Extraordinary Attorney Woo and Love Like the Galaxy giving special attention to the romance in each.0:43 absoluteM talks about Big Mouth a new drama starring Lee Jong-seok2:50 I mention Insider in passing (Far too many dramas!)3:33 The Good Detective 2, Jang Seung-jo and references to the first season9:05 Cafe Minamdang12:04 Extraordinary Attorney Woo — Spoilers alert. Big one straight up. 25:01 Love Like the Galaxy — Beware of minor spoilers. We praise Zhao...
2022-08-0450 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 19 July 2022In this episode absoluteM and I go deep into (and gush about) the two latest big things from Mainland China and South Korea. I mention Cafe Minamdang briefly at the start before launching into Extraordinary Attorney Woo first and then Love Like the Galaxy.6:36 Start of conversation about underdog legal drama Extraordinary Attorney WooWe discuss our views of the characters, plot and romance. We also consider what others are saying about the drama.There be spoilers…31:23 Start of conversation about coming of age Love Like the GalaxyWe ga...
2022-07-201h 00
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 23 June 2022Recorded on 23 June 2022.In this long episode, we chat about…* Top Gun: Maverick (Yes, you read it right. I went. I saw and I loved it)* Stuff that absoluteM is watching — Ordinary Greatness, Doctor Lawyer, Jinxed At First* Stuff that I’m watching like A Dream of Splendor and a trashy C drama rom com that shall remain unnamed here.* We geek out over Ordinary Greatness and Bloody/Red Heart. Beware of big spoilers for Red Heart.Thanks for listening and hope that you enjoy the conversation.
2022-06-2456 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch: My Liberation Notes and other dramasIn this episode, absoluteM and I discuss what we’re currently watching with a special focus on My Liberation Notes which completed its run last weekend.We talk briefly about:* Tomorrow* Day Breaker* Ordinary Greatness* My Super Herobefore going into more depth about My Liberation Notes. This episode was recorded on the 31 May 2022. Apologies for the background noise. I don’t think this was our best connection over Discord.Beware of spoilers for My Liberation Notes Get full...
2022-06-0342 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch: My Liberation Notes and Red Heart (2022)This is the second segment of a longer conversation between absoluteM and I recorded on 16 May 2022.In it we discuss: * what we like about My Liberation Notes* the plot points and themes in My Liberation Notes up to Episode 11* spoilers about Gu’s identity* performances of Lee Min-gi and Son Suk-ku* the romances* first impressions and key aspects of Red/Bloody Heart starring Lee Joon, Jang Hyuk and Kang Ha-naEnjoy! Get full access to...
2022-05-1828 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch: Master of My Own (2022)In this podcast episode, absoluteM and I discuss the currently airing C drama Master of My Own which has become something of a hit on home turf.We discuss the genre, plot, themes, characters and setting.This episode was recorded on the 16/05/2022. It is the first segment of a much longer conversation that includes My Liberation Notes and Red Heart which will be posted tomorrow. Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2022-05-1726 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesDrama Watch 05/05/2022This podcast was recorded on 4 May 2022. In it absoluteM and I discuss the some of the latest K and C dramas available on Netflix and other streaming platforms.We talk about…* Tomorrow* Who Rules the World* My Sassy Princess* Master of My Own and Lin Gengxin’s script choices* Our Blues* My Liberation Notes and Son Suk-ku* KBS weekend family drama It’s Beautiful Now* Bloody Heart starring Lee Joon, Jang Hyuk and Kang Ha-na* Subtitling issues* The vo...
2022-05-0530 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: The Autumn Ballad -- Final ReviewThis conversation between absoluteM and I was recorded on 9 March 2022 after the airing of The Autumn Ballad starring Jeremy Xu Zhengxi and Qiao Xin. In this dialogue, we discuss what we liked about the drama, why we loathed the ending and speculate over the woeful record of C drama endings. We also rate the drama out of ten. All in that order.Warning: This podcast episode contains important spoilers of the final act of the drama. Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40...
2022-03-1029 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Romance - what's good and what's notThis is the second part of a two-part conversation with absoluteM, a moderator from Janghaven Forums recorded on the 2 March 2022 about the latest K and C dramas we’ve recently completed and are currently airing.In this segment we talk about what we think makes a good romance and what’s a turn off. We refer to some recent dramas as examples. We also talk about differences in C and K dramas. I give a quick review of Royal Feast.Enjoy! Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 4...
2022-03-0523 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: What we've been watching... March 2022This is the first of a two-part conversation I had with absoluteM recorded on Wednesday 2 March 2022. In this back and forth we do a quick run through of dramas that we’re watching currently. From there we move to an extended conversation of:* Reset* The Autumn Ballad* A Business Proposal Get full access to The Urban Lily Talks Tropes at 40somethingahjumma.substack.com/subscribe
2022-03-0423 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Reflections on 2021 Dramas Part 3In this final segment, absoluteM and I discuss the dramas that we’ve recently completed and currently watching. We make mention of:* Bad and Crazy (absoluteM)* Our Beloved Summer (absoluteM)* The One and Only (absolute M)* The Red Sleeve (both)* Dr Brain (me)* Bulgasal (me)* Snowdrop (me)* Idol: The Coup (me)* The Veil (both)We also rave about Namgoong Min and Jang Seung-jo.Thanks for tuning in. Hope it’s been entertaining. ...
2022-01-1923 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Reflections on 2021 Dramas Part 2In this second part of this conversation, we talked about our favourites for 2021.* Beyond Evil (our pick)* The Imperial Coroner (my pick)* Vincenzo, The Red Sleeve (absoluteM’s picks)We also gave Hometown Cha Cha Cha a bit of a drubbing and compared it to favourites Racket Boys and Dali and the Cocky Prince. I think we were both disappointed at the end product.We also talked briefly about older dramas we watched in 2021.* Dr Romantic — the second series (absoluteM)* Reborn — a 2020 C drama that I watc...
2022-01-1918 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Reflections on 2021 Dramas Part 1This is the first part of a really long conversation between absoluteM from Janghaven Forums and myself about two weeks ago about our favourite (and not-so-favourite) dramas from 2021. (Took me forever in between writing fanfiction and blogging to edit this) The segment is largely focused on our favourites from the second half of the year. Notable mentions include:* The Red Sleeve* The Devil Judge* Racket Boys* Dali and the Cocky Prince* Bossam * Hospital Playlist* Luoyang* Jirisan* DPEnjoy!
2022-01-1730 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Dali and the Cocky Prince (2021) The drama so far...There be spoilers…Drama buddy absoluteM from Janghaven Forums and I managed to find some time to chat to each other about our recent favourite Dali and the Cocky Prince. We yak about the leads, the unpleasant people, — far too many to count — the storyline, sneak in a mention of Charles Dickens, pontificate about the importance of art and speculate over what the future holds for this odd couple.Thanks ahead of time for listening… hope you enjoy it and let us know what you think about the drama! ...
2021-11-0232 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: In conversation with Dr Dave about Hospital PlaylistThis has been in the works for sometime and we were finally able to find time to have this conversation. I apologize ahead of time for some of the audio issues because we ended up using a messenger app because it didn’t seem that the alternative was recording well on Audacity. I recommend the use of earphones to expedite audibility.In this podcast we talk about:* Dr Dave’s background and interest in K dramas* Dr Dave’s assessment of the drama’s use of medical information* The role of tertiary...
2021-10-2834 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Hospital Playlist Season 2 (2021) Part 3In this podcast episode, absoluteM and I yakked about the final episode of HosPlay S2. We talk about what we like. We respond to criticisms about the season finale and put in our two cents about that and the possibility of a S3. We also managed to sneak in a plug for PD Shin Won-ho’s masterpiece, Prison Playbook. Apologies about the tapping here and there. It’s probably the teacher in me getting a bit carried away. I don’t think I was firing on all cylinders at the time during the time of record...
2021-10-0440 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Hospital Playlist Season 2 (2021) The Middle ActabsoluteM from Janghaven Forums and I were deep in conversation over the more recent episodes of Hospital Playlist over the weekend. If you’re wondering why I sound like I’m about to crack several times throughout the discussion it’s because I was nursing a wannabe cold that I managed to stave off with supplements. In this podcast we chatted about overall impressions, the development of lovelines in the drama, some of the key characters and the prospect of another season.Enjoy! Feel free to comment. Get full access to The Urban...
2021-08-2437 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Hospital Playlist Season 2 (2021) In conversation about the first actI caught up with drama-watching buddy absoluteM from Janghaven Forums and we nattered about Hospital Playlist S2. In the podcast we yak about…* whether the show has changed* the PICU mums* the main love lines and their impact on the characters* the highlights of the drama* what’s happened to NS… and we grieve over the loss of Ahn Chi-hong* Jun-wan’s recent trajectory* the different types of relationships in the show* the surprising use of noble idiocy in the drama
2021-07-1440 min
The Urban Lily Talks TropesPodcast: Favourite Dramas from the Past Six MonthsIn this podcast recorded on 12 June, AbsoluteM and I talk about our favourites from the past six months. We talk about:* Mad for Each Other* My Roommate is a Gumiho, Doom At Your Service* Undercover* Taxi Driver (minor spoilers)* Vincenzo and villainy (minor spoilers)* Beyond Evil* The Imperial Coroner, The Long Ballad and You Are My Hero* Law School* Sequelitis, Hospital Playlist S2 and beyond* Navillera, Youth of May* Bossam: Steal the Fate and sageuks...
2021-06-1457 min