Premiere Watch: Thirty-Nine, Grid, I Haven’t Done My Best Yet
by missvictrix
Our premieres last weekend were not enough to fill the drama void, and while we’re still awaiting new fare from the Big Three, this week we have new shows from JTBC and two streaming services. Between a [email protected] Lee Shi-young and an always-wonderful Sohn Ye-jin, I don’t know what to watch first!
Time slot: Wednesday-Thursday
Broadcaster: JTBC
Genre: Drama, romance, friendship
Episode count: 12
Reasons to watch: Going based on what we’ve seen and heard of Thirty-Nine thus far, this drama has everything I love… and everything I hate. Give me all the well-written shows about female friendships, navigating life, dealing with milestones, and being surprised by romance. But please do not give me tales of terminal illness that make my heart bleed and my eyes weep. As to how this drama will balance these things is yet to be seen, but even with one of my least favorite plot lines ever, I’m still really excited to see this drama. It looks like it will be an authentic portrayal of life and love… and I guess the rest is just a matter of how many tissues one has stockpiled.
Time slot: Wednesday
Broadcaster: Disney+
Genre: Sci-fi, action, mystery, thriller
Episode count: 10
Reasons to watch: As with Thirty-Nine mentioned above, I’m a bit torn on this drama. While it boasts a film director, the writer of Forest of Secrets, and a great cast, it is, after all, a sci-fi drama. I love sci-fi, but it’s rare that a K-drama can pull one off well, and Grid starts off with a dystopic setup that requires a lot of credible world-building to make it all work. Who is this mysterious “Ghost” that saved the world, and why should we care? Why the manhunt? And speaking of mysterious scenarios, how will Disney+ handle the release of their original K-content going forward, and how soon will we see their current strategy change?
I Haven’t Done My Best Yet
Time slot: Friday
Broadcaster: TVING
Genre: Comedy
Episode count: TBD
Reasons to watch: I want to get behind these quirky low-buzz TVING dramas, but this one has two things stacked against it: my disappointment with Dr. Park’s Clinic, and my utter fear and loathing of Park Hae-joon after A Couple’s World (dang, was he good!). Of course, neither of those things should matter here, since this is a fun manhwa adaptation that looks it will be random, weird, and strangely relatable. I’m not saying I won’t check it out, just to be certain I’m not missing a hidden gem…
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