Dramabuds!

4x8 | One Dollar Lawyer (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) What could have been Francine’s top comedy Kdrama sadly fizzled out at the end… 😢 BUT on today’s episode, she talks about the highs and lows of ONE DOLLAR LAWYER and why the creators can’t entirely be blamed for the drama that it ended up being. (Also, she briefly talks about Hyena & Vincenzo and how ODL has managed to make her give wa...

4x7 | Under the Queen’s Umbrella (First Impressions) Francine, raving over an ongoing historical drama??? 2022 is truly a Kdrama miracle ✨  Today, she shares her first impressions on UNDER THE QUEEN’S UMBRELLA. This stars her Actual Kdrama Queen, Kim Hye-soo, and is a thrilling and (relatively) progressive take on a sageuk, one of Francine’s least favorite genres 😮 Talk to us on Twitter! ht...

4x6 | (In Defense of…) Goo Yeo Reum from Love is For Suckers For the podcast’s 2nd anniversary, Francine is doing a classic Dramabuds episode: pure, unfiltered ranting 😀👍 She stands in defense of Goo Yeo Reum (played by Lee Da Hee), the female lead of LOVE IS FOR SUCKERS, and why we need female leads who are hot messes and who make reasonable mistakes, given terrible situations that keep th...

4x5 | Love is For Suckers (First Impressions) Today’s quick episode of Dramabuds is all about LOVE IS FOR SUCKERS, an ongoing Kdrama that’s satisfying all of Francine’s romcom needs 🥰  She talks about her first impressions on the drama and her hopes (and fears) for the rest of the show! Talk to us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp 🌺  francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (2:...

4x4 | Through the Darkness (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) Has Francine finally found her all-time favorite Kdrama thriller? THROUGH THE DARKNESS takes a slower and more cerebral look into the minds of Korea’s most heinous criminals, and it’s a drama you should NOT miss out on— especially if you don’t think you’re a fan of thrillers. 😮 Talk to us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/dramabuds_tkp 🌺 &nbs...

4x3 | Mental Coach Jegal & One Dollar Lawyer (First Impressions) Looking for (semi) stress-free Kdramas to brighten up your week? Today, Francine talks about her notes on 2 ongoing Kdramas: MENTAL COACH JEGAL, a severely underrated sports drama with a lot of healing words, and ONE DOLLAR LAWYER, a wacky law drama that brings new life to the most overexposed job in the Kdramas of 2022 (and also...

4x2 | If You Wish Upon Me (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) On this episode, we celebrate Ji Chang Wook’s amazing performance in IF YOU WISH UPON ME, one of Francine’s (surprising) top Kdramas of 2022 🤍  IYWUM is a heartfelt, tearjerker Kdrama that brings viewers back to the classics— and a show that you shouldn’t miss out on! 🌺  francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (2:04) - Plot and Charac...

4x1 | Third Quarter Recap: Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Yumi’s Cells 2, Little Women + more DRAMABUDS IS BACK! We’re kicking off the new season with a recap of all the Kdramas we’ve watched from July to September and our thoughts on some of the most buzz-worthy dramas from the past 3 months. Features the following shows: My Unfamiliar Family; Alice, the Final Weapon; Yumi’s Cells 2; Extraordinary A...

3x15 | My Liberation Notes - Part 2 (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) Liberation is a life-long process, and Francine hasn’t been liberated from her love for MY LIBERATION NOTES  🥺  In part 2 of the MLN mega-review, Francine talks about the show’s execution, writer Park Hae Young’s other works, and her current ultimate favorite dramas. Features the following shows: My Liberation Notes;...

3x14 | My Liberation Notes - Part 1 (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) Today’s episode is part 1 of the mega review for MY LIBERATION NOTES, Francine’s current top Kdrama of the year! She talks about the brilliant writing of the show and its characters, their individual journeys, and her feelings about the open (or happy?) endings for everyone. 🌺  francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (2:29) - Sett...

3x13 | The Sound of Magic (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) The Sound of Magic attempts to make its viewers believe in, well, magic. With its musical numbers, charming leads, and Disney-esque fantasy story, Francine celebrates her 100th—yes you read that right—drama by talking about the experimental genre and, of course, the music. 👏 🌺  francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (2:21) - Plot and Char...

3x12 | My Liberation Notes (First Impressions) Could this be the next Kdrama masterpiece of 2022? 👀 Francine weighs in on the first half of MY LIBERATION NOTES and her hopes for the show and the characters’ futures. 🌺  francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (4:03) - Yeom Gi Jeong & Yeom Chang Hee (14:52) - Yeom Mi Jeong & Mr Gu (23:04) - Mi Jeong & Mr Gu (together) (32:13) - Gener...

3x11 | What are your Baeksang 2022 Predictions? (Ask Me Anything) The Baeksang Arts Awards nominees have a few obvious (and not so obvious) choices to pick from. Francine places her bets on the final list of nominees. Let’s see who gets her vote! 🌺  francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (2:16) - Best New Actor & Actress (5:36) - Best Supporting Actor & Actress (10:51) - Best Actor &am...

3x10 | Business Proposal (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) SBS’s surprise hit drama, Business Proposal, is Francine’s current favorite drama of the year! 😮  Today we talk about how this cute little fake dating show has brought back the hype and the love for classic Kdrama romcoms. It’s a celebration of all the things we love about the genre ❤️ 🌺  francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (2:53)...

3x8 | First Quarter Recap The first quarter of 2022 is almost over, which means it’s recap time! ✨ Francine looks back and reminisces about all her dramas (so far). With a total of 8 dramas, there were more misses than hits and we’re here to appreciate them. The good, the bad, and the boring.  Features the following shows: Just Between Lovers; Persevere Goo Hae Ra; Dr Romantic 2; Miss Korea;...

3x7 | Crazy Love & Business Proposal (First Impressions) There’s a lot to be said about Rich CEO Male Leads. And office romances. And men in suits. Crazy Love & Business Proposal showcases a return to form in the classic trope, which proves once again why the formula still works. (Or does it? 🤔)  🌺  francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (1:04) - Crazy Love: Background + Plot (4:...

3x6 | My Country: The New Age (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) Today on Dramabuds, Francine gushes over her discovery on Netflix, MY COUNTRY: THE NEW AGE (2019), starring Yang Se Jong and Woo Do Hwan. With excellent writing portrayed by a stellar cast, she talks about the drama’s direction and plot points and what makes this series a possible contender for her favorite sageuk of all time. 🌺  fra...

3x5 | Thirty-Nine & Grid (First Impressions) Today's first impressions episode features THIRTY-NINE, a female-forward feels fest, and GRID, a sci-fi mystery thriller written by Baeksang Award winning screenwriter, Lee Soo Yeon (Stranger, Life). Two very different shows, how will they fair under scrutiny? Francine weighs the writing, pacing, and direction of both. 🌺  francine TIMESTA...

3x4 | Twenty Five Twenty One / Forecasting Love and Weather (First Impressions) February was the month of love that, naturally, spawned a bunch of new series on Netflix. Francine talks about two popular ongoing dramas in particular: Twenty Five Twenty One & Forecasting Love and Weather. With prolific casts and interesting premises, how do the first few episodes hold up? Francine talks about he...

3x2 | On the Verge of Insanity (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) On this episode of Dramabuds, Francine is On the Verge of Insanity as she reviews the widely funny and severely underrated 2021 office drama. A show that manages to hit all the right marks, make people laugh, and stay consistently engaging— all the while humanizing Human Resources. 🌺 francine TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro (1:31) - Plot and...

3x1 | What are your favorite workplace dramas? (Ask Me Anything) Happy new year, everyone! We’re back, and today on Dramabuds, Francine talks about her favorite workplace Kdramas (even if they aren’t typical office dramas 😮) Features the following shows: On the Verge of Insanity; Hot Stove League; Designated Survivor: 60 Days; Dr Romantic 2; Misaeng https://dramabuds.carrd.co/ 🌺 francine TIMESTA...

2021 SPECIAL | Fourth Quarter Recap + 2021 Year-end Awards Goodbye, 2021 👋 Today on Dramabuds, we talk about all the Kdramas we watched from October to November. We also award some of the bests (and the worsts) to all the Kdramas we’ve watched, a grand total of 56 shows this year 😮 Thanks for joining us in 2021, and we’ll see you next year! Features the following shows: IDOL: The Coup; Birt...

2x18 | IDOL: The Coup (Reviews, Recaps, and Rants) For the longest solo episode EVER on Dramabuds, Francine does a deep dive into IDOL: THE COUP (2021), the recently-concluded Kdrama that has consumed her mind for the past month. Get ready for a complete recap of the show's plot, an extremely detailed analysis of everything we loved and hated about this show, and a loooot of fangirling over the Kd...

2x17 | Is it better to binge watch Kdramas? (Ask Me Anything) Today on Dramabuds, Francine talks about binge culture, streaming services, the Kdramas she loved binging, and (finally) her thoughts on Squid Game— another great series to binge. Features the following shows: Designated Survivor: 60 Days; The World of the Married; SKY Castle; Squid Game Feel free to send us questions that you'd like ou...

2x16 | Who are your favorite idol actors? (Ask Me Anything) Idol actors get a lot of criticism from Kdrama stans, but there are a few that have stood out among the rest. Today, Francine talks about her favorite idol actors, the reasons why they get a lot of hate, and a little bit about the rising trend of idol dramas in 2021. Feel free to send us questions that you'd like our host to discuss on th...