Enemies to Lovers Favorites with Kristi Rose

S1E4 / Kristi Rose, pediatric therapist and author of romance and mystery novels, joins me to talk about her passion for the Enemies to Lovers trope, the art of blending genres, character development, and the intense emotional storytelling in Kdrama. 

⚠️  Spoiler warning! Our wide-ranging conversation touches on the following shows: 

• Extraordinary Attorney Woo
• King of the Land
• Love to Hate You
• Destined for You
• Twenty-Five Twenty-One
• Business Proposal
• Marry My Husband
• Her Private Life
• Topstar Yoo Baek
• XO Kitty
• I Am Not a Robot
• Because This is My First Life
• Ready, Set, Love
• Love Next Door
• Doctor Slump
• She Would Never Know
• My Mister
• Rain or Shine

Currently Watching: Her Private Life and When the Phone Rings

Kristi Rose: https://kristirose.net/ and https://kristirosebooks.com

Transcript

Sara Rosett 0:09

This is the How I Met My K-Drama, a podcast about K-drama origin stories and recommendations. I'm Sarah Rosette, and today Christy Rose is here. Hi Christy, how are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:18

Hey Sarah, I'm doing great. How are you?

Sara Rosett 0:20

So excited to talk to you about K-drama. So tell us a little bit about yourself.

SPEAKER_02 0:25

So I always say by day I work in special ed as a pediatric therapist, and by night I write mysteries and romance. And I'm a new cheer mom, so I have to I split that up between stuff. I'm one of those crazy cheer moms that like knows the cheers with their kid, but I have to rein it in because it's kind of embarrassing. But I'm also so my husband's retired military, so I've lived everywhere. Like I lived in Italy and across the states. And now we live in Washington State where it's really dark and rainy today and yesterday and the day before and the day before.

Sara Rosett 0:55

It's like a pattern.

SPEAKER_02 0:56

Yeah, that's our season. It will be pretty again in uh May, maybe May, June. Yeah.

Sara Rosett 1:01

For a short time. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

Very short time. Yeah. I have a couple kids and no pets. And I watch a lot. K so I don't get to watch a lot of TV because I am busy. When I do, it's K-dramas.

Sara Rosett 1:12

Okay. So I was gonna say, how do you find time to watch K dramas? Because they're so time consuming.

SPEAKER_02 1:18

Because you have to read it, right?

Sara Rosett 1:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:20

I mean you can probably put the dubbing on or whatever, but it once I learned I didn't have to listen to it that way. I want to have the subtitles. I well, you know, I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm menopausal, so I don't sleep very well. That's perfect. It works out perfectly.

Sara Rosett 1:36

Between 11 and 2, it's great. Time to watch TV.

unknown 1:39

Okay.

Sara Rosett 1:40

Well, tell us how you got into K-dramas. Do you remember what your first one was?

SPEAKER_02 1:44

You and Amy Boltz got me into K-dramas. So did Brian. You guys were talking about it, and I was writing notes about all the ones that you said you liked. And then I went to his post and looked at what he liked. And at the time he was really raving about extraordinary attorney Woo. So I said, okay, let me just try this.

SPEAKER_00 2:05

All right.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

And I was because I had your list and I was like, what am I in the mood for? And I don't think I was in the mood for romance at the time. So I picked that one. It was the first one I watched, and I didn't use subtitles. I had it where it had the dubbing or whatever. And I really should go back and watch it again now with subtitles because I think it's a thousand times better with subtitles.

Sara Rosett 2:24

It yes. Yeah. I've heard I've seen people talk about the debate about sub versus dub. And I'm like, I can't do dubbing. I have to do subtitles.

SPEAKER_02 2:35

Yeah. It easily took me three to four episodes to get into it. But then once I knew the characters, then you're kind of hooked in. But I'm like, I think I would have fallen for it faster had I done the subtitles.

Sara Rosett 2:46

Yeah. Well, I think and you're talking about Brian Meeks, right? Yeah, another author that we both have seen his post. Yeah. It is amazing how many people are into K-dramas and post about them and the recommendations you can glean just from being on social media.

SPEAKER_02 3:00

Okay. So, and I'm so sorry for the life of me. This is my menopausal brain. I cannot remember the author, but in my Facebook feed, there's somebody I'm friends with, and I'm so sorry for this person who has started posting maybe just a couple months ago, pictures of Lee Junho. Uh-huh. The guy from King Louis.

Sara Rosett 3:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

And she's like, Isn't he good looking? Like, and she's an older woman like me, right? And I'm not saying we're old women. I'm just saying she wasn't 20. And she's like, Isn't he good looking? And people would post, like, not my type, a little too feminine. And I was like, Yeah, girl. 100%. I'm there with you. He's so darcy, you know? And she's like, I am right. So I was like, we are not alone. I thought it was brave of her to post that because you know, she did get a lot of feedback, like, how can you think you know he's cute or whatever? Like, don't you think he's too feminine? I was like, What you're just looking at a picture, you know, like you have to kind of see them in action. It's for anybody, even even in the states, like watching a movie, you have to see somebody in action before you can kind of get a sense of them, right?

Sara Rosett 4:05

Right, yeah. And it is interesting the appeal is so wide. I mean, it's very interesting because there are people who are fans of K-drama and K-pop that I wouldn't have expected. We were all surprised when we had our conversation and realized we were all watching K-drama.

SPEAKER_02 4:20

And I think what happened was my daughter was watching, I think it's a different version of Boys Before Flowers Boys over Flowers, yeah. Yeah. Okay, I think it's a different version over that. She was like, she she loves K-pop and had gone down the K-pop rabbit hole and then had found that show and had asked me to get I want to, I don't know if it was Vicky or something, so she could watch it. Right. And then she's talking about it. And then I was that's how I started getting into it. Like, and then you guys started talking about it, and I was like, okay, I'm jumping on this.

Sara Rosett 4:52

Yeah, because once you watch a show or two, it's so unique, but it has such a worldwide appeal. It's a very interesting combo. All right. So tell us five favorites that you have, and it can be your overall five favorites that you like, or if you want to talk about something specific like rom-coms.

SPEAKER_02 5:09

Well, my five favorites weirdly are all basic except for extraordinary attorney woo, are all enemies to lovers.

Sara Rosett 5:17

Okay, cool.

SPEAKER_02 5:18

Right. So I was like, oh, it's I totally have a type.

Sara Rosett 5:21

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

King of the Land is obviously my favorite. Because I think I probably text you and Amy like a thousand times when I was watching it. But I think I started and said, I can't do this right now. And then it's like a two weeks later, I went back and I was like, I can't stop watching it. And you know, like, okay. So and to this day, I can still put on King of the Land and I'm not sick of it at all. And Love to Hate You is probably a close second favorite.

Sara Rosett 5:44

That's a good one. Even just that title. Yeah, it's so iconic.

SPEAKER_02 5:48

Yes. And I notice I really like these strong women, you know, and she's so she's a badass, right?

SPEAKER_00 5:56

Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:57

And and it that her that one really gets me thinking about cultural conventions. Because you can see all the different cultural the norms are different, but it's like that one seems to really break a lot of their norms, right? But it's not our I'm like, why is this such a big deal, right? But it you it for us, it's not for them, it is, right? Um, so Destin with you, which I didn't think I would really like, but I really got into that one and I really like him too a lot. Yeah, I think it's so cute that he was he liked her and he was attracted to her, but he thought the whole time it was because he was under a spell.

unknown 6:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:36

And then okay, I don't know if this one counts as a K-drama, but have you ever seen Exo Kitty?

Sara Rosett 6:43

I haven't, but it's been recommended to me, so I've seen the trailer for it.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

Okay. Well, you know, Ginny Han, all to all the boys I've loved before, and the summer in terms of training. Okay, ExoKitty is her, right? So it's definitely an American K-drama, except she goes over to uh South Korea, she goes to the KISS, the international school. And so it's it is K-drama in English. Like you don't have to have subtitles. I've seen that like 52 times with my daughter.

SPEAKER_00 7:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 7:10

She loves Jenny Han and Exo Kitty is adorable. It's an enemies to lover. But that one I think is tied with I'm not a robot.

Sara Rosett 7:18

Such a good one, too. I'm not a robot is a little bit older, right? It came out of I can't remember when it came out, but it's one that I saw and went back to. I saw people talking about it, went back to watch it, and I was like, this is fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 7:30

Yeah, I think it's a like 17 or 18, 19 was but I think some of my other ones are too. I I think Exo Kitty's before COVID, even.

Sara Rosett 7:38

That one would be, I mean, it's not actually made in Korea, but it's K-drama adjacent because so much of it is about Kouya and Korean culture, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:47

Well, and she does go in exo that one she did. Like the ones like the summer term pretty aren't, obviously, but she does go to Korea because her mom's Korean. So her mom went to the Korean school because her mom had passed away, so she's like, I want to go where mom went. And so it all takes place in Seoul. But it's it's nice because you see a little bit of the culture and you understand an American perspective. Like she asked some of the questions that you might ask, like, why is this, or why do you do that?

Sara Rosett 8:14

And there are a lot that come up when you're watching K dramas. Or for me, there are certain things. I think I might need to go Google that to figure out why they have these certain traditions or whatever.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

Like weddings.

Sara Rosett 8:24

Yes, yeah, very different.

SPEAKER_02 8:27

Yes, I've Googled that a lot because I don't think I've got the answer I really like. But yeah, because they just go down and register, and it's like one person can just go down and register, it seems like.

Sara Rosett 8:37

And I know that's one of my questions from watching a couple of shows where the form is the deal. Yeah, you're married if you fill out the form, and the ceremony is just a ceremony if you want it.

SPEAKER_02 8:48

Yeah. And then you just show up in a dress and walk, walk a line, and you're like, we're done.

Sara Rosett 8:53

Very interesting. Well, so you've mentioned enemies to lovers as one of your favorite tropes. Do you have any other like I will watch this no matter what if I hear it's got this trope in it?

SPEAKER_02 9:03

Uh no, I think it's all been enemies to lovers. Yeah. I I think I've I think because I have a lot on my list that I've watched, and and I have a list of what I want to watch, but I every time I go through that, I'm looking for the enemies to I'm like, okay, which one do I feel like I'm in the mood for? And they've always come up to be the enemies to lovers.

Sara Rosett 9:22

So that's your you're loyal.

SPEAKER_02 9:24

Yes, and I think that's where I am now. Like I think it'll shift.

Sara Rosett 9:27

Like I think Enemies to Lovers is such a there's so much there, right, from the start. You've got the conflict at the beginning, and it's very compelling. A friends to lovers story, I think, is a little bit harder to write sometimes. And so Enemies to Lover, I think, is so super popular because it's so gripping.

SPEAKER_02 9:46

Well, because you see what they do, I think that I love a lot is really give you those cringy scenes that you're like, there's no way they can start liking each other because he has seen her do this or she has seen him that. And you're like, no way. They're like, one, mortified, two, hate each other even more.

Sara Rosett 10:05

And in love to hate you, they have a misunderstanding of who each person is. And it's like a very like, I do not like your type of person, your personality. And that's even worse than just being embarrassed. That's like a barrier, a huge barrier.

SPEAKER_02 10:21

Yeah, I've been I want to punish your type of person or I want to avoid your type of person at all. I think both of them had I want to punish you. That's true, right? She was like, I'll teach her a lesson, and she's like, I'll teach him a lesson.

Sara Rosett 10:34

Yeah, which is a great setup.

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Right. But uh, but I really I love also the parallels, which I love it in any book, you know, but I think the parallels in K dramas are better because like in Love to Hate You, she's kind of anti-guy. I'll show you all guys are bad. All guys are bad, period. Right. Right. Then she works for the all guy firm.

Sara Rosett 10:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 10:55

And then when she needs help the most, all guy firm and her ex-boyfriend like really step up for her. You know, and I was like, that I just love that parallel. Like it really like her arc in love, but her are also her arc with perception of people, you know. I love that too. How the and yeah, like the her ex-boyfriend who was the player, you know, how he kind of but he's like, I'm still a good guy, even though I'm I'm like this, you know.

Sara Rosett 11:23

I was really surprised with his character too. Right because I thought I remember one of the first K-dramas that I watched, they took one of the characters and it turned out that he wasn't quite what you thought. And you saw more of his character and you got more depth. And I was like, oh, interesting. Because I feel like we don't get that as much in Western media, or it's more people are kind of locked into their roles. And this, I feel like you have the ability to go deeper with characters, I think, because you have longer to explore when you've got 12 or 16 episodes.

SPEAKER_02 11:55

I also think that was probably the first character I was like, I would see a spin-off with him. You know?

Sara Rosett 12:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:02

I do think they develop it better. You know, like like you said, 12 to 16 episodes. You know, you just now sometimes you're like, do I really need that scene?

Sara Rosett 12:12

I know. Oftentimes I feel like the 16 episode is a little too long. The length I I feel like 12 is pretty good. And when they when the episodes themselves go for an hour and a half or two hours, I'm like, that's too long. If you've already got 16 episodes, let's condense it down a little bit. I get a little impatient sometimes and I watch it on faster speed.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

Yeah, that's true. That's a good idea. Because sometimes when like the one I'm watching now is her private life.

Sara Rosett 12:40

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

I really thought it was gonna only be 12 episodes. I I don't know how I I looked. I know it's six, but somehow in my head it was 12. So I'm at episode eight, and I was like, well, what are we going? What are we going four more episodes for?

Sara Rosett 12:52

You know, and it's not just four more.

SPEAKER_02 12:54

No, no, but uh and now I'm like, we still got like four more. I think I'm on 12 now, right? I'm like, I still got more to go. I'm like, but I'm but I'm still here for it because I'm like, okay, because you're enjoying it. Well, yes, but also like you know how sometimes in like Western we get the couple together and we're like, yay, and then we want like they get epilogue or like a year later seeing you still need closure, you still need more. Right. With some of these, I'm like, okay, they got together. Um now I need to see them. I'm seeing more, I'm getting that more. Like, it's not just like, yay, they're together. I'm like seeing how it's really gonna lock them in for life. Does that make sense?

Sara Rosett 13:33

It's like yes, and it gives you a little bit more perspective on the couple long term or something.

SPEAKER_02 13:39

Yeah, how they're gonna make it. Like, you know, it's not just like, oh, they got together and you think, oh, do they ever really get together? And then you get this bonus scene, you know, where it's like a year later they're getting married, but you're like, but did they make it? Did they make it?

Sara Rosett 13:52

And part of me is I want to see them happy. If you've struggled with them for so long, I want to see them happy a little a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 13:58

Yes.

Sara Rosett 13:58

So yeah, there's a couple that have done that really well. There's one I watched called Top Star Ubeck. It's hard to find. It's on iTunes special, there's a special channel you have to get. And it has the storyline of the couple, and then once they get together, they have to work out how they're going to how it's going to go with the person that she thought she was going to marry and their families. And it's like it explores all that. I thought that was very interesting. I was like, oh, there is more story to tell here. So how far are you into her private life? You have a couple more episodes to go. Um yeah, four more to go. Okay. So you've seen this. Yes, we must talk when you get done. Because I want to hear your take on the end.

SPEAKER_02 14:43

Okay. I okay, because I am right at where he's realizing who his mom is.

Sara Rosett 14:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 14:48

She's come to the gallery.

Sara Rosett 14:50

And I'm like, I I love that one for the setting, the gallery setting. It was just different. So interesting.

SPEAKER_02 14:56

But I also really liked, I didn't like him at first. I really liked her. And and uh I was like, she's classy, she's strong. And I just it that's a very appealing. Like, I don't like these helpless, yeah, you know, I don't like that. And they're like, they're so broke and they're so needy. I don't like that. I can I can handle someone who's struggling because a lot of them are working their way up. That's fine, but they gotta have that grit. You know, this one's been interesting because the other, the like the potential other guy who's her brother, who likes her, want you root for him too.

Sara Rosett 15:33

Yes, he has his own fan base, I think.

SPEAKER_02 15:36

Cause I'm like, oh man, he's sweet. Like he's so sweet. Like he shows up and he's taking the eggs on the back for her, you know?

Sara Rosett 15:43

Mm-hmm. And they K dramas do love triangles really well. They really do. And they do like a heroine who has like a really quiet strength.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

Yes.

Sara Rosett 15:54

That she doesn't have to be perky and yes or cold, you know, or you know, super ambitious. Some of the characters that they're my favorites, like the main character in because this is my first life. She's going through all these horrible things, and it she's really beaten down, but you can tell she has an inner strength, and I just love that. Right. I'm gonna root for that person.

SPEAKER_02 16:19

What was the one, Marry My Husband?

Sara Rosett 16:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:22

I was like, she's the same thing, like she knew she had a terrible fate ahead of her, right? Yeah, but she's like, I'm gonna just fight for it, just fight to make it change.

Sara Rosett 16:32

Yeah. So we talked about this a little bit, but how has K drama watching impacted your writing?

SPEAKER_02 16:37

Okay, well, so I started out in writing romance, okay. And then it's like you know, the desire I really do like a lot of true crime. So the desire to kill people on pages. Okay, so I work in special ed too. So sometimes people make me mad, and I'm like, you should die, right? And so with Arthur, right? I'm like, you're a terrible person, and I'm gonna make you a book character and kill you. Like, so so I like that. That's I totally get it. So I love that, but then getting into K dramas, it's like you miss that. You just want that romance again. You just love that first that first fall. You love those, you know, the clash and then the first fall, and then the the fight against the fall. You just love that, right? And so it's like I feel like melding the two of those is very appealing to me. You just because you're like, I love a good mystery, but who doesn't love that first fall, right? All those feelings, or when they realize this is it, not to get off K dramas, but in a book I read recently, the character goes, like they're having a really good moment together, and they haven't really said how much they care about each other, but you can tell. And he he goes, This is it, right? This is it for me. She goes, Yeah, this is it for me too. And I'm like, that's it, that's the moment you want. And I and I'm like, K dramas, I think really do that so well. But they say, Yeah, this is it. And then, like we were saying earlier, you get that next, like, okay, now we know it's it, it's not in scene happily ever after. How do we get that it? Right. That's what I really like. It's really fed into that romance side. But it's also, I think, really fed into like what are the things about reading a romance that I really like? And everybody in the book world, we all talk about what's butter, you know, those things that you love that are your personal things, like people like to read about twins or people like to read about travel, you know, those. But like I think it goes back to tropes too. What are the main things that the mass market people uh we all like. We all like it when the guy has a lot of money. Who doesn't like that? Right? You're like, yeah, why not? I mean, you know what? If I know that I'm gonna work hard, but in the end game, I'm gonna make a lot of money, but you already have a back, you know, a fallback for me, great, right? Like and I don't have to worry about you, you've already established yourself, you're not gonna be like threatened by me or yeah. And they but they do, and like I think Amy had once said the whole, and I hadn't noticed this until she said it was the whole dress you up trope.

Sara Rosett 19:09

Yes, we talked about that.

SPEAKER_02 19:11

And I was like, and then so every time now I see one, I'm like, oh, here's the dress you up trope. But I just saw one that they did it differently. I'm trying to think what it was. If it was I just what I'm watching her private life, but I what did I watch right before? Oh, business proposal. And business proposal, it's not dress you up to take you out because we're fancy, it's dress you up because I have to disguise you.

Sara Rosett 19:34

So it's a little twist on it.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

Which I thought that was really fun. Cause when you cause then when she's dressed up differently, I was like, How do you not know it's her? But I could, you know, but I was like, but she did look different and she was she did.

Sara Rosett 19:45

Yeah, she had the different hair, different makeup, and everything.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

Yeah, outfit was different, yeah, yeah. But it changed her personality too. Like she felt more free, I think.

Sara Rosett 19:54

Yeah, there's certain tropes that are iconic, I guess, to K dramas. I th one that I think of a lot is the falling trope.

SPEAKER_02 20:02

Oh the K dramas do what the soap operas do is they pan on it and they hold for a long time.

Sara Rosett 20:08

Yes, yes, and another one that I think is really funny is the light behind the love interest, kind of like a halo effect. You're like, oh this is the one audience, pay attention. This is the one you're supposed to be rooting for.

SPEAKER_00 20:21

Yeah.

Sara Rosett 20:22

So that's interesting. So even though you started a romance writing romance, you moved more into mystery, but now you're reincorporating more romance elements into your mystery, you think, or just yeah, I I really feel like, you know, I just like both strongly, right?

SPEAKER_02 20:38

Not one more than the other. And so I told Amy this is that I'm like, why not write a book that's strong on both, right? You know, books we have your main plot and your secondary plot. And so the main plot would be the mystery, but your secondary would be, and like I like math to a degree. I'm really good at it lately because I have a junior in high school who I've had to, so I'm really good at math forced to re refresh your memory. But so like they'll say, okay, like your main plot is what 75% of the book, or sometimes it could be like what, like 60, and then you got 20 maybe. Yeah, 20% for the other one and 20% for the third plot line, you know. But I'm like, why can't it be like 6040 or 50-50? Why can't it be that way?

Sara Rosett 21:23

Well, I would say that the new genre that romanticy is kind of doing that, 50-50. Right. Romance and fantasy kind of all mixed together in equal parts.

SPEAKER_02 21:33

That's what made me think about it. That's why I was talking to Amy too about that. Because I was like, Yeah, like why can't it be?

Sara Rosett 21:38

Why do you what right? And I think that people, my readers, the ones that email me, they always are emailing about the characters, especially the romantic relationships. That's what they're into. They and my readers like the mystery, but they're there for that relationship.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

But that's 100% K dramas, because it's all about the characters. Like, I would love not to bring Amy up again, but she didn't like Love to Hate You as much as I did.

Sara Rosett 22:05

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 22:06

Okay. And probably as much as both of us did, as you and I did. But I'm like, why? What about her didn't you like as much as I liked her? Like I'm like, it's about the characters for me. If I really feel like I can bond with them, but K-dramas really give you a chance to know them, right? Really see that backstory. You re it's not like it's not like 90,000 words can do it all. I mean, that's why I think I think like Game of Thrones and things are big volume, because you really get that full world.

Sara Rosett 22:34

Yes. People want that immersive experience, I think, too.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

I think in a digital world we want more of that.

Sara Rosett 22:40

Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_02 22:41

Oh, you know what something else I think people should know about is like sex in these. It's rarely, it's rarely happens. Right. Yeah. Right? Like it's it's they're very chaste, right? They're very yes. And it's and you're like, I think we for Western TV are always like, okay, here's our sex scene. And I think maybe there's a couple gratuitous man chess scenes in some K drama. Oh yeah. Yeah.

Sara Rosett 23:05

It's almost like that's a requirement, like in episode one or two.

SPEAKER_02 23:08

Yeah, with them dress dress you up and get a man chess.

unknown 23:11

That's right.

Sara Rosett 23:12

That's the that's the mirror.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

That's the mirroring scene. They don't depend on the sex to bond. Right. To bond them. Right. So I love it.

Sara Rosett 23:19

Yeah. And sometimes even just the small, simple things are so sexy. I remember in Mary My Husband, in one of the later scenes, he asked, Can I hold your hand? And they hold hands very slowly and everything. And I saw a post on social media, this this handhold broke the fandom. And it's like you're so invested that, but everything is so reserved. You only get just a little bit. But we love it.

SPEAKER_02 23:44

I but I think that's I think that's part of the appeal. I do too. How many times do you watch and go just kiss her? But you're like, he's not going to, he's gonna ask her first. It's gonna be four episodes later.

Sara Rosett 23:53

Yeah. So you just get me patient.

unknown 23:55

Right?

SPEAKER_02 23:56

So in our TV, we were like, oh, they would have kissed already, you know.

Sara Rosett 24:00

Yeah, they'd be living together.

SPEAKER_02 24:02

Oh, sure, sure. No one cares about their family either, right? Anyway, yeah.

Sara Rosett 24:07

So you mentioned liking something like just strice a chord with you. So what are the things that makes a standout drama for you?

SPEAKER_02 24:16

Okay, I need to like this out. Like, what is the thing that makes it stand out? Okay. King of the land did this so well that I don't think I've ever seen it anything else. Okay. And this is gonna be so cheesy.

Sara Rosett 24:32

Okay, I'm so curious though.

SPEAKER_02 24:34

Okay, but you know the scene where they have to do the interview, they fly to the island for the interview, and he's walking out to see her. That swagger that he has, I'm like and that is like episode two or three. I think it's episode three, like really episode two.

Sara Rosett 24:49

Yeah, it's really early.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

Right. But you see him and that swagger with the guys walking behind him, and I'm like, and she sees him and sees him in a different light at that moment. I'm like, that is like one of those things. Like, I want a moment like that where you get a good sense of who he is, but you can I don't there's something very sexy about that. About how confident he was, and then she came down instantly, like, look at your hair. But it's just that appealing. Like her reaction was what our reaction was. Even my daughter watched, which I made her watch most of Kingdom Land with me because I could stop talking about it. And the minute that scene came on, she goes, Wow, look at that swagger, right?

SPEAKER_00 25:31

Yeah, and she was like, That's hot.

SPEAKER_02 25:33

I was like, right? And I'm like, I want to see that in other shows. I want to see that it I just want to see a guy come off the pay off the screen like that.

Sara Rosett 25:42

So it's the it's the character and then just the one thing Amy and I talked about was like how they cater on and make the most of every moment. And I think that's an example of that. It's like it's let's make this a big moment, even though he's just walking in. Right. And they do because you've got the music, the close-ups, all the the escort and the girls flying over him. Yes, and then you've got, and then Sarong, she stands up right when he comes in. She's like, whoa. Okay, so you get the all these different reactions, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:16

But what's so beautiful, I think, about that was you can't have that alone. You have to have the next stop, which is then she calls him out on his hair, and then he she asks questions that makes him freak out.

Sara Rosett 26:28

So you're going back to the enemies to lovers, but then you're also bringing up the hint of mystery about like what is his background and what is going on here because she doesn't understand why those questions set him off so badly.

SPEAKER_02 26:39

Right. But you see a strong, confident guy who people want to be and then fall apart with one question, right?

Sara Rosett 26:46

So you see some vulnerability.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

Yep. So I think they do that really well. The other thing I really love is the accidental kiss. Do you like the fish eye kiss? How do you make that happen? Falling on each other, you know, accidentally, you know. I love that, right? I did put the like the dress you up. I do like it when there's a dress you up, you know, okay. Do whatever. But I love the where they woo their elderly. Like she wants to win over his grandfather or he wants to win over her mom, right? Like I think it's the value of family.

Sara Rosett 27:19

Family.

SPEAKER_02 27:20

It's supposed to be important in their culture too, but I'm like, I think it's important in anybody's culture, right? Like it's more than just her, it's her family. It's more than like you love them enough that you're gonna take on this cantankerous person.

Sara Rosett 27:34

And it's like you're getting more background on the person once you meet their family, it uh it illuminates them a little bit more too.

SPEAKER_02 27:42

Right. Yeah, and then there's the save the girl.

Sara Rosett 27:45

You know, like so elaborate.

SPEAKER_02 27:48

Okay, when his dad sends her to that remote hotel while he's on a strip and he comes down back to get her. He's like, It's time to go home, right? To me, that's a save the girl, even though she could have left, you know, but also when she fell off the cliff and he flies in, he comes down the cliff and he's like, She's like, Well, now how we get off this cliff, right? I'm like, but he, you know, just rush to save her, rush to make sure she's safe, rush to make sure that she because even though she was in danger on the cliff and she wasn't in danger at the hotel, she was away from family, she was out of her element, you know, like like no, this isn't this isn't you don't do this, you don't have to do this. And then and love to hate you because it's her reputation that gets her canceled, right? Right, yeah, and and everybody hates her because they love him so much. He's an actor and they love him. And why could this terrible girl be with the this actor that they love? And he goes on TV and asks her to marry him, right? Right, like to rescue her. And um, I'm like, he'll do anything, right?

Sara Rosett 28:50

He'll like the big grand gesture, right?

SPEAKER_02 28:53

Yes, but but sometimes yes, because then the what was the grand gesture in that one? I think it was for me, it was he tried it, but it wasn't a grand gesture that worked out, right? Like, yes. She was like, No, on TV says no, right?

Sara Rosett 29:09

So wait to make that fall flat.

SPEAKER_02 29:12

I know, but I'm like, that's what I think they do so well too, is like you know this is coming. You see a grand gesture, and it's turns out to be not where in a book you would find the grand gesture towards the end, right? And these you find this on episode 10 out of 16, so it's not even near the end, and it doesn't go anywhere. It's like it actually hurts them more than it helps them sometimes. So that was one. Of course, destined for you. Doesn't he get does he get stabbed? Is that the one where he gets stabbed in the stairwell?

Sara Rosett 29:40

Yes, or outside his door or something, right?

SPEAKER_02 29:43

Or whatever, trying to protect her too, but then also because it's their different their past and present catching up.

Sara Rosett 29:49

Yes, that it was very confusing to me, but I liked it.

SPEAKER_02 29:52

I was there for the whole thing. I was even though some of it didn't know I didn't get, I was like, what timeline? I didn't care. Reincarnate, I'm there for it, right? His whole thing was to like save her past her present. Even if it he had to die. And extraordinary attorney woo, the guy falls for her. Did you see that one? Right? Yeah, okay, and then his sister's like, This you this isn't gonna work out, right? And like says some not so nice things about her, and then and he's like shifts things around to make her successful so that they can work. Because she's autistic.

Sara Rosett 30:31

I'm like, I'm like that version of saving her, you know, like it's it's a different type, and he saves her several times, he helps her through the door, helps her learn how to do things. But that's such an interesting concept for a show, yeah, because it's a tot a totally different type of romance. And there's a scene where he's with his roommate and his roommate's like, just ask her out, go for it. And he's like, No, I can't. If I'm going to do this, basically, if I'm going to do this, I'm going to be committed to everything. Yeah. So if I'm not going to, I should never start. And it's just totally different type of romance. And I think maybe that's why it was so popular. It's, I mean, it was such a sweet story, and it would have humor and entertainment. But yeah, I love that one too.

SPEAKER_02 31:16

I know. Well, who can't I can't see a whale thing without think thinking about you know with the sperm whale and the like it's so she's so cute. Yeah.

Sara Rosett 31:27

Well, when you were talking about Destin with you, that made me think of a typical family. And it's got the same type of setup in a way. There's a it's got time travel in it, and there's one character that he wants to help people. He wants to save people, but he's never able to do it because of the way his power, his superpower works. And the whole thing is he wants to save someone, even to the point of death. He's willing to die to to save someone. So yeah, that's a I think probably when you start thinking about it, there's a lot of saving small, like even the fall, like the K-drama fall that they do. Yeah, they're saving them from falling on their face, except in her private life, when he lets her fall. Do you remember that scene?

SPEAKER_02 32:14

Off the ladder. He just watches her fall, just watches her, she just looks up at him, right? Yeah. And and Mary My Husband, he'll die for her too.

unknown 32:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:25

Because he knows, like, he knows if he knows she'll die if he can't help change her future, right? Right.

Sara Rosett 32:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:32

I love that scene where they both are like, oh, I love that song, and it's a song that hasn't been written yet.

Sara Rosett 32:36

Yes. And that's how they both know they're time travelers. I because I in the beginning I kept thinking, I think he's a time traveler too. And then I thought, wouldn't it be awesome if everyone in the office was a time traveler?

SPEAKER_02 32:49

That would be a storyline I couldn't, I couldn't follow.

Sara Rosett 32:51

It'd be too much. It'd be too much. That's why they didn't do it.

SPEAKER_02 32:54

But it was that was so good, wasn't it?

Sara Rosett 32:56

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So going from the highs to the lows, did you have any K-drama disappointments, any that just weren't for you?

SPEAKER_02 33:02

Yeah. Okay. The Ready Set Love One.

SPEAKER_00 33:07

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 33:07

And it's not at one because it was in Thai, right? So like not to be terrible, but I was like, no, I'm used to the South Korean language. You can't throw this language.

Sara Rosett 33:18

You can only take so much at once, right?

SPEAKER_02 33:19

I was like, but I'm like, this flow isn't working for me.

Sara Rosett 33:22

Right.

SPEAKER_02 33:22

And I always say give it three episodes. Give it three episodes, right? I just couldn't even get into the second one. But I'm like, maybe my mood wasn't right.

Sara Rosett 33:31

There was something Yeah, and you can always go back, but I just think it's interesting like what appeals to certain people and what doesn't appeal because there's so much variety in K-Drop and in viewers.

SPEAKER_02 33:42

Right, right. Okay. And then Love Next Door. And I think this is part of what I was thinking was have you seen that one where she is like she's lives in the States and she's doing really great with her job. She's like, makes a lot of money and he has his own business and they grew up as neighbors, and they're all their moms are friends, right? Right, yeah. Okay, so the scenes where all the moms are competing, I felt like that kind of just put me off a lot. Which I get why they were doing it, because you're setting up for like, okay, now she's home because she's quit her job, she's a hot mess. But the whole premise of this I really love, but I couldn't get past the fact I'm like, if you just say this, this wouldn't happen, right? Just say, just tell them, just say one thing, right? And I'm like, that was too big for me to get over that. And I can get I can get through communication issues, you know, like I can like in the moment I can be like, okay, feelings are hurt. I can understand why they're not saying this or having this conversation. And I've been surprised because a lot of times K-dramas come back and have the conversation, right?

Sara Rosett 34:46

Yes, that's true. They do.

SPEAKER_02 34:47

And so you're like, it's not like it's not like a communication issue that the whole thing is hinged on, and that's where we move forward. It's like in this episode, it's a communication problem, but we're actually going to resolve it in the next one. Right. Which I really like a lot. And that's what I really liked about King of the Land too, because there wasn't every time there was seemed like a communication issue would come up, boom, they talked about it. I was like, that's not the big issue, that's never their problem.

Sara Rosett 35:11

Right. Because if that, if it's miscommunication, it's kind of a small, I mean it, it's a big thing, but it's a small thing. Like once you fix that, then there's other things you can work on. Right. So by not having that be part of the plot, you're able to explore these other things.

SPEAKER_02 35:25

Right. And they don't hang the whole plot on that. And so I couldn't, I just was like, just tell them you're burnt out. And I'm like, right, I'm sure in your culture that's not a good thing, but just take it. You know, so I watched Dr. Slump. Have you seen that? Okay. Yeah. And and she was got um diagnosed with depression.

Sara Rosett 35:44

Yes, right. But I thought they handled that really well, showing the effects of it on her and her family and everything. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:52

But the fact that she told them, like at first, she wasn't saying anything, and then she's like, I have depression, I have anxiety, I'm on these meds and I can't work or whatever. And I was like, Yes, make it part of the story thing. Like in neck uh door, uh, was it uh next door? Did you watch that one too?

Sara Rosett 36:08

Uh-huh. I did, and I kind of had the same feeling as you because I was like, should I keep going?

SPEAKER_02 36:14

Because you have good instincts, so I'm like, should I keep going? But I was like, just tell them, like, why are we hiding around and having all these things happen that are stupid? But if you just said one thing.

Sara Rosett 36:25

Yeah, that one just didn't work for me either. And I don't know if it was the storyline itself, the characters. It just yeah, it and it actually it turned into friends to lovers. Like you think they're enemies the beginning, it turned into friends to lovers. And uh towards the end, I did watch it all. The moms got on my nerves, yes, and I was like, I'm kind of done with you people.

SPEAKER_02 36:50

Good. That's how I felt too. And since I don't have a lot of time, I'm like, am I gonna keep going with this?

Sara Rosett 36:55

Because you have to be selective, yeah. Because you don't want to get to the end of one and be like, oh, that was a waste of time.

SPEAKER_02 37:01

Because that's not just like six hours of wasted time, it's like a lot, it's like 24 hours of wasted time.

Sara Rosett 37:08

That's a lot of time to give. Yeah. I have I we'll talk. Oh, I was gonna ask you about this, like keeping track of things. So I have in my mind, I have these categories, and one of mine is like refund my time, like the this drama. I kind of really wish I could refund my time. I saw that on Reddit, and I was like, that's a perfect description. That is a perfect description. So do you have a way you keep track of your K dramas?

SPEAKER_02 37:29

Yeah, well, I have a notes app, you know, the notes app I have one. Weirdly, they're not synced together on my computer and on my phone. So, like sometimes when you we mean Amy talk, I'll type it in my app real quick. But I'll sync it to my phone for some dumb reason. So, what's been in this one on my computer are all the ones I want to watch, and then in my phone is what I've watched. What did I put in here? Yeah, what I watched. I think I I think I ranked them. Can I just say how much I love King though? It is at the top, it is at the top all the time. Oh no, and I put started and then yeah, what I've started. And I'm so bad. Remember the one you told me about about the rich kid who does the cop thing?

Sara Rosett 38:14

I think it's on it It's Flex X cop and it's on Hulu. Okay, okay, yeah, and it's the same character who's in her private life, who's the love triangle guy, the burglar.

SPEAKER_02 38:26

Yeah, okay. Oh yeah, okay. Yeah, I couldn't, I was like, I have the cop one question mark. Where which one is that? But I was like, I didn't get to finish it and I want to finish it, but I was like, I can't remember where I where you told me to go start. I was like three episodes in and then I got distracted or something.

Sara Rosett 38:41

Well, you're pretty busy, so but that one's cute. Yeah, I like that one too. That's one actually one of my favorites from this year, like the newer ones that have come out. I really I enjoyed that one. I like a good cop show and I like a good the team aspect of the, you know, like how they all get to become kind of found family with each other. I love that.

SPEAKER_02 39:00

And I like how he's like good stuff happens, he's just lucky, you know, like he can like solve this, you know, he knows to do this or whatever. It just irritates her because she's like really hard.

Sara Rosett 39:12

It's it and it does have that kind of enemies, enemies to friends, I would say, is what this one is more than lovers. But yeah. So but I knew you would probably have a way you categorized and kept track of your K dramas because you you have your organizers and your planners. So I just wanted to hear what you did.

SPEAKER_02 39:28

Yeah, yeah. So I put like what I watched, I ranked them, and then what I've started and what everybody's talking about. And I think I on this one I put what what we all say I should watch, like all the ones people are talking about that haven't got, but what I started is all over here.

Sara Rosett 39:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 39:44

Did you ever see She Would Never Know? I have not watched that one. Don't okay.

Sara Rosett 39:49

So that goes on your disappointments list.

SPEAKER_02 39:51

It really, really, really, really could have been so good. And it's the main guy from Destined for You, which I think he's adorable.

Sara Rosett 39:58

Oh, Rowoon, I think, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:59

Yeah, and he she's older. And they co they're co-workers. Oh, and I also think the best friend from King of the Land, his best friend is in it too. He they all work in the same office. Um but she's in a relationship with a guy who's I watched it like last year, but he's stringing along somehow, and the other guy our hero knows it. But it's just consistent bad choices and putting up with bad choices.

Sara Rosett 40:28

Yeah, and that does get old for me after a while.

SPEAKER_02 40:31

I'm like, she's really not nice to you, and you keep and he is so nice, just such a good guy, right? He has sisters who they just you know, older sister and younger sister, and they just like baby him and take care of him, and he, you know, he's real good to them too. But then this girl, he's like just crazy about her, and she just like takes advantage of it, like she doesn't know how to deal with it. And so then when she gets him, she doesn't treat him well.

Sara Rosett 41:00

Oh, okay. So yeah, I think you and I are definitely on the end of the spectrum where we like lighter, and I like people I can root for, and and I don't want to be depressed. Although I did watch my mister, which is very, very sad, but the ending of it is very hope is hopeful.

SPEAKER_00 41:22

Right.

Sara Rosett 41:23

I watched Rainer Shine, I love that one, and it's very dark.

SPEAKER_02 41:26

But you said you loved my mister.

Sara Rosett 41:28

I did, I liked my mister. There were parts of it that I was not as interested in as others. You know, some of the storylines with some of the characters, the side characters I wasn't as interested, but the main storyline, and there's no romance in it really.

SPEAKER_02 41:41

Okay.

Sara Rosett 41:41

So I mean uh most K-dramas have romance, but there are a couple. I think I needed to make a list of the ones that don't have romance that are just friendship K dramas, I guess you call them.

SPEAKER_02 41:53

Which I think 24, 25, 20.

Sara Rosett 41:55

25, 21.

SPEAKER_02 41:56

I think that's what that is. Okay. I think.

Sara Rosett 41:59

Yeah, I've avoided that one because I think it's pretty sad.

SPEAKER_02 42:03

Well, that's the one my kids started.

Sara Rosett 42:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:06

And she was like, yesterday when I was telling her about this, she was like, You have got to watch it, Mom. It's so good. She probably watched it like King of the Land, like I watched it and you watched it again, and then you watch your favorite parts again, and you know, like she's done.

Sara Rosett 42:19

I'm doing that with when the phone rings.

unknown 42:21

Yeah.

Sara Rosett 42:22

Because there's so many little details when you rewatch. There is a lot of care put into most of them. I feel like there's a lot of care put into symbolism and things that maybe you don't notice on that first watch, but then you if you know the end, when you go back and watch it again, you pick up on new things.

SPEAKER_02 42:37

Yeah.

Sara Rosett 42:37

Maybe I'm just weird.

SPEAKER_02 42:38

That's the one I started too. That's on my next to queue up when the first episode, and I was like, Yep, I like this.

Sara Rosett 42:44

So okay, good. All right, so we can talk about that one too.

SPEAKER_02 42:47

But you know, my other favorite thing about K drama is product placement. Do you like product placement or not?

Sara Rosett 42:53

Or do you just think it's does it make you laugh?

SPEAKER_02 42:55

Yeah. Okay. I'm like, product placement time.

Sara Rosett 42:59

And it's still obvious, right? Right.

SPEAKER_02 43:00

We're gonna have this little tea. And I'm like, I wonder if that tea's good.

Sara Rosett 43:04

You know, do you or coffee, the instant coffee? The first one I watched, I did not know because it was extraordinary attorney woo. And I was like, why are they doing so much with this makeup stick thing? I don't understand this. And then I I got it after the second or third tone. I was like, okay, this is obviously part of the advertising, but I prefer, I would rather watch that than have commercial breaks. So I I get it.

SPEAKER_02 43:29

I do too.

Sara Rosett 43:30

And in business proposal, they even talk about why isn't your product in that show very meta, right? So what would you recommend if somebody hadn't ever watched a K drama before? Do you have one that you think would appeal to a wide group of people?

SPEAKER_02 43:44

Probably Wu, I think would. And I think if you're a romance person, I think King the Land. Because I do think he they're such good character, the character development of those two is so good, right? Yes. Come on with them too.

unknown 44:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:02

Cause I'm like the friendship, like when they call themselves the uh siblings, the six siblings. Yes, yes. I'm like the friendship in that is so good. Right. Even the I really like the secondary plot lines. I do too. Yeah. All over.

Sara Rosett 44:17

I like I always like the stories that have the main character, and she's got her friends, and you get their stories as well. And then I really like his relationship with his his secretary, his assistant, or whatever you call him. I don't know what his title was, but that was hilarious. And I like that there was always humor no matter what they did. There was humor. And there was another no gain, no love kind of had the same thing where it would have very serious topics, but always the humor was in every scene. And I like that. I like it. I like there to be humor throughout, not just a sprinkling of it. I really like it.

SPEAKER_02 44:55

And that's what I love to hate you. That's the same way. Yes. I need it. I'd love to hate you had it too. I need those moments. I need it in there. Yeah. And I think it's timing. I think they do a really good job on timing and I think it's taking what we expect, what has been the norm, and using it, but twisting it. We're gonna have our we're gonna have our grand gesture, but it's not. It's got failed grand gesture, right? And then I'm and I'm like, I'm okay with it. I'm okay that there's not a grand gesture at the end where they do this big thing and then they're together and then it ends. I'm like, I'm okay with it being more subtle, I think. I think that's it's the character development. You get those, you feel like you're part of that, right?

Sara Rosett 45:36

Yeah, and I think they do a really good job of showing how these two people, even though they're different, especially in enemies to lovers, even though they're different, they're actually perfect for each other. And they help each other kind of heal through all these traumas that they've gone through because everybody has trauma in K-drama, right?

SPEAKER_02 45:54

Right. But and I really think they do parallels well. Okay, like lost my mom, like my mom abandoned me, my mom died early. We both have that same thing, but we have different experiences with that. Or, you know, rags to riches and rich with nothing.

SPEAKER_00 46:11

You know, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:12

And so I'm like, I just think they do it really well so that they're so different, but they're not different.

Sara Rosett 46:17

Right. They have something in common, even though maybe they are come from different backgrounds or whatever. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:23

And I also like where, and it was in Business Proposal and King of the Land, where the guys were like so money oriented and business oriented, they're like, I don't have friends, I don't know what this, I don't do that, you know. And so they get this whole thing, they learn how to live.

Sara Rosett 46:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:41

You know, yeah.

Sara Rosett 46:42

And I feel like that was in Mary My Husband, too. She learned how to value herself and to have friendships. And I was so in on that one till about episode 12, and then it kind of went off track for me. But I still watched it and enjoyed it. But I love those first 12 episodes where she's coming into her own. I love that.

SPEAKER_02 47:01

I'm with you. Like that one I felt like could have ended earlier. Like, and I would have been like so satisfied with it. Yeah.

Sara Rosett 47:08

All right. Well, this has been so much fun. Tell us what you're currently watching if you have anything going on right now.

SPEAKER_02 47:16

I am her four left in her private life. I have four.

Sara Rosett 47:19

Oh, that's right. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 47:20

Yeah.

Sara Rosett 47:20

Yeah. Okay. So that and and then tell people where they can find your books if they're interested in your books.

SPEAKER_02 47:26

Okay. Well, so uh it's Christy Rose with a K. And I have Christy Rosebooks.com as my own site. You can buy them direct, or obviously Amazon. Um all the other places escape me.

Sara Rosett 47:38

Kobo, Fortin Noble, Apple Books, all those.

SPEAKER_02 47:43

Yeah, all the normal books.

Sara Rosett 47:44

Everywhere fine books are sold.

SPEAKER_02 47:46

Yes. Everywhere, yes, wherever you get a book, or you can get it direct from me. And I usually run coupons so you can get them cheaper. Okay, cool. All right, or yeah, like oh, right now I got three books going on free right now.

Sara Rosett 47:57

Perfect. So they'll be on your site, Christy Rosebooks.com. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 48:01

They should be everywhere free. So I have one mystery, a western romance, and a rom com romance free right now.

Sara Rosett 48:07

We'll have that link in the show note. And yeah, thanks for being here. Thanks for geeking out with me about K drama.

SPEAKER_02 48:14

Anytime, all the time? Come on, right?

Sara Rosett 48:17

Well, recurring episode. But we're just talking about what we've been watching.

SPEAKER_02 48:21

When I'm done with this, I'll text you what I think about the end. Because it better this one better end well.

Sara Rosett 48:26

Okay. Yeah, I want to hear what you have to say. Okay. I think you'll enjoy it, but you're gonna be one of those. Oh my goodness. Right. I have something to say. I excellent. All right. Well, anyway, so those links will be in the show notes. And if you enjoy this episode, please take a few minutes to write or review it wherever you listen to podcasts, and that will help K Drama fans find the podcast. See you next time. Bye, everyone. Thank you. Bye.