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Anna M Marshall's avatar

In my very favorite KDrama, Into the Ring, the main female lead, Goo Se Ra (played flawlessly by Nana) drinks a lot in the early episodes, and frequently has the Asian flush, which is adorable.

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Ms. Kathy's avatar

I've never heard of this drama before. Looks interesting. Does Park Sung-hoon play a bad guy again?

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Anna M Marshall's avatar

No, he most decidedly does not!!

Into the Ring turned me into a Park Sung-Hoon fan, in part because he is completely different than every other character he’s ever played. He is so accomplished at playing bad guys — and so many different kinds of bad guys — that it’s hard to imagine him doing anything else. And then, there’s Into the Ring, where he is the greenest of green flags. (I’m rewatching it, and Park Sung-Hoon has the Asian flush too!)

His chemistry with Nana is off the charts, and I maintain that theirs is the best first kiss in KDrama. And all the side stories are wonderful too. Everyone has their quirks and flaws; everyone in the show grows (with one or two exceptions). It’s just fantastic!

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Ms. Kathy's avatar

It looks like it's on Viki so I have marked it down. PSH also was a good guy in The Kidnapping Day, which I loved, but his role was not particularly important.

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Anna M Marshall's avatar

Same about The Kidnapping Day -- there was so much about that show I loved, and I liked PSH, but he wasn't the best part.

I just finished a rewatch of Into the Ring, and I should mention that it's about local politics in Seoul. I found it comforting during an election season here in the US.

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David Petro's avatar

Fascinating, Kathy! I guess I’m not too old to learn something new.

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Ms. Kathy's avatar

Dave: Living in SoCal, I can't believe you haven't seen this.

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bee choi's avatar

i haven’t watched all of these but of the three i’ve seen (queen of tears, crash landing, king the land), i noticed it every time! i get extremely red all over. there’s a new korean cast member on the real housewives of orange county (adopted, like me!) and there’s a scene where she explains asian flush to them - she refuses an alcoholic drink because she hasn’t taken a pepcid 😄 so it’s definitely having a moment!

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Ms. Kathy's avatar

I have heard taking an antacid stops it. Is that really true?

I'm still surprised when I see the flush on a drama, and I notice it immediately. That's why I can't believe I missed it in CLOY. In one of my favorite scenes, too.

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bee choi's avatar

it's soo sweet! you've inspired me. i'm going to rewatch that episode now.

yes, the antacid works. i haven't tried others, but i read it has to be Pepcid, because it has an ingredient the others don't, so i stick to that.

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Ira Pilchen's avatar

So if two Korean heavy drinkers are depicted and only one has the flush, that would comport with the data. I'd also like to know if corporate executive Korean men when drinking heavily after work are prone to removing their neckties and tying them around their heads, or if that's just a thing in Japan.

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Ms. Kathy's avatar

I have never seen a guy with a necktie around their head in a Korean drama. But then I haven't seen it in a J drama either.

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