[K-Drama Review] Reply/Answer Me 1997 (2012)

Reply 1997 (aka Answer Me 1997) needs to be added to your Planning to Watch list, if it's not already on your Completed or Currently Watching lists, because . . . 

IT'S PERFECT, I SAY, PERFECT!

But if that's not a good enough for you, here are 30 more reasons why that will surely convince you:

1. The story that keeps you guessing: I loved the storyline. The screenwriters did an amazing job of creating a story full of such nostalgia about the 90's, life as a high school senior, first loves, friendships, family, following your dreams, and being happy. It immediately made me think of my own high school days, even though I was born in 1991, and so only 6 in 1997. That's what's so great about this drama, anyone can relate to it. The feelings were authentic and believable.
2. Seo In-guk as Yoon Yoon-jae: I absolutely adored the many facets of Seo In-guk's character. Angry Yoon-jae, pouty Yoon-jae, shy Yoon-jae, jealous Yoon-jae, sweet Yoon-jae . . . I loved them all!
3. Jung Eun-ji as Sung Shi-won: Shi-won, Shi-won, Shi-won. This girl wass a total crock-pot and I loved her. She's as crazy as they come, but so much fun. And her relationship with her friends, especially with her childhood friend, Yoon-jae, was a joy to watch. I was also awed, even impressed by her extreme fangirling. You go, girl!
4. Hoya as Kang Joon-hee: He was so adorable. And he's character was unique and well-played. He was sweet, conscientious, and very intuitive.
5. Mo Yoo-jung: She was adorable and I loved her with Hak-chan.
6. Do Hak-chan: Hahaha. Man, he's character was absolutely great. How can you not loved a huge pervert who also happens to be shy around girls?
7. Bang Sung-jae: Or a loud-mouth who speaks as if he's running on six Energizer batteries.
8. Yoon Tae-wong: Yoon-jae's brother, who annoyed me for most of the series, but then redeemed himself at the very end.
9. Shi-won parents: If I could find a way to ditch my own parents and take Shi-won's, I wouldn't give it a second thought. They provided great moments of comic relief.
10. The most passionate confession of feels you'll ever likely see: It was honest, raw, and beautiful to see.
11. The cutest, fluffiest puppy ever: So damn fluffy. But then the poor thing disappears! Completely forgortten. Bad scriptwriters, bad.
12. The amazing, never-play-the-same-song-twice soundtrack: Omg! The soundtrack was pretty dang impressive! Each song was perfectly suited to the scene, whether serious, funny, or loving. And there was such a variety of songs played!
13. The laughs, giggles, guffaws, and chuckles: This drama is seriously funny. Like Hahahaha, LOL, ROFLMAO kind of funny. Yet, it's heartwarming and emotionally in a few places as well.
14. The _onata: Gonna watch to understand, but it holds sweet, significant meaning for our lead couple.
15. The 1st kiss: Hilarious! And surprising.
16. The 2nd kiss: Yes. Sigh... So perfect.
17. The 3rd, 4th, 5th . . . (oh who's counting, let's just enjoy 'em) kisses
18. Extreme Fangirls in their natural states: I watched these scenes with my jaw hitting the keyboard most of the time. Who knew fangirls could be so terrifying?
19. Domestic abuse (kind of): While not funny in real life, the characters showed love and affection in unique ways.
20. The granny who lives on the other side of Korea and needed a bulb change: Just smile-worthy.
21. The super catchy song/beat that introduced each episode:
22. An instance where a Kdrama character actually DOESN'T remove the battery to ignore a call: I was actually shocked! A viki-commenter actually pointed it out.
23. Mr. Comic Relief Goat: Hahaha, I'm sure you'll love this as much I did.
24. Mr. Comic Relief Sheep: This too.
25. Brothers competing for lurve: Man, so many conflicting feelings. For both viewers and the brothers.
26. Refreshingly blunt honesty: All of the characters in this series are refreshingly blunt with one another. It showed viewers authentic interactions between friends and family, as well as provided comic relief.
27. Writer f***king with viewers up until the VERY end: They just wouldn't quit. Even when you were fairly sure how things were going to end up, they made you doubt just the littlest bit.
28. Most hilarious fighting couple scenes: Yes, these were actually kind of amazing. I was both in awe and laughing hysterically.
29. The 90's were awesome and the struggle was real: Amen.
30. The most perfectly satisfying ending!

You should be properly convinced, now off with you. Go watch. Here's a link for you: REPLY 1997.

[Anime Review] Brave 10 (2012)

A super cranky ninja named Saizo finds himself unwillingly saving a priestess named Isanami. Isanami's home, the Izumo temple, had been brutally burned and she is the only survivor. She manages to bribe Saizo with food into escorting her to Shinshuu to enlist the aid of laidback, playboy lord, Sanada Yukimura. While Yukimura allows Isanami (and Saizo) to stay, he has his own agenda. He is in the process of gathering his brave ten warriors who will help him take over the world. Mwahahahaha!Just kidding (kind of). They're not really the bad guys. Instead, the ten warriors will discover why the Izumo temple (and Isanami in particular) were targeted by the Leyasu's forces and make sure she doesn't end up in their hands. Or dead.

This is a quality, action/adventure anime. The fighting is totally kick-ass and there's a ton of great eye-candy as can be expected in a series like this. There's even yaoi fanservice! Also, the warriors are a fun, interesting bunch of nutjobs and you can't help but fall in love with them. Even Isanami, who is weak, useless, and a big 'ole whiner, eventually grew on me. The OST's are pretty catchy and I found myself actually listening to the beginning and ending songs for almost each episode.

However, just as the story was getting good and you were sucked completely in...the series ended! That's the problem with these super short, 12-episode anime; there isn't enough time for the story to develop properly. Just gathering the 10 warriors took 9-10 episodes and THEN the story began. So the last episode felt incredibly rushed. The very ending, after the credits, was cute and highlighted each of the warriors' personalities. Viewers ended the series filled with affection for the Brave 10 and smiling. Also, there was a lot of room left for a possibly sequel. We can only hope.

Brave 10 has everything one looks for in an action anime: interesting and amusing characters, exciting fight scenes, a solid plot, and humor. It just didn't have enough episodes to carry it all out. It is definitely worth watching anyway. You can check it out at Crunchyroll.com.

[Kmovie Review] Love 911 (2012)

Oh man, this is such a good movie!

Love 911 isn't your typical, fluffy rom-com, which is what makes it so dang good. Mi Soo (played by Hang Hyo Joo) is a cocky female doctor who misdiagnoses a patient based on assumptions about her brute of an husband. Uh-oh! When the patient has a brain aneurism, the husband sues Mi Soo. In order to save her medical license, she seeks firefighter, Kang II (played by Ko Soo), who could help attest to the husband's violent nature in trial. However, his gruff, but noble nature forced him to say no, but Min So doesn't give up. And that's how this love story begins.

What makes this movie stand out is not only its original plot, but its amazing cast and the smoking hot chemistry between the leads. The budding relationship between a self-involved doctor and a grieving firefighter is intriguing, engaging, and entertaining as hell as they don't get along to begin with. When they finally do get together, it's super sweet and swoon-worthy. The supporting cast is frigging stunning. They're all intriguing characters that you can't help but love. They also add depth and sometimes comic relief to the movie. The ending was absolutely beautiful and had me sighing contently.

Love 911 is a definite must-watch. Check it out on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqmTtD6jSy0 and let me know what ya'll think.

[Currently Watching] The Great Doctor aka Faith (2012): Eps. 1 - 2

I just finished episode 2 and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. Not loving it or hating it at the moment.

I first decided to watch because my Lee Min Ho honey-baby is the lead. Second, I'd just finished Rooftop Prince and was all for another cool time-travel drama.

So far, I think the story is interesting. All of the special effects and kick-butt ninja fighting is exciting. Min Ho's character, Choi Young, is growing on me, but not immediately loveable (though Min Ho is as sexy as ever!). The lead actress playing the doctor, Eun Soo, is a hoot! For the first episode, she was kind of annoying, but she definitely grew on me in the second episode. The actor, Park Se-Yeoung, is surprisingly a lot more likeable as Queen No-Gook . After seeing her as Se-Na in Rooftop Prince, I was shocked at my immediate detest when she first showed up in episode 1. It's really funny as the roles actors play really alter your views and feelings towards that actor or actress. The King is a big 'ole poopy head and I don't like him much. A few of Choi Young's subordinates are adorable and great for some comic relief.

Oh and the soundtrack is flippin' amazing so far. I can't wait to hear more!

But the politics may be the end of me. The reason I avoid historical dramas is because of the politics inadvertently involved. I can't stand modern politics, so ancient politics are an even bigger snooze-fest. So, I'll probably end up fast-forwarding to all of the nice romantic bits. We'll see.

On to episode 3!

[Korean Drama Review] A Gentleman's Dignity (2012)

I finished A Gentleman's Dignity a few days ago. First, I want to begin by saying that I really really enjoyed it. It's been quite a while since I thoroughly enjoyed watching a series as much as I did this one. From the beginning to the very end, I was filled with endless good feelings. At no point did I feel overly annoyed or even fastforward! The last drama series I watched and loved as much was Rooftop Prince, back in May.

Let's talk about this series in detail shall we?

To enjoy A Gentlemen's Dignity you have to accept the fact that there's not much of a plot. The series revolves around four high school friends who are now 40 and are all sexy as hell. For the last 20 years, they've remained big 'ole man-children. Life begins to change for all four because of the women in their lives. As they fall in love, fight, and deal with drama, they finally grow up and become gentlemen with dignity.

For 20 episodes, viewers follow all four couples as they deny having feels, confess, date, break up, get back together, fight, marry, the list goes on. If this series had been about only one couple, I wouldn't have gotten even half way through, let alone have finished. I would have gotten bored with the serial, episodic TV show aspect of the plot. However having four, very different couples for me to fall in love with made the series amazing. Just as I was getting tired, annoyed, or sick of one couple's issues, the series shifted onto another couple's troubles. That's how I remained hooked.

Next is characters!

I ADORED the cast. Some characters I liked more than others, of course, but in general it was a great cast. The lead couple, Do-Jin and Yi-Soo were a joy to watch. They were both beautiful and the development of their relationship was so much fun to watch. They reflected the silly, cute aspects of being in a relationship. I loved watching how they would tease and play with each other. I also loved the honesty of their actions, especially Yi-Soo. I loved watching her cry (I'm not a sadist, really). It was often funny, cute, and a little unreasonable, but that's what made it real. Seven out of ten crying fits with girls are unreasonable, no? I'm sure that's scientifically proven somewhere. And Do-Jin, that handsome devil. He was such a hoot. Sometimes smoking hot, other times completely immature. I loved it.

The other couples were also just as interesting, though I had varying feelings towards them. I absolutely adored Flirty, Adorable Jung-Rok and Super Cool, Boss Lady Min-Sook. They were the most fascinating couple to me. They just seemed so wrong for one another at first, but you gradually see the depth of their love. I actually would have liked more of a focus on the two of them. I felt they made up a little too quickly at the end, but it was so adorable how it happened that I don't much care. Guess I'm easy that way.

Yoon and Meari. Oh, Yoon. If only this man could exist in real life, I'd be a very happy woman. Meari annoyed me sometimes during the series, but in an affectionate big sister kind of way (even though she's older than me). Most times, I found her adorable! She was like a precious puppy following Yoon around. But she got her man in the end, so you go girl!

Tae-San and Se Ra were my least liked couple. They just had too much drama for me. Most of it of their own making. At the same time, I felt they were perfect for one another. They were simply not people I would want to know in real life, unlike the others.

Humor!

A Gentlemen's Dignity was a really funny drama! I laughed so much through all 20 episodes. In particular, I absolutely loved the little scenes of the boys being undignified and ungentlemanly at the beginning of each episode. While they often ruined the mood of the previous episode if it had happened to end on a dramatic note, they helped keep the series light-hearted. Perfect, if that's what you wanted like I did. There were also a lot of spoofs and running jokes throughout the entire series. The humor is what made this series the most enjoyable for me. I can say with 91% accuracy that I would not have finished the series if it hadn't been so darn funny!

The Soundtrack!

Was amazing! Each song was perfect for the particular scene. The songs were catchy and easy to fall in love with. The best part was when music was used for comic relief. Check out episode 18 to see what I mean. Also, check out some of my favorite songs from the OST below. (I'll leave it at three for now, but seriously the entire OST is simply beautiful.)

The Ending!

As I was watching the last episode, I was increasingly nervous as it didn't seem to be ending. The first 45 minutes of the episode were just a continuation of episode 19, but without that "things are coming to a close" feeling. Endings are so very important as they are the last thing you see. If I hate the ending of a series, it often ruins the entire series for me and I DID NOT want that to happen with A Gentleman's Dignity. Alas, ten minutes from the very end brought an enormous smile to my face. The ending was perfect. Fun, silly, and oh-so-cute, perfectly suitable to the couple and the series as a whole. Our man-children finally become gentlemen with dignity.

One little thing that bugged me:

Some things didn't get quite as wrapped up as they should have. [SPOILER ALERT]
Do-Jin's illness and Yi-Soo's relationship with her mom, for example. I would have liked that background information.

FINAL VERDICT!

As I said earlier: If you want to watch A Gentleman's Dignity for a plot, you'll be disappointed. There isn't much of one and the attempts at plotting are not very good. However, if you want to watch simply for a relaxing, enjoyable 20 hours of laughter and smiles, hot men, and super fun characters, I sincerely recommend you watch this.

A Gentlemen's Dignity: How could it be over?!

Oh...oh, oh! I just finished watching A Gentlemen's Dignity and all I can say is Oh, how I loved it! It was wonderful, amazing, stupendous, extraordinary, riveting, endearing, captivating, the list goes on and on.

It's another addition to my All-time-favorite-dramas-list. I'm feeling a little bereft, in a "what the heck do I do with myself now that this amazing series has ended" kind of way. I'm missing it already and the last episode is still open as a tab as I type this. Gahhh, it was just so darn gooood! It's been a while since I enjoyed a drama series so thoroughly.

Well, this post is simply an out-pouring of emotion. I'll post a more rational review of A Gentlemen's Dignity soon!

Until then,
Tuma
Looney Express 

[Korean Drama] Rooftop Prince (2012)

WOW! I just finished watching Rooftop Prince and all I can say is just, WOW!

Rooftop Prince begins 300 years ago in the Joseon era of South Korea and the Crown Princess has been found dead. The Crown Prince along with his four most trusted officials vow to find the truth of her death. However, they find themselves being chased over a cliff and "falling" into the 21st century and onto the rooftop house of Bak Ha!

From there, it's a 20-episode phenomenal ride full of incredible romance, plot twists, and drama.

The Story:

Rooftop Prince has one of the most unique story-lines that I have ever seen. In all of the 50+ dramas that I've watched, none have impressed me as much as Rooftop Prince. Sure there may be other impressive dramas, as I haven't watched all that many considering, but Rooftop Prince is brillantly executed. There were several plot lines occurring at the same time and feeding into one other--the crime mystery, both past and present and the romance.

Rooftop Prince's intriguing plot also had the most brilliant twists that were almost too much to handle, as well as splendid pacing and tension and a whole lot of drama--heart-wrenching, breath-stealing drama. I mean, I just want to give the writers a big ole kiss, they were just so brilliant! Just when you think you may have gotten things figured out, the writers are like "Nuh-uh, we have more for you, there are TWENTY episodes, remember?" Then you're all like, "Oh yeah. Crap. Now what?" I never watched a drama that made my jaw drop, put my hand over my mouth and gasp "Holy Shit" as many times as this one! Especially in a Rom-Com! They're not usually so suspenseful, but this one was simply awe-inspiring.

The Characters:

I've watched quite a bit of dramas and many of the most acclaimed ones (at least in Romantic Comedy) and I do not think I can say that I have seen more superb acting anywhere other than in Rooftop Prince. Each character was absolutely believable and authentic in their portrayal of their role.

Bak Ha was an inspiring female lead. She was so beautiful and possessed an inner strength to be admired. Even more importantly is that she had a strong sense of self-respect and integrity. Her emotions were so real and pulled viewers right in. Also, her honesty regarding her feelings was really refreshing as it's a rarity in other dramas.

Your Highness/YiGak/Tae Yong was so handsome (duh. Just look at that face). His character as a Prince from the past was believable and adorable. He was also an amazing actor in emotional scenes drawing viewers in.

While Bak Ha and Tae Yong played the role of Mom and Dad, the three officers Chi San, Man Bo, Yong Sool played the role of the three kids and they were perfect secondary characters as comic and cuteness relief in the most stressful or emotional scenes. They made the drama as enjoyable as it was. Without them, I probably wouldn't have kept going.

Se Na and Tae Mu played the perfect villains. I've never been so impressed or awed by the sheer evilness of the bad characters before. The actor who played Se Na, especially impressed me. She was believable in her role from beginning to end. And they just wouldn't quit! They were involved in many of the plot twists. It was insane and entralling!

The Romance:

... was absolutely freaking perfect! Bak Ha and Tae Yong's love was so strong and real that it spanned 300 years (how can you beat that?!). They could play with and tease one another, bicker like an elderly couple, and trusted one another deeply. I loved watching their interactions on screen, especially the various scenes of loving tenderness. Perfect.

The Soundtrack (OST):

Almost has perfect as Bak Ha and Tae Yong. Each song fit its scene perfectly, or added an air of suspense or irony. The writers (or whoever is in charge of the sort of thing) made very good choices! I'm in love with Ali's song "Hurt" in particular. (See both Korean and English versions below.)

The Ending:

Watching the last episode was so stressful! I was so afraid of how it would end. Viewers weren't given as many clues as we may have liked. Until the very end the writers kept surprising us, but they didn't disappoint us and the ending was nearly perfect. Though all of the loose ends were not completely tied, it was satisfying.

Looney Verdict:

Rooftop Prince is a definite must watch. It may very be the best drama of 2012. It has the most amazing acting I've ever seen in a long time, possibly ever. It has an intriguing and attention grabbing plot with excellent pacing that keeps you hooked for all twenty episodes. The perfect mix of serious emotion and comic relief, great music, and a satisfying ending. Everything a drama addict can ask to have mixed in her drug. In short, it deserves the honor of being placed amongst my "Favorite's List" and so it shall!

[T-Movie] Bad Girls (2012)

Taiwanese Movie - 1 hour, 35 minutes

Released: April 2012

Romantic Comedy

Starring: Ella Chen and Mike He

This was such a wacky movie, but I enjoyed it! You have this trio, called the Bad Girls Trio who go around kicking the butts of boys and men who bully girls. The female lead, Ah Dan (played by Ella Chen) is the leader of this trio and the main butt kicker. An up-and-coming star, Justin arrives at their school to film a movie. After the female lead is put out of commission, Justin decides that Ah Dan should play the female role in the movie about two sports students falling in love as they run together everyday. -___- Thank god that the plot of Bad Girls was a lot better than the that of the movie within the movie. Drama-ception

Anyway, Ah Dan and Justin gradually fall in love, though to the viewers, it's very sudden. This is the downside of asian movies versus dramas. Dramas allow you to watch the romance unfold at a much slower rate making it more moving and poignant. In movies, however, things seem to happen too quickly. 

Despite all of that, this was a pretty good movie. The plot was a little strange and the female lead was unique. I laughed at the many shenanigans and cried when things got a little angsty. The ending was really freaking adorable and completely satisfying. I love it when they give you a glimpse of what happens after they finally get together. 

While this won't join my fave list, it's a new member of the "glad I watched it and it wasn't a waste of my time" list. 

Also, hellllo, did I mention Mike He? He is a GOD. I love him so much and I'll watch any Taiwanese movie or drama with my hubby in it. I also enjoyed Ella Chen quite a bit in Down with Love, so I'm not surprised that I enjoyed this drama.

Go give it a try yourself over at viki. Also, check out the following starring Mike He while you're at it: Bullfighting, Devil Beside You, Love Contract, Love Keeps Going, and Why Why Love. Love Contract, Love Keeps Going, and Why Why Love are my faves.

Until next time, 

Tuma

Looney Express 

Crazy Reviews

[Anime] Kids on the Slope

Slice of Life/ Music

12 Episodes - Summer 2012

Synopsis:  

The story of Kids on the Slope really starts rolling when the classical piano-trained Kaoru encounters Sentaro and falls head-over-heels in love with jazz. One thing to look out for is the performance scene of an excellent jazz piece in every episode. Up-and-coming young jazz musicians are employed here, with Takashi Matsunaga (Kaoru) on piano and Shun Ishiwaka (Sentaro) on drums. Yoko Kanno produces the sessions, which are then used directly for the anime. Jazz standards like “Moanin’”, “My Favorite Things”, and “Someday My Prince Will Come” are played along with improvisational performances that reflect the mood of the characters at the time, whether they’re in high spirits, or feel lonely, confused, angry, and so on. How these occasional performances and feelings are portrayed and directed is one more highlight of the show. Director Watanabe’s “sessions” are a mix of images and music, so innovative and exciting visual expressions should be expected.

Click below for my review. May contain spoilers, so proceed with caution.

[Anime] Say "I Love You"

Say "I Love You"

Shojo, Romance

13 Episodes, Fall 2012

Synopsis:

Tachibana Mei has had no boyfriend and couldn't even make friends. One day she injures Kurosawa Yamato, the most popular boy in school, and for some reason Yamato takes interest in her...

Click below for review. May contain spoilers.

[Kdrama] I Do, I Do (2012)

I Do, I Do

Korean - 2012

Romantic Comedy

16 Episodes

 

Viki Synopsis:

Hwang Ji An is the top shoe designer in a major shoe company. She is in her 30s, successful and single. One night, she makes a horrible mistake and sleeps with Park Tae Gang, a good-looking new employee in her company, and she finds out she is pregnant. Ji An’s hard-earned career and her stylish lifestyle threatens to implode as a result of her one-night-stand mistake. Will Ji An be forced to give up everything and live with the consequences of her mistake?

Click below to read my review. May contain minor spoilers. Sorry!

[Kdrama] History of a Salaryman

History of a Salaryman

South Korea - Winter 2012

22 Episodes

Comedy/Romance/Business Crimes

Synopsis:

One night Yoo Bang (Lee Bum Soo) enters a dark, mysterious villa with nothing but a flashlight, only to find an executive of the Chunha Medical Group, Ho Hae slouched in a chair, dead and Jin Ho Hae's niece, Yeo Chi (Jung Ryu Won) hiding behind a curtain. At Ho Hae's funeral, Yoo Bang and Yeo Chi are suddenly taken into custody for his murder. We're taken three months into the past to reveal what led to this murder and exactly who was responsible. During this flashback we meet Choi Hang Woo (Jung Gyu Woon), a director from Ho Hae's rival pharmaceutical company, who is undercover to steal the formula for their new drug and the Chief Researcher from Chunha Group, Cha Woo-Hee (Hong Soo Hyun). The lives of these individuals will all be intertwined within these three months to reveal exactly just who murdered Ho Hae, and why.

Review:

Plot: 

History of a Salaryman is definitely one of the good ones. You get 22 episodes of the most convoluted plot ever of business crime, treachery, murder, forged wills, crazy secetary ladies and more. You are on the edge of your seat as you hold your breath to see if the traitorous bastards get caught or not and the victims get revenge. It was fasciniating.

Characters:

If you've been following my blog, then you should know that for both dramas and books, it's the characters that either make or break a work of art for me. I am a firm believer that it is the characters that are at the center of any storyline. In History of a Salaryman, the characters get 5/5 points hands down! I have never, in any korean drama, seen such a mix of highly developed characters with such depth. There were NO flat, one-dimensional characters in this scene. There were also no traditional caricatures of character. Yoo Bang and Yeo CHi are NOT your traditional/typical lead characters and provided tons of comic relief. God, the two of them were absolute riots! Director Mo is not your typical antagonist and her acting was absolutely superb (and creepy as hell). All of the other secondary characters were just as well done. The first sign of great characterization and acting? When you can't decide whether or not you like or hate a particular character!

Soundtrack:

Meh. Soundtrack was pretty good, but nothing extraordinary. Each track was well suited to the scene, but I'm not feeling a compulsion to go download the OST.

 

Overall:

History of a Salaryman is a one-of-kind drama. It's not like your typical corrupt business dramas, becasue the characters are too ridiculously funny for that level of seriousness. It's also not your typical romantic comedy, becasue the romance isn't in the forefront and again atypical characters that stray away from the norm. Though I wish that Yoo Bang and Yeo Chi's romance had a bit more air time, This is a drama series you DO NOT want to miss. I mean, how can you resist giving a drama with a lead character named "Breasts" a try? 

Looney Express awards History of a Salaryman a 4/5.

[K-Drama] Love Rain (2012)

 

Love Rain (2012)

K-Drama (20 Episodes)

Genre: Romance

Synopsis:

When you’re in love, rain can be sweet like flowing emotions, or it can be bittersweet if it reminds you of the love that got away. While in college in the 1970s, Seo In Ha falls in love with the sweet Kim Yoon Hee. But destiny stepped in and separated them, and both moved on with their lives. Forty years later, In Ha’s son meets and falls in love with Yoon Hee’s daughter. Can the young couple finish what their parents started or will fate step in again to separate two generations of lovers?

My Review:

I really liked the concept of the plot of this drama. The whole parents were in love 20 years and then the kids fall in love bit was intriguing, emotional and highly interesting. The four first episodes showing the fast was an excellent touch.The lead characters of course were excellent. I love Jang Geum Suek in everything he does and Yoon A was adorable as Ha Na. The supporting actors added dimension to the series. The soundtrack was good. The ending was the perfect adorable bow to wrap around the drama. My only issue was the pacing of the drama. I felt the indecision of whether or not to remain together because of their parents in episodes 15-18 or so, was overdone. I simply fast forwarded past the angst to the end. I felt like they tried to stuff in too many other conflicts in addition to the main one, which I felt was unnecessary. I mean in addition to the star-crossed lovers bit, we had the evil mom, the love rectangle and even a disease! lol Despite my complaints on the pacing, I really enjoyed Love Rain and would recommend it to any K-drama enthusiast.

[ANIME] Recorder & Randsell

It’s been sooo long since I’ve watched any anime, but I’ve decided to get back on the bangwagon. I unearthed my Crunchyroll username and password and logged on to see what I’m been missing. I’ve missed quite a bit. As a result, I have a long queue list! First anime completed is a super-duper short one…each episode is just THREE minutes long, I kid you not!
Without further adieu,

Recorder & Randsell (2012)

13 Episodes

Synopsis:

On the surface it seems as if Atsushi is an adult, but really he's just an elementary student! However, he is paired with a second-year high school student Atsumi, whose height is just the opposite of his. These two together create an unusual relationship and will undoubtedly instigate some comedic antics in this slice of life comedy!

My Thoughts/Review:

This was incredibly adorable. It’s a very lighthearted comedy, that perfect for whenever you have a few minutes (3 to be exact) to spare and are in need of a laugh. Atsushi and Atsumi are so cute, and their problematic heights are the source for countless jokes. Some of the running jokes may have been repetitive, but I still found them amusing. This one is definitely worth watching.

Wild Romance (2011) Korean Drama

Wild Romance

Korean Drama

16 Episodes - 2012

Synopsis: Everything starts on the birthday of Eun Jae's dad. Eun Jae ran into Park Moo Yul, who is the 2nd baseman of 'Green Dreamers', when she is drunk. Eun Jae who is a fan of 'Blue Seagulls', starts a fight with Moo Yul who led the 'Green Dreamers' to victory. The next day, internet is on fire with the video called 'Humiliated Park Moo Yul'. Because of this video, career of both Moo Yul and Eun Jae, who recently got a job as a bodyguard, are in danger.

In the end, they decided to put on a show against the public! They lie that Eun Jae is Moo Yul's private bodyguard and the video was recorded when Eun Jae was giving a self-defence demonstration to Moo Yul. Like this, Eun Jae becomes real bodyguard of Moo Yul. It seemed like everything worked out just fine, but the problem is that they can't stand each other's existence...

My Review: I really enjoyed this one! It didn't end up being anything like I was expected.

From the synopsis, I thought it would be a nice, funny fluff series, but man does it get crazy as you keep watching!

And the lead couple is sooo flippin adorable, and I loved the second minor couple too!

Definitely worth a watch!