At Looney Express, you can find wacky reviews of Asian dramas and movies: mostly Korean, but there are quite a few Taiwanese and Japanese, even some Chinese and Indian series/films thrown in, as well as Japanese anime. Enjoy!
I stumbled across God's Quiz after binge watching some American psychological crime shows, such as CriminalMinds, Blacklist, and Hannibal. It had suddenly occurred to me that I could quite possibly combine my two obsession and find myself a Korean psychological crime drama.
God's Quiz more than met my expectations and fed my interests. Each episode was intriguing and compelling to watch. I was thoroughly fascinated with each crime and the process of Dr. Han Jin Woo and his team in solving each one. Though God's Quiz was more a medical/crime show than psychological crime, there were more than enough psychology to keep my interest. The hint of romance between Dr. Han and Detective Kang was also a nice touch as well for someone who almost solely watches Romantic Comedy dramas.
Dr. Han's character is extremely genuine and likeable. His seemingly frivolous attitude quickly gave way to a more deep character that viewers were compelled to love. (The actor's good looks also didn't hurt at all). Detective Kang was a pretty, strong, intelligent character who's seriousness and passion for justice offset Jin Woo's playful facade. Lastly, the rest of the medical examining team was a great mix of authentic, humorous, and endearing supporting characters.
Overall, I would definitely recommend God's Quiz and I am looking forward to watching seasons 2, 3, and 4.
Flower Boy Next Door is an early 2013 romantic comedy that aired from January 7th to February 26th and is based on a webtoon called "I Steal Peeks At Him Every Day." It has Park Shin Hye as Dok Mi, a young woman who has hidden herself away from the world. A past hurt has made her unwilling to interact with the outside world and other people and she spends her time editing manuscripts and peeping at her neighbor across the street. One day, her neighbor's cousin--Enrique Geum of Spain (played by Yoon Shi Yoon) catches her, while eating a Popsicle and wearing boxers and a panda-hat! That is the beginning of their weird relationship that results in her coming out of her shell and finding love. (Intrigued?)
What I thought about it:
Flower Boy Next Door is a gem of a drama that hasn't received as much attention as it deserves, overlooked probably by its early release date. However, it's a definite must watch.
At first glance, this seems like a fluffy, lighthearted drama, but the hilarity and weirdness hides a deeper plot that is engaging and draws viewers completely in. The core of that powerful draw is with the eclectic group of characters and the sweet storyline. Dok Mi is horribly lonely and separated from the world. Her neighbor Ji Rak is working on a webtoon that is based on the one-sided love that Ji Rak has for Dok Mi and her developing relationship with Que-Geum. There is also Ji Rak's roommate and assistant Doon Hoon and Watanabe who is in Korea from Japan to learn Korean cuisine. Each of the characters are unique and entertaining, real and wacky. However, they're not just funny. There is depth to each character, a history and a past that makes them who they are. The reveal of each character's past is what makes viewers fall for them and keeps viewers hooked on the drama. The secondary characters are also pretty unique and my fave character is the crazy editor.
More things that I loved about this drama:
The love confession was refreshingly direct. Actually, the entire drama is refreshingly direct. It's a simply story about a woman who is drawn back into the world of the living by love. But it is that simplicity that makes this drama a gem. Even without sudden amnesia, evil ex's or mothers, rich chaebols, servitude or separation, there wasn't a single part of the series that was BORING or less than interesting. There also weren't any of the typical Kdrama misunderstandins that last several episodes either. I really did enjoy the directness of the characters in Flower Boy Next Door.
The male characters were really in touch with their emotions and not afraid to cry. There were a lot of excellent, heartfelt tear scenes.
Another drama that showcases crazy fans. This seems to be a thing in Korean dramas lately.
The ending episode was a really great wrap-up and left viewers with a lot of feel-good feels. I was smiling so much throughout the entire episode that my cheeks hurt.
I almost couldn't take how cute Dok Mi and Que Geum were together. I nearly died from cuteness overload! And Ji Rak's was freaking freaking adorable as well! It was sooo hard to choose who I wanted her with.
Best lines in any drama. Ever! (in episode 9): (The English major in me grins and agrees wholeheartedly.)
Doon Hoo: Ji Rak's phone Editor: Is the phone talking?! You should say 'This is Doon Hoon askwering Ji Rak's Phone'! Why doesn't anyone use proper grammar?!
Other related comments:
I've always heard such harsh comments about Park Shin Hye's acting ability, especially in connection to Heirs. While I've yet to watch Heirs, I felt that Shin Hye's acting in this drama was pretty good. She was well-suited to the role of Dok Mi. Was she absolutely amazing? Not particularly, but certainly not horrible. I think she's definitely growing as an actress And plus, she was Go Mi Nam in You're Beautiful and Lee Gyu Won in Heartstrings--two dramas that I really enjoyed
I was surprised at my feelings of wanting to immediately rewatch Flower Boy Next Door. I've never rewatched a drama. While other kdrama fans rewatch their fave dramas 10, 20, even 30 times, I cannot compel myself to spend time rewatching a series that could be time spent watching a new amazing drama. With that being said, I think I have to watch Flower Boy Next Door again one day and that's certainly saying something about how much I enjoyed it.
Last words:
Go. Watch. This. Drama. Now!
Watch it over on Viki: http://www.viki.com/tv/11165c-flower-boy-next-door
Or if DramaFever is more your style: http://www.dramafever.com/drama/3851/Flower_Boy_Next_Door/
Reply/Answer Me 1994 follows the same basic storyline as 1997. It follows the relationships between a group of friends in the 90s. There are some key differences though: the characters are college students and that bit of maturity was one I could appreciate; they lived together in a boarding house, which made for a lot of fun, heartwarming scenes between the kids; the who's-the-husband game was a lot more intense in 1994 (It wasn't until the very last episode that you knew for sure. The writers did a great job of keeping both prospects in the running as actual competitors.); the story had a more serious and dramatic air to it as the maturity of the characters meant that they dealt with slightly more serious issues than the high school students in 1997. Regardless, what I loved about 1994 was the raw portrayal of life as a 20-year-old in the 90s. Like the 1997 serious, viewers can easily connect to the characters by remembering their own college days and their own lives when they were 20. Being at the tender age of 22, I'm experiencing many of the feelings that Na Jeong and her gang experience and I couldn't help but feel connected to their plights. Reply/Answer Me 1994 is a tender coming-of-age story about friendship, love, family, and finding one's place in this crazy, crazy world.
Characters:
The characters in 1994 were just as loveable, if not more so, than those in 1997. I appreciated the maturity of college students instead of high school students. However, they were just as quirky and endearing. Sometimes they were absolutely aggravating, but I fell in love with them anyway. It was a joy and a honor watching the budding relationships (both friendships and romance) of this ragtag bunch of boarding house kids. Na Jeong's parents (the same set from 1997, but with slightly different mannerism) were great supporting characters. This method of having a cast of main characters, instead of just two (or sometimes four) is refreshing. I enjoyed being able to learn each character's background equally.
Pacing:
The pacing of the series was my biggest issue with this drama. I felt that 21 episodes that were each 75-90 minutes long was too much. As a result, the story dragged and it was kind of painful. I fast-forwarded through a lot of the episodes in the second half. I had to take a few days off as a break from the drama. And there were a few moments where I seriously considered putting 1994 on hold for a bit because I just wanted it to end.
Soundtrack:
It's rare these days to find a drama with a bad soundtrack as the k-drama industry seems to have gotten really great at choosing perfect OSTs. Reply/Answer Me 1994 is no exception. The soundtrack is just as good as 1997, with songs perfectly suited to the characters, mood, and era of the drama. However, it's not one I'm compelled to download for myself, nor did any particular songs stick out for me as ones that I love. (P.S. Viki subbers do an amazing job of subbing the song lyrics through the series.)
Ending:
The last episode was a great way to wrap up the series. It's a replay of all of the 2002 wedding scenes with the groom's face finally exposed. However, it didn't feel repetitive. Instead, it felt heartwarming to finally put a face to all of the endearing wedding moments. The ending of Reply/Answer Me 1994 leaves viewers with a content, warm feeling of seeing dear friends mature and knowing that despite whatever struggles they may face in the future, they'll be just fine.
Final Verdict:
Reply/Answer Me 1994 is a great drama. It has a great cast with excellent acting ability to portray loveable characters. The storyline is masterfully written and is engaging and enjoyable to watch. The pacing of the series is the only thing that makes this drama less than perfect. It drags quite a bit, but you can't contemplate stopping because it's so good. So you may take a few days off or fast forward, but you'll definitely come back to finish and will love it in the end.
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:
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.
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!
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!
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.
Mo Yoo-jung: She was adorable and I loved her with Hak-chan.
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?
Bang Sung-jae: Or a loud-mouth who speaks as if he's running on six Energizer batteries.
Yoon Tae-wong: Yoon-jae's brother, who annoyed me for most of the series, but then redeemed himself at the very end.
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.
The most passionate confession of feels you'll ever likely see: It was honest, raw, and beautiful to see.
The cutest, fluffiest puppy ever: So damn fluffy. But then the poor thing disappears! Completely forgortten. Bad scriptwriters, bad.
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!
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.
The _onata: Gonna watch to understand, but it holds sweet, significant meaning for our lead couple.
The 1st kiss: Hilarious! And surprising.
The 2nd kiss: Yes. Sigh... So perfect.
The 3rd, 4th, 5th . . . (oh who's counting, let's just enjoy 'em) kisses
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?
Domestic abuse (kind of): While not funny in real life, the characters showed love and affection in unique ways.
The granny who lives on the other side of Korea and needed a bulb change: Just smile-worthy.
The super catchy song/beat that introduced each episode:
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.
Mr. Comic Relief Goat: Hahaha, I'm sure you'll love this as much I did.
Mr. Comic Relief Sheep: This too.
Brothers competing for lurve: Man, so many conflicting feelings. For both viewers and the brothers.
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.
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.
Most hilarious fighting couple scenes: Yes, these were actually kind of amazing. I was both in awe and laughing hysterically.
The 90's were awesome and the struggle was real: Amen.
The most perfectly satisfying ending!
You should be properly convinced, now off with you. Go watch. Here's a link for you: REPLY 1997.
Yes. A million times YES. This is me. After finishing the last episode of Master's Sun. This 2013 drama is hands down one of the best series I have had the exquisite pleasure of watching in a while. The Hong Sisters have written a masterpiece. Let's discuss, shall we?
(MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS, though I try my best to limit it as much as I can!)
The Basics:
Title: Master's Sun
Year: 2013
Episodes: 17
Network: SBS
Genre: Romance, Horror
Lead Actors: So Ji Sub, Gong Hyo Jin, Seo In-guk, and Kim Yoo-ri
The Story:
Tae Gong-shil (played by Gong Hyo Jin of Pasta and The Greatest Love) is a sweet, pretty woman who happens to see ghosts. One dark and stormy night, she meets the CEO of Kingdom (mall/department store and hotel conglomerate, the stingy, greedy Joo Joong-won (played by So Ji Sub). And the fun begins as she quickly draws him into her world of chasing ghosts and solving mysteries. Remember, my review of Spellbound? And how impressed I was at the horror-romance genre? That's what first attracted me to Master's Sun and I was NOT disappointed. The series beautiful blends the supernatural elements of the story line with that of the romance. The Hong Sisters do not hold back in the writing of this series. I was completely impressed at the subtly dropped hints, at the sophisticated overlapping of several story-lines.
The Characters:
It's rare to find a series in which all of the main characters are likable, but Master's Sun is just that series. The lead couple, Gong-shil and Joong-won, are really great. Their characters were authentic and endearing. Gong-shil was adorable and puppy-like with no sense of boundaries or embarrassment when it came to Joong-won. That is until she begins crushing on him! Also, Gong-shil's giving nature and her conversations/reactions to the ghosts were just too cute. Joon-won starts off as a selfish, but still lovable, jerk whose only concern is how much money something or something can make him. However, that quickly changes when he meets Gong-shil and begins joining her in the ghost-busting! What I enjoyed and what impressed me the most about Master's Sun is the depth of the character development. Gong-shil and Joong-won both change drastically over the course of the series to become well-rounded characters.
Most of the supporting characters were nearly as round as the leading characters and served as fodder for comic relief and a great sotry. Secretary Kim was my absolute favorite character after the leads. It's the first time I've seen a secretary play such a lighthearted role, one in which a secretary actually cares for his boss. What made Secretary Kim even more endearing was how obviously he rooted for Gong-shil and Joong-won since the beginning and the way he subtly pushed them together by manipulating Joong-won.
Kang Woo. Oh Kang Woo. As the head of security at Kingdom and Gong-shil's neighbor, Kang Woo gave me serious second-lead syndrome. In the end, I managed to resist succumbing completely, but it was hard. Kang Woo was sweet and gentle and attractive and protective. He was perfect, except he wasn't Joong-woo and he was keeping secrets! However, he remained a very good support and friend to Gong-shil (and without him, we couldn't have enjoyed a jealous Joong-won). Also, his eventual relationship with Yi-Ryeong was really cute to watch. Speaking of Yi-Ryeong, I found her pretty annoying at first, but as a kdrama villain, she kind of failed. She was just too cute while she was crushing on Kang Woo! And plus, the real villain appears and can we say PLOT TWIST!
Smaller Supporting Characters:
Gong-shil's sister and her talkative boo who's also a member of the Kingdom security team, Joong-won's silly uncle, and the little kids at Gong-shil apartment building were all great sources of hilarity.
Additionally, the dialogue between all of the characters is pure gold and is what I love most about the Hong Sisters' writing style: always the most perfect one-liners ever.
The Romance/Chemistry:
The chemistry between Gong-shil and Joong-won was off the charts. I've seen that there is some upset among fans that the two of them didn't win the best couple award at the SBS Drama Awards. While I haven't Heirs (though I plan to) to make an informed decision about the best couple, Gong-shil and Joong-won had a beautiful relationship on Master's Sun. They were cute and playful; they were sweet and loving; they were angry and upset. When they get together completely at the end of the series, it's done in a way that is perfectly naturally for the two of them. I think because the two characters were portrayed so naturally, their relationship was also portrayed naturally, making it 100% believable.
The Pacing:
The pacing of the story and episodes was extremely well done. Not ONCE did I fast forward or even feel anything other than completely engaged and captivated. Things moved quickly when they needed to and slowed down where appropriate. Really amazing writing here.
The Soundtrack:
Pretty good. While I'm not running out to buy the OST, the music/lyrics fit the scenes and moods of the drama perfectly.
The Ending:
A perfect series with a perfect end. As I approached episode 17, I had a gut-wrenching fear that this amazing drama would be completely ruined by a rushed or illogical or otherwise unsatisfactory ending. However, I'm happy to say that I had nothing at all to worry about. Not only did the ending make perfect sense, but it was perfectly suited to the characters and mood of the entire series. The ending left viewers with plenty of warm, fuzzy feelings and a huge smile on our faces. I couldn't stop smiling, chuckling, and shaking my head for about an hour after finishing the series.
Final Verdict:
Watch. this. series. NOW! The end.
With that "GGUH JYUH!" *accompanied by hand wave in front of face*,
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.
After a bit of a drama drought, I started and finished Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo (even though I didn't finish A Gentlemen's Dignity yet. Oops.)
It's a more recent Japanese version of the ever-still popular manga Itazura na Kiss. I'm sure most Asian drama lovers know the story. A highschool girl, Kotoko, falls in love at first sight with the handsome, but cold Naoki on the first day of highschool. After two years of unrequited love, she decides to confess, but is publicly rejected. Her house collapses. Her dad and her Naoki's dad happen to be childhood friends who lost touch and they end up moving in which them. Cue romance, tears, tension, and drama!
Strangely enough I've yet to read the original manga series, but I first watched the Taiwanese version, It Started with a Kiss, and the Korean version, Playful Kiss. And decided to give the Japanese one a try. (Can't remember whether I've watched the original Japanese version. Should remedy that.)
In the end, I prefer the Taiwanese and Korean versions to this one. While Kotoko is endearing in all three versions, I prefer the Taiwanese and Korean versions of Naoki a lot more. The Naoki in this version was bland and drab. Portraying no personality whatsoever. Sure he was cute, but his acting left much to be desired. Also, the plot was less dramatic than the Korean and Taiwanese versions, but then again I find that often the case for Japanese dramas. No one seems to know DRAMA more than Koreans! I found myself skipping a lot, bored, simply wanting to see how it ended. Also, I was annoyed that it took until the very last episode for Naoki to pull his head out of his butt. I believe it happened a little earlier in the other versions and viewers had the chance to see them "dating." I could be wrong though; it's been a while since I've watched either version. The ending was really freaking adorable though! Gotta love Mama Irie.
Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo is worth watching because the core story remains a good one, but only after you've watched the Taiwanese and Korean versions, which I believe to be better.
I actually first became interested in dramas through Japanese dramas (Manga>Anime>Japanese dramas>Korean dramas). Though I like Korean dramas a lot better, Japanese dramas are still pretty good. They have their own personality and feel.
Love Generation is a straightforward romance between Teppei and Rico. It's only 11 episodes long, but it squeezes in a office romance, first love from the past, love rectangle, fights, confessions, and what have you. There was a lot less over the top drama that is characteristic of Korean dramas (no memory loss, playboy hiers, dying love interests etc), which is what I like about Japanese dramas. They're also a little more risque surprisingly in terms of portraying "skinship". While I enjoyed watching Teppei and Rico's relationship grow, I soon became tired of the back and forth, fighting and making up between them. Sure Teppei wasn't helping matters, but Rico's constant insecurities and immediate assumptions began grating on my nerves. (Can't anyone simply ask questions before flying off the handle?) Also, the ending was a bit unsatisfactory, wrapped up too quickly and halfheartedly. I felt cheated. Love Generation is a short, cute drama, but not one of the best. (Oh, and the stupid glass apple motif? What was that about? Don't understand what it was supposed to stand for and it's summer vacation. I don't feel like using more than 3 brain cells to figure it out.)
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!
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.
An adult cartoon contest is announced offering a W130 million prize.
Da-Rim (Choi Gang-Hee)
does translation work for an adult magazine. Da-Rim wants to become a
writer. Due to her creativity, Da-Rim is always making mistakes and
gets fired by company. Talented cartoonist Jung-Bae (Lee Sun-Kyun)
is constantly turned down by publishing companies because of his poor
story lines. The two, who seemed perfectly matched, team up for the
adult cartoon contest. Trouble is set to brew.
Click here to read my thoughts about Petty Romance!
Korea’s all-time box office (#8 overall)
comedy leader and winner for Best Film, Director, and Actress in Korea’s
Grand Bell (their Oscar equivalent), is the story of a singer that
resorts to drastic “head-to-toe” plastic surgery in order to become a
huge star.
Review:
I have been meaning to watch this movie for long time. I first discovered it and mentally added it to my "To-Watch" list maybe two or three years ago! I'm not really sure why I waited so long before watching. Just kept being distracted by other dramas, I guess.
Anyway on to what I thought of it. Overall, I enjoyed. It's not worthy of becoming a new addition to "My-Absolute-Faves" list, but it wasn't too bad either. It was just a movie. The plot was original, at least to me. This is the first Korean movie or drama I've watched that portrayed plastic surgery so directly. I think the reason why I couldn't love the movie was because it was all so shallow to me in the end. And things didn't quite add up.
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!
Lee Han (Seo Ji-Suk) is a single man who becomes a nanny on a whim. He also happens to live with divorced single mom Do-Young (Choi Jung-Yoon) and her 2 kids. Janice (Pyeon Jung-Su) is a rich single woman who does not want to get married. They all end up living together.
Click below for review. may contain spoilers. Sorry.
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.
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.
Personal Taste is a drama, which is based on a novel "Gaeinui Chwihyang"
by Lee Sae In. The story is about a man pretending to be homosexual in
order to become roommates with a woman who wants to live with a gay male
friend.
Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho) is a straight guy who pretends to be gay in
order to become a roommate to his female friend, Park Kae In (Son Ye
Jin). His hobbies include organization and ironing, and he’s known for
his stoic poker face.
Review:
^___^ Ahhh...Personal Taste.
This was a GOOD one. I've been meaning to watch this for a long time, but I kept putting it off. After watching City Hunter, I wanted MORE Lee Min Ho, so I finally got around to it.
What I've been missing all this time--is a pretty good drama. Personal Taste had all of the makings of a good drama. It has an interesting, original plot, a great cast of lovable and believable characters, strong, pure chemistry and love between the lead couple and tons of hilarious moments. For 16 episodes, I laughed, smiled, teared-up, snorted, rolled my eyes and cried. The OST was also really good!
Yet there was still something missing throughout. My main issue is that the pacing was really slow. I found myself fast forwarding quite a bit about half way through as the series kind of lost its steam. While I will not miss the series itself, I WILL miss Jin Ho and Kae In.
Personal Taste is a drama that I really enjoyed and believe to be worth watching.
P.S. The BEST place for watching dramas, is over at Viki.com. Users can leave comments as they watch. It's like watching with your friends--crazy, very unique friends! The comments are usual hysterical and totally random!
Lee Shin is a university student majoring in modern music. He is also the vocalist and guitarist of the band "The Stupid." Shin is known for his good looks and strong passion for music, but in reality he is cold, lacks interest in anything unrelated to music and has neither dreams nor plans for the future. He initially likes Jung Yoon Soo, a dance professor at university, but this all changes when he meets Lee Kyu Won.
Lee Kyu Won is a bright and outgoing student who was born into a prestigious family and is majoring in traditional Korean instruments, especially the gayageum. Kyu Won's grandfather, Lee Dong Gun, is one of the top 3 traditional musicians of his age and his biggest wish is to see his granddaughter become a traditional music prodigy. Trying to live up to her grandfather's expectations, Kyu Won immerses herself in training and becomes a university student who knows nothing outside of her studies. As her friends are fans of "The Stupid", she was forced to go to the band's concert with them. There she saw Lee Shin performing live, and is immediately captivated by him.
Review:
I’m totally shallow, I admit, especially when it comes to my fave pretty korean boys. I decided to watch Heartstrings because I love love love Jung Yong Hw!. I first fell in love with him in “You’re Beautiful”, then I fell in love with his band CN Blue.
I think it’s lovely that Shin Woo (Yong Hwa) and Mi Nam (Shin Hye) from “You’re Beautiful” got a chance to star in their own romance!
So, Heartstrings…. I like the characters. Yong Hwa plays his role as Lee Shin, a student majoring in Western Music very well. At the same though..it’s sort of who he is in real life, so I don’t think we can attribute much to his acting skills. That is NOT to say, I did not love his role and how he portrayed it..I DID! Lee Kyu Won was meh… I liked her A LOT more in “You’re Beautiful”. She does okay in Heartstrings, still pretty cute and did a okay-pretty good job acting. The character I really loved though was Cha Bo Woon, Kyu Won’s BFF4EVER! She was so adorably funny and such a great friend--always interrupting Lee Shin and Kyu Won’s couple moments and getting punished as a result by Shin! LOL
As this is a Music drama, we have to talk about the soundtrack. It’s pretty obvious what I think of it..it’s CN BLue’s Yong Hwa, after all! The soundtrack was GREAT! I really loved it. I paid more attention to the performances than to the plot to be honest.
The plot was a simple one…Music school, a performance, some jealousy, attempts to sabotage said performance etc etc Yet, I found myself fast forwarding..A LOT. In addition to the performance scenes, only parts I didn’t fast forward were the romantic scenes.
Overall, I give Heartstrings a "good" rating. While the soundtrack was Amazing, it alone cannot make a drama. Problem is that I can’t quite put my finger on what was lacking…the drama simply didn’t leave much of a lasting impression. I don’t have the feeling of lose one usually feels after a great drama and I certainly don’t see myself re-watching it a million times in the near future.
**Love CN Blue too? Leave your favorite song in the comments!
Shiang Yu Ping, a divorce and inheritance lawyer, is seen by others as
cold, selfish, and ruthless. He had taken in his brother's orphans and
was in need of a nanny. But after he exhausted his supply of nannies, he
still couldn't find one who doesn't fall in love with him or gets
scared off by the kids. Fed up, Yu Ping asks his secretary, Yang Duo, to
find a nanny that meets his requirements. She recommends her younger
sister, Yang Guo, for the job; assuring Yu Ping that her tomboyish
sister will not fall in love with him by lying that she does not like
men at all.
Review:
What I loved most about this drama was the lead couple! Yang Guo and
Yu Ping were the one of the cutest couples I've seen. I loved watching
the two of them together. I also loved the side characters, especially
Yang Guo's family , her sister and father. This drama would have gotten a
"very good" rating if not for the dang ending! It was HORRIBLY done, essentially false advertising (you'll know what I mean after watching, but keep the image above in mind)!
The rest of the series was so well done and then to botch it up so much
at the very very end was kind of unforgivable! :/
**Did you love Yang Gui and Yu Ping as much as I did?! Do your gushing in the comments! I'll join you! xD
A story of an egotistic guy meeting a girl who aimed to please. A casual
comment from her boyfriend on wishing to open a bakery store of their
own caused Mei Le to immediately abandon her lucrative job in fiance to
pursuit a career in baking bread. But, her boyfriend still dumped her
for someone else anyway. Her breakup directly impacted Han Yi Lie.
First, her cheating boyfriend was his brother. Second, he worked better
after eating her bread and couldn't function when she stopped baking it.
So he decided to help her get over the unfortunate event.
Review:
Ahh..Mike He..How I looves you! lol I haven't watched T-dramas in a while, but after watching "Drunken to Love You", I started missing Mike He something fierce as it was weird seeing Rainie and Kingone, but no Mike! So I went hunting for some newer series starring Mike He and lo and behold, I found "Love Keeps Going".
I really enjoyed this one. To begin with, the love between Mike He and Cyndi Wang is so authentic. This isn't the funny, fluffy, playful love stories you usually see in romantic comedies. Instead, it is a real love strengthened by adversity and near tragedy.
Speaking of adversities and tragedies, the plot was very well scripted and totally sucks you in. The characters are all well-developed and are "real" people on screen--some you love (like Yi Fe and Yu Cheng), some you hate (like Mother Han and the manager) and the really special ones that you at first hate, but then come to love (Xuan Xuan).
The soundtrack was okay, nothing spectacular (not like City Hunter's. God, I loved the soundtrack for that!), but it wasn't horrid.
The only small downside that I can think of is the very ending. I think things were wrapped up a little too neatly, too quickly. One more episode would have probably been perfect. Also, I hate the fact that the series ended without showing Mike's face! I won't say any more and risk giving spoilers, but it was just a bit upsetting! lol
Overall, Love Keeps Going is a definite must watch. Worth 13 hours of your precious life! SO, what are you waiting for? GO WATCH IT! Look, I'm even making it easy and providing a link.
P.S. Already watched "Love Keeps Going" or want to recommend a drama I totally need to watch? Leave a comment!
P.P.S. Expect a ton load of reviews in the near future. Two weeks left in semester. Just need to survive..and make it to summer break, then I'm home free to BINGE on dramas! I have a LOOONG "To Watch" list! ^____^
