Review of the Week

Ghost/Phantom

The Love of So Ji Sub Continues

**********Warning Spoilers**************

Title: Phantom/Ghost 유령

Network: SBS

Episodes: 20

Starring: So Ji Sub, Choi Daniel, Lee Yeon Hee, Uhm Ki Joon

Aired: May 30, 2012 – August 9, 2012

I am going to be very honest and admit that the only reason I started watching this drama was because of So Ji Sub. Obsession, I hear your name loud and clear. Ghost, unlike the title would lead us to believe, is a drama that deals with political intrigue in the digital world. For some odd reason, the title, ahem, I thought this was a drama about the main character being able to see the ghosts of dead people, I could have sworn there is a drama with that premise out there, and no not the Master's Sun or Oh My Ghostess, but I digress. It is a drama about how money and power corrupt and how easily one can either destroy or be destroyed by a simple click of the mouse. And although, this drama contained no romantic storyline, one side crushes and potato crushes aside, I kept watching episode after episode and enjoying each episode tremendously.

The heart of the story revolves around the friendship of two very different people. Kim Woo Hyun and Park Gi Young met when they were both in the police academy wanting to make a difference by becoming police officers with a focus on cyber crime. Through a series of events during their time in the academy, Kim Woo Hyun becomes a lieutenant in the police department while Park Gi Young seemingly switches sides to become a hacker known as Hades. They both start looking into the apparent suicide of a well known actress and stumble upon corruption at the highest levels of politics and the police department. As we watch Kim Woo Hyun investigate the death of the young actress, we wonder which side is he really on. How does he know the murderer and most importantly why is he not arresting him. Early in the drama there is an explosion involving both friends, of which only one survives.

Through a series of circumstances, the survivor is mistaken for the other, and so for most of the drama we have Hades walking around with a police officers face. So Ji Sub does an excellent job of playing to characters brilliantly, and one of those playing a character playing a different character. And I'm not only saying this because of my massive hard on for So Ji Sub.

Park Gi Young pretending to be Kim Woo Hyun must find out the truth about his old friend and all the secrets he was keeping. With the help of the rest of the cyber unit, except for the fucking bastard traitor, Gi Young takes it upon himself to clear his friend's name and bring down the man behind the corruption.

Ghost does an excellent job of exploring that very thin line between evil and doing evil things in the name of good. Hades, Park Gi Young, by all extents and purposes is a criminal, even when he is pretending to be Woo Hyun. Even that pretense can be seen as wrong, especially when one takes into account that he is pretending to be his dead friend to his dead friend's child. But, in his mind, he is doing these things to right all the wrong caused by Jo Hyun Min, the evil behind everything.

Does the end justify the means? Park Gi Young would like to think that it does, but as a viewer I'm left with the impression that good men who do evil things are tinged with that evil. It's not something that can be washed away or forgotten. One can pretend that he didn't cause the death of Hyun Min, but it doesn't change the facts that lead to that death. This is the first Korean drama that I watched that was not a romance, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. But, fucking shit, a kiss between the main characters would have made it much better.

Oh, My Venus -- A Biased Review

Oh, My Venus

The Wonderfully Mediocre Drama

*******Warning Spoilers********

Title: Oh, My Venus 오 마이 비너스
Network: KBS 2
Episodes: 16
Starring: Shin Min Ah, So Ji Sub
Aired: November 16, 2015 – January 5, 2016



Can I first reiterate just how much I love both Shin Min Ah and So Ji Sub? I am going to be the first to admit that this love is completely and totally shallow and based on nothing more than physical appearance because honestly when I saw Master's Sun I wasn't too blown away by So Ji Sub, but man oh man, darker hair, a better haircut, and an almost naked bath scene does so much to change a woman's mind. And Shin Min Ah, is just beautiful as always. OK, enough gushing. Well, just a little bit more.

I found this drama to be completely entertaining from the first few opening scenes to the last few scenes. I loved the main characters and their chemistry. When the two leads where on screen together, it was truly magical. This drama had some of the best casting ever. Not only where Shin Min Ah and So Ji Sub wonderfully cast in this drama, but how freaking adorable is Henry Lau?

Watching the first episode, I loved the premise of the drama. A thin, beautiful woman succeeds in life and on the journey there she gets fat. Shin Min Ah plays Kang Joo Eun, who fifteen years after she was know as the Venus of Daegu, finds herself woefully unhealthy and overweight. The years have not been kind to Joo Eun who although she succeeded in becoming a lawyer she has let her health, her relationship with her high school sweetheart, and her waist go. After some life disappointments, she decides to take back control by giving her health and weight loss care over to three of the hottest men in Korea, fuck yeah, where do I sign?
The first few episodes left me smiling and looking forward to the next, and that kiss in episode 6. Swoon.

I even overlooked all the boring business part of it, why? Because Joo Eun and Young Ho were just so perfect. But shortly after the kiss, my interest began to wane. Don't get me wrong I still religiously kept refreshing DramaFever every 15 minutes on Mondays and Tuesdays hoping the new episodes were up, but the refreshing wasn't as zealous or enthusiastic as it had been the previous weeks. Maybe, I'm not meant to watch currently airing dramas. That week between episodes is enough time to make my mind wonder and become interested in other things. That's one of the main reason I don't watch all that many English shows. I forget that I liked them and was watching them. My brain really doesn't do well when given a little time to wander off on it's own. The biggest issue with the drama, for me, at least, was that I really didn't give a flying fuck about any other character. Im Woo Sik with the now ultra thin Oh Soo Jin never really grabbed my attention. And the whole, who shall take over the business, evil step uncle ahhhh, that shit never grabbed me. The best thing about that whole ordeal was Chief Min. I am not even going to get started with the whole clusterfuck that was the grandmother and her former son in law's wife.

The biggest reason I kept watching the drama was because the chemistry between the two leads was so hot. I did find the whole dimple, kiss thing rather annoying and childish, but when they were acting like the adults that they were, slay me. Of course, like any good Kdrama worth it's air time, this one had a last minute catastrophe, that needed to be solved in the last two episodes, why oh why do they do this. Here it was a car accident involving Young Ho, his uncle, what's his face, and his father's wife, or you know stepmother. The acting around the accident was superb and heart breaking. I don't know who I felt for more Jang Joon Sung, who was the first to see Young Ho hurt and broken or Joo Eun.

Of course, like any good drama this issue was resolved in a timely manner since the drama is only sixteen episodes long. The whole will he or won't he walk took Young Ho away from Joo Eun for a year as he recovered by himself because it wouldn't be manly if he, you know, look for emotional and mental support from the person her professes to love. Fucking asshole. The fact that he proposed with a ring that was hidden in a ball of yarn, hanging from a scarf he knit himself made me a little bit jealous. As a knitter, I would melt in a puddle at anyone's feet that would do that for me, and if that person was So Ji Sub the puddle would be of my own making.

The ending irked me a little. After not seeing her for a few months, finding out she's pregnant with twins, one of the first things out of his mouth was exercise??? Dude, she's about to pop out two tiny little human beings, fuck off and let her enjoy herself for forty weeks.
When I think about it, I think my biggest issue with Oh, My Venus, was the waiting between episodes. It was gripping or exciting nor did it have enough conflict to sustain my enthusiasm for more than the two days it was on. I think if I had waited and marathoned it, my preferred way to watch dramas, I would have liked it much more. I think I'll give it a re-watch later this year to see if that hypothesis is true.

The Lover

Title: The Lover (더 러버)
Network: Mnet
Episodes: 12
Starring: Oh Jung-Se, Ryu Hyun-Kyung, Jung Joon-Young, Choi Yoe-jin, Park Jong-Hwan, Ha Eun-Seol, Takuya Terada, and Lee Jae-Joon
Aired: Started April 2, 2015

The Lover is a new series being broadcast by cable company MNET, which from what I can tell used to be a music television station that broadened their programing a few years ago, kinda like MTV.  The Lover is only the third drama broadcast by the company following Monstar and Persevere, Goo Hae-Ra, neither of which I have watched.  It being a cable company it seems, at least with this series, that MNET is willing to take more risks with what it is willing to broadcast.
The Lover is an omnibus series that takes place inside a rundown apartment building.  Here there live four couples none of which are married. Each of these couples are at different stages of their relationships, and for now it seems that the series is focused on how they each deal with living together outside of marriage.
The first couple have been dating for five years and living together for two.  They are the veterans of the series.  One of them is a voice actor while the other runs a blog. And, they are hilarious.

Oh Do-Si and Ryoo Doo-Ri have been together the longest.  They decided that living together was better than marriage.  They fight and make up on the daily.  Their fights are often over the most ridiculous of things like how much of the spice packet to use when making instant ramen. 
The second couple have beein living together for a year and their is a twelve year age difference between them.

Choi Jin-nyeo is twelve years older than her boyfriend, Jeong Yeong-joon.  They are very different because of this age difference.  Jin-nyeo operates her own side dish catering business out of their apartment while Yeong-joon pretends to be a rock start carrying around a guitar and composing badly written and misspelled songs.  The difference between the two can mostly clearly been seen when Yeong-joon's sister visits the couple and Jin-nyeo is completely lost when trying to follow and be part of the conversation. 
So far, two episodes in, little has been seen of the third couple who are trying out living together before they get married.

Ha Seol-un and Park Hwan-jong just recently moved in together after knowing each other for only a couple of months.  They are the only couple in the series that have their eyes set on marriage.  They seem very uncomfortable around each other.  Seol-un is trying to keep all her bad habits hidden wanting Hwan-jong to believe that she is the epitome of ladylike.  She goes so far as binging on food late at night so Hwan-jong doesn't realize how much she actually eats.  They don't communicate effectively making their relationship really awkward for both of them
The final couple is a burgeoning bromance, or is it?

Lee Joon-jae is a loner just scraping by that needs a roommate in order to be able to pay his rent.  Takuya is Japanese and traveling around the world.  He is the roommate that Joon-jae thinks would be perfect.  Short term and with the language barrier he might not have to really communicate with him, but Takuya has different ideas.  Their relationship is set to be the bromance of the series, but there is definitely tension between the two.  They have some of the best chemistry of all the couples.  One only hopes that MNet has the balls to let their relationship develop the way that the first two episodes are hinting at.

Heart to Heart

Title: Heart to Heart ( 하트 투 하트)
Network: TVN
Episodes: 16
Starring:  Choi Gang-Hee, Chun Jung-Myung, Lee Jae-Yoon
Aired: January 9 - February 28, 2015

I watched the first episode of Heart to Heart and absolutely hated it.  I hated the lead actor, I hated the second lead, I hated the lead actress and her awkwardness.  There was nothing I like about the first episode, but I watched the second one and then the third one and before I knew it I was staying up way past my bedtime to watch just one more episode.  The problem is that I can't pinpoint exactly when the transition from hating every aspect of this drama to being completely engrossed in it took place.
The thing with Heart to Heart is that fact that all the characters are so beautifully flawed and broken.  They got under my skin.  After the credits of the last episode, I wanted to start again.  Even wanted to watch that miserable first episode again.
The story revolves around Chang Hong-Do a social awkward woman with social anxiety that manifests itself with uncontrollable blushing.  It is so bad that she can only go out in public wearing a helmet or dressed as an old woman.  She was to be cured from her ailment so that she can talk to and confess to the guy she likes.

In order to do so she seeks the help of Ko Yi-Seok, a famous therapist who is barely keeping it together by a very frail string.  Together they help each other and in the process they fall in love.
When Hong-Do is with Yi-Seok she can communicate clearly and her social anxiety tends to disappear even without her helmet on.  And when Yi-Seok  is in the same room with Hong-Do, he can actually consult with his patients without resorting to alcohol.
Heart to Heart has become one of my favorite dramas just to the sheer fact that it is completely different than most dramas out there now.

Healer

Title: Healer (힐러)
Network:  KBS2
Episodes:  20
Starring:  Ji Chang-Wook, Park Min-Young, Yoo Ji-Tae
Aired:  December 8, 2014 through February 10, 2015

 I'm going to be the first to admit that I don't have the highest standards when it comes to television shows, especially when we are talking about Korean dramas.  I watch and really, really enjoy cheesy television, The Vampire Diaries, cough, cough.  But, I must admit that the greatness that is Healer really caught me off guard.
Everything about this drama worked.  The cast was wonderful and played off each other really well.  The action was continuous and I don't recall a single episode where I had to fast forward through awkward or boring parts.  I even liked the flashback and back story which is almost unbelievable since that seems to be the scenes when I go for a coffee break
The three leads are reporters that are trying to uncover the truth about the past.  It is an action drama with plenty of romance thrown in.  I enjoyed both aspects of this drama.  In some dramas, the action takes a back seat to the romance or vice versa, but not here.  Both parts of the story where handled very well.

I especially like the fact that the main lead isn't exactly a law-abiding good guy, but he is the good guy nonetheless.  I see this drama being compared to City Hunter, and although it might be similar Healer is far superior.

Look at that smile.

le: White Christmas (화이트 크리스마스) also known as Monster (몬스터)
Network: KBS2
Episodes: 8
Starring: Kim Sang Kyung, Baek Sung Hyung, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Soo Hyuk, Sung Joon, Kim Woo Bin, Kwak Jung Wook
Aired: - See more at: http://grimmdef.blogspot.com/2013/04/first-episode-first-impression-white.html#sthash.z6Tn7Kng.dpuf

Title: White Christmas (화이트 크리스마스) also known as Monster (몬스터)
Network: KBS2
Episodes: 8
Starring: Kim Sang Kyung, Baek Sung Hyung, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Soo Hyuk, Sung Joon, Kim Woo Bin, Kwak Jung Wook
Aired: - See more at: http://grimmdef.blogspot.com/2013/04/first-episode-first-impression-white.html#sthash.z6Tn7Kng.dpuf

Title: White Christmas (화이트 크리스마스) also known as Monster (몬스터)
Network: KBS2
Episodes: 8
Starring: Kim Sang Kyung, Baek Sung Hyung, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Soo Hyuk, Sung Joon, Kim Woo Bin, Kwak Jung Wook
Aired: - See more at: http://grimmdef.blogspot.com/2013/04/first-episode-first-impression-white.html#sthash.z6Tn7Kng.dpuf

Obsessed -- Lee Jong Suk

There are times when I become completely and totally obsessed by things, people, food, or what have you.  I’ll get obsessed by an author and have to read everything they’ve ever written.  I’ll become obsessed with planners and have to have every planner supply ever made.  And, the same thing happens when I watch dramas.  I become obsessed by the lead actor or actress or maybe the second lead or the genre and there I go trying to watch everything associated with whatever has caught my eye.  That happened when I watched Pinocchio earlier this year.  I already had a major hard on for Park Shin Hye.

But, this time the one that caught my attention was Lee Jong-Suk.  That smile, those eyes. Sure, at first I was like what the fuck is up with his hair? 

Then, as I continued watching I forgot about the horrendous hair, the cut and style didn't hurt, and became enamored by his smile and those sad, sad, beautiful eyes.  Which led me to watch School 2013, I Hear Your Voice, and place Doctor Stranger and Hot Young Bloods in my need to watch soon list.  I had previously already seen him in both Secret Garden and Prosecutor Princess, although he failed to make an impression then.  But, I am very much looking forward to anything else I wishes to do.

2014 Year in Kdrama or What Exactly Did I Miss?????

 

 

 

After not having watched a single Korean drama in more than a year, I am more than ready to catch up with everything I’ve missed and watch some new and some favorites from past years.  Currently I’m watching “A Witch’s Romance,” which I am enjoying much more than I thought I would.  So, here’s to a New Year filled with drama, romance, bro-mance, friendships, and heartaches all in Korean, of course.

Episode 1 in Pictures: Arang and the Magistrate

Title: Arang and the Magistrate (아랑사또전)

Network: MBC

Episodes: 20

Starring: Lee Joon-Gi, Shin Min-Ah, Yoon Woo-Jin, Yoo Seung-Ho

Aired: Aug.-Oct. 2012

Let's all appreciate how utterly beautiful and sexy Shin Min Ah is