2015 Year in Review

2015 Year in Review – Korean Dramas

First post of 2016, and it will be a look back at the dramas I have watched this past year. Most of these were released prior to 2015, but like I do with most things in life I procrastinate my Kdrama watching, it's part of my charm. I watched most of these dramas in the first quarter of the year and then I took a very, very long break before I started up again when Oh, My Venus, starring Shin Min Ah and So Ji Sub, started in mid November. Apparently, my girl crush on Shin Min Ah is alive and strong and I must of missed how incredibly sexy So Ji Sub was when I watched Master's Sun because damn that boy man is all kinds of steamy.

I watched twenty-one dramas in 2015 not counting the two web dramas I threw in there just for shits and giggles. Seventeen of those I watched from January to April, and then my hiatus from Kdramas began. During this time, I watched some American television. Caught up on some old favorites, Teen Wolf and Supernatural, and realized that American shows don't hold the same appeal as Asian dramas. I mean who in the holy hell has 10 years to devote to a show, well almost 12 now with Supernatural. I got so spoiled by dramas that were all neatly told and finished with one season that waiting to see will or won't they just no longer appeals to me. Sure, I'll still catch a show here and there, mostly once they've been canceled, so I can marathon that shit on Netflix, but I'm no longer excited or looking forward to shows that air in the U.S.

So, with a giddy heart I began watching Oh, My Venus, and promptly remembered how much I fucking hate waiting for new episodes. To fill the time between new episodes I watched some dramas that were already finished and easily available, hello Hulu. Starting from the beginning, in 2015 I watched:

1. A Witch's Romance

Cute and entertaining, older woman, younger man. Not too many cliches and a very satisfying ending.

2. Pinocchio

Park Shin Hye finally learned how to kiss. A very enjoyable drama starring one of my all time favorites, and a new one.

3. School 2013

Speaking of new favorites, Lee Jong Suk along with Kim Won Bin make this bromance drama.

4. Healer

This drama was everything I wanted City Hunter to be.

5. Master's Sun

Way better than I thought it was going to be; the only downside is that fact that So Ji Sub doesn't have black here in this one.

6. Full House (Thai)

Dare I say, better than the original.

7. King 2 Hearts

I loved everything about this drama except for the fucking villain. I wish M would go choke on some donkey balls.

8. Heart to Heart

This might just be my favorite drama of 2015. I found the first episode annoying, but it pulls you into the story and by the end you want just one more episode of the two protagonists.

9. It's Okay, That's Love

A drama that dealt with heavy issues without getting weighed down.

10. Good Doctor and 11. Emergency Couple

Two medical dramas, both of which were meh.

12. I Need Romance

A drama so bad that I couldn't make myself watch the next two installments, although they feature completely different casts.

13. Let's Eat

Yummy food and zany characters. I still can't make myself watch the second one.

                                     

14. Marriage Not Dating

Entertaining without ever becoming boring.

15. I Hear Your Voice

Another older woman, younger man drama. There might be hope for me yet.

16. Love Myself or You

The only Taiwanese drama I finished in 2015, although I tend to enjoy them, for some odd reason I have really hard time getting into Taiwanese dramas.

17. Cunning Single Lady (Sly and Single Again)

Regardless of what you call it, this drama was pretty entertaining, but just boring enough that it started my almost nine month break from Asian dramas. So, maybe it wasn't all that entertaining.

And then, came November with the start of Oh, My Venus, and I was hooked again.

18. My Love from Another Star

Why??? Why did I wait so long to watch this wonderful drama. Yeah, it was everyone was fucking saying how wonderful it was and I didn't want to me disappointed, Kill Me, Heal Me.

19. High School; King of Savvy

This would have been an okay drama if it wasn't for the characters. I don't understand why they had to give the main heroine the brain and emotional maturity of an elementary student. She was such a weak ass person I just wanted to slap her.

20. She Was Pretty

She gave me the biggest second lead boner. Seriously, who wouldn't pick Choi Siwon???

21. Oh, My Ghostess

Funny, and romantic and at time suspenseful; this drama was such a great watch.

So, there are the twenty-one dramas I watched in 2015. I also watched Dream Knights featuring GOT7 and EXO Next Door. This were shorter web dramas less than 15 minutes per episode, so like a movie just divided into chapters. I really enjoyed both of those because they were light and fun, and because both GOT7 and EXO are a bunch of cuties. And, I may have become a bit obsessed with So Ji Sub, but look at him. Can you blame me?

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.

That Winter the Wind Blows Ep. 1-3

       I don’t watch melodramas, except for Sirius, That Winter the Wind Blows is the first for me.  I don’t like to be depressed when I watch Korean dramas, although I do like depressing movies.  When I watch a Kdrama I want to let go of real life and watch something fun and bit on the ridiculous side.  I want to watch something that I know will have a happy ending.  The same reason I like Disney Princess movies because I want to see a happily ever after.  Going into a true melodrama, you never really know if at the end you’ll get that happy ending.  So as a general rule I tend to stay away from them, however, when I first saw the trailer for That Winter the Wind Blows I was determined to watch it.  Besides, I’m already sad that Flower Boy Next Door ends next week a bit more melancholy will hardly register.  (BTW, are you watching Flower Boy Next Door? And if not, why not? Go, now, watch it.  I’ll wait here.)

    The drama opens in a barren winter landscape where a lone tree breaks the unending white of winter.  Underneath the tree is a parcel of clothing, and as we see a woman quickly walk away from the tree we are given a glimpse of a baby in the parcel.  This is our “hero” Oh Soo, who we find out in the voice over is living a meaningless life.  The barren tree is very significant because in many ways Oh Soo sees himself like that tree devoid of life. The first episode sets us up for the main plot of the drama and in parts it feels more like an action drama than a melodrama.  There are fights, flights, and car crashes.  But beneath the action you feel Oh Soo’s sense of desperation.  I’ve seen all three episodes out now, and that sense of desperation mixed in with deep sadness prevails throughout the three episodes.  It comes from Oh Soo and also from the main female lead, Oh Young.  Both of their lives, for different reasons, have made them into innately sad people.
    I think since the first episode was shockful of action scenes the second and third episodes nothing really happened.  The story moved forward, people talked, the bad guy stalked, and I became completely hooked on the drama.  I can feel the sadness emanating from these two characters, the loneliness they’ve lived with for most of their lives and it touches something within me.  I don’t want to cry, but I do want to smack a few people.  
    My absolute favorite parts however are whenever Kim Bum and Jung Eun Ji are on camera and not just because I happen to adore them, but because they have wonderful chemistry together and become a backdrop to showcase that although Oh Soo might be lonely he isn’t really alone.  I don’t want to spoil the drama go watch it, well, after you’ve caught up with Flower Boy Next Door of course. 

My KDrama Obsession

 I'm completely and totally obsessed with Asian dramas.  I love them all, Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, but my absolute, hands down, no runner up favorite are Korean dramas.  I have watched more than thirty and counting.  There's this really cool website for keeping track of dramas you've watched, want to watch, are watching, called My Drama List.  I like it because I can keep track of what I've watched and you can score them in case late at night you are jonesing for something good to watch but can't figure out what new drama to start you can always go through your list and pick out one to rewatch.  My list has all the dramas I've seen and what I've thought of them and yes I do sometimes go back to rewatch my favorite episode like Coffee Prince's episode 11 or Heartstrings' episode 7 or Lie to Me's episode 8 oh and so many more.

My current obsession with Kdramas started a couple of years ago when I was bullied by my best friend to watch Boys Over Flowers, and although, that particular drama is cheesy and over the top and so sweet it will make your teeth ache it was also so very very addicting I watched the 25 episodes over a weekend and then promptly started my next drama.  Since then I've taken breaks usually when I become obsessed with something else, Doctor Who & Torchwood, I'm looking at you, but I always go back to Kdramas. They make me happy. 

I need to practice writing for the sake of writing so I'll be updating dramas I've watched and reviews.  I'll post my top 5 Kdramas in the next day or two and then this weekend my review for the last two I've watched which were Reply 1997 and Devil Beside You, this one is from Taiwan.  Till then go watch a Kdrama.  There are a multitude of place to watch on line including Crunchy Roll, Viki, Drama Fever, and let's not forget Hulu and Netflix.