Jealousy Incarnate (2016)

Although I watched this love triangle drama till the end, my disappointment did not disappear. The basic idea of this drama could have been quite interesting, but the main characters and their behaviour spoiled it completely. The worst was the female main lead, who was just naive, awkward and simply dumb, which was completely contradictory to her ambition to become an anchor. I could not understand why both male leads fell for her. For the rich Go Jung Won her attraction might have been based on the fact that she was likable, modest and no typical high-society daughter. But the fact that her arrogant and erratic colleague, whom she was pestering with her care and affection, finally fell for her although he had rejected her for three years, is not convincing at all. And in the end she even chose the latter for marriage, although his affectionate caring friend would have been the better match for her. The whole plot was dragging on and there were too many lengthy scenes. The only interesting aspect of this drama were the scenes that dealt with the difficult work at a broadcasting station and the problems the respective staff had. Personally I would not recommend this drama, all the more as it is relatively long with 24 episodes.

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Oh my gosh. I love this drama sooo much! It's insanely funny, beautifully deep, and the characters are written so realistically and lovably.  It's so much fun! Also, guess what? It doesn't get boring even though it's over 16 episodes.

I love how the writers just throw you into the drama without hesitation. The first episode may seem a bit hard to keep track of but this is what makes it so good. It's okay if you are a little confused as to how all the characters are connected, just go with the flow. I was immediately intrigued with each character introduced which was honestly quite a few. I have to sincerely congratulate every one of the actors because no matter how small the role I enjoyed the presence of each actor immensely and they each brought their own interesting and individual contributions to a drama full of wonderful characters. I also loved the story of this drama and the issues that were dealt with. I love when occupations play a part in dramas and this drama intertwines the stress and behind the scenes at broadcasting stations in a way that always had my heart racing either out of excitement or anxiousness. I also appreciated the issues that were brought up such as male breast cancer (I would name other issues dealt with but I don't want to spoil anything) and the way in which the issues were presented. The parts of the drama that were meant to be sad, were truly very heartbreaking, but this drama manages to keep the comedy going and never lets you feel dragged down for long as there's a good balance between the serious and comedic moments.

Jo Jung Suk does not disappoint which I already knew from having watched him in Oh My Ghostess and You're the Best Lee Soon Shin. His character is beautifully flawed. Hwa Shin is egotistical, rough, insecure, and proud but somehow his character manages to be so incredibly lovable. Jo Jung Suk has this presence that makes his characters so interesting and entertaining. Sometimes I would just laugh out loud because of a facial expression! Gong Hyo Jin I wasn't as sure about going into this one because although I liked her I hadn't really seen her in all that much but she is officially my favorite female actress. Pyo Na Ri is a character who is refreshing in and of herself but I struggle to picture any other actress portraying her in quite as likable of a light as Gong Hyo Jin did. Go Kyung Pyo I had only ever seen in Flower Boy Next Door and I didn't really remember him much from that but I truly appreciate him as an actor now. Go Jung Won was a very likable character as he was pretty close to perfect but I think the writers did a good job of making his character mildly annoying later on which I think helps support Hwa Shin with Pyo Na Ri. I also was greatly amused/entertained by the fights/struggles between Ppal gang's moms and loved their heated interactions and their bonding moments. Oh and Beomi is so fricken cute like omigosh I wanted to pinch his lil face!

I noticed comments saying that the drama didn't do a good job of maintaining a balance between storylines but I disagree because part of the beauty of this drama is in the way it is laid out. The fact that sometimes certain storylines overtake others or that the balance shifts throughout the drama is what makes it so fresh and entertaining. I never found myself contemplating when they were going to go back to the main couple or when they were gonna address the supporting characters or sidestorys like I have found myself doing in so many other slow paced dramas because of how engrossing the main couples relationship was. Plus, as much as I liked the supporting characters, which was a lot because they were amazing, the main couples story was just so well done and exciting that it wouldn't have made sense for the writers to take time away from them to address a pretty typical high school relationship. I liked Chi Yeol, Dae Goo and Ppal Gang, but I was so much more invested in Pyo Na Ri, Lee Hwa Shin, and Go Jeong Won  so to me I felt like the writers were smart to shift the focus to them once the drama started getting more intense. Everything that needed to be addressed got addressed! And even though not everyone got their "perfect fairy tale ending," I think it was more than fitting where all the characters stories ended and I didn't feel cheated one bit at the end.

So I could go on and on but I'll stop now realizing that I already have. I would STRONGLY recommend this to anyone who loves a wonderfully strong cast, interesting supporting characters as well as amazing leads, perfectly timed comedy and music (I loved every track and still listen to them), great chemistry and romance, and unique issues that are dealt with in a deep way. Honestly it's one of my all time favorite dramas.

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Jo Jung Suk is so good in this one! You get entrapped in his emotions!
It contained everything a drama aught to have: it was funny, sad, entertaining with a roller-coaster of events happening!
Though I have watched & rated many previous dramas, this was the first 1 that made me want to write a review!
The music is awesome, it helps you feel so much more personally involve in the plot.
Even Go Kyung Pyo gives an amazing performance, so much so that I was rooting for him the first part of the drama!
For me, it was so good that I did a re-watch right away! Hope all the romantic souls out there will like it as much as I did.

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The most disappointing Kdrama

I've never been this disappointed about a kdrama.
This one had so much potential and it only got worse half way. What a way to show women are weak and often go for the wrong guy.
How can anyone who was ignored, mistreated, belittle, and even humiliated in front of others decides to go with the guy who did all of that to her.
This guy was all about himself and winning and what bad friend specially to a guy who was supposed to be such a nice guy.
Forget the part about the best friend having more money and is more handsome and taller, but he is kind, thoughtful, mature, selfless, and stands up to the mother who wants to marry him to just another rich girl.
Lee Hwa Shin, should have been a better friend a better man and stand to the side and let go of the girl he ignored for 3 years.
Pyo Na Ri, drove me crazy with her weak personality, always crying and not standing up to herself when anyone was mean to hear. Once can only take so much.
They really need to write better female characters that stand for themselves and have more respect for themselves.
I have no clue why they dragged this drama to 24 episodes, I actually stop at 19, because it was ridiculous.
This story should have been done in 12 episodes!

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Typical patriarchal and sexist drama that is ingrained with sexism

Good things first, I simply love the cast of the drama and how there are instances where women working after marriage and giving birth is normalised and the attempt of the drama to normalise divorce and dysfunctional families. I loved how it has moved away from the traditional notion of the family. I liked it's attempt to address the issue of breast cancer.
What I don't like is the sheer insensitivity the drama has had on various topics that have been present in the society since time immemorial. It's very evident that the characters and the story was written by men without consulting even a single woman. For starters, no woman in her right mind would continue to like a person who gives her shit or doesn't treat her well. Any woman would prefer to be with a man who knows how to take care of himself, helps with the household chores and treats her well rather than being with an entitled, arrogant manchild who can't do anything by himself. But since this drama is written by well men who want to be with women who take care of them just like their mothers (or who suffer from Oedipus complex) the woman chases an arrogant and entitled manchild who doesn't value her or treat her well. This also promotes the most toxic mentality that "if a guy doesn't treat you well, he likes you" and "women should leave behind their dignity and self-respect for the man they love".
These reasons ruined what would have been the most amazing rom com korean dramas of all time.

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A feel good and fun watch
Although a few episodes longer than the usual Kdrama format, never a dull moment.
Even though I don't like indescisive people, I found here the love triangle is handled very well.
It was a pleasant change that they took the serious elements and portrayed them in a positive and light way rather than turning a light fun watch into a melodrama.
I have to say I liked the second lead a lot, still I loved the spoilt brat of a hero, he portrays his character so well.
I have always liked this actress, and have seen nearly all her drama, here too she does a good job. The other thing is the skinship, done so naturally with someone you love.
No evil moms, no vamps creating misunderstandings, no annoying or heart burning moments.
It would have been better if all the side stories had been wrapped up well, the kids romance, the ajummas and the chef, but they were not given enough time to evolve and complete.
The main story was very well done.
overall a pleasant and enjoyable watch. Time well spent.

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Weather forecast: love triangles with a chance of loose ends

Although 24 episodes may seem like a chore, this drama manages to make all of them worthwhile.
I risked dropping it after the first episode, though, when not just one but three love triangles became apparent from the get go. I put my trust in the very strong cast and was not disappointed. In fact, this rom-com has unexpected depths that make it interesting for the reluctantly romantic too . Despite starting with a cancer diagnosis and character death, the tone is always light and even the more dramatic scenes cleverly keep an undercurrent sense of humor that is aided by the excellent comedic skills of the actors.
Of course, we get our romantic tropes, yet the author has the ability to steer away from clichés and keep the narrative fresh and gripping.
In the first half of the show we are exposed to an ambitious number of themes, situations and characters, a bunch of them will not survive to the end (Wok of Love, by the same writer, is similar in this aspect. The loose ends might be a sort of irritating stylistic choice...)whereas those that progress toward their resolution are consistent enough to grant general coherence and, most of all, viewer's satisfaction.

The main characters are well written and come to life in the expert hands of Gong Yo Jin and Jo Jung Suk. I won't speak about chemistry because it would be like minimizing their acting skills since I am a firm believer in the fact that great actors can conjure passion with a rock if they need to. So, I'm going to say that, whether they're bickering (like an old married couple) or kissing, they are fire. Very hot.
Go Kyung Pyo is up to the standard (and up there in my personal Korean Hotties' Olympus), of course, but his character is doomed to a blander taste. Nonetheless, this is one of those rare dramas where the second male lead gets a decent exposition and at a certain point I wasn't so sure about the outcome of the triangle (honestly, if I were Na Ri, I would've picked him. He was sweet, well mannered, dependable, had a beautiful house, knew how to make marvelous dresses to compliment her figure and all this in addition to being HOT and RICH. He was even capable of respectfully battling his mother!).

I am not too fond of the triangle resolution. I mean, I don't believe that one can discern love based on the presence or lack of jealousy.
In my experience, jealousy stems from insecurity. I read Na Ri's jealousy as the result of intermittent and deficient emotional availability on Hwa Shin's part. He is sweltering hot but also inherently problematic.
The sad truth is that the majority of us can't help but fall for self-assured (and self-centered), competent (know-it-all), determined (bull-headed), manly assholes.

Hwa Shin makes great use of grammar and communication skills when reporting news but is ridiculously unable to express his innermost feelings and thoughts. Therefore he gets jealous, he pushes and pulls his beloved in a power game fit for kindergarteners, all in the attempt to keep her love. A love he didn't know how to respond to in the beginning and that became precious to him only when threatened.
On the other hand, we have Na Ri, a character that could have easily become a candy girl (for which the very basic requirements are : being1) hardworking, 2) cheerful, 3) innocent and 4)catching the eye of a wealthy chaebol), but manages, in her utter inexperience, to express her love fearlessly (despite the mocking and the indifference), honestly deal with her vulnerability, grow beyond it, save her beloved, teach him, make him human.
In short, an everyday woman.
I love the creative solution she comes up with to test her suitors by living together (I would have continued living with both and being pampered indefinitely). Her only true shortcoming is having a crush on someone as difficult as Hwa Shin.

The bromance was very strong in the beginning, but lost consistency along the way. I would've liked a little more backstory. The glimpse we get on the shared girlfriend doesn't shed any light on the bromance origins. It does, however, cast a doubt on the sincerity of Hwa Shin and Jeong Won's feelings toward Na Ri: are they in love or just competing?
I approved of them resolving their issues and going back to being friends, albeit I'm not really sure on the dynamics of the reconciliation (apparently, it is proper etiquette in Kdramas for the losing suitor to graciously admit defeat and stay friends with the main couple).

I deeply appreciated the idea of talking about breast cancer as a male experience. It gave the story a unique spin and is effective in underlining the social stigma and isolation of cancer patients.
I was sold on the scene in which Hwa Shin undergoes mammography. It is something the audience had to experience through his eyes. Also, the dialogues that refer to the surgeries, both Hwa Shin's an Na Ri's, where they express their concerns on the aesthetic outcome and the lopsided chest, definitely won me over.

I would've liked a stronger focus on the life of a Korean newsroom (I am a fan of The Newsroom with Jeff Daniels), although the little glimpses we get are enough to enrich the story as well as convey a little bit of the author commentary on social issues.

As for the things I didn't like instead, first and foremost the loose ends and the almost complete eclipse of the side characters storylines. Na Ri, for example, is, in the beginning, an affectionate sister who makes sacrifices in order to provide for her teenage brother. Later on, she will practically abandon him to his own devices for the majority of the series (she even misses the career counseling meeting!). And what about Chef's asexuality, a brilliant prompt that is rashly and uninspiringly resolved in the end (although I liked the ending of the triangle between the 2 moms and Gang Pal). There are many other subplots that frame the main narrative that are carelessly managed and just disturb my OCD. I won't put them here now but I'll keep them listed in my heart. For sure.

Female Empowerment Score 4/5 Na Ri is a resilient woman with a dream. She reports the weather and is held in contempt for trying to meet the chauvinistic requests of her employer. She dreams of being dignified and recognized for the effort she puts in gaining competence. But her workplace is a rat-race of women trying to win in a rigged game (it is clear how different the work experience is for Na Ri and Hwa Shin). Despite it all, these amazing women (Seong Sook, Ja Yeong, Hye Won) will learn to support each other. Also, Na Ri is very independent, she knows when to accept other people help but is resourceful and has the capacity to defend herself (from sleazy Anchor Park) and overcome any hardship . She could very well go on living on her own and be successful, however she chooses to adopt this complete mess of a man that would have definitely perished without her. She loses one point though for choosing Hwa Shin in place of Jeong Won...

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What a ride!

Just to warn you, this is not a calm romance, this is crazy, more like a parody! There are very hilarious moments making fun of other romcom dramas, but there are also serious themes like breast cancer and awareness.
The main couple is amazing, Jo Jung Suk is perfect for these hyper male roles and Gong Hyo Jin is still very cute and natural. It's funny to see a male lead who's struggling so much whereas the female lead is trying to get over it.
There are also great secondary characters and several love triangles.
If you're looking for a refreshing and a bit extra drama, this one is for you!

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First of all I DESPISE love triangles soooo much! Of course that's part of the M.O. of all Korean dramas (with the exception of maybe a handful). So imagine my surprise that I was able to put up with ALL of the love triangles in this drama. There were multiple love triangles and not just love interests, but family and even between friendships. I think the honesty the characters had with each other was what kept me moving forward watching this. This was actually a really good and interesting story and the actors did a really good job. I really enjoy Gong Hyo Jin, she is one of my favorite actors to watch and usually I enjoy everything she does. This was great to watch, not really fluff fluff, but not too heavy on the heart. Def recommend this when you are wanting to watch something a little unconventional.

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Only sort of a love triangle

The plot is messy; agreed. The love triangle fizzles out a bit early, and along with it, presumably, an opportunity to better understand why the heck those two were friends in the first place. But, I came here just to defend Pyo Na Ri’s choice because the amount of folks claiming she picked the wrong guy is just… perplexing.

Yes, one guy is “nice” and rich, but he’s also controlling (all that consideration comes at a cost—she needs to do what he says or else get yelled out, or coldly shut out) and, most importantly, she’s never fully comfortable with him. We never meet his father, but the writing makes it pretty clear that Go Jung Won is a lot like him. Most importantly, says he’ll “never give her up” even when she asks him to. BIGGEST RED FLAG EVER. Run; don’t walk.

Meanwhile, while the other guy is “selfish,” sure, but that is pretty clearly demonstrated to be about his fear (of failure, of ridicule) rather than a lack of regard for others. He cares so much for the people he loves that he sometimes does or says the hard thing instead of the easy thing. Lee Hwa Shin shows Na Ri his vulnerability and he makes multiple real sacrifices for her happiness (overcoming the very fears that made him selfish in the first place). He’s even willing to let her go when he thinks (briefly) that that’s what she wants.

plot wise, lots of loose ends and weird red herrings (voice phishing…? what?!), and the bit about Chef getting “cured” pretty much canceled any wins for ace visibility, but big props for the breast cancer angle, great lead chemistry, and wonderful twin cougar supporting roles.

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