Wow! Sweet and tender love story that caught me off-guard.

A moving K-drama about a young architect and a street urchin dealing with their grief and guilt after having been dug out of the rubble of a collapsed department store 10 years earlier. It is at times tinder and sweet; melancholy without being too maudlin. Except for the very end when things get wrapped up a little too neatly, this wonderful story explores love and loss from a variety perspectives, all of which feel very real. The cast is fantastic, starting with the two first-time leads. Won Jin Ah plays the young architect Ha Moon Soo, who has become adept at assuaging others pain and tamping down conflict while burying her own pain and anguish. Lee Jun Ho plays the street urchin Lee Kang Doo, haunted by his experience and forced to live by his wits while attempting to take care of a motley group of downtrodden friends. The supporting cast is terrific. I especially liked Yoon Se Ah as the madam Ma Ri and one of Korea's national treasures, Na Moon Hee, as Grandmother. Finally, this maybe the best OST ever. The music and lyrics supported the moods and dialog flawlessly. Great story, well told.

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Too big of a stretch for me

The premise of Coffee Prince is pretty interesting: A scrappy tomboy, scratching out a living to support her widowed mom and high school-age sister, gets mistaken as a young man and dragged into a friendship with a dashing young coffee heir that evolves into more than either of them bargained for.

From what I can gather from reading other reviews, apparently gender benders like this one are a whole sub-genre of K-dramas that I wasn’t aware of. The other reviews lean overwhelmingly positive, so I guess I’m not a fan of the genre. I just couldn’t get past the suspension of disbelief that is required to get on board, starting with the tomboy Eun Chan played by the diminutive Yoon Eun Hye. All the baggy clothes in the world couldn’t cover up that small waist and curvy hips. There is no way she could pass as a man under an even cursory inspection or a friendly arm around the waist. Wrapping her chest in ace bandages would never be enough.

Next, the dashing, and supposedly worldly, coffee heir Han Gyul (Gong Yoo) is inexplicably inexperienced in the ways of love. I simply didn't buy his attraction to the scruffily dressed, hard-drinking, gluttonous tomboy (although Gong Yoo played it well enough). Sure, Eun Chan was disarming and cute in her own way, but dating-an-heir-with-rockstar-looks cute? And his cousin, Han Sung (Lee Sun Kyun) certainly had no problem identifying Eun Chan's gender. Why was Han Gyul so oblivious?

My mild irritation with these and a few other things percolated below the surface as I watched the story unfold. But while I felt that the story could have been so much better, the leads kept me engaged as it rolled along—so much so, that I’m conflicted over how to rate this one. It is certainly better than average, but ugh! I didn’t buy a big part of the premise, so in my book it’s certainly no 10. I ended up splitting the difference: Not great, but well better than average.

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Thoroughly enjoyable drama in which the great cast overcomes an "OK" story.

A solid drama with wonderful leads and a great supporting cast. However, the meandering story in which one of the characters struggles with schizophrenia veers perilously close to a lecture on acceptance in a few places. Thankfully, those moments are few and quickly fade into the background while we get to enjoy the great chemistry of the cast. Gong Hyo Jin (When the Camelia's Bloom) plays Ji Hae Soo, a sexually repressed psychiatrist whose struggles with physical affection are well known to all of her family and friends (except inexplicably her mom). Hae Soo vacillates between an endearing vulnerability and a prickly self-sufficiency. Jo In Sung (That Winter, The Wind Blows) plays the dashing young author Jang Jae Yeol. Rich and successful (of course), Jae Yeol has a dark past that briefly explodes in the dramas opening scene. Sparks fly when the two appear on a television panel together to talk about human relationships, where Hae Soo is not impressed by the brash, self-confident author. On the other hand, Jae Yeol is intrigued (of course). Jae Yeol turns out to have much more insight into the human condition than might be expected from a dashing playboy. So much more, in fact, that his insight proves valuable to Hae Soo and her co-workers in the treatment of their patients, who suffer from an interesting variety mental health conditions. I found it all a bit implausible and the treatments seemed to me to gloss over how great a challenge recovery can be. But such is the world that kdramas exist in. This is ultimately a love story, and the chemistry between the leads made it a very believable one.

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Run away, run away

Yet another mental health educational video masquerading as a romcom in the same vein as Doctor Slump and Daily Dose of Sunshine, which were also terrible. The two leads and main love interests have no discernable chemistry. The plot was all over the place before settling in to its preachy mental health message. As if that weren't enough, the producers even had the temerity to finish the drama with an allegory in the form of a children's play so that even a 5-year-old could get the message. (I wish I were joking.) This one was as bad as the other two. Hopefully , this is the last of them. Skip.

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Starts off with a bang, then limps to an unsatisfying conclusion.

"Now, We Are Breaking Up" starts off a with a bang (pun intended), filled with sizzling chemistry between the leads, but the story soon starts to meander, wobble, then get repetitive. For those wondering "Now, We Are Breaking Up" essentially translates to "Let us both agree that this relationship will end eventually, so during the entire time we're together we will be in the process of breaking up." It's kind of a lame idea that gets played as a "deep thought". The two leads spew similar not so "deep thoughts" in voice overs where they pontificate about living and loving in the here and now. (Honestly, it's a mystery this stuff made it out of the script room.)

Ha Young Eun seems one dimensional, and Song Hye Kyo's acting is flat. Jang Ki Yong's performance is a bit lackluster too. But there are some bright spots. Perhaps the brightest is the delightful relationship between the 2nd leads, dingbat Hwang Chi Sook and lovesick Seok Do Hoon. (If only they'd been given more screen time!) Other relationships explore interesting ground too. When philandering husband Kwak Soo Ho discovers that his wife Jeon Mi Suk is seriously ill, the realization of how much she has sacrificed for him to be where he is becomes a punch in the gut. Ha Young En's self-righteous, tone deaf father comes to a similar realization when her mom demands a divorce, regretting her years of self-sacrifice and longing for roads not taken. Chi Sook's dad, the gruff CEO Hwang, turns out to be surprisingly interesting and insightful, but other characters (Jae Guk's mom) are almost kdrama tropes.

One final note: Song Hye Kyo is absolutely lovely, but she's now a lovely 40 something. She has about reached her expiration date for carrying this kind of romantic melodrama with a leading man 11 years her junior. I for one would like to see her romance more mature leading men in their 40s or 50s, and perhaps even play a mother figure.

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Complete lack of chemistry between the leads spoils this one.

I took a chance on Soul Mechanic (“Fix You” on Viki) solely because it had Jung So Min in the lead and although I was ultimately disappointed with the drama, it wasn’t because of her. Jung So Min can play beautiful, shy and vulnerable with the best of them, but in this part she was also asked to express the anger and rage of someone in need of serious clinical help. It was shocking to watch in places, but she inhabited the character so completely that it was utterly believable (at least until the final few episodes, during which the script had Woo Joo somehow heal herself and get her life back together). Jung So min was lovely as usual. Her long wavy auburn locks were mesmerizing, and her quirky wardrobe with its long billowy dresses fit her personality wonderfully (although it was a tad hard to swallow that a struggling artist could afford those clothes and that apartment).

So what was the source of my disappointment with Soul Mechanic/Fix You? Well, for starters there was absolutely no chemistry between the lead characters Han Woo Joo (Jung So Min) and Lee Shi Joon (Shin Ha Kyun), which for a romantic comedy pretty much kills it. As I watched I couldn’t tell if the problem was with the actors, their characters, or the script. It just wasn’t there. Part of it could have been the cringey doctor patient relationship that the script tried to lamely explain away toward at one point. Part of it could have been that—even by kdrama standards—the romance between Woo Joo and Dr. Lee was incredibly tame (lame?), almost entirely platonic in nature. And part of it could have been the age difference between the actors Shin Ha Kyun and Jung So Min (15 years). They just didn’t look natural together. Speaking of age gap, I found it hard to swallow that Dr. Lee’s Dad was actually old enough to be his Dad. The two actors differ in age by 17 years, but they looked more like brothers. It was jarring and really affected the credibility of the story.

This is a weird show. It’s good in places, but ultimately unsatisfying. Fans of Jung So Min will see something they haven’t seen before, but some of it is not pretty to watch. Others will want to skip this one altogether.

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More "k-soap opera" than "k-drama"

When I started this drama, I thought I must be a glutton for punishment. It had the same look and feel of the 52 episode groaner Young Lady and the Gentleman, starred the same male lead, and shared many of the same supporting actors reprising similar roles--including Cha Wha Yun again as the self-centered, cruel mother. And no surprise at all: It's from the same screenwriter, Kim Sa Kyung. But the similarities really end there. The script seems more polished, the ebb and flow of the love lines run smoother and are more fleshed out. The OST does a much better job of supporting the action. For its type, this show is actually pretty good.

To be clear, this show more of a "k-soap opera" than a "k-drama." It's production values are more like an American soap opera or a Mexican telenovella with brightly lit sets and low budget outdoor scenes. The plot features eye-rolling plot twists, over the top villains, and hammy acting, but these are all part of the "charm" of this genre. Just when you think it can't get any crazier, it absolutely does go there. (The table reads must have been laugh out loud funny!)

So don't read too much into the really negative (or positive) reviews of this show. This isn't highbrow art, it is simply campy fun. Enjoy it for what it is.

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Good, not great. For fans of light comedy/romance without too critical an eye.

First, I liked this drama very much, but there is no way it deserves a 10/10. Read the reviews that gave more realistic grades and the reasons they were given, and let them guide you. Is this a feel good drama? Absolutely. But realistically speaking that's about it. And despite the fact that I think Shin Hye Sun is one of the best actresses working, this drama isn't in the same league as Hometown Cha-Cha or Hospital Playlist. It isn't even Shin Hye Sun's best work. (Check out "Thirty But Seventeen" or "Mr. Queen".) This drama is simply good, not great.

I thought Welcome to Samdal-ri was going great until the final quarter, where things kind of petered out to the expected conclusion. There is a lot of filler in the final two episodes in particular. There just wasn't enough story to fill up all 16 episodes, and dragging things out exposed some issues with the story. Sang Do's 30-year one-sided love was more than a bit farfetched, and the amount of screen time it was given made even less sense. The extent of Cho Yong Pil's father's animosity toward Go Mi Ja felt way too harsh, and it also deserved less screen time. (There had to be a better way to create tension in the plot.) Other storylines really deserved a lot more screen time, like Hae Dal's relationship with the dolphin scientist. (And her daughter was a complete delight, stealing nearly every scene she was in.) More could have been made of big sister's wacky relationship with her chaebol ex-husband, and finally more could've been made of Sam Dal & Yong Pil's reunion, giving them more time to explore their new dynamic. Not exploring these storylines made the presence of so much filler all the more frustrating.

As much as I liked this drama, its flaws were obvious even to me. It is not a 10/10, but if you like feel-good dramas you will like this one. And if you have a more critical eye, there are better shows to watch.

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Compelling story about a village of widows and single women in war ravaged 1950s Korea

Compelling story about a village of widows and single women scratching out an existence in war ravaged 1950s Korea when one of the widows stumbles across a deserter in a nearby bamboo forest. The movie avoids taking sides in the war--there is barely any mention of North or South. Instead it focuses on the desperate plight of those left behind after their husbands and sons have gone off to war and the anxiousness of not knowing--and possibly never knowing--whether they are alive or dead. In one interesting sequence, the deserter daydreams in color about the school teacher's life he lived before the war. This was one of 10 movies that Kim Soo-yong cranked out in 1967 and despite the obviously low dollar production value, it is worth a watch.

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A throwback to the era of Stairway to Heaven

A total throwback to the era of Stairway to Heaven and early Korean dramas, which makes it a deliciously guilty pleasure. Everything about this revenge drama is way over the top. The bad guys are so bad you want to strangle them and the good guys are so adorable you want to pinch their cheeks. There are orphans, lost memories, murders, return from the dead, fake relatives, 2nd wives, step sibling rivalries, chaebols, bad guys who ultimately redeem themselves, bad guys who get what they deserve, and lots of other craziness that is only found in kdramas. This is not great literature come to life. This is ridiculousness in its full kdrama glory. Thumbs up!

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An absolute riot of tropes

My Love Eun Dong epitomizes everything that makes kdramas a unique art form. It is simultaneously hilariously eye-rolling and warmly engaging. It is an absolute riot of tropes: Fated love, rich boy/poor girl, amnesia, insane coincidences, and a love triangle are all there. Scenes are filled with piggyback rides and wrist grabs, shared umbrellas, bullying and bitch slaps. Everyone will know from the very first episode how it all will end, but the journey is enjoyable nonetheless. None of the villains seem too unbeatable and none of the obstacles feel completely insurmountable. It is impossible not to pull for the two star-crossed lovers. The title “My Love Eun Dong” is a phrase that appears several times in the second half, and it is a touching sentiment. This isn’t a great drama by any means, but I really liked it for what it is.

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A wonderful feel-good romp

I had no idea what to expect going into this one and I was delightfully surprised. This is feel-good romantic comedy—with a little mystery, suspense, and action thrown in--and I absolutely loved it. Petite, doe-eyed Park Bo Young was perfect for the role of Do Bong Soon. Her diminutive stature and schoolgirl innocence fit the part perfectly and she was a delight to watch. Her chemistry with Park Hyung Shik as Min Hyuk was terrific, and they looked wonderful together. Kim Ji Soo was also good as the brooding cop who discovers too late that he let the love of his life slip away.

The rest of the cast is also good. I can only imagine how wild it must have been filming some of this stuff. How anyone kept a straight face is beyond me. Kim Won Tae goes completely over the top in the dual roles of gangster Kim Kwang Bok and the swishy Oh Dol Pyu. It is hilarious in places and cringeworthy in others, but he held absolutely nothing back. Jang Mi Kwan was super creepy as the villain Kim Jang Hyuk. All in all, it was a wonderful ensemble they assembled for this production.

A couple of special shout outs: First, to the team that created the subtitles. I watched this show on Viki and the translation to English was wonderful, often explaining the double meanings, alliteration, word play, and cultural references in the Korean dialog. Outstanding! Second, I don’t normally pay much attention to the OST, but I immediately recognized the voice of Jeong Eun Ji singing the “Secret Garden” love theme. What an amazing talent.

So what kept me from rating this one a “10”? Some of the other reviews have complained a bit about the jarring contrast between the mostly happy, cartoonish theme, the bumbling gangsters, and the violence and gore related to the dark, sinister bad guy. I have to agree with that. If there were a machine to create the perfect drama, I would use it to tweak the settings on this one. I would dial back the violence and darkness a bit, dial back the cutesy on romantic lead Min Hyuk just a little and the shreeking campiness of the queen Dol Pyu a little more. I would also dial back the Keystone cops effect on the bumbling mobsters just a little bit, add a dash more of grandma, and a little less of Bong Soon’s mom beating up on her dad. However, these are all mostly quibbles. Don’t let any of it stop you from watching this wonderful show.

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A bit of a disappointment

This show, which was highly rated by some of my favorite MDL reviewers, didn’t live up to expectations. While it did evade some of the worst K-drama tropes—like a breakup only to makeup in the final act, or overbearing in-laws for whom social status is much more important than love when it comes to marriage—the story offered nothing to replace them with. The one bit of suspense was confusing and far-fetched (memory transference?!!), and the inevitable romance plodded along, albeit pleasantly, to the end.

After having seen Park Seo Joon in the lead role now in two K-dramas (Itaewon Class and this one) I have to say I’m not a fan. I find it very hard to connect with his characters. His Lee Yeong Joon is such a colossal jerk through the first 4 episodes that I found the very idea of the angelic Secretary Kim (played by Park Min Young) falling for him exasperating considering what he’d put her through for the previous 9 years. And even though Yeong Joon mellowed out in the second half, I never really recovered. His narcissism was at times self-mocking and played to comedic effect, while at other times—like when we heard his internal monologue—he appeared to be disturbingly self-absorbed. In either case, the cringeworthy “aura” humor wore thin rather quickly. I also found his transformation from complete jerk to compassionate, considerate boyfriend beyond belief.

The angelic Park Min Young played Secretary Kim (Kim Mi So) and did a good job with what she had to work with. She was absolutely lovely, but all she was asked to do was be pretty and sweet and flash her startled doe-eyed look a few times per episode. The real stars of this show were in the supporting cast. Kang Ki Young had all the best lines and absolutely nailed the part of Yeong Joon’s only friend, President Park You Shik. He was hilarious, and his interactions with and his secretary Ma Eum (Kim Ye Won) were highlights of the show. Other characters shined too, like Bong So Ra (Hwang Bo Ra) and her wacky relationship with Secretary Yang (Kang Hong Suk), and Kim Ji Ah (Pyo Ye Jin) and office heartthrob with a secret, Go Gwi Nam (Hwang Chang Sung).

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