Power corrupts, but does it have to corrupt one's soul, too?

I wholeheartedly believe there is some truth in every fictional story. Blood Free is no exception, especially in the way it depicts how the 1% delusional wealthy believe themselves to be superior to everybody else and think, not just accept but demand that the laws of man and land not apply to them in any way, shape, or form. They deserve not only elitism, amorality, but immortality just because they are wealthy boggles the mind. It makes me wonder. I know power corrupts, but does it have to corrupt one's soul, too? How can a parent such as Seon Woo Jae's ( I love me some Lee Hee Joon) mother, who loves her child so much, have such disregard for someone else's child; what makes them think only their child is precious? I will never understand. That said, what a brilliantly made drama!

Watching a fantastic show on TV or a great movie in the theatre sometimes leaves us thinking about what made that so great and why it moved us or made us nervous. I have come to understand that a TV show or movie can only become influential when all the key elements such as plot, character, thought, diction, spectacle, musical score, mystery, action, directing, and acting are done correctly -- all of which were intelligently weaved in Blood-free to make it beyond excellent, superb in fact. I think Blood Free is undoubtedly one of the best K-dramas Disney+ has ever produced, right there with A Shop for Killers, if not the best. Kudos to all, especially Han Hyo Joo. She was outstanding, and so was Ju Ji Hoon and everybody else. When I started this drama I thought Yoon Ja Yoo the most impactful character but by the end of it On San (Lee Moo Saeng) left an even bigger mark. The mere fact that this was only 10 episodes, made me believe there would be a second season to it. I await it, patiently.

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Not Enough

Weirdly, the ending was the best part of this drama. I am surprised to say this, especially since I thought and still think this is one of my worst experiences in K-drama. None of the actors, or actresses did justice to their roles except perhaps Han Chae Ah as Yoo Yoon Young. She made me hate her, so kudos to her. The other was Mi So, Seo Jung Won, and Seol Jae Woo's little girl. She was adorable; she stole the show. Everybody else was a mess, even Kim Ha Neul; she was at her worst as Seo Jung Won. It's sad, as she is a gifted actor. I can't put all the blame on the actors. They didn't have much to work with in the story-telling, the directing, or the editing. An actor is only as good as the storyteller and director, and both could have done better. The drama had potential; it might have been a big hit with another writer, director, or even actors.

I was glad to see the end of this drama. As bad as it was, I couldn't bring myself to drop it. I felt committed somehow, and I am not sure why. If there is anything I appreciate, it is the message the drama tries to leave us with—that power lies and corruption leads. As the saying goes, the problem with absolute power is that it corrupts even when exercised by kindly souls. But no matter how far wrong one goes, one can always turn around. I want to think the drama tries to bring awareness to the idea of not normalizing criminal behaviors and accepting twisted ideologies for fear of public criticism. Humans are better than that. At least, this is what I would like to take from this drama.

This is the lowest rating I have ever given a drama and 5 is being generous.

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Window into the life of a Star who only wanted the chance to be herself

I can't say I knew Sulli or was even much of a fan, but her death deeply saddened me. She was everything the Korean entertainment industry needed for a positive, if not better, change. She became the change she wanted to see but sadly gave up on that change to the people who made her famous and who were also the ones who pulled her down to the lowest point that she felt the only escape was to leave it all to them. Given the opportunity, I truly believe she would have been the beginning of the change needed in the industry, making this documentary is proof of that. It is so hard to watch at times. For us fans, everything looks so glamorous watching from our TV screens. I can't fathom the hardship, discrimination, control, mental, physical, and even sexual abuse many of the stars we adore suffer to bring us the phantom joy we live in for a few hours or weeks.

More than the short film, the interview was hard to watch, at least for me, hearing and in some instance feeling her pain, imagining the hardship, and ultimately, picturing the decline in mental health is truly heartbreaking. I wish she knew she had other options, but it is easy for me to say this now. I wish the people around her helped her realize there were other choices, including her management company. They must have witnessed her pain first hand. I genuinely believe the entertainment industry itself bears a lot of responsibility for her suicide and the many others like her. They treat celebrities like commodities from whom a few powerful agencies can squeeze as much income in as short a time as possible. They strip them of any semblance of a normal life, letting the fans go too far in their obsessions and sometimes giving into their demands of not allowing idols to be in relationships or even marry.

The crazy fans who obsessed over Sulli's life choices are also to blame for her death and the death of many gone too soon in this industry. I realize the many celebrity suicide deaths in the past decade or so have brought the issue of suicide and mental health to the forefront, as Korea has the highest rates among developed countries among civilians, and is attributed to academic and work pressure, the stigma around mental health, among others. I can't even begin to know the solution, but I would guess an open and honest dialogue like this one is a great start. Rest in peace, Sulli and the many others who left this earth too soon. I highly recommend giving this a try. Sulli earned at least that. I only gave the rewatch value an 8 because it was just too hard to watch at times.

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Daily Dose of Sunshine Indeed --- This is why I am drawn to K-dramas

Wow, just wow, I am overwhelmed by this drama. What a gem! The story, the acting, the cinematography, the imagery, the colors, the brilliant and creative visuals inside the minds of those who have mental illness and those working so hard to help them reach that healthy spectrum and how it affects them mentally but most importantly emotionally. Where to start: I will begin with the story and the message and then talk about the different actors who touched me throughout the journey. I loved how it loudly and clearly called to attention how thin the line is between mental health and mental illness and how important it is to understand that mental health is a scale, and there is no clear-cut line between what is considered normal and abnormal. We all experience various emotions and struggles in life, and seeking help is not a sign of weakness but rather a courageous act of self-care. I read somewhere that has stayed with me where the writer said that mental health is a continuum, and we all fall somewhere along the spectrum. Another thing that this drama did very well is bring much-needed awareness to the importance of quality health caregiving, spending time with patients, listening to them, interacting with them, and not just giving out prescriptions to maximize time.

I was particularly drawn and impressed by this message -- asking for help is not a weakness, no matter how much a taboo it may be, and debunking the idea that mental health is only relevant when one is struggling with a mental illness. I loved the message, I loved the delivery, and I loved the importance of clarity of the message. I also loved how it raised the question of who cares for mental health carers, from doctors to nurses. The show did a great deal of showing snippets of this with trainee Nurse Ji Seung Jae and others. But the best was how it gradually showed the bond caregivers create with patients while helping ease their mental illness and the constant exposure to human suffering, and sometimes death can lead to mental illness. Jung Da Eun's loss and how she tethered the mental health scale was, to me, the core of this drama. And how her mind naturally decided to lean into Kim Seo Wan's world for her grief was a touch of brilliance. Just because someone (doctor, nurse, layman) may seem perfectly normal on the outside, it doesn't mean they aren't suffering from a hidden mental illness, and it doesn't mean they are crazy; it just means that life has become so difficult to handle that they lose touch with reality for some time and need help finding their way back. How long that takes doesn't matter; what matters is that they make it back all the way.

Now, actors Park Bo Young, Yeon Woo Jin, and Jang Dong Yoon were brilliant together; their friendship with each other separately and eventually together was uplifting to watch, as was Chang Ryul as Doctor Hwang Yeo Hwan—his struggle with love and acceptance along with Nurse Lee Hye Won. Her mother is an entirely different story. It seems every K-drama must have one of those; I have come to accept it. I wish the message with those types of mothers, fathers, and siblings is to cut ties with the toxicity. Just because they are family doesn't mean they deserve to be in your life. I wish to see this loud and clear in kdramas and pray it translates to life, back to Bo Young, Woo Jin, and Dong Yoon, among others. I loved the bond they had as kids and how they built on that and, in adulthood, worked in the same field more or less and cared for each other's mental health, be it in a professional or personal setting. I don't typically like how kdrama depicts love triangles because it doesn't do it correctly. A love triangle is when one person in a romantic relationship with someone is at the same time pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with someone else. It is not a love triangle when one person loves a second person, who loves a third person; to me, that's just unrequited love. But that's just how I see it. That said, I loved how neither of them, especially Song Yu Chan, let it come in the way of his friendship with Jung Da Eun but, more importantly, Dong Go Yoon.

All the actors were impressive, but three stood out to me the most: Jeon Bae Soo as Nurse Yoon Man Cheon and, last but not least, Lee Jung Eun as Head Nurse Song Hyo Jin. The care and reserved passion Nurse Yoon showed to the patients and his colleagues, especially Da Eun, won me over each time. What a great actor, indeed. The other was Noh Jae Won as patient Kim Seo Wan, a fantastic actor. How he articulated Kim Seo Wan's struggles, bridging the world in his head with the reality on the ground, was utterly brilliant. Kudos to the writer; ingenious. He had me all twisted up in him and the world he created for his peace of mind. I was also totally impressed by his physical changes as he took us on that journey with him, which is why losing him was such a blow. I understood how and why Da Eun's mind decided to deal with it the way it did. As for Head Nurse Song Hyo Jin, she was a rock throughout everything that happened despite having to deal with hurtful stigma on her sister and, ultimately, her. Nothing is worse than defining one by one's illness rather than who they are as an individual. The same goes for Da Eun; having to deal with discrimination from the families of mentally ill patients, she was trying so hard to help for being on the spectrum herself. That was hard to watch, but I loved her determination more than anything, not letting it trigger or pull her back. I pray this drama is a stepping stone to overcoming the stigma of mental illness, helping many of us speak out against stigma, and instilling courage in others facing similar challenges as outlined in Daily Dose of Sunshine. I highly, highly recommend this drama!

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Creative - I am in love

Yes, we have another nonbeliever. They say an arrogant person considers himself perfect; this is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person's main task in life - becoming a better person—the difference between Kim Sabu and Cha Jin Man (I'm already tired of him, and we are just getting started) and anyone else that goes up against him. I missed everyone, and it's good to see them all back, but Im Won Hee is the best—I love him. It's so good to see him here again. I loved how Cha Eun Jae grew into herself in the second season despite all her challenges, especially regarding Seo Woo Jin. And this season doesn't look any different except that they would have to face them together. I hope their love is strong enough to withstand it all.

I love that there is always something new to learn from this drama. Acknowledgment, appreciation, recognition, and acceptance that's all anyone wants in what they do, how they do it, and where they do it, whether they are a doctor, a lawyer, a prosecutor, a plumber, or a janitor. It's the one thing we all have in common. Appreciation has the amazing habit of bringing more reasons to be grateful, do better, and be better. It's what Eun Jae wanted from her father and what Jang Dong Hwa needed to hear from Seo Woo Jin as his mentor to be confident in his choices.

I so appreciate this drama for how it tackles the social, medical, personal, and professional issues that arise as doctors work hard to save patients in a world where the main concern is who takes responsibility for a doctor's oath to do whatever it takes to save a patient's life -- that a Kim Sabu is an anomaly to squash rather than the benchmark to strive for and emulate. I can only imagine how hard it must be to become a doctor; the schooling, training, residence, sacrifices, yelling, humiliation, and hurtful words residents and fellows are subjected to, and it's why I understand the many Jang Dong Hwa's out there.

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Not Meant to be as Good as Season One, but rather as impactful

This second journey of Taxi Driver and our beloved team of Avengers reprised by the ever so enigmatic Lee Je Hoon, Kim Eui Sung, Pyo Ye Jin, the dynamic duo of Jang Hyuk Jin and Bae Yoo Ram, and the addition of Shin Jae Ha as a villain motivated solely by his distaste for humans, in general, is one that I wanted so badly, as I was a massive fan of the first leg of the journey, which touched me deeply. I knew I would like the second season, and I did, but on a different scale than the first. The second is brilliant, and as I continued to watch it week after week, I realized it was as good as the first, and in some cases even better, even if it was not as awestriking as the first. But as the journey neared its end, I understood it wasn't meant to be as good but rather as impactful, and it is indeed.

Even as I say this, the first season was dynamic. The differences to me were in the punishments. The first journey was meant to serve as a loud message to society and the law enforcement and justice community. And that was evident in how daring, loud, elaborate, and grandiose the punishments were, befitting of the cruel and, in some cases, unfathomable crimes. The team dynamic was terrific in the first journey. In this second one, I felt, for most of the first half, and much into the second, the team lacked the chemistry that made them so great. Their interactions could have been more fluid and less forced. But still, I loved this journey for the message it was trying to share.

Yes, the punishments this season seemed subdued and sometimes felt incomplete or a walk back, not befitting the level of crimes. At first, I thought maybe it was because the first journey was heavily criticized for how cruel the punishments were, which I disagreed with entirely, as all the penalties befitted the horridly overwhelming crimes it brought to light. It was daring and brilliant, not only in how it showcased but also addressed some overwhelmingly mammoth issues. From labor and mental health abuse to significant workplace harassment, pornography, organ trafficking, and thrill killings, the statute of limitations, and the biggest and most challenging to reconcile the abuse of an almost lawless justice system, seemingly instituted to preserve the rights of the powerless, yet somehow ended up shielding the lawless and the criminals.

Still, I think this leg of the journey was clever in how it incorporated real-life crimes and stories straight from the headlines, like the Burning Sun Sex Scandal, which brokered innocent women to wealthy VIPs, politicians, and chaebols, as well as the crimes of child trafficking, modern slavery, elderly scamming, criminal medical malpractice of the poor, and religious cults as recently portrayed by Netflix in the Korean religious leaders' sex cult expose: In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal, which uses religion to justify the application of violence for personal gain, power, and control of those who innocently follow and believe in them. The Crimes were indeed atrociously unacceptable. It highlights how some people have become so devoid of humanity, so emotionally detached, that they are okay with brutally taking advantage of vulnerable children, women, and older people.

The last two episodes of the second journey are the best. What this second season does well, as it came to its end even more than the first season, is how beautifully it brings what we, as viewers, thought were crimes each committed by one villain or groups of villains was admirably directed by one masterful villain, Bishop (Park Ho San), disguised as a holy man of the cloth, easily and craftily manipulating the many villains we so vehemently disliked along the way. Even more brilliant was that as much as this master villain and his followers believed himself/themselves to be smarter than our Taxi Avengers, they didn't even come close. As they did the first time, our Avengers proved always to be not one or ten steps but a million steps ahead. I loved that about this team.

Again, Taxi Driver succeeds in its second leg to make us question our humanity. Well, at least it did to me. It made me question: where do we as individuals find meaning in life; is it in communing with nature, or could it be engaging in philosophical or religious contemplation, or is it in attaining societal acceptance, or the pursuit of riches and power, or is it something entirely different; ultimately, what it comes down to for me is we as humans gain much of what shapes us from our social environments. Daily we are impacted by experiences and lessons we learn from our family life or lack thereof, our peers in school or as adults in other group settings, our community leaders, and so forth. These influences drive who and what we become.

I think Taxi Driver's message this time is similar to last time. This leg of the journey emphasized imparting solutions to achieve wide-ranging reforms across the board, not just judicial reforms but, more importantly, human forgiveness. Revenge may be sweet, but it is not an answer, nor is locking up criminals and throwing away the key. Human beings must work on becoming socially inclusive rather than practicing social exclusion based on societal status or class. Because ultimately, we as human beings are meant to find the purpose of life in each other. All the actors were great in their respective roles, and the dynamic between Lee Je Hoon and Shin Jae Ha, the righteous vs. wicked, is well done. Shin Jae Sha deserves praise for how well he has evolved as an actor, especially as a villain, from his role as the creepy CEO of Babel Research Center in Welcome 2 Life, followed by Crash Course in Romance, and now this. Kudos to him and the whole production team.

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A Refreshing Side of Cho Seung Woo - Divorce - Class Difference and Social Issues

I love Cho Seung Woo as the corky Hwang Shi Mok in the Stranger series. It is the best he has ever done as an actor. Still, I would be remiss not to enunciate how much I enjoy him as Shin Sung Han, a great pianist turned divorce lawyer. I've never seen Cho Seung Woo like this, which could be why I greatly appreciate the character. His approach to the role of an uncle, friend, lawyer, and brother is brilliant. It suits him so much that it's hard to separate the actor from the character. I love how each episode addresses or tries to shed light on different divorce scenarios, and even though it's viewed as evil, sometimes it's a necessary evil. More importantly, I love SSH's approach to it.

I commend the writer for Shin Sung Han, but all the credit goes to Cho Seung Woo for embodying such an intelligently funny, creative, caring, simple yet complicated man driven by love, grief, and the need for justice. It's not just Cho Seung Woo that shines in this drama. I love his tight-knit friendship with Jeong Moon Seong and Kim Seong Kyoon, how they feed off each other while at the same time always being acutely aware of each other's weaknesses, strengths, and pains, no words needed, knowing when to give each other the space they need and when to be each other's comfort. Truly each other's extensions. They are an accurate depiction of what and how friendship should be. I love it.

Many people try to hold on to a union for the wrong reasons. Some people do it solely for their children. Some do it because they think divorce will make them a failure and their family and society will ostracize them. Some even do it because they don't believe they can survive financially. The easiest thing to do to solve a problem is absolutely nothing. But, when one does nothing to appease family or society, that doesn't make the problem disappear. No one goes into a marriage thinking they will divorce. However, certain things in a marriage, be it gaslighting, cheating, or abuse (physical, mental, emotional), are unforgivable and require a divorce for the mental health of all involved. Getting a divorce, especially in a society such as South Korea and others like it, where it is considered taboo, has to be one of the most complex, if not the most frightening, decisions; I admire Divorce Attorney Shin for trying to convey in their special way that these are all pitfalls and misconceptions that stand in the form of progress.

I loved this drama's journey, but most importantly, I loved the ending. Yes, it was very K-drama-like, but I still liked it a lot. As much as Divorce Attorney Shin is about the social issues and suffering that arise from a hierarchical institution that, without thought or consequences, openly accepts social discrimination regarding different class marriages, divorce, custody issues, broken family relationships, parenting rights, and gender stereotypes, it is also an inspirational, dramatic story about adults and children struggling to live their mundane lives with these inherited issues. But rather than give in, they fight to be the change they want to see happen, to find their own way to a happy and fair life with the support of friendships and family ties that transcend blood relations.

The drama touches on many social issues, but none more important than the inequality perpetuated by the influence of historically structured social class differences that drive inequality and remain a hindrance to change. But the core of the story for me is the friendship between three friends who have a stronger bond than blood, which is the charm of this drama. I like that Shin Sung Han's final battle was not just about winning but about righting the wrongs adults made, yet a child was paying the price, one that was very personal to him. I will admit I thought the drama should have taken a much stronger stance towards the Vietnamese wife and the stepmom rather than backtrack on its strong message with the different cases it portrayed early on. I hope the message this drama tries to convey gets across, regardless. Yes, it's a work of fiction, but as far as I am concerned, there is always some truth in every fictional story.

Kudos to all the actors -- the adults but especially the child actors, the little men of this drama Kang Hyeon-U and Seo Gi-Yeong, who are mature far beyond their little ages, suffering in silence to protect those they love. They put the adults to share. Lastly, I would be remiss not to praise Noh Susanna, who was brilliant as Jin Yeong-Ju, the materialistically socially obsessed evil stepmom and wife who couldn't escape the influence and, worse, the trap of class hierarchy. I will miss Cho Seung Woo, but I hope to see him in Stranger 3, where he shines the most if the K-drama gods allow it.

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Call It Shim Woo Joo

I was unprepared for how much I liked this drama, especially since I've been in a somewhat prolonged slump in K-drama, so this was a welcome surprise. Without a doubt, Shim Woo Joo is the star of this drama. I love everything about her. She is a rare and refreshing character in the K-drama world. I love how much she feels and isn't scared to show it. I love that she isn't a pushover. I love that she lets herself live her emotions, whether anger, frustration, hate, love, or whatever else. Kudos to Lee Sung-Kyung for doing such a fantastic job with her. She has come a very long way.

A lot touched me with this drama, and it's what makes it so relatable. I am from a culture where one is expected to respect elders and authority figures, but as I grew up, I realized respect is earned, not given. People cannot just demand it because culture expects it or because of age or blood relation. I don't know if this drama intends to push this notion, but I respect it for putting it out there, and it's why the story and the way it's told captured me completely.

The raw emotions in this drama and how it looks to tackle societal expectations in who and what love looks like and the need to continually save other people's face/pride, especially of elders, bosses, seniors, and family members, at one's expense, always disguising their true feelings feels more like punishment than reverence. Add to that the hierarchical societal roles and the logic or illogical stance of obedience, responsibility, and adherence at all times is a part of the culture that is hard to accept or even understand if one is not born into it.

As good as Lee Sung-Kyung is, Kim Young Kwang is even better in how he plays Han Dong Jin. I love him in this very stoic, melancholy role. I haven't seen him like this before, apart from his last Netflix drama, Somebody, now that was something else. I liked him as an actor, but that drama proved he isn't just a pretty face with a beautiful smile. The man can act. But this drama doesn't just do a fantastic job of flushing out Woo Joo and Dong Jin as leads but puts the same detail and care in Yoon Joon, Shim Hye Seong, Choi Sun Woo, and even Min Young. It's what makes it such a good drama. One of the best of 2023 to date.

Early on, I understood Woo Joo's need for revenge, and I appreciate her family's reaction to her falling in love with the sworn enemy's son. But I can't find fault in Woo Joo catching feelings for him. What hurts most is that Han Dong Jin was unfairly judged for being the enemy's son. Even before knowing what kind of person he was, they had already considered him as foul as his mother. The sad thing is that when people judge others, they do not define them; they define themselves.

I wish Woo Joo had just opened up to Han Dong Jin, but then life is so much more complex than that. Despite growing up with a selfish mother, I love the person and man he's become. To think that this world has a parent like his makes me cringe and filled with sorrow. I cannot comprehend parents like her, but I now fully understand the saying that every child deserves a parent, but not every parent deserves a child. People say we are products of our environment, but I tend to agree with those who say we are products of our choices despite our environment.

Life is so unfair at times, but it's also a string of natural and unexpected changes and opportunities for growth, despite or maybe because of it. It's admirable how far everyone in this drama comes, or maybe a better word is grows, especially Woo Joo and Hye Seong. I love that falling in love doesn't distinguish between enemies or friends. It doesn't follow human-set cultures or blind traditions. It happens because it's right and, in the process, changes everything for the better.

I love this drama and how everything, spoken and unspoken words, movements, stares- has meaning. It just clicks and falls into place despite how complex we humans can get, as it happened for Woo Joo and Dong Jin and Yoon Joon and Hye Seong. I value this drama for conveying that life is a matter of choices. Just because something is traditional or culturally acceptable, or not for that matter, is no reason to continue, especially when it causes more harm than good. As they say, one's tradition and culture should be a guide, not a jailor. As I said, I wasn't prepared for how much I would enjoy this drama, and to think I almost didn't watch it because of its title. A lesson learned never again to judge a drama by its title.

They say to engage an audience and have them relate to the characters in a story, character development is critical, and if there was any drama that had that in abundance, it's this one. Throughout the 16-week journey, all the characters, even the horrid mom, grew tremendously. What made this drama special was how convincing the actors were, but more importantly, the dialogue and the talking back and forth were beautifully done. I love the message too. Love can forgive all if we let it. All the actors were outstanding, but Kim Young Kwang stood out to me the most. He was just superb. Kudos to everyone involved with this heartwarming drama. Watch it, it will not disappoint you.

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Unexpectedly Delightfully

I am a huge Kim Ok Bin fan. The first time I saw her was in The Villainess, and she was brilliant -- a true villainess. And I have since enjoyed her in everything she's done, especially Children of the Lesser God. I have seen her master all kinds of roles, from an assassin to a future foreseeing police officer, to playing Tan Ya in the Arthdal Chronicles series, to a zombie-fighting detective. She is perfect in all of them, and what I love most is that she always plays a strong, badass female lead. Having read the premise of this drama, I wasn't sure if the role of Yeo Mi Ran would suit her, but I needn't have worried. She plays her so naturally that it is almost hard to separate the actor from the character.

Yeo Mi Ran is similar to many other female roles Kim Ok Bin has played in many ways. She is tenacious, headstrong, and righteous and does not let any man walk all over her or get too close. She is a lawyer, and by all accounts a very good one, but in her personal life is a true philanderess, never faithful to one man, and it goes back to her home life more than anything until she meets Nam Kang Ho (Yoo Teo), a famous actor in South Korea due to his handsome appearance, intelligence, and kindness. He is sought after to work in romantic movies but doesn't trust women, and he cringes at the mere thought of their touch to the extent that it leads to severe panic attacks controlled only by subscription medication.

Love to Hate You is a romance drama about a woman who detests male chauvinists and meets a borderline misogynist with a prejudice against women who at first hate each other, but as they slowly get to know each other, they are drawn to each other. Before they know it, they fall in love. And in many ways, their difference brings them together to make them the perfect couple. In a way, it's the typical hate-to-love drama, with a twist of a contractual relationship that leads to a full-blown romance. But what's different about Love to Hate You is that it intelligently handles sexism and prejudices against women, whether in the workplace, at home, or in relationships, and how society disguises it as culture or tradition, making it socially acceptable to keep women at a lower social status than men.

But what's intriguing about Love to Hate You is that it not only addresses misogyny but also brings awareness to manizing (women who pursue multiple casual relationships with different men) and the sexual double standard of a patriarchal society that glorifies, rewards, and even praises men for their womanizing way. In contrast, women are derogated and stigmatized for similar behaviors. Love to Hate You doesn't just stop there; it also sheds light on the complex landscape of the cancel culture and how fans are crucial stakeholders in the entertainment industry. Their passion, excitement, and involvement are pivotal in making or breaking the celebrity they have a significant hand in creating. In a way, holding them accountable for their actions, but in some cases, it can be extreme.

Many celebrities deserve to be canceled, mainly if the wrongs they engage in or have engaged in the past reflect their character (sexual assaults, bullying, prostitution, sex trafficking, emotional, mental, or physical harassment, abuse in the workplace or at home, etc.). Other than that, in my opinion, who a celebrity chooses to sleep with, love, marry, spend their time with, or how they live their personal lives is their business. As such, I loved how Love to Hate You addressed Yeo Mi Ran's manizing past and how Nam Kang Ho stands up for his love and doesn't give in to the pressures of his agency or fans. I hope some celebrities similarly and unfairly impacted by the cancel culture could learn a few things from Nam Kang Ho.

It would be a real mistake to assume that Love to Hate You is just another rom-com; it's far from it. Yes, it has some silly and funny moments, but it also has some profound moments that refreshingly push the boundaries in K-drama to question ridiculous, if somewhat offensive acceptable social norms; this elevates the show from your typical, expected rom-com to delightfully unexpected. Aside from the powerful message it sends, Love to Hate You brings some beautiful visuals in actor Kim Ji Hoon as Do Won Joon Nam Kang Ho's agent, protector, and friend; Go Won Hee as Shin Na Eun as Yeo Mi Ran best friend and fierce protector; Lee Joo Bin as Oh Se Na Nam Kang Ho's first love and many others who did a fabulous job portraying their different characters. Highly recommend it.

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A Seemingly Fun Drama Addressing Family Pressure on South Korean Kids to Succeed Academically

My take on this drama now that we are almost to the midpoint.

I love, love watching Jeon Do Yeon. She is a natural and has this way about her, making me believe her in every role she takes. Here she is funny, fun, and almost over-indulged as a mom trying to keep up with other moms way over-involved, if not obsessed with their children's education. I adore Jung Kyung Ho; he is such an expressive actor and so much fun to watch. He is my third favorite South Korean Actor. I have to admit I wasn't sure what to expect from him in this role, but I love this fun side of him, and his love and dedication to math and teaching make me want to go back to school and re-do all those math exams I took as a senior in high school -- who knew math could be so appealing.

The twist I didn't expect from this drama is the murder/crime/suicide aspect. It makes sense to have that twist, seeing how much pressure parents, schools, and the education system puts on these kids. I am all for pushing your kids to excel in school, but it shouldn't be at the expense of their mental health or life, for that matter. One of the biggest tragedies of the Korean education system is that children and teenagers must always study. They have little time left over for fun, relaxing, vacations, or enriching themselves in non-school-related activities. It's not forced on them, but they are given few options for success; if they do not excel, it's as good as forced on them. Some kids study 18 hours a day, spend 10 hours at school, go to cram-school classes after school, and spend their time studying at home to secure a good college and standard of living, and acceptance is beyond tragic. I wish the parents, especially the moms, would put as much time into providing their children with a more balanced life as they do with their education. It would amount to a much happier society with students/children who aren't as stressed or pressured to study all the time and wouldn't need to cheat, lie, scheme, or bully to be accepted, feel good about themselves, or stay ahead.

Not only Koreans but most Asians see education as a way of gaining success and bringing esteem to one's family. And what's even more bewildering is the extent these mothers would go to secure that success for their children even at the expense of other children, resorting to cheating, lying, and scheming -- which in turn leads to bullying others and harming others and themselves, even murder and suicide. I don't even know if a solution exists. Still, I think the system itself needs a massive overhaul, and so does the role of the family and education-crazy mothers who believe their child's life is not about freedom, personal choice, or happiness; it is about production, performance, and obedience -- life is so much more than that and just because one birth a child it doesn't mean then own them.

I appreciate this drama for bringing up the many issues related to the education system in South Korea, particularly the pressure families put on their kids to succeed academically and the consequences of those actions.

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Dark and Gritty but so Good

Bait is a very well-plotted drama that, in only two episodes, has cleverly evolved, and if it stays its course of successfully telling the story in the coherent way it has in the next four episodes, it will be one of the best crime/thrillers of 2023. It's dark, gritty, and an in-your-face kind of crime/murder thriller that's intensely captivating. A successful strategy for keeping a mystery captivating is to maintain the core of the mystery episode-by-episode while at the same time nimbly tying in the larger picture as the other elements unfold, and Bait does it so well in just two episodes.

Everything from the cinematography, the lighting or lack of it, the set, the actors, and the theme is so well thought of it is hard not to get sucked into the drama and the story. Additionally, there's some strong acting from the ensemble cast, with Jang Geun Suk, in particular, carrying the material. He looks terrific. I didn't recognize him. I am hooked. And what a cliffhanger of an ending for the first part of this drama. Everything worked, from the serial killing mystery to the cat and mouse chase and most of all Jang Geun Suk. He is just fantastic in this drama.

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Revenge is indeed best served very cold

The Glory; what a drama. I am not much of a Song Hye Kyo fan. But was this drama well written or what; I mean, not a boring moment. The first episode was rough, and I have to admit I skipped through a lot of torture and violence. It was just overt and too much to reconcile or bear. That, the world harbors kids (I mean they were children really) who felt so entitled and thought the world revolved around them, that it gave them the right to inflict such animosity and hate on another child just because they are different, or was is it "just because" they felt like it was uncalled for, inexcusable and shame on everyone that stood by and watched and did nothing, they as good as inflicted the violence and pain but more than anything shame on the teachers, the parents, the caretakers, the friends or so-called friends, well there was no love lost between any of them so I can't even call them friends who thought it entertaining and okay to humiliate, demean, deface, another human being.

By the time we got to Moon Dong Eun as an adult, I was fully invested in her journey. Everything from how she lived her life in narration to Park Yeon Jin (stellar acting) was so captivating. I found myself hanging on to every word she wrote, even the way she spoke/wrote her words. That first encounter after 17 years at the gym of their old school was so fulfilling, especially when she clapped for Yeon Jin as she walked up the stage for her award. But the best part was Yeon Jin thinking the past was fully forgotten and dead in the past. That she could not even recall her monstrous acts made her an even more awful human being than she already was -- that she didn't realize the decisions and choices she made would follow her to her grave is very telling of her arrogance and malignant miserliness. Her audacity to think MDE deserved everything that happened to her, not only that she in some way is to blame, was exhausting to watch. That her young child, not even 5 or 6 years of age, instinctively knew how awful burning someone or beating them or torturing them was and she an adult never even considered it was telling for me. It was the moment I realized Yeon Jin deserves everything coming her way -- everyone involved or who stood idly is also deserving.

It was not all gloom and darkness with The Glory; many funny moments peppered in throughout the episodes. I especially enjoyed the, at first, very professional relationship between Kang Hyun Nam and MDE, and even more so as they started to warm up. Yeom Hye Ran did a great job making me feel the pull/push relationship and the slow drawing in of MDE, and even the love and admiration between the two. And, of course, Lee Do Hyun was consistently excellent in how he personified Joo Yeo Jung; how he grew to accept and live with his painful past, despite it being part of him daily. His patience and acceptance of MDE for what she was, not trying to make her into what he thought she should be -- never pushing or probing, just hoping. I loved how he didn't judge or question when she told him her story, but readily accepted his role as her head swordsman.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how amazing Jung Ji So was as a teenage Moon Dong Eun. She is such a great talent; I am in awe of her. Can I say Jung Sung II was brilliant in his role as a have-it-all rich husband, father, and man -- he was admirable - not too entitled or arrogant, just a man used to getting his way, not by force, but because it was always available. Unlike the inherently entitled, self-absorbed, and cruel Jeon Jae Joon (Park Sung Hoon, who was brilliant in his role), who obviously lived his life believing the world owed him everything, but then growing without love or self-worth, can do that to a kid.

What's intriguing about The Glory is that it takes its time with everything. Nothing is rushed, not even the conversations. So it went without saying that the revenge plot would take its time, almost painfully so. But I think that was the point; for the culprits to know, sense, and feel the revenge coming, but not know how, when, where, and through whom it would come.
Watching the Glory was like peeling back the layers of a big fat onion; the more you reveal, the twisted it gets. Kudos to the writer for such brilliant scriptwriting, the director, and the actors for gripping the writing alive. I look forward to the second half and the actual revenge plots unfolding.

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Lustful Demons and Kim Nam Gil what else can a girl want -- nothing!

I was hooked from the moment I started watching. I am a complete sucker for anything Sci-fi and/or fantasy. Those two genres combined in a series featuring Kim Nam Gil in any character, let alone a fantastical dagger-wielding demon slayer hunting soul-seeking lustful demons, is more than a girl can ask for --- Island is almost a cross between a Korean Odyssey and Dark Hole, where humans breed monsters and evil from their own selfishness and hate that ultimately hunts them. It's like they say humans are the real monsters, and to defeat that monster/demon/evil, whatever one chooses to call them, one must become a monster. But let me say; this opener was brilliant. The cinematography hooks me, the lustful demons' makeup, the music score, the flying, jumping, chasing, running --- I mean, edge-of-your-seat attention-grabbing stuff. All the actors are nailing their parts so far and complement each other greatly. Of course, one cannot dismiss Lee Da Hee; she was terrific in Beauty Inside and WWW: Search. Nothing she's done since compares to this role, which she plays perfectly. I commend the Manhwa writer for such compelling work, the script writer for mesmerizing it, and the director and actors for breathtakingly bringing it all to life.

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Raw and Heart wrenching as it Should Be

To give an introduction to this, astutely eye-opening six episode drama, Higashino Keigo Samayou Yaiba is adapted from the 2009 Japanese movie, The Hovering Blade (Samayou Yaiba), about a father played by Terao Akira, who, after finding out the identities of his only daughter's murderers, avenges her horrific death, and the police who try to stop him. The 2021 drama version, Takenouchi Yutaka, plays Nagamine Shigeki, an architect who raises his daughter Nagamine Ema (Kawai Yuumi) on his own after his wife's passing. Ema is now a high school student with a part-time job. One day, she is called out to work the late night shift and does not return. The next day, she is found dead.

Samayou Yaiba's opening scene of a father and daughter sweetly teasing each other belies the harrowing scenes of three teenage boys parked in front of a metro station, sizing up females as they walked down the street akin to ambush predators laying in wait to trap and capture the perfect prey. One got the feeling that they had definitely done this before, and unfortunately for Nagamine Ema, who was at the wrong place at the right time, to the sudden and overwhelming pouncing attack by Kaiji and Atsuya, while a third boy Mokota (Inoue Mizuki) stood powerlessly watching, paralyzed by his fear of the scene that unfolded in front of him, feeling weak, vulnerable and defeated, while helping subdue Ema. Not to excuse his behavior, but from the little I glimpsed of him, I got the sense that he was being bullied by Atsuya and Kaiji, forced to do all kinds of things he didn't want to, but doing them nonetheless, to survive himself, which he was being bullied.

Words cannot describe how dreadful it was watching the vivid cruelty of humanity as Astuya and Kaiji drugged and carelessly, loudly and brutally rapped Ema, filming their horrific actions to death and discarding her like garbage while her father does everything a parent is supposed to do, helplessly searching, passing out fliers, and even reporting his daughter missing the police to help find her. All the while not knowing the evil, ill fate that had befallen his daughter. My heart ripped for him and the sorrow that awaited him, and especially that moment he had to identify her at the morgue. Shigeki's despair at his daughter's loss was so palatable, and what an amazing job Ichikawa Riku does to have me as the audience feel his loss.

Violent acts are always choices that individuals make. Yet, it is the people who are harmed by violent acts that often receive negative responses from the police, as well as from various social institutions. I know it is the police's job to suspect everyone, even the victim and family members, and Samayou Yaiba does a great job of showcasing the prevalent issue of victim blaming. Even Mokota is prey of it to some extent by his unrelenting abusers. But worse than all that was how the law in Japan viewed juvenile delinquents who committed serious crimes versus how they viewed the victims and their families. Prior to November 2000, the Japanese Juvenile Law affirmed that juveniles under twenty will not have their cases transferred to the Public Prosecutor to impose criminal disposition. Even those who possess criminal capacity must be treated with protective measures in principle, and punished criminally only in some exceptional cases.

Even though the revised Juvenile Law, passed in November 2000, partially modified the system. The revision included three points: partially expanding the range of possible punishments of juveniles; adjusting the fact-finding process in Family Court; and protecting the victims of juvenile crimes. So it is with this in mind that I understood the police's apprehension of discussing the crime, or even eluding to the fact that a minor or minors may have committed the crime without clear cut evidence. But I also empathized with Shigeki completely, for rightfully thinking only those who've experienced loss, the way he did, could fully understand him. The scenes where he explodes at the police station, and later when he discovered his daughters' last moments, had me in goosebumps. Everything Shigeki does after that moment, the rage he unleashes, didn't only seem justifiable, but righteous. What parent confronted with what Shigeki was wouldn't take the same course of action he did, I would imagine none.

A lot unfolds in the first episode of this drama, alone, but the real story doesn't begin until Mokota, riddled with guilt, disguises his voice, calls Shigeki, and names Atsuya and Kaiji as the killers, gives him the address to the apartment where the murder took place, and tells him where to find the key. There, Shigeki discovers his daughter's clothing and pictures, as well as the video detailing Ema's brutal rape and her final moments as she lay dying while Atsuya and Kaiji laughed their heads off. And at that moment, Atsuya returns home to Shigeki's attacks. Unable to contain his anger, he mercilessly stabs Atsuya, who doesn't show any remorse, but only after he tells him where to find Kaiji, and the rest is history as they say.

Same as the movie Higashino Keigo Samayou Yaiba, the drama depicts a father's journey to avenge his daughter's brutal murder by two careless thrill seeking teenage boys, Atsuya (Namura Shin) and Kaiji (Ichikawa Riku), and the varying opinions of the public and media about the validity of his quest for revenge, including the Tokyo policemen investigating his case, and an inn-keeper and his daughter where he takes refuge as he tracks down the main culprit who instigated and actively participated in the murder of his daughter. I personally think that no one can genuinely say or even think what they would do if placed in Shigeki shoes and that is what makes this drama so raw, so real, and so gut-wrenching.

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An Amazing and Much Needed Journey

As sad as I was to see Extraordinary Attorney Woo come to an end as exhilarated to have been a part of this beautiful drama's journey that was very personal to me, and knowing a second season is on the way makes me bubble over with excitement. I enjoyed everything about this drama, from the different case stories and practical solutions and wins to the subject matter presented to the different personalities we encountered throughout the journey -- each bringing something special.

Without question, Park Eun Bin was beyond exemplary in this role. She deserves every award, as do her co-actors, and so does the drama. From the heartthrob Kang Tae Oh to Joo Hyun Young (Dong Geurami was one of my favorites) to Ha Yoon Kyung and Joo Jong Hyuk -- a real-life-like character that tries very hard at all the wrong things but isn't scared to admit his mistakes because it is never too late to do the right thing. But the one that touched me the most was Kang Ki Young as Jung Myung Seok.

But the one that touched me the most was Kang Ki Young as Jung Myung Seok. He won me over every time he came on screen -- a very special standing ovation to a fantastic actor. Kudos to the production staff but especially to the brilliant storyteller, director for bringing the story to life, and editor for the excellent choices, the animation/CGI, and cinematograph.

I love the message this excellent drama leaves me with: our choices and our past always have a way of catching up to us, no matter how hard we try to make them go away. Words are powerful. They can create, or they can destroy so choice them wisely. And just because someone is different doesn't make them weird, it makes them extra special. So treat others the same way you would like to be treated.

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