So I've been really curious about Won Bin all through this time while watching Korean dramas. I've only watched him in a supporting role in Autumn in my Heart and while I thoroughly enjoyed his role, I always wondered what made him click so much with the Korean audience (and the audience all over the world, as a matter of fact). I mean, if we look at it statistically, Won Bin has barely done any dramas beyond the 90s and has only done a handful of movies but if you look out for best actors in Korea, his name tends to come on top.

It' the quality effect indeed. He has done some really good movies and The Man From Nowhere is a great example of his less-in-quantity-more-in-quality movies. I loved this movie. It was thrilling and touching all at once. A man going all the way to save a little girl because she's his friend. And the man cannot be stopped! He's a freaking one-man army, who won't stop until he wants to. What a great plot! I was on the edge of my seat throughout the movie and the ending made me cry. Well, almost since I don't cry that easily. The ending was a little different from what I expected but it was a good ending.

The rewatch value is the only thing that is not a ten for me. That's mostly because you know how the movie will progress and that steals a bit of the excitement. But the action scenes are simply WOW. The lead character is so strong and invincible, but he doesn't care about glory.

Leggi di Più

When I started this drama, I was kind of prepared to hate the plot and leading lady. I mean, come on, the synopsis basically describes a gold digger taking a second shot at her husband after she finds out about his new success. But in the end I loved the drama! It was cute and an easy-watch. I wouldn't say it was extremely addictive, but it didn't drag much either. So it was one of those average feel-good dramas with a happy ending.

I loved Lee Min Jung here. And Joo Sang Wook, who I've only watched in Good Doctor and his role there was too different. L had a small supporting role but it was pretty cute too. In fact, this drama was overflowing with cute guys. And I'm nowhere near complaining. lol. The second leads here were extremely bearable. I mean, yeah, there was a point towards the end where I wanted to punch both of them for a moment. But it was flickering. And relatively they pretty good second leads. Not good enough to have second syndromes but good enough to develop a slight liking for them. The second lead girl especially was not a cold hearted bitch. I mean, she was shy and a bit gloomy because of her disability and her past. But she was nevertheless likeable.

The ending episode was super-sweet, with every character a bit of their own happy ending. Overall I would say while this drama is not something that would make you go, "wow best drama eveer" but at the same time you won't regret watching it and definitely won't throw popcorn at your screen. lol.

Leggi di Più

HOW DO YOU DOOOOOOO

Well, not very well considering True Beauty ended today and I'm going to have to spend the whole of 2021 nursing my awful second lead syndrome.

True Beauty was a really fun ride. It had it's plot in place, the right amount of funny moments and lovable high schoolers (and their families). The female lead was likable and I rooted for her throughout. Cha Eun Woo did great and could hold his own (has he been working out though? He grew biceps overnight. Damn).

But there is one person who totally breathed life into this show and yes the entire planet knows him by now and there are exactly zero surprises in this name-reveal. SEOJUN was amazing. His puppy scenes made me soft. His intense scenes made me hot. His confession scenes set the bar too high. His ultimate fate made me cry buckets (with him). He simply took over all our lives. He is definitely on that list of my all-time favorite characters and I just want to maintain a list of all his iconic dialogues and go back and watch them scene by scene (maybe that's borderline creepy. Well, I'm sorry dae sekkiya).

But there are so many more characters I want to talk about. The supporting cast was a great strength of this show. Im Semi did such a good job and I loved her pairing with teacher Han. I loved seeing them smash gender roles so royally. Teacher Han was the kind of teacher teacher I not only wanted all my life, but the kind I want to be in the future (yep, I'm a future teacher lol). Su Ah and Taehoon were adorable. Su Ah was such a good friend too. Sujin was great too, minus the minor (or MAJOR) blip where she strayed for a while. But I liked her journey enough to forgive her. I wish the writer hadn't given her that cliche second female lead script, but I guess they were sticking to the script.

Seojun Squad and Suho squad were both awesome. But yes, if I have to pick one, I'll have to pick seojun squad (I'm sorry dae saekkiya). Kim Chorong and Taehoon are the kind of friends I want to manifest into my life (where do I sign up for them?). Joo Young was goalssss. He was so funny (oh shit, my eyes hahaha). I loved all the extraordinary you cast cameos (but what about haruuuu). Chani did well in extended cameo.

Looking back, I was super excited for True Beauty when I found out Hwang In Yeop was playing the second lead. I absolutely adored him in 18 again. And even though I knew he wouldn't be getting the girl here (again), I was just so excited to see him in a role with more screen time for him. And in that sense True Beauty didn't fail to deliver.

It is easily one of the best high school romance kdramas out there I would recommend to everyone and I am sure I will go back and watch it again sometime and bug a few friends to watch it too.

Leggi di Più

Just finished this drama and have so much to say about it! Man From The Stars was a really good, one of the best this year, and I really enjoyed it. The plot was pretty interesting throughout. An alien living on our planet since 400 years and only after 400 years, when he's about to leave, he falls in love with Jun Ji Hyun's character. Kim Soo Hyun did a great job in this drama. The way he acted and presented himself, you could feel like you were looking at someone with a lot of life-experience. Someone you could call an old-soul. Honestly I've never had a crush on Kim Soo Hyun. But I've always admired his acting. He's one of the few actors who can move me with his crying. Seriously, the guy has some great crying skills that move me every time!

Coming to Jun Ji Hyun, she totally stole the show. I mean, I won't say she overshadowed Kim Soo Hyun exactly since he did hold his own, but her character made me laugh so much. Except this movie, I've only watched her in My Sassy Girl (best movie eveer) but these two works are enough for me to say that she's the reigning queen of Korean industry. Her style is just so irresistibly sassy (no pun intended).

I loved the side characters. Especially the guys. Hehe. Like seriously, her little bro was H-O-T. Same goes for the second lead. I loved the actor in My Daughter Seoyoung and I loved him equally here. Interestingly, he was supposed to play the psycho killer but thank the lords he didn't because he totally killed it with the lover boy character (again, no pun intended).

The music was alright for me. Overall I loved the drama and I might watch it again sometime. But there's just something that stops me from giving it a 10. Maybe it's the half-hearted ending or simply the fact that there are other dramas I'm more in love with than this one. Regardless, I would definitely recommend this drama to everyone. Especially for watching Jun Ji Hyun's awesome character :)

Leggi di Più

I don't know if I would recommend My Daughter Seoyoung to EVERYONE. For starters, this drama is 50 episodes long, so some parts are bound to drag and it needs patience. It's certainly not for people who make ep-to-ep analysis. I don't even know what I was thinking when I picked this one. Usually I pick dramas with episodes not more than 20. This was my first 50 episodes drama(Ok, Technically, Lee Soon Shin is the Best is my first 50 episodes drama, but that one's still airing). I guess I was bored.

Anyways, coming to my opinion on this drama, I loved it (I guess that's pretty obvious from my ratings. lol). This drama didn't drag for me at all. I didn't skip anything. The relationships were so beautiful. The father-daughter relationship full of emotions that every daughter can relate to. I mean, let's face it, at some point we've all fought with our dads. But we still love them unconditionally. That's how kids are programmed into this world (wait, did I just quote Anastasia Grey? I think I did). Obviously, things between Seoyoung and her dad are at another level. But she still loves him and their reconciliation is beautiful. There are other amazing relationships that took my breath away. The brother-sister, the husband-wife. I loved Seoyoung's mother-in-law and OMG HER BRO-IN-LAW IS SOO HOT!! I really like him (not just because he's hot though, lol).

I can't believe Seoyoung felt so lonely when all these people were in her life, loving her and encouraging her in their own ways. Her husband is just..PERFECT. I think I'm going to rewatch this whole drama in a couple of decades. In fact, I think I'm going to buy this on DVD. All the high tv ratings for this drama aren't for nothing. This drama fully deserved them. One of my favorites.

Leggi di Più

Dramas with moms going back to school have been trending recently (not that I'm complaining). And with that thought you might consider Twenty Again to be unoriginal. But it's not. In fact, it's amazing. On the surface, it's a middle-aged woman, her failing marriage and her petty attempt to save it. But it is so much so much more. Just what you expect from a TvN drama.

The plot is predictable yes but it never works against the favor. You might consider you'll get bored while watching this show. That's what I thought. But before I knew it, I had breezed past all episodes and had joined the chorus of the post-drama depression. The approach of the show and the mood in which it is presented is very easy going. A husband cheating on his wife is the plot for every 50 episodes family melodrama in Korea. But Twenty Again presents it with a more creative, more youthful edge. You see everyone's side, feel everyone's side and realize everything happened for a reason. There are no bitter feelings for revenge. I never once felt mad at the husband or felt sad for the wife. Both gained so much from whatever they went through. It was worth it.

Coming to characters. Choi Ji Woo was the reason I started this show. I have seen her previous dramas (most of them classic) and I was very curious as to how she'll pull off this character. She did a solid job. No Ra's journey of self-discovery was absolutely beautiful, even if the overall tones for it were very light. I cannot imagine anyone else for this part, she was flawless.

The male lead, I loved him in My Daughter Seoyoung. He is so handsome. But he played a role I have never seen him in. He did not over-utilize that dimple (a first for me to see) and he played an agitated character. It was nice to see him play a role like this. The husband's role was wonderfully done. That balance between not liking him but still not disliking him was so marvelously done. The supporting cast was equally good. The son, the friends (such wonderful friends), son's girlfriend (she annoyed me but I get the need for her role). I felt Na Soon Nam and Park Seung Hyun needed more screen time and more depth though. They were great.

The ost was decent.

Overall, it was really good. I love the kind of vibe TvN dramas give me. They always experiment with new ideas, sometimes even setting trends. It makes me feel like they make dramas because they love making them, they understand them. Instead of making dramas based on what we want, they make us understand what we want. That's just amazing. And Twenty Again lived up to that.

Leggi di Più

Moo Hak, my love

I love everything about this drama. EVERYTHING. So I decided to write a quick review capturing my everlasting feelings for this drama. Pardon my spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings ahead.

This drama sweeps you off your feet and runs away with you as soon as you begin watching. We're introduced to our much adorable leads and there's something about them that yells "Hey there! Meet your new favorite characters" and eventually that is exactly what they become. Moo Hak is one of my favorite male leads of all time. He is the fruit of the recent transition the Korean drama male leads have been making from toxic jerks to sweet dependable leads these past few years. He's so sweet and so dependable. He's so likeable and so so sooo funny. There are so many scenes where I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe thanks to this guy. I was crying a few times thanks to his infinitely best boy personality too.

Dali is one of my favorite female leads too. I love her, dare I say, almost as much as I love Moo Hak. She is smart, wise and she takes initiative in a relationship. She doesn't raise her voice but when it comes down to it, she's not a pushover; she's far from it. I love her dignified composure. Each time I watch Park Gyu Young, my respect for her amplifies because she's such a versatile actress. All her characters have unique color and you can tell them apart. It's almost as if it's a new person altogether. She impresses me as much as Shin Hye Sun (Mr Queen).

More than anything, I just love them as a couple. If they were a real-life couple, they would be my favorite real-life power couple. There are no misunderstandings, no miscommunication, no useless breakups. He knows exactly what to say. He's a character written with outmost perfection for a woman of today's times. Guys, if you want to learn how to treat your woman, go watch this drama lol.

As a romantic comedy, even if there are cliché tropes, they are written with such a refreshing take, the whole drama is a breath of fresh air. They fulfill all your fantasy scenarios for the main couple, but do so in the most non-toxic way possible and at the same time keep things entertaining. It is rare to find this balance in romantic comedies. The last time I found such a balanced drama was probably Marriage not Dating.

The supporting cast wasn't all likeable at all times, I must admit. But there were some very likeable characters like Assistant Yeo and Uri Won Tak Shi. These two were absolute gems. Rest were really testing characters. But overall, definitely all stellar performances, by a veteran cast that understood the assignment.

Also, I have to have to mention the music. Literally every song on the soundtrack is addictive. I can't even pick a favorite song because they're all my favorites T-T

I'll go watch it again in a year or so (or a day; maybe I'm already rewatching). I'm so ready. Also looking for my next victim to force this drama on (my friends are so lucky to have me^^). If you're confused about whether to watch this drama or not, here's your sign to watch it right now.

Leggi di Più

Let me first give a little background on my undying and irreplaceable love for Ha Ji Won. Secret Garden was my second korean drama and still remains my all-time favorite. While it is undeniably Hyun Bin who stole the show in Secret Garden, I realized how much I came to love and respect Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won's character). Then I picked up King2Hearts while it was airing and 2 episodes in and I had fallen head-over-heels in love with Hang-Ah. I think she's the only female character I have ever had a girl-crush on. So, it was pretty expected of me to pick up Empress Ki eventually.

Although I don't watch 50 episodes dramas easily, I do pick one up once in a while if it catches my interest. So I started this drama just to watch Ha Ji Won in action again and also because I was in a mood for a historical drama. But honestly, all I was expecting was an overrated drama with a poor, exaggerated plot and brilliant acting. Boy, was I wrong.

Empress Ki is undeniably the best drama of 2013. And this is coming from someone who has watched I Hear Your Voice, Master's Sun and Man From The Stars. The plot is so well-paced that you won't feel like stopping even for a moment and won't feel like skipping a single scene either. The plot evokes such trouble for all protagonists but yet you sit in relief knowing Nyang is there. Watching, observing, plotting, winning.

Nyang. She is the best thing about this drama. She is behind-the-scene most of the time and she defeats her opponents before they even know who they are up against. The girl can plot and fight. She is the perfect one-man army. I haven't seen a more wiser character than her. Coming Wang Yu, he is perfect too. From the beginning you know Nyang and Wang Yu aren't meant to be since she's destined to marry the king of Yuan and become Empress Ki. But even then you can't help rooting for him from time to time and falling for his charms and his sincerity towards Nyang. But the King of Yuan isn't someone you can take for granted. Even though he's a bit of a coward and a puppet played by many, he is still very cute and likeable. Honestly I think he's a naive soul stuck in the horrible politics of the palace with no one to rely on and with no option but to fight not just for his throne but his life. I really loved his devotion for Empress Ki in all circumstances. All supporting actors were simply brilliant and were nowhere beneath the main cast. My personal favorites were El Temur (because I loved seeing him go down!) and his kids (who doesn't love seeing a bitch being tortured!). I also loved the servants of Goryeo and all the eunuchs of Yuan. Tal Tal and his uncle were also amazing. Some characters I loved because they were lovable but some characters I loved for their cruelty.

The music was great and the production was simply breathtaking. From the clothes to palaces and the forests, everything they shot was so beautiful and historically rich.

Coming to the historical significance, many historians complained that the drama portrayed Empress Ki as a national hero where in fact she was a traitor who tried to make her brother sit on Goryeo's throne. The drama has been repeatedly been accused of exaggerating facts and misguiding people (especially young ones, who are not much aware of Empress Ki) into idolizing empress ki.

Although I cannot comment on the historical facts, I would ask people to watch this with an open mind, without trying to find empress ki from history in the character of Nyang. She might not be the same person but the character that has been written is truly worth a watch.

I would recommend this drama to everyone. If you've never watched a 50+ eps drama, this is a good place to start. If you've never watched a historical drama, this is a good place to start. Definitely Ha Ji won's best portrayal so far. She deserved all those Daesang awards she got for this.

Leggi di Più

I am an idiot. I remember loving the trailer of this show and the whole idea of a mom coming to school was so refreshing. But the first episode had such serious themes and I realized that there won't be much romance between the main cast (Bang Wool being married and everything), I never picked it up. But a few days back I was watching these funny videos on YouTube (Asian Drama On Crack I think) and they had so many funny moments from Angry mom (my favorite in the whole compilation even though I hadn't even watched the show!) I was literally compelled to pick this show again.

The plot is perfect. It won some kind MBC scenario award and while I don't know that is exactly, I can vouch that the script fully deserved it. The plot dealt with various school related issues and a lot more. It was so refreshing and hilarious. It never became stale even during the second half of the show (something that happens quite often) and just kept getting better and better. There was no romance but there were ships that didn't exactly sink (which was a huge surprise). This show has set a trend with shows like "Make A Woman Cry" and now "Second Time Twenty Years Old" coming up with similar situation.

The characters were wonderful. I have watched Kim Hee Sun in Faith and while I liked her there, this is where I fell in love with her. She was effortless! Park No Ah's character has received some criticism for being incompetent and useless. But he was somebody I could relate to. We're both "greenhouse kids" who refuse to see the harsh realities of the world but we're both trying to come out at our own pace. Kang Ja's friend Gong Joo and her minions were so awesome. I loved the guys' wigs. Bok Dong was my favorite. He was so cute when he fell for Kang Ja and the times he was like "Don't touch my body" XD Baro's character was completely in contrast with with his previous role in Reply 1994. But he was flawless here and those glasses really helped him look more like a bully (lol). Yoo Jung was her best as usual. She's a wonderful actress who keeps getting better and better. Rest of the negative characters and the supporting characters were great. The one negative character that stood out for me was Chairman Hong. After watching him as a funny character in Protect The Boss, it is really hard to see him do roles like this. He is an abusive person who gets a kick from hitting women. But the actor is versatile. Kudos to him.

The music is different from the typical OST and I absolutely loved it. People who loved shows like School 2013 and 2015 should definitely watch this. It's your thing. And if you're a drama addict in general and have enough time, you would breeze through this show in a couple of days without skipping stuff. That's the addiction level of this show. I'm so glad I watched this!

Leggi di Più

One of the best Japanese dramas I have ever seen. Orange Days is about a bunch of friends in university and it might make you nostalgic about your own college days (unless you're still in college/haven't been to college yet). It'll remind you of your carefree days as a student where you could spend 3 days camped up in front of a university, looking for a violin without worrying about things like (say) losing your job. I loved every second of this drama. There wasn't a single dull moment in the story. I picked up a few things in the sign language department too.

Coming to the characters. I loved them all! They were amazing together but even individually all the characters were so lovable in their own different ways. Kai was my favorite. I've always loved the name "Kai" ever since I read The Snow Queen. But the Kai here is just awesome. He's such a caring and sweet person. You know, the kind of people who just attract you with their personality and you can't help loving them and it's all about the substance, not the looks. Not that Kai wasn't good looking. I mean, he was hot, working those spikes like no other man on this planet (lol)! I loved Sae too. I could go on staring at her all day long while she talks in sign language. Ok, that came out a little wrong. I'm just saying that I'm really intrigued by the sign language. I feel like learning it now! Her character was awesome. So strong, despite feeling the blues of her situation at times. She was pretty funny too.

The music was great for this show and the re-watch value is super-high for me. Total ten. This drama is beautiful and addictive and I think most people would love it and should give it a try.

Leggi di Più

I was going through my reviews today and I suddenly realized I haven't written a review for this movie. This was actually the first Korean movie I ever watched (ok, technically The Host was the first Korean movie I ever watched, but that time when I watched it, I didn't even know it was Korean, so that barely counts. haha).

Anyways, it was truly the first movie EVER that completely bowled me over. I didn't know any actors, so there was no star power involved. It was just the power of the plot and the amazing acting. It was such a beautiful story with the right kind of direction to make the audience (that would be me) cry throughout the second half (yes I did) and make the audience (again me) come back to watch it over and over (I have watched it thrice already).

Ok, so some might be wary of watching this, thinking that it's probably a sad, sad movie that would leave you depressed for a long time. Well, I don't think so. I mean, the movie is pretty sad and the ending is very emotional, but I think you would be very satisfied with it.

And if you're still not convinced and feel that it might be boring and feel that I might be that person who cries easily during a drama/movie, well, you are certainly right (about the latter). But I made my friends watch it too and some of them are pretty tough nuts and even they broke down while watching. So yeah, it's an emotional journey of a newly married couple which I don't think anyone would hate or find boring.

And if I inspired you to watch this movie and you watched it and you loved it, don't forget to send me a message. Although, don't send me a message if I inspired you, you watched and HATED it. hehe. Hope I helped ;)

Leggi di Più

This drama sort of reminded me of Coffee Prince. Except that Guo pretended to be lesbian, not a guy :P It was amazing! I thought Yu Ping was going to be one of those guys who keep mistreating the girl (like Goo Joon Pyo) or who are super strict (like TaeKyung). But he was such a sweetheart really! I mean, come on, he fell for her in the third episode itself. And that Million BillionTrillion-dollar-worth-hot-chocolate smile..mmm. And to top it all, he was simply so sincere and earnest. He didn't even throw a tantrum when he found out that Guo was not a lesbian (unlike a certain someone from Coffee Prince :P). So, yeah, I don't buy the whole cold-blooded-and-ruthless-lawyer thing :P

Ella Chen was hilarious and adorable! Her expressions always had me cracking :D And that reminds me - the adorable little boy from Autumn's concerto is in this drama too! Awww. If only cuteness could kill. And after watching this drama I'm really looking forward to Taiwan's version Of Hana Kimi (I don't think there could've been a better choice for the role of Ashiya than Ella Chen) and Hana Yori Dango (Jerry Yen as Goo Joon Pyo = I can't wait) ^^

Special credits to Jerry Yen as Yu Ping. Lol, sorry but his hotness deserves super special credits. Not just anyone can pull off a pink shirt looking as hot as him ^^ Super special credits to the kids. Aww, I wish they'd stuck around longer so that Guo could continue being their nanny for a few more episodes. I missed them so much! But the story turned another way (mostly involving fake relationships and annoying people). still liked it!

Leggi di Più

This is undoubtedly the most popular Korean drama of all time and I really don't know how many are going to agree with me, but this one's a classic. Boys Over Flowers was my fourth Asian drama (after I'm sorry I love You, 1 litre of Tears and Secret Garden) and although I have watched lots of dramas afterwards I keep going back to watch BOF (at least)once a year. The plot is really cute. It's full of those chaebol cliches but Jun Pyo does it so well, I cannot help enjoying it like hell.

So I've always wondered what makes Jun Pyo click so much. I mean, there are tons of other arrogant chaebols in various dramas that are tamed by Plain Janes. But with Jun Pyo, it's like a whole new level of excitement. I have concluded that it's the childish sincerity. Jun Pyo is a bully but when he's sincere, he just moves you, you know. He has his childish and bully ways but his heart is at the right place. And yes, Lee Min Ho is freaking hot and works those curls charmingly ;)

Coming to other characters. Geum Jandi is disliked by a lot of people. You just have to turn-on the viki comments and (BAM!) you're showered with all the abusive words in the world, directed towards Geum Jandi. But I love her! Yes she's not the typical K-drama lead girl with her long hair and honey voice. She's a total tom boy who takes no bullshit from anyone, yet she's a sweet and simple girl and pretty likeable.

Coming to Jihoo. I know lots of people got their hearts broken Ji Hoo didn't get the girl (and maybe that made people hate Geum Jandi more when she refused his confession). I felt sorry for Ji Hoo too. He had the sweetest smile that could make anyone melt and I shipped him with Geum Jan Di faintly. I think I would've shipped him harder with her if Jun Pyo wasn't so awesome. But Ji Hoo's character was great.

The rest of the characters were great too. The acting is BIG 10 for me, especially because of the lead pair. I know majority of people prefer Lee Min Ho in City Hunter over this drama, but if you ask me, I love his acting more in Boys Over Flowers.

The music is sooo good. This was the drama that introduced me to the world of kpop through Shinee's song "Stand By Me". "Lucky", "Yearning of the Heart", "Paradise" and "Because I'm stupid" are really great songs too and overall this drama has a brilliant OST. Definitely on my top 10.

My rewatch value for this show is a solid 10 because I don't even remember the number of times I have rewtached it (lol). Love it. One of my favorites.

Leggi di Più

Usually when it comes to various versions of a drama, I never play favorites. I’ve always believed that each version brings out it’s own culture and ideals and creativity. But I have to say that ISWAK is much better than Playful Kiss, especially in terms of acting. Zhi Shu is more expressive and treats her better. Like, you can totally tell he’s fallen for her but won’t admit it. Baek Seung Joo was a bit…blank? (although more handsome). Most of the time it felt like he only tolerated her because she threw herself on him. Zhi Shu, on the other hand, was cold but there were still moments where you could tell he was struggling with his feelings for her.

Leggi di Più