Great Acting, beautiful costumes but some elements that didn't work

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2015 South Korean paranormal television drama with 20, 60 minute, episodes.

Jo Yang-sun (Lee Yu-bi) lives in an alternate Josean dynasty as the daughter of a deposed nobleman. Although not guilty of treason, with no way to prove the false claims, her family loses everything. Yang-sun dresses up as a man in order to sell books to support her family. Kim Sung-yeol (Lee Joon-gi), is over 100 years old but has the handsomeness and virility of the young man he once was. He is a guardian vampire responsible for punishing those of his kind who break the rules. He tragically lost his first love to an evil vampire and has spent years mourning and blaming himself for his loss. His focus has been finding a way to defeat this much stronger and more ancient vampire. The vampire was summoned by the royalty to establish and protect the elite structure and serves above the current monarchy. There is a document many are looking for that holds the key to destroying Gwi (Lee Soo-hyuk), the evil vampire, but it has been carefully hidden and zealously guarded. Fate binds Yang-sun, Sung-yeol and the current Crown Prince and their paths entwine throughout their lives. Will they have the courage to do what must be done to destroy the evil vampire? Will love blossom in the most unlikely place?

Despite a lot of flaws I still liked this drama. The story itself is very compelling and the acting by the entire cast is very good. T in the love story is believable and the chemistry between the leads is good. Spoilers*** I found parts just a bit silly in that the vampires were not completely real looking. In parts it was apparent that the male lead had a wig and not a great one at that. It was also apparent this was filmed several years ago as the film quality was just slightly less than what they do currently. What really lessened this for me was the way so many of the characters seemed to be on a suicide mission so that they would even argue about who should live and who should die. You, you should live but no I am going to go do this thing that will lead to my certain death. Well, if you die then I am going to die. And then it would start again. The "2nd guy" who was the crown prince for much of the story, seemed to fall in and out of love dramatically quickly. He also would make these statements about dying for the cause but, when it came right down to it, he would be scared and emotional. Then a couple of scenes later he is right back to talking tough. 2nd guy also let lead girl get literally tortured. She didn't forgive him which was good because he literally allowed her to take the blame for him and then was aware of her being severely tortured. 1st guy also did not come to her immediate rescue. I think one of my favorite characters was the evil vampire, Gwi. He was so consistent throughout and just very vampire like. It ended okay but they did the typical I am just going to go off for a year and you are going to wait and pine for me. The lead girl was so pretty when she was dressed as a girl I would have liked if she had more screen time as a girl. And there were so many opportunities for side romance I found it disappointing that the side romance wound up being between 2nd guy and a look alike of the male lead's first love. They fell for each other so quick it was not completely believable and then she just dies which made it pointless anyway. So it is a good film of the genre - actually very good but it was so close to being great that, the fact that it could have been lessens the enjoyment a little.

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Cheeses and predictable yet light and fluffy

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 120 minute Filipino romantic comedy movie. Also called “The Bet.”

Drake Sison (Enrique Gil) is known for being a highly sought after ladies’ man. He and his best friend, AndreI (Yves Flores) are constantly making bets which often enter around the opposite sex. Though he often loses to Drake, Andrew thinks he has come up with the bet he is sure to win, Drake must make the not so popular new girl, Sophia Taylor (Liza Soberano) fall for him in 30 days or declare Andrei the winner. Drake thinks, piece of cake, after all what woman has been able to resist his charms? He soon finds he may have met his match and losing the bet may be the least of his worries.

Spoiler ** I did not hate this for what it was a very light, predictable, teenage romantic comedy. If you’re out for just light and fluffy and something you don’t have to think about at all then this might fit the bill. To me the girl was never all that ugly or nerdy and I could clearly tell with a little make up and a different hairstyle she was very beautiful actually. That made her not the best fit for the role because she was supposed to be sort of Undateable looking. Although it was predictable I did like the fact that the girl was way more complex than the lead guy had imagined and it was that very complexity that drew him to her and made her different than other girls he dated. It was quite cheesy and some parts almost cringey but I think part of that must be cultural because other Filipino romances I have seen have been equally cringe worthy and cheesy. I knew what I was getting into when I read the plot so I wasn’t completely surprised about anything and for me it was sort of what I was looking for that day. It was definitely a good one to watch with my 10-year-old granddaughter as it was a very innocent romance in fact I don’t even remember them truly kissing just their lips getting close. So I would say good not great but if you’re looking for something light and where you can sort of auto pilot this could be it.

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A little too real for me

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2018 South Korean Romace Movie that is 110 minutes long.

Hwang Woo-Yeon (Kim Young-Kwang) receives a wedding invitation from his long time friend and first love, Hwan Seung-hee (Park Bo-young). They had ten years together as friends and eventually as a couple. They parted ways and the wedding invitation is the first Woo-Yeon heard from Seung-hee in awhile. The wedding invitation makes Woo-Yeon realize he still has feelings for this girl he should not have let go.
*Spoiler alert I really liked their friendship in high school. She dated other guys and he other girls but they were always there for each other. He was obviously in love with her and she knew it yet held him at arms length. I think she did it because she knew if they got together romantically and it did not work it would end their friendship. Girls often feel that way and that is why a guy that has it all and seems perfect gets friend zoned. They do eventually become a couple and he blows it by saying meeting her was what made his life go downhill. It was the type of fight that most couples would get through but they did not. The fact that neither held on that hard is telling about their relationship. The ending was most disappointing. He receives the wedding invitation and spends some days drinking and being consoled by his friends. At the last minute he goes and hatches a plan to have a private discussion with the bride. Now this is normally where they would profess their love and make amends the walk off together. what happened was they apologized and thanked each other. Then they wished each other well and she exited to do the bridal walk and he walks away. It was what might really happen in real life but that is not what I watch drama for. I want the sweet romance, the love that lasts - you know happily ever after. It is a bummer because I liked elements of it but was saddened by the end. A good watch if you like a close mirror on reality.

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Fun to watch a spoiled starlet meet her match

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2013/2014 South Korean Drama Spanning 21 episodes (~60 minutes/episode). Jun Ji-Hyun plays the female lead, Cheon Song-Yi, a top Korean starlet who is used to having every guy fall at her feet and generally getting her own way.  She moves in next to a guy, Do Min-Joon (played by Kim Soo-Hyun), who, if anything, finds Cheon Song-Yi annoying in her behavior.  Which naturally drives her crazy and makes her determined to win him over. 

Spoiler 🚨 I was a little reluctant on this one.  An Alien I thought.  What like ET?  No, more like Superman.  This has romance, of course, but it also has that supernatural element, along with a love triangle, a mystery and even a serial killer.  I found this SO interesting and entertaining.  22 episodes is more than some but I was so entertained that it didn’t seem like many.  I loved the two leads they looked so beautiful together.  And you could really see how each offset the other.  There was even an ET joke so a nod at that movie.  I can see why it consistently rates high.  It isn’t silly because of the alien element – just intriguing.  I liked it a lot I wish it had ended a bit different but would still have watched it and would recommend it because it ended okay and was so enjoyable to watch.

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A slice of life of the stunt world

10/10 is my rating. Two worlds collide in this exciting South Korean drama that aired in 2010 and 2011 (20 episodes). Gil Ra-im is a stunt woman who is poetry in motion when she is doing action scenes. Ha Ji-Won brings a versatility to this female lead role by being both tough and vulnerable. She also masters how to act more masculine when the body switch happens. Her cool behavior attracts multiple suitors the most unlikely of which is department store CEO Kim Joo-Won (Hyun Bin) who is drawn to Gil Ra-im despite the fact that he knows she is not the type of person that would be accepted in the elite social circles he and his family belong to. He masterfully adopts a more feminine attitude when they body switch and his slow transformation is believable. It is not hard to understand his fascination with Gil Ra-im and it is equally understanding how she would find him attractive for the security and protection his lifestyle offers.

spoiler 🚨 There are many likable characters in this drama and you want to see them all end up happy. It is uncomfortably amusing at times (like Bromance if you have ever seen it), there is suspense, romance, mystery and multiple plot twists. This is one of my favorites and should appeal to anyone looking for a unique drama.

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When the biological clock is ticking

8.5/10 is my rating. This 2017 Taiwanese drama has 15 episodes (~75 minutes/episode). The female lead, Lin Chun-Jiao (Tia Lee) is a driven career woman who has focused her life on earning money to support the only family she has left, her stepmom and brother. Her world is turned upside down when she discovers that failing ovaries impact future family. Her stepmom starts a quest to get her beloved daughter happily married.

spoiler 🚨 I was very surprised in this one because, from reading the description I thought it would be like an episode of the bachelorette where the word goes out and potential suitors are lined up. The way it plays out is the men are actually already a part of her life and the interactions develop along more natural lines with some pushing and urging from those around her. To me that was much more believable and allowed for fuller character development. To win a large account JoJo goes to work for a cold, distant, General Manager of a hotel chain, Yi Sheng (Jacob Hwang). The story between the two is a little like beauty and the beast where JoJo's extreme likeability slowly starts to thaw Yi Sheng's cold exterior. Things are not as simple as they seem though when JoJo's college love Tang Zai-qin returns following an 8 year separation that grew from a simple misunderstanding. Opening yourself to love changes a person and other men in her circle start to see her in a different light. There is a point in the movie where this "Eat, Pray, Love element comes in - you know the go on a quest to find yourself type thing - and I can't say that I loved that trajectory but the overall story was good enough that was a minor irritation for me. Some people really loved "Eat, Pray, Love" so others might actually enjoy that part. If you are not one of them, just know that does not overshadow the story. I got a little worried about the ending - I am not a fan of sad endings or where you follow characters the entire time only to have things drift at the end. That doesn't happen - it ends well.

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One of the few where the couple remains intact

8.5/10 is my rating. This was a 2016 Chinese drama that ran for 30 episodes ~103 minutes/episode). The title O2O stands for online to offline from what I can tell. The male lead is played by Yang Yang who plays a 4th year computer science major and the top man on campus. Xiao Nai (Yang Yang) could have his pick of women but becomes fascinated by Bei Wei Wei (Zheng Shuang), a 2nd year computer science student, who is a match for both his physical attractiveness as well as intellect. Both are top players in a very popular role playing game called "A Chinese Ghost Story" and Xiao Nai actually first notices Wei Wei as she sits playing the game.

Spoiler 🚨 Other reviewers commented that this is just a solid love story and I would agree with that. It is refreshing that little to nothing seems able to break them up once they come together and the conflicts are around overcoming obstacles others put in their way personally and as a couple. Xiao Nai is also emerging as CEO of his own gaming company that is on the cutting edge of the gaming industry. I really liked how this would switch back and forth to their roles and relationship within the game to outside of it. It was a look at how intense many people play these types of games and the fact that many such games serve as their own match making entity. It is fun to watch the two defeat those with evil intent using either their great intellect or, as in Wei Wei's case, stunning beauty. I did feel like it took awhile for the story to really take off. However, once it really got going I was pulled in. I would put this not at the top of my list but definitely towards the top. It is a great and very heartwarming drama that is well acted with visual stunning scenes.

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Transformations have to be more than skin deep

9/10 is my rating. This 2018 South Korean Drama spans 16 episodes (~60 minutes/episode). Kang Mi-rae (Im Soo-Hyan) has been bullied her whole life for being “ugly” and decides to have plastic surgery to improve her appearance prior to starting college. She hopes for a new life and to leave her troubled childhood behind. Do Kyung-seok (Cha Eun-woo) is as attractive as he is cold and distant. He was a classmate of Kang Mi-rae during her middle school years but then disappeared to another school during that timeframe. Once bullied for being ugly Kang Mi-rae begins to experience bullying for a whole new reason – being too pretty. Do Kyung-seok defends Kang Mi-rae and comes to her rescue on multiple occasions.
This seemingly light romance explores a deep issue. What does it mean to be pretty? Do attractive people really have it easy? What would it be like to become beautiful overnight? I thought it was interesting because pretty and handsome people do have to develop some interpersonal skills around that distinction. Too nice and everyone is approaching them for relationships. Too cold and they are seen as stuck-up. Early on you see that Kang Mi-rae is struggling with how to be pretty. She goes along with people as she always has and lets people in that she likely should close out. Jealousy is not something she easily recognizes and thus she has people pretending to be close to her yet stabbing her behind her back.

Spoiler 🚨 I loved the love story. Usually the male lead in Asian dramas starts as sort of a jerk but in this one he is really sweet to her the whole way through. Super sweet. He was a perfect male lead.
0-;''

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Very Unique and Fun

9/10 is my rating for this one. It is a 2016 South Korean drama spanning 16 episodes (~60 minutes/episode). A romantic comedy about Louis (Seo In-guk), a rich heir who always spends money to buy everything that has a subtle beauty (he hears them “speaking to him)l. One day he loses his memory and meets Bok-Shil (Nam Ji-hyun), a pure and energetic woman from the countryside. She is at first astounded by his spending habits. In the process of teaching him to only buy bare necessities or inexpensive small kindnesses that lighten up one's day, she also learns that bare necessities are not same for everyone as they depend on everyone's own values that shape their life and thus their shopping patterns. Both have innate innocence which bring them to care for each other, leading to undeniable love.
Spoiler 🚨 This one was so much fun throughout I missed it when it was over. The leads were so absolutely adorable together I was their cheerleader the entire way. It was fun to see them surviving the city jungle together and their unconditional love and support of each other.

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Different path to Romance

8.5/10 is my rating. A 2014 South Korean television drama spanning 20 episodes ~60 minutes/episode). Kim Mi-Young (Jang Na-Ra) is an unassuming young woman who has a one night stand with a wealthy heir, Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk). She becomes pregnant.

Leading up to their sexual encounter the two leads had several chance encounters with a lot of comedic events surrounding them. They were not the type either would have considered for each other but a mix up lands them in the same room each thinking the other was someone else. It is further complicated by Lee Gun was on the eve of proposal to his long time love.

Spoiler 🚨 I liked this one perhaps more than its average level of review. It was very funny in many parts but you better also have tissues handy if you are one that feels the emotions along with the characters. There is a 2nd guy that is so wonderful to her you almost want to see her with him instead. Some say this was too formulaic for them but I feel like there were enough twists and turns in the story that any formulaic aspects were background. Besides, with love stories, the reason there is a formula is people like it. Same with every other genre there is a general "formula" that people tend to like and watch. I had my doubts but my friend had reassured me it ends well and it did. And it also ended nicely with loose ends tied up. I can deal with sad sandwiches (happy beginning and ending with sad in the middle) or even a sad pie (I made that one up sad at the base - the crust - but the rest is happy). But if it is sad soup (sad the whole way through) or Greek tragedy (it all goes to hell in the end) I am not interested. And even in the middle the sad thing cannot be so devastating that I never recover. And this one dodged all of that and just had some sad parts that didn't kill the story for me. I feel in love with Mi-Young's character for her incredibly sweet and nice nature. I really liked that she underwent a transformation and kept that at her core but grew confidence and the ability to stand up for herself. Very enjoyable and worthwhile watch.

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Lovers of Goblin will also like Gong Yoo in This Role

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2007 South Korean television series that spanned 17 episodes (~60 minutes/episode).
Go Eun-chan (Yoon Eun-hye) has always been a tomboy and is often mistaken for a man. So when a job with a new coffee cafe becomes available but is only open to men it is an easy role for her to fill - pretending to be a guy. Choi Han-kyul (Gong Yoo) has always been a rick playboy. His grandmother forces him to start a business in order to get him to take things more seriously. A "bromance" turns romance develops between the two main leads.

Spoiler 🚨 I liked this one a lot. I felt incredibly bad for the male lead as he struggled with having feelings towards what he thought was a guy. I also liked all the supporting characters and their reaction to the "female" lead. It was well acted, well scripted, just all around enjoyable. For me a 9/10 just because I did feel like there were some slow parts.

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Light quick, interesting and cute

8/10 is my rating. 2015 South Korean television drama. This drama spans two, 60 minute, episodes. Jang Dan-bi (Kim Seul-gi) struggles with the complex math she needs to pass the college test. Feeling immense pressure she is able to escape through a time portal to the Joseon era. She finds some clothing and is ultimately mistaken as an Eunuch. Having modern skills and knowledge, abilities that were passing in the modern area make her a top scholastic mind in the Josean area and she is soon teaching and advising the king, Yoon Doo-joon (Jang Yeong-sil). Through the course of their interaction they fall in love. Danbi becomes homesick and decides to return to her own time. The king vows to find her again through time. Back in the modern era time passes and Danbi's feels the loss of a great love. She reads about things the King did as a result of their time together. Feeling wistful she drops something on the street in the rain only to look up and see a very familiar face holding an umbrella over her.

Spoiler 🚨 I really liked this one and there were many funny moments. It is a good, quick, light hearted drama to watch in between dramas with heavier topics. For me she decided to return to her time abruptly or at least it felt like that. it was really good just lacked a few elements for me that would have set it apart and made it great.

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So many layers - such a good story

9.5 out of 10 is my rating. This is a 2012 South Korean fantasy romantic comedy television drama spanning 20 (60 minute) episodes. After the Crown Princess is seemingly murdered, Crown Prince Lee Gak (Yong Tae Yong) is transported to modern day South Korea along with the three individuals he retained to help him solve the Crown Princess's drowning. Park Ha (Han Ji-min) is a cheerful person who is surprised when her calm life is disrupted by the arrival of four unseemly guests who "land" in her rooftop apartment. Through a series of strange and hilarious events Park becomes the guardian of the four as the only person who knows them at all in the modern era. The Prince considers it is his mission to discover what happened to the Crown Princess and senses destiny when he spots, Hong Se Na (Jung Yoo-mi), the reincarnation of his dead wife. The Prince is the reincarnate of the son, Yong Tae Yong, of a wealthy family whose son and heir went missing in the United States. This twisted who done it tale has many hilarious hijinks as the Josean Power Rangers (called that because they are color coded in track suits) learn the changes that have occurred in 300 years, sometimes the hard way. Can the Prince figure out not only who murdered the Crown Princess but figure out what happened to Yong Tae-Yong? Who will he love?

Spoiler 🚨 I laughed so hard in so many parts of this one. The Prince's power rangers which I thought of more as minions were hilarious. They got in many crazy situations and their reactions to things was beyond amusing. I am going to quit being offput by titles because I paused on this one with the title making it seem "silly." It wasn't silly but it was very funny in a good way. But it also had other aspects such as suspense, mystery, drama and action. I would have rated this even higher but there was a sad/unfinished aspect to me. It is unreasonable but I want all the characters I like to end up happy so it diminishes a bit for me if that doesn't happen or if all the loose ends are not tied up. This is up at the top of my list when I recommend things to watch for others. Fully enjoyable.

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Great slice of life for socioeconomic strife and love outside of "class"

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2013 South Korean drama spanning 20 episodes (60 minutes/episode). The series follows a group of rich, privileged high school students as they are about to take over their families' business empires, overcoming difficulties and growing every step of the way.
The male lead, Kim Tan (Lee Min-ho), was exiled to the U.S. by his brother, Kim Won (Choi Jin-hyuk) in a power play for control of the family business. Kim Tan falls in love with Cha Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye) while in the united states. Difficulties ensue as he is already engaged to a fellow heiress, Yoo Rachel (Kim Ji-won). Choi Young-do (Kim Woo-bin) was formerly Kim Tan's best friend and begins paying attention to Cha Eun-sang to annoy Tan but also winds up in love with her. Kim Tan has to choose between love and his "destiny" as a heir.

Spoiler 🚨 Elements of this reminded me of a popular American television drama called "Dallas." The interplay between the haves and have nots was interesting. The romance between the leads was Cinderella like. I liked seeing the situations for all the different characters. The extremes of wealth are not easy. Being too wealthy there are very rigid expectations and being too poor you are too busy surviving to enjoy freedom. It is exaggerated a bit but I see elements of it in the culture I am most familiar with. There are schools in the United States where the wealthy kids are an echelon above everyone else. It seems to be a way people have stratified themselves throughout the course of human history. I would have rated this even higher but there were some aspects of the ending that were not finished. I like things completely and nicely wrapped up. There is some sad throughout this drama so anyone that has issues with sad elements should be aware. It ends mostly happy though.

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Tunnel is similar and better - but this is good

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2016 South Korean crime drama with 16, 60 minute, episodes. Lee Je-hoon Kim Hye-soo and Cho Jin-woong. The story is inspired by the Hwaseong serial murders in Korea as well as other true crimes.

A newbie detective/profiler, Park Hae Young (Lee Je Hoon), finds a walkie talkie that is broadcasting through time from Hae Young's time of 2015 from 2000. Hae Young has been assigned to a cold case unit who is tasked with solving crimes where the trail of evidence has gone cold. It is more of a political move than any real attempt to solve the crimes in terms of the "higher ups." On the other end of the line is Lee Jae Han (Jo Jin Woong) who is able to get clues from Hae Young about crimes that "occurred" and change or prevent the events. Cha Soo Hyun (Kim Hye Soo) is a female detective who leads the cold case team. She knows Jae Han well as she was once a rookie on his team.

Spoiler 🚨 I liked this but what slightly ruined it for me was it ended very nebulously. Some like it when it "leaves you to wonder" - I am not one of them. I understand there MAY be a second season but without that being a certainty the ending just didn't do it for me. I liked all the characters, the suspense and cases, but the ending is what really determined how I felt about this overall. Many really liked this - it rates very high. A lot of folks rate this higher than Tunnel. I preferred Tunnel. That had similar intrigue and was based on some of the same real murder cases. However, that story for me was more logically flowing and the ending felt complete. Worth the watch but be aware the ending is not neatly tied up.

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