So far, a lot of Korean dramas I've watched follow what I call the 90-10 rule. 90 percent of the plot will be a romantic comedy filled with light and fluffy moments while the other 10 percent will be focused on the theme that gives the drama its identity. Goblin follows this rule to a tee where most of the story involves the characters acting funny or cute with each other. The rest involves dealing with their lives as supernatural beings, coupled with occasional flashbacks of a previous life hundreds of years ago.

I'm not sure if I can call this a flaw. I know a lot of viewers love this sort of thing and there's nothing wrong with preferring the lighthearted and none-too-heavy in terms of plot. I know it can be a great stress reliever as well. I prefer my dramas more on the plot heavy side though; even the most romantic stories I like have about '50 percent of something-else-going-on-other-than-the-romance.' But for what it's worth, Goblin is extremely successful as a rom-com. I just happen to be more interested in the supernatural or dramatic parts of it. For me, the most interesting scenes where when Eun Tak had to deal with the ghosts she could see, when Grim Reaper had to transport the dead one drama at a time and when a deity or god would pop up in the story to mess with the characters. Overall, Goblin was an adorable little show but it could have been much bigger.

I loved the world that it introduced me to. A world where Grim Reapers would meet and convene on their deadly assignments, where Goblins could make gold out of nothing and where special people (like Eun Tak) could help the dead get over their unfinished business. I wish there could have been more of that. Was the Goblin (the main character) the only Goblin in the world? Were there others like him? There were moments where I wanted to see more of what made a Goblin special (and how they were able to tie this Korean fantasy creature to a modern day adaptation) and what he could do to make people's lives more magical. While his telekinetic fight scenes with Reaper were adorable, I kind of wished to see his powers put to better use. I wanted his 'Goblin persona' to make the story more interesting. This drama offers a tantalizing glimpse of a supernatural world in the modern age but there is so very little of it :(

Now the chemistry between the OTP was fine. I felt that they had their best moments in the last two episodes (where the drama really made it worthwhile and where I finally got the Gong Yu hype!) but the earlier episodes (all 14 to be exact) were somewhat boring for me because the development of their relationship consisted mostly of:

Goblin: 'Oh can she see the sword in my chest?', 'Will she pull it out?' 'Oh, I need her to get it out of me', 'Oh, I don't want her to pull it out now!'
Eun Tak; 'Am I the Goblin's Bride?' 'Oh, I won't pull the sword out for some reason' 'Oh, I want to pull it out but he won't let me', 'Oh, now I know what will happen if it gets pulled out I'm never going to do it- how could he ask me to!'

That's basically what their relationship dynamic was like for most of the show. I much preferred Grim Reaper and Sunny's dynamic because it touched on the difficulties of a Reaper/human relationship better. The Reaper's past was also more intriguing because it explained why he was doomed to such a fate. In the Goblin's (aka Kim Shin) case, the immortal life he was given was meant to be a reward but it played out more like a punishment. This made no sense to me because in the very first* episode, his past life as a noble warlord was established. He was betrayed, he committed no crime whatsoever...so every time the gods would make things difficult for him...every time the story would make him suffer...these consequences didn't really fit in with the logic of reward-punishment the story was trying to make. The character was blameless so the suffering he went through had no basis and felt hollow to me.

Other Things I Took Note Off:
Gong Yu wasn't the best actor but his charisma as a leading man was appealing. I didn't get it until the very last episodes (this is where the romantic angle finally worked out for me and the OTP moments became squee worthy); I just wish it happened sooner ;0

I liked the actress playing Eun Tak. But the problem I had was that the director told her to act too childlike. I get that the whole 'naive and innocent' candy girl is a staple in these dramas...but her version was too exaggerated and went way beyond the trope. I've watched (and appreciated) plenty of other candy girls before but Eun Tak was a little too much for me at times. She was a 19/20 year old woman and she played it like she was 13, squealing over a bag she got as a present, jumping up and down the bed and hugging her stuffed toys, crying in the bed while it rained outside...the last time I saw this peculiar behavior was in the Hollywood action movie Taken, where Liam Neeson's daughter "Kimmy" acted like a 7 year old kid instead of as a teenager/young woman. In hindsight, perhaps it was a good thing that the OTP moments came at the later episodes, as it was only then that Eun Tak started acting normally -_-

Lee Dong Wok may be the best actor here. He was definitely the best crier. He brought so much depth to the flawed but intriguing Reaper, who easily became my favorite character. The way he expressed emotions seemed extremely heartfelt.

Now, I don't have that much familiarity with Yoo In Na; the only other time I've seen her was in My Love From the Stars where she played a similar supporting character. But her Sunny is very likable -the no-nonsense types female leads usually are.

One thing Goblin excels in is that it had some of the best special effects I've seen in any drama. Viewers can feast their eyes on some of the most beautiful landscapes abroad and in Korea. The fight scenes, exploding cars, etc., all were great to look at. The historical parts were done well, too.

The OST is nice to hear but like plenty of other Korean dramas, when you pause to really listen to the English parts in the lyrics- they don't make much sense. "Never go my way...never quite some day..." what?! XD

Overall, Goblin was a good show but it wasn't great. I think viewers who don't mind extremely light (as in, 'hardly nothing ever happens but we are all so cute anyway!') plots would appreciate this the most. I'm glad I watched this; I feel like I can understand the hype more although I can't participate in it as much as I would like.

Read More

Weird Science

There’s no actual serial killer-catching or mystery solving here until the last few episodes. The main villain, the male lead’s father, is already dead when the story starts. He had an accomplice working with him but this person does not play an active role until the last few episodes. The story mostly deals with the male lead Hyeon-su, and his trauma about his past and how he copes with it. This isn’t a bad premise and I think that exploring the stigma that children of serial killers encounter could be interesting, but they don’t really get into this.

I was confused about what the story was trying to say. Was it trying to say that children of serial killers could somehow inherit a psychopathic gene or that, when bullied by their communities, could eventually become psychopaths themselves? I get that a bunch of narrow-minded people mistreated Hyeon-su and his sister but it was a little unbelievable to me that not one person outside their community (not one person in the city, or even one doctor or person of science) thought he was innocent when there was really nothing to tie him to any of his father’s murders, other than the fact that he was this evil guy’s son.

Hyeon-su was so convinced that he could not feel any emotions and could not care about anyone…if so, why did he take the blame for what his sister did? If he was traumatized by the experience (if one can feel trauma then doesn't that mean he/she has feelings?) and became a ‘psychopath’, how come his sister wasn’t similarly affected? I don’t understand why he could suddenly see these visions of their father when his sister couldn’t . Given that SHE was the one who actually killed someone, why wasn’t she suffering and as traumatized as he was?

When he meets the female lead Jin-ha, he doesn’t really care about her, but decides to enter into a relationship because being with her made his ‘visions go away.’ Why did she have this effect on him if he didn’t have any feelings for her to begin with?

Later, it was pointed out how clumsy the killer’s accomplice (the ’second killer’) was and yet, nobody could tell what he looked like or find any clue about him. Also, the actor playing him was so over-the-top and deranged that even a blind man could have spotted him. The only person who met him in the past was Hyeon-su’s sister, Hyeon-ha…and yet she had to take hypnotherapy to remember him. In her hypnotherapy session, she still couldn't remember what he looked like because he was wearing a hat* in their father’s funeral.

A hat, not any kind of facial covering.

I don’t get why Hyeon-su later decided to take on the identity of a rich man’s son. This rich man’s son (Baek Hee Song) was in a coma, but was technically still alive, so what he did was completely unethical. Also, not one of them even considered what would happen if this guy woke up. Why didn’t Hyeon-su just do a Jean Valjean and assume a brand new identity with false papers?

The female lead, Jin-ha, had an unconditional love for Hyeon-su, which I normally would have appreciated but she crossed a line both legally and unprofessionally when she burned evidence that could be used against him. She was convinced he was innocent and that the investigation would clear him, so why did she have to do that? After talking to Hyeon-ha (who wanted to confess at this point), she insists that nothing be revealed. What kind of decent cop would insist that someone take the blame for another’s crime? When her detective squad discover that Baek Hee Song and Hyeon-su (the guy they’ve been looking for) are the same person and that she had been lying to them, instead of suspending her for a bit because she was personally connected to the case, they decide to believe in both of them and let them continue…based on nothing. In fact, the reporter working with the male and female lead who was once forcibly tied up and kept in their basement for a few days suddenly develops Stockholm syndrome and becomes a loyal friend to them.

One of the serial-killer-duo’s victims is a woman named Jung Mi Sook. For some reason, they decide not to kill her and predictably, she reappears later to add more drama. During all this time, she somehow ended up imprisoned by a human trafficking group. This group had no connection to the story whatsoever but they forced it in by making this gang have ties with the rich old couple and the second killer...who conveniently turned out to be Baek Hee Song! This means that by taking his identity, Hyeon-su got himself into deeper trouble..but it’s nicely resolved in the end because he has a lot of plot armor. Also, the rich couple try to get rid of Hyeon-su using this trafficking group.

One of the last dramas I watched had a man get up miraculously from a wheelchair. It also happens here, but the difference is that the real Baek Hee Song had been in a coma for more than 10 years and had not used his legs/muscles. How could he not only get up but outrun someone instantly? How can a maid, who was hired by the Hee Song's because she was deaf, suddenly hear and tell what is going on? It also turns out that Baek Hee Song killed his mentor, the main villain and the original serial killer, by bashing him in the back of the head. For some reason, people conclude that he committed suicide but how does one do that by getting smashed from the back?

The story actually ends at episode 15 but they decide to extend it by giving Hyeon-su amnesia. This is not a trope I care for, but some of the dramas I like have had it, so it was not a deal breaker. In here, they added it to prolong Jin-ha’s suffering over Hyeon-su, as if he didn’t have enough baggage to give her. He also spends 15 minutes crying in a self pitying mess over the fact that he ‘can’t have emotions.'

The reason I gave this drama a higher rating is because the actors Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chai Won performed well..but that’s it. It lacked more logic than anything I have ever seen before.

Read More

Leh Ratree is a remake of an old lakorn. It is based on an incredibly old fashioned, unrealistic premise which a lot of viewers may find problematic, and rightfully so. A high society family wants an heir to carry on the family name and so they hire a "baby carrier" (the heroine/FL of the story) to take on the job. Since the FL is in financial straits (aren't they all?) she takes the job and predictably, ends up with the ML who is part of this family. In the real world, a family looking for a baby carrier would probably hire someone who already had a baby, not someone inexperienced like the FL, where you couldn’t be sure if she could have a baby or not!

The thing is, if you can get past the stupidity of this premise (it reminds me of those harlequins with titles like "the billionaires baby momma"), you'll find it's actually an enjoyable lakorn with likable characters. I've watched a fair number of lakorns and I can tell that this is one of the better ones.

While it focuses on the side characters, they do not take over the plot with their pointless story lines. This is one of the things I don't like in Thai dramas. Often, newbie actors/actresses with a lot of money or connections get cast as side characters and the result is that they are given too much exposure at the expense of the main storyline and the main leads. Thankfully, this did not happen here. I happened to like the secondary couple (Poo and Pakinee) a lot and how they got together was well developed. The good thing is that their story was written in such a way that it supported* the main characters relationship, rather than take the focus away from it. With what little time they had, the way Poo and Khun Pak got together was believable and they weren’t just thrown together.

The chemistry between the ML and FL. Khun Sake and Kate are adorable and the actors playing them had excellent chemistry. It isn't the heavy kind that you find in melodramas...but light and playful like you find in rom-coms. While I normally prefer a slightly intense dynamic between the leads (since I prefer dramas to rom-coms, in general), I think it also depends on the characters and the type of story you find them in. Leh Ratree had a lot of drama going on but Sake and Kate were both depicted as innocent and idealistic people...so it made a lot of sense for them to have a childlike playfulness in their scenes. The writers did a great job in showing their growth as a couple, from being initially hesitant of one another to being in love and always wanting to be together. This is what really makes it a great lakorn for me as I really hate it when the characters act bi-polar and literally go from hating to liking one another in the space of an episode.

I honestly don't think the acting is that great. The ML's expressions are really weird in some scenes. When he gets angry or troubled, he puts his eyebrows together and the effect is unintentionally funny. The FL’s crying scenes also look fake at times. I wouldn’t classify her as a "strong" character. Kate is not as intense or compelling as Kluen Cheewit's Jeerawat, nor is she funny and charming like Bpoop Phaeh Saniwaat's Mae Karakade. Despite that, she is likeable and sweet, and thankfully doesn't do anything stupid like a lot of candy girl types. There were times I wished her character would show more complexity but I don't think there's anything wrong with simple characterization when done right, either.

I think the only thing I disliked about the ML was when he flirted with the FL before* he separated from his first wife. I liked Sake a lot, but this was kind of a downer for me. I wish they put the flirting scene (this is the one where he first meets Kate) after* his divorce because it makes a big difference, IMHO. He was portrayed as an upright character and extremely loyal, so it was pretty out-of-character for him to flirt with Kate when he was still in love with his first wife.

Speaking of the first wife, Itsaya. I don't like the way the family treated her. I don't think a woman's value lies in her ability to 'provide an heir.' If Sake really loved her, he would have gotten past her inability to bear children and they would have adopted. To be fair, I don't think she was completely innocent. She did deceive him and lie for many years...I just wish the story would have emphasized that it was because of her being dishonest that he was divorcing her, not her ability to become a mother. This is the 21st century, for crying out loud. I'm not saying he should be forced to stay with her, only that she should not have been kicked out the way she had. In a way, the Suttagarn family kind of deserved the trouble she brought them later. I actually felt it made sense for her to fight back.

One thing I did like, is that the lakorn never presents her as an outright villain the way plenty of other lakorns would have. It shows her as a person with a conscience and someone who is redeemable and just made a lot of bad choices. Yeah, she's selfish and constantly dishonest -not just to Sake but to others as well. But she's not an evil person. It's good to see shades of gray in these characters. I'm not even sure if she can be classified as a nang rai. Come to think of it, I don’t think Itsaya is Leh Ratree’s main villain- it’s Khun Ad, who comes in the middle episodes. It’s in him that we see the usual over the top behavior associated with drama villains. I won’t deny that I find the exaggerated behavior entertaining at times.

I think Leh Ratree worked for me more as a family drama than as a romance. While I liked Sake/Kate and even Poo/Pak, I think the way the family dealt with their problems and the way the characters supported one another is what made the lakorn so enjoyable to watch. It's great that the mother-in-law Khun Ying accepted Kate (in a lot of asian dramas, mother-in-law is always evil) and supported her. It's great that you could really believe Sake loved Kate (and he didn't go from hating her to loving her just like that) and that she just wasn't a substitute for Itsaya or just there to have his baby. It's great that Kate felt the same way and that you could see they were meant for each other. It's great that, at the end of the lakorn, even a trouble maker like Itsaya felt at peace with herself and accepted Kate/Sake getting together. Leh Ratree only has 12 episodes but it wrapped up all these plot lines in ways that made sense and were satisfying to this viewer.

Read More

There’s this saying that a lot of Korean dramas start out good then become bad after the first eight episodes. The exact opposite happens in Stranger/Forest of the Dead/Forest of Secrets (why so many titles? I’m going with Stranger for now -.-); and I’m a bit disappointed. I think I should have managed my expectations but the problem is that this one got compared to Signal a lot. I wasn’t necessarily looking for something similar to Signal in terms of plot, but I wanted something with at least the same level of suspense and excitement. I think Stranger didn’t know what it wanted to be. It wanted to be a thrilling murder mystery but it was more of a commentary on corruption in law offices. If they had managed to blend all these genres into an intriguing, compelling story then that would have been great but what you have after a mildly interesting first episode are eight more episodes of false alarms and red herrings. During this time, there is a bit of a whodunnit going on. I normally love whodunnits, but the execution in the first eight episodes is at best eye rolling or at worst, boring.

The focus for the first eight episodes was guessing the identity of a murderer. So viewers were made to follow the stoic lead character as suspicion was transferred from one character around him to another. That in itself was not so bad, if it weren’t for how slow paced and ridiculous the basis for suspicion was at times. In one episode, the police arrested someone simply for being in the same area as another victim. This person who was arrested was not even in the same building as the victim. The only basis for arresting this suspect was that he knew the said victim. The police in Asian dramas are usually not depicted as the smartest (how else would the Sherlockian main character get to shine and dazzle us with his/her wits?) but even for dramaland, this was way beyond my personal level of tolerance. The fact that the plot treated this arrest as justified (one corrupt prosecutor sees this as an opportunity to blame an innocent suspect) instead of berating the police for how dumb they were was unacceptable. Usually, when an innocent is framed, there is at least some basis for it, such as you know- actually being in the scene of the crime? -.-

In another scene, a comatose victim is given a bodyguard by the police to protect her because she was supposedly the only one who saw the murderer. The problem? The bodyguard is only there to protect her sleeping arse by the day because you know, we all know that there is absolutely NO WAY the murderer would attack her by night. Because killers need their rest as well. -.- There’s dumb and there’s unforgivably dumb.

In other episodes, the main lead transfers his suspicions to other supporting characters but there’s no excitement for viewers because it is made obvious that the latest suspect cannot possibly be the murderer. They are either too sleazy, too incompetent or too emotional. There’s this sleaze bag Dong Jae who doesn’t do anything but lick the head honcho’s butt. When he’s not being a sycophant he’s peering at other people from behind hallway corners with frightened-I’ve-definitely-got-something-to-hide eyes. He gives you that same disgusted feeling as watching an evil minion/side kick because you are simultaneously annoyed and entertained by watching him even if you know he’s not the big bad of the story. I guess that counts as a positive because the actor playing him definitely did a good job in portraying a scum bag who wasn’t particularly evil.

I liked the main lead, Hwang Shi Mok, a lot. I thought he would be one of those cold-hearted geniuses who weren’t particularly nice but placed on a pedestal by the writers but he turned out to be very likable. He is exactly the kind of person you wouldn’t mind having as a friend, as a boss or as a mentor, even if he isn’t communicative. The guy had determination and a quiet intensity that made him interesting and more importantly he was a really nice person anyone would have wanted on their side. The only problem is that he had a condition that made it hard for him to express emotions and this was either used against him, or caused others to misunderstand his intentions.

Police Lieutenant Yeo Jin is another likable character (the actress Bae Doo Na has a gruff no nonsense personality that fit this role so much) but to be honest, she didn’t really do much. She had her best bad ass moments in the latter half of the series (tracking a suspect using video cams, chasing another suspect down, having a little fist fight here and there if she needed to) but in terms of figuring things out, solving clues and making connections, she hardly had any contribution which was disappointing. The only thing is that viewers were made to think that Yeo Jin and Shi Mok were equal co-stars but the truth is that he is the main character…and she is just supporting. If these expectations were set from the beginning, then her lack of contributions in the field of detection, along with her lack of screen time in the first eight episodes, wouldn’t have been so noticeable.

I think the supporting female lead Eun Soo did a lot more sleuthing than Yeo Jin. I really liked Eun Soo because she had her own personal goal and was very relentless about it. She was the type of character you expected to be naive and to not stand out much, but she turned out to be just as determined and single minded as Shi Mok.

I think Stranger’s success lies in its characters. They were interesting and you really cared about them. The only thing is that they seemed to be caught up in an inferior plot.

The plot finally picks up again after eight boring episodes because it finally focuses on what the drama is about- corruption in law offices and the police force where murder just happens to be a symptom of a bigger disease. I think Stranger would have been better if it had ten episodes instead of sixteen because then they could have removed all the unnecessary, pointless plot lines and gotten straight into the most exciting, relevant parts. I would not say the latter half was as exciting as Signal or other suspense thrillers. Stranger wasn’t really a thriller, it lacked the suspense and edge of your seat excitement to be called that. But it worked on some level as a drama that had an occasional interesting moment thrown in.

Read More

My first court room based kdrama. Like the others I've seen before it, this one dealt with a lot of serious issues. Is it right to go after someone who wronged you and to what extent? Do people become monsters resulting from personal tragedies? Or do they become strong, get over past traumas and become successful? Murder and murderous characters- this one had a serious villain. Even compared to Signal, which dealt with serial killers and other sordid crimes, ICHYV had a major villain whose story lasted all 18 episodes- so you have an episode or two dealing with individual court room cases aside from an overall arc. This worked for me because I like watching episodic series and my anticipation just kept increasing from watching the main conflict get built up.

Also, just like Healer which I've seen before this, ICHYV is refreshingly light hearted despite its serious themes. The interaction between the characters (and not just the main couple) is probably the most heartwarming I've seen. It was pure joy to watch the alternating rivalry and friendship between lawyers Jang Hye Sung (female lead) and Seo Do Yoon, which was based on opposing ideals related to matters of justice as well as a personal event that happened between them as school girls. It was fun to watch Park Soo Ha (male lead) and Cha Gwan Woo compete for Jang Hye Sung's affections, all the while developing a grudging respect for each other despite being rivals in love. Just was well- the side characters were great. The way respected lawyer Shin slowly learned to respect Jang Hye Sung in return despite coming of a bad start, the way Judge Kim behaved in the court room and in the elevator when caught between their bickering...it was a strange thing for me to cry during a tragic event in one episode, then later burst out laughing at some character's antic in the next. Strange, but not unpleasant :D

There was also a supernatural twist here which explains the series title. The male lead can read minds. I expected this sort of thing to detract from the plot but it thankfully didn't. Instead, it enhanced the story -particularly the way the court cases were handled, as well as the character relationships- the ability was never a secret on guy's part, so it was interesting to watch how the couple worked with and around it.

This is my first noona romance and so far, I really enjoyed it. Normally, I prefer pairings where the guy character is a bit older, or if they're the same age...but Park Soo Ha and Jang Hye Sung were adorable, and I love the connection they had with each other and how it helped them face the villain. Whether or not viewers will appreciate it, or see any chemistry between them- the one thing that can't be denied is that all the characters are so likeable that it doesn't matter if the romance works or not.

Another point in this drama's favor is that the female characters are quite strong. They are far from perfect but their flaws make them endearing. I really admired Jang Hye Sung- who is probably now one of my favorite drama heroines. She started off as this grossly irresponsible, messy creature who only cared for money but she later develops into this amazing lawyer who actually cares for her clients and can deliver a most moving speech. Another character I surprisingly liked was Seo Do Yoon. I normally hate her type of character- the selfish type who tries to justify her behavior based on parental issues (in this case, daddy issues) but the way she was written made her actions believable. I don't think the things she did were right...but I could understand why she did them. Did I think she deserved to go unpunished, plot wise? No...but I rooted for her to atone for what she did and get better. In ways, she could even be seen as more interesting than Hye Sung but I won't do the comparison thing here as both ladies were amazing...and they worked great together as well as opposed to one other.

If there's one thing I didn't like about ICHYV it's how I would have approached some of the court cases. I also didn't understand why the sentencing seemed relatively light for heavier crimes (only 10 years for murder??!) Although the lawyers managed to come up with interesting arguments and win when they needed to, I could think up of better ways to address the jury and argue certain things out. But I don't think we ought to expect the intricacies of a Hollywood court drama anyway- the cases here are relatively basic but I think it's because the focus (the focus here and in kdramas in general) has always been on the love story as well as character growth rather than the complexity of crime and the justice system.

Read More

Once in awhile, it's important to go beyond your comfort zone and try something new because if you always stick to the usual fare, you might miss out on something that would otherwise have become a favorite. I've been aware of the wuxia genre since before and have always had a mild interest/curiosity about it. The only thing that kept me from trying it out was the length. Given that the ideal drama for me goes up to 16-20 episodes, I was afraid I would have a hard time finishing anything that went beyond- unless it was formatted like American drama where there are around ten episodes per season and one season coming out every year.

Anyway, I am glad I gave Eternal Love (aka Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom) a chance because I LOVED it! :) I don't know how this ranks compared to other wuxias but this was a refreshingly new experience for me as a viewer of Asian dramas. I loved the characters, the settings and the world building. Everything seemed larger than life, everything had an epic feel to it. And the love story was one of the best I've seen.

It's not perfect. There were things in it I could've done without.

For instance, this drama had some of the most evil female antagonists. I'm inclined to see this as a negative (and this goes for Asian dramas in general, not just this one) because every time two men are written as competing for the affections of one woman, they never descend to the level of maliciousness and unfair play as when it comes to two women vying for one man. The female antagonists (Su Jin and Xian Nu) were so evil as to be caricature like and they attacked not just the heroine (Bai Qian) but everyone else who got in their way. At least they were consistent. It was almost fascinating to watch them sink so low and I found myself cringing every time they were onscreen. But I have to admit, I was entertained. And angry at the same time -_- The actresses playing them did a good job.

I also had issues with how so many women were after the male lead (ML ) Ye Hua and likewise, so many men were after the female lead (FL) Bai Qian. I'm used to seeing rivals appear every now and then in the romance genre, but with so many admirers after both Ye Hua and Bai Qian, I felt it was exaggerated.

Despite that. I loved everything else about Eternal Love and felt that it was the perfect introduction to Chinese fantasy. There were plenty of characters and relationships (similar to Game of Thrones) but the plot lines were relatively simple, fast paced and easy to follow. I loved the female character Bai Qian. She had so much going on in her life even before the male lead made his entrance. As a goddess, she went through (as the title implies- for once the title actually has something to do with the plot!) 'three lives.' She started out as a young, mischievous cross-dressing trainee at first, then went through a period of naive vulnerability on earth, and finally, she literally ascended as the cold, haughty goddess she was meant to be. The actress playing the role (Yang Mi) has a bit of a blank face but for all that, she was able to successfully portray three distinct personalities. I also loved how she had certain flaws. She was a bit lazy and temperamental. She could also be vengeful and a bit of a drunk. There were some awesome moments where she kicked ass using her fan, and this fan was treated similarly to Excalibur rising from the middle of a lake.

Ye Hua is probably one of the best, most devoted MLs in romantic drama. The whole point of his character arc was that he loved the FL more than anything and would never waver in his loyalty to her. Not once did this appear as a weakness, for Ye Hua was one of the most (if not the most) formidable and accomplished characters. He was a bad ass and good at nearly everything he did. But he was also a relatively simple man who only wanted one thing in life. The irony is that this was actually a flaw which led to hardships and heartache. Actor Mark Chao did great in his portrayal of a perfect prince. He really excelled when it came to showing both love and suffering and there was plenty of that to go by. I would say he probably gave the best acting performance because he also played another character (God of War Mo Yuan) and while these two characters have similar personalities, he still managed to make them appear as if they really were two different people.

What's great is that there were so many other characters who were just as likable as the ML and FL. Plenty of characters who held their own and some might argue, even stole the show. There were several strong, charismatic heroines like Bai Feng Jiu, Yan Zhi and Cheng Yu, who did a great job of balancing out horrible characters like Su Jin and Xuan Nu; I loved the relationship between Bai Qian and her niece, Feng Jiu. It's funny because both actresses playing them are of similar age...but when they were together in a scene, it was obvious who was the aunt and who was the niece. Stories are often filled with successful bromances...Eternal Love had one good 'sismance.' Also, plenty of scenes showing female characters supporting one another.

The male characters were just as interesting. Ghost Prince Li Jing was sympathetic but pathetic and moody. Dong Hua/Dijun was disinterested in everything but he played the ass/jerk-with-a-heart-of-gold figure. Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen (I'm guessing they were a couple) were both regal and provided a lot of emotional support to the FL.

A prominent second pairing also develops later, and while this relationship was not as angsty and emotional as Ye Hua and Bai Qian's- it was entertaining in its own way and was most likely added to provide a lighter alternative.

The backgrounds and scenery were also well rendered. The computer effects weren't as realistic as in Hollywood movies (the scenes that featured monsters were obviously fake looking) but they didn't detract from the overall atmosphere because pretty much everything looked surreal and fairy tale like. It was like watching a fancy stage play, or looking through a picture book. The fight scenes looked like dancing. The characters looked lighter than air and one could easily believe that they were deities and not regular people.

Altogether, this was a great adventure, a beautiful love story and one of the best dramas I've seen. It made the struggle of watching a (relatively) longer than average drama I am accustomed to, totally worth it :)

Read More

Comparisons between Signal and Tunnel are to be expected. Not only do they share a similar sounding name, they also deal with individual crimes, relationship drama and characters from the past and future interacting through supernatural means.

I don't mind the similarities. I enjoy watching murder mysteries and crime dramas as well as romance and sci-fi/fantasy. Also, a lot of American shows (like Elementary) follow a similar format where individual cases are framed by an overall story arc. The fact that Tunnel had similarities to Signal this way just meant that there was more of the same type of drama I liked.

I also love it when characters from the past get to visit the future and be all amazed at how times have changed. Watching the male lead Gwang Ho get confused with all the technology available to him was a highlight of Tunnel. That, and the sweet relationship he had with his wife Yun Seuk, the bromance with character-opposite Seon Jae and the hilarious antics he had with the rest of the detective team...these unique facets are what distinguish one crime drama from another. And it is in these things that Tunnel excels. The lightness of these moments made a great contrast to the grim realities of the crimes taking place. All the characters were likable and had you wanting for them to come out okay- if not, alive.

What prevented me from giving this a higher score (which I really* wanted for it) was that a lot of the individual cases were boring. They were so boring that I almost gave up on this midway. Since most of the drama is composed of these individual cases, it made the watch less exciting. But the overall arc was decent. Serial killer reveal. Good performances and heartwarming relationships (not to mention, relationships that came as a pleasant surprise along the way) made it a worthwhile watch. I'm just not sure if they were enough to make up for where it lacked, but I am glad that I chose to stay and made it to the end, as I really like how all the relationships developed and how things were tied up. If only the crime stories were better.

Creating this drama was a step in the right direction and I hope to see more of these but as of now, I'll have to continue to look for something that gives Signal a run for its money.

Read More

I've seen several detective series and a handful of forensic science/medical mysteries. This is one of the few that had such a lighthearted atmosphere that I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. I'm thinking that I much prefer the tonal shifts in dramas like Signal and Tunnel where the environment changes from light to dark, from happy to suspenseful, etc., since these changes heighten viewer tensions and give a better sense of mood. Unnatural's constant, unchanging lightheartedness was a bit jarring in that it seemed to take away from the seriousness of what was happening. There were hardly any suspenseful scenes.

On the other hand, this 'flaw' did give it a certain distinction which alleviated the gruesomeness of the subject matter. Cutting up bodies and studying human parts isn't an easy watch but they made it easy. I guess that can also be seen as an advantage.

Unnatural is so bright and cheerful that it might as well be a slice of life drama. The upbeat characters and their constant banter also reminded me of a family get together. However, I liked this MUCH better than the last mystery jdrama I watched. Back then, Galileo (2007) was highly rated and recommended by a lot of people as the 'best mystery jdrama.' But I found it so boring that I gave up watching it after episodes 7 or 8- pretty much a waste, since there were only one or two more episodes to go before it reached the end. But there was no excitement in its mysteries, and the plot focused more on tactical methods rather than what made the individual cases interesting. Another disappointment was Shibasaki Kou's female lead (FL). While I like this actress, it was her character I took issue with. Had she been written as a civilian I would have been more forgiving but no...she was a police officer and extremely useless. Her presence only served to prop up the brilliant male lead and to make him look good. She behaved like a fan girl who fawned over him one moment, then she did the whole damsel-in-distress act in the next. Even those I could have tolerated, had she been able to help him in any way. But she didn't contribute anything* to the plot whatsoever.

Fast forward to 2018 where thankfully, Unnatural gave me the exact opposite scenario. Not only did it have an extremely capable FL in "Misumi" (played charmingly by Ishihara Satomi, despite her sometimes blank facial expressions :) ) it also had a competent secondary female lead in "Shoji."

Iura Arata's "Nakado" was a variation of the 'jerk-with-a-heart-of-gold' (or maybe, eccentric with a sad past is a better description?) but his character's attitude problem and the shit he gave his team members were thankfully addressed by the plot and called out in the most humorous of ways. The chemistry between Misumi and Nakado was great. It reminded me a bit of Johnny Lee Miller's Sherlock and Lucy Liu's Watson from Elementary (2012). They got together to solve problems and the buddy-cop dynamic they had going on was a highlight of the drama. Kubota Masataka's "Kube" was a frustrating character but in the end, managed to come across as sympathetic. I was relieved that he evolved from being bumbling fool type (no one likes a clueless Jar Jar Binks) to a helpful contributor to the team.

One of the things I did not like in the drama however, were the times that the characters would talk at the same time and over one another.

I get that this sort of thing might happen in a busy work room but as a viewer, I found the experience irritating because I could not understand the conversations and had to rewind a couple of times. I don't know if they filmed it this way to give off a sense of heightened activity or to make the characters appear clever, but I felt that it was the wrong decision. I wanted to be able to absorb and appreciate all the medical jargon but I couldn't because they all seemed to be having a contest as to who could talk the fastest.

The production values also seemed outdated. Not just in Unnatural but in jdramas in general...the way the lighting effects, filters, etc looked didn't seem much different from what was in Hana Yori Dango, which came out more than ten years ago. As a result, they weren't able to recreate an atmosphere of tension during those scenes that were meant to look scary/suspenseful. Like I said earlier, shows like Signal and Tunnel did a better job of stirring emotions. Kdramas...and even Cdramas, have gone a long way in terms of production values/design. I can only hope that jdramas will follow suit. They do so well when it comes to anime/manga...but not much artistry is given to their dramas. It occurred to me that it could be a budget issue as they only provide for a short number of episodes.

The last criticism I have can either be counted as a flaw or as an advantage, depending on what type of characters one likes.

I couldn't help but notice that in a lot of jdramas...the actors/actresses always act cute. I noticed this in the Battle Royal movie and every other japanese production I've seen. No matter how old they are or what personality or temperament they have...they always act cute. I'm not talking about characters being presented in an exaggerated or idealized manner - kdramas and cdramas are also guilty of that, not to mention thai dramas which feature some of the most over-the-top-characters in fiction. But in jdramas it's almost as if the actors/actresses aren't really acting and that it's really just their manner and way of speaking. I'm not sure if it's their mannerisms or the sing-song way they talk but the results have me both utterly charmed but unable to take them seriously. I think that since jdramas are relatively realistic compared to other Asian shows - realistic in terms of their themes, events and characterizations, the 'kawai factor' that the characters (or actors?) have tends to stand out more.

Overall, while I don't think Unnatural is as good as my other favorites, it's definitely a step in the right direction and an improvement in jdrama mysteries. It was a fun watch, with likable characters and interesting cases. Compared to Galileo, there wasn't a single time I was bored. I liked the pacing of the story and the way the mysteries balanced out with the technical aspects. I hope this gets a second season because I will be one of those looking forward to it.

Read More

It's a good introductory to Sageuk. It's like a pretty picture book come to life. Gorgeous costumes, charming characters and a fairy tale like love story. In as much as I enjoyed this, I couldn't give it the rating (9.0 and above) that I wanted to. I gave it an 8.5 purely because I enjoyed it so much but in reality, this is probably at 8 at best. This type of historical isn't for everyone and one's enjoyment will really depend on his/her expectations. To put it bluntly, if you don't mind watching a traditional love story (think of it like reading a Grimm fairy tale, not one of the revised fairy tales you see on tv) then you probably won't mind how male centric this is. The female characters are very likeable but you won't see any badass female leads here, save for the FL's bodyguard who doesn't have much scenes. Personally, I am the type of viewer who can also enjoy a traditional female lead as well as a tough one...so, while this was a source of disappointment for me it was not a deal breaker.

The reasons why I couldn't give this a higher score were:

The FL lead's casting: I don't want to criticize the actress but I think she was miscast. When I compared the child actress to the adult one, it really seemed as if they were two different people and not in a good way. This drama has 2 sets of characters. The child actors who take up the first 5 episodes, then the adult cast...and the FL's actress is the only one who seems nothing like the child actress :/ The actress playing the princess Minhwa, the FL antagonist Bo Kyung and even the FL's sidekicks (heck, even all the male leads!)...while they didn't exactly resemble the outward appearance of their child counterparts...they were still able to appear as the same person. Not so for the FL. And, I hate to say it, but she wasn't as good an actress as the rest. I compared all crying/high tension/emoting scenes of all the characters and only the FL's scenes appeared very forced and unnatural :(

The magical premise/the Shaman: I found the Shaman's character extremely annoying. It really seemed as if- in trying to 'prevent anything bad from happening to the FL', she basically killed her and robbed her of her life.
I get that there is a magical superstition involved here but the show didn't execute this very well so her reasons weren't convincing for me. She had one good Shamanic fight with another shaman at the end of the show and this is the only scene where I enjoyed her character. For the rest of her scenes I found myself rolling my eyes at her "I won't let anything bad happen to you so I will kill you and deprive you of your family" arguments. Everytime one of the other characters questioned her logic, she would resort to riddles and start blabbing about the moon and the sun! >< The sad thing is that she could have been a really cool character if they only executed the magic/superstitious plot points better. The shamanic element was also one of the aspects that made this Sageuk different from, say, Princess Man or Empress Ki. Too bad the most powerful Shaman was a moron.

I also wish the side characters (both male and female) were better developed and had different endings . Then again, it might not be fair of me to expect this, given that this drama only had 20 episodes and other plot points to deal with. Aside from the FL's Cinderellesque story arc, there was also the corruption in the palace arc, Prince Yangmyeung's existential musings., the rivalry between the brothers, etc. I feel that Chinese dramas like Eternal Love do a better job of developing side characters because they have more episodes to work with, not to mention a bigger character scope. But I gave this a high rating for a couple of reasons:

The main couple: I really enjoyed the main pairing, despite wishing a different actress was cast. They had really cute moments and good chemistry. It was mostly because of the ML's performance and it's a pity a better actress was not used.

The ML: Kim So Hyun was really* good here. I was surprised because he didn't make any impression on me when I saw him in You Who Came from the Stars (that drama was more female centric, and it was all about the fabulous Jun Jihyun); I guess in here it was the opposite. METS was mostly ML centered and KSH pretty much carried the show on his back. He was perfect in the role of a young king who could be so many things- authoritative, angry, bitter, heartbroken... and at the same time charming, boyish and devoted. Very different from his flat character in YWCFTS!

His scenes with the FL were some of the best OTP moments I've seen in romantic kdrama. Aside from that, I really loved the scenes where he was being sarcastic, even when smiling. I think his verbal sparring with his corrupt court officials were some of my favorites. His character appears passive first but develops better in the latter part of the drama. It might appear slow to some, but the 'adult years' actually open around only 3 years into his reign when he is still learning the ropes and how badly the court was run before. He turns out to a be a more effective, capable ruler than his father, who let himself be lead around the nose by others. This is a pretty intelligent ML here.

The second ML: Jung Il Woo as YangMyeung. He was pretty good as well in playing a carefree outsider. He managed to be both likable and yet very distinct from his royal brother. While I don't care for love triangles, his infatuation with the FL wasn't annoying whatsoever. It's mostly because the writer treated both MLs with respect. Certainly much better compared to the annoying catfights you see in Chinese drama where the women are unbelievably catty towards each other; unfortunately, even when it comes to love triangles, male characters get better treatment :(

The side characters: Despite the fact that the side characters didn't have as much scenes, their performances were all good, considering what they were given and the short time frame where so many characters had to be juggled.

So yeah, overall, there's a lot to enjoy in this, if one watches it with these things in mind. It's not as grand an epic, nor as deep as something like Eternal Love but I think this is one of the better historical kdramas.

Read More

How do I describe Healer? It's an action/romance/career oriented (the focus on journalism) drama that succeeds on all those counts. The male lead Seo Jung Ho (aka Healer) is a superhero with no superpowers, who comes complete with a cowardly public identity and a secret life as a kick ass "night errand boy." Female lead Chae Young Shin is a spirited journalist who struggles to do what is right and eventually gets caught up in a scandal involving corrupt individuals. Second male lead Kim Moon Ho is an older news anchor, whose longevity in the business hasn't hampered his drive to fight for justice and for the oppressed, and who early on finds a connection between himself and both Jung Ho and Young Shin- a connection that starts more than a decade ago, which involves their parents, who were also employed as journalists fighting for a just cause.



While this drama delt with serious issues such as the corruption of high ranking officials, a master puppeteer behind it all and a mystery/tragedy regarding Jung Ho and Young Shin's parents, it never felt like a heavy watch. This really worked for me, even if I am a fan of heavier melodramas. The fight scenes reminded me a bit of the Bourne series but they were graceful and acrobatic as opposed to brutal/gritty. The romance is what I'd call squeal inducing and the chemistry between the actor and actress playing Jung Ho and Young Shin is one of the best I 've seen. I really enjoyed watching him slowly fall for her. Initially, he'd thought her strange and annoying but once he got to know her it all changes and fans of the romance genre will enjoy the sweetness of their moments together.



Side characters such as master hacker Jo Mina and Young Shin's (adoptive) lawyer father Chae Chi Soo were also a delight to watch- their interactions with the main leads added a lot to the lightness of the series. Another thing I liked about Healer is that the main characters aren't always overwhelmed by the villains' actions. I've watched a handful of kdramas now and I've noticed that in the heavier ones I've seen they often write it in such a way that the villains seem to always be one step ahead of the heroes. I guess they do that to make the story more suspensful and aggravating for the viewers but this has always been a hit or miss for me. I'm glad they took a different approach with Healer. I wouldn't say that the villains didn't give the leads substantial difficulties to overcome- they certainly did. But the leads always came back fighting and then we'd get another round of challenges. This didn't make it any less exciting.



Overall, this was a fun, fast paced (romantic! action filled! hilarious!) watch and I can easily see myself rewatching this, even over many of my other favorites :)

Read More

***MAJOR SPOILERS***

No kdrama has topped Signal yet for me when it comes to thrillers, but this came pretty close. Just like the previous drama I watched, this was also about second chances.

Like Signal, Train (I guess OCN just really likes single title dramas!) did well in balancing the supernatural aspects with the crime solving. I figured out who the main antagonist was early on but I like who they chose, and also the backstory that came with it. I’m not sure how I felt about the killer’s motivation (it’s not exactly realistic compared to real life serial killers) but they made a good story out of it. The length of the drama also works…I’m just really glad it was only 12 episodes because if it weren’t, they would’ve added useless filler and some of the middle episodes would've dragged on. Train also manages to pull off a creepy atmosphere convincingly. I’ve seen other thriller kdramas try to do this, but with plots so ridiculous, I just ended up getting annoyed. Not so here.

This is a male centric story where the male lead, Do Won, is the protagonist and the rest are supporting characters. Do Won is a very strong but vulnerable, brave and yet in over his head type of hero. His parallel self is an addicted junkie who is consumed by bitterness and does nothing but harm himself and others in a downward spiral. The actor portrays both opposites well.

The actress playing the female lead Seo Kyung is also efficient in playing 2 different roles. I like how Seo Kyung was more stubborn and bitter in the parallel world and yet, she knew how to apologize when wrong and acknowledge misconceptions she’s had about one of the other characters. I also like how protective Do Won was over her and how regretful he was of his behavior towards her in the original world.

The chemistry between the main couple was good and the romance was very touching without eclipsing the main plot.

The drama also does well in connecting the parallel worlds in terms of the fate of its characters. There is this question of whether history is doomed to repeat itself and in some cases, yes but in others, the results can be quite different.

One thing I disliked about Train is how, in several instances, characters who would have been dead (getting shot in such close range?) managed to survive. I’m glad they did but it just seemed too unbelievable, given how the scenes were presented. Also, the ending, while happy, was still too open ended.

Read More

**MAJOR SPOILERS***

I didn’t expect to like this so much. It’s over the top and makjang in some parts but very entertaining just like - or maybe even better, than the webtoon it's based on.

Park Min Young is very charismatic. Asides from having an amazing smile, she has this likable quality that makes you want to be her friend and root for her character onscreen. Her ability to both laugh and cry at the same time in one of the later scenes is a good showcase of the turmoil her heroine goes through and how it affects her.

All performances here are good and it’s impossible to compare them since we are talking about very different personalities, so what I expected from each of them was different as well. This is a female centric show and the female lead is the main character; the rest are supporting characters, but it works. Kang Jiwon is likeable, displays both strength and vulnerability, and tries to proactively use her knowledge of the future in subtle ways to turn her life around. She does get a lot of help from other characters, but this makes it more believable.

Su Min, the antagonist, also does exceptionally well. She is merely catty in the beginning, but she devolves into one of the most disturbing characters…the type of person who would try to drown you in one minute, then send a love letter to you the next. She does just that. At the end of the series, I still couldn’t figure out if she loved the female lead or hated her. Her obsession with Ji Won was very chilling.

I also liked the male lead, Ji Hyuk, a lot. His character may seem boring but it balances out the rest of the more extreme, personalities. He starts as a passive character who does nothing, is confused by his feelings towards Ji Won and as a whole is very regretful when she dies. But by the end, he becomes one of the most decisive, supportive and devoted male leads…as well as being an extremely kind person who brings out the best in her. I thought they had an adorable chemistry.

I was more confused by Min Hwan, the male antagonist, because the actor had a very comedic manner that it made me wonder if they should have gotten a more serious actor. I got some genuine laughs out of his stupid facial expressions and ridiculous way of talking and thinking that I had to remind myself that he was a killer who was violent towards women!

One of the strongest points of this drama is the lessons it had. Not just about literally having second chances in life, but the importance of valuing yourself and surrounding yourself with the right people…not just in terms of choosing the right partner when it comes to romance, but also in terms of forming genuine friendships. Anyone who has chosen the wrong friend, who has been betrayed by a loved one or worse, whose loved ones betrayed them, might get something out of this. Also, it wasn’t just about choosing the right friends who care about you, but also about being supportive of other women. It was great how Ji Won didn’t just grow into a woman who learned to care for herself but also one who cared for others…her support for her female co-workers (one who was experiencing something similar to what she did in the past) was a great message.

The character of Yura was one of the few things I disliked about this show…she just didn’t fit in and felt like an evil Mary Sue they added last minute to create more drama. They already had enough of that with Su Min and Min Hwan.

Read More

***MAJOR SPOILERS***

I was surprised at how young the leads were and would’ve preferred a slightly older cast, but they did very well in their performances, especially* the male lead. He really nails emotional, intense roles. The actor is good at doing facial expressions that make his scenes very heartfelt. He also delivers when it comes to the comedic parts; the body swapping between him and the female lead were the funniest.

Many people dislike the female lead’s high pitched voice, which I understand, but as someone who used to watch a lot of shojo anime, it didn’t bother me as much. I think the real issue is whether viewers want to watch this type of character, which is the usual, innocent female that isn’t really popular with some...so if one expects a more mature, badass female lead like the ones in other martial arts fantasies, this could be a down point. The character of Orchid is meant to be an innocent little plant (literally) who manages, in her own way, to influence events around her. She does get to solve problems- like how she is able to clear up a misunderstanding between the male lead and his brother. She also shows bravery in her immortal examination test when she tries to save other examinees. The actress also did pretty well when she had to act cold during the body swaps- I think the scene where she bit the second male lead was pretty funny!

The chemistry between the main couple was good, even if they were such an odd couple who had IMHO, way too many ups and downs.

The supporting characters were also likable here and experienced character growth. The second male lead, ChangHeng, starts off as flat and boring but he grows into his own and becomes independent. The second female lead, fairy Danyin, is antagonistic at first, but she turns out to be a valuable ally with her own side story that ties well into the plot.

Another good point is that all four characters, not just the main couple but also the second leads, get to play different personalities when they are reincarnated in the mortal realm.

One thing this show does differently from other Xianxias is to take established conventions and turn them around. The character of DongFang QingCang is usually portrayed as a villain but in here, he’s just misunderstood. They needed a different antagonist because of this and while I don't think this substitute was as compelling, he was decent. On the other hand, the character of the Heavenly Lord is always a jerk in these stories but manages to get away with it…it’s the same here, unfortunately. Although one could argue that it is also like that in Greek mythology, where Zeus gets away with too many things when he should have been written as an antagonist.

One downside for me was how, when Orchid finally turned into the Goddess, it wasn’t as convincing. I should’ve cheered at her transformation but instead, I wanted the old Orchid back. It’s normal for characters in this genre to experience different lives but there is always that something that makes them feel the same- like in Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, where Bai Qian went through three lives and acted differently in each, yet she still felt like herself. Not so here. The Goddess felt like an entirely different character with no connection to her previous life.

The secondary character, ‘Jeli’, also felt out of place. She wasn’t bad, but she got away with too many things (like stealing treasure in the Ghost Kingdom) which I felt she would have been killed for. They tried to make a story arc for her that tied into the whole ‘fairies vs. devils’ theme but it felt forced. I also couldn’t picture her as fairy Danyins sister.

The ending was also rushed…did DongFang get to keep his throne in the Ghost kingdom? Since he didn’t have hellfire anymore, what did he have in its place? In the last scene, Orchid finally remembers him, so did she finally regain a little bit of her former personality? Maybe having one or two more episodes would’ve explained things better.

Read More

***SPOILERS***


Reply 1998 was recommended to me by two people but it took me awhile to watch due to the number of episodes. The episodes are also pretty long, each running at an hour and a half! I’m really glad I took some time for this; it was very heartwarming. This might be my first slice of life drama and nothing major happens here…there’s no main antagonist to get by or big problem to solve. Those expecting something more specific or thrilling to happen might be bored, but those who don’t mind watching day-to-day life may find this really special. This could also be a good drama to watch alongside something more serious, as a breather. The episodes are plotted in such a way that one can even watch right in the middle without missing anything important.

It mostly centers on five teenagers growing up in the 1980s. I like how the show focused not just on the friendship of the main group but also the friendship between their parents, each family and its dynamics. Watching this entire network of relationships was a very pleasant experience and I can see myself rewatching some of the scenes later.

The main female character Deok Sun is a loudmouth and one of the wackiest characters in a drama but I found her pretty funny and likable. She gave off this good energy in every scene. Actually, all the characters here, from the gruff older sister Bora to even the older parents such as Mi Ran and her husband Sung Kyun (even wackier than Deok Sun!), had distinct personalities. I was expecting to fast forward the scenes with the parents but it turns out that their antics were just as entertaining as their kids!

What I didn’t like were the parts with a grown up version of DeokSun (in 2015) talking about her youth in flashback. Her husband was with her during this interview (she gets together with one of the guys and his identity is revealed later) and the problem is that his personality differed so much from when he was younger that it made him seem like a different person. I understand that the writers did this deliberately to keep the audience guessing but it was too much and I agree with those who said that it was as if he got a personality transplant :/

I also felt that one of the gang, Dong Ryul, didn't get as much screen time as the rest of them. He’s just as goofy as Deok Sun, but some scenes revealed that he could be surprisingly wise and deep when needed. His relationship with his father, the dean, was pretty abusive and I wish they addressed this more.

There is a love triangle here which I normally dislike, but this one - while it comes with its share of natural angst, wasn’t toxic or offensive to any of those involved. It’s interesting how they went against stereotypes where the more introverted party happened to be the more expressive and direct when it came to relationships. In the end, every character is happy and at the right place. This drama really manages to capture the nostalgia of growing up and what Korean culture was like at a time when things were much simpler.

Read More

--- Warning: SPOILERS---

There’s a genre in Thai lakorn called slap & kiss. Like the name suggests, it is highly problematic and full of slapping, screaming, fighting and all kinds of violent and toxic behavior. I think the reason why people watch it is because it’s like watching a car wreck. It’s not something you see everyday. The characters are so over the top that they make cartoon characters realistic. They can make the viewer angry and yes, in some cases, they can also make the viewer laugh. I do not recommend this genre unless one already likes ‘makjang’ to begin with. In fact, slap & kiss is like a crack genre that is even more extreme than makjang. Only watch this if you can’t take it seriously.

I do not usually watch slap kiss but I was actually introduced to watching asian dramas though it, when someone made recommendations in the romance novel board I used to visit.

When done well (ex: Kluen Cheewit) though, they remind me of the romance novels I used to read. I think Long Ngao Jan 2019 is one of the ‘better ones.' I don’t recommend the older version but this later version is able to do something which I rarely see in this genre.

It’s able to point out that all the characters are dysfunctional and that it is problematic.

This is one of those rare lakorns where I did not hate the antagonist. Khem was horrible but the plot did a good job of explaining why she turned out that way. From the very beginning when she was young, she was already brainwashed by her mother to believe that her older sister would take everything from her. Her upbringing lead her to become a resentful person. I felt that every time she did something bad, she was also hurting. When she finally turned into a total mess I felt sorry for her because she was both an antagonist and a victim.

The FL (the older sister) was the main victim of the drama. She was a doormat who was abused since childhood by her stepmother and stepsister and was used to always giving in. She had a father and grandparents who loved her but they couldn’t protect her enough. This is the type of weak FL that many would despise but I could’t help but admire her love for her sister. Also, the actress playing this role usually plays bitchy, antagonistic roles, so her being able to play this pitiful character was actually impressive for me.

The lead hero is what I call ‘a jerk with a heart of gold.’ Acts like an ass but can actually be nice if he weren’t so deluded about the FL. He straightens out later and I don’t know if it’s a little too late or too much; it depends on one’s personal level of tolerance. I think he’s written to be much nicer here than in the older version (psycho) who I can hardly watch. In here, all the characters in the family were so messed up that the ML just gets swallowed up by them, even if he was the one who started causing trouble in the first place.


I like how, instead of focusing on his revenge scheme, the story focuses on how the dysfunctional family caused mental issues and destroyed the relationship between the sisters. I don’t know if it showed an accurate representation- especially of the antagonist’s condition but at the very least, it points out that yes, this character is problematic and yes, this is what happens if things aren’t sorted out.

Read More