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-1/2 heart for making me cry too much |
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
God's Gift - 14 Days
Summary: God's Gift - 14 Days is a 2014 k-drama produced for SBS starring Lee Bo Young and Cho Seung Woo. In this complicated tale of betrayal and murder, Kim Soo Hyun (Lee Bo Young) and Ki Dong Chan (Cho Seung Woo) are sent back 14 days prior to the death of her young daughter, Han Saet Byeol (Kim Yoo Bin), and the execution of his brother, Ki Dong Ho (Jung Eun Pyo). As the two race against the clock to uncover the truth and prevent these deaths, they discover that their fates are more closely connected than they could have ever imagined.
Recommendation: This is a drama series that is on my "must watch" list for 2014. It's a nearly flawless production and the story is complicated without getting clumsy. God's Gift moves at a fairly quick pace starting with episode three and the audience quickly realizes that the characters are very different from how they are initially presented. It is interesting to watch how their masks get stripped away. Now, this isn't my favorite genre and I don't particularly like watching dramas that involve violence against children. But the script writer and director did a wonderful job of implying action without being graphic. The ending is apparently controversial among fans and I don't know if I necessarily love it. But I do think it was appropriate and fit with the theme of the series. It's not a bad thing to leave the audience with a few unanswered questions.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Emergency Couple
Summary: Emergency Couple is a 2014 k-drama produced for TvN. This series follows the couple Oh Chang Min (Choi Jin Hyuk) and Oh Jin Hee (Song Ji Hyo) as they rush into marriage and ultimately divorce. Several years later, the couple is reunited as doctors when they both land internships at the same hospital. All of their unresolved issues suddenly resurface as they are forced to work together in the emergency room under the watchful eye of a demanding department chief (Lee Pil Mo). Both Oh Chang Min and Oh Jin Hee soon realize that both the good and bad moments of the past have made them who they are in the present. Over the course of 21 episodes, the audience waits for the answer to one question: Will they find a way to rekindle their love?
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-1 heart for too much verbal abuse |
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Bride of the Century
Summary: Bride of the Centrury is a 2014 k-drama produced for CSTV. This sixteen episode series is centered around the Choi family, owners of the multi-million dollar conglomerate Taeyang Group. As their eldest son Choi Kang Joo (Lee Hong Ki) prepares for his arranged marriage with Jang Yi Kyung (Yang Jin Sung), the rumor that the family is cursed resurfaces. According to the legends, the first wife of the eldest son in each generation will die on her wedding night. When mysterious forces begin plucking at the threads of fate, the lives of everyone involved are irrevocably changed.
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-2 1/2 hearts for bad casting and a bad ending |
Series Alert: Fated to Love You
I wanted to throw this out there because I am super excited! According to the internet (and the internet is always right), a Korean re-make of the 2008 Taiwanese drama Fated to Love You is slated to air in July and it will be starring one of my favorite actors, Jang Hyuk (see: The Slave Hunters) . I'll have to keep my fingers crossed that the episodes become available in the States.
Last weekend, I started watching the Taiwanese version of this drama and I have to say that I am really impressed with it on all levels. Historically, I haven't invested much time in Taiwanese dramas because the production value isn't as high their Korean counterparts. From acting to sound issues, the few that I've tried to watch felt amateurish. But Fated to Love You had me hooked mid-way through the first episode. The script, acting, sets, etc... are all outstanding. In fact, the script is fairly clever in how people and topics are introduced into the plot and the timing of their importance. As soon as I make my way through the whole series, I'll post a review.
My sincere wish is that the 2014 re-make won't be too conservative in its approach to the topics of sex and unplanned pregnancy because I think the series will lose some of its charm if that happens. That being said, Jang Hyuk is the perfect choice for the role of the male lead. He will bring the right amount of levity and comedy to the role. Of course, he'll have some big shoes to fill as Ethan Juan played it perfectly the first time around.
July isn't that far away so this is something to look forward to!
Update: Choi Jin Hyuk (see: Emergency Couple) is currently slated to play the role of Daniel, which I assume is the equivalent role of Dylan from the Taiwanese version. If you are a Choi Jin Hyuk fan, I wouldn't get too excited, yet. There are three main arcs to Fated to Love You and this character doesn't have much to do until the last third of the series. So, there are likely to be several episodes in a row where he isn't seen much or at all.
Last weekend, I started watching the Taiwanese version of this drama and I have to say that I am really impressed with it on all levels. Historically, I haven't invested much time in Taiwanese dramas because the production value isn't as high their Korean counterparts. From acting to sound issues, the few that I've tried to watch felt amateurish. But Fated to Love You had me hooked mid-way through the first episode. The script, acting, sets, etc... are all outstanding. In fact, the script is fairly clever in how people and topics are introduced into the plot and the timing of their importance. As soon as I make my way through the whole series, I'll post a review.
My sincere wish is that the 2014 re-make won't be too conservative in its approach to the topics of sex and unplanned pregnancy because I think the series will lose some of its charm if that happens. That being said, Jang Hyuk is the perfect choice for the role of the male lead. He will bring the right amount of levity and comedy to the role. Of course, he'll have some big shoes to fill as Ethan Juan played it perfectly the first time around.
July isn't that far away so this is something to look forward to!
Update: Choi Jin Hyuk (see: Emergency Couple) is currently slated to play the role of Daniel, which I assume is the equivalent role of Dylan from the Taiwanese version. If you are a Choi Jin Hyuk fan, I wouldn't get too excited, yet. There are three main arcs to Fated to Love You and this character doesn't have much to do until the last third of the series. So, there are likely to be several episodes in a row where he isn't seen much or at all.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
The Slave Hunters (aka Chuno)
Summary: The Slave Hunters (aka Chuno) is a 2009 South Korean historical drama that follows the story of Lee Dae Gil (Jang Hyuk) and his band of trusty sidekicks (Hang Jung Soo & Kim Ji Sook) as they track down runaway slaves for reward money. When a politician hires the motley crew to track down a runaway general-turned-slave (Oh Ji Ho), they find themselves embroiled in a political conspiracy that might just cost them their lives. Lee Dae Gil's tragic background and the search for his first love (Lee Da Hae), a runaway slave from his household, adds additional twists and turns to the 24 episode historical melodrama.
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-1 star for the weird assassin chick |
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Can We Love?
Summary: Can We Love? is a 2014 South Korean drama that follows the lives of three women as they approach their 40th birthdays. Yoon Jung Wan (Eugene) is a divorced mother of one looking to reignite her career as a script writer. Kim Sun Mi (Kim Yu Mi) is a successful interior designer that has sacrificed romance to build her career. And, Kwon Ji Hyun (Choi Jung Yoon) is the wife of a wealthy businessman with a dark secret in her past and a mother-in-law that abuses her because of her poor background. Their friendship is tested as each woman struggles with personal dilemmas and they come to terms with their changing lives.
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