First Look: June/July K-Drama Premieres

Endless Love
Tag Line: Murder and Revenge and Love Triangle, Oh My!
Thoughts: I just watched the first four episodes of this series and, while it was entertaining, I found some of the characters to be obnoxious. Hwang Jung Eum excels at dramatic roles but her character  is...well...dumb. She's been portrayed as smart but can't seem to understand that her life is in danger every time she opens her mouth to talk. I chalked it up to "youth" as the series starts with her in high school. Still, other characters are equally stupid. I'm not familiar with the political/social climate of 1980s South Korea so there's a chance that I'm misunderstanding something.. Still, I'm going to keep watching but with 40 episodes there is a high probability that I give up half-way through. I do like that the k-drama has been filmed with a 1980s soap opera vibe. It feels... vintage.

Fated to Love You
Tag Line: One night stands leads to love....and a baby! Oops!
Thoughts: I've been vocal about my love of all things Jang Hyuk but that doesn't necessarily earn this k-drama a free pass. I have pretty high expectations after watching the Taiwanese production. The first episode had me a little concerned. Lee Gun, as a character, is more over the top and quirky than the T-drama's male lead and Jang Hyuk has put his unique spin on it (OMG! The laugh!). But, after the second episode, I felt the series coming into its own and I think Jang Hyuk and Jang Na Ra have the potential to surpass the performance of the original cast. I am super excited to see how the S. Korean crew continues to adapt the setting, characters, and plot of this drama.

High School: Love On
Tag Line: Did I die and go to heaven? Cuz, I see an angel!
Thoughts: There really isn't much to think about with this particular k-drama. It's a fun high school series that was written to showcase singers from the boy band Infinite. If that doesn't pique your interest, then you could always watch for the awkwardness that is casting a 13 year old teenage girl as the romantic lead opposite two 20-something pop stars. I'll admit that she's holding her own as a fallen angel and I think her age lends itself well to the innocence and inexperience of the character. At 20 episodes airing 1x per week, this show will be around for a while.

It's Okay, That's Love
Tag Line: The patient helps the doctor...
Thoughts: This series has me really excited. As of the 4th episode, there has been an unexpected twist in the story and I'm really interested to see where all of this goes. Every character has a story in this drama and the way the come together and interact is fun. Gong Hyo Jin is a proven talent, but this is my first encounter with Jo In Sung and I'm enjoying his work. How can I not appreciate a guy that can pull off sandals with a suit?

The Joseon Gunman 
Tag Line: The Gun is Mightier than the Sword
Thoughts: We are officially two episodes into this historical drama and I have to say it's been pretty exciting. Lee Joon Gi takes on the role of Park Yoon Kang, the son of Joseon's best swordsman. But after a tragic event, he takes up the gun to seek revenge. We haven't made it to the tragic event, yet. But I suspect it will happen in episode 3. Lee Joon Gi is charming, as always, and he has great chemistry with Nam Sang Mi. I'm looking forward to watching this series develop over the coming weeks. 

King of High School Life Conduct
Tag Line: Bros before..um...high school.
Thoughts: This is the newest Seo In Guk comedy series about which there has been generally positive reviews. He portrays the character Lee Min Suk, a high school student that is fulfilling the request of his elder brother to stand-in for him at his new job for a couple months. I have really enjoyed the first four episodes and there have been some surprisingly touching moments in what is otherwise a lighthearted script. Seo In Guk falls into that category of actors that can still do the high school thing believably despite being in his late 20s and I'm happy to see Lee Tae Hwan (After School: Lucky or Not) in a full length k-drama. Normally, I don't buy the hot actress as a nerd casting choice. However, Lee Ha Na has been convincing as a woman lacking self-confidence and struggling to find her inner diva. She's one of the few characters with whom I can truly empathize. I can't wait to see how she transforms.

Marriage, Not Dating
Tag Line: Fake girlfriends leads to real marriage?
Thoughts: This one is hot off the press. I finished watching the first two episodes last night. At this point, I'm feeling a little disgruntled with the treatment of female characters in this round of summertime dramas. They are EQ dumb, IQ dumb, and personality deficient. The series starts off with the female lead attempting to propose to her boyfriend, who immediately flees and attempts to break-up with her by avoiding her. She can't take a hint and proceeds to call him 300 times. Ultimately, she is accused of stalking and it segues into the main plot. I guess being overly idealistic about love is supposed to make the character likable. By the end of episode 2, her best friend is eyeballing the guy that dumped her via text. What?! WHAT?! I don't want to condemn the series at this point because there are still entertaining moments. I just want the stupidity to stop. Someone write me a decent female character....please.

Trot Lovers (aka Lovers of Music)
Tag Line: She's a little bit country. He's a little bit rock n' roll.
Thoughts: Trot Lovers has started off strong with some major star power tied to the production (Ji Hyun Woo, Jung Eun Ji, and Shin Sung Rok). The series follows Choi Choon Hee, a down on her luck fitness professional, and Jang Joon Hyun, a down on his luck pop-star, as they are forced to work together to overcome professional and personal slumps. Now, I'm always a little skeptical with any series that heavily involves music. If I have to listen to variations of the same song for 16 episodes, I'll go crazy - hence my rating of "Just Okay." If the series manages the music well, I will have no problem changing this to a thumbs up. The main characters are all very interesting and have great chemistry. The plot is evolving quickly, too. I'm also happy to see Shin Sung Rok back and rocking a new do, as well as, a non-serial killer persona. And, it goes without saying, I <3 Ji Hyun Woo.

Beyond the Clouds (The Full Sun)

Summary: Beyond the Clouds (aka The Full Sun) is a 16 episode 2014 k-drama produced for KBS2. This series  follows the story of Jung Se Ro (Yoon Kye Sang) as he is falsely accused of murder while visiting his father in Thailand and imprisoned for five years. When he is finally set free, he heads back to South Korea with a plan to destroy the woman (Han Ji Hye) that he believes is responsible for ruining his life. But as his plot to seek revenge begins to unfold, he realizes that everything is not as it appears to be and he unexpectedly develops feelings for the woman whose life he intends to ruin.

-1 heart for too much crying

Recommendation: This is a must watch! Beyond the Clouds is a quick 16 episodes that is packed with plot twists, betrayal, and romance. This is also one of the more beautifully filmed k-dramas that I have come across recently. It is full of panoramic views, long looming shadows, and carefully staged moments between the actors. The story is beautifully crafted and brought to life by a great cast. Yoon Kye Sang and Han Ji Hye have an on-screen chemistry that clicks and they could easily contend for some "Best Kiss" of 2014 awards. For once, I loved the ending and it felt like the story had come full circle as the credits rolled. That's a rare treat in a k-drama.

Inspiring Generation

Summary: Inspiring Generation (Age of Feeling) is a 24 episode period drama produced for the network KBS2. This action heavy melodrama is set during the mid-1930s and follows the rise of a no-name youth, Shin Jung Tae (Kim Hyun Joong), as he struggles to survive and protect the people he loves. At every turn, he's unexpectedly thrust into the middle of ever larger political conflicts until he finds himself in Shanghai. As external forces seek to manipulate him, Shin Jung Tae must carefully choose for which cause he'll use his quick wit and iron fists. This comic book adaptation also stars Jin Se Yeon and Lim Soo Hyang.

-2 hearts for...well...read the review

Recommendation:  Inspiring Generation is just alright. It will not be a 2014 favorite and it certainly won't make my "Best Ever" top 10 list. The series, from what I've read, had issues behind the scenes that seem to have translated into issues on screen. There was the pacing issue. The first third and the last third of the series are gripping. The middle third of it put me to sleep. The fight scenes were nicely choreographed but so numerous that it often became distracting and lost its "wow" factor. On top of that, everything relating to the awkward love triangle between Shin Jung Tae, Kim Ok Ryeon (Jin Se Yeon), and Teguchi Gaya (Lim Soo Hyang) fell flat. The real success story of this k-drama is the depiction of the political conflict in the region and the different factions vying for territory and power. And, in my opinion, it was the bromances that stole the show. The combined forces of Shin Jung Tae, Mo Il Hwa (Song Jae Rim), and Jung Jae Hwa (Kim Sung Oh) added the spark of excitement that this series needed.

Phil Speaks... Vol. 1

This is an excerpt  of a conversation  I had with the mysterious Phil this afternoon.