A New Leaf

 
Summary: A New Leaf is a 2014 South Korean series produced for MBC. This courtroom k-drama explores the life of an amoral hotshot attorney, Kim Seok Joo (Kim Myung Min), employed by South Korea's most powerful law firm. After he loses his memory due to a head injury, he's left with nothing but his skills as a lawyer and several unfinished cases. With the help of the law firm's intern, Lee Ji Yoon (Park Min Young), he tries to reconstruct his life and understand questionable choices he made in regards to personal and professional matters. With a clean slate in his head, will he turn over a new leaf and live a more honest life?

3 out of 5:  It felt unfinished!

Recommendation: I am 50/50 on this drama. It has a strong start and I think it poses some interesting questions on the nature of legal systems and the fine line between legal justice and fair treatment. The most interesting aspect of the series is the courtroom battles and the legal maneuverings of the various parties. But the script tries to accomplish too much and, with it being reduced by a couple episodes due to schedule conflicts, many of the sub-plots were rushed to a half-assed conclusion. Kim Myung Min carries the k-drama in a role that feels perfectly tailored to his skills. He's the best when it comes to playing complicated characters that require an inflexible personality and a high amount of disdain for others. Park Min Young was short-changed as the legal intern and potential romantic interest. Speaking of romance, there really is not much of it. Park Min Young more often felt like a supporting actress instead of a lead. Despite all this, I think A New Leaf is worth a watch, especially if you like dramas that explore the law, ethics, and the human capacity to change.

First Look: August/September K-Drama Premieres

Age Ending in 9 Boy

Tag Line:Beware the age ending in 9

Thoughts: The whole premise of this new series is that every age that ends in a 9 is a bad luck year. In one particular household, there are 4 males all with ages ending in the number 9 - 9, 19, 29, and 39. Each one will work through personal and professional obstacles over the course of several months to overcome their misfortunes. The first two episodes had an interesting set-up and I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between all the male members of the household. It's still unclear to me if the message will be that family support and love is critical in times of trouble or, whether, it will be more driven by the relationships with the various romantic interests. Though it seems, as of right now, to be more of the latter. I'm not ready to give it a thumbs up but I think this one is worth tracking for progress. It could be great or crash and burn.

Blade Man

Tag Line: Me. So. Angry. Me. Cut. Things. Arrrgh!
Thoughts: Part Edward Scissorhands and part The Master's Sun, I have to say this newest Lee Dong Wook k-drama is kind of a hot mess. BUT! It's intriguing. It's described as a supernatural romance, which isn't entirely off base. Though, it feels more like a dark comedy. Lee Dong Wook has taken on the role of Joo Hong Bin, an emotionally scarred man with a short temper that sprouts blades on his back when he gets angry. Odd, I know. But I already like this character better than the one he portrayed in Hotel King. There are several other familiar faces including Han Jung Soo and Lee Mi Sook. Shin Se Kyung is the real question mark in this drama because its uncertain if she has the acting chops to stand opposite Lee Dong Wook as his love interest. Update! Four episodes into this series and I have been charmed. These are the episodes that I am waiting for each week.

Boarding House No. 24
Tag Line: Baby Mama Drama Leads to Lost Child
Thoughts:  It is a television program and it is from South Korea. But it falls squarely in the sitcom category making it a k-sitcom. It even has a laugh track. Undoubtedly, this is a vehicle to showcase k-pop idols and it is not meant to be a thought provoking commentary on society. The premise is fairly simple: Twenty-ish years ago a playboy impregnated a woman he was dating but did not know it. Years later, he discovers that he is a father but is not sure which woman gave birth to his child. So, he tracks down every child born to a woman he dated during that time period and manipulates him or her into boarding in his home. All he has to do is figure out which one is his child. Every character is a stereotype - the jock, the nerd, the gold digger, the shop-a-holic, and fanatic. But if you are fan of slapstick comedy and k-pop than this might be right up your alley.

The Greatest Marriage 
Tag Line: Knocked Up! Minus the Pot, Plus No Min Woo's Abs
Thoughts:  What happens when a single professional woman gets pregnant and the father is a much younger and irresponsible man? I think we'll have to wait to find out. But the first two episodes have been a fun roller coaster ride of emotion. No Min Woo flaunts his stuff (shirtless) as an aspiring chef and food critic with a crush on anchor woman Cha Ki Young played by Park Si Yeon. The pair become romantically entangled and a kiss turns into a steamy affair that leads to baby drama. Meanwhile, Cha Ki Young's nemesis, Jo Eun Cha (Bae Soo Bin), is looking to return an anchorman after a failed career in politics. Her pregnancy could be just the weapon he needs to usurp her place at the top. This is a fun and exciting series with some sizzling hot chemistry between the leads. Park Si Yeon was one of the weak links in Coffee House but she's fully in charge of The Greatest Marriage. This one's a keeper.

My Lovable Girl
Tag Line: Rain playing a character that is just like Rain
Thoughts: I'll be honest. I let out a bit of a groan when I read the synopsis for this k-drama. Rain is playing a character that is a songwriter and music producer. Not much of a stretch for him, eh? But, I tried to keep an open mind as I watched the first episode. My verdict is that it was thoroughly underwhelming, particularly in comparison to his past works such as A Love to Kill and Full House. The story is recycled and there aren't any characters with which I immediately empathize. The whole episode was flat. I was more interested in watching the members of INFINITE drink it up during the party scene. At least two of them are currently playing high school students in another series (High School! Love On) so it was a bit disconcerting to watch them behave their age. Party on, boys! Now, I admit that I'll keep watching this one, just like everyone else, because it is Rain. But I predict this will my least favorite of all his dramas.

My Secret Hotel
Tag Line: The Wedding Planner meets Clue: K-Drama Edition
Thoughts: The first episode of this k-drama started with a bang. Or, should I say crash? Watch it and you'll see what I mean. This appears to be another divorced-couple-reuniting k-drama but with a splash of murder-mystery. We'll have to see how it all plays out and if this concept works. Yoo In Na is the leading female actress in this series and I like what I've seen so far. Her last few efforts were all in the bitchy-sidekick category so it is nice to see her in a role that gives her an opportunity to flex her acting muscles. She's joined by Jin Lee Han, who plays her ex-husband. He's coming off the series A New Leaf where, frankly, he wasn't given much opportunity to shine. The same goes for Namgung Min. His last drama was canceled due to poor ratings. I'm rooting for this one. The chemistry between these three actors has the potential to explode into k-drama awesomeness.

My Spring Days
Tag Line: Heart transplant recipient seeks out former owner
Thoughts: Taking over the Fated to Love You time slot, this k-drama about a heart transplant recipient and her fated encounter with the husband of the heart donor has big shoes to fill. I've only watched the first episode but my initial impression is that it has an Angel Eyes vibe. The story is similar and the lead actresses look very similar. There's even a good looking heart surgeon. Beyond the superficial, though, I found there to be some interesting and compelling moments - particularly between the widowed father and his children. I like the male lead because he seems atypical for a lead: older & a little grizzled. Though, the leading actress looks exactly like what you'd expect: young & beautiful. I feel good about this series and I hope it takes a more serious and thoughtful look at the healing process for both the transplant recipient and the family of the donor.

The Night Watchman
Tag Line: I'm a prince and I see dead people...
Thoughts: The first two episodes of this series have left me slightly bewildered, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Kings, Shamans, and Dragons! Oh my! I understand that this series is not a straight-up historical drama. It's genre is fantasy with a touch of the supernatural. Eventually, it will star Jung Il Woo as an exiled prince that can see ghosts. But he won't make his first appearance until episode 3. I hope, for his sake, that this project is better than Golden Rainbow. He really needs to redeem himself after being tied to what was a really disappointing production on all levels. I'm rooting for him!

Reset
Tag Line: Beware the prosecutor with a hypnotizing pen click.
Thoughts: I am only about 1 1/2 episodes into this OCN drama and it seems pretty much like what you'd expect from the network that brought us Vampire Prosecutor, God's Quiz, and Cheo Yong. This dark and moody drama stars Chun Jung Myung as a prosecutor suffering from repressed memories involving the death of his first love. When the memories begin to resurface, it sends him on a wild hunt for the man responsible for his girlfriend's death. It's been a chaotic introduction to the series and I'm feeling a little indifferent about it at this point. I don't feel super attached to any of the characters. But I think there is some potential for it to be interesting so I'll give it a few more views before I love it or leave it.

Secret Door
Tag Line: Father vs. Son: A Battle to the Death
Thoughts: Han Suk Kyu and Lee Je Hoon take on the challenge of depicting the conflict between King Yeongjo and Prince Sado in this historical k-drama. I'm not quite through the first episode but I can say that the first several minutes of it were very confusing. Not being familiar with the history of Korea, I did my best to keep up with the forward and backward jumps in time to set the stage for the conflict. I'm kind of indifferent to this one right at the moment but I'd like to get through 2-4 episodes before passing judgement. This is a large scale production with a huge cast so my expectations are pretty high.

The Surplus Princess (aka The Mermaid)
Tag Line:  The Little Mermaid Spring Break Style.
Thoughts: I'm a little on the fence with this one. There has been some clever humor and funny references to the animated version of this classic fairy tale. But I don't /love/ any of the characters just yet. The "mermaid" in this venture is too worldly and aware of her sexuality (she even has a cell phone in an underwater case). I typically like those attributes in a female character but it is at odds with my perception of the mermaid's mission to find true love. Still, I am a fan of Song Jae Rim and I am going to keep watching with cautious optimism. I really hope that this all comes together as something more than a series of mermaid jokes and Disney moment parodies...

The Three Musketeers
Tag Line: All for one! And, one for all!
Thoughts: Instead of trying to compare this series to the novel or other film/TV adaptations, I am going to view this drama as an independent effort. From what I understand, there will be 36 episodes that are broken down into 3 seasons. This is the first season. I have watched one episode and it felt a little Princess-Bride-like with the inclusion of a narrator and the tongue-in-cheek humor. It's certainly different from anything else that I've seen recently and I enjoyed it. This is my first time seeing Jung Young Hwa in a leading role and I am interested to see how he progresses. This is a thumbs up for me... for now.