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.

Prime Minister & I

4 out 5 - Shall We Dance?

Plot: Nam Da Jung (Yoona) is leading a decent life as an entertainment (read: paparazzi) journalist in order to support her sick father. But when she finds herself caught on film in a seemingly compromising position with the nominee for prime minister of South Korea (Lee Beom Soo), Nam Da Jung's world is turned upside down. In order to save her reputation and his political career, they agree to announce they are dating to the media. One thing leads to another and soon they end up married. Everything starts to unravel when this unlikely couple realizes that they just might be in love.

Recommendation: It's too early to tell if this will make my "must watch" list of 2014. But I really enjoyed the pairing of Lee Beom Soo and Yoona in this drama and the plot was nicely paced. I even liked the ending. If romantic comedies with a touch of drama are your thing, I'd say it is worth the 17 hour investment of time.

Other Thoughts: One of the really nice things about the DramaFever app is that viewers can post reviews and rate dramas. Periodically, I scan the reviews for shows that I'm watching just to get a sense of public opinion. The Prime Minister & I  had several hundred reviews and there were three common themes. The first is that many reviewers felt the age disparity between Kwon Yool (Lee Beom Soo) and Nam Da Jung (Yoona) was too great. Second, there was a lot of Yoona hating - for no specific reason that I could see. And, finally, Kang In Ho (Yoon Si Yoon) is "cute."

I think the reviewers got 2 out of 3... wrong! Kwon Yool and Nam Da Jung were never supposed to make sense as a couple but they found something in one another that, for lack of a better phrase, made them complete. Age, background, life experience, etc... It was all of their differences that made them work well together. Yoona brought a refreshing youthfulness and optimism to Nam Da Jung. Lee Beom Soo brought a necessary levity and maturity to the prime minister, Kwon Yool. It was a good match of talent. My only complaint is that while I felt they were connected emotionally it was never expressed physically. It would have been nice to see some hand holding, hugs, and even a few more kisses. They never kissed after confessing their feelings!

And, yes, Yoon Si Yoon is, indeed, cute. Oddly enough, I didn't immediately recognize him as Enrique from Flower Boy Next Store (one of my top 10 dramas). Maybe it was the change in hair color?

The children in this series also deserve some accolades. Where do all these amazing child actors keep coming from? I've seen a string of dramas recently where children play huge roles in the series and they have all been exceptionally talented. This includes: The Suspicious Housekeeper; Wonderful Mama; You're the Best, Lee Soon Shin; and Golden Rainbow. How adorable was Kwon Man Se?!