The Guide
♥ = Love it! Watch it!
♥ = Eh. Wait and see.
♥ = Ugh! Hated it. =(
Let's Fight Ghost
TaecYeon and Kim So Hyun headline this k-drama about a college student that can see ghosts and uses his special ability to exorcise evil spirits from the world of the living. Park Bong Pal (TaecYeon) has been able to see ghosts since he was a young child. In order to save up for a procedure that will return his eyes to "normal", he uses his special vision to hunt ghosts. One night, he's offered a lot of money to remove a ghost from a girl's high school but little does he know the request has originated from a ghost - Kim Hyun Ji (Kim So Hyun). She has been living as a ghost for five years and has no memories pertaining to her death or the years she was alive. Oddly enough, they encounter an evil ghost in the high school and defeat it together. From there on out, a new ghost fighting team is born. The first few episodes are fun, fast, and sometimes a little frightening. With the addition of Kang Ki Young and David Lee as sidekicks to the ghost fighting duo, this drama is able to achieve a very nice balance between serious and funny. Kwon Yool helps step up the fright factor with his portrayal of man possessed by a demon and he's terrific at it. He has a way of subtly emoting the darkness that lurks just under the surface of his character. There is a certain level of suspended reality that the audience must accept, of course. Hyun Ji eats, touches, and otherwise seems like a perfectly normal alive person. Sometimes we get a glimpse of what it looks like to those around her that aren't gifted with Bong Pal's ghost-seeing-ability but it isn't quite enough to explain everything. Still, I really like this one and highly recommend it.
Our Gab Soon
It's the age old story of boy meets girl. They fall in love. And, ten years later, they are still unemployed and unmarried. Shin Gab Soon (Kim So Eun) has been dating Heo Gab Dol (Song Jae Rim) for over ten years. But despite their professed love, they just can't seem to get it together. They have both been trying to pass exams to become civil servants without much luck and their families oppose the relationship. But after a big blow-up, Gab Soon puts her foot down and ends the relationship with Gab Dol. Of course, they make-up and spend the night together resulting in one more hurdle to their relationship... Gab Soon gets pregnant. All around the young couple are family members struggling with their own personal relationships. As much as I adore Song Jae Rim, I am giving his first leading man role (on a broadcast network) a big thumbs down. Every single relationship in the series is depicted as abusive, co-dependent, and toxic. No one is happy. Gab Dol treats Gab Soon horribly and says things to her that border on verbal and mental abuse. Even if he immediately recognizes it is wrong, he does it over and over again just within the span of a single episode. Gab Soon seems to recognize the failings in the relationship but continues to stay. If this were reality and she were my friend, I would tell her to run away from him as fast and as far as she can... baby or not. Yet, her sister advises her to stick it out. What?! If there were at least one solid and stable relationship in the series to serve as a guide to the others, I could probably stomach it. But....no. It's all bad.
The Good Wife
This adaptation of the US television series that goes by the same name is very similar to the original. I am not a fan of legal dramas and, in fact, have never watched the US version of this series so I have no preconceived notions on what to expect from it. That being said, I really like it. Jeon Do Yeon headlines the series as Kim Hye Kyung, the wife of a disgraced head prosecutor that has been convicted for accepting bribes and sexual favors. In fact, a steamy video of her husband and a call girl is released to the media. With her husband in prison, Kim Hye Kyung returns to the work force as a lawyer at her friend Seo Joong Won's (Yoo Kye Sang) law firm. She must compete for her spot at the firm while still raising her two teenage children, dealing with the interference of her mother-in-law and processing her husband's infidelity. The first few episodes are beautifully crafted and Jeon Do Yeon is a powerhouse in the role of Kim Hye Kyung. The chemistry with fellow actor Yoo Ji Tae, who plays Hye Kyung's husband, is spectacular and a nice counterpoint to her growing attraction to Seo Joong Won. This series isn't a simple procedural with court cases that are won and lost. But a glimpse into the complicated lives of the characters involved. It's really well done and another feather in the cap for Studio Dragon, which also produced Another Oh Hae Young.
Scarlet Heart Ryeo
It is the summer of adaptations! This one's origins, however, hail from China. Based on a Chinese novel and a Chinese television adaptation, Scarlet Heart Ryeo is a time traveling tale about a young woman that finds herself transported to an ancient civilization after an accident. In the Korean version, Go Ha Jin (IU) is sent back to Goryeo and right into the body of a woman known as Hae Soo, who happens to be an identical match. Believing she has possibly died, the transition from modern to historical times poses a unique set of challenges. Her struggles with language and customs, of course, attracts the attention of the King's fourteen sons. Among them, the 8th Prince (Kang Ha Neul) and 4th Prince (Lee Joon Gi) develop an attraction toward her. Just within the first few episodes, there are some noticeable differences from it's c-drama predecessor and I am still undecided on how much of it I like. The tone is certainly brighter and there is more physical comedy. That's okay. The politics between the brothers has been somewhat downplayed and the machinations of the queen stepped up. Also...okay. However, it is IU and her placement in this role that feels like the biggest departure from the original. She lacks the necessary gravity to really portray the character well. Lee Joon Gi and Kang Ha Neul are exceptional in their craft and she comes across as amateurish when sharing the screen. It is still early and there is a lot of ground to cover, which is my other concern. The c-drama took 35+ episodes at roughly 40 minutes an episode to tell a story that was spread across 10+ years. This k-drama is getting it done in 21 episodes. Let's wait and see.
W
Lee Jong Suk takes the lead in this tale of dimension-crossed lovers. Oh Yeon Joo (Han Hyo Joo) is a doctor and also the daughter of a famous webtoon author known for his work "W." The main character of this comic book is Kang Cheol (Lee Jong Suk), an olympic athlete turned convict when his family is suddenly murdered and he is the only suspect. One fateful night, Oh Yeon Joo finds herself mysteriously pulled into the comic book world where Kang Cheol is laying on the ground wounded. She immediately goes to work to save his life and from that moment forward the two are bound by a strange connection. I won't go into much more detail about the plot simply because it is complicated and I don't want to ruin any of the "ah ha" moments. I was lukewarm about this series initially. It took 4 - 5 episodes for me to become intrigued with the direction of the story and all of its twists. I can now officially certify that this is a grade A k-drama worthy of viewing and probably one of the more thought provoking dramas to hit the small screen in recent years. However, there is something about Lee Jong Suk's performance that doesn't feel quite up to par with his prior works. It isn't bad, just not his best. And, Han Hyo Joo is good but not necessarily more remarkable than any other popular female lead. Together, though, they make a nice team that can carry the weight of this drama as it bounces through time and space to challenge our perceptions of reality.
Cinderella and Four Knights
Tag Line: Cinderella? More like... Annie.
Thoughts: What if Cinderella were introduced to not one but four princes? Who would she choose? That just happens to be the situation in which high school student Eun Ha Won (Park So Dam) has found herself. Down on her luck and low on funds for college, Ha Won unwittingly becomes a pawn in Kang Hyun Min's (Ahn Jae Hyeon) ploy to ruin his grandfather's sixth wedding. Kang Ji Woon (Jung Il Woo) and Kang Seo Woo (Lee Jung Shin) are skeptical of their cousin's mysterious fiancee and the whole thing blows up. But their grandfather is impressed with Eun Ha Won and decides she is the only one that can wrangle in the bad behavior of his grandsons. As the Chairman of Hanneul Group, he uses his extensive resources to investigate Ha Won and eventually convince her to move into Sky House where his grandsons all reside. The first few episodes of this k-drama are very slow and a little yawn worthy. I kept waiting for big moments to happen but when they did happen... they weren't that big. Eun Ha Won as a character is also frustrating. Initially depicted as a tough girl that can take down trash talking chaebols, she seems particularly weak now that she is living in Sky House. There have been more than a few scenes where I expected her to take down a Kang cousin for being a disrespectful smart-ass. And, she didn't... It made me sad. The series is finally gaining speed after four episodes but it just isn't happening fast enough. I'm not convinced this one is a winner, yet, despite all the hype for it's premiere. As much as I'd like to see Jung Il Woo recover from the Golden Rainbow disaster, I am not convinced this is the series that will do it.
Tag Line: Cinderella? More like... Annie.
Thoughts: What if Cinderella were introduced to not one but four princes? Who would she choose? That just happens to be the situation in which high school student Eun Ha Won (Park So Dam) has found herself. Down on her luck and low on funds for college, Ha Won unwittingly becomes a pawn in Kang Hyun Min's (Ahn Jae Hyeon) ploy to ruin his grandfather's sixth wedding. Kang Ji Woon (Jung Il Woo) and Kang Seo Woo (Lee Jung Shin) are skeptical of their cousin's mysterious fiancee and the whole thing blows up. But their grandfather is impressed with Eun Ha Won and decides she is the only one that can wrangle in the bad behavior of his grandsons. As the Chairman of Hanneul Group, he uses his extensive resources to investigate Ha Won and eventually convince her to move into Sky House where his grandsons all reside. The first few episodes of this k-drama are very slow and a little yawn worthy. I kept waiting for big moments to happen but when they did happen... they weren't that big. Eun Ha Won as a character is also frustrating. Initially depicted as a tough girl that can take down trash talking chaebols, she seems particularly weak now that she is living in Sky House. There have been more than a few scenes where I expected her to take down a Kang cousin for being a disrespectful smart-ass. And, she didn't... It made me sad. The series is finally gaining speed after four episodes but it just isn't happening fast enough. I'm not convinced this one is a winner, yet, despite all the hype for it's premiere. As much as I'd like to see Jung Il Woo recover from the Golden Rainbow disaster, I am not convinced this is the series that will do it.
Doctors
It is always hard to gauge the future quality of a production when the first handful of episodes are spent in the past. That being said, the past is an interesting tale of miscommunication and jealousy that ruins friendships and alters the course of the lives of everyone involved. Park Shin Hye is more or less believable as Yoo Hye Jung, a roughneck high school student that is busy kicking ass and taking names. I have never seen her as an actress with the skill set of "action star" as one of her credentials but she looked good in the scenes she performed herself. After Yoo Hye Jung is abandoned by her father at her grandmother's home outside the city, Yoo Hye Jung meets the people that will change her life. Hong Ji Hong (Kim Rae Won) is her young and handsome homeroom teacher, who inspires her to believe that change is possible. Jin Seo Woo (Lee Sung Kyung) is a high school friend that helps her study for their final exams and shows her what friendship can be between people. But when Yoo Hye Jung places first in the math exam and grows close to Hong Ji Hong, Jin Seo Woo lets her jealousy drive her to ruin the reputation of both Ji Hong and Hye Jung with accusations of an affair. Years later, they are reunited as neurosurgeons at the same hospital. Kim Rae Won is an actor that I like but I felt skeptical about him being placed opposite Park Shin Hye. It doesn't seem like a good fit but somehow it also works. Overall, I like this series. Thumbs. Up.
Jealousy Incarnate
All Pyo Na Ri (Kong Hyo Jin) ever wanted was to work as an announcer on the nightly news. But when she fails the interview, she accepts a job as the weather girl in hopes of beefing up her skills for the next interview. But four years have passed and she's still delivering the weather. Lee Hwa Shin (Cho Jung Seok) is a news reporter that was banished to Thailand for three years after calling out his brother for fraud in a special investigation report on national television. This odd couple reunites upon his return and it seems unclear whether sparks will fly between them or if Hwa Shin's jealousy of her budding friendship with Ko Jung Won (Ko Kyung Po) will burn everything down. I am totally baffled how this k-drama was not on my radar. Cho Jung Seok is a favorite of mine since his portrayal of "Chef" in Oh My Ghostess and I have loved Ko Kyung Po since Potato Star 2013QR3. These two along with Kong Hyo Jin have a wonderful chemistry and I am excited to see how this story develops. If another face seems familiar, it is because An Woo Yeon of Five Children notoriety is also a member of the cast. The first two episodes are fun, engaging and, surprisingly, a little touching. I am curious how the breast cancer story-line will evolve, as much as, the romance. Love it. Watch.
Laurel Tree Tailors
Taking over the time slot vacated by Five Children, Laurel Tree Tailors is another family themed drama that is scheduled to air 50 episodes. The drama is focused on a family business that specializes in tailored suits. It has been in the same location for over 50 years. But the current owner Lee Man Soo (Shin Goo) can't convince his son to take over the business and continue their legacy. With no heir-apparent and declining health, he suddenly takes off and leaves the rest of the family to figure things out. Lee Dong Jin (Lee Dong Gun) has no time for his father's small shop and instead is focused on becoming the next CEO of Meesa Apparel. But nothing is going as planned and he finds himself continually mixed up with Na Yeon Sil (Jo Yoon Hee), whose wedding was ruined when her fiance was arrested for label swapping suits stolen from the same company. The plot thickens as the rest of the family struggles with personal issues and the disappearance of the patriarch in the household. The first several episodes have been unfolding very slowly. Its success thus far is largely a product of a great cast with a fantastic chemistry. They manage to keep the series lively even as the plot meanders around town at a snail's pace. The story is predictable and the destination is clear but I still find myself tuning in each week waiting for the band of bros to unite under the banner of the Laurel Tree Tailors. I especially love Chae Won Young as a has-been rock star living in light of his former glory. He has captured the essence of the character so perfectly that it is full of humor without turning into a joke. Laurel Tree Tailors isn't a perfect replacement for Five Children but it can definitely fill the void that it left behind.
All Pyo Na Ri (Kong Hyo Jin) ever wanted was to work as an announcer on the nightly news. But when she fails the interview, she accepts a job as the weather girl in hopes of beefing up her skills for the next interview. But four years have passed and she's still delivering the weather. Lee Hwa Shin (Cho Jung Seok) is a news reporter that was banished to Thailand for three years after calling out his brother for fraud in a special investigation report on national television. This odd couple reunites upon his return and it seems unclear whether sparks will fly between them or if Hwa Shin's jealousy of her budding friendship with Ko Jung Won (Ko Kyung Po) will burn everything down. I am totally baffled how this k-drama was not on my radar. Cho Jung Seok is a favorite of mine since his portrayal of "Chef" in Oh My Ghostess and I have loved Ko Kyung Po since Potato Star 2013QR3. These two along with Kong Hyo Jin have a wonderful chemistry and I am excited to see how this story develops. If another face seems familiar, it is because An Woo Yeon of Five Children notoriety is also a member of the cast. The first two episodes are fun, engaging and, surprisingly, a little touching. I am curious how the breast cancer story-line will evolve, as much as, the romance. Love it. Watch.
Taking over the time slot vacated by Five Children, Laurel Tree Tailors is another family themed drama that is scheduled to air 50 episodes. The drama is focused on a family business that specializes in tailored suits. It has been in the same location for over 50 years. But the current owner Lee Man Soo (Shin Goo) can't convince his son to take over the business and continue their legacy. With no heir-apparent and declining health, he suddenly takes off and leaves the rest of the family to figure things out. Lee Dong Jin (Lee Dong Gun) has no time for his father's small shop and instead is focused on becoming the next CEO of Meesa Apparel. But nothing is going as planned and he finds himself continually mixed up with Na Yeon Sil (Jo Yoon Hee), whose wedding was ruined when her fiance was arrested for label swapping suits stolen from the same company. The plot thickens as the rest of the family struggles with personal issues and the disappearance of the patriarch in the household. The first several episodes have been unfolding very slowly. Its success thus far is largely a product of a great cast with a fantastic chemistry. They manage to keep the series lively even as the plot meanders around town at a snail's pace. The story is predictable and the destination is clear but I still find myself tuning in each week waiting for the band of bros to unite under the banner of the Laurel Tree Tailors. I especially love Chae Won Young as a has-been rock star living in light of his former glory. He has captured the essence of the character so perfectly that it is full of humor without turning into a joke. Laurel Tree Tailors isn't a perfect replacement for Five Children but it can definitely fill the void that it left behind.
TaecYeon and Kim So Hyun headline this k-drama about a college student that can see ghosts and uses his special ability to exorcise evil spirits from the world of the living. Park Bong Pal (TaecYeon) has been able to see ghosts since he was a young child. In order to save up for a procedure that will return his eyes to "normal", he uses his special vision to hunt ghosts. One night, he's offered a lot of money to remove a ghost from a girl's high school but little does he know the request has originated from a ghost - Kim Hyun Ji (Kim So Hyun). She has been living as a ghost for five years and has no memories pertaining to her death or the years she was alive. Oddly enough, they encounter an evil ghost in the high school and defeat it together. From there on out, a new ghost fighting team is born. The first few episodes are fun, fast, and sometimes a little frightening. With the addition of Kang Ki Young and David Lee as sidekicks to the ghost fighting duo, this drama is able to achieve a very nice balance between serious and funny. Kwon Yool helps step up the fright factor with his portrayal of man possessed by a demon and he's terrific at it. He has a way of subtly emoting the darkness that lurks just under the surface of his character. There is a certain level of suspended reality that the audience must accept, of course. Hyun Ji eats, touches, and otherwise seems like a perfectly normal alive person. Sometimes we get a glimpse of what it looks like to those around her that aren't gifted with Bong Pal's ghost-seeing-ability but it isn't quite enough to explain everything. Still, I really like this one and highly recommend it.
It's the age old story of boy meets girl. They fall in love. And, ten years later, they are still unemployed and unmarried. Shin Gab Soon (Kim So Eun) has been dating Heo Gab Dol (Song Jae Rim) for over ten years. But despite their professed love, they just can't seem to get it together. They have both been trying to pass exams to become civil servants without much luck and their families oppose the relationship. But after a big blow-up, Gab Soon puts her foot down and ends the relationship with Gab Dol. Of course, they make-up and spend the night together resulting in one more hurdle to their relationship... Gab Soon gets pregnant. All around the young couple are family members struggling with their own personal relationships. As much as I adore Song Jae Rim, I am giving his first leading man role (on a broadcast network) a big thumbs down. Every single relationship in the series is depicted as abusive, co-dependent, and toxic. No one is happy. Gab Dol treats Gab Soon horribly and says things to her that border on verbal and mental abuse. Even if he immediately recognizes it is wrong, he does it over and over again just within the span of a single episode. Gab Soon seems to recognize the failings in the relationship but continues to stay. If this were reality and she were my friend, I would tell her to run away from him as fast and as far as she can... baby or not. Yet, her sister advises her to stick it out. What?! If there were at least one solid and stable relationship in the series to serve as a guide to the others, I could probably stomach it. But....no. It's all bad.
This adaptation of the US television series that goes by the same name is very similar to the original. I am not a fan of legal dramas and, in fact, have never watched the US version of this series so I have no preconceived notions on what to expect from it. That being said, I really like it. Jeon Do Yeon headlines the series as Kim Hye Kyung, the wife of a disgraced head prosecutor that has been convicted for accepting bribes and sexual favors. In fact, a steamy video of her husband and a call girl is released to the media. With her husband in prison, Kim Hye Kyung returns to the work force as a lawyer at her friend Seo Joong Won's (Yoo Kye Sang) law firm. She must compete for her spot at the firm while still raising her two teenage children, dealing with the interference of her mother-in-law and processing her husband's infidelity. The first few episodes are beautifully crafted and Jeon Do Yeon is a powerhouse in the role of Kim Hye Kyung. The chemistry with fellow actor Yoo Ji Tae, who plays Hye Kyung's husband, is spectacular and a nice counterpoint to her growing attraction to Seo Joong Won. This series isn't a simple procedural with court cases that are won and lost. But a glimpse into the complicated lives of the characters involved. It's really well done and another feather in the cap for Studio Dragon, which also produced Another Oh Hae Young.
It is the summer of adaptations! This one's origins, however, hail from China. Based on a Chinese novel and a Chinese television adaptation, Scarlet Heart Ryeo is a time traveling tale about a young woman that finds herself transported to an ancient civilization after an accident. In the Korean version, Go Ha Jin (IU) is sent back to Goryeo and right into the body of a woman known as Hae Soo, who happens to be an identical match. Believing she has possibly died, the transition from modern to historical times poses a unique set of challenges. Her struggles with language and customs, of course, attracts the attention of the King's fourteen sons. Among them, the 8th Prince (Kang Ha Neul) and 4th Prince (Lee Joon Gi) develop an attraction toward her. Just within the first few episodes, there are some noticeable differences from it's c-drama predecessor and I am still undecided on how much of it I like. The tone is certainly brighter and there is more physical comedy. That's okay. The politics between the brothers has been somewhat downplayed and the machinations of the queen stepped up. Also...okay. However, it is IU and her placement in this role that feels like the biggest departure from the original. She lacks the necessary gravity to really portray the character well. Lee Joon Gi and Kang Ha Neul are exceptional in their craft and she comes across as amateurish when sharing the screen. It is still early and there is a lot of ground to cover, which is my other concern. The c-drama took 35+ episodes at roughly 40 minutes an episode to tell a story that was spread across 10+ years. This k-drama is getting it done in 21 episodes. Let's wait and see.
Lee Jong Suk takes the lead in this tale of dimension-crossed lovers. Oh Yeon Joo (Han Hyo Joo) is a doctor and also the daughter of a famous webtoon author known for his work "W." The main character of this comic book is Kang Cheol (Lee Jong Suk), an olympic athlete turned convict when his family is suddenly murdered and he is the only suspect. One fateful night, Oh Yeon Joo finds herself mysteriously pulled into the comic book world where Kang Cheol is laying on the ground wounded. She immediately goes to work to save his life and from that moment forward the two are bound by a strange connection. I won't go into much more detail about the plot simply because it is complicated and I don't want to ruin any of the "ah ha" moments. I was lukewarm about this series initially. It took 4 - 5 episodes for me to become intrigued with the direction of the story and all of its twists. I can now officially certify that this is a grade A k-drama worthy of viewing and probably one of the more thought provoking dramas to hit the small screen in recent years. However, there is something about Lee Jong Suk's performance that doesn't feel quite up to par with his prior works. It isn't bad, just not his best. And, Han Hyo Joo is good but not necessarily more remarkable than any other popular female lead. Together, though, they make a nice team that can carry the weight of this drama as it bounces through time and space to challenge our perceptions of reality.
