First Look: March / April K-Drama Premieres

The Guide

♥ = Love it! Watch it!

♥ = So-so start. Might get better. Might get worse.

♥ = Bleh. Hate it!

♥ Daebak

Tag Line: Tazza + Historical Baby-Daddy Drama

Thoughts: Jang Geun Suk makes his return to the small screen as Baek Dae Gil, a Joseon era gambler (i.e. Tazza). This complicated story involves a few players all with motivations related to the throne. Prince Yeoning (Yeo Jin Goo), eventually King Yeongjo, wants to protect the throne and be a good son to his father. Baek Dae Gil (Jang Geun Seuk) wants to bring it down to appease his resentment surrounding the death of his father and the mistreatment of common people. Dam Seo (Lim Ji Yeon) wants to exact revenge on the man she believes killed her father. Lee In Jwa (Jeon Kwang Leol) believes the system is rotten and only he can fix it. As each of these individuals seeks out their own path toward resolution, they clash in a battle to prove what is right... and what is wrong. The first couple episodes are spent predominantly in a flashback, not unusual for an historical k-drama. They are beautifully filmed and very cinematic in nature. The story is engrossing and well acted by the cast. That lustre, though, is lost as the story transitions back to the present. It is difficult to pin point but something about the pacing and arc of the plot is failing to keep my interest. I tune in each week because I admire many of the actors for their talent and there are "moments" that shine and catch my attention. But overall it is falling short of the greatness that was glimpsed in the first two episodes. It's not absolutely terrible. It just isn't... daebak. 

♥ Entertainer

Tag Line: Knife. Back. Stab. Ouch. Start over. Do it right this time and avoid knives.

Thoughts: I was quite excited for the release of this k-drama after watching the trailer with Ji Sung and Hyeri dancing around to Taylor Swift's Shake it Off in a convenience store. It was fun, spunky, and had a great energy. But the actual production has been underwhelming and lacking the same good-feeling vibe. I think it is still too early to write this off as a spring fling and move on to the next one, though. The story is centered around Shin Suk Ho (Ji Sung) and his efforts to recover from a catastrophic fall-from-grace at the entertainment agency where he was once employed. In attempt to regain some of his dignity and start fresh, he discovers a young talent to promote. Ha Neul (Kang Min Hyuk) has the voice of an angel and the face to match. Unwilling to sing without a band, Suk Ho must find Ha Neul some guitarists and a drummer to make the group complete. But it is one obstacle after another - including a single Dad guitarist and a lead singer with a sexual assault charge. The story has a lot of potential and the casting for the band is well done. Kang Min Hyuk, Gong Myung, and Lee Tae Sun all have a very different charisma on screen that becomes more captivating when they are all together under the leadership of Ji Sung. My prediction is that once they all converge in Seoul the pace of the plot will quicken and the audience will feel a stronger connection to the underdog band of heroes. It's yellow, for now. Still, there is some hope... 

♥ Marriage Contract

Tag Line: Wife for hire. Brain tumor included. Liver optional.

Thoughts: Marriage Contract is the big surprise for me this season because I wasn't anticipating anything special after reading the premise. It seems like a story that has been told a dozen times over in k-dramaland. But Lee Seo Jin and Uee have an interesting chemistry that makes it hard to look away and keeps me tuning in religiously for new episodes. The story revolves around Han Ji Hoon (Lee Seo Jin), who is the son of a wealthy businessman and his mistress. When he discovers that his birth mother will die without a liver transplant, he exhausts all options to find a donor. Ultimately, he forms a contract with Kang Hye Soo (Uee), who agrees to donate her liver in exchange for enough money to support her young daughter until she is grown. But as the two work together to trick the hospital that they are a married couple they inevitably develop feelings for one another. Admittedly, this is a slower moving series with a heavy focus on character development and relationships. But their struggles are heart wrenching and it is easy to empathize, hoping all the while the journey ends in a happy place. Among this cast of veteran performers there is also one new face that tends to steal the scenes. Shin Rin Ah, who portrays Kang Hye Soo's daughter, is a delight to watch. I am totally sold on the mother-daughter bond. This is easily one of my top two dramas among the March/April releases.

♥ Master: God of Noodles (aka Master of Revenge)
Tag Line: My parents were killed and all I got was this lousy revenge plot...and noodles.
Thoughts: Moody and intense, Master: God of Noodles is one of the the last k-dramas to debut in April. This dark thriller centers around the misdeeds of a man by the name of Kim Gil Do (Baro / Cho Jae Hyun). He has spent his life lying and killing in order to claw his way to the top of the pecking order - changing his identity several times over to escape punishment for his crimes. While on the run, he crosses paths with Ha Jung Tae (No Young Hak), a young man isolated in the woods trying to master the royal court style of noodles. Ha Jung Tae takes him in without any questions and teaches him the basics of making noodles. But it all goes wrong. Kim Gil Do attempts to kill him and steals both his identity and the notebook with the secrets of Ha Jung Tae's work. Many years later, Kim Gil Do, now a successful chef, discovers the real Ha Jung Tae is alive and makes a move to eliminate the threat to his fake identity. But he makes a mistake and leaves a survivor, Ha Jung Tae's son (Chun Myung Jung). He grows up in an orphanage under the name Moo Myung, to protect his identity, all the while plotting to bring down the man that ruined his life. The storytelling in this drama is exceptional and beautifully done. The tone of the series is set by dark looming shadows and the overcast and dull scenery surrounding the characters. Everyone has a secret. Everyone is wounded. They are all struggling to survive. And, they'll each take a different road in order to do that. The characters provide narration that is well written and often a touching commentary on the state of affairs. Artistically, this is one of the strongest dramas that I have seen in a long time. It is moving a little slower than is typical but I find it really enjoyable and I highly recommend it. 

♥ Monster

Tag Line: My parents were also killed and I also got a lousy revenge plot. No Noodles.

Thoughts: Kang Ji Hwan headlines this series alongside k-drama favorites Sung Yu Ri and Park Ki Woong. It is a simmering pot of corporate thriller with  a heaping side serving of revenge. Kang Ji Hwan takes on the role of Kang Ki Tan, a young man whose family was murdered under the guise of a car accident that also left him blind. Under the care of his Aunt and Uncle, he leads a closeted life as the spoiled heir that trusts no one... including his caregivers. He ultimately discovers a plot to steal his fortune but it is too late. His life is ruined and he finds himself homeless and penniless. Years later, he is provided with a second chance at life and an opportunity to reclaim his fortunes by attacking those that plotted against him. So, I'll start with the one "flaw" of the opening episode, though calling it a flaw is a bit of an exaggeration. Kang Ji Hwan looks ridiculous. I need to write that again: RIDICULOUS! I get that he is portraying a man that is homeless and dirty, doing whatever he can to survive. But his appearance is borderline comical and takes away from the gravity of the situation. Once the story slides back in time to set-up the plot, the audience can easily forget the leper-like appearance of our hero's future self and focus on the crossing and double-crossing taking place. It's fast. It's intriguing. The chemistry between the young-versions of the leads is fantastic. I am sorry to see them go. Hopefully, the momentum is maintained across all 50 episodes and the revenge dish that we are served is as tasty as it looks. I'll green light it for viewing but it isn't my favorite new release. 

♥ Neighborhood Lawyer, Jo Deul Ho
Tag Line: Disgraced prosecutor becomes a lawyer for justice.
Thoughts: March was a great month for new k-dramas and this one in particular took me by surprise. I am not a huge fan of crime/law genre television programs but I am really enjoying this series. Park Shin Yang takes the lead as a down-on-his-luck lawyer named Jo Deul Ho. He was once a star prosecutor but after disobeying his superiors and challenging a well-connected CEO his career is ruined with accusations of bribery. He loses his job, his wife, and his daughter in the aftermath. Three years later, he is living out on the streets and homeless. When an old case he worked on as a prosecutor reappears, he picks himself up and heads back to court to fight for those that can't fight for themselves. Park Shin Yang is mesmerizing in this role and has a charisma that is complimented by cast mates Kang So Ra, Park Won Sang, and Hwang Suk Jung. Each episode is a perfect blend of comedy and drama that leaves the audience laughing and crying, sometimes at the same time. I highly recommend this one.

First Look: January / Febuary K-Drama Premieres

The Guide

♥ = Love it! Watch it!

♥ = So-so start. Might get better. Might get worse.

♥ = Bleh. Hate it!

♥ Cheese in the Trap

Tag Line: She's the cheese. He's the trap. Or, is it the other way around? Hmm.

Thoughts: I'm sure I have some but I can't seem to find any right at this moment. The first two episodes were slow and somewhat underwhelming. I'll write more after next week's episodes air and see if I can produce some worthwhile first impressions.

♥ Come Back, Mister
Tag Line: They died. They came back... with a twist. 
Thoughts: Arguably, this is one of the February drama launches about which I was the most curious. I like Rain. I think he's a phenomenal entertainer. But his last acting gig was a total crash-and-burn affair (See: She's So Loveable). This time around I was hoping for something smarter with a better cast. My wish was granted with the better cast. Kim Su Ro, Kim In Kwon, Lee Min Jung, Oh Yeon So, Honey Lee, and Choi Won Young are all talented actors and stars in and of themselves. The smarter script? Based off a Japanese novel, the story focuses around two recently deceased men that decide to bail on the trip to Heaven in order to return to Earth and take care of unfinished business. But there's a catch. Han Gi Tak (Kim Su Ro) finds himself in the body of a beautiful woman (Oh Yeon So) and Kim Young Soo (Kim in Kwon) wakes up as a handsome man with an impeccable physique (Rain). They can't reveal their true identities and they can't exact any revenge. This is promising and there have definitely been smart "moments." The biggest flaw with the first few episodes is that they feel like a drama written for Rain's muscles and rely heavily on physical comedy. Normally, I like both of these things but in this instance it is overpowering other aspects of the production. There are fleeting moments of real connection and emotion between some of the characters and when they show up they are powerful. I even shed a few tears. It just isn't coming together as a total package (no pun intended...seriously). All that said, I'm not giving up hope!!  There are signs that the "unfinished business" of these two men are beginning to merge into a joint venture and that should unify the elements of this series that currently feel disjointed.  Let's wait and see where this all goes... Yellow for now.

♥ Descendants of the Sun
Tag Line: He's a soldier. She's a doctor. Can they find love in a foreign land?
Thoughts: Song Joong Ki headlines this series as his first job out of the military. Oddly enough, he's playing the role of a soldier. Yoo Shi Jin (Song Joong Ki) is the commander of a special forces unit that has been sent to the made-up land of Uruk as part of a UN peace keeping mission. It is there he reunites with his almost-ex-girlfriend Kang Mo Yeon (Song Hye Kyo), who has been sent as part of a medical team. They dated briefly back home but were unable to reconcile the top-secret nature of Shi Jin's work with Mo Yeon's personal views regarding the saving and taking of lives. The first handful of episodes were better than I expected and quite riveting. Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo have a natural chemistry that plays well on-screen as they try to reconcile their differences. The secondary characters are also interesting and keep the pace of the series moving along at a nice speed. Of special note is Jin Goo, who takes on the BFF role alongside Song Joong Ki. He's a great acting talent so it is nice to seem him in a role that offers substantial screen time. And, if you happen to get tired of staring at sweaty-muscley-shirtless soldiers running around a military base, there is also the stunning Mediterranean seaside view to enjoy. This drama spent several weeks filming in Greece alongside clear blue waters and white sand beaches. I think I should go plan my next vacation now. 

Thoughts.... Coming Soon 
Moorim School
Neighborhood Hero
Signal

First Look: November / December K-Drama Premieres

The Guide

♥ = Love it! Watch it!

♥ = So-so start. Might get better. Might get worse.

♥ = Bleh. Hate it!

♥ Oh My Venus
Tag Line: Woman Gains Law Degree and 50 lbs, Loses Boyfriend
Thoughts: This is the RomCom that I've been waiting for to round out the newest collection of winter k-dramas. So Ji Sub makes his small screen comeback after The Master's Sun as John Kim, a personal trainer living in Hollywood. When he's caught in the middle of a scandal involving a celebrity, he flees back to his hometown - Seoul. During the flight, he connects with Kang Joo Eun, played by Shin Min A. Kang Joo Eun was once the "Venus" of her high school with hordes of adoring teenage boys flocking to her. But years later, she is an overweight lawyer that is struggling both personally and professionally. To make matters worse, her boyfriend of 15 years just broke up with her when she was expecting a proposal. I think we can all figure out what happens next when a personal trainer and an overweight lawyer hook up. They exercise. Duh! The first two episodes are solid and the pairing of So Ji Sub and Shin Min A has just enough sizzle to leave the audience curious about how their relationship will evolve. I also appreciate the subtle humor worked into the dialogue regarding body image and the means by which woman achieve the "ideal" shape. Yu In Young has a humorous scene in which she proclaims, "I don't eat food for the taste," before she consumes a single kernel of corn with great effort. Overall, I like the direction the series is going and this is one to watch. I highly recommend it.

Remember
Tag Line: Coming Soon
Thoughts: Coming Soon

♥ Reply 1988 (aka Answer Me 1988)
Tag Line: The 80s called. It wants its hair styles and clothes back.
Thoughts: This blast to the past is the third installment in the anthology series "Reply."

Sweet Savage Family (aka Sweet & Sour Family)
Tag Line: Coming Soon
Thoughts: Coming Soon

Series Alert: Six Flying Dragons

I stumbled across this one by pure accident.

Slated for an October release on SBS, it will take over the time slot currently occupied by Mrs. Cop. The only reason I felt compelled to make this into a series alert is because Kim Myung Min is tied to the project. And, I will watch anything that includes him in the cast.

This period drama will focus on six characters, hence the name, and their successes at the start of the Joseon Dynasty. The central figure of the drama is Lee Bang Won (Yoo Ah In), a son of the first king of the Joseon Dynasty that later inherits the throne. Half of the six characters are based on real historical figures from that era and the other half are works of fiction.

Shin Se Kyung (Blademan) and Byun Yo Han (Ex-Girlfriend's Club) are also set to play major characters in the series.

First Look: September / October K-Drama Premieres

The Guide

♥ = Love it! Watch it!

♥ = So-so start. Might get better. Might get worse.

♥ = Bleh. Hate it!

♥ Awl

Tag Line: Workin' 9 to 5 So Take This Job and... Don't Fire Me.

Thoughts: When faced with the moral dilemma of whether or not to unfairly fire his team of employees, Manager Lee Soo In (Ji Hyun Woo) decides that he is going to disobey management's order and protect his people. But things go particularly bad when it is discovered that he's joined the local union to protest against management's actions. This ultimately leads to a 510 day protest by the affected employees. This k-drama is, apparently, based on both a true story and a comic book. Ji Hyun Woo takes the lead with Ahn Nae Sang, who plays a labor attorney. The first two episodes are riveting and I particularly liked the dynamic between the employees and management. The flashbacks were, perhaps, a bit too frequent but well done. Lee Soo In is nicely depicted in these scenes as a deep and complex character worthy of further exploration. I also never found myself counting down the minutes until the present timeline resumes. That's always a good sign. At any rate, this is one of the more promising fall releases. Admittedly, I am a fan of both Ji Hyun Woo and Ahn Nae Sang but I can say with all honesty that my admiration for them as performers has not influenced my opinion. Definitely include this one on your fall Must-Watch-List. 

♥ Bubblegum

Tag Line: Another Men & Women Can't be Just Friends RomCom

Thoughts: TvN is generally spot on when it comes to reinventing the romantic comedy in fresh ways that are humorous and touching. But this one feels like a miss. I'll have to verify if it is an original script or based off a webtoon but either way the first episode is thoroughly underwhelming. There is nothing immediately distinct and/or catchy about the story, the characters, or the setting. It's just another BFFs become lovers plot as far as I can tell. 

♥ Cheer Up! (aka Sassy Go Go)

Tag Line: U-G-L-Y you ain't got no alibi, you ug - Yeah. Not that kind of cheerleading.

Thoughts: Put the spirit sticks away and lower your sparkle hands because Cheer Up! is not that kind of cheerleading drama. It is, however, another drama about kids trying to find themselves and figure out life within the microcosm that is called high school. This time it is specifically centered around two competing school clubs that both identify themselves as cheerleading clubs, neither of them being exactly that. Baek Ho is a club for elite students looking to bolster their specs for acceptance into ivy league universities and Real King is a club for the worst students to get away from the stress of high school and dance to their hearts' content. Baek Ho, club #1, is headed up by Kim Yeol (Lee Won Geun), the son of a wealthy household with top grades. Real Kings is headed up by Kang Yeon Doo (Jung Eun Ji), the daughter of a middle-class household with terrible grades. Admittedly, I am struggling a bit with Jung Eun Ji playing a high school student. It has nothing to do with appearances. But she exudes a certain maturity as an actress that makes me feel she'd have been better suited in this role if it were set in college. That all aside, there's nothing surprising or earth shattering with this k-drama. It's lighter fare that blends romantic comedy with a public service announcement. I'll watch it because it's a genre I naturally gravitate to but I'm not expecting to be wow'd by it.

♥ Cheo Yong 2: Ghost Seeing Detective

Tag Line: I Can See Dead People...Again

Thoughts: Technically, Cheo Young 2 is an August premiere but since the episodes just started popping up for US consumption, I'm throwing it into September. This is a sequel to the k-drama that goes by the same name and centers around police detective Yoon Cheo Yong (Oh Ji Ho). He has the special ability to see ghosts, which is immensely helpful when you are trying to solve cases involving murder. He also has his trusty ghost-sidekick Han Na Young (Jun Hyo Seong), whose story we came to know in season one. The series begins several months after Cheo Yong's former partner, who was believed to be dead but was actually possessed by a demon, nearly destroyed the wide area search team. The remaining team members have been broken up and transferred into different units around the country. But when a strange series of murders take place, the team is reassembled for "special investigations." The rest is pretty much what you'd expect from an OCN crime/thriller drama. The production value is high and the cases they solve are interesting. Oh Ji Ho makes the fight choreography look easy and his fellow detectives add a bit of humor. This one has a lot of entertainment value.

♥ D-Day
Tag Line: Gaaah! Earthquake! I need a hot doctor to save me!
Thoughts: This medical drama focuses on a team of healthcare and rescue professionals as they work through the medical, political, and social aftermath of Seoul's worst natural disaster, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake. The first two episodes are primarily an introduction to the characters and the politics of emergency medicine. In one camp, we have the doctors that feel morally bound to save a life if given the opportunity, regardless of the severity of the injury. In the other camp, we have the doctors that are only interested in tackling medical cases that have a probability of boosting profits and personal brand without the risk of medical malpractice lawsuits. Who will win? Kim Young Kwang is compelling in the role of Dr. Lee Hae Sung and Ha Seok Jin is taking a turn toward the darker side in his role as Dr. Han Woo Jin. The first handful of episodes are fast paced and deliver a nice buildup for the main event: the earthquake. The momentum doesn't stop from there as tensions rise and the scrappy band of characters must deal with aftershocks, failing infrastructure, and a lack of supplies. For me, this is the one series that leaves me excited for each new episode. This is my fall favorite for 2015.

♥ Glamorous Temptation
Tag Line: An Innocent Woman Fights for Justice - Maybe?
Thoughts: I am two episodes into this series and still a little confused on the premise. The accompanying description of the television show does very little to clarify it, either. The best that I can tell is that Shin Eun Soo (Choi Gang Hee) has been wrongly convicted of a crime she didn't commit, in part because of a conspiracy involving her presumed-to-be-dead husband and a well-known politician. Several years later, she is trying to rebuild her life and raise her daughter when she crosses paths with people from her past, Jin Hyung Woo (Joo Sang Wook) and Kang Il Joo (Cha Ye Ryun). At the same time, she is receiving phone calls from an anonymous person instructing her that her husband's death was not an accident and that it involves the former prime minister (Jung Jin Young). As she sets out to learn the truth, she will reconnect with her past and change the political landscape of South Korea. The first episode established Eun Soo's run-in with the law and the second was entirely a flashback establishing her relationship with Hyung Woo and Il Joo. It seems the third and fourth episodes will be a continuation of the flashback. There is potential for this drama just based on the cast but the episodes, particularly the flashbacks, are dull and predictable. Joo Sang Wook just came off the Masked Prosecutor, which for me was a dud, but he generally picks good roles so I am hoping this one is a winner, too. I'll keep my fingers crossed that things turn around when the story resumes in the present.

♥ The Merchant: Gaekju 2015
Tag Line: Money Money Money Money! Money! 
Thoughts: Jang Hyuk headlines this series about a merchant that achieves unimaginable success. The series starts with Chun Bong Sam (Jang Hyuk) as a child, who is accompanying his father and the merchant caravan to the international market. But things go terribly wrong and his father ends up dead. Chun Bong Sam swears that he will never become a merchant or the head of a merchant group and spends his days playing around until he's an adult, who ends up working as a peddler. The first handful of episodes are quick but I still found myself counting down until Jang Hyuk makes his appearance (episode 4, I believe). Merchant lacks the grandness of Slave Hunters and the pageantry of Shine or Go Crazy but our hero can always carry a scene with just his trademark laugh. I don't know if it will be enough, of course. Assuming that the ramp-up to action for our lead characters is nearly done, I fully expect things to get more interesting beyond episode 6. Consequently, this one gets the yellow light and I'll hope it improves.

♥ My Daughter, Geum Sa Wol

Tag Line: 2 Girls. 2 Boys. Who will date who?!

Thoughts: This k-drama is the brain child of the writer that brought us last year's mega-popular drama -  Jang Bo Ri is Here. So, it is no coincidence that the description of the show struck me as oddly familiar. Baby swapping? Back-stabbing siblings? Skeletons in the closet?! Yeah. You get it. Unfortunately, there's no avoiding a comparison with Jang Bo Ri. The first several episode of the series set the stage for what will come throughout the rest. The story largely revolves around a construction company and the two architects aspiring to be its next leader, Oh Min Ho (Park Sang Won) and Kang Man Hoo (Son Chang Min). Both talented, Min Ho has been earmarked as the successor and is set to wed the daughter of the owner, Shin Deuk Ye (Jeon In Hwa); and, Kang Man Hoo has been pushed aside because of critical flaws in his character. Man Hoo is desperately in love with Shin Deuk Ye and unable to accept defeat so he sabotages the company, frames Min Ho, and ultimately marries Deuk Ye. This sets the stage for the turmoil that follows and the revenge plots that develop. Ultimately, though, their children will be left to carry the burden of their parents' sins and stop the vicious cycle of revenge. Baek Jin Hee takes the lead as Geum Sa Wol, the daughter of Oh Min Ho and Shin Deuk Ye. And, Yoon Hyun Min plays her counterpart Kang Chan Bin, the son of Kang Man Hoo and his ex-wife. I have a lot of hope for this series provided the script and direction give the audience dynamic characters capable of expressing themselves. With 50 episodes, there is a lot of opportunity to go wrong, especially with the female characters. Give it a watch and I'll let you know if it takes a turn for the worse.

♥ She was Pretty
Tag Line: She was pretty. Now, she's not. But her BFF is...
Thoughts: This is tough. I have seen two episodes. It is pretty standard fare for a romantic comedy. However, it features Park Seo Joon, who is just the cutest thing ever. AND, it also stars Choi Si Won, who is one of my many not-so-secret crushes. This means that I will probably say good things about it even if it is total crap. But, I digress. She was Pretty follows Kim Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum), a young woman struggling to find a job and self-conscious about her appearance. Out of the blue, she receives an e-mail from her old friend and first love, Ji Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon). He wants to meet. Hye Sung remembers him as the chubby boy next store that she protected from bullies. But Sung Joon is all grown up, slimmed down, and a total hottie. She, on the other hand, has gotten less attractive with age. At the last moment, she convinces her best friend to meet him in her stead. It goes as planned until he shows up as the boss at her new job. Sound like another well known story? Probably because there have been a hundred different takes on it since Cyrano de Bergerac was first published as a play in 1897 (thank you wikipedia). Sadly, even the combined superpowers of Choi Si Won and Park Seo Joon can't turn my heart green. Hwang Jung Eum has either made some bad character choices or received bad direction because her performance is ruining what would otherwise be a decent series. The physical mannerisms of the character are so over the top that they have ceased to be comedic and have become a distraction. It's painful to watch. What are your thoughts? Let me know.

♥ Six Flying Dragons
Tag Line: Not your everyday dragons. Flying dragons. (Dragons being important people.)
Thoughts: Kim Myung Min may be influencing my decision to flag this one green. I just can't help myself. It must be the voice. That aside, Six Flying Dragons is an historical k-drama set right at the founding of the Joseon Dynasty. It follows six characters, as some of you may have already guessed, as they work to achieve their goals during the tumultuous transition of political regimes. Three of the characters are based on actual historical figures and three are works of fiction created to enhance the store. Lee Bag Won (Yoo Ah In), Jeong Do Jeon (Kim Myung Min), and Lee Seong Gye (Cheon Ho Jin) are the historical figures. Boon Yi (Shin Se Kyung), Ddang Sae (Byun Yo Han), and Moo Hyul (Yoon Gyun Sang) are the made-up characters. The first four episodes begin with many of the characters being children and the series will ultimately leap ahead to their adult years. The first three episodes move at a steady pace and the audience is introduced to a dozen or so characters that are influencing the current politics of Goryeo. 

♥ The Village: Achiara's Secret
Tag Line: I'm supposed to be dead. My sister's supposed to bead. We're alive. Or, not. What?
Thoughts: This is a pleasant and seasonally appropriate addition to the fall line-up of k-dramas that have premiered over the past month. Set in the small community of Achiara, this murder mystery focuses on death of an unknown person whose corpse is found in the woods by a newly hired middle school teacher, Han Soo Yoon (Moon Geun Young). At the same time, Han Soo Yoon is trying to solve her own mystery involving the death of her parents and her sister in a car accident when she was five years old. She has lived in Canada for as long as she can remember and there is no record of her existence in South Korea. The more she discovers the more she realizes that things aren't as they seem. Is there some link between her and the corpse in the woods? Why is everyone in the town so weird? These questions and many more will get answered across this 16 episode run. The first three episodes have been just creepy enough to be engaging and there's a feeling to the production that rings of an M. Night Shyalaman film. The dark... the foreboding.. the hint of something otherworldly at play. Moon Geun Young is excellent, as always, but I can't help feeling that the styling choices between hair and wardrobe have aged her by 10 or more years. That aside, I am really enjoying this series and I hope the build up of the mystery and the resolution are handled in the same manner as the introduction. I'm looking forward to seeing more! 

Coming Soon

Because It's the First Time

First Look: July / August K-Drama Premieres

Again... pretty pictures to follow. I'm still setting up the new computer and transferring everything post-vacation!

The Guide

♥ = Love it! Watch it!

♥ = So-so start. Might get better. Might get worse.

♥ = Bleh. Hate it! 

♥ All About My Mom
Tag Line: I Hate My Mom. I Hate My Mother-In-Law More.
Thoughts: Eugene stars in this family-themed k-drama alongside hottie Lee Sang Woo. Part comedy and part melodrama, the story centers around the Lee family and their relationships with one another. This slower paced series is one of a handful of k-dramas exploring mother-daughter and mother-in-law-daughter-in-law interactions. The first handful of episodes in this series have established a suitable foundation of family dysfunction worthy of psychiatric evaluation. But it has been a bit slow. At eight episodes, I am still waiting for the proverbial sh** to hit the fan. Our leading lady is still single and the pace of her relationship development with the leading man is slower than a snail. I think there is potential here but it will require some patience. I am still going to green light this one because the cast is more than enough compensation for the gradual build up of the plot.

♥ Assembly
Tag Line: Out-of-Work Welder Goes into Politics
Thoughts: Coming Soon

♥ I Order You
Tag Line: Divorced Man Falls in Love...Again.
Thoughts: This Monday-Thursday food drama is adequately portioned with just enough idols and models to keep things light and refreshing. U-Know Yunho headlines the series as a divorced chef that owns his own gourmet lunchbox service.

♥ Last
Tag Line: Riches to Rags. The Wolf of Seoul Goes Bust.
Thoughts: Jang Tae Ho (Yoon Kye Sang) had it all figured out. He'd play the stock market, make it big, and then run off to the US with his beautiful girlfriend and a pocket full of cash. But when he manages to lose 35 billion won in a handful of minutes, he finds himself wanted by both the police and gangsters. There's nowhere for him to go except to the streets - with nothing but the clothes on his back. Now that he's homeless, he's desperate to reclaim his old life any way that he can. And, that means defeating the seven bosses of Seoul's underworld. The first two episodes are exciting. Yoon Kye Sang is always flawless on screen and is the perfect anti-hero. Surprisingly, Lee Beom Soo takes his turn as the bad guy this time around, which I'm excited to see. The premise for the series, though, feels a bit like a video game adapted for TV. "Beat the seven bosses and you win!" Naturally, each boss is more difficult to beat than the next. But, never fear, Jang Tae Ho has a trusted teacher (Park Won Sang) showing him how to kiss a$$ and take names. Still, I feel good about this one. Give it a watch.

♥ Mrs. Cop
Tag Line: She's a mom. She's a cop. Shouldn't she be Mom Cop?
Tag Line: Coming Soon

♥ My Eccentric Wife (aka My Virtual Bride)
Tag Line: A Down-on-Her-Luck Celebrity Gets a 2nd Chance at Fame & Love
Thoughts: This is the k-drama that I needed to round out the seriousness of Assembly and Last. It is pure goofy fun wrapped up in a package of reality television and k-pop idols.  Oh In Young (Dasom) is an idol whose market value has been decreasing for years. In a last ditch effort to reclaim her former glory, she agrees to star in a reality television series where she is "married" to the eldest son of an established family in a traditional house. She must cope with all the daughter-in-law duties and navigate the politics of the family with no skills or experience to handle it. But when sparks fly between her and the eldest son (Ryu Soo Young) will her mother-in-law sit still and let her precious son fall for a k-pop idol? Chances are... no. The series strongly focuses on the relationships between the daughter-in-laws and the mother-in-laws with an emphasis on outrageous borderline crazy behavior. It's one k-drama in a series of them on the subject that have been unleashed this late summer/early fall season. I hope it isn't a trend... but it looks like it might be. Vampires out. Crazy mother's...in. That said, I like it for the laughs (fart jokes and all) and the chemistry between Oh In Young and Cha Myeong Seok. If it stays light and quirky, it's a shoo in for a bump to green.

♥ Oh My Ghostess
Tag Line: Virgin Ghost Seeking Sex... Or, so she thinks.
Thoughts: If I have to pick a hit for 2015, I think this is the one. Park Bo Young steps up her game in this suspenseful thriller about a young woman that makes a strange connection with a ghost that is trying to resolve her grudge before ascending to heaven.

♥ Scholar Who Walks the Night
Tag Line: Vampire Conspiracy in the Palace
Thoughts: This vampire k-drama follows on the heels of Orange Marmalade and Blood but adds the twist of also being an historical drama. Lee Joon Gi headlines the series as Scholar Kim Seung Yol, who has befriended Crown Prince Junghyun. When he learns that an evil vampire named Gwi (Lee Soo Hyuk) is threatening to kill the Crown Prince if he doesn't swear fealty, Seung Yol vows to help his friend rid the palace of the creature. But the plan goes wrong, the Crown Prince is killed, and he finds himself a newly made vampire. The series fast forwards 120 years and then it just gets confusing. It's like reading a Robert Jordan novel where you need a companion book just to keep track of the character names and how a person is relevant to the story. Now, some of it may be the translations. I made the mistake of watching the first two episodes when they were about 80% translated and I missed critical pieces of information that I had to pick up with a 2nd viewing. Overall, it's not a bad series but it won't blow your socks off. WARNING: There's definitely a "cheese" factor to this series with all the fangs and the fake blood. The camera is constantly zooming in to catch eyes that flash red and lips quivering at the sight of fresh blood. But, what can I do? I am a sucker (pun totally intended) for anything with Lee Joon Gi's name attached to it.

♥ The Time that I Loved You, 7000 days
Tag Line: "When Harry Met Sally" K-Drama Style
Thoughts: Coming Soon

♥ Twenty Again
Tag Line: The unplanned pregnancy...20 years later.
Thoughts: 

♥ Yong Pal
Tag Line: I work at this stinkin' hospital and I can't get a discount!
Thoughts: This is arguably one of the more anticipated series of the year with its powerhouse combo of Joo Won and Kim Tae Hee. The story is centered around a young doctor struggling under the weight of debt he acquired to pay for his sister's medical expenses. In order to pay back the loan sharks, he makes "house calls" to gangsters and other unsavory characters that need to avoid the hospital and, ultimately, avoid being arrested. He's known among that crowd as Yong Pal. By day, however, he is Kim Tae Hyun, a gifted surgeon at Hanshin Hospital. The chief physician of the exclusive 12th floor ward, which is reserved for the rich and famous, discovers Doctor Kim's secret and uses it to draft him in to help manage the ward. Doctor Kim soon finds himself at the center of a conspiracy to eliminate the comatose heiress of the Hanshin conglomerate, allowing all her assets to pass to her half-brother. This sounds riveting and there are some very flashy action scenes in the first couple episodes. But the progression of Dr. Kim's relationship with Kim Tae Hee's character, Hanshin's absentee heiress Han Yeo Jin, is inadequate. It's missing something. I don't see the sparks flying. Throw in some other corporate machinations and police investigations and things get hazy. It suffers a bit from "Doctor Stranger" syndrome - trying to do too much and losing focus of what's really important. I want to love this series but I'm feeling just okay about it. I don't want to discredit the performances of the actors, though, because they are good. But the writing and direction are pulling things down a few notches.

First Look: May / June K-Drama Premieres

Pardon My Dust - Some of the graphics are having issues and will be added later.

The Guide

♥ = Love it! Watch it!

♥ = So-so start. Might get better. Might get worse.

♥ = Bleh. Hate it! 

♥ My Beautiful Bride

Tag Line: His bride went missing. He went crazy.

Thoughts: I am a little behind the eight ball on this one. I just sat down and watched the first handful of episodes this weekend because it was a series that didn't particularly appeal to me. But I am happy to report that this one is a winner. It bears the hallmark traits of an OCN drama - flawed characters trying to survive and do the right thing in a scary world. Kim Moo Yul leads the series as Kim Do Hyeong. He's a quiet and serious man that works as a manager at a bank. The one purpose of his life is the woman he loves, Yoon Joo Young (Ko Sung Hee). Shortly after he proposes, she disappears and his world collapses. Now, he is hell bent on finding the woman he loves and bringing her home, regardless of who he has to go through to get her back. This isn't an original idea as far as stories go but the writer and director have seamlessly crafted each episode in a way the builds on the concept and leaves the audience with more questions than answers. It's quite the cliffhanger. That doesn't make it immune to certain comparisons. It struck me as oddly similar to The Man from Nowhere, which I also enjoyed. This is a good summer action flick and I highly recommend it.

♥ Ex-Girlfriend's Club

Tag Line:  Lioness, Cat, and Fox - Oh My!

Thoughts: Running Man fans can cheer for this one as Song Ji Hyo takes the lead in this humorous, and sometimes emotional, drama about relationships past and present. Bong Myeong Soo (Byun Yo Han) is a successful webtoon author/artist whose work chronicles his past relationships with three different women. When the rights to his work are purchased by a film production company, he re-connects with film producer Kim Soo Jin (Song Ji Hyo), a woman with whom he once shared a close friendship. The ex-girlfriends are informed of the impending film and each makes a dramatic return into Myeong Soo's life complicating both the film and his relationship with Soo Jin. This is a fun series full of great lighthearted comedy and moments of heartfelt emotion. Byun Yo Han makes a complete transformation into the cool-kid artist leaving behind the nosy not-so-cool co-worker persona we saw in Misaeng. And, Song Ji Hyo is delightful, as always. It's a thumbs up and a favorite amid the summer line-up of k-dramas.

♥ Hidden Identity

Tag Line:  Undercover agency? No such agency exists.

Thoughts: This action heavy k-drama about an undercover investigation group is a fast paced adventure through the underbelly of Korean society. After the death of his partner, police officer Cha Gun Woo (Kim Beom) is suspended from the force for killing his partner's assailant. He's always been known as a quiet man with a difficult personality but that is just a cover for the emotional scars left by the death of his first love. When he learns that his friend's identity as an undercover agent has been compromised, Gun Woo must step in to save the mission and find his friend before it's too late. The pressure to succeed is even greater because the friend is the elder brother of his dead girlfriend. If you are a fan of police and crime dramas this is the one for you. Kim Beom sheds his flower boy looks for a gritty police officer and sports a goatee that is surprisingly flattering on the actor. Like abs? It has some of that, too. This one is a keeper.

♥ High Society

What would you do if you were the daughter of a wealthy family? If you are Uee, you would get a part-time job and plot your exit from the household. That is High Society. This k-drama explores the differences in social class through the relationships of two couples. One is a wealthy daughter (Uee) of a large multi-national company and she is dating an aspiring businessman (Sang Joon)  that wants to climb the social/corporate ladder by dating her. The other is a chaebol (Park Hyung Shik) looking to beat his brother in the family business while dating a young woman (Lim Ji Yeon) of no fame or fortune on the side. There's a couple reasons why I won't green light this production. The first is the dialogue. It might be the translations but it often seems circular and contradicting. The other is the speed at which the relationships have developed, which can only be described as super sonic. That's not to say it won't play out just fine in the end but it's hard to call any of it "love" when they have all known each other for about...a week, maybe two. The only character with whom I empathized is now presumed to be dead and I am wondering if this is worth continuing. I guess I can take one of the team if Sang Joon is involved.

♥ Jeju Island Gatsby (aka Warm & Cozy)

Lee Jung Soo (Kim So Ra) and Baek Gun Woo (Yoo Yeon Seok) connect by chance when she shows up at his 18th birthday party believing they are twins, sharing the same mother. But when her claims are proven false, they part on good terms with a promise to reunite as adults. Years later, they reconnect by chance when circumstances send both of them down to Jeju Island to resolve family issues. When Baek Gun Woo is mistakenly lead to believe that Lee Jung Soo is dying of cancer, he feels he must personally ensure her final days are good ones. During a drunken conversation, the two strike up an agreement. He signs over the ownership of his Jeju Island restaurant to her until she dies for a small deposit. This Hong Sisters rom-com is a pleaser with a cast full of unique characters that keep the story fast paced and interesting. Yoo Yeon Seok has been given a tall order to portray Baek Gun Woo as something other than a self-centered womanizer, the script doesn't leave a lot of room for error. More often than not, I am rooting for the town mayor played by Kim Sung Oh. This is also proving to be a fantastic role for Kang So Ra, who looks amazing against the scenic backdrop of the island. Watch it and have fun!

♥ Mask

This k-drama opens with one of the most spectacular scenes that I have ever seen in a drama. Needless to say, the first episode is a whirlwind of action and melodrama that leaves the audience with many more questions than answers. Soo Ae leads this thriller with two roles as Byun Ji Sook and Seo Eun Ha, two women that are exact opposites in everything except their appearance. They look like identical twins. But as the series foreshadows - whoever sees her doppelganger first will die. Just as Seo Eun Ha is set to wed Choi Min Woo (Ju Ji Hoon) to solidify a political and corporate alliance, she has an accident. Naturally, Byun Ji Sook is the only one that can stand in her place to ensure the plan moves forward. This mesmerizing story is grand on a number of scales and supported by a cast that knows how to command the screen - particularly, Yeon Jung Hun and Yu In Young. It's worth watching and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

♥ Masked Prosecutor (aka The Man in the Mask)

Admittedly, I was super excited about this k-drama because it stars two my favorite actors: Joo Sang Wook and Kim Sun A. The premise is interesting albeit not original. A young man, Ha Dae Cheol (Joo Sang Wook), is tasked with becoming a prosecutor by his father in order to get revenge on the people that ruined their lives. He successfully completes college and finds himself as a prosecutor but has neither the wealth nor background to rise through the ranks quickly. So, he dons a mask in order to find the leads he needs to ensure his cases are wins. Just as he's promoted and close to his goal... things start to go wrong. Now, there have been countless movies and television shows about men donning a mask in order to promote justice and seek revenge when the system fails. This one doesn't stray too far from the mold, either. I'm several episodes into it and just a little bored. It's predictable and only saved by the chemistry between the members of the cast. If a less charismatic actor than Joo Sang Wook had been cast in the role of Ha Dae Cheol this would have been a total  bust. Give it a shot, though. You might like it more than I do.

♥ My Love, Eun Dong

Tag Line: Boy loses girl. Boy finds girl. Boy loses girl, again. And, so on...

Thoughts: I'll start off by saying that I enjoyed the first few episodes even if there were some cringe worthy moments. The story starts with a press conference for Ji Eun Ho (Joo Jin Mo), a popular actor, who is announcing his plans to write an auto-biography. His goal by writing the book is to find his first and only love, Eun Dong (Kim Sa Rang). The episode then segues into a series of flashbacks showing how he first met her and how they parted ways. He was a freshman in high school and she was... not in high school. I'll be generous and describe her as a middle school student. They form a connection that is something more than friendship but not quite mature enough to be called attraction. The direction in these scenes is awkward and occasionally feels a little inappropriate. But once the story moves on to the college and military years that hurdle is jumped and all is right with the world again. Joo Jin Mo has a strong presence on screen and strikes an impressive figure. Kim Sa Rang is a much less commanding presence with some room to grow. The story moves fast, is engaging, and the characters are interesting. This k-drama is probably not for everyone but if you need a daily dose of melo-d, this will do it.

♥ Orange Marmalade

Coming Soon

♥ The Producers

Being one of the most star studded and highly anticipated dramas of the summer, The Producers started with some big expectations to live up to right out of the gate.  Baek Seung Chan (Kim Soo Hyun) is a newly minted employee at KBS working in the Variety Department. The series starts with his first day at work, which is captured by a production team making a documentary about new employees. Of course, things go horribly wrong from the moment he arrives. Producer Tak Ye Jin (Kong Hyo Jin) damages his father's car in the parking lot and is hell bent on discovering to whom the car belongs. Then, he finds himself assigned under Producer Ra Joon Mo (Cha Tae Hyun), who is dating the woman Seung Chan likes. Can his day get any worse? It does. He overhears a conversation between Tak Ye Jin and Ra Joon Mo declaring him useless and needing to be fired...quickly. The mockumentary style of storytelling is refreshing and adds the element of "reality" to a show that is about the behind-the-scene politics of reality television. But by episode three, the mockumentary has morphed into a weird hybrid of styles and loses it's focus. I want to love this series because I find the topic interesting, the concept is good, and the cast is talented. But it falls flat and leaves a lot to be desired. It's a veritable snooze fest. It could get better. Maybe.