Because It's The First Time Review

Title: Because it’s the first time
AKA: My First Time, Friends 2015
Genre: Youth, Comedy. Romance
Episodes: 22/8
Broadcast Period: Oct-2015 to Nov-2015
Cast: Choi Min Ho, Park So Dam, Kim Min Jae, Lee Yi Kyung, Jo Hye Jung, Jung Yoo Jin

“If I am 20 years old, this is my youth, right? What kind of youth is this? What’s going to happen to my life from now on? You must have had a plan if you brought me into this world. You have nothing to say, right?”
With a freewheeling personality, Yoon Tae Oh (Choi Min Ho) is a 20-years-old freshman in college. He has been friends with Han Song Yi (Park So Dam) since they were little. Now, he begins to have feelings for the girl who has a bright and positive personality. Meanwhile, Tae Oh has a friend, Seo Ji Ahn (Kim Min Jae), who is well-behaved and exemplary. A love triangle brews between these three people.

A short webdrama, with a nice story, and adorable actors. Very easy to love all the actors/characters, because the storyline was so enjoyable. A slice of youth at it’s prime! I really had 0 expectations and really thought one episode and I would be out. But I found myself fully involved in the story, enjoying the performances, the writing, the entire look and feel of this drama. There is a good balance of light and heavy in this without going too far either way. I’m fully engaged with the story behind these young people and looked forward in these few short episodes to see how they would work through the difficulties life was throwing at them. I loved the cameos!

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Medical Top Team Review

Title: Medical Top Team

Genre: Medical, Romance

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2013-Oct to 2013-Dec

Cast: Kwon Sang Woo, Jung Ryu Won, Joo Ji Hoon, Oh Yeon Seo, Choi Min Ho, Oh Y and Kim Young Ae.

On the day of the announcement of the Top Team at Kwanghye University Hospital, Park Tae Shin (Kwon Sang Woo) happens to be in the same hotel, and notices a waitress limp on one of her legs. The cardiologist presenting the project Seo Ju Yeong (Jung Ryeo Won) an ambitious woman, also notices the waitress, but is pushes aside by Tae Shin who does an immediate emergency treatment and brings her to the hospital. Returning to his hospital one of his favorite patients, an 8 year old girl collapses and needs surgery. When taking her to Kwanghye University Hospital, he meets Ju Yeong again, who is to take care of the patient, but when a VIP patient collapses they refuse the little girl in order to prioritize. That is when Tae Shin asks to do it himself, and the director Han Seung Jae (Joo Ji Hoon) reluctantly agrees. After saving the girl Tae Shin runs to watch the other surgery, but when Ju Yeong isn’t able to move her arm as she likes because of the accident earlier that day, Tae Shin runs to aid her, and is noticed by Seung Jae, who now wants him in the Top Team…

Wow, I can’t believe I am going to say this but I was actually disappointed in this. Maybe my expectation in a drama with Sang Woo, Ji Hoon and Ryu Won was a bit high, and it being a medical drama might also have to do with it, but I seriously felt that it took a dumb turn right at the middle. I think the start was okay, even the lead’s past was interesting, but then it just became too much about the family fighting against each other. Not only that there simply was way too much going on, too many side story stories, and halfhearted love stories that the main story was just not that interesting. I barely managed to get through it. Acting wise everyone was amazing, even Min Ho who I am not a fan of.

I can’t even recommend it to people because I have no idea which kind of people would watch it. So I don’t know.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Salamander Guru and the Gang Review

Title: Salamander Guru and the Gang

AKA: Salamander Guru and the Shadow Operation Team / Salamander Guru

Genre: Sitcom 

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: 2012-Jan to 2012-Mar

Cast: Oh Dal Soo, Im Won Hee, Choi Min Ho, Ryu Hyun Kyung, Lee Byung Joon, Kim Gyu Sun and a crazy amount of cameos from A LOT of celebs. 

This short sitcom is about two petty thieves, Seon Dal (Oh Dal Soo) and Won Sam (Im Won Hee) known as the “Mapo Lupang” burglars with the trademark of not stealing anything and leaving a toilet full with poop. After managing to run away from their latest ‘crime’, to a house owned by a Guru/Priest (Lee Byung Joon ) known to do precise fortune telling’s. They break in the Gurus house and by accident shock the Guru so he chokes on his food. Thinking he has died, and pressed by the next clients they dress up as the fortune teller.

At the same time police woman Kyung Ja (Ryu Hyun Kyung) who has a bad day - and stomach ache, is called for work at the “Mapo Lupang” case, so she runs in and uses the bathroom in the burgled house, thus getting cut of the case for flushing down the criminals poop and DNA.

The news about the “Mapo Lupang” thieves spreads and reaches Min Hyuk (Choi Min Ho), a genius hacker, who immediately finds their location and starts to stake them out. The two thieves bring the Guru in the basement and take his place, to make money, by just talking about the obvious to every client arriving.

After begging for a sometime Kyung Ja gets back on the case, and is determined to find the thieves and ends up on Salamander Gurus door step. At the same time Min Hyuk confronts the two and asks for the whereabouts of the real Guru - he has his personal reasons for finding the real one. They refuse, but when he observes a client they strike him a deal: if he helps them, they’ll tell him the location of the real Guru.

Kyung Ja enters and talks about Mapo Lupang - the fake Guru tries to confuse her with fake info. When another crime happens fitting the Mapo Lupang M.O. with the pooping, except this time a murder has occurred. The three decide to solve this mystery, but are suspected by Kyung Ja who finds a coin matching to the Gurus, which the fake Guru mistakenly dropped at the crime scene…

Honestly? After the first episode I really wanted to cast away this drama, mainly because it made no sense, and damn bad acting! But after the first one, and numerous laughing occurrences, it grows on you. This trio really is fun, and they actually gradually become better at acting, at least Min Ho is (I wanted to cry seeing him at the beginning man!) There isn’t that much else than ridiculous comedy, and loads of cameos by idols, celebs and comedians. The storyline gets you interested, because you really want to know what the hell is going on in that place, but it’s not worth it if you aren’t into random humor, or a fan of Min Ho.

To sum up, not really worth your time, if you don’t have anything to do, but on the other hand a good break from melodramas and yeah, only 10 episodes.

☆☆ / 2 out of 5 stars

♥♥½ / 2½ out 5 hearts