Love 911 Movie Review

Title: Love 911
AKA: Bandage, Band-aid
Genre: Romance, comedy
Origin: South Korea
Release date: 19. December 2012
Cast: Go Soo, Han Hyo Joo, Ma Dong Seok, Kim Sung Oh, Juni, Jin Seo Yeon, Oh Soo Min, Lee Do Ah, Yang Dong Geum, Jo Min Ki, Jung Jin Young . . .

Mi Soo (Han Hyo Joo) is a young doctor who makes a fatal mistake when she sends home a woman who is in life danger. A rescue team is called out when the woman passes out on the street. When she arrives at the hospital and is pronounced brain dead, her husband starts getting violent, wanting find Mi Soo and make her pay, he then hurts one of the firefighters Kang Il (Go Soo) who tries to stop him. As a consequense Mi Soo might lose her license but she might be able to stop it if Kang Il sues the man for violence, but unfortunately for Mi Soo, Kang Il has no intention whatsoever to do that. Mi Soo keeps bothering him, trying to convince him, and as a last resort she figures that seduction is the way, so she starts working voluntarily as a rescue team member.

The movie is a great comedy romance! Had me laughing so much, while still having that nice serious romance. It wasn't boring at all and very nice acting and story. Not a too heavy love story, just between the two leads, and the seperate second love story was cute as well. Even though yes you can figure out a lot of things, you enjoy watching it. I don't know how I didn't watch this movie earlier. Def. going on my favorite movie list. A nice relaxing movie you can enjoy alone or with friends. It might be more of a girl movie though, can't complain about the rescure team members, ehm ehm, good looking guys. Recommended!! My kind of movie!

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict

First things first: I get why Jenji is all over this. It is so like her; a romantic “drop-dead-of-laughter” comedy that stays on your mind. I liked it, but I it probably THE most typical storyline in Korean film industry. ON the other hand, that doesn’t make it bad. It’s honest, sweet and heartbreaking. And if you are like me, crying your brains out every time you see firefighters, you will cry here too.

 I don’t want to spoil much, so I’m not going to talk storyline, but acting wise, great. Perfect actors for perfect roles and on screen chemistry good too, except maybe too fast? But then again, 2 hour movie…

All in all, decent movie :)

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Flower Boy Ramyun Shop Review

Title: Flower Boy Ramen Shop

Genre: Romance, comedy

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2011-Oct to 2011-Dec

Cast: Jung Il Woo, Lee Chung Ah and Lee Ki Woo

Yang Eun Bi (Lee Chung Ah) is basically a failure at everything. She failed her teachers test a couple of times, and she busted her first love and boyfriend cheating on her after waiting for him 2 years, to get out of the military. On that same day she meets Cha Chi Soo (Jung Il Woo), a rich fella, who not only has loads of money, but only has the looks. Eun Bi falls for him, and decides to confess to him. On the day she is to start her teaching practice she meets him on the way up to the high school, where she embarrassingly confesses to him, only to find out that he is her student. Not only her student to the founder and funder of the school’s only son…

Let me sum up this drama: a rich brat falling for the person who doesn’t care for his wealth, the teacher not noticing it, and an idiotic third wheel. Or something like that. It’s confusing, because these Koreans are so obsessive, to the point of madness, seriously. This drama somehow ended up as an Japanese Shouju manga live action, maan.. But Jung Il Woo is cute, like my suga pie :P The main reason for me to watch, and its funny, like ridiculous funny, but not all the time though. I would not really recommend it, even though the screenplay was good sometime, but it just becomes too looooooong, like yeah 16 episodes, but that’s it. Like 16 episodes of push and pull (or 14 episodes of that the two last ones are the typical, ‘Can’t be with you/I want you so bad’).

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

A Gentleman's Dignity Review

Title: A Gentleman's Dignity

AKA: Gentlemen's Class / Grace of Gentleman

Genre: Romance, comedy

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2012-May to 2012-Aug

Cast: Jang Dong Gun, Kim Ha Neul, Kim Soo Ro, Kim Min Jong, Lee Jong Hyuk, Yoon Se Ah, Kim Jung Nam, Yoon Jin Yi and Lee Jong Hyun

This drama revolves around four successful best friends in their 40’s, and how they deal with life, family and love. Kim Do Jin (Jang Dong Gun) is a director of architectural firm and is the ultimate bachelor out of the four, until he meets Seo Yi Soo (Kim Ha Neul), an ethics teacher at an all-boys school. The two have an embarrassing meeting, and that leaves an impression on the playboy. But little does he know that Yi Soo happens to be in love with Im Tae San (Kim Soo Ro), one of Do Jin’s friends and his firm partner, and the boyfriend of Hong Se Ra (Yoon Se Ah) Yi Soo’s roommate and best friend. Tae San’s little sister Im Mae Ri (Yoon Jin Yi) is in love with Choi Yoon (Kim Min Jong), another of the four friends who lost his wife a couple of years ago, so he became the one in the group that they all took extra care of during that time. He is a lawyer, and no matter the situation he would help his friends in need, also the reason for him being the lawyer of Do Jin and Tae San’s firm. The last one of four is Lee Jung Rok (Lee Jong Hyuk): he is the younger housebound of the billionaire Park Min Sook (Kim Jung Nan) who married him for his looks. The two have constant fits, due to Jung Roks infidelity and Min Sook’s jealousy, and it usually is the three friends that make alibies for him, because she owns their businesses.

Their lives suddenly get twisted after a young man named Colin (Lee Jong Hyun) arrives…

It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a nicely written screenplay, makes me all teary. The dialogues, the storyline, and the acting was pretty amazing, and somehow they turned out to be much more than the usual Korean drama (or any drama at all). While watching, I was reminded of the drama ‘Secret Garden’, extremely enjoyable, and to my surprise it was the same writer. The difference is the acting ability: if secret garden is a 10, “A gentleman’s dignity” is a 15. Good acting + good screenplay = enjoyable tv-time :P

Even though it’s different, funny, cute and romantic, it ended up, like in Secret Garden, being just a bit too long; with the extra episodes of ‘should we be together’, but still good evolvement and very interesting. Recommendable!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Jenji's Verdict
This drama is actually quite different from many of those I've watched. So it was a "mature" drama, since the male leads were in the 40's which was really fun to watch, also because it's about these four guys who have been friends since high school and seeing their relations and so. Really funny and I actually liked pretty much all couples, all of them funny and special. My favorite was Yoon and Mae Ah Ri, I was supporting them all way through hahah, and I liked how they all evolved, and changed. I just didn't like Kim Do Jin, not sure if it is because of the character or the actor. I think the actor maybe. I just reeeeally didn't like him. But I survived. I actually only feel like it was a bit too much with Kim Do Jin and Seo Yi Soo, the others were pretty fine. So really not many complaints. Very different from what I am used to and I liked it. Recommend it really!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Calling For Love Review

Title: Calling For Love                                       Genre: Romance, comedy

Episodes: 14

Broadcast date: 2010-May to 2010-Aug

Cast: Mike He, Charlene Choi, Chen Zhi Kai and Tracy Zhou.

Chen De Xing (Charlene Choi) left Hong Kong after her mother’s death in order to find her father, whom she had never met before. She doesn’t know his name either, and her only lead is a picture that is at least 25 yers old, but she is still optimistic and gets a job as a taxi driver. Her life is turned upside down when the super idol Bo Ye (Mike He) returns to Taiwan, and she winds up with his fans. Things heat up when she does a mistake and takes pictures of Bo Ye, infuriating him and his manager.

Bo Ye is known to be a star, but due to his father indebting him, his sister going to arts school, he became an idol, which he resents. When he’s finally able to pay it back, more debt seems to come up; his manager borrowed money from mafia, his best friends restaurant is not going so well, and his sister needs to go to Paris to continue her education. All this leads him considering going back to the job he hates, until he buys a lottery ticket and actually wins! But unfortunately he put the ticket in a book, which he had mixed up with De Xing! Now he has to get it back from her, without telling her about the winning price, 300 mio…

Yeah, I get why it didn’t become popular as Mike He’s drama usually are, it’s really not that good. The actual highlights of this drama are the cute interactions, which are rare, like RARE for a TW drama. The drama has the baseline that he has to make her fall in love with him so that he can get the money, but he falls in love with her; that’s a pretty good baseline, except the drama is thin as paper. The characters don’t do the actors justice, even though they aren’t that good actors, somehow it becomes boring, and 14 episodes feel like forever. I don’t mind push and pull as long as it’s done classy, which this is not even worth mentioning. I bet the director doesn’t even understand the concept of push and pull. On the other hand, you can watch it without the annoyance that most dramas like this have…

☆☆½ / 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Spy Myung Wol Review

Title:  Spy Myung Wol

AKA: Myung Wol the Spy

Genre: Romance, comedy

Episodes: 18

Broadcast period: 2011-Jul to 2011-Sep

Cast: Han Ye Seul and Eric

After failing her test to qualify for the Special Operations Unit, North Korean Hallyu Squad Sergeant Han Myung Wol (Han Ye Seul) is asked to go on a special mission that involves taking the daughter of her captain to the Philippines so that she can see her favorite idol, Kang Woo (Eric), perform, which she feels obligated to do. After a great deal of events, Ye Seul screws up an mission for another unit, and is forced to go on leave, but as stubborn as she is she decides to make up for her mistake. She finds out that the idol, Kang Woo, got a scroll of some kind, which was supposed to be in the hands of the North Korean. She decides to go to the South and get it from him. In South Korea she is mistaken for a fan by Kang Woo, as she saves his life; which ultimately is heard by the North, and they decide on her execution. In order to save herself, she tells the messenger that she wants to assassinate Kang Woo in order to save the North from the bad influence the Hallyu wave has. This is misunderstood by the North as: her wanting to get his sign. This creates panic in the captain, who knows it’s his fault, so they decide to give her 3 months to get married to him, and take him to the North…

Okay the review sounds weird, even for me who has watched it, but it can give you an idea somehow right? It’s a push-and-pull drama, but still sweet, and pretty funny.  I love the entanglement, and the mix with the north. I have to admit it is pretty sad, even though it should have been funny? I don’t know, somehow the north ended up being really mean :( Lol, anyhow, besides a couple of bad stunts, it’s really entertaining, and pretty creative honestly; with the entire North Korean spy falling for South Korean Hallyu star, I kind a fell for it hihi. Even though my rating is 3½ stars, I would recommend it, if you don’t have anything else to do.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Strong Color Review

Title: Strong Color
AKA: True Steel
Genre: Comedy romance, historical
Episodes: 4
Broadcast period: 2012-Mar to 2012-Apr
Cast:Oh Man Suk and Hong Soo Ah

As a series of kidnapping and abductions occur, and the police is left with no clues, the palace finds out that the princess Mi Gang (Hong Soo Ah) has run away, again. In fear of a kidnapping, the king decides to hire a ‘fixer’, someone who will find anyone and solve anything, as long as you pay him. The chief of security mentions a popular writer Cheol Gi (Oh Man Suk), who does just that, except he used to be an officer so his material arts are superb, and his senses are sharp, but since the pay was low he quit.

When he manages to find the princess he finds out that they’ve already met: she is a fan who has read his books for a long time, and had come to his book signing, but gave him a lesson even called him a loser. As they get to talk, she refuses to go home until she finds the kidnappers, which he had witnessed herself, and also found out that it was a police officer who was in on it. This is the beginning of the weirdest team of a princess and a fixer…

I’m not a historical drama fan, but this is ok. It might have something to do with the length, 4 episodes, but I felt that it wasn’t as dark as they usually are, nor is it as typical, fun honestly. I don’t know why, might have something to do with The Vineyard Man drama, but I love Oh Man Suk, eventhough he isn’t the most handsome person, there is just something about him.

I loved how simple this drama was, actually enjoyed it without a problem, so the minutes went pretty fast.

I recommend, I really do, if you don’t have anything better to do…

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Drunken To Love You Review

Title: Drunken to love you
AKA: Love You
Genre: Comedy romance
Episodes: 18
Broadcast period: 2011-Apr to 201-Aug
Cast: Joseph Cheng and Raine Yang

Lin Xiao Ru (Rainie Yang) is a fun loving and cheerful girl always putting everyone else first before her. Being an orphan she had always envied happy families that eat together, so her dream is to open up a little restaurant with the man that loves her, by working hard as a manager and saving bit by bit.

Song Jie Xiu (Joseph Chang) is a top interior designer, who has made himself a name in that industry. Having supermodel Tang Ai Wei (Tiffany Xu) as a girlfriend, his life couldn’t get better, except the two can never meet in public. When he one day proposes to her, she rejects him, favoring her career. Heartbroken he goes to a bar, and is joined by a happy Xiao Ru whom had met earlier when she saved Ai Wei from paparazzi. She tells Jie Xiu that her pilot boyfriend is going to meet her there and that they are going to vegas to get married. When she finds out that he decided to dump her, she runs out and confronts him, only to be told that he has another girl. Now both Jie Xiu and Xiao Ru have been dumped, so they decide to get drunk, real drunk.

Next morning they find out that they’ve gotten married… to each other!

A VERY funny drama, with great actors and chemistry. The only problem is that it is a little bit too long for my taste. I don’t mean the episode count, but the entire screenplay, like for some reason they needed so much time to get together, they could at least add some spice while at it :P

No it’s fun, not the funniest, but good fun. And even though long, not that nauseating dragging feel :)

☆☆☆½ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts