Goblin Review

Title: Goblin
AKA: Guardian
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Episodes: 16 + 3 SP
Broadcast Period: Dec-2016 to Jan-2017
Cast: Gong Yoo, Kim Go Eun, Lee Dong Wook, Yoo In Na, Yook Sung Jae, Lee El, Jo Woo Jin, Park Hee Won, Kim Min Jae, Kim So Hyun

In ancient times, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) is an unbeatable general in wars, but the young King (Kim Min Jae) is jealous of Kim Shin and kills him. Kim Shin becomes a Goblin, possessing an immortal life. At first he thinks that he is blessed, but he realizes that he is cursed. Closer to the present day, Kim Shin has waited 900 years for a human bride to end his immortal life. One night, he saves a dying pregnant woman (Park Hee Won) who is destined to die. Meanwhile, the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong Wook) is unable to find the dead pregnant woman. The woman gives birth to a baby girl named Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun). 9 years later, Ji Eun Tak lives with her mother and is able to see ghosts. One night, her mother suddenly dies. On that night, she meets the Grim Reaper.
In the present day, Ji Eun Tak is a high school student. She still sees ghosts and hears their whisper of “Gobins bride”. She now lives with her aunt’s family, but she is mistreated by them. On her birthday, Ji Eun Tak sits by the sea with a lighted birthday cake. At that time, Kim Shin suddenly appears in front of her. Kim Shin does not know why, but he can hear her voice and appears in front of her against his will.

So 2016 ended and 2017 started with TvNs new record-breaking drama, Goblin. I have to say, it was one heck of an emotional drama. It’s ALL about emotions, it’s a simple story. Everything had a purpose, and it gradually expanded to a problem, and then the journey for the solution. So story-wise it’s good, but the action and excitement is missing. However, the key function (I personally think) is that the writers were depending on the viewers emotional needs. And by that I mean that the actors and actress’ for this drama, was carefully handpicked because it needed a lot of face-acting. Emotions had to be carefully delivered. And they did. I have never been so sad and so happy and excited for a drama as I was with this one. It’s right to say that I couldn’t get over it, a long time went by before I started on another drama. As great as it was, it still had its flaws. For me a lot of flashbacks ruins the storyline. I would rather they used an episode and just showed us the story what happens, it doesn’t have to be in the beginning, just so we see it one time and not a trillion times throughout the drama. Because the same scene from the past got repeated multiple times, then comes the next bit and etc etc. However a great watch, definitely going to watch it again when my heart is healed.

☆☆☆ (1/2) / 4(1/2) out of 5 stars
♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Train to Busan Movie Review

Title: Train to Busan
AKA: Train for Busan
Genre: Action / Suspense / Thriller / Zombie
Origin: Korea
Release date: July 20, 2016
Cast: Gong Yoo, Jung Yoo Mi, Ma Dong Suk, Choi Woo Sik and Kim Soo Ah.

Seok Woo (Gong Yoo) is a divorcee, working as a fund manager. After getting divorced, he and his ex-wife share custody of their daughter Soo An (Kim Su An). Being a workaholic, Seok Woo usually leaves Soo An with his mother, and rarely has time for his daughter. When Soo An wants to go to Busan to celebrate her birthday at her mothers, Seok Woo has no other choice but go with her as he is afraid to let her take to train alone. At the same time, Seoul is havocked by mass riots, which the NEWS keep repeating.
After arriving on the KTX a woman collapses in front of the train attendant, who while trying to help her gets attacked by the woman, by getting her throat slit. Soon havoc begins on the train as the train attendant, who was presumed dead, gets up and starts attacking other passengers.
The noise wakes up the dazed off Seok Woo, noticing that Soo An is missing from her seat. While going towards the hall he notices people running and screaming, and soon realizes that people who get attacked and die, wake up as zombies. Now the remaining passengers can’t get out as the train runs on full speed, and are headed towards Busan…

I do apologize of the summary looks bleak at the end, I tried not spoil anything.
How on earth do I even explain this movie? I mean I had my fair share of Zombie movies AND TV Shows, but this one left me shocked and amazed. Though there are several moment I could complain about, I‘ve decided not to, because they don’t really ruin your overall experience of the movie. And honestly, I can pretend to know what I would do in those situations, but I bet I would be the first one to die anyways, so I am not going to act like a know-it-all. All actors involved are just perfect for each given role, though some annoyed me occasionally, I didn’t have time to dwell on it, since the pace is out of this world.
So, I recommend this 100%, as this is one of the best Korean movies ever, AND one of the great zombie movies of all time.

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Kamji’s Verdict:
Yes! Wow! What?
That’s how this movie left me. I can’t describe what this movie did to me. I’m not a big fan of zombie/ disaster movies, but this was more than that. I understand all the hype there was about it. The story, the acting (ALL of them!) and the details were so on point, I got shivers down my spine several times! Applause to all the zombie actors, damn they left me speechless. Gong Yoo definitely was the right pick, and that little girl playing his daughter needs an award right now!
I sincerely hated some of the characters and loved the others, but that just shows the quality of this drama. I don’t think I need to say more than, go watch it, if you’re one of the few that haven’t yet ;)

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

The Suspect Movie Review

Title: The Suspect

AKA: Suspect / Fugitive

Genre: Action

Origin: Korea

Release date: December 24, 2013

Cast: Gong Yoo, Park Hee Soon, You Da In and Kim Sung Kyun.

After being abandoned by his country ex-elite North Korean spy Ji Dong Chul (Gong Yoo) runs to China to find his wife and daughter, who have been sold, only to find their bodies. This leaves him determined to kill their murderer, but is unfortunately caught up in the murder of a North Korean defect eho was supposed to make a friendly visit to the North. This leads to him becoming South Koreans most wanted man. The man put on the case to catch him as the team leader for the operation, is ex-elite spy ‘catcher’ Min Se Hoon (Park Hee Soon) now a drill instructor due to not being able to catch Dong Chul before.

Choi Kyung Hee (Yoo Da In) is a former reporter, who lost her job when she came too close to national Intel, which didn’t keep her from continuing her search and eventually finding Dong Chul, as he is involved in higher National Security Intel. So she decides to help him, and uncover the truth, but for some reason Dong Chul is more interested in finding the murderer of his wife and child…

Hmm, I have had this movie on my computer for now an year, and that is only because of the one reason of it being a north-south conflict story. But besides that I REALLY found it good! I’ve said it before: Koreans know how to make good action dramas/movies, and this one is really well made. Gong Yoo does a great job, and lives up to being a “superstar”. I can’t really comment on the scenes because the more surprised you are while watching the better it becomes. So I’ll stop here and say a great watch!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Kamji’s Verict:
Wow, Korean knows how to make action movies. This movie was action packed from start to finish, exactly how this kind of film should be. I could finally watch this long awaited movie and was not disappointed. Gong Yoo's acting was top notch here and he definitely proved that he is very well suited to action roles. I thought much more emphasis was given to action and the car chasing scenes (which were brilliant I admit) rather than to interaction between people. The plot was good but not particularly original. I especially appreciated the interactions involving the spy chaser, Se Hoon (Hee Soon). He was an intelligent guy and a bit of a smart ass. I got a kick out of his no nonsense, not going to take any crap attitude. His banter with his associate was funny. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes fast paced, intelligent action films. This one had thrilling action and a good story to back it up. I was glued to the screen the whole time and loved the suspense.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Silenced Movie Review

Title: Silenced
AKA: The Crucible
Genre: Drama
Origin: Korea
Release date: 22 September 2011
Cast: Gong Yoo, Jung Yoo Mi, Baek Sung Hwan, Kim Hyun Soo and Jung In Soo.

Based on a true story of what happened in 2005, in a school for deaf children. Kang In Ho (Gong Yoo) has just been assigned a new teaching position in a school for deaf children. This being his first time in a school this different he prepares himself by learning sign language. When he arrives at the school some children act weirdly, like ignoring him or coming to class bruised and beaten up. Worried, he confronts another teacher, who tells him that’s how ‘these children’ act, because they feel ‘incomplete’ inside. Not being able to let it go, In Ho tries to read through the school files, only to find out that the students either have retarded parents or are orphans. On his way home he hears screams, so he runs towards the sound, which happens to be a girls bathroom, but when he calls out the sound stops, and he is asked to leave by the security guard. Next day he sees one of his students at a window, shocked he runs and pulls her in. She then shows him to the laundry room, where one of his students is being ‘disciplined’ by shoving her head in the washing machine. Furious In Ho takes his student to the hospital, and calls help from a woman he had met earlier that week. Soo Yoo Jin (Jung Yoo Mi) is a human rights employee, and when she hears about the girls situation she runs to help. Next morning they find out that three of his students have been severely abused, not only physically also sexually, and when the children start telling them the horrible stories of what has happened to them, In Ho and Yoo Jin decide to call the media, and start a trail against Mu Jin’s most influential men…

There are three kinds of genres I don’t like: war, gangster and legal. But seriously, this movie… I can’t put words on it, even though it’s a ‘legal’ movie, I can’t explain how insane it is. Seriously if you don’t feel something at the end of this movie, you are a piece of shit. Every single actor is amazing, even the children omg. I don’t have anything bad to say about it, only I used a lot of tissues, because I cried, so damn hard. This is not a recommendable movie, it is a MUST watch. Not for the excitement or entertainment, but just to know. Just to understand that not even if you are honest, justices will not always prevail. And seriously, it hurts. It hurts so badly, the fact that even with so hard evidence, you can’t even save your own children from the so called teachers.
Three words: Go watch it.

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
This movie is definitely one of the best korean movies in its genre. Even worse is that it is based on a true story. I dont have anything negative to say about it but I do warn you of scenes which you shouldnt see if you are very sensitive. The actors too are so great it made the whole thinkg so good and did an amazing job, especially the kids they were just ... i really dont know how to describe it. I really recommend the movie but its NOT a movie you watch to have fun or anything its very serious and believe me you will cry. Ive never cried this much while watching a movie. It really touches your soul you will definitely feel something. Its one of those "the world is cruel but you cant do anything except be good yourself"movies. I think it is one of the best, if not THE best. But again very different. I recommend it. Remember to bring to tissues.

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Finding Mr. Destiny Movie Review

Title: Finding Mr Destiny
AKA: First Love / Finding Kim Jong Wook
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Origin: Korea
Release date:December 08, 2010
Cast: Im Su Jung and Gong Yoo.

Han Gi Joon (Gong Yoo) is an uptight, righteously honest and somewhat of a neat freak. Being fired from his job as an travel agent, he opens his own business: and agency that finds first loves.
Seo Ji Woo (Im Su Jung) is an unrecognized director for a famous theater, and workaholic. When her boyfriend proposes to her she refuses, mainly because of her first love she met in India, and whom she can’t forget. Angered, her military father drags her to Gi Joons agency, so that she can either get over her first love or get married to him. At first Ji Woo refuses, but as time passes and she accepts, and together they set out to find Kim Jong Wook, Ji Woos first love, and love for the last 10 years.

Honestly, the cast is great and the couple has superb chemistry, but somehow, I don’t know, didn’t really love the storyline. The story is flat, and the couple screen time is reduced to what I would call ‘Friendship time’, meaning they seem more like friends than lovers or whatever.
This is the first movie Gong Yoo made after his return from the military, so I have to admit his choice of movie was not that good, BUT the fact that he choose to act with Im Su Jung, was brilliant. They make a great couple, and that somehow makes the movie okay. Well it’s better than the usual Korean comedy romances, and it has the ‘umf’ feeling, but then again it’s not with the main characters. Watch it if you like, it’s not all that bad : )

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
The story I think is really easy to figure out (even someone like me who never does could do it) and it was very typical. I almost gave up on the movie at the beginning because it doesnt as I like to say "catch you" right away. Its something I would watch if I've got nothing better to do, or too lazy hah,. I mean I wouldnt call it bad. It just didnt really have that much happening its as if there was too little going on, its just about them looking for her first love and so on. There isnt much,.. if I may say,, passion. Its just regular. But I still watched it and that means its watchable because I give up straight away if its not.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Coffee Prince Review

Title: Coffee Prince
Aka: The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince
Genre: Romance, comedy
Episodes: 17
Broadcast period: 2007-Jul-02 to 2007-Aug-27
Theme song: Lalala, its Love, by The Melody
Cast: Yoon Eun Hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun Gyun, Chae Jung Ahn, Kim Ja Ok, Choi Il Hwa, Kim Young Ok, Park Won Sook, Kim Chang Wan, Kim Jae Wook, Kim Dong Wook, Lee Un..

Go Eun Chan (Yoon Eun Hye) is a girl who lost her father at young age and has been working ever since so that her mother doesnt have to work and her sister can go to school. While she has been working so much since she was young she has lost her femininity and is often mistaken for a boy, which is sometimes good because then it is easier to find a job. One day as she has to deliver some food to a costumer she witnesses a purse being snatched away from a young lady, she immediately sets after the thief but then notices that it is the guy who likes her younger sister, so she lets him go. The man who was with the young lady who got robbed (Choi Han Kyul played by Gong Yoo) then accuses her for being a part of it and just trying to get money out of them. Eun Chan denies several times and then gives up leaving the place. When she returns to her workplace her boss makes her responsible for the damage done at the scooter she used and tells her that she has to pay for the reparation. She then has no choice but to ask Choi Han Kyul for money. After much pursuing and discussing she ends up working for him, she has to play his boy-lover so that he doesnt has to go for match-making. He still believes that she is a man and so he gets closer and closer to each other, and even become buddies. Choi Han Kyul is put in a dilemma where he has to start up a café for his grandmother and even triple the income within the time he has to return to the USA. Eun Chan supports him and encourages him to do the job and so he does and she also starts working with him, the only problem is that he thinks she is a boy and the café even only hires men. He starts to develop feelings for her while still thinking she is a boy and so he goes mad trying to solve his feelings.

In the review i chose to focus on the relationship between the two lead actors because it is really hard for me to write a review without exposing the whole story. At first i really loved the drama, wondered why i hadnt seen it earlier. Its alot of fun even though its again that typical girl-disguised-as-boy-and-boy-thinking-he-gay-story. It had a lot of humor at start but at some point in the middle it loses that and even becomes tiring as its those GAH!-problems that are so annoying. Its not a love drama you watch for love but a romance comedy. A thing i really liked though is that there is no mean mother, thank God for that!. And the "in-laws" arent that bad even though they are from another social class.. u know.. so it was more the development between the two of them.. And also i thought that the side-love-story between the other actors was cute and "bearable" (LOL!). And lol the actress is the same as the one from Vineyard man which surprised me. She's a really good actress i didnt even recognize her at first because she looked so different in this drama. Did i forget to mention anything? -.-'

☆☆☆½ / 3.5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ 4.5 of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict
This is one of the few brilliant dramas ever made, even though we’ve heard the story a million times, this one is defiantly a winner. Of all ‘girl-dressed-as-a-boy dramas’, it’s THE best, beating MANY great dramas (You're Beautiful, Hana Kimi JP, Hana Kimi TW, Sungkyunkwan Scandal). Okay, now you’re reading this, probably protesting, but different from those ‘teenage-crushes’ and ‘horrible-parents-being-mean’, Coffee Prince brings much more fun and is more relatable than the other dramas. And to be honest, probably the first time I didn’t want to punch the female lead in the end, like in all those other dramas. Eun Hye is magnificent, so is the only actor who able to shine as much as she is, Gong Yoo. I’m a BIG fan of his, because of his acting in CP, I had to watch Hello My Teacher.
To be frank, and simple a definite recommendation! (I have no idea how Jenji’s brain works, but THAT rating is just ridicules!)

☆☆☆½ / 4½ stars out of 5

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ hearts out of 5

Hello My Teacher Review

Titel: Hello My Teacher
AKA: Biscuit Teacher and Star Candy
Genre: School, Romance
Episodes: 16
Broadcast Period: 2005-04-13 to 2005-06-02
Cast: Gong Hyo Jin, Gong Yoo, Kim Da Hyun, Choi Yeo Jin and many more..

This drama is about a Na Bo Ri (Gong Hyo Jin), a woman who, as a student, was thrown out of school because she beat up some people. She returns to the same school, as a teacher, mainly because of her ex-teacher, Ji Hyun Woo (Kim Da Hyun), still works there, and whom she had loved every since she saw him. Little does she know, the 'leader' of the school, or best fighter so to say, Park Tae In (Gong Yoo), is a troublemaker, who seems to find an interess in the her.
He starts to like her, and refuses to go to school, or behave to say at least, unless she becomes their classoom teacher. The priciple happens to be his stepmother, and she then hires Bo Ri to be the "watch-dog" for Tae In.
Tae In falls in love with Bo Ri, which is seen as an eyesore by Noh Jem Ma (Choi Yeo Jin), who is the classmate of Tae In, and a leader in a way. She has since forever loved Tae In. She tries to make school life for Bo Ri a living hell. Bo Ri starts a relationship with Hyun Woo, but as it turns out, Hyun Woo has a fiancé. And it becomes a fight for Bo Ri's heart...

This drama took me forever to watch.. Firstly I didn't remember the homepage it was on, then the drama links were broken, then I didn't know where to download it. I remember when I started it, that I didnt like it. I hate "Teacher-Student-Love-Affairs", but I ended up liking the drama. I think I would've loved it, if I didnt resent the fact that the teacher was older and a teacher.. Just doesnt fit in my head. But the big plusses in this drama is the great acting, from Gong Yoo, who portrais the troublemaker Tae In with ease, and it looks natural on him. I liked the realtionship he developes with Jem Ma, and the fact that he understands what love it. I loved his personality, which is a double + in this one. The last star is purely because of the story; no one would or will accept a "older-woman-young-guy-relationship" nor a "teacher-student-affair", I actually found myself being one of those who dont accept them. But this story made me understand, that it is simply two people who love each other, the school is just the place they happend to fall in love.. All in all, if you have nothing else to do, or like "forbidden love dramas" this is a good watch..

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5

♥♥½ / 2 out of 5 stars