Yongpal Review

Title: Yongpal

AKA: The Gang Doctor

Genre: Medical, Drama, Romance

Episodes: 18

Broadcast Period: Aug-2015 to Oct-2015

Cast: Joo Won, Kim Tae Hee, Jo Hyun Jae, Chae Jung Ahn, Jung Woong In, Bae HAe Sun, Stephanie Lee, Jo Bok Rae

Kim Tae Hyun (Joo Won) who’s an unerring surgeon by day and at night he turns into the healing redeemer of everyone willing to pay as soon as it remains between them, far away from hospitals and the law. He’s better known as Yong Pal. It’s not like he woke up one day and thought of making money, he’s got his own reasons and his family is above everyone, even himself. Instead of being chased by loan sharks, he tries to pay his debt by working as Yong Pal in order to be able to keep helping his sister’s kidney dialysis. On the other side of the fence, Han Yeo Jin (Kim Tae Hee) has more money than one could ever imagine and that was the reason why she and her boyfriend found themselves in a car chase with him passing away. What is the outcome of two different people from two different worlds crossing path be?

Okay, I must be honest with you guys. I was forced to watch this drama in the beginning, not that I wasn’t going to watch it, but I would rather have waited until it was complete. Although I only had to watch the first episode and I fell too hard for it. Like unrealistically too much, I would check for new episodes everyday, even though I knew when it was scheduled till. That excitement didn’t last for long, after a while I kind of forgot about it, I only watched the last two episodes because I felt obligated to do it. Despite the high ratings and the huge success it was in the beginning, the production team kept cutting episodes and put more, first it was scheduled to 24 episodes, then cut down to 16 (freaking 8 episodes!!). But that seemed too short for them, so they prolonged to 20, and then lastly cut to 18! So the storyline after episode 10 gets so messy. Its so sad that such a great drama with a huge potential would get destroyed like that. All the actors were A-list actors, amazing. You really get sucked into their world. If not for the formidable performance and chemistry between them all I would have probably dropped it. However I will recommend this drama, despite the messy ending, because of the great first half of the drama filled with action, excitement and mystery. The love-line was okay, it was no big deal, no drama between, just… them. I want to end this review with a big applause *clap-clap* to Joo Won! Astonishing act by him! He almost got the whole show going by himself, he delivers the feelings on spot.

☆☆☆☆/ 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Fashion King Movie Review

Title: Fashion King
Genre: School, Drama
Origin: South Korea
Release Date: November 6, 2014
Cast: Joo Won, Choi Sulli, Ahn Jae Hyun, Park Se Young, Kim Sung Oh, Lee Il Hwa, Han Hye Jin

Woo Ki Myung (Joo Won), a completely ordinary high school student, has a crush on Hye Jin (Park Se Young), the prettiest, most popular girl in class. So to win her heart, he decides to transform his image and become the coolest, best dressed person in the world. As his mentor Nam Jung (Kim Sung Oh) introduces him to the world of fashion, Woo Myung finds himself entering into a rivalry with Won Ho (Ahn Jae Hyun), the school's toughest fighter. Meanwhile, he doesn't notice Eun Jin (Choi Sulli), who harbors a secret crush on him.

I really liked the plot of this movie, but it didn't quite hit the right spots for me. The main reason why I watched this movie is for the casting mostly. I mean gaah Joo Won?!  As expected from Joo Won he also proves once again how good an actor he is, in a dorky and cute way this time. I'm not sure about Sulli since I haven't really seen her in much, but I thought she did OK. The universe here is fashion, school & rivalry. I must say that the combination of the three of them is rather great. I didn't laugh as much as I expected, but I felt very entertained. I definitely think this movie is worth watching, but comparatively it wasn't as great as other things I have watched.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Naeil's Cantabile Review

Title: Naeil’s Cantabile
AKA: Tomorrow Cantabile / Cantabile Tomorrow

Genre: Romance, Musical, Comedy

Episodes: 16

Broadcast date: 2014-Oct to 2014-Dec

Cast: Joo Won, Shim Eun Kyung, Park Bo Geum, Bae Min Jun and Ko Gyung Pyo.

This is the Korean remake of the Japanese drama called Nodame Cantabile.

Cha Yoo Jin (Joo Won) is a talented young pianist, who excels in all kinds of instruments, but dreams of becoming a conductor. Having a stubborn and rude personality and firm belief that no one can match up to his own talents, he is almost thrown out of the school. As he is unable to leave the country due to his fear of water and flying, he is unable to leave South Korea. Then he is offered to play a duet with an eccentric girl called Seo Nae Il (Shim Eun Kyung) who due to past trauma only is able to play piano if she finds it fun. Though at first he is reluctant, he notices how talented Nae Il is and decides to perform the duet with her. This makes Nae Il fall for Yoo Jin.

When the world famous conductor Franz Stresemann arrives at the school as a teacher guest and wants to make a new school orchestra, Yoo Jin decides to change majors to conducting, but for some reason Franz refuses to let him change to conducting and announces as long as he is there, Yoo Jin will never be able to change the major. What is Yoo Jin going to do?

If you’ve watched the Japanese version you will get what this review is about, and if not, I hope I didn’t make it sound too dull. Out of all Japanese remakes ever done this one has the same feel to it – the goofy story and kind of silly people who are very weird yet grown on you fast. To be honest I don’t remember that much of the Japanese drama except the goofy Nodame and the arrogant Chiaki, and they really do manage to be loyal to that part. Both Joo Won and Shim Eun Kyung are great as lead characters, but the one that stole my heart was Ko Kyung Pyo acting as Yoo Il Rak. If you remember blonde Eita as Mine, Yoo Il Rak was his counterpart, and he does the job perfectly.

I am not really able to compare the two storylines as I don’t remember, but the Japanese is one of my favorite ones out there – though this Korean remake was kind of not that great. I can’t say I wasn't entertained, but I was kind of annoyed at the love triangle, and the fact that 16 episodes pass without really having a climax – or rather I don’t remember one at all.

Okay, summing it up: an okay drama with good acting, and a semi interesting plot/storyline.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Good Doctor Review

Title: Good Doctor

AKA: Green Scalpel

Genre: Medical, romance, human, melodrama, family

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2013-Aug to 2013-Oct

Cast: Joo Won, Moon Chae Won, Joo Sang Wook and Kim Min Seo.

This drama is about the pediatric department and its doctors.

Park Shi Ohn (Joo Won) is recovering autistic patient, which he has had ever since he was a kid. But with the help of doctor whom he sees as his father, he was thought how to speak, converse and act. Due to his illness he has been bullied, teased and seen as a handicapped person, all that giving him low self-esteem and inferiority complex. Living with the trauma of the death of his brother and his father’s abusing him; he has built a wall in his memories and forgotten his parents completely.

When the doctor who helped him all his life happens to be the director of Sung Won University Hospital, he gets the chance to become a resident of the pediatric department, which of course doesn’t go well with most of the board of directors since he medically is seen as a handicapped individual. But when he by sheer coincident saves a child’s life, and it gets media attention, the board decides to give him a shot, of course if he makes mistakes or does anything to ruin the hospitals reputation both he and the director would leave the hospital..

First of the review is a bit dull, since I tried not to give much away, so it ended up being shitty, sorry. Second, this drama is so good it is not okay. I have watched a lot of dramas with pathetic or/and pitiful, but this guy seriously broke my heart. His story and everything about his life is so sad, I was rooting for him all the time. And I do admit, I kind of though Moon Chae Won was ok.. I don’t fully like her yet, but she is better than she was in Nice Guy.. Better acting and most defiantly a better character.. I love that the love story wasn’t the main focus, and that the patients’ stories were much more centered. It is heartbreaking and sad, yet it melts your heart. I never dream of dramas, I dreamt of this. For me that says a lot.

All in all very good!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Ojakgyo Family Review

Title: Ojakyo Family
AKA: Ojakyo Brothers / Ojakkyo Brothers / Brothers of the Ojakgyo / Golden Pond
Genre: family, romance
Episodes: 58
Broadcast period:  2011-Aug-06 to 2012-Feb-19
Cast: Uee, Joo Won, Ryu Soo Young, Choi Jung Yoon, Kim Yong Rim, Baek Il Sub, Kim Ja Ok, Jung Woong In, Yun Woo Jin, Park Hee Gun, Lee Young Ha, Jo mi Ryung, Kim Yong Gun, Park Joon Geum, Song Sun Mi, Jun Mi Sun, Yoo Joo Hee, Jung Suk Won, Kim Hae In . . .

Baek Ja Eun (Uee) a university girl, daugther of a rich business man, has pretty much anything you could ask for, except for a mother. Her mother passed away at a young age and her father has been married several times. Ja Eun really wishes for a nice mother-daughter relationship, but it doesn't go that well as all the women who got married to her father, married him out of money rather than love. Ja Eun's world is turned upside down when her father disappears in an accident on the ocean. She is then left with her stepmother and a whole bunch of dept since her father's business fails. The stepmother runs away while Ja Eun has nowhere to go. By accident she then finds a letter, in which she finds out that her father has a farm, which he lent to his friend Hwang Chang Shik (Baek Il Sub). Chang Sik has been living at the farm with his wife, mother and four sons Tae Shik (Jung Woong In), Tae Bum (Ryu Soo Young), Tae Hee (Joo Won) and Tae Pil (Yun Woo Jin) for 10 years and have no plans of moving out suddenly.

This drama is quite ejoyable, though it did take a while to finish, it wasn't boring, and we follow several love stories. I don't really think I have anything to complain about, nice family romance drama. It's one of those relaxed dramas, not too much heartbreak and too much drama but just right for the length. Reminds me of the drama smile, you which had the same feeling. It's a good drama to have on the side when you need a break from other dramas. The acting was alright, it was not extrodinary or amazing, but just alright. But somehow I can not rate it as a favorite, it didn't feel like a favorite, but it was not bad either. so..

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3.5 out of 5 hearts

7th Grade Civil Servant Review

Title: 7th Grade Civil Servant
AKA: Level 7 Civil Servant / 7th Level Civil Servant / My Girlfriend is an Agent
Genre: action, romance, comedy
Episodes: 20
Broadcast period: 2013-Jan-23 to 2013-Mar-28 
Cast: Choi Kang Hee, Joo Won, Ahn Nae Sang, Hwang Chan Sung, Jang Young Nam, Son Jin Young, Choi Jong Hwan, Kim Min Seo, Lee El, Byun Seung Yoon, Uhm Tae Woong, Kim Soo Hyun, Im Yoon Ho 

Kim Seo Won (Choi Kang Hee) is the girl who moved from the country to the big city, having several part time jobs while studying for the civil servant exam. She runs around and barely finds time for all the things she needs to do. One day her friend, who has a matchmaking company, offers her to go on a match-making session for money. At first Seo Won declines but after thinking for a bit, she thinks "Why not?", sitting for 2 hours talking with somebody who will pay your dinner isn't that bad at all, and she could use the money. So she accepts. The guy she is to meet is Han Gil Ro (Joo Won), he too isn't there on free will exactly. He is there just to get over with it so he can have his car back. He is the son of a CEO, coincidently also studying for the civil servant exam. Since both of them aren't interested in the match making, they sit for two hours at the restaurant, both studying for their exam, but not knowing it. When the 2 hours are up they decide to meet for another session, since Gil Ro promised his mom that he would go to 2 sessions at least with the same woman. At the second session things go wild and Gil Ro ends up losing a bet, his car, because of Seo Won.  He tries to get Seo Won to pay up, but she doesn't have the money and just wants to get away from him. Which doesn't exactly go well, as they meet again for the civil servant exam, and end up having to go through training together.

As I was watching the drama, I was actually really wondering what the reason for the low ratings was in the last few episodes. Well then I found out. The reason is that the drama almost has two endings. There are two things going on in the drama 1. The bad guys vs. the good guys 2. The relationship between the two leads. Honestly, the fight between the good and the bad is not that interesting, and so when the relationship between the two is okay or whatever, then you don’t feel like finding out how it ends with the fight. So now I definitely understand the low ratings. And I really don’t think that this is Jo Won’s best drama, even though I haven’t watched much if his. It felt as if the last episodes were just filled with random scenes trying to fill out the time, the ending was dragged out too much. Though it was an alright ending, I honestly didnt feel interested. This drama ended up being a revenge drama, but not the exciting kind at all. The message of the drama was fine "It takes more courage to forgive than to seek revenge" but I just feel like it was all messed up. Like two stories flowing together in a bad way or one overshading the other. Anyhow, I only enjoyed the fun parts in the first half of the drama. So I honestly don't really recommend this drama. Even though Jo Won is a great actor, I would rather watch something else. But if you have the time and have watched all dramas then I wouldnt stop you haha!. 

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥  / 3 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict

This drama started out very good honestly, but somewhere along the line it became halfhearted. The climax wasn’t that climatic, and instead of saying that it was too much about the revenge, I have to admit, I didn’t really care nor notice much of it after J.J’s (Uhm Tae Woong) death. I know it’s a love / police drama, but the romance took too much of the drama, and the entire thing became dull. Though I have to admit, it was great fun, really funny, humor was tip top! And the supporting couple grew on me, even if they didn’t have that much screen time.

I must say I am pretty tired of the female character - just too typical, and annoying, like I remember her being exactly alike in Protect The Boss. But I was happy about Joo Won’s new kind of character (haven’t watched Ojakgyo Family, but compared to all the others) - kind of his real personality.

To explain this in other dramas, I would say the closest is City Hunter and Fugitive Plan B - you feel me? So if that is your type of drama, watch it.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Bridal Mask Review

Title: Gaksital

AKA: Bridal Mask

Genre: Period, action, drama, romance

Episodes: 28

Broadcast period: 2012-May-30 to 2012-Sept-06

Cast: Joo Won, Shin Hyun Joon, Chun Ho Jin, Park Ki Woong, Park Joo Hyun, Han Chae Ah, Ahn Hyung Joon, Jin Se Yun, Song Byung Ho, Son Yeo Eun, Seo Yoon Ah, Jun Noh Min, Kim Myung Gon, Park Sung Woong, Ji Seo Yoong ...

Set in the 1930's in the land that would become the Korean Republic, during the Japanese occupation, we follow the story of a hero. The hero known as 'Gaksital', bridal mask. Gaksital is the protector of the people, working against the japanese occupators, the government and regime. Lee Kang To (Joo Won) is a Korean young man working for the police. He is often confronted and molested because he isn't Japanese, but got into the police because of his great skills. Kang To bets his everything on catching Gaksital and is therefore extremely hated by the Korean people. He goes as far as torturing his own childhood friend and first love, Oh Mok Dan (Jin Se Yun), and manages to catch and shoot Gaksital, only to find out that it was his older brother, who was fighting in order to take revenge on the Japanese, responsible for their father's death. Having almost lost everything, he decides to take on the mission of revenge. He decides to keep working at the police office undercover, but meets trouble as his best friend Kimura Shunji (Park Ki Woong) joins as an officer to catch Gaksital, for the revenge of his older brother death, who was killed by Gaksital. This is the story about the struggle and opressed people, fighting for freedom and love.

Halfway through second episode I was so surprised and impressed that's when I understood why this drama was popular and knew I definitely had to watch. I was especially impressed by Joo Won's acting, as it was very different from what I had seen earlier.I reeaallly felt like looking up spoilers and finding out what's gonna happen like already from the beginning. It was almost too much to bear, I couldn't stand having to watch to find out what's gonna happen and get all questions answered. And of course I accidently spoiled a part, seriously if you are like me (don't read or watch anything about a drama before you start) then avoid such as tumblr and youtube aso, which is reeeally hard, but that's what I like the most and that's how I enjoy a drama the most, not knowing anything and just going with the flow. This drama really leads you through it all, it wasnt boring at all, and all these unexpected things happen ALL the time (unexpected if you havent seen spoilers). I was often confused because it is a very different historical drama, it is set in 1930’s and I kept thinking it was long before, so it was weird, but interesting as well. It has some really tough moments and I really cried like really badly. I really recommend it, it is a great drama with action, romance, friendship and revenge. It doesn’t get boring and just leads you through the episodes ;) 

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict
This drama is one of this year’s best dramas. Every actor does a great job, and all characters are brilliant. There are some small things that does take you aback, like the that 1/3 of the drama is about torturing people, like really, I think most characters were tortured. And the amount of people dying is like omg, like flies really. Then there is the entire “mystery” about “who is gaksital?” which is really exciting until people find out and then the tension suddenly lessens, lol. But it’s great, as it is. Joo Won is great as a villain, love him like that, and as the good guy he does a great job. I can’t get over of how good Kang To, Joo Won’s character, was at lying, totally believable, making even me believe him, even though I knew what really happened.

All in all a good drama, really recommendable. But be careful, the tension and the hurt actually can (and prolly will) break your heart, or at least make you get strong feels.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo Review

Title: King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo
AKA: Bakerking, Kim Tak Goo / Bread, Love and Dreams
Genre: Romance, melodrama, family
Episodes: 30
Broadcasting period: 2010-Jun to 2010-Sept
Cast: Yoon Shi Yoon, Eugene, Jun Kwang Ryul, Jun In Hwa, Joo Won, Lee Young Ah and Jun Mi Sun.

As she is giving birth, Seo In Sook (Jun In Hwa) is begging it to be a son, but when she gives birth to a daughter, her mother-in-law is criticizing and telling her, that she is a horrible daughter-in-law, because she can’t give the Goo family a heir. In Sook’s housebound, Goo Il Jong (Jun Kwang Ryul) isn’t much help either, since he feels disappointed in her as well. Some time passes, and In Sook goes to a furtune teller who tells her that there isn’t a chance for her and her houseound to have a son together. The only possibility for her to get a son is with another man, but her housebound will have a son with another woman. After a rough night at the office, Il Jong returns home, drunk, and ends up sleeping with a maid, Kim Mi Sun (Jun Mi Sun). This is seen by Il Jong’s mother, but because of her dislike of In Sook, she accepts it. When In Sook returns, Mi Sun is pregnant, and in fury she throws her out, and with the help of the department manager, Mi Sun leaves in fear. In Sook then, again with the help of the department manager, becomes pregnant, and makes everyone think its Il Jong’s son.
Twelve years later, Mi Sun’s son meets Il Jong along with the son of In Sook, whom he thinks is his own. A lot happens, and Il Jong becomes fond of the kid, later finds out that it is his son. At the same time, Mi Sun’s son is befriending a girl, who he has had a crush on for a long time, and whose father beats her up, daily. Mi Sun then decides to leave her son, to live life easier, by living with the Goo family. But In Sook strikes once again, and Mi Sun is separated with her son, leaving her son wanting to find her.
Twelve years pass again, and the 24 year old son of Kim Mi Sun, Kim Tak Goo (Yoon Shi Yoon) has become a gangster in order to find the man with the windmill tattoo on his arm, who is the man that kidnapped his mother. Destiny leads him to Pal Bong Bakery, where an employee has that tattoo. Tak Goo passes out after a fight, in front of the bakery, and is found by Yang Mi Sun (Lee Young Ah), the daughter of the head baker. But as it seems the son of In Sook, Goo Ma Joon (Joo Won) is taking the ‘baker exam’ at the very bakery, under an alias. Ma Joon’s hate for Tak Goo hasn’t changed over the years, and as Tak Goo’s childhood friend and first love, Shin Yoo Kyung (Eugene) pops up again, Ma Joon enjoys putting them through hell, but for some reason falls in love with her.

Telling the truth, it’s good. I rarely agree with the Korean ratings (this drama got a rating of 50,8%), but it really is good. If you look past some small causalities, like the fact that every one night stand leads to a baby and that you feel like shaking the villains and good guys because of their either ignorance or naiveness, the drama has a decent flow. I LOVE that the lead actress became so horrible (villain), and that the ‘evil step mom’ didn’t change in the end; those are the two most typical points in Korean drama, the lead actress is perfect and the biggest villain changes her ways in the end. I also love the way the supporting actor was, the fact that he was so afraid of getting hurt or looked down on that he made such a thick self defending shell, that no matter what he did, he would seem evil, even though I personally believe that it’s his wicked family’s fault. Every character had so much soul and were thoroughly made, that you enjoy every aspect of their being.
I have to admit, it does have that choking feeling and ‘drainy’ as well, but personally, this is the first drama that made me jump off my seat, run around happily and not to mention cry. And 30 episodes are both too much, and too little; I was fed up with the trying of sabotaging of Tak Goo, but wanted more of the love stories and lives after the last incident. So I would recommend it, but if you don’t want your own feelings to be let loose, don’t, because it’s one of THOSE dramas, the ones you get irritated at, but can’t not watch it.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
I think I agree with all Bunji said, hahah, the drama is surprisingly good, you do get sick of all the people that time after time try to ruin Takgu's life and he just keeps fighting, but then again, it makes you go back and watch more and more. You leave it and come back all the time. It is actually a preetty terrible story, and I agree with Bunji, I liked the not so typical ending. There were a few things that were ridiculous, but hey it's a drama, and a korean one too. So yeah, quite good if you're up for 30 episodes of poor people being trambled on by rich people, and poor people fighting their way up, seeking revenge. It is quite good!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts