Pandora Movie Review

Title: Pandora

Genre: Disaster, Thriller

Origin: Korea

Release date: December 7, 2016

Cast: Kim Nam Gil, Kim Joo Hyun, Jung Jin Young, Kim Young Ae, Moon Jung Hee and Kim Myung Min.

Kang Jae Hyuk (Kim Nam Gil) lives with his mother, sister-in-law and nephew in a small village in the outskirts of Daegu. The village has nuclear reactor next to the harbor, due to that no fish are in the water, hence no fishermen. The sole live hood of the workers in the village is power plant, which Jae Hyuk does as well and his girlfriend Yeon Joo (Kim Joo Hyun) who works at the power plant information center. He lost his father and older brother because of the plant, so he hates everything about it – including working there.

When an earthquake hits the village, everyone – including the president – is told that the quake didn’t affect the plant. But the reality of the consequence is much more severe and as Pyung Sub (Jung Jin Young) tries to warn everyone, unfortunately he is met by opposition.

Aware of what the nuclear plant is capable of Jae Hyuk wants to get home and save his family, but fate has different plans for him, as he is stuck with his fellow workers…

First of all I need to point out that I am a 'disaster movie'-fan, meaning I enjoy those adrenaline filled "gotta save everyone" thriller movies/dramas. There is just something about them that makes me ignore plot holes – so I sometimes rate them as great, but later realize how weak a plot or storylines they really have. Fortunately this movie had all: amazing storyline, great plot, loads of great screenplay and perfect acting. I don't think I have anything bad to day about this movie honestly. From the beginning to the very end it was perfectly paced and superbly executed. I think that due to the Fukushima incident this hits closer to home than older 'power plant situations' or stories, as they really are quite alike.

So do I recommend it? Yes! (Available on netflix 17^th of March)

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Naked Fireman Review

Title: Naked Fireman
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Mystery
Episodes: 4
Broadcast period: 2017-Jan to 2017-Jan
Cast: Lee Joon Hyuk, Jung In Sun, Jo Hee Bong, Park Hoon and Seo Jung Yeon.

Kang Chul Soo (Lee Joon Hyuk) is a firefighter known for his short temper and “don’t-care”-attitude towards the responsibilities of his job. But due to need of money he continues his job. His life takes a drastic turn when his mentor and hero Jang Gwang Ho (Lee Won Jong) collapses in front of him. Gwang Jong is soon forced to retire as he is diagnosed with an illness. Since they aren’t financially wealthy, the surgery that could possibly save his life, is out of reach. Knowing this fact Chul Soo tries to find a way to earn a lot of money, fast. Oh Sung Jin (Park Hoon), Chul Soos childhood friend, tells him about a job where he can earn 10.000$ in one week as a model, but he there is a catch: he has to go nude!
Han Jin Ah (Jung In Sun) is a wealthy heiress living as an artist. As a little girl, she lost both parents in a robbery where the house got burned down. She survived but has anxiety and is unable to remember the faithful night, except for a scar on the lower back of the assailant. So, she decides to hire men to model at the right age, so she can find the man she remembers, and bring justice to what he has done. But little does she know, the two have met before, and as it seems they were both affected by the same incident…

Considering this is a four-episode long drama, they managed to fill it up with a decent storyline. While watching, I had a point where I was glad it didn’t have more episodes, as I felt it would have been a draggy melodrama. But they managed to fill it up, so that there weren’t any unnecessary scenes, or dialogues. Almost felt like a movie, though not close to the standard. The cast was okay, though at times they left me unimpressed most of the time. The characters felt dry and dull, even though they had nice background stories. The only great acting is from Lee Won Jong, but his screen time is 15 min tops.
All this doesn’t ruin the overall suspense or storyline of the drama, so to sum up: a okay drama with an interesting plot.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Kamji’s Verdict
This was like the best four episodes squeezed out of 16 episode drama. It kept a good pace and wasn't draggy at all. Of course it would have been nice to see some more in depth character development and side plots, but I think this was sufficient. I'm already looking for more dramas by Lee Joon Hyuk, I remember him as the good prosecutor in City Hunter and how sad it was that he didn't have more dramas. Jung In Sun was a very suprising actress, the first scene I thought to myself how bad and stiff she was, but as soon as I was thinking that, she suddenly changed in my eyes, and I started to look for her more throughout the drama! By the end I was mesmerized by her, I sincerely hope that this project would be a stepping stone for her, so she could shine more in future projects. All in all, I loved it, and with no spoiler, I would like to say that my heart wasn’t strong enough for that plot twist in the end.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Oh My Geum Bi Review

Title: Oh My Geum Bi

AKA: My Fair Lady

Genre: Family, Romance, Comedy

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2016-Nov to 2017-Jan

Cast: Heo Jung Eun, Oh Ji Ho, Park Jin Hee, Oh Yoon Ah and Lee Jee Hoon.

Mo Hwi Cheol (Oh Ji Ho) is a con artist without a single care of anyone but himself. When he is arrested for selling a fake painting to mob boss, his two partners are saved from the mob boss, but don’t know how to get him out. Not until Geum Bi knocks on their door. Yoo Geum Bi (Heo Jung Eun) is a 10-year-old girl who has been abandoned by her aunt, leaving her only with an address and a name to go to: Geum Bi’s father, Mo Hwi Cheol. After saving her father from jail time, Geum Bi starts living at Hwi Cheols House, much to his displease. While living there she manages to ruin one of their cons: a recluse rich heiress by the name of Ko Kang Hee (Park Jin Hee).

This creates another whirlwind in Hwi Cheols life, as he now must manage lying to Kang Hee and not having Geum Bi tell everyone the truth…

When I heard about this drama I was 100 percent sure that I would love it. And I was right.

It has all the good stuff in it: heartfelt story, great acting and most of all it is very real (as real as a drama can get). I like that they chose beginner father Oh Ji Ho for this role, as I would imagine him being that fatherly with his child in the future when she gets that age, which makes it even more cute.

As the female lead goes, I gotta say I don’t really recall her from other roles, so this was just another female lead doing the very typical Korean female lead kind of acting, and a very typical to be honest. I don’t really feel the Korean female actors have any variety of characters... They all seem alike. The little girl though, she was great! I was quite amazed while watching – though I can’t remember if I’d seen her before.

Anyways, I loved this drama and I would recommend it to anyone.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Masked Prosecutor Review

Title: Masked Prosecutor

AKA: The Man in the Mask

Genre: Action, Comedy, Legal, Drama

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2015-May to 2015-Jul

Cast: Joo Sang Wook, Kim Sun Ah, Uhm Ki Joon and Park Young Gyu.

Ha Dae Chul (Joo Sang Wook) is a corrupt prosecutor willing to look through things if he is payed for it. This makes him butt heads with Yoo Min Hee (Kim Sun Ah), a detective working on cases involving criminals Dae Chul is supposed to be prosecuting. But little does she know is that Dae Chul is a masked vigilante, making criminals confess and sends them to the police station. The truth is Dae Chul used to train wrestling at Min Hee’s Uncles gym, where he learned to wrestle to impress Min Hee. Then he meets his real father who tells him about his mother and how she betrayed him and Dae Chul to live a richer life with his father’s best friend.

This makes Dae Chul seek revenge by becoming a prosecutor, but due to his honest personality can’t let criminals go, so he becomes the masked prosecutor to bring them to justice…

Of all the Korean dramas, out there I was expecting (hoping) this would be more like the Japanese types of drama, and it does have all the elements, but Koreans just take themselves way to serious for it to be a funny and moral story. I understand what they were trying to do, and since they couldn’t keep it to the ‘masked vigilante prosecutor’ they tried to add another plot in the plot, making it more of 3 plot type of drama, all in one. Of course, as all other Korean dramas they have loads of sub plots, but they kind of die off, as well as the actual cases in police and prosecutor offices. I was expecting a light drama, but somehow ended up with another wannabe light version of makjang. I dunno why Koreans love birth secrets and revenge so much…

Anyways, the cast was fun, and to be fair I had a few laughs here and there, but else this drama is not really one of my favorites – even if I must say it grew on me.

So, all in all, an okay drama that I don’t think I wouldn’t recommend.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Jang Yeong Sil Review

Title: Jang Yeong Sil

AKA: The Great Scientist Jang Yeong Sil

Genre: Historical, Period

Episodes: 24

Broadcast period: 2016-Jan to 2016-Mar

Cast: Song Il Gook, Kim Sang Kyung, Kim Young Chul, Park Sun Yeong and Kim Do Hyun.

Born Eun Bok, Jang Yeong Sil (Song Il Gook) was the son of a noble man and a giseng. Living as a low-class servant, Yeong Sil meets his father Jang Sung Hwi (Kim Myung Soo) as a youngster. His father notices his intellect and brightness, and decides to introduce him to the world of astronomy. Unfortunately, due to the change to Joseon from Goryeo, the government (and king) is very strict about the newly made rules. Sung Hwi realizes that his son will never be able to utilize his potential in the world of class difference and decides to leave him for Yeong Sils own good. This leaves a heartbroken Yeong Sil, but doesn’t ruin his love for astronomy.

While being hated, and envied by his former master Jang Hee Je (Lee Jee Hoon), Yeong Sil decides to work as a smith, only to be patronized by the magistrate.

Everything changes when Lee Hyun (Kim Do Hyun) one day notices Yeong Sils abilities and takes it to the king: at first King Taejong (Kim Young Chul) refuses the idea, but soon enough his son, Crown Prince Se Jong (Kim Sang Kyung), decides to work with him. This sparks hatred and jealousy from the noblemen, making life much harder for Yeong Sil…

One of my favorite stories from the Joseon period; the story of the genius slave dreaming of the stars. It is also the story of King Se Jong, but in this case his rise to power and all involved was pushed a bit back. Though I was annoyed at the invented character, the princess (Se Jongs sister), I was able to watch all of it with a smile.

The overall storyline was good, and quite close to the real story, of course there were a few dramatizations and a few things left out – but all in all close.

Casting Song Il Gook as the lead was good, but I still can’t imagine Jang Yeong Sil looking like him… But then again, he kind of felt right. I watched the King Se Jong drama a few years back, and I was a bit nervous to see who they would cast as Se Jong since the cast was superb last time, and to my amazement both Se Jong and Tae Jong were the exactly same actor! I don’t know how they did it, but thank God, they did! Made me enjoy it more.

So, to sum it up: a good story with a nice hint of historical correctness.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Second To Last Love Review

Title: Second to Last Love

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2016-Jul to 2016-Oct

Cast: Kim Hee Ae, Ji Jin Hee, Kwak Si Yang, Kim Seul Gi, Jung Soo Young, Lee Soo Min and Park Sung Geun.

Kang Min Joo (Kim Hee Ae) is a top TV producer for SBC, famous for making a lot of dramas with great ratings. She is known to always get her way by persuasion and sweet talking her way out of situations.

Go Sang Shik (Ji Jin Hee) is a public employee and manager, working for the ‘tourism and environment’ part of his city, where the office works to make get tourists to visit the beautiful parts of the city. He is known to be honest and quite stoic, as well as too cautious and a sucker for rules.

When the SBC gets into trouble for copyrighting a story from a webtoonist, Min Joo is put on the spot to fix it, but the artist Go Mi Rye (Kim Seul Gi) refuses to be persuaded, unless Min Joo can persuade her brother. At the same time Min Joo is put in another spot, as the office of ‘tourism and environment’ refuses to let her film the series at the spot she had hoped. Trying to fix this, she gets on the wrong foot with the manager, who happens to be Sang Shik. Budding heads, the two want to avoid each other, but as fate has it Min Rye is the younger sister of Sang Shik, and Min Jo just happened to move next door to Sang Shik, who lives there with his entire family. To make matters worse, Sang Shiks family friend, who is also living with the family, starts to find a liking in Min Joo.

Though the two can’t seem to stand each other, they soon find out that they have a lot in common. And that their fates are even more entwined than anticipated…

This drama is one of the few types of dramas I usually don’t watch, but I guess the older you get your preference ages with you. It is one of those dramas focusing solely on the destiny and love story of the main couple, and while doing that questions several customs society throws at us. Of course, they add in different ages groups to compare those customs, so that the viewer can detect the differences.

I remember watching Kim Hee Ae in Mrs. Cop, so I had to see this one, and I did enjoy her acting. I generally enjoyed everyone in this drama since the actors were great. The story was well written, but I gotta say they did ruin a bit of it because of the extra episodes – which was a bit unnecessary. It made the drama longer, and a bit heavier.

All in all, a good drama for a mature audience.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 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

Monster Review

Title: Monster

Genre: Business, Romance, Revenge

Episodes: 50

Broadcast period: 2016-Mar to 2016-Sept

Cast: Kang Ji Hwan, Sung Yu Ri, Park Ki Woong, Jung Bo Suk, Jo Bo Ah, and a whole lot of famous actors and actresses.

Right before turning 18, Lee Guk Cheol (Lee Ki Gwang) lost both his parents, and his eye sight, in a car crash. This left him to be the heir of the biggest company in Korea, but due to greed and conspiracy, Guk Cheol is left without any allies, and his entire heritage is stolen by the man he calls his uncle Byun Il Jae (Jung Bo Suk).

Several years later, now living on the streets, Guk Cheol (Kang Ji Hwan) lives as a beggar with one goal in his mind: to get revenge on the people who killed his family and get his company back. As it happens he meets a woman who offers him help, in return he has to donate his blood with has antidotes to a virus, which he had been injected while young. While trying to infiltrate the company, now known as ‘DoDo Group’, Guk Cheol, now Kang Gi Tan, meets Do Gun Woo (Park Ki Woong) who has a hidden agenda, and Oh Soo Yeon (Sung Yu Ri) whom he finds awfully familiar for some reason.

At the same time Byun Il Jae has an agenda of his own, but little does he know Kang Gi Tan is right in the middle of it…

I cannot believe I finished this! Yes, there are 50 episodes, but this drama is soooo makjang and complicated – like secrets and drama and lies… The only thing missing what a brother-sister-possibility, which by the way I am more than glad didn’t happen. I remember watching the first few episodes feeling excited that it was so simple – fast forward 20 episodes, it’s hell. Like it is SO confusing. When I had write the review/summary I was squeezing my brain to remember the beginning, only to feel as if years had gone by and these characters were from another drama… I think the director went for the miserable feeling, and got a really annoyed Bunji instead, who predicted every outcome at every single episode ending. Especially the ending – which didn’t move me at all. The leads are pretty common – disappointed I Kang Ji Hwan for a second time after Big Man, which was a bore like this one – and the other actors… almost all of them, particularity the lead actress, who annoyed me more and more as every episode went by… but the all kind of did. The only one that grew on me were: Do Shin Young (Jo Bo Ah), the spoilt brat who showed character development, and Moon Tae Gwang (Jung Woong In) the loyal servant of Dodo group until he was fired due to it. I actually loved for their moments – and yes, to see how it ends as well (If I had predicted it well – and I had). And somehow these characters grow on you... I mean 50 episodes!

Besides that, this drama doesn’t really offer much, only the typical chaebol’s fighting their typical fights of power. But I guess that is what Koreans love to watch.

All in all; not something I would recommend to people – maybe to hardcore binge watchers?

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥½ / 2½ out of 5 hearts

The Wailing Movie Review

Title: The Wailing

AKA: Gokseong

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Origin: Korea

Release date: May 12, 2016

Cast: Kwak Do Won, Hwang Jung Min, Kunimura Jun, Chun Woo Hee and Kim Hwan Hee.

Jong Goo (Kwak Do Won) is small time police officer in the rural village Goksung. He lives there with his wife, mother-in-law and daughter Hyo Jin (Kim Hwan Hee). One morning he gets a phone call about a murder that has happened in that same village, and when arriving at the scene, he is met with the horrific sight of an entire family slaughtered. The killer, the father and head of the family, is sitting shaking and covered in burned spots all around his body. Soon another murder of the same type happens in the village, and it is said to be an outbreak of some sort.

Jong Goo starts hearing rumors around the village, about the ‘Japanese man’ who happened to come to the village when it all started. After checking out his house, Jong Goo and his partner are shocked to find Hyo Jin’s shoe in the house. And when he questions Hyo Jin, he noticed that the once shy and smiley girl is now swearing and threatening to murder everyone. The scared mother-in-law calls in a shaman to cure the daughter, but the paranoid Jong Goo believes the Japanese man has something to do with it and decides to take care of it…

I have a hard time deciding whether I like this movie or not. It has so much Asia in this that it became another one of those movies which I have no idea what happened. I mean it’s not hard to follow, they do keep you in the loop, but I don’t understand it. You would usually get a sense of what the meaning of a 2+ hours long movie is about, but at the end I felt empty. I wasn’t scared or shocked. I was a bit sad, but I have no idea what the movie theme is. Like if it was a scare movie, it was too well written, and if it was moral-type movie, I didn’t catch it. I don’t understand what I was watching. Maybe I am too thick? Considering people were talking so positively about it, I really don’t understand it.

The movie as a general is well-written, well-dialogued, and really beautifully made. The cast was great, and even the twist was good. Besides that, I have nothing. I really felt like a blob.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Winter Sonata Review

Title: Winter Sonata

AKA: Winter Ballad / Winter Love Song / Endless Love 2

Genre: Drama, Romance

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2002-Jan to 2002-Mar

Cast: Bae Yong Jun, Choi Ji Woo, Park Yong Ha and Park Sol Mi.

Jung Yoo Jin (Choi Ji Woo) is somewhat a dense yet smart girl. She lives life quite happily by being a member of the school’s radio broadcast as a host, and having a decent reputation in school. Her best friend Kim Sang Hyuk (Park Yong Ha) is also a co-host with her. Her life becomes even better when Kang Jun Sang (Bae Yong Jun) arrives, and she finds herself attracted to him. Jun Sang on the other hand has an interest in Sang Hyuks childhood and father at first, but soon falls for Yoo Jin and the two start dating. Everything changes when one night Jun Sang meets an accident and dies as a follow. This devastates Yoo Jin and makes the once happy girl, lose her smile.

Several years later Yoo Jin is engaged to Sang Hyuk, but is not completely over Jun Sang, even though she won’t say it out loud. On the day of her engagement party, she sees someone looking exactly like Jun Sang and starts running after him, but is unable to catch or find him. This results in her coming to the party too late, and leaves as strain on the relationship between her and Sang Hyuk.

A few days later, she meets the look-a-like whose name is Lee Min Hyung (Bae Yong Jun), and as fate will have it the two are unable to stay from one another…

There are several reasons I started this drama, but the main reason is that it is a classic in that everyone has either watched or heard of. I found out about this long time ago, but even then it was ‘an oldie’, so I never took the liberty to actually watch it. Though I enjoy old classics, I never felt compelled to watch this. So when I did start it was because I really wanted to watch a good ‘oldie’. I think I do understand the hype, 14 years ago: it has what most dramas didn’t have then; a decent storyline. Though amnesia, first love and all the typical clichés are involved, it wasn’t as clichés then – so I didn’t really mind it.

I know Ji Woo from other dramas, but this is my first time seeing ‘the legendary’ Bae Yong Jun. To be fair, he does look like a 90s romantic hero, but I found his acting mediocre – maybe because I am used to a bit more modern acting? I don’t know; only that I wasn’t all impressed.

So is it recommendable? If you are a drama lover like myself, and you like the old and cliché-kind of dramas – this is a most definite pick.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥ ♥ ♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Beautiful Mind Review

Title: Beautiful Mind

AKA: Dr. Frankenstein

Genre: Medical, Thriller, Romance

Episodes: 14

Broadcast period: 2016-Jun to 2016-Aug

Cast: Jang Hyuk, Park So Dam, Yoon Hyun Min, Heo Joon Ho and Park Se Young.

This drama tells about Lee Young Oh (Jang Hyuk); a genius neurosurgeon with a brain injury to his frontal lobe, making him unable to show or feel sympathy and empathy. As a very young boy his father had intensively taught him how to read facial expressions, as he was afraid his son would be labeled a psychopath due to people with the same condition being known as either sociopaths or psychopaths. This results in Young Oh being able to hide his real nature even from his girlfriend Kim Min Jae (Park Se Young) and his fellow co-workers.

Everything changes when he's one day involved in a range of deaths at the hospital, with patients dying with no reasonable cause. This leads to policewoman Gye Jin Sung (Park So Dam) suspecting Young Oh after being involved with one of the patients right before they went to surgery. Soon after everything around him starts to crumble as the people he thought he had trusted, suddenly work against him...

Okay, so I am aware this drama isn't as famous as many other Korean medical dramas, but compared to all other medical drama I have watched, this is probably one of my favorite. You might find this one to serious and quite confusing, but I enjoyed it a lot. I am not a fan of Jang Hyuk, but I really didn't mind him here. Sometimes I would think his acting was off, but it didn't bother me at all. Maybe because of the storyline or the dialogues, but it was quite good to be fair. Park So Dam I am seeing for the first time, and I loved her. I think she made me a fan. There was something tomboyish yet very feminine about her – like a young and less experienced Gong Hyo Jin. And I am a huge GHJ fan :)

Besides that, I found the pace great, like it made me tune in every single week, and I was always excited for the next episode. But on the other hand I understand why people would dislike it – as the subject is something not everyone is fond of. Also the idiot who cut this 2 episode short should die. Seriously. There was WAY too much happening in the last 2 episodes - because it was cut.

To sum up: a great drama, but not for everyone's taste.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Hidden Identity Review

Title: Hidden Identity

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2015-Jun to 2015-Aug

Cast: Kim Bum, Park Sung Woong, Yoon So Yi and Lee Won Jong.

Cha Gun Woo (Kim Bum) is a former SWAT member who left it and became a police detective. When his partner dies in front of him while on a stakeout, Gun Woo becomes depressed and reminded of the past where his girlfriend was killed by a criminal, right in front of him. The brother of his dead girlfriend, also a cop, Kim Tae In (Kim Tae Hoon) works with a small crew of detectives for the police unit that deals undercover operations.

When Tae In goes missing whilst on a undercover job, they recruit Gun Woo, as he is the most fit for the job, but also has something that might interest him. At first Gun Woo is very reluctant, but when they tell him about the case and the parts involved he suddenly gets very interested and agrees…

This drama has by far one of the most interesting storylines ever made, but has one of the most typical ending and climax. Meaning I was so bored with the “sad” ending that I was counting seconds for it to end, as it was too common. Though I was keen to watch the story and to know about the backstory, I was yawning a lot the time, which when I think back was because of mediocre acting from the cast. The ones playing the ‘baddies’ or the antagonists, were doing a great job – had me buy it completely. But the main cast somehow were very dull. Including Kim Bum. After watching this I am quite sure he doesn’t know how to act. Or at least in this drama he really was bad at acting this character because I got nothing good from him – except for him reminding me of Lee Seo Eun and Lee Seo Jun (the twins from Superman Returns) – which doesn’t fit this apparent “badass” character. To be completely honest I don’t remember all the other actors – that is how dull of an impression they left me.

I think I would recommend this for the story, but not if you are a fan of Kim Bum. He disappoints.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Ghost-seeing Detective Cheo Yong 2 Review

Title: Ghost-seeing Detective Cheo Yong 2

AKA: Cheo Yong 2 / Cheo Yong Season 2

Genre: Police, Fantasy, Mystery, Crime

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: 2015-Aug to 2015-Oct

Cast: Oh Ji Ho, Jun Hyo Sung and Ha Yoon Joo.

After the team was split last time, the chief director decides to put the old team back together again: this time with Jung Ha Yeon (Ha Yeon Joo) an ambitious and potent female detective. Being aware of his abilities everyone looks at Cheo Yong (Oh Ji Ho) to solve most of the cases, but they are all unaware that Na Young (Jun Hyo Sung) is still there – and occasionally possesses Ha Yeon’s body.

They are given the hardest cases – the ones that are hard to crack – but there seems to be a bigger case underneath, which only the chief director and Ha Yeon seem to know. That appears to be the main reason for the reuniting the team. What is really going on?

I apologize for the short summary, but the entire drama is not that exciting. I don’t remember much of the first one, but I do remember I liked it; the stories at least. This season (season 2) really left me without much impression. No that it was bad, but I have no idea why they spent so much time and money on this one. They stories are getting a bit typical, and I really dislike when the main actor/actress is perfect (like Code Blue). It ruins the entire idea of teamwork and team as a general. Though I liked the new characters, and I sort of found the climax good, I have to admit it felt a bit long.

I wouldn’t say I recommend it, but if you liked season 1, this one is a little upgrade from that – but not much.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥½ / 2½ out of 5 hearts

Mrs. Cop Review

Title: Mrs. Cop

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Episodes: 18

Broadcast period: 2015-Aug to 2015-Sep

Cast: Kim Hee Ae, Kim Min Jong, Lee Da Hee, Son Ho Joon and Lee Ki Kwang.

Choi Young Jin (Kim Hee Ae) is the squad head of her police squad, and close friend to the captain Park Jong Ho (Kim Min Jong). She is good at her job, and deals with some of the most brutal cases in the police station, but is also a single mother to her 6-year-old daughter, who is being taken care of by her aunt; Young Jin’s younger sister.

When her chief and even higher ‘higher-ups’ want to make an innocent man go to jail, so the story about the actual murder can be hushed down, as it involves some politicians, Young Jin becomes furious and wants to fix I, but the entire situation, as well as her job, gets complicated, and she resigns.

Two years later, Young Jin now has much more free time and spends much of her time with her daughter. Though she misses her work, she is unable to tell her sister and daughter. That is until Jong Ho asks her to return: she is made the head of a special task force that is to uncover the murder of a young girl. And she is joined with 5 other members, whom all are a tad more different than the usual detectives…

Hmm, I am not content with my summary, but I think I covered most of it.

This drama is one of the funniest and coolest police dramas I have seen, and it’s not all that amazingly made. On a Korean crime/police/action rate, this one is up there with IRIS (the first one) and Phantom. I enjoyed almost every single bit of it, and the couple in the drama were one of my favorites in the year of 2015. Even though they had little romance, their chemistry was incredible – and funny! Or rather my type of funny… Just enough without being ridiculous (I’ve heard complaints about my humor… So you might not agree on it being a comedy). I liked all characters to be honest and I found the storyline good to. So hell year recommendable!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Kim Soo Ro Review

Title: Kim Soo Ro

AKA: Kim Su Ro / The Iron King

Genre: Period, Melodrama, Romance, Fantasy

Episodes: 32

Broadcast period: 2010-May to 2010-Sept

Cast: Ji Sung, Bae Chong Ok, Yu Oh Seong, Seo Ji Hye and Ko Joo Won.

As one of the kingdoms of the North is on the verge of destruction, the pregnant queen Jung Kyung Bi (Bae Chong Ok) flees in order to keep the royal line intact. While doing so she is hit by arrows and barely survives when she boards a ship sailing south. On the boat she gives birth to a boy, but due to her wound and being exhausted she passes out. The ship encounters harsh winds and crashes, leaving only ship wreckage on a shore. A maid from the Iron Masters house spots the wreckage and notices that the newborn baby is still alive, and decides to take him with her. Shortly after Kyung Bi wakes up, but unable to find her child she breaks down. At the same time the Iron Master wife gives birth to her third stillborn, and he is unable to tell his wife. The maid who found the child on shore tells the Master about the child, and in order to save is wife from depression, decides to make the child his son, calling him Soo Ro.

In the south the 12 tribes are having problems agreeing on trivial matters, so they go to the High Priest in order to get answers, this furies one of the richer tribe leaders Shin Gwi Gan (Yu Oh Seong) as the High Priest almost becomes the king, as he is liked by all but also deals with all the main issues. When a prophecy, which says that the future king will be a child born by a woman from north, is given to the High Priest, he meets Kyung Bi and finds out about her background. He decides to marry her, and makes sure that he will be in the same position.

Several years later Soo Ro (Ji Sung) now old enough to learn from his father’s iron crafts, is met with hostility from the High Priests son Lee Jin Ah Shi (Ko Joo Won) and Kyung Bi, since they fear of him being a 'potential' king. And the tribe leader Shin Gwi Gan refuses to let anyone take his throne. Will the real heir be able to become king?

I apologize for the long review; another period/historical story that starts late into the drama.

This is my second drama about the period before the Joseon era, my first being Faith. And comparing those two would not be all that fair, even though I liked this one better. This drama had the element of fantasy, as in magic – which Faith also had, just not the same kind – and prophecies, which apparently used to be quite normal then. I am really not familiar with the story of the pre-joseon era, but from what I know they are coming quite close to the actual story. Though I really don’t understand the use of the second lead – like she was quite unnecessary. I didn’t feel bad for her, and I honestly didn’t get her backstory – not that it was interesting. I get that they were trying to make it sad and heartbreaking, but I actually was waiting for her to leave already… I know: mean. But yeah, I guess people like these types… I just don’t.

Ji Sung was cool as always. I remember him in The Great Seer, which I watched fondly, but here he was younger, which is nice to see. And he just fits those mischievous characters, I dunno why. Also the lead actress was okay, though I don’t know her, she was quite good, but yeah, still a typical lead in period…

But yeah, I found it pretty interesting to watch, so all in all fairly good watch.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Gu Am Heo Joon Review

Title: Gu Am Heo Joon

AKA: Hur Jun, the original story

Genre: Period, Historical, Romance

Episodes: 135

Broadcast period: 2013-Mar to 2013-Sept

Cast: Kim Joo Hyuk, Park Jin Hee, Park Eun Bin, Namgung Min and Baek Yoon Sik.

Raised by a loving father, Heo Joon (Kim Joo Hyuk) does not see himself different than other children around, but is soon come to realize that being the son of a concubine is not as being like his half-brother. His father, a magistrate, is famous for catching barbarians at the border, but one day the barbarians decide to retaliate, they kidnap Heo Joon, the magistrate is left with a horrible choice to make – wait till there is an agreement with other people. This sparks a hate in Heo Joon, who believes he has been abandoned by his father.

Years later, Heo Joon now a grown up, has become a thug, infamous for his illegal trading. When he one day is arrested, his father the magistrate, is left with no choice but to have him and Heo Joons mom flee the city. Ridden with guilt, Heo Joon decides to keep his head down and find a job where he can earn money, so him and his mother can buy a house. And as fate has it, he meets Yoo Ui Tae (Baek Yoon Sik) a local and rather renowed doctor, who sees a potential in Heo Joon, and soon Heo Joon learns the art of medicine…

I started watching this after I finished Horse Doctor, since I heard it was the same director and script writer. Also it had Kim Joo Hyuk in it, acting the same character his father did, so I had to watch it. This drama is one of those morning period dramas I think, since each episode is approx. 35 minutes and you can almost not watch 10 episodes and you would sort of still know what’s going on. Though I did not feel it was draggy, I was a bit annoyed at the ability to cure the patients. I don’t completely remember the year which is acted in this drama, but it’s at least 200-300 years before our time, and for some reason they are able to almost cure everything – which historically seems incorrect. Besides that, there were very few ‘bad’ scenes – meaning badly acted – but honestly I really didn’t mind. I liked the storyline, the love story and the screenplay, also the interacting between everyone is quite well made. Then again it could have been made better – I mean it’s from 2013…

Anyways, enjoyable and a good watch.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Horse Doctor Review

Title: Horse Doctor

AKA: The King’s Doctor

Genre: Period, Melodrama, Medical, Romance

Episodes: 50

Broadcast period:

Cast: Cho Seung Woo, Lee Yo Won, Son Chang Min, Yoo Sun and Lee Sang Woo.

Lee Myung Hwa (Son Chang Min) is the son of a known vet, who becomes an herbalist after a recommendation from a merchant. While studying to become a physician he meets and befriends Kang Do Jun (Jeon No Min) and a soon-to-be nurse Joo In Ok (Choi Soo Rin). The three become very close, but due to a plot by the royal queen, their lives take a drastic turn: she wants to kill the Crown Prince. In order to kill him she hires people to test a new way of killing: putting poison on needles and thereby killing the victim without leaving any evidence. This testing and the plot is noticed by a local, who in fear runs away and is saved by Kang Do Jun. Afraid something might happen, Do Jun leaves to meet the Crown Prince. At the same time the local man’s wife gives birth to a daughter. And shortly after, Myung Hwan is forced to point Do Jun out as a traitor in order to save himself.

As fate has it Do Jun’s wife is also pregnant, and due to the marking as a traitor, Do Jun’s child will be killed if he is a boy and put to slavery if it is a girl: unfortunately, it happens to become a boy. The local man then decides to switch the children and take care of the boy as his own.

Several years later, Do Jun’s son now Baek Kwang Hyun (Ahn Do Gyu) is a boy who dreams of big city, but the local man, now referred as father, tries to keep him safe and make him a doctor like Kwang Hyuns real father.

But fate again intervenes as Kwang Hyun (Cho Seung Woo) becomes a vet instead of doctor, though his interest for treating humans seems to lie in his blood…

I started this drama long time ago because I felt like watching a medical drama, and somehow this popped up. Not that I am a fan of period dramas, but I thought I’d give it a chance: and I really don’t regret it.

The drama is quite typical in the royal/political sense, but I enjoyed the main focus being on the medical part, as I always has the idea that they weren’t “up-to-speed” with the medical part, but I guess I was wrong. It really wasn’t that horrible to be a patient in the Joseon times apparently. Heck even animals had it okay – in the veterinary sense. Or this drama may be blowing it bit out of proportion – I will never know. BUT nonetheless, this drama has charms beyond expectations.

The lead actor is really a charmer, and I don’t really remember him in other dramas/movies, but till this date I remember his face and voice, and that itself is an accomplishment if you ask me. The female actresses are not horrible, but I have to be honest I am a bit bored with these type of female character portrayals – pretty and demure. They really do nothing except ruin the overall idea of woman in general.

As for the rest; story, screen-play and everything else, I really liked it.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Punch (2014) Review

Title: Punch

Genre: Melodrama, Legal, Thriller, Romance

Episodes: 19

Broadcast period: 2014-Dec to 2015-Feb

Cast: Kim Rae Won, Kim Ah Joong and Jo Jae Hyun.

Park Jung Hwan (Kim Rae Won) is a prosecutor very close to the ‘grey’ area of law, which means as long as it’s under the table he is willing to do it. Though not completely corrupt to the core, his boss prosecutor Lee Tae Joon (Jo Jae Hyun) is, and by aiding his boss, Jung Hwan wants to climb to the top. On the other hand his ex-wife prosecutor Shin Ha Kyung (Kim Ah Joong) is as white as they come, as she believes that law is a way of living, and by not abiding that law her ex-husband Jung Hwan should be cuffed.

After finally managing to put his boss on the spot as the Prosecutor General, Jung Hwan is diagnosed with brain cancer, and is told that he only has 6 months to live. Refusing to admit reality he tries to find a doctor and manages, but this particular doctor is a criminal who is soon to be trialed. Promising to save the doctor, Jung Hwan goes under the knife, ony to have the surgery fail, and reducing his 6 months to 3 months.

Tae Joon, thinking that Jung Hwan has died, cuts Jung Hwan off and in order to save his own brother makes Ha Kyung out to be a criminal. After waking up Jung Hwan is told his situation and about Ha Kyung, which makes his face Tae Joon, who refuses to release Ha Kyung.

That is when Jung Hwan promises to make sure that not only is he going to get her out, but he will make Tae Joon pay for framing her…

Okay! First of all sorry for the kind of misleading/boring summary, but this drama is really good! Besides being mature, this drama had me cling to my seat most of the time. Some people might find it boring, and it can be as the complication of the entire law part, is really boring, but the fact that they are able to make me follow and understand every part of the law and also the conspiracy. I like Kim Rae Won’s portrayal of this ‘good-guy-gone-bad’ and how he changes after his life gets shaken up. I have to admit I was quite terrified how little they valued a human life, and how easy it was for them to not only not care of their dying co-worker, but also how little they cared for his family. I know it sounds weird, but they seriously were all waiting for Jung Hwan to die, and kept implying that. Anyways, really good acting and amazing cast. The story is almost perfect, though it can become too confusing at times - boring at others…

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

The King's Face Review

Title: The King’s Face
Genre: Historical, Drama, Action, Thriller, Romance
Episodes: 23
Broadcast date: 2014-Nov to 2015-Feb
Cast: Seo In Guk, Jo Yoon Hee, Lee Sung Jae, Shin Sung Rok and Kim Gyu Ri.

Face reading is an art in which by looking at a face; its form, condition, the skin, the shape and so on, it is possible to learn things like a person's characteristics, personality traits and innermost secrets, but also the possible future.
Before stepping on the throne the current King (Lee Sung Jae) was told by the royal face reader that if he ever were to become the King, Joseon would suffer and fall into despair. By luck he becomes the King, and soon after, Joseon falls into anguish with diseases killing the civilians and hunger striking the country.
Several years later, the King has four sons, all from concubines due to the Queen’s infertility. The two oldest are from the first concubine, who passed away, but the Queen took in as her own sons: Prince Imhae (Park Joo Hyung) and Prince Gwanghee (Seo In Guk). Due to his jealousy of his sons and fear that he would lose his position as the King, the King refuses to announce the Crown Prince even though the both princes expect Prince Imhae to be crowned. Though Prince Imhae is short tempered, he cares dearly for his younger brother, and protects him with all he has. Prince Gwanghee, fully devoted to brother and father, never even thought about taking the throne from any of them. But due to his complex about never getting the face of a King, the King’s jealousy strikes Prince Gwanghee the most, as he not only has every quality of a Crown Prince, but also the face of one.
When Prince Gwanghee is attacked in the royal library, he decides to seek out the culprit, and finds out that a rebel group called the ’Dedong society’ is behind it, the King sends out a royal command, having them all arrested. Little does Prince Gwanghee know that this decisive act ends him up in a struggle of political war, with not only him and the royal court, but also the future position of the King…

I was quite excited while watching this drama as I am Seo In Guk fan, but also the story is again of my favorite royal history. And they are almost completely true to the real life story, though as always a bit dramatized. I am fond of In Guk playing love stories as he is good at playing in love, but the screenwriters really made me dislike the lead couple, because of several reasons (not gonna tell them haha). I did feel they were in love, might also be the reason for my dislike, but it was really just annoying to watch. The more the writers tried to make it more tragic and more heartfelt, the more I hated the female lead (I think you understand who was tragic in the drama here). And the supposed second female lead, which by the way was one of my favorite characters in Korean period drama of all time, had so little screen time and influence in the kings eyes that she was less on screen that the royal eunuch – which by the way does not make any sense! (You’ll understand when you see the drama). On the other hand the political and war part was quite good, yet the last 2 episodes felt rushed (they are like spread in 7 years man - crazy).
The actors were good though, especially In Guk and Shin Sung Rok, though I found the female lead to be as typical as they come.
To sum up: a good drama with good content, but bad love story.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

The Great King Sejong Review

Title: The Great King Sejong

AKA: King Sejong The Great

Genre: Period, Family

Episodes: 86

Broadcast period: 2008-Jan to 2008-Nov

Cast: Kim Sang Kyung, Lee Yoon Ji, Kim Kap Soo, Lee Chun Hee, Lee Won Jong, Cho Sung Ha, Lee Hyun Woo and Park Sang Min.

This story revolves around the entire life of the 4th king of Joseon, one of the two with the title ‘great’, King Sejong.

As the third son of the third king of Joseon, Prince Choon Nyung (Lee Hyun Woo) has been raised not to be too involved in politics, but due to his natural curiosity and good heart, Prince Choon Nyung believes to find that the books on Confucius are the ones that are correct: that the citizens of Joseon are pure and righteous. His teacher on the other hand decides to give the prince a lesson and tells him to walk down to the city, instead of keeping his nose in the books. Accepting the challenge Prince Choon Nyung walks down the city and for the first time ever realizes how, not only poor, but grotesque all the people of Joseon are. And with the Ming dynasty in the city, the rebels are trying to destroy the treaty that the king made. In utter shock the prince returns home and tells his father about the situation in the empire, only to have the king use that knowledge and punish the citizens – as they are ‘complaining’ against the king. Once again Prince Choon Nyung decides for his own and rings the bell of complaint, this furies the king and he decides to punish Prince Choon Nyung by executing one of his closes friends.

This makes Prince Choon Nyung retreat completely from politics, but due to kind heart and jealous family, he is pulled into a whirlwind of betrayal and lies…

Out of all the Korean period dramas this one makes most sense – might be because I knew the history behind it – but it still was good in the sense that made a person like me (one that is not so much period drama fan) like it. The story of the great King Sejong is one of the most curious ones, as I never really understood their love for him, and I know that they do exaggerate in period dramas, but I sort of understand this one and it fits the history part of the king’s life. I mean I am kind of history biased, but they really are almost at point – though with a bit of creativity in the spots that have a kind of unclear story.

As far as acting, besides being a Lee Yoon Ji fan I haven't really seen works of any of the actors (of course Lee Chun Hee but that’s it), so it was kind of being thrown into a drama with "unknown" actors and a lot of “back-actors”: the actors that have supporting characters in almost every drama. The drama was okay acted, but not really that amazing though. And kind of weird yet beautiful love stories.. I guess that is those day time period drama, a lot of episodes with kind of mediocre acting, though that didn’t make it less good, just made it kind of regular.

So sum it up: an interesting drama with an honest approach to the actual historical events, but on the other hand mediocre acting.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts