Operation Proposal Review

Title: Operation Proposal

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Time Travel

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2012-Feb to 2012-Mar

Cast: Yoo Seung Ho, Park Eun Bin, Go Kyung Pyo, Kim Ye Won, Lee Hyun Jin and Park Young Seo.

Kang Baek Ho (Yoo Seung Ho) was once a baseball player with a lot of ambition. Now, due to things happening in his past, he is working as an office employee. His life is quite normal until he one day the love of his life and childhood friend Ham Yi Seul (Park Eun Bin) is to get married. Even after spending all his life close to her, he has never been able to tell her or confess his feelings. After her watches her getting married, he stumbles upon a love letter Yi Seul had written to him in middle school. Heartbroken over his own coward-ness, he is greeted by a man claiming to be a ‘Conductor of Time’. He gives Baek Ho a second chance: to let him go back in time and fix his relationship with Yi Seul – and confess his feelings. But people don’t change so quickly: will Beak Ho be able to correct his past, and finally covey his feelings towars Yi Seul?

When I was watching it I was very hesitant as I am a huge Operation Daisakusen fan, but to be honest this really is a good drama. From what I remember of the Japanese drama Yamapi goes back to time and fixes points in the past – but doesn’t really do much (except for having Aragaki fall for him more) to the time stream. The thing that I really liked about this drama was the alternation of the time stream, meaning that whatever he does in the past does not only affect him and the female, but everyone else around them – which is the butterfly effect.

The characters are pretty original, though some of them remind me of the characters from the Japanese one – except Yoo Seung Ho, who managed to make this character his very own, and that is really a tough job to do.

I’ll stop talking now. Summing it up: a good remake with a good story and cast.

☆☆☆☆/ 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Missing You Review

Title: Missing You

AKA: Bogoshipda / I Miss You

Genre: Melodrama, Romance

Episodes: 21

Broadcast period: 2012-Noc to 2013-Jan

Cast: Park Yoochun, Yoon Eun Hye, Yoo Seung Ho, Jang Mi In Ae, Yeo Jin Goo, Kim So Hyun, Ahn Do Gyu and Yoo Yeon Mi.

Lee Soo Yeon (Kim So Hyun) has lived her life in fear of her abusive father. To top that he is arrested for a murder, which automatically marks her as “a murders daughter”, and becomes a victim of bullying. She and her mother try to live as quietly as possible, but the family of the murdered victims take it out on the two by harassing and blaming them. When her father is executed, the detective in charge Kim Seung Ho (Jung Kwang Pyul) discovers that Soo Yeons father in fact is innocent, but is forced to keep quite by the higher ups to maintain the reputation of the police force. When he can’t cope with it anymore he tells it to Soo Yeons mother, who decides to go to his door step and move in with him and his daughter.

At the same time Han Jung Woo (Yeo Jin Goo) returns from America after hearing that his father, Han Tae Joon (Han Jin Hee) a wealthy CEO, has become ill. But when he returns he is met with rejection from his father, so he walks outside and meets Lee Soo Yeon. Unaware about her background he starts to like her. At first Soo Yeon tries to ignore him, but when he persists, they agree to meet the next day. Unfortunately the next day, Jung Woo’s grandfather, whom Jung Woo never met, had died, and he is to attend the funeral.  Some time back, Jung Woo’s father Han Tae Joon had made sure that his father had died, in order to get his money, but his stepmother hid the money aware of Tae Joon's greed. So Tae Joon tried to kill his much younger stepbrother Kang Hyung Joon (Ahn Do Gyu), but Hyung Joon had managed to run away with his nanny. All this in secret.

When Jung Woo starts in school, he finds out about Soo Yeon, thus tries to ignore her however they become friends in the end. But due to a traumatic event the two get separated and Soo Yeon disappears.

14 years later, Han Jung Woo (Park Yoo Chun) now a detective, has spent all years looking for Soo Yeon and has been taking care of Soo Yeons mother and detective Kim’s daughter who had lost her father, after trying to find Soo Yeon. Lee Soo Yeon now Zoey Lou (Yoon Eun Hye) has become a famous designer living with Kang Hyung Joon (Yoo Seung Hoon) now Harry Borrison.

After the death of Hyung Joon’s nanny, who had been living with them as Michelle Kim, Jung Woo is assigned to the case. Here he meets Zoey, who has the same smile and voice as Soo Yeon, but denies everything. So he tries to get close, and Zoey tries to get revenge. Harry on the other hand has another agenda: he wants to get revenge on his stepbrother… and the stepbrother’s son.

This drama just beats all melodramas out there, I mean wow... This really is one cruel drama, and heart wrecking on top of that, and all that without being draggy. Well I didn’t feel it was draggy, I just felt it was sad, really sad - cried, me! The kids that acted in the first part were brilliant, and I Yoo Chun blew me away (kind of expected it to like the way he acted in Rooftop - but it was way better!) Though, I’m biting my tongue saying this, I am disappointed in Eun Hye’s acting. She was just so-so, even though she tries really hard, and I mean she does a decent job, but if I compare with everyone else, it becomes dull you know - but it doesn’t ruin the all in all drama. The storyline is brilliant, and all the detailes are amazing, and the choice of actors and making of characters was perfect! Like I find Yoo Seung Ho’s smile scary now :( (:P)

My reason for the 4 heart rating is just because I did feel some parts typical - yes bit more modern, but still could’ve avoided them altogether - but that’s me.

I really recommend this drama, really good, and defiantly worth your time!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Arang and the Magistrate Review

Title: Arang and the magistrate

AKA: Arang / Arang Magistrate Story / Arang: Magistrate’s Chronicle

Genre: Historical, Comedy, Romance

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2012-Aug to 2012-Oct

Cast: Lee Jun Ki, Shin Min Ah, Yun Woo Jin and Yoo Seung Ho.

“The time was the middle of the Joseon period. Man's ambition reached far extremes, the world became chaotic, and nature became distressed. In the midst of such chaos, the boundary between this world and the world beyond ceased to exist. The dead stayed to roam about freely. The ghosts of the dead can see the living, but the living cannot see the dead. However, there was one man who was able to see ghosts. In search of his mother, who disappeared three years ago, he sets out for Miryang.” (taken from the introduction)

While looking for his missing mother in the mountains, Kim Eun Oh (Lee Jun Ki) meets a ghost called Arang (Shin Min Ah), whom he pretends not being able to see. He is used to being asked favors from ghosts since he’s able to see them, so he pretends not to hear nor see them. Arang tells him her story thinking he doesn’t hear her, of her waking up as an ghost on her way to the Styx River(on the way to the afterlife, the dead must cross the river), not remembering who she is and how she died, she manages to run away.

Later on she realizes that he is able to see ghosts, so she decides to make him into a Magistrate of the very city he is in, without him knowing it. Eun Oh, now a magistrate, refuses to help her, until he notices a hair pin that belonged to his mother in her hair. Now the question is why is his mother’s hair pin on a dead woman’s head? He reluctantly agrees to help her, but soon they find out that it is not a typical death, and the entire city seems off somehow…

It’s actually good, honestly. I don’t like historical or period dramas if you wish, mainly because I don’t get any of the society and whatever that involves. Actually the entire “after death” was much easier to understand, even though it was my first time hearing about it, than the society of the Joseon Korea. Like, it’s so easy being called a traitor, heck death happens ALL the time, by simply 2-3 words, ridiculous. Anyway.. I love Shin Min Ah, I love Lee Jun Ki, and I love them together, LOL. Good actors make good drama, so I did look forward to it, and enjoyed it. I have to admit, I was bored when the “bad guys” came on screen, but all in all, pretty enjoyable. Also I found myself on edge, and totally hyper of the Magistrat, while he kicks ass - politically aswell as physically. Hehe.. To sum up, I recommend!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Blind Movie Review

Title: Blind
Genre: Thriller
Origin: Korea
Release date: August 10, 2011
Cast: Kim Ha Neul and Yoo Seung Ho.

Growing up in an orphanage with her younger brother Dong Hyun, Min Soo Ah (Kim Ha Neul) had always been overprotective towards him. The two had been bumping heads all life, especially about Dong Hyuns future, as he wants to be a street dancer, and her herself is an ambitious soon-to-be police woman.
One night Dong Hyun runs off to a dance battle, only to be busted by his sister, and forced and cuffed into the car. In the car the two fights and crash, where Soo Ah is thrown out of the car and loses consciousness and Dong Hyun is still cuffed. Trying to save himself, he ends up falling of the bridge, and is killed.
Three years later, Soo Ah tries to live her life as normally as possible, but not only did she loose her brother, she also lost her eye-sight. As she is finally able to get the courage to go back to the police school, she is rejected, as she is blamed for her brother’s death. Going back to the orphanage she is reminded of her brother, and she walks out in fury, only to not know how to get home. As a taxi finally arrives, she is surprised by its luxurious interior, which leads her to think it’s a luxury cab, asking to get off. The driver, a very sympathetic man, tells her that he’ll just charge her the usual fare. While driving the driver offers her coffee, which she accepts, but doesn’t drink immediately, furring the driver. He practically forces it on her, and ends up hitting a pedestrian. He walks out and dumps the body in the trunk, telling Soo Ah it’s a dog. When Soo Ah finally gets a grip, she walks out trying to call the police, but the driver throws her off and drives away.
Soo Ah goes to the police station, only to be ignored, since she is blind. But when another witness, Kwon Gi Seob (Yoo Seung Ho) comes forward, the situation becomes weird, as he says that it isn’t a cab, but a foreign car...

This one of the best Korean movies ever made!! I sooooo understand why it became so popular, and I have to admit it deserves it. I was actually expecting a really creepy movie, which it was by the way, but somehow it was ‘acceptable’ creepy, not the usual meaningless and weird creepy. Lol, I’m not making any sense.
I found out about this drama, after seeing the Daegu award thingy, where Kim Ha Neul got best actress award, and there were A LOT of screaming fans. Kind of made me wonder if it’s that good, and it is.
Yoo Seung Ho has never disappointed me, neither did he do this time, just found that his character wasn’t given more depth, as I felt it should. ANYHOW, recommendable, totally, but daim creepy…

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
First of all this movie is somehow really different than the usual korean movie, or those that I've watched. It seemed I dont know, more professional? Or maybe its just because of the genre. Anyhow I was really impressed though it really was creepy. So its a movie for those who can watch stuff like that, psycho people who like to do psycho things to other people and watch them suffer. I agree with Bunji that Seung Ho's character could use some more, his role was pretty important but still seemed too superficial. I liked it because I could still watch it, it wasnt one of those that have like unrealistically much of blood splashing and those exaggerating effects. --> more professional than the usual psycho movies. Also it was a bit different with the sister who felt guilt and was visually impaired so it had a meaning too it wasnt just some madman and fighting him, but also to show how blind people arent .. dead, or , should just stay home in their bed because they are different. I liked it, it was great.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Warrior Baek Dong Soo Review

Title: Warrior Baek Dong Soo
AKA:Musa Baek Dong Soo / Honorable Baek Dong Soo
Genre: Period
Episodes: 29
Broadcast period: 2011-Jul-04 to 2011-Oct-10
Cast:Ji Chang Wook, Yeo Jin Goo, Yoo Seung Ho,
Park Gun Tae, Yoon So Yi, Lee In, Shin Hyun Bin, Nam Ji Hyun, Choi Min Soo, Jun Kwang Ryul, Park Joon Gyu, Lee Jin Ah, Oh Man Suk, Yoon Ji Min, Park Chul Min, Jun Gook Hwan, Geum Dan Bi, Lee Won and many more!

Warrior Baek Dong Soo , a real-life legend in Joseon Dynasty during King Jeongjo's reign. Around the King many traitors do whatever they can to get to power and wealth.
A little baby boy is born, Baek Dong Soo, the son of a great man who risked his life for the Crown Prince. Baek Dong Soo lost both his parents and was raised by his father's friends, all men dedicating their lives to protecting the Kingdom. Baek Dong Soo grows to an young man and we follow him as he is experiencing a lot of different things and learning martial arts along with his very good friends Yeo Un and Cho Rip so that they can serve the King. Yeo Un is also the son of one of Dong Soo's father's friends and they develop a close friendship however Yeo Un is having a really hard time as the Sky Lord, an assassin, uses him by making him believe that his fate is to be an assassin. Friendship, brotherhood and loyalty is what this drama is all about.

Writing a review is not an easy thing because we follow Baek Dong Soo through 25 years or so.. But that is what makes you so immersed in the drama, you follow the characters for so long and get a really good understanding of everything that happens. I really really liked this drama, when I started it I didnt think I would finish it that fast (29 episodes is not an easy thing for me !) but it went really fast and I have never cried this bad while watching a drama! Its not because it was like one of those really sad melodramas but because of the friendships and how those people were willing to give their everything and didnt think twice to sacrifice themselves for a greater cause. What was a bit new for me in drama was that we follow the same people for 25 years or so, it worked really well for this drama and if it was another story I dont think it would work out, but here it did and it only made it better. If you like historical dramas and dramas about friends and loyalty I definitely recommend this drama 100 % , I was crying so badly through the last few episodes but I am not gonna say more because Ill end up spoiling everything. BUT, i was gonna give 5 stars as well but im gonna give 4.5 just because the technical-director or whatever he is called could do a better job. The fighting scenes are good for a korean drama, really, but still, it could be better!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's verdict

Hmm… It took me over 2 years to finish this drama, and it is the only drama I have left from that time – which I started and hadn’t finished. It was quite a long way to get by, and I am proud of my accomplishment.

That said, I am more than disappointed. Well, not so disappointed that I would say I hated it, but more that I really can’t find much in this drama which would make me recommend it, anytime, anywhere or at all. I’ll just say the good thing first: the two dudes and the girl (and her life/story): Great acting and good interpretations of the characters. Besides that I really felt I spent 29 hours of pure jawing and wrong storytelling. Just saying: don’t ruin history by making something as ridiculous as a group of assassins. Eish, I don’t understand why Oh Man Suk would agree on such a badly written storyline – at least try to keep the facts straight. And I don’t get why these assassins were as political as well. Also there was a lot of sitting around and thinking a lot – I wonder if the really did that then.

As said before, a lot of ‘meditating’ and a lot of talking – I am usually a fan of talking, but this was just a way to keep the story going I guess, but it felt very repetitive.

The love story was just plainly put bad, though they tried to fix that with a bromance – and it works, for the first 12 episodes; because they don’t really have much screen time together later on. The lead actress (the one who loves Dong Soo but is one sided) has a great backstory and I enjoyed her character the most, but when they make a dumb ending it kind of just disappears in the horizon.

I am sad to say I believe I was way too late to watch this, as it isn’t a classic, it’s a momentary drama which only works while hyped (meaning not everyone – like me – will enjoy it). But yeah not all bad.

Okay summing up: an action period drama with (very bad and few) links to the historic part of Crown Prince Sado’s death – and the legend (who by the way lived around the time of King Jeongjo not Sado) Baek Dong Soo. But if you are a fan of those boys you might like it more than I do. (I like them, but they will never affect my rating)

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥½/ 2½ out of 5 hearts

God of Study Review

Title: God of Study
AKA: Lord of Studying / Master of Study
Genre: School, Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 16
Broadcast period: 2010-Jan to 2010-Feb
Cast: Kim Soo Ro, Bae Doo Na, Oh Yoon Ah, Yoo Seung Ho, Ji Yeon, Go Ah Sung, Lee Hyun Woo and Lee Chan Ho.

Kang Suk Ho (Kim Soo Ro) is sort a different lawyer: when he has a case, he'll put 100% effort into it, meaning EVERYTHING, which also means if he looses a case, he looses all. As he changes office once again, he gets a case about a school, whom he is familiar with; his high school. The school is known as "the trash school", where students dont do any effort in studies, and the teachers have given up on the students. The case he is given, is about the closing down of the school and changing it to a private school, which means all 'usual' students will be changed to other schools.
Kang Suk Ho decides to take the case, but instead of helping with the change, he wants to change the schools reputation, by making 5 students enter "Chun-Ha-Dae University" - Koreas most prestigious college. Jang Ma Ri (Oh Yoon Ah) has taken on the school after her father, ever since had fallen into a coma, but optimistic she isn't. In the matter of fact, she feels as if she is thrown into something that she hates, taking responsebility, so she is more than willing to do the change to private school, but ends up being persuaded by Suk Ho. Suk Ho's first meeting with the leader, Hwang Baek Hyun (Yoo Seung Ho), happens as Baek Hyun delivers food to Suk Ho's office, where Baek Hyun pulls a prank on Suk Ho. Baek Hyun is living alone with his grandmother, who always dreamed of Baek Hyun being a top student, but it happens that they're loosing their home, which Suk Ho uses as his advantage, and makes him join the special class. Other than Baek Hyun there are 4 other students that join: Gil Pul Ip (Go Ah Sung), childhood friend of Baek Hyun, and has always tried her best at studing. She lives with her mother, who owns a bar, and has an affair with a married man. The reason for her joining is her not wating to become like her mother. Hong Chan Doo (Lee Hyun Woo), childhood friend of both Baek Hyun and Pul Ip, and has always had a secret crush on Pul Ip. He loves dancing and has givin up on all kind of study. His father has always made all his decisions for him and has been very strict with him, whereas his mother is loving and caring and tries to support him, but fails as she cant say anything against her housebend. He joins the class together with Oh Bong Goo, because he wants more. Oh Bong Goo (Lee Chan Ho) is the son of resturant owners, who believe that Bong Goo isnt smart in any way. Bong Goo loves studying on the other hand, and joins because he want to study and do better. Lastly there is Na Hyun Jung (Ji Yeon, T-ara), she is the daughter of busy people, meaning parents that are too busy and simply dont care about her. She has a 'stalker-ish' crush on Baek Hyun, thats mainly the reason for her to join the class.
Han Soo Jung (Bae Doo Na) is a pasionate teacher, who LOVES all her students. She hates Kang Suk Ho, so she makes a deal with him: if 5 stundents vulenteerely join the 'special class', she will become the assistant teacher..

This has become one of my favorite dramas. I remember the japanese series "Dragon Zakura" which was the the storyline behind God of Study, and I loved it. God of Study is mainly the same as Dragon Zakura, but a little different. The korean version has focus on the study and relationship between the characters, whereas the japanese focuses on study and humanity (meaning what does it mean being a fellow human and friend). I love both, but the korean was great. It was fun, sad and interesting, and has less focus on the love story, which I perfer. Usually when watching korean dramas, I get annoyed; firsty, because the lovestories are too nauseating, secondly, the guys always seem to be hurt more than the girls. This drama did the opposite. The supporting girl was sad, not insane! Love it! The actors were fun and perfect for their roles, but my favorite would be Yoo Seung Ho, portraying Hwang Baek Hyun. Ive seriously never seen an actor crying, and still be able to cry cool and look cool aswell.. Hands down for you!
On another note, hot-korean-deliquents fighting and crying, yes please!! hehe.. verdict:

☆☆☆☆½ / 4,5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts