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

Friend 2 Movie Review

Title: Friend 2

AKA: Friend the Legacy / Chingoo 2

Genre: Crime, Gangster, Drama

Origin: Korea

Release date: 14 November 2013

Cast: Yu Oh Seong, Kim Woo Bin, Joo Jin Mo and Jang Young Nam.

After spending 17 years in prison for a murder he didn’t order Lee Joon Suk (Yu Oh Seong) is weeks away from his release. Few days before the actual release, a high school friend of Joon Suks visits him in jail asking him to watch out for her son, who had an incident with Joon Suks gang. The son, Choi Seung Hoon (Kim Woo Bin), is a hot blooded and short tempered twenty-something year-old, who learned that life on the streets is not fixed with words, and is in prison for assault. After spending some time together, Joon Suk starts to like him, and even tell him that when he leaves the joint, he’ll help him.

Although Joon Suk is released, he is surprised to see that the Vice-president Eun Gi (Jung Ho Bi) has risen in power and tries to overtake the gang. So Joon Suk decides with Seung Hoons help, to take back Busans streets, and pay back for the betrayal. But due to secrets hidden, a rift between Seung Hoon and Joon Suk occurs, and that effects more than just the gang…

This movie is the sequel to the first movie - which was incredibly popular. So yeah is very hard to compare, but I think it is very good as a sequel. Though it is much more bloody, violent and grotesque, I kind of found it a bit more realistic than the first one. The first movie is just sad, and the ending shocked me so much that I got chills. This one though, I laughed because of the absurdity, not because it’s ridiculous, but seriously absurd. Like crazy violent people, like freakish violent - and nonstop. It was much criticized, but it was okay if you ask me. Still has the depressing feeling, only the difference that it isn’t two best friends - but something else.

Kim Woo Bin is amazing in this, so much that I was completely at a loss for words when I saw him: he really seemed like a full on actor.

Okay, so do I recommend it? Well it kind of reminds me of Friend and it still has great actors. So yeah: good.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Friend Movie Review

Title: Friend

AKA: Chingoo

Genre: Crime, Drama, Friendship

Origin: Korea

Release date: 31 March 2001

Cast: Yu Oh Seong, Jang Dong Gun, Seo Tae Hwa and Jung Woon Taek.

The story follows 4 childhood friends who reunite after being separated in middle school. Joon Suk (Yu Oh Seong) is the son of a mobster, the strongest and the leader of the 4 man gang. Dong Soo (Jang Dong Gun) is the son of a mortician, and also the second strongest. The two are generally bad in school and usually get beef because of their backgrounds by the teachers. Sang Taek (Seo Tae Hwa) is a middle class person, but is really clever and does very good in school. And lastly the groups goof Jung Ho (Jung Woon Taek) who usually gets the group free stuff since his mother goes abroad a lot.

The story takes a turn when the boys fall for the same girl from a band, and Dong Soo starts to feel inferior to Joon Suk. This doesn’t split the group but when Sang Taek gets beat up by some high shoolers from another school because of that very girl, the boys defend him against almost the entire hord of the high school. After being expelled from the school Dong Soo decides to join a gang, which is the rival gang of Joon Suks father’s gang. After the death of Joon Suks father, Joon Suk takes the spot as the mobster boss, putting the two friends against each other…

My number one reason for watching this is because of the huge amount of reference in Korean variety and Korean TV. This is one of the most famous Korean movies and is one of those with high commercial success, not that I always agree with the Korean audience. To put bluntly the movie is weird, not bad and not boring, but you somehow have this terrible gut feeling the entire way through, either feeling bad or confused about the results. It is one of those kinds of movies that speaks of the Korean culture, with that I mean the ACTUAL culture and not the romantic Korean drama version. The movie is not bad, especially if you like those down to earth yet realistic movies (realistic is the best word for this movie).

I like that the theme ‘Friendship’ really is thorough, even though there is a lot of gangs and fighting involved, not to mention mobsters. The general thing is about these 4 and their friendship through the movie, also of course how they grow apart but still have the lingering feelings of their time together.

To sum up: a real gem and the acting is really good.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

CHAMP Movie Review

Title: CHAMP
Genre: Drama, Sports
Origin: Korea
Release date: September 07, 2011
Cast: Cha Tae Hyun, Kim Soo Jeong, Yoo Oh Seong and Park Ha Sun.

Being a famous and successful jockey Lee Seung Ho (Cha Tae Hyun) aims for the finals. His dream is to win and to finally have a wedding with the mother of his child.
One they, as they are driving home, they end up in an accident, where his wife dies, and to top that he hurts his eyesight. Three years later he is working as a stable cleaner, works occasional jockey jobs, and plays fixed games to support his daughter Ye Seung (Kim Soo Jeong). When he is chased by bookies for a game he lost, he flees with his daughter to Jeju Island, where he meets Horse Trainer Yoon (Yoo Oh Seong), also the man that was involved in the same accident Seung Ho was. In that same accident Horse Trainer Yoon’s best race horse Wu Bak, became crippled, and has trust issues, so it can’t be tamed. In order to save Wu Bak from being sold to a factory, Seung Ho decides to take up the challenge and tame it…

Lol, lousy review, sorry.
I watched this movie mainly because of Tae Hyun, and honestly worth every minute of it. He has a way of choosing a movie, seriously. And daim that horse can act, I mean really. On the other hand it had a lot of silly parts too, but it’s okay, nothing too ridiculous : )
The movie is very inspirational, and makes you totally warm while watching, not to mention the father-daughter moments, CUTE!
Recommendable? Hmm, yeah.. It’s one of the “feel good” movies..

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½/ 4½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
Wonderful family movie with a great plot, I thought it was a bit long at first I was like "when is this ending" lol but it still was worth it and I like that it is that long anyway because it had a greater story, it might not have been as good if it was shorter. It is really cute and great for horse/animal lovers because its about the relationship between human and animals. I even watched it twice with my family and they loved it too. The actors I think are really great too, even the horse, it was just a great movie I cant really find anything wrong with it. Oh yeah there was a point when I though "oohh no come on" because of some special effects but it didnt ruin the movie. Really lovable movie to watch alone or with family, deff. one of my favorite Cha Tae Hyun movies. Also he fits so perfectly to the role of a father and especially with his little daugther hihih.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½/ 4½ out of 5 hearts