Paradise Ranch Review

Title: Paradise Ranch

AKA: Paradise Farm / Paradise Meadow

Genre: Romance, Drama, Comedy

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2011-Jan to 2011-Mar

Cast: Shim Chang Min, Lee Yeon Hee, Yoon Ha Na and Joo Sang Wook.

At the age of 18 Han Doo Jin (Shim Chang Min) and Lee Da Ji (Lee Yeon Hee) tried to elope duo their families’ objections to marriage. After being caught on the airport, their elders decide to let them get married, but they divorce half year after.

Six year pass and they lead separate and different lives: Da Ji is a clumsy veterinarian who passed school with flying colors, living with her father on “Paradise Ranch”. Doo Jin lives as the third generation heir of his grandfather’s company, with no care for business or work. Being put down by his father, he doesn’t believe in himself, and simply doesn’t do anything.

One day everything changes as his grandfather threatens him with taking his credit cards, if he doesn’t go to japan to get a racehorse he wants. Reluctantly he leaves, and bumps into Da Ji. She is there to buy the very same horse, and different from Doo Jin she is happy to see him. The two separate on a bad note, but as fate will have it, they meet again: on Paradise Ranch, where Doo Jin’s company had bought the land in which she lives in. Now their lives get entwined once again, what will they do?

Hmm, this is a bit tricky: First of all I a huge fan of the theme ‘divorce’ which is a taboo word almost in every society. Second of all I love themes which involve living as a farmer (like rich kids getting sent/put to live in the country). This drama has both, but it really is not good. To be honest it’s overrated and Shim Chang Min is a bad actor (I know there are different opinions here, be he really can’t act). The main female lead is bad also, but not as lost a case as Chang Min. The back stories of the couples (second leads) are horrible, like I just couldn’t see any realistic side of it. And the main chemistry - the two leads - was lacking too. The general storyline is kind of too simple-minded for such a story.  And omg those tacky clothes! :O

Okay that was the bad part. The good part is very short and mainly the reason for the drama to get the rating as it did: the divorce and the ending. The theme gets 2 stars on its own because one, it’s realistc and two, honest. And the ½ point is the ending. Because I actually saw the growth of the couple and the story - I’m not gonna tell what.

To sum up - I wouldn’t recommend it and it really isn’t 16 hours’ worth of your time.

☆☆½ / 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥ / 2 out of 5 hearts

Kamjis Verdict

Okay, I watched this as soon as it came out in 2011, I remember it because the divorce theme were still kinda new, and I was still a huge TVXQ fan there (was, now it’s JYJ). So believe me when I say I got the biggest drama-disappointment ever! I don’t really have more to say about it than Bunji, so I’ll just have my ratings speak for itself. 

☆☆ / 2 out of 5 stars

♥♥ / 2 out of 5 hearts