The Man Living in our House Review

Title: The Man Living in our House 

AKA: Sweet Stranger and Me

Genre: Family, Comedy, Romance

Episodes: 16

Broadcast Period: Oct-2016 to Dec-2016

Cast: Soo Ae, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Soo Hyuk, Jo Bo Ah, Kim Ji Hoon, Kim Mi Sook, KimHa Kyun, Ji Yoon Ho,

Hong Na Ri (Soo Ae) is a middle-aged flight attendant who suddenly comes home to find her deceased mother's husband, Go Nan Gil (Kim Young Kwang), has decided to live in her house. The problem is her mothers husband is three years younger than Hong Na Ri. Go Nan Gil runs a dumpling shop inherited from his late wife, where the shop and Na Ris house are located on a hotly disputed land.

During this drama I had so much to say about it. I should have kept notes, because now that I have to write the review nothing comes to mind.
One thing for sure is that they really wanted it to be a suspense drama, but failed miserably. The first 10 episdodes they kept hinting at a dark secret that would throw our lead actress into some real distress. However the last 6 episodes instead of a big revelation of the past (which they make you really curious about), they just dodge the whole thing and trying to put an end to the story. For one thing it made me disappointed and another: what a huuuuge waste of time. While watching the drama it’s enjoyable, and you like seeing the lead actress tumbling through life and trying to figure out how to get out of her midlife crisis. The lead actor also did a splendid job as the step-father despite his young age. However, it’s only when you finish it, you feel incomplete and with so many unanswered questions. 

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 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

Missing Noir M Review

Title: Missing Noir M

AKA: Missing Persons Investigation Unit M

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: 2015-Mar to 2015-May

Cast: Kim Kang Woo, Park Hee Soon, Jo Bo Ah, Kim Kyu Chul and Park So Hyun.

Gil Soo Hyun (Kim Kang Woo) is a genius who at the age of 12 finished Harvard School. After being at the FBI in America for several years, he returns to Korea for unknown reasons. Being an ace at finding missing people, he is recruited as the team leader in the special missing unit, where the cases are the 1% of rare cases. His very first mission is actually requested by an inmate, who murdered his family in order to gain their money. He requests Soo Hyun, to have him find the rest of the bodies he has set up to kill, but if saved in time, can be rescued. He is joined by Oh Dae Young (Park Hee Soon) a veteran detective with a nose in finding missing people, and Jin Seo Joon (Jo Bo Ah) a genius computer hacker, working at the control CCTV Center.

Together they search and find the missing people that everyone else has given up on or find impossible…

I don’t know about this one. It has amazing (yes I said amazing) sub-plot stories, but the main story is so bad. So is the ending. The idea was good, but you really were expecting more, yet nothing happened. And I was kind of aware of the ending the minute I saw the wife of Dae Young. By the way, the star of the drama is Park Hee Soon: Kim Kang Woo was boring. So if you are a fan, you are going to be disappointed.

The reason for having me watch till the end was Park Hee Soon and the sub-plots! So do I recommend it? Well OCN seriously need to step up a bit more… but I would recommend it for crime fans.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Kamji’s Verdict:
One thing I love more than romance is CRIME! That came off weird… what I meant is I love figuring out the mystery behind the crime. That’s why whenever OCN have a new drama, I always make sure to watch it. And this one were no exception either. I liked every case there was, I found them interesting, some more disturbing than others. Ok, only one of them was disturbing, the rest were manageable. The chemistry between the special team was nice though, they were not deep involved but there were still a hint of friendship. I kinda fell for Kim Kang Woo, I have only seen him in Golden Cross, but he did better in this one.
The main overall story were kind of weird and LACKING!! However, for me this only mean one thing: SEASON 2!
OCN, don’t let me down please!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Surplus Princess Review

Title: Surplus Princess
AKA: Surplus Mermaid
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 10
Broadcast period: 2014-Aug to 2014-Oct
Cast: Jo Bo Ah, On Joo Wan, Song Jae Rim, Park Ji Soo, Kim Seulgi, Kim Min Kyo, Nam Ju Hyuk, Lee Sun Kyu, Ahn Kil Kang

Ailee (Jo Bo AH), the undersea princess, falls in love with a human being. Because of love, she drinks a bottle of human potion, without even realizing the 100-day curse would be the consequence. She now has to find true love, amongst the humans, but how will a mermaid without money, clothes, a home, friends or family survive in this cruel world?

This may sound a little childish, but Ariel was one of my favorite Disney Princess (alongside Mulan and Jasmine), so when I heard this was about mermaids, I was really looking forward to watch this. At first I was scared it was going to ruin everything about mermaids (and then my childhood), but I don’t regret watching it! The only thing was it was short and the ending was rushed, but of course, it had to be since TvN had to cancel it, because of its low ratings in Korea (Why don’t international fans have a saying in this?).
 The story was very cute and refreshing, and each character was unique and speciel, so if you are tired of all the serious drama there is recently with all their clichés, this could be a little breather for you. Plus this show is filled with beautiful people from left to right.

☆☆☆/ 3 out of 5 stars


♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts