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

Phantom Review

Title: Phantom

AKA: Ghost

Genre: Crime, action, investigation, identity swap

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2012-May to 2012-Aug

Cast: So Ji Sub, Lee Yeon Hee, G.O, Daniel Choi and Uhm Ki Joon

This drama revolves around the Cyper Squad in the Korean Police. Kim Hyun Woo (Soo Ji Sub) is team leader of the cyber squad, and is searching for the infamous hacker Hades. Little does he know, the hacker is ex-cadet and his old roommate, Park Ki Young (Daniel Choi). While the two are going head to head, the famous actress Shin Hyo Jung (Esom) dies in from a fall, out of her apartment window. Everyone believes its suicide until Hades uploads a video for the world to see, how someone pushes her out of the window. Shortly after the evidence start to point at Ki Young, and for some reason Hyun Woo doesn’t try to find the real murder, even though he knows Ki Young is innocent…

Hmm, I tried not to give much away, but the drama is more exciting than what I’ve written. Basically it’s a police action drama with a corrupting topping. I really enjoyed it, almost every bit of it, and even though it does not have any romance in it, which for me is unusual to like, it was pretty brilliant. So Ji Sub can’t be compared, I love him, but I didn’t like his leading lady, or whatever you could call her… Not the greatest actress. G.O was a nice surprise, though you can see that he isn’t very used to acting. Kwak Do Won was great, probably one of my fave, as the hot headed police officer. All in all, a great drama, defiantly recommendable…

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji’s verdict

This drama seriously just blows your mind. It get more and more complicated and so many things happen that just leave your jaw hanging. Too many times I had to check whether it was the end of the episode because it was so extreme, and extreme things usually happen at the end of each episode. It really is a drama that gets you thinking all the time “What? Why? How? OMG what’s going on! Can’t be true!” it’s one of those.. And I really liked the actors, I think it was my first time seeing G.O act, it was decent. Not bad at all. And So Ji Sub,, daaayyuuum! That guy! Like when watching him talk sometimes you get so absorbed and you just admire what a great actor. Good looking, charismatic. All. I think all the actors did a great job. I’m really wondering why it didn’t get as good ratings as some other dramas, wondering if the Korean watchers don’t like that genre? Only melo dramas lol. Anyway.., at some point it did actually get too much for me, around ep 12, I was kind of slowing down, it was getting too much, but when I continued later I couldn’t stop! And the ending was really good, and I don’t know how but I felt bad for the “bad guy” in the end :/ This is about revenge going too far and trying to defeat hate with hate, or more like fighting the rich power-thirsty people by becoming just like them. And about the importance of police officers doing what they have to do being a “good police officer”. Doing their duty.  And of course we love hacking lol. It almost makes you want to become a hacker hahah! I’m just like “cooooooooool!” “awesoooome” and then it’s even So Ji Sub as a hot hacker lol. Hahah, enough from me. Like hacking? Mindblowing dramas? This is the one for you baby! 

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

A millionaire’s first love Review

Title: A millionaire's first love
Genre: Romance
Origin: Korea
Release date: 9 February 2006
Cast: Hyun Bin, Lee Yeon Hee

Kang Jae-kyung is a rich bad boy that got no respect towards anybody and believes that the world is controlled by money. He is an orphan and so he has been taken care of by his grandfather who dies and so when he turns 18 he thinks that he will inherit everything his grandfather owned. But it aint gonna happen. The grandfather requested that for x to inherit everything he has to move to and little town/village and graduate high school there. So he moves there and he meets and old man and a girl who he finds out is also an orphan. He slowly falls in love with the girl but finds out that she is sick. She has a weak heart and doesn’t have long to live. He also finds out something from his past. He remembers a few things. Like the time when his parents died and their orphanage and he also remembers a promise he made with the girl. But he cant really do anything because there is no cure to the girls sickness so he just stays by her side all the time.

I have tried to watch this movie at least 5 times. But every time I thought it was boring. But this time I guess I was just in a mood for this kind of movie. It got really emotional especially at the ending. And again it was this rich guy meeting a poor girl Pheew. But it was alright even though the story was typical. , Okay I’ve been really stupid. Its been 24 hours since I watched the movie so I cant really find words.. what to say. Omg im so stupid. I should do as Bunji. She smart. Anyway.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars.

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Review:
I remember this movie being the only Korean movie I liked, but I couldn’t remember why. So I watched it again, and I now remember... This is by far the best Korean movie made, and I’ve not watched that many, but from those I’ve watched, this one is waaay better.
The couple didn’t have the BEST chemistry (with some couples, they just have to look at each other and you feel it: Yamapi & Keiko, Eita & Juri, Van Ness & Andy An, Mao & Matsujun and not to forget Mike He & Rainie Yang) but this couple didn’t have it. In this drama the dialogues, the storyline and the screenplay was what made it so wonderful. And the best thing about it, no supporting actor or actress making live miserable for the leading actors. Splendid! I recommend this, 100%!

☆☆☆☆/ 4 out of 5 stars.

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts