Vampire Prosecutor 2 Review

Title: Vampire prosecutor 2

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Crime

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2012-Sep to 2012-Nov

Cast: Yun Jung Hoon, Lee Young Ah, Lee Won Jong, Lee Kyung Young, Kim Joo Young and Kwon Hyun Sang.

The second season continues with Prosecutor Min Tae Yeon (Yun Jung Hoon) trying to find his sister and the man that bit him 7 years ago, and the appearance of a new enemy.

Now with a new boss and new office the team is made official as “Special Case Division”, but for some reason the boss is not happy with the way the team is handling cases, especially since they tend to do things their own way instead of following the rules or asking the higher-ups. The team still continues with their cases in the way they are used to, and when they get a new member, Forensic doctor Jo Jung In (Lee Kyung Young) joins, they swiftly make him feel at home. But little does Tae Yeon know, the new member is linked to the past - the past where he was bitten by a certain vampire…

Compared to season one this one is way better. They either got a new director or they got a richer producer, because everything seems so good here. The best way to explain it is: think about the old Korean dramas where they pretend they are rich but you can seriously see that the characters have suits they have never worn on, and that they are all wearing fake Rolexes, even if you don’t know the difference. This drama seems more new, and the actors seem more into their characters. And I remember reading a comment that the main actress seems too feminine and weak in the new season, to that I say, just because you got a new haircut, did your eye brows and started wearing expensive makeup doesn’t make you weak, seriously. She is so badass even if she is ready for the catwalk! Besides her everyone else got character development, which is nice, and they storylines are more connected to the main characters than the supporting characters.

So watch it? Hmm, yeah, but you should watch the first season too, even though it isn’t that great compared to season 2.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Vampire Prosecutor Review

Title: Vampire Prosecutor

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Crime

Episodes: 12

Broadcast period: 2011-Oct to 2011-Dec

Cast: Yun Jung Hoon, Lee Young Ah, Lee Won Jong and Kim Joo Young.

While racing after the main suspect that took the lives of many people, including his sister, Min Tae Yeon (Yun Jung Hoon) is hit by a truck as well as the man he chased. Climbing out of the turned over car Tae Yeon sees how suspect is stabbed by a man in a rain coat, and soon after he is attacked by a man who bites him in the neck. Ever since that night he has been able to see things, and visualize things which he never thought was possible. But on the other hand has an urge to drink blood. As the only person Tae Yeon trusted his secret with Hwang Sun Beom (Lee Won Jong), a hardworking and ambitious detective, often asks for Tae Yeons help whenever he feels weirdly about a case.

7 years later, Tae Yeon has been assigned to a special unit called “Prosecutor-Police Joint Special Investigation Unit”, which is also known by law enforcement as “Dead End Team” meaning they are most likely to be abolished and lose their jobs. Being the Team Leader he asks for Detective Hwang to be added to the team, and is assigned two more people: the analyst-intern Choi Dong Man (Kim Joo Young) and prosecutor Yoo Jung In (Lee Young Ah).

Together this team investigates and prosecutes cases, but for Tae Yeon his interest lies in the man with the black raincoat and finding out how his sister died.

Firstly sorry about the weirdly written summary, but I think you should be able to get the main points.

When I started this I had 0 expectations, like look at the name man.. But after I saw that it was the same broadcasting station as SIT10, I had to check it out, and I liked it. Despite some of the repeats I felt it was great storyline, and the cases where good too. Though one thing I really couldn’t wrap my head around was the speed of each case. I mean I know he is a prosecutor but it just feels halfhearted having the trial in the drama as well - and pretty useless also. Another thing I liked was that he isn’t all perfect, which I sort of expected, but more of a person with a problem.

If you are worrying about another “Twilight”, don’t be. I like this more than Twilight, (and I am a Twilight fan) because they make the vampire seem like real bad guys, not just as fantasy dreamy guys or whatever.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Iljimae Review

Title: Iljimae
Genre: Historical, Romance  
Episodes: 20  
Broadcast period: 2008-May to 2008-Jul
Cast: Lee Jun Ki, Han Hyo Joo, Lee Young Ah and Park Shi Hoo.

Iljimae is a thief whose face is unknown: he steals from corrupt government officials and gives it to the poor. The people love and support him, but the King and his nobles hate him, and want to catch him.

Several years ago the nobleman Lee Won Ho was assassinated, with his son Geom watching it from inside a closet. The assassination was ordered by the king, after he was told a fortune: that in the nobleman Lee Won Ho’s house there is a person who is as bright as the sun, and will be adored by the people. Thinking it is Lee Won Ho, the king orders the assassination. After the incident, Geom is adopted by a retired thief, and when he meets his mother once again, he sees that she is an outcast and she encourages him to act like he doesn’t know her, so he doesn’t become an outcast like her. Because of these misfortunes, Geom loses his memories, and forgets his young days.

In our current time, Geom now Yong (Lee Jun Ki) is starting to get his memory back, and sets out to find his older sister, only to see her captured and hanged. By this he swears revenge, to find the people responsible for the murder of his father and sister. The only thing he remembers is the emblem on the killer's sword, which leads him to disguise himself as Iljimae and find justice for his destroyed family.

After 4 years I’ve finally finished the drama. Wow, it really has taken me this long! Not because it’s bad or anything, I just didn’t love it. Well, historical drama isn’t really my thing… Even though the love story is sweet I didn’t like or agree on the main couple. And that might have something to with me loving the supporting actress. Bong Sun. Seriously, she was my favorite in the entire drama that might also be the reason for me not really liking the ending. Sort of half assed, but on the other hand, the rest of the people’s lives are pretty cool… Hmm, my rating is based on the overall drama, even though I’m biased..

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
Contrary to Bunji I really like historical dramas, and this one was definitely one of the good historical dramas. Even though yes of course as usual there is the guy and the girl who is his best friend and she loves him but he loves another one, typical yes, but still good. The ending though was a bit weird, but not THAT bad. I like the story and the people in it and I actually finished it in a few days, which means it keeps you interested (or me at least). Considering its from 2008 I really enjoyed it because I seriously cant watch "old dramas" even though its just 4 years. I dont think I have anything bad to say about the drama, it was a bit slow in the beginning, I mean they show a bit of the ending, and they you are like waiting for that to happen but it only does in the end, lol. But its a slow, relaxing drama. Nice historical.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts 

King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo Review

Title: King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo
AKA: Bakerking, Kim Tak Goo / Bread, Love and Dreams
Genre: Romance, melodrama, family
Episodes: 30
Broadcasting period: 2010-Jun to 2010-Sept
Cast: Yoon Shi Yoon, Eugene, Jun Kwang Ryul, Jun In Hwa, Joo Won, Lee Young Ah and Jun Mi Sun.

As she is giving birth, Seo In Sook (Jun In Hwa) is begging it to be a son, but when she gives birth to a daughter, her mother-in-law is criticizing and telling her, that she is a horrible daughter-in-law, because she can’t give the Goo family a heir. In Sook’s housebound, Goo Il Jong (Jun Kwang Ryul) isn’t much help either, since he feels disappointed in her as well. Some time passes, and In Sook goes to a furtune teller who tells her that there isn’t a chance for her and her houseound to have a son together. The only possibility for her to get a son is with another man, but her housebound will have a son with another woman. After a rough night at the office, Il Jong returns home, drunk, and ends up sleeping with a maid, Kim Mi Sun (Jun Mi Sun). This is seen by Il Jong’s mother, but because of her dislike of In Sook, she accepts it. When In Sook returns, Mi Sun is pregnant, and in fury she throws her out, and with the help of the department manager, Mi Sun leaves in fear. In Sook then, again with the help of the department manager, becomes pregnant, and makes everyone think its Il Jong’s son.
Twelve years later, Mi Sun’s son meets Il Jong along with the son of In Sook, whom he thinks is his own. A lot happens, and Il Jong becomes fond of the kid, later finds out that it is his son. At the same time, Mi Sun’s son is befriending a girl, who he has had a crush on for a long time, and whose father beats her up, daily. Mi Sun then decides to leave her son, to live life easier, by living with the Goo family. But In Sook strikes once again, and Mi Sun is separated with her son, leaving her son wanting to find her.
Twelve years pass again, and the 24 year old son of Kim Mi Sun, Kim Tak Goo (Yoon Shi Yoon) has become a gangster in order to find the man with the windmill tattoo on his arm, who is the man that kidnapped his mother. Destiny leads him to Pal Bong Bakery, where an employee has that tattoo. Tak Goo passes out after a fight, in front of the bakery, and is found by Yang Mi Sun (Lee Young Ah), the daughter of the head baker. But as it seems the son of In Sook, Goo Ma Joon (Joo Won) is taking the ‘baker exam’ at the very bakery, under an alias. Ma Joon’s hate for Tak Goo hasn’t changed over the years, and as Tak Goo’s childhood friend and first love, Shin Yoo Kyung (Eugene) pops up again, Ma Joon enjoys putting them through hell, but for some reason falls in love with her.

Telling the truth, it’s good. I rarely agree with the Korean ratings (this drama got a rating of 50,8%), but it really is good. If you look past some small causalities, like the fact that every one night stand leads to a baby and that you feel like shaking the villains and good guys because of their either ignorance or naiveness, the drama has a decent flow. I LOVE that the lead actress became so horrible (villain), and that the ‘evil step mom’ didn’t change in the end; those are the two most typical points in Korean drama, the lead actress is perfect and the biggest villain changes her ways in the end. I also love the way the supporting actor was, the fact that he was so afraid of getting hurt or looked down on that he made such a thick self defending shell, that no matter what he did, he would seem evil, even though I personally believe that it’s his wicked family’s fault. Every character had so much soul and were thoroughly made, that you enjoy every aspect of their being.
I have to admit, it does have that choking feeling and ‘drainy’ as well, but personally, this is the first drama that made me jump off my seat, run around happily and not to mention cry. And 30 episodes are both too much, and too little; I was fed up with the trying of sabotaging of Tak Goo, but wanted more of the love stories and lives after the last incident. So I would recommend it, but if you don’t want your own feelings to be let loose, don’t, because it’s one of THOSE dramas, the ones you get irritated at, but can’t not watch it.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
I think I agree with all Bunji said, hahah, the drama is surprisingly good, you do get sick of all the people that time after time try to ruin Takgu's life and he just keeps fighting, but then again, it makes you go back and watch more and more. You leave it and come back all the time. It is actually a preetty terrible story, and I agree with Bunji, I liked the not so typical ending. There were a few things that were ridiculous, but hey it's a drama, and a korean one too. So yeah, quite good if you're up for 30 episodes of poor people being trambled on by rich people, and poor people fighting their way up, seeking revenge. It is quite good!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts