Partners of Justice Review

Title: Partners of Justice

AKA: Investigation Couple

Genre: drama, crime, mystery

Episodes: 32

Broadcast period: 2018-May to 2018-Jul

Cast: Jung Jae Young, Jung Yoo Mi, Lee Yi Kyung, Park Eun Suk and Stephanie Lee.

Eun Sol (Jung Yoo Mi) is a newly appointed public prosecutor, full of life and energy. Though very young and inexperienced, she graduated with highest points, and treats everyone with enthusiasm. Easy to talk to and bubbly, she is liked by everyone, until she encounters Baek Bom (Jung Jae Young), a forensic pathologist. Grumpy and simpleminded, Bom is rude to everyone, especially Sol, after she accidently almost contaminates a crime scene. Scarred by his past, Bom who had been a successful surgeon, but decided to become a medical examiner, and excelled while doing so.

The two completely different people, both talented in their fields, start recognizing each other’s strengths, while cases from past and present turn up, and the two unknowingly become partners…

This is one of those where you can’t really give a decent resume, it has to be watched.

I swear, this drama took me by surprise. I did not expect to like it as much as I did. I think I cried (or was teary) in almost every story! The fact that there weren’t unnecessary love stories, or a draggy/long main story, kind of made it more interesting as a viewer. To be engaged in every story, rather than wanting to follow a main story, is kind of refreshing. BUT yes... There is a main story, it just doesn’t take much of the screen time in every episode, different than (filler episodes) dramas… I enjoyed the characters too. They seemed a bit typical at the beginning, but you kind of find them relatable later one. From the happy girl to the grumpy guy. I liked both.

Of course, there are annoying things as well, but you kind of forget those along the way.

So: all in all, a great drama to watch - heck made me interested in pathology… says a bit.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Train to Busan Movie Review

Title: Train to Busan
AKA: Train for Busan
Genre: Action / Suspense / Thriller / Zombie
Origin: Korea
Release date: July 20, 2016
Cast: Gong Yoo, Jung Yoo Mi, Ma Dong Suk, Choi Woo Sik and Kim Soo Ah.

Seok Woo (Gong Yoo) is a divorcee, working as a fund manager. After getting divorced, he and his ex-wife share custody of their daughter Soo An (Kim Su An). Being a workaholic, Seok Woo usually leaves Soo An with his mother, and rarely has time for his daughter. When Soo An wants to go to Busan to celebrate her birthday at her mothers, Seok Woo has no other choice but go with her as he is afraid to let her take to train alone. At the same time, Seoul is havocked by mass riots, which the NEWS keep repeating.
After arriving on the KTX a woman collapses in front of the train attendant, who while trying to help her gets attacked by the woman, by getting her throat slit. Soon havoc begins on the train as the train attendant, who was presumed dead, gets up and starts attacking other passengers.
The noise wakes up the dazed off Seok Woo, noticing that Soo An is missing from her seat. While going towards the hall he notices people running and screaming, and soon realizes that people who get attacked and die, wake up as zombies. Now the remaining passengers can’t get out as the train runs on full speed, and are headed towards Busan…

I do apologize of the summary looks bleak at the end, I tried not spoil anything.
How on earth do I even explain this movie? I mean I had my fair share of Zombie movies AND TV Shows, but this one left me shocked and amazed. Though there are several moment I could complain about, I‘ve decided not to, because they don’t really ruin your overall experience of the movie. And honestly, I can pretend to know what I would do in those situations, but I bet I would be the first one to die anyways, so I am not going to act like a know-it-all. All actors involved are just perfect for each given role, though some annoyed me occasionally, I didn’t have time to dwell on it, since the pace is out of this world.
So, I recommend this 100%, as this is one of the best Korean movies ever, AND one of the great zombie movies of all time.

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Kamji’s Verdict:
Yes! Wow! What?
That’s how this movie left me. I can’t describe what this movie did to me. I’m not a big fan of zombie/ disaster movies, but this was more than that. I understand all the hype there was about it. The story, the acting (ALL of them!) and the details were so on point, I got shivers down my spine several times! Applause to all the zombie actors, damn they left me speechless. Gong Yoo definitely was the right pick, and that little girl playing his daughter needs an award right now!
I sincerely hated some of the characters and loved the others, but that just shows the quality of this drama. I don’t think I need to say more than, go watch it, if you’re one of the few that haven’t yet ;)

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Six Flying Dragons Review

Title: Six Flying Dragons
AKA: Roots of the throne
Genre: History, Politics
Episodes: 50
Broadcast Period: Oct-2015 to Mar-2016
Cast: Yoo Ah In, Kim Myung Min, Shin Se Kyung, Byun Yo Han, Yoon Kyun Sang, Chun Ho Jin, Jung Yoo Mi, Park Hae Soo, Ahn Suk Hwan

Set in the fading days of the Goryeo Dynasty, this drama depicts the lives and aspirations of six characters in establishing a new country called Joseon, with Lee Bang Won (Yoo Ah In) as the central figure. A fusion of saeguk and fiction, the story follows the conflicts of those 'six flying dragons' with the deep-rooted powers set against them, as they attempt to realize the dream they all share of a new nation founded on Confucian principles, which would eventually last for 500 years.

It’s been one hell of a journey, and Six Flying Dragons delivers a solid finale for an altogether solid, engaging show that I’m still not ready to let go of just yet. I have been following this drama from the very beginning when they announced Yoo Ah In were casted to this drama. I even mentioned it in my Secret Door Review (A great drama too). Words can’t describe the roller coaster feelings I have been through because of this drama! It’s really hard to break down a 50-episode drama, I need to make a full 50 pages analyze to make sure you get every little detail in why you should watch this drama. Believe me, there has been no 10 boring minutes throughout the whole drama. No time to breathe or get used to the awesomely-written script or the out-of-earth acting. There’s that heart throbbing feel about the whole drama it’s insane. How can I not like Lee Bang Won when it’s Yoo Ah In acting him? The ultimate Yoo Ah In! His gloomy eyes hide varieties of emotions, and that’s what makes Yoo Ah In who he is. You swim in those eyes but you lose yourself instead of finding answers. Well, I do. I can’t really find the words to sum up this review, because I haven’t even started yet. If you haven’t watched the drama yet… What are you doing then?

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Discovery of Romance Review

Title: Discovery of Romance

AKA: Discovery of Love

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2014-Aug to 2014-Oct

Cast: Eric, Jung Yoo Mi, Sung Joon, Yoon Jin Yi, Yoon Hyun Min and Kim Seul Gi.

After dating five years Kang Tae Ha (Eric) and Han Yeo Reum (Jung Yoo Mi) suddenly break up, leaving Tae Ha wondering why and unable to move on. Yeo Reum on the other hand moved on and started dating Nam Ha Jin (Sung Joon), and has the upper hand in the relationship, not letting Ha Jin get away with anything.  After the messy break-up the two didn’t meet again, but when Yeo Reum finds out that Ha Jin is on a blind date behind her back, she follows him to the hotel, and by chance of fate she happens to sit down opposite of Tae Ha. This leads to a twirl of misunderstandings and fights, and eventually the two go their different ways.

Still unaware why Yeo Reum broke up with him, Tae Ha decides to hire Yeo Rum to do the furniture of his new company, in order to find out why she broke up with him. Yeo Reum on the other hand hates Tae Has guts, and refuses to work with him first, but due to her debt she reluctantly agrees. Not wanting to marry Ha Jin while having a debt, she starts working with Tae Ha, but refuses to tell Ha Jin about Tae Ha, much to Tae Has amusement… What’s going to happen?

Sorry for the kind of dull summary, but it really is better - honestly.

The drama is very good actually. From the actors, to screenplay, and all the way to the dialogues, the entire drama is very well written and portrayed. I like the comedy, the sass and the sarcasm, even the retributions, which by the way are quite reasonable. It is not a drama with shocking twists and family drama, rather a story of lovers, and how life actually is - with of course really good looking and rich male leads. (LOL)

All actors are great, and they really are good at portraying these characters, as if they are them. Also the dialogues are so well written that I was excited while watching, because you really do need a bit of reality as well as sass in order to make it interesting.

But that’s it. There is nothing else; it does not have the extra umph, or the extra fluttering or complications. I don’t know, it is a good drama but kind of ends there, no more.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Tough As Iron Movie Review

Title: Tough As Iron
Genre: Drama, Gangster, Action, Romance
Origin: South Korea
Release date: October 2013
Cast: Yoo Ah In, Kim Hae Sook, Jung Yu Mi, Kim Jung Tae, Kim Sung Oh, Lee Si Un,

Gang Chul (Yoo Ah In) was the big shot in high school, the guy nobody would dare take on. Now he is working hard labour while running after his mother (Kim Hae Sook), trying to take care of her. She has Alzheimer's and often gets lost around in town while going around playing and getting lost in past. Gang Chul's friend Jung Soo (Lee Si Un) works with the mafia, as a dept collector. He as well tries to get by, doing any job he can. Unlike Jung Soo, Gang Chul doesnt want to have anything to do with the mafia as he believes they ruin people's life while promising them money. However his mother's state worsens and on top of that he reluctantly gets involved in a case of murder.

As the movie starts, it has that nice feeling of a great movie. The lovely mother-son relationship makes the whole sadness seem just a bit sweeter. There are a bunch of nice scenes and as a fan of Ah In aah I really did enjoy it. However.... the whole mafia story was a bit weak or not so well portrayed. The whole idea makes sense yes but in the end, it didnt feel that well made. Might just be me and my high standards when it comes to action/gangster stuff. The movie though, not bad. But not amazing either. Not the first movie I would recommend but if you are a fan of Ah In then yes go ahead and watch it. It has sweet moments, sad moment (like you really want to cry when it comes to the mother-son thing) and action as well. The friendship though I think it was a "bad" friendship I can pretty much say it is realistic as to thats what would happen most likely.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Rooftop Prince Review

Title: Rooftop Prince

AKA:  Attic Prince / Oktabbang Wangseja

Genre:  Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period:  2012-Mar-21 to 2012-May-24

Cast:  Micky Yoochun, Choi Won Hong, Han Ji Min, Jun Min Seo, Lee Tae Sung, Jung Yoo mi, Kim So Hyun, Lee Min Ho, Choi Woo Shik, Jung Suk Won, Ban Hyo Jung, Ahn Suk Hwan, Park Joon Geum, Lee Moon Shik, Song Ok Sook, Na Toung Hee ..

Park Ha/Bu Young (the young Han Ji Min) is to be married with the young crown prince (young Yoochun), but she gets scarred for life by her sister by accident, so her sister young Se Na (young Jung Yoo Mi) is to be married with the crown prince instead. Several years later, Se Na is found mysteriously dead. The people believe it wasn’t a murder, but the crown prince knows it can’t be otherwise and that he must investigate the matter. The same night as the crown prince and his 3 retainers are fleeing from some strange men, they are suddenly transported into the future, and land on the rooftop apartment of Park Ha/Bu Young. Park Ha is the reincarnation of Bu Young, and she somehow ends up unwillingly taking care of the four, teaching them how to get by in the new life. Meanwhile the crown prince also sees Se Na, the reincarnation of his wife, and desperately tries to meet her and find out what really happened. He gets a great opportunity as he finds out his reincarnation had disappeared and his family (rich business family) is looking for him, his reincarnation was killed, and so he also tries to figure out that mystery.

This drama was quite not what I had expected. I was a bit disappointed, maybe because I had too many spoilers on tumblr and I expected quite a lot. But it’s not that it was bad, it really did have its funny moments and the story overall is quite good and I get it, but really not my thing. It’s kinda like I didn’t really know what the whole point really was? For him to realize that whole thing with Bu Young, or to find out who his wife really was? Or what? It had its funny moments and I get that it’s a comedy and fiction but it still had some things that didn’t make any sense, and I know it might not be comparable to Queen In hyun’s man but that one was better. Though the only thing similar is the timeslip thing, so not sure if I can compare. But it wasn’t bad at all and I don’t regret watching it or anything. It’s just not as good as I wanted it to be.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ stars out of 5

♥♥♥½ / 3½ hearts out of 5

Bunji's Verdict
Summing up in one word: likable. Lol, okay I can’t really sum it up in one word, but the drama has heart (of course depending on the character). The beginning actually captures your attention, but somehow it becomes heavy, though not worse than many others (City Hunter, Man of Honor etc.), you know the entire “rightful/righteous” part. The difference is that in this the lead couple actually fights together, not “trying-to-protect-while-pushing-each-other-away”. Yoo Chun is cute no doubt, and does a pretty good job with the acting as a king, was actually stunned by the acting - it’s been a while I guess. I didn’t really enjoy Han Ji Min’s acting, or being, call it what you want, there is just something that bothers me about her (same with Park Min Young and Park Shin Hye), even though her character was adorable and her acting okay, I found her annoying - but managed to look past her, and enjoy the drama.
Two things bothered me though: One, the fact that they came to the future, but weren’t interested in finding out what happened in the past, and two, the sudden long lost appearance of the mother in the picture… but else, it’s very reasonable..

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5  stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Que Sera, Sera Review

Title: Que Sera, Sera

Episodes: 17

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama

Broadcast period: 2007-Mar to 2007-May

Cast: Eric, Jung Yoo Mi, Yoon Ji Hye and Lee Kyu Han

Kang Tae Joo (Eric) is a playboy, who targets rich woman that are soon to get married. That way he’s sure not to get too involved with the girl, and he’ll get something out of it as well. One day he returns from a date, and is met by Han Eun Soo (Jung Yoo Mi), sleeping in front of his door. He wakes her up, only to be attacked by her, accusing him of being a human trafficker. After a lot of misunderstandings and finally clearing them, it is found out that they live next door to one another. The two start to get an understanding for each other, and even end up dating, due to Eun Soo’s persistentness and one-sided love, but Tae Joo’s personality cant change that fast, and breaks up with her, to be Cha Hye Lin’s (Yoo Ji Hye) a chaebols daughter, prentend-boyfriend. Things get out of hand when Eun Soo starts dating Shin Joon Hyuk (Lee Kyu Han), her boss, also Hye Lin’s ex, and Tae Joo starts to get jealous…

I can’t really explain this drama, it one heavy crazy ass drama, but somehow very likable. I think it’s because it's continued, and really goes all out. Like the moments you think it’s finished, it continues, and the moment you think that they are going to be together, it never seems to happen. The drama is very adult, very Korean classic, and very very realistic, though you might disagree with me, I firmly believe that no one would cancel a wedding to be with someone who hurt you several times. I love Eric Moon, there I said it! And I really hope he’ll do more dramas…

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Silenced Movie Review

Title: Silenced
AKA: The Crucible
Genre: Drama
Origin: Korea
Release date: 22 September 2011
Cast: Gong Yoo, Jung Yoo Mi, Baek Sung Hwan, Kim Hyun Soo and Jung In Soo.

Based on a true story of what happened in 2005, in a school for deaf children. Kang In Ho (Gong Yoo) has just been assigned a new teaching position in a school for deaf children. This being his first time in a school this different he prepares himself by learning sign language. When he arrives at the school some children act weirdly, like ignoring him or coming to class bruised and beaten up. Worried, he confronts another teacher, who tells him that’s how ‘these children’ act, because they feel ‘incomplete’ inside. Not being able to let it go, In Ho tries to read through the school files, only to find out that the students either have retarded parents or are orphans. On his way home he hears screams, so he runs towards the sound, which happens to be a girls bathroom, but when he calls out the sound stops, and he is asked to leave by the security guard. Next day he sees one of his students at a window, shocked he runs and pulls her in. She then shows him to the laundry room, where one of his students is being ‘disciplined’ by shoving her head in the washing machine. Furious In Ho takes his student to the hospital, and calls help from a woman he had met earlier that week. Soo Yoo Jin (Jung Yoo Mi) is a human rights employee, and when she hears about the girls situation she runs to help. Next morning they find out that three of his students have been severely abused, not only physically also sexually, and when the children start telling them the horrible stories of what has happened to them, In Ho and Yoo Jin decide to call the media, and start a trail against Mu Jin’s most influential men…

There are three kinds of genres I don’t like: war, gangster and legal. But seriously, this movie… I can’t put words on it, even though it’s a ‘legal’ movie, I can’t explain how insane it is. Seriously if you don’t feel something at the end of this movie, you are a piece of shit. Every single actor is amazing, even the children omg. I don’t have anything bad to say about it, only I used a lot of tissues, because I cried, so damn hard. This is not a recommendable movie, it is a MUST watch. Not for the excitement or entertainment, but just to know. Just to understand that not even if you are honest, justices will not always prevail. And seriously, it hurts. It hurts so badly, the fact that even with so hard evidence, you can’t even save your own children from the so called teachers.
Three words: Go watch it.

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
This movie is definitely one of the best korean movies in its genre. Even worse is that it is based on a true story. I dont have anything negative to say about it but I do warn you of scenes which you shouldnt see if you are very sensitive. The actors too are so great it made the whole thinkg so good and did an amazing job, especially the kids they were just ... i really dont know how to describe it. I really recommend the movie but its NOT a movie you watch to have fun or anything its very serious and believe me you will cry. Ive never cried this much while watching a movie. It really touches your soul you will definitely feel something. Its one of those "the world is cruel but you cant do anything except be good yourself"movies. I think it is one of the best, if not THE best. But again very different. I recommend it. Remember to bring to tissues.

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts