Uncontrollably Fond Review

Title: Uncontrollably Fond

AKA: Recklessly Affectionate

Genre: Melodrama, Romance, Comedy

Episodes: 20

Broadcast Period: Jul-2016 to Sep-2016

Cast: Kim Woo Bin, Bae Suzy, Im Joo Hwan, Im Joo Eun, Jin Kyung, Choi Moo Sung, Hwang Jung Min, 

Shin Joon Young (Kim Woo-bin) and No Eul (Bae Suzy) were a couple who were separated during their teenage years due to an ill-fated relationship, but later meet each other in adulthood. Shin Joon Young is now a top actor/singer while No Eul is a documentary producer.

No Eul had a tough childhood; her father died in a hit-and-run prompting No Eul to quit school and make a living for her and her brother. Shin Joon Young, on the other hand, had his life planned out for him. His mother wanted him to become a prosecutor; to follow the footsteps of his estranged father, but an awful incident caused him to quit law school and become a singer/actor. The two reunite when No Eul is tasked to film Shin Joon Young's documentary. Joon Young initially gives No Eul a miserable time before finally agreeing to do the documentary and even plans to win her heart back.

Throughout the drama I was still reconsidering whether to continue watching or stop. So as you’re reading this review, you know that I managed to finish it ;)  What this drama did was wrapping up all the sad terms in kdramaland, and putting it in one drama. From the begining it broke my heart, and for that accomplishment I would give to Kim Woo Bins extraordinary acting skills. This story is tragic as hell. This is like Secret level melodrama. Here I was expecting light and fluffy, but within two episodes it already had two traumatic car accidents, one terminal illness, loan sharks, corrupt politicians, birth secrets, and star crossed love. This isn't at all what I thought it was going to be. I can’t put my finger on what it was that did it for me, but I know for sure what didn’t. Suzy. I just can’t take that idol-actress, and yes, I can’t call her an actress, because that wouldn’t be fair. The directors knew who to pair her up with, because she’s toootally overshadowed by Kim Woo Bin when they together. All in all this drama is not one of the best out there, although its a must-watch for Kim Woo Bin fans. 

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥ (1/2) / 2 (1/2) out of 5 hearts

The Technicians Movie Review

Title: The Technicians

AKA: The Con Artists

Genre: Action, Crime,

Origin: South Korea

Release Date: December 24, 2014

Cast: Kim Woo Bin, Lee Hyun Woo, Kim young Cheol, Ko Chang Seok, Jung Man Sik, Jo Yoon Hee, Lim Ju Hwan, Shin Goo

Ji-Hyeok (Kim Woo-Bin) is an elite safe-cracker and counterfeiter. He works with Koo-In (Ko Chang-Seok) who introduces him to elite hacker Jong-Bae (Lee Hyun-Woo). There's rumors that Jong-Bae has betrayed other partners in his past. Nevertheless, the trio decide to work together to steal valuable diamonds held within a secret vault at a high-end jewelry store. The jewelry store is owned by President Jo (Kim Young-Chul). Meanwhile, President Jo is in search of an elite safe-cracker to help him steal millions of dollars stored within a Korean customs area in Incheon, South Korea. When he found out about Ji-Hyeok genius talent, he knew he was the one to help him succeed his mission.

This movie has a great plot and very mind blowing, it had so many twists that in the end I was so confused at what happened. Nevertheless, don’t worry, they wrap it up in a way that there is nothing to miss. I won’t get started at how amazing and praiseworthy Kim Woo Bin is, because we all know how awesome he is. He nail every role and character he gets no matter what, so Kim woo bin fan or not you will definitely fall for his charm in this movie (I’m specifically talking about that smirk face he does all the time gah!). Not to forget his two partners, they were really a spontaneous group of people. I liked their chemistry a lot. I don’t think I should be allowed to say more or else I’ll spoil something unknowingly! Definitly a great watch, so if you are reading this now and haven’t watched it, go get the movie ASAP!

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Friend 2 Movie Review

Title: Friend 2

AKA: Friend the Legacy / Chingoo 2

Genre: Crime, Gangster, Drama

Origin: Korea

Release date: 14 November 2013

Cast: Yu Oh Seong, Kim Woo Bin, Joo Jin Mo and Jang Young Nam.

After spending 17 years in prison for a murder he didn’t order Lee Joon Suk (Yu Oh Seong) is weeks away from his release. Few days before the actual release, a high school friend of Joon Suks visits him in jail asking him to watch out for her son, who had an incident with Joon Suks gang. The son, Choi Seung Hoon (Kim Woo Bin), is a hot blooded and short tempered twenty-something year-old, who learned that life on the streets is not fixed with words, and is in prison for assault. After spending some time together, Joon Suk starts to like him, and even tell him that when he leaves the joint, he’ll help him.

Although Joon Suk is released, he is surprised to see that the Vice-president Eun Gi (Jung Ho Bi) has risen in power and tries to overtake the gang. So Joon Suk decides with Seung Hoons help, to take back Busans streets, and pay back for the betrayal. But due to secrets hidden, a rift between Seung Hoon and Joon Suk occurs, and that effects more than just the gang…

This movie is the sequel to the first movie - which was incredibly popular. So yeah is very hard to compare, but I think it is very good as a sequel. Though it is much more bloody, violent and grotesque, I kind of found it a bit more realistic than the first one. The first movie is just sad, and the ending shocked me so much that I got chills. This one though, I laughed because of the absurdity, not because it’s ridiculous, but seriously absurd. Like crazy violent people, like freakish violent - and nonstop. It was much criticized, but it was okay if you ask me. Still has the depressing feeling, only the difference that it isn’t two best friends - but something else.

Kim Woo Bin is amazing in this, so much that I was completely at a loss for words when I saw him: he really seemed like a full on actor.

Okay, so do I recommend it? Well it kind of reminds me of Friend and it still has great actors. So yeah: good.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

To The Beautiful You Review

Title: To The Beautiful You

AKA: For You In Full Blossom

Genre: School, Teen, Romantic Comedy, Sports, Gender switch

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: Aug-2012 to Oct-2012

Cast: Choi Sulli, Choi Min Ho, Lee Hyun Woo, Kim Ji Won, Suh Joon Young, Kang Ha Neul, Ki Tae Young, Hwang Kwang Hee, Julien Kang, and Kim Woo Bin.

The story starts with Goo Jae Hee (Choi Sulli) a young girl living in America having problems fitting into the American society. Everything changes when she one day sees athlete Kang Tae Joon (Choi Min Ho) on TV doing high jump and setting a record. Few months later she hears that he hurt his leg and is unable to do sports anymore. So Jae Hee decides to move to Korea and attended his school in order to help him in any way possible. The only problem is: he goes to an all-boys school. So she decides to dress up as a boy and enroll. Arriving at the school she is treated as ‘the new kid’ and put through several of tests, except from Cha Eun Kyul (Lee Hyun Woo) who becomes her close friend.

With a luck of faith she is put in the same room as Tae Joon, but her hero is not as she had expected him to be, and every day she has to struggle not to be found out…

Another Hana Kimi drama with another group of popular idols. Compared to the other two (Japanese and Taiwanese) this is the exact copy of the Taiwanese, except that the melo has a capital M. Simply put I watched it till the end because it reminded me of the very first drama I had watched, but it also reminded me why I never re-watched it. This drama is basically a girl going to a boy school where the pretty boys (every boys is pretty by the way) all dress as if they just stepped out of a magazine, because of an unreasonable idea of thinking she can help her idol, and surprisingly some of the boys fall for her. Oh and also she ends up in situations where the lead has to save her all the time. Min Ho and Sulli I can’t even look at them without face palming myself, mainly because the characters are too easy to act and basically have 0 depth. Though Min Ho has grown an inch since the last time I’ve seen him act.

It is a popular genre, but I have grown too old and too bored with these dramas, so don’t ask me whether or not I recommend it.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

White Christmas Review

Title: White Christmas
AKA: Monster
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Psychological
Episodes: 8
Broadcast period: 2011-Jan to 2011-Mar
Cast: Kim Sang Kyung, Baek Sung Hyun, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Soo Hyuk, Kwak Jung Wook, Hong Jong Hyun, Esom, Kim Woo Bin, Sung Joon and Jung Suk Won.

This drama special is about 7 students and one teacher of Susin High School, an independent private school with the 1% of all Korean top students. Anything except studying is forbidden, and they are rating by points they get while attending school.
On a 8 day vacation - from the 24th Dec, 7 students: Park Moo Yul (Baek Sung Hyun) the schools ‘goody’ known for good behavior and has never broken a rule, Yoon Eun Sung (Esom) known as the prettiest girl in the school and liked by everyone, Yoon Su (Lee Soo Hyuk) known as ‘Angel’, because his father donated loads of money to the school and like that managed to occupy a spot, Choi Chi Hoon (Sung Joon) the schools smartest kid never leaving the number one spot at school ranking and the one Moo Yul is struggling to beat in any test, Jo Young Jae (Kim Young Kwang) hated by all students for his patronizing personality and ‘bully’ attitude, Yang Kang Mo (Kwak Jung Wook) who films everything and everyone, but has a handicap, he has and earplug, and lastly Lee Jae Kyu (Hong Jong Hyun) the only one that doesn’t seem to fit in the bunch since no one knows him. The teacher Yoon Jong Il (Jung Suk Won) got the task to take care of the students during the break, but is shortly joined by a psychologist Kim Yo Han (Kang Sang Kyung)who was involved in a car accident close by, and seeks refuge at the school, with a slight head injury.
None of the students like each other and try to stay out of each other’s ways, they at one point find out that they all got a mysterious black letter, written exactly the same way. At first most of them are treating it as a joke, but as time passes by, Moo Yul gets interested in it, and is surprised that all 7 are involved. While trying to figure out the letter, another school mate happens to be at the school, Kang Mi Reu (Kim Woo Bin), the schools dare-devil, who is suspended and wants to make Young Jae, whom he believes is responsible for it, pay for it. All that is put aside, when someone is murdered, and the telephone lines aren’t working.
Now they are stranded in the middle of nowhere, and with a murderer amongst them…

I’m sorry, I was really trying to cut it down, and it somehow became too reveling, then I wrote a lot, and yeah, less revealing: P Any ways, this drama is brilliant, with a brilliant cast (no idols) and amazing storyline. Though I have to admit, I have no idea how on earth it managed to escalate that fast without me rolling on the floor crying. Seriously, like every episode made my stomach turn, not being nauseous, but scared (in a good way) because I really would never know what I’d do in their position. I didn’t like the actress, though she grew on me, and some of the other actor did annoy me in the beginning, but as you watch them you simply wish for their well-being. I really recommend this, sincerely. It is very psychological, but it uses 8 episodes too the very fullest, and the tension does not let you down in any way. The only reason it’s not completely full rated is that there are times when I just knew what was going to happen, like 80% of the time that is.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Kamjis Verdict
Hmm, I really don’t know about this. Would you be surprised if I say I didn’t quite like it… First of all the show is anything but a traditional kdrama.  It isn't romantic.  It isn't funny.  It isn't melodramatic, either.  It's bleak, terrifying, heartbreaking, and disturbing all at once. The one thing that made this series work so well was the cast.  This drama possibly had the best cast I have seen on any kdrama--ever.  I don't say that lightly.  It was a cast of mostly teenagers, but each and every character (okay, with one exception) was layered and complex.  Even the villain of the series had interesting moments of depth that steered clear of caricature.  While I didn't like all of the characters, I grew to understand them.  The cast members were phenomenal at portraying characters who were so human that you hurt for them.
I think maybe what ruined the show for me was that everyone kept saying how dark and terrifying it is… but it wasn’t. I mean everything was perfect, the cast, the plot (I liked), how it was directed, most of the things was good. I just can’t put my finger on one negative thing, so why did it leave me with an unpleasant feeling that it wasn’t that great? I guess I’ll just ponder over that for now.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

School 2013 Review

Title: School 2013

AKA: School 5

Genre: School, Friendship

Episodes: 16+SP

Broadcast period: 2012-Dec to 2013-Jan

Cast: Daniel Choi, Jang Na Ra, Lee Jong Suk, Park Se Young, Hyo Young and Kim Woo Bin.

This drama is the fifth season of the popular “School” serial, which was the stepping stone for many famous actors and actresses.

Jung In Jae (Jang Na Ra) is literature teacher at Seungri High School, and with only 5 years of experience, she has never had a class on her own. When she is told she is to be the homeroom teacher of 2-2, she is somehow excited but also frightened. No other teacher wants the class, mainly because the class is unmotivated and rude, but also because of the infamous Oh Jung Ho (Kwak Jung Wook), a bully with no respect for anyone.

Go Nam Soon (Lee Jong Suk) is a student in that very class tries to stay out of everything from studying to other class related stuff. He is not interested in studying or getting involved with other classmates, and he usually sleeps in class.  One day, doing his part time job as a delivery boy, Nam Soon delivers to a lesson school  (sort of like a cram school, but paid by the students’ parents), he encounters Kang Se Chan (Choi Daniel) a cocky but famous lecturer, and also his fellow classmate Song Ha Kyung (Park Se Young) dressed in a different school uniform. On his way out, he is stopped by Ha Kyung wanting to pay him to keep his mouth shut - so that her cram mates won’t know - but Nam Soon has no interests.

The next day a classmate gets bullied by Jung Ho, and Nam Soon stops him by throwing a book at him. Nam Soon, who is usually targeted by Jung Ho, gets nominated as class president, and ends up being chosen which results in him getting involved in his classmate’s problems, with or without his consent.

At the same time Kang Se Chan gets enrolled in Seungri High School, as a literature teacher. And due to his famous reputation, parents want Se Chan instead of In Jae as homeroom teacher for 2-2. Se Chan’s teaching ways are different than In Jae, mainly because he is focusing on grades and tells students to leave the classroom if they don’t want to go to college, whereas In Jae just wants the students in class. This results in Nam Soon and Se Chan having a feud.

The two teachers end up both being homeroom teachers for 2-2, and Nam Soon starts to get used to school life, until one day a familiar face from his past, Park Heung Soo (Kim Woo Bin) joins the class. The class fears him, and the ‘top’ Jung Ho, tries to overpower him, but not with much success. For some reason Heung Soo resents Nam Soon to the core, and tries nothing to hide it - and Nam Soon for some reason would do anything to obey him…

Most defiantly my favorite drama of the year, or half year (2012-2013?!). I have to say my review/summary does not in any way make the drama justice - so bad. Like this drama made me do a varity of sounds from happy, to sad, to sobbing, to laughing and most yelling out loud. I mean, it’s been a while where I didn’t just focus on the heaviness of the love stories, like or the family problems, I could seriously sit back and enjoy the drama completely. Every single moment and also, for the first time in maybe ever, I found that 16 episodes was just rude. I mean, I wanted more, waaaaaay more, and I really wasn’t satisfied with the ending. Okay, good ending, but I didn’t want it to end! I loved all characters, some I wanted to punch, but still good acted. The only reason I didn’t give it a 5 stars is mainly because the drama should have been at least 2 episodes longer, I really didn’t feel it as finished and maybe just a little love story, nothing hardcore, but just a tiny bit more. But the drama is worth 5 stars, and really recommendable. Kim Woo Bin and Lee Jong Suk make a great performance, and so do the rest also - for newbie actors they are amazing.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars (5 stars actually!)

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
This drama really has all a high school drama needs. It has the good bad boys, the cool bad boys, the uncool bad boys, the bad boy followers, the best friends, the making up, the bromance, a tiny bit of romance which is perfectly fine in my opinion, and it has the korean crazy we-have-to-study-all-the-time, the crazy study-system, the crazy parents, the dedicated teachers, the "scary" teachers/ the tough punishing teachers, ect ect ect.. wait why did I mention all that? Anyway, just the bromance and friendship story is enough for you to watch this drama. It is one of my favorite things (kekekeke) and the actors WOW! did an amazing job playing their roles. It did remind a bit of the japanese high school dramas because we saw a lot from the teachers and they would "preach" to the students but it wasn't that much again. Though we did see alot from the teachers, and their personal lives. Or at least the struggles the teachers have to go through, that is if they are dedicated to their job. I definitely agree with Bunji that the ending could have been better, or they could have added more since it ended a bit too loose, or the story was a bit too thin. But then again it was decent. I recommend this drama to anyone who likes, well all the things I mentionen in the beginning. Especially bromance... hah!

 ☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars 

♥♥♥♥½ / 5 out of 5 hearts