Father is Strange Review

Title: Father is Strange

AKA: My Father is Weird

Genre: Family, Drama, Comedy

Episodes: 52

Broadcast Period: Mar-2017 to Aug-2017

Cast: Kim Yong Chul, Kim Hae Sook, Min Jin Woong, Lee Yoo Ri, Lee Joon, Ryu Hwa Young, Jung So Min,

This drama is about a family that lives on the outskirts of Seoul. Byun Han Soo (Kim Young Chul) is the father and his wife, Na Young Sil (Kim Hae Sook) is a dedicated, responsible mother to his three daughters and one son including Hye Young (Lee Yoo Ri), Mi Young (Jung So Min), Ra Young (Ryu Hwa Young) and Joon Young (Min Jin Woong).

Suddenly one day, Ahn Joong Hee (Lee Joon) shows up at the household, and declares that he is the son of the family. Ahn Joong Hee is an actor who used to be a member of an idol group. He gets accepted into the family and begins to live with them…

This was seriously a wonderful drama, loved it from 1 to 52. Maybe this statement is based on my still hyped emotions of it, but I just feel that this one captured a really special place in my heart. Maybe because it focused so much on the family relationships, and had some sprinkles of romance here and there, however the main theme kept shining out throughout the drama. The actors did a pretty decent job; they all were expressful of their character and made you love them and hate them at times. What I mostly like about this, is that it’s not like a typical family drama were they drag the whole point till the end, no, they reveal everything in the beginning, and you just enjoy seeing the story unfold with it. I’m definitely stating another family drama soon, I get so addicted to it, because I get so much more time with the characters, and I can truly see them develop, and I think that’s what makes the whole time worth for me.

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Mr. Back Review

Title: Mr. Back
AKA: Mr. Baek / Mister Baek / Mister Back
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Family
Episodes: 16
Broadcast date: 2014-Nov to 2014-Dec
Cast: Shin Ha Kyun, Jang Na Ra, Lee Joon, Park Ye Jin and Jung Suk Won.

Choi Go Bang (Shin Ha Kyun) is a 70-year-old CEO of the business firm Dae Han. He lives with his younger brother who is the vice president, sister-in-law who only cares for position, younger sister who only cares about money and Go Bang's only son Choi Dae Han (Lee Joon) who doesn't care about the firm at all and has a reputation of sleeping around and spending money. Go Bang himself is an old geezer that only knows how to yell and preach. Eun Ha Soo (Jang Na Ra) is a bright woman who becomes an intern at Dae Han Company. After a misunderstanding, Go Bang fires Ha Soo, and ends up fighting with Dae Han.
Go Bang receives a pill from his doctor which is supposed to help his health, and when he gets into a car accident he reaches for the pill, but ends up swallowing something very different: a piece of meteor. After surviving the accident, he goes home, and while taking a bath comes out 40 years younger.
Unable to explain his sudden youth and afraid he would become a test subject, he decides to fake his own suicide and pretend to be his own bastard son called Choi Shin Hyung, as he refuses to let his son or siblings have his company. At the same time, he starts to feel something he has never felt before: love.

So this drama I watched because of Lee Joon, and I would never finish it if it wasn’t because of him. It is not a bad drama; I just don’t like these types of themes especially when there is no rea explanation about it. The cast was okay, I rather disliked Jang Na Ra in this one, no idea why exactly, but her character and the entire love story was boring. Shin Ha Kyun I don’t remember seeing anywhere, but he was okay, a bit too comedic, but still okay. I liked Choi Dae Han’s story the most, not only because it is Lee Joon, but I liked the growth of the character, even though the entire ‘I think I am in love with you girl’- is pretty old and boring.
I am not gonna spoil any more but the drama is funny, and well thought, but just not my cup of tea. So all in all a good drama, with decent acting.

☆ ☆ ☆ ½/ 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Gap Dong Review

Title: Gap Dong

AKA: Gapdongi / Memories of Murder / Kab Dong

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Melodrama

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2014-Apr to 2014-Jun

Cast: Yoon Sang Hyun, Sung Dong Ill, Kim Min Jung, Lee Joon and Kim Ji Won.

20 years ago a serial killer, known as ‘Gap Dong’, terrorized the streets of Seoul by raping and murdering 9 girls, giving the police a headache. Even though the entire nation was shocked by the incident, Gap Dong was never arrested or found, and had suddenly disappeared from the public’s eye.

Ha Moo Yum’s (Yoon Sang Hyun) father had been accused of murdering the women, but when he passed after the 4^th murder, and the murders had continued, the majority of police officers had ruled him out. Except for one police officer, the one in charge, that believed he had found the killer, and even was sure the son was involved as well. Feeling unfairly treated Moo Yum became a police officer himself and dedicated his life to finding Gap Dong, but had let it go when the statute of limitation had expired. But when the police officer in charge had returned for one sole purpose, to catch Gap Dong, a new murder occurs, identical to the first Gap Dong murder 20 years ago.

At first there were thoughts of a copycat since anyone could have read about it in the paper, but when a fish knot (used to tie his victims hands) is detected, which was never mentioned anywhere and is the MO for Gap Dong, they are pretty sure that not only is Gap Dong back, but he is repeating the murders he did 20 years ago…

I’ve been holding back the review for this drama out of sheer disappointment. The drama starts pretty amazingly and intrigues you in matter of minutes, but it suddenly just becomes boring. From the bad acting of the main lead, to the silly interpretation of a psychopath, they just do not deliver and drag it on for 20 episodes. After a certain point I felt annoyed at both the female and the male lead and their ridiculous and tedious love story, and I ended up praying for more screen time for the second leads. But unfortunately their dialogues and their constant philosophical discussions even that becomes LONG and upsetting. On the bright side it really is a different story and quite confusing at time - but the good kind of confusing. Lee Joon does his character best, and actually manages to wheel you in, whereas I found Yoon Sang Hyun and Kim Min Jung pretty dislikeable. At one point I felt they all were psychopaths.

Okay enough of my brattling. Should you watch it? If you like criminal dramas, with a little edge, then yes. Also if you want to know what the hype about Lee Joon’s acting is about, this is probably one of his good ones.  All in all.. Well partially good.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

IRIS 2 Review

Title: IRIS 2
Genre: action, mystery, thriller, romance
Episodes: 20
Broadcast period: 2013-Feb-13 to 2013-Apr-18
Cast: Jang Hyuk, Park Gun Tae, Lee Da Hae, Kim So Hyun, Oh Yun Soo, Yoon Doo Joon, Kim Ill Woo, Kim Young Chul, Im Soo Hyang, Lee Joon, David McInnics, Lee Bum Soo, Yoon So Yi, Kim Seung Woo . . .

The fight between IRIS, the terror organisation and NSS breaks into fire once again, as IRIS breaks in to prison to capture Baek San (Kim Young Chul), the old chief for NSS and spy of IRIS. While escorting him, Baek San manages to escape and runs into NSS, to whom he surrenders. NSS confused by the whole thing tries to figure out what is going on. Why did the threater turn himself in. IRIS going after Baek San breaks into the place where NSS holds him captive, interrogating him, but they fail. Now NSS needs to figure out, what is it that Baek San has, which IRIS wants so much, and Baek San wants to hide so much, that he would want to be held captive away from them. BaeK San calls the agent Jang Yoo Gun (Jang Hyuk) who saved his life, and passes some information to him about a meeting which will take place in Hungary. Jang Yoo Gun, along side the agents Seo Hyun Woo (Yoon Doo Joon) and Ji Soo Yun (Lee Da Hae) who is also his girlfriend, now travel to Hungary where the meeting between North and South is taking place, and a dangerous situation evovles.

(Trying not to spoil anything with the review, but hoping it will make you watch it *crossing fingers*)
This drama is definitely season 2 of IRIS. At first it is extremely confusing and complicated, and you have a hard time following the story, so you almost end up just watching, and give up on thinking. But it leaves your jaw hanging a few times. And I was amazed by Jang Hyuk and his acting. You know those actors that just make you go like "kkhhhh.. this is what an actor should be like", they act with their whole body, they are aware of every little gesture they make, and they do it on purpose. The rest were really good as well, in my opinion. I did notice in the beginning they had some korean agents speaking english and they dubbed it, I'm not quite sure how I feel about that, is it better than a crapish accent or did it just look too fake? But that is just in the beginning anyway. The other actors did a great job as well. And I actually think that my favorite couple is the "bad" couple. Somehow I liked their love more, it was the mutual love, the natural love. They end up loving each other and caring about each other even though that was not what they were trying. Lee Joon again did an amazing job acting the bad guy, the role suits him, he does it well. And Doo Joon, he did a decent job, not bad but maybe a bit stiff, not sure if maybe his character is like that. The last few episodes I actually didn't feel were as exciting or interesting, the last episode is, and the ending is fine, but before that, it was just a bit messy. A lot going on but nothing really happening. Overall it was great, it was IRIS'ish. But if you havent watched the first season then watch that before watching this one. It's a continuation of season 1.

☆☆☆☆ ½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Vedict

If I remember season one right, season 2 doesn’t fall far from the tree. It has all the excitement and terror you felt in season 1, in season 2. I don’t really remember a lot of season 1, but season 2 is so complicated and twisted, you go nuts. Like there are SOO many people introduced, everyone is dying, and everyone has some secret one way or another. Different from season 1, I sort of found the ending anti-climaxed, not because it wasn’t exciting but because I sort of expected it to happen. And I believe that the one thing that surprised me the most was that in the last episode, everything was sort of resolved.. I have no clue why and how..

While watching there were only very few that caught my attenstion: Jang Hyuk, Lee Joon and Baek Sung Hyun - maybe Oh Yun Soo - but everyone else, expecially Lee Da Hae, Doo Joon and Im Soo Hyang, annoyed me to the point of actually wanting to end this drama. That might not be their fault, but those characters.. Damn..

All in all a worthy season 2 :)

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Jungle fish Season 2 Review

Title: Jungle fish Season 2
AKA: Jeonggeul Piswi Season 2
Genre: Drama / school
Episodes: 8
Broadcast period: 2010-Nov-04 to 2010-Dec-30
Cast: Hong Jong Hyun, Park Ji Yeon, Lee Joon, Shin So Yool, Kim Bo Ra, Kim Dong Bum, Han Ji Woo, Choi Myung Kyung, Go Kyung Pyo, Lee Mi So...

A story of 5 friends, Min Ho Soo, Seo Yool, Ahn Ba Woo, Lee Ra Yi, Yoon Gong Ji, Baek Hyo An, and their struggles while going to school in Korea. While going to one of the toughest schools Baek Hyo An (Han Ji Woo) mysteriously dies, her friends do not believe that she would kill herself as its portrayed by the school and media, therefore they decide that they should find out the truth. Min Ho Soo (Hong Jong Hyun) is very eager to find out the truth as he broke up right before she died and also feels guilt because he didnt notice that she needed help. A lot of other things occur to the friends such as pregnancy and fights with parents aso.

The drama is very short and easy to watch. The theme is very cool as well, i havent watched any korean dramas like this so i liked it. The story is mainly about the friends trying to solve the mystery so the length is actually okay though i wish there was more :D maybe because of the actors ( especially Lee Joon ) , lol too much fangirl XD . Not really much to say. i liked it, well it was as shot for me lol, short and cool cast, nice theme.. but there wasnt much to think about, there wasnt THAT much mystery just something u sit and watch. Not really exciting but alright.

☆☆☆½ / 3.5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ /4 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict
Wow! Took me 3 days to finish this! And it’s only 8 episodes! Can’t say it’s bad; good storyline and decent actors, but seriously… the focus is just wrong.
Okay, I get that the storylines of all 5 leads has to be shown, but it just takes too much of the ‘red-thread’, and you simply don’t care about the death of the friend, heck, I was hoping for something a bit more shaky, it’s almost too typical. Yes, I did want to know who is responsible for her death, but it just became boring and completely repeating.
The thing that surprised me is that the 5 friends in some way didn’t care enough for each other; I mean the dialogues make them seem not so close. And the lead became obsessed, ended up not considering the others, even in the ending.
I finished it with a smile though. A very realistic ending, with all of them realizing what it means to be part of the ‘Jungle’..

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

(AAH! Otoke! Lee Joon-ah, biyanhae~ TT_TT)