We Broke Up Review

Title: We Broke Up
AKA: We Broken Up
Genre: Romance, Drama, Musical
Episodes: 10
Broadcast Period: Jun-2015 to Jul-2015
Cast: Sandara Park, Kang Seung Yoon, Kang Seung Hyun, Jang Ki Young, Lee Bum Kyu, Kim Kyu Ho,

"We Broke Up" tells a story of a couple who happens to live together after their breakup. No Woo-ri (Sandara Park), a bright and ambitious girl who struggles to land a job while Ji Won-yeong (Kang Seung Yoon), an indie band’s vocalist who works part time at night. Hyoni Kang will appear as a confident career woman who runs the nation’s top music label, and Cang Ki-yong will play the role of the couple’s college mate.

A short cute love story in a modern universe, well with modern I mean it’s a situation that is very normal in our day and age. So nothing special about this web drama, it was really simple. Even their acting was so ordinary. I can’t hide that I’m a little disappointed in Kang Seung Yoon, I did expect more from him, since he was my favorite from High Kick Through the Roof 3. I’m still new to Sandara Park, so no disappointment since I didn’t expect anything either. The storyline was cute, but really stretched out. Although that’s nearly impossible, since it’s a 10 episode a la 15 min each episode. It felt like there were no main story that glued it all together, but I can’t say it was a waste of time, since I enjoyed it a bit. It’s a good drama to wash away your feelings from the previous drama and make you ready for the next one.

☆☆☆½/ 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Perseverance Goo Hae Ra Review

Title: Perseverance Goo Hae Ra
AKA: Sing Again Goo Hae Ra
Genre: Musical, Romance
Episode: 12
Broadcast Period: Jan-2015 to Mar-2015
Cast: Min Hyo Rin, Jin Young, Kwak shi Yang, Henry, Park Kwang Sun, Yoo Seung Eun, Shim Hyung Tak, Jang Young Nam

The female main character, Go Hae Ra (Min Hyo Rin), who is always unlucky with whatever she does decides to be a songwriter like her dad to make her deceased father known to the world. Her father died of a heartattack on her birthday, and that leaves her mum and her alone. Because of some financial trouble, her mum decides to seek out her old best friend, who is also a single mother with two boys. Kang Se Jong (Kwak Shi Yang), who is a genius student at KAIST, and his fraternal twin, Kang Se Chan (Jin Young), these three kids grow up to be best friends. They experience failure and breakdown after they participated in an audition as a team, which they finally overcome. The drama unfolds a complex but romantic love story amongst the three characters.

After watching the first two episodes you get the feeling that you just found the perfect drama. The story unfolds and you get excited about what is going to happen. But oh boy! What a huge disappointment this drama is, the next ten episodes it’s just going down and down. This is a typical teenage musical about young people trying to succeed on the big stage. Every character has their own problem to overcome and despite the differences, friendship grows. Its been a long time since I last completed a drama that I found so dreadful in terms of writing/acting. I think the short episode count is probably to blame. I thought it’s only 12 episodes and kept on hoping it would get better, but on the 11th episodes it just didn't. Total waste of time. Throughout the drama you get the feeling that it was a low budget drama, and the actors were all B-rated, of course they had their charms but it was just not a convincing character. Especially Min Hyo Rin, I was disappointed in her the most, she had such a poor acting ability she pissed me off 90% of the time. Anyway, I won’t end it with just criticism, so I’m just going to say that the “music videos” in the drama was excellently done, and they made me want to rewatch some of them again after the drama.

☆☆ / 2 out of 5 stars

♥♥ / 2 out of 5 hearts

Naeil's Cantabile Review

Title: Naeil’s Cantabile
AKA: Tomorrow Cantabile / Cantabile Tomorrow

Genre: Romance, Musical, Comedy

Episodes: 16

Broadcast date: 2014-Oct to 2014-Dec

Cast: Joo Won, Shim Eun Kyung, Park Bo Geum, Bae Min Jun and Ko Gyung Pyo.

This is the Korean remake of the Japanese drama called Nodame Cantabile.

Cha Yoo Jin (Joo Won) is a talented young pianist, who excels in all kinds of instruments, but dreams of becoming a conductor. Having a stubborn and rude personality and firm belief that no one can match up to his own talents, he is almost thrown out of the school. As he is unable to leave the country due to his fear of water and flying, he is unable to leave South Korea. Then he is offered to play a duet with an eccentric girl called Seo Nae Il (Shim Eun Kyung) who due to past trauma only is able to play piano if she finds it fun. Though at first he is reluctant, he notices how talented Nae Il is and decides to perform the duet with her. This makes Nae Il fall for Yoo Jin.

When the world famous conductor Franz Stresemann arrives at the school as a teacher guest and wants to make a new school orchestra, Yoo Jin decides to change majors to conducting, but for some reason Franz refuses to let him change to conducting and announces as long as he is there, Yoo Jin will never be able to change the major. What is Yoo Jin going to do?

If you’ve watched the Japanese version you will get what this review is about, and if not, I hope I didn’t make it sound too dull. Out of all Japanese remakes ever done this one has the same feel to it – the goofy story and kind of silly people who are very weird yet grown on you fast. To be honest I don’t remember that much of the Japanese drama except the goofy Nodame and the arrogant Chiaki, and they really do manage to be loyal to that part. Both Joo Won and Shim Eun Kyung are great as lead characters, but the one that stole my heart was Ko Kyung Pyo acting as Yoo Il Rak. If you remember blonde Eita as Mine, Yoo Il Rak was his counterpart, and he does the job perfectly.

I am not really able to compare the two storylines as I don’t remember, but the Japanese is one of my favorite ones out there – though this Korean remake was kind of not that great. I can’t say I wasn't entertained, but I was kind of annoyed at the love triangle, and the fact that 16 episodes pass without really having a climax – or rather I don’t remember one at all.

Okay, summing it up: an okay drama with good acting, and a semi interesting plot/storyline.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Melody of Love Review

Title: Melody of Love
AKA: Love through songs, Love Rides the Song
Genre: Romance, Family, Comedy
Episode: 151
Broadcast period: 2013-Nov to 2014-Jun
Cast: Kim Da Som, Baek Sung Hyun, Hwang Sun Hee, Kim Hyung Joong, Kwak Hee Sung, Sun Woo Jae Duk, Kim Hye Sun, Park Woong

A girl named Gong Deul Im (Kim Da Som) is dreaming of becoming a musical actor, even though her parents are against it. By accident, she gets to know Park Hyun Woo (Baek Sung Hyun), who also dreamt of becoming a musical actor, but gave up his dream, to fulfill his father’s dream of becoming a lawyer. His best friend Han Taekyung (Kim Hyung Joong) is a musical director and decides to cast Deul Im against all odds. Hyun Woo can’t stay away from the stage, and together with Deul Im he learns the true meaning behind standing up for his own dream. 
Even though Han Taekyung is a talented director, and keeps a pride in his original musicals, he encounters some financial problems. He seeks help from Hyun Woo’s cousin from America, who decides to invest money in their new production. However, what will happen when his new producer tells him to make a Broadway musical remake.


 Okay, I miraculously managed to finish this absurd drama within a week. I need an award for that seriously; ‘wasting time’ gives a whole other meaning after watching this one. But then again, I did it to myself, the only reason I watched this was because I was interested in the main actor, Baek Sung Hyun, I watched him in other dramas where he had minor roles, but in this one, he was the main, so I was interested in how he would achieve it. Hmm.. He has talent for acting (he started since he was 7), but unfortunately he was casted with other disappointing actors. I have seen idols turn into actors and succeed, and some fails big time, Dasom is one of the failures. Why would they give her a lead role? Okay, I should stop here with the actors, because it is not their fault, the writers for this drama should consider never ever write again. I thought this drama was about pursuing ones dream, when in reality I just got a lot of headache. The story was like a complicated soap opera, and the characters was so poorly build up that it made no sense in the end. I’m sorry for being so negative about it, but I would like to recommend everyone that are thinking of watching this, don’t do it. It is not worth your time. 

☆☆ / 2 out of 5 stars

♥ / 1 out of 5 hearts

What's up Review

Title: What's up

Genre: music, romance, school

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2011-Dec-03 to 2012-Feb-05

Cast: Im Joo Hwan, Im Joo Eun, Kang Dae Sung, Jang Hee Jin, Oh Man Suk, Lee Soo Hyuk, Kim Ji Won, Jo Jung Suk, Jin Jung Hoon, Kim Mi Kyung, Kim Chang Wan . . .

We follow 6 freshmen students of the theatrical department at a university. Jang Jae Hun (Im Joo Hwan) is a youngster who spent most of his time out on the streets, often getting himself in trouble. One night he happens to get into an accident causing another person to get hurt. It becomes somewhat of an eyeopener and he regrets how he used to live. Right at that time he finds out that he is accepted into university, he decides that it's his chance to change and decides to enroll, not even knowing what he will be studying. There he meets his friends Park Tae Hee (Kim Ji Won) a young innocent country girl with a great passion for music which she got from her late father, Ha Do Sung (Kang Dae Sung) a young guy who loves producing new music despite his background and the lack of support from his family, the same goes for Kim Byung Gun (Jo Jung Suk) who comes from a family of doctors, but has decided to pursue music without the knowledge from his family. Lastly Oh Doo Ri (Im Joo Eun) who came to the school to find her freedom. We follow the friendship of these guys, through school and romance, trials and challenges, as they get to know each other and learn to stand up for one another. 

The drama is quite alright, it is not amazing but if I should compare it to for example dream high, dream high was much more about singing while this one focuses on friendship and life, not that dream high didnt. It did become a bit annoying in the end with some situations that were too.. dapdaphae.. and I think they didnt do much out of the ending as we might have expected. But I loved watching their friendship grow, and it did have plenty of funny moments. The heaviness just ruined it a bit.. it might have been too cliché but hey it is a korean drama LOL. So I think if you're looking for something a bit alike dream high but more friendshipish or lifeish then this would work for you.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict

The drama starts out with an amazing kick, though you already from episode one know what is going to be the ‘love problem’ in the drama. I have to say I didn’t think it was that dapdaphae compared to many other dramas I’ve watched (hint: Secret) but yes the few last episodes are a bit annoying with the love story. I did not expect it to be sad, even though they do show at the beginning what was going to be, but you sort if forget that while watching the drama. The friendship and the musicals are great - however it did remind me a bit too much of the movie Fame.. Which I can’t really understand why.

So do I recommend it? Yeah, it is a good drama.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of5 start

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts