Jumong Review

Title: Jumong
AKA: Prince of the Legend
Genre: Period, Historical, Romance, Melodrama
Episodes: 81
Broadcast period: 2006-May to 2008-Mar
Cast: Song Il Kook, Han Hye Jin, Kim Seung Soo, Jeon Kwang Leol, Oh Yeon Su and Song Ji Hyo.

This is the story about the creation of Kogoryeo, and the people who started it.
While trying to fight the corrupt noblemen, Hae Mo Soo (Heo Jun Ho) and the crown prince Kum Wa (Jeon Kwang Leol) get caught up in political turmoil. The king saves the crown prince, but Hae Mo Soo is caught and tortured. Yoo Hwa (Oh Yeon Su), the only survivor of her clan had always admired Hae Mo Soo, thus the two had become lovers, but after Hae Mo Soo gets caught, the crown prince saves Yoo Hwa, by making her his concubine, while carrying the child of Hae Mo Soo.
Several years later, the son of Hae Mo Soo and Yoo Hwa, Ju Mong (Song Il Gook), now all grown up, was raised as the concubine’s son. Earning the utter contempt from his two older brothers, who believe that the now king prefers Ju Mong, rather than the two older sons. Though a brat, and quite useless, Ju Mong tries his best to be seen at “a piece of trash” so that he won’t get attention, but the jealous brothers try to kill him numerous times. After being thrown out of the royal house, Ju Mong ends up on the streets and meets So Seo No (Han Hye Jin), daughter of a merchant, again, where the first time she had saved him, after his brothers had attempted to kill him.
He starts working for the So family and becomes familiar with the world. At the same time the two princes desperately want Ju Mong dead, though fate has other plans for him…

This drama has been one of those that I watched the beginning of, with interest, but accidently read about the evolvement of the story, so I had it put on hold. As time had passed, I’d forgotten about the evolvement, and I decided to watch it again, so when the “thing” I wasn’t interested in seeing appeared, I remembered it, but had an easier time sitting through it. After watching the entire thing, I had mixed emotions, mostly frustration due to the love story, but as many of the “older” dramas, the romance is usually the subplot, so it isn’t given the same amount of “care” as the main story. That said, I didn’t care for the romance aspect, as it made me annoyed, and I ended up going: whoever, just save the wife please.
The main story is very interesting, and one of the better Korean period pieces, as it is action packed most of the way through - though it has moments where I was bored. But it tries to keep you invested.
It was funny seeing Song Il Kook so young, but honestly, I didn’t see much of a difference. The rest was alright, though there is something annoying about the female lead, even if she was the most bad-ass female lead I’ve seen in a long while, but I can’t really put my finger on it.
To sum up: a great and interesting drama with a frustrating love-triangle, but still decent storyline.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Jang Yeong Sil Review

Title: Jang Yeong Sil

AKA: The Great Scientist Jang Yeong Sil

Genre: Historical, Period

Episodes: 24

Broadcast period: 2016-Jan to 2016-Mar

Cast: Song Il Gook, Kim Sang Kyung, Kim Young Chul, Park Sun Yeong and Kim Do Hyun.

Born Eun Bok, Jang Yeong Sil (Song Il Gook) was the son of a noble man and a giseng. Living as a low-class servant, Yeong Sil meets his father Jang Sung Hwi (Kim Myung Soo) as a youngster. His father notices his intellect and brightness, and decides to introduce him to the world of astronomy. Unfortunately, due to the change to Joseon from Goryeo, the government (and king) is very strict about the newly made rules. Sung Hwi realizes that his son will never be able to utilize his potential in the world of class difference and decides to leave him for Yeong Sils own good. This leaves a heartbroken Yeong Sil, but doesn’t ruin his love for astronomy.

While being hated, and envied by his former master Jang Hee Je (Lee Jee Hoon), Yeong Sil decides to work as a smith, only to be patronized by the magistrate.

Everything changes when Lee Hyun (Kim Do Hyun) one day notices Yeong Sils abilities and takes it to the king: at first King Taejong (Kim Young Chul) refuses the idea, but soon enough his son, Crown Prince Se Jong (Kim Sang Kyung), decides to work with him. This sparks hatred and jealousy from the noblemen, making life much harder for Yeong Sil…

One of my favorite stories from the Joseon period; the story of the genius slave dreaming of the stars. It is also the story of King Se Jong, but in this case his rise to power and all involved was pushed a bit back. Though I was annoyed at the invented character, the princess (Se Jongs sister), I was able to watch all of it with a smile.

The overall storyline was good, and quite close to the real story, of course there were a few dramatizations and a few things left out – but all in all close.

Casting Song Il Gook as the lead was good, but I still can’t imagine Jang Yeong Sil looking like him… But then again, he kind of felt right. I watched the King Se Jong drama a few years back, and I was a bit nervous to see who they would cast as Se Jong since the cast was superb last time, and to my amazement both Se Jong and Tae Jong were the exactly same actor! I don’t know how they did it, but thank God, they did! Made me enjoy it more.

So, to sum it up: a good story with a nice hint of historical correctness.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Fermentation Family Review

Title: Fermentation Family
AKA: Kimchi Family
Genre: Family, romance
Episodes: 24
Broadcast period: 2011-Dec to 2012-Feb
Cast: Song Il Gook, Park Jin Hee, Lee Min Young, Kim Young Hoon.

After her father suddenly leaves the family kimchi restaurant to go on a journey, Lee Kang San (Park Jin Hee) and her sister are left to take care of the place. The restaurant not only is in debt, a food company selling the same products wants to buy the shop and land. Kang San has always fought with her father, because he wanted her to take over, but she had ambitions and a job in the salad-making. Once he leaves, she decides to return, and embraces herself with vague memories of her mother’s recipes.
When the good hearted goon Ki Ho Tae (Song Il Gook) runs from his gang, he seeks refugee in the same restaurant. Kang San and Ho Tae have met earlier, when he criticized her salad, so letting him stay was not something she yearned for, but when everyone else tells her to let him she settles.
Ho Tae lost his memories when he was younger, but he vaguely remembers some things, and when first came to the restaurant he decided to stay and try find out why the place seems so familiar. Slowly but surely he starts to regain his memories, but as it turns out its far more complicated and twisted than he thought…

My reason for watching this drama was because of Song Il Gook, after watching him in Crime Squad I had to see this, and I wasn’t disappointed. He chooses dramas that really surprise me, and it’s hard to surprise me. They are so tangled up that I don’t know the ending, which I always guess, but both dramas had this ‘feel’ which makes you want to watch them. It’s funny, even though they are so low budget, I love it. I’m actually sad to let this one go, not like feeling it’s not finished, but more of a feeling of liking this family and their way of dealing with things, kind of weird, never had this before…
Anyhow, I enjoyed it : )

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Crime Squad Review

Title: Crime Squad
AKA: Homicide / Detectives in Trouble
Genre: Action, crime, police, (romance)
Episodes: 16
Broadcast period: 2011-Mar to 2011-Apr
Cast: Song Il Gook, Lee Jong Hyuk and Song Ji Hyo.

This drama follows the detectives of the Special Task Force. Park Se Hyuk (Song Il Gook) left his teaching job, so he could become a detective, in order to bring light on the case which caused the death of his 6-year-old daughter. Five years he has been solving cases and is known to be hotheaded, aggressive and stubborn, but has not been able to find out anything about his daughters case. He lives his life in depression and rage, until he one day gets a new Team Leader, Jung Il Do (Lee Jong Hyuk), the man responsible for his daughter’s death.
Jo Min Joo (Song Ji Hyo) just got a new job at a third rate website as a reporter, but hot-blooded as she is, she tries to get scoop, really close up, ending her meeting Se Hyuk, and they somehow become a dynamic duo; the reporter and the cop.
As a new case shows up; a bank robbery and a kidnapping, Se Hyuk soon finds out that the man behind it, is the man who also lost his girlfriend in the same accident where Se Hyuk lost his daughter, and he tries to make Se Hyuk even more confused about his daughter’s death…

I actually didn’t expect to like this drama as much as I did. It’s fresh, different from all the other Korean police dramas (if you ask me), and pretty good, as an action/crime drama. It has a very light feeling to it, and I have to admit, the actors are great, even the dude from T-MAX…
The storyline is strong, and goes pretty neatly, I’m just surprised about the deaths, and the corruption, all within the main characters. Anyhow, a great drama with great actors and great storyline… Sort a recommendable, for some…

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts