Wanted - The Reality Show Review

Title: Wanted – The Reality Show

Genre: Thriller, Crime, Action

Episodes: 16

Broadcast Period: Jun-2016 to Aug-2016

Cast: Kim Ah Jung, Ji Hyun Woo, Uhm Tae Woong, Park Hae Joon, Lee Moon Shik, Park Hyo Joo, Hun Hyo Sung, 

"Wanted" is a television program about a television program named "Wanted". In the course of this drama-within-a-drama, missions are assigned by some controlling intelligence, spawning an increasingly complex web of investigative reporting. In the course of these investigations, injustices are exposed. But the web of investigations is built upon "Wanted"'s purpose is the kidnapping and ransom of a child. Justice is embedded within a greater injustice. 

I really do not understand why this drama had such low ratings. Amazing drama. Very complex and suspenseful. An adult drama for adults who don't mind having to work a little to understand or figure out what is going on. The script  was very well done! There are of course some minor oversights, but don't really matter. The cast was amazing, everybody fits perfectly in the role. It is a smart drama, no unnecessary things included. It was really well prepared. So far I haven’t seen Kim Ah Joong in a drama, but she didn’t dissappoint, I liked the fresh aura from her.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict

Okay, so this is such a weird drama, I don't even know where to start. These actors are amazing actors, but unfortunately, they were given such lacking characters and stupid dialogues, that the delivery becomes half assed. I don't understand why it had to be 16 episodes, and I don't understand what this director and writer were thinking while doing this. I bet even the actors were confused at some point, because hell, I was. The beginning is really good, and the storyline unfolds slowly, but at some point, it just became too much, and I felt like they had to add stuff in order to make it more interesting. It took me forever to finish, and if I wasn't as stubborn as I am while watching dramas, I don't believe I would have finished it.

To be fair, as I said before, the actors are really trying, but it just ends up seeming like average acting. I felt that a lot of characters were unnecessary, and their involvement with each other completely dumb. But the intensity is one of the few things that does make the drama watchable – also the hope of a sudden betterment in dialogue and story...

So: under average acting, with a somewhat okay story, but unless you are hooked, you might get bored. I know I wouldn't recommend it.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥½ / 2½ out of 5 hearts

Can We Love Review

Title: Can we love?

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Family, Society

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period:  2014-Jan to 2014-Mar

Cast: Eugene, Uhm Tae Woong, Kim Yoo Mi, Choi Jung Yoon, Kim Sung Su and Park Min Woo.

This drama is about three women in their 40s: a divorcee, a housemother and a single woman.

Yoon Jung Wan (Eugene) is a single mother who divorced her husband after a life of hardship. After spending several years trying to get hired as a scenarist, she is finally hired by award-winning Producer/Director Oh Kyung Soo (Uhm Tae Woong), who seems to enjoy teasing her.

Kim Sun Mi (Kim Yoo Mi) is a single woman who prioritized her career rather than getting married, but now is at her late 30s and still single. Though dating loads of possible ‘husband material’, the only guy still sticking around is her 20-something employee Choi Yoon Suk (Park Min Woo), who is head over heels in love with her.

Kwon Ji Hyun (Choi Jung Yoon) is a married ‘all-around-housewife’, who is good at doing her housework and taking care of her husband, but due to her insanely dominant mother-in-law she doesn’t feel happy. Out of the three she is considered the most ‘lucky’ and ‘stable’ one, however bears a scar from her first love, Ahn Do Young (Kim Sung Soo) whom she wanted to marry, but due to issues was left heartbroken.

The three are best friends and have been for the last 20 years, but due to differences and jealousy they bicker and fight. They usually make up, but as fate will have it, their love lives and work intervene with each other. Will they be able to be with the ones they love?

Since I liked the first ‘type’ - I’m calling it type, since they only have the name in common - of drama (Can we get married) and I am a fan of Uhm Tae Woong, I wanted to watch this pretty much at the moment it came out. But since I felt I had to watch the first one, I kind of let this one wait. To be honest my expectations were just too high, and I made a mistake comparing the two. This drama is not a ‘bad’ drama, it just is too melodramatic, and most of the situations are just not complicated - rather a case of letting go or putting your foot down - which is almost normal in Korean dramas I guess. While watching it felt it became a case of ‘wanna-be classic drama’, yet they tried to break some of the Korean society taboos, for example: married woman dating a bachelor, older woman dating a younger man, or housewife wanting a divorce. And instead of making me thing that finally someone is taking these things seriously, they make a melodrama about the most ridiculous situations - though some were okay. Acting wise it was mediocre, noting amazing tbh, but I did feel some of the characters were well written.

All in all it is an okay drama with too many melodramatic moments.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts 

Cyrano Agency Movie Review

Title: Cyrano Agency

AKA: Cyrano Dating Agency

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Origin: Korea

Release date:  September 16 2010

Cast: Uhm Tae Woong, Lee Min Jung, Choi Daniel and Park Shin Hye.

When their theater is about to fall deeper in debt Lee Byung Hun (Uhm Tae Woong) and his friends start a matchmaking agency that help guys make their girlfriends fall in love with them. With their motto “Making her fall in love with you in top secret”, the four have a 99% success rate and take on every client there is.

One day they get visited by a man named Sang Yong (Choi Daniel), who wants their help in making Hee Joong (Lee Min Jung) fall in love with him, Hee Joong happens to be Byung Hun’s ex. In the beginning he tries everything to turn this client down, by making their service expensive or trying to ruin the operations, but is eventually forced to do it. Slowly things between Sang Yong and Hee Joong are getting better, but then Byung Hun starts to get his personal feeling mixed with business..

It’s started out very well, but somewhere along the line the movie just became less interesting and way too common. The director probably thought it would be a ‘different’ way of ending the movie that way, but it just made the entire movie longer and much more pathetic, not that it started out like that though. Every actor was great, and every character was very well portrayed, though they aren’t very well written - like not as deep as hoped. Lastly the couples were trying to create chemistry, but the scripts just didn’t let them. It was too pretend-like happy and lovely, it just became halfhearted. It’s not bad, I just suddenly became  depressed, and disappointed.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

7th Grade Civil Servant Review

Title: 7th Grade Civil Servant
AKA: Level 7 Civil Servant / 7th Level Civil Servant / My Girlfriend is an Agent
Genre: action, romance, comedy
Episodes: 20
Broadcast period: 2013-Jan-23 to 2013-Mar-28 
Cast: Choi Kang Hee, Joo Won, Ahn Nae Sang, Hwang Chan Sung, Jang Young Nam, Son Jin Young, Choi Jong Hwan, Kim Min Seo, Lee El, Byun Seung Yoon, Uhm Tae Woong, Kim Soo Hyun, Im Yoon Ho 

Kim Seo Won (Choi Kang Hee) is the girl who moved from the country to the big city, having several part time jobs while studying for the civil servant exam. She runs around and barely finds time for all the things she needs to do. One day her friend, who has a matchmaking company, offers her to go on a match-making session for money. At first Seo Won declines but after thinking for a bit, she thinks "Why not?", sitting for 2 hours talking with somebody who will pay your dinner isn't that bad at all, and she could use the money. So she accepts. The guy she is to meet is Han Gil Ro (Joo Won), he too isn't there on free will exactly. He is there just to get over with it so he can have his car back. He is the son of a CEO, coincidently also studying for the civil servant exam. Since both of them aren't interested in the match making, they sit for two hours at the restaurant, both studying for their exam, but not knowing it. When the 2 hours are up they decide to meet for another session, since Gil Ro promised his mom that he would go to 2 sessions at least with the same woman. At the second session things go wild and Gil Ro ends up losing a bet, his car, because of Seo Won.  He tries to get Seo Won to pay up, but she doesn't have the money and just wants to get away from him. Which doesn't exactly go well, as they meet again for the civil servant exam, and end up having to go through training together.

As I was watching the drama, I was actually really wondering what the reason for the low ratings was in the last few episodes. Well then I found out. The reason is that the drama almost has two endings. There are two things going on in the drama 1. The bad guys vs. the good guys 2. The relationship between the two leads. Honestly, the fight between the good and the bad is not that interesting, and so when the relationship between the two is okay or whatever, then you don’t feel like finding out how it ends with the fight. So now I definitely understand the low ratings. And I really don’t think that this is Jo Won’s best drama, even though I haven’t watched much if his. It felt as if the last episodes were just filled with random scenes trying to fill out the time, the ending was dragged out too much. Though it was an alright ending, I honestly didnt feel interested. This drama ended up being a revenge drama, but not the exciting kind at all. The message of the drama was fine "It takes more courage to forgive than to seek revenge" but I just feel like it was all messed up. Like two stories flowing together in a bad way or one overshading the other. Anyhow, I only enjoyed the fun parts in the first half of the drama. So I honestly don't really recommend this drama. Even though Jo Won is a great actor, I would rather watch something else. But if you have the time and have watched all dramas then I wouldnt stop you haha!. 

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥  / 3 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict

This drama started out very good honestly, but somewhere along the line it became halfhearted. The climax wasn’t that climatic, and instead of saying that it was too much about the revenge, I have to admit, I didn’t really care nor notice much of it after J.J’s (Uhm Tae Woong) death. I know it’s a love / police drama, but the romance took too much of the drama, and the entire thing became dull. Though I have to admit, it was great fun, really funny, humor was tip top! And the supporting couple grew on me, even if they didn’t have that much screen time.

I must say I am pretty tired of the female character - just too typical, and annoying, like I remember her being exactly alike in Protect The Boss. But I was happy about Joo Won’s new kind of character (haven’t watched Ojakgyo Family, but compared to all the others) - kind of his real personality.

To explain this in other dramas, I would say the closest is City Hunter and Fugitive Plan B - you feel me? So if that is your type of drama, watch it.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Architecture 101 Movie Review

Title: Architecture 101

AKA: Introduction to Architecture

Genre: Romance
Origin: Korea
Release date: March 22, 2012   

Cast: Uhm Tae Woong, Han Ga In, Lee Je Hoon and Bae Suzy.

Lee Seung Min (Uhm Tae Woong) is an architect who does odd jobs and small assignments for his boss. One day his old school mate Yang Seo Yeon (Han Ga In) turns up and ‘gives’ Seung Min his first job, designing her old childhood house. After several of his ideas are turned down, one of Seung Mins co-workers asks about their past, and how they met.

17 years ago, young Seo Yeon (Bae Suzy) joins architecture class - the “Introduction of Architecture”, which young Seung Min also attends. The two happen to live in the same area, and both take the same bus home. For Seung Min, the moment he laid his eyes on Seo Yeon, he fell for her, and when he is approached by her and asked to do an assignment together, he can’t say no, even though Seo Yeon seems indifferent.

This movie follows the two timelines running parallel with each other, as we find out what has happened to this couple.

(Lousy summary, biyan!) This movie has been on my pc for a very long time, and I actually completely forgot about it. But to be honest I don’t really get it. Or yeah I do but it somehow is… Dull. Like I think the idea was good, but somehow everything was just slow paced, and you don’t really see any storyline, or I didn’t. The acting was good, but else, yeah 2 hours of random - well partially. It feels uncompleted AND short: like I don’t get how they could go 17 years without clearing up ONE misunderstanding, and how they are able to just continue with their lives, even though the feelings are back. I sort understand the concept, like first love and all but it sort of doesn’t have any depth, not really anyways. Yeah, I can’t recommend anything I don’t get…

☆☆½ / 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥½ / 2½ out of 5 hearts

The Equator Man Review

Title: The Equator Man
AKA: The man from the equator
Genre: Melodrama
Episodes: 20
Broadcast period: 2012-Mar-21 to 2012-May-24
Cast:  Uhm Tae Woong, Lee Hyun Woo, Lee Joon Hyuk, Siwan, Lee Bo Young, Kyung Soo Jin, Im Jung Eun, Park Se Young, Kim Young Chul, Lee Won Jong, Lee Jae Yong, Lee Dae Yeon, Cha Hwa Yun, Lee Seung Hyung, Jung Ho Bin . . .

Jang-il (Lee Joon Hyuk (young: Siwan)) is the smart kid at school, with the dream of becoming a prosecutor to protect the weak. One day he faces some trouble, as dept collectors come looking for him at school. Unexpectedly the strong kid at school Seon Woo (Uhm Tae Woong (young: Lee Hyun Woo)) saves him. As Seon Woo gets into trouble Jang-il is too be his tutor, but Jang-il soon finds out that Seon Woo hasn't been taking advantage of his potential. The two of them develop a close relationship, one where they would do almost anything for one another, almost. Their friendship comes to a test, a test strong enough to tear them apart. Seon Woo's father dies a mysterious death, which police claims is suicide. But that just doesn't make any sense to Seon Woo, and he starts investigating. On his way to the police station to submit the proof for his father’s murder, he meets Jang-il. To whom he shouldn’t have turned his back on. Jang-il prevents Seon Woo from going to the station by as very last resort attempting murder. Now he has so live hiding a secret which is eating him up from inside, something which has torn the two friends apart. Several years later, Seon Woo will build his power up from scratch, trying to  find out what really happened and seek revenge. Revenge on a friend.  You will be surprised.

This drama is the next big drama, so amazing I was glued to the screen for 20 episodes. Amazing tension and it's got you from the start. I loved the part where they were kids, loved the little Seon Woo SO much! Everything about him, so cool. Jang-il on the other hand, I seriously couldnt watch. I was so sick of him and even made me hate the actor, I guess he is that good at acting? or what? I was really surprised by Uhm Tae Woong, I had not expected his acting to be THAT good! Maybe because I wasnt that happy about him in that one movie I watched. Here on the other hand.. WOW! so nice, the acting, and his charactor. The love stories, which I havent mentioned, I wasnt too happy about it, I hate those stories with "I must have you, cant live without you"-stalkerish kind of , not crush but like really.. like a crazy person. And its like, the girl from their childhood likes Jang-il but he is disgusted by her because of her father? or because she isnt from at well-off family. And Jang-il likes(like crazy person) the girl who likes Seon Wo and whom he likes. I really hate that kind of thing but I guess the drama is so good I could bear with it. But it made me hate the actor, I dont remember him this annoying in City Hunter. Seriously if you like the action, tension, drama, with sweet love and great actors, this is for you. The revenge part is so good! Wow-mazing!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict
I guess 2012 was the year of good dramas, because Equator Man defiantly is on that list of great dramas. It has great actors, good screenplay, good chemistry between actors and great dialogues. Though I have to say, the revenge part was crazily deep, so I actually for the first time felt like the lead became crazy because of it. Usually you see them scream, and act like madmen, but this guy seriously became mad. Like, I was scared.

But the bad part was the length and the fact that the only thing this drama is about is revenge. Okay yeah there are many, but you really don’t have time to breathe in the entire drama because of the tension, and the fact that you actually know why and how everything happened, but the lead doesn’t. So the entire drama is about waiting, waiting for things you already knew happened happens. Of course except in the beginning where you get to know the stuff, that the rest, I don’t know how many, episodes are about. It did take me some while to watch this, I started this before Jenji, can you imagine, but couldn’t end it.

I do recommend those who enjoy the entire “justice” part, and also if you like the “back to your own place” thingi…

                                                             

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Never Ending Story Movie Review

Title: Never Ending Story
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Origin: Korea
Release date: 18 January 2012
Cast: Uhm Tae Woong & Jung Ryu Won

This story revolves around two people Kang Dong Joo (Uhm Tae Woong) and Oh Song Kyung (Jung Ryu Won), who really don’t do much with their lives until they both find out they have less than three months to live.
Dong Joo is a sloppy, useless and somewhat a disgusting man with really bad luck, who lives with his married younger brother and his wife, and works at the art school, owned by the two. Song Kyung is an expressionless stiff bank woman, who is sort of an ‘’schedule- woman’’ meaning she plans everything beforehand, and writes everything on sticky-notes, be it small or big.
The two meet by several occasions: they both have the same doctor, and they both are in the same ‘marriage agency’, hoping to get married. When, after the second checkup, they both go to the marriage agency to get their money back, they go to a bar to drink, and decide to go on a date, at a cremation shop. With their different personalities: Dong Joo who is extremely sensitive and dreams of winning at lottery, and Song Kyung who is expressionless and wants to plan her funeral, they butt heads, but opposites attract, and no matter the situation, they always end up thinking of one another.

This movie is amazing! One of my favorite movies ever! Everything about it is great; the cast, the lead couple, the chemistry, the screen-play, the pace, heck even the dialogues were great! The best thing though was how real the couple seemed, the fact that both actors fit their characters so well is just perfect. I really have nothing bad to say about it, except that the lead couple just seemed too comfortable with each other, meaning they didn’t give that ‘burning love’ kind of feeling, but then again it wasn’t that needed, even though it somehow is a sad movie. Anyhow thumbs up, and I recommend.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥4½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
This is really Bunji's kind of movie. It has that seriousness even though its a comedy. I agree with everything Bunji says, it is a really great movie, but... but but but,, I didnt fall for it.. it felt a bit long, not that it made the movie bad, I just had a hard time being interested. I really dont know why, because it actually is a really good movie and I cant think of anything bad but I didnt enjoy it for some reason. So I think, yeah read Bunji's verdict because I think I watched the movie while in bad mood or something.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥  / 3 out of 5 hearts

S.I.U Movie Review

Title: S.I.U
AKA: Special Investigation Unit
Genre: Police, Crime
Origin: Korea
Release date: 24 November 2011
Cast: Uhm Tae Woong and Joo Won

Kim Sung Beom (Uhm Tae Woong) is an old fashioned police officer who believes in the old values of police work, such as having ‘a firm hand’ towards criminals. When a fellow police officer is brutally killed, burned in a car with 200g of meth found on him, the case leads to confusion of whether or not he was a corrupt police officer. So a special investigation unit is formed. A young FBI agent Kim Ho Ryong (Joo Won), with a master degree in profiling, is called to join, which lights sparks between him and Sung Beom. The two become partners, but evidence makes them loose faith in one another; Ho Ryong distrusting their team captain and Sung Beom suspecting Ho Ryong.
The case however becomes more and more complicated and leads the team to surprising results, not only revealing long time corruption, but also shines light on the forgotten past…

It’s an entertaining movie, just not superb. I remember wanting to watch it because of Uhm Tae Woong (yep, 2 days & 1 night fan here), and he defiantly is worth it. But seriously, the only this I remember, while watching, is repeating “damn Joo Won’s hot”, at least 10 times. The two as a duo is pretty cool as well, on the other hand, the storyline is a bit ‘thin’ and predictable. The cast is good and all; it’s just that the movie doesn’t make them justice. If you are considering this movie, I would say go for it, it’s pretty okay : )

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
This is actually a quite good action movie, but seriously, am I the only one who was reeaally confused? I couldnt really get half of the problems or when they were solving it... I mean, I am not like Bunji and cant really predict it.And the actors were confused and I was even more confused. And a few times I was actually surprised because I was thinking "yeah right of course he wont shoot he is the good guy" but then they do and I'm like, what is going on, its not supposed to be this way!!, well it is about corruption and you never know who the real bad guy is. So it was quite fine, but seriously not the best. The actors did a good job as well. Uhm Tae Woong is quite good, I always pictured him really awkward and timid because of 2day and 1night, when he first came.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts