Review:// Beautiful Gong Shim

Beautiful Gong Shim is a romantic comedy centered around a quirky couple who become neighbors. Gong Shim (Bang Min Ah) is an aspiring artist who had to give up on school because her parents invested everything into her sister, Gong Mi (Seo Hyo Rim). As a result, Gong Shim works part time jobs while wearing a wig to cover the bald spot she has developed from being stressed about her future. Ahn Dan Tae (Nam Goong Min) goes around in short pants and sandals, eating convenience store food, and having no memory of his early childhood. Gong Shim finds him suspicious, but is surprised as she finds out more and more about him.

The Good:  The cast is really excellent. Gong Shim and Ahn Dan Tae are adorable and offbeat, evoking many laugh out loud moments. With the addition of the chaebol prince, Suk Joon Soo (Ohn Joo Wan), as the second leading man and bromantic partner, there is a lot of nice chemistry despite many misunderstandings. Gong Shim and Joon Soo's parents are silly and charming as well, The villain in this tale is a formidable opponent, which of course, always makes things more exciting.

The Bad:  It seemed that writer, Lee Hee Myung, was having some difficulty as the drama progressed. There was so much potential for more strife involving Gong Mi, for the villain to be more nefarious at the end, for more temptation by Joon Soo and for a charming and just conclusion for everyone. Everything was set up so well, and the drama ran for 20 episodes, but it spent many hours dragging on the plot involving Dan Tae's mysterious past instead of further developing the various characters and their relationships. I was expecting an emotional roller coaster ride, but the writing lost steam and brought us to a lukewarm and rather forced ending.  In addition, there were a few inconsistencies in the plot, which I won't list here because it's more enjoyable that way for those who might not catch them. 

Despite this seemingly fatal flaw, I would still highly recommend this drama for the sheer entertainment value. The cast is good enough to overcome the disappointing writing and make us love these unforgettable characters.

Review:// High-End Crush

High-End Crush is a 20-episode web drama about the CEO of an entertainment company who has everything he could want until he meets a woman that he can't bend to his will. Choi Se Hoon (Jung Il Woo) is cold, temperamental and arrogant. He also has the golden touch, so everyone caters to him. Yoo Yi Ryung (Jin Se Yun) was raised in the mountains by her grandfather who passed away. She had no clue about the entertainment world, but finds herself caught up in Choi Se Hoon's business anyway.

The Good:  Jung Il Woo was completely and thoroughly amazing in his role. He was explosive, funny, tender, and fully invested in all of his scenes. The bromance between Choi Se Hoon and Section Chief Heo (Lee Shi Un) was hilarious and touching. They had more chemistry (and I think more love from the viewers) than the main couple did. The side characters were funny and distinct, and having Bora and Monsta X in the mix was a fun bonus.

The great thing about a web series is that you get your kdrama trope fix in under 20 minutes. The pacing is fast, and each episode ends at a tantalizing moment, keeping interest high. High-End Crush did not falter in this respect and I was glad I waited until all episodes were out so I could marathon to my heart's content.

The Bad: Jin Se Yun. I don't understand how she gets cast for major roles opposite talented actors. She's one of the worst actresses I've ever seen. Her mind appeared to be blank throughout the drama, and she just looked off to the side as her go-to expression. Luckily Jung Il Woo is powerful enough as an actor that he created chemistry all on his own. Jin Se Yun contributed nothing. I can only imagine that her family has connections to get her into these roles. Such a shame because this drama could have been perfect if only she wasn't in it.

Still, I have to stress that Jung Il Woo and Lee Shi Un make High-End Crush worth watching. I highly recommend it to those who like a good romantic comedy that highlights an awesome bromance.

Review:// One More Happy Ending

One More Happy Ending is a 16-episode romantic comedy about a group of ex-idols, now 30-somethings, who are looking for fulfillment in their relationships. The story centers around Han Mi Mo (Jang Na Ra) who owns a matchmaking company for divorcees, and who is desperate to marry for the second time herself. Song Soo Hyuk (Jung Kyung Ho) is a single dad and gossip rag reporter who had a one sided crush on Han Mi Mo in elementary school. The two run into each other while Song Soo Hyuk is pursuing a story, and discover that they live right across the hall from each other.

The Good:  There were a lot of charming scenes that make this a very likeable drama. The two men in our romantic triangle were heartfelt, and then there was Conan O'Brien whose Korean was painful to listen to, but I applaud him for doing it. 

As a bonus, there were period scenes parodying other dramas that poked fun at our triangle. The flashback scenes from Han Mi Mo and Song Soo Hyuk's childhood were also cute and touching. Child actors, Lee Young Eun and Choi Kwon Soo did a great job.

There was bromance! Emotional and hilarious bromantic scenes between Song Soo Hyuk and Goo Hae Joon (Kwon Yool) in addition to their college-days flashbacks made for a painful conflict when they both went for the same woman. 

Aside from our triangle (and Conan), the rest of the characters are compelling. Go Dong Mi (Yoo In Na) is a style-challenged elementary school teacher, desperate for love, but her relationships always come with complications. Baek Da Jung (Yoo Da In) is trying to keep her family together, but her husband wants out of the cold marriage they have. Hong Ae Ran (Seo In Young) struggles with business and aging, and is hesitant to settle down with the man she's dating. Each character grew and changed as they learned from their relationships, and there were some twists and turns along the way making the story somewhat unpredictable.

The Bad:  Our leading and second leading man were attractive and evoked sympathy while they were single, but once they were in a relationship, they were completely obnoxious. I really couldn't stand either of them. And once Han Mi Mo stopped being a vapid goldfish, the obstacles thrown in to trip up the main couple's pairing were superficial and silly. The side characters had storylines that were more interesting and meaningful. If some of that authenticity could have been applied to the main couple, especially towards the end, I think the drama would have come together better.

The lack of substance and cohesiveness with the main storyline is what probably hurt its ratings. One More Happy Ending finished with a nationwide AGB Nielsen rating of 3.0%, though it averaged 5.2% overall. Despite the drama's flaws, it was entertaining and ended in a satisfactory way, so it's worth watching once you're caught up with your other dramas and want something to pass the time. 

Review:// Cheese in the Trap

Cheese in the Trap is a 16-episode melodramatic romantic comedy based on the webtoon of the same name by Soonkki. Hong Seol (Kim Go Eun) is a diligent student, putting herself through college. Though she tries to lead a peaceful life, trouble seems to find her in the form of obsessive and sometimes sociopathic people. Yoo Jung (Park Hae Jin) is the chaebol son who puts on a good face for others, but gets annoyed when he notices that Hong Seol has seen through him. Baek In Ho (Seo Kang Joon), rash and prone to violence, finds himself protecting Hong Seol as his developing feelings for her motivates him to change his life.

The Good:  I was a fan of the webtoon first, so I wasn't sure if a drama could capture all the twists and turns of the storyline, but it did in a big way. The school campus served as a microcosm of society with the various personalities that can pull a person down, and where the judgement of the majority is harsh and powerful whether justified or not. The leads were perfectly cast, and so were the more psychotic side characters like Oh Young Gon (Ji Yoon Ho) and Baek In Ha (Lee Sung Kyung). It was like literally seeing the webtoon come to life.

The Bad:  In the webtoon, the story unfolds chronologically, revealing little glimpses of Yoo Jung's strange behavior that makes you wonder about him. As Hong Seol's life becomes more harried and dangerous, and Yoo Jung's expressions become more chilling, the tension just keeps building. The drama, however, skips this unveiling of Yoo Jung, and we start a year later when he has started to like Hong Seol, and his duplicity is already known to her. The previous year is shown in flashbacks throughout the drama. This obliterated one of the main reasons I got hooked on the story in the first place, which was that growing uneasy suspenseful tension that I felt along with Hong Seol as she went through the first year of the story. They did capture Yoo Jung's creepiness, though, and all the key points of the storyline were still included, so this was something that I could overlook. Perhaps it was handled this way to draw the audience into the romantic aspect of the story as soon as possible.

The Controversy:  After I watched the drama and felt that it told the story well, even though it concluded on a very mundane and predictable note, I found out that fans had been upset, and Park Hae Jin had made complaints after the drama had ended.

Fans were angry because Park Hae Jin had less screen time in the last half of the drama, especially episodes 13 and 14. They complained that Seo Kang Joon had too many piano scenes and that a sponsor must have influenced the director to focus on him more. People even talked about boycotting his next drama. This type of thing really annoys me because Seo Kang Joon was not at fault and has no power over the sponsors who have their own agenda. I'm sure many dramas are affected by bureaucratic forces, not saying that that happened in this case, but it's a fact that it's the nature of the business. 

Putting all of that aside, Yoo Jung wasn't around during a certain period in the webtoon, so I didn't miss Park Hae Jin in the part of the drama that covered that time frame. It seemed in keeping with the story from my point of view. People have accused PD Lee of changing the lead in the middle. I don't see it that way. From reading the webtoon, I understood that the star is unequivocally Hong Seol. After her, there are two male leads, Yoo Jung and Baek In Ho.  In Ho was never a side character, and he was more than a second leading man. One of the compelling aspects of this story is the fact that there are two very strong and opposite leading men, and you're just not sure which one will win out in the end.

Park Hae Jin complained that Yoo Jung's character was not fully explained, making it hard for the audience to understand him. Some scenes that were filmed, were not used, or were edited to have a different meaning. And he said that PD Lee made a lot of revisions on set that made having a complete script meaningless.

I felt that Yoo Jung's character was explained adequately. The nature of Yoo Jung's role was to put the audience off balance, and question what he is for as long as possible, and I think that was achieved. In the end, his past, feelings and motives were revealed. If anything, there was one childhood scene that I was expecting, but missed because it wasn't included.

It's too bad that Park Hae Jin felt the need to complain after the fact, given that it just fanned the flames of dissatisfaction for those fans who were upset with the drama and PD Lee. I'm sure he was disappointed that some of the scenes he filmed were cut, and perhaps the drama would have been better had they been used, but after everything is already wrapped, what is the purpose behind feeding the frenzy of angry fans? It generates public empathy for him, but increases hatred for PD Lee and Seo Kang Joon, and ultimately diminishes the success of the drama.

Soonkki wanted the drama to be completely different from the webtoon and had also requested that new campus life episodes be written instead of using antagonistic characters like Son Min Soo, Oh Young Gon, and Kim Sang Chul. However, these characters are fundamental to the Cheese in the Trap story, so I'm glad that the producers did not listen to her in this instance, and instead remained true to the original storyline.

Because the drama was airing true to the original, Soonkki requested scripts, but did not receive any after episode six due to confidentiality issues. It seems that her biggest complaint is that she requested for the drama to have a different conclusion than the one she planned for her webtoon, but the production team used her ending anyway. It's unfortunate that the writer of the original material was disregarded; a common occurrence in show business. The producers may have done her a favor by using her boring predictable ending, though, because now maybe she will be motivated to come up with something a bit more imaginative. I do hope she incorporates clinical psychology which I've been hoping for with anticipation in the webtoon. I think it would make for a much more interesting and fitting twisted end to the story.

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Cheese in the Trap is above average as far as dramas go, for its originality, complexity and colorful characters. 

Review:// You're My Pet

You're My Pet is the Korean adaptation of Yayaoi Ogawa's manga, Kimi wa Pet. Ji Eun Yi (Kim Ha Neul) is a smart, attractive career woman who can't seem to sustain a successful relationship. Kang In Ho (Jang Geun Suk) is a dance prodigy, who gave up ballet after an accident with another dancer left him unable to work with a partner again. The two meet and settle into a master/pet relationship that is strangely satisfying for them both. However, when Eun Yi's old crush comes back into town, change is inevitable.

The Good:  The light-hearted approach to the manga makes this a feel-good movie where you can just enjoy all the cuteness without too much heartache. Jang Geun Suk is naughty, adorable and sexy.  Kim Ha Neul balances seriousness and comedy perfectly, and together they have great chemistry.

The Bad:  All the dance choreography in the film is excruciatingly horrible. It really took me out of the story every time I had to look at it. I was also disappointed that In Ho wasn't developed more. The reasons why he needed to be dehumanized, and why he found fulfillment in being a pet were pretty much left out of this version of the story. Granted, the 2003 Japanese drama (Kimi wa Pet) starring Matsumoto Jun and Koyuki had ten hours to flesh out the plot, but there was more than enough time in the movie to depict the enormous pressure and expectation that In Ho had been subjected to. Instead, much of the story's impact was lost.

Many viewers commented on the master/pet relationship being sick or abusive, some mentioning that if the genders were reversed, everyone would be of this opinion. The fact is, this story can only exist because Eun Yi is a woman and In Ho is a man.  Eun Yi is a professional woman in a male dominated Asian workforce, and as such is alienated and stunted in her career. She's also a strong, attractive woman in a male dominated society, and that intimidates men on a social level. She craves control in a world where she feels out of control no matter how qualified she is, or how much effort she puts into it. Over time, her protective shell becomes impenetrable, so it stands to reason that the only man who can get past it, is one who is not a man, but a pet who she can let her guard down around.

In Ho is a dance prodigy, so you can imagine his life was full of pressure. When he walked away from his career, there was disappointment and continued expectations. To give up control and live as someone else's pet was a big relief for him.

This is a story about two dysfunctional people who started out using each other as a crutch, but who grew stronger as their relationship evolved.

Although the Japanese drama was more true in mood and story to the manga with the exception of the end, which was not very satisfying (the drama was produced in 2003 before the end of the manga in 2005), the Korean movie did capture the spirit of the manga and concluded in a better way which was more in line with the manga's actual ending. Though the story is not as deep or impactful, You're My Pet is worth watching.

Review:// The Secret Message

The Secret Message is an 18 episode web drama about two strangers dealing with heartbreak. Woo Hyun (Choi Seung Hyun) is a Korean man in Japan, filming a documentary about love while he comes to terms with a recent breakup. Haruka (Ueno Juri) is a Japanese woman in Korea studying interpretive dance, while dealing with emotional scars. They meet by chance via text and have a profound affect on each other.

The drama was filmed beautifully in a way that enhanced the pensive and often melancholy mood of the production. The story unfolded at a gentle pace, exposing each character's issues in a relatable fashion. Its serious tone paired with quirky humor gave this series an "art film" feel, however, it was not unconventional or symbolic enough to fulfill the criteria of such.

Overall, I'd say it's worth watching if you are inclined toward the cast. Otherwise, it's like a rainy day or a blue mood that concludes on a disappointing note. Many people will not understand the ending that is meant to be clever and dramatic. Instead it was a bit silly, and could be resolved given a little time.

Review:// She Was Pretty

She Was Pretty is a romantic comedy about childhood friends who got separated and experienced a reversal of fortunes before reuniting as adults. Kim Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum) was a pretty, popular girl who took the chubby Ji Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon) under her wing. After his family immigrated to the United States, her family went bankrupt and they lost touch with each other. Now Sung Joon has returned to Korea as a successful editor, while Hye Jin is still trying to find permanent employment. Due to a misunderstanding, she feels the need to hide her identity from Sung Joon, but fate has made it impossible to avoid him.

The Good:  This is a feel good comedy that retains enough tension to make it worthwhile. There are wonderfully excruciating scenes, fan service in the way of bromance, womance and the classic shower scene, and a good balance of injury and redemption. 

Our four leads all gave endearing performances. Although Hwang Jung Eum seems to play every role she gets in the same exaggerated way, this one actually warranted her acting style, and her physical comedy was very much an asset.

Choi Shi Won shed his pretty boy image for a rugged, manly look. His portrayal of the zany reporter (and Second Leading Man), Kim Shin Hyuk, was over the top, but in an appropriate way. However, he also brought a sensitivity to the role that was heartbreaking.

Alongside these more extreme characters, Park Seo Joon's hot/cold/funny and Go Joon Hee's sweet and conflicted performances interplayed well which created a compelling chemistry among all four of them. This was a perfect tonic for those feeling sorry for Park Seo Joon's character in Kill Me, Heal Me.

The Bad:  The chaotic state of Kim Hye Jin was unbelievable to the point where it took me out of the story a bit at first. She had been refined and feminine as a child, but turned into a tomboyish woman with no sense of style whatsoever, with the vague explanation that she had been through hard times. Even if I accepted that her personality had completely changed, the fact that her stylish best friend and roommate had not given her a makeover so that she could pass a job interview was puzzling to me.

The pacing faltered going into the second half, which would ordinarily make me think that the season should have been shortened by a few episodes. Although it wasn't to that point, I wish they had spent less time on all the extraneous happy scenes involving the main couple, and spent a little more time fleshing out the subplots for the side characters.

The drama's flaws didn't detract too much from its entertainment value, though, which was reflected in its ratings which averaged 13.4% nationwide, and 14.7% in Seoul (AGB Nielsen).

Awards:  Hwang Jung Eum and Park Seo Joon won in several categories at the 2015 MBC Drama Awards including Top 10 Stars, Popularity, and Excellence Actor and Actress in a Miniseries. Hwang Jung Eum also won the PD Award. Additionally, Hwang Suk Jung was named Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries, Yang Han Yeol received the Best Child Actor Award, and Jo Sung Hee won Writer of the Year. 

Review:// Kill Me, Heal Me

Kill Me, Heal Me is a 20-episode medical mystery/romantic comedy about a chaebol son with multiple personalities who gets treated by a first year psychiatry resident. Cha Do Hyun (Ji Sung) loses a year of his childhood memories after traumatic events splinter his mind into several identities. Because of his position, his condition cannot be revealed, and strangely enough, he's only responsive to Oh Ri Jin (Hwang Jung Eum), a psychiatrist with no experience with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Meanwhile, her twin brother Oh Ri Ohn (Park Seo Joon), is a mystery writer digging into Cha Do Hyun's history, but it seems he already holds a big secret.

The Good:  Ji Sung gave a brilliant performance, assigning different facial expressions, voices and body language for each personality. He inspired empathy for each, and sold every scene he was in as believable, touching and entertaining.

Although the chemistry between the leads was a bit lacking at first, it warmed up in the second half and improved through to the end.  Cha Do Hyun and Oh Ri Ohn's "bromance" was spectacular and worth watching over and over.

Oh Ri Jin and Oh Ri Ohn have a warm and funny sibling relationship, though there is a sad and poignant side to it that adds another layer of emotion to the overall story.

The action and intrigue unfolded in an interesting and well-paced manner. Though somewhat predictable, the storytelling still created a sense of curiosity as to how it would all be revealed and resolved.

The Bad:  There didn't seem to be much research done for the medical aspect of the drama. It was more a romantic comedy with a medical theme, since psychology didn't play a part in the actual handling or treatment of Cha Do Hyun's condition. And although I didn't expect it to be very realistic, the resolutions that came about completely devoid of psychological input were not satisfying, and I was left feeling like all the loose ends were not tied up.

Oh Ji Rin was completely unbelievable as a psychiatrist. She was extremely annoying for the first ten episodes with her histrionic shrieking and the disingenuous, condescending tone she took at times. She was too clueless and easily flustered to have the mind or training of a psychiatrist, and it pulled me out of the story for more than half of the episodes which was a big disappointment.

Despite that, there was a lot of emotion built up in the story which ignited expectations for a ending that was at least as engaging as one of the many endearing scenes. Though many viewers might be satisfied with the conclusion, it was just lukewarm for me. After laughing and crying with these characters for 20 hours, I expected an ending with a little more intensity.

Awards:  Kill Me, Heal Me's Neilsen rating  averaged 10.1 nationwide, and 11.1 in Seoul. Ji Sung, Hwang Jung Eum and Park Seo Joon received a slew of awards at the 2015 MBC Drama Awards where Kill Me, Heal Me was Drama of the Year.  Additionally, Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum won the 2015 Daum Best Couple award, and at the 10th Seoul International Drama Awards, Hwang Jung Eum was named Outstanding Korean Actress and the drama won for Excellent Korean Drama. The touching soundtrack won for Best OST at the 8th Korean Drama Awards.

Interesting Notes:  Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum played opposite each other in the 2013 suspenseful crime melodrama, Secret Love.  Hwang Jung Eum and Park Seo Joon went on to star together in She Was Pretty which aired later in 2015.

Review:// Masked Prosecutor

Ha Dae Chul (Joo Sang Wook) is a prosecutor in a corrupt justice system where criminals use the law to escape punishment. By night we wears a mask to right the wrongs that would otherwise go unresolved.  Yoo Min Hee (Kim Sun Ah) is the crime division chief at the Gangham Police Station who finds herself bumping heads with the seemingly shallow prosecutor. Consequently, she also happens to be his first love; a one-sided love, for the most part.

The Good:  This drama boasts an excellent cast, each actor perfectly suited for their role. Joo Sang Wook and Kim Sun Ah have good chemistry together, delivering a satisfying sense of push and pull. There is intrigue, as our leads both have family issues that are tied into the main plot. The bad guys are unconscionably bad, and powerful as well. This is balanced with comedy and an adorable bromance.

The Bad:  The writing could use a lot of improvement. The police work was sloppy, making everyone look incompetent enough that it was a distraction. Although the threads of the story came together neatly, it was presented in a very straightforward, one-dimensional way. There wasn't a sense of multi-layered storytelling or emotional development. As for the culmination of the romance, it was anti-climactic to be sure. At the end (pardon me for being sexist) I thought to myself: a man wrote this. So I checked, and yes, Choi Jin Won was responsible for the flat writing and lack of romantic satisfaction. He is also the writer for another big disappointment of mine, Big Man.

I was going to rate Masked Prosecutor a six, but gave it an extra half point just because the actors really pulled through and made their characters shine despite the script. Not just the leads, but the entire cast performed well. 

Review:// Pride and Prejudice

MBC's 21 episode legal romantic drama, Pride and Prejudice, is about a young prosecution team working to reveal a conspiracy that can crush them. It's really two stories intertwined, which are unraveled step-by-step in a suspenseful way, while love struggles to bloom.

Lead by Chief Moon (Choi Min Soo), the team's purpose is to investigate civilian concerns, but soon branches out to bigger cases despite opposition from their superiors. At first it seems that Chief Moon is simply being ambitious and desiring more prestige for the team, but as he guides the prosecutors toward connected cases, it becomes clear that he has another agenda.

Each prosecutor is paired with an investigator who they end up doing a lot of field work with, so they aren't always stuck in conferences or the interrogation rooms. They really seem more like detectives who don't rely much on the police. Work is also balanced with home life, as our main and second leading man and leading lady all board at the same house.

Han Yul Moo (Baek Jin Hee) is a new intern prosecutor whose motivation is revenge stemming from a family tragedy. She does an excellent job portraying confusion, conflict and resolve as she lets her pure heart lead her. She also has a complicated relationship with her depressed mother played by Kim Na Woon, who is dealing with their tragedy in a decidedly more self-destructive way. Baek Jin Hee won the Excellence Actress for Special Project award at the MBC Drama Awards.

Goo Dong Chi (Choi Jin Hyuk) is the prosecutor in charge of training Yul Moo, and they share a past that is more complicated than even they realize. He's charming, intelligent and excellent in a fight. Choi Jin Hyuk gives us an authoritative character tempered by a warm heart and sense of humor. At the MBC Drama Awards he won the Excellence Actor for Special Project award.

Goo Dong Chi as the older man who knows what he wants, and Han Yul Moo as the younger uncertain woman with strong convictions, do have a sweet chemistry. Their personal obstacles are overcome in a believable way, and their matching moral fortitude and bravery builds a strong bond.

Kang Soo (Lee Tae Hwan) is Goo Dong Chi's investigator and our endearing second leading man. He's rather shy, but courageous and protective. Orphaned at a young age, he doesn't remember the traumatic events of his past which happen to be relevant to the conspiracy his team is working to uncover.

Despite their rivalry in love, Dong Chi is still Kang Soo's idol and they share a touching bromance, made all the more adorable when a cute puppy is in the picture. 

Chief Moon is volatile and mysterious. He knows the players and political shenanigans that go on among the officials above him. While it's apparent that he's supporting his team, it also seems that he's holding them back. It's hard to know whether he's trustworthy from one episode to the next. He shares a past with Jung Chang Gi (Son Chang Min) the neighborhood ahjussi who Kang Soo is close with. 

Choi Min Soo gave a powerful performance as Chief Moon, winning him the Golden Acting Award at the 2014 MBC Drama Awards. He refused the award, indirectly referencing the Sewol ferry incident in a speech delivered by Baek Jin Hee that was suspiciously edited out of the program and included these thoughts:

"This is the least I can do for society's conscience and hope lost in the deep, cold sea during the times of a failing law, lack of common sense, and loss of any morsel of truth."

The other prosecutor on the team is the often cowardly Lee Jang Won (Choi Woo Shik). He's paired with investigator Yoo Kwang Mi (Jung Hye Sung) who is incidentally the daughter of Chief Moon's investigator, Yoo Dae Gi (Jang Hang Sun), which makes for some delightfully awkward scenes at the office.

The pair and their playful romance serves as comic relief, but they also do good work as Kwang Mi inspires Jang Won to do better.

While the drama is often serious and tense, it's tempered not only by comic relief, but cuteness too. The grandmother who adopted Kang Soo and runs the boarding house, takes on a new charge which stirs up the past for Kang Soo, and also gives us a chance to preview our handsome leads as daddies.

Pride and Prejudice is full of likeable complex characters in a tension packed story of intrigue. Impressively the pacing doesn't falter in the middle like it does in so many other dramas. Where it stumbles is at the end. The drama got a one episode extension which it did need as the time to resolve everything was getting short. Instead of utilizing that time wisely, episode 20 was filled with unnecessary flashbacks. 

The courtroom scenes in the final episode bring us to an anticlimactic conclusion without any satisfying confrontation. There is a profound and touching sacrifice made that isn't acknowledged when we jump ahead three years. In fact there is no resolution for any of the characters, only a short extraneous scene involving the lead couple. Instead of using up so much time in flashbacks, a longer scene that gathered everyone together again at the end would have made for a much more gratifying finale.

In spite of the glaring flaws at the finish, Pride and Prejudice is worth watching. It will keep you guessing, trying to connect the dots, while commiserating with all of the lovable characters. Besides that, the concept that through teamwork and sacrifice, individuals can challenge corrupt powerful institutions to affect change is an important one to keep alive in society. In light of that, I have to applaud Choi Min Soo in his refusal of his award. Even though his message was censored on the television broadcast, the word still got out in the media and will hopefully provide some perspective for the masses. Read more about it here.

Review:// A New Leaf

Legal drama, A New Leaf, had so much potential. With Kim Myung Min as the brilliant cold lawyer Kim Suk Joo, opposite Park Min Young as the adorable intern, Lee Ji Yoon, the scene was set for explosive chemistry. However, this drama had a knack for disregarding my expectations completely.

In a strong start, Suk Joo and Ji Yoon meet in confusing and hilarious circumstances while Jun Ji Won (Jin Yi Han), whom Ji Yoon had been wanting to impress, looks on curiously. My Expectations: Ji Yoon would continuously astound the iceberg Suk Joo, getting them into silly situations that would turn out for the best in the long run. Suk Joo would start to melt, though would it be fast enough to keep Second Leading Man, Ji Won, in check? Did it happen? Not at all. The pacing and tone of the drama did not remain consistent, there was no satisfying melting, and I don't think Second Leading Man was a role that existed at all.

 

As the top lawyer in a ruthless firm, Suk Joo made a lot of enemies. It was no surprise that he suffered an attack, resulting in amnesia. When his boss, Cha Young Woo (Kim Sang Joong) and Ji Yoon see his bizarre (for him) behavior at the hospital, they can't believe their eyes. My Expectations: Suk Joo continues to show a surprising side of himself, which Ji Yoon can't help but be drawn to. However, the fact is that his attacker is still out there, so there is some urgency for him to regain his memory. Did it happen? While it's true that another side to Suk Joo invariably surfaced, it wasn't very entertaining to watch. Not that Kim Myung Min did a poor job; he's always great in his roles. The script was just very one note and a dry one at that. As far as a sense of urgency, it wasn't to be found anywhere.

Ji Yoon proves to be a naive, but competent intern with a promising future. As the only person besides the CEO who knows about Suk Joo's amnesia, she works closely with him to keep the secret from clients and the rest of the firm. My Expectations: this couple would get closer despite a strong and sweet Second Leading Man in the mix. Did it happen? At best you could say that Ji Yoon came to understand Suk Joo more. I soon got the sense that she wasn't what you could even call a Leading Lady. She seemed more like a cute side character that kept popping up to advance the plot here and there without any real growth or meaning to her.

 

When a woman from Suk Joo's past present shows up, he has to decide whether or not to reveal his amnesia. My Expectations: things get complicated, and Ji Yoon's twinges of jealousy help her realize what her true feelings are. Did it happen? HA! I mean, no, no it didn't.

 

Ji Won, as a judge, was valuable as a mentor for Ji Yoon, but living in the same neighborhood could also give them opportunities to get to know each other on an informal level. My Expectations: Ji Won's softer side would appeal to Ji Yoon, and her goofiness would win him over. Did it happen? Nooo it did not. Really, they could have cut out all their scenes together and it would not have made a difference to the plot or their relationship.

 

Perhaps the most fulfulling pairing of the drama is the bromance between Suk Joo and Park Sang Tae (Oh Jung Se). They went to school together and now they work at the same firm, but have opposite personalities and approaches to life. Sang Tae is charming, funny and indulges in his hobby of auditioning to be a performer. It would have been nice to cut out some of the dragging legal action to spend more time with him. Finally some chemistry!

 

Other side characters weren't treated as well. Ji Yoon's father and aunt were tied to the legal aspect of the plot, but weren't really utilized as more than a sidenote. Her cute mischievous brother could have popped up here and there to stir things up being the brat that he is. It's a shame he only appears a few times. I guess it makes sense, though, seeing as how Ji Yoon herself was treated as an underused side character.

 

 

As a legal drama, the courtroom action was at times gratifying, but mostly just lukewarm. Though Ji Yoon's earnestness and prosecutor Lee Sun Hee's (Kim Suh Hyung) passion did incite a bit of interest, for the most part, I didn't care about the cases. Suk Joo functioned well even without his memory, so there wasn't a need for him to recover for his clients' sakes. And where you would expect there to be resolution, it's not provided. The drama being cut by two episodes might have had something to do with it, but since I wasn't all that interested anyway, it was merciful that they spared me from having to watch two more hours of mediocre writing.

 

In the end, it seems that Suk Joo's amnesia was the best thing that could have happened to him, but it all plays out in such a subdued manner. He and his estranged father (Choi Il Hwa) both have such non expressive personalities that their nuanced facial expressions have much to communicate. Though writer Choi Hee Ra could have done so much more with the events of their past, at least they made more progress than any other relationship in the drama.

I was hoping A New Leaf would be a legal thriller with gripping courtroom action, danger that would have me screaming for Suk Joo to recover his memory before it was too late, an unlikely but touching romantic triangle and at times excruciating comic relief. Well, there was comic relief, anyway. The script just wasn't smartly written, and I have a feeling that the legal and banking aspects of it were oversimplified or just not authentic. I know procedures differ between countries, but how can someone out on bail be allowed to leave the country, and who doesn't know that Forex trading is extremely risky?

What started out so charmingly, turned into hours of increasing disappointment, and finally ended with loose strings that I didn't care about anyway. In fact, I preferred that the drama end sooner, rather than make me sit through wrapping everything up properly. The only thing holding this series together was its excellent cast who I hope make better decisions about what projects to be involved with in the future.

Review:// Bride of the Century

At the heart of this drama is a 100 year curse that claims the life of the first bride of each first son of the Choi family. Of course the Choi family is extremely affluent, as they run Taeyang Corporation, the largest conglomerate in South Korea.

 

We start in the past with servants gossiping about the curse that will soon claim their master's new bride. Meanwhile in the newlyweds' chamber, Yang Jin Sung plays a bride, who presumably will have a connection with a one of her modern day counterparts.

 

 

Our present day leads come from two different worlds. Na Doo Rim (Yang Jin Sung) is a hardworking country girl, beloved by everyone. Choi Kang Joo (Lee Hong Ki) is the rich chaebol son, stepping into his father's CEO position.

Our villains come in the form of mother/daughter team Ma Jae Ran (Shin Eun Jung) and Jang Yi Kyung. After discovering Na Doo Rim who looks exactly like Yi Kyung, they devise a plan to beat the curse and save their company in the process. The two women are a perfect pair; cold and ruthless with flickers of humanity. Dim flickers.

 

Doo Rim is thrown into a world that she doesn't really fit into, between the iceberg, Choi Kang Joo, and his suspicious assistant, Lee Roo Mi. Second Leading Lady? Yes indeed. Jang Ah Young plays the cold and poised daughter of decent pedigree, and who has an earnest heart, in a way that evokes both resentment and sympathy.

 

 

The chemistry between Kang Joo and Doo Rim is the best thing about this series. Doo Rim's mistakes and bright bumbling personality get under Kang Joo's skin which Lee Hong Ki expresses in such a gratifying way. His exasperation, wrinkled brow, looks of disgust and fits of frustration are all steps on a familiar path that we all know and relish; kdrama love!

 

 

The funniest kiss I've ever seen in a Korean drama, or any drama for that matter, is received by Kang Joo, whose sound effects are not to be missed. 



 

 

Jang Yi Hyun (Sung Hyuk) is our sweet and protective Second Leading Man. Though the situation may be a little on the weird side, you have to love a man who really only cares about the person on the inside, ignoring everything else.

 

 

Yang Jin Sung played both the good and evil archetype so well, it's hard to believe this is her first leading lady role in a drama. I really saw her as two different people, despising Yi Kyung and adoring Doo Rim. The different makeup styles had a part in it, but Jin Sung has a separate aura and look in her eyes for each character that is undeniable.

 

Getting back to the curse, the supernatural element of the story is portrayed with lighting and wind. Nothing fancy, but it does set the tone satisfactorily without detracting from the story. The spirit attached to the family provides mystery and suspense which gives rise to more questions. However, it all makes sense in the end.

 

 

A shift back in time is shot beautifully and gives us insight and understanding as dots are connected and karma is generated. Even after everything falls into place in the present, the past makes one last appearance to complete the puzzle and you just have to wonder how boring life would be without misunderstandings.

 

As a bonus, we have eye candy in Jung Hae In who plays Choi Kang Joo's idol brother, Kang In. He is a bit like Doo Rim with a positive attitude and indomitable spirit. While our leads give us plenty of comic relief, Hae In provides breath-of-fresh-air relief. Hopefully his part will be bigger in The Three Musketeers which starts filming next month.

 

 

The cast is well rounded with subplots that are tended to, and come to fulfilling conclusions. Together with a ballad rich soundtrack, beautiful locations and soft focus photography, Bride of the Century is a decidedly romantic drama with a heavy dose of intrigue.