Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

This was supposed to be one of the first PSJ dramas that I should've watched but I couldn't get past Episode 1 because I was OC-ing over their long hair which I was itching to cut. But since Park Hyung-sik was also there, I resolved to get past my irritation and finish it pordalab.

True enough, it's an enjoyable drama in a sense of all the oppas that's in the series. Your eyes will never go tired watching all those boys traipsing around town either wearing their Hwarang robes or their "sports" attires.

The series aired on December 2016 to February 2017 but unlike the other dramas, this was shot before the premier. It starred Park Seo-joon, Go A-ra and Park Hyung-sik.

The series revolved around a group of young men who were recruited by the Queen to join the "Hwarang" during the time of the Silla Kingdom. Though the males were supposedly drafted to promote art and culture but their purpose were somehow blurred to become soldiers to protect the royal family.

Sharing my live tweets while watching the series:

Gwapo ng mga kainuman ko. Geonbae! pic.twitter.com/2VyUSzRzwK

— Shine ☀️ 빛 (@sunshi_fairy) August 4, 2018

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

The Flower Boys

Eye candy everywhere! I was smiling while watching the series. Let's go through them one by one:

• Park Seo-joon - no explanation needed. I love him. Period.
• Park Hyung-sik - both he and PSJ are my number one oppas. I love him. Period.
• Choi Min-ho (from the Kpop group Shinee) - I liked the way he looked here compared to his look whenever he's singing with his band
• Kim Tae-hyung or V(from the wildly popular group, BTS) - I can't understand why he has to change his look while he's singing. I like him better when he's not wearing make-up or coloring his hair
• Do Ji-han - bad boy turned good. He was always angry but when he smiled, he's actually handsome.
• Cho Yoo-woo - he's supposed to be the most beautiful among the flower boys but he's not my type but he does have a certain charm

The Shower Scenes

If I remember it right, they had a couple. This first one was right after their master threw up on them.



The other one was when they were learning the steps for their group dance.



The Group Dance Practice and Actual Group Dance

The practice was hilarious as half of them were graceful while the other half were like bumbling buffoons! A friend noticed that you would know who came from a Kpop group and who did not.



Don't forget the gif!

Hwarang Dance GIF from Hwarang GIFs

Seeing them do the actual dance made me want to stand up and giving them a round of applause!



The Soccer Match

This was very beautiful to watch. They looked so graceful and athletic (of course, most of it was with the help of wires) that you can't help but cheer for them as well.



The OST

There were several songs that I like in this series:

- Wherever You Are by Han Dong Geun



- Our Tears by Hyolyn (as well as Park Seo-joon's version)





- The Divine Move (A Move of God) by Yoseob


- I'll Be Here by Park Hyung-sik

The Korean History and Cultural Lessons

Watching this made me research on the history of Korea. After watching all the Sageuk themed dramas, I somehow had an idea that Korea used to be three kingdoms. Silla, where the drama was set, was one of those three kingdoms.

Their culture, especially the way they dress, is different from Goryo. I was used to seeing the females having their hair up wearing those elaborate pieces, but here, they had their locks down--even the men (which drove me crazy). I already had a hard time determining the men from the women and having them not put up their hair made things more difficult.

The Bromance

I love the bromance between the Hwarang boys--not only with PSJ and PHS but among the boys. Seeing how they supported for each other and grieved for those who died showed their camaraderie and closeness. I also liked how Ban-ryu (Do Ji-han) changed for the better when he realized how better it was to be with his friends.

Lee Kwang-soo

I first saw him while watching Running Man and I never realized that he was an actor. All the while, I thought he was just a crazy comedian because of his wild antics in the reality show. It was a treat seeing him in Hwarang, albeit short. Will watch his other series for sure.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

The Story

It started off ok but managed to get iffy towards the end. I wish they focused more on the brotherhood of the Hwarang instead of the love story between Ah-ro (Go A-ra) and Dog-bird (Park Seo-joon). It might have solidified the decision that they made in the end. In fact, I was expecting for Dog-bird to do the opposite as he had more claim to the throne than the Crown Prince.

The Second Lead Syndrome

Like in She Was Pretty, I was not rooting for PSJ to get the girl. PHS' character, the Crown Prince, saw Kim Ah-ro (Go A-ra) first and worked hard to make her love him. But she ended up with Dog-bird instead by some weird twist of fate. Maybe that's why I didn't like the love angle in the end.

RATING

Giving this four tissue boxes because I enjoyed it and received fair warning to not dwell much on the story. All those oppas and PSJ and PHS made this drama so worth it.

Leaving you with the guest appearance of the Hwarang Boys (PSJ, PHS and Choi Min-ho) in 2 Days 1 Night (I never realized that one person could be so unlucky!) as well as the Behind the Story of Hwarang. Both are enjoyable to watch!







Watched: August 3-6, 2018

Suits

This drama is a South Korean adaptation of a US television series with the same name by Aaron Korsh.

This series starred Jang Dong-gun and Park Hyung-sik. The former is the reason why I watched this as I was enamored by him after seeing him in Strong Woman Bong Soon.  It ran just this year from April to June 2018.

The story revolves around a distinguished lawyer, who after getting tired of all the graduates from the known universities, decided to hire a young inexperienced man who has no law degree but has a retentive memory. The plot line somehow follows that from the US TV series with a few local adjustments.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Park Hyung-sik

He was just awesome here. Though there's something might be lost in translation, but I'm at awe on how he was able to memorize complicated law jargon and was able to deliver them with ease. I have often admired people with amazing memories because mine sucks. I remember failing my law subjects because I can't memorize the texts and flubbed the recitations. A direct contrast of my former fangirling life where I can quote the the episodes where my beloved love team appeared and what they were wearing in that specific episode.

I loved PHS's haircut here and his over-all look. Sharing a few screen-caps that I took with my iPad while watching the series.

The Bromance

I especially liked the interaction between PHS's character, Go Yeon-woo and Jang Dong-gun's, Choi Kang-seok. The latter never considered Mike Ross, errr..Yeon-woo as his weakness, even though he should be.

I particularly liked this scene where they eventually did a fist bump--which Yeon-woo has been wanting to do for the longest time.

The OST

Probably the only drama I've watched so far, with an English language song that I like.


WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

Suspension of Disbelief

This was difficult to do considering the numbers of times that I should do it. I know that in watching movies or tv series, this is a given but some of the scenes were just too much.

One is that Yeon-woo was able to freely see the payslip of one of his colleagues. In my experience, a payslip is very confidential. We were always cautioned by our Human Resources to never show it to anyone (except when applying for loans). So to be able to just request to see it seems odd. But then, maybe they have a different culture in Korea that it's a norm.

Another is anyone not catching on that Yeon-woo is not a law graduate. It is HR's policy to do a background check and request for documentation as proof of one's degree. Though there were some that caught on but considering the amount of time that he has been working with the firm, it should've been caught early on.

The Comparison

I haven't watched that much episodes of the US version so there should be not much to compare on. But I can't help but compare Choi Kang-seok with Harvey Specter and I prefer the character portrayal of Gabriel Macht. He's smoother and more dashing. But then, maybe there's just something that's lost in translation

The Lack of Chemistry

I'm disappointed in the supporting female lead that served as the love interest of Yeon-woo. They lack chemistry and I told my friends that the PHS' kiss is wasted on her. Still shipping PHS with PBY.

RATING

Nevertheless, I'm hoping for a Season 2 to see where else they can bring this drama. Pordalab of Park Hyung-sik, I'm giving this a 2 tissue box rating.

Watched: July 29 - August 2, 2018

Because This is My First Life

I'm deviating from my format of posting reviews of series that I've watched chronologically to write this. I just finished this and I'm in awe of this beautifully crafted and written show.

Because This is My First Life aired last October to November 2017 at tvN. The same network that showed my favorites--Goblin and What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, among others. The series starred Lee Min-ki and Jung So-min.

I'm excited to have seen a lot of familiar faces in the drama as its an attestation of how much dramas I've already watched:

• First of, the two leads appeared in cameos as the parents of a young Kim Mi-so in What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (After finishing this, I immediately watched Episode 10 of WWWSK).
• The boss of the male lead also appeared in What's Wrong with Secretary Kim as a blind date of Kim Mi-so.
• The boyfriend of one of the female lead's bestfriends also appeared as a soldier in Descendants of the Sun.
• One of the senior co-writers of the female lead was the flamboyant boss in She Was Pretty.
• The director of the drama that the female lead was writing for appeared as a defendant in Suspicious Partner.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

The Story

I thought that the plot was something that I've read in my romance novels--both parties entered into a marriage of convenience only to fall in love with each other along the way. However, I liked the way the writer, Yoon Nan-joong, tackled that angle.

You would think that if two people of the opposite sex lived together and suddenly developed a sexual attraction, there would be a lot of sexual innuendos. That was not the case here. There are however, a lot of life learnings and different perspectives.

Nam Se-hee (Lee Min-ki) is an eccentric computer programmer who contracted Yoon Ji-ho (Jung So-min) as a tenant. They married soon after when they realized the advantages that it would bring them. Ji-ho figured later on that she loved him and ended their contract.

This is where I really didn't get it. If she did love him, why did she not just continue the contract and lived as a real husband and wife? Later on, I concluded that she must've wanted to start anew without the complications of marriage (e.g. expectations of in-laws and friends) and that she wanted to "force" Se-hee out of his shell. He has always contained his emotions and she does not want to have a marriage based on that.

There were a lot of references to fiction and non-fiction literature all throughout the series--not surprising considering that Ji-ho is a literature major. My favorite one is pertaining to the book To Room 19 by Doris Lessing. It's about a seemingly perfect married couple with the wife wanting to have space for herself. Initially, the husband put aside a room in the second floor for her but the kids still entered the place. She eventually rented a small motel room and went there several hours a day just to do nothing. She kept this a secret from her husband and family as she treasured her space as it's only there that she can be herself.

Ji ho used Room 19 as an analogy describing their secret space which neither partner can enter. She wanted to find out what was inside Se-hee's Room 19. She ended their marriage because she's scared of what she will find in that room and how it will affect their relationship.

The Two Leads

Lee Min-ki's character needed some getting used to. He was literally a blank slate--like Kim Soo-hyun's character in My Love from the Star. I'm used to watching dramas with me falling in love with the Oppa male lead. But when Se-hee he started to show emotion, he slowly changed to being human and oppa-ble.

I found Jung So-min so beautiful here. She's my other girl crush next to Park Min-young. You would think that she's meek and quiet but she belied that by the strength she showed when she left her job.

I loved their sensitive portrayals and how they gave life to the written characters.

The Lessons and Quotable Quotes

Whenever I watch a Korean drama, I usually pick up something new. This show was no exception.

There was this touching moment between Se-hee and Ji-ho's mother before the wedding ceremony. Ji-ho's mom asked Se-hee to let her daughter continue writing after they get married and not let her live like her mother. Se-hee said that his wife's heart is really strong and she doesn't do anything that will make her unhappy. He will not stand in the way of her happiness and that is all that he will promise her. The mother then said something very poignant--"Just because you're married, it doesn't mean you have to make her happy. What can make anyone else happy?" 

People think that marriage is the one-all and be-all of happiness; that getting married means that they can live happily ever after. It's not usually the case. Marriage is a journey and a relationship that involves numerous complicated elements. It takes years to master these aspects and involves a lot of trial and error.
I initially thought that I will not get married, that I will live my life in the state of single blessedness. I already started making plans on how to live my life with that scenario in mind and decided to be happy about it. Happiness should only come from yourself and not be dependent on anything or anyone. 

"But I don't think marriage is sacred. Love is a sacred thing."
This is a different perspective that I managed to gather from this drama. I come from a culture and religion that considers marriage as holy--what God has joined together let no man put asunder. (Mark 10:9)  Up to now, we are the only country left in the world that considers divorce unlawful. We were taught to save the marriage at all costs and to fight for our husbands and family.
This aspect looks at marriage that should have love in it--and not just something "fortunate". In the olden times, marriage was used for political and monetary reasons. Only a few are lucky enough to be in love with each other when they were joined in matrimony. This has changed over the times with love being the reason for marriage. Throughout the relationship, love then changes over time depending on how each partner handles it. Sometimes it turns to hate but for others, it turns to respect and a deep sense of commitment.
Personally, I'm a believer of divorce as it gives spouses who are victims of abuse a way out. Moreover, if your marriage is healthy and solid, divorce shouldn't scare you. I guess it just takes political will for it to happen.

"What matters is spending time with the person next to you, right this moment, no matter what.
That's why even today we focus on loving each other and to those living this moment with all my sincerity, I wish you the best of luck. Because this is everyone's first life."
Ji-ho narrated this towards the end of the final episode. It somehow espouses the idea of "You Only Live Once" which I'm not comfortable with but I do agree that we only have one life to live so we should make the most out of it.

The Supporting Characters

The story of the supporting characters are also interesting to follow, especially the story of Ji-hee's bestfriends, as they are relatable and familiar.

Yang Ho-rang (Kim Ga-eun) has been in a relationship with her boyfriend, Kim Min-seok (Sim Won-seok) for seven years and has been dropping hints of getting married. Being busy on making his start-up app a success, he did not get the hints which led to them arguing and eventually breaking up.

I've known people who are like Ho-rang and I was almost like that once. I was already past 30 and though my boyfriend and I have only been together for 2 years, I knew that he was the One. But unlike Min-seok and Ho-rang, I've always been transparent and knew of my partner's plans (finish his MBA). My patience paid off and he proposed (albeit unromantically) on July 12 years ago.

There was also the relationship of Woo Su-ji (Esom) and Ma Sang-goo (Park Byung-eun). Su-ji worked for a corporate office and has always maintained casual relationships because she does not want to lose sight of her goal. Sang-goo, the boss of Se-hee, fell in love with Su-ji and fervently did everything to win her affections.

Su-ji's character is interesting because as a person working in the corporate world, I've met people like her--though I'm not saying that they also maintain casual affairs, but females with strong personalities and with a goal in mind. I admire their drive to reach their goals and how they manage their life without a partner.

By the final episode, I was excitedly curious on what their choices will be.

The OST

This song is currently on repeat in my Spotify Kdrama playlist. Definitely my new LSS.



WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

Really depends on other watchers but it's mostly a "talkies" drama meaning not much happening on screen. You have to really pay attention to the subtitles as there are a lot of narrations. But I guess that's part of the technique.

RATING

I give this drama, 5 tissue boxes! So worth the watch!

Watched: August 23-26, 2018

Strong Girl Bong Soon (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon)

I started this at the same time that I watched Kill Me Heal Me because the former, I can only watch online while this one, I can watch downloaded episodes from Viu. Starring Park Bo-young, Park Hyung-sik and Ji Soo, this is one of my highly recommended dramas which I will explain later.

This was shown from February to April 2017 and became one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history. If you watched it, you'll find out way.

Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young) was born with superhuman strength. Because of this, she was able to get a job as a bodyguard of Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik) who fell in love with her. But she still has unresolved feelings for her childhood crush, In Guk-doo (Ji Soo). This all happens while she tries to catch a neighborhood killer/kidnapper.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

This is the only series, by far, that I've rewatched more than two times and there are a lot of things to like about it. Sharing my Twitter thread about this series:

STRONG WOMAN DO BONG SOON
At finally, nakilala ko na si Paek Hyung sik! Kasama pa si 14th prince! pic.twitter.com/hcqZULtgKB

— Shine ☀️ 빛 (@sunshi_fairy) July 28, 2018

Park Hyung-sik

He was just so cute here and the reason why he made it to my #1 list of oppas which he currently shares with Park Seo-joon. I'm sore that I only discovered him now when he was just here late last year for a meet and greet. I would've been one of the thousands of fans swooning over him. I've been watching some of the clips during his M&G and I was giggling the whole time.
I love him here because it felt like watching the real PHS. Moreover, it's refreshing to see a guy be all kilig over a girl.

Case in point.

Park Hyung Sik Phone GIF from Parkhyungsik GIFs

Because of PHS, I visited the nearby Bench store and bought this:

The Story
It's a simple story but it's so light and fluffy that it will leave you with a happy heart afterwards. The chemistry of the two leads PBY and PHS will make you smile. I was a bit lost when the reason why Bong-soon was hired was immediately resolved but the writers managed to pick that up.

Moreover, I was very satisfied with how the whole series ended. If all dramas could end like that then I won't have any problems with closure. But this one and What's Wrong With Secretary Kim, ended perfectly. That's why both of them are my most recommended K Dramas.

The OST

Park Hyung-sik's, Because of You, is on repeat on Spotify as I wanted to memorize it (which I already did). I'm not sure if this is really the official music video.

Other than Because of You, there are other songs from the drama which I love.

One of the songs, Super Power Girl is played everytime Bong-soon does something super-heroey. The melody is perfect as it's so catchy--if I could understand the lyrics.




Other songs from the OST can be found in the playlist from Warner Korea.




Park Bo-young
I belatedly realized that I already watched one of her movies before--A Wolf Boy--where she starred with Song Joong-ki. I didn't recognize her as I had my eyes then on SJK but I do remember her sensitive performance.
In this drama, she's delicate and fragile and she certainly looked the part especially when her 5'1" frame is standing beside the 6' PHS. Describing her as cute is an understatement. It's amusing that while PHS is all over the place expressing his kilig over her, she's just standing there as cool as she can be with a serene smile on her face while watching him.

Ji Soo
Ever since I saw him and his emotional scenes in Scarlet Heart, I wanted him to have his own drama. Though he's not the main lead, I was still happy to see him here. He's the anti-thesis of PHS' character. I enjoyed their bromance though.

Park Hyung Sik Cute GIF from Parkhyungsik GIFs

The Supporting Cast 
The people around the main characters were hilarious as well. There was a character there whose purpose I could not see the importance of (the fake Indian monk), but otherwise, they were really funny. Kim Won-hae was especially entertaining as he had to play two different characters.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

None! There were some minute details but it did not stop me from enjoying the whole drama.

RATING
I give this a rating of five tissue boxes even if I did not cry over it. It's just a feel good series that will leave you smiling and happy afterwards. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Park Hyung Sik GIF from Parkhyungsik GIFs

Watched: July 22-July 29, 2018

Kill Me, Heal Me

I watched this as part of my PSJ marathon. Though he's second lead here, I've heard great things about the main, Ji Sung. The other main, Hwang Jung-eum starred with Park Seo-joon in She Was Pretty. Although this was the reason why they had that series together because of their chemistry in this drama. This aired from January to March 2015.

The story revolves around the idea of multiple personality disorder and how Cha Do-hyun (Ji Sung) dealt with it.

Oh Ri-jin (Hwang Jung-eum) is a psychiatrist who was hired to treat Do-hyun and in the process, encountered all his other personalities. Oh Ri-on is Ri-jin's twin bother who was actually a blockbuster fiction writer in secret.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

The Story
The plot and its reveals deserves a standing ovation. The last twist made my jaw drop and I had to point at the screen and shout in astonishment. It was just awesome!
When I watch something, I usually try to guess the outcome and more often than not, I'm right. But this one, I really did not get it at all that's why I was so surprised! I never expected that curve ball! Though I want to discuss it in detail, I don't want somebody reading this who haven't watched it be disappointed.
It's interesting to note that the writer of this series, Jin Soo-wan, was also the writer of my other favorite drama, Moon Embracing the Sun.

Ji Sung
He was just a revelation. Portraying 5 or 6 different characters one after the other can be difficult but he did so with flair. Other actors would opt for a costume change but in his case, it was not necessary (although I think the director did it to not confuse the viewer). He altered his pitch, his mannerisms and his voice to fit the personality of who he was portraying. I am just at awe of him.
I have a crush on one of the personalities of Cha Do-hyun, Shin Se-gi. He's sort of the "bad boy" personality and he appears whenever Do-hyun experiences violence. I used to wonder why these guys wear make-up but the eyeliners are really growing on me. It makes them look more sexy.

Shin Se Gi Killme Healme GIF from Shinsegi GIFs

The Bromance
The scenes of Ji Sung and PSJ together were just hilarious especially when Oh Ri-on met the other personalities of Cha Do-hyun. They really deserve to win the Best Couple Award!



The OST
There are a lot of ear-worm songs in this drama. One of them, Auditory Hallucination is featured in the clip below:



Park Seo-joon also has a song featured in the series. It's one of my favorites:


Quotable Quotes
I found myself pausing in the middle of an episode because I wanted to take down the lines being uttered by the actors.

"My imagination decides the size of my fear. Fear is something created by oneself, and is the fruit of one's imagination. So now, confront your past. Don't waste your imagination on your past that has already been concluded. Imagination should be left over for the future. For the sake of the future what's going to happen ahead." - Mr. X, Episode 20

- The above is my favorite quote, especially the part on imagination being left for the future. There's no use in dwelling in the past because it's already done and we cannot change it. We should spend more of our energy in preparing for the future.

"There is a dark basement in everyone's hearts. If ignored and is only observed, the darkness becomes thicker. You should muster your courage and go downstairs, then turn on the light. If you're scared when alone, someone can hold your hand." Cha Do-hyun, Episode 20

"No matter how scary the nightmare, it will always end sometimes." Cha Do-hyun, Episode 13

"If it folds in one go, then it's thank you. If you open it up again, then it's lingering attachment. If you open it twice, then it's sadness. If you open it three times, it's pain. After unfolding it over and over again and it becomes ragged, that's how the heart gets ripped. And when ripped, just deal with it until you become numb. That's how it is." - Oh Ri-on (Episode 13)

- It took awhile for me to understand what the above quote meant and when I did, it sounded cool, especially the last part. A broken heart can really be painful and one would tend to wallow in that pain. But however painful it is, you really have to deal with it and later on, it will get better.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT IT

Hwang Jung-eum
I cannot unremember her from She Was Pretty and she was again screaming and overacting in the first episode. I had to turn down, again, the volume of my speaker as my ears were hurting. Fortunately, she was more quiet towards the middle and end of the series.

Lover's Resolution
In the dramas I've watched, I always look for the happy ending of the main leads. Though this one ended with them together, I was looking for something else--like if they're getting married or what. I'm too old to still believe in "...they got married and lived happily ever after." but I'm still a child at heart.

RATING
I give this a rating of five tissue boxes. Definitely one of my favorites! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Watched: July 22-28, 2018

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

After watching Love in the Moonlight, I looked for another sageuk drama to watch and friends recommended this. It came with numerous warnings but I took it as my baptism of fire. I won't consider myself as a serious K Drama fan if I don't get to watch this. Moreover, I was told that I'll be drowning in oppas in this series and they did not disappoint. Sharing also my real time Twitter thread about this series below.

MOON LOVERS: SCARLET HEART RYEO
I was told that this is a saksak-puso-tulo-dugo series so I set aside a whole tissue box for this. Already finished Ep2 and I'm enjoying it, so far. Was not prepared for the oppas and topless scenes though. Not complaining. Hehe. pic.twitter.com/HwP1gNW8az

— Shine ☀️ 빛 (@sunshi_fairy) July 17, 2018

This series was based on a Chinese novel by Tong Hua called Bu Bu Jing Xin. It aired from August to November 2016. Main stars are Lee Joon-gi, Lee Ji-eun, Kang Ha-nuel and Hong Jong-hyun. To summarize the confusing sea of characters:

Kim San-ho as Crown Prince Wang Mu (he usually wears red or yellow)
Hong Jong-hyun as the 3rd Prince Wang Yo (orange)
Lee Joon-gi as the 4th Prince Wang So  (black)
Kang Ha-nuel as the 8th Prince Wang Wook (blue)
Yoon Sun-woo as the 9th Prince Wang Won (purple)
Byun Baek-hyun as the 10th Prince Wang Eun (green)
Nam Joo-hyuk as the 13th Prince Baek-ah (pink)
Ji Soo as the 14th Prince Wang Jung (royal blue)

I tried to get a screen cap of a complete family picture but this is the best that I can come up with.

Back row: 14th Prince, 13th Prince, 10th Prince, 9th Prince
Front row: 9th Prince, 4th Prince, 3rd Prince

They just look so cool wearing different colored hanboks and the colors is how I differentiated them from each other.

Here's also another chart that can help figure things out.

From aminoapps.com

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

The Oppas

This series was raining with oppas.

Lee Joon-gi was the main character but I liked the other princes more. Hong Jong-hyun grew on me and I love his eyes. They are just so intense! As for Kang Ha-nuel, I watched him in the movie Midnight Runners with Park Seo-joon so this is the first time I'm watching him in a drama. 

I love their appearance in Running Man. It gave me a insight on how they are in real life outside of the characters that they play. Here's a clip:

There are two specific scenes in the series that are my favorite. This one because it showed a time when all the princes got together and were just simply happy. There were no talks of betrayal or death. Just brothers getting together to celebrate the birthday.



The next one of course, is the bath scene and which also served as the introduction of the princes.



The OST
My husband asked me why do I listen to the songs when I don't understand the language/lyrics. I guess music will always be universal. It brings me back to what I felt when I heard the song during a poignant scene in a drama. That's why I created a playlist in Spotify which I listen to whenever I drive (or even just at home). Feel free to follow.



Next to Descendants of the Sun, this one has songs that I don't skip when it comes up randomly in my playlist.

The Female Lead - IU
I read that a lot of people didn't like her. I actually admire her. I found her really pretty especially during the birthday scene where she sang to the 10th prince. And her character made do with the situation. She did not actively sought out all the princes and it was not her fault that all the princes (well, not all) love her.

The Fight Scenes
One thing I like about the period dramas are the fight scenes. There's this particular scene in Episode 2 where the princes had to do a martial arts sword dance wearing masks. That was beautiful to watch with all of them jumping and flying around.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

The Fucking Ending! (SPOILERS AHEAD!)
I really really hate the ending and the episodes towards the end. It was really not making sense anymore and it felt like the writers had a fight with someone and would want to hurt people by ending it that way. They could always say that not all stories should have a happy ending but this one really bled me dry. I cried so much and it took awhile for me to get over it (Strong Woman Bong Soon helped).
For one, I don't get it why the Wang Eun had to die. WAE??! He was the 10th Prince for God's sake...10th! There were three other princes before he could claim to the throne. The reason just didn't fly with me. I swear. The writers/producers just want the viewers to be in pain!
It's odd though that even if I was already agonizing over the story, I just couldn't stop watching. Up to the last 5 seconds, I was hoping for a happy ending. But NO! It was just not meant to be.

RATING

I give this four tissue boxes even with the ending because I literally finished one whole tissue box because of this. I was ugly-crying so hard that I could relate with Leo. Will I still recommend? Yes, with lots of disclaimers and will market it as a baptism of fire to be considered a real Korean drama addict. It could've been a five if not for that really wonky ending.

Ugly Cry GIF from Ugly GIFs

Watched: July 16-22, 2018

Love in the Moonlight

Starring Park Bo-gum and Kim Yoo-jung with second leads, Jinyoung, Chae Soo-bin and Kwak Dong-yeon. The drama aired on August 2016 and ran until October that same year. The network, KBS, even made a teaser video with Park Bo-gum dressed in his hanbok dancing to Boombastic.



This is the second Joseon period drama I've watched and though how much of an eye-candy PBG was and regardless of the good reviews and ratings, I almost did not finish it.

Pic from from starmometer.com

Kim Yoo-jung plays Hong Ra-on, a young girl disguised as a boy and renders love and dating advice to men. It was later on that she accidentally met the character of Park Bo-gum, Crown Prince Yi Yeong who took interest in her and later on became his eunuch much to the consternation of the people around him.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Park Bo-gum
Friends have been raving about him and I finally figured out why. His eyes are just beautiful and you can just stare into them all day long without realizing that you have already fallen into the dark entrancing depths.
Though he can be considered a pretty boy, his jaw makes his face more masculine. Of course, him dancing adds to his charm. I found myself giggling while he jived to Boombastic.
It was because of this series that PBG won Best Actor in the KBS Drama Awards.

The OST

I love my oppas. So far, all of them can sing. Bo-gummy sang one of the songs included in the drama. This is My Person/My Dearest.



I'm sore that the OST is not in Spotify and I had to download Soundcloud just to listen to most of the songs in the series.
The other song that I love is Moonlight Drawn by Clouds sung by Gummy. She sang my other favorite OST from Descendants of the Sun.


WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

I felt my interest wane 3/4 along the way. I took to reading episode recaps just to find out what's going to happen. Maybe that's why I didn't feel the poignant scenes too much as I already knew how it would turn out.

Also, I felt the ending has not much resolution. I felt cheated when the contrabida died that way. After all the chaos that he caused, he deserved to die a painful and bloody death. And whatever happened to the two leads? Though there was some sort of resolution, after all that they've been through, I felt it was not enough.

Moon Embracing the Sun is still the best period drama for me.

RATING
I give this a rating of two tissue boxes. Bo Gummy and the OST saved this for me.

Edit: 8/4/21 upgrading the rating to 3 tissue boxes

Watched: July 13-16, 2018

She Was Pretty

Continuing on with my PSJ marathon, I chose to watch this next. Of course, starring Park Seo-joon, Hwang Jung-eum, Go Joon-hee and Choi Si-won. This drama premiered September 2015 and ran until November same year.

PSJ's younger character, Ji Sung-joon, used to be unattractive and was bullied around by other kids, while his friend, Kim Hye-jin played by Jwang Jung-eum, was very pretty and popular among their peers. When Ji Sung-joon moved to the US with his father, they lost track of each other.

When Sung-joon returned to Korea for a work assignment, he found a way to contact Hye-jin and scheduled to meet with her. When she saw how good-looking her childhood friend turned out to be, she asked her bestfriend, Min Ha-ri (Go Joon-hee), to pretend to be her.

As fate would have it, she got a job in the same publication that Sung-joon works and after seeing her, he belittled her appearance and even mistreated her because of her ineptitude. However, Hye-jin was befriended by a senior editor, Kim Shin-hyuk (Choi Si-won) who eventually fell in love with her even before her physical make-over.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Park Seo-joon
Yes, it's a given that PSJ is one of the reasons why I like this series and why I watched it. However, unlike his previous dramas, I initially did not like his character here. He was very rude to the girl and was rather curt and abrasive.

Funny Park Seo Joon GIF from Funny GIFs

He did however mellow down throughout the series and like his other dramas, was again blessed with a topless and shower scene.

I couldn't resist NOT taking a screen cap.

Choi Si-won
When I started watching this, I had no idea that Si-won was part of the famous Korean boy band, Super Junior. One of my friends just told me when I was almost halfway through the series. Even if I only started watching K Dramas this year, I've heard of Super Junior since 2012. That's why I laughed when they mentioned this in their conversation.

It was because of Si-won that I experienced for the first time, the Second Lead Syndrome. Though I love PSJ, I really wanted Si-won to get the girl here. He worked hard to get her and even fell in love with Jackson (that's what he called the character of Hye-jin) even before her beauty transformation. I cried more for him that PSJ. Hmph.

I also found his character very entertaining and amusing. It's one of the reasons why I was rooting for him more. Found this clip from Youtube showing his hilarious moments in the series.




The Bromance

The gif says it all. Even if they're after the same girl, Si-won still manages to give him hell. Hehe.

Siwon She Was Pretty GIF from Siwon GIFs

The Blowout
When the truths began to unfold, I liked it that the expected blowout between the bestfriends did not happen. If it was a typical drama (like what we have here locally), there would've been a lot of shouting, hair-pulling and slapping. But their confrontation happened with a quiet grace and the understanding of a real best friend. It was really touching and heartwarming to watch. I'm not sure though, if that could happen in real life.

The Cameos
I did a lot of finger pointing when I rewatched Episode 9 again and saw cameos of some of my other oppas--Park Hyung-sik and Lee Joon-gi! Apparently, the footage was taken from the Seoul Drama Awards red carpet. Nevertheless, it was a little thrill to see them suddenly appear in the middle of the episode.


WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

The Female Lead Character
She was really over the top here. I can't believe that a human being can be that clumsy. Moreover, she was so loud that whenever she screeches, my ears would hurt that I would bring the volume down. I'm not sure if the character was written that way or if the actress portraying her chose to play her that way.

The Lies and Deception
There were too many lies and deceptions happening in the first part of the story that it was painful to watch. I actually skipped most part of an episode because of Ha-ri's lying and Hye-jin's inability to say who she really was.

RATING

Rating this two tissue boxes as it's not one of my favorites. Still giving it a two because of PSJ.

Edit: 8/4/21 Changing the rating to three tissue boxes because PSJ and CSW

Watched: July 8-10, 2018

A Witch's Love (Witch's Romance)

Continuing my Park Seo-joon marathon, I chose to watch this starring him and Uhm Jung-hwa because of a clip that my friends sent me.



My jaw dropped to the floor when I saw the above clip. Never mind that the girl is 20 years his senior (hey, it's a May-December romance story after all) but PSJ can definitely hold his own.

This drama was one of PSJ's earlier works. It premiered on April 2014 and ran until June that same year.

WHAT I LIKE/DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

Will I be redundant when I say that I liked this because of Seo-joon? Hey, as I said, it's a PSJ marathon. However, out of all his dramas, this will probably be my least liked (but then, I still haven't watched the earlier ones prior to this).

His leading lady grew on me though. I initially didn't like her but she showed that she can still be childish even at her age. I'm also glad that they didn't end it with them getting married. I was bothered though when she said she's willing to wait for Seo-joon's character to finish studying medicine. In the series, she was already 40. And if they intend to have kids, they should get started on it already. But then, I assume that they do not want children considering the age of the character. Why am I making a mountain of this molehill?

This was also the first time that I heard PSJ sing. The song below is part of the OST of the series. Another reason to fall in love with this guy.




RATING

I give this two tissue boxes. The romantic scenes during the first two episodes saved it for me.

Watched: July 5-8, 2018

Fight For My Way

After falling in love with Park Seo-joon in What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim, I searched for his other series to watch and I chose this to start with.

Starring, of course, Park Seo-joon and Kim Ji-won, with Ahn Jae-hong and Song Ha-yoon as second leads. It premiered on May 2017 and ran until July 2017.  It’s a story of four childhood friends who grew up together and how they struggled to achieve their dreams.

Park Seo-joon, as Ko Dong-man, was a taekwondo athlete who because of a painful past was stuck doing part-time jobs but later on became a mixed martial arts fighter.

Kim Ji-won's character, as Choi Ae-ra, wanted to become an announcer but ended up as a department store employee welcoming customers. 


WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Park Seo-joon
This is a given considering that the reason why I watched this was because of him.
Here's a clip from Episode 8 and you'll find out why he's adored by many.

This was PSJ's last drama before he started on What's Wrong With Secretary Kim. He really buffed up for this role and a lot of his fans are thankful for it (and he gained more!).

The Story
I'm still not sold on the partnership of KJW and PSJ but I did love the story. The lessons there are very appropriate (although I'm still not totally sold on living recklessly). I did love the part that it's not too late to follow your own dreams.
Moreover, all loose ends were properly tied up and knotted. And I loved how things resolved at the end.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

Though I have a lot of friends shipping the love team of PSJ and KJW, I'm not really into it. A part of me is still shipping him with Park Min-young (but then, I'm shipping PMY with Ji Chang-wook...oh this is so complicated) because of their chemistry in Secretary Kim. But I have to give that KJW was adorable in this series. She does aeg-yo very well.

RATING

Giving this three tissue boxes because of PSJ.

Watched: June 30-July 2, 2018

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim

I joined an online group comprising of mommy friends with a common love for Korean drama. It is there that I learned about this ongoing series starring Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young.

This is the first series that I've watched while the drama is being shown weekly. It started just this June and ended the next month (16 episodes total). I get to wait along with other viewers until the next episode which adds to the suspense especially when the ending of the previous one leaves you in tenterhooks.

The story was based on an ongoing webtoon about a narcissistic Vice Chairman of a family corporation and his very able and efficient secretary. It started off with his secretary wanting to resign after working for him for 9 years. Think Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant's Two Week Notice but I liked this one better.


WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Park Seo-joon

PSJ was a revelation here. He already made several dramas before this but this was the first one of his that I've watched. I initially did not like him but he really grew on me. It made me search for his other works and immediately fell for his magical charm. (Amazing how these oppas can do that when I can barely understand what they're saying.)
PSJ is known for his rom-coms and after watching his other series, this one, for me, is the best. His chemistry with PMY is off the charts (too bad they're not dating in real life and the behind the scenes clips can attest to that. They would immediately move away from each other after shooting an intimate scene).
Because of this series, PSJ cemented himself in the top spot (which is currently being shared with Park Hyung-sik. Sorry, Gong Yoo, you just moved to number two) of my list of Oppas.
Another thing I can say about him, no drama of his is complete without any shower scene. He's known for his fantabulous body and he certainly lives up to the hype. No wonder my friends went crazy when the shower scene came up.

Park Min-young

Other than her itself, I love her character here. When I was younger, all I wanted was to become an executive assistant. I find accomplishment in anticipating the needs of my bosses and making them as comfortable as I can. Kim Mi-so is the perfect secretary and the best thing I admire about her is her ability to run in high heels!
PMY is also so pretty. Shiseido was spot on in getting her as an endorser.

Supporting Cast
The supporting cast were marvelous and added to the light-hearted moments. I like the love pairings on the side, especially that of Mr. Yang and Bong Se-ra. Other than the two leads, my favorite character is the best friend, Park Yoo-sik played by Kang Ki-young. Even if he looked and acted flaky and nutty, he aptly guided PSJ's character, Lee Young-joon, to navigate the murky waters of love. All his advices to Young-joon were learnings from his own failed relationship.

The Story
One thing about watching this weekly, almost each episode is a cliffhanger. I would rewatch the previous episodes while waiting for the new one to be shown. Fortunately, I subscribe to Viu Premium which lets me watch the newest episode in less than 12 hours after it comes out. Best investment of a Kdrama addict.
The series also quoted from a book (though I'm not sure if the book is really existing or not):

I want to be in the kind of relationship

where I feel like the tiredness of my day gets washed off

just by hugging you once

even if you don't make my heart

flutter every second.

This is one of the best light rom-com Kdramas that I've watched so far. This will become (together with Strong Woman Bong Soon) as one of my go-to series if I need a pick-me-upper. It made me feel warm and fuzzy afterwards.

Lessons
I was once in Secretary Kim's place before. Not really an EA but I understand how work can eat up your time leaving you less time for yourself. I used to work for a multinational company and going home on the dot was not the norm. She wanted to resign because she wanted to find herself. I resigned from my job then to have more time for myself and my family.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

None! Other than suspending my disbelief during a few episodes (e.g. The President tolerating an inefficient secretary; an executive secretary affording an expensive bed when her apartment is a monthly rental), but everything just ended in a happy note.

RATING

Considering I didn't cry much but gave me the happy feels, I give this a rating of five tissue boxes!

Watched: June 25 - July 27 (I started late when episode 4 was already shown)

Moon Embracing the Sun

Ever since my sister and sister-in-law found out that I've been watching Korean dramas, they've been bugging me watch this. I finally gave in after watching Kim Soo-hyun at My Love from the Star.

Moon Embracing the Sun is the first Joseon-period drama that I've watched. The other series (Legend of the Blue Sea) had old Korean scenes in it but not the whole drama. This one had them wearing hanboks from the start up to the end.

This series was shown January - March 2012, definitely older than any that I've watched. It starred Kim Soo-hyun and Han Ga-in as the two leads with Jung Il-woo and Kim Min-seo as the second leads.

This historical drama, which has elements of fantasy, was adapted from a novel written by Jung Eun-gwol. It revolves around a king from the Joseon period and his attempts to be with his loved one and at the same time, fight his way through the political intrigues to solidify his hold on his throne.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Kim Soo-hyun
If I took notice of him at My Love from the Star, this series made me love him more. Even the actor who played his younger version, Yeo Jin-goo, was superb. Soo-hyun was only 24 when the drama was shot but he had shown acting maturity that can be the envy of actors his age. He also won the Best Actor award for this series in the 48th Baeksang Arts Awards (Korea's version of the Golden Globes) and the MBC Drama Awards.
I also love his character here. I love how he grew into such a strong person and to have enough guts and courage to fight for his convictions and for the woman he loves.
When he cries, he definitely gives his all. Here's a clip below posted by TV-People where Kim Soo-hyun's character finally learned the truth about his beloved and how much she suffered.



The Story
The final episode was so suspenseful that I cheered when a key person made a vital decision which turned the tide of the story. I cried so much over this drama and all the twists were properly unraveled and closed. I actually loved it when the contrabidas got their comeuppance and it was bloody like the way they deserved it. Hehehe.
This won Best Drama in the 2012 Baeksang Arts Awards and tons of other nominations and awards.
Definitely one of the best ones that I've watched.

The Oppas
In the past dramas, I'm just used to seeing one or two oppas during the series. This was the first time that I experienced multiple ones that I was smiling the whole time I was watching them.
The younger versions of their characters are not excluded from the list.

• Yim Si-wan, who played the younger version of Heo Yeom (the brother of the female lead)
• Lee Tae-ri, who played the younger version of Prince Yang Myung (the brother of the male lead and the second lead as well)
• Song Jae-rim, who played the bodyguard of the king. I would swoon whenever he would do his swordfights and such. The moves are so graceful it looks as if he's dancing.

Jung Il-woo, Kim Soo-hyun and Song Jae-rim

Instant Korean History and Cultural Lesson

Watching the series gave me an idea on what Korean culture is all about. One thing's for sure, anything that involves a throne would lead to a lot of bloodshed and sacrifice. 

Other than that, I enjoyed seeing the intricate hanbok costumes and the elaborate headpieces (the thing that looks like a chopstick but with decorations at the end) the designs of which emphasizes their social rank. Makes me want to wear one when I eventually visit Korea.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

I found it a tad bit too long. I really felt sorry for the character of Han Ga-in especially all the sufferings that she had to undergo. Moreover, the main characters did not appear until the 6th or 7th episode. But I can forgive them for this because of how everything was resolved in the end.

RATING

Highest rating should be five tissue boxes but this deserves 6 tissue boxes for the story and acting. It also made me appreciate Sageuk dramas more.

Watched: June 25-28, 2018

My Love from the Star

This series came out earlier compared to the previous three dramas--December 2013 to February 2014 to be exact. It again stars Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun as leads with Park Hae-jin and Yoo In-na as second leads.

I watched this next after Legend of the Blue Sea because I wanted to give Jun Ji-hyun another chance. And also, I was curious as a local adaptation of the series was recently shown here in the Philippines with Jennylyn Mercado playing Ji-hyun's role. In case you're curious, the first episode can be found below.


Like the previous drama, there were romantic fantasy elements in the story. The male lead, Do Min-joon (played by Soo-hyun), was an alien trapped on earth more than 400 years ago. He lived a solitary life with only one person whom he called as friend. With only 3 months left before he leaves, he meets the character of Ji-hyun, Cheon Song-yi, a top Hallyu star who became his next door neighbor. They got embroiled into each others lives and eventually falling for each other.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Kim Soo-hyun
To be honest, I didn't like him at first. He was so stoic and detached. There was no way I could empathize with the character which was so disheartening. But in the last few episodes, he was able to show emotion which managed to make me shed some of my frustrated tears.
And could this boy cry. When he cries, he really does give it his all. It was an unapologetic waterfall display of tears, snot and saliva. He's not your typical "beautiful" oppa but his acting is definitely stellar.

Joon Ji-hyun
Now this is one character that suited her to a T. She was able to play it well and being a top Hallyu star in her own right, she was able to portray this as realistically as possible (though I doubt she's as this kookie!). One thing's for sure, she was hilarious as Cheon Song-yi and she really pulled it off.

The Contrabida

Shin Sung-rok as Lee Jae-kyung

He was really scary. One of the best contrabidas I have seen in the world of K Drama. You will hate him as his evilness had no reproach. And one thing I appreciate about it is that there was a reason why he turned out that way. My pet peeve on TV or movie characters is if they are bad just because the script calls for them to be bad. I want them to be atrocious for a reason--whether its because of their childhood or for revenge or whatever--as long as there is a sense why.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT IT

The Ending
I really felt unsettled about how it ended. Actually, I myself had no idea how it should end. I've been wracking my brains on how the series should close (well, if I had it my way), but could not come up with anything satisfactory.

Kim Soo-hyun as Do Min-joon

Kim Soo-hyun's Hair
I swear, I wanted to cut this guy's hair. I don't know if the style was called for but I could barely restrain the urge to reach into the screen and pull his hair out of the way. Why are they covering their beautiful foreheads? Come to think of it, most of the dramas I've watched had the guys hair styled like this. Is it a cultural thing? Please help me understand as it is frustrating me to no end.

Shower Scene
I love shower scenes in K Dramas especially if it features one of my favorite oppas, Park Seo-joon. But the shower scene in this series made me double over in laughter. It was just so ludicrous! I mean, ok, he has an awesome torso but who takes a shower wearing a towel?  I don't mind if they did away with this scene but I think they just did this for fan service.

RATING
I give this three tissue boxes. The two leads were just awesome and the drama parts were well acted out. The ending though, was just not gratifying enough.

Watched: June 25-28, 2018