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One of the best show with Romance in a Restaurant

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2018 South Korean drama series with 38, 35 minute, episodes.

Seo Poong (Lee Jun-Ho) worked hard to become a star chef and the hotel restaurant has raised the status of the entire hotel. He is on the verge of marrying the daughter of his deceased mentor not only because he loves her but to fulfill a promise to take care of her. He is also receiving recognition for his skill and anticioates a promotion. Little does he know that jealousy and greed have caused a turn of events where he loses all he holds dear. Seo-Poong swallows his pride and strikes up a deal with the former gangster loan shark who bought a restaurant to provide honest work for his friends who are also former gangsters. The restaurant owned by the former gang members failed in the shadow of the prestigious hotel restaurant. Now it looks like the star chef has vowed to turn the failed restaurant into a winning competitor to draw business and get his revenge on the hotel executives who back stabbed him. Doo Chi-Sung (Jang Hyuk) was a tough gangster but hides a kind and soft side along with a deep loyalty for those he considers friends. He agrees to help Seo Pong if he will turn the former gangsters into successful cooks. Training former gangsters with no respect for authority is a challenge Seo Poong may not be up to. Both men had chance encounters with Dan Sae-woo (Jung Ryeo-won) whose husband left her after her father suffered financial scandal and rJin. This down on her luck heiress keeps bumping into the men and tugging their heartstrings. Can this unlikely group make a successful go at the restaurant and will Seo Poong get his revenge? Which of the men will the damsel in distress choose?

Spoiler 🚨 I really liked this and am surprised this is not more prominent in searches of good Asian romantic comedies. I loved so many of the characters in this. The "thugs", in particular boss thug, Chi-sung, had great character depth. He was someone who became who he was in order to survive being orphaned at a young age. He seemed tough on the surface but, in reality, he had a warm heart and giving nature to all of those in his inner circle. Poong approached him early on to strike a deal to be able to get revenge on those that had stabbed him in the back. The love/hate relationship between Poong and Chi-sung was destined to be a great bromance. I really was not sure, until toward the end, who the lead lady would choose. Both seemed like they were great for her in their way. The story was interesting and compelling, it was well acted, the plot moved along at an appropriate pace, and it ended well. The only thing I did not like was there was some loose ends. There was an almost romance between Chi-sung and a woman he kept encountering that you never know what happens to. Chi-sung's mother - you do not know the outcome with her. You suspect that the two that end up together get married but do not know for sure. Still, it was not enough to totally detract from how good this story was. I was interested from beginning to end and was sad to have it end. I know when I get drama withdrawal that I really liked the series. And I felt that way with this one.

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Interesting Twist on Celebrity Romance

7/10 is my rating. This is a 2009 South Korean television drama spanning 16, 60 minute, episodes. Hwan Jung-min (as Gu Dong-baek) is a post office insurance salesman who terms himself "an average Joe". Kim Ah-joong (as Han Ji-soo) is a top South Korean celebrity who is in a relationship with her college love who is engaged to another woman for political reasons. They must hide their relationship to avoid tarnishing his father's political career. When nearly caught together by a tenacious reporter they turn to the nearest shield, Gu Dong-baek and ask him to switch places and pretend to be the one Ji-soo was with. When doubt is cast on Gu Dong-baek and Ji-soo's dating relationship they find they must take the next step - a sham marriage. Can two such different people thrown together by fate fall in love?

Spoiler 🚨 It was interesting because Ji-soo's engaged boyfriend played the lead in "Cunning Single Lady" and he was a very likable, nice character in that one. In this he is the jerk that is two timing and lets down and disappoints the lead lady character time and again. He played both roles well but I didn't like seeing him as more of a villain. I liked the male lead as he was just a normal nice guy. I enjoy seeing the nice guy get the girl for a change. Some reviewers felt this normal person getting with someone famous was unrealistic. That is probably more true for South Korea than for the US. It is rare here but some of the longest Hollywood marriages have been between someone famous and someone non famous. I like to think that South Korea may get there someday as famous people deserve happiness just like everyone else. They should be free to love as they choose.

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Loved this show

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2017 South Korean romantic comedy drama television series with 16, 60 minute episodes.

Eun Hwan Ki (Yeon Woo Jin) is about as shy and introverted as they come. He is the CEO of a top public relations firm founded by his father. Unable to speak publicly, Hwan Ki hides in dark clothes and under a hoodie while his long time best friend, Kang Woo-Il (Yoon Park) does all the public appearances and company presentations. People, including his father mistake Hwan Ki’s extreme shyness and social anxiety for incompetence when, in reality, the brilliant ideas Woo-il presents are actually from Hwan Ki. Chae Ro Woon (Park Hye Soo) is a lively and outgoing stage performer and Hwan Ki is one of her top fans. Things get complicated when Ro Woon steps off the stage and takes a job with Hwan Ki’s company to discover the reason behind her sister’s sudden suicide. Her sister committed suicide by jumping from a high level at the company, and Ro Woon is determined to find out why. She is convinced it has something to do with the shy, socially distant CEO who earned the Knick name “silent monster”.

Spoiler Alert!! I really liked the boss character and could identify as there are several people that I know that have extreme social anxiety. He was misunderstood by many people both inside of his family as well as his employees and others. I like the way the story unfolded and you understood a little how he got the way he was and also how his sister and his best friend both became the way they were. The male lead’s sister’s suicide attempts and desperate need to be lived traced back to her father’s failure to properly show love. He was both physically and emotionally abusive and she used self harm to cope. The female lead sister’s suicide was a bit harder to understand but seems to fit with what I understand of being “ruined” in the sense of being a relationship or marriage partner in terms of purity being tarnished in what I understand of South Korean culture from dramas (and it may not be an accurate reflection of the true culture). There was a time, perhaps 60 years ago in American culture when casual sexual encounters would have been viewed the same. I thought the female lead character was perfect as she was exactly the sort of person I could see being able to draw somebody with severe social anxiety out of their shell. I love that she told him at one point that he was OK and not to change. Some do not understand that social anxiety, shyness and being introverted by nature are often slow and/or hard to alter because it is a personality trait and thus is not something you can radically change. I also liked the friendship between the boss and his best friend and how his best friend supported him by being his voice and carried the company forward With his extrovert nature that fit so well in the public relations arena. One being brilliant but withdrawn and the other extroverted but not above level brilliant was actually a benefit for them both and made for two halves of a very effective whole. I thought it ended absolutely perfectly. Unlike so many dramas that leave things open to interpret or end with things unresolved, I was really happy it all wrapped up well and ended happy.

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A complex suspenseful thrill ride

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 South Korean supernatural crime drama with 16, 60 minute, episodes.

Dong Baek/Sung Ju-ho (Yoo Seung-ho) has the power to read living people's memories a skill which is well used as a criminal detective yet has made him many enemies within the police community as there is a fear that who needs the rest of them when he is around. Han Sun-mi (Lee Se-young) profile to the extent that she may as well be able to read people's minds.
At first, she is not a fan of the arrogant, shoot at the hip Dong Baek and even suspects he could be involved in some of the serial crimes she is investigating. After all several of the crime scenes have the trade mark of someone with supernatural abilities. However, the more the two encounter each other in the course of their work, the more they find they have some things from their deep dark pasts in common. And they are not the only one that knows it, the serial killer seems to be using their past to draw them toward someone future event he planned especially for them. Every clue they uncover reveals involvement of very high level public figures and more ties to events that occurred 20 years ago. Can they beat the serial killer at his own game and uncover the mysteries of their past?

The suspense in this was incredible. Had me on the edge of my seat frequently. I really liked the memorist character and found his abilities fascinating. Sun-mi was very talented as a criminal profiler and the interplay between the two was very interesting. They made a great, if at times reluctant, team. There were a lot of characters to keep track of so pictures with names and faces would be a helpful guide otherwise it is easy to lose track of who they are talking about at times. There were a lot of twist and turns and they did a great job of keeping you guessing. I felt like it was so complicated at times I would lose interest. If I had a character map or guide it would have helped. I also wish the rest of the law enforcement community was not so down on Dong Baek as he spent a significant amount of time hiding and skirting to investigate. I love romance so was a little disappointed there was no real romance. I really liked Dong Baek’s partners and the bromance between them was very heart warming. This would be a good one to watch for someone that likes complexity and does not mind or actually prefers it focuses on suspense, thriller and not romance.

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Unique twist on historical romance

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2012 South Korean period romance also known as "The Tale of A-Rang". It has 20, 60 minute, episodes.

Kim Eun-oh (Lee Joon-gi) is not interested in being a Magistrate when he comes to Miryang, a town besieged by ghosts. Eun-oh is tricked by a high spirited virgin ghost, Arang (Shin Min-ah), into becoming the Magistrate and winds up agreeing to help resolve the mystery of her death. Much to his annoyance, as he does not like helping people, particularly ghosts and, most particularly this ghost, Eun-oh discovers something about Arang that compels him to do just that - help her.

Refusing, at first, to call her Arang (which means virgin ghost) Eun-oh instead nicknames her Amnesia/Memory Loss. They quickly determine that Joo-wal, a handsome nobleman, and possibly Arang/Lee Seo-rim's fiance, had something to do with her disappearance. As they search for answers, along the way, they must also avoid A-Rang being captured by the Grim Reapers.

Things in Miryang may be way more horrifying than they seem and the Gods themselves, The Jade Emperor, The King of the Heaven (Yoo Seung-Ho) and Yeom-ra, The King of the Underworld (Park Jun-gy) are watching as events unfold.

I liked the unique angle where she was a ghost and he was someone who could see ghostws. The beginning was a lot of fun because she was a tough and mischievous spirit. The Magistrate was cold and uncaring to start then underwent a high degree of character development that unearthed the gentle caring person he was inside. The evil people in this, the Fairy, and Lord Choi, you wanted to see things turn and go bad for them. The love stories between Arang and the Magistrate and their friends the Shaman and his "slave" were very cute and heartwarming.

Spoiler Alert ** What I did not like was the ending. You knew from quite a long way before the end that she would have to go to Heaven or Hell and would have to leave him. The Jade Emperor made it clear, when he turned her from a ghost back into a human, that her time was limited to three moons. I thought perhaps the Jade Emperor would be so pleased with Arang and the Magistrate for ridding the world of the evil that he would make an exception and allow her to stay alive. I wanted her to be able to live out her life with the Magistrate. Especially since he did not start as a good Magistrate, he was only doing it because of the trick, but then, as his love for Arang started to thaw his character and reveal his true nature, he became something the people really needed. I wanted to see him continue in the role of Magistrate after Arang finally admitted her feelings for him. It took a long while for Arang and the Magistrate to come together as she foolishly was concerned about him loving her and then having to leave him. She thought that it would be more painful that way than for her to reject him. I also hoped the young master was not involved in the murders as much I hoped it would turn out the evil fairy was controlling him. In the end he had done those things for her promise to make him wealthy (he had been a starving child) and just had her wipe his memory so he would not suffer the guilt. When she stopped wiping the memories (to punish him for not doing as she wanted) he had such guilt that he committed suicide and became a Reaper. I wanted to feel sorry for him, and I still did a little, but I could not condone what he had done and the reasons why he did it enough to want to see things go well for him. The Evil Fairy had loved a man and they both died (did not catch how) and when they reincarnated they were brother and sister. They also became immortal incarnations that lived in the heavens, a Reaper and a Fairy. She though wanted to return to being a human and wound up being cast out and having young women killed to steal their energy and possessing the bodies of some in return for favors. I think it was supposed to be a tragedy that painted the evil fairy in a more sympathetic light - but it never made me feel that way. It made for a sad and somewhat creepy (she still had feelings for her "brother") side story. The Magistrate, in the end, went to hell in Arang's place sacrificing himself, before she could stop him, so she could go to Heaven. And this is what I really did not like. Watching the whole story and seeing how the villagers had come to love and rely on the Magistrate, it made me sad that he essentially died in their eyes. The Magistrate also earned the respect and had a touching relationship with his father and you knew, for him, his son died. Arang and the Magistrate's love story continued when they were reincarnated and, as small children, it shows them playing together and her giving him a hard time because he does not remember being the Magistrate or her and she remembers everything. It flashes forward and shows them as young adults and she is still giving him a hard time for not remembering, they are obviously in love, and he basically says why does it matter. However, as much as they pointed out that Arang and the young girl, who died in the place of her love, the young master, were not the same person, the two reincarnated "Magistrate" and "Arang" did not seem like the same people and it felt like they never got to live out their love story. I know reincarnation includes beliefs that people who are close in life may come back to be close but the relationships may be different like a father may come back as a son, etc. I am not a fan of the reincarnation angle for love stories as when individuals reincarnate they may have elements of the previous life - but they are essentially different people. So it is very good and I would highly recommend but would say do not expect too much from the ending.

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Surprisingly good with a fresh angle on time travel

This is a 2017 South Korean Romantic Comedy’ also known under the titles “Hit The Top” and “Best Punch”.

Lee Hi-Joon (Kim Min-Jae) must hide that he is pursuing music and wants to become an idol from his parents. They think he is studying for the civil service exam like his friend Choi Woo-seung (Lee Se-young) but he is sneaking off to take idol training. What Hi-joon does not know is his real father, Yoo Hyun-Jae (Yoon Shi-yoon) a famous idol, went missing in 1993. The father Hi-joon never knew actually traveled forward in time to 2017. His adoptive father Lee Gwang-jae (Cha Tae-Hyun), used to be Hyun-jae’s manager but had a one sided love for Hi-Joon’s mother whom he married when Hyun-Jae disappeared.

I loved the male lead character so much in this. He started as a very arrogant, seemingly full of himself idol but you could tell that was not who he really was. The time travel component was very interesting and I really had no idea how it would play out. His previous manager and the mother of his son were both very sweet and I liked the non traditional relationship they had. Their little family was touching. I wanted to see them all fulfill their dreams. It was a place I really missed when it was over as I found them all very likable. It ended very well. I recommend this very well done feel good story.

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Title is misleading Sort of like the taming of the shrew

This is a 2014 South Korean romantic comedy with 16, 60 minute episodes.

At the top of her game, Ban Ji-yeon (Uhm Jung-hwa) has everything except for a husband. Her work colleagues not so fondly refer to her “as the witch” as she pulls no punches in the very competitive field of news reporting. Those that cross her path are likely to leave after experiencing her sharp wit and brutal truth telling. Yoon Dong-ha (Park Seo-joon) seems to be Ji-yeon’s complete opposite. With his best friend he runs a part time agency and they do just about any odd job which puts him in Ji-yeon’s path frequently. At 39 Ji-yeon’s mother wants her to get over having been left at the alter by her long time boyfriend, and take the next steps of marriage and children. Dong-ha lost his serious girlfriend under tragic circumstances and, hasa maturity born of tragedy at 25. A twist of fate has Ji-Yeon and Dong-ha not only working together but also next door neighbors. The more Dong-ha gets to know.her the more he sees that “the witch” hides a very caring and nice interior that she takes great pains to hide. Just when it seems Ji-yeon may be able to win over Ji-Heinz and convince her their age gap does not matter her ex-fiancé shows up. He has a story to tell and is determined to get Ji-Yoon back. He is handsome, rich and is now a world renown photographer.

Spoiler 🚨 I was surprised at how much I liked this movie although I should not have been as Park Seo-Joon was in one of my favorites, “Fight My Way”. It was a little bit taming of the shrew in that she seemed pretty vicious on the surface. I thought they were very compelling and sweet as a couple. I also like all of the supporting characters and the friendships were very fun to watch. It was believable to watch her struggles with the age gap and also how she had to work through the feelings she had for her ex fiancé. There was a middle section where it felt a bit frustrating that she was slow to realize her Luke warm feelings for her ex-fiancé and her growing and persistent feelings for Dong-ha. Still I really loved this movie and highly recommend it as an outstanding romantic comedy.

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Great Action Movie

9/10 is my rating. This is a South Korean drama with 20 episodes (60 minutes/episode). Lee Yoon-Sung (Lee Min-Ho) was raised to seek revenge for his father who was killed by his own country men upon the order of five high ranking officials. His adopted father, who was the only surviving member of the elite troup that was targeted by the officials, raises Yoon-Sung as a key player in his revenge plot. As part of that plan Yoon-Sung attends an elite United State technological institute and excels enough to be hired as a telecommunications expert at the Blue House in South Korea. Yoon-Sung encounters Kim Na-Na (Park Min-Young), at the Blue House where she works as a body guard. His adopted father warned him to never fall in love as his "mission" would involve a lot of blood shed in his adopted father's mind. Yoon-Sung has his own way of doing things though.

Spoiler 🚨 I really liked the action in this movie. City Hunter reminded me of Batman maybe or James Bond. His character was extremely well developed and you understood his motivation in the things that he did. The romance between him and Kim Na-Na character was sizzling but very tragic. My heart broke for both so many times throughout I nearly lost count. I read that Lee Min-Ho does his own stunts and that made his performance as an actor all the more amazing. Everyone in this drama acted very well and the characters were well developed and evolved as you would expect based on the happenings. I read that the romance was left up in the air and some even wondered if City Hunter was still alive or if she was seeing a ghost. That would have bothered me if he would have died but I read a summary of that final episode from the producer/writers and they said he was not a ghost. So the ending is not sad the romance just doesn't wrap up in a happily ever after. You have to decide, for yourself, if them seeing each other a year after the final big action - if that means they will be together or not. So if you are in it for the romance you might be disappointed by that. I think it is still more than worth it to watch it for the suspense and action.

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Will cause you to re-think zombies

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 South Korean fantasy television series that has 12, 60 minute episodes.

Kang Min-ho (Choi Jin-hyuk) wakes up in the area of a hazardous waste dump with no memory of what happened to him or how he got there. More startling is he discovers he is not fully dead or alive - he is a zombie. To determine how he came to be in his current condition he knows he has to be able to "blend in" with humans so he slowly and persistently trains himself to walk, talk and act like a human. To cover his monstrous looking skin, he uses CC monster cover cream to the extent he should buy stock in the company. After witnessing the murder of private detective Kim Moo-young, Min-ho adds another mystery to his list and assumes the detectives identity so he can solve the mystery of his past. Gong Sun-ji (Park Ju-hyun) runs into Min-ho by chance and, mistaking his intentions, winds up "injuring" him. To pay damages she insists on becoming his part-time assistant not realizing her new boss is a zombie. Her skills as a former investigative journalist make her a useful asset for Min-ho as the two team up to solve not only the crime surrounding his death but also other cases as they come in the door.

Spoiler alert** I really like the way they portrayed the zombie in this series. All of the other zombie genre I have seen, with only one other notable exception, the zombies were mindless brain seeking monsters. The fact that he remained aware that he was once human and worked to blend in with humans made it a very unique and interesting take on zombies. I never would have thought a zombie could be sexy but then again when you have someone like Choi Jin-Hyuk playing a zombie, it was a foregone conclusion. He was somewhat of a mopey zombie but not in a bad way. It made it funny that he could reflect on being a zombie and regret not being human. Some found the FL annoying but I really thought her persistence was the only thing that would have gotten her through to him. And she grew as a character because she learned that her quick judgements of people were not always correct and I noticed she did that less as the series went on. Although I really liked it, it seemed like after they solved the "santa" case there was a logical end. I really thought we might be on the last episode and had mistaken how many episodes there were. This made me think they likely made some pilots and that is where it would have ended if the show was not popular. They extended it nicely, I wouldn't say seamlessly but definitely nicely. The ending was a bit nebulous and it was clear they left it open for a second season. It was good because the relationship between the two leads hadn't built to the level of romance making sense - it would have seemed sudden. On the flip side it leads me to wonder if there is any chemistry there. I mean I can't yet really picture them together but that could be it is early it what could be their romantic relationship. I usually feel bad for second guy but in this one I didn't because it was clear his timing was way off. You can't wait that long to decide you like someone as more than friends or that friendship becomes set in stone often for one or the other. I also felt his relationship with the female police officer was just building and likely that would continue on in a future episode. Even though the ending was less than I would have liked the whole circumstances surrounding the zombie were compelling enough that I rate this high and recommend it. If there is a second season I would likely re-watch the first and that in and of itself is telling as I rarely re-watch any.

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Particularly relevant in times of contagion - Good, keeps you watching

7/10 is my rating. This is a 2013 South Korean pandemic film. It is written and directed by Kim Sung-su. A deadly and extremely virulent flu breaks out in a suburb of Seoul. A container full of illegal immigrants is discovered in the course of rescuing traffic accident victims. A sole survivor escapes into the city. A smuggler and the infected immigrant are the source of a quick spread of a virus that kills at a high rate within 32 hours. The city breaks into chaos as evidence of virus ridden individuals is everywhere. Officials respond with quarantine and martial rule. Dr. Kim In-hae (Soo Ae) is a doctor on the front line of the virus. She is also a mother who is solely responsible for her young daughter, Kim Mi-reu (Park Min-ha). Coincidentally In-hae was in the accident that involved the illegal immigrants and was saved by Emergency worker Kang Ji-goo (Jang Hyuk). Ji-goo later delivers In-Hae’s purse to her daughter and finds Mi-reu staying alone while her mom is dealing with the virus. When Mi-reu contracts the virus, In-hae is forced to choose between the actions of a mother and those if a doctor containing a pandemic. Ji-goo finds himself enamored with the feisty and courageous doctor and her intelligent and kind daughter and helps to protect and assist them in the middle of social unrest.

Spoiler 🚨 I enjoyed this movie and it was particularly relevant as we all struggle to deal with the coronavirus. Though sensationalized and exaggerated it revealed the varying way people and authorities deal with an aggressive yet invisible threat. Some lose their humanity and start seeing fellow human beings as disease vectors. Atrocities occur as those who are able to suspend their humanity take dire action in the name of containment. Others maintain their caring and it sets up conflict between the two.

I liked this movie as it showed the range of human response in a pandemic. I also thought the depiction of conflict in dual roles causes. It was horrifying to see someone cough and slow motion magnification of the aerosol spray and the range and number of people it would “ hit”. Most of the acting was really good, particularly the leads, but there was room for improvement with the supporting cast. Overall good and entertaining.

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Unpopular opinion here but I prefer heart warming romance and happy endings over harsh reality

This is a 2019 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 16, 60-73 minute episodes. Also known as Mellow is My Nature.

6/10 is my rating. First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

This is a story centered around three female friend who are roommates and one of their brothers.

Lim Jin joo (Chun Woo hee) is fresh out of a tumultuous seven year relationship when a script she is writing finally catches the attention of an up and coming director. Finding intrigue in his particular brand of sarcasm, Jin joo falls for the Director, Son Beom soo (Ahn Jae hong). Relatively fresh out of a failed 7 year relationship, her feelings for Beom soo ignite while reworking the script for a 16 episodes drama. Having met his match, Beom soo reciprocates her feelings. Since fate has a sense of humor, it turns out her ex boyfriend, Kim Hwan dong (Lee You jin), is the assistant director and she has to work with him in order to get her big break.

Lee Eun jung (Jeon Yeo been) is still grieving the sudden loss of her fiancé, Hong dae (Han joon woo) to cancer. Her grief is so severe that she suffers persistent complex grief disorder and sees and talks to her departed fiancé as if he were still there. Her younger brother, Lee Hyo bong (Yoon Ji on) has continued living with Eun jung after she attempted suicide and her two friends form part of the team that live together and watch over Eun jung. Hong dae invested in a documentary Eun jung directed and she achieved wealth and success as a result of that project.

Hwang Han joo (Han Ji eun) was the school beauty who was conned in love by a man who was not good at committing to anything. She married him after an unexpected pregnancy but they quickly divorced, Now her three close friends and roommates are helping her raise her young son, Hwang In-kook (Seol Woo Hyung). Her role with the marketing and production department is to ensure the production meets the product placement advertisements that were agreed to. She later is promoted to a producer position.

Review

Based on other reviews, some people really liked this or at least enjoyed it. For me it’s one where I’m trying to figure out what people might’ve liked about it. I guess if you really like pure dramas with very little comedy and you want it to be reality based, then you might enjoy this one. I watch dramas to escape reality so I don’t want or need things to happen exactly as they might in reality. Give me the well-developed happy endings that’s what I want. I was interested in the story throughout most of it although there was nothing super exciting or any huge plot twist or anything like that. The characters were interesting and it was a slice of film industry life. Where I really lost interest in it was towards the ending when it became obvious things were not going to end the way I hoped they would. Sort of a soft ending in that things were wrapped up just not completely or well. In my opinion I would not watch it again nor would I highly recommend somebody else watch it. However, if you particularly like any of the actors, they did very well and the script was written well for what it was

Spoilers

Lim Jin joo (Cho Woo hee) was not a very likable character. In the relationship with Kim Hwan dong (Lee You jin) I thought she was wrong in the arguments a majority of the time. It appeared she picked fights with him for no apparent reason. She really wasn’t different with Son Beom soo (Ahn Jae hong) but he didn’t fight back. He more joked her out of it. I think they were trying for her just being a unique personality who could not match well with just anyone. They tried to portray that some some of the roughervaspects of her personality were due to being that element that made her an edgy writer. This was supposed to lead tona determination that the only one that could handle her was another quirky person such as the somewhat edgy Director. I got where the writers were going with it but I just found her very abrasive and not very likable. I still rooted for the romance a little bit which was why the way they never really fully got together was annoying. They were dating, although still having frequent fights, but nothing much else like a solid long term commitment which was not a very satisfying ending.

Lee Eun jung (Jeon Yeo been) was just a sad case the entire time. I hoped the drama would take the turn that she found new love in Kim Ah-rang (Ryu Abell) a fellow director but that never fully happened. There were some hints they might meet up abroad but nothing definite. She was working on her complex grief but was still imagining Hong dae (Han joon woo) enough it was clear she had not fully let go. So there was no resolution to her grief and we did not get to see her happy in a new relationship.

Hwang Han joo (Han ji eun) says she is ready for a romance and there is all this build up between her and her subordinate, Chu Jae hoon (Gong Myung) and it seems headed for romance. But nope. Instead he seems to get back with his crazy ex, Ha yoon (Mi ram) who they portray as the victim in their very tumultuous relationship when everything I saw it looked like she was the aggressor. But that was an overall trend in this film that no matter how wrong the female appeared, she was in the right, and the man was the wrong one. Then, in the end, she is dating some guy she met at a club who we barely knew anything about. Why did I care she had some random romance? I wanted her with her cute assistant who seemed like her other half. Instead he is back with his personality disorder ex and she is with some rando.

Jung Hye-Jung (Baek Ji won), who was Jin joo’s former boss turned rival script writer has this whole flirtation going with Sung In-Jong (Jung Seung gil) and there is even a bit of a love triangle for awhile. So this leads you to expect she will quit being such a horror with her work and get with In jong who seems to mellow her sharp personality. But we do not know what happens as tge writers just drop that story and there is no outcome with all that build up.

There were a couple of side romances that got very little screen time that were cute but not central enough to carry the story. Eun jung’s younger brother, Lee Hyo bong (Yoon Ji on), marries his partner and moves out because his sister is finally well enough he no longer has to be on suicide watch. Probably the cutest romance of the show was between Lee So min (Lee joo bin) and her manager Lee Min joon (Kim Myung joon) as they had been friends and it was obvious he felt more for her. So them realizing their feelings and getting together was heart warming,good friendships can stand in for love,

Overall it felt like the writers wanted to convey a proposal is not necessary for a happy ending, good friendships can stand in for love, and strong independent women do not need a man. A disappointing surprise for me to find in a Korean drama.

#BeMelodramatic #MellowIsMyNature #HanJiEun #JeonYeoBeen #AhnJaeHong #ChunWooHee #HanJoonWoo #YoonJiOn #SeolWooHyung

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If you don’t mind sad content and are fond of the separation trope…

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean Historical romance drama with 21, 60-90 minute episodes. It was originally divided into two parts: Part 1 with ten episodes and Part 2 with eleven episodes. So some say there are two seasons but there is only one season sometimes divided in two parts..

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Lee Jang hyun (Namkoong Min) is not the type of serious, respectful and honorable noble Yoo Gil chae (Ahn Eun jin) is used to encountering. He is a bit of what we would call these days, a lady’s man but also a “player.” He falls hard for the spirited Gil chae who, as the prettiest girl in her small community, has her pick of suitors. Of course the only guy she is interested in, Nam Yeon joon (Lee hak joo), is in love with her best friend. Kyung Eun ae (Lee da in), Gil chae’s best friend would do about anything for her friend except give up the guy they both love. Eun ae knows Gil chae really just wants Yeon joon because he is not interested and that the roguish Jang hyun is actually a better match for her friend. Eun ae both kind and wise and knows that Jang hyun is actually a very kind and capable man who deeply cares for Gil chae. But Gil chae is slow to recognize her own feelings and does not believe Jang hyun’s feelings are sincere. He has also clearly stated he is against marriage something any noble lady would scorn. Through war and the aftermath the two suffer many missed opportunities and Gil chae weds another man. Despite this, they both have each other firmly in their heart. Korea is suffering as the defeated party under a faction of China and the people are suffering by being impoverished, persecuted, killed and enslaved. Is there any hope for these two who seemed destined to be together?

Review

I do not like sad shows. If you like sad then you would definitely like this more than I did. I actually looked up the ending and it said it ended happy enough so I went with that. But what I didn’t understand is, it may end fairly happy, but it is sad all over the place throughout. Why? Well it is loosely based on true events where there was this Josean king who became paranoid and did a lot of horrible things as a result. And the royals were always trying to poison each other. That is why food tasters were common in many countries among the royalty. It was good for what it was. Wonderfully acted, the filming was amazing, and it was interesting throughout. So, understand that my ranking is based mostly on the fact that it had sad threaded all through it. I would not watch it again because it made me too down. I would recommend it to people that like historical and do not at all mind sad content.

Spoilers

I read that it ends with him losing his memory but that he remembers events around her. But they are together. That is true and that is the way it is nearly to the very end. But, in the last few minutes, he fully remembers her it shows his gaze becoming more steady and he says her name and looks her right in the eyes. So he does fully remember her. But two things about that. I personally hate the amnesia trope in general. And he has not one but two separate periods of amnesia. And, since it ended that way, we don’t know if he remembered any of the other people in his life.

Yeon joon was just an annoying character to me. I guess that wanted you to think Gil chae’s love for him in the beginning was completely juvenile and ridiculous. He was never a character I admired as he was so sanctimonious and it shadowed and influenced everything he did. He was never as thankful to Jang hyun for protecting him during the war as he should have been. If he told Gil chae about that in a “he is my life safer” type way she might have admitted her feelings for Jang hyum sooner. But I think there was a part of Yeon joon that liked having Gil chae romantically interested in him.

Gil chae was really annoying in the beginning. It had a real “Gone with the Wind” sort of vibe as she started as a noble that was very princess like as she was the beauty of the community. Then war breaks out and she goes through serious hardship and has to suffer horribly at the hands of the Barbarians. And it did humble and change her. But then she scorns Jang Hyun and marries the man who lied on the path on the island to basically use her as Barbarian bait. I get that it was Jang hyun’s fault a bit because, even at that point, he did not offer marriage but still you don’t turn your back on someone that has done so much for you and you obviously have feelings for.

Eun au, on the other hand, was such a sweet, humble and loyal person from the beginning, I did not feel like Yeon joon deserved her. The way he treated her when she was asking about being “defiled” by Barbarians made me like him even less. And then when he was a traitor to Jang hyun by leading the soldiers that nearly killed him, I liked him even less. There were just a few moments in the end when he asked Eun au to go with her and if he was still her husband where I think they were trying to show he had come around, but it wasn’t enough. So that wasn’t a sweet side romance.

I thought the Crown Prince and Princess dying was just tragic and unnecessary. Yes that may have been what happened, or close to it, historically but they could have departed and had him live. And then to make the Princess a traitor and even kill the royal heir, just made it Greek tragedy level.

The royal concubine was the evil doer behind most of the tragic events and we did not get the benefit of seeing her taken down. Evil essentially won. And that may have been what happened in the historical event it was drawn from but stories have the opportunity to improve and depart from such things. I suspect the king in the end was the concubines’ son. That was her goal to have her son put on the throne, but that was not very clear.

A large portion of the show was told with the main characters parted by war and other circumstance. I really dislike the separation trope so that being so prevalent and repetitive throughout the series was a serious negative to me. They were apart way more than they were together. Then, they would just get together briefly and either they would have a misunderstanding and go their separate ways, or a tragedy would strike and drive them apart. It was so frequent that the majority of the live commenters were complaining about them mostly being apart.

I guess the ending was supposed to be happy in the house he created to her specifications. But they were always surrounded by so many others throughout that them two alone just seemed very lonely. And it seemed they just planned to live as if dead so that he would not be hunted. But that was sad too. If it weren’t for the mad king and the evil concubine he should have lived out a heroes’ life.

#NamkoongMin #AhnEunJin #MyDearest#LeeDaIn #LeeHakJoo

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Did not enjoy and would not re-watch. It's iconic so perhaps worth the watch for that

7.5/10 is my rating. This is 2016 South Korean TV series with
16, 60 minute, episodes. Hong Seol (Kim Go Eun) is a university student who wants to make it through college with as little drama as possible. That all changes when she notices that her Sunbae, senior, Yoo Jung (Park Hae-Jin) does things that are psychotic in nature. Those around her do not see it and she seems to be alone in noticing his dark actions. Ironically the fact that Hong Seol can see through him causes Yoo Jung to be strangely attracted to her. Yoo Jung is wealthy and used to those around him using him for his money.

spoiler 🚨 I liked elements of this. I found the side romances a lot cuter than the main one. I like the friendships a lot. Now it’s a bit of a spoiler. I found it hard to believe with him as cold and vindictive as he could be that someone with a personality that started out as sweet as Seol would find him attractive. The things he did would fall under a sociopath. I think they were trying to sell that someone with those attributes could change. I really liked the second guy. At first I thought I would be disappointed that she didn’t end up with him but in the long run I decided she changed so much that she became a lot like the main male lead. I understood that he’d been hurt by those closest to him as a child but still could not excuse things like watching as his essentially younger brother was beat up and his hand injured. I know he said some things that weren’t exactly nice but kids say things like that sometimes. And I was really shocked later on when he would do things to get back at somebody that was way beyond what they had actually deserved and Seol seemed OK with it. And after all of that for it to end not really knowing for sure if he ever came back into her life felt like a real waste of time. I mainly just felt sorry for the siblings and the way that they were used and the fact that the father never really loved them as children but was simply using them as playmates for his son. It was a very twisted story way too much for me to like it very much. I probably rate this a lot lower than some others because I’m not super sympathetic with people that treat other people poorly so I couldn’t feel sympathy for some of the characters like I think they expected and that lessened my enjoyment a lot. I also got to where I did not like Seol a lot anymore because the way that she changed and became very cold towards the people in her life was very off putting to me it was almost as if they wanted you to believe she had become a sociopath herself. This is not one I would watch again nor recommend.

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Flips the stereotype of identical twin closeness; healing family drama

Review

9.5/10 is my rating.

Our Unwritten Soul is a deeply emotional drama that blends romance, family struggles, and the complexities of identity with identical twin sisters at its center. The acting is phenomenal—especially from the actress playing both female leads, Mi-hi and Mi-rae. She captured each sister so convincingly that I never once lost track of who was who.

Mi-hi stood out as a character I really loved. She was kindhearted, thoughtful toward her family and friends, and always trying to support others even when she was hurting. Her warmth made it even harder to watch how her mother constantly criticized her and compared her unfavorably to Mi-rae.

The story tackles family expectations, sibling rivalry, and the ways love can both heal and complicate relationships. At times, it’s heavy and heartbreaking, but it’s never dull. Even the side characters—like the adopted mother whose fierce love for her son was one of the most touching parts of the drama—felt layered and real.

This is a romance at its core, but also a family-centered story that explores how we see ourselves and how others define us. It isn’t a light watch, but it’s beautifully done and meaningful. If you enjoy stories about complicated families, strong character growth, and romance that develops under unique circumstances, Our Unwritten Soul is worth your time.

Spoilers

Mi-rae, though compelling, often came across as selfish. She had Mi-hi take her place at work even though she knew it meant sending her into a hostile environment with bullies and even a sexual harassment situation. Mi-hi wasn’t warned and was told only to “sit quietly,” avoid the male lead, and keep secrets—while Mi-rae, when pretending to be her sister, behaved however she wanted. She ignored their grandmother at first, treated Mi-hi’s best friend who was her ex-boyfriend coldly, and worked the farm with little concern for how her choices would affect Mi-hi’s reputation. It felt unfair and very one-sided.

The relationship between the adopted mother and her son was another emotional highlight. Their eventual heart-to-heart about his guilt—believing he couldn’t call her his true mother—was powerful. I only wish he had told her sooner what he overheard his relatives saying about him being a burden. That moment could have added even more emotional depth.

Some story choices frustrated me. For example, Mi-hi keeping her secret from her romantic interest for so long felt unnecessary; he was proven trustworthy and capable of keeping confidences, so the delay only created avoidable frustration. The grandmother’s death also felt like an oddly placed plot point—it was heartbreaking, but it didn’t meaningfully move the story forward.

As for the ending, it leaned too “soft” for my taste. Mi-hi’s decision to go to school to become a therapist was wonderful, but the delay in marriage felt like it was playing into a modern “independence before romance” trend rather than being true to the heart of the story. A proposal or engagement would have been a more satisfying romantic payoff. Similarly, Mi-rae and “strawberry guy” had clear chemistry when he returned, but the lack of even a confession felt like a missed opportunity.

On the positive side, I appreciated how both sisters grew from the experience and came to understand themselves and each other better. By the end, their relationship was warmer and healthier, and it felt like the beginning of true healing from a mother who had always struggled to show love.

The two single mothers’ friendship—so different in background yet united in strength—was inspiring, and Rosa the poet’s arc was fascinating and uplifting in the end.

Overall, Our Unwritten Soul is a powerful drama with stellar performances and heartfelt themes. I recommend it highly, though it’s not a light or endlessly rewatchable story. It’s heavy at times, but if you stick with it, it rewards you with meaning, emotion, and a memorable exploration of love, family, and identity

Synopsis

This is a 2025 South Korean family drama with 12, 70 minute episodes.

Identical twin sisters Yoo Mi-ji (Park Bo-young) and Yoo Mi-rae (Park Bo-young), have covered for each other their whole lives. When one twin is better at something than the other they tag switch and few people can tell they swapped places. So, when Mi-rae is considering self harm as a result of extreme stress and workplace bullying, her twin Mi-ji determines it is time to switch. While identical in looks the two have always had very different personalities. Mi-ji, is an extroverted free-spirit who cared more about track and field than academics. But, an injury kept her from going on to achieve any greatness in athletics and she is currently living back at home and taking on multiple part-time jobs and piece work. She has remained in their home town of Duson-ri while her introverted by high academic performing twin has moved to Seoul to pursue a career. Mi-rae is stuck in a job that is draining her spirit but has to keep working as the family needs her career income. So, she accepts Mi-ji's offer to switch to give Mi-rae a break from the dog eat dog existence of the salary person. The twins had drifted apart so neither was fully aware of what the other's life was like. Stepping into each other's roles they begin to learn a lot of things they did not know about the other.

As Mi-ji navigates Seoul’s corporate maze and Mi-rae finds solace in the countryside, their ruse not only reveals the conditions of their current existence, but it also unearths things they were unaware of from the past. Mi-ji is joined by Lee Ho-soo (Park Jin-young), a charismatic lawyer with a concealed wound who was her first love her broke her heart. And Mi-rae becomes a business partner with Han Se-jin (Ryu Kyung-soo), a thoughtful strawberry farmer. This is the journey through the heart and minds of two sisters who, by playing the other, learn more about themselves and what happened to their once tight shared twin bond. As they figure a better way forward they discover a way to chart a future that leads to true happiness. the sisters confront love, identity, and the courage to rewrite their futures in a poignant tale of healing and self-discovery.

#OurUnwrittenSeoul

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Starts slow but is worth it as it gets very good

9/10 is my rating.



Review

(Scroll down for synopsis and spoilers)



This is a very heartwarming romance that will give romantics the warm fuzzies that we look for in romance dramas. I liked it a lot and would highly recommend it for anyone that likes romantic dramas with some roots in some hard realities. My main critique is it started really slow. I am not, in general, a huge fan of just straight up drama.  Up until about episode 10, I was wondering what people liked about it.  But then it started to get REALLY good and I understand why it was very popular. And I also understood, a little, why that long, seemingly slow lead up mattered. But it was a really frustrating later as it kept flashing back and filling in details. There are few instances where I like stories told as flashbacks. I would rather just get the story in the order it occurred.  A technique that gets overused is to tell a skeleton of the crucial events and then use the flashbacks as the reveals. To me, the character finding out those details could be the reveals. Traveling back and forward in time can easily become disorganized chaos. In this story they use a realer like time line and show, as you travel back and forth, where you are at on that timeline during the cut scenes. That helped. But the fact that was necessary is an indicator of how much the story moved back and forth in time.



Synopsis



This is a 2025 Chinese Romantic drama with 32, 45 minute episodes. It was adapted from a novel by Zhu Yi and has the same title.  The main lead character in this played the brother in another Chinese drama "Hidden Love." There are references to the characters from Hidden Love and even a cameo or so. In terms of timeline this takes place partially, in the flash backs, during the same timeframe as the high school scenes in hidden love but after the main part of the story after high school.





Sang Yan (Bai Jingting) and Wen Yifan (Zhang Ruonan) were a high school couple until a series of misunderstandings drove them apart. Wen Yifan broke up with Sang Yan and they were both heart broken. Eight years later they are living very different lives. Sang Yan wealthy and lives in a nice apartment and is part owner of a popular bar and also a video game programmer. Wen Yifan is trying to break into the news reporting industry. She works for a smaller news program and is trying to get a big story to get more recognition and so she is promoted. Because of her limited economic means, she lives in a very impoverished area. Because she has very little resources and is alone in the world she lives in an apartment with multiple virtual strangers to keep living costs down. Due to her beauty she suffers many unwanted advances and has even been assaulted by unwanted admirers. Wen Yifan has avoided Sang Yan for over eight years but starts to bump into him more frequently and then finds herself in a co-habited rental where she knew she was getting a new roommate but did not realize it was the man she was trying so hard to avoid.



Spoilers



Her mother is among the worst I have seen. Call me vindictive but I was glad she told her just pretend like I was a victim of that serial killer you refused to save me from. Because, really, if she hadn't been a tough victim, that is what would have happened.  It was heart breaking when she called her mother begging her to get her out of the situation and saying she didn't feel safe and her mother basically saying suck it up. If you are that cold to someone, anyone, let alone your own child, you deserve to spend the rest of your life thinking of what you could have done better. She tried with her. FL did. She went to her house when the mom reached out but then her horrible aunt was there.  Her last string of trust was betrayed.  The fact that she did not forgive her made me like the show more.

I am also glad FL did not fall for her half-sister's ruse that she wanted to be close to her. I thought it was all about being able to get in with the ML through her. I loved that about the FL. I give you every chance to be a good human but if you don't take any of them then that bridged you burned is not repairable.  You reap what you sow.

If ever you wanted a ML who would walk through literal fire for the FL this was it. He loved her with a conviction and unwavering determination. Some might say he was "stalking" her.  I would agree if he ever approached her and she indicated she did not want him around.  There can be a fine line between the two. But he was clearing watching out for her. Checking in on her. 

I am not usually a fan of people leaving but, in her case, I totally understood. The treatment she dealt with was both physical and psychological torture. She genuinely thought people she cared about would do better without her. There was no malice in her actions.



#FirstFrost

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