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Its Rowoon watchable for that alone. But it is also an interesting premise with a nice romance.

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean romantic fantasy drama with 16, ~60 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then reviewyj

Lee Hong-jo (Jo Bo-ah) is a lonely civil servant who does not realize her life is about to get a whole lot more complicated. Jang Shin-yu (Rowoon) is a rich chaebol but also a very talented attorney. The two hVe very little reaskn to cross paths if fate was not at play in their destiny. Hing-jo finds that she must get a property demolished that Shin-yu owns and when she goes to discuss the matter with him itis dislike at first site. As the situation unfolds they discover they are linked through a 300 year old forbidden book that was sealed in a wooden box awaiting Hong-joo. The book seems to be some silly compilation of spells but Shin-yu knows too well the curse filled darker side of the book. Can the two lift the curse and unravel the mysteries of the past? Are they destined to be together?

Review

I started this immediately following having watched Rowoon in “She Will Never Know”. In that role, he was super sweet and very demonstrative with his affection. In this series he is serious, cold and aloof. The two roles are night and day and yet Rowoon plays them equally well showing he has exceptional acting talent. It is hard to rate anything he is in very low because he is a very handsome and talented actor.

The paranormal, quasi magical back story adds a very interesting element.

Overall I liked it and it ends happy with major plot elements resolved. I recommend it for those that like reincarnation, cold male lead who falls hard for the girl, revenge in bullies and heart warming romance. I might rewatch it some time in the future.

Spoilers*
They seemed to build a lot around the spells and spell book early in the story but then it had no great validity later on. Did the spells work or not? It was like they were going to go that direction then changed their mind.

There were several people that existed in their past life that reappeared in this one with no clear reason why they were around her in the current life. Like her psycho stalker, he was in her past life. Did that have anything to do with his obsession with her in the present? Like Kwon Jae-kyung (Ha Jun) her downstairs neighbor, he drove the incident leading to her death in the past life, in this life he is a romantic interest. Why?

The bloody red hand he had a lot of episodes with that happening early on then he just did not. Even before the curse was broken he quit having the red hand episodes. It would have been better if the characters had talked about it.

He was so dopily in love with her in the beginning supposedly because of the spell. Later when it seemed it was not a spell at all there was no real explanation then for his earlier behavior. It was out of character for him.

I liked when Hong jo finally stood up to her bully Yoon Na-yeon (Yura). I wish though Shin yu discovered more how his ex girlfriend had treated Hing jo back n their younger days. He broke up with her for cheating but I felt like he never fully understood just how awful she was. He stayed in that relationship way longer than it seemed he should almost as if he was reluctant to let go. And never stood up to his dad to say look you are being harsh with my current girlfriend but look who you picked.

For some reason there was this focus on a second couple’s romance to the extent they showed their wedding near the end of the series. Which would not have been odd except they did not show a wedding with the lead couple.

#DestinedWithYou
#Rowoon
#JoBoAh
#Yura
#HaJun

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I loved every minute of this perfect series

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean historical Romance with 12, 70 minute episodes. It is based on a web novel & webtoon of the same title written by Chun Jy-Hye.

First I will provide a synopsis then review

Synopsis
The setting is during the Josean area but all the events and people are fictitious. King Lee Heon (Kim Young-dae) has placed a ban on marriage since the tragic death of his wife, the Crown Princess, 7 years earlier. A con artist, Ye So-Rang (Park Ju-Hyun), thinks the ban is unreasonable and is running an on the sly marriage service thinking it will escape the crowns‘s notice. When she is caught by none other than the king himself she devises a plan to pretend to channel the former crown princess. The king, who remains devastated by the loss of his wife, decides to keep So-rang close to gain closure on his wife’s death. No-one is how they seem and the king’s best friend and head of security, Lee Shin-won (Kim Woo-seok) thinks So-rang looks a lot like the girl who disappeared prior to their wedding. As So-Rang grows closer to the king she genuinely desires to alleviate his emotional pain using all her skills at deception. Will love grow in this unlikely place?

Review

I loved every minute of this heartwarming, funny, interesting historical romantic comedy. The relationship between the King and So-rang was well paced, their chemistry was really good and it was believable. Lee Shin-won (Kim Woo-seok) was a second male lead whose character you could not fail to love. If you like romance and with happy endings for all then this is a rare find. I lover it, would watch it again and highly recommend it.

*Spoilers
So-rang is one of the most entertaining characters to watch. She had so much tragedy in her life yet found a way to survive and yet have a caring heart that wants to help everyone she encounters. The room becomes more fun when she walks in. Despite her relatively low social position both men fall for her as the truly unique and utterly engaging charismatic individual she is. She was so good at fake channeling you wondered if it was real at times and she did not even realize it. The dashing investigator, Shin-won was such a good human being you could not keep from rooting for him in everything he did. I loved his relationships with So-rang and with the king. They introduced his new love interest late but she was immediately someone I liked and she was someone fitting for the lovable Shin-won. The King was near perfect he was lovable, fair, honest and yet had a strong sense for punishing criminals and rooting out evil. I liked that, when he discovered she had lied and deceived him, he was angry but only for a short period then figured out, on his own, she did it to help him. To m if you love someone you would know those types of things about them and believe in them when it counted. I thought how the King nearly lost his mind when Shin-won put aside their friendship and pulled So-rang away was realistic and So-rang stopping hm from harming his friend showed the depth of all their relationships. The two men forgiving each other and renewing their friendship towards the end was so satisfying. The evil was fully revealed and punished. We got to see happy endings for all the main characters and a glimpse of happily ever after.

#ForbiddenMarriage
#ParkJuHyun
#KimYoungDae
#KimWooSeok

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Story about the band and the music are great - the romance is "incomplete"

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean romantic drama with 12, 70 minute episodes. It is alternatively known as "I will Be Your Knight."

While trying to revive his band and get them topping the chart again, the stress and pressure triggers the lead singer, and genius song writer/composer of the band, Yoo Tae-In (Lee Jun-young) to have sleepwalking episodes that he had not experienced since childhood. Idol bands have to be very careful to avoid scandal and Tae-In's sleepwalking episodes threatens to create episodes that could be scandalous for the struggling band. The band's manager/CEO enlists the help of a special doctor to "cure" and monitor Tae-In's condition as a secret live in physician. Due to a mix up, it is not the world famous sleep doctor who "treats" Tae-In but her struggling twin sister, In Yoon-joo (Jung In-sun). Fate may have known what it was doin gthough as Yoon-joo seems to be just what the band needed to pull together as a cohesive unit and to heal the key member of the group. It is lonely at the top, but can these idols find love without losing all they have strived for?

I like this trope a lot. It shows that being an "idol" or just an artist in general can be a very lonely life. Famous people are still people and have the same wants and needs as others but, due to their need to avoid "scandals", it can be very lonely at the top. I really liked each of the characters in this series as they had all of the issues and problems you would imagine with a band trying to maintain their relevance. The growing pains they had and the fact that she became the thing that knit them all together was interesting to see develop. Spoiler alert* I would have rated this much higher if I didn't find the ending as frustrating as I did. It seemed that he liked her a lot more than she did him and she never fully came out and confessed her feelings for him. She was cruel to him, in a way, when it was more her insecurities than any thoughts or feelings she had. I also did not like how we followed 2nd couple for so much of the series only to have them break up never to get back together. In that case too it did not seem she loved him enough to fight for their relationship. To me the plot felt a bit "woke" like they were trying to show the women did not need the men or that they were able to make the more mature decision to preserve the career over the relationship. I am somewhat of a hopeless romantic in that I think love is rare enough, and fulfilling enough that it is worth giving up other things for. I think the only way things will ever change for famous people is if they start to draw the line very firmly between their artistic life and their private life. I think they are moving in that direction, more and more, and some are more succssful at it than others. In the end, they meet up at the house she hoped to buy, he apparently bought it and got her sister in on having her go there. But, it wasn't clear whether or not that meant they were getting together or not. I know some writers like to leave it like that, like you decide whether or not they end up together, but I don't watch shows to have to "write" the ending myself. I like neatly wrapped up and clear in terms of the relationships. This was good, the music was amazing, their chemistry was solid, but it was disappointing at the end. Still I would recommend it for the overall story, the music, and the actors.

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Had a soft “woke” ending

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2019 South Korean historical romance with 20, 60 minute, episodes.

Goo Hae-ryung (Shin Se-kyung) is unique among the Ladies as she is more interested in reading books than she is in getting married. This has led her to be nearing the age where she will be forced to wed. When an opportunity arises to become a female historian and avoid the bounds of marriage she gladly takes it. Yi Rim /Prince Dowon (Cha Eun-woo)
is the only son of the dethroned King Huiyeong Yi Gyeom. What Prince Gowan does not know, is he is the rightful heir to the throne. Living within the palace but exiled both from public and even inner palace life, he is content for his uncle and cousin to rule (who he regards as a father and brother) while he works, in secret, as "Maehwa," the author of many popular romance novels. The Prince claims to want honest feedback on his novels but when Hae-ryung gives him some harsh feedback without knowing he is the author and the Prince he is both insulted and intrigued. As a historian, Hae-rung faces many challenges as the royals do not always welcome having their activities recorded. Things intensify even more when both Hae-rung and Prince Dowon become interested in what they were told were treasonous events in the past. They both suspect the event was not told entirely nor truthfully. Not all is as it seems nor is everyone on the same path they started on. As the two grow feelings for each other can they survive palace politics or will the past they both are tied to end their love and even their lives for good?

Spoiler alert!! I liked learning about historians and what their role may have been in the past it made me curious if they really were somewhat like they were portrayed. I loved prince Dowon and his brother, the Crown Prince. It was a cute love story with a lot of mystery around the events that happened in the past. There were even some side occurrences that kept you engaged and interested and let you get to know a lot of the characters better. I was disappointed a bit in the ending though in that the male and female leads did not get married or have any kind of long-term relationship. This happens a lot in current American romances and I think it’s part of the movement that is supposed to show that a woman doesn’t necessarily need to be married or be with a man to be happy. it makes me wonder how much of the story is influenced and written for American culture since it is a Netflix production. I don’t expect perfect historical accuracy but I do not even like that element in current American romances. I was also disappointed that Prince Dowon did not take some position in the royal family because even though he liked to write, the fact that there was so much buildup around him being the rightful heir, it was a let down that he gave it up. Prince Dowon was writing travel books which meant he did not get back to the type of writing he really liked which was the romance books. That also felt like Hae-rung had an influence on him when she ridiculed his romance books. Just like I don’t think the woman should have to change everything about herself to be with someone, I also do not think the man should have to completely change who they are either. Overall I felt like he had to change a lot and she basically stayed very much the way she was. Despite the small disappointments, the series was still good and I highly recommend it.

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Has some good elements but does not hold together well

5/10 is my rating. This is a Korean movie (~114 minutes run time) from 2011 that blends comedy, romance and a little bit of horror. The female lead, Son Ye-jin, plays Yeo-ri a young woman who can see dead people. And not nice, friendly dead people, but some haunting, frightening characters. Lee Min-ki is a magician who spots Yeo-ri in the crowd at one of his performances and senses something different about her. After getting the story of what she sees - he works her into his stage show in a horror magical piece that leaves audiences on the edge of the seats and enhances his magic career. Soon the two become friends, and quite quickly become more than friends.

Spoiler 🚨 Not sure if it is because I thought this was a series at first but I found that the story moved entirely too fast for me. It was really hard for me to envision them having fallen for each other because it just did not see like that much time had passed. He is willing to give up a lot and put up with a lot to be with her and I just did not get that level of connection. I am a big chicken when it comes to horror movies and I did not find this one very frightening at all. It also did not show enough of what she experienced to drive home just how horrific her life was. I would not recommend this one - I did not find it very entertaining. I also did not feel the two of them made a very convincing romantic couple.

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Very good straight forward and relatively light hearted

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2017 South Korean drama spanning 14, 60 minute episodes.
Cha Jin-wook (Sung Hoon) and Yoo-mi (Song Ji-Eun) meet and have a one night stand. Yoo-mi wakes up and disappears leaving Jin-wook preplexed as to why she didn't stay after what he considered a life changing encounter. Three years later Yoo-mi shows up as a nutritionist at the company Jin-wook's father owns. She pretends not to know him out of embarrassment of having a one night stand. Jin-Wook is determined to win over this woman he has never forgotten. He is not the only contendor for Yoo-mi's heart though. And Jin-wook also has a woman his father has identified as his perfect match. Can Jin-wook convince Yoo-mi they belong together? Will he be able to overcome his father's expectations as heir to a company?

Spoiler 🚨 I thoroughly enjoyed this series. The chemistry between the leads was over the top. I could see how the situation would have evolved. It was predictable, but in a good way. I recommend this to anyone that enjoys a straight up romantic comedy.

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I loved this. Unique twist on time travel with a heart warming love story

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 romantic comedy drama that centers on time travel. There are 16, 70 minute episodes. It is based on a webtoon titled “Tomorrow”s Nest.”

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

An accident leaves Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) paralyzed and wheel chair bound amd ready to end it. Ryun Sun-Jae (Byeon Woo Seok) calls her “randomly” from a radio show where his band “Eclipse” is being interviewed. His call reaches Im Sol on one of her lowest days but his words inspire her to go on. She becomes his top fan and it is one of the brightest days in her life when she meets him through a “chance” encounter. On that same day she is devastated to learn he ends his own life. Perhaps the universe gets her devastation and responds to her desperation as a magical watch takes her back in time 15 years when they both went to adjacent high schools. During her many attempts to garner Sun Jae’s attention in order to change their future, she is indifferent to most people around her which catches the widely popular Song Geon Hee’s attention (Kim Tae Sung). Tae sung is used to girls vying for his attention. Im Sol’s utter indifference sparks his competitive nature and he finds himself falling for this unique girl. As Im sol travels back and forth through time, her teenage self vascilates between a girl that is in love with Geom hee to an embarassing extent, to the 30s year old version in a teenager body that finds him ridiculously bad boy narcissistic. And as she changes from one persona to another depending on which stage of life brain is driving the teenage body, she changes between idolation and indifference of Sun Jae as well. Which makes for some very comedic moments. Can Im sol fulfill her heart’s desire and change both of their grim destinies?

Review:

This is a unique twist on time travel with a very heartwarming love story.  After this series ran Byeon Woo Seok became known as the nation’s boyfriend and it is clear why.  The main lead character was so sweet, steadfast, and loyal to the main female lead character, that most would want to have a boyfriend or girlfriend that had all the qualities he had.  You will also experience second lead syndrome as second guy is awesome as well.  While there are some sad moments, I would not consider it sad at all on balance.  Though if you have been impacted by anyone having ended their life, be aware it could be tough emotionally in the first episodes. It dragged me down a bit because anytime that topic comes up it brings things back. For me the emotional drain around him seemingly ending his life was not severe enough to avoid a really good story like this, but it is good to be aware and prepared.  I always check before and most indicated it ended happy. I can confirm that it does have a very happy ending.  I would highly recommend this to anyone that loves really good romance, likes time travel, or is a fan of any of the actors.  All the actors did an incredible job of portraying the characters. I would watch this again and would recommend it to anyone without hesitation. 

 

Spoilers

My daughter said it would be slightly rated down in her opinion to maybe a 9/10 because she felt like it was super confusing how often it flipped around in time.  I completely agree.  It did get very confusing as she traveled back and forth to know if certain events happened in that particular timeline.  Not only did she travel 15 years back and forth but, at times, they would flashback within the same timeline.  Lead guy even, at one point, thought Geom Hee had dated Im Sol and she had not dated him in that timeline.  So, the writers were acknowledging that even the characters would have been confused.  But, I differ from her in that I do not think you could have portrayed the complexity without it being a little confusing at times. 

There were some things I wish had been better explained.  Like, how exactly the watch was working.  How did she know how many times she could travel?  How did she know when she was going back?   What about grandma?  Was she controlling some of the events?  It also did not explain whether Sun jae actually ended his own life or if it was the killer got to him, drugged him, and he wound up falling off the balcony and it looked like he had ended his life.  At times it seemed the killer had some awareness, like he knew things he should not have known, and it wasn’t clear why that was the case.  I think it had to do with something the grandma said that memories do not go away that they become embedded in your soul.  And then there was Sun jae’s puffer jacket stalker.  That was really developed as a key event in one timeline but then it was like they just dropped it.  I thought it might play out on all the timelines in a very essential way but it seems the only point of it was for him to have these frustrating passing moments, where he misunderstood Im sol and they almost but not quite got together. 

 
I got really frustrated with her for pushing him away.  I understood she was doing it because she became convinced he would die or get seriously injured from being around her.  But, her original purpose for traveling back was to keep him from ending his life.  So, if you are worried about someone being sad enough to make that horrible decision, why would you do things that would make them depressed?  Even understanding her concern about the killer targeting him, I wanted her to realize she should not make him sad. But I did finally agree with her when he was stabbed and fell off the cliff.  I know I would make the same decision in that case.  I might talk to others around him to get them to check in on him more and make sure he was doing emotionally well, but I would likely conclude that he need not be around me if I couldn’t get the killer to stop no matter how things changed. 

#LovelyRunner #KimHyeYoon #ByeonWooSeok #SomhGeonHee #LeeSeungHyub

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Perfect classic romantic drama

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean romantic comedy series with 16, 60-77 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique Synopsis then reviiew.

Synopsis

Cheon Sa-rang (Im Yoon-ah) has finally landed her dream job as a concierge at the King Hotel. She has a smile that was made for the role and her beauty and above average capability has her climbing the ranks at the hotel rapidly. Although her aspirations and goals are on path, Sa-rang often finds herself squarely in the cross hairs of Goo Won (Lee Jun-ho) the handsome chaebol who is set to inherit the conglomerate.

At first the two only find the other annoying. But they soon realize there is way more common ground in common as they each pursue their dreams in the hotel world.

Review

This was very good and perfect for anyone that likes a slow build, well developed, heartwarming and enduring romance. The lead couple had perfect chemistry to the point if you discovered they were dating in real life it would not be a surprise. It has a happy ending and all major plot points are resolved.

Spoilers*
Lee Jun ho plays a chaebol that is sensitive and caring and very sweet. He has a gruff exterior but it is a very thin veil for a vulnerable but very kind person. Once he fell for her he did not change his feelings or interest from that point despite family and social pressure.

Even those who tried not to like Sa-rang were unsuccessful. Her amazing competence and unflappable concern for the customers and all those her around her won over virtually everyone.

I loved that she reached the dream team level and realized that it was not all about providing an experience and making people happy. From the classic maid uniform to the tone of that highest privileged experience of serving the Chairman and his guests, it was clear that it was about the elites flashing their elevated status by having the best wait staff at their beck and call. It paid extremely well but she did not think it was worth prostrating your pride on the alter of social narcissism. It was disillusioning for her. So when she decided to quit the King Hotel and create her own experience it made sense. But I was not a fan of the cliff hangar where it made the viewer think she was going to break up with him for his or her own good. I hate that trope and it just so happened that was the episode I was ending on for that night. It was a good and surprising twist but not one I was fond of.

I loved Sa-rang’s grandmother, Cha Soon-hee (Kim Young-ok) is a character that is always in lead girl’s camp, strongly supporting her in all she does. Soon-hee plays the elder in many dramas but thus very cantankerous exterior was a new twist on her usual much more amiable roles. Social status did not intimidate her or overly impress her and she felt her granddaughter was invaluable and not someone to be won with mere money and social status. Her relationship with Won was endearing. Although she made it hard to win her favor, once she decided he was the one she was proud and happy to have him as her grandson in law. It was cute he tried so hard but also that he seemed to genuinely care for her and felt like her trials were reasonable as he understood it reflected the deep caring and love she had for her grandchild.

I did not feel like the story between Won’s parents made a lot of sense. She was supposedly his great love where he was willing to buck social traditions, and be with her, but the minute she did something his father seriously disapproved of not only did he abandon their relationship, but he stole her son and cast her out. They never showed who the wife of his daughter was (his other wife and someone that was socially acceptable) and that might’ve helped explain how that whole situation went down. It just did not make sense that somebody who loved another enough to go against society would so easily give up on them. Later when she comes back, he doesn’t seem to have any remorse over what happened in the past, and instead sort of doubles down on the way he is with his son until the very end when he does have a slight reversal. On has a brief touching encounter with his mom but, other than her attendance at the wedding, we do not get to see the mother and son grow closer. Overall the way that played out did not do justice to the build up to that point. .

The other minor plot flaw was how much it showed her roommate and friends unfair treatment at work without significant satisfaction is seeing them flip the script. I mean the airline stewardess revealed who the ex was and kicked him in his sensitive parts (which he well deserved) but you never saw her make that next level. There was significant screen time devoted to jer desire to become purser and how she was continually passed over unfairly. The romance with her friend and fellow flight attendant was bonus level but it would have been good to see some positive resolve to her unfair work situation. Her other friend had a dead beat husband who she got back at but it never seemed like she had the relationship with him she deserved.

When Won’s sister gets in a verbal altercation with her soon to be ex husband and he slaps her, I was shocked and not okay with that scene. It played through like she had it coming but I personally do not think partners should be physically violent with each other, She slaps him back and that was slightly satisfying but still, men should not hit women in general. Now if it is some psycho woman who started things, and he has no choice, then defending himself is acceptable. But that was not the case, he was angry she bought his girlfriend off and slapped her. Men are built more robustly than women and have greater muscle mass so they should protect not harm.

#KingtheLand
#ImYoonAh
#LeeJunHo

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So much wasted potential to be a top supernatural romance

Review

8/10 is my rating. Liked the premise. The acting was great. Main couple was cute. But dang! Lots of problems with elements and just the flow of events and how plot and subplot points were not well tied up.

Overall, this is a charming coming-of-age romance that weaves a compelling supernatural thread through high school life. The drama, starring Cho Yi-hyun and Choo Young-woo, blends heartfelt emotions with Korean shamanism, creating a unique narrative that balances youthful love with mystical stakes. The chemistry between the leads, Park Seong-ah and Bae Gyeon-woo, is engaging, but also frustrating because they never do the things that would make it feel like it fully blossomed. She had a dream sequence of a first date but no real first date. They slept in the same room and cuddled and even held hands but that was out of necessity. So, it was never quite there, never reached the emotional peaks that this genre had attained in other shows. The second male lead, Pyo Ji-ho, is a standout, his sweet and loyal nature sparking a strong case of second-lead syndrome that may leave viewers torn. The show’s exploration of Korean shamanism is a highlight, offering a glimpse into its rituals and cultural significance, though it occasionally feels more theatrical than impactful. Not knowing, from a native Korean perspective, how accurate the depiction is, I don't know if it was just lacking in any spiritual depth in this show or if that is the overall view of the practice. But I think fans of romance, supernatural stories, or Korean folklore will find it an enjoyable watch, and it is perfect for those who love a mix of heart and mystery. It’s not a drama I’d rush to rewatch, but it’s one I wouldn’t skip if it popped up on my screen.

Spoilers 

The grandmother, Oh Ok-soon, was a heartwarming presence, anchoring Gyeon-U’s lonely world with her unwavering love. Her death hit hard, and I found it frustratingly unnecessary—her loss stripped away a vital emotional tether without adding much to the story’s progression. It felt like a plot device to deepen Gyeon-U’s despair rather than a meaningful narrative choice.

The villainous shaman, Yeom-hwa, was chillingly manipulative, orchestrating Gyeon-U's misfortunes by convincing his family he was cursed while profiting from their desperation. However, the drama never fully explores her connection to the family or explicitly confirms her schemes, leaving a sense of incompleteness. They touch on Gyeon-U's family, and their poor treatment of him because they think he is cursed, but we never find out if, after Yeom-hwa is no longer able to manipulate Gyeon- U as directly, if there is any level reconciliation with his estranged families. Most families, even selfish families like his, would come out of the woodwork just to claim shines of fame with his archery fame. This lack of closure on his family made that whole loop where they shunned him, seem unnecessary. That could have just been mentioned by one of the characters if there wasn't going to be any follow through.

The possession arc, particularly with the spirit Bong-su, was a gripping twist, but it lost momentum. Bong-su’s initial menace as a child soldier spirit haunting Gyeon-U was compelling, but as soon as he arrived on scene his character turned out to be very different than what we had been led to expect. If anything, he was a character that garnered our sympathy, somewhat endearing, and it was hard to reconcile that with a spirit that had supposedly dispatched nearly 100 lives. And why? Why would he even have done that. There was nothing indicting he particularly desired to be evil. He wanted to be a teenager and have teenage experiences. The two-year plus year time skip after Seong-ah’s possession felt like a cheap separation trope, one I found particularly grating. This was way too long to spend on this one story. It moved what should have been a side story to make it become a main story. And it distanced the leads emotionally and narratively, with Gyeon-U’s search for her via archery-fueled ghost hunting feeling underdeveloped and rushed. They could have added all kinds of intrigue by having Gyeon-U uncover ghost stories based on his new ability to see them. The resolution, tied to uncovering Bong-su’s true identity as a manifestation of another boy’s pain, was poignant but arrived too late to fully redeem the chaotic pacing of the final episodes.

And I mean really why? Why the separation trope? It ultimately accomplished nothing. She hung out with angsty teenage boy ghost, let him possess her, only to have him transfer back to Gyeon-U again later. I mean Seong-ah possessed by Bong-su was amusing. She was way more "sex kitten" than when she was actual Seong-ah (which didn't make a lot of sense because she was possessed by a virginal teenage boy). Which just made this possessed Seong-ah’s arc super frustrating. Her dream of a normal life, including graduating high school, is a core motivation, but the separation trope—her possession by Bong-su and two-year disappearance—robs her of that milestone. I hoped for a poignant moment, like her showing up at graduation to share in the celebration (maybe even grabbing flowers during the ceremony setup), but her absence leaves her arc unresolved and hollow.

The shamanism, while visually striking, often came across as ineffective. Seong-ah’s rituals—lots of dancing and rattle-shaking—rarely succeeded in major tasks like dispelling evil spirits or breaking curses, making the practice feel more performative than powerful. This trivialized the cultural weight of shamanism, which was disappointing, though my daughter, who watched with me, loved the rituals for their immersive dive into the practice, even if their authenticity is questionable. The finale was another sore point: Gyeon-U’s Olympic archery tryouts were a big moment, but Seong-ah’s absence, tied up with shamanic duties, felt like a betrayal of their bond. After losing his grandmother, her not being there for him stung, especially since her spiritual tasks often yielded minimal results. The general’s (Dongcheon’s) death was another misstep—her sacrifice to empower Bong-su felt abrupt, and Yeom-hwa’s unrepentant cruelty as her daughter made the loss feel hollow, with no redemption or accountability for her actions. And what was up with the flower shaman who was so against handing out his talismans and seemed to have a grudge in the first part but then joined the team and handed them out like confetti later. He also seemed like a powerful shaman in the beginning but then, later, when he was really needed made some weird white rampy thing with a lantern maybe that he was trying to push toward the door but couldn't. So weird.

The drama could have soared if it leaned harder into Seong-ah’s empowerment as a shaman, giving her the ability to decisively save Gyeon-U rather than relying on drawn-out rituals and a disjointed finale. Despite these flaws, the emotional core—Seong-ah’s determination and Gyeon-U’s quiet resilience—kept me invested. It’s a story with heart, but it stumbles in tying its supernatural and emotional threads into a cohesive whole.

---

Synopsis

Head Over Heels is a 2025 South Korean drama that blends fantasy, romance, and comedy in a captivating tale of love and destiny. There are 12, 60 minute, episodes.

High school student Park Seong-ah (Cho Yi-hyun), secretly a shaman known as Fairy Cheon Ji, navigates a double life, battling spirits by night while blending in with her peers by day. When she encounters the handsome but ill-fated Bae Gyeon-u (Choo Young-woo), whose tragic destiny she foresees in a prophetic vision, Seong-ah falls head over heels and vows to change his fate. As their bond deepens, she faces supernatural challenges, skeptical peers, and the mysterious spirit Bong-su (Cha Kang-yoon), whose presence complicates their budding romance. For those familiar with Korean folklore, this offers a fresh take on the folktale of Gyeon-woo and Jiknyeo.

Note: The Korean folktale of Gyeon-u Jiknyeo, also known as the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, tells the story of two lovers separated by the Milky Way. Gyeon-u, a cowherd, and Jiknyeo, a weaver, fall deeply in love but are forbidden to be together by the heavens. Moved by their devotion, magpies and crows form a bridge across the Milky Way once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, allowing the lovers to reunite briefly. This tale, celebrated during the Chilseok festival, symbolizes enduring love and the power of connection despite great obstacles.

#HeadOverHeels #CowherdandWeaverGirl

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Cinderella esque but with more depth and intrigue

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2018 historical romance with 16 (+2) 67-85 minute episodes. Alternate titles are 100 Days My Husband and The 100 Day Husband.

As the nephew of the king, Lee Yul (Do Kyung-soo) is told to keep a low profile and not do anything, such as excel in learning, that would make the king feel threatened. So, instead of studying he spends his days playing and unintentionally bullies the other kids. When Yoon Yi-seo/Yeon Hong-shim (Nam Ji-Hyun) notices Yul’s behavior, as a fellow noble, she scolds Yul for using his authority to make the other children do as he wishes. Yi-seo also teases Yul for his lack of knowledge. Yul has an immediate crush on the pretty and spunky Yi-seo and starts studying to impress her. Before the children can become closer friends, Yul’s ambitious father participates in overthrowing the royal family and killing them and all their supporters, including Yi-seo’s father who was a right hand man of the king. The intent was to kill the entire family but Yi-seo’s brother helps her escape. is the King's nephew who enjoys spending his days playing instead of studying.

10 years later Yul is a cold, distant crown Prince who is reluctantly married to Crown Princess, Kim So-hye (Han So-hee). The marriage was a condition of Vice-premier Kim Cha-eon (Jo Sung-ha) who carried out the overthrow of the former king which allowed Yul’s father to ascend to the throne. There is a lot of pressure on Yul to consummate the marriage with the Crown Princess and the current claim is he must to end the drought. His response is all unmarried people in the kingdom should become married instead. The punishment for not following the royal decree is flogging. Before Hong-shim can be punished for resisting marriage, an assassination attempt leaves Yul with memory loss and he is saved by Hong-shim’s adoptive father. To keep aging-shim from being flogged, her adoptive father hides Yul’s identity and tells the two they are affianced. Will this pretend relationship become real love?

*spoiler alert. I really liked the premise that he loses his memory and lives as a commoner. I like the backstory with the evil left chancellor and the fact that Hong-shim was also nobility that had to live as a peasant. I liked how his character develop from a cold noble to a person that wanted to be a contributor. I thought their relationship was really cute and believable and I loved her adopted father. The timing of when he discovered who he really was worked well. The only part that I found a bit disappointing was toward the end when Yi-sei was like we can’t be together because of what my brother did. I did not think that was a good reason for them not to be together and I felt like she was more using it as an excuse because she was intimidated by the fact that he was the crown prince. To me it made it as if she dId not love him enough to overcome that which conflicted with the relationship they had as commoners in the village. I also thought he should’ve insisted they be together more and reassured her when she was stubbornly insisting they would not work because of past events. I wished Yi-seo’s brother would have lived and fought with the prince to redeem himself. What he did was wrong but I did not feel there was any way he could’ve helped it. I was really happy that the king did not kill the crown princess. That was consistent with his character. The part where they finally got back together felt rushed after all they had overcome to be able to be together. I would’ve liked to have seen them together and maybe the wedding with the king there. Despite the small drawbacks it is overall a very entertaining and heartwarming story. I highly recommend it for romance, light humor, and historical components.

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This was a wonderful spin on a fairytale like story

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2006 South Korean television series, with 24, 60 minute episodes. starring Yoon Eun-hye, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Jeong-hoon and Song Ji-hyo.
a spin-off, Prince Hours, was broadcast in 2007.

The show is based on the premise and a "what if" scenario of modern Korea having retained its monarchy - much like England. The series centers around the royal family and, primarily, the lives of the young royals. Crown Prince, Lee Shin (Ju Jii-hoon) is being positioned to take on the role of Emperor as his father, the current Emperor, is ailing. This rushes the need for Shin to find a suitable marriage partner as he is on the verge of stepping into the role he has been preparing for nearly his entire life. Shin had the opportunity to select a bride of his choice, but his girlfriend, Hyo-rin (Song Ji-hyo) rejects his proposal as she knows becoming the Crown Princess would necessitate her giving up on her dream of becoming a famous ballerina.

With no other personal marriage prospects, the crown reverts to fulfilling a promise made by Shin's grandfather (the former Emperor) to his friend, to have one of his heirs to the throne marry one of his family. Shin Chae-kyeong (Yoon Eun-hye) is a commoner who is of marriage age in the line of the former Emperor's friend. Her family and her are struggling financially so she accepts the opportunity to marry the crown prince to better her families situation. However, Chae-kyeong has a long way to go in training to fill the role of Crown Princess and, eventually, wife to the Emperor. Word spreads that there is soon to be a succession in the throne and Lady Hwa-young (Shim Hye-jin) decides to return from a 14 year exile with her son. Royal matters are complex and Lady Hwa-young was actually the crown princess with her son, Lee Yul (Kim Jeong-hoon), the crown prince and next in line for the throne. However, Lady Hwa-young's husband, Crown Prince Lee Soo, died in an accident and the royals had to leave the palace based on the royal regulation which required no two Princes reside in the castle. Or at least that was the reason provided at the time (that mystery is revealed throughout the course of the series). Lady Hwa-young deploys a series of plots designed to return her son to what she feels is his rightful place as next in line.

The life of a royal is not always easy and isolation is a big problem for some. Loneliness drives Shin to develop an arrogant, cold and aloof exterior. His mannerisms are very hard for his young wife who is a newcomer on the royal scene. Her loneliness and sadness leads her to befriend Lee Yul who experienced similar loneliness in his exile. The young married couple are very different in their life approach and Chae-kyeong finds herself repeatedly drawn to Lee Yul as someone she can more easily relate to, whereas Lee Shin finds himself drawn back to his love, Hyo-rin. Having a change of hear, Hyo-rin is determined to win Shin back and is ready to give up her dream of being a ballerina to take on the role of Crown Princess. Through all the push and pull of outside forces, the young couple begin to develop feelings for each other although each is not fully aware of the other's feelings nor fully in acknowledgement themselves.

Can love grow and survive in such a turbulent environment? Scandal after scandal follows the young royals as they learn how to navigate the social realities of being a royal. Who will be next in line? Does anyone want the responsibility that goes along with the heavy crown?

Spoiler 🚨 I really liked this series. So much that I was sad when it was ending. It is a little bit Cinderella in nature - but not quite. It gives a real sense of what it might be like to be in a position, such as a royal, where you cannot think and act outwardly, as everyone else does. The saying "it is lonely at the top" definitely comes to mind. In the United States the closest thing we have are celebrities and I observe that young celebrities are subject to a high degree of criticism when really they are acting no different than a lot of young people their ages. You give a young person a lot of power and money and the chance they will make mistakes just magnifies. The love story is well developed, believable and cute. This is one of my favorites!

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Friends to lovers a favorite trope. Sweet and heart warming romance

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 16, 70-80 minute episodes.

First, I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis


Bae Seok-ryu (Jung So-min) seems to be living the perfect life abroad as a upper manager in a global company.  Her career appers to be going well and she is doing well in her personal life with a prestigious international lawyer fiancé, Song Hyeon-jun (Han Joon-woo).  Her mother, Na Mi-sook (Park Ji-young) has a lot to brag about she feels to her friend and rival Seo Hye-sook (Jang Young-nam).  Hye sook is the mother of Seok-ryu’s friend, Choi Seung-hyo (Jung Hae-in), who she grew up with.  When Seok ryu decides to return to South Korea suddenly to “reset” her life, she finds herself interacting with Seung-hyo frequently as their mothers are friends and they are in the same social circles. Mi sook is not happy with her daughter’s decision to upend what she perceives as a perfect life path. Can Mi sook convince her family and friends she made the right choice? And what about her childhood friend who suddenly sees her as more?

Review

I read a lot of reviews before watching this and, there were a lot of positive reviews but there were also some more negative reviews. I have watched over 300 dramas now, mostly Korean but some Chinese, Tiawanese and Japanese dramas as well. I have watched all of the outstanding dramas so I am really picky when it comes to new dramas. But I loved this drama from start to finish. It has everything I love about a good drama. There are so many heartwarming moments with the family, the friendships, side romances, characters overcoming difficult situations, and of course, with the main couple that it is just a spectacular drama. I would watch it again, even seek it out, and I highly recommend it to anyone that is a fan of any of the actors (they all did outstanding, this type of drama, or are just fans of Korean drama in general.

Spoilers

Let me just say if you haven’t watch this yet and are looking at reviews to decide if you want to, I envy you. Because, if you decide to watch this, I think you will very much enjoy it. You could be among the few that enjoyed it less. But I can see why the majority that I read, really loved it.

It ends very happy. The main couple are together, obviously well on the path to marriage, but, more than that we can see what their future life will be like together. They have a little fight in the end and we see how they will come through conflict like that. All of the side romances are either together or you can see very easily where those relationships are headed. There are some sad moments, but we don’t live through the sad, it’s just telling what happened in the past with her illness. So, it’s what I like to call a happy sandwich. It starts happy, there is some sad event in the middle, but it ends happy. I do not like sad content and will avoid it like the plague but can deal with a little saddness as long as everything resolves and ends happy. I don’t need a rehash of life where that is not always the case, life is usually what I am trying to take a mental break from in watching dramas.

So many nice bonus romances in this. There is main guys mom and dad. Where she was an ambassador so focused on her career she forgot about her husband and son. They are on the verge of divorce, because they aren’t communicating what is really going on with either of them, and then she has that alzheimer/dementia scare that brings home what their true feeling for each other are. That family had to do so much healing and the drama did a great job of taking us on that journey. Surprisingly the mom Seo Hye-sook (Jang Young-nam) was one of my favorite of the older, female characters.

Lead female character’s mom, Na Mi-sook (Park Ji-young) and her emergency medical technician (EMT) friend’s mom, Do Jae-sook (Kim Geum-soon) were what, through so many dramas, we come to expect with a drama mom. They are hyper controlling of their child’s lives even into their 30s. I do not know how true to the culture that is. Asian friends have told me their moms are like that but I don’t know if that is still super prevalant. I found lead female’s mom infuriating at times. Even I, sitting in the 4th wall, knew there had to be something more to the female lead’s sudden return thatn just a “reset”. So the way she treated her, when she first came back, seemed abusive. But, it was a true character type. I knew an American mom that was very much like her. She so did not want her children to make the mistakes she made in her life, that she was completely intolerant of them trying anything remotely similar. They feel like they know the outcome. But two people can do the same thing with different results. It is just harder when you watch one of your children roll those type of dice.

I thought the romance between Jeong Mo-eum (Kim Ji-eun), and (Kang Dan-ho) was on par with the main romance. Not quite as good but reqlly close. She always liked superheroes and the whole “Mudflats Man” concept was cute. They were really very much alike. It was such a wonderful story and the thought they would both be raising the little girl was very wholesome. I felt annoyed when Moeum’s mother was originally opposed to their relationship and even a bit cold to the little girl, but was glad she quickly came around.

I don’t have to spend too much time on just how endearing lead guy was. One of my favorite tropes is the friends to lovers trope because friendship builds such a strong base for a relationship. He was just so there for her it was completely sweet to watch. Yeah he had that error, where his jealous feelings got the better of him and she was reaching out to him during her cancer and he was ignoring her. But he didn’t know she had cancer and she seemed to be clearly with someone else. In a lot of other dramas that would be second guy. Second guy who is her friend, but has feelings for her, but then always misses the timing to tell her. Then, when he tells her, it is too late. What we essentially got to see was second guy successfully get the girl. And I love that. Sweet, loyal second guy is usualy the loser in those situations. It just doesn’t feel as much like he is second guy because we only see her relationship with her ex fiancé in flashbacks. I love the actor. He has the smiliest eyes. And he just portrayed all the emotions so well

I loved Jung So-min in “Alchemy of Souls” so I am biased that it will be good whenever I see her in something. And this did not disappoint. The way she brought out all the emotions in a character that went through something like she did, and the ways she showed the hidden love with lead guy blossom, I loved every minute of it. She is one of my favorite Korean actresses.

The friendships was what set this apart from a mere fuzzy feel good, no depth romance. Thise long standing, with you through it all friendships is the type of connection we all aspire to. The dads were funny drinking buddies. The moms were as volatile as you would expect with a group of close female friends. Watching the bromances and female friendships was like flavorful icing on an already delicious cake. You think you do not want or need it but it is there and it is nice.

This is the type of drama that, when it ends, you miss people that don’t even really exist. It makes me understand, a little, how the actors may feel as they dive into a character and interact for months in another world. As they bring it out and we are feeling all the emotions of events they have to play that through their actual emotions too. I imagine this was a harder one for them to move past as it was so immersive. So I am always so thankful when there is a good drama to everyone that worked so hard to make it possible. I saw an interview with Jung So-min where she talked about this and how much she enjoyed acting with Jung Hae-in and it showed. I though they had amazing chemistry and could see them as a real life couple.

When we learned the real reason she had suddently departed the United States and returned to South Korea, it was such a highly emotionally charged moment. The writers and actors did an exceptional job of illustrating how each family and friend would feel when something that important was kept from them. And yet they were able to make us understand why the main character would have withheld that, in that moment. I wish they had heard more on the way they treated her as someone beneath them because she was a foreigner. Only lead guy really knew that. Because for her to work through not only the fight for her life with cancer but that completely toxic work environment, it was a wonder she didn’t break sooner.

I thought I was going to dislike her ex fiance, Song Hyeon-jun (Han Joon-woo), but was pleasantly surprised I did not. At first I was annoyed he pursued her to South Korea. How dare he come disrupt this beautiful relationship. But, as they built their back story, and he revealed his character it was evident he was not a bad guy, she had just unknowingly had been in love with main guy nearly her whole life. The way he let her go without bitterness showed that he did love her enough to just want her happiness. Same with lead guy’s ex girlfriend, Jang Tae-hui (Seo-hyo). At first I am like who is this love killer but they told their backstory and why she liked him as much as she did that I understood. She also let go of him at the right time and exhibited that she loved him enough to want him to be joyful.

#LoveNextDoor #JungSoMin. #ParkJiYoung. #JangYoungNam. #JungHaeIn #HanJoonWoo #KimGeumSoon #KimJiEun #YoonJi-on

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My wish is that this was Just a Story about Genies

Overall Review

7/10 is my rating. Just not my thing.

I really wanted to like this show. I find genies interesting and expected a light, fictional dive into that magical genre. The characters are vivid and the leads, Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy, have undeniable chemistry, but the show’s irreverence toward sacred concepts makes it unsettling. There was a dark twist on principles that felt like an insult to Christianity. Those with strong religious beliefs, such as Christians or Muslims, may find this show deeply disturbing due to its flippant handling of good and evil. The main character and romantic interest, Iblis, is explicitly Satan, punished by God and still called by that name, despite being a genie. With all of this, the plot, while unique, simply crosses too many moral lines in my opinion. I wouldn’t watch it again—it made me uncomfortable the first time (pretty clear to me rooting for any entity called Satan is a strict no), and I can’t recommend it to others who avoid anything that might violate religious principles .

Spoilers

The main character, Satan/Iblis, isn’t all bad—he’s kind to Ka-young, shows empathy, and plays tricks to “help” people. Not very Satan-like, right? And we’re supposed to root for him. Rooting for Satan is a problem if you’re religious. Some gloss over this and say but it is fictional. But this isn't even a gray area in religious doctrine - you simply do not root for any entity that is entitled Satan. Then there’s Ejllael, the angel with black wings and zero empathy, who tortures his assistant Irem for mistakes. So, evil acts good, and good acts evil. Ka-young, the main girl, is a psychopath trained by her grandmother Pan-geum to avoid murder, channeling her urges into skydiving or rock climbing. That’s fine—not all psychopaths are killers—but she’s abusive to Iblis, pushing him off buildings and beating him with bars, which he fears. We’re supposed to find this funny? I didn't. I don’t root for abusers. The creation myth—God making genies on Wednesday, angels on Thursday, humans on Friday—mimics religious stories but twists them in a way that feels disrespectful to both Christianity and Islam. Ka-young’s a “good” person because she doesn’t kill, but her violent streak undermines that. When she wishes her grandmother to be her age so they’ll die closer together, Pan-geum becomes a young, reckless version of herself, losing all grandmotherly wisdom. Ka-young bets Iblis that random people’s wishes will be good, but most are selfish and greedy, suggesting humans are inherently evil. I was glad the bank teller Bu-gyeong got caught for stealing from Ka-young out of apparent jealousy—ridiculous. Then, Pan-geum flirts with Min-ji, Ka-young’s childhood friend, in a gay subplot that feels forced and creepy, since Pan-geum knew Min-ji as a child. I’m tired of obligatory gay couples, especially when they add morally questionable elements like this. The show’s attempt to humanize “villains” doesn’t justify its disregard for sacred values, and it left me completely turned off of anything else this show had to offer. Which wasn't much. The back story, origin story, became the main focus in the last few episodes to the further detriment of the show. It was no longer about a genie and a romantic interest now it was just a continuation of a battle between the Angels and Genies. That was better as just a back story.

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Raw, rare look behind the not so glamorous side of the Kpop curtain

I absolutely loved Time to Be Strong, a poignant South Korean drama that had a run time of 102 minutes. Even though I'm not usually a fan of sad movies, this one pulled me in with its unflinching honesty about the K-pop world, especially for those idols who chase the spotlight but end up in the shadows. It's not based on a single true story but draws heavily from real-life experiences in the industry—director Namkoong Sun interviewed former trainees and idols to craft these characters, and the film was commissioned by Korea's National Human Rights Commission to highlight the human cost of fame.

That grounding in reality makes it feel like a truthful exposé, not just fiction, and it's a rare film that dives deep into the unglamorous side of South Korean pop culture.
The story follows three retired K-pop idols—Sumin (Choi Sung-eun), Sarang (Ha Seo-yoon), and Tae-hee (Hyun Woo-seok)—as they finally take that long-overdue school trip to Jeju Island, a chance to reclaim the childhoods they sacrificed for their dreams. But things unravel quickly, forcing them to confront the scars they've carried from their failed careers.
Sumin, the former leader of her girl group, is a total mess; she's developed bulimia from years of brutal weigh-ins and constant pressure to stay thin, to the point where she can't even keep food down anymore. It's heartbreaking watching her throw up repeatedly, a stark reminder of how the industry chews up young women and spits them out.

Then there's Sarang (Ha Seo-yoon), so emotionally shattered from it all that she's suicidal, popping handfuls of pills and lashing out irrationally at anyone who even glances her way—her anger feels like a shield against the world that broke her. The group is still reeling from the suicide of one of their former bandmates, which adds this heavy layer of grief and unspoken guilt to their journey. When she finally turns the corner and decides she wants to live, realizing her death would further shatter the friends she cares about she is the one that says the iconic line "time to be strong."

Tae-hee stands out as the most "normal" of the bunch, still flashing his old idol charm to strangers, but even he's drowning in debt from those exploitative trainee contracts that promised stardom but delivered chains.

I caught subtle hints of chemistry between him and Sumin—maybe a crush on his side—and part of me wished for some romance to lighten the mood, but the film's commitment to realism keeps it grounded; in this world, survival trumps sparks. It also cleverly weaves in the group's dynamics with a super fan they encounter, who starts off irritating and intrusive but turns out to be genuinely kind, flipping the script on those obsessive followers who can be so insensitive and boundary-pushing.

What really struck me is how the Jeju trip exposes just how much these idols give up: no school memories, no normal teenage milestones, all traded for grueling training that often prioritizes "looks" over talent. Tae-hee can't even sing properly, which underscores the industry's shallow obsession with visuals—Tae-hee himself drops the bombshell that agencies used to physically beat idols, a dark nod to the "slave contracts" of the past that trapped them in debt and abuse, even if things have supposedly improved.

The film doesn't shy away from the mental health toll, from anxiety and depression to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, or the financial black hole that keeps many in poverty long after the lights dim. It's a truth-telling story: you might not make it big, but you'll still bear all the scars—from toxic fan interactions to a lifetime of therapy-worthy trauma.

For fellow fans of South Korean cinema and K-content, this is a must-watch. It's not your typical glossy idol drama; it's a deep, empathetic look at the human side of the hustle, reminding us that behind the shiny stages are real people paying a steep price. If you've ever wondered about the "what ifs" for those who don't become the next BTS, Time to Be Strong will intrigue and linger with you long after the credits roll. Highly recommend—grab some tissues and dive in.

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The female lead character is rage quit level annoying

6/10 is the rating.This is a 2019 South Korean crime drama.  It has 16, 70 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Ryeong (Moon Geun-young) is a traffic cop who desperately wants to work with the subway crime unit.  Despite being ignored by investigators at the time, she is convinced her twin sister was a victim of a serial killer they call the subway ghost.  Go Ji-Seok (Kim Seon-ho) was promoted to be a metro police officer partially due to how handsome he is.  But he was also an extremely talented officer who could have clmbed the ladder if it weren’t for his responsibilities with his mother who had severe dementia or alzheimers. The metro freuqently bolsters their image by highlighting the metro police officers and their successes in fighting crime on the train system, so a good looking police officer in a prestigious position is considered a bonus for the optics of the force.  He tends to be very cautious and by the book.  Which is why when out for justice at any cost Ryeong starts "solving" cases to try to impress him, he is reluctant to have the over the top officer join his team.  She wears him down though as her steadfast ability to root out criminals has him joining in to deliver justice.  The unlikely pair soon find themselves not just tackling the string of robberies that have "haunted" Ji-Seok's team but crossing over into the business of the crime unit and pursuing the subway ghost.  Can Ryeong prove that her sister was the victim of the infamous subway ghost?  Can the two solve the case and stop the brutal killer?

Review

I thought, from the title that this would be a supernaturl story. But the “ghost”is a serial killer the nicknamed the ghost. I liked the overall premise but found the way the female lead character was written very annoying. I would not watch this again, found it only mildly interesting the first watch, and do not recommend it unless you are scraping toward the bottom of the barrel for serial kiler dramas, are interested in the subway police slice, or are big fans of one of the actors.

Spoilers

Ryeong was supposed to be a gutsy cop who would get so blinded by justice she cut corners. I think that is what the writers were going for. Instead it seemed she decided in any situation what the right course of action was and be dammed the consequences for everyone around her. She got Jiseok, the male lead character, in trouble multiple times and only showed minimal remorse. Then she would just turn around and do it again. It made no sense to me that he found her attractive with her doing that to him on regular. I would not like someone that continually got me in trouble with my superiors. Jiseok was her boss but she rarely listeed to him and jst did whatever she wanted. I really did not like when she stole the keys from him. It was sneaky and dishonest.

I also thought the leads were very mismatched on the attractiveness scale. A female or male lead can be less attractive if they have something that balances that like a really great personality or wealth. But she had neither. So, I could not by him liking her so much when she was not super beautiful and was constantly getting him in trouble.

To me it was also weird he was having this relationship with someone who was his subordinate and he called “the rooky.” Most professionals keep a separation between themselves and those they supervise.

The lead female character also put herself in grave danger time and again and got others hurt because she would blaze in without being able to take care of the situation. Like she goes in the tunnel where she thinks the serial killer is hanging out, he attacks her, and she just hovers in fear into the main guy saves her. That made her character seem not very bright and extremely foolish.

#CatchTheGhost #MoonGeunyoung  #KimSeonHo #JoJaeYoon #AhnSeungGyun

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