ltspada

One of my Top Favorites

My rating is 10/10. This is a 2019 South Korean drama with 16 episodes total over two, 8 Episode seasons. Run time is 45 min to just under one hour. It is also known as Because It Is My First Love.

Tae-O (Ji Soo) is in his 20s when his father allows him to live alone in his childhood home. The condition is no friends can stay especially female. That all changes when varying circumstances bring three friends to his doorstep in need of a place to live. They all know Tae-O has a big heart and lots of spare rooms. Song-Yi (Jung Chae-Yeon) has been Tae-O‘s inseparable friend since childhood. Her pride keeps her from asking at first but when Tae-O finds out she has been homeless for says he will not take no for an answer. Ga-Rin is a Chaebol but has ran away to have a life of her choosing. Hoon (Kang Tae-Oh) is a struggling actor he runs away after one too many beatings from his father. Di-Hyun (Jin Young) is Tae-O‘s friend and the only one who does not live at the house but a chance meeting with Song-YI sparks a mutual romantic interest. When his friends ask to stay Tae-O puts up token resistance then caves like any 20 year old who figures what dad doesn’t know... Thus begins a tangled web of friendship, life happenings, and love that was unexpected.

Spoiler 🚨 If you are looking for a mostly light hearted romantic comedy drama with surprising depth then this is a must watch. I loved Tae-O’s character. He was the ideal friend and boyfriend. Song-yi was beautiful I do not think she had a bad camera angle or color that looked bad. To top it she was sweet to everyone and someone I could see as a friend. The other two roomies were boisterous and fun. Di-hyun was very serious and focused. At first I was all in for the relationship between Sing-yi and Di-Hyun they seemed like a great match. Tae-O started dating about the same time and I did not like his girlfriend for him at all. Cracks started to appear in both relationships and before I knew it I was rooting for a different outcome. It ended very well and I was happy that relationships that had severed were mended and the friendships stayed intact. I would not change a thing and highly recommend it.

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Cute and good but not great

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2011 South Korean romantic comedy also known as “Saving Up for Romance”. Run time is 114 minutes.

Chun Ji-Wong (Song Joong-ki) graduated college and despite going to many job interviews has failed to land a job. His mother has continued to supply him a modest income until a circumstance at her restaurant makes her unable to do so. Jobless and on the verge of being evicted, Ji-Wong meets Gu Hong-sil (Han Ye-Seu) who takes life perhaps a bit too seriously. She saves practically everything she earns unwilling to spend money on even life’s simple pleasures like dating, running heat or having television. She is very good at finding the smallest odd jobs to earn money. Having observed Ji-Wong from the adjacent rooftop apartment, she decides to help him learn the art of earning and saving money. In exchange she wants to deposit some funds in his name since she has reached a cap on her savings. As they each learn aspects of a happy life from the other can two such different people fall in love?

Spoiler 🚨 I liked this movie but did not love it. I wanted to see Ji-Wong find a way to really make it. I wanted Hong-sil to show evidence she had learned that love and enjoyment of life are even more valuable than money. I did not really see that. I was surprised that Joon-ki was the same actor that starred in “Empire of the Sun” because he played such dramatically different roles.

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Unique Story, Cute Romance, Likable characters

9/10 is my rating. This a 2016 South Korean Romantic Comedy television series With 16, 1 hr, episodes.

Shim Bo-nuI had lived a life filled with a series of tragic events. Looking for meaning she turns to a Shaman who tells her she is the epicenter of all the bad luck and gives her advice to take physical measures that make her seem odd to other people. She keeps many people at arms length for fear that her unlucky aura will cause bad things to happen to them. She keeps crossing paths with a cold genius CEO Je Soo-ho (Seol Woo-Byung). It has been years since her sister fell into a coma and doctors are encouraging Bo-nul to discharge her sister and care for her at home which is a likely death sentence. With years of unpaid medical bills and the diminishing possibility that her sister will ever wake up result in an urgency to the situation. Feeling powerless, Bo-nul once again turns to the Shaman for advice and he tells her she must sleep with a man from the year of the tiger to change her sister’s fate. It just so happens that the socially awkward and cold genius she keeps running into is year of the tiger. At the same time, Choi Geon-wook/Gary Choi (Lee Soo-Hyuk), Bo-nul’s childhood friend, returns to South Korea, after making it big as an international tennis star. He still has feelings for Bo-nul who was secretly his first love.

Spoiler 🚨 I really liked all the characters and the romance progressed in a way that was believable. It was even relatable how she became convinced she was unlucky and why she might try to feel in control by doing things the Shaman said would change an outcome. It felt a little frustrating at times when those around her point out how illogical some of her conclusions were she would stubbornly stick with her beliefs even when the outcome of events was overall positive. It came to a point where clinging to superstition was a way to shield herself from tragedy. It felt a bit cowardly at times and I found myself going from understanding to irritation because she hurt others by withdrawing lest her bad luck rub off on them. It was enjoyable overall well worth the watch.

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Sorry when it ended

10/10 is my rating. This South Korean tv drama aired in 2017 and spanned 16 episodes (45 minutes/episode).

Life and love happen to long time friends Ko Dong-man (Park Seo-joon) and Choi Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won). Dong-man is a formerly famous martial arts fighter who fell from fame Choi Ae-ra works in a department store but dreams of much bigger things.

Spoiler 🚨 The descriptions and ratings do not do this show justice. It is one of my favorites and I will definitely be watching it again and recommending it to everyone who will listen. I can't think of anything that I would change. It reminded me a bit of "Rocky Balboa" but just a bit. It was it's own special and very unique story. If you are an Asian Drama Fan and like great story lines, sizzling chemistry, friendship and character growth - you don't want to miss this one. These two actors now top my list and I will be looking for other things they are in.

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Surprisingly good

Also known under the title you are my pet. This is a 2017 Japanese television series. It has alternate titles “Tramps Like Us”, and “Kimi Wa Petto”. This romantic comedy has 16, 45 minute episodes. It was a remake based on a popular Manga entitled “Kimi wa Pet” by Yayaoi Ogawa (2000-2005).

Although a beautiful and successful career woman, Sumire Iwaya (Noriko Iriyama) hides a painfully shy, socially uncertain and self-effacing nature from all but her close friends. Having both attended Tokyo University and Harvard she is considered elite in terms of a marriage prospect. Expecting a proposal from her current boyfriend, he instead breaks off the relationship after telling her he cheated and has fathered a child. Iwaya is devastated and gets inebriated to drown her sorrows. After staggering back home, she opens a cardboard box to discover an attractive young man who is hiding from the jealous partner of a current romantic interests. He looks up from the box at Iwaya and his wide eyed look reminds her of her beloved pet Momo. The next day she wakes up to find this young stranger, Takeshi Goda (Jun Shison) in her bed. When she tries to kick him out and he says he has no place to go. So Iriyama issues a challenge and says he can stay but only if he will act as a pet. Surprisingly, he agrees. Iriyama finds comfort in her new pet, Momo and can talk through her many concerns and worries with him. Things get complicated when Iwaya’s long time love, Shigehito Hasumi (Seiiche Tanabe) returns from oversees. She must hide her unusual pet from friends and family. Who will she choose? The young man seems to understand her like no other but her lost love is back and just as handsome and charming as ever.

Spoiler 🚨 I was a bit surprised how well I liked this. I have known people just like Iwaya who are beautiful and people assume their lives must be perfect. Really attractive people must develop a tough shell as people have very high expectations and are often less forgiving of mistakes and flaws in persons they deem that lucky. Her vulnerability is what made the situation more plausible. Momo is also understandable as he is in desperate need of a place and also is drawn to Iwaya’s kindness and vulnerability. Momo constantly builds Iwaya up and helps her to overcome her fears. Takeshi loves Iwaya but is willing to help her relationship with Hasumi if it means she will be happy. There was a female rival after Hasumi, Shiori Fukushima (Wakana Sakai), and evening if Iwaya and Hasumi did not wind up together I did not want to see him with Shiori because she went about it in a very catty way. But it became clear that love often has its own ideas. It ended perfectly all the way around. Noriko Iriyama is genuinely beautiful so it was easy to see why so many men would be interested despite her somewhat awkward nature. It is a fun, feel good watch.

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Loved it the whole way through

This is a 2012 South Korean Historical Medical Fantasy Romance television drama with 24, 1 hr episodes. It is also known under the title “Faith.”

When the queen is mortally injured General Choi Young (Lee Min-ho) is sent through Heaven’s door to the land of the Gods to find a doctor to heal her. First doctor he encounters is a plastic surgeon, Yoo Eun-soo (Kim Hee-sun) but there is no such distinction 700 years in the past so he abducts her to take her back to save the queen, Queen Noguk (Park Se-young). Seeing her skill and the medical tools she brought with her, the people believe she was trained by no other than the legendary Chinese surgeon Doctor Hwata. Soon all those currently battling for rights to the throne believe that having her as their royal doctor will tip the scales in their favor. As love grows between the doctor and the captain of the royal guard, he must battle not only for the young king he has come to respect but also for the woman doctor he has grown to love. He also must keep a promise to her, on his honor, to return her to her world.

I was afraid this would be just another historical drama. Should have known better with Lee Min-Ho involved it has both fantasy and sci-fi time travel mixed in. His role is so dynamic. Not only is he a intelligent military strategist and strong warrior but his ethics and moral code are truly impressive. It is the first time I have seen this female lead and I just loved the role she played. She was smart and forceful yet completely feminine. Very pretty both in her behavior and appearance. I thought Lee Min-Ho was a great couple with Park Shin-Hye and he was but I thought these two were even more perfect together. Looked up to see if they dated and seems she was married. That is how great their chemistry was. There was good and evil a bit of a mystery and lots of suspense. Lee Min-Ho shines in action scenes. He puts so much emotion into his acting I suspect he is an empath and probably deeply feels his roles I would imagine he is exhausted when he finishes a drama. I greatly admire his talent and knowing he is in something greatly influences whether or not I watch it. spoiler alert** I was a bit worried at the ending as it seemed they might not wind up together. Things ended well I just wish there had been a bit more screen time when things wrapped up happy. Still very good and a must see if you like the genre or either of these very talented actors.

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Explosively Blows Up a lot of Kdrama Canon (not in a good way)

My rating: 6.5/10

Dynamite Kiss starts off with a bang—literally, thanks to that explosive first kiss between Go Da-rim and Gong Ji-hyeok on Jeju Island. The opening episodes are full of charm, sharp chemistry between the leads who bring real spark, funny banter, and that classic rom-com energy that hooks you right away. The setup feels fresh and fun, with the fake-relationship trope flipped into something workplace-adjacent after Da-rim's desperate job lie lands her in Ji-hyeok's team at the baby products company. I would've easily given the first two episodes a 9/10—they had me convinced this was going to be a standout lighthearted K-romance.

But unfortunately, the show loses steam after that strong start. It shifts away from the breezy, feel-good momentum and piles on contrived misunderstandings, rushed developments, and choices that feel out of step with typical K-drama portrayals of relationships and social norms. The pacing drags in the middle, and while there are still sweet and funny moments (the leads' chemistry carries a lot), the later episodes feel increasingly unbelievable and frustrating. It's watchable and has highlights, but it falls apart enough that I wouldn't rewatch it personally. If recommending it to someone, I'd do so with major caveats—mainly that the early episodes shine, but expect some eye-rolling logic gaps and tonal shifts later on. (And yes, spoilers would be needed to explain why it doesn't fully deliver.)

One point that stands out even more on reflection is how the fake-marriage element was handled. The job was specifically for the "Mother TF Team" at the baby products company (Natural BeBe), targeting working mothers. Another team member was a genuine single mom who got hired around the same time, so yes—Da-rim could have plausibly applied as a single mother without needing to invent a husband. Pretending to be a single mom would've kept the lie smaller and more believable (single parenthood is tough but not unheard of), and it would've avoided layering on the extra moral weight of faking an entire marriage.

By making her pretend to be married, the show amps up the stakes unnecessarily—Ji-hyeok's internal conflict becomes about pursuing a "married woman," which feels heavier and more taboo in K-drama terms. A single-mom pretense would've let his attraction develop with less guilt (he's not breaking up a marriage, just navigating her having a child), potentially making the romance feel less fraught and more organic. Instead, it piles on extra angst and misunderstanding that drags things down later. This choice contributes to why the show shifts from charming rom-com to frustrating for many viewers, including me.

Spoilers

As a long-time viewer of Asian dramas (over 400 under my belt), I have a solid sense of the moral frameworks and social norms that K-dramas usually uphold—even if they're dramatized and not always 100% reflective of real Korean culture. This show really deviates from those in ways that made it hard to stay invested.

The core issue starts with Go Da-rim's initial lie: she pretends to be a married mother (with her childhood friend Seon-u, the single dad photographer, posing as her husband) to get the job reserved for moms. I get the desperation—financial pressures from her mom's health and other issues—but it's tough to fully root for her when she's portrayed as someone who's struggled with jobs due to skill or consistency issues, not just bad luck. Then suddenly, she's excelling at marketing, advertising, and sales in the workplace? It doesn't quite add up why such talent went unnoticed before.

The Jeju Island fling is another sticking point. That "dynamite kiss" is intentional and passionate, and they nearly sleep together—without extreme intoxication or buildup that usually excuses bolder moves in K-dramas. Da-rim is surprisingly casual about it, which feels off for the typical morality portrayed (first kisses are often accidental or tentative in these stories). Then she bolts the next morning without explanation after her mom's emergency, leaving Ji-hyeok confused and hurt. Later, she's baffled when he's distant? In K-drama logic, that level of intimacy (especially the almost-sex) would basically mean they're dating now—she owed him at least some communication about why she vanished. An apology even. I mean that level of intimacy is considered a big deal.

Ji-hyeok's side has inconsistencies too. He's supposedly engaged (or headed toward marriage) to another woman, but it barely factors in. His pursuit of Da-rim focuses almost entirely on her being "married," with little internal conflict about his own commitment. In most K-dramas, cheating or pursuing someone attached is a massive moral red flag—yet here he shrugs off his own engagement. No big societal fallout or media scandal for someone of his chaebol status, which doesn't align with how engagements of that caliber are usually handled (public, high-profile, scandal-prone).

Then there's Seon-u, Da-rim's longtime friend with implied unrequited feelings (longing looks, subtle comments). We expect a second-lead angst triangle, but he barely makes romantic moves. Instead, he spills her big secret (that the marriage is fake) to Ji-hyeok's fiancée, whom he's just met—supposedly to clear things up for her attraction to him. Violating a 20-year friendship like that for someone new? It feels wildly out of character and unnecessary.

The fiancée's quick pivot to pursuing Seon-u (a single dad) is another norm-breaker. She becomes interested in him and finds out pretty quickly he's a single dad. She pauses briefly when she thinks he's married, but as soon as she knows he's not, she's right back in romantic pursuit. This doesn't make sense because she should be considering her own engagement—yet that never seems to factor in. In K-drama canon, single parenthood carries heavy stigma—characters usually wrestle with biases before accepting it and the older generations still look down on it a lot. Here, she doesn't even miss a step or hesitate; she doesn't bat an eye once she learns he's not actually married, pursuing him aggressively without any apparent concern for the social implications of dating a single parent. That level of instant acceptance feels too dramatic a shift from traditional portrayals. And, just a few scenes before, she was trying to get Ji-hyeok to kiss her to test the chemistry. Her behavior toward him implied she was, and had been, interested in a romantic relationship with him. Her past behavior would lead one to think she should be thrilled about the engagement. But not so much. She sees Seon-u, and it is suddenly like never mind.

Adding to the things that just didn't add up: Ji-hyeok's sister wants him to fail because she obviously wants the company and doesn't want her brother to get attention. But some of the things she does wouldn't have been about the company's success—she could've made him fail in ways that wouldn't have damaged the company's reputation. For her to sabotage him in ways that did harm the company doesn't make any sense, as it undercuts her own potential future gains.

Everyone in the show comes across as practically shallow, just like the little kid (Seon-u's son). He likes Ji-hyeok's fiancée because she's pretty—not because she's nice or anything else—but simply because she's pretty, and he wants her to be his dad's girlfriend only based on that. Even though he's supposedly had some relationship with Da-rim where he was almost treating her like a mom at one point, he so quickly forgets that because of this pretty new possibility. Him so quickly deciding that the fiancée should be his dad's girlfriend because she was pretty... I mean, it matches a little kid vibe in a way where everybody’s looking for the "pretty mom" or whatever, but he had an emotional connection with the main character. A motherless child is going to be more interested in a motherly figure than a pretty face.

It is just a series of events that break K-drama canon. Characters that are shallow and annoying lies. I dropped it after completing episode six because I read other reviews and knew it wasn't going to come together well, somehow all be excusable and make sense, and end harmoniously.

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Quit watching after episode three

6/10 is my rating. This is a 2025 South Korean coming of age romance with 12, ~ 70 minute episodes. Based on a novel Home, Bitter Home by Shim Yoon-seo.

First, I provide a unique synopsis then review. I provide the synopsis because I find, when I’m looking for a show to watch, some of the synopses do not describe the series very well. So, unique synopsis is intended to provide another perspective. If you aren’t interested in the synopsis scroll down, the review is labeled.


Synopsis


Ji Kang-hee (Lee Se-young) grew up in a motel and was an outcast among her peers. Her best friend and first love, Cheon Yeon-soo (Na In-woo) was already in good with her father, Ji Chun-pil (Choi Min-soo) who counted on him to bridge the gap with his daughter who resented him for the way she was brought up. Kang-hee leaves her town and he love to strike out on her own to get an education and improve her life. Twelve years later she returns to find her friend, Chun-pil has changed in physical appearance and is now a very busy and much loved local veterinarian.

Review

I stopped watching this after episode three. Other reviewers that said the FL character was annoying. At first I was like I don’t thinks so. She is just defensive because she has a lot of emotional baggage. But then as I watched it, I realize they were right. She was extremely annoying in that she so hung up on things that happened to her in the past that she was really unkind to other people. Maybe it gets better later on. But for the portion of it that I watched I wouldn’t recommend it unless you like really deeply, dramatic plots, and really flawed characters.

Spoilers

I could tell it was gonna be another one where I would have a hard time understanding why the main guy was so hung up on her. I was not seeing anything so spectacular about her character. I mean she did protect him a bit from bullying when he was young and they were really good friends; even friends with benefits at one point, but she grew up to be such an angry person. She was emotionally hurtful to him to drive him away. So it just felt abusive his time with her. I don’t know, but it was just a very dark and heavy kind of set up and I wasn’t really down for something that emotionally heavy so my impression is only of the first few episodes. I’ve watched enough dramas now that I don’t like to waste my time on those that are not good enough to draw me in early. I found that those that have a slow start rarely get better from that point. I also feel like they waited too long to let us know why she had so many problems with her father and growing up in the motel. It did show her being bullied as a kid about being raised in a motel, but that alone did not seem like enough to make her like she was as an adult. I might’ve continued watching it if I could understand more anoit why she had so many emotional problems. But, I may not have agreed with her reasons then I still would not have liked it. But I feel by episode three we should’ve known why she was running around with such a huge chip on her shoulder



#MotelCalifornia #LeeSeYoung #NaInWoo #ChoiMinSoo #KimTaeHyung #ChoiHeeJin

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Other than the OST being obnoxiously loud at times, I loved everything about this drama

Review

10/10 is my rating. This is a straight forward and somewhat predictable romance comedy set in the gamer and game developer world. Predictable to me is not bad, most of the really good and well liked romance series follow a set pattern. I thought it had just enough dynamic conflict to keep it interesting while preserving the elements of romance that I personally really like. If you are a romance fan this is a must watch in my book. It is a really good romance. If you are a fan of either of the leads, it is a good one to watch as they do a great job bringing the characters to life and they have great chemistry.

Spoilers

Some reviewers were annoyed with how long FL played the cutesy innocent female thinking that is what ML was interested in. But I thought that was an amusing twist. She was doing it because the ML, who she was playing games with online, was telling her to because he thought she was romancing some other guy. So, it made sense why she was acting like that and why she did it for so long. I also thought, at one point, you should see this isn't working. But she kept getting the advice from a guy friend she trusted.

When it finally flips around, the gig is up, and ML knows that the girl he is in love with online is none other than the annoyingly cutesy woman who confessed to him I was relieved. But I thought it was perfect that she did not immediately forgive him for his completely cruel rejection of her when he didn't realize who she was.

I also like the slice of AAA game production life. Dog eat dog. Saboteurs and jealousy. Really what you would expect in a highly competitive tech environment.

The second romance wound up being cute. I had my doubts as I wasn't a fan of the second female when she first appeared. I felt like her guy was doing way too much to make her successful in her position. If you can't do the job you can't do the job. So, I thought it was logical he wouldn't like her at first.

Scroll down if interested in a unique synopsis

Synopsis

This is a 2024 Chinese romantic comedy drama with 24, 45 minute episodes. It is based on the novel "Don't Fall in Love with Me" by Qiao Yao.

Yue Qianling (Zhou Ye) has had a crush on Gu Xun (Lin Yi) since their early college days. When she discovers he is working at the same gaming company she was about to resign from, she decides to stay on to be near him. She takes some really bad advice (through a twist) from Gu Xun himself, on how to win your crush's heart. Basically act like a cutesy princess, the very type of girl Gu Xun most dislikes. Gu Xun gave this bad advice under his gamer handle "Campus Hunk" and he told who he thought was "Sticky Dough Twist" as he liked her and didn't want her getting with some other guy. This results in a series of harsh rejections as Yue Qianling acts cutesy, expresses her love, and gets rejected. After all Gu Xun told her the exact thing that causes him to reject girls. What Gu Xun does not realize is the gamer girl he likes, is none other than Yue Qianling. And the advice he has been giving his gamer girl friend on romance, the deliberately bad advice, was intended to thwart her from romancing a guy he does not realize is actually him. When Gu Xun finds out Yue Qianling is the gamer girl the roles flip and he is now the one actively pursuing her.

With all the romance going on, two couples, different issues to work through, you would think there wouldn't be much time to develop any more of the plot. But they do a very good job of playing out the story about developing an A class game. All the trials and tribulations that go along with trying to develop the game and maintain the funding all the way through.

#EveryoneLovesMe #LinYi #ZhouYe

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A Must Watch Gem for Hopeless Romantics. Slice of Life was also Great.

Rating: 10/10

After watching over 300 dramas, it takes a lot to impress me, but this series? Wow, just wow! I absolutely loved it. I realize not everyone will feel the same, but for me, it was pure magic. It’s rare for a drama to hook me from episode one, yet this one did exactly that. It’s cute, fun, exciting, and heartwarming, with a perfect blend of romance and slice-of-life elements. The glimpse into professional snowboarding was fascinating, and the incorporation of Chinese anime culture was spot-on.
Some critics have said Esther Yu didn’t nail the role of Wei Zhi, but I couldn’t disagree more. She embodied the popular anime author perfectly—quirky, lovable, and authentic. Her wardrobe was a highlight, transitioning from adorable, casual outfits to stunning elegance with ease. Wei Zhi’s warmth and sweetness made her impossible not to love. Who wouldn’t fall for her? Meanwhile, Lin Yi was flawless as the cold, aloof professional athlete. Watching him slowly melt for Wei Zhi was heartwarming and utterly satisfying.
This drama is a must-watch for hopeless romantics like me. It’s not a deeply emotional saga with complex twists, so if that’s your preference, it might not hit the mark. But if you crave a feel-good romance that leaves you smiling, don’t miss this one. I’ll rewatch it anytime I need a pick-me-up, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to fellow romance lovers.


Spoilers Ahead


I usually dislike separation arcs, but this one felt justified. If you’ve ever been told “you’re not good enough,” you’ll understand why the male lead had to step back, especially given the cultural context. It made their eventual reunion all the more meaningful.
The mini happy endings were a delight. The sister’s recovery and return to snowboarding warmed my heart. I appreciated how the second male lead bowed out gracefully and even became friends with the main guy—classy and refreshing. The romance between the main guy’s sister and the younger snowboarder was adorable, adding a sweet subplot. My only gripe is the unresolved arc between the main girl’s friend and the guy she’d known for years without realizing. Her ghosting him felt harsh, and while it seemed like she wanted to reconcile, we never got closure. Still, this minor loose end didn’t diminish my love for the series.
The “friends like family” trope was executed beautifully. This group was so fun to watch, and their scenes added warmth and camaraderie to the story. It felt like hanging out with real friends, making the drama even more endearing.

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Uncomplicated, predictable and straightforward which can be good or bad

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic drama series with 12, 60 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Chae Young-ju (Kim Se-jeong) is a tough, smart ex special forces agent who has made a name for herself as a top sales queen for a company that sells various alcoholic beverages. Trauma in her past from special forces activities has led to her supressing her emotions. When a branch of her company is on the verge of closing because of profitbility concerns, Young-ju is not only concerned for herself but for all the other employees, who look up to her, who would be out of a job. The one hope they have of saving their branch is to get master brewer Yoon Min-ju (Lee Jong-won) to develop a new beer in collaboration with their compay. What Young-ju does not know is Min-ju is an empath who senses and absorbs the strong emotions of others. Thee distessing nature of some emotions he experiences, has caused Min-ju to spend a lot of time in solitude He is also determined to keep his craft beers small batch and not calloborate with a large company on mass production. As Young-ju sets out to convince Min-ju to work with her company, will the two give in to their growing attraction for each other?

Review

This was a light hearted, predictable romance with a lens into beverage sales and craft brewing. Minju was such a sincere and sweet lead male character there was little not to like about him. Young ju was very heroic in all she did so it was actually a good pairing. If you want a relatively light, uncomplicated romance then I recommend this. It ends well and does not drag out the story with only 12 espisodes.

Spoilers

My daughter and I always watch dramas together and when I asked her how she would rate it she said a 10 she could not think of anything she did not like about it. I had a slightly different perspective and might have went 8.5 but she liked it so much I figured, overall, somewhere in between our two opinions was a good indicator.

I think the main thing I did not like about it was how mean Minju’s employees were to him in the beginning. I thought perhaps Young ju would set them straight but they just seemed to get better toward him sort of on their own, when she entered the scene. Up until that time they were not nice to him about being sensitive and an introvert.

I really did not ike Young ju’s company at all. So I did not want to see them succeed. It made no sense to me that they wine and dined Minju to make a beer for them up until there started being some problems he had not even caused. Then the company started treating him poorly and that made no sense with someone you tried so hard to recruit. Master brewers are typically in high demand so I couldn’t see a company wanting to get on his bad side.

I really liked second couple and how they explored PTSD. Depictiing it as the world changing and reality shifting during episoodes is what a lot of veterans have described. Their story was almost more interesting and complex than the main couple’s.

#BrewingLove. #KimSeJeong. #LeeJongWon #ShinDoHyun #BaeksungChul

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Well paced, well acted and developed slice of life romantic drama

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 South Korean slice of life romantic comedy. It has 16, approximately 65 minute episodes. Alternatively known as Weather People and KMA: The Cruelty of In-House Romance.

Synopsis

Jin Ha-kyung (Park Min-young) was on the verge of getting married to her fiance after a 10 year relationship. Both worked for the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) and were a well known couple in the office. Ha-kyung is humiliated when she finds out, on the brink of their wedding, that her fiance is being unfaithful with a young reporter who also works with them. Han Ki-joon (Song Kang) is a forecaster at KMA and Ha-kyung winds up being the Director of the section he works in. He is the ex of the girl Ha-Kyung's fiance cheated with. Ha-kyung vowed to never have a workplace romance again but when a one night stand with Ki-joon leads to something more it may be hard for her to keep that vow. Can the two convince each other and others that their romance was not just a rebound and that they had no intention of becoming a couple out of revenge? Can they keep their relationship a secret from co-workers who may judge them as a superior and subordinate as well as for the age gap?

Review

Korean dramas are rarely risque but this one has some moments that make it refreshing and also lead to some hilarity. I liked that they slept together and it created this dynamic tension between them. Overcoming the age gap and supervisor subordinatehurdles added a layer of intrigue. Getting a glimpse inside the complexity of forecasting and the political ramifications of getting things wrong was interesting. I loved how her team grew closer throughout the series. I found each of the bonus romances believable and did not feel irritated when time was spent in them as I was also very drawn into those stories.

Spoilers

I thought her fiancé and his girlfriend who slept together and cheated on them would be irredeemable but was pleasantly surprised the writers turned it around and I was not angry on the main character's behalf but even started rooting for the relationship. The fact that she was able to put aside the hurt and become a good friend to her ex fiancé made her an all the more likable female lead. Same with the male lead and his ex girlfriend, the fact that he was always there for her and she for him as friends was heartwarming. Park Min Young is such a great actress and Ienjoy watching her bring the characters to life. I recommend this for fans of any of the main characters, for those that like slice of life, and as a well paced heartwarming romance.

#forecastingloveandweather

#parkminyoung

#songkang

#weatherpeople

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All Star Cast, Amazing Acting, Compelling story, some inconsistencies

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean Action and Crime drama with 20, approximately 80 minute episodes.

Park Joo-hyung (Song Joong-ki) grew up in Italy. At eight years old he was adopted and harbors resentment towards his Korean mother who he feels abandoned him. He later becomes part of the Italian mafia and is such an asset the head, Don Fabio, adopts him. As a member of the Cassano family Joo-hyung is renamed Vincenzo Cassano. He becomes a lawyer and utilizes his skill as he works as a representative for his adopted father in mafia dealings. When the father dies, the biological son attempt to kill Vincenzo and, after taking revenge, Vencenzo flees the country back to South Korea.

In Seoul, Vincenzo goes to the the Geumga Plaza which is a site where he helped a Chinese tycoon hide 1.5 tons of gold and install tenants to disguise the real intention of the building.
The Chinese tycooln is dead, and ownership of the gold now falls to the Cassano family, and Vincenzo plans to recover the gold for himself. Of course, the building has been taken over by a South Korean crime organization in the form of a pharmaceudical company, the Babel group. The Babel group has been strong arming the tenants so Vincenzo decides to team up with one of the tenants, a lawyer, to take down the Babel group. The lawyers daughter, Hong Cha-young (Jeno Yeo-been) was originally represting Babel but after her father is murdered by them, joins up with Vincenzo to exact revenge on the Babel Group. Sparks had originally flown between the two but as they unite toward a common purpose those strong feelings evolve to something more.

Overall, I liked this series a lot. All of the actors, and you had a pretty much all star cast with a few exceptions, did an amazing job acting out their characters. The storyline was exciting and the villians were incredibaly villanous. The whole "it takes a villian to catch a villian" axiom was true throughout the series. The chemistry between the two leads was not immediate, which made sense to me because they did not start out liking each other but developed a deep friendship through working to take down a common enemy.

*Spoilers The pros were the incredible acting, great locations and filming, and appropriate but not too invasive musical scores. Who doesn't love Song Joon-ki in action, he is incredibly handsome and charasmatic. The sense of community with the building tenants was both refreshing and engaging. I loved that Cha-young was a tough, no nonsense lawyer with a bit of a dark streak. It made her the perfect pairing for Vincenzo because she did not have an issue, if justice would not be served, with going outside of the law. I loved that there was gold hidden in the building and how disturbed Vincenzo would get whenever someone would pursue his gold. He reminded me, in those cases, of a Leprechaun guarding his gold. One of the most comedic scenes was when he had to pretend to be gay to lure in a bank that was willing to work with Babel. Whether you are gay trying to be heterosexual or heteresexual tying to be gay if you are engaging the sexuality that does not fit - it is cringy. I was laughing, so hard during that part. The funny thing, was he seemed to turn all the guys around him gay. The men seemed to love him as much as the women did. It was like everyone's dark fantasy, apprently, to be in the mob. So there were bromances galore.

The cons were the times that Vincenzo failed to stay true to character. What it seemed, was he was a South Korean child, adopted into the Italian culture but was old enough to remember the language and most of the culture of his original country. His anger at his mother for "abandoning" him, and the death of his foster parents through criminal activity, led him to embrace the dark side for revenge. I got that. Made sense. But, it showed, in so many ways that he was very humane and caring and had conscience and could love and all that - not even a sociopath because he wasn't simply "blending in" his feelings appeared genuine and he underwent an evolution through meeting and falling in love with Cha-young, being mentored and befriended by her father, and just forming so many friendships in South Korea. But then, his mother, who he was on the precipice of a true reunion with, is murdered and it is like it flipped a switch. He backtracked on all the progress he made and the brutal element fully came back in him. The fact that he had flashbacks and nightmares of past incidents clearly showed that he had remorse to that point. But then it was like he became a slightly different person after his mother's death. I thought the way he killed the Babel villians was just a bridge too far. I cannot reconcile burning someone to death with someone who is a good person. Although the chairman was evil and had done horrible things, drilling someone to death is just the next level of brutality. Becoming as evil as the evil you are punishing does not make you a good person. I was disappointed when he blew up Cha-young's father's killer. He broke his word in my opinion. hHe told him once he did this thing the debt was fulfilled and he could go free. It was dishonest and it seemed even Cha-young felt he had gone too far. But she never said that although her response to the news seemed as if it bothered her.
When he killed the female lawyer he broke his morale code which was no women and children. She even said you are going to do this to a woman and he said, basically, you are not a woman, you are a monster. Still, burning her alive was the next level up brutality. It took him from a batman like, superhero justice seeker, to just a murderer little better than the people he was "punishing". I also could not buy that the law enforcement friends in his circle were so okay with him brutally murdering those people. They helped him get away with it and even shook hands with and hugged him when he had the blood on him. It was a bit like "Dexter" in that dark anti hero type persona but I am just not a fan of that level of "eye for an eye" because his treatment of them was even more brutal than the way they treated their victims.

The ending also fell short for me. Perhaps they are setting it up for another season. I did not like the very "Pirates of the Caribbean" end where he can only come back when on a diplomatic mission (diplomatic immunity). It was over obvious in the postcards he sent that he wanted her to come find him - yet she didn't. To me it seemed as though her emotions toward him took a turn. I did not have the sense she would be willing to leave South Korea and go join him on an island off the coast of Malta. I had no care for his Italian family. We never got to know enough of that piece to care that he had reunited and was now ruling that family. And, we were reminded of his brutality when he mentioned the revenge he took on a rival family and that their remains were fertilizing his grapes. They confessed and kissed but then parted ways with a somewhat sad and whistful look in both of their eyes.

His behavior, as other reviewers have pointed out, was not even consistent with what is often the case in organized crime. I knew a situation like that once - one of my best friends in high school let's just say her father was a retired person in a very well known organized criminal entity. In those situations, usually the lawyer is very valuable and also high up in the crime organization. They do not have those folks act as "hit persons" they are too valuable to the organization. And they typically have done their dues and don't want to get their hands dirty that way. Not that they have suddenly grown a conscience, but they just don't do the dirty work anymore. So that did not make sense. He was a lawyer and the second in command - the family would typically not risk such an individual by involving them so intimately. Even if he, himself, wanted to be involved, unless there was a compelling reason he would usually be ordered by "the boss" not to.

That being said - I would still recommend it and might even rewatch it at some point. It is unique and so well acted that the flaws are not a complete deterrant. Others really liked it and did not consider these things flaws. Cha-young had just enough darkness in her to accept a lot of what he did. It was very "Game of Thrones" in the darker elements and how most of the characters were not completely good or completely evil but various mixes thereof. And how you were rooting for anti heroes. The "Queen of Dragons" in Game of Thrones reminded me of Vincenzo in the way their characters evolved and the sudden switch down a much darker path. But I wasn't a fan of how that ended either. I like redemption and character growth. This followed the opposite trajectory. If there were a second season I might watch it. I am extremely disappointed in the brutality of the murders so I can't think of a way back from that but would be interested to see where their relationship evolved.

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I liked the second one as well as the first

5/10 is my rating. This is a 2019 television comedic drama with 16, 60 minute, episodes.
📍Lee Joon-ki (Lee Yi-kyung) CEO of the Waikiki Guesthouse. He takes but roles in series and movies in a quest to become a famous actor like his father.
📍Cha Woo-sik (Kim Seol-ho) One of Joon-ki's high school friends and an investor the Waikiki Guesthouse. He plays gigs while trying to get a break in the music world.
📍Gook Gi-bong (Shin Hyun-so) A “farm league” baseball player who aspires to the majors. Another Joon-ki‘s high school friends and fellow investor in the guest house.
📍Han Soo-yeon (Moon Ga-young) Joon-ki, Woo-sik and Gi-bong's first love. She was the dream girl in high school and everyone‘s first love. In high school they all confessed to her only to be rejected, except for Woo-sik who had a mysterious encounter with Soo-yeon in the past. Woo-sik is playing a gig a her wedding when it gets called off. With nowhere else to go, she winds up at the guest house. Coming from a formerly wealthy family who went bankrupt she is now having to work to support herself and is learning about life without wealth.
📍Kim Jeong-eun (Aha So-hee) Like Joon-ki she dreams of becoming an actress. She works multiple part time jobs to make ends meet. She knows Joon-ki from the university and it seems he has let her stay there as she fell on hard times.
📍Cha Yoo-ri (Kim Ye-won) practically raised her younger brother, Woo-sik. She is not above using manipulation and blackmail to get what she wants. Because if this, the others are a little afraid of her. She often has her friend and brother’s interest at heart but her methods can be unwelcome and brutal.

Spoiler 🚨 This is loosely a sequel to the first one. The only character in common with the first is Joon-ki who it seems bought out his former friend. There is not a lot of direct reference to the characters from the first although there is mention they were all successful in their various endeavors and thus left the guest house. There is very little explanation as to why Joon-ki broke up with Chewbacca and it makes his presence in this series a bit awkward. The new cast is entertaining with many of the same elements that made the first season so enjoyable.

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I have watched over 260 and only dropped a couple I dropped this

5/10 is my rating. This is 2023 Chinese Action Romance drama with slices of medical and fire emergency life. There are 40, approximately 45 minute episodes. Adapted from the web novel “Waiting For You in a City”

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis
Song Yan (Yang Yang) and Xu Quin (Wang Chu Ran) fell in love in high school but their social status was very different leading to Xu Quin’s mother driving them apart. After breaking off their relationship, Xu Quin leaves to study abroad.

It has been ten years since Song Yan has seen the girl who shattered his heart and he is not ready to start up where they left off when their paths cross again. He has excellled in his chosen field, firefighting, and while his goal is to become successful enough to stand before anyone it does not mean he plans to forgive and forget. Xu Quin is an emergency room doctor and finds her path crossing Song Yan’s frequently. Her desire is to win Song Yan back.

Can the two resolve the past and find a new path to love?

Review

I stopped watching after episode 9 as I found it too slow and boring. I do not know how two such exciting careers could be portrayed in such a hum drum manner but they were able to. If you like series that are heavy on the dramatic element you may be okay with It.

I do not quit watching many, I will usually muscle through if there is just one aspect I do not like. But there were so many things I did not like. i thought they seemed horrible for each other, he was whiny, she was clingy and selfish, and it was boring. I was not interested in watching another 31 episodes of a drama where I did not care if the couple got together nor to see more of their jobs.

Spoilers*

I found the male lead character whiny and abrasive. He took his moods out on everyone around him. It is not an admirable trait. His relationship with his best friend had a very gay vibe. Men do not tend to act jealous and cry over other men in a typical friendship. They were also very touchy feely to the point if they kissed I would not have been surprised. Some like boy love series and that is fine. It is not my preference so it felt misleading to have two supposedly heterosexual characters act very homosexual in their interactions with each other. I have seen the actor in other roles and he is very manly, handsome and charismatic but I was disappointed in this role.

The female lead character sees him after a decade and then rather than slowly trying to win him over she comes at him like a sledge hammer. She also did not seem to have overcome the issue with her mother making it likely she would break his heart again..

#YangYang
#WangChuRan
FireworksofmyHeart

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