ltspada

How to ruin a good drama in the last two episodes

Review

Rating: 6.5/10

The first three-quarters of this drama are genuinely cute and comforting. The workplace chaos is funny, the found-family energy is warm, and the central message—that it’s okay to accept help and stop trying to do everything alone—is lovely and actually meaningful. I was having a perfectly nice time.

Then the final stretch happens and everything I liked about the show collapses. The turn it takes felt so wrong to me that I couldn’t properly watch the last two episodes—I’d already looked up the ending because I had a horrible suspicion where it was going, got confirmed, and then I just skimmed the rest to see how bad the damage was. The drop-off in enjoyment was brutal. Because of that ending, I can’t recommend the drama and I have zero desire to ever rewatch it. What a waste of a promising setup.

SPOILERS

I’m usually against big age gaps in romance, but there are a handful of shows that sold me on one because the chemistry was electric, the life experiences lined up in an interesting way, and it really felt like these two people would be lonely forever without each other.

This drama did the exact opposite of that.

Mei (28) has not one but two attractive, successful, age-appropriate guys who clearly like her and get along great with her. And yet, the second, her 50-year-old housekeeper Nagisa says he might leave, she panics and decides the solution is… marriage. Not because she’s in love. Because she’s terrified of losing the guy who does her laundry and cooks for her. That is not romantic. That’s separation anxiety and codependency dressed up as a happy ending.

You don’t marry someone so they’ll keep cleaning your apartment. Hire another housekeeper (he’s basically a magical unicorn, but they exist) and go to therapy for the attachment issues. Problem solved, no lifelong regrettable marriage required. It’s honestly depressing to watch. It feels like watching Mei self-destruct and drag a perfectly nice man into a relationship that’s wrong for both of them. Imagine them ten years down the line when people assume he’s her dad. Or worse, when she wakes up one day and realizes she married her Mary-Poppins-housekeeper out of pure panic. And yes, I get that older-man/younger-woman pairings are more normalized in some Japanese media, but this drama was clearly marketed to an international audience on streaming platforms. In most of the world a sudden 22-year age-gap romance with zero romantic buildup is not going to land as sweet or aspirational—it lands as uncomfortable and unrealistic. To me it was cringy. They built the relationship up as some kind of found mentor/family type relationship. Maybe that charming older uncle type. And then turned it into some kind of indentured servitude type romance. Mutual I guess. He gets a young troubled wife and she gets a live in domestic engineer and life coach.

The only thing that still gets full points is the mental-health message about not trying to “do it all” and learning to accept help. That part was great. Everything else about the romance destroyed the show for me.

Final score: 6.5/10, carried almost entirely by how pleasant the first 7–8 episodes were. Skip it or drop it before the train wreck—your future self will thank you.

Synopsis

In the bustling world of pharmaceutical sales, the ever-diligent Mei Aihara juggles high-stakes deals by day while her apartment descends into complete chaos by night. On her 28th birthday, enter the enigmatic Nagisa Shigino, an impeccably poised housekeeper with a knack for turning disorder into domestic harmony—and perhaps stirring deeper emotions. As Mei's life gets an unexpected upgrade from this unlikely ally, sparks fly when she crosses paths with the suave Yuta Tadokoro, a competitor whose charm threatens to upend her carefully ordered existence. Blending quirky humor, tender revelations, and the quiet magic of found family, this series explores how a spotless home can sometimes lead to a fuller hear


Air Year: 2020
Number of Episodes: 9
Runtime per Episode: Approximately 57 minutes

Major Characters

*Aihara Mei (Tabe Mikako): A dedicated and efficient pharmaceutical sales rep whose professional prowess starkly contrasts with her messy personal life and social awkwardness.
*Shigino Nagisa (Omori Nao): An eccentric, highly competent male housekeeper who mysteriously appears to overhaul Mei's home, bringing order, wisdom, and subtle emotional support.
*Tadokoro Yuta (Seto Koji): A charismatic and persistent rival sales rep from a competing company, whose flirtatious pursuit of Mei adds romance and rivalry to her routine.
*Suyama Kaoru (Takahashi Maryjun): Mei's loyal best friend and colleague at work, offering comic relief and steadfast encouragement through thick and thin.
*Segawa Haruto (Maeda Gordon): A fresh-faced new hire at Mei's company, eager and optimistic, often providing youthful energy to the team dynamics.
*Matsudaira Shinya (Hirayama Yusuke): Mei's stern yet fair boss, who pushes the sales team hard while navigating his own professional pressures.

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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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Lighthearted but with surprising depth on the topics of emotions and marriage

Review

8.5/10 is my rating

Scroll down for a unique synopsis if you want to know what this is about. There aren't a lot out there and it gets confused with others of similar title.

Marry You is what I feel constitutes a hidden gem. I have watched over 400 Asian dramas, mostly Korean, and mostly rated on average 9.0 and above. So, I am very selective, but I am also running out of things to watch that fit all my criteria. I dug deep in my search to find some hidden gems, and this came up as one of them. This Korean romance isn't one of those high-profile hits everyone’s talking about. And I think it is somewhat a factor of it not being widely available or maybe the opposite is true. But the fact that it is not all the buzz is part of its charm—it's a hidden gem that fellow movie and drama lovers who enjoy sweet, feel-good tales might want to seek out. I rated it an 8.5/10, which for me means it's solidly enjoyable and worth recommending, even if it doesn't quite reach perfection. I'd still suggest it to anyone who likes romances that tug at the heartstrings without getting too heavy.

Overall, the story follows Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung), a kind-hearted bachelor from a quiet island village, and Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min), a civil servant who had a bad experience which made her firmly against the idea of marriage for herself. What unfolds is a predictable romance in the best way— the kind where you know from the start that these two, one who is ready for marriage and one who has sworn off marriage, warm to each other, build a connection, and hopefully find their happy ending. It's heartwarming and cute, with plenty of moments that made me smile and root for the characters. Bong Cheol-hee, in particular, is the standout; he's such a sweet, genuine guy—helpful to everyone around him, including the adorable niece and nephew he's raising—that it's impossible not to cheer for him. Jung Ha-na is sweet too, but her past created some emotional flaws more guarded in her emotional interactions. She portrays this happy go lucky persona but her deep self is uncertain and unwilling to gamble her emotional well-being for love. The supporting cast, including the quirky team at the marriage agency bring some fun energy and light humor without overdoing it.

If you're looking for a cozy watch that celebrates kindness and second chances in love, this one delivers. It's not groundbreaking, but in a sea of more intense dramas, its simple charm is refreshing. Just know it's the type where you settle in for the predictable beats of a good romance—you're always hoping they'll get that good ending. If you know me I am not one to recommend anything that has a tragic ending.

Spoilers

There are several plot holes and frustrating aspects that keep it from scoring perfect on my scale.

First off, the whole setup with the marriage agency felt inconsistent. The mayor pushes this as a special project to boost his re-election, pulling in the entire team like it's a temporary gig, but then it suddenly seems like a well-established operation with long-term plans. At one point, they're handling over 90 clients—that's no small number, and it makes the agency feel way more permanent than the initial "quick fix" vibe suggested. It just didn't add up smoothly. They also aren't really experts in relationships but that is the role they are playing in the way they interview each client. And then they are held responsible if there is not a good outcome as if they are somehow matchmaking experts. No-one has that formula of love that dialed in. Sometimes opposites attract and sometimes they absolutely detest each other. There is just way too much complexity in human emotional interactions for anyone to predict the perfect match. So, it was an odd unit in that regard.

Then there's Jung Ha-na's (Jo Soo-min) past relationship with her college ex (the one who faked an affair to break things off). It's weird that she forgives him so easily once the truth comes out about his father's gambling debts. And he should've been upfront and let her decide, instead of staging something so hurtful—it left her feeling rejected and pitied, which is a real stigma for a woman. So when he comes back, tells her the truth of what happened when their relationship ended and claims he wants her back it never reached second guy vibes because, obviously, she wouldn't fall for that. Or she certainly shouldn't. But what really made it so I never got strong second contender vibes, is she friend zones him, he tells others he hopes to win her back but then does absolutely nothing to show romantic interest; he just seemingly accepts the friend zone and acts disappointed later without making any real moves. It was frustrating to watch, like if you want someone you have to tell them. Just watching and having some kind of weird jealousy from afar does not make you a strong second man character. He expected her to come back to him without her ever even knowing he still hoped for that.

The dynamic with Oh In-ah (Ji Yi-soo) was another head-scratcher. The show build them as a possible second romance. That the two rejected exes will wind up together. They were friends enough to conspire to make Ha-na think they are having an affair. Then they meet regularly to talk about how much they long for the leads. Even stalk after them a bit together spying on their growing attachment. And, there is this pizza scene that shows how much they think alike. Almost completing each other's sentences. Serious couple vibes. Any minute they should be confessing, and it would make sense given the entire series seemed to build to that. But, last few episodes she not only gives up on lead guy but then she jumps into an arranged marriage while Choi Ki-jun (Koo Jun-hoe) stays a bachelor? It didn't make narrative sense. Why the build up to a second romance if that was going to be the conclusion?

Bong Cheol-hee’s (Lee Yi-kyung) backstory as a former firefighter had this bizarre side plot where he saves a rich guy, who later picks him up in a fancy car. I thought it was building to something meaningful, like the guy becoming a benefactor or mentor, but nope—it just fizzles out. It seemed like it was only there so Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) could mistakenly think he was involved with shady types like the mob, but it came across as a forced, pointless detour. And he just gave up being a firefighter and is now what? A sous chef? An island bum? I mean I really liked him but he has two kids and now a girlfriend and needed to have something serious going on. I thought that was a little weird. It ends with him coming on as a special member of the team - but that didn't seem permanent.

There was a recurring pattern of immoral or near-criminal behavior getting brushed off too easily, which really pulled me out of the story. For instance, Oh In-ah (Ji Yi-soo) essentially pays to have Bong Cheol-hee’s (Lee Yi-kyung) niece and nephew kidnapped and shipped off to boarding school without his permission. When it's revealed, she just shrugs it off like, "Oh, I thought you'd like it," and everyone forgives her. You arrange to have the dead beat father come kidnap the kids and ship them off - that is not a forgivable action. But it was like oh well she is sorry and thought she was doing the right thing. I mean there is a whole scene where he essentially says that and that was so out of character for him. He adored those children. Why would he forgive some girlfriend for trying to ship them off? And his brother? He is like bad on you man. And that is essentially it.

Even creepier was the mayor's son storyline. There are all these reports of women being assaulted and how it is not safe for women to be out and all indicators point to this masked mystery man. It builds like he's this predatory figure, almost leading to something as serious as date rape, with all the tension around women not being safe alone implying he's the culprit. And he acts so creepy to In-ah and tries to do something we don't fully know to her when she pretends to be drunk. Yeah, she head butts him and he ultimately apologizes but what he did was criminal. They figure out it is the mayor's illegitimate son who has mommy issues because of it, and the mayor is feeling guilty and going above and beyond for the son, and they all feel sorry. So, the mayor asks nicely, and they just drop it—no charges, no fallout. The whole thread vanishes, which felt like a massive cop-out after the buildup.

What was really frustrating in terms of the romance itself was we waited so long for Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung) and Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) to finally get together. They are finally admitting their feelings and showing affection and she suddenly gets cold feet about long-term commitment and marriage? It contradicted her earlier damage from the breakup, where she was heartbroken because she truly wanted to marry. Why flip that now? Hadn't she forgiven the ex, admitted she probably would not have followed through herself had she known the real reason, and had all these insights on relationships through observing other couples. Wasn't she emotionally grown and healed now?

Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung) absolutely carried the show—he's so sweet and decent to everyone, from the women in his life to all the people around him, that you can't help but root for him. The niece and nephew are just precious, adding that adorable family element. In the end, they do end up as a couple, which ties things up nicely. There is no permanence, like it shows a proposal but I wasn't clear if she accepted or not. Just an "I love you" I guess that was a yes? But they are a couple plus two. And she just seemed like good buddies with the kids. I wish Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) had stepped up more as a true mother figure for the kids. They needed that stability after losing their parents, but she comes across more like a friendly aunt or distant relative—playing guitar while they're in the background, not really engaging like a committed partner would. A happier resolution for me would've shown her fully embracing that role, making the family feel complete. Still, despite these quirks, it's a recommend from me for its overall sweetness.

Synopsis

This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 10, 60-minute episodes.

Bong Cheol-Hee (Lee Yi-Kyung) is a warm-hearted single guy from the quiet island village of Cheongdo who is juggling odd jobs while raising his mischievous twin niece and nephew, Bong San-Yi (Seo Woo-Jin) and Bong Ba-Da (Ahn Tae-Rin). He was featured in a documentary just about being a young bachelor and the island and that results in him getting roped into a quirky government matchmaking scheme. The mayor formed a special team to help solve the decline in marriage problem and appoints the only civil service expert they know of, Jung Ha-Na (Jo Soo-Min), to act as the "government expert" on matchmaking based on a former job she had at a dating agency. At first reluctant, because one of her previous matches resulted in tragedy, she is promised a promotion and decides to accept the special assignment short term until she meets the criteria for promotion. Ironically, Ha-na actually hates the idea of marriage largely because of her ex, Choi Ki-Joon (Koo Jun-Hoe). And, as luck would have it, Ki-Joon, who is also a civil servant, is assigned as the supervisor of the government matchmaking team. Ha-Na, as the perceived expert, is assigned Cheol-Hee who is seen as a difficult case due to his carefree lifestyle and the fact that he comes with two children. But determined to get that promotion, Ha-Na pushed Cheol-Hee toward eligible ladies like the fancy chaebol heiress Oh In-Ah (Ji E-Suu). But proximity breeds unintended feelings and even though they are like country mouse and city mouse and there are a lot of hilarious mix-ups there are also a lot of heartfelt moments centered on love and family. Cheol-Hee may be the only one that can convince Ha-Na love is worth the emotional risk.

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Had its intriguing moments but it failed to balance between mysterious and confusing

My rating is 7.5/10

I went into The Trunk super excited because some of my favorite reviewers were raving about it, calling it a gripping psychological thriller with a unique contract marriage twist. As someone with a psychology degree, I was pumped for a deep dive into complex characters and mind games, and I do love a good K-drama that mixes romance with suspense. Did it deliver? Sort of, but it wasn't as great as I expected from other reviews.

The acting is amazing of course—Gong Yoo brings this raw, broken energy to a guy who’s a total mess, and Seo Hyun-jin nails the guarded, emotionally scarred vibe of her character. The visuals are stunning, with a cold, moody aesthetic that fits the psychological tone perfectly. The house was "creepy" just in how dark it was and with the unusual architectural features such as the staircase and huge chandelier.  The story revolves around a shady marriage agency called NM that sets up one-year contract marriages, and things get intriguing when a mysterious trunk shows up, hinting at dark secrets.

I guess if you’re into slow-burn dramas that unpack trauma, manipulation, and messy relationships, you might like this.  But fair warning—it moves slowly. Like, “I need another coffee to stay awake” slow at times. The mystery starts strong but fizzles out toward the end, and the resolution left me feeling meh. As an empath, I found it emotionally draining because every character is so damaged, and there’s no feel-good payoff to lift you up. The romance is there, but it’s not the swoony kind—it’s heavy, complicated, and sometimes frustrating.

I’d recommend The Trunk if you love psychological thrillers and don’t mind a heavy, introspective vibe with flawed characters. But if you’re looking for something light, romantic, or action-packed, you might want to skip this one. It’s not a show I’d rewatch—it was tedious in parts, and I had to push through to finish it. Still, it’s got enough intrigue and stellar performances to make it worth a shot for the right viewer. If you’re torn, maybe watch the first episode and see if the vibe hooks you. There are tons of other K-dramas out there, so it depends on whether you’re in the mood for something this intense.

Why a relatively low rating of 7.5/10 for me. You will see very few that I review that I rate that low simply because I research the shows I watch up front and try to only watch those that others have liked at least an 8 or above by most reviewers. But, occasionally one like this will slip through and my opnion will depart from my stand by sources.  The acting and aesthetics are fantastic, and the premise is intriguing, but the slow pace, unsatisfying ending, and lack of emotional payoff dock some points. It’s good, but not great in my opinion. There is a fine balance between making something mysterious and making it confusing. I felt like that balance was not well maintained and I was confused a lot and some of those confusing points were never resolved. 

Spoilers

As a psych grad, I was analyzing everyone’s behavior like crazy, and boy, did this show give me a lot to chew on.

The Ex-Wife’s Toxic Manipulation was a huge flag for a mental disorder. From the beginning, I clocked Lee Seo-yeon as bad news. To me, she screams borderline personality disorder with narcissistic tendencies. Her whole scheme—setting up her ex-husband, Han Jeong-won (Gong Yoo), in a contract marriage with Noh In-ji (Seo Hyun-jin) while she pairs up with a younger guy, Yun Ji-oh (Jo I-geon), supposedly to “test” Jeong-won so they can reunite—is straight-up psychological torture. She knew it would be emotionally painful for him and was getting great enjoyment out of his suffering. She thrives on control and attention, and it’s clear she’s stringing Jeong-won along because she can’t stand him moving on. Her character is chillingly manipulative, and Jung Yun-ha plays her with this unsettling mix of charm and menace. 

The reveal about Seo-yeon’s past further consolidated my thought that she was classic personality disorder. The fact that she walked into traffic while eight months pregnant, losing her unborn child, was a desperate bid to keep the spotlight on herself when Jeong-won’s attention shifted to the baby.  And she did it when she was supposed to meet him so she had to know he saw the full accident she created. Then she drugged him and installed cameras to spy on him, knowing his trauma would make that unbearable. Those types of actions are next-level cruel. Which was why I was so disappointed when Jeong-won apologized to her at the end—like, what? She murdered their baby and traumatized him, and he’s sorry? That told me he really did not get who she really was at all. Her suicide attempt when she realized he wasn’t coming back was textbook BPD—when control slips, you pull a drastic move to reclaim it. I wanted someone to call her out harder, and while In-ji had some great moments telling her off, it wasn’t enough when Jeon-won's apology pretty much reversed any censure of her behavior she received to that point by apologizing as if he had committed the greater wrongs. Wanted away from someone with BPD is not wrong. He was escaping with the drugs she pushed on him long before he lucked out and she pushed him away. 

The Main Couple’s romance was frustrating (Han Jeong-won and Noh In-ji).  I was rooting for Jeong-won and In-ji to heal each other, but their story left me conflicted. Gong Yoo’s Jeong-won in the begging of the series, is a drug-addicted, anxiety-riddled mess, haunted by his toxic marriage to Seo-yeon. His stockholm syndrome, where he is begging her to come back to him, is just a factor of the unhealthy co-dependence she had carefully fostered. As someone who was abused in the past, he was fertile ground for another abuser and his ex-wife more than fit that bill. He’s so broken that you can’t help but feel for him, and Gong Yoo’s performance is heartbreaking. In-ji, played by Seo Hyun-jin, is a contract wife at NM who’s supposed to be detached but starts catching feelings. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the slow-burn moments where they start to open up—like In-ji creating a cozy home for Jeong-won—are beautiful. But In-ji’s emotional walls drove me nuts. She’s giving and caring on the surface, but when it comes to truly opening up, she pulls back, which felt selfish to me. 

In-ji's backstory was such a letdown. We finally learn her fiancé, Seo Do-ha (Hong Woo-jin), left her five years ago, calling her selfish, but the show never explains why. What did she do that was so bad he vanished without a trace? She clings to his old apartment, which is weirdly obsessive, but the show doesn’t connect the dots. It’s like they wanted her to have this deep, tragic past to justify her contract marriage gig, but it didn’t land. The trauma of being abandoned didn’t seem intense enough to explain her emotional isolation or why she’d choose a job where she stays detached. I kept waiting for a bigger reveal, but it never came, and that vagueness made her arc feel incomplete. And it made her seem selfish, as her ex had accused her of. 

Their ending was the biggest disappointment. After all the drama, In-ji ends the marriage, saying it’s for the best, even though they clearly love each other. It hints that she does it to protect him from her stalker but since it doesn't really protect him anyway it is clear she does it for herself. Jeong-won suggests they give it another shot if they meet by chance twice—and the show ends with them having one random encounter. Really? After everything, you’re leaving it to some rom-com “fate” nonsense? It felt like a cop-out, especially since In-ji’s refusal to fully commit seemed rooted in her own insecurities rather than anything logical. I wanted her to be the heroine who saves Jeong-won emotionally, but her own damage held her back, and the fact that the damage didn't stem from something that made sense, made that frustrating. 

The side couple just added some pointless drama and slowed the plot down even further (Yun-a and Hyeon-cheol). Jeong-won’s friend and his wife could have been a cute heart warming story of a young couple struggling to raise their kids. But, what was wrong with her? She said several times she didn't want her husband or her kids. Post partum depression? I mean her kids were a little old for that but it is possible. But didn't we have enough mental illness to weed through already? Their subplot about her wanting a divorce because she “doesn’t want kids” and needs her “identity” felt so forced. It came off as this weird, stereotypical “modern woman” trope that didn’t add anything to the main story. Yun-a seemed selfish and disconnected, and their drama felt like filler. I kept wondering why this couple was even in the show—it didn’t tie into the trunk mystery or the main romance and just bogged down the pace.

And speaking of the titular trunk I thought it was going to be some huge deal. I mean it is in the title after all. And they way played it up as being expensive and rate. Gotta be something hugely profound about it right? Nope. It had me hooked at first—who owns it? What’s inside? But the mystery fizzles out. There are two trunks: In-ji’s, with her marriage contract and NM manual, and Seo-yeon’s, with baby clothes and toys for her lost child. A creepy ex-NM employee, Eom Tae-seong (Kim Dong-won), steals Seo-yeon’s trunk thinking it’s In-ji’s, hoping to expose NM and ruin In-ji’s marriage. Lots of suspense around him being able to open it or not and it was associated with the mysterious deceased body in the beginning. But it turns into a big nothing burger. They literally were using it like a mobile safe. That's it. No dead bodies. No huge secreats. Just some baby clothes and some paperwork. 

The big twist? The whole thing practically was built on a who dunnit with the trunk, the police taped off scene, the water (and she kayaks) and the viewer spends a lot of the series wondering who the body is and who committed the cirime. Finding out who did it and who the body even was is revealed in quick succession. Tae-seong is killed by Yun Ji-oh, Seo-yeon’s contract husband, who does it because NM asked and because he was the witness to a fellow security guard being murdered by Tae-seong. It’s dramatic but feels rushed and unsatisfying. I mean why him? Our only association with him to that point was just another man who had some weird fixation with BPD woman. 

The nonlinear timeline, jumping between the contract marriage’s start, sometimes into the future, sometimes into the past is cool for suspense but made the story drag. I got bored in parts, especially when the show lingered on everyone’s misery without moving the plot forward. And I got lost in the sauce a lot of times, get bored and blink and you missed that you just time traveled.

I didn't hate it. Not even sorry I watched it. At least now I know. Because it is talked about quite a bit in drama circles. The harsh, cold visuals and the music set the mood perfectly, reflecting the characters’ trauma. The acting, especially Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-jin, carries the show—their chemistry is the heart of it. I loved when In-ji confronted Seo-yeon; those scenes were electric, and someone needed to put that woman in her place. But the weak mystery resolution, vague backstories, and lack of a feel-good ending killed the vibe for me. At the end of the series, I felt drained by how broken everyone was—Jeong-won’s pill-popping, In-ji’s emotional withdrawal, Seo-yeon’s manipulation. Jeong-won did predictably get better when he got away from toxic Seo-yeon and In-ji was definitely instrumental in him having the strength to break her stranglehold on him.  But there is no catharsis, no moment where you feel like these people are going to be okay. Better? Some of them were. But okay and ready to move onto happy lives? Is that what the cats and dog were supposed to represent? The tearing down of the house? Well, you appear pretty happy on your own.  Lonely? Maybe. But happy. But there is never an "I miss you moment" with In-ji. She goes and sees his show. I guess that was supposed to be an indicator she was missing him. But don't make us guess. We are at the end. Tell us. Let her cold emotional shell finally crack. I was tired of it at that point.

I wouldn’t rewatch it, and I’d only recommend it to folks who enjoy dissecting damaged characters. There are better K-dramas out there if you want something that is tied together a lot better and is still thrilling but ends on a more uplifting and well wrapped up note

Synopsis

The Trunk is a 2024 South Korean drama with 8, 63 minute episodes. It combines elements of mystery, romance, thriller and with psychological aspects. It’s based on a novel by Kim Ryeo-ryeong.

The story follows Noh In-ji (Seo Hyun-jin), who works for a shady company called NM (New Marriage) that sets up one-year contract marriages. Basically, people pay to have a temporary spouse for whatever reason—maybe they need a partner for show, but sometimes the reason is something weirder. In-ji’s latest “husband” is Han Jeong-won (Gong Yoo), a music producer who’s super depressed and stuck on his ex-wife, Lee Seo-yeon (Jung Yun-ha). Their fake marriage gets messy when a creepy trunk shows up in a lake, hinting at some dark secrets tied to NM. As In-ji and Jeong-won play house, they start to actually care about each other, but their pasts and NM’s sketchy business keep things complicated.

This show’s not your usual fluffy K-drama. It’s intense, with a lot of mind games and emotional baggage, digging into stuff like toxic relationships and figuring out what love even means. The first few episodes can be confusing because it doesn’t explain much upfront—like, why is Jeong-won so hung up on his ex? What’s NM really about? But if you hang in there, it starts to come together and gets super addictive. I’m watching it with my daughter, and it’s been a bit much for her because it’s so twisty, but I think it’s worth sticking with for the romance and the mystery. If you like shows that make you think and keep you guessing, give The Trunk a shot. Just know it’s got some heavy themes and a couple of steamy scenes, so maybe not the best for those that like Asian content because it tends to shy away from overtly sexual scenes.

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The "passionately" part of the title is a bit of a misnomer

Review

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a solid, typical modern Chinese romance. I would recommend it to romance fans and would be willing to watch it again if it was on. It is predictable except for the main female character. She is very strong and autonomous. He is considered so handsome he literally has his pick of women. She is also very beautiful and has many admirers. And he hasn't shown much interest in romance until he runs into this woman who seems more interested in getting closer to his mother than to him. They are both so alike and so different at the same time it is easy to see how it works. He is more of the emotional one and she is the take it or leave it more carefree seeming type.

Some reviewers have criticized that there are not very good kissing scenes. While you don't get the close up of them actually kissing and it more often cuts away or shows it from an angle where it could easily be faked, I found that they had great chemistry, and they showed enough it was obvious they were kissing. But if you want zoom in details then you might be disappointed. I don't think the actress or actor had some kind of no kiss policy as several have speculated. I just don't think they saw the need to zero in to that degree. Which was fine by me but others that like the more intimate scenes might find it lacking.

Spoilers

A criticism many have of the series is, despite the title (passionately in love) the scenes where they are physically close either cut away or fall short of any display of passion. It is hinted at. They might even talk about "the kiss" after but there are no true kiss scenes. Which makes it hard to convey the passionately part. I thought it was a good romance and there was enough for me in that regard but if you are going to title something "passionately" then it really should show some passion. So, I get why other reviewers had that perspective.

I thoroughly enjoyed how fascinated he was with her for the simple fact that she did not fall all over herself for him. He was so unused to that, the anomaly alone had him hooked. But, I did get the sense she blew hot and cold as did he at times. They had the volatile temperament that only very young lovers might have. It could be frustrating at times, as one or the other drifted for no meaningful reason, but it was more real that way.

I mean what teenage boy is not going to be interested in a girl that calls a guy out talking smack about you, challenges him to a race, and wins. Forces him to apologize for saying all kinds of mean boy things. She races a motorcycle. That has to be some teenage boy's fantasy. But, beyond that, she provided the emotional security and sense of home he so desperately needed.

I was disappointed he did not ever reconcile with his biological father. His dad was wrong to turn his mother away, but he had spent a lifetime making up for it and regretting. He was very humble, took all the blame, and apologetic. He didn't know what had happened to his son and he was in an accident after all. I have seen characters forgive a parent for much more egregious behavior. So, that was a little disappointing that storyline did not play out to a more satisfactory conclusion.

Scroll down for a unique synopsis

Synopsis

This is a 2025 Chinese Romance drama with 24, 45-minute episodes

Chen Lu Zhou (Anyu Wang) was adopted by a wealthy family and feels like he can never say no. He strives to be the perfect son and never disappoint his adopted parents, particularly his mother. There has not been many occasions when he has wanted anything from himself. Exceptionally handsome, girls have always chased him but he has never found anyone that had attributes that held his interest. That is until he met Xu Zhi (Liu Haocun) who is beautiful, smart and does not seem particularly interested in him. Xu Zhi meets Lu Zhou knowing he is soon to go abroad so does not take the relationship seriously. But as the two continue to interact and Lu Zhou realizes that not only is the girl smart, she is one of the top scorers. Her beauty and brains are very attractive to him but it is also her uniqueness. Not only is she unlike any other girl he has known, she races motorcycles. The two must navigate their promising futures, elders expectations, and their own hesitancy on a winding path of love.



#BePassionatelyInLove #LiuHaocun #AnyuWang

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A mashed up mess of a script. Could not decide what it wanted to be.

Review

7/10 is my rating. If you can overlook the slapstick humor in the first half you might like it. To me this is one where the first half and second half are significantly different. I liked it but didn't love it. Would recommend it for die hard romance fans. It is a bit different. I might watch it if someone had it on but will not ever likely seek it out to watch again. Their chemistry was just okay. Awkward I thought at times.

Spoilers

It had too disorganized of a script for me. I know it was because they tried to make it so comedic, but in ways that didn't make sense, it disrupted the flow of the story.

I thought most of the characters were weird. To me something like potato research is serious business but they trivialized it and poked fun a lot. I like series where I learn something about an industry or whatever and this danced all around the actual research. It was frustrating.

Seriously I don't know many people that would continue to like someone that took part in completely destroying you once and then actively firing you a second time. Him firing her made no sense as he should have been able to tell she was the glue that held the whole thing together. He finally realized that when it was too late.

Him quitting his job made zero sense. Maybe shifting what you did but with everything he invested in that work, quitting was totally out of the character they had built.

Her bestie was weird bordering on creepy. And I just felt sorry for the brother. She was abusive to him. It went beyond sibling harassment to bullying. He was afraid of her.



SCROLL DOWN FOR A UNIQUE SYNOPSIS



Synopsis

This is a 2025 South Korean Romantic Comedy with 12, 70ish minute episodes

Kim Mi-kyung (Lee Sun-bin) is develop new potato varieties aimed at solving grower issues. Mi-kyung is potato obsessed and even developed a new breed she plans to name after herself. Things are shaken up at the rural company when big city Wonhan Retail, a food conglomerate threatens take-over and the end of research. Which sets the stage for her conflict with So Baek-ho (Kang Tae-oh), a Director for Wonhan Retail, who becomes the interim leader of the Potato Research Institute. He has a reputation of being a cold, cut-throat executive which is thinly veiled by his handsome exterior. Sparks fly at work as the the passionate researcher and cold executive battle over the future over the potato research team. A Strange coincidence occurs when Baek-ho books Mi-kyung's guest house setting them at odds both at work and at home. As the two live near and work with each other they begin to see new compelling sides to each other. Romantic tension rises when a previous boyfriend emerges, Park Ki-se (Lee Hak-joo), who regrets his past decision which broke Mi-kyung's heart and caused her to be romantically cautious. As a multitude of events occur in and around the potato research facility, some of them quite humorous, the cold executive softens and becomes the perfect balance for Mi-kyungs erratic ways. Two people who find love amidst the background of the commercial potato industry.

#ThePotatoLab #LeeHakJoo #LeeSunBin #KangTaeOh

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Builds almost too slow for my tase, but the latter half of the series is worth it

9/10 is my rating. What I have found with a lot of the more recent Chinese romantic series is there is a slow build. A long period of time where one or the other main characters is frustrating. Where you are like "come on you know you like them." And that was this one for me. It was very good. Once all the initial was past and the viewer was able to understand why one of the characters was being so frustrating. That was me also in First Frost. To provide context. I think they pace is very similar to that. I think that is the difference in reviews. If you want things to start evolving immediately versus a slower evolution of the relationship. I would watch it again some time in the future. I would recommend it to romance fans. And would sit down and watch it if someone had it on. They had a lot of chemistry and there are few pancake kisses in this one. In fact, I think somewhere this one was rated as one where there is a lot of kissing and that is true.


Spoilers


My biggest complaint was simply her absolute insistence on studying abroad. It was never clear how that would be such a huge gain in her life to sacrifice relationships. Her ex was just an absolute jerk. So, him not wanting to go was just for his own selfish reasons. But she was also selfish at times in her laser focus on study abroad.



I think only the main guy would have had patience for her. She blew so hot and cold. I was frustrated when she decided it was for the best they didn't get involved romantically because she was going abroad. One of my least favorite tropes. Doing it for our own good. Made no sense she did it to avoid heart break but completely broke his heart in the process. That is what made it seem so selfish.

If I had known earlier in the series what an absolute nightmare her ex was I would have felt less frustrated with her and her sometimes cold attitude toward main guy. It made more sense once I realized that yes, they had a seemingly good relationship in college but he turned into a selfish, entitled jerk once they were in a relationship. He totally ignored her emotional needs by ghosting her. Then he comes back and wants to get back together? After he did whatever it was he wanted? And she also knew the father-in-law would be a problem. Wisest thing she did was not take him back. Not even consider it. He was a special kind of A*$hole and those kind are best left alone.


For a unique synopsis, please scroll down.



Synopsis

Shen Xi Fan (Xu Rue Han) is a hard working hotel manager who has been in a seven year relationship with her College love, Yan Heng (Caesar Wu), Xi Fan and Yang Heng are engaged but she has found that has he has changed over the years becoming very cold and distant. While she had thoughts of breaking it off, she decided to make her relationship work but then Yan Heng broke it off with her suddenly. The stress of the relationship caused Xi Fan to become insomniac leading her to the Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic where she meets Dr. He (Zhang Ling He) a very handsome TCM doctor. He is over 30 and experiencing great social pressure to find "the one" and get married. While there is no shortage of eligible women, and mothers and fathers alike try to get him to date their daughters, sister and friends Dr. He shows no interest in romance until he falls for Xi Fan almost on sight. While he works with her to alleviate her insomnia, the two grow ever closer. After some time passes, Xi Fan realizes that her fiancé breaking up with her after seven years may not have been the worst thing after all. It may have opened her life up to experiencing the best thing.

This is a 2025 Chinese romance drama with 28, ~42 minute episodes. It is adapted from Sheng Li's novel entitled "Loving You is the Best Thing I Have Done."

#TheBestThing #XuRueHan #CaesarWu #ZhangLingHe

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Liked the twist of a female being the cold CEO

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romance drama with 12, 64-79 minute episodes.

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 synopsis describe the series very well. So the unique synopsis is intended to provid another perspective. If you aren’t interested in the synopsis scroll down, the review is labeled.

Synopsis


CEO Kang Ji-yoon ((Han Ji-min) and Yun Eun-Ho’s (Lee Jun-hyuk) first encounter is not ideal for two people who will work very closely together in the future. As the CEO of a company that “headhunts” and recruits talent, Ji-yoon is after one of the star employees at Eun-ho’s current company. Eun-ho, a Human Resources worker, is under strict orders to guard the valuable employee. A battle of wills ensues, insults are slung, but ultimately the employee is recruited elsewhere. Eun-ho has an abusive supervisor who has been looking for any excuse to fire and black list him. The single father is now out of a job with a grim looking future with the lies his former company told about him. Workaholic Ji-yoon is desperately in need of a secretary but her cold personality and unreasonable demands have made for a dry applicant pool. Seo Mi-ae (Lee Sang-hee) is the company financial officer but has been serving double duty filling in as Ji-yoon’s assistant. She is also Ji-yoon’s friend so she is the only person who, once she encountered Eun-ho and saw his exceptional skill set, could hire him as Ji-yoon’s secretary. At first Ji-yoon does everything to drive Eun-ho away as she still hold a grudge from their early encounter. But Eun-ho’s quiet competance wears down the icy CEO. The duo wind up complementing each other’s skills in business and, as they work together to overcome obstacles their feelings blossom into something more.


Review

This is a twist on the typical beauty melts the beast in that the cold CEO is a female and it is oh so handsome who thaws her heart. I liked it. It was a good slow build romance. Great chemistry between the leads. Just a very good, heart warming romance. It also had good slice of life with aspects of “head hunting.”

Spoilers

I understand it is a different culture but even still it bothers me that people get blamed for things others do. In this case the father saved the male lead from a fire and died. This was when ML was an unconscious child. He finds oit and is afraid to tell female lead and when he does she says she does not know how she can be with him. I did not agree with her blaming her father for leaving her in the first place. He was saving another human. It was not like he intended to die. But she blamed her father for years,

And what was up during that fire? Why, after FL father saves the child, does he basically continue to stand where the fire is? Why didn’t he step to the landing where the firefighters were? Why didn’t they grab him and pull him to the landing?

The ending was good but not all wrapped up. They were not even living in the same hoise. And she started a new company and he started a new job so how much time would they have together? And second couple just started dating. I want engagements or weddings. That is a good rap up to me.



#LoveScout #HanJiMin #LeeJoonHyuk #KimDoHoon # #ParkBoKyung

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A second chance at romance trope more than a hate to love

**7.5/10** is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean Romantic Comedy with 12, 70-minute episodes.

**First, I provide a unique synopsis, then a review.** I provide the synopsis to give another description of the story since, particularly with Chinese and Japanese shows, the descriptions aren't very good. If you're not interested in the synopsis, the review is labeled; you can scroll down to it.

**Synopsis**

Born of two rival families, Seok Ji-won (Ju Ji-hoon) and Yoon Ji-won (Jung Yu-mi) were destined to be enemies. But in true Romeo and Juliet style, they fall in love as teenagers. However, a misunderstanding drives them apart for 18 years, and circumstances reunite them as adults. Now, they not only have their family rivalry but also their own personal grudges to overcome. Can they put aside their differences and convince their families that their love is the key to ending the long-standing feud?

**Review**

I'm actually surprised by how many other reviewers really like this one. Perhaps because I've watched over 300 dramas, I am jaded. I actually like a lot of the tried and true tropes. When I saw this one, I thought it was going to be like a hate-to-love trope. I thought they might try to get one over on each other in funny ways, and that would be the comedy part of it. That would have made it interesting. But it really wasn't much of that playful enemy-type banter at all. Instead, it was a rather uninspired romance. Instead, they were angry with each other over a misunderstanding that had nothing to do with their family feud. They just had these angry bickering exchanges and then all kinds of blocks in the road of their romance. Because they didn't go for some kind of entertaining battle between them, there wasn't much else to it. The chemistry was lukewarm, there were some unlikable secondary characters, and nothing else to pull you in. If you are a romance junkie, it is worth a watch.

**Spoilers**

Yoon Ji-won’s friend, Cha Ji-hye (Kim Ye-won), is the worst kind of friend. Her violating Yoon’s privacy to delete messages and even respond in a way to break Seok and Yoon up was just bottom-feeder low. Then she does something similar again as an adult. They tried for this redemption arc in the end where she admitted what she had done, and her friend forgave her, and they just went on being besties. I had a problem with that as she didn’t admit everything she had done. She just admitted deleting a few emails when they were younger and didn’t tell her she actually replied with a nasty comment back to him, telling him to never contact her. That is a much worse offense than simply deleting some texts (although that is bad enough). And I think she blocked his calls too. She also didn’t tell her she stole her phone again as an adult and did similar. So, if you forgive somebody based on them only telling you a portion of the wrongs, that is not a truthful confession, and the forgiveness isn’t valid. I was actually very disappointed that the main girl forgave her without even telling her off. And then we never even got to see the main lead find out that the snake of a friend had lied to her, not once but twice, and kept them apart, not once but twice, so I never could feel good about that character at all.

Of the battling elders, I thought Seok’s father was not a very likable man. He was abusive to his son. I liked Yoon’s grandfather and was on team Yoon in the "to golf course or not to golf course" battle. Seok's father did have some redemption in the end when he decided to be nicer, but it was hard to forgive him for those early slaps he gave to his son that were just physically abusive.

The other thing I did not like about this one was that as a young couple, they were both top-tier attractive, but then the adults who played their grown-up selves were attractive but not at the same level. It just wasn’t a very good match of the young actors to the older actors.

I also thought it was ridiculous when the elders found out they were together, and they treated them like teenagers, saying they couldn't even be in the same house.

Whoever did the wardrobe for the lead female part put her in the most dumpy, frumpy clothes I think I've seen in a while. It somehow even made her look a little chubby, even though you could tell she was completely skinny. That wedding dress! So ugly! It took me totally out of the moment. What should have been a very romantic moment, when the male lead first sees her in the dress, became a comedic moment. I’ve seen some pretty ugly wedding dresses, but that is now the #1 ugliest. Maybe the female lead should have let her mother-in-law pick it (or maybe she did). The veil was horrible too. It looked like they just plopped some taffeta on her head and called it a day. So he catches a glimpse of her, and it is supposed to be the moment he thinks how beautiful his bride is, and I would have bought it more if he had turned and run from that fashion nightmare. Completely shapeless dress, like she jumped in a big white potato sack. Then, at one point, she moved her arms, and the dress became even more shapeless, which I honestly did not think was possible. And when it showed it from the back, it even made her look like she had a bigger butt. Just a horrible, horrible wardrobe.

It ends okay. The lead couple gets together and are on their way to marriage finally. But I just wasn’t all that invested in any of the relationships. They didn’t show enough of the sweet side of the main girl, even when she was younger, to make you understand why he would like her. And then they had a young couple that were in high school. I guess they were supposed to be similar to the main couple when they were younger, and I thought that girl was extremely unlikable. She was mean to all of her classmates, so I don’t know. Is there this trend where attractive lead guys like mean lead girls? Did he only like her because she was pretty? Because he should have been relieved of that notion with the frumpy mess of wardrobing that made her look less attractive.

**#LoveYourEnemy** **#JungYuMi** **#JuJiHoon** **#KimYeWon**

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Worth the watch for supernatural fans because of the unique deity

6/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean fantasy romance with 16, 70 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.  I provide a synopsis as with some, particularly Japanese and Chinese dramas, the available synopsis are not very good.  So, I hope to provide another description of the series that might help someone decide whether they want to watch it.

Synopsis

Dr. Han Gye-jeol (Im Soo-hyang) faces many struggles in life. Though working as a doctor, which is her passion, she didn’t excel in her studies and attended a mediocre college. Whenever issues arise—an inevitability in her field—her lack of elite credentials is often brought to the forefront. She is between jobs when she trips and nearly sustains a serious injury or worse, only to be saved by a mysterious man, Do Jin-Woo (Kim Jung Hyun). What she doesn’t know is that this man is no ordinary person—he is an underworld god, known as Kokdu, who was tasked with guiding the deceased to the afterlife after angering the creator. Kokdu (Kim Jung-hyun) inhabits human bodies to fulfill another part of his responsibility: executing immortals who violate supernatural laws. Kokdu inhabits the body of a doctor whom Gye-jeol was working under and, over time, develops feelings for. Their relationship starts out adversarial, but as Kokdu discovers their connection from a past life, he realizes that this unassuming doctor may be the only person with the power to break the curse he’s been placed under.

Review:

The premise was intriguing. I really liked the unique take on this god figure—not a Grim Reaper, but a God of Death who also acts as an angel of vengeance. That was an interesting twist. However, the romance didn’t resonate with me, largely because of the way the female lead character was written. I ended up not liking her much, so I wasn’t invested in her relationship with Kokdu. Despite giving it a low rating, I think it’s worth a watch for supernatural fans, especially for its unique interpretation of this deity’s role. I wouldn’t recommend it for the romance alone—it’s okay and resolves decently, but it’s not the standout aspect of the story.

Spoilers

I can mildly tolerate the female lead being a somewhat incompetent doctor. However, it made no real sense that they chose to make her a doctor with such limited skills, as it had no relevance to the overall story. I’m not sure if they were trying to make a point about elite schools or something, but that aspect just fell flat.

The female lead’s interactions with Kokdu were very frustrating. I get that it would be hard to believe someone was an actual god, so it was easier for her to think it was some kind of multiple personality situation. But when all the evidence was there that he was a god, she never questioned it. When she found out he was a god, her anger about it made absolutely no sense. I thought she was being petty and ridiculous about him fulfilling his duties as a god and killing the bad guys. Even a very basic understanding of gods suggests there are things a deity has to do—things that a higher god or the ultimate god would command. So judging him and making him feel guilty for fulfilling the duties of a god was unreasonable. She had sympathy for really horrible people, like rapists and other evil criminals, whom you would expect a god to judge, jury, and execute. That’s the way of the gods. She was also angry at him for deceiving her, but he did try to tell her the truth. She just never believed him, which was not his fault. So, she was angry with him basically for being a deity, and she acted hostile toward him.

I did not like any of the female characters in this show. The female lead was an incompetent doctor who quit practicing for a large portion of the series, and the second female character was just unlikable. The female lead’s sweet brother falls in love with her former friend, who has always been extremely toxic to her. It might’ve been somewhat forgivable if the friend had come around, but she continued to be a “mean girl” to the main character, even when she was in a relationship with her brother. The second female’s friend was also not very nice. She would give advice to the lead female character, but it was always in a condescending, mean-spirited way. So, virtually all the female romantic partners in this series were not very likable.

It also annoyed me when the female lead insisted on going along when Kokdu was trying to save her brother after he was kidnapped. I mean, if you’re a skilled martial artist or something, fine. But if you’re just going to be baggage, get in the way, and possibly become a hostage yourself, it always seems incredibly selfish and foolish to insist on going. Then, after the explosion happens, she’s shocked when he transports them, and she learns he is indeed a deity. She completely forgets about her little brother and goes off on a tangent about being upset with what he is, and I guess about him deceiving her. She completely stops trying to figure out what’s going on with her brother. So, she was so upset about her brother that she insisted on coming along, saw his cell phone, and got freaked out, but then when something unexpected happened, she completely forgot why she was even there. Was she really that dumb, or just that selfish? Neither quality was endearing.

#KokeuSeasonofDeity #ImSooHyang. #KimJungHyun

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Interesting premise. Lots of unlikable side character though.

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 16, 62-74 minute episodes.

First I provide a Unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Han So-jin (Jung In-sun) is unlucky in love. Multiple ex boyfriends cheated on her during their relationship. As a genetic research scientist, she normally anlalyzes her partners for a whole range of genetic propensities and has even narrowed down a cheater gene. She has tried romance the traditional way only to be disappointed when they once again cheat. Now she is determined to use her genetic knowledge to pick her perfect other half. Shim Yeon-woo (Choi Si-won) loves women. He is a skilled obstetrician and gynecologist who goes above and beyond to ensure the best health outcome for his patients. Which is why part of his standard practice is to run genetic tests to identify genetics concerns in advance. The primary genetists working with his hospital is So-jin the same woman who drunkenly attacked him for dumping a female associate. Yeon-woo is handsome and wealthy and has his pick of female companions. But he has never felt any connection with any of them. So-jin is not at all Yeon-woo’s type but, on a cellular level they seem to have a connection. Despite trying to stay awy from the DNA obsessed science nerd, So-jin, Yeon-woo finds they are connected socially as well. Seo Kang-hoon (Lee Tae-jwan) has been So-jin’s friend and protector for many years and also happens to be friends with Yeon-woo. So they are connected through work as well as in their social circles. When So-jin finds out Yeon-woo has multiple copies of the cheater gene will that be the end of their groing interest in each other? Seo Kang-soon realizes he has feelings for the woman he thought of only as his noona/friend when Yeon-woo gets close to So-jin. Is Kang-soon, who has always been there for her, her perfect match?

Review

I liked so much about this series It had an interesting premise, a great cast and a nice blend of comedy, romance and suspense. I have liked so many things Siwon has been in and the type of character(s) he tends to play that noticing him in any series is an immediate lure for me. I enjoyed this the whole way through despite what I felt were sme problems with how certain things were written. I may watch it again if someone else was watching it and I recommend it to to anyone that likes the actors, is a fan of romance, or finds the premise interesting. it is definitely worth the watch

Spoilers

This ends happy in that Sojin and Yeon woo reunite and it seems they are going to be back together as a couple. So if the desired outcome was for those two to be together, then it is a happy ending. I thought it was a bit uncertain in that he was working as a small town doctor and she was still working as a geneticist in the city. So it wasn’t clear how they would resolve working in two different places. He did finally say he loved Sojin.

Part of the issue I had with Yeon woo the entire time is I thought he was selfish and it really bothered me that he deceived her with pretending to be her DNA lover and trying to trick her with her telepathy. She had such a strong belief in those things that him ridiculing made him seem less geniune and serious with her. Plus he told Jang Mi-eun (Jeong Eu-Gene) the truth about the DNA mix up which gave Mi-eun ammunition against Sojin as a romantic rival. People do not change a lot. At least not their core personality. So, I never felt like Yeon woo would be right for Sojin because he was so emotionally damaged himself that he was stingy with affection. But, women in reality make the same flawed choice and are, for some reason, drawn to the broken ones.

Sojin’s family was just horrible Yoo Myung-hee (Seo Ji-young), her mother said the most unforgivable thing about her innocent child. She deplored carrying her and equated her with a demon or something like that. When the father was alive she seemed to treat her okay but after Sojin’s father died any warmth she had shown her daughter went with him. She said the most horrible things about Sojin to some random woman she decided to claim as a daughter, Jang Mi-eun, and I disliked Mi-eun for listening to all that and encouraging the mother. You would have to be a little bit of an abuser yourself to listen to al that emotionally abusive language from a mother about her own child and being okay taking that abused daughter’s place in her mother’s cold heart. I didn’t care later whe she had cancer and Sojin had been nearly murderd that she acted like she wanted a relationship. She was just a horrible person. The sister was no better. She said horrible things about her sister to others.

Seo Kang- hoon was the perfect man for basically anybody. He freely gave his time and affection to Sojin and was always there for her. I often get second lead syndrome, like everyone else, but in this case he was so perfect for her it was hard to accept her choice of Yeon woo. Even more disappointing was it seemed he had a relationship going with Mi-eun who I did not like for multiple reasons.

What is it with some of the recent dramas and having a character who is “polyamorous”? I have seen it in several series lately. It made me wonder if this was something that was becoming widespread in South Korea and everything I read indicates it is not. South Korean’s do not approve of polyamory at any higher level of acceptence than do Americans. Which was a relief to me because one of the reasons I prefer South Korean shows over USA series and others is the more moral and wholesome content. I did not like Mi-eun for any of the male characters because she proclaimed she was polyamorous. I detest that notion. It is like saying I am going to tie up someone’s hear but want the option to cheat if I feel like it. There must have been some recognition of this because one of Mi-eun’s boyfriends broke it off with her when she was openly flirting at a dinner with Yeon-woo. It is just wrong think in my opion that results in a lot of people being emotionally hurt. I hope they quit with the putting polyamorous characters in dramas because it detracts from the story.

#DNALover. #JungInSun #ChoiSiWon #LeeTaeJwan #SeoJiYoung

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I dropped it half way and I rarely drop anything

4/10 is my rating. This is a 2016 South Korean Romantic Comedy drama with 16, ~60 minute episodes. Also known under the title "The Man Living in Our House."

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Leading the glamorous life of a flight attendant Hong Na-ri (Soo Ae) and with a handsome fiance, Na Ri feels like she has it all.  But her life crumbles apart when her mother Shin Jung-im (Kim Mi-sook) unexpectedly dies, she discovers her fiance, Jong Dong-jin (Kim Ji-hoon) is cheating with her co-worker Do Yeo-joo (Jo Bo-ah) and the house she thought she inherited went to a step-dad, Go Nan-gil (Kim Young-kwang) she did not know she had. At first Na-ri is started by this stranger/step-dad who is possibly younger than her and definitely younger than her mother.  She doubts his motives and cannot understand why her mother hid her relationship and left everything to this stranger.  But, as the layers start to peel back, Na-ri learns that her and Nan-gil have a much deeper past than she realized. 

Review

I wanted to like this one so much. But, I found very little to like about it. I do not recommend it as there are so many better options. If you are super fans of any of the cast maybe watch for them but I cannot recommend it for anything else.

Spoilers

Did it end happy/well? I have no idea. I made it through episode eight then realized there were eight more and could not do it to myself. I rarely drop a show. Out of the nearing 400 I have watched I have dropped only a few. They had confessed to each other and she broke 2nd guys heart, so there did not seem to be anything of substance for the remainder of the show. I was not at all interested in the mafioso loan sharks. So there was not much if substance left to fill eight more episodes.

I disliked the premise, so it is hard for it to improve from there. I thought the whole him being younger yet her stepdad was weird. When I read a synopsis I thought it would seem like that but turn out he was not married to the mom. It is disturbing that a mother figure would marry her son figure. Then he says for half the show that they have to keep up the ruse to keep the sharks at bay but decides half way never mind we will be together and deal with the consequences.

For me the chemistry between the leads was off. There were no longing looks almost kisses or any of that which shows they liked each other all along. So there sudden kiss seemed weird.

I did not like any of the characters. FL was such an absent daughter she did not even know something so important about her mom. And she was so soft on her ex and cheater colleague it annoyed me. The cheating colleague was just completely selfish. She seemed remorseless about ending a nine year relationship. And so fake. The ex also acted remorseless. He apologized but it was such a weak apology and he never said why. The little sister was a creepy psycho. Bth things she did to main girl could have led to death or worse injury. And she doesn’t think she should apologize?

#SweetStrangerandMe  #TheManLivingInOurHouse  #SooAe  #KimYoungKwang  #LeeSooHyuk  #JoBoAh  #KimJiHoon

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It is a roller coaster of emotions but they are a cute couple

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Japanese romantic drama with 10, 46-60 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Asagi Soramame (Suzu Hirose) is heart broken when her childhood friend, Shota Yano (Kaito Sakurai) now her fiancé, breaks it off with her. After having thrown all of her caution to the wind, and traveling from her home in the country to the big city of Tokyo, the sudden break up swept her world out from under her. Too embarrassed to let her friends and family, who were preparing for the wedding back home, know that she is no longer getting married, she decides to find a way to live in Tokyo. However, after going on a bit of a drunken depressive binge, she spends all of her money on a hotel which quickly runs out and now she has nowhere to go. But fate was about to play some tricks and bring a man she had a brief encounter with back into her life. Umino Oto (Ren Nagase), was a man Soramame bumped into when she first arrived in Tokyo. During that brief encounter, they discovered a mutual love of the same music, had a pleasant conversation about music, and then went their separate ways. But Oto felt an instant connection with the beautiful girl he bumped into and was about to go after her only to see her go up to a man who appeared to be her boyfriend. What Oto did not know is that was the last time the pair he saw were together as a couple. Now Soramame is all alone in Tokyo, has spent most of her money, and decides to go to a spa in order to have a place to stay while she gathers her thoughts on where she’s going to live next. But Soramame spends too much time in the hot sauna and winds up passing out and is rescued by a woman who happens to be Oto’s landlord, Kyoko Yukihara (Mari Natsuki). Feeling sorry for the young woman after hearing her story, Yukihara takes Soramame in and offers her a job and place to stay. Her motivations are not completely pure, secretly Natsuki views the beautiful 23 year old as a good romantic prospect for her son Sosuke Yukihira (Yoohei Kawakami). Hoping if the young girl lives with her, and is around her son, sparks could develop. But what Yukihara does not know is her other tenant Oto, and Soramame have already started falling for each other from that first brief encounter. Living in the same house the young pair bother each other like siblings all the while inspiring each other to become their best selves. Will their silly banter develop into something much more romantic?

Review

Don’t expect any levity in this one, it is a pure drama with only minor points where it is lighter or funny. It is a good romantic drama. The leads have great chemistry amd it is well acted. I recommend it for those that like drama, are fans of any of the actors or enjoy romance of any genre. I would watch it if someone had it on and would recommend it for romance fans or for anyone that is a fan of any of the actors.

Spoilers

It ends happy but it does keep you wondering to the very end.

Their interplay when they are harassing each other is flirtatious playfullness. It is fun to watch as things between them evolve and it is evident how they fall in love.

Her fashion gets frustrating because she works so hard to make it then was like, never mind. It was disappointing. At least she does start back to designing for the singing duo.

There were so many near misses with them kissing or telling each other their feelings it became frustrating. I had the timed comments on and others were indicating frustration as well. Some were so frustrated they were like I cannot watch this anymore. They do not get together until the very end so there is very little time to enjoy them together as a couple after so many incidents where they nearly confessed.

The songstress/scammer/liar they just forgive her way too easy. She inowingly and intentionally emotionally hurt someone she professed to love. Thatis so selfish. And they barely react.

#HoldMyHandAtTwilight. #SuzuHirose. #RenNagase #MariNatsuki # YooheiKawakami

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The title is deceptive. It is an idol drama about struggling musicians

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2017 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 16, 62-68 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Kang Han-gyul (Lee Hyun-woo) was a bass guitarist in the pre-debut boy pop rock band “Crude Play” and helped make the band successful with his amazing song writing skills. Along the way, he discovered he had more talent as a producer and song writer than a guitarist. With the encouragement of the company CEO, Han-gyul quit the band to focus on perfecting his skills behind the stage. He is considered a genius in his field of music production but his people skills leave a lot to be desired. It does not help he represents his former band members who often resent him for losing site of the people in the product. He was recently in a relationship with popular female solo singer, Chae Yu-na (Hong Seo-young) but she did not feel he was dedicated to their relationship and felt he prioritized his work over all else. He is shocked and hurt to discover Choi Jin-hyuk (Lee Jung-jin), his mentor in the music world and CEO of the company started a relationship with Yu-na after she and Han-gyul had a fight. Devastated by the betrayal and already struggling through conflicts with his friends/former band mates, Han-gyul has a chance encounter with student Yoon So-rim (Park Soo-young). In a moment of inspiration Han-gyul bumps into So-rim in a park amd asks to borrow her phone to record some lyrics that came to him, Later he realizes the young woman now has his chart topping song and tells a series of lies to disguise his identity and attempts to charm her to get it back. What Han-gul does not realize at first is So-rim is a talented, singer and song writer herself. But So-rim fell in love with the talented Han-gyul at first sight. So-rim gets her break in the music industry and it so happens to be atthe same company Han-gyul works with. Despite his rocky romance with his former female singer girlfriend and despite the fact that So-rim is younger than he thought, Han-gyul finds himself drawn to her. Once his lies are exposed will So-rim still like him the same? Will their careers interfere with romance?

Review

Titles can be so deceiving. I thought this was going to be about a con man or someone who was a pathological liar. But this was more like the genius, prodigy musician who told some lies to protect his famous identity. And the story is really centered around the struggles of producing music and being a musician. There was a very sweet romance and it was a strong focus of the story but there still was a heavy focus on music and it was definitely an idol drama. It was good, I would watch it again. Would recommend it to fans of any of the actors as they all acted their roles well. And it ends happy.

Spoilers

I liked that there was not a separation trope because it seemed to be leaning in that direction. There were no annoyingly overdone tropes. Which is always refreshing.

I wish the jealous brat teenage girlfriend, Lee Se-jung (Jeon Yoo-rim) would have suffered more consequences. Some social shaming would have been something. Lee Kyu-seon (Park Jung-hyuk) going after her and comforting her after she was rightfully chastised was disappointing. Call me spiteful but I like to see people who act atrocious out of jealously get some serious karma. At least Chan-young what’s like? How could you possibly think I would’ve noticed you or liked you after what you did?

I do not know why they had So-rim’s childhood friend and band mate, Baek Jin-woo (Song Kang) be secretly in love with So-rim.

The President of the company, Yoo Hyun-jung (Kim Sung-joo) was horrible. She forced Crude Play to fake then was angry when they wanted to tell the truth.

It was a bit of a soft ending. I wanted to see both bands find real success after they chose to be honest in their music. It showed things were “taking off” but not that they arrived. There was also no real ending or resolution with Han-gyul’s father, Kang In-woo (Choi Min-soo) and having his music stolen and all that. And so what President Yoo was in love with him, nothing ever came of it. So In woo who could have made it big, just remains a street

Chae Yu-na (Hong Seo-young) cheated on Han gyul but then turned it around and made it his fault. You made me do this type thing. And it seemed he accepted that because he was not as angry with her as it felt like he should be. Like he was mad for a minute then back to writing songs for her. At least Han gyul’s friend and band mate, Seo Chan-young (Lee Seo won) told Yu-na off about how she cheated.

Seo Chan-young (Lee Seo-won) was a bit ridiculous. He gets his golden opportunity that so few musicians get to play with a band on the eve of debuting and all he can think of is how he is supposedly. I thought he was a huge whiner. Then he selfishly insisted that so rim saying his music when she would’ve more likely came out bigger if she had use the most successful songwriter, Han-gyul. I felt like it was cool he was supportive of all Mush & Co at the end but he was a little bit responsible for them being in danger of being spilt up because they did not debut as well as they could have.

#TheLiarandHisLover #LeeHyunWoo #HongSeoYoung. LeeJungJin #ParkSooYoung

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Well written coming of age, time travel, romance that is heartwarming

9.5/10 is my rating. This is 2023 South Korean Coming of Age, Time Travel, Fantasy romance.  It has 16, 59-73 minute episodes.

 

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

 
Synopsis



Han Eun Gyeol (Reyoun, Go Yoon-hwan) grew up in a household where the other family members, his dad, mom and older brother were all deaf and he acted as the interpreter and spokesperson for his entire family.  It was a large burden for a young person, so he found refuge in the company of a grandfather figure who taught him to pay guitar at a local music shop.  Growing up, he continues to pursue guitar but keeps it a secret as his father, Ha Yi Chan (Choi Hyun Wook) is determined his son become a doctor, or something else, to elevate the status of the family.  Just when Eun Gyeol’s secret is discovered by his father, and they are amid a huge falling out, Eun Gyeol is transported back in time to 1995. A magical music store appears, because it has musical instruments he goes in, sells one of his guitars, then he steps out back in time.  In the past, he encounters the younger version of his father, who is forming a band but is also very interested in a beautiful but icy cellist, Se Keyong (Seol In Ah) who is problematically not Eun Gyeol’s mother.  To get his mother, Cheong Ah (Shin Eun Soo) and father together Eun Gyeol he has to join his father’s band and make it successful.  Will he succeed in uniting his parents in this new past and can he return to his own timeline?

 

Review

I did not fully read the description before starting this series, so I was surprised it turned into a time travel show.  I thought the main element was just going to be a family where most of the members were deaf.  That would have been enough to write a compelling story, so when it switched to time travel, I was surprised.  The switch from a family centered drama to a time traveling drama, would have been okay, but I did not feel they did it well.  It was confusing a lot of times.  The switches back in forth in time were not very clear at times. But then it got really good. It had a bit of a rough start, but the latter half of the series was very good. There were a few, relatively minor, issues in terms of time travel concepts. I liked it a lot and I am not a huge fan of time travel. The romance was not completely central to the story, it was more focused on the family relationships. But there were two very heartwarming romances. I liked this a lot, would definitely rewatch it and recommend it to anyone that likes time travel, romance, stories about musicians, magical content, or are fans of any of the actors.

 

Spoilers

 

I am not a fan of time travel series.  I like things to happen in the order they occur.  Switching back and forth between timelines can be confusing and I felt like this story suffered a lot in that process.  For instance, when the younger version of the dad was first introduced, we were simultaneously following the main guy in the current time and I kept wondering who that character was and how they fit into the story.  We hadn’t yet been introduced to the time travel so I was not considering the possibility it could be a younger version of one of the characters.  After the big reveal on time travel, and I realized that was the younger version of the father, I had to mentally review what happened with that character.  There were times when, rather than just abruptly change the scene to something that transpired earlier, they could have had a character reflect back so it was clearer the events happened in the past.  Instead they just throw a scene in with past events and you wonder if that is present or past. 

 
I found it annoying how oblivious the main character was to the fact that the people, in the past version of themselves, would not know who he was.  I get it would be exciting to come across a young version of a parent, other relative, or close friend but you would have to temper that with the knowledge they haven’t lived the future yet.  If they were time travelers too, sure call someone “dad” or “ajumma” but if you call someone that, who you are a stranger to, they will think you are crazy.  And he didn’t just call them like that once, realize his error, and act like you would towards someone you just met, he continued to call them familiar titles. He persisted even when the person would say I don’t know you or why are you calling me that.   I’m like dude they don’t know who you are.  No wonder he is running from you, you seem crazy.

 
The main character, who is supposed to be super smart, not only didn’t realize people in the past wouldn’t know him, he was also really frustrating in getting practically any point across.  Like when he is trying to convince the younger version of his dad he can play guitar, he doesn’t say let me play guitar and show you.  So, they would be arguing about whether or not he is telling the truth about his musical abilities and there would be a guitar right there.  I am like grab the guitar, and do a riff, that would convince your “dad” way more than any verbal argument.  But they tease that through scene after scene until they finally have him playing and the dad hears him from a distance.  There was the same frustrating situation with the past version of his mom.  She is deaf, and the dad keeps misunderstanding her because he doesn’t know she is deaf, it has to be apparent to her that is going on yet she never grabs something and writes “I am deaf.” In both situations the situation could have been resolved quickly. And I get it is entertaining to have that carrot move as you are just about to grab it, but if you do that too much it quits being amusing and just becomes frustrating. And both were such smart people, it is not credible within each character that they would fail to think of something so obvious.   

A “hole” in the time travel concept was when one of the main female leads traveled back in time and people mistook her for her mother, she let them think she was her. The grand plan was, she wanted her mom not to fall in love with her dad but with someone else. She was suicidal and figured if her “mom” fell for someone else, then she would never be born. But, the problem with that was, people thought she was her mom, but she wasn’t really her mom. Her mom was studying abroad. They never explained how her getting someone else to fall in love with her would have any impact on her mom’s future. So that was an inconsistency, to me, with the theories around time travel.


#TwinklingWatermelon  #Ryeon  #GoYoonHwan  #JungHeyonJun   #ChoiHyunWook  #ChoiWonYoung   #SeolInAh  #LeeSoYeon  #ShinEunSoo  #SeoYoonHee 

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