So Tang Yi has taken a bullet near his heart four years ago, almost bleeding to death, and now, in episode 1 he takes a shower with a flawless body... love this story already
Just binge watched Plus Nine Boys, a total of 14 episodes, with high expectations based on the reviews here and the hashtags #office romance and #friends to lovers. The cinematography and music are good, but the story was based on superstition and a bit disappointing.
The love stories didn't excite me either, the teenage couple was the best imo, but Jin Gu and Se Yeong were really..yuck. It didn't help they were played by good looking actors Kim Young Kwang and Kyung Soo Jin.
I pondered why I disliked Jin Gu & Seyong so much, and why other people find their romance heart fluttering. I still don't know. The way I see it, the guy is immature and weak, the girl is self centered and self absorbed. They are both in denial about their feelings, first to themselves, later to others. They lie to friends and colleagues about their relationship. I wouldn't care less if they both quit their jobs and leave, bye.
That's why I wasn't longing for their chemistry either. The one plus of Plus Nine Boys is that I didn't know a story is that important for me when watching romance. So I'm grateful for that insight.
Whenever I see actors playing an evil character I get the impression they just love to do this. Perhaps because the writers put more effort in their evil characters, making them easier to portray.
The sidekicks of villains are interesting too. I liked Choi Hye Ryung with Gwi in Scholar Who Walks the Night. I had all these questions: why did this ancient vampire keep her alive? Was she the new concept of humanity and (inner soul) dead? Did he like her for her thoughts, or for her support in revenge and scheming? Their story was so good it made me forget they weren't the real OTP.
Another example are the evil harem sisters in historical drama. I hate them but they are needed for unfolding the story. They make the heroine much more interesting.
This was fun to read! I would never have thought about this Korean cast, but it is fitting somehow.
It's amazing GoT is universally liked despite the so-called western sexuality and violence. It makes me wonder if this is precisely the reason of its success. If so, a Korean version is bound to have bad ratings.
Also I'm wondering if GoT is suited for traditional Korean drama. The story was created by an American TV writer who earned his living with TV series like Beauty and The Beast ('80s) and Twilight Zone ('90s). His formula is pretty much the same:
1) Fantasy with tribal wars, damsels in distress & knights 2) Horror with soul eaters & fantastic beasts 3) Different Species & interspecies romance
My guess is that Japanese writers are much more compatible to that kind of TV making. Japan has a rich film history with these themes already. Chinese/Korean filmmakers are more experienced with historical drama though, but this is not the main theme of Game of Thrones. George Martin once explained to a journalist that the main theme is a feeling of impending doom, that a real disaster is coming while everybody is wasting time with petty fights for the throne.
Concerning the cast I would suggest a stellar team with actors from China, Japan, Thailand, The Philippines, and not only Korean actors. In other words an international cast, just like the original version. Success guaranteed.
Great list, except for Kim Mi So...I just don't understand the concept of being a perfect doormat. Apart from the kick ass heroines that are mentioned in the comments below, I like down-to-earth, hard boiled, intelligent characters: * Police Lieutenant Han YeoJin in Stranger (2017) * Psychiatrist Ji Hae Soon in It's Okay, That's Love (2014) * "Lee Madam" Lee Jin Sook in Cruel City (2013)
There's already an Asian version of Sex and The City. Not a Kdrama, but a Thai web series, available on YouTube, called Diary of Tootsies. Just like SATC there are four sassy characters, three gays and one lesbian, who share their most intimate thoughts on sex and relations, looking for true love in Bangkok. Hilarious! I truly think the Thai are more adept with this kind of western shows than Koreans. Like @lantis said, the Korean version would turn out to be "Just a peck and the city".
That's a beautiful list! Although most of these series aren't underrated at all. Yes, their score is lower in comparison to Boys over Flowers, but truth is that most drama watchers simply love to see the difficult love-life of a poor-rich couple. I also loved BOF, but I like to rewatch intriguing series as well, like Angry Mom, Come Back Mister, Falling for Innocence. Perhaps because their stories are a perfect blend of different kinds of love, for a lover, for family, and for a fair, just society.
your review makes this sound good but overall rating 7.5 is that a good rating from you?Should I watch this if…
It's just not an 8 for me, because I prefer beautiful cinematography, music, and sweeping romances lol. But apart from that the story was alright, unpredictable and funny.
I've just seen episode 35, so far so good, but it really irritates me that both leading ladies are biting their men's upper arm like angry toddlers at pre-kindergarten. And why do I get the feeling that Zhao Lan Zhi is appreciating Infanta's obsessive "love"? Is this the director's take on human interaction or are they following the novel here?
This drama is pretty interesting, can't wait for the next episodes. Though I smell second lead syndrome here. Obviously the story is leading to the bonding of Ye Yuan An and Mu Le, and I can see why. Ye Yuan An suffers from a family who doesn't appreciate her just the way she is, and Mu Le is true to her no matter what, but wow...the scenes with Zhao Lan Zhi are so good.
The love stories didn't excite me either, the teenage couple was the best imo, but Jin Gu and Se Yeong were really..yuck. It didn't help they were played by good looking actors Kim Young Kwang and Kyung Soo Jin.
I pondered why I disliked Jin Gu & Seyong so much, and why other people find their romance heart fluttering. I still don't know. The way I see it, the guy is immature and weak, the girl is self centered and self absorbed. They are both in denial about their feelings, first to themselves, later to others. They lie to friends and colleagues about their relationship. I wouldn't care less if they both quit their jobs and leave, bye.
That's why I wasn't longing for their chemistry either. The one plus of Plus Nine Boys is that I didn't know a story is that important for me when watching romance. So I'm grateful for that insight.
The sidekicks of villains are interesting too. I liked Choi Hye Ryung with Gwi in Scholar Who Walks the Night. I had all these questions: why did this ancient vampire keep her alive? Was she the new concept of humanity and (inner soul) dead? Did he like her for her thoughts, or for her support in revenge and scheming? Their story was so good it made me forget they weren't the real OTP.
Another example are the evil harem sisters in historical drama. I hate them but they are needed for unfolding the story. They make the heroine much more interesting.
It's amazing GoT is universally liked despite the so-called western sexuality and violence. It makes me wonder if this is precisely the reason of its success. If so, a Korean version is bound to have bad ratings.
Also I'm wondering if GoT is suited for traditional Korean drama. The story was created by an American TV writer who earned his living with TV series like Beauty and The Beast ('80s) and Twilight Zone ('90s). His formula is pretty much the same:
1) Fantasy with tribal wars, damsels in distress & knights
2) Horror with soul eaters & fantastic beasts
3) Different Species & interspecies romance
My guess is that Japanese writers are much more compatible to that kind of TV making. Japan has a rich film history with these themes already. Chinese/Korean filmmakers are more experienced with historical drama though, but this is not the main theme of Game of Thrones. George Martin once explained to a journalist that the main theme is a feeling of impending doom, that a real disaster is coming while everybody is wasting time with petty fights for the throne.
Concerning the cast I would suggest a stellar team with actors from China, Japan, Thailand, The Philippines, and not only Korean actors. In other words an international cast, just like the original version. Success guaranteed.
* Police Lieutenant Han YeoJin in Stranger (2017)
* Psychiatrist Ji Hae Soon in It's Okay, That's Love (2014)
* "Lee Madam" Lee Jin Sook in Cruel City (2013)
I also loved BOF, but I like to rewatch intriguing series as well, like Angry Mom, Come Back Mister, Falling for Innocence. Perhaps because their stories are a perfect blend of different kinds of love, for a lover, for family, and for a fair, just society.
Thank you for all your lists, keep up the good work/Fighting!
Though I smell second lead syndrome here. Obviously the story is leading to the bonding of Ye Yuan An and Mu Le, and I can see why. Ye Yuan An suffers from a family who doesn't appreciate her just the way she is, and Mu Le is true to her no matter what, but wow...the scenes with Zhao Lan Zhi are so good.