bojojoti

A Visual Treat

Zhang Lin he and Tian Xi Wei were captivating on screen. Any other man wearing ginormous pheasant feathers could have looked Dr. Seuess-ish, but Zhang Lin He looked majestic with the feathers waving in the wind when he triumphantly entered the city on his horse. That visual may be worth watching the entire drama.

The villains were mesmerizing in a unsettling, dangerous way, but they still managed to evoke enough humanity and brokenness that I couldn't help but empathize with them (but they needed to be dead, asap). I'm going to have to look for further dramas featuring Deng Kai and Lin Mu Ran.

The entire cast was excellent. I especially enjoyed the village scenes at Lin'an. The community felt authentic. I missed when action was moved from the village to other sites, because I missed Uncle and Aunt Zhao, the neighbors, and the restaurant staff. The drama suffered when it strayed from Lin'an.

If I have a quibble, it's that the huge build-up of political intrigue which drove the entire drama resolved itself in a relatively quick whimper instead of a bang. But I didn't watch the drama for the court conspiracies. I watched to see an orphan girl fight her way from poverty to success, and that was achieved.

I'm adding a half star for those pheasant feathers.

Read More

Funnier than I Hoped; More Endearing than I Imagined

I've been in a bit of a drama slump; I've been too critical of everything I see, and I'm not enjoying it much. I don't believe it's totally the fault of the dramas—I'm just in a challenging headspace and life is punching me in the gut, as it is wont to do. I thought a change of pace with a comedy might help (which is an odd choice for me, as slapstick is definitely not a favorite genre). I watched Seoul Busters, half expecting I would drop it in an episode or two.

I did finish it, and I had several chuckles along the way. The story was about a misfit crime unit that got demoted into a former daycare center (complete with child-sized urinals and toilet stalls!). Their unlikely group consisted of a handsome, witless rookie; a tough, though kind, woman; a brown-nosing father of four; and an ex-boxer whose fists were more active than his brain. They were teamed up with a new captain who was quirky and aloof.

As they worked together, the captain brought out the individual good qualities of his dysfunctional team. As he said, and I agree, they had their charms. The cast felt cohesive, played off one another beautifully, and made me feel as though they had as good a time filming the drama as I did in watching it.

The thing K-dramas do wonderfully is interweave universal truths and touch upon painful subjects in between comedic skits. This was no exception. There were serious topics addressed and heavy situations, but they were delivered between touching moments and warm, human experiences. Often comedies like this start light and bright and get progressively darker and uglier. This one managed to maintain a consistent tone to the end. Add that every main character was completely fleshed out and given a story arc, and this drama did things right.

What can I say about Kim Dong Wook? I kept thinking he looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place him. I finally realized the grinning goofball was the lead in My Perfect Stranger and Find Me in Your Memory. Both roles were of a quiet, repressed, and dignified man. Color me surprised to see how funny Kim Dong Wook could be! He had excellent comedic timing, as did the rest of the cast.

Side note: I was really, really hungry for good chocolate while watching this. I even looked up Dongbang Yu Bin's favorite brand, but it's not available to me. Wah!

Detective: Americans even have gun cabinets in their living rooms!
(Me: This can be true, especially with the older generation or rural folks.)
Detective: Even their dogs have guns!
(Me: LOL, no. Just no. Dogs don't have opposable thumbs!)

I'm giving an extra half star because I'm going to miss the gang.

Read More

Twenty Episodes of Enjoyment; Sixteen Episodes of Drivel

I needed something sweet after watching a horror drama, and this proclaimed "sweet" in the title. I was impressed by Luo Yunxi’s performance in Till the End of the Moon. It was healing to see him in a happier, romantic role. I’ve enjoyed Bai Lu in a number of roles (she was also in Till the End of the Moon), and it was wonderful to see her paired with Luo Yunxi in a drama with a happy ending. Honestly, this drama feels like therapy after being traumatized by Till the End of the Moon.

The Good:
• The leads shared a natural, playful chemistry.
• The Welsh Corgi. She wasn’t the most polished actor, but she was cute.
• Gao Han Yu delivered a nuanced performance as the most complex and compelling character.
• The male lead’s attire was exquisite. Kudos to the stylist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic3lJAn8Cek

The Bad:
• The secondary couple dragged the drama down. The female character was insufferable: a bubble-brained, overly emotional, stalker girl child. Why is this portrayed as cute for women but a glaring red flag for men? I know five-year-olds who act more mature. The male counterpart was a tech nerd who never learned to use his words. I cringed every time they appeared on screen. No shade thrown at the actors—they were playing the parts given to them.
• Noble idiocy, where great pain was inflicted in order to spare the loved one great pain. How does this make sense? And this was done even when it was life-threatening! I wish this trope would die a fiery death.
• The writer shortchanged the 2ML. He was sacrificial and underwent significant transformation, only for his arc to be discarded. His motivations remained unclear, making his choices feel like a manipulative ploy to make the ML more likable. He deserved better; all that character development was trashed.
• Once again, the FL was warned to stay away from a dangerous person, yet she ignored the man who loved her most and wanted to protect her. If you’re in a committed relationship and your partner warns you that someone has ulterior motives and is dangerous, you should listen. FL shouldn't have been wining and dining alone with another man when she'd promised to be home with the man who loved her.

Read More

A Disappointing Waste of Jang-Jang

I was ready for something light and humorous, and the poster promised that. The MDL rating was low, but I often enjoy what others don't. It featured the two Jangs together—they're so natural with one another—and I couldn't understand why the rating wasn't higher. Having completed the drama, I wonder why it isn't lower!

The Good:
• Jang Hyuk and Jang Na Ra are always fun to watch.
• I loved the character of Cho Tae Gu. He had put up many walls emotionally, but Min Seo kept crashing through them. Their interactions were fresh and engaging.

The Bad:
• Talk about an inconsistent tone. First, it was slapstick, then it was unremitting brutality. Kang Yu Ra was the sweet, supportive family member who always mediated and cleared up misunderstandings until they were her own. Then, she was dark, sullen, and non-communicative. The drama couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a silly comedy or a dark action thriller.
• Nothing had to make sense. No brain cells were required. In a top secret facility, someone could waltz in, kill off an important witness, and there was nary a guard, security camera, or even a lock on the door.
• I don't believe even one set-up was ever brought to completion. Even Grandpa's love life wasn't resolved. Obviously, they were planning on a second season that never materialized. The viewer was left hanging with absolutely nothing resolved.

I added a half star for the character of Cho Tae Gu. Kim Nam Hee made an unlikable character sympathetic.

Read More

Should be Watched by ELFs and ELF Wannabes

I can't claim to be a Super Junior fan, as I'd never heard of them before I became enthralled with K-dramas. I'm sure this documentary means much more to their fans, but I found it interesting, also. I initially watched it to learn more about the lives of trainees, how they work, and why they're chosen to debut. Little of that occurred, but I still found it fascinating how Super Junior came to be and how ground-breaking they were at the time.

I recognized Choi Si Won (Jackson!) from his acting roles, and it was fun to see how cute he was back when he was a pup. They were all adorable as younglings.

I thought the documentary would focus more on how the members got together and bonded, but it mostly hit the highlights of the group's career. It was a puff piece meant for their fans' enjoyment, so many things were glossed over. I had to use a search engine to discover why Lee Teuk's father and grandparents all died at the same time (murder-suicide). And the members that left the group weren't mentioned by name or their reasons for departure. That's okay. A love letter to their fans doesn't need to address the painful stuff.

I did learn that Super Juniors' fans are called ELFs: Ever Lasting Friends. I'll add a half star for all the sweet vibes I felt between fans and Super Junior.

Read More

Good Actors and Fast Action, All Splattered with Blood

Warning, Gentle Viewers: graphic violence and gore ahead, but the title didn't promise a frothy love story.

The Good:
• I really like Lee Dong Wook, even when he's playing an emotionless killer. He's not a cruel killer. I'm making excuses for him!
• Park Ji Bin gave me chills with that baby face of psychotic sweetness. Fun fact: that cherubic face is 31 years old! Another fun fact: He played Geum Jan Di's little brother in Boys over Flowers 17 years ago.
• Geum Hae Na's action scenes were amazing. I asked AI if she did her own scenes: "Geum Hae-na performed most of her own action scenes in the Disney+ series A Shop for Killers. She underwent intense, lonely high-intensity training to master grappling and other combat techniques, which resulted in her gaining 3kg of muscle mass. Her physically demanding performance, which included scenes where she reportedly vomited from exhaustion, earned her a Best Supporting Actress Award at the 3rd Blue Dragon Series Awards."
• I appreciated seeing some actors who looked like average people: short, old, plain, etc.
• I wasn't sure if this went in The Good or The Bad list, but the action was nonstop and the tension was unrelenting. I had to take breaks in order to handle it. I'll put in The Good, as I wasn't bored.

The Bad:
• Disney+ offers the drama only in dubbed form. It's weird and offputting. The dialogue sounded like it was written by AI without a full charge of electricity.
• The drama didn't end; it just stopped. That's regrettable as my introductory offer on Disney+ runs out before the second season arrives. I prefer binging seasons, because I tend to forget quickly, but I don't mind waiting if there is a viable conclusion at the end of each season. This left so many things hanging. What will happen with Babylon? What happened to Jin Man? With his intelligence and survival skills, I never bought things went down the way we were told. Please, let it be a diversion tactic and not stupid writing. At this point, we don't even know who is left alive. This was not a complete drama—it was a prelude.
• I would have expected Jung Jin Man to have prepared his niece better or that she would have adapted better. I'm thinking season 2 will see her character develop. Buckle up, Buttercup.

Now I'm off to watch something sweet and soothing. I had a mistaken perception that Disney+ would be princesses and unicorns, but it's violence, darkness, and blood, at least where the K-dramas are concerned. Now that I know they don't offer all K-Dramas with subtitles, I don't need to renew my subscription when it runs out.

I reserve the right to add an extra half star if the second season answers my questions.

Read More

Potential that Devolved Rapidly in the Final Episode

I wanted to like this much more than I did.

The Good:
• It was refreshing to see a ML who looked manly. He wasn't the typical romcom pretty boy.
• The female lead was a competent adult at work.
• The leads had good chemistry together when the script allowed.

The Bad:
• The ML was mean for no reason. I tire of the trope that has a man in love with the woman whom he treats the worst.
• The FL was unlikeable. She had no close friends. She spent most of the drama with a sour look on her face. She was either angry or sad.
• Those everlasting love triangles. Give it a rest, please.
• Massive amounts of stupidity. If I had the power to see the future, I'd utilize it. If I knew a serial killer was stalking me, I'd probably not go walking alone in the middle of the night in dark alleys.

I was on board most of the drama, ever hopeful for a good ending. Instead, I was treated to a breakup and a terrible montage of childish argumentative scenes at the end. I should have stopped watching before the last episode to save myself from the toxicity.

Read More

A Warm Reunion with Well-Loved Characters

Such a perfect team of characters at Doldam Hospital.

The Good:
• As always, I loved Kim Sa Bu: the way his fingers nimbly tied sutures, how he mentored his team, and the way he handled life's roadblocks. He went from comforting to chilling depending on the situation: a reliable supporter or a formidable opponent. I resonated with his hard choices: picking adversaries as teammates in order to complete his dream isn't something most of us could do. Although, as I've said to my loved ones, if we agreed all the time, one of us would be redundant and unnecessary.
• Mister Koo! AKA the Moving Mountain (in my mind).
• Kim Min Jae/Park Eun Tak's voice. Give that man more lines!
• O Myeong Sim losing her cool. She became a human megaphone.
• Finally, a villain I could understand. Um Hyeon Jeong's anger was justified. She was manipulative and underhanded, and I couldn't blame her. It was understandable that she wanted to destroy everything and everyone at Doldam.
• When Kang Dong Ju made his appearance he ramped up the viewing excitement. It was a great choice to bring him back in a very unsettled role: was he there to build or destroy? I'd love to have a season 4 to see what he does. The ending hinted at a continuation. Three seasons were golden. Maybe a fourth is asking for too much?

The Bad:
• Nurse Park Eun Tak was hesitant in the first season, but he was nearly standing in sludge for this one. He aggravated me. But Yun A Reum annoyed me, too. Talk to one another, for heaven's sake. They could have been beyond cute (what a missed opportunity), but they were annoying for far too long instead.
• That's all I have for bad, but one bullet point would have looked lonely. I'm not going to critique harshly on something I love. Aunt E's cinnamon rolls that she made each year were dry and not that tasty (not bad, but not good), but she baked them out of love, and the family all oohed and aahed over them in reciprocating appreciation. Some things you just accept and enjoy.

I added a half star because... Jung Byeol was so darned cute or I just felt like it.

Read More

Successful Story Telling, Just Not the Story I Wanted Told

I watched this after Moving because it was set in a shared universe. The connection was not apparent to me until the last minute or so of the drama. Whereas, Moving had warmth amidst violence, Light Shop offered despair amidst darkness. Moving had loving relationships; Light Shop had people afflicted with despair, prejudice, guilt, and loss. Moving had its moments of humor; Light Shop was unremittingly bleak—it was always night, and it was often raining.

The more than half-dozen stories began about a third of the way through, with the background supplied in alternating flashbacks. It was confusing, but viewers and characters alike were bewildered, so it worked in a fashion. The writer trusted his audience to grasp the situation, and he filled in the important issues later. This may have caused some viewers to quit early, but the payoff started in about the fourth episode and built steadily from there.

The drama started as a horror, macabre and eerie. Horror isn't my cup of tea, but as the drama progressed, the pieces came together, and, as it began to make sense and progress, terror turned to understanding.

The Good:
• Park Bo Young's character was the one calm, reassuring touchstone in the drama. I inevitably enjoy her acting.
• The dog was a good boy.
• The drama managed to take all the dark, broken pieces and fit them together in a pleasing way. There was a rhythm and pattern to the stories that was satisfying.

The Bad:
• Moving had buckets of blood; Light Shop was adrift in tears. If there was a character with any screen time who didn't cry, I'm unaware of it.
• There were many unanswered questions which made me wonder if the story was to be continued in a sequel or if it would be shuttled into the second season of Moving.

Not recommended for the depressed. Recommended for those who appreciate seeing bits of a smashed vase being spun into a whirlwind and miraculously made whole, more or less.

My rating reflects my appreciation for a convergence of stories melded together successfully and less on my enjoyment of the drama. The characters were memorable, and the cast did an admirable job. I can recognize the drama is a dark gem without particularly liking it. I will say that, although I rarely rewatch a drama, this easily could be rewatched, because there are so many aspects potentially missed in the first viewing.

Read More

Warm Moments with a High Possibility of a Bloodbath

Gentle viewers, heed my warning. There was blood—not the sanitized blood spitting of Chinese wuxias, but buckets of the stuff from every gaping wound imaginable. There was violence: horrific tortures and murders. The body count was high. I will admit I had to stop watching some brutal fight scenes, and I had to leave the series at times when my favorite characters were in peril or the situation was too intense. But, I was never bored. If you can stomach that, Moving has memorable characters, ride or die loyalty, and a compelling story.

The Good:
• The cast was stellar, the relationships were warm and wonderful, and I loved the heroes and despised the villains.
• The characters were fleshed out (except when their flesh was removed, yikes), their motives were clear, and the actors depicted them wonderfully. No one was cookie cutter, and the series did a competent job of explaining the past in flashbacks to establish the characters, then merging it with the present.
• The tropes were subverted enough that I was never quite sure how things would turn out.
• I treasured the underlying themes of familial love, acceptance of the different, forgiveness to the repentant, and loyalty beyond one's family.
• Unlike so many K-dramas that excuse, overlook, or forgive evil, this one suppled some catharsis to the viewer.
• I appreciated that the writer didn't dumb down his script. He left some things unexplained, and I fully expect to see those integrated into season 2.

The Bad:
• The violence was graphic, and the fight scenes were overly long for me. I understand a fight for survival won't abide by the Marquess of Queensberry rules, and I understand the drama requiring the violence. I'm simply uncomfortable with it.
• I adored Kim Bong Seok, the human equivalent of a Golden Labrador puppy. It's disappointing that the actor, Lee Jung Ha, is in the military and won't be able to continue the role. I will miss his sweet face, and I can't help but think the second season will feel his absence keenly. I suppose this bullet point item technically should be a part of The Good, but I'm so bummed he won't be in season 2. I'd love to see him as a more mature person. The actor gained 66 pounds (!) for the role, and it would be amazing to see him slimmed down and taking after his character's father.

I'm conflicted on the rating, but I have to add a half star for the actors' performances.

Read More

Bai Jing Wants to Resign, but the Day Keeps Replaying

It's another cold CEO and poor, overworked secretary drama done in six-minute increments. It's amazing how many tropes can fit in those few minutes!

The Good:
• I enjoyed the scene of the ML and FL squatting behind a counter to spy on the other employees and nonchalantly replying they were just watching the workers when they were discovered. Not the least bit odd or suspicious!
• The leads were attractive and watchable.
• The title drew me in. Been there, done that!
• The time loop didn't become overly boring and repetitive. Kudos to the writer for that.
• I love it when a drama ends well, and this one had me smiling. Hands down, the best part. Note to self: be careful in a time loop, because you never know when it's going to end.

The Bad:
• Music was underwhelming and, in many scenes, missing.
• The budget was obviously small. FL spent 1/3 of the drama wearing the same pair of pink striped pajamas. Even when she spent the night with her parents, the ML had to borrow clothes from her father, but the FL's pink pjs were magically there, even though she hadn't taken luggage. She must always wear them under her clothes.
• The evil opposing CEO certainly gave up easily. I guess murder was just a whim with him, and he could take it or leave it.
• FL's ring tone drove me crazy. It's a good thing this was a mini series. I wouldn't have survived listening to that for 40 episodes.

I added a half star for the aftermath of the loop ending.

Read More

Likeable Actors Trapped in Tropes

As much as I liked the cast, this drama felt much longer than 12 episodes because the story didn't come together well. It couldn't decide if it was a sweet romcom, a makjang melodrama, or a sinister serial killer mystery.

The Good:
• The ML and FL were cute together, but I found the 2ML and 2FL more interesting.
• The mother of the FL had some nice moments. Amor fati!
• Seo Bum June made me despise his character. I'll attribute that to his acting skills, as I adored his character in The First Night with the Duke.

The Bad:
• I have a burning hatred for infidelity, so that storyline was painful and way too long. I don't understand compassion for a cheater. The FL drove me mad with her inability to shut her ex out of her life. Block his number and stop taking his calls, for heaven's sake.
• The makjang bits with the ex's family were an intrusion.
• The entire show revolved around the house. It was massively important until it suddenly wasn't.

I gave an extra half star for keeping the drama to 12 episodes.

Read More

Professors Fall in Love

I despise lies, manipulation, and playing with people's lives, so it was difficult for me to fully appreciate the drama when BOTH sets of the destined pairs were deep in deception.

The Good: Esther Yu and Vin Zhang had amazing chemistry. The ML was masterful at slowly warming to the FL's tactics. The FL was the right blend of silly and smart to be able to bypass the ML's defenses and win him over. Both actors made the drama watchable. I know many find Esther Yu's baby voice and melodramatics irritating, but she reminds me of my baby sister (only not quite as hyper), and I find her entertaining. I also liked the professions depicted: ornithology and botany. The FL's styling was perfect for a beauty blogger.

The Bad: The secondary couple should have had their story cut in half (at least). Ideally, they wouldn't have had much screen time. The constant captions reminding the viewer that the birds were CGI and no animals were harmed during production were distracting. Flash those notices at the beginning of an episode; viewers are intelligent enough to realize you didn't mass kill a bunch of birds for the story. Also, the bird-stealing gang storyline was cringeworthy.

Read More