Drama Masterlist
Since I use tumblr now more than my LJ, figured that it would be useful to have this here rather than thereeeee.
Basically, a summary of what I have watched and when, what I am currently watching, as well as general comments on EVERYTHING (yes I am dedicated). Not that they’re profound, but you know.
______________________________________
In Progress: 1
Queen Inhyun’s Man (2012)
______________________________________
Completed: 48 (sorted by English/Romanized title + year completed, for ease of finding my comments)
49 Days (2011)
A Love to Kill (2005)
Baby Faced Beauty (2011)
Best Love (2011)
Boys Over Flowers (2009)
Cinderella’s Sister (2010)
City Hall (2011)
City Hunter (2011)
Coffee House (2010)
Coffee Prince (2007)
Dalja’s Spring (2008)
Dr. Champ (2011)
Dream High (2011)
East of Eden (2011)
Flower Boy Ramyeon Shop (2011)
Full House (2005)
Goong (2006)
Hello! Miss (2007)
History of the Salaryman (2012)
I Need Romance (2011)
Lie to Me (2011)
The Moon that Embraces the Sun (2012)
My Girl (2006)
My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox (2010)
My Name is Kim Samsoon (2006)
My Princess (2011)
Myungwol the Spy (2011)
Oh! My Lady (2010)
Pasta (2010)
Personal Taste (2010)
Playful Kiss (2010)
The Princess’ Man (2011)
Prosecutor Princess (2010)
Protect the Boss (2011)
The Return of Iljimae (2012)
Romance Town (2011)
Sangdoo, Let’s Go to School! (2005)
Scent of a Woman (2011)
Secret Garden (2010)
Shining Inheritance (2009)
Soulmate (2011)
What’s Up, Fox? (2010)
Wild Romance (2012)
Winter Sonata (2004)
Witch Yoohee (2007)
Who Are You? (2008)
The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry (2010)
You’re Beautiful (2009)
______________________________________
Multiple Watches:
My Name is Kim Samsoon (3x)
My Girl (2x)
Goong (2x)
___________________________
☆ = Recommended
♥ = Loved
* = Current
PLEASE EXCUSE ANY WONKY FORMATTING - this was copy and pasted over from LJ, and I was way too frigging lazy to go through and edit out all of the html tags. Sue me.
2004 - 2005:
Winter Sonata (2002) - Draggy, melodramatic, but a classic. It personally took me over a year to finish, so I wouldn’t say that this drama is for a casual watcher. I liked it (at the time), but it definitely had its downfalls which would stop me from recommending it. Or watching it ever again.
Full House (2004) ☆ - Trite, cliche, but adorable and lovable all the same! It was a breath of fresh air after Winter Sonata
Sangdoo, Let’s Go to School! [상두야,학교가자!] (2003) - Started off AWESOME, but the ending left me going “Wtf?” Seriously. Most WTF ending EVER.
A Love to Kill [이 죽일놈의 사랑] (2005) - Another drama with a wtf ending. It had its moments, but for the most part was kinda draggy and boring.
2006:
Goong [궁] (2006) ☆ - Overrated, but awesome all the same. Great for those who love fairytales and cute storylines :)
My Girl (2005) ☆ - Pretty cookie-cutter, but definitely a classic.
My Name is Kim Samsoon (2005) ☆ ♥ - My favourite drama EVER (I have watched it three times!). Eye candy, a main lead that most women can relate to, and a storyline that is not without its flaws, but still hilarious. Definitely not overrated and a must-watch, in my opinion :p
______________________________________
2007:
Witch Yoohee [마녀유희] (2007) - Started off awesome, then it crumbled into wtf-ery. Don’t waste your time on this one.
Hello! Miss [헬로 애기씨] (2007) - Light, airheaded, cliche, and fluffy. I enjoyed it, but wouldn’t recommend watching it unless you just want to watch something fluffy haha.
Coffee Prince (2007) ☆ - Worth the hype. I can’t say that I LOVE it as much as everybody else out there, but it is definitely a solid drama, and again…eyecandy 8)
______________________________________
2008:
Who Are You? [누구세요?] (2008) ☆ - Interesting plot, decent acting from the male lead :) Definitely enjoyed this one!
Dalja’s Spring [달자의 봄] (2007) - This one was a good one because again, the female lead is very “real.” I had a hard time getting into it, though.
______________________________________
2009:
Boys Over Flowers [꽃보다 남자] (2009) - Incredibly overrated (not that that didn’t stop me from waiting for a new episode every week :p). Started off decent, then it spiraled into ANGST and just overall bleh. Good looking cast, good acting from a couple of its members, but…yeah…
Shining Inheritance [찬란한 유산] (2009) ☆ ♥ - Loveddd this drama! It was another one that had me waiting every week :) It was another cliched Poor Girl/Rich Boy storyline, but the character and plot development was nicely paced, and the ending was satisfying. Yay!
You’re Beautiful [미남이시네요] (2009) ☆ - Trendy drama, written by the Hong sisters. It was good. Nothing overly special, but definitely not heavy, which is always good.
______________________________________
2010:
Pasta (2010) - This one started off good, but then halfway through I realized that there was…not much of a plot. It just sort of centered around the same problems and dilemmas, which got kind of old. It’s definitely a drama to watch if you’re into eyecandy of the food and sexy men variety, though ;)
Personal Taste [개인의 취향] (2010) - This drama had SO MUCH POTENTIAL and definitely had its moments, but sigh. It also had many eye-rolling moments which took away from that :( Loved the plot and cast, though.
Oh! My Lady (2010) ☆ - This drama isn’t really anything too special, but I recommend it based on 1) cute factor (cute children, cute plot) -and- 2) eye candy (in the form of Shiwon abs, mmm). 8) …I’m not shallow, I swear!
Cinderella’s Sister (2010) - This drama had an awesome cast and some pretty wicked acting, but it was SO. ANGSTY. And the ending SUCKED sooooo badly. Like, almost as bad as A Love to Kill and Sangdoo! badly, which is saying a lot :( But it was great at the beginning?
Prosecutor Princess (2010) ☆ ♥ - So many people think that this drama = just another vapid cliche, but it is honestly soo underrated. The female lead starts off spoiled, vapid, and shallow, but throughout the story we begin to see her vulnerabilities, and she develops into kick-ass prosecutor extraordinaire. Also, Park Shi Hoo. Enough said.
What’s Up, Fox? [여우야 뭐하니] (2006) ☆ - If you enjoyed My Name is Kim Samsoon, you’ll probably like this one. There are definitely some wtf-moments (like the main character’s fixation on this fake plastic womb…), but it is a hilarious drama with a cute, satisfying ending.
Coffee House (2010) ☆ - This drama was AWESOME at the beginning, but kind of…lost that awesomeness as it progressed, as many do. But if you correctly guess the OTP and are happy with that OTP, you will probably really like this drama :p I didn’t particularly like the ending because apparently it wasn’t cliche enough for me (LOL), butttt the rest of this drama was too good for me to not recommend it solely based on that.
My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox [내 여자친구는 구미호] (2010) ☆ - Original story line, witty, heart-warming, and just overall cuteee, right up to the end. I don’t think I was disappointed with a single episode. However, I don’t think I loved it as much as some people did, haha.
Playful Kiss [장난스런 키스] (2010) - All fluff, no substance. Seriously. It had somewhat of a plot up until the last few episodes, then it was just…meeehhhhhh. Good if you like looking at Kim Hyunjoong, not-so-good if you want a plot that you get something out of.
Secret Garden (2010) ☆ ♥ - Loveeeed this drama! Hyun Bin ♥ While it does have its plot holes (which can be explained if you look deeper than surface level) and its eyeroll-worthy, cliche moments, for the most part it is absolutely HILARIOUS, and just…really good. Worth its hype, in my opinion. Probably my second favourite drama next to <i>My Name is Kim Samsoon</i> (and I’m not saying that because I’m Hyun Bin biased :p!)
The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry [아직도 결혼하고 싶은 여자] (2010) ☆ - I <s>just</s> started this one to tide me over for Secret Garden episodes LOL. But I <s>like it so far</s> really liked it :D It is not too heavy, and the friendship dynamic of the drama reminds me a bit of a Koreanized (aka heavily toned down) <i>Sex and the City</i>, and somewhat of my friendships with my besties - albeit an older version, considering the women in this drama are in their 30s and my friends and I are in our twenties :p
______________________________________
2011:
City Hall (2009) ☆ ♥ - I had been trying to get into this drama for awhile because I heard so many good things about it, but it definitely took me a little while. Finally I decided to just plow through the first episodes, and if I didn’t like it after that, I would drop it. Honestly? SOOO glad I didn’t! The chemistry between the leads is awesome - one of the best kdrama kisses EVER = in this drama. Honestly. And the ending is pretty fantastic :) It had just the right amount of cheese without being too gag-worthy, haha.
My Princess (2011) - Ok, I actually loved this drama because it is SO FREAKING CUTE, Kim Taehee is super pretty, and Song Seung Heon is a haw~tie. However, I wouldn’t say it is one of my favourites because the plot is pretty dragged out and there isn’t really much to it. That being said though, if you like adorable, fluffy dramas with a couple that has a somewhat dysfunctional relationship (read: bickering galore), it is worth watching this drama for that alone. Sooooooo cute, right up to the ending (which has more of a plot than the entire series, but I digress).
Dream High (2011) ☆ ♥ - I was super leery about this drama, because even though it has Eunjung (of T-ara) in it, the storyline just did not sound appealing. Teenage drama? High school? Blech. Been there, done that, thanks. But I heard a lot of good things about it, so I started it…and found it <i>so</i> boring. Not one to be discouraged, since some AWESOME dramas just need to get their momentum going, I plowed my way through it. And oh my god, it got SO. GOOD. I ended up absolutely LOVING IT, to the point where I don’t think there is a single character I actually disliked. I even loved the loanshark, and you’re supposed to hate loansharks because they typically make the characters’ lives miserable! Haha! DEFINITELY recommend this one :) It’s a nice change from your typical kdrama, because it doesn’t focus so much on the romantic element and more on character development (aka the things they do to fulfill their dreams).
East of Eden (2008) - Do not watch this drama. DO. NOT. The ending is absolutely horrible, and you will be filled with so much rage for wasting 56 hours of your life on it. Of course, it has its moments - there was a point where I was kinda addicted to it, and Song Seung Heon is all kinds of sexy. But it gets draggy at points, and repetitive. I feel like this drama could have been condensed into fewer episodes and ended up with either a much better ending, or had the same ending and just been somewhat better overall (though that ending really did suck, so I don’t know about that). If anything, if you’re looking for eyecandy and lols (in the form of questionable English), skip to around episode 5, then watch up to episode 10 or something. In any case, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT watch all the way to 56. You have been warned.
49 Days (2011) ☆ ♥ - Ok, so I had a couple of problems with the ending of this drama - it was satisfying, so I definitely didn’t HATE it, but I feel it could have been executed better (as in, there is one major twist that I feel could have been left out, because it just sort of randomly thrown in there). However, the rest of the drama? Excellent. Absolutely <i>loved</i> it. It has its hilarious moments, its incredibly sad moments, and basically your perfect balance of melodrama and comedy. Twists in the story are aplenty and generally very well executed, so you are kept on your toes. In addition to all of that, it offers poignant commentary on living your life to the fullest, without grudges or grievances. VERY REFRESHING after watching the carcrash that was East of Eden, let’s put it that way, haha. DEFINITELY recommend this one! I think it knocked <i>Secret Garden</i> out of the running for my second favourite drama of all time :) I also think that I am officially a fan of the writer of this drama, who also penned <i>Shining Inheritance</i> and <i>Prosecutor Princess</i>! (both favourites of mine)
Best Love [최고의 사랑] (2011) ☆ ♥ - I don’t know what else to say about this drama except HILARIOUS. Honestly, probably my favourite out of the writers’ (Hong sisters) dramas. I found myself eagerly awaiting every episode, literally STALKING fansub pages, because the dialogue and wit was too complicated for me to understand with my current level of Korean skillage, haha. It is definitely far from a show that takes itself too seriously, and is a fresh take on your typical rom com. Rather than being all lovey-dovey, gag-worthy, 느끼 crap, it is fresh, fun, cheeky (in the sense that it pokes fun at Korea’s entertainment industry at times), zippy, and FULL of puns and metaphors, with conflict that one could actually GET behind. The plot is not without its flaws, of course, but it does not take away from the awesome that this drama was. Anddddd Cha Seungwon? One of my favourite ajjushi actors, so it was not difficult to get on board with this one (though I was sad when he shaved off his beloved 소-shaped facial hair). Excellent. Highly recommended, as it is one of my new favourites!
Lie to Me [내게 거짓말을 해봐] (2011) - This drama started off SO GOOD, and had SO MUCH potential - I mean, Kang Jihwan AND Yoon Eunhye, anyone? And while both of them had <i>so</i> much chemistry together, the show totally… sank. To the point where I was going “Oh, <i>Lie to Me</i> is finished next week! THANK GOD.” I think that the writers changed sometime in the latter half of the show, which did not improve the drama in the slightest, only made it more boring. Not to mention, Kang Jihwan’s character practically goes through a personality change, which is just… gag. Seriously, don’t waste your time with this one, unless you can deal with the awesome turning into bleh. I mean, the lead actors have great chemistry together, which almost makes the show worth watching, buuuuuuut they have way better projects than this one out there. Suchhhh a waste of their talent.
Dr. Champ (2010) ☆ - I admittedly started watching this drama for purely shallow reasons (coughhalf-nakedmencoughnamelyjunggyuwooncough…what?) and because I really like Kim Soyeon (main actress; also in Prosecutor Princess!). Honestly, I had little interest in a sports story, because well… my love of sports starts at hockey, and ends at hockey, and even then it is only <i>exciting</i> hockey (games I watch in-person or playoff games, for example). But this really surprised me, because it was actually <i>good</i>. Not only does it more than deliver on the eyecandy level (drool), but it also has a good story line that was human and one that you could relate to. It also doesn’t try to make itself out to be more than what it is by throwing in ridiculous plot twists, makjang, or any ridiculous angst. Best of all, I thought I was suffering from Second Lead Syndrome (which I almost NEVER suffer from, because I can usually point out and thus ship the cliche OTP from the start), BUT! It ended how I wanted it to, and they were so cute, hehe. Anyway, I wouldn’t say that I LOVED this drama, since it had parts where it just plodded along, but I really did enjoy it and definitely recommend it, if not for the eyecandy alone. And by eyecandy, I mean both half-naked men AND beautiful camera work ;)
Baby Faced Beauty [동안미녀] (2011) ☆ - I was considering dropping this drama at first, since I was watching SO MANY, and well… for me, it took a little while for it to pick up the pace enough so that I was interested. So glad that I didn’t drop it, though! This drama is ADORABLE, and even though the last episode loads on the cute so much that it made me want to gag, I couldn’t help but squee. Definitely recommend it! Actually, it reminds me a bit of <i>Dalja’s Spring</i> - it also has a storyline that predominantly is set at a workplace, and there’s the whole older woman/younger man thing happening. Yet, I enjoyed it so much more than <i>Dalja’s Spring</i>. I think because the drama, while having its petty characters and “Omg, this AGAIN?” moments, clips along at a nice place, and has multiple facets to its plot - on one hand, there is the romance aspect, and on the other, there is the career aspect, and the obstacles that Soyeon faces in seeing her dream realized. It’s not necessarily an overly earth-shattering or new plot, but is light and refreshing, with not a whole lot of angst, and for that in itself I really enjoyed it :)
Romance Town (2011) ☆ - I liked this drama for many reasons - I liked that it was quite slice-of-life, and I also liked the overall plot and central themes of the story (revolving around money and whether it truly buys happiness/is an indicator of success). The main leads were SUPER CUTE together. I also liked that it examined the lives of ALL of the characters; though some were more minor than others, they still had a prominent role in the drama, but not so much that they took <i>too</i> much time away from the leads. Well… haha, sort of. ANYWAY, I think that this drama would have been better off with its original title of <i>Maids</i>, because <i>Romance Town</i>? TOTALLY DOESN’T SUIT IT. There is some romance, but not a lotttt. Anyway, definitely an enjoyable drama, though it had its moments where it sort of just plodded along. I enjoyed it enough to watch it mostly unsubtitled though, so I guess that says something? And Jung Gyeowoon was in it, so you know LOL. ;) I would recommend it for people who enjoy dramas that are more “slice of life” and aren’t overly suspenseful/angsty? Haha. I mean, this drama has a little bit of suspense, but for the most part it does not keep you on the edge of your seat, which can be boring for some people.
City Hunter (2011) ☆ ♥ - When Lee Minho was originally cast for this drama, I planned to watch it, and anticipated it literally for MONTHS. The girls in my Korean class and I were all “OMG CITY HUNTER! I CAN’T WAIT FOR MAY!” Haha. Then I saw the previews for it. It looked so laughably BAD that I automatically wrote it off as another <i>Personal Taste</i> (aka wasted Lee Minho) and decided to wait for his next series to come along. That is, until I heard how good it was. So I started it. AND OH MY GOD, AM I GLAD I EVER (LOL it seems like this happens with a lot of my favourites lately, SOB). Despite not usually being my cup of tea, what with the whole hero/action part of the plot, I seriously became ADDICTED, and it is now one of my favourite dramas. Ever. And it makes me want to move away from the rom-coms more often now, because even though the romance aspect of the plot was <i>nice</i>, it wasn’t what sealed the deal for me (shock!). Though the plot does have its weaknesses and holes, for the most part, it packs the awesome. In huge amounts. Cliffhanger endings galore that have you on the edge of your seat, hot characters (a la Yoonsung and the prosecutor), funny moments, moments that make you COMPLETELY ANGRY, an ending that will make you sob and result in your makeup ending up halfway down your face (er, well, at least for me)? Freaking sold. Love this one. Even if you are skeptical about it, watch it. I bet it will surprise you.
I Need Romance [로맨스가 필요해] (2011) - This drama is really refreshing for the kdrama landscape in the fact that it is WAY more provocative than any other I have seen, with its open, frank conversations about sex. And the makeout sessions. Multiple. Actually, at first it had a very strong <i>Sex and the City</i> vibe, which had me feeling somewhat conflicted - I mean, I LOVE <i>Sex and the City</i>, but the idea of a Korean carbon copy? Ehhhh. Fortunately it quickly established itself as being different from <i>Sex and the City</i>, though still retained the original “feeling,” if you will. I was super addicted to this show up until the last few episodes actually, which is when… it kind of lost me. It seemed as if the writers went “OHHH CRAP, how are we going to end this now?” and then the plot kind of… stopped developing. Or rather, any developments in the plot kind of lead to an anti-climactic ending. Very. Overall, I enjoyed this drama, but it had SO MUCH POTENTIAL, so I can’t help but be slightly disappointed :< Though the middle episodes were pretty awesome? It was also a pretty quick watch, especially with each episode clocking in at around 45 minutes. So if you can overlook a disappointing ending and are looking for a quick watch, I recommend this one? Haha.
Myungwol the Spy [스파이 명월] (2011) - Ohhh, let me name the ways that this drama disappointed me. It started off hilarious, quirky, and different, had me scratching my head as to why the ratings were so low, and had me completely captivated. Episode 10 has pretty much one of the best endings that I have EVER seen in a drama. And then… things started going downhill. First off, with the main actress, Han Yeseul, going AWOL and production needing to be delayed, that put a bit of a wrench in things. Second of all, the 2-episode extension — the plot definitely did not need it. But even after the kerfluffle with HYS they proceeded with the extension, and well. The drama crashed. Hard. Episode 13 had it feeling like a completely new show, which made me feel somewhat unsettled, BUT I am a forgiving viewer! So I forged forward. Episode 14 had me excited about the show again! But after episode 15… then… nope. My interest was pretty much gone. I was literally fighting off sleep during the last three episodes, which was partially because I was tired, and partially because there was very little to pique my interest. The same plot points and conflicts kept being recycled and circled around, while all of the interesting stuff that they <i>could</i> have covered happened conveniently “behind the scenes.” And then the finale, well… the ending was happy, and it was cute, but the events leading up to it? WTF-WORTHY. At one point I was like “Wow, is this heading towards East of Eden territory?” (AKA WORST ENDING EVER), but fortunately it recovered. But still. SOOO disappointed in this drama, because it had a hell of a lot of potential :\
Scent of a Woman [여인의 향기] (2011) ☆ ♥ - So glad that this was my 40th finished drama and not <i>Myungwol the Spy</i>! Because man, was this drama ever <i>good</i>. Highly worth all of the anticipation that I had for it, both before the drama aired (hello, Kim Sunah and Lee Dongwook? SIGN ME UP, ANYTIME), as well as while it was airing. Seriously, every week I was ON MY TOES for new episodes of this drama, haha. Granted, it is not without its issues; meddling chaebols and the like made for some frustrating times, that’s for sure. But disappointing episodes aside, as a whole, this drama was <i>amazing</i>. Beautifully shot, with some super poignant moments, super heartbreaking moments (one episode I literally cried all the way through), super enlightening moments, the whole bit. This show really had a knack of taking what might be a very small thing - one look, one action - and making it loaded with meaning. Not to mention, the contrast and comparisons between the main characters and the growth that they experience. Prior to her cancer diagnosis, Lee Yeonjae (Kim Sunah) does not highly value her life or her self worth; after the diagnosis, she vows to live her life to the fullest. On the other hand, Kang Jiwook is incredibly jaded and blase about life in general, until Lee Yeonjae comes along and literally shows him the light. I think that Girlfriday and Javabeans over at Dramabeans said it best: this drama is not necessarily about living each day as if it is your last, but living each day as if there <i>is</I> tomorrow. Love this show. The finale was such a treat after the disappointment that was <i>Myungwol the Spy</i> (which I finished the day before this one aired)! Highly recommended :)
Protect the Boss [보스를 지겨라] (2011) - This drama has all of the makings of a really good drama — awesome, kickass protagonist, best antagonist EVER (seriously, LOVE her), eye candy, and a good dosage of humour mixed in. And honestly, there isn’t anything that jumps out at me as being faulty about this drama, especially considering that, for the most part, the female lead is atypical and it is rather “forward” as far as women’s roles go in this drama. And again, Nayoon, the antagonist…GAH BEST “VILLAIN” EVER (even though she is really not that villainous). But there was just something about this drama that kind of failed to hold my interest, to the point where I actually stopped watching it at episode 16 and thought I would never finish…haha. I mean, that was because I suddenly found myself with very little free time, but uh. Yeah. I don’t know. I think it’s because for me, the second leads were more interesting than the main leads? I mean, with the second male lead being played by one of my favourite members from one of my favourite kpop groups, and the second female lead’s character just being complete awesome sauce, I just could not help but love them, and well. When it came to the last few episodes, they were the only thing that kept me trekking. So… I don’t really know what to say. I personally wouldn’t recommend it, but feel that it might just be me or I might just be a member of the minority.
Flower Boy Ramyeon Shop [꽃미남 라면가게] (2011) ☆ ♥ - Yup, second favourite drama ever. Officially. I MEAN IT. If <i>My Name is Kim Samsoon</i> weren’t so awesome and classic, it may have booted that out of the top spot. This drama ended up being so much better than I expected. I expected it to be your typical romcom — feelings! Reciprocated feelings! Unnecessary conflict to keep them apart! Makjang! But… despite having cliches, and <i>aspects</i> of your typical romcom/kdrama (chaebols, makjang in the form of birth secrets), this show does not take itself seriously. At all. In fact, it pokes fun at itself quite frequently, which makes it even better. Not to mention, obligatory angst? Completely cut down by comic relief, which makes the drama a quick, easy watch, ESPECIALLY considering the episodes are shorter than your average kdrama fare. Love it. Not to mention Yang Eunbi is an AWESOME female lead, and yes, my favourite female lead since Samsoon. It seems like new dramas come along and knock other older ones out of my 2nd place favourite spot relatively frequently, but I think that this one will stay there for awhile. This one definitely surprised me, especially because I was initially only interested in it for Jung Ilwoo.
Soulmate (2006) ☆ - This drama has an interesting feel, as its format is different from your conventional kdramas (it is 12 episodes long, but starting from episode 3, they are broken up into “mini” episodes), and it seems more like a North American sitcom in the same vein as Friends and Sex and the City. That being said, there is still something distinctly Korean about this show (namely the humour), which keeps it refreshing, as well as stops it from feeling like it was ripped off, if you get my drift. The show itself goes quickly and, true to its title, leads to the question of whether finding your soulmate is the be-all-to-end-all, or if life and circumstance overpowers “fate.” Good drama. I wouldn’t say that it is one of my all time favourites, but I definitely enjoyed watching it and would recommend it.
The Princess’ Man [공주의 남자] (2011) ☆ ♥ - AHHH an awesome drama to finish of the year and start off the next with, since I watched most of this series in January! Normally I avoid sageuks like the plague, I will admit. Even fusion sageuks usually bore me, to the point where I end up dropping them after a few episodes. Honestly, I usually start off with the best intentions, but the history-ish part of them is just like “NOPE” (maybe because it feels too similar to school, haha). But this particular sageuk got me hook, line, and sinker. Seriously. At first I was daunted by the length, but soon found myself swept along, and now, having just finished the drama, feel that 24 episodes was almost TOO SHORT, LOL (really though, it was the perfect length for this show). Granted, it is not without its flaws — the last episode in particular had me going “Uhhhh wtf?” until I thought about it on a deeper, more thematic level, and the implications that it had. I can’t really go too far into detail without spoiling things, but basically… even if you make it a policy not to watch sageuks, I highly recommend at least trying this one. It is SO good. Park Shi Hoo makes one sexy yangban-turned-assassin, Moon Chaewon’s character somehow manages to be completely badass despite being a woman held under the thumb of Confucianism (as well as her bloodthirsty father), and the revenge-driven plot leads to cliffhanger endings galore. It is difficult to resist locking off all contact with the outside world to marathon, seriously, haha. Highly recommend this one, and it’s one of my new favourites!
______________________________________
2012
The Return of Iljimae [돌아온 일지매] (2009) ☆ ♥ - I wasn’t so sure about this drama at first because there is a narrator… which, you know, might be ok if the narrator wasn’t so OBVIOUS. Honestly, it really took away from the first couple of episodes, which was kind of sad. After awhile though, I got used to and didn’t even really notice the narrator — I think that the writers just became better able to blend the narrator with the narrative, and therefore it wasn’t so jarring? IDK. IN ANY CASE! This show ended up being awesome and Jung Ilwoo was just. Yeah. Definitely got better as he went along. The action sequences were great, the acting was great, and the drama was great, and I will never balk at the idea of watching a sageuk ever again. LOL.
Wild Romance [난폭한 로맨스] (2012) - This drama had its funny moments (the second leads, for instance; I LOVED Dongah and what’s-his-face-Mr. Robotic), but for the most part it kind of fell flat for me. I think it had a bit of an identity crisis, like it couldn’t decide whether to be an edgy mystery or a romantic comedy. There also was not a whole lot of romance to be had… just mostly bickering, which was sort of funny, but yeah. Got old. Yeah. I honestly don’t understand the people who are in love with this drama, because it wasn’t that great. I wouldn’t recommend that you waste your time on this one, though Lee Dongwook is sexy eye candy.
The Moon that Embraces the Sun (2012) [해를 품은 달] ☆ - I’m having a hard time deciding how I feel about this drama. It is definitely not on my “love” list because there were many, many things that I feel were flawed about the show, and even though the ending was satisfactory, it feels like there were a lot of cop outs to get there. SO… I’m just really unsure. That being said though, the beginning of this drama is frigging AWESOME, and it is super addicting. Unfortunately, once it switches over to the adult cast, things slow down… and plod along for awhile, before speeding up again at the finish line. Not that I have anything bad to say about the actors — I think that they were doing the best with what they were given, just… yeah. I don’t know. Perhaps if I had watched this all in one shot I may have felt differently, but to me, it says volumes if I can go two weeks without watching the drama (which I had to because of the MBC strike) and not miss it. THAT BEING SAID THOUGH, I think that it still deserves a recommend, I just wouldn’t set your expectations too, too high, haha.
History of the Salaryman (2012) [샐러리맨 초한지] ☆ ♥ - This drama was AMAZING. Now, that being said, it was not without its flaws — for one thing, the ending felt a little bit rushed, and it focused too much on the Main Villain, rather than leaving a couple of episodes to wrap up things with the main characters, BUT. I really, really enjoyed the majority of the drama, so I can overlook the rushed ending. I don’t think that I found it QUITE as hilarious as some people, but it was still pretty freaking funny. Also, despite the fact that it is definitely full of drama and has its cliches, it doesn’t take itself seriously, which is always a plus. Also LOVE the 4 main leads and their performance — it was pretty stellar, even if the main man (Yoo Bang)’s character became a little flat. Definitely recommend this one! Don’t let the strange teasers fool you — it is a little strange at first, but you won’t regret watching it later. It is refreshingly different from your usual standard drama fare.
Rooftop Prince (2012) [옥탑방 왕세자]* ☆ - For the most part, I really liked this drama — the time travel aspect made for some really hilarious shenanigans, and the Chosun mystery was intriguing and wrapped up PERFECTLY. The last episode of this show was absolutely awesome, and possibly one of the best that I have ever seen (…I don’t think I’ve said that too many times before? Haha). THAT BEING SAID, however, episode 18 was the eyerolliest-of-eyeroll episodes, cliches and crap galore, so. That kind of stopped me from LOVING the drama and considering it one of my favourites, because it was like “AW, COME ON.” Yoochun does a freaking awesome job both as Prince Yi Gak and Yong Tae Yong though, and he and Han Ji Min make an adorable couple. So I would recommend this one, just… don’t expect too much out of it, haha.
Queen Inhyun’s Man (2012) [인현왕후의 남자]*
Tagged as: drama masterlist.
