K-Drama Reviews
Korean Drama Reviews
I have a feeling I will always love K-dramas first and foremost out of all Asian dramas. My first experience with Asian drama-dom was through a K-drama. And I really don’t know if that is the sole reason I feel such an attachment to them. I feel like (if they are done right) they strike the perfect balance between humor and drama. They can sometimes be rather predictable (alright, more often than not), but it’s not something I mind. I am having a hard time putting into words what I feel, which almost seems silly. I really love them that much. They typically run for 16 episodes (sometimes more; hardly ever less), at 70 minutes. Even though it can feel like a long time sometimes, it’s usually nothing to be afraid of. These things really own my soul lol, so of course I recommend them to you, once, twice, a thousand times over.
I am very subjective with my reviewing. I have been trying to be good about explain the strengths and weaknesses of everything I watch, so I hope that is helpful to you. I am careful about keeping spoilers out of the reviews, but I normally reveal certain things about the show, so if you are a spoiler nazi… watch out. Seriously, how can you give a decent review without delving into some of the material? It’s crazy hard. That’s why I don’t do it lol.
“Quality” rating = my feeling about the overall flow of the show, the production quality, the acting, and so on.
“Lovability” rating = my personal feeling about the show; despite any faults, I came away with “this much” love for it.
Note: Because I used D-Addicts‘ DramaWiki a lot, there are some errors, especially in the synopsises. I didn’t feel like editing them, so I apologize for that.
Japanese Drama List – Korean Drama List – Taiwanese Drama List
Korean Dramas Watched: (click to go directly to the review)
Bad Family
Boys Before Flowers
Coffee Prince
Dal Ja’s Spring
Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang
Evasive Inquiry Agency
Flowers for My Life
Full House
Goong/Princess Hours
Goong S/Prince Hours
Hello! Miss/Baby
My Girl
My Name is Kim Sam Soon
Prosecutor Princess
The Snow Queen
Soulmate
Who Are You?
You’re Beautiful
Bad Family
| Genre: Comedy Episodes: 16 Aired: 2006 Watched: 03/08 Quality:  Lovability: Starring: Kim Myung Min, Nam Sang Mi, Yim Hyun Sik, Yeo Woon Kye, Kang Nam Gil, Geum Bo Ra, Kim Hee Chul, Hyung Young, Park Jin Woo |
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Synopsis: Na Rim (Lee Young Yoo), who came from a wealthy household, lost her family in a car accident when she was nine. After the accident, she suffered from amnesia so her uncle hired Oh Dal Gun (Kim Myung Min), an ex-gangster, to recreate a similar household with parents, sister, brother, grandparents and uncle in hopes that she would regain her memory. In a hurry, Oh Dal Gun ended up hiring all sorts of odd ball characters to act as members of Na Rim’s family. None got along at the start and hilarious situation arose when all members tried to cope in front of the little girl and also to protect her from the one who caused her family’s accident. Eventually they started to behave like a real family and cared for each other, proving that blood relation is not as important as a caring heart.
Opinion: Bad Family was so incredibly CUTE. Terribly funny, terribly heart-warming. Honestly, I laughed my head off so many times, even in the serious episodes. Despite the fact that it was rich in humor, there were plenty touching moments. One episode even made me cry! The theme of family was very present; in the beginning everyone is rough and they all clash, but as the drama progresses they start to feel like a real family. As for the character “format”, it isn’t just MAIN CHARACTERS and SIDE CHARACTERS in Bad Family. They get different amounts of face-time, but the spotlight is given to everyone, and it’s done in a way that is not annoying. Even the “love rivals” were mostly for comic relief (but not completely!). The “main” couple was very cute, I have to say. Both are extremely stubborn and moody characters, so it results in a lot of love-hate, but even this well-worn K-drama cliche was carried out tastefully. I have to say that one of its only downfalls was one of many K-dramas: HORRIBLE KISSING! I mean, the kind that makes you cringe. But it’s easily overlooked. The acting was somewhat run of the mill (more from characters like Na Rim, who was around eight), but I am definitely not THAT picky over acting unless it’s bad. So rest assured, unless you want award winners every time lol. Over all, it was reeeally enjoyable. I just mention the negative things because I feel it is my responsibility. It really and truly was a drama fully worth watching.
Soundtrack Selection: Dynamic Duo – Nal Dalm Eun Geu Dae
Boys Before Flowers or “Boys Over Flowers”
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 25 Aired: 2009 Watched: 01-05/09 Quality:  Lovability: Starring: Gu Hye-sun, Lee Min-ho, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Bum, Kim Joon, Kim So Eun, Lee Min-jung |
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Synopsis: Jan Di is an average girl whose family owns a dry cleaning store located near the luxurious and well known Shin Hwa College. Jan Di meets the four richest and most spoiled boys known as the F4. After saving a boy from jumping off the roof of Shinhwa High School, she is admitted into the school on a swimming scholarship. Jan Di tries to avoid confrontation with the F4 at all cost because she knows what happens to those that stand against them. However, when Jan Di’s friend, Oh Min Ji, accidentally gets ice cream on the leader of the F4′s shoes, she’s forced to declare war on the leader of the F4, Goo Joon Pyo.
Opinion: The main thing I remember about Boys Before Flowers was the controversy surrounding it. I felt like by the time it finished airing, you were considered a chump if you actually liked it. While I admit that this drama had more than its fair share of dramatic plot lines and cliches, I don’t think it was bad. It was successful for a reason! You have to be aware that Boys Before Flowers is a quintessential Korean drama, and I think you will be okay after that. This show had a great cast of people for a show that will deal you all sorts of drama “regulars” (chaebols, forbidden love, parent-child issues, poverty, unrequited love, amnesia, arranged marriage, etc). Some actors were better than others (for instance, Lee Min-ho was fantastic and Kim Hyun-joong was comical), but they all made the drama what it is.
More than anything else, I had fun watching Boys Before Flowers. I laughed and felt excited and cried and… it was an experience. Of course I cringed, rolled my eyes, and got frustrated occasionally, but I do that with just about every drama. If you don’t think you can put up with the soap-opera quality of things, don’t watch. I personally felt it was worth it to watch because sometimes I want DRAMA from a drama. You know what I mean?
If you want to read more about how I felt about this drama, you can read the episode-by-episode drama commentaries I did for this series. A good place to look for those would be here.
Soundtrack Selections: Jisun – 어떡하죠
Coffee Prince
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 17 Aired: 2007 Watched: 01/08 Quality:  Lovability: Starring: Yoon Eun Hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun Gyun, Chae Jung Ahn |
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Synopsis: The life of Go Eun Chan (Yoon Eun Hye) is not easy; she works many jobs to pay off debts and even gave up her feminine image. Choi Han Kyul (Gong Yoo) is the heir of a big food company, but his grandmother wants him to settle down, so she arranged many dates for him. After Eun Chan bumped into Han Kyul and was mistaken for a boy, Han Kyul decided to hire Eun Chan to be his gay lover in order to avoid the arranged dates. Desperately in need of money, Eun Chan had no choice but to accept. Han Kyul’s grandmother also made Han Kyul in charge of a filthy coffee shop in danger of being bankrupt. Eun Chan begged to work at the coffee shop, and not long after, feelings start to spark, except, how would Han Kyul accept his “homosexuality”?
Opinion: I’m sure so many people have said all there is to say about Coffee Prince, but I want to put in a short word. First of all, it was exceptionally well done. That is what struck me all throughout the show; the story was great, the casting/acting was great, the music was great. Han Kyul and Eun Chan were such a wonderful couple in whatever relationship they had (in friendship and romance). They put you through so much whether it was laughter, tears, torment. All of it. I have to put them pretty high on my list of favorite drama couples. And speaking of couples, I must say a word about Han Sung/Yoo Joo. What a great secondary couple! They don’t take center stage, yet they have so much presence. Their existence balances the show nicely, keeping it from being too ANYTHING it could be too much of. And… I have so many good things to gush about, but I am trying to keep this short. I just have to add that the side characters and music are absolutely amazing (not something you’d except in a K-drama, so I have to mention it). Coffee Prince really provokes a lot of thought and emotion, making it absolutely lovable. It isn’t quite perfect, but I think it’s “faults” are easy to look past because it as so many good points. I have to join the club of Coffee Prince lovers.
Soundtrack Selections: As One – White Love Story; Tearliner – 바다여행
Dal Ja’s Spring
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 22 Aired: 2007 Watched: 04/08 Quality:  Lovability: Starring: Chae Rim, Lee Min Ki, Lee Hyun Woo, Lee Hye Young, Gong Hyeong Jin |
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Synopsis: ‘Dalja’s Spring’ is the story of Dalja, a 33-year old single at a crossroad of whether to remain single or get married before she gets older. The drama aims to comically and candidly portray the reality and undying pursuit of romance of a thirty something single woman.
The love triangle of Dalja, Taebong and Gijoong brews conflicts over love versus marriage. Taebong, a hunk six years younger than Dalja, works as substitute dates and becomes Dalja’s fake boyfriend. Gijoong is the type who dreams of an ideal and rational courtship. The drama also highlights the life and work of women in their thirties through Dalja who is a talented managing director at a home shopping channel.
Opinion: Dal Ja’s Spring is a rare kind of show. It completely captured my heart from the first episode, and wouldn’t let go for pretty much the entire run of it. You’d think it would take awhile for 22 episodes to go by? Not with this drama. The characters are what make Dal Ja’s Spring. First of all, we’re dealing with an amazing cast. Chae Rim and Lee Min Ki are phenomenal; they have made me an absolute fan of each of them. The acting from the rest of the cast is really well done too. And the characters, like I said… it’s almost hard to describe them. From the synopsis, I got the impression that Dal Ja would fit in your typical “old-maid” box. Wrong! What makes her great is that she is as clueless and unassuming as a young twenty-something. She is a woman who has rushed around all her life, and suddenly she is on the brink of turning thirty-three.
When it comes to romance, Dal Ja has all the ideals and expectations of a teenager; she wants to be swept off her feet by her prince charming, her “destined one.” Unfortunately, all she has to deal with is reality. As for her suitors, we have three “options”: the co-worker she’s been crushing on for eight years, a spunky “fake boyfriend” who is six years her junior, and a classy knight-in-shining armor. Of course, after a few episodes the competition thins, and we can see who really holds her heart. I don’t want to go into it too much because I don’t want to spoil anything. I will go ahead and tell you though that my favorite couple was most definitely the unconventional one of Dal Ja and Tae Bong. One of the best couples in drama history, in my opinion. As for the guys, Sae Do is hilarious (give him a few episodes), and kind of unexpected. Tae Bong is one of the most perfect guys ever (please marry me); almost to the point of irritation, but he becomes human eventually. Eom Gi/Ki Joong is really stuffy in the beginning, but, if you’re like me, you will love him by the end. Also, the female side characters are amazing. Do not underestimate them. Anyway.
The drama was consistently good for about… 18 or 19 episodes. That’s really good in my book. By episode 19/20, we started getting lots of angst, which made my heart hurt. I was mad that they had to work the drama, but I’m cool with it now. I wish they hadn’t, but you cannot be angry that they caused all that emotional turmoil when the show finishes. At least I couldn’t. Really though, I have to tell you that this is one of my favorite-favorite dramas now. PLEASE WATCH NAO.
Soundtrack Selection: Park Hee Kyung – Sweet Lover
Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang
| Genre: Comedy, romance Episodes: 17 Aired: 2005 Watched: 10/07 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Han Chae Young, Jae Hee, Uhm Tae Woong, Park Shi Eun, Hong Chae-rin, Lee In Hye, Moon Ji Yoon |
   
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Synopsis: “Delightful Girl, Choon-hyang” is the 2005 interpretation of the “Legend of Choon-hyang”. The story begins when Lee Mong-ryong is transferred from Seoul to a high school in Namwon, North Jeolla Province. Choon-hyang does her best to help Mong-ryong, her first love and the son of the Namwon Police Station chief, to enter a prestigious university. However, after meeting with Mong-ryong’s first love, Chae-rin, Mong-ryong’s love toward Choon-hyang is shattered, although Choon-hyang’s love remains unwavering.
One day, Byeon Hak-do, CEO of a famous entertainment company, appears in her life. He exudes confidence that he can make any woman fall for him. But as Choon-hyang shows no interest in him, his self-esteem is damaged profoundly. Byeon Hak-do is determined to make her love him.
Opinion: Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang (or whatever name you want it to go by) was a throughly enjoyable drama in my opinion. The feel of it was so good; it had a great balance of comedy and romance, with an extra helping of drama. The drama… you can hardly EVER avoid that in a K-drama, so a lot of times I find myself rolling my eyes through it. However, there was something about the drama in this show I didn’t really mind. Maybe it was the acting (very good, I thought). Maybe it was the story. Who knows. Does it matter? Throughout the story I sensed some parallels between Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang and Full House. As I didn’t particularly like the latter drama, I was worried this show would take the same route. BUT! I think, ultimately, Delightful Girl knocked Full House out of the water. Although there was some major tension between the main characters, as well similar “other-man/woman” relationships, I felt these aspects played out with much more clarity, humor, and humanity. This was something I truly appreciated throughout the show. All in all, I liked this drama very much! I lovedlovedloved the main characters, and truly thought they had a good chemistry. That is one of the most important things to me in any show I watch. I don’t think that everyone would click with this show the in the same way as me, but I really think it was a good watch.
Soundtrack Selection: Im Hyung-joo – 행복하길바래
Evasive Inquiry Agency
| Genre: Mystery, comedy Episodes: 16 Aired: 2007 Watched: 03/08 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Lee Min Ki, Ye Ji Won, Ryu Seung Soo, Lee Eun Song, Park Hee Soon |
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Synopsis: Moo Yeol is a taekwondo instructor who falls for Eun Jae at first sight when she comes and asks him to help her find gold treasures at the agency. Hee Kyung is a tarot card master and Yong Soo is a manhwa shop owner who passes his days with no dreams nor hopes but gets involved in the gold hunting simply for fun. Moo Yeol, Hee Kyung, and Yong Soo gather together at the empty Inquiry Agency office and they discover a dead corpse in the basement. The four of them later decide to start a treasure hunting project.
This is also a drama without a love story.
Opinion: A crime has been committed against this show: it has been extremely underrated. And I expect it’s for one of stupidest reasons ever! It doesn’t revolve around romance. No, it does not wrench your heart constantly through any will-they-won’t-they, nor does it employ a love quadrangle, like you might expect with a cast of two males and two females. Mixed-Up Investigative Agency–a name I prefer to it’s more common title, Evasive Inquiry Agency–is all about mystery, treasure hunting, and most importantly: friendship. There is so much comedy to boot. Lee Min Ki completely won me over with his extremely lovable portrayal of Moo Yeol, one of the most wild (yet human) characters in drama-dom. In fact, all of the actors/characters were amazing. Even if some of them aren’t as well known as others, I didn’t think there was much lacking in the acting department.
This drama is really out of the ordinary when it comes to story. The whole time our characters are searching for treasure; it’s something you wouldn’t expect to be that interesting, but it’s so much fun. It provides so much material for other things, like character growth, friendship, mystery, and so on. Aren’t those things usually awesome? I think so, at least.
Even this though this show doesn’t center around romance, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t any romance. In fact, the kind of romance they touched on was so adorable. As a fan of subtlety, I felt they really did a good job with romantic story lines without sacrificing the greater story. All in all, I think this is a great drama. I started it while I was really busy with school, and I still found time in my schedule to finish it quite fast. I totally recommend it.
Soundtrack Selection: Bubble Sisters – 사랑을 찾아서
Flowers for My Life
| Genre: Romance Episodes: 16 Aired: 2007 Watched: 11/08-02/09 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Cha Tae Hyun, Kang Hye Jung, Kim Ji Hoon, Gong Hyun Joo |
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Synopsis: Na Hana loves money more than anything. she left her home town for Seoul. She decided that the only way she could be with money is to marry a rich man who will die soon. She soon meets Yoon Ho Sang, a young man who is a poor, troublemaker, and also loves money, but is in diguise of a very rich man who died. these two meet and soon love sparks but Ho Sang has a serious cancer problem which he first lied to a man who he owes money to.
Opinion: Okay, so for me Flowers for My Life (sometimes called, I Came in Search of Flowers) didn’t exactly live up to the really emphatic love certain people have expressed for it. HOWEVER, I think that it was a phenomenal drama. I can’t put my finger on why I didn’t completely click with it, but I was able to take a lot away from this show. I suppose what I found myself getting frustrated with was the will-they won’t-they relationship deal. They’re together. They’re not. They’re together again. Oh, they broke up again… WAIT, are they getting back together? It was just an emotional strain for me in a time I was looking for a little relief from life’s stress. Also, my eyes were begging for this show to stop killing off people without warning–I got so teary while I watched this drama! Seriously, if you want to watch Flowers for My Life, make sure you are on your guard about death (it’s around every corner! Which is actually very realistic). But those were my main complaints, and I don’t have much else to whine about.
What I loved about this drama was the way they underlined the importance of living every day fully. Live every day like it’s your last–it’s a concept we’ve heard about SO often, but the more reminding we get, the better. At some point they quoted Ganhdi: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Quite eloquent.
Even though Flowers for My Life revolves around death, it’s surprisingly really funny and lighthearted for the most part. It’s a very touching show, so don’t worry about it being some kind of obnoxious melodrama. And GUH, the last episode made up for anything I didn’t like about it in the past. It was the perfect finale.
So… the final consensus (between me, myself, and I) is that this was a show worth watching. However, I would venture to say it’s not for everyone. It’s not action-y, nor is it particularly addictive. Despite it’s lack of “speed,” it’s the kind of thing that sticks with you. And that is very special.
Full House
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 16 Aired: 2004 Watched: 07/07 Quality:  Lovability:  Starring: Bi (Rain), Song Hye Gyo, Han Eun Jung, Kim Sung Soo |
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Synopsis: Han Ji Eun is a naive writer who got swindled out of everything she owned including her house by her best friends. Stranded in China, She managed to borrow money from an actor Lee Young Jae to return to Korea. In an attempt to get her possessions back, she entered in a contract marriage with Young Jae for one year. In spite of losing all, Ji Eun manages to be cheerful and takes things in strike and the business relationship between the two becomes personal as they start to rely and care for each other.
Opinion: When I finished this drama, I was able to say that I liked it. In retrospect, I’m not sure why. I’m honestly very perplexed by that conclusion. I probably would be a little less harsh if Full House wasn’t known was one of the best K-dramas of “all time.” I don’t know if I am missing something, but I didn’t see any great display of acting, remarkable chemistry, or anything heart-warming… at all. It had about five moments I could count as sincerely wonderful, while the rest disappointed me very much. I think this was the fourth K-drama I watched, so people, I was still naive enough to believe every show I watched would spit out wonderfulness. The plot sounds pretty intriguing, but it’s so contrived in reality. Ji Eun’s friends are the most annoying friends in all of K-drama history (not to mention, one of them gets pregnant in the first episode, and doesn’t even look pregnant many months later). Bi/Rain plays a freaking butt; he is obviously going to be your typical, cocky celebrity for the first part, but he really only gets worse once he starts falling for Ji Eun. As a result, we see all characters lie, manipulate, abuse, and every other thing that I generally dislike. And they expect us to see these things as ways the main characters get closer. I am having none of it. This show really dragged on and on to top it off. I really feel sorry about giving such a harsh review, but I am a bit fed up with seeing people say how great this show is without even explaining why. I really do know there were cute and good moments, and I can see why those are “classic” and noteworthy. However, in this case, the bad far outweighed the good. I am completely stumped by the hype.
Soundtrack Selection: Why – Un Myung (Destiny)
Goong/Princess Hours
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 24 Aired: 2006 Watched: 05/07 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Yoon Eun Hye, Joo Ji Hoon, Kim Jeong Hoon, Song Ji Hyo, Im ye Jin, Kang Nam Gil, Kim Hye Ja |
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Synopsis: Goong is a story about young love in face of tradition, politics, and intrigue. In the imaginary world, modern-day Korea is a constitutional monarchy and the Royal Family lives in a grand Palace, the Goong. Story opens with the sudden death of the reigning the King. Faced with the decreasing popularity among the public for the Royalty, a grand wedding for the Crown Prince, Lee Shin (Joo Ji Hoon), is decided to be the best publicity move to improve the image of the Royalty and at the same time prepare Shin for immediate succession. The intended bride? The headstrong, awkward, and sweet spirited Shin Chae-kyung (Yoon Eun Hye) that just happens to go to the same exclusive art school. Chae-kyung was betrothed to become the next Crown Princess by her grandfather and Shin’s grandfather.
After 14 years of living in England with his mom, Lee Yul (Kim Jeong Hoon) appears all of a sudden. He is Shin’s cousin as well as the former Crown Prince. Everything seemed to be going normally until Chae-kyung’s optimistic spirit wins the heart of internally lonely, Yul. As the Crown Prince Shin and simple-minded Chae-kyung’s relationship appear to developing deeper feelings, a series of scandals are exposed to the public right after the pair were officially announced married. Will love prevail all in a world of political pressures and martial hardships? Or will being in the spotlight of the public be too much for the young newlyweds to endure?
Opinion: This is the one that started it all. The great obsession. My first drama! It’s hard for me to say anything bad about it, really. Goong is amazingly gorgeous in so many ways. The sets, costumes, everything; it’s all so detailed and (uh-oh, I’m going to use a phrase that makes me gag lol) a feast for the eyes. The premise for the show is really attractive to me. Stories that include either royalty or arranged marriage usually hook me simply because they are such foreign concepts. The fact that Goong has both is just shocking, and of course I fell for it. In substance, I think this show has ample amounts of intrigue, romance, and OF COURSE: drama. In case you were wondering, Goong eats drama for breakfast. Looking back, I think this stands out to me more than anything. I really need to see it again to give you my best review, but I feel like even WITH all of the drama, it still found its way into my heart (aww lol). I don’t think the acting was particularly outstanding, but it never bothered me either. I think the way this drama built up romance was amazing; Shin and Chae-Kyung will always be one of my favorite on-screen couples. There is a lot of “interference” from the side characters, which drove me absolutely mad, but it’s something that can be gotten past. I’m sure I am not very convincing in all of my gushings, but I implore you to at least give Goong a chance. I have heard a lot of people condemn it for it’s faults, but I don’t think its faults were great enough to completely ignore this wonderful show.
Soundtrack Selection: J & HowL – Perhaps Love
Goong S/Prince Hours
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 20 Aired: 2007 Watched: 05-06/07 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Se7en, Heo Yi Jae, Kang Doo, Park Shin, Myung Se Bin, Lee Ki Young (also: Song Baek Kyung of 1TYM) |
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Synopsis: The Empress (Myung Se Bin) is in her early 30s, but she is still not married. Since, the 1st successor to the throne died, the royal family is in search for a new successor. Incidentally, they come to know of a young man who was in fact a son of the prince to a woman who left the Palace for her to be able to keep her pregnancy a secret. The young man’s name was Lee Hoo (Se7en), more commonly known to his friends as Kang Hoo. Lee Hoo worked as a delivery boy at a Chinese restaurant, and was known for his 7-minute maximum delivery time. Lee Hoo had been brought up as more of a punk than a prince so his habits and his way of conversing were very different from the people of royal blood. Although he had never dreamed of living in the Palace, he one day finds himself immersing himself in its grandeur and improving himself to prove that he indeed deserves to be called the Successor to the throne.
He soon finds out that not only will he be facing lessons to the path of royalty, and dilemmas of love and of stature, but he will also learn to compete for the position he had been, first and foremostly, called for.
Opinion: Goong S is not to be compared with Goong. If you know that, I think your experience with this drama will be improved vastly. Aesthetically, it matches very well with Goong. However, the story is different. The WRITING is different. The characters are different. The ACTORS are different. That being said, it has it’s charms. Se7en plays the cocky Kang/Lee Hoo; a completely silly boy. He is probably best described as a childish misfit in need of polishing. His uncouth behavior makes him rather unlikable in he beginning, but he starts growing in maturity as he takes on responsibilities. It is interesting, because with you cannot have responsibility without burden. Se7en’s character experiences this, and I thought this was an interesting point to explore. Lee Hoo definitely struggles with royal responsibility differently than his female counterpart of the popular Goong. The secondary characters are very… dramatic. They are pretty cliche as drama characters go. The love interest is not terrible, but she is a martyr so often. There is also the trouble of the (surprise!) love-quadrangle. The love stories are rather farfetched. I mean, two princes going after an average sort of palace maid? A wealthy and annoying girl balancing said princes? It just doesn’t make sense to me. The story though… all in all, it wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t great either. I still don’t regret watching it. It had it’s good moments, bad moments, whatever moments… It was Goong S.
Soundtrack Selection: HowL – Miracle
Hello! Miss/Baby
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 16 Aired: 2007 Watched: 09/07 Quality:  Lovability: Starring: Lee Ji Hoon, Lee Da Hae, Ha Suk Jin, Yoon Mi Joo |
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Synopsis: Lee Soo Ha, 38th granddaughter of the Jae Ahn Lee clan and owner of the clan manor Hwa Ahn Dang, is trying to save the place from going bankrupt. Hwang Dong Gyu, oldest grandson of the president of TOP Group, is trying to buy Hwa Ahn Dang because his grandfather, who was once a servant at the manor, cannot rest in peace unless he spends his last days in Hwa Ahn Dang’s master suite. Hwang Chan Min, Dong Gyu’s playboy cousin, is his rival in business and love. Enter Seo Hwa Ran, a model who has a secret history with and a secret plan for Hwa Ahn Dang (and Chan Min), and Lee Joon Yong, Soo Ha’s brother and Chan Min’s friend who can’t forget a girl from Hwa Ahn Dang he knew when he was a kid…
Opinion: Since watching Hello! Miss I have read that it wasn’t received very well. I have to admit that it probably erred on the side of being too slow. Sometimes that isn’t so bad though, is it? I didn’t find myself wanting to watch episode after episode, but I definitely wanted to know what every new development was. The characters are pretty cute in this, though they can be a bit irritating. I loved Lee Da Hae in My Girl but her acting was a little overdone in this drama. It’s okay. I really did like this show, I promise, but there isn’t very much to be said about it. If you get your hands on it, I wouldn’t stop you from watching it. However, I wouldn’t put it on the top of my list. It’s great for rainy days; there are lots of cute and “omg” moments, but it’s never going to be a classic.
Soundtrack Selection: Miya – Stay by my Side
My Girl
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 16 Aired: 2005-2006 Watched: 06/07 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Lee Dong Wook, Lee Da Hae, Lee Jun Ki, Par Si Yeon |
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Synopsis: When Gong-chan (Lee Dong-wook) meets the lively and beautiful Yu-rin (Lee Da-hae), he finds out that she has connections to his missing cousin, who his grandfather has been searching for a long time. He asks Yu-rin to lie about being his long missing cousin until he can find his real cousin. She says yes, but soon their feelings for each other get in the way of their plans. Gong-chan’s friend Jung-woo (Lee Joon Ki) falls for Yu-rin while Gong-chan’s ex girlfriend, Seo-hyun (Park Si Yeon), who is a pro tennis player, tries to win him back. Will the two ever tell each other how they feel? Will Gong-chan ever find his real sister? My Girl was a Top Ten hit in Korea in 2006, aided by the appearance of hot new actor, Lee Joon Ki.
Opinion: Oh. My. Gosh. My Girl is a drama that gets every ounce of hype it deserves. The characters are so lovable; in this case, I think every actor really falls into his or her role. When I first got through with it I almost felt exhausted because I had become so attached to it. I felt tired emotionally because it is such an up and down show, but I really didn’t mind. I loved it, in fact. The plot sounds confusing and far-fetched, but it works wonderfully and it was really intriguing. To say it a little simpler than the above synopsis, Gong Chan and Yoo Rin do not get very good first impressions of each other, yet they wind up pretending to be cousins for the sake of Gong Chan’s grandfather. At first they have a “strictly” work relationship, but as time goes on it’s clear that neither of them really feels like that. The trouble is, the family has accepted Yoo Rin as one of their own, completely believing she is a blood relative. Their web of lies becomes incredibly thick, causing so much emotional turmoil. Matters are made more confusing by the love of Seo Hyun and Jung Woo, the two main side characters. It’s really quite the drama, in every sense of the word. The romance in this show is just… I can’t explain it. I have yet to see it quite like this in any other show. I obviously love this show, but I can’t go without mentioning that it wasn’t perfect. Lee Junki’s character is a freaking faucet lol. Park Si Yeon’s character is a complete witch. Lee Da Hae can be very exaggerated in her acting, but it works well in this show; still, it’s something that can be a little trying at times. The ending was oh-so slightly disappointing to me, but it still ended in a satisfactory manner. I’m just picky. Great drama.
Theme Song: Mario & Nesty – Never Say Goodbye
My Name is Kim Sam Soon or “My Lovely Sam Soon”
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 16 Aired: 2005 Watched: 08/08 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Kim Sun Ah, Hyun Bin, Jung Ryu Won, Daniel Henney |
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Synopsis: Kim Sam Soon (Kim Sun Ah) is a baker who has a talent in making pastries and cakes. On Christmas Eve, she caught her boyfriend, Min Hyun Woo (Lee Kyu Han), cheating on her and breaks up on the same night. On that same night, she accidentally went into the men’s restroom and met Hyun Jin Hun (Hyun Bin), a somewhat callous fellow but sometimes considerate guy. By sheer coincidence, Jin Hun needs a baker for his restaurant Bon Appetit and Sam Soon is unemployed. Sam Soon is hired as the restaurant’s chief baker and the two fights like cat and dog. Nevertheless, they started to have feeling for each other and Sam Soon agreed to post as Jin Hun’s girlfriend so his mother would leave him alone. Things got complicated when Jin Hun’s ex-girlfriend Yoo Hee Jin came back from the States intending to win him back.
Opinion: I have no idea why I didn’t like this drama as much as I thought I would. I guess it would be good for me to go into the specifics, and then we’ll BOTH know. But first, I want to go over what I DID like.
I understand why My Name is Kim Sam Soon has golden status; it has all of the necessary pieces to complete the trendy drama puzzle. It does have a certain spark. There is fun, sassiness, sexual tension, drama, and a twist that makes it “different.” I think what makes this drama different is the lead, Sam Soon. She is “fat” (by Korean standards, I guess), “old” (again, Korean standards), rude, and has a weird name on top of everything. What I really liked for the first few episodes was how Sam Soon’s spunkiness and quirks gave her the edge on her peers in the (greater) K-drama world. I hate dealing with whiny, dependent women in shows. Maybe that’s why I started losing interest when everything got flipped on its head (midway through).
Yeesh, the character development was so bad. Sam Soon turned into a weepy, complaining mess without much warning. Jihun was cutely annoying at first, but he became a complete JERK as time passed. I hate plots with lots of half-justified cheating, and we got so much of that. I didn’t think Heejin was all that bad at first, but by the end I simply felt disappointed in her. Henry was probably my favorite character; his honesty and cheesy encouragements were extremely cute, and I never stopped liking him once.
I don’t think this was the worst drama on earth. I liked it for the most part, but I was very dissatisfied with the way a lot of things worked out. We got a good ending, of course, but there were too many bumps along the way to make MNiKSS a favorite of mine.
Song Selections: Clazziquai – She Is; Jisun (Loveholic) – 이별 못한 이별 [Separation Is Not Separation]
Prosecutor Princess
| Genre: Romance Episodes: 16 Aired: 2010 Watched: 06-07/10 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Kim So-yeon, Park Shi-hoo, Han Jung-soo, Choi Song-hyun |
   
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Synopsis: Ma Hye Ri is a woman with an excellent memory and ability to focus, which allowed her to pass the bar exam with ease. Despite her talents, she is more interested in being fashionable and dislikes hard work so she is far from being an ideal prosecutor and has doubts about her suitability for her job. Through her conflicts with senior colleages and struggles with difficult cases, however, Hye Ri gradually matures into a brilliant prosecutor with a sense of duty and justice.
Opinion: When I first heard about Prosecutor Princess, it was low on my list of dramas I wanted to watch. It just didn’t seem like my thing; I usually don’t go for anything that has to do with law because I tend to get bored. However, I saw a lot of people saying it was one of the best dramas they’d seen this year, which is high praise! I’m so glad I decided to watch it.
There is something unconventional about this drama. It has a lot of your typical drama tropes and cliches, but it leads you along with a lot of intrigue. It’s somehow different than things I’ve seen in the past. The first few episodes are a touch difficult to get through because Ma Hye-ri is very self-centered; few people would be able to relate to her, actually. Seo In-woo is what kept me going for a bit, but then I just fell in love with all of it. In-woo (played by Park Shi-hoo, guhhh) is an incredible character though; it’s important to tell you that. He’s adorable and mysterious and… I loved him from start to finish. As I said before, Hye-ri is unbearable early on, but later you get to love her and all her quirks. Kim So-yeon is an incredible actress!
The supporting cast is really good. It’s not like other dramas in that way. You get to “know” (or at least recognize) a lot of characters and they all have substance to them. Sometimes I feel like dramas focus so much on the main characters that everyone else is just ghost-like and unbelievable. As a side note, Han Jung-soo (aka Yoon Se Joon) is a major hottie. Major. Majormajormajor. Very manly, too.
I never got bored or tired of Prosecutor Princess. This is incredibly amazing to me because I haven’t been able to finish a K-drama in almost a year because I keep getting disappointed. This show had its ups and downs, but nothing ever happened that made me want to quit or fast-forward. The end was nice too, because it wasn’t like it had to be rainbows and butterflies (I really hate it when dramas end in a way that doesn’t stay true to the tone of rest of the episodes). It was realistic (but… dare I say? satisfying).
Anyway, I loooooved this drama heaps and heaps and I can easily say it’s one of my favorite dramas yet. I didn’t fall head over heels, but I loved it with a constant and enduring love. It’s just that kind of show. I totally recommend it!
Soundtrack Selections: 김유경 – 사랑해본 적 있나요, Monday Kiz – Goodbye My Princess
The Snow Queen
| Genre: Romance, drama Episodes: 16 Aired: 2006-2007 Watched: 08/07 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Hyun Bin, Sung Yuri, Im Ju Hwan, Yoo In Young |
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Synopsis: At 17, Tae Woong (Hyun Bin), a mathmatical genius, meets two people who will later become people he loves. One becomes his best friend and the other, his love.
Tae Woong’s best friend, Kim Jeong Kyu (Lee Sun Ho), also classified as a genius, competes for academic accolades. After Tae Woong beats him in an international math Olympiad Jeong Kyu commits suicide. During this same time, Tae Woong meets a little girl who develops a crush on him. However, he loses touch with her without finding out her name.
These tragic events take their toll on the rest of Tae Woong’s life. At 25, eight years later, Tae Woong is now a third class boxer and in unexpected events, finds Bo Ra (Sung Yu Ri), the little girl he once knew. Although this winter will be very cold and scary, winter is not the end of the seasons, but the beginning of the hope for a greater love.
Opinion: I’m actually a little surprised that The Snow Queen hasn’t gotten more love. I can’t quite put my finger on the reason why, but I loved this drama to absolute pieces. I saw it marked as a melodrama somewhere, and I suppose I can see that a little. However, it wasn’t something that ever bothered me. I absolutely fell in love with Hyun Bin in this drama, and I really enjoyed Sung Yuri as Bo Ra. Drama absolutely defines this show, but not in the normal sense. Every event seems to wind up being connected by the end of the story, something that may annoy a few people, but I (much to my chagrin) actually liked that. The romantic moments in the drama killed me. They are so beautiful and meaningful and wow. If you haven’t heard already, The Snow Queen is full of sadness. I normally hate that, but I didn’t mind because of the way they presented it. I even cried, a rare event for me when I watch things. The characters have such big emotional burdens in the beginning of the story, but by the end they don’t seem like burdens anymore. But oh. I just have to tell you that even just thinking back on The Snow Queen is making me feel sad. It’s the good kind of sad though, you know what I mean? I really loved this drama. Really really. I can’t help recommend it to everyone. As a side note, the soundtrack is beautiful. It introduced me to Loveholic, something I am forever grateful for lol.
Soundtrack Selection: Loveholic – 메아리 [Echo]
Soulmate
| Genre: Comedy, romance Episodes: 12 Aired: 2006 Watched: 04-05/09 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Shin Dongwook, Lee Sookyung, Choi Phillip, Sa Kang, Otani Ryohei, Jan Mi In Ae |
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Synopsis: “It is easier to stir up a women’s heart than to drink wine.” Dong-wook, a playboy who no one can even dare to follow. “My boyfriend of 5 years!! He is definitely my soulmate!!” Soo-kyung, a girl who only looks at one man like a sunflower; a perfect, pure hearted character. Two people who have never seen each other, and who live on the opposite sides of the world from each other live and love in their own way, but from some point on they start to move towards the same dream and feel the same physiological feelings. Two people who have met by fate in a world full of mixed up fates. Now, the most amazing things, which no one could have ever thought of, start to unfold between the two.
Opinion: Soulmate was one of the most satisfying dramas I have seen in forever. I think somewhere in the first episode I was rooting for it finish in such a way that wouldn’t ruin it. I wish this for every drama I watch, but this was too good to be spoiled by bad writing, or acting, or plot-lines. I can happily say that I gave a sigh of (happy) relief as the finale ended.
I’m trying to find a way to squish all that I feel about this show into one compact review, but I can feel myself failing already. Still, I’ll try. In short, Soulmate was funny, touching, and poignant. The drama explores a handful of different relationships between several people who are all connected in one way or another. It’s extremely hard to predict exactly where things are going or how they will end; even though some couples seem compatible, do they choose fate or make their own? Ah, it’s a good question–the drama makes you wonder about the ideas of “fate” and “soulmates.” I found myself watching it with a grin on my face for the most part, and for the rest I don’t even know what I looked like–sympathetic? Sappy? Possibly. Soulmate simply makes you do more than watch: it makes you think and feel.
As with all dramas, there were a few frustrating and emotional ways that plot-lines worked out, but the end made me forgive all. Surprisingly, said end is ambiguous. The drama leaves plenty of room for a second season, and that’s probably because there was one planned originally. However, the producer moved on from the series so the idea was dropped. It’s too bad, but I was actually pleased with the open-ended way the series finished. Still, some people may be annoyed by that kind of thing, so here is your warning.
Finally, I loved, loved, LOVED the soundtrack for this drama. It was on par with Coffee Prince, which I feel is saying a lot. Whenever I wasn’t WATCHING Soulmate I was listening to the songs from it! In fact, I think the core of this show is music. A lot of the plot surrounds music, and it’s key in a lot of scenes. As a huge fan of music, I greatly approve of this.
All in all, it was such a lovely drama. I don’t feel like I wasted a second watching it.
Song Selections: Lasse Lindh – C’mon Through; Nouvelle Vague – In a Manner of Speaking
Who Are You?
| Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 17 Aired: 2008 Watched: 05/08 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Yoon Kye San, Go Ara, Jin Yi Han, Kang Nam Gil, Kim Sun Eun, Lee Eon, Lee Min Jung |
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Synopsis: Cha Seung Hyo is an abandoned child who gets adopted in the United States and grows up to be a cold hearted person. Son Il Gun is a father who died, but he left things unfinished with his daughter. In order to make sure that his daughter is provided for he controls Seung Hyo’s body for three hours a day for 49 days. He buys his daughter the things he couldn’t do when he was alive with Seung Hyo’s money. Il Gun’s daughter, Young In, is a quick-tempered girl who meets Seung Hyo during her part-time job. At first she has a bad impression of him but she gradually starts to fall for the lonely Seung Hyo who is unable to open up to anyone else because of his bitter past.
Opinion: Ah, I have to admit that I was eagerly anticipating this drama since I heard it announced. The concept just seems so fascinating, not to mention it sounds like a breeding ground for hilarity. And that is completely true of it. Even though death is a huge aspect of Who Are You?, there are so many laugh-out-loud moments. It really was one of the funniest dramas I’ve seen so far. Still, it’s not like Who Are You? cheapens the subject of death. The amount of of melancholy and cute/funny moments is the same, and you are never left feeling like they are making fun of something in the wrong way. I think the story takes a bit of time to gain speed, but I think by the beginning of the second episode, the full feeling of this drama comes together.
I think the best acting was definitely done by Yoon Kye Sang. GIVE THIS MAN AN AWARD! He plays two different characters really, and shows so many different levels of each. Wow. He blew me away. Go Ara wasn’t bad, but I’d like to see her grow as an actress. Kang Nam Gil was great (as always; I have seen him in so much by now). I never really thought about how hard it might be to play a ghost, but after seeing this I can see that it would be really tough.
As far as our couple, even though there are 10-11ish years between Cha Seung Hyo and Son Young In, their relationship never feels very weird. I would venture to say that their romance felt a bit rushed at some points, but the overall impression it gave was good. I always love a well-executed romantic plot. And you’d think the fact that our female character sees her father in the same person she falls for would provide a lot of trouble… it doesn’t like you’d think. So, you can rest your mind at ease if you are concerned this is going to be some creepy kind of melodrama. Actually, all of the relationships in this drama are pretty well done. You really just have to watch and see how they go for yourself.
As a last note, the soundtrack… there are some beautiful tracks on there. As you can see, I went a little overboard with the uploads hehe. I just really liked the music used. I guess it’s just part of my all-encompassing love for this drama. I thought it was so cute and touching; it’s definitely one I will want to watch again some day. And that’s a huge thumbs up from me.
Soundtrack Selections: Loveholic – 기억할게요; 한집 (Han Jip) – Merry Go Round; 우미진 (Woo Mi Jin) – 눈물나는 사람 너야…
You’re Beautiful
| Genre: Comedy Episodes: 16 Aired: 2009 Watched: 08/10 Quality: Lovability: Starring: Jang Geun-suk, Park Shin-hye, Lee Hong-ki, Jung Yong-hwa, UEE |
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Synopsis: The management company of the idol group A.N.JELL insisted on adding a new singer to the group as the lead vocal, Tae Kyung’s voice was hurting. However,the new member, Mi Nam, had to go to the States to repair a botched eye job just before signing the contract. His agent came up with the idea of having his twin sister, Mi Nyu,to stand in for him and pretend that she was her brother. The two of them grew up in an orphanage and Mi Nyu, who was all set to become a nun, agreed to this charade as she didn’t want to spoil her brother’s chance of fame which would make it easier to look for their mother.
Opinion: You’re Beautiful was in an incredible experience. I haven’t watched a drama this good in SO LONG. I honestly cannot remember the last time I was so fully pleased with a show.
Jang Geun-suk blew me out of the water with his performance. I knew he had talent, but I had no idea that he could fill out a character so well. You actually believe that Hwang Tae-kyung is alive and walking around because of how well he’s acted. Park Shin-hye is also incredible. The last full drama I saw her in was Goong S and sheesh, she’s grown leaps and bounds since that time. Lee Hong-ki as Jeremy is also fantastic; he doesn’t have a big part, but he does well with everything he’s given. I wasn’t too sure about Jung Yong-hwa at first, but by the end of the drama he is a pretty decent actor. UEE was also better than I thought. In general, the acting is very noteworthy and it helps make the drama as good as it is.
However, I believe the best thing about this drama is the writing. It is never mind-blowingly complex or anything, but it’s believable, touching, and funny as all get out. In the first episode I was literally rolling on my bed with laughter, and in episode 14… I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much at a drama before (one word: fan-fic). Sure, there were plenty of moments that were less than perfect, but the good times outweighed the bad by so much.
The entire drama had me in love. I was so happy to watch every episode. Many times I would quiver with excitement while waiting for the newest episode to start (what a rarity!). I never hesitated to continue watching. There weren’t any moments that were so horrible or annoying that I felt frustrated to the point of taking a break. For me, this is a mark of a good drama. I suppose some people would be annoyed with a few aspects, but if you just accept that it’s all pure fiction I don’t know what kind of issue you could have that would make you irritated enough to stop.
The momentum slows around the last two episodes. At first I was bothered by this, but looking back I think it was for the best. I only have a dull ache of missing this show. Perhaps if it was go-go-go until the end, I’d be left with that horrible drama-letdown that I don’t wish on anyone. Instead of ending with explosions and fireworks, it ended with a sweet sonata. It’s hard to explain. I just kept thinking, “This is perfect,” even though it wasn’t how I would have planned it. Heck, they even used a Miley Cyrus song near the end and I was basically crying because I loved it so much. How can you argue with a drama that has the ability to do that (seriously, that moment was maybe my favorite moment of the entire show). Over all, this drama truly nailed things. It was a beautiful balance of lighthearted moments and meaningful scenes. I would recommend it to anyone times a thouuuuusand (it’s even better if you’re into K-pop, because you’ll truly get every reference).
Soundtrack Selection: ALL OF IT!