Tag: KDrama

Because This is My First Life (Kdrama Review & Summary)

KDrama, JDrama, TwDrama, ThDrama, FDrama, CDrama, HKDrama

South Korean Drama 2017

Because This is My First Life (Kdrama Review & Summary)

 

  • Genre: Romance, Marriage, Contract Marriage
  • Date Released: 2017
  • Origin: South Korea
  • KDrma: 16 Episodes

Cast:

 

Episode 1

This is a rather tender love story.  It stars the gorgeous Jung So-Min and a return to the small screen for Lee Min-ki in a leading role after 10 years.

I would watch anything with Jung So-min in it because she is such a good actress and she has that fresh and bright screen presence, which I like.

I was really pleasantly surprised by this drama.  There are a lot of things going on with the various characters.  But in the middle of it all is a tender and sweet developing love story between two lonely and rather reserved individuals.

Jung So-min plays Yoon Ji-ho, a 30-year-old assistant writer of melodrama who is being taken advantage by workmates and family and became homeless.  By sheer coincidence, she ended up renting a spare room with Nam-se-hee (played by Lee Min-ki).

Se-hee at 38 had his life planned in minute details.  He owns his apartment by way of a mortgage, which he hoped to have paid in 12 years time and is scrimping every penny to do so.

Nam-se-hee has rented out his spare room but had had bad luck with tenants until he met Ji-ho. She was ideal for him.  She is quite house-proud.  When writing, she would clean and polish every surface in the house to get her inspiration.  She also loves Kitty, Se-hee’s cat.  That’s not all she avidly does the recycling.  And to top it all, she loves football/soccer.  She support Arsenal just like Se-hee and they would spend time watching the game on tv. To prevent any complication they had a contract where they agreed that they can not like each other in a romantic way.

Se-hee’s parents are pressuring him to settle down and get married.  Se-hee asked Ji-ho to marry him but Ji-ho had to turn him down as she equates marriage with love and affection, not just a landlord and tenant in a contractual marriage.  She wants the real deal..

Ji-ho moved out but found that she was lonelier and so does Se-hee.  He was missing her.

I love that Se-hee is beginning to loosen up a bit from being very uptight.  It is very slowly but really rather sweet to watch.

In episodes 3-4, after Ji-ho was assaulted by a drunk actor, whom she had a crush on for three years, Ji-ho was at her lowest ebb.  This finally drove her to accept Se-hee’s proposal of marriage.

It is a sweet love story and Min-ki and So-Min have a good chemistry.

I can’t wait for tonight’s episode. This drama is made up of 16 episodes shown every Mondays and Tuesdays  Yey!

I do highly recommend this drama.  In the first episode there was that conversation about the neocortex.  The neocortex is that part of the brain that gives you memory and sensory. The neocortex is the price humans have to pay for evolution.

Episodes 5 & 6

Woah what happened to the gentle and tender love story developing between the leads?  In these episode they have gotten married but before you can say honeymoon period, the gravity that pulled them together is now putting them asunder. Friction no less.

I supposed you can see a mile off when Ji-ho behaved like a new bride and develop a cute proprietorial affection to her husband, Kitty, the cat and the house, that Se-hee can only pull back.  He doesn’t do affection from a wife or anybody.  He wanted a paying tenant.  His goal is clear to him.  He wanted the marriage to last for 2 years, until then they will go their separate way. still platonic, bordering on being really strangers to prevent any complication.  He wanted to live alone in his little flat where he wanted to die alone as well.  This situation of course saddened the already lonely Ji-oo.  She was so embarrassed that she put back all her defences on high alert.  It is war! 🙂

I am so looking forward to how this story develops next weeks.

Episodes 7-8

After walking out from her writing job, Ji-hoo found a part-time job as a waitress at a nearby coffee shop called YOLO (You Only Live Once) from her husband’s workplace.  It was only time that he sees her.  And he did.  He saw his young missus astride an expensive motorcycle with a young gorgeous man.  He felt a twinge of jealousy but stopped himself because she was a wife in name only.

The young man is Bok Nam, teases Ji-Hoo with “if you have a husband, can’t you have a boyfriend?”  Which concerns her as she feels the loneliness from her pretend marriage.  Bok Nam continued to shower her with time and affection, treating her very well in a touchy feely sort of way, even buying her a hair grip and a book.  Very different from her stoic husband.

The end of episode 8 was very uplifting!  It looks like a happy ending afterall for Ji-hoo and Se Hee.  She thinks that love exists as Se hee extends his hand to her asking her to go home with him.

Episodes 9-10

There was a bit of misunderstanding.  Se Hee, after receiving various misinformation, thought that Bok Nam was the stalker and rapist in a dating site Se Hee’s work have been running. Thus, he thought that Ji-hoo was in danger.  Se Hee, very out of character, kicked the very expensive motorcycle.

Bok Nam actually was quite innocent.  He was a victim of identity theft.

The hand-holding did not last long.  Again Se Hee explained in detail that they can’t be any more than landlord and tenant because after their contract marriage is over, the impact on Ji-ho will be immense as a woman and much younger than him.

He is really getting on my nerves 🙁  He will step towards her and then pull back.  Poor Ji Ho.  Bok Nam teases her that she has a one-sided love for her husband.  Ji Ho was a bit concerned but she can’t help herself.

Bok Nam told Ji hoo that he forgave her husband from destroying his motorcycle because he said something lovely about Ji hoo.  Apparently Se Hee respect her and she is a good defender (as in football).  She knows how to look after herself and their relationship.

But this again did not last long because Se Hee said that she failed her defender role by kowtowing to his parents.  He was very upset when Ji Ho went to help out on the memorial day of his family.  He paid Ji ho for all her effort with 100,000 KRW ($90).  Ji Ho was rather insulted and said that the payment was not enough, he had to work in her family farm in the week and make kimchee.

Episodes 11

OMG this episodes’s last 5 minutes  is the business.  It was so darn cute.  I can’t wait for it to be subtitled when I first watched it raw.  The kissing was terrifically passionate.

Woah Se Hee was  so manly and sexily forceful.  LOL

Thank goodness, I thought from the trailer last week that it was going to be a dream, the seaside kissing,  I mean.  But no siree!  Se Hee said that he had been meaning to correct Ji Ho’s bus stop kiss.  He said that was not a kiss, not even a peck.  It was just momentary touching of lips.  He then proceeded to snog her face.  He then asked if she understood and would she like him to show her once more?  Our good girl, Ji Ho, said yes.  … and more kisses.

It looks like it would be a rather romantic episode tomorrow based on the trailer.  But there was a quick shot of Se Hee ex-girldfriend.  Nooooo

We have only another 5 episodes.  We don’t want heartbreaks, we don’t want misunderstanding.  We want lots of loving, a lot of affectionate activities, plenty more of tonsil hockey and probably some tasteful under the sheets frolicking.  LOL

Episode 12

What can I say?  This is the episode that we have been waiting.  For an hour or so, it packed quite a dramatic, romantic, comedic and at the same time melancholic vignettes.

There were so much kissing between Se Hee and Ji Ho (I like)  It was so hilarious at the start when Ji Ho was really into it while here mobile was ringing.  Se Hee was a good sport, he continued kissing while alerting her of the ringing phone. Phenomenal.

This drama really is of three couples.  Se Hee and Ji Ho of course are in the middle of it.

Ji Ho has a couple of bffs since middle school,  Soo Ji and Ho Rang.

Soo Ji has a high powered corporate job, where she constantly suffers from sexual harassment from colleagues.  Soo Ji puts up with it most times but now and again she strikes back.  She started dating Ma Sang-goo, the CEO of where Se Hee works.  As much as Sang-goo wants to get even closer to Soo Ji, she rebuffs his advances.  She wanted to keep it casual.  She said that she lives in a shitty situation and does not want to drag Sang-goo into it.

I must say that their relationship is fun and romantic.  I love their teasing and being very sexual and yet tender romance.  Esom (Soo Ji) & Park Byung Eun (Mr Ma) have a lovely chemistry.  You actually believe their love affair.  At first I was rather surprised about Park Byung Eun.  I have only seen him playing the shady/baddy characters in dramas in the past.  He was actually fanciable as a leading man.

As to Ho Rang, she has the most heart-rending story.  She is living with her boyfriend, Won Seok, of 7 years on the small top floor apartment overlooking great scenic view of Seoul.

Her raison d’etre was to get married and be a good stay-at-home housewife.  With some manipulation she was finally able to make Won Seok, pop the question.  She happily planned a rather lavish wedding, thinking that they have enough money, after all they have been saving at least a 1000 KRW a month.  Unbeknown to her Won Seok had hardly put anything as his company was not making any money.  In fact he gave up his company and now worked as a salary man with Mr Ma and Se Hee.

Ho Rang, though very sad, won’t say anything, which only troubled and stressed Won Seok.  He knew that they are dancing around the issues of marriage, wedding and money and careful not to go into these as it would lead to a point of no return.

Won Seok had to sadly ask Ho Rang to postpose the wedding for another 5 years.  Ho Rang reminded him that she will be 35 in 5 years and have been together for 12 years.  Won Seok, with breaking heart asked her to break up. hu hu hu  Really sad.

Episode 13 & 14

I have to say I was rather annoyed with how this drama is going as far as Ji Ho and Se Hee are concerned.  Ji Ho is beginning to irritate.  She is so self-obsessed.  Why not give Se Hee a chance.  He is beginning to lighten up and yet Ji Ho seemed not to notice.  He even cooked her omorice for breakfast.

She is now going to ask to end their contract because she thought that she is doing the right thing in giving Se Hee back his freedom to connect with his ex-girlfriend.  Of course Se Hee would only feel rejected… again!

Episode 15 – 16

Lovely ending although I got tired of Ji Ho at episode 15.  She is so self-centred and immature for a 30 year old but then I remember that the title of the drama was Because This is My First Life so it is about hit and miss. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get is so wrong.

I have to admit that they over-use that Room 19 metaphor.  It should be put and disposed to Room 101 because it was so corny.  Ji Ho mentioned Room 19 to everyone as if they would know what she was talking about.

There was that glazed look in Se Hee when Ji Ho was once again going on about Room 19.  If it was real life I am pretty sure he would have said “Shut up,  Ji Ho, enough of this I sycophantic twaddle .”  LOL

There was also that that pocketful of stars that she was talking about.  Her mother said that one should keep all the sparkling moments in one’s  star pocket to use up when the going gets tough.

Ji Ho countered that she is divorcing Se Hee to fill her pocket with stars.  I love her mother’s reaction “you are talking nonsense”.  Despite the wordy excitements of Ji Ho the rest of the drama was fantastic.  I love Se Hee’s romantic and emotional side.

It ended well.

 

 

Fated to Love You (You’re My Destiny) Dramas

KDrama, JDrama, TwDrama, ThDrama, FDrama, CDrama, HKDrama

This drama is so good that it has been remade in Korean and currently by Thailand.

The story is about a timid office girl, who would try to do anything and everything to please her office co-workers, who accidentally slept (apparently this can happen 🙂 LOL) with a CEO of a large company.

Three months later, they met again but at this time, the girl found out that she was pregnant.  After a shotgun marriage, the two learned to live together but it was far from smooth sailing.  There were faced it so much emotional upheaval that the girl lost her baby.

Though they loved one another, they thought it was the unborn baby, Doggie Poop, who was holding them together.  So they decided to go on their separate ways.

But as the title says, they were fated to love.  Three years on, they met again.  This time the girl is now successful in her own right so on par with the man.  They finally got together and had a baby or two and lived happily ever after.

To get to a more detailed summary, click on the various versions below.

Fated to Love You (You’re My Destiny) Dramas

Fated to Love You (Taiwanese Version)

This Taiwanese drama is the original version and stars the very watchable Joe Chen and Ethan Ruan. It was made in 2008. They have a sweet, very touching chemistry.

Joe Chen was perfect to play the girl, Chen Xin Yi (Elaine).  She showed so much vulnerability that you feel for her.  You can see all the gamut of emotions running through her face.  Brilliant actress.

Ethan Ruan was a perfect foil to Joe.  He was arrogant and immature and not sure at first what he really wanted until it was too late.

Love them together.

Also, the other characters were also rather adorable. The Grandma was a darling.

Xin Yi’s sisters were hilarious.

The story would make you cry and love at the antics of the other characters.

Fated to Love You (2014 Korean Version)

I love the Taiwanese version so much but I got curious about this Korean one.

OmG.  I was so pleasantly surprised.  It is of course the same story, with a little tweak here and there, but it is still as fresh.

I have to say Jang Hyuk with his evil incessant laughter made me smile.  I think he has never look handsomer than in this drama.  His floppy curls only made him more masculine, sex on two legs as they say, very fanciable! 🙂

Jang Nara of course is perfect to play the female lead, having the same delicate vulnerable face as Joe Chen.

Their chemistry is so hot, rather sexual.  LOL

The opening scene where Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk) being the CEO of a generational soap corp, controls the ads for their new shampoo.  He was not happy with the model who was behaving like a diva.  So he proceeded to show the director and crew how he wanted the ads to look by doing it himself.  Woah sexy!  This, of course, is the beginning of a very sexy drama.  Fated to Love You (Korean)

You’re My Destiny (2017 Thai Version)

The Thai version is very religious in their adaptation of the story.  Both leads are adorable but given a more Thai treatment with all the gangs and guns and stuff.

Also Esther Supreeleela as Wanida had always looked radiant throughout the drama.

The only nod to being plain was wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, otherwise, she was gorgeous throughout.

The male lead Pawit was always easy-going and you would sort of think what he sees in the second female lead who was a bit of a bitch.  LOL

All in all, it is still very enjoyable.

 

Unmei Kara Hajimaru Koi: You Are My Destiny (2020) poster

The leads in this Japanese version, I think, are the most likable.  I love that the male lead is very tall.  His sauntering around in the street with his long manly gait is a treat.

I have to say that I was often left in wonder where he gets all the lovely bars of soap he likes to give away to people.   He often wears wow-tight-jeans/trousers so where does he put them, the soap?!!!

This version ended with Satoh Aya miscarrying the baby and because she was too traumatised and wanted a change of scenery, she opted to go to Okinawa with the second male lead.

She left Kei in tears as he waves her goodbye.

 

13 April 2019 update – Chinese Version

These Eternal Lovers (Xing Zhaolin & Liang Jie) will remake Ethan Juan and Joe Chen’s iconic Fated to Love You.  Yey.

They just held a filming ceremony.

Love, love, love it.

Can’t wait

6 August 2019 Update 

The filming had officially wrapped!

This version follows the framework of the original Taiwanese version.  Though rather sanitised.

Both leads exude electric chemistry as they have worked in several dramas together previously.

They are both good-looking leads and modern, so I feel sometimes that following through the Taiwanese version was a bit senseless at times.

Also Liang Jie often comes over more of a 2D character.  She was so still, she was almost inanimate.

But having said that, it was a good and enjoyable enough version.

 

Go Back Couple (Korean Drama Review & Summary)

KDrama, JDrama, TwDrama, ThDrama, FDrama, CDrama, HKDrama

Kdrama 2017

Go Back Couple (Korean Drama Review & Summary)

  • AKA: Confession Couple
  • Genre: Romance, Family, Time Travel, Fantasy, Comedy, Melodrama
  • Date Released: 2017
  • KDrama: 12 Episodes
  • OST: Windsong by Sohyang

Cast:

I first heard about this drama a couple of months ago.  I heard it was going to be a Jang Na-ra starrer and I looked forward to it.  Jang Na-ra has a delicate expressive face, which never ages.  I love her, there is always vulnerability to her acting, that gets or speaks to me.

Go Back Couple is a time travel drama, shown on Fridays and Saturdays with 16 episodes. (Correction, 12 episodes).

Choi Ban-Do (played by Son Ho-Jun) and Ma Jin-Joo (played by Jang Na-Ra) are both 38-years-old, and a recently divorced couple.

They got together when they were both in university at the age 20 in 1999.

Fast-forward 18 years on, Choi Ban-Do now works as a medical sales rep, not sure what happened as I thought he was studying civil engineering (civil construction), and Ma Jin-Joo is a housewife with a toddler to look after.

Ban-Do is a hardworking man, who does everything for his clients almost  24/7, that he has neglected his wife and their child.

Due to series of misunderstandings and the hardship of fulfilling their responsibilities, they began to take each other for granted and only ended up bickering when they were together .

During an anniversary that they could not celebrate, in the heat of the moment, due to utter frustration, they both said things that they shouldn’t have.

The last straw for Jin-Joo was finding a credit card statement with hotel bills and then being sent a video photo of her husband holding another woman in front of a hotel (these were all innocent, of course).

Jin Joo announced to her husband that she wanted a divorce.  Do Ban-do was at first surprised, but agreed to it.  Within a month, they were divorced.

They realised that they had married too young and wished they could go back and restart their respective lives.

On the day of the divorce, they both took their wedding rings off.  Jin-Joo dropped hers while aboard a bus and Ban-do threw his outside his bedroom window.  Both rings seemed to undergo something supernatural. Jin-joo and Ban-do experienced an earthquake-like shaking and rattling.

The next morning they both woke up in the bodies of their 20-year old selves.

Jin-Joo’s first scene as a 20 years old was really poignant that it brought tears to my eyes.  She was crying out for her dead mother in her sleep.  But she was being woken up by her mother.  She was so happy to see her.  Throughout the morning she hugged and followed her mother, who said she was beginning to creep out with Jin-Joo’s clinginess.

I love this drama, so much so that I first watched it raw, I just can’t wait for the subtitles. (Of course I can’t understand a word but then action speaks louder than words 😉 lol). And then watched it this morning with the English sub.  The mother scene still got to me.

I am putting a lot of faith in this drama.  There have been so many Korean dramas that I could only watch 2-3 episodes and I tend to give up fairly early on.

I supposed the storyline of this drama is more appropriate to me, being married.  Don’t I wish sometimes that I can go back in time?  Hell, yeah!!! 🙂

Episode 2 is also very watchable. Jin-Joo tried to restart her life but her ex seemed to be everywhere.  On a blind-date where they first met, Ban-do ended up still choosing her but said he did it so he could dump her.  She followed him out of the restaurant only to find him chasing after his first love.  Jin-Joo was heartbroken.  She comforted herself that at least it was a closure but she heard a little voice and saw the figure of their toddler following her.

She ended up in a flood of tears and mistakenly got into the back seat of Jung Nam Gil’s (second male lead) car, thinking it was a taxi.  I actually want these two to get together.

Again her scene sleeping next to her mother made me cry. huhuhu

Episode 3

They are now both getting into the single life.  There was a scene where Jin-Joo in her high-heels running on a slippery slope and being rescued by the handsome Jung Nam Gil (Chang Ki Yong) wearing his ROTC uniform.  I have to admit that was so romantic.  I wanted them to get together there and then.  🙂   Oh the clubbing scene is really nostalgic.  Loving this drama.  I watched it raw and then with subtitle.

Ban Do has a double standard mentality.  He doesn’t stop himself from enjoying his youth but time and again would remind Jin-Joo that she was an old woman with a child.

It is that addictive.

Episode 4

Again I wish that Nam Gil and Jin-Joo get it together in the end because they do have such a lovely chemistry.  It is young and fresh.  I watched this episode so many times, fast-forwarding sometimes on the scene between these two.  I am an old romantic.

Episode 5

This is an interesting episode.  It seems it is repeating what happened in 1999 but completely with different couples.  Jin Joo went to the movies with Nam-Gil instead of Ban-do.  Then Jin-Joo’s father was giving Nam-Gil the once-over as a potential boyfriend/husband for Jin Joo instead of Ban Do.

Jin Joo is beginning to feel something for Nam-Gil and they have some sweet moments too.

Jin-joo:  (In a restopub looking at the menu) Do you like something in particular?

Nam-gil: You.  I think it’s true.  I think I like you!

They were completely mesmerised with one another!  Ah young love!

🙂 🙂 🙂

Ban Do though is beginning to realise that there is more to Jin Joo.  She is actually a very attractive woman, wanted by someone rich, handsome and popular Nam-gil and by that slimy medical student.

Episode 6 ended with a scene inside a men’s toilet cubicle.  How romantic is that? It actually was- romantic!

More updates:

I don’t know but I find the episodes where Nam Gil appears a great deal are fresher and more interesting than when he is not around.

I think they should be together even in the future.

Despite having gone back to the past, Ban do and Jin Joo can’t find that missing synchronicity. Whenever Jin Joo was in danger or needed help, Ban do was nowhere to be found but Nam Gil was there each time.

What I wanted to do if I was in this drama is throw away that half dead cactus.:)  It seems it is a symbol of how Ban Do’s budding new found respect, love and affection for a younger more carefree Jin Joo.  The cactus is beginning to thrive.  Nooo!

No!!! Jin Joo, history would just repeat itself.  Dump him while you still can and go for that lovely Nam Gil.  🙂

Episode 9

This is a cute episode where Ban Do and Nam Gil play one-upmanship against one another to impress Jin Joo.

Instead of Ban Do, Jin Joo ended up having a romantic time with Nam Gil at the Bridge of Fireflies.  Ban Do once again missed his timing.

The episode ended up with Nam Gil sleeping next to Jin Joo.  When he raised his arm as a sign of victory, it was so cute.

Ban do might be working towards his future self by being nice to Kim Ye-rim, heiress to a hospital.  He might end up better off than a medical salesman. 🙂

Jin Joo is becoming more into Nam Gil because of his caring way but she can’t really fully take advantage of the attraction because of her future son, Seo Jin.

Go for it girl.

Fair is fair though, there is a chemistry between Ban do and Jin Joo even if I wanted her to end up with Nam Gil.

The music OSTs for episode 9 are great.

Episode 10

OMG, I have to admit I am a bit fickle.  I have to confess that I quite love Ban Do now.  I really feel for him.

I first watch this episode in a raw form, therefore, hardly understand what was going on, just a slight inkling but I was crying like a baby when Ban Do was crying towards the end.

Anyway I have just watched this now with subtitles and found that Ban Do is just a normal married guy, not the worst.  He did love Jin Joo but admitted that he took her for granted because of work.  And of course, as to most marriages,  you are not into each other as much as you were during the first couple of years.  They should have supported one another more.

I don’t understand why Jin Joo was blaming Ban Do for not being able to say goodbye to her mother, who passed away.  Why did she need Ban Do to take her to her mother?  Why not go by herself.?  Afterall at that time, she did not have Seo Jin yet.

I do feel a bit sorry for Nam Gil now.  It looks like Ban Do and Jin Joo will always be ‘IT’.

Also I have to mention about Dr Park, I know he was a sleazy scumbag but poor him had been pummelled by both Nam Gil and Ban Do plus he lost his meal ticket in Kim Ye-rim.

I did not know that Michael Jackson had such an impact in South Korea. JIn Joo’s mother and father were so good at ‘moonwalking’.  That scene was fun and rather uplifting.

Episode 11

OMG is Ban Do dead?  Is this paving the way for Ma Jin Joo  and Nam Gil to be together?

No!!!

I had a rethink, I want Ban Do to end up with Jin Joo after all.  Sorry, this is not a good review because I just watch this episode in a raw form.  Didn’t really fully understand what was going on plus the fact that I am blinded by tears.  A sad ending to this episode and they cleverly did not give away what was going to happen in the usual trailer for the next installment.  I thought this series is composed of 16 episodes but actually it may only be 12 and that makes tomorrow’s as the final one. huhuhu

Ban Do did buy the rings, perhaps these are their tickets of going back to the present.  Also they found out that most of their troubles were from misunderstandings.  They did not talk about what was really bothering them.

I have to say there are so much issues which are needed to be solved and I don’t think an hour would fully cross the ‘T’s and dot the ‘I’s if indeed tomorrow is the last episode.

Still crying and can’t wait for tomorrow.  I hope Ban do is not dead.

Probably they both wake up in the present time, having realised that they can’t live without one of the other.

Episode 12

It was rather a shock to the system to find out that this drama was only a 12- episoder.  I was not ready to let Nam Gil, Ma Jin Joo, Ban Do and the rest of the cast to go yet.

There were so many scenes that spoke to me personally.  I always love the interaction of Jin Joo and her mother. They were poignant, especially when she asked Jin-Joo to look after her father when she’s gone. She half-believed Jin Joo was a time traveller who left behind a baby in the present time.

Anyway, I have never waited more excitedly for an episode than this one.

I was crying like mad when I thought Ban Do died.  Thank goodness he didn’t.

You would thought they would reconcile immediately but of course not!  They had to open your floodgate of waterworks first.  Again!!!

Ban Do said to Jin Joo that she will always be in his heart.  As much as he thought of Seo Jin, their son, all the time, he loved Jin Joo more and acknowledged that he can not make her happy so he had to let her go.

The Nam Gil/Jin Joo fanatics were acknowledged!  There was a really touching goodbye between Nam Gil and Jin Joo.  It was not particularly traumatic but I found myself tearing up.  Nam Gil is so lovely to the end.

I think I cried more than Jang Na Ra did just watching this drama.

I felt the ending was really abrupt. I would have wanted to know more how they affected the timeline.

But it was a good conclusion.

Dr Park got his comeuppance.  He can only look on  with regret how loved up Kim Ye Rim was with her husband, who looked devoted to her.

Sul is a travel writer?!!!

Jae Woo and Bo Reum got back together.

The time travel is due to the rings.  Apparently about 50 long years ago, in the land high above the sky there lived a couple of deities who were doppelgangers of Jin Joo and Ban do.  They were unhappily married and in a fit of madness, they both took off their wedding rings and threw them down.  The rings grant wishes.

Jin Joo and Ban Do were drawn to the rings when they were shopping for theirs.  Upon putting the ring on, Jin Joo wished that she will always be with Ban Do.  Thus, when Jin Joo and Ban Do divorced the rings had to do their magic to gluing Ban Do and Jin Joo back together again.

 

Perfect Neighbour (South Korean KDrama Review & Summary)

KDrama, JDrama, TwDrama, ThDrama, FDrama, CDrama, HKDrama

Kdrama 2007

 

Perfect Neighbour (South Korean KDrama Review & Summary)

How to Meet a Perfect Neighbour, poster

 

  • Genre: Romance, Drama, Family, Neighbourhood, Business
  • Date Released: 2007
  • Origin: South Korea
  • Kdrama: 16 Episodes

Cast

  • Kim Seung-woo as Baek Soo-chan
  • Lee Ji-oh as young Baek Soo-chan
  • Bae Doona as Jung Yoon-hee
  • Park Si-hoo as Yoo Joon-seok
  • Wang Ji-hye as Go Hye-mi
  • Son Hyun-joo as Yang Deok-gil
  • Shin Dong-woo as Yang Go-ni, Deok-gil’s adopted son
  • Kim Sung-ryung as Jung Mi-hee, Yoon-hee’s older sister
  • Ahn Sun-young as Oh Jung-sook
  • Park Kwang-jung as Mr. Park
  • Jung Eun-pyo as Mr. Choi

I seemed to have run out of new Kdramas that I would like to watch so I thought I should probably go back to the old KDrama catalogue, which is, fortunately, is immense.

Having just watched Secret Forest, where I liked the actress, who played the female lieutenant, I searched more on her body of works.  She is called Bae Doo-na.

She actually has a good library of films and dramas under her belt.  I thought I should start with a Perfect Neighbour also known as How to Meet A Perfect Neighbour.

I did not make a mistake.  This Kdrama has everything: romance, comedy, drama and even murder.

Bae Doo-na was so cute

Basically the story is the neighbourhood where the residents are mostly working in a company where Yoon Joon Suk (Park Shi Hoo) had just come back to take over as the president after his father had taken ill and was now comatose.

A lot is going on in the neighbourhood.  Various intrigues including murder.  There was a man in the neighbourhood who was much admired and popular with the ladies.  He was Prof Baek Soo Chan (Kim Seung Woo).  He ended up working in the company as well.

Bae Doo-na is a fearless, emphatic and quirky girl.  She is really laid back and does not get upset easily.

She was working as a temp staff in the company’s shopping centre when hooded men came in and frightened the staff and customers, including a little girl.  Without thinking Bae Doo-na rushed in to protect the girl and suffered broken bones from her effort.  Her bravery was much reported.  The old president was so impressed with her that he hired her as his own secretary.

When the president got sick his son came back to take over the business. Joon Suk was a brusque man and says little.  Bae Doo-na found him hilarious.

To cut a long story short, Bae doo-na became the love interest of the boss, but the boss is set to marry someone else.  Though heartbroken, Bae Doona agreed to become the boss’ mistress.

She developed a rather touching friendship with Baek Soo Chan, who was secretly in love with her.

The ending is romantic.  It is a happy ending!

Secret Forest (Stranger) KDrama Review & Summary

KDrama, JDrama, TwDrama, ThDrama, FDrama, CDrama, HKDrama

Kdrama 2017

Secret Forest (Stranger) KDrama Review & Summary

Secret Forest poster

  • Genre: Legal, Crime, Mystery
  • Date Released: 10 June 2017 -30 July 2017
  • KDrama: 16 Episodes
  • Where to watch:  Available on Netflix

Cast:

  • Cho Seung-woo as Hwang Shi-mok
  • Bae Doona as Han Yeo-jin
  • Yoo Jae-myung as Lee Chang-joon
  • Lee Joon-hyuk as Seo Dong-jae
  • Shin Hye-sun as Young Eun-soo
  • Lee Kyu-hyung as Yoon Se-won
  • Park Sung-geun as Kang Won-chul
  • Lee Tae-hyung as Kim Ho-sub
  • Kim So-ra as Choi Young
  • Choi Byung-mo as Kim Woo-gyoon
  • Park Jin-woo as Kim Soo-chan
  • Choi Jae-woong as Jang Geon
  • Jeon Bae-soo as Detective Team Leader
  • Song Ji-ho as Park Soon-chang

I am currently glued to this thriller drama from South Korea.

It has that edge-of-seat feel to it.

When you thought you are ready to trust someone, suddenly, he/she is revealed to have a hidden agenda.

It is so watchable!  It is classy! It is fine acting! It is intelligent! It is dramatic!

The story is about Hwang Si-Mok, who works as a prosecutor.

The prosecutor’s office is full of the goings-on.  Corruption resides side by side with justice.  Old-boys network is prospering; they are a law unto themselves.

Si Mok is the only righteous prosecutor.

He was supposed to have been an aggressive child, so he was lobotomised, taking away the limbic system of the brain which controls emotion.

Si Mok, the adult, is devoid of emotion, thus, he thinks in black and white, there is no place for grey areas. He does not feel empathy with people and is therefore not prone to corruption.

He is aware though of the corruption in the prosecution office and more so when he got directly involved (purely work) with one of the murder victims who were at the centre of the bribery and fraud scandal.

With his investigation, he joined forces with a feisty police lieutenant, Han Yeo-Jin.

It has so much twists and turns.  It actually makes you think if these kinds of dealings and double-dealings are happening in the real world.  hmmmp (much worst I should think)

Highly recommend this drama to anybody who wants to watch a good hokum!

OMG!!!

It was taut to the very end.  The anti-hero of the story became a hero with a monstrous tendency.

I am so sorry that I can’t say what happened in the story.  Divulging every detail will, I think, remove so much of the tense and exciting factors of the drama.

This story is really aching to have a part two.  More adventures for Si Mok and the gang to spread justice where it is needed.

I cannot say it strongly enough that this drama is really cut above the rest.  It is stylish and worth another immediate viewing to just see all those others going on in the side that might have been missed.

I commend all the actors for their brilliant take on their roles.  Daebak all around!

9 December 2019 Update:

Secret Forest Season 2 is likely to be shown around July or August 2020.

Exciting news!

Secret Forest 2 link