2013 year-end kdrama report

I was pretty busy during the latter half of the year, so I wasn’t able to watch as many kdramas as I would have wanted to. Given the lack of time, I only prioritized the ones that I’m particularly interested in based on the premise and was able to sustain my attention. To read my comments on the first half of the year, read here.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead

Monstar – this series is cute, the type that you shouldn’t take seriously (because hello, the cool kids are the ones playing in the orchestra? So against the grain, but you didn’t convince me, dear writer). The story has a lot of mass appeal, being an underdog story, with the group of misfits banding together because of their varied musical styles. The lead pairing is, again, cute. Our lead heroine (Min Seyi, played by Ha Yeonsoo) is kinda cooky and doesn’t know her own appeal while our lead hero (Yoon Seolchan, played by idol Yong Junhyung from Beast, who I had to admit is tolerable. Sorry, can’t help the judgment, it’s my blog anyway) is your typical stoic and spoiled idol. You also have your smattering of side characters to round up the gang.

I view this series much like how I perceived Glee before (before dropping it altogether) – the story hook was entertaining at first but strangely not enough to bring me deep enough, and by the end of it, I just watch to catch the musical performances. The student issues are your typical coming-of-age problems, and with School 2013 a few months before, I’m up to my quota of high school woes. Hehe, seriously the latter half of this series I caught myself investing in just to see how the Student Body President (Jung Sunwoo, played by Kang Haneul) and the rebel (Nana, played by Dahee of girl group Glam) would hook up – which didn’t happen, by the way. It was all weird and open-ended I want to tear my hair out. No, seriously, Nana should’ve headlined this drama. Or maybe I’m just more drawn to the misunderstood cool chicks.

But I have to say, the performances are memorable in my book. Most especially "Person, Love" by Kang Haneul and Dahee. The original is by Lena Park and Kim Bumsoo.

Verdict: Mostly a ball of fluff, even if it takes on a serious tone once in a while. Still, an entertaining watch.

I Hear Your Voice – yowza, I wasn’t planning to watch IHYV but it’s been getting a lot of raves so I couldn’t resist. This series was HIGHLY gripping, I’m almost at the edge of my seat every time, good thing I don’t have a heart problem. Hell, if you have a hero who can hear the thoughts of people, you have no time to dwell on the mediocre. Even with the extreme situations, I find myself drawn to the characters, especially our lovely, spunky, and highly-flawed heroine who had to navigate her way through her own sense of justice versus what she has to do as a lawyer.

And holy hell, I love you IHYV for giving us an unexpected noona romance! And establishing it almost at the start and sustaining it all throughout! I couldn’t believe it at first that the romantic bent would turn out that way. I was skeptical  because it’s a bit left field given the story, but I was totally on board the moment the series was definite that Lee Boyoung and Lee Jongsuk would be the romantic pair. Honestly, the characters are so well-written and untypical that the underlying suspense (the crazy maniac killer gave me nightmares, I kid you not) just about amps this series all the more.

OST Pick: Jung Yup - Why Did You Come Now?

Verdict: Recommended. Tune in for the fast-paced plot with lots of feels for the main characters.

Master’s Sun – thank you kdrama gods, the Hong Sisters haven’t lost their touch (still annoyed at the hours I spent with Big). This series more or less like your trademark Hong Sisters drama (although MGIAG and Best Love are still high on my list), high on the metaphors, the cliffhangers, and the lovely quirkiness, although a bit darker given the ghost-seeing premise.

I haven’t seen any So Jisub drama (I know, you can crucify me. But seriously, that face has all the traces of a melodrama weeper *shudders*) so who knew that he can be underhandedly funny and endearing acting as the “stoic” chaebol? Props to you So Jisub, and you’re hot. Too bad we don’t have a lot of shirtless scenes (and no, that operating room scene does not count. There’s blood.), yes I’m shallow. Gong Hyojin is endearing as usual, and has a lot of chemistry with anyone she gets paired up with. And since your series largely hinges on the skinship factor (she had to touch him to ward off the ghosts), you got to have a decent amount of chemistry to pull that off.

The ghost appearances vary from the scary to the pitiful types. While the ghost cases were entertaining (oh god, I cried at the ghost army dog the most), I was a bit relieved that the romance took up most of the screen time on the latter half of the drama.

OST Pick: Hyorin - Crazy of You

Verdict: If you’re up for solid romance with a bit of supernatural bent, then this one’s for you.

Heirs – oh, Heirs. Well I guess if I slugged through Faith just because of Lee Min Ho then OBVIOUSLY I will watch you. The triad Lee Min Ho – Kim Woo Bin – Choi Jin Hyuk hotness got me hook-line-and-sinker on board with this series. But ugh, the plot is so cliché and not even entertaining at that. Seriously, until now it’s not clear to me why Lee Min Ho’s character got shipped to the US three years ago. Or maybe I was not paying attention? IDK.

That’s not to say that it wasn’t watchable. You get your classic Cinderella story (but a Cinderella who is so poor she has a Samsung Note 3) with the poor girl and rich boy and all the baggage that comes with it. The cast was solid, they acted pretty well despite the lack of movement that the writing afforded to them (some of the side stories were choppy, especially that bit with hyung and his love affair with the scholar girl, her big eyes kind of freak me out). Lee Min Ho and Kim Woo Bin are intense on screen that you can’t take your eyes off of them, and their interaction with Park Shin Hye is believable (I love PSH but why do I feel she always has this wall that goes in the way of full-on lead chemistry? And I’m just not talking about her on-screen kissing skills). Anyway, the writing is a bit haphazard, 20 episodes is too long I think for such a series that does not even spice up an overused theme.

OST Pick: Changmin - Moment (no fave track in the OST, but I'm picking this one because that "love is the moment" is pure crack)

Verdict: For Lee Min Ho and Kim Woo Bin fans. Still watchable but maybe don’t marathon it for you'll see the glaring holes in the writing.


I dropped Reply 1994 early on because it’s not as addicting as its predecessor and I’m now putting Pretty Man, You from Another Star, and Prime Minister and I in my to-watch list, so I’ll weigh on them come first half of 2014.

And that’s 2013 Korean dramas for you all! There is no clear standout series for me this year, but if I had to pick one it would be Flower Boy Next Door just for the artsy and feel-good vibe. Objectively I would choose I Hear Your Voice, but in terms of making a lasting impression, I would have to pick FBND.

2012 year-end kdrama report

Well wouldn’t you know it, it’s already the end of the year! This serves as my review of the kdramas I’ve seen for the latter half of the year (read Part 1), wherein I kind of stretched my picks from what the time and space continuum can provide. Just like before, I’m presenting this by broadcast date. Here we go!

WARNING: Spoilers ahead.

A Gentleman’s Dignity – The fact that this is Jang Dong Gun’s TV series after a loooonnnggg time is a guaranteed hit. And it was – throw in three more ajusshis still in what they consider as the height of their lives and you got an enjoyable, almost like a Sex and the City but a guy version and more sanitized (this IS a Korean weekend series after all).

While the drama is pretty to look at, I mostly watched it more in a detached manner than I was expecting. Hmmm, maybe because I didn’t think the conflicts are too big enough, or at least to merit 20 episodes of it. Though the situations were interesting, I don’t find the characters particularly moving enough for me to rally behind their decisions. Oh and there’s something about Yoon Seung Ah that I don’t care for even with her previous projects, so her loveline with Kim Suro is literally a dud for me. While I’m neutral about Kim Ha Neul’s acting, there’s also something about her that stops me from feeling what she does. Oh well, at least she and Jang Dong Gun look beautiful onscreen.

Nonetheless, this is a beautifully-shot series, with plenty of eye candy to last you for months. Oh and it made Kim Min Jong rank high in my ajusshi crush list.

Verdict: Watch it if you’re a big Jang Dong Gun fan (like SOMEONE I know), or maybe if you’re in need of a hot ajusshi fix.

Reply 1997 – wow, TVN is definitely on a roll. Right on the heels of Queen In Hyun's Man, Reply 1997 became an unexpected hit. This series really makes one nostalgic about the good ol’ days, and while I wasn’t a notorious fangirl during my teens (I know, late bloomer, heh), all of the circumstances by the fantastic ensemble cast are so real and relatable.

The writing was superb, and it feels authentic that you immediately know that the writing team has gone through it in the 90’s. The fact that these are former 1N2D writers just about seals the deal for me. The realizations at the end of each episode are on target every time and we revel at the journey of each character as each go through high school and the years after.

While the lead pair (breakout performance by Seo In Guk and Eun Ji) definitely served their purpose well as the driving force behind the relationships intertwined in the drama, I think it’s the fact that Eun Ji Won and the countless meta references to him being the Sechs Kies leader just about got me hooked. And how cute is his character’s (Hak Chan) love line with Yoo Jung. GAH, I blame my 1N2D bias on this but yeah, all of their scenes are just adorable. AND we got a cameo from Writer Daeju (the maknae writer from 1N2D), how awesome is that? The series was chockfull of cameos from Gag Concert and the Happy Sunday lineup, mainly because of the KBS team who worked behind the series. My favourite cameo was definitely Shin Bong Sun as the H.O.T. fanclub – Busan chapter president hehehe.

Seo In Guk and Eun Ji - All for You

The music used was loads of fun, mostly hits of the '90s, and this series made me into a crazed Sechs Kies fangirl for weeks (yeah, can’t remember how many times I watched the YT videos of them in the late 90s, thank God someone recorded them hehe). What about seals the deal (in terms of the music choices) is when they used Deli Spice’s Go Baek (Confessions). Daym, the first time they used this, all images of The Classic (one of my favourite Korean movies) just about flooded my mind. This just about captures the uncertainties of when you’re in your teens – experiencing everything the first time and trying to figure it what it means given your own reality at each point.

Deli Spice - Go Baek

1TYM - Without You

Verdict: WATCH IT. Now. Really. Watch it.

Faith – Sigh. Too bad this series wasn’t what I hoped it would be except for countless scenes of Lee Min Ho and his mane of glory fan service (not complaining on that part). The world revolving the series is implied to be much larger than what is shown on screen, and it’s disappointing that both the directing and the writing fell short starting around four episodes into it. Because, hello, if you have characters with special powers ala Mortal Kombat characters, how in hell didn’t we get to see an epic showdown of all the powers? And how come only some of them do have powers while the others do not? Listening to javabeans’ and girlfriday’s take on the series in their podcast just about made sense as to why all of this happened.

The directing and editing were pretty much choppy that even my untrained eyes took notice. My biggest gripe: must ALL the romantic parts be in slow motion? I just about rolled my eyes every time that happens (it happens with every hand hold or meaningful side glance). And it happens A LOT. It’s like a cue from the director saying, “Hey, this is a romantic moment! It’s your time to feel it.” Well yeah, sorry, I didn’t feel much of it. Not that Lee Min Ho and Kim Hee Sun was a bad pairing, I just find it a shame that their story doesn’t hold much ground for me. Yes, even the life or death stakes didn’t move me *sigh*.

I’m not sure what should be done to make the series more interesting. It’s just that the series was obviously set up to be grander than what we actually saw. And there are a lot of fillers and uninteresting scenes (or maybe I’m just not really into sageuk, although I doubt that my sageuk-loving friends would tell me that this is a good member of that genre). And how come Philip Lee’s character didn’t become the proverbial second-lead to spark the lead pair more? Anyway, it’s an odd series, I’ll give it that.

Ali - Carry On

Verdict: Watch for some major Lee Min Ho eye-staring. Other than that, just watch something else.

Ma Boy – what a cute mini-series (just three episodes)! This is mostly fluff, like a Disney tv movie – no high stakes, just minor conflicts enough to get the narrative going. We have a boy pretending to be a girl at this case, which is a refreshing take on the gender-bending series in the past. The characters are mostly out of this world and so fun to watch. I like the kids starring in this – Sun Woong and Kim Soo Hyun – and while we don’t get an actual kissing scene (I guess it would be awkward given the real age gap), the heartwarming moments are on point.

Verdict: Watch it if you need a quick feel-good fix.

Ohlala Couple – oh boy, how I wished this series was an all-out romantic comedy. The latter half was too much of a downer compared to the first half which was helluva funny with the gender swap scenes. Maybe it’s because Shin Hyung Joon really embodied all the female sensibilities during scenes (as opposed to Hyun Bin in Secret Garden where you can see a man acting like a girl vs to a guy who is actually a girl) which made it enjoyable. At first I thought that finally we have a decent romantic comedy for this year.

Unfortunately, the latter half became too serious for my taste and headed into the typical mainstream, almost makjang, category. Maybe because SHJ’s character was painted as a huge asshole at the start that I find it hard to believe that he had his rude awakening and ended up with him still getting the girl. Not to mention, the story line with Kim Jung Eun’s first love was so cute especially at the start (played by Han Jae Suk, who spurred a whole bunch of memories whenever I see him due to All About Eve, and how awesome is it that JDG, another AAE alum also appeared this year) that I still can’t comprehend as to why she didn’t end up with him.

Verdict: Nah, just watch other romcoms in the previous years.

I Miss You – This series is already past half its run so I’m including it in the 2012 line-up. Well what can I say, if you have actors who can cry convincingly and prettily, you almost covered half of the requisite for a melodrama. Most of the time I steer away from this genre but the pull of Yoochun and Yoon Eun Hye headlining it is too strong to resist, not to mention Yoo Seung Ho’s holy-crap-you’re-not-a-kid-anymore transformation.

This is one of those series that you should watch in doses or else it will give you a headache with all the angst and oh god, the tears that you’ll see and might wring out for you. The plot points are trademark melodrama, I think there’s nothing new in terms of what is happening yet (the series will be finished in two weeks, we got some foreshadowing in episode 1 but I’m hoping to be blindsided). But what I guess what I Miss You makes it appealing to most (including me, someone who doesn’t like melos) is its amazing cinematography and acting. All the scenes are wonderful to look at, with good lighting I might add, that I’m strangely addicted to this series than what I was expecting. Not to mention that I cry easily, so yeah, I can’t begin to say how much tears I shed for the 15 hours I spent on this.

The scenes with the young counterparts at the first four episodes were amazing. I swear, Yeo Jin Goo (you're officially my Korean jailbait crush) and Kim Soo Hyun have bright careers ahead of them. They were both so into it that it was heartwrenching as to how the 15y/o arc ended. And how impressive is Yoochun’s acting! We can still get a glimpse of the boy he once was especially in his joking moments and yet see pained man underneath. And seriously, how genius was his scene eating the rice, talking and crying at the same time? I cried too much at that scene!

And of course with every melo you have an equally tear-inducing song, in this case it’s Tears are Falling (yeah, that's right, how literal can you get) by Wax.

Wax - Tears are Falling

Verdict: Watch it if you need to cry (or need a bout of pain) once in a while (that sounds sadistic, heh). Or if you’re a fan of PYC, YEH, or YSH, this is a must-watch for you. If you have a heart problem, best steer away from it.

***

So that’s it for the 2012 kdrama lineup! I think this was a good year for TVN in particular and cable dramas in general, who have been churning out better-produced dramas compared to before. For this year’s best series, I would have to say it’s Queen In Hyun’s Man because of the authentic characters, gripping storyline, and because of all the LOVE that you feel in that series. I’m sure there are better series (on a technical standpoint) this year than QIHM but that series just gave me a lasting impression.

On a side note, here’s a rundown of other dramas for 2012 in my radar:

· The dramas I dropped midway: What’s Up (just because the subs took too long that I didn’t manage to continue it), To the Beautiful You (why, oh god, why! I tolerated the Taiwanese and the Japanese version, but I can’t stomach it), and Nice Guy (I bet it was an interesting watch, but I can’t stand Soong Joong Ki NOT being a nice guy after all, hehe).

· The 2012 dramas I might watch: Arang and the Magistrate (because of the reviews), King of Dramas (because of the premise)

· The dramas I’m currently watching which started late 2012 so it would be in the 2013 post: Alice in Cheongdamdong (cute in a superficial level), School 2013 (which is kind of like Dangerous Minds Korean style, love it)