Marriage does not mean happily ever after

This is not for those interested in puppy love and the beginning stages of romance. This quiet drama is for those who wonder what happens next and are unafraid of an honest answer.

"Matrimonial Chaos" follows the issues of two couples in their early to mid 30s. Hwi Roo and Seok Moo (Bae Doona and Cha Tae Hyun) are on the brink of divorce and wondering how they became so unhappy and detached. Jang Hyun (Son Seok Koo) is an artist cheating on his wife, Seok Moo's first love Yoo Yeong (Lee El). She knows this but tries to turn a blind eye to maintain the stability she has longed for. Their lives intertwine, but not in classic K-drama fashion. They don't fight over each other's spouses as the struggles are more internal to each character. When is a marriage still worth keeping and when is it time to leave?

Story: I really like how mature the story was, despite the immature yet realistic choices that the characters made. I also appreciated that party that the women have in the café and the first big confrontation between Seok Moo and Hwi Roo around ep. 4 (Bae Doona's acting really shone here). Two years after my last watch, I still feel that was one of my favorite parts of the series that can drag on sometimes. The outcome will not please everyone, and you will hate some characters and learn to love others.

Cast / Acting: I think Bae Doona and Lee El should have been showered with awards. But all in all the cast pulled their weight, especially the 4 leads. This was my first time seeing Wi Ha Joon before his Squid Game fame and I was delighted to see how versatile he could be (see "Bad and Evil").

Music: I liked the OST, especially the song "Forgotten" (The Ade).

Overall: Not a laugh out loud comedy but it has a few moments. It's an honest look into modern marriage and what it takes to stick together without losing yourself in the process. Rewatch value might be low for viewers who expect lovey-dovey romance. Personally, it left a good impression because it was so different. 9/10.

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Call your grandparents!

This was a heartwarming comedy-drama that looks will make you think about your grandparents / elderly relatives.

Cast and Acting: Spear-headed by veteran actor Park Geun Hyung and Oscar winner Youn Yuh-Jung, everyone pulls their weight in this film with the material they're given. Jo Jin Woong deserves a lot of credit here too. K-Drama fans will recognize many familiar faces and cameo appearances. Occasional loud antics on the side from the supporting characters, but these are typical and work well in showing how the connections we build with our neighbors could be stronger than we perceive.

Story: I won't spoil anything, but with the best Korean movies, the story unravels into something you may not expect. The ending is bittersweet and will not please some people, but it ties the plot together in possibly the most realistic way. Again, you might want to give the older people in your family a call once the credits roll, or think of your own situation once you reach that age.

Music: Appropriate for the scenes, but it never overpowered the action.

Overall, you can tell they put a lot of care into the production. Rewatch value may be low for some, including myself. 9/10

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I want to stay at Youn Stay!

My sisters and I have had this on repeat in the background over the last few weeks. This is one of the first variety shows I've seen in full and it's so refreshing compared to US and UK shows that bombard you with drama.

Premise and setting: The use of a hanok compound and inviting foreign guests was pure genius on the production team's part. It kept the objective of the original Youn's Kitchen but adapted it to the pandemic. I learned so much about Korean food and a little history thanks to Ms. Youn.

Cast: Perfect. Oscar winner Youn Yuh Jung is naturally witty, oozes with experience, but remains down to earth. Lee Seo Jin is the charming and trusty VP who keeps everyone organized without being too bossy. Jung Yu Mi is cute and introverted but wow did she become an amazing chef here compared to the first season. Park Seo Jun is the hot but humble jock everyone wants to be friends with. He also makes a killer ramyeon apparently. And Choi Woo Shik is that adorable and cheeky little brother that you pick on and take care of at the same time.

They have such an organic chemistry on and off screen it's so relaxing to watch them interact and have fun. Their work ethic is pretty amazing too. Running a B&B with that sophisticated menu is no joke! The guests on the other hand, some were a bit cringey and tried too hard on camera, but for the most part everyone was respectful. My favorite was Father Jason and his drawings.

Music: I love the director's choice in playing certain songs to poke harmless fun at the right time. Lots of recognizable songs for the old soul.

Overall, this is a great go-to show if you want to take a break from K-dramas. It's naturally funny and very soothing.

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A light-hearted glimpse into the conditions of contract workers in corporate Korea.

Mary Poppins: Korean Office Edition. An outrageously competent, practically perfect woman who goes exclusively by "Ms. Kim" (played by the amazing Kim Hye Soo) joins the marketing & sales team of a big soy sauce company as a contract worker for 3 months, and she makes it clear she has absolutely no intention to stay longer. Someone has a problem? Ms. Kim is on it. Just don't bother her during her lunch break or any time after 6:00 p.m. unless you want to be charged an arm and a leg for her overtime pay.

Her lack of motivation to devote her life to a single company results in truth bombs regarding toxic (classist, elitist, misogynistic) workplace culture. Ms. Kim constantly butts heads with Jang Gyu Jik (Oh Ji Ho), one of the two assistant managers in the same office. He is wildly unpopular but capable in his own way, with his emotional baggage hidden behind his douchebag persona. His best friend, the other assistant manager and Ms. Kim's direct supervisor, Mu Jeong Han (Lee Hee Joon), is sweet, considerate, albeit naive. While he doesn't always agree with either of their ways, his main conflict is to balance his morals with the harsh realities that the more cynical Ms. Kim and Mr. Jang have already internalized.

The office has a set of supporting characters that are really there to provide the commentary for every situation. Most notably, the ingenue Jeong Ju Ri (played by the lovely Jung Yu Mi) is another contract worker learning the ropes of this setting. Her mishaps often provide the battleground between Jang and Ms. Kim, although each take the opportunity to teach her in some way.

Now for the Good, OK / Meh, and Bad points.

The Good: The whole show rides on Kim Hye Soo's star power. While the direction was questionable at times, and reactions so crazy they're almost cringe-worthy, KHS proves her versatility: from subtle tears and expressions that forgo the use of the internal monologue like in "Signal", to straight up cartoonish comedic chops like in "Hyena", just like Ms. Kim, she can do it all.

The character of Ms. Kim was also pretty great in that she stuck to her beliefs until the end, though with very subtle signs of wanting to change and being ready to move on from her grief. Too often, these dramas make the character turn 180 degrees under the guise of character development. I like that she never really succumbed to the brewing love triangle and that they didn't take the character down the romantic path at all. Same for Ju Ri's character. For me, it sends a good message that just because someone, or even two people show their interest in you (especially a superior), you shouldn't feel obliged to return their feelings. However this may not fly well for those who expect a romantic storyline.

Some would argue that Mr. Mu was too meek, but I really liked him. He wasn't Superman by any means. I appreciated that his actions towards Ms. Kim weren't for the sake of seduction (even though he knew early on that he was attracted to her), but more driven by guilt and genuine concern. He doesn't overstep his boundaries, at least not physically, so Ms. Kim didn't need to put him in his place as much as Mr. Jang.

The focus on contract workers, though satirical and cartoonish at times, is a refreshing take especially in 2013, wherein love stories between chaebol heirs and lower-income daughters have dominated the screens. In this drama, the cause of poverty and desperation isn't just a lack of money, but a corporate system that encourages self-preservation and ego-boosting over honesty and hard work, which is much more realistic.

The OK / Meh: The supporting cast wasn't bad and the characters were OK in serving as the chorus that would voice different perspectives on a given situation. It was nice that some of them like the older Mr. Ko had some significant use but could have been more fleshed out.

The music and OST were appropriate but not particularly memorable.

The friendship between Ju Ri and the rich Bit Na was nice since they didn't fight over a man. Bit Na herself was naive but pleasant and she never really took anyone's class against them. Sometimes I would forget she was well off. But apart from her desperate need to get back together with Gyu Jik, her character seemed unnecessary apart from meeting a kind of quota in the cast.

Bad: Ms. Kim's backstory was pretty easy to guess, you would probably put it together by the third episode. So after that, you're just waiting for everyone else to find out. The event linking Mr. Jang, Mr. Mu, and Ms. Kim was not necessary. I think it's better to understand each other through different episodes of grief rather than having some magic connection to the same issue. I was just shaking my head by ep 15.

You have to really suspend your disbelief through a lot of this show, especially when they throw numbers around. I get that Ms. Kim's 124 certifications were for comic relief and to add to her characterization. But to say that she's had 98 stints as a contract worker, many of which ended in exactly three months between 2007 and 2013, not to mention the long vacations she would take abroad right after each job, felt so off. Maybe my math isn't right or she counted those before her bank job and during her stints abroad, but with 98 consecutive jobs and 124 certifications it was so unrealistic.

I liked that Mr. Jang wasn't from a rich family and that deep down he seemed to understand the plight of contract workers, but his actions and his comments toward them made the overall characterization really disjointed for me. Based on the reveal at the end, he should have been softer than Mr. Mu towards Ju Ri and the other girls. Surely his mother must have told him some things that her managers have done just because she was a contract worker for over ten years too.


Overall, not a perfect drama, but enjoyable enough if you don't take it too seriously. 8 / 10.

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In a dog-eat-dog world, one must be a hyena

Story: I am quite biased towards legal dramas so I had high expectations going into this. It did not disappoint. Don't expect a lovey-dovey romantic comedy. Don't expect a cerebral thriller like "Stranger" or "Signal". This falls somewhere in between and juggles the best of both worlds led by acting powerhouses Kim Hye Soo (Signal / Juvenile Justice) and Ju Ji Hoon (Kingdom / Princess Hours). They play lawyers in the heart of Seoul, willing to do almost anything to win their battles amid corruption and scandal surrounding the country's top 1%. There is a constant back and forth between the two headstrong leads, and with their childish bickering, sparks are bound to fly. And before you know it, in the last few episodes, they become one of those "tell me you're married without telling me you're married" couples.

Cast / Acting: The two leads are quite literally giants in this show. Talk about chemistry! OOF (see ep. 8). Their presence alone is so commanding that the supporting actors, while important and capable, can be easily overlooked when even just one of them is in the same scene. In opposites-attract type romances, one is often straight-faced while the other is outrageous. As this show progresses, you realize that neither of them is afraid to show all the points on the emotional spectrum but it never feels overdone. What we get are two well-fleshed out characters that have several relatable, or at the very least, understandable traits. That's all I ask for, really.

Music: Honestly, I don't remember much of the OST except for Baekhyun's "On the road (that leads to you)". But I don't think it ever felt inappropriate or misplaced.

Overall: Solid drama. Rewatch value above average. If you like a bit of comedy, legal / political thriller, a strong but quirky female lead, and a headstrong but secure male lead, this one's for you. 9/10.

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Whoa whoa: A classic in the making (Midseason review)

I don't like to exaggerate, nor do I like giving out 10 stars willy-nilly, but so far this show has definitely deserved it. I've seen every episode at least twice since the beginning and Wednesdays can't come any sooner!

Disclaimer: I am not an expert in autism spectrum disorders so I can't comment on the accuracy beyond trivial observations.

Story: I love the pacing so far. The first episode was perfect in establishing the main characters and making the audience ask questions to be answered next week. This set the formula for subsequent episodes, and with the watercooler effect that we're experiencing, the viewers are constantly at the edge of their seat waiting for what's to come. I really appreciate how points of conflict are addressed at the appropriate time. For example, the drama surrounding Attorney Woo's family is hinted at by the end of ep. 2, confirmed at the end of ep. 6, then talked about by the end of ep. 8, with enough room in the rest of the show's run to elaborate. That's really good pacing. Older dramas would have waited around ep. 14 to do anything about it in a cheap attempt to get viewers to stay tuned.

There's something healing about this drama, whether it's the characters or the cases or the visuals, or maybe all of it combined. Almost everyone is likeable in the show but it doesn't ever feel too saccharine because of the weight of the cases (assault, murder, copyright disputes, gentrification). Young-woo has a great supervisor, a wonderful dad, a few amazing friends, and a huge green flag of a love interest. But she also has a big rival and critics who may or may not be set in their understanding of her.

I'm not the type to seek out romance in dramas, but the one featured here is healthy and seems to ask the right questions. (Episode 10 premiers tonight so I can't say more). I like that it's not romance for the sake of romance, but because it's just a part of life that Young-woo would have to encounter at some point. And personally, I pay more attention to Young-woo's friendship with Dong Geurami and Choi Su-yeon. I love how they look out for her but also talk to her the way they would talk to any other adult.

Acting / Cast: Park Eun-bin! I think many would agree that if she doesn't get recognized at Baeksang, then something is clearly wrong with their criteria. What a layered performance. We know that Young-woo is a genius but her intelligence still has limits, like in ep 6. She can also be blindsided by passion despite being awkward with emotions. On the other hand, we know she's not stupid and has a lot of common sense. She can be blunt and misread social cues but she's never annoying or overly cute. We see all of this in every scene. Her acting at the end of ep 8 alone is worth all the awards. You can see Young-woo processing complex feelings and choosing her words very carefully to react to what's been said to her.

The same could be said about the supporting cast and guest actors. I was particularly impressed by Moon Sang-hoon who played Kim Jeong hoon (Peng-soo) in ep. 3. Overall, the chemistry between all of them is undeniable and the director has done a marvellous job balancing these big personalities on screen.

Music: Adorable, warm, optimistic OST. My personal favorites are "Beyond My Dreams" by Sunwoojunga and "Inevitable" by Suzy. But the whole OST is fitting and the editing is appropriate in the show. Not to mention Maytree doing the sound effects whenever Young-woo has one of her whale visions!


So why do I think that Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a classic in the making? It's because of the careful balance it manages to strike between sweet and realistic, funny and mature, healing and intriguing. The most beloved dramas tend to share these qualities but EAW has the advantage when it comes to its premise and setting. Young-woo's condition allows for a fresh take on emotions in a setting that deals with very emotional cases.

Midseason verdict: 10 / 10. Even if it's not a whale.

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