Watch this for Leo Luo and Huang Jun Jie...if you have nothing better to do

Whew, I finished Fox in the Screen. It was no easy feat. First, I couldn’t get all the episodes on YouTube, then FINALLY Amazon Prime picked it up. Why oh why did I search diligently and wait patiently to watch the end of this mediocre show? Because of Leo Luo of course. After Ashes of Love, well, he can do no wrong. I just love him. If you don’t believe me, read one of several articles that I’ve written about him (link to his page below) for MDL. He’s the cat’s meow.

https://mydramalist.com/people/11095-luo-yunxi

STORY:
Fox in the Screen is the story of Xue Jing the orphan artist and her struggle to survive during this Xania (I think?) piece of fluff. In the first episode she paints a screen with a magical pen and frees three magical foxes played by Leo Luo (sigh), Huang Jun Jie (Yowza he was good), and Xiao Hei (meh – not bad). Cue the evil old/young sorceress, jealous son of the emperor, and strange goddess of the flowers and you’ve got twenty something episodes filled with magic, a little palace intrigue, and a poor woman with an unfortunate aging complex (don’t we all have one?).

CHARACTERS:
Liu Xin Qi plays Xue Jing very well. She had the right amount of spirit as well as a burning desire to beat up the bad guys all on her own. Her character was loyal, loving, and bound and determined to save those within her care…..sometimes females can be portrayed as two dimensional….this one was not.

The foxes were just plain fun. At first Yu Yan (Leo Luo….sigh) was kind of a bad guy but not really. Either way, I found him quite fun whether he was mean, jealous, or just a plain old super hero. I don’t think its possible for him to do a bad job with any of his characters. I realize that I may be biased.

Xiao Hei played Little Blackie the fox missing his feet for a good chunk of the show. He was loyal and sweet but a little annoying after a while. There is only so much of the sweet stupid little guy that I can take in any series.

Huang Jun Jie played Bai Sheng by far the best and most mysterious character in the show….and might I say that the end of his storyline tugged the heart strings and also made me question his relationship with the emperor’s son. Truth be told, I liked him best. He was just the right amount of sweet and enigmatic that kept me wanting more. If you’re going to watch this, keep going to the end just for him. He played one of the most delightful characters in Eternal Love of Dream as well, so I hope to see more of him going forward.

The token bad guy is played by Long Ni. Yun Tao is sufficiently evil that completely degenerates into miserable when we see why she is the way she is. I love it when there’s an interesting female lead but I don’t necessarily love it when her motivations are barely skin deep (pun intended). I prefer they either make the woman a psychopath or suffering from a traumatic experience like their dog was killed in front of them, not for superficial reasons (just my opinion).

MUSIC:
The music was so-so. I did recognize Leo Luo’s voice singing one of the songs. It looks like he sings the theme song….yeah Leo! But still……..nothing special worth mentioning.

REWATCH VALUE:
I have no plans whatsoever to watch this again. It wasn’t hideous….sort of mildly entertaining. The episodes are short, so it goes fast. Watching it once isn’t a complete waste of time, but twice or more……even for Leo Luo that would be a resounding snooze fest.

OVERALL:
I liked Fox in the Screen for Leo, I loved Huang Jun Jie’s characterization of the shadowy Bai Sheng and almost (not quite) want to watch it again to see if I can see a little more subtext. Everything else was just okay…..a decent way to spend an evening to calm down from the latest gut-wrenching k-drama (ie. Tales of a Gumhio) I’ve been binging. So give it a try, if you need something light and frivolous….BUT if you are looking for the next Untamed or Eternal Love….this certainly AIN’T it.

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My Holo Love is the show that reminded me the importance of music during a series (Joss Whedon taught me that lesson with one of his Buffy episodes with no soundtrack.) Nevertheless, the very first thing I noticed about this show, was the music or the strange lack there was. Don’t Panic! It does have music, but it is very simplistic. If there was a song with words, I didn’t notice it until one of the last episodes. The piano music throughout most of it made me a little sad and I couldn’t binge watch the show, because of it. That said, the story, the characters, the very idea of a “feeling” AI was intriguing. I’m not sure if the slightly dark music was out of place for this show.

STORY:
My Holo Love is about a company that develops a companion AI product (kinda of timely for this particular moment in history) that is all wrapped up in a pair of glasses that project Holo in front of them. The AI is called Holo and he is designed to be in the image of his creator and recluse Go Nan Do (both very well done by Yoon Hyun Min). Some bad guys want to steel the Holo technology and chase the company’s CEO Go Yoo Jin (played by Choi Yeo Jin) until Holo helps her pick a poor unsuspecting civilian on the street to hide the glasses. That person is Han So Yun (Go Sun Hee) who works in marketing and suffers from face blindness (is there such a thing?).

Han So Yun develops feelings for Holo as he also becomes attached to her (hence the question begins, is AI a living being?). Because Go Nan Do needs the Holo glasses back, he is introduced into the mix between Han So Yun and Holo. It wasn’t until the police got involved (the story gets more complicated as it progresses), that I started to ask the question…..what constitutes a living being if that being can feel attachment to a human.

CHARACTERS:
I’ll be honest. Most of the time, I could tell when Yoon Hyun Min was playing Holo and when he was Go Nan Do, which tells you how good he was in this show. I was impressed because I loved both Holo and Go Nan Do. I could see the differences between them which fascinated me…….it also helped me overcome the almost creepy minimalist music.

I loved Han So Yun and her ability to develop a relationship with both Holo and Go Nan Do. The development of her feelings for both appeared natural and appropriate especially towards the end (romantic relationship with AI is fraught will all kinds of issues). She wasn’t whiny nor clingy and was strong and take charge when she needed to be (I’m getting annoyed with whiny female leads). She had good chemistry with both Holo and Go Nan Do.

The characters of Goo Yoo Jin and Baek Chan Sung added to the story, although I feel Chan Sung’s character could have better development from where he started and where he ended. If they had made a couple more episodes, probably he could have been fleshed out more fully…..the same as Yoo Jin’s character as well.

My guess is the production values were so high with all the technology used (and it was American Blockbuster grade technology) that they couldn’t afford to make more than the 12 episodes so only the two main leads were truly developed fully.

MUSIC:
As I said in the beginning this will either make or break the show for the watcher. Its not that there wasn’t music, but it was very minimalist. At one point it sounded like the piano music that plays in the lobbies of fancy hotels (very classy but just a piano). The subject matter is serious so kitschy songs would not work AT ALL for this show. Its likely they couldn’t spring for the full-on orchestra bit because all the technology soaked up the budget. Its not bad, its just makes the show appear more sad that it really is.

REWATCH VALUE:
I haven’t started re-watching this yet, but I plan to. Both Yoon Hyn Min and Go Sung Hee were compelling enough that I want to revisit them again. But first I’m making my way through some cleansing Chinese offerings.

OVERALL:
By the last episode, I felt more hopeful about the world than I thought I would. In the middle, the conflict was believable and pretty intense. I did find it amusing that in Falling for Innocence, Yoon Hyun Min and Nam Myung Ryul played father and son with one of them being a bad guy and in this show they again face off with each other and this time the other is the bad guy.

My Holo Love is an interesting watch. It didn’t make me cry nor did it make me scream so it is not one of my favorite shows……however, it was compelling and fascinating, and the love story was out of the ordinary for a K-drama. Very refreshing. And again…it makes you think about what AI truly means.

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Its important to note that I’m a huge fan of the Hong sisters. They provide pure escapist television and that is the very best kind of television in my eyes and Korean Odyssey is just pure escapism on steroids.

STORY:
Hmmm. In a nutshell it’s a story about Jin Seon Mi who is a human who can see ghosts and her escapades with a cadre of fabulous monsters of the very best kind. I know it sounds simplistic but truly, it’s the characters that drive this story (which is indicative of Hong Sisters shows). If you are looking for a standard drama with a love triangle (ok this has one) and a second male lead that you love (ok this show has one) and childhood flash backs (ok there is that as well) and amnesia (oh alright, there is that) but all of that aside, whatever might be a trope……just doesn’t feel the same in Korean Odyssey.

CHARACTERS:
This is where my mind is blown. There is not a character in the entire show that isn’t crazy fun. From Son Oh Gong, the Great Sage and monkey monster to Ma Wang the devil king and their litany of side kicks like P.K. the pig monster who is adorable, Secretary Ma the loyal and blood thirsty dog monster, or the incredible Zombie girl so nicely done by Lee Se Young, this show is chocked full of incredible characters or more. At one point, there is a billionaire chaebol doing house work and cooking to an octopus monster possessing the body of a ditsy actress and the lone non-supernatural person, Lee Han Joo, alternating between being horrified at the strange things around him and star struck with all the celebrities visiting his boss.

I especially loved the two male leads and frankly I think the Hong Sisters wrote this for these two men. Lee Seung Gi plays Son Oh Gong and Cha Seung Won plays the devil king and the two play off each other from the first episode. Lee Seung Gi creates a compelling character on the screen and frankly I couldn’t not stop watching him every moment he was on the screen. Same went for Cha Seung Won. He played a completely different type of character than Lee Seung Gi but the two just worked together. Truth be told, I still like the Goblin bromance better, but this one was one for the books, especially the fighting.

In the end, there is not a bad character in the bunch. Love or hate how the simplistic story plays out, each character is incredible, even Jin Seon Mi who is quite bland next to the liks of Son Oh Gong and Wa Wang, she is what is called the straight man in the comedy team. While all the monsters act and react around her, she remains calm, cool, and collected……there had to be at least one calm person in this show of crazy monsters.

MUSIC:
The music was incredibly good (again my opinion). My favorite song was Let Me Out by Nu’est W. I’m pondering downloading that one. The rest was good and not too cliché or repetitive. It worked well with the storyline.

REWATCH VALUE:
Heck yeah! Whether its fun scenes or just watching this again for a deeper dive into the characters…..its worth another go ‘round.

OVERALL:
Korean Odyssey is worth your time just for the characters alone. The rest is not as important but a nice addition. Its not perfect….Jin Seon Mi wasn’t written as well as the 2 male leads (kinda sad). Plus I’m not sure many actresses outside Gong Hyo Jin, Yoo In Na, or Kim Go Eun could go toe to toe with such strong male leads like Lee Seung Gi and Cha Seung Won. Now wouldn't that be a fun show to watch?

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For those non-Goblin fans, Touch Your Heart is your typical sweet funny k-drama with many standard tropes (although no amnesia nor childhood memories - yeah!). The music doesn’t suck but I can’t remember a single song from the show so it also wasn’t overly repetitive. The story was cute and engaging enough not to bore the watcher, however, it does take until episode 3 before it really comes alive and interesting so stick with it if you can.

The secondary couples are kind of strange. The couple made up of the two prosecutors (played by Lee Sang Woo & Son Sung Yoon) seems almost forced but isn’t annoying. I love the long term friendship between the three lawyers and I actually think this adds to the story. Its at least half way through the episodes before you find out why Kim Se Won and Yoo Yeo Reum broke up in the first place. Se Won & Yeo Reum don’t detract from the story but don’t really add anything except the only marriage proposal in the show and most of us do like a neat ending with a marriage proposal.

The second couple (and more humorous one) is the two lawyers from the law firm Lawyer Choi (Shim Hyung Tak) and Lawyer Dan (Park Kyung Hye). These two are extremely fun to watch and I didn’t see their relationship on the horizon until it almost happened. I loved Park Kyung Hye from Goblin and she knocks it out of the park with the fickle Lawyer Dan. They have some killer scenes and I loved each and every single one they are in.

Other characters like CEO Yeon and Office Manager Lee were well fleshed out characters that were NOT 2 dimensional (loved that angsty part between Lawyer Kwon and CEO Yeon around episode 13).

For those Goblin Fans, WOW WOW WOW WOW. The chemistry between Lee Dong Wook who plays Lawyer Kwon and Yoo In Na does NOT disappoint. Holy cow, it was just as good - if not better because we see them so much. I don’t know if these two are friends in real life like Gong Yoo and Lee dong Wook but if they aren’t, these two get my award for the best actress and actor in all of Asia. Both convey such emotion towards each other that I just can't help but sigh....just thinking about it. Keep in mind the characters are NOT the same as in Goblin but what they are is headed for romance…..and isn’t that what we wanted after Goblin?

I liked Yoo In Na in My Love from Another Star and I LOVED her in Goblin. She does not disappoint…..however, her character is written to be annoying the first two episodes so please do not give up just because her character is annoying…..she changes and for the better. Goblin was the first I had ever seen Lee Dong Wook and I’ve loved him in everything since. There is no getting over that these two can play off each other EXTREMELY WELL.

So to recap….if you are a Goblin fan, you will like this show because it will give you what you missed from Lee Dong Wook & Yoo In Na in Goblin…..a LOT of screen time. If you are not a Goblin fan (go watch the show), then know the leads are out of this world good at telling a story through their portrayal of fun characters, and the side characters are fun and not ONE of them was annoying (even CEO Yeon). While this won’t get a 10 because of music and the usual draggy 1st three episodes, I highly recommend it.

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I’ve said it before, life is WAY too serious to waste my time watching the serious shows (although I’m trying). Strong Woman Do Bong Soon is a show my nieces recommended I watch. Truthfully, they love Park Hyung Shik and they hoped I’d add him to my “oppa” list. While I didn’t add him to my list, I did enjoy the show and yes, it made me smile more than once…..well it made me groan more than once as well. So if you want a lighthearted show that is cute, comical, and happy, then this is a good choice.

STORY: The story is of Do Bong Soon who doesn’t have much to recommend herself except for exceptional strength that is passed through the female line of her family. Now if you are looking for Bong Soon to be a superwoman who fights for the downtrodden, she does get there….just not very quickly. Admittedly she whines her way through many episodes but comes into her own around episode twelve.

She is helped along the way by Ahn Min Hyuk (played by Park Hyung Shik) and In Gook Doo (another cutie..Ji Soo). There is a serial kidnapper and some very interesting Korean mafia type people that provide much of the groans and comedic situations. Her parents are more of a hindrance than help but they also provide more groans and laughs.

CHARACTERS: I did love the characters, mainly because each and everyone of them made me cringe at least once during the sixteen episodes. I prefer to notice someone is on the screen rather than have them disappear into the background like a piece of furniture. Park Bo Young did a great job of making Bong Soon likeable, even when she whined. She had the character really changing in the last three episodes and we really saw what a TRULY strong woman Bong Soon was (I adore the scene with the walnuts and the kidnapper).

I can see why my nieces love Park Hyung Shik. He was completely lovable as Min Hyuk and I’ve said it before, those smiles are deadly. I would have watched it until the bitter end with just him smiling in every episode. He is a difficult man to despise.

The rest of the characters were well done and mostly obnoxious which adds to the fun of the show. I did like the story arc of the mafia people. At the end with that rag tag group, it was very funny and touching all at once.

MUSIC: The music was so so but not totally annoying. I didn’t rush out to download any songs and didn’t endlessly search for YouTube videos of the music so I could relive the experience.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad show. It wasn’t my favorite, but it definitely is a good watch to detox from binging on intense c-dramas. Don’t be discouraged if Do Bong Soon isn’t the super hero you are looking for in the beginning. By the end, she definitely comes into her own and shows us what a strong woman can really achieve.

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You Who Came from the Stars is sweet, funny, intense, engaging, and of course, has my favorite oppa, could I ask for anything more? Nope. Even the non-stereotypical ending was so appropriate and satisfying. It is important to note that this show will never insult your intelligence and will keep you entertained through all the episodes. If you want a fun ride that doesn’t get too cliché, sit down, grab some popcorn, and watch Kim Soo Hyun and Jun Ji Hyun entertain you for hours and hours.

Characters: Kim Soo Hyun does a remarkable job as Do Min Joon, an alien stranded on earth. He decides to cut himself off from humans as much as possible as helping the humans is what got him stranded on Earth in the first place. His new next-door neighbor is Chun Song Yi, the obnoxious actress and celeb played by Jun Ji Hyun. These two not only have chemistry but are super fun fun fun to watch together.

The supporting characters are just as flushed out and real with Lee Hui Kyung (played by my oppa Park Hae Jin) as the rich wanna-be fiancé, Yoo Se Mi is the not-so nice friend, and Lee Jae Kyung is the psychopath I love to hate. The other characters like Song Yi’s mother and brother and her friend (the comic book store owner with funny minions) are just outright hilarious and add very nicely to the story.

Storyline: The story is about a 400+ year old alien that is stuck on earth. Three months before finally having the ability to leave, he meets Chun Song Yi who repels him and fascinates him at the same time. The relationship between the two characters ranges from hilarious to heart wrenching. I loved every moment the two were on the screen together (the beach scene being the very best…both funny and sad).

The character of Do Min Joon was so interesting (he is a bit brooding and I do love those brooding males). His experiences over four hundred years in Korea were fascinating and illustrated well why he was the way he was. I loved that the role of Chun Song Yi was more humorous than “beautiful.” The fact that they made her beauty as part of the joke, made it even better. This is one of the best Korean female character portrayals I have watched. I was never bored with Chun Song Yi.

The psychotic Lee Jae Kyung played by Shin Sung Rok was really good. He was scary from the very beginning. I read that Park Hae Jin was originally up for the character of the evil brother but I’m glad he played the brother Lee Hui Kyung instead. At first his character seemed frivolous but then really turned out to be a very well-balanced character and I have to say, I loved it when he stood up to his father and his brother. His performance in this show is another reason why he remains my very favorite Korean actor.

If you are looking for an entertaining show with exciting characters and not a whole lot of murder and mayhem (well…there is a little), then You Who Came from the Stars is a great show to binge watch. Oh, and don’t forget to watch the epilogue. If you can’t find it with the episode, it can be found on YouTube. I promise you will be less satisfied with the show if you miss the epilogue.

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A little emotionally drained from watching C-dramas, I decided to take a break and chose the two-episode Splash Splash Love to detox. Wow. What a fabulous idea. To start, I loved the premise of a high school senior (yes, we know she’s a senior because we learn the word for high school senior and eunuch is the same…..kind of funny) who hates the idea of taking college entrance exams. Most especially, the young girl, who is called Eunuch through most of the film, believes she isn’t good at math and will do anything to avoid taking the test, including travel back in time.

The premise of the story is just that: Nineteen-year-old wants to avoid taking SAT’s because she believes she stinks at math (that was me). Through a trick of fate or divine intervention, she is sent back in time to the Joseon era and a King Se Jong Yi Do who is desperately trying to create a more educated society and between the two, hi-jinks ensue. I did some research and the story-line offers a fun explanation for the advancement in practical learning for this time period.

Kim Seul Gi plays Dan Bi or Eunuch and does a fabulous job. Never do we forget she is that nineteen-year-old girl struggling to find herself and her ambition, even when she gets the opportunity to go back in time. Her character is less than sympathetic in the beginning which makes watching her evolve over the next two episodes even more fun. She pulled off funny, sweet, daring, and showed that she did have brains despite her insistence that she didn’t.

Yoon Doo Joon was spectacular as the king. I love love love his performance, from the king frustrated with his backwards thinking government to the patient man putting up with Eunuch’s eccentricities, to the budding scholar learning his times tables. By the end, I loved the king as much as I loved the eunuch and wanted nothing more than the two to find each other in the twenty-first century and live happily-ever-after. I especially like the last scene between the king and the eunuch, superbly done.

The second leads played by Ahn Hyo Seop (very nice to look at in traditional peasant garb) and Jin Ki Joo (very happy when she tossed that wig on the ground) were not as developed as the leads, but did a good job portraying the kindly and talented characters they were. When he bandages her foot and she paints that instrument…….sigh, it was sweet. Both characters ended on a strong note and contributed nicely to the story.

The music went well with the show and with only two episodes, there was no getting tired of a many-times repeated song. The costumes were entertaining, and I did enjoy the interaction between old and new. Nothing was too cliché or too serious or too preachy but the show ends teaching us something and I like that. Splash Splash Love is perfect if you want to kick back, relax, and take in a little history while you’re at it.

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Watch it for the female characters or Xiao Zhan - either way you won't be disappointed

In case anyone is wondering, I picked this movie to see if Xiao Zhan is fun to watch without Wang Yi Bo. I am happy to report……the answer is YES. And if any of you reading this review haven’t watched The Untamed….For Heaven’s Sake! Stop reading and start the drama!

Story: Jade Dynasty is the story of Zhang Xiao Fan who is orphaned (or at least it looks like it) and apprentices with a sect and is a hopeless bumbling practitioner of martial arts. Everyone in the sect loves him like a brother and he appears to have a strange but loving place to live. There’s a big contest amongst all the secs and he gets to go….kinda like Cinderella because he’s not remotely qualified. Somehow, he has a special rock that merges with a stick and it becomes a weapon…..then all hell breaks loose.

Characters: I didn’t like the character of Zhang Xiao Fan at first. He was just too nice and too perfect. I did love all the female characters. Man oh man were there some fun female characters from his adopted older sister to an enemy or girlfriend (I’m still not sure) and then a kick-butt swords woman from another sect. The male characters were almost as interesting.

The problem with this show is it should have been a drama instead of movie. There is so much back story that could have made this more interesting. I almost felt like I was left hanging. How did he get the rock? What about these fun female characters? Can we see more of them? Who killed his parents? What the heck with that demon guy? Which female does Zhang Xiao Fan actually like? Can we see more of Zhang Xiao Fan now that his voice has changed and he looks a little demonic?

Did I love this movie? YOU BETCHA!!! XIAO ZHAN WAS THAT GOOD! Man oh man. From naïve boy to a kind of demon (and a sexy one at that) he was so so so so. I don’t know but whatever it is, Xiao Zhan has it. Yes, the female characters were wonderful even with the short story (especially Lu Xue Qi with her conflicted self – I could have watched a whole movie about her story.)

The music was cool and yes…..I’m going to watch this again to see if I can see who killed his parents. Just saying……This should have been a 30 episode drama, not a movie. So watch it for the story or the strong female representation or just for Xiao Zhan. Don’t expect him to play another Wei Wuxian. His performance as Zhang Xiao Fan was just different enough that I enjoyed it and didn’t wonder where Lan Zhan was.

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What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim is best described as funny and cute. Both words are a little tame but on the positive side and describe the show very well. First let me tell you about the cute. Park Min Young is a very nice-looking actress and did a good job of portraying the picked-on secretary Kim Mi So to the very cocky but equally good-looking Lee Yeong Joon played by a talented Park Seo Joon. How do I know he is talented? He sings during the show and does an amazing job. The show is all about the two of them navigating the boss/secretary relationship and something more personal.

The supporting characters were engaging as well. Fellow secretary Kim Ji Ah, played by Pyo Ye Jin had an interesting story arc with Go Gwi Nam, portrayed by Kwang Chan Sung. I thought the two of them were as funny together as Kim Mi So and Yeong Joon.

The first episode starts with Kim Mi So giving her notice to Yeong who is very upset and does not want to let her go. She had spent the last several years working to pay off family debts and now Kim Mi So wants to find herself. From the beginning the boss proposes to the secretary and she understandably turns him down. For the remaining sixteen episodes, we see the two grow closer for various reasons including a strange childhood backstory that involved his brother.

The supporting characters are fun and cute as well (meaning: they didn’t repulse me, nor did they knock my socks off). The music was descent and so was the cartoon-y graphics. Yes, I’m one of those strange people that likes the little cartoon graphics they put in comedies sometimes to make a point. Without giving any spoilers, Secretary Kim is a fun and entertaining show that won’t wow you nor will it make you very angry with a terrible ending. The best part of the show will be watching Park Seo Joon play the ever-changing Lee Yeong Joon. And for the record, he can sing me a lullaby anytime he wants.

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Before you read my review, please know that this might very well be my favorite TV series next to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I love love love the show, Eternal Love: Ten Miles of Peach Forest. There is nothing I do not love about this show. This was the very first C-drama I experienced and what a roller-coaster ride. From the gorgeous costumes and scenery to the cadre of wonderful characters, it was brilliant. And can I say that hair was over the top, practically a character of its own? The relationships, the villains, and the love stories were entertaining and kept me interested.

The story begins with Bai Qian, youngest and only daughter of the Fox King. A family friend, Zhe Yan disguises her as a boy and takes her to be a disciple with High God Mo Yuan, who knows right away she is a girl. She is adventurous, mischievous, and drinks way too much, despite that, she develops loyal and strong relationships with her new adopted brothers and Mo Yuan. From there, the story gets more epic with battles, a destructive bell (because all bells are dooms day machines?), a shattered soul, mortal trials, a very jealous woman, and a whole separate love story between her niece and the oldest (youngest looking) character in the heavens.

Mark Chao and Yang Mi did a fabulous job keeping me focused and interested in the story. I love strong women characters and Yang Mi nailed it with Bai Qian, making us love her even more as we watched her grow from Si Yin, to the mortal Su Su, and finally a high goddess. Mark Chao….hmmmm, I could talk about him for another six paragraphs. To keep it short, I’ll say Mark Chao’s Mo Yuan and Ye Hua characters were so captivating that by the end of episode 50, you wanted both to end up with Bai Qian.

There are friendships between many of the characters that carry the story through the episodes where the story might drag. The supporting cast was wonderful, and I am eagerly anticipating the Pillow Book sequel to find out what happens to the relationship between Feng Jiu and Dong Hua (sigh…it had better be a happy ending). Some of my favorite relationships in the show: the friendship between Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen, the brother/brother(sister) rivalry between Zi Lan and Si Yin, Si Yin and all his/her disciple brothers, Si Ming and Feng Jiu’s friendship, Zi Lan and Yan Zhi’s romance, this list is endless. If you have the time, take a week or two and binge watch. I hope you will find the show as fun as I did.

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Lawyer/Political stuff that isn't the usual boring fare - its rather fun

I’ll admit that I am in a big drama slump. Part of me doesn’t want to sit through the angst and the other part of me can’t stand weak fluff. Good news, Again My Life is neither. It is intelligent, humorous and full of some serious action….I do mean serious.

The Characters:
This is my first show with Lee Joon Gi in it. Can I tell you how awesome he was? Why didn’t any of you tell me about him before? He played the fearless prosecutor Kim Hee Woo. At first, I thought he was a dope. It took fifteen minutes into episode 1 to realize that everyone around him was pretty crooked. Before the half-hour point, the viewer can tell that poor Kim Hee Woo is hopelessly deluded that he would defeat the uber bad guy Cho Tae Seob.

This is not a spoiler, but Cho Tae Seob (nicely played by Lee Kyung Young), the evil but self-righteous assemblyman, has the reckless Hee Woo killed before the end of episode 1 (this point is in the plot summary). Our dead leading man meets a mysterious grim reaper who gives him another chance, asking the dead man to defeat Cho Tae Seob this time.

There are no other leads. I know it says there are in the recap but really this show is about these two men and the cast of characters they surround themselves with. Most of the women, who are awesome and strong, are on Kim Hee Woo’s side (as would I). All the politicians and government officials appear to be on the bad side with Cho Tae Seob.

What makes it more interesting is the two swap minions throughout the episodes. I won’t give a spoiler but there are a few on each side that at times make your head spin because you can’t figure out if they are bad or good. So cool….I mean how entertaining is that! Each week is a surprise who is helping the prosecutor and who is helping the politician.

My favorite of large and fascinating group of folks are Lee Min Soo played by Jung Sang Hoon……a “friend?” of Kim Hee Woo. He has almost all the best lines in the show. My next favorite character is a cameo by Bae Jong Ok who does a 5 minute scene as Chairwoman Chun Ho Ryung. She was bad-a** in Graceful Family and again in the last 5 minutes of this Again My Life.

The Music:
The music for this was FANTASTIC. I will be downloading some of these songs. They never got old……like ever……throughout the entire 16 episodes. Some of my favorites: Bring it on by Sonnet, Til the End by Yoo Sung Eun, and What the gang? By Yoon Do Hyun.

Re-watchability:
This one is hard because I am intrigued by another drama that just came out. I want to rewatch it, especially since they left it as if there would be another 16 episodes but won’t be doing it right away. I loved the show but not enough to immediately watch all over again.
If you like lawyer stuff and political stuff, not a lot of romance, and just enough fantasy to get by, I think Again My Life is for you…..I certainly enjoyed it.

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If you loved Bai Feng Jiu and Dong Hua Dijun in Eternal Love, you might want to watch this show.

This was the first drama I couldn’t wait for. I watched all the YouTube videos showing the making of. I patiently waited until my streaming service had the English translations ready to go. Then in January, I sat down and began what I hoped was the next EL…..which……..sigh, it wasn’t.

STORY:
Eternal Love of Dream is the love story of two fun characters from Eternal Love adapted from the novel by the same writer as Eternal Love. The problem with this story is Bai Feng Jiu’s and Dong Hua Dijun’s story is pretty much the only interesting storyline in this entire show. One of the beauties of EL is that it had so many fun characters that it wasn’t just about the leads. Other than the character of Chi Wu played very nicely by Wayne Liu, everyone else was just so-so. Okay. I take that back….Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen’s relationship was very nicely defined (more so than EL) and I will admit I didn’t see anything but bromance in EL, but it is very easy to see there is more to those two in ELOD (It was almost as if they said…..What Censors?).

CHARACTERS:
Of course, Bai Feng Jiu and Dong Hua Dijun are so much more interesting in ELOD because they are fleshed out and have lots of good and bad about them. I didn’t appreciate their mortal arc (but it was well thought out). I do love how Bai Feng Jiu is really good at some things like cooking and sword fighting but still childish and immature up until the Aranya arc. Dilraba is probably one of my favorite Chinese actresses if not the very top. The same goes with Vengo Gao’s performance as the cold and aloof Dong Hua Di Jun. He warms up about the same time the Feng Jiu grows up. Their conclusion was quite nicely done.

Wayne Liu played Yan Chi Wu the obnoxious demon prince out to challenge Dong Hua Dijun to several duels all the time because he thinks his true love Ji Heng will marry Dong Hua. By far, Chi Wu is the MOST interesting character in the entire show. Wayne Liu played 15th Disciple in EL but in this, he is WAY more fun (they even explain the likeness which is silly but who cares).

That’s it. Si Ming’s and Feng Jiu’s relationship in EL was more fun. Lian Song and Cheng Yu were more interesting in ELOD but meh…I didn’t even see their story was concluded. Other than the strangely fascinating pair of Bai Zhen and Zhe Yan (by the end….it was obvious), not one of the characters were fun or deliciously evil.

Ji Heng (Angel Liu), well I feel very sad for the actress. Here she bought the rights to ELOD before EL was released. After EL, there was no female that could play Feng Jiu properly other than Dilraba. If Ji Heng was written the way Angel Liu portrayed her, then eeeeek. She would have been better off trying for the Cheng Yu part. From the first moment Ji Heng was introduced, I hated her and didn’t change my mind with her ending either. I don’t think that was because of Angel Liu but how it was written. (Poor Angel Liu)

MUSIC:
The music was nice, but I didn’t download anything. It was very reminiscent of EL. Again….meh.

REWATCH VALUE:
I’ll admit, I went back to watch the beginning parts with Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen (because the end was so blatant) just to see if they were a couple from the beginning……yep. Other than that, I just couldn’t do it. I may go back and re-watch the bird tribe arc with Chi Wu and Feng Jiu. That was just fun all around.

OVERALL:
If you liked EL, you should watch ELOD. If you like Vengo Gao or Dilraba (and I love them both), then watch ELOD. If you like lots of fun characters which makes Wuxia so much fun…..ELOD, not so much. Truth be told, I put ELOD on hold in March and did not pick it back up to complete until August. It didn't capture my heart as well as EL did. BUT! It was worth finishing.

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Is I Hear Your Voice my new favorite show…..no. Is this a funny show…..no. Is it worth watching….sure, why not. I watched this show because it was highly rated on MDL (somewhere in the top 20 – it moves around a lot). My overall opinion….it wasn’t bad. The story is of three people whose fates are intertwined when one of them witnesses the murder of the other’s father. I realize I’m over simplifying it a bit….but hey if I really went into detail there would be spoilers and it would sound a little too much like an American soap opera (which it isn’t).

THE CHARACTERS
First of all, I did love/hate the characters (that is always a good sign if I hate a character). Jang Hye Sung played very well by Lee Bo Young, well, she was simply repulsive through the first half of the show and then I loved her for the last half. The writers and the actress did a fabulous job fleshing out the somewhat incompetent defense lawyer. From her nasty eating habits to her prickly attitude, she was not boring in the least. She was a perfect foil to the upright forth right outstanding lawyer Cha nicely done by Yoon Sang Hyun and the hot headed but very loyal young Park Soo Ha (Lee Jong Suk – I might have to add him to my oppa list).

The three make for a very interesting and plausible love triangle that did not nauseate me in the least. A whole host of other interesting legal-type characters such as Prosecutor Seo Do Yeon (Lee Da Hee), Defense Lawyer Shin Sang Duk (Yoon Joo Sang), and Judge Kim Kong Sook (Kim Kwang Gyu) plus a few more lawyerly types kept things interesting. A little levity was provided by high school friends played by Park Doo Shik and Kim Ga Eun. All in all, there wasn’t a character that wasn’t nicely written or portrayed in the whole show.

THE STORY
So then, why don’t I give this 10 out of 10? Simply, because it wasn’t funny. It was actually quite scary and sad. We see the murder of parents and the subsequent trials for them. We see a father who was obsessed with always being right….no matter the cost. There is also a case of a false accusation and a mother losing her livelihood because of it, causing the family to be homeless for a time. All of this could be just fine and actually really good, especially the mind reading part if there would just have been a moment of two of humor to alleviate all this trauma……but alas, not ONE joke.

The story is of Park Soo Ha who witnesses Min Joon Kook murdering his father and Jang Hye Sung and Seo Do Yeon also witnessing the murder. The two young women grow up and become lawyers on opposing sides. Park Soo Ha goes to school and spends all his free time practicing martial arts so he can protect Jang Hye Sung who he is eternally grateful to for putting his father’s killer in jail. Years later they meet again and lawyer-ish drama ensues. The older woman/younger man thing is done very nicely….not at all creepy (but I’m a woman and any character played by Lee Jong Suk is just dreamy).

I especially love love love love how the two women (not friends) lawyers learn something about themselves and the law...that is what I really found fun about this show. Interesting women characters are hard to come by and Lee Bo Young and Lee Da Hee were fabulous together....so worth watching just for their performance.

THE MUSIC
The music was not over the top or repetitive, but truth be told, I can’t remember a single song, so it wasn’t very outstanding either. It didn’t hurt the story but I’m not sure if it did anything at all for the story.

CONCLUSION
This is a very well-done lawyer drama that showed a very passionate side to the business of justice. If you like lawyer dramas, then this will definitely entertain you. If you like a scary and manipulative bad guy, then this drama is for you. If you like interesting characters that are well performed, then this show is just perfect for you. If you want a little humor in your drama……well watch it for the lawyer stuff and the cute romance anyway. Then contact me if you can’t find a good drama with humor….those are my favorite types of dramas. I’ve got a list!

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It is no secret that Park Hae Jin is my #1 oppa. I love his acting skills, the way he moves his face to show emotion, and of course, he’s pretty. I have made it a hobby to watch every single show that he is in (or at least attempt to). Typically, if the story is bad or too cheesy, I just give up. Bad Guys….I did not give up. But it took me months to watch – not because there are a lot of episodes, but it is just one gritty, dirty, bloody mass of a show. So many people get stabbed, towards the last episode where one of supporting characters is stabbed, I didn’t blink an eye.

The Story:
This show is the story of an elite crime fighting team that is composed of convicted killers pulled out of prison to catch a serial killer or a lot of serial killers. South Korea must have a very low population with all the serial killers running around in need of capture. The team consists of one drunk cop, a savvy police woman, and three convicted killers. They go on their merry way and clean up the crime ridden streets of Seoul. The subplot involves two of the killers hired to kill the third and a very strange plot twist with the drunk copy (I think I saw it coming but I was captivated just the same).

The story was good and yes, I figured out who the bad guy really was the first episode he was introduced. I thought the actor did a fine job letting the audience know there was something more about him. I won’t tell you more because that would be a spoiler.

The Acting:
Wow. Each character was portrayed very WELL. Of course, Park Hae Jin did a fabulous job as Lee Jung Moon the genius psychopath. I was pleasantly surprised to see spectacular performances from Jo Dong Hyuk and Ma Dong Seok playing the professional hired assassin and the big burly mob enforcer. Wow were their story lines complex and compelling. I loved what both of them did with the characters. They made them so HUMAN (that was the whole point of the show). It was incredible how I loved these three killers in each and ever episode. (Note: that is contrary to my character so that shows how good they were).

Kim Sang Joong played the drunk cop and frankly he did it so well and was such as mess, I wondered if he were a drunk in real life (does anyone know). Kang Ye Won is the token non-victim female in the whole show, and while her character doesn’t develop as well, she still does an incredible job portraying the angsty feeling of her position as the only normal person on the team or maybe even the entire show. But it makes me wonder…Can’t women portray scary serial killers too????? All other women on the show are victims of one kind or another. (grrrrrrr)

The Music:
Truth be told, this show is so gritty that I’m not sure what music there was on it. If the music was meant to make me feel uncomfortable or scared, it did its job. I certainly couldn’t tell you a song that stood out.

Conclusion:
If you like gritty crime dramas, this show is right up your alley. If you like suspense and blood and guts…..start watching this show immediately! If you want romance and an ending that is tied up with a nice neat bow……may I recommend Touch Your Heart or Sweet Dreams. This show is so far away from romance and sweet that you couldn’t see it with a telescope. Bad Guys was a bit intense for me but…..Park Hae Jin (sigh). Frankly if it’s a good story, no matter how nasty and gory, I’ll watch it if he’s in it (shocking..I know).

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To start, I have family that live in Tokyo and all along they’ve told me to avoid Japanese television and focus on the Chinese and Korean offerings. To be fair, I wanted to try out a show, on my own, to see if there was anything about their concerns. Unfortunately, they weren’t wrong. If you are jazzed by wuxia C-dramas or really enjoy the humor or angst of a good K-drama, please don’t expect too much from Kahogo no Kahoko. It felt like an art film from beginning to end….like one of those indie pieces focusing on the life of the ordinary.

HOWEVER, this show wasn’t bad. In the beginning the audience believes the Kahoko is horribly backwards and out of touch with reality with no clear understanding on what is important in life. By the end of episode 10, we realize that we misjudged poor Kahoko and its everyone else and maybe even ourselves that doesn’t have a clue. Kahoko’s priorities and determination become startlingly evident before half the episodes are completed and we come to love her character.

STORY
Kahoko is a pampered and spoiled almost college graduate (or is she really spoiled?) who’s mother and father take care of everything for her including picking out her clothing and waking her up every day. Kahoko is brilliantly played by Takahata Mitsuki and boy howdy did she do an incredible job. By far, this woman is a phenomenal actress with her characterization of Kahoko. If there is any reason to watch this show, it is for her performance alone.

Kahoko starts out as the odd man out amongst a throng of family and one friend Hajime played by Takeuchi Ryoma who does an okay job but doesn’t knock it out of the park like Takahata Mitsuki. Hajime is billed as the one who is honest with Kahoko and helps her move from mama’s little girl to eventually a family matriarch. Of course, a romance blossoms between Kahoko and Hajime. It was definitely unique.

CHARACTERS
Kahoko of course is the best developed character but we shouldn’t discount Hajime who goes from friend, to boyfriend, to someone who realizes how much he needs her in his life. Their progression was really quite lovely. Its Kahoko’s parents that will push your buttons the most. They are responsible for the predicament Kahoko is to begin with. Her father realizes his mistakes but her mother…..I’m torn between hating her for her over-protectiveness and feeling sorry for her when she realizes what her life is all about. Neither do a whole lot to change their ways. Kahoko has to do ALL the work.

Kahoko’s aunts, uncles, and grandparents and one cousin who needs a good spanking are all interesting characters that have a lot to learn and to grow and we get to see some of it over the ten episodes. Their stories are developed enough that its difficult to hate them or be bored because they are growing right along with Kahoko.

CONCLUSION
This was a nice first try at a J-drama. I do recommend it if you are looking for something not too violent or too depressing. It has just the right amount of humor to keep it interesting, even when it gets all artsy with all the family drama. The production value isn’t as good as many k-dramas and certainly the special effects aren’t as well done as the average c-drama. Kahogo no Kahoko is a nice piece of work that makes you think about family relationships and laugh a little along the way. Its worth watching, just not over and over and over like some of the c-drama and k-dramas inspire us to do.

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