Even though I'm profoundly sad about the fact that there won't ever be another new Arang episode to look forward to, I owe this drama enough to be able to write a favorable review. Not only have I been entertained to the core by the Arang makers and actors, but been gifted with a story so heart-warming and wonderful that I'm going to remember for a long time to come. Despite the naysayers and the people unhappy with the ending, I'd say the end couldn't have been done more realistically yet satisfyingly.
I rarely give a drama a 10 and to be honest the sad feeling that the end left me with (despite being fitting) made me want to give it a 9. But then Lee Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah have done so extremely well as the leads and made Eun Oh and Arang so endearing to me, that I can't possibly do them that disservice.
Coming to the plot, oh writer-nim how have you managed to mash up all genres - drama, intrigue, mystery, comedy, suspense, romance into one single story and made everything seem so believable and legitimate too? How? HOW? It's a remarkable achievement for which you deserve an award anyway. To tie up all loose ends of a story with such a convoluted plot must have been an ordeal that few writers would want to go through.
And must I say anything about the actors? Lee Jun Ki, do you need to sound so modest that you have to apologize to the viewers for perhaps not being able to do well enough after having just returned from the army? Exactly who are you kidding? To describe your performance in one word I'd say you were FABULOUS.
You played not one but several roles with such panache that the (female) viewer could only be glued to their tv or pc screens and pine for you in their hearts. Eun Oh, the magistrate. Eun Oh, the investigator. Eun Oh, the protector and savior of Arang. Eun Oh, the devoted son. Eun Oh, the administrator. Eun Oh, the top-notch martial artist. Eun Oh, the lover of Arang. You made all the Eun Oh-s so genuine, lovable and dignified that you deserve awards. Not one but lots of them.
And Shin Min Ah, even though you might be typecast in paranormal/supernatural being roles after this who the heck cares? You can play those characters terrifyingly well which lots of other accomplished actresses will have trouble with. Your Arang will definitely remain ingrained in every viewer's memories as a lovely young maiden ghost who never gave up and earned for herself a life and love that had been previously denied to her. Arang rocked our worlds and so did your performance. Honestly, both Lee Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah had crackling chemistry and should work together again.
About the rest of the cast, Yoo Seung Ho was particularly stellar as Jade Emperor and so were others like Yeon Woo Jin. Joo Wal appeared as a creepy, vulnerable and perpetually confused man drifting through life as if he were in a daze and Woo Jin's portrayal ensured that we got the message. Kwon Oh Jung, Hwang Bo Ra as Dol Soe and Bang Wool were equally amazing and without their incredible comic timing things may have gotten a bit drab. Han Jung Soo as Mu Yeong was another plus for the drama - I was a teensy bit unhappy about his fate at the end but the writer turned things around and gave us a little bit of hope that his existence was perhaps not completely wiped out.
If I'm to list the shortcomings, then a few stand out. Like how Joo Wal and Lord Choi came in contact with the evil fairy Moo Yeon and how Lord Choi came to adopt Joo Wal as a son were never shown. Seo Rim's father, the previous magistrate who died searching for his lost daughter was never shown either.
Also the songs were a weak link with the notable exceptions of K.Will's 'Love is you' and Jang Jae In's 'Fantasy' which I've been listening to on a loop. Why this marked difference between the kickass background music, those hauntingly melancholy themes and the actual songs? Even Baek Ji Young's rendition of 'Love and love' comes off as an annoyance.
But anyway, in the light of the brilliance of the other parts of the drama and the story, I'm ready to forgive such minor oversights.

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After a long time I watched a drama for teenagers where the characters have been portrayed by a bunch of adult actors. But nowhere did it seem inappropriate or contrived or botched up badly. This drama was honest in its depiction of emotions and tried to recreate the H.O.T fanaticism among teenage girls in the late 90s as accurately as possible. But this story isn't about teenagers or Kpop groups in 1997. It is rather the story of a group of individuals with a greater focus on their teenage years and how their teens never actually leave them even when they mature into their 30s.
For a bunch of newcomers hardly known before their roles in this drama, the entire cast has done mind-blowingly well. Especially Seo In Gook and Hoya have been successful in making their characters of Yoon Jae and Joon Hee appear so believable and real. It was hard or near impossible to stop myself from being completely sucked into their world-laugh and cry with them.
The simplicity and the excellent screenplay notwithstanding, I have a few bones to pick with this drama. The whole confusion regarding Shi Won's husband was meaningless and unnecessary. It was plain obvious who her husband was from the very start. The script-writer should've worked harder in making the situation more ambiguous and the answer difficult to guess. The Yoo Jung and Hak Chan narrative gets very little screen time. I would've loved to see a little more development in their relationship since they were so good together. Also the way the story ends for the two couples seems too good to be true. Real life isn't that kind. The drama in spite of being realistic as possible, fails to make the cut when it comes to depicting the harshness of the real world where everything doesn't work out according to our wishes. But anyway I totally dig the ending and that's what matters in case of a highly successful show as this one.
Finally, the one thing that fans of this drama are bound to remember for a long time is Joon Hee. He did not ever properly spell out his feelings and yet he did so in the subtlest and gentlest of manners. Hoya is truly a revelation. Hoping to see more of him in the future. Also Eun Ji did an excellent job as Shi Won, who although annoying at most times is the crazy little girl next door who may not be pretty but is certainly very lovable.

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I'm stopping short of giving this a 10 even though this 3-episode short minidrama entertained me throughout and completely. Probably because it's not a masterpiece despite being entertaining. But boy is it cute. It was full of so much adorableness and sweet moments that I lost count. And I watched it with a smile intact on my face. It had its cliches, stereotypes but even so came out as a refreshing take on a teen romance. How I wish it were longer in length. And must I say anything about idol Sun Woong(Irene/Hyun Woo)? He is as charming as a girl as he is as a boy and plays his part not to perfection maybe, but close. He was the heart and soul of this drama and every time he came onscreen he just lit it up with his mere presence. Kim Soo Hyun is also quite believable in her role here, which thankfully is as far from evil as can be imagined. And the 2 Idiot Trios of TaeJoon and Irene's fanclub are equally hilarious. So is the second lead, Min Hoo. Now I'm waiting for actual subs to release so that I can watch it again. Youtube somehow never gave me full satisfaction.
Hoping Tooniverse makes more such heart-warming teen dramas in the future. Also hoping(dying rather) to see Sun Woong in something new now.

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Honestly I couldn't figure out what the big fuss about this drama was. Okay so the guys were eye candy and Jung Il Woo was really hot. But that cannot possibly make up for the lack of a story or an actual plot. Things kept happening between Chi Soo and Eun Bi which made no sense whatsoever and there was obviously no logic to a brat like Chi Soo suddenly developing feelings for Eun Bi, who seemed to have no redeeming qualities except knowing how to play volleyball and acting like a klutz. The only saving grace in this drama is Lee Ki Woo, whose character was quirky, funny and charming. Ba Wool and Hyun Woo's act also provided the much needed comic relief from time to time, and made this slightly watchable.

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I was quite hesitant to watch this drama even a long time after it had finished airing, mainly because an idol cast isn't exactly my cup of tea. But prejudices can be so bad. This drama was an amazing watch throughout. Even though it had its fair share of cliches and typical Kdrama machinations to make the leads taste success even at the end of a road full of hurdles, it never failed to make me smile or feel what the characters were feeling. And despite all the leads, except Kim Soo Hyun, being newcomers as actors they did a pretty good job portraying the uniqueness of each of their characters. I found Suzy as Go Hye Mi, as the weakest link but even so her act did not grate on my nerves. Jason and Pil Suk's budding friendship/romance was a treat to watch and I always eagerly looked forward to their interactions. Park Jin Young, as Jin Man managed to provide the humor despite what some people are saying. Last but not the least, Kim Soo Hyun as Song Sam Dong was simply outstanding. Sam Dong loved unabashedly, never being narrow-minded or selfish. You will cry when you see him grapple with a terrible handicap, you will smile when you hear his hilarious country dialect and you will feel the depth of his unrequited love. Perhaps the most memorable character from the drama. All in all, Dream High is a MUST watch. I now know why they are making a second season!

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I decided to watch this drama as a sort of timepass and because it had Oh Ji Ho. Needless to say I wasn't expecting much but here's where Get Karl, Oh Soo Jung surprised me somewhat. Here's one drama, which gets rid of the traditional Miss Goody-two-shoes self-sacrificing Kdrama heroine who cries buckets whenever things go wrong in her life and embraced the idea of a strong woman who unabashedly confesses to be a gold-digger, as its lead. And who better than a great actress like Uhm Jung Hwa to do this character justice?! The story was a bit unconventional, so was the relationship between the leads...but both Oh Ji Ho and Jung Hwa had terrific chemistry throughout. The plot drags considerably after episode 10, when stupid misunderstandings crop up. Instead of being brave and fessing up, the hero chickens out and gives the bad girl the advantage and they take this long meandering route towards reconciliation. I was expecting more spine from Oh Ji Ho's character and in that respect I was sorely disappointed. Coming to the side characters, the friendship between Soo Jung and her two girlfriends provides lots of comic relief and Karl's manager who speaks Korean with an artificial American accent and Soo Jung's teenage brother are hilarious as well. All in all, a good watch but not remarkable.

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I seldom give a drama a 10 on 10. Because no matter how well a plot has been handled and cinematized there's always room for improvement. But in the case of this fabulous Hong sisters venture, I can think of no other way to improve the story. From the cast, to story, to direction, to solid comic chops, to acting, to music and plot and character development, nothing was lacking in this gem. Although to be truthful I'd have liked for the romance to be a bit more pronounced. But I think the subtlety of feelings the leads had for each other, was needed to suit the general mood of the story. Another thing-people who had started hating Han Ye Seul after the whole Myung wol The Spy controversy, please watch this drama and prepare to be mesmerized. The way she brings out Jo Anna's arrogance and pompousness and Na Sang Shil's innocent charm onscreen, is a treat for the senses. And Oh Ji Ho proves that a solid, toned body isn't all that he has got. He made Jang Chul Soo appear so genuine and sincere. MUST watch Hong sisters drama, and on some accounts I'd rate this even higher than You're Beautiful yes!

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I started with this drama mainly because the plot seemed interesting enough. We all know what happens in a forbidden kind of love story between student and teacher and I expected it to go the cliched way right from the beginning but Biscuit Teacher surprised me here. The relationship between Tae In and Bo Ri has been depicted with sensitivity and a lot of depth-they are like friends, each other's mentors, guides, siblings, parents and lovers. Beginning was extremely fun and humorous with lotsa hilarious and heart-rendering situations involving individual students. But towards the end it kind of became a drag where there was little to no substantial plot development. It was heart-breaking to see Tae In cry so much and frustrating to see Bo Ri act like a confused teenager, unsure of her feelings. However the ending totally made up for it- very sweet. If not for anything else, this drama MUST be watched for Gong Yoo's realistic portrayal of an innocent and love-struck teenager, who matures from an eccentric, unruly kid to a real man with the strength to sacrifice what's most dear to him. Great acting by Gong Hyo Jin and the supporting cast as well.

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First things first. This drama changed my whole attitude towards classical music. About the story, the manga is brilliant in itself, but due to the large number of anime-like gags and exaggerated situations, you'd think the drama would lose its connection to reality somewhere. But it doesn't. Instead NC creates a magical world of its own where you lose yourself in Noda Megumi's brilliance and Chiaki Shinichi's slow rise to fame and influence. Comedy part of the drama too is extremely well-done, with members of the orchestra like Masumi and Mine making you laugh your guts out. While Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Rachmaninoff's immortal creations provide a brilliant backdrop for Chiaki and Nodame's growing relationship. To make things perfect Tamaki Hiroshi's portrayal of the prickly Chiaki is bang on however Ueno Juri as Nodame clearly steals the thunder. Her acting and mannerisms are so accurate and reminiscent of an eccentric genius, that you start thinking that Nodame may just be for real. To all those who may not like the drama(just in case), do go watch the anime or read the manga. This is a story nobody should miss out on.

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I started on this drama mainly because of Song Joong Ki since I've been a big fan of him ever since Sungkyunkwan Scandal. And I'm mighty glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised to find that without adhering to cliched Kdrama machinations or plot developments it was able to keep the viewer entertained throughout. The acting by the entire cast is honest and mind-blowingly good especially the 3 leads. The stories of the patients, their suffering and human moments moved me to tears at times. Although I feel a few of the guest stars or patients over-acted at times but that doesn't undermine the overall seriousness of the drama. Coming to the romance part, it was delicately portrayed. The development of the relationship between the leads and Hye Young's friendship with Jae Suk give the viewers some truly memorable moments.

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This is NOT a popular drama although I heard it played a significant role in spreading the hallyu wave in the U.S. If you ignore Dennis Oh's below average acting skills, slow screenplay and sometimes boring scenes...this drama is sure to keep you interested. The story is ordinary but the execution was good. The scenes involving Choi Beum Gu and his gym cronies were so hilarious I'd often burst out laughing while watching alone. It's an earnest parody of a spy drama...it gets serious at times but it somehow manages to retain it's comic element. Nam Sang Mi's character was slightly annoying at times but then she made Lee Sun Ae seem genuine, innocent and honest. It is a good drama and somehow I've managed to develop a connection to it, hence I'm being generous and rating it at 8.

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Que Sera Sera has gotta be one of the best under-rated Korean dramas out there. The plot and the story are not exceptional, but the excellent acting, screenplay and characterizations make this drama stand out. And what seals the deal is the ending. One of the best Kdrama endings in my opinion. The conversion of the bad guy into a human with emotions has been portrayed meticulously through the various ups and downs and twists in the plot. All the characters with their human flaws and shortcomings will leave a permanent impression on you. Rewatch value is less though, since one wouldn't want to experience all the angst that the leads go through once again.

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Okay this was a predictable ride throughout, being a remake of the famed Demi Moore starrer Ghost. I watched it only 'cause it boasts of a cast which includes Song Seung Hun. Storylines are similar except the ghost in this case is the woman. The movie is exceptionally slow in the beginning and until Nanami dies. Only then are things set into motion. The cute ghost kid who teaches Nanami how to be able to move material objects without a body, added charm to the few frames she was seen in and I wish the viewers had gotten more of her. What this movie missed was Whoopie Goldberg's excellent portrayal of the psychic in Ghost. We needed someone like her to spice things up. But Kiren Kiki does a moderate job in the few scenes she is seen. Again I'm being generous and giving it a 7 as I am a die hard Seung Hun fan. And Nanako Matsushima is another favorite.

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