A Time Travelling Pop Idol , That’s A New One, Korea...

Hit the Top was a strange mix of cliche and heartwarming plot to say the least. The beginning of the show was undeniably dragged out. Rather than simply introducing us to our main protagonists in addition to our main protagonist , Hyun Jae,time travelling escapade to 2017 and meeting the gang in maybe two episodes max, the show drags this on for more than three episodes. Like most drama scriptwriting, this does give viewers to see a little more upon the individual circumstances of both past and present versions before and after Hyun Jae’s mysterious death in 1994. The “younger” range of characters who Hyun Jae begins to live with , are Ji Hoon, the studious adopted son of Gwang Tae and the polar opposite of Hyun Jae, (however, he also aspires to be a popular idol, )Woo Seung, a young student desperate to pass her university exam and of course MC Drill, one of Hyun Jae’s best friends and trainees at the same entertainment company. The characters which have connections to Hyun Jae’s past, are probably the characters who go through the most development in the show. Hyun Jae’s former manager and friend, Gwang Tae, juggles between his feelings for Bo Hee , managing the dying company and of course trying to be a paternal figure to Ji Hoon. Bo Hee longs for her glory days but is a washed up star, seemingly narcissistic and less than a maternal figure to her son Ji Hoon, however, her character certainly goes through a lot of development in the course of the plot, most certainly finally letting go of her weighed up guilt to Hyun Jae’s death. Then of course, there’s Sundae. The chairman of one of Korea’s most successful groups, now similarly disregarded by his former contractee, Soon Tae’s growing idol business and battling old age. In terms of development, whilst the show did focus upon the main mystery upon Hyun Jae’s disappearance and to a lesser extent Ji Hoon’s twist parentage, a lot of the cushioned storyline such as the relationship between Woo Seung with Hyun Jae , diminished the focus upon familial relationships within the show. Whilst a lot of critics jump to point out the age difference officially between Woo Seung and Hyun Jae in 2017( I.e Hyun Jae is officially in his 40s and Woo Seung is still only in her 20s), my biggest problem did not come through this. ( Although a lot of critics also forget that Hyun Jae is from 1993, and consequently is still in his 20s.) It was not to do with the lack of chemistry between the leads, but, rather it diminished the main focus upon Hyun Jae’s familial relationships, as well of course trying to overcome the plot hole of the butterfly effect which just drags deeper downwards, near the ending of the show due to of course the error of one of the main plot reveals. Naturally, the ending did offer a happy release for viewers and tied down the fates of the characters , however, it didn’t truly feel connected together as a final and complete ending, considering that one of the main plot’s storylines was nearly erased entirely from its appeal.

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Unknown; A Drama with Wasted Potential...

Unknown is arguably one of the weirdest dramas from 2023 so far. This statement does not come from the plot itself. In fact, on paper, the drama was engrossing; a vampire called Yamihara Kokoro ( Takahata Mitsuki), pretending to be human, falls in love with a human policeman Asada Toramatsu (Tanaka Kei). Toramatsu's skeletons in the closet come to light as the drama precedes. As Kokoro and Toramatsu attempt to navigate their new sense of the everyday, their lives are interrupted by a series of brutal murders.


Where the problem became apparent with Unknown came through the writing and execution itself. Initially, the story began on a solid foot. Viewers learn early on that Kokoro's family are vampires. She is dating a human and struggles between her identity and shielding elements of her life from Asada. The early teasing by the screenwriter Tokuo Koji ( Ossan's Love and Eiga Engeki Success So) for the series is a mystery thriller with elements of slice of life was soon interrupted by the attempts to bring about '' shocking twists''.



Of course, a dramatic twist or moment of sudden reversal for the characters can work well in a drama, given that it is well incorporated into the plot. The problem with Koji's writing came from trying to outdo the last twist in a series of events, which becomes increasingly ridiculous in later episodes. By the end of the series, the more relevant plot twists were so lost in the multitude of loose plot threads that they lost their true significance in the series.


The acting of the series was okay. It was nothing particularly award-winning ( especially considering the more over-the-top performances), but it was watchable for the most part.



Takahata Mitsuki offered arguably one of the best performances in the series as the vampire and journalist Yamihara Kokoro. For the most part, Kokoro is a fairly kindhearted character who attempts to live a simple life by adapting to the modern world. She has a close relationship with her parents ( though her relationship with her brother is rarely explored, even in minor scenes to their full potential). She cares deeply for her boyfriend and fiancé Yamihara. One element which became apparent in Kokoro's character was that she rarely seemed to have a more profound sense of authority or putting her foot down. It is understandable not to want to upset others ( in fact, this would have been an exciting flaw for Kokoro to have possessed). Still, her questionable relationship with Kagami Keisuke ( Machida Keita) was bizarre. For a character like Kokoro, it seemed odd for her not to question or worry about how she practically had a flirtatious relationship with Keisuke, even in front of Yamihara. The series attempted to add a shocking twist on this front, but how this was left lacked a lot.



Tanaka Kei starred as policeman Asada Toramatsu and Kokoro's fiancé. Toramatsu had a lot of potentials to be morally ambiguous and complex. His backstory and relationship with his father were hinted to have been a major driving force of the series, and while it did possess some intriguing aspects, its blunt deliverance and rushed conclusion lacked a lot of dramatic impact and buildup. This resulted in Toramatsu's character being a bit weak in his writing. He certainly had kindhearted elements to his character and a good heart. Still, considering the number of deaths and conflict around Toramatsu, it seemed odd that this character was not given full justice through his development.


Other vital characters included Kokoro's theatrical father, Yamihara Kaizo ( Yoshida Kaizo), an attempted piece of comic relief for the series, which, while funny in scenes, became a bit exhausting at times. Kokoro's mother and Kaizo's wife, Yamihara Iori (Aso Kumiko), is a reasonably fun character in her own right. The series was going for a Morticia and Gomez dynamic, with the couple seemingly being head over heels for one another in a more morbid manner. However, a lack of romantic chemistry between the characters and a lack of dynamic between the actors often meant this relationship fell slightly flat.



Kagami Keisuke enacts as Kokoro's co-worker and potential love interest. Keisuke and Kokoro's relationship dynamic was arguably one of the most bizarre in the series ( including an attempted threesome date with Toramatsu, despite the male lead disliking him). The drama tried to pull a sudden, surprising twist in the final part of the series, but a lack of proper build-up and writing made this feel rushed and poorly developed.



Other supporting characters included Yoyozuka Yukio (Kote Shinya), Igarashi Matsuri (First Summer Uika), Yamihara Ren (Inoue Yuki), Igarashi Daigoro (Sota Ryosuke), Niwatsuki Genji ( Sakou Yoshi), Minamijuji Hajime (Niiro Shinya), Soga Shinichi (Ishikawa Zen) and Imafuku Ume (Kino Hana). Although these characters were fascinating in their own right, they were rarely given enough screen time or development to be explored to their full potential.



The OST was decent. Kono Shin composed some decent tracks, such as ''UNKNOWN MAIN THEME'', which were haunting. The cinematography was strange in that the opening had the highest production budget of the whole series. Directors Kanai Ko and Ruto Toichiro attempted to add to the mystery element by revealing minor parts of the ending in the opening credits per episode. This was quite a creative take with all things considered but a mixture of rushed execution and convoluted plot twists often resulted in the impact of the opening losing its meaning over time. The actual quality of the series was average.



Unknown was a drama which was filled with wasted potential. Poor writing decisions and a lack of character development meant they needed further development. The acting was not bad, but they were not performed in a way viewers could take entirely seriously. Overall while short in length, Unknown was a waste of time and potential despite its exciting premise.

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Will This Movie Serve As Your ‘ Hero’?

Kim Hong Ik attempted to ride off the coattails of the crazed vampire genre phenomenon during the early 2010s with ‘ Hero’; an intriguing but sporadic and low-budget vampire flick which will likely intrigue and unintentionally amuse viewers of equal measure.

The plot revolved mainly around underdog high school student Shim-dan (Kim Hyung-Gyu). Together with his best friend Eun-seok (Han Jeong-woo) , the duo are often tormented by relentless bully Cheol-seung (Kwak Min-ho). Nevertheless Shim- Dan has found salvation from his daily torture by trying to avoid Cheol-Seong wherever possible. Instead the main lead spends time watching his secret crush Mi-ah (Lee Da-in) ; too scared to approach her directly and often watching her from afar out of intrigue .

However Shim-Dan’s ordinary school life soon takes a different turn. One evening he ends up attempting to rescue a drunk girl Yoo-ri (Han Ye-won) from being assaulted only to discover she is a vampire. Rather than killing him Yoo-Ri decided to spare his life by turning him into a vampire also. Desperately trying to hide his newfound physical changes and abilities from his classmates , Shim-Dan’s secret becomes harder to keep after the transfer of Yoo-ri as a teacher at the school.

The acting in the series could admittedly be a mixed-bag. The main cast undeniably had natural onscreen chemistry together. However line deliverances could admittedly differ between scenes also.

Kim Hong Ik’s ‘ Hero’ is a vampire movie evidently aimed at a younger audience. Graphic violence and blood is rarely exposed in the series and thematic themes surrounding everyday high school life certainly indicated towards the audience’s aimed age demographic. Nevertheless it is important to establish that ‘Hero’ was surprisingly not based upon lighthearted and soapy teen-angst either. The greatest drive of the movie was arguably served through the comedy; alternating at times between professional satire and amateurish jokes. However sadly the alternation between professionalism and amateurism could often be seen in the screenwriting also.

One of the greatest problems which arose in Kim Hong Ik’s movie could often be found through struggling to establish a concise plot goal from the outset. Perhaps if the movie had tempted to place an obtrusive focus on simply Shim- Dan’s new life as a vampire and his gradual romantic relationship with Mi-ah, ‘ Hero’ could’ve felt as though it had a direct and clear plot beginning, climactic build and resolution throughout the movie. However sadly this was not the case with the outcome for ‘ Hero’ ‘s depicted plot line.

Intriguing relationship builds initially introduced such as between Yoo-ri and Shim-Dan were often abandoned by the halfway point whilst potentially quintessential characters were often left hung up by abandoned subplots before the halfway point. As a consequence entire sequences and seemingly built up scenes were often awkwardly cut through or flitted to another scenario in an attempt to draw viewers’ attention to another storyline; often feeling like a diversion tactic to reduce focus upon loose plot ends.

By the ending of the movie it was evident that even the screenwriters were aware that the plot had been exhausted due to lacking foundations setup from the start towards plot drive. The “solution” was given by the screenwriter by the finale of the film: enter the generic vampire final boss. Whilst arguably this scenario was a desperate attempt to clutch at wrapping some loose plot ties up, the ending felt sporadic and rashly thrown together to raise tension. However rather than acting upon coherent logic, it was odd that somehow all of the quintessential characters of the film were put under one roof without h rhyme or reason towards truly coming together.

A consistent problem which became apparent in these final conflict scenes became apparent through poor fighting sequences; looking neither consistent or slick onscreen.

Of course it is wrong to entirely condemn ‘ Hero’ also. One of the greatest writing dynamics of the film came through the friendship between Shim-Dan and Eun-Seok. As the movie progressed and events shifted it became apparent towards the natural causes of division which would occur between the two friends.

In addition to this there’s also the relationship between Mi-ah and Shim-Dan. The chemistry between both of the main leads was dynamic and gradual. It could’ve admittedly have been built up more but it did add a touch of surprising authenticity towards a main lead who struggled with his bloodlust towards his crush. Even Mi-ah had her moments of added complexity at times in the movie with her home life revealing that she struggled with her own problems also.

Several plot holes aside there is the OST also. The chosen soundtrack isn’t inherently dire per say but considering the mood and tone set during scenes it could often feel mismatched against storyline and taking away the deliverance of emotion, when silence could’ve delivered a greater result at times also. In addition to this there’s the amalgamation of the quality of filming in the series; low-budget but sometimes cinematic and at other parts in the film, arbitrary and rushed scenes added before the final-cut gave an amateurish feel towards the delivered result.

Overall ‘ Hero’ proved to be an intriguing premise with a decent cast and ensemble of characters. Nevertheless whilst the film delivered a compact conclusion, the added touch of lacking to wrap up loose plot ends didn’t deliver a truly emotional finale to the film. Amateurish screenwriting combined with filmmaking created a haphazard film filled with unexplored potential; entertaining in a way but never truly possessing concise build or plot either.

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Let’s See How Many More Cliches We Can Cram In There..

Nice Guy (or “Innocent Man “depending on the translation ) is a revenge tale revolving around an innocent young man called Kang Ma-Roo ( Song Joong Ki) . After an unforgivable incident with his unrequited love interest Han Jae Hee ( Park Si Young), Kang Ma Roo’s life descends into bitterness and cynicism as
a Casanova to pay for his sister-figure, Choco (Lee Yu Bi) ‘s medical bills and for a roof over their heads . A fated meeting with Jae Hee once again , leads him into hatching a revenge scheme by seducing Jae Hee’s cold-hearted stepdaughter and chaebol heiress ,Seo Eun Gi ( Moon Chae Won), however, revenge and love soon become intertwined as Ma-Roo finds himself falling deeper into an emotional whirlpool of the past and the present. Before I begin to analyse the reason behind my rating, I’ll start off by saying that this show could be surprisingly profound in parts . The drama exposed deeper levels of the characters’ consciences rather than a mere “ she’s the antagonist, so she is evil” and “ he’s the hero, so he’s always going to do the right thing”. In that respect, Kang Ma Roo is easily one of the most complex characters within the series; neither truly “ pure” and a knight in shining armour, nor beyond repair and a moustache twirling villain. Instead, he is simply human and is only trying to survive and receive justice for the wrongdoings of Han Jae Hee even if he has to harm others in the process. Similarly, it’s easy to write off Jae Hee as a “ femme fatale antagonist “ who is out to get Ma Roo , however, she does provide a similar reason behind her actions; survival. It doesn’t make her excuses forgivable, however, more profound moments in the series do reveal that Jae Hee has a family to look after, a status to maintain and feelings for Ma Roo which begin to bubble at the surface and drive her motivation out of revenge and jealousy. In a similar manner, Eun Gi is a spoilt and callous girl with few redeeming features, apart from a greater exposure beneath her facades towards having a good heart and her dedication to Ma Roo. Whilst the characterisation within the show is undeniably well-written, it’s hard to say the same about the general plot and the mixed bag of acting within the show as well. The early episodes within the show were simply nothing more than slow within the general pacing of the series. Whilst these episodes do set out the groundwork for the reason behind Ma Roo’s revenge and how he comes to meet Jae Hee again and Eun Gi, there’s little direction or premise towards exactly how the series will go. Once the pace does pick up after a couple of episodes into the drawn main premise of Eun Gi being in a manipulative relationship with Ma Roo, the scriptwriters go wild with cramming in as many cliches as they can into the storyline at once, rather than simply either only choosing a couple sensical cliches and developing the show with original takes, or not including them at all. Instead, we are left with the notable cliches which have been laughably performed in every known Korean drama before and afterwards, from suffering Male lead, rich female lead, Male lead will do anything to survive, illness, amnesia, heirs and fiancés just for good measure. Whilst the cliches in themselves can be done incredibly well, the show simply overdramatised many of these cliches into beyond ridiculous plot ventures later into the series especially regarding the clearly manipulative relationship which the writers try to pick up again through romanticism. Whilst this did expose a more emotionally vulnerable sides to Ma Roo and Eun Gi, it left out many inclusive details towards Ma Roo’s reasons for approaching Eun Gi in the first place. The ending of the show is more than a quick fix solution, than a cathartic completion for our protagonists and felt a slight let down in regards to the great potential which the scriptwriters could have played with after the final climax of the series. In terms of acting, the cast had certain moments of brilliance and laughable deliverance of lines as well. Song Joong Ki portrayed his role not so much through some of his mediocre deliverance of lines and angst brooding, but, through his usage of facial expressions in particular to express to the audience the emotional state of Kang Ma Roo was well -performed . In comparison to Chae Won, Si Young’s performance as Jae Hee , wasn’t enough for a standing ovation from her portrayal easily fading into the background, however, she did play the role with a level of some emotional complexity as a woman torn between survival and love in some of the more profound and touching rare moments especially between her son and surprisingly Eun Gi . Undeniably, Chae Won was one of the strongest actors within the show. Whilst like Joong Ki she had her wobbly moments, it was fair to say that her portrayal was played with a level of more than emotional complexity and humanity and quickly had audiences rooting for her by her expression of emotions.

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‘Whispering Corridors’? More Like Talking Corridors…

In retrospect ‘ Whispering Corridors’ is an oddly anomaly of a film. Released the same year as its more critically-successful and spine-tingling Japanese counterpart ‘Ringu’( 1998) , Screenwriter and director Park Ki-Hyung had been pushing the idea of the movie for numerous years beforehand in order to compete with the rising success of Japanese horror “Yurei “ ( ghost) movies in the Asian-film industry. However ironically whilst ‘ Whispering Corridors’ was a domestic box-office hit the film was neither truly a “terrifying” or well-executed due to a consequence of its patchwork and baffling narrative.

The premise of the film revolves around a teacher at an all-girls school who after stumbling upon the bizarre death of a pupil at the school several years ago is mysteriously found dead the next morning in a seeming act of suicide. Gossip soon begins to spread around the school towards the building being haunted by a vengeful spirit which new intern Eun-young (Lee Mi-yeon) who is, in fact, an ex-pupil and friend of Jin-ju, takes it upon herself to investigate, and comes up not only against a murderous spirit, but more importantly against the corrupt practices of the school authorities.

The acting front of the film is admittedly satisfactory to say the least- its not bad per say and certainly decent enough to watch through scenes, but poorly-paced dialogue deliverances and delayed expression reaction rarely added vivid realism to these moments either.

The horror elements of ‘ Whispering Corridors’ often felt as though there were reluctantly added by Park Ki-Hyung. Of course they exist in theory throughout the film from the presence of the ghost and the urban legends but rarely did they lack two quintessential elements for a horror film; fear and suspense due to lacking build-up or connected points in the storyline . Consequently the overture of ‘ Whispering Corridors’ felt as though it was a parody of the horror genre; over-the-top screams, dark camera angles and the classic “ blood on the wall” lacking anything but dread as further “horror” scenes also seemed to suffer from a farcical existence in the movie also.

Instead ‘ Whispering Corridors’ often felt as though it was supposed to be a social critique - a message which was surprisingly highlighted substantially in the movie. Park Ki-Hung seemed to provide an inherently strong anti-authoritarian streak; openly speaking out against corporal punishment, the impossible strive for perfection and exam results as well as notable taboos in South-Korean popular culture such as lesbianism, assault and corruption.

However sadly rather than these more profound themes helping to tie down the loose ends of ‘ Whispering Corridors’ this instead spiralled a patchwork narrative to take root frontal stage of the film with sporadic-jumps between subplots, heavy dialogues and poor-editing resulting in the film’s pacing feeling tedious. The ending did little to serve a sense of completion or spine-tingling chills for viewers with the outcome feeling more anti-climatic than satiable.

Ki-Hyung’s hand at cinematography was admittedly dated in places through low-budget camera shots and egregious editing at times, but it is praiseworthy to note that Hyung did experiment a lot with early day filming - techniques into Korean cinema such as long shots, pan shots as well as fade sequences throughout the duration of the film ( which are all still widely used today in the South-Korean film industry.)

Overall Park Ki Hyung’s ‘ Whispering Corridors’ is the movie which would’ve arguably done better as a standalone social-commentary movie, than a marketed “horror-flick”. Whilst the movie did admittedly inspire future filmmakers through its box-office success and experiment with the early days of Korean horror in the film industry, the evident comparison between the poorly-paced and mind-numbing narrative with an absent scare factor against its more spine-tingling and suspenseful Japanese counterpart cannot help but come into effect afterwards

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It's fair to say that from probably reading the synopsis alone, you can guess that the show is another attempt to attract young viewers with the cliche setup of the bullied ''loser'' Oh (Korapat Kirdpan) trying to win the affections of the school-beauty Peach (Ramida Jiranorraphat). Whilst this premise can give to rise even with unoriginal story premises to intriguing character depth , development or twists upon the cliches, the most prominent issue of My Dear Loser; Edge of 17 arises through neither Peach nor even more hero Oh, being likeable or decent characters.

For a character bullied, humiliated and who has been manipulated numerous times by his supposed ''angelic'' Peach, Oh should have been a character who went through great development or was at least relatable through his more traumatic experiences. Despite this, Oh seemed the epitome of a ''stock'' male lead; played for some comical relief at times, and too obsessed with chasing his crush Peach with little explanation or reasons behind his affections or feelings as an individual apart from her psychical appearance making her seem ''nice''.

This naturally moves us onto our supposed heroine Peach. By default, Peach should have equally been an intriguing character; forced into a particular stereotype as the ''pretty and nice'' girl by her peers, in a clearly uncomfortable relationship with the school bully Copper ( Purim Rattanaruangwattana) and having the potential to find and escape through a gradual friendship to possibly something more with Oh. However, Peach was a fairly plain and quite shallow character, nearly constantly misleading or ''unintentionally'' manipulating Oh's feelings without a second thought. By the ending of the series, there is little actual relief or intrigue with the delivered fate of both these characters due to neither being portrayed as intriguing individuals, nor having a deep relationship with one another either.
Perhaps the one saving grace of My Dear Loser; Edge of 17 was screenwriter Backaof Noppharnach Chaiwimol ( director of Dark Blue Kiss and Our Skyy)'s classic mark of a fairly realistic( and ironically more intriguing than our main couple,) same-sex relationship between Oh's targeted friend Sun ( Wachirawit Ruangwiwat) and bully In ( Purim Rattanaruangwattana). Whilst beyond cliche and certainly not overly original, a note of appraisal must be given within portraying the difficulties and hardships of this relationship for both Sun and In. Sadly, however, this one decent relationship was undermarked by the main and lacklustre focus on our main pairing, making the delivered story of their relationship fairly underdeveloped.

Overall, My Dear Loser;Edge of 17 undeniably had a fairly accurate portrayal of homosexuality as a youth drama, however, the storyline, characters and certainly some of the acting was lacklustre and incredibly underperformed to say the least. If you're looking for a good teen drama, then look elsewhere as there are better dramas than this to watch.

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Orange Marmalade; Stuck In A Very “ Sticky” Problem...

In all honesty this review will probably be ignored or swept aside for more recent reviews by drama fans. Nonetheless, I will say that I actually watched this drama several years back after having read several chapters of the eponymous webtoon .

Not remembering much about the drama ( apart from some lacklustre chemistry and plot) I decided to have another attempt at watching Orange Marmalade . It was only when watching it for a second time . did I realise that Orange Marmalade truly was its own worst enemy when it came to story progression and episode pacing throughout the show.

Of course that’s not to say that the show was entirely dire ; the premise itself of an alternative reality where vampires are outcasts amongst human society ( similar to the webtoon ) was intriguing, the casting choices of fairly top-notch actors such as Seolhyun and Yeo Jin Goo as our leads added to the appeal and even having Lee Hyung Min ( Strong Woman Do Bong Soon and I’m Sorry, I Love You) and Choi Sung bum ( Jungle Fish and My ID is Gangnam Beauty) as the directors nearly sealed the drama’s fate to be a masterpiece.

So just what went wrong with such a potentially brilliant show? Well, the biggest factor was most certainly to do with the episode pacing.

Although we are introduced to our main female protagonist Baek Ma Ri ( Seolhyun) as well as the majority of our main characters in the first few episodes, there’s simply no scenes dedicated for viewers to actually get to know
our protagonists as individuals, such as ; (despite her circumstances as a “ vampire”,) Ma Ri is not shown to be as subjected or act in strong emotion ( apart from supposed “ fear”) against her peers finding out, ( unlike the webtoon) there’s little explanation or motivation shown behind Jung Jae Min’s ( Yeo Jin Goo) enmity towards vampires , and there is also very little reasoning behind Han Shi Hoo’s caution around humans. In addition to these problems, there’s also the added flaw of the show having what’s called a “ loose plot “ motive ( “ the vampire girl hides her identity”) without a greater sense of purpose ( i.e. a greater threat, antagonist or challenge) for our characters or the general progression of the storyline.

When we did actually get to see some character bond development between Jae Min and Ma Ri, a sudden time-skip for several episodes without reason or purpose to the Joseon period, destroyed this relationship’s genuine development in a matter of seconds.

It isn’t necessarily that these flashbacks shouldn’t have been included in the plot, however, it would have made more sense to have either shown us this in the beginning of the series ( as perhaps two episodes maximum) in order to build-up to the characters’ introductions in the present day, having interwoven flashbacks over the course of the drama ( either through parallel actions of our characters to the past or even through dreams) or just simply using the earlier episodes to characterise our protagonists more as individuals before introducing this new storyline into the mix .

Overall Orange Marmalade’s sweetened visage as a romance drama with an intriguing premise, is a facade for the acrid citric bitterness of terrible story writing ,plot pacing and characterisation. Certainly not worth committing time towards.

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A Typical Historical Drama , With A Not So Typical Twist...

The beginning of the show sets the drama in 1930s Korea during the Japanese occupation . The Male lead, Lee Kang To, is one of the few Korean police officers in the Japanese force, a factor which shuns for not being Korean by his own people, and being an outsider by the Japanese. Kang To becomes determined to capture the Robin-Hood-style vigilante, Bridal Mask, and prove hinself to the police force. When Kang To discovers an ugly truth about the original person behind the mask, he begins to wear the identity of Bridal Mask in an attempt for vengeance against those who wronged him, a fate which drags in his old friend and former high school teacher, Kimura Shinji, and a mysterious Korean woman, Mok Dan, into the mix as well. Undeniably, after a slow start, the show after episode 3, kicked off to an intriguing plot regarding some in predictable moments for Kang To’s redemption.Even in the earlier episodes, the script writers were quick to draw the line that there was a more of a morally “ grey area” to Kang To’s character than everyone presumes as the “ enemy of the people”, none more shown in the relationship between himself and his brother.However, my one fault was that whilst Kang To began to fight for the “ good side”, there was little drawn by the resistance fighters towards some of Kang To’s more violent ideas and actions such as the suicide bomber at the police ceremony event . Undeniably this wasn’t viewed as a “ bad action” in the show by resistance fighters, however, there were some moves even when he became caught up in the cat and mouse game with Shinji, that seemed a little questioning towards the line between injuring and killing even some of his old friends in the academy, something which felt a little out of place considering Kang To’s emotions . Perhaps topping Kang To in characterisation, was Kimura Shinji’s transgression from an amiable schoolteacher to a near sociopath. Whilst there was an obvious drawn line between the “ good” hero of justice, Lee Kang To, and the “ villainous” Japanese officer, Kimura Shinji, there were moments within Shinii’s character,that spoke exposed a more “ human” side to an antagonist. In regards to our female character of the show, Mok Dan had realistic conflicted feelings to Kang To, a Japanese police officer, as well as her duty towards her father’s cause in the Japanese resistance movement. On the other hand, Mok Dan felt a little underdeveloped in terms of her general personality and persona than Kang To and Shinji. Whilst she did seem to have a moral compass, it was difficult to see exactly what made her relatable as an individual. Perhaps the one female character which the scriptwriters did seem to stick out more in terms of personality, was Ueno Rie’s desire for climb up to the top, as well her feelings for Kang To, yet, even then Ueno Rie felt a little more like a dead weight within moments in the drama . By the ending of the show, the script offers a strong hold upon the general objective towards Bridal Mask,however, there were a few technical trip-ups especially in regards to several of the resistance fighters being able to “ shake off” Japanese spies on more than one occasion. The final ending of the drama tied off some very loose ends in regards to the final chase with Bridal Mask and took some shocking decisions as well regarding some main character. Whilst I am conflicted towards the scriptwriters decision , it did deliver a more appropriate ending for an action drama than a lot of other Korean action dramas out there which would end the show upon an entirely idealistic ending than one appropriate for its genre.

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All Aboard the ‘ Crazy’ Train Of ‘ Love’…

There’s a lot to discuss when it comes to KBS2 and Disney +’s trope-induced series ‘ Crazy Love’. It is intrepidly bold, brash and off-the-wall with its setup and premise and will likely appeal and displease viewers of equal measure. ( Especially dependent on expectations.)

The plot initially introduces viewers to Noh Go-jin (Kim Jae-wook); an elitist mathematics tutor, spearheading one of the most prestigious and private education hubs in the country. However despite his prodigal skills, Go-Jin has a foul temper and personality.

He absolutely terrifies his staff with his short fuse , yet he is still able to somehow earn their respect and admiration through his sheer talent in solving and teaching equations and mathematics problems.

Nobody knows this love-hate relationship with Go-Jin better than his unassuming personal assistant, Lee Shin-a (Krystal Jung). Often being the target of his ire, Shina-a’s reasons for not throwing in the towel are sourced from her own desires to become a personal tutor and help teach and educate others.

However, Shin-a finds her life going on a downwards spiral. Her constant migraines seemingly from stress and fatigue are diagnosed as acute symptoms of glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumour brought on by bouts of long-term stress from Go-Jin.

Enraged, Shin-a’s plans for revenge against Go-Jin are soon backfired as she finds herself in a sticky situation with her boss.

‘ Crazy Love’ was the brainchild of screenwriter Kim Bo-gyeom ( ‘Drama Stage Season 2: All About My Rival in Love’). Although the comic relief is variable at times, the series is surprisingly satirical in parts and self-aware of its own over-the-top setup. In particular, this was shown through the screenplay reimbursing old cliches and tropes ( including amnesia, misunderstandings and fake identities).

In addition to this approach, it was noticeable ‘ Crazy Love’ often approach its satire with a darker edge, often shown through sardonic irony or circumstances. ( This was particularly shown in the series through the gradual snowballing case of crimes that were shown throughout the narrative such as impersonation and attempted murder, often landing female lead Lee Shin-a- directly or indirectly- into hot water or complicated situations .)

However despite its satirical take upon old cliches and tropes, ‘ Crazy Love’ was often subject to the faults of its own shortcomings also. ( Sadly this was evident through the cataclysmic approach taken by the writing and direction of plot within early episodes. )

Before exposing the issue of these problems in the narrative, it is important to acknowledge that the main cast of ‘ Crazy Love’ delivered fairly solid performances as the main leads. Actor Kim Jae-Wook( ‘ Coffee Prince’, ‘ The Guest’ and ‘ Her Private Life’) has often been associated with taking on unconventional or unusual roles throughout his career, and his performance as Noh Go-Jin n certainly was no different. Admittedly, Jae-Wook’s performance could sometimes come across as somewhat overblown at times but this was not necessarily the fault of the actor per say.

As a character, Noh Go-Jin was purposefully presented as “unlikeable and grating” during his introduction. It was evident from his initial portrayal by Bo-gyeom that his ultimate drive as a character would be for viewers to see the undertaking of his “ redemption arc”; a process which can be overly convoluted dependent on the approaches taken by screenwriters.

Go-Jin’s character development was admittedly a mixed-bag to say the least. It was refreshing to see that the male lead was not given an excuse to become overly redeemed by his faults and flaws per say . ( In fact even into later episodes and during particular events of the series , it was shown that some of Go-Jin’s initial personality traits are still displayed.)

On the other hand, it still remains a divisive issue towards the approach taken for Go-Jin’s character arc and development. (This is mainly due to the fact that while there are elements of the main lead developing and becoming aware of his past mistakes, his main source of development and growth comes through his potential feelings and romance with main female lead Lee Shin-a. )

This is certainly not an unusual approach per say in dramas and the “ enemy to lovers” trope has remained a classic staple in storylines over the years. On the other hand, it can often remain a controversial and complex issue to approach a potentially romantic relationship, especially if the individuals in question have displayed abusive or threatening personality traits towards their significant other.

Of course, ‘ Crazy Love’ does attempt to subvert the issues of this setup through Go-Jin’s “softer side” coming to light as well as intensifying the potential romantic chemistry between the leads. However it is fair to say that while Jae-Wook and Krystal’s onscreen chemistry was fairly decent, it certainly raised a lot more issues and questions with regards to Jae-Wook rarely being held accountable for his actions or coming to terms at times with his own mistakes. ( In addition to this, the final part of ‘ Crazy Love’ showed Jae-Wook’s decisions and choices feeling fairly out of character at times without a lot of explanation aside from “ becoming a better person because of Lee Shin-a”.)

This isn’t to say that heroine and main female lead Lee- Shin-a didn’t suffer from writing issues either. Although the actress has respectfully received mixed-reception for her onscreen roles, Krystal’s (‘ My Lovely Girl’, ‘ The Heirs’ and ‘ Prison Playbook’) performance as the main female lead is certainly decent enough.

Lee Shin-a is purposefully presented to viewers as the “ likeable heroine”. Indeed despite some later writing issues, for the most part, Gyeom’s intentions were successful. ( Especially with consideration to her trials and tests over the course of the series with snowballing situations and Go-Jin.) On the other hand, this is naturally where we hit a rut with Shin-a as a written character; her personality and character-arc were often flatlined in order to make way for her romance with Jae-Wook.

Perhaps it is arguable that screenwriter Bo-gyeom wanted to explore Shin-a’s natural passion and empathy through her potential chemistry with the main male lead . However even in the series filled to the brim with sheer absurdity and comic relief , it still seemed an ineffably odd writing decision to allow Shin-a, a fairly level-headed individual despite her conflicted situation, to break into her boss’ home with dark eyeshadow and hand in her resignation aside from attempting to generate a few laughs.

In addition to this, it seemed even stranger that screenwriter dd that Bo-gyeom did not attempt to at least highlight a moment of vulnerability for Shin-a during her initial news in the first episode, or at least help to portray her own internal conflict between attempting to act on reason and emotion beforehand. ( As mentioned previously, specifically with consideration to her character.) Instead although the series sometimes discussed her family relations, the issues surrounding her cancer and personal conflict with her illness and work life, were nearly entirely brushed aside in order to make way for her romance with the main lead.

Again, this isn’t always necessarily a bad writing decision per say in dramas and it did arguably allow some opportunities for Shin-a to come to terms with her own situation as well as personal stigmas. On the other hand despite the drama’s attempts to “cushion ” the relationship between the main leads( especially with regards to their initially problematic setup ) , is still offered a less than resolute reason at times for Shin-a to become attracted to Go-Jin. ( Especially with regards to early episodes having placed heavy emphasis on the characters being complete opposites that completely despise one another with a burning passion. )

Of course, while it isn’t an unusual approach to see “ opposites attract” in dramas, ‘ Crazy Love’ rarely allowed this development to feel completely symbiotic or enthralling, instead often glossing over some more problematic issues of the series ( such as abuse, lies and crimes) without allowing either character truly being held equally accountable for their actions .

Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding the side characters. Actor Ha Jun ( ‘ Black Dog: Being A Teacher’) took on the role as supporting character Oh Se Gi, Go Jin's copartner & friend, as well as one of the few staff members shown in the series to be initially kind to female lead Shin-a. Se Gi had a lot of potential to be an intriguing character with regards to his character- growth but due to the result of attempting to enforce several predictable “ plot twists”, it often left his character arc feeling poorly developed by the latter-half .

In addition to Se Gi, there is also Go-Jin’s first love Baek Soo-young ( Yoo In- Young- ‘ A Man Called God’, ‘ Oh My Venus’ and ‘ Good Casting’) as well as other supporting characters such as Shin-a’s best friend Chu Ok-hee ( Park Han Sol- ‘ A Poem a Day’, ‘ Sell Your Haunted House’ and ‘ Hospital Playlist 2’), the main female lead’s brother Lee Su-ho ( Astro’s Yoon San-ha-‘ To Be Continued’) and the nosy cleaning lady ( Lee Mi-young- ‘ Time Between Dog and Wolf’, ‘ Mr.Back’ and ‘ Our Gap Soon’); all of whom played their necessary roles in the storyline and helping to pad out the narrative, but rarely being given further development as a consequence.

Naturally this brings up the issue of pacing and execution in the series. The first-half of ‘ Crazy Love’ was grating at times due to its overabundance of running gags and tropes and incoherent plot logic . ( As exemplified with the police during the initial few episodes.) Arguably the final-part of ‘ Crazy Love’ did give opportunities to finally get the ball rolling with the main plot but due to poor pacing issues, it often left to certain counterplots and character-arcs feeling somewhat neglected by the finale.

Director Kim Jung Hyun ( ‘ Sassy Go Go’, ‘ After the Rain’ and ‘ My Fellow Citizens!’) certainly took a fairly avant-garde approach during initial scenes of the series. ( Often leading to dream-like and surrealist sequences and moments such as when viewers were transported into the imagination of Shin-a, with the tutors of her workplace being imagined as towering and deity-like figures) . Although later episodes of the series were not as ambitious and could sometimes feel stark in parts, the cinematography was still fairly glossy and professional .

The OST of ‘ Crazy Love’ was mainly composed of upbeat and fast-paced pop tracks . While admittedly some of these songs blended into one another and were certainly dependent on personal tastes , there were still a couple of compositions such as “ Bite!” ( “ 물어 !”) by Baekho, “ Wide Open” by JUNIEL and “Maybe” by DAVII which did surprisingly stand out.

‘ Crazy Love’ is a series which can offer viewers with an off-the-wall setup and a star-studded cast. However despite the potential for ‘ Crazy Love’ to carry forwards a well-executed storyline and narrative, the series was often shaken in parts by inconsistent pacing issues, character-writing and execution. Overall ‘ Crazy Love’ will likely vary for viewers dependent on expectations. For those looking for a quick and disengaging binge-watch then ‘ Crazy Love’ is certainly worth watching. On the other hand for those looking to invest time within a well-executed series throughout, then ‘ Crazy Love’ may not appeal to all.

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Doctor Cha; How to Ruin A Good Show...

Watching Doctor Cha was similar to Marmite; people either loved or hated the drama's ending, and there was not much in between. However, looking at the series throughout, it was hard not to notice some of the drama's more apparent flaws.


Jung Yeo Rang wrote the series, while Kim Dae Jin and Kim Jung Wook directed it. The plot focuses on Cha Jung Sook (Uhm Jung Hwa), a housewife for more than two decades and the wife of surgeon Seo In Ho (Kim Byung Chul). After a health shock, Jung Sook questions whether she wants to complete her residency as a doctor. Jung Sook can fulfil her dream with the help of the kind-hearted surgeon Roy Kim (Min Woo Hyuk). However, as melodrama brewing elsewhere, Seo In Ho's involvement with an old flame from the past and work colleague Choi Sung Hee ( Myung Se Bin) threatens to create other melodrama.



The series was a mixture of genres. It leaned into medical, romance and melodrama for the most part. The balance between these three genres could sometimes be difficult to mediate, significantly as the series progressed. This often made the show feel like a different watching experience in these various genre shifts, mainly when early profound topics and themes addressed ( such as murder, medical malpractice and treating criminals) were rarely tackled in later episodes.




The drama's acting is admittedly very mixed. Uhm Jung Hwa starred as the main female lead, Cha Jung Sook. Jung Hwa will likely be unfamiliar to newer drama fans, though some drama watchers may recognise her from the movie Dancing Queen and the show Get Karl! Oh, Soo Jung, Witch's Romance and Our Blues. Jung Hwa arguably offers one of the best performances in the series as the main female lead.


As a character, Cha Jung Sook is undoubtedly a mixed bag. She is kind-hearted and sincerely desires to care for patients and those close to her. Nevertheless, Jung Sook's character arc, particularly her relationship with Seo In Ho, remained one of the most problematic areas of the show. The series attempted to delve further into this relationship's complications and difficulties. Still, for the most part, it was an incredibly controlling relationship With In- Ho. Rather than delving into these complications further and allowing Jung Sook an opportunity to get away from him early on in the series, the narrative dragged out this arc beyond its limit, particularly for comical relief and further dramatic tension. Jung Sook's potential relationship with Roy Kim remained one of the most grating elements of the series. The conclusion to this relationship remained a subject of significant criticism by watchers and fans alike, mainly due to Jung Sook's character arc on this front feeling rushed. One of the few strengths of Jung Sook's character development came from her concluding circumstance. Although anti-climactic, it was reasonably befitting for her as a character to follow that particular path.



The series attempted to make In-Ho’s character more ‘’empathic’’ in parts of the drama. This would have been an understandable move if it was not more to do with the fact that In-Ho had little guilt or redemption throughout the series. Even if it had been a case of In-Ho coming to acknowledge or reason with his actions, this would have allowed him to grow as a character. Instead, In-Ho spends most of his time whining about Jung Sook, unable to make his mind over her and Choi Sung Hee, sidling up to his mother, Kwak Ae-sim (Park Joon-geum ) and then letting his anger out by attempting to destroy his daughter's dreams (Lee Seo-yeon). There are a few moments where we see a softer side to In Ho, but considering his attitude throughout the drama, these moments lack impact when faced with his treatment of others.



Roy Kim is another central character in the series. His character's personality acts as a perfect foil to In-Ho. While In-Ho is arrogant, jealous and egocentric, Roy Kim is sincere, kindhearted and cares deeply for his patients. His relationship with Jung Sook, from patient to crush, remains one of the major driving forces of the series. Sadly, Roy's character arc was not given a lot of justice, with a rushed storyline and a potentially intriguing backstory wasted.





Choi Sung Hee enacts as an antagonistic force in the series but is arguably one of the most morally ambiguous. Myung Se Bin offered a surprisingly bittersweet performance as the second female lead. Sung Hee and In Ho's relationship, alongside her rivalry with Jung Sook, remained one of the major driving points of the series. It was surprisingly refreshing to see the connection between Sung Hee and her daughter Choi Eun-seo (So A-rin ) progressing in parts of the series and the unforeseen bond between Sung Hee and Jung Sook's mother, Oh Deok-rye ( Kim Mi-Kyung ). Nevertheless, Sung Hee and Jung Sook's rivalry seemed oddly contrived. It is not out of the question both women would be at odds, but Sung Hee's odd attraction to In Ho, despite throwing her under the bus and her odd resolution with Jung Sook, did not seem to justify her character arc truly.



Seo Jung-min (Song Ji-ho), In-Ho and Jung Sook's eldest child and a first-year medical student, had a minor role in the storyline with his relationship with Jeon So-ra. So-ra and Jung-Min were among the few couples in the series who were worth watching. However, melodrama and limited screentime offscreen time interactions are less significant in later episodes. Later in the series, Jung Min attempts to be given a more complex character arc through a particular circumstance, but a rushed conclusion rarely makes this feel well-developed. To make matters worse, viewers learn from Seo Yi-Rang that Jung-Min did not want to become a medical student and only did so to keep his father happy. This could have been a perfect ground for exploring Jung-min's character and relationship with his parents ( particularly his father) more, though sadly, the series did not take full advantage of this.



Seo Yi-rang had her character arc too. Many more events were shaping Seo Yi-Rang's initial development than some notable characters in the series. Her relationship with her mother had some reconciliation. Still, the series rarely builds on this parallelism between mother and daughter trying to chase their dreams, often leading their interactions to fall somewhat flat. ( Especially as Yi-Rang wants to break the family tradition of attending medical school by becoming an artist.) Another major arc revolves around Yi-Rang and her friendship turned rivalry with Sung Hee's daughter, Choi Eun-Seo. Without major spoilers, it is fair to say a significant revelation divides the characters. Each character acts out independently, but considering how Yi-Rang learns more about her father, it seemed odd that the show did not try to resolve this conflict earlier rather than simply trying to drag it out for filler time until the ending.




Oh, Deok-rye has a minor role in the series alongside Kwak Ae-sim. Both characters have surprisingly sweet moments and squabbles. Another surprising performance was by Jo Ah-ram as Jeon So-ra, Jung-Min's girlfriend and Jung Sook's superior. It could have been easy for the drama to have dragged out the tension between Jung Sook and So-ra, but their bond in later parts of the theatre was oddly sweet. Her performance was remarkably likeable, adding to her onscreen persona's charm. Baek Mi-hee (Baek Joo-hee ) was another minor character as Jung Sook's best friend, though aside from trying to play a matchmaker and listen to some advice, she did not play a significant role as she should have done so.


The execution of the series was mixed. The first half was a little slow to get off the ground, but the narrative could progress further after a few episodes. However, significant proportions of the series relied heavily on dragging out conflict and melodrama rather than exploring or resolving previous character arcs or plots. This was a shame because the series had much time to cover these elements.



The cinematography was decent enough. There was nothing particularly striking, though the scene with Jung Sook joining Roy Kim to go running remains pretty sleek. The OST was okay, with a few decent tracks such as "Shine Like a Star" by Sondia and "A Day For Me" (나를 위한 하루) by Shinae An remaining particularly memorable.



Overall, Doctor Cha was a drama with much potential to be lighthearted and well-developed, but it lacked the correct execution and development. Poor character arcs rushed plot events, and an anti-climatic ending made the drama feel pieced together than a concise watch and an engaging experience. The series certainly had its sweeter moments, though sadly, this was often ignored due to these issues. Overall, a disappointing watch.

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Surprisingly Divine...

The Heavenly Idol ( alternatively known as The High Priest Rembrary, Holy Idol) has gained a lot of mixed reception from watchers due to its over-the-top plot and narrative. A mixture of personal responsibilities over the past year and drama titles which have yet to appeal has made me slightly disengaged from watching Korean dramas. However, though certainly not without considerable flaws, My Heavenly Idol was a surprisingly engaging and sweet drama at its heart.


The tvN drama was written by Lee Chun Geum and directed by Lee So Yoon ( otherwise known for his involvement with the drama special tvN O'PENing: XX+XY). My Heavenly Idol focuses on Pontifex Rembrary ( Kim Min Gue), a divine worshipper in another land. To protect his people, Pontifex has been caught up in fighting The Evil One, who is determined to create havoc and unrest. However, when Pontifex is caught up in conflict, he is transmigrated into the body of an idol singer Woo Yeon Woo. Yeon Woo is a member of an unpopular idol group called Wild Animal. As Pontifex attempts to navigate his newfound situation, he soon finds himself coming face to face with his archenemy ( Lee Jang Woo). With the help of his bandmates and Yeon Woo's long-term fan Kim Dal ( Go Bo Gyeol ), Pontifex is determined to finally bring down The Evil One, once and for all.


The Heavenly Idol has a surprisingly exciting setup for a twelve-episode drama; a fantasy world and lore of magical powers, demonic entities and effectively multiverses where viewers learn different deities exist. One of the biggest problems with the series was how myth and worldbuilding were explored. While there were some fascinating ideas, there were a lot of moments and concepts which could have been more fleshed out further or investigated further. ( Without significant spoilers, two central characters are introduced halfway through the show. While interesting, their existence raises many questions about their relevance in the storyline and what that truly means for other multiverses. In addition, the show takes a lazy approach, with the main lead being able to understand and speak Korean already. Although not out of the question, this would have been interesting to have explored a little more.) Additionally, it became apparent in later episodes that the show was influenced heavily by some well-known fantasy dramas. While not out of the question nor particularly odd considering the show's genre, it did seem a little disappointing because some of the plot's more exciting and original fantasy elements were left unexplored.



The drama series mediates between fantasy, comedy and melodrama. For the most part, the series could interweave these genres reasonably well in the first- half of the series. The final part struggled a little to maintain this balance and often shifted heavily between melodrama and fantasy with little respite or middle ground in later episodes. Surprisingly, the comic relief worked quite well in this series. It was slapstick and reasonably mundane for the most part, but it will likely generate a few genuine chuckles here and there. ( These moments would often consist of the male lead struggling to understand social etiquette or being honest and direct to the point of being perceived as false by others.)


The acting was decent, if not a little wooden in parts. Kim Min Gue is known for his roles in Perfume, Backstreet Rookie and A Business Proposal and for offering one of the series's best performances. He played the role of Pontifex with a reasonably innocent edge, adding to some golden opportunities for comic relief. Another surprisingly fun performance came through Ye Ji Won's ( Thirty But Seventeen, Never Twice and Brain Works)'s performance as Im Sun-ja. It could have been easy for Ye Ji Won's performance to have become grating as the CEO of LLL Entertainment, but her humorous edge and her character's romance added to her charm.


As a character, Pontifex is odd to describe. He is sincere, honest and kindhearted, though his stubbornness and obtuseness can often lead him into trouble. One major weakness of Pontifex's character came from his backstory and beliefs. We learn a few elements of this backstory through passing references. Still, considering one of the significant and most earth-shattering revelations for his character, it seemed odd we ( as viewers) did not get to see this being explored further.



Another major part of Pontifex's character is his relationships with his newfound bandmates and his potential love interest, Kim Dal. For the most part, both connections are lighthearted and sweet. There are moments of tribulation and trouble in both, though where weaknesses lie occurs mainly as a result of writing decisions.



Adding to this, several characters in the show could have been explored a lot more onscreen, Kim Dal being one of the most apparent. Kim Dal has a fascinating backstory, teased in early episodes, though rarely questioned or extended further. It would have been interesting for Kim Dal's past to have been used more to indicate her parallel relationship with Pontifex, which was rarely explored in the series beyond its initial usage. Many of Wild Animal's bandmates were left as background characters rather than building further on the relationship between the main lead and his fellow members. Youngest member Cha Hae-Gyeol ( Shin Kyu Hyun-Cramped Love) and lead vocalist Kasy ( Choi Jae Hyun- Love with Flaws, Dalgona and Peach of Time) had lots of potential to be explored further in parts of the series. The show hinted at both characters having their fair share of character depth and backstory, but this was rarely carried out or delved into further. Fellow bandmates Choi Jeong-seo (Hong Seung-Bum- Show Me the Ghost, Judge vs Judge and My Strange Hero) and Hwang Tae-In (Shin Myung Sung- Extracurricular and Duty After School) as well as antagonist Shin Jo Woon had a lot of potential but were rarely well developed.



The execution of the series varied greatly. The first part of the series introduced an intriguing premise and an array of characters. The plot premise was established early on in the series, and it was apparent from the outset when the plot narrative would be. The second half of the series admittedly struggled to carry the storyline further. Although the series had a reasonably sweet conclusion, it was apparent the drama was rushed in this final part. Significant parts of this storyline in these last episodes were left rushed and somewhat anti-climatic, including how some of the relationships between characters and their fates played out further.




The cinematography of The Heavenly Idol was pretty decent. It was glossy and well-defined for the most part, and the CGI was decent, though the palettes and styling were lacking. The OST of the drama was pretty decent. Some of the songs were admittedly a little forgettable, but there were a few catchy songs, such as "Suddenly (문득 내게 와)" and "Suddenly You Come to Me (문득 넌 내게와)" to name just a few.




The Heavenly Idol was a reasonably engaging show. The writing could have been handled better, especially regarding characters and direction, but the comic relief and fantasy elements were pretty fun. Overall, the series was worth it during a binge-watching session.

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The Heirs ( i.e. How To Write One Of The Most Overrated Korean Dramas Of All Time)...

Nearly every drama watcher out there will at least once probably ask or seek out advice from more experienced drama watchers for their advice or recommendations on dramas. Whilst this may differ from watcher to watcher ( depending on some of their respected tastes), the common pattern for K-Drama watchers will most likely be one or more the following; Goblin, Strong Woman Do Bong, SKY Castle, Descendants Of The Sun ( and/or) The Heirs.

The Heirs. Oh, where do you even begin with this one? The warning flags that SBS had to cast several top-notch romance drama actors Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye and Kim Woo Bin to attract viewer ratings, or the fact that Kim Eun Sook was involved in the scriptwriting for this show, it is hard to tell.

All joking aside The Heirs is probably what most can classify as a '' hot mess'' ; the show has a brilliant cast of very successful actors and ( whilst Eun Sook's writing can be hit or miss) it did have the potential to actually be a well-written satire upon the wealthy debutants of Korean society. Instead the show rode too heavily upon many cliches and thus lead to too many gender, racial and unrealistic stereotypes within the drama.

In the beginning of the show, the usage of LA as a setting is used as '' exotic'' eye candy for Korean viewers, however, there are two notable things here for international watchers; the first being out of all the beautiful and intriguing cities in the world, they had to chose LA in hope of appeasing the satisfaction and interest of ''young'' audiences. The second most notable trait ( even for non-Americans) is that there are some notable racial stereotypes towards foreigners being a little too ''assertive'' and ''laidback'' as well. Whilst it should be noted that a lot of this setting is used to glorify our hero Kim Tan rather than focus on details of racism, ( as an older comment has mentioned) there is also the notable problem of "sweetening" the reality of youth culture as well.

This is particularly seen of course with Kim Tan. Considering that he spent a lot of time in the U.S. and his backstory is far from being a fairytale, you would still perhaps consider that he would have turned to '' other'' methods ( i.e. drugs or alcohol ) or at least had some signs of realistic emotional trauma considering his upbringing. This isn't to glorify or disrespect elements of modesty in Korean culture, however, Kim Tan is most prominently a character in the story who is an '' outcast'' amongst his family. With years of emotional gaslighting and manipulation (particularly by his brother and father), it was hard to actually see Kim-Tan as being a genuinely developed or well-written male lead, especially towards actually developing a bond with someone as cluelessly naive as Eun Sang.

Our female lead Cha Eun Sang ( Park Shin Hye) was sadly just as badly-written as a character. Female leads don't need to be '' sassy'' or '' fighters'' to be well-written and rounded characters. Instead Eun- Sang was more of a ''ragdoll'' between the two bratty male leads Kim Tan and seeming '' dangerous bad boy'' Choi Yeong Do ( Kim Woo Bin- perhaps one of the few likeable actors and characters in the show, until they did viewers over with that usage of terrible story progression) who just happily let her seams be ripped apart by emotional manipulation rather than actually being something called an '' individual'' and putting her foot down when both characters crossed the line. In fact to make this matter worse, it wasn't just the male leads who stepped over her as Rachel ( Kim Ji Won) slowly allowed Eun- Sang to become her own sandbag of bullying and the dreaded and stereotyped female animosity as well. Perhaps my one note of praise does go to the portrayal of the unusual friendship between Eun- Sung's mute mother Park Hee-nam (Kim Mi Kyung) and Kim Tan's mother Han Ki-ae (Kim Sung-ryung) over the course of the show, which was endearingly more intriguing and heart-rendering than any of our main couples.

As countless reviews have stressed this fact before, however, The Heirs is incredibly overrated for what it is actually worth; a good cast goes to waste with poor story writing, characterisation, inconsistencies , cliches and tropes. The Heirs is no more than Boys Over Flowers repackaged with a couple of tweaks here and there by Eun Sook ( well, about from Lee Min Ho) and more headaches for sensible drama watchers as we try to guide ourselves of sixteen episodes through something which is just a hot mess even in the beginning episode. Certainly a waste of time.

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See You My 19th Life; A Surprisingly Sweet Adaptation…

See You In My 19th Life is based on the eponymous Korean webcomic. When news arrived of the series receiving an adaptation, I must admit, like many readers, I was sceptical of the idea.Nevertheless, the series did offer some of the brilliant charm from the webcomic as well as offering a new take on the initial concept. However leaving out some key details did miss the mark a little, especially when it came to the execution of the series.


The drama is initially focused on nine year old, Ban Ji-eum (Park So-yi) who begins to remember her past lives. In particular, she can remember her past eighteenth life as Yoon Ju-won , the playmate and childhood friend of the wealthy heir Mun Seo-ha (Jung Hyeon-jun). When Ju-won died tragically, she was reborn as Ban Ji-eum, a girl surrounded by poverty and abuse.


Running away from home after her megalomaniacal father took away her money, Ji-eum meets restaurant owner Kim Ae-kyung (Cha Chung-hwa), and convinces her that she’s her reincarnated uncle Kim Jung-ho (Lee Jae-kyoon),as well as remembering her past incarnations .


Over the years, Ban Ji-eum takes time to cross paths with Seo-ha, the boy she promised to stay with in her past life. Now in her 20s, Ban Ji-eum ( Shin Hye-sun),has spent years trying to become a high-achieving individual in order to purposefully apply for Seo-ha’s company. However, fate has other plans. When Ji-Eun and Seo-ha cross paths, certain mysteries and deep wounds will soon emerge from the surface.


See You In My 19th Life was based on the webcomic of the same name by Lee Hey and was adapted to the small screen by director Lee Na Jung and writers Han Ah Reum and Choi Young Rim. The concept of the webcomic and the series is pretty straight forward: it is a fairly lighthearted romantic drama about boy meets girl with a fantasy twist. In typical Korean drama fashion, there are multiple surprise twists to try and keep viewers entertained, some of which lean heavily into the original work, others of which were taken into a completely different direction and leaving the series feel a little rushed in the twelve episode format.


The writers interestingly don’t really bother with the small details on the element of reincarnation for Ji-Eun. I suppose a lot of this came from the fact the premise is very straightforward about Ji-Eun possessing preternatural intelligence, skills and abilities from her past incarnations as second nature. While we do get to learn a little about her past lives, a lot of details were often absent or missed out for sake of the time frame, a shame for such a rich opportunity to explore how Seo-ha possesses so much knowledge.


The acting front was okay. Nothing particularly flawlessly outstanding, but Lee Bo-young delivered a good performance as Sang-a, the individual who help drive Seo-ha to coming back and running the hotel .


As characters, there’s a lot to unpack about the drama’s depiction. Ban Ji-Eum starts off fairly similar to her webcomic counterpart; calm, composed and collection, but the drama takes her personality in a different direction through being quite quick to fly off the handle at times. While I think it was refreshing to see Ji-Eum develop beyond just being composed and collected and have her own complex inner turmoils , it did sometimes take away from the witty charm of Ji Rum’s character and mystique. After all, Ji Eum is meant to be a tough nut to crack. Her ability to remain laidback and mysteriously charming while Seo-ha enacts as being naturally anxious and turmoil driven, allows the pairing to work. Without it, Ji Eum did not have quite the same screen time impression or character drive.


Adding to this ( and without major spoilers), there’s the issue of her reincarnations. We learn some of these past incarnations are very interesting individuals. However when addressing the biggest issue of her first incarnation ( something which was very pivotal to the webcomic), it is hard not to draw some obvious disparities between the two works. I don’t have a problem necessarily with the direction the drama took it in. After all, the series is only meant to be based on the concept, not a page for page adaptation. However, it is hard not to point out how in these late episodes, the way this past incarnation was handled and rushed did not truly give it justice for Ji-Eum’s character development and arc.


Then there’s Seo-ha. Compared to his webcomic counterpart, Seo-ha seems to play more active and dominant role in his potential romantic relationship with Ji-Eum. To some extent, this worked really well; Seo-ha is a traumatised and kindhearted individual, so it would stand to reason that he begins to connect with Ji-Eum over time. On the other hand, it is hard not to bring up the issue of how the drama tackled certain aspects of Seo-ha’s character development. Seo-ha’s mother and her circumstances, his childhood trauma and of course the ear issue, are all quickly played off at times for the romantic side, while only reappearing when it was necessary to add some drama and conflict.

Speaking of which, the issue over Seo-ha’s ear has remained a point of debate for fans and watchers alike. On one hand, I think it is a very positive step to see a Korean drama depicting a male lead with a hearing impairment even on the small screen, particularly in a positive light . However, I believe the director and writers could have easily have driven home more about the day to day issues for Seo-ha or its implications for his mental and physical well-being more than they did onscreen.


In addition to the main leads, there is also Yoon Cho Won ( Ha Yoon-Kyung), Ji Run’s sister from her past incarnation, and Ha Do-Yun ( Ahn Dong Goo). While the second leads get their screen time, it is a shame that the series cut off their subplots and potential character development in later episodes. As a result, their screen time and potential onscreen romance fell a little flat.


Perhaps one of the biggest issues of See You In My 19th Life came down to pacing. The early episodes seemed to struggle a lot with picking up a brisk pace. While it is understandable to have a slow first episode to explain the basics and establish the plot, the fact this went on for at least two or three episodes was a little concerning. After this point, the series did pick up slightly and was sable to be fairly entertaining. By the latter half , the series tried to speed run the major conflict of the webcomic. In all fairness having a twelve episode format is limiting to exploring a major plot in such a short space of time. However rather than accommodating the plot more succinctly or executing it a few episodes earlier on, the series rushes through major events ( such as the murder plot and important past life ) and seems to miss the initial purpose of some of the plot events to propel the romantic storyline. Instead, viewers are left with an odd imbalance between the romantic side of the series, and this odd thriller plot hole, leaving the themes and tone of the drama to feel a bit at odds with one another. The final episodes were a little rushed but did end on a bittersweet note.



The cinematography was fairly innovative in early episodes and did seem to pull every trick to make it eye-catching. Sadly this consistency was not the same in later episodes, but the series still possessed a fairly glossy and stylish tone. The OST was decent also with some good tracks such as “Here With Me” by Doyoung and “무음 (Silence)” by sunwoojunga.



See You In My 19th Life was a fairly standard and sweet romantic series. It was nothing particularly out of the box when considering the intriguing concept, but despite some notable issues over pacing and writing development, the drama was fairly engaging and remained a fun watch. Overall, a decent series for a binge watch.

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Beautiful Costumes And A Wonderful Cast, But Overrated For What Its Worth...

Since its original airing in 2016, ” Love In the Moonlight ” ( based upon the successful books Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, which was serialized online in 2013 and then published as five separate books in 2015), was a phenomenal success in both South-Korea and amongst the international drama watcher community, drawing particular focus upon the talents of its cast ( particularly Park Bo Gum being critically-acclaimed by netizens for his acting quality) and South-Korean culture. Yet whilst the series is undeniably still popular, there’s something which honestly must be addressed forthright about screenwriters Im Ye Jin and Kim Min Jung’s adapted premise; it is a fairly predictable storyline, anticlimactic in parts and certainly cliche-ridden.

The premise of the drama is set during the 19th century, Joseon era, where female lead Hong Ra-on (played by Kim Yoo-jung), crossdresses as a man in order to support herself. She has multiple jobs but is still struggling with debt. Due to both romantic and comical circumstances, Ra-on comes to meet kind-hearted nobleman Kim Yoon-sung (played by Jung Jin-young) and the seemingly childish and spoilt Crown Prince (played by Park Go-bum).

Due to being sharp-witted, Yoon -sung immediately figures out that she is a woman. The prince is fairly oblivious to Ra-on being a woman , however, after Ra-on is sold to the eunuch’s training academy, she befriends the Prince and his close confidant and personal bodyguard Kim Byung-yeon (Kwak Dong-yeon). As events begin to lead to another, Ra-on finds herself conflicted between Ra-On and the Prince, whilst the Prince begins to feel uncertainty for his growing feelings for the seeming eunuch.

Against all odds of its surreal premise, ” Love In The Moonlight” did follow the typical cliches that you can expect with a cross-dressing scenario, however, it did not prevent the series from being oddly entertaining with a setup mirroring ”Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night ” in a fairly lighthearted way. Ra-on is brazen in her attempts to escape the palace and get back to the city outside by imitating and joking like her male associates in an often over-the-top manner.

Whilst it easy to dismiss the acting of Kim Yoo-Jung, Park Bo-Gum , Jung Jin-Young and Kwak Dong-yeon as an ” ensemble of good-looking people” rather than by their acting alone, the quartet certainly did give an all-around good performance , alongside main stylist and designer Lee Jin-hee’s exquisite artisanship ( especially within the styling of hanboks) perfectly reflecting the time setting, characters and moods of certain scenes.

The second-half of the drama notably shifts towards the political setup behind closed doors. Whilst undeniably intriguing, the biggest problem of this shifted focal point in the series boiled down to pacing and a shift away from developing the characters and their relationships (by regressing in some cases).The heroine Ra-on quickly goes from an intrepid, outgoing heroine to being a demure, angst-ridden soul who is nearly always subject to needing a saviour from a situation.

Then of course there’s the biggest issue with the drama’s long-held and complicated friendship between of the crown prince, his bodyguard, and the prime minister’s grandson ( to clarify Yoo Jung). It is important to add this is a fictionalised romance drama where enmity between male leads is not uncommon and is used to add fuel to the fire of drama and tension. However ( without spoilers), considering the intimacy of the trio during childhood as well as the potential at times towards the characters being able to set aside their differences or at least develop respectful mutuality , was often upturned in favour of enmity at times between both male leads over Ra-on as well as widely forgotten about in the second-half.

The romantic setup becomes overly predictable with forced marriage for the would-be crown princess Ha Yeon (Chae Soo Bin), tormented puppy dog glances and chaste kisses or pecks on lips out of seeming modesty( despite the characters often not batting an eyelid towards the entering private and more intimate spheres of their chambers as well as the more sexualised jokes in the beginning ) which does slowly begin to grow irksome in parts. In addition to this, flashbacks become an incessant feature in later episodes, leading to a formulaic and repetitive structure ( which soon grows a little tiresome). Sadly, not even the soundtrack is entirely spared as the eclectic OST from earlier episodes, begins to shift to pretty the same couple of K-Pop ballads during every pivotal moment or heartbreaking scene.

The ending undeniably will always have mixed reactions among watchers. Some will appreciate the sweet ending as well as denying the cliches of Ha Yeon being unlikeable or vilified as the second female lead whilst others may rise eyebrows at the anticlimactic finale ( and to some extent logical incoherency).

Ultimately it is wrong to suggest that " Love In The Moonlight” is by any means a dire or unwatchable drama, however, inherently it was not entirely common in K-drama’s either; a sweet and intriguing story, but peppered with cliches, and slow-pacing near the final part of the second hand which sometimes felt a little out of place. Nevertheless, it was a fairly enjoyable drama with interesting characters, a phenomenal cast and an oddly heartfelt romance. Entertaining for the most part," Love In The Moonlight" is worth watching if you’re fan of romantic dramas, or simply looking for something to binge-watch and pass the time.

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There Are Better Versions Out There..

Boys Over Flowers tells the story of poor, yet hardworking high -schooler Jan- Di ( Ku Hye- Sun) , who attends on a scholarship, a place at a prestigious high school for the rich and famous of Korean society . After angering the leader of the F4( a group of boys consisting of the school’s most notorious heirs) , Gu Jun- Pyo ( Lee Min- Ho) , Jan- Di finds herself cornered by Jun Pyo’s bullying tactics and , in frustration, declares war against the F4. Despite the mayhem around Jun- Pyo’s attempts to make her yield her declaration and give-in, Jan- Di finds comfort within the presence of taciturn and mysterious F4 member , Yoon Ji- Hoo ( Kim Hyun- Joong), however, her comfort may be short lasting when Jun Pyo begins to develop a complicated crush on Jan- Di.

First of all, I will give this adaptation upon reflection one praise; the amount of hours it must have taken the stylists to do Lee Min Ho’s stylists to do that perm. All joking aside, Boys Over Flowers isn’t an entirely dire drama, but, it never ceases to surprise me even now, how many drama watchers overrate this version as the “ best” , with most never having fully watched the original Taiwanese, Japanese ( as well as the unofficial Chinese version ) or even the more recent official Chinese adaptation, to draw this indecisive conclusion together .

Though, let’s not sugarcoat something about any of the adaptations( including some of the more critically - appraised versions such as the original Meteor Garden and Hana Yori Dango) . Boys Over Flowers ( like all the adaptations ) is sourced from the original 90s / 00s romance( or “ shoujo” )manga called Hana Yori Dango ; accounting the romantic cliches seen in all the versions of a poor girl and a rich and spoilt kid who turn from enemies to friends , to of course, eventual lovers. As you can imagine, Boys Over Flowers regurgitates all of the cliches from the original manga ( whether for better or for worse) with natural added changes for Korean audiences ( such as Gun Pyo’s name in the original manga/ Japanese drama , is Domyouji Tsukasa as well as several culture changes such as the “ Puppy Date” in the Japanese version, being updated with a Korean Sauna scene between Jan Di’s brother and father).

Whilst I don’t typically compare original versions or adaptations in my reviews out of respect for the culture or story, I think it is intriguing (especially as it’s not often drawn together when reviewers consider this drama), to particularly compare some differences between the acting choices, plot and characters across some of the adaptations / manga. The first comparison undeniably comes from the choice of Hye- Sun as our female lead. Unlike a lot of adaptations, it took me awhile to find what truly annoyed me about Hye- Sun’s portrayal. It was nothing to do with her physical appearance as some drama watchers have pointed out ( if anything, this made her role seem a little more realistic, as even in the original manga, she’s described as an ‘ everyday girl’) , but, rather the lack of emotional appeal which was put into her portrayal of a supposedly ‘ relatable and ordinary’ female lead, as well as of course, moments of overreacting within emotionally angst- ridden scenes . Naturally, it can’t be said that Hye- Sun was entirely at fault here, as the scriptwriters also played a part as well within her character. To put if simply, there was nothing intrinsically driving about Jan- Di as a character. She was not independent or fierce as shown in the first episode by crumpling too soon rather than progressively over Gun Pyo’s influence, or even the seemingly ‘ kind- hearted’ girl suggested earlier on in the show ( whilst I appreciate she may have been in a state of shock, note the scene in Episode 5 when Gun- Pyo fires a normal and everyday working sales assistant in front of her, she doesn’t even bat an eyelid). In the other adaptations, there is always something driving about the female lead which makes her likeable or at least an approachable character. Consider Inoue Mao’s portrayal as Jan- Di’s earlier counterpart in the Japanese version , Tsukishi Makoto. Love or loathe her portrayal, Mao truly captured Makoto as a fiercely hardworking, and equal to Tsukasa, putting her foot down even when Tsukasa raises his voice at his friends. In a similar manner Barbie Hsu’s version as Shancai had her moments, but, she was still a fiercely strong female lead. Therefore, it’s hard to truly evaluate especially as a seemingly apparent ‘ strong and independent’ female lead, that Hye Sun’s appearance is truly comparable to some of the other versions ( such as the Japanese version).

This of course, moves us onto Lee Min Ho’s portrayal as Gu Jun- Pyo, the Male lead and the leader of the F4. In all honesty, there was a certain essence that Min Ho captured as Jun- Pyo (/ Tsukasa Domyouji) as the lovelorn lead through his comical lines, actions and tender moments towards Jan- Di. In a similar manner to Hye- Sun, however, Min Ho’s role wasn’t particularly profound. In fact whilst Min Ho’s career did kick off after this drama, there was no real approach to depth or apparent seriousness within both Min Ho and the scriptwriters ‘ approach to Gu Jun- Pyo’s character both behaviour-wise and psychologically . Whilst the drama did take the typical ‘ he’s not that bad, after all ’ trope ( as shown in all versions ) and explore a more complex version between Jun- Pyo and his mother ( as seen during his childhood) and his sister , there was still little put together about how this truly impacted upon Gu Jun- Pyo to explore some more vulnerable and challenging moments again his ‘ Macho’ persona. One of the more profound portrayals of the Male lead undeniably goes to the lesser- talked about role by Jun Matsumoto as Domyouji. Whilst having some questionable acting moments in a similar manner to Min Ho, Matsumoto and the scriptwriters did reach out to exploring the Male lead in more vulnerable moments with his estranged relationship with his mother ( as shown in one of the first few episodes when his mother fires a chef on unfair grounds ) and glimpses into Domyouji’s softer side in childhood and the present to the reasons behind his character. Yet even more recent and light- hearted portrayals such as Dylan Wang’s portrayal as Dao Ming Si in the recent version of Meteor Garden (2018), have provided a more realistic approach to this character, highlighting both the fault of Min Ho and the scriptwriting in comparison to some of the other adaptations.

Before talking about Hye- Sun and Min Ho’s chemistry, it is wrong to leave out Hyun- Joong’s portrayal as Ji- Hoo, as the second lead of the drama( let’s ignore the controversies in order to evaluate Hyun Joong as an actor here) . There was nothing entirely wrong with Hyun- Joong’s portrayal of Ji- Hoo. In fact, out of the majority of the cast in this drama, Hyun- Joong probably captured his character the most in a more “boyish “ haze for Jan- Di’s feelings . To an extent, there were even some moves in this drama which I did prefer more than the original versions,( not least the complications between Ji- Hoo and his grandfather adding to some emotional scenes). Yet the Korean version did leave out a core essence of Hyun- Joong’s character compared to other versions, and that was certainly his emotional complexity between his mystery and his equally hidden feelings for the female lead. In the original manga and the Taiwanese version Meteor Garden ;2001 ( portrayed by Vic Chou) , an essence to Rui/ Ze Lei as a character, is that he is mildly autistic and ,consequently , his feelings for both his sister- figure and Makoto/ Shancai remain complex throughout the series. In the Japanese version ( and consequently in the Korean and Chinese versions as well), Oguri Shun’s portrayal of Rui Hanazawa is left out to be a consequence of learning problem, but rather his peculiarity as a character. In the case of Shun’s portrayal, Rui is portrayed in the ‘ cool, mysterious manner’ and is perhaps one of the few versions in which the character’s feelings for the female lead, remain partially open throughout the show.

On a slightly more positive note, the one thing which I must prefer slightly about the Korean Drama in comparison to most of the versions, was the sense of believable ‘ rough and and tumble ‘ bonds between the other F4 members in this version as childhood friends ; portrayed perfectly by Kim Bum and Kim Joon. Whilst there is no doubt that the Japanese version showed us this bond extending out more to Makoto as well, the Korean version did seem to highlight this friendship slightly more profoundly with Jun Pyo, with the other members teasing Gun Pyo over his feelings and Jan Di’s reactions. My other slight personal thought to the drama, was undeniably the greater chemistry between Kim Bum’s role as Yi- Jung and Jan Di’s best friend, Ga- Eul than in other versions ( particularly the Japanese drama between Nishido and Yuki), with more profound moments revealing a backstory to Yi- Jung which is often disregarded in other adaptations.

Moving on to the chemistry between our leads throughout the show, it is undeniable that there was chemistry between our leads, Hye- Sun and Min- Ho as well as the gradual development of their characters. On the other hand, there were less fresh and monumental developments which truly exposed the rocky obstacles within their relationships like other adaptations ( though there were some carried- out traits from the Taiwanese/ Japanese versions such as the visit to the female lead’s house, the ‘ Maid’ storyline from the Japanese drama and the manga as well and of course the betrayal scenes), leaving a less impressionable chemistry than other versions. In addition to this, the ending of the drama certainly hints at the possibilities, but felt a bit of a waste of time within the build- up to their relationship, even when considering with more hinted suggestions such as the walking side by side scene in Meteor Garden or more tied endings like the proposal scenes in Hana Yori Dango and Meteor Garden ( with the Japanese Movie sequel even hinting to Makoto ready to start a family with Domyouji). Overall, it’s fair to say that whilst Boys Over Flowers isn’t unbearable to watch, it’s riddled with cliches from beginning to end copied from other versions with lacking originality, characters and plot inconsistencies, questioning whether it may be better to seek out versions of this show and not waste your time watching the Korean version.

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