River Where The Moon Rises is a great drama loosely based on a legend about On Dal the Brave (played by Na In Woo) that, after marrying Princess Pyeonggang (played by Kim So Hyun), became a General during the Goguryeo Kingdom. The drama offers action, intrigue, palace antics, and a nice and steadfast romance for the leading couple. The cast did a great job bringing their characters to life and there was good camaraderie among On Dal and Princess Pyeonggang’s friends and associates. One relationship that is worth mentioning is the lovely kinship between On Dal and his mother. Although the end felt rushed, the drama overall is a fantastic and entertaining production. Enjoy it!

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This is a very well done romantic comedy set in a historical era. Although it is meant to be a comedy, the dramatic moments were effectively executed. The plot is about the unjustly implementation of a ban on marriage on all young single women and how the characters, main and supporting, get involved in complicated circumstances as a result of this prohibition. The cast did a phenomenal job bringing their characters to life and the relationship between the female lead and the two male leads is as beautiful as heartbreaking to watch. The friendships are steadfast and endearing and truly make this drama very entertaining. Overall, the drama is very well developed in just 12 episodes and offers action, comedy, mystery, and a nice romance. Enjoy it!

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This is a very nice drama in matters of representation of the leadings couple’s lives and interactions with those around them. The drama has two different plot lines, the law enforcement life of the male lead as a member of the SWAT team and the medical life of the female lead as a member of the neurosurgical department at Renxin Hospital, intertwined with a slow burned and cute romance between the main couple. The main couple has a nice chemistry when they are going out and about on their playful interactions as well as when they truly decided to communicate their feelings and ongoing situations but their romantic chemistry lacks zest so, mainly, they were really cute together. Family and friends’ interaction were nice and well acted and, although the drama has some good action scenes, the romance could’ve been better. Overall, it is a nice show but not amazing.

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The Princess and the Werewolf is not a Beauty and The Beast remake; it is a fantasy similar in topic but it really tells its own story. The drama is a comedy, it has satire flair. There are some really funny and some warm moments but it seems grotesquely exaggerated for the most part. The drama is set in a historical era shadowed with a knack for the use contemporary effects such as: English language usage, the statue of Michelangelo’s David (1501-1504)-(covered by a cape, of course) that the Princess’ mother sent her from Europe, mention of abstractionist art, costumes with a modern flair, cocktail shakers and bartending tricks, a tango dance (a dance that originated in Buenos Aires in the late 19th century), and the character Chun’er which is the equivalent of a social media application, which indicates that this drama is not meant to be taking seriously for its content. For those that are expecting a great romantic story between the lead couple, it will lead to a great disappointment. The leading lady is supposed to be independent, smart, and “mischievous and lively” but, for most of the drama, her character is insufferable and she spends most of the drama been conjectural and manipulative. The leading man also comes up as only a deceitful person in her eyes even though he is constantly risking his life to save her. Also, for been a comedy, there is a REALLY unnecessary occurrence close to the end of the drama that leaves an overall sour feel by the end. The happy ending is rushed and uneventful.

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Do not believe the naysayers! Love To Hate You is a delightful romantic comedy that is really not trying to say that all men are misogynists; she dated such guys to settle a score in behalf of the women that they have hurt. The drama is a comedy and, as so, it relates the story in a somewhat lighthearted way to bring the leading couple together and make them realize that loving the right person makes their lives a lot more fulfilled. If a viewer is too judgmental of the drama, it will not be enjoyable; just watch it with an open mind and with the idea that the drama does not intend to convey messages in a self-righteous or tiresome way, it really tries to use a selected theme of taking revenge many men that happened to be taking advantage of women and, in the process, finding out that not all of them are created equal and throughout the process, the main cast the triumphed over adverse circumstance resulting in a happy ending. The drama has a great cast that did a fantastic job bringing their characters to life and the leading couple has a highly pleasing romantic chemistry. Also, the overall chemistry was great and the cast delivered a very entertaining drama. Enjoy it!

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Royal Rumours is a nice fictional comedy set in historical times that features action, palace politics and revenge plots, a good amount of funny people and moments, and a light romance between the lead couple. Romance is not the main plot on this drama, so the leading couple’s romantic feelings develop after they started to trust, understand, and support each other. Their romantic scenes were much better carried out when they were not intimate since they really lacked chemistry while kissing; for the rest, it was great; their banter and their developing feelings were nice to watch. The rest of the cast also did a good job bringing their characters to life and the parents, to include the emperor, were a breath of fresh air. Overall, this is a nice lighthearted and funny drama to watch if the viewer is not expecting a blazing romance. Enjoy it!

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A lighthearted pleasure!

This drama is really a breath of fresh air! Even though the leading couple bickers a lot throughout their high school years, this drama is not about a hate/love relationship. The synopsis describes it well: “A love story revolving around childhood sweethearts, Ling Chao and Xiao Tu, who journey through youth and share experiences in sadness and joy together.” The cast did a great job bringing their characters to life and, every one of these characters had its own endearing qualities. The leading couple, each on its own and together, is a fantastic pair to watch and once they become a couple, they were adorable and delightful; their chemistry as friends and lovers is fantastic. Overall, main and supporting cast did great; the leading couple’s parents are a riot and so much fun together. Overall, if the viewer is looking for a lighthearted pleasure, this is the drama to watch. Enjoy it!

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This is a great and very entertaining fictional saeguk. Although there is a romantic storyline that, even if it is not a blazing romance, it is beautiful to see how Yi Hwan (the Crown Prince) falls for Min Jae Yi, and vice versa, while holding back because of all the constrains that keep them from acting up upon their romantic feelings. Nevertheless, they are both intelligent strong minded characters with a great sense of justice and righteousness that prevails throughout the entire drama. It is great to see them together as they navigate through everything that the antagonists throw at them. Although this drama centers on these two main characters, the plot is more about a group of people that truly care, trust, and support each other as they fight to uncover the truth and bring down the evildoers. The cast did a phenomenal job bringing their characters to life and the drama has a great deal of substantial characters beside the leading couple. One to mentions is Han Sung On (Sergeant, Jaeyi's fiancé, Yi Hwan's close friend) amazingly portrayed by Yoon Jong Seok. Enjoy it!

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This drama is great if the viewer is only looking for great CGIs; well choreograph action scenes, and beautiful settings. As for the rest, the plot is more about the demons getting their way until almost the last 10 minutes of the drama. There is a hero in the making (the male lead) that, even with all the achievements, doesn’t get rid of the antagonists until the last final minutes of the last episode while the righteous guys kept dying throughout the drama. There are some attempts at comedy that were not really funny, and the drama was more about fighting, use of great computer generated images, and twists and turns that only serve to drag the drama into a boring mess. There is a romance storyline but no chemistry between the leading couple. Overall, the drama failed to deliver a great story.

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This is a very good wuxia adaptation based on the third edition of the novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber by Jin Young. This drama has great special effects and it is packed with great action scenes; it gives the viewer revenge plots, two devious and willful women as the leading ladies, a righteous male lead character (Zhang Wuji) that is too naïve for his own good but, with the help of Zhao Min, he becomes more assertive by the end of the drama. Although the drama is also under the romance genre, don’t expect the romantic plot to come with a thunderbolt. Although there is a developing love triangle and lots of misunderstanding stemming from Zhang Wuji emotional immaturity and naiveté, the romantic chemistry is not there. The last episodes are rushed and the ending, although it is a happy one, is very anticlimactic. Even so, the drama is entertaining if the viewer is not expecting a great romance.

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This is a super fun drama to watch. The plot of the drama is centered on a group of four friends, their struggles and achievements within the setting of the high fashion industry. The drama is a romantic comedy as much as it is about the friendship and the steadfast love and support among the four friends as they put their utmost efforts to succeed in their chosen careers in the competitive and, many at times, cruel manipulations of the people in power within the industry. The drama touches these aspects but it is kept a lighthearted drama about this group of magnificent friends and how they pull together, also with the help of other friends and family, on their way to find success. There is also a very nice romance story between Ji-eun (Chae Soo Bin) and Woo-min (Choi Min Ho) who display some heartbreaking moments, some heart lighted moments, and a beautiful romantic chemistry as they try to love and understand each other. This drama, as a comedy has some over the top flaunt of erratic emotions but it is so well done that it doesn’t lose the essence and solemnity of love and friendship. Overall, a great and very entertaining drama, enjoy it!

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Lost Romance is a great fantasy romantic comedy. The two worlds (the real one and the romance novel where she is transported into) are intertwined by the leading couple’s romantic stories. Both stories are interesting and the leading couple does great bringing their characters to life on both worlds. It is beautiful to see their reunion as lovers in the real world and how it enfolded. Even though there are many good actors in the drama, the leading couple has such a strong presence that it really shows that the drama is about them, their struggles through life, and healing and loving each other in the most beautiful tenderly and passionate way. Both actors, Marcus Chang (as He Tiang Xing/Situ Ao Ran) and Vivian Sung (as Zheng Xiao En/Xiao En) gave a stellar performance and their chemistry is off the charts. Enjoy it!

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Review for Part 1 and 2 together

Alchemy of Souls Part 1 and 2 are spectacular productions. This is a character driven fantasy Korean drama that has very well choreograph action scenes, conspiracy galore, great CGI’s, beautiful costumes, comedy, and a story of steadfast love and support from the leading couple as well as the friendship among the young generation of mages. The chemistry among the main characters is fantastic as well as the dynamics of the older mages which many times deliver many comedic moments. Alchemy of Souls has an original story line from the famous Hong sisters with many twists and turns, modern styles (costumes and hairstyles), references to pop culture, and a great OST. The entire drama would’ve have been better if season 2 was integrated with season 1 creating just one drama and viewers would not have been disappointed with some changes. The leading lady on season 2 did very well bringing her character to life as she was Naksu in the beginning of season 1, which I particularly agree with bringing her back with her own semblance, but the amnesia plot weakened her magnificent warrior aura. The second season is more about Uk and Naksu’s love story. Overall, even though this drama has n blend of genres (action, mystery, revenge, comedy,…), the drama is about Uk and Naksu’s relationship as Master and Pupil that evolves into a beautiful love story among the mayhem of a fantastical plot and the antagonists underhanded tactics to bring them down. This drama (Part 1 and 2) is very entertaining, enjoy it!

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