In honor of Lee Sun Kyun... one of the reasons I fell in love with dramas.

I've recently taken a break from dramas and writing reviews while mourning the loss of someone very close to me but it was learning about the tragic passing of Lee Sun Kyun that kept me up tonight and ironically led to me staying up to watch "Sleep". I have been a fan of Lee Sun Kyun since "Coffee Prince", and missed all of the recent scandal and drama while caught up in my own personal sadness, so this has been a truly shocking evening. Maybe that's why this simple yet disturbing psychological horror story resonated with me. How your mind can play tricks on you when you're in a heightened emotional state is always a concept that fascinates me and adding a sleep disorder to that makes it even more interesting. This drama walks the fine line between familiar horror tropes that just work well with direction and visuals that are fresh and memorable. It was also the perfect film for the mood I'm currently in... something sadly disturbing and haunting.

Lee Sun Kyun has portrayed so many roles that I have loved and this one isn't necessarily a standout among them, but he is definitely in his element. He plays Hyun Soo, an aspiring Actor who lives with his super supportive and very pregnant wife Soo Jin played by Jung Yu Mi. Their relationship seems pretty ideal until Hyun Soo's disturbing actions while asleep put major stress on their lives. I love that the way things slowly evolve is so realistic and that's what made it so disturbing to me. Yes, there are some classic horror moments including possibly animals and kids being hurt, but that's pretty much par for the course in a horror movie as far as I'm concerned, although this movie never goes overboard with over-the-top blood or comes close to anything truly gorey. In true psychological horror fashion, it's more about setting up a creepy atmosphere with many of the horrors implied and without being so abstract that you lose the actual story.

As for the story, I thought it was well told, with an ending that will probably leave a lot of room for debate. I thought I knew exactly how the story would go, but the start of Act 3 caught me off guard. I wouldn't call it a mindblowing ending by any means but it was an interesting ride and for me a satisfying conclusion... at least my interpretation of what happened.

Would I watch this again? Yes. I am a fan of horror and this is one that was entertaining to watch with a great cast and great direction even if it's not necessarily groundbreaking. Other Lee Sun Kyun fans may not be in the mood to see him playing someone going through so much mental agony just yet, which I understand too.

Overall, I am glad I stayed up to watch "Sleep". It reminded me of classic horror movies like "Rosemary's Baby", with quite a few images that will keep me up a little longer. People looking for a horror film with epic twists, major jumpscares, or diabolical villains will likely be disappointed. I liked the concept of one's mind possibly being the real horror... or not. Or the horror of not having control over your actions, which legit freaks me out. Could there have been improvements? Sure. Could some parts of the story use some more depth and explanation? Sure. But as is, I think this movie still delivers.

***Thank you Lee Sun Kyun, for bringing such ease of talent to so many great roles. You will be missed. Sleep in Peace : (

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So Basic ( Romance KDrama 101)

If you love rom-coms with cute couples with cute chemistry and need a filler drama to watch I recommend "King the Land". This drama is every KDrama cliché ever in cute repackaging. Do you like reluctant Cinderellas and brooding Chaebols? Check. Do you like families fighting for succession, meddling parents, childhood trauma, ridiculous misunderstandings, damsels in distress, and plenty of product placement? Check! Do you swoon over a "trip and dip", or the umbrella savior swooping in, do you cheer for mild stalking, makeovers, being forced to stay overnight in a remote town/island, men cooking enthusiastically, and other assorted food porn, bonding while drunk, or lots of lingering stares? Big checks for all of the above. Don't worry about these being spoilers either, the story is so standard it can't really be spoiled.

Whatever you think is going to happen is going to happen.

I admit I was on board for all of the above and then some. I would definitely classify this as a fan service drama for that reason. I was entertained consistently until things started turning more and more into a Tourism Ad and the obvious product placement became too overwhelming. It all leads to a decent ending, with some satisfying character conclusions, but if you told me this entire script was written by ChatGPT compiling successful romantic KDramas of the past I would believe you!

"King the Land" is not original. It's as basic as basic gets, but not bland. That may be the appeal for a lot of viewers. It felt kind of relaxing guessing exactly what was going to happen next. I thought the main couple was cute without being too cheesy. Im Yoon Ah is great as the confidently quirky and optimistic Cheon Sa Rang. She balances out the moody charm of Lee Jun Ho as Gu Won. I've definitely liked Jun Ho in other dramas and he owns the leading man role swag in this. The rest of the supporting cast of BBFs , Co-Workers, and Ahn Se Ha as No Sang Sik are great too. My only character complaint is that the sister role was so one-note it made her character less interesting in spite of her performance.

Would I watch this again? Maybe, once it slips my mind, and it will slip my mind. I do feel like this drama loses its momentum about halfway through, which makes committing to rewatching this harder, but the cuteness and well-executed tropes may be enough to convince me to rewatch. Sometimes junk food dramas are exactly what I crave. It's escapism that you can rely on. This drama is very self-aware of its cuteness and tropes and attractive leads and milks it.

This is a Cozy drama for sure! It's also a love letter to the service industry. What it's not is plot twists and clever dialogue. It's also lighter on the drama that I'm used to for a hotel-centered drama, so It doesn't even stand out in that genre, but once I watched episode 1 I knew what to expect and knew I was committed because it was exactly what I was in the mood for. This is the kind of drama you can leave playing in the background and just catch all the smile-worthy moments whether that is couples flirting or friendship and comradery. I loved watching the characters rely on each other and have each other's back even if the actual situations weren't always funny or interesting, and If you skipped from ep 10 to ep 16 you probably wouldn't miss much.

Overall, "King the Land" gives me an old-school KDrama rom-com feel without feeling dated. I wish it were shorter because their cuteness couldn't always carry the boring and repetitive plot. Maybe enjoying this drama is an exercise in appreciating the simple things once in a while. A drama doesn't have to be a 5-star masterpiece to be enjoyable. Sometimes a few Squid Game references are enough to amuse you. The one real mystery in the plot is resolved in the most anticlimactic way, however, even this simple plot generated a genuine smile from me many times, a major theme in this drama (that I liked a lot). So "Hermès" to that!

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Welp, its no "Squid Game".

If you're a fan of movies with last-man-standing-survival-game-fight-to-the-death themes then you may be curious about "As the Gods Will". If you have ever seen a Takashi Miike movie before, then you kind of know what to expect already... lots of over-the-top creepiness and blood. I have mixed feelings about most of his movies because they tend to be more concept-driven than plot-driven. I like horror movies with great plots and that's what makes "As the Gods Will" so different from other movies that I like in this genre, This being brought up as the alleged inspiration for "Squid Game" is what made me decide to finally watch this and unfortunately the first scene/game is where the similarities begin and end. Sure, children's games are a big part of this movie but these games are very Japan-centric and are more visually creative than strategy-based.

There is a smart hero and a smart villain, but many of the other characters are just gore fodder, which is disappointing. The CGI is also very cartoony, so It's not as scary as it could be either. It's also school-based so it definitely feels more like "Battle Royale" and "Hunger Games" influenced, with the same teen crush and sociopath classmate tropes. Fukushi Sota is a great hero as Takahata Shun. He plays the emo empath role well and certainly looks the part. Kamiki Ryunosuke is also great as Amaya Takeru, although his character is much more one-dimensional, he was my favorite performance. Yamazaki Hirona is a great co-star as Akimoto Ichika but sadly due to gender stereotypes, she gets reduced to a typical female love interest role instead of coming into her own as a hero herself. That's another disappointing thing about many of Takashi Miike's films. There's also an angsty teen character that I just felt was added for no reason, and with explanation. Clearly, the writer judges apathetic teens but fails to create compelling characters, which gives the story "OK Boomer" energy.

Would I watch this again? No. It's interesting for a first watch but I didn't like it enough to want to watch it again. I did like some of the final twists, and themes about not taking daily life for granted, but in the end, it was more weird than entertaining.

Overall, the characters were too simplistic for me to really care and the concepts seemed to be grander than the story. If you are a bigger fan of Takashi Miike and haven't seen this one yet, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. If accusations that Squid Game plagiarized this story made you want to watch this then you most likely will be disappointed. If you're expecting a deep life changing message at the end just don't even bother to watch at all. This has a Crazy Manga vibe more than a Horror Thriller vibe. The gore is actually lighter than I expected from this director, which I personally appreciated. The Bizarre parts are probably better appreciated if you don't take things too seriously, but I really wished the story was less basic. The games are the best part and the earlier games are the better ones. Luckily this movie begins holding nothing back so you can tell early on whether or not it will be worth your time, or too much for you. I don't regret watching it at all, but I can't say I'm a fan. There are too many versions of this kind of story that do it better in my opinion, even if it's not as shocking to watch, I would rather have a well-crafted plot than a jump scare or a visual cringe.

Confession: I watched this right after watching "Squid Game" for the 5th time, so yes, I am biased.

I also think "Ichi the Killer" and "Audition" are overrated. "One Missed Call" is more my speed.

One thing I do know is that I will never look at a Daruma Head, Maneki Neko, or Nesting Dolls the same way again! lol

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A Dark and Twisted Rashomon

"Mask Girl" packs a lot into 7 episodes. Instead of offering typical KDrama escapism, this drama delves into characters looking for their own forms of escape. Mask Girl and the characters in her world are dark, lonely, and even delusional anti-heroes. They may not always be likable or sane but they are easy to empathize with as we watch their lives spiral more and more out of control with every episode. This drama's content is also wild and intensely adult, including nudity and violence, but it never felt too over the top to me. In a world full of influencers, Idols, and only fans setting a new standard, "Mask Girl" and its themes feel perfect for the times even though much of the story technically takes place in the past.

My favorite thing about this drama is that it is told in a Rashomon style with each episode representing a new character's POV. The less you know while watching the better as each character is introduced and brought to the forefront with new perspectives on things we thought we knew and have already seen. I admit that some of the story is predictable but in a way that feels more tragically inevitable, making the suspense more intense. I especially loved the first 2 episodes, not only because of the amazing performances by Lee Han Byeol and Ahn Jae Hong, but because it really felt like I was a fly on the wall observing someone's most intimate thoughts, feelings, and desires which made me root for some characters even in spite of their actions as the story progressed. In a weird way, it's a shout-out to the intensely socially awkward but also about all of us.

Another honorable mention for me is Yeom Hye Ran. She really broke my heart in some scenes while totally surprising me in others. She gave my favorite performance in this drama and I was totally able to separate her from Ms. Chu in "Uncanny Counter 1&2" (which I am also currently watching) even though I love her in that role too. She definitely has an acting range FAAAAR beyond her years. She's for sure one of my favorites now!

Would I watch this again? Sure. It's not an easy watch, but the characters are so interesting that I would be curious to see it all again knowing the full story. I do think the later episodes wouldn't be as exciting the second time around, but the story and performances are still strong enough to keep me watching.

The only thing I didn't like as much is the ending which I wish went the less safe and obvious route.

I also think the soundtrack is perfect. Adding a lot to the storytelling without an unnecessary epic ballad or song repeating over and over again to force the mood. The music just complements everything with just the right mood.

And shout out to the director for some really cool yet subtle imagery, and keeping the nudity, sex, and violence tastefully done.

Overall, "Mask Girl" delves not only into an image-obsessed society but also into the different personas we show the outside world vs. how we truly are and feel inside. Yes, this is a thriller, filled with violence and revenge, but it's also thought-provoking, delving into image and validation and obsession and insecurity... some of the less appealing aspects of human nature, without being too preachy about it. I also feel like this is hardly a dark comedy. I laughed a few times. but this is pretty much a tragedy from start to finish. Still, it manages to avoid being too depressing and that balance helps make it super easy to binge. I definitely recommend it to those interested in a grown-up drama, with some memorable characters, and a unique storytelling style. "Mask Girl" is the personification of a "don't judge a book by its cover" drama. It definitely won't be for everyone, but don't judge "Mask Girl" by the poster, description, or shocked reviewers. This one, I think, you have to get to know for yourself.

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Not what I expected in the best way!

"The Secret Romantic Guesthouse" is nothing like what I expected it to be. It has a lot of elements that are in some of my favorite sageuks but has a unique balance between being seriously dramatic and comedically lighthearted. The story does take a few emotional turns without ever becoming too heavy. The title definitely doesn't do this drama any justice. Yes, romance is a big part of the story but there are also revenge plots, a tyrant king, a secret rebellion, and some truly great characters. This drama is definitely more about the whole ensemble than one particular couple, and I loved the chemistry between all of the characters as chance and fate brought them all together to become a makeshift family in a random Inn for aspiring scholars.

The owner of Ihwawon Inn is Dan Oh played by Shin Ye Eun. I loved that she is a brave, independent, and outspoken character even though sometimes her antics were frustrating to watch. I also love that the plot wasn't just the usual one girl choosing between 3 suitors trope, as the poster suggests. She really has a unique relationship with each male lead and they have the same unique relationships with each other as well. Ryeoun plays the aloof fighter Kang San who doesn't warm to people too easily, but I loved his smile whenever he did. Jung Gun Joo plays the thoughtful and scholarly Jung Yoo Ha, the most straight-laced of the bunch without being boring. And Kang Hoon plays the silly Kim Shi Yeol who never seems to take anything too seriously, and definitely became my favorite. It was easy for me to really start to care about each of the leads from the beginning, but what I loved most is that none of them were exactly as they seemed and always kept me guessing. With each episode, we learn more about each character's past and motivations, which kept every episode interesting till the very end.

The entire supporting cast is just as great as the leads, although I won't go into too much detail to avoid spoilers. The King and Chief Administer, however, were so irredeemably evil that I loved to root against them, yet even their single-minded goals made me empathize with them during some of their evilest moments. I think that's because the characters were really well written even if they all weren't necessarily complex. None of the characters felt like filler, and no scene felt useless either. There may have been a few minor moments that made me roll my eyes but it all came together and made sense in the end.

Would I watch this again? Definitely. Mostly I would want to watch knowing what I learned about the characters from the beginning. I already rewatched the first episode and certain scenes hit differently once you know how the story will evolve. Maybe some moments will drag watching it for the second time, but I liked the characters so much I would still be entertained.

My only real complaint is that the kiss moments were so disappointing. All the chemistry in the world just feels ruined by dead fish emotionless lip touch where a passionate kiss should be. Ryeoun tried his best to make it sexy, but Shin Ye Eun... just yuck.

Overall, this drama tells a great story and I think it will appeal to people who don't want a historical drama that is too depressing or a romcom that is too silly. This is directed by the director of The Princess's Man, one of my favorite sageuks of all time, so the action scenes are great too... especially the Watchman battles. If you like dramas that will keep you guessing. this one does a great job of always introducing a new and unexpected element even when you think you have it all figured out. I say this as a person who is easily bored by fighting for the crown plots but the pace was great so I didn't have a chance to be bored.
I was sad at the end of 18 episodes to say goodbye to these characters, and that's more than enough for me to recommend this drama. I didn't cry, I don't have any new favorite couples to add to my list, but by the end, I felt like I went on a journey with these characters with them finally living the lives they were meant to and that's the best kind of ending for me.

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Slow Burn Sageuk

"Our Blooming Youth" is a tough drama to review. On one hand, it is one of the few political power-based sageuks that had a story that kept me interested, but the story and romance, and mysteries all happen at a snail's pace. Thankfully the cast is great, the leads are charming and likable, and there are entertaining comedic moments, otherwise, this drama would have been extremely boring for way too many episodes. The plot often took too long to explain the obvious, and the corruption plot was very confusing to me until the final episodes because they waited so long to show backstories. Still, I think the slow pace also gave us time to get to know all of the characters better and I really did grow to care about many of the characters.

The show stars Park Hyung Sik as the charming prince and he is perfectly cast. He is matched with Jeon So Nee as Jae Yi who meets him in disguise in order to clear her name. From the beginning, I loved that they were both clever and brave fighters, which made their chemistry seem natural and evenly matched. There were definitely times when her actions frustrated me, and also times I wished their relationship would progress more, but they did stay true to the tragic mystery and corruption plot instead of just taking a full romance detour, which I can appreciate too. The rest of the main characters are just as charming.
Pyo Ye Jin and Lee Tae Sun had their own cute chemistry as master and apprentice. Yoon Jong Seok played loyal and stoic well, and Heo Won Seo was super cute and one of my favorites in this drama.

Another favorite of mine was Jung Woong In who just plays evil so flawlessly. Just his creepy smile alone is epic.

There are no weak links in this entire cast except for maybe Im Han Bin as the younger prince, but I'm going to blame that on his awful wigs, not his performance. You know the cast is good when you genuinely care about what will happen to minor characters as much as you care about the leads. I also appreciated that the story gave these characters fuller storylines that helped create well-rounded characters not just cliches you expect to see. I empathized with some villains as much as I empathized with the heroes. Not a single character felt like filler. That's one thing the writers did very well.

What I wish the writers did better was make a less confusing mystery plot. It was only in the last 2 episodes that I was finally able to understand what had happened in the 18 episodes before. This plot had poisonings, massacres, ghost stories, revenge, gaslighting, betrayals, and a rag-tag mystery-solving squad but so many scenes went over my head as I struggled to make sense of it all. I think that's the main thing that stopped me from loving this drama even if it all made sense by the end.

Would I watch this again? Maybe. It is so slow-paced, but maybe binging it would help. I think knowing the full story may help me pick up on things I missed if I watched for a 2nd time. There are also cute and funny scenes but I'm not convinced there were enough to make me want to watch this all again. Knowing what will happen also dulls a lot of the initial excitement.

Overall, this is a good historical drama but you have to really be in the mood for a slow-to-reveal mystery. There is romance, it's one of the main plots of the story, but don't expect too many actual romantic moments, which may disappoint romance fans. If you are a Park Hyung Sik fan he will not disappoint. Royalty looks good on him. If you watched enough sageuks a lot of the plot will feel familiar but the overall story is original enough to stand on its own. I am curious to know what the CDrama version is like, but I'm not sure I'm curious enough to actually watch it. I would recommend "Our Blooming Youth", even if I still don't understand the title, and just tell folks to grab plenty of popcorn for the slow pace and trust all roads to lead somewhere satisfying eventually. I also loved the themes of trust, loyalty, and true friendship! Like an act of well-planned revenge, give this story time to build to make the best impact. Dragging or not this drama definitely made me glad I watched by the end.

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The math just didn't math.

It's been a while since I completed a drama that I disliked this much. I started watching without expectations, and even though I knew the extreme study culture storyline would be hard for me to relate to I was open. The pressure the students faced and the young actors' performances turned out to be the best part of this show. Unfortunately, this drama gets failing marks in all other categories. The romance plot was dated and stale. The mystery plot was comically bad. I really wanted to root for this aunt who shifted her whole life to raise her niece but instead, I watched the same petty rants and schemes from entitled parents, I watched two clearly older romantic leads acting like awkward children dating, and that was honestly more annoying than wholesome, and I watched the most unnecessary thriller plot that I still don't quite understand. And I still kept watching.

Jeon Do Yeon plays Nam Haeng Seon, our supposedly strong and super athletic lead who too often for me was passive and boring. I know many people have complained about her age, but I'm not sure that's why her character felt off to me. She and her bff played by Lee Bong Ryun were surely meant to seem less sophisticated compared to the other women characters, but that should not mean being bland. She is matched with Jung Kyung Ho who plays Choi Chi Yeol a supposedly super dynamic rock star teacher who was also cheesy and bland. The backstory provides a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why these 2 fall for each other but I just didn't believe it based on their interactions. Their romantic moments seemed forced. Their smiles at each other seemed super fake. Teacher Choi's high kicks were so ridiculous that they made his motivational teacher brand seem less believable. I totally understand the writer's intentions with the lead characters but they just didn't work for me.

If I'm honest, my favorite performances were Roh Yoon Seo as Hae Yi and her friends, and Oh Eui Shik as Jae Woo. Jae Woo was really a weird comic relief character throughout, but he still managed to create a believable and likable character... one of the few. The rest of the characters, mainly obsessed parents and rival students, were too extreme to feel real at all until the very last episodes. Maybe the extreme parts were meat for laughs but I wasn't laughing. And don't get me started on the random murder/suicide plot that never seemed to really fit at all. They clearly gave up on that plot based on its conclusion.

Would I watch this again? Absolutely not. I don't even know what kept me watching until the end. I think part of me kept hoping to connect to the characters or for the story to start making sense but eventually, I was just waiting for it to finally end.

Overall, this drama gets a hard pass from me, and I don't mean a passing grade. Maybe people who can relate to this kind of pressure to get the top grades or go to the highest-ranked schools will relate a little more but that won't make the writing any better. Sure, it ends well, as far as closure for the characters, but the end also felt too simplistic and too dragged out. I was watching the clock for the last 30 mins. Maybe for some watching the banter between an unconventional family or a different kind of couple may be enough to keep them engaged, but I wish this drama went on fewer tangents and developed the two leads enough to carry the whole story. Maybe if you want a drama with a more retro feel then you can find some charm in "Crash Course in Romance". Me? I can't recommend this drama or understand its high rating. The math just didn't math for me.

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"Emotional Damage!"

This drama is intriguing if you know what you're in for, and extremely frustrating if you don't. This isn't a true romance drama, at least not in the traditional sense. It's not exactly a love story either, but more a story about pursuing love... or running away from it. Many people watch romantic KDramas for the escapism of a 'soul mates who are meant' to be story or a 'love against all odds' story. Instead, we have a slow-paced drama about longing, obsession, denial, misunderstandings, toxic behavior, and emotional damage told in a more realistic way. The opposite of the escapism most people crave. I found the female lead enraging at times and the male lead frustrating, but I also couldn't look away. Yes, the leads have chemistry, but it's the kind of palpable chemistry that makes you torn between rooting for them and raging against them. This drama makes you seriously question what makes a relationship worth fighting for, or can it only be considered a love story if the love works out?

It stars Yoo Yeon Seok as the stoic and dependable Ha Sang Soo, and Moon Ga Young as the stubborn and guarded An Soo Young. What I liked is that both characters felt non-cliché. Sang Soo,'s puppy dog eyes often made me feel bad for him while Soo Young.'s deceptive but pained smile made me both furious and sad. They are both messy, although it's clear that the female lead is much messier, and sometimes just the way they looked at each other could fuel the emotion of a scene. Then we have Geum Sae Rok as the spoiled romantic Park Mi Kyung, and the equally romantic Jung Ga Ram as small-town boy Jung Jong Hyun. If you hate love triangles be warned that this one is a love square most of the time and even ventures into love pentagon territory. Connections between the leads often get intense, depressing, and cringy... but never boring (although repetitive).

Would I watch this again? Not likely. I think the performances are great but what was exciting to watch the first time would probably just be upsetting if I watched again knowing the ending. Also, the story, although it follows a clear timeline, felt pretty one note at times. Boy pursues girl. Girl runs away. Repeat. Sure, it's not always as simplistic as that but that's still the main formula. The theme can be a downer as well since not one couple in this drama is drama & dysfunction free... well maybe one, but that's because they don't include them much in the story.

Overall, this drama is an acquired taste. We love to see stories of people who find the perfect match and live happily ever after, but what happens if you meet someone who sparks interest and desire but fear, misunderstandings, society, and past hurt get in the way? What if you love someone much more than they love you? What if you don't trust love at all? I understand why some viewers would not be interested in a drama like this, but I think I appreciate the imperfect love story it aimed to tell. I can even appreciate the reflective and bittersweet ending. This is one of the rare KDrama moments where the title is actually perfect. Whether it's about getting in the way of your own happiness, or regret, or accepting that every relationship isn't meant to be just because there's interest, it is definitely the kind of story that could have you reminiscing about any love unrealized. Still, This cast and this drama definitely held my interest, so if you're up for it, it may hold yours too.

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RomCom turned Melodrama bait and switch.

I started this drama hoping for a quick but cute romcom but it quickly turned into mediocre historical melodrama. I wouldn't even mind if the melodramatic plot was over the top and fun but instead, it took itself too seriously and dragged on, and by the last episode I was super bored. I think "The Forbidden Marriage" is a trope fest that doesn't always work. Sometimes it was funny and cute and sometimes it was cringy and forced. It wasn't silly enough to keep me entertained like "Rooftop Prince", and the lead couple wasn't compelling enough for me to root for like "The Red Sleeve". It seems like they borrowed things that worked in other dramas that just didn't work for me here, and just added the occasional immature sexual innuendo for giggles. I would have preferred if they chose to stick with comedy but instead, it's a weird messy melodramatic love triangle mystery.

This drama depends a lot on Kim Young Dae's charm to make this love story work but bad writing and stale chemistry made me disappointed with the main couple. Park Ju Hyun was initially funny, and I liked her mischievous spunk, but I just didn't love her as a romantic lead. I can't even totally blame the writing, because there are lots of dramas where the stubborn tyrannical male lead has his heart changed by the unconventional female lead, which I love. In this case, besides the initial teasing that was fun to watch, I felt no spark between the leads. Instead, it was the promise of a love triangle that kept me watching, and Kim Woo Seok as Lee Shin Won is the only character whose feelings felt genuine. I can't even quite call it 2nd lead syndrome because I liked him more than both leads. The lovelorn hero storyline was what kept me watching when the show started to drag and if they got rid of his character I would have dropped this drama for sure. I won't spoil things too much, but things get so predictable after a while it's hard to spoil.

The supporting cast is a mixed bag. Some characters didn't get enough screen time, like the flamboyant psychic played by Choi Deok Moon, and the erotic/romantic writer (which was a cute plot of its own), while the villainous characters got too much screen time, especially in the final episodes. It would be different if they truly took time to establish backstories like So Rang's family dynamic or Lee Heon's first marriage if they were going to go on such a detailed thriller detour. They also did a poor job of establishing the love between the two leads in my opinion. I knew in detail why Shin Won was in love with the female lead but why did So Rang love the king? Just attraction? He was an irrational jerk most of the time. Why did the king really fall for So Rang? Because she catered to him? Because she was "different"? And why did his relationship with the first queen seem so one-sided and even creepy? I can even believe that going through trials is what ultimately brought them together but their confessions and love declarations just felt so cringy. You would think with all the flirtation and sexual references that there would be more chemistry but I could not take them seriously enough to feel anything but awkwardness.

Would I watch this again? No. I was on the fence about dropping it but kept hoping that some of the comedic sparks from the beginning of the drama would come back. Once the drama deviated to melodrama it never quite found consistent humor again. I don't regret watching it, but I wouldn't ask this drama out on a second date.

Overall, I cannot really recommend this drama unless you love anything and everything Kim Young Dae does. If his cuteness is your reason, you will have plenty of it to tide you over. I'll also add a trigger warning for haters of love triangles and unrequited love. If you are hoping for a funny romcom about repressed people starving for love during a 7-year ban on marriage, like I was, be warned that melodrama is on the horizon and it will soon take over completely and turn into a cliché battle over who should be the next Queen. The 12th episode is the most dragged out of all. Instead of closure, it felt like they just kept adding things to fill up the time. Yes, every character gets some kind of closure or a hint at closure, and some of the final moments are cute, but it was too late for me to care. "The Forbidden Marriage" seems like a drama that wasn't a strong enough silly comedy so they kept throwing in sageuk tropes which backfired. Maybe I had too many expectations, wasn't in the right mood, or was too team Shin Won to enjoy this drama as much as others. Consider this a friendly reminder that not every highly-rated drama is for everyone.

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"Have you finished watching this title?" Umm... Is that a trick question?!

"Have you finished watching this title?" I guess I have technically but since this is only the first part of this story it feels like a trick question. This isn't a full review because this drama put itself on hold at least halfway through, which is annoying, but I will admit this is an intriguing and easily binge-able first half.

"The Glory" is a story about extreme bullying. The plot is pretty cliché as far as revenge thrillers about abuse go, but the intensity of the bullying definitely raises the stakes of the story. Song Hye Kyo plays revenge-obsessed Moon Dong Eun. Don't expect the charm of her earlier roles (like in "Full House"). This drama seems to fall under her new typecasting, which is the cold and bitter woman who is too traumatized to be truly happy (like in "Encounter" and "Now, We Are Breaking Up"). Dong Eun survives unimaginable circumstances so her coldness is justified and fits, but it can also feel a little redundant after a while. I prefer the few moments when she is enjoying taking revenge or at least showing some other emotion besides numbness.

The rest of the cast is mostly filled with a couple of interesting and likable characters with their own demons to manage and characters to despise. The villains are pretty one-dimensional, either spoiled sociopaths or obsessed with status. I guess they are convincing but just basic and predictable. My favorite characters so far are Yeom Hye Ran as Kang Hyun Nam, who has the most entertaining character transition, and Lee Do Hyun as Joo Yeo Jung who I feel like I was finally getting to see new and interesting sides of when season 1 ended. I hope these characters, and others key characters will have more depth and screen time in season 2. I also hope season 2 focuses less on setting up the plot and more on actual suspense and revenge in action.

There are a few too many flashbacks in season 1, but Jung Ji So as young Dong Eun is also excellent. I could see her playing the young and adult role quite effectively tbh.

I also fear that I may forget a lot of the details of the plot before season 2 starts.
Luckily I watched all 8 episodes in a day, just in case I need to rewatch to remember.

Overall, I wish I waited to watch this. Instead of an intense cliffhanger, I feel like I was rudely interrupted in the middle of them finally really starting the story. I want the satisfying feeling of watching people get what they deserve and I feel like I was cheated into waiting for a real payoff after having me sit through some pretty horrific and traumatic abuse scenes. "This Glory" definitely does a good job of setting up a lead you can empathize with, and enjoy her meticulous plotting, but the pace and interruption make me less enthusiastic about this drama for sure.

So I guess this is less of a review, and more a warning that starting this drama means committing to wait months to see how it finally ends. If you are a revenge drama binger more than an "on-air" wait and watcher I would definitely save this one for later. I personally wish I waited, but I believed the NetFlix hype while in between dramas. Song Hye Kyo fans are probably just happy to see her in another drama, so maybe that's enough of a reason for some to just watch now. I guess the Go game metaphor was supposed to teach us patience while watching but I don't know how to play so that's totally lost on me! lol! I just hope by the time season 2 comes out I will still care enough to watch.

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An ambitious drama... but maybe too ambitious

I'll start this review by admitting that I am normally not a big fan of plots about greedy rich family members fighting over power positions but once I saw Song Joong Ki I knew I would have to watch this. He never disappoints, even in dramas I don't love, and this unfortunately was one of those dramas. Don't get me wrong, there are some really great things about "Born Rich" and I say this knowing nothing about the book it's based on. The rivalries are intense and keeping up with the lead character's wins and losses flavored with Korean nostalgia was fun each week. This was largely due to Lee Sung Min as Jin Yang Cheol, the family patriarch at the center of all the greed and corruption.

Jin Do Joon and Jin Yang Cheol's relationship are what makes this drama so exciting. There are other great characters as well but watching them match wits eclipses everything else. The main story is a pretty standard revenge plot with a retro twist, and clever Do Joon is easy to root for, but what I liked more was the feeling of watching an intense game of chess between two fierce rivals who clearly admire each other. I was less interested in the war between siblings, even with some impressive actors in those roles. The terrible rich people being terrible trope is just not as engaging after a while, and too many of the family members were 2 dimmensional awful people.

One part of the story that really did not work well is the romance plot. I think in this case it wasn't just the writing but Shin Hyun Bin's performance that made this storyline fall flat. Her choice to play Seo Min Young as cold, guarded, and robotic throughout left no room for any romance scenario that made sense. I felt myself rolling my eyes whenever her character showed up, and that's not a good look for a love interest.

Another problem I had with "Born Rich" is that there were a lot of times I had a hard time following what was going on and who was who. There are a lot of characters with agendas, and a lot of agendas conflict and overlap. Add to that a lot of significant Korean history moments going over my head and me likely missing a lot of important details. Thankfully the music helped me know when something sinister was about to go down. lol

Would I watch this again? Maybe. Now that I know the ending I would be slightly interested in seeing it from the beginning with that in mind. However, the episodes are so long that I think without the suspense they may not be fun to watch anymore. I was satified with seeing the main character's evolution and I think that's enough for me to move on from this for now. I know a lot of people didn't like the direction the story went towards the end but I appreciated the twist and what it said about the blind pursuit of wealth and power.

Overall, "Born Rich" didn't disappoint but it did fall a little short. It just felt too inconsistent. By the end of episode 15, I was really excited about this drama's ending, but it kinda fizzled and turned predictable by the very end. Is it worth watching just to watch Song Joong Ki? Yes. Is this as good as some of his other famous roles? Definitely not. Even his infamous charming smirks seemed more low key in this one. If you didn't read the synopsis, good! Don't! I'm glad I started watching knowing nothing from the very beginning. The conflict for me is that I liked the story more than how it was told. I loved the suspense and cliff hangers but hated the repetitive scenes with shadey characters staring suspiciously at each other. Be aware that this is a plot that stays true to one genre and focuses on Politics, Power, and Revenge. If you find people discussing plots and schemes tedious this is not the drama for you.

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A well played drama.

It surprises me that so many people were disappointed by this drama since it's been a while since a drama impacted me so much. I can agree it isn't perfect, but this drama gets so many things right. I went in without any expectations and couldn't stop tears from flowing by the end. If you've ever experienced a loss of a family matriarch or patriarch this drama may hit harder. This isn't truly a romance drama or a melodrama, it is more a sentimental story about a family facing a major loss and honoring the successes and regrets of a long life. This drama also leans on the familiar trope of a charismatic character who joins a family and transforms it for the better... think Mary Poppins... with a convincing North Korean accent. ; ) I'm a sucker for stories like this, and I was not disappointed.

The NK Mary Poppins and charm of this drama is Kang Ha Neul as Yoo Jae Hun. He truly shines in this role as a struggling actor dedicated to his craft who is persuaded to play the long-lost grandson of dying Matriarch Ja Geum Sun played by Go Doo Shim. The chemistry between these two is the heart of this drama. Ja Geum Sun's life may have been filled with amazing accomplishments but she also carries hurt from past losses that haunt her into old age. The goal of this reunion with her grandson is meant to give her peace and closure before death but it ends up being challenging and healing for the whole family. Yes, there is a romantic element with Ha Ji Won's character
Park Se Yun which I did think was cute, and they do play the past characters well (especially in the opening scene), but the chemistry that truly mattered in this story was between Grandma and her newly "found" Grandson.

I won't speak too much about specific characters since getting to know the family is a large part of the story, but the entire cast is so good. Their family dynamic is people living together but estranged until they are forced to deal with their ailing Matriarch. There are no over-the-top villains or cheesy fights for succession, instead, it's a fight over hotel ownership that isn't based on greed for once but instead based on emotions. I could sympathize which each grandchild's POV, and although this might not be exciting to some viewers to me it felt more real. I also liked that who would ordinarily be a female second lead was her own interesting character, and I loved the chemistry between the two hired actors. The actors are all stellar and all work well together. There are absolutely no weak links, not even in the staff. The least interesting character was the ex-"Bae" Dong Je, but I think that was just the way his role was written. I disagree with a lot of critics and think all the characters got an appropriate amount of screen time, including Steven Noh as Ri Moon Sung, who even while mostly silent gave a really powerful performance.

Would I watch this again? Yes! If you have any interest in acting it will be hard not to relate to what motivates Yoo Jae Hun to create and perform. And although there aren't many swoon-worthy romantic moments or epic fighting showdowns, watching Jae Hun vs the family dynamic was endearing enough for me to want to watch it all again. There are a few touching moments I wouldn't mind rewatching again as well.

The sentimental music is a bit over the top but appropriate. It definitely inspired tears to keep on flowing.

Overall, I applaud this drama for successfully finding the balance between the actors and the roles they are playing which is not easy to do well. The "plays within a play" parts were done perfectly. And I love that the title actually makes perfect sense, which is rare! lol!

Having lost two close grandparents I often reflect on the things they've seen and endured and survived, and it was hard not to think of them while watching. I also know the feeling of reuniting with a side of my family that I was not raised with and this also made me reevaluate the value of family. I think this drama is meant to relate to viewers in that way, and left me with an inspired outlook in spite of my many tears. I loved that everything felt resolved by the end (yes, everything) but still open to all the possibilities that life could throw one's way. I love that there were funny and silly moments to balance out the tougher moments. I love that there is space for hurt and regret and love in the writing. I easily overlooked some of the weaker parts of the plot because the stronger parts had a bigger impact.

"Curtain Call" is a drama well played. Lower viewer ratings aside, count me among the few that would give this drama a standing ovation!

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A reflective slice of small town life

Summer Strike is what I would call a mood slice of life drama. It's a story about Yeo Reum "Summer" whose hectic life is falling apart when she decides to pack a backpack with a few belongings and go on strike from the life she's known. She winds up in a strange small town full of interesting characters and makes the choice to lead an unconventional life without any responsibilities or plans. The concept is pretty inspiring except for one thing... Yeo Reum is a frustrating mess. Good thing for her, the entire town is full of messy characters.

Although Yeo Reum is the main character the true star of the show is Yim Si Wan as An Dae Beom. He is so awkwardly adorable and endearing, and honestly the most interesting character even while barely saying a word. He has cute chemistry with Yeo Reum from the very beginning, and their connection is super sweet, but if you are looking for a conventional romance be warned that this is NOT it. Think more slow-burn kindred spirits who like to run a lot and you will be far less likely to be disappointed. Many of their interactions happen in the library which should give you an idea of how adorkable and wholesome these moments are.

The rest of the ensemble is great too, but full of frustrating characters, from Grandmas to single dads, HS students, and ex-cons. I don't want to speak too much about them all in detail since the interesting part of the story is learning about these characters as Yeo Reum does. The town is full of sadness and tragedy and is haunted by a mysterious murder from years ago. Of course, Yeo Reum's presence changes things in the town mostly for the better, but not the mood. This drama is still mostly melancholy, frustrating, and sad. Still, this isn;t quite the "fish out of water" trope that I expected. It's more about the town adapting to and at times blatantly rejecting a stranger's presence.

Would I watch this again? Probably not. Although I like the simple concept of the drama, I do think the plot isn't as interesting as the characters. There also aren't many scenes that I would necessarily want to rewatch. If I were a bigger fan of slice-of-life dramas then maybe just the small-town atmosphere would be enough to make me want to rewatch/revisit Angok. I thought it was nice to escape to Angok each week, but since many of the characters were frustrating, I was more than ready to say goodbye to them by episode 12... the perfect length for this drama.


Overall, this drama feels a little like reading someone's diary. Or rather, listening to someone's diary since there is a lot of narration. There isn't a major character transformation but watching feels intimate and definitely piqued my curiosity throughout. The romance and mystery parts of the story were a little disappointing because they were so played down. However, it's certainly an eventful summer, no matter how slow paced the drama feels at times. If you ever had a fantasy of running away from your life this will either inspire you or scare you. By the end, I did feel comforted by the sense of community, I was touched by Yeo Reum's imperfect pursuit of happiness, and there's an emotionally healing feeling even if it left me dry eyed throughout, so I would recommend binging this it if you're in a introspective and reflective mood, and I appreciate this simple drama reminding me to appreciate the simple things.

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Why her? A complicated and interesting female lead character... that's why.

"Why Her" is about corporate greed, ruthless power, and revenge. TK Law Firm is the setting for one of the most corrupt and toxic work environments and one truly entertaining evil villain. It stars Seo Hyun Jin as Oh Soo Jae, literally another Miss Oh (lol), and the "Her" in question in the title. I loved her cold, clever, poker-faced lawyer character, who seems pretty ruthless but is living with some painful demons. She truly is one of my favorite actresses in KDramaland and this drama showcases a lot of her talent well. However, I am not the biggest fan of dramas with major corruption plots, and although this drama does attempt to incorporate some romance as well, the underdog fighting against a major corporate power trope started to drag and the mystery behind it all was too confusing for too long. The writing is a bit messy, but with such strong performances, I stayed invested till the end.

Seo Hyun Jin is matched with Hwang In Youp as Gong Chan. He is clearly enamored with Lawyer Oh but it takes a further dive into their pasts to learn why that is. I liked their characters and their story. I loved the idea of accepting each other, flaws and all, but I admit the two didn't have much chemistry. For me, it wasn't the age gap or the teacher-student scenario that made this couple not work that well. It was more the lack of excitement between the two besides comforting each other. Scenes that should have caused butterflies felt forced. They honestly felt more like siblings, and if this drama removed romance from the plot completely it wouldn't have made any difference for me.

Although there are great side characters and ensemble performances the true male lead of this drama is Heo Joon Ho as
Choi Tae Gook. He is so excellent at being THE WORST human. He could have easily been played over the top but Choi Tae Gook had depth and range. Even minor things about his character, like his snacking all the time, made his performance so impressive. Still, even his evildoings started feeling repetitive until the last few episodes. I think it took a little too long to reveal the past, which made me wonder how intense this would have been as a movie instead of being dragged out for 16 episodes. There were just too many meeting and plotting scenes that slowed down the pace. There were also so many side characters. Some got too much screen time (like petty coworkers) and others not enough (like Gong Chan's cute hyungs).

Would I watch this drama again? Probably not. I kept watching to first learn how ambitious Lawyer Oh rose to her position and then to see how her power play with Choi Tae Gook would resolve... they really were perfect rivals! I was bored by who owned what and who backed who and only slightly interested in the unresolved murder plots. There were no moments I would want to rewatch, and although a second viewing may make some things much clearer that I may have missed the first time, I would be tempted to skip too many scenes.

Overall if you like law and crime melodramas then this one is worth watching. If you like flawed powerful women leads then this drama delivers. If you want romance you will likely be disappointed. The student lawyer scenes definitely gave me "How to get away with Murder" vibes, and there are some Olivia Pope sensibilities in the way Soo Jae "handles" every situation. I at first expected a strong woman in a male-dominated field storyline but by the first episode, we see that things are far deeper and nastier. What or who would you sacrifice or compromise to secure and protect your own power? That's the main question. Soo Jae goes through so much in this drama with such composure that I couldn’t decide if that made her cool or tragic. Probably both. I laughed, cried, and cheered her on even when her methods were questionable. If you are a fan of Seo Hyun Jin this is worth watching for her performance, but I wish the corruption plot wasn't needlessly complicated and the love story was stronger. I'm glad I watched although I understand why this drama kinda flew under the radar. If you adjust your expectations, embrace Tae Gook's snacking and drinking prowess, Soo Jae's resting b*@$# face, and Gong Chan's puppy dog eyes as they all play this game of mental chess, there's still a lot to keep you entertained. Oh Soo Jae's evolution and Choi Tae Gook's impending reckoning are the whys that make this drama worth watching and why I will still recommend this drama despite its flaws. Why her? A complicated and interesting female lead character... that's why.

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RomCom Sample Pack!

This was a hard drama for me to get into and pretty easy for me to start losing interest in, but if you like romance dramas with plenty of couples to ship this may be the perfect drama for you. "Sh**ting Stars" is about the drama industry behind the scenes, and as a non-Korean, a lot of the drama behind entertainment scandals seems either ridiculously exaggerated or boring. If you are invested at all in Hallyu Star life then you may like the premise more than I did. The idea of keeping up a pristine image for Actors who aren't doing more than dating bores me pretty quickly. Still, I liked and could empathize a lot with Lee Sung Kyung as the overworked and always-on-call-to-help Oh Han Byul. However, It took 3 tries to finally give this drama a chance.

It was the frenemies banter between the two leads that kept me watching when I was ready to drop this drama. Kim Young Dae as the arrogant and childish Gong Tae Sung was fun to watch. His character is pretty basic and some of his storylines, like volunteering in "Africa" to be a mentor, are super cheesy, and one-dimensional. Eventually, the romance plot takes center stage and that's when I started looking forward to episodes. The leads have cute although often immature chemistry. Many of their scenes are also played up for laughs, at times extra silly and childish on purpose. The entire cast has a sense of silliness about them. I could also appreciate that if you don't ship the main couple there are quite a few other side couples to ship. For me, the couples ranged from slightly cringy and forced to satisfyingly sweet. It helps that the majority of the characters are likable. I definitely grew to like many of the characters over time, and the way they all overlap made for a strong ensemble.

I only lost some interest because of how repetitive the plot became.

There are also emotional storylines that although they logically tie the stories together just never made me feel anything. It normally doesn't take much for me to cry but I stayed dry-eyed throughout. I think it just took too long to reveal these parts of the story and then they were rushed through so I didn't have time to care. The idea that attractive people are recruited into acting without having any acting ability also seemed super offputting. Like that casting process, this is not a drama with much depth or substance. Soon we were back to secret crushes, and secret couples being the main focus, which I preferred.

Would I watch this again? Probably not. Even with all the cute moments, I'm not sure there are enough to hold my attention for a full second viewing. This drama could have easily been shorter too. I did like the cast enough to keep watching but none of the characters stood out as favorites that I would want to watch again. The last episode gave me more than enough closure.

I will also admit that a lot of the obvious drama cameos and drama references went over my head because they were dramas I haven't watched. In a similar vein, I did think the self-aware product placements were funny.

Overall, if you're in the mood for a light romcom with many ships, this one is imperfect but good enough. If you get nauseated in a room full of couples then this might give you a more annoyed feeling which I can understand too. This drama is great if you're in the mood for a romcom and can't decide on what kind you're in the mood for. It's a little like a romcom sample pack. You can tell the cast enjoyed themselves and working together and that's what shines through in "Sh**ting Stars" the most.

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