sunny4ever
What can I say?
Frankly Speaking will not win awards for writing and storytelling, but it might win over your heart. It is more that a Comedy Romance, it is a Comedy. I found myself laughing hard at the silly jokes. Frankly Speaking is a lot of fun. The running “dad jokes” type situations may remind some of home.Frankly Speaking is the story of an announcer who has lost his ability to filter his words. It stars accomplished Korean drama and film star Go Kyung-pyo (Marriage in Contract). What can I say about the story? It is stupid. However, I am laughing my rear end off. How do you rate this? I don’t plan to drop it. Frankly Speaking is a great laugh. When you think about it, Go Kyung-pyo was in the great Dark Comedy Decision to Leave. He was the funniest person in this comedy. Do you know how hard it is to act in a dark comedy. You have to pretend that it is not funny when it is funny. Go Kyung-pyo knows the comedy landscape.
Juxtaposition the comedy from Go Kyung-pyo with dramatic dramas Go Kyung-pyo has appeared in like Connect, Chicago Typewriter, and DP. This tells me that he is a great actor.
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A movie to watch
Monster is a movie which is written by celebrated Japanese writer Yuji Sakamoto. However, Monster is a little more gritty. This film won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screen Play in 2023. Also, it’s star and female lead Sakura Ando won The Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress for Monster. In addition, youth actor Soya Kurokawa from Teasing Master Takagi-san gives another great performance. He was nominated for Best New Comer from the Award of Japan Academy. This kid is going places.While I think that Monster was well written, I have a huge issue with using (supposed) ten year olds with some of the subject material for this movie. It would have set better for me if 16-18 year olds were used. Could 10 year olds make these kind of choices?
Monster was nominated in 11 categories for the Japan Academy Awards.
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Quaint little movie
A Quaint but unusual story of the strange goings on of an upper class Cruise Ship. In Love and Deep Waters is a story of how a ship’s Butler keeps his clients satisfied. He has a very subservient attitude. It never dawns on him that he should be any other way. That is until the young son of a rich person’s maid tells him to take a good look at his actions. This movie offers an eclectic bag of drama emotions as its characters’ back stories are isolated. Some may like this story, which is a Murder Mystery Suspense RomCom.From celebrated Japanese writer Yuji Sakamoto.
Winner of the International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA)
Ryo Yoshizawa and Aoi Miyazaki
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Family friendly
Cutest little button of a Japanese series. This series is as cute as the Chinese Drama ‘When I Fly Towards You’ and very child friendly. Soya Kurokawa plays Nishikata. This young actor is kicking up a storm in the acting world, so remember his name. He has two support roles and Teasing Master Takagi-san is his first lead role. Soya Kurokawa also stars in the Movie Monster. None of these series scored less than 8.0/10. Heavens, I wish that he could speak Korean. He would make a huge crossover star. The female lead is Rui Tsukishima as Takagi. She gives a great performance too. Please don’t view this drama if you are allergic to sweetness overload.Was this review helpful to you?
The Adam’s Family Meets The Hallyu Wave (Everything Korean)
All the up front synopsis for the new Korean Drama Atypical Family that I read on the Internet seems to be wrong. The story is not outlined as projected by news sources. Atypical Family did not meet my 15 min “love it or leave it criteria”. However, there certainly was enough hidden back story revealed to let me know that there was enough paint on the canvas to make me stick around. This story is so very complex.Revealed in the first episode, therefore, these are no spoilers.
1. The male lead has superpowers which he feels are a curse.
2. The male lead was married to his wife, who gave birth to their first child.
3. She died in a car accident, which appears to have been caused by her.
4. He could not use his superpowers to save his wife.
5. His mother forewarned him of this pending doom.
6. The death of his wife caused his depression, which caused him to loose his superpowers.
7. The whole family has superpowers, but they all have lost them, because of modern medical diseases.
8. The female lead is actually a grifter. She has been planted into this family by a thievery gang, because the family is rich. Her sole purpose is to steal money from this rich family and to give it to the thievery gang for which she works. She thinks that the information about the family is nonsense.
9. This drama is so weird. It is so atypical from the typical Korean Drama.
10. I see the paint on the canvas and it looks like an evolving masterwork.
Mind sufficiently blown. I can’t even figure this one out. Left very intrigued. I am so excited. Episodes post Saturdays and Sundays.
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Almost trope free, and the drama has a female CEO
Imagine a world where meat is biotechnologically generated and cultured. This eliminates the need to slaughter animals. Of course, such an advancement could solve world hunger. BF Company has hopes that in the near future all food will be cultured using biotechnology. Blood Free does not have many of my usual circle of acting friends in it. However, since it met my “Love it or Leave it” 15 minute criteria in 2 minutes, I thought it best to investigate further. Blood Free has a high technology driven plot-line. CGI and cinematography are through the roof.I love a great romance drama. This ain’t it. However, the intelligently written story will keep you in suspense. Therefore, some should try to get out of their comfort zone and add Blood Free to their shopping list. Now for the guys. You have been asking for this Korean Drama. I think that you will enjoy Blood Free. For the girls. I know that actor Ju Ji Hoon starred in Kingdom, a drama I did not see, but wow, where did he come from?
The ML is Ju Ji Hoon (Jurisan, Kingdom) and FL is Han Hyo Joo (Moving, W:Two Worlds, Happiness).
I am excited about this drama Blood Free. The drama does not follow the usual Korean Drama tropes. The story is innovative and exciting. That acting and action are great.
A company has learned how to culture fleshly meat products and this company is poised to take over the world market. Can life be that easy? Not in a Korean Drama. I like Blood Free a lot. This drama is a total change of pace. The use of video gaming tools and drones to fight the bad guys is sure to please. CGI and Cinematography are great, with a great OST
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Korea-Khitan War has what Royal family scandal as one of the bases of its storyline?
The drama series Korea-Khitan War could actually be called “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Next Generations Revisited”. All the royals you will encounter in Korea-Khitan War are literally the next generations from the Brothers Wang. The series involves the children, the grandchildren, and great grandchildren of these Brothers. Korea-Khitan War also is connected to one of the biggest royal scandals of the family line. I will give context to the connection to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016) with Korea-Khitan War 2023).
I love history. I love dramas. I am spaszing out. While the drama series is based off of real historical facts and events, some details may include imagined dramatizations or imagined story arcs which seek to explain certain facts in history. The Korean Drama Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016) ranks #1 out of 300 Asian Dramas I have seen. It will always be #1. That is fixed.
Korea-Khitans War found it’s footing among Korean Drama viewers, ending up with a 13.8% nationwide viewership in Korea for the finale. A drama getting 10% nationwide is considered a hit. In the privately run KBS Awards, Korea-Khitan War was nominated in 15 categories and won in 7 categories. Of course this Korean History would resonate with Koreans and the series is done beautifully.
Korean Khitan War—The Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Connection
The first connection to the drama series Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is the actor Kim San Ho, who played Crown Prince Mu in MLSHR. He is also in Korea-Khitan War playing Jeong Seong [Yang Gyu's subordinate].
The Wang Family Scandal
(This scandal is hinted at but not fully covered in Korea-Khitan War, so the information is not a spoiler).
Korea-Khitan Wars has connections to the Brothers Wang from Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
13th Prince Wang Baek Ah—Actor Nam Joo-hyuk
4th Prince Wang So—Actor Lee Joon Gi
8th Prince Wang Wook— Actor Kang Ha-neul
14th Prince Wang Jung—Actor JiSoo
As the series begins, we are introduced to Emperor Mokjong (Wang Song), 7th Emperor of Goryeo and his mother Grand Queen Dowager Heonae (Cheonchu). Queen Dowager Heonae is actually the daughter of 8th Prince Wang Wook. Queen Heonae and her sister (Queen Heonjeong) both married their first cousin, Emperor Gyeongjong of Goryeo, the son of Gwangjong of Goryeo (Wang So). Wang is the Chinese word for King.
These Wang family members who played this most significant part of this family scandal.
13th Prince Wang Baek Ah (Anjong of Goryeo)— Actor Nam Joo-hyuk
Future Queen Heonjeong or BokSo from MLSHR
The father of Bok So is 8th Prince Wang Wook—Actor Kang Ha-neul
In the closing scene of Moon Lovers: Scarlet Ryeo (MLSHR), the 13th Prince Wang Baek Ah meets his very young niece Heonjeong (daughter of 8th Prince Wang Wook) and has a quaint chat. She is known as Bok So in MLSHR. This is a historical cue for history buffs. Wang Baek Ah and his young niece (future Queen Heonjeong) would later become lovers. When Prince Wang Baek Ah’s nephew (Emperor Gyeongjong and son of Wang So) died, 13th Prince Baek Ah consoled Queen Heonjeong over a period of time. Later, she got pregnant. Perhaps since people feign ignorance to save their lives, Queen Heonjeong was able to pass the child off as the son of her long dead husband Emperor Gyeongjong, and people went with this. No questions asked. This child eventually becomes one of the most famous and significant Emperors in Goryeo. The Korean Drama series Korea-Khitan War is about the accomplishments of this illegitimate child, Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo (played by ZE:A’s K-pop Idol Kim Dong-jun, the actor from More Than Friends). Like the Habsburgs of Austria, the Wang family interbred, constantly marrying half sisters and cousins.
Viewers first find this future Emperor( Hyeonjong of Goryeo) as a young child tucked away and abandoned in a monastery. This is so typical for the Wangs. Some may remember the first bride of 4th Prince Wang So. She was the daughter of his oldest brother Crown Prince/Emperor Wang Mu (Hyejong of Goryeo). This child bride also was tucked away in a monastery and was never seen again.
Nothing beats history as a source of drama. Korea-Khitan War is an ole school Korean way of making a Period Piece drama. However, great action is constant and the storyline is sprinkled with actual historical events. Korea-Khitan War covers the reign of Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo and his quest to unify Goryeo (Korea), while being faced with the challenges of constant war. There are rich characters, and lots of court intrigue. Korea-Khitan War is a thrilling ride.
The backstory is so intriguing and complicated that you need a scorecard to keep up. Knowing the background information will not destroy the pleasure of viewing the drama. It should increase it. Also, knowing the connection to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo should make you want to finally buy Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and view this Korean drama too. MLSHR is so popular, the only way right now to view it is to buy the drama series. There is sword fighting and war in this drama.
Scorecard—The backstory
1. Prince Wang Wook (played by Actor Kang Ha-neul)—Daejong of Goryeo died 969 CE. He was the 8th Prince in the Wang family and father of Queen half-sisters Heonae and Heonjeong (Bok So). Bok So was the little girl who met 13th Prince Wang Baek Ah (Actor Nam Joo-hyuk) at the end of the series. In the future, they become lovers.
The interim reigns of Kings not covered in Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and before or during Korea-Khitan War.
2. The second son of Prince Wang Wook became Emperor Seongjong of Goryeo (r. 981-997). His daughters married Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo.
Queen Wonjeong of the Seonsan Kim clan is the daughter of Emperor Seongjong, and she married the Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo (son of Wang Baek Ah and Queen Heonjeong).
Queen Wonhwa of the Gyeongju Choe clan is a daughter (from another mother) of Emperor Seongjong, and she also married Hyeonjong of Goryeo (son of Wang Baek Ah and Queen Heonjeong).
These half-sisters are the Queen sisters in Korea—Khitan War.
This means that 8th Prince Wang Wook’s daughters were Queen Half-Sisters to Emperor Gyeongjong of Goryeo (son of Wang So). The 8th Prince Wang Wook’s granddaughters also were Queen Half-Sisters. They married the illegitimate son of 13th Wang Baek Ah and Queen Heonjeong. He was Hyeonjong of Goryeo. (Mother-Heonjeong vs son Hyeonjong. The difference in spelling is the second “e” in Heonjeong)
3. Emperor Mokjong of Goryeo (r. 997-1009) was the son of King Gyeongjong, who is the son of 4th Prince and future King Wang So. His mother was the middle child of 8th Prince Wang Wook and younger sister of King Seongjong. Her name was Queen Heonae of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan or formally called Grand Queen Mother Heonae. She was the sister of Emperor Seongjong.
4. Queen Heonjeong—She was Bok So, the young niece of 13th Prince Wang Baek Ah and fourth Queen consort of King Gyeongjong (son of King Wang So). This daughter of 8th Prince Wang Wook and later became Queen Dowager Heonjeong of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan after her marriage to the son of 4th Prince/King Wang So. He was Gyeongjong of Goryeo. Gyeongjong of Goryeo was the 8th King of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea and the grandson of King Taejo. The affair of Queen Heonjeong took place after his death.
5. Emperor Gyeongjong, son of 4th Prince/King Wang So. He married two half-sisters. Both were the daughters of 8th Prince Wang Wook. They were Queen Heonae and Queen Heonjeong (Called Bok So in Moon Lover: Scarlet Heart Ryeo).
6. The 14th Prince Wang Jung (played by JiSoo) raised the daughter of Hae Soo in MLSHR. Hae Soo and her daughter were fictitious characters.
7. Great King Munwon (born Wang Jeong or Jung and played by Jisoo)—This historical person Wang Jung actually became a great Emperor in Goryeo, reigning after Wang So (Gwangjong of Goryeo). The specific dates of his reign, however, are not known. His daughter Queen Heonui of the Chungju Yu clan was the second wife of Wang So’s son, Emperor Gyeongjong of Goryeo. She was a rival Queen to the two daughters of 8th Prince Wang Wook. She is not covered in Korea-Khitan War.
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Night Owl is critically acclaimed and I loved it.
I really loved the Korean movie Night Owl. The movie covers the same time period as the historic Period dramas My Dearest (1636-1659) and Captivating the King (1636). The major action in Night Owl takes place circa 1645. The period covered is right at the end of the Chinese Ming Dynasty’s subjugation of Joseon ended and the Chinese Qing Dynasty took over. Joseon fared a little better under the Ming Dynasty, and less favorably under the Qing Dynasty. To maintain control, the Qing Dynasty took members of the Royal families from their subjects to China as “Guest” (hostages). The movie storyline is dramatized history, with many real historic persons. Facts are fed around the drama.Our protagonist (Ryu Jun-yeol as Kyung-soo) is a blind Acupuncturist, but he has some vision in darkness or at night, a fact he does not make known. Treated as invisible because of being blind, Kyung-soo plays that to his advantage, as Kyung-Soo is selected to work in the Royal Palace. All works well until one day someone murders a Royal in his presence. The movie looks polished and elevated. Camera angles are just right. There is always this heightened sense of danger for Kyung-soo, because of his disability.
Also, there is a great child actor (Joo Won as Yi Suk Chul [Eldest son of Crown Prince So Hyeon) in this movie. As you are waiting for the next episodes of your new Korean dramas to drop or waiting to binge upon completion, try out the Korean Movie Night Owl.
Night Owl was nominated for eight Baeksang Arts Awards (Equivalent to the Oscars) and won three.
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This quaint Japanese drama is a great surprise hit for me.
Fumi Nikaido as Yuri Motomiya and Chae Jong-Hyeop as Yoon Te-O. This is a May/December pairing.I believe that Chae Jong-Hyeop did a great job. He was very good when speaking Japanese, but his cadence is a little slower than native speakers. Don’t worry about the origin of this drama, most everyone will adore it.
This is a quaint and cute decompressor Japanese Drama about a girl (Fumi Nikaido as Yuri Motomiya) who can hear what people are voicing in their minds when she looks them in the eye. Her world consist of work and more work, since she is the CEO of her company. She does not have time for a relationship or time to cook. So she orders out constantly. The delivery guy (Chae Jong-Hyeop as Yoon Te-O) who drops off her food on a table by the door is a Korean living in Japan, while going to college. He starts leaving her little notes on what foods to buy and from where. His food choices are a hit for her and a familiar connection evolves. At first, they chat through quaint little notes. Will this Foodie and the Delivery Guy ever meet eye to eye? They do finally. However, she discovers a glitch with her hearing the voices in his mind. The Delivery Guy thinks in Korean. She is Japanese. Therefore, even though she can hear his thoughts, since she does not know Korean she does not understand what he is saying in his mind. You will rush through these episodes. The showcase of all that delicious looking food will make many hungry for Korean food.
Note: Many Japanese actors are tiny. Chae Jong-Hyeop towers above his female co-Star and other cast members. Besides his native tongue of Korean, Chae Jong-Hyeop speaks Japanese and English.
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Undercover Relationship
Off the bat, we have a reverse trope in Queen of Tears. She is the rich guy and he is the poor lover. We start off with a kiss in the first two minutes. Kim So Hyun (playing ML Baek Hyun Woo) looks gorgeous as the New Company Recruit and Kim Ji Won (playing Hong Hae In, the Heiress of Queens Group and FL) is our beautiful rich Heiress. He is left handed, she is right handed and so are their lives. This is a very acrimonious relationship, stairs to nowhere. Queen of Tears is a Dark Comedy.Hong Hae In met Baek Hyun Woo working undercover as an intern in her own Conglomerate. Not knowing who she was, it was love at first sight for him. This drama could well be named ‘The Impossible Heiress’ or ‘Snow Queen and the Seven Airs’. After 10 minutes of viewing, you might agree with me that this drama has “Hit” written all over it. Secretly, behind the Ice Maiden veneer, there is a woman who loves her husband and a man who does not know that. This is a painfully great story, with a stacked cast. And believe it or not, this is a laugh out loud RomCom.
I like the dichotomy of the character Kim Soo Hyun is playing. Literally, his character (Baek Hyun-woo) has two faces. He is playing his character in happy times, a time in flashbacks when he and his wife (Hong Hae-in played by Kim Ji Won) were in love with each other. In the next sceen in Queen of Years, Kim Soo Hyun is playing his present self, one jaded by life and one totally saddened by his living situation and the loss of love for his wife. Kim Soo Hyun is asked somehow to reconnect to the emotions and feelings he had with his wife at first. For this character, Kim Soo Hyun has to be bipolar or living in two different worlds. I am so enthralled by how he is pulling off these polar opposite characters for his performance in Queen of Tears. Can he find the self he lost?
What I really like about Queen of Tears is a hidden message to the World of the Married. The grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water it.
Oh BTW. Seeing Kim So Hyun after almost a three year drama lay off (His last role was Ordinary Day 2021), you might have love at first sight (again) too. There is great cinematography in Queen of Tears. One thing that is inconvenient in Queen of Tears is the close up shooting of this drama. We have to read subtitles and try to look at faces. Since the camera person is using close in shots, that camera stays on the person speaking only a split second and then moves to the the next person speaking. The camera is moving off each person too quickly. To view the faces of the actors, I literally have to pause frequently.
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Some of the best acting ever.
Move To Heaven (2021) is about a cleanup business run by a father and his savant Asperger son, who takes loving care of the last remaining earthly belongings of the deceased. So much loving care is taken with the belongings of the deceased that the work assignment begins and ends with prayer, as the deceased “moves to heaven”. The loving father meets with tragedy and the young brother of the father (and uncle to the mentally challenged but high functioning son) is asked to be a caretaker to the son and help him run the business. This uncle should not be trusted even with a dead dog, let alone a mentally challenged human. However, somehow they need to make this work.Quote: I can’t believe we’re rummaging through garbage to find garbage.” Reckless young uncle trying to find in the city dump the belongings of the deceased he carelessly threw away.
The young boy knows how to read the life story of the deceased from what others perceive as trash. I can not express how good the young actor who plays the mentally challenged youth is doing in Move To Heaven. Sometimes, you get these performances which are so good (Leo Di Caprio in the American movie ‘What’s Wrong with Gilbert Grapes’) that at no point in time do you see the actor as anything other than mentally challenged. This neat and ordered youth goes up against the abrasive slob from destruction. The drama covers the back story of each deceased character. This drama is so good. (I have a Note To The Sensitive at the end)
Actors Corner
Tang Jun-sang (Racket Boys) as Han Geu-ru just keeps on surprising me with his great performances in his dramas. He is a Baeksang Arts Awards Nominee for Move To Heaven.
Lee Je Hoon (Taxi Driver) as the young uncle Cho Sang-gu. He plays the irresponsible young uncle who only became the guardian of his mentally challenged nephew to get control of the money from his inheritance. There is a great human interest backstory for the uncle. Lee Je Hoon won several Best Actor Awards from various awards shows for his performance in Move to Heaven.
Hong Seung-hee (Navillera) portrays Yoon Na-mu, the best friend and interpreter for Han Geu-ru. She is his defender to the end. Hong Seung-hee gives a great performance.
Move To Heaven won the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2022 for Best Drama.
Note To The Sensitive
Occasionally, there is amounts of strong cursing from certain guest characters and smoking in the drama. There are occasional boxing scenes. I will try to include Note To The Sensitive to my drama reviews.
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Doctor Slump is a RomCom to start right now.
Are you enjoying the RomCom Doctor Slump, in spite of its serious message about Clinical Depression? Are not Park Shin Hye and Park Hyung Sik a perfect match for this Drama?Doctor Slump 2024 ‧ Medical Mystery RomCom
Quote: “It was once said in a movie . . . that failure and defeat meant different things. Anyone can fail, but defeat was an utter fiasco usually found in legends. I was defeated”. Male Lead explains his bout with depression and his life in general.
All those who have been waiting for Park Hyung Sik (Hwarang) to give a performance like his iconic performance in Strong Girl Nam Soon, you might want to check out Doctor Slump. Firstly, since his character starts off in High School, Park Hyun Sik is back to his skinny-K-Pop days. Secondly, Park Hyung sik’s roots are firmly planted in comedy, therefore, the RomCom Medical Mystery Doctor Slump plays to his strong suit. With the combination of Park Shin Hye playing the straight guy to Park Hyung sik’s funny guy, I see a hit for me with Doctor Slump. The drama series is not all fun and play though. Serious issues, like depression among Doctors, are addressed as well. There is great chemistry between the ML and FL and the series also takes a sobering look into the world of gapjil, or workplace violence and bullying. When you are the top in your class and you hit rock bottom, the failure seems ever so greater.
Quote: “During these hard times, if you have someone who could comfort you, would it help you to get better?” Female Lead.
Doctor Slump is quaint and cute and is a go from me. Laughter is the best medicine for what ails you. I laughed a lot with the Korean Drama Doctor Slump, in spite of the heavy noteworthy message about controlling depression.
Actors Corner
Both actors (Park Shin Hye and Park Hyung Sik) can be both serious and/or comedic actors, even with the same character. They both have the acting tools to pull it off. Both have such great acting ranges too. Doctor Slump is a great vehicle to showcase the acting strengths and talents of these two acting powerhouses.
As a particular acting strength, Park Shin Hye talks with her eyes. Whole sentences are embellished and punctuated by her eye expressions. Look for what she is saying with her eyes. Mommy is back. Park Shin Hye has carved her acting lane in Korean Drama since her early teens.
As an actor, Park Hyung Sik uses expressive hand movements, body shapes and levels, and voice changes to add entertainment value to his acting. This enhances the viewer experience. Park Hyung Sik must have a very comedic voice in his head. Please pay attention to his hand movements and body shapes which creates his own sign language. This is his acting signature.
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What can I expect from the Korean Drama ‘Like Flowers In Sand’, with Jang Dong-yoon
Like Flowers in Sand stars Lee Joo-myung (Twenty Five Twenty one) and the effervescent Jang Dong-yoon (Oasis).So I am the girl who tells people not to even call her during the two weeks of the Olympics. I love all sports, even Curling. I got on the Curling bandwagon even before it became popular. ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ highlights the sport of Ssireum. The Sport Ssireum is Korean Wrestling that has roots in ancient Korea. The major holiday events of Ssireum can draw like the American Super Bowl on TV. Using Ssireum as a backdrop, ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ is a touching Sports Romance Drama about the struggles of a Ssireum competitor, who is at the end of his career. This is a decompressor drama, not very complicated. ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ gives you a glimpse into the world of Ssireum, this unique competitive sport, while continuing with a childhood romance. I loved it as a change of pace drama. I fell in love with this drama.
Actor Jang Dong-yoon put out seven works in 2023, four movies and three dramas. He is very hard working. For one of his movies, Jang Dong-yoon was the writer, director, and actor (Please Be My Ear). Jang Dong-yoon’s acting style is so boyish and innocent. He just draws you right into his performances. I would add ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ to your Korean Drama List.
Jang Dong-yoon is very meticulous about his drama work. He had to gain lots of weight for this role, which misshaped his prefect body. He said that he had to eat so much that he threw up at times. Jang Dong-yoon is a true actor and professional, who gives his all. I am impressed.
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It is impossible not to like this drama. Don’t wait to binge this one.
The Impossible Heir Business Life Mystery Romance DramaWhat Universe are people living in, who would give Impossible Heirs a very low rating? It is almost like I am asking myself “Are they looking at the same thing I am viewing?” The Story is intense, edgy, realistic and exciting, with great music and fashion. It has an unpredictable storyline and is well written. I see Impossible Heir in the top three for the season, based on its fine technical criteria and quality of the acting. The angst between the two leads is incredible. The Drama Twist sets Impossible Heirs apart from other dramas. Am I being punk’d? See if you can disregard the low scorers so that you don’t miss out on this great drama series.
A lone teenager named Han Tae-O (Lee Jae-wook, Alchemy of Souls) drifts into town. This town is where his mom is from. There is a great mystery shrouding who he really is and what are his true ambitions. He is appalled at how the whole town kowtows to the local Chaebol and his family. Han Tae-O has a run-in with the teen son of the Chaebol. The son is Kang In-Ha (K-pop from U-KISS Lee Jun-young, Weak Hero Class 2) and you have not seen this amount of testosterone hit the TV screen in a while. Nonetheless, these two eventually become friends in the weirdest way. Han Tae-O’s focus is on some unproclaimed mission. He meets a girl (Hong Su Zu), but she is not part of his master plan. However, both friends become rivals for her affection.
I am sitting in my chair viewing the first two episode saying to myself, “Oh Boy, this is really good”. The Impossible Heir is one to keep on the radar. It has just started (2024), but I am truly excited. The plot is upper level storytelling, on the order of Reborn Rich. So far Lee Jun-young is stealing the show. However, I am sure that as the meatier parts of the story unfolds Lee Jae-wook will make his acting statement. The story covers about 12-15 years of life. I will have to see how this one turns out. Clear up some head space for this drama too. You will experience lots of Head Talk. The Impossible Heir is on Hulu.
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Learn to take care of “me”.
What does your mental health look like?Quote: “All of us are standing on the border between normal and abnormal”. Female Lead from A Daily Dose of Sunshine.
Quote: “Psychiatry is for those whose mental immunity has been weaken. Anyone of us can find ourselves in a weakened mental state”. A Daily Dose of Sunshine
The Story
A Daily Dose of Sunshine is about a psychiatric ward nurse with a different approach to psychiatric therapy, being kind and showing empathy. I am just now getting back to finish this drama, which debut at the end of 2023. For my taste, A Daily Dose of Sunshine was stellar. The story centers around the life of a nurse in a Hospital psych ward and the many story arcs of the many patients who pass through its halls. This drama is the closest drama to another stellar Korean Drama, Chocolate (2020). A Daily Dose of Sunshine asks you to take a good look at your mental health. Before it is to late, give “Me” a little attention.
One of the most poignant scenes in the whole drama for me was when and overworked overstressed mom was admitted to the psych ward, because of pseudo-dementia caused by being overworked and over stressed. The head nurse of the psych ward is also overworked and overstressed and is facing a failure as a mom and wife. It was not until the overworked nurse had to sit down and listen to the evaluation of the overworked and overstressed out patient and the overworked and overstressed patient observed the overworked and overstressed nurse at her work that they both got it. They both finally understood their problem. When you view this part, look at the faces of each woman. Priceless. The camera shots in this scene has the patient’s face darkened out at times, so as to allow the viewer to put their face in that image. (Episode five, A Daily Dose of Sunshine).
Every story arc of A Daily Dose of Sunshine was written with great emotions and contained well researched information. The script is stellar and the acting was too. Each arc will touch your heart deeply. A Daily Dose of Sunshine get a high recommendation from me.
Quote: “Mom, why were you late?” Little daughter. “I had so many sick people at the hospital.” Mom. “But mom, I am sick too, and you are a nurse. Why wouldn’t you nurse me too?” Little daughter on A Daily Dose of Sunshine.
Quote: “That person who was always smiling . . . His smile was pitiful to me. And so my heart ached. Hurting words have a way of hurting you, no matter the occasion”. Lead Female tries to calm her heart. A Daily Dose of Sunshine
Quote: “Life’s problems are like a public train, the longer the time of travel the more passengers you take on”. Me
Actors Corner
Yeon Woo Jin (Good Doctor), Park Bo Young (Strong Girl Bong Soon), and Jang Dong-Yoon (Flowers in the Sand). All gave great performances.
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