It's always something when strong women take over your screen, and it's happening a lot nowadays. What makes Avenger's Social Club stand apart is the fact that it focuses on strong women who are not 20-somethings trying to take on the world. Instead, it puts well-established women in the spotlight as if to say, damn it, we can change the world too.

Some might argue this, and that's fine, but as I watched ASC, I admired what I felt was a tightly-written narrative about three women who decided to take a stand in a world that would otherwise tell them to sit down, shut up, keep up appearances, and melt in with the masses. Thus, while ASG is a comedy (and it is incredibly funny), it is also a wonderful social commentary about sticking one's head out, taking a risk, and bringing down corruption.

I can't say enough about the cast, in particular, our three women protagonists, played by Lee Yo Won, Ra Mi Ran, and Myung Se Bin. Their sisterly chemistry is off the charts, and it truly shows in how they interact with each other despite being from different backgrounds. In fact, that might be one of my favorite aspects of this ensemble--the fact that three women of three distinct backgrounds were able (in drama transcript) to rally together. It's something not often seen in dramas. Lee Yo Won as Kim Jung Hye is incredible; one might find her a slight bit rough around the edges at first, but later, she shows amazing gusto with effortless poise. Ra Mi Ran is great as the neighborhood ahjumma with great charisma and an even greater heart; her bond with the two younger women is beautiful. Myung Se Bin does well with her character as well, and her observable growth in the show is great.

Revenge is sweet, of course, and is always better when accompanied by nice background music that adds details to every plan and playful mischievousness to every new revenge-filled  venture. In this, the ASC OST shined.

I'm definitely going to watch this again, even if it's just to hear Jung Hye say, "You son of a b****~" once again.

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Is there any difference? Is there any difference?
I’m asking the world, on deciding life and death
Is there any difference between politics and swords?

These words, from the song “Muiiya,” a Six Flying Dragons OST, emphasize the human cost of both politics and the sword. Six Flying Dragons, as a drama, does the same when it implores the viewer to contemplate the possible outcomes of choice and the effects of those choices on relationships and society as a whole. If anything, Six Flying Dragons attempts to answer this question without limiting the answer toward one argument. As a result, this drama and its writers Park Sang Yeon and Kim Yeong Hyeon effectively communicate the answer to this vital question through the display of its narrative and characterization.

Six Flying Dragons’ narrative ponders the above questions by its creation of characters and actions that test the functions of relationships and its lack of limitation of the characters to a particular faction of good and evil. Characterizations are layered and multi-faceted; for example, Lee Bang Won’s early desire for justice masks a desire for recognition and power. One is surely good, and the other is dangerous, but they both exist within the character. Similarly, in Jeong Do Jeon, one can argue that desire for the people masks desire for recognition and power. Where history tries (and goes back and forth) on the bad/good spectrum of these two characters, Six Flying Dragons delivers realism--the reality, of course, that all humans possess a bug which may swallow them whole. It renders choices, not fate nor relative determinism, as the progenitor of results, effects, and conclusions while maintaining neutrality in its tone.

The narrative achieves this as a whole by offering twists and turns on a grand scale. Tiny, even miniscule character introductions turn into important aspects of character and scene later on; conversations between characters that are seemingly benign hold importance at the right moment. Between betrayals and loyalty, is there any difference? may be the question asked here; the question may also be Between two forms of government, is there any difference? Six Flying Dragons, then, explores these subtexts throughout its frames, urging the viewer to contemplate them as well.

Another way that the narrative urges viewers to explore these notions is through its cinematography. The cinematography of Six Flying Dragons colors and frames the narrative in much the same way that the characterization does. Through use of light, dark, colors (in particular, the deep scarlet of blood), the viewer sees the overt versus the subvert. Overt actions are more splashed in light; subvert or covert actions cloaked in darkness. In doing so, Six Flying Dragons plays on the eyes of the viewer at times, asking us whether the subvert cannot be seen in the overt and vice versa. Between light and dark, is there any difference?

The crispness of character aspect and portrayal not only resides in the narrative, but also in the acting of Six Flying Dragons. With a stellar cast at the outset, one could argue that potential for this drama’s outcome was high, but it would be remiss to leave it at that. The cast of Six Flying Dragons supersedes any previous notion of greatness accorded to it; they crash down the barrier of greatness and replace it with excellence of the highest caliber.

While extending regard to the entire cast of Six Flying Dragons, the focus of the show, and the most compelling character-wise, is its main cast. Yoo Ah In as Lee Bang Won and Kim Myung Min as Jeong Do Jeon bring depth and mindfulness to each of their characters. They allow the viewer to see all aspects of their personality. Yoo Ah In, in particular, plays Lee Bang Won with such nuance that the viewer sees the inner motivations of Bang Won’s heart clearly and sees the influence choices make even in expression and emotion. Kim Myung Min does the same; the viewer sees a man whose concern for the people gets lost a bit in the desire for political recognition. The phrase, “You are the same as me,” is a common and apt theme when it comes to the characters, and in their brilliant acting, one can see how this phrase manifests itself throughout the narrative.

Along with the two protagonists (as I refuse to name either an antagonist), Six Flying Dragons peppers the narrative with great acting. From young men to hardened warriors, Byun Yo Han (Ddang Sae) and Yoon Kyun Sang (Mu Hyul) provide insights from those who are not political but honor bound and how choices made by others affect them. Shin Se Kyung (Boon Yi) ignites a fire and demonstrates the plight of the people in politics--how, between love and loneliness, is there any difference? Jung Yoo Mi (Yeon Hee) shows the importance of standing up for values in light of all other desires. These are just a few of the many great performances Six Flying Dragons introduces into the dramatic world.

As the narrative and action set the drama, music sets the tone. In Six Flying Dragons, the music glorifies an already-rich narrative with lyrical power and earth-jolting strength. This OST is quite simply one of the best. A favorite, surely, is the song “Muiiya,” a song with so much meaning that pervades the narrative and asks the viewer to contemplate its short lyric for far longer than the song. One cannot get enough of the sound of Six Flying Dragons. If I could rate the OST, I would give it a 10, hands down.

Despite its 50 episode length, I need to rewatch this again. There remains much more for me to glean from the drama’s depths, much more for me to contemplate about character, much more for me to study about politics and choices. From someone who could not watch a long drama until last year, I could not get enough. I could go another 20 or 30 episodes if only to see more of this drama’s richness and characterization.

Overall, Six Flying Dragons provides me with the overarching question, Is there any difference between politics and swords? My answer to that question...well, I will let that remain a mystery to the for the new viewer. Instead, I will sit here in the grey, where these questions keep being pondered. Instead, I implore the new viewer to ask themselves these questions while watching and see if they can find a conclusive answer as well.

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Saying "Goodbye" is on my top 10 list of "Things I Hate to Do." In life, I have had to say goodbye to many things--friends, family members, the Dippin' Dots stand I worked at as a teenager, and as I venture into my last year of my 20s, I say goodbye to my youth as well. Bidding farewell to Reply 1988 continues this list, as I venture onward in dramaland and away from Ssammungdong. I say goodbye to that warm, neighborly feeling, that old nostalgia, that stirup-pant wearing era, and to the best youth drama I have ever seen.

Reply 1988 outshines its predecessors. The story primarily takes place in a singular setting, and yet the narrative does not stagnate; it does not become boring or trite; it does not make you sleepy when watching daily interactions of the families. Instead, the story of R1988 pushes at the heart and makes you yearn for friends who love each other this closely, for parents who love each other this much, for a life as simple and yet as hard as these characters' lives were. It takes you out of 2015 and 2016 and supplants you into 1988 where you take that same journey with the characters.

Perhaps the star of the narrative of R1988 is its ability to exert both laughter and tears at the passing of a few minutes, yet it never feels stilted. It brings us richness and variety of character within just the five friends, let alone the parents and siblings surrounding them. With that, we see intricate details of each person's character--like Bora's unspoken love for her parents, or Dong Ryong's inner philosopher, or Jung Hwan's hidden sweetness, or Taek's competitive strength. There are so many elements of character that we see, often unspoken, rise to the surface with the passing of a quick moment or a prolonged incident.

Not only did the narrative of R1988 promote emotions from the viewer, it also brought the winds of unpredictability with it. The writers, in their infinite wisdom, flipped the switch and delivered a romance not built on the standard female lead being the only one in love for the majority of the series nor a male lead who said nothing but ended up the romantic star. It gave the person who stepped up and took a risk the chance to shine (and shine he did-delivering kisses to die for and a sweet chemistry with the lead that was noticeable from the get go). Furthermore, the show gave many couples a chance at love, both new and renewed, lost and found. It was never unrealistic or unfair to anyone in the cast (as some are quick to say); instead, it offered options and chose the best one.

The laughter and tears that made me giggle until wheezing and leak all over my crooked glasses came from an illustrious cast. R88's five friends gave their all to show us their characters' fears, tears, love, admiration, consternation, that random move in Baduk, and so much more. I have to hand it to Ryu Joon Yeol and Park Bo Gum; they made me root for both of them and create #TeamPolyamorous as a hashtag. Their performances were so spot on, and a new star was born. Go Kyung Pyo has always been a personal favorite, and as the sweet, slightly nerdy but quite handsome Sun Woo, he once again stole my heart--this time, though, not with laughter so much as with sweetness. Lee Dong Hwi as Dong Ryong was simply adorable; I would like to see more from him. Hyeri's Duk Seon, though the weakest of these performances, was true to Duk Seon's character--bubbly and outgoing, if not a little bit kooky.

I could talk all day about the parents' roles as well. Ra Mi Ran, Kim Seon Young, and Lee Il Hwa trumped most drama mothers for being the most awesome trio of moms in a drama. They were not only funny, but they all showed signs of vulnerability and strength, and true to form, they were an unstoppable force on screen and in front of their husbands. Speaking of husbands/dads, all the dads were awesome as well, but Kim Sung Kyun takes the cake. His President Kim routine will forever been ingrained in my memory, but also his relationship with Ra Mi Ran showed a great example of how love grows with age.

The music of Reply 1988 also played a special role, not only in the background OST, but in the characters' lives. From Duk Seon trying to win a Walkman to her waiting anxiously outside a concert venue, to Dong Ryong's cover of "I Just Called to Say I Love You," to Ra Mi Ran's special dance, the power of music pervaded the narrative of Reply. It gave us warmth and it made us want to dance along.

Even at 1:30 to 2 hours per episode, I'm going to watch this again. I enjoyed it too much and loved it even more. There was never a dull moment in this series, and I will treasure it for a lifetime. However, now it is time to move on--to leave the streets of Ssangmungdong 1988 and flash forward to Dayton 2016. I look at my neighborhood--siding coming off of roofs, puttering old cars emitting exhaust, the paint on the doors of my house chipping, and the possibility that after I leave in a year or so, it may be the last time I see my home of nearly 22 years. It may be the last time I get to say goodbye to my neighborhood, just as it is my time to say goodbye to my youth.

For all things considered, the first 28 years have been a good run. That is my Reply.

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Roses are red, violets are blue. Together they make purple, and they kill you. What happens when evil grabs hold? Are we drawn to it, or does our situation call for it? In asking some of these fundamental questions, I Remember You takes a developed look at the varying answers to these questions. It instills the answers in its characters, who, having neither complete light nor complete dark, must ponder and discover their own conclusions. It also leads the viewer toward similar pursuits as they vacillate between one or another set of truths.

I Remember You's story is not that original; serial killers are everywhere, and exist in every crime drama. However, what I Remember You does with its story is the difference; it's what puts the show in another league. It simultaneously allows the viewer to feel horror and pity toward certain characters, while it allows us to sympathize and chastise others. It doesn't keep its secrets, though. One knows, oftentimes, what will happen. Yet, despite the predictability of outcome, I Remember You captures the viewer in by probing them with these ultimate questions. In so doing, the show remains intriguing, fresh, and wildly entertaining. Does it answer the questions? One will have to see.

The acting in I Remember You was superb. Jang Nara, Seo In Guk, Park Bo Geum, and Choi Won Young brought such complexity to their characters that they too provoked the viewer to cheer for them when they might not otherwise do so. The chemistry of these characters, sometimes posed in times of large-scale situational irony, pricked both fear and at times, humor into the mind. Special mention must also be given to Do Kyungsoo, who, despite possessing a cameo role, prompted loss of sleep and fear so palpable to derive from an angelic face. (I did not sleep well at all after episode 1.)

The music, sneaky and chilling, provided an immensely rich background for the ensuing action. It allowed the intensity of fear, of romance, of horror to perpetuate into the viewer's ears. In addition, the music never faltered in its fit to the actions on screen. Nothing was out of place or jarring.

Overall, I will remember I Remember you. I don't think I could forget its ability to draw me in and make me question my own notions on human nature and evil. I've always enjoyed shows that make me question everything and everyone's intentions and objectives. In this, I Remember You does not disappoint. In fact, it exceeds my initial expectations, and is now a personal favorite, both in its genre and in kdramas altogether.

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Ask a fangirl what their greatest wish outside of going to their idol's concerts and you'll probably get this answer, "I wish I knew him. I wish he lived near me." In reality, it would be rare (if not impossible) for this to happen, but in dramaland, logic can be put aside for 15 minutes, twice a week, and what is impossible becomes highly likely, probable, and enjoyable. EXO Next Door, then, delivered on this premise, and gave the viewer "the feels" of being that neighbor who gets to meet an idol.

Straight out of a fanfiction probably not so deeply recessed on the Internet, EXO Next Door's story bursts forth onto the screen in what is both cheesetastic and fantastic at the same time. Two simultaneous narratives intertwine: the girl next door to EXO cleans EXO's house and Chanyeol needs inspiration and seeks it in his grandfather's home. It's pretty simple, but things become more complicated. It's not an innovative story, but it's a cute one with a lot of sweetness, humor, and of course, one amazing bromance.

The story of EXO Next Door was brought to the screen by some solid acting. Actually, the performances of the EXO boys (in particular, Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, and Sehun) surprised me. Chanyeol's portrayal of a character that was less "Happy Virus" and more "Grumpy Gus" was quite interesting and kind of sexy. Do Kyungsoo impressed me once again. The way he says some lines made me melt and cry. Sehun was the biggest surprise. He was witty and funny (I often describe his character as a cross between Perry Park and Oh Ri On from Kill Me, Heal Me). Moon Ga Young's Yeon Hee was a bit shaky in the beginning, but warmed up nicely and had some great facial expressions. Because of the acting and comedic timing, EXO Next Door made an "okay" story shine a little brighter.

What can I say about the music? It's Baekhyun's first OST track, and Baekhyun's sweet, but strong voice gave a nice hand to the music.

Overall, EXO Next Door wasn't a masterpiece; it wasn't a game-changer; it wasn't devoid of tropes and cliches. However, it was the fulfillment of a dream sequence; it was a fanfiction come to life; it was an answer to a fangirl's questions, "What would it be like to live next door to my idol?" For that, and that alone, it was great.

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The Beatles' once wrote a song called "There's A Place" that says, "There's a place, / Where I can go / When I feel low, / When I feel blue...". There are always those places we go when we are sad, places where we can look for a new life, try new things, and meet new people. That is what Somewhere Only We Know is about. It's about finding a place to become new, to build new meaning to one's life and to one's love.

The story is simple, but surprisingly compelling. We see Jin Tian's (Wang Likun) journey to a place, to Prague. At first, it is just a beautiful city meant to help her heal; it's a city that her only family member once lived. Later, though, and interwoven with her own love story, Prague becomes that place of being and becoming a new person. What I enjoyed most is how interwoven Jin Tian and Ze Yang's story was with Lan Xin and Dr. Novak's. The links and flashbacks gave a beautiful, yet sorrowful meaning to the idea of having a place and of being in love.

Despite a group of young, fairly inexperienced actors, Somewhere Only We Know featured bright moments. The chemistry between Wang Likun (Jin Tian) and Wu Yi Fan (Ze Yang) was sweet; their interactions with Sophia (Ni Ni) were definite highlights of the film. Moreover, they showed an awkwardness that fit well with two young people in love. Plus, the movie showcased Wu Yi Fan's ability to be a "cold guy," a nice guy, a sweet guy, and best of all, a silly guy. Xu Jinglei took a major risk, and I believe it paid off. Last but not least, Xu Jinglei was awesome herself as the young Lan Xin. She gave off a grace and beauty that brought me to tears at its sincerity.

I loved the music in the film! From traditional Czech music to Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" to Wu Yi Fan's "There Is A Place," the music captured that sweetness of new love, of old love, of lost love, and of found love.

Probably my only complaint with the movie lies in it's use of English instead of Czech when there are longer conversations with non-Chinese characters (Dr. Novak, especially). I don't hate the choice necessarily, but I would have liked there to be more Czech involved in the film.

Of course I'm going to rewatch this again and again. It's sweet, funny, yet also insightful. On a fangirl note, why wouldn't I watch it again?

Overall, I give Somewhere Only We Know a 10 because I enjoyed the film so much. I laughed and cried (I dabbed tears at several points during the film), and I thoroughly felt the love between the characters. I also enjoyed seeing the beauty of Prague; I really, really want to visit it now. It gave a wonderful environment and air to encase the beautiful stories within the film. The film made me want to find my own place as well.

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Sometimes in drama watching, we follow a path in choosing what to watch, when to watch it, and in what manner we'll watch it. Paths in life are not as simple; decisions can make or break us--they can open or close opportunities and /or adventures. Misaeng (Incomplete Life) is all about paths. It's about growth. It's about finding oneself and asking the big question, "What am I doing with my life?"

Misaeng's path of story transcends the typical office narrative. It's not just watching office workers struggle, suffer, get praise, or be joyful. We know these characters; we know their faces and names, their pasts, their hang-ups, and their fears. However, we don't know them only as Jang Geu Rae, Oh Sang Shik, Kim Dong Shik, Jang Baek Ki, Ahn Young Yi, or Han Suk Yeol. We KNOW these people; they are our friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and often, ourselves. That's what Misaeng brings in its storytelling, its cinematography, its constant image of being small in a big world and finding what we can do to be significant.

That path was taken by, in my opinion, one of the greatest ensembles I have ever seen in a drama. The entire cast has this way of making one completely identify or not identify with their actions. We see how everyone starts--naive, raw, rough, intimidated, at times, arrogant and ridiculous. Yet we also experience their growth, admissions of success and failure, and admissions of self-centeredness or guilt.

Behind the ensemble, traversing the path of Misaeng was an exciting and memorable soundtrack. Each piece told a story. I enjoyed the somewhat folk storytelling of the OST tracks because it mirrored the narrative of the day-to-day experience of the office workers. One could argue that the music is a character in and of itself as it travels the visual text.

Through its story, cast, and music, Misaeng took me on a journey. At times, I felt like Jang Geu Rae, wondering and asking myself the same questions. That's what I loved about Misaeng. I'm not an office worker, but I identify with their struggle. I ask myself the same questions. I feel defeated at times. At the end of the day, I'm just an incomplete life looking for completion.

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"You have potential." It's a regularly given phrase by older people to younger people, friends to friends, and probably in the most insincere way, motivational speaker to an audience of adoring, money-wielding fans. For me, however, that phrase, "You have potential," well, that was my initial hope for Trot Lovers. However, some things in life stay mediocre, and Trot Lovers was no different.

The first time I uttered "You have potential" was at the story. I looked forward to a narrative about trot music and about a girl trying to make it with trot music (not an exceedingly popular genre) in a time where pop is royalty. Obviously, knowing it's a rom-com, I knew there would be a romance, but I didn't really care about that. I just wanted to see growth, in the characters and in the narrative.

That's where the potential fizzled out. The story of Trot Lovers reeked of cliche, of moments where the narrative could have ventured into new territory. Instead, the show kept the status quo, threw in elements of makjang the size of large watermelons, and basically disrupted it's main premise--to feature trot music.

It's a shame, really, that the story had to be like that when given to such a talented cast. Jung Eunji was fairly on-point with her character Chun Hee. Her acting and her voice were spectacular. Shin Sung Rok made a loveable, goofy, and quirky son of a President and Ji Hyun Woo, barring the first couple of episodes, wasn't too bad as Joon Hyun. The star of the drama, in my opinion, was Yoo Eun Mi, whose character Byul lifted our spirits when the plot could not.

Despite this, even the acting had flaws in its potential. Lee Se Young's Soo In (and admittedly, it may in part be the writing) was a decidedly one-note character whose pathos was completely unpalatable once it moved past petty jealousy.

Musically, however, Trot Lovers held a decent amount of potential, and for the most part, fulfilled that promise. While I wished there was a bit more trot actually performed throughout the drama, when it was performed, it was very good.

Overall, Trot Lovers slid into that mold of mediocrity pretty well. It had cute, even funny moments, but those moments never imprinted much on me, never gave me any anticipation for the show, and never made me jump for joy at a new episode. It was glitzy and glittery, but had very little feeling outside of its main characters. For me, the show was not a rising star, but a falling one.

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The term "wasted opportunity" should have a definition--Doctor Stranger. Doctor Stranger was nothing but a wasted opportunity--a piece of work that started so strong and had a pretty powerful premise combined with corrupt politics and evil machinations with world-altering circumstances, but turned out to be nothing but people piddling around a hospital in a competition which seemingly went nowhere and somewhere at once. In other words, Doctor Stranger felt like it surgically removed too many parts and tried to put them back together, but when doing so, it mistook some organs for others and ultimately ended up being a "table death."

That "death" was almost predestined by Doctor Stranger's plot. At first, the show was thrilling; it's focus on Park Hoon and the things a doctor has to do gripped me. Yet, a show that has one weak character from the beginning will often find that weak character to be the cause of its entire downfall. That's what happened here. A weak character was then joined by mediocre characters, and the whole show had to rely on one really strong character (Park Hoon) to bolster the story. That weak character, though, thread through Park Hoon's performance, made a wrong stitch, and unraveled it altogether. (Don't even get me started on the ending.)

Acting-wise, it was either a beating heart or a flat line. Lee Jong Suk, Kang Sora, and Park Hae Jin gave a lot to their roles. In Jong Suk's case, his acting showed more depth than his previous roles and made me feel for Park Hoon in a real way. Unfortunately, the flat-lined actress Jin Se Yeon, brought as much character as character development for her character, that is to say, none. She tripped and stumbled over every scene that required any emotion other than a blank face that clearly said, "I don't know what the hell I'm doing."

Music-wise, I have no complaints.

Instead of asking, "Will you re-watch this?," I would say the question should be, "Do I have to re-watch this?"

Overall, I can't waste any more words than the characters did over dying patients on this drama.

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When I started Cunning Single Lady, I was looking for a sweet little romantic comedy to make me laugh. In regards to that, Cunning Single Lady delivered the sweet, the laughable, and the heartwarming. What I didn't expect was the dorkiness of its male lead nor how much I would love that.

The story of Cunning Single Lady was, in my opinion, fairly generic as far as romantic-comedies go. In fact, it was the weakest part of the whole show because it often fell back on particular tropes (especially when parents/siblings/love interests are introduced into the mix). However, I still enjoyed the story of the main leads, and I don't feel that was overshadowed by the rest of the background.

Probably what allowed the main leads' story to flow so smoothly and shine so brightly were the performances of Joo Sang Wook and Lee Min Jung as Cha Jeong Woo and Na Ae Ra. These two actors brought life into their characters, and I was particularly impressed with Joo Sang Wook's ability to bring both the chaebol-esque Cha Jeong Woo and the nerdy Cha Jeong Woo to life (and eventually together). Also, the chemistry between the two leads is off-the-charts good.

I'll admit that I wasn't initially invested in the whole divorcee story, but after a few episodes, I connected with the characters and reveled in their witty and biting repartee along with their undeniable sweetness and goofiness. Because of this, I will watch this again for sure.

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Pretty Boy (Bel Ami)acted in much the same way as most pretty boys do; it was flashy on the surface, with a beautiful cast and the world of the rich and infamous, but lacked a lot of emotional growth and maturity. For what it is worth, I did enjoy watching the show up to some point, but it was that lack which ultimately makes Pretty Man as shallow as its title.

At times, the storyline was solid to fair, but eventually, the story got caught up in its own premise (conquering 10 women) that it left very little room for any personal growth on the part of its female lead and severely understated the role of the other lead male. In fact, the story focused much more on the growth of one of the supporting roles than any emotional investment in other characters.

Furthermore, the story focused so much on the typical birth secret tropes that it lost a lot of its early humor. The story was at its best when Bo Tong and David did funny things, not when 95% of the episode dealt with the MG Group's machinations.

That being said, I feel the story limited its actors in a way. As this was Jang Geun Suk's comeback role, the character of Dokgo Ma Te seemed awfully similar to his previous roles, in particular that of Hwang Tae Kyung. This drama did nothing with JGS' acting that I hadn't already seen from him. IU, on the other hand, had a very vivacious character early on, but the story kept her rather one-note toward the end. The only decent performance was Lee Jang Woo's David Choi, which at least had me feeling for him and who was as beautiful inside as he was outside.

The only song from the drama which I remember off-hand was David's song. The rest of the OST didn't really resonate with me and seemed much more like surface music rather than fused with the storyline.

I will rewatch this only for David; really, I'm not even sure if I can rewatch it. In that regard, Bel Ami was just a surface drama; it's not memorable or great. It's really just botong.

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Some shows just entice you; they stick to you and keep you stuck to them. For me, Reply 1994 acted in a similar fashion. Its main premise, 1994 and country kids v. city life, brought me in; its characterization, its humor, and its overarching sense of the word "family" kept me fixated and glued to every moment.

One way in which Reply 1994 adhered to my heart was its story. No, I don't mean the love story, although I enjoyed that too, but the idea of what "family" is and what "family" means. Throughout intense scenes of sweetness and laughter, I found that meaning. Were there some draggy scenes? Sure, but with even those, Reply 1994 brought everything back to the concept of family--of how relationships develop, mature, endure, and survive life. Each and every moment, in my opinion, brought me toward that realization, and it was that which stuck with me the most.

The bonding (the adhesive, if you will) of this drama came from commanding, inspiring, insightful, and heartfelt performances by every one of the main cast. Other than Sung Dong Il and Lee Il Hwa, who played the best parents in dramaland yet again, my favorite actors were Yoo Yoon Seok as Chilbongie, Jung Woo as Trash, and (my personal favorite) Kim Sung Kyun as Samcheonpo. The intensity of these three characters/actors propelled me to see even the little moments (the subtle smiles of Samcheonpo,the serious face of Chilbong, the raw emotion of Trash behind a poker face)and feel every kind of emotion as a result.

Furthermore, I commend Go Ara for her image reversal and complex handling of Sung Na Jeong. She was great! My biggest surprise, however, was how standout the performances of Min Do Hee (Yoon Jin) and Baro (Binggrae) were. Each took side characters and delivered them with heart and dedication. Because of all of these people, that sense of "family" came alive.

Those of us who remember mixtapes will agree that those mixtapes were usually songs that stuck with you. Reply 1994's mixtape does not fail in such a comparison. Every moment was felt in the music as well: happiness, sadness, love, and of course, the sense of "family." The Reply 1994 family bonded often around music, and I think that I bonded along with them.

If Reply 1994 taught me one important lesson, it was this: family is having someone to share everything with, no matter the relationship. It achieved this by developing relationships of all levels and doing it well. Not only that, Reply 1994 included us in that relationship through its story, characters, music, and overall, its message, which begs for a reply.

This is my Reply.

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What happens when an anti-hero becomes a hero? Well, for me, it completely amazes and devastates me all at once, and my experience with Gaksital (or Bridal Mask) was an exact replica of these two emotions all the way through. Gaksital, for me, took every single emotion and twisted them in just the right ways. Laughter, tears, empathy were all made complex by this show.

I cannot say enough about Gaksital's storyline; it is simply brillant. Yes, it is a revenge drama; yes, there is romance, but underlying these simple constructions is a toying with who we should like/dislike, who we should care for or about, and what we should think of particular situations. What I mean is, of course, that although the story clearly establishes a side, it gives us the choice of several different reactions to that side, all of which are thrilling and compelling.

Certainly, the acting in Gaksital furthered the story's sentiments very well. Both Joo Won and Park Ki Woong portray their roles well, particularly in emotional scenes. I also loved Han Chae Ah in this. Jin Se Yeon was a weaker actress, but I still liked her.

The OST brought out all the stops, from the big band to the epic opretic pieces placed at just the right moment. I loved the music so much that I would dream of it often.

Overall, Gaksital gives everything in its search to tell the story of a hero, the story of a villain, and the story of life in the middle of an occupation. It was heartrending and wrenching, terrible and wonderful at the same time. I can't wait to watch it again!

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When I first heard that the Hong Sister's much-needed redemption would come in the form of a horror rom-com, I was a bit perplexed by the idea. How could these two genre collide in any sort of acceptable way? However, now that I have watched, pined for, and passionately followed Master's Sun, I can see how this crazy combination works(and works well).

Master's Sun has it all: horror, romance, a healthy bit of angst, and a touch of sunlight (or is it a beam?)that rises in the heart and fills the viewer with warm fuzzies and peals of laughter.

One of the greatest strengths of the show was it's acting. Gong Hyo Jin and So Ji Sub absolutely oozed chemistry, appeal, and gave us such balanced but fantastic performances. So Ji Sub made me fall for his acting (and him) by the first episode. Seo In Guk was great as well, and at times, had me falling for both of the leads.

Storywise, I feel that the show did its best to indicate that the ghostly world isn't as scary as it seems, which plays well into the evolution of Gong Shil, Joong Won, and even Kang Woo. However, there were times where I felt that the story forgot earlier elements or threw them away. Nevertheless, the story was fairly solid.

Overall, I really enjoyed Master's Sun. When I say "really enjoyed," I mean that I'm already having separation anxiety from the brightness that was this drama.

I will definitely be watching this again.

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King2Hearts pulled me into a place that I never thought that a drama could take me--from crazy happiness in one moment to abject sorrow in the next. Despite what may seem to be a roller coaster of emotions, King2Hearts delivered each of these changes with such a finesse, and at times, I didn't see my sorrow coming until it showed up.

From the beginning, the story of King2Hearts gripped me. While not being completely in love with politics, I do enjoy shows which deploy controversial situations, real or imagined, in which the characters must overcome obstacles not only personally, but in the outside world. In King2Hearts, this struggle shows in parts as miniscule as one man's journey to maturity and as grandiose as the ever-vulnerable balance between war and peace. I never would have thought that the expression "All's fair in love and war" would be used with such precision.

The acting in King2Hearts, then, grounded the precision. Without the fantastic acting of pretty much all of the main characters, the story would just be a story. Yet, I was moved by how much the actors made the characters relatable, their struggles palpable, and their pain just as unbearable for the viewer as it was for them.

The great story and great acting were only bolstered by an OST that is dramatic, thrilling, and hits the right notes.

Overall, combining these three elements (story, acting, and music), King2Hearts breaks the barrier between screen and viewer; that life-or-death feeling transcends to us and how we react to the situations involved.

As a result, I can only say that I will rewatch King2Hearts again and again. I probably will never tire of it.

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