Tiny Times 2 (Movie)

Review: 

       This is the movie following Tiny Times. It's very similar to the first movie but with new issues popping up. To start things off, the movie ended on a rather good note and Lin Xiao worked things out with her boyfriend. However, we come to see that Jian Xi might not be all that devoted to the relationship as he makes it seem he is. To start things off, Lin Xiao witnesses a girl kiss her boyfriend who then said that he was very busy when she called him. Then I begin to feel this horrible feeling as I watched Zhou Chong Guang throw up blood. This is when you realize that the boy is actually suffering from gastric cancer and not some publicity stunt that Kitty claims he uses. Then we get introduced to the fact that Lily may have had an affair with Nan Xiang's manipulative and abusive ex boyfriend (Xi Cheng). After a rather ill-tempered encounter between Lily and Xi Cheng, Lily said a quote that I thought was really raw. 

Lily: "Everyone, including myself, has a time when they are completely stupid. Because of that, everyone deserves the right to be forgiven once." 

      It shows that the cold perfectionist also makes mistakes and is also just as vulnerable no matter how tough she appears. Lin Xiao decides that since Lily is someone she cherishes, she would not reveal this affair. Lily immediately regains her composure and begins planning for her royal birthday. It's all about the money and how fancy the party is for Lily while everyone begins to worry about what to do for the Queen's Birthday. However, after all the planning and all the ordering of what to wear and what not to wear, the birthday ended up just like Christmas in the first movie. It was the Birthday of Tears. 

       First of all, Lily did something that was rather harsh and uncalled for. Believing that she never makes mistakes, she went and invited Wei Hai for Ruby. Wei Hai is Ruby's crush but he has a girlfriend. Upon inviting Wei Hai, it forced Ruby to relive humiliation. Because of that, Ruby's outburst led to many more outbursts. And secrets were revealed. Nan Xiang reveals that Lily had sex with Xi Cheng to everyone and pours wine all over Lily. She then proceeds to coldly walk off breaking off a friendship that was once so strong. It was really dramatic. 

         Following that, Lily's dad dies in a car accident because Lily had rushed him to be at the party faster. At the hospital, as they awaited the news of her father's condition, we see Lin Xiao's stoic boss suffer quietly from whatever he faced. Turns out that Zhou Chong Guang was Gong Ming's (the boss) step brother that he took responsibility for. Zhou Cong Guang was so childishly cute as Lin Xiao expressed her concern and disbelief that he actually had cancer. Lin Xiao's boyfriend, witnessing it, immediately begins suspecting her for the worst even though he was the one that was actually cheating. 

         Lily's dad dies and I thought it was really cold that Nan Xiang didn't go to the funeral. I understand that she feels betrayed that her best friend did this to her but Xi Cheng was an abusive creep. Come on! And when Lily looked down at the will, her mother blames her for the death of her husband and also saying that she was born from an affair the dad had and that she raised a monster. It turns out, the mother that Lily thought she had wasn't even her real mother. 

      I love it when the OST: "Time Boils Rain" comes on. It makes everything so beautifully sad. 

      Then the three girls, Lily, Lin Xiao, and Ruby move to a  new place together. I thought it was hilarious when Lily had to use three moving trucks to bring her things over whereas the other girls all had suitcases. It just shows how strong Lily is to move on and how capable of work she is. It's something that I aspire to be. Lily then has to deal with the fact that Gong Min is trying to buy her Dad's company away using all sorts of methods. However, this ends on such a bitter note for Lin Xiao's relationship with her boyfriend. He's the one that is cheating on her yet had the nerve to say that she's also guilty of cheating and that she's dirty as well because she stayed the night in the author's (Zhou Chong Guang) hospital room the day Lily's dad died. It was totally a way to make his actions justified. And in the end, he didn't even come back to Lin Xiao. However, after a moody fight that Lin Xiao and Lily had, they made up after dealing with Jian Xi's "I'm the victim" ways. 

        Gu Yuan and Lily are so cute and it was nice to see them get back together. They planned a nice revenge to secure the company and also to get revenge on the arranged marriage Gu Yuan's mother had planned. The ending was really beautiful when they had a snowball fight. Ruby went crazy during the snowball fight so it was hilarious. I loved this movie and I thought it was so sad when it ended on Jian Xi's video message back in high school saying that no matter who is by Lin Xiao's side in the future, even if it isn't him, that she'd be happy....and I believe that Lin Xiao and Zhou Chong Guang might just end up together (especially since he's fine after the surgery). 

Tiny Times (movie)

Review:

     This movie is about four high school friends facing college and internships together. They are all very different. Lily is from a wealthy family and is often considered the cold queen in her group of friends. Though she appears to be cold, she has a soft heart. Nan Xiang aspires to be a fashion designer. Ruby is the athlete among their group of friends and is always training in badminton. Then there is Lin Xiao, in which this story is narrated from, who aspires to work at M.E. and considers herself to be the most ordinary one among her distinct friends. This movie depicts their friendship, struggles in work, and their adversities in love. 

         I absolutely adored this movie. It was straight to the point and beautifully done. The cinematography was absolutely beautiful. I found that this movie was sad, beautiful, and touching. The four girls all had such unique personalities and different forms of beauty. They also faced different problems. There was a nostalgic feel with this concept of moving bravery into the future.

        I felt a very devil wears prada feel in the beginning for Lin Xiao. I thought that there are a lot of beautiful faces in this movie. I also thought that the break up scenes were hauntingly beautiful and that the friendship dates the girls went on were really cute. You watch the different struggles the girls go through in love. Nan Xiang deals with an abusive ex-boyfriend that seems to cling on to her like a leech. Ruby has a crush on a boy who has a girlfriend. Lily is more practical in terms of wealth than her boyfriend who believes that everything would still be the same even if both of them were poor. Lily also had to deal with the fact that her boyfriend's mother is trying to arrange a marriage for her son with some other girl. Lin Xiao had to balance work and love which didn't work too well for her. 

          This had a bitter sweet ending and I'm looking forward to watching Tiny Times 2. 

Modern Farmer

Episodes: 20 

Given Synopsis (viki.com): 

Can the answer to life’s quandaries be found in the land? When the members of the rock band Excellent Souls – Lee Min Ki (Lee Hong Ki), Kang Hyuk (Park Min Woo), Han Ki Jun (Kim Jae Hyun) and Yoo Han Chul (Lee Shi Un) – decide that they want to escape from it all, they decide to move to a small, rural village to take up farming. There, they meet Lee Soo Yeon (Min Ah), who also has escaped from Seoul to the countryside to take a “break,” and the tough young village leader, Kang Yoon Hee (Lee Honey). Can the band members really make their new lives in farming work? “Modern Farmer” is a 2014 South Korean drama series directed by Oh Jin Seok.

Review:

    I found it hard to take this drama seriously in the beginning because it was very humorous and exaggerated. However, I was glad that it got better later on and focused on some serious issues such as the fact Kang Yoon Hee encountered her ex. There were other more issues as well and it got more interesting as it went. Admittedly, I do not believe that this is Hongki's best drama that he starred in. He has a very wide acting range from what I have seen and this drama had a very immature feel to it that was hard for me to get used to (especially after watching Bride of the Century where he was very mature). I did like that it allowed him to show off his music skills because of his character. 

       This drama did focus a lot on living in the countryside and their humorous adaption to get used to the different environment and to get along with the quirky people that lived there. The kids were so cute whenever they appeared and it was so cute to see how supportive Lee Min Ki (Hongki's character) was of Yoon hee's son, Minho. It was also nice to see that the female protagonist is a very optimistic and fun person but also being a single mother. It was nice to see how this drama showed that mothers are women too and that regardless of your situation, love is for everyone. You could be a single mother, you could be sick, you could be lying about your identity, you could be a musician that suffers from a lot of stress, you could be divorced, etc and love can still find you. It's a nice and hopeful message to those feeling down. 

       I also loved how despite their depressing situations, Minki and his band still wanted to pursue their dreams of music. In the end, they didn't achieve fame and popularity but it was nice to see that they all found their own happiness and found their own peace in their own way. 

Birth of a Beauty

Episodes: 21 

Given Synopsis (viki.com):

Can a woman’s life be saved by completely changing her appearance? Sa Geum Ran is in a desperate situation. With nowhere else to turn, she goes to Han Tae Hee (Joo Sang Wook), the heir to a large company who suffers from a broken heart. With Tae Hee’s help, the woman undergoes plastic surgery and transforms into the beautiful Sara (Han Ye Seul). Can Sara adjust to her new life as a stunning beauty while also helping Tae Hee heal his broken heart? “Birth of a Beauty” is a 2014 South Korean drama series directed by Lee Chang Min.

Review: 

        The beginning was kind of confusing because Sa Geum Ran acted as though she was a completely separate person after she got her plastic surgery. She even commented on her previous appearance as though she was an outsider. That threw me off a lot. I also disliked her husband, Lee Kwang Joon, so much. The guy is such a cheater. I had trouble understanding why the poor girl put up with all his BS and still diligently look after his family.
         This drama started off with a pretty bad message despite being extremely intriguing. It literally started off by saying that if you're not a certain weight and don't look as good, then you don't deserve love. It also started off with a very superficial vibe. Despite not liking this aspect, I think it was to show the contrast of being in an unhealthy relationship and being in a healthy relationship. True, Han Tae Hee was totally superficial at first and had to keep convincing himself that her looks were "fake" so that he doesn't develop a crush on her. However, I really loved that episode when he convinced himself to look past who she is on the outside and who she is on the inside. Even when he saw her for how she originally was before the plastic surgery, he still found himself loving and caring for her. That was really cute to see. You can also see that from this relationship, Sa Geum Ran regained her confidence as Sara and realized that she did not need to worry about superficial and materialistic things to get love and validation. She accepted herself and who she was inside and Han Tae Hee saw her for who she was inside as well.
        It was pretty funny watching Han Tae Hee play this fake doctor and calling her ahjumma all the time. It was such a nice quirk to the relationship. I also adored the revenge aspect of the drama. When the protagonists are out to get the antagonists, they are fierce as hell. I loved it. Their revenge had to be fierce especially when her ex husband made this lie about her killing herself when he was the culprit for forcing her to get into the car accident. His wife, Chaeyeon, was also creepy and manipulative. When she turned her back on Kwang Joon, I was like, "KARMA! OKAY!"  And Kwang Joon's mother and sisters reminded me of Cinderella's stepsisters and stepmother. They were kind of funny and annoying. The only good person in that family was Kwang Joon's father (and that is just sad). And to watch Kwang Joon face all the bad karma was great. It also allowed everyone around him to realize how superficial and horrible he is. All he cared about was looks and money. That was why I thought it was hilarious when he started saying that he loved Sara and then got all whiny and angry when she was like, "But I don't like you."
        Not only did Sa Geum Ran get her revenge but so did Han Tae Hee. It was such a satisfying feeling to watch those trying to ruin Tae Hee's life get arrested. JUSTICE IS SERVED, GUYS.
It did drag in the later episodes. But I actually enjoyed this drama a lot. It was amusing for me to watch. AND IT HAD THE CUTEST ENDING EVER. 

Boarding House 24

Episodes: 12

Given Synopsis (viki.com):

What would you do if you found out that you have a 24-year-old child but had no additional information? The owner of a boarding house (Kim Kwang Kyu) learns on his mother’s deathbed that he has a child, but she doesn’t tell him anything else other than the fact that the child is now 24 years old. Determined to locate his offspring, the man researches the children of all of his past relationships and identifies six 24-year-olds (Dongjun of ZE:A, Dohee of Tiny-G, Ken of VIXX, Hyunyoung of Rainbow, High Top of BIGFLO and Kim Sa Eun) – three men and three women – and executes an elaborate plan to get the six to come live at his boarding house. The very different 20-somethings deal with life, love, work and relationships as they all live under one roof. But will the house owner be able to identify which one of these six youngsters is his child? “Boarding House No. 24” is a 2014 South Korean comedy series.

Review:

     This drama is pretty short considering that it is only 12 episodes long. However, I think it is important to understand that this is a drama that focuses on comedy. It was pretty funny watching the characters interact and how their different personalities affect how they deal with situations. I enjoyed watching all the idols in this drama. However, other then enjoying the appearance of idols and laughing at the exaggerated moments, this drama did not appeal to me in any other way.  The storyline was a little bit unbelievable and I found it slightly creepy that the dad did all this research to find out who his child is. The best part is that he didn't even know whether his kid was a girl or boy and would randomly side with one of the people in his boarding house when he thought they were his kid.

     I did not enjoy this drama because I don't think that this kind of drama is my type. I'm not saying it was bad because it was pretty funny. It just wasn't for me.

Pinocchio

                                      

Episodes: 20 

Given Synopsis (viki.com):

Can 20-something rookie broadcast reporters make their mark covering the bustling news of a busy metropolitan city? The idealistic Choi In Ha (Park Shin Hye) has her work cut out for her when she becomes a broadcast journalist, especially when she suffers from a condition known as “Pinocchio syndrome,” which makes her break out into hiccups whenever she tells a lie. Her rookie colleagues include Choi Dal Po (Lee Jong Suk), whose shabby appearance masks his true eloquence and sharp memory; Seo Bum Jo (Kim Young Kwang), a wealthy heir who has had everything handed to him in life; and Cha Hye Seung (Lee Yoo Bi), whose fangirl knowledge comes in handy in covering the news. Can the 20-something newbie reporters pursue justice as they try to discover themselves in the process? “Pinocchio” is a 2014 South Korean drama series directed by Jo Soo Won.

Review:

    This drama reminded me of I Hear Your Voice. I don't know if it's because of the similarities in Lee Jong Suk's character in Pinocchio and his character in I Hear Your Voice or if it was the fact that his characters in both dramas were seeking justice. This drama was really appealing. In many ways,  I feel as though this drama might be better than I Hear Your Voice. I genuinely enjoyed this drama. 

       The characters were likable and the acting was satisfying. The characters were very 3-dimensional. You could see many sides of the characters. It was hard to truly dislike anyone in this drama. I'll begin with the minor characters. To start things off, Gi Ha Myeong's brother was an absolute favorite among my friends who watched this. It helped that he was good looking and it also helped because he had this sort of action-packed revenge mindset. To be honest, if he was the main character, this would be a revenge-oriented action film. However, he was well-liked because the reasons behind him doing what he did were understandable and kind of sad. As for In Ha's mother, she played a rather dislikable role in the beginning. You kind of sit there wondering how one person could be so cold. However, over time, I warmed up to her. You could see how human this character was and when you learn the backstory, she becomes a more relatable character. I understood where she was coming from and I enjoyed her character. The grandfather and dad of In Ha were absolutely adorable. They were so supporting in their own ways and loved both In Ha and Gi Ha Myeong (more commonly known as Choi Dal Po) equally. There were a lot of smart characters and good characters. Ahn Chan Soo's character was absolutely endearing because not only did he help with the reporters and went through hell, he also brought back a lot of high school memories for Choi Dal Po and Choi In Ha. The reporter trainees were hilarious and fun to watch. Especially Yoon Yoo Rae. She was originally a sasaeng fan who joined the blind auditions to be a reporter. Throughout the entire drama, you could see her stalking skills as she learned details about new reports. She was such a comedic character and absolutely adorable. Seo Beom Jo liked Choi In Ha but his character was so upright and good. I loved him for who he was but I did not ship him with Choi In Ha. This was why I really liked how the writers didn't make him that big of a threat. 

         Now for our main leads, Choi In Ha and Choi Dal Po (originally was called Gi Ha Myeong). Their chemistry was amazing. Their kisses were so loving and natural. They did so much acting with their eyes. I swooned at Lee Jong Suk's eyes over and over again while Park Shin Hye's eyes were filled with trust as she stared up at his loving eyes. It was just amazing chemistry. So amazing that some of their most loving/touching/intense scenes didn't even need words. That was how strong their body language was. Also, because Choi In Ha is a Pinocchio, it made life so much easier. They understood each other and communicated well with one another. There were no misunderstandings or lies since Choi In Ha couldn't hide anything. It just eliminated mistrust in each other. It also allowed them to solve everything by working together. They became my ultimate OTP after this drama. They made such a cute couple (especially when  I saw them holding Ahn Chan Soo's kid...it looked like a legit family photo). 

         The storyline also flowed nicely. I loved the concept of being a Pinocchio and how it tied to Gi Ha Myeong's childhood and how it later on became a part of his future as he got his revenge by seeking justice and only speaking the truth. The concept of Pinocchio also fitted well with the whole "reporters only tell the truth" idea. Reporter Song, Choi In Ha's mother, played an amazing role in hiding the corruption at first and then slowly regaining her true self as she revealed everything one at a time. It was admirable to watch the characters rebuild their respect for her and also to work together to get this revenge for the defamation of Gi  Ha Myeong's father. The Chairwoman was so corrupt and I felt bad for Seo Beom Joo because he was the good son. He had watch his mother go from this angel that he always saw her as to this scheming woman that would stop at nothing. I really liked how the chairwoman faced the reporter's questions at the end. It was dramatic and the best way to let her experience what she did to Gi Ha Myeong's family back then. 

All in all, I absolutely adored this drama.