Mr. Queen

Episodes: 20 

Synopsis: This drama is a gender-bending, time-traveling series. 

In the modern-day, Jang Bong Hwan is a chef who is confident and raunchy. One day, after an accident, he finds himself in the body of Queen Cheorin in the Joseon period and married to King Cheoljong. As Jang Bong Hwan learns to navigate the Joseon dynasty, the queen status, and also his female body, he tries to think of ways he can go back to the present day. During this time, his abnormal behavior begins to intrigue not only the king but also many other political figures. Then, as his identity becomes connected to Queen Cheorin's identity (memories, feelings, etc), things begin to become spicy between King Cheoljong as well. 

Review: 

I love time-travel dramas but I do think the story got a bit weird when we couldn't really differentiate between Jang Bong Hwan's mentality and Queen Cheorin's. It was such a strange contrast from the beginning when Jang Bong Hwan is hitting on girls despite being the Queen to suddenly becoming obsessed with the king (and having sex with the king!) The only sign that they maintained the original character dynamic was that after having sex, Jang Bong Hwan would have a mental breakdown and question his own sexuality. 

Very interesting take for sure. However, the loopholes in that plot aside, this drama was so funny. I loved the crazy behaviors that resulted from not only time-traveling back in time but also gender-swapping. It's a comedic drama and I think the actors really brought the characters to life. 

Enjoyed this! 

      

True Beauty

                                                   

Episodes: 16
Synopsis:
Based on the webtoon, True Beauty follows Lim Ju Kyung, a high school student who is often bullied and teased due to being perceived as "ugly." After Lim Ju Kyung discovers the power of make-up, she transforms herself into a "goddess" and attempts to hide her true appearance from all her new friends. Unfortunately, Ju Kyung's worst fear came true when Lee Suho runs into her when she is bare-faced. 

Suho, not realizing it was Ju Kyung at first, is interested in the girl who loves horror comic books and treats him like a normal human being. Soon, he realizes that the beautiful, popular girl at school is the same girl he sees bare-faced in the comic book store. As he deals with his own inner demons, he finds solace in Ju Kyung's company and attempts to keep her close while dangling the fact he knew her secret. 

As the two get closer, Suho's former best friend Han Seo Jun comes back to school. Han Seo Jun is the classic bad boy, and he has distanced from Suho after blaming him for not picking up their friend's phone call prior to their friend's suicide. As the two both become entranced by Ju Kyung's personality, the two learn to heal their relationship as well as themselves. 

Review:
What a cute, light-hearted drama! 
I am currently reading the webtoon right now which is fairly different in several scenes when compared to the drama. The casting is pretty well-done though I find it difficult to fully understand why Moon Ga Young made Lim Ju Kyung appear so childish. In the webtoon series, Lim Ju Kyung is a high schooler and has her funny moments (yes) but she also wasn't socially unaware to the point the drama made her out to be. Likewise, I have a hard time fully understanding Cha Eun Woo's acting role since he's often cast as the ice-cold prince, which fits Suho. However, in the webtoon series, I felt as though Suho's personality and charisma spilled through the pages and the drama just made Suho seem cold and block-ish for most of it. The actor for Han Seo Jun, on the other hand, brought a new side to the character making everyone suffer from second-lead syndrome. I'm not sure if this is a director's choice or if it was an attempt to highlight the contrast between the male leads but it was just something I wish could have been improved upon. 

This drama isn't very deep and I probably won't rewatch it again. However, it was cute and light-hearted. It was perfect for a simple and mindless watch. It made me laugh, it made me blush, and I loved the character growth throughout the show. It also had an amazing soundtrack, and it doesn't hurt that this entire cast is EYE CANDY :)