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 :) 

Love O2O (Movie)

      

         Bei Weiwei is the prettiest girl in the computer science department who excels in her studies. She loves playing an online game called Dreaming of Jianghu and aspires to be a game designer one day in the future. Through the game, she is approached by the number one player who goes by the name of "Yixiao Naihe" who suggests that the two marry in the game so that they could join couple competitions and complete missions together. The newly formed pair begin to go on many adventures together in the game and are the envy of many.

        However, the virtual world slowly bleeds into the real world as Wei Wei and Xiao Nai begin to develop feelings for each other through the online game. When the two finally decide to meet in person, Wei Wei is shocked to find out that her virtual husband is actually the very attractive and successful college senior, Xiao Nai. Xiao Nai is the most sought after male in their school and he is also the CEO of a starting gaming company he started with his college roommates. The two end up falling for each other more in person, building on what they already had developed through the game. Together, the couple work together, as they do in the game, through many hurdles and obstacles.

         

I definitely enjoyed the drama a lot more than this movie. I think that the drama was able to flesh out the relationship a lot more. In general, Love O2O tells a very simple love story between two gamers. There is nothing too dramatic and the relationship is pretty linear. Hence, this movie made that process even shorter and more straight to the point. If you want to get an idea of the drama (which is 30 episodes), the movie would be a good option to dive into. 

I'm not sure if it because Love O2O is such a simple story. But the acting can be fairly underwhelming in both the movie and the drama. However, it is very cute and lighthearted though!! 

The Sound of Your Heart

Episodes: 20

Synopsis: A sitcom-like drama following the webtoon artist Cho Seok and his adventures with his family and his wife Aebong.

Review: 

I really enjoyed this light-hearted drama. It was super easy to watch. The scenes were all different stories (very similar to a sitcom drama or a webcomic) while still telling a fairly coherent story of life. This was so funny as it highlighted the funny stories between family members and the awkward love story Cho Seok tries to build with Ae Bong. It felt real and comedic at the same time. I love how our main lead is this awkward and aspiring comic artist. He's a bit silly at times but is also very genuine. 

I highly recommend this. Kwangsoo did an amazing job in this role. I think this was definitely a role made for his awkward, lanky persona that he has constantly shown on Running Man. He played this role so well that I have a hard time even trying to watch season 2 of "The Sound of Your Heart" because they changed up the entire cast. Therefore, at least for now, I refuse to watch The Sound of Your Heart 2 because this was so good. The 2nd one from what I have seen has Sung Hoon playing the role of Cho Seok. That just doesn't feel right to me because Sung Hoon is very conventionally attractive, and has always played as the attractive male lead in other dramas. However, the awkward character of Cho Seok just seems more befitting for an actor like Kwangsoo who can really bring out the comedic effect of the character. Likewise, it was hard to invest myself into the other actors as the mom, dad, brother, and girlfriend as well. They tried to do the whole: "I made it big as a webtoon actor so they made this drama with Kwangsoo acting as me. But this is the real me" kind of story. It was a good attempt but I just couldn't get into it the way I got into this drama. 

Memories of the Alhambra

Episodes: 16 

Synopsis: 

Yoo Jin Woo, the CEO of an investment company that specializes in optical devices, travels to Granada, Spain to meet the developer of this supposed new AR game that many companies are trying to obtain. When he begins to play this game, he realizes that the game makes him feel as though he is completely immersed in the real world. He is able to feel the sword in his hand and the cuts given to him as he is slain by virtual warriors. However, as he continues to play the game, he soon realizes that it is becoming harder and harder to separate game from reality -- and it may only end with the death of it's players. 

Review:

I enjoyed the premise of this drama. It reminded me a lot of the artificial reality version of the drama "W." In fact, it was pretty entertaining to see the actor Kim Ui Seong playing in this drama as well as "W"--especially since it gave off similar vibes: when something that was supposed to remain in the fictional world comes and affects real life. The artificial reality shown through video games definitely was an interesting touch, and I can see the appeal it can have to many audiences who watch this drama. There is a lot of action made in a video game style, mystery, thrill, and so forth. I really enjoyed this drama especially as things began to pick up and be explained better. The beginning was a bit slow and the ending was really anticlimactic for my taste. However, the process of watching this was very intriguing and it definitely kept me engaged. 

     I have seen many posts online comparing the chemistry between Hyun Bin and Park Shin Hye with Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin. Everyone was acting as though Hyun Bin was more interested and had more chemistry with Son Ye Jin. However, to put things into perspective, "Crash Landing On You" is a more romance-based melodrama. This is more geared toward action-filled thriller. The romance is not one in which you really can invest in as they never truly dive into the relationship as much as I wish they did. It is very easy to not be engaged with this couple considering they spent most of their time away from each other, and we often just watch our male lead fight off video game characters and fulfill quests through most of the drama. The romance is a subplot--which is refreshing to watch after something more cliche like "Crash Landing on You" or "Boys Over Flowers." Likewise, I definitely have some qualms about Park Shin Hye's acting. I find I have a hard time resonating with her acting in every drama I have watched her in, and I do not know why. I just don't vibe with it as much as I would like to, because I really like her as a person (at least from what I've seen of her). But the acting really isn't my cup of tea. However, I do have to say she's really good at crying very watery tears (if that even makes sense lol). 

        As mentioned in the first paragraph, I wish the ending was a bit better. I think it had a lot of potential to be continued further and expanded on. I think the ending could have been filled with more resolution to the entire story rather than on this cliffhanger (almost). I even think they could have had Seju explain how his game works, how he managed to come back from his game, and how he will be able to bring Yoo Jin Woo back. I wish they expanded on it more. I think if the ending was more fleshed out, this would definitely be more enjoyable. 

Hi Bye Mama

Episodes: 16

Synopsis: Cha Yuri died five years ago after the birth of her child. In her ghost form, she lingered around her husband and child watching over them. She watched her daughter grow up without her and watched her husband remarry. One day the gods took pity on Cha Yuri and allowed her to become human again--but only for 49 days. She would be able to permanently stay human if she is able to win back her place as her husband's wife and as her daughter's mother. However, things have changed. Do people continue living forward despite her sudden reappearance or will she be able to take back what once belonged to her? And does it even belong to her at this point? 

Review:

I enjoyed this drama a lot. I think the interactions and story-line are so real and unique at the same time. I'm sure we all have asked our significant other the question of whether they'll move on if we were to pass away. This was an interesting take on that question. There were many things I appreciated about this drama: 

        - Their take on PTSD and grief--there are struggles in letting go of a particularly painful past. 

        - The way they don't make the new wife a bad person. She did come after the wife's death and brought great joy and normalcy into Yuri's husband's and child's life. Throughout the drama, they kept stressing that fairytales always make stepmothers evil. But what about those that are not? I also enjoyed the take on motherhood. Yes, Cha Yuri is Seo Woo's mom and always will be. However, Oh Min Jung played the role of a mother and deserves that title just as equally if not more so. 

       - The strength of female friendships 

        - The realization that one should appreciate life while they are still living it 

This was very relaxing and comforting to watch for some reason. I really enjoyed it. I also thought the child actor was so adorable. Fun fact -- apparently the actor for Seo Woo is actually a boy and he was cast because he looked a lot like Kim Tae Hee. I think they did a great job casting of this role, and that the actor did an amazing job. Seo Woo was so likable for this child's role. I also think this was a befitting role for Kim Tae Hee (and the other actors) as well. It was just really comfortable to watch. 

Itaewon Class

Episodes: 16

Synopsis: This drama focuses on Park Saeroyi, a righteous young man who refuses to be anything but straightforward. His life gets turned around after he is expelled from school for punching a bully, his father is killed in a car accident, and he is forced to carry the weight of knowing who did not pay for their crime. After coming out of prison for assault, he decides to open up a pub called DanBam in hopes of taking on the Jangga corporation. With the help of an interesting group of characters -- a smart sociopathic girl, a biracial Korean, an ex-gangster, and a transgender chef, Park Saeroyi begins to rise in the food industry. A true story of how revenge takes time and that bad karma can always be manifested and delivered to those who deserve it.

Review

I watched this drama as there were a lot of people hyping it up. In fact, a few of my friends have recommended it to me saying that they were currently watching it as well and that they enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it. A big part of the reason is the fact that most of the characters in this drama are unlikable and very shady. I spent most of the drama stressed out, frustrated, and angry. I found it hard to invest in the characters as many were inconsistent and unlikable. The characters that I did enjoy were either too rigid or too in the background. 

       Saeroyi felt so unrealistic about how rigid he was. I hated all the love interests in this drama because I felt none of the girls were particularly likable. There were many unrealistic aspects that threw me off in the drama such as: how poorly Saeroyi ran his pub when he first opened (a lot of the stuff seemed like common sense, but they needed to introduce Jo Yi Seo to the business somehow), how Saeroyi thought his pub could grow to tackle on a recognized and giant food industry, and how he actually managed to succeed. It jumped a lot so we never truly saw the process for success. While it was satisfying to see DanBam climb up the food hierarchy, it felt like things were too easy. I feel like characters such as Hyunyi, Toni, and Choi Seung Kwon were the most enjoyable to watch. However, we saw so little of them...especially Toni. I know many stressed how nice it was to see diversity in the Korean drama, especially as he acted as someone biracial and was highlighting the stigma he experiences of not being recognized as Korean. However, it felt like he wasn't on screen that often and the acting was subpar. The best acting in this drama has got to be from Jang Dae Hee...it gave me chills, and at the end, he confused me as to how I should treat him because I actually felt bad for him.  

            Also real talk: the hair was not a vibe in this drama...especially for the main leads.

I do want to commend the drama for a few things: 

- Their OSTs were very catchy 

- Their focus on issues such as transgenders in Korea and foreigners with Korean heritage in Korea -- it targetted a lot of discriminatory practices that occur, and it provided a good perspective on those individuals. It made you like those characters more and feel thankful they had DanBam to call their home. (I will never forgive what Geunsoo did to Hyunyi in episode 12) 

Tune in For Love (Movie)

Synopsis and Review:

        This movie tells the poorly timed love story between Hyun Woo and Mi Soo. They first meet in the 1990s. Mi Soo works at a bakery with her mother-like figure/friend Eun Ja. Hyun Woo just got out of a juvenile prison center after being found guilty of his classmate's accidental death and begins to work at the bakery alongside the two women. The three become close friends but separate when Hyun Woo's past catches up with him and he leaves the bakery. Years later, Hyun Woo and Mi Soo unexpectedly meet one another. However, the time they were able to spend together was only for one night as Hyun Woo heads off to military service. 

        During the two years, Mi Soo sends Hyun Woo numerous emails to an account that she failed to give Hyun Woo a password for. She hoped he would one day figure out the password and reunite with her.  At this point, Mi Soo begins to pursue a career in writing and Eunja marries a single-father and begins to run a noodle shop. Lives are not what they have hoped it would be. Despite many poorly timed parts to their love story, they eventually are able to reunite. As they fall in love despite the gaps in their relationship, the two learn to trust, love, and grow together. 

        This was a very cute movie. It was simple and made you nostalgic for a time that you weren't a part of. I found many scenes very aesthetic -- such as the rain scene while they sat at their bakery. The cinematography was great. However, I did find the romance to be fairly unrealistic. They never truly had a long-term relationship considering the time they did spend together was so short and the gaps in their relationship were so long. When I was watching this with my boyfriend, we both questioned the likelihood of two individuals both remaining single and waiting for the other person despite the story being told in almost five years of time.

The story was cute but I feel like it didn't do anything beyond and above. I think a big part of my failure to be invested in their relationship despite the movie being about their relationship is because of the many gaps in their relationship. However, interestingly, I did appreciate the talks of not being in a satisfying job or not feeling good about oneself when comparing to others. It definitely shows how it takes time to grow and develop ourselves. That everyone's timing is different and success isn't measured on the same scale for everyone. It did make me think about the ways we often associate productivity/prestige to success at school or work...but that is definitely me thinking deeper than what this movie was showing. 

Romance is a Bonus Book

Episodes: 16

Synopsis:

Kang Dani is a newly divorced stay-at-home mom. With many years not being in the workforce, she struggles to find a job with a lack of recent experience and intense job competition. In a desperate attempt, she hides away her prestigious education and previous work experience and applies for an internship position at a book publishing company where her childhood friend, Cha Eun Ho, works as a senior editor. Cha Eun Ho does what he can to support his friend as she seeks to find her sense of self and become more independent. He helps her at work in ways he can, lets her room at his home, and takes care of her during hardships. It is during this time that Kang Dani feels more confident in what she can accomplish on her own and also where she finally starts to realize that the person who has truly loved her had been around her all this time. 

Review:

This is a long-overdue review, especially considering I watched this a year ago. I have rewatched this a few times and have recommended this drama to many friends during this time period. I think this is a great drama to watch because it involves healthy communication, strong female friendships, independent characters, and also interesting takes on the family vs. career question women constantly face when they join the workforce. The characters were all very likable and this drama somehow managed to give them all enough depth for you to understand their motives, their personality, and what really makes them unique from another character in the drama. Since I cannot speak to the small details as clearly, I will list a few things that I genuinely enjoyed in this drama in terms of what it has to offer (in no particular order)

1. It makes me want to work in a book publishing industry. It dived into small details such as what happens when printing goes wrong, the amount of teamwork that goes into it, and the ways in which the book industry is constantly shifting to keep up with a device-driven world.

2. It makes you analyze what decisions are meant for you. There was one very touching scene where three women in the office got together to look back on the decisions they made: whether it is sacrificing a career for love, sacrificing love for a career, or not sacrificing either but losing oneself to family/work/responsibilities. The way it goes in-depth shows the complexity of what a woman will face as they move into the future, and it also shows how all the sacrifices are not fulfilling at the end of the day with so many other considerations such as personality differences, gender roles, the person you are with or not with, etc.

3. Strong female role models. Normally, we find ourselves disliking women who are interested in the same men BUT you actually see how their lives are more than just liking one person. They are able to accept the reality and move on gracefully AS WELL AS excel in the job they are doing with great professionalism. You can see this in Song Hae Rin's character. You can even see it in other female characters in this drama as they all try to strive to be better versions of themselves.

4. Character growth in many characters -- you can see growing confidence, responsibility, and maturity in not just the main characters but also the side characters

5. The relationship between Kang Dan I and Cha Eun Ho was very natural and sweet. It had just enough to be realistic yet also unrealistic (because it is still a drama haha). It's also a great contrast to what Dan I's relationship was like with her previous husband, who was stifling her in so many ways

6. Beautiful cinematography throughout

7. Shows that romance is multifaceted -- can be beautiful but there will always be hardships in life

8. There is a plot hole though! Kang Dan I has a daughter that goes to school abroad. However, we only hear of this child in the beginning when she is requesting tuition and medical fees. Her daughter had like one phone call in the beginning. However, as the drama went on, we seem to forget that Kang Dan I is a mother and it seems like she did too.

All in all, watch it! Things resolve themselves easily, great character depth, good plot! It is not frustrating drama but also a drama that can make you feel many things!