#Sook Jin Jo

[stuff-diary]

Mr. Plankton

TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2024

Mr. Plankton (2024, South Korea)

Director: Hong Jong Chan

Writer: Jo Yong

Mini-review:

As I mentioned in a previous post, Mr. Plankton was my most anticipated k-drama of the year. And, while I liked quite a few things about it, I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. For starters, both the plot and the tone are kind of all over the place. There was a lot of potential in this story, but I think the writer didn't know where to put the main focus. Also, the male lead is rather unlikeable, to the point that not even Woo Do Hwan's immense charisma can fully save him; he's definitely an interesting character, but sometimes it gets hard to root for him, especially during the first half. Still, the entire cast delivers powerful performances and the show's sense of humor is pretty funny, so the whole thing ends up being a highly entertaining experience. It wasn't the life-changing drama I expected it to be, but I enjoyed going on this crazy trip with these characters.

P.S. I used this random poster cause the official one is ugly AF.

[somanykdramas]

MY DEMON

GENRES: Supernatural, Romance

SUMMARY: A cold-hearted Demon remembers what it’s like to be human after falling in love with the one who stole his powers.

THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING: Supportive PR employees, diabolical chaebols, powerful skinship, sham marriages, best friend butlers, sword dancing, Joseon flashbacks, tattoos, cropped suit jackets, cakes, clocks, disguised deities, full moon transformations, and the joy of just letting go and listening to your heart.

HOT TAKE: I didn't really love the start of this show, but its themes of loss and love really pulled on my heartstrings throughout. I didn't really love the ending either, but hey, its a love story and you get what you get. I will say though, Song Kang and Kim Yoo Jung win the award for 'Couple with the Smoothest Skin I've Ever Seen in a Kdrama.'

[moviemosaics]

The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well

directed by Hong Sang-soo, 1996

[jiaminying]

Korean Drama Review My Demon

Hello everyone! It has been a long time since I wrote a review. I have finished “Let’s fight ghost, Goblin, Lawless Lawyer(Dropped), The Secret Life of My Secretary(scanned through), Mystic Pop-up Bar, Forest, Flower of Evil(scanned through), 18 again, More than friends (scanned through), True Beauty, Sell Your Haunted House, The Devil Judge(scanned through), The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim,…

[k-star-holic]

Kim Sook, 90 degree greetings, "Wooyoung's greetings"

[elderflowergin]

3 K-drama moments (January edition)

1. Kim Hae-sook expressing her rage at a young Japanese officer in full satoori and banmal in Gyeongseong Creature. Until this point she has been a capable right hand to Park Seo-joon, restrained, deadly efficient and completely unshakeable. But long-simmering fears and frustrations are boiling over everywhere in Gyeongseong and elsewhere, resulting in this atypical, shocking conversation with a junior officer who sympathises with them but cannot bridge the colonial gap. Language is so significant in this genre, and it’s so visceral when Kim Hae-sook openly vents to this man in her own language, in her own dialect.

Gyeongseong Creature is a pretty dark take on human experimentation, the last gasp of colonial horrors in a dying empire and the endurance of community. Park Seo-joon (and Han So-hee to a lesser extent) have to be the heroes; nonetheless the story understands that liberation is won not by strong-jawed men who talk pretty, but by community, by ordinary people doing extraordinary things together.

Kdrama has a wealth of supporting actors and it's no different here, with Jo Han-cheol, Kang Mal-geum, the aforementioned Kim Hae-sook, Claudia Kim and lovely, lovely Kim Yoon-woo in an affecting subplot (you might have seen him as Ryang Eum in My Dearest). Hate that Netflix made this one a cliffhanger, but they got me. Now, please give us a grown up romance with Jo Han-cheol in it. Our man's earned it.

2. Jung Jin-young’s vividly joyous sex life with his partner played by Yang Mal-bok in LTNS. The astonishing tenderness of their meeting, their love story and the joy he has brought to her arid, parched life are all so well-done that I had a lump in my throat throughout the episode.

This show took atypical love and affair stories, the sort we tend to mock or criticise - the plain girl sleeping with the married colleague, the fiftysomethings rediscovering their zest for life in each other’s bodies, the married lipstick lesbian who keeps coming back into her ex’s life - and offered so much kindness and love in the writing and the framing of those stories. @drivingsideways remarked that it was so different from anything Kdrama has given us, and that is completely correct.

Esom and Ahn Jae-hong were beyond excellent as a troubled couple that maybe shouldn't have married all those years ago - people who were maybe always a little too different, and then papered over their differences with the routines of matrimony. I suspect this was all too real to appeal to the general audience and I don't think this is going to be nomination-heavy. But it deserves to be.

3. Hwa-rok running from the handsome Officer Jeong in the brilliantly written The Matchmakers. The youngest sister in the famously unmarried trio of Namsan, Hwa-rok is a very relatable babe who really wants to get married! Get a husband! Have SEX! - and manifests this through her popular erotica series. The bond between Hwa-rok and the shy, upright officer whose first introduction to her is all the erotica she writes is one of the most adorable plots on this incredibly cute show.

I have several feelings about The Matchmakers, namely that it is the rare romance I respect despite the minimal chemistry between the leads. The writing was top-notch and the lead acting didn't quite live up to it - this is not a criticism of Cho Yi-hyun or Rowoon, but rather a testament to the sheer wealth of talent in Kdrama and how accustomed we've become to actors elevating material. Rowoon surprisingly grew on me in this, with his physicality and his looks somehow making Gyeongwoonjae indelible despite his iPhone-knowing face. I might do a separate post on this yet, but it was absolutely worth the watch, and all of you were right, especially @haraxvati who bravely advocated for Rowoon's talents.

[cosmosbeelover]

Photo collection of kisaeng's - Part 5

All photos below have been AI enhanced for a more clear viewing (there may be some errors in the pictures), i will be listing there names in both English and Korean below the photos.

There names go from top left to bottom right.

English - Gisaeng List - Hong Do-hwa, unknown, Jeong Geum-hwa, Jeong Yu-wol, Jo Jin-sil, Jo Ranpa, Cha Jun-pi, Cha Jeong-sook Korean - 기생명부 - 홍도화, 미상, 정금화, 정유월, 조진실, 조란파, 차준피, 차정숙

English - Gisaeng List - Gyu Ran-ok, Lim Yang-chun, Jang Yeon-hong, Baek Dal-hong, Shim Yu-wol, Oh Byeok-ok, Jin Yeon-hwa, Seok Sun-bok Korean - 기생명부 - 규란옥, 임양춘, 장연홍, 백달홍, 심유월, 오벽옥, 진연화, 석순복

English - Gisaeng List - Yoo Geum-ja, Noh Jin-ju, Noh Juksim, Noh Eun-hong, Jeon Myeong-ok, Wi Geum-ok, Wang Su-bok, Jo Jeom-hwa Korean - 기생명부 - 유금자, 노진주, 노죽심, 노은홍, 전명옥, 위금옥, 왕수복, 조금화

English - Gisaeng List - Hwang Geum-hwa, Lee Chun-sim, Moon Chae-woon, Ma Hyang-ran, Jeon Yong-ju, Byeon Il-seon, Byeon Ok-jo, Sogan 1st floor Korean - 기생명부 - 황금화, 이춘심, 문채운, 마향란, 전용주, 변일선, 변옥조, 소간일층

[papaya2000s]

Photo collection of kisaeng's - Part 1

All photos below have been AI enhanced for a more clear viewing (there may be some errors in the pictures), i will be listing there names in both English and Korean below the photos.

There names go from top left to bottom right.

English - Gisaeng List - Kim Bok-hee, Kim Hwa-jung-seon, Kim Chae-wol, Kim So-hong, Kim Unjo, Kim Wol-pa, Kim Hong-ryeon, Kim Myeong-hwa Korean - 기생명부 - 김복��, 김화중선, 김채월, 김소홍, 김운조, 김월파, 김홍련, 김명화

English - Gisaeng List - Kim Nan-ok, Kim Ho-shin, Kim Ho-jo, Kim Byeok-jo, Kim Geum-bong, Kim Jeong-ok, Kim Wol-hong, Kim In-ok Korean - 기생명부 - 김난옥, 김호신, 김호조, 김벽조, 김금봉, 김정옥, 김월홍, 김인옥

English - Gisaeng List - Kim Chae-un, Kim Chun-taek, Kim Myeong-ja, Kim Geum-hee, Kim Ran, Kim Yeon-hyang, Kim Ok-jin, Kim Ok-hye Korean - 기생명부 - 김채운, 김춘택, 김명자, 김금희, 김란, 김연향, 김옥진, 김옥혜

English - Gisaeng List - Kim Gan-seon, Kim Wol-seon, Kim Seon-nyeo, Kim Eun-deok, Kim Mun-sook, Kim Young-wol, Kim Ok-seon, Kim Yeon-wol Korean - 기생명부 - 김간선, 김월선, 김선녀, 김은덕, 김문숙, 김영월, 김옥선, 김연월

[theadusa]

Everything I watch in Jan 2024

I was going to post my annual everything I watched in 2023 post but I feel like I missed my opportunity, so here is my everything I watched in January 2024... (Be Warned there are some spoilers, I do try to mark them throughout the review)

My Lovely Boxer (2023, Kim Min-joo)

Main leads: Lee Sang-yeob, Kim So-hye, Park Ji-hwan, Kim Hyung-mook, Kim Jin-woo, Ha Seung-ri, Chae Won-bin

Country: S. Korea

Run: August 21 to Oct 2, 2023 (KBS2, Monday and Tuesday @21:45 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 70 min

Thoughts: Lee Kwon-sook (Kim So-hye) is a boxer who is forcibly thrown back into the world boxing that she has retired from by a sports agent Kim Tae-young (Lee Sang-yeob). I really liked how they balanced the characters. Lee Kwon-sook is a cheerful girl who is constantly haunted by her past. And she is allowed agency to do what she can do, despite the efforts of others. And the relationship between Lee Kwon-sook and Kim Tae-young, though slightly toxic, works in an odd way. I did have problems with how they reconnected her with her father.I personally wouldn’t have forgiven him. However, I loved the relationship with Han Ah-reum, and just how that story ends. I thought it was done very well. Overall I have really enjoyed this drama. Rating: 

Unlock My Boss (2022-2023, Kim Hyung-min)

Main leads: Chae Jong-hyeop, Seo Eun-soo, Park Sung-woong

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 7, 2022 to Jan 12, 2023 (ENA, Wednesday and Thursday @21:00 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 60 min

Thoughts: Oh wow, this is more enjoyable than I imagined. Chase Jong-hyeop as Park In-seong is so fun. He is adorable, down to earth but capable. Jun Se-yeon (Seo Eun-soo) was amazing and I loved her complexities as a character. And the trio of Kim Seon-joo (Park Sung-woong), Park In-seong, and Jun Se-yeon, was so fun and I loved the little family they formed. I literally cried so much during this show for no reason. Like the zoom into the phone literally made me sob each time for no reason. Rating: Who knew electronics can have that much range?

Night Has Come (2023, Kang Min-Ji)

Main leads: Lee Jae-In, Kim Woo-Seok, Choi Ye-Bin, Cha Woo-Min, Ahn Ji-Ho, Jung So-Ri

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 4,, 2023 ( U+mobiletv)

Episodes: 12, 35 to 40 min

Thoughts: This started off really good. A class gets thrust into a mafia game to the death. You along with the characters are wondering who is the mafia among the students and who is forcing this game. It is really interesting, but the episodes follow the same pattern. The end you find everything out, and it's kind of stupied. They had a classmate who committed sucide due to a badly edited image of herself on a skimply clad woman’s body. Which is yeah bad. Then her parents take revenge on the whole class. They are placed in this mafia simulator to repeat the game over and over again. It ends with Lee Yoon-seo able to remember everything, but still trapped in the simulator. Like where their parents are. People must be concerned right. Rating: Sisphyus boulder, I guess…

The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract (2023-2024, Go Nam-jeong)

Main leads: Lee Se-young, Bae In-hyuk, Joo Hyun-young, Yoo Seon-ho, Jo Bok-rae

Country: S. Korea

Run: Nov 24, 2023 to Jan 6, 2024 (MBC TV Friday and Saturday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 70 min

Thoughts: This was a cute drama. It starts off with a cute romance between a progressive woman in Joseon and a sick scholar. However, it quickly becomes a tragedy and she is sent to the year 2023 with her hand maid Sa-wol (Joo Hyun-young). It quickly becomes a fish out of water for Park Yeon-woo (Lee Se-young), but luckly she meets the recacrante of her late husband Kang Tae-ha (Bae In-hyuk) and they make a deal. It is a cute drama and I loved the cast of characters. Yeon-woo is easy to root for. Sa-wol is adorable, and adapts quickly. Kang Tae-ha is prickly but has a heart of gold. It's dramatic and fun. It's nothing special, but oh is it so good. My favorite part is Yeon-woo and Sa-wol’s relationship. Literally there is a scene with those two that reflects a romantic scene in Perfect Marriage Revenage (2023) which I can’t stop thinking about. Overall I just really enjoyed my time. Rating: butterflies everytime I think about you…

Joseon Attorney: A Morality (2023,Choi Jin-young)

Main leads: Woo Do-hwan, Bona, Cha Hak-yeon

Country: S. Korea

Run: March 31 to May 5, 2023 (MBC TV Friday and Saturday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts:  This was a lot like Taxi Driver. In the way you have an episodic feel with a charismatic male lead seeking revenge and helping people. I had a lot of fun with this show, and I don’t use the comparison lightly either. I really had fun with it. The romance was okay, but I liked the different stories, and the main revenge plot was easy to follow along with. Woo Do-hwan is a great actor and meant to be a leading man. It's definitely  not my favorite and there are a few things that needed changing but it was fun overall! Rating: Who do you call?... Joseon Attorney!!!

KBS Drama Special 14 (2023, Choi Ja-won, Yun Tae-woo, Cho Il-yeon, Choi Yi-kyung, Wi Jae-hwa, Kwon Oh-joo,Park Eun-seo, Jo Soo-yeong, Kim Ik-hyun)

Main leads: Lee Jae-won, Choi Seong-won, and Kim Kang-hyeon,  Kim Won-hae, Min Ji-ah, Ahn Se-bin and Park Ji-ah, Lee Min-jae, Kim Hyun-soo, and Kang Na-eon,  Moon Woo-jin, Park Seo-kyung, Park Ha-sun, Kim Joo-heon, Kim Do-hoon, Chae Won-bin, Kim Dong-hwi, Jo A-ram, Shim Yi-young, Joo Seok-tae,  Ren, Park Sang-nam, Hong Seung-hee, Hahm Eun-jung,  Kim Kang-min, Yoon San-ha, Baek Sung-hyun

Country: S. Korea

Run: OCT 14 to Dec 16, 2023 (KBS, Saturday 21:50 to 22:50 (KST))

Episodes: 10, 60 to 80 min

Thoughts: This is a yearly anthogolgy series that follows various characters in various time periods with various goals. I thought a lot of them were really cool and interesting. “Love Attack” was by far one of my favorites, but I also really liked “The True Love of Madam” which was shocking for me.  It was also hard to find any subs for “Overlap, Knife, Knife” so I had to rely on visual cues and the small amount of Korean I know. But I thought this was a fun anthrologie series, and the stories are fun and fresh. Rating: I love getting short and quick stories like this, its the reason I love short films so much.

A Good Day to Be a Dog (2023-2024, Baek In-ah)

Main leads: Park Gyu-young, Cha Eun-woo, Lee Hyun-woo

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 11, 2023 to Jan 10, 2024 (MBC, Wednesday 21:00 (KST))

Episodes: 14, 70 min

Thoughts: Apparently it is very different from the webtoon ( which I have never read), but I found it entertaining. It is cute and lighthearted. I always like when its past lives, I think it adds a fun element to romances. Though I do think the schedule of the show hindered my enjoyment, because it would be so long between episodes. They also lost me at the end, I can not lie. Rating/Spoiler: Also I would be so angery if I found out my family curse passed down for generations was over a misunderstanding. I would want an apology, reparations, and revenge. On another note, I would also be so pissed if I killed myself to save my servant's baby; then my boyfriend finished off the dying father, then cursed the child and its offspring. I would be pissed, like my scarfice was for not. Go off mountain spirit I guess…

My 20th Twenty (2023, N/A)

Main leads: Choi Yu Ju , Jung Su Bin

Country: S. Korea

Run: April 21 to may 27, 2023 (Wavve, Friday and Saturday)

Episodes: 12, 15 min

Thoughts: This show was good for what it was. It has the vibe of a college student film with a mix of those youtube series made by middle schoolers back in 2009. And I mean that with the highest praise. The sound mixing was off, they had limited cast (background actors is what you are looking for), no interesting lighting (but very well light- i.e the student film vibes), and the actors new to the scene. I loved every motherfucking moment. It was so cheesy, the script was bad, and nothing made sense. But I knew that it was made with passion. Rating: It would be horrifying being 20 forever

Taxi Driver Season 2 (2023, Oh Sang-ho)

Main leads: Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, Bae Yoo-ram, Shin Jae-ha

Country: S. Korea

Run: Feb 17 to April 15, 2023 (SBS, TV Friday and Saturday @22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: Back in action the second season is so much fun and entertaining. I actually like it better than the first. And I said this once and I’ll say it again Lee Je-hoon is made to be an action star. He’s as great as Kim Do-gi. I also liked that Ahn Go-eun (Pyo Ye-jin)  had a larger role this season. I also just love the friendship in the Rainbow Taxi service. Just so fun. Rating: imagine being taken down by a taxi service…

Taxi Driver Special (2023, SBS)

Main leads:  Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, Bae Yoo-ram, Shin Jae-ha

Country: S. Korea

Run: Feb 16 to March 4, 2023 ( KBS)

Episodes: 2, 60 -120 min

Thoughts: This was fun seeing the cast reflect on the episodes and their characters. Its also cool just seeing a reply of everything that happened. You could tell how much Lee Je-hoon loves playing Kim Do-gi. Rating: I am excited for the 3rd season…

Brain Works (2023, Park Kyung-seon)

Main leads: Jung Yong-hwa, Cha Tae-hyun, Kwak Sun-young, Ye Ji-won

Country: S. Korea

Run: Jan 2 to Fe 28, 2023 (KBS2 Monday and Tuesday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 75 min

Thoughts:This show is weird. I think most cop shows are weird but this one especially. I did like the bromance in this, between Shin Ha-ru (Jung Yong-hwa) and Geum Myung-se (Ch Tae-hyun). I did think neuroscience was weird and defies logic. The only good thing about it was when they didn’t completely vilify Pyschopaths, because it tends to be more complicated than the mainstream likes to show. It still left a lot to be desired but it was there. Also when he lowkey kidnapped and torture that kid, oh my god, like he was a little punk and deserved to go to trail but my god. Rating: This is lowkey giving Minority Report tbh…

My Cuteness is about to expire!? (2022,  Tanabe Shigenori)

Main leads: Yamada Ryosuke, Yoshine Kyoko 

Country: Japan 

Run: April 16 to June 11, 2022 (TV Asahi, Saturday 23:30)

Episodes: 9, 23 to 47 min

Thoughts: Maruya is your typical male narcissist who works in sales. He uses his cuteness to stake by in life, to make up for his average skills. One day he is visited by his future self, whom he deems ugly, tells him that his cuteness is going to expire. He decides, after relizing his crush, the only way to prevent this is to date Sanada, a robotic newbie to the sales team. It is cute and Maruya and Sanada are fun as a couple, plus if you have the time you could watch this in a day. Rating: I’m Ichinose calling every single person every 10 seconds sobbing…

My Dearest Pt 1 (2023, Hwang Jin-young)

Main leads: Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Hak-joo, Lee Da-in, Kim Yoon-woo, Lee Chung-ah

Country: S. Korea

Run: August 4 to Sept 2, 2023 (MBC TV, Friday and Saturday 21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 10, 60 to 90 min

Thoughts:  I was not expecting to like this more than I did. The angst in every episode is so insane. Episode 10 was actually unbearable. I also want to take a moment and appreciate Yoo Gil-chae (Ahn Eun-jin), she is such a complicated  character. She would do anything for her friends, she is willing to do the things that no other women (noble) are willing to do even during times of war. She will stab the man assualting her friend and cover it up. She would cut the amicable cord, she would stab the mother’s hand. She isn’t pure of heart, she neveer claimed to be. I love her so much. And her relationship with Lee Jang-hyun. The ending of episode 10. I was sobbing. Rating: I am trying to hype myself up to watch the next 11 episodes, people had to wait inbetween…

The Escape of the Seven (2023, Kim Soon-ok)

Main leads: Um Ki-joon, Hwang Jung-eum, Lee Joon, Lee Yu-bi, Shin Eun-kyung, Yoon Jong-hoon, Jo Yoon-hee, Jo Jae-yoon

Country: S. Korea

Run: Sept 15 to Nov 17, 2023 (SBS TV Friday and Saturday 22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 17, 70 to 80 min

Thoughts: This was an insane ride. Literally no one in this likeable except for a few, like I didn’t think Min Do-hyuk (Lee Joon) was as bad as the others but oh lordy. It is so melodramatic, which took me off graud for some reason. Going into it I thought it was going to be a serious thriller, but oh boy was I wrong. It was Makjang. Which is fine, and also coming back in style apparently. I’m sat for season 2, but not with much hope. Rating: I actually don’t know the timeline of any of these events, does it expand years months, idk…

My Demon (2023-2024, Choi Ah-il)

Main leads: Kim Yoo-jung, Song Kang, Lee Sang-yi, Kim Hae-sook

Country: S. Korea

Run: Nov 24, 2023 to Jan 20, 2024 (SBS TV,  Friday and Saturday @22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: I was excited for this drama. I really liked Doom at Your Service which promised to have a similar vibe. Which it did to an extent. I actually hate Song Kang in romances and only really like him in nonromance shows. However I think he did really well as Jeong Gu-won. I liked the overall Romance in the show. But I did think the revenge plot got uninteresting and confusing after a while. I do like the ending, I was pretty satisfied with where everyone ended up, which has been a long time since I’ve been this satisfied. 

Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023-2024, Kwon Hye-joo)

Main leads: Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hye-sun

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 2, 2023 ti Jan 21, 2024 (JTBC, Saturday and Sunday 22:30 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: This was cute and was far above my expectations. I am always uneasy with Ji Chang Wook, I can’t forgive him for the Melting My Heart drama a few years back, but I would do anything for Shin Hye-sun. So I gave this drama a go, and I liked it. I loved the vibes, and I didn’t mind that revenge wasn’t the main plot. It's like the one line “my enemies will take themselves out before you get a chance to swing.” It was heartwarming and I’m glad that Cho Sam-dal was able to find peace in her hometown. I loved the feel of community. I loved all the Friendships. It was very lovely. And I’m happy at the ending. I will also give my entire heart to Cho Hae-dal and Cha Ha-yul. I loved their mother-daughter relationship. I wanted more screen time for both. Rating: I’m glad there is a little piece of heaven…

 Game of Witches ( 2022-2023, Lee Do-Hyun)

Main leads: Jang Seo-Hee, Kim Kyu-Seon, Lee Hyun-Seok, Oh Chang-Suk. Han Ji-Wan, Ban Hyo-Jung

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 11, 2022 to April 14, 2023 (MBC, Monday to Friday 19:15 (KST))

Episodes: 119, 25 to 28 min

Thoughts: *Major Spoilers+ Rant ahead.* This show makes me unneccsarly angery. It is a daily drama and a Makjang to boot, so literally put any and all expectations in the gutter. Everything is nonsensical, and drawn out to reach the 119 mark. Storylines get dropped or move way too fast. It has a strange family tree and for a moment every single person was supposbly related. They have so much evidence agsaint the scheming Kang Ji-ho (Oh Chang-suk) and Joo Se-young (Han Ji-wan) but it goes nowhere. Speaking of Kang Ji-ho, he was just straight up dispicable. I would say more than Se-ypung of Ma Hyun-Deok (Ban Hyo-Jung). He was a terrible partner and father from the start. He literally tossed his entire family out the door for Se-young and eventual power. He only paid attention to his daughter Kang Han-Byeol (Kwon Dan-A) when she was able to benefit him. He was at best neglectful and at worst abusive towards her. Han-byeol was the true victim. Hye-soo (Kim Kyu-Seon) actually had a motive in the beginning. She was just pathetic and weak but once she returned they weirdly sidelined her. Also I don’t know why Kang Ji-ho never got prosecuted for trying to kill Hye-soo. Like I find that to be one of his more egregious crimes. Like that is the mother of your child. You gave your child so much trauma, for what? Power? Like when they tried to redeem him at the end I was just fed up. You can’t make hime out to be the big bad guy for 118 episodes, and then have him do one good thing. He is a bad father, and when Han Byeol grows up she will resent him. Rating: Fuck this show, like actually.

 My Dearest Part 2(2023, Hwang Jin-young)

Main leads: Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Hak-joo, Lee Da-in, Kim Yoon-woo, Lee Chung-ah

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 13 to Nov 18, 2023 (MBC TV, Friday and Saturday 21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 11, 60 to 90 min

Thoughts: More devastating than the first part. Gil-chae is probably my favorite character I have watched. Her journey in this part is absolutely devastating but she survives. I enjoyed the refutement from blame, that people who experienced the worst horrors known are somehow blamed. Gil Chae pushes back on this sentiment herself. This entire time I just wanted Jang-hyun and Gil Chea together. Which took the entire part for them to finally be happy. I do think the ending was kind of wobbly, and they only really needed 10  episodes not the 11. But who am I to say? Anyways I enjoyed the show overall. Rating: My Dear Husband… 

Kokdu: Season of Diety (2023, Kang Yi-heon, Heo Jun-woo)

Main leads: Kim Jung-hyun, Im Soo-hyang, Kim Da-som, Ahn Woo-yeon, Kim In-kwon, Cha Chung-hwa

Country: S. Korea

Run: Jan 27 to March 24, 2023 (MBC TV Fridays and Saturdays @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: You must be wondering why did you watch this? It only has bad reviews- which is a lie, it is actually a polarizing show. And I can understand. If you go into this show with the lowest expectations imaginable and it might be fun. The scenery is pretty and they make decent use of it. Main Romance is actually not good, I felt no chemistry between Kim Jung-Hyun and Im Soo-hyang. I did like the romance between Tae Jeong-won (Kim Da-som) and Han Cheol (Ahn Woo-yeon) other than that The show overall fell flat. I did like the scenery and the setting. I thought it was fun. Also episode 16 was the most enjoyable episode, which is good for an ending. Rating: I would skip…

I am currently watching:

Marry My Husband

Doctor Slump

Because of Love

Do You Like Brahms?

The Real Has Come!

If you have any kdrama recommendations, please let me know!

[fukublrblog]

Jealousy Incarnate: Hidden Masterpiece

Written by Seo Sook-hyang

Release Date: August 24 - November 10, 2016

★★★★★

"Jealousy Incarnate" is one of the best Korean romantic comedy dramas I have ever seen. It is about a love triangle between a woman and two attractive men. The heroine, a weather reporter who wants to be a news anchor, is indeed in an enviable situation. She ends up being loved by two different types of handsome men at the same time: one is Hwa Shin, her former crush but who rejects her at first, and the other is Jung-won, a perfect guy, almost like a prince. She cannot decide which one she wants as her partner. The plot may sound cliché, but the drama is really good.

What makes this drama stand out is the character of Hwa Shin. He acts like a jerk most of the time. His personality seems so bad, but he is actually so sweet that the heroine, and probably most of the female viewers as well (myself included), cannot help but be attracted to him. I am not sure if I have become a fan of Jo Jung-suk, as the actor who plays Hwa Shin, or if I am just smitten with Hwa Shin as a fictional character. Maybe it is the latter, because the drama successfully portrays what is often said: women are drawn to someone with a dark side rather than a prince-like guy.

Anyway, the drama would not be successful without Gong Hyo-jin’s fantastic performance as the heroine. Kudos to her.

[movienized-com]

My Demon

My Demon (Serie 2023) #KimYoojung #SongKang #LeeSangyi #KimHaesook #SeoJungyeon #KimTaehoon Mehr auf:

Serie / 與惡魔有約Jahr: 2023- (November) Genre: Comedy / Fantasy / Romantik Hauptrollen: Kim Yoo-jung, Song Kang, Lee Sang-yi, Kim Hae-sook, Seo Jung-yeon, Kim Tae-hoon, Lee Yun-ji, Jo Hye-joo, Heo Jung-do, Hong Jin-Gi, Kang Sung Ho … Serienbeschreibung: Do Do Hee (Kim You-Jung), die Erbin eines mächtigen Megakonzerns, ist für viele Menschen in ihrem Umfeld eine Widersacherin. Sie ist ambitioniert,…

[stuff-diary]

Alienoid: Return to the Future

Movies watched in 2024

Alienoid: Return to the Future (2024, South Korea)

Director & Writer: Choi Dong Hoon

Mini-review:

I'm gonna be honest: I barely remembered anything about the first part, except that it was a pretty fun piece of popcorn entertainment. Now, after a quick recap, I can say this sequel lives up to the first one in that sense. The plot gets more convoluted and some of the twists left me flabbergasted, but the outstanding cast makes it work. As with the first one, my favorite part was the mixture of sci-fi and fantasy elements with the period setting, although the parts set in the present are very entertaining as well. Also, while the CGI leaves a lot to be desired, the sets and costumes are all stunning. Anyway, Alienoid: Return to the Future might not be a landmark in sci-fi cinema nor Choi Dong Hoon's best movie, but it's engaging and fun enough.

[korelist]

DON’T DARE TO DREAM // KDRAMA DİZİ YORUMU

UYARI : Yazılar genel olarak spoiler içerebilir. İçermeyedebilir.

İmdb puanı: 7,8 Benim Puanım: 8

Drama: Jealousy Incarnate (literal title)

Hangul: 질투의 화신

Director: Park Shin-Woo

Writer: Seo Sook-Hyang

Date: 2016

Language: Korean

Country: South Korea

Cast: Kong Hyo-Jin, Cho Jung-Seok, Ko Kyoung-Pyo, Kim Jung-Hyun, Mun Ka-Young, Lee Sung-Jae

2016 SBS Drama Awards - December 31, 2016

Best Actor (romantic comedy) (Cho Jung-Seok)

Best Actress (romantic comedy) (Kong Hyo-Jin)

Special Actress (romantic comedy) (Seo Ji-Hye)

Ten Star Award (Cho Jung-Seok)

New Star Award (Ko Gyung-Pyo)

Geç olsun güç olmasın demişler. Bu diziyi neden bu kadar bekletmişim hiç bilmiyorum. Kore dizilerinin altın çağı olan 2016 yılının şanına yaraşır bir iş çıkmış ortaya. Ayrıca farklı meslek dallarını izlemek bana her zaman keyif veriyor.  Pyo Na-Ri (Kong Hyo-Jin), hava durumu spikeridir. Haberlerden sonra kısacık bir süre ekranda kalan, haberlerin devamı olan ama haber olarak görülmeyen bir iş yapmaktadır. Reytinglerini arttırmak için poposunu çıkartıp göğüslerini büyütmesi istenen bu hanım kızımız başlarda son derece ezik olarak karşımıza çıkıyor. Diğer yandan kardeşi iyi bir üniversiteye girsin diye dişini tırnağına takan çok güçlü bir kadındır. Parantez açıyorum, kardeşi Pyo Chi-Yeol rolünde Kim Jung-Hyun oynuyor. Mr. Queen dizisinin King’i, Crash landing ‘in karizmatik oyuncusu burada liseli bir ergeni canlandırıyor. Bir süre sonra eski dizileri izlerken en keyif aldığım şey tanıdığımız oyunculara denk gelmek, farklı rollerde onları yeni bir gözle izlemek. Neyse dönelim konuya, Na-Ri aynı şirkette çalıştığı Lee Hwa-Shin(Cho Jung-Seok)’a 3 yıldır platonik olarak aşıktır. Hwa-Shin ise prime time haber spikeridir. İş için gittiği yurt dışından dönüş yapınca yeniden bir arada çalışmak durumunda kalırlar. Na-Ri ise iş yerindeki bütün angarya işleri yapmaktadır. Yine üzerine vazife olmayan bir İş için uçakla bir yere gitmesi gerektiği bir gün yanına tesadüfen denk gelen tanımadığı yolcu; Ko Jung-Won(Ko Kyoung-Pyo)’dan çok etkilenir. Daha sonrasında ise Jung-Won ile Hwa-Shin’in çok yakın arkadaş olduklarını öğrenir.

Aslında Na-Ri araya giren zaman sonrasında Hwa-Shin’i atlatmıştır. Hatta nihayet yeni bir gönül ilişkisine bile hazırdır. Jung-Won ise bunun için şahane bir adaydır. Birkaç kere Hwa-Shin’in Na-Ri’den hoşlanıp hoşlanmadığını teyit eden Jun-Won’da Na-Ri’den hoşlandığını itiraf eder. İşler bu raddeye gelince Hwa-Shin, üç yıldır köpek gibi davrandığı Na-Ri’i paylaşmak istemediğini fark eder. Hwa-Shin’in hayatındaki en önemli şey haberlerdir. Bu uğurda ailesine bile ihanet etmiştir. Burnu havada, kibirli, kendini beğenmiş bir karakterdir. Annesi, yeğeni onunla konuşmamaktadır. Burada yine bir parantez aç, Hwa-Shin’in yeğeni Lee Bbal-Gang rolünde Mun Ka-Young oynuyor. Kendisini; Find Me in Your Memory, True Beauty, Link: Eat, Love, Kill gibi dizilerden tanıyoruz. O da Kim Jung-Hyun gibi liseli bir ergen rolünde.

İkinci adam, kıskançlık, aşk üçgenleri yani sevmediğimiz ne varsa bu dizinin konusunu oluşturuyor. Buna rağmen öyle mükemmel işlenmiş ki, asla rahatsız etmemesinin yanı sıra bir süredir kaliteli oyunculuk izlemediğimi fark etmeme neden oldu. Genel olarak her dizide bir kişi şahane iş çıkartırken, başka bir oyuncu diziyi aşağı çekmeyi başarıyordu. Bu dizide herkes o kadar profesyonel ve doğaldı ki, sanki inanılmaz lezzetli bir yemek yiyip tatmin olmuş bir şekilde masadan kalkmışım gibi hissettim.

Doğrusunu isterseniz baş rol kadın oyuncu Kong Hyo-Jin güzel değil. Ama ne var ki ekranda devleşiyor. Rolünü öyle güzel yansıtıyor ki, ağlarken ki o dürüstlüğü, güzel görünmeye çalışmaması, güldüğündeki içtenliği ile olduğu yere çok yakıştırıyorum. O yüzden çirkin şansı diyemeyeceğim, başarısının ekmeğini şimdiye kadarki partnerleri ile yiyor olabilir. Hanım kızımızın birlikte rol aldığı aktörlerden bazıları; Kim Soo Hyun, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun Kyun, Cha Seung Won, So Ji Sub, Jo In Sung ve Jang Hyuk. Yeni nesil genç kadın oyuncularda hep bir poz verme merakı, güzel görünme çabası oluyor. Hyo-Jin ise hiçbir duygu değişiminde çekici görünmeye çalışmadı. Gönül rahatlığı ile güzel bir iş çıkmasının en büyük nedeninin “Kong Hyo-Jin” olduğunu söyleyebilirim.

Dizinin bir diğer gündemi de meme kanseriydi. Meme kanserine dikkat çekmek ve bilinçlendirmek amacı ile arka planda bu konu sürekli vardı. Bunu bile doğal olmayan bir hikayeyle o kadar doğal anlattılar ki.. üff! Erkeklerin meme kanserine yakalanması üzerinden işlenen konu oldukça ilgi çekiciydi. Bunu senaristin cesur bir hamlesi olarak görüyorum. Cesaret demişken, dizide oldukça cesur çok sahne vardı. 2016 olmasına rağmen öpüşünce şeytan çarpmış gibi kalmıyorlardı.

Normalde kadınları anlamak zordur derler. Kore dizilerin de erkekleri anlamak daha zor. Kaçan kovalanır sözünün tam anlamı ile suyunu çıkartıyorlar. Kadın seviyor adam bakmıyor, adam sevmeye başlıyor kadın vazgeçiyor, kadının tekrar aklı kayıyor, adam soğuyor. Şeytan diyor al eline bir cetvel geçir sıra dayağından. Zaten ikinci adam hangisi karar veremiyorsunuz. Dizide iki tane başrol erkek vardı. Ko Jung-Won karakteri Hwa Shin in tam tersi tek kelime ile mükemmel erkek modeliydi. Anlayışlı, sevecen, destekleyici, zevkli, kibar, bla bla bla… kısaca bütün dizilerde izlediğimiz mükemmel erkek tanımlarının tek bir karakterde toplanması gibiydi. Yani aslında ikinci erkek olamayacak kadar iyiydi. Tek eksik yanı coşkusu yoktu. Kim Hwa Shin’in ise tek sahip olduğu şey coşkusuydu. Kaba, sevimsiz, yargılayıcı, anlaşılmaz, kibirli, tembel bir adamdı.

Birbirlerine kan bağı olmayan insanların aile gibi yaşadığı kısımlar kafamı çok karıştırdı. Kim kimdir, kim kimin neyi diye anlamak uzun sürdü. Yine de eğlenceli bir grup olmuşlardı. Liseli ergenlerin kaldığı apartman ve apartmanın altındaki ‘veli’ sayılabilecek karakterin kafesi son derece renkliydi. Hiçbir karakterin yerine o yerine bu oynasaydı diyemiyorum. Dizi bütün klişeler üzerine kurulup, klişelerden uzak bir yorumla yazılmıştı. Kötü karakter yoktu. Sevmeyeceğiniz insanlar belki olabilir ama hiç kimse kötü değildi. İhanet yoktu. İki adam yakın arkadaş olmaları nedeniyle dudak uçuklatan ihanetler izleyeceğimizi düşünmüştüm.  Onun yerine dizide herkes kartlarını açık oynadı. Kimse arkadan iş çevirmedi. Felaketler yaşanmadı. Aynı kadına aşık olmuş iki yakın arkadaşın adil dövüşüydü. Erkeklerden biri mükemmel eş diğeri arızalarına rağmen doğru insan gibiydi.

Kısacası çerezlik bir dizi değildi. Yan karakterlerin hikayelerinin altları dolu, kaliteli bir yapımdı. Bölüm sayısı evet bir tık uzundu. Bu konuda bende kararsızım, sanki daha az olsa tadı damağımızda kalırmış gibi de geldi. Ve inanmazsınız sonu vardı. En iyi sonlara sahip diziler arasına girebilir. Diğer yandan dizinin özellikle hitap ettiği bir kesim olduğunu düşünüyorum, çünkü; 25 yaş üstü izleyicilerin daha çok keyif alacağı aşikar. İki erkeğin dostluğuna da ayrıca dikkat çekeyim. İkisi de duygularını saklamak istemiyordu ama her attıkları adımdan sonra dönüp “hala dostuz değil mi?” diye birbirlerine bakıyorlardı. Belki çok ön plana çıkmadı, gizli özne olarak kaldı ama ben ikisinin arkadaşlığına tek kelime ile bayıldım. İkisi de hayatları boyunca kendileri için bir şey yapamamış, ikisinin de birbirlerinden başka kimsesi yokken, ikisi de bir diğerini kendi önüne koyuyordu. Öte yandan ikisi de bu sefer kendim için bir adım atmalıyım ikilemi yaşıyordu. Şahaneydiler.

Kesinlikle tavsiye edeceğim bir diziydi.

OST:

Suran - Step Step

Raven Melus

BAŞKA NELER VAR ?

FOTOĞRAFLAR

[kyle-reviews]

Parasite Review

After months of anticipation and dodging spoilers online, I finally got to see Parasite, a movie that took not just the Oscars but the whole world by storm. From the very first scene, I knew I was diving into something more than a simple film. Parasite is not just a narrative; it's a social dissection. It places you right in the heart of the lives of two starkly different families and the intricate dynamics between them. As the story plays out, you're left contemplating the underlying themes: social disparity, class struggle, and the disturbing reality of a world divided. The beauty of Parasite lies in its ambiguity, allowing each viewer to derive their unique interpretations and conclusions about its socio-political commentary.

The film opens with the Kim family, living in a semi-basement, scavenging for Wi-Fi, and folding pizza boxes for a meagre living. This introduction captures their humour, resilience, and the everyday struggles of life in the lower classes of society. Then enters the wealthy Park family, living in an architecturally magnificent house, fully immune to the struggles the Kims grapple with daily. The clever, almost parasitic, maneuvering of the Kims to integrate into the Park household provides comic relief and heightens the drama. This dynamic contrast between the two families lays the groundwork for an unpredictable series of events that exposes the stark class divide; something we should probably pay more attention to. The characters in this movie are a masterclass in depth and complexity. Every character, regardless of screen time, is thoughtfully crafted and they all symbolize different aspects of society. Ki-woo, played by the exceptional Choi Woo-shik, personifies the ambitious youth trapped in societal constraints, while the mother, Chung-sook, portrayed by the outstanding Jang Hye-jin, embodies resilience. However, it is Song Kang-ho, who steals the show as Ki-taek, the father figure whose tough exterior masks a man grappling with his reality.

The Park family's portrayal is equally nuanced. Yeon-kyo, played by Jo Yeo-jeong, is not a mere caricature of the clueless wealthy housewife, but a woman navigating her privileged world with her insecurities. The enigmatic housekeeper Moon-gwang, portrayed by Lee Jung-eun, delivers a haunting performance, adding another layer of complexity to the narrative. Parasite takes a sharp turn midway, delivering a gut-punch that shakes you to your core. The movie's climax, set against a picturesque backdrop, descends into an unforgettable sequence of events. A beautifully orchestrated chaos that keeps you guessing, questioning the unfolding reality. The build-up to this climax, with the film's remarkable use of visual metaphors and sound, completely engulfs you in its atmospheric storytelling and the intricate emotional landscapes of its characters.

One of the things that made this movie so captivating for me was, even though the storyline is quite ominous, gloomy, and somewhat dark, I was completely drawn in from the beginning to the end. No other movie has ever given me such a rush of adrenaline. I believe that Bong Joon-ho achieved this by beautifully executing his filmmaking technique. As Bong wrote the script, he made mock-ups of the houses. After paying close attention, I noticed that there were front-facing windows in each house that mirrored the windows in the neighboring house. The poor family's window is small, and they can see a drunken man urinating. An expansive window was built for the rich family which faces a lovely garden. The poor family also lives underground while the rich family lives on a high hill. Bong used High and Low shots to engage the Kim family. We look up at the son as the tutor, and the perspective flips. It was Kyung-pyo's lighting, as well as Bong's framing and shooting style, that helped convey the tone of the film very effectively for me. A lack of sunshine intensified the contrast between the rich and poor which Kyung pyo played with as a way to draw attention to the differences between the rich and the poor. Most of the interior of the rich family's mansion is bathed in warm, natural light throughout the day. Only a small window lets sunlight into the poor family's basement.

One other thing that truly stayed with me long after Parasite ended was how it presented social disparity in an ingenious and haunting style. The film is brilliant in the way it holds up a mirror to society, forcing us to confront uncomfortable realities that we often ignore. Even though I believe movies that deal with such issues of classism and social injustice often don't convey a larger message for a better world, Parasite still stands out for its frank and accurate portrayal of the human condition.

Like an intricate piece of art, Parasite demands reflection and introspection. Its genius lies in its moral ambivalence, refraining from spoon-feeding answers, thereby compelling its viewers to question, analyze, and understand the complex layers of societal structures. Much like life, there isn't an absolute right or wrong, good or evil in Parasite; it’s a compelling reflection of the shades of grey we live in. Director Bong Joon-ho masterfully raises difficult questions about class division, survival, and the human condition but leaves the interpretations to the viewer.

Only and only because of my love for feel-good movies, I give this movie a score of 9.5/10 :)

[k-star-holic]

Jin-kyeong Hong, how much money do you have..."Buy two white horses, your daughter Sean Gelael gets on" Rumor Disclosure ('hong kim-dongjeon')

[enterenews]

Lee Yu-jin found out about Wang Bit-na's departure

Lee Yu-jin found out that Wang Bit-na was about to leave.

Episode 35 of KBS2TV's new weekend drama 'Three Siblings Bravely' (script Kim In-young, director Park Man-young), aired on the 22nd, unfolded the story of a K-eldest daughter who had to mature and yield for her family and a K-eldest son who had to support his family as a top star. lost.

Producer Park Man-young, who directed “The Man in the Vineyard,” “Marry Me,” and “Sweet Secret,” and writer Kim In-young, who wrote “Unkind Women,” “The Equator Man,” and “Woman in the Sun,” collaborated. Including Lee Ha-na and Lim Joo-hwan, Jung Jae-soon, Lee Kyung-jin, Song Seung-hwan, Jang Mi-hee, Kim Seung-soo, Wang Bit-na, Lee Tae-sung, Kim So-eun, Lim Ye-won, and Lee Yu-jin, among other talented actors, completed a fantastic lineup.

Kim Tae-joo (Lee Ha-na) is having a difficult life as a doctor. Yoo Jung-sook (Lee Kyung-jin) always ordered Kim Tae-joo to yield to her younger sister, Kim So-rim (Kim So-eun). Kim Tae-joo was the 'eldest daughter of K in tears' who had to yield everything to her younger siblings since she was a child. In the past, Yoo Jung-sook remarried Kim Ha-bok (Song Seung-hwan), taking her daughter, Kim Tae-joo. Afterwards, her younger siblings were born, and Yoo Jung-suk asked Kim Tae-joo, “You must yield to her younger siblings unconditionally.”

However, Kim So-rim felt the same way. In the past, Kim So-rim had a scandal with her older sisters Kim Tae-joo and Lee Sang-joon (Im Ju-hwan), and she got into a physical fight with Lee Sang-joon's younger sister Lee Sang-min (Moon Ye-won) at school, resulting in her being suspended and she failing the college entrance exam. As her relationship with Lee Sang-jun turned into a bad relationship, Kim Tae-joo only had bad memories of him, but in the end, Kim Tae-joo confessed her feelings to Lee Sang-jun, and the two registered their marriage before they even got married.

Jang Yeong-sik (Min Seong-wook) said that he raised Jang Ji-woo, Lee Sang-joon's out-of-wedlock son, as his own child. Even Lee Jang-mi (Ahn Ji-hye), the biological mother of Jang Ji-woo (Jung Woo-jin), appeared in front of Lee Sang-joon and Kim Tae-joo. Kim So-rim's ex-boyfriend Jo Nam-soo (Yang Dae-hyuk) plotted her evil deeds after finding out that Shin Moo-young (Kim Seung-soo) and Kim So-rim liked each other. Kim So-rim cleared her name thanks to Shin Moo-young, but she said goodbye when she learned that Shin Moo-young was the CEO of her company. Jang Hyeon-jeong (Wang Bit-na), who had a one-night stand with Kim Gun-woo (Lee Yu-jin), became pregnant with Kim Kun-woo's child.

Lee Jang-mi came to Kim Tae-joo's house and claimed that she had given birth to Lee Sang-jun's son. However, in the process, the two got into a physical fight, and Kim Tae-joo bumped her head, causing her to lose her recent memory. Besides, she couldn't remember her marriage to Lee Sang-jun, whom she liked so much.