#chef Jung Ji Sun
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We found the local counterpart of Chef Ji-Sun’s Mala Cream Shrimp Dim Sum!!! Stall 11 at The Grid guys. It’s off the menu so you have to request from them directly.
#mala cream#shrimp#dimsum#culinary wars#chef Jung Ji Sun#food photography#the grid#makati#philippines
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Lee Yeon-bok's brother' Lee Yeon-hee, Wang Byung-ho's monthly sales 3000 ⁇ surprise "I can not do that"
#Boss in the Mirror#Lee Yeon-hee#Ji-Sun Jung#Lee Yeon-bok#Menu#Chef#Initiation#Thailand#The Speech#Sung Eun#Kim Sung-kyun
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sanjis metaphysical death and rebirth ( and a possibility with the blackbeard pirates
twitter . com/PinkHairedCoder/status/1674417107524796417
I still don’t like this cover. People already said the 4 wasn’t a good sign because of Shi. But, 4 mi re (4 3 0) is the chapter that the Going Merry dies that makes it even more of a possible flag.
His shirt is basically 430 in Goroawase, that Japanese number wordplay Oda loves to use. Hinting a possible death flag, like the Going Merry’s words as much as I hate to say it, are something you can see Sanji saying. His animal on one CS is even a ram.
So thinking about this further, it may be a figurative death if it is a flag with Germa Sanji. While the Merry died, its spirit was said to now exist as the Sunny, the same Klabautermann. Sanji carries symbolism of both ships: Merry - Ram/Sheep, self sacrificial for friends. Sunny - Lions = Royalty, san ji = 3 2 = san ni. Going back to Stealth Black being symbolism of the alchemical process and Zoro and deathpact being the green lion...
A green lion consuming the Sun is a common alchemical image and is seen in texts such as the Rosary of the Philosophers. The symbol is a metaphor for aqua regia (the green lion) consuming matter (the Sun), gold.So in alchemy, the Green Lion represents 'vitriol,' a green sulphuric acid that destroys all matter except gold, leaving the gold behind as a form of purification. Since remember, the goal of the alchemic process is to create the philosophers stone or gold. This ability regarded it as a 'sacred royal,' substance and thus was given the image of a lion trying to eat a sun, but as you see the sun mocks the lion. As it is unable to consume the sun. Now if we take royal, strong enough to consume all matter, and green... we get Zoro. If Stealth Black is the 4 stages of alchemy, then the green lion eating the sun is the death pact and final purification fight before gold (color of kings.) Given Jung's form of the green lion symbolism it represents the violent instincts taking over the ego or ""inside a person, when the metaphor of the green lion eating the sun takes place, the person is compelled to act out destructively. In contrast, when the green lion eats the sun in a person on a higher spiritual path (an alchemist), the person allows the green lion to eat them in order to be purified—to become spiritually golden.""" Which definitely fits the deathpact. zoro may use adv coc ( royal haki ) on sanji and sanji will awaken coc
( crack theory blackbeard in real life had a french chef as part of his crew due to his liking for the meals imagine if germa sanji ends up being taken by teach and he will be zoros blackbeard opponent
““A superstar appeared”
I’m more and more convinced now that Cavendish is supposed to be the physical manifestation of everything Sanji wishes he could be (actual prince, adored by the masses, riding around on a white horse saving people), especially since he even uses phrases Sanji used years ago in this arc.”
people have often compared cavendish with sanji and I agree they are alot alike heck cavendish and bartolomeos rivalry is similar to sanji and zoros rivalry
but the fact that cavendish(who has a 2nd personality that shows up when he sleeps named hakuba )is similar to sanji reminds me of this panel
@bottlepiecemuses
or much more likely teach wants to recruit sanji)
#one piece#op theory#op theories#op theorys#one piece theory#one piece theories#one piece theorys#sanji#sanji one piece#one piece sanji#op sanji#sanji op#black leg sanji#sanji black leg#kuroashi sanji#sanji kuroashi#zoro roronoa#roronoa zoro
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. . . Long gone and alongside
♱ This warm sun through the
leaves of fall
𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱, bound by blood . . .
01. 𝗖𝗶𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗘. 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗶 (Jung So Min) NPC — Their guiding north star, her mother, who they call marmee; with whom she lives in their penthouse at Filinvest, Alabang. A chef at her restaurant near Taguig, named Tsára. Their solace and warmth.
02. 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗘. 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗶 (Yoon Jeonghan) — Indulge in that flickering fog, her brother; who lives in Quezon City, Manila. Who owns the stage with his presence and unrestrained passion.
03. 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘. 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗶 (Kim Yuu Jung) — The tune of a low tide, her sister; who resides in Cebu City. She shared her creative mind with kindred spirits who found their refuge by the sea.
04. 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗻 𝗘. 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗶 (Park Chaeyoung) — Dazzled liquor, her sister; who resides in Malate, Manila. An Architecture student at De LaSalle. She, whose delight lay in the artistry of fabrics and the charm of whimsical fancies.
05. 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘. 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗶 (Phạm Ngọc Hân) — Petals of may, her sister; who resides in Alabang, Muntinlupa. A college student who is keen curiosity and sought comfort in discovery; revels in her books and films that draw others in her orbit.
𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁��𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿, clarity within the blues
01. 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗸𝗸𝗼 𝗩. 𝗦𝘆𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗻 Close Family Friend (Lee Juyeon) — Local boy-next-door, Ekko, the Araceli's confidant and bearer of unravelled remarks. In comparison, he is the Teddy/Laurie of the Marches—in Little Women. His presence possesses a deep significance over the Araceli's, keeping him close and affiliated with their shenanigans and misfits.
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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝟲 𝗼'𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸, work and work
01. Bearer of Confidante, surprisingly, a friend outside the checkered court? — An acquaintance racer who caught her as Jinx along the aisle of a grocery store and later on became a friend off tracks as well.
02. Greatness within the four wheels, 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝘂𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗶 𝗟𝗲𝗲 — The racer she revered, known as Sibal when formalities faded with growing closeness, had pursued the wild winds of racing since youth. His unwavering passion inspired Ji to embrace the underground circuit, where she adopted the name Senna, which was selected by Sibal as he knows that Ji values her privacy best.
03. Let me stay for a while, __. — Owner of a __ shop where Senna chooses as her hideout and preparing for her race.
04 & 05. Friends off tracks — Ji's studio friends, they became friends after seeing Ji in a racing track in the outskirts of Beijing.
06. Let's not look back, Ji — A friend of Jinx doesn't know that they know her secret, became good friends after knowing that she's the daughter of Osamu Dazai, a big fan of his works.
(DM if you're interested in creating a pre-establish relationship with me!)
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hey there! love the blog <3
do you have any suggestions for female Korean FCs for a chef type of character? 25+ maybe!
Jung Ryeo-won (Wok of Love) Korean.
Jeon Do-yeon (Crash Course In Romance) Korean.
Ha Ji-won (Chocolate) Korean.
Kang So-ra (Warm and Cozy) Korean.
Park Bo-young (Oh My Ghost) Korean.
Kim Sun-a (My Name is Kim Sam Soon) Korean - is a baker.
Park Bo-young (Oh My Ghost) Korean.
Gong Hyo-jin (Pasta) Korean.
Hwang Jung-eum (Mystic Pop-up Bar) Korean.
Kim Sejeong (Business Proposal) Korean.
Gong Seung-yeon (The Master of Revenge) Korean.
Youn Yuh-jung (Youn's Stay) Korean.
Jung Yu-mi (Youn's Stay) Korean.
Lee Young-ah (Bread, Love and Dreams) Korean.
Kim Tae-ri (Little Forest) Korean.
Han Ye-seul (Birth of A Beauty) Korean.
Shin Min-a (Hometown Cha Cha Cha) Korean.
Tysmmm! Some of these are older Kdrama's but they're worth a mention. 💌
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“Culinary Class Wars” Chef Jung Ji-sun Sheds “Power Trip” Label, “My Name Should Come First”
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The reason “Culinary Class Wars” Chef Jung Ji-sun was able to succeed
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The reason “Culinary Class Wars” Chef Jung Ji-sun was able to succeed http://dlvr.it/TG8YGR
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넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 5화 8화 무료보기 OTT
넷플릭스 흑백요리사 12부작 다시보기 <<
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넷플릭스(Netflix) 예능 ‘흑백요리사: 요리 계급 전쟁’(이하 ‘흑백요리사’)이 넷플릭스 글로벌 TOP 10 TV(비영어) 부문 1위를 차지했다.
25일 넷플릭스 TOP 10 웹사이트에 따르면 ‘흑백요리사: 요리 계급 전쟁’은 지난 16일(월)부터 22일(일)까지 3,800,000시청수(시청 시간을 작품의 총 러닝 타임으로 나눈 값)를 기록해 글로벌 TOP 10 TV 비영어 부문 1위에 올랐다.넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
‘흑백요리사’는 맛 하나는 최고라고 평가받는 재야의 고수 ‘흑수저’ 셰프들이 대한민국 최고의 스타 셰프 ‘백수저’들에게 도전장을 내밀며 치열하게 맞붙는 100인의 요리 계급 전쟁이다.
백종원 더본코리아 대표와 안성재 모수 서울 셰프가 심사위원으로 출연하고, ‘백수저’로 여경래, 최현석, 에드워드 리, 정지선, 오세득 등 유명 셰프들이 출연했다. 화려한 출연진과 40명이 동시에 조리할 수 있는 약 1천평 규모의 거대한 촬영장이 눈길을 끌었다.넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
치열했던 1:1 흑백대전에서 살아남은 흑백 셰프들이 고기와 생선을 주재료로 즉석에서 100명의 미스터리 심사단을 위한 요리를 준비하는 과정은 한순간도 시선을 뗄 수 없는 몰입도를 선사했다.넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
이 프로그램은 지난 24일 굿데이터코퍼레이션이 공개한 주간 화제성 순위에서도 TV·온라인동영상서비스(OTT) 콘텐츠를 통틀어 1위에 올랐다. 인물 화제성 조사에서도 백종원 대표는 3위, 안성재 셰프는 7위, 최강록 셰프는 8위를 기록했다.넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
12부작인 ‘흑백요리사’는 지난 24일 5~7부가 공개됐다. 오는 10월 1일 8-10회가 공개된다. 이어 10월 8일 11-12회까지 매주 화요일 새로운 회차가 전 세계 시청자들을 찾는다.
Netflix entertainment show "Black and White Chef: The War of Cooking Classes" (hereinafter referred to as "Black and White Chef") topped the Netflix Global Top 10 TV (non-English).넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
According to Netflix's TOP 10 website on the 25th, "Black and White Cooks: The War of Cooking Classes" recorded 3,800,000 viewers from Monday 16th to Sunday (the value of viewing time divided by the total running time of the work) to rank No. 1 in the global TOP 10 TV non-English category.넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
"Black and White Chef" is a cooking class war of 100 people in which the chefs of Jaeya's master "Black and White" who are considered to be the best in taste, challenge Korea's best star chefs "White and White" and face off fiercely.
CEO of The Bone Korea Jongwon Baek and Seoul Chef Ahn Sung-jae appeared as judges, and famous chefs such as Yeo Kyung-rae, Choi Hyun-suk, Edward Lee, Jung Ji-sun, and Oh Se-deuk appeared as "Baeksujeo." A huge set of about 1,000 pyeong, which can be cooked by a colorful cast and 40 people at the same time, attracted attention.넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
The process of black and white chefs who survived the fierce 1:1 black-and-white war preparing dishes for 100 mystery judges on the spot with meat and fish as the main ingredients gave them a moment of immersion.넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
The program also ranked first in the weekly popularity ranking released by Good Data Corporation on the 24th in terms of TV and online video service (OTT) contents. In a survey on the popularity of characters, CEO Jongwon Baek ranked third, Chef Ahn Sung-jae ranked seventh, and Chef Choi Kang-rok ranked eighth.넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
The 12-episode "Black and White Cook" was released on the 5th to 7th on the 24th. The 8-10th episode will be released on October 1. A new episode will then visit viewers around the world every Tuesday until the 11th to 12th episodes on October 8. 넷플릭스 흑백요리사 1화 2화 3화 4화 5화 6화 7화 8화 9화 10화 11화 12화 무료보기 OTT
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1970098546825217
https://xpqpfkd2qhrl.blogspot.com/
https://xpqpfkd2qhrl.blogspot.com/2024/09/2-2024-vod.html
https://ggkreoto.tumblr.com/
https://ggkreoto.tumblr.com/post/762573914027311104/
https://groups.google.com/g/qpxpfkd2qhrl/c/DOfNcyoV3tk
https://groups.google.com/g/qpxpfkd2qhrl/c/OOSmfMSfU5c
https://jfiajdifjei.tumblr.com/
https://jfiajdifjei.tumblr.com/post/762576093085679616/
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My K-drama recommendation master list Part 2
You can find part 1 here
Look, you gave us relatively new recommendations, what about ones older than 10 years? I'll give you my top 5
Princess Hours (2006) Is a modern Cinderella story. It's 24 episodes long. Available on Viki.
Personal Taste (2010) Honestly, problematic plot if you put your mind into it, but entertaining nonetheless. It's 16 episodes long, each one lasting a little over an hour, available on Viki.
Cinderella's Sister (2010) You hate every character, but there's still something that makes you watch it. Available on Viki.
Thank You (2007) was ahead of its time, it's about a single mother with a daughter who has an HIV+ diagnosis. 16 episodes long, each one lasting a little over an hour. Available on Viki.
Stairway to Heaven (2003) for a good melodrama.
What about romantic fantasies involving fantastic beings?
Guardian: The lonely and Great God(2016) A classic of the genre. It tells the story of a God who was once a man, and is being punished by immortality, unless he meets his bride, who just so happens to be a high schooler centuries later. Available on viki. 16 episodes long with 3 specials, all lasting about 75 minutes.
Hotel Del Luna (2019) it would be unfair to talk about Goblin, without talking about this other masterpiece about a being cursed into immortality and granted special availabilities along with it, but a curse is still a curse, and she must run a hotel meant for ghosts, where after centuries of being, meets a young man who is alive. Availability on Viki, 16 episodes long and each one lastz about 75 minutes.
Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020) You get to see Lee Dong Wook as another mystical being, and Kim Bum is his half brother. 16 episodes long and one special, each one lasting about 65 minutes. Available on Viki.
My roommate is a Gumiho (2021) what's up with gumihos? It's still airing. The title is self explanatory. Available on Viki and Qiyi.
Angel's last mission: Love (2019) is a cute and sad story about an angel who is about to ascend and a ballerina who has a cynical view of the world. Available on Viki. Each episode averages 30 minutes, with 32 episodes.
Doom at your service (2021) About to finish airing. It tells the story of a dying woman who wishes doom upon the world, and the doom who answers her plea. Available on viki, 16 episodes long, each one lasting about an hour.
The Scholar Who walks the night (2015) another Lee Joon Gi entry, but I swear all of his works are great, it's a period drama that tells the story of a scholar who is a vampire and the young bookseller he meets. It's 20 episodes long, each one lasting about an hour. Available on viki. Also, if you've liked Lee Soo Hyuk in Doom at Your Service, I advise you check this one out.
Tale of Arang (2012) two Lee Joon Gi entries in a row? Girl, you have to stop. Anyways, this one is another period piece of a magistrate who can see ghosts and the ghost of a young woman who doesn't remember her life, nor the cause of her death. Available on viki, it's 20 episodes long, each one lasting a little over an hour.
Look, those are fine or whatever, but I started as a K-pop fan, where can I see some idol dramas? Don't worry, I came prepared
Full House (2004) with Rain as the main character is the og idol drama in my opinion. Available on Viki. 16 episodes long, each one lasting about 73 minutes.
Imitation (2021) is currently airing, and it's literally an idol drama about idols. You can find a looot of idols too: Jeong Yun Ho and Park Seong Hwa from Ateez, Chani and Hwi Young from SF9, Park Ji Yeon from T-ara, Lim Na Young from I.O.I and Pristin, and although Jeong Ji So is not an idol, she is the main lead, and I absolutely love her, she's also in Doom at your service. Available on Viki.
Miss Panda and Mr. Hedgehog (2012) features Donghae from Super Junior, and if I'm going to recommend a Super Junior drama, I would rather recommend one featuring him over Siwon.
At a Distance the Spring is Green (2021) is currently airing too, and only has four released episodes, but I've liked it so far. Featuring Park Ji Hoon, and Kwon Dun Bin. Also, I have a lot of opinions about this show. Available on Viki.
I was going to put an IU drama but, all her dramas are good, so go and watch them all, the woman has range.
Dream High (2011) is the king of idol dramas, in my opinion. It talksa about a high school for people who want to be idols. Another one with a long line up of idols, so let me start: Suzy, IU, Taecyeon, Nichkhun and Wooyoung from 2PM, Ham Eun Jung from T-ara. Leeteuk (SuJu and Chansung (2PM) make cameos. Similarly to Imitation, Kim Soo Hyun is not an idol, but he's the main lead. It's 16 episodes long, each one lasting about 65 minutes. Available on Viki.
Wow, quite a few, but they all seem rather popular, do you have some underrated gems? I'm going to have to go down memory lane, but I do
The Queen's Classroom (2013) This one feels like a fever dream, because I'm aware it exists, I watched it back when it first aired, but I can't find it anywhere now. It's based on a Japanese drama of the same name. It's about a strict but warm hearted teacher and her students' lives and struggles. 16 episodes long. DM me if you find anywhere to watch it.
1% of Something (2016) is a really cute drama, the chemistry is off the charts, and if you're looking for skinship, this one is the one for you, underrated arranged marriage kdrama, I'm telling you. It's 16 episodes long, averaging 45 minutes, and it's on Viki.
I'm not a Robot (2017) has a really cute plot, not underrated per se, but not hyped enough. It's 32 episodes long, each one averaging 30 minutes. Available on Viki.
Do you like Brahms? (2020) is a music themed kdrama, really cute and wholesome. If you like 2setviolin and watched their critique on their YouTube channel, let me tell you, the cast actually knows how to play violin and stuff, and there's an actual child prodigy in there. It got so much hate bc of that one yt video. It's 16 episode long, each one lasting about an hour. Available on Viki.
Solomon's Perjury (2016) a good reflection on youth and the pressure society has. 12 episodes long, lasting about 63 minutes each. Available on Viki.
The Greatest Love (2011) is a super entertaining TV show, and just supper funny and cute. 16 episodes long, each one lasting around 65 minutes. Available on Viki.
Two Cops (2017) if you like Kim Seon Ho, I think this was his TV acting debut. It's a hilarious action comedy TV show. 32 episodes long, lasting around 30 minutes. Available on viki.
Do you have any recommendations where time traveling or time is central to the story?
Alice (2020) look, I can't give you a full explanation because it's too mind bending. Let's leave it at detective meets his mother. Available on Viki.
Signal (2016) The premise is similar to that of the movie Frequency (2000) in which there's communication between the past and the present via technology. The plot is based on the real Hwaseong serial murders. Really interesting. Available on Netflix. If you like the premise of communicating with the past via technology Call (2020) is a Korean thriller movie available on Netflix.
Chicago Typewriter (2017) this one is about reincarnation but we get to see both timelines. Available on Netflix.
Tomorrow with you (2017) Time-traveling but make it ✨depressing ✨. The story of a man who time travels, and how that ability messes with his marriage. Available on Netflix.
What about historical dramas? I don't really watch those, but here are some I liked
The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012) is one of the few I've finished. It's really good, it follows the love story of a king. Available on viki. 20 episodes long, each one lasting about an hour.
Gunman in Joseon (2014) Am I recommending you this one because of Lee Joon Gi? Maybe. It has 22 episodes, each one lasting about an hour. Available on Viki.
The Crowned Clown (2019) a story of the Prince and the Pauper if I must give you a description that is relatable, but if you know the book titled Skogland, it's closer to that. It's 16 episodes long, each one lasting about 80 minutes. Available on Viki.
I'm a little ashamed to say this, but do you have any BL? I do, I do
To My Star (2021) is a story about an actor and a chef, and how they learn to cohabit after the actor is forced into hiding. You can watch either the movie version or the drama version, both available on viki.
Color Rush (2020) is a modern romance fantasy about people called Monos who can't see any color unless they meet their Probes, however this may turn dangerous as the Monos may experience obsessive behavior, so what happens when a young high schooler meets his probe?. You can either watch it on its drama or movie version. Both available on viki. By the way, if you're a long time deobi and was wandering what happened to Hwall, he's one of the main leads.
You Make Me Dance (2021) follows the story of a university dancer who is in debt and his debt collector. Available on viki in both versions. The movie is 107 minutes long.
Just Friends (2009) is a short film, but ahead of its time, if you can't tell by the year it was released on. It's a cute story about a man who visits his boyfriend in the military. I found it in dramacool.
That's all from me, if you have any specific genre or them you felt I didn't add in, do feel free to tell me.
#kdrama#netflix kdrama#netflix#kdramas#kdrama recommendations#netflix recommendations#korean actor#korean actress#korean drama#idol drama#ateez#sf9#t ara#lee joon gi#imitation#iu#at a distance spring is green#tvn doom at your service#doom at your service#my roommate is a gumiho#joy#fantasy
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My 2020 in K dramas (+1 J drama)
I began watching k-dramas in 2018 but I’ve never watched as many shows, Korean or otherwise, as I have in this one. 2020 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I think what helps me really enjoy this over Bollywood+Malayalam+ American pop culture I grew up with is that a smirk on the wrong character’s face doesn’t make me seethe with rage and want to burn everything down. It’s not like growing up with SRK on screen and then having SRK wannabes leave you with lifelong trauma in reality. I can just move on. It’s removed enough from my everyday life but still familiar in a generic Asian family way. Does that make sense? It’s not perfect and it’s not free of its own harmful stereotypes and narratives, but there’s enough of the good stuff to make you stick around. This year I fell in love with Nana, Kim Hye Soo, Han Yeri, Park Eun bin, Ahn Eun jin, Kim Bum, Kim Yong ji, Flower Boy’s Go Dok Mi and Search:WWW’s Bae Tami. Cancelled Ji Chang wook (bye). Desperately missed Kim Jae Wook. Had thoughts on Hwang In Yeop, which were mostly heart eyes. Discovered J dramas and fell in love with Cherry Magic’s Adachi.
My year-in-review below:
LOVED
Into The Ring - I am so glad I saved this for a rainy day because it’s exactly the kind of upright citizen shenanigans my unemployed ass needed at the end of the year.
Goo Se Ra thinks the govt should work for the people but that doesn’t mean her own moral compass always points north. Her purpose is to make steady money, and I love seeing her go hard to survive and cobble together what she needs. The thing that really works for me is that she wants to be good, but she isn’t always. And you get to see her be disappointed, upset, embarrassed and hurt from being publicly kicked in the gut as she navigates a job where she appears, on the surface, to be a supremely confident, self-serving, accidental politician. What you see as her naiveté is mostly just her being a regular person in an environment dictated by backhand deals and rich people politics. She gets hit again and again, and you see what it does to her sense of worth to get back up again, how she grapples with her self. And through all this the show is funny?! Se Ra is what writers of manic pixie characters think they are doing and not doing at all. Love her friends, and Jang Hye-jin is *chef’s kiss*!
Hyena - Kim Hye Soo’s Jung Geum Ja is perhaps Se Ra’s older and darker contemporary. Geum Ja is a survivor and will get what she wants and where she wants to, however many hells she has to cross. She’s single-minded about her success, ruthless and has no qualms about bending morals to get the outcome she needs. She’ll never compromise on who she is or justify how she lives, can build people up and also tear them down, but she also knows care and kindness.
I turned to Signal for more Kim Hye Soo but was disappointed in how the first few episodes seemed to shortchange her. May try again in 2021.
(Highly recommend @saltr0se’s fic series which just GETS Geum Ja so well. Fic writers are the best)
Search: WWW (Finished in 2020) - It took me half a year to finish this. I started watching Search in Oct 2019 and raced through the first 6 episodes because I couldn’t take my eyes off the rollercoaster of Bae Tami’s life. And then I had to take a break because it was a little too close to the frenetic pace of my own industry. As @drivingsideways wrote, a lot of Search is premised around ‘patriarchy? who dat?’, which is why watching its politics play out is so fascinating. It’s also deliciously turmoil-y to watch a very clear-sighted, weathered Tami put on rose-tinted glasses for her romance and then frequently peer over them to evaluate whether it could actually meld into her life.
Catch The Ghost - Kim Seonho oozes charm and perhaps Startup was a showcase of how effectively he can be a typical male lead. But Catch is exactly not that. Go Jiseok and Yoo Ryeong have moulded their lives around to meet their most desperate wishes in life and in the process also left parts of themselves untended. There is guilt, pain and need. Now guess who will tend to whose wounds? Their dynamic is electric even when the central mystery flags towards the last few episodes of the show. I really hope Moon Geun Young is doing well and gets more amazing roles soon. She is so good here.
(Highly recommend @melonatures‘s fic for putting that sizzling on-screen chemistry into words. HOW?!) Cherry Magic - Stories about painfully awkward people are my jam and Eiji Akaso gets Adachi’s shy, nervy energy so right. Cherry Magic is straight up just 12 hours of 🥺🥺🥺.
Stranger/Secret Forest - I’ve been devouring the entirety of Agatha Christie’s work this year after Stranger reminded me how comforting murder mysteries can be. I love Bae Doona. I also love characters who don’t get social norms, not always because they are out to flout them but because that’s just not how their mind/brain works. (have to watch S2)
Flower Boy Next Door - Honestly, the opening scene introducing Park Shin Hye’s character Go Deok Mi sold me on this immediately. An introverted, penny pinching copy editor living alone and working from home thanks to extreme social anxiety? Love. All the side characters are a lot of fun and I’ve never loved Kim Seulgi and Go Kyung Pyo more. It’s a warm show, slowly rounding off the sharp edges of every character.
JUST FUN
The Spies Who Loved Me - It’s been a year of disappointing rom-coms and Spies kind of quietly turned it around for me. I want to be the fly on Yoo In Na’s wall as she figures how to play her characters. I’ve only seen her in 3 roles but somehow she always manages to be in character arcs that don’t short change her. Spies could’ve been and sometimes is the regular heterosexual fare, but In Na ups the ante over and over again, coming out on top as the smartest person in the room.
ENJOYED WITH *RESERVATIONS*
I have to watch A Piece Of Your Mind again because I don’t understand how Jung Hae In and Chae Soo bin built SO MUCH warmth and crackling chemistry with barely a kiss. I was iffy about how the whole AI thing started off and the tortured musician plotline (angsty male artists will forever be an eyeroll for me).
Park Min Young is a queen who never disappoints and When The Weather Is Nice is everything you want in a winter romance. My reservation was in how they explore so much of domestic abuse and the complex ways its traumatised the women in this family. I’m ok with the characters having imperfect ways of processing and understanding the violence, I welcome it. I’m not ok with the show dancing around whether the pivotal crime was justified/ self defence (it was).
A lot of dramas did this. I loved Han Yeri and Choo Ja Hyun in My Unfamiliar Family, I didn’t like the free pass the show gave their dad’s abusive character.
Hwang Jung Eum’s comedy style is generally not my thing but she was pretty great in Mystic Pop-UP Bar. But I’m side-eyeing the sanctity surrounding motherhood. Maybe I should read more about babies and Korean folklore.
Hospital Playlist was my comfort watch through June and July. I think its wholesomeness and non-plot writing came at a good time for me. But I noticed then that the throughline for all main characters was moral superiority and hence what I then saw as *wholesomeness*. It’s kind of what makes it a grating rewatch in parts. Plus the real life of misogyny of Yoo Yeon Seok makes me want to push his angelic catholic character off a cliff. (For context, i was raised catholic). I want to continue loving Chae Song Hwa, and for that the showrunners need to stop cornering her with overbearing romantic interests (let that woman breathe! she literally ran away to another city!)
Hospital is good at creating moments of comfort, so much so that I went to watch Reply 1988 after it, but had to drop it coz I couldn’t get into it. Maybe I’ll come back to it next year.
Once Again is what I call joint family propaganda. What it does well is lay bare the mechanics of living in a society that prizes the heterosexual family structure, the loops you have to jump through to hide when you break its rules and what happens when you are found out. I love the characters, their fights, their frustrations. I just don’t love the validation of joint families. (context: i grew up in an oppressive joint family lol). In my au, Nahee and Gyujin don’t get married again or immediately have children, but take the long route to figuring out how to love the person the other is. Gahee is openly dating Hyo shin and her parents have to figure out how to process her success and her romance. Young dal and Ok boon have to learn to stop dictating their children’s lives. Joon sun runs his company from home, so his wife Hyun kyung can work on what she wants. Choyeon, Joori and Ga-yeon go back to being flamboyant AF and the market learns to not judge. Gyujin and Jaesok have to actually work on the relationship with their mother and what sent her into depression. Just a lot of learning involved.
Just Between Lovers was a nice watch, i just don’t get how Kang doo and Ha Moon So’s relationship will survive his constantly simmering anger.
Crash Landing on You was so much fun until the main romance turned angsty, but it gave us North Korean soldier shenanigans and the epic romance of Seo Dan and Alberto Gu that we needed more of.
Tale of The Nine Tailed is probably what Goblin wished it was. I, however, will never be over Lee Rang. (Also, when can gods stop meeting their love interests as babies? Asking for my sanity)
I literally ignored everything in Oh My Ghost except Park Bo Young and Kim Seulgi and it was amazing.
NOPE
Goblin, Dinner Mate, Oh My Baby and My Secret Romance were a whole lot of NO, NAHI, ILLAAA.
I loved hate-watching The King:Eternal Monarch with the rest of k drama tumblr but someone please take away Kim Eun-sook’s access to gigantic budgets and all-star casts.
It was painful to watch Do You Like Brahms squander away its potential but I’m glad to be introduced to Park Eun bin. Age of Youth is next on watchlist.
More than Friends to me is only Ahn Eun jin. Someone give her amazing lead roles asap.
Why did Record of Youth do that to Park So Dam and her clothes? Just why
WANTED TO WATCH, BUT COULDN’T BECAUSE *INTENSE*
World Of The Married, It’s Okay Not To Be Okay, Sweet Home, Extracurricular, Penthouse, Flower of Evil, Lie After Lie
WILL WATCH NEXT YEAR
SF8, Stove League, Birth Care Centre but I’ll start the new year with School Nurse Files coz it looks very good.
#long post#kdramas#review#2020#A DECADE#Goo Sera’s and Yoo Ryeong’s are the kinds of stories I wish I’d watched through my late teens/early 20s#Jung Geum Ja and Bae Tami are who I’m taking into my thirties.
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K-dramas have a theme for about anything a viewer is looking for. There are suspense, dramas, thrillers, and highly popular love stories. Some may not want to admit it, but love stories involving falling in love with the boss is a guilty pleasure.
RELATED: 10 Best Time Travel K-Dramas, Ranked (According To IMDb)
Maybe it involves the shy new girl who catches the eye of the handsome and rich CEO. In some cases, the power play is reversed. Regardless, K-dramas have a way of hooking in audiences with their dynamic storylines. If looking for some new K-dramas to add to your roster of must-watch, look no further. Here's a list to get you started.
Updated on April 22nd, 2021, by Gabriela Silva: There's a storyline for every K-drama fan to enjoy from thrillers and the supernatural to unique romances. To add a level of intrigue to a love story what better way than to center it around the blossoming love of a worker and their boss. K-dramas are no stranger to the storyline theme and are quite popular. It's a fairytale story that fans wish happened in real life.
15 Oh My Ghost (2015)
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Oh My Ghost is one of the most recognized supernatural dramas. It focuses on three main characters and the main love story is between a young woman and her boss who's a famous chef. There's a catch. Na Bong-Sun (Park Bo-Young) is shy and timid and has a huge crush on her boss. She can also see spirits.
One day, she's possessed by a young lustful female spirit who believes the only way to go to the afterlife is by losing her virginity. Being the puppet of the ghost, Bong-Sun now becomes a firecracker and confident woman who catches her boss's eye.
14 Radiant Office (2017)
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The 2017 drama, Radiant Office has multiple elements that make it a fun boss-employee storyline. Eun Ho-Won (Go Ah-Sung) is down on her luck looking for work and attempts suicide. At the hospital, she learns she terminally ill but succeeds at landing a job.
With a new purpose in life, Ho-Won takes on her new job with full force. Her superior and boss, Seo Woo-Jin (Ha Seok-Jin) thinks she's a huge pain in the neck and often bickers. Their odd relationship might just turn into something more.
13 Protect The Boss (2011)
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This K-drama doesn't have the typical boss characteristics seen in other shows. Protect the Boss centers around Cha Ji-Heon (Ji Sung), a childish director at DN Group. He soon meets his match in his new secretary, Noh Eun-Seol (Choi Kang-Hee).
Eun-Seol is determined to not lose her first professional job and gives it her all. Her kind and spunky demeanor start to attract Ji-Heon. That's not all, the drama has a love triangle between Ji-Heon and his rival and cousin, Cha MuWwon (Kim Jae-Joong).
12 Master's Sun (2013)
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Master's Sun is another K-drama with a supernatural base. Tae Kong-Shil (Gong Hyo-Jin) gains the ability to see ghosts after a bizarre accident. Her abilities leave her unable to keep a solid job. Kong-Shil works as a cleaning lady at Kingdom's, a conglomerate company, shopping mall.
She soon meets the company's cold and distant CEO, Joo Joong-Won (So Ji-Sub). In a turn of events, whenever Long-Shil touches Joong-Won, the ghosts disappear. After some begging, Joong-Won stays by her side in return for her help in recovering something stolen from him.
11 Jugglers (2017)
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2017 was a good year to binge-watch multiple boss-employee relationship K-dramas. Jugglers followed the trend and revolved around a secretary and her cold as ice boss. Jwa Yoon-Yi (Baek Jin-Hee) is a devoted and diligent secretary whose put on hold when her boss's wife accuses her of having an affair with her husband.
On the other end, Nam Chi-Won (Daniel Choi) is assigned to be the managing director at Yoon-Yi's company. Yoon-Yi becomes his secretary. Chi-Won suffers from childhood trauma and is indifferent to socializing. After Yoon-Yi gets drunk at a dinner party, Chi-Won takes her home and realizes she lives in the place where his trauma originated. Seeing the 'tenant wanted' sign on her door, he becomes her neighbor to overcome his past.
10 My Secret Romance (2017)
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What happens when you meet your one-night stand three years later? To make matters worse he happens to be your new boss. Lee Yoo-Mi (Song Ji-Eun) is insecure about herself but has to attend her mother's weddings. She meets Cha Jin-Wook (Sung Hoon). They're less than cordial with one another but soon start to feel an attraction and spend the night.
Yoo-mi is unaware of who he really is and flees the following morning. Years later she is hired to be his nutritionist. Jin-Wook changed his ways after that night and takes over his father's company and never forgot Yoo-mi. He tries to romance her and get to admit her feelings for him. Interwoven is a storyline involving Yoo-mi's baby brother that is blown out of proportion on who the father is.
9 Rich Man (2018)
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Rich Man might also be known for its original Japanese television drama version, Rich Man, Poor Woman. The K-drama was a 2018 remake that did well on television. The show takes an interesting route with the main male character. The CEO of a popular IT company has a facial recognition disability.
This has caused him the inability to recognize his first love. At an employee recruitment meeting, he picks on a particular girl with photogenic memory. She stands up to the mean CEO and says something that catches his interest. She ends up working for the company and helping the CEO.
8 Strong Girl Bong-soon (2017)
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Strong Girl Bong-Soon is a highly popular K-drama and has a lot of the same characteristics of an employee falling in love with their boss. A young girl is born with unexplainable superhuman strength. It's more of a family trait. This leads to an intriguing storyline.
After beating up some bullies, she is hired by a rich CEO of a gaming company. While having a crush on her friend, she starts to realize who she really has feelings for. All while protecting her CEO from a possible threat and kidnapper.
7 My Shy Boss (2017)
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Sometimes opposites attract in the most bizarre way possible. My Shy Boss or Introverted Boss follows the tumultuous relationship between a CEO and his new employee. The CEO of a public relations firm is the exact opposite of what one expects.
RELATED: 10 Best K-Drama “Second Lead” Couples That Every Fan Rooted For
He's highly introverted, shy, sensitive, and can come off as cold. On the other hand, the company hires a new employee who is extroverted, loud, and not afraid to speak her mind. She takes an interest in the CEO and wants to uncover who he really is under his hood.
6 Lucky Romance (2016)
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Audiences will surely have a good laugh with this K-drama with its peculiar antics. In Lucky Romance, a 26-year-old attractive woman is highly superstitious believing she was born unlucky. She follows every precaution possible and consults a shaman about her sister. The only way to save her? She has to sleep with a man born in the year of the tiger.
She soon meets a CEO and genius game developer. Who happens to fit her criteria. Their personalities clash, but Shim Bo-Nui (Hwang Jung-Eum) is determined to see save her sister even if it means wooing her boss.
5 Level Up (2019)
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Level Up follows a lot of the typical boss-employee storyline details; mixed in with some drama. This CEO specializes in helping reconstruct failing companies. He takes on a company called Joybuster despite his previous childhood trauma with gaming.
As the new CEO of the company, he soon meets its head designer. A passionate and sweet young woman clashes heads with a cold and meticulous boss. Will they put their differences aside and complete their new game and maybe fall in love?
4 Hotel Del Luna (2019)
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Hotel Del Luna is a fan favorite amongst K-dramas. It mixes the supernatural with some dramatic romance. Jang Man-Wol (Lee Ji-Eun) is moody and bad-tempered for having to run Hotel Del Luna for the past thousands of years. She must atone for her indiscretions and change her attitude.
The hotel is only visible to souls, ghosts, and humans at special times of the year. Things heat up when the hotel gets a new general manager due to a contract signed by his father. Gu Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo) is a stoic MBA graduate who has to confront his fear of ghosts. He soon changes his demeanor and helps melt Man-Wol's heart and keep her safe.
3 She Was Pretty (2015)
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She Was Pretty is a fun roller coaster ride for anyone who watches. Fans of Parasite will recall the lead actor in this drama. Two childhood friends grow up on the opposite ends of the spectrum for both success and looks. Kim Hye-jin (Hwang Jung-Eum) ended up having her father's red cheeks and frizzy hair, while Ji Sung-Joon (Park Seo-Joon) becomes a strikingly handsome man.
RELATED: 10 K-Dramas With A Vampire Storyline, Ranked (According To IMDb)
They decide to reconnect but Hye-jin backs out seeing how much they've changed. Instead, he mistakes her best friend for her creating a fake love story. Sung-Joon then becomes her boss at her magazine company unaware of who she really is. Will Sung-Joon recognize his first love and fall head over heels? Or will her co-worker woo her away?
2 What's Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018)
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What's Wrong With Secretary Kim is at the top of the list and regarded as one of the best romance K-dramas when it comes to the employee-boss dynamic. Kim Mi-so (Park Min-young) has been Lee Young-Joon's (Park Seo-Joon) right-hand woman for years as his secretary. Her announcement of resignation doesn't sit well with her cold and professional boss.
He then starts to see her in a different light beyond the professional. There's jealousy, romantic gestures, and changing of heart in his drama. Not to mention there are some steamy kissing scenes. Young-Joon will do whatever he can to keep Mi-so in his life.
1 My Private Life (2019)
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Park Min-Young is back as Sun Deok-Mi in My Private Life. The show is based on a popular Korean webtoon. Deok-Mi is a talented and highly regarded art curator who harbors a secret. She's an obsessed fangirl. Her secret can ruin her career at the museum. An acclaimed but retired artist, Ryan Gold (Kim Jae-Wook) becomes the museum's new boss.
After some rumors spread, Gold and Doek-Mi must pretend to date to stop scrutiny towards her favorite idol and new museum client. Fake dating soon starts to blossom into real love. Deok-Mi must try and let go of her secret fan page and obsession.
NEXT: The 10 Best K-Dramas With More Than One Season, Ranked (According To IMDb)
10 K-Dramas About Falling In Love With The Boss | ScreenRant from https://ift.tt/32fsvjl
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⁇ 160cm 72kg ⁇ Ji-Sun Jung 10-year-old child, overwhelming development compared to peers ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ (donkey ears)
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MASTERLIST
I update this list everytime I watch and review a show.
Disclaimer: These reviews are subjective and only reflect my opinions. There are no drama on that list that I’ve turned off and all are worthy of a watch.
Recs welcome!
#1 Crash landing on you
(사랑의 불시착)
Grade: A++
Genre: Modern, Star-Crossed lovers
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Son Ye-jin (who plays Yoon Se-ri) and Hyun Bin (Ri Jeong-hyeok) have amazing chemistry and every episode plays out like the chapters of an excellent fanfiction. Classic romantic tropes, humour, angst, action, CLOY has it all. Moreover, if you’ve never watched a Kdrama in your life, CLOY is a great starting point—not only will it introduce you to Korean culture but also to popular tropes and codes of the genre.
#2 Rookie historian Goo Hae-ryung
(신입사관 구해령)
Grade: A++
Genre: Historical, Age gap
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Delightful from end to end, with lots of humour and an engaging story. The romance between Goo Hae-ryung and himbo-prince Dowon will make your heart go soft, especially if you’re into reverse gender dynamics (she’s older and kisses him first *le gasp*)
#3 Memories of the Alhambra
(알함브라 궁전의 추억)
Grade: B+
Genre: Modern; Sci-fi; Fantasy
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: No
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Intriguing premise, great cast and tons of special effects but the romance between Jin-woo (Hyun Bin) and Hee-joo (Park Shin-hye) won't go down in history. On top of that, the ending is a bit wishy-washy in that annoying “maybe there’s more to come” kind of way. Give us a clear cut ending, damnit!
#4 Good doctor
(굿 닥터)
Grade: B-
Genre: Modern, Medical drama
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Good heart but the writing is really clumsy at times and the hospital politics don’t make an awful lot of sense. On the bright side, Joo Won is great in the role of Park Si-on.
Note: I haven’t watched the American remake so can’t compare.
#5 My love from the star/ You from the stars
(별에서 온 그대)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern, Sci-fi, fantasy, Star-Crossed lovers
Episodes: 21
Happy Ending: Yes-ish
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Jun Ji-hyun is absolutely stellar in the role of Cheon Seong-yi, a ditzy Hallyu* star whose career is going south while Kim Soo-hyun plays the emotionally closed-off alien to perfection. Lots of pinning, a dose of angst mixed with a pinch of wacky humor.
*Hallyu means “Korean wave” in Chinese and refers to the popularity and spreading of Korean pop-culture outside of Korea.
#6 Hwarang The Poet Warrior Youth
(화랑)
Grade: B
Genre: Historical, Coming of age, fake siblings who catch feels
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Cute boys and interesting lore rooted in true facts (the bone rank system and the real Hwarang, the “Flowering Knights” of the Silla kingdom) but the story drags. I guess I expected more bromance and frolicking and less angst. Lastly, the main girl starts off quirky and fun but they quickly transform her into a sobbing mess which becomes real annoying real fast.
#7 Love in the Moonlight / Moonlight Drawn by Clouds (구르미 그린 달빛)
Grade: A
Genre: Historical, Romance, Coming of age, Posing as the opposite sex
Episodes: 18
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
A classic tale of a girl raised as a boy who ends up in a situation where she needs to do her best to not blow her cover while catching feels (As someone raised on Versailles no bara and Ribbon no Kishi, it remains one of my favourite tropes)
Sweet romance and good characters. The fact that Crown prince Lee Yeong doesn't turn emo when he starts developing feelings for Eunuch Ra-on before discovering she's a girl is the cherry on top of the cake.
#8 Something in the rain
(밥 잘 사주는 예쁜 누나)
Grade: C
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes, but it still doesn't make you happy
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Wasted potential!
Great start but the characterization falls apart quickly and you end up wondering why the main characters keep sabotaging their lives. By the end, despite their reunion, you're left with the impression they've learned nothing and that their relationship is doomed to fall apart.
On top of it all, watching Jin-ah fight sexism in the workplace and gaining nothing is depressing af (I don’t need realism in my escapism, thank you very much).
Too bad because Son Ye-jin and Jung Hae-in look really good together and the acting is top-notch. My advice is to watch the first 8 episodes then make up your own ending in your head.
#9 Moon embracing the sun
(해를 품은 달)
Grade: B+
Genre: Historical,Star-Crossed lovers
Episodes: 22
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
A traditional historical drama with all the tropes that go with the genre + a hint of esoterism.
If you love ill-fated relationships, tragic love triangle, evil queens, and amnesia, this is the show for you. Beware, the interrogation/torture scenes are rather brutal.
#10 My sassy girl
(엽기적인 그녀)
Grade: B-
Genre: Historical, Rom-Com
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Cute and lighthearted but easily forgettable. Still worth a watch thanks to Joo Won & Oh Yeon-seo's chemistry.
#11 Coffee Prince
(커피프린스 1호점)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern, Posing as the opposite sex
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Solid story, great cast but be ready for a lot of bickering.
Yoon Eun-hye is a precious bean who manages to sell the story of Eun-chan, a struggling androgynous working-class girl who mistakenly gets hired by a rich guy to play his boyfriend, then becomes his employee, then falls for him while not correcting his assumptions about her gender. Opposite her, Gong Yoo (from Train to Busan fame) is 🥰🥰🥰
Sidenote: Despite Han-kyul's struggle to accept his feelings for Eun-chan, homosexuality isn't treated as a joke or a shameful thing. The one time he goes seek “medical help”, the doctor is depicted as an old, clueless idiot. And honestly, the story would work too if Eun-chan was a guy.
#12 My girlfriend is a Gumiho/My girlfriend is a Nine-tailed fox
(내 여자친구는 구미호)
Grade: B+
Genre: Modern; Fantasy
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki - Available on Netflix (FR) too
Campy and goofy. It does look a bit dated (it’s from 2010) and the story is a little predictable but Lee Seung-gi as Cha Dae-woong, an aspiring action film actor and Shin Min-ah as “Gu Mi-ho” the nine-tailed fox looking for a mate are super cute. The show is also a good introduction to Korean folklore.
#13 Goblin / Guardian: The Lonely and Great God / The Lonely and Great God – Goblin
(쓸쓸하고 찬란하神 – 도깨비)
Grade: A+
Genre: Modern, Historical, Fantasy, bromance
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes-ish
Watched on: Viki
Unpopular opinion but since I’m not into older guys, I wasn’t invested in the romance between Bride and Goblin until late in the series. I loved everything else though. The show has such a unique tone and atmosphere. It goes from super serious to goofy in no time. The cinematography is gorgeous (especially the historical sets) and you'll cry your eyes out.
#14 Healer
(힐러)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
If you're into toll broody guys and fearless smoll girls, you’ll love Healer. The story is great, the characters are great and the way Jung-hu (played by Ji Chang-wook) and Ji-an (Park Min-young) are horny for each other is peak drama! *chef kiss*
#15 Kangchi the beginning/Gu family book
(구가의 서)
Grade: B-
Genre: Historical, Fantasy
Episodes:
Happy Ending: No
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Engaging coming of age story of a half-human half-gumiho looking for his place in this world. If it wasn't for the wishy-washy ending it could have been the perfect mix of action fantasy and romance.
Special mention for Dam Yeo-wool (played by Suzie Bae) who is a female character who's allowed to be a bit of everything at the same time (strong, kick-ass, funny, cute, romantic)
#16 Queen for seven days
(7일의 왕비)
Grade: A
Genre: Historical, Romance, Villainous crush
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: No
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
With that title don’t expect a HEA but there are plenty of sweet moments along the way to make you appreciate the journey.
Chae-kyung loves the Prince and the Prince loves Chae-kyung but the King wants to kill the Prince and Chae-kyung is loyal to the King but the King is a tyrant and everyone wants the Prince to take his throne. On top of that the King wants Chae-kyung. Big mess. Lots of feels.
The story is (very) loosely based on real-life Queen Dangyeong, which makes it even more poignant. I cried my eyes out at the end because I’m a big softy.
#17 Korean Odyssey
(화유기)
Grade: A-
Genre: Modern, Fantasy
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Kinda
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
The show (very loosely based on Journey to the West) has its faults including the wishy-washy ending and the fact that Jin Seon-mi/Sam-jang starts off as a doormat but I ended up liking the relationship developing between the assholish Monkey god and the naive human girl more than I expected.
The side characters are compelling, and the banter and bickering between the deities work really well. If you grew up with Dragon ball, you’ll have a blast trying to match-up the Japanese and Korean names of everyone without looking up Wikipedia.
Lastly, not something I imagined saying after seeing him in Gumiho and Gu family book but Lee Seung-gi as Son Oh-gong = BDE *fans herself* 🥵
#18 Strong Girl Bong-soon
(힘쎈여자 도봉순)
Grade: A-
Genre: Modern, Super-Heroine
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Trigger warning: Graphic depiction of violence against women
A++ super-heroine story, bad side characters
First, every girl should aspire to find a Min-hyuk in their life. Someone who'll love them because of their strength, and support them unconditionally. Someone who won't ask them to change or pretend to be somebody else.
Second, western media should learn that a super-heroine can HAVE IT ALL—the superpowers AND the love AND the family.
My only complaint with the show (and that's why I gave A- instead of A++) is the inclusion of many cringy side characters/situations that spoiled my overall enjoyment (see the caricatural flamboyant gay co-worker, Bong-soon’s mom hitting her dad, the mobsters...)
#19 The K2
(더 케이투)
Grade: B-
Genre: Modern, Political
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
The romance is bad and the political story far-fetched but Ji Chang-wook is 🔥🔥PEAK HOTTIE🔥🔥
That being said, I didn’t completely dislike the political intrigue and it was interesting to see the good guy working for the villains (sort of).
#20 Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok-joo
(역도요정 김복주)
Grade: A+
Genre: Modern, Coming of age
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Uplifting coming of age story and super sweet romance. Bok-joo (Lee Sung-kyung) & Joon-hyung (Nam Joo-hyuk) are precious children on top of being cutie-patooties. Bok-joo’s insecurities hit hard, especially if you’ve ever been outside the norm of beauty standards.
I liked how the show normalizes therapy and taking care of your mental health.
In one word…
SWAG!
#21 The scholar who walks the night
(밤을 걷는 선비)
Grade: B
Genre: Historical, Fantasy, Vampire, posing as the opposite sex
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Guilty pleasure.
Don’t ask me about the details of the main storyline, I’ve already forgotten most of it. Sometimes all you need is a show where a hundred-something years old good vampire with a sad backstory and the main girl who is thirsty for the good vampire are fighting a sexy evil vampire.
PS: Did I mention the sexy evil vampire?
#22 Romance is a bonus book
(로맨스는 별책부록)
Grade: A+
Genre: Modern, Friends to lovers
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Imagine reading a relaxing book under a cozy blanket while sipping hot cocoa. That’s how that series made me feel.
Everything is sweet and soft from the characters' fluffy jumpers to the soft palette of color used for the sets. People make books and love books. There’s a mystery but no unnecessary angst. If you need a break from everything, jump in that ship.
#23 Hotel Del Luna
(호텔 델루나)
Grade: A-
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Sorta
Watched on: Viki - Available on Netflix (FR) too
Interesting world-building and a good cast of side characters but the romance lacks a bit of oomph.
On the + side, the hotel sets are gorgeous and Man-wol's wardrobe is to kill for.
#24 Suspicious Partner
(수상한 파트너)
Grade: A-
Genre: Modern, Star-crossed lovers in an office
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Toll serious who hates criminal falls for smoll weirdo falsely accused of murder. A must watch for anyone in search of a quirky romance.
#25 Touch your heart
(진심이 닿다)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki
Tooth rotting sweetness. The series is just a pretext to watch two good looking people (Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na) being nice and awkward around each other. What do you need more? 0
Note: If you watched Goblin you can also pretend it's a spin-off series about the reincarnations of Grim Reaper and Sunny. 💡
#26 Because this is my first life
(이번 생은 처음이라)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern, Fake marriage
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
The Fake Marriage AU you’re looking for, mixed with slices of modern, messy, complicated life.
The main storyline revolves around Ji-ho an assistant drama screenwriter who struggles to find her place within the patriarchal structure of Korean society, and Se-hee, a socially incompetent computer designer who only cares for his cat and his mortgage. The way they end up in a fake marriage as well as the development of their relationship feels organic and doesn’t rely too heavily on comedy like it’s often the case with that trope.
The show also follows the stories of Ji-ho’s friends, Su-ji and Ho-rang who have different aspirations in life—Su-ji’s goal is to become CEO while Ho-rang only cares about becoming a housewife. I loved that the show makes a point to not pit women against each other and advocate living your life the way YOU want rather than trying to follow societal expectations of what love, work and marriage should look like.
Also they have the cutest cat.
#27 What's wrong with Secretary Kim?
(김비서가 왜 그럴까 )
Grade: A-
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki
I wish Secretary Kim had more agency in certain situations but the romance develops well and the horny moments are caliente 🥵🔥
#28 Where your eyes linger
(너의 시선이 머무는 곳에)
Grade: A++
Genre: Modern, BL, Coming of age, Friends to lovers
Episodes: 8
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki
Bite-size BL gem to devour in one sitting.
Stellar acting from the two leads and the balance between fluff and angst is just right. There's no graphic violence that sometimes plagues yaoi and BL and the story is believable. I got emo remembering my first love.
#29 Live up to your name
(명불허전)
Grade: A-
Genre: Modern, Historical, Time travel, Star-crossed lovers
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Trigger warning for graphic depiction of violence
Big surprise. I was looking for a cheesy comedy but it was actually a thoughtful story about humanism. I even teared up a little.
Trigger warning for needles. They do some pretty impressive procedures with those acupuncture needles.
#30 W - Two Worlds Apart
(더블유)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Imaginary men > Real men, especially when they're played by Lee Jong-suk. Nuf’ said.
Imaginary men > Real men, especially when they're played by Lee Jong-suk.
The silly premise hides a solid story that keeps you on your toes and I was suprised by the rollercoaster of emotions I went through.
“Option 3″
“That’s 4 fingers”
#31 Life
(라이프)
Grade: C
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Kinda
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Unless you want to learn how fucked up the private health sector is becoming in Korea, there's not much to gain watching this show.
The story starts off well though. The problem is that by the middle of the series the writers have dropped the main mystery (the circumstances surrounding the death of the director) to deliver an exposé on the political machinations of big corporations, and then shoehorn an explanation at the last minute (“it was all but a misunderstanding”). Very underwhelming.
The relationship between the two brothers played by Lee Dong-wook and Lee Kyu-hyung is the only bright spot.
#32 Pinocchio
(피노키오)
Grade: A-
Genre: Modern, Fake family members who catch feels
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
On paper, the story sounds a little crazy but it all comes together nicely.
Lee Jong-suk and Park Shin-hye have great chemistry and deliver a stellar performance as “uncle” and “niece” (not related by blood) who can’t fight the romantic feelings they harbor for one another. The main storyline has enough twists to keep you entertained and surprised.
My only complaint is that it drags a little. 16 episodes would have been enough.
#33 My Holo Love
(나 홀로 그대)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern, Sci-fi
Episodes: 12
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Fake men > Real men
Imagine a Black Mirror episode about a love triangle between a woman suffering from face blindness, an emotionally supportive AI boyfriend and the disenchanted creator of said AI, minus the nihilism. *chef kiss*
#34 Legend of the blue sea
(푸른 바다의 전설)
Grade: B++
Genre: Modern, Fantasy, Fairy tale, Star-crossed lovers
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki
Park Ji-eu (the writer) read the little mermaid and decided to give her a happy ending. Great chemistry between Lee Min-ho and Jun Ji-hyun but the spark is missing for me.
The antics of modern-day mermaid Shim Cheong are a little predictable and Joon-jae needs to be less of a control freak at times but the story remains enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised to see Shim Cheong’s character grow, making the power imbalance between the clueless mermaid and the con-artist less pronounced by the end of the series.
The side characters are interesting but underused, and I wish Tae-oh was more developed. On the other hand, the Joseon area sets and costumes are absolutely gorgeous (Don’t tell anyone but Joseon!Lee Min-ho is hotter than Modern!Lee Min-ho 🥵)
#35 Tale of Arang / Arang and the Magistrate
(아랑사또전)
Grade: B
Genre: Historical, Fantasy,
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
One word: Campy.
Interesting lore but the pacing is a little off—there’s a lot of back and forth between the characters and the locations and the love triangle doesn't add much.
#36 My ID is Gangnam Beauty / Gangnam Beauty
(내 아이디는 강남미인)
Grade: A+
Genre: Modern, Coming of age
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
If you’ve ever been bullied for your looks, you’re gonna bawl your eyes out.
The show does a great job of calling out the unhealthy beauty standards imposed on Korean women but the topic is universal enough for the story to resonate with everyone. I love that you never see Mi-rae’s old face because it’s not our perception of her lack of beauty that matters but the fact she suffers greatly. Don’t you hate in western shows when they take a beautiful actress, give her a pair of glasses or a fat suit and call her ugly, making sure the audience feels shittier about themselves? Here, the writers concentrate on Mi-rae’s transformation and her coping with the consequences of her decision to do plastic surgery.
It’s also not a revenge fantasy where the ugly duckling suddenly becomes the most popular girl at school. Being a “Gangnam beauty” leads to a new form of suffering.
Romance-wise, it’s the slowest burn of slow burns because Mi-rae and Do Kyung-seok are the most socially awkward beans on the planet. I love them, Your Honor.
#37 Tale of Nokdu
(조선로코-녹두전)
Grade: A
Genre: Historical, Posing as the opposite sex
Episodes: 32 x 30mns
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki - Now available on Netflix (FR)
Fun and lighthearted all the way through.
The story of a guy who puts on a dress to investigate a village of widows could have gone very wrong but it was well handled. It’s refreshing to see the classic trope of posing as the opposite sex reversed and Jang Dong-yoon is never cringy when he’s pretending to be Lady Kim Nok-soon.
#38 Bride of Habaek / Bride of the Water God
(하백의 신부 2017)
Grade: B
Genre: Modern, Fantasy
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Content warning: Crime against fashion
Promising premise and lore (I'm interested in reading the original comics now) but the writing fails to deliver an epic romance and a cathartic ending. Moreover, the sets lack imagination (or money?) and in the end I failed to ever feel immersed in a fantasy world.
The unfortunate consequence of the clumsy writing is that the male characters who are meant to be arrogant/confident Gods (Habaek and By-ryeom) sound like they're negging their love interests more than wooing them, and the relationship between Mu-ra and By-ryeom particularly irked me.
#39 Strangers from Hell / Hell is other people
(타인은 지옥이다)
Grade: A+
Genre: Modern, Psychological Thriller
Episodes: 10
Happy Ending: Spoiler
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Content warning: Violence
What a departure from everything else in that list! Absolutely worth a watch if you enjoy thrillers and shows like Hannibal. If psychological horror isn’t your cup of tea though, you might give it a pass.
The storyline and the characters are a little cliché (it goes with the genre) but the cinematography and photography are fantastic. You can notice how the pension becomes more and more sinister throughout the series via the use of dark greens and browns and pale yellows, as opposed to the mundanity and coldness of the city (greys, and cold blues).
Last but not least, the acting is top-tiers. Im Siwan does a great job at portraying Jong-woo, an aspiring crime novelist who slowly loses his marbles but the true revelation for me is Lee Dong-wook. After seeing him so many times in roles where he plays awkward yet charming men who can barely express emotions, I was intrigued to see him take on the role of a serial killer, and holy cow, he's the perfect mix of sinister and alluring. Towards the end of the series, his character Moon-jo acts like a black-hole whenever he appears in a scene—a towering, dark presence who sucks the light out of the room (If he carries any of that darkness in the upcoming Tale of Gumiho, it’s gonna be *chef kiss*).
#40 Empress Ki
(기황후)
Grade: A
Genre: Historical, posing as the opposite sex
Episodes: 51
Happy Ending: From a certain point of view
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Trigger warning for violence against women (not graphic but implied)
51 episodes.
Fifty.One.Episodes.
That's a lot of episodes considering the story starts with the ending.
Did I enjoy this show? Yes, very much so. Do I think it's for everyone? Nope.
You'll enjoy Empress Ki if you're into old-school historical sagas or you wished Game of thrones had no gratuitous nudity and violence. If you’re looking for an historically accurate biography of the real empress Ki though, then look away because Empress Ki is basically a lengthy fanfiction trying to justify how the Goryeo native Seung-nyang married the wimpy Emperor of the Yuan dynasty whilst trying to portray her as loyal to her motherland and to her first love, the Crown Prince of Goryeo.
Personally, I didn’t care for the love triangle formed by Seung-nyang (Ha Ji-won), Wang-yoo (Joo Jin-mo) and Toghon Temür (Ji Chang-wook) but I liked the politics and the backstabbing. Also, contrary to GoT, the bad guys get their comeuppance at the end so it makes watching the side characters die less painful.
#41 Meow, the secret boy / Welcome
(어서와)
Grade: B-
Genre: Modern, Modern fantasy
Episodes: 24 x 35mns
Happy Ending: I guess
Watched on: Viki
How do I put it? It's not *terribad* but it's not *good* either.
I was super on board with the concept—if Lee Seung-gi can bang a nine-tailed fox in My girlfriend is a gumiho, I have zero issues with Sol ah, our heroine, falling in love with Hong-jo the cat-person after being dumped for no reason by Jae-sun her boyfriend—but it didn’t exactly develop that way, and as soon as they explained why Jae-sun had broken up with Sol-ah, the writers lost me because I like when things happen for a reason.
#42 Clean with a passion for now
(일단 뜨겁게 청소하라!!)
Grade: A-
Genre: Modern, Rom-Com
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Super zany and tropey but that’s why it works so well. The only reason I’m giving it a minus is because it’s trying to be woke but in the end there’s still a lot of unsolicited grabbing and some iffy remarks/pick-up lines said by every male characters (IRL that’s the kind of story that ends up with a restraining order and a lawsuit for sexual harassment).
#43 Mystic pop-up bar
(쌍갑포차)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern, Fantasy
Episodes: 12
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Trigger warning: Heavy themes (miscarriage, pregnancy, loss of a child, death of loved ones)
You know how the meme goes... Sometimes a family is a hot-tempered bar owner, a cursed kid and an ex-Afterlife-Police officer with a secret past.
It took me a few episodes to get into it, but once the characters were established it became really enjoyable.
The tone of the series leans toward wacky but the core of the story is actually pretty dark if you look into it. Every grudge they solve for their “clients” gives a clue about Wol-joo’s personal story and by the last episode I was crying my eyes out.
Last but not least, Wol-joo’s collection of modernized hanboks is *chef kiss*
#44 My secret Terrius
(내 뒤에 테리우스)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern, Action, Comedy, Bromance
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
An enjoyable action drama to watch with your family or your significant other.
Koreans prove that you can write a story about a black ops agent on the run who becomes a childminder without reeking of toxic masculinity. Contrary to American comedies where the manly-man-hero working undercover is incompetent and believes that working with children is a woman’s job and a waste of his manly-man talents until he has an epiphany of some sorts, Kim Bon (played by So Ji-sub) never once expresses discomfort to the idea of looking after two kids. In spite of his sober demeanor, he’s a caring and attentive person from the start and watching him gradually becoming a part of this spunky family while investigating a national security threat made my heart go awww.
Opposite him, fearless and resourceful mom Go Ae-rin (played Jung In-sun) brings a lot of energy, and the twins are absolutely adorable.
#45 Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
(달의 연인 - 보보경심 려)
Grade: A--
Genre: Historical
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: No
Watched on: Random streaming site
Don’t get attached—Moon Lovers is the missing link between Empress Ki and Boys over flowers, but with a sad ending.
I did binge watch the series but there are some frustrating aspects to it that prevented me from giving a perfect score, notably the fact that Wang So remains possessive and demanding with Hae Soo throughout the years—for instance “You’re my person” is a romantic statement until it evolves into “You can never leave me.”
The other problem of the series is that Lee Ji-eun (UI) does cute and goofy really well, but she doesn’t have the emotional range needed to portray a character who goes through many heartbreaks and betrayals. As a result, Hae Soo appears a little fickle in her infatuations with the princes.
That being said if you’re a sucker for tragic romance and you believe that power corrupts even the purest of love, you’ll have a blast.
#46 Forest
(포레스트)
Grade: B++
Genre: Modern, Romance
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki
UST in the woods (Dat first kiss 🥵🥵🥵)
The characters and the story are a little cliché but who doesn’t love a story where the protagonists are clearly attracted to each other but can’t act on their desires because their moral values are opposite?
*slams fist*
San Hyeok is your typical heartless businessman who refuses to confront his childhood trauma, and Yeong Jae is a surgeon who suffers from panic attacks and cares too much about other people. They’re both good looking and fate brings them to a remote village in the middle of the forest where they have to share a house. Really, I wonder what’s gonna happen?
#47 100 Days My Prince / Hundred days husband
(백일의 낭군님)
Grade: B+
Genre: Historical
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki
Trigger warning: Important character death.
Cute and charming but also very annoying at times. Obviously, the story is tropey af (fake marriage doubled with amnesia, you can’t really beat that) but it also includes elements I’ve never seen in any other dramas like the fact that the Crown Princess is pregnant with another man’s child (le gasp!). The things that annoy me the most were the unnecessary flip-flopping of the heroine towards the end of the show for the sake of creating artificial drama (just let them be together FFS!) and the fact that the male characters take a lot of decisions for Yeon Hong-shim.
Romance wise, Do Kyung-soo and Nam Ji-hyun are really cute together but in the end I found myself more interested in the political intrigue and the side characters than the main romance because slow burn has its limit. In essence, it’s the perfect drama to watch with your conservative family because whilst the main couple is living under the same roof and is technically married they don’t get frisky.
#48 I Am Not A Robot (로봇이 아니야)
Grade: A++
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Angsty with a good pay-off.
With a premise like that, things could have gone wrong really quickly but the writers managed to write a story that isn’t a man wanting to fuck a robot because real women are scary so big kudos for them. Seeing Min-kyu celebrating his Roomba’s birthday because he has no other friends will instantly melt your heart and from that point on you’ll cheer for his recovery. The show has the right amount of angst without becoming a mess and they handle the big reveal very well, making sure to show how hurt both Min-kyu and Ji-ah are by the situation, without making you doubt that they can find each other again. The other strong point of the show is that it’s not just about romance, it’s also about friendship and learning to let other people in your life.
The acting is incredible to the point that by the end I wondered if Yoo Seung-ho and Chae Soo-bin were making out in front of my salad or if I was still watching the characters Min-kyu and Ji-ah being lovey dovey.
#49 Sungkyunkwan Scandal (성균관 스캔들)
Grade: A
Genre: Historical, Posing as the opposite gender
Episodes: 20
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Viki
Hana zakari no kimi tachi he with gats.
This show checks so many boxes when it comes to my favourite tropes story-wise and character-wise that I instantly fell in love with it. It might feel a little dated for a younger audience and it definitely suffers from the second male lead syndrome (who wants unseasoned boiled chicken when there are not just one but two juicy rotisserie chickens on the table next to you?!) but it’s still very much enjoyable. Also, they don’t shy away from using the word “homosexuality” and having one of the second lead confessing to having romantic feelings for his friend (I’ll take any scrap of bi-representation, okay?)
#50 It’s Okay to not be okay (사이코지만 괜찮아)
Grade: A
Genre: Modern
Episodes: 16
Happy Ending: Yes
Watched on: Netflix (FR)
Found family.
In spite of one ridiculous plot twist (that I was aware of when I started the show) this show has made me feel all the feelz. The three main actors all did a phenomenal job portraying their characters in all their complexity and fragility and I ended up crying so many cathartic tears in the second to last & the last episodes.The relationship between Sang-tae and Gang-tae is one of the best sibling relationships I’ve seen on-screen in a long time while the romance between Moon-yeong and Gang-tae blends perfectly elements of comedy and melodrama. Mental illness isn’t treated as something to be ashamed of, whilst showing that you can grow and recover from trauma and finding your own happiness.
PSA from my boyfriend, who dropped the show before the end:
The plot twist is so stupid that it takes away from the rest of the series. In my opinion it negated the positive portrayal of mental illness built up until then. They completely lost me.
^ We discussed a lot about it which is why I wanted to share his POV to balance my own review.
#51 coming soon
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The 13 Best Korean Dramas Of 2020
New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/the-13-best-korean-dramas-of-2020/
The 13 Best Korean Dramas Of 2020
Bae Suzy and Nam Joo-hyuk partner up in ‘Start-Up.’
Although 2020 will make the history books for all the wrong reasons, it was a great year for Korean dramas. With a slew of big budget hits and small quirky stories, k-dramas offered plenty of innovative entertainment to help viewers happily pass pandemic time.
Every drama viewer may have a different list of favorites, but here are a few 2020 dramas that stood out in terms of originality, subject matter and execution.
Park Seo-joon created one of the year’s most memorable k-drama characters in ‘Itaewon Class.’
Itaewon Class
The year started off with the quirky hit Itaewon Class, in which Park Seo-joon’s character overcomes so many odds that he naturally sympathizes with those who society may shun. When opening a cafe he hires employees that others might not and those choices contribute to his success. Park’s generous character is one of the year’s most likable and the drama also features top-notch performances by Kim Da-mi, Kwon Nara, Yoo Jae-Myung and Ahn Bo-hyun.
Why see it? If you’ve never been to Seoul’s international neighborhood of Itaewon, this drama takes you there. The drama provides plenty of feel-good moments and a great soundtrack, including a contribution by BTS member V.
Kim Hee-ae and Park Hae-joon star in ‘The World of The Married.’
World of the Married
Although this drama has not yet made it to all international audiences, it was a huge hit in Korea, enjoying both critical success and nationwide ratings of 28.37%. World of the Married, an adaptation of the BBC series Dr. Foster, stars Kim Hae-ae. Kim plays a doctor who thinks her life is perfect until she learns that her husband, played by Park Hae-joon, has been cheating on her. Even worse, all their friends know.
Why see it? Kim won Best Actress at the Baeksang Awards for playing the drama’s protagonist Ji Sun-woo and the drama was a breakout hit for supporting actress Han Seo-hee. There’s also the guilty pleasure of watching a woman scorned exact revenge on those who betrayed her.
The legal drama ‘Hyena’ starred Kim Hye-soo and Ju Ji-hoon.
Hyena
The drama’s leading characters, played by Kim Hye-soo and Ju Ji-hoon, each have their own approach to practicing law. She’s a scrappy small-time lawyer with questionable ethics and he’s a self-satisfied high-profile lawyer at a top firm. Despite their differences—and getting off to a bad start when she scams him—they turn out to be good for each other.
Why see it? Ju delivers a pitch-perfect performance, with his every twitch and grimace creating an unforgettable character. Ju and Kim have undeniable chemistry that sizzles through episodes of fast-paced high-stakes legal entanglements.
Bae Doona played a zombie-fighting nurse in the second season of ‘Kingom.’
Kingdom 2
The second season of this historical zombie drama was even better than the first. Kingdom 2 also stars Ju Ji-hoon as the prince trying to save his country from a zombie invasion as well as inner court corruption. What makes the second season better than the first is a larger role for actress Bae Doona, whose character takes time out from nursing the sick to battle the undead.
Why see it: It’s a zombie story with a historical and moral twist.
Start Up
Nam Joo-Hyuk and Bae Suzy star in this story of a small tech start-up that gets a chance to compete on a bigger stage. When Bae’s character Seo Dal-mi was young she received encouraging letters from a man named Nam Do-san, but the letters were really written by Kim Seon-ho’s character Han Ji-pyeong. When a grown-up Dal-mi decides to find the real Do-san, played by Nam, Ji-pyeong asks Do-san to pretend he really wrote the letters. Do-san and Dal-mi are perfect for each other but their budding relationship is based on a lie.
Why see it? The story of how the start-up gets started is interesting. Each of the actors—from the leads to the supporting cast— is imperfectly endearing and Kim wins this year’s unofficial prize for being the most appealing second lead.
Lee jun-ki is a potential serial killer married to the detective played by Moon Chae-won in ‘Flower … [] of Evil.’
Flower of Evil
What would you do if you found out you were married to a serial killer? It might be happening to Moon Chae-won’s police detective character in Flower of Evil. Her devoted husband, played by Lee Jun-ki, has a mysterious past that ties him to a serial killer. Did he also commit murders? If he is a serial killer, does his wife love him enough to look past the incriminating clues?
Why see it? Although some of the drama’s plot occasionally veers into the illogical, the relationship between the leads is so charismatic that the drama acquired a loyal and enthusiastic following. The mystery is sufficiently complex and Lee’s tortured performance as the suspected serial killer is mesmerizing.
Park So-dam played Park Bo-gum’s makeup artist in ‘Record of Youth.’
Record of Youth
Record of Youth features ambitious likable protagonists trying to find their place in a highly competitive world. Park Bo-gum plays a model so charming it’s hard to imagine why he’s not already a success at the story’s start. Park So-dam plays a talented make-up artist with dreams. She’s also a devoted fan of his modeling career.
Why see it? Park Bo-gum’s character is as bright as a shiny penny, ever optimistic and upbeat, despite not having much support for his dreams. Watching Park So-dam act is always a pleasure and the real star of the drama might be Han Jin-hee, who plays Park Bo-gum’s supportive grandfather.
Seo Ye-ji aggressively pursues Kim Soo-hyun in ‘It’s Okay Not To Be Okay.’
It’s Okay Not To Be Okay
Easily the most visually appealing drama of 2020, It’s Okay Not To Be Okay stars two of k-drama’s most photogenic actors Seo Ye-ji and Kim Soo-hyun as a twisted children’s book author and the psychiatric nurse she needs to calm her nightmares. Not only are the actors beautiful, but the drama’s graphics, cinematography and costumes are also gorgeous.
Why see it? The drama explores the topics of autism and the mental scars created by early trauma. Oh Jung-se’s performance as Kim’s autistic brother was one of the best of the year.
‘The Good Detective’ is a fast-paced crime thriller starring Son Hyun-joo and Jang Seung-jo.
The Good Detective
The Good Detective delivers a Scandi-noir vibe with its insightful character development plus some over-the-top, superhero police action scenes. The drama stars Son Hyun-joo, who might have the most expressive face of any k-drama actor, and Jang Seung-jo as a detective whose super-power is having a fortune.
Why see it? The Good Detective is an involving police procedural with top-rate performances. Oh Jung-se plays a hard-hearted villain, a dramatically different role than his vulnerable character in It’s Okay Not To Be Okay.
Nana plays a woman who pursues politics for a paycheck despite Park Sung-hoon’s objections.
Into The Ring
The wry comedy stars Nana, formerly a member of k-pop group After School, and Park Sung-hoon, who recently played a convincing but comical killer in Psychopath Diary. Nana plays a plucky unemployed woman who runs for office, motivated largely by the paycheck, but also from a sense of justice. Although Park initially finds her irritating, he eventually helps her fight local corruption.
Why see it? Nana is so charismatic in this role, viewers may want to see everything she’s ever done. She and Park develop a low-key lovable comic rapport that keeps a story about local politics happily enjoyable.
‘My Dangerous Wife’ is a cat-and-mouse mystery within the story of a marriage.
My Dangerous Wife
In this dark comedy Choi Won-young plays a chef who plans to murder his wealthy wife, so he can inherit her money, but when he arrives home with a poisoned bottle of wine he finds she has been kidnapped. The note the kidnappers left behind warns him not to contact the police or they will kill his wife. Should he? It sounds like an opportunity.
Why see it: Interesting plot twists and turns make this drama fascinating to the very last episode. The complex storyline involves a mistress, a mysterious old friend, a detective with a suspicious wife, and a set of curious next door neighbors with secrets of their own.
Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin experience an impossible love in ‘Crash Landing On You.’
Crash Landing On You
Crash Landing On You, which first aired in Dec. 2019, successfully introduced a wider international audience to the joys of k-drama viewing. The mega-hit, starring Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin, follows the story of a South Korean heiress who accidentally lands in North Korea and is helped by a North Korean officer at the risk of his own life.
Why see it? Everything about the drama is top-notch—the cinematography, the romantic storyline and the excellent performances from the lead and supporting actors. The drama also offers some interesting insight into North Korean daily life.
Shin Sung-rok stars in the paranormal thriller ‘Kairos.’
Kairos
Kairos is a tense paranormal thriller about karmic debt. In this drama two people who live in different times stumble on a supernatural way to talk and thus untangle their preventable personal tragedies. Shin Sung-rok plays a callous businessman whose daughter is kidnapped. Lee Se-young plays a woman whose mother disappears. Together they must change fate but they can’t connect in their own time. This plot device was used in the film The Call and the k-drama Signal, but it feels fresh in Kairos, given the carefully crafted moments of suspense and some intriguing performances.
Why see it? Both Shin and supporting actor Ahn Bo Hyun do an excellent job of portraying men who question what they once held sacred.
Which dramas made your list?
From Hollywood & Entertainment in Perfectirishgifts
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Give me your romance drama recs / drama update
I’m in the mood for a romance drama but am kind of stumped on what I should watch, so PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR RECS! It can be kdrama, jdrama, cdrama (just maybe not contemporary cdrama since those really aren’t my bag), whatever. Or even a period English piece. I’m watching Do You Like Brahms? and really enjoying that so I wouldn’t mind something similar. Of course, I am also down for something more adult/steamy. Dysfunction is fine but it needs to have a happy ending. I guess I’m feeling kind of sappy. The key is that I want to swoon/feel those butterflies.
To kind of give you an idea of what I’ve watched/am watching:
Currently Watching
Do You Like Brahms? - LOVE LOVE LOVE. Slice of life and sweet romance done right. When Song Ah and Joon Young smile at each other, I smile along with them. Adorable and sweet without being twee. An undercurrent of melancholy without being morose/a kill joy.
My Beautiful Bride - I’m loving this and highly recommend it for anyone who likes thrills, action, and a HOT male lead single-mindedly devoted to his otp, who will go to the ends of the earth to be with her. He literally lives only to make his otp happy. While his love for her is what drives the plot of the story, this isn’t necessarily a romance drama. I mean, sure, I swoon and my heart flutters when I see him beat a group of gangsters to a bloody pulp with nothing but his fists and a key. And trust me when I say my hormones rage like crazy whenever he’s onscreen. But I’m looking for a more ordinary kind of love story to add to my roster of dramas. My Beautiful Bride is like two straight shots of the strongest whiskey in a shady dive bar - it’s intense, exciting, and totally gets me amped up. However, sometimes I need a break from the Johnnie Walker and slight sense of danger and want a nice, soothing, cup of warm tea instead.
Cruel City/Heartless City - So I know I just said I needed to mellow out my current watch list but I just LOVE this drama. It’s got a great otp but again, its main focus is not romance. Although, it does have one of the hottest kiss scenes in recent years. If you thought Jung Kyung Ho was nothing but a lanky, beta, weenie, this drama will totally change your mind. Plus, this is a re-watch so I don’t have to pay attention to everything.
Finished
Flower of Evil - I fully expected to not like this drama before it started because of the terribly misleading promos. The only reason I checked it out was because I liked Moon Chae Won and Lee Jun Ki. And boy am I glad I did! I love me a devoted otp who also stop to take the time to make out. The way Ji Won saved Hyun Su by just being herself and loving him and the way Hyun Su devotes his entire life to taking care of Ji Won and being a good husband to her - *chef’s kiss*. OH, also, Kim Ji Hoon’s glorious long hair.
My Unfamiliar Family - I don’t usually watch family dramas, but this was a nice little surprise. The romance was sweet. The healing family trauma aspect was heartwarming and done very well. Not overwrought at all. Some of the red herrings/misleading endings threw me a loop but overall, I enjoyed how they resolved the misunderstandings and conflict. The re-discovery of love between the parents was nice to watch. Really easy and enjoyable watch with a great slowburn friends to lovers pairing. I identified with the female lead a bit too much sometimes heh. Fun fact: The actor playing the dad also played the king in The King and the Clown who was obsessed with Lee Jun Ki’s character.
Dropped
When I Was the Most Beautiful / When I Was the Prettiest - This drama was so disappointing, it kind of upset me to be honest. The first two episodes started off so promising. My early 2000s dysfunctional jdrama with questionable teacher/student relationships loving ass thought I was finally getting a return to the good ol’ days (before anyone says anything, no, I do not condone teacher/student relationships in real life). I mean, they had Ji Soo, the king of playing high school students with impossible one-sided crushes who you want to root for, playing a high school student with a one-sided crush on his art student-teacher. We also had renowned hottie Ha Suk Jin playing his older brother and Im Soo Hyang playing the woman in between the two hot brothers. It had all the makings of a wonderful throwback to the old school dramas. But instead, we got stuck with whatever the hell this drama is. Anyway, disappointing!
The Merchant: Gaekju - I love Jang Hyuk. I love sageuks. I love Jang Hyuk in sageuks. But this story just wasn’t working for me and there was not enough shirtless Jang Hyuk to keep my attention.
Kinda Watching On/Off
Me Too, Flower! - An old drama that I randomly picked up because I wanted to watch something with Yoon Shi Yoon. I am only watching this because of the Yoon Shi Yoon-Lee Ji Ah pairing because frankly, the rest of the drama kinda bores me. Something I put on after work when I don’t want to be too involved/don’t need to concentrate too much.
Angry Mom - I started re-watching portions of this drama because of how pissed off I was about When I Was the Most Beautiful and the disappointment I felt when I foudn out Kim Hee Sun was playing Joo Won’s mom instead of lover in Alice (although from the looks of the posts in the tag, maybe she’s gonna be both? hahaha). This is Ji Soo’s break out role and for good reason. His crush on Kim Hee Sun’s undercover high school student mom is adorable and not creepy at all because (1) He doesn’t know she’s an ahjumma (a bit of suspension of disbelief is required for this drama because no matter how great KHS looks, high school student she is not); and (2) it’s completely one-sided and not reciprocated by KHS at all. Sigh, I just want to watch KHS in a hot noona romance and Ji Soo in a good romance where (1) he gets the girl and (2) the plot is not completely asinine.
Stopped Watching but Really Need to Return to
Ever Night S1 - Ok, I literally have less than 10 episodes left of this drama but for some reason I keep on putting it off. I have a real problem finishing dramas I love. Aside from the fact that I get easily distracted and hop from one drama to the next quite often, I think it’s also because I don’t want the drama to end. I know there’s a second season, but it just doesn’t seem the same. Anyway, I should just buck up and finish this drama already.
Novoland Eagle Flag - I took a break because the angst was just non-stop and I needed something a bit lighter.
Six Flying Dragons - I binged like 10 episodes one day and took a break to give my poor eyes and brain a rest. Then, in true me fashion, I got distracted by some other drama and now I can’t remember where I left off.
Mr. Sunshine - I love Lee Byung Hun as an actor and I am also a big fan of Byun Yo Han. This is also the hottest Yoo Yeon Suk has ever looked to me. But I kind of lost interest when it became apparent that all three male leads were going to be in love with the female lead. I like the female lead just fine but it’s kind of annoying how everybody is in love with her. I know this is a quality drama but honestly, I don’t think I will return to this unless I have nothing more interesting to watch.
#drama update#drama recs#do you like brahms?#my beautiful bride#cruel city#flower of evil#my unfamiliar family#when I was the most beautiful#the merchant gaekju#me too flower#angry mom#ever night#novoland eagle flag#six flying dragons#mr. sunshine#kdrama
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