#it does not mean that he (Sung Hoon) did not love him (Sung Joon)!!!!!!!!!

[what-breaks-my-heart]

Here are some brief thoughts on kdrama that started airing in 2020 that I've watched. I said brief, but those who have been following me would appreciate that this is indeed, brief.

The list is in alphabetical order.

1. 365: Repeat the Year (MBC)

Disclosure: I am a HUGE Lee Joon Hyuk stan. He is second only to Hyun Bin on my list. The fact that this drama is on the top of this list is a happy coincidence 🥰🥰

I was soooooooo excited when I knew Lee Joon Hyuk was to star in a new drama. MBC made the announcement of the drama late last year, and I was literally walking to the office when I saw the announcement on ig.

The premise of the drama was pretty straightforward. 10 people were given the chance to travel back in time exactly one year prior. Mysterious things kept happening to the people who took the trip, so our Detective Ji “Fluffy-Hair” Hyung Joo and webtoon writer Shin “Self-Hater” Ga Hyun joined hands to figure out what exactly happened.

Once they finally figured out what caused the mysterious cases, they faced a great dilemma on what to do, with our Fluffy Hair detective running as a fugitive.

The ending was really sad, and I really wished it ended differently, but the main character of the story was our Fluffy Hair detective, and him having to live on and reset the whole thing from the new past was a nice touch to the ending.

This drama was full of surprises, twist and turn, and it is certainly a drama I would consider rewatching in the future.

2. Do You Like Brahms? (SBS)

Many people criticised the second half of this drama. Apparently the year 2020 is the year when kdramaland keeps being a disappointment, and many people are quick to include this drama in the list of disappointing drama, despite having a good beginning.

I beg to differ though. To me this drama feels more of a healing drama, wherein the characters are forced to deal with their issues. And anyone who has had to go through any form of therapy knows how hard healing process is.

TL;DR: The main leads are both people who have been mentally abused by the people around them, except for Cha Young In, because she was the only reason I did not throw my remote control at my 50-inch TV.

Park Joon Young is your classic example of a ‘gifted kid’ struggle. He was seen as a young, talented pianist who had a bright future ahead of him. But people started to treat him more like a trophy than a human being, so he decided to take a sabbatical, much to the criticism of people in the music industry. Park Joon Young realised that his passion in playing the piano has faded away, no thanks to his abusive piano professor who belittled him again and again, and practically brainwashed him into being a people pleaser. You could see how Park Joon Young was not himself in the beginning of the drama once you finish the drama.

Chae Song Ah took interest in violin at a later age (much later than professional musicians) and decided to pursue her dream by enrolling into a music programme. Her classmates were all younger than her, and it didn’t help that they all learnt music since much younger. I love how Song Ah did not give up on her dream easily and gave it her all, before she finally decided to let go of her dream to become a musician. The metaphor of her love for violin and Joon Young hurting her again and again and she just endured it though.. I cried like a mess well I am a mess but that’s a separate issue

Special shout out to Cha Young In who was there for both of them.

3. Flower of Evil (tvN)

If thriller is your thing, consider this drama. If you are one of those people who like to see your characters being tortured (physically and mentally), this drama is a MUST WATCH. And if you enjoy watching Lee Joon Ki playing a character who is put at a great distress because he is trying to run from his past, go watch this drama.

More importantly, if you enjoy a drama where your ML is sexy, attends to house chores and takes care of his bright young daughter while his wife goes crazy for solving violent crimes, a devoted husband who is attentive and a tender person but also a freak in the sheets, you are wasting every single of your breath not watching this drama.

I mean look at this man teasing his wife about his stamina.

Flower of Evil did not feel draggy at all. Everything that happened within the first 6 episodes could have been an entire drama if this was written by someone else. Seriously, this drama kept me at the edge of my couch!

The dynamic of HS and JW screams POWER COUPLE but at the same time it broke my heart how they were pushed into corners too many times by the people around them I do hope they had some sexy times while they were in the corners though

The focus on their wedding rings throughout the drama symbolised their unbreakable bond. The wedding rings were literally the very last thing that kept them together when JW stumbled upon evidences that pointed against HS.

JW, whose compass was only trusting what she saw, and not what she heard, tried to break the stigma of women being at a disadvantage in the police force. Heck, she was better than her entire team when it came to solving cases, her being the only woman in the team. Who said women cannot make good cops?

The plot twist though.. And the climax.. To this day, I still listen to this soundtrack from the drama and cry just thinking of the climax.

4. Into the Ring (also known as Memorials) (KBS2)

I didn’t even plan on watching this drama. I was channel surfing and saw Park Sung Hoon looking all depressed in the first episode and ran into Koo Se Ra. Girl was UNHINGED and determined to fight for her way.

Her motivation was initially on getting a stable pay check from being a district representative (it was only 60 million won which is like USD55k so it’s not that much) but she eventually became the district representative who fought for the benefit of the people and did not care for the political warfare that took place.

Came along Seo Gong Myung, a government officer in the local government office who was demoted from planning unit of the accounting department or something to be a secretariat to the district assembly. Seo Gong Myung sticks to his principle no matter what, which surprise surprise, is HATED by everyone in the district government.

Turns out our main leads were friends when they were kids so Se Ra kept teasing him and dragging him into her scheme of fighting for the people, which Gong Myung agreed to, not so much because he was a community-loving person, but because he was afraid Se Ra would get into trouble since she was as straight as a ruler.

Long story short, our leads fell for each other, and their relationship was HILAIROUS to watch. I think I speak for everyone who watched the drama that we had no reason to believe Se Ra did not peg Gong Myung for fun 😝😝

They were so cute together awwww

5. Kairos (MBC)

This is another drama that I stumbled into. Only this time, I saw Nam Gyu Ri and I remember seeing her ig post on a new drama so I decided to give it a go. She wrecked my heart in 49 Days so I decided to check this out for funsies. Hooo boy was I in for a major surprise.

The first two episodes got me hooketh!! I still cannot believe how the drama managed to keep me on my edge especially during the last 5 minutes of every episode. The pacing is even faster than Flower of Evil, and since this drama went back and forth between past and future, it keeps me guessing whether their efforts would bear fruit.

Will Kim ���Sexy Brain” Seo Jin  and Han “I-Know-No-Fear” Ae Ri succeed in fighting the evil, who at this point in time remains unknown? I know Chairman Yoo Seo Il is currently being hinted as the culprit behind everything but I know better that he is just a puppet who sold his soul to the real devil who most likely is in the higher ranks in politics. I mean he even hinted at his remorse for what happened with Taejung Town 19 years prior. My suspicion is he is trying to cover up whatever happened because otherwise his own family would be at risk, so his only option is to redeem himself by doing something about the Taejung Town. I could be wrong, but regardless of who turns out to be the real villain in the story, I can say I am so satisfied by how the story has progressed so far.

The time paradox still hurts my brain, but I am choosing that this drama does not assume that time is linear.

There is still not enough people watching this drama and I’m begging you all to go and catch up before it ends in two weeks time.

6. More than Friends (JTBC)

A little trivia: I reblog most of the posts from @kdramastuff even if I am not watching the show at the point of reblogging the posts. I had been following her posts on this drama for 3 weeks, and I finally decided to marathon all 6 episodes and joined the watching party.

More than Friends was another drama that many people called a disappointment but I had a different opinion on it. Yes, I used to be the nerd who had different opinions on many things in high school sue me

The drama is premised on Kyung Woo Yeon who is said to have a crush on her high school friend, Lee Soo for 10 years. Lee Soo is nowhere near to be the perfect boyfriend material. He is selfish, does not care about other people’s feelings, and was always a lone ranger.

BUUUUUUT, Lee Soo seemed to show signs of care and affection (even though it was not at all for a normal person’s standard) for Woo Yeon. Surprisingly, he seemed to only do it for Woo Yeon and gave attention to Woo Yeon alone, even though he could practically pick and choose anyone he liked from the swarm of girls who were chasing him.

One day, he told Woo Yeon that he had to leave to the US to study, which made our girl sad. She decided to confess at the airport, but he outright turned her down, saying he only wanted to be friends with her. Over the time, they kept running into each other by coincidence (note: her name Woo Yeon is a wordplay on coincidence in Korean). Later, it was revealed that he wanted her to always be by his side, but he has built a wall as tall as the Great Wall of China before the idea of love so he didn’t realise what his true feeling for Woo Yeon was all along.

Woo Yeon, who felt sick of the ten-year crush, decided to end the “curse” and kissed him by the beach, thinking of getting a closure on her crush.

Long story short, Lee Soo finally realised his feeling for her and decided to confess, but by that time, a young, handsome, rich CEO of a conglomerate has entered into the picture. Cue the game of cat and mouse between Lee Soo and Woo Yeon about resentment, regret and relationship.

This drama was promoted as a romcom, but it feels more like a slice-of-life drama with a mix of melo and romcom in there. Seriously, I cried buckets watching this drama, not something you’d expect from a romcom. The dialogues were well-written, with each episode revolving around a specific theme. This was such a good drama coming from a rookie writer.

This drama did not have that many viewers to begin with, and many of those few people dropped it along the way, including the one who was responsible in getting me hooked into this drama :p  By the end of it, there were so few people talking about this drama in the tag (shout out to @dohyunsoo @have-yet-to-decide @starfire-s @thbn-anything​ for keeping me company to the very end of this drama)

This drama broke my record of screenshots per episode and total screenshots for any show. Until now, I have yet to finish posting them. I should probably upload more screenshots later tonight.

This drama had some AMAZING shots in the first half, with beautiful sceneries mostly in Seoul. It’s like what they said, “a daily occurrence for you, a trip for me”.

7. Oh My Baby (tvN)

I did not even remember watching this drama!! It was only after scrolling through my gallery that I saw I had shared some posts on my ig story about the drama.

It was in the middle of a lockdown when this drama aired and many of my memories from back then feel so distant to me.

The plot was not THAT good, but this drama is something you may consider if you like torturing yourself about the struggle of wanting to have a baby.

8. Once Again (KBS2)

Arguably one of the weekend family drama KBS2 in a while that kept me waiting for new episodes in front of my TV. Some people are turned off by weekend family drama because they tend to have slow pacing which makes viewers feel like they are being dragged to one of those boring corporate events that you would rather miss and wish you could be literally anywhere else.

Because this drama had more pairing than the typical weekend family drama, the story did take some time before it was on full momentum. It did feel like the drama could have been better with even one less sibling to worry about, but it was a fun watch in the middle of lockdown.

Will I watch it again? I’d rather rewatch House of Bluebird (starring Lee Joon Hyuk and Lee Sang Yeob as friends to enemies to friends again) because that drama spoke to me in a way that was more relatable. No hate to Once Again though. I just prefer House of Bluebird better.

Note: Justice for Song Ga Hee and her lovely son, Kim Ji Hoon. He had to grow up so much because of what happened to his mother, that it broke Ga Hee’s heart. And mine of course

9. Secret Forest 2 (tvN)

I watched Secret Forest once it has finished and I fell in love with the drama! Imagine my excitement when they announced Secret Forest 2 with my three main characters reprising their roles. No hate to Yoon Se Ah, I love her, but her screen time in Secret Forest was not enough to make me excited about her return. But I was pleased with her role in Secret Forest 2 and I hope if there is a third season, her character gets the redemption arc that she yearns for.

Secret Forest 2 was not as intense as the brilliant original, but I understood that it had to do with the overall theme of the season, and the theme required the script to be as such. Some people may argue me on this, but I still think what they pulled off was brilliant.

Too bad there was a severe lack of Lee Joon Hyuk on my screen though.

10. Tale of the Nine-Tailed (tvN)

Well. This drama went far beyond my expectation. The OTP was to die for. No such thing as miscommunication trope. This drama did not waste time on unnecessary drama. The pacing was incredibly fast, even faster than Kairos. Although to be fair, Kairos had to play with two different timelines and required time to establish the setting.

I’m sad about what happened to Lee Rang, but he did what he did, and he would never be able to erase that much pain from his memory even if the deities decided to be lenient on him because of his roles in killing off Imoogi. A fresh start as a human seemed like a fair reset to his life, and I hope he lives well, surrounded by people who love him.

I was never a fan of Jo Bo Ah (no hate on her, I was just indifferent) but this drama opened my eyes to what an incredible actress she is. I wish her a successful career ahead.

[kdramalahhh]

Review: 18 Again [An unfeigned tale of a selfless father]

No. of episodes: 16

Personal Rating: 9.5/10

I personally had the busiest time of my life trying to juggle law school with other things and when I had a short break last week, I planned to watch a drama. I intentionally waited until 18 Again to be done airing and my decision was absolutely right because if I were to watch the drama on going I’d suffer from just waiting for each episode to be aired and will most probably be more attached to the drama than I do right now. 

Before I lay down my reasons why this drama is so good that i gave it nine and a half point, I want to tell how I feel right now post-18 Again (this is surely a phase). So, I managed to finish watching the drama in 3-4 days and after I closed the window of the last episode, I felt content but empty at the same time. Contented because the ending was so good and satisfying but at the same time the emptiness kicked in when I realised that I can no longer see these beautiful characters anymore. After the last episode, every time I listen to the OSTs, saw any clips especially the heartfelt ones; I’d cry and that’s just how impactful 18 Again was.

Synopsis: 

The drama (based on the movie 17 Again) was basically started Hong Dae Young (Yoon Sang Hyun) and Jung Da Jung (Kim Ha Neul) facing a marriage problem which lead to a decision to get a divorce, at least for Da Jung. They live seperately at the moment, Da Jang with their children and Dae Young with his best friend whom he had known since high school, Go Deok Jin (Kim Gang-Hyun). Despite being high school lovers and were very passionate to achieve their dreams, Da Jung and Dae Young were at the cross roads when Da Jung got pregnant at the age of 18. They then decided do put a halt to their dreams and got married, for their twins, Si Ah ( Roh Jeong Eui ) and Si Woo (Ryeo Un). This might started with a whole decision to be responsible adults but as time goes by they started having regrets given that life has been hitting them so hard. Eventually, after 18 years they come to a decision to get divorce - which Da Jung insists, and could not change her mind when Dae Young had no idea why they were fighting that it became this messy. This made Dae Young so frustrated that his life turned out this way. Then he made his way to his high school gym; which is now attended by his children, to shoot some balls into the basketball ring. Out of habit, he made a wish to be young again and yes, you guessed right. His wish came true! The lights went out and when it turned back on he was in the body of 18 year old Dae Young (Lee Do Hyun).

Okay so now let’s just dive into the 5 reasons why this drama is so worth watching. 

1. The plot growth and character development

I love how the plot was arranged. The writers absolutely know what they want to express in each episode episode. I like how the drama projects certain scenes from one character’s point of view and then reveals another character’s side of the story. The whole drama really wants to say that what you see is not entirely what you know. This results in a story so beautifully written, revealing one by one the things no one knows about a character. Their struggles and pain they hide from people they love just so that they won't be burdened by them, which does not necessarily resulted positively since misunderstandings occur now and then.

The characters’ development is something that should also be noted. In the beginning we see how Dae Young was a father and husband who regrets his decision for having to sacrifice his dream for his family. But, after getting the chance to be young again and to be able to do what he want - that is basketball. He started to realise his mistakes and this has opened his eyes as to what his dream actually is. Being able to only help and care about his family without them knowing who he is, was so painful for him since they really have the idea of not needing him anymore in their life. Same goes for Da Jung, at first she felt like Dae Young was changing, did not love her anymore and was pathetic. However, as time goes by some things came to her knowledge, her perspectives towards Dae Young changed. Other characters have their own story and growth as well but you guys should find them out yourselves. 

2. Lee Do Hyun

When I say Lee Do Hyun carried the whole drama, I’m not even exagerrating. he potrayed his character as a young father who struggles to raise children and provide for his family. I think he touched my heart the most. I saw his behind the scenes and I can totally see his passion and the amount of effort he puts into his acting. The chemistry he has with other actors are exceptional maybe because of his bright personality. I just realised I have watched everything in his discography and I must say his acting has grown so much, he discovers and shows new sides of as well - through this character.

3. Double Second Lead Syndrome

This drama did not only made me choose between the two main male leads for Da Jung but also between the two student who like Si Ah. Ye Ji Hoon ( Wi Ha Joon) was competent, kind, handsome and smart. He’s a famous baseball player, he is everything you want in a guy! but I can’t help myself to get swooned by Dae Young as well. It was hard for me. but, between Goo Ja Sung (Hwang In Yeop) and Seo Ji Ho (Golden Child’s Bo Min), I was team Jiho since day 1 because I just can bring myself to like Jasung. I mean he bullied Si Woo so... although he had his moments, and changed later in the drama. All im saying is its fun to have these 4 male characters who are totally different and I enjoyed rooting for them.

4. The Production

This drama has amazing production quality. I love the transitions between adult and young Dae Young scenes. Also, how they made a lot of swoon worthy scenes so beautiful. The OSTs are amazing as well. I still listen to them. I want to give an appreciation to this drama for letting me discover new talents, the younger casts. They’re so good at potraying their roles. I really enjoyed every scene relatingn to students at Serim High. The fact that they give us extra clip (variety show kinda) after filming and they’re still in their characters was fun to watch as well. This just makes it harder for me to detach from the drama.

5. The Message

The writers for this drama really know what they’re doing. Every story, every role has its purpose. Each episode was totally necessary and I’d say has something to tell. This story is about second chances, sacrifices, passion and love. For me personally, I can no longer watch a drama solely for entertainment. I need something more to enjoy it. 18 Again gave me that. It made me rethink about how I treat my loved ones. Whether I appreciate them enough or if I ever consider their pain and sacrifices because you see, the world really does not revolves only around us. 18 Again also caters social issues like discrimination and sexual harrasment against women at workplace, school bullying, illegal college broker and many more. I also appreciate that they point out how children behaves differently to their parents and friends due to the expectations parents have on them. I think we all can relate to that. 

All in all, 18 Again is a beautiful story about family rather than just about an adult who gets to live his young life again. i think thats all. took me almost a week to write this but yea. Hope you guys enjoy it and happy binge watching! Don’t forget to tell me what you guys think about the drama💞

- shaininn⭐

[life-rewritten]

Saying Goodbye to Flower of Evil

So it's finally here, time to say goodbye to my favourite kdrama so far of 2020. This is my post to say goodbye and also go back on all the positives and negatives of the show. It's been a long, beautiful and heartfelt journey. This show means a lot to me, and I had so much fun analysing it, every single week. Let’s start the review:

Ratings: Plot: 8.5/10 Directing: 8.5/10 Acting: 8.5/10 Satisfaction: 8/10 Overall: A Rewatch factor: 7/10

Opinions and Criticisms 

What can I say about this show that hasn't already been mentioned and discussed? What an amazing show. At the end of it all, Flower of Evil is a love story to the core, it focuses on the marriage between our main characters, and we the audience end up invested in watching the layers and truth of the marriage unfold, the psychological circumstances and the  external circumstances that lead us to the factors that will end up either breaking the marriage into pieces or end up bringing an opportunity for healing and unconditional love. 

Characterisation

This show in my opinion subverted  character tropes, in the first episode we're left feeling confused about who to root for;  Do Hyun So starts of a scary personality but we start to see him break down and we understand that we didn't have all the information about him. In the first episode we feel the exact worry and fear Ji Won also ends up feeling as  she slowly uncovers her husband is not who he claims to be. But we also like her start to look deeper for clues to help find the real truth about the psyche of Hyun So. 

We're introduced to characters at the beginning such as Moo Jin (very ableist at first, and problematic) only to see him become 3D and learn from his mistakes and show care for Hyun So and his ex love Hae So. Like with him, we also feel weary about every character when they first appear, even Hae Su who we even feel led to believe is the mystery serial killer accomplice at the start ends up being a character broken, we see how it actually affected her mind and patterns as the guilt ate her up for what happened to her brother. These are just a few of the characters the audience grapple to understand and start of mistrusting. 

Subverting Expectations

The tropes are subverted because this is a thriller, expectations are thrown out the window and changed, when one of our main cops find out about Hyun So's real identity (the show built this up so well since we know from the beginning  that he's curious and very intuitive with cases), we expect him to take in Hyun So and be prejudiced,. It’s a surprise to see he's not , he listens and understands that Hyun So isn't what everyone thinks he is. The other cops do the same as well when Ji Won is 'held hostage' by Hyun So. They don't blame her immediately as an accomplice and only worry about her safety. The cops end up becoming like a found family, the warmth, loyalty and trust with everyone including the chief was shocking to see, and yet the show made us hang on edge for a while to see these characters stories unfold. Yes they're more 2dimensional than 3D but they are important to the story and end up being characters we love and enjoy on screen. 

 I don't have anything bad to say about this show, I even enjoyed the reveal of the villain, Baek Hee Sung, his storyline whilst seemingly making him a very straight forward psychopath, the subtext of the show suggested even more dimensionality and depth to understanding his family's psyche, circumstances and reasonings for why they aided him. He's also a brilliant foil to Do Hyun So who was using his identity without knowing he's the real accomplice we were waiting for. The actors do such a good job in this show, the main couple have great emotional ranges needed to carry the painful, hurtful, alarming scenes. Props to my two favorites, Lee Joon Gi as Do Hyun So was such a perfect casting choice for this show and Kim Ji Hoon as a villain was so delicious to watch, he made me scream and squeal a couple of times. Both so addicting and entrancing to watch on screen. 

Lacklustre writing for Females

Eunha

As much as I am satisfied with the ending I do feel there are parts that a bit lack luster. The use of the daughter in the story of Do Hyun So regaining his memories and choosing to accept Ji Won yet again could have been used more, in fact I thought she was going to run away or do something defiant causing Hyun So to panic and realise he does have feelings and care. (I thought that was what they were building up to when they showed the food in the fridge he kept buying for her without knowing why) But she's pushed to the side, and almost forgotten about until we get a reunion. Eun Ha was such an interesting character to look into and I would have loved more depth and use in the storyline especially when she's connected the most to the humanity of Hyun So. Instead we got the diary scene and the title of the metal workshop being connected to Ji Won and his love for her all along. Don't get me wrong the romance was the basis of the show, so it makes sense we end with it being the most focused part on the conclusion of the show, I just wanted more Eunha. 

Do Hae Su

As much as I enjoyed the characters in the show, I felt the female characters apart from Cha Ji Won were written to be very stupid, emotional or just an obstacle to their male counterparts. This irked me for a while, Hae Su's best part is when she sacrifices her life for Hyun So but before that she acts rashly and keeps on doing things that no one wants her to, I almost face palmed when she went straight to the director after finding out someone in his hospital is the accomplice. Like it's not hard to put two and two together. I enjoyed her as a character but did feel like she was underused more than her male counterpart Moo Jin. I'm glad we get her resolution and she survived

Director’s wife/ Unmother

The director's wife/Baek Hee Sung mother shows potential of being a character with depth and aims, but she also becomes sidelined once her son wakes up, her struggles in her psyche for her new fake son and grand daughter vs her guilt of hurting her real son, was a really good dynamic to explore, but she ends up becoming weak and panicking and being taught by both her male counterparts her son and husband. She just ends up being in the background and seen as the less smart, cunning and clever one compared to them. Didn't really like that, I thought she would be part of the downfall of our villain but she just ends up wasted instead. 

The maid of the Baek’s

Don't get me started about her maid, another female character who is fridged on the show, I thought she was written so stupid towards the end for the convenience of the plot, and I hated that she reacted the way she did knowing the truth she knew. Her outburst and blackmail tactics just felt so out of the blue, it annoyed me to no end. I wish she had a reason that was hinted throughout the show, quotes or scenes that hinted she would betray them for money, more depth shown with her relationship with her and the wife, but no she just reacted out of bounds and got murdered. It was just a bit blase. 

However I'm not saying this show did not also have powerful women characters, well character, Ji Won was smart, cunning and I enjoyed watching her actions after she discovered who her husband was. But for me I would have preferred more females written the same way she was that's all. 

The final moments

I did enjoy the message of the show, especially when looking at what made our characters become/ turn into percieved psychopaths, the connection of Do Min Seok with both Baek Hee Sung and Do Hyun So was interesting to look at, and the way the world treated Hyun So because of his disorder was also painful but written well in the show. One of my favorite scenes in this show, is episode 15, (i wished the show's ending was episode 15, it would have left a haunting effect on the audience but i like happy endings too), when Hyun So proclaims he sees dead people so he can't believe Ji Won is alive. It was a brilliant build up as the ghost of Do Min Seok had been all along a foreshadowing device for this moment, immediately he said that it shocked me and made me realise what the writers planned all along. It was always right there in front of us that this will be an issue, and they used it so well for episode 15.  One of my favourite moments so far in kdramas of 2020. 

The message of the show is simple don't judge someone based on their mental disorder, they're just like everyone else if given the right opportunity to feel, and be treated like normal people. 

Analysis and Devices used

Onto the devices used for analysing this show:

The themes

I enjoyed the topic of Psychopathy, Trauma and Mental Health that was relayed through out the show, what makes a psychopath a psychopath nature vs nurture. I enjoyed how each character's needs and wants is revealed to us subverting tropes and keeping the audience questioning the reasonings and truths of each of them.

The parallels

I also liked the directing parallels when they show both Hyun So and Cha Ji Won doing different things but it connected to the actual plot/storyline of the show for example him uncovering who his dad worked with to get raw materials, and she also uncovering a fake employment scheme with the someone connected to the same person who Hyun So is meeting. They do this all the time, and it's a great way to make the audience feel on edge and worried that soon both her and Hyun So's path will have to meet and she will have to confront him on the truth of their marriage. 

The Foreshadowing

There's heavy use of symbolic foreshadowing, dramatic irony and  withholding of information all used to keep the audience on their toes with bated breaths. The genre was part thriller, so each cliff hanger was deviced well enough to show case some realisations (some painful and horrifying) and also used to make the audience go back on their own expectations and wait to see the story unfold. At first the show starts of like a murder detective show, and I liked how each of the murderers/crimes were connected to unveiling the truth about Hyun So and his father.

Some foreshadowing devices I enjoyed is when Ji Won's identity card gets smashed and handed to Hae Su, at first we don't understand why there was such a scene but it uncovers and we find the horrifying conclusion that Hae Su will get stabbed because the killer misunderstands her to be Ji Won. Each of the devices used end up coming full circle in the plot to keep the audience on edge or hurt and broken at the realisation of what it meant. I look foward to watching another show with this writer and director again.

In Conclusion

This Kdrama surpassed my expectations and even beat my predecessor Psycho but it's okay as my favourite shows. While I did have some issues with parts of it, even with those issues I was left emotionally invested in this show, the characters, the story unfolding. I enjoyed every little thing in this show, I ended up being so effected I cried many times. As a writer, it taught me how to write a good love story, a couple against the world, and how to keep an audience invested. 

[byul153]

[Countdown to 2021] Top 5 Kdrama of 2020

This past year of what was undoubtedly an absolutely horrendous year of 2020--for a variety of reasons--I can honestly say that one of the reasons why I stayed sane was because of Kdrama. Being at home all day, even for an extreme homebody for me, can get harrowing because the choice of going out or not was taken from me when my area went into lockdown.

And so....to Kdrama it is. I think that 2020 was one of the very few years that I’ve seen nearly all of the Kdrama that aired on MBC, SBS, KBS, TvN, and jTBC...which is....a lot, I’ve come to realize. That brought me to think--which would I consider my top 5?

Hmmm.....Well, here I go.

Please note that my top 5 are not in any particular order. Each one that made it to my top 5 is beloved for a completely different reason. I also don’t go down the critic route and pick apart the direction, the story, yada yada. I just made this list purely on how much I enjoyed them and how much they’ve made an impression on me.

(SPOILERS AHEAD.)

#5 -- The Tale of the Nine-Tailed

Starring Lee Dong Wook, Jo Bo Ah, Kim Beom, Hwang Hee

I like Lee Dong Wook as a Grim Reaper, and I like Lee Dong Wook as a gumiho/nine-tailed fox. What can I say?

That being said, The Tale of the Nine-Tailed was really about Kim Beom’s character Rang. He started as a villain (sort of), then became a reluctant ally (sort of), and then met his end with a smile. He redeemed himself throughout the entire drama, and I shed a lot of tears in the final episode, because he finally was afraid to die because he had something to live for, but his desire for his brother to come back was so strong that he’d gladly give up the remaining time he had, stolen as it was, to give his big brother a final gift. His sacrifice made an impact more with me than any other character because it was so out of character for him, and yet not. His choice wasn’t unexpected, and yet I felt like a train wreck when I finally saw it on the screen.

#4 -- Half of a Half/A Piece of Your Mind

Starring Jung Hae In, Chae Soo Bin, Lee Ha Na, Kim Sung Kyu

Or....known as the drama that is known for being tragically cut short. Let me tell you, I loved this drama. It’s not an epic romance drama by any means, but the tone of the drama was really calming and healing, which is basically the premise--two lonely souls grieving find solace in one another.

I do wish that they didn’t drag the mystery of “Who is the husband?” for so long, but I enjoyed the dynamics between Moon Ha Won and Ha Seo Woo so much that I really didn’t mind it. I really wished that they would’ve kept the original run of 16 episodes instead of slashing it to a mere 12, because it really limited the writer and directors to wrap up the story, but I also do think that if they went with the 16-episode route we would definitely have the noble idiocy trope inserted, some way or another, instead of the really lovely way that Seo Woo wanted distance from a devastated Ha Won, to get over her sadness and fear of happiness, in order to run to him.

#3 -- The Flower of Evil

Starring Lee Jun Ki, Moon Chae Won, Jang Hee Jin, Seo Hyun Woo

If Kairos was a suspense drama, The Flower of Evil was definitely a thriller teetering on the edges of horror. My God, this drama scared the living daylights out of me. Lee Jun Ki as a (alleged) sociopath I could see, considering that he acted a similar role in the drama-that-must-not-be-named, but in the flashbacks his serial killer father’s eyes was enough for me to shut my laptop and just breathe.

....And that was before the introduction of Kim Ji Hoon’s character.

Lee Jun Ki is the main lead, and the story focuses on him, but the one who shone in this drama was definitely Kim Ji Hoon. I’ve watched Kim Ji Hoon over the years, and I am somewhat convinced that his sudden appearance as a very psychopathic killer will jump out at my screen and strangle me in my chair. It’s very different from his usual roles and, my God, I am looking forward what he’ll choose for his next project.

#2 -- The King: Eternal Monarch

Starring Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun, Kim Kyung Nam, Woo Do Hwan

Ah, the epic modern-Korean monarchy...but with a twist of parallel universes, and more! (Let’s sprinkle in time travel while we’re at it!)

I think that this is the one drama in 2020 where I was simultaneous satisfied that it was finished, and yet still full of unanswered questions. Like, how does a cross-universe couple happen? Especially with doppelgängers?? And why can only certain people remember what happened??? What happens now????

Putting that aside, The King: Eternal Monarch had one major flaw: Lee Rim, played by veteran Lee Jung Jin. I felt that they completely his potential as a very potent villain in the interest of creating an epic love story. I did love the Lee Gon-Jung Tae Eul couple and chemistry (which they did, contrary to some people’s opinions), and it was the characters that really stayed with me--i.e. Jo Young/Jo Eun Sup. Woo Do Hwan really outdid him in both his characters. He nearly convinced me that it was two different actors play two characters!

And...now to #1.

#1 -- Do You Like Brahms?

Starring Park Eun Bin, Kim Min Jae, Kim Sung Chul, Park Ji Hyun

OK....I said that I loved each drama differently, right? Ahahaha....yeah, all lies. If I were to pick just ONE drama of the year, it’d be Do You Like Brahms? 

How many ways can I wax poetic about this one? I am still obsessed with this drama, and so very happy that Kim Min Jae and Park Eun Bin won the Best Couple Award for this drama at this year’s SBS Drama Awards. I have my gripes about the drama, but they don’t in any way outweigh the highs.

I just loved the respect and communication between Park Joon Young and Chae Song Ah, both before as acquaintances/friends/comrades in respective unrequited loves, and afterwards as the giddy, heart-fluttering moments as a couple. They understood each other, and accepted one another, as two people experiencing the same pain. They didn’t try to sugarcoat it or hide it behind a smile, which they did towards everyone else. Even with Joon Young’s missed opportunities to communicate, Song Ah tried her very best, when she clearly told him that she didn’t appreciate being in the dark, and that she wanted to lean on him. I also loved how in the drama, their words and actions mirrored one another, in the way that they confessed their feelings, and asked the other to wait--not a rejection, but for an opportunity to catch up.

Honorable Mention -- Forest

Starring Park Hae Jin, Jo Bo Ah, No Gwang Sik, Jung Yeon Joo

I really like Park Hae JIn, and I really like Jo Bo Ah, so put them together? Yep, we have Forest--a drama that mixes romance, mystery(?), and the proverbial forest. The drama did fall kind of flat, which was a disappointment, considering how much news I’ve heard about it, and the villains didn’t get as much development they needed to seem as “evil” they should be.

One of my favorite lines of the drama I think will stay as one of my favorites is a line made by Park Hae Jin’s Kang Sang Hyeok in the final episode (yes, I know): “The reason why I’m acting like this now...is solely because of my personal revenge--the sacred sense of duty that you think I have...I don’t.” He acknowledges his wrongdoing and is making amends, but he doesn’t apologize or try to coat his actions as anything but self-serving. He’s not someone who immediately changes due to the power of love, but takes it slowly.

[iyeolie]

kdrama recs!

although i already have a tag for my favorite asian dramas in general (check out here if you want) i wanted to make a post dedicated to the dramas i’ve watched that hit differently.... i’ll explain

these dramas aren’t necessarily my fave of all time or at the very top of my fave list, but i did enjoy all of them a lot. the dramas on this list are the ones i enjoyed from start to finish, every episode, practically every scene. the ones i did not want to end. they were easy to watch and the struggle to not click “next episode” was real. so if you’ve got nothing else to do maybe check one or two out!

          ‣  goblin

starring : gong yoo, kim go eun, lee dong wook, yoo in na, yook sungjae

plot : kim shin is turned into a goblin tasked with protecting certain people from the life of misery. the only way to end his immortal life is to find his bride that can set him free of his sword. kim shin accidentally becomes roommates with a grim reaper, wang yeo, and as natural enemies the two clash. ji eun tak is a high school student who is able to communicate with the dead. she gets involved with the goblin and grim reaper. could she be the goblin’s bride who holds the power to release him from his eternal misery and set his soul free?

thoughts : this is my number one (1) fave kdrama and drama over all! it has everything: unique plot, interesting characters, humor, drama, fantasy elements... this is the drama i’ll always recommend to anyone and everyone. there’s not a dull moment and there is always something that grabs your attention. the depth to each character is crazy and how they all connect is insane. you grow close to them all and end up routing for them with all your heart. couldn’t recommend it enough.

          ‣  high-end crush

starring : jung il woo, jin se yeon, yoon bora, lee si eon

plot : choi se hoon is the ceo of an entertainment company and knows his stuff well. he is very arrogant and doesn’t take no for an answer. yoo yi ryeong lives alone on a mountain and doesn’t have any desire for money and fame. the two cross paths and se hoon ends up offering yi ryeong a contract from his company, she rejects him. the determined businessman won’t give up on her and ends up developing feelings along the way. can two people from different worlds come together?

thoughts : the fact that i almost didn’t watch this drama will haunt me forever. i’m sO happY that i gave it a go. i expected nothing but ended up with so much. this mini drama made me laugh and cry, and took me on a hell of a ride. the story between the couple is hilariously sweet and melts my heart. jung il woo stole my heart with this drama, he did an excellent job as the lead and his character made the drama what it is. if you have 5 hours to spare i highly recommend this one, enjoyed every second.

          ‣  hospital ship

starring : ha ji won, kang min hyuk, lee seo won, kwon min ah

plot : song eun jae is a capable surgeon at a large hospital in seoul. due to circumstances she ends up quitting her job and boards a hospital ship that provides medical care for locals in rural villages. on board are army doctors who have unwillingly been assigned their posts, except for kwak hyun, who volunteered. although eun jae has a cold personality, she is perfectionist and very skilled. with her on board, the hospital ship is able to admit patients and help with the most critical medical problems, all while out at sea.

thoughts : honestly i didn’t have any expectations going into this one, but i was pleasantly surprised. all the different characters clashed together and made the story very interesting, everyone came together and became an unexpected family. all the cases they dealt with were just insaane and made the drama so entertaining to watch! they always had the odds against them but somehow made in through them. very addicting.

          ‣  extraordinary you

starring : kim hye yoon, rowoon, lee jae wook, lee naeun, kim young dae

plot : eun dan oh is a student at a prestigious academy. one day she discovers that the world she’s living in is a fantasy world of comics, and she isn’t even the main character! she is only an extra and the writer has set her up with a lame story line that she doesn’t want to follow. dan oh realizes she is one of the few characters that are aware and tries to change the story to free herself from the writer’s grip. she meets a nameless student, number 13, who dan oh thinks can be the key. they work together to try and change their fates, but this comes with a price to pay.

thoughts : this drama was almost impossible not to watch one episode right after another! suuch a cool plot and it was hard to try and predict what was going to happen next. the drama kept its secrets very well and dragged it out, making you as a viewer really miserable wanting to know more, but this is what made it so good. things uncovered slowly but surely and you changed your mind about things over and over. big brain energy on this one!

          ‣  cinderella and four knights

starring : jung il woo, park so dam, ahn jae hyun, lee jung shin, son naeun

plot : eun ha won feels alone in the world and has poor contact with her father and stepmother. she lives a hard life trying to find ways to pay for her education. she gets involved with the three famous and rich cousins : kang ji woon ; a rebel-minded loner, kang hyun min ; a playboy money machine and kang seo woo, a sweet singer-songwriter. because of ha won’s non-nonsense personality, the cousins grandfather thinks she’s the perfect person to discipline his spoiled grandsons to get along with each other. however in the process ha won finds herself in the middle of a quadrangle love story.

thoughts : man, honestly this drama is THE reason why i’m even making this list. i was hooked from the start and STAYED hooked the entire drama. park so dam being the queen she is played her character so fantastically, i love how powerful and confident her character is. how different the cousins personalities were made it hilariously interesting to watch. i myself fell in love with each guy and had the hardest time picking who to root for! second and third lead syndrome is real. this is the one drama that i can honestly say i did not want to end, i’d watch this forever if i could lmfao

          ‣  falling for innocence

starring : jung kyung ho, kim so yeon, yoon hyun min

plot : kang min ho is a cold-blooded corporate raider who treats his workers and people ruthlessly. he is self-defensive and a suspicious sociopath, but he suffers from heart problems and is expected to die in the near future. unless he gets a heart transplant from a suitable donor, he is done for. kim soon jung’s fiancé gets into a car “accident” which ends in fatality. luckily for min ho, the fiancé is a match and min ho gets another shot at life. after the heart transplant, min ho starts to notice changes in his behavior : a rare result of heart transplants. he ends up falling for soon jung and she teaches him the meaning of true happiness and what love is. are his feelings really his, or the memories from the previous owner of his heart?

thoughts : i thought this drama wasn’t gonna be anything out of the ordinary going into it, but i was wrong. the character development the main character went through is one of the best ones i’ve seen and very inspiring at that. how he went from night to day because of his transplant was really something to witness. jung kyung ho killed it obviously and made his character believable. seeing how the characters deal with the situation made me not being able to stop watching.

          ‣  one spring night

starring : jung hae in, han ji min, kim jun han, joo min kyung, lim sung eon

plot : lee jeong in decides to prioritize happiness in her life. she has a long time boyfriend who wants to marry her but she’s not so sure what she feels. to treat her hangover one spring night, she goes to the pharmacy. yoo ji ho is the pharmacist who ends up helping her. ji ho is a single dad and unsure whether a woman could want a man like him. he however immediately becomes interested in jeong in and does whatever he can to meet her in person. the two fall in love despite their situations. the two however now have to deal with the obstacles that family, friends and society sets for them.

thoughts : this drama is like a warm safety blanket for me. i started it on a whim, skimming through netflix just wanting to watch something before bed. i ended up clicking on this and booy am i happy i did. it’s a nicely slow-paced, sweet and romantic love story which touches your heart in the best way. the whole vibe of the drama is just... i don’t know how to describe it’s just... chill?? and nice?? and comfortable?? it was my night time drama before bed, so i have nice memories from watching it. loved their love story. also a+++ for the osts!!!

         ‣  madame antoine : the love therapist

starring : sung joon, han ye seul, jeong jinwoon, hwang seung un, lee joo hyung

plot : go hye rim is a famous fortune-teller known as “madame antoine” and insist she is spiritually connected to the late french queen marie antoinette. choi soo hyun is a highly awarded therapist specialising in women’s psychology. coincidentally, his psychological treatment center is also called “madame antoine”. soo hyun develops an experiment with the hypothesis that love does not exist. he tricks hye rim into participating in the experiment to study her behavior when approached by three different men. however, hye rim isn’t told what the experiment is about and doesn’t know that the men’s feelings for her are fake, or are they?

thoughts : a fortune teller and therapist love story?? sign me the f up!!! i loved seeing these two bicker every other second but overcoming their differences to be with each other. this couple is really what they mean by “you’re hot then you’re cold”, it was on, off, on, off all the time, but i also couldn’t be mad at it. the drama was easy to watch and i couldn’t not click the next episode. all characters were extremely likeable and made me wanna be friends with them too rip. after finishing this one i kinda wanna learn some psychology tricks..... they were both really cool ><

[snowstorm808]

Man to Man review

Forest just ended and classes have been suspended. I've been looking forward to watching Man to Man but kept putting it off because I needed to focus on my return to school. My interest piqued because Cheese in the Trap (drama) was just so unsatisfactory. No wonder Park Hae Jin took on the movie which had better cast, thankfully. But first, I want to share a bit of history to my Park Hae Jin drama addiction. I first saw him in Chil Princesses then East of Eden then Seoyong, My Daughter, all of which were aired in a local channel. Though I didn't watch these dramas closely except for East of Eden, I just watched some of the episodes enough to remember the actors. I just literally remembered that Yeon Jung Hoon AND Park Hae Jin were in East of Eden together as babies exchanged from birth as a form of revenge! It seems my memory works well when it comes to K-dramas. Even then, I wasn't so fond of PHJ but I must admit I was quite surprised to see him as a third wheel in My Love from the Stars. I just thought his stature should be the lead actor type. And so Cheese in the Trap came a long with an interesting plot. I thought it wouldn't be bad to give it a try. Thanks to the director, writer or whoever it was who thought setting aside Yoo Jung aka PHJ to give Seo Kang Joon more scenes was a great idea. Nevertheless, I believe that injustice gave birth to the Cheese movie turning it into a blessing in disguise. I love the movie a lot and I got to move on from the drama version with ease. I usually hate it when the drama and movie has a different cast but I didn't feel that way with this one. It was quite difficult to source the movie so I was beyond ecstatic when Red by HBO picked it up. I watched it for like 4 times and never got tired of it. Shortly after that addiction, I learned Forest was airing on KBS World. Coincidence? Not sure but the idea sent me to the skies. Though it was a twice a week drama, it was quite a struggle to watch due to hectic class schedules but I prevailed. Heh.

Forest left me wanting more PHJ dramas and the class suspension made verything fall into place. Finally, after so much holding back from drama temptation, I got to watch Man to Man on Netflix. It is better to be late than never, right? At first, I looked it up thoroughly since it's his first production after to Cheese in the Trap because I didn't want to be disapointed again. The actors in this drama are the real stuff. From the lead to supporting actors and production staff, I just knew the drama would be in good hands. With a stellar cast and firm story line, my heart felt so full.

Man to Man has everything I can probably look for in a drama (on those days when I'm not into fluffy romance). Genre wise, there's action, comedy, romance, bromance and just the right amount of drama. It was like watchig a movie with the length of a drama which makes it so perfect for me. Like K a.k.a. Seol Woo, I prefer dramas over movies because of its length (although we do have different underlying reasons for that).

Not the usual cliché

I do admit I was a bit curious of K's real identity like his family and etc but it seems it was a good decision not to touch on his back story to lay off the usual K-drama cliché. There weren't also any childhood meeting for our main leads. It was the characters around K who had stories to tell which felt satisfying enough for me as a viewer. Watching dramas taught me excessive deets on a character can come off as cliché and kill a story if not well executed.

Things to love

One of the first things I noticed was I did not feel as if Park Hae Jin was too much in my face. The screen time between the actors was divided decently which is another plus with professional actors and production. I actually felt as if PHJ was trying to prove a point with this drama because the level was totally different. I might be overthinking here but to me it did seem that way.

The actors had perfect chemistry making them so fun to watch. From the bromance to the villains, they were just really fun to watch.

I love how Park Hae Jin delivers a funny line or situation with a straght face. He literally seemed like he was having fun messing with his role that way. I couldn't help but feel so impressed at how he could shift between emotions with such ease. It was definitely my type of acting method and he did it perfectly. I've seen tons of actors do this method but his was exceptionally effortless. PHJ certainly improved a lot, I guess his experiences as a character actor honed his talent. I'm certainly a fan of his acting from here on though I probably won't ever have a crush on him. Lol. He and Joo Won are few of the actors I love without having a crush on actually.

Kim Min Jung is another wonderful actress although she isn't your typical lead actress. She usually takes on a variety of characters and she executes them so well. Cha Do Ha is a bit naive but scary when angered while Park Hu Ja (My Fellow Citizens) is somewhere between scary and funny and damn badass like a true woman should be. Though it took me some time to appreciate Seol Woo and Do Ha's romance, it changed when their feelings started to actually grow serious. I was surprised because I didn't expect the shift and to actually see it. I can credit their great acting because I found my self shipping Seol Woo and Do Ha although it may not be to the point of outside the drama.

Bromance. Yeo Woon Gwang (Park Sung Woong) was totally a third wheel to the main couple for Seol Woo's affection, that is. I just get the kick out of it every time they ran away like some lovers from The Bodyguard, it was a parody alright, but it was definitely the best I've ever seen among all parodies. Yeo Woon Gwang and Cha Do Ha shed light into K's life as a ghost agent. His South Korean mission made him human and earned him a family. Technically, there were different types of bromance in Man to Man all over from the NIS Agents to the villains.

Twists. Yup so most dramas have twists in it but some feel as if they're forced. However, I didn't feel that way for this drama. While I might have expected some of it due to the initial clues, I think the so calld twists were well put together.

It is definitely a good watch if you're searching for a quality drama with action and comedy in it. I mean I'm totally raving here and if my writing does have a voice, you'd probably hear my never ending excitement and enthusiasm towards this drama. Thank goodness, Old School Intern is coming up!

[vocalprinceseokmin]

Xcalibur Summary (Part 2)

SPOILER ALERT: If you are someone who has tickets to go watch Xcalibur, or you intend to go and watch, then I highly suggest that you do not click under the cut.

This is Part 2 of my attempt to piece the musical together, and Part 1 can be found here: https://vocalprinceseokmin.tumblr.com/post/185890111000/xcalibur-summary-part-1

I repeat: If you intend to watch the musical, I suggest you do not spoil yourself.

Due to the length of this post, I will not be embedding the videos like I normally do. Also, I think I understood the first act better.

22 Long Ago and Far Way

Arthur / Guinevere

This is the much talked about Arthur and Guinevere marriage scene. Where Arthur and Guinevere are decked out in all white, the (prominent) ensemble actor who consistently plays the role of the priest (??) walks Arthur and Guinevere down the aisle. There are some rites, which I remember involve the priest giving Arthur a sword to kiss, and the same sword to Guinevere to kiss. Then Arthur goes down his knees and puts the ring on Guinevere, and vice versa. There’s a kiss (where for avoidance of doubt, I mean peck) at the end.

I don’t know what else is there to say. I think people crying about it on twitter would be more informative.

Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin, Ector as well as villagers celebrate their wedding.

  23 How Deep The Silence                          

Lancelot

Lee Jee Hoon sang this at the mini live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjoLfp4XjW0

Sitzprobe at approximately 38:24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvg5_pFKDPE (sung by Park Kang Hyun)

As you probably already know, Lancelot has a thing for Guinevere too. And Arthur and Guinevere are getting married, so he is singing away his sorrow.

While Lancelot is singing at the side, Arthur and Guinevere (together with the villagers) are doing a slow dance.

After the song, Morgana and Merlin are at the side, and Merlin congratulates Arthur. Arthur tries to convince Morgana to dance with him (the same dance that pretty much everyone else is doing in the background – a different dance from the slow dance), which I don’t think he’s very successful though Morgana is moving in like the general direction.

Then Arthur decides it’s time to have a toast and picks up a cup, wherein Guinevere takes the cup from his hand and I believe suggests that Ector (as Arthur’s adoptive papa) gives a toast instead. There is a toast, Ector drains his drink, and well, the liquid in the cup is poisoned so Ector gets poisoned.

Merlin sniffs the cup and figures that the drink in the said cup is poisoned. I believe the conclusion (rightly or not) is that it was the Saxons that did it. For whatever reason, I get the impression that Morgana tried to poison Arthur but the job was botched ( due to Guinevere) so Ector got poisoned instead. Due to what I have heard subsequent, I’m quite sure Morgana was behind it.

In any case, Arthur is very upset about Ector’s passing, gets angry and basically pushes everyone (Lancelot, Merlin, Guinevere) away.  

24 Eye For An Eye

Morgana / Arthur / Wolfgang / Merlin / Ensemble

Sitzprobe at approximately 24:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvg5_pFKDPE

Aftermath of Ector’s passing. I think the main point is that Arthur wants revenge (on the Saxons for killing his father), but because Morgana and Wolfgang are also on the song, I wonder if these are the people who also want revenge (Morgana on Arthur for taking away what is hers, and Wolfgang on Arthur for killing his son).

Very cool scene where Morgana and Arthur are on the main level of the stage, with Wolfgang and the Saxons lowered in from above.

25 Go It Alone

Arthur / Lancelot

There is press call for this (first song): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VyPBR64xz4

Alternative link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF65450Q3Co

The knights (including Lancelot) are arguing about a plan (probably battle plan). I think there is something about how Arthur managed to pull the xcalibur, with I think an implicit message that they should listen to him (to undermine Lancelot who I think is trying to tell them what to do). At some point Arthur walks in.

In any case, Arthur and Lancelot are not happy with each other. They end up fighting (with swords, while singing). Arthur wins (or maybe more accurately Lancelot gets hurt, and Guinevere intervenes). Arthur leaves and the knights follow him out. Guinevere does not follow Arthur out, asks if Lancelot is ok and tends to his wound. I think at this point, Arthur and Lancelot have fallen out.

26 Desire

Morgana / Merlin

There is press call for this (second song): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VyPBR64xz4

Alternative link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RfjWRXeLD0

Sitzprobe at approximately 28:23 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvg5_pFKDPE (Shin Young Sook and Son Jun Ho instead of Jang Eun Ah and Kim Joon Hyun in the press call)

Due to my lack of understanding as to what is going on between Merlin and Morgana (I still wonder if they’re romantically involved or it’s complicated or something), I will let the press call speak for itself. My best guess is Morgana wants to recover from Arthur what she thinks is rightfully hers, but of course Merlin won’t let her have her way so they are not happy with each other.

Since then I think I have been led to believe that Morgana is Merlin’s former disciple, and there appears to be some kind of strange romantic thing going on between them, probably best summarized as it’s complicated.

27 Murmur of the Heart

Arthur

See: https://twitter(.)com/ivanmenchell/status/1143638854747901952/photo/1

Arthur is mourning the death of his father. Guinevere and Lancelot come to find him, but Arthur is very cold to Guinevere and pushes her away. Lancelot is concerned about the two of them but eventually leaves. Arthur pisses Guinevere off, she leaves, and he thinks about chasing after her but is too immobilized by pain.

This is the song that Junsu sang at the mini live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zguq_OAHsr8

For those so concerned, I think there are other Junsu performances of this song.

28 When Worlds Collide

Merlin

Morgana went to Merlin’s cave and is looking through Merlin’s stuff for something. Merlin catches her and is not happy, so at some point is holding her quite aggressively. I think my understanding subsequent is pretty much Merlin tries to finish Morgana off. Arthur barges in at this point, is very angry at Merlin and takes Morgana away.

Song starts at this point – what it is about, I have no idea. But it seems triggered by Arthur’s fondness for Morgana.

29 How Do You Make it Stay

Guinevere

Min Kyung Ah sang this in the mini live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBuJWVnO42U

This starts with Guinevere going to dip her feet in a small pool. Lancelot comes along, and they chat. What about, I think topics (amongst others, include Arthur, i think how to help Arthur and how Arthur is pushing her away).

As foreshadowed before, Lancelot likes Guinevere. After perhaps chatting (and at the end of the song), they come quite close to kissing, but (if I recall correctly) Guinevere pushes Lancelot away.

30 Eye for an Eye Reprise

Wolfgang / Arthur / Saxons

There is a press call for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izb7atfnBaw

Alternative link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t41VyZa61U0

Starts with the Saxons demonstrating their strength. Wolfgang and his many Saxons walk in (well most of the Saxons walk, Wolfgang doesn’t need to). I think this is one of the few (if only) video on the internet floating around on the internet which showcases the Saxons well.

Arthur and his knights are lowered in from the top of the stage (this is the same mechanism that is used in the earlier Eye for an Eye with the Saxons on top).

There is some mention from the knights that Lancelot is missing, but I think Arthur says that they have to go without him.

It says Eye of an Eye Reprise, but really I think it’s quite different. In the original Eye for an Eye, I don’t think there were solo ensemble lines this prominent (here the priest (a prominent Camelot ensemble) gets multiple solo lines, and the prominent Saxon (the one with the huge headgear) also gets multiple solo lines). Arthur and Morgana have solo lines in the original Eye for an Eye but none here.

31 Never to Love

Lancelot

There is press call for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQO9ePYiE5U

Alternative link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3P_dZN2SvA

Park Kang Hyun sang this at the mini live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHs23a7a8e4

Sitzprobe at approximately 32:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvg5_pFKDPE (Lee Jee Hoon)

From the title, I guess he is mourning about Guinevere. Anyway, it is clear that he is depressed or at the very least not happy. At the end of the song, he takes out a dagger, and is close to slitting his wrist or stabbing himself. Guinevere finds him and stops Lancelot (this part is not captured in the press call). 

They embrace and I think they kiss.

32 This is How it Ends

Morgana / Arthur (Lancelot and Guinevere are credited on this on the OST listing but I’m not sure because they are in the scene kneeling, but as for singing, not sure) 

As foreshadowed earlier, Lancelot is not with Arthur and the knights, and I think here Arthur has come looking for Lancelot. However, Morgana revealed to Arthur that Guinevere was cheating on him with Lancelot. Arthur gets angry (at Lancelot and Guinevere, who are at this point kneeling on the floor). This is a back and forth song between Morgana and Arthur, very cool. Lancelot and Guinevere do not attempt to put up any resistance, and Arthur comes quite close to using the sword on both of them. In the end he doesn’t, and I think tell them to get out of his sight and never appear in Camelot again.

33 Telling of the Tale Reprise

Merlin

I think Arthur told Merlin about what happened. Merlin does some magic, which I think makes him look like Arthur (and has some damage reflect thing going on). Arthur (I think Merlin pretending to be Arthur), just offers himself up to Morgana to kill. Morgana does stab him, and has perhaps all of two laughs before she realizes that she is injured too (along with Merlin).

34 When Worlds Collide Reprise

Merlin / Morgana

Morgana is understandably angry at Merlin. But I think Merlin kind of comforts her, and as I understand it, they die in each other’s arms.

I still wonder if they are romantically involved.

35 What Does it Mean to be a King

Arthur

Kai sang this at the mini live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnrqZNZeWsY

Think Camelot (Arthur and his knights) are preparing to go to battle with the Saxons. Arthur then considers, as the title suggests, what does it mean to be king.

35A Battle

Saxons come in, and there is a battle between the Saxons and Camelot.

Scene starts with many people fighting, but at some point it’s Arthur versus Wolfgang and a few Saxons. Lancelot rushes in at some point, and together with Arthur, they successfully defeat the Saxons (yes and killing Wolfgang in the process). However, it seems that Lancelot has gotten critically injured in him assisting Arthur.

36 Field of Glory

Arthur cries heartbrokenly over Lancelot’s death. Has to get pried away by the ensemble in charge of the rites. Lancelot get carried off stage in what must be his funeral rites, with Arthur following along like a lost puppy.

37 Long Ago and Far Away Reprise

Guinevere / Arthur

At the tail end of Lancelot getting carried off, Guinevere (now a nun) appears. Arthur begs her to go back to him. Guinevere declines because she cannot forgive herself. They sing for a little bit, and it seems that Guinevere bids him goodbye and leaves.

38 Remember This Night Reprise

Left with no one now (Ector dead, Lancelot dead and Guinevere alive but does not want to go back to him), Arthur climbs back up the rock formation.

This is similar to the last scene in the first act. This time, perhaps, Arthur is more fitting as king. At the end of the song, lights again, more intense and Arthur thrusts his sword into the air, very much mirroring the end of the first act.

===========================================================Apologies, it seems that the second act is harder to describe (and I understood less) compared to the first. Nonetheless, if you have any questions, feel free to drop me a message.

[thekoreanlass]

In the Korean standards, AI Robot stories–in one or more ways–must be one of the trends since this is the second time, after I Am Not A Robot, someone attempted on challenging the ‘somehow’ refreshing theme of falling in love with robots in the K-drama world.

An ambitious attempt at its finest, robot stories that centers about romance while trying to remain in its sci-fi element is quite a challenge that sometimes backfires if not executed properly, but I must say–though it’s still early for that–Are You Human Too? consistently succeeds in both aspects.

Not only that, they do the romance and the sci-fi while the male lead plays a double role of an AI robot, Namsin3, and the rude human counterpart Nam Shin. Isn’t that just amazing?

It’s not new to play a double role, but not everyone in Kdramaland tries to play the part and succeed in it. So, I find it even more interesting that Seo Kang Joon (first found this hottie from Roommate Season 1!) will play the role.

He and Gong Seung Yeon are actually the main reason why I waited for this drama and why I am watching it now. They’re just two great actors that I watched grow like a proud mother and now the two of them are even working on the same project I wish people would truly appreciate more.

So, why do you need to watch Are You Human Too? I’m gonna give you all the reasons to! I mean, I don’t find any single bad bone about this drama so I guess I’m just going to talk about how good it is for today.

An interesting plot with a lot of jaw dropping twists

What interest me about the plot is how carefully woven the story is. The pacing, flow and twists are well positioned and surprisingly the twists were totally something I didn’t foresee coming, which is what I like. I like that the story stays away from being easily predictable. You can’t just tell what will happen next and then when you thought this and that person is what they seem to be, they apparently aren’t what you think they are

Like if I were to give some instances in the story to prove my point how insanely unpredictable it is, although I already know what a trickster Nam Shin’s grandfather is, there are many times when we are shown so many side’s of him: (1) He’s that typical evil President of a corporation that can dirty his hands to succeed in everything, but then another moment he suddenly becomes senile, plagued with Alzeimer’s; (2) It gets revealed that he’s really only pretending to have Alzeimer’s to fool the people around him and test who is really on his side. Namshin3 finds out about the lie once he touched his grandfather’s hand; (3) Later, while everyone’s around the place, David goes somewhere in Nam Corp’s building and see a bunch of supercomputers in an unknown room and there he meets Mr. Nam. It’s when I realized while everyone thought he doesn’t know about Namshin3, all this time he’s just really pretending not to know he’s a robot. And what’s worse is that he actually sponsored the making of this robot! I’m still not sure what is his intention besides having the best kind of technology to bring in more money to his company, but it appears to me the mastermind to all that’s happening is this old man that everyone underestimated all this time.

    There are a lot of other twists in the story, but I’ve given out a huge chunk of spoilers so, this is me saying watch the drama to know more!

It’s just so full with mystery and a bunch of shocking revelations that would come in the speed of light that you will not be able to guess when it will struck you.

Albeit all the drama, action, mystery and revelations though, I am pleased to say that the drama doesn’t confuse. It’s sequencing despite the flashbacks is sufficient and there’s enough time to dwell on one thing and then jump to another. Nothing’s been rushed or dragged on.

Plus, the story’s really engrossing. I’m not really fond of robot movies or dramas, but the story of an AI robot and romance? Sure. Not a big deal. So far this drama has sent me all the positive feels and heart flutters whenever the two main characters interact. Namshin3’s just such a warm robot, despite him always saying he doesn’t have any emotions, he understands them and because he does, he does what he can to respond to those feelings that Kang So Bong (Gong Seung Yeon) shows around him.

Intriguing Romance With a lot of cute moments

So, from what you already read above and what seems to be the obvious, Namshin3, who is pretending to be a human, is very intelligent. His super brain stores a lot of information and he can connect to the world wide web quicker than your 5G connection.

However, besides his extraordinary abilities, Namshin3 happens to be a quick learner and being constantly around Kang So Bong made him adapt to her. Becoming a constant stimuli, it seems that So Bong managed to input new learning in him that only she managed to do. Perhaps because she’s the only person that treated him fairly? Like he’s not just a piece of junk metal that they can throw away so easily? The reason why he follows her like a puppy is still beyond me, but I guess this is the main reason why.

And these information that he adopted from her became the reason why he managed to freely think for himself and not just follow the orders of others. It was especially cute whenever he sees an imaginary image of So Bong and thinks it’s an error in his system. I don’t know. I feel like it just makes him more human than robot that he is constantly thinking of her as if he could harbor some feelings for her to that level. And then, I also like it whenever he can tell when she’s in danger and he does his best to get to her the fastest that he can. Plus, I like those moments when he just smiles at her as if she means the world to him.

It just feels so amazing to think there’s this guy that can be that way with her and in those moments I truly forget him being a robot.

With that said, I really love the pairing despite So Bong’s constant in denial moments in the beginning. I think the way she acted towards him was just normal if I am going to put myself in her shoes, knowing that it’s really going to be hard to wrap your head around the fact that she was looking at a robot that looked so human. It will be hard to get used to that. However, I like that So Bong found how good his heart is (even if he doesn’t have one!) and treated him like her equal, even more her friend and then someone she finally likes. It’s just so heartwarming that in the story there’s this one person that believes in Namshin3 even if the world is after him.

The chemistry between them is just so real!

The remaining question I only have is how will they end? I mean, will they even have a happy ending? Knowing that Namshin3 is a robot, no matter how intelligent he is, it will be forever unfair for So Bong that he will possibly not ever feel the same thing she feels for him. And even if he does, he won’t be able to fulfill some duties only a man can in the biological sense.

And then there’s also the human Nam Shin. Since he has woken up, can he learn to appreciate Namshin3 and Kang So Bong? What kind of relationship will form between the three of them? Sadly, I’ll have to find out in the next episodes. Haha.

Double Role Genius

For his first ever major role in the small screen, Seo Kang Joon did a stellar job in portraying two characters–the robot Namshin3 and the human Nam Shin.

Namshin3 is like the good alter ego while the human Nam Shin is the jerk counterpart. Seo Kang Joon is so good at portraying the two roles that you’ll be able to easily distinguish one from the other. You will definitely fall in love with Namshin3 and instantly loath the arrogant human Nam Shin. And I am saying this because you will only know if someone is effective in his role if they succeed in evoking feelings in you that a bad actor won’t be able to do.

So, in a nutshell, I can say that Seo Kang Joon has definitely grown a lot as an actor in this drama more than his past roles. His acting and expressions have gotten even better and to think he’s acting the role of a robot, he must have worked hard to know how a robot should move, speak and act. And his hard work reflects with what we can see in every episode. I can say that I am very pleased with him.

Allies or Enemies?

To be honest, there are more people to doubt than trust in this drama. I think the only person that has good intention towards Namshin3 would be Kang So Bong and her gang.

But with the people surrounding the human Nam Shin, it’s just hard to tell who your friends are. Like, Oh Laura (Kim Sung Ryung), for example. She may be Namshin3’s creator in the image of the human Nam Shin, but because she doesn’t want to trouble her real son, she can’t be anymore concerned with the robot she created. The only time she realized his importance was when So Bong traded for the kill switch and when Nam Shin tried to trick her through Namshin3 to uncover the truth about her true feelings for the robot.

Then, there’s also Young Hoon (Lee Joon Hyuk), Nam Shin’s loyal secretary and friend. I appreciate that he’s overprotective towards the real Nam Shin to the point I even had a theory he was gay and was head over heels for Nam Shin, but sometimes he just seem too suspicious that I can’t tell whether his intentions are pure and whether he’s on Nam Shin’s side because he truly cared for him like a brother. He’s just too mysterious for his own good and I am yet to figure him out.

Seo Ye Na (Park Hwan Hee) is so in love with the human Nam Shin that it’s scary to think what she can do for him.

Her character is quite annoying because she won’t just budge even if Nam Shin didn’t really like her. She’s so clingy and so persistent. But I admire her  for her loyalty to him that at the moment of his weakness, Nam Shin only trusted this girl. Nonetheless, this won’t erase the fact that I hate her for treating Namshin3 like trash. That’s just not human-like to do.

David (Choi Deok Moon), on the other hand, is one of the many characters that I have a very pleasant feelings for in the bieginning. He’s so nice and open-minded and cared for Namshin3 more than Laura did, that it’s hard for me to think that he’s teamed up with Nam Gun Ho (Park Yeong Gyu), aka Nam Shin’s grandfather, regarding the creation of Namshin3. His intention may be to protect his creation as a scientist, but I’m not too sure whether teaming up with Nam Gun Ho will bring him any good.

These characters are minor characters, but has significant roles in the lives of our main leads. No matter how annoying they are or how much I can’t stand them sometimes, their role is vital in resolving the mystery around Nam Shin. Only time will tell whether they will pick the right side in the end.

Over all

This may sound like I am exaggerating, but to tell you my own opinion, I think that Are You Human Too? is one of the best dramas to be released in 2018. Besides the interesting plot and cool twists and turns, the cast has a solid performance of their roles, though I must admit there are just things that sound too unrealistic (e.g. Namshin3 can consume food and water in small amounts–he’s still made from metal and all that so…). But other than that, I don’t have any other complaints about the drama.

It has surpassed my expectations in many ways–production, story line, theme song, character development, pacing, flow, execution–that it’s hard to define what I feel about it in a few words. Maybe some words can’t just be enough. So, I’ll just leave it to your own judgement what you think of it.

I’m recommending this drama if you want something sci-fi with cute romance and action here and there with a little suspense on the side and a lot of surprises!

Rating it, I’m gonna give this drama a 4.9 out of 5.

I’ll see you on my final review about this drama once it finishes.

On going: Review on ‘Are You Human Too?’ In the Korean standards, AI Robot stories--in one or more ways--must be one of the trends since this is the second time, after…