KDrama Review: Noble, My Love

The Gist: Veterinarian Cha Yoon Seo's (Kim Jae Kyung) life changes when a wealthy CEO shows up at her clinic, stabbed and unwilling to go to a hospital. After treating him, Yoon Seo thinks that is the end of it, but the CEO, Lee Kang Hoon (Sung Hoon) is immediately obsessed with her. Trying to pay her back for what she's done, he offers to move her clinic to a wealthy neighborhood she couldn't possibly afford. This is just the start of their issues as Yoon Seo is unwilling to take handouts and Kang Hoon is determined to control every situation. Thus moves through a series of arguments that not-so-unexpectedly start to lead to some real feelings.

Love:

1. Short Episodes

YAY! I finally got through another KDrama! Noble, My Love has some of the shortest episodes of any show I've ever watched and I loved it. This kept the story from being super-drawn out (which, let's face it, it's not super original to need to be developed) and allowed me to get through several episodes in an hour. This is the perfect show for the busy drama fan (or like me - the working drama fan!). You could finish this whole series in an afternoon, what a nice change of pace!

2. So Cute!

Aw. Warm and fuzzy everywhere. If you're looking for gritty drama and complex characters... this is not the drama for you. But if you just want to feel good and need to watch something that will put a smile on your face, NML is definitely a good option! The characters are funny (OMG the secretary, still dying), their interactions are adorable, and the little speech bubbles from the animals were a super nice touch.

Meh:

1. Let's talk about Kang Hoon's Brother

So, we always knew family was going to be a problem. When the brother shows up, I thought, Oh! How cute! The sibling rivalry is funny, but his whole plot is totally bizarre. So, spoiler alert, it turns out that he swindled away Kang Hoon's girlfriend way back when, which explains the serious trust issues we've got going on. So he's mad that Kang Hoon is happy, when he's still not happy, and is confused about why he's not forgiven. Also, he decides the best way to get past the whole issue is by flirting with Yoon Seo. So, you don't get why everyone was mad at you and you're unhappy when you seduced your brother's girlfriend... but rather than being happy he's finally moved on from what you did to him, you're trying to mess with that too? Uhhh... geeze, I wonder why you're unhappy. I am pleased at the small reconciliation we do get and he's hilarious, but I kind of wanted to just push him over a few times.

Hate:

1. Let's talk about Kang Hoon

Ok, so disagreeable protagonists, especially rich, spoiled ones (wait - is there any other kind) are to be expected. Heck, if the main couple isn't fighting their way through half the series, how will you know they're in love? And yet, Kang Hoon is manipulative and controlling to a degree that made me physically uncomfortable. He thanks Yoon Seo by destroying her first clinic, making it impossible to rent an apartment, makes her stop dancing, won't let her talk with any other guys but her. I am mostly willing to get on board with harsh-but-heart-of-gold type heroes, but I think that Kang Hoon doesn't really develop past his controlling ways, even if he softens a bit. It's kind of like he was horrible to her, but it paid off anyway without any sacrifice from him. He really does just use his money to force Yoon Seo to him. He threatens her with serious debt at every turn. I think the romance ends up being cute, but I have serious reservations about the development.

So:

So... this episode is breezy and light with all the tropes you've come to expect. However, it is seriously stilted by how much of a controlling psycho Kang Hoon is. If you can look past that problem in this bite size episode series, then you'll be fine, but if you're like me, you'll be left feeling kind of mixed.

Final Grade: C+

KDrama Review: Bride of the Century

The Gist: The Choi family has a problem. A spirit of the lady of the house has haunted their family for years and claims the lives of the first born wives. While most family members in the present day have discounted the stories as rumors, the believers are wreaking havoc when it comes time for the marriage of Choi Kang Ju (Lee Hong Ki), the oldest son. Matriarch Myeong Hee (Kim Seo Ra), a second wife herself, has arranged for her son to marry Jang Yi Kyung (Yang Jin Sung), whose family is in desperate need of financial assistance to keep their family afloat, despite nearly having a daughter-in-law already with the perfect Roo Mi (Jang Ah Young) in the wings. However, when Yi Kyung runs off, her mother and brother, Yi Hyun (Sung Hyuk), plot for a way to keep the marriage in the works. When Yi Hyun runs across Doo Rim (also Yang Jin Sung), an orphan poor girl, he can't believe the strong resemblance she holds to Yi Kyung. Desperate, Yi Hyun hires Doo Rim to impersonate Yi Kyung until they can find her. At first, Doo Rim agrees to pay her grandmother's hospital bills. However, the more time she spends with the cruel-with-a-creamy-center Kang Ju, she starts to dread giving Yi Kyung her life back. Everything is not how it seems, however, with both sides plotting with the lives of others and as the wedding day approaches, is Kang Ju doomed to repeat his father's life of losing the woman he loves?

Love:

1. Just Fun!

While the premise of this show is silly and convoluted, the vast majority of this show is just plain fun. While impersonating others always leads to misunderstandings and hijinks, I think BotC has the most fun with it. I was not even that concerned with the other foot dropping problem of the big reveal because Doo Rim and Kang Ju have such a hilarious chemistry with each other. The setup of them being engaged adds an interesting dimension as they get to really know one another (Kang Ju has been overseas until the opening of the show). One of the things I love best is Doo Rim getting Kang Ju in line. As ridiculous as she is, she does a good job of keeping him grounded. She has one of my favorite lines: "What's the use of being dressed head to toe in high end brands. You need to be a high end person!" <3 I had some skepticism about Lee Hong Ki playing such a serious and stern role, having only seen him in You're Beautiful, but he nails it, while adding some of that comedic element we expect from him. I was really sad when this show turned a bit darker, because I could have absolutely watched 16 full episodes of their engagement.

2. Excellent Side Characters

Let's start with Roo Mi. She starts as your typical rival and is a real pain in the ass for a long time, but she turns out to be really impressive as a person. She has a lot of pride and is willing to step aside for those she cares about. Minor spoilers - I'm happy that she and Doo Rim are able to be friends at the end of the show since she and Kang Ju are such good friends. She's basically my hero from this show.

Yi Hyun is an absolutely sweetheart and is not only doomed to be on the losing side of a love square (pentagon?), but his firm character was really lovely. I loved how much he's willing to go to bat for Doo Rim with Kang Ju, despite how he feels about her. I think of all the characters, he loses the most in this show. More spoilers - not only does he not get the woman he loves, but his family is totally nuts. While they get some redemption, the events of this show totally turn his life upside down.

Jin Joo (Park Jin Joo) - Ah! She's so cute! I loved her unwavering support and side love story. I also love the brother and I'm sad we didn't get more from him.

3. The Ghost! 

She is technically a side character, but she is so much fun that she deserves her own point. Her introduction is hilarious and she strikes this amazing balance of being totally creepy and just pretty funny. It takes a really long time to get her backstory, but it's absolutely fascinating. I feel so bad for her - spoilers ahead - although I am a little sad she was cheating with someone's husband. I'm glad we even tied up her storyline well. I also like how that tied in the twist at the end with Doo Rim's grandmother. This is really a story of a lot of generations and how that love and tragedy bleeds forward. This show handles revealing the layers of what's really happened and what's motivating people really well. I was definitely surprised at each reveal and totally engaged.

4. Best Proposal Ever

How adorable was that? The lights, the yarn, the everything? So perfect. The romance of this show is exactly what I was looking for!

Meh:

1. That Got Dark

So, I was really sad when this show started falling apart. I was hoping that the sad pieces wouldn't be too long, but pretty much everything between episode 11-15 was so sad and unrelenting that it was almost unwatchable for me. I do appreciate that Kang Ju still comes after Doo Rim, even after finding out the truth, but the scheming and sadness is just so overbearing. I really feel the loss of the fun tone of the first 2/3 of this show. Obviously, there needs to be conflict to be interesting and she's been lying to everyone, so that's got to be dealt with, but I wish that was one or two episodes instead of five.

2. Show Logic

I really go back and forth on the logic of this show. Spoilers ahead. So, Doo Rim is willing to marry Kang Ju, even if she dies, and Kang Ju breaks up with her for the same reason. On the one hand, it's ridiculous to marry someone when you're pretty darn sure you're going to die. But then again, no one knows for sure how long they really have with anyone they marry. Lots of people lose their spouses young. Additionally, with this big concern, why don't they just not get married? Yes, yes, that is scandalous and all that, but seriously people! Also, I am just not sure what I would do in Mama Choi's shoes. If you really believed that the wife of your son would die, wouldn't you pick someone other than his closest friend, someone you think of as a daughter? But at the same time, that's just so messed up to Yi Kyung. Or it would be, if she and her mother weren't willing to kill someone for money. If they were really concerned about the curse, they could have just backed out of the marriage. Yi Kyung dislikes Kang Ju anyway. Really, everyone's a little bit despicable, but I'm just not that sure what I would do differently. Ok, no, for Yi Kyung's mom, I'm pretty sure I would have just gone broke and not risked my daughter's life or the life of anyone else. Ah! See me going round and round.

Hate:

1. Can't even name this point without spoilers!

OK, so they have to part at the end for dumb reasons. Whatever, that's stupid, but we're moving on. What I cannot seem to get past is that Doo Rim has Kang Ju's kid and DOESN'T TELL HIM. OMG, space is one thing, but hey maybe come visit your child on the down low is another thing. I know she thought they weren't going to see each other again (um, for reasons, or something), but he didn't agree to not raise his son. In Kang Ju's defense, he handles the news with total poise, but man I was pissed at Doo Rim that whole time. If this show didn't end so well, I would have really been ticked.

So:

So... while this show did leap into the dramatic late, it was exactly the fun, funny, and romantic show I needed in my life (thanks to Alicia Loomes for commenting and recommending!). The leads were great and engaging and the side characters bloomed into interesting and endearing people, who I could have honestly watched more of~ I slammed this show down in huge chunks and got mad when I didn't have time to keep watching. That's really the best indicator of how good a show is in my book. So, don't let the doppleganger thing hold you up. It's pretty well handled for being the almost dumbest plot device (behind amnesia). 

Final Grade: A-

KDrama Review: It's Okay, That's Love

The Gist: The last thing psychiatrist Ji Hae Soo (Kong Hyo Jin) needs is famous writer/DJ/playboy Jang Jae Yeol (Zo In Sung) moving into her house. At least, that’s what she thinks. Hae Soo suffers from a trauma after witnessing her mother’s infidelity to her handicapped father. For this reason, she sees all intimacy as a bad thing. That is until Jae Yeol takes her own, determine to show her that it’s ok to be close to someone (get the title? yay!). Rounding out the house is Jo Dong Min (Sung Dong Il), a fellow psychiatrist and divorcee, and Park Soo Kwang (Lee Kwang Soo), who suffers from tourette’s syndrome. The four of them learn to deal with their traumas, especially Jae Yeol, whose past refuses to leave him alone.

So, that summary barely encompasses what happens in this sprawling show. I watched one episode of Padam Padam, thought it was a little dark for my mood at the moment and went in search of something lighter. I thought It's Okay, That's Love would be that show. In a small way, I was right. But in a more complete way, I was totally wrong... let's dive in!

Love:

1. Intimacy!

Yay! A show with lots of kissing and loving and touching and it’s all totally adorable. I was definitely most immersed in this show when Hae Soo and Jae Yeol were really figuring each other out and really taking care of one another. I thought it was going to take longer to really help Hae Soo, but she takes some really significant strides with Jae Yeol very quickly. I’d say about 50% of this show is just adorable loveliness, which is exactly what I wanted (we can talk about the other 50% of the show later). I was a little bit skeptical about Soo Kwang and So Nyeo (Lee Sung Kyung), but the moment on the front lawn, with the headphones, was actually one of my most favorite moments of the show. If you’re worried that this is a show that’s going to tease and then just build up to one kiss, don’t. It’s not that kind of show!

2. Redemption

For how much sadness there really is in this show, there is a good amount of redemption for almost everybody. Some spoilers to follow. Jae Yeol gets the family that he’s always wanted, which is also a good point for his mom and his brother too. Additionally, Hae Soo gets her happily ever after and even gets to a point of understanding with her mom. While this show is ultimately 50% tragedy, which I was not expecting, I was determined not to drop another show halfway through and found the ending to be pretty happy.

Meh:

1. Annoyed with Everybody?

So, I was really hoping this show would have some of the magic of friendship. I was super excited when I found out everyone was roommates. I love it when people are forced to live together and fall in love and everyone’s really like family. On the one hand, they do watch out for each other and support each other, but really, they’re all just mean. I’m all for imperfect characters. But everyone seemed bipolar. One moment, sweet and nice and the next, full blown screaming at each other. Jae Yeol and Hae Soo start getting along sweetly, then Hae Soo has to assert her dominance or Jae Yeol is being aloof and it's just a roller coaster.

Point 1, when they're on their trip, Hae Soo is a total brat about how she can do whatever she wants, but Jae Yeol should feel bad about touching her. He handles it well, but I just wanted to hit her.
Point 2, when Jae Yeol is moving out, Hae Soo is right. They should have talked about it or had him talk to her like a human being. It's not like he isn't capable - we've seen it. But he just decides to be mean instead.

It's hard to get fully on board. If I had to live in that house, I think I would have jumped off the roof. I really wanted a voice of reason character or even someone with a non in-your-face personality, but it really is a house full of short-tempered screamers. Sigh. Maybe that’s just me because I don’t like conflict, but I felt like this really stopped me from connecting with any of the characters (even Hae Soo and Jae Yeol).

Hate:

1. Jae Yeol's Stuff 

*Spoilers* Duh. So, I’m not sure if I’m just sharp (go me!) or if it was super obvious that Kang Woo was a hallucination like immediately. IOTL has a pervasive sense of surrealism that really comes from the neuroses the characters are dealing with. I hated that Kang Woo was a hallucination. The whole time I just wanted him to go away! As a plot device, it’s at least kind of original, but once the reveal happened, everything was just so sad! Also, let’s talk about the brother. He bugged me so much. It’s enough that their dad beat up Jae Yeol, but you have to as well? Also, quit trying to kill your brother every 20 seconds? That’s not the best way to not be in jail. I also really dislike that the mom ended up being the murderer. Anyway, how is any of this not self-defense? There’s so much evidence that there’s abuse and hello, battered woman syndrome anyone? Ugh, I don’t do well with heavy and I really don’t do well with heavy that’s interspersed with light and fluffy. I feel so disjointed. I think separately the plots are fine, but as one cohesive story, it just didn’t click for me.

So:

So... I want this review to be longer, but I am just dwelling on how disconnected I am from these characters. If you're looking for romance, this certainly has it, but it comes with a swift kick in the heart that will leave you feeling off and sad for awhile. I think I'm harsher on this show than someone who likes melodrama's, but I usually just don't. If this was like Pinocchio, where the characters make up for how sad that show is and is committed to one tone, I think it would have worked better. But, instead, there's mostly a lot of yelling.

Final Grade: C-

Drama Queen's Dry Spell (Orange Marmalade, Oh My Ghostess Partial Reviews)

Hello everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted. Unfortunately, I've been quite busy with work and I haven't found any shows I love. So, this post is going to be a mish-mash of half-watched shows. I hardly ever drop shows mid-way through and I've just had a bad run of doing so. Since I have no fully watched shows to review, let's just dive in.

Orange Marmalade:

The Gist: Vampires are not a well-kept secret. They're out in the open and not well liked. Unfortunately, this makes Baek Ma Ri's life miserable. She wants desperately to be human and unnoticed. This proves impossible when a classmate, Jae Min, takes an immediate liking to her. This is ironic because Jae Min has a serious grudge against vampires. Can Ma Ri learn to like herself and get Jae Min to accept her too?

Why I started watching: Simply - I loved this webcomic. I don't read a lot of them, but once I started Orange Marmalade, I raced right through it. The premise was interesting enough and the characters were quiet and well-developed. There's a very real examination of people and the bias we bring into our relationships. Not to mention, this story has a lot of the power of friendship, which I really love as a secondary plot.

Why I stopped watching: I love when a remake adds its own twist to a story, but Orange Marmalade slashed the original story to pieces. The original story arc is reduced to a pretty simple montage in the first quarter of the show. Then there is this very odd flashback situation, where our characters are other characters 300 years earlier. And that's when I stopped being interested. I have no doubt that this show could be decent for someone who doesn't know the original, but I just lost all interest when it strayed so far from the present day plot. All in all, I don't think I got halfway through this show.

High Society:

Honestly, I don't have much to say about this. I don't even know the plot of this show because I didn't make it through the first episode. I waited to hear if reviews got more positive, but they stayed pretty middle of the road, so I never got back to it.








Oh My Ghostess!

The Gist: Shy Bong Sun is a nervous mess. She sees ghosts in her waking life and doesn't have the guts to pursue her cooking dreams. Her life takes a sharp turn when she is possessed by outgoing ghost, Soon Ae, who can't remember her own death. In a desperate desire to fill her last wish, she starts pursuing Bong Sun's boss to lose her virginal status. She's on the clock, though, as it's only a matter of time until she becomes an evil spirit and Bong Sun is not sure what to do with this new persona she's known for, not to mention a potential new chance at love.

Why I started watching: After reading some positive reviews, I decided to give this show a chance. It started a little slow, but it ended up being totally hilarious. I can't think of another drama I thought was this flat out funny. Park Bo Young does a great job with her possessed character. She has a great energy and commitment to her character. It's a good bit of fun. Also, the romance has some good strong sparks.

Why I stopped watching: Honestly, I got pretty far along in this show, about 12 episodes out of 16. My main issue with this show is that Soon Ae and Bong Sun don't have an even enough amount of time in Bong Sun's body. By the time Soon Ae steps out of the picture, Bong Sun has barely gotten a chance to develop her relationship at all. Poor chef has this long growing relationship, but it's not really with the girl he loves (or is it? Confusing.). I didn't really want to keep watching once we got to the point when it was time to tell the truth. I don't think their relationship was really strong enough to stand it. Also, I was curious about what happened to Soon Ae, but Chef's brother-in-law basically had a neon sign above him that said "I'm EVIL." I wasn't crazy about the lack of subtlety.

Essentially, the show has a really funny strong main character, but our romance isn't really between the right characters.

So:

I haven't really watched a great drama in a while, one I wanted to finish. This leaves me falling back on old favorites - re-watched Shut Up Flower Boy Band - and on some American shows - I've been marathoning my way through Pretty Little Liars. It's not quite filling my drama needs! If you guys have any old or new favorites that are tried and true, please let me know! I could use a good recommendation (preferably one under 20 eps, 16 is better).

Again, sorry for the radio silence. I hope to have some new review for you guys soon. Thanks for reading! <3

KDrama Review: Sensory Couple/The Girl Who Sees Smells

The Gist: Choi Eun Seol's (Shin Se Kyung) life is derailed when she arrives home after school and a serial killer has murdered her parents. In the process of fleeing, Eun Seol is hit by a car and the murderer has the name tag ripped right off her uniform. The night is further twisted when the murderer heads to the hospital to off the witness and ends up killing the wrong school girl with Eun Seol's name. When Eun Seol awakes, she can literally see scents and one of her eyes has changed color. Along with her new ability, her memory before the accident has been wiped. Wanting to protect her, one the officers on the case adopts her and changes her name to Oh Cho Rim, erasing all signs of Choi Eun Seol. Jump forward several years and Choi Mu Gak (Park Yoo Chun), older brother to the girl who died in Cho Rim's place has become a cop to bring his sister's murderer to justice. The chance comes when the serial killer strikes again close to home. Mu Gak and Cho Rim cross paths, where they combine her unusual skill with his intuition to help solve crimes, leading up to the crime that changed both their lives.

And that's just the first episode. O.O Let's dig in!

Love:

1. Lieutenant Yeom (Yoo Jin Seo)

Seriously. Lieutenant Yeom is totally my hero. It's nice to see such a strong female character in what is essentially a romcom ... or a rommurdermysterything. Anyway, moving on. I love that she comes in and takes charge and the men are all respectful and deferential to her. She is their leader and that commands some real respect. I love it. I was worried we were going to have a weird love triangle with her and Officer Choi and Oh Cho Rim, which I think would have been a big mistake. But! They never do go that route. I am happy to say that Lieutenant Yeom and Oh Cho Rim pass the Bechdel test with flying colors. For those who don't know, the Bechdel test is when two women talk to each other about something other than men. Cho Rim is still fairly concerned with Officer Choi through most of the show as I can't fault her for, but I really love Lieutenant Yeom representing a well developed strong female character.

2. Originality

How about that! A romantic drama with originality. I love the emphasis on the senses in each of our characters. Cho Rim's ability is very unique and the effects for it were done well. It definitely had some questions - how does she not just get lost in a fog of smells. She seems to only see one at a time. Oh well, not thinking about it too hard. Officer Choi's narcolepsy/can't feel pain situation was also a new one for me and together you can really see the physical manifestations that their tragedies have had on them and how they cope with it.*SPOILERS* Ok, let's talk about our murderer for a minute here. Celebrity chef Kwon Jae Hee (Namgung Min) is our murderer and while he's not the world's most interesting murderer, his prosopagnosia is an interesting twist and at least patches up the plot hole of how he managed to murder the wrong witness.

3. Mu Gak

I'm going to give it to Mu Gak, I was consistently impressed with him throughout this show. Minor spoilers to follow. I was really worried about how he was going to react when he found out Cho Rim, the girl he loves, was meant to die instead of his sister and honestly, he took it like a boss! He took a minute for himself, but could then accept that it wasn't her fault and didn't blame her for what happened. Which, is better than how either Cho Rim or Lieutenant Yeom reacted. You go Mu Gak. I also really love that he pulls Cho Rim in for their first kiss after she hesitates. That could have been creepy, but it's pulled off real sweetly and I watched that scene like three times :)

Meh:

1. Comedy... WHY?

So, I really wish I just jumped every scene relating to Cho Rim's comedy group. She is terrible and it never gets better. It really just detracts from the meatier scenes that I am actually interested in seeing. Also, Mu Gak's comedy bits just made me super uncomfortable, even if he's better at it than Cho Rim. I think the interspersed deadpan humor doesn't quite work out and I kind of just cringed every time. Not the best plot device ever.

2. Sugar-Coated Cotton Candy Sickly Sweet Romance

So Cho Rim and Mu Gak have great chemistry, but they are also corny to the point it's almost too much even for someone like me. Spoilers ahead. I think the epitome of this for me was the marriage proposal. He's going just so far over the top that I actually scrolled quickly through some of those scenes (balloons in the trunk - ah! I would hate that). Ultimately, the perfume thing was perfect for Cho Rim, but that episode was laying it on a little thick. They're adorable, but I think a little softening would have gone a long way. I do have to admit, though, I appreciate that Mu Gak is willing to set his pride aside when it comes to Cho Rim and go all out for her. It's a nice development from his stoicism at the beginning of the series.

3. Not Enough Side Quests

I get that we're working to catch a serial killer, but I think the best parts of this show are when they're solving the smaller crimes that we can really have fun with using Cho Rim's skills. Honestly, I'd prefer if this was more like Scooby Doo or CSI and less like ... I can't even think of a good comparison. Would have enjoyed more episodic crimes to solve!

Hate:

1. Yeah, that's a lot.

Spoilers and spoilers on spoilers. So, I really really really hate that Cho Rim's father decides to just lie to her about her past. I get not wanting to just put that trauma on someone, but she's got to know sometime and I think not having the back story doesn't give her any time to cope about it. The biggest issue I have with this is that it puts her at really serious danger. He doesn't know that the murderer can't recognize her and even though they moved and she changed her name, it never occurred to him that he was connected with the case and might be tracked down? Honestly, Cho Rim was a champ, but the whole thing weirded me right out. It also, you know, doesn't help when she gets involved in the investigation anyway. I also really dislike that Officer Choi's sister died for Cho Rim. They move forward, but how is that something you ever get past in a relationship? This stupid murderer has decimated both their lives. Honestly, this point I feel a bit better about, but it really bothered me whiel I was watching it.

2. Can we catch this moron already?
 
More spoilers. So, the pacing of this show has some serious issues. Basically, once we find out that the murderer is Jae Hee, the chase is just drawn way out. Some shows can show who the murderer is and still keep it tense and interesting. This didn't. For me at least. We spent way too long with everyone knowing what was up and then not being able to do anything about it. Also, why would a serial killer become a celebrity? Now if anyone saw him, they'd be like, yeah it's that guy on TV. Being instantly recognizable has got to be the most unhelpful thing for a murderer. Anyway, I appreciate that he was smart, but every time I was like yes, finally, we're going to catch him! And then we didn't. Ugh. Too long. Also, I can't believe they just dangled Cho Rim in front of him and was like yeah, I'm sure this will go well. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief, but when she gets kidnapped, I'm almost like well, what did you expect? Also, while this isn't the worst amnesia plot I've seen, I was really hoping Cho Rim's memories would come back early enough to be helpful. But they really just came back late enough to be painful. Exciting at times, but paced poorly.

So:

So...I was interested in solving the murders and figuring out the meaning behind the barcodes, but I think either they revealed his identity too soon or the show went on too long. I feel conflicted about a murderer who is equally super smart and just so dumb. I think this show was worth watching for the originality and some great chemistry, but I definitely was ready to be done with it before it was over. I thought this was going to be 20 eps. and I almost died. 16 was too long already. Fine for one watch, but will probably fall off my radar immediately.

Final Grade: C+

Itazura Na Kiss - Brought to Life

Hello, lovelies! Now that I have finished the second season of the Japanese remake of Itazura Na Kiss, I think it's time to discuss the differences and similarities of the Taiwanese, Korean, and Japanese versions of this show. I have always loved the original story, which has an impressive scope  and a warm romance. Hence, two of these versions are in my top 10. Anyway, let's dive right in!

Source Material: Itazura Na Kiss - Manga by Kaoru Tada

Volumes: 23
*Note: Kaoru Tada unfortunately passed away before finishing her story, but her husband has informed shows of the intended ending so that each story can choose what they want to do with the ending of their story.

Taiwanese Version: It Started with a Kiss/They Kiss Again

Years Aired: 2005-2006, 2007-2008
Episode Total: 50
Stars: Ariel Lin as Ziang Qin, Joe Cheng as Zhi Shu, and Jiro Wang as Ah Jin

Korean Version: Playful Kiss

Years Aired: 2010
Episode Total: 16 w/ Several YouTube Specials
Stars: Jung So Min as Oh Ha Ni, Kim Hyun Joong as Baek Seung Jo, and Lee Tae Sung as Bong Joon Gu

(Recent) Japanese Version: Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo 1 +2

Years Aired: 2013-2015
Episode Total: 33
Stars: Miki Honoka as Aihara Kotoko, Furukawa Yuki as Irie Naoki, and Yamada Yuki as Ikezawa Kinnosuke

Best Chemistry:

I think this one has to go to the Japanese version with Honoka and Yuki expertly cast in our leads. I think there's this comfort and teasing these two have off-screen, find some behind the scenes things if you can, they're adorable. Honestly, I was floored to find our there was such a startling huge age difference between the two of them because they're so well-matched. I honestly like the Korean and Taiwanese casting as well, but I think Honoka is our best leading lady. She's got a bit more personality than So Min and is a bit more put together than Ariel. I think a stronger case would have been made for our Korean couple if the story had gone on further.

Best Side Characters:

I'm going to split this one up.

I really love Kin in the Japanese version. I think he comes off as the least creepy/crazy of the three, if you can believe that. I think he comes through as a really solid friend. I love the scene where he goes to find Naoki when his brother is in the hospital. He puts his jealousy aside for the larger issue at hand. I love him.

As far as our Christine goes, I hate the Korean version (she's not cute and has no development), I'm OK about the Japanese version, though she's a bit of a caricature, so I'm going to give this to the Taiwanese version. I think her relationship with Ah Jin had the most time to develop into something real, so that she got to be a well-rounded character.

For that reason, I think the friends of our leading lady are also the best developed in the Taiwanese version, the immense length of that show lends itself well to developing side characters.

The family for me has to go to the Korean version. I love the baby Baek brother and think he was the best cast of the three by a long shot and I also think the mom in this version has the best balance of crazy and caring.

Best Intimacy:

You get one guess. ONE. Duh, it's always the Taiwanese version. As with pretty much all Taiwanese versions, they don't kiss like they're made of glass. The Korean version is seriously lacking intimacy, the Japanese second season has a fair amount, but the Taiwanese version had me actually fanning myself through their honeymoon (whew! So hot.) Let's look at their first kiss, sweet and innocent in the Japanese and Korean version, but obviously tense and passionate in the Taiwanese version. It's pretty much the reason to keep going to that well. Lovin' it. I mean, It really started with a kiss ;)

Best Framework/Pacing:

So, I'm usually in favor of concise and brief shows. That said, I think the shortest of the three, the Korean version has the best pacing for the first season (except the Christine story-line) but really only tells half the story. Really, this story without the marriage is just not complete. Now, the Taiwanese version rounds out its characters well, but sweet Jesus, it is really long from start to finish. I'd say the end of the first season of the Japanese version is rushed, but the overall pacing and framework of the show is the best.

Best Ending: 

To me, this has to go to the Japanese version, no question. Essentially, the Taiwanese version doesn't end so much as stop, and the Korean version, even with the specials is still missing a bunch of the story. The Japanese version feels complete. Well done!

Worst Choices:

ISWAK:

This has got to be a split between how awkward their wedding was (and the fact that the picture of it is literally hanging over the entire second season) and the total abrupt replacement of the younger brother with a terrible actor somewhere in the second third of this show.

PK:

Christine. I'm not going to go into this too much as I've touched on it already, but she is abysmally done in this version.

MK: LiT

I'm going to make this a tie between the Rika episode and Kotoko's overwhelming incompetence as a nurse that just won't quit. We all know you can do it if you apply yourself Kotoko! Do it!

Since I can't really pick just one...

Best 3 Scenes of Each Version:

ISWAK:

1. I mentioned the honeymoon before, but I actually really love the scene where Zhi Shu asks Ziang Qin's dad if he can marry her. I love this scene in every version, but this scene is the longest, where they are holding hands while Ziang Qin is actually processing what is happening to her. I think it's especially sweet.

2. I love the jealousy scene in the Japanese version too, but I think I like it better in the Taiwanese version. When Zhi Shu finally comes to term with the fact that he's jealous over her and pretty much proclaims his love loud and proud in their cafeteria. Touches my heart!

3. You know, I actually think Ah Jin and Christine's romance coming to fruition after her injury is probably my third favorite thing about this show. Christine is such a sidelined character in the Korean version and doesn't get full development in the Japanese version, that I'm going to give their confession my number 3 spot favorite scene!

PK:

1. I really love the moment when the brother is in the hospital and Seung Jo comes in and Ha Ni is rattled, trying to figure out where she left her phone and is clearly trying to hold it together with eerie calm. Seung Jo wraps his arms around her and says thank you. She just breaks down and it just warms my heart.

2. In that same vein, I love the balcony scene after Seung Jo essentially proposes. I think I just love when he has his arms around Ha Ni. Adorable.

3. I'm not sure why I love this scene so much, but I really love the scene where Ha Ni is trying to talk Seung Jo into taking the entrance exam, explaining about how he has so much to give to the world. It's a good example of what works in this one.

MK: LiT

1. You have to read my review to know how much I love the coffee scenes. That very first coffee scene where Kotoko is pretty much glowing is actually one of my favorite scenes in all the versions.

2. I love the pillow-talk that Kotoko and Naoki have when she stays over after the hospital scene. I hate that Ha Ni and Ziang Qin make such fools of themselves in this scene in other versions. Kotoko holds herself with grace, they get to know each other better, and there's a nod to the coffee. At any rate this combined with the kiss back at the hospital make this one of my all-time favorite episodes.

3.  Let's give this spot to the scene during the episode where Naoki accepts a medical internship out of town. It seems at first that he doesn't care that he's leaving Kotoko, but we overhear him talking to her father about how hard it's going to be on her to complete nursing school without the support of her friends when he's working all the time, but that he's about to break and bring her anyway. SHUT UP. I love the following scene where Kotoko explains how well she's going to do and be strong and Naoki just interrupts her with a lovey kiss. It's a great marker for how much their love has grown.

Let's finish up by saying the kiss in the rain confession works in every version. AH! Even though I know it's coming every time, I just squeal like a school girl. Wonderful!

KDrama Review: Blood

The Gist: Park Ji Sang (Ahn Jae Hyeon) is a vampire. Or rather, he is infected with the vampire virus VBT-01, born to infected parents. After he uses his abilities to help a young girl, he decides to dedicate his life to helping people, rather than give in to his thirst. This proves especially difficult after his parents are murdered and he sets out to cure his illness and find the people responsible. This lures him to Taemin Cancer Hospital, where thanks to his non-aging, he is an incredibly young top surgeon. This irks Dr. Yoo Ri Ta (Ku Hye Sun), a fiery young surgeon, who also happens to be the girl whose life Ji Sang saved. Ri Ta is the least of Ji Sang's worries as the infected Director of the hospital tries to bring Ji Sang into the fold, while hiding the experiments he's performing in the poorest patients in an effort to perfect the vampire virus. Ji Sang's best friend Joo Hyun Woo (Jung Hae In) and coworker Dr. Jung (Kim Yu Seok) work alongside Ji Sang and Ri Ta to help combat the Director and find the cure. It's mystery and romance at Taemin, where everyone has secrets and some of them are lethal.

Love:

1. Ooey-Gooey Romance

I came into this drama with fairly low expectations. Vampires are falling out of fashion, although Ji Sang's Carlisle complex is fairly adorable. The main reason I watched this is because I really enjoyed Jae Hyeon in My Love from Another Star and I was curious to see him in a leading role. Except for the fact that he kisses sort of like a mannequin, I thought he and Hye Sun had excellent chemistry and really sold the often times corny lines alongside the dramatic ones. I wasn't crazy about Hye Sun as Jan Di in Boys Over Flowers, but she does play up that energy well. Honestly, I really loves that there weren't any love triangles happening, no one was shunned and unrequited, which was a nice change of pace from my usual fare. The romance actually takes quite some time to develop, but I didn't mind because it was just as much fun watching them become friends and frankly, there's a lot else going on in this story to keep you preoccupied. I also was totally in love with our secondary love storyline, but more on that later.

2. Action, Adventure!

So I went into this drama thinking it would be primarily romance, with some backstory filled in. I think now that the romance is, very cute, really just one piece of a larger conflict. I was surprised at how quickly I became invested in what was happening and felt very distressed alongside Ji Sang. I loved the crime fighting group we had by the end of it and that we didn't dance around the fact that Ji Sang is a vampire too long. I was kind of stunned to see Choi Kyung In, which you may remember as the horrible mother from Pinocchio (I know I do!). Minor spoilers ahead... I found it very interesting that her trajectory was pretty much 100% in the other direction from her character in Pinocchio. In Blood, she starts out so sweet and turns out to be so evil! I was shocked. Actually that brings me to the next point....

3. What a twist!

Spoilers. Obviously. So when Ji Sang agrees to take on Min Ga Yeon (Son Soo Hyun) as a residence, she seems like an innocent little lamb. I honestly thought her biggest threat was going to be fighting Ri Ta for Ji Sang's affections. How mistaken I was. When they reveal that she's actually been workign for the Director the whole time, I was impressed with how taken aback I was. I really thought she was trustworthy and I didn't suspect a thing. Normally, when there is a reveal like this, there is something to show for it to lessen the shock, but I was really just blindsided. And I appreciate that. It's boring when you know everything that's coming and although she dies in the end, you do get rewarded for your faith in her as she sticks to her guns against the Director in the end.

4. Luuvy

So, Luuvy is totally random, non-essential and I don't know who thought that a robot would make sense in this storyline, but I love him so much. He adds a lot of comic relief to a series that never veered too far into serious and really just teased our characters on how ridiculous they really are. It was an odd choice, but I think despite the logic factor, Luuvy is a fun addition to this show. 

Meh:

1. Plot hole?

So, I was able to mostly look past this, but I was confused about what exactly was special about Ji Sang. The Director goes on and on about how he needs Ji Sang and how special he is, but aside from being immune to death serum, he seems to have all the same problems that regular vampires do and he gets super weak around blood, which is worse than regular vampires. He extolls all this effort to find Ji Sang and then get him to like him and then force him to find a cure for the side effects. It's all just not clear why he even cares if Ji Sang is alive or around, other than the fact that his parents weren't supposed to conceive. So, kind of sloppy writing, but oh well, we move on. 

Hate:

1. Was that even an ending??

Eh. Not really. Despite the cheesiness of the romance and the overdoneness of the vampire story, I was really ready to give this show a grade somewhere in the A-range, right about until I watched teh last three episodes of the show. Let's break down this non-ending and ready, set,go (Spoilers - Ahoy!)

First, Yoo Ri Ta gets totally screwed over. I am stunned that the Chairman and the Asst. Director had her parents, and almost her, murdered to get hold of the hospital. After all the love and support, how does someone ever recover from something like that? She has a line in this episode about how her heart is now an empty room and it's true! Everyone she cares about has pretty much betrayed her in the worst way possible. They both get their comeuppance, but it doesn't really mitigate the horror that Ri Ta is going to be left with. Yikes, that got dark.

Speaking of dark and Ri Ta getting screwed, second, we find the cure, yay! But Ji Sang has to die, maybe? Even though they're testing blood that has been drawn, somehow he has to be injected with the something to make something to cure the patients? Or something? See how skeptical I am. So, that's totally cruel to Ri Ta, but it gets worse. We never get to see if the patients are actually cursed and somehow at the end, Ji Sang is somehow not dead, but there's no explanation, no nothing, except for what seems to suggest that he is still a vampire and no human, which leaves his romance with Ri Ta right about where they started. Annoying.

Speaking of death and romance, thirdly, Hyun Woo, no!!! So right after he gets a happy little romance and potentially finds a cure, Hyun Woo is murdered, brutally and sadly. I hate this. I don't mind any of the other deaths, but Hyun Woo is an absolute good. Again, I think the end of this show got surprisingly dark for how balanced the rest of the show is. Really, once I got to the end of this show, I was kind of angry and confused and disappointed. Which is all too bad for a show I really was enjoying.

So:

So... if the worst issue we were going to face was that Ji Sang isn't obviously special enough, then I really enjoyed this show. Unfortunately, a really confusing and dark ending overshadowed what was otherwise a gripping thriller with a lovely romance underneath. Such a pity. Although, I do look forward to what Jae Hyeon is going to do next. He has that comedic yet brooding thing down. So adorable.

Final Grade: C