k-drama

The Real Has Come ep 1-10

by maandoe

Profile:

Drama: The Real Has Come!
Country: South Korea
Episodes: 50
Aired: Mar 25, 2023 – Sep 10, 2023
Aired On: Saturday, Sunday
Original Network: KBS2, Netflix
Duration: 1 hr. 20 min.

Plot: A pregnant woman whose boyfriend refuses to take responsibility meets a doctor who is being forced to get married to a girl he doesn’t like. They decide to have a contract marriage to solve their problems.

Main Cast:
Ahn Jae Hyun – Gong Tae Kyung
Baek Jin Hee – Oh Yeon Do

First impressions:
Yes, I’m enjoying this new weekend drama! Very makjang-y although I hate how everyone is trying to tell Yeondoo to abort her baby. Is it really that normal in Korea? I’m aghast that even her mom is asking her to do such thing. Not asking but forcing her and dragging her to have an abortion! Even her brother is disgusting! How can you say that to your sister when he got a girl pregnant at 17 and his daughter is hearing everything you are saying to her aunt! The only good thing about Yeon Doo’s family is the uncle.

Likewise, Tae Kyung’s family is equally horrible. Especially the grandma. She is manipulative and selfish. She hates Tae Kyung because he is not flesh and blood and she controls his moves. Why does the grandma love Sejin so much and no one in the family knows how manipulative liar she is!! Se Jin takes after her mother and I can’t imagine how a greedy mom like her got married to a professor! As for Tae Kyung’s (half?) siblings, it seems like they also don’t think much of TK.

And don’t even get me started on the ex-boyfriend, Kim Jun Ha. He is absolute trash and he and Sejin should just get married and get the heck away from everyone!

The strongest point of this drama are the main leads – Yeon Doo and Tae Kyung are great! i think without them (and the actors playing them), a lot of viewers would be turned off! But they are doing a fantastic job so far and makes us viewers want to root for them even more!! Can’t wait for the contract marriage to start!!

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Divorce Attorney Shin (2023)

by maandoe

Drama: Sacred Divorce (신성한, 이혼)
Network: JTBC
Episodes: 12
Release Date: March 4 – April 9, 2023
Runtime: Saturday & Sunday 22:30
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot: A story of a pianist turned lawyer and his friends as they go through various divorce cases.

Main Cast:
Cho Seung Woo – Shin Sung Han
Han Hye Jin – Lee Seo Jin
Kim Sung Kyung – Jang Hyung Gun
Jung Moon Sung – Jo Jeong Sik

Review:
I binge watched this over the Lenten weekend because I was in a mood for something light.

The best thing about the show is the bromance between the 3 guys. They are so close, they know when one is crying or hurting. They do things without asking if it’s going to help the other. They laugh at each other and eat and drink together. It’s rare to see this type of friendship depicted in Kdramas and I love it.

I also like Seojin. Although the affair was wrong, I hope that she recovers from her trauma and start her healing. I thought there was going to be a romance between Shin and SJ but I think it’s better to remain friends (for now). Actually her case can just be a great episodic opener but her character became part of the team even though she doesn’t have a connection to the overarching story.

I also liked the side love story of Hyeong Gun and Soyeon. And the ex-wife. I think Hyeong Gun is a great guy. I wish there was more depth in the story of Jeong Sik other than being the person who introduced Sung Han’s sister to the crooked lawyer. and I love that he supports his friends and means well, but keeps getting into trouble lol.

I felt like although the 12 episodes were tight and fast paced, it was like we missed a little background. Like why the big change from pianist to divorce lawyer? It was the plot point that was being highlighted but I don’t really see how it connects other than Sung Han using pianists background to explain the cases. Also, the motivation to protect his nephew wasn’t enough big twist or plot, although I think Sung Han is so soft and sensitive, suddenly being hell bent on revenge is not his character. I’m also curious what went wrong with the sister’s marriage that she got divorced? Did the husband and the second wife had an affair and kicked her out? Or did they naturally break up before the second wife came into the picture? Majority of the episodes the husband was very passive and deferring to the second wife, who is so evil, i don’t understand why the husband will let go to the nice sister and get with her. And why is the second wife so evil other than thinking the husband is hers? Like why even bother force the custody of the kid if she won’t treat him well too? And she is so dumb to try to kick the kid out of his inheritance when he is the grandson / possible heir to the chaebol money? She deserved everything she got in the end. She didn’t get the money, and she also lost her husband’s try and was told to shut up and live quietly. All of these questions just weren’t explained that well to understand the real issues. An extra 1-2 eps would have helped.

Otherwise I loved the drama. The only thing missing was camping with the 3 guys, 2 ladies and the 2 boys as the ending scene.

Rating: 8.25/10

The Glory Part 1 and Part 2 (2022)

by maandoe

Profile:
Drama: The Glory (더 글로리)
Network: Netflix
Episodes: 8
Release Date: December 30, 2022

Drama: The Glory Part 2 (더 글로리 파트2)
Network: Netflix
Episodes: 8
Release Date: March 10, 2023

Plot:
High school girl who got severely bullied in high school seeks revenge 18 years later on the people who ruined her life.

Main Cast:
Song Hye Kyo – Moon Dong Eun
Lee Do Hyun – Joo Yeo Jeong
Lim Ji Yeon – Park Yeon Jin
Jung Sung Il – Ha Do Yeong
Park Sung Hoon – Jeon Jae Jun
Kim Hieora – Lee Sa Ra
Cha Joo Young – Choi Hye Jeong
Kim Gun Woo – Son Myeong Oh

Review:
Wow story was fast paced and the acting was briliant. The whole revenge plot was perfectly developed and executed by Dong Eun, and the best part is she didn’t even have to get her hands dirty. She merely exposed their sins, and they destroyed each other.

My fave scene of SHK was when she found out her mom betrayed her again and they had their argument in the apartment and the mom started the fire. Plus the last episode when she was crying after everything was done and she was at the rooftop.

I also loved the 2 male leads, cute puppy doctor Yeo Jeong who would do anything for Dong Eun and the hot ahjuicy Do Yeong who probably would have pursued Dong Eun in another life (my alternate ending).

Yeonjin was so bratty and self entitled all through out. I can’t believe the nerve of her! She bullied kids, killed 2 people, yet she refuse to admit them, and is even the one getting angry when caught. She had no remorse at all!!! How was she able to raise a precocious daughter without her evil side showing?

The other bullies were also evil – 1 is mute (i actually pitied her), 1 is in prison (should have been worse), 1 got killed, and the Jaejun the most annoying one became blind and pushed off into a cement area. Plus Yeonjin’s mom, the corrupt detective, Hyeon Nam’s husband, ugly haired pervert teacher. Lol everyone got punished!!

I Also loved Hyeon Nam. Hope she gets a chance to go to the US and see her daughter.

Son Myeong O’s disappearance went on for too long when he was obviously dead. And it was obvious who had the most motive to kill him, yet the writer tried to prolong the reveal by giving other characters possible motive.

Instead they could have focused on finishing Yeo Jeong’s revenge on Yeong Cheon and showing the couple moving forward and living happily together.

Side note. Dong Eun and Yeo Jeong can do a crossover with the Rainbow Taxi Squad to get their revenge. Lol. I can imagine Kim Doki and Moon Dong Eun plotting already!!!

Rating: 9/10

Crash Course in Romance (2023)

by maandoe

Profile
Drama: Crash Course in Romance (일타 스캔들)
Network: tvN
Episodes: 16
Release Date: January 14 – March 5, 2023
Runtime: Sat. & Sun. 21:10

Plot: A popular math teacher suffering from mental stress finds out he can only eat the meals prepared by the owner of the neighborhood banchan store. The teacher strikes a deal with the owner to tutor her daughter in exchange for cooking his meals.

Main Cast
Jeon Do Yeon – Nam Haeng Soon
Jung Kyung Ho – Choi Chi Yeol
Roh Yeon Seo – Nam Hae Yi

Review
Choi Chi Yeol as best math teacher and boyfriend of 2023! Love Jung Kyung Ho’s comedic timing too. He was so warm hearted and inspiring to the students even when he was struggling. Glad he met the Haeng Soon who brought color to his sad and lonely life. He also got a bestie in Jong Ryeol!

I haven’t really watched a lot of Jeon Do Yeon’s works but i hope she stars in more romantic and lighter dramas and movies because i love her smile!! Her character has many problems but she was wonderful as Haeng Seon. She is a great business woman and cook, mom/aunt, sister, best friend, and girl friend. Although sometimes she can be too rash in her decisions and end up making the situation even worse.

I still think the character could have been been written or adjusted to suit Doyeon rather Doyeon trying to fit into the role. She was trying to play a character that is younger coz supposedly Haeng Soon is almost same age as Chi Yeol which is late 30s, but Doyeon looks more mature since she’s already almost 50 irl. So it kinds looks awkward when people keep saying she looks young to be a mom. Not that it is Doyeon’s fault!! I have no problem with Chi Yeol going out with an older woman, nuna. The story would still be nice!

I also love Haeyi and her friends. I was really rooting for Geonho because he was definitely nicer and wiser than rich and bothered Sunjae. Geonho also seems to have a better family support than Sunjae but he is not bad too. They’ve known each other far longer and are closer.

The best character growth in the drama is Sunjae’s mom. She was so annoying and almost ruined both her sons lives. I was crying when she went on a trip with Hui jae and made up. Sometimes work and success are not all that. It’s better to be happy.

The other crazy mom also got what she deserved for being so arrogant and toxic to all the neighbor mommies. Even her daughter Su A was annoying. So im not so happy that she ended up with Geonho. Come on! Geonho deserves better than her!!

I also didnt like the pairing of Jae Woo and Yeong Joo, it was too weird and convenient. Almost everyone had to pair off with one another for a “happy ending”.

Of course, everyone’s main gripe abouth this show is the This drama serial killer storyline, which wasn’t needed at all! And even how they resolved it was bad and felt rushed. Why jump off an dkill himself? He should have been punished by the law for the crimes he committed.

The final episode was so warm and happy i really hope everyone will live brighter and less stressed.

Haeyi’s mom also didnt need to come back and create unnecessary drama in the last eps.

Rating: 8.5/10