Love to Hate You (2023)

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Drama: Love to Hate You (연애대전)
Network: Netflix
Episodes: 10
Release Date: February 10, 2023
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot: A top star and a lawyer fake a relationship because of a scandal but ends up falling in love.

Main Cast
Yoo Teo – Nam Kangho
Kim Okvin – Yeo Miran
Kim Ji Hoon – Do Won Jun
Go Won Hee – Shin Na Eun

Review:
Finally, a straight up romcom without murders or fantasy elements!! I wasnt planning on watching this until i saw the preview. Enemies to lovers? Top star and lawyer? Sassy lady vs Cool guy? Count me in!

I love Miran. She’s feisty, assertive and can beat the guys in any game or fights. No wonder Kangho was so impressed at this “unusual” woman. He doesnt get to meet a lot of them in his work. I love the maturity of their relationship even the dates and bed scenes looked more age appropriate and natural. I laughed at the scene where she spoke aegyo to Kangho while on the phone. She was so shocked that she can do aegyo, even the lawyers in the office were grossed out. LOL.

I also like Kangho, he looks cold but is actually playful and romantic when he finally got past his trauma. His bromance with his bestie was so funny and cute. I wouldnt have minded if they ended up together! i mean that scene in the early episodes when they were rehearsing a confession/kiss scene was so hot!

The second leads are cute but I wasnt as charmed by their story like the leads. Most of the time Na Eun was in love with Won Jun because of his looks and kept stopping him because of it (like hello, he wasn’t interested then!). On the other hand, Won Jun prolly fell in love because she understood him or was the only other female he can comfortably talk to.

This drama probably takes a jab at actors and actresses who look like they are friends in public but actually hates their guts in private. And all the insider rumors that go around the industry. Again, fans and netizens should also stop obsessing on their faves and let them live their own lives. Im imagining Lee Seunggi as I watched this show and how awful fans have been to him because of his upcoming wedding.

That super cringy public confession. I’m so glad Miran didn’t accept! The ending although is not bad is also not especially fantastic. But it also feels like it’s more realistic and the two leads stayed true to their characters.

Sometimes the vocalizing background music didnt fit the scene or was too loud.

Rating: 8.5/10

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Money Heist Korea Part 2 (2022)

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Drama: Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Part II (종이의 집: 공동경제구역)
Network: Netflix
Episodes: 6
Release Date: December 9, 2022
Language: Korean

Plot: Continuation of Part 1 where Professor and his gang tries to escape the Mint.

Main Cast:
Yoo Ji Tae – Professor
Kim Yun Jin – Seon Woojin
Park Hae Soo – Berlin
Jun Jong Seo – Tokyo
Lee Hyun Woo – Rio
Lee Won Jong – Moscow
Kim Ji Hoon – Denver
Jang Yoon Ju – Nairobi
Lee Kyu Ho – Oslo
Kim Ji Hoon – Helsinki
Lim Ji Yeon – Seoul
Lee Joo Bin – Yoon Misun
Park Myoung Hoon – Director Young Min
Jang Hyun Sung – Kim Sang Man

Review:
Part 2 picks up right when Part 1 ended (Money Heist Korea Part 1 (2022)) and every episode was thrilling and non-stop as they race against time to print the money and escape without injuring the hostages, the members, and getting captured by the police. I wanted them to get away without getting caught!! So sad some of them had to die, esp Moscow who I liked.

I love the Professor, even at the last minute he can think of a plan! Not so much keen on Inspector although I admit she and Cha Mmo Hyuk are smart enough tofigure out the plan, but those politicians are really terrible! But that ending looks like she decided to join team heist after getting disappointed with the police and government.

I also love Berlin, i thought he was going to die (whew!!) and Seoul for not leaving Berlin behind!! I also love Denver and Misun. Tokyo and Rio.

Loved the scene in the picture, where they were fighting for their lives. You can see their crazy eyes esp Tokyo, Berlin and Nairobi.

Looking forward to the next season (will there be any??)

Behind Every Star (2022)

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Drama: Behind Every Star (연예인 매니저로 살아남기)
Network: tvN
Episodes: 12
Release Date: November 7 – December 13, 2022
Runtime: Monday & Tuesday 22:30
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot: The story is about the daily lives of agents in Korea and how they manage the biggest Korean stars.

Main Cast
Lee Seo Jin – Ma Tae Oh
Kwak Sun Young – Chun Jane
Seo Hyun Woo – Kim Jung Don
Joo Hyun Young – Son Hyun Joo

Review:
I didn’t watch the original French drama so I’m not going to compare it with this Korean remake.

I like the episodic celebrity cameos esp Jo Yeo Jeong, Oh Nara/Park Hosan, Kim So Hyun, Lee Soon Jae, Daniel Henney (although his episode was the only one with a bad ending). I just thought that some of the stories were not as strong as the first 4 episodes.

At first I thought Ma Tae Oh is the bad guy in the office but actually he’s the one I like the most, despite his personal mistakes. And I love how much he actually dotes on Hyunjoo esp when everyone found out. I thought he was ashamed of her, but I realized he has been responsible father to me, he actually knows her and they do meet regularly. He just didn’t want anyone to know because he already has a (powerful) wife and a kid. The weird sibling romantic vibes between Hyunjoo and Eungyul need to go too. I’m a little disappointed with Hyun Joo. The actress was really funny in Atty Woo but here, I don’t know if it’s her acting or the director’s instructions but Hyun Joo (as a character) was not well-written. She was boring and flat. And how many times does she have to make a mistake to learn? She wants to be a great agent but she didn’t seem like she was good at it. She lacked the spark of a young passionate agent.

Heo Sung Tae is so fun to watch even if his character is annoying. I wouldn’t want a boss like him! Lol. I think he still likes Jane but is too shy (?) or proud to tell her, esp. since he knows Jane doesn’t like him other than his investment money.

All the other leads’ stories are also not that good. I don’t like the tax guy at all and I don’t know what Jane sees in him – he’s stalker-ish and controlling. I actually prefer Jane with Jung Don – I think they match more, I don’t like Jung Don with the receptionist/ wannabe actress although I want her to be successfull too.

The french drama has 4 seasons, while this remake’s 1st season covered 2 seasons. Not sure if they’ll be renewed for season 2 and if I’ll continue watching (maybe if they can get even better cameos).

Rating: 8/10

Money Heist Korea Part 1 (2022)

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Drama: Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area (종이의 집: 공동경제구역)
Network: Netflix
Episodes: 6
Release Date: June 24, 2022
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot: A professer recruits unsavory men and women to take over Mint, which holds the North and South Korean money. The team tries to outwit the N and S police before they get caught!

Main Cast
Yoo Ji Tae – Professor
Kim Yun Jin – Sun Woo Jin
Park Hae Soo – Berlin
Jun Jeong So – Tokyo
Lee Won Jong – Moscow
Kim Ji Hoon – Denver
Jang Yoon Ju – Nairobi
Lee Hyun Woo – Rio
Kim Ji Hoon – Helsinki
Lee Kyu Ho – Oslo
Park Myung Hoon – Jo Young Min
Lee Joo Bin – Yun Misun
Kim Sung Oh – Cha Moo Kyuk

Review:
I didn’t watch the original so I won’t be comparing the Korean version against it.

The production is very high class like most Netflix productions, the tension is high, and the main cast were the ‘bad guys’ in this drama, yet I wanted them to get out alive and spend their money.

I like how they are able to outsmart the cops each time, although they are ‘cheating’. I like how the professor thinks of their plans and how he always finds the right solution to their problems. In the short background, the professor was even approached to be part of the Nokor Sokor team before. So what happened since then? Does he have a grudge and is getting his revenge? Or is this part of a bigger plan with the potential presidential candidate to win the elections?

I like Berlin, although he is slightly unhinged. Tokyo seems to be one of the main characters, but she is so-so to me. I find Rio so immature and Denver is dumb. I also like Moscow but his character is the type that gets killed in the middle. I wish Nairobi is more charismatic. It’s just too bad that no one stands out to me. Maybe because we don’t see a lot of their background history to actually care for them.

I love Misun, she is so pretty, I don’t understand why she would like Yeong Min the d-bag, he is not enough handsome and he’s crazy. Will Misun join the team eventually?

I feel bad for Woojin, being played by the Professor. She seems so good at her job, but she wont be able to win if the Professor knows all their plans. What happens when she finds out the truth?

Hope they release part 2 soon!

Hope they release part 2 soon!

Rating: 8/10