Crash Course in Romance (2023)

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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

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Taxi Driver S1 (2021)

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Drama: Taxi Driver (모범택시)
Network: SBS
Episodes: 16
Release Date: April 9 – May 29, 2021
Runtime: Friday & Saturday 22:00-23:10
Country: South Korea

Plot:
Rainbow Taxi Company is a regular taxi by day, revenge team at night. They take cases of victims and punish the bad guys on their behalf.

Main Cast
Lee Je Hoon – Kim Dogi
Esom – Kang Hanna
Kim Eui Sung – Jang Sung Chul
Pyo Ye Jin – Ahn Go Eun
Jang Hyuk Jin – Choi Kyung Koo
Bae Yoo Ram – Park Jin Eon
Cha Ji Yeon – Baek Sung Mi

Review
Yay i love the Rainbow Taxi Squad!! Their teamwork, their disguises and cases were so cool. Esp love the invincible Kim Dogi.

My favorite cases were the voice phishing with Madame and the high school bully with Choi Hyun Wook and Lee Min Jae. All the other cases were almost connected with the main storyline of the female villain. I also loved and cried at Go Eun’s sister’s story.

Kang Hana could have been smarter and faster when investigating. Most of the time she needed clues from the Rainbow Taxi. Maybe if she worked earlier with them plus the detective team, they could have caught more suspects! And  maybe Minho didn’t have to die. His death was the most shocking part of the drama and I was also crying when I watched Hana cry for him.

Hana just had a debate with Dogi that she doesn’t understand how the victims feel until she experienced it first-hand. And even went to Dogi for help.

The Udata episode and the twins went a bit too long, this could have been done in 14 episodes or less. They even added a last minute twist in the last 2 eps about Kim Dogi’s mom’s real killer.

More than the cases, the story was about justice through the system or justice at the hands of a few people. Sometimes courts take too long and the law doesnt appropriately punish the perpretrators. Who will defend the victim and family? But i also liked what one of the bad guys said to Dogi, why is your revenge justified but mine isnt?

Im ready for season 2!! Hoping for Dogi x Goeun romance please!!

Rating: 8.75/10

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

Physical 100 (2023)

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Show: Physical 100 (피지컬: 100)
Genres: Sports
Tags: Physical Ability, Survival Show, Competition, Wrestling, Reality Show (Vote or add tags)
Country: South Korea
Type: TV Show
Episodes: 9
Aired: Jan 24, 2023 – Feb 21, 2023
Aired On: Tuesday
Original Network: Netflix
Duration: 55 min.

Review: This korean reality show gathered 100 of the strongest athletes, bodybuilders, fitness trainers, etc to find the perfect body.

There were 5 quests they had to go through. Pre quest is hanging on to the bars. 1st quest is one on one death match which cut the contestants down to 50.

2nd quest is the sand bags race which further cut down the contestants to 25. Survival round gave 5 losers from the sand bags race a chance to get back into the game.

3rd quest is pulling the 1.5 ton yacht to shore which trimmed down the contestants to 20. 4th quest was 5 different mythology games and the winner of each game became the top 5 contestants.

The final quest was a set of 4 games that focused on strength, stamina, endurance and balance.

I thought the games were reasonable and not too complex. Every person even the females had equal chance of winning the game even against the bigger and bulkier opponents.

I love all the contestants, i didnt have a clear favorite, and i didn’t mind who wins coz they were all winners. I love that they are all competitive and displayed good sportsmanship, even when they lose. They also supported and cheered for each other. They had dignity, tenacity and willpower. And they all had fun.

My only comment was the title of the show is physical but in the end, it was the mental and emotional strength of the contestant that won the game.

The top 5 were unexpected, as well as the ultimate winner, but that’s why the show was interesting coz you never know who will win.

Rating: 8.5/10