Profile: TV Show: We Don’t Bite: Villains in the Countryside Country: South Korea Episodes: 11 Aired: Sep 28, 2021 – Dec 7, 2021 Aired On: Tuesday Original Network: tvN Duration: 1 hr. 35 min.
Review: I loved the episodes with Kim So Yeon and Choi Yebin (ep 4-5) — their real personalities are the exact opposites of their Penthouse characters; On Ju Wan, Kim Dong Kyu and Ha Do Kwon (eps 6-8) — poor guys, they were unknowingly roped into manual labor; Yoon Joo Hee (ep 8-9) — I loved how strong she was carrying the heavy tiles like they were as light as feathers; and Eugene (ep 9-10) — I loved how cool she was and how she kept eating with so much gusto.
Profile Drama: Penthouse 3 (펜트하우스 3) Network: SBS Episodes: 14 Release Date: June 4 – September 10, 2021 Runtime: Friday 22:00-23:10 Language: Korean Country: South Korea
Plot The final story of the tragic lives of the people in Hera Palace.
Main Cast Uhm Ki Joon – Joo Dan Tae Kim So Yeon – Cheon Seojin Eugene – Oh Yoon Hee Yoon Jong Hoon – Ha Yoon Cheol Shin Eun Kyung – Kang Mari Bong Tae Gyu – Lee Kyu Jin Yoon Joo Hee – Go Sang A Kim Young Dae – Joo Seok Hoon Han Ji Hyun – Joo Seo Kyung Choi Ye Bin – Ha Eun Byul Kim Hyun Soo – Bae Rona Jin Ji Hee – Kang Jenny Park Eun Seok – Logan Lee On Joo Wan – Baek Jun Ki Park Ho San – Yoo Dong Pil
Review This drama finally ended after a year of craziness at the Hera Palace and will likely go down as one of the legendary Korean dramas ever to air.
I loved The Penthouse S1 (2020) and Penthouse S2 (2021) and was looking forward to the two new characters Jenny’s dad and Baek Junki. Thought the idea of Joo Dantae stealing Junki’s identity was genius plotline and was always curious about why the dad was in prison. I thought the first few episodes were great but their characters and stories were disappointing and didn’t add anything to the story. Wasted potential seriously!!
The first few episodes were strong and kept the momentum from season 2 but until they killed off Yoonhee and the story went downhill. I know Penthouse story is already crazy but the next couple of episodes just went off kilter outrageous. Logan surviving the explosion, Alex showing up played by the same character, Seojin under a chandelier yet surviving, Joo Dantae escaping from Japan, dying but showing this beggar looking like him. Blech. Too much.
I always thought that Seojin is worse and more intelligent than Dantae and I was right. And i wondered how they will face off so I laughed in evil glee when they attacked each other after Logan Suryeon exposed them in public. I personally loved Joo Dantae as the villain but his sexy evil charisma was gone in season 3. And his sad story came too late for viewers to feel sad for him.
I could never understand why Suryeon and Logan were loved by the viewer and were branded as the “good ones” when they were equally bad. If Suryeon never plotted the revenge against Dantae none of this would have happened or it wouldn’t have ended so tragically for so many people. She could have just hired an assassin to kill him or poison him. She also has a lot of blood on her hands so to me, her suicide does not make her a hero. It just shows she was as flawed and selfish as the others.
It feels so long ago but even from season 1 i thought the parents were so toxic that the best thing was to kill them all. Well the main baddies died alright and they all died appropriate way. If they were in Squid Game, I’d say Kang Mari played her cards well and she was the ultimate survivor/winner.
The kids were all terrible even Rona the brat but I liked how they all got their second chances. Goes to show that parents highly influence their children’s behavior and adults should not include their kids in their own fights.
It was also very very satisfying to see Hera Palace crumble. The whole gold appearance and the lady statue with wings were too ostentatious and tacky to be “luxurious”.
Despite the middle part being too crazy, I still enjoyed the “happy” ending.
Profile: Drama: Penthouse 2 (펜트하우스 2) Network: SBS Episodes: 13 Release Date: February 19 – April 2, 2021 Runtime: Friday & Saturday 22:00-23:10
Plot Season 2 of the fabulous and crazy lives of the families living in Hera Palace.
Main Cast Uhm Ki Joon – Joo Dan Tae Kim So Yeon – Cheon Seojin Eugene – Oh Yoon Hee Yoon Jong Hoon – Ha Yoon Cheol Shin Eun Kyung – Kang Mari Bong Tae Gyu – Lee Kyu Jin Yoon Joo Hee – Go Sang A Kim Young Dae – Joo Seok Hoon Han Ji Hyun – Joo Seo Kyung Choi Ye Bin – Ha Eun Byul Kim Hyun Soo – Bae Rona Jin Ji Hee – Kang Jenny Lee Tae Vin – Lee Minhyuk Park Eun Seok – Logan Lee
Season 2 goes right into the story since we only have 12 episodes and we don’t need any more introductions to the whole gang. I loved that every episode was fast paced, there’s something happening in every scene that you can’t stop watching.
The group dynamics changed from season 1 to season 2 — Ha Yoon Chul is not the guy who couldn’t do anything anymore, in fact, he did a lot of terrible and pivotal things in this season. On one hand, I hated him for betraying Yoon hee again, but I can’t blame him, because he was forced to do it given the situation and he was repentant of his actions by end of the season. I still want him to end up with Yoonhee, when this drama is over.
I have a love and hate relationship with Yoonhee, mostly because she keeps making bad decisions after another. And she is so noisy — crying, shouting, hysterical. This time, Yoonhee is more subdued and mature, which I liked because I feel like she learned her lesson and she is more patient in her plans.
Kang Mari and Jenny — they actually became nice in season 2. After realizing they’re not as rich as the others, I thought they were evil for acting as if they’re above Yoonhee/Rona when they’re just the same level as her. I loved that Yoonhee had some friend in Mari. But of course, Mari and Jenny went back to their own selfish evil selves by end of the season. I’m still curious what kind of havoc Jenny’s father will do in season 3. All we know is that the husband went to prison instead of Joo Dan Tae, so definitely he will want to seek his revenge. Did he used to be the wealthy one before Dan Tae took over? Secretary Do seems to be under him. Is he going to be the bad guy in Season 3 or will he be the one to help Yoonhee and the ladies bring down Joo Dan Tae once and for all?
Cheon Seo Jin absolutely love her. Even when she is being terrible, i pity her. Especially in Season 2. Seojin’s fall from grace and the power struggle between Seojin and Dantae were the main plot points in season 2. They were such a great evil team in Season 1 and I just know that once they start fighting with each other, it will be fantastic! Joo Dan Tae eventually “wins” over Seojin. Locking Seojin in a room and the implied scene that he tortured her were absolutely horrifying!
Oh Joo Dan Tae. I loved him even when he is the devil himself. But he’s went too far in season 2 that even I can’t stomach all the bad things he has done. Murdered his wife, cheated on his wife with 3 other ladies, trying to steal Suryeon and Seojin’s money, tortured his children and current wife. The worst for me was killing Rona – that was too much. How the ladies were able to work together to take down Joo Dan Tae was one of the most satisfying scenes! I was laughing at Seojin’s acting the whole time!
We finally got the resolution to Min Seol Ah’s case. Everyone got what they deserved. The Hera Palace group all went to jail. Yoonhee got 3 years. I think 3 is too low although I understand she was forgiven and was repentant. She still killed someone so I thought she would get at least 5 years. Seojin got 7 years (even though she didn’t kill anyone but she still did a lot of other things too). The best is Dan Tae getting life is prison. I wondered how we will get out of prison considering he has to be in season 3. And honestly, the surprising twist at the end is both shocking and “unfair!”
They're horrible but i still love them 🤣🤣 Cant wait for them to get out of prison and wreak havoc in Hera Palace. I think it's going to be Joo Dan Tae vs Kang Mari's husband. I dont know whose worse! 🤭 #Penthouse2Ep13#KimSoYeon#UhmKiJoonpic.twitter.com/5vUZY7Vv09
About the kids — Rona is still a brat, I was somehow relieved that she was the one who got “killed” in this season because I don’t really like her that much. I’m just tolerating her because I want Yoonhee and Seokhoon to be happy. I still love Seokyung – she is just like her dad who is crafty and manipulative but with Suryeon’s charm. Eunbyul — I also don’t like her and I wouldn’t mind if she doesn’t return to Hera Palace anymore. Unfortunately, Seojin and Yoonchul will probably find a way to get her back from the psycho nanny (too bad!). It’s hard to take pity on her because she is never nice, even when she knew she almost got Rona killed, she wasn’t repentant and was still very self-absorbed.
I think Penthouse is one of the best makjang dramas in the last few years. It’s not as stress inducing and high blood pressure raising as The World of the Married but it’s more fun and crazy.
I’m probably one of the minority who doesn’t like Shim Suryeon, Na Ae Gyo and Logan Lee. Especially Suryeon – she is the main lead and the “good” person in the entire story, but I find her boring. Even Logan Lee – i don’t understand why a lot of viewers love him. I feel like we dont know anything about him, and he is just there to have someone help the “good” team. Definitely do not like the weird romantic relationship between him and Suryeon. He is definitely younger than Suryeon right? and he is the adopted brother of Suryeon’s daughter! Super odd!
As for Na Aegyo, it’s highly unbelievable that no one found out that she was impersonating Suryeon. I mean Suryeon didn’t even know until 2 years ago! I feel like Na Aegyo was just written in to make a fabulous twist to Suryeon’s story, which I have no problem with. I just hope that the writer will stop fake killing characters and bringing them alive by the end of the story in season 3. I definitely am looking forward to the new characters!!
#Penthouse2Ep13 i think season 2 is perfect enough. They all paid for their misdeeds. But looking forward to new characters and new alliances in Season 3. 🤗 pic.twitter.com/GBYIDny22L
Profile Drama: Penthouse (펜트하우스) Network: SBS Episodes: 21 Release Date: October 26 – January 5, 2021 Runtime: Monday & Tuesday 22:00-23:10
Profile The story about 5 families living in Hera Palace and the lengths they will go to protect their power and family.
Main Cast Uhm Ki Joon – Joo Dan Tae Kim So Yeon – Cheon Seo Jin Lee Ji Ah – Shim Su Ryeon Eugene – Oh Yoon Hee Yoon Jong Hoon – Ha Yoon Cheol Shin Eun Kyung – Kang Mari Bong Tae Gyu – Lee Kyu Jin Yoon Joo Hee – Go Sang A Kim Young Dae – Joo Seok Hoon Han Ji Hyun – Joo Seo Kyung Choi Ye Bin – Ha Eun Byul Kim Hyun Soo – Bae Rona Jin Ji Hee – Kang Jenny Lee Tae Vin – Lee Minhyuk Jo Soo Min – Min Seol Ah Ha Do Kwon – Ma Duki Park Eun Seok – Logan Lee / Gu Ho Dong
Review I put everyone one the main cast because each and every character was important to the show. From the trailers and promos, I already knew this drama will be an intense rollercoaster ride and I was right!!
At first I thought the over the top luxury feel of the show felt cheap, but later on I realized, it just fit with all the makjang craziness. I loved that the story was predictable yet unpredictable. Like I can already second guess what will happen next to the story and yet it still managed to surprise me with a twist that I didn’t expect and a reveal that just kept the stakes higher and higher.
I absolutely loved the deliciously evil tandem of Dantae and Seojin. I never knew I needed Uhm Ki Joon and Kim So Yeon together until Penthouse. Is it weird that I was half rooting for them to win over Su Ryeon and Yoon Hee and half wishing they get all the karma from all evil things they’ve done? I’m sure they’ll continue to wreak havoc until S3. They can kill everyone else as long as they don’t kill of Dantae and Seojin. If Namgoong Min didn’t make an amazing performance as Baek Seung Soo in Stove League, I’m so sure that So Yeon would have easily gotten the Daesang. But not too worry, she has two more seasons (and chances) to get the Daesang. That scene where she was playing the piano after her father died was just brilliant acting.
I loved that everyone is so bad that they’re so good. It’s like everyone has their bitchy or evil side, even Suryeon and Yoon Hee were terrible people and parents. Suryeon is the “good guy” in the show but for me she is the worst. I get that she is hurting. I get that she wants to avenge her daughter’s death. But no one knew Seol Ah was her daughter when that happened. Okay , still not an excuse to bully a young girl, but I thought Suryeon just went too crazy. Maybe it’s her guilt talking and putting the blame on everyone else. This drama also just shows us that “Revenge is never the answer”. In the end, she got herself killed (and what a lame way to die!) and the “bad guys” are still living free.
Likewise Yoonhee is pitiful but she can only blame herself for always choosing the wrong side and making poor decisions. Maybe because there’s no one who guides her and supports her, but she is too clueless to survive the cutthroat life in Hera Palace. I think the smartest thing she could have done is to leave Hera Palace, take Rona away from Cheong A and just live a simple normal life. Her main problem is her bratyy daughter Rona. I’m sorry but Rona is as dumb as her. She doesn’t appreciate all the sacrifices her mom did for her and just kept whining that if she can’t go to Cheong A, she will just die. I hope that in season 2 she will be more bad ass coz right now, I just can’t root for her, well, except that she ends up with Seok Hoon.
The kids were such bullies!!! At first I thought Seo Kyung will be the main bitch but turns out it’s Eun Byul! I can only blame their parents for not raising them right. Parents think that by always defending them even if they’re wrong and covering up their mistakes are about “protecting” their children, but that’s just making their children weak and not able to stand up for themselves, and not learning the difference between right and wrong. And just teaching them to be awful people.
Logan Lee — to be honest, I didn’t like his character!! and I wished he really went back to the US and we get introduced to a new mysterious character in season 2. But looks like he will be back with Yoon Hee to avenge Su Ryeon’s death.
Rating: 9/10
I’m hoping there will be new characters in season 2 so that the story will remain fresh and fun (and intense!). I think the lady reporter and the detective will be useful in Season 2. I didn’t read any additional casting news so it looks like it will be the same characters (or maybe they’re keeping every thing secret for now as to not spoil the story). All I’ve read so far are cameos like Junjin and his wife, Lee Sang Woo.
I was also hoping that Yoon Hee will meet a hot sexy lawyer who will help prove her innocence (Okay, maybe I’m reminded of Reporter Jimin from Lies of Lies haha) but the detective was also cute. But I think Yoon Hee will never get a romance line. Not while she is hell bent on revenge. Will she end up like Su Ryeon by end of Season 3?
Speaking of Su Ryeon, she is definitely dead right? She can’t still be alive and it’s impossible to just switch her body (like who will do that??). But she is obviously still in season 2, so my guess is she will probably be Dantae’s elusive first wife (how with the same face? I have no idea). In the first season, I heavily adjusted my viewing lens to fully enjoy the show so I have a feeling I need to double my viewing lens and get ready for another rollercoaster ride this February!
KDrama Dreaming 