Kim Na Gil | subtitledreams

Second Time is the Charm! Reviews – Bad Guy & Secret Garden

Some shows just ran through me the first time, like an uncomfortable evening after eating bad sushi. Two shows in particular – Bad Guy and Secret Garden – pissed me off in almost every episode. I fast-forwarded through large chunks the first round. I couldn’t get over the ridiculously flawed plot line of Bad Guy and I couldn’t stomach the douche-bag persona of the male lead in Secret Garden. Most people agreed with my initial response to Bad Guy. And most people disagreed with my first impression of Secret Garden.

Then I watched them again. I had too. I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I felt I had missed something. I wanted to see a few key scenes again. I liked the music from Bad Guy. I liked the female leads muscular legs in Secret Garden. So, I popped in the DVDs and gave them both a second shot.

Seriously – how cool is she? Definitely deserves a second viewing… and third… and…

And like magic – both shows revealed a whole new side to me. It was like finding out you’re not, in fact, allergic to gluten and enjoying a pizza after fifteen years of abstinence. What kind fate to bring us back together for such a happy reunion!

Let us explore Bad Guy & Secret Garden with our new rose-colored glasses, shall we?

SPOILERS FOLLOW

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Review – Queen Seon Duk

THE GREAT QUEEN SEON DUK

If this show wasn’t so long, it might be the greatest thing to ever come out of South Korea. Of course, if it wasn’t so long it might not be so darned epic and unforgettable. Curse you, conundrums! This show can be effectively divided into two sections: Pre-Queen and Post-Queen. Half of the show depicts the young life of Deokman and her struggle to raise herself to royal status. The second half is what happens when she gets it.

In my opinion, everyone should watch this show. Wait til you have the flu and a few days off work, if you must. But watch it. The “Mishil” music is still played in current dramas as a gag reference all the time. It’s a staple of K-World.

Overall Rating: 10/10 – near perfection period-piece epic with romance, action, betrayal, friendship, rivalry, political intrigue, and unforgettable characters – it’s a massive commitment of time that will ultimately leave you deeply satisfied and possibly traumatized for life.

Now come cozy up beside me and let’s talk about why this show completely rocks my socks, shall we?

———————— MASSIVE SPOILERS & RATINGS FOLLOW ————————–

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