Korean Drama Review

Review – Spirit Fingers

/ Lady Divine / 1 Comment

I finished a rewatch of Six Flying Dragons and after that magnificent emotional rollercoaster (it’s still my favorite historical kdrama of all time, btw), I knew I wanted something light and fluffy to clear my mind, so I randomly picked Spirit Fingers thinking it would be a drama about cheerleaders (I blame the movie Bring It On for this and it’s running gag about spirit fingers).

Spirit Fingers is not about cheerleaders. It is about a group of individuals who get together every weekend and practice art. Specifically, they practice quick figure sketching.

And it was one of the best kdramas I have seen in years.

This drama is based on a very popular webnovel of the same name by Han Kyoung Chal (한경찰) – which I read after I watched the drama and also highly enjoyed (there’s definitely enough material for a second season if they wanted to make one). It’s a story that just proves you can have a simple plot and even some well-worn tropes and still create an absolutely amazing, immersive, unique tale that will capture your attention and steal your heart.

It’s basically a coming of age story about a young lady who has just been going with the flow, overwhelmed with school work and trying to please her parents and just get by in life. One day she accidentally stumbles across this small group of artists and is asked to stand in as a model for them – something she never would have volunteered to do but agreed since a handsome man asked her (you are real for that, my dear). From there she is charmed by this random group of artists and decides to join the crew which they call Spirit Fingers.

The Spirit Fingers art group is the core of the drama. There are members in their 40s, their 30s, and their 20s – and each has a moniker, or nickname, in the group. Blue Finger, Mint Finger, Black Finger, and so on. Our protagonist becomes the youngest member, Baby Blue Finger. This eccentric small group of artists will absolutely win you over within a very short amount of time. They each have their own lives and stories outside of the sketch group, but come together each week to have a moment to shine – to be creative, wear costumes, escape the stresses of their lives, and draw (however they want to – their drawing styles are all uniquely different).

Our wallflower girl slowly gains confidence and new experiences as she becomes involved with this group. In particular, with the other teenager who starts out as one of their models but decides to join the group after he becomes fixated on the female lead.

The romance is spectacular. It’s the classic opposite’s attract pairing. He’s the super tall, super confident, super outgoing youth who doesn’t care too much about studying as he’s already successfully pursuing a career in modeling. She’s the short, shy, introverted one who is too flustered by him to take him seriously. They’re such a cute pair and their love story was genuine, with believable set backs and obstacles between them.

All the characters are grounded in realism and we are shown aspects of their personal lives outside of the drawing group. We get glimpses of where they work and live. They all have such distinctive personalities too, which really add to the group dynamics as you have all these perspectives and voices on whatever they are talking about together. The older members act as mentors but also as they are not parents or coworkers they are more casual with the younger members, able to joke with them and give them space to make their own mistakes without being overbearing or overly concerned.

Both the male and female leads have their own groups of friends, too, who have their own story lines. We are treated to many enjoyable scenes of teenagers stressing out and slacking off and just doing all the things that teenagers do together.

We also get to follow the storyline of the female lead’s family, which includes her parents and two siblings.

Though this sounds like a lot going on, it’s so perfectly integrated that it’s never overwhelming or confusing to have all these different people popping up.

The entire show is only 12 episodes and I was thoroughly engaged throughout it’s runtime. Sure, there were aspects that seemed implausible. Sure, some of it was a little too perfect. But it’s a romance, not social commentary, so I don’t expect 100 percent realism. Give me the impossibly large and always empty cafe with its multiple themed rooms for our artists to draw in. Give me a group of people who always fully commit to their costumes each week and show up in elaborately cool outfits to sketch. Give me that earnestly cute love story of the super hot guy who becomes impossibly smitten by the shy wallflower. I want all of that! I have zero complaints.

Watch it if you just want to be happy.

Rating: 10/10. A Feel-Good Story About Coloring Outside the Lines.

Review – When The Phone Rings

/ Lady Divine / Leave a comment

Listen, I don’t have too much to say about this drama other than recommending everyone watch it. Especially if you have been missing that “old school” kdrama vibe. And by that I mean the dramas that are kinda shallow, ridiculously over the top, and just highly enjoyable for those very reasons. There’s kidnapping and black mail and evil moms and devious politicians and a whole complicated web of birth secrets. All wrapped around a single-focus, steamy romance. It’s delicious.

This drama is about a very wealthy and high status dude whose fiancé ran off the day before the wedding so he married her little sister instead. As a stand in. But now it’s been three years and they are still married, living in the same gorgeous but rather lifeless mansion together, sleeping in separate rooms, and not speaking to each other. They don’t speak because his stand in wife is deaf. Circumstances are about to conspire to throw this cold married couple into the fire and you’ll be fanning yourself from the heat these two produce when in close proximity.

The male lead is aggressive and domineering and good looking in his expensive suits. The chemistry between him and his big eyed wife could burn down a house and it’s sexy every time he backs her against a wall or throws her around or shields her with his body or whatever nonsense is happening. She’s that perfect mix of vulnerable and plucky. They are a perfect pair… they just haven’t realized it yet. And watching them figure it out is deeply satisfying as a viewer.

It’s a mystery – so the less you know going in the better. Honestly, don’t read anything else about it, just trust the hype and settle in for some good, juicy kdrama. There are so many twists and turns and surprises, you’ll find yourself flying through the episodes. And there’s only 12 episodes. Admittedly, the final story arc of this show was it’s biggest weakness and keeps it from being a perfect 10/10, as it definitely stumbled and fell flat. Does that diminish its perfect performance? I mean, yes, a bit, as unfortunately your ending does matter to the judges as well as the viewers. But I guarantee you will have a blast with this show until then. And hopefully we can all collectively scrub the last few eps from our brain and just remember how great this little masterpiece was when we look back on it.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10 – Blackmailing Your Way Into Your Partner’s Pants, A Love Story

K-Drama Short Reviews – 2024

/ Lady Divine / 2 Comments

Here are some other K-Dramas I watched this year (most of them from 2024) that were good, decent, or I dropped. None of these were worth a full review, in my opinion, but there were quite a few that I truly enjoyed this year.

Dramas listed in alphabetical order.

The Atypical Family (2024) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

I’m popping this up to a 7 only because the plot line was truly unique. I’m not interested in super hero stories, but I liked this drama as it showed how super powers would most likely be used by more “average” people. You know, basically for self-serving reasons only, which seemed pretty honest. The romance was below-average, but the familial relationships made up for it – in particular the father-daughter relationship and the unusual relationship between the leading lady and her thug mother.

Black Out (2024) – Overall Rating: 9/10.

This is a dark themed show that does not let the light in. If you like dark crime shows or intense murder mysteries, then this one is for you! I loved it, even though it was depressing as hell. Reminded me of a Nordic murder mystery… cold… bleak… and compelling.

Blood Free (2024) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

Probably deserves a lower score, but the concept was amazing. Set in the near future, when scientists have perfected creating meat and fish products in a laboratory and are about to start tackling manufacturing grains. It dived into the inevitable backlash of such a breakthrough: the protesting farmers, the suspicious consumers, the fight to keep the science proprietary. Ya’ll know mad science is one of my all time favorite genres, so I was having a ball! A stoic bodyguard lurking around all sexy in his tailored suit and a hardened business woman with a secret laboratory? The K-2, anyone? Sigh. The side characters had more personality than the two leads, unfortunately, and the plot didn’t really pick up the pace until the final episodes, but I still enjoyed this short drama and hope there will be a second installment.

Call It Love (2023) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

This should have been one of my favorites, as I love stories exactly like this, but somehow it just didn’t climb to the top of the ladder for me. I’d still definitely recommend it if you are a fan of slow-burn romances and complicated family melodramas. I admit I enjoyed watching the sad, overworked and overburdened daughter falling in love with the sad, pitiful rich boy with a terrible haircut (their chemistry was not electric, but it didn’t detract from the romance either). This drama has all the requirements for a good melodrama: selfish parents who put themselves before their families, best friends who show us different sides of main leads, side romances that are equally interesting to watch unfold, and overdramatic family situations that keep the tension high.

Connect (2022) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

It’s so weird that I loved it. More mad science! Horrah! This is a show for people who like to read comic books. Or anime. The plotline does not feel realistic in any way and seems better suited as visual storytelling. It’s got human beings that have been enhanced so that they can never die, their body parts just piece themselves back together if removed. It’s got serial killers and illegal organ harvesting and art students. It’s got eerie vibes… icky elements of science fiction body horror… and artistic serial murders in the style of the Hannibal tv series. It’s not a satisfying plot nor does it have satisfying character development or relationships. It’s just like reading a quick gory one shot manga. A fun snack. If ya like that type of thing, then you might like this.

DoDoSolSolLaLaSol (2020) – Overall Rating: N/A.

I was really enjoying this until I found out the leading man was a teenager and then it just felt too creepy to continue. I work with teenagers. It just crossed over one of my mental lines and I could no longer enjoy it.

The Frog (2024) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

A surprise, for sure. And a must watch for thriller and mystery lovers. Two murders in two different locations within the same small town at two different times. We get to watch and discover how these separate events overlap and unfold as the tension slowly builds and escalates each episode. But I think if you’ve seen it, you know the leading female carried this entire show on her psychotic shoulders. I can’t say I will ever watch this show again, but I will confess I was spell bound by the insanity. Kim Yoon Suk deserves an Oscar for her performance. She was truly unhinged.

The Golden Spoon (2022) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

I think we all know how obsessed the Koreans are with their insanely rich people. They both love them and aspire to be them while simultaneously loathing them and imagining their lives are nothing but shallow and meaningless. This is yet another story that plays with that theme, but I had a good time watching this story of two boys from different economic classes switching places. It had a few surprises and kept me guessing how it would all end. These types of stories pop up nearly every year with varying success (The King’s Affection, The Crowned Clown, Reborn Rich, and so on).

High School Return of a Gangster (2024) – Overall Rating: 9.5/10.

I really had a blast with this show. It was shamelessly stripped of all its gay elements, which is insane as it’s based on a popular BL, but… I don’t think I mind. The original story was a bit problematic, honestly, with a man in his 50s taking over the body of a bullied high school kid and then getting romantically involved with a teenage boy. So for once I was happy to have that aspect toned down, as it just seems weird no matter how you look at it.

Age differences are okay with immortal creatures or monsters but a regular middle aged gangster dude falling in love with a teenage boy was too much for me to get behind. That’s a 30+ year age gap, people, and predatory.

I like that instead they hinted at a suppressed love between the gangster and his right-hand-man gangster dude (played by Won Tae Min who was in my favorite BL of the year The Time of Fever). And the show made it clear that the bullied boy was definitely queer, and thus the confusion of the other young male lead who now sees an old dude staring at him through the boy’s eyes instead of a besotted teenager.

It was short and fun and I was grateful to have a “lesson of the day” type storyline without the usual preachy tropes. This story kinda broke the mold a bit. Feel good but also a realistic portrayal of how a middle aged man would tackle scrappy teenagers and a second chance at life… (as realistic as you can be with the premise).

A Killer Paradox (2024) – Overall Rating: N/A. I dropped this one too, though I love the actors in it. It just felt too similar to other shows and I couldn’t make it past episode 3.

Love Next Door (2024) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

It was cute. I enjoyed the families and the romance. But it didn’t endear itself to me like other romances have in the past. Still… a solid choice for those seeking a cozy family comedy/drama with a sweet friends to lovers romance.

Love Song for Illusion (2024) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

It’s a messy story, but I had so much fun watching Park Ji Soon bounce between the two “personalities” of his character that I cannot complain. I will say my engagement with the story dropped significantly around the halfway mark. Thankfully it was only 16 episodes. Not much of a romance, but the story of the prince and his fractured psyche really drew me in.

Lovely Runner (2024) – Overall Rating: 6/10.

I was soooo into this. And then I just wanted to throw myself out of a window cause it was toooo much. Too, too much. Like caricatures of caricatures. The cheesiness overwhelmed me. It took me forever to finish this one, I had to force myself to go back.

My Sweet Mobster (2024) – Overall Rating: N/A.

It started out cute. But I got bored with it quickly.

Racket Boys (2021) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

In the mood for a feel-good show about a bunch of people in a small town coming together to support a small group of boys play badminton? A wonderful slice-of-life show about friendships and family.

A Shop for Killers (2024) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

I had a good time with this one. It’s simple and violent. A young lady discovers her uncle was an arms dealer after his death – and has to fight to protect herself as various members of the underworld try to take over the business. A perfect cat and mouse action show that filled up an afternoon. If you liked Hanna or even La Femme Nikita, you’ll probably enjoy this.

Sweet Home Season 3 (2024) – Overall Rating: 6/10.

Sigh. I still love Season 1, I think it’s one of the best horror k-dramas of all time. Honestly, one of the best horror dramas from any country. But Seasons 2 and 3… total let down.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella (2022) – Overall Rating: 7/10.

A solid historical drama and yet another one that just didn’t quite land for me personally. I think if I had not seen dozens of other historical dramas, this one would be an all time favorite. It was a unique angle for palace politics. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a drama about the problems of not preparing all your royal children to be crown prince candidates before. I enjoyed the brothers and the queen really shined with her bestie palace maid. There are no filler episodes, the story builds over the season, and the character development is quite good. Check it out.

Review – Blind (2022)

/ Lady Divine / Leave a comment

I have just discovered I did not write a review for Blind, despite it being one of my favorite dramas in 2022. It’s got everything I love. Siblings with strained relationships but a deep connection, gruesome murders, and unfolding mysteries linked to secret atrocities that are slowly revealed. I thoroughly enjoyed every episode and am gonna run you through the general set up for it – and what happens in the first episode (so spoilers for the first episode follow!)

Blind opens to a group of young boys, elementary to middle school aged, in matching dirty uniforms running through the woods as vicious dogs chase them down through the night. These boys are terrified and desperate. It’s clear they are running from more than just the dogs… but a horrible situation. 

One of the boys gets his foot caught in a bear trap. Another boy is waiving down a car for help only to be run down on the road. Savagely the drivers put the car in reverse, running over the kid a second time, ensuring his death. Those who are uninjured are quickly surrounded and trapped, their escape attempt thwarted. A man the boys call Crazy Dog narrows in on them, whistling an eerie tune.

– and the scene closes on a child’s wide eyes before it cuts away… to an equally horrifying scene in present day 2022.

A young lady is kidnapped off the streets and wakes up in a plastic lined room tied to a chair (never a good scene). She is strangled by an unknown man… who is whistling the same creepy tune as Crazy Dog. 

Back at home her parents await her return, hanging up balloons, the entire house decorated for the young lady’s birthday. She will never come home.

The stage is set.

The basic mystery presented: 

Who were the children? And where were they? Did any of them escape? Who is the person that murdered the young lady? Is he connected to the man that was hunting the children in the first scene? Is it the same man?

I was riveted and hooked after 15 minutes. 

We meet our main character, Sung Jun (Taecyeon), in the next scene. He is a cop amongst the crew called out when the girls body is discovered on the outskirts of town. 

Sung Jun’s older brother Sung Hoon (Ha Seok Jin), is a judge. But not just any judge, he’s a righteous man known for his unfailing devotion to fairness. He eats alone, he refuses to take any bribes, and won’t even help a family member who got into trouble. The law is just in his eyes. It is only people who are fallible.

We learn quickly that both parents seem to loathe their police officer son while they dote on their judge son. It is not a happy home.

We learn the two brothers live together. That the cop brother has a history of violence and was often in fights as a youth. The judge implicates maybe he became a cop to continue a life of violence, and the suggestion clearly upsets the police officer.

Big brother judge is overseeing the murder trial of the girl strangled, now nicknamed  “Joker’s Murder Case,” because of the wounds on her face. The suspect was caught in a security camera threatening the victim with a knife… but he claims another man was involved – our young police officer! Could the judge’s suspicions be true?

The show flashes back once again to the young boys hiding in fear from the opening scene. The whistling man who is hunting them is finally revealed… It is the father of the young woman who’s been murdered. And as the camera pans in on one of the young boys, it cuts back to modern day – to our police officer.

Are they same?!

Was the murder truly an act of retribution? For whatever horrible things were obviously happening with those boys???

Ya’ll. I had to know. I knew I wasn’t going anywhere until I’d burned through this entire show and binged it all over the weekend.

Overall Rating: 9/10 – A Dark Murder Mystery About the Dark Side of Humanity.

Read on for some very mild spoilers… and the connection of this show to true events

Continue reading →

2023 – A Hit & Miss Year for Korean Dramas

/ Lady Divine / 4 Comments

There were so many shows that SHOULD have been incredible this year but just kinda let me down. But let’s not be all doom and gloom, there were definitely some stand outs and new favorites, too. If I thought it was worth watching, I’ll slap a pic with it… so if you just wanna find some recommendations it should be a quick scroll. Listed alphabetically for your convenience.

  • Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun – 9.5/10

Arthdal Chronicles went out with a bang. After waiting FOREVER for this second season, getting used to several major cast members replacements, and then trying to figure out where to actually watch this thing in the USA… I am pleased to announce it was worth all the hassle. It’s just a cool story, ya’ll. It’s epic in scope and concept, in costuming and set designs, and character development and plotline. It did not get a 10/10 because Kim Sung-cheol was my favorite character, Ipsang, in season 1 (so much so that I wrote an entire post about him) and his replacement Lee Hae Woon, though good, could not really compare. My other minor complaint was the chemistry was lacking between the ML & FL in this second installment…. who were perfect for their roles in the show but maybe not so perfect together. But otherwise, the cast replacements totally held up to the standard set by Season 1.

  • Behind Your Touch – 4/10 – I mean… it’s about a woman who accesses her psychic abilities by touching people’s butts. If they’d leaned hard into the comedy of that, it might have been great… but it tried to be a drama, a romance, and even a murder mystery. Ridiculous.
  • Black Knight (Netflix) – 5/10 – I don’t know why they bother to gather all this Korean talent if they’re just gonna churn out basic “American Style” garbage science fiction.
  • Bloodhounds (Netflix) – 6/10 – I love a good bromance but… what were they doing with Woo Do-Hwan’s character? I did not understand if he was supposed to be just… stupid… or mentally challenged… or… I dunno. He was so off putting with his weird child-like character mixed with so much physical violence.
  • Castaway Diva – 6/10 – Okay, sure I am a sucker for childhood trauma stories but mixing that topic with this super cheesy idol story was just awkward.
  • Celebrity (Netflix) – 8/10 – Trash. Glittery, devious, guilty pleasure trash.

Celebrity is a totally over the top mystery, revenge thriller that had me in its manicured clutches from the first episode until the last. I had a ball watching every episode. Don’t think about it too much, don’t pull at the delicate stitching on the designer gown or the entire plot might unravel in an instant. Just turn off your brain and enjoy the glitzy drama of bitchy girls and rich assholes. This show is the definition of guilty pleasure from beginning to end and I would recommend this for fans of trash… like Penthouse.

  • Crash Course in Romance – 8/10 – I liked this one.

Crash Course in Romance had K-drama from the 2012-2016 vibes, including all the annoying tropes that I’m not sure work as well in 2023, but it made me happy and nostalgic watching this show so I’m definitely tossing it into the recommendation pile. I’m not sure I will ever understand the competitive nature of college entry in South Korea, and I will certainly never be able to wrap my head around math… but it was cool to learn about these study schools and watch this struggling lady strive to ensure the best possible future for her teenager. The romance between the celebrity math tutor (I know, right? what a weird world) and this hardworking middle aged lady made me kick my feet in the air it was so cute and stupidly adorable. What can I say… late to love stories work for me.

  • D.P. Season 2 – 9/10 – Feel like being emotionally wrecked and sad for a few hours? This is your show. Guess they don’t have to worry about it hurting their recruitment stats as enlistment is mandatory in South Korea. This season hurt more than the first one.
  • The Deal (Korean Drama) – 6/10 – I love this type of plot, but unfortunately they did nothing to expand upon this well-worn territory. Not to mention the incredibly shallow character development of the three main guys. I felt nothing for any of them, or their problems, it had the emotional weight of a commercial. Did an AI generator write this script or what?
  • Doona! (Netflix) – 6/10 – One day I will be able to put my finger on why I hated this drama so much. Maybe I hated it more because I really wanted to like it more. That will be a reoccurring theme this year.
  • The Eighth Sense – 10/10 – Gorgeous, emotional, romantic, and concise.

The Eighth Sense was a gay romance that tackled a lot of themes – first loves, familial pressures, survivors guilt, and the various complexities of friendships. The cinematography was stunning – capturing all the flickering emotions on the two main lead’s faces. It felt like falling in love, watching this show.

  • Evillive – 7/10 – if you’re gonna queer bait us to this extent, just be queer. Especially if you can’t fix the plot up enough to be great without the ambiguous gay angle. Ultimately a let down, this had a lot of potential and the dynamics between the leads was very enjoyable to watch.
  • The Glory – 10/10 – HOLY SHEEPLE. This show, ya’ll!

The Glory wrapped up in 2023 with a deeply satisfying conclusion. I was horrified, traumatized, and totally hooked by this show. Watching a woman’s steely resolve to destroy the lives of the monstrous people who had destroyed her own life was addictive. I usually don’t like Song Hye-kyo because I don’t think she’s very good at portraying emotions – her best roles are when she’s cast as these cold, closed off ladies who don’t want to let anyone near their fortified hearts – so she worked perfectly for the lead in this show. One of the best revenge dramas I have ever seen.

  • The Good Bad Mother – 7/10 – I do not understand the hype over this show. And I adore the leading male, he’s one of my favorites. Even so… I just did not enjoy this show. I struggled to finish it.
  • Gyeongseong Creature – 6/10 – Another disaster. A shoddy patched up mess of a monster movie that really had no right being as bad as it was. The elements were there, but whoever was in the kitchen just did not know what to do to create the masterpiece that this show should have been. A-List actors came across as flat with one dimensional characters. Just… not good. Sorry, ya’ll.
  • Heartbeat (Korean Drama) – 6/10 – Vampire comedy writes itself, so I was looking forward to some giggles with a South Korean slant. But nope. The comedy is stale. The chemistry between the leads is non-existent. The story line was promising but ended up being a huge waste of my time. Deeply disappointed. Don’t bother to stake it, this one was dead on arrival.
  • The Heavenly Idol – 3/10 – I don’t even know what to say about this hot mess of a show. I am giving it a 3 because I had a blast making fun of it… so much so that it was totally worth watching. It’s like if Pureflix made a K-Drama… but with a weird mix of mythology. This is another one where if they had just leaned into the camp – it could have been a hit. Just be silly and over the top, don’t try to reign in your nonsense show with moral messages and unnecessary elements. Know what you are.
  • The Killing Vote – 9.5/10 – Preposterous. And super fun. I loved this show.

The Killing Vote had a Devil Judge vibe to it, with the same societal distrust in the justice system and a self-righteous man pretending to empower the people when really he’s got his own personal agenda. This show was a blast each week and I was won over by the young secondary couple who were swept into the madness due to their familial connections. This is what I mean when I say a show should know what it is. It won’t be for everyone, but I am particularly fond of over-the-top social justice type stories.

  • King the Land – 5/10 – The most boring, cliched story elements tossed together and yet people seemed to like this mess? Do they not realize there are literally a million better dramas about a dickish-rich guy slowly figuring out that… uh… most people have to work for a living and do shit they don’t wanna do in order to eat? And some nice, capable lady comes along and sorta-kinda helps him be a slightly better person without actually making any significant changes to his wealth, status, or company. I mean, just cause you stick two attractive people together does not mean the show has any merit. I didn’t even bother to finish this one.
  • Kokdu: Season of Deity – 6/10 – Okay, you are probably wondering how I could give this turd of a show a 6… and that’s fair. But at least it tried to go camp. It attempted to be silly and stupid and have a good time with its nonsense story. It reminded me a lot of A Korean Odyssey, actually, which was also a mess but had a good time being terrible. Unfortunately, the silliness just didn’t pan out as well with this show. The leads had no chemistry at all (just like A Korean Odyssey, actually!) and the FL did not have the comedy chops to play off the zany romance (also just like A Korean Odyssey, actually!). Kim Jung Hyun is so good at comedy, I really hope they keep casting him as these insane wacky characters – but you know, next time make sure it’s a good show first and be sure you hire one of our comedy queens to hold up the rom-com dynamics.
  • Miraculous Brothers – 8/10 – I wish I had watched this all at once – but when I started it only 11 episodes were out… and I was totally drawn into the story of stolen books, unsolved murders, and a time traveling magical boy. Then I kinda forgot about it… and when I finally finished it up, it didn’t have the same appeal anymore because I’d crammed too many other dramas in my head inbetween. I still think this drama was totally unique – and I enjoyed the odd bitter friendship between the time traveler and the book thief. It’s unique. And definitely worth watching. But learn from me – watch it all at once.
  • Moon In The Day – 8/10 ESTIMATED – I haven’t finished this one yet, but I’m enjoying the melodrama of it. I doubt my rating will go up with the end… if anything, it might go down… but I’ll collect my thoughts on this once I’ve seen the whole thing.
  • Moving (Korean Drama) – 7/10 – It started out so good, too! But this show wanted to make every character the MAIN CHARACTER – and there were just too many characters running around to pull this off. Entire episodes dedicated to one character’s plotline or backstory, leaving the other characters completely out of the mix. I could barely remember the kids by the time we came back to them. It was so frustrating. And it’s not that I didn’t like the backstories and side characters – it’s just that every writer has to chose their leads. The side characters can rock, can have amazing stories, but they should not overshadow the leads. And if you’re gonna be an ensemble story, you gotta share screen time with some consistency and “track” with everyone. What a waste.
  • My Dearest (Korean Drama) – 9/10 – And here we have Gone with the Wind, Korean-style.

My Dearest was a ride. It’s set during the Qing invasion of Joseon, so, you know, times were tough. Slavery. Hostages. Girls being shipped off to foreign lands as “tributes” and whatnot. And in all this turmoil, we have the sassy, brash lead female Gil Chae (played to perfection by Ahn Eun Jin) trying to win over the heart of a dude who’s clearly in love with someone else. Enter the suave, player Jang Hyun (again, played to perfection by Namgoong Min) who has sworn off marriage but becomes infatuated with the beautiful, spirited Gil Chae. If you’ve seen or read Gone with the Wind, then… just… imagine it. Just like Gone with the Wind, this story is more sorrow, heartbreak, and hard times than anything else – but at its core it’s a fiery romance about two strong willed people trying to figure out their feelings. Loved it.

  • My Demon – still watching… it’s kinda dumb but I’m enjoying it anyways.
  • My Lovely Liar – 7/10 – The concept was fun. I hate to say it, but I don’t think the Leading Male is much of an actor. I should have realized Hwang Minhyun is an idol. Hidden Side is a gem of a song, though! This show, however, is not very impressive. I enjoyed the concept, and I love the Leading Female, Kim So-hyun… so I watched it all… but there are so many better shows with a light supernatural twist that are far superior. If you’re just looking for something light and cute, this is a solid choice, I guess, but it’s hard to get excited about it.
  • Not Others – 9/10 – Applause to the non-traditional story line, characters, and vibe of this show.

Not Others found a way to turn a basic rom-com into an unexpected treat by shifting up the traditional starting point. Who knew a story about a grown woman happily living with her single mom would be so freakin’ good? I really loved both these gals – and their respective love interests, who were perfect compliments to their personalities. Besides the dynamics of the two women figuring out if they know how to separate their lives, there were some good mysteries and crimes to keep us excited. It was so nice to see something different.

  • Perfect Marriage Revenge – 8/10 – This is my brand of nonsense, but it also felt kinda deflated.

Perfect Marriage Revenge… what can I say… the concept was fun, the couple had great chemistry, but I just didn’t particularly like either of them. I didn’t find them interesting, charming, or unique. And if you’re gonna give me such vanilla leads, then you better make the Evil Queen larger than life… and again, it just didn’t quite reach peak evil in my opinion. Though there were moments when the dialogue was there, it just didn’t feel earned. However – the step-sister was stellar – and I thought her crazed desperation was absolutely the show stealing performance in this drama. Whenever I considered turning it off, she would show up and revive my attention with her theatrics. So, yeah… watch it for the irredeemable evil step-sister.

  • Revenant (Korean Drama) – 10/10 – Helllooooooo horror drama!

Revenant creeped me out. I have enough religious upbringing to be utterly compelled and horrified by the idea of demonic possession. Unlike your Western possession story, this one did not involve priests slinging holy water. Revenant treated us to traditional Korean mythology and folk customs. To the tantalizing and horrifying aspects of working with the dark arts to gain power. I was on the edge of my seat each week watching a young woman’s life fall apart after she inherits her estranged father’s eerie legacy (Kim Tae Ri is really one of the best actresses out there). I especially loved the non-romance in this story… as there was definitely something there between our possessed girl and the cop who was drawn to her, but also… not quite. Add to that the unusual relationship she had with the academic who was helping her and the whole thing was just a non-stop exploration of uncharted territories. If you wanna be unnerved – this is your show.

  • Song of the Bandits – 6/10 – Great actors, great sets, great costumes… and yet, I was not at all drawn into this story and basically had to force myself to finish it. And this is a short show, too. If it weren’t for Lee Ho-Jung turning me on every time she sauntered into a saloon with her blood soaked hands, I don’t think I would have bothered. But dang, girl! Why weren’t you the main character???
  • The Story Of Park’s Marriage Contract – 7/10 – It’s corny and cute. I’m still watching it but feel like this is a safe bet of a mid-show.
  • Strong Girl Nam-Soon – 4/10 – I was one of the people who asked for this. I wrote an entire review praising the first show and begging for a spin off series to show off other “strong women” with the family genes. Listen, you gotta be careful what you wish for. This is like one of those old parables where the devil starts cackling immediately after you sign away your soul and says “You forgot to say you wanted the spin off series to be worth watching!” And I just stand there, defeated, knowing that’s true. At least we got sexy reels of the bad guy all over our socials. Silver lining, eh?
  • Sweet Home 2 – 7/10 – To say I was disappointed in Season 2 is the understatement of the year. This season felt so disjointed – whose story was this? I’ve rewatched Season 1 about a half dozen times over the past two years, and it remains a stand out in K-Dramas as well as proof that Netflix can help fund some truly wild and creative projects. This season, however, will probably just remain the necessary bridge between Season 1 and Season 3. What can I say, I still have hopes they can salvage this mess for the finale… save us, Lee Do-hyun!
  • Taxi Driver 2 – 5/10 – We did not need a Taxi Driver Season 2. I know most of ya’ll wanted it, but it was absolutely unnecessary. This season was repetitive, boring, and uninspired. Though I will give it snaps for introducing me to that amazing Dragon Bridge that goes over the River Hàn at Da Nang, Vietnam. Did ya’ll know that thing actually breathes fire??? It also spits out a fountain of water, too, depending on the holiday. Seriously – type in Dragon Bridge Vietnam in a search engine. It’s far more interesting than anything that happened in this lame season.
  • Twinkling Watermelon – 8/10 – You know when you drink a slushie too fast and get brain freeze? But you keep drinking it anyways cause it’s delicious?

Twinkling Watermelon was a surprise hit for me. Okay, hear me out here (no pun intended). There is a cuteness saturation point and I think this drama definitely was soaking in the sugar-sweetness tooo toooo toooooo long. But maybe it’s because I listen to so much K-Pop that I did not mind this sickeningly sweet teen drama about a time traveling boy who jumps back in time and befriends his own father – and tries to set him up with his future mom. Sometimes you just want to jam out to STAYC, okay? There’s no shame in loving adorable and super-sweet-cutesy things, including this show. Everyone was absolutely lovable and charming in this drama, but it’s the two male leads that will steal your heart. Their cute friendship with the unusual dynamics of being secretly father/son was the colorful icing on the cake.

  • Vigilante (Korean Drama) – 7/10 – This was on the border of being a hit. It was so close! It had such potential! It had all the the ingredients, too. Anger at the failure of the justice system. A burning need for revenge. Masterful secret plans to root out evil above (or below) the law. Great actors. But it didn’t quite congeal, ya dig? I think this one needed to bake a little bit longer. It was still gooey in the center. Give the writers time to iron out the kinks, please. Maybe add a few more episodes if you need to and if that’s not possible then cut out some of the plot points so it works better.
  • The Worst Of Evil – 7/10 – This is another show that needed a little more work in the writer’s room. This is a story about a married couple, both police officers, except the wife keeps getting promoted but the hubbie is struggling to move up in the field. He takes on an undercover assignment to infiltrate a local gang and becomes friends with the leader only to discover his new bestie is still harboring a crush on his first love… who just happens to be the cop’s wife. I mean, WUT!? I love this more than words!!! I wanted 2 things from this show: MORE of that delicious complicated love triangle with MORE drama, emotions, and insane consequences cause… that’s the most over-dramatic ridiculous melodrama recipe ever! And I wanted MORE of the friendship/bromance between the cop and the gangster. They should have made this show longer so we could have those two things more – and this could have been the 10/10 show of the year. The Worst of Evil brought us SUPER WOOK back, for God’s sake – Ji Chang-wook is too good at action not to be making more of these types of shows. And we got to see Wi Ha-joon kiss a woman? Finally! But since they didn’t play up the love triangle it felt kinda awkward and strange. Sigh. What a disappointment. If you’re a fan of gangster shows, though, I would still recommend this one.

2022 Reviews… but really just KinnPorsche.

/ Lady Divine / Leave a comment

So, I’ve watched quite a few Korean dramas over the last few months but none of them made me immediately run to the keyboard to write a review. There’s a few that I’ve been stewing over and will probably cover in more depth… but for now… a quick summary:

  • All of Use Are Dead – Rating: 10/10. Unexpectedly amazing.
  • Money Heist: Korea – Rating: 8/10. Good but was annoyed it wasn’t a complete series.
  • Romance is a Bonus Book – Rating: 9/10. How did I miss this gem of a show for so long? Classically good K-drama.
  • Tomorrow – Rating: DNF. I wanted to like it… but it was just so dull.
  • Twenty-Five Twenty-One – Rating: 8/10. Loved the first half… then it meandered a bit… then lost me at the end.
  • Business Proposal – Rating: 7/10. Cute. Nothing new.
  • Our Beloved Summer – Rating: 8.5/10. Excellent, a bit like an indie romance, could have been stronger but still a strong tea of a romance.
  • Our Blues – Rating: DNF. I might get around to finishing it this summer… possibly.
  • My Liberation Diary – Rating: 8/10. Not quite as good My Mister but definitely wanted to compete… a depressing examination of the disillusionment of adulthood and floundering through life.
  • The Sound of Magic – Rating: DNF. I should have watched the trailer cause I was not vibing with a musical.
  • Juvenile Justice – Rating: DNF. Meh. I like the premise but wasn’t sold on the execution of this story.
Seriously, though, All of Use Are Dead had no business being as good as it was! I thought we’d all collectively overdosed on zombie media, but nope… here comes South Korea once again beating the odds by making a zombie program unlike any other zombie program by using the magic of quality character development!

Currently, I’m watching Alchemy of Souls (meh) and Tale of the Nine-Tailed (also meh). But really, there’s only one show from Asia that is truly captivating the web. I mean… is there any other show even on right now? Cause all I see on my socials is a billion gif sets and memes and giddy gushing of fans who are obsessed – OBSESSED, I tell you – with the Thai BL drama KinnPorsche.

So… KinnPorsche review coming soon! The final episode aired yesterday and I am still high as a kite on the endorphins. Rarely has my fangirling heart been so richly rewarded by a show.

UPDATE: FULL INSANELY LONG & CRAZY REVIEW OF KINNPORSCHE NOW AVAILABLE! Read Review.

What are you all watching this summer?

Review – Bulgasal: Immortal Souls

/ Lady Divine / 4 Comments

I mean… can you resist this goth aesthetic???

There’s gonna be a lot of gifs and images in this review… so if you’re internet is slow, give it a minute to load up cause… lights camera action.

Ah, Bulgasal! I’ve been sitting on this review a while because this is a tricky show to discuss. Like many other poor fools out there, I watched this drama as it was airing. And in a strange way, that contributed to my love/hate relationship with this fantasy. Cause I should have hated it. I shouldn’t really recommend it to anyone in good faith. But I had such a blast watching this show!

I was soaked in the fandom, giddy with anticipation as the mystery unfolded, and horny over too many characters not to love it. I was amused as often as I was annoyed with the outcome week to week as the story unfolded two episodes at a time. It doesn’t deserve a high rating. It’s slow paced, the plot line is a huge mess, and the characters are weird. But I’m giving it a high rating cause I loved this dumb, beautiful disaster of a show with my whole heart.

Everything you need to know about Bulgasal is revealed in the first ten minutes of the show with the narration introducing the last monster, the flashes of mysterious scenes on a bridge, and the cool opening title sequence. Not once did I hit the skip button, either. I love that title sequence.

Bulgasal has an unknown story line (we’re not following any real historical royal families or diving into era specific conflicts or politics), so there’s no easy guessing of the plot’s major conflict. It’s got reincarnation angles, so there are multiple timelines with multiple versions of characters popping up. It’s got a grumpy protagonist who spends the large majority of the show sulking around a dirty house while a bunch of sunshine characters come in upset his world. It’s got a very enjoyable and theatrical antagonist who has more chemistry with the leading man than the leading lady does. And it’s got all kinds of wacky supernatural stuff at play without clear rules so it’s always a mystery how it’s going to effect the storyline and all the characters.

I mean, you won’t really know what’s happening or why in this show for a long time and even when you find out it’s not particularly inspired, but it’s so much fun guessing. If you have any imagination whatsoever you will invent a plotline three times better than the one offered and bask in the glory of your mental fanfiction as you stare at the beautiful people on your screen.

Bulgasal is a whole vibe. You’re either on board or not. Do you want on this ship?

Wait, I’m sorry. What was that? I don’t think I heard you.

I said DO YOU WANT ON THIS SHIP?

Meow Meow.

ALL ON BOARD.

My personal rating 10/10. My subjective rating? Uhm… 7/10? But why be subjective with Bulgasal? That’s not what this drama is bringing to the table. Let’s adjust to uh… Overall rating: 9/10. A beautiful disaster that captivated the fandom.

Now let’s talk about what made Bulgasal… Bulgasal. Or rather, let’s just follow tangents along and ramble as I reminisce on the fandom and the characters in this show.

SPOILERS BELOW.

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Review – Backstreet Rookie (and Ji Chang Wook’s Career Choices)

/ Lady Divine / 1 Comment

So cute! So breezy! So light weight it floats away as soon as you let go of it.

Here’s my issue with Backstreet Rookie, Melting Me Softly, & Lovestruck in the City. They all featured Ji Chang Wook, so of course I watched them all cause I’m a fan. But they’re all just… good. But not great. Not outstanding. Not the types of shows to get you excited about the story line or the fate of the characters. None of these shows are top tier dramas and Ji Chang Wook is a top tier actor, so it feels like a waste somehow, even when it’s a good show.

Ji Chang Wook is an actor who is skilled in his craft, who can bring complexity and a wide range of emotions to his roles, who can really suck you into the character arcs of a story. Ji Chang Wook who shook us to our core in Empress Ki. Ji Chang Wook who took our hearts in Warrior Baek Dong Soo. Ji Chang Wook of the iconic show Healer. Ji Chang Wook of the action frenzy escapism of The K2.

None of his recent dramas are worth him. These are all shows you hand over to lesser actors. These are shows that only required a handsome male lead who can be charming and a little pathetic when in love. And by taking these roles… Ji Chang Wook has lowered his standards, and ours.

Listen, I’m not saying I didn’t have a good time watching this show. I enjoyed every episode of it.

Backstreet Rookie is a story about a handsome dude running a convenience store and the young super model “average girl” who is obsessed with him. She comes to work at his store and helps the business do better in order to win his heart and of course it works. They both fall in love. There are obstacles along the way. It’s a typical romantic comedy without any over-dramatic high stakes or melodramatic emotional obstacles to overcome. They’re both impossibly attractive and single – so yeah… cue the wedding march, I guess. I honestly don’t remember much more to the plot than that, now that it’s been a while.

I think there was a side story line about her sister wanting to be an idol. And another side story line about a guy obsessed with Reggae music. Maybe? Was he an author or something? I don’t remember. Whatever. The side stories were cute, but they were garnish, not appetizers. They weren’t mean to be filling in any way, just decorate the surroundings of the main story.

Ji Chang Wook was super sweet in this. He’s good at playing these frustrated, adorable men. He’s good with comedic timing and playing off other characters. And he’s always good with his female leads, always.

The female lead, played by Kim You-Jung, was a drop-dead gorgeous young woman who went through a rebellious phase before settling into the routine and responsibilities of a regular job. She was stunning in every scene and her character was quite charming and I liked her the entire show.

There’s nothing to complain about. You’ll like watching it. You probably just won’t remember much of it later.

There are God-Tier work place dramas, like Coffee Prince, Incomplete Life/Misaeng, Live, Move to Heaven, & Pinocchio – you know, the ones that do the heavy lifting and bring more to the table with incredible character development, deeply moving character arcs, unexpected realism, and award winning performances – and then there are all the others, which vary from good to meh to skip it. Backstreet Rookie was good. Check it out. You’ll undoubtedly like it as it was a fun, feel-good rom-com.

I will warn you there is no physical intimacy in this drama. A hug, maybe?

This is not a spoiler, in my opinion, as we all know what we are getting into when we start a romantic comedy. For whatever dumb reason we, as an audience, weren’t allowed to see the couple kiss (other than the pop kiss in the first episode with the weird pseudo-flying move). I thought this was a bullshit choice by the show runners, frankly, and it deeply annoyed me right at the end when I was supposed to be happy about a happy ending. So an otherwise cute and cheerful romantic comedy went out on a sour note. They even had the audacity to have the characters break the fourth wall and look directly into the camera and wink at us, as if we were in on this decision and agreed to look away. Listen, that’s not how the endearing break of the fourth wall at the end trope works. Watch The Greatest Love, that’s a far better romantic comedy that did the same trick the correct way. That is what we want to experience when our characters acknowledge the viewing audience.

Sigh.

Ji Chang Wook, are you sure you don’t want to do action dramas again? It doesn’t have to be anything as exhausting as The K2, mind you. We know you don’t want to be Super Wook any longer, but surely there is a middle ground. Something between. I know you’ve got it in you to bring the house down, so I’ll keep watching and hoping you pick up a role worthy of your acting chops.

Until then, I guess I’ll have to settle for these good-but-not-great romances you keep churning out.

Backstreet Rookie – Overall Rating: 8/10 – Ridiculously Attractive People Maintain Their Perfect Figures & Complexions While Working Blue Collar Jobs Selling Junk Food.

Review – Color Rush

/ Lady Divine / 2 Comments

In the world of this drama, some people are born color blind. It is inexplicable color blindness, having nothing to do with traditional color blindness that involves genetics and cells in the eye’s retina. These unique people are called Monos. They see only in shades of gray.

Monos can be triggered into seeing color, however, if they find a person known as a Probe. Also incredibly rare, these individuals can activate (for lack of a better word) the eyes of Monos. The Monos then experience a color rush – as their eyes change to see color. It’s an overwhelming experience, causing fainting and blackouts. The Monos only experience color in the presence of their paired Probe.

Needless to say, this change in world view is very disorienting and compelling to the Monos. The experience causes obsessive tendencies and can even result in violence. The Monos desire to be always in the presence of the Probe leads many to stalking, kidnapping, and assault. There have even been cases of Monos eating their Probe partners.

So when our cute young Mono unexpectedly discovers his cute young Probe, all he wants to do is run away before the madness takes him. And all his Probe wants to do is flirt and invade his personal space, red flags of warning be damned. He strings along his color-rushed Mono, dolling out small doses of overwhelming color in carefully crafted (and surprisingly thoughtful) experiences. He drapes himself around this fainting, confused cutie and drags him into closets to see rainbows. Even when it’s obvious the experience is having an unsettling effect on the Mono, our slinkly Probe keeps pushing him along. Cause if you can see the world in color… why would you ever go back? Isn’t it worth the gamble of madness? Isn’t it worth turning your life upside down for? Isn’t it… the perfect metaphor for discovering you’re gay?

To say the premise of this series about all the colors of the rainbow is dark is the understatement of the year. It’s deliciously dark. My only complaint about this show is that it didn’t lean in harder to its obvious tonal values. It wanted to be both dark while also cuter than a basket of kittens… which is impossible to pull off under this plot line. I mean, we are told the color rush experience triggers cannibalism in the first episode. You can’t toss out information like that and not have it color, so to speak, the budding relationship.

Honestly, the entire show was just middle of the road for me – the actors, the locations, the cinematography, the side story (which was non existent but could have been awesome), and the romance. Not bad but not good either. Just a solid “eh.” BUT – the plotline elevated this show into a higher status by being so intriguing that every episode felt exciting. The “what if…?” and the “oh god, is he…?” and the “OH MY GOD, IS THAT-?” that you’ll be asking yourself throughout the run time were massively engaging. Ultimately a bit of a let down, too, but enough to propel you forward at an enjoyable speed through this shows short run time.

I’ve got more to say – but it skirts into spoilers, so let’s just drop a quick rating before we get into more. Though it really only deserved a 6 or 7, I’m gonna drop it in the top tier cause I doubt I’ll ever stop thinking about the BL story that tempted me with flesh eating insanity.

Overall Rating: 8/10 – You’ll See Colors and Cannibals Everywhere.

Spoiler time…

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