Lee Sang-Yeob | subtitledreams

Review – While You Were Sleeping

A perfect 10. Same writer that gave us Pinocchio, also a perfect 10 show. This is drama that managed to mix comedy, romance, thrills, and fantasy into one episode after the other of pure entertainment and joy. Lee Jong-Suk plays a young prosecutor who is learning the trade, stumbling hysterically along the way but still admirable due to his strong sense of justice. It was so refreshing to see a young man play a young man for once – naive, goofy, lounging about in a messy home as he sorts out his feelings and career. Bae Suzy plays a reporter who has quit her job because of an ominous dream. She’s carefree and yet complicated, her constant dreams of the future have crippled her ability to bravely face a world she believes she can not change. When Lee Jong-Suk’s character causes one of her premonitions to alter, she realizes the future isn’t as concrete as her dreams might imply and begins to climb out of her shell.

The entire cast is a goldmine of lovable characters with unique personalities and back stories. Each of them gets their moment to shine as this drama unfolds, allowing them all a chance to win your heart. Even the antagonists, in typical K-Drama style, are oddly sympathetic and though you will be cheering for justice, you’ll also feel a little bad for them too. Touchingly sweet moments full of sentiment and genuine affection were sprinkled throughout the show, nicely balanced between the intrigue and humor.

This will probably be my new choice for “First K-Drama” recommendation. I can’t imagine anyone not being charmed and compelled by this amazing story. If you haven’t seen it yet – watch it immediately! It’s currently on Viki.

Overall Rating – 10/10. Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This.

Character Breakdown, Spoilers, Thoughts and More follow…

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Review – My Wife’s Having an Affair This Week / Listen to Love

This is one of those shows that reminds me why I am single. But cheers to all the working moms in the world – cause let’s face it, you are doing twice the work and haven’t been thanked for it since mother’s day of last year, right? Though Lee Sun Gyun is adorable and has a gorgeous voice (his new drama My Mister is incredible, also someone please force him to read audiobooks), I pretty much found him impossible to love in this show. I kept thinking, “Let’s see how well you do with your kid for a week without your wife around, ya jerk.” And then, when we finally get that scene, he can’t even handle it for one day. He pawns his kid off onto his coworkers and friends, who seem to instinctively understand joint parenting more than the married, child rearing couples on this show. Not that it is all the husband’s fault. I hated Song Ji Hyo’s character just as much. The bland, lowered eyed, push over wife – desperately trying to be perfect, always smiling, always agreeable. Use your words, people. If you act like a doormat, you can’t be surprised when people walk all over you.

Though there was a lot to dislike about this show, I did find most of it enjoyable. The shenanigans of the unfaithful lawyer. The online community marriage counseling. The side romance of the two television producers was delightfully awkward and unusual. And I liked the ending, though I wanted more. The exploration into the nature of affairs, the motivations, the suspicions, and the consequences were interesting but also only waded into, not fully explored. I watched the whole show – after jumping ship on several shows recently, it was nice to find something that actually drew me enough to finish it. So… I give it a “Meh.” A nice middle grade. Not bad, not good, but definitely not just right.

Overall Rating – 6.5/10. Tuna Mayo Gets Her Happy Ending Via a Shotgun & a Hot French Dude.