Melody's Reading Corner: Romantic Comedy

Showing posts with label Romantic Comedy. Show all posts

Drama Reviews: The Ghost Detective | Jugglers

Melody

The Ghost Detective (今天的偵探)

Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff

Lee Da-Il is a private investigator. He was formerly in the military, but a whistleblower case led to his discharge. Jung Yeo-Wool becomes his assistant. She is a fearless woman. They work together to solve a mystery surrounding the death of a younger sibling. They also work together to solve other cases, some involving ghosts.

I binge watched these two dramas for the past few weeks and thus neglected my books. Well I still read, but my progress was slow. Now that I was done with them, I'm back to my regular reading mode (unless I was sidetracked once again). Anyways, back to the topic. The Ghost Detective was a horror thriller and I thought it has a good premise. The lead character, Da-Il (starring Daniel Choi) became a ghost while solving a kidnapping case; he was buried alive but his soul wanders around. Yeo-Wool (starring Park Eun-Bin) lost her sister to a paranormal incident and had requested the police to look into the case but was rejected. She encountered Da-Il and was the only person who was able to see him. They worked together to find this ghost who manipulated and killed several people, including Da-Il's mother and Yeo-Wool's younger sister.

The paranormal aspect was an intriguing one, but there are some scenarios which I found confusing, though. I was particularly skeptical about Sun Woo-Hye (starring Lee Ji-Ah), the ghost because she was actually a twelve-year-old girl but over the years her body was in comatose and was kept alive through a respirator. Her speech and mentality were like an adult at times, and she was a real devil. The supporting characters were intriguing as well, as they involved a shaman cum medical examiner and a meticulous cop who seemed to have a little crush on Yeo-Wool. The romance element was minimal, but I liked the chemistry between Da-Il and Yeo-Wool. Despite a few shortcomings, overall I thought it was an entertaining drama.

(3.5 stars)

Jugglers

Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff

Yoon-Yi (Baek Jin-Hee) works as a secretary and has held her job for the past 5 years. She is loyal and devoted to her work. Yoon-Yi also runs an internet community website for secretaries. One day, her boss's wife mistakenly assumes her husband is having an affair with Yoon-Yi. The scandal spreads throughout her company. Her boss though does not correct the misunderstanding to coverup his own real affair he is having with someone else. Yoon-Yi is placed on a waiting list for a new position and she is devastated.

Meanwhile, Chi-Won (Daniel Choi) is scouted for a managing director position in the Video Business Department at YB Ad. He carries a trauma related to a fire incident when he was young. He is not interested in socializing with other people and he does not a have a secretary. Yoon-Yi is assigned to work as Chi-Won's secretary at YB Ad, but Chi-Won tells her that he does not need her. Yoon-Yi tells him otherwise and that she will work hard for him. One evening, Chi-Won's boss invites him and Yoon-Yi out for dinner. Yoon-Yi gets drunk and Chi-Won takes her home. It turns out the house where she lives is the same house where the traumatic fire incident occurred when Chi-Won was a child. Next to the front door, he sees a flyer looking for a tenant for a second floor room. Chi-Won decides to rent the room to overcome his trauma.

Jugglers is basically a story about office employees (in particularly personal assistants) and the difficulties and challenges they often encounter while working alongside with their bosses; and at its core it is an office romantic comedy which I found both sweet and entertaining. I've to admit I watched this because of actor Daniel Choi. I was quite charmed by his charisma in The Ghost Detective and I was glad to see another side of him in Jugglers as he played a cool and an unsociable boss but ended up falling in love with his PA.

What I liked about this drama is aside from the romance element (so, so sweet and romantic, sigh), it portrays the everyday life of a PA and what they do for their bosses. From running the office to running personal errands, they are the personnel who represent their bosses and at times, they have to grit their teeth to accomplish tasks which are beyond their duties. While not all bosses are making use of their authority and taking their PAs for granted, there are still some who do that like Yoon-Yi's ex-boss in this drama.

Aside from Yoon-Yi's and Chi-Won's perspectives, I also enjoyed the story between Wang Jung-Ae (starring Kang Hye-Jung) and Hwangbo Yool (starring Lee Won-Geun). June-Ae was a shy, working single mother who struggled to make ends meet, while Hwangbo was a young director living a king's life. It was interesting to see the changes in them as the story progresses; and I felt for Jung-Ae throughout the drama because she led such a sad life. Fortunately there was a HEA for her in the end. I enjoyed this one much more than The Ghost Detective, perhaps this was a romcom and it had brightened up my mood amid my girls' school exams period (it was over as of writing this, thank goodness!)

(4 stars)

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3.5 stars, 4 stars, Drama review, Horror, Korean drama, Mystery, Romantic Comedy 6 comments |

Drama Reviews: Discovery of Love | I Need Romance 3

Melody

These two dramas (2014) reviews are long overdue since I'd finished watching them a while back but haven't got around to writing them. Since both of them revolve around friends, love and relationships, I figured I'd compare and share about my likes/dislikes of each drama instead of writing up a full review like the others. Please note both blurbs (in italics) are extracted from Wikipedia and DramaFever respectively and are not my words.

Discovery of Love (aka Discovery of Romance)

Han Yeo-reum (starring Jung Yu-mi) is a furniture designer who owns a workshop space that she shares with other designers. For the past year, she's been dating Nam Ha-jin (starring Sung Joon), a plastic surgeon with a sweet and gentle personality. But Yeo-reum's peaceful existence is shaken when her ex-boyfriend Kang Tae-ha (starring Eric Mun) suddenly reappears in her life. The CEO of an interior design company, Tae-ha is a smart, confident man with a strong competitive edge who always gets what he wants. Meanwhile, Ha-jin comes across Ahn Ah-rim (starring Yoon Jin-yi), whom he recognizes as the girl he treated like a sister when they were both children living in an orphanage. As she begins working with Tae-ha, Yeo-reum is forced to re-evaluate her romantic history, which sets her off on a search for true love.

My likes :

Interesting set of characters. I liked Yeo-reum's determination when it comes to her work.
Ha-jin's gentlemanly and thoughtful demeanour. He was a perfect boyfriend in many aspects.
The many events which would lead you into thinking about different aspects of love and relationships.

My dislikes (may contain spoilers) :

Yeo-reum's fickle-mindedness when it comes to choosing between Tae-ha and Ha-jin. Really, is it that difficult? And why did she has to hurt Ha-jin the way Tae-ha had hurt her before? Is it necessary, considering she knew the pain and misery?
Ha-jin being not honest enough to admit to Ah-rim that he was her long lost "brother" until the end. Why? I knew he felt bad for the adoption swap, but still, what's wrong?
The drag. This story would be over too soon if not because of Yeo-reum's indecisiveness. Then again, there wouldn't be a story without this, isn't it?

(3 stars)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I Need Romance 3 (aka In Need of Romance 3)

Shin Joo Yeon (starring Kim So Yeon) is a successful 33-year-old career woman who, because of bad past relationships, is jaded and no longer believes in love. That is, until she is reunited with a much younger family friend, Joo Wan (starring Sung Joon), who has made a name for himself as famed DJ Allen Joo. He's smitten with her, having harbored a crush on her since their younger days, and pursues her relentlessly. Will his love heal her heart and make her believe in true love again?

My likes :

Joo Yeon's devotion in her work and never-say-die attitude.
Sweet and romantic. There's nothing like having a hero who is so totally into the heroine despite their age difference (he is six [or seven?] years her junior) and their clashing personality.
Joo Wan being totally supportive of Joo Yeon, even if it means she finds a man she loves other than him.
Joo Wan's patience and tolerance. How many men out there are willing to witness the women they love flirting and falling in love with other men while still hoping (and waiting) that one day the woman will realise his love (and her own heart) and return to him?

My dislikes :

Some secondary characters who got on my nerves (luckily they aren't the lead characters).
Love betrayal between one pair of couple. Again, thankfully they are only supporting characters.
Not a fan of love manipulation. Why does one has to make use of another to make your other half jealous? Thankfully it's not Joo Wan. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record here.

(4 stars)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Verdict on Discovery of Love and I Need Romance 3 : Both are average romcoms which are entertaining. To be honest, actor Sung Joon was what drove me to watching these two dramas since I'd not seen any of his work as a lead character (the only one I'd seen is his role as a bodyguard to the daughter of a martial art master in a historical drama, Gu Family Book, and I thought his role was underrated. I know I know, Lee Seung Gi was the lead character there.) Anyway, his two roles in these romcoms are quite similar as we see him playing a devoted guy who is into his love and both of them have a respectable profession. The only difference is, Joo Wan knew how to draw a line when his love took him for granted, while Ha-jin totally submitted to his love without a direction, sigh. That said, love is a complicated thing and well, who can really judge aside from the said party themselves?

Labels: 3 stars, 4 stars, Drama review, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy 8 comments |

Drama Review: Madame Antoine (安托万女士)

Melody

Madame Antoine is a romance story between a fortune teller impostor and a psychologist with a psychological theme and if this isn't enough to attract your attention, the good-looking cast probably will.

Known as Madame Antoine, Go Hye Rim's (starring Han Ye Seul) profession is a fortune teller but that is a lie, including her story as being spiritually connected to Marie Antoinette but she is sharp and observant, thus most often she easily gain some information about her clients either through her insistent inquiries or their body language. She also runs a café so it is like killing two birds with one stone. A divorcee with a daughter who is studying abroad, she works hard to make ends meet. Despite her divorce, she still hopes for love and is a romantic at heart.

Choi Soo Hyun (starring Sung Joon) is a well known psychologist and is looking for a space to open his clinic. He found the perfect place, and it is located above Hye Rim's café. And the problem is, both the café and the clinic share the same name - Madame Antoine. Although Dr. Choi isn't bothered by it, Hye Rim sees red but she take in stride considering she needs the café to run both her businesses.

(Credit Source)

Despite their clash of personalities, they finally see eye to eye and Hye Rim even agree to participate in Dr. Choi's psychological test project although he didn't tell her the real reason behind the test. Truth be told, it is an experiment about love and Dr. Choi's goal is to prove that there is no true love and it doesn't exist. With other two men and himself acting as Hye Rim's pursuers, his motive is to make Hye Rim falls hard in love and ultimately declare her love to the man she's in love with in public. But of course there are complications and Dr. Choi soon finds himself falling in love with her as well.

(Credit Source)

Madame Antoine was a fun romcom and while I don't approve of Dr. Choi's project, I can see where his concern and doubts come from considering he is traumatised by a childhood experience whereby his mother left him to pursue a new life. There are also side plots involving a few Dr. Choi's patients with various mental issues as well as the romances of the secondary characters, but at its core it is very much a life story about Dr. Choi and Hye Rim and how they have struggled with their own fears and obstacles before they found each other. I may disagree with Dr. Choi's initial motive for his project (manipulation?) but I've to say I was totally touched by his actions in the end (sigh).

Labels: 4 stars, Drama review, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy 2 comments |

Drama Review: A Korean Odyssey (花遊记)

Melody

A Korean Odyssey is a modern spin-off of the Chinese classic novel, Journey to the West (西游记), in which it depicts a tale of a Buddhist monk and his three divine protectors' mission and their journey to the 'western regions' to obtain Buddhist sacred texts and how they are met with various obstacles and challenges during their pilgrims journey. At its heart of the original story is the spiritual insight of the experiences they encountered and how teamwork and perseverance will push them onto their path towards enlightenment.

While A Korean Odyssey retains the main cast of the original work, some of them have their roles switched (for the addition of the romance element) and I've to say the idea is a refreshing one. For instance, the Buddhist monk in the original work was re-script as a female human, Jin Seon Mi (starring Oh Yeon Seo), who is able to see otherworldly beings in this spin-off. Her encounter with Ma Wang (starring Cha Seung Won) (based on the Bull Demon King) as a girl is the start of everything after she has freed Son Oh Gong (starring Lee Seung Gi) (based on Sun Wukong), the Monkey King, from the Five Elements Mountain and a contract was sealed between them as a result. Now an adult, Seon-mi become Sam Jang (based on Tang Sanzang) since she was the one who has released the Monkey King from his prison. Son Oh Gong becomes her protector due to the magical bracelet (originally a head band) which bound him to her commands.

(Credit Source)

What follows is a series of events which allow Sam Jang to interact with a few deities-like characters (and dispose of a few ghosts snd demons along the way with the help of Oh Gong) but the highlight would be the romance between she and Oh Gong and Sam Jang's summon to destroy a powerful black dragon before it escape into the world and causes destruction.

(Credit Source)

While A Korean Odyssey tells a different story from Journey to the West, a few things retain such as the characters' characteristics and their abilities (for obvious reason) as well as the philosophy behind the original story, which is seeking true light in a dark world surrounded by the evils. The romance between Sam Jang and Oh Gong is a bold creation yet an original, refreshing idea. I absolutely loved the additional romance element and how it plays into a bigger scene in this story as it moves towards the finale, whereby one of them has to choose and make a decision surrounding the heavenly summon. A wonderful fantasy with a twist and I'd recommend this to anyone who loves this genre as well as fans of Journey to the West who don't mind a new perspective. (Trailer here.)

(My favourite OST - When I Saw You)

Labels: 4.5 stars, Drama review, Fantasy, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy 8 comments |

Drama Review: I'm Not a Robot (不是机器人啊)

Melody

This sci fi/romantic comedy drama tells a story about a man who has a severe allergy to human touch and how a robot (or a woman who pretends to be a robot, to be precise) has changed his life thereafter.

Kim Min Kyoo (starring Yoo Seung Ho) lost his parents since young. He was then adopted by his late father's business partner and good friend but the latter had an agenda for adopting him. Since then, Min Kyoo started developing an allergy towards human and any contact with them will result him in rashes and in some circumstances his allergic reaction may even lead to death if it is severe. No one knows about his condition and he always make sure to carry some syringes along so that should the allergy happens, he could always inject the prescribed solution into his body. For fifteen years he has suffered and endured this strange condition and lives an isolated life. As a director of KM Financial, he could easily command the staff and goes to the company only when necessarily. When he is out, he also make sure to wear gloves and carry a baton. This is how his life is like until KM Financial invests and brings in the Santa Maria Team; a group of four young scientists who are in charge of building and engineering a human-like robot they called Aji 3.

Jo Ji Ah (starring Chae Soo Bin) is a hardworking young woman who has the passion of inventing products which are both useful and sentimental to the users. Her ex-boyfriend, who is the leader of the Santa Maria Team, approaches her one day for her help in pretending as Aji 3 since the robot isn't ready to be delivered to Min Kyoo and Aji 3 has the facial appearance of Ji Ah. Ji Ah took up the offer eventually due to her needing the money and also as part of a favor to her ex-boyfriend and this begins a complex relationship between two human beings and a robot.

(Credit Source)

I enjoyed this drama for a few reasons. For starters, the romance between Min Kyoo and Ji Ah is so sweet; one could definitely feel the chemistry between them. I also liked it that this story is focused more on the connections among people than the sci-fi part; because after all most of the interactions is Ji Ah posing as Aji 3 rather than the robot itself, although there are still some scenes on the real Aji 3 showing its intelligence side. But, there are also parts which left me skeptical of course, such as the skin elasticity and the mechanical movements of the robot (because no matter how they look human-like or move like us, there are still ways to tell the difference between a human and a robot, yes?) Of course this is a (fantasy) drama so I'd cast my doubts and disbelief aside, after all what is most beautiful than finding love and conquering your fears?

Labels: 4 stars, Drama review, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi 10 comments |

Drama Review: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (舉重妖精金福珠)

Melody

Do not let that title mislead you. The title may sound something out of a fairy tale but there's no magical element here but a feisty protagonist who goes out of her way to pursue her gold medal dreams and finding love at the same time.

Kim Bok Joo (starring Lee Sung-kyung) is a college athlete major in weightlifting. Living with her father and uncle who run a chicken restaurant together, Bok Joo's life is simple and although she feels well-loved by her family and friends, she is actually a shy girl and hides her insecurities behind her strong exterior.

Jung Joon-hyung (starring Nam Joo-hyuk) is childhood friends with Bok Joo. He is a talented swimmer but his traumatic past haunts him. As a result, his confidence dips and it is through Bok Joo's encouragements that he begins to find his dreams again. Joon-hyung's ex-girlfriend, Song Shi-ho (starring Kyung Soo-jin) is a supporting role portraying as an overachiever rhythmic gymnast. Although she has broken up with Joon-hyung, she wants him back while juggling to uphold her position as a top-class gymnast.

Bok Joo has finally met Jung Jae-yi (starring Lee Jae-yoon), a guy she likes but alas he is an obesity doctor. While Bok Joo is encouraged to put on weight by her coach for her upcoming tournaments, she is also trying to lose weight through Jae-yi's consultations so she could see him and impress him. But Jae-yi treats her merely as a friend, and it is also at this time that Bok Joo begins to realise that he is also Joon-hyung's cousin.

(Joon-hyung and Bok Joo)

This is a great coming-of-age story, filled with inspirations and dreams. It also show cast what a sportsman's life is and what it takes to attain their goals. There are both funny moments and sad moments, and what I enjoyed most is seeing each character faces their challenges and how the process has changed them and mould them into a better person. Cheesy or not, such scenes never fail to move me and in the end I found myself rooting for them and cheering them on. I also like the sweet moments between Bok Joo and Joon-hyung; their relationship reminds me how lovely it is to be young and carefree. Oh, those were the days.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Drama review, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy 2 comments |

Drama Review: Sweet Stranger and Me (住在我家的男人)

Melody

Also known as Man Living at My House, this drama is a story about family, first love and finding one's loss.

Hong Na-Ri (starring Soo Ae) works as a flight attendant. Her mother passed three years ago, leaving her a land and she's been living all on her own with no other family members except her uncle, whom she rarely contact.

As a city girl and with a job which requires frequent travel, she only returns to her rural hometown to visit her mother's grave during her death anniversary. That day is no different, except she spots a young man at her mother's grave, who later introduces himself as Go Nan-gil (starring Kim Young-kwang). He also informs her that he married her mother a few years back and that the land is his after his wife's passing. Thinking that he conned her mother into marriage and the land, Na-Ri decides to move into the countryside house and find out more about this man who claimed he is her stepfather.

Go Nan-gil, on the other hand, is someone more than he claimed. He definitely has an agenda but no one has to know that, and of course he has every reason to do so. As the story progresses, we see a new side of Nan-gil and his past, as well as his relationship with Na-Ri. I'd my doubts about Nan-gil initially, but I knew my impression on him wouldn't lean towards the negative considering his honest attitude towards his customers being a dumpling restaurant owner and how he genuinely acts towards Na-Ri whenever she encounters some problems.

Their relationship is further complicated by an entrepreneur who has been eyeing for their land for ages; and on top of it his estranged son, Kwon Deuk-bong (starring Lee Soo-hyuk) is interested in Na-Ri and he will do everything to fight the battles for her, even if he has stopped practising law for a while.

Sweet Stranger and Me is a perfect drama for audiences who go for the romance genre; and even though there is some intensity regarding the land disputes they are considered mild in my opinion. I think female audiences would be wowed by Nan-gil's charismatic character because he portrays quite an alpha bad boy image but yet he isn't entirely one to speak of due to his simple mannerism. Overall it was a sweet romantic comedy and a great distraction to me considering I've been reading a few thrillers lately.

© 2016 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3 stars, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy 2 comments |

Drama Review: Moonlight Drawn by Clouds (aka Love in the Moonlight) (云画的月光 )

Melody

Based on a five-part series novel of the same name and with the time period set in the 19th century during the Joseon Dynasty, this drama tells a coming-of-age story between a young Crown Prince and a girl who disguised as a young man due to her family matters involving the nation's politics.

19-year-old Crown Prince Lee Yeong (starring Park Bo-gum) has never been interested in the nation's affairs and what's happening in the palace; his cold and aloof attitude is most commonly known to all minister officials and court servants especially after the passing of his mother, the late Queen Yoon.

Hong Ra-on (starring Kim Yoo-jung) is a 18-year-old girl who earns her living by doing some street performing and writing love letters on behalf of her mostly men clients. Her mother has abandoned her since young for her security purposes (this issue will come to light as the story progresses) and she has little memories of her father who had left home years ago.

A chance encounter with the Crown Prince has set her heart race for a different reason, for she has mistook him as the lover of one of her male clients, in which is a misunderstanding as from the other end the Crown Prince is trying to find out who is fervently writing love letters to his younger sister, Princess Myung-eun. The next time when Ra-on encounters the Crown Prince, she has became one of the eunuchs in the palace due to an unfortunate incident and their destiny begins from there.

This drama appealed to me on many levels and the main attraction to me is the differences between the Crown Prince and Ra-on not only of their positions but also the disguised gender when Ra-on first met him. Since this is also a story about power and greed, needless to say there are lots of conspiracies and backstabbing in the foreground but I have to say the highlights of this drama is the friendship and sacrifices of the two friends surrounding the Crown Prince and then of course, the forbidden love between the Crown Prince and Ra-on.

I found myself warmed up to the character of the Crown Prince rather quickly despite his arrogance in the beginning; and of course it doesn't hurt to say he was very charismatic and an eye candy so to speak. Ra-on amazed me with her optimism and her outlooks in life despite several unfavourable circumstances but in the end she always managed to overcome them. I loved the ending but left me wondering about her (ambiguous) position.

(My novel box-set, which I have yet to read)
（作者：尹梨修，译者：莊曼淳）

Labels: 4.5 stars, Drama review, Historical, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy 4 comments |

Drama Review: Cunning Single Lady (别有用心的离婚女) | Blogiversary

Melody

Unlike the title suggests, Cunning Single Lady isn't about the heroine who is out to seduce men but is more of a story about romance, friendship, and rekindled relationship between a husband and wife.

Ae-Ra (starring Lee Min-Jung), our heroine, works in a family restaurant where she meets university student, Jung-Woo (Joo Sang-Wook). They fell in love and eventually got married. However, Ae-Ra isn't pleased that Jung-Woo quit his job to start his own business. She fought with Jung-Woo over this issue for countless times until she decided for a divorce.

After they have separated, Ae-Ra struggles with her life while Jung-Woo eventually becomes a successful IT entrepreneur. They met again in his company in which Ae-Ra works as an administrative intern in which she hopes to gain back his recognition and sees her as a different person but Jung-Woo isn't fazed by her until a fellow intern begins to show interest in Ae-Ra.

Gook Seung Hyun (starring Seo Kang Joon) may be eight years Ae-Ra junior but he is attracted by her direct approach in life and work itself. No one knows he is also younger brother of the IT firm's director, Gook Yeo Jin (starring Kim Kyu Ri). Yeo Jin is traumatised by an accident which caused the death of her fiancé but she begins to find hope in life after knowing Jung-Woo.

(Seo Kang Joon as Gook Seung Hyun)

I didn't expect much from this drama initially; truth be told the title doesn't really sound appealing, right? Honestly, I was intrigued by this drama due to actor, Seo Kang Joon, who acted in The Cheese in the Trap and well, let's say his role there caught my attention. Like Cheese in the Trap, Seung Hyun's love for a woman is one-sided and once again I couldn't help but to feel sorry for him (No, this isn't a spoiler for Cheese in the Trap.)

I liked how this drama focus on the difficulties between a couple (especially married couple) and what it takes to overcome obstacles through mutual respect, understanding and lots and lots of communications. Jung-Woo may feel jealous of Seung Hyun's attraction for Ae-Ra but ultimately it is his own heart that portrays his true self towards Ae-Ra. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this drama towards the end; my heart was torn between Jung-Woo and Seung Hyun as although I wanted the couple to rekindle their relationship, I also want Seung Hyun to have his love reciprocated. Ultimately, what most matters is I enjoyed this drama and I found myself searching for more dramas starring Seo Kang Joon. I will be watching Splendid Politics (aka Hwajung) next and this time around it is a historical drama set during the Joseon Dynasty period, with a rage of political battles and of course, romance.

(Pic Image credit to Pixabay)

Last week was my 10th year blogiversary and once again, I was amazed how fast time has flown by and that I am still around in this blogging community (there was a time I stopped blogging for a year and I thought it was the end of it.) Like many fellow bookbloggers, my reason for this blog is to share my love for books and also that through this exchange, we get to share our views of the books we read and most of all, to diversify our reading not only in genres but in other cultures, too.

To my bookblogging friends and regular readers, thank you so much for following my blog all these years! And to readers who are new to this blog, a Big welcome to you and I hope you will enjoy reading my blog.

I shall end this post with a few great quotes about books and reading:

Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light. ~ Vera Nazarian

I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense. ~ Harold Kushner

If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking. ~ Haruki Murakami

There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all. ~ Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it. ~ Edward P. Morgan

Labels: 4 stars, Blogiversary, Drama review, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy 2 comments |

Drama Review: Cheese in the Trap (奶酪陷阱 )

Melody

Based on a webtoon of the same name, Cheese in the Trap is a romantic comedy featuring the relationship and the university days of lead characters, Hong Seol (starring Kim Go-eun) and her senior, Yoo Jung (Park Hae-jin), as well as a few other characters surrounding them.

Hong Seol is a diligent girl who works hard not only for her studies but for her family, too. Although her family opens an eatery shop, life is not a bed of roses and she does part-time jobs to make ends meet. During a students' gathering, she met Yoo Jung, who is a senior but their encounter didn't leave a good impression on each other. Yoo Jung is everything Hong Seol isn't; he is good-looking, excel in his studies as well as athletics and most of all, he comes from a wealthy family.

Despite their differences and their opinions of each other, they later became friends and then finally a couple. Many of their friends do not understand why Yoo Jung will fall for Hong Seol, including Hong Seol herself but she is positive that their relationship will work and that most importantly she does like him. However, Yoo Jung doesn't seem as what he looks for he has a dark side with people who hold grudges against him.

Cheese in the Trap may be a romantic comedy but personally I felt it was more of a character study. Needless to say, Yoo Jung is one of them but we also get more than a glimpse of other supporting characters' behaviours when they are tossed with certain circumstances. Jealousy, rivalry competition, envy is amongst the most common emotional traits we see in this drama. But that is not all, there was also the sentiments portrayed by secondary character, Baek In-ho (starring Seo Kang Joo), who has fallen for Hong Seol despite she and Yoo Jung are together. In-ho and his elder sister, Baek In-ha (starring Lee Sung Kyung) are long time friends of Yoo Jung, but there is a (bad) history between them and viewers would come to know how their relationship came about as the story progresses.

Speaking of In-ho, he is the character I loved most in this drama. Used to be a childhood friend of Yoo Jung, he has dreams of becoming a pianist but a fight damaged his hand. Even after recovery, he has lost hope in pursuing his dreams; and Hong Seol (whom he fondly called her "Dog Fur" because of the mass of her hair) was the one who encourages him. In-ho is also the only character whom I felt changes the most from the beginning till the end. I liked the way he was towards Hong Seol - warm, caring and protective.

Yoo Jung, on the other hand, is a guy whom you will like initially but his "hot and cold" behaviours will mess with your mind. Apparently, he had some issues when he was a teenager but I'm not going to delve into that. I had some doubts about him all the while while watching this drama; that is, is he really true towards Hong Seol?

And that ending... I wished I'm able to discuss it with someone. (Well, if you've watched it, do share your views with me via email.) I'm currently watching Cunning Single Lady, an older drama (2014) starring Seo Kang Joo (again). His character here is a rich, easygoing guy who has fallen for a colleague - a divorcee and an older woman who is eight years his senior.

(All pic images credit to Google Images and KDrama Stars)

Labels: 4.5 stars, Drama review, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy 4 comments |

Dramas: She Was Pretty (她真漂亮) | Royal Family (皇室家族) (Thoughts)

Melody

Starring: Hwang Jung-eum, Park Seo-joon, Go Joon-hee, and Choi Siwon (Released in 2015, 16 episodes)

Synopsis From DramaWiki:

A romantic comedy about two past acquaintances who meet again after they went through reversal of fortunes and appearances.

Kim Hye Jin was a very pretty girl from a rich family. After her family's publishing company went bankrupt, she experienced hardships and then lost her beauty too. Ji Sung Joon was an unattractive boy with low self-esteem, but grows up as a handsome and successful editor. As fate would have it, both of them end up work at the same magazine publishing company.

I always find it sweet and romantic to see childhood friends turned couple as the time goes, be it books, dramas or in reality. What's better than that in a relationship, knowing and understand your other half and accepting who he/she is.

This drama doesn't have too many intense scenes for it leans more towards the pure, sweet memories of first love. I liked the hero's loving devotion towards the heroine despite the fifteen years separation. We can see through his devotion through his several small gestures, and while I was frustrated that the heroine didn't want to acknowledge him in the beginning due to her appearance, I can see her point since the hero has become a good looking man while she was the complete opposite.

Friendship and team work are also another important elements in this drama. I have always been curious of the magazines industry and I was glad to see some 'behind the scenes' here and to understand how the staff work to have that final copy of a magazine into our hands.

I also liked the scenes between the heroine and one of the supporting characters, Kim Shin-hyuk, who is also working in the same magazine publishing company. He is funny, loud and a straightforward man but he is also a humble and a sentimental person too, which I liked best about him. He is the heroine's supervisor at work and they developed a close relationship. He fell for her eventually, even if she is a plain old Jane.

Oh, I didn't mention that the hero and the heroine are co-stars in Kill Me Heal Me, acting as siblings although they aren't blood related and he has loved her secretly. I was glad to see their love blossomed in this drama.

(4.5 stars)

Starring: Yum Jung-ah, Ji Sung, Kim Young-ae (Released in 2011; 18 episodes)

Synopsis From DramaWiki:

For 18 years Kim In Sook has been ignored and never regarded as sister-in-law by her husband's brother and sisters. She's been isolated by everybody in her husband's family and she lived like an invisible person. Then things got worse when her husband died in a helicopter crash. Since then, her mother-in-law tried to deprive her of her guardianship of her son. Then Han Ji Hoon, who had a relationship with her in the past appeared as the lawyer of JK clan. And he witnessed her miserable situation. Then he decides to help her and resets his goal in life. That is, to turn In Sook, a woman who has been treated as rubbish into a Queen.

Ji Hoon leads a double life in JK clan, and makes arduous effort for the goal of saving In Sook. He finds that his feelings toward In Sook are more than gratitude and pity. She has become the only woman who makes his heart beat fast. It's just an untutored feeling. And he could abandon it just for the sake of In Sook. The story of Kim In Sook's battle against all odds to rise to the top of JK Group with the help of the lawyer Han Ji Hoon, a man who has supported her since they were children.

[Please note my thoughts below contain major spoilers]

Ah, there are so much hatred and emotions in this drama. Heated arguments, siblings rivalry, power struggles and revenge within a royal family (The royal family here refers to their strong connections and links with the political figures and its affairs.) which made me think they are enemies more than a family.

What made this drama a worthy watch is the belief and faith of Kim In Sook and Han Ji Hoon for each other. Their trust in each other is so strong that they would risk their reputations and lives to protect each other. From the beginning, I have always wondered about Ji Hoon's feelings towards his guardian/sponsor, In Sook. After all, In Sook looked and acted more like his elder sister but I suppose love conquers everything. Their disappearance in the end was ambiguous for no one ever knows if they were perished or they have eloped. However, I'd like to think of the latter because it would be too sad to think otherwise.

(4 stars)

Labels: 4 stars, 4.5 stars, Korean drama, Melodrama, Romance, Romantic Comedy 2 comments |

Drama Review: The Girl Who Sees Smell (看见味道的少女)

Melody

Adapted from the webtoon of the same title, The Girl Who Sees Smell (aka Sensory Couple) is a romantic comedy cum mystery drama about a man (who lost his sense of smell and taste) and a woman (who has hypersensitive senses) befriended on a chance encounter and later work as a team to capture the murderer who had killed his younger sister.

That same murderer had killed a couple years ago, leaving their only daughter as a witness to the gruesome murder. Unfortunately, the girl had an accident while escaping, thus the murderer had to abandon the chance of killing her, considering her accident had drawn a commotion but he did know her name through her school uniform's name tag and vows to take her life the next time.

Choi Mu-gak's (starring Park Yoo-Chun) sister, Eun-seol, was slashed in the throat while recuperating in the hospital. Bearing the same name as the fleeing girl, she had lost her life due to a mistaken identity. Her death devastated him which led him in a coma for months after he'd left himself in a hunger and sleepless state. He lost his senses the day he woke up, not only that he also couldn't feel any physical pain. This whole trauma has made him closes himself up emotionally. He also left his job at the aquarium and join the police force so that he could investigate the case of his sister's death.

Oh Cho-rim's (starring Shin Se-kyung) dream is to be a comedienne. She has no memory of her past but she has a hypersensitive senses and she can "see" smell after waking up from a coma when she was nineteen. She can easily trace things or people through their lingering smells. Mu-gak thinks her special capability could help him solve his sister's death, but what he hasn't count on is falling in love with her in the end.

I have to confess it is Park Yoo-Chun that had me drawn to this drama, though I also have to admit I was intrigued by the premise, and not to mention a character who can see smell. I have been following all dramas casting Park Yoo-Chun; and I was especially thrilled to see his debut movie, Haemoo, released last year. From his debut role as a quiet scholar (Sungkyunkwan Scandal), a humble businessman (Miss Ripley), a time-travelled Prince (Rooftop Prince), an elite agent (3 Days) to his role as a cop (also a cop in Missing You) in this latest drama, Mr. Park once again demonstrates his versatile acting skills and this time around showing us his comedian side pairing up with Ms. Shin.

Although there is suspense and murder cases involved in this drama, I felt the suspense element wasn't as intense as I had expected, partly because the killer's identity was revealed halfway of the drama and well, it's a romantic comedy. That said, I enjoyed watching this drama - funny, intense (OK, some parts of it) and romantic. And I loved its soundtrack, too.

(All photo credits go to Google Images)

Labels: 4 stars, Drama review, Drama Serial, Fantasy, Korean drama, Romantic Comedy, Suspense 4 comments |

Drama Review: You Who Came from the Stars (来自星星的你)

Melody

For those readers who'd watched this drama, please pardon me for posting this at this time. This most watched K-drama was aired last December and had many viewers addicted to it that fans around the world would sweep every products off the shelves that are endorsed by the two leading characters. I watched this drama two months back but didn't get around to reviewing it until now. I know it'd be an outdated review, but I thought I'd offer some of my perspective especially to readers who have yet to watch it.

Basically, this is a romantic comedy between an alien and a human being. I have to admit I'm not a sci-fi fan, not as a reader or a viewer, but I'd heard and read so many reviews about this drama that it had me curious.

Anyway, this fantasy romance revolves around an alien, Do Min-joon (starring Kim Soo Hyun), who has landed on Earth 400 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty. During his days on Earth, he helped a young girl from plunging to her death. As he continued to help the girl escape from her in-laws, he missed his chance of returning to his planet. Thus, he is stranded on Earth for the next four centuries and he has to wait for the time to arrive before he could return back to his planet.

During this period, he has had many identities, after all his appearance never change and neither does he age like an ordinary human. Fortunately, he has a friend in an elderly lawyer, whom he had saved many years ago. He is the only human who had known about his true identity. As of present, Min-joon is a college professor and lives in a luxurious apartment, thanks to his savings all the years when he is on Earth.

Life is peaceful, and Do Min-joo is waiting for the day to return to his planet when he meets the nation superstar, Cheon Song-yi (starring Jun Ji Hyun). She is his new neighbour but Min-joon didn't know of her identity. Song-yi, on the other end, thinks he is her biggest fan after they had stepped off from the lift together and thinks he is stalking her. They had several comical exchanges initially, and slowly that path leads to a hot romance thereafter.

My thoughts? I find it highly entertaining and amusing. I've to confess I was quite irritated by Song-yi initially, who seems to be whining most of the times. However, her characteristic changes as the show progresses and her role has became more sympathetic.

Min-joon, on the other hand, is a quiet and charismatic man (ahem, alien). I've to say most of my attention was focused on him; after all he is young and good-looking, and he has special powers to boot (though not my type in reality).

Anyways, it is not all about romance (which would be boring). It has a tinge of a thriller though it is not the kind that would make you bite your nails or hold your breath (maybe a little), but at least it brings a little depth to the story and convince the viewers why it is crucial for Min-joon to act as protector to Song-yi.

I didn't let myself think too much while watching this drama, simply because the characters are eye candies to boot, and it is a fantasy after all. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Most importantly, what did I find about the ending? Not perfect but it works. And to me, that fits me well.