I'd finished watching these two legal dramas a while back but just haven't got around to writing the reviews. I skipped my usual writing style and did a bullet point format this time round so without further ado, here it is.
Lawless Lawyer (无法律师）
Synopsis (extracted from KoreanDrama.org)
A former gangster turned lawyer uses both his fists and the loopholes in law to fight against those with absolute power. He is driven by the desire to avenge his mother.
Bong Sang Pil (Lee Joon Ki) is a former gang member, but he now works as a lawyer. He also has one of the top win rates as a lawyer. Bong Sang Pil will take advantage of loopholes in the law. He stands before the court for his mother’s revenge, opposing absolute power.
Likes:
An action, legal drama with a dose of romance in one package.
Likeable lead characters whom had me rooting for.
Kick-ass heroine who was not afraid of challenges and not submitting to power and wealth.
Hero who was protective of the heroine, even if it means putting his life on the line.
Dislikes:
Bad villains everywhere.
A prominent judge who took advantage of her position to do all evil things to get her to a higher place, even if it means eliminating her minions along the way.
My thoughts:
I enjoyed watching this drama, even if some scenarios seem to be over the top and implausible at times. But it was overall very entertaining, not to mention satisfying seeing that the murderers were brought to justice in the end. Lee Joon Ki's fighting scenes were another factor which drew me to this drama. He has a kind of charisma in him no matter if he's acting in a modern or a historical drama. His role as a vampire in The Scholar Who Walks the Nighthas left a deep impression in me. I wonder what role he'll play for his next drama.
(4 stars)
Suits (金装律师）
Synopsis (extracted from AsianWiki)
Choi Kang-Seok (Jang Dong-Gun) is the best lawyer at prestigious Kang & Ham Law Firm. He is promoted to a senior partner.
Go Yeon-Woo (Park Hyung-Sik) has a photographic memory and excellent comprehension skills. He dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but due to his poor background he currently works as a parking valet. To pay for his grandmother's hospital bill, he takes a job to deliver drugs to a hotel room. While in front of the hotel room, Go Yeon-Woo realizes that he is going into a trap. Go Yeon-Woo is then chased by the cops, but he gets into the secretary's office for Lawyer Choi Kang-Seok. At that time, a group of people are waiting to take interviews with Choi Kang-Seok. He is going to select a rookie lawyer for the law firm after conducting the interviews. Go Yeon-Woo is then admitted into Choi Kang-Seok's office. Choi Kang-Seok senses that Go Yeon-Woo is not the applicant they called in for the interview, but he is impressed with Go Yeon-Woo's intelligence & memory. Choi Kang-Seok decides to hire Go Yeon-Woo as a rookie lawyer even though he does not have a license to practice law. Choi Kang-Seok's decision could even place his own career in jeopardy.
Likes:
Engaging plot and two charismatic lead characters.
The bromance (as well as the mentor and mentee relationship) between Kang-Seok and Yeon-Woo.
A few heartwarming scenes that portray the other side of Kang-Seok. He was not cold-hearted and ruthless as I'd first thought.
Yeon-Woo hard at work at solving the cases even though he was a rookie and had no legal experience. That shows one's attitude and determination are essential on top of a paper qualification.
Dislikes:
Hmm... I can't think of anything that bugged me as of writing this. That means it's a good thing, right?
My thoughts:
I understand this drama is based on the American television series of the same name by Aaron Korsh. Although I'd not watched the American version, it has piqued my interest after watching the Korean version. Onto the topic, I thought it has a great premise and it was inspiring in a way. I was captivated by Dong-Gun and Hyung-Sik's acting skills and thought they had a great onscreen rapport (offscreen too?) with each other. Initially I wasn't too keen with the beginning part as I thought it was slow paced but not giving it up I continued watching it as I hate that half-accomplished feeling (the same goes with books unless they are really bad) and as I kept watching the plot became more interesting and while solving of cases is a must for legal dramas, basically this story revolves around Yeon-Woo's life journey and his working relationship with Kang-Seok. I enjoyed the banter between them; and I thought there are heartwarming moments as well amid the cold atmosphere of the court rooms and the likes. (4 stars)
Hangman picks up eighteen months later after the investigation closure of the 'Ragdoll' murders (read my review on Ragdoll here), leaving DCI (then DS) Emily Baxter in an almost emotional wreck after all the craziness and that her ex-colleague, DS William "Wolf" Fawkes has gone MIA. However, Baxter has no time to worry about as a new assignment lands right onto her lap.
The Metropolitan Police is teaming up with the FBI and CIA after a body is found hanging from Brooklyn Bridge with the word 'BAIT' carved into the chest. Back in London, it appears there is a copycat killer who murdered the victims in a similar M.O., and instead of the word 'BAIT' it was 'PUPPET'. Against her decision, Baxter finds herself partnering with the two American detectives, Special Agents Rouche and Curtis. Despite the partnership, Baxter seems wary of the two agents and since she has trust issue in general, she has doubts about them. Rouche and Curtis, on the other hand, make an odd partner and although they've no qualms with Baxter, they couldn't help but feel the distance between them especially they've instructions from the superior to keep some info to themselves.
As the body count began to rise on both sides of the Atlantic, the three detectives find themselves racing against the clock as whenever they trace a suspect, the killer is always a step ahead of them. Aside from the tricky case, the reader will also learn that the three detectives have their own vulnerability and demons to fight and that they have their weaknesses behind that tough cop image.
Hangman, unlike Ragdoll, is more of a character-driven crime thriller than a police procedural. Readers who expect more of DS William "Wolf" Faukes will be disappointed in this book because this is mainly about DCI Emily Baxter, the introduction of Special Agent Rouche and their banter. Rouche was another interesting character and was totally in a different league with Wolf and Baxter; he's affable and relaxed though he seems to be an oddball in his colleagues' eyes. I'm also glad to see there's more of Edmunds (Baxter's ex-trainee) in this book, as I mention in my review of Ragdoll, I felt his role there was far too underrated. His friendship with Baxter has taken it to the next level in this book and despite he's no longer working together with her and was transferred to the Fraud division, he's willing to put his job on the line by giving her as much assistance as he could while breaking a few rules now and then.
There was definitely much more grimness here than in Ragdoll as it deals mainly with blind revenge and injustice targeting the vulnerable victims, especially if they've lost their loved ones and feel the unfairness of everything. Despite this is a sequel to Ragdoll it still works well as a standalone; though readers who'd read Ragdoll will have a far more connection surrounding Baxter and the Ragdoll murders case. The author mentioned in the Q&A that he's writing these Ragdoll books as a trilogy so I'm definitely looking forward to its last installment.
Sixteen years ago, child psychiatrist Dr Kate Wolfe lost her younger sister, Savannah, to a brutal murder. On that fateful night, Kate left Savannah alone for a moment to be with her boyfriend. That short moment led to a tragedy; Savannah's body was later found and the murderer was caught and put behind bars. Kate continues to live with guilt as her selfishness had led to her sister's death until one day a retired detective told her something that caused her to lose her equilibrium. According to the detective, it seems like Savannah was only one of many victims of a serial killer and he is afraid that the real murderer is still at large. While searching for the truth surrounding her sister's murder, Kate also finds out that her parents' relationship was on the rocks. Kate's mother died of drowning when Kate was young so there is no way she could find answers from her; and Kate's father is a man of few words and Kate rarely sees him anyway. Kate's search for the truth surrounding Savannah's death begins to catch the murderer's attention and soon she becomes the hunted instead of the hunter. Well, I've to say this book has lots of potential. Unfortunately it was a letdown due to the repetitiveness and an annoying protagonist. While I've no problem with unlikeable or unreliable characters in general (after all they do add some 'spiciness' to the story, no?) but Kate's naivety and stubbornness got on my nerves. There are times I questioned her professionalism with the choices she made and the thoughtless acts which put her in danger (roaming alone in a forest under bad weather with a low battery cellphone? I get it that she's searching for answers, but with no plans and no safety measures? And this is only just one example.) I also find the dialogues between her and her boyfriend seemed a little forced and unnatural. I think this was the weakest part of the story but of course this isn't a romance so I'd let it pass. Back to the story, while there are enough red herrings and twists to catch the reader off guard, readers who read lots of suspense/thrillers books (or the observant ones) would've no problem guessing the murderer towards the end (not that it's a flaw but mainly not much surprise there). As mentioned, I do think this book has potential but it was a disappointment due to the points I noted above. That said, it was an OK read and I'd have enjoyed more if I hadn't expect too much of it.
Dr Janet Palmer is the new psychologist at HMP Halvergate prison.
Leaving her London home and boyfriend
behind, Janet wonders if her decision to move to Norfolk is right but she
loves her job and is willing to give it a try. However, both the staff and the
inmates pose a challenge to her. The former seems reserved and don't share much
of the information with her while the latter, as most sex offenders inmates
are, are either smirking behind her back or don't take her seriously. The worst
of the lot is Michael Donovan; as Janet thinks he is both charming and
dangerous at the same time. Most of the time, she doesn't really know what's on
his mind and this put him on her unreliable list, what with his words and the
way he put it.
As much as these bother her, Janet is also intrigue by her predecessor, Dr John Helkin and the number of the inmates who had committed suicide within a short timeframe during his tenure. There isn't much information about Dr Helkin and the deceased inmates either so this left Janet very perplexed and curious. There are speculations that they must've taken drugs or legal highs which pushed them off the limits but the tests came out clear. And most disturbing of all is, there are talks about an eyeless woman who stalks the prison, driving the inmates to suicide. Janet is adamant in finding answers, no matter if they are supernatural or not and the more she digs into it, she soon finds out that there is more than meets the eye (pun intended).
The Binding Song combines the elements of horror and suspense with a creepy, atmospheric setting, thus making this a very addictive read. The characterisations and the directions of the plot were great; and most of the time the story left me in doubts because I didn't know what to expect - a ghost story or unreliable characters? Janet was an interesting character and was troubled by the death of her twin sister years ago, as the reader will find out through snippets of their interactions in between chapters. Janet's friendship with the prison chaplain was the only happier moments among the dark and dreadful events happened at Halvergate. There was also mention of hypnotherapy and shared psychosis related to Janet's findings which I found both fascinating and scary at the same time, especially the latter meant as a form of malice and manipulation. Overall it was a good read and I'd recommend it if you don't mind bits of horror and some Greek mythology of demons and the likes.
I enjoyed Riley Sager's first novel, Final Girls, a lot and when I learnt that he has a new book out I knew I'd to read it. Fifteen years ago, Emma Davis attended a summer camp located at a secluded woodland. Camp Nightingale is privately owned by a family and it seems its land has a history and is passed down by generations. The all-girls camp is known to cater to the wealthier families and it is no wonder some girls called it the 'Rich Bitches Camp' behind their backs. While not all the girls are mean, Vivian Hawthorne stands out from the rest for her beauty, her bluntness and her confidence. It is easy to understand why Emma look up to her and wants to be accepted, after all Vivian is older and she seems to know what she wants and gets them eventually. Thanks to the overcrowdedness of the camp under her age category, Emma is assigned to share the same cabin as Vivian and her two friends, Natalie and Allison. Emma becomes part of Vivian's entourage as the story progresses, and she learned of a game they always love to play - two truths and a lie. Until one day Vivian, Natalie and Allison disappear and Emma's world is turned upside down. Now at twenty-eight, Emma is an artist but the things she's painted are mostly about her three friends back then. The day she holds her first gallery show, she meets Franny Harris-White. Franny is the owner of Camp Nightingale and the family property, and after closing the camp for so many years she is going to reopen it and she wants Emma to join her and teaches the girls to paint. Against her better judgement, Emma agrees to her invite despite the girls' disappearance still haunts her. And this is the setup of the suspense here. Riley Sager has delivered another intense and breathtaking thriller in The Last Time I Lied. Like his first novel Final Girls, the story alternates between the present and the past and this was told in Emma's POV throughout the book. What made this book so intriguing is aside from the mystery surrounding the missing girls and Emma's credibility (after all the girls loved the game they played and the purpose was to seek the lies, not the truths), there is the history surrounding Lake Midnight (where Camp Nightingale is) and the gothic legend surrounding it. And once again, Mr. Sager excels in the characters developments and the way he tempts his reader into reading page after page until everything is clicked into place at its finale. An engrossing read and will appease to fans of the suspense/thrillers genre.
This story is set in London during the 1940s where the country is at war with the Germans. However, this is only the backdrop while the book is basically centering on the life of the Londoners during this difficult times and of course, our lead protagonist, Emmeline Lake and the interactions with a few of her friends and colleagues. All the while, Emmy has this dream of being a Lady War Correspondent. When she saw an ad placed in a newspaper looking for a Junior at The London Evening Chronicle, she put off everything and jumped at the chance. Well, Emmy is offered the position but in the haste and excitement during the interview she had failed to find out about her duties. So while Woman's Friend magazine is part of TLEC, what her duties are are far from being a journalist, let alone a War Correspondent. One of the magazine features is the 'Henrietta Bird Helps' column and basically her job is to go through the mails sent out by the readers and sort them out for Mrs Bird, Woman's Friend Advice Writer and Acting Editress, to reply. However, Mrs Bird has a list of 'Unpleasantness' topics she wouldn't entertain and this put Emmy in a difficult position because most mails she receive are about love, relationships and the likes. Mrs Bird is very clear about receiving such mails and off they go into the bin. Emmy, on the other hand, feels heartbroken for these women who must have gone through such difficult situations to send in their desperate pleas and she hates to disappoint and let their hopes down. Thus, she replies to these letters secretly under Mrs Bird's name and from then onwards there is no turning back for Emmy. Dear Mrs Bird was a delightful read; it was funny, uplifting and sad at the same time. It is also a story about love, friendship, courage and pursuing one's dream. Although this isn't entirely a war story, Ms Pearce has managed to capture the tense atmosphere and makes the reader feels for the characters and how it was like living in a wartime period and yet not giving up hope like Emmy and her friends. A lovely debut and I'll be sure to look out for this author's future releases.
With the aftermath of an explosion that ripped apart a Chicago building as a backdrop, this story follows the life of three women who are somehow connected to one another and the secrets each hold amid the nation's mourning and the scrutinisation of the media. With the one-year anniversary coming up, documentary filmmaker Teo Jackson approaches one of the women, Cecily Grayson, to be interviewed for his documentary as part of a memorial. Cecily was late for an appointment on that fateful day on October 10th and due to her lateness she had survived from the tragedy. Her husband, Tom, wasn't as fortunate. Cecily was captured by Teo's camera during the chaotic moments later and therefore made her the "Poster Girl" the nation recognise, but Cecily would rather prefer no one remembers her.
On the other end, Kate and Franny, the other two women who are thrust into the limelight have their stories to tell as well. Unlike Cecily, Kate has something to hide revolving a decision she had made before the tragedy while Franny is looking for her biological mother whom she'd had the chance to meet for only a few times before tragedy struck. However, the stories these three women tell are only half true and the secrets which they struggle to hide will slowly come to light as the story progresses, questioning the reader about the reasons and the motives behind their lies as well as how they will all impact their lives in one way or another.
I've enjoyed a few of McKenzie's books in the past and therefore I was very excited to dive into this latest book by her. While it was a good character-driven story, I felt something was missing yet I couldn't put a finger on it. Catherine's writing skill continues to shine and she has a knack for writing intriguing (sometimes annoying) characters but in this book I didn't feel a connection with them. I did sympathise for the three characters' loss and the things they had gone through but all along the ride I felt more like a bystander instead. Perhaps it was the slow pace at the beginning which I felt it was a bit dragging (perhaps this is the author's intention for the characters development) and despite the pace took a different turn towards the end I felt it came a bit too late. Still, it was overall an intriguing story and the author's writing had me glued to the book.
This is based on a real site in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea and is
featured as the 7th freakiest places on the planet according to CNN Travel (see article here). Whether if it is truly haunted, I suppose only the daredevils who have the guts
to explore will know but for now I'd settled with a fictional story. Ironically, despite the authenticity, most of the scenes were filmed in an abandoned school
in Busan instead of the real site with the production team adhering closely to the floor plan of the actual hospital (according to Wikipedia). I understand the real site is closed off to the public and CCTVs are even installed at the front gate of the entrance but this doesn't discourage the adventurous ones from going in (see videos below).
The story opens with the formation of a group of seven
people (4 males and 3 females) who dare themselves to explore the haunted site.
Among the group is the leader, Ha-joon, who is the host of "Horror Times"
(think YouTube channel) and his aim is to hit a million views through their
live broadcast of their exploration and earning some money through
advertisements. Before their exploration, there are rumours about a cursed room
and the director of the asylum killed the patients before she disappeared.
Whatever the motives are (to find answers or to gain viewers; or maybe both),
this group of explorers enter the site with their spirits high and little do
the females know the guys are planning to play a few pranks on them. But of
course we can all foresee what would happen next and this is when the real
horror truly begins.
I've noticed that this found footage technique for horror
films has become quite a trend after The Blair Witch Project and a few others.
While I found the idea refreshing in the beginning, personally I felt the
technique lacks the novelty as it goes so while it still hold a certain charm
to some viewers, for me I'd still prefer the "third party viewer"
more than the "first person account" method (hope my statement makes
sense). That being said, I'd a good scare towards the end and that's what
counts for a horror movie, right?
Below are two videos I watched taken from the true explorers and both claimed they heard footsteps or doors slamming. Whether if there are ghosts or not, I shall leave it to you to judge them yourself. ;-)
This book is possibly the most unforgettable book I read thus far - a well structured storyline, great characters development and a complicated, multi-layered plot to boot. Thrown in some secrets, deceits, frauds and two murders and you have the story of Our House. Fiona and Bram Lawson is an ordinary couple living in a suburban neighbourhood at Trinity Avenue with their two young sons. Fi and Bram have owned their home there for years and have no intention of selling. Until one day Fi comes home to find a family moving into their house and Bram couldn't be reached. Thinking it is all a mistake, Fi tries to reason with the family who has claimed ownership of their house but with transactions evidence and solicitors statements, there is no way such a drastic mistake could be made, right? And where is Bram when she needs him most? Bram has broken Fi's trust by committing an affair. Although they are still legally married, they are actually separated and have set up a co-parenting plan they called "the bird's nest" custody arrangement. Each of them rotates to see and care for their sons, and they maintain their shares to keep the family up and running. Unlike other separated couples, they still talk amicably and no one would have noticed their "unusual" marital status from afar. Why Bram left Fi in a ditch is a mystery, and this is what the core story is all about and all the truths will be laid bare through Fi's story told in a podcast interview and Bram's through a written document (as a confession in the end). And this is all I can say about it because you have to read their account and let me say it is quite a journey; both for the Lawsons couple and for you as a reader. If you think you have read enough domestic suspense to guess everything, this might be a book to challenge what you have read of this genre because the plot is multi-layered and oh that ending just left me feeling dumbstruck. Go read this book and let me know what you think about it.
Eighteen years ago, Louise Wandsworth left home and ran away to France with Mike Hughes, who was her karate teacher then. She thought Mike was her everything, and that no one else understands her more than he did but she was wrong. He left her life in pieces and Louise is never the same person again.
Now at 32, Louise thought she has moved on from that terrible past. She did find someone but deep in her heart what feelings she has for a person has died away the day Mike did those horrible things to her. And when she is back in Malvern she discovers that not only Mike is alive and kicking but he is now involved with Chloe Meadows, a teenage girl just like what she was those eighteen years ago. Determined not to let history repeating itself, she prepares herself for the confrontation and assure herself that this time round she would not allow Mike to get away scot-free.
Wendy Harrison is Mike's ex-wife and has a record of hurting Mike in the past. Living alone with a dog and a restraining order from the court, she now has her eyes fixated on Louise after going through her social media platform and "befriended" her friends. She has harboured a deep hatred towards Louise and thinks she is responsible for her wrecked marriage with Mike. She decides to seek Louise out under the guise of a potential client where she is working and take things from there.
Told from three viewpoints between Louise, Wendy and Chloe, this book portrays issues of pedophilia, obsessive love, psychological manipulation and how far one would go to protect themselves and those around them. The dark subject centering around pedophilia is mind-blowing and disturbing at times but I thought the author tackled it delicately and through her fleshed out characters it all made this story so real and scary. While one may think Louise is the star of the story, personally I felt Wendy took the centre stage right from the start. She is unpredictable and one could never guess her intentions. She question readers with her characteristics and makes one wonder if she is truly a victim or a manipulator? (No spoilers here.)
Reading this book was like riding a roller coaster, I never anticipated the turns and it kept me wondering about the twists until I found myself at the end of the ride, and by that time all I felt wasn't totally a relief but more questions on the improbable coincidences and the credibility surrounding the ending but overall I thought it was an intense read.
Based on the quotes inside the book, many have claimed this is the best C.L. Taylor has written. I couldn't comment or compare since this is my first Taylor book but it definitely had me intrigued to check out her other books.
Why does the time always passes so fast when one is having a good time? Hello, June! Wow, it's almost half the year already and it seems like the New Year just passed by us yesterday. Back to the topic... Yes, I'd had an enjoyable time during my blogging break and for the inquiring minds, we went to Kuala Lumpur last week. To be exact, we spent most of the days shopping, eating and of course not to leave out a day to a trip to Sunway Lagoon in Subang Jaya (one of their well-known attractions). It is a water park/theme park suitable for all ages and it was our fourth trip there already. Since we'd forgotten to bring a waterproof phone pouch for the water activities, I'm afraid we didn't take any pictures but I did find a few pics which were taken during our previous trip for your viewing pleasure.
We also had a few great vegetarian cuisines and we couldn't help watching Rampage and Solo Star Wars at the local cinemas, too. Rampage was a little touching towards the end and both movies are OK, though, if you ask me.
Relaxing by the pool. (No, I didn't read much. How could I when the pool was right there in front of you?)
The Children's fun place
Zip Line (or Flying Fox). No, I didn't try it.
Malay festive decorations at a mall.
Mock chicken teriyaki bento set.
Can you believe these sashimi are vegetarian? They taste not bad, too. We had some other vegetarian dishes alongside the trip but didn't post all. This Japanese vegetarian cuisine was a highlight to me, though.
The Sunrise view from the Airbnb where we were staying (19th floor).
Night view.
Well that's it and I suppose it's now back to normalcy. With my girls at home for the school holidays, I'm afraid my reading progress will be slower than usual (that applies to blog hopping and commenting so I'd appreciate it if you could bear with me.) So what did I miss and what books are you reading while I was away? I'm curious to know. ;-)
To begin with, I wasn't sure how I felt about this book. This is my second attempt in reading Paul Tremblay's book and I've to say I enjoyed his first book (A Head Full of Ghosts) a lot. This book has a combination of a home invasion horror and an apocalyptic feel yet I couldn't classified it as the latter as no such calamity actually happened (unless you're talking about the [delusional?] human minds and their actions). To say anything more in details will spoil the story, but I've to mention this book has great characterisations. I loved the interactions between the father and daughter and their banters; to be exact seven-year-old Wen is Chinese and is adopted by a gay couple, Eric and Andrew. These three people are fleshed out characters and I came to care for them as the story progresses. There is something heartwarming reading about them and I could easily visualize them as real people than fictional. Then the craziness sets in as four characters, each armed with menacing weapons, started invading into their once peaceful life. Leonard, Redmond, Adriane and Sabrina believe they have a mission in saving humankind and they need the family of three to help them to save the world. However it involves a sacrifice and this begins our story here. Paranoia (or simply madness?) is one word that immediately comes to my mind after finishing the book and even after a day of gathering my thoughts my choice of word remains the same, for I've no other words to describe how I felt about this story. I think this would be a hit-or-miss to the readers due to the blurry theme (Horror? Apocalypse? Psychological thriller?) because nothing is clear cut and there are no answers. Despite these, this story was actually quite addictive as it'll arouse your curiosity and make you anxious to find out what happened to our three characters because as mentioned before, I became invested and came to care for them in spite of the batshit insanity surrounding the story (or is it those four characters? I don't know. This is probably the beauty of this story because it makes you wonder.) All in all, I can't say I liked it but I did enjoy the author's writing.
Have you watched While You Were Sleeping? If you did, then actor Jung Hae In shouldn't be a stranger to you. In that drama, he played the role of a policeman having a crush with the female protagonist and although he was a supporting role there, his popularity has risen quickly due to his fresh look and boyish charm. With his increased recognition, it is no surprise he has landed on a leading role in this latest K-drama, Something in the Rain (aka Pretty Sister Who Buys Me Food).
This story explores the relationship of a couple from the stage of friends to lovers but their biggest challenge lies on their age difference and that the woman's family is strongly against their relationship, in particularly the woman's mother as she viewed him as her "son" since they knew his family for a long time. Plus, she has high expectations for her future son-in-law and she feels he doesn't make the cut. Thus, this make Seo Joon Hee (starring Jung Hae In) and Yoon Jin Ah (starring Son Ye Jin) in a difficult position, and all the more for Jin Ah since she and Joon Hee's elder sister are best friends.
But that is not all for Jin Ah; she faces sexual harassment from her superior at work and the company's CEO doesn't want her to blow up the matter and tarnishing its image. On the other end, Joon Hee is estranged from his father and has no wish to come to terms with him and not even Jin Ah could make him change his mind. With the obstacles and others' views that their relationship wouldn't work, could the couple's love survive through everything and have their happily-ever-after?
This drama is a slow-burn and focus much on the characters interactions in the beginning but once it hit the middle mark it has become more interesting as the problems (for the couple) start pouring in. I think part of the challenge between the couple lies in the lack of communication with their family members from the start; then there is the "over-protectiveness" from Joon Hee and Jin Ah's "don't-want-to-bother-Joon Hee" mentality that pose as an issue for them at times, thus misunderstanding arises and so forth. But of course the biggest challenge is the objection from Jin Ah's mother for she is both a conservative and a stubborn woman. From a mother's viewpoint I can see she wants the best for her daughter, not that Joon Hee is a bad choice. On the contrary, he doesn't act like his age and from his actions one could see he is a responsible man and he loves Jin Ah very much. Watching this couple together touched my heart and I was convinced of their chemistry both on-screen and off-screen. The moments they had were all so sweet and those were the scenes I enjoyed best. Overall I did enjoy it and I loved the "real love breaks age barrier" theme.
Random House Publishing Group | February 2018 | 400 pgs
Source: Library
There are books that make great escapism, then there are books that make you think and reflect along the ride and I've to say this book belongs to the latter. The book opens with our main protagonist, Nate McHale, returning to his childhood home in Greystone Lake after fourteen years. His purpose of visit is to attend the funeral of his first girlfriend, Lucy Bennett. Lucy and his Adirondack hometown brought him many past memories, including an automobile accident that had claimed his parents and his younger brother's life. Then, there were the teenage angst fueled by life's unfairness as well as some deeds done by a few fellow schoolmates and their families. Together with his three other friends they formed a pact to right the wrongs, calling Nate the "Storm King" and naming their deeds as Thunder Runs. With the thunderstorms as their perfect guise, what they've done are easily dismissed as accidents caused by natural disaster. Their deeds vary from pranks to "accidents", until a day Nate felt he's done enough and thereafter left Greystone Lake for good until he's heard news about Lucy's death and that there are someone who seem to be copying what they did those years. As the adult Nate reconnects with his estranged friends and even old enemies, he has a feeling that what's happened in the past isn't the end of everything and that a reckoning is coming and they've to pay for the deeds they'd done. Wow. Where shall I even begin? This book is probably one of the best books I read so far this year. Great plot, great characterisations, great writing and not to mention a great message behind this wonderfully crafted story. This may be a suspense story but I felt there are so much more than it - coming-of-age, the atmospheric feel between the storms and the haunting legend of The Night Ship Girls surrounding Greystone Lake and finally, the psychological thrill of a murder crime. This will be one of those books that will stay with me for some time. Highly recommended!
June is approaching and the school holidays have started today. And what does that mean? Busy and a short break is in order but I've scheduled two reviews (a drama and a book review respectively) to be posted next week, though. Until then, and happy reading!
Have you ever thought of what you'd do if your superior treats you unfairly and sexually harass you and no amount of complaints or actions would do anything to him because the person has status whom everyone respect and like and on top of it, he is smart enough not to have witnesses so it's your words against his. Sure, there's law and order but what if the police couldn't do anything because you've no evidence and again, it's your words against his. These issues are part of the core of this story and will make you think what you'd do if you were the protagonist. Most of all, is it even right or wrong to take matters into your own hands? Sarah Haywood works as a part-time lecturer in a University. She is separated from her husband and is working hard to raise their young son single-handedly. Aside from the financial issue, she is also worried about her job but what really troubles her is she is being sexually harassed by a top professor whom she works with. Prof. Alan Lovelock is an outstanding scholar and a gifted researcher and his works are often recognised not only in the academic world but also publicly since he also has his own BBC2 series. But what makes him untouchable is that he has landed one of the biggest grants given out to their English department and needless to say, he is like a priceless gem to the Uni. Sarah is at a loss, until a chance encounter led her in rescuing a girl who happens to be the daughter of a Russian mob leader. Volkov is a man who lives by his own rules and he believes all debts must be repaid. Thus, he offers Sarah a one-time deal but that offer expires in 72 hours and that once Sarah agrees to it there is no return. 29 seconds is how long Sarah took for that phone call and a deal is made. But is there a consequence and could one really run away from law and justice? This book blown me away on many aspects. The plot, the characterisations, and of course the morality issue behind what seemed to be a controversial decision Sarah made to solve a sticky situation. Then, there is the issue about sexual harassment and the question if the victims should risk their job or swallow their pain. Reading about Sarah's experiences had both saddened and angered me because I felt her helplessness. And in a moment of anguish and despair, Sarah made a decision which chilled my heart because although I felt her pain, I wasn't sure if it was a right path and what about consequences? I raced through the book because it was that compelling; and of course I'd hoped for a closure but I won't say anything as I'll leave it to you to find out yourself.
High Society is a story about family status and wealth as well as finding true love amid the different background between the rich and the poor.
Jang Yoon Ha (starring UEE) works as a part-time employee at a supermarket but actually she is the youngest daughter of a chaebol family. Since young, she is viewed as a jinxed child in her mother's eye so it is no wonder she has received the least attraction among her three other siblings. However, this doesn't bother her and she has no interest in the family's business anyway. Her goal is to find a man who loves her as who she is and to lead a normal life like everyone else. She and her co-worker, Lee Ji Yi, (starring Im Ji Yun) are best friends but the latter doesn't know about her real status.
Choi Joon Ki (starring Sung Joon) is the supermarket's deputy manager and is an ambitious man. Determined to leave his poor background he strives to do well in his job; he even has the thought of marrying a well-connected woman so he could start a new life. He encounters Yoon Ha by chance and is attracted by her confidence and he only knew about her real identity a bit later after seeing she is acquainted with Yoo Chang Soo (starring Park Hyung Shik), his ex-high schoolmate, who is the director and the heir to the supermarket where he's working.
Meanwhile, Ji Yi is shocked upon learning Chang Soo's real identity as previously she has viewed him as an unemployed with his careless attitude. Chang Soo likes her for her directness for she is unlike the other women he's met. He decides to woo her despite his mother's objection of him marrying a woman with a low background. Will this quartet finds true love despite everything?
This is another older drama (2015) which I binge watched because of Sung Joon. I think I liked this one better than Discovery of Love and I Need Romance 3 as he played a more prominent role here in terms of the character and scene-wise. I also liked that the two female protagonists here aren't intimidated by life and do the things they want to do regardless of others' views and the challenges they faced. Although there are sub-plots like family dynamics and power struggle among the chaebols, at its core is the romance of the four main characters. I enjoyed this drama thoroughly, and of course Sung Joon is part of the reason.
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