Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“Her Private Life” starts off as a clever comedy about Sung Duk-Mi — a cultured art curator who also is a diehard fangirl. But it also deftly tackles child abandonment, reunification and forgiveness. The concept of what constitutes a family was a recurring theme. It was refreshing to see that relationships based on bloodlines weren’t the only ones valued and that families are sometimes borne from tragic circumstances.
Leave it to South Korea to make a romantic comedy that revolves around a character who suffers from prosopagnosia. Say what? The condition is more commonly known as face blindness, which prevents the person from recognizing family members, friends and — sometimes — themselves. But such is the plot for “The Secret Life of My Secretary.”
The “Running Man” cast members are characters. Literally. Since its debut on July 11, 2010, “Running Man” members have had a great time making fun of themselves and each other. Here, we’ll take a look at their nicknames and on-air personas.
One of the things I really enjoy about the Korean entertainment system is how idols are trained not just as singers, but also as actors. While most don’t pursue careers in television or film, almost all of them are comfortable promoting their groups on variety shows. Case in point: BTS!
Second lead syndrome is strong in “Love in the Moonlight.” And although it’s obvious from the beginning who will end up with the girl, I honestly would’ve been fine with either. Are you #TeamBoGum or #TeamJinYoung?!
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. What does that have to do with K-Dramas? Plenty. There isn’t a K-Drama around that doesn’t have a storyline or plot twist that revolves around a mother.
“Secret Garden” is one of those K-Dramas that gets better as it progresses — even if that progression sometimes moves at a snail’s pace.
KOCOWA’s a streaming site that provides sub-titled Korean content within hours it airs in Korea. It’s perfect for K-Drama fans who hate waiting.
April 27, 2019. Mark that date in your calendar, because after having served 1 year, 8 months and 13 days in South Korea’s military, Ji Chang-Wook will be discharged on Saturday. Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! After spending 1 year, 11 months and 13 days (but who’s counting?) serving mandatory military duty, Lee Min-Ho will be discharged on Thursday, April 25th. The A-list actor has chosen to re-enter civilian life without fanfare.
Five friends, four of them living together in one house. It becomes clear early on that the writers are setting up the premise for the roomies to pair off romantically. But because this is a K-Drama, there’s a hitch and, in this case, it’s the fifth friend who lives at home with his hard-working father. (Less of a storytelling inconvenience is a snooty rich girl who dates the male lead.)
Remember that last post when we wondered whether KBS — or KBS2 in this case — could have a hit with either “Doctor Prisoner” or “My Fellow Citizens!” It turns out that they could!
Korean dramas are famous for asking viewers to believe that women — often the tiniest, daintiest actresses you could find — are going to be mistaken for men. But when they do it right, they do it so well.The best example I can think of is the gateway drama, “Coffee Prince,” starring Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun-Hye.
Since it’s 2010 premiere in South Korea, “Running Man” has been a weekly favorite. Though the ratings aren’t as high as it was during its heyday, the show still has a strong following of Korean and international fans. It also survived the departures of original cast members Song Joong-Ki and Gary. Though it’s difficult to narrow it down to just a few favorites, here are 5 episodes that I enjoyed very much!
It hasn’t even been a month since Lee Jong-Suk enrolled for his mandatory military duty on March 8. But there’s a ton of us fans who miss him already. Am I right? (That’s a rhetorical question, by the way.)
I finished watching the final episode of “Kill Me, Heal Me” early this morning, and I am left with a sense of melancholy — not because the ending was unhappy (it wasn’t), but because the series was so good I wanted to see more. This K-Drama unravels at a languid pace. As each new backstory is revealed, it felt like a jolt to my heart.
K-Dramas tackle topics not often talked about in everyday conversation. By doing so, they bring some important subject matters, like adoption, to the forefront.
I could go on and on about the romance elements. But because I knew the lead character would be fine regardless of who she chose — and that the men would be OK as well — I was more fascinated by the dynamics at the workplace and how difficult it can be for women to juggle being a mom with having a job outside of the home.
When Big Hit Entertainment announced that it was launching a new boy band, the internet went wild digging for more information. Why? Because Big Hit is home to the world’s most famous boy band — BTS — and everyone wanted to know who TXT was.
Quick! Off the top of your head, which K-Dramas have been talked about the most in recent years? If you said “Sky Castle,” “Reply 1988,” “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God,” “Mr. Sunshine” and “100 Days My Prince,” you would be correct. And something they all have in common is that they aired on Korea’s cable television.