“Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol” (도도솔솔라라솔)
“Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol” had a promising start that was spoiled by an ending that came out of nowhere.
Tag: Substack
“Flower of Evil” (악의 꽃)
The chemistry between Lee Joon-Gi and Moon Chae-Won is strong in “Flower of Evil.” Viewers never doubt their love for each other. One of the most telling signs of their relationship is that even during times when she isn’t sure who he really is, she never stops referring to him as 자기야 / jagiya, which literally means that he is hers.
“Misaeng” (미생)
What “Misaeng” does so very well is that it depicts how difficult life can be when everything is stacked against you, and you begin to believe that you don’t deserve more than the scraps people are willing to throw at you.
“It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” (사이코지만)
“It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” is an unconventional love story that also focuses beautifully on mental health. It depicts how the aftermath of abuse and abandonment affects the psyche, but reaffirms that no one is a lost cause — and that seeking help is self love.
“Prison Playbook” (슬기로운 감빵생활)
“Prison Playbook” is a dramedy I never wanted to watch. But I’m so glad I did, because it handled social injustice in a way that was palatable to digest, while offering a satisfying ending.
“Abyss” (어비스)
The serial killer element of “Abyss” is intriguing and holds your interest, even though it’s clear from the get-go who the murderer is. There is an accomplice. While you won’t be 100 percent sure who that might be, your first guess is probably correct.
“Extracurricular” (인간수업)
“Extracurricular” shows so much promise early on, before meandering into a series of violent vignettes that water down the plot.
“Train to Busan” (부산행)
“Train to Busan” does a great job at depicting how people deal with death during unthinkable times. When your loved one is infected and your only option is to perish (as human beings) with them or kill them so that you (and others) can survive, what would you do?
“Parasite” (기생충)
“Parasite” has already made history for South Korea as the country’s first film to win a Best Picture Academy Award. There are some moments I can’t wrap my head around though, and one of them was the inclusion of Illinois State into the dialogue.
“Crash Landing on You” (사랑의 불시착)
A couple months after the series finale aired, I still find myself missing the characters in the superb K-Drama, “Crash Landing on You.”
“Let’s Eat” (식샤를 합시다)
“Let’s Eat” offers some of the best mouth-watering food scenes I’ve ever seen in any series. But is there more?
“Itaewon Class” (이태원 클라쓰)
“Itaewon Class” is one of those rare K-Dramas where I disliked both female leads for different reasons. But it just goes to show that a good series doesn’t need a loveline to hold the viewer’s interest.
“Jung Hae-In’s Travel Log”
Jung Hae-In’s adventures in New York are delightful to watch. Here’s hoping he does another season. I know his international fans would love to travel with him vicariously to explore South Korea next.
“Tunnel” (터널)
Like many of the characters in this series, Gwang-ho is a bit of an idiot. Instead of quietly sneaking up to nab the various culprits, he constantly yells out his plans to catch the 새끼/saekki (or son of a bitch), giving the aforementioned 새끼 plenty of time to escape.
“Extraordinary You” (어쩌다 발견한 하루)
The overall message of “Extraordinary You” is that we are all extraordinary in our own way. At first, Dan-Oh simply wanted to be the star of the series. But she grew to realize that what she really wanted was to have ownership of her life, rather than following others’ expectations of who she should be.
“Chicago Typewriter” (시카고 타자기)
“Chicago Typewriter” takes place in modern-day Seoul, but some of the best storytelling occurs during flashbacks to the 1930s, when Korea was under Japanese occupation. There, we learn about three resistance fighters whose lives and friendship will set the tone for the 21st Century arc.
“When the Camellia Blooms” (동백꽃 필 무렵)
“When the Camellia Blooms” starts off with so many things happening at once that it’s initially difficult to focus on all the different story arcs: a serial killer, small-town pettiness, marital issues and the possibility of romance. But as the series progressed, each consecutive episode found its focus and finished with a sweet and satisfying finale that felt true to the characters. There is death and sadness dotted throughout the series. But at its core, “Camellia” is a story of love — not just between a man and a woman, but between parents and their children.
“Signal” (시그널)
“Signal” makes you ponder the consequences of altering life. Is it fate for a person to die at a certain time, no matter how horrific that death might be? And knowing that saving someone’s life in the past could create catastrophic results in the future, would you still take that chance?
“Come and Hug Me” (이리와 안아줘)
The saving grace of “Come and Hug Me” is that it drives home the point that bloodlines don’t define who you are or who you will become — and that just because you passed your DNA onto a child, that doesn’t make you a good parent.
“My Ahjussi” (나의 아저씨)
“My Ahjussi” is a satisfying K-Drama focusing on Dong-Hoon, a mid-level engineer who lives a mundane life. He works hard, hangs out with his brothers every evening and goes home to a house where his wife is rarely there. And if she is, she holes away in her home office and ignores him. It can’t be a coincidence that the set designer chose an apartment complex that looks more like a prison than a home for their residence.