“Angry Mom” (엄마가 뿔났다)
“Angry Mom” brings up the question of whether it’s OK to be a bully, if you are standing up for the rights of the weak.
Tag: Substack
“Encounter” (남자친구)
“Encounter” is a treat for the eyes. Besides the obvious attractiveness of lead actors Song Hye-Kyo and Park Bo-Gum, the scenery — especially in Havana, Cuba — is a lush, welcome guest star. Unfortunately, by the time the credits have rolled, I realized that most of the series was much ado about nothing.
“SKY Castle” (SKY 캐슬)
Having just finished “Sky Castle,” I am left with a little lump in my throat, not because it’s over, but because I know there are so many children out there who are at the mercy of a brutal educational system — where you are told your life means nothing if you don’t get into Seoul National University, Korea University or Yonsei University.
“Mr. Sunshine” (미스터 션샤인)
Helmed by writer Kim Eun-Sook and director Lee Eung-Bok — who previously collaborated together on “Descendants of the Sun” and “Goblin: The Lonely and Great God” — the misleadingly named “Mr. Sunshine” does a beautiful job of juggling multiple story lines that are full of suspense, intrigue and achingly quiet romance.
“My Lovely Sam-Soon” (내 이름은 김삼순)
Near the end of “My Lovely Sam-Soon,” the titular character has an epiphany: “Even though I liked you, without you, I will live well.” Does she stick to her guns? Or does she relent and allow a man to boomerang back into her life?
“My Secret, Terrius” (내 뒤에 테리우스)
A spy and a widowed housewife become embroiled in espionage, kidnapping and murder. But it’s not all thrills in this breezy series (also known as “Terius Behind Me”), which offers comic relief in the form of an apartment complex full of nosy neighbors, who are almost as skilled in ferreting out secrets as the secret agents.
“7 First Kisses” (첫키스만 일곱번째)
I had no idea this series even existed. It popped up on YouTube when I was looking around for something to watch while I ate my late-night snack. (It was tteok-bokki and japchae, for those who have to know.)
“It’s Okay, That’s Love” (괜찮아, 사랑이야)
“It’s Okay, That’s Love” is sold as a wacky K-Drama about a psychiatrist and a playboy celebrity author. And the first couple episodes did little to disprove that storyline. But as it progressed, the series laid out the plot in a beautiful, languid way that was full of love and heartbreak, before culminating in the kind of glorious truth that is both liberating and intoxicating.
“Because This Is My First Life” (이번 생은 처음이라)
“Because This Is My First Life” is a bittersweet series about two broken people who decide to cohabitate for financial reasons. It is also a story that is heartwarming, funny and romantic. The melancholy start to this Korean drama gave me the same feels as “Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food” (in a good way).
“My Love, Don’t Cross That River” (님아, 그 강을 건너지 마오)
“My Love, Don’t Cross That River” is a love story that shows there is beauty to be found in everyday life, even with death looming. A languid documentary about an elderly couple that has been married for more than 70 years, the 86-minute film — which is both tranquil and heartbreaking — is deftly directed by Jin Mo-Young.
Say My Name: Who’s Your Fave K-Drama “Jae-Ha”?
My name isn’t uncommon in Korea. But, as you can imagine, I never had to worry about a classmate sharing my first name after we immigrated to Chicago. On the other hand, whenever my friends and I went to the mall to buy keychains or anything that had a name pre-printed on it, I never found my name listed anywhere along with the Julies and Kevins. Imagine my delight when I started watching Korean Dramas and saw characters who share my name!
“While You Were Sleeping” (당신이 잠든 사이에)
One of the things that I really love about Korean dramas is that many of them center around protagonists who knew each other as children — and reunite as adults. And such is the case with “While You Were Sleeping,” which follows a group of young adults who inexplicably see each other in their dreams.
“Pinocchio” (피노키오)
I was going to review “Pinocchio” simply as I would any other K-Drama. But I started to write this at the same time that Soon-Yi Previn broke her silence about her relationship with Woody Allen (her husband) and Mia Farrow (her adoptive mother, and Allen’s former long-time girlfriend) — and that affected my take on this Korean drama. Is it wrong for family members who aren’t biologically-related to have a romantic relationship? If you condemn Allen and Previn, can you condone the two lead characters in this series?
“Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food” (밥 잘 사주는 예쁜 누나)
“Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food” is sold as a May-December romance. That may be one reason I wasn’t eager to watch this series. While the central storyline delves into the relationship between the pretty noona and her childhood friend’s younger brother, the most compelling subplot — that wasn’t really fleshed out — was workplace sexual harassment. By the way, this isn’t a May-December romance.
“W” (더블유)
When “W” begins, we meet Chul, who is a 17-year-old wunderkind who wins a gold medal in the Air Pistol Shooting competition at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Not long afterwards, he is framed for murdering his parents and two younger siblings.
“What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim” (김비서가 왜 그럴까)
There’s very little wrong with the chemistry in the Korean series, “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim.” The attraction between the main characters is so strong that (of course) the off-screen dating rumors have surfaced. Both Park Seo-Joon and Park Min-Young deny they are anything more than friends, but you almost can’t blame netizens for their wishful thinking.
“The K2” (더 케이투)
“The K2” is billed as an action thriller, but it’s really a story about people who are so thoroughly broken that their sense of morality and justice is skewed to an absurd level.
“Be With You” (지금 만나러 갑니다)
If you could re-live a part of your life, knowing that the time you had with your loved ones would be fleeting, would you risk it? The Korean feature film “Be With You” (지금 만나러 갑니다) offers this intriguing concept. It wasn’t perfect, but it made my heart hurt … and happy.
“Five Fingers” (다섯손가락)
“Five Fingers” is what I categorize as a “Melrose Place” series, where an evil character treats people like garbage, but viewers are expected to root for them, because they occasionally show signs of humanity. No. Just no!
“Healer” (힐러)
A smart, 20-episode series that was well cast, it offered intrigue, action, comedy and a bittersweet love story that ends in such a way that the viewer is left assured that the couple stays together forever. This is also one of the rare Korean dramas I’ve seen where the lead characters aren’t involved in a love triangle (though there is a sub-plot where unrequited love between secondary cast members plays a role).