Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
답답해. That’s the first feeling that comes to mind when I think of the K-drama “The Interest of Love.” The entire series is about a group of broken people who can’t articulate how they feel and are in a constant state of unhappiness because of this.
The conceit of “May I Help You?” revolves around a young woman who is working as a funeral director. Dong-ju is smart with a sunny disposition, but no one believes that handling dead people is a suitable career for her. But she has been gifted with a special power to talk to the deceased and grant them their final wish.
“If everyone decides to corroborate a lie, then it becomes the truth.” One of the characters in the K-drama “Revenge of Others” says this near the end of the series. And in many ways, it sums up the thesis of this high school revenge series, which is a murder mystery with twists and turns. And though I guessed early on who the murderer was, I didn’t anticipate the why.
Yu-mi is smart and talented. Unfortunately for the overly proud girl, she hails from a working class family. Her parents own a small tailor shop. At a young age, she learned sign language to communicate with her mother, who is unable to speak. Although none of this is shameful, the class-conscious little child does feel shame throughout her life because of her family’s difficult circumstances.
“The Glory” had so much promise — a strong leading lady (Song Hye-kyo), a skilled screenwriter (Kim Eun-sook), the backing of Netflix’s money, and the promise of a scintillating revenge thriller. And yet at the end of the eight-episode first season — stop doing this, Netflix! — I found myself underwhelmed.
Describing “Reborn Rich” is tricky without giving away the ending. Is this K-drama a time-traveling thriller? Or a revenge series with the poor battling the obscenely wealthy? Maybe it’s a tale of repentance? It’s all that and more. Smart and calculated without resorting to tired tropes, “Reborn Rich” offers powerhouse performances by Song Joong-ki (in two roles) and master actor Lee Sung-min (“Misaeng”), who at just 54, convincingly portrays the former’s grandfather.
“Business Proposal” relies on the love contract trope, where a man hires a woman to be his pretend girlfriend. Almost all of the men are drop-dead gorgeous and would have no problem finding a real-life partner. But real relationships also come with real problems that these men don’t want to deal with.
There are parts of “Doctor Lawyer” that are well done. The plot is intriguing. And this K-drama stars So Ji-sub (one of my faves). So why did I stop watching? The answer is in my quasi review. Let me know if you agree or not!
Park Ji-hoon is almost unrecognizable from his Wanna One days. Leading this cast, which also includes Choi Hyun-wook (Twenty Five Twenty One) and Hong Kyung (D.P.), Park is so intensely good as a bullied boy who uses classical conditioning (Pavlov’s Dog) and Newton’s Laws of Motions to fight back against his tormentors.
“Under the Queen’s Umbrella” is my top pick of 2022. If you’re looking for a fantastic series to watch, this sageuk/사극 (or historical drama) is difficult to beat. Kim Hye-soo is magnificent as a queen whose sons’ lives (and her own) are in danger if the Crown Prince dies. She is whip smart and almost always one step ahead of her enemies, who want to destroy her family to elevate their own.
Sang-eun (Park Min-young) is a stunning young woman who has carved out a niche for herself marrying men. Nope, she’s not a gold digger. Her relationships with her clients are platonic and are based on a meticulously-worded love contract. Well educated and discreet, she is the perfect girlfriend/bride for men who need a well-heeled partner to show off.
BTS’ Kim Seok-jin announced today that he is preparing to enlist in the Korean military, which is required of all able-bodied Korean males. There are exceptions for athletes, classical musicians, and some academics. So why didn’t the Korean government exempt BTS, whose global achievements are unparalleled?
The “Big Mouth” cast is perfect, especially the lead actors Lee Jong-suk (as a lawyer on a losing streak) and Girls’ Generation’s Im Yoon-ah as his pragmatic wife (who’s a skilled nurse). There was not a moment where I didn’t believe that this couple was besotted with each other. Even when they argued, it was obvious that they cared so very much about each other.
As Hyun-soo, Kim Soo-hyun is superb in a difficult role where he has to be sympathetic, but also could be a cold-blooded and manipulative killer. His role requires him to cry in a manner that allows viewers to feel his panic and fears. And Kim comes through again superbly, proving he is one of the best actors of his generation.
Two Korean men move to Suriname in the hopes of making some fast money. Their goal is to buy skate, which Surinamese don’t want, for pennies and resell them in South Korea at an inflated price. But when cocaine is found in one of their shipments, both men are arrested and jailed.
Yumi is a woman in her early thirties, who had spent most of her twenties with a man who used her financially, cheated on her and then left her after seven years together. She viewed those as wasted years and, in some ways, is correct. Doting on a partner who doesn’t value you is nothing to be proud of. But there’s also something to be said for learning from negative experiences.
“My Liberation Notes” is very beautifully executed in presenting a slice of life that doesn’t offer a fairy-tale ending … or offer finite solutions to ease the characters’ lives. But what this K-drama does do is allow for growth. Who the characters are at the start of the series is not who they are by the finale, and that’s a good thing.
“Again My Life” stars Lee Joon-Gi as a prosecutor who gets a second chance at life … literally. He is smart, charming and (of course) ridiculously handsome. This series is a lot of fun to watch, especially if you like revenge dramas.
“Thirty-nine” is a reminder that while we’ve all made mistakes in our lives, we can’t continue to punish ourselves forever. Life is short. There is no guarantee of a tomorrow. Be honest and live your best life.
The burgeoning romance in “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” is based on a strong friendship. But some viewers have pointed out that the story would’ve been more effective if the female lead character hadn’t been underage when they met.