My I.D is Gangnam Beauty

My I.D Gangnam was the answer to K-drama prayers I hadn't realized I needed. I love webtoon drama's, I think they have a creative edge, and the way they're directed is incredibly enjoyable. On the flipside, it's a slippery slope (usually downhill) after the 5th episode. I was a bit trepidatious when I started this drama. To be honest, I was pretty sure I was going to drop it. But then something happened, something utterly magical came over me. I fell in love. I fell so hard for this drama, that by the end of it, I was shaky and having withdrawal symptoms.

Lim Soo-Hyang is the real MVP. I'd seen her previous work in the drama 5 children and Inspiring Generation. In both roles she's so different I hadn't realized it was the same actress. Lim Soo Hyang playing the wonderful Kang Mi-Rae is the most enjoyable performance I've seen. Kang Mi-Rae is a young woman who has had a painful childhood. Ostracized for her weight, and later on for her looks, Mi-Rae struggles with her confidence. Deciding to get plastic surgery as a way to adjust to her new life as a university co-ed comes with some unexpected obstacles. She is judged to be an easy target and is placed in some dangerous scenarios. She also has to navigate some tricky social situations because of her face. Lim Soo Hyang's portrayal of a woman who is growing into her self and discovering what makes humans worthwhile was wonderful. She was able to showcase insecurity, anxiety, confusion, and innocence in a way that is rarely shown. 

Heartthrob Cha Eun Woo plays the Tsundere Do Kyung Seok. Introverted, but incredibly cognizant of his surroundings, he's almost like a guardian angel. Do Kyung Seok has had to overcome some abandonment issues and deal with a controlling father. I liked that he was authentic in his thoughts, and his morals. Cha Eun Woo has an incredibly attractive smile that we didn't get to see too often, but when it showed, it was utterly blissful. I can't wait to see what other acting projects he'll be in. Do Kyung Seok, is a character who is revered for his good looks, but he is socially awkward. Despite the disparity, he's really good at seeing people for who they are. He was able to see the good in the people he chose to surround himself with and he was able to decipher the B.S in the others. 

Villian Soo-Ah, was the worst character ever. I loathed her with my entire being. Every move she made was conniving and manipulative. In the last episodes we got to see her story, but I hated the character so much, I was completely disinterested. 

To be honest, I didn't really watch the last episode, it had a lot about Soo-ah, however, I think I was alone in hating her with the intensity that I had. This show was magnificent, and the last scenes with Do Kyung Seok and Kang Mi-Rae were very romantic. This is a definite must watch!

Personal Taste Review

This throwback is a classic feel-good drama. The soundtrack made my heart melt, the characters were quirky, and the chemistry was sizzling. I even hated the "second-lead" in that classic K-Drama way.

I was on the hunt for all things Lee Min-Ho and I found one of my favorite roles he's played. Jeon Ji-Ho is a rising architect, who finds a traditional house to live in to get inspiration. Ji-Ho is cold on the outside and warm on the inside, and it was amazing to see the contrast. He's the kind of character to help a girl out when she unexpectedly has her period. (getting her products and painkillers). In his cold demeanor he points out others obvious flaws and ways they are inefficient, but in his warm actions, he is a wonderful support system through any kind of pain. He's the perfect guy, and perfect roommate, the only thing is he's straight.

Park Gae-In lives in a traditional Korean house and finds herself with a gay roomie. The only problem is Jeon Ji-Ho is in fact, straight. Gae-In constructs furniture, and she has been abandoned by her long-term boyfriend, and her best friend has caused her the ultimate betrayal. This fish out of water starts to find her stride in life when Jeon Ji-Ho comes into her life.

This drama has everything, an arranged living situation, a Chaebol lead, a spunky female lead etc. The story was able to bring these tropes into a new light. We get to connect to the leads in a very intimate way. The insight into their thought process, and into their values was amazing. This drama reveals the Korean societal attitudes toward their gay population. It was an interesting take, and I would love to hear from people who are gay in Korea if this drama resonated with them.

I adored this drama, and I am pretty sure that you will too!

Lawless Lawyer Review

I didn't dive in to watch this drama. The subbed episodes were released irregularly, and the synopsis didn't grab my interest despite my undying attraction to Lee Joon Gi. But I ended up scrolling for something to watch, and I decided to give it a try. I was gobsmacked by how brilliant this drama is.

From the first episode to the last episode, I could never predict what was going to happen next. The show starts off with a woman who is caught in some dangerous ploy. Her son happens to show up at her law office and becomes a witness to her murder. Fast-forwarded 18 years into the future, the political and legal landscape is corrupt under the guise of being a place of law and order. Each episode illustrates the corrosion of justice, and we get to see Bong Sang-Pil and Ha Jae-Yi rectify the wrongs of their past. I can't reiterate enough, this show was brilliant. This crazy ride was not the least bit predictable, and I found myself up till 3 am trying to get through another heart-pounding episode.

Bong Sang-Pil is a thuggish lawyer. Raised in the gang life of his uncle, he can be a bit rough around the edges. Despite his colorful background, his morals are scrupulous. He wants the people who are responsible for the death of his mother to find judgment in court. Though he has a lot of creative ways to get his opponents into the courtroom, I loved his journey to find justice. Lee Joon Gi was ever charming in this role. He kicked butt, he was romantic and fiercely loyal. This being the first time I've watched Lee Joon Gi in a role that takes place in a modern timeline, I was impressed. He shined as an endearing lawyer. I'll be making it a point to watch more of his works.

Seo Ye-Ji plays Ha Jae Yi, and this character was incredibly grounded. Despite the fact that she's willing to throw a punch (judge, lawyers, anyone could catch those hands), she had a deep sense of honor and justice. I loved how she was smart and vulnerable. The only downside was her family story. Her father was... oblivious (if I'm being kind, or dumb as a doorknob if I'm being petty). I didn't really care about the dynamics of her family life, but I loved the chemistry she had with Lee Joon Gi.

The mama villain of them all, Cha Moon Sook! My favorite villain to hate. I couldn't stand this character, I hated her on sight... then I read in the comment section that the actress Lee Hye-Young, also plays the wicked chaebol mother in "Boys Over Flowers". I was still carrying hate in my heart from that drama and didn't understand why I felt so strongly when Cha Moon Sook is first introduced. To the very end, this cunning character pulled no punches. She wasn't humanized, but she commanded respect.










All in all, go watch this marvelous drama, it's a definite good time.

Love o2o Review

This Chinese drama was cotton candy good! From the first episode to the last episode I was always getting butterflies in my stomach. If you want something short and sweet, this drama will be up your alley.

Bei Wei Wei was such an enjoyable character. She is a hardworking student and a great gamer. I loved how she could balance her responsibilities with school and still dominate in the virtual world. Wei Wei has a nice girl squad, and they are navigating all the obstacles to university life as best as they can. Zheng Shuang plays this adorable character and she played with such youthful grace. The only alarming thing was how skinny this woman was. She played an 18 or 19-year-old character, so that may have been the cause of the diet, but there were times she looked emaciated. When I looked at other pictures of the actress, though she's petite, she looked healthy. I'm not sure what was going on in her life, or if the extreme weight loss was due to the role, but I couldn't get past how skinny she was. I also loved how she put people in their place. She was fiercely protective of her friends and she didn't mince words for the fools in her life.

Eye-candy Xiao Nai is the University heartthrob. He's a basketball player, a top student for his major, and he comes from a scholastic (rich) family. This allusive wonder boy has his own squad, and they are always giving him a hard time. Yang Yang's face is basically perfect. I couldn't imagine another person to play this role. His cold demeanor was utterly charming. Xiao Nai and Wei Wei had a wonderful chemistry together. I liked how mature their relationship was. Both parties were consistently considerate of each other and honest. There was ample time for the storyline to turn stupid, but it never did.

There isn't a lot to discuss about this drama. It's short, sweet, and satisfying. There are some characters that are annoying, but they aren't central to the plot.

P.S The best eye-candy in this drama was Zhang Vin. Good lord, that man is gorgeous.

When a Snail Falls in Love Review

When this drama came out I was incredibly excited because I'd seen some of the cast in an amazing drama called "Love Me if You Dare" and another gem called "Ode to Joy". When a snail falls in love is  Chinese drama, based on a book with the same title. This action-packed, thriller was extremely impressive, and I when I rewatched it again, it proved to be even more enjoyable.

XuXu, is an eccentric woman who is a genius criminal profiler. Her high I.Q and the way she expresses her thoughts and emotions are incredibly unique. This petite oddball throws herself in terrifying cases, giving a different perspective to crimes committed. XuXu made me laugh a lot. Her observations are  Sherlockian and she is in a perpetual state of being perplexed by those around her. I liked how we had to watch this skinny Minnie gain some muscle in order to stay on as a detective. She demonstrates insane work ethic and dedication to her chosen profession.  The way she interacted with her team was unique as well. Though she made some social faux pas, it was refreshing to see her trying to correct her mistakes. The chemistry between her and Ji Bai was pretty good to see as well.

Oliva Wang and Kai Wang played love interests in another drama called "Ode to Joy". In their previous drama, Olivia's character was wild and incorrigible. The chemistry between them was a play on their individual characteristics. In "When a Snail Falls in Love" Both characters are extremely different but the chemistry is still sizzling. This show isn't nearly as demonstrative as "Ode to Joy" but we can feel the electricity zing between them.

Kai Wang plays upright Ji Bai. He comes from a wealthy background, but he is a hard-nosed detective ready to take down the bad guys with a vengeance. This character seemed like a jerk at first, but I realized he was just very dedicated to his job. This attractive team leader has to artfully navigate crushes, ribbing from colleagues, and heartbreak. Ji Bai is stoic no matter what the case is, but we do get to glimpse at his playful nature.

Over all this drama has a great story. The mystery and intrigue kept me glued to my screen, and I don't think there was ever a boring moment. 

On The Way To The Airport

This drama was like being steeped in a hot tub on a cold snowy day. Everything about it just warmed my bones... and my heart.

Before an endeavor toward this drama, if you're triggered by infidelity... this might set you off. The comment section had a few choice words for people who don't stay and work on their marriage. However, I loved the way the story unfolded, and it was a truly beautiful story.

Lee Sang Yun, is at his finest in this drama. Those brown puppy eyes always melt my soul. Seo Do-Woo is the consummate good guy. I saw NO flaws in his character. He was caring, generous, his mama raised him right, every facet of his being was simply beautiful. He is an architect who comes from an artisan family. For all of his warmth, he is married to a frosty woman. Jang Hee Jin is an ambitious woman who wants to take her husbands family legacy to new heights. She isn't prone to soft emotions, and she is viewed as a heartless person. Their dynamic was interesting. Do-Woo seems to look at her with a sense of charity. I've never seen this kind of interaction to between spouses. Hee Jin doesn't command much sympathy from the audience. A part of me wanted to like her, but the way that she treated her daughter made it hard. I eeked out a bit of pity for her toward the end, but I had no problem with Do Woo finding a better life partner.

Choi Soo-A played by Kim Ha Neul is a woman uncomfortable in her skin. She is skittish, and she retracts inward to keep from fighting. She is married to the overbearing pilot, Park Jin Suk. This character played by Shin Sung-Rok, is a jerk. I couldn't stand his character. I hated his mama too! They were the most incorrigible people ever! Their relationship was one power trip after another, and I was relieved that she found support, friendship, and love in Seo Do-Woo. Seeing her real self, shine through their conversations was amazing.

This story is like an indie melo-drama. We take a journey of married people who develop a friendship. Their individual emotional landscape needs strong companionship. Watching their friendship grow into something more was beautiful to watch.

I'd recommend this to anyone who is a sucker for a good story line.

The Man Living in our House/ Sweet Stranger Review

Sweet Stranger was chockfull of actors I thoroughly enjoyed. Reading the synopsis was a bit confusing, but I was excited to watch this drama, and it was one hell of a ride.

Hong Na-Ri is a flight attendant who has her world rocked when her mother dies. Na-Ri doesn't go to her childhood home for a long time, but she is forced to settle her mom's estate. Upon arriving there, she learns that Go Nan-Gil has been living there. Not only is he working as a chef for her mom's noodle shop, living in the house, he also her step-dad. Of course, it's difficult for Na-Ri to accept this. She begins to the investigate the veracity of the relationship and she learns more than she could imagine about her mothers' life.

I laughed a lot watching this show. Every character had these insane leaps of logic. The only grounded character was Go Nan-Gil. Kim Young Gwang plays this ever suffering male lead. The use of his eyes was hilarious. A furrow or a lift of the brow always communicated some sort of long-suffering that never ceased to make me laugh.

Soo Ae is one of my favorite actresses. She is able to deliver so much, and I liked how she showed the innocence of Hong Nari. Her character was enchanting, and she dealt with heartbreak, and confusion with such charm.

Kwon Duk-Bong was AMAZING! I adore Lee Soo Hyuk, and this may be one of my favorite roles he's played. The range of a smitten chaebol was beautifully demonstrated. This sardonic lawyer is smitten and he's trying his best as a Second Lead. We can clearly see that he is friendzoned, but I would've loved to see the dynamic between Hong Na-Ri and Duk-Bong in a relationship. I also loved how he handled his family. He didn't succumb to the pressures of his father, and he was a wonderful older brother to his little sister.

Definitely try this drama, especially if you need a laugh.