Coffee Prince

I have a confession. It took me 7 tries before I could commit to watching this drama. I could never finish the first episode. I wanted to like it. I really, really, really wanted to like it. No matter how many times I tried, I inevitably would lose interest in the first 10 minutes. So I rallied. I thought to myself, I should skip to the 4th episode. I TRIED, but even the 4th episode was boring and I didn't have a connection to the characters. Yet, on my 8th try... I found the sweet spot. I started on the second episode and I loved!If  I am Jane, this drama is Mr.Darcy, and by the end of the 17th episode, all misunderstandings between us were far behind.

I LOVE Gong Yoo. That devilish smile, and those beautiful eyes, they draw me in before he ever utters a syllable. It was nice watching a throwback, where he was younger and had a lighter energy about him. Choi Han-Gyul is a charming playboy who is trying to escape the clutches of his grandmothers plan to marry him off.  We see him as someone who is loyal, funny, hardworking, and a temper that never really gets checked. He finds himself falling in love with his side-kick Go Eun-Chan. While he struggles to navigate his feelings for someone he thinks is a boy. We get to see the struggle, and concession he tries to make. While his emotions blow hot and cold, I found him endearing.

Go Eun-Chan is our lead girl who looks like a guy. I was really impressed by the mannerisms of Yoon Eun-Hye. She walked like a dude, her shoulders hunched like a guy, and in general, her masculine vibes were strong. There were adorable moments when I saw her being girly. I liked how she navigated her world as this confident Tom-boy. While she came to some false conclusions about how to handle her sticky romantic situation, she was enchanting.







Lee Sun Kyun was another gem. I loved how innocent on some levels he was. He was fairly honest with his feelings. He was the anchor of this show. He grounded the whole plot with his laughter and his keen insight.

I enjoyed this drama, though I did skip some parts. I liked how we get taken on a ride of emotions. I laughed, I cried a little,  and the last episode was pretty satisfying.

Prison Playbook/ Wise Prison Life

The "Reply Series" Director Shin Won Ho has come and gifted us with another Gem. Wise Prison Life takes the crown for the BEST K-drama of 2017. While 2017, in general, failed to put out drama's that really engaged me, Wise Prison Life made me wish this was a daily drama.

Apparently, Park Hae Soo who plays the lead Kim Je-Hyeok, was in Six Flying Dragons. I have NO recollection of him being in that drama, but as the lead in this drama, he leaves an indelible impression. Je-Hyeok is a professional baseball player who is on the cusp of leaving for the MLB league when he goes to jail for attacking his sisters' rapist. Sentenced to 1 year in jail, he is forced to navigate through the prison system. While is profession makes some things easier for him, he still has to manage being manipulated, threatened, injured, and a litany of obstacles. Not known for being the sharpest tool in the shed, Je-Hyeok takes us on an incredible adventure.

This journey would've been made more difficult without the presence of Lee Joon-Ho, played by Jung Kyung Ho.
Now, let me take some time to fangirl. I LOVE Lee Joon-Ho!! If he could come out with 8 drama's in a year, I would watch them all. I was pleasantly surprised he was in this drama, but his character Lee Joon-Ho couldn't be played by anyone else.
Lee Joon-Ho is a prison guard who happens to be Je-Hyeok's lifelong friend. While they have to keep their friendship secret, Lee Joon-Ho makes sure that his friend is protected, taken care of, and everything else under the sun. As a guise of being a super-fan, Lee Joon-Ho is able to support his friend at his lowest time

Krystal from (Fx) plays Kim Je-Hyeoks faithful girlfriend. Kim Ji-Ho, is a constant source of love and support for her boyfriend. Even when he pushes her away you can still the impact that she has on his life. No one can understand him, and accept him the way that she does. This relationship gives us a lot of feels and brings light to a drama that can get pretty dark.

Kim Je-Hyeok's cell-mates are awesome as well. The interaction between them all is so heartwarming. They each have their own issues, but we are able to delve behind their sentences and see who they really are. Each person is humanized, and we are brought to compassion and love to even the scariest person. The way their specific cell runs shows the individual struggles and the group struggles of living in one room with 5-6 men of different ages and backgrounds.

This drama is like hot tea for the soul. There is one moment in the drama that crushed my soul, but otherwise, I felt consistently refreshed at the end of each episode. My cheeks hurt from laughing so much, and tears streamed down my face often. This drama is a rollercoaster that calls into question the things we see on the surface of our fellow man and illustrates the importance of knowing each man's story.
Anyone who is interested in a unique drama, who loves an emotional rollercoaster, will enjoy this drama so much!

Go Back Couple

Go Back Couple

I have to be honest, I am always reluctant to watch throwback k-dramas. If a drama is set in the 90's or so, I don't usually watch it because I miss out on that sense of nostalgia. The music, references, point of view etc make me feel less attached to the drama. However, heavy hitter Jang Na-Ra always keeps me on my toes, so I felt I owed it her to watch it. Boy am I glad I stuck to instincts. 

This drama is AMAZING. We are shown the angst and frustration of a couple who have lost their spark and connection to each other. As they finalize their divorce they are sucked into the past, where their love first started to bloom.and maturity to those who are important to her. 

Jang Na-Ra portrays an innocent housewife who is broken by the isolation in her marriage. As she navigates the young woman she once was, she shows immense compassion, love

I was also really happy to Son Ho Joon play a lead. He's been my lowkey crush ever since I saw him on an episode of "Three Meals a Day". He plays the character of earnest Choi Ban Do. Despite how sincere and hardworking Choi Ban Do is, he seems to fall short of his desired outcomes. Son Ho Joon performance was everything I could hope for, and I hope to see him in other leading roles in the near future. 

The second male lead, Jung Nam-Gil, was enough to give Second Lead Syndrom (SLS). This character seemed cold and aloof, but he was so sweet and tenderhearted. His performance was heartfelt and I hope to see Chang Ki Yong in other roles as well. 

The rest of cast was hilarious. I loved the depth of their individual stories and the illustration of their development and growth. 

I would definitely recommend to anyone who ready for a sweet tearjerker, be prepared to love on your mom!

While You Were Sleeping (2017) Review

While You Were Sleeping

I was not prepared to love this drama. When I read the comment sections there were constant references to "W" and "Uncontrollably Fond", and I didn't want to watch another heartbreaking drama. However, the drama rut that has been the theme of my viewing life this year, so I had no other options. I reluctantly committed to going through the tears and snot, just to enjoy a good drama. 

Within the first 2 minutes, I knew the next 16 hours would be dedicated to sitting in front of my computer. This drama is freaking magical. There are seamless flashbacks, it's wonderfully produced, incredible acting, an amazing soundtrack, and great writing. This drama was everything I could ever want. 

Hong Joo, played by Suzy is a typical spunky female lead. She has a pesky gift of having nightmares that manifest into reality. At times she attempts to alter these trajections, but more often times than not, the foreshadowing comes to pass. Jae Chan played by Lee Jong-Suk plays an adorkable prosecutor who also has dreams that turn into reality. These two team up together and try to circumvent the dangers that could possibly happen to them and their loved ones.

Playing Lee Yoo-Boem, the villainous lawyer, is my absolute crush, Lee Sang-Yeob! I love this actor so much! It was nice to see him playing a darker role, made me want to kill him, but still an enjoyable performance.

This drama is first and foremost hilarious. Suzy and Lee Jong-Suk have incredible chemistry, and I was always entertained by their witty lines. There are heart-wrenching moments, but the ending is just so satisfying that it makes up for the permanent cracks in my heart.




I would definitely recommend this drama to anyone who loves a good romantic, supernatural, thriller. 

The Package

The Package

I dove into this drama head first because my love CNBlue's Jung Yong Hwa was the lead. Like all of his projects, I was left completely satisfied.

 I got sucked in by the crazy range of Korean tourist taking their first adventure into France. This eclectic band of people made me laugh, cry and swoon. Not only are the tourist going through their own life metamorphosis, so is their tour guide. Yoon So So played by the beautiful Lee Yeon-Hee.  Yoon So So is sophisticated and charming as she leads her group to various locations. I loved her blunt, slightly scammy shenanigans. 

San Maru, played by Jung Yong Hwa is the heart and soul of this drama. This character is quirky, awkward and completely melts the heart. San Maru's journey to Paris is laced with sadness given that he was supposed to be on vacation with his girlfriend, who chose to work instead. He finds himself trying to balance his increasingly volatile work situation while on his dream vacation. His strange behavior and odd insights had me rolling with laughter and tears. This character is endearing, and I can't imagine another actor who could've executed this role with the amount of tenderness Jung Yong Hwa did. 

The chemistry between the two leads was palpable and we were rewarded with quite a grown, and steamy kiss. 

The rest of the cast was brilliant. The performances given were heartbreaking and gut-busting. Each backstory revealed how different, superficial first impressions are in comparison to the real story beneath initial impressions.

I definitely recommend this drama to anyone who likes a substantive rom-com. It leaves quite an impression. 

Because This Is My First Life Review

Because This Is My First Life

This Gif adequately portrays my love and excitement for Because This Is My First life.

Why? Because I watched one of the best dramas to ever hit my universe.

My first Korean Sweet Heart, the unforgettable Jung So Min plays  the lead. She has such a sweet presence. Almost every role I've seen her play, she has been demure, and sweet as apple pie. yet with each role, her characters grow more certain of how to navigate the train wreck that is K-Drama. This role as Yoon Ji-Ho is by far my favorite role of hers. Ji-Ho a drama writer who hails from a patriarchal family, is in need of housing. Nam Se Hee is a game developer on a budget due to a heavy mortgage. They accidentally become roommates and realize that they are very compatible. They eventually agree to a contractual marriage, fake marriage for cheap rent.

This drama weaves through, stalking, rape, marriage, family, friends, relationships, and many other topics, perfectly. I've learned so much from this drama.
Lee Min Ki gives an excellent performance. From the roots of his hair to the bottom of his soles he embodies a strange combination of stoicism and quirkiness. Blunt and dismissive on the surface does nothing to hide his warm heart.

For those who want substance in their romance genres, this is a perfect illustration. This made me analyze and question my own behavior toward my family and my romantic pursuits. This drama never ceased to satisfy.

 I mean it's from TvN... of course it's amazing!

Voice

I had reservations about this drama, but I was in for a thrilling, action-packed, rollercoaster ride.

 Jang Hyuk's drama's are always hit or miss with me. When plays characters that are cold and calculating his execution is brilliant. Then there are other roles that make me cringe by the overacting and flamboyancy of the character. I'd seen his picture in the thumbnail and I decided that I would put it on the back burner.

Well I'm happy to tell you that from the first 3 minutes of the drama, I was sucked in! It was amazing, everything flowed together seamlessly. Jang Hyuk's character as Moo Jin Hyuk shows a tough cop who takes a heart-wrenching blow due to the murder of his wife. As he tries to get some closure during the court case, his hopes are destroyed by Kang Kwon Joo played by Lee Ha Na. Kwon Joo took the emergency call Jin Hyuk's wife made, and due to her superhuman hearing, she believes that the killer of his wife, murdered her father as well.              Years later the pair are matched together in the Golden Time

team to help victims who have just recently found themselves in danger.

Romance isn't necessary for this gory, take no prisoners, thriller. Any sensitivity to gory scenes might make this show a bit hard to watch. I've yet to encounter such a wonderfully evil character such as Mo Tae Goo played by Kim Jae Wook. I wish I could accurately describe how the many layers of intrigue in this drama, but I would be giving it away. The only thing that I can do is tell you that each actor delivered gut-punching performances.

The show illustrates the corruptions of people who have too much money, too much power, and a disregard for human life. It will not only stimulate blood pressure, it stimulates the mind.