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Doona! (2023)
I have rarely been so devasted at an ending.
The series itself is good, with interesting characters and a great story line...but the male protagonist's decision making in the last episode killed me. I can't recommend this unless you like unfulfilled hopes and expectations.
I am seriously confused and disheartened by the ending and the male protagonist's choice to become a worker drone. I am giving it a 5/10 because it is interesting and well done, and the female leads (all three of them) do an amazing job.
Another reviewer remarked that the director and writers apparently wrote this for the elites, and not normal folks looking for an escape. I couldn't agree more.
Also, I just couldn't understand all the smoking, what was that all about? It was really overdone and really detracted from some of the scene enjoyment at times. It also seemed kind of pointless and really didn't advance the story.
Give this a shot if you like, but you WILL be left with the could've been, should've beens with this series.
Bombam (2019)
Wow, heartfelt and relatable!
AMAZING series! Han Ji-min is an incredible actress and brings so much to her role. The "theme songs" were very good and the story itself was engaging and excellently done. Jung Hae-in did a great job too, just watch this series you will not be sorry you did!
As an American, I don't know how realistic it was for the EX to be so persistent, and the father of Han Ji-min to be so blind and/or selfish when it came to wanting to marry his daughter off to a certain person (and only that person). I would assume it was all a little over the top, but it was great, nonetheless.
One of the funniest and most well-done scenes I have ever seen in ANY show (Korean or American) was in episode 11 when the two main characters and their two "supporters" go out to eat. It was hilarious!
Excellent ending and the last few minutes of the whole series was awesome too, I'm just so impressed!
Gaet-na-eul cha-cha-cha (2021)
Excellent Series
Amazing feel-good series, you can't go wrong! Both leads are great, and some of the episodes are laugh out loud funny. If you believe that opposites attract, you will love Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha!
The town they filmed in was quaint and magical, and the large cast of townsfolk added the color. There were several romance storylines through the series and that added some spice to the series as a whole.
The female actress was great in her role as an uptight, laser focused, dentist who gradually relaxes in the town and comes to identify with it. The male lead played the heart-broken jack of all trades masterfully.
I thought the last couple of episodes were great, because both of them changed and adapted to the other one. If you want a "pick me up" series, this is the one for you!
King deo raendeu (2023)
Why all the hate??
I think this is a fantastic series! Im Yoon-ah just kills it in every scene, and I wasn't the biggest fan of hers either (she was just "ok" I thought in "The K2"). Her facial expressions and comedic timing are impeccable, and she has laugh out loud dialogue with the male protagonist (who also does a good job).
I noticed a lot of reviews seem to be about the early episodes, but later in the series some of the banter with her overconfident and jaded male protagonist is just great! The way she handles him, gently and amusingly mocking him at times is really well done.
I have seen several KDrama's/Rom Coms not nearly as good as this one with MUCH higher reviews...so these reviews make no sense to me.
Also, I typically do not care for the "comedic duo", or sidekicks many KDrama's have. They are often annoying or try way too hard to be funny. Not so with this series. The two women sidekicks have real problems, real stories of their own, but they are very funny in some of their scenes too. Also, the male sidekick to the male protagonist is great, and constantly gets away with needling his boss - which just goes to show that contrary to his front, the male protagonist is a "good guy".
If you gave up, give it a chance again through episode 8, the banter is truly good between them.
Just to be fair, there are a couple things I didn't like either. The Arab Prince, the Cliff Jump, etc. So it has its faults, but overall it's a great show and worthy of a "10". I will revisit this review after the series is over and adjust accordingly but if you like these types of shows you will NOT be disappointed with this one!
I have reviewed over a dozen KDrama's and have a public list on IMDB of ones I have watched and rated, and most of the time I am very much in agreement with the overall ratings. Not so with this series: I say watch it and enjoy!
Eoneu Nal Uri Jib Hyeongwaeuro Myeolmangyi Deuleowassda (2021)
A definite 10!
This was a fantastic series with very little to critique. In particular, Park Bo-young stands out as such an expressive and "fun" actress, she just steals every scene she is in. She is funny, beautiful, and highly relatable and it even makes sense why she might fleetingly wish for it "all" to end.
I really enjoyed the glimpses into Korean episodic writing because I am an author myself and also have an episodic story on Amazon Vella, so it was fascinating for me from that angle also, as Park Bo-young is an editor at a company who manages such writers.
What a great cast too! From the male lead to the other characters, you will like them all. Even Park Bo-young's co-workers are interesting and endearing.
Watch this series, you will be glad you did!
Byeol-e-seo on geu-dae (2013)
Excellent series, amazing story!
This is a great series, and both the male and female protagonists gave compelling performances, particularly Jun Ji-Hyun. This is the first time I have had the pleasure of watching her, and I am struck by how athletic she is, how zany she can be, and how much she can make you empathize with her character.
This show also boasted a seriously degenerate villain that you will be rooting against all series. The secondary female and male leads were excellent in their roles too, and even though this series was longer than many others at over 20 episodes it goes quick and you will wish there were more!
The ending was satisfying and is, overall, one of the better Kdrama's I have ever watched!
Orenji Mameolleideu (2015)
Good, but still a missed opportunity.
I did not read the webtoon series so had no idea what this series was about. It was worth the watch, regardless of whether it follows the source material or not specifically because of Seol-Hyun Kim. She does an excellent job in both of her roles (past and present) and she carries the show.
The secondary male protagonist (another singer/actor) did a very fine job in his role as well. I think the reason this show is not as highly rated as it should be is because of the confusion from jumping one timeline to the other was not as well done as it could have been.
The outfits and settings in the Joseon Era were fantastic, but the vampire angle was a little overplayed perhaps, but at the time it was made perhaps that made more sense. I think the biggest stumbling block to the series is the main protagonist (who I actually like a lot as an actor in Hotel Del Luna).
He does his part well, but his character is REALLY hard to like at times (in both the past and present). Some of the things he says to Seol-Hyun Kim (and others) is just jaw droppingly rude and it was difficult to understand why she had any interest in him at all at points.
Still worth seeing though and is an entertaining diversion for sure.
Yi Guyeokui Michin X (2021)
Yeon-Seo Oh is amazing!
Short episodes, interesting characters, and a villain you will really love to hate.
Yeon-Seo Oh is one of my favorite Korean actresses and she really delivers as a quirky, damaged woman trying hard to rebuild her life after misfortune befalls her. The male lead does his job admirably and becomes a good complement to her as they both embark on a healing process that will not be either quick or easy.
Watching this show brings to mind the saying "two steps forward and one step back", as their combined trajectory is not smooth and is thrown into jeopardy over misunderstandings and even sabotage.
Good show and highly recommended!
Jigeum uri hakgyoneun (2022)
Realistic & Unforgiving!
This is a great zombie series! The acting was superb, and the action scenes were incredible. The chaotic battles were shocking, plentiful, and well done.
The first ten minutes of episode 2 encapsulates the series, and I found myself in awe over how so many "stunt" people could attack, run, bite, scream, etc. So well and all at one time. It was seriously impressive.
The young lady who played Nam-ra (the "Prez") was a flat-out incredible actress and amazingly beautiful too...her character was my favorite along with her love interest. You couldn't help but root for them.
Some of the characters that died surprised me, and that's all I will say there. There is a LOT to like about this series...it is gory, it is violent, and it is a story of desperate survival.
In short, its everything you would want from a zombie tale. Well done!
The Covenant (2023)
Incredible
One of the flat-out best movies I have ever seen. The acting was amazing all around, and the tension and close calls will keep you on the edge of your seat.
There is a scene where Jake Gyllenhaal explains why he has to go back and get the interpreter who helped him. It was chilling.
There were several times when Guy Ritchie's use of close ups on the characters served as a powerful tool to really highlight what they were saying and why it was important to the story.
Guy Ritchie is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors. Give this movie a try, you will not be disappointed! As an aside, this story also shines a light on the real failure of the U. S. A. To honor their commitments to the Afghanistan interpreters who assisted us.
Living (2022)
Amazing Film!
Just saw this with my wife, and we both were so touched. Bill Nighy was impeccable, and Aimee Lou Wood incredible. This is not a shoot em up CGI extravaganza (FIINALLY!) but instead, is a beautifully shot period piece exploring the ideas of mortality and the regrets of a life not lived.
The drab existence of a man rudderless at the end of his days is shaken out of his colorless "life" by a diagnosis of terminal illness. He doesn't go crazy, and he doesn't ditch it all and go commune with the trees. Instead, he simply lives his remaining life right and true. By doing so, he leaves behind a small piece of himself and a legacy that will not stand forever...but it is enough.
The movie asks you to take stock of yourself too. What will you do when it is your time? What will you leave behind?
Once Upon a Small Town (2022)
Easy to Watch!
Very bingable and I finished the series in three days, which is really quick for me. Likeable characters and no huge issues to deal with made for a lighthearted easy escape. It was a nice change of pace to have an average episode run time of only 30-35 minutes too, and with just 12 episodes you can really get through it fast. Don't worry though, the story is complete and does not feel rushed at all!
The premise is fairly standard for K drama rom-coms in that two opposites attract, and both end up helping the other to become more rounded. I thought both leads were good and there were a few scenes that one or the other really knocked it out of the park.
Recommended!
Jinsimi Dadda (2019)
Crazy Good Series!
If you don't like this series, your heart is a stone! The female lead is so beautiful and the character she plays is the most likeable I think I have ever encountered. Her character has a quiet dignity that is so appealing, and her growth over the series is fantastic. The male lead is unbelievably likeable too! Get past the first twenty minutes or so and you will be HOOKED! She is so good, he is so good, just watch it!! Thank me later!
What I loved about this series the most is how Yoo In-Na's character is actually a fortress of perseverance. Her quiet decency moved me very much, because it seems like she should be living a fantastic life as a super popular actress, but she has been wounded deeply through circumstances beyond her control and is standing at a precipice in her life when the series starts. While she comes off juvenile and vain at first, little by little her resiliency is revealed - and you just can't help but root for her! She is a good person, through and through.
Lee Dong-Wok is amazing. He plays his part well as the brilliant but socially inept lawyer tasked with showing Yoo In-Na the ropes of the legal profession. He initially believes her to be shallow and self-centered, but little by little he sees the real her and at the same time little by little she brings him out of his shell. It's magic.
Some of the supporting cast were a little annoying at times though, but some of them were absolutely great in their own right too (the CEO of the law firm is awesome, and his nosy "know it all" secretary is amazingly funny - she literally is the wisest, most insightful person in the whole show at times). I laughed out loud at several scenes throughout the series too, and that is not something I am often prone to do.
I think this series is one of the best I have ever seen, Korean or American, and I hope that it stays in rotation for a long time on Netflix. It is really that good and I am on my second viewing of it already. I enjoyed this series immensely and give it an easy A+. Do you agree? If so check out my list called "KDrama Wins" which I will be constantly updating as I watch more series.