Category: 2020 kdrama

Start-Up

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start-up kdramaSummary: In order to impress her estranged, rich mum and sister, Seo Dal Mi quits her job to start her own business. She meets Nam Do San, the founder of NamSan Tech, who she thinks was her long time pen pal. They team up to join the hackathon for start ups which is run by a company called Sandbox.

Trailer: Start-Up

Genre: Romance, Coming of Age
Episodes: 16
Stars: Bae Suzy as Seo Dal Mi
Nam Joo Hyuk as Nam Do San
Kim Sun Ho as Han Ji Pyung
Kang Han Na as Won In Jae



Likes: Such a success! Why? It captures its audience through its young, dynamic, ambitious and innovative nature of start-ups. Although it’s not at all easy as it seemed, the drama came out very entertaining and inspiring. I like the love story that came with it, the family dramas behind the most important characters and especially that found friendship from someone unknown.

Family bond. As the saying goes, blood is thicker than water. It holds true for our main girl, Seo Dal Mi’s story. How her family got separated but in the end, they all put their past behind and started supporting each other.

The dream. This one’s for Nam Do San who didn’t even know how to dream until he meets the girl he fell in love with. He got himself into a very difficult situation that ironing it out seemed like a dream for him.

The pen pal. I personally love the pen pal story. There’s something special with writing letters. It connects people on a different and special level. Han Ji Pyeong became Seo Dal Mi’s first love and he also became everyone’s love. I hopelessly root for him :(.

The grandma of all. I would say, she was the source of all good things that happened later. She was also the connection between everyone important in the drama. I used a lot of tissue whenever this grandma appeared.

The girl on the swing. I love the background story of this girl. It brought up the importance of choosing Seo Dal Mi’s Dad. Also it’s such a meaningful representation of the Sandbox company.

Cherry blossoms. The beautiful beginning and end of a friendship was well represented by the blooming and falling of cherry flowers.



Tarzan. Knowing how Nam Do San explained to Seo Dal Mi how AI worked using Tarzan and Jane as examples, it made more sense to call the self-driving car, Tarzan. If you don’t know, then Tarzan would sound very cheesy.

Yeong Sil. It wasn’t just Han Ji Pyeong but we were all getting into this charming virtual assistant. Yeong Sil, what’s my love prediction today? Would I be money lucky? Help me decide! Love the voice, I knew he sounded so familiar!

Surprising cameos. Lee Bo Young looking gorgeous as she appeared in episode 10. But the best is when the voice of Yeong Sil came to life and Yeo Jin Goo appeared on the last episode! Yes Yeong Sil’s voice was Yoo Jin Goo’s!

Favourite quote: “You’re a cosmos. It’s not yet you’re time to bloom. Be patient for fall.”

Appealing intro. It helps make a good drama to have a great intro design and music. Well done!

Now the question, are you team…

Seo Dal Mi and Nam Do San – I love their chemistry and they look good together too. In the end I think our too smart but kind-hearted Nam Do San needed someone like Seo Dal Mi who could complement his personality. I see them as a better match.

Seo Dal Mi and Han Ji Pyeong – first love is first love no matter what. I love how Han Ji Pyeong had been a pillar to Seo Dal Mi even when they were still pen pals. He still remained until the end.

Our talented cast.

Bae Suzy as Seo Dal Mi – This is actually the first time that I totally like her. She was extra vibrant and pretty and I was loving the chemistry between her and Nam Joo Hyuk.

Nam Joo Hyuk as Nam Do San – he was awesome here! I was very impressed in his acting, much better than in the drama Bride of the Water God . His facial expressions were better. He could cry too. Loved his shy, not so confident and nerdy character and as I’ve mentioned above, his chemistry with Bae Suzy was great.



Kim Sun Ho as Han Ji Pyung – omo, I fell in love with the character and who wouldn’t be? The story was really working to Kim Sun Ho’s favor – so deserving for the second male syndrome award!

Kang Han Na as Won In Jae – tough character for this pretty lady and she did so well in it!

Ending with an epilogue. A more elaborate ending is still my favorite especially when it comes with an epilogue.

Dislikes: Sometimes I couldn’t overlook how easy it was for these start ups to climb up the ladder. I know it’s for entertainment purposes only but really, it’s never that easy to run a business, much more to be a successful company to the point of going public (being in the stock market). You won’t look young anymore, believe me.

My Rating: 8.5 stars! (10 as highest)

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The Spy Who Loved Me

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the spy who loved me kdramaSummary: Kang Ah Reum is a wedding dress designer who used to be married to Jun Ji Hoon, who disguised himself as a travel writer but actually a spy. Kang Ah Reum never knew the true identity of her first husband. She then later marries Derek Hyun, who works as a diplomatic official but actually also a spy.

Trailer: The Spy Who Loved Me

Genre: Romance, Action
Episodes: 32
Stars: Eric as Jun Ji Hoon
Yoo In Na as Kang Ah Reum
Im Joo Hwan as Derek Hyun




Likes: I couldn’t remember watching a spy drama so far so having one was kind of exciting. I love Yoo In Na and I was also looking forward to see Im Joo Hwan. At least these two I know won’t disappoint me.

Jeju Island. I’m seeing more of Jeju Island these days and I like it! It reminds me of my early kdrama days when most popular dramas I watched was set in Jeju. The first two episodes of this drama were having Jeju island as its picturesque backdrop, reminiscing the time when our top characters were falling in love. And as soon as the couple settled down in Seoul, they fell out of love. So you see, Jeju is love!

Jun Ji Hoon vs. Derek Hyun, which husband are you?

Derek Hyun all the way! At least Derek had a valid reason to lie about his identity as he was connected with an industrial spy group which was wanted by the authority whereas Jun Ji Hyun, it wasn’t that necessary. Looks-wise, I’m biased here, as I have a big crush on Im Joo Hwan, just wasn’t into the the hair though. Derek was also looking better in suit as he was taller therefore looking more slender than Jun Ji Hoon. And of course, Derek’s character was to fall for. He was a bad spy but trying to change to the woman he loves.

Attractive Cast…

Eric as Jun Ji Hoon – first time to see Eric in a drama and he wasn’t that bad. Love his dancing gig on the first episode. He’s definitely got the moves, after all he’s a member of SHINHWA. He’s English was also great!

Yoo In Na as Kang Ah Reum – I love this girl, she’s a natural. She was always cute everytime she was torn between her two husbands. Jun Ji Hyun or Derek, she could easily establish a good chemistry with either of them.

Im Joo Hwan as Derek Hyun – Yes, I have a big crush on this dude but let’s be honest, he’s really also a great actor. He clearly stood out in this drama. Side by side with Eric, it was easy to tell who was better in acting.

The Good vs. the Bad team…

Team Gulliver – I love this team especially their boss, Chief Ban Jin Min, he was so funny. Jun Ji Hoon and Seo Ra were hot! Young Goo was just adorable. And sad to see Kang Tae Ryong go in the end.

Team Helmes – the big boss was just too cool! She looked and acted cool all the time. That’s Derek’s mom for you, she was very impressive! Of course, the son comes after the mom… smart, handsome and cool! Right hand Tinker wasn’t lagging behind, with his looks he could be a model!



The Ending. Derek’s bitter-sweet ending wasn’t that bad. He maintained his coolness till the end. I even love his grey hair! As for Jun Ji Hoon and Kang Ah Reum, that 2 years-later epilogue was good enough to revive their connection.

Favourite Quote: “Bring yourself back to the happiest moment of you life.”

Dislikes: Eric looked way too tired! I know he’s a handsome man but he needs some sleep. He looked like a new parent.

Spy cliche: Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred. Hm, too trying hard to be Mr. Bond.

I really don’t understand why Kang Ah Reum, who’s a wedding dress designer suddenly became a tech expert, breaking into the lab and trying to retrieve some secret information. How was that possible? Was I missing something?

My Rating: 7.5 stars! (10 as highest)

The Tale of the Nine-Tailed

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th etale of the nine tailed kdramaSummary: Lee Yun is a thousand year old gumiho who used to be a mountain spirit who could control the air and the rain. In return for the reincarnation of his human first love, he gave up being the ruler of nature. Lee Yun now lives in the present world dedicating his life getting rid of evil spirits roaming around the human world. He meets Nam Ji Ah, a TV show producer, who totally looks like his past love.

Trailer: The Tale of the Nine-Tailed

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Action, Supernatural, Deity
Episodes: 16
Stars: Lee Dong Wook as Lee Yun
Jo Bo Ah as Nam Ji Ah
Kim Bum as Lee Rang
Kim Yong Ji as Yoo Ri




Likes: I’m always in for a good fantasy drama and I really liked how this one started. It had a “Goblin” feel to it. That tragic love story between a mountain spirit and a human girl and set thousands of years ago when the world was different. I love how good-looking our mountain spirit was, a nine-tailed fox who had power over his forest. Beautiful, untouched world which was set to be abandoned because of his love to a human girl.

Background stories. Kind of contented and satisfied with the throwbacks to that forgotten world. Not just the tragic love story of our hero Lee Yeon, who’s a nine-tailed fox but also his severed relationship with his half brother Lee Rang. I also liked the detailed background story of the existence of our villain, the Imoogi, who, later in the present kept on pestering our hero.

Foxly bromance. Lee Yeon and Lee Rang’s relationship was turbulent but no matter how bad it was, they would always end up rescuing each other. Love the brotherly chemistry between these two!  On the other hand, Lee Yeon’s bromance with his right hand Shin Joo was also something admirable.

Daebak first episode. I have to give that episode a ten! The introduction to the characters especially Lee Yeon, and how it was filled with daebak actions which made our hero looked super cool, definitely left me super excited!

Episode titles. Love the titles of each episode. They were creative and nicely summarizes the episode and gives a heads up on what’s going to happen.

The sister of King Hades. I just love her character, her world, her job – she was this stuck-up manager of the Afterlife Immigration Office, who has the power to decide when a human dies and lead him or her to the afterlife by crossing the Samdo river. Although she was that stuck-up, she also possessed a humanly character who is capable to love and grieve.

Love teams. Lee Yeon and the reincarnation of his first love, Nam Ji Ah – their story goes back to the ancient time which ended tragically but both got another chance in the present. Or Shin Joo, the right-hand fox of Lee Yeon who falls in love with the rescued Russian lady fox of Lee Rang, Yoo Ri. The second team is adorable too!



Bok Gil twist. This was a twist at the end and I didn’t see it coming. It surprised me, that’s why I really like it.

The Cast…

Lee Dong Wook as Lee Yun – I just couldn’t stop swooning  over his fox looks. This is definitely the sexiest looks Lee Dong Wook ever sported. I loved his reddish fox hair, his eyes when they gleamed, his  sexy smile and his slank figure! He could give Gong Yoo a run for his money when it comes to sword swinging!

Jo Bo Ah as Nam Ji Ah was her normal pretty self but did two challenging roles. I’m not such a big fan of her but her performance here is definitely a level higher than her past roles.

Kim Bum as Lee Rang – I liked Lee Rang’s character. Angry little brother who actually just wanted to be clingy and he had the most dramatic ending. It was good to see Kim Bum again! It’s been ages since I watched Boys Over Flowers!

Lee Tae Ri as Imoogi – I love this guy. I think he’s underrated. Glad he was given such an important role.

Dislikes: Honestly, I’m not a fan of Jo Bo Ah’s acting. I don’t know what it is but I never warmed up to her.

What was with the ending? It was confusing! I thought Lee Yeon turned human but what was with the wielding of sword???

My Rating: 8 stars! (10 as highest)

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Zombie Detective

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zombie detective kdramaSummary: Kim Moo Young had been living in a village as a zombie for the past two years and learned how to move and act like a real live person. He moves to the city and takes over the identity of a dead detective. While starting his detective work, he meets Gong Sun Ji, who takes an interest working as a detective assistant.

Trailer: Zombie Detective

Genre: Mystery, Horror, Comedy, Detective, Supernatural, Boss Romance
Episodes: 24
Stars: Choi Jin Hyuk as Kim Moo Young
Park Joo Hyun as Gong Sun Ji
Kwon Hwa Woon as Cha Do Hyun




Likes: Short but downright hilarious and entertaining. Story was very compact, no dilly dally, just straight to the point.

I love the zombie intro! That realization when Kim Moo Young became a zombie and how ridiculously slow he was. And on top of that, he couldn’t even speak! What a frustrating situation interpreted in a funny way. Of course love the determination that came with it. It was like Rocky training to be a boxing champion or  Kung Fu Panda training to be the dragon warrior! A slow zombie training to move like a real and quick human by running on a treadmill and learning how to speak before finally moving to the city.

The two mysteries that gave answers as to why our zombie existed. The first part gave clarity as to why Kim Moo Young died. He had been curious about his past life and how he ended up dead. The second part was focused on how he became undead. Who was responsible for it, that Kim Moo Young himself  wanted to know badly. Therefore, becoming a zombie detective was the best way to solve the mysteries.

The ending with an epilogue. One year later what happened to the story. I love the hint of Kim Moo Young going back to detective work, the hopeful news that there might be a way to zombies becoming human again and of course, a possible romance between our zombie lead and his former assistant. Love the Halloween Party dress up at the end. Thought Choi Jin Hyuk looked really hot in his costume!

I always dislike ad placement but the BB Cream well placed ad was something I could live with.

Good job for putting such effort coming up with creative titles for every episode.

LOL for these funny scenes…

  • That part when they were making a parody of Boys Over Flowers and that famous “Almost Paradise” OST played in the background!
  • When our zombie was trying to learn the ways of the living by watching kdramas!
  • The fight between our zombie and the wild boar!
  • Joseon Zombie vs Chinese Zombie!
  • Non-stop funny moments from the rival neighboring detectives, Lee Sung Rok and Wang Wei!
  • The blossoming love between Wang Wei and the tripe lady!

Our main leads…

Choi Jin Hyuk as Kim Moo Young – this role suits Choi Jin Hyuk much better. Love seeing him in a light, funny character. Being a zombie, he actually looked convincing. And everytime he put on his BB cream, he turned into this very handsome detective!



Park Joo Hyun as Gong Sun Ji – it took a while to warm up to her but eventually when her character was less annoying and frantic, she turned out to be so much likeable. Love her bridal costume at the Halloween Party.

Dislikes: Was enjoying it too much, I don’t remember anything to dislike about it.

My Rating: 8 stars! (10 as highest)

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Record of Youth

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record of youth kdramaSummary: Sa Hye Jun has been working as a model for 7 years but what he really wants is to become an actor. He is always compared to his close friend, Won Hae Hyo, who is also a model and comes from a rich family. Through their work, Sa Hye Jun and Won Hae Hyo  get acquainted with a professional makeup artist, Han Jung Ha, who is a huge fan of Sa Hye Jun.

Trailer: Record of Youth

Genre: Melodrama, Family, Romance, Coming of Age
Episodes: 16
Stars: Park Bo Gum as Sa Hye Joon
Park So Dam as Han Jung Ha
Byun Woo Suk as Won Hae Hyo




Likes: Such a heart-warming story about life and experiences. This one’s especially focused on family, love and ambition and how everyone achieved their success going through failures. I like how realistic the family settings are. The bickering, favoritism, how open family members are when it comes to criticizing each other, the tension, the awkwardness of Sa Hye Jun’s family was too realistic, I could even relate to them. Same with the rich family of Won Hye Hyo, how the mom managed and controlled her kids, the cold atmosphere when everyone is at the table, how empty that big house was and how actually lonely these rich people are. And not to forget the life of Han Jung Ha who came from a broken family.

Love the characters and their convictions. I’ll focus on the main three although I would say this is one of the most character-rich dramas I’ve ever watched.

Sa Hye Jun’s perseverance to become a successful actor was truly inspiring. He worked so hard to achieve his dreams despite the criticisms he had received. He had the ambition so big that would crash obstacles which come his way. And although he reached the top, he remained a humble guy. That all made this character so beautiful. I’m not a huge fan of Park Bo Gum but I know he can act and I’ve got to give it to him, he did so well as Sa Hye Jun. And added bonus, he can speak English so well! I’m impressed!

Han Jung Ha’s calm and focused personality was her charm. She was so likeable, drawing our two main male leads to her which was very understandable. She had the courage to shift career paths despite the risk but since it was following what she loved most, she tried to pursue it. Such an admirable and beautiful character too. Park So Dam (the actress) is cute but not overly pretty which is good for the character.

Won Hae Hyo exuded coolness and elegance all the time. Definitely a rich kid just by the look of him. He trotted the runway like a pro and his face could launch a thousand me, lol! I know I’m biased. I have a big crush on Byun Woo Suk since Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency. But his character here, though rich and handsome, was quite pitiful. I feel for him when he was losing his self-esteem, poor Hae Hyo :(.

Love the bromance between the three friends Sa Hye Jun, Won Hae Hyo and Jinu. Made me missed my childhood friends!



Chemistry between Park Bo Gum and Park So Dam wasn’t bad at all. I definitely love that kiss, it was full of affection. The two definitely nailed that moment.

Tear-jerker beautiful moment: Grandpa’s speech!

The featured library: Starfield Library would be on my top spots to visit in Seoul! Looked awesome!

It is a hip drama (design-wise and the focus on social media and acting industry). It’s about the lives of young people these days, their experiences and struggles. But what I like most about it was consistency to its theme, it was such a heart-warming show all though out.

And speaking of hip, the OST is too. Check out Record of Youth OST.

The list of awesome cameos in this drama is long! But my favorite was Park Seo Joon. He really looked like a close friend of Park Bo Gum here. They were so natural on screen. Seo Hyun Jin and Lee Sung Kyung as leading ladies of Sa Hye Jun in two separate dramas inside this drama also caught my attention.

I love how everyone followed the path that was best for them. Even if that means being drafted to the army :), at least for our two male leads. It goes to show that time fixes things. And since I’m a sucker for epilogues, two years later was a big bonus!

Dislikes: The Krispy Creme Donut ad was just too much. I could deal with the BMW and the Subway but the donut was too aggressive.

My Rating: 8.5 stars! (10 as highest)

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Alice

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alice kdramaSummary: Park Jin Gyum is a police detective finding out about people traveling from the future through a place called Alice. The main purpose of Alice is to provide healing  for clients in the future who had some bad experiences in the past. So they get to travel back to fix it. While investigating, Park Jin Gyum meets a woman who totally looks like his dead mom.

Trailer: Alice

Genre: Fantasy, Action, Thriller, Time-travel, Science Fiction, Romance
Episodes: 32
Stars: Kim Hee Sun as Yoon Tae Yi / Park Sun Young
Joo Won as Park Jin Gyum
Kwak Shi Yang as Yoo Min Hyuk
Lee Da In as Kim Do Yun
Kim Sang Ho as Go Hyung Suk
Choi Won Young as Suk Oh Won



Likes: It started so well! I love the action-packed first and second episodes. They gave a fantastic impression of this 16 episode- show that waiting for the next episodes was like a torture. It was fast-paced and very well done! I was filled with curiosity.

I love time-travel genre even though it confuses my already confused brain. Alice was clear from the beginning about parallel universes. So I thought, it would be like The King: Eternal Monarch. It was consistent for a couple of episodes and I was holding on to that.

The book of prophecy added to the mystery. I kind of like it although there was no need of it at the end. Everyone would figure out eventually what would happen. But yeah, the Alice in Wonderland thing was very mysterious to me :).

Mind-boggling twists! Lots of them in this drama. Some of them were shedding lights (love those kind) but some of them just led to confusion.

Love the cast!

Joo Won as Park Jin Gyum – he did a great job! And if I were to choose which was his best look: is it the 2010 highschooler Park Jin Gyum, the 2020 detective Park Jin Gyum or the old teacher/mastermind Park Jin Gyum? I would go for the old one! Joo Won looked great as an old man, no doubt about that! Talking about his acting skills, he was brilliant doing all three selves. He was even exceptional when he turned to a psycho, creepy highschooler.

Kim Hee Sun as Yoon Tae Yi / Park Sun Young – what I like most about her was her voice and it fit nicely with her character as Park Sun Young, Park Jin Gyum’s mom. She did so well as the mom especially on her dying moments. I don’t know how many times she died, I lost count but yes every time she was dying, she was so convincing.

Kwak Shi Yang as Yoo Min Hyuk – he’s such a good-looking guy and I wonder why I didn’t see him in other kdramas before. What’s even better is he can cry! Oh Min Hyuk ssi, my heart was torn seeing those tears.

Lee Da In as Kim Do Yun – I love her character as Kim Do Hyun… very chatty, caring, loyal and I wished so badly that she would end up with Park Jin Gyum. I thought the two looked cute together.

I commend the stylists in this drama for making everyone looked great. I kind of like the combination of heels and rolled-up pants, made the ladies look taller. Also loved Joo Won’s everyday detective look, simple but looked good on him. And he looked exceptionally handsome in that police uniform!

Talking about chemistry, there so much of it in this drama. I love the chemistry between Park Jin Gyum and Kim Do Yun, Tae Yi and Min Hyuk and even the police chief Go Hyung Suk and his wife. But Tae Yi and Park Jin Gyum, hm that’s one thing that would go to my dislike.



I love the OST! Here are five songs from this drama I love listening to right now… Alice OST. Love The Star best. Somehow, that song reminds me of the Faith OST where Kim Hee Sun also starred with Lee Min Ho.

Dislikes: The ending was so confusing! First, the story didn’t stick to its parallel-universes-rule which was clearly explained in the beginning. It ended up explaining the ending with a single timeline rule which was even not consistent. Like how come Park Jin Gyum, the architect did not even recognize professor Tae Yi considering she still looked like her mom. I don’t know but the ending sucks. What a disappointment. And the fact that the scriptwriters insisted till the very end on the romance between Park Jin Gyum and Tae Yi gives me creeps people. Excuse me, but she is still his mom, right?! Why insist on this Oedipus complex kind of scenario – creepy! I would have loved to see Do Yun ended up with Jin Gyum! They have more chemistry than the Tae Yi and Jin Gyum team.

And uh that shameless ad placement of a weight loss product Prof. Tae Yi was promoting, I couldn’t take that scene, it was just too much.

My Rating: 8 stars! (10 as highest)

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Flower of Evil

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flower of evil kdramaSummary: Cha Ji Won is a competent detective who is married to Baek Hee Sung, a metal craftsman who hides a dark secret. They have been living together peacefully with an adorable daughter. Cha Ji Won is clueless what kind of person her husband truly is but after a couple of incidents that involved him, she is slowly able to put the puzzle pieces together.

Trailer: Flower of Evil

Genre: Melodrama, Thriller, Crime, Detective, Serial Killer
Episodes: 16
Stars: Lee Joon Ki as Do Hyun Soo / Baek Hee Jung
Moon Chae Won as Cha Ji Won
Jang Hee Jin as Do Hae Soo
Seo Hyun Woo as Kim Moo Jin




Likes: So many reasons for me to like this drama. Let me point them out one by one…

Love the story and how it was told. It was full of mystery since the first episode. It kind of started in the middle and from there went backwards to shed lights to characters and events. Like it all started with our main character tied down and drowning in the pool and a lady detective came rushing to rescue him. She seemed related to him. I was immediately hooked, questions running in my head… Why is he drowning? Why is she saving him? How are they related? And so on and so forth. All the answers to my questions were slowly answered in the next 15 episodes.  I was patiently waiting for those 2 episodes a week and it was always worth the wait. Indeed, a great show!

Detective-crime-romance genre. I’m already in with a detective genre. It goes hand in hand with crime but romance is a bonus! This is after all a korean drama. Somehow, it’s hard to separate romance from everything but I like it always when there’s a tinge of romance in everything. This drama ticks all three favourites for me and it was a satisfying show.

The Beautiful and Brilliant Cast. Everyone was impressive from the police force, the gangsters, the child actor, the foster parents, even the serial-killing victim but three were my most beautiful and favourites…

Lee Joon Ki as Do Hyun Soo / Baek Hee Sung – I’m always distracted by his beautiful face but he wasn’t all beauty here, he did so well as the ideal husband and father, Baek Hee Sung then later changing back to the calculating fugitive Do Hyun Soo. I admire the awkwardness, the tension, the fear, the drama, the chemistry between him and and Moon Chae Won.

Moon Chae Won as Cha Ji Won – Another beautiful being in this drama. Sometimes too beautiful as a detective, always sporting a perfect hairstyle. But Moon Chae Won as I’ve always known is not just a pretty face. This lass can act! She nailed her character Cha Ji Won here. And that chemistry between her and Lee Joon Ki was just top.

Kim Ji Hoon as Baek Hee Sung – He looked better in long hair! Even with his dark character here, there was no denying, he was so handsome! Kim Ji Hoon pretty nailed his character Baek Hee Sung. The way he talked and bit his nails and tied his hair, every inch a creepy person but remained so handsome. He was just brilliant!

The supporting love team (almost) and comic relief. It’s part melodrama with some serial-killing case that needed solving but I thought adding a character which would be a comic relief made the show not so intensely depressing. In this case it was Kim Moo Jin. He was funny and his love interest on Dae Hae Soo was just too cute.



The plot twists. Impressive! From finding out who the real accomplice was and the lost of memory at the end, it was all very entertaining.

Cliffhangers! Love those cliffhangers, they were all awesome and they always end with this song Flower of Evil Cliffhanger Song.

Flower of Evil OST. Super love the OST,  it’s awesome! They bring back memories of the drama.

That heart-breaking “I see dead people” moment. I cried watching this scene, it was just so heart-breaking when Do Hyun Soo couldn’t tell the difference if he’s seeing his wife really alive or he’s seeing her because she’s already dead. Wahhhh!!!

The kissing scenes. They were daebak! Thanks to the awesome chemistry between our leads.

That tear-jerking final episode! Very emotional but I sooo love it! And it gave and explanation as to why Do Hyun Soo named his workshop, The Place where the Morning Star Rests. Love the story behind it.

My Rating: 9 stars! (10 as highest)

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It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

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its okay to not be okay kdramaSummary: Moon Kang Tae works as a psychiatric caregiver and also takes care of his grown up brother who has special needs. He is great at his job but he doesn’t stay long in one hospital or employer. Due to a childhood trauma, he moves around with his brother a lot. Moon Kang Tae meets Ko Moon Young, a popular, successful and eccentric kids book author. Ko Moon Young takes a liking to Moon Kang Tae and starts following him around.

Trailer: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

Genre: Romance, Psychological, Countryside Romance, Melodrama
Episodes: 16
Stars: Kim Soo Hyun as Moon Kang Tae
Seo Ye Ji as Ko Moon Young
Oh Jung Se as Moon Sang Tae




Likes: A beautifully-written story with much focus on details. I love the combination of  exceptional characters combined with intense psychological drama, with added series of literary masterpieces and illustrations in a much rural, coastal backdrop. It was unique in a way and such an enjoyable show to follow until the end.

The grotesque animation. I’m a huge fan of this part. It gave the whole drama a dark tone and at the same time retained some cuteness. Which was my exact whole impression of the non-animated part. A great introduction indeed.

The cursed castle. This impressive set was just perfect for the story. A princess is not a princess without a castle afterall. Eerie but perfect!

The featured books and stories. I love all the books and the amazing stories and the morals that came with it but I think The Zombie Kid left a special place in my heart. Moreoever, I also like the touching story of the two brothers who made sure the other has a sack of rice for his family.

The storytelling with its animated illustration. Illustrated stories are simply the best. There are people like me who are visual so I really enjoy illustrated books, much more animated illustrations!

The titles of each episode. Yes it was the book’s title and each episode’s story is a reflection of that in the book.

The sarcasm in Ko Moon Young’s Fairy tale Class. I enjoyed this bit. There’s so much truth in all of these…

What is a fairy tale?  It is a cruel fantasy that illustrates the brutality and violence of this world in a paradoxical manner.

Moral on Ugly Duckling – raising someone else’s child is unrewarding, so just look after your own.

Moral on The Little Mermaid – karma will bite you hard if you covet on an engaged man.

Conclusion: A fairy tale isn’t a hallucinogen that gives us hopes and dreams. It is a stimulant that makes us face reality.

The beautiful coastal, countryside. A break from the usual busy and crowded Seoul. I thought the psychiatric hospital’s location was a perfect place to those seeking emotional and psychological healing. Love the view of the ocean!

The OST. Love, love the beautiful OST: It’s Okay Not To Be Okay!

The Brilliant Cast…

Kim Soo Hyun as Moon Kang Tae – I know Kim Soo Hyun would always choose a good role and as Moon Kang Tae, his comeback role after his military, it was a sure winner for him. His downcast personality as Moon Kang Tae showed how well he could do with serious roles like this one. At first I thought he was too thin but I realized it was all part of it.



Seo Ye Ji as Ko Moon Young – no one could do this role better than Seo Yi Ji. She was hands down the best! I loved her voice, perfectly fitting her role as Ko Moon Young. I loved Ko Moon Young’s different looks: beautiful, sultry, eccentric, arrogant, intimidating – difficult with a beautiful and talented soul. She was every inch a character from a fairy tale, the one with the very tiny waist :)! Moreover, all the outfits she wore were gorgeous and suited her really well!

Oh Jung Se as Moon Sang Tae – I’ve got to give the best actor award to  Oh Jung Se for doing Moon Sang Tae soooo well! The acting was just brilliant, hands down. I loved how he mastered the mannerisms, the stutter when he talked, the way he walked and how he could portray that innocence of someone who living in his own world. Such a brilliant actor!

The Ending with a twist. I love how the brother whom everyone thought was someone everyone would take care of became the one protecting others.  I didn’t see that twist with the mum coming but what a  surprise! In the end, everyone found their peace, could move on and grow more.

Dislikes: I’m less a fan of psychological drama. Sometimes it’s too sad. It’s just that this one was too good to let it slip.

My Rating: 9 stars! (10 as highest)

Continue reading “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” →

Backstreet Rookie

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backstreet rookie kdramaSummary: Choi Dae Hyun runs a convenience store and badly needs a part-timer to help him out. Jung Saet Byul applies for the job and she really works hard to improve the sales. Jung Saet Byul actually likes Choi Dae Hyun since they met 3 years ago. She was still a bad-ass highschool student back then and now that she is in college, she needs a part-time job and tries to work for the person that she has a crush on. “Cute love team!”

Trailer: Backstreet Rookie

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Boss Romance
Episodes: 32
Stars: Kim Yoo Jung as Jung Saet Byul
Ji Chang Wook as Choi Dae Hyun
Do Sang Woo as Jo Seung Joon
Han Sun Hwa as Yoo Yun Joo
Ahn Sol Bin as Jung Eun Byul




Likes: I like how they preserve the webcomic style of this drama. I didn’t read the webcomic but I can imagine how exciting that would be for the fans to have seen the characters come to life.

The Set. The story revolves around a convenience store and honestly my first impression was, it was only a huge promotion for the convenience store chain, GS25 but since it was based on a webcomic, I gave it the benefit of the doubt. Well, it gave us a closer look really on how convenience store operates and how these franchise owners work quite hard to keep them running.

The Stories. I like the main story that focuses on our main characters, Saet Byul and Dae Hyun. Even if Saet Byul has a long-time crush on her boss Dae Hyun, she still had to make him fall for her. And that was challenging as Dae Hyun still has his long-time girlfriend, who was rich, smart and pretty. However, Saet Byul and Dae Hyun’s similar personalities brought them closer together.

The story of the relationship between Dae Hyun and his girlfriend Yun Joo focuses on the differences in their personalities and family background that lead the two to separate. A Romeo and Juliet kind of fate.

Kang Ji Wook’s unrequitted love story. Our puppy just didn’t get the attention he wanted from Saet Byul. Even with his celebrity status,  it just didn’t work on Saet Byul as she was busy admiring someone else.

The sisters story. Saet Byul trying to raise her almost same age sister, Eun Byul. No matter how hard it was and no matter how much they fought, they still ended up supporting each other when everything got tough.

Dae Hyun’s parents’ story. They fought a lot and Dae Hyun’s mum always thought it was a misfortune to have her kind of life but that changed everything when she realized her son doesn’t find her parents life that bad.

Raggae Boy and Geum Bi story! I loved these two, very funny. Theirs was a good comical relief.  I was glad that every episode they always popped up. Always made my night.

To sum it up, aside from our main characters storyline, there were other more interesting ones. It never got boring.

Fast-paced. The show was pretty straight-forward. I didn’t find it draggy at all. It maybe because of the sub stories I mentioned above.

I miss the OST. Love the songs, they bring back drama memories! Backstreet Rookie OST

Beautiful Cast. I can’t get enough of their faces…

Kim Yoo Jung – she has grown into a really beautiful lady! Wow, she was still a child in my favourite The Moon that Embraces the Sun, I can’t believe it. And she is such a great actress too, not just a pretty face. Her giggly character here suits her a lot.



Han Sun Hwa – this girl is so pretty too! I’m impressed of her acting and presence. Definitely, a competition for Kim Yoo Jung.

Ji Chang Wook – he’s a good-looking guy I know so please don’t put too much lipstick on him. But great to see him back again.

Dislikes: The kiss? Did I miss it? I didn’t see any kissing at all, as in nothing! Why so stingy with kiss? I was so looking forward to it especially with leads like Ji Chang Wook and Kim Yoo Jung. Disappointing.

My Rating: 8 stars! (10 as highest)

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Dinner Mate

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dinner mate kdramaSummary: On her trip to Jeju and after being dumped by her boyfriend, Woo Do Hee meets Kim Hae Kyung, a psychiatrist who happens to be in the island to treat a patient. They share a dinner together. Without high expectation that they’ll meet again, the two find each other and share another meal at a fish market in Seoul. Once again they part without exchanging contact details and leave it to fate to find each other once more.

Trailer: Dinner Mate

Genre: Romance, Food
Episodes: 32
Stars: Song Seung Hun as Kim Hae Kyung
Seo Ji Hye as Woo Do Hee
Lee Ji Hoon as Jung Jae Hyuk (Do Hee’s first love)
Son Na Eun as Jin No Eul (Hae Kyung’s first love)



Likes: Another romance drama but this time with some focus on food, psychiatry and content creation. It had its share of melodramatic moments but well-balanced with some light-hearted scenes.

Food. Yes, one can build a solid relationship based on sharing a meal. It’s something very basic that is often ignored. I just like how this drama put so much importance on food and how it brings people together. It’s something that I can attest to.

Psychiatry. Yes, we must not ignore our own personal struggles whatever they are. I like how the characters in the drama dealt with each of their own problems and how other people around them was a help to them. And sometimes, getting some professional help might just be the only option for others.

Content Creation. Oh well, it’s a legit source of income these days but I was just fascinated with the idea that there might be actually businesses only centered in producing hit videos for platforms like youtube!

The Cast…

Song Seung Hun as Kim Hae Kyung – he looked great in all his outfits, so neat and handsome, too handsome for a doctor actually. His crying moment here was quite convincing.

Seo Ji Hye as Woo Do Hee – Seo Ji Hye is really beautiful that she can be quite intimidating. The character was strong-willed, independent, hard-working and who didn’t give up easily on finding love again. It was her kind of role.

Lee Ji Hoon as Jung Jae Hyuk – Lee Ji Hoon is just a great actor and as Jung Jae Hyuk, he was just brilliant! His breakdown moment was impressive! I would hand the best actor award to this guy.

Son Na Eun as Jin No Eul – very pretty and she knows it! Son Na Eun did well as Jin No Eul who was this confident, cool and proud woman who thought she could have everything/everyone whenever she wanted it/them.

The Love Team…

Kim Hae Kyung and Woo Do Hee – they were great together but sometimes I have that impression that they were more friends than lovers. Lacking a bit of chemistry, nevertheless great pair.



Nam Ah Young and Keanu – I love these two, they had better chemistry than the top leads. Nam Ah Young’s persistent character is what we all need if we really wanna have something. And because of that her Prince of Parasol became hers forever.

Jung Jae Hyuk and Jin No Eul – it was being hinted at the end and I like the idea! Why not? They also look great together. And maybe, just maybe, eating ramyeon together will be an awesome start.

OST. Love the upbeat music especially Yummy Yummy! Check out Dinner Mate OST!

The Ending. I love how it ended not just for the lead characters but others as well. I especially like Nam Ah Young and Keanu’s ending and also how Jung Jae Hyuk found healing with the help of his doctor. No loose ends. Well done!

Dislikes: Very stingy with kissing scenes.

It became draggy also towards the end.

My Rating: 8 stars! (10 as highest)

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