KDrama to Miss: Dream Knight (2015)

Dream Knight (2015)

Grade: C+

(web drama)

12 episodes, about 10-18 minutes each
Viewing Platform: Netflix

Joo In Hyung is a high school girl living alone in an RV after her mother's sudden death. She also has some sort of degenerative disease that will soon kill her. Despite the loneliness and bullying at school, In Hyung is determined to have a positive outlook on life. One day four handsome guys show up at her RV, and while she tries to shoo them away initially, they eventually win her over and help make her hard life much more bearable. What happens when the teen idol from her school, Junior, finds out about her four helpers, or knights? Will he be able to convince In Hyung that she no longer needs them? And how will the knights react when they learn their fate once In Hyung finds happiness?

*While the script wasn't the best, the plot was very interesting from a conceptual point of view. Girls in despair have knights magically show up in their lives to help them find happiness again, but the question arises about the fate of said knights once their duties are fulfilled. There were a few references to the traditional “little mermaid” fairy tale: the non-Disney version has the mermaid turn into sea foam or bubbles and disappear at the end of the story. Honestly, though, how is anyone supposed to be happy when one of the lovers in a couple has to die? That's why this drama didn't earn a higher grade; I like everyone to have a truly happy ending.*

KDrama to Watch: The Sound of Your Heart (2016

The Sound of Your Heart (2016)

Grade: B-

10 episodes, about 30 minutes each
Viewing Platform: Netflix

Jo Seok is an aged, famous webtoon artist, and he tells the story of how he found his way into the business. At the time he started - set in the present day - he lived at home with his mom, dad and brother. His dad owned an unsuccessful fried chicken shop, supplementing with odd jobs, his brother worked an office job, and his mom ran the household while Jo Seok struggled with creating an appealing webtoon, since he lacked talent and ambition in every other field. (His drawing style is unappealing to most – but these days that isn't always an indication of failure.) Each episode tells two short stories about Jo Seok's life with his family and with his then-girlfriend Ae-bong.

*This is the first Korean sitcom I've watched, and it really did have a variety show type feel to it, as each episode had a different theme or style. One episode had the dad and Jo Seok acting as if they were in the mafia, while another episode looked like a romance between Jo Seok and Ae-bong, for example. A few episodes really had me laughing out loud, just at the plain absurdity of the situations, but the other episodes I didn't appreciate quite as much. I'm not sure if that was cultural or just my taste. Definitely lots of bathroom humor, and more cursing than usual Kdrama shows. It is based off the very popular, longest-running web comic in South Korea, “The Sound of Heart.” It was a very interesting diversion from my normal drama fare. I might watch those few episodes I liked again.*