KDrama to Maybe Watch: Emergency Couple (2014)

Emergency Couple (2014)

Grade: B-

21 Episodes, 1 Hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Oh Chang Min and Oh Jin Hee got married in a hurry while in their twenties, but in less than a year, it ended in a bitter divorce. Chang Min was unable to finish medical school, as his family disapproved of the match and cut him off financially. Resentment for Jin Hee grew over time as he was forced to wine and dine hospital officials in order to sell pharmaceuticals and make ends meet. When Jin Hee couldn't find work as a nutritionist, she felt pretty useless and lost confidence. Fast forward six years, and the divorcees cross paths in an unlikely place: an emergency room's internship rotation of the same hospital! Chang Min went back to school after the divorce to finish his original plan to become a doctor, and Jin Hee went back to school as well, in order to make something of herself. Neither one suspected they would cross paths this way! Will the divorcees be able to keep their secret from the rest of the staff until the internship period is over? What happens when the department chief starts to develop feelings for Jin Hee? Is it even possible for a divorced couple to start over?

*The pacing for this drama is unique, as it starts with a breakup. I had “second-male-lead syndrome” for a few episodes, but I've noticed when it's easy to like the second male lead, it makes the drama less compelling. The pacing is slow, despite the medical emergencies, especially because it's several episodes longer than average. There are some amusing moments, but there doesn't seem to be much in the way of character development, at least for Jin Hee. Then, most of the issues Chang Min and Jin Hee had as the basis for their divorce aren't addressed, so it makes their *spoiler alert* coming together again less believable. It's definitely not my favorite drama, but I might watch again.*

KDrama to Maybe Watch: Melting Me Softly (2019)

Melting Me Softly (2019)

Grade: B-

16 episodes, 1 Hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Go Mi-ran is a spunky college student busy helping her family make ends meet in 1999. She most often does stunt work for a local television program, with visionary Ma Dong-chan as production director. Dong-chan is always on the lookout for the next greatest idea when it comes to television, and his motto is to do what no one else will dare to do. When an opportunity to participate in a 24-hour cryogenic test hits his radar, Dong-chan immediately signs up. However, the doctor running the experiment needs a female participant as well, and Dong-chan finally persuades Mi-ran to join him in the freezing chambers. What happens when the doctor receives a mysterious phone call, leaves the lab with only 2 hours to go, and his car is blown up? What will happen to Mi-ran's and Dong-chan's family as a result of their mysterious disappearances? Will the doctor's assistant ever be able to finish his mentor's work and wake up the frozen test subjects, fully restoring them to their pre-frozen state?

*The premise for this drama is exciting and unique, but it is better suited for an action drama, not the rom-com it ends up in. I loved Ji Chang-wook in “Healer” and “Secret Garden,” but this was definitely not one of his better works. The pacing was different, with a weird swing between serious drama and lighthearted comedy several times per episode in the beginning, but the drama really loses steam and basically fizzles out by the tenth episode. There wasn't much chemistry between the two leads, either, and minimal character development throughout. The doctor when he has amnesia was my favorite part. If you like a sci-fi flavor to your drama but without the action, then this drama is for you! I probably won't watch it again, though.*

KDrama to Watch: Jugglers (2017)

Jugglers (2017)

Grade: B

16 Episodes, 1 Hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Professional secretary Jwa Yoon-yi is one of the best in her field. She keeps things in the office running smoothly, juggling many tasks at a time as an assistant to all. However, this includes handling her boss's many affairs and keeping his wife in the dark. Yoon-yi complies in order to keep her job, but it backfires once her boss allows some ugly rumors to spread. In the wrong light, Yoon-yi's professional attentions are misinterpreted as something more with the married man, and to save himself, her boss does not deny the accusations. What happens when Yoon-yi is reassigned to be a secretary for the cold, distant Nam Chi-won in the same company? Will her professionalism and cheeriness help make Nam Chi-won into a truly respectable boss? And will they be able to save their “whistle blowing” department from reorganization?

*The first two-thirds of this drama had great pacing and some wonderful comedy. Even the villain is comedic. Yoon-yi and Chi-won are not my favorite couple, though, and I ended up enjoying the background characters more than the main story/couple. It's also a bit slow getting started, and it drags towards the end. The ending itself ties everything up nicely, and it is a good quality production, so I might watch this again.*

KDrama to Miss: My Secret Romance (2017)

My Secret Romance (2017)

Grade: C+

14 Episodes, 50 minutes each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Lee Yoo-mi is a quiet, modest girl in the midst of her nutritionist studies when her former erotic-film-star mother decides to remarry. Yoo-mi has a few accidental encounters with a bell hop, Cha Jin-wook, and the two find themselves in a sleepy seaside town, sharing a bottle of wine at the shore. Jin-wook and Yoo-mi spend a passionate night together, but Yoo-mi slinks off at first light. Three years later, Yoo-mi is assigned her first real work experience at the large conglomerate DaeBok Group, which – unbeknownst to her – is Jin-wook's father's company. Jin-wook, unable to forget Yoo-mi, has put his partying days behind him and focused on work to the point of being malnourished. What happens when Yoo-mi is required to personally make all of Jin-wook's meals? Will she pretend their one-night stand never happened? Or is she finally ready to stop letting her mother's life choices get in the way of her own happiness?

*This kdrama seemed much older than its 2017 airing date – probably because it felt like a low-budget production. There were some plot holes, sound editing issues, and far too many flashbacks, plus some weird end-of-episode filler that was an identical scene from that episode, shot from a different angle. (All kdramas utilize flashbacks,and it can be an effective tool for storytelling, but usually it's kept to a reasonable amount. This show was nearly 30% flashbacks.) The writers' decision to have them sleep together right at the beginning killed the rhythm of the show, and from that point I just couldn't get into it. I also prefer more comedy in my kdramas. I loved Jin-wook's secretary, and Sung Hoon is very handsome, but again, there really wasn't much substance to the story. Won't watch again.*

KDrama to Maybe Watch: Her Private Life (2019)

Her Private Life (2019)

Grade: B-

16 Episodes, 1 Hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Art lover Sung Deok-mi is a dutiful museum curator, putting in the time to hopefully move up the ladder, but her secret, private life could put all that in jeopardy. Deok-mi is a secret SUPER fan, spending her spare time following around the singer Cha Si-an and running a successful, popular blog on the idol. She manages to keep her secret over the years, including from her own parents, but unfortunately, when the current director's husband is imprisoned for using the museum and its art acquiring process to embezzle millions of dollars, Deok-mi is passed over for the promotion. The cold, detached Ryan Gold – an American-raised Korean and fairly well-known artist – swoops in and changes all their plans in an effort to “re-brand” the museum and take attention away from the scandal. What happens when Deok-mi inadvertently poisons the new director? Will Ryan be able to overcome his secret illness that forced him into early retirement as a painter? And how will the new director react when he starts to suspect Deok-mi's secret?

*The first few episodes were energetic and fun to watch, with plenty of secondhand embarrassment and cringe-worthy comedy. However, Ryan's character was cold to the point I could not see anyone falling for him, and in retrospect, it's hard to believe. There is (spoiler alert) no true villain, which makes for a gentler ending, driven by character development rather than plot, but I was disappointed with how soon Deok-mi's conflict was resolved. The second half of the drama focuses all on Ryan and his backstory, so it isn't even about “her private life” anymore. (I've found a majority of dramas follow this pattern, a kind of bait-and-switch, from the female to the male lead; I'm not sure I like it.) There are also a few pro-LGBT messages throughout, and the leads sleep together before marriage – two themes that follow traditional Western television (so for those viewers who enjoy Korean dramas because they are definitively NOT American, this drama might be a “miss” for them). The music is fun, and there are some entertaining parts, but it's disappointing how the drama just couldn't keep up the energy and momentum it starts off with. I probably wouldn't watch it again, but it also wasn't terrible.*

ChDrama to Miss: My Little Princess (2016)

Chinese Drama

My Little Princess (2016)

Grade: C

16 Episodes, 40 minutes each

Platform: Amazon Prime

Self-proclaimed “princess” Lin Xing Chen seems like she has everything a girl could want, but her life is not quite her own: Xing Chen's stepmother is forcing her to become engaged to a wealthy and powerful businessman's only heir, in order to help save her deceased father's faltering business. She is also cursed: The man she loves will not return her affections. Still, Xing Chen knows she must at least try. The soon-to-be couples' first meeting is thrown off when she mistakenly flirts with the poor but talented Jiang Nian Yu, instead of the proud and rash Zheng Chu Yao. Brushing off the mishap as only a princess can do, Xing Chen accepts the challenge to win her prince's heart and starts attending his school. What happens when the seemingly innocent Yu Yang Yang starts to interfere with Xing Chen's plans? Will Xing Chen be able to keep her secret about her birth? And what happens when she starts to develop feelings for someone other than her betrothed?

*This entire drama feels like an imitation of a Kdrama, without quite achieving the same charm. Chinese dramas always throw me off with the way they dub over their own actors – the vocals don't match the mouth movements or the expected ambient noises – and it is very hard to achieve that “suspension of disbelief” required to fully engage with a story as a result. A lot of the seemingly “romantic” or “funny” parts in the script felt forced as well, as if someone was trying very hard to copy a Kdrama but couldn't quite pull off the sincerity of one. Plus a couple of the plot and character developments didn't quite make sense, from not being fleshed out enough. The actors didn't seem bad themselves, and the ending was one of those more “realistic but still happy” endings, but overall, it just didn't do it for me. Won't watch again.*

KDrama to Watch: Touch Your Heart (2019)

Touch Your Heart (2019)

Grade: A

16 Episodes, 1 Hour each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Beautiful actress Oh Yoon-seo is in a slump – a scandal forced her into “early retirement,” but she is optimistic about making a comeback. When she comes across a script with a role of lawyer's secretary, she jumps at the chance to prove herself. Through connections between her talent agency and the CEO of a law firm, she agrees to become a temporary secretary to hopefully improve her famously terrible acting. What happens when she is teamed up with the office grump? Will Lawyer Kwon Jung-rok force her to quit with all the extra tasks and demands, or will something more come from their relationship?

*This is such a cute show! It might be a little TOO sweet at times, but there's great comedy in here as well, with perfectly timed sound effects as well as hilarious, over-the-top, “extra” characters. One of the side stories was boring, though – the relationship between Jung-rok's old college friends – and it didn't add anything to the story whatsoever. I did enjoy the legal cases sprinkled in the drama; it kept things fresh without dragging on or becoming too dark. The leads actually communicated clearly, in a mature fashion, which was refreshing. There is lots of product placement evident in the show, but it is usually fairly subtle, so not too distracting. The only reason this doesn't get a higher grade is because the main actor isn't my type :p (Lee Dong-wook from “Goblin” 2017). Otherwise, a very fun drama! Would watch again.*

KDrama to Maybe Watch: Suspicious Partner (2017)

Suspicious Partner (2017)

Grade: B

40 Episodes, 30 minutes each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Aspiring lawyer Eun Bong-hee finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her, the same night some pervert in the subway touches her behind. The supposed pervert, Prosecutor Noh Ji-wook, happens to be meeting someone at the same hotel where Bong-hee discovers her boyfriend's infidelity. When Bong-hee bluffs about sleeping with the next man she sees in an effort to prove a point to the cheater, Ji-wook graciously plays the part to help her save face. The relationship doesn't end there, though – she is assigned to work as an intern for Ji-wook. Then she ends up facing the prosecutor in court when she is accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend, whose corpse is found in her apartment not long after her breakup. What happens when the straight-arrow Ji-wook stumbles across evidence that could throw Bong-hee's case out of court? Will he give in to pressure from the higher ups and sacrifice his integrity? How will they find the real killer, who seems to outsmart them at every step?

*This drama is entirely too long. I could have gone without the whole murderer's story line, and it was annoying that *spoiler alert* the amnesia hinted at in the synopsis/teaser doesn't even come in to play until two-thirds of the way through the show, AND it lasts barely one episode. Ji Chang-wook (the star from “Healer” 2014-15) is a very talented, handsome actor, so I enjoyed watching him – particularly when his character would go off on rants or just look glum, or pout. Usually the male lead is always strong and stern, or withdrawn and angry, but Chang-wook added a great layer of depth to his character with expressing emotions from a wider, more realistic range. There's some fun chemistry among the male coworkers; the female characters were just okay. There are a lot of self-imposed blockages to the romance between the two leads and a lot of poor communication that was frustrating to watch. I did enjoy several of the musical themes/songs, and there were some gorgeously lit scenes throughout. Not a favorite drama, but decent.*

KDrama to Watch: Kill Me, Heal Me (2015)

Kill Me, Heal Me (2015)

Grade: A

20 Episodes, 1 Hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Upbeat psychiatric first-year resident Oh Ri-jin encounters an intense and strikingly handsome man at a boat party one day, a man who clearly states his intentions to pursue a relationship with her. The other residents at the hospital poke fun at Oh Ri-jin once she is stood up, claiming she simply has bad luck with men. Meanwhile, the reticent chaebol Cha Do Hyun finds himself back in Korea, despite his self-exile, all because one of his personalities decides it's time to come back and face the family that made him this multiple-personality monster. What happens when Do Hyun realizes his edgy, tough personality Shin Se Gi is the one wanting to date Ri-jin? How will the young doctor's protective adoptive brother react to her encounter with the chaebol and his strange family history? Will Ri-jin and Do Hyun be able to find peace once they fully understand their tangled past?

*If you want to see a world-class actor, this is the drama for you! Ji Sung plays multiple roles, as he is a DID patient, and each one has incredible detail, from the shifting look in his eyes, to the completely separate accents and speech patterns, to the tilt of his head for each personality. The story does have a few slow points, and the “brother-zoning” is a little weird, but the score is great, as is the cinematography, and there are lots of little tie-ins as the story all comes together that show a great attention to detail. The girl who plays Oh Ri-jin is a little annoying, as are the numerous redundant flashbacks, but it's worth it to watch Ji Sung work his magic. I also like how the villain is not immediately forgiven or excused; it seems like the writers were trying for a healthier ending rather than a simply romanticized one (although there is still plenty of kdrama “unreality” going on elsewhere). All in all, it's a very emotionally compelling story, and I'd probably watch it again.*

Kdrama to Maybe Watch: The Legend of the Blue Sea (2017)

The Legend of the Blue Sea (2017)

Grade: B

20 Episodes, 1 Hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Con-artist Heo Joon-jae started on his crooked path trying to find his estranged birth mother. He does only scam crooks out of their ill-gotten gains, though. Then he comes across an interesting, shoeless lady one day. Little does he know, this woman is actually a mermaid, and unbeknownst to both of them, they are playing out a fate that began hundreds of years ago, in the Joseon era. What happens after the mermaid, Shim Cheong, erases Joon-jae's memory of her, but she crosses many oceans to find him again in Seoul? How will Shim Cheong survive on land? Will they be able to stop the murderous plotting of Joon-jae's stepmother and rewrite their doomed history?

*I enjoy Lee Min Ho and Jun Ji-hyun in their other roles, but this kdrama was a bit too long and sad for my taste. While there is a *spoiler alert* happy ending, I had to take a break for a couple months before I could bring myself to finish it. The writing ties everything together well, what with the flashbacks and reincarnations and whatnot, and the good guys are all likable characters, but for whatever reason, it didn't draw me in like other dramas. I probably won't watch it again, but it fits the criteria for a better grade than that (it was better than “Mama Fairy” after all).*

KDrama to Maybe Watch: Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter (2018)

Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter/Tale of Fairy (2018)

Grade: B-

16 Episodes, 1 Hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Professor Jung Yi-hyun escorts his undergrad TA Kim Geum home for a special festival night in the mountains. They stumble across a coffee shop in the middle of the forest to find a “barista grandma.” The kind, older lady is actually a 699-year-old fairy named Sun Ok-nam, who looks like an old grandma at times, and at other times a youthful beauty. She is looking for her reincarnated husband as well as her winged robe so she can return to the Celestial Realm. What happens when the fairy decides to follow the professor back to Seoul, accompanied by her half-celestial daughter (part human, part tiger, part cat) and her son (currently in a large egg, going through his first reincarnation)? Will Jung Yi-hyun and Kim Geum believe Sun Ok-nam? What happens when Yi-hyun's longtime friend, a fellow professor, reveals her feelings for Yi-hyun? Will Sun Ok-nam be able to find her husband before she loses all her powers and fades away from being in the earthly realm too long? And how are these three connected to Yi-hyun's haunting nightmares?

*This kdrama definitely has the feel of a manga, with lots of strange elements and rules for each new creature that is introduced. It's a mystery finding out the true identities of the characters, but in an odd, fantasy-fiction way, and I don't quite feel like I'm on the right page because of the cultural differences. The drama is based on a web comic, which is based on an old Korean legend, but only loosely since the drama does not end tragically. It ends up being a story of redemption, forgiveness, and love, but it takes quite a while to get there. So while it does end well, there are lots of slow parts (and cheesy animation), and an odd flavor to it that is definitely foreign. Not sure I'd watch this again.*