KDrama to Maybe Watch: Hospital Playlist (2020-2021)

 

Hospital Playlist

Grade: B-

2 Seasons, 24 Episodes (total), 90-120 minutes each
Viewing Platform: Netflix

Five doctors who met in medical school are still friends today, all working in various departments at the large Seoul hospital, Yuljae. Introverted, soft-spoken Yang Seok-hyeong, OBGYN, is divorced and a bit of a mama's boy. The youngest of his siblings, all of whom became priests or nuns, Ahn Jeong-won is a pediatric surgeon with a sweet, kind nature, perfect for the children he treats. Nerdy yet confident Chae Song-hwa is the only girl in the group, and she is a neurosurgeon who loves camping on her days off. Then there is the aloof, seemingly cold Kim Jun-wan, the heart surgeon who secretly has a soft heart himself. Lee Ik-jun is a fun-loving, highly intelligent, mischievous yet personable guy, raising his son by himself while his wife is off working in another country, and he is one of the best liver-transplant surgeons around.  

*This is an unusual drama as it departs from the typical kdrama formula in two big ways: One, the format of the writing doesn't have a clear beginning and end. Two, there is a second season with the same cast. As a result, it is a very slow-moving drama. The medical emergencies give it some excitement, but then there came a point where it was feeling less genuine and more manipulative – like the writers were trying to force the audience to have these deeply stirring emotional experiences in order to keep them watching, not just because of the storyline (it is a hospital, so there are lots of life & death situations). It's also amusing that the group of friends started a band and the show includes covers of popular Korean songs (as well as an American rock song). Not a bad show, but not a favorite, either.*

Kdrama to Maybe Watch: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)

 

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)

Grade: B-

16 Episodes, 75 minutes each

Viewing Platform: Netflix

Dentist Yoon Hye-jin is blacklisted in the city when she calls out her boss for pushing unnecessary and expensive dental procedures on their patients. She then decides to open her own practice at the sleepy seaside town Gongjin – a familiar, calm place she had visited a few times in the past. Hye-jin soon has a few run-ins with the area chief, Hong Du-sik – a young man content with working all kinds of odd jobs for minimum wage. What happens when feelings start to develop between the two? Will the close-knit community approve of the city-minded dentist? And what happens when a blossoming relationship dredges up trauma from Du-sik's past?

*This kdrama definitely has a slower pace, and the humor isn't a major focus for these writers. The background character stories are interesting enough, though the last couple episodes are HIGHLY emotional, as death, suicide, and other trauma are explored. Hye-jin's wardrobe is a total throwback to the 90s, with big, bulky-fitting clothes and clashing color tones; several other characters have baggy, unflattering clothes as well. The scenery is pretty, and the soundtrack is nice, but again, the story evokes a large emotional response from the viewer, which wasn't my favorite. Worth at least one viewing, though.*

KDrama to Miss: So I Married the Anti-Fan (2021)

 So I Married the Anti-Fan (2021)

Grade: C

16 episodes, 1 hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Lee Geun-young is a promising young journalist working at a local magazine when an assignment to attend a posh party ends up with her puking on pop star Hoo Joon's shoes and Geun-young throwing her own dress shoe at the pop star's head! Then the pop star cancels a big shoot with Geun-young's magazine and specifically requests Geun-young's dismissal. Her boss finds out how Geun-young was involved in the pop star canceling the shoot, so she is fired. Enraged, Geun-young decides to try and expose Hoo Joon for the “duplicitous” person he really is, but when his devoted fans catch wind of her, they beat her up in front of his studio. Hoo Joon witnesses the beating and intervenes, taking the opportunity to spin the situation to his favor, telling his fans he will “embrace” everyone, even those who might hate him. What happens when Hoo Joon's agency agrees to a reality TV show starring Hoo Joon and his biggest anti-fan, Geun-young? Will Geun-young be able to gather enough material to justify her hatred and bring the star down? And what happens when Hoo Joon's former love interest & former friend/secret anti-fan get involved?

*This show had a really promising premise, but it failed to deliver in a number of ways. Hoo Joon's inevitable transformation once he falls in love just isn't believable. He is surly and rude in the beginning, as is the typical kdrama formula, but he doesn't quite manage to come across as likable with all his sulking. There aren't enough signs leading up to his transformation, either. Then there is the secondary story line with his former friends – it is very dark and heavy, dragging the whole drama down. The guy & girl have a seriously toxic relationship; they are supposed to be dating, but the guy actively thwarts the girl's chances at fame (he started his own talent agency & wanted Hoo Joon to join them), completely controls her life, and he even slaps her across the face! *spoiler alert* His diving in front of a truck to save her from her suicide attempt did nothing to endear him to me; he shouldn't have pushed her to that breaking point in the first place, and she should have left long ago. This kdrama also felt more worldly/American than normal, with several couples shacking up & a gay couple kissing in the beginning. I won't watch this again, and I wouldn't recommend it.*

JDrama to Maybe Watch: 99 Days With the Superstar (2011)

 

99 Days With the Superstar (2011)

Grade: C+

10 episodes, 50 minutes each

Viewing Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Namiki Kohei works as a security guard, but his lifelong aspiration is to discover and name a new star. (He was working in an observatory, but when he defended a coworker from a supervisor's attempt to take credit for the coworker's discovery, he was fired.) Han Yoo-na, a top Korean actress, comes to Japan for a project in a drama there, and that's when Kohei is assigned to protect her. Yoo-na keeps running off, a free-spirit that just wants to mingle and taste all kinds of Japanese cuisine. Kohei is always able to find her, though, and he soon realizes she isn't just running off for fun – Yoo-na is looking for someone! What happens when Kohei stumbles across the person Yoo-na is seeking? Will he be able to keep his job? And how will Yoo-na handle her developing romantic feelings?

*I haven't watched many Japanese dramas; this has a manga-type feel to it, with the support characters' stories, head-smacking/physical comedy, and vocalizations. It didn't have the same buildup of emotion of a K-drama, but it did have a fun comic-relief that didn't know he was the comic relief (he takes himself very seriously). It wasn't terrible, but I didn't love it, either.

KDrama to Watch: Clean With Passion For Now (2018)

 

Clean With Passion For Now (2018)

Grade: B

16 Episodes, 1 hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Jang Seon-kyul is a successful business owner of a moderate size cleaning company – an endeavor he started to avoid entering his overbearing grandfather's large business conglomerate. It's where Seon-kyul's mysophobia (fear of germs) can be indulged, as no one thinks it strange for a cleaning business CEO to be so fastidious. Then comes along the somewhat aimless, indeterminate job applicant, Gil Oh-sol. Oh-sol was once a promising high school athlete, but when her mother passed away unexpectedly, Oh-sol gave up on her athletic dreams in order to constantly study, apply for office type jobs, and work part-time jobs to help their family make ends meet. Personal hygiene and grooming went out the door along with her athletic dreams. What happens when Seon-kyul finds out the repulsive Oh-sol was hired into his cleaning company? Will Oh-sol be able to keep her job a secret from her father, who wants something more for his children than a life of menial labor? And what will Seon-kyul's grandfather have to say about the budding romance, in light of what happened to Oh-sol's family?

*The first half of the show is EXACTLY what I have been looking for in a drama! TONS of comedy, cringe-worthy secondhand embarrassment, and great pacing. Unfortunately, it really drags towards the end (I do NOT like when writers insert long periods of time where the characters are apart), and I did not find the male lead attractive at all. That being said, Yoon Kyun-sang has some great facial expressions and enjoyable comedic timing instincts. The music is cute, and the secondary characters are fun, with interesting side stories. I even appreciated how the second male lead wasn't as pitiful as is typical for kdramas. I might watch it again; definitely worth a first watch.*

KDrama to Miss: Memorist (2020)

 

Memorist (2020)

Grade: C+

16 Episodes, 1 hr each

Viewing Platform: Viki

With no memories of his childhood, aside from one grisly scene of his dying mother, blood on her face, Dong Baek is determined to make the bad guys pay for their misdeeds, using his unique psychic abilities. With a simple touch, the psychic detective can read memories and find evidence to put away murderers and rapists. However, this job takes a huge emotional toll, as Dong Baek is flooded with the feelings of the victims every time, and the public starts to complain about his “mistreatment” of criminals (he often physically expresses his anger). He soon crosses paths with one of the youngest police superintendents, the serious, highly intelligent, and focused Han Sun-mi. Sun-mi is determined to prove her father's innocence, as he was brutally murdered in front of her when she was a child. What happens when Sun-mi's investigating uncovers a series of murders, each one more difficult to prove than the last? Will Dong Baek recover his memories and true identity, or will the serial killer continue to make fools of them all, as the murderer moves from “justice” killings to murdering innocent bystanders?

*This is NOT my taste in Kdramas. It's a super-creepy cop-drama murder-mystery, with tons of violence, psychological trauma, and all of 3 minutes of romance. It keeps you guessing (just don't turn on the comments section, because several people SPOILED it) and has a really good pace that kept me watching, despite my repulsion (and confusion – it's really twisty). It ends pretty well, too, but I definitely wouldn't watch it again.*