TDrama to Miss: Fall in Love with Me (2014)

Taiwanese Drama Fall In Love With Me (2014)

Grade: C

20 Episodes

Lu Tian Xing is an advertising genius, CEO of a company run with his best friend and owned by his adopted aunt. However, with all the pressures of running a successful business, Tian Xing feels like he's lost his creative edge. While he's disguised and sneaking away from his best friend, COO Lance, he runs into the small-time advertising company OZ, which is actually the same company that inspired Tian Xing to go into advertising in the first place. Tian Xing decides to continue helping OZ during his vacation from his own company once he discovers that it has been struggling ever since the founder, Tao Le Yuan, had died. Tian Xing creates an alter ego named Xiao Lu, and OZ's current boss, Le Yuan's little sister Tao Le Si, starts to develop feelings for Xiao Lu. What will she do when she finds out it's really the arrogant Lu Tian Xing? What will Tian Xing's best friend, best friend's sister, and their mother have to say?

*This drama lasted about ten episodes too long, and all the “cute” moments felt far too forced. Taiwan dramas have a lot less money than Korean dramas, and it was evident in everything from the camera angles to the script. This definitely had potential to be a cute drama, but everything took too long to happen, it was so slow, and the main conflict is basically resolved about halfway through. Everything after that feels forced and the psychological warfare these characters inflict on each other is horrible to watch. The length of the drama does allow the antagonists the chance to change and redeem themselves, but it was just so uncomfortable to watch them get to that point. I won't watch this again, no matter how cute Aaron Yan is. Definitely skip this drama, unless you like long, drawn-out, poorly written stories. It does have a decent ending, though (again, if they had only ended the show after 10 episodes instead of 20).*

KDrama to Watch: Falling in Love With Soon Jung/Falling for Innocence (2015)

Falling in Love With Soon Jung/Falling for Innocence (2015)

Grade: A-

16 Episodes

Kang Min-ho is a ruthless businessman bent on revenge against those who took everything from him when he was young. Min-ho's uncle is the primary perpetrator who slandered Min-ho's father's name, and it seems like he will succeed in bringing down the company, but Min-ho only has until his defective heart gives out. Meanwhile the energetic, youthful detective Ma Dong-wook is investigating a crime that his friend of 24 years, Lee Joon-hee, may be involved with; it is the same company that Min-ho's uncle owns. What happens when Min-ho receives an unexpected heart transplant? Will he continue in his efforts to bring down his uncle's company, or will the sudden personality changes after the surgery alter his life's work - and his love life?

*I LOVED Jung Kyung-ho in this drama!!! I always love a good beast-turned-human story, but Kyung-ho was absolutely charming in a slightly offbeat, yet perfectly human manner, bringing humor in to lighten a tense episode with ease. The lighting in many of the scenes had a warm, golden glow that I love, and the soundtrack was perfectly suited to those hopeful moments of love, change, and acceptance. I also liked Min-ho's male secretary/assistant's character – he was funny and paired very well with Min-ho, making their friendship feel real. Dong-wook's character was very enjoyable, as was his partner Na Ok-hyun. (I liked that he had a female partner and that she was the one to help solve the murder out of loyalty to him.) Dong-wook's father was another favorite character – his character was very warm and loving, with plenty of fatherly direction for the other characters. The only character I found lacking, oddly enough, was Soon-jung. She felt somewhat static next to Min-ho, and the more dynamic secondary characters outshone her rather easily. Other than that, I would watch this again.*

KDrama to Miss: I'm Sorry, I Love You (2004)

I'm Sorry, I Love You (2004)

Grade: C-

16 Episodes

Cha Moo-hyuk is living in Australia when he takes two bullets to the head for the girl he loves, even as she is about to marry another man. The doctors are able to remove only one bullet, and Moo-hyuk has a limited time left to live. The girl he took a bullet for gives him money and sends him back to Korea, to keep him safe from her jealous new husband. Before he leaves, he meets Song Eun-chae, assistant to famous singer Choi Yoon, and saves her from thugs. They part ways, and Moo-hyuk then decides to try to find his birth mother in Korea, thinking she must have abandoned him because she was too poor to keep him. He discovers his mother is the rich and famous actress Oh Deul-hee, and she has another son who is none other than Choi Yoon, Eun-chae's longtime crush. Moo-hyuk is set on vengeance, but this means crossing paths with Eun-chae and going after her love. Will Moo-hyuk be able to finish his revenge before he dies? What will Eun-chae do to save Yoon?

*I knew this was a sad drama going into it, but it did have a few funny, lighthearted moments. It is an older drama, so it has some cheesy cinematography that is typical for the time period. It is extremely slow-moving and has a weird start. Again, this is in the early days of kdramas, so a lot of these earlier ones are still finding their footing. If you want a good cry, watch this. Otherwise, take a pass and watch something without a doomed male lead. I won't watch it again.*

KDrama to Watch: Oh My Ghostess (2015)

Oh My Ghostess (2015)

Grade: B

16 Episodes

Na Bong-sun is an aspiring cook working for the famous and egotistical chef Kang Sun-woo, but she is about to be fired because of her timid nature and numerous errors. A ghost with a grudge happens upon Bong-sun and gets stuck while possessing the shy and quiet assistant cook. The ghost, Shin Soon-ae, then realizes she has the opportunity to resolve her virgin status through Bong-sun with Kang Sun-woo because he is a “man of vitality” that can withstand a ghost's cold touch. Will Soon-ae be able to resolve her grudge before the third anniversary of her death, or will she become an evil spirit, doomed to roam and never ascend to heaven? Or is there some other reason revolving around her death that keeps her in the mortal world?

*This is a slow and relatively somber series, and while it does have some humorous moments and supernatural elements, it is mostly what I would consider a “reality” based show. The documentary-style cinematography is distracting (slightly shaky camera and certain angles that go with the style). The mystery behind Soon-ae's death is interesting, a bit of a thrill to help keep the drama rolling since the relationship between Sun-woo and Bong-sun is resolved a few episodes from the end, but the characters are not my favorite. Sun-woo is cocky in a way that falls short of charming, and Bong-sun's apologetic nature is annoying at times. Still, if you have the patience, it's not a bad drama. I might watch it again.*

KDrama to Watch: Greatest Love (2011)

Greatest Love (2011)

Grade: A+

16 Episodes

Superstar Dok Ko Jin crosses paths with disgraced former pop star Gu Ae-jung, causing him great embarrassment as he tries to cover for the both of them. While he attempts to work out the misunderstandings, he learns more about the hardworking actress, and suddenly his heart starts to race whenever he thinks of her. The mighty Dok Ko Jin has never experienced feelings like this for anyone before – will he chase her out of his life, let his feelings run their course and get over her, or does Gu Ae-jung have something else in mind altogether?

*Cha Seung-won NAILS IT in this kdrama! A cross between Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp, he makes the entire show, and I am able to overlook Gong Hyo-jin's distractingly bizarre wardrobe choices. This is definitely one of those stay-up-half-the-night-to-watch kdramas. Great pacing, great comedy, believable romance, and a sweet ending that isn't so tidy as to be annoying. Gu Ae-jung's character is a little annoying, since she refuses to let herself be swept up by Dok Ko Jin in that stubborn “I'm self-sacrificing” kind of way, but I still would definitely watch this again!*

UPDATE: Nine years since my first viewing, and I still LOVE IT!

InFilm to Miss: Chup Chup Ke (2006)

Chup Chup Ke (2006) 

Jeetu is in serious debt, with collectors clamoring for their cash. He ends up jumping into the ocean, as his life insurance policy would be enough to pay back all his debt, despite leaving behind his parents and a loving fiancee. What happens when a hapless fisherman finds Jeetu's body and thinks the list in his pocket are all the people who owe Jeetu money? Will the fisherman's boss agree to take the shameless trickster in?

*This story line had great potential, but some of the physical comedy didn't quite hit home with me (I don't typically like slapstick anyway), and Jeetu's character as the lovable rogue was off the mark. He comes off as a true miscreant, and his one redeeming act isn't even shown on screen. It also felt too heavy and dramatic overall, and the ending was rather abrupt. I won't watch this again.*

TDrama to Miss: My Queen (2009)

Taiwanese Drama 

My Queen (2009)

Grade: C

34 Episodes

Thirty-two year old single lady Shan Wu Shuang is a driven reporter for a local magazine, focused on forgetting her failed relationship six years in her past. Troubled 25-year-old Lucas enters the scene and is hired on as her assistant, unable to move on from his past love as well. What happens when the two start to develop feelings for each other? Will they be able to overcome the obstacles that relate to their eight year age difference or simply go their separate ways?

*This was an interesting break from the Kdramas. While it followed a typical romantic-comedy formula, the pacing was different because it has twice as many episodes as the average Kdrama. There were a lot of funny, goofy moments in the first few episodes, but by the end it became very serious and dramatic, and it wasn't as clean as most Kdramas. The guy who plays Lucas is very handsome and charming, and while Wu Shuang's character also has her charms, the end message of being happy whether or not you're married didn't quite hit the mark for me. Of course we should be happy regardless of where we are in life, but it bothered me when Wu Shuang decides to delay marriage simply because it doesn't matter to her anymore. Marriage is more important than that. So overall, not a bad show, but I probably won't watch it again. Plus they talked too fast!*