KDrama to Watch: Fated to Love You (2014)

Fated to Love You (2014)

Grade: B+

20 Episodes

Meek office worker Kim Mi-young wins a free trip to Macau and at her friend's suggestion, she invites a lawyer from their office to go with her. It's her first overnight trip with a man. CEO Lee Gun is also heading to Macau, where he plans to propose to his girlfriend of six years. However, the CEO had recently decided to shut down the factory on a small island, so the president of the factory and another worker (who happens to be Mi-young's brother-in-law) plot to destroy Lee Gun's reputation. They manage to drug the young CEO and attempt to send a prostitute to his room, but not before losing one dose of the drug beforehand. Mi-young unknowingly drinks some drugged water and stumbles up to her hotel room, ready for a night with her boyfriend, but she ends up in the wrong room. Lee Gun and Mi-young have a wild night together, unaware they have the wrong partner! Will Lee Gun take responsibility for getting Mi-young pregnant? What will happen to his position in the company? What will Lee Gun's girlfriend have to say about it all?

*This drama starts off more risque than normal (premarital sex between two virtual strangers, although they don't show anything), but if you can get past that premise, nothing else promiscuous happens in the show. Lee Gun's character is a bit odd, and his weird loud laughter reminded me a lot of Dokko Jin from “Greatest Love.” but Lee Gun wasn't as appealing. I didn't like the pacing in the second half of the show, as it skips ahead three years, then three more years at the very end. Skipping years ahead seems like a cheat of some sort, giving license to change a character's personality without having to explain it other than “time passed.” The ending was tied up too neatly (I know, I'm picky – I like just the right amount of closure), and there was some pretty sad stuff in the middle that was hard to watch. Lee Gun is also already a pretty nice guy, so there wasn't as big of a transformation when he falls for the girl, making it less satisfying. Still a pretty cute drama, so I might watch it again sometime.*

KDrama to Watch: Good Doctor (2013)

Good Doctor (2013)

Grade: B+

20 Episodes

Autistic Park Shi-on has only one desire in life: to become a pediatric surgeon. Abandoned by his mother, beaten by his father, and having lost his only brother in an accident, he is raised by a local town doctor. The autistic boy becomes a medical prodigy, memorizing human anatomy, physiology and everything in-between, with the rare ability to visualize body parts and systems with pinpoint accuracy. The local town doctor later becomes director of the country's foremost hospital and makes an appeal to its pediatric department to allow Park Shi-on to become a resident and earn recognition as a certified doctor. Will Shi-on finally completely overcome his autism and learn to interact normally with the world around him, or will he have to give up his dream forever?

*This was not like the typical dramas I watch, as it did not follow the rich guy/poor girl love story , but it was pretty good overall. It was sweet watching Park Shi-on's character grow and mature throughout the drama, from an insecure, immature boy to a fully aware, self-sacrificing adult. I was wondering how the show would handle romance for the autistic character, but it turned out well. The music for the show was unimpressive, rather run-of-the-mill, but the medical emergencies kept things interesting. I might watch this again.*

InFilm to Miss: Hasee Toh Phasee (2006)

Hasee Toh Phasee (2006)

 

After seven years of being together in an on-again, off-again relationship with girlfriend-turned-actress Karishma, Nikhil finally proposes and a date is set. Unfortunately, Karishma's runaway sister Meeta enters the scene, and Nikhil is forced to deal with the family disgrace amid all the wedding preparations and attempts to procure a final investment for a business deal. Meeta just wants to see her father again, but Karishma refuses to let her sister see the family, as it could give their father another heart attack. It is revealed that Meeta had stolen from her father once before, and she needs even more money to get out of trouble once again. Will Nikhil and Karishma finally tie the knot before Meeta's whereabouts are discovered by the family? Or will all that time spent hiding Meeta disrupt Nikhil's single-minded devotion?

*This film was actually a lot more somber than I was expecting for a “romantic comedy.” Also, Meeta's character takes antidepressants, but it felt like the writers didn't understand how those work. They gave Meeta's character drug addict mannerisms. This could also be a reflection of their culture, not understanding that kind of mental illness. Either way it was unclear what she was even taking until the movie was almost over. The one part of the movie I really enjoyed was Meeta's return and her father's reaction. It was just like the father from the Bible story “the prodigal son.” He did not accuse her of stealing because he considered it hers anyway. Very touching. I did like the musical numbers, and the actors were attractive, but overall it fell short of charming. I probably won't watch this again.*

KFilm to Maybe Watch: Miss Granny (2014)

Miss Granny (2014)

Oh Mal-soon is living with her grown son and his family, but her daughter-in-law has heart disease and the family blames Mal-soon for stressing her into a cardiac episode. They want to put Mal-soon into an old folks' home. Sad and lonely, Mal-soon stumbles across a portrait studio and decides to go inside. The photographer tells her he will make her look 50 years younger, and he does! What will Mal-soon's family do when they think she has gone missing? Will her grandson catch on that the girl with the beautiful voice singing in his band is actually his grandmother? Will she stay young forever, or is there a way to go back? Does Mal-soon even want to go back?

*This movie is an odd mixture of playful and somber moments. Some of the musical numbers were fun, but it would keep flashing back on Mal-soon's life and the hardships she went through raising a child on her own as a young widow. The film also touched on issues related to how society views its elders, how they are often seen as a nuisance, and how the elderly must feel being mistreated that way. Kim Soo-hyun has a cameo at the end of the film, so it does end on a happy note, but I'm not sure if that was enough to make me want to watch it again.*

KDrama to Watch: Hyde, Jekyll, Me (2015)

Hyde, Jekyll, Me (2015)

Grade: A-

20 Episodes

Jang Ha-na is returning to the famed Wonderland in order to take over for her father as the circus manager after his death. On her way back to the theme park, she inadvertently saves the CEO and a crowd of guests from an escaped gorilla that remembered Ha-na from its younger years. At the sight of Ha-na, however, CEO Gu Seo-jin starts to hyperventilate, his pulse skyrocketing into a dangerous zone. Despite Ha-na's heroic actions, Seo-jin opts to end Wonderland's contract with the circus, so she follows him to his doctor appointment. There the two run into a mysterious figure, but the CEO leaves Ha-na behind, pushing her out of the elevator to face the attacker alone, determined to keep his heart rate down. Hanging over the edge of the high-rise's balcony, Ha-na is about to be strangled to death by the unknown figure when someone tackles the attacker from behind. Ha-na is falling backwards, heading for the pavement, when Seo-jin leaps off the building after her, changing their trajectory to land safely in the water feature next to the building. Was it really the fearful, cold and calculating Seo-jin that saved Ha-na? Who attacked Seo-jin's doctor, and why? What happens when more and more people find out about Seo-jin's condition?

*I was so excited when I realized Hyun Bin was the main actor for this drama! He played the straight-laced Seo-jin very well, even though he wasn't my favorite character. The music for this drama is absolutely EPIC, and it totally set the tone for this show. It is interesting that the “bad guy” ends up with a form of redemption, as the writers make it pretty easy to forgive him, and the fact that no one dies as a result of the “bad" guy's actions helps. My only real complaint is about the sadness during the last few episodes – even though it is a fantasy-type situation that the characters deal with, it has strong ties to watching a loved one go through Alzheimer's or even cancer. Most of the other characters are pretty cute, and this has a decent pace overall, so I'd watch it again.*

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.*