InFilm to Watch: Bodyguard (2011)

Bodyguard (2011)

Bodyguard Lovely Singh comes to work for the wealthy politician and businessman Sartaj; he had saved Lovely's mother before he was born. Sartaj's daughter, Divya, is annoyed at her father's order for the bodyguard to accompany her everywhere, including college, so she comes up with a plan to mess with the good-natured Lovely. Divya calls Lovely's cell phone using a blocked number, and he doesn't recognize her voice on the phone, so she pretends to be a secret admirer. Divya's friend Maya tries to warn her – this kind of game will only lead to pain – and soon the humor in tricking the loyal bodyguard fades as Divya's love for Lovely grows. Will Divya's father approve of her feelings? What happens when those seeking vengeance against Sartaj put Divya and Lovely in danger? Will Lovely ever find out Divya's true feelings?

*This film is great for anyone who enjoys absolutely terrible CGI, hilarious fan service moments like pressurized water aimed at just the right angle to tear off a ripped man's shirt, and gratuitous violence complete with ketchup-like fake blood. The dance numbers felt more like music videos randomly inserted into the film, but they were still enjoyable. There was a twist at the end I did not see coming, and while eventually there is a good ending, I've never liked the “a few years later” plot device. Also, Divya's character seems especially immature, particularly with her idea to prank the annoying bodyguard, and it makes it hard to believe she can so deeply love him after a few silly phone calls. Lovely's character is sweet, though, and I liked the music, so I might watch this again.*

KDrama to Watch: Another Oh Hae Young (2016)

Another Oh Hae Young (2016)

Grade: B

18 Episodes, 70 minutes each

+2 Bonus “Making Of” episodes

Sound producer Park Do-kyung decides to have his revenge on his ex-fiancee and ruins her man's business, all with a simple suggestion for a large investor Do-kyung happened to know to pull out his money. In the meantime, Do-kyung starts to have visions of a girl he's never met. A few weeks later he runs into the girl, stunned that she actually exists, and even more surprised once he notices that the visions seem to be showing his future with her. The mystery girl's name? Oh Hae Young – the exact same name as his ex-fiancee. Do-kyung then discovers he's made a terrible mistake: he is responsible for destroying THIS Hae Young's marriage by bankrupting HER fiance, not his ex-fiancee's man, all because the two Hae Youngs went to the same high school! What happens when both Oh Hae Youngs find out what Do-kyung did? Will the Hae Young in the visions change Do-kyung's life for the better, or will he die alone, full of regret?

*This Korean drama is currently the MOST successful cable television series of all-time in Korea, but I did not love it. I actually found the love story between the secondary characters much more compelling – the one between Do-kyung's older sister and his best friend since childhood. The characters were strong, plus the actors for those two have a large on-screen presence that really takes away from the main couple. I didn't like some of the cinematography either – lots of screen jumps that were just too rapid (especially since I have to keep an eye on subtitles). There were also several times I could not distinguish between a “vision,” a flashback from the past, and a quick look back from earlier in a “day.” Usually there is a certain type of screen effect or special lighting to make it obvious, but the shots were too similar. The plot does have an interesting supernatural element, but the only explanation, that his love/regret is SO GREAT it tears through the fabric of time, didn't quite work for me. I didn't really like the actress that played the second Oh Hae Young, either. Overall, it's a pretty cute show, with some slow, sad, self-imposed misery in parts but also some great comedic moments. I might watch it again.*

Web KDrama to Watch: Noble, My Love (2015)

Noble, My Love (2015)

Grade: B+

20 Episodes, 15 minutes each

Optimistic veterinarian Cha Yoon Seo works hard in her rural practice, trying to make ends meet and pay off student loans. One stormy night she has a run-in with a mysterious, attractive stranger. She finds the handsome man drenched from the downpour and nearly unconscious, clutching his bleeding torso on the steps of her animal hospital. He pleads with her to not call the police, so she stitches him up herself. The following morning CEO Lee Kang Hoon leaves before Yoon Seo wakes, leaving a business card behind. What happens when Yoon Seo doesn't call the handsome, eligible CEO to ask for compensation? Will Kang Hoon be able to get the poor but beautiful and spunky business owner off his mind? What will Yoon Seo have to say about his interference in her life?

*This is a pretty cute show, full of all our favorite kdrama tropes: the eligible, arrogant and handsome chaebol can't get the unusual poor but pretty girl off his mind, and in the process he comes across as totally possessive and crazy, simply because he doesn't know how to express his feelings very well. There's a disapproving mother, a female frenemy, a love rival, and some sibling issues thrown in for good measure. There are a few cheesy cartoon-like elements, like when the animals are given thought bubbles, or when the main characters blush, but I like that sort of thing! I really liked the actor who played Kang Hoon's assistant – he was like the wise, unseen hand that helped make things happen. The last couple episodes were a bit slow, but it does have a good ending and plenty of funny moments throughout. I'd watch this again.*

TDrama to Watch: [Drunken to] Love You (2011)

Taiwanese Drama [Drunken to] Love You (2011)

Grade: A-

30 Episodes, about 40 minutes each

Lin Xiao Ru's plans to spend her annual vacation in Las Vegas are derailed when her pilot boyfriend of 4 years suddenly cancels on her with only the statement that someone needs him more than she does for explanation. The distraught Xiao Ru ends up drinking all night with a stranger: successful interior designer Song Jie Xiu, who had attempted to propose earlier that day to his supermodel-turned-actress girlfriend of 8 years. With a ring in his pocket and two broken hearts between them, the intoxicated pair wake the next morning to find themselves legally married! Jie Xiu's girlfriend Tang Ai Wei discovers the marriage, but in order to keep her very first movie role, she asks the two to remain married until filming is completed. Meanwhile, Xiao Ru finds out the reason her pilot left was to take responsibility for the flight attendant he impregnated. What happens when Jie Xiu steps in to help Xiao Ru save face, gives her a shoulder to cry on, then goes out of his way to “lend” her some happiness? Will Xiao Ru grab hold of the happiness she's found, or will she surrender to Ai Wei, since Jie Xiu wasn't Xiao Ru's to take in the first place? How will Jie Xiu's estranged mother feel about the arrangement? Will the orphaned Xiao Ru ever find her own mother?

*For a Taiwanese drama, this was a VERY good show, on par with most Korean dramas and an even better plot than some, despite “cheesy” elements and tropes. The intro has cute animation and music (if you can get past the lyrics about "doing it" all night...), the fairly lighthearted script has decent pacing, plus there is great chemistry between the leads. Rainie Yang is a super cute actress with clothes I would love to own, and I really liked her character, aside from the tendency to be more self-sacrificing than necessary. Joseph Chang reminded me a little bit of Keanu Reeves as far as his looks, and my favorite acting moment is when the serious Jie Xiu finally allows his mother to hug him – he tolerates it for a few moments, but then he starts rolling his eyes and shaking with annoyance the more she fawns over him, until she lets go and he walks away in a huff. Hilarious! 

I will say this is definitely an ADULT show, as it covers topics such as abortion, premarital sex, and even rape, but they handled these topics without a lingering nasty feeling to it - not more than a PG-13 rating's worth. I definitely liked it much better than the **first show, “Fated to Love You” - better pacing and no awkward “several years later” separation between the characters. I'd watch this again!*

**This is supposed to be the second installment in a three-part series, with “Fated to Love You” (2008) as the first, but I could find no clear information about a third installment. Fun fact: I recognized FOUR actors from “Fated to Love You” in this show, and now I know why!

KFilm to Watch: The Huntresses (2014)

The Huntresses (2014)

Three female bounty hunters from the Joseon era work together to earn a living. Pocket sundials, expert archery, disguises, hang gliders, weaponized yo-yos and daring acrobatics keep these huntresses in business. There is the talkative, crazy, married Hong Dan; the tough and solemn Ga Bi; and the sweet, inventive leader, Jin Ok (Ha Ji-won from “Secret Garden”!). The girls stumble across a plot to overthrow the king while out on a hunt, complete with a mysterious artifact that reveals the enemy strategy. What happens when Jin Ok freezes at the sight of the noble responsible for her father's demise? Will the huntresses be able to save their country, and themselves?

*A little on the bloody side, but otherwise an entertaining movie. Some of the music gave the film a “Charlie's Angels” vibe, despite being set in the Joseon era. There was a little humor, a little romance, but mostly action and fighting. Not bad considering I don't normally enjoy period Korean pieces. Some of the special effects were a bit cheesy, but I'd still recommend watching it.*

InFilm to Miss: Singh Is Kinng (2008)

Singh Is Kinng (2008) 

The klutzy, unlucky Happy is a menace in his local village, constantly creating chaos and new property damage every time he “helps” a neighbor. Meanwhile, the famous gangster king Lucky is in trouble with Australian authorities, and the news causes his villager father to have an asthma attack. The villagers tell Happy it was a heart attack, leading him to believe it is imperative for Lucky to come home. Will Happy be able to convince Lucky to return, or will the villagers finally be rid of their menace? What happens when Happy meets the girl of his dreams along the way? Will Happy be able to change the gangsters' hearts?

*This film has a lot of gun violence and raunchy dance numbers, complete with casino chorus line girls in next to no clothing. Usually the lengthier running times for these films lends itself to writing deeper characters, but the lead female has next to no personality. Lots of hip-hop and rap influenced music, which is not my taste and I don't think it complements Indian culture very well. I won't watch this again, and I don't recommend it.*

KDrama to Miss: Me Too, Flower! (2011)

Me Too, Flower! (2011)

Grade: C+

15 Episodes

Police officer Cha Bong-sun completes her tasks as she should but ultimately is restless and unhappy. She even finds out she has depression, after attending a work-mandated psychological screening. One day, the youthful, exuberant Seo Jae-hee nearly runs over Bong-sun on his scooter. They run into each other again later, where she observes the young man working as a car valet at a high-end department store – a low-paying job with few prospects. Jae-hee teases Officer Cha, but then he overhears her leave a message on the therapist's voice mail. She feels worthless and unlovable. Will Jae-hee's heart be moved for this sad, lonely officer? What happens when Jae-hee's female business partner finds out he might have feelings for the female officer? And what will Bong-sun's non-blood related, gold-digging step-sister have to say about the entrepreneur in disguise?

*This drama really had a promising beginning, with plenty of tension between the main love interests for the first few episodes, but it soon fizzled out. There was a lot of American music, which felt out of place, and then the rest of the soundtrack was slow and sad – fitting for the feel of the drama, but not my favorite. The characters just weren't all that likable, most of their struggles were annoyingly self-inflicted (I think Bong-sun and Jae-hee break up three separate times over the course of the show, for arbitrary reasons they come up with), and the ending was too tidy. It felt like the writers ran out of material for plot so they wrote how every character ended up simply for filler. Definitely not the worst Kdrama I've watched but kind of boring. Also, kind of a weird title that had nothing to do with anything. I wouldn't watch it again.*