KDrama to Watch: Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)

 

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)

Grade: B

16 Episodes, 1 hr each

Viewing Platform: Netflix

Woo Young-woo is an extremely gifted autistic person who loves whales and the law (and probably in that order). After graduating at the top of her class from a prestigious law school, she has trouble landing a job because of her so-called “disability.” Then, seemingly out of the blue, she is invited to join one of the top law firms in South Korea, Hanbada. Will she be able to adapt to life in the “real world”? Or will her stubborn side and unusual tendencies get in the way of her leading a fully independent adult life? And what are the motivations behind Hanbada's CEO hiring the inexperienced, socially-awkward young lady?

*Well-written individual episodes, with great cinematography and a “soft” ending – meaning the conflicts are resolved without going too dramatic or dark. The cases the attorneys solve are interesting, with moral and ethical quandaries thrown in, so the show ends up being more thought-provoking than simply entertaining (but it is also that). The romance is definitely lacking though; the writers tried to focus on Young-woo as a whole person, not just her love life. There is also an episode that includes a lesbian relationship – which, as I've said before, feels like American standards being shoehorned into Korean culture – but it's a couple minutes that can easily be skipped over. It's a nice show for a once-through watch, but not an instant favorite.*

Kdrama to Maybe Watch: The Man's Voice (2021)

 

The Man's Voice (2021)

Grade: B-

8 Episodes, 30 minutes each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Part-time convenience store worker Go Mi Rim has a bit of a crush on one of the regulars to the store – airline pilot Baek Tae Hwa. Part of his attractiveness is how attentive he is to his pet cat, Natsume. One day, Tae Hwa ends up asking Mi Rim to watch his cat for a few days – of course she agrees, because this could be the way to make her daydreams of getting to know the handsome pilot come true! But what happens when lightning strikes and grants Mi Rim the ability to hear Natsume's thoughts? Will the middle-aged cat help Mi Rim win his “butler's” heart, or will the jealous cat sabotage her efforts?

*Promising premise, with a touch of the fantastic injected into the banal. It is a short series based off a web toon, so there isn't too much substance, and it does fall a bit flat by the last episode (too much time spent on a breakup that wasn't really a breakup since they hadn't quite started dating), but it is at least a little entertaining. Lower quality production, with obvious sound editing issues. The voice actor for the cat was the best part! They picked someone who sounded like a grumpy old man, which worked well for the overall concept. I probably won't watch it again, but it's fun for at least one viewing.*

Kdrama to Miss: Dodosolsollalasol (2020)

Dodosolsollalasol (2020)

Grade: D+

16 episodes, 60 minutes each

Viewing platform: Netflix

Gu Ra-ra wasn't originally a musically gifted student, but with her father's encouragement and money (for hiring the best instructor in the country), she becomes a concert-level pianist. Tragedy strikes when her father suddenly has a heart-attack and dies on her wedding day, plunging his business into chaos and scaring off her fiance. What happens when Ra-ra travels to the sleepy seaside town Eunpo and breaks her arms swerving to miss a young man on a bicycle? Will the now penniless, naive young woman be able to provide for herself, or will she keep having to rely on the kindness of Sunwoo Jun, the guy she hit? And what happens when Jun's identity is revealed?

*Slow, sweet, sad - and STUPID! Good cinematography, decent music, a small mystery to solve, but absolutely ridiculous use of the “selfless breakup” trope (where 1 part of the couple pretends to be a jerk to "save" the other person from having to suffer with them) AND the “time skip” trope (where a drama skips ahead 1-5 years in its timeline). There is no couple in the WORLD who can survive that much time apart; you're almost an entirely new person by that point! And I hate the idea of nobly suffering alone – that's what loved ones are FOR: to lean on and grow closer! I definitely won't watch this again. I guess it's nice Ra-ra finds a community & friends to help her out in life, but it's not anywhere NEAR enough to redeem this drama. Unforgivable use of these two tropes!*

JDrama to Watch: An Incurable Case of Love (2020)

 Jdrama: An Incurable Case of Love (2020)

Grade: B

10 Episodes, 1 Hour each

Viewing Platform: Viki

Nanase Sakura is about to graduate high school and she doesn't know what to do next, but one morning an old woman collapses in front of her. Nanase shouts for help – and the handsome doctor Kairi Tendo, who just happens to be out for a morning jog, hears her. Nanase then decides she must pursue nursing, to be worthy of the handsome doctor, and five years later, Nanase starts working at Kairi's hospital. What happens when Kairi turns out to be a bad-tempered “devil” instead of the knight in shining armor that Nanase had always imagined?

*This Jdrama is based on the Japanese manga, so there are some extra cheesy/unrealistic moments throughout. There are also plenty of “cringe” scenes (secondhand embarrassment for the childish Nanase), but she does seem to show some character development, which makes this show a bit better. I don't love the age gap between the main leads (Nanase is 23 and Kairi is 31), and the cold-hearted male lead trope almost goes too far in these instances – as in it almost feels a bit toxic/unhealthy. Takeru Satoh does an amazing job in the steamy romance moments though – I'd watch this again just for his scenes! Fun music, too. I might watch again.*

KFilm to Watch: How to Steal a Dog (2014)

 How to Steal a Dog (2014)

Viewing Platform: Amazon Prime

Ji-so is a young homeless girl, living in a pizza van with her mom and little brother. When their family fell on hard times, the father left with the promise to soon return, but not before the rest of the family was kicked out of their home. Tired of being homeless and wanting nothing more than to have a grand, fun birthday with all her friends at a nice big house, Ji-so concocts a scheme with her friend & brother to kidnap a rich person's dog! Her plan is to return the dog for a reward, then use that reward money to buy a new home for them. Wolly initially outsmarts the kids' dog-napping attempt, and then the nephew of Wolly's owner tries to make the dog permanently disappear in order to secure his inheritance! Will Ji-so's father ever return, or will she spend the rest of her childhood living on the streets?

*Pretty sure this was a family/children's movie, what with the “hijinks,” colors, and camera angles. It had a good balance of happy and sad moments, but it didn't have the “happily ever after” ending one would typically expect from a children's film. It had more of a Pixar movie ending, where the characters still end up happy, but not everything is fixed. Not an instant favorite, but it was okay for at least a one-time viewing. *

KDrama to Miss: Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)

 

Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)

Grade: C-

16 episodes, 60 minutes each

Viewing platform: Netflix

Kang Dan-i is a divorced mom who is down on her luck. After her husband cheated on her and lost their house to pay off debt, she wants nothing more than to return to her career in marketing. However, no employers will look past her gap in employment – the years she spent raising her daughter and caring for their home – and give her a chance. Her childhood friend, Cha Eun-ho is now a famous author and college professor who also works at a publishing company. What will happen once he discovers Dan-i has been squatting in his house, pretending to be the housekeeper she recommended to him, all because her ex-husband skipped town and refuses to pay child support or alimony? Will Dan-i be able to return to the workforce through her friend's company? And what happens when she discovers the secret Eun-ho has been keeping from the world all these years?

*Such a slow, melancholy, sentimental kdrama! Not enough humor, several F-bombs, more western/American influence, and no wedding at the end. There weren't enough heated moments between the two leads to sustain my interest. Plus there was an overall negative attitude towards mothers who want to stay home to raise their children; this show had the potential to be an insightful commentary on that issue, but her desire to be a good mom and wife at home was barely addressed. I even ended up watching this on a higher than normal speed, just to get it over with faster! Not the worst drama, but definitely one you can skip.*

KDrama to Maybe Watch: Revolutionary Love (2017)

 Revolutionary Love (2017)

Grade: B-

16 Episodes, 60 minutes each

Viewing Platform: Netflix

Byun Hyuk, the playboy second son of the Gangsu group conglomerate, is just drifting through life, in and out of minor legal trouble and romantic relationships. His closest friend, Kwon Jae-hun, secretly hates Hyuk, for constantly having to clean up after the spoiled, clueless rich kid. Baek Jun accidentally crosses paths with Hyuk during one of her many part-time jobs and ends up assisting him, thinking he's just some cute guy down on his luck. If she knew Hyuk was Gangsu group's heir, she would have never helped him. What happens when Hyuk is kicked out for yet another scandal and starts to understand how most people live in the world? Will he appreciate the struggle and grind, or will he side with his father and older brother, in a cutthroat corporate world? How will Jae-hun deal with the growing attraction between his longtime friend Jun and his employer's son? And what will Jun do once she realizes Hyuk's connection with Gangsu group?

*This drama started off strong – cute sound effects, 4^th wall breaks, and even some “meta” type awareness with characters talking out loud to themselves and then the characters around them actually looking at them oddly, reacting to the crazy self-talk. The MA rating is because of 2 F-bombs, out of 16 hours of material, and there is some violence, but I wouldn't consider it more than a PG-13 rating. The main serious theme song was slightly distracting, as it contains the first 6 notes of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (I'm guessing that song isn't well-known in Korea). Choi Si-won's character is reminiscent of a giant, clumsy puppy – not very smart, but enthusiastic and energetic – and he is SO fun to watch. But then the romance cools off, and Jun's character smacks of modern-day feminism because *spoiler alert* she “chooses herself” in the end, which also doesn't show any growth on her part since that's what she did all along. Then there isn't a clear “winner” between the two male leads until the last 5 minutes of the series, and it just feels unsatisfying. So while I probably won't watch this again, the first half is definitely fun.*