Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (2017)

Photo source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2017/02/28/strong-woman-do-bong-soon-makes-powerful-debut.html

I was searching for a new drama for a while...I actually started watching Strong Woman Do Bong Soon pretty soon after its release but only made it through the first 4 episodes before giving up. I can't really remember what made me stop...but I suppose I just didn't get into those first 4 eps. What drew me to watching this drama in the first place was the cast. I've been a big fan of Park Bo-Young and Ji Soo for years. Park Hyung-Sik is aight. I know he's in my beloved Hwarang but I didn't really care about him...probably my least fav in that pack of delicious men. Anyway, I found myself in a drama drought for months. Every new drama I began I hated so I swapped over to anime for a while. I tend to go on long google sprees researching prospective shows, or looking up related/recommended shows similar to past ones I've liked. Over those months I kept seeing Strong Woman Do Bong Soon in most of the lists so I thought...hell let's go back and try again. I'm glad I did.

Do Bong-Soon (Park) was born with superhuman strength, a trait passed on to the women of the family. While she aspires to become a video game creator, Bong-Soon finds herself getting into and out of trouble with her uncontrollable strength. One day, An Min-Hyuk (Park), the CEO of video gaming company Ainsoft, witnesses her beat up a group of thugs and falls in love. He has been receiving anonymous threats and hires Bong-Soon as his bodyguard. Bong-Soon only agrees with the prospect of her work one day getting her into Ainsoft. Meanwhile, in Bong-Soon's neighbourhood, a streak of kidnappings has taken place and the citizens try work together to solve the crime. Nobody works harder than police officer In Kook-Doo (Ji Soo), Bong-Soon's childhood friend and long time crush. Sadly, he's already taken.

I would recommend this show to anyone who wants to laugh their ass off. There are so many ridiculous and hilarious scenes in this drama that had me cracking up late into the night. Other than that, there's suspense and mystery surrounding the kidnapping cases and a nice big dose of romance between the main triangle. If you are looking for something lighthearted and not too OTT with drama than look no further!

SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!!

The cast is full of lovable characters. The only characters I didn't like were the kidnapper (OBVIOUSLY), his accomplice, and Kim Gwang-Bok. There is a good mix of mystery to comedy/romance within each episode. I instantly fell for Kook-Doo because he is SO pure. Like, just some brooding police officer who works all the time and neglects his girlfriend (oh yeah baby hit me with some of dat) ((but not really)). I don't know, something about hot guys with a pissed off face is irresistible to me...as long as they aren't assholes. Gook-Doo is a good guy but you only really get to appreciate him in the second half of the series. Bong-Soon is adorable and I can't fault her. She's a strong (literally) independent woman who doesn't take crap from anybody! I love it. And the way she torments Dol-Byung gets me in stitches. Actually any scene with Dol-Byung gets me in stitches. 

So let's take this in themes. The romance aspect of the drama is really good and concentrated on quite a bit. The chemistry between the cast helps to convince us of the romance between the characters. I do agree that Bong-Soon and Min-Hyuk suit each other best and they make such a cute couple. I also like how there was none of that open eyed kissing, just proper kissing and a decent amount of it. Although Min-Hyuk does go in like he's going to kiss her and then kisses her forehead instead...like oh yeah boy HAW HAW you got me just kiss my forehead like you're my bloody grandmother! Ah well there's more passion in there than most dramas so I should be grateful for that. My thoughts on Min-Hyuk though...eh...he's aight. I don't know why I can't get into this guy! I think his character seemed too feminine for me to find him appealing but Bong-Soon is literally a bundle of petite cute small animal femininity so he could never out do her. Thus the pair works. 

The mystery side was really interesting. You see the villain stalking his potential victims and then you actually see him kidnap, beat up and imprison them too which is a complete 180 from the rest of the drama. I liked it. Jang Mi-Kwang did really well in his role as the psychotic kidnapper. I really disliked this guy but in a blooper reel the actor asks people not to hate him in real life so, I'll support this guy in the future haha (I'm simple). I just wish we knew why he kidnapped the women in the first place. I get it's to replicate that 7 bride's play he was obsessed with but...why does he only go for young and skinny women? Was he planning to marry all 7? What was he going to do afterwards? WHAT WAS THE END GAME!?

The comedy side of things is the majority of the show. I won't go into it but I want to give special mention to Bong-Soon's loyal subordinates. I loved seeing the high-school gang that declared Bong-Soon their boss. They were hilarious and precious. I wish I was the boss of a high-school gang (if they were like these kids). 

Okay now the things that ground my gears! There wasn't much but I didn't really understand why there was so much screen time given to Baek Tak's gang. Although I liked the characters, and there are numerous hilarious scenes involving them, they didn't really have anything to do with the main plots. I felt they were written in...to appeal to people who didn't want to just see the romance and mystery side of the drama? Maybe to cater to a wider audience? When they introduced the story line where Baek Tak leaves his life of crime to live at the temple I was like how does this relate? It doesn't add anything valuable to the main story line. 

I also thought the romance story between Bong-Soon's brother and Kook-Doo's girlfriend was going to be way more scandalous than it was. In the first few episodes I was like, "Hee-Ji that snaaaaaaake getting your claws into innocent Bong-Ki!" But then she just upfront breaks up with Kook-Doo and he's alright with it. And Bong-Ki starts dating Hee-Ji legit. But then we hardly see them in the drama anyway...they just kinda get pushed aside (for Baek Tak scenes I guess.) Also Kook-Doo "realises" half-way through the drama he's in love with Bong-Soon and has been all this time, but then in the final episode he says he liked her since school and tried to show his feelings through certain comments so BOO for that continuity error by the writers. Kook-Doo had seemingly no romantic feelings for Bong-Soon at the start of the drama and then he just changed all of a sudden. I was pretty torn up though when he goes to confess and she shuts him down before he gets the chance. Then he walks away into the night clutching the little necklace he was talked into buying. Ugh so sad. He doesn't have time to date anyway, boy's gotta catch a kidnapper. So yeah I wasn't really convinced about that story line either, it felt like an addition for drama. 

Overall I really liked this drama. The things I complained about are minor and I would recommend it to anyone who likes romantic comedies. I guess that's all that needs to be said. 

Have you seen it?

Until next time my drama queens and kings,

Sarah

Ps. Did anyone else notice all the advertising? Probably the drama with the most advertising I've seen so far

Angry Mom (2015)

Photo source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angry_Mom

After finishing The Moon that Embraces the Sun I felt like watching a drama with a strong female lead. One who doesn't need a guy to protect her. I looked up a few lists of dramas with the strongest female protagonists and decided on Angry Mom. When I first heard about this drama a few years back I wasn't really that interested in seeing it. But now, as a Ji Soo and Kim Yoo Jung fan, plus the incredible reviews and ratings, I gave it a go.

Jo Kang Ja was known as the toughest, most feared high schooler in her city. Forward 17 years and she is still a strong willed, foul mouthed woman but with a weakness. Her teenage daughter Oh Ah Ran (Kim). Ah Ran is very distant towards her mother and is ashamed of the way she acts. When Kang Ja finds out her daughter is being physically abused at school, she goes undercover as a transfer student to find the culprit and teach them a lesson. But she finds herself stumbling on much darker issues within the school.

I would recommend this show more towards an older audience. Especially parents or above. The main character is a mother and a lot of the story revolved around parents protecting their children so I couldn't really relate to that. I did enjoy the show though and it was really interesting to see all the dark twists and turns of the story line, but this show is definitely more of a dark and political drama than the comedy they seem to advertise it as. If you want to watch something really heavy that will make you ball your eyes out, but something that showcases a look into real world problems, then you'll enjoy this show. If you're big on justice and righteous morals you will also enjoy this show.

SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!!

So going in, I assumed this show was going to be mostly a comedy with some sinister plot thrown in. NOPE so wrong. It was dark and serious with a bit of comedy thrown in. In the first episode you get exposed to themes of bullying, corruption, bribery and rape. I think that was all in the first episode...it was definitely covered in the first 2 at least. Over the course of this drama you see so much character development which really makes you connect with the show more. Even some of the bad characters you end up pitying or hoping they'll find some solace or happiness in their life. One thing I liked about this show is it wasn't full of cliches. I mean yes it was dramatic and had a lot of melodrama but actual acting and scenarios were never cliched. There were many frustrating plot points but those were to prolong the life of the drama (let's be honest) so you know...those can't be helped. 

Kang Ja is a very devoted mother and it was really cool to see her starting fights with the school kids. Ah Ran was also a very strong character and protected those she cared about no matter the consequences. No Ah was very naive and innocent to the ways of the world but always cared for and protected his students. Once he was exposed to the corruption he became even stronger and played a major role in seeking justice for the students. 

Han Gong Joo and her goons are the funniest characters in the show. You can't help but laugh in all of their scenes. They also create a very warm family atmosphere despite being thugs. Bok Dong is always bullying Ah Ran and Yi Kyung at the start but we all know it's something he is forced to do so you just pity him. Then when he starts to open up and pull away from Dong Chil's clutches you start cheering for him.

Dong Chil is SUCH an asshole pretty much the whole drama until he finds out about Ah Ran and starts to turn. I wasn't expecting to have any good opinions of him and just thought he would meet a brutal end. But he redeems himself by the final episode and you know he's going to come out of prison a changed man who will...probably not change careers but at least have compassion. Ae Yeon was constantly a backstabbing bitch but you also just felt pity for her most of the show. Also when Do Jung Woo says he actually loved Ae Yeon or whatever I was like...mate you were like totally up for some fooling around with Kang Ja when she was in your apartment! You liar! Yep. I felt no remorse for his character in any way on any of his story line plots. 

Kang Ja's mother in law and her husband annoyed me for most of the drama and I actually thought Kang Ja would leave her husband or something and potentially find love with No Ah. Now this was in the earlier stages of the show. Anyway it didn't and i'm glad they chose the story they did. Her husband turns out to be a really good guy that does love her despite anything his mother says. It was really sad he died in the building collapse after only getting to be a good character for maybe an episode but oh well. 

I guess there's not much to really rant about. Everything in this drama other than the white shoe assassin and the fate of the ledger was concluded neatly. I wasn't left wanting and we can assume that Bok Dong will continue his crush on Kang Ja. Ah Ran and Sang Tae will have a cute romance that lasts into college and beyond. Everyone else will continue with life as it used to be. All the bad characters went to jail. Yeah everything was taken care of.

In conclusion, this is a gripping drama where you want to keep watching to see what will happen next and how things will turn out. Most of the drama is rather heavy so it's good to have the little inserts of comedic scenes here and there for a refresh. The acting is pretty good. Some actors stand out more than others but the character development in the show gets you attached to most characters anyway. 

7 out of 10 stars. 

What did you think?

Until next time my drama queens and kings,

Sarah

Hwarang (2016)

Photo source: http://www.ibtimes.co.in/hwarang-episode-20-finale-recap-season-2-begin-moo-myung-ah-ro-wedding-717042

I was scrolling through kdrama's and the cover for Hwarang caught my eye. I bookmarked it without really knowing what the plot was. All I knew was that this was set in Silla and it was a romance. While I was watching some other dramas (maybe Scarlet Heart: Ryeo) a lot of people were mentioning Hwarang. So I came back to it. I was left in a...dynasty day? mood after Scarlet Heart, and Page Turner obviously didn't satisfy that. So Hwarang is was!

The Kingdom of Silla has been run by the Queen Dowager for years. She keeps her son hidden, safe from enemies and assassins. He has now come of age and the Queen fears what will happen to him once she passes on the throne. The palace nobles and officials have all grown accustom to privileges under the bone rank system. Some officials have been plotting to usurp power therefore the Queen creates a new group of elite, the Hwarang. 

I recommend this drama for anyone who likes to see a bevy of beautiful men interacting with each other. All the Hwarang are attractive. Other than this there is a lot of comedic moments in the drama as well as a good focus on romance. The politics are in there but it doesn't take over the story. I enjoyed this drama as some fast paced fun entertainment (finished it in 2 days). 

SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!

Honestly I thought Dog Bird (Park Seo-Joon) was kinda ugly at the start and was like...oh no...I hope this isn't the main guy. Anyway moving on, Ji-Dwi (yes I'm sticking to the easiest names to remember because these main guys have like 50 personas), he was instantly captivated by Ah Ro just from her storytelling? I suppose stranger reasons have been written. From my understanding he just hears her story this one time, falls asleep from it (which is a good thing?) and is like, "I love her."

I was a bit skeptical of the main storyline being some forbidden romance between a brother and sister. I have a brother and that's gross. I know they weren't actually brother and sister but when Ah Ro wasn't sure if he was or not I was like....girl you do not even go there with a 50-foot-pole even if he isn't your brother in the end! But when she finds out he isn't...the brother sister cover worked well in their favour to disguise their relationship. I was okay with it then BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WERE NOT RELATED AT ALL!

Now, on to the actual formation of Hwarang. You know how I thought Dog Bird was ugly before? Well oh ma lawd I was eating those words for breakfast lunch and dinner after his Hwarang transformation. That long luscious straight hair and his headband oh maaaaaaaaaan and their robes were nice too. Good one costume department. All those beautiful men with long hair oh man OH MAN it was a vision. I know that Kim Yeo-Wool is meant to be the most beautiful person of the land, capable of turning straight men to his bed. But I thought Suk Han-Sung was prettier tbh. I suppose he has a really cute innocent charm that suited the character he played rather than a beautiful seductress so eh yeah.

I've seen Choi Min-Ho in a few things over the years but nothing that really grabbed my attention. But his acting as Kim Soo-Ho was really good! He was always entertaining and he is definitely a good looking guy. He was the character who had me laughing the most. As for his enemy Ban-Ryu, oh man that guy's asshole face was so nice to look at. Then later on when he would get embarrassed around Soo-Yeon I would die he was just so adorable. Also I suppose the fact that he's ice cold to everyone but kind to her just makes me melt. Then again in modern times he'd be the chaebol so *sigh* why do the chaebol's always win!?

For the actual romance between Dog Bird and Ah Ro it was so good! The kisses were passionate. They hugged frequently. He would always protect her and she would always care for his wounds. They would often speak loving words to each other. It was so nice! A really refreshing romance. I mean I know there was a lot of drama around it but overall, compared to a lot of other dramas this one had a pretty smooth run.

I didn't get second lead syndrome HOORAY which is always the trap I fall into. Ji-Dwi was lovely and definitely wonderful towards Ah Ro but yeah they just didn't have any chemistry. Also that kiss? Terrible. It just looked unpleasant (sorry Park Hyung-Sik).

The majority of this drama is just scenes between the Hwarang characters and Ah Ro. A lot of easy watching with not too much heavy conflict. The fight scenes were good I enjoyed the acrobatics of Dog Bird. As for the politics I usually just skipped through these scenes but they were always "gotta take down this person" talks so yeah whatever we'll see it unfold later on anyway.

Now for the ending, I liked it. I was worried Dog Bird was going to become the king and the story would end up like Scarlet Heart: Ryeo but it didn't! They played all the advisers! Played them like fiddles! It would have been nice to know if Ji-Dwi did have to marry his sister (poor guy) but at least we get to see Dog Bird and Ah Ro get engaged. Also good to see final clips of all the other main Hwarang cast.

So in conclusion this drama is full of action and romance and never slows down. It's really easy to watch and not too heavy with politics or drama. I loved seeing the Hwarang interact with each other and Dog Bird and Ah Ro together. Not much else to say really.

8 stars out of 10.

Did your jaw drop when you saw the Hwarang?

Until next time my drama queens and kings,
Sarah

Perseverance Goo Hae Ra (2015)

Photo source: http://kissasian.com/Drama/Perseverance-Goo-Hae-Ra

I'm a big fan of musicals and musical related shows. I saw some random photo of Min Hyo-Rin in a sexy outfit and after some investigating found Perseverance Goo Hae Ra. I had no idea she trained as a singer previously. I was a fan of hers since Sunny and thought she was sooooo beautiful. Anyway that paired with singing was enough to entice me to start this drama.

Perseverance Goo Hae Ra follows Hae-Ra (Min) who dreams of becoming a famous singer to let people know about her late fathers musical compositions. She takes part in TV contest Superstar K with her two childhood friends Se-Jong (Kwak Si-Yang) and Se-Chan (Jin Young). After passing the first round of auditions they are grouped with fellow contestants Henry, Woo-Ri and Jang Goon. Due to an unexpected incident they lose and return to daily life. Several years later a shocking incident causes the team to reunite and aim for a debut.

I really enjoyed this drama. There are many colourful characters and the performances are enjoyable. I would say this drama focuses more on the characters than performing but that's okay. Every character has a really special personality. There are a lot of frustrating moments but also a lot of really hilarious ones. Overall this drama will have you smiling most of the time and put you in a good mood.

SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!

This review won't be too long. First of all I always had an issue with Se-Chan/Se-Chan version 2 because he always got between Hae-Ra and Se-Jong. You can see from the first time they saw each other and then the whole time they were growing up they had feelings for each other. But Se-Chan got in the way and well I suppose the other two never confessed. I'm annoyed that Se-Jong just stood back every freaking time to protect Se-Chan and make sure he was happy. Like I get he's your brother but I mean he's a BROTHER! Not your son. You should find happiness too. You can be a bit greedy when it comes to siblings I think. 

Obviously I hated Scarlet and that asshole boy band Se-Jong had to join. But they were the scripted villains so eh. 

Now for everything else! (Because everything else was wonderful!) Henry and Woo-Ri were great side characters. I felt a bit bad for Woo-Ri because she's a much stronger singer than Hae-Ra but she's not the main because she's 'chubby.' I actually thought Hae-Ra was the weakest singer out of the entire group, but I still liked her singing. Anyway I enjoyed the team work and also the background story we get of the other characters. Henry was really funny although I didn't understand all the jokes since they were puns in Korean. 

I loved seeing the relationship between Henry and Woo-Ri because they were such cute characters together. I was also really moved when Jang Goon's dad accepted his career path. I was content that Se-Chan version 2 left peacefully. I know a lot of viewers shipped him with Hae-Ra but duuuuuuuuuude Hae-Ra and Se-Jong were like made for each other. Both brothers were super hot though. Super duper good looking! 

The other 3 characters I loved were the two mothers with Tae Poong. Those scenes were the freaking best! Especially that kimchi scene omg you guys should just google that! Tae Poong was such a good character! Definitely the funniest of them all. 

The mothers were great characters because they were really supportive of their children. Also I was excited when they decided to live together. Can you imagine moving in with your crush? Hohohohohohohohoho 

I know that Se-Jong was a moody bastard for most of the drama. He had his reasons. Wow he really put Hae-Ra through a lot but he was always actually a good guy. Although I think I'm biased because I found Se-Jong so good looking haha not even sorry. 

Now for the kiss! That kiss that finally FINALLY happens between Se-Jong and Hae-Ra was so satisfying! Se-Jong just got allllll up in there. I could just imagine Tae-Yang being a little annoyed at that kiss. 

In conclusion, This was a really enjoyable drama. A mix of upbeat, lighthearted and optimistic. While also having a few typical drama story lines. That's all I have to say really. A good mix of characters that keep you entertained and each episode enjoyable.

7 out of 10 Stars.

Have you seen it?

Until next time my drama queens and kings,

Sarah

Page Turner (2016)

Photo source: https://www.dramafever.com/drama/4899/Page_Turner/

Page Turner was a drama in my bookmarked list but I can't remember how it got there in the first place. I came across it again after looking at Kim Ji-Soo's discography. I saw it starred that new girl who seems to be pumping out dramas like crazy. It's only a 3 episode drama and I had an evening free so I decided to watch it. Page Turner revolves around the 2 top pianists at an elite performance school. These two have been rivals since childhood and passionately despise each other. When Yoon Yoo-Seul (Kim So-Hyun) gets into an accident, her rival Seo Jin-Mok (Shin Jae-Ha) changes his attitude towards her. At the same time, fate brings injured pole vaulter Jung Cha-Sik (Kim Ji-Soo) into their lives. This drama has pretty heavy themes on parents expectations and how intense it is to become a recognized pianist. The story and characters are written with great depth so even only 3 episodes long, you really feel what each character is going through and you understand them. If you enjoy classical music or a well written and serious story line that follows character progression then you'll probably appreciate this drama.

SPOILERS BELOW!!

The drama was tagged as a "romance" and I thought it was going to be a love triangle. But it isn't. The characters seem to be driven by their own motives to help each other. Between Cha-Sik and the Yoo-Seul it's definitely friendship. It may hint at something more but nothing we see really develop. With Cha-Sik and Yoo-Seul I thought it was guilt at first because he felt responsible for her accident. But later thought it's probably because he admires her. Between Cha-Sik and Jin-Mok I think they see the value each other has in Yoo-Seul's life so they work together for her sake. I'm glad Yoo-Seul's mother became aware of what she was doing and decided to support her daughter rather than push her into her own desires. I like Cha-Sik's mother because she was so supportive the whole way. When we find out she lied to him about his father, you could understand that she is a human and her sons well being is above anything else in her life. For Jin-Mok, his dad was a bit of an ass but definitely like a lot of our parents if we strayed off the typical career path. Mostly it was good to see him finally feel the passion for piano that he always seemed to be missing. My favourite character was Cha-Sik because he took all the criticisms and just tried to better himself. He worked so hard and was so motivated despite being torn down all the time. Also he was hilarious. Jin-Mok was always serious and the Yoo-Seul was kind of a bitch but it's because she was stressed out by her mother and really serious about piano.
The ending...I was a bit sad since it looked like Cha-Sik played the part perfectly, but he gave his spot to Jin-Mok because he wasn't confident. Also Yoo-Seul would have been so pissed off once she found out she played with Jin-Mok and her mother was there. She would have yelled at Cha-Sik so much for that. I like that we saw a little snippet of the aftermath of the show but I wished we saw signs of their future. I suppose all in all they were meant to be satisfying endings of the events that took place during the show. Yoo-Seul finally smiling from piano, Jin-Mok finally receiving first place, and Cha-Sik finding a new passion. Oh well it was only 3 episodes. Short and sweet and effective. Overall definitely an intense drama but one you can get absorbed in thanks to the character depth and actors performances. It was very well written and the writers didn't try to stuff in more plot points than necessary. Not exactly a fast paced and exciting story though, and some piano performances lasted a very long time. But still I have to emphasize how well this drama was made and acted out. 7 out of 10.

Have you seen this one? What did you think?

Until next time my drama queens and kings,
Sarah

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)

Photo source: https://www.dramafever.com/news/first-trailer-released-for-upcoming-drama-scarlet-heart-ryeo/

I first caught wind about this drama from an instagram post by IU. I'm pretty sure she was posing with Lee Joon-Gi and after looking through comments I saw they were going to be in a drama together. (Or maybe it was Joon-Gi with IU...anyway). I was excited because Joon-Gi was putting out another drama! I was pretty hooked on The Scholar who Walks the Night and have seen other previous works of the 2 mains. When I looked up the story I was overflowing with excitement! Cute IU with a cast of gorgeous men oh ma lawd! Goon-Ji being a main one! Set in the the Goryeo Dynasty! Yesssssssssss

21st Century woman Go Ha-Jin (IU) is transported back to the Goryeo Dynasty during a solar eclipse. When she wakes up, she is Hae Soo, beloved cousin of the 8th Prince's wife and currently residing with them. Go Ha-Jin only knows of her past life but decides to become Hae Soo in order to survive. Her modern day personality catches the attention of the princes, thus beginning friendships, romances and a lot of political drama. 

I finished this drama in 4 days. If I didn't have work...it probably would have been done in 2 or 3 days. I had this drama on my to watch list since that instagram post but many things came up so I only just got around to watching it now. I was hooked from the first episode! Oh my goodness! The costumes and hairstyle, the plot, the MEN! You know I love Splash Splash Love which has many similar themes so I knew I would like this drama too. I haven't watched a cliche drama in a while so I think maybe my tolerance was built up against that. There are definitely cliche things and so so many typical kdrama tropes in there but I didn't mind. This drama was beautiful and entertaining. The politics were a bit meh but they didn't take up too much time. I definitely recommend seeing this one if you like period dramas or if you like seeing romances based on a deep longing. Be warned that this drama is definitely a tragic one and if you have a soul you will cry. Just listen to the OST and you get a good feeling for what the episodes will be like. 

SPOILERS BELOW!!

First episode they basically jump right into Hae Soo (yep i'm using her Goryeo name the whole time) being transported to Goryeo. When she comes to, she is in the palace bathhouse and has just seen all the princes mid-bath sesh. All topless! All of them! Muscles on display! Wow 20 minutes into the drama I knew this was a good sign. Her main/closest friend Chae-Ryung takes her back home (the 8th Prince - Wook's house). Where she finds out who's body she seems to have taken over. From here we see Hae Soo adjust to the Goryeo lifestyle. At the same time we see her and Prince Wook develop feelings for each other, despite him being married to Hae Soo's beloved cousin. This goes on for about half the drama, and in the meantime Hae Soo also becomes close with a few of the other princes. 

In the later half of the drama Hae Soo begins a relationship with Prince So (Joon-Gi), who has been after her heart for a long time. I don't want to put too much plot in here...if you've seen it you'll understand what i'm talking about in the review.

So first of all, I loved seeing all the princes together. Each had their own personality and characteristics that made the scenes really entertaining. The Crown Prince: Mu was really kind and full of love for his brothers. The 3rd Prince: Yo was an angry asshole but I found his asshole face very pleasing to the eye. Hell I even liked the endless collection of chunky earrings he wore. The 4th Prince: So who was always scary and moody but soft towards Hae Soo and Baek Ah. 8th Prince: Wook who is very kind hearted and would do anything for Hae Soo (well almost) and his family. 9th Prince: Won who always just followed Yo. He didn't really have much personality other than being a slimy weasel :/ pretty forgettable character. 10th Prince: Eun who was like the child of the bunch. Always joking around and bringing a smile to Hae Soo's face. 13th Prince: Baek Ah (Nam Joo-Hyuk of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo) he was the artsy one and also very understanding towards people's emotions and actions. He was also so freaking beautiful to look at. Then 14th Prince: Jung who was the idiot of the bunch but he had a heart of gold. I've spent 20 hours with these men I feel so close to them haha I need a life. 

Hae Soo's character I really really REALLY loved in the first half of the drama. She always showed her emotions and would do what she wanted when she wanted. It was great to see a confident female protagonist who created strong friendships and would always do what she could to help a friend in need. I didn't much care for her opening her eyes as wide as she could in basically every scene but I assume that's what she was directed to do. In the second half of the drama...after the first time skip when she's the head of the Damiwon she is still a good person, the same as before, but she is always tame and acts as she should. I suppose a few years in the Palace did that to her but it wasn't as entertaining. Still I cried like a little bitch when she died. Not so much because of her death but because of her letter to So. 

Prince So I guess I had a bias towards his character because he was played by Joon-Gi. I hated that mask he wore in the first few episodes. That made him look way uglier than just the scar. And seriously even with that scar he was still 1000000 times hotter than the villagers (sorry). When they saw him and threw mud they were probably like "I hate this guy cuz he has a scar but he is damn fine." If I didn't have a bias for the actor I don't think I would have cared for Prince So that much. He was moody and that was fine, the typical asshole who gets the girl. But I suppose between him and Prince Wook I was on Wook's side. Prince So went from threatening to kill Hae Soo all the time to "you are my person, you belong to me." Even though he was totally just a friend and Hae Soo was in love with Wook at the time. I get that he saves her life and stands up for her and stuff which I suppose is the reason she fell in love with him...but I don't know I guess a lot of romance happened in that 2 year time skip and I just didn't see the love between them like I did with her and Wook. 

Wook was great, I really liked his relationship with Hae Soo and just felt so bad for this guy. He just got screwed over. He was so close to having a happy ending and then his bitch sister comes and ruins everything. It was unfortunate he didn't cherish his first wife, but i'm glad that his first wife saw the love between Wook and Hae Soo and wanted them to be happy together. I know that Wook didn't come through when he needed to while Hae Soo was being tortured (and even when she was about to marry the King but he attempted to stop that at least). But it was either save Hae Soo or see his family get slaughtered for attempting to kill the Crown Prince. So he was in a tough position. It was just really heartbreaking to see him in that situation when you know he was such a good guy. I'm glad he met a wife and had a daughter later on.

Now for the tragic parts. It was sad when Eun and his wife were killed but at least Prince So did it as a mercy killing. Also I wish Eun cherished his wife...or showed it in the few years they were married rather than treat her with disdain ALL THE TIME. I thought he was cute and playful but every time I saw him with Hae Soo I felt bad for him since it was a one sided love.

When Woo-Hee (Seohyun) killed herself I felt so bad for Baek Ah. Even though he had the title of a playboy he only had 2 great loves in his life and they both died. Baek Ah was also such a good guy and he deserved happiness. 

I was a bit sad when the Crown Prince died because he was actually a good guy and not corrupt in any way. If the other princes (So and Wook) didn't go after the crown they could have lived a good life with Hae Soo. She probably wouldn't have developed those awful heart palpitations and they could live a long life peacefully. Wook and So wanted the power of the crown so they could protect Hae Soo but ultimately that just pushed her away from each of them. Even when she asks So just to live with her peacefully but he says he wants the crown to protect his brothers...*massive sigh*

When Hae Soo died and Jung says "remember me in your next life," and she says "I will forget everything." I was like wtf. Jung has been nothing but loving toward you even though he knows you only had eyes for So the whole freaking time, and then you say that shit to him? You're about to die can't you say something nice? This is literally the only time you were a bitch in the drama and you were such a bitch in that scene. Wow could not believe that.

Oh maaaaaan when Jung and So have that whole miscommunication on Hae Soo's letters oh man that was so tragic. I wish So wasn't such a stubborn ass and he would just read those letters I mean....he didn't throw them away. And I didn't get why having Hae Soo's handwriting so close to So's was a bad thing? What would have happened? Also I don't think I cared so much about Hae Soo leaving So in the first place because after he became King he just like...exiled his brothers, had her bestie brutally murdered and was just a dick a lot of the time. I am happy that he treated his Queen like crap (Prince Wook's sister) because she screwed over Wook and Hae Soo multiple times so it was good to see her unloved (haha i'm terrible).

Im glad we see Hae Soo return to her original life, even though she is super depressed after remembering her Goryeo life. I believe she meets a reincarnated So in this lifetime that she can be happy with. That's how I can make peace with the ending and move on happily. So there were tragic moments but I wasn't as heartbroken as I had been expecting when I started the drama. 

So yes to conclude. I loved the story line. I loved the actors and their characters (well mostly). The drama was definitely a tragic one in the main scheme of things with how everyone lived through massive heartache but there were plenty of good and light moments as well. The costumes and settings were lovely to look at. I will probably re-watch those first episodes just because they were so good (and not tragic yet). 

8 out of 10 stars.

What did you think?

Until next time my drama queens and kings,
Sarah

Goblin (2016)

Photo source: http://www.allkpop.com/article/2016/11/new-drama-goblin-drops-posters-filled-with-bromance-and-romantic-chemistry

Goblin. Saw the hype but didn't feel any real interest to watch it. I have loved Gong Yoo since Coffee Prince and have found him to be one of the best actors I've seen (based off a few of his other works as well). I've also seen Kim Go-Eun in Chinatown and thought she was amazing in that. I think my main deterrent was the age gap between the leads. The fact that she plays a high schooler while Gong Yoo is (I think in his 40's as his character age). Anyway of course a bunch of friends recommended this one to me so I gave it a go after much convincing.

Kim Shin (Gong) was a human cursed to be an immortal goblin until he found his bride. In the present day he lives with an amnesiac grim reaper (Lee Dong-Wook). One day Kim Shin meets Ji Eun-Tak (Kim), who has the ability to see ghosts and is destined to be his bride that will end his immortality.  

So, the first episode I was confused. The next few episodes I was annoyed...and then after that I started to enjoy it. It's hard to give this show a rating or an overall opinion. It was a good show and really well made but I think I found it a little boring. It does have normally excellent reviews so up to you if you want to see it.

SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!

Alright down to business. So basically the first episode I was just like WTF IS HAPPENING AND WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE!? Was that lady in white his lover? Why did everyone get slaughtered? Why was he banished to be a goblin? Okay guys, I am going to rant so much and tear this show apart. Even though I overall didn't mind the show...I think.

Okay so first of all he walks up to the King, watches everybody he cares about get slaughtered and THEN stops and is like "okay you can kill me now" wtf Kim Shin wtf? I think the reason you were cursed to be an immortal goblin is because you're an IDIOT! So the first episode is basically all in the Goryeo period and everything was confusing. All the women looked the same so I couldn't keep up with who was the Eun-Tak's mother. Also! Why did they put massive old lady make-up on Samshin (Lee El) I mean couldn't they have hired an actual old lady to play her during the old lady bits? She looked freakier than the evil ghosts that turned up.

Now on to our female protagonist. Okay I know she had a hard life...super sucky but omg she was soooooooooooo annoying in the first few episodes. Every time she was with family or at school she was all hateful and angsty (which was fine, that made sense). But as soon as she met the goblin, and all the times after she would not SHUT UP. It was like she needed to fill literally every second with dialogue when she was with Kim Shin. Also, he turned up when she blew out the candle. Has she not blown out a flame in that entire 10 years or something since her mother died? Also, was she not the goblin's bride since birth therefore during her 9th birthday when she blew out candles shouldn't the goblin have turned up?

Finally hope came to me in the form of the grim reaper and Sunny. I loved all the scenes with these two and found the grim reaper so incredibly cute. He was just so awful at dating but so pure! It was around these times where I would skip to their scenes because I could not stand Eun-Tak.

Eventually Eun-Tak becomes bearable and I started watching the episodes in their entirety. I found the relationship between the goblin and Eun-Tak a bit bland. I didn't really see any romantic chemisty between them. I felt more chemistry between the few scenes Eun-Tak had with her childhood friend. I still don't understand how their feelings developed. Kim Shin went from trying to avoid Eun-Tak to falling in love with her? Why? How? I still don't know! Can someone PLEASE explain to me how they fell in love? Gong Yoo just kept putting on constipated faces when he was her then cracked a baby smile when she wasn't looking at him.

Also, I get that Kim Shin was cursed with immortality so he could see everyone he loves die. But why did he have goblin powers? Didn't those powers just make his life way more awesome? It doesn't really seem like a punishment.

I don't get why Sunny and the grim reaper couldn't be together when they remembered their Goryeo past. I mean you guys loved each other back then so why can't you just get together now anyway? And why the hell did Sunny not age a day when she died at like...age 60 or something?

I don't think this is a very good review. Mostly just a rant. The last 4 episodes I thoroughly enjoyed because shit finally started happening. Also I had to re-watch that passionate kiss scene between Eun-Tak and Kim Shin oh ma lord that man can kiss! I also think I liked these later episodes because Eun-Tak was 29 so it didn't seem creepy anymore. (Yes I know the actress is in her 20's irl but that's not the point).

I don't get why when the sword was pulled out Kim Shin just got banished to a snowy field for 10 years. Wasn't he meant to die forever? Didn't Eun-Tak blow out any flames in those 10 years? Did you see how many freaking candles she had? THAT IS A PLOT HOLE. Also Kim Shin comes back and is still immortal. Soooooo Eun-Tak will die again and reincarnate another 2 times. Spend all those with Kim Shin and he's just going to wait around for all that...live through her death 4 times and then he's just going to chill single and alone for the rest of eternity? Wasn't his curse lifted once the sword was pulled out? Wut?

Also when Kim Shin comes back and he's like "as long as you are well I am happy." Mate, did you not hear her when she said she has severe mood swings? Did you not see her wolfing down pills to control her emotions? She isn't well.

The way the show ended was good through, wrapping up the relationships and showing happy endings for everyone. But still there are many questions left unanswered and many plot holes made for the sake of the drama achieving what they wanted. I'm not going to let those slide. Also, I feel that the episodes would not have been 1.5 hrs long if they didn't have so many god damn slow mo's and camera angles. Every time something "full of tension" happened we got it in slow mo AND in 50 different angles. Did anyone else notice that? I get they want to build tension but seriously it was so overdone and they did it every episode! Multiple times! If I got a dollar every time that happened I would probably have $50 or something.

So yes, in conclusion, it was a visually stunning drama haha I know I didn't mention that but yeah it really was. I wish they travelled somewhere other than Canada though. "Oh look I have a magic portal to anywhere....hmm let's go to Canada 4 times for steak." Pretty sure Australia is known for the best beef right? Unless you get some legit Japanese wagyu. I have never heard anyone rave about Canadian beef. Okay back to the conclusion. I wouldn't watch this drama again, and the only memories I'll have of it are the illogical plot points and my annoyance toward the female lead. The only good memories will be the visual locations and that 10/10 kiss in episode...12? maybe 14. Anyway that was marvelous.

I give it...6 out of 10 stars. It's not as bad as I make it sound but it did take me a long time to get through it because I wasn't very enthusiastic. I gave it a good chance when I started episode 1 and they tore me down. You shouldn't have to make a comeback halfway through the drama to make it good.

Let me know your thoughts! (I'll probably be torn apart haha)

Until next time my drama queens and kings,
Sarah