Spring KDramas - What you Should be Watching and Which Ones you Should Skip

It's that time again where we check out all the new kdramas that have started airing.  Are they good?  Do they deserve to drift away into oblivion?  Check out my opinions and let me know yours as we go through my latest drama finds.

-Angel's Revenge-

So this was a total failure of a drama, which makes me so sad because it had the awesome premise of a vengeful nun.  However while we had the nun part covered the revenge part (at least at 30 episodes) was sorely lacking.  I seriously do not understand the writers who wrote all (and I do mean all) of the characters so poorly.  Out of the whole cast I only enjoyed watching Seo Ji Suk as the lead and unfortunately he was not enough to keep me watching for 70 more episodes.

Why You Should NOT Watch:
The mentally handicapped character is more intelligent then 99% of the characters in the drama.  When this happens it is not a good sign and you should ditch it and run.  Life is too short to watch stupid dramas.

-Wonderful Days-

Synopsis: Poor boy makes big and returns home 15 years after walking away from his family and first love.  Will he choose money or family in the end?

I just started this drama this week and so far really enjoy it.  Although it has been airing for a few weeks in Korea, the US airings were delayed by two weeks (I am guessing because of some type of airing rights by the producers of the drama) so we are just starting to get into this one.  It is a weekend family drama with a HUGE extended family.  And after two episodes I am still not sure of whose son is whose but it seems to have a really solid cast and story so far.

(The one EXCEPTION is the casting of Lee Elijah from Basketball who is the worst actress to EVER come on a Korean drama.  Seriously she is the #1 worst actress on my list and that is out of every B- lead overacted character in my kdrama watching history.  She should never ever be allowed near a film set again.  EVER!!!)

Sorry, just had bad flashbacks from my Basketball recaps.

Why You Should Watch It: 
Back to the rest of the cast.  They are doing a great job in entertaining me.  I love Lee Seo-Jin (Grandpa's Over Flowers, Gye-Bae) and Kim Hee-Seon (Faith) together and their back story is very interesting as are all the family dynamics.  TaecYeon, who plays the youngest brother, also has a great storyline. I am not sure if I will be thoroughly involved for all 50 episodes but I am willing to give it a try.  Interesting characters plus good actors usually make for a good dramas (as long as the writers don't pull a I Summon You Gold ending).

-Beyond the Clouds-

Synopsis: Jung Se Ro (Yoon Kye Sang -Greatest Love) is wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of Han Young Won's (Han Ji Hye - I Summon You Gold) fiancee.  After being released he seeks revenge against those that framed him and resulted in his father's death.

Pretty much if you combine all of the revenge dramas together and add in a crazier than usual male lead you get Beyond the Clouds.  And since I am a total sucker for revenge dramas I am completely OK with that.  Also really love all the location scenes they did in Thailand, it really added that extra big budget feel to the drama.

Why You Should Watch It:
Beyond the Clouds delivers a full serving of revenge with a side of totally crazy. It is beautifully directed and Yoon Kye Sang is hitting it out of the ballpark with his acting.  I personally would have never guessed that he is this talented of an actor and he is the #1 reason to tune into this drama.  His emotional portrayal of a man who has lost it all including a bit of his sanity is genius and definitely worth the watch.  I will admit that the female lead is just all right for me.  I get a bit annoyed that she is constantly crying, but the fast pace and the male lead more than make up for that shortcoming.

-Cunning Single Lady-

Synopsis: This drama has jumped on the divorced couples reunite train that seems to be so popular in Kdramas this year.  Our OTP married young, but when times got hard (and in their defense they got really really hard) they divorced.  Three years later our heroine discovers that her ex husband made it big right after the divorce and vows to make him pay for her pain and suffering.  After getting a job in his company your regular romantic hijinks occur.

This is one of those dramas that I am enjoying well enough, but it is not really anything to gush about.  It is a very basic romantic comedy plot and is not really pushing the boundaries of the genre.  Lee Min Jung (Big, All About My Romance) is yet again the same character we have seen her play so many times before.  Basically a good girl but with a slightly snarky side, she continues to be typecast.  However it is nice to see Joo Sang Wook in a comedy for once.  Known for his more serious roles in Giant, Team Ten, and Good Doctor, I could just sit and watch him smile and be silly/conniving forever.  Also the supporting cast of L (Masters Sun, Shut Up Flower Boy Band) and Seo Kang Joon (suspicious housekeeper) really help smooth over the stories rough spots.

Why You Should Watch It:
There are some truly funny moments in this drama.  And despite the first episode both character have built in failings and issues that lead to the dissolve of their marriage so you don't really hate either of them.  I enjoy watching each of them try to get the better of the other even though it is obvious that they just want some kind of contact since they are not over each other.  That said, the plot is occasionally patchy but if you can get past that and just enjoy it for what it is, I think you would like this drama.

-Three Days-

Synopsis:  Presidential Bodyguard finds out about an assassination plot towards the president and tries to thwart it.

So far I have to admit that this is the drama that has fallen short of its promise for me (at least as of ep 2).  It obviously has a lot of money going into its production and the visuals are sharp and make me feel like the drama should be intense.  But then I watch it and it loses me.  It is not that it is bad, but it just does not grab my attention the way I wish it would.  There are obviously a lot of things that are going on behind the assassination attempt and I enjoy trying to figure all that out.  But than the actors will suddenly go into a scene where they are explaining every little thing that happened to anyone nearby.  Rather then keeping me involved in the action of the characters I feel like it is pausing every few minutes to tell me what I might have missed.  I guess that I might be overly picky, but to me it just feels like sloppy writing.

Why You Should Watch It:
While the story might have not hooked me yet, I still have hope.  It feels like we should be getting into bigger plots and conspiracy's and I am crossing my fingers that things will suddenly click and I can learn to love it.  Also it has YooChun who I actually really enjoy as an actor.  I was telling my Kbestie that he is actually maturing into a normal person, which I actually like.  I feel like the attractive everyday look might take him farther as an actor then if he stuck with the hot idol vibe.  So in conclusion, an okay drama so far with great visuals and Yoo Chun so of course I will be continuing on.

-Bride of The Century-

I saved my two favorite new dramas for last.  The first is Bride of The Century.  Seriously!  Who knew this one would actually turn out to be kracktasticly awesome.  You can bet I didn't.  I was all ready to throw it into the "watch someday" pile due to its vague synopsis and mediocre visual qualities.  But turns out this story is great, complicated, and highly entertaining and Lee Hong Ki (You're Beautiful) can actually carry his own as a leading man.  

Synopsis - This drama throws everything and the kitchen sink into the plot.  Start with the Prince and the Pauper story, throw in a lot of evil selfish women plotting against each other (but in a great plot movement way), a hero that is half cute boy and half snarky CEO, and a kindhearted yet intelligent heroine, OH.... and don't forget a bride stealing ghost and you just start to scratch the surface of this drama.

Why You Should Watch It:
I am not sure if there is a logical reason as to why you should watch it, but if you do itwill remind you why you fell in love with Kdramas in the first place.  It has every Kdrama cliche and then some thrown into it, yet somehow the writers have managed to gel it altogether around an OTP with fun chemistry.  Their crazy romance just brings a smile to my face and I am so thankful I gave it a chance.

-God's Gift 14 Days-

This drama scares the bajeebies out of me, but in a good way.   Every second of it is filled with intense action, and possible clues to the identity of the daughters killer so you are always on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what is going on.

Synopsis:
Kim Soo Hyun (Lee Bo Young- I can Hear Your Voice) fights fate and time as she races to save her daughter from being murdered by a serial Killer.

Why You Should Watch It: This is Lee Bo-Young's best performance by far.  Her portrayal as a desperate mother is mesmerizing.  Add to that top notch writing and a great supporting cast and you have a a winning experience.  I have to admit that there is the chance this show will Jump the Shark (that is always a chance you take with time travel themes) but if it can continue on its path I predict that it is going to be AMAZING.  A must watch.

That completes the first Kdrama overview for the new spring shows.  But never fear, if none of these catch your attention there are still a lot more premiering in the next several weeks.  Of course I will be watching them all to give you my insight on what you should watch next.  Be sure to check back in on Sunday for my Kdrama weekly top 5 countdown where I let you know what the best moments were during the week as well as give more depth into currently airing dramas.  Also if you have a new favorite kdrama be sure to let me know in the comment section.  I always like to hear what others are enjoying.

Sincerely,
Kmuse

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A New Batch of Dramas

 

It has been several months since I last weighed in on the new dramas available for watching so I figure it is the perfect time to do some kdrama initial thought recaps.  Just in case there are those of you out there trying desperately to find that next great drama.   We have a wide variety of shows available, from romantic comedy, to fast paced action, and add in a couple new daily dramas to round everything out.  There is a bit of everything in the mix.

Can We Love (Could We Love)

 I LOVE THIS DRAMA......Seriously I truly love this drama.  All of the cast is highly entertaining and somehow I have been sucked into their lives and trials and am very invested in how it all turns out.  The story revolves around three friends (since they were in high school) and how at thirty nine their lives have turned out different then they expected.  It is a rare drama where all of the men are highly likable and not only that but the women (despite all of their messed up women issues) are also likable.  Rather then be over dramatic and depressing, you instead are able to see a reality to their lives that is often missing in kdramas.  That is not to say that you still do not have some traditional kdrama elements, but they seem to be muted which makes a person a lot more invested in everyone's story.  I suggest giving yourself three episodes with this drama and I bet you will find yourself surprisingly addicted (I say this from experience since I have suggested it to multiple friends so far and everyone has had the same experience).  So if you are looking for something a little more realistic and less fantasy relationship then give this drama a whirl.  You wont regret it and will be blessed to see one of the best kdrama kisses along the way (Check out my weekly countdown this week for the kiss clip).

Can We Love Trailer

Inspiring Generation (Age of Feeling)

 There is nothing greater then being within the emotional grips of an awesome action drama.  And to be honest, while there have been some great dramas that have included action scenes, there has not been a lot of dramas that I would define as action dramas.  Often if a drama is all action then it loses out on the plot/writing (Iris 2) or tends to be more of an intellectual fighting (Nine, Two Weeks).  So it is with the utmost pleasure that I have discovered that Inspiring Generation (Age of Feeling) has the best of both.  I seriously care about the stories of all the different characters, and if you have checked out the cast list you will see that that is an insane amount of characters to introduce.  Whether it is the leads, the assassins/minions, messed up fathers, or murderous grandfathers, each character is introduced into the story and forms a connection with the viewer.   And can I again point out how rare that is?  So regardless if you are a huge action fan, or hate period pieces, give this one a chance, its amazing writing and directing might drag you into a great drama experience.

Inspiring Generation/Age Of Feeling Trailer

A Well Raised Daughter

 If you took the feel of Baker King and Married it to every gender bender drama the you would  pop out A Well Raised Daughter. They created a mix of charming, cunning, and family squabbles and the result is an entertaining drama that is not too stressful and the perfect for my weekend dramathon needs.  The leading lady is the youngest of four daughters (just so you know daughters are totally worthless in this family) and because her mother can not produce a male heir she is kicked out when her best friend instead bears the needed boy.  Her husband dies and she finds out that she is pregnant with another daughter, but in order to survive they disguise the child as a boy and get back into the grandfathers good graces.  Raised as a boy, she must fight for her right to learn the family Soy Sauce business while avoiding love and discovery. I am enjoying this drama and its light plot really suits my tastes.   And for some reason even the bickering/stupid mothers don't annoy me as much as they usually do.  I would highly suggest this drama to anyone needing an easy filler and at forty episodes in, I am still a huge fan of the show.

A Well Raised Daughter Trailer

Angel's Revenge

 For those of you who are new to following my blog posts, then you might not yet realize that I have a slight daily drama addiction.  And by daily dramas I mean the one's that are aired Monday - Thursday and have 30 min episodes.  They tend to have a large episode count (100-130) and are awesomely addicting.  You never know if you are going to fall into a total gem of a drama like Ugly Alert, or one that is going to have you cursing the tv (Cruel Love).  But regardless of how they end, they all provide one heck of a rush.  The newest daily drama available is Angel's Revenge.  It is about a women (who is on the cusp of taking the vows of a nun).  However fate intervenes and her sister dies a tragic death.  The main actress of course then throws off her habit to take revenge on the evil family that killed her sister.  All while falling in love with one of the sons of so said evil family.  They pretty much had me when they said Vengeful Nun.  It just barely started so we are not yet to any smiting, but there have been a lot of cute OTP meetings and I am a fan of both leads previous work, so I have high hopes.  If you are looking to check out this drama then it is being subbed on Youtube on the KBS youtube Channel.

Link for episode 1
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-2FwC0UbDY

Angel's Revenge Trailer

Emergency Couple

 I am so sad that I am not enjoying this drama more and I can pinpoint one giant hunky reason why....Choi Jin Hyuk is a total complete whiny self absorbed jerk.   And I know that having a total jerk as the male lead is common in dramas, so when I say he is a jerk I mean that there is no redeeming qualities to his person in the first two episodes at all.  However if we ignore that large pretty mess of a character the rest of the drama is actually interesting.  Song Ji Hyo has never been a favorite actress of mine (I pretty much like her in Running Man and that is it) but she is very entertaining and I totally find myself rooting for her character.  She came out of a HORRIBLE MARRIAGE (did I mention these two should never ever ever be remarried) and built her life back overcoming a lot of hardships.  I am interested in her interaction with the other doctors, including the other male lead (who I of course prefer), and cant wait to see what she does next.  So in conclusion, if you are looking for a must watch drama then this is not it, but if you want something different then you might give this one a try.

Emergency Couple Trailer

I Need Romance 3

I wont spend a ton of time describing this drama since it is currently the drama I am reviewing for Crazy Ahjummas.  Just know that it is awesome, beautiful, and has Sung Joon and his uber sexy voice in it.  If you are not already watching it and modern comedy romances are your thing, then quickly get caught up and be sure to read my reviews (HINT HINT HINT.....obvious and non subtle promotion of my recaps HEHE).

I Need Romance 3 Trailer

Coming Soon

The Ghost Seeing Detective Yoon Cheo Yong

 I have been waiting FOREVER for this drama to finally air.  This drama has been pushed back at least once for sure and I cant help but feel like it was maybe even twice.  It was scheduled to come out back when everything was ghost this and ghost that (Masters Sun and Who Are You) so it was probably in its best interest to give viewers a chance to recover.  It is by far the creepiest if you are judging by the trailers.  Add in that it is a cable drama (not to mention the awesomely scary trailers) and we could possibly be seeing some serious freaky deaky stuff coming our way.  Be sure to look for this drama airing next month and it goes without saying that it will be joining in the competition to be featured on my top five countdown.

 The Ghost Seeing Detective - Trailer

 

 Full Sun (Beyond the Clouds)

We are surprisingly light on the melo revenge/tragic love style dramas right now.  So those of you who love to cry should be looking forward to Full Sun (is possibly going to officially be called Beyond the Clouds but for now just going to stick with Full Sun).  It has everything you could want.  Accidentally killings, jewel thieves, falling in love with people you shouldn't, and some very pretty criers.  From what I have heard our leading man kills the leading females fiancee and after he has served his prison sentence he comes back and falls in love with her.  So more or less a reverse secret??  Whatever the plot I am always up for a pretty melodrama so I am in.  Check out the beautiful trailer below and look for it to be out mid February.

Full Sun Trailer

This concludes my winter recap of airing dramas.  I hope you can find a couple to try out and be sure to watch for my weekly top kdrama moments coming out every Sunday as well as my I Need Romance 3 and Dongsaeng's My Love From Another Star recaps.  And if you have any dramas that I missing from my list please send me a quick note.  Or if you are wondering where you can find subs for any of the dramas listed let me know since I am happy to give you all the links.  Til next time, enjoy your dramas.

Sincerely,
Kmuse