Kmuse's Top 10 Actor Challenge - #7 Jung Ryeo Won

Hey Kaddicts!  Kmuse here with yet another installment of my Top 10 Actor Challenge.  If you have just started following us you might be asking. "Kmuse, what is the Top 10 Actor Challenge?"  In a nutshell, it was where a friend on FB told me to write down my top favorite kdrama actors and then challenge others to do the same. 

Kmuse's Top 10 Actor Challenge - #9 Ji Sung

I'm back with my #9 favorite Kactor!  I know it has been a bit longer than a week, but with all the fun new shows and recapping "My Secret Hotel" and "Blade Man", things have been busy here at TCA.  But I have not given up on the project and hope to continue sharing my favorites each week.

So you might be asking. "Kmuse, what is the Top 10 Actor Challenge?"  In a nutshell, it was where a friend on FB told me to write down my top favorite kdrama actors and then challenge others to do the same.  It was surprisingly hard, giving out numbered spots to my favorite bias's, but I was able to accomplish it and pass on the kdrama love.  As I was looking at my list, I thought of how fun it would be to share it with the blogging world, but instead of all at once, I am going to make it into a weekly post.  This way you might learn something about the actors as well as see what dramas they have starred in and maybe even get ideas for your kdrama queue.

The ever talented Ji Sung comes in at #9 with his easy smile, distinctive swagger, and wide range of characters.  Never one to be pigeonholed, he has played smart lawyers, crazy chabeol's, magical historical seers, and romantic stalkers. Truly an actor that is not afraid to take risks.

I first watched Ji Sung in the over the top romantic comedy "Protect the Boss" where he played man child Cha Ji Heon.  Full of paranoia, psychosis, and all around quirky habits, Ji Heon was the chaebol who just could not get things right.  Lucky for him, it only took an aggressive secretary to turn his life around.

Ji Sung changed things up by going Sageuk next in "The Great Seer".  Playing the deposed noble turned seer who helped establish the Joseon dynasty.  Starting strong, the plot began to drag towards the end (way too long in my opinion).  But even though the drama dragged, Ji Sung continued to keep my interest and looked dashing in Hanbok.

But it was the come from behind hit "Secret" that really cemented him as a must see actor.  Written by an unknown writer (won a screenplay award which got the drama produced) this drama started from nothing and become the ratings breakthrough hit of the year.  Ji Sung played the leading man, Jo Min Hyuk, who vowed revenge against the woman who killed his girlfriend and unborn child in a hit and run.  The only problem was his growing obsession with the perpetrator, leading us to a story which takes an uncomfortable stalkerlike turn. 

2013 was also the year that the khottie actor tied the knot to the amazing actress Lee Bo Young.  Between the two of them, they remained at the top of the ratings for the majority of 2013 and are now one of South Korea's power couples.  Here are some of their official wedding photos which are equal to anything you might see in a drama.

I look forward to watching his future projects as well as checking out his classic works (there are a ton of dramas Ji Sung was in that I added to my queue).  Be sure to check back to find out who my #8 sexy actor is.  Just a hint, he rocks longer locks and even the occasional facial hair!  Any guesses?

Links to other actor challenge posts
#10 - Moon Chae Won
http://thecrazyahjummas.blogspot.com/2014/09/kmuses-top-10-actor-challenge-10-moon.html 

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Kmuse Top 5 Kdrama Countdown - Most Memorable Fashion

Whether it is good or bad we all focus in on the wardrobes and style (hair & makeup) while watching a drama.  We discuss it with other kdrama enthusiasts ( I made the mistake of trying to explain the many male hairstyles and their significance to a non kdrama friend.  I received some very very weird looks, so now I usually just discuss with others who understand my obsession) and squee at mid-drama hairstyle changes.  So come join me as I countdown the good and the bad of drama fashion.  Also, as usual, feel free to let us know your favorites that I might have missed in the comments or topics for future top 5's.  We at TCA love hearing from the readers.

#5 The Night Watchman's Journal

Oh Night Watchman's Journal, you are as crazy with your fashion as you are with your plot line.  All in all we love you, but sometimes you just don't make sense.  This is the case with several characters (we will never forget the dream induced outfit that SiDam wore during the sacrificial ceremony in episode 1) but the one that drives me crazy is the Pocahontas themed mini skirt of our leading lady Do Ha.  Why?  Why are you going around with your midriff peaking out and your skirt high up your leg?  Even for a fusion Saguek it just does not make sense.  You might give the excuse, "Kmuse, it is the outfit of her tribe." to which I reply.............are you kidding me?  No one else (including her sister) was sporting that much leg so how could this be a traditional dress.  And why does it look like an outfit you would see a hostess at an Indian Casino Bar wearing?  And even though I was not a fan of the Pocahontas dress, I did not wish the ugly outfit she replaced it with.  Her pants and shirt combo are ill fitting and make her look kind of frumpy.  Not a look you really want your leading lady to have.  I guess we will have to leave it to Jung Il Woo to be the fashionista of the drama.

#4 Winter the Wind Blows

When I could take my attention away from Jo In Sung's beautiful face, my eye was caught by his extremely stylish wardrobe.  Full of textured sweaters, colorful coats, and my all time favorite use of suspenders, he brought an old world charm into a modern drama.

#3 Secret Garden

Anyone who has watched this drama, and even many of those that have not, probably know why Joo Won's wardrobe made it on to my memorable fashion list.  Unfortunately, it was not for good fashion, but for a series of truly horribly beaded tracksuits.  These clothes will be imprinted in your mind after watching the drama, and you will now understand the many inside jokes in other dramas (Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, Greatest Love).  One of my favorite moments from the whole show was when the lead, Joo Won, found that his tracksuit was being used by the promoters of a hostess bar.  Truly a fun and ridiculous fashion.

#2 City Hunter

For a show about revenge, murder, and intrigue, there sure was a whole lot of fashion going on with the male lead.  Most of my time was spent ogling Lee Min Ho in his tight pink pants and those deep, deep, deep, V t-shirts.  What cracked me up the most was the fact that he wore this sexy chest showing clothing to work (the Blue House, no less) and even acted like all that naked chest was completely normal.  Why can't my workplace be like that......on second thought, I would hate to see most of the men I know showing more cleavage then me. 

#1 Lee Joon Gi

I have yet to see Lee Joon Gi look unfashionable in anything he has done.  Whether it is Sageuk (historical) or a modern drama, he makes his clothes his own and owns his style.  That is why Lee Joon Gi has earned his place on the most memorable fashion list.  If I had to pick my favorite it would have to be the many styles from his most recent drama "The Joseon Gunman".  While the drama itself lost some of its luster, Lee Joon Gi shined from start to finish in his suits and vigilante garb.

Honorable Mentions 

The following were also fashion that came to mind but just did not hit my top 5.  But since they are so distinctive I thought they deserved a quick mention.

Yoo Seung Ho's Mane of Glory

I consider Yoo Seung Ho to be one of the best actors (only 6 more months til he is out of military!) and always a memorable leader of fashion.  But one of his best features, is the fact that he can really rock the sageuk "mane of glory".  As the hot genius assassin in Warrior Baek Dong Soo or as the Jade Emperor (totally stole the show with his scenes) in Arang and the Magistrate, his hair was truly something to behold.  Let's hope that Yoo Seung Ho and his hair have a long career ahead of him upon his release.

Hotel King

Lee Da Hae was the queen of bringing high fashion to the small screen as her character Ah Mo-Ne worked her way through same crazy wardrobe changes.  I remember rolling my eyes at the start of the drama, but by the finale I was sad to see Mo Ne and her memorable style go.

This concludes my Fashion countdown.  Unfortunately there are so many looks that could be discussed but only a limited amount of time to blog.  I am also hoping to be doing another recap soon if any of the new dramas coming out tickle my fancy.  So be sure to check back soon.

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Kmuse Top 5 (plus 2) Kdrama Countdown - Favorite Kdrama Drinking Moments

I would first like to thank everyone who has sent me suggestions on what topics I should cover in my Top 5 countdowns!  It has really gotten me excited to work with this segment as well as given me a lot of future ideas.  If you also would like to let us know what Top 5 you would like to see featured in our blog, be sure to leave it in the comments or send us a quick message on our FB page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-crazy-ahjummas/336988683021748?fref=ts).  As I was going through the hundreds of dramas that I have watched trying to pick my favorite drunken kdrama moments, I realized that I might have more than just 5 so you get a few extra bonus moment of hilarious imbibement as a thank you for following our blog.  If there is a top moment that you think I missed be sure to let us know!

#5 Don't Drink and Date- My Secret Hotel

Number five on the list is from the newest show on our recap list (be sure to check it & our recaps out) My Secret Hotel.  Who knew that Yoo In Na could play such a likable drunk.  Her character Sang Hyo goes into despair when she is forced to plan her ex husbands wedding, which leads to a couple drinks, which in turn leads to her flopped on the floor of the hotel, proposing to her boss.  That is one way to get noticed by your hottie boss.

#4 Drink til you are Drunk and Then Some - History of A Salaryman

Next we have a scene from one of my all time favorite dramas "History of a Salaryman".   It is always on the top of my recommend list and one of the most underrated dramas out there.  Bratty chaebol heiress Yeo Chi challenges a local mob boss (and two of her coworkers) to a drink off with the last one standing (or not throwing up) winning a boon of their choice.  Yeo Chi manages to drink everyone under the table and still be sober enough to trick her crush into taking her home.  That is truly a talent worth photographing.

#3 Drunken Possession-The Masters Sun

Nothing screams comedy more than a fun comedic actress becoming a dog due to ghostly possession.  Luckily for Tae Kong Sil (and we viewers), this only happens when she imbibes and her emotional boundaries are down.  Leading man, Joo Joong Won, got an unexpected midnight visitor when Kong Sil comes to visit possessed by the ghost of his dead ex-girlfriend.  And then proceeded to see a whole lot of crazy as she was then possessed by a toddler, a seductive french dancer, and finally a feisty dog.  Needless to say, Kong Sil should be careful to stick to Sprite in the future.

#2 Drink til you Feel the Urge to Reenact ET - My Love From Another Star

Doing something embarrassing while drunk is taken to a whole new level when it comes to our favorite alien.  In a flashback Do Min Joon explains the events that lead to his current need for sobriety.  Unknowingly drinking rice wine during the Joseon period, Min Joon got tipsy and lost his serious demeanor.  Losing it by making things float in the air and taking a horse for a joy ride across the path of the moon.   I guess that if I was alive during a time where they promptly killed anything unknown, I would try to keep my ET moments to a minimum as well.

3 WAY TIE FOR #1

Drunken Seduction - Witch's Romance

I love this scene where the romance really starts to heat up between our leading lady Ji Yeon and her much younger costar Dong Ha.  We get a narration by Ji Yeon's BFF, Na Rae, who explains that somehow her friend always seduces her boyfriends with her drunken crazy persona.  As Na Rae is narrating we see Ji Yeon compliment herself in front of traffic mirrors, fight with banners, and order Dong Ha into her house to have another drink.  The drunken crazy is obviously in full swing.

Poor Dong ha did not have a chance since a drunk Ji Yeon pretty much assaults him with her mouth.  But after a second he is fully involved and they move it to the bedroom.  I will let you all see the next parts via pictures since they truly do the scene better justice than my prose can.

You Drunken Dog You - Reply 1994

This wins my vote for most unexpected reaction to drinking.  Before all of the OTP (one true pairing) wars that this drama created, there was a wonderful drinking scene between the cast as they just hang out in the living room chatting and drinking beer.  But it was when Sung Na-Jung (played by the hilarious Go Ara) started winking that it got truly amusing.  Her roommate, Haetae, starts to tell in a voice over, that whenever Na Jung drinks she turns into a real dog.  We see her walk over to her roommate/brother figure Trash and lean in really close. Just as you think she is going to passionately kiss him, she bites his lip instead.  HAHAHA, truly a funny drama moment and makes you wonder how they filmed it without cracking up laughing.

Unsanitary Drinking - You're Beautiful 

I will never forget one of my first and most memorable kdrama drinking scenes.  This one makes me gag to this day anytime I recall and is truly the grossest drunk moment on our list.  Nun turned kpop idol, Mi-Nam, has her first experience with champagne at a party where she is pretending to be her twin brother.  Feeling dizzy and nauseous, the poor thing heads to the rooftop where she finds her unsuspecting band mate.  Throwing up first in a planter (which is gross enough), she then falls on top of leading man and fellow band member Tae Kyeong.  At which time she promptly throws up again IN HIS MOUTH...  EW EW EW.. There is no amount of sanitizing that could make that poor boys mouth clean.

This concludes my trip down memory lane of my favorite drinking moments.  Remember to send me a quick note if you have a topic for our future countdowns, as well as if you have your own favorite drinking moment that is not already listed.  It is always fun to chat with other kdrama fanatics. 

Kmuse

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Kmuse's Top 5 Kdrama Countdown - Villain Edition

I know that I have not been doing my weekly top 5 countdown where I let you all know my favorite kdrama moments of the week.  Unfortunately real life and a whole bunch of vacations have interfered, however until I can get all caught up (which might be a couple of weeks) I decided to amend my past format and start doing themed countdowns.  This week you get to find out who my favorite villains are from the current airing dramas.  Who will win?  A scheming mother, a crazy magician, or maybe just a psycho 2nd lead? Come join me as I count down my favorite people who I love to hate!

#5 Min Hye Rin (aka The Iron Butterfly) - Endless Love

I originally thought that the bad guy was Park Young Tae ( the person who actually killed the heroines mother), but it turns out that the real villain of the drama is Hye Rin.  Wife of the current prime minister, her greed for power knows no bounds and she will do literally anything to further her goal of becoming the First Lady.  Even having the heroine, In Ae,  arrested, tortured, raped, and impregnated, so that her son will stop his infatuation with the delinquent actress.  And that is all without knowing that she is really the daughter of her husbands first love (the daughter she had ordered killed along with her mother 26 years earlier).  All of these things put her firmly in my best evil villains list.

#4 Kang Se Ah - Marriage Without Dating

 She is the worst kind of ex girlfriend, the kind that can not understand rejection and the word "NO".  While all the other characters have slowly grown on me (even ex-boyfriend with the peter pan complex), Se Ah's narcissistic entitled rich girl ways continue to drive me batty.  I don't care if it makes you unhappy to see your ex move on, it does not give one the right to ruin his life 3 years later.  My advice is go to a therapist and learn to get closure because right now you just coming across as bat crap crazy. 

#3 Merchant Choi (aka The Leader of the Gunman) - The Joseon Gunman
Choi Won Shin not only is an amazing bad guy, but a character that I love almost to the point that I can't hate him.  Merchant Choi is stuck in a situation where there are very few options. He either follows the directions of the evil nobleman, or he and his daughter will be enslaved and lose everything.  So in order to survive, Merchant Choi aligns himself with the strongest side and sets about eliminating their roadblocks.  Unfortunately one of those roadblocks was the hero's (Park Yoon Kang) father.  Personally I am still hoping that there will be some kind of redemption for him and we can see he and his daughter get a happy ending away from political scheming. 

#2 Sa Dam - The Night Watchman's Journal

Does he overact to the point it is almost comical?  Yes he does.  Does he have the classical evil villain vibe that is missing only a cape and a twirling mustache to become a cliche?  You bet ya!  And yet I can't get enough of Kim Sung Oh playing this over the top evil magician.  At this point I really have no clue what is going on except he has A serious love for his stone dragon and large staff/costumes, yet I am highly entertained through every episode.  It could be because he plays such a good opposite of our flamboyant hero Lee Rin.  Whatever the case, I say bring on the Liberace themed costumes and the evil cackles since I am waiting impatiently for the new episodes each week.

#1 Yeon Min Jung - Jang Bo Ri is Here

Do you ever wonder where evil mother-in-laws come from?  I am pretty sure it is from aging people like Yeon Min Jung.  Greedy and narcissistic to the nth degree, Min Jung lives her life hopping up the social ladder by stepping upon anyone and everyone.  If there was a gold medal for lying I can guarantee that she would win first place.  Unlike other evil villains, her lies sound so believable that I am pretty sure even she believes them.  Min Jung also does not let confrontation or surprises divert her from her evil goal, when confronted she is quick on the uptake to make up another lie to cover herself.  Her amazingly psycho character is the reason I am so excited to watch this drama each week, and I can't wait to see her fall into a pit of her own making (I am even thinking of looking up this actress and watching some of her other work, I am enjoying her acting so much).  

This completes my favorite bad guy segment.  Did your favorite make the cut?  Feel free to comment about your secret love for evil in the comments or be sure to like us on FB for more kdrama discussion and updates.

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Top 5 Kdrama Countdown - June Week 4

Hello all you Crazy Ahjumma readers!  I am so sorry for missing a week of my Kdrama Countdown.  Last week I ran out of time and had an all around lack of epic moments to write about (Refer to my #1 moment of this week) so I decided to just take a break til the new batch of dramas aired.  Thankfully we are back with a ton of great moments as well as a whole bunch of new dramas to talk about.  So without further ado, lets discuss my favorite kdrama moments of the last week of June!

#5 Who Knew That I Enjoy Trot Music? -Trot Lovers

I guess that there is an old Korean Ahjumma trapped within me since I actually really love the OST for Trot Lovers.  It is so fun to listen to the music and Jung Eun Ji's voice is perfect for this style.  The drama itself is fun, if not overly original, and if you can get past Ji Hyun Woo's fixed teeth (who knew I would miss his crooked smile so much) it is a quirky summer romantic comedy. 
Trot Audition Clip

 #4 Lee Joon Ki - The Joseon Gunman

Lee Joon Ki has always been truly amazingly attractive.  He was the king of the flower boys from way back, who has since emerged as a very masculine leading man post military.  But there is just something extra special about Lee Joon Ki in hanbok.   He just lights up the screen with his confident demeanor and is making the new Sageuk "The Joseon Gunman" a must watch drama.  This drama reminds me of historical dramas like "The Princess Man" and "Moon Embracing the Sun" in that it is really easy to understand.  A lot of times Saguek's have very intricate military/political plots that can be confusing for newcomers.  But this drama is perfect for that drama fan who wants a good story without too much complication.  And it has Lee Joon Ki so it is a win win for everyone.

 #3 Workplace Nemesis - The King of High School

It is no secret that I love Seo In Guk (seriously, you would have to be living under a rock to have not heard my fangirling squeals.)  But after watching "The King of High School" that love has increased exponentially.   Who would not love his character?  He is all that is admirable in a man/boy in that he is handsome, kind, and will stick to his moral compass no matter what.  We see this in episode 4 where he must stand up to a co-director who is hassling one of his employees.  Most people would sit back and see what happens before rocking the boat, but not Min Seok.  He openly opposes his nemesis and tells him that he has no manners and should learn to respect his elders.  It was a great moment that brought little happy fizzles within my heart.  Not to mention Seo In Guk is very sexy when he is aggressive and angry.

#2 The Secret is Out! - Triangle

You might be surprised that one of my favorite dramas right now is the epic brother reunion melodrama "Triangle".  just for clarification, if you are looking for a strong romantic storyline, then this drama is NOT for you.  For the most part the romance is pretty mild.  There are some sweet moments between middle brother, played by Kim Jae Joong (Protect the Boss), and his girl, but for the most part people are watching this drama for some super sweet bromance.  The bromance between oldest brother Jang Dong-Soo (Kim Beom Soo - Iris 2) and his younger brother Heo Young-Dal (Kim Jae Joong).  For weeks we have seen the two men growing closer and closer with their revenge plots, but the revenge heat was cranked to a whole new level once their biological connection came out into the open.  I got completely misty eyed when the two were finally able to reconnect with a huge hug and tons of crying.  Much better than most romantic kdrama moments, and completely worth watching 16 episodes of slow and steady plot buildup. 

#1 No more boring dramas!

I don't know why, but I fell out of love with an insane amount of dramas in this last batch.  They started out with so much promise, good premises, great actors, but then they just fell flat.  Flat as a pancake after it has been run over by a steamroller.  So I happily say goodbye to those (and a few that have one or two weeks left) dramas and begin the process over with some great new dramas that have not disappointed me yet.  Just so you guys have a list of dramas I did not really enjoy for future reference, Big Man, A New Leaf (now in my top most boring of all time list), Golden Cross, Wild Chives and Soy Bean Soup (Why did you have to grow up younger cast?), Doctor Stranger (Even the amazing acting of Lee Jung Suk could not save this train wreck), and Gap Dong.  You are gone and won't be missed.  

And that completes my favorite moments of the week!  Just a heads up that I will be on vacation in another week which means that my blogging/kdrama time will be greatly decreased.  On an up note, the lake house will have wifi!  On the downside, I am sharing it with my in laws, three sister in laws plus their spouses/children and none of them understand the importance of all things kentertainment.  This of course means that I am going to have to sneak my kdrama time in during the wee hours of the night.  As of now I am determined to still get my blog posts in, but the chances are really good that they will be mini-caps.  I hope you will continue to support me during this hard time (seriously, how am I going to survive????)

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Dramas that I am currently watching:
God's Quiz Season 4
Love Myself or You (Tdrama)
Rock N' Road (Tdrama)
Hotel King  
King of High School
You Light Up My Star (Tdrama)
Fall In Love With Me (Tdrama)  
Bitter Blood/Partners in Blood (Jdrama)  
Glorious Day
Wonderful Days 
Wild Chives and Soy Bean Soup: 12 Years Reunion  
Endless Love
A New Leaf  
Fated to Love You
Triangle  
Dr Stranger  
You're All Surrounded
The Joeson Gunman
Trot Lovers
Yoo Na's Street

Top 5 Kdrama Countdown - June Week 2 : Upcoming Drama Edition

It's that time again where we have a ton of dramas ending which of course means a whole slew of dramas are getting ready to air.  It is a whole new race to see which dramas are going to rise to the top, which are going to tank, and those that will be those hidden gems.  Anticipation is one of the things that makes kdramas so wonderful.  So come check out which ones are my top 5 anticipated dramas of the summer.

Note: I snagged the some of the information/descriptions from My Drama List website since there is not a more detailed synopsis's out yet.  If you are not already keeping track of your dramas here, then be sure to check it out.  It is perfect for keeping track on which episodes you are on, upcoming dramas, as well as various articles.

#5 Endless Love

Synopsis
After a traumatic past of witnessing her mother's death, Seo In Ae (Hwang Jung Eum - Secret Love) grows up as an ambitious woman with a sharp mind who knows how to grab people's hearts, while still holding hope to avenge her mother someday. Since childhood, her life has been entangled with two opposite-personalities brothers from a poor fisherman family, Han Kwang Hoon (Ryu Soo Young - 2 weeks) and Han Kwang Chul (Jung Kyung Ho - Heartless City). Kwang Hoon is the elder brother and an ambitious man. Kwang Chul has never stopped loving In Ae, who is his older brother's lover.

Thoughts
This drama has combined the leads of two of my favorite dramas from 2013 (Secret Love & Heartless City).  Add to that a action packed suspenseful first trailer, and I am already hooked.  It looks like this one is going to be the heart gripping crack drama of the summer that you just can't stop watching

Endless Love Trailer

#4 Fated To Love You & Marriage Without Love

These two dramas are tied, since both are on my short list for my second recap after the mess that is Gap Dong finishes (Oh thank goodness that disaster of a drama is almost over).

Fated to Love You

This drama is actually another Taiwanese remake and is going to hopefully be able to have the same success that the other Tdrama remake, Witch's Romance, had.

Synopsis:
An ordinary woman happens to spend one night with the successor of a large company (due to some heavy medication on both sides). She finds herself being pregnant and they get married.

Thoughts
I loved the Taiwanese version of this drama so there is a good chance that I will love this one as well.  My only concern is that Ethan Juan did such a superb job as the lead, I am not sure I will be able to dissociate him from the character when Jang Hyuk (Iris 2) takes over.  I am really hoping that the Korean version is able to have the same chemistry the original had, or I will be very disappointed.  On an up note, it is only 16 episode rather than the originals 24.  That means a tighter storyline and less filler which is the curse of almost all Tdramas.

Marriage Without Love

Synopsis
Gong Ki Tae (Yun Woo Jin - Arang and the Magistrate) is a finicky son of a rich family who hates having his parents try to set him up on marriage dates.  In order to avoid the complications and hassle of his matchmaking family, he hires Joo Jang Mi (Han Groo) to pretend to be his serious girlfriend.  She is hired specifically for her poor background, which would inhibit his family from pushing for a wedding.

Thoughts
I usually enjoy Yun Woo Jin as an actor (even if I don't like all his dramas).  The premise also is very cute and has a lot of potential.  Add in the fact that it is on TvN, which is the cable station that seems to air all my favorite dramas, and we hopefully have a winner.  But do I really want to recap this one without having proof this couple has chemistry?  Hopefully I will get a better trailer from both dramas, before I am forced to pick one or the other for recap.
Marriage Without Love Teaser

#3 The Night Watchman's Journal

Synopsis
This drama is set in Joseon dynasty about a  crown prince (Jung Il Woo - Golden Rainbow, Moon Embracing the Son) and his bodyguards who are capturing ghosts during their routine night patrols. 

Thoughts:
In theory this sounds awesome.  Does anyone else imagine a Korean version of the tv show Supernatural when they hear the synopsis.  Of course, I am sure it will be a lot more involved with politics than is indicated by the description, since this is a sageuk after all.  But at least we will get to stare at Jung Il Woo in period costume, which is always a joy to behold.

#2 The Joseon Gunman

Synopsis
In the time of enlightenment of 19th-century Joseon. It stars a hero (Lee Joon Gi - 2 weeks) who is the son of Joseon’s greatest swordsman. He loses his father and younger sister, after which he trades sword for gun as he embarks on his revenge mission, and in so doing the drama will “depict the pain and courage of the young people of the era.”

Thoughts
This is the drama I am most worried about letting me down.  The promotion campaign for The Joseon Gunman has been by far the best I have ever seen.  The posters, the trailers, the billboards, have all contributed to my really really high expectations.  It also stars Lee Joon Gi, who I consider to be one of the best actors for Sageuk's. That said, the last time I let a really gorgeous cinematography campaign suck me in, I was stuck with 20 hours of boring staring competitions with little plot (I am talking about you The Blade and Petal).  That is 20 hours that I can not get back.......my brain still hurts just thinking about that trauma.  So once burned I am twice shy, but even so I can't stop myself from getting a little excited while watching all the action in the teasers.

The Joseon Gunman Trailer

#1 High School King (as if there was any  doubt)

Synopsis:
Popular high school senior and hockey star, Lee Min Seok (SEO IN GUK!!!!!!! - Reply 1997), receives a call from his estranged brother telling him that he needs to pretend to be him at his new job.  It's a matter of life and death.  Being the awesome brother he is, Lee Min Seok, takes over the role of a manager at a local company.  He continues to lead a double life resulting in a lot of running, lifestyle crossovers, and a love interest with the intern he is the "boss" of.

Thoughts
It's Seo In Guk, in a romantic comedy, on TvN (Oh please please please have some good make out scenes!!!).  What is not to love?  For those of you who are unaware (you obviously must be 1st time readers) Seo In Guk is my #1 bias and I love everything he does.  So I am of course recapping this drama for "The Crazy Ahjummas" so be sure to check back Monday night/Tuesday morning for my first recap.  It should be a fun and crazy ride of a drama.

High School King Trailer

Honorable Mention

-It's Okay, That's Love-

Synopsis
Jung Jae-Yeol (Jo In Sung - Winter the Wind Blows) is a mystery writer and radio DJ. He suffers from a obsession. Ji Hye-Soo (Gong Hyo Jin - Masters Sun) is going through her first year fellowship in psychiatry at a University Hospital. She chose psychiatry because she doesn't want to perform surgeries. After she meets Jung Jae-Yeol, her life goes through big changes.

Thoughts
I will happily give this one a try for it's amazing cast.  I have also always wanted to see Gong Hyo Jin in a more serious role.

-Trot Lovers-

Synopsis
The feisty heroine (Jung Eun Ji - Reply 1997) works multiple jobs as the breadwinner to support her father and younger sister. Her mother was a trot singer and she inherited the voice, along with hopes of being a trot singer herself someday. The drama will be about her journey to stardom, and the bickering romance that ignites with the leading man (Ji Hyun Woo -Queen IN Hyun's Man), the arrogant star musician who could not be more opposite in personality. He’ll be prickly and snobby, but he’ll be the person to help her realize her dream.

Thoughts
First reason, Ji Hyun Woo is back from the military.  Is there really any need for a second reason to try out this drama?

Trot Lovers Trailer

There you have my list of highly anticipated upcoming summer kdramas.  Is your favorite on the list?  Did I forget anything?  Be sure to let me know in the comments either here or on our FB page (see link below).  We always love to hear feedback from our readers, which allows us to fine tune the blog.  I hope to see you all back for our new drama recaps, as well as our weekly top 5 countdowns. 

Sincerely
Kmuse
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Dramas that I am currently watching:
God's Quiz Season 4
Love Myself or You (Tdrama)
Rock N' Road (Tdrama)
Hotel King  
High School King
You Light Up My Star (Tdrama)
Fall In Love With Me (Tdrama)  
Angel Eyes  
Bitter Blood/Partners in Blood (Jdrama)  
BORDER (Jdrama)  
Glorious Day
Witch's Romance  
Gap Dong
Shinigami-kun (Jdrama)
Wonderful Days 
Wild Chives and Soy Bean Soup: 12 Years Reunion  
Sweet Sweet Bodyguard (Tdrama)
Endless Love
Big Man  
A New Leaf  
Triangle  
Dr Stranger  
You're All Surrounded