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.
Hey guys so my family, for now, seems to be surviving well enough for me to get back into the swing of things. For the first time in months, a drama actually caught me, & kept me, for more than one episode. But I'll get back to that later. I want to say thank you so much to all of you who have emailed, tweeted, and facebooked me over the last few months, with words of encouragement & support, it meant the world to me, to know I hadn't been forgotten by my favorite peeps.
Overview:
On with the review, I'm going to wrap up the last three episodes in this one review. I really enjoyed how they wrapped up this drama, granted it was a little predictable and they used one of my least favorite, but overused ploys, the whole going away for a year & then coming back but I loved the faces that Joo Joong Won made when he was pretending that he was in so much pain and that he was gonna let her walk away from him when really he wasn't. I enjoyed how each character was paired off for a happily ever end. Call me a romantic or a goofball for liking a clean cut happy ending if you want. It doesn't bother me. Life is so full of complicated, messy endings, that most of the time don't actually feel ended that when I'm watching a show I want what I can't really get in real life. Real life is overrated.
Cha Hee Joo: (The Real Cha Hee Joo)
At the end of 15 all is revealed, all that was pretty much visible throughout the drama, at least to me. She is the REAL Cha Hee Joo. She was the one who was in the orphanage, when her sister came to see her for the first time, we see that Han Na was actually the nice twin, probably because she was raised with adoptive parents in a nice, read: rich, environment. The whole nature vs nurture issue comes up here. That CHJ had a thing for JJW, but was too scared to approach him, so her sweet twin sister did it, while pretending to be her. Eventually CHJ was going to tell JJW the whole truth of their deception, once she started having feelings for him. But then CHJ stepped in & there was the kidnapping, the jewelry heist, the murder of her own sister & then taking her sister's place as Han Na. She gets caught, admits to her dirty deeds, 2 day before the statute of limitations expires, how convenient, and is hauled off to jail.
Tae Gong Sil's Eonnie and Cheap Mouth:
Weirdest pairing I've seen in a while. They start off as acquaintances & out of nowehere they're flirting & hanging out, he's no longer using her to get the dirty deets to take back to Uncle. And even though she finds out he's the one with cheap mouth selling secrets of her own sister, she continues dating him. But he was funny & cute & he was willing to do all those shots for her so even I forgave him. Besides she has enough sass & feistiness in her to make him pay but in a totally loving & funny way. So in the end it worked.
Aunt & Uncle:
Aunt becomes pregnant! And we find out that she has never been able to carry a baby to term. Which has made her sad & bitter & probably caused failed relationships in the past which explains her need to control everything & why she is very guarded. I ended up really liking Aunt. But it took TGS to point out that while it is scary to trust & rely on others that it is also good for you, even if you get hurt. I loved how happy Uncle was & how he was prepared to raise the baby after Aunt gives birth, because 50 is too old to take care of baby, in Aunt's mind. I think these 2 just might make it. He's the perfect Yin to her Yang. And he cracks me up every time he cheers, "TGS, Fighting!", under his breath.
Kang Candy & Tae Yi Ryeong (or Black Whale):
She gets him drunk! Kang Candy drunk is adorably honest. And I love that she spiked his drink. Way to go girl! Again this is the kind of stuff that is just creepy & wrong in the real world but is awesome in KDramas. While intoxicated he admits he thinks she's quite beautiful. And you can see how happy it makes her to hear this. In fact she likes it so much that she agrees to help Kang Candy & JJW stop TGS from leaving the country. In the most awesome ways ever! Loved the 'OMGosh I think I am dying' on the plane, acting & the way she was grabbing on TGS & dragging her with her out of the airport to the hospital every step of the way. Pretty strong for someone who is abject pain. And afterwards, Kang Candy rewards her by basically agreeing to be hers. Totally adorable couple! I loved them together so much! Very reminiscent of Ice Cream Girl & Cha Moo Won, from Protect the Boss.
This leaves us with...
Joo Joong Won & his Billion Won Radar, Tae Gong Sil:
So many happy feels. I loved that even though he didn't want her to leave him, he told her "Get Lost" in that fantastic way. I was glad that she didn't come back from her search for answers, all healed & unable to see ghosts anymore. Her explanation that while she was in a coma & traveling with the photographer who can see ghosts as well, she was touched by the spirits & promised to help them & that is why she is such a shining light to them, because of her promise to help when she got back in her body. It was very sweet. After the tried & overly used plot device of separating for a over a year they run into each other again & she fakes that she is cured so that he doesn't feel sorry for her, because she wants him back. But she wants him back on her terms, not because he thinks she needs him to protect him from the scary ghosts. She's even earned some major bank while she was gone so that she can buy her apartment building, which he told her early on if she bought that building he'd take her then. I'm paraphrasing of course but you get the general idea, right? Anyway, he finds out when he gets her drunk & has to keep a plethora of ghosts from taking control of her. Again I loved watching Gong Hyo Jin play so many different characters in her one body. She is one of my favorite actresses. Eventually it all works out, she buys the building, he finally gets the girl & she accepts herself & her abilities.
Weekly Ghosts We Grew To Love:
They even managed to wrap up the ghosts...Trashcan ghost was at the trashcan because he lost a big time lottery winning ticket & let his family down but JJW fixed that by helping Trashcan ghost's daughter have the wedding of her dreams. Then there was Woo Jin. Who's mom, is so distraught with grief for her son that she almost commits suicide, but TGS rescued her in time. We even found out that the coffee ghost kid, that I loved the best, is actually just like TGS. He's still awake & avoiding the pressure of college & exams & life by staying in a coma, like TGS did & following photographer guy. Sigh, it felt good to get those answers.
So all in all it was a fun, different kind of rom/com Kdrama. I enjoyed the actors & actresses & the characters & most of the writing, plot devices & all. And I have another K Crush in So Ji Sub, who is my age...feels good to crush on age appropriate men. ^^
And that about covers it for me folks. I am moving on to review It's Okay, That's Love, again starring Gong Hyo Jin. It's been a seriously long time since a drama has caught my interest for more than an episode or 2 & I really like the more grown up, serious feel to her new drama. I also like the fact that she isn't some poor pushover or in need of protection heroine. In this one she is sassy, big mouthed, intelligent, and successful. It's a nice change. But I probably won't get any of the reviews out until I get back from KCON next week. My eldest son & I are flying out tomorrow. I hope to meet a lot of fellow addiKts & squee & have a total blast with all of you. This is an amazing once in a lifetime opportunity & there was no way I was going to pass up this experience. Thanks everyon e for the love & support & the cheering section for me & especially for the Crazy Ahjummas. We love you guys!
You were probably all hoping I had quit as a Crazy Ahjumma. Well, sorry to burst your bubbles guys but I am back. After 6 months of serious health scares for my son, surgery, more health scares, hospital stays, a trillion & one visits to a plethora of doctors, mostly specialists, lots of medicines, extreme stress & fatigue for all in our home, I am happy to report he is doing better. He has a long way to go but he is no longer starving to death, that G Tube made a huge world of difference for his little body. He gained over 10 lbs in the 2 months since his surgery & is doing beautifully. He still has immunity issues but we'll get there. I don't want to jinx anything by saying he's out of the woods but he is heading in the right direction for a change & for the first time in months I feel like it's okay to take deep breaths again. Thank you to all who offered encouragement, support, prayers, love & laughter. Anytime you want to know more about Liam's journey head on over to our family blog here.
Next THANK YOU so very very very much to K Muse & to Dongsaeng for putting up with this very silent & completely unhelpful Unnie over the last 6 months. If not for you guys, this labor of love of ours would have died a fast death. You kept us going & even helped us thrive beyond our dreams. Which is probably a reflection on how much I am not needed but I don't care you have to keep putting up with me. I may disappear every once in a while but you people are stuck w me!
It would seem that uri dongsaeng let the cat out of the bag already, for the first time in months, this weekend I sat down & watched K Dramas. 6 hours worth of K Dramas nonetheless! It was like manna from heaven for my weary soul. I wanted to watch them over the last few months but A) have been way too busy taking care of my son & the rest of my motley crew and B) couldn't handle the extreme drama, when I had actual real life drama pulling me under. It was too much emotionally for this mommy to handle all at once. So I had to take a real break from all things KDrama. I still had my tunes though. Thank goodness for KPop!!
When last we spoke, I was supposed to be doing reviews, per episode, of The Master's Sun, but then things got bad around my neck of the woods & I had to stop what I was doing & go into offensive mode for my son's health. Well on Saturday night I finished off TMS' last 3 eps. Sigh....where to begin. First, I am not going to do a detailed review/recap. It's been too long for one of those.
Cliffs Notes version:
He gets his memories back, he pays off her contract w Madame Go, he is still in love with her, she is still in love with him, BUT she is afraid of herself & of the life she leads & that it could put him in danger, so she tries to leave. First she helps him solve the whole Hee Joo vs Ha Na fiasco. Yay. I thoroughly enjoyed Little Sun's over the top stomachache/appendicitis on the plane. Seriously so funny! Then she finds the guy that her spirit hung out with for 3 years while she was comatose and it's him she is leaving with. She comes back, that age old K Drama plot of a year later (or 2 or 3 or 5 whatever) & they have the happily ever after reunion, after she proves she is good enough for him? What?!? I get she has pride & all & I can't completely blame her but really, it irked me. Just another device to keep them apart until the last minute. Ugh.
Okay personally, I thought ep 16 was boring. It dragged on & on. It had it's cute moments of course. But blah blah blah, it was quite obvious they were just stalling for time. By episode 17 they picked things back up, about 1/2 way through 17, but eventually. It had a happy, cute, everything tied up in a neat little bow ending, but it left me underwhelmed all in all, after such great episodes all the way through. I think they should have simply ended it in 16, not pushed for that extra episode, just for ratings. And yes they kissed & yes it was okay, but once again, underwhelming. After everything this couple went through & the amazing chemistry they had together, there really should have been a little more umph in that last kiss.
Best part of the ending for me was that his aunt got to be pregnant. I thought that was incredibly weird but very sweet. Maybe she'll grow a heart after all. And how cute were Kang Woo & Little Sun at the end walking the red carpet. All in all I'll give TMS a standard 8.5. It had the potential for a 10 but the last 2 eps were hum drum & did not live up to the rest of it. BUT at least the Hong Sisters didn't pull another Big. I'd have had to crack some heads otherwise.
And yes, I have finally started watching my Hyun-y, KHJ's new drama Inspiring Generation. I have only made it through ep 3, so I am looking forward to seeing my man in ep 4 but I have to say the kid they picked to play him young, is awesome. Major acting chops. They did a phenomenal job casting him as a young Shin Jung Tae. I can't wait to dive back in after I get some chores done. I spent this weekend sick, again & am still recovering bronchitis. Yes again. I swear 5 times in less than 2 years on major antibiotics, breathing treatments, codeine cough syrup & steroids I am beginning to think WI is trying to kill me. O.O
Before I sign off I have one awesome announcement, next month I will be in Merrillville, Indiana to watch BAP LIVE in concert. And who bought me these tickets? Well my Captain Awesome, no less. How great is my guy?!?!? I didn't even know they were coming here. I have been so focused on my kids that I hadn't even paid any attention to anything. So I will be heading out April 19th for a girls weekend w one of my favorite people. Yay us! I so totally need this break. It has been an insane 6 months!!!!!
I have missed all of my fellow addiKts so much & have thought about you daily. I cannot promise that I will start doing episode by episode recaps again, I simply don't have the time or energy but I will continue to post & talk to you again weekly. I promise. And trust me I will talk about KHJ's drama every opportunity I get. So look for me on Twitter, FB & here. Sending all my love out into the Blogosphere.
To give you something to enjoy & to help you get moving & smile here is Super Junior_M's Korean version MV of "Swing". So much cuteness & eye candy! I am awake now! Now that's what I'm talking about!
So this has been an amazing year for dramas. At least one drama stood out with every batch and there was never I time when I had nothing to watch. However some dramas are just a step above the rest. Usually for me that means that the writers are really good and can write a script that avoids a lot of the standard Korean Plot devices/and or turns them around so they feel fresh and new. Incarnation of Money
IOM is a drama that is not sure what genre it is meant to be. Comedy,
Action, Suspense, & Revenge were all tossed into a bag, shook up,
and out came this amazing drama which had me hooked from start to
finish. Written by my favorite kdrama writers, Jang Young Cheol & Jung Kyung Soon (Empress Ki, Giant, History of a Salaryman), they did not disappoint yet again. Orphaned with amnesia at a young age Lee Cha-Don (Kwang Ji Hwan- Lie to Me, Coffee House) must
face a world run by greed and bribery. He starts as a prosecutor who is so dirty he even has a nickname in the underworld he supposedly arrests. However when he regains his
memory he sets off on a quest to get revenge against the man who took
everything from him. Why you should Watch it
This show is hilarious and suspenseful and all things wonderful all at once. Also seeing the various character grow (either stronger or more evil depending on the character) is so interesting. There is so much gray in all the characters that you dont know if you always support their actions, but you always want to watch more. This is Kwang Ji Hwan's strongest acting in a drama to date. He had me gripped from start to finish. I literally cried when this drama ended and I had to delete it from my watching file on MDL. I would also like to point out that this is the only top drama that was not on my favorite couples list. It was so good that the romance did not have to be the focus.
Usually this is where I put a MV for the drama. However since this drama was not widely spread through the subbed sites it kind of went under the radar (HULU JUST PICKED UP THE SHOW THIS MONTH AND YOU CAN NOW FIND IT FULLY SUBBED IN HD). So instead I am going to show a clip that every Kwang Ji Hwan fan should enjoy. Here he is dancing oh so so so sexy. ENJOY.
I Hear your Voice
One of the biggest hits of the year, I Hear Your Voice was an instant
success with its mix of comedy and suspense. A thriller courtroom
drama with fantasy and romantic comedy elements. It depicts the story of
Jang Hye Sung (Lee Bo Young),
a bold, sassy, and materialistic public defender
who becomes a lawyer after overcoming poverty and painful memories from
her childhood. Park Soo Ha (Lee Jong Suk),
is a 19-year-old boy who reads other people’s thoughts and who has
loved Hye Sung who since he was eight after she gave her testimony in
his
father's murder case. This drama will have you on the edge of your
seat as you watch them avoid a serial killer and attempt to overcome
their age difference to find romance. I know I am personally biased
towards this drama since Lee Jong Suk is in my top 5 favorite actors,
but you will not be sorry if you give this drama a try. It will make
you laugh, cry, and forever be scared of the Jackson 5's song "Ill Be
There". Why you Should Watch It:
Lee Jong Suk could literally have chemistry with garden gnome statue and make it work for me. He is just one of those actors that pulls you into his story regardless of what he wants you to believe. Will I believe that he is a mind reading uber hot orphan who can do Jiujitsu? Sure I will because I love him regardless of how implausible the plot is.
I did mention he could have chemistry with anything right? Check him out looking romantic with a giant stuffed grizzly bear. I swear some of the photography concepts can be so odd.
Ugly Alert
Ugly Alert is a daily drama and while it has a solid fan base, it was
under the radar for the average drama watcher. About a boy who takes
the blame for an accidental murder committed by his step brother. Ten
years later he is released and meets a lonely Choebal heiress Na
Do Hee. Following the initial trial of admitting that he is a felon
they fall for each other and from start to finish continue to support
each other through thick and thin. Combined with an amazing supporting cast of very likable characters, this drama shows us that family can mean more then just blood relations. And I for one enjoy a drama actually showing this rather then the concept that blood is the only thing worthy when it comes to family. Why you Should Watch It:
Unlike 99% of other Korean dramas this one has their characters choosing to communicate and let each other know everything that is happening. It has characters that put others needs above their own and also is the first time I have ever seen a Chaebol Korean family choose the good of people over the all mighty dollar. Add in a slew of healthy normal relationships that you actually enjoy and some quirky friends and you have 130 episodes of pure gold. From start to finish I loved this drama and the family that inhabited it. I know that that many episodes can look daunting, but at only 35 min an episode the time goes by so quickly.
And another reason is that the skinship in this drama is often and adorable. I found this other great MV but for some reason it would not load so if you want to see some clips of all three couples in the drama check out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faVzHepOHio.
Secret Love
The most dysfunctional show by far this year, we watch the OTP Min Hyuk and Yoo Jung
fall in love despite a whole psychological slew of reasons that they
shouldn't. Taking the blame for killing Min Hyuk's pregnant girlfriend,
Yoo Jung serves five years in prison. Determined to get revenge Min
Hyuk stalks her day and night when she gets out. And what does every
good Korean stalker do? Why fall in love with the person they are
obsessed with of course. Just usually they wait until all the
misunderstandings are cleared up first. Unlike other Korean lead
characters, Min Hyuk starts to fall for her while he is still under the
impression that she is a murderess. Why You Should Watch It:
This show makes you cheer for the leading man even though you are pretty
sure he should be in prison for his intense level of creepy stalking (seriously in the US he would have been arrested a billion times over for his level of stalking). I love
how the writers always keep us feeling like the relationship is just a
tad bit warped and wrong and that we are also a bit of both for hoping
the leads get together. This drama was the eppitamy of guilty pleasure
and I loved every dysfunctional minute of it.
They were so connected in with each other and had amazing timing and chemistry.
The oxygen left the room anytime they were together on screen.
Heartless City
Set in the underground world of Seoul's drug cartel, Heartless City is the story of one man's attempt to win against gangsters and cops alike. It delves into the dark and cynical life of Doc Son and the workings of a city run by drugs, greed, and violence. I love that this show is trying to actually bring something new to the drama world. So often the characters of dramas are toned down bad guys but this drama you see all of the sins of all the players both the supposed bad guys and those. Why you should watch it: The haunting music, the amazing side characters, and a gritty knife yielding hot lead make this drama a must watch. Not to mention the steamiest kiss/sex scene I have ever seen in a drama. If you are looking for something different, something that you have not seen already then give Heartless City a try. I guarantee by episode four you will be hooked.
This is the scene that hooked my for the long hall. There is nothing sexier then a man in a suit taking down 15 hardened thugs all on his own.
School 2013
I know that I said that this was my top 5 but really there is no way I can not have this drama in my best of list. It was one of the very first dramas of 2013 and if it can stick with you 50 dramas later and still have a major impact on your emotions then that deserves a ten on my list.
At the start of 2013 two models turned actors (Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin) starred
in an ensemble cast in a drama called School 2013. Starting out as a
story about students going through the rigors of school in Seoul, the
plot quickly centered on the relationship between the two best friends
turned enemies. I laughed and cried with them as they went through the
trials of betrayal and forgiveness and their chemistry together was
tangible. Never have I wished for two guys to be a couple then these
two. And in my mind they are off somewhere married to sisters and
living in a huge communal home staying BFF's forever. Why you Should Watch It:
Remember how I said Lee Jong Suk could have chemistry with anything??? Well put him together with Kim Woo Bin who has his own brand of macho charisma (it is kind of getting hit over the head with a shovel, you will respond to him regardless of whether you think he is attractive or not) and it is electrifying.
And since we are totally breaking all the rules I am going to add two MV's to showcase this couple. Did I mention that I Ship them so so so so so much. Months later when they were on running man (clip 1) I totally squealed along with them as the touched and jumped so cutely because of brain freeze..
CLIP 1
Clip 2
Dramas That Came So Close:
If this year had not had so many AMAZING dramas, then these three would definitely have made the cut. I loved each and every one of them and would suggest they get put on your "must watch" list ASAP. Masters Sun Great supernatural romantic comedy from the Hong Sisters. My only
complaint is that they could have made use of the OTP's chemistry a
little more and given their kiss scenes a bit more sizzle.
Nine
A roller coaster drama that makes your brain hurt trying to figure out all the time lines (but in a good way). My only complaints is that I really don't like the lead actress (thankfully the male lead was so good that he did not need her to carry much wait in the story) and the ending made my mind go around in circles for days.
Two Weeks
A great drama starring Lee Joong Ki we get to watch a bad guy become a better person because of a daughter he never knew he had. Combining great action, plot timing, and acting we get everything in this drama. My only complaint is that some of the supporting characters were not fleshed out very well. Everyone else seemed just a bit slow compared to the lead.
The ends my list of the best of the best in the year 2013. I cant wait to ring in the new year with a dramathon and the beginning of a new list. Be sure to check in later this week as I write my last blog post of 2013, The hottest khottie actors of 2013.
I am just warning you all that I was not feeling very witty today while I was writing this. Ironic since this is a list of my favorite comedies. I have to imagine that this is what all the kwriters felt like this last year because I have just one question. What the heck happened to the Romantic Comedy genre in 2013???? Did Korea forget how to laugh and be romantic at the same time? Looking back I am amazed on not only the absense of humor but in the poor quality of many of the dramas that were catagorized as "comedies". The several that I did like tended to be a mix of genre's not straight comedy. For example, I loved I Hear Your Voice and yes it did have some truly funny scenes but the majority of the show was about them dealing with a Serial Killer and him trying to destroy/kill them. Amazing drama, but not really one where I am laughing all the time. Be aware that many of these could be slotted into multiple genre's. However this is a best & worst list so I added these in because they made me laugh more then cry.
WARNING: THIS BLOG CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS - ESPECIALLY ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE MY LEAST FAVORITE LIST
Favorites All About My Romance
This drama was a sleeper drama and many people had not even heard about it let alone watched it. However it earned a spot on my list because not only was it a really really sweet romance, but it actually stayed pretty consistent from start to finish. Kim Soo Young (Shin Ha Kyun - Harvest Villa, Brain ) starts to date Noh Min Young (Lee Min Jung - Big, Smile You) and both actors for once really work. I know a lot of people hate Lee Min Jung but I promise she is much much better in this drama. For once she is allowed to act like an adult and the cutesy stuff is eased way back.
Belonging to opposite political parties they are forced to hide their budding romance. It is full hijinks and cute moments and is one of those dramas that just made me smile. If you plan on watching expect a lot of political talk but if you can get past that then you are in for a great drama.
Cute OTP
Flirting like a politician.
Incarnation of Money
IOM is a drama that is not sure what genre it is meant to be. Comedy, Action, Suspense, & Revenge were all tossed into a bag, shook up, and out came this amazing drama which had me hooked from start to finish. Written by my favorite kdrama writers, Jang Young Cheol & Jung Kyung Soon (Empress Ki, Giant, History of a Salaryman), they did not disappoint yet again. Orphaned with amnesia at a young age Lee Cha-Don (Kwang Ji Hwan- Lie to Me, Coffee House) must face a world run by greed and bribery. However when he regains his memory he sets off on a quest to get revenge against the man who took everything from him. Kwang Ji Hwan is amazing in this drama! I have always enjoyed him as an actor but he really proves his abilities when he switches from a comedic buffoon to seriously dangerous in a blink of the eye. And he rocked some seriously bad hair and that takes talent. Add a great supporting cast you get great scenes over and over. I would highly suggest this drama to anyone since it is such a mix there is bound to be something that hooks you into this drama.
Incarnation of Money Trailer
I Hear Your Voice
One of the biggest hits of the year, I Hear Your Voice was an instant success with its mix of comedy and suspense. A thriller courtroom drama with fantasy and romantic comedy elements. It depicts the story of Jang Hye Sung (Lee Bo Young),
a bold, sassy, and materialistic public defender
who becomes a lawyer after overcoming poverty and painful memories from
her childhood. Park Soo Ha (Lee Jong Suk), is a 19-year-old boy who reads other people’s thoughts and who has loved Hye Sung who since he was eight after she gave her testimony in his
father's murder case. This drama will have you on the edge of your seat as you watch them avoid a serial killer and attempt to overcome their age difference to find romance. I know I am personally biased towards this drama since Lee Jong Suk is in my top 5 favorite actors, but you will not be sorry if you give this drama a try. It will make you laugh, cry, and forever be scared of the Jackson 5's song "Ill Be There".
I Hear Your Voice Trailer
Romantic Cuteness - Seriously who would not love LJS's smile!
The Reality of Women
The Masters Sun
Probably the most traditional comedy of the year was the Hong Sister drama The Master's Sun. The story of Tae Gong Shil (Gong Hyo Jin - Greatest Love, Pasta) who's life is falling apart because she is able to see Ghosts. When she discovers that the ghosts disappear anytime she
touches Joo Joong Won (So Ji Sub - Ghost), she becomes determined to
stay close to him regardless of the costs. While this drama has its
share of spooky pop out at you ghost, it is more a romantic comedy then a
horror drama. Filled with witty sexual innuendos and classic physical comedy we get to laugh along with the characters. And if the laughs taper off a bit towards the end of the drama we can forgive them since it was so funny at the beginning. The following is one of my favorites scenes where Gong Shil wakes up in Joong Won's bed and he proceeds to tell her about his sleepless night because she kept getting possessed by various ghosts. Masters Sun Possession.
Least Favorite
I have to imagine that this is the picture that all the writers looked at while they wrote these dramas. Instead of funny all of these following dramas were just a painful jumble of bad writing, bad characters, and just everything that is bad....... Even those that started out funny evolved into sad serious emo dramas that still made no sense.
Cheongdamdong Alice
This drama looked like it was going to be so cute. And even if Moon Geun Young is the Debbie Downer of dramas I had high hopes. Park Shi Hoo's character looked like he was going to make up for her somber performance. He was everything I loved in a character..... crazy, egotistical, and well just more crazy. But then everything took a turn for the serious and MGY's character just became even more unlikeable then she already was and PSH's character lost all his sparkle. This possible comedy became so blah that I just stopped caring about any of the characters and was just praying that it would end. However we at least got this cute dance scene out of it......... the best 40 sec of the whole drama.
Flower Boy Next Door
Another drama that should have been a smashing success as a comedy. It had Yoon Shi Yoon as the lead - a quirky man child who loved life and fuzzy animal hats. Park Shin Hye (this was before I fell out of love with her due to her inability to have a romantic scene with a man) was the cute shut in stalker who stares at a hot neighbor from her window. Add a great cast of cute sexy men and where could you go wrong? Obviously when you decide to drop the funny and make it a sad drama with a very depressed heroine and an emotionally stunted bipolar hero. I know there are people out there who loved this drama saying that it "had depth". I personally would have liked less depth and more cute hijinks between the leads. The constant crying did not do it for me.
Nail Shop Paris
There are not enough words to accurately describe this psychedelic mess of a drama. My 2nd lowest ranked drama ever, it achieves levels of crappiness that no drama should ever achieve. I would purposefully watch it late at night when I was kind of punch drunk sleepy so I could get through it. My drama BFF Angela and I would always come up with reasons for the plot and I think we finally concluded that it was because all of the writers were drugged out on PCP. There is no other explanation for these characters. Said to be a romantic comedy revolving around flower boy nail artists and the happenings around them. What it really ended up being was a drama about a bunch of nail artists that invaded their clients personal lives (in very very awkward and uncomfortable ways). With a heroine who is a cross dressing half Gimiho writer who falls in love with the most boring vanilla character ever (oh and he is also a half Gimiho which is why she feels a connection to him). The only good or interesting thing about this drama is Song Jae Rim as Kay (the B lead) who actually gets the girl. As a character/actor he is very good but his talent just shows you what a crapfest the rest of the drama/characters are. So take my advice and burn this drama out of your queue.
7th Grade Civil Servant
I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE Joo Won fan. Up until this point he could do absolutely no wrong..... until I started watching this drama that is. (I would just like to say that I thought even in this horribly written drama Joo Won still was amazing. His character was likable and believable and I blame the writers and other actors for everything else that went wrong to make this such a bad drama). I am not sure what the writers were going for? Was it a satire of the Spy movie genre? Was it meant to be a comedy and the acting was just so bad (EXCEPT FOR JOO WON) that it came out wrong? Whatever the reason this drama made you laugh at it, not with it.
Final Thoughts:
This concludes my list for my favorite and least favorite comedies of 2013. However, there is a glimmer of hope for the kcomedy genre. In the last month several really funny dramas have started, I did not add them to the 2013 list since they all overlap heavily into 2014 but I just wanted to give them a shout out. Pretty Man (you can catch my recaps of this drama on our blog), The Prime Minister and I (contract marriage hijinks), Let's Eat (Cable quirky food and single life comedy), and Potato Star 2013Qr3 (daily large cast family comedy) all provide a plethora of laughs and have made my weekly watching a lot more enjoyable. Lets cross our fingers and hope that they and future dramas are better written and can keep us laughing.
As I was searching for a drama to watch this week in commemoration of Halloween I realized that there are just not a lot of truly scary kdramas. There are a plethora of Korean horror movies, but when it comes to kdramas it is a highly overlooked genre. Is it because of the censors? Probably since they even blur out knives because of public sensitivity. But whatever the reason, it took some work to come up with a list that might give you some chills and thrills. Soul (aka Possessed)
This is probably the scariest out of the options. Only 10 episodes, it is a fast paced scary ride full of murders, ghosts, and truly messed up concepts of justice. We see sweet Ha Na ( Im Joo Eun - Wild Romance, Whats UP) witness multiple murders including that of her twin sister. Upon going a little crazy, she emerges possessed by her sisters vengeful spirit and is used by profiler Shin Ryu (Lee Seo Jin - Damo, Gye Baek) to murder people who had escaped justice. If you want the in your face scare, then this is your drama. I often jumped because of the ghosts and I would personally not watch this before bedtime. However it does have slight jumps and holes in the plot so don't expect a masterpiece when it comes to the script.
SOUL TRAILER:
Vampire Prosecutor (seasons 1 & 2)
I know that if you were judging from the title alone you would assume that this is either super cheesy or something via twilight. However viewers are surprised to find a really solid crime drama behind the weird title. And although this is not a traditional scary drama like Soul, it does have its suspenseful moments. And even better then that it has Yun Jung Hoon (I summon you gold, Can love become Money) playing Prosecutor Min Tae Yeon. And he is all kinds of gorgeous, amazing, charismatic, stick a bow on him and give him as a present, hunk of Korean male. Through two seasons we follow him on his quest for justice against both the living and the undead.
Vampire Prosecutor Trailers:
White Christmas
This is my go to drama when I want something well written and super suspenseful. This drama takes us to Susin High School, nicknamed "Prison High," it is an elite school attended by the top 1% of students in the country. Stuck in the middle of the mountains with no outside influences the only thing that the students do is study and wait for Christmas break to leave for a week to visit their families. This Christmas 7 students and a teacher remain and are confronted with a killer among them who is interested in finding out if monsters are created, or if they are born. With one of the best up and coming cast of young actors, it is an amazing drama that feels reminiscent of a good Agatha Christie murder mystery.
White Christmas Trailer:
The Masters Sun
One of the biggest hits of 2013, The Masters Sun is the story of Tae Gong Shil (Gong Hyo Jin - Greatest Love, Pasta) who's life is falling apart because she is able to see Ghosts. When she discovers that the ghosts disappear anytime she touches Joo Joong Won (So Ji Sub - Ghost), she becomes determined to stay close to him regardless of the costs. While this drama has its share of spooky pop out at you ghost, it is more a romantic comedy then a horror drama. So if you are looking for something of a lighter scary nature then this is a safe bet. It has a sweet romantic story from start to finish and I truly enjoyed all of the characters.
The Masters Sun Trailer:
Sign
Sign is a tightly written medical investigation drama about forensic doctors solving murder
cases. While from first glance this looks like any other murder/medical drama it starts to surprise you from the beginning and as you delve into the murder of an Idol Star which leads to the hunt for a cunning Serial Killer. Some of the best suspenseful moments in any kdrama I have watched to date where in this show. The OST creates a mood of frantic energy which just heightens your watching experience. Be sure to stick with this drama to the end since it has one of the best dramatic endings that I have ever seen. I literally forced my mom to finish this one because it is that good.Sign Trailer:
Hope these help you in your quest for some good kdrama thrills. Have a Happy Halloween! Sincerely, Kmuse
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
