Sungkyunkwan Scandal

I look back at my ratings here and I think, 'Man!  I am too lenient!'  I mean really, can I love all of these shows and movies this much.  The aswer is yes.  Oh yes!  And I have a new addition to my top rating list of love.
Think Hana Kimi + Coffee Prince + Hong Gil Dong + Confuscious + Korean History Lesson + Women's and Class Equality + The latest Political Debate.  Yep, that pretty much sums it up.
And I loved it!  I loved the characters.  The little roles the side characters play, the growth of the main characters and their relationships, the redemption of many, the final incarceration of one.  Heh heh, spoiler there.  No really, I laughed and cheered and winced and giggled and worried all my nails down to nubs.
And the main couple.  They've got the whole rivals and friends thing going for them that evolved into love.  Its so cute to watch them battle wills and ultimatel earn eachothers respect.  Sigh, I loved it.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!
And the ending.  Now, it may be that I watched the last 5 episodes while sick, but I was utterly satisfied.  Especially the last episode.  I didn't think they could wrap it up that well, considering what episode 19 left them with.  But sure enough, I was wrong.  We even got a glimpse into the future and... okay, not going to spoiler anymore.
I really do love this show.  I wanna watch it again, I want to share it with others, I want to watch DBSK Music Videos and ogle at Mickey (who really wasn't my favorite until I watched this.)
10/10

P.S. Favorite scene.  Geol Oh and Lee Seon Joon trying to wiggle eachother out of the center bed spot.  LOL. 

My Girlfriend is a Gumiho

Wow, it's been a while.  I started things, and never finished them.  But this show is something that I couldn't stop watching.  Now that I have finished it, its very existence in this blog is going to shake everything up.  Because I really, really, really love this show!

I held off watching this one for several reasons.  1) I really didn't want to watch an ongoing tv show again.  It kills me to have to wait a week for the next episode and then its usually only on viikii which I believe I have stated my opinion about.  So I waited for it to be complete.  2) Lee Seung Ki, although extremely adorable, was not much of a draw to me.  I'd seen him in Shining Inheritance, and just wasn't impressed enough.  I still need to watch the last episode of that show.  For the record, my opinion has drastically changed.  2.5) There wasn't any other actors that I knew and loved to draw me in.

And to tell the truth, I'm glad I waited.  I had all the episodes, so I was able to stand the beginning where Dae Woong is such a doofus.  He really irritated me, which is great because that was his character's job, and I might have given up in frustration at him if I had to wait all those weeks.

So why do I like it?  The fantasy element that creates so many crazy and wonderful possibilities.  The silliness that kept the comedy true.  The character development that shows a couple really growing and changing for the better.  The emotion that almost had me in tears near the end.  The eye candy.  OMG.  As if Lee Seung Ki wasn't enough, No Min Woo is freaking beautiful!  And his role just really turned him into a delectable, sexy villian!  I almost wanted him to win, several times.

And yes, it was a typical drama.  I've seen so many that the sterotypes are beginning to bug me, but for some reason they didn't in this one.  I knew it was coming, but I didn't mind it when it did.  Maybe it was a strange enough story.  Maybe I just loved and trusted the characters enough.

The few things I wasn't in love with?  The Aunt and Director.  SO CHEESY!  But it was obviously supposed to be.  And Park Soo Jin's character was annoying as her role dictated, but nothing terribly special.  Not really complaining though.  The show is still amazing.

The ending was great.  Although it strings a poor heart along, the ending is beautifully tied up.  And happy!

Notice how this review was more of an opinion then a summary?  I wonder why I do that.

So obviously 10/10!  I'm telling you, every other show I have seen needs to be re-evaluated to this one.  It just made me so happy.

Powerful Opponents

Great show!  This Korean Drama deals with the bodyguards of the Korean President.  Cha Young Jin is a feisty female agent with an ongoing rivalry against cold and arrogant Gwan Nam Pil.  To both of their dissappointment, they are assigned to guard the president's son, Kang Su Ho, together.  Kang Su Ho has no direction in life and suffers from a past he can't remember.  After several attempts to discourage his new bodyguards, particularly Young Jin, he finds that he may have met his match.

Yep, it's romance even though the summary is not really focusing on that.  There is a big, complicated story with secrets and such, but it really does have romance.  Just look at that trio.  Don't you see the love triangle.  And yep, I found myself rooting equally for both.  The side characters are fun, cute, or infuriating but all in all its a fun show to watch.

8/10.  Great watch, but I don't feel the overwhelming need to own it.

Fantasy Couple

This drama is known by two english names.  "Fantasy Couple" and "Couple or Trouble".  Either way, its a Korean Drama version of Overboard.  Jo Anna is tha same stuck up rich girl.  Jang Chul is the Jack of all trades with drool worthy muscles.  The biggest difference is the husband, Billy.  Billy is a coward and his desire to get away from Anna's overbearing personality is what causes him to take his time trying to find her.  Jo Anna has no family, so the rich mother isn't there to pressure him.  And Kang Ja is just a lovable addition for laughs and hi-jinks, plus the three boys (which are his nephews that he cares for, not sons) are so cute!  Love the counting to 100 lesson.
The story repeats a lot of its themes, which gets old, but the length of the show helps everything develop to the point that the last few episodes are absolutely fantastic.  I was frustrated that the romance took so long to burn, but the wait was worth it so I won't complain too much.  And I guess some loose ends weren't tied up very well, but still not a big issue.
Definitely a show worth watching.
6/10

She is Nineteen

Drama, drama, drama!  Yes, this show is very dramatic.  Lots of secrets, lots of lies, lots of destiny tying everyone together so that they keep running into each other.  But I loved it.  I loved the actors, I loved their characters, I loved the way they interacted with each other.  I liked the deep connection and dark past that hid underneath the whole time.  I liked the use of time jumps, creating a difference between silly teenagers and struggling adults.  Was there anything I didn't like?  Well, around episode 11 I started getting anxious for the big reveal, which didn't come until half way through episode 14.  That was really the first time I felt the need to fast forward, but only because of my impatience.  And there was no kissing, save a little cheek thing.  Plenty of romantic heart-jumping moments, but no kissing.  Darn it all.

Remember, this is just my own opinion and once again I may have just been in the right mood, but I enjoyed watching this drama.

8/10

Personal Taste

Say hello to another top fave.  I started watching this show, telling myself I shouldn't watch it because it was still on air and I would have to wait for the episodes each week, but became hopelessly addicted anyway.  The whole concept of - misunderstandings of personal preferences - immediately promised hilariousness.  It didn't disappoint.  I enjoyed every episode.
And this show totally wins first place in best kiss scenes.  WOW!  For how absolutely sweet this show was, it also had some great tension which built up to excellent, satisfying conclusions.  Namely, great kiss scenes.
But before I melt into goo remembering those, I need to say that the characters in this show were fun.  Kae In and Jin Ho being the leads where automatically amazing, especially in the way they fit as friends and as a couple.  But In Hee was so fun to hate, and Chang Ryul was both pathetic and stubborn.  All these great characters interacting with each other is what makes this show one of my favorite dramas.

9/10

And I am so willing to give Lee Min Ho another chance now.  I didn't really like him in Boys over Flowers, but I adored him in this!

Stars Falling from the Sky

All I can say is- CUTE CUTE CUTE!  This show is so... cute!  I mean, look at those kids! 
Now I have some confessions to make.  When I first thought about watching this show, I started it and then immediately stopped.  I really did not like the first portrayel of the characters, and I just wasn't hooked right away.  But I have a blog that I like to read for Korean Drama Recommendations, and it convinced me to give it a chance.  Nevertheless, I completely skipped the first two episodes.  I read their summaries, but started on episode 3.  That is where I got hooked.
This show is so quirky!  There are just so many little things that make it such a joy to watch.  Each of the kids is adorable in their own way.  And when they all take sides on which guy their sister should end up with, I couldn't help but fall in love with everyone.  Especially Pa Rang with Kang Ha.  So cute!
The romantic leads are not fun to watch at the beginning, but to see Pal Kang mature, and Kang Ha melt, that is worth watching. They make such a great couple in the end.
I did fast forward any time I saw Jae Young or her mom on the screen.  I'm not the only one who feels that way about that side story.  They are just a really detestable bunch.  But even that adds something to the story.
And just because I can, I have to mention that Jun Ha is so hot!  Can't help it.  Loved the actor, Shin Dong Wook, in Soulmate even though I hated that show.  Maybe hate is a harsh word.
Yah, this is another post that I will have to clean up on a later date.  I do tend to ramble.  But as for my last word about this show, it had a happy ending.  An ending that I was completely satisfied with.  That immediately bumps it up in my book.

9/10

Oh! My Lady

This drama has a lot of things going for it.  It's cute, and I am not just talking about the kids.  It ended well.  Not explosively, but happily.  And Choi Si Won as Min Woo.  Boy, he is very, very good looking.  Took me a while to realize he was one of Super Junior, because that group just overwhelms me with good looking guys so that it gets hard to tell just how many there actually are.  But now I can pick him out of the bunch.  That smile.  I melt!

Back to the drama.  To be honest, I fast forwarded a lot.  I wasn't interested in the supporting romances, and the 'other guy' in the love triangle just wasn't much of a force to deal with.  He did make Min Woo jealous before he even knew why he was jealous, so it wasn't all for nothing.  But Kae Hwa and Ye Eun were just so adorably.  Kae Hwa is such a spunky heroine that it isn't hard to root for her at all.  Everyone should, and does, fall for her sweetness.  And when Min Woo starts acknowledging Ye Eun, I squeed to high heaven.

I really got into the last few episodes.  You know, yelling at the screen and everything.  I absolutely adored the idea of (SPOILER) Min Woo working so hard to convince Kae Hwa to accept his proposal.  Such a cute aspect!  The end wraps up quickly, and kinda unrealistically, but it does leave a body happy.

6/10

After saying all that, I bet you expected a high rating, but it isn't meant to be.  Nevertheless, good drama.

The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry

In a way, I am glad it took me awhile to start watching this drama.  Kinda not enjoying watching the new series as they come out, week by week.  But I didn't wait too long.  This show had its finale last month (and I'm already addicted to the show that replaced it).  Thank you to all those people out there who fansub these shows and post them ASAP.  I am your biggest fan.

Anyway, about this show.  I LOVED IT!  It had everything I've come to enjoy in an asian drama, including one of my favorite themes, younger guy falling for older girl.  I don't know why I enjoy that so much.  But this show had an amazing leading lady who had such strength and was so lovable.  The side characters were great too.  Da Jung may be pathetic in the beginning, but she really creates a funny and charming addition to the story.  And Boo Ki!  So awesome!!!  But really, all you needed was to mention that Kim Bum was in it, and I am there!  What a good looking guy!

The storyline kept me watching.  I never felt that some parts were drawn out or repeated.  There was laughter and worry in equal enough parts to satisfy me.  Near the end, the drama was starting to get too heavy, but I know they do that to make the ending so much sweeter.

10/10 and a spot in my top five favorites!

You're Beautiful (and the viikii lament)

So so so so so so so CUTE! Oh I loved this show. It did everything right. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, and I worried myself sick! The characters are adorable, especially the 3 hotties of A.N.JELL. Glad I didn't have to pick one of them. In my fantasy harem I will take all three.

Elements of You're Beautiful that I liked -

The sweet heroine who is cute without over doing it. I don't usually like the naive, stupid girls, but for some reason Go Mi Nyu was great. Maybe it was just the situation she was in. Naive or not, pretending to be a boy has got to be tough.

The Pig-Rabbit!

The naked cherub babies!

Tae Kyung's facial expressions. From sour limes to angelic smiles to stubborn smirks, that kid pulls it all off!

Shin Woo! Swoon!

JEREMY!!! Love love love him!

The music! Awesome stuff.

So, officially 10/10! This is another one I will be looking to own.

BUT VIIKII!!!

Viikki no likey me. I just can't watch shows there anymore. Ugh! And that is all I have to say about that.

I Really, Really Like You

I just barely finished this one, so I will have more things to say and in more detail. Will try not to be too spoilerish. As you can see, this was the drama with the most episodes, 34 to be exact, and when I started this blog I was only on episode 6. What does that say for this drama? I couldn't stop watching it.

What I liked:

There are so many characters! Sometimes thats a bad thing, but I found it to be fun. They were well spun together without losing the focus of the show.

The food! I would get so hungry watching this show! And it was all Korean food so educational yes.

The main heroine was so likable. You were rooting for her from episode one.

I officially mark this show for having my favorite kiss scene and mutual confession scene. So cute, even though the things I am refering to happened in the last two episodes. Guess there is something to be said about all that character and story development.

The talking Teddy Bear! AWESOME!

All the emotion! I was angry, sad, worried, excited, happy, proud, disappointed, etc. And that is just me personally. The characters displayed so much that I couldn't help reciprocating.

Nam Bong Gi chasing the chicken! Thats when I knew this show was something special.

Use of music. Similar songs tied together story lines and emotions. The background music was just well done in my opinion.

So, official rating... 8/10!

HA (Hottie Alert): Lee Min Ki as Nam Bong Gi

Boys Over Flowers

Summary:  Geum Jan Di is an ordinary, lower class girl whose family owns a dry cleaning store.
Because she prevented a suicide at the prestigious Shin Hwa High School, the school has to give her a scholarship to satisfy the media.  However she is quickly singled out by the leader of F4 (the four richest and most popular boys at the school) Gu Jun Pyo who leads the entire student body to terrorize her.  Jan Di continues to stand up to the bullying, and Jun Pyo finds himself attracted to her strong will despite himself.  Unfortunately for him, Jan Di has a crush on Yoon Ji Hoo, another member of F4 and Jun Pyo's best friend.


I would call this my first official K Drama. During a very very hard time in my life, I weaseled my way into hanging out with Janalyn and her friends Stacey and Kim while they were watching this. Of course that meant I started on episode 12, but I went back and watched those episodes while I was at my other sister, Ayla's house.

This is a great show and one I highly recommend as a starting place to anyone who is interested in Korean Dramas.  In fact, I have met so many other people who watch K Dramas because we bonded over this show

It is a fun to watch romance with lots of great characters and catchy music. Not to mention the hot guys. SWOON! I am so in love with Kim Bum who plays So Yi Jung and Kim Hyun Joong who plays Ji Hoo!  Also, Lee Min Ho is amazing, but I didn't fall for him until later.

 I give it 8/10!


Spoilers start here!

My one problem with this show was my own fault.  I just preferred the relationship between Jan Di and Ji Hoo better than Jan Di and Jun Pyo.  So, the ending wasn't satisfying to me.  I probably just need to watch it again.

Here are some links to other parts of my blog related to this Drama:

http://orangeknight.deviantart.com/art/Boys-Over-Flowers-211192796

http://thecodeoforanges.blogspot.com/2010/11/this-is-it.html

http://thecodeoforanges.blogspot.com/2010/04/ss501.html