Author: Rowena

Review: Unlock My Boss

Posted February 23, 2023 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

Unlock My Boss

Starring: Chae Jong Hyeop, Park Sung Woong, Seo Eun Soo, Heo Ji Na, Ahn Nae Sang, Kim Sung Oh
Year Released: 2022
Number of Episodes: Drama, Fantasy, Comedy, Mystery
Country: South Korea
Director: Lee Chul Ha
Screenwriter: Kim Hyun Min
Where to Watch: Viki

As founder and CEO of one of the country’s largest IT companies, Kim Sun Joo is a name everyone knows. A true genius in his field, Sun Joo has everything in life going for him. But living at the top comes with its own set of challenges, and some would stop at nothing to bring him down. In this case, literally.

Hunted down by an unknown killer, Sun Joo becomes the unfortunate victim of a senseless murder. But instead of leaving this life, Sun Joo’s spirit somehow takes up residence in his smartphone. Now trapped within his phone, Sun Joo might have spent an eternity there, had Park In Sung not stumbled upon it.

A down-and-out university graduate unable to find a job, In Sung is shocked to find a phone inhabited by the spirit of Sun Joo. Taking advantage of the situation Sun Joo does his best to convince In Sung to help him; a task which becomes much easier once he mentions the hefty reward he’s willing to give In Sung in exchange for his services.

Taking on the role of temporary CEO, In Sung steps into Sun Joo’s shoes at the company, much to the chagrin of his secretary, Jung Se Yeon. Working together in secret, will the two be able to find those responsible for Sun Joo’s death?

I became a fan of Chae Jong Hyeop after watching him in The Witch’s Diner and Love All Play. So when this one was being promoted, it was on my radar strictly because Jong Hyeop starred in it. The story itself isn’t one that I thought I would enjoy since it seemed too silly for me and while it’s not a favorite of mine, this show did entertain and keep me curious enough to finish it out though I didn’t think I would in the middle.

The Story

So this drama follows a young man who teams up with the administrative assistant of a CEO of one of the largest IT companies in South Korea as they try to get their boss out of the smartphone. Park In Sung found the phone near his parents house and after some back and forth, arguing with the man that claims to be stuck in the phone, he decides that since he doesn’t have anything else going on, he’ll take a stab at helping this guy find out what happened, who is behind his abduction, and live the rich life for a little bit. Little did he know the adventure that awaited him once he took the job on.

Male Lead

Park In Sung is a down on his luck young adult that can’t seem to land a steady job. He’s been trying but he’s been striking out so when this dream job lands in his lap, he finds himself jumping through hoop after hoop to stay afloat. He’s trying to land a steady job to get his parents, specifically his dad off his back since he seems to have lost confidence that In Sung is going to accomplish anything in his life so he wants him to come back home and help him run their family farm. In Sung is determined to succeed no matter what and with his drive and the good head that he had on his shoulder, I was rooting him on. I loved the way that he was with everyone from the CEO’s young daughter to Uncle Mafia to the female lead, he was genuinely nice to everyone and really tried his hardest to do always do the right thing and I lovedhat about him.

Female Lead

I’m not going to lie, when we’re first introduced to Se Yeong’s character, I didn’t realize she was the female lead and I was side-eyeing the hell out of her. I thought she played a part in the CEO’s abduction and I thought just a whole lot of things that weren’t good. I’m glad that I was wrong on every point because she was so different from Park In Sung and yet I really loved those differences. I loved how smart she was, how strong she was and I really felt for her character and everything she was going through at the same time that she was trying to help find her boss. She ended up being one of my favorite characters and I’m glad for that cause she was pretty awesome. Very relatable.

The Cast

It was a pleasant surprise to see a child actress in this show that I loved so much in the last show that I watched her in. The CEO’s daughter, Min Ah. I absolutely loved her in Our Blues and absolutely loved her in this one as well. I saw a lot of familiar faces in this drama and enjoyed what each of them brought to the show. The characters aren’t what I had issues with, I struggled with the story being told…but I did like everyone (except the bad guys, eff them, haha).

Final Thoughts

Overall, this drama isn’t going to be a favorite of mine but I did enjoy everyone’s efforts. The acting, the humor, the heart were all great. I just wished that I connected with the story being told. The whole AI stuff, the abduction, the bad guys themselves, all of it was super fluffy to me and while I enjoyed the actors, the characters, it was them that I kept tuning in for. I did enjoy the show but I spent most of the time watching this one, hoping that next week it would pick up.

Final Rating

3 out of 5

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The Wednesday Five: Strong Female Leads that I Love

Posted February 22, 2023 by Rowena in Features | 0 Comments

I’m a list person. I have a list for every single thing in my life from a to-do list, a list of books that I want to read, a running shopping list, and in the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing different k-entertainment lists that I’ve been keeping track of. You’ll be seeing my top 5 lists of stuff like my current celebrity crushes, my favorite k-drama female protagonists, my favorite k-drama male protagonists, my to-be-watched k-dramas, and you know, stuff like that.

This week’s Wednesday Five will feature Strong Female Leads that I Love. These aren’t just the strong female leads that have been through it and lived to tell the tale. These female leads are strong of mind, might, and strength who could kick your ass. I’d want each and every single one of these women on my team when going into battle. If you’ve watched these dramas and are familiar with these characters then it’s pretty self-explanatory so this is just going to be a straight up list. Enjoy!

1. Naksu from Alchemy of Souls

Where to Watch: Netflix
Played By: Go Youn Jung

2. Do Bong Soon from Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

Where to Watch: Viki
Played By: Park Bo Young

3. Yoon Sae Bom from Happiness

Where to Watch: Viki
Played By: Han Hyo Joo

4. Yoon Ji Woo from My Name

Where to Watch: Netflix
Played By: Han So Hee

5. Jang Man Wol from Hotel Del Luna

Where to Watch: Netflix
Played By: IU

Who are you choosing to fight along side you in battle? Share in the comments!

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Review: Would You Like a Cup of Coffee?

Posted February 21, 2023 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

Would You Like a Cup of Coffee?

Starring: Ong Seong Wu, Park Ho San, Seo Young Hee, Kim Ye Eun, Choo Ye Jin, Kim Wang Geun
Year Released: 2021
Number of Episodes: Drama, Life
Country: South Korea
Where to Watch: Netflix

Park Seok is the owner of the successful Café 2Dae coffee shop, a small but much-loved establishment with a group of loyal customers. He works alone in the coffee shop, and has not taken on any staff, even though his solo efforts are starting to take their toll on him. One day, a young man named Kang Go Bi comes to the coffee shop and samples Park Seok’s coffee. He immediately develops an earnest passion for coffee and convinces Park Seok to take him on as a part-time worker at the coffee shop. But Kang Go Bi soon proves that he really wants the older man to become his mentor and to learn how to become a proficient barista in his own right. The duo eventually forms a close bond and learns no end of life lessons from one another – while also helping bring a little warmth into the lives of their many and various customers.

This was the first drama that Therese and I watched after Alchemy of Souls 2: Light and Shadow finished. We didn’t want our next show to be bogged down with so many intense storylines and characters and this one seemed to fit the bill so off we went…

The Story

So this story follows our main character, Kang Go Bi. He goes to a coffee shop run by a lone wolf named Park Seok and decides that he wants to learn all there is to learn about coffee and prepare it. He approaches Park Seok to try to get him to take him on as a part-time worker at his coffee shop but Seok isn’t that interested. Determined to make this happen, Go Bi keeps showing up and helping Seok until Seok gives in. The show itself is about these two and the community of regulars that come through the coffee shop day in and day out.

This isn’t a drama that has a lot of bells and whistles. It’s character-driven and while I enjoyed the slow pacing of the show since it worked for the kind of drama that this was, I can’t say that I was completely enamored with anything or anyone, after all, was said and done. It was fine to watch after coming off a thread of intense dramas but it wasn’t exactly memorable.

The Cast

Aside from Park Ho San, Lee Kyu Hyung, and Kim Mi Kyung (who played Mi Na’s Mom), I didn’t recognize a lot of the other actors and actresses. I’ve only seen Go Bi in one other movie but that’s about it so everyone was pretty new to me. The characters that stood out for me in this one outside of Kang Go Bi and Park Seok were the baker and Park Seok’s girlfriend. Jung Ga Won (the baker) was super cute and I liked her enough that I looked her up to see if she was in anything else that I’ve seen or am interested in seeing and she was in a handful of dramas that I’ve seen and even loved but I have no clue who she played in those other dramas so I’m definitely going to be paying attention to her from now on. Kim Joo Hee was cute and I loved seeing her with Park Seok. I did enjoy how loyal the customers of Cafe 2Dae were and I liked seeing Go Bi fumble his way to that ending.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this drama was on the slower side but it worked for the kind of drama this was. This served as a palate cleanser for me and while I appreciated that, this isn’t a drama that I’d watch again. It was fine and all of the coffee tidbits were interesting but that’s really all that I remember. Still, I’m glad that I was introduced to the new characters, and will definitely be checking out the actors and actresses in their other stuff.

Final Rating


gif credits

3 out of 5

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The Weekly Recap (192)

Posted February 20, 2023 by Rowena in Features | 2 Comments

I didn’t do much this week. Stayed home, watched my shows, streamed my groups, caught up with my Dad and Brenna. I pretty much kept to myself. My sister has some guests staying with us for a little bit so I’ve been getting to know them but aside from that, I’ve just been hanging out at home. It’s time to start planning my next family trip and this time we’re going to TX for my nephew’s high school graduation. Looking at tickets to fly out there and how much it’ll cost to stay out there is enough to make me sad so I’m not thinking about it today. Maybe tomorrow, haha.

I did start planning how I’m going to decorate my room for this year. I’m really big on collages and family pictures, kpop merch and posters so I’m waiting for a couple of Seventeen albums to come in so that I can start putting my room together. I’m low key excited to see how my plan comes together. It’s gorgeous in my head so let’s see if it’s gorgeous when all is said and done. Wish me luck! I’ll post pictures once I’m all done, I promise.

Now, let’s get into all of the things that I did last week…

What I Watched

Love to Hate You (2023) | 4 out of 5
j hope in the box (2023) | 5 out of 5
Unlocked (2023) | 3.5 out of 5
Your Place or Mine (2023) | 3.5 out of 5

I watched my first movies of the year this week and while I loved J-Hopes documentary, I only liked Unlocked and Your Place and Mine. They were fine watches but they won’t make any of my best of lists at the end of the year.

Our Blooming Youth: So far, this drama is just okay for me. What’s keeping me going are the main leads. Park Hyung Shik’s visuals is serving though. He looks really good and even though I’m not completely hooked right now, I’m going to keep watching it because between him and Pyo Ye Jin, I’ll keep on soldiering on.

Run BTS: I heard this is going to be the last episode for a while and that made me sad because these episodes bring me so much joy. This episode wasn’t any different. Seeing everyone together, having fun and making each other laugh is always so much fun. This episode kicks off the first of two episodes where the boys are playing mini field games. In this week’s episode, the boys played fencing and volleyball and I cackled throughout the entire episode. From Jin’s practicing and still being so terrible at volleyball to him starting every rumor under the sun about Suga and the many sports he’s been doing lately, to V’s goofy way of playing both sports and still being super good, the episode delivered what it was supposed to deliver. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s episode and then I’m sure I’ll be super sad.

Crash Course in Romance: While I’m liking this show, I don’t think I’m liking it as much as everyone else seems to. It’s one of the better shows that I’m watching right now but it’s not my favorite. I am liking the high school characters, I’m also enjoying the romance between the main leads, but the murder plot has me scratching my head because I honestly don’t really care about that part of the show but I’ve been side-eyeing the assistant for most of this show so I’m not at all surprised at the turn of events where he’s concerned. And I still want to fight that one Mom. You know which one…this one.

She is the absolute worst and I better see her get her comeuppance. Grr.

The Heavenly Idol: I wasn’t completely blown away with the first two episodes of this show but I’m going to power through since I’m curious enough about the main male lead. The main female lead looks like Kim Taeri and Beomgyu from TXT to me. Really gorgeous but I don’t remember her from anything that I’ve seen before so I’ll keep on watching this one to see if it gets better.

Taxi Driver 2: The Rainbow Deluxe Taxi Service is back in business, bitches! I’m super pumped (*in J-Hopes voice*) to see my boo thang in action again. Kim Do Gi and Ahn Go Eun are back!!! The first two episodes were fantastic and has me so hyped for what else is to come. I haven’t been this excited for a show since Alchemy of Souls 2 ended. Kim Do Gi spent his time getting prettier since the last time we saw him. *swoon*

What I Reviewed

Summer Strike | 3.5 out of 5
Alchemy of Souls 2: Light and Shadow | 4 out of 5

What I Posted

The Weekly Recap (191)
The Wednesday Five: Dramas I Dropped Recently
Eye Candy Friday: Bang Jung Seok from Fan Letter, Please

Eye Candy Friday

Bang Jung Seok

Fan Letter, Please

What Made Me Laugh

Honestly, the thing that has made me laugh the most is everything surrounding SM and HYBE.

There you have it, my week in review. How was your week?

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Eye Candy Friday: Bang Jung Seok from Fan Letter Please

Posted February 17, 2023 by Rowena in Features | 0 Comments

Eye Candy Friday is something that I’ve been doing since I first started my personal blog way back in 2003. That first personal blog is long gone but I’ve never really grown out of the eye candy phase. I’m always up for some eye candy. Whether it’s a character from a book (male or female, I don’t discriminate), a character from a movie or TV Show, if I loved them and want to gush about how much I loved them, you’ll find them here. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

This week, I’m featuring Bang Jung Seok from Fan Letter, Please. This character is being added to my list of most caring and loving single dads and he fine as hell too so that’s why he’s this week’s eye candy. Enjoy!

Until next week…enjoy!

Watch Fan Letter, Please

Fan Letter, Please

Where to Watch: Viki
Starring: Choi Soo Young, Yoon Park, Shin Yeon Woo
Year Released: 2022
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance

Han Kang Hee is a top star actress who started acting ever since childhood. Because of the pressure as a top star, her self-esteem begins to drop and bad comments about her drama increase. The stress caused by those comments keeps her away from fanletters as well. In this crisis, she coincidentally runs into her first love, Jung Seok. He was a popular kid back in school but is now a single father of a sick child. His daughter Yu Na writes a fanletter to Kang Hee as her huge fan. However, as her letter doesn’t make it to Kang Hee, Jung Seok writes back instead. Kang Hee’s story with a beloved fan and her first love begins with a special fanletter.

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