Tag: 4.5 Reviews

Review: Our Blues

Posted October 27, 2022 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

Our Blues

Starring: Lee Byung Hun, Shin Min Ah, Cha Seung Won, Lee Jung Eun, Uhm Jung Hwa, Han Ji Min, Kim Woo Bin, Kim Hye Ja, Go Doo Shim
Year Released: 2022
Number of Episodes: 20
Genre: Life, Drama, Melodrama, Romance
Country: South Korea
Where I Watched It: Netflix
Recommended By: Park Jimin
Who I Watched It For: Park Jimin

“Our Blues” takes on an omnibus-style drama, which tells the story of diverse characters that are somewhat interconnected, in one way or the other.

Lee Dong Suk, a guy born on the beautiful island of Jeju, sells goods from the mainland in his truck for a living. He meets Min Sun Ah, a girl with a mysterious past, who has come to Jeju to escape that life.

Park Jung Joon, a ship captain, falls in love with Lee Young Ok, a diver with a bright and bubbly personality.

Jung Eun Hee, a fish shop owner, reunites with her past lover Choi Han Soo. They cross paths in Jeju Island when he returns back, after realizing that city life is not for him.

I went into this drama because of Park Jimin. Jimin was singing one of the songs on the OST so to support my fellow Bulletproof Boyscout, I put this drama on my to watch list. I won’t lie. This show started off really slow. The first couple of stories dragged for me and I wasn’t sure that I’d continue because I had to hype myself up to watch the new episodes in the beginning but boy am I glad that I kept with it. With each passing week, I cried a little more and then when Jimin’s song with Ha Sung Woon finally makes its debut? I cried EVEN MORE. The song matched the couple’s story so well that I came to love the song even more as well.

There’s a lot of characters to follow in this show but I loved each and every story, every character, and just the entire town. Lee Young Ok’s character was hard to root for. She was so mysterious, so frustratingly hard to get to know that it turned me off but as her story starts to come to light more and more, I hated her less and less. While I didn’t completely understand the reasons she did the things that she did to and for her sister, in the end, I was glad that she found a home and I was glad that she could stop running from her life.

Each character in this show had a story to tell and we saw them all. Big stories, little stories, stories told through other stories, the way that the writers meshed them all together was pretty great. I can’t tell you which story was my favorite because it’s a tie between the pregnancy story and the granddaughter coming to stay with the grandmother. I cried the most in those two stories but each story was pretty great in their own right. All of the actors did a fantastic job of bringing their characters to life and I loved that each character shined in their own way and added to the village that I came to know and love in the end.

There’s a lot to love with this drama. Lots of great acting, a fantastic OST, and a lot of pretty eye candy to look at as well. The pacing is on the slower side but I thought it worked well with the kind of drama that this was. Everything comes at you but the overall feel of the drama is slow, steady, and oh so good. I really enjoyed this one and I think y’all will too.

Final Rating

4.5 out of 5

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Review: My Liberation Notes

Posted October 13, 2022 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

My Liberation Notes

Starring: Kim Ji Won, Lee Min Ki, Son Seok Koo, Lee El
Year Released: 2022
Number of Episodes: 16
Genre: Drama, Life, Melodrama, Romance
Country: South Korea
Where I Watched It: Netflix
Recommended By: N/A
Who I Watched It For: Kim Ji Won

Set in Sanpo Village where more people leave than remain, the three Yeom siblings, Chang Hee, Mi Jung, and Ki Jung, wish to escape from a life rife with uncertainty.

A mysterious man, Mr. Goo, moves into their neighborhood. He is a drunkard with the look of someone with many burdens and secrets. His cautious personality and preference for keeping to himself make him the subject of gossip. Mi Jung, the youngest and most timid Yeom sibling, decides to approach him.

I’m not sure why I wanted to watch this show, other than I’m a big fan of Kim Ji Won, but I’m so so glad that I did. The show moved at such a slow pace and while normally, I would have lost interest in the show, that wasn’t the case with this show at all. This story benefitted from the slow pacing. There were times when it moved a smidge too slow for my liking but after all was said and done, I could see why it was done that way. The show follows three siblings as they live their lives. They’re all unhappy and trying their best to stay afloat and you could see them all splintering bit by bit.

The oldest sister is unhappy with her dating life, with her home life, and she’s chasing happiness with every fiber of her being. She keeps striking out and the chinks in her armor are cracking but she keeps getting up every day, ready to tackle the next bullshit that comes her way. There were quite a few times when I wanted to smack some sense into her but the more you get to know her, the more that you feel for her because no matter how bad things got for her, she just kept getting back up to face things head on and I admired her for that. I enjoyed her storyline and thought her romance was the right kind of slow burn kind. It worked for me. I loved seeing her really come into her own and made me realize that you’re never too old learn and grow.

The brother was going through his own shit and seeing him trying to find his own happiness and watching him come to the realizations that he did over the course of this show was interesting. I really enjoyed his character and though there were times I wanted to strangle his ass too, I never hated him. I was rooting for him from beginning to end and seeing him struggle to live the kind of life he wanted, with his parents blessings and seeing him with his friends endeared him to me. I was definitely satisfied with the way that his story wrapped up.

The younger sister, that was my dawg. My spirit sister. I connected with her character the most and I rooted for her the loudest. She was struggling through her own issues, her own choices, and on the outside, she looked fine but on the inside, my girl was a hot mess. She was a giant ball of emotions and she got up every day and did her part in helping her family while trying to figure out her life. The romance that blossomed between her and the guy that worked for her dad was different from what I’m used to but it was seriously compelling. I loved that she was able to find peace and that she was able to give him some peace in return. Seeing him drink himself to death was hard but it made me very curious to know his story. To know why he was so hellbent on destroying himself.

Overall, this drama packed a serious punch. The slow storytelling worked at making me come to love each and every single character. It wasn’t easy to watch it, that’s for sure, but sticking with it totally paid off because I wanted each of these characters to find the peace they so desperately wanted and needed. There were times when I had to step away from the show but I knew that I would always come back and the peace I felt when it all wrapped up let me know that I really enjoyed this show. I definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a solid story about family, about life, and about finding your peace.

Final Rating

via GIPHY

4.5 out of 5

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Review: Our Beloved Summer

Posted July 12, 2022 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

Our Beloved Summer

Starring: Choi Woo Shik, Kim Da Mi, Kim Sung Cheol, Noh Jung Eui
Year Released: 2021
Number of Episodes: 16
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Country: South Korea
Where I Watched It: Netflix
Who I Watched It For: Choi Woo Shik

Years after filming a viral documentary in high school, two bickering ex-lovers get pulled back in front of the camera — and into each other’s lives.

Choi Woong seems naive and a free-spirited man, but he wants to have something for the first time in his life. For that, he shows what he holds in his mind.

Kook Yeon Soo aimed to become the top student at her school, but she is now an adult who lives fiercely, adapting to her reality.

I was looking forward to this drama long before it came out. I am a fan of Choi Woo Shik, but also of Kim Da Mi and the premise of this show sounded cute so I was prepared. This drama follows two young characters, Choi Woong and Kook Yeon Soo as they journey through life after filming a reality show together in high school. They hated each other in high school and you know that always leads to a rocky romantic relationship and after a messy break up, they’re brought back together again when they’re approached to revamp their old reality show, ten years later.

When we first see these two again, the viewer is under the impression that the breakup is Yeon Soo’s fault and as each episode passes, we start to see that things aren’t so black and white where the break up is concerned. Both Yeon Soo and Woong are in different places in their lives but of course they still have big time feelings for each other and the battle they put up made for a very interesting viewing adventure.

Choi Woo Shik made a very convincing and spot on Choi Woong. I thought he pulled off the character extremely well and I loved his character so much. There were times when I want to spank him for the way that he acted around his parents but for the most part, my heart went out to him. He was very soft for Yeon Soo and he didn’t mess around about that or with her. He was always up front and even though NJ tried to be a distraction for him, Woong was steadfast in his resolve to always love Yeon Soo. He was a good son to his parents, a great friend to Ji Woong, and when she let him, a fantastic boyfriend to Yeon Soo. All in all, I absolutely loved Woong.

Kim Da Mi as Kook Yeon Soo made sense to me. She plays the reserved and sarcastic heroine really well. She was smart and she had a lot of burdens that she kept close to her chest and as we slowly get to know the real Yeon Soo, my heart went out to her. I loved that her story was slow to reveal just how hard she had it cause when the truth of everything on her end came out, that punch to the chest was something I wasn’t prepared for. Kim Da Mi did a great job with this character and I’m looking forward to more of her stuff in the future.

The romance was sweet and I didn’t mind the back and forth between both characters. I also felt bad for the second lead. He just could not get his timing right and then for him to carry such a loaded torch for Yeon Soo, all of this time and find her again when she’s reuniting with your best friend? Sheesh, how unlucky. As bad as I felt for Ji Woong, I was glad that the love triangle wasn’t a true love triangle with each guy getting a turn at loving her. I wouldn’t have been a fan of that. I’m glad that Woong and Yeon Soo were true in their feelings for each other the entire time. Their love for each other was so strong and so true that time and other distractions were never a factor in keeping them apart for long.

There’s a lot to love about this romance. The pacing, the characters, the romance, they all made for a great viewing experience and I think that k-drama fans who love a good second chance love story will be happy with this one. Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi are a great couple visually and they had great chemistry in this show so I would definitely recommend this show if you’re in the mood for a nice romance. This is definitely a good one.

The OST

Every single time that this song came on the show, my heart was either breaking or so full that it was near to burst. I love this song so much and V, one of my favorite singers, does the song justice. So this OST is added to my list of favorite k-drama OSTs.

Final Rating

via GIPHY

4 out of 5

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Review: Taxi Driver

Posted July 8, 2021 by Rowena in Reviews | 4 Comments

Taxi Driver (2021)

Starring: Lee Je Hoon, Pyo Ye Jin, Esom
Year Released: 2021
Number of Episodes: 16
Genre: , Action, Crime, Suspense, Thriller
Country: Korea
Where I Watched It: Viki
Recommended By: Lee Je Hoon
Who I Watched It For: Lee Je Hoon

Do Ki has lived more honestly than anyone else as an officer in the Special Forces. Yet, when a serial killer murders his mother, he spends his days in agony. While feeling wronged and broken, Do Ki meets Jang Sung Chul, who recruits Do Ki to work for his company, Rainbow Taxi.

Far from an ordinary taxi service, Rainbow Taxi is a secret organization that avenges victims whom the law didn’t protect. Here, Do Ki becomes a star driver who delivers satisfying revenge. Meanwhile, Ha Na is a prosecutor who investigates Rainbow Taxi. She is furious with their lawless behavior, but at the same time, she feels confused to see them solve cases that the law cannot.

Between those who believe that revenge embodies true justice and those who pursue the outlaws, Do Ki seeks what justice truly means.

I came across this drama when I was searching for something new to watch. This show hadn’t come out yet so I had a little bit of a wait but I enjoyed the heck out of this one. Every single week, I was glued to my seat the minute that subtitles were released in English. I watched a couple of things that Lee Je Hoon was in but I never paid super close attention to him…I’m paying hella attention now.

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty stuff, shall we?

Main Male Lead: Kim Dogi

Lee Je Hoon
InstaGram | Facebook

Kim Dogi was played by Lee Je Hoon and I was a big fan of this casting. He’s my latest k-drama actor crush so Park Seo Joon better come out with something soon or he’ll be de-throned as my top k-drama crush.

Anyway, Lee Je Hoon has been killing it in everything that he’s starred in and this role was no different. I really enjoyed seeing him bring Kim Dogi’s character to life. I enjoyed his portrayal so much that I went searching for the webtoon so that I can read it at the same time that I was watching the show but I could only find it in Korean so I ended up just watching the show.

Kim Dogi was my favorite part of this show. He transitioned from one person to another person every episode and sold each performance, doing whatever was necessary to avenge his clients. You could tell that he cared about each client and their stories and I seriously loved that. He came off as a very reserved and cold person but he put his life on the line for every case and he was just so stinkin’ good at what he did that he made tuning in every week worth the wait. I don’t care what anyone says, he loved him some Ahn Goeun. The lengths he went to protect and avenge her??? Yeah, you can’t tell anything else. If this show had a romance, it was between Dogi and Goeun. Sorry, prosecutor.

Main Female Lead: Ahn Goeun

Pyo Ye Jin
InstaGram


My girl Ahn Goeun was my second favorite person in this entire show. She was a fully fleshed-out character that hit me with so many different emotions. She had a strong sense of purpose and of doing right by those that can’t fight the system themselves. Her story hit me hard and I cried hella while watching her struggle with feelings of letting her sister down. I also adored her obvious crush on Kim Dogi and totally think he reciprocated her feelings back. He went above and beyond for her, and the way that she clung to his present to her when she needed someone but was too prideful to reach out a hand had me ugly crying in my room.

Pyo Ye Jin really owned this role and she won me over right from the beginning, in episode 1. I loved how everyone on the team was scared of her and I loved when she would jump into action when the case called for her involvement and I love how smart, charming and just overall great her character was. She was the perfect partner for Kim Dogi and his ass knew it. They were definitely meant to be together.

Second Lead: Kang Hana

Esom
InstaGram | Twitter


Esom played the character of Kang Hana, the prosecutor who was all about the work and getting the bad guys by the letter of the law and anyone who did otherwise were no better than the criminals she put behind bars. She had a know-it-all attitude that rubbed me the wrong way for most of the show and even in the end, I wasn’t completely invested in her character. She spent the first part of the show, thinking the worst of Dogi and she had this superior attitude that her way was the best way and she looked down on everything that the Rainbow Taxi crew were trying to do and she does all of this until she’s affected by the system falling down on her case and then….all of a sudden, what the Rainbow Taxi crew was doing was okay. Because she needed them, they were okay. She really could have missed me with all of that BS. I wasn’t a big fan of the way that Dogi came around with her character.

I really wish that there was someone else on the police force or prosecutor’s office that could have worked with our favorite deluxe taxi service instead of her. Esom’s acting is great because I want to see her in other dramas where her character doesn’t piss me off so much. I liked her, just not in this show, and for damn sure not with Dogi. LOL.

The Cast

I really enjoyed getting to know everyone else on the Rainbow Taxi team. I loved how everyone had a role and everyone played their roles exceptionally well. The engineers, the CEO, the muscle, and the hacker all played critical roles in bringing the bad guys down and though I didn’t like every single thing they did, the driving force behind the idea of what they do really stuck with me and I loved the reasons that they did all that they did and I really loved the people they were.

I’ve taken note of all of them and will start looking for more of their work to watch because I liked seeing them every week on my little screen. Lots of great actors and actresses in this bunch.

The Story

This show is about a deluxe taxi service that seeks revenge for those that can’t avenge themselves. People who have been failed by the system that is supposed to protect and serve. I’m a bloodthirsty bitch so when I read the summary of this show, I was all the way in. The show starts off strong and I was heavily invested in what was going down. I enjoyed the darker tone of the show and seeing the Rainbow Taxi team seek their own justice for the wrongs done to their clients. Every case made me cry and the lengths that the Rainbow Taxi team went to, to make sure that their clients got the justice that they deserved made me happy.

The acting is pretty top-notch and every actor really brought a different aspect to the show that made the show that much better in my eyes. There was a writer switch-up about halfway through the show and I noticed it. I enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second half but the second half didn’t turn me off the show completely or anything like this. The ending was a little disappointing but that was because it ended with an addition that I didn’t care about for the entire season and didn’t want in the end but it is what it is.

Overall, this one is probably my favorite drama of the year so far. I highly recommend this show if you’re looking for a good vs. evil drama with lots of action, a team of do gooders with a dark side. This was a definite treat and I’ve already watched it all the way through twice.

Final Rating

4.5 out of 5

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Review: Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

Posted January 12, 2021 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Strong Woman Do Bong SoonStrong Woman Do Bong Soon
Starring: Park Bo Young, Park Hyung Sik, Ji Soo
Year Released: 2017
Number of Episodes: 16
Recommended By: B Nice
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Format: Online Stream
Source: Viki
Buy It: Amazon
four-half-stars

Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young) was born with superhuman strength. Her strength is hereditary and passed along only to the women in her family. Her dream is to create a video game with herself as the main character. She desperately wants to become a willowy and elegant woman, which is the ideal type of her crush, In Gook-du (Ji Soo), a police officer. Thanks to her strength, she gets the job of a bodyguard, to a rich heir Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-Sik), the CEO of a gaming company, Ainsoft.

Contrary to Gook-du, Min-hyuk is an odd man who is playful, a little spoiled, and has no regard for rules, and dislikes policemen. He has recently received anonymous threats, blackmails, and has even been stalked on an occasion. One day, a series of kidnapping cases break in Dobong-dong, the district Bong-soon lives in, and she is determined to catch the culprit after her friend was targeted.

I watched this show at the recommendation of my friend, B Nice and she didn’t steer me wrong at all. This was a great recommendation as I enjoyed this show from beginning to end. The characters, the main couple, and the second lead were all wonderfully entertaining and I couldn’t get enough of this entire show.

This show was my introduction to Park Bo Young, Park Hyung Sik, and Ji Soo. All three of these actors wormed their way into my heart and I’ve added all of their stuff to my watch list because I want to support their careers…all because of their work on this show. I really enjoyed all aspects of this show. The characters were well rounded and even though you have to suspend belief at times, I didn’t even care. I was entertained in every single episode and I even shed tears at different parts. I especially shed tears during this scene…

I waited so damn long for Do Bong Soon to finally notice my guy Ahn Min Hyuk. She was so blinded by Gook-Du that she never gave the guy that loved the real her all along. I mean, I don’t blame her for being blinded by Gook Du because that guy was fine as hell too but he wasn’t Min Min.

There was much to love about this show. The humor for one had me cracking up at every turn. When Min pretends to be gay because that’s what Bong Soon thought and how extra she got whenever Gook Du and Min Hyuk were together had me dying. I also loved the friendship between Bong Soon and her friends and her brother. She had a great relationship with her family (even her extra ass Mom) and it was fun to see their relationship in action on the small screen. This was a fun show with sweet moments and characters that will charm the socks right off of you. What more could you want? If you’re looking for a fun show with a cute romance, check this one out. It’s super good!

Final Grade

4.5 out of 5

four-half-stars

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