Korean Drama: The Ghost Detective

Year Released

2018

Genre

Horror, Mystery

No. of Episodes

32 - running time of 35 minutes per episode

Starring

Choi Daniel, Park Eun-bin, Lee Ji-ah

Storyline

Lee Da-il (Choi Daniel) and Jung Yeo-wool (Park Eun-bin) have a common goal that is to look for the ghost who killed Da-il's mother and Yeo-wool's younger sister. Seon Woo-hye (Lee Ji-ah) had a bad childhood and died after her suicide. 

Woo-hye uses the selfishness in humans to make them turn against themselves. Da-il eventually makes her realise her wrong perception.

My View

Plot is all good with a litte twist here and there but in the middle it starts to get kind of boring. But the ending is overall not too bad so I have decided to rate a 4 instead of 3.

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Sell Your Haunted House

Year Released

2021

Genre

Fantasy, Horror

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Jang Na-ra, Jung Yong-hwa, Kang Mal-geum, Ahn Kil-kang, Baek Eun-hye, Kang Hong-suk

Storyline

Daebak Realty deals with haunted houses/buildings where exorcist Hong Ji-ah (Jang Na-ra) sends away unrested souls with the help of a psychic. Once these souls had been sent, Daebak Realty earns a comission from the sale of houses/buildings.

Ji-ah has been trying to find a way to send her mother Hong Ji-min's (Baek Eun-hye) soul away since her death twenty years ago. She finally meets a strong psychic Oh In-beom (Jung Yong-hwa) and they work together in many exorcising cases.

Ji-ah loses her power after sealing off Do Hak-sung's (Ahn Kil-kang) spirit. She eventually realises a way to help her mother find peace without having to be exorcised.

My View

I love those mini cases Daebak Realty works on and mostly are quite touching. The ghosts here are kind of acceptable in SYHH unlike those in dramas written by Hong Sisters. I would just die on the spot when watching those like A Korean Odyssey and Hotel del Luna. Too damn scary!!

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Who Are You

Year Released

2013

Genre

Horror, Crime

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 45 minutes per episode

Starring

Ok Taec-yeon, So Yi-hyun, Kim Jae-wook

Storyline

After Detective Yang Shi-ohn (So Yi-hyun) wakes up from a six-year coma, she gets re-assigned to lost and found department. There, she discovers that she has an ability to see ghosts connected to the objects left behind.

Her new partner, rookie cop Cha Gun-woo (Ok Taec-yeon) does not believe in ghosts. However, he gradually trusts Shi-ohn and they work together to solve cold cases.

The ghost of Detective Lee Hyung-joon (Kim Jae-wook), Shi-ohn's ex-boyfriend, has been watching over her. Hyung-joon died six years ago on the same night Shi-ohn gets injured. But she has no memory of what happened on that fateful night.

My View

The usual corruption story but a little different with additional horror theme in it.

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Vampire Prosecutor 1 & 2

Year Released

2011 (Season 1), 2012 (season 2)

Genre

Horror, Thriller, Crime

No. of Episodes

12 - running time of 58 minutes per episode (season 1), 11 - running time of 5 minutes per episode (season 2)

Starring

Yeon Jung-hoon, Lee Won-jong

Storyline

Min Tae-yeon (Yeon Jung-hoon) is a prosecutor who gets bitten and becomes a vampire. He looks for hints in victims' deaths by drinking their blood.

Tae-yeon partners up with Detective Hwang Soon-bom (Lee Won-jong) in solving cases and he is the only one who knows about Tae-yeon's secret.

My View

The first case for season 2 is so terrorising that I need three days to finish the first episode. Seriously..

VP has a good plot and I enjoy each of the crimes that are being solved.

Hoping for season 3 as I still need to find out who is the "bad blood".

Rating

5/5 Stars

 

Korean Drama : Vampire Detective

Year Released

2016

Genre

Thriller, Horror

No. of Episodes

12 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Lee Joon, Lee Se-young, Oh Jung-se

Storyline

Yoon San (Lee Joon) works as a private detective with his friend Yong Goo-hyung (Oh Jung-se). One day, Yoon San is turned into a vampire. He remains a private detective who solves cases for his clients all the while uncovering the secrets from his past.

My View

The story is still not too bad as I have seen worse ones.

Rating

3/5 Stars

 

Korean Drama : The Master's Sun

Year Released

2013

Genre

Fantasy, Horror

No. of Episodes

17 - running time of 62 minutes per episode

Starring

So Ji-sub, Gong Hyo-jin

Storyline

Joo Joong-won (So Ji-sub), CEO of Kingdom, is a cold and distant, money-driven businessman. He meets a cleaning lady at Kingdom Shopping Mall, Tae Gong-shil (Gong Hyo-jin). Gong-shil has been seeing ghosts after a mysterious accident. She realises that the ghosts will disappear if she comes into contact with Joong-won.

Gong-shil begs to be by Joong-won's side and he allows on one condition. That is for Gong-shil to help him communicates with his dead ex-girlfriend (during their kidnapping years ago) in search for a stolen ransom.

My View

As usual, Hong sister's horror dramas are damn terrifying. 

Especially those ghosts.. can they just be more normal please?? Lol..

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Let's Fight, Ghost

Alternative Title

Bring It On, Ghost

Year Released

2016

Genre

Horror, Mystery

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Ok Taec-yeon, Kwon Yul, Kim So-hyun

Storyline

Park Bong-pal (Ok Taec-yeon) is able to see ghosts and he uses his ability to work as an exorcist. At a haunted high school, he encounters Kim Hyun-ji (Kim So-hyun) who is a high school student ghost.

Hyun-ji has no memories on her former life. In order to be freed from wandering endlessly on earth, she convinces Bong-pal to let her stay in his house. The two become ghosts fighting partners.

However, both of them are unaware that they are being stalked by an evil spirit that was the cause of Hyun-ji's accident and Bong-pal's ability to see ghosts.

My View

When the part where Kwon Yul is revealed to be an evil spirit, I really thought I died right then.

Had goosebumps all over, he is terribly spooky!

Rating

5/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Hotel del Luna

Year Released

2019

Genre

Horror, Fantasy

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 80 minutes per episode

Starring

Yeo Jin-goo, IU

Storyline

Hotel Del Luna is a hotel only visible in its true form at night. It caters to souls and ghosts who have unfinished businesses in their former lives. Once their wishes are done, they then leave to the afterlife.

Most of the staffs in the hotel have been there for decades and even centuries as they have not settled their grudges. The only human is the general manager who needs to help pay bills or fulfilling ghosts' requests with still-living relatives and friends. 

Hotel owner Jang Man-wol (IU) has been cursed to look after Hotel Del Luna due to a huge sin she committted a millennium ago. Gu Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo) replaces the current general manager Noh Joon-suk (Jung Dong-hwan), when he retired. 

My View

There is this story about a blind ghost looking for her love interest in her former life.

Turns out that man is the one who murdered her. My God..nearly fainted when I watched that part.

Rating

5/5 Stars

 

Korean Drama : Arang and the Magistrate

Alternative Title

Tale of A-rang

Year Released

2012

Genre

Horror, Fantasy, Romance, Historical period

No. of Episodes

20 - running time of 65 minutes per episode

Starring

Lee Joon-gi, Shin Min-a, Yeon Woo-jin

Storyline

Kim Eun-oh (Lee Joon-gi) goes to Miryang village in search for his missing mother. He has an ability to see spirits around him but pretends not to. 

Eun-ho runs into A-rang (Shin Min-a), a spirit who has lost all her memories. She needs to know the truth about her death or she cannot rest in peace. 

When A-rangs knows that Eun-ho is able to see ghosts, and that he is the newly appointed magistrate, she begs for his help.

Initially, Eun-ho is reluctant but when he sees A-rang holding onto his mother's hairpin, he decides to help her regains her memories.

My View

The ending is still not too bad as the pair did get together in the end.

Rating

3/5 Stars

 

Korean Drama : Possessed

Alternative Title

Possession

Year Released

2019

Genre

Horror, Thriller

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Song Sae-byeok, Go Joon-hee, Yeon Jung-hoon, Jo Han-sun

Storyline

Kang Pil-sung (Song Sae-byeok) is a detective who has a new found ability to see ghosts. He works together with shaman Hong Seo-jung (Go Joon-hee) to chase after spirit of a serial killer who possesses onto other people to continue with his murders.

My View

Jo Han-sun and Yeon Jung-hoon are certainly good at being villians here.

Possessed is very interesting that even my hubz can't help but to join in and watch.

He seldom watches K-dramas with me and this is one of them.

Rating

5/5 Stars

Korean Drama : A Korean Odyssey

Year Released

2017 - 2018

Genre

Romance, Fantasy, Comedy, Horror

No. of Episodes 

20 - running time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Lee Seung-gi, Cha Seung-won, Oh Yeon-seo, Lee Hong-gi, Jang Gwang

Storyline

Son Oh-gong (Lee Seung-gi) aka the Monkey King was imprisoned in a magical house by Heaven for his crimes. Woo Ma-wang (Cha Seung-won) has a love-hate relationship with Oh-gong. The duo often bickers like little boys but, deep down inside, they cared for each other a lot.

Jeo Pal-gye (Lee Hong-gi), a pig demon disguising as an idol under Ma-wang's entertainment company. Sa Oh-jeong (Jang Gwang) is a CEO of mobile phone manufacturing company. Oh-jeong treats Oh-gong like his elder brother and respects him very much.

Jin Seon-mi (Oh Yeon-seo) aka Sam-jang owns a real estate company. She deals with haunted buildings at a lower price as she is able to see ghosts since young. Sam-jang once released Oh-gong from being trapped in magical house.

My View

I must admit the horror dramas, especially those written by Hong sisters, are usually extremely frightening. The trailer showing young Jin Seon-mi encountering a ghost in her school freaked me out big time. My heart skipped a beat and I could not move for several seconds.

Most of the ghosts or demons featured in AKO are absolutely scary. I don't even dare to find out what's next.

Cha Seung-won's acting skill is truly superb. I was laughing hysterically whenever he acted up.

I can't think of any other actor apart from Lee Seung-gi for Son Oh-gong's role. He is certainly suitable for it with his "attitude problem" look.  

I'm very satisfied with AKO's ending.

Rating

5/5 Stars

 

Korean Drama : Kingdom

Year Released

Season 1 (2019), Season 2 (2020)

Genre

Political drama, Horror, Historical period, Thriller

No. of Episodes 

Season 1 (6), Season 2 (6) + 1 special - running time of about 36 to 56 minutes per episode

Starring

Ju Ji-hoon, Ryu Seung-ryong, Bae Doo-na, Kim Sang-ho

Storyline

Season One

Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) is a Joseon Dynasty Crown Prince. He and his bodyguard Mu-yeong (Kim Sang-ho) came across a plaque at Southern province of Gyeongsang. In a clinic, patients who were fed the meat of a deceased (bitten by the late King), turned into zombies at night. Physician assisant, Seo-bi (Bae Doo-na) is looking for the cause and cure of zombies' bewildered behaviour.

Chief State Councillor Lord Cho Hak-ju (Ryu Seung-ryong) is involved in creating zombies and manipulating the Royals. 

Season Two

Zombies are able to appear during daytime unlike in the past.

Seo-bi found the cause and cure for zombies. She was unaware that there were more to it apart from her findings.

Queen Consort Cho stole Mu-yeong's son and that young boy was made the next Crown Prince.

My View

I'm not sure why but maybe because Kingdom is a Netflix's production, so the cinematography is quite different from usual K-drama. 

I'm a fan of fantasy dramas where everything doesn't make sense. But, Kingdom's plot is quite logical when the show revealed its cause for zombies' creation.

At the end of Season One, when those zombies were able to move under the sun, I was literally shocked.

Can't wait for sidequel - Kingdom: Anshin of the North - played by my favourite Korean actress, Jun Ji-hyun.

Rating

5/5 Stars