Korean Drama : Backstreet Rookie

Year Released

2020

Genre

Melodrama

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Ji Chang-wook, Kim Yoo-jung

Storyline

Jung Saet-byul (Kim Yoo-jung) works as a night shift part-timer at Choi Dae-hyun's (Ji Chang-wook) convenience store. A series of misunderstandings lead Dae-hyun to believe that Saet-byul is a girl gangster.

After they get to know each other more, Dae-hyun eventually falls for Saet-byul's personality. 

My View

A light-hearted drama with exaggerating scenes since this is from a webtoon. Love the cute action part of Kim Yoo-jung apart from her usual adorable way.

Sincerely wish to see more action dramas from Ji Chang-wook. Melting Me Softly was meh and Backstreet Rookie is not too bad at least.

Rating

3/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Haechi

Year Released

2019

Genre

Historical period

No. of Episodes

24 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Jung Il-woo, Kwon Yul, Lee Kyung-young, Go Ah-ra, Park Hoon

Storyline

The journey of Prince Yeoning (Jung Il-woo) on how he becomes King Yeongjo of Joseon. Many a time, he impresses his subjects with his methods of ruling. Those who depise King Yeongjo at first eventually end up accepting and be loyal to him.

My View

A very different story of King Yeongjo as compared to The Royal Gambler. Though it looks like the same old political struggle plot, but Haechi kind of nailed it. The suspense keeps me going and wanting to find out what is going to happen in the next episode.

I was skeptical to watch this drama as I don't really like Jung Il-woo. His Cinderella and the Four Knights is okay, but that Night Watchman's Journal is hilariously bad. I mean B.A.D. Guess the scriptwriter is just like I don't know how to write anymore so just F it man! Lol..

As for Kwon Yul, I'm not used to his good character role here. I mean he is so intimidating in Let's Fight, Ghost and Voice series. I still remember vividly about one of the scenes in Let's Fight, Ghost like it scared the hell out of me. Whenever I thought about it, my heart just skips a beat.

Rating

5/5 Stars

Korean Drama: Mystic Pop-up Bar

Year Released

2020

Genre

Fantasy

No. of Episodes

12 - running time of 68 minutes per episode

Starring

Hwang Jung-eum, Choi Won-young, Yook Sung-jae

Storyline

In order to atone her sins in her past life, Wol Joo (Hwang Jung-eum) has to stay in human realm and comfort 100,000 humans &/or souls.

Together with her is Chef Gwi (Choi Won-young) who used to be in the police squad in hell. The newly recruited Han Kang-bae (Yook Sung-jae) who is able to make humans talk to him about their problems just by sense of touch.

The trio then offer a special wine which allow them to enter to individuals' dreams and help people settle their grudges.

My View

Plot is of similar concept to Hotel del Luna and it is certainly an interesting fantasy kind of drama. Teared quite a lot here and I wish to watch more of such light-hearted stories once in a while.

Stars

5/5 Stars

Korean Drama: Hidden Identity

Year Released

2015

Genre

Action

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Kim Bum, Park Sung-woong, Kim Tae-hoon, Yoon So-yi, Lee Won-jong, Lee Kyung-young, Im Hyun-sung

Storyline

An undercover police investigation team led by Jang Moo-won (Park Sung-woong) has been trying to track down a criminal name "Ghost" and his accomplices. 

My View

The scenarios planned out by the team are pretty good partiularly the one where Moo-won plays a part as Nam In-ho's (Kang Sung-jin) acquaintance. Action scenes are not too bad, like the ragged look of Kim Bum.

The only annoying part I find that when the team members react to some news, they always go "No way!". Their expression don't look that genuine I think.

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Extracurricular

Year Released

2020

Genre

Teen

No. of Episodes 

10 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Kim Dong-hee, Park Joo-hyun, Choi Min-soo

Storyline

Oh Ji-soo (Kim Dong-hee) may look like a nerdy student in school. But in actual fact, he works with his partner Lee Wang-cheol (Choi Min-soo) in escorting underage high school female students for special services.

If the ladies' get into trouble, they would ask for help by tapping their wristbands. Ji-soo then informs Wang-cheol to save the girls out of trouble and often ends up in a bad fight. The partners' way of communication is by phone and exchanges of monies via packages stored inside train station's locker.

Bae Gyu-ri (Park Joo-hyun) finds out Ji-soo's real identity and would like to be involved in his business as well.

My View

The first episode was kind of interesting as I thought it was some vigilante plot where a saviour is up to catch this psychopath.

After a while, the plot actually got too artistic for me. I just cannot continue watching and keep on fast forwarding each episode.

Rating

1/5 Stars

 

Korean Drama : The Crowned Clown

Year Released

2019

Genre

Historical period

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 1 hour and 20 minutes per episode

Starring

Yeo Jin-goo, Kim Sang-kyung, Le Se-young

Storyline

King Lee Hun (Yeo Jin-goo) who is not being loved by his father changes from a kind prince to a cold-blooded King after his father's death. Lee Hun orders to kill his own younger brother and is being haunted with nightmares. He seeks the help of drugs arranged by Left State Counciler, Shin Chi-soo (Kwon Hae-hyo).

Lee Hun requests Chief Royal Secretary, Lee Gyu (Kim Sang-kyung) to help him find a solution as his life is constantly being threatened in the palace. Gyu happens to run into a commoner Ha Seon who resembles exactly like the King.

When Lee Hun's condition worsens, Ha Seon takes over his place as the King.

My View

Not too bad a drama and the loyalty and trust between Ha Seon and Lee Gyu is quite admirable.

Rating

3/5 Stars

Korean Drama: Catch the Ghost

Year Released

2019

Genre

Crime

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 65 minutes per episode

Starring

Kim Seon-ho, Moon Geun-young 

Storyline

Go Ji-suk (Kim Seon-ho) gives up his dream to become a detective due to his mother's dementia. He decides to be chief who handles minor crimes happening around train station. His new partner Yoo Ryung (Moon Geun-young), however, goes the extra mile to solve major crimes.

Ryung has another motive in joining the subway police, that is to investigate on her twin sister's (Yoo Jin) disappearance two years ago. Ryung suspects Jin might be the victim to subway serial killing which police has been unable to locate the murderer till date.

My View

Did not expect this drama to have such a great plot. I was suspecting everyone to be the serial killer and the ending really caught me off guard. The show is just so full of tears. Seldom rate a 5 for crime drama as most of the stories are pretty much the same.

Rating

5/5 Stars

Korean Drama: Vagabond

Year Released

2019

Genre 

Action

No. of Episodes

16 - running time for 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Lee Seung-gi, Bae Suzy

Storyline

Cha Dal-gun's (Lee Seung-gi) nephew Cha Hoon was abandoned in an orphanage by his mother after his father passed away. Dal-gun works as a stuntman to raise Hoon. Before Hoon is killed in an airplane crash, he sends Dal-gun a video file.

Just when Dal-gun is still grieving about Hoon, he spots a man similar to the one in Hoon's video file. Dal-gun then suspects that the plane crash is not an accident but a terrorist attack. He works with Go Hae-ri (Bae Suzy), a NIS agent to track down those involved. 

Little did they know that the whole Korean government is entangled in this political conspiracy.

My View

When I heard everyone raving to have a season 2, I was under the impression that Vagabond must be so good. But oh well, the ending was a cliffhanger.

Quite an interesting drama which is different from Mad Dog, and I certainly hope for a part 2. A little weird seeing Shin Sung-rok playing the good guy here. He is quite a villian in My Love from the Star and semi-villian in The Last Empress. 

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Flower of Evil

Year Released

2020

Genre

Crime

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Lee Joon-gi, Moon Chae-won

Storyline

Do Hyun-Soo (Lee Joon-gi) is accused of being an accomplice to his dead serial killer father, Do Min-seok (Choi Byung-mo). After waking up from a car accident, he takes over the identity as Baek Hee-seung. 

Hee-seung marries detective Cha Ji-won (Moon Chae-won) and leads a happy life with their daugther Baek Eun-ha (Jung Seo-yeon). Hee-seung's life turns into a complete mess when Ji-won starts to suspect his real identity while re-investigating on the serial killing case involving Do Min-seok.

Review

A little twist here and there and I do pity the real killer's parents. They have to live with their son, going crazy trying to help him cover up his crimes. One touching part where Ji-won (in her mind) said that she is all Hyun-soo has all this time. 

Another one being fellow detective Choi Jae-seop (Choi Young-joon) who decides to let it slide when he is supposed to arrest Hyun-soo. Some crimes happen for a reason where the victims most likely deserve them.

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Squid Game

Year Released

2021

Genre

Thriller

No. of Episodes 

9 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Jung Ho-yeon, Wi Ha-joon, Heo Sung-tae, Oh Young-soo

Storyline

For those people with bad debts, they are being offered a chance to win some money if they agreed to play games for a few days. Little did they know that the price to pay would be their lives should they be eliminated in the game.

My View

An extremely well-written plot that keep me glued to each episode and I completed the drama in a day. That's one good thing about Netflix series as they are short and sweet.

Found this site of Squid Game's spoilers which is quite mind-blowing actually. There are already tons of SQ's games on Roblox and one of them being Red Light Green Light which I enjoyed playing it.

Rating

5/5 Stars