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

Korean Drama: The Good Detective

Year Released

2020

Genre

Crime

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Son Hyun-joo, Jang Seung-jo, Oh Jung-se, Lee Elijah

Storyline

The plot revolves around detective Kang Do-chang (Son Hyun-joo) who tries to correct his wrong when he arrested an innocent man Lee Dae-chul (Jo Jae-yoon) accused to have rape and killed a high schooler. 

My View

Quite an okay detective crime kind of drama. Some touching parts about Kang Do-chang's younger sister and his nephew. Also Lee Dae-chul's daughter as well and I felt sad when he was executed.

Rating

3/5 Stars

 

Korean Drama : Voice 4

Year Released 

2021

Genre

Crime, Thriller

No. of Episodes

14 - running time of 63 minutes per episode

Starring

Song Seung-heon, Lee Ha-na, Lee Kyu-hyung

Storyline

The same old Golden Time Team where call centre receives emergency calls and police officers being dispatched to on site. This time round revolves around Derek Jo (Song Seung-heon) from US LAPD entering into Korea to catch a criminal.

Under agreement with the Korean government, Derek is allowed to stay in Korea and to co-operate with GTT in search for his younger sister, Lisa Jo's (Lee Yi-dam) murderer. Derek believes that very same murderer is involved with his mother's death as well many years back on Vimo Island.

While chasing the culprit, Kang Kwon-joo (Lee Ha-na) uncovers secrets leading to her special hearing ability. Her memories slowly come back when she happens to be at a deserted hospital in Sonang Village.

My View

Compared to Voice part 1 to 3, part 4 is kind of mild. Not many cases involved and I don't actually feel tense like I used to have when watching thriller or crime dramas. But I have high expectation for part 5 as it seems like viewers are finally getting the answer to Fabre's beginning. Unless the scriptwritter decides to write some side tracks like part 4 and drag on a little bit.

Special mention on Lee Kyu-hyung as he is truly good in his acting. Liked him a lot in Prison Playbook and he is not too bad in Doctor John too.

Rating

3/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Welcome to Waikiki 1 & 2

Year Released

2018 (Season 1), 2019 (Season 2)

Genre

Comedy

No. of Episodes

20 - running time of 65 minutes per episode (Season 1), 16 - running time of 70 minutes per episode (Season 2)

Starring

Season 1 - Kim Jung-hyun, Lee Yi-kyung, Son Seung-won, Jung In-sun, Go Won-hee, Lee Joo-woo

Season 2 - Lee Yi-kyung, Kim Seon-ho, Shin Hyun-soo, Moon Ga-young, Ahn So-hee, Kim Ye-won

Storyline

Season 1

Kang Dong-goo (Kim Jung-hyun), Lee Joon-ki (Lee Yi-kyung) and Bong Doo-shik (Son Seung-won) are best friends since school days. They come together to open a guesthouse named Waikiki. However, they struggle to make ends meet. 

Joon-ki's dream is to be an actor, Doo-shik is a scenario screenwriter while being a part-timer at convenience store and Dong-goo starts from a photographer for baby showers before going back to be a film director.

Waikiki families include Han Yoon-ah (Jung In-sun), a single mother. Kang Seo-jin (Go Won-hee), Dong-goo's younger sister, who grows beard overnight if not shaved off. Min Soon-ah (Lee Joo-woo), Dong-goo's ex-girlfriend who stays at Waikiki due to being cheated by another man.

Season 2

Lee Joon-ki is still trying to hard to be a main lead actor. He has another two best friends, Cha Woo-shik (Kim Seon-ho) and Kook Ki-bong (Shin Hyun-soo) and they continue the guesthouse business. Woo-shik is a song-writer and Ki-bong an aspiring baseball player.

Waikiki families include Han Soo-yeon (Moon Ga-young) who is Woo-shik's first love. Cha Yoo-ri (Kim Ye-won), Woo-shik's elder sister who dreams to open her own restaurant. Kim Jung-eun (Ahn So-hee) who strives to be an actress.

My View

Both season 1 and 2 are equally hilarious in their own ways. I laughed so much that I cried seriously. Realise that Kim Jung-hyun is the lead actor in Mr. Queen (this drama is still in my pending list). 

Didn't like Kim Seon-ho in Two Cops and Start Up, but I find him funny in WTW. His on-going drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha with Shin Min-ah is having a blast now. My news feed are just full of them everywhere.

Rating

5/5 Stars

Korean Drama : My Roommate is a Gumiho

Year Released

2021

Genre 

Fantasy

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Jang Ki-yong, Lee Hye-ri, Kang Han-na

Storyline

Shin Woo-yeo (Jang Ki-yong) is a gumiho (nine-tailed fox) who has been living for almost 1,000 years. Mountain spirit (Go Kyung-pyo) gives Woo-yeo a marble to absorb energy of humans in order to turn into a human.

Woo-yeo and Yang Hye-sun (Kang Han-na) know each other for 700 years. She became a human four years ago and they happen to run into each other in present time. 

Woo-yeo's marble accidentally goes into Lee Dam's (Lee Hye-ri) body and it absorbs most of her energy. Woo-yeo lies to Lee Dam that he is looking for a way to retrieve back his marble but in actual fact he wants her to stay by his side.

In the end, Woo-yeo tells Lee Dam the truth, gets back his marble and the two starts dating after that. When there are signs showing that Woo-yeo is slowly turning into a human, he disappears.

My View

The drama is okay I guess but I expected more for a fantasy especially about gumiho. No doubt about Hye-ri's madness here as she is still the same from Reply 1988. The funny part which I quite like is the extremely dumb gumiho-turn-human Yang Hye-sun. Lol!

Rating

3/5 Stars