“My Country: The New Age” – Korean Drama Review 17

8/10: the main bromance and political intrigue carried the drama for me, as well as the epic soundtrack and beautifully shot cinematography and choreography. I didn’t care for many of the side plots and romance though, haha…

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Wow…I’m crying. The amount of pain and heart-break I experienced watching this period drama is directly and exponentially proportional to how much I love Wo Do-hwan now, lol.

This drama tells the epic story of two friends who get caught up on opposite sides of a power struggle rooted in monarchial politics and feudal wartimes during the transition between the Goryeo dynasty and Joseon dynasty. Seo Hwi (played by Yang Se-jong) is a “low-born” son of a famous swordsman, and Nam Sun-ho (played TO PERFECTION by Woo Do-hwan) is the illegitimate son of a high-ranking government official. Ultimately, it was a story about different people fighting for the type of country they envisioned for themselves. But in trying to achieve their ambitions, Hwi and Sun-ho both lost sight of why they were fighting, and who they were fighting for.

For me, what made this drama memorable and impactful was the deep penetrating friendship between Seo Hwi and Nam Sun-ho. Even though they are constantly being torn apart and forced to betray and hurt each other, their loyalty endures to the end.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

Basically the rest of this review is going to be me ranting about Nam Sun-ho and how tragic and heart-breaking his story was. From beginning to end, it’s gut-wrenching to watch him struggle with the dissonances in his life. His father, Nam Jeon, is a ruthless manipulative power-hungry man who is obsessed with “blood purity”, and looks down on Sun-ho because his mother was a concubine. He uses his son as a sword to accomplish his political objectives and is just emotionally abusive in many ways. Also, he blatantly does not seem to care about Sun-ho and sacrifices him/leaves him for dead on at least two occasions….

Nam Sun-ho’s friendship with Seo Hwi is tested so much throughout this drama because they find themselves on opposing sides of the political war. Sun-ho’s father is also quite evil, and because of that, Sun-ho is often implicated or forcibly involved in his father’s decisions and actions. It was so sad and pitiful to watch Sun-ho betray his friends (aka Hwi, BECAUSE HE LEGIT ONLY HAS ONE FRIEND), feel terrible about it, do his best to rectify the situation and save the people he cares about, only to get abandoned by these people because they are fighting on opposite sides, and then have to crawl back to his dad because he has no one else with whom he has a relationship. THAT HAPPENED LIKE FOUR TIMES AT LEAST. And every time, there was so much pain and regret and hopelessness in his character. He didn’t know what else to do except continue down a darker and darker path, and I cried so much watching him struggle and make wrong choices and have to wage war against himself. I think the saddest part of it all is that we see that deep down, Sun-ho is the softest of them all. He expresses a hard steely exterior, but his losses hit him so hard when he’s alone and able to weep freely. He tries to be ruthless and cold-blooded, but he can never bring himself to deliver the death blow that would sever ties with Hwi.

A standing ovation for Woo Do-hwan, who gave such a heart-rendingly raw and emotional performance throughout. WHEN HE CRIES, I CRY.

The most tragic example of Sun-ho’s softness is when Seo Hwi’s younger sister Seo Yeon is killed by his dad. Nam Sun-ho saw her as his own sister, and always fought with his life to protect her and keep her safe when Hwi couldn’t (it’s a long story). Other than Hwi, she was the only other person who cared about him and loved him. When she died HE WAS LITERALLY SO DEVASTATED AND HORRIFIED THAT IT WAS THE LAST STRAW FOR HIM. It was after that point that Sun-ho truly lost any hope for happiness; he wanted to kill everyone, his dad, the princes who were at war against each other for the throne, the king, the former king, everyone. BUT EVEN PUSHED TO THAT LIMIT, he could not abandon Hwi or forget their friendship.

This is what made the ending truly tragic and fitting. Sun-ho and Hwi end up dying in each other’s arms, sacrificed so that the people of their country would be spared by the crown prince. As he lay dying, Sun-ho finally realized that “his country” as he put it, was Hwi and Yeon, and that he had missed them while fighting for his own redemption. Yeon had embroidered a sash for Sun-ho before she died, and he kept it tied to his sword after her death. Near the end of the drama, he untied it and instead tucked it into his tunic, near his heart. I thought this was a beautiful symbol of the change in his character, and him deciding to be motivated by a desire to protect and love, rather than a desire to kill and seek vengeance.

Besides Sun-ho’s mesmerizing story arc, I honestly wasn’t super invested in the side plots or side characters. I didn’t even find Hwi’s character that exciting until near the end, lol. It just wasn’t compelling compared to what Sun-ho was going through, ahhaha. The romance between Hwi and the main female lead especially, felt very wooden and uninspiring. In general, the pacing of the drama could have been a tighter, some sideplots could have been cut down or omitted, and more screen time should have been devoted to clarifying the main conflicts and relationships. Furthermore, many of the conflicts were not fleshed out properly, and just made things too complicated and hard to follow. And maybe it’s because I love friendship/bromance dramas (see “The Untamed”), but I also would have liked to see a deeper exploration of Hwi and Sun-ho’s history as children.

All in all, while there were some pretty major problems with the plot and character development, the emotional impact of this drama will stay with me for a long, long time. If you have some patience, this drama will bring you to a very satisfying, but tragic conclusion.

Thanks for reading, and happy watching!

“My Girlfriend is a Gumiho” – Korean Drama Review 16

8/10: Yes I know it’s old and retro, but the development of the romance was A+, and the leads were so endearing and sincere! A classic love story with a lot of heart.

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OMG WHAT A HIDDEN GEM!!! I was honestly a bit hesitant and skeptical about this drama because a) it is quite old (2010!!), and b) the basic premise seemed super cheesy. Guy accidentally unleashes a gumiho (nine-tailed fox spirit) and they fall in love?! But my devotion to Lee Seung-gi held fast, and I gave it a shot. I am so glad I did!! IT WAS SO CUTE OMG. The love story was honestly SO WELL DONE. Yes the drama was cheesy and over-the-top in some ways, and the CGI and filming and production were obviously stylized from a different era, but the relationship between Cha Dae-woong and his gumiho girlfriend Miho, was amazing. Every beloved cliché was there, but I really liked the way the romance blossomed naturally. Everything about it made sense and just felt so genuine and sweet.

I’m actually surprised the  story hit as strongly as it did. Considering its retro feel, and slightly outdated acting style and music and camera work, you’d think that there’d be more of a disconnect with today’s audience. BUT NO, this drama’s love story impacted me more than many of the newer romantic comedies I’ve watched in the past few years! I can totally understand why this is a classic fan-favourite!

[MILD SPOILERS AHEAD]

Lee Seung-gi as Cha Dae-woong, an out-going, slightly arrogant, slightly spoiled aspiring actor, was perfection. Even though this was one of his first dramas, he gave so much heart and sincerity to the role. I don’t know what it is, but Seung-gi crying is always so heart-breaking! And his winsome smile added a lot of charm and sparkle to the character. It was a pleasure to watch him change from a selfish little brat into someone who was willing to give his life for the one he loved. It took him soooo long to admit his feelings, but his character development felt very organic and earned because of the many things he and Miho went through together.

Shin Min-ah played the gumiho, whom Dae-woong names Gu Mi-ho (as in gumiho, LOL), and she was honestly so adorable, haha. I don’t usually like female characters that are “ditzy”, or portrayed as being “dumb” or overly innocent. But she perfectly toed the line of being a naive girl who has to integrate into modern society, and an incredibly powerful immortal creature from 500 years ago. She was a great source of humour and spunk, but the purity of her character is what I loved most. She loves Dae-woong so fully and selflessly. Her love for him is so simple; she doesn’t love him because of x,y or z reasons, but because he is who he is. And she would do anything to be with him and keep him safe. I didn’t see her as being a weak female character who was overly focused on wanting the lead male’s affections, even though THAT’S LITERALLY WHAT HER MOTIVATIONS WERE, haha. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. Even though her goals and actions revolved around Dae-woong, for some reason it didn’t feel weak or pathetic at all. Wanting to love and be loved is perhaps the only thing worth fighting for anyway, isn’t it? A good-natured gumiho falls in love with a reluctant human man, and her pursuit of him is executed in a way that didn’t make either character annoying.

The angst in this show was also quite well-done. It definitely got overly complicated, and employed the classic “noble idiocy” troupe, but by that time I was so invested in the relationship (and seeing Seung-gi’s heart-wrenching tears, lol) that I ate it all up without question lol. Don’t we all love a dramatic conundrum where characters have to sacrifice themselves/the relationship to try to save their lover? I think that because the setup and development of the relationship was so strong, the angst felt realistically impactful and emotional, even though the actual circumstances were unrealistic.

The one critique I have of this drama is that some of the side characters were not well-developed, but still given substantial amounts of screen-time, or were written into the story to have larger roles than I cared for. Maybe I’m just biased because all I wanted to see each episode was an hour straight of Dae-woong and Miho being adorable together, lol, but I felt like some of some of the side plots were uninteresting.

Overall, I would definitely not overlook this drama if you love a good romantic comedy! And definitely check it out if you are a Seung-gi fan, haha. And the effects of the gumiho’s nine tails actually exceeded my expectations! After 10 years, it still holds up fairly well, thank God.

Thanks for reading, and happy watching!!

“Kang-Chi, the Beginning/Gu Family Book” – Korean Drama Review 15

8/10: Kangchi as a character is the only reason you need to watch this…he deserves the best in life LOL.

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I recently re-watched this drama with my mom because after watching “Vagabond”, she fell n in love with Lee Seung-gi (although tbh who hasn’t at some point in their lives?) and wanted to watch a drama with him and Suzy as the leads. And honestly, I liked it a lot more the second time through surprisingly!! I watched it the first time because I ALSO fell in love with Lee Seung-gi after Vagabond (lmao), and while I enjoyed the story and adored the lovable cinnamon roll that is Cha Kang-chi, the ending fell quite flat for me and perhaps that’s why I didn’t feel the desire to write a review. But having watched it again with my mom and finding myself just as entertained and invested, despite knowing everything already, has made me appreciate it a lot more.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

So definitely, Cha Kang-chi as a character is the indisputable highlight of this show. He is the perfect hero in my opinion: noble, but not flawless, innocent, but not an idiot, and charming, but not arrogant (also he’s cute and hunky at the same time, A++!!). He is the character the audience can sympathize with because of his warm and friendly nature. When he laughs, we laugh, when he cries, we cry, because his responses to injustice and pain and love and friendship are always so pure and wholesome!! Lee Seung-gi did a 100% job of portraying Kang-chi into a character that is we all gush after and want to protect, lol. No one can ever say anything bad about Kang-chi, because he’s just a lovable half-gumiho (nine-tailed fox spirit) half-human who has the humble wish to be human so that he can live with his love, Dam Yeol-wool, AND MY GOSH IT WAS HEART-BREAKING TO WATCH HIM GET HIS DREAMS SNATCHED. His back-story was just tragic enough to be terribly sad, but not over-done to the point where it was unnecessarily dramatic. It’s somewhat of a cliché troupe (gumiho father and human mother fall in love, but a misunderstanding causes a betrayal and deaths, you know how it goes), but I didn’t mind it at all, and it was an element in his story that made sense and felt natural. The writers did a great job of making us care about Kang-chi’s parents, which in turn enhanced our love of Kang-chi’s character.

Maybe the only thing that elevates Kang-chi as the highlight of the show is Dam Yeol-wool (played by Bae Suzy) and their pure and healthy relationship. Right away, we see a great juxtaposition between Yeol-wool’s relationship with Kang-chi, compared to the other people in his life. While others (namely his adoptive brother and sister) shun him, fear him, or betray him once they find out his identity as a half-gumiho, Yeol-wool not only doesn’t fear him, she whole-heartedly continues to stand by him. She is the reason he is able to regain his humanity when he was struggling to reconcile his demon-half. One of the themes of the show is definitely that appearances are not what makes someone human. Rather, it is how you view yourself that determines who you are. Kang-chi initially became consumed by his demon-side because he was devastated by the fact that he was a monster; he labelled himself as such, and therefore that was what he was. But Yeol-wool was the one who brought him back, reminding him that even though he is half-gumiho, he was still Kang-chi, and that nothing has to change. One of the cutest things about their relationship was the fact that her being by his side is what allows him to control his gumiho-side without his spirit-suppressing bracelet, and I thought it was such a smart way to develop their relationship. Her love and support gives him the confidence to be human! It was also very convicting to see Kang-chi trying his best to be a noble righteous person, while real humans were often the ones acting like monsters.

Watching the ending for the second time, it wasn’t nearly as bad, maybe because I was anticipating it, so unconsciously justified it? Who knows. Anyways, it was by no means a good ending, but it at least tied up all the loose ends, lol. I just really don’t like the time-jump endings that involve people being reincarnated. I think it cheapens the death of the characters and makes the “happy ending” less satisfying. Yeol-wool should have either not died, or stayed dead, in my opinion. Having her die in Kang-chi’s arms, but then allowing him wait 400-some years to be able to meet her again in the modern world (LOL WTF) didn’t do the drama much justice. Maybe it would have worked better if it wasn’t so rushed, literally crammed into the last ten minutes of the last episode lol. That being said, the ending doesn’t destroy my overall love of this under-rated show.

I would recommend this drama to anyone who enjoys historical/fantasy/action dramas. The pacing overall was really good, and there was a nice balance between action and fighting, romance and humour, and emotional scenes, all of which are Korean drama staples, haha. I guarantee that you will fall in love with Kang-chi and his friends, and want him to just have some happiness in his hardship-filled life.

Thanks for reading, and happy watching!

 

“Kingdom Season 1 and 2” – Korean Drama Review 14

9/10: if you like gore, Korean zombies, and a very questionable monarchy, then you will like this drama as much as I did!

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Wow, what a stressful experience haha. Like I said in my last review of “Train to Busan”, I don’t know what it is about Korean zombies, but HOLY HELL THEY ARE NOT OUT TO PLAY, THESE MOTHER-HUGGERS CAN RUN.

This drama was so unique and cinematic in its story and portrayal of a “zombie plague” situation, and every episode was truly gripping!! From start to finish, there was this sense of horror and urgency as we watch the main characters fight against not only a mysterious disease that killed people and then brought them back from the dead as flesh-eating monsters, but also fight against the corruption and immorality of the upper class and monarchy.

This drama was very much a plot-driven one; events unfold, and things happen to the characters, and there wasn’t as much time spent on character development or backstory. Which is not to say there wasn’t any; I think there was enough context and development to allow the audience to be invested, and the superb acting and use of body language and expressive eyes still portrayed the many complexities of each character. I also really appreciated that FOR ONCE, they delved into the origins and pathophysiology of the disease!! Maybe it’s just the science/healthcare nerd in me, but I thought that was one of the most interesting aspects of the drama – seeing how it started, how it spread, how it could be combatted. Those things are not often well-flushed out in other zombie material, and I admire the writers for putting effort into making it a believable story, as unrealistic as it was. There was plenty of action and violence, as well as tragedy and tears, and I think there was a perfect balance of each element that all contributed to a cohesive watching experience. I also really thought the ending was excellent!! Enough was resolved to close the chapter, but there was timely well-paced introductions of new material that screams for a season three.

Perhaps the only downside of focusing on the plot is that overall the characters are less memorable as individuals and rather are most effective as an ensemble. Hence why I didn’t feel particularly inclined to search up the actors or remember the names of the characters. Their performances were all fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but the plot was what I was here for, not the individual faces and names. Of course the crown prince is the “main male lead”, but his character was not more or less interesting than the others, and while his motivations were clear and well-developed, it was actually the motivations of the villains that I found more intriguing. I guess you don’t need a reason to be good, but you do need a reason to be bad, haha. As always with zombie movies and TV shows, the zombies are not the true enemy, but is merely a symbol of moral decay and humanity’s darkness. In this drama especially, I was super impressed and horrified by the depth of villainy of the main antagonists. Period dramas often have heavy political aspects, and this drama was no different. In the context of a zombie apocalypse, it really heightened everything to a whole new level!

I would highly recommend this drama to anyone who loves a good horror thriller TV show, and who isn’t afraid of some blood (okay maybe a lot of blood) and graphic fight scenes. I’ll just be here waiting eagerly for another season!

Thanks for reading, and happy watching!

(Also if you’re wondering why there are no gifs for this review, it’s because for some reason there are almost none circulating the internet?? Sad…)