Jealousy Incarnate #review

질투의 화신

Romanization -  Jiltooui Hwashin
Genre -  Romantic Comedy, Drama, Family
Writer -  Seo Sook hyang
Network -  SBS
Episodes -  24
Released  -  2016, Aug - Nov

CAST

PLOT

Depicts the fierce competition at a broadcasting station and the love between anchor Lee Hwa shin and forecaster Pyo Na ri.
Pyo Na-ri has had a crush on news anchor Lee Hwa shin for three years when things change after she meets Go Jung won, a chaebol heir and close friend of Hwa shin.

REVIEW

Loved it.

Hilarity throughout, although I found myself on a guilt-trip numerous times due to my smirking at and giggling about a subject as dead serious as breast cancer.

Hmm.

And, I wouldn't say this was Jealousy Incarnate, either, although enough of the negative emotion cropped up in these 24 episodes, the intensity and severity of them just wasn't Incarnate enough to my mind.

Na ri is your average (typical) Korean do-gooder on the set of a Seoul Broadcasting network as forecaster, and for 3 years she's carried a unilateral torch for heavyweight news anchor, Hwa shin.

For three years, Na ri kisses ass, bows down, succumbs to the whims of others, and passes herself by time and again in the name of 'nice girl' (doormat).

Everyone abuses, confuses, and refuses her until one day she ends up on an overseas assignment with her long-time crush and his best bud, handsome Chaebol heir Jung won.

Jung won treats Na ri different.

He's interested in her, he's patient with her, and he shows outward affection for her, which causes Na ri to rethink her former methods and emotions while it also manages to stir up the titled Jealousy in go-getter Hwa shin.

The three return to Seoul with 3 new ways of thinking, feeling, and doing.

It takes awhile for Hwa shin to admit to those changes while his handsome bud Jung won is moving full steam ahead with his plans to woo Na ri, and Na ri seems just as interested in starting afresh with the heir to a high-end Anchor store.

Jung won supplies the newsroom outfits, and one of the anchors is slated to become his wife (as per his mother's intentions).

But then Hwa shin becomes ill, and it is up to Na ri to help him through the situation in order to prevent the station manager from discovering the situation.

If Hwa shin is ill, he'll lose his last chance at becoming a nightly news anchor, and (this isn't a spoiler because it is overly obvious throughout the drama) Na ri will do anything to help him.

It ends up where Na ri is forced to have to choose between the two guys, and so the three decide to live together for one month in order for Na ri to make the right decision. 

Jung won is thoughtful, helpful, and flexible while Hwa shin remains stubborn, egocentric, and determined to get his way.

Na ri is overly concerned about being responsible for breaking up a long-standing friendship.

SECOND LEAD SYNDROME

As strange as it might sound, my answer is no.

Na ri and Hwa shin worked too well together, had a past together, albeit a rocky, one-sided one, but the two together equated to magic with the spell already cast and which could not be broken.

Not even by someone like Ko Gyung pyo.

Who did an impressive and relatively easy job of stealing the show and running with it for the duration, I might add.

In reality, I would say the opposite.

In reality, Na ri needs to let go of her one-sided love and work just as hard to accept Jung won, the man who (in reality) would serve a far better purpose if marriage is indeed the goal.

If you gave up on Jealousy Incarnate, I would recommend that you to go back and try again because yes, the beginning was somewhat sketchy with an inability to decide its genre (is it a melodrama, a medical drama, a comedy, or a suspense drama?)

But, once the leads return to Seoul from SE Asia, the story takes off like a jet plane, trust me.

And, yeah, there were two aside stories (one that really had no business being inserted about the high school kids) but the people involved are all related in some way, so it maybe confused the writers at one point, who knows.

No Ken dolls, not as much catty bitch as you would expect, and a decent love story that included a fair amount of actual romance to keep me interested and rooting for the right team start to finish.

A feel-good with enough comedic relief to relax the anxiety build-up in each episode.

Could have done well (maybe even better) stopping at 16, but again, I think it was worth the entire watch.

THE YEPPEUN

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Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo #review

달의 연인-보보경심 려

Writer -  Tong Hua (novel), Jo Yoon young
Network -  SBS
Episodes -  20
Released -  Aug-Nov, 2016
Genre -  Historical period drama, Romance Film, Fantasy

Based on the Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua (originally published online in 2005 on Jinjiang Original Network). Chinese 2011 Hunan Broadcasting System (HBS) drama series Scarlet Heart.

PLOT

When a total eclipse of the sun takes place, Hae soo (IU) travels back to the Goryeo era (971). There, she falls in love with Wang So (Lee Joon gi) who makes other people tremble with fear. ~AsianWiki

CAST

REVIEW

Like it's reviews for all 20 episodes, my feelings were all over the place as well.

The reason I rated it higher than expected is because the actors (and probably director) worked extra hard to pull rabbits from hats in order to bump this thing up.

Unfortunately, it was the writing that killed it and not the acting.

Stellar casting, obvious on-set camaraderie, and a strange tale were its highlights.

Now, back to the writing.

Yeah, well...

WTF?

Not even this disclaimer worked to convince me this was in any way plausible, and the background music only made things worse.

Especially that one instance where they tossed in a rap ballad.

That's right, I said RAP ballad -- which was about as cringe-worthy a decision as subbers who like to ad-lib or use Brit speak.

Yeesh, what a mess.

Add to that the brainless decision to allow ANY of the princes to behave 21st century femme nearly had me throw in the towel.

The disclaimer aside, I think what hurt this most was the fact that the director and writer(s) chose to mess with history as opposed to going the Fantasy route and THEN sticking to more fact than fantasy.

If that makes any sense.

Time travel is fantasy, we get that.

History is history, and sure, it's interesting to put a spin on it or twist facts to coincide with theory or conjecture -- NOT rewriting it to make it feel more modern.

Things We're Not Supposed to Notice

Like, she's looking up at the stars one minute, and in the next, it begins to snow (clouds?) but the trees in the background are in lush, summer fullness.

The seasons were way off a majority of the time, which is a continuity thing and something I'm slowly giving up on the way I'm slow to give up on abhorrent subs.

IU did a good job, but the guy who really held this mess together should be awarded a Glue trophy.

The incest thing made my skin crawl even knowing it was a fact of life for royals the world over at one point in everyone's history.

The writer thought to tamp this one down by briefly and convolutedly explaining she wasn't actually anyone's daughter, but like everything else in this far-fetched bit of nonsense, it quickly fell by the wayside and she was back to claiming to be the king's only daughter and wanting desperately to become queen.

By marrying one of her 14 half-brothers.

Then there was this guy, 8th Prince Wang wook, her actual brother.

At the beginning, he's married to Hae soo's cousin, which is why Hae soo is at the palace after the strange time travel incident.

The woman dies (of course) while 8th P Wang wook is falling in love with Hae soo and vice versa.

After things fall apart for them, years pass, and overthrow conspiracies start to crop up amongst the brothers, we are forced to have to figure out and understand how this particular monarchy works.

Families being cast aside, names being wiped off the registry, etc.

If Madam Hae's family got the boot, wouldn't that mean Hae soo is in jeopardy? Yet, she remained in the palace throughout.

The only time she received punishment was after being falsely accused of murdering the king, which by ANY authority in any time period in any given nation would equate to DEATH.

And, sorry, but back in the day, if you got run through by a sword, your chances for survival ran anywhere from slim to none.

Dramatic, yes.

Believable, no.

A huge aspect of the plot surrounded our charming 4th Prince and his facial scar, which his own mother induced when he was a child.

WHY?

Why did the queen mother not like this child?

Why had she scarred him and not her other son?

Why had none of the other princes rallied 'round him?

Why was he sent to China as an abandoned heir?

How was it possible for a KING to lose power/control over a 2nd wife?

Very confusing and needed some time to flesh itself out so that us outsiders had a better handle on the situation.

I'm pretty sure the reason why brothers resort to assassination attempts is because royalty follow a strict SUCCESSION principle.

1st born automatically succeeds his father to the throne, and if something happens, 2nd born ascends, and if something happens to him, 3rd in line ascends and so on and so forth.

Picking and choosing based on astrological or otherwise signs wasn't the norm anywhere in the world's history.

A king decrees and his word is golden.

Once he's dead, sure, then all hell can break loose, but the succession rule still stands.

HOWEVER

And as mentioned earlier, because I stuck this one out for the duration, the show managed to pick itself up and work itself out to captivate me (and 2 billion others worldwide).

If you are like me and gave up, do yourself a favor and go back and try again, because believe me, you'll find it is worth a second chance.

It is so easy to maintain a stance on guys with long hair when watching a period drama!

Hot as hell :)

Second Lead Syndrome

Nope.

But, judging from the below image, I'd say IU is better off with Ha neul in reality and 4th Prince Wang so in the fantasy realm.

Lee Joon ki looks ten times more manly as the long haired brute he portrayed in Scarlet Heart than he does in reality, which is funny because of his age.

He's still a hot guy, though, 21st Century and in any Century.

Yet, 8th Prince somehow managed to maintain a Ken doll look while portraying a Prince, and in real life he's hella hot and nothing Ken doll!

Kang Ha neul and IU

The HEA

As with most Korean dramas that end the way this one did, I won't hold my breath in anticipation of a Part 2.

YES, I would love to see the modern-day version of these two having to duke it out with the other Princes -- but I don't see it happening, sadly.

Heck, I'm still waiting for Gumiho's sequel!

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Cinderella and Four Knights #review

Based on the Novel by -  Baek Myo
Screen Writers -   Min Ji-Eun, Won Young-Sil
Genre -  Romance, Drama, Comedy
Network -  tvN
Episodes -  16
Released -  Aug - Oct, 2016

CAST

Park So dam as Eun Ha won, Jung Il woo as Kang Ji woon, Ahn Jae hyun as Kang Hyun min, Lee Jung shin as Kang Seo woo, Choi Min as Lee Yoon sung, and Son Na eun as Park Hye ji

PLOT

Based on the novel published in 2011, the drama is about a group of passionate young people in their 20s who live together, and is said to be similar to the 2009 TV series Boys Over Flowers. The series was fully produced prior to its release. ~Wikipedia

REVIEW

If everyone thought the BOF hints were real and anticipated a remake, I'll bet they're pretty bummed right now.

Unoriginal is the bottom line.

Done-to-death plot device (Cinderella and multiple wealthy hot dudes all vying for her pathetic ass) written way too soon after BOF aired, which screams "hoping to cash in on something that works" thinking on the part of the writer(s).

Unfortunately (for them and us) it only works its magic once and then the spell is broken.

But Korean producers, writers, and authors continue to bludgeon this story line to pulp and honestly, I don't know why.

And I can't say I hated it even though I can't really say I loved it, either.

What I did love was Park So dam.

Park So dam

I'm glad she isn't interested in the double-lid eye procedure because it is her eyes that not only set her apart from the herd but also what makes her so pretty.

The surgical procedure, by the way, doesn't work and I don't understand why it continues to be so popular.

She's unique and appears that way, which is great!

Very pretty and not at all boy-ish, though she did dress that way for the 4 Knights role.

Of the four Knights -- three, actually, though they included Lee Yoon sung (Choi Min) as the 4th Knight because his duties as 'butler' and their grandfather's assistant meant he was around the others quite a bit -- I liked him best.

Choi Min

I rooted for him start to finish, hoping he'd be the one who ended up with Cindy, but alas, that wasn't the case.

[sad face]

Anyway, the plot actually involves a goofy grandfather (wealthy, of course) with three sons who married and produced sons as well, leaving three grandsons who are obviously cousins.

Their parents all died tragically, leaving the grandfather responsible for them.

The eldest is simply handsome and doesn't actually 'do' anything in life other than pine away for a girl he hung out with as a child, and he can't get past the fact that when her twin brother died, he ran away instead of helping.

The second oldest cousin lived with his discarded mother, who sat around weeping over her loss until she died tragically in an apartment fire.

The third cousin is a Pop star.

The three live together in a (ugly) mansion (which was actually a club house on a golf course somewhere in Korea) but don't get along and never communicate with one another or hang out together.

The grandfather hires Cindy to live with the boys for 3 months in order to teach them how to become a real family.

They're called 'missions', and for each 'mission' that Cindy accomplishes, another year of her college education is paid in full.

She starts out attached to the eldest cousin, but they don't get along.

He's cocky, overly confident, and brash but always secretly pining away for Park Hye ji (Son Na eun), the pretty girl with looks, money, and an interest in fashion design.

This is where the story gets childish, overdone, and boring.

Not to mention Cindy's stepmother and stepsister, who both behave childish and by-the-book Cinderella style. which is just stupid.

Then the youngest cousin starts to crush when Cindy becomes enamored of the 2nd knight, Kang Hyun min (Ahn Jae hyun).

Now, I have to admit that I enjoyed the romance, which started out rocky, cocky, and lopsided (big surprise) then suddenly became elegant, mature, and gutsy -- three things I adore and long for in any Korean drama.

And the surprise near the end about those two and their shared past was just as delightful to watch being uncovered.

I also have to admit to skipping the odd episodes after 10 because it was simply too boring and tedious to want to watch every, single episode night after night.

The OST was okay but not amazing enough to even recall the main theme song.

Ah, yeah -- the croker voice chick whose horrible English somehow sounds cool -- I remember now.

And the subs? Yeesh.

This time they were legible, but it was SO obvious that the subber wasn't giving us verbatim, which is annoying and condescending on the part of the subber.

There were too many instances where I was thinking, Right. That's so not what he just said!

Anyway, the tweeners probably ate this one up even if the ratings say otherwise.

For me, it was a bit of a yawn but with a surprisingly mature-content romance (once it actually got off the ground, that is).

Cinderellawa Ne Myungui Gisa

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Uncontrollably Fond #review

함부로 애틋하게  /  Hambooro Aeteuthage

Writer -  Lee Kyoung hee
Genre -  Romance, Melodrama
Network -  KBS2
Episodes -  20
Released -  Jul - Sept, 2016

CAST

PLOT

Shin Joon young is an intelligent and attractive actor and singer. No Eul is a Documentaries PD who values money over justice and kisses up to those with more power than her.

REVIEW

The No Rating is no joke.

Finished watching last night and still don't know what to do with this drama today !

I've come this close to being at a complete loss before yet always managed to pull through, but not this time.

This time, I am torn between giving it a bad review and low rating and giving it a favorable review with a low rating.

Either way, it is likely that I don't want to low-rate this one despite its being completely deserving, and for a number of reasons.

It had no plot.

It left me so empty inside that I didn't know what to do or how to feel when it finally ended.

There was no romance.

None.

There were no happy or relieving moments in all 20 episodes.

None.

It is obvious (now) that my only interest in Uncontrollably Fond was that it starred Kim Woo bin, whom I am always anxious and happy to see grace a screen for any amount of time.

As I suffered in this confusing dilemma, I thought about getting rid of my star ratings system and using words or emotion to rate future dramas.

I'm also still working on the creation of a Vlog, but both are immaterial to this post.

So, let's do this instead.

The HEA -  

Because it didn't occur, but what turned out to be a shocker was my inability to shed a single tear throughout Episodes 19-20.

The Eye Candy - 

Because it starred Kim Woo bin.

Actually choked on my fountain Diet Coke when this scene occurred in Episode 4, and then as I had to wipe off the drool, it took awhile more to get my eyes back inside my head.

Please, towel, DO fall down!

Was it Cinderella-ish? No, because both leads stem from lowly backgrounds and then both grew to become self-sufficient; though Joon young made more of himself as a Pop Idol extraordinaire.

The Melo in Melodrama - 

Or, should it be the Drama in Melodrama?

Hard to say because this offered an abundance (overload) of both with hardly any relief effort on the part of the writer or director.

The Cast - 

Because while the story itself proved less than memorable or desirable as a 20-episode watch, the folks attempting to make it great did their best to intrigue me and make me want to root for them.

Which is the major issue, now that I think about it.

I gave up hope of seeing anyone happy after awhile because I knew NOTHING would go right or well for any of the players, which is a huge turn-off in my book.

The characters deserved something yet the writer/director gave them nothing.

The Cliché Factor - 

Brain Tumor, Car/Pedestrian Incidents, Chaebol shenanigans, Dishonesty disguised as Love, Catty Bitch vs Poor Chick, Insurmountable Debt, Orphaned, Getting Pregnant Early is the Devil Incarnate, Wide-Eyed Kissing, Selfish Parents.

Those are all I'm able to recall right now, but believe me there are dozens more.

And, as Fond began to unfold, I started to recall a Japanese drama, Beautiful Life, that starred Kimura Takuya as a carefree hair stylist who meets and falls in love with a wheelchair-bound free spirit.

If you haven't watched it, please do, compare the two, and see which you prefer.

Now for the fun stuff.

Not sure if this was deliberate, but Joon young asked a few questions that I felt compelled to answer.

Yes!

HELL Yes!

Um ...

I ask Myself that Same Thing almost Daily, Darling

He also liked talking to himself, ABOUT himself.

Affirmative

I wouldn't use the word Shabby to describe what you see in the Mirror

Which brings me to an eerie Korean Drama conundrum that occurs in most every drama or movie about a 'star'.

I just find it disturbing and creepy to be surrounded by a lot of artwork that centers solely on 'self'

Kind of like living in a house of mirrors, isn't it?

Everywhere you turn, no matter where you look, there you are, staring back at yourself.

Eating, cooking, relaxing on the sofa in front of the TV, taking a piss, and trying to get a good nights' sleep.

I don't get it and don't want to believe that the real stars of these dramas actually do surround themselves with . . . themselves.

And, yes, I am fully aware of the fact that a majority of the artwork comes from their adoring fans -- but not all of it, and certainly not the photography!

Second Lead Syndrome - 

String bean wasn't a bad second and he wasn't the greatest, either.

Im Ju hwan

It never worried me that No Eul would want him more than she would want Joon young.

But, he did play an interesting character with just as many flaws as anyone beneath his station in life.

Which brings me to the 'running theme' that I failed to capture on screen but need to mention in this post.

"Someone Like You"

Great Van Morrison tune, btw




But, for the purpose of the drama, it was meant to imply status, and that just made me laugh.

Anymore, it runs along the same lines as racism to include racist remarks like "Those People" and "Minorities"

The Star-Crossed Lovers - 

Pretty sure all but the last two are large enough to use as background wallpaper (at your disposal).

I liked them together.

I just didn't like the situation(s) the writer/director forced on them to make this such a dry, lifeless story and a major let-down.

And, maybe I'm wrong to want to watch a story that unfolds naturally and with a tad more realism than I'm always forced to have to endure instead.

Does anyone else yearn for a 'true' romance story to occur between their two favorite stars?

Boy meets girl, sparks fly (or not), they slowly get to know one another better when a few life curve balls come their way to liven up the plot (true romance), they work through the issues and end up in bed together.

The End.

And by romance, I mean bells & whistles, hearts & flowers, chivalry on his part, honest (soulful) affection on hers, LOTS of touchy-feely to cement their inner emotions, and mature resolve in the face of adversity in order for us, the viewer, to feel good (and justified) about rooting for them to survive.

If this had been written by me, I'd have had No Eul get pregnant as a legacy token of her TRUE LOVE for Joon young.

Loved this guy's hair!

Jung Soo kyo

And the pretty baby boy wasn't all bad, just way too baby boy for my taste.

Lee Seo won

So, that about sums up my opinion of  Uncontrollably Fond.

Better Luck Next Time, sir Kim Woo bin!

Here are a few more images (which, too, are likely to be large enough to use as a BG).

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