Tag: tv

Week in Review (Oct 4 – 10, 2020)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon (2017)

The entire time I spent watching Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, I kept asking myself “How did this show get made?” On the surface it appears to be a fluffy romantic comedy, but on a closer look it reveals much stronger (heh) plot elements. Overall, Strong Woman was a delight to watch, even if it left me a bit confused by its sense of humour sometimes.

The core of the show was our romance storyline, and this is definitely where our show excels. Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young) unassuming appearance is the perfect misdirect for the power she holds within, and it’s no wonder that Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik) falls for her when he sees her in full action. But Min-hyuk packs a whopper of a punch in the charms department himself, and seeing his moments of falling for Bong-soon are absolutely swoon-worthy. It’s no surprise these two are drawn to each other.

What I wasn’t expecting from the show was the darker storyline of the kidnappings. It served to be terrifying in its own right, but when contrasted with the uplifting elements of the rest of the show, it takes on a whole other light. I liked that the mystery of the show wasn’t in the criminal’s identity necessarily, but in the stakes that it raises for our heroes. It teaches them the value of teamwork, and despite not agreeing with one another, or even particularly liking one another in the case of Min-hyuk and Guk-doo (Ji-soo), they understand the need to put aside their differences to work towards something bigger than them.

The other elements that stood out to me were the visual style of the show. In many ways, this show feels like the older brother to What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?, with its vivid colour palette, animations (especially that aura around Min-hyuk) and minimalist styling. This show almost feels like it was paving the way, by being bold and brash. This even comes through with a lot of the side characters, and while some of them were downright bizarre (what was up with the doppelgängers) others were hilarious (the high school gang) or heartfelt (Kyung-sim and the Do family). I applaud the show’s writer for being a risk taker.

With its poignant social commentary and its out-there approach, the show was definitely memorable, even if some moments were hit-or-miss. Overall though, I really enjoyed Strong Woman and I was happy to join the adventures of Bong-Bong and Min-Min.

My Ajusshi (2018) – Ep 1-2

The plot is intriguing and the performances are good, but the pacing is just a little too show for my liking at the moment. I’m hoping that things start to pick up soon.

Right now it’s all about the office politics which can be really appealing if done right but isn’t quite working for me just yet. I feel like we’ve been thrown into the deep end with nothing to hold on to. But if this show goes the direction I think it’s headed in, which is to become more about exploring the relationships, I think it’s going to punch me in the feels. I can’t wait!

Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol (2020) – Ep 1-2

My second set of premier episodes of the week is the long-awaited Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol. Full disclosure: I’m here for Lee Jae-wook finally being the lead, after really enjoying him in Search: WWW. Yes, I have a problem…

While a lot has happened to our lead heroine in these first two episodes, it does feel like the writer is just moving all the necessary pieces into place before she really gets the story going. Goo Ra-ra (Go Ara) seems like your typical naive chaebol who’s lost everything, but she seems to have the best luck in the world since she ran into the only man who seems to be generous enough to actually help her. I hope she has a pretty steep learning curve, because it coming off more as childish than charming. While I am hoping the show goes well, I won’t be terribly disappointed if I just get a cute romance that makes me laugh.

Week in Review (Sep 27 – Oct 3, 2020)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

When the Camellia Blooms (2019)

I think I went into When the Camellia Blooms with very high expectations, and that might have been the main reason why it didn’t quite match up to them. 

A lot of the time I found the show to be a bit contradictory in what its message was. When it came to motherhood especially, it started off on a very positive note, addressing single motherhood and the effect that it has on both the parent and the child, showing that you don’t need a second parent to live a fulfilling life. But then it also turned that same issue into a hinderance in Dong-baek’s (Kong Hyo-jin) other relationships. All the more, when it was coming from Deok-sun (Ko Du-shim) –  the one woman who might have actually been able to relate to Dong-baek –  it made all the conflict that much more confusing, since she should have understood the hardships of raising children by herself, too. I guess the message was that even nice people can be hypocrites sometimes…

I also found Yong-sik to be a bit immature, despite all the charm with which he was portrayed by Kang Ha-neul. His absolute devotion to Dong-baek seemed a bit out of the blue. Yes, this is dramaland, where characters fall in love at the drop of a hat, but to me it never seemed like there was enough of a foundation for them liking one another.

Quite possibly the most contradictory part of the show though, came in the form of the murder mystery. Without giving away any spoilers, I found the killer’s motivation lacking in many ways, and the final payoff felt unearned.

Perhaps my favourite part of the show was the village ajummas, who were passive-aggressive in the best way. Kim Sun-young has a knack for playing larger than life characters, and she is always a delight to watch, even when she’s being loud and obnoxious.

I really wanted to like this show, but ultimately there just wasn’t enough there to give this show that warm fuzzy glow I was hoping for.

Week in Review (Sep 20 – 26, 2020)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

Dream High (2011)

Dream High has been on my watchlist for ages, at my friend’s suggestion, but for some reason, I kept putting it off. Which was really odd, because it blends all of my favourite components into a single show. Music, check. High school setting, check. Drama, check. What finally pushed me into watching it is my newfound appreciation for Kim Soo-hyun, and wanting to see the project that started it all. And man! am I glad I did, because it has quickly become one of my favourite shows.

While the first episode doesn’t really give you much to go on, by the second episode the show hits the ground running, moving all the characters into the right places for the drama to truly begin. The characters still took a bit of time to find their footing, the most hilarious of which was turning Hye-mi’s character into the gifted-yet-emotionless brat to account for Bae Suzy’s (lack of) acting ability. The producers were really good about developing the show around their performers’ strengths, adapting as they found the things that resonated with their audience.

Although the story itself was usually quite typical, the way that it was executed felt fresh, even for something that I’m watching nearly a decade after it was first released. Song Sam-dong (Kim Soo-hyun) is the prime example of this, as the country boy who follows a pretty girl to the city, and ends up finding himself while he’s there. This was probably the most Dramatic part of the story, but it was also the most satisfying to watch him grow by overcoming the hardships life threw at him. Not to mention it was mesmerising to see Kim really get to stretch his acting muscles to their full potential. The other dynamic that I loved was the relationships between the teachers. Mr. Yang (Eom Ki-joon) was the perfect mentor, Mr. Kang (Park Jin Young) the hilarious trainer, and Ms Si’s (Lee Yoon-ji) tough love approach rounded out the group.

The musical elements of the show resonated with the emotions that the writers were trying to elicit, and the big group numbers were usually the ones that I enjoyed the most. But seeing the training montages and the amount of effort that the kids put into their performances were sometimes more inspiring than the songs themselves. Watching them stumble and then pick themselves back up is what showcases their strength more than any elaborate and highly curated performance might.

Dream High may have had its flaws, but it’s a solid piece of entertainment and it was well written and well developed. Park Jin Young’s vision was executed beautifully, and save a few pretentious moments and acting that left something to be desired from a lot of the younger stars, the show was very comfortable poking fun at itself and being heartfelt when the story called for it. It leaves a warm fuzzy feeling when you finish watching it, and I’m so glad that my friend recommended the show to me. Thanks, Norlisa!

Week in Review (Sep 13 – 19, 2020)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

Reply 1997 (2012)

Oh, Reply series, how you do make me nostalgic. It’s even funnier that I didn’t actually live through this time as a teenager, being a 5-year-old at the time, let alone in Busan of all places. But the sense that I got from this show is that it has the universal theme of longing for a time that’s gone. Add to that the group dynamics, which Writer Lee clearly enjoys exploring (having done that several times since this in her other shows too), and the 90s styling and you get the perfect recreation, not necessarily as it was, but of how we look back on it with our rose-tinted glasses.

The friend group obviously forms the heart of the show, making you laugh, cry and die of secondhand embarrassment right alongside them (I loved it every time Seong-jae (Lee Si-eon) was on my screen). But by far, the show stealers were the parents. Sung Dong-il and Lee Il-hwa were pitch-perfect as the overbearing dad who didn’t understand his daughter and the laissez-faire mom who was always ready to feed an army. 

The fangirl aspects of the show were probably the thing that felt the most Dramatic, in that they were usually the bits that seemed the most unrealistic, the most exaggerated. I find it hard to believe in that level of commitment to anything, let alone a boyband. But maybe that’s just the cynic in me. Reply 1997 delved into the nature of that relationship, and showed that it wasn’t just about enjoying the music, but it was also about making friends (and enemies) and feeling a sense of belonging when others in your life can’t understand or accept you.

While I liked the framework of the high school reunion to establish the setting for the show, one aspect that I felt could have worked slightly better was the romance mystery. At times, it really felt like we were being given rather weak red herrings, and it wasn’t the most convincing. But it was exciting to see the couple grow and become aware of their feelings for one another, even if it did take forever for them to get there. 

I’m looking forward to the next one in the series, although I have heard that it doesn’t have quite the same charm as this one. But at least I’ll have Sung Dong-il and Lee Il-hwa to keep me entertained.

Week in Review (Sep 6 – 12, 2020)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) – Ep 14-16

I’m not sure what they idea was with episodes 14 and 15, but it seemed like the show suddenly swerved into makjang territory. Nurse Park felt overacted, which really took me out of the scenes that she was in. I think that character and the arc they were attempting worked much better as an idea and didn’t land at all in execution. The saving grace was that they didn’t particularly linger on it, and wrapped the storyline up pretty quickly, with the villain getting her comeuppance, and we could switch back to our trio for the final stretch. 

Episode 16 came back to the show that I felt I had been watching, giving us the familiar feeling of comfort we’ve grown accustomed to with our family unit. When Sang-tae is reading his book to his mother, I felt every bit of the cathartic release that he felt, in finally having achieved something that he was probably told all his life he wouldn’t be able to. The pride in his brother’s face killed me, and I was a crying mess right next to them.

While the show was far from perfect, it definitely ranks high on my list of favourites. The actors gave excellent performances, the writing was (mostly) consistent and true to character, and I came away from the show with a sense of feeling whole, if a little bittersweet. Although they were going their separate ways, we knew that in the end the brothers’ bond was just as strong as when we first encountered them, if not better for the trials they were put through.  And Moon-yeong helped make them better in her quest for her own self-discovery, finding out that family doesn’t have to be those related by blood. I love knowing that these characters will live on in their own way, ever-evolving, having their stumbles but all the better for them.

Movies

Mulan (2020)

*Sigh* I knew there was a reason I didn’t watch the live-action remakes that Disney were making, and Mulan is the perfect example of why.

The writing was drab, the characters underdeveloped, and why were the songs taken out? There didn’t seem to be any logic in Mulan’s journey through the film, and the writing gave me no reason to empathise with her or the soldiers that fought alongside her. There were practically no stakes and no real reason for me to care which side won because I didn’t really understand why they were all up in arm in the first place. Overall, this was a poor adaptation, but it fails to stand on its own merit either.

Sadly, there really isn’t much else I want to say about this movie. If you want a live action version that’s true to character, might I suggest this instead.

Week in Review (Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2020)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) – Ep 6-13

Wow, did this show take a turn. While it is still maintaining the same gritty dark look, I’ve definitely started noticing the more beautiful aspects of this show. After having watched Director Park’s Encounter, I can understand where that style comes from, allowing his actors to settle into the scene and play out the arcs set to them. While it was a little bit tedious in Encounter at times – due to that show’s hyper-realistic style and slice-of-life storytelling – it works well here. Writer Jo has a much richer story to tell with her characters, and Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji and Oh Jung-se are so dynamic in the way they embody their characters.

In terms of the story, it seems to have developed in an organic and realistic manner. All through the show, there has been a significant push for each character to grow and evolve, not because the story required it, but because it felt right for those characters’ journey. I’m still intrigued by how Nurse Park is Ko Moon-yeong’s mother and how she survived her supposed murder. Her plan has clearly been years in the making, and I hope the payoff of finding out what she’s up to lives up to my expectations. But more importantly, it’s dropped a massive bomb in out trio’s midst and I’m sure it’s going to send shock waves through the whole gang, including the publisher and the hospital crew.

Speaking of the extended crew, I’ve really enjoyed watching Sang-in (Kim Joo-hyun) navigate his way around Joo-ri (Park Gyu-young) and her slowly growing accustomed to his antics. And learning about the other patients at OK Psychiatric Hospital has been an eye-opening experience. Sun-hae’s story really got to me, and I was so glad that she was able to stand up to her father, something she had never felt safe enough to do before.

I’m looking forward to seeing what these last few episodes have in stock. They still have some hurdles to overcome, and I’m hoping it doesn’t sucker punch our leads too hard. Here’s hoping that things get resolved soon, so that they can ride off into the sunset together in their camping car.

Week in Review (Aug 23 – 29, 2020)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) – Ep 1-5

I’m really liking the dark look of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. But at the same time it’s so beautiful. The directing and the styling of this show is blowing me away, and it is only being enhanced by the incredible performances by the three lead actors. 

The Moon brothers relationship is so co-dependent, and Ko Moon-yeong is the perfect wrench to throw into their carefully curated lives. She mixes things up just by being around them, and when she actively pursues Gang-tae, it forces him to think about what he wants out of life too, outside of his job or caring for his brother.

I’m looking forward to seeing where the drama goes now that Moon-yeong has lured Sang-tae into her web (not that it took much to convince him). I hope they keep up the pace of the show, and that the characters continue on the trajectory Writer Jo Yong has set up so far.

Week in Review (Aug 16 – 22, 2020)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

Extraordinary You (2016) – Ep 12-16

These final few episodes of this show were a delight. I’m glad that our leads got to spend some time together before they were cruelly separated. Haru’s decision to choose his and Dan-oh’s happiness over being secure and getting to spend time in the manhwa seemed like the right choice. They got to enjoy being in each other’s lives. 

The show also explored the nature of separation. The iconic (read: cringy. I’m looking at you Oh Nam-ju!) A3 were going to go on their own paths, but they would still find the time for each other. Graduation meant a departure from the place that they had spent their formative years. Baek Gyeong came to terms with Dan-oh not being in his life, and will hopefully find his own form of happiness. And of course, our leads were separated in a heart-wrenching scene. But the show gave us hope that these characters would find their way back into each others’ lives, even if they might be different characters with different surrounding, their souls would recognise one another.

Movies

Mulan (1998)

I am really looking forward to the live action version of this film, and with its impending release, I thought I would rewatch the original Disney version of this film. I have always been absolutely enamoured by Mulan, enjoying that she was the kind of person who was willing to stand for her country, to protect her family, and to adapt to any situation that she was put into. I’ll Make a Man Out of You gets me every time. She works hard and she gets the job done, the irony of course being that the first man to be able to do it is actually a woman…

Add to the mix Mushu, Cricket and a wacky band of sidekick and you’ve got the perfect comedy. But the movie balances it well with the more chilling scenes with Shan-Yu. He always scared me as a child, and still gives me the creeps every time I watch the movie. And of course, who can forget Li Shang. Something about his voice got me excited, and I savoured every scene between him and Mulan.

This movie definitely ranks as one of my all-time favourites, and it is always a delight to watch. I hope the new film can hold up in comparison.

Week in Review (Aug 9 – 15, 2020)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

Extraordinary You (2016) – Ep 1-11

What I was expecting to be a lighthearted romance/comedy actually turned into a poignant look at the meaning of fate, mortality and identity. Is it possible to change the destiny written for you, to become the master of your own future and create your own path in the world? Watching Eun Dan-oh (Kim Hye-yoon) find the answer to these questions while simultaneously struggling with the impression she might leave in the world she inhabits is both fascinating and tragic. Kim manages to capture the quiet charm of the character in a way that doesn’t feel overacted, and I’m hoping she continues along this trajectory as the show progresses.

The one criticism I have of the show is that Rowoon, who plays Ha-ru to Kim’s Dan-oh, feels flat at times. His bland expressions never quite manage to convey the feeling of grand romance that the show tries to give us, and Kim is left to do a lot of the heavy lifting in that department.

Lee Jae-wook on the other hand, feels like he embodies his character. I love to hate Baek Gyung, and he is the perfect foil. To know that he was simultaneously acting in Search:WWW blows my mind because he delivers stellar performances in both and it never feels like he’s over reaching.

I also enjoy watching the show mock the tropes that are commonly seen in K-dramas. Seeing the characters gain self-awareness is intensely satisfying because they get to escape them and forge their own destinies despite the manhwa writer’s intentions.

Overall, I’ve enjoyed the journey that this show has taken me on, and I’m looking forward to see how the characters overcome the hardships they’ll face next.

Week in Review (Aug 2 – 8, 2020)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

TV

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)

This show was so cute, I could just die. Seeing Kim Bok Joo transform from an insecure girl to a confident young woman was so satisfying. Whether it was her worries about her father, her struggles with weightlifting, or her conflicted feelings and insecurities in her relationships, Bok-joo always came out the other end stronger and more sure of her self. 

Jung Joon-hyung on the other hand was the beating heart of this show. He always wore his emotions on his sleeve, and he managed to charm his way into Bok-joo’s life in the most natural and beautiful way. He lifted her up when she felt down, and gave her the boost she needed to find her way through the toughest of situations.

Her friends and family also provided the support she needed, and she in turn helped them when they were in need.

Overall, this was a heartwarming show full of fun. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, Swag! 

Movies

Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017)

While the plot of this film was quite predictable, what really elevated it was the stellar performances. The ease with which the two leads portrayed their characters was excellent, but the standout in this film was Rajkummar Rao by far. His versatility in this film has cemented him as one of the strongest actors in the industry, and I’m looking forward to seeing him in more films to come. Next stop, Bareilly!