Revenge of the Short-Legged (2012)

High Kick! Revenge of the Short-Legged
하이킥! 짧은 다리의 역습 / High Kick 3
(Sept 2011 – Mar 2012)

who’s in it
Yoon KyeSang (Greatest Love, Triple)
Suh JiSuk (Gloria, Manny)
Kim JiWon (What’s Up)
Park Ha Sun (Dong Yi, Ad Genius Lee Tae Bak)
Lee JongSuk (I Can Hear Your Voice, School 2013)
Kang SeungYoon (singer)
Krystal Jung (More Charming by the Day, f(x) member)
Ahn NaeSang (Monstar, Wonderful Mama)
Yoon YooSun (Queen SeonDuk, Giant)
Baek JinHee (Jeon WooChi)
Julien Kang (High Kick Through the Roof)
Lee Jeok (singer)

what’s it about
In a distracting gimmick, this High Kick story comes to us from the perspective of a somewhat dislikable omniscient narrator played by Lee Jeok, who recounts the story of how he met his wife, who remains a mystery until the very end. Thankfully his character presence is small. The occasional wife-searching anecdotes aside, the story really follows the bankrupt Ahn family after they move in with their maternal side in-laws, the Yoon brothers, played by matured handsomes Suh JiSuk and Yoon KyeSang.

When the Yoon/Ahn family discover an underground tunnel connecting their house to their next door neighbors, the family befriends the household next door consisting of three women and one Julien. And from there the sitcom loopdiloops begin in typical High Kick fashion: bathroom jokes, blockhead uncles, drunk buffoonery, some vomiting, tutoring sessions, adult/minor romances, pretty punks, annoying patriarchs, etc.

FYI, this one seems to derive its name from the idea that the taller cast members are in battle with the shorter cast members. Intentionally, the men are mostly the tall ones in this show, so it’s really about the men being spun around and yanked about by their shorties—I use that word in the hip hop vernacular, so I am talkin’ about all the pretty ladies.

Another FYI, if you loved this show, might be best for you to skip this review. You’ve been warned.

(I mean, I have some nice things to say, but if you are a diehard fan, I’m just saying, you might get a little miffed at me.) 

commitment 
123 episodes

network
MBC

director
Kim ByeongWook
Kim YoungKi
Jo ChanSoo

screenwriter
Lee YoungChul
Jo SungHee
Hong BoHee
Jang JinAh
Baek SunWoo

first impressions
Annoying, annoying dad. Wow, can a dad ever be so annoying? What Ahn NaeSang’s character taught me in the first 10, then 123 episodes, was that there is a very definite line between hapless and hateful. After I forcibly told myself to get over it, ignore the man, only then was I able to enjoy this one—a little. But it was a HUGE obstacle for me.

I sorta endured through it, although with a lot of furious snacking for distraction. Oh, he is sooo annoying. Yum, nacho cheese Doritos. Ok, I’ll keep watching and munching. Hateful characters designed with the sole intent of being stingy and petty are really difficult to just put out of mind, especially when they are never out of sight. Junk food was a necessary comfort that helped me through the watching of this show..

wildcard factor
Thankfully, the younger people tended to be likable, and made up a good sizable chunk of the cast.

gave up

snoozer moments
To be honest, I found a lot of this drama snoozy. I had some serious tunnel vision going on, focusing my love on only a few characters.

soju guzzling (angst factor)

Ahn NaeSang spent a lot time hiding from creditors and causing trouble. You could almost say he single-handedly made me miserable.

Kim JiWon spent all of the show majorly crushing on older Yoon KyeSang...and that also made me miserable.

So most of the angst during this show...was by me.

You've Fallen For Me (2011)

You’ve Fallen For Me
넌 내게 반했어 / Heartstrings
(Jun – Aug 2011)

who’s in it
Jung YongHwa (You’re Beautiful)
Park ShinHye (You’re Beautiful)
Song ChangUi (Life is Beautiful)
Kang MinHyuk (You Who Rolled in Unexpectedly)
Lee HyunJin (Operation Proposal)
So YiHyun (Gloria)
Im SeMi (Hooray for Love)
Woo Ri (Crime Squad)

what’s it about
Welcome everybody to a college populated by hot young thangs aspiring stars—this school of arts is a musical place where extraordinarily talented people have gathered to inspire one another. Even the professors are hot young talented thangs (meet Song ChangUi and So YiHyun).

Park ShinHye is a traditional music major here, her specialty the gayageum, an old school Korean string instrument played by plucking, not strumming. She is the pride and joy of her famous grandfather, an authority in gayageum circles, and he wants the next generation of his bloodline to become just as well-known and respected. Our girl’s committed to her music, absolutely, but she’s no stuffy bore, she’s very personable despite her hard-working nature and has a quality circle of fun-loving friends who together form a traditional music quartet called the Windflowers.

Park ShinHye is not usually one to get involved in campus civil wars, but because of her love for all things responsible and traditional, she finds herself caught in a fight to defend the honor of traditional music against the too-cool-for-school campus hunk Jung YongHwa, a contemporary music student, and also the lead singer of a popular rock band called The Stupid. This boy appears to be ambivalent about everything but three things: his music, his family, and So YiHyun, the ballet instructor he has a wildly inappropriate one-sided crush on. Then this new girl enters his world and starts yanking on his strings, working up something that feels like an emotion when all he wants to do is play music and love the ballerina…will he be able to hold his cranky ground when faced with the full on cuteness that is Park ShinHye?

Oh right, there’s also some much ado about nada regarding a campus musical production Song ChangUi has been recruited to bring to glorious fruition, and that’s where supporting leads Lee HyunJin and WooRi play a part, but grievously little. There is also some university politics and parental boohoo subplots, but it is all sooo not worth mentioning.

commitment 
15 episodes (originally planned for the standard 16, but due to a car accident that involved Park ShinHye in week four of broadcast, only one episode aired, and the show decided to end its run early instead of going to 17—thankfully, for I cannot imagine how they would have stalled for another 120 minutes

network
MBC

director
Pyo MinSoo (Full House, Coffee House)

screenwriter
Lee MyungSuk

first impressions
An obvious lack of depth and variety in the writing plagued this show from the opening: gimmicky, shallow, hurried, and let’s not forget to mention the dreaded foreshadowing of student-teacher l’amour (blech). I had some lofty expectations, a side effect of having loved Your Beautiful too much and having foolishly tried to associate two wholly unrelated projects together just because it carried the same star power. My own fault for being greedy, so I quickly adjusted my frame of mind. I wasn’t completely loving the story presented, but I was going to go with the flow and stay open to it. Fortunately, the direction of the show was helmed by a man very comfortable in light romantic comedies with narrow plots, a director with a good track record for coaxing cute out of even the slimmest margin of story. The feel and look of the drama was stimulating on the senses, the soundtrack felt the right amount of breezy and catchy, and all of the cast seemed well recruited for their parts. Ah, yes, the people were going to be this drama’s greatest asset. We were given a little bit of everything.

The gorgeous idol: Jung YongHwa

The respectable actor: Song ChangUi

The energetic fresh face: Im SeMi

And, of course, a popular leading lady: Park ShinHye

Plus, as extra fan service: Kang MinHyuk

With these young stars clearing the path, how bad could it fumble?

My Princess (2011)

My Princess
마이 프린세스
(Jan – Feb 2011)

who’s in it
Song SeungHun (East of Eden, Autumn Fairytale)
Kim TaeHee (IRIS, Love Story in Harvard)
Park YeJin (Queen SeonDuk, Something Happened in Bali)
Ryu SooYoung (Lawyers of ROK, Bad Couple)
Lee SoonJae (Flames of Ambition, High Kick 2)
Lee KiKwang (High Kick 2, member of B2ST)

what’s it about
Background: ROK (Republic of Korea) wants to become CMOK (Constitutional Monarchy of Korea, or something like that) and reinstate the crown by heralding forth a long hidden blood descendant of Emperor Sunjong, the last monarch of the Korean empire. Emperor Sunjong apparently has one of his true bloodline living strong in contemporary times due to a heir he kept secret back in the day, this fact validated by a document long thought lost but now found and presented to the baffled public. This push to give rebirth to the royal heritage of Korea’s past is the result of diligent efforts by varying people with varying motives.

Presently:
A student and a part-time historical reenactment photo-op princess (whoa, mouthful), Kim TaeHee, doesn’t know it when she first meets the rich Daehan Group heir Song SeungHun, but she’s a real princess that Song’s own ailing grandfather has been longing to enthrone all his life. As far as Kim TaeHee’s aware, she’s little more than an orphan-turned-innkeeper’s daughter…and Song SeungHun’s the kind of rich kid that has a friggin’ museum named after him…so the two have very little in common when their universes initially collide. Well, little in common but for their mutually ridiculous cuteness. When his dry and condescending type of charm mingles against her loud, in-yo-face brand of all-encompassing vortex type of charm, there is surprisingly good synergy.

The darling prince of the Daehan Group, Song SeungHun, is actually a pretty nice non-stuffy guy who is working against a one-sided crush on the curator of his namesake museum, played by the fab Park YeJin. She’s just adorable, this woman. She should have been the lead gal. Hahaha, I joke, I joke, I’m just teasing you Kim TaeHee fans. Anyhow, YeJin’s already got her love triangle going when we meet the characters. Her first love, played with professorial dignity by Ryu SooYoung, is still madly in love with her, incidentally, this is to the chagrin of our princess-in-secret Kim TaeHee, who is also crushing hard on this intellectual sweater-vest type of gentleman. By the by, Kim TaeHee is also a nice gal, who despite her financial instability and slightly lonely life, doesn’t struggle with an inferiority complex (thank goodness!). She’s got a healthy helping of pride, and this next thing is pretty rare, she’s got a nose for self-preservation. This is a young woman who looks out for number one (but not in a nasty way) and she doesn’t seem the sort to be sacrificed on the alter of Kdrama “pitiable girl” syndrome. Or maybe I’m just hoping. We’ll see.

(what’s it about initially posted Jan 12, 2011)

director
Kwon SeokJang (Pasta)

screenwriter(s)
Kim Eun Sook (Secret Garden, On Air, City Hall)
Jang Young Shil

commitment 
16 episodes

network
MBC

first impressions
Oh, the handsomeness.
The Handsomeness. The Handsomeness.
THE HANDSOMENESS.
Be still, my beating heart. ^^ To say I’m somewhat partial to Mr. Song SeungHun’s brand of yummy would be like understating my love for fried foods. Doesn’t he totally look like a real life prince, or what?! Seriously now, let’s all have a moment to revel, didn’t Mr. Autumn Fairytale guy grow up oh-so very dreamy? Drooool.

Basically this beginning felt like the drama I was waiting for all last year, the kind of casual romantic comedy that takes immediate advantage of the really snappy chemistry between two main leads. Zip is hard to predict when casting the main couple, obviously, otherwise every show would be a hit. Here, however, it seems we have a real win. Pretty A-listers who don’t negate one another’s charms, fangirl-tastic Cinderella fairytale, lots of twinkling rapier wit and physical comedy; I especially liked the duo’s friendly gravitational reaction to one another, their immediate touchy feely coziness due to their innate meddling personalities (they resorted to banmal - casual language - pretty quickly with one other, Kim TaeHee often calling him “dummy” in affectionate teasing).

Helmed by the director of Pasta (a 2010 winner in my book) and the screenplay writer who scribbled On Air (another winner), I had some rather high hopes. The best part of this drama was that despite its type of humor, when it turned serious, it didn’t feel out of context and managed to be fairly real (well, minus the whole reinstatement of the monarchy bit, that’s quite a leap of faith, but I’ll bite). Considering the director and screenwriters involved, things boded well for Kim TaeHee and Song SeungHun’s fate. I’m definitely not minding a visit with this “adult” Goong…and obviously when I say adult, I’m not implying a pole dancing princess, but a more grown up interpretation of everyone’s favorite fantasy: orphan girl learning she’s really a princess. My Princess managed to find the appropriate tone in blending fairytale and reality.

Kim TaeHee is taking a page out of the Shin MinAh’s acting textbook and trying her spin on bubbly comedy (Shin rocked last year’s My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox). Kim appears a natural for this kind of comedy (versus, imo, her more creative ventures...like 2006 movie The Restless, cringe cringe cringe! Or her mediocrity in the drama IRIS, snore, snore, snore! But that’s neither here nor there). As the Gumiho role did for Shin MinAh, this earthy and vivacious part suits Kim and shows fans her more approachable, down-to-earth side.

One small concern from me: for now, while Kim TaeHee is the cuter of the two, it’s Song SeungHun who delivers more for me when the plot twists become more serious. There are small moments when it feels Kim is trying a smidge too hard to please, when she feels just slightly off key, but it’s not a distraction, and she’s quite charming enough to make the misses inconsequential. I’m sure she’ll settle into her role once this really gets going. I’m looking forward to seeing her shine.

How much do I love this drama’s introductory steps? A LOT. My energy was sapped by the end of 2010 by holiday and cold, and it took all my last reserves to post my year end review but this drama has sent new energy coursing through me. What a pleasant way to kick off 2011. As of now, our lovable princess is trying to help the dashing prince win another girl’s heart…I wonder which of the two will fall for the other first?

*giddy*

(first impressions initially posted Jan 12, 2011)

wildcard
Well, this one was more about the pretty than about achieving any kind of profundity.

Be warned: while Princess did manage enough enjoyment to manage a respectable fan base—due to its successful packaging of Song SeungHun as the most handsomest man in all of Korea (nope, nope, I don’t want to hear any arguments on this, not today) and Kim TaeHee as a nicely wrapped fairy who wore poofy-skirts-too-short-for-winter—yet in the end, it lacked for a lot of plot logic. Now I don’t want to discourage anyone from giving it a try, as it was generous in its own way (as I mentioned, it gave us a lot of the pretty), but inevitably it cannot be ignored that Princess lived too far into self-centered confusion to be wholly recommended. The premise had a lot of potential, but the actual development of the story did not live up to it.

Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010)

Mary Stayed Out All Night
매리는 외박중 / Marry Me, Mary!
(Nov – Dec 2010)

who’s in it
Moon Geun Young (Cinderella’s Sister)
Jang Geun Suk (You’re Beautiful)
Kim Jae Wook as (Bad Guy)
Kim Hyo Jin (I Am Happy)

what’s it about
Moon GeunYoung plays Mary, a 24 year old whose life is pretty hard—the usual drill: debt brought on by a troublemaker father and caught in a dead-end situation—but she’s a glass half full kind of gal. Even though she’s forced to take a break from college because she can’t afford tuition and is struggling to find a job, she keeps her spirits up. Cute and bubbly, with thick, flowing hair even a mermaid could envy, she’s a lovely breath of fresh air. She’s the kind of fresh air that makes for an enjoyable main character. Of course it helps that Moon GeunYoung can, well, act.

When she accidentally bumps Jang GeunSuk to the ground with a car fender, there’s a feeling that kindred spirits have been reunited from another lifetime. He’s an unsigned but rather popular indie alternative artist rocker in the hipster scene—for example, one of their songs features a bus, which seems abstract and weird enough to fittingly qualify as an indie song, which I am sure is what the production is going for. It made me passingly think of The Boy Least Likely’s song I’m Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon to Your Star. Because the songs are similar? Not even remotely. Because both songs are rather unconventionally adorable and ecofriendly and dedicated to a random mode of transportation (I also think Apple Wagon, with its jovial quirk and bounce, kind of fits the overall tone of the drama). Anyhow, although the band seems to have some talent, judging by the throng of female admirers JGS alone has (and not his band mates), he’s quite the idol in the making. MGY and JGS’s relationship becomes surprisingly tied together by a 100 day fake relationship (oh, I do so love the fake relationship dramas!).

Both characters are breezy and affable, and Jang GeunSuk plays the kind of happy drunk who gives away hugs-for-free as fan service (he should go on the road and do that for charity, he’d make a lot of money). He’s a lover, not a fighter. The two take to one another rather quickly in friendship, in fact. They are opposites in mindset, but similar in cuteness. They seem to attach pretty mutually and perfectly together, like a kitten and puppy who don’t know better yet, but can sense the other’s trustworthiness and become inseparable. Come to think of it, Jang GeunSuk and Moon GeunYoung do spend some quality bonding time barking and meowing at one another, which is probably the most adorable flirting technique ever invented.

You may be wondering why two people who have befriended one another for less than seventy-two hours would undertake a 100 day fake relationship? Obviously, it’s a Dad troublemaker thing. Her debt-ridden father wants his daughter to marry perfect (read: rich) stranger Kim JaeWook, who on his end, is agreeable to his own father’s arranged marriage demands just as long as he gets the investment money for the new kdrama he’s producing—think non-suicidal version of his rich kid Hong TaeSung role from Bad Guy. If you inferred that the comparison is to imply that he’s dreamy, you are correct. Also, fella doesn’t seem like a bad guy. It is interesting to note, actually, his is the blueprint of the more typical kdrama principal. Had the dice rolled differently...had this been another kdrama...if it wasn’t Jang GeunSuk on the other side, it would be too easy to see the story going a different way.

Closing the proper quadrangle, we have a famous actress (the character), Kim HyoJin, who has been cast in the drama Kim JaeWook is throwing together…and this actress also happens to be Jang GeunSuk’s ex-girlfriend, a relationship that both parties are still not completely over…seems she lost him when she was just starting her career climb.

Everyone is interconnected. As I said, a proper kdrama quadrangle!

(what’s it about initially posted Nov 10, 2010)

director
Hong SukGoo

screenwriter(s)
In EunAh (Goong, Hon) – Eps 1-10
Go BongHwang (18 v 20) – Eps 11-16

commitment 
16 episodes

network
KBS2

first impressions
Without a doubt, this drama would never have worked without the combined star awesomeness of Moon GeunYoung, Jang GeunSuk, and Kim JaeWook. Another necessary and welcomed ingredient? Their characters were all so interesting, apart and together. It made every minute of the show enjoyable. If the plot seemed rather convenient, you would be right, but in the history of most crazy kdrama plots and the things parental units have done in their efforts to manipulate their children, for me this one doesn’t really rank. Call me crazy, I didn’t find it all that ridiculous. In the minds of these flighty characters who seemed to live in a strange logic-free land, their solutions made perfect sense—for them. Obviously, not for us. On the other hand, who knows? If I had to drop out of school because loan sharks were banging on my door, I suppose I could marry two hot men as a Get Out of Jail card. I would. I really would!

Jang GeunSuk ditches the mean charisma he had in You’re Beautiful and nicely transitions into a happier costume, a John Lennon-Julian-Casablancas-y charm…a little high on life, a little drunk, but a serious musician, serious thinker. I’m speculating on that last part, but there seemed to be some hints that there was depth under all that leather and hair. As for Moon GeunYoung, she was perfect as the Daddy’s Girl who had been forced to put her youth on pause because of her home situation. A carefree person she ain’t, not because she doesn’t want to have fun and be free, but because she can’t. She finds escape through tv. She’s very relatable in that way.

There is an instant believability in her connection with Jang GeunSuk’s character as well as Kim JaeWook’s, the latter being an overly polite but distant sort of fellow, the kind of guy who offhandedly tells an aspiring singer who promises to continue working hard: “Don’t try any more—for people without talent, it doesn’t matter how hard they work.” Worse, he doesn’t see why that would be an inappropriate thing to say to a dreamer. He’s that guy.

My initial thoughts on this drama, very simple: I LOVED IT. Everything about it. It was exactly what I had expected...but way better. In truth, I had a slight fear that it would be awful, there was a fifty-fifty chance that it could be. Sometimes putting so much star power in one basket works against itself, but this one was a pleasant surprise. Everybody’s best charms were put to good use. It’s the kind of drama that understands what it is to be a kdrama…why fans get obsessed...it’s fun, a bit hipster…totally beyond reason…but it has set up a typical (popular) type of kdrama cliché that forces all the lovable leads to be constantly in the other’s breathing space…pushing each other out of comfort zones. And that is the best kind of drama. If the situation does not feel especially natural, that’s ok, I can live with that, because with all this forced time together, the characters can at least progress in their affections naturally.

Besides, I’m confident these actors can deliver silly in a way that will be both salient and palatable.

(first impressions initially posted Nov 10, 2010)

wildcard
Insanely popular trendy stars = double-edged sword.

In other words, the big names in this one were both a benefit and liability for this hair-tastic little drama. With rising young talents like Jang GeunSuk (JGS), Moon GeunYoung (MGY), and Kim JaeWook all gathered on one roster (all golf-clap recipients for their acting and their pretty), Mary had accumulated quite a fortune, but with that wealth also came a downside: the rabid kdrama base anticipated a greatness Mary could never have possibly achieved. 

In comparison, fellow 2010 winter offering Secret Garden was a similarly hyped show because of its bucket list of stars, some of the hottest mega-sunbaes (seniors) in the biz. The fact that Ha JiWon, Hyun Bin, and Yoon SangHyun’s wacky drama didn’t completely crash and burn from its top heavy load still impresses me. Lots of big stars in one show can mean high mountains, but also carries a higher risk for bigger missteps and sometimes...an epic fall. Luckily, Mary wasn’t an epic fall, only a partial rolling down the mountain...maybe an ankle sprain, too, but in a kdrama, that’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. Truly.

We can have all the faith in actors we can hold in our devoted hearts…but they are just one component in a complicated endeavor. This drama was the very definition of a double-edged sword. The poor thing did indeed benefit from the glowing dazzle of its stars, but the writers definitely felt the liability of trying to manage them. It became clear that they did not know how to properly spend all the gold they’d collected.

Baker King, Kim TakGu (2010)

Baker King, Kim TakGu
제빵왕 김탁구 / Bread, Love and Dreams
(Jun – Sept 2010)

who’s in it
Yoon SiYoon (High Kick Through the Roof)
Eugene (Really, Really Like You)
JooWon
Choi JaHye (Lobbyist)
Lee YoungAh (Iljimae, Empress Chun Chu)

what’s it about
The drama revolves around the politics within the founding family of a large bread manufacturing company, the patriarch and president played by Jun KwangRyul; this one’s a multi-tiered yarn following the intrigue that can twist between people when motivated by jealousy and greed (yes, I know, it all sounds oh-so-familiar). While the older generation continuously strive for the worst and play evil puppeteers, the story finds its warmth and strength in the younger cast of characters, all of whom struggle through their luggage-sized family issues...to repeat the sins of their parents? Or undo them? That is the question this drama poses.

Kim TakGu, played charmingly by Yoon SiYoon, is the illegitimate but beloved son of Jun KwangRyul—the beloved part has put him at the top of his step-family’s enemies list, including one seething, emoting and intensely insecure half-bro named Goo MaJun, played by JooWon, the not-so-heir-apparent to the bread kingdom.

When tragedy strikes, however, Kim TakGu steps off the path of bread crumbs planned for him and chooses a darker, more solitary road…but this is a kdrama and fate is not so easily dodged.

director
Lee JungSub

screenwriter(s)
Kang Eunkyung

commitment 
30 episodes

network
KBS2

first impressions
At first, I was just mildly curious about the steaming pile of melodrama between the adults, amused by the usual kdrama fare of backstabbing and manipulating by rich people. As the story progressed, I realized this drama had snuck in and grabbed hold of me real good. I couldn’t tear my eyes away! I wasn’t just curious, I was completely invested in these nutty people. For a show that carried some heavy themes, such as murder and child abuse, I found it to be surprisingly light-hearted with ample doses of humor. It was the perfect balance of storm and sunshine.

The story starts at the very beginning with the children, and damn, the young actors do a tremendous job in really fleshing out all the main characters. By the time their older counterparts are introduced, they are all fully realized individuals. Similar to previous dramas that featured food as the central obstacle/reward, such as The Grand Chef or Pasta, there are worshipful references to the communing with food (in this case dough), and not just as an act of preparing edible goods, but as a philosophy of life. In general, I cannot deny that I seem to gravitate toward these kind of dramas that apply affairs of the heart to a passionate life calling. And naturally, food especially resonates with me, as I love food! Heh. This one feels far more serious than either of the other two [awesome] food dramas mentioned above, but I find I have a similar feeling of excitement and adventure when sitting down to watch every new episode. I know the hero will prevail, of course, but it is still a joy to navigate. How should I put this...I guess you could say, the hour may be predictable, but the minutes aren’t. Furthermore, there is a maturity in the acting despite the show’s tendency for “melodramatic fireworks.”

On a more fangirlish note (as I am nothing if not always a fangirl), Yoon SiYoon is just darling in this earnest good guy role (with a pinch of flour), and so is pixie-like Lee YoungAh, whose bossy cheerfulness is the perfect complement to Yoon SiYoon’s bumbling goofiness. She’s an actress I’ve thought adorable ever since her appearance in Iljimae (Lee JunKi’s version). I have a girl-crush on her! And yes, Eugene does a fair job as well, as I find she is always a solid lead, if not a “wow” type of female heroine.

I have a really good feeling about this one. Truly, I do.

wildcard
Yoon SiYoon and Joo Won—aka Dong Top. Many fans thought the angst-ridden moper (the character) looked like a best of features compilation between the faces of super hottie Kang DongWon and super major hottie Big Bang’s TOP. I see the Kang Dong Won, for sure, not so much the TOP, but perhaps that’s only because I’m biased and I think TOP is peerless. Ha.

These two pretty fellows carried most of the drama (Yoon SiYoon constantly picking himself up after Joo Won brosmacks him back down) and their acting was fair, but to be completely frank, not exceptional. They were enjoyable to watch, gifted with that je ne sais quoi that makes actors special and irresistible, but these were very heavy, Atlas-With-the-Weight-of-the-World type of roles and their greenery could not be completely ignored.

Prosecutor Princess (2010)

Prosecutor Princess
검사 프린세스 / Prosecutor Mata Hari
(Mar – May 2010)

who’s in it
Kim SoYeon (Iris, The Grand Chef)
Park ShiHoo (Iljimae)
Han JungSoo (Chuno)
Choi SongHyun (Birth of the Rich)
Park JungAh

what’s it about
Kim SoYeon plays a newbie prosecutor in the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Just as a side note, South Korea’s Prosecutor’s Office is not to be confused with the procedures of the District Attorney’s Office in the U.S. legal system (if, of course, your frame of reference is like mine and coming from this side of the ocean). In Korea, qualified prosecutors are appointed to office after completing a two year training course in acquiring their law degree; they are civil servants who participate in an investigative judicial process that includes fact-finding and sentencing. They are not too dissimilar from an American district attorney, but they hold far more authority and influence than their U.S. counterparts because unlike in the States where there are grand juries for evidential review and a trial by jury—the right to be judged by a panel of one’s peers—is a constitutional right, there is no true system of juries in South Korea, although their judicial system has recently evolved to allow for special civil participation.

Back to our heroine: she’s gorgeous, fashionable (well, expensively dressed anyway) and completely self-absorbed. She’s not so much an airhead as a shallowhead. As she points out early in episode 1, she has a rather high IQ and is quite the clever femme fatale. She’s got a good-sized brain, but she chooses to utilize it for fashion and frivolity rather than waste it on the duller side of life.

Now, at her new salaried job, which appears to be more an act of prestige-climbing for her father than any true passion for justice on her part, she’s a bright pink flamingo in a field of monochromatic ostriches. These dedicated and hard-working birds don’t like her skimpy and expensive feathers, nor do they care for her lack of consideration for their more humble lifestyle, and most especially, they can’t abide her brand of work ethic, which comes across as thoughtless and lazy. The problem is, every Kim SoYeon action is motivated by selfish instant-gratification and not only is she unable to see anyone else’s point of view, but her me-me-me world is narrow and insulated. Her talent for self-justification is a defensive barrier that her coworkers are unable to break down.

The lead prosecutor in the office, also a love interest, is Han JungSoo, the hunky ab-licious actor who played General Choi in recent KBS saeguk blockbuster drama Chuno. He’s drawn to this carefree new recruit, but his reasons may be one of nostalgia, more of a face thing than anything else, as she resembles someone from his past. Another man with ambiguous interest in the affairs of Kim SoYeon is a well-to-do-lawyer played by Park ShiHoo. He’s got one interfering eye on Kim SoYeon, and while he’s charming enough and full of flirty smiles whenever she’s around, it is unclear whether this interest a good thing or reflective of a darker twist yet to reveal itself.

What will become of our red Audi-driving fashionista prosecutor when she learns that in the real world, people and laws aren’t black and white, but shades of heather and sadness, a color scheme not found in her vocabulary much less her designer bag?

commitment 
16 episodes

network
SBS

first impressions
Between the frantic tempo of the character introductions and the cartoonish depiction of the female lead, I somehow missed the part where I was supposed to find these people interesting. This feels like a Legally Blonde revisit without the original’s wit, charm or heart. Like the main character’s wardrobe, there is too much color and no proper application of all that rich hue. The show and its prosecutor princess are only funny in theory and not actually very fun to watch. Instead of a thoughtful establishment of all the main players and their roles, for our first meeting with the cast, we are given a cheaply contrived scenario surrounding a pair of Grace Kelly inspired shoes, a setup that turns out to be equal parts unamusing and nonsensical.

For all the brightness and exaggerated comedy in the drama, I found it all surprisingly boring. None of it felt very new, not the characters, not the possible romantic entanglements. Kim SoYeon’s character, likewise, feels a little too much, too obvious, and too cliché. After the first few hours, it’s easy to figure out the core clockwork of all the personalities involved, but a little more difficult to tell if I will ever love any of them.

I’d be neglect if I didn’t mention the campy theme song that pops up frequently, like a punch in the face that yanks me right out of the moment. Prosecutor’s Wednesday/Thursday rival Personal Taste has been beleaguered with criticisms regarding its editing and obtrusive use of music, but frankly, Prosecutor far surpasses Taste when it comes to abusive employment of obnoxiously cheesy songs that chase after scenes instead of highlighting them.

I was bored and disappointed.

Ok, with all that negativity out of the way (I know, I know, harsh criticisms indeed for a show that is only trying its best), I’m going to discuss some of the positives. Kim SoYeon is an interesting leading lady. She has character and intelligence ingrained in the very mien of her face so it’s credit to her that she is able to passably portray a character who doesn’t think twice about donning Playboy-ish bunny ears and prancing around in tall, black hooker heels while drunkenly crowing out bad karaoke. She has moments of genuine sass and likability. Right now, the cartoonish nature of the entire drama is creating distraction, but once the glitter settles, I’m hoping her character will develop into something less Mariah and more Meryl.

Both men seem well-cast for their parts and there is mystery enough to allow for plot movement. Whether or not that movement will be forward or sideways remains to be seen but I’m tentatively trusting. Also, the extended litter of side characters and their stories could turn out to be potentially engaging tentacles.

The initial start isn’t a complete train wreck, but close. The early episodes feel like a bratty young child acting out for attention. I’m disappointed but I do believe that this drama has in its cast the talent to survive the uninspiring start. I genuinely believe that if the good actors stay the focus in this drama, despite my reservations, Prosecutor has a very good chance of developing into something substantial. I look forward to finding out...

wildcard
Do you like shows about zeroes who become heroes?

Who knew this was gonna turn out to be an Ugly Duckling drama? I certainly hadn’t expected the story to pull out the “she wasn’t always this pretty” card part way into it and make me feel sorry for this bratty rich girl! Okay, okay, it wasn’t so great a surprise that the leading lady was eventually revealed to be a likable person considering the classy actress playing her, but still, the ugly duckling gimmick was a clever way to re-introduce and re-define the character in a drastically different light without completely undoing her already established character definition.

“In this world, there are two types of women: fat and skinny, competent and incompetent—women who are loved by their husbands, and women who are disregarded. Don’t be like your mother, HyeRi.”

These are the words of wisdom passed from mother to daughter, and it gives a fairly good summation of the deep rooted self-esteem issues going on within Kim SoYeon’s character. Obviously I do not agree with such a simplified version of the way the world’s men categorize women, as I believe that a worthy man will always prefer a gal with brains than one without, but it does touch upon a serious issue in the world where women seek self-worth in diets and plastic surgery. I once read an article—about China and Asia—discussing the extreme and dangerous lengths women will go through to attain an ideal type of “beauty,” one that is mostly socially constructed, i.e. skinny and tall. The article talked about women undergoing a potentially maiming surgery that cracks their shins in order to place metal rods so that they can become taller. Anyhow, the finer points of that particular article are way too serious for this review and this drama, but my point is that this sort of cynical view of the way women internalize the pressure to be “beautiful” isn’t a completely inaccurate assessment of society’s love for the pretty people.

Without a doubt, Kim SoYeon is definitely one of the pretty people but this drama wants us to remember that adults were once children, and sometimes adolescence can be a kind of hazing ritual that will leave a scorch mark on the insides of a body for a long time, regardless of how drastically time matures a person on the outside. It asks us to take a second look beyond the pretty face of this seemingly shallow woman and see the timid girl inside. What brought her here? What made her strong? Is she really a ditz or is it an act of self-defense?

It was around that 5th/6th episode mark when the show finally gave us some history and favorable advancement in Kim SoYeon. This is when the character became plausible for me. The early episodes were difficult to get through, I didn’t understand the character and I didn’t like her…she felt too much like a person concocted from bits and pieces of other shows. Luckily, that turned out to be the point. As in real life, snap decisions can be made about the people we meet but after getting to know a person, we may learn that there’s more to them than meets the eye.

Hero (2009)

Hero
히어로
(Nov 2009 – Jan 2010)

who’s in it
Lee JunKi (Iljimae, Time Between Dog and Wolf)
Uhm KiJoon (World Within)
Yoon SoYi
Baek YoonShik (Harvest Villa)

what’s it about
If politicians represent the will of the people and the media serves as the voice of the people—what happens when things get lost in translation? In an ideal world, a politician is a servant of democracy and the role of the media is to be an unbiased watchdog for the truth, but society isn’t perfect and neither are the people in it. This is a truth of all nations, of course. Corruption cannot be denied, we must accept that pockets of wrongdoing must certainly exist in all areas of our modern life, especially in our politics, for we are all human beings and that makes us weak to greed, lust and jealousies. Certainly it is true that individuals can become corrupt but the landscape as a whole can still be free of dirt, but what if the problem is systemic? What happens when many powerful arms join forces in that breach of trust with the public they serve? Do they become unstoppable? If our world leaders, our press and our law moved against us as one unit to pursue their own agendas, would there any hope for the average citizen to find justice against them?

That is the question Lee JunKi finds himself facing in this comedy that wants to make you laugh, but also wants to ask some somber questions. Lee JunKi plays a struggling, celebrity-chasing tabloid reporter for Monday Seoul, but he has a dark past and yet a better reason for pursuing journalism, and it isn’t to hit on kpop idol hotties like KARA. When he unwittingly gets involved in the vengeful affairs between an organized crime boss just released from prison after 15 years and an old high school rival and fellow newspaper man, this paparazzi guy begins to realize it is time to remember why he became a reporter in the first place.

Opposite our goofy, rule-breaking reporter in every way, Yoon SoYi plays a straight-laced and conservative lieutenant of a criminal investigations unit who dislikes Lee JunKi on first sight. Needless to say, as their respective pursuit for the truth merge as one unified goal, these two realize there is a broad gap between the justice told to the public and the injustice that lies just behind that false screen.

commitment 
16 episodes

network
MBC

wildcard factor
This one’s a feel good drama that provides way too much expository dialogue...a lot of deep thinking is not required to follow along, as everything is spelled out every step of the way, and depending on your point of view, this can be considered a good thing or a bad thing. What would be a good comparison? I would say…it feels a lot like a satisfying Disney movie where good people go up against some really bad people, and against the odds, they are able to make a meaningful difference in the world.

first impressions
What is it with Lee JunKi and totally damaged characters hemorrhaging on the inside but smiling on the outside? I tell you what, I dunno and I don’t care why he gravitates toward these Robin Hood/Iljimae-esque roles because God bless him for it, as this is my favorite type of dark hero on him. He was pure melodramatic awesomeness in Time Between Dog and Wolf…here, he completely sheds that cool super spy image and adopts a less machismo one, a somewhat wimpy sort of fellow that isn’t his usual archetype. It’s impossible to ever completely forget that it’s Lee JunKi we’re watching, naturally, because Lee JunKi is Lee JunKi (I mean, it’s like someone handing you a piece of chocolate and telling you it’s supposed to be a zucchini), but for the first time I saw less of action A-List Hallyu superstar Lee JunKi and more of a normal guy, one that isn’t immune to moments of sniveling and cowardice. And I liked it.

I wasn’t a fan of this drama’s rather exaggerated start but I found the story of the abandoned crime boss and his quiet determination for justice rather mysterious enough to continue onto the second and third episodes. I was fairly positive I knew where this show was going, but it was engaging enough to keep me from turning it off. I’m not sure this one is for everybody, it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s going to be one of those change-my-life type of offerings, but I can see an abundance of heart about to come just around the corner.

Quickly, I will add, I wasn’t sure how I felt about last-minute-casting Yoon SoYi and her portrayal of the female detective as yet. I thought her performance was a little on the weak side, but she seemed capable enough to improve once she became more comfortable in the role…

Propose (1997)

Propose
프로포즈
(Jun – Jul 1997)

who’s in it
Ryu ShiWon (Style, Secret)
Kim HeeSun (Tomato, Bichunmoo – film)
Lee ChangHoon (Yi San)
Won Bin (Autumn Fairytale, Mother – film)

what’s it about
This oldie is about four young professionals trying to figure out the fine line that separates platonic love from a romantic one. What kind of love is better, the comfortable kind borne from a long friendship or the fluttering kind that attacks with instant attraction? Kim HeeSun is a cheery and breezy gal (profession: puppeteer) who has considered easy and warmish Ryu ShiWon (profession: director) her best friend since childhood—emphasis on friend. When stuffy-shirt Lee ChangHoon accidents his way into Kim HeeSun’s artistic heart by being the type of serious, corporate type she’s never known in her life, Ryu ShiWon begins to realize the gal pal he’s known all his life may be more than just a friend for him…but struggles with the possibility that his chance at loveboat happiness with her has already sailed.

commitment 
14 episodes

network
KBS1

wildcard factor
90’s hair and fashion – it’s pretty old, after all. The drama will definitely feel dated for the modern kdrama fan, but still, there is a charm to this one, so just be prepared for the travel back in time.

after the first episode
Kim HeeSun was gorgeous and was supposed to play a wild spirit (they even gave her a red streak in her hair to clue us into her artsy-fartsyness, heh) and Ryu ShiWon likewise was an attractive free spirit. She was totally worthy of a girl-crush. The couple was believable as long-time friends confused about the sudden shift in their relationship.

Super Rookie (2005)

Super Rookie
신입사원
(Mar – May 2005)

who’s in it
Eric (Que Sera Sera, member of Shinhwa)
Han GaIn (Witch Yoo Hee)
Oh JiHo (Couple or Trouble, Queen of Housewives)
Lee SoYeon (Spring Waltz)

what’s it about
Eric is a floppy-haired, comic book readin,’ lovable loser who gets hired at a top tier suit and tie type of company that normally only hires the best talents in business…but how does he manage that, you ask? Well, gets his chance in a twist of fate, or more accurately, a technological glitch. In due course, he falls for Han GaIn, a mousy coworker who was recently taken to the relationship dumpster by ruthlessly hot, but also ruthlessly ambitious Oh JiHo. The drama follows Eric’s efforts to succeed at work using his affable personality and street cred despite the fact that he’s clearly in way over his unqualified head.

commitment 
20 episodes

network
MBC

wildcard factor
Eric – floppy and dorky but totally watchable, suprisingly. There was something utterly charming about Eric’s useless everyman. I suppose there is a little bumble and stumble in all of us which makes his character an easy relate. If you like watching stuff about underdogs winning at the end of every hour, this one’s totally for you.

after the first episode
There’s a scene early on where Eric was moping on a bridge, mourning his failures…when out of nowhere he bursted out into song and started flapping around in singing abandon. I choked/laughed out loud. I thought, Oh, I can definitely watch Eric for 20 hours if it’s gonna be like this the whole time! And by that, I mean I hoped for lots more impulsively humorous scenes. The rest of the drama did not measure up to the expectations set by that scene…but it got me hooked enough to watch the whole thing.

Over the Rainbow (2006)

Over the Rainbow
오버 더 레인보우
(Jul – Sept 2006)

who’s in it
Ji HyunWoo (Invincible Lee Pyung Kang, My Sweet Seoul)
Hwan Hee (former singer of Fly to the Sky)
Kim OkBin (Thirst – film)

what’s it about

The travails of rising Korean singers and their “backup” dancers in the Korean entertainment industry.

Ji HyunWoo and Kim OkBin play a young couple who live to dance but Kim OkBin’s ambitions are far greater than her boyfriend’s. Her dreams include singing and superstardom. When she gets her opportunity, she ditches Ji HyunWoo without a second thought to make a name for herself. The drama starts with Ji HyunWoo and Kim OkBin but when unlucky-but-sweet-tempered Seo JiHye and cold-hearted kpop idol HwanHee are introduced, the quadrangle is complete.

commitment 

16 episodes

network
MBC

wildcard factor
Real kpop singer HwanHee co-starred and he was a surprising bright spot. When we first meet his character Rex, he’s an emotionally aloof jerk, so there was a great deal of room for growth and development for his character and HwanHee delivered well in his acting debut.

after the first episode
Definitely a little cheesy, but a [sometimes] amusing pizza-pie. I can’t believe Kim OkBin is the same actress that recently starred in Park ChanWook’s Thirst and is garnering such international buzz. She’s come a long way because I soooo did not think she was very good in this drama. Just goes to show what a bad role can do to a good actress. Anyway, the drama’s concept was amusing enough to snag my desire to continue to the end.