Full House

Time flies so fast. So fast that you have to keep moving forward or else you’ll be left behind. But once in a while, looking backwards and being reflective is essential to be able to recognize the importance of every decision and to derive helpful lessons from errors in the past.

With graduation day fast approaching, I can’t help but feel sentimental. All of a sudden, memories came rushing into my mind and it’s an overwhelming sad feeling ‘cause I will terribly miss all that has happened during my four years in college, especially the people I’ve met and got along with. This goes out to all of my beloved classmates and friends, who have been a part of this crucial stage in my life.

With graduation day only a couple of weeks away, I can’t help but wonder about what’s in store for me in the near future. Only God knows what lies ahead in the next days, months and years after leaving the university. It’s okay to ponder about the next decisions to make, but it’s also not a bad thing to have a trip down memory lane and take a glance once more on the good old days.

Looking back at the past, here’s a classic Korean drama that undoubtedly captured the hearts and minds of viewers around the globe.

I got carried away with the introduction so please bare with me and carry on with the review.

J Thanks! J

It’s no surprise why Full House has a strong appeal among the viewers around Asia.

It is a high-rating program during the time it was aired in the Philippines. I decided to write about Full House because as far as I can remember, it’s among the first Korean dramas that I enjoyed a lot, probably because it is a rom com. This is definitely a great starter for someone like me who was still new to Korean dramas at that time. For a newcomer, watching Full House can give you a memorable start.

Song Hye Kyo and Rain nailed it with their effortlessly funny performances. It comes off naturally, making the show light, entertaining and uncomplicated (though it is not lacking in twists).

The chemistry of this adorable and annoyingly cute couple is so strong, and that’s enough reason for anyone to watch this drama. It also served as the main strength of Full House.

I’d like to include here a pretty accurate summary of the story of Full House from Wikipedia:

Ji-Eun (Song Hye Kyo), an aspiring scriptwriter, lives in a house called "Full House" built by her late father. One day, her two best friends trick her into believing she has won a free vacation. While she is away, they sell her house. On the plane, she meets a famous actor named Young Jae (Rain). Through comedic events, they get acquainted during her vacation and when she returns, she discovers her house has been sold to him.

Though they don't get along with each other, as she is messy and he has a bad temper and likes cleanliness, they agreed to live with each other. At first, Ji-eun works as his maid in order to buy her house back, but because of Young-jae's wish to make the love of his life, Kang Hye-won, jealous they get married. They set up a contract for the marriage to last six months. During that time, complications arise and Ji-eun and Young-jae become attracted to each other.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_House_(South_Korean_TV_series)

Song Hye Kyo definitely keeps the mood of the drama light by her loud and cheerful personality. I claimed myself as a fan of Song Hye Kyo when I was a kid, right after I saw her in Autumn in my Heart. Wow, she’s undeniably beautiful, even when crying. She blew me away and I instantly got hooked with Full House.

This rom com series is also blended with heartwarming moments that will surely touch your soul. Their love-hate relationship will make you giggle a lot. They are constantly arguing like cats and dogs. But more than the clashes, they also have their own problems to deal with. Young Jae is experiencing an emotional turmoil because his career has gone downhill and also because the love of his life, Kang Hye Won will be leaving soon. On the other hand, Ji-eun, whose only possession is the house she inherited from her father, is struggling financially. To top it all, they still managed to brighten up the mood with their hilarious exchange of dialogues. The huge difference of their personalities paved the way to an unlikely but interesting love story.

There are plenty of couple moments to enjoy, plus the music from the ost is just sooo perfect for the drama. The finale is sweet and fulfilling, and that’s all we wanted in a drama. Seems like I can only give praises for this series. Maybe because Full House is guaranteed to satisfy your expectations. :) 

I would not give it all away, cause there’s so much more to say and I don’t think I can give the justice this drama deserves. 

Take a break from tear jerker, overly dramatic series and lighten up your mood with the classic Full House.

*Note: Photos used are not mine. Credit goes to their rightful owner* 

To the Beautiful You

Annyeong!

Next up for our drama review: To the Beautiful You, starring Sulli and Choi Minho

It is a 2012 Korean drama but it was aired on the Philippine Television on summer of 2013. Then recently, while surfing the internet, I stumbled upon a picture of Sulli and  Minho and thought of writing about it, since I'm still undecided on what to write that time.

So… here it is. J

The story:

Gong Jae Hee (Sulli) is a high school girl residing in America who flies to Korea with a plan of getting nearer and closer to a high jump contender (Kang Tae Joon, portrayed by Minho) she saw on the television and instantly fell in love with. When she found out that he is enrolled in an all-boys school, she decided to disguise herself as a man.

It is a light, breezy and fluffy rom com with a simple storyline that’s just perfect for summertime.

Nothing extraordinary. Plot-wise it was plainly done, but this teenage drama with a bunch of beautiful cast members still managed to tickle my soul with its cute and entertaining story. Here we go again with the story of a girl falling for a guy who gets annoyed with her all time presence but will eventually realize his growing attraction to her. Another guy enters the story, who happens to have feelings for her too. But the thing about this drama is that it lacks conflicts and surprising events to complicate matters and make it more exciting. It was not well-written, but maybe that’s the way how they wanted it to be. Acting-average. The lead characters have chemistry, yes. (But I also like Cha Eun Gyul. He’s a scene stealer and just imagine how more handsome he became when he cut his hair halfway through the series.) And somehow it covered up the holes that the writer failed to do so.(Please know that I made this quick review without referring to its other versions.) The characters are also likeable that it outweighed the drama’s flaws.

Sometimes Jae Hee being a guy looks unrealistic. I don’t know if it’s tolerable, but I have to carry on with it, cause I intend to finish a drama unless it’s extremely bad.

As I see it, To the Beautiful You may not be exceptionally good, so I did not set high expectations and ended up enjoying the drama. I guess the couple moments worked for me.

It may not be the type of drama that I would want to watch again (for me it has a low rewatch value), but if you’re a Sulli/Minho fan, or if you're in the mood for watching high school shows, then you could try this one. J

*Photos used are not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners*

Playful Kiss

Annyeong!

Here’s a throwback review of a successful afternoon Koreanovela in the Philippines in 2011.

The story centers around the romance between Baek Seung-jo, a hugely popular and intelligent boy from class A in high school and Oh Ha-ni, a clumsy, not so bright girl from class F. It’s about that unrequited love and how it was reciprocated by the beloved one.

Writing about Playful Kiss evokes nostalgic memories of my high school days, back to the time when I was just starting to seriously pay attention to Korean dramas. I can vaguely recall all the scenes, but the feeling I felt while watching this years ago is still clear on my mind. And how could I forget some of the songs from their ost? I believe these sweet, cute songs are vital for the drama to have that sentimental attachment with the viewers. Though I have to admit that the ost from the Taiwanese version (It started With A Kiss) sounds slightly better for me.

The plot is easy to follow because it only has few major twists that complicate the flow of events. I see that it focused on Ha-ni chasing Seung-jo endlessly until he can finally give back her love. Unlike other dramas, there seems to be no antagonist here, the wicked and hateful one. Well, Yoon Hae-ra, the girl who is equally smart and sporty as Seung-jo and happens to have romantic feelings for him, is a bit annoying but still harmless. Her character’s not evil enough to cause a big hindrance to the love story.

The storyline is quite simple, and there is lack of surprising twists and turns, but the romantic side of me believes that Ha-ni made up for it. It is still (and definitely) really fun to watch.

The message it instills in the audience vary depending on the viewer’s perception. Others may think that patience and determination can help a person attain his/her wants and goals in life (just like what Ha-ni did). Will not disagree on that. But others may also think that the lead female character’s foolishness and being numb and blinded by love can leave her with a little pride and a bleeding heart in the end... and who wants that?

For me, I do think that it was slightly exaggerated. Ha-ni looks desperate trying to win Seung-jo’s heart. Stalker mode ON. Her perseverance and willingness to endure all the embarassment that she could get from this one-sided love could be inspiring, but she should also set a limit and know when to pursue or to surrender. Meanwhile, Seung-jo is just too cold and his rudeness to Ha-ni should not be tolerated.

Still, my heart goes out to Ha-ni every time she is being ignored by Seung-jo. It’s painful to watch all her efforts being disregarded. We know that all she ever wanted was to be with him and get even a little bit of appreciation. But... wait and see until the denial stage is over. Here comes the fruit of her labor. J

Things got better and better when Seung-jo finally stopped suppressing his growing feelings for Ha-ni . It’s a renewed hope for Ha-ni, and a relief for us viewers. Even though he is struggling to admit it to himself, his feelings can’t be hidden forever. Awww, so touching to see him upset over the possibility of Ha-ni finding love with another guy. He’s jealous and that sudden and striking realization hit him hard.

Also, he almost blew me away with his secret smiles. This Robot boy sure knows how to fascinate us with the way he responds to his developing attraction to Ha-ni. Annoyingly cute lol J

Kim Hyun-joong and Jung So-min did a decent job in portraying the lead roles. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t outstanding either. Anyway, it’s entertaining so I easily carried along with the drama.

I’d also like to mention Seung-jo/Ha-ni’s #1 fan, the ever supportive mom (Hwang Geum-hee, Seung-jo’s mother). Thanks to our matchmaker who is more than willing to help Han-ni to win her son’s heart. Her character surely adds to the humour of the drama.

Seung-jo's parents and Ha-ni's father

The drama is not extremely cheesy, because Seung-jo is not the mushy type of guy and it took some time for him to show his feelings for Ha-ni. But it still managed to give me a fluttery feeling. It’s funny, sad, annoying and romantic at the same time.

If you’re into light rom-coms, this is worth giving a try. J J J

*Photos used are not mine. All credit goes to their rightful owners*

My Love from the Star

My thoughts about My Love from the Star (You Who Came from the Stars)?

Well, honestly, my limited vocabulary (and also the limited time) makes it uneasy for me to deeply express my views about the drama. For some reasons, MLFTS seems to be different from any other drama. My words are just not enough. lol 

But with all that I can, I will gather all that I know to describe MLFTS in this entry. So stick around and enjoy!

J

MLFTS is about an alien who landed on Earth 400 years ago and has to wait for many years before he can return to his planet. As fate would have it, he would meet and eventually fall in love with a hugely famous actress who happens to have an exact resemblance with a girl he saved in the past, 3 months before he leaves the Earth.

A drama sure to make you laugh, cry and give all the feels. It’s romance, comedy, fantasy and mystery, all rolled into one series.

So to start off, let’s talk about the characters J

I must say that Kim Soo Hyun and Jun Ji Hyun are perfect for portraying Do Min Joon and Cheon Song Yi and their sparkling chemistry, which is obviously visible, contributed a huge part to the success of the drama. Both of them made an outstanding, praiseworthy job in performing their roles.

Do Min Joon rarely smiles, but when he does, it’s heart fluttering. So prepare yourselves to be captivated by his wit and charm. And take note-MLFTS just made a new definition of ‘Alien’. *winks*

Min Joon is known to have superhuman senses- enhanced vision, strength, hearing ability, speed, and memory with immunity to extremely low and high temperature and an extremely slow aging process. And don't forget the nearly perfect appearance. Never did I imagine that an alien could be as lovely as he is. :)))

Cheon Song Yi is a top Hallyu star who looks independent on the outside, but is actually vulnerable inside. They are total opposites. But complement each other’s personality.

What I like about Jun Ji Hyun is that she isn't afraid to make herself look funny/crazy/ugly (she is still beautiful anyway). Really enjoyed those hilarious moments :D
She's recognized as a movie star, but I saw her versatility when she effortlessly pulled this off on television.

Do Min Joon has been spending almost his entire stay in the Earth being cold and distant to other people, living incognito and changing identities from time to time. He lived confining himself in the outer shell that he built to avoid trouble, complications, and attachments. I’m delighted to see how Song Yi hit the soft spot in his heart and made him react like he never did before. Slowly, he started to take risks to protect Song Yi even if it means putting his life in danger and having his powers exposed.          

awww, M so touched by his selfless acts.

  

And thennn, there are the heartbreaking crying scenes L
I already like him for being the silent guardian of our heroine, but my admiration grew even more every time I saw him crying. I can see and understand how unbearable his pain is- returning to his home planet, and leaving Song Yi. It’s so painful, that I was not able to hold back my tears. Hands down to Kim Soo Hyun. It’s such a good performance that deserves to be recognized .

The characters are definitely a strength of the drama; most of them seem to look fashionably good. It’s not hard to recognize their good sense in fashion and clothing style.

Then there comes the villain (Lee Jae Kyung). The evil older brother of Song Yi’s childhood friend gets in the way, and threatens to kill Song Yi if she reveals his secret. His irritating presence is significant to sustain the level of thrill and excitement in the drama. I am just happy and relieved that in the end, justice has been served. Of course he ended up prison, losing all his possession, and his family. Serves him right.

Regarding the story, the production behind the drama (Director, Script Writer etc.) showed their expertise in creating a show that executed each genre in a balanced way. There’s a bunch of twists and turns involved, so there is never a dull moment. You’ll laugh, cry, get excited, or feel anxious or annoyed- but never get bored with it. As what I’ve said earlier, the drama was jam packed with interesting sequences. The murder mystery made me feel curious and thrilled to see how the villain can interfere with the love story. It get a little scary, and intrigues me more, when I finally realize what he’s (Jae Kyung) capable of doing.

Jae Kyung's deadly stare, evil laugh and all his merciless acts is pissing me off. Still, I couldn't help but notice how impressive his acting was. 

And, MLFTS has a good dose of melodrama too. L

Well, one thing that’s quite confusing for me is the essence of having a girl with exact resemblance to Song Yi 400 years ago. What does that mean?  They have given emphasis on the similarity of the two females. Whether it’s just a coincidence or something, I don’t think it really matters.

The cinematography is incredibly great- lighting, framing and camera angles. Yeah, the shots are breathtaking. They have captured the spectacular, beautiful scenes of the past and modern Korea. Annnd the special effects are just amazing.

Along with the story, I also certainly enjoyed the soundtrack. Gives me all the feels.

And the instrumentals too.

The entire drama is seriously addicting, you don’t wanna take a break from watching it. No doubt why this drama is a massive hit across Asia. However, the show may not be suitable to other viewers as it caters to a particular target audience, probably women.

All in all, MLFTS makes a highly enjoyable watching experience for me. See it for yourself! And let me know your thoughts about it. J

Note: All photos used are not mine. Credits go to their respective owner.

Pinocchio

Annyeong!

This week’s entry is all about Pinocchio starring Park Shin Hye as Choi In Ha and Lee Jong Suk as Ki Ha Myung/Choi Dal Po.

Let me start by saying the (+) points of Pinocchio. What’s good about this drama is the lesson it imparts to the viewers. Unlike any other dramas, Pinocchio is not all about love (male to female, vice versa). It tries to instill a sense of integrity in professional setting. The drama has a fresh concept, depicting journalism as the subject matter, along with justice, revenge, friendship, and love for family. But, it all goes back to being true to yourself (whether in career or feelings for someone). Being honest plays a significant part in the drama, which is apparently seen in the lead female character, Choi In Ha with a fictional Pinocchio syndrome (making the carrier hiccup whenever he/she tells a lie).

Park Shin Hye paired with Lee Jong Suk is pretty good to watch. I don’t totally ship them, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not moved by their sweet moments. I also get this fluttery feeling, like when In Ha straightforwardly confesses her feelings to Dal Po (cause there’s no way she can deny it forever). There are too many scenes to mention, and I don’t want to spoil you by giving it all away. I just pointed out the scene stated above because it’s the first thing that came to my mind.

Credits to Park Shin Hye (for her hiccups every time she lies), she just pulled it off easily, making it sound natural/real.

I agree that the pair did an excellent job in portraying their lead roles, but I also think that the supporting casts made a huge contribution to the success of the drama. Every character has their own shining moments, allowing enough space for character development. One character that I like is Yoon Yoo-rae. I think it’s impossible not to notice Yoo Rae’s funny dialogues J J J

Another good thing about this drama are the twists. The sudden turn of events keeps the suspense level high, gradually revealing the real personality of the characters. The transformation of the two mothers caught me by surprise. I really did not expect that Beom jo’s mother (doting and thoughtful) would turn into a woman who’s so obsessed with power and authority. Her manipulative character is just so annoying.

Beom jo's mother

In-ha's mother

In general, the concept is new (maybe because I haven’t watched a kdrama similar to this), and the story is beautifully executed, thanks to the awesome actors and their incredibly great acting. It is quite impressive how the show manages to balance romance and suspense in its compelling plot. As a Broadcast Communication student, I find the storyline interesting. I have learned to be aware on how news reporting should be done with accuracy and genuineness to sustain integrity and reliability. Throughout the entire series, we are made to believe that one misleading news can leave the accused devastated. A real reporter should always check the validity of information before presenting it, and expose the true 'facts' when someone is deliberately hiding the truth. That's the only way to gain trust.

Aside from the (+) points, there are also the not-so-good ones. Well, for me, there are some exaggerated moments that are not really necessary (for example, when people are seen as watching the news attentively, anticipating the upcoming reports of both stations (MSC and YGN).

But seriously, I got disappointed when Yoo Rae and Cap Hwang did not end up together. For a moment, I admit that I was more eager to find out what’s going to happen to them than to Choi In-ha and Dal Po (especially on the last few episodes). (I know I’m giving a biased review here, forgive me)

The drama focused too much on solidly establishing the leading pair, and as a shipper of Yoo-rae and Cap Hwang, it’s just so sad to see the ending with their “love story” hanging. We don’t know what’s the real score between them but I’d like to believe there is attraction drawing them to each other. J

My final say- highly entertaining with intriguing plot and disturbing antagonists. A must-see drama.

Note: Photos are not mine. Credits to their respective owners.