Why am I watching an end-of-year festive movie at the end of August, you ask? Heh. You could say I’m gearing up early for the new year, or that I’m just suuuper late to the party. 😜
In all honesty, it’s just because I stumbled on this movie while browsing titles on iQIYI, and perked up at the sight of so many familiar faces. Which means I basically watched this for the reunion feels, didn’t I?
No matter, coz it was a pretty easy-breezy watch; a perfectly acceptable way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
I must say, I’m very much enjoying my adventures exploring KBS’s drama specials. I’m pretty excited to share my latest find with you guys.
If you’re looking for a quick spot of drama that’s down-to-earth and easy, yet full of heart and poignance, you need look no further than drama special After The Rain.
At just a little over 2 hours of total screen time, Show sure manages to pack a punch, both in terms of story and feels.
What a solid, surprising little gem of a drama, you guys.
There are so few kdramas that attempt the science fiction genre, that off the top of my head, I can only think of one other drama – 2010’s Joseon X-Files (also known as Secret Investigation Record) – as a show somewhat in the same category.
That in itself makes Circle a bit of a special snowflake, in my books. In addition, whether or not you’re into science fiction (I’m not super into it myself), Circle manages to be consistently interesting, compelling, & mysterious; sometimes rather exciting, and almost always emotionally engaging.
When I started this one, I wasn’t all that sure I would like this odd science fiction duck of a drama, to be honest, but now that I’ve emerged on the other side, I can sincerely say that I’m glad I made time for this one.
Every so often, I like to pop a weekend drama on my drama plate, because the weekenders tend to lean simpler (though that’s not always the case), and those simpler dramas tend to make good drama nightcaps.
Usually, they’re easy on the brain, aren’t so intense that they’d keep me up, but just interesting enough to make me want to keep on watching. The only downside is, most weekenders clock in at 50 episodes on average – a major deterrent if you’ve got limited drama hours to spend.
So when My Husband Oh Jak Doo showed up, I thought this fit the drama nightcap bill perfectly.
Not only did it seem to fit the weekend drama simple sort of type, it also starred a pair of leads I liked individually, and it clocked in at only 24 episodes instead of 50. Pretty much a no-brainer win, yes?
..well, no, not really. This one ended up being better in concept than in execution, unfortunately, and I found myself dragging my feet to the finish line. Darn my completist streak for rearing its untimely head.
A drama that positions itself as a breezy rom-com, but that also happens to have birth secrets and corporate politics hidden up its deceptively fluffy sleeves.
Because of plot pacing that jerks between campy comedy and more melodramatic arcs, watching this drama can be a very uneven experience at times.
Still, if you’d care to peel away this show’s flaws – layers made up of sudden melodramatic dips, lots of yelling and screeching by two-dimensional secondary characters, and more overacting than I’d care to mention – there might be just enough cute and just enough heart to keep you hanging in there.
Plus, there’s quite a lot of Kim Kang Woo pretty on display. Depending on where you’re coming from, that could potentially count for a lot.
So recently, I’ve been watching Haeundae Lovers (2012). While the drama itself is a mixed bag with some gaping flaws, I have to give credit where it’s due. This show has reminded me all over again, just how pretty Kim Kang Woo is.
Before, I’d seen Kim Kang Woo in 2009’s Story of a Man (aka The Slingshot), a show which I didn’t end up loving, unlike everyone else. Back then, I’d noted the Kim Kang Woo pretty, but didn’t think to seek him out afterwards and he quietly slipped off my radar.
Fast forward to 2014, when I decided on a whim to check out Haeundae Lovers. When Kim Kang Woo sauntered onto my screen, I hafta admit, one of my first thoughts was, “Oooh.. Prettyyy~”
And that just inspired me to, er, extend the appreciation with this post. 😉
