Queen In Hyun's Man

Queen In Hyun’s Man

8.5/10

Queen In Hyun's Man

Genre:                                Episodes: 16                          Year: 2012

Romance

Comedy

Fantasy

Synopsis:

Kim Boong Do is a nobleman in the Joseon era. He works to keep Queen In Hyun safe, which frequently puts his life in danger. A friend worries for Boong Do’s safety and gives him a talisman to protect him. When his life is in danger, Boong Do gets transported to modern day Korea where he meets Choi Hee Jin, an actress portraying Queen In Hyun in a new drama.

Cast:

Ji Hyun Woo (Kim Boong Do)

Yoo In Na (Choi Hee Jin)

Kim Jin Woo (Han Dong Min)

Ga Deuk Hee (Jo Soo Kyung)

Eom Hyo Seop (Min Am)

Lee Kwan Hoon (Ja Soo)

Jin Ye Sol (Yoon Wol)

General Thoughts:

This is an excellent drama that was pretty near perfect. The story was engaging from start to finish, and both of the leads were loveable and interesting. The driving force behind the drama was really how fantastic the two main characters were. Both of them were likeable on their own, so together they were just magic.

How I love when the girl is the instigator for skinship

The story was strong and gave the wonderful characters something solid to stand on and work around. Blending history with the modern day always tends to be interesting, but the plot never let itself coast on the fish-out-of-water humour that comes with a Joseon man being thrust into modern times. Sure, the jokes were there, but the story never overplayed them and remained quite like our hero- mostly serious but able to provide some clever comedy when required.

Ohh the feeeeelings

The writing was magnificent, and its strength was in the way it could have several emotions in a single scene. Most mediocre dramas tend to only have one emotion running at a time- funny, serious, angsty, sweet etc. The mark of a well written drama is when one moment can make you feel a mixture of emotions, and ‘Queen In Hyun’s Man’ had that in droves. There were moments that were serious but had a slice of comedy which prevented the drama from ever becoming too heavy, and of course with all the separation there was bound to be angst, but this angst was more often than not accompanied by a sweetness owing to the loveable natures of the leads. It’s a series that's easily and quickly able to capture hearts and makes you care for it’s characters, and that’s basically half the job done- when you truly care for the characters in a story, you’re going to keep watching and a happy ending is probably enough to satisfy. But ‘Queen In Hyun’s Man’ had more than likeable characters, and ended up being a lovely, well-rounded series. While both the main leads take on character traits that we’ve seen in other dramas, both have a touch of uniqueness and feel like real, genuine people.

I love him, I love her, I love them together, I love this drama

They aren’t pigeonholed into one character type, but still react in consistent ways. Boong Do is calm and logical, but he’s not cold and indifferent the way most calm and logical K-Drama men are. Hee Jin is sweet and hardworking, but she has a hint of cheekiness that prevents her from becoming just another Candy heroine. While there isn’t a bunch of development for the other side characters, having two detailed, complex leads was enough to keep the story going, and really, you only notice the lack of other characters in hindsight anyway.

I don't think I've ever enjoyed angst this much

There’s nothing overly complex in the plot, but it almost makes for a nice change in a world were shows are constantly trying to be better and smarter than each other- it showed that the team behind the series had confidence in their story and that it would be enough to win the hearts of its viewers- which it did. While I admit to not always being aware of what was going on the Joseon period (my fault, not the drama’s), it was still interesting, and easy to know who to root for- if he’s swinging a sword at Boong Do he’s a bad guy. The tension was always well balanced- though no one was swinging a sword at anyone in the modern timeline, it still felt exciting. The music did an excellent job at blending the two timelines together, as did having our heroine acting in a historical drama. It was a clever way to link the two times together and keep the story feeling whole, rather than having two disjointed sections that sometimes clashed. 

What Was Great:

OTP:

Probably one of my favourite pairings of all time. A lot of K-Dramas like to go the hate-to-love route, which can be cute and funny, but I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve seen a drama couple just genuinely like each other and decide to pursue a relationship together. If we’re all being real, that’s how most relationships tend to start.

How nice to have two characters just be purely into each other

While bickering can be fun, this drama showed a different way of courting, and while innocent flirting may not be as comedic as love-fights, it is insanely adorable and ran no risk of making the characters seem unlikeable in any way. The chemistry between Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo was amazing, and I had a hunch a couple of episodes in that they might have dated after filming (which they did)- the romance was so utterly believable.

You can legit see the hearts falling out his eyes

There’s something nice about watching two people fall in love with each other (hello, it’s why we watch so much romance media), and having the actors falling for each other made the drama seem that much more genuine, and the couple moments that much sweeter. Something else that really added a lot to the drama is that Boong Do and Hee Jin actually wanted to be together. I mean, the hero about kills himself every time he hops over to the future for a date. I’m not a fan of forced separation, especially when it’s one of the main characters that willingly leaves, but there’s something intensely engaging in watching two people fight against all odds to be with each other- it makes it really feel like a romance worth rooting for. Another thing K-Dramas tend to love is the idea of fate- that everything is predestined and there’s a set love waiting at the end of your path. It’s not a bad idea, it’s actually quite a comforting thought to think that everyone is destined for someone else- no doubt why destiny plays such a large role in so many romance dramas. But there’s also something nice in having two characters decide that f*ck destiny, they’ve found someone they want to be with and they’ll make it work no matter what. It’s a sense of empowerment, and this series definitely leaned more towards our characters making their own futures, which is where a lot of the conflict sprung from.

I wish a handsome man would leap through time and get tangled up in my destiny

Us K-Drama viewers are so pre-conditioned to thinking that fate controls all, that fate becomes a force to be reckoned with even in a drama that doesn’t expressly say ‘fate is a big deal, don’t mess with it’. The show does drop some hints about some greater power and the complications of going against that power, but the writer was smart enough to know that the idea of fate is a widely accepted notion, and that a few hints were all that was needed. This idea was further supported by having Hee Jin in a happy relationship with Dong Min during the time she forgot about Boong Do.

Bummer- if a talisman hadn't spewed a Joseon man into your film set she might've ended up with you

It was as if the show was pointing out what fate had planned just so our characters could go against it and choose each other instead- which was just so wonderfully romantic. It seems like a weird thing to say about a romance, but we’ve all seen so many romantic stories that you kind of have to up the game to make hearts flutter now. Having our characters seemly go against this greater power not only added a great amount of tension, but further enforced the love story- if these two characters believe that their love is something worth risking everything for, we’re likely to believe it as well. 

Time Travel:

This is one of the older time-travel dramas I’ve seen, and yet is probably one of the best. When you introduce a magical element to a drama, it runs the risk of becoming something too big to control.

Oppa, you look cool in every era

However, by limiting the magic to a single talisman (well…mostly), it was easy to control fantasy element. The basic rules were set up early on so that we could understand how the time jumps were happening, but there was still room for the understanding of the magic to grow- which it did. There was always an element of uncertainty about the talisman- would it stop working, would Boong Do be trapped in one time or the other- and that was where most of our story’s conflict came from. While there was plenty of danger in the Joseon period, it was really the risk of Boong Do not being able to jump back to the future or constantly being ripped back to the past that was the real conflict. The drama also didn’t use the time travel only for the romance, but cleverly incorporated it into Boong Do’s Joseon struggles. Having him able to go to the future and use modern transport to move around was a clever way to solve Joseon complications, and also gave the time travel more substance than simply having a lover in the future. 

What Wasn’t:

Get Out of Jail (Literally) Free Card:

The drama's one great weakness. Most of the magic in this series is well understood and works within the bounds of the rules it set for itself. Which is great, because when you have magic but no rules it’s nothing but chaos and you never really feel a sense of urgency as you know that some specky magical solution will poof out of thin air and ensure everyone’s happiness. Because the talisman had been set up with limitations, it ensured that we felt a sense of insecurity about our lovers’ future- when will Boong Do disappear from the future for the last time?

What if he disappears for EVER?!

It added a huge amount of intensity to the drama as it made every choice Boong Do made to go back to the past much riskier. However, the trickier the conflict the trickier it is to resolve, and sad as I am to say it (because I loved this drama from start to finish), the drama did pull a magical solution out its ass in the final hour. While the talisman is adequately explained, the magic of memories is not.

Good thing your phones are magic or you would've been in some real trouble there

Although we did see memories play an important role in the series, it mainly came across as our characters actively choosing to seek an answer for one question they had or another, and thus their desperation to uncover the truth led to lost memories being restored. Sure, I can accept that as it places the power in the hands of our characters- they keep fighting against fate, so they keep ending up at the same place. Makes enough sense for me. But never once had memories been used to drag one character into the other’s timeline. But lo and behold, in the time of need magic memories zap Boong Do back to the future via phone call. I so desperately wanted a happy ending that I was satisfied enough to see our characters living together happily, but man I would have been much more pleased if our final resolution was one that made some sort of logical sense. I get the romanticism in the idea of desperation and love reaching through time and whatnot, but the rest of the series was so logical that I was a little bummed when the finale relied on pure magic that hadn’t been explored in the series previously.

Re-watch?

Perhaps. It’s an enjoyable show, but half the fun was not knowing how our leads were going to make it work. It will also remind me how sad I am that Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo broke up.

One of my favourite K-Drama couples of all time

The Lonely Shining Goblin

The Lonely Shining Goblin

7/10

The Lonely Shining Goblin

Genre:                                     Episodes: 16                          Year: 2017

Romance

Melodrama

Fantasy

Synopsis:

In Goryeo, General Kim Shin is unbeatable in battle. His skill gives rise to vicious rumour, and in a state of jealousy and fear, the young king orders Shin executed as a traitor. At his death, Shin is cursed to become a Goblin- a magical being with immortal life fated to watch his loved ones die. It is said that only the Goblin’s Bride can end his curse. In the present day, the Goblin lives with a Reaper- a soul cursed due to the heavy sins of their life, but with no memory of what those sins were. The two meet Ji Eun Tak, a young girl that escaped death as a child, who claims to be the Goblin’s Bride.

Cast:

Gong Yoo (Kim Shin)

Kim Go Eun (Ji Eun Tak)

Lee Dong Wook (Reaper)

Yoo In Na (Sunny)

Yook Sung Jae (Yoo Deok Hwa)

Kim Byung Chul (Park Joon Hoon)

Kim So Hyun (Kim Sun)

Kim Min Jae (Wang Yeo)

Lee El (Birth Grandmother)

General Thoughts:

This is kind of a weird drama, in that I don’t really want to talk about it that much. Like…I enjoyed it (didn’t love it, but I mostly enjoyed it), but I’m kind of content to let it just slide by without saying much about it. But, you know, I'm going to write a long-ass review anyway.

I don't really want to talk about you right now, mate

Like most dramas there were good parts and not so good parts, and thankfully ‘Goblin’ managed to avoid having any sections that were completely unbearable. It got off to a wicked start where EVERYONE DIED. Which does sound kind of depressing and macabre, but at the same time it set the stage brilliantly.

Between this and that other drama, Goryeo seems like a sh*t time to be alive

We want to see how our Goblin will live now that everyone he loves is dead, but we also want to see what events led up to that opening scene. Things get twister with the introduction of the Goblin’s Bride and the Reaper, and sets us up for what looked like a thick, juicy story. Unfortunately, after Episode 1 the pace of the show slowed right down and we focused a lot more on Eun Tak than the Goblin. As cute as their scenes were, and much as I enjoyed the banter they exchanged, I was never quite on the same wavelength as the romance. With Eun Tak being so determined to be the Goblin’s bride, it was hard to pinpoint the time when she actually started falling for him for real. Suddenly she was just very, very in love with him, and I was a little confused how she got there.

Do you love him because he's the Goblin, or do you not care that he's the Goblin because you love him?

It was an acceptable development cuz they are our main couple, but I did feel a bit disconnected from the love-line. Unlike that other love-line which I totally connected with. Sunny and the Reaper were a really interesting pair, and their story was riveting. I didn’t mind at all when the show took the focus off of the main romance (‘should I pull out the sword or not?’) to focus on the reincarnation story. Not only was the past aspect of their romance intriguing, but their present day romance was just too funny- Reaper’s despair at not being a regular man with a name and a business card was always good value.

So cutely awkward

I liked that Sunny wasn’t exactly like Kim Sun. Sure, she was the reincarnated soul, but she still seemed like a distinct person all on her own, which was nice as Reaper himself had lost his memories of his life and also seemed like a slightly different version of himself- like this is who he was when he didn’t have an evil advisor whispering in his ear from birth.

So majestic, our Reaper of Death

The whole progression of Reaper and Sunny’s story was just brilliant- everything seemed to come at the right time. The humour, heart, and sadness all came in the right dose at the right moment, and made for a really addictive story. Similarly, the smaller side-stories really hit the right note for me as well. The small ghost stories, death stories, and miracle stories around Eun Tak, the Reaper and the Goblin were often just as (if not more) touching than the main story. It was interesting how the show dealt with death- often it was a relief or a reuniting rather than something horrifically sad. It fit in well with the thoughtful, melancholy vibe of the series and gave the show a very unique, distinct feeling. While I’ve seen lots of series and movies that deal with the idea of death and afterlife and reincarnations, I think ‘Goblin’ has been the most thoughtful and well-planned. There were rules for both death and reincarnation, and even when those rules were bent it made total sense and the show was clear and quick to explain why the rules were able to be broken at that time. The show also didn’t overuse rule breaking. Originally I was a bit worried, as some shows that include deities in its set-up tend to use them as a bit of a get-out-of-jail-free card, but ‘Goblin’ didn’t. There was no magical way that prevented Kim Shin from dying, he just got summoned back when Eun Tak blew out a candle and made a sincere wish- something that we’ve already seen is a rule of this fantasy world. There was also no magic way to save Eun Tak. If I could have something magical, I wish that the drama would magic in more screen time for Sungjae.

My love for you knows no limits

What Was Great:

Acting:

The acting really made up for the less riveting aspects of the story. While I might not have been on the same page as the two lead actors romance-wise, I did at least believe there was a romance. I was just confused as to how it came about. Gong Yoo in particular smashed it- there were multiple shots of nothing but Gong Yoo’s face for several minutes, and even in those long, drawn-out passages I never doubted his sincerity.

It was pretty to watch even if real people never actually behave that way

Kim Go Eun delivered a strong performance herself, but it was obvious that she wasn’t as seasoned as those around her. While her happy scenes were very cute, they could come off a tad forced- but I believed her completely in the more dramatic moments, which is more important anyway. In particular, she really sold her grief during the scene of the Goblin’s death. It couldn’t have been an easy scene as it was quite long in comparison to other scenes and all she did was cry really hard- and she performed it brilliantly.

We have a new contender for the saddest sad-face

I’ve always liked Yoo In Na as an actress and she was no disappointment. It was nice to see her turn her energy into a likeable character as I’ve mostly seen her play slightly nasty second leads. Sure, she always adds a layer of humanity to her characters, but it was nice to see her in a role where her confidence was used to make her loveable. She had brilliant chemistry with Lee Dong Wook, and her responses to his hilarious oddball character were just flawless. Lee Dong Wook himself was phenomenal. I’ve never actually seen him in anything else, but he blew me away here. I was so connected to the Reaper as a character, and felt every snippet of emotion he did. And Lee Dong Wook had to do a lot of crying for this role. A lot. But it never became over-used or annoying. Often I find continually weepy characters irritating- but Reaper was just even more endearing due to his tears. He never seemed to be crying simply for the sake of tears, and always seemed to have a different reason to cry. Each new scene brought new conflicts to the character, and Lee Dong Wook brought forth each new emotion with such perfect anguish. He never overplayed his role either in the comedy or the melo, but hit that sweet-spot right in the middle.

The Reaper:

Lee Dong Wook’s acting was indeed superb, but it’s not the only reason Reaper was such a success. He’s just a fantastic character. Out of all the characters we had, Reaper really had the most development by far.

'I love you and I'm totally sorry that I killed you and your entire family in your past life.'

He went from an emotionless robot who was so disconnected from everything around him to a man that so yearned for love that the memories of his past life were tearing him up. His relationship with Sunny was so adorable yet heart-breaking, and he really became a character that was impossible to not love.

I love this magical, immortal bromance. So. Much.

He was earnest and sincere and his relationships with the other characters were just so genuine. Reaper developed a sweet little friendship with Eun Tak, but it was his bromance with Goblin that was the absolute killer. Even though everyone loves a good bromance, this was definitely a cut above the rest. It wasn’t a friendship based solely on proximity and skinship (though who doesn’t love a boy-cuddle?) but on understanding and emotional investment. The two men were both more-or-less immortal, and so the only people they could really confide in about their long lives and mortal girlfriends was each other. It was a sort of begrudging friendship, but that just made it even better as it was obvious that the men had really come to care for one another. They were so opposed to it, but after spending so much time around each other, they couldn’t help but care. Just like us.

CGI:

CGI isn’t something that comes along in your every-day K-Drama, and when it does it tends to be a little bit shoddy. But ‘Goblin’ didn’t hold back. When they went CGI they meant it, and it was awesome. It really helped to hammer in the fact that the Goblin was special when you could see a glowing sword skewering him or he sinks an entire ship solo. It was badass. It was like watching a full-budget Hollywood movie it was that good.

Oooooooo it seems so real

Soundtrack:

I can appreciate a good soundtrack in a drama, but every now and then a soundtrack comes along that makes me think ‘yeah, this is what an A-Grade soundtrack is’. This was one of those dramas. The last soundtrack I loved this much would have to be ‘My Love from the Stars’, and ‘Goblin’ comes at a close second. The music was thoughtful and carried an air of wistfulness that was lovely to listen to. It enhanced every scene and fitted with the director’s style perfectly.

Now imagine the really sweet soundtrack while looking at the picture

The director tended to love these small lingering moments, and the soundtrack really helped to capitalise and beautify these moments. Again, it was something that seemed more like movie quality than drama quality.

What Wasn’t:

Unanswered Mythology Questions:

Hmkay. This was a bit of a bummer. What I look for most in a good fantasy drama is a mythology that holds up from start to end. For the most part the mythology of the show was pretty flawless- it was only right at the end that I was a touch confused. I loved that Eun Tak died at the end.

I was actually totally prepared for a sad ending

It was a weirdly satisfying sort of conclusion for her character with just the right amount of heartache. I loved the whole situation- how it came about, Reaper’s commentary, and of course the way it was filmed. But my favourite thing about Eun Tak’s death is that she chose it herself. She’s spent her whole life dodging death, but then stops right in its path to save a bus of children. On paper it sounds kind of cliche, but in the drama it was poetic and beautiful. The only issue was- what does this mean for our Goblin? I mean, it was all nice to have Eun Tak leave him to go be reincarnated and that she could hold on to all her memories of him, and it was nice to think that the two had three more (hopefully long) lifetimes ahead of them to be happy and in love. But then- what happens when Eun Tak lives her fourth life? There’s no reincarnation after that, so does Goblin just go back to being lonely and immortal forever? If so, that kind of defeats the whole point of the show. Not to mention that it's bloody depressing to think that he has to watch his bride die a total of four times and then spend years and years waiting for her to be reincarnated. 

So, um...what does Goblin do when Eun Tak's four lifetimes are up?

So Slow:

No drama needs episodes that are over an hour long. I’ll allow up to an hour and ten minutes, but beyond that you’re just pushing it. Most of the reason I could keep back-to-backing the episodes was that a whole episode's worth of excitement often came in the last 10 minutes, and I NEEDED to know what happened next (even if it did take 500 years to tell me).

I don't want to be rude, but can you guys get in some real danger or something?

The length of ‘Goblin’s episodes had me thinking back to ‘Answer Me 1994’- it’s all interesting stuff, but my attention span only lasts so long. And you’ve only got so much story to tell. There were times when ‘Goblin’ was starting to feel a bit too drawn out, and I was figuring out the twists before the drama arrived there. The characters and acting kept the series engaging enough, but it could have been truly addictive if everything had happened just a little bit quicker. Sure, the lingering moments were melancholy and sweet- but after 6 or 7 episodes I kind of just wanted the story to get on with it. I kind of wish that the drama had either introduced the ghost villain earlier (because my goodness that was exciting- a BAD GUY!!) or spent more time fleshing out the Goryeo relationships. I won’t lie, a little part of that desire is just wanting to see more of Kim So Hyun and Kim Min Jae- because they are fabulous, and they were fabulous together.

Re-watch?

Unlikely. I loved Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook so I might revisit if K-Dramaland seems to be running dry on bromance. But otherwise I’ll probably avoid a re-watch. Yet another drawback of having episodes that go past that hour mark.

Worth a watch but I won't bust my guns to go there again

The Greatest Love

The Greatest Love

8/10

The Greatest Love

Genre:                                 Episodes: 16                            Year: 2011

Romance

Comedy

Synopsis:

Gu Ae Jung was once the popular leader of a famous girl group, but after the group disbanded her image was ruined. Meanwhile, Dokgo Jin is a popular actor at the hight of his career. Ae Jung continues to meet Dokgo Jin in a series of chance encounters, and their relationship turns from general dislike into a begrudging friendship.

Cast:

Cha Seung Won (Dokgo Jin)

Gong Hyo Jin (Gu Ae Jung)

Yoon Kye Sang (Yoon Pil Joo)

Yoo In Na (Kang Se Ri)

Lee Hee Jin (Jenny)

Im Ji Kyu (Kim Jae Suk)

General Thoughts:

I see now why the Hong Sisters have such a good reputation. The writing for this drama was fun, witty, and the dialogue really made the relationship between our two leads much more enjoyable. Two thumbs up.

Fun and funny

Having one of our leads being a famous celebrity is nothing new, but I must say that I enjoyed this scenario much more than I have enjoyed the celebrity aspect of K-Dramas previously. For starters, the Entertainment Industry wasn’t treated as the greatest thing ever, nor was it treated as this horribly dark place with a shiny exterior- it was just a business with a lot of employees, each trying to get ahead in their careers. Like any other workplace there were nasty people in it, but there were also good, likeable people in it. One of the better aspects is that the President of Dokgo’s company wasn’t an evil, money-hungry woman- she was a business woman, and even when she was slightly meddlesome, it was clear she was intervening out of a desire to do what was best for both Dokgo and Ae Jung- which is always nice to see.

And boy, 'fans' can get pretty darn nasty

A large part of this drama’s conflict is the idea of image, which is an interesting idea to explore. Despite being a wonderful, lovely person you can have a bad image, and good image is what you really need to be successful. It was interesting that the drama treated the celebrities images as a tangible thing, rather than an abstract concept. It was something to be traded and given away- but also something that could be taken from you.

Ahh...the things you'll do for a good image

The biggest conflict was definitely how the relationship between our leads would impact their images. Other dramas I’ve seen haven’t really managed to snag what is so important about image, but ‘Greatest Love’ did an excellent job. It was always understandable why the two didn’t want to run headfirst into this relationship, because without image neither of them have a way to make money and support themselves- because their image is their career. It was much more interesting to have the conflict between our two leads as something internal rather than external. While the problem itself was purely external (how will the public respond), it was the way Dokgo and Ae Jung handled that problem that sparked much of the interest. It wasn’t as though they were two people deeply in love separated by some great external force- they were just two people who liked each other but weren’t sure how to go about it, as the relationship would have a negative impact on not only themselves, but the other person as well. The entertainment and investment came not from if they would move forward together but how they were going to move forward. The push-and-pull paired with witty dialogue was wonderful to watch and drew us in as an audience.

The pull made all the push worth it

Despite not having a lot of showy plot (there were no huge fights, or dangerous villains or mysteries to uncover), the show was extremely entertaining from beginning to end, and much of that credit has to go to our leads. Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Jin were just superb.

Half the fun is just waiting to see what ridiculousness he'll do next

They perfectly sold the relationship between the two characters and made it feel real- despite the occasional absurdities of their characters. I mean, what man that age can’t differentiate between his heart beating and liking a woman? But Cha Seung Won sold the character and his slight ridiculousness, and the humour that resulted from his confusion made it easy to overlook the over-simplified reasonings of Dokgo Jin. He was just hilarious. He never gave a half-hearted performance and really dived into the comedy. Gong Hyo Jin played a nice stable character for his silliness to bounce off of, and actually made the humour seem more real. Alone, Dokgo Jin seems ridiculous, but paired with the world the Hong Sisters created and Ae Jung, it becomes quite plausible that he’s a man that turns into a bit of a weirdo when he’s alone or around people he’s comfortable with. The show gave us a very understandable world filled with likeable, funny characters that really dazzled, and the whole thing was just an extremely enjoyable, fun ride.

What Was Great:

The Cast:

Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Jin are just perfect. Usually one of the leads tends to sparkle a little bit brighter than the other, but the two here were so perfectly matched. Not only did they have a heap of romantic chemistry going on, but their comedic chemistry was also firing on all cylinders.

They suit each other like it's nobody's business

The two really bounced of each other’s energy in the comedic scenes (of which there were so many), and so the humour just seemed to build and build as the drama went on. Not only that, but they were both able to so perfectly undercut a comedic scene with a moment of real sincerity, which gave the show a lot more heart than your standard rom-com.

Pretty sure he pinched this move off Kim Jong Kook

Yoon Kye Sung did an amazing job as the second male lead. Despite Pil Joo not being that exciting on paper (he’s your typical nice guy second lead), Yoon Kye Sung gave him a whole heap of personality that a different actor probably wouldn’t have been able to generate. He gave Pil Joo a bit of a dorky, nerdy air about him, so he wasn’t just a dreamy doctor- he was a dreamy doctor who was a bit too in love with his job and seemed just a tad detached from the world around him. He was also never simplistically nice- Yoon Kye Sung clearly showed Pil Joo’s pain and heartache, but also his dislike for Dokgo. A couple of times he teetered on the edge of doing something douchey to discredit Dokgo or make himself seem better to Ae Jung, but after some quiet deliberation he always made the nice guy choice. He might not have ended up with the girl, but man he made one hell of an adorable, endearing character. If I didn’t find Dokgo so amusing yet sincere, I probably would have ended up on the Pil-line. These three leads were really the heart and soul of the show, and it was the interactions between these characters that held a lot of the show’s entertainment- be it comedy or conflict.

A Multitude of Metaphors:

I probably didn’t even grasp the meaning of half the banter that floated around in this drama, but what I did catch on to was so, so, so funny.

Never before has a potato held so much meaning

Generally speaking, I’m not a huge fan of push-and-pull relationships as I tend to find them a bit tedious- ‘I love you but I won’t go to you blah blah blah’. But pairing the push-and-pull dynamic with a bunch of hidden meanings becomes far more interesting. When characters straight-up say what they mean and the relationship still doesn’t move forward it can be a little exasperating, but when they communicate their feelings through metaphors it somehow becomes much more enjoyable. Sure, if handled badly the metaphors would probably still be exasperating, but here it was all handled in a funny, witty way, and there was always forward movement on one end of the relationship.

Because you for sure need a heart monitor to make sure you're in love

There were potatoes and flowers and heart-beats and cartoon characters and Pororo and cars and broken machinery and superheroes, and I don’t even think the writers could keep track of how many metaphors they put in there.

What Wasn’t:

Some Small Plot Weaknesses:

The strength of the show was really its characters and cast- not so much the plot. With so much going on between the two leads, and even the second leads, it didn’t really matter that there wasn’t a heap of other external stuff going on. However, there were a couple of times it was a bit obvious that the plot was really only being held up by the greatness of its characters.

I so prefer angst-ing together to separation angst though

The whole National Treasure Girls plot seemed pretty thin to me. I was expecting something huge to have happened to explain why Ae Jung’s old manager hated her so much, but there wasn’t a lot of substance to it. While the situation behind the girl group’s breakup was sufficient, the manager seemed a bit too obsessive and butt-hurt about something that didn’t seem to impact him all that much. It was also pretty weak how we didn’t get to be a part of Doggo’s surgery. A lot of the series had Dokgo protecting and supporting Ae Jung, and I really wanted her to be with him during his surgery- or at least during his recovery. The idea of Dokgo dying played a pretty important role in getting the two together and admitting their feelings for each other, so it did seem a little weird that we went from the middle of Dokgo’s heart surgery to two months later with not a lot of dramatic tension behind it. We’d been building up to this moment for several episodes, so even if we didn’t really think our main man would die, it felt odd not to have a big recovery moment.

Re-watch?

Potentially. These days I rarely watch things twice as K-Dramaland keeps churning out so many new things I want to watch. Even if I don’t watch the whole thing again, I might come back for an episode or two.

When potatoes and flowers don't work, a snog always gets the message across