It makes sense though, because what else will draw you to dramas in the middle of summer... either super cheesy fluff or hard core action. I like that they went the action route because that meant lots and lots of beautiful bad-a boys. Rawr.
Hidden Identity
I have to admit that I didn't watch this one all the way through. I watched one episode and then never got around to finishing it. I just got distracted by beautiful bankers, no matter how beautiful Bad-A Kim Bum is.
To be honest, as TvN's first action drama it wasn't lacking the action in the first episode, but it did look like it was going to be super complicated, plot twisty, and melodramatic too. I wasn't not interested, I just got busy with other things. I did hear from some that it was too much on the melo side, but I would still be interested in finishing it. The problem was I was going to watch it with my little brother, but he got busy. But I did like how intense the fighting was, even though the plot didn't grab me at first.
My Beautiful Bride
More appropriately called My Beautiful Banker, this show was one of my favorite summer dramas. Despite the fact that the bride couldn't act, this show was super compelling. That banker though.
His jaw line his neck, his body...
Thank you for that scene. Whew.
But everyone else in the show was an A neck as well. Bad boyfriend:
Even the loan shark dude, who was so lame at the ending...
I think my only regret was how much wasted potential they had by not using Detective Cha more. She was cool, bad-a, and pretty. But all she did was say "let the police handle this," while the police did nothing. She had some good moments, but not nearly enough.
I Remember You
Omo, did I love this drama, and here is why:
Everyone in the drama was amazing, and it probably deserves it's own post, but I was lazy this summer. But seriously though. I loved everyone. The good guys, the bad guys. Everyone. The writing was tight and spot on, and the acting was naturally great. I already loved all these actors, but this show just gave me reason to love them more.
I loved the chemistry of the main couple.
But I love even more that Jang Na Ra's character was a bad-a detective chick, and single-handedly responsible for 75% of the action scenes in the show. From the start she was bold and a bit crazy.
And not that repentant, haha.
And I love how their relationship started with her stalking him, without her being an obsessive idiot like other stalking female leads (cough cough Playful Kiss cough cough).
Even though she's so tiny, she holds her own in a fight. I also love all the other cops. They held up their characters well. I've liked Min Sung Wook since Pinocchio or before even, and I was happy his part was so great in this one too.
I loved how awkward and bumbling Master was while still being able to be awesome.
And I loved Do Kyung Soo so much. Slow clap for him, because he's been consistently awesome in all the shows I've seen him in. First with It's Okay, That's Love to this, so good at creepy.
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You know who else rocked the creepy, Choi Won Young. I love that ahjussi. This scene:
As frustrating as it was, I loved how naturally or organically the romance went, because the show was about the mystery, murders, and psychological stuffs. Also, there is no way it would have gone faster with an emotionally stunted and completely logical person like Lee Hyeon. This post kiss scene though.
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Oh the bromances.
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Creepy, creepy bromances.
But mostly just this kid. Park Bo Gum killed it. Not just killing people, but slaying us with his amazing, complex acting. He made "monster" look so good, creep us out, and break our hearts. All the monsters did, really.
Seriously! This kid! Ahhhhhh! Male lead now! I can't stand him only getting side characters anymore! You hear me Reply 1988?!?! Make him the mainest of the male leads!!!!! (Even though I like most of the other actors in that too....)
I realized that I didn't say much about Seo In Guk in all this... that's because I already knew he was going to be amazing, so it wasn't like a surprise or anything. He was great. I loved how real he made the logical, weird, slightly monster-like character. He was amazing too. Always love him. So glad he is finally in a drama (since Reply 1997) that showed his full potential. Yes!
I really should have just written a whole post about this one, haha.
Scholar Who Walks the Night
This should clearly just be called Sexy Vampires Looking Sexy While Covered In Blood, because Lee Soo Hyuk does it... so well
But really this whole show is about sexiness. Every scene is made needlessly more sexy by making these vampires show off how incredibly gorgeous they are, while also being super manly. But we all know that vampires are all about the sexy from the beginning so, not a stretch.
It basically is sexy vampire fan fiction with some ridiculously complex plot thrown in. It's like school girl fantasy, really. But any show with Lee Jun Ki turns into that, in my brain anyways. That man is too beautiful.
And the point of the show is for him to be too beautiful.
And then there is the repression and dark past (and of course being a vampire and stuff).
But he's also not opposed to allowing the sultry, sexy moments. Pushing right to the limit of his repressed, tragic state.
It's like they made every scene needlessly sexy... and we're ok with that.
I actually frequently accidentally call it the Night Watchman, because the plot is about as ridiculous, but the biggest difference is that in this one everyone can act. Even the TVXQ member. He makes the best faces, but is not unbelievable.
I also really love Yoo Bi, so I'm glad they got her for the lead. I think some of the other earlier options would have ruined it. Also, she's just cute.
And I am just so happy that Han Jung Soo is in it, and that he didn't die right away. Woo hoo! I love that namja.
So really the action in this one is a lot of sped up, highly stylized vampire fighting with a lot of chase scenes that are mostly just woosh, pause, not see each other even when they are super close, woosh again. It's kind of ridiculous. But since this is Lee Jun Ki, the fighting is also really good, with some sweet martial arts moves. No complaints there.
Last
Currently my favorite show that I am watching. It's so good. Craziness, revenge, ambition, love, greed, everything that makes a good action drama. Oh, and of course beautiful men who also happen to be amazing actors.
How does Lee Beom Soo make all his characters to relatable, deep, and well rounded? Even when they are crazy and blinded by revenge, huh? He's just great. And his character, Heung Sam, is so messed up in this, but you still love him... and hate him too, but... yeah.
Yoon Kye Sang is really coming into his own with this role. Even though I want to punch his character, Tae Ho, in the face recently. He's in danger of losing himself to his ambition, or at least potentially being swept away in Heung Sam's crazy.
Ajhussi is one handsome dude. I liked him in the track suit, but this moment when he put the suit on. RAWR. We called Park Won Sang Alfred in Hero, since he was the Alfred to Heug Cheol's Batman. He was cool there, but I didn't think he's be so great as a bum. But he totes is amazing.
This guy is just hot, so I had to include a picture of him.
But the dynamic between characters, and playing off each other, and complexity of this show is great.
Every character has a meaningful part, even if they are dragged off and re-purposed one episode later... or dragging people off to be re-purposed. I think I've lost count of how many peeps have been "re-purposed." You know it's a good drama when the body count is uncountable, haha.
And then we've got action sequences that are comparable to Ahjussi.
So much slashing and lead pipe hitting. It's a wonder they didn't die. No one died in that scene. It's probably the only one.
I love how the female leads are equally as important and complex. No one is just there to look pretty. They are well rounded too.
Except what the heck is on her shirt?
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| I totally had to pause to check out what was on her shirt. There's all kinds of interesting there. #Last |
I will need to write a post about how awesome this one is, when it's over. It will probably be called "All the Thugs I've Ever Loved" or something like that, because it seriously has all of them in it.
Mrs Cop
I like how this show really is about a bad-a mom cop.
In fact this show on this level is pretty role reversal, because Choi Young Jin has all the recklessness and skills of a male lead. And her male counterpart... is way too underused.
He really just makes this face all the time, as he's trying to reign her in and protect her. He literally is underused potential about as bad as Lee Si Young in My Beautiful Bride. They have pretty much the same role. They can be bad-a when given the chance, but mostly they just are there to say "you can't do it like that." Sad day. He was one of the things that tipped the scales to me watching this show, then they made me think he was a pervert for the first half of the first episode. But I like it anyway, so at least there is that. And he's not a pervert, so that's good. I love how strong and powerful Young Jin is though. She doesn't need a man, even though I want them to get together anyways.
The main love line is with these two though:
They are basically the baby versions of the main couple, Partners who have polar opposite ways of doing things. I love how awkward she is about trying to hang with him because she likes him (not sure she knows that herself though).
And they always just end up fighting.
Yes, Haetae (Son Ho Jun), be a namja.
I love that she is eating that like that. Depressed eating ftw!
Good thing he likes that too. It's going better for you than you think, girl.
My favorite character in the show is probably Tutor (Heo Jung Do).
And I love how confused Ki Kwang looks all the time. But he's helpful too.
It's super campy, and some of the arrest scenes have made me cringe with the cheesiness (just arrest him already!) but I still like it because the actors are good.
Especially my favorite villain-dad Kim Kap Soo.
How can the same face that plays villains so well be so puppy-like when he's only framed as a murderer? He's like an older version of Kin Sung Oh, who is the best, most versatile actor ever.
The plot is thickening too, now, so I'm excited to see where this one goes.
Yong Pal
Joo Won... you.... gah... love... he's just the best.
We've got snarky moonlighting gangster doctor,
Sassy brown nosing doctor,
Who is really ready for revenge and protecting his family.
Being too adorable.
Crazy chase scenes in the first two episodes. Man, this show has it all. Including Ahjumma.
She automatically makes any drama better.
And hospital rooms straight out of Star Wars. Seriously, is this supposed to be in the future like Hero? Because it looks like it. Aigoo.
I have so much catching up to do with this show, but I love it. I'm just busy with life (yes, I do have one of those too) and watching this with my friends who are also busy with life (what do you know). But there is a reason this is the rating leader. It's so flipping addictive and good.
Anyways, I'm not upset at all the the bulk of the shows this summer have been action/thriller/mystery/cop/psychological shows. I really have enjoyed them, even when they have been badish, but most have them have been pretty darn good. All of them are highly watchable. So this summer, even as it is wrapping up, has been good to me. Hurrah.
