Korean Movie Night: My Sister, the Pig Lady 돼지 같은 여자 (2015) Korean

Hwang Jung Eum, Lee Jong Hyuk, Choi Yeo Jin, Park Jin Ju

Movie rating: 6/10     Neck score: A

Maybe because I loved Go, Pig Lady so much, I was really interested in this one. Also, I love the entire cast, so I had high expectations. It is slated as a romantic comedy, and while it did have some comedic elements, I would not say that it is a comedy. Really most of the comedy was trying too hard, so it fell a bit flat, or it was the painful, black sort of comedy that you laugh, but also want to cry. Like the scene where the two drunk girls crash their scooter into the pig pen. Funny, but not. It's a tragedy, really. What it should be called is how an awesome girl's life was ruined by falling for the wrong man, or how three girls fighting over one douche-bag is always a bad idea. Sisters over misters, girls. Come on!

I guess you could say this show is painfully funny at times, because it really does capture what life in a small town is like. And this town is way too small. It's either on an island or a tiny coastal town (I don't remember), but it is even further shrinking because the main industry, silverfish fishing, is in decline because all the fish have disappeared. Along with them, all the young people. Especially the young men. This leaves the town with only one eligible bachelor and three girls to fight over him. That is just a recipe for disaster. On top of that, Jae Hwa (Hwang Jung Eum) has become the breadwinner of her falling apart family and she is putting her dreams on her pigs to save them.

81. Emergency Couple 응급남녀 (2014) Korean

Choi Jin Hyuk, Song Ji Hyo, Lee Pil Mo, Choi Yeo Jin, Clara

Drama Rating: 5/10     Neck Score: A

I was so excited about this one because love Choi Jin Hyuk and wanted to see him be the leading man for once, and I love Song Ji Hyo (yay Running Man!).  However, from episode 1 this was very poorly done.  The whole exes breaking up and then getting thrown back together through the workplace is pretty compelling, but this one tried too hard to be a comedy.  It is really a medical drama, with lots of sad medical things happening, which was fine, but every time it tried to be funny it was cheesy, dumb and utterly ridiculous.  I still watched it, but I was so disappointed in it.  Some supposed to be funny scenes just made me roll my eyes.  Whatever.  For an exes getting back together drama Cunning Single Lady was way better.  This one still had redeeming qualities.  For how badly it was written, the actors did a really good job.  I liked the chemistry especially on Choi Jin Hyuk's side.  Sadly, they didn't write Song Ji Hyo's character well, so when she finally decided to get her man back, it was weak at best.  They had her holding out too long, so it seemed lame when she suddenly decided she wanted him again.  The weird relationship with the chief was weird too.  She needed to show more resistance against wanting her ex at least, since it just seemed like she hated him the whole time.  Oh well.  Still liked it ok, but not as good as it could have been.  I think it just needed to be not a comedy and it already would have been better.  But I did love her little sister and brother in law.  Some of the comedic aspects weren't that bad, just when they were trying too hard to be funny.

78. I Need Romance 로맨스가 필요해 (2011) Korean

Jo Yeo Jong, Kim Jung Hoon, Choi Yeo Jin, Choi Song Hyun, Choi Jin Hyuk

Drama Rating: 5/10     Neck Score: A

I needed this at the time I watched it.  Something super trashy romantic.  It's a good thing I watched it before Goong because Yul!!!!!!!!  I didn't already hate Yul so I was able to be ok with him as the lead dude.  However, this show is hard to like anyone in it.  It's a relationship mess for everyone really.  Three 30 year old girls getting into messy relationships.  The main girl is annoying, and after much analysis I realized that she was the one who created her own problems.  She thought her relationship was stagnant, which means it might have been, but because of her actions on that course she suspected her boyfriend was cheating and ultimately it happened, maybe partially because of her behavior, I'm not sure, but she was definitely the queen of over analyzation.  Seriously girl, chill.  So even when Choi Jin Hyuk was being like the perfect rich dude, I was super not wanting her to be with him, maybe for his sake.  I dunno.  It's a pretty sexy time  orientated show.  I mean there is sexy time in the first 5 minutes of the first episode.  Then it's a bunch of crappy relationship mess.  Still, sometimes you just need that sort of crap... maybe... probably not... anyways, it's not the worst thing out there.  I might have trouble with it now... now that I hate Yul (Kim Jung Hoon).  Yul (hissing with hate).