144. Angry Mom 앵그리맘 (2015) Korean

Kim Hee Sun, Kim Yoo Jung, Ji Hyun Woo, Ji Soo, Baro

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A

This was an incredibly heavy show, especially in subject matter.  Definitely not for the faint in heart.  But it was really well done, and had plenty of cute stuff along with all the nasty yucky crap that was happening.  I guess I just get twice as angry if crap is happening to kids than if the same crap is happening to adults.  Sleeping with and killing students, not cool.  Using kids as pawns, not cool.  Ripping off schools, not cool.  So much not cool crap happening.  But I feel like the end was really good, and the moralizing good, and not too overly preachy.  I really like how the real hero of the story is the mom, just like the title indicates.  It's about a mom being fearless and making a difference.  The moral is that we need good moms and dads, and that is a cool message.  Ji Soo, who played one of the students Go Bok Dong, was just perfect.  Everyone was perfect.  So, while it was really hard to watch, especially at the beginning when like multiple students were dying and tons of crap was happening, it was worth it.

104. Trot Lovers 트로트의 연인 (2014) Korean

Ji Hyun Woo, Jung Eun Ji, Shin Sung Rok, Lee Se Young

Drama Rating: 5/10      Neck Score: A

This one started out so good.  Musicals are not my thing, but this one was the right style, as in the plot wasn't focused around a musical or production, it was just about people in the music industry.  Also I didn't know about trot, which now I like.  Mostly I decided to watch this because of the peeps in it.  I like Ji Hyun Woo, I love Eun Ji, and then when I found out that Shin Sung Rok was going to be in it, I was sold.  The first half was super good too.  Funny, full of good music, and great characters.  I loved Sung Rok's weird other guy role.  He literally saved the plot when the bad tropes came pouring in.  Yep, this perfectly great story with the cutest couple ever got every lame plot device ever tossed in.  Amnesia, parental drama, and then the "I have to leave for a year, wait for me" crap.  Because there was so much drama right until the last episode, it made it feel like it was rushed and dragged out at the same time.  While the awesomeness of the characters helped these horrible tropes feel not so bad, I am still sad that this was the path this drama chose to take.  There could have been a better plot than that.  Seriously.  Anyways, the peeps I already loved, I loved more.  Also there are tons of side characters that developed nicely too, with some side peeps romance, that also helped during the dark times of amnesia, etc.  Still liked this show, but it could have been so much better.  I actually think that Shin Sung Rok's character literally saved this show, and I loved Ji Hyun Woo in this.  But Shin Sung Rok was like a ray of sunshine with crazy, happy, funness.  He never got annoying as an other man and there was a little bit of bromance that I loved.  Plus his neck... whew!

56. Queen In Hyun's Man 인현왕후의 남자 (2012) Korean

Ji Hyun Woo, Yoo In Na, Kim Jin Woo, Ga Deuk Hi

Drama Rating: 7/10     Neck Score: A

One of the best fusion sageuks and time traveling type deals I've seen.  He's a scholar from Joseon times trying to restore Queen In Hyun to the throne and every time he "dies" he is transported to modern times where he meets an actress playing Queen In Hyun in a sageuk.  But every time he goes back and forth the time line is different, with different changes and memories and things getting messed up.  It's really cool.  Also, Ji Hyun Woo is hot.  I didn't think so at first, but he definitely grows on you.  His character is way hotter than him in this.  Also, this couple dated for a while because their chemistry was so good, but that didn't last through his military service.  Anyways, it's got a very intricate plot, with lots of different twist that can be taken because of the whole time travel thing.  And some very clever humor as well.  It does get cheesy in spots, but how else are you supposed to resolve something like this?  A bit of cheese is good now and then, and this one is really good.