228. I Need Romance 3 로맨스가 필요해 3 (2014) Korean

Kim So Yeon, Sung Joon, Namgoong Min, Wang Ji Won, Park Hyo Joo, Yoon Seung Ah, Park Yu Hwan

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A

This was by far the best of the I Need Romance franchise.  The characters were better developed, they were well acted, and the plot didn't suck.  It also had somewhat natural character arches.  The most far-fetched thing in the show was how perfect Derp Face's character was.  Sweet Potato Derp Face was so perfect and good that he basically couldn't exist.  Plus cute derp faces.  A man so patient and loving isn't realistic at all, but makes for good watching.  So many cuddles and warmness.  My favorite character was Se Ryung, the bitca.  Wang Ji Won did an amazing job with her.  I like how much depth her character had, she was a bitca, but she had her reasons too, and they weren't just because she was a bitca.  She had been hurt, she had her dreams and ambitions, and she was only interested in one man the entire time.  Even when she could have conceivably switched to another dude when the lead was interested in him, she stuck to the one man she wanted to get back.  I like how the plot was about Joo Yeon learning how to feel again.  She had become a robot and she had to be sweet potatoed into getting back in touch with herself.  The side couples were a bit annoying.  I liked the fling turned into pregnancy one ok, that couple was ok cute, but the young office romance was a little peachy.  The girl's voice just always sounded a bit whiny.  They also pulled every stereotype in the end, hitting all the issues, the modern woman stereotypes: take a year to travel to find myself (wait for me!), you don't have to make her quit because she's a pregnant single mom, we can be neighbor parents and raise the babies, etc.  It was a bit cheesy but you still got to appreciate and support it.  Also, it was remarkably (comparatively) low on the sexy time scenes the whole time, because the dynamic was different and the main couple didn't get together until the end, but that meant that the last couple of episodes were like constant bedroom scenes, to make up for the rest of the show.  I think everyone but the lead peeps had bedroom scenes until the last few episodes.  But it was a cute and satisfying show.

152. Falling in Love With Soon Jung 순정에 반하다 (2015) Korean

Jung Kyung Ho, Kim So Yeon, Yoon Hyun Min

Drama Rating: 5/10     Neck Score: A

The only thing that made this drama work was Jung Kyung Ho.  Seriously.  He made a total jerk cute and likable, and then his sudden transformation believable, and then totally cute.  Wow.  The plot was... yeah... not my favorite.  The whole return to me heart transplant crap... not cool.  However, it is sad to announce that this was probably the least lame part of this show.  I hated Fish Bangs (Yoon Hyun Min) so much, and the ridiculous dramatic crap of the show's other plot was just lame.  Murder investigation, potentially cool.  How they handled it, not cool at all.  It was basically just 10 episodes (at least) of Fish Bangs being super smart and one step ahead of everything, and being a smug jerk and then them miraculously getting the evidence they need at the very last minute.  Also, they never explained how the happy ending was quite possible.  They just sort of wrapped everything up in a bow.  However, despite all the crappiness, which basically equals a stagnant drawn out corporate makjang fest, the characters were fun (except for Fish Bangs who was one of the worst villains ever).  Well Soon Jung wasn't a very dynamic character, but not the worst I've seen.  She was never annoying and at least started out at a good place, even if she never really grew at all.  I really just fell in love with Kang Min Ho (Jung Kyung Ho), except I really miss his hair from the beginning.  Hair style change for the NOT win.  How could they mess with his luscious locks?  That swoop back of sexiness?  Sad day.  So basically I loved all the parts with Kang Min Ho in them, tolerated the ones with everyone else in them, and was yelling in anger and frustration at all the parts with Fish Bangs.  The problem was that Fish Bangs was in way too many scenes.  Oh well.  Whatever.

32. Prosecutor Princess 검사 프린세스 (2010) Korean

Park Si Hoo, Kim So Yeon, Han Jung Soo, Choi Song Hyun

Drama Rating: 6/10      Neck Score: A

The first like 15 min of this show were so stupid that I stopped it once and didn't start again until I was really bored one day so I gave it another chance.  It was still dumb until the moment Park Si Hoo came on the screen.  I think he opened the door and all the sudden "Ahhhhh!" I was going to watch no matter how stupid the show was.  But actually, it got good after that.  Not just because this hot man was in the show, but because the plot actually kicked in and it wasn't just this silly girl becoming a prosecutor and chasing after a pair of shoes.  It's kinda got that legally blond type premise, but it's got a pretty deep plot with twists as it goes from fashion princess becomes prosecutor to twisted revenge plot.  Also the other prosecutors are all pretty good looking (including Lee Jong Suk), as all prosecutors always are in these shows.  So while the first episode is way dumb (first episodes are never the best) it has a nice build and some tricky plot twists.