Korean Movie Night: On Your Wedding Day 너의 결혼식 (2018) Korean

Park Bo Young, Kim Young Kwang, Kang Ki Young, Ko Kyu Pil, Jang Sung Bum

Movie rating: 9/10     Neck score: A

So Lizabreff, Curdy and I decided to have another virtual Korean Movie Night, because the last one worked out so well. It was fun, but we opted out for a romantic comedy this time, so we went with On Your Wedding Day. It was hilarious. Just all around solid writing and acting. It's told from the perspective of present day (or wedding day) Woo Yeon (Kim Young Kwang) who is a P.E. teacher telling his students about his first love story with Seung Hee (Park Bo Young) which starts back in high school and then progresses through college, etc., to the present. It's very slice of life with just that chill and ridiculous comedy that comes from the relatable, especially when it's being told from the perspective of one of those people who is an embellisher.

It was very well written and acted. Basically this part was written for Kim Young Kwang and you can't help but fall for his grin and puppy-like energy and devotion. And of course Park Bo Young is just perfect. I love her nuanced acting, especially since the movie is told from his point of view, but we could see tell what was going on with her (even when his character couldn't), and she ugly cries like a real person, props! They had good chemistry and were just one of the cutest couples ever, even as we were laughing about their height difference. The ensemble was good too, because how can you get better than Kang Ki Young as a best friend? You cannot. The group of college boys in the boarding house were just hilarious and perfectly awkward. Best of all was the natural progression. It had excellent pacing and narration, so everything that happened made sense and I felt at peace with all the choices. I really don't think I would change a thing or complain about anything, no matter what complicated feelings I feel. It was hilarious, cute, sweet, and lovely. I recommend it.

P.S. Whoever styled Kim Young Kwang deserves a trophy. He looked so good.

342. The Secret Life of My Secretary 초면에 사랑합니다 (2019) Korean

Kim Young Kwang, Jin Ki Joo, Kim Jae Kyung, Koo Ja Sung

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A+

How did I forget to review this when I first finished it? I loved this drama and was completely lost when I finished it because I didn't know what to watch! I totally love watching anything with Kim Young Kwang in it, but he really was made for this role. Or this role was made for him? He shined like he never has before in this. I loved it. And now I'm a super fan of Jin Ki Joo too. She's so cute and great in this. I thought she did a super job too. And most importantly, they had the best chemistry, which for a romantic comedy, is super important.

But what makes this drama so delightful was that it wasn't a classic love triangle. I hate love triangles, they are so overdone. They are so badly done half the time too. So having two couples to love was absolutely wonderful. I absolutely loved Veronica Park. Kim Jae Kyung did a fantastic job making a lovable, over-the-top, MVP, rich girl who really was one of the smartest people in the show, even if she didn't mean (or want) to be. I loved her romance, I loved the friendship, both with Gal Hee and her little sister, she was just fabulous!

258. Lookout 파수꾼 (2017) Korean

Lee Si Young, Kim Young Kwang, Kim Tae Hoon, Kim Seul Gi, Kim Ki Bum

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A++

Of the four dramas that Lizabreff, Curdy and I were watching together, this one was my favorite.  It has it all.  An amazing bad-a female lead, a shady morally ambiguous secret male lead, awesome hackers who are the best (separate and together), some really hateable bad guys, and an unrealistically attractive priest.  I was so invested.  And it stay consistently good most of the time, until the very end, where all the sudden no one acted like themselves and they were all tricked by everything they should have seen through and it was embarrassingly bad.  It turned into a blame session where everyone wanted to take the blame and we started chanting "나 때문에!" to the tune of War of Hormones by BTS in that part where they are blaming women and hormones for the way they are.  So yeah, what a disappointment.  It was bitter, it was hard.  I loved this show so much and it betrayed me at the last minute.  It was like they gave up in the last two episodes and just slapped something together.  I didn't mind how they wrapped everything up in the end, I just hated how it got to that point.

It makes it hard because now I feel like I can't recommend it to anyone, because I would have to say "it's amazing until the last two episodes and then it really sucks" kind of like Reply 1988.  But in all fairness, it still deserves some love for those first 14 episodes (or 28, since they are doing those new short episodes).  It was a great revenge, crime drama with a puppet master, bad prosecutors, crazy wildcard police detectives gone rogue, and a wonderful bromance and romance.  Also, Kim Young Kwang's hair deserves an award.  As does his suits.  He is so despicable, yet so likable too.  And I just loved Lee Si Young with all my little heart!  She's a freaking goddess!  And my Ki Bum and Seul Gi were just so precious and perfect!  Best OTP ever!  It was also really weird seeing Kim Tae Hoon being so righteous.  He usually doesn't get to play roles like that often.  Bah!  It was so good until they ruined it at the end!   So, yeah.  I'm a little upset that my favorite ended up last in the ending department.  Boooooo!

230. The Man Living in Our House 우리집에 사는 남자 (2016) Korean

Soo Ae, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Soo Hyuk, Jo Bo Ah, Kim Ji Hoon

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A+

I was a little disappointed that this turned out to be more of a melodrama than a comedy.  They had made it look so funny, and sometimes it was, but then they couldn't get past the tragic loves part as they were in love but had a stepfather/daughter relationship legally.  This seems even more pathetic when everything is eventually solved with no headache and why didn't they just do that in the first place?  I did like most of the characters, although I have to like the side characters more than the main couple.  The three little dumpling ducklings, so cute.  The little sister of the 2nd male lead, hilarious.  The 2nd female lead, the most likable bitca ever.  She was thoroughly an evil man stealing jerk, but I loved her and totally shipped her with the reluctant neighborhood friend lawyer 2nd male lead.  I think I probably said "he's so flipping hot" every time Lee Soo Hyuk was on screen.  His attitude was also super fun, as he was so matter-of-fact and lazy.  I loved the developing relationship between him and his crazy stalker little sister.  I also love how the siblings names were Duk Bong and Duk Shim.  I did love Soo Ae and Kim Young Kwang too.  I liked how ridiculously their relationship grew, fighting and being "family" then finally getting to be a couple, they were just also all melodramatic at times.  really, the worst part is that everything was so dramatic, with his gangster past, and trying to protect the mother's land, and then it all gets solved so quickly.  I guess the gangster part didn't, but once the second male lead decided to not be selfish any more then everything was magically solved.  It was lamely amazing.  Why didn't they just all work together in the first place?  Huh?  Haha, so not the best, but it was still enjoyable enough, plus lots of hot men and strong women, so win?

229. Go Ho's Starry Night 고호의 별이 빛나는 밤에 (2016) Korean

Kwon Yuri, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Ji Hoon, Shin Jae Ha

Drama Rating: 7/10     Neck Score: A+

Nothing like a web drama full of fluff when you want the feels.  This was a particularly good web drama too.  The right amount of good characters with good development, oh and sexy men.  I loved Go Ho's personality, and she stayed consistent the whole time... well it's really short too, but even then inconsistencies happen.  I also really liked how every man she met and rated was deeper than she thought.  Her ratings for each man changed as she got to know them better and her perceptions of them changed.  She initially thought that they were all as she first saw them, so the character development was in her, but they were also willing to improve themselves too.  The humor was really nice too, it was quirky and also relatable, since Go Ho was a more real type girl who didn't hide her realistic struggles and be confused by all the different men who are attracting her attention.  She just admits it when she is attracted to them too.  But I especially love is how well then played up those hilarious attraction scenes with Kim Young Kwang.  The scene where he rolls up his sleeves and purposefully shows off his forearms... rawr.  Also, the jar opening scene when she is crazily attracted to him just because he opens the jam jar for her.  That's real life.  Kim Young Kwang's hands are sooooo fine.  I like stories where people learn things, and I feel like everyone learns something in this one, all of them coming out as better people, even if only slightly.  I like how they are each willing to improve themselves, and take the constructive criticism, etc.  anyway, it's a cute show and full of hot men, so yes.

More Men Who Make Me Watch Drama Against My Will: Hot Bods Edition

Smiles aren't the only thing that make me watch dramas.  Sometimes I'm a lot more superficial and I watch a show just because I know that there will probably be a shirtless or brooding shower scene, and that actor has a hot body.  This just might be the most shallow post I ever will write, but you all know you've got your own list of hot bods.  Also, who wouldn't appreciate this list, because... yes.

Sometimes those shows are awesome, and it's not a problem at all that I started it out just for that one actor and how well he takes care of his body.  But sometimes, pleasure is mixed with regret as I wonder if that one shower scene was worth the 16+ episodes of crap.  That's a slippery slope, we won't go there, we'll just remember the minutes of shirtlessness, flexed arm muscles, and chocolate abs.

I think I Related With Every Character: Plus Nine Boys

I am super impressed with this show already.  It has that relate-able feel to it, kind of how I felt while watching Reply 97 or 94.  Four boys/men who have a butt load of crap hit them at once.  So relate-able.  Seriously.  It's like a painful comedy, but not the sort of painful that makes you want to stop watching, cringe, or anything like that.  It's the sort that makes you want to keep watching because you want the best for all the characters.

We have three brothers and an uncle, whose ages are 9, 19, 29, and 39.

128. Pinocchio 피노키오 (2014) Korean

Lee Jong Suk, Park Shin Hye, Kim Young Kwang, Lee Yu Bi

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A

What a consistently good drama!  I was blown away by Park Shin Hye, who I typically think is just ok or even blah, but she was so good in this one and had amazing chemistry with Lee Jong Suk.  Hurray for them.  What I liked about the show the most (at the moment) was that the characters developed well and the plot developed well.  It was very well written in the fact that we got hints of what was going down from the beginning and there wasn't a sudden change in direction, any dragginess, or any real ridiculousness.  I'm not saying it was perfect, but it was solid and I respect that.  The ending was super delightful.  It was paced well and tied all the loose ends well, and just left you with a smile.  That's how they are supposed to end, even if the must use a time jump, so long as it's not a dumb one or a "can only fix the problem with a time jump" type deal.  I liked it.  The only thing I wanted to know was how long Hyung has to stay in jail for.  That's the only thing I missed or they didn't tie up, but I guess it's not that important (only it is, because I loved Hyung).

113. Plus Nine Boys 아홉수 소년 (2014) Korean

Kim Young Kwang, Oh Jung Se, Yook Sung Jae, Choi Ro Woon, Kyung Soo Jin, Yoo Da In

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A

So painful, funny, and sweet.  Painful because it is so relatable.  It's the story of four boys facing what could be the worst year of their life.  There is a superstition that the years ending in 9 are bad luck years, and in this family all four boys are in their something-ninth year, from the 39 year old uncle to the 9 year old youngest son.  We've all had those times when everything seems to be going wrong.  I said it before, but I honestly just related with every character, so it was super painful and emotional to watch at times, but then it was also super cute and funny.  I thought the ending was a little too nice in some aspects, but as it is also a lot of open ends, you can't say that it is not also realistic.  Also, that kid.  Choi Ro Woon is amazing.  Acting like a kid who can't act!  Mind blowingly good.  Also he made me cry at the end.  Seriously this kid!  I loved him the most maybe (and I seriously like all the actors in this show).  Not sure why it was only 14 episodes, but I don't feel like it was rushed or anything, so that's cool.  16 might have dragged, so maybe it was a good thing.  Anyways, I liked it, even if it made my heart hurt  for these boys in their awkward, unlucky year.

30. Can We Get Married? 우리가 결혼할 수 있을까 (2013) Korean

Sung Joon, Jung So Min, Lee Mi Sook, Kim Young Kwang, Han Groo

Drama Rating: 5/10      Neck Score: A-

I watched this for Sung Joon, the little bro from Lie to Me, and came out thoroughly impressed by Lee Mi Sook, who was the mom in Love Rain.  Such completely different characters and both played so well (she does this every time as I saw when I watched Lee Soon Shin).  This had enough plot and characters/couples to justify it being a 50 episode family drama, but thankfully it was not.  It's about a single mom with two daughters and a single younger sister who is trying to keep them all happy.  She's tacky, assertive, loud and fast talking, and I love her.  Especially when she talks to the stuffed animals that her daughter's ex-boyfriend gives her vs the one her perspective son-in-law gives her- beating up one and loving the other.  There is a lot of mom drama, which is a bit annoying, but also a lot of different love stories.  The aunt falling in love with motorcycles (and maybe a biker), the older sister leaving her douchey husband, the younger sister working out the kinks so she can get married, the best friend having constant fights with her boyfriend and maybe getting a crush on her friend's fiance.  Yeah, lots of drama.  I still didn't like Jung So Min.  Didn't like her in playful kiss, still not my favorite in this.  But with Sung Joon and Kim Young Kwang there are plenty of necks to love.

10. Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게 (2011-2012) Korean

Ji Chang Wook, Wang Ji Hye, Kim Young Kwang

Drama Rating: 1.5/10     Neck Score: B

I didn't finish this one.  There is a good chance I wont ever.  The.mom.is.literally.insane.  Seriously.  She's not just an evil mom in the typical sense, she is also certifiably insane.  I went through all this heartbreaking as kids crap and then I had to deal with it again when they were older. The moment the mom came to a full realization of what was going on and made her cray cray face, that was it.  I had to stop.  But all the mens in it are so sweet and good looking.  What might make me come back, despite by better judgement, is Kwang Soo Oppa.  His part isn't big enough to really justify this, but we all do crazy things for our oppas.

9. Love Rain 사랑비 (2012) Korean

Jang Geun Suk, Yoona, Seo In Guk, Kim Young Kwang

Drama Rating: 2.5/10     Neck Score: A

Watched this for Jang Geun Suk, fell in love with Seo In Guk.  Also, Yoona must have not liked Jang Geun Suk cause zero chemistry from her side, while plenty from his.  I used to think she just couldn't act, but later shows have proved me wrong.  She had way more chemistry with Lee Beom Soo (eyebrow raise?)  Two love stories: Parents and Kids.  Draggy, draggy, draggy.  The first few episodes were the parents, in the late 70s/early 80s.  Sweet, but tragic.  Chemistry between Jang Geun Suk and Yoona was fine.  Modern kids love story- hate each other at first, fine.  After they fall in love, suddenly no chemistry on her side.  Weird.  Then there are like 8 episodes of the same thing- repeated noble idiocy on both the parents' and childrens' sides, lots of moping- "I love you but we're going to be siblings!" "We can't be together cause our kids love each other!" etc.  Seo In Guk is awesome in both the past and present.