134. Boarding House 24 하숙 24번지 (2014) Korean

Kim Kwang Kyu, Park Se Mi, Ken, Kim Dong Joon, Im Hyun Tae,  Kim Sa Eun, Min Do Hee, Jo Hyun Young

Drama Rating: 5/10     Neck Score: A

So, that was cutely weird.  Also a bit annoying.  It had potential that was wasted, especially where writing is concerned and being an idol sitcom didn't always have the best acting, but was sincerely cute at least.  Once again the last episode left so much to be desired.  They got the couples I wanted together, mostly, but not really enough to actually satisfy anyone.  I don't see the purpose of those time jumps!  I have no idea why they thought it would be a good idea to suddenly have it be a year later, even if they were setting that up in the beginning.  Give me a better reason than that, because it sucked.  Anyways, can I say something about Im Hyun Tae, aka High Top?  I wrote a whole post about him actually.  Basically he was the best, and I really like his group Bigflo too.  Especially him.  He was one of the peeps that saved the show for me.  I liked everyone, but some of the story-lines were just not doing it for me, such as wasting their time with a love triangle when they should have given more time to the love line or square that they dropped to leave that couple only with hints at maybe someday getting together, but maybe not.  Hope is not enough, writers, you had one job and copped out on the last episode... not that your writing was that amazing anyway.  It's not like this was going to get extended or anything, so I don't know why you rushed through the ending in that randomly weird way.  Blah blah blah, same old story again.  Also, stop trying to trick people when the story is that predictable, cause lame.

62. Reply 1994 응답하라 1994 (2013) Korean

Go Ara, Jung Woo, Sung Dong Il, Lee Il Hwa, Yoo Yeon Seok, Kim Sung Kyun, Son Ho Jun, Baro, Min Do Hee

Drama Rating: 7/10     Neck Score: A+

OPPA!!!!!!!  I told you I fell in love with Jung Woo Oppa.  Now I am forever in love with him.  He was so perfect as Sseureki Oppa.  Seriously.  This is like not a prequel to Reply 1997, just another story in the same world and same set up.  Actually around the 1997 years in the sequence we have cameos from the 1997 cast and it's wonderful.  This one is about a boarding house in Seoul ran by a family from Masan (with the same exact parents as 1997) and all their lodgers are from different country provinces with a series of different dialects.  The big question is who is the husband.  However, banking on the popularity of 1997, they expanded this one.  Instead of 16 45 min long episodes, there are now 21 hour+ long episodes.  This is probably the shows only downfall.  It gets draggy.  The writing is less tight and they drag it out and try to trick you for so long, even when we already know who we want it to be.  I think some of the episodes are almost 2 hours long and that's just too long, even if you love the show.  I struggled with that part, but still loved the show.  It was still delightful, nostalgic, and had a great soundtrack that included original songs in the 94 style as well as Seo Taiji and the Boys, the ones who made Kpop what it is today and started the Kpop craze.   Oppa!!!!!!!  Ok. That will never get old.  I love Oppa.  Just like 1997 the whole cast is gold and you love everyone.  Go Ara is awesome too.  I was super impressed with her and how into the part she got.  She continues to impress me in You're All Surrounded.  I like her too.