Korean Movie Night: Hyung, aka My Annoying Brother, 형 (2016) Korean

Jo Jung Suk, Do Kyung Soo, Park Shin Hye

Movie rating: 8/10     Neck score: A

Can I just say that the genres assigned to Korean movies are all lies?  They say it's a comedy, and then you're crying by the end.  Such liars!  Well, I guess that's why this one is labelled a comedy drama, which seems like a walking contradiction, but trust me, it does it and does it well.  The situation itself is both comedic and sad, as it is about a conman (Jo Jung Suk) who uses his younger brother's sudden blindness as an excuse to get out on parole.  To make matters worse, his younger brother (Do Kyung Soo) was a judo athlete training for the Olympics when the injury happened.  Talk about depressing right there, but then there is the conman comedic element that makes it also weirdly funny.  It's just a mix of lots of emotions.  Plus you have some of my favorite actors.  I have always had nothing but praise for both of these boys, and their brotherly chemistry is the best.  Bromance between real brothers is the best.  I love seeing families coming together.  I was super impressed with Kyung Soo's ability to act blind.  I believed it.  I also loved how they look enough alike to be half brothers.   They were just great.  Park Shin Hye was... okay.  Like usual.  I liked the pace of the story, as well as the comedy.  The timing was pretty great.  Then the emotions!  Wah!  So many emotions!  All the emotions in the world!  I think I might have felt them all!  Haha, maybe an exaggeration, but hey, I am obsessed with these boys.  Jo Jung Suk makes me feel things.  It was definitely a good one that I would recommend watching, especially if you happen to love these boys as much as I do.

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).

60. The Heirs 왕관을 쓰려는 자, 그 무게를 견뎌라 – 상속자들 (2013) Korean

Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye, Kim Woo Bim, Choi Jin Hyuk, Kang Min Hyuk, Kim Ji Won, Krystal Jung

Drama Rating: 5/10     Neck Score: A

The most over hyped drama of all time.  Supposed to be the next Boys Over Flowers.  Well... I guess it was similar.  Only I thought it was a bit more tolerable, but maybe that was because of Kim Woo Bin.  Even when he was being a complete bully bad boy, with no seeming redeeming qualities, man I was so attracted to him.  Yes, this show has lots of eye candy, but it's also ridiculous and stupid, and overly dramatic.  Hated the main characters.  Loved the side characters.  Seriously, Lee Min Ho was a creeper stalker overbearing type.  Park Shin Hye was the same character she always plays.  Kim Woo Bin... hot, sexy, funny bad boy that I shouldn't like but did.  Choi Jin Hyuk, sexy but not in it enough to justify anything.  Kang Min Hyuk... the one who tipped the scale and made me actually give in and watch it... was adorable.  Like always he was the best.  He and Krystal are like the best high school couple ever.  They made the show (along with Woo Bin's sexiness).  So... Lee Min Ho... not passable as a high schooler and wore the worst sweaters ever.  Those turtlenecks made me want to scream and the pink fluffy thing.... no.  Also, his character was dumb.  No sympathy for him at all.  But I did also love the momance between the two moms.  Lee Min Ho's mistress mom and Park Shin Hye's dumb (as in can't speak) housekeeper mom.  They had such a great love/hate relationship.  It could have been worse, but it dragged on and was boring and I already knew that she wouldn't end up with Kim Woo Bin like I really didn't want her to because I wanted him for myself.  It's tolerable, and having watched it has made it possible to make fun of it and get all the references to it in later dramas (like the one in Love From Another Star that had me waking my roomies up because of my laughter).  Don't regret it, but didn't love it.

57. Heartstrings 넌 내게 반했어 (2011) Korean

Park Shin Hye, Jung Yong Hwa, Song Chang Eui, So Yi Hyun, Kang Min Hyuk, Woori

Drama Rating: 3.5/10     Neck Score: A

This one actually ruined Jung Yong Hwa for me.  I liked him in You Are Beautiful, but this one was so lame.  Boo.  What happened to that chemistry?  How come now that you are actually opposite to Park Shin Hye there is suddenly no chemistry?  It was written very badly.  He obsessed for the teacher for so long and then all the sudden he was over it and chasing the girl.  Nope, that doesn't happen.  Also her character was so awkward and his was so buttheaded that there was no chance for any chemistry to be shown.  The plot was dumb, like most plots centered around a musical are, and really not compelling.  But there were some good points.  CNBLUE basically doing the OST for it (also an OST by Lee Hong Ki- yes!) and Kang Min Hyuk.  He was soooooo adorable in this.  Playing the drummer in Yong Hwa's band (when he is the actual drummer in CNBLUE).  He was the only thing that kept me going in this because Park Shin Hye's acting is awkward in this... too awkward- was it the director? writing? and is a weak singer at best, and Yong Hwa's character was written so badly.  Basically this one was dumb, but Min Hyuk was cute.  Then, because he wormed his way into my heart, I had to go and watch The Heirs later.... Kang Min Hyuk!!!!!!! What did you do to me!?!?!?!?!

36. Flower Boy Next Door 이웃집 꽃미남 (2013) Korean

Park Shin Hye, Yoon Si Yoon, Kim Ji Hoon, Park Soo Jin

Drama Rating: 7/10      Neck Score: A

This is the one where I was "He doesn't look very cute" about some of the promo posters, and then the instant that I saw Yoon Si Yoon on screen I had like that cartoon hearts in my eyes moment.  I don't love the cute style of boys, but I do like them a bit.  But I especially love Yoon Si Yoon.  Also, this is the third of the Flower Boy series and it too has four really hot flower boys surrounding the normal girl.  They all live next door to her.  Two right next door, one across the hall, and one in the build right across where the windows face each other, close enough to see into each other's houses.  This one is about a recluse girl who has some kind of PTSD type deal that turns her into a recluse, to the point where she doesn't talk to people, hates door bells/knocking, and leaving her apartment in general.  She does like watching the handsome boy who lives in the across building.  One of the boys next door loves her, but doesn't try super hard to disturb her.  He's the watchy other guy type.  Then Enrique (Yoon Si Yoon), moves into the across building, notices that they're being watches, and confronts her, doing everything she hates.  Ringing the doorbell, banging on her door, shouting, and demanding interaction.  After the misunderstanding is cleared up, he decides to befriend her, forcing her out of her recluse habits.  Basically Enrique is a polar opposite: ball of energy, friendly, nosy, loud, and super fast talking sunny disposition.  He's adorable.  Also, he loves scarves.  Probably cause  it's winter and he's supposed to be from Spain.  He speaks pretty good Spanish.  Anyways, it's super funny too, although the writing on this one isn't as good, it's still super enjoyable.  It's upbeat and cheerful to watch.  Also, love the side romance in this one way more than in the other ones.

3. You Are Beautiful 미남이시네요 (2009) Korean

Park Shin Hye, Jang Geun Suk, Lee Hong Ki, Jang Yong Hwa

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A

Hong Sisters save drama for me!  This one is delightful, ridiculous, but really fun to watch.  It also has lots of attractive boys in it, so it was just what I needed after the last drama I watched.  Nun dresses as her twin brother to join a kpop boy band?  Yes, please.  As girls dressed as guys go, this one is probably one of the funnier.  Also, super props go to both Jang Geun Suk and Lee Hong Ki for playing their parts so delightfully well.  This one is fluffy, but a good kinda fluffy.