412. Hospital Playlist 슬기로운 의사생활 (2020) Korean

Jo Jung Seok, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jung Kyoung Ho, Kim Dae Myung, Jeon Mi Do

Drama Rating: 9/10     Neck Score: A+

I don't love doctor dramas, but I loved this one. Because it was about the people and relationships way more than dramatic operations (although there are plenty of operations). But it's more about the day to day hospital life than the crazy dramatic stuff. But most of all it's about the people who work in the hospital, and not just the main ones, the whole ensemble.

I love good ensemble dramas where we have multiple main characters to care about and not just the OTP. Hospital Playlist was great in that respect, and I am super excited for next season. Even just watching the group of five friends hanging out, eating, and band practice without their dynamic with their other coworkers would be amazing. I could even watch a drama just focused on the moms and uncles. In fact, my main ship is Rosa and Jong Su's friendship. There was enough balance through the longer episodes for all the different story lines for all the characters. I also love that there was passage of time without there being huge gaps. It just flowed well.

Korean Movie Night: The Beauty Inside 뷰티 인사이드 (2015) Korean

Han Hyo Joo, Park Seo Joon, Juri Ueno, Lee Jin Wook, Lee Dong Wook, Go Ah Sung, Yoo Yeon Seok, Lee Dong Hwi 

Movie rating: 7/10     Neck score: A

It's hard to know who to put down as "starring" in this, besides Han Hyo Joo and Lee Dong Hwi, because there are tons of people who play Woo Jin, our main character, because this is a movie about a man who changes bodies every time he wakes up.  He doesn't just change his face, but who he is completely.  He can become a woman, a child, a grandmother, anyone, every time he wakes up.  So I've listed some of the people who played him during pivotal moments.  I didn't particularly like the actual love story plot as much as I loved the execution of the premise.  It was a very interesting concept in the fact that we never knew what Woo Jin used to look like, so everyone who played Woo Jin was Woo Jin.  So really there was no starring role beside Han Hyo Joo.  It was really good how each of them played him, because they were all him, but also had their own twist.  You could always tell it was Woo Jin, which was fantastic.  I also really liked how it dealt with the trauma it would have on the people around him.  He felt sorry for himself, but then he was forced to look at the effects it had on his mom, his friend, and his girlfriend.  It was very interesting, and also very awkward at times.  It just has some inherently awkward situations, like when he was a girl or a kid, or a grandma.  But I think even the awkwardness was handled well, so it became an interesting story, full of emotions and perspectives.  On the whole, it was good.

153. Warm and Cozy (aka Jeju Island Gatsby) 맨도롱 또똣 (2015) Korean

Yoo Yeon Seok, Kang So Ra, Lee Sung Jae, Kim Sung Oh

Drama Rating: 5/10     Neck Score: A

I was super disappointed in this drama.  I have raved about the Hong Sisters' dramas in the past, but really they aren't perfect and this might have been one of their worst written dramas.  They are good at the campy humor (such as the imaginations, etc.), the bathroom humor, and side couples, but plots are not their strong point and this show's plot was all over the place and sucky.  The male lead was all over the place and sucky too.  He couldn't be nice, consistent, honest or make up his mind for more than two seconds.  We wanted to like him, but all he did was frustrate us.  Like always, however, the side couples and characters were so much better.  I loved the black pearl couple.  I also loved the mayor.  He might be the best second male lead ever.  Kim Sung Oh is just an amazing actor and brought so much cute sincerity to the role.  Kang So Ra completely rocked the lead as well.  She is just great and I loved her, even when she was dumb and frustrating.  Yoo Yeon Seok actually did a great job with the stupid character he was given.  I think it would have been worse if it had been someone else who couldn't have brought that childishness to the role that made it slightly more forgivable.  As for the ending, this tweet just says it all:

MarlubsGD ‏@MarlubsGD  Jul 2
And then it ended in a gag fest. What the he-ack, cheesiness. Gaaaaag. #WarmAndCozy

67. Gu Family Book 구가의 서 (2013) Korean

Lee Seung Gi, Suzy, Choi Jin Hyuk, Yoo Yeon Seok, Sung Joon

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A

Not the best drama Seung Gi's ever done, but I liked it more than most people I talked to.  I know a lot of people were bothered by the ending, but I was fine with it.  Also it's pretty cheesy in spots, but oh well.  I also liked Seung Gi's high little pony tail, while others I spoke to did not... it's ok.  There is still Choi Jin Hyuk.  He is so hot in this.  This is probably my favorite role he has ever played.  When he was being the good little gumiho, he was adorable.  When he was being the bad 1000 year demon, he was so very sexy.  All he had to do was stand there and he was so sexy.  Rawr.  Also Sung Joon made the best derpy faces.  He was hilarious.  The bad guy was so very nasty that you hated him so much, but you are supposed to.  He's nasty.  Suzy was really good in it.  She made me completely forget how annoying she was in Big and think she is awesome, which she is.  Basically this is a silly but still great fusion/fantasy sageuk.  As fantasy sageuks go, Arang and the Magistrate is way better, but this one is still very enjoyable to watch, and has plenty of eye candy as well.  After all, Choi Jin Hyuk just stands there looking very sexy a lot.  Totally stole the show, really.

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.