“Why did my happiness disappear at once? Nobody answered. And nobody will answer.”

Korean drama TEN has to be the best crime series I’ve seen in a while. Dark and moody, it doesn’t shy away from the sort of horrific crimes that other shows are often too tame to depict. The first episode was an hour long special that felt like watching a movie. At first I was bored and I thought I had it all figured out, but of course I didn’t. The ending hit me hard, and I ended up in tears. Its been a long time since a drama or movie left me feeling so devastated. The drama is beautifully shot, with a wonderful OST and surprisingly good acting. I liked all the characters and wanted to know more of them. The second episode was more creepy than the first, but I still ended up heart broken and in tears.

Sadly as the episodes went on I lost that emotional connection with it. I still loved it, the crimes were still well thought out, the show was still beautiful to look at and the OST was still carefully chosen and always appropriate. But somehow the later episodes just didn’t connect like the first two. And the cracks began to show- mainly a problem a lot of these shows have, in setting up amazing characters and yet…never quite fleshing them out. Taunting viewers with snippets, bits and pieces, but never quite following up. Well, I lie. They shoved all the back story into the very last episode. Which was jarring to say the least. There were definitely some issues with pacing towards the end.

And I ended up feeling let down by Ji Hoon’s back story and the reason behind how he is. I loved his somewhat unstable nature- “the monster who hunts monsters”- and to see it all reduced to the classic cliché of well, you’ll see. I hate that cliché, or rather I hate the way it is used. I am now halfway through the last episode and can’t bring myself to finish it. I do still hope there is a second season though. This is one series very worthy of it. And maybe the characters will be better developed over time.

(Really, I just want something on the level of the first episode. That episode came very close to being perfect.)

Boku to Star no 99 Nichi was a drama I was looking forward to since I first heard about it. A beautiful star falls in love with her average joe bodyguard? Hell yeah! I love these kind of uninspired plot lines, if done well, and will never get tired of them. I finally got around watching to it and while I can’t say this drama is anything amazing, I still love it. I like that its just a cheesy, cliche riddled, predictable little rom com and its not trying to do anything more. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and its not ridiculously angsty,  and I hope it stays that way. Thus far, it’s a fun series to kill time with. The acting is overall OK, the music is gorgeous, and its pretty to look at. Plus it doesn’t seem to be dragging plot wise which is always appreciated.

What really makes this drama though are the wonderful characters. I admit to loving fried tofu quite a lot. I’ve only ever seen Sasaki Kuranosuke in the serious role of Hancho, and I admit I’m finding it hilarious to see him as Takanabe. What a nutcase, but he’s so harmless you can’t help but love him. I love his friendship with Kouhei (although its probably not a good thing they seem to have more chemistry together sometimes than either of them do with kim tae hee…). I love Kim Tae Hee here too. Not only is she looking gorgeous, but I find her character adorable, and I really admire her for obviously putting in so much effort to speak Japanese. I also like the way they work in the cultural differences- her cooking and making the food too hot, or not understanding certain words sometimes. I think they’ve handled it well. I find some of the side characters a bit of a plot device (the kids mostly) and wish that they didn’t spend so much time on them but its OK.

I could really ramble about this drama for a long time. I’m enjoying it, cliche’s and ridiculousness and all.

I don’t usually like to post about dramas while I’m watching them. It’s almost like I’m scared of jinxing it- I rave about how awesome it is, only for something to go wrong and suddenly its not quite as enjoyable. However I have to rave about this drama because currently airing Protect the Boss is so awesome. This show is nothing original, but its done very, very well. It takes a cliche premise and turns it into something thoughtful, clever, witty, funny, romantic, and in-touch-with-reality. There is a brilliant, sly sense of humor to the show- nothing slapstick or in your face but still it manages to be completely hilarious at times. I love all the characters- all of them. The things they do and say, and the way they react, are very human. There are no villains, not even the rich chaebol parents. The bitchy chaebol mothers are so harmless, and so amusing, that I find myself liking even them.

As for the main characters? Na Yoon may be proud and selfish, but she is also vulnerable. I liked her when I saw her crying in the bathroom, and then the ice cream scene? Where she is even shocked she would do such a thing? Priceless. I think she is endearing and I find myself rooting for her to end up with someone, even just a friend. (I actually hope that she and Eun Seol become friends.) Mu Won is ambitious, but at the same time he is not devoid of humanity- he is not cruel and he won’t take things too far. I’m fairly sure he’s been heavily influenced by his mothers own views too. I find him cute, although the fact that’s it Jaejoong may make me biased. Ji Heon is intelligent but doesn’t have the confidence, and is hindered by his condition. Mostly I love that he is not conceited- he knows that he has flaws, and that his money and background do not automatically make him better than others. And Eun Seol, oh Eun Seol. Such a strong heroine compared to our weak (and slightly pathetic) hero. I adore how even though she has two rich men after her, she’s not interested; she’d much rather keep the job she had worked so hard for, and live ordinarily. She is not about to give up her own dreams and ambitions easily. “I like myself” – how often do you hear a drama heroine utter such words?  Ji heons and Eun Seol’s friendship develops so naturally, and is so precious, that I cannot wait to see them become lovers and I can believe in their relationship. It helps that both Ji Sung and Choi Kang Hee are talented, experienced actors who express their characters flawlessly.

The family dynamics are also well done and one of the many things I find myself enjoying – from the immature moments between the chairman and his sister in law, to Ji Heon and Mu Won being childish and play fighting together, to the petty rivalry among them all (and the tough grandma keeping them under check).  The chaebol family are delightfully ordinary behind closed doors. Most of all I love the pacing of the show, how misunderstandings don’t get dragged out for episodes; people will sit down and they talk things out, or argue, even apologize and admit to their mistakes (I grinned like an idiot when Ji Heon’s dad apologised to his son for slapping him. And then when Ji Heon apologised to Eun Seol for grabbing her wrist and dragging her into the car. No hero ever does that and it always looks so painful ¬__¬)  Every thing about this drama is so wonderfully done, so natural and real. The only thing I could pick on is the bland OST- too little songs used too many times – but that’s just one tiny thing. This is truly such an enjoyable drama. I could go on and on about it tbh, I’ve already turned this into a ridiculously long post.

I am hoping desperately this drama stays this wonderful, and doesn’t become an overly melodramatic mess as it moves into its final episodes. Bring on Wednesday (and Thursday).

I don’t usually watch Korean dramas. I usually start Korean dramas (or Japanese or Taiwanese dramas) and then give up after the first episode, or maybe get a ‘whole’ 5 episodes into it. Very rarely do I start a drama and actually finish it. Recent examples of dramas I enjoyed so much I actually finished would be My country Calls, Hotaru no Hikaru 2 and the woman who still wants to marry. I also recently finished Secret Garden and I admit at one point I was pretty obsessive about this drama- more than others- I’d watch previews and read spoilers, watch the raw, watch the quick release sub, then watch it a third time with a better sub. The first few episodes of this drama were golden. OK, the episodes where Joo won and Ra im switched were golden; I haven’t laughed that hard in ages. However at some point I think this drama went from awesome to just OK for me. I realised around episode 10 that although I was having fun watching it, there was little point to it. Nothing was really happening and nothing really made sense. Around episode 15 (was it?) the excessive ridiculous melodrama hit and made me go “What?”. Then the last episode was so fluffy and adorable and I was grinning like a fool whilst also being like “What?”. Really, in the end this drama makes me conflicted. Some bits were so good and others were so ridiculous (and well, not-so-good). I don’t know what to feel about it! I understand the hype around this drama, for once I understand the hype. It wasn’t a waste of my time and I enjoyed this drama, and hey I finished it! The actors and actresses, all of them, made this drama  as well as the pretty cinematography and some of the script was damn awesome (coffee kiss anyone?). Not to mention the amazing OST. But I think its in some ways it was disappointing simply because it could have been so much more. It was fun whilst it lasted but I’m quickly forgetting all about it.

(Also Oska/Taesun fangirl here and may I just say I clung to that ship even when it had already sunk… around about the time when taesun was introduced T___T Taesun ended up being such a plot device, if that. T__T )