Drama Review: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (???????)

Senin, 16 Januari 2017

Do not let that title mislead you. The title may sound something out of a fairy tale but there's no magical element here but a feisty protagonist who goes out of her way to pursue her gold medal dreams and finding love at the same time. 

Kim Bok Joo (starring Lee Sung-kyung) is a college athlete major in weightlifting. Living with her father and uncle who run a chicken restaurant together, Bok Joo's life is simple and although she feels well-loved by her family and friends, she is actually a shy girl and hides her insecurities behind her strong exterior. 

Jung Joon-hyung (starring Nam Joo-hyuk) is childhood friends with Bok Joo. He is a talented swimmer but his traumatic past haunts him. As a result, his confidence dips and it is through Bok Joo's encouragements that he begins to find his dreams again. Joon-hyung's ex-girlfriend, Song Shi-ho (starring Kyung Soo-jin) is a supporting role portraying as an overachiever rhythmic gymnast. Although she has broken up with Joon-hyung, she wants him back while juggling to uphold her position as a top-class gymnast. 

Bok Joo has finally met Jung Jae-yi (starring Lee Jae-yoon), a guy she likes but alas he is an obesity doctor. While Bok Joo is encouraged to put on weight by her coach for her upcoming tournaments, she is also trying to lose weight through Jae-yi's consultations so she could see him and impress him. But Jae-yi treats her merely as a friend, and it is also at this time that Bok Joo begins to realise that he is also Joon-hyung's cousin.

(Joon-hyung and Bok Joo) 

This is a great coming-of-age story, filled with inspirations and dreams. It also show cast what a sportsman's life is and what it takes to attain their goals. There are both funny moments and sad moments, and what I enjoyed most is seeing each character faces their challenges and how the process has changed them and mould them into a better person. Cheesy or not, such scenes never fail to move me and in the end I found myself rooting for them and cheering them on. I also like the sweet moments between Bok Joo and Joon-hyung; their relationship reminds me how lovely it is to be young and carefree. Oh, those were the days.

� 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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Drama Review: Sweet Stranger and Me (???????)

Sabtu, 17 Desember 2016

Also known as Man Living at My House, this drama is a story about family, first love and finding one's loss. 

Hong Na-Ri (starring Soo Ae) works as a flight attendant. Her mother passed three years ago, leaving her a land and she's been living all on her own with no other family members except her uncle, whom she rarely contact. 

As a city girl and with a job which requires frequent travel, she only returns to her rural hometown to visit her mother's grave during her death anniversary. That day is no different, except she spots a young man at her mother's grave, who later introduces himself as Go Nan-gil (starring Kim Young-kwang). He also informs her that he married her mother a few years back and that the land is his after his wife's passing. Thinking that he conned her mother into marriage and the land, Na-Ri decides to move into the countryside house and find out more about this man who claimed he is her stepfather. 

Go Nan-gil, on the other hand, is someone more than he claimed. He definitely has an agenda but no one has to know that, and of course he has every reason to do so. As the story progresses, we see a new side of Nan-gil and his past, as well as his relationship with Na-Ri. I'd my doubts about Nan-gil initially, but I knew my impression on him wouldn't lean towards the negative considering his honest attitude towards his customers being a dumpling restaurant owner and how he genuinely acts towards Na-Ri whenever she encounters some problems. 

Their relationship is further complicated by an entrepreneur who has been eyeing for their land for ages; and on top of it his estranged son, Kwon Deuk-bong (starring Lee Soo-hyuk) is interested in Na-Ri and he will do everything to fight the battles for her, even if he has stopped practising law for a while. 

Sweet Stranger and Me is a perfect drama for audiences who go for the romance genre; and even though there is some intensity regarding the land disputes they are considered mild in my opinion. I think female audiences would be wowed by Nan-gil's charismatic character because he portrays quite an alpha bad boy image but yet he isn't entirely one to speak of due to his simple mannerism. Overall it was a sweet romantic comedy and a great distraction to me considering I've been reading a few thrillers lately. 

� 2016 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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Drama Review: Moonlight Drawn by Clouds (aka Love in the Moonlight) (????? )

Rabu, 19 Oktober 2016

Based on a five-part series novel of the same name and with the time period set in the 19th century during the Joseon Dynasty, this drama tells a coming-of-age story between a young Crown Prince and a girl who disguised as a young man due to her family matters involving the nation's politics. 

19-year-old Crown Prince Lee Yeong (starring Park Bo-gum) has never been interested in the nation's affairs and what's happening in the palace; his cold and aloof attitude is most commonly known to all minister officials and court servants especially after the passing of his mother, the late Queen Yoon. 

Hong Ra-on (starring Kim Yoo-jung) is a 18-year-old girl who earns her living by doing some street performing and writing love letters on behalf of her mostly men clients. Her mother has abandoned her since young for her security purposes (this issue will come to light as the story progresses) and she has little memories of her father who had left home years ago. 

A chance encounter with the Crown Prince has set her heart race for a different reason, for she has mistook him as the lover of one of her male clients, in which is a misunderstanding as from the other end the Crown Prince is trying to find out who is fervently writing love letters to his younger sister, Princess Myung-eun. The next time when Ra-on encounters the Crown Prince, she has became one of the eunuchs in the palace due to an unfortunate incident and their destiny begins from there.

This drama appealed to me on many levels and the main attraction to me is the differences between the Crown Prince and Ra-on not only of their positions but also the disguised gender when Ra-on first met him. Since this is also a story about power and greed, needless to say there are lots of conspiracies and backstabbing in the foreground but I have to say the highlights of this drama is the friendship and sacrifices of the two friends surrounding the Crown Prince and then of course, the forbidden love between the Crown Prince and Ra-on. 

I found myself warmed up to the character of the Crown Prince rather quickly despite his arrogance in the beginning; and of course it doesn't hurt to say he was very charismatic and an eye candy so to speak. Ra-on amazed me with her optimism and her outlooks in life despite several unfavourable circumstances but in the end she always managed to overcome them. I loved the ending but left me wondering about her (ambiguous) position.

(My novel box-set, which I have yet to read)
(??:???,??:???)

� 2016 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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Drama Review: Cunning Single Lady (????????) | Blogiversary

Selasa, 12 Juli 2016

Unlike the title suggests, Cunning Single Lady isn't about the heroine who is out to seduce men but is more of a story about romance, friendship, and rekindled relationship between a husband and wife. 

Ae-Ra (starring Lee Min-Jung), our heroine, works in a family restaurant where she meets university student, Jung-Woo (Joo Sang-Wook). They fell in love and eventually got married. However, Ae-Ra isn't pleased that Jung-Woo quit his job to start his own business. She fought with Jung-Woo over this issue for countless times until she decided for a divorce. 

After they have separated, Ae-Ra struggles with her life while Jung-Woo eventually becomes a successful IT entrepreneur. They met again in his company in which Ae-Ra works as an administrative intern in which she hopes to gain back his recognition and sees her as a different person but Jung-Woo isn't fazed by her until a fellow intern begins to show interest in Ae-Ra. 

Gook Seung Hyun (starring Seo Kang Joon) may be eight years Ae-Ra junior but he is attracted by her direct approach in life and work itself. No one knows he is also younger brother of the IT firm's director, Gook Yeo Jin (starring Kim Kyu Ri). Yeo Jin is traumatised by an accident which caused the death of her fianc� but she begins to find hope in life after knowing Jung-Woo.

(Seo Kang Joon as Gook Seung Hyun)

I didn't expect much from this drama initially; truth be told the title doesn't really sound appealing, right? Honestly, I was intrigued by this drama due to actor, Seo Kang Joon, who acted in The Cheese in the Trap and well, let's say his role there caught my attention. Like Cheese in the Trap, Seung Hyun's love for a woman is one-sided and once again I couldn't help but to feel sorry for him (No, this isn't a spoiler for Cheese in the Trap.) 

I liked how this drama focus on the difficulties between a couple (especially married couple) and what it takes to overcome obstacles through mutual respect, understanding and lots and lots of communications. Jung-Woo may feel jealous of Seung Hyun's attraction for Ae-Ra but ultimately it is his own heart that portrays his true self towards Ae-Ra. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this drama towards the end; my heart was torn between Jung-Woo and Seung Hyun as although I wanted the couple to rekindle their relationship, I also want Seung Hyun to have his love reciprocated. Ultimately, what most matters is I enjoyed this drama and I found myself searching for more dramas starring Seo Kang Joon. I will be watching Splendid Politics (aka Hwajung) next and this time around it is a historical drama set during the Joseon Dynasty period, with a rage of political battles and of course, romance.

---

(Pic Image credit to Pixabay)

Last week was my 10th year blogiversary and once again, I was amazed how fast time has flown by and that I am still around in this blogging community (there was a time I stopped blogging for a year and I thought it was the end of it.) Like many fellow bookbloggers, my reason for this blog is to share my love for books and also that through this exchange, we get to share our views of the books we read and most of all, to diversify our reading not only in genres but in other cultures, too. 

To my bookblogging friends and regular readers, thank you so much for following my blog all these years! And to readers who are new to this blog, a Big welcome to you and I hope you will enjoy reading my blog. 

I shall end this post with a few great quotes about books and reading:

Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light. ~ Vera Nazarian 

I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense. ~ Harold Kushner

If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking. ~ Haruki Murakami 

There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all. ~ Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 

A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it. ~ Edward P. Morgan 

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Drama Review: Cheese in the Trap (???? )

Selasa, 28 Juni 2016

 

Based on a webtoon of the same name, Cheese in the Trap is a romantic comedy featuring the relationship and the university days of lead characters, Hong Seol (starring Kim Go-eun) and her senior, Yoo Jung (Park Hae-jin), as well as a few other characters surrounding them. 

Hong Seol is a diligent girl who works hard not only for her studies but for her family, too. Although her family opens an eatery shop, life is not a bed of roses and she does part-time jobs to make ends meet. During a students' gathering, she met Yoo Jung, who is a senior but their encounter didn't leave a good impression on each other. Yoo Jung is everything Hong Seol isn't; he is good-looking, excel in his studies as well as athletics and most of all, he comes from a wealthy family.

Despite their differences and their opinions of each other, they later became friends and then finally a couple. Many of their friends do not understand why Yoo Jung will fall for Hong Seol, including Hong Seol herself but she is positive that their relationship will work and that most importantly she does like him. However, Yoo Jung doesn't seem as what he looks for he has a dark side with people who hold grudges against him.

Cheese in the Trap may be a romantic comedy but personally I felt it was more of a character study. Needless to say, Yoo Jung is one of them but we also get more than a glimpse of other supporting characters' behaviours when they are tossed with certain circumstances. Jealousy, rivalry competition, envy is amongst the most common emotional traits we see in this drama. But that is not all, there was also the sentiments portrayed by secondary character, Baek In-ho (starring Seo Kang Joo), who has fallen for Hong Seol despite she and Yoo Jung are together. In-ho and his elder sister, Baek In-ha (starring Lee Sung Kyung) are long time friends of Yoo Jung, but there is a (bad) history between them and viewers would come to know how their relationship came about as the story progresses. 

Speaking of In-ho, he is the character I loved most in this drama. Used to be a childhood friend of Yoo Jung, he has dreams of becoming a pianist but a fight damaged his hand. Even after recovery, he has lost hope in pursuing his dreams; and Hong Seol (whom he fondly called her "Dog Fur" because of the mass of her hair) was the one who encourages him. In-ho is also the only character whom I felt changes the most from the beginning till the end. I liked the way he was towards Hong Seol - warm, caring and protective.

Yoo Jung, on the other hand, is a guy whom you will like initially but his "hot and cold" behaviours will mess with your mind. Apparently, he had some issues when he was a teenager but I'm not going to delve into that. I had some doubts about him all the while while watching this drama; that is, is he really true towards Hong Seol?  

And that ending... I wished I'm able to discuss it with someone. (Well, if you've watched it, do share your views with me via email.) I'm currently watching Cunning Single Lady, an older drama (2014) starring Seo Kang Joo (again). His character here is a rich, easygoing guy who has fallen for a colleague - a divorcee and an older woman who is eight years his senior. 

(All pic images credit to Google Images and KDrama Stars)

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