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365days365movies · 3 years

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May 4, 2021: The Host (2006) (Recap)

NO NOT THAT ONE

Stephanie Meyer goddamn sucks. I realize that I’m not exactly the first person to say that, but she’s terrible. Not only is she not a good writer, but she also has some very disparaging views about science fiction and its fans, which led her to make her own science fiction book and film. ANd yeah...it’s terrible! No surprise there.

So, no, not the 2013 critical and commercial flop known as The Host. No, this post is about 2006′s The Host, AKA Gwoemul, AKA 괴물. I haven’t ventured to far into the world of Korean cinema, and with this film, my repertoire includes only the films of director Bong Joon-Ho. And if that name sounds familiar...it should.

Bong Joon-ho DESERVEDLY made headlines last year when his film became the first non-English language film to win for Best Picture, and the first time Asian writers won for best screenplay! His Oscar speech in accepting best director is genuinely one of the best and most sincere speeches I’ve ever heard from a director, and I love the dude.

Oh, and if you’re wondering which film it was, then, like me, you also really need to watch Parasite. And because I’m terrified of spoilers, I’m not gonna look for GIFs of that movie. Instead, I’ll put in a GIF of one of my favorite sci-fi films, and the only other Bong Joon-ho film I’ve seen.

God, I love Snowpiercer. And if this is anything like that, I’m probably going to love this movie. Now, I don’t really know much about this film, other than the fact that it’s a monster film. And if there’s any science-fiction subgenre more iconic than monster films, I don’t know it. Well...OK, aliens, robots, and more, but monster films are still a big part of the genre. But where does that begin? Is it here?

Definitely an argument you can make, since Frankenstein’s Monster is a creation of science gone wrong, from the book to the movie. Fun fact, Mary Shelley based it on a real-world experiment by Italian physiologist Giovanni Aldini, who used a corpse to illustrate the connection between electricity and muscles. Neat, huh? So, yeah, that’s a solid launching point.

But that’s more of a horror story. What about something a little more monster-y? Well, from the UK to Japan we go!

OHHHHHH YEAH, THAT’S THE GOOD STUFF

Toho’s 1954 film Gojira is one of the most classic monster films ever made, and singlehandedly launched the kaiju genre in Japan. And it’s really well-known that it was made as a response to post-World War II tensions about nuclear warfare. Which, in Japan, is kind of understandable, no? But nothing demonstrated the destructive power of science more than that moment in history.

So, Godzilla arrives. And the US also makes more monster movies, most of which take place in contemporary settings, making many of them lo-fi sci-fi. Now, some dipped into horror or fantasy, but the science fiction roots were there. Which eventually would bring us full circle to films where monsters were made and go loose. You know, like this:

It’s a franchise that defines the ‘90s, and lab-grown monster movies exploded around that time as well. At the same time, environmental concerns REALLY started to build by this point, and those concerns leaked profusely into film all over the world. And by the time we get to 2006...well, let’s get into it, huh?

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap

In a mortuary, a U.S. military doctor (Scott Wilson) instructs his assistant (Brian Lee) to dump bottles of formaldehyde down the drain of the facility, which goes directly into the Han River. The assistant protests, but the doctor insists, despite the risk of polluting the river. AAAAAmericans.

In the river about two years later, two fisherman see something strange looking in the river. Then, four years later, in 2006, a suicidal man is about to jump into the river, when he sees something dark in the water below.

Later that year, we meet Park Hee-bong (Byun Hee-Bong) and his son Park Gang-du (Song Kang-ho), who run a food truck and snack bar near the river. Gang-du’s not exactly a hard worker, to his father’s chagrin. His daughter, Hyun-seo (Go Ah-sung), is a student who comes home from school, where her drunken uncle Nam-il (Park Hae-il) comes to her chagrin. She and her father watch TV, where his sister Nam-joo (Bar Doona) can be seen competing in archery.

As he’s bringing food out to customers, he joins them in observing something strange and massive hanging off of the bridge. And at this point, I would be running the fuck away. Literally, the news just said that there was a body found with the legs missing, and these people are throing cans at it after it plunges into the water. One girl asks if it’s a dolphin. Mother...HAVE YOU SEEN A DOLPHIN BEFORE?

NOT THIS

Yeah, this thing just comes bounding along the shore, slapping people into the water with its tail, and batting aside others. Doesn’t look like its actively killing anybody yet, but it’s definitely hurting people at least. That is, until it goes into a trailer where a bunch of people have gathered, and appears to eat a bunch of them. So, yeah, dangerous.

Gang-du, to his infinite credit, actually attempts to confront and hurt the creature, with the help of Donald White (David Joseph Anselmo). And it works, but at the cost of the creature aggro-ing onto him. Back at the snack truck, his sister’s lost the title, much to the chagrin of Gang-du’s daughter and father. She goes outside in frustration, only to be thrown into the midst of the chaos with her dad. He grabs a girls hand in the chaos, only to find that it’s a different child entirely. And...unfortunately...

The creature grabs her with its tail, and leaps back into the river, disappearing. Fuck. Poor Hyun-seo, and poor Gang-du. Gang-du IMMEDIATELY goes to get her back, jumping into the river, but the creature takes her across to an island, out of reach. That night, an impromptu funeral is held for the victims, at which Hyun-seo is being honored as well. There, both Gang-du’s sister and brother also attend, and all four of the break down dramatically and publicly.

Nam-il blames his brother for letting her die, which is unfair, but understandable. The family eventually calms down and discusses the circumstances of Hyun-Seo’s birth and death, both of which were accidental. As they do, a man in a protective suit comes out, and asks who was at the river incident. Nam-il protests this, and asks what’s going on. The man doesn’t explain, and the room is instead gassed, as everyone is ushered towards the entrance.

In the process, Gang-du (stupidly) reveals that he was hit by some blood splatter. He’s immediately stuffed in a bag and kidnapped by the authorities. Meanwhile, the news reveals that the creature is carrying a virus, and anyone who has been in contact with it has been infected. Because of this, the entire family is taken to a quarantine hospital, which oddly has very few actual quarantine procedures in place. And additionally, Gang-du is feeling a bit itchy.

That night, in the hospital, Gang-du gets a call on his cell phone! It’s Hyun-seo! She’s alive! And she’s trapped, in a sewer somewhere near the river. Meanwhile, a group of men in protectve suits are outside patrolling the river. One man finds money on the side of the road, and goes to pick it up, only for the men to be attacked by the creature. But it’s then that we discover that the creature is not killing or eating people, but simply taking them own to its lair. Also in said lair is Hyun-seo, trapped and with a now dead phone.

The next day, the family tries to get an officer to look into the call, only for the officer to be, frankly, an absolute piece of shit to this grieving family. Gang-du tries to explain, and his explanation is ENTIRELY RATIONAL, but the officer and doctors are absolutely terrible about it.

Because nobody’s listening, the family manages to escape from the hospital in order to try and save Hyun-Seo, and they hop into a van, taking it and running. This is a good place to mention that, despite this being a monster movie, it's also...weirly funny sometimes. Like, that whole scene is pretty great. After bartering with a group of gangsters for supplies (and after Hee-bong basically gives away all of his credit cards), the group manages to get a map and a new car. But they pretty quickly get stopped at a checkpoint into the city, and are nearly caught, but manage to escape and get to the riverfront. Once there, they begin searching the sewers to find Hyun-seo. And I gotta say; this may be an extremely dysfunctional family, but they’re a devoted family all the same.

Of course, that eventually gives way to arguments within the sewer itself, but that’s interrupted by a noise heard somewhere around them. They fire at it, using weapons obtained from the gangster but conclude that it was nothing. What it actually is is two brothers, older Se-jin (Lee Jae-eung) and younger Se-joo (Lee Dong-ho), homeless kids who are foraging the sewers in the abandoned city. But, of course, they eventually run into the creature, which attacks them. Meanwhile, an asleep Hyun-Seo dreams of dinner with her family, only to be woken up by the arrival of the creature, who deposits the bodies of the two boys in the sewer with her. Se-joo has survived, but Se-jin hasn’t, sadly.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family is gathered at their snack bar for the night, and prepares to set out or the morning. The to younger siblings appear to not give a single shit about Gang-du, but Hee-bong attempts to set them straight, talking about how he blames himself for the way Gang-du is now. However, the two just fall asleep during his speech. Poor Hee-bong. Also, he can apparently identify Gang-du’s health condition based on his farts because they spend so much time together, it’s dumb, and funny.

Also, poor the rest of them, because Gang-du wakes up to see the creature just waiting outside, watching them. Hee-bong fires at it, but the creature attacks and knocks over the bar. However, Hee-bong manages to hit it directly in the head, knocking it off, but not killing it. The family goes out to finish the job, but it runs away before they can kill it. They run after it, and are almost completely out of bullets. Hee-bong volunteers to go after it himself, but in the process...

Hee-bong doesn’t make it. The creature kills him, and the commotion attracts the military to their location. Gang-du is again captured, while Nam-il and Nam-joo escape, only to later be separated regardless. Meanwhile, the virus kills Donald White, the sergeant from earlier, and it continues to spread across Korea. To kill the creature, the government plans to release a chemical into the river called Agent Yellow, which feels...controversial.

Nam-il meats a colleague, “Fat Guevara” (Yam Pil-sung), who is easily able to provide a location for Hyun-seo using the number, which the cop earlier insisted was nearly impossible to do. Plus, both the sergeant and Gang-du encountered the creature together, and he seems to be just fine. Which probably means that something very wrong is happening now. Even worse, though, is the fact that Guevara’s appeared to trap Nam-il, as a massive reward is sought for his arrest. A gang of people surround hi, with the plan to capture him, but he VERY cleverly escapes by causing an electrical short, and AFTER having found Hyun-seo’s location! Nice, man! He takes off, now knowing exactly where his niece is.

Nam-joo, meanwhile, is literally living inside of the snack bar, and she gets a text from Nam-il with her location. He tags out, and she tags in, running to the location where the call came from. But she immediately runs into the creature, which knocks her down and unconscious. She manages to call Gang-du, who is currently about to be sedated. Now knowing where his daughter is, he tries to escape, only to be tackled by the doctors. He tells them where she is, but they don’t appear to listen. More importantly, the anesthetic doesn’t appear to work, much to the confusion of the doctors. Something is verrrrrrrry wrong here.

An American doctor (Paul Lazar) comes, and asks what’s wrong, and he tells him exactly what’s wrong. However, despite his words SEEMING to be heard, they once again call him crazy and delusional, and decide to give him a lobotomy to isolate the virus once and for all, like FUCKING ASSHOLES. Turns out that the virus? Yeah, it doesn’t exist whatsoever! It doesn’t exist even a little bit! Which means that this entire thing is a wild goddamn goose chase for a virus that DOESN’T FUCKING EXIST!!!

And the best thing is that Gang-du, despite not actually knowing English, still understands the words “no virus”, and know he fucking knows! However, because he knows, they now have to give him a lobotomy. Fuck me, man. Panicking, he cries for them to stop, and cries for his daughter, who’s still alive in the sewer.

Speaking of, Hyun-seo and Se-joo are bonding in the sewer, as they work to make a rope from things they find there. But in the process, they’re attacked by the creature, who know is actively eating the bodies, and presumably other people. Whoof. They manage to escape, but barely.

Back with Gang-du, who’s just gone through the lobotomy, which...hasn’t worked at all. Holy SHIT. Not sure what the hel is UP with this dude, but that’s a question in and of itself. He escapes by taking a nurse hostage, threatening them with a syringe of his blood, full of a virus that doesn’t exist!

Nam-il wakes up at the same time, not accompanied by a homeless man (Yoon Je-moon), who agrees to take him to the bridge to find Hyun-seo. In the sewer, the two kids have survived, and the creature appears to be asleep. Like a GODDAMN BOSS, she runs up the creatures back, and jumps onto a rope that she had made, and that was hanging far out of her reach. Unfortunately...the creature catches her with its tail. Fuck. It sets her down, and...lets her go? But as soon as she runs, it attacks bother her and Se-joo.

Just then, Gang-du gets to the lair, and uses the rope to climb down. Below him is a pile of bones, and no kids to be seen. The creature goes by, and Hyun-seo’s hand is dangling out of its mouth. And once again by coincidence, that’s when Nam-joo wakes up and reunites with her brother. The creature runs to the waterfront, only to be greeted by...a crowd? They’re gathered there to protest the release of the dangerous chemical into the river.

It all collides at once. The creature swims towards the crowd, Gang-du runs towards the creature, Agent Yellow is released over them both, causing the creature to faint. Gan-du runs up and grabs the bodies of his daughter and See-joo from its mouth, apparently too fucking late. Shit, man. This would’ve been avoided if they just HELPED him. Fuck. He carries her body away as more chemical is released onto the flailing creature, and the chemical causes everyone else in the area to violently hemorrhage as well. Meanwhile, Nam-il and Nam-joo arrive to see their deceased niece, grieving all over again. It’s...fuck, man, it sucks.

And Gang-du is fucking PISSED NOW. He grabs a street sign and attacks the injured creature, fueled by pure rage. Nam-il joins in with Molotov cocktails as it runs away. The homeless man douses it with gasoline, and that makes it easier for Nam-il to set it on fire...until he drops the bottle. And then, Nam-joo uses it to light an arrow on fire, hitting the creature with it, and setting it ablaze. It runs to the water, only for Gang-du to stab it through the head with the street sign, finally killing it in revenge for his father and his daughter. Fucking bad-ASS. And also quite tragic, given the circumstances.

And despite the tragedy, there is one happy circumstance: Se-joo lives! In fact, Hyun-seo died saving his life, like the real goddamn hero of this story that she is. Fuck. That’s terrible, but I’m happy that her sacrifice wasn’t in vain. From here, we fast-forward to the winter, where a clean-shaven and well-kept Gang-du is is now caring for Se-joo. The news is on in the background, but the two ignore it, happily eating together after the ordeal they’ve been through.

Whoof. That’s The Host, or Gwoemul! And yeah, that’s one hell of a movie, I tell you what. For a monster movie, it’s quite dramatic, and they don’t try to humanize the monster AT ALL. And honestly, I really like it! A Pyrrhic victory at the end, but nothing wrong with that! I’ll elaorate a bit in the review! See you there!

#the host 2005 #bong joon-ho #song kang-ho #byun hee-bong #park hae-il #bae doona #go ah-sung #gwoemul #괴물 #science fiction may #sci-fi may #user365 #365 movie challenge #365 movies 365 days #365 Days 365 Movies #365 movies a year #korean cinema

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xx-icons-xx · 1 year

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Drama: The Good Detective 2

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editsreveluv · 4 months

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rainydaywoes · 4 years

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Crash Landing on You: 5 North Korean Facts or Fiction?

Crash-landed in love with the inter-Korea romantic comedy, Crash Landing on You? Ever wondered how close the depiction of the South-Korean drama is to real-life under the North-Korean dictatorship? Wonder no more! Quench your curiosity as we explore 5 highlights of the drama that will make you exclaim – hurai ggajimala (take the frying pan off your head) – the North-Korean slang for “Don’t lie to me!”

Note: This article contains spoilers up to episode 13.

1. Defecting and accommodation censorship

Remember that nerve-wrecking scene when our leading lady, Yoon Se-Ri (Son Ye-Jin) was caught hiding in the kimchi storage during an accommodation censorship search? According to a North Korean defector, Kang Na-ra, these house searches were as common as a daily occurrence for houses near the borders. Having personally experienced it herself when she was defecting, Na-Ra added that her broker made her hide in the furnace fireplace. So yes, this is very much true!

However realistic the drama depicted of accommodation censorships, defecting from North-Korea is absolutely not as easy as stepping across a piece of wire that physical separates the two warring territories. Ask any North-Korean defectors of their arduous journey out of the authoritarian country and their heart-pounding accounts will have you on the edge of your seat. From paying up to thousands of dollars to brokers, hiding from constant vigilance to swimming across rivers while being shot by soldiers, each step of the defecting journey is fraught with the danger of losing their lives. Even after reaching South Korea, the defectors have to undergo a mandatory three-months long re-education at the settlement center, Hanawon (House of Unity).

I guess, since this is a rom-com K-drama after all, we can relent on this fantastical depiction and finally send our dearest heiress, Se-Ri, back to the South before she loses her beloved company!

2. Cars

Surely, we mustn’t forget to sprinkle in a (car) race-against-time scene for our leading man, Ri Jung-Hyeok (Hyun Bin), as he zooms off in a showy luxury vehicle with the famous traffic-stopping 729 car-plate to save Son Ye-Jin’s character during an accommodation censorship.

Foreign luxury cars are surprisingly not as uncommon as you would imagine in North Korea, albeit mainly seen in the capital, Pyongyang. According to a tour guide who frequently travels to the country, BMW’s, Mercedez Benz and the Audi, you name it, they have it. So this depiction of cars and traffic in the drama is true to a certain extent.

The more important question is – is this 729 car-plate number really as powerful as it seems? Instead of the number “729” which the drama adopts, car plates starting with “727” indeed receive the bows of traffic ladies and are granted with traffic-stopping access in North Korea. You must be wondering – why 727?? The number “727” represents the 27 July. To history buffs, does this date ring any bell? It’s the day that the Korean Armistice Agreement, which brought complete cessation of hostilities of the Korean war, was signed. And, for North Korea, this date represents the extremely important national holiday, the Victory Day. Hence, yes, I would count this as a realistic drama depiction of North Korean vehicles.

3. Division 11

The next puzzling question at the forefront of your mind that follows Jung-Hyeok’s heart-stopping revelation of Se-Ri as his fiancée must be – What in the world is Division 11??? Does it even exist in real life?

To save Se-Ri from the secret police, Jung Hyeok blurted out that the reason for Se-Ri’s lack of identification materials is because she belongs to the mysterious Division 11 – to which, the village ahjummas (aunties) responded with surprised gasps and muffled utterings amongst themselves. In the drama, Division 11 is a military unit of individuals who work undercover in South Korea. This fits perfectly into the plot as it accounts for Se-Ri’s uncommon hairstyle, dressing and most prominently, her Southern accent and slangs.

Unfortunately, the existence of Division 11 remains an unknown due to the lack of official documents. However, considering how one of the drama’s writers is a North-Korean defector with insider information on North Korean officials and their functions, there is room for valid suspicion that this division does indeed exist.

4. K-drama love

There are many reasons why Se-Ri was able to make it past the demilitarised zone, across the North-Korea border and into Jung-Hyeok’s house. Luck, determination, fate – whichever you choose. But if you’re a true fan of the drama, you have to agree that it was due to soldier Kim Joo Muk (Yoo Soo Bin)’s love for K-drama (and the tragic love story of Stairway to Heaven).

“No matter how far you go… Love returns.” Choi Ji Woo’s cameo brought tears in our (and Joo Muk’s) eyes as we recall the iconic scene of the wildly popular 2005 K-drama Stairway to Heaven. Too old a drama for your liking? For the North-Koreans, K-dramas are extremely hard to get access to. Believe it or not, some even risk their lives for this source of entertainment. North-Korean defectors shared that if the citizens were caught watching, they would face punishments such as hard labour, a jail term or even be shot to death. Despite such severity, there is still high demand for it. K-dramas are one of the limited windows through which North-Koreans peek through to understand life in the South that deviates from the national narrative by the dictatorship.

You must be wondering –how do North-Koreans go about getting their hands on such K-drama? Think the drama’s market merchant and her sneaky sale of foreign beauty products. North-Koreans usually buy illegally imported USB drivers with the K-drama saved in it from random ahjummas loitering around the marketplace.

The next time you complain about the slow buffering of your K-drama episodes, think of the risks and hardships North-Koreans have to go through just to get their hands on it.

5. Electricity cuts and train delays

Remember those satellite images of North Korea plunged into total darkness at night? That surprise by the Company Five soldiers at the constantly lit-up Seoul? True to the drama’s depiction, electricity is extremely rare in North-Korea and electricity cuts are merely constants of the everyday life. In fact, citizens receive electricity as rare as 2 hours a month! This irregular flow of electricity meant that there were generally no refrigerators and heating up an apartment with furnaces are the reality. A defector even pointed out that the scene of a village ahjumma riding the electric bicycle generator brought back precious memories and that almost every household had a similar machine to generate electricity during blackouts.

The inconveniences of the inconsistent electricity flow do not end there. The chaebol (conglomerate) heiress’ reaction to the ridiculous 14-hour train delay on the way to Pyongyang is one that most, if not all, Singaporeans who use the public transport can relate to. Surely this is false? Yes, this is indeed false. These delays not only last for merely 14-hours, but could go up to even a week! And the merchants that come running? They are known as the grasshopper merchants. Similar to what was depicted in the drama, these merchants sell daily essentials such as water, toothbrushes, soaps and food. An addition of the reality not reflected in the drama would be the ‘vinyl greenhouse’. Since train delays can last for a week or so, these ‘vinyl greenhouses’ provide warmth and accommodation for those willing to fork out the amount. Unfortunately for the citizens, train delays are considered a norm instead of a rarity and rage-tweeting or angered tagging of their train service providers on social media is certainly forbidden.

Although Crash Landing on You is based on unbelievable premises true to its genre of a fantasy rom-com K-drama, the drama’s depiction of life in North Korea presents its audience with a rare and largely accurate glimpse into the secretive life under the strict dictatorship. With its deviation from the usual representation of North Korea as a poor and harsh regime in the media, the simplicity of life and the relatability of the citizens portrayed bring about an unexplored and refreshing outlook on North Korea and its citizens. So, after reading these fact/fiction of Crash Landing on You how many times did you exclaim hurai ggajimala?

#cloy #crash landing on you #hyun bin #hyunbin #sonyejin #son ye jin #kdrama #north korea #south korea #rom-com

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theresetriestoblog · 4 years

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My Five Favorite Romantic K-Dramas (by a newbie)

I admit, I used to ~dislike~ Korean Dramas not just because it is too mainstream, but also each episode of every dramas run for at least an hour, and as someone who has a short attention span, I was totally not for it. I, too, did not expect that the Korean drama wave would affect me so much that I won't sleep until my question about an episode of the drama I was watching has been answered. As someone who has always been a fan of all things romance, these five k-dramas made me love the genre even more. *SPOILERS AHEAD*

1. WHAT'S WRONG WITH SECRETARY KIM (2018)

Plot:

This tells the story of a *really* handsome but self centered and narcissistic bujangnim - Vice Chairman Lee Young Joon (Park Seo Joon) who fell in love with his nine-year secretary Kim Mi So (Park Min Young) while stopping her from resigning.

What I like about this Drama:

- Its light ~aura~ (and Young Joon's Aura, of course). It is a feel good drama and is the best one to make your heart flutter. Young Joon is just super boyfriend material as he falls for Mi So everyday. I also like the fact that there are no antagonists and not much problems and obstacles were shown.

- THEIR CHEMISTRY. I honestly loved the chemistry between the two leads and I LOVED every scenes they have together, especially the ones in his office and in his house :P

- The supporting characters. Unlike other dramas who have an *official* second lead couples, this k drama also offers not one but two side couples who also started to find romance at the same time as the main leads. Secretary Yang's confession to Manager Bong is one of the most iconic confessions in k drama land, i must say.

- The office setting! This drama made me love workplace dramas because it also shows that you always start from the ground, especially in Miso's case.

- Its kilig factor. This drama loves to play with my heart as it keeps on pounding everytime Young Joon makes Mi So feel his love and vice versa. They portray a healthy, understanding and a lowkey relationship that is definitely relationship goals.

Favorite Scene/s:

- Young Joon's Proposal to Mi So. From the caramel bars to the song he prepared for her, I must say it is by far the best marriage proposal I have seen in a k drama. It is a heartfelt proposal that will make you fall in love as well!

- When Young Joon was drunk after drinking with Mi So's dad but managed to express how much he loves her. I cannot count how many times I rewatched this scene, you would also feel his sincerity even if he is drunk, but his drunkenness made him express how much she loves Mi So and that he is ready to spend the rest of his life with her.

- *Every Kissing Scenes* It was so sweet and gentle. How. Could. You. Not. Love. It. Especially their first kiss!!

- The first time Young Joon said I love you. It was when he was teasing Mi So about their *unfinished business*, he went from spicy to sweet when Mi So got annoyed with him for being such a ~bulldozer~ but he stopped by saying ~saranghaeyo~ instead.

- All of their scenes when they are already dating, actually.

2. ENCOUNTER (2018 - 2019)

Plot:

A Hotel CEO and Divorcee, Cha Soo Hyun (Song Hye Kyo) spends a day with a free spirited and ambitious guy, Kim Jin Hyuk (Park Bo Gum) in a business trip in Cuba who turns out to be a newly hired employee in her hotel in Korea. Their fateful encounter turned out to be an encounter of a lifetime.

What I like about this drama:

- Its heart fluttering moments. This drama is also the best in making my heart flutter. My heart beats everytime Jin Hyuk stands up for Soo Hyun whenever the kontrabidas in her life try to bring her down and whenever he expresses how much he loves her.

- The modern ~fairytale~ theme. Rich Girl falls inlove with a Poor Guy. Typical, right? But the fact that they fought for each other even if they have a different status in life, their love prevailed no matter how circumstances try to break them apart and they were willing to step to each other's world and leave everything behind is a magic we don't usually see in most fairytales.

- KIM. JIN. HYUK. The best boyfriend, ever. He has the most swoon worthy lines that you'd wish you'd hear from your siginificant other too (and make you want to have one). Not just that, he pursued Soo Hyun no matter what and gave no shit to the people who tell them they are from different worlds and must not be together, instead, he went on to take a step forward towards "the world she lives alone."

- The fact that Soo Hyun learned and eventually took control of her own life and stood firm on her own decisions when Kim Jun Hyuk came into his life just goes to show that she loves Jin Hyuk as much as he loves her. She also became stronger and learned to fight for what she wants!

- The Pilot Episode. It is undoubtedly my favorite pilot episode out of all the dramas Ive watched. It is a great introduction to the drama and it was just so magical, from the cinematography and emphasis on how important Cuba is on their love story.

- Park Bo Gum. He did great in portraying Kim Jin Hyuk, his acting is so convincing that you'd want him as your namjachinggu too. Not to mention that he makes what is supposed to be a sad scene only to a tearjerking one because of his crying face.

Favorite Scene/s:

- When Soo Hyun fearlessly announced that he and Jin Hyuk are in a Pre-Relationship stage.

- All their scenes together in Cuba. Especially when Soo Hyun found the letter Jin Hyuk left for him in the coffee shop and when they came back to the place they first met.

- The scene when they both agreed to be in a pre-relationship stage after he saw Soo Hyun in the museum they've been going too.

- That scene where Jin Hyuk told Soo Hyun she cant live without her anymore because "that would be impossible." I shed tears everytime I re-watch this scene, it was just so sincere.

- When Jin Hyuk attended the Masquerade ball he organized, much to Soo Hyun's surprise. *It is where they had their first kiss*

- When they had a date in a park where Jin Hyuk gave Soo Hyun a couple ring.

3. WEIGHTLIFTING FAIRY KIM BOK JOO (2016 - 2017)

Plot: Weightlifter Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) cross paths with his childhood friend, Jung Jun Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk), who is a swimmer in the university she attends to. Together, they discover what it is to love and to be loved and to face victories and failures. What I like about the drama: - The theme. I liked how it relied and revolved heavily on the sports theme and how important it was to their story. The fact that Jun Hyung does not always win in his competitions and Si Ho, who was once the best gymnast in their university but is not anymore is realistic, because we don't always win and succeed everytime, and its okay. - The lessons. The best thing this drama has taught me is its okay to take a break and even quit from the thing you were passionate about. There came a time when Bok Joo felt discouraged from everything that she had to take a break from weightlifting and started to do things she always wanted to do. - The Main leads. I could not have asked for a better casting. LSK fits Bok Joo perfectly and NJH is perfect for Jun Hyung. They have a pleasing and satisfying chemistry that you'd wish to see them work together (and date) again. - Its cute and light vibes. I am totally so into dramas with no antagonists and no stressful scenes. It is definitely what you need after watching a heavy drama. - Their love for each other. It was just so pure and healthy. Jun Hyung thought things over and made sure she is really in love with Bok Joo before confessing and waited till she felt the same way and same goes to Bok Joo who did not give false hopes to Jun Hyung and eventually realized that he makes her heart flutter too. They are relationship goals and make you want to find a boyfriend / girlfriend ASAP. - Their friendship. They were always there for each other, through thick and thin! Favorite Scene/s: - The protesting scene. When their coach got fired for using their department's fund for a student in need, Bok Joo felt the need for their voices to be heard, so they held a protest against the university's decision and also went on a hunger strike. Eventually, they were heard and got their coach back. - When they became official. It was one of the cutest becoming official scenes in kdramas i have watched, it was so real. - Their graduation. Especially when Jun Hyung was so sure of Bok Joo that he told her he will marry her when he makes it through the national team and wins a gold medal. - When Jun Hyung and Bok Joo talked things over in their dorm's lobby when she got Jealous of Si Ho, Jun Hyung had to calm her down and explain why he was like that. - When they went clubbing, specifically when they were on the dancefloor, their dance moves were SO hilarious. - All their scenes at the fish pond! - Actually, all of their scenes together.

4. CRASH LANDING ON YOU (2019 - 2020)

Plot: A South Korean chaebol, Yoon Se Ri (Son Ye Jin) crash lands into the North Korean DMZ, specifically into the arms of soldier Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok (Hyun Bin) after a paragliding accident. What I like about the drama: - Their meet cute. You would tell that their *first* meeting was a fresh concept and was unique. - The way it portrayed destiny. Out of all the k dramas that wanted to show how destined the main couples are, this drama is definitely on the top. It surely made every viewers believe in destiny. They were so destined for each other that it made you want to crash land(i) on someone too. - The filming locations. As a newbie, what makes me like a K Drama are the filming spots. And CLOY, being the extra drama that it always has been, surely never fails. The locations were not just for a beautiful backdrop but it really played important roles in their love story, especially in Switzerland. But as a foodie, my favorite would have to be the chicken and beer shop in Seoul that Se Ri, Jeong Hyeok and the comrades frequent. Favorite Scene/s: - All of their *meetings* in Switzerland. (Yup, and THAT meeting too ❤️) - Jeong Hyeok and Se Ri's inuman session, especially when Jeong Hyeok said he wants to marry Se Ri in Seoul and have twins with her and that he wants to see her have gray hair. I mean, how can you not love that scene. 😩 - Okay, this one is heartbreaking, but i liked it because it is. When Se Ri said Saranghaeyo to Jeong Hyeok for the first time, but what supposed to be a sweet scene turned into a heartbreaking one when Jeong Hyeok heard a gun shot right after she said those words. - When Jeong Hyeok gave Se Ri couple rings on her birthday. - The moment they met again in South Korea. - All of their scenes together in Jeong Hyeok's parents house, especially when they found out they actually met each other before in Switzerland.

5. SUSPICIOUS PARTNER (2017)

Plot: A prosecutor trainee turned lawyer, Eun Bong Hee (Nam Ji Hyun) was arrested for the murder of his ex boyfriend but was acquitted by his former senior, prosecutor turned lawyer No Ji Wook (Ji Chang Wook) because of lack of evidence. They teamed up to solve more cases and to find answers as well as eventually finding love along the way. What I like about the drama: - The humor. I super loved this drama's comedic side. It is definitely not your typical romcom as it also focuses on the legal and crime aspect of the story. I remember how I laughed out loud everytime Ji Wook loses his chill during their chaotic meetings or whenever Bong Hee is being Bong Hee. - Their Chemistry. What makes a drama loveable, is of course, the main leads' chemistry, and theirs is God Tier. IRL, they have a 9 year age gap but you really wont notice it in the drama since they both balance out each other, Chang Wook has that childish side even if he is older, and Ji Hyun has that Mature aura that makes their chemistry overflow. JCW and NJH, pls date. - The Bromance. Even though the two male leads didnt have a mutual relationship from the start, it didnt stop them from having a funny and chaotic bromance. Ji Eun Hyuk (Choi Tae Joon) has always loved his BFF, Ji Wook, but his past mistake makes it hard for Ji Wook to be civil with him, but even though things were tough for Ji Wook, he never failed to care for Eun Hyuk and vice versa. Nevertheless, their bromantic chemistry topped my expectations. - Its not so usual storyline. Like what I said, this is not your typical romcom. Actually, this drama is more of a legal crime drama than a romantic comedy one, they were so busy catching the culprit (s) that the drama had less time to focus on their love story. However, I still enjoyed its romantic aspect because they both prioritized their careers (and again, catching the killer) before focusing on their love for each other. And I mean, Ji Chang Wook as your boyfriend? Who would not enjoy that? - JI CHANG WOOK. That's it. This is enough reason for me to like this drama. I mean, I think we can all agree that Ji Chang Wook in Suspicious Partner. Favorite Scenes: - Ji Wook's Proposal to Bong Hee. I love the fact that he swiftly just put the ring on it without asking her the question. He is THAT confident. (Only do it if you are Ji Chang Wook tho) - When Ji Wook found out the *truth* about his parents demise, he tightly hugged Bong Hee and told her to never break up and stay with him even if things would be hard for them and even if he says she should go away. - Their first day together as a couple!! Especially when Ji Wook just came out from the shower and Bong Hee told him that it is their day one. - When Bong Hee teased Ji Wook like something had happened to them when he came home drunk. - The moment they got back together! Ji Wook's line really got me especially when Bong Hee told him that she is scared that something might happen again to them and the people around them, but Ji Wook, being the risk taker of a boyfriend that he is, said that "Let it happen (the bad things) it does not matter to me. It's just that breaking up with you was scarier, to me, that was the scariest thing." - ALL of their "meetings" but are not actually meetings because of Mr. Byeon's funny and senseless antics.

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aishiteru-clip · 5 years

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7 times kdramas made us believe in true love

We all agree that kdramas have taught us many life lessons aside from entertaining us. One of the reasons we keep watching kdramas is the ‘true love’ bond or experience that are portrayed in most of them. And we have to admit it!! We absolutely love seeing the lead couple being lovey dovey and we also cry when they do.

No matter the genre, almost every Korean drama treats the ‘love’ topic really well and so well that we even want something like that in our lives!

There have definitely been moments in the kdrama world that have broken out hearts and moments that made us recover faith in humanity; this is precisely what makes us keep tuned and continue watching many of them. But these, just to prove that love may probably be the most powerful force in the universe.

So, here we go!

Warning: SPOILER AHEAD!

7. - City hunter- Kim Na Na being shot to protect Lee Young Sung

City Hunter is an old classic starring Park Min Young and Lee Min Ho who also actually started dating in real life after working together. They shared an amazing chemistry and we could tell they were truly in love.

One of the most iconic scenes in this drama is when Kim Na Na (Park Min Young) literally took a bullet in order to save Lee Young Sung (Lee Min Ho) and then just said “You saved me twice”. This scene broke our hearts and made us burst into tears. Furthermore, I think we can all admit this was an act of true love.

6.-100 days my prince- Meeting after more than a decade and falling in love again.

I know, I know!! Almost EVERY couple in dramaland has had an encounter/experience/meeting as kids; and traumatic or not that’s what makes them reunite again as adults. Even when this situation has become a kdrama cliché throughout the years, I still think it is a good way to denote the strength of the love bonds that can be developed between two people. I strongly believe writers ought to create different scenarios to treat this topic though.

100 days my prince tells a story of a young love; two kids, a prince and a noble girl, who share beautiful but also sorrowful experiences that somehow will make them separate. Prince Yool still thinks of his first love after their unfortunate separation and loses his memory through some circumstances many years after, but this isn’t a barrier. They meet again and fall in love, OVER AGAIN, without knowing they knew and cared for each other since kids. Can you guys tell me if this is other than destiny?

I think a most of us has dreamed of something like this at some point of our lives. Furthermore, the fact that two people are able to find each other, and fall in love again, no matter what, means they must have been under the power of two forces: destiny and true love.

5.-My love from the star- The whole plot tbh

It’s 2019 and ‘My love from the star’ was aired 6 years ago, so it’s officially an old classic. However, I feel like I really don’t have to explain this one cause during the whole series is more than evident how the leads deeply love each other. That’s probably because Jun Ji Hyun and Kim Soo Hyun had such a great chemistry.

Idk guys but I can’t help but get soft when I hear this title, because it really moved my heart in a way that’s more than difficult not to love the couple or everything it possess.

Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun) could literally hear Song Yi (Jun Ji Hyun) calling his name no matter where he was, he rescued her several times and he was willing to do everything he could for her to be okay. Song Yi was more than in love, she cried rivers and rivers till they could finally be together.

Somehow I consider this drama had a ‘meant to be’ couple, since they ended up meeting through random situations, and more than randomly, because of destiny itself. This kind of situation gives us the ‘true love’ vibe we hardly get in real life. Moving our hearts that’s way is what irradiates the feeling that the reason why the main couple (sometime secondary couples as well) gets together is love.

4.-I’m not a robot- Love heals the wounds of the heart

Okay, first things first, I’m not a robot has the cutest couple in history as far as I’m concerned. There are also two main points of this kdrama I want to explain from my point of view. So, from what we can see throughout the series is Kim Min Gyu (Yoo Seung Ho) has a severe allergy to other human beings and he gets better due to Aji 3’s (Chae Soo Bin) presence in his life. For some people these may look like Min Gyu has a skin disease and Ji Ah is the ‘medicine’ he needs to cure it.

Nevertheless, I personally think that Kim Min Gyu has a psychological trauma caused by other people in his surroundings when he was a kid, that’s why he’s able to touch Jo Ji Ah when she pretends to be a robot without getting ill. What I’m trying to say is that problem was more a psychological thing rather than an illness.

No matter what the illness or condition is, what is remarkable from this drama is that directors and writers give us an important theme which is that regardless of how lonely and hurt you are, love can really heal the wounds of your heart.

Even though at the beginning the story is kinda sad because of the fact that Min Gyu thinks he is in love with a robot and also because of other heartbreaking moments, as the lead couple actually becomes a couple and they solve all their problems, we are able to see many tender and adorable moments that as a matter of fact, make our hearts flutter.

3. - Hwayugi: A Korean Odyssey- ‘Wait for me and I will find you’ promise

Hwayugi is a fantasy drama aired in 2017 until the first half of 2018 and it stars Lee Seung Gi and Oh Yeon Seo. Hwayugi, Hwayugi…This drama has several ups and downs but I guess it is good enough to be in this top. Aside from having such a bad finale, (which the writers tried to fix at the very end) Hwayugi sadly has also bad special effects, which is baffling considering they had a good budget.

Despite all these aspects I just mentioned, Hwayugi still has ‘good things’ to offer. Even though several characters die/disappear what comes behind all these situations is a well-portrayed friendship bond. At the beginning the relationship between the leads starts as a one sided love and then as a mutual love. Even though Son Oh Gong seems to love ‘Samjang’ because he’s under a spell, if we look further we can really tell he loves her for real. At the end of the series, he even gives her one of his eyeballs so he can find her in the underworld.

2. - Stairway to heaven - The whole series even when it hurts

Stairway to heaven is a classic melodrama and if you ask me, it’s probably the most popular kdrama worldwide. This was the very first Korean drama aired on Latin American TV and it got so popular that you can literally ask anyone and they will say they have seen it at least once.

And just because love doesn’t mean happiness, I consider important talking about this drama. First of all, Stairway to heaven has a killer cast and the story is beyond sad. Words could never tell how sorrowful it actually is.

I think the most painful thing in this drama is that the main couple is (almost) never able to be together no matter how much they love each other and how much they try. Song Joo even looks for Jung Suh after believing her dead and does everything he can till they can reunite again. This lasts a short period of time to discover Jung Suh has cancer and is gonna die. I mean, they literally have to face every barrier in the universe to be together and even at the end what gives them the strength to keep living is the love they have for each other, considering everything else in their lives is unfortunate.

The saddest thing is that the people around them would also suffer as well, especially Jung Suh’s step brother that somehow falls in love with her and even commits suicide to save her. But we are gonna talk about this last statement below.

1. - Stairway to heaven. - AGAIN

It has been more than ten years since I watched Stairway to heaven for the first time, and I still can’t get over what Tae Hwa did to let Jung Suh see the man she loves again. There isn’t anything else I have seen in any other drama that is to me more an act of true love than this one. (Even when it is such a sad and dramatic event.)

No matter how much I think about it, this is beyond miserable, considering Jung Suh never accepts Tae Hwa’s feelings because they are siblings but he still does all these for her. At the end this sacrifice is in vain because Jung Suh dies anyway. Such a sad story to be honest.

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