Drama Review: That Winter, The Wind Blows Episode 1

That Winter, The Wind Blows

Episode 1



Oh Young

Song Hye Gyo is back in this intense drama and once again, she left me in awe of both her beauty and talent.  She’s the blind heir, Oh Young, of a big conglomerate, PL group.  Her parents separated when she was six which also cause her to grow up away from her mom and only brother.  After so many years, her dad fell ill and eventually died—if only the secretary that her dad trusted more than his own daughter did something when the alarm went off [in the chairman’s room].  It was the same time when she left their mansion to look for her brother which unfortunately was killed in a car accident while running after his Hyung whom he shared the same name—Oh Soo.



Drama Review: 7th Grade Civil Servant Episode 8

7^th Grade Civil Servant

Episode 8



Finally, they decided to be true to their feelings amidst the chaos and lies.
"You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel.”



Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy was right when he said, "...pleasure lies not in discovering truth, but in seeking it."  I'm sure Do-ha is not finding it pleasurable now that he had discovered the truth. 



           This episode is a confirmation of feelings.  Do-ha confirmed that Seo Won doesn’t have any romantic feelings for him.  Seo Won and Gil-ro confirmed their mutual liking for each other.  Although Seo Won sets some boundaries— liking not loving—the truth that their feelings is beyond liking is undeniable.

Drama Review: 7th Garde Civil Servant Episode 7

7^th Grade Civil Servant

Episode 7

It is getting harder and harder to find a good link to this show with English Subtitles.  I am a little disappointed that www.viki.com hasn’t been able to secure a license to air this legally here in the US.  They have always been really reliable when it comes to speed and of course being able to air the shows without any commercial interruptions.  In the meantime, www.dramafever.com is another alternative.

The beginning of episode 7 is the continuation of that crazy and hilarious scene with Seo Won’s parents.  Like I mentioned before, this drama is so good at making parodies on clichés whether intentional or not—I enjoy them all! There were more funny scenes in the past episodes than this one but the show is just as captivating.  It is surprisingly enigmatic in a way—showing the more serious side of their jobs as agents, makes the show more complex instead of a simple romantic comedy amidst the supposed complicated and dangerous life of NIS agents.  This show is an epitome of un-dogmatic romantic comedy.  The romance and the comedy facets were done in a way that both would look so natural. 

Drama Review: Flower Boy Next Door Episode 11 & 12

Flower Boy Next Door

Episode 11 & 12

What can I say?  Episode 11 contained majority of the drama and realization of hidden feelings.  Episode 12 on the other hand has the fluffy stuff!  Both episodes were pretty short as usual but since the show maintained its feel good aura, I am pretty satisfied. 

In the beginning of episode 11, Dok Mi declared an ending to her relationship [whatever kind that was] with Enrique and everybody else including Jin Rak.  At first Enrique thought that Dok Mi pretty much chose the other over him but at the end he realized it was just her way of saying goodbye to Jin Rak.  This was a total disappointment.  Anyways, before that part, while in the museum she learned about Enrique's accident and she wasn't able to mask her real concerns about the first.  This was very apparent that Jin Rak knew he had to take her to the hospital where Enrique was.  It was a good thing that he wasn't hurt so badly and Dok Mi felt relieved.  Later, they both went back to her apartment.  She cooked something for him while he watches t.v.  Enrique noticed she already packed her stuff.  That's how he knew that the supposed date with Jin Rak was actually her last goodbye.  He wasn't able to resist getting upset.  In the end, he told her he will be gone-- he won't bug her anymore.  He turned around ready to leave when she stopped him and later confessed that she has been liking him. 

That scene was pretty dramatic specially that it ended with a kiss.  It wasn't the Jang Geun Suk kind of kiss which I must admit I was kind of hoping to see because Enrique has that kind of cuteness.  I wish Park Shin Hye could have done a better job-- all she needed was to open her mouth a bit!  Oh that would have been hot.  Looking at the details of what exactly happen in that few seconds of their lips together, Enrique opened his but hers was shut.  But, you know, it's alright.  That drama was still there.  I was toatlly touched by the scene-- the wasy she said her lines;  the way he gazed at her while she's confessing;  When he came closer to her and said, once again, he can hear her without her saying naything.  The sincerity was undeniable.  Unless I watch Asian dramas, I really won't be able to see innocence and love in one sentence, if you know what I mean.  In a lot of western movies, you'll see characters who will be totally nasty to each other then suddenly the woman will be on top of the man and all I can do is ask, "what the heck happened?!" That scene made me want to pull time as fast as I could until it's time to watch the next episode.

Drama Review: 7th Grade Civil Servant Episode 6

7^th Grade Civil Servant

Episode 6

“I’m sorry.”

“I followed you.”

“I couldn’t believe in you so I followed you.”

“You’re living the best out of your life.  But someone like me couldn’t believe in you.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

“I’m not feeling sorry about this.”

Drama Review: 7th Grade Civil Servant Episode 5

7^th Grade Civil Servant

Episode 5

            Kyung Ja who is now pretending to be Kim Jung Woo did a good job during the interview.  She was on her way out of the room when Gil-roo (Han Pil Hoon) stopped her.  He had questions about her identity.  He wanted to make sure that whatever information she wrote on her resume are all true and valid.  Once again, a battle of words between the two occurred which was thought to be entertaining by Mi Rae and the other company director.  It was funny to see how Gil-ro tried to control his disappointment when Seo Won (Kyung Ja a.k.a. Kim Jung Woo) blurted out that she has a lover and that she and her lover love each other.  That was so much “love” in one sentence!  Obviously he was jealous but oh boy, would he even let her have the privilege to rejoice over that!

            I like how Mi Rae can bring out the snobbish side of Gil-ro.  She herself is a smarty pants but she has the wits to back it up.  Her character is becoming more and more interesting as the show progresses.

Drama Review: Flower Boy Next Door Episode 10

Flower Boy Next Door

Episode 10

“This isn’t all of a sudden.”

“Honestly I was trying to find a reason.”

“Trying to find a reason not to leave.”

“The reason I can’t leave is in me.”

            These are some of the lines Enrique told Seo Won.   He doesn’t want to leave.  He hoped the reason not to leave would just present itself like the book company, the theater, the gaming company. But it didn’t.  Despite that he can’t leave…

“It’s okay so far.”

“You can stop right now and leave.”

“I was deceiving myself like that.”

“But you know me.   Once I start the game, I need to see how it ends.  I can’t just end it here.”

Drama Review: Flower Boy Next Door Episode 9

Flower Boy Next Door

Episode 9

            This episode picks up from the last one when Seo Young asked Enrique in front of both Tae Joon and Dok Mi [primarily because of Tae Joon] to go back to Spain with her.  When I first heard her I thought, gosh, what is her problem?  Why does she have to drag Enrique with her?  But later when she left on her own after Tae Joon didn’t show any reaction but a cold “take care”, I realized that what she did was her last shot to getting any concrete proof of how much Tae Joon really values her.  Unfortunately things didn’t go her way.

            Dok Mi, on the other hand, is very hard to figure out.  At least on Enrique’s perspective, it is kind of hard since she doesn’t really say much especially when it comes to her true feelings about things in front of people involved.  In addition, she always avoids a conversation when she is the subject.  Sometimes I wonder, what is she really trying to avoid?

Drama Review: 7th Grade Civil Servant Episode 4

7^th Grade Civil Servant

Episode 4

“There’s only one path I take.  It’s all for the country.”

“Making mistake is better than having regrets.”

“This is something I am doing for my colleagues.”

“They would be with me whether we live or we die.  I have to believe in them.”
                                                                                           ~ Gil- ro

            The game continued.  Won Suk has 4 kings.  Gil-ro has a pair of ace.  Won Suk obviously has the winning combination.  He should have won but he chose to give in—he let Gil-ro win by showing only 2 of his cards.  Everyone was happy that they got their salary back. 

            I think Gil-ro’s words are like reminders of Won Suk’s friend and comrade, Sung Joon.  It was a pretty cool scene that featured Gil-ro’s maturity and readiness.  He may be a little childish in ways more than one but there is something in him that differentiates him from the rest.  Very subtly, this episode showed how keen of an observer he is.  The ear movement of Won Suk which he obviously did on purpose was observed only by Gil-ro.  His conclusion may not be 100% accurate but that’s partly because it’s a test.  His sensitivity to what’s going on in his surrounding is undeniable.

Drama Review: 7th Grade Civil Servant Episode 3

7^th Grade Civil Servant

Episode 3

            “That’s right.  My father is a diplomat.”  Kyung Ja answered with her confidence rising through the roof.  She followed it up by reciting all of her supposed personal information—address, security number, siblings, etc. with so much conviction that even the lie detector was bamboozled.  Young Soon announced what flashed onto the screen in subtle amazement—“true”.  Gil-ro was baffled and surprised.  He knew it was all a lie but he couldn’t understand how she’s able deceive the detector.  The tension was getting higher and Won Suk knew he needed to step in.  “Are you in your right mind?  What’s the motive of this training? This isn’t the place to tell the truth,” Won Suk blurted out.  The new recruits were so convinced with Won Suk’s acting just as much as they were with Kyung Ja’s lies.  Before they were dismissed, Kyung Ja was penalized by 15 points.  She harshly pulled all those lie detector wires taped on her during the polygraph testing and left the room stomping.  But before that, she gave Gil-ro a piercing look.

Drama Review: 7th Grade Civil Servant

7^th Grade Civil Servant

Episode 1&2

******

Kim Kyung Ja & Han Pil Hoon

            Due to the economic crisis being experienced by South Korea, the unemployment rate went up.  Students have a harder time paying their tuition fees.  One of those students is Kim Kyung Ja.  She has several part time jobs to manage going to school.  There were times when she had to stop due to lack of financial capability to enroll.  On the other hand, a son of a businessman chose to study to become a member of NIS—a civil servant, without having to worry about financial glitch.  Although his dad is totally against his plan, he is determined to pursue his dreams which started after he watched the James Bond Movie, 007.  This is our male lead, Han Pil Hoon.  He lives a lifestyle a far cry from that of Kyung Ja.  He drives a fancy car, living his dreams and on his way to his ultimate goal—to be a real life James Bond.

Drama Review: Flower Boy Next Door Episode 8

Flower Boy Next Door

Episode 8

            It was a total disappointment that the only reason why Dok Mi grabbed Enrique’s arm away from Seo Young, was because she saw Tae Joon coming.  She remembered that Enrique didn’t want to be a hindrance to the relationship of Tae Joon and Seo Young so she didn’t want Tae Joon to misunderstand anything. 



That look is telling me he wasn't just shocked because of what Dok Mi did but also because of how he felt at that moment.

Drama Review: Flower Boy Next Door Episode 7

Flower Boy Next Door

Episode 7

            Everyone speculated that there is something special going on between Enrique and Dok Mi since it appeared as if the first is living with the latter.  Jin Rak invited Enrique to go to the roof top of their apartment building for a confrontation.  However, what supposed to be was an affray, ended up being a fracas of words between two stalker-ish individuals. 

Drama Review: Cheongdam-dong Alice Episode 16 ~ Finale

Cheongdam-dong Alice

Episode 16 ~ Finale

"People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within."

~Ramona L. Anderson~

            Seung Jo Found out who bought his paintings, which opened the doors of opportunities for him.  He felt like a laughing stock for he planted revenge to the very same person he is most thankful for.  All this time, he thought his revenge towards his father was successful.  He thought when he came back to Korea as a successful businessman that he had proven his dad his worth and what he’s capable of achieving on his own—without the help of his father. 

            His cognizance of the Chairman’s vital contribution to his triumphs was almost an embarrassing wake-up call—an easy street was paved especially for him.  He was already closed to any explanation no matter how much his father tried to tell him, that his success was a result not solely because of his painting being sold but also because of his ability.  His sense of reason was already clouded by can of worms. 

Drama Review: Cheongdam-dong Alice Episode 15

Cheongdam-dong Alice

Episode 15

            The series is nearing its end.  In this episode, Se Kyung was successful in stopping Seung Jo from once again running away.  But the fights were inevitable.  It was like a pendulum; as they continue to crash into each other the pendulum continues to sway.  That’s what gave life to it.  Otherwise it will be nothing but a paper holder.

Drama Review: Flower Boy Next Door Episode 6

Flower Boy Next Door

Episode 6

                This is an episode full of misunderstandings.  From the very beginning when Tae Joon felt like Enrique and Seo Young are making a fool out of him to when everybody directly or indirectly connected to Dok Mi thought she is living with Enrique.  The whole thing was like misunderstanding after misunderstanding.  But even so, they all make sense.  However, there was an instance when the misunderstanding occurred because of something that didn’t make sense and I will get into details about that later.

                In this episode, Enrique is doing a great job getting over his first love, Seo Young.  There were no crying or outrageous nonsense.  He goes on with his life, does what he is in Korea to do, and bug Dok Mi.  Fate is on his side.  Good for him.  The writer created a situation where Enrique gets the opportunity to realize his new found goal while he is in Korea.  That is, of course, to get Dok Mi out of her shell.  Since Enrique is an interesting figure, then why not have him write an autobiography and since Dok Mi is an editor then there you go—a concoction that make sense.  His interesting existence + her job + Enrique’s persistence = fate?  That could be, right?  Otherwise, how is it that she can express herself more when she is with Enrique or when she’s talking to him and not with anyone else, including Jin Rak?

Drama Review: Flower Boy Next Door Episode 5

Flower Boy Next Door

Episode 5

            Aaah!  So there was the accidental kiss!!!  So how does Dok Mi cover that up with lies? Hmmm…interesting.

Drama Review: Cheongdam-dong Alice Episode 14

Cheongdam-dong Alice

Episode 14

Finally episode 14!!! I am caught up.  Seung Jo’s reaction was a total surprise to me.  Like I said before, I was expecting something else, like a super crazy cussing and bad-mouthing.  But nothing like that except in this episode he told her he’s going to kill her if she says one more word about the lie.   In this episode, it’s the men’s turn to do the talking.  The confrontations among the girls were all done by their eyes.  Ironically, they were fiercer than their words! And the drama, amazing!

            Just like what Dong Wook said, Seung Jo didn’t acknowledge reality.  He saw the two women in the video, Yoon Joo and Se Kyung, as two people that resemble people he knows.  In Hwa was puzzled.  She looked like she felt almost stupid for even showing the video considering the reaction she got from the recipient.  Seung Jo left the conference room like nothing bad happened.  On the contrary, when he got into his office, he seemed to know exactly what happened there; exactly what he saw but how he would deal with it is yet to known.   Meanwhile, Dong Wook shared more about Seung Jo’s condition, when he was in Paris, to Se Kyung; how he suddenly disappeared and how he lost his sanity for a year.  He added that if this is to happen to Seung Jo again, he will be like a ticking bomb.  You won’t know when and where he will explode. 

Drama Review: Cheongdam-dong Alice Episode 13

Cheongdam-dong Alice

Episode 13

            Tommy Hong came to Se Kyung to relate the bad news that arrived earlier than him.  Seung Jo wasn’t pleased to see him.  Tommy orchestrated some alibis and when the opportunity arose, he took the cellphone and deleted the file.  Luck was on their side this time.

            In Hwa noticed that her brother and Yoon Joo seemed to be normal—no fights or anything of that sort.  She wondered if her brother actually seen the video or something else happened in between.  Meantime, all is well between Seung Jo and Se Kyung. 

            Yoon Joo confronted Tommy Hong.  She wants explanation as to how In Hwa got a hold of the video.  They were in the middle of this conversation full of anxiety when Se Kyung arrived.  Then there came In Hwa.  The inevitable happened—Yoon Joo asking for forgiveness, Tommy Hong, doing the same thing.  But not Se Kyung.  She has nothing to ask for forgiveness for.  Instead, she put things into perspective.  Why is she considered a flower snake (gold digger) when In Hwa isn’t?  In fact they are in it for the same reason except for Se Kyung, Cha Seung Jo is not another business deal.  He is her whole world.  For a minute there In Hwa looked crushed but she wasn’t brought up to lose over few harsh words that speak of the truth.  She came back with a vengeance.  With her shark tongue, she put Se kyung back to her supposed place saying she will show her the clear difference between them two.  After In Hwa left, Tommy Hong looked at Se Kyung with a hint of admiration.  He has always been impressed by her astuteness.  Now he’s even more impressed by her flair.

Drama Review: Cheongdam-dong Alice Episode 12

Cheongdam-dong Alice

Episode 12

            Chairman Il Nam was happy that Seung Jo attended the memorial rites.  He was laughing while looking at Se Kyung’s picture.  He probably knew who was able to make Seung Jo do what he normally wouldn’t do.  Seung Jo on the other hand claimed his prize for doing well—a kiss from Se Kyung!

            In Hwa was really upset upon seeing the video.  Now she feels that Yoon Joo and Se Kyung played tricks on her or something of that sort and called them gold diggers.  Yoon Joo sensed that there was something wrong; that there was more to In Hwa’s silence when she came to the study room.  She just doesn’t know yet.