It’s winter break, and you know what that means. Time to get back on track with those Korean Dramas!
I remember last year how I had so much time to watch Korean Dramas. When I didn’t find any new anime that caught my attention and I had a lot of free time, I turned to these hour long episodes. But, this doesn’t happen in the present. But, while I’m out and about the internet looking for new series to finish, I decided to share my first impressions on some of the dramas I’ve tried out.
1. Alone In Love
Eun-Ho (Son Ye Jin) and Dong-Jin (Gam Wu-seong) meet one day at the bookstore where he works and they are immediately drawn to each other. They fall in love after subsequent meetings, and are eventually married.
Two years later they are divorced. Dong-Jin still works at the bookstore, while Eun-Ho works at a fitness club. The pair continue to meet and figure in each other’s lives. The narrative is punctuated by either character’s internal monologue on their past, their current relationship, and how things are to move on. As complications, new love interests have entered their lives: Mi-Yeon (Oh Yoon-Ah) and Hyeon-Joong (Lee Jin-Wook). Even so, a year and a half after their divorce, the two still meet in their favorite bakery for breakfasts, quarrel over trivial things like a married couple, and eat dinner on their wedding anniversary with a free meal coupon provided by the hotel where they got married.
All of this makes them wonder whether these lingering feelings are love, although both are too afraid to start over, and even more afraid to end the relationship completely. With neither brave enough to confront each other about the misunderstanding on the day Eun-ho had a stillborn baby, they are unable to move on. -Wikipedia
The plot line seemed interesting enough, and it seemed to be right at the doorstep of the type of series I want to watch now. After watching the first three and a half episodes, I came to three conclusions. One, the acting isn’t bad. It’s pretty decent, actually. The characterizations seem sane too, where the main actress isn’t insane for once. Two, the two main characters are slightly frustrating. It is obvious that the two are still not over each other, and that they still have lingering feelings for each other. While, it may only be because of how they ended their marriage, the way they are going around and about these feelings are a bit frustrating and annoying. Third, while the story seems to go by a little slow, there are promises of interesting plot twists in future episodes. It doesn’t hurt that there are good humour injected into the story now and again.
Bottom line, this series seems to hold promise of a good time. However, it is a bit too slow for me and fell short of my expectations. Which is why I ended up moving to the next drama on my list. But if you have time and are curious of the plot twists that are sure to happen, feel free to continue watching and comment below of what you thought of it.
2. Exhibition of Firework
Shin Na Ra, a woman who is almost thirty welcomes her boyfriend of seven years back from his business trip. During their dinner, he tells her that he not only had an affair but fell in love with another woman. Thus their relationship is no more. To make herself feel better, Na Ra drinks a large amount of alcohol and unknowingly dropped the ring her ex-boyfriend gave her into a random stranger’s cup. The stranger, In Jae, drinks the shot without seeing the ring and both of them end up in the hospital.
To support herself, Na Ra pretends to be her 20 years old sister in order to work as a cosmetic clerk at Mi Rae (the woman her ex-boyfriend fell in love with)’s shop but fate has brought In Jae to the shop to. Thus began their surprising journey of love, where In Jae is in love with Mi Rae too. -Dramawiki
Similar to” Alone in Love”, Exhibition of Firework seems to have an interesting plot line. Have you ever read a story, or watched a show or movie where everyone is related in some way? This seems to be the type of series. Because of that, it keeps you on your toes, wondering when those two characters would realize the whole web of lies and how one person is acquainted to another. Once again, this is a decent drama. It’s funny enough and the acting is great. So this is one drama I’m recommending to you.
3. The Greatest Love
Ae Jung was once the most popular member of girl band The National Treasure Girls. However 10 years ago the band broke up and she received most of the blame. Despite her warm personality her career has suffered ever since and she now spends her time fighting for air time on variety shows. Dokko Jin is a top movie star at the height of his career. The two meet and become involved in each other’s careers. Yoon Pil Joo is a doctor of oriental medicine who has no interest in the entertainment industry but agrees to make a dating show. Dokko Jin helps get Ae Jung a role on a new reality show called Couple Making. Pil Joo is the bachelor being set up on Couple Making. Both men fall for Ae Jung both off and on the screen. -Wikipedia
This is an interesting series, for sure. I have only watched the first two episodes, but it’s really addicting. While it is a comedy, in my mind it is only so-so. The overall ending seems obvious, and the plot line seems to be overdone.
HOWEVER, I can’t get enough of it. The characters have very distinct, realistic personalities and all are somehow related, one way or another. And even though the overall ending seems obvious to me, I want to keep watching it to find out what actually happens in between.
I hope this article will prove useful in your search for new Korean Dramas. Once again, this is all just my opinion and should not be the main factor in whether or not you will watch a series. Please try and watch the shows yourselves to make that decision. After all, every person is different and will like or dislike different shows.
Those are my two cents for the day. Have a great rest of winter break, and Happy New Year to all! 2012, let’s go!