Hometown Cha Cha Cha/海岸村恰恰恰 – 从生活中的琐碎,悟出人生哲理,体验幸福的纯粹
2022-02-23
在对的时间遇见对的戏剧，是一种喜悦和享受。
在严峻的疫情期间，疗愈的<<海岸恰恰恰>>成为了许多人的心灵慰藉，更是令人向往逃离现实的”渡假圣地”。村民们之间的相处之道，让我们悟出了许多人生的真理。
这温馨小品探讨了现今社会的各种现象，价值观，和让我们反思什么才是对我们最重要的。
大家就随着小编一起探讨这个小镇的魔力吧!Read More →
Mr. Queen/哲仁王后/철인왕후 – Body-Swap Sageuk Comedy that Redefines Freedom to Love and Be Loved
2021-02-26
It was more than the hilarious plot of a free-spirited modern age chef trapped in Queen Cheorin’s body wreaking havoc in the Joseon era, that earned “Mr Queen” its position as the 5th highest rated drama in TVN history.
The rom-com factor that made us chuckle, cast’s endearing & stellar performance, awesome teamwork & chemistry, cliffhangers at end of each episode, fusion of modern thinking in the olden days, infusion of KPOP, K-Beauty, KFood, giving new meaning to modern day phrases like “No Touch” & “Anti-Fan”, improvising food cuisines in Joseon Dynasty, scheming and plotting against one another, a King with a Hyde & Jekyll personality, & the struggle between a homosexual vs heterosexual love line, were the many reasons that whisked me through the 20 episodes.
Mr Queen’s theme boils down to freedom.
The freedom to break away from the shackles of society norms & standards, be who we really are, do what we have always wanted, love whoever we want and to express how we truly feel.
Bong Hwan’s adventure allowed us to experience life in Joseon with a modern filter. His quick wits, great survival instincts and adaptability allowed him to pull through the biggest ordeals.
“Mr Queen” broaches on a bold but taboo topic on homosexuality, bisexuality & gender identity crisis. While this pushes the boundaries in South Korea’s conservative society, it did not deter the ratings from escalating steadily.
What we learnt:
– Love transcends time & gender
– 在宫里，没有任何人是真正的好人或坏人，只有立场和利益的不同
– The “truth” is based on what people choose to believe in
– Never lose the most important person – yourself
Director Yoon strikes a balance where Shin Hye Sun’s responsible for the wackier, light-hearted moments while Kim Jung Hyun on the serious & melodramatic parts.
Was it Bong Hwan in So Yong’s body or was So Yong hiding in the subconscious state all along?
When she’s Bong Hwan, she’s a spitfire and pompous with a total disregard regarding palace protocols. So Yong’s more composed, graceful & shy around Cheoljong, while So Bong’s a contradicting embodiment of good vs evil, rough vs gentle, rash vs composed.
Kim Jung Hyun’s lauded for portraying his multi-faceted character with much depth. The intricate portrayal of his facial and eye expressions, vocal tone, body language, aids in delivering Cheoljong’s complicated & intense emotions. On the surface, he’s a lazy, timid, lecherous puppet king , while the real CJ’s ambitious, capable, prudent, witty, has plans for the greater good.
It was gratifying to watch them 同台飙戏。Their ad lib improvisations made scenes more enjoyable for the viewers. Tension building up in the initial episodes when both were double guessing , wary of each others’ intentions, pitting against each other were served like a bowl of piping hot jjamppong.
The right person will love you for being you.
From his 中殿词典, abiding by his queen’s “No Touch” rule and the crossed eye portrait, Cheoljong never failed to show his affection in the most subtle ways.
Kim Hyun Jung & Shin Hye Sun made this “No Touch” couple much more endearing.
Na In Woo’s supporting role created ripples in viewers’ hearts. Byeong In’s the tall, handsome, 深情专一 堂哥, who’s a skilled swordsman & shrewd strategist with a never give up attitude. He’s a sorrowful character with a twisted love obsession. Only Byeong In noticed the change in So Yong. He’s the only one who truly understood her.
The penned up emotions, rage, jealousy, unwavering devotion and sheer possessiveness were so well executed. Not to mention the several breathtaking fighting scenes with Cheoljong were impressive.
We often regret what we didn’t fight for, but he put up a good fight for the love of his life.
The pretty, intelligent, composed Hwa Jin is definitely Queen material. When So Bong usurped her “throne” in Cheoljong’s heart, that’s when she turned to the dark side. Love, hate and jealousy can drive people to behave in irrational and destructive ways. The palace can turn someone into a monster as they lose themselves in the pursuit for more wants.
The supporting roles instilled so much vibrancy, fun and laughter. They are proof that friendship exists in the palace.
It’s more than an “employer-employee” relationship between So Bong, Court Lady Choi & Hong Yeon. They are her best friends and support.
Court Lady Choi & Royal Chef’s budding romance, Hong Byeolgam & Kim Hwan’s friendship, love triangle between Kim Hwan, Hong Byeolgam & Hong Yeon were some of our favourite “ships”.
From the scheming & merciless Kim Jae Geun, domineering Grand Empress Dowager who had a weakness for good food & beauty products, superstitious Queen Dowager Jo who plotted her revenge by preying on the weak minds, to the corrupted officials, you wished you could grind them all.
Does Cheoljong only lovesBong Hwan or both Bong Hwan & So Yong?
This is an open-ended question that’s up to viewers’ discretion.Read More →
Crash Landing on You/ 爱的迫降 – A Self-Exploration & Healing Journey, that forges Unforgettable & Lifelong Relationships
2020-02-23
“Crash Landing on You” (CLOY) crashed in as the highest rated drama in TVN history, surpassing “Goblin” with a viewership rate of 23.249% for the final episode. It ended on an all-time high note, rendered viewers with mixed emotions of happy, poignant moments & “Post Drama Withdrawal Syndromes”.
A team of delectable stellar cast, star scriptwriter Park Ji-eun, North Korean Defector consultant, Kwak Moon Wan, make what is seemingly “impossible” into a “fantasy drama”.
Other than heartthrobs Hyun Bin & Son Ye Jin’s impeccable chemistry, the intense story line that causes you to grapple with fear of losing any of the characters, Se Ri’s self-exploration and healing journey with the accidental landing, Jeong Hyuk’s determination to not lose another person that he loves again, the wise quotes by Seung Joon that led to food-for-thought moments, Seo Dan’s 敢爱敢恨, the many hilarious and heart wrenching moments with the supporting characters, made the drama so much more captivating.
It isn’t merely the romance that melts your heart, but to a great extent how the relationships forged and 浓浓的人情味 that’s heartwarming.
CLOY’s theme revolves around “LOVE”.
It teaches one the meaning of self-love and loving others, to forget hurt and only remember people you love (and vice versa). There’s self-reflection on what is important to us, learn how to appreciate simple things in life and to show more care & concern to the ones we love.
No matter how tough life is, there is always a reason to smile. This smile is the answer to why we are pressing on. When there’s love, there’s hope.
While most would swoon over Jeong Hyuk & Se Ri’s love line, the budding romance between Seung Joon & Seo Dan grows on you over time.
It isn’t just about finding true love in times of adversity, but also forging unforgettable friendships with people they would never have known otherwise. We should all live each day to the fullest as if it is the last & tell the people we love how we really feel.
This drama has received much rave, but also backlash over sensitive political issues. North Korean defectors have complimented on how close the settings are to North Korea in reality, from frequent electricity cut off, kimchi caves, costumes, furnishings down right to the North Korean accent.
We could see the contrast in the leads’ respective lives, the environment they grew up and the circumstances which shaped their personality.
There is an interesting “role reversal” when they went to South Korea, where Jeong Hyuk became her “bodyguard”, with the 5th Infantry soldiers trying to adapt to cosmopolitan life. One would fondly recall the Jjimjilbang scenes and them trying to dress up like South Koreans with fake branded clothing.
We meet the people we meet for a reason. They found true love and healed each other in the process.
What we learnt from Jeong Hyuk is that we should always 从日常生活中，寻找那些小小的幸福。
Karma goes one round to teach Se Ri a life lesson about love, sacrifice, friendships and not to take simple things for granted. She never knew how fortunate she was before this predicament.
The love line between a conman & a proud, rich girl is not unheard of, but we love the 2nd love line so much that we wished they had more screen time together.
You will undeniably grow fonder of Seung Joon , so much so that you might have teared a little after knowing what he has gone through.
He’s one with the wits and wisdom, especially when it comes to giving love advice to Seo Dan. Seung joon reassured that she is a capable & attractive lady who is deserving of love no less, even if Jeong Hyuk loves another. We should remember, that we are all worthy to be loved.
Good things don’t come easy. You will learn to fight for it and appreciate them more. We witnessed how they gradually opened up to each other, with Seung Joon wanting to become a better person, in order to be worthy of her.
CLOY is no doubt a big scale production, from overseas filming in Switzerland and Mongolia, to having so many supporting actors. Be it the villains, 5th Infantry guys, village ajummas, Seo Dan and Se Ri’s comical family members, big name cameos like Kim Soo Hyun and Choi Ji Woo, the drama would not be as intense, exciting and “flavourful” without them.
The village ajummas did a great job in throwing us into fits of laughter. They may seem mean at first, but they are kind-hearted and would help anyone in need.
While the ending for some characters is less than satisfying, these 16 ep of “paragliding” experience with Se Ri, all cast and crew involved in “Crash Landing On You” have brought us an emotional roller coaster ride filled with much joy, warmth, solace and some tear-jerking, heartbreaking moments.
We learn that we need to be strong and believe in ourselves. If we have enough faith, we will ultimately meet the people we wish to meet again, someday.
It is a wonderful drama that has crashed deep right into our hearts and will remain deeply embedded in the many years to come.Read More →
