Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“My motto is, ‘Don’t believe anything with a mouth.'” That’s sound advice, coming from Kwon Hyuk Joo (aka Crazy Cow), the head of the cyber unit. And that’s also good advice when trying to figure out who’s telling the truth in this 2012 police procedural.
As with many series, “The Master’s Sun” would’ve benefited from some judicious editing. Too much time is spent on whether or not this couple will get together. We all know they will end up together. That’s a given. The real meat of the storyline is Gong-Sil’s ability to put restless souls at ease. When she goes all Nancy Drew and he revs up his inner Remington Steele, they are perfection.
An easy to watch romantic comedy, “Oh My Venus” has its flaws (the fat shaming could’ve been toned down). But, overall, it’s a fun, addictive series that lives up to the hype. So Ji Sub and Shin Mina are the cutest couple ever and I seriously ship them. The chemistry these two share is strong!
Ji Ho has just had his heartbroken, but it’s not so easy to feel sorry for him. He knew his girlfriend was engaged to another man, but that didn’t stop him from having a long-term affair with her. When she finally calls it off, he becomes even more solemn than usual.
Don’t let this sunny photo fool you. “Always” (오직 그대만) just about broke my heart. Both So Ji Sub and Han Hyo Joo are appealing in their roles. They convey the right emotions, without being maudlin or resorting to histrionics. Some might say that the ending was cheesy, but I found it to be delightful and full of hope.
Released in 2004, “Once Upon a Time in High School” is set in 1978. During this time-frame, South Korea was ruled under the brutal dictatorship of Park Chung-hee (the father of Korea’s current president Park Geun-hye). The movie depicts a bleak period where students had few rights and teachers could beat them at will. There’s a trickle down factor to that kind of abuse. The boys settle their differences not with words, but with fists, chairs and bats.
A popular K-Drama starring So Ji Sub, “I’m Sorry, I Love You” (“미안하다 사랑한다”) is an uneven drama dealing with love, revenge and redemption. Too long at 16 hours, the series relies on its lead actor’s charisma to make up for the plot holes.
A huge hit in South Korea, where it was filmed, “Miss Granny” doesn’t have a unique plot. But, director Hwang Dong-hyuk deftly takes an old premise (an elderly woman finds herself magically transformed into a 20 year old) and adds some new twists and social commentary. The result? A charming comedy full of music and scenes that will tug at your heart.
So, what the heck is a Pororo, you ask? If you can’t tell by the cover, it’s an adorable little animated penguin. In South Korea, where the “Pororo The Little Penguin” series made its debut in 2003, it’s the show for the preschool/kindergarten set. While it airs in more than 80 countries around the world (including Brazil, Australia, France, India and the United Kingdom), the show never made a concerted effort to break the U.S. market.
“Doggy Poo” is based on Kwon Jung-saeng’s 1968 children’s book of the same name. During that time period, South Korea was still in the process of recovering from the Korean War. It was still decades away from becoming the high-tech, wealthy country it is today. And I can’t help but wonder if the book wasn’t an allegory for how its citizens must sacrifice themselves (brutal work conditions, relentless hours spent studying at school) for the greater good of the country.