Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Two Korean men move to Suriname in the hopes of making some fast money. Their goal is to buy skate, which Surinamese don’t want, for pennies and resell them in South Korea at an inflated price. But when cocaine is found in one of their shipments, both men are arrested and jailed.
“Seoul Vibe” is full of backstabbing, murder and mayhem. Director Moon Hyun-sung does a commendable job at keeping the plot moving, but he knows that the wild car chases are the key to this movie.
I loved “Extraordinary Attorney Woo.” The storylines were compelling and the actors did a fine job in bringing their characters to life. Park Eun-bin has been singled out for her extraordinary portrayal of a highly-functioning autistic attorney. But that’s where my conflict lies. As many autistic people have already pointed out, as good as Park was in her role, it is unsettling to watch a non-disabled actor portray a character who is on the spectrum. Most of my friends and acquaintances who have autistic children said they couldn’t force themselves to watch beyond the first episode, because her portrayal felt like a mockery of what they live through.
“The Roundup” is an action-packed sequel to the 2017 film “The Outlaws.” Often times brutal and very bloody, the movie also has its share of slapstick comedy thanks to its affable star Ma Dong-seok.
The second season of “Yumi’s Cells” picks up where season one left off. After Yumi and Woong’s breakup, she ventures into a new relationship with an exceedingly attractive colleague named Ba-bi. They go on sweet dates and slowly fall in love. But when things seem too good to be true, Yumi almost anticipates their breakup. That’s what she has come to expect from men.
“Tomorrow” tells the stories of people who are on the verge of ending their lives. This is where Ryeon and Joong-il come in. These angels of death work for Jumadeung, an elite company that employs those who’ve already died, but are revived to deal with matters of the afterlife. Some employees are given the option to reincarnate and live a normal life — after fulfilling their contracts, that is.
I enjoyed “Shooting Stars” for what it is: a cute romance with two incredibly attractive lead actors. But I also acknowledge that there are some problematic moments that mar parts of the series for me.
In this review, writer Jae-Ha Kim explores Prime Video’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and the way it approaches its Asian American lead — and her love interests.
The Spanish TV phenomenon gets remade and reset in an imagined North and South Korea, complete with charged political commentary and BTS namedropping. My latest review for Rolling Stone.
“My Liberation Notes” is very beautifully executed in presenting a slice of life that doesn’t offer a fairy-tale ending … or offer finite solutions to ease the characters’ lives. But what this K-drama does do is allow for growth. Who the characters are at the start of the series is not who they are by the finale, and that’s a good thing.