Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“Beyond Evil” is one weird (in an interesting way) Korean series that centers on the search for a serial killer, who murdered multiple women — including the protagonist’s younger sister. Virtually all the major characters are suspects at one point or another, with damning evidence that has been carefully weaved into the storyline.
The showrunners behind “Vincenzo” took their time in letting the highly engaging story unfold in a believable way. Well, as believable a story as you can have about a Korean-born child who ends up becoming a consigliere for a top mafia don in Italy. This series is one of Song Joong-Ki’s strongest K-dramas.
“Sweet Home” has some incredible highs. But unlike “Kingdom” or “Uncanny Counter,” where action supplements the storyline, “Sweet Home” has too much mediocre filler to make it a truly great K-drama.
Once “Seoul Searching” gets past the caricatures, the story delves into the deeper meaning of what it means to be Korean in societies that view you as a perpetual foreigner. Though the film concentrates on Korean Americans, two of the more memorable characters are Korean teens raised in Germany (Klaus, played by Teo Yoo) and Mexico (Esteban Ahn’s Sergio).
Park Min-Young and Seo Kang-Joon are both skilled actors, whose expressions convey the complicated emotions their characters have. Neither had an easy life and they are almost fearful of expecting — or even wanting — more than what they have.
“When the Camellia Blooms” starts off with so many things happening at once that it’s initially difficult to focus on all the different story arcs: a serial killer, small-town pettiness, marital issues and the possibility of romance. But as the series progressed, each consecutive episode found its focus and finished with a sweet and satisfying finale that felt true to the characters. There is death and sadness dotted throughout the series. But at its core, “Camellia” is a story of love — not just between a man and a woman, but between parents and their children.
“Search: WWW” is the only K-Drama I can think of where women had the kind of lead roles that ordinarily would’ve gone to men. The female characters not only were the rainmakers where they worked, they were the decision makers who the men followed.
It’s not surprising that “One Spring Night” has the same melancholy vibe as “Something in the Rain” (aka “Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food”). Besides the same leading man, the series reunites screenwriter Kim Eun and director Ahn Pan-Seok. While the storyline is different, the main thrust remains the same: The central male character is deemed as unsuitable to be with the female character, because of an unforgivable character flaw that isn’t a flaw at all.
Like most Korean dramas, there is a love triangle in “Ms. Hammurabi.” The difference is that there are so many interesting plots developing here that I cared more about the human rights issues that the judges were fighting for than the romance.
“Her Private Life” starts off as a clever comedy about Sung Duk-Mi — a cultured art curator who also is a diehard fangirl. But it also deftly tackles child abandonment, reunification and forgiveness. The concept of what constitutes a family was a recurring theme. It was refreshing to see that relationships based on bloodlines weren’t the only ones valued and that families are sometimes borne from tragic circumstances.