First Impression: Triangle

                                       

Genre: Action, Family, Melodrama

This drama first caught me at Kim Jaejoong and Lee Bum Soo working together again even though I haven't seen their first project together which is Dr. Jin. Im Si Wan's casting probably became one of my reasons too to keep an eye on the showing date and such. This drama has only become a candidate out of so many interesting dramas I've had in my mind, but I really wasn't so sure whether I'm really gonna make time for it or not. Nonetheless, I've had my first impression with the trailer and that's when I decided give it a try.

What was about the trailer? Even though it was only a clip and there was just a few seconds shown, I've seen a matured Jaejoong (Heo Yeong Dal) as an actor in a role of a gangster and I had the gut feel this is going to be different from the past projects he's done. So please don't disappoint me.

Review: Secretly Greatly

Expectation: I'm not the biggest anticipator of the movie but upon hearing so many good reviews about it; this film starring Kim Soo Hyun has built my confidence in watching. Basically, I expected it to be awesome, thus; they have a huge responsibility to fulfill at least to me as a viewer.

In a nutshell: It's about a North Korean soldier, Won Ryu Han (Kim Soo Hyun) who was sent to South Korea to be a spy in disguise of an idiot (Dong Gu). Together with him are his comrades, Lee Hae Rang (Park Ki Woong) and Ri Hae Jin (LeeHyun Woo) who were sent later to prove their nationalistic attribute as soldiers.

Commentaries: The beginning of the movie was really interesting and that immediately drew me into watching. But then, I realized that I need to look through the movie as a whole because in totality, we need to grasp the essence of its details. So starting with the aim or objective of it, I think that this entails a very thorough reasoning as to why they want to create a story in a way that the soldiers' dignity as people are involved. Through that, we will understand better the core of their character that we have laid eyes on. For me, in the aspect of bringing things into light for the characters, they sort of lacked in it. To explain myself, for this kind of movie which I anticipated, I wanted to see how much the soldiers are motivated to execute the intructions to them in the story like for example, what is worth fighting for aside from your country's pride? Furthermore, I expected lesser contradicting events than they actually have. Well, it saddened me a bit because I lived up to a more polished writing than they delivered. Regardless of that, I think that they can do more than what they have shown so for a film that hit the box office, I wanted more depth. I knew that love for country is a kind of feeling that is significant for a soldier but why do the story has to send traitors to persecute their own men? I thought that it was a bit off as a patriot.

Review: Psychic

In a Nutshell: A science fiction drama about two extraordinary individuals. One  is characterized by the power to manipulate others through his monster-like eyeballs while the other has the ability to counteract such beguiling power through his mind.

Commentaries:

I watched this movie starring Go Soo and Kang Dong Won to familiar myself more on their works. Both are promising and established actors in Korea that makes this movie deserving to be watched by everyone most especially to someone like myself who's into kdramas. I thought that the genre was interesting as well to be seen so when I came across the opportunity of watching it, I grabbed it with full of anticipation.

The movie caught my attention at this line: "It's not my fault to be born like this. The fact that I'm different from others, you people will never understand. I, too, do not wish to mingle amongst you" which defined Kang Dong Won's character in the film. Aside from that, the mystery surrounding his birth really was the topic I was looking forward to be answered.

Review: Sirius

Rating: Average

Synopsis: 

It’s a story between twins who were separated at birth. Shin Woo was left in an orphanage by her mother who can’t afford to raise the two kids together while she brought Eun Chang with her as a single parent. Five years later, they fetched Shin Woo at the orphanage to live with them in an effort to bring the two kids together as a family.

The siblings grew up with different personalities; Eun Chang is more outgoing and the tougher side of the twins while Shin Woo is reserved and an introvert. This has determined their roles in school as well. Shin Woo is someone who gets bullied while Eun Chang is always the one who comes in rescue of him. However, Shin Woo had perceived the concern of his brother, Eun Chang to him. He thought that he's being pushed aside within the family. 

One day, Eun Chang went to school wearing Shin Woo’s uniform to avenge his brother’s dignity from someone who has bullied him. However, things went ugly when he was brought at the rooftop where he was confronted. Accidentally, Eun Chang pushed the bad guy from there and he fell on the ground. The student eventually died and Eun Chang was sent to jail. But their mother asked Shin Woo to enter instead in exchange of his brother who only wanted to protect him. Little to her realization, it has hurt Shin Woo’s feelings as a son and that he has never forgot that moment in his life.

Years later, Shin Woo became a successful high rank police officer while Eun Chang was finally granted of freedom. However, their mother died by that time. Eun Chang asked Shin Woo why he didn’t notify him beforehand and asked what were the last words of hers. Frustratingly, he answered that she’s always mumbling his name until her last breath.

First Impression: Heartless City Episode 3

Start. The beautiful view of the city yet full of dark elements around it. The theme of this drama is highlighted through the expressive contrast between black and orange that is evidently used in the cinematography. I see it as a good thing, I learned how to appreciate the tone of the mood that it wants to project. Usually, I am not a fan of sensible action dramas and such but this one is an exception.  Good job!

Who is Doctor's Son and why is he so heartless? Is this everything that is within his sense of being? Definitely not, I knew that I would be extracting more of him in the next episodes but why does he speak like that? It feels as if he's going to dominate this world as the King of all drug-lords. He speaks so highly, confident, fearless, and furthermore, heartless. I feel the need to know more of him, and find the reasons why he's doing this. Who is he exactly and what is his major drive for doing this?

Gyung Mi made this for Soo Min's hearty breakfast. I love the heart shaped egg she put on top of the kimchi fried rice which definitely looked tasty and made me crave for some Korean food. Why do k-dramas do this to me?

A letter that Gyung Mi wrote to Soo Min saying she's sorry for misunderstanding her - that is she's working as a hostes. Read Reference - Episode 1

Heartless City: Character Introduction Episode 2

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Heartless City: Quick Recap of Episode 1 and Character Introduction

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This is the episode where you get fed by a lot of confusing information because of the unfamiliarity with the sequence, the story, the characters, and personally, it was a first time for me to come across most of the casts. Thus, I decided to return to this episode where I thought I have missed a lot of details that I picked up later on. The first time, my brain wasn't absorbing the much, the story was all over the place and I can’t appreciate the characters yet but now that I see it again, everything has made organized and appealing, and that the pilot episode is actually quite impressive and interesting than I thought. Thank God I made it pass episode 1 because this drama just exploded right after, as the story develops and the revelations made into surface.

Character Introduction 

Review: Heartless City

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Commentaries:

The story has come to its finale and I’m left here trying to absorb everything about the series, on how amazing it has been! It totally was worth of an emotional ride and excitement. I can clearly claim this drama as my favorite now simply because of the overall impact that it has brought to me starting from its brilliant editing, story line, and cinematography down to the great images portrayed.

Review: City Hunter

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Support the OST!

Casts:

Lee Min Ho - Lee Yoon Sung

Park Min Young - Kim Na Na

Synopsis: 

City Hunter's role in the society is made essential through his presence in putting the corrupt government officials behind bars. However, his participation to the good cause is not being recognized by the authorities as something legal. Thus, they chased after him under the crimes committed by other individuals, as he is blamed for few cases of murder. Regardless of these accusations in his name, his will to avenge his life over his parents whom he believed abandoned him didn't stop and also, he would continue being the city hunter until justice is served.

roannt: Thoughts on Heartless City

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Casts: 

Jung Kyung Ho - Jung Shi Hyun

Nam Gyu Ri - Han Soo Min

Lee Jae Yoon - Ji Hyun Min

Thoughts:

roannt: Thoughts on Heartless City: I'm unstoppable today watching Heartless City. I managed to finish up until episode 15 which was so good, I didn't expect there'...

[Kdrama Recommendation] Mandate of Heaven, Heartless City

Mandate of Heaven

Now Watching: Ep 14

This is such an underrated in comparison of the essence of its production to the ones who are getting more popularity but with lesser substance to what this drama has to offer to the viewers. Seriously.

Review: The King 2 Hearts

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Release Date: March 21, 2012
Genre: Romance, Dark Comedy, Action

Casts:
Lee Seung Gi - Lee Jae Ha
Ha Ji Won - Kim Hang Ah

Introduction:

One of the national issues of Korea that remains to drop headlines all over the world is about the endless word war of its divided Peninsula: the South and the North. As it has been going on for years, putting a stop over the unresolved matter between the two governments seems to be a difficult assignment for anyone whether it be an individual, an organization or even a government. Both stands on the grounds of their rights rather than to entertain the idea of sitting together for a settlement which seems to be a very complex thing to do. If they could think of its benefits which is to avoid hurting and shedding blood of the innocent citizens of both countries, they could always choose the better deal.

Synopsis:

It's clear that this series wanted both sides to come together but with a purpose of fighting a common enemy of the two who has an agenda of running his power all over the two countries. It is quite a symbolism because they gathered a cast composed of English speaking individuals that would represent other nationalities. Moreover, it wanted to go beyond the friction of the two countries as they involved other issues such as the involvement of the different nations to their dispute. Anyhow, as brave as this series can be, there are still lapses which they failed to attend to. Despite of the efforts exerted by this drama, it was clearly disturbed by too much idealism.

Review: Chuno

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Support the Original DVD 

Genre: Period, Drama, Action, Romance
Release Date: January, 2010
Casts: 

• Jang Hyuk as Lee Dae Gil
• Oh Ji Ho as Song Tae Ha
• Lee Da Hae as Un Nyun / Kim Hye Won
• Lee Jong Hyuk as Hwang Chul Woong
• Gong Hyung Jin as Eop Bok
• Han Jung Soo as General Choi
• Kim Ji Suk as Wang Son
• Kim Ha Eun as Sul Hwa

Synopsis:

The story followed the life of Lee Dae Gil, a slave hunter that holds a painful memory of the past. he used to be a young master of a household until one of their servants, the brother of the woman he cared for (Un Nyun) put the household on fire, killing the family members except for the young master who was left with a mark on the left side of his face due to the intentional course of event. This caused Lee Dae Gil to seek revenge to the siblings by trailing his ex-lover whom he believed abandoned him. On their next encounter, Un Nyun no longer exist as she changed her identity as Kim Hye Won.

Review: Iljimae

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Release Date: May 21, 2008
Genre: Period, Comedy, Action, Drama
Characters:

• Lee Jun Ki as Iljimae / Yong / Lee Geom
• Yeo Jin Goo as Geom (child)
• Han Hyo Joo as Eun Chae
• Kim Yoo Jung as Eun Chae (child)
• Lee Young Ah as Bong Soon
• Jung Da Bin as Bong Soon (child)
• Park Shi Hoo as Shi Hoo / Ja Dol
• Lee David as Ja Dol (teen)

Review: Hong Gil Dong

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

English Subtitled

OST

Release Date: January 2, 2008
Genre: Period, Drama, Comedy, Action
Characters:

Kang Ji-hwan as Hong Gil Dong
Sung Yu-ri as Heo Yi-nok
Jang Keun-suk as Lee Chang-hwi

Synopsis:

One of our heroes in the Joseon Dynasty and was dubbed as the Korean Robinhood, popularly known as Hong Gil Dong, is a burglar of corrupt government officials. He's done his job to return the favor to the people who was rubbed of their money and rights by the greedy authorities. As he was able to do his mission a la ninja, Hong Gil Dong eventually won the hearts of the people. Sounds interesting, right? To continue the story with my blurry memory of 2009, I will recall what it had made me feel, that which is incomparable, irreplaceable and one of a kind.