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consumeronionbulletin · 4 months

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Marry My Husband (2024)

This show is not perfect, and it is certainly not Perfect Marriage Revenge, but it does have its charms.

What Worked

Like that other show about a time traveling wife who was betrayed by her family and goes back in time to get her revenge, this show was good because of its villains. Song Ha-yoon who plays the evil best friend Jung Soo-min was the most fun to watch of the baddies. She was believably bad while pretending to be nice, and watching her spiral out of control over the course of the series was a treat.

The show also made the most of its side characters, giving them interesting plots and bringing in a solid cast. I especially loved watching young actor Choi Gyu-ri bring this delightful manic energy to Yoo Hui-yeon (the younger sister / bestie). I could have used more scenes with her, and hopefully she'll break into a lead role in a future series.

What DIdn't Work

Though it had a solid final two episodes, the show sagged a bit in the last third. They brought in an evil-ex fiance character that just wasn't interesting to watch.

Also, there were a few moments where the show went from "Over the Top" to "Completely Unbelievable". Like the end of episode 13 (aka the "slowest truck of doom ever") and the end of episode 14 (aka "WTF Ji-won, don't just stand there, Kick him in the nuts, FFS!").

The Performances

Park Min-Young as ("Time Traveling Wife") Kang Ji-won. I've been kind of disappointed in PMY's choices lately, so it was nice to see her in a somewhat better role. There were moments when I felt pathos, or enjoyed the romance, but not that many. Mostly, it was the moments in the show where she got to be angry—and even a little ruthless—that I remember. Which is part of the appeal for any good revenge show.

Na In-woo as ("Future CEO") Yoo Ji-hyuk. I think he was a little wooden in this, but alot of that was the writing. The show was really focused on the FL and on her relationships, and it didn't have much space for him. I didn't really mind that, but it did make those few moments where he got to cut loose a little (like the ice cream scene) more memorable.

Lee Yi-kyung as ("The terrible ex-") Park Min-hwan. This guy was great at playing a mediocre man completely out of his depth. He was like one of those clown punching bags that just pop right up after you hit them. And it was fun watching him get beaten down and come right back up for more.

Song Ha-yoon as ("The evil bestie") Jung Soo-min. I liked watching her slowly get more evil and more crazy as the show went on. The actor did a great job making her contemptible, while pretending to be kind and thoughtful.

Lee Ji-kwang as ("The chef") Baek Eun-ho. Probably the most sympathetic character in the show. He just wants to run his restaurant and feed all his friends and get a cute girlfriend and all of these crazy people keep coming in and messing with things. Would have liked to see more of him, and his loveline, but what we got was nice.

Choi Gyu-ri as ("The Best Sister in the World") Yoo Hui-yeon. This actor had golden retriever energy and it was so much fun watching her in the middle of this craziness. I want to see an entire show with her just running around living her best life. We needed more of Hui-yeon and chef's story than we got, for sure.

Gong Min-jeung as ("Sad boss") Assistant Manager Yang. I've seen this actor a few times and I always enjoy her, though they rarely give her a good loveline. She got a pretty decent one here, despite all the other crazy stuff that happened, so that was nice. Again, could have used a few more scenes with her and Lee Seok-joon.

Ha Do-kwon as ("The Salaryman") Lawyer Lee Seok-joon. He did a good job bringing some gravity to this crazy show. Was able to be funny too (in a Butler Jeeves kind of way). Not enough time spent on him and Manager Yang's story, but what we got was good.

BoA as ("The Evil Ex-") Oh Yu-ra. This character felt more like a plot device than anything. There were a few moments where she could have felt menacing or crazy, but I don't think the actor was quite up to it. They needed to cast a real Mean Girl, but they didn't have enough story for that kind of character.

Ha Do-kwon as ("Bad Manager") Lee Seok-joon. They brought in a really good character actor and this guy made the most of the part. He felt like someone I could have met in real life, and I despised him. Which means the actor did a great job.

Everyone Else. The high school bully girls were fun to watch. Yang's husband did an okay job being despicable. The judo teammates were funny. Even the grandfather had a couple of good moments. Show did a good job taking care of its minor characters.

TL; DR:

If you liked Perfect Marriage Revenge, you'll probably like this too (and vice-versa). It's different enough that you don't feel like you're watching the same show twice. It's also not quite as good as that other show, which means people likely judged it a little harder than they otherwise might have done.

#my kdrama notes #marry my husband #bonkers

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cultkive · 26 days

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⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ JUNG KYUNGMIN was a South Korean actor and model. He’s best known for his roles in the television series; The Fugitive of Joseon (2013), Hotel King (2014), Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016-2017), Life (2018), Hell Is Other People (2019), Tale of The Nine-Tailed (2020), Bad and Crazy (2021), and Tail of The Nine-Tailed 1938 (2023). In addition to his involvement in various film and television projects, he has also served as a model for prestigious brands such as Vogue, GQ Korea, ELLE, and more. In addition, he hosted the 2019 boy group survival reality show Produce X 101.

In 2018, Jung publicly announced his relationship with Cult Creative soloist JUDY. The couple revealed their engagement in 2022. Tragically, in the early morning of November 20, 2023, speculations regarding Jung Kyungmin's passing began circulating. Later that day, God Complex would confirm these rumors, not disclosing his death. Subsequently, his agency initially refrained from revealing the details. However, persistent rumors suggesting a fatal car accident prompted the agency to address the matter later that day, confirming the heartbreaking news.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ GENERAL INFORMATION

NATIVE NAME. : 정경민

COMPANY. God Complex Media

DEBUT DATE. 1999

DEBUT PROJECT. School 2

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ EXTRAS

FANDOM. MiMice

FANDOM COLOR. n/a

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ FILMOGRAPHY

SCHOOL 2 ⁄ anthology series ⁄ lee kang-san ⁄ 1999-2000.

SECRET ⁄ tv series ⁄ kang hyun-soo ⁄ 2000.

SCHOOL 3 ⁄ tv series ⁄ lee kang-san ⁄ 2000-2001.

FOUR SISTERS ⁄ tv series ⁄ lee hansoo ⁄ 2001.

PRECIOUS FAMILY ⁄ tv series ⁄ ahn sung-hwan ⁄ 2004-2005.

MY GIRL ⁄ tv series ⁄ seol gong-chan ⁄ 2005-2006.

ARANG ⁄ film ⁄ lee hyun-ki ⁄ 2006.

BITTER SWEET LIFE ⁄ tv series ⁄ lee joon-soo ⁄ 2008.

HEARTBREAK LIBRARY ⁄ film ⁄ kim joon-oh ⁄ 2008.

THE RECIPE ⁄ film ⁄ kim hyun-soo ⁄ 2010.

SCENT OF A WOMAN ⁄ tv series ⁄ kang ji-wook ⁄ 2011.

WIILD ROMANCE ⁄ tv series ⁄ park moo-yeol ⁄ 2012.

THE FUGITIVE ⁄ tv series ⁄ choi won ⁄ 2013.

THE STORY OF KANG-GOO ⁄ two-part tv series ⁄ kim kyung-tae ⁄ 2014.

HOTEL KING ⁄ tv series ⁄ lee kang-san ⁄ 2014.

BLADE MAN ⁄ tv series ⁄ joo hong-bin ⁄ 2014.

THE BEAUTY INSIDE ⁄ film ⁄ kim woo-jin ⁄ 2015.

BUBBLE GUM ⁄ tv series ⁄ park ri-hwan ⁄ 2015.

GUARDIAN: THE LONLEY AND GREAT GOD ⁄ tv series ⁄ grim reaper / wang yeo / lee hyuk / kim woo bin ⁄ 2016-17.

LIFE ⁄ tv series ⁄ ye jin-woo ⁄ 2018.

TOUCH YOUR HEART ⁄ tv series ⁄ kwon jung-rok ⁄ 2019.

HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE ⁄ tv series ⁄ seo moon-jo ⁄ 2019.

TALE OF THE NINE TAILED FOX ⁄ tv series ⁄ lee yeon ⁄ 2020.

BAD AND CRAZY ⁄ tv series ⁄ ryu su-yeol ⁄ 2021-22.

TALE OF THE NINE TAILED FOX 1938 ⁄ tv series ⁄ lee yeon ⁄ 2023.

#˛ ⠀ ⠀ * ⠀ ⠀ i am not the devil ⠀ ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ ⠀ god complex media.#˛ ⠀ ⠀ * ⠀ ⠀ i am not the devil ⠀ ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ ⠀ god complex media ⠀ ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ ⠀ actors.#fictional idol company #kpop au #fake kpop company #kpop oc #fictional idol oc #idolvers #fictional idol community

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namjoonswaifu · 2 years

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Chapter Five- Royal Residences Part One

warnings: mentions of weight, AFAB character, mentions of female body parts, references to the weight of M/C, loosely based on my own research of the ancient Korean royalty system, bullying, loneliness, anxiety, money problems, mentions of how other people view characters body

message me if you feel I need more warnings

3.4k words

You made your way to the front, the sound of your name, leaving nearly everyone shocked but your best friend, who had the biggest grin on her beautiful face. No one had expected you to get through, not even yourself. A blush blankets your face as you make your way to the line at the front. A moment passes as everyone waits for the ladies who did not get through to leave the smaller courtyard.

"Congratulations ladies" you hear Hoseok speak, breaking the silence, whilst looking over each and every one of you. You don't know if you were just imagining it, but the tall and handsome man had sent an almost imperceptible smile your way, making your eyes go wide. "Now, myself and Jungkook will tell you your residences, and we will also assign you 2 maids and a manservant for you to use at your convenience"

"Let's start with the furthest away from this little courtyard shall we?" Jungkook questioned, though the question was rhetorical.

"Bae Suzy, You are in the Sapphire Apartment. Along with the manservants, you brought along with you, you are also being assigned Shin Won-ho as your manservant and Kim Tae-Yeon and Chou Tzu-yu as your maids. Please proceed to your apartment"

"Next we have the Chariote Apartment, the person who will be staying there is Han Sun-Hwa. You are being assigned Lee Jong-Hyun, Jeon So-Yeon and Kwon Yu-Ri. Please proceed."

The process carried on.

"Ruby Apartment is for Hwang Yeji, You are assigned Kang Dong-Ho, Ahn Sol-Bin and An Yu-Jin. Please proceed.

"Opal Apartment. Kim Seol-Hyun. Woo Ji-Ho, Son Chae-Young, Cho Seung-Hee"

"Carnelian Apartment. Kwon Eun-Bi. Yoo Ki-Hyun, Lee Hae-in and Lee Young-Yoo"

"Amber Apartment. Choi Mi-Young. Doh Kyung-Soo, Bae Woo-He, Baek A-Yeon"

"Azurite Apartment. Kim Si-Jeong. Lee Byung-Hun, Go Woo-Ri and Park Hye-Won"

At this point, everyone had left apart from you. "Miss Seo, as you were an unexpected candidate, your apartment is still getting ready and the maids needed a few more moments, so we were trying to prolong this for as long as possible. You have been assigned Moon Jong-Up, Ahn Hye-Jin who goes by Maria or Hwa-Sa and Jun Hyo-Seong. I hope that they treat you well. To prolong this even longer as we have not received the signal that they are ready, we are going to give you a tour, are you okay with that?" The pair asked.

"Perfectly." You responded. "It would be my honour" You carried on with a smile. "Please, Lead the way". The two young men smiled at you, before moving down the stairs towards you. Suddenly, you felt incredibly nervous, these incredibly attractive young men were looking directly at you, with no signs of distate anywhere on their faces or bodies. The men took a space on either side on your, Hoseok moving his arms to point the way out of the courtyard. "Do you have a flower that you appreciate the most?" Jungkook asked "Good question Kookie" Hoseok said, the nickname making your eyes widen again, almost not expecting the men to be so close that they were using nicknames. "We might have your favourite here in one of the gardens"

"Cherry blossoms, Chief State Councillor and High Councillor. My most appreciated flower of all is Cherry Blossom." The two men share a look between each other. "That is our Gracious King's favourite, so much that he has a garden dedicated to it, coincidentally, the garden is right next to your apartment" A small gasp left your lips, the excitement evident not just on your face but on your whole body as you turned to both of them, your hands clasping together joyfully. "Really!?! Can we go there?" You asked hopefully. Both men smiled at your excited state before telling you that you could, and led the way, right to the entrance of the garden. There was a small bridge to cross before you would actually be in the park, and you ran quickly across it, accidentally forgetting about the two men behind you. You span round quickly, a giant smile on your face, trying to look everywhere at everything.

"I take it that you like the garden," a voice behind you, which you quickly identified as Hoseok, spoke. "Almost more than anything in the world," You said without thinking. Both men let out a laugh, which made you look at them with a questioning gaze. "You have almost the same reaction as the Good King". This very sentence made you stop in your spot, your face dropping, looking almost horrified to be compared to the King. "Omo, I am not worthy of being compared to our gracious King" You spoke, anxiously wringing your hands together. "My apologies Lady Seo, we didn't mean to make you anxious," Jungkook said. You noticed a young woman run up to the two men and yourself. She spoke quietly to the men, before bowing and turning away. The two men turned to you, smiling slightly "Your apartment is ready Lady Seo, let us lead you there" Hoseok said. Nodding, you spoke gently "Please do lead the way". You bow gently, allowing the men to turn around and lead the way out of the garden that you had fallen in love with, and almost didn't want to leave.

It took barely two minutes before you arrived in front of the apartment. "This is the Emerald apartment. Next to you, there is the Queen Dowager's Garden, you are not allowed to enter that space without her explicit permission" Jungkook stated sternly. "And on your other side is Lady Hwang" Hoseok finished. This made you smile, your apartments here, being closer to each other than the houses in your town were. "Lady Hwang Yeji is my best friend," You spoke gently, a small but warm smile on your face at the mention of your best friend. "We have known each other since we were born, my eomma likes to say that I have two sets of parents, both our parents raised both of us..." you paused, your smile turning into a frown "well my eomma and Yeji's parents, my appa..." you spoke again, your frown becoming bigger. "You don't need to tell us, Lady Seo" Hoseok said calmly, laying a gentle hand on your shoulder. You look up, and into the handsome man's eyes, your eyes slightly blurry with tears, making something flash in Hoseok's eyes. "I feel like I almost need to" you spoke "My appa, he used to be a good man, until he fell from grace, he lost a lot of his respect, and therefore money, and the money he did keep, he used to drink. He would blame me for his drinking, he would tell me it was my fault, that he wished it was I who died and not my sister. Before I left, he attacked me for the first time, he dragged me by my hair to the floor and yelled at me. My eomma, she's a wonderful woman, she grabbed him by the ear and dragged him out of the house once she realised he was in my room and harming me. Appa had a bruise on his ear still, when I left for the procession. My bruises still remain intact too, but when I remember what my eomma did, the fire in her eyes, I feel proud to be her descendant" You finally finished your story.

You could see anger clearly on both men's faces. "I know I need not worry about my eomma whilst I'm here, she is as fierce as the summer in the sky in the summer sky." The warm smile lay on your lips, remembering your eomma. "She sounds like a wonderful woman" Jungkook spoke, a smile that could be perceived as genuine if there were someone looking on from the outside in.

"Anyway's my Chief Councillor and High Councillor, I must leave your warm presence and settle myself into my apartments. I hope to see you soon Your Honours. May the sun warm your cheeks, and the food fills your bellies" You speak eloquently, bowing low before the two handsome men, before turning and leaving their presence to enter your apartments.

The apartment that you entered was spacious and homely. In the room stood your friends Chan and Changbin with large grins on their faces, along with your assigned manservant and maids.

"My Lady, Your room is this way, would you like me to help you redress" Hyo-Seong spoke, her hand pointing to an area separate from the room you all stood in. The room was separated from the room you were in by a wall of sliding doors. The entire apartment was decorated in green and brown, the sliding doors were made of oak, and the cloth was painted with the seal of the kingdom in the colours your apartment was named after. It was a beautiful sight to behold, and you knew that if you had any spare time, you would ask your maids to retrieve any painting items they could get a hold of so that you could show this image to your eomma when you got home again. You knew that she would take great delight in your painting, and knowing how an apartment within the royal castle looked and would love the painting even more so, knowing it came from her daughter.

"That would be lovely Miss Jun" you spoke to the woman. She nodded her head as a slight bow, walking to the room you now identified as your bedroom. In the room, there was a large box placed near the window, on top of it was a new hanbok ready for you to wear. "Would you like a bath Lady Seo?" Hyo-Seong asked. You shook your head, a feeling of exhaustion coming over you in a quick wave. "Do you think it would be possible to sleep for a short period Miss Jun?" You asked hopefully. "Unfortunately not, My Lady, there is much to do. As you have reached the second stage, you must prepare for a meeting with Queen Dowager. You will soon also be accepting gifts from the royal family, of which I am unsure, but you must prepare to receive them. We must also start preparing you for your interview, and the luncheon that is happening tomorrow. There is also a Royal Banquet that we must prepare you for. I assume you have attended a banquet before, but a royal banquet is much more different to the ones of the high class" The maid in front of you explained your schedule for the coming potential one to two weeks that you would be residing in a royal apartment.

"Very well, then we must begin," You say a small polite smile on your face. "What's first?" you ask. "First My Lady, we must dress you," she says, returning your attention back to the box that had caught your attention when you first walked into the room. You didn't recognise the hanbok, remembering all the ones that you owned. "I apologise, but this is not my hanbok," you tell your maid "No My Lady, the Queen Dowager sent this. It's the first gift from the royal family." Excitement fills your body, knowing that this was something that the Queen Dowager herself had someone make and be sent. "But only 6-7 were predicted, and I'm not the average size", you questioned slightly, the anxiety that you had felt earlier in the day returning in full force. "The Queen Dowager had this one sent specifically, it was a hanbok she had in her storage, she wore it when she was pregnant with the King. She sent a letter along with it" you were told before being handed the letter

Dear Lady Seo,

The Royal Family apologises for not having anything prepared for you. I did not have a gift prepared for you, however, your crest is a crest that has a long line, and the crest on your hanbok is a phoenix. This was my family crest before I married King Sejong, the King's late father. It was a hanbok I wore when I was pregnant with the King. I hope that it does you well, as it is now yours. Please meet me in my gardens at 3.

Sincerely,

Her Royal Highness, The Queen Dowager Kim Eun-Ji

"What time is it?" You ask loudly, waiting for anyone in the household to respond. "2:30" you hear someone yell, unsure of who it was due to the closed doors between you. You feel your face pale. Turning to your maid you speak again "We must hurry, please call Miss Ahn in, time is not on our side". The maid nods, before running the door and calling in the other woman.

Within 20 minutes, your hair had been brushed and moved into a restyled updo, behind held back with a purple dwikkoji, your under clothes being changed for cleaner ones, and then the gifted hanbok was placed onto your body. It fit almost like a glove like it was made for you. The jeogori was a gorgeous dark purple colour, decorated with golden detailing featuring a phoenix, the goreum was also in an off-gold colour. The chima was a black colour with the same golden detail. Your beoseons were black as well as your shoes which were decorated in the same gold detailing. With a few minutes to spare, your maids applied some basic makeup consisting of plant ash to apply a dark brown colour to your eyebrows, safflower was used to apply a light rouge to your lips and cheeks and cherry blossom petals took right from the very cherry blossom garden you had just been in (it was a perfume that was on the dressing table when you got here, you had just assumed it was a gift everyone received) mixed with water was used to make a delicious spelling perfume.

With exactly 10 minutes left before the Queen Dowager wanted to see you, you left your apartment, your manservant Moon Jong-Up directing you, almost acting as your guard as well as your guide. When you arrived outside the Queen Dowagers garden, which only took moments as you quickly found out was right next to your apartment, Mr Moon stepped aside to let you enter first, before following you slightly behind, allowing you to look like you had found the garden yourself.

It doesn't take long to notice the Queen Dowager, it shocked you slightly when you saw that she was wearing the same colours just the other way around. The lady in front of you turns towards you, hearing your footsteps. She waits at the top of the stairs of the Pavilion she was standing in. Once you reach the bottom of the stairs, you bow as low as possible to the elegant woman before you. "You're early Lady Seo" the woman speaks. "My apologies Your Majesty, I was excited to meet you once again." You speak, not allowing your nerves to take over your anxiety.

“Don’t be, it is a good thing for a woman to have, to have time management perfected, especially for a woman. Especially for a woman who may be the future mother of the kingdom, the future queen.” She says, her very words making you blush.

“You speak of me too highly My Queen,” you say. “I am eternally grateful for your gracious gift. The fabric is the softest thing I have ever had touch my skin. If there is anything I can do to show my thankfulness, please allow me to do it. Would you like some tea, Your Royal Highness?” you ask, noticing the teapot and teacups whilst you were looking around in nervousness.

“You need not worry Lady Seo, this is no longer a test, you do not need to pour my tea for me,” she says, her voice full of authority, before nodding slightly to a man that you almost hadn’t seen when you entered the pavilion. “You intrigue me, Lady Seo, you are so unlike the other candidates, both in looks and mentality. Most of your candidates, when I had asked them why they were doing this, responded with generic answers” she speaks “For his Royal Highness the King’s happiness, to get to know you Your Highness” she carries on, her voice changing to mimic the people she was speaking about, at the sound of her change in voice you let out a giggle, covering your mouth. “But your answer, it was different, you wanted to make your family proud. This was something I wanted when I was a candidate to marry the King's late father” she finishes, the words turning the mood serious once more. A lady, small and almost meek approached the table, taking the teapot and pouring tea into both the cups on the table, before retreating to her spot against the wall of the garden. “You have a beautiful garden My Queen,” you tell her trying to achieve the once jovial mood the pavilion had a matter of minutes ago. “I spent a few brief minutes in the cherry blossom garden, and I truly believe that it was the happiest moment of my life,” you tell her, allowing the smile to fill your face as your mind retrieves the memory you were talking of.

“The King’s favourite spot is also in the cherry blossom garden, he begged his father to plant the trees when he was still King, persuading him by telling him that he would propose to his future queen in that very garden,” the Queen Dowager tells you, allowing you a little into the past of the King, who you were yet to set eyes upon.

Before thinking, you blurt out “Were you scared when you made the application to become the late King Se-Jeong’s wife?” A few moments pass, and just as you go to open your mouth to apologise, the dowager stops you. “I was, in fact, I was terrified, to tell you the truth, I never wanted it, but I needed to do it for the pride of my family. I was lucky that I fell in love with the King eventually, and we had a good, long and happy life,” she answers with a small smile on her face, reminiscing on the memories of her past. “I actually have a few questions for you myself if you don't mind”

“It would be my honour to answer your questions My Queen” you respond, nervousness filling your body even more.

“The king is very… uh… close with his closest men. Would that be a problem with you?” she starts. “Of course not, if our Great King is happy, then I myself shall be happy,” you respond, hoping your answer satisfies her. She nods, with a small hum of approval.

“And concubines? What are your opinions on the concubines?” she continues her questioning.

You pause, this was something you had thought about. “Well My Queen, I have a feeling that if I was ever to become Queen, the other two candidates that would have gotten through, would be my school bullies-” the queen cuts you off after hearing of your bullies “Your bullies are in the palace?” She questions with an eyebrow raised.

“Yes Your Highness, Kim Seol-Hyun and Kwon Eun-Bi, their apartments are Carnelian and Opal if I remember correctly”, the Queen Dowager nods again. “So what would you do if you became Queen and them the concubines?” She asks, her interest even more peaked.

“Part of me would want to through them into the dungeons like they had threatened they would do with me earlier today. Another part of me would want all of the king's concubines gone but the biggest part of me wants the King to be happy, and if the concubines make My Great King happy, then I shall live with the concubines.” The Queen Dowager looks almost shocked. “The Kings happiness, at the end of the day, will always be my source of happiness, whether I get through to the final round, or I don’t. The King, from what I have heard in rumours spread across cities and towns, near and far, is that when the King is happy, the land thrives, and the people are well. My family are part of his people, and as well as making them proud, I desperately want them to be happy… even my father.” you tell her.

“Your father?"

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fuckyeahkimyoojung · 2 years

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asyasahinoglu · 2 years

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Youth MT group posters.

It will premiere on September 9.

The Sound of Magic

https://mobile.twitter.com/tvingdotcom/status/1562377125034078208?cxt=HHwWgMDR7fTt1q4rAAAA

Itaewon Class

https://mobile.twitter.com/tvingdotcom/status/1562380908556341249?cxt=HHwWgsDSpZLK2K4rAAAA

Love in the Moonlight

https://mobile.twitter.com/tvingdotcom/status/1562376918053580801?cxt=HHwWgsDT3e7h1q4rAAAA

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coreancitizen · 1 year

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2022 Year in Review: My Korean drama recommendations

2022 went by so quickly, and I think that's partly because almost every week I had new episodes of shows to look forward to. I'm a bit of a contradiction: I don't have the patience to wait for a new show to be completed so I could binge it, but I (maybe not-so) patiently wait for episodes every week, haha. TBH, I find I'm more invested in a show and its characters when I watch a drama weekly. And there were so many characters worth the investment in 2022: Woo Young Woo, Queen Im Hwa Ryeong, the Oh sisters, Kim Yumi, Jin Do Jun and Jang Uk, to name a few.

I just want to make clear that, as in previous years, this is by no means a list of the best Korean dramas of 2022. These are merely my favorites among the ones I watched that premiered in 2022 (or ended in 2022).

You can find my previous roundups here:

2021: Year in Review 2020: Year in Review

YUMI'S CELLS 2

New season means new love for Kim Yumi (Kim Go Eun) as she begins a romance with co-worker Yoo Babi following her breakup with video game designer Goo Woong. TBH, I wasn't quite sure how I'd feel about the new pairing — I have a soft spot for Ahn Bo Hyun — but Jinyoung charmed me even before the series started. He and Go Eun have a sweet and natural chemistry that made me root for Yumi and Babi, even knowing how the relationship ended in the webtoon. Another thing I love about the series is its portrayal of Yumi's pursuit of her dream to be a writer — from the frustrations of earlier rejections to keeping it positive while faced with criticisms and the satisfaction of another job (book) well done. That shot of her jumping on the bed toward the end of the series was cathartic and the perfect cap to Yumi's growth. (Viki)

LITTLE WOMEN

This is NOT Louisa May Alcott's famous novel though it does share some themes and puts sisters at the forefront of the story. The Oh sisters — In Joo, In Kyung and In Hye — just want to live a life not steeped in poverty. So when 2 billion won falls on In Joo's lap, their problems are over, right? Nope. A multitude of troubles arrive as the sisters get entangled with a rich, powerful and corrupt family with a lot of unscrupulous allies. This series got me on the edge of my seat from the very first episode and the thrills and tension never let up until the end. I absolutely love how messy and chaotic the sisters and their relationships with each other are. They love but they also fight, annoy and block each other, LOL! Now please cast Kim Go Eun and Wi Ha Joon in an action comedy series or film and give them the ending on the sunny beaches of Greece that their characters deserve. (Netflix)

BULGASAL: IMMORTAL SOULS

This is the first drama that caught my attention last year, a fantasy with monsters, past lives, immortal love and families. It's the story of how the lives of a man (Lee Jin Wook) who was turned into an immortal monster 600 years ago and a woman (Kwon Na Ra) who has been dying and reincarnating for centuries have been intertwined. The world building is quite interesting and the central mystery keeps you guessing until the very end. Keep an eye out for familiar faces as people from the past emerge in the present. (Netflix)

A BUSINESS PROPOSAL

This romcom is adorable with a capital A. Shin Ha Ri (Kim Se Jeong) shows up to a blind date pretending to be her best friend and does her best to turn off a potential match by behaving outrageously. It's a schtick she and her chaebol best friend had cooked up a long time ago to discourage suitors. Unfortunately, the blind date turns out to be Kang Tae Moo (Ahn Hyo Seop), the young president of the food company where she works. And even more unfortunately, he's interested and now wants to marry her! Hilarious chaos ensues, abetted by the couple's adorable best friends (the second couple), her zany family and his kdrama-loving grandfather. You'll never look at an archaeopteryx (bird-like dinosaur) the same way again. (Netflix)

TOMORROW

This is a lovely, heartbreaking, oftentimes cathartic drama about people desperate enough to consider taking their own lives and the team of resolute grim reapers who work very hard to prevent their deaths. Comatose Choi Jun Woong (Rowoon) is the newbie in the Risk/Crisis Management Team led by Koo Ryeon (Kim Hee Sun). Lim Ryung Gyu rounds up the team. Head of the Soul Collection Team Park Joong Gil, despite being a fellow grim reaper, is a thorn on the team's side — he has a special animosity for Ryeon that may have something to do with the past. Fortunately, the team has a stalwart supporter in the Jade Emperor (Kim Hae Sook). (Netflix)

MILITARY PROSECUTOR DOBERMAN

Legal action drama with a touch of comedy is probably the best way to describe this series and it's the perfect leading man vehicle for Ahn Bo Hyun. Do Bae Man passes the bar with basically just a GED and so finds himself unable to find a spot in a decent law firm until he gets an "offer he can't refuse" from corrupt lawyer Yong Moon Go: Serve in the military for five years as a prosecutor and then join his prestigious firm after. The plan is going swimmingly until he crosses paths with another military prosecutor, Cha Woo In (Jo Bo Ah), who is targeting some members of the military brass for revenge after her beloved father's suspicious death. After long-buried secrets begin to emerge, Do Bae Man finds himself reevaluating what it is he really wants to do with his life. (Viki)

EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY WOO

Woo to the Young to the Woo! The series follows Woo Young Woo, a young lawyer on the autism spectrum. She's got a brilliant legal mind, able to see different angles of a case but struggles with day-to-day interactions. Fortunately, she has the people looking out for her, like her dad, her boss/mentor, her law school friend and, of course, the handsome support team member who might just have more than friendship in mind. Park Eun Bin is brilliant as Woo Young Woo, she truly gets you invested in her challenges and triumphs. The legal maneuverings are fairly interesting, especially when they involve a rival law firm and somebody from WYW's past. (Netflix)

ALCHEMY OF SOULS

In the land of Daeho, an assassin trapped in a blind woman's weak body encounters a young lord from a powerful family who needs help to unlock his powers. Interesting lead and supporting characters, solid world-building, fantastic sword and sorcery action? I was sold from the very beginning. At the end of the second ep, I was absolutely in love with the feisty Mudeok and her rather bratty young master/pupil Jang Uk who just wants his gate of energy opened so he can do what everybody can — cast spells and use a sword. There's a twist at the end of the 20-episode first season, and I guess your enjoyment of the second season would largely depend on how much you accept the change. But in both seasons, the crown prince remains quite the scene stealer and he's possibly my most favorite character of all. (Netflix)

UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA

A truly female-driven drama — from the queen and the queen dowager down to the concubines and, yes, even the court ladies. The series begins with Queen Hwa Ryeong's biggest problem being the four grand princes' rather relaxed approach to their education, lagging behind the other sons of the king via his numerous scheming concubines. But tragedy strikes and the queen and her sons suddenly find themselves fighting to make sure they don't lose not just their positions but their very lives. Kim Hye Soo makes it so easy to root for the embattled queen who wields her position and her eyebrows skillfully to thwart ministers, concubines and her mother-in-law, the queen dowager. I also love that her sons, the four grand princes, are unlike other royal brothers in sageuks — they are close, affectionate and loyal, leaving the dirty tricks to their half-brothers. This series probably has the most satisfying ending among the ones I watched last year. (Netflix)

REBORN RICH

Yoon Hyun Woo is a hard-working, loyal, no-questions-asked employee of the powerful Jin Family, which controls the Soonyang Group. One day, on an overseas errand to retrieve some secret money, he is betrayed by someone in the family and murdered — but promptly finds himself "waking up" in the body of the youngest grandson of the Jins, back in 1987. How, you ask? I finished the series but that part is still unclear. What's clear is how charismatic and believable Song Joong Ki is as the twentysomething investment whiz Do Jun. And what an amazing actor Lee Sung Min, as Soonyang chairman and patriarch Jin Yang Cheol is. The push-pull in their relationship is what made the series work for 15 episodes. Not that the supporting cast members are slackers. This is one of the best ensembles I've ever seen, the actors really working to make these characters ones you'd love to hate. Some of the business stuff might put off viewers but I found the whole thing fascinating and easily understood. I cheered when Do Jun/Hyun Woo used his knowledge of the future as well as his relatives' greed to take pieces of Soonyang. I'm recommending this series but with a caveat: I found the ending a bit of a mess and rather unsatisfactory. BUT the previous 15 episodes are fantastic and definitely worth a watch. (Viki)

Bonus recommendations

I recently started dipping my toes into Chinese dramas, even though I'm still intimidated by the episode count. "Love Between Fairy and Devil" is sweet and hilarious and has fantastic special effects. (Netflix and Viki)

But my heart truly belongs to Li Wei and the sixth young prince of Xin State as they figure out family, politics and love as their "New Life Begins." (Viki)

Last but certainly not the least, "Pachinko," which even though it stars some of the biggest names in Korean entertainment is not considered K-Drama by its creators. Based on Min Jin Lee's critically acclaimed novel, the series — Youn Yuh Jung, Lee Min Ho and Kim Min Ha are key parts of the ensemble — follows the trial and tribulations of a Korean family over four generations. The story begins in Korea, moves to Japan and eventually spreads to the United States. The story is rich and emotional, the direction precise and the acting superb. It has been recognized in a lot of year-end lists and recently won the Critics Choice Award for best foreign language series. (Apple TV +)

#kdrama reccs #yumi's cells 2 #tvn little women #bulgasal #military prosecutor doberman #mbc tomorrow #a business proposal #extraordinary attorney woo #alchemy of souls #under the queen's umbrella #reborn rich #love between fairy and devil #new life begins #pachinko

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