Korean Drama Update for May 2016

May gave me a few pretty great dramas as well as a couple duds. I fell in love with a classic drama and got some pretty good thrills out of a couple others. I didn’t complete any new dramas, but I ended up watching a total of 5 older dramas this month:

I Remember You (Hello Monster)

I Remember You was a very thought provoking drama. It did very well at presenting engaging cases that were in some way connected to the overarching mystery and the main characters in the drama.

The drama really picks up about halfway through when we move on to some big reveals and go deeper with our characters. Seo In Guk, Jang Na Ra, Choi Won Young, and Park Bo Gum were all phenomenal in their roles.

I Remember You explored some complicated topics that are very rarely discussed. It had so much going for it, and it really is a great drama that I would definitely recommend. (I Remember You Review)

My Beautiful Bride

My Beautiful Bride was quite a ride. The first half of the drama was suspense perfection. I so enjoyed Do Hyung’s intense and obsessive mission to find his missing fiancé. And the way the story is presented is so unique. Our main couple is very interesting with the layers of their story carefully peeled back little by little to reveal the full picture of just how deep their love is.

It definitely lost some of that initial steam in the second half as things shifted to the bad guy power struggles. But even then I did still enjoy it, and that says a lot since I don’t usually care for this sort of politics. My Beautiful Bride created an intricate crime world with many layered characters that made the entire journey more than enjoyable. (My Beautiful Bride Review)

My Girl

My Girl was so much fun! It’s my favorite genre mix of more comedy in the first half of the drama followed by more melodrama in the second half. It has a comfortable, laid back pace in the beginning as our story gets set up then moves into lots of comedy and melodramatic goodness!

Clichés abound! Those longing stares with epic music in the background, lies being discovered, and secrets being exposed. Second leads pining for their loves with our main couple involved in a push-pull relationship with each other as they cope with their feelings in the midst of their sticky situation. Seriously, I love this stuff!

Each of the characters were interesting and the actors played their parts well. I loved getting to see Lee Joon Gi in this early outing from him. He never disappoints. I already loved Lee Dong Wook, but it only grew after this performance. Add in lots of humor and a dash of angsty goodness, and I was pretty well satisfied. My Girl is the definition of a kdrama rom-com, and it deserves its place in the Kdrama Hall of Fame. (My Girl Review)

Heartstrings

Heartstrings has been on my watch list pretty much since I started watching kdramas. But sadly, it’s another popular one that didn’t click with me. The number one thing a drama can do for me to dislike it is be boring, and this was on the boring side.

But all is not lost! There were things I liked about it. Heartstrings definitely had some pluses including Park Shin Hye, Kang Min Hyuk, the soundtrack, and the vibe of the drama were all wonderful. But the negatives were Jung Yong Hwa, the second couple, and the lack of conflict that resulted in a lot of boredom for me.

Yet I can definitely see its broader appeal among fans because it does contain so many classic kdrama elements. So in the end, I’m glad I checked it out, but it will probably fade into the background very quickly. (Heartstrings Review)

Shut Up Flower Boy Band

I initially had high hopes for this drama because of all of the high praises I read from drama fans. But sadly, I really didn’t like it.

I enjoyed the first couple episodes with Lee Min Ki, but then things grounded to a halt, and I found myself completely bored for the bulk of the drama. The drama does improve some for the last few episodes, but not enough to make up for the long middle stretch. We do get a decent outing from Sung Joon too, although I never really clicked with his character.

Shut Up Flower Boy was a disappointing drama for me, but it had a few positives. And if you like bromances, there’s a lot of it. It also explores themes of friendship, loss, and fame on a deep level. The soundtrack is pretty good too. (Shut Up Flower Boy Band Review)

So May had a couple of duds, but the good ones more than made up for them. My Girl was just right with I Remember You and My Beautiful Bride adding some nice excitement to the month.

For the month of June, I hope to complete Daebak (Jackpot), Goodbye Mr. Black, and Vampire Detective.

So how was May for you?

Happy drama watching to everyone!

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