Korean Drama Update for June 2020

Published by

Kay

June 30, 2020

I got in three dramas for June which was a bit of an improvement for me. They included the epic parallel worlds romance The King: Eternal Monarch, time travel thriller 365: Repeat the Year, and rom-com mini drama You Drive Me Crazy:

The King: Eternal Monarch

The King: Eternal Monarch was a fun watch for me. The story of parallel worlds with one being the Korean Empire and the other the Republic of Korea was an interesting one. It was great to see Lee Min Ho back and paired with Kim Go Eun too.

I usually have a similar experience with Kim Eun Sook’s dramas. I always love the grand plots and world building with intriguing stories to explore. I tend to find the humor on the dry side, which is not my favorite, and the characters are very matter-of-fact at times. The finer details are a little rocky too. This particular drama tried to do a bit to much and had lots of plot holes.

The grand stories and high stakes romances tend to outweigh those things for me though. So with an interesting story, a big romance, a good writer, and solid production, The King: Eternal Monarch was a very entertaining watch. (The King: Eternal Monarch)

365: Repeat the Year

365: Repeat the Year is a mystery time travel thriller that quickly hooked me as it whisked a group of desperate people back in time to change their lives. Of course, nothing is ever easy, and they soon begin dying off. We then get a complex mystery to unravel with plenty of thrills and a story that is woven together quite nicely and has many layers to peel back.

365: Repeat the Year is a great watch if you’re looking for mystery and suspense. There are also lots of twists and unexpected turns. If you like time travel, it’s even better. While the drama didn’t give me a ton of feels, I quite enjoyed all of the thrills and seeing a well-written mystery play out with a unique spin on the time travel genre. (365: Repeat the Year Review)

You Drive Me Crazy

You Drive Me Crazy is a mini drama consisting of four half hour episodes. It’s very basic with the plot revolving around two friends’ changing relationship as they spend time together. I did find it to be on the slow side due to the simple plot and slice of life feel.

You Drive Me Crazy is a mostly light drama, but it does well at exploring the couple’s relationship with a bit of angst and some fun. All in all, it’s an easy watch with a straightforward romance. (You Drive Me Crazy Review)

So how was June for you?

Happy drama watching to everyone!

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27 responses to “Korean Drama Update for June 2020”

MyKDramaticLife
June 30, 2020
(My June 2020 K-Dramatic Review)
“The Class of June”
Since classes were postponed in real life, classes and the class of the Dramaland never stop. Here is the monthly update of my K-Dramatic life. 😊
1. Psychopath Diary
A comedy thriller of a mistaken identity of a pushover clerk thinking he is the merciless serial killer, having amnesia after actually witnessing a crime scene. More epic-failure plans of our hilarious male lead, Yoon Shi Yoon, that led to more funny scenes, Pyschopath Diary lived up to its amazingly fun plot!
Rating: 9/10
2. Itaewon Class
A heartwarming journey of ordinary yet uniquely flawed people from Itaewon. Park Seo Joon as Park Sae Ro Yi has been my most favorite PSJ character. With Kim Da Mi as pair, their romance felt very fresh and exciting. Its heart on top of all the melos and angst is what made this drama really phenomenal to me.
Rating: 9.5/10
3. Black Dog
Unique slice-of-life school drama that focused daily struggles and problems of high school teachers. Seo Hyun Jin and Ra Mi Ran, with the rest of the College Advisory Group found warmth and unconditional camaraderie that felt very realistic and so connective.
Rating: 7.5/10
4. Find Me in Your Memory
A healing romance between a hyperthymestic anchorman and a bubbly celebrity woman who actually had big portion in her life she couldn’t remember. Though it didn’t win me over, it has a solid plot that also offered comedies and thrills apart from the undeniable romantic chemistry between the leads.
Rating: 6.5/10
5. Boksoo’s Back (My Strange Hero)
A funny romcom disguised as a school drama, with Yoo Seung Ho and Jo Bo Ah as leads, and its relatable character developments, Boksoo’s Back felt simply special on so many levels. It felt a bit draggy on the first half but it resulted into a more heartfelt and mostly fun second half, which also yielded a fantastic and revolutionary finalé.
Rating: 8.5/10
My Favorite/s this Month: Itaewon Class, Psychopath Diary
(My June 2020 K-Movie Reviews)
1. Beasts Clawing at Straws
A movie that depicts the greed of people, as group of strangers fight for a hefty sum of dirty money, mysteriously found in a sauna. The plot sounds plausible and the title sounds juicy too, but it honestly just bored me. And its unhealthy brutal scenes just weren’t into my liking. Sad. But there was also many good points in it actually. See it for yourself!
Rating: 6/10
2. The Witch: Part 1 The Subversion
A surprisingly thrilling and suspenseful film that featured the amazingly talented Kim Da Mi as Ja Yoon. It’s full of bloods, and fleshy, but it’s awesome! Now I’m all set for the part 2. 😊
Rating: 8.5/10
3. Take Point
Take Point is an action packed film, that starred two veteran Korean actors, Ha Jung Woo and Lee Sun Kyun. It felt very internationally, with its one-plot story, and unique virtual display. The teamwork and means of survival of the group was way too atttachable, and therefore memorable.
Rating: 8/10
So that was my K-Dramatic June 2020. 😊
Here’s hoping to a more productive July.
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1. Kay
  June 30, 2020
  Yep, Dramaland stops for no one, hehe. And thank goodness for that! 🙂
  You had another busy month as usual. Lots of good dramas in there too. You know I loved Psychopath Diary, and Yoon Shi Yoon was amazing in it. Find Me in Your Memory was also a really good one for some nice melo romance. I really enjoyed My Strange Hero too. Very fun with warmth and a great couple 🙂
  I have Itaewon Class on the watch list as it looks interesting. I haven’t seen any of the movies, but it looks like you did well with them.
  With as much as you got in for June, if you have a more productive July, I don’t know when you’ll sleep! 😂
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  1. MyKDramaticLife
    July 1, 2020
    Hahaha.
    I know right.
    I actually almost halfway of Priests, Mystic Pop Up and Eccentric Chef Moon.
    Already in for episode 13 of Oh My Baby.
    And been starting with Moon Embracing too.
    And it’s only the first of July. 😂
    Well, fighting to both of us, Kay!
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    1. Kay
      July 1, 2020
      Well, I’ll symbolically go ahead and give you the gold medal as Kdrama Champion! I think you have us all beat, lol 😂
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Snow Flower
June 30, 2020
June 2020 dramas
School 2013 – After the excellent At Eighteen, I checket out another high school drama and I enjoyed it. I was not too excited about the scenes that dealt with school administration and curriculum, but liked everything else. Yes, the bromance is great, and so is Jang Nara’s performance. It was also cool to recognize many now famous actors and actresses in their early roles.
Welcome to Waikiki – I am going through the filmography of the left-handed cutie from Busan, Kim Jung Hyun. Last month I enjoyed Bing Goo, a sweet mini drama with vintage flair. This month I tried Waikiki and it was such a joy! The show may not have the most sophisticated story line, and the humor is on the juvenile side, and yet it works. KJH and Lee Yi Kyung are both excellent comedians with distinct styles. I loved KJH’s deadpan expressions and LYK’s exuberant physical comedy. The female cast was pitch perfect too!
The King: Eternal Monarch – Lee Min Ho was very regal in the title role, but it was the character played by Kim Kyung Nam that I liked the best. Woo Do Hwan in a double role was another highlight. This ambitious drama had all the elements of a great drama, but they did not quite fit right. Still, the parallel worlds story was interesting and stimulating. If this drama were a book, a good editor would have been very useful.
Currently watching:
The Fiery Priest – Kim Nam Gil is very cool! Lee Ha Nee is an outstanding comedienne.
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay – this show is hitting all the right notes so far. Main couple Seo Ye Jin and Kim Soo Hyun (another left-handed cutie) are simply mesmerizing in their roles. If the shows stays this good until the end, we have a classic in the making.
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1. MyKDramaticLife
  June 30, 2020
  Have you also watched Nam Gil’s Deserving of the Name? That too was very fantastic!
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  1. Snow Flower
    June 30, 2020
    Oh, yes! I liked that one too. I have been a fan of KNG since Queen Seondeok.
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    1. MyKDramaticLife
      July 1, 2020
      Wow! That’s way older. 😁
      Just loved him in Deserving though.
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      1. Snow Flower
        July 1, 2020
        KNG as Bidam is one of my all time favorite characters in a kdrama.
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      2. MyKDramaticLife
        July 1, 2020
        Would love to see him in a classic one like Seon Deok. It’s already on my long list though.
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2. Kay
  June 30, 2020
  A solid month for you 🙂 Looks like we both enjoyed The King Eternal Monarch for what it did right despite the flaws.
  And I’m so glad you got in Welcome to Waikiki! I only have love for that drama. So hilarious while also have heartwarming moments. Perfect ensemble cast 🙂
  Ah, School 2013. I didn’t fair well with that one, though you actually pretty much summed up my thoughts on it. Loved the love/hate bromance as well as Jang Na Ra, but all the school administration stuff was too much for me, hehe
  Please let me know how The Fiery Priest goes. That’s on my watch list so I’m always trying to decide how far up the list I should move it. And I’ll definitely be watching It’s Okay to Not Be Okay as soon as it is completed. Really excited for that one! 🙂
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  1. Snow Flower
    July 1, 2020
    The Fiery Priest is a crime drama mixed with comedy and it works. KNG plays a character who is hot-tempered, sarcastic, and possesses superb fighting skills. Our hero is also haunted by his past and has sincere faith. The supporting cast includes many colorful characters whose stories are well integrated with the main story. The humor is not as lighthearted as in Waikiki. There is no romance, but there is no need for it. There are a lot of fighting scenes. They are well choreographed, but quite intense. It is cool to see bad guys getting beaten up, but the good guys sustain injuries too. I like how the main character gradually inspires the people around him to stand up for justice and overcome their fears.
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    1. Kay
      July 1, 2020
      It does sound like very interesting drama with a lot of things that appeal to me. I’ll have to keep it on the short list. Thank you for the update as it is much appreciated 🙂
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      1. Snow Flower
        July 3, 2020
        I just finished The Fiery Priest. The conclusion was very satisfying. I liked the message about overcoming fear and standing up for justice. Looks like Season 2 is coming too!
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      2. Kay
        July 3, 2020
        Good to know it was solid all the way through and that you enjoyed it 🙂 Also interesting that a season 2 is in the works 🙂
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Timescout
July 1, 2020
I didn’t watch a single drama all month. Still in a drama slump that seems to be getting progressively worse. 😯 Let’s see if my summer hols will make a difference, starting next week.
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1. Kay
  July 1, 2020
  Oh no! A whole month without a drama sounds awful 🙁 We definitely need to get you out that slump ASAP. I really hope some of the new summer crop from kdramas or cdramas are able to turn things around for you. At least there’s plenty to choose from, hehe
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  1. Timescout
    July 3, 2020
    It’s not that I don’t have dramas to watch but rather that I don’t feel like watching anything. All my attempts at pressing ‘play’ have been futile. Sigh. Could be that I’ve just needed a proper break as I’ve never really had one. Over a decade of watching dramas without a longer hiatus is a pretty long time.
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    1. Kay
      July 3, 2020
      Ah, I understand what you mean. I’ve had similar experiences. It does sound like a break could be good. Let that anticipation have a chance to build up again and come back when your interest returns. Then coming back usually feels really good after that 🙂
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D
July 2, 2020
I finished 4 dramas this month – two Korean and two Chinese. I gave 9 for all of them.
1. Find me in your memory
2. Mystic Pop Up Bar
3. The world owes me a first love
4. Love O2O
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1. Kay
  July 2, 2020
  Wow! 9’s all around! You definitely had a good month 🙂 I too enjoyed Find Me in Your Memory as well as Love O2O. Mystic Pop-Up Bar is on the watch list, and I’m looking forward to it 🙂
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Dinnovative mom
August 7, 2020
Loved The King! Highly recommending Hi bye mama and it’s okay to not be okay. Both are also excellent original storylines with a great cast and all the feels. Have you seen either yet?
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1. Kay
  August 8, 2020
  I’m glad you enjoyed The King too 🙂 I’m actually watching It’s Okay to Not Be Okay right now. I’m about halfway through, and I absolutely love it! It is definitely more unique, packed with emotion, and the cast are delivering amazing performances. I do have Hi Bye, Mama on the watch list too 🙂
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  1. Dinnovative mom
    August 8, 2020
    Every time I watch one I’m convinced it’s my favorite till I watch another one and then it’s my favorite because they are all so authentically good! Cant wait to know what’s next on it’s okay to not be okay. Think you’ll love hi bye mama as well. Same mom from it’s okay!
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    1. Kay
      August 8, 2020
      Oh yes, kdramas are something special for sure and constantly deliver such quality stories 🙂 I’ve been glued to the screen for It’s Okay to Not Be Okay and constantly wondering what will happen next.
      It’s good to hear the positive feedback for Hi Bye, Mama. And Kim Mi Kyung is one of my favorite kdrama moms! She always gives such great performances 🙂
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      1. Dinnovative mom
        August 8, 2020
        She really is amazing! I want to be eating dinner with her on it’s okay lol
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      2. Kay
        August 9, 2020
        Same here! She’s such delight 🙂
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