End of July 2017 Korean Dramas August 16, 2017

I finished two dramas at the end of July and I am getting around to reviewing them now.

The first one is called Queen for Seven Days/ Seven Day Queen. The story is based on some historical figures but I am assuming that most of the story embellished. So right off the hop you get to pretty much see the end. It’s in the title that Shin Chae-Kyung is going to be Queen for only seven days but what happens to her after that is unclear. The pretty much show right away that she is being dragged off and the drama starts with a heavy heart knowing that it will be a painful ending. But you soon forget that as it then starts with Shin Chae-Kyung and Prince Jin-Seong as children. I have to say that the child actors to a fabulous job of acting and I really enjoyed them. As adults Yeon Woo-Jin takes over the role of the Prince and I have to say that his transition was more jarring to me. I have seen him recently in “Introverted Boss” and maybe that is why I found it hard? I don’t know it’s not like I don’t like him, I just found that his personality didn’t seem to be quite the same as the earlier version of the prince. Lee Dong-Gun plays the King who does a good job of portraying him I was really surprised and almost didn’t recognize him from “Supper Daddy Yeol”. A part of me always wanted to root for him in this drama.

The story is about Chae-Kyung who lives in the countryside because her parent’s don’t want her getting involved with the Royal family as her dad is the right hand minister to the King. Chae-Kyung as a young girl goes back home and meets the Prince and the King through strange circumstances and becomes entertained in their lives. It is a complicated story and is really easy to get hooked into the story.

The story seemed really interesting to me even though it seemed to be sad and I was always rooting for a good ending. This drama always kept surprising me and I really enjoyed it even though the ending was so sad. I cried really hard at the end and for reasons that I wasn’t even expecting. I think the last drama that made me cry that much was “Goblin”.

I wasn’t expecting too much from this drama but I was pleasantly surprised of the journey that I went on with this drama. I guess the heart ache is more interesting to me than the easy love stories that don’t seem to exist in real life. So I would recommend this drama as a great historical drama that always kept me on my toes and my emotions on a roller coaster.

The second drama I finished was Stranger/ Secret Forest. I wasn’t expecting to watch this drama as I am not the biggest fan of crime and police dramas but it seemed to have some interesting elements. It is about a prosecutor Hwang Shi-Mok who as a child had brain surgery because he couldn’t handle all the stimulus around him and know is left him lacking in the area of emotion. This also allows him to stay righteous and not partake in corruption and bribery. He one day comes across a murder scene and he gets involved with what becomes one of his biggest cases ever. In the process he meets Police Lieutenant Han Yeo-Jin who becomes kinda like a partner to him in solving the case.

The acting is very good in this drama I really love watching Cho Seung-Woo as Hwang Shi-Mok, his intelligence and his acting is so good, I felt like I could watch him forever. The actual case that he has to solve seemed to get a bit confusing for me at times especially when they would say a lot of names and trying to get them all straight. Also I really know nothing about prosecutors and how they work, so that part can get a bit dry every so often. Also there pretty much no romance in this drama, but I love how the characters interact regardless of that. Also the ending felt like there needs to be a second season so I don’t know if it is possible?

This is a great drama with some great plot twists so I always seemed to find myself waiting every week to watch the new episodes. Although I wish they would have delved deeper into his condition of his brain and what exactly happened there? I feel like there needs to be another season to develop the characters some more. Same with the Lieutenant Han Yeo-Jin it feels like I need to know more about her and why she loves drawing. I want to know more about her past and how she has ended up where she is, I feel like I am still curious about the characters which is why it feels like the characters are not done with yet.

I would recommend this drama if you love any crime and mystery stories that delve into the human condition.

The Dramas I am currently watching are:

1. Bride Of The Water God: This is nothing like the manhwa and so I am disappointed with it. I was expecting more from this one.

2. School 2017: Typical school drama and lots of mystery and intrigue to go with it.

3. Man Who Dies To Live: Well hopefully someone will actually sub this drama. I would still like to check it out. I think the controversy over it is so blown out of proportion.

4. The King Loves: Pretty good so far even though it is the typical love triangle.

5. Deserving of the name: Okay I have watched two episodes and I think it is funny and interesting!

6. Save Me: Oh this is an intense and crazy drama! I don’t know if I will be able to make it through!