Sunnyelf's blog review of Asian Dramas and Movies.
This blog is a personal labor of love in a constant flux of improvement.
Please Note:
One * = Didn't like it, Don't recommend. Two ** = Typical. Worth seeing at least once. Three *** = I enjoyed it! Worth seeing more then once. Four **** = It's great! Add it to your all-time favorites list! Five ***** = Epic! Highly Recommended. A totally memorable drama/film.
My Love From the Star/ You Who Came From the Stars/ You Came From the Stars/ My Lover From The Stars/ You From Another Star/ My Love From Another Star/ Man From the Stars/ 별에서 온 그대/ Byeoleseo On Geudae **\ (S.Korean)
21 episodes
Kim Soo Hyun as the alien Do Min Joon
First episode for me was a pass. Came back for another round and was hooked. Good story! Ok, so the whole goodbye thing seemed to drag a bit, but they managed to keep it moving along with the twists of the plot and the handsome/beautiful faces of the characters in the story. And Yes, I did laugh and giggle at all of the E.T. references. Prickly and impassioned meets apathetic tenacity equaling a worthy mix.
Favorite character(s): The lawyer, friend, and 'father' figure, of Do Min Joon.
Favorite scene(s): The drunken moments of the Alien and that of the actress in turn. The kiss aftermath, expected but no less funny for the frustrated yowls of the girl at having to suddenly bear his weight.
An Alien, having lived in South Korea for over 400 years, is getting ready to leave on schedule, when he chances across a woman who looks quite remarkably like a girl he once knew long ago and he falls in love while seeking to protect her from a wealthy and near untouchable killer.
You can also find:
Links go to other reviewed shows the actor has been in.
Heart to Heart/ 하트 투 하트/ Hateu Too Hateu ** (S.Korea)
16 episodes
Choi Moo-Sung as Butler Aun Byeong Yeol
Kind of a weird start for this story. I warmed up to it by about the 4th episode and glad I did. It was worth watching. Not to be a sorry spoiler but.. Favorite scene(s): A chat-back heart to heart with grumpy ol grampa.
A girl with a couple of.. embarrassing quirks preventing her from confessing.. or from having any sort of conversion at all with her crush of the last 7 years, has, first, a run-in with, then, an agreement with a published psychiatrist (with issues of his own) to help her 'fix' them. If, that is, she will help him with one of his own rather debilitating issues.. a fear of his patients.
You can also find:
Links go to other reviewed shows the actor has been in.
Sweden Laundry/스웨덴 세탁소/Seuweden Setakso ** (S.Korean)
16 episodes
Song Ha Yoon as Kim Bom
Chang Jo as Yong Soo Chul
It started out kind of light and meandering but quickly became a bit more focused of the central plot of Bom's family and friends revolving around the laundry location. I felt a bit sorry for the somewhat star-sighted and abused love of Soo Chul in spite of all the energy he put into into the possibility. Favorite scene(s): sleeping together in the shop and the many conversations with grandma.
An independent girl opens a laundry and is gifted a special sight or insight to her customers problems by her passed-on grandmother. These visions are then useful in helping to solve the issues. She is joined there by a guy who has dreams of becoming an illustrator, who uses the laundry as a 'home base'. This also enables him to better help with Bom's adventures as well as to get to know her better.
You can also find:
Links go to other reviewed shows the actor has been in.
Cute concept. Light comedy romance story. Could have been expanded upon, I feel, It was so short I couldn't quite catch the purpose of the drama.. other then to showcase the dancing talent of musical JYP groups? But still, it was fun. favorite scene(s): The girl waking up to find four good-looking guys resting beside her.. and their insistence on staying as it was their home too.
A girl, having a seriously hard time in her life, due to illness and death, is given a bit of magical support by 4 dream knights and taught to dance for a school competition. But then the knights run afoul of 3 ex-knights who give them difficulties.
You can also find:
Links go to other reviewed shows the actor has been in.
Yamada and the Seven Witches/ 山田くんと7人の魔女/ Yamada-kun to nananin no majo ** (Japanese)
8 episodes
Cute story. Putting excessive number of smooches aside for the moment, it was a funny light romantic romp with a bit of adventure thrown in just to keep the short story moving along. Favorite scene(s): splatted and unrolling at the foot of the stairs. the heart of a Pomeranian. and the exuberant buddy kiss.
Rebel goes to an elite school and in an effort to ask for help with a failing grade, learns of the legend of 7 witches... each with a spell passed from one person to another through a kiss. After a bout of the switchero gains him the needed help with his test, and curious about what spells each has, he and his new-found friends begin a quest to find the other 6.
You can also find:
Links go to other reviewed shows the actor has been in.
The Night Watchman/ Night Watchman's Journal/ Records of a Night Watchman/ Diary of a Night Watchman/ 야경꾼 일지/ Yakyungkkoon Ilji ** (S.Korean)
24 episodes
Wonderful story! ..right up until about the 17th episode, when the good guys somehow became incredulously dim and for a time there, I totally lost connection with the tale and began to howl in frustration at the unbelievability. Particularly the female shaman, who seemed to walk brainlessly into the enemy's hands, not once, but more then three times! This in spite of having been told beforehand that the powerful snake priest was wanting to use her for his plans. I also didn't understand, Knowing this bad guy was super bad and powerful, and Knowing they -had- to have more people to help, did they try repeatedly, to go against him with but a single person? Even givin their tendency for self sacrifice, this was the equiv of throwing their lives away for the achievement of nothing what-so-ever. The child who played Rang Yi did a wonderful performance. Favorite scene(s): the introduction of the grown prince, enjoying his time with a ghostly guarded prostitute.
The good king, in efforts to right the wrongs committed by several vengeful ghosts, obtained a special flower at the cost of his sanity and eventual death of much of the royal family and court. The dowager and prime minister lift up the second of the two princes for king, in spite of knowing full well that only the one being ousted from the palace could be the rightful king. Years later, the prince, now grown, is enjoying a life of purposeful ignorance when the dreaded snake priest shows up and worms his way into the palace with intent to re-raise a dragon to smite those who stood in his path. The prince is brought to the 'reality' of the situation and revives the legendary night watchmen to help battle the corrupted spirits plaguing the palace and thwart the priest's evil schemes.
You can also find:
Links go to other reviewed shows the actor has been in.
Master's Sun/ The Sun of My Master/ The Sun of the Lord/ 주군의 태양/ Joogoonui Taeyang ** (S.Korean)
17 episodes
Choi Jung Woo as Secretary Kim
Fun drama. Nice to see the character announce the passage of time in context instead of the usual '3/5/2/4/1 years later' plastered across the screen. Good to mix up the routine a little bit once in awhile. I do kind of wish there was just a little bit more info on some of the characters, particularly on some of the ghosts,. and just what kind of accident Gong Shil was involved in.. and whether or not this also somehow involved Yoo Jin Woo.. or was he just 'a somebody' with his own random accident? Tragedy is naturally involved. Favorite character(s): the coffee-loving ghost Joon Suk and the two little boys whose too-busy mother gave them a needed and concerned hug.
A girl is involved in an accident and wakes years later with an ability to see and hear ghosts. Being afraid of these constant and abrupt appearances in her life, she eventually develops insomnia. One wet evening she is picked up for a quick (and rather unwanted by him) ride by a Hotel CEO who, when she touches him, makes the ghosts temporarily dissipate. Viewing this as something of a miracle, she works really tenaciously to stay within reach of her perceived lifeline. Half believing in her words of having seen a ghost from his past, he agrees to be her anchor, hoping to learn the truth to the events of his past kidnapping which left him unable to read and eventually led to the estrangement of his father.
You can also find:
Links go to other reviewed shows the actor has been in.
