KoreanDrama – Page 2 – The Drama Bone

“One who wears the crown must bear it.”

A crown does not only have weight, it is heavy as well. The story is about ‘heirs’ of various billion dollar businesses and companies and how their life is not all it seems to be. How their struggles and problems are just as ordinary as others. How money cannot buy you everything and there is price one has to pay for having a lot at birth.

Image Credit: Viki

Characters (Left to right): Choi Young Do, Kang Ye Sol, Cha Eun Sang, Lee Hyo Shin, Kim Tan, Chan Young, Jo Myung Soo, Lee Boo Na, Rachel Yoo

The starting of the show was quite interesting. For me usually korean shows take time to develop story and hence my interest but this one really got me interested from the first go.

Image Credit: weheartit

Slowly I realised that it is a high school drama with lots of cliche elements like a love triangle, jealous partner doing crazy stuff, the societal class and bullying. The drama has some really good sayings to offer. The back story they were trying to build was good but didn’t fully materialize.

Image Credit: Pinterest

Coming to the characters, I really liked Kim Tan saying “Do I like you?” “Did I miss you ?” Instead of I like you and I miss you. It adds such a mysterical and questioning element. I found Kim Tan relatable to the extent that to some people he is so sweet and to others he is so rude. The way he turns a blind eye to what he started makes me question if he really has become a good guy or even if he is a good guy. Lee min ho’s intense gaze is something in itself and he was looking handsome as ever but on the acting front he seemed like a poker face I couldn’t make out his expression many a times whether he is hurt, sad, angry or what. Maybe that was the demand of his character.

Image Credit: Pinterest

I was touched by Cha Eun-Sang’s determination to give her mother a better life even with so many problems and her mother’s inability to speak gives a much deeper touch and connect. Park Shin-Hye’s acting seemed very natural to the character.

Image Credit: weheartit

Image Credit: Pinterest

The chemistry between the lead was good but I think the couple could have had better scenes together. The intimacy could have been better like it was in the initial episodes. Another thing was the dream catcher, it kind of got the story around. I liked how Kim Tan looked through to EungSang via dream catcher symbolising she was his dream. I think dream catcher was one of my favourite characters in the show.

Image Credit: aminoapps

Image Credit: evacuatewithstyle

Yoong do came off as so evil but later on I realised that he is so sweet and fragile from inside and is textbook case of parent neglect and bullying.

Image Credit: Facebook

This drama was not really about being perfect and the character flaws were in your face evident which I did like. However, there are a lot of loose ends. Like what happened to Yoong Do’s father, his mother? What happened to Won’s Girlfriend? Did Rachel and Hyo -shin materialize (which was kinda out of the blue to be honest) A lot of characters, since it was ensemble needed more time. It was more like blink and miss for many. I would have enjoyed if chanyoung and his father’s relationship was given more time. The thing I did not like about this drama is women were being pushed around a lot be Cha Eun Sang, Rachel or Kim Tan’s mother. Their destiny for some reason did not seem completely theirs.

Image Credit: Pinterest

Somethings were beyond me like how Won changed suddenly when Kim Tan was trying so hard since the beginning. I wanted Won and his girlfriend to end up together they really deserved it. I wanted Kim Tan and Yoong do to reconcile, they deserved it. I wanted Rachel and Yoong Do to have a better end. I kind of pity them. Also when the show started I thought they might end up together but they were declared step brother and sister.

Image Credit: weheartit

The ost of drama is one of it’s strong points. The song ‘Here for you’, ‘Crying again’, ‘Moment’ are absolutely amazing. ‘Serendipity’, ‘I am saying’, ‘Love hurt’ by Lee min ho, ‘Story’ by Park Shin Hye are also great picks.

Image Credit: tumblr

Towards the end a lot started happening which was a little much for the end. All in all, it was like an okay drama. The underline theme was good but I wish it wouldn’t be shadowed by the love triangle. There were somethings I really liked. But sometimes it fell flat for me.

I would recommend this drama only if you have been into kdramas since before and you know how they work. Also, if you like things to be little cliché.

Why watch it?

If you are Lee Min Ho/ Park Shin Hye/ Kim Woo Bin fan
Park Shin Hye’s good chemistry with Lee Min Ho, Kim Woo Bin
If you like coming of age, high school romance drama with love triangles and cliché
If you like dramas with ensemble
The underlying theme, good quotes and good music

Continue reading “The Heirs: Kdrama Review” →

The one that took over the world. If you ask any kdrama fanatic this one is bound to be not only on their viewed list but also their favourite list. Worry not if you are new to this kdrama universe as this is a great one to begin with. Descendants Of The Suns, or DOTS as it is called. The title seemed so majestic, one could believe it is mythological one. However upon researching the plot (Yes, I am that kind! The spoilers don’t bother me much. Yes, we exist!) and completing the drama I realised title has its own significance in the contemporary world.

Although it was not my first Kdrama (Boys Over Flowers was, just like for many many people out there), it did feel like a first. I don’t know why. I don’t even remember how I came across the drama, maybe because it topped all the charts? It certainly was a different experience altogether maybe because a lot of time had passed by from Boys over flowers days. For those who have already watched it, hold your breath! A sequel is in planning.

It starts of on what I would say is a different and difficult note. It’s hard to get the inital scenes in the first go and picture a (spoiler alert!) love story. Then it proceeds good a few episodes, it does get me excited at some points. The ost had caught hold of me by then. It seems to stretch a little around episodes 6-9. However the earthquake scenes had been well choreographed, they seem very realistic. The drama picks up real good in latter half. The direction is really amazing even if the episode as a whole wasn’t as entertaining as the next one. There are so many technicalities involved which you can see and there are some that you can’t. I feel it is made that way, some to see and some to understand/decipher. It’s not a 1dimensional drama where things are black and white like they are in many dramas. There are tiny tiny intricacies like after the male and female lead kiss and return back to base, a new scene opens when the light bulb comes to focus in the shape of heart. (Because the love has started to blossom!) The Song-Song couple (male and female protagonists) are married in real life, I was so happy when I found this half way between the drama it made watching the rest of it so much better for me.

Some scenes are real amaze. They get you on your feet. Adreline runs through the entire body. Like the one where Lee Chi-Hoon was bitten. It really made me scream. Other scenes made me smile and laugh and smirk and diss and cry as well (only a tiny bit). I loved the theme music and few songs as well. It’s not all serious, comedy has been carefully crafted at pin points as well. For instance, all the soldiers dancing on Red Velvet songs, the hospital scene where Captain Yoo arrives in the bed just after shootout.

Coming to the characters, I think all have done a fantastic job. Right from Captain Yoo, Doctor Kang to the cafe girl, Valentine. Each character had it’s place. The supporting actors have put an equal foot with the leads. One thing I like is the representation of female characters from Doctor Kang, Lieutenant Yoon, Senior ER nurse Ha Je-ae, Fatima and Valentine. They may be supported by the male characters however they make their own decisions and bear the consequences.

And how can one not fall in love with Yoo shi Jin’s charisma? His fun side and his intense side. Even though the drama has some fine actors as a cast, personally for me Song Joongki was the takeaway.

I like the fact that the characters draw towards realism. With a soldier who isn’t self sacrificing at all times and a doctor who has compromised due to money issues, another who is scared to save a patient because he fears for his own life. It also shows some backend reality of professions. For soldiers, it is not guns and action always many a times it is paperwork (lots of it!).

The concept was good as well, the views of two parallel yet opposite professionals on life. Doctors and Soldiers have similar battles but different battle grounds. It is very interesting to see them come together, and meet at crossroads.

Image Credit: Pinterest

The only major issue I found as an audience is that they are never able to finish the movie that lead was watching as a date.

Overall it was a very different one. It’s the one that married my emotional self to Kdramas.

Why watch it?

If you are into action coupled with some romance
To explore some good acting
The chemistry between song-song couple
A great plot with beautiful ost

Continue reading “K-Drama Review: Descendants Of The Sun (Similar battles, different battle grounds)” →