Recycled content alert: I am going to repost a thread about K-dramas that I originally made in December 2024.
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When Life Gives You Tangerines is perhaps my favorite genre of k-drama - an emotional and intimate examination of the lives of working class Koreans. The Netflix thumbnail for this drama - a smiling young couple standing in a field of flowers - suggests the series will be a romance. And there is a great love weaving through the series, but that is only one thread among many.
59/N#kdrama
#whenlifegivesyoutangerines
This is an epic and often tragic story that in a way mirrors Korea's own metamophosis from a poor, traditional society to a prosperous and modern one. Our story follows the life of Oh Ae-Sun, born in the 1950's on Jeju Island in Korea. Ae-Sun's mother Gwang-rye is a haenyeo, a woman who dives in the chilly depths every day for abalone to support her family.
60/N -
This is an epic and often tragic story that in a way mirrors Korea's own metamophosis from a poor, traditional society to a prosperous and modern one. Our story follows the life of Oh Ae-Sun, born in the 1950's on Jeju Island in Korea. Ae-Sun's mother Gwang-rye is a haenyeo, a woman who dives in the chilly depths every day for abalone to support her family.
60/NGwang-rye is one of those indomitable women who works tirelessly to provide for her family, and her one wish is for Ae-Sun to have a better life, and certainly not one as a haenyeo. Gwan-sik is Ae-Sun's contemporary, a boy from a marginally more prosperous fishing family. Gwan-sik latches on to Ae-Sun from the time they are children, though she rebuffs him and treats him like something of a simpleton.
61/N -
Gwang-rye is one of those indomitable women who works tirelessly to provide for her family, and her one wish is for Ae-Sun to have a better life, and certainly not one as a haenyeo. Gwan-sik is Ae-Sun's contemporary, a boy from a marginally more prosperous fishing family. Gwan-sik latches on to Ae-Sun from the time they are children, though she rebuffs him and treats him like something of a simpleton.
61/NThe drama picks up with teenage/young adult Gwan-sik and Ae-Sun, played by Park Bo-Gum and k-pop idol IU respectively. She wants to be a poet, go to college and 'marry a boy from Seoul', but she is thwarted by poverty and family obligations. Ultimately she realizes that she really does love Gwan-sik, and trades in her dreams of Seoul and college to be a fisherman's wife and mother.
62/N -
The drama picks up with teenage/young adult Gwan-sik and Ae-Sun, played by Park Bo-Gum and k-pop idol IU respectively. She wants to be a poet, go to college and 'marry a boy from Seoul', but she is thwarted by poverty and family obligations. Ultimately she realizes that she really does love Gwan-sik, and trades in her dreams of Seoul and college to be a fisherman's wife and mother.
62/NI'm not going to go into a lengthy plot summary. If this sounds like your thing, I encourage you to settle in and watch this drama. It is a genuine masterpiece, and everything about it is moving and exquisite. All of the actors are first rate, with IU in particular compelling as Ae-Sun. I really liked Ae-Sun's mother Gwang-rye, too. She seems stern and harsh at first, but we see how she treasures her daughter and struggled to give her a better life.
63/N -
I'm not going to go into a lengthy plot summary. If this sounds like your thing, I encourage you to settle in and watch this drama. It is a genuine masterpiece, and everything about it is moving and exquisite. All of the actors are first rate, with IU in particular compelling as Ae-Sun. I really liked Ae-Sun's mother Gwang-rye, too. She seems stern and harsh at first, but we see how she treasures her daughter and struggled to give her a better life.
63/NEven though she dies somewhat early in the series, her mom's presence is never far from Ae-Sun as we see in numerous flashbacks. I think I cried at some point during every episode, but they were good, cathartic tears. And there is laughter and triumph as well. Highly recommend 5/5 stars!
64/N
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Even though she dies somewhat early in the series, her mom's presence is never far from Ae-Sun as we see in numerous flashbacks. I think I cried at some point during every episode, but they were good, cathartic tears. And there is laughter and triumph as well. Highly recommend 5/5 stars!
64/N
cw: spoilers
After the epic When Life Gives You Tangerines, my wife and I needed some more lighthearted fare. We watched the drama Backstreet Rookie - reviewed previously - since she had not seen it and it was leaving Netflix in July. That prompted us to look around for another drama starring the adorable Kim You Jung, one of many former child actresses who acquired the "Nation's Little Sister" label. We settled on the preposterously titled "Clean With Passion For Now".
65/N
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cw: spoilers
After the epic When Life Gives You Tangerines, my wife and I needed some more lighthearted fare. We watched the drama Backstreet Rookie - reviewed previously - since she had not seen it and it was leaving Netflix in July. That prompted us to look around for another drama starring the adorable Kim You Jung, one of many former child actresses who acquired the "Nation's Little Sister" label. We settled on the preposterously titled "Clean With Passion For Now".
65/N
This is an "opposites attract" tale about a germophobe guy, Jang Sun Gyeol (played by Yoon Kyun Sang), and chronically messy Gil Oh Sol (played by Kim You Jung. As is inevitably the case, the dorky premise belies a multilayered and quite compelling love story and pleasing character arcs. Our story begins when Sun Gyeol's robot vacuum goes missing. Oh Sol finds the vacuum in the street and, thinking someone has thrown it out, brings it home.
66/N
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This is an "opposites attract" tale about a germophobe guy, Jang Sun Gyeol (played by Yoon Kyun Sang), and chronically messy Gil Oh Sol (played by Kim You Jung. As is inevitably the case, the dorky premise belies a multilayered and quite compelling love story and pleasing character arcs. Our story begins when Sun Gyeol's robot vacuum goes missing. Oh Sol finds the vacuum in the street and, thinking someone has thrown it out, brings it home.
66/N
Sun Gyeol offers a reward and subsequently she gets in touch to return the vacuum. Unfortunately their meeting goes spectacularly wrong, with Oh Sol crashing into Sun Gyeol's car, resulting in him demanding 3,500,000 won for repairs. Oh Sol, who is looking for work and already short on money, is despondent. After bombing out of several interviews for office jobs, Oh Sol decides to try out for a high-tech cleaning firm called Cleaning Fairy.
67/N
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Sun Gyeol offers a reward and subsequently she gets in touch to return the vacuum. Unfortunately their meeting goes spectacularly wrong, with Oh Sol crashing into Sun Gyeol's car, resulting in him demanding 3,500,000 won for repairs. Oh Sol, who is looking for work and already short on money, is despondent. After bombing out of several interviews for office jobs, Oh Sol decides to try out for a high-tech cleaning firm called Cleaning Fairy.
67/N
After proving to be the top candidate, she discovers that the CEO is none other than Mr. 3.5 million won himself, Sun Gyeol. This sets up the central conceit of the story. The action bounces back and forth between some great comedy, and the unfolding backstory (and tragedy) that ultimately connects Oh Sol and Sun Gyeol. Despite their comically opposite personalities, our two leads really have a lot of chemistry.
68/N
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After proving to be the top candidate, she discovers that the CEO is none other than Mr. 3.5 million won himself, Sun Gyeol. This sets up the central conceit of the story. The action bounces back and forth between some great comedy, and the unfolding backstory (and tragedy) that ultimately connects Oh Sol and Sun Gyeol. Despite their comically opposite personalities, our two leads really have a lot of chemistry.
68/N
Oh Sol is just so appealing with her messy hair, crumbs on her mouth and adorable heart shaped face. ML Sun Gyeol takes a little warming up to, as he spends a lot of the drama scowling at messes, running his white glove disapprovingly, and being impossibly awkward around Oh Sol. This is softened by a sympathetic perspective of Sun Gyeol's psychological condition, and his struggles to overcome a crippling germophobia and participate more fully in life.
69/N
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Oh Sol is just so appealing with her messy hair, crumbs on her mouth and adorable heart shaped face. ML Sun Gyeol takes a little warming up to, as he spends a lot of the drama scowling at messes, running his white glove disapprovingly, and being impossibly awkward around Oh Sol. This is softened by a sympathetic perspective of Sun Gyeol's psychological condition, and his struggles to overcome a crippling germophobia and participate more fully in life.
69/N
As is so often the case, there is an excellent cast of supporting characters. Sun Gyeol's assistant at Cleaning Fairy, Secretary Gwon is a particularly sympathetic presence. This is in contrast to Sun Gyeol's grandfather, the controlling and critical figure who seems in large part to blame for Sun Gyeol's mysophobia.
70/N
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As is so often the case, there is an excellent cast of supporting characters. Sun Gyeol's assistant at Cleaning Fairy, Secretary Gwon is a particularly sympathetic presence. This is in contrast to Sun Gyeol's grandfather, the controlling and critical figure who seems in large part to blame for Sun Gyeol's mysophobia.
70/N
We also meet Daniel Choi, who is renting the rooftop apartment of Oh Sol's family. Daniel seems like a charming and ambitionless guy, but we eventually learn his backstory as well, and his surprising connection to Oh Sol And Sun Gyeol. There is nothing groundbreaking here, but I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable story with many great comic moments and plenty of genuine feeling. 4/5 stars.
71/N
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We also meet Daniel Choi, who is renting the rooftop apartment of Oh Sol's family. Daniel seems like a charming and ambitionless guy, but we eventually learn his backstory as well, and his surprising connection to Oh Sol And Sun Gyeol. There is nothing groundbreaking here, but I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable story with many great comic moments and plenty of genuine feeling. 4/5 stars.
71/N
So, I'm 15 series in to my kdrama journey, and I've settled in to the predictable nature of the romances. Honestly I enjoy familiar plot devices, tropes, and character types. Like many folks I watch tv to unwind and feel comforted in some way. At the same time, it's important to feel that the writers are putting some creativity into the product. I don't want to watch the same show again and again - give me some surprises and unexpected character arcs to change things up.
72/N -
So, I'm 15 series in to my kdrama journey, and I've settled in to the predictable nature of the romances. Honestly I enjoy familiar plot devices, tropes, and character types. Like many folks I watch tv to unwind and feel comforted in some way. At the same time, it's important to feel that the writers are putting some creativity into the product. I don't want to watch the same show again and again - give me some surprises and unexpected character arcs to change things up.
72/Ncw: spoilers
"Doctor Slump" is in many ways a formulaic romance, but I found it heartwarming and extremely compelling. ML Yeo Jeong-woo (Park Hyung-sik) is a dashing young plastic surgeon at the top of his game. His "NeoTube" channel has millions of subscribers, and he has opened up clinics across Korea. Jeong-woo has boyish good looks, and a cute - if conceited - personality. I thought 'he's probably a k-pop idol', and indeed he was a member of boy band ZE:A.
73/N
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cw: spoilers
"Doctor Slump" is in many ways a formulaic romance, but I found it heartwarming and extremely compelling. ML Yeo Jeong-woo (Park Hyung-sik) is a dashing young plastic surgeon at the top of his game. His "NeoTube" channel has millions of subscribers, and he has opened up clinics across Korea. Jeong-woo has boyish good looks, and a cute - if conceited - personality. I thought 'he's probably a k-pop idol', and indeed he was a member of boy band ZE:A.
73/NFL Nam Ha-neul (Park Shin-hye) is an anaesthesiologist at a big hospital, on track to be a professor - if she can please her superiors. Ha-neul is dedicated and skilled at work, but not at playing the game of organizational politics. Her male seniors have been taking credit for her research, and blaming their mistakes on her. The combination of burnout and the hospital director being a total dick to her drives her to walk out of her job.
74/N -
FL Nam Ha-neul (Park Shin-hye) is an anaesthesiologist at a big hospital, on track to be a professor - if she can please her superiors. Ha-neul is dedicated and skilled at work, but not at playing the game of organizational politics. Her male seniors have been taking credit for her research, and blaming their mistakes on her. The combination of burnout and the hospital director being a total dick to her drives her to walk out of her job.
74/NMeanwhile Jeong-woo is involved with a horrific medical accident, which we will re-experience through flashbacks of throughout the series. Jeong-woo is doing routing cosmetic surgery on a Macau casino heiress, when she suddenly starts to lose blood at inexplicable rate and suddenly dies. The blame falls on Jeong-woo. It is clear that he's been set up. A vial of anticoagulant is found with his prints in the OR.
75/N -
Meanwhile Jeong-woo is involved with a horrific medical accident, which we will re-experience through flashbacks of throughout the series. Jeong-woo is doing routing cosmetic surgery on a Macau casino heiress, when she suddenly starts to lose blood at inexplicable rate and suddenly dies. The blame falls on Jeong-woo. It is clear that he's been set up. A vial of anticoagulant is found with his prints in the OR.
75/NSuddendly his life comes crashing down, he's forced to sell his clinics, there is a trial against him, and he owes billions of won to his creditors. Jeong-woo has to leave his fancy apartment, and rents a rooftop apartment in a humble Seoul neighborhood. Do you want to guess who's family it belongs to??? That's right, none other than our Ha-neul, who comes back from quitting her job to find Jeong-woo brooding on her rooftop.
76/N -
Suddendly his life comes crashing down, he's forced to sell his clinics, there is a trial against him, and he owes billions of won to his creditors. Jeong-woo has to leave his fancy apartment, and rents a rooftop apartment in a humble Seoul neighborhood. Do you want to guess who's family it belongs to??? That's right, none other than our Ha-neul, who comes back from quitting her job to find Jeong-woo brooding on her rooftop.
76/NAnd to layer on even more tropes, we have learned that Jeong-woo and Ha-neul attended the same high school, where they were the top two students and fierce rivals. I think you can fill in the rest of blanks from here, but we have an extremely charming rivals to lovers story. Where Jeong-woo is playful and outgoing, Ha-neul has been intensely focused on her studies and her career, to the exclusion of all else.
77/N -
And to layer on even more tropes, we have learned that Jeong-woo and Ha-neul attended the same high school, where they were the top two students and fierce rivals. I think you can fill in the rest of blanks from here, but we have an extremely charming rivals to lovers story. Where Jeong-woo is playful and outgoing, Ha-neul has been intensely focused on her studies and her career, to the exclusion of all else.
77/NWe get lots of flashbacks to how they were in high school, Jeong-woo the popular kid, good at sports and academics, while Ha-neul methodically eliminates anything that distracts from her studies (to a completely comic degree). Whereas he is very much a pretty boy, Ha-neul's beauty is a more understated, wholesome type.
78/N -
We get lots of flashbacks to how they were in high school, Jeong-woo the popular kid, good at sports and academics, while Ha-neul methodically eliminates anything that distracts from her studies (to a completely comic degree). Whereas he is very much a pretty boy, Ha-neul's beauty is a more understated, wholesome type.
78/NThe examination of the medical world that both characters inhabit give the story more weight than many romances. Whether through scenes in the OR, or other high stakes interactions between doctors, medical staff, patients and their families, there are a lot of highly charged interactions. And there is a lot of intrigue with Jeong-woo's trial, as new evidence comes to light and an expanding web of conspiracy that involves more and more of the characters.
79/N
