Recycled content alert: I am going to repost a thread about K-dramas that I originally made in December 2024.
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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 -
The 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/NAnother theme that I appreciated was the exploration of mental illness, and the normalization of seeking professional care for depression. We see the fiercely independent Ha-neul reach the point where she is willing to seek psychiatric care and take medications to help her through her challenges.
80/N -
Another theme that I appreciated was the exploration of mental illness, and the normalization of seeking professional care for depression. We see the fiercely independent Ha-neul reach the point where she is willing to seek psychiatric care and take medications to help her through her challenges.
80/NLike dramas previously reviewed in this thread that highlighted autism spectrum disorder or mysophobia, I think this was a nice public service to show Ha-neul seek help when she needs it to get back on her feet. Overall I was fully entertained by Doctor Slump, and was enthusiastically rooting for our two leads. Needless to say the supporting characters are well done, and the 2TP between the main characters' two best friends is adorable. Recommended 5/5.
81/N -
Like dramas previously reviewed in this thread that highlighted autism spectrum disorder or mysophobia, I think this was a nice public service to show Ha-neul seek help when she needs it to get back on her feet. Overall I was fully entertained by Doctor Slump, and was enthusiastically rooting for our two leads. Needless to say the supporting characters are well done, and the 2TP between the main characters' two best friends is adorable. Recommended 5/5.
81/Ncw: Spoilers
The next drama my wife and I watched was When the Weather is Fine, a 2020 romance starring Park Min-young and Seo Kang-joon. This is partially thanks to someone on this site commenting how much they love Park Min-young. I have so many thoughts about this drama and I'm finding it hard to boil them down into 500 character chunks. If you like slow-moving and visually satisfying dramas you will probably enjoy When the Weather is Fine.
82/N
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cw: Spoilers
The next drama my wife and I watched was When the Weather is Fine, a 2020 romance starring Park Min-young and Seo Kang-joon. This is partially thanks to someone on this site commenting how much they love Park Min-young. I have so many thoughts about this drama and I'm finding it hard to boil them down into 500 character chunks. If you like slow-moving and visually satisfying dramas you will probably enjoy When the Weather is Fine.
82/NHowever there is a lot more going on here, and I can't decide whether I think it's a bold, artistic masterpiece or a confused mish mosh of ideas. This drama is on the one hand a very dreamy tale set in the fictional village of Hyecheon over the course of one winter. The cinematography is stunning, and there is a very art-house feel to this drama. The camera pans slowly across the stark, wintry fields and bare trees.
83/N -
However there is a lot more going on here, and I can't decide whether I think it's a bold, artistic masterpiece or a confused mish mosh of ideas. This drama is on the one hand a very dreamy tale set in the fictional village of Hyecheon over the course of one winter. The cinematography is stunning, and there is a very art-house feel to this drama. The camera pans slowly across the stark, wintry fields and bare trees.
83/NOur two main characters are achingly beautiful. The dialog is very spare, and we get long shots of Eun-seop and Hae-won gazing at each other wistfully, questioningly and ultimately, of course, lovingly as they cradle steaming cups of coffee in their gloved hands. Many of the interior scenes occur in Eun-seop's improbable bookstore, the Goodnight Bookstore.
84/N -
Our two main characters are achingly beautiful. The dialog is very spare, and we get long shots of Eun-seop and Hae-won gazing at each other wistfully, questioningly and ultimately, of course, lovingly as they cradle steaming cups of coffee in their gloved hands. Many of the interior scenes occur in Eun-seop's improbable bookstore, the Goodnight Bookstore.
84/NWe don't get an explanation for how this bookstore exists in a town of what appears to be a few hundred residents, where our main characters spend hours preparing and drinking coffee, exchanging deep glances, and occasionally arranging some books. (Okay Eun-seop at one moment says 'I do a lot of online business'). The drama essentially begins when Hae-won takes a job in the open, airy and well-lit bookstore after returning from Seoul to spend the winter.
85/N
