Recycled content alert: I am going to repost a thread about K-dramas that I originally made in December 2024.
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The show's villain, the truly diabolical Cho Cheol-gang, is a corrupt officer in the North Korean Ministry of Security and long-time enemy of Jeong-hyeok and his family. Cho also sneaks into South Korea and enlists a gang of thugs to capture Se-ri and bring her back. We are kept in suspense until the last minutes whether our lovers will survive, and overcome the political realities that separate them. An ambitious and extremely satisfying story. Five stars!
173/Ncw: spoilers
Castaway Diva is a drama layering a number of different themes and storylines across 15+ years. The drama begins with the unlikely middle-school friendship between Seo Mok-ha, an outgoing girl with dreams of becoming a singer, and Jung Ki-ho, a standoffish new kid on Chunsam Island. When Mok-ha learns that Ki-ho has a camcorder, she recruits him to film a music video for her. Ki-ho agrees grudgingly, but he soon comes to realize that she has genuine talent.
174/N
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cw: spoilers
Castaway Diva is a drama layering a number of different themes and storylines across 15+ years. The drama begins with the unlikely middle-school friendship between Seo Mok-ha, an outgoing girl with dreams of becoming a singer, and Jung Ki-ho, a standoffish new kid on Chunsam Island. When Mok-ha learns that Ki-ho has a camcorder, she recruits him to film a music video for her. Ki-ho agrees grudgingly, but he soon comes to realize that she has genuine talent.
174/NBoth teens are being raised by physically abusive single dads, which becomes motivation for them to form common cause. Ki-ho sends the music video to Mok-ha's idol, the mega popular singer Yoon Ran-joo, who selects Mok-ha's tape from among all the submissions. Mok-ha is convinced to run away from home and her abusive father, and seek her fortune in the music business. Alas an unfortunate incident on the ferry to Seoul results in Mok-ha jumping into ocean.
175/N -
Both teens are being raised by physically abusive single dads, which becomes motivation for them to form common cause. Ki-ho sends the music video to Mok-ha's idol, the mega popular singer Yoon Ran-joo, who selects Mok-ha's tape from among all the submissions. Mok-ha is convinced to run away from home and her abusive father, and seek her fortune in the music business. Alas an unfortunate incident on the ferry to Seoul results in Mok-ha jumping into ocean.
175/NMok-ha washes up on a deserted island where she ends up spending the next 15 years, Robinson Crusoe style, with only a seagull named "Gully" for a friend. Finally she is discovered by crew of young environmentalists and is returned to civilization. On some level we have an improbable feel good tale of dreams deferred, but eventually realized.
176/N
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Mok-ha washes up on a deserted island where she ends up spending the next 15 years, Robinson Crusoe style, with only a seagull named "Gully" for a friend. Finally she is discovered by crew of young environmentalists and is returned to civilization. On some level we have an improbable feel good tale of dreams deferred, but eventually realized.
176/N
The operative theme is something Ki-ho's mother used to say: 'your wish will come true, just not in the way that you expect.' Upon returning to civilization, Mok-ha finds that her idol Ran-joo's career is on the rocks and her vocal chords are shot. Nevertheless, Mok-ha's belief in her idol is unwavering, and she devotes herself to reviving the older star's career, even as Mok-ha herself now has a shot at fame.
177/N -
The operative theme is something Ki-ho's mother used to say: 'your wish will come true, just not in the way that you expect.' Upon returning to civilization, Mok-ha finds that her idol Ran-joo's career is on the rocks and her vocal chords are shot. Nevertheless, Mok-ha's belief in her idol is unwavering, and she devotes herself to reviving the older star's career, even as Mok-ha herself now has a shot at fame.
177/NMeanwhile we have the mystery of what happened to Ki-ho in the intervening years. Ki-ho also escaped Chunsam island and his abusive dad. Now he's been reunited with his mother and brother. His mother is now married to the kindhearted Kang Sang-du, and all of them are living under assumed names to prevent Ki-ho's father, a diabolical former police officer, from tracking them down.
178/N -
Meanwhile we have the mystery of what happened to Ki-ho in the intervening years. Ki-ho also escaped Chunsam island and his abusive dad. Now he's been reunited with his mother and brother. His mother is now married to the kindhearted Kang Sang-du, and all of them are living under assumed names to prevent Ki-ho's father, a diabolical former police officer, from tracking them down.
178/NAnother theme is the search for one's chosen family. When your birth family is causing you harm, make a new family with people who love and support you. Park Eun-bin delivers a winning performance as adult Mok-ha, the woman who has lived half her life alone on an island. Eun-bin also sings all her own songs, which is truly impressive. There are a number of stirring, feel good moments as adult Mok-ha makes her stage debut, and proves that she has a golden voice.
179/N -
Another theme is the search for one's chosen family. When your birth family is causing you harm, make a new family with people who love and support you. Park Eun-bin delivers a winning performance as adult Mok-ha, the woman who has lived half her life alone on an island. Eun-bin also sings all her own songs, which is truly impressive. There are a number of stirring, feel good moments as adult Mok-ha makes her stage debut, and proves that she has a golden voice.
179/NLee Re as young Seo Mok-ha and Moon Woo-jin as young Jung Ki-ho back on Sangmun Island really have a lot of chemistry and spark. It would have been nice to linger more in that timeline. Lee Seung-joon as Ki-ho's diabolical father adds a healthy dose of suspense and menace to the action. Overall entertaining drama with many emotional and memorable scenes. 4/5 stars.
180/N -
Lee Re as young Seo Mok-ha and Moon Woo-jin as young Jung Ki-ho back on Sangmun Island really have a lot of chemistry and spark. It would have been nice to linger more in that timeline. Lee Seung-joon as Ki-ho's diabolical father adds a healthy dose of suspense and menace to the action. Overall entertaining drama with many emotional and memorable scenes. 4/5 stars.
180/Ncw: spoilers
Our next watch was "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" from 2018, which is based on the webtoon of the same name. (Gangnam Beauty is slang for a woman who has undergone significant cosmetic surgery to be beautiful.) FL Kang Mirae's childhood has been shaped by being teased and ostracized by the other children - she is "ugly". We see her crying after a mean boy calls her "Kang Orc".
181/N
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cw: spoilers
Our next watch was "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" from 2018, which is based on the webtoon of the same name. (Gangnam Beauty is slang for a woman who has undergone significant cosmetic surgery to be beautiful.) FL Kang Mirae's childhood has been shaped by being teased and ostracized by the other children - she is "ugly". We see her crying after a mean boy calls her "Kang Orc".
181/NDuring the summer before starting her freshman year at Hankook University, Mi-rae gets a full face re-do at the plastic surgery clinic. When the bandages come off, she is a beauty. When she arrives for orientation with her fellow chemistry majors, the boys are taking notice and the girls are sizing up the competition.
182/N -
During the summer before starting her freshman year at Hankook University, Mi-rae gets a full face re-do at the plastic surgery clinic. When the bandages come off, she is a beauty. When she arrives for orientation with her fellow chemistry majors, the boys are taking notice and the girls are sizing up the competition.
182/NThe first few episodes of Gangnam Beauty are a real carnival of cringe. The way everybody sizes everyone else up and essentially ranks their classmates solely on looks is gross. The boys (most of them) are openly discussing which girls they think are hotter and which ones they want to date. Trigger warning for non-consensual sexual advances.
183/N -
The first few episodes of Gangnam Beauty are a real carnival of cringe. The way everybody sizes everyone else up and essentially ranks their classmates solely on looks is gross. The boys (most of them) are openly discussing which girls they think are hotter and which ones they want to date. Trigger warning for non-consensual sexual advances.
183/NMirae's inner journey is the central theme of the drama. Because she was an ugly kid, she possesses an outsider mentality, and chafes against her new found popularity. This gives her a degree of empathy, but she is not free from judging based on physical appearance. We see Mi-rae's thought bubbles as she rates other women numerically, and critically assesses any work they've had done.
184/N -
Mirae's inner journey is the central theme of the drama. Because she was an ugly kid, she possesses an outsider mentality, and chafes against her new found popularity. This gives her a degree of empathy, but she is not free from judging based on physical appearance. We see Mi-rae's thought bubbles as she rates other women numerically, and critically assesses any work they've had done.
184/NThe series' antagonist is Mi-rae's classmate Hyun Su-ah (Jo Woo-ri), by consensus the hottest of the incoming freshman girls. Su-ah makes nice with Mi-rae, who is flattered by the attention of the prettiest girl. However we soon see that Su-ah is scheming constantly to undermine Mi-rae and the other girls, and simultaneously leading a number of the boys into thinking she likes them.
185/N -
The series' antagonist is Mi-rae's classmate Hyun Su-ah (Jo Woo-ri), by consensus the hottest of the incoming freshman girls. Su-ah makes nice with Mi-rae, who is flattered by the attention of the prettiest girl. However we soon see that Su-ah is scheming constantly to undermine Mi-rae and the other girls, and simultaneously leading a number of the boys into thinking she likes them.
185/NSu-ah's scheming and fake affection make her the character you want to see destroyed. In the end we are forced to have a shred of compassion for Su-ah as her sad backstory is revealed. Mi-rae's love interest is Do Kyung-seok, the hottest boy in the incoming class. Kyung-seok like Mi-rae is a loner, having been scarred by his parents' divorce and the disappearance of his mother.
186/N -
Su-ah's scheming and fake affection make her the character you want to see destroyed. In the end we are forced to have a shred of compassion for Su-ah as her sad backstory is revealed. Mi-rae's love interest is Do Kyung-seok, the hottest boy in the incoming class. Kyung-seok like Mi-rae is a loner, having been scarred by his parents' divorce and the disappearance of his mother.
186/NKyung-seok is refreshingly impervious to the horniness of all his classmates, and is unmoved by the flirtations of several young women. He sees through Su-ah's deceits, and is pointedly blunt in rejecting her overtures, which is delicious. He is however very interested in Mi-rae, and not because of her looks. We learn that Kyung-seok knew Mi-rae in middle school, and was drawn to her back then - perhaps because he felt a kinship with a fellow loner.
187/N -
Kyung-seok is refreshingly impervious to the horniness of all his classmates, and is unmoved by the flirtations of several young women. He sees through Su-ah's deceits, and is pointedly blunt in rejecting her overtures, which is delicious. He is however very interested in Mi-rae, and not because of her looks. We learn that Kyung-seok knew Mi-rae in middle school, and was drawn to her back then - perhaps because he felt a kinship with a fellow loner.
187/NMi-rae is appalled, because Kyung-seok knows how she used to look like when she was ugly. Mi-rae cannot believe that Kyung-seok actually likes her, even as she becomes aware of her own feelings for him. Their courtship is predictably slow and tortuous but when they finally get together it's really something to see. They really capture the swoonworthy blush of first love.
188/N -
Mi-rae is appalled, because Kyung-seok knows how she used to look like when she was ugly. Mi-rae cannot believe that Kyung-seok actually likes her, even as she becomes aware of her own feelings for him. Their courtship is predictably slow and tortuous but when they finally get together it's really something to see. They really capture the swoonworthy blush of first love.
188/NFor my money, Gangnam Beauty is not a masterpiece, but is is a highly entertaining watch if you can handle the cringe factor. It's also a fascinating treatment of the complicated world of beauty standards, attitudes towards plastic surgery, and the roles of men and women in Korean society. 4/5 stars.
189/N -
For my money, Gangnam Beauty is not a masterpiece, but is is a highly entertaining watch if you can handle the cringe factor. It's also a fascinating treatment of the complicated world of beauty standards, attitudes towards plastic surgery, and the roles of men and women in Korean society. 4/5 stars.
189/N@girlbandgeek
I found this show to be far more interesting than I expected! -
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