Recycled content alert: I am going to repost a thread about K-dramas that I originally made in December 2024.
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Just a reminder to readers of this thread that these reviews are solely my reactions to the drama as a random media viewer. I just love Korean popular culture so much, for the way it reliably delivers stories that connect with some deep part of my emotional circuitry. Stylistically there is an inventiveness, a sense of excess, and a willingness to push things to the limits of human and technical capabilities.
102/NBoys Over Flowers from 2009 exemplifies so many elements of why I love K-dramas. This is the earliest drama I've watched so far, and lacks the polish, sophistication and production values of current dramas. What we do get is an expansive, boisterous and soapy exploration of class, family, love and morality. The hair styles and fashion in this series are so very much of its time as well - especially Jun-pyo with his signature curls, and Ji-hoo with his long, emo blond bangs - so great!
103/N
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Boys Over Flowers from 2009 exemplifies so many elements of why I love K-dramas. This is the earliest drama I've watched so far, and lacks the polish, sophistication and production values of current dramas. What we do get is an expansive, boisterous and soapy exploration of class, family, love and morality. The hair styles and fashion in this series are so very much of its time as well - especially Jun-pyo with his signature curls, and Ji-hoo with his long, emo blond bangs - so great!
103/NOur story begins when Geum Jan-di (played by Ku Hye-sun), whose family runs a drycleaning business, is making a delivery to a student at the extremely exclusive "Shinwa Academy," attended by the children of Korea's wealthiest and most powerful families. The top of the academy's social hierarchy is a group of four senior boys known by the acronmym F4 - Gu Jun-pyo, Yoon Ji-hoo, So Yi-jung and Song Woo-bin.
104/N
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Our story begins when Geum Jan-di (played by Ku Hye-sun), whose family runs a drycleaning business, is making a delivery to a student at the extremely exclusive "Shinwa Academy," attended by the children of Korea's wealthiest and most powerful families. The top of the academy's social hierarchy is a group of four senior boys known by the acronmym F4 - Gu Jun-pyo, Yoon Ji-hoo, So Yi-jung and Song Woo-bin.
104/N
Jan-di arrives as a gang of school bullies, directed by F4, has tormented a fellow student so brutally that he is about to jump off a rooftop. Jan-di makes her way through the mob of bullies, and when she sees what's happening, grabs the boy just as he jumps and saves his life. The story of the school bullying, and the heroic dry-cleaning girl makes headlines, and negative pulicity for Shinwa.
105/N -
Jan-di arrives as a gang of school bullies, directed by F4, has tormented a fellow student so brutally that he is about to jump off a rooftop. Jan-di makes her way through the mob of bullies, and when she sees what's happening, grabs the boy just as he jumps and saves his life. The story of the school bullying, and the heroic dry-cleaning girl makes headlines, and negative pulicity for Shinwa.
105/NKang Hee-soo, chairwoman of Shinwa corporation, decides to offer Jan-di a scholarship to Shinwa Academy to turn the bad publicity around. Jan-di doesn't want to change schools, but her parents insist. The family, which includes Jan-di's spunky little brother Kang-san, are struggling financially. Her money and status conscious parents see this as an opportunity for Jan-di, and themselves, to climb the social ladder.
106/N -
Kang Hee-soo, chairwoman of Shinwa corporation, decides to offer Jan-di a scholarship to Shinwa Academy to turn the bad publicity around. Jan-di doesn't want to change schools, but her parents insist. The family, which includes Jan-di's spunky little brother Kang-san, are struggling financially. Her money and status conscious parents see this as an opportunity for Jan-di, and themselves, to climb the social ladder.
106/NSo off to Shinwa academy she goes, and we're off the races with 25 episodes of crazy character arcs and deliciously unhinged story lines. Thematically we're mining the territory familiar to viewers of American movies like Mean Girls, or the Gossip Girl series. What happens when an artless, self-possessed, kind-hearted kid enters a cruel, cliquish social hierarchy?
107/N -
So off to Shinwa academy she goes, and we're off the races with 25 episodes of crazy character arcs and deliciously unhinged story lines. Thematically we're mining the territory familiar to viewers of American movies like Mean Girls, or the Gossip Girl series. What happens when an artless, self-possessed, kind-hearted kid enters a cruel, cliquish social hierarchy?
107/NJan-di is surely one of my favorite characters of all time. She is spunky, fearless, and warm. As a student at Shinwa, Jan-di's peers are a pretty detestable bunch of vapid, cliquish, and status conscious rich kids, but Jan-di never once succumbs to the lure of money or status remains true to herself. In short order, by standing up to the F4 guys and their minions, she earns their respect, and the group's leader declares his love for her.
108/N -
Jan-di is surely one of my favorite characters of all time. She is spunky, fearless, and warm. As a student at Shinwa, Jan-di's peers are a pretty detestable bunch of vapid, cliquish, and status conscious rich kids, but Jan-di never once succumbs to the lure of money or status remains true to herself. In short order, by standing up to the F4 guys and their minions, she earns their respect, and the group's leader declares his love for her.
108/NI'm not going to detail what happens across the show's 25 episodes, but my wife and I were fully involved from start to finish. While the production values are dated by today's standards, this was clearly a big budget series. They really pulled out all the stops with the depiction of the upper class lifestyles - we've got yachts, fast cars, trips on private jets to private islands, and several episodes set in fabulously garish and wealthy Macau.
109/N -
I'm not going to detail what happens across the show's 25 episodes, but my wife and I were fully involved from start to finish. While the production values are dated by today's standards, this was clearly a big budget series. They really pulled out all the stops with the depiction of the upper class lifestyles - we've got yachts, fast cars, trips on private jets to private islands, and several episodes set in fabulously garish and wealthy Macau.
109/NShinwa chairwoman Kang, who is also Jun-pyo's mother, is appalled at her son's romance with the "commoner" Jan-di, and sets in motion a number of vicious plots to separate the two, almost succeeding on several occasions. Over time Jan-di's positive influence begins to counter Jun-pyo's patrician upbringing, and he begins to reveal his boyish and warm nature.
110/N -
Shinwa chairwoman Kang, who is also Jun-pyo's mother, is appalled at her son's romance with the "commoner" Jan-di, and sets in motion a number of vicious plots to separate the two, almost succeeding on several occasions. Over time Jan-di's positive influence begins to counter Jun-pyo's patrician upbringing, and he begins to reveal his boyish and warm nature.
110/NThere are many compelling supporting characters, such as Jan-di's earnest, passionate bestie Ga-eul, as well as Ji-hoo, the first member of the F4 clique to reveal his tender side, who shows up to rescue Jan-di from a number of dire predicaments at key points in the series. While modern viewers may balk at the series' soapiness and cringe elements, Boys Over Flowers became an instant favorite for this reviewer. Five stars!
111/N -
There are many compelling supporting characters, such as Jan-di's earnest, passionate bestie Ga-eul, as well as Ji-hoo, the first member of the F4 clique to reveal his tender side, who shows up to rescue Jan-di from a number of dire predicaments at key points in the series. While modern viewers may balk at the series' soapiness and cringe elements, Boys Over Flowers became an instant favorite for this reviewer. Five stars!
111/Ncw: spoilers
It's become a joke in our household that when I get drawn into a new drama I will proclaim it to be "the best television show ever". I definitely said that several times during the series "Our Unwritten Seoul," a stellar 2025 drama starring Park Bo-young, Park Jin-young and Ryu Kyung-soo.
112/N
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cw: spoilers
It's become a joke in our household that when I get drawn into a new drama I will proclaim it to be "the best television show ever". I definitely said that several times during the series "Our Unwritten Seoul," a stellar 2025 drama starring Park Bo-young, Park Jin-young and Ryu Kyung-soo.
112/N
Identical twin sisters Mi-ji and Mi-rae, both played by Park Bo-young, find themselves in very different circumstances at age 30. Mi-rae graduated from college, and has a good job with a financial corporation in Seoul. Mi-ji was an athlete in high school, but went into a tailspin after her running career was ended by an injury. Mi-ji lives at home in their small town, where she helps take care of her grandmother and works a variety of odd jobs.
113/N
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Identical twin sisters Mi-ji and Mi-rae, both played by Park Bo-young, find themselves in very different circumstances at age 30. Mi-rae graduated from college, and has a good job with a financial corporation in Seoul. Mi-ji was an athlete in high school, but went into a tailspin after her running career was ended by an injury. Mi-ji lives at home in their small town, where she helps take care of her grandmother and works a variety of odd jobs.
113/N
However, all is not well for the "successful" Mi-rae. Her life in Seoul is lonely, and she is experiencing bullying at her job after reporting sexual advances by a male colleague. As young adults, Mi-ji and Mi-rae have grown apart, but when Mi-ji discovers that her sister is on the verge of self-harm, Mi-ji convinces Mi-rae to switch places, so that Mi-rae can get a break from her toxic work environment.
114/N
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However, all is not well for the "successful" Mi-rae. Her life in Seoul is lonely, and she is experiencing bullying at her job after reporting sexual advances by a male colleague. As young adults, Mi-ji and Mi-rae have grown apart, but when Mi-ji discovers that her sister is on the verge of self-harm, Mi-ji convinces Mi-rae to switch places, so that Mi-rae can get a break from her toxic work environment.
114/N
Park Bo-young is phenomenal as the two sisters, portraying their personality differences with exquisite nuance. There is quite a bit of humor as the twins impersonate each other, often leaving those around them scratching their heads. As they literally walk a mile in the other's shoes, the two sisters begin to see the struggles they each have faced alone. Both the girls carry a hidden disability or a trauma that they must face and learn to overcome.
115/N
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Park Bo-young is phenomenal as the two sisters, portraying their personality differences with exquisite nuance. There is quite a bit of humor as the twins impersonate each other, often leaving those around them scratching their heads. As they literally walk a mile in the other's shoes, the two sisters begin to see the struggles they each have faced alone. Both the girls carry a hidden disability or a trauma that they must face and learn to overcome.
115/N
The girls' former neighbor and childhood friend Ho-su (played by Park Jin-young from boy band GOT7) also lives in Seoul, and works at a top law firm. Ho-su is going through his own crisis of self-doubt. He quits the law firm, and ends up helping "Mi-rae" (actually Mi-ji) with her legal challenges. He confesses to fake Mi-rae that Mi-ji was his first love.
116/N
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The girls' former neighbor and childhood friend Ho-su (played by Park Jin-young from boy band GOT7) also lives in Seoul, and works at a top law firm. Ho-su is going through his own crisis of self-doubt. He quits the law firm, and ends up helping "Mi-rae" (actually Mi-ji) with her legal challenges. He confesses to fake Mi-rae that Mi-ji was his first love.
116/N
Meanwhile, Mi-rae has taken over Mi-ji's temporary job at a strawberry farm, owned by an eccentric former investment guy named Han Se-jin. Se-jin used to question his grandfather for toiling at the farm into his old age. After his grandfather's death, Se-jin has a change of heart, and takes over the farm, even though he is comically incompetent.
117/N
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Meanwhile, Mi-rae has taken over Mi-ji's temporary job at a strawberry farm, owned by an eccentric former investment guy named Han Se-jin. Se-jin used to question his grandfather for toiling at the farm into his old age. After his grandfather's death, Se-jin has a change of heart, and takes over the farm, even though he is comically incompetent.
117/N
Mi-rae, pretending to be Mi-ji, is also initially inept, but after floundering for a couple of weeks she begins to take to farming, rural life and, apparently Se-jin <wink>.
Thinking about the characters and plot of the story, we have a lot of things that come in twos besides the two sisters, which provides a pleasing symmetry to our story.
118/N
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Mi-rae, pretending to be Mi-ji, is also initially inept, but after floundering for a couple of weeks she begins to take to farming, rural life and, apparently Se-jin <wink>.
Thinking about the characters and plot of the story, we have a lot of things that come in twos besides the two sisters, which provides a pleasing symmetry to our story.
118/N
The two Moms (Mi-jae/Mi-rae's and Ho-su's) who were childhood friends, two grandmothers (the girls' actual grandmother, and the stubborn old woman restaurant owner that Mi-ji clashes with hilariously, and of course two love interests. As the story unfolds we learn that Mi-ji and Mi-rae are not the only ones who swap identities, which is an interesting wrinkle.
Our Unwritten Seoul really delivers on all levels. Five stars!
119/N
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The two Moms (Mi-jae/Mi-rae's and Ho-su's) who were childhood friends, two grandmothers (the girls' actual grandmother, and the stubborn old woman restaurant owner that Mi-ji clashes with hilariously, and of course two love interests. As the story unfolds we learn that Mi-ji and Mi-rae are not the only ones who swap identities, which is an interesting wrinkle.
Our Unwritten Seoul really delivers on all levels. Five stars!
119/N
cw: spoilers
After being blown away by Park Bo-young in "Our Unwritten Seoul" it was an easy decision to start "Daily Dose of Sunshine" from 2023. One one level this works as a straightforward medical drama. The story follows Jung Da-eun (played by Park Bo-young), a nurse who is transferred from internal medecine to the psychiatric ward in a busy university hospital.
120/N
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cw: spoilers
After being blown away by Park Bo-young in "Our Unwritten Seoul" it was an easy decision to start "Daily Dose of Sunshine" from 2023. One one level this works as a straightforward medical drama. The story follows Jung Da-eun (played by Park Bo-young), a nurse who is transferred from internal medecine to the psychiatric ward in a busy university hospital.
120/N
The excellent ensemble cast includes Da-eun's fellow nurses, the 'tough as nails' but warm head nurse, doctors, and of course a variety of patients. Da-eun takes some heat initially for being slow to learn the ropes. However, she soon reveals her superpower - a highly empathic nature, kindness and warmth that the other nurses begin to admire.
121/N
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The excellent ensemble cast includes Da-eun's fellow nurses, the 'tough as nails' but warm head nurse, doctors, and of course a variety of patients. Da-eun takes some heat initially for being slow to learn the ropes. However, she soon reveals her superpower - a highly empathic nature, kindness and warmth that the other nurses begin to admire.
121/N
The patients under her care are experiencing a spectrum of diseases - depression, schizophrenia, panic disorder, and so on. A Daily Dose of Sunshine gives an unflinching look at mental illness, and many of the scenes are intense. Thematically, A Daily Dose of Sunshine is a message piece about mental illness and the stigma that it carries.
122/N
