The Best Korean Dramas of 2013

Annyeong! It has been a hot minute since I've posted last, but here I am sharing my year's Korean drama-watching work. This year there was a good assortment of dramas to suit viewers' varying taste buds. This year also featured some of the most hyped Kdramas ever (Gu Family Book and The Heirs). Even though I found some great dramas to watch in 2013, not every drama was watchable. So, look forward to my "The Worst Korean Dramas of 2013" list in a few days. But, let's get back to positivity and celebration for now. Here's to an even better year for dramas in 2014!

5. That Winter, the Wind Blows

Jo In Sung and Song Hye Kyo

That Winter, the Wind Blows was the first, what I consider, "blockbuster" drama of the year. It features Jo In Sung, Song Hye Kyo, Jung Eun Ji, and Kim Bum. The music was divine (download the OST here), the aesthetic was soft and breathtaking, and this drama, while not the best of the year, was never dull. Read my full review here.

4. Good Doctor

Joo Won and Moon Chae Won

Good Doctor fills the void of feel good medical drama better than any I've seen before. The chemistry between Joo Won and Moon Chae Won made the fact that Park Shi Won (Joo Won) was autistic seem like just another obstacle that any couple faces. I am pretty sure that I cried at least once during each of the 20 episodes of this sweet drama.

3. The Heirs

Lee Min Ho as Kim Tan and Park Shin Hye as Cha Eun Sung

When I first started watching The Heirs/ The Inheritors, I was in disbelief. I had a hard time accepting that Lee Min Ho was still playing a high school kid (he's 26 now!). I was also put off by the strange scenes that they filmed in California. I decided to let my skepticism go, though, and allow the story to wash over me. This drama is a blatant combination of all things that viewers want to see, rich kids, love triangles, birth secrets, Cinderella story, coming-of-age, I could go on for pages. What I think makes this drama great, though, is that the actors managed to shine through the achingly cliche plot lines and dialogue to show us genuine feeling and the pain that comes with transitioning from childhood to adulthood no matter how rich or poor you are. Also, the sheer volume of popular Korean actors is enough to make my list, The Heirs had Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye, Kim Woo Bin, Kang Min Hyuk, Krystal Jung, Choi Jin Hyuk, Lim Ju Eun, Kim Ji Won, and Kang Ha Neul... MIND BLOWN.

2. Heartless City

Jung Kyung Ho and Nam Gyu Ri

Heartless City/ Cruel City was the drama that I looked forward to watching the most every week while it aired. It was the most exciting and sexiest drama of the year, in my opinion. It wasn't, though, an epic romance drama. There was a strong connection between the two leads Jung Kyung Ho and Nam Gyu Ri, but it seemed more like a plot-driving relationship than an a heart-wrenching love like the one from my number 1 drama of the year. Read my full review of Heartless City here.

1. Secret

Hwang Jung Eum and Ji Sung

Ahhh yes, Secret Love, what year of drama isn't complete without a high-intensity melodrama? My year certainly wouldn't have felt complete without Secret. Hwang Jung Eum pulled off her best performance yet as the wronged Kang Yoo Jung who lost years of her life in prison, her son, and her bright-eyed optimism. Yet, she was able to love again and make the best decision for herself and her child. I just loved this drama and it's fast moving action and romance.

What were your favorites?

Incarnation of Money Final Episode 24 Review

Hwang Jung Eum as Bok Jae In and Kang Ji Hwan as Lee Cha Don

*************************Spoilers****************************

I loved Incarnation of Money. From the very beginning it was an exciting ride filled with laughter, action, and romance. The final episode was jam-packed with these features also. In the last episode everything comes to a head. The bad guys, Ji Se Gwang (Park Sang Min), Kwon Jae Gyu (Lee Ki Young), Eun Bi Ryung (Oh Yoon Ah), and Go Ho (Lee Seung Hyung), receive their punishment, and the good guys end up happy.

In a strange way, I was relieved that Ji Se Gwang remained evil and unrepentant all the way to the very end. I find it nauseating when the villain suddenly realizes they were wrong the whole time and then everyone becomes friends. If you've watched this final episode like I have then you'll know Ji Se Gwang was no where nearing becoming Lee Cha Don's (Kang Ji Hwan) chingu. Se Gwang was publicly outed as a murderer and nearly killed by his accomplice Kwon Jae Gyu when he made his last attempt to escape and finish his revenge by killing Cha Don (aka Lee Kang Seok). In the end Se Gwang was killed by poison administered by Bi Ryung just like Cha Don's father. Honestly, I felt a bit bad for Bi Ryung at the very end because she was just a dumb, materialistic woman who got caught in Se Gwang's trap.

Even though this drama's title alludes to the religion of those who worship money as god, I think the major ideological theme is about the fine line between righteousness and corruption. Many of the characters involved in the plot of the murder, and the sins that followed it in order to cover their tracks, were people who held power and the trust of the Korean population. It seems the deciding factor between one being righteous or corrupt is their ambition. How far is a person willing to go in order to obtain power and, thus, people's trust? Is that person looking to succeed for evil or selfish purposes (Se Gwang)? Or is he trying to find justice (Cha Don)? In this drama the root of the corruption is centered on one man (Se Gwang) while in reality it's not as simple. Generally corruption is a large-scale issue involving the morals of society. This is where money comes in. Because Cha Don's father treasured money more than people, the entire revenge plot began. Here's the kicker, though, Se Gwang ended up becoming more like Cha Don's father than Cha Don himself. Se Gwang lost sight of the importance of family, friends, and love and became a heartless man without a hope for redemption.

Now, on the lighter side, Cha Don and Bok Jae In (Hwang Jung Eum) were married in the end! God, I loved Jung Eum as Jae In. Instead of her normal ditsy character, Jae In transformed from a spoiled girl into a strong business woman. Cha Don, Jae In, and her mother were all able to learn what Se Gwang never could, the importance of people. Jae In loved Cha Don, but took care of her own problems regarding the business and her family. This drama proves that an OTP can be formed without the cliche falling-in-love scenes that too many Kdramas use. I currently have no negative criticism about this drama or it's final episode. The wedding in the end was a sweet union between a man who learned that through tragic events can come happiness and a woman who realized her own value as an equal to the man she loves.

Please watch Incarnation of Money with English subtitles on Viki.com

Full House Take 2 Final Episode 32 (16 part 2)

Hwang Jung Eum as Jang Man Ok and No Min Woo as Lee Tae Ik

I try to act cool and tell myself that I didn't like this drama because it is so cheesy, but I have to be honest with myself now guys. I did enjoy it. Now, to clarify, I wasn't impressed with the overall plot, and there were things that didn't really make sense (Kang Hwi's family story seemed important, but the surface was barely even scratched), but the show had two things going for it. First there is Park Ki Woong, who is adorable and bursting with charisma, second is No Min Woo's excellent ability to portray a complete DIVA as Tae Ik.

Park Ki Woong as Won Kang Hwi and Tae Ik

In this final episode the story jumped 6 moths into the future to reveal how the conflicts have come to a resolution. In the end Baek Go Dong (Lee Seung Hyo) found fame as the replacement for Kang Hwi next to Tae Ik in the group Take 2 (how original?), Han Ga Ryun (Kim Do Yun, love her!) continued to stalk Kang Hwi and Take 2 with the French-speaking girl and that con artist for their publication, Kang Hwi got the eye surgery and was able to see again and perform with Tae Ik as Take 1, and Man Ok worked at the Tae Kwon Do  house while studying fashion. It ended exactly as I imagined, everything was tied up in a nice bow and everyone was happy (except LJ, of course, because he's the bad guy). Obviously Man Ok and Tae Ik ended up together and Tae Ik gained back ownership of Full House also. I got a little teary-eyed at the very end because of how sweet Tae Ik ended up being to Man Ok, but I'm still team Kan Hwi, don't get it twisted.

Man Ok and Tae Ik love

So, I am glad I watched this drama, but it's not one that I will watch again. And if I were to have directed the final episode, I would have ended Take 1's performance with Kang Hwi and Tae Ik kissing again because that was honestly the best part of the show.

My sweet Kang Hwi

Watch Full House Take 2 with English subtitles http://www.viki.com/channels/536-full-house-2

Full House Take 2 episodes 11 & 12 (21, 22, 23, 24)

No Min Woo and Hwang Jung Eum as Lee Tae Ik and Jang Man Ok

I am so torn after watch Full House Take 2 episodes 11 and 12 (aka episodes 21, 22, 23, and 24). I get a warm, fuzzy feeling from the growing relationship between Lee Tae Ik and Jang Man Ok, but I love Won Kang Hwi too! It is obvious that Man Ok and Tae Ik like each other, but I can't help feeling sorry for Kang Hwi because he liked her first and he's going blind. In these episodes Tae Ik is now living with Man Ok in her grandfather's judo. After a night of drinking and confessing in the tent that Tae Ik is staying in, they wake up to the grandfather's return. I found his return to be very anticlimactic. I mean, Man Ok made a complete mess of things while he was gone, but it doesn't seem to be an issue with them. The show was built upon the premise of her getting away from Taekwondo while her grandfather was gone. I guess it doesn't matter anymore.

As episode 12 part 2 came to an end, I was crying! The episode closes showing Kang Hwi fumbling around blindly in the dark and then calling Man Ok by the mean girl's (Yoo Seol Ah as Jin Se Ryung) name. The love triangle is now at its peak of drama. The teaser for the next week of episodes hints at Tae Ik finally getting back to his goal of obtaining Full House, and also making sure he doesn't lose Man Ok to Kang Hwi.

Park Ki Woong as Won Kang Hwi

A few other random thoughts from these episodes:

• The road manager Bae Go Dong play by Lee Seung Hyo is cute!
• I want to go to the sauna with Park Ki Woong and get gold facials.
• I think Man Ok looks better with straight hair, now she doesn't look more manly than Tae Ik.

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Watch Full House Take 2 with English subtitles http://www.viki.com/channels/536-full-house-2/videos/82528

Full House Take 2 episodes 5-8

No Min Woo as Tae Ik gettin' naked

 To start off, I want to share something that I realized about this show. At first I thought the format was a bit strange, having 4 half-hour episodes per week. I discovered, though, that each video is actually a half of a full episode. So, my first post was technically about episodes 1 and 2, parts 1 and 2, and this post is about episodes 3 and 4, parts 1 and 2. I was wondering why they replayed such a long part of the previous episode at the beginning of the next because the videos are so short it seemed like a waste of airtime, but thinking about them as parts makes a lot more sense. Now, as far as the actual content of the show, episode 3, part 1 started off on a humorous note. I did think the Islam jokes were a little overboard, but comedy is all about extremes, and if some people get a bit offended then sorry, but that's just how comedy works. The naked scene in the sauna was funny as well. Tae Ik asked Man Ok later if she saw his schlong, she said no of course. I am going to assume that she did, though. And I also want to add that even though No Min Woo has such a tall, slender body, he does look good with his shirt off.

Tae Ik and Park

 In the next episode (episode 3 part 2, technically) the Take One guys hold a fan meeting and receive some ridiculous gifts from some Chinese girls. First let's talk about the jeweled mic, it was hilarious how they were both practically drooling over it, and Tae Ik was genuinely upset when it wasn't a gift for him. When I started the show last week, I found Tae Ik and Kang Hwi's petty fighting to be obnoxious, but since learning more about their personalities, I find them much more entertaining. What I can't possibly accept about this episode, though, is that someone who loves a musical idol like Tae Ik enough to make him some cat PJs wouldn't know that he ie allergic to fur. Don't those crazy fans know everything about their beloved idols? Anyway, the ugly cat pajamas lead to more drama when they are involved in the expensive missing watch scandal in episode 4 part 1.

Kang Hwi

The last episode of the week (episode 4 part 2) begins where the previous one leaves off with Take One performing. Kang Hwi's vision suddenly becomes blurry (it had happened briefly before during the fan meeting) and he stops mid-concert to try to regain his sight. When the tears started streaming from his eyes, I was like, "no!" He is so cute and sweet that I am going to hate to see him sick. Unfortunately, the last episode ends without a diagnosis from the Doctor on Kang Hwi's condition so it is still up in the air. On a lighter note, though,  it is becoming more clear that Tae Ik is interested in Man Ok more than he would like to admit. After she defends him and beats up that jerk executive, Tae Ik looks for her frantically until he finds her in the hole in the woods. I personally love a good worrying-and-searching-for-someone-they-say-they-don't-like-but-secertly-do scene, and this one was no exception. And, naturally, when they are forced to sleep together, Tae Ik notices how adorable Man Ok is. I think we all know where this is going! Let the love triangle begin!

Tae Ik and Hwang Jung Eum as Man Ok

I also want to add that the house in Full House Take 2 is amazing. I get why Tae Ik wants it, and is willing to act like a jerk as a pop idol to get it. Maybe Man Ok and Tae Ik will end up in it together in the end? I guess we'll wait and see.

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Watch Full House 2 with English subs here: http://www.viki.com/channels/536-full-house-2