Drama Review: WEIGHTLIFTING FAIRY KIM BOK JOO

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo

Original Title: 역도요정 김복주
Language: Korean
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Watched On: Viki
Number of Episodes: 16

Overall: ☆☆☆☆☆

Summary: What else could there be to life than barbells and heavy weights? Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) is a weightlifting phenom who has only focused on barbells her entire life while growing up with her father, Kim Chang Gul (Ahn Gil Kang), is a former weightlifter. She attends Hanwool College of Physical Education, a university full of top-notch athletes who are driven to succeed in the hopes of representing their country in national and international competitions. She went to the same elementary school as Jung Joon Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk) but reunites with him in college. He is now a competitive swimmer who is having trouble recovering from the trauma of being disqualified for a false start in his first international swim competition. Song Shi Ho (Kyung Soo Jin) is a fiercely competitive rhythmic gymnast who won a silver medal at the Asian Games when she was 18, but the pressures of her sport drive her to break up with Joon Hyung. Bok Joo’s tunnel-vision life starts to change when she falls in love with Joon Hyung’s older cousin, Jung Jae Yi (Lee Jae Yoon), a former athlete who became an obesity doctor after suffering a career-ending injury. Will Bok Joo learn that there is more to life than weightlifting? “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo” is a 2016-2017 South Korean drama series directed by Oh Hyun Jong. The story is inspired by the life of weightlifter Jang Mi Ran, who won the gold medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the gold medal in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, and four world championships.

I'll try to write this review without being completely gushy... but let's be real here! I honestly didn't know how well I would like this drama, I only went into it because of Lee Jae Yoon--who isn't even a lead--and Nam Joo Jyuk. But dammit if every single character wasn't just 👌!!

My first issue with this drama was the casting of the female lead; she does not look like a competing weight lifter, and I thought that would annoy me the whole time. But Lee Sung Kyung's acting made up for it on so many levels. The writing of the drama made up for it. Bok Joo is a kind, caring and hard working person. The lead male Joon Hyung does nothing but support her and their friends throughout the entire drama. The family dynamic behind the drama is A+ as well.
I can only find one thing to fault this drama and that's the lack of actual schooling considering they're college students...but everything else is just so so good that there's no point!
I cried so many times in this drama, laughed, squealed and just felt the intense feels! One of my favorite parts of this drama from any drama ever is the portrayal of someone being depressed--what that feeling is really like. And the fact that the people surrounding this character didn't shun her for it, but supported her so much was absolutely beautiful! That's the best way to describe this drama...beautiful. I highly highly recommend it!

I looked into the other dramas that this writer has worked on and two of them are also some of my all time favorites (Oh My Ghostess and High School King of Savvy), so it's no suprise that this drama was as good as it was. I cannot wait to see more from Yang Hee Seung.

Have you seen this drama? What is one of your recent faves, please let me know!

K-Drama Review: A Witch's Romance

A Witch's Romance
Korean Title: 마녀의 연애
Genre: Romance, comedy, drama.
Number of Episodes: 16
Watch on: Viki
Starring: Uhm Jung Hwa, Park Seo Joon, Han Jae Suk, Jung Yun Joo, Yoon Hyun Min
Rating: ½

Synopsis:It’s understandable to lose your faith in love after being stood up on your wedding day. Ban Ji Yeon (Uhm Jung Hwa) was devastated and then believed that marriage wasn’t for her. The 39-year-old has focused on her career as a reporter, so seriously that her colleagues refer her to as a witch, and put her romantic life on the back burner. But when Ji Yeon meets Yoon Dong Ha (Park Seo Joon), the 25-year-old owner of a small errand center, she finds herself in an unexpected December-June relationship that could thaw her hardened heart. But will her life become further complicated by the return of her former fiancé, No Shi Hoon (Han Jae Suk)? “A Witch’s Romance,” also known as "A Witch's Love" and “My Queen,” is a 2014 South Korean drama series directed by Lee Jeong Hyo. It is a remake of the hit Taiwanese drama “My Queen.”

Thoughts:
I remember scrolling through Viki, and saw this and clicked on it and--five episodes later--I wasn't sure where I was or how it happened. I quickly learned that this is a remake of the Taiwanese drama, My Queen, that I have yet to see and am not sure if I want to watch now. Even though I love the lead, Ethan Ruan.

This is one of those dramas that doesn't have too much depth and I like that about it. Sometimes I'd rather not see any of the characters crying, whining, or complaining every other episode. Or pushing away the person they want most for stupid reasons. Now there was a few times there was some resistance, mainly from Ban Ji Yeon, but it wasn't with lack of comedy.

I loved how lovey-dovey (T-Ara anyone?) the characters were with each other and other people in their personal lives. There is so much great chemistry in this casting. Though this is my first time seeing Uhm Jung Hwa in a drama, I have seen her in the Korean movie, Seducing Mr. Perfect with Daniel Henney. And the lead male, Park Seo Joon, I've seen in Dream High 2 but he's always played a second lead and I hope after this he'll only play the lead in dramas!

The relationship between Yong Soo Chul and Yoon Dong Ha is how I feel I would want all of my friendships to be. Ridiculous, over the top, and purely adorable. I found myself doing the "fangirl" squeal and flailing about when they were together. No... there's no OTP here. Just adoration for how perfect these BFFs are!

When Dong Ha and Ji Yeon were together, there was chemistry, but like most typical Korean dramas there just wasn't enough. It felt like they were not aloud to get closer or something. As if their relationship and need to do simple touching wasn't allowed. Which, I guess in Ji Yeon's mind it wasn't. But when Dong Ha would do his sneaky kisses, their hugs, the time they spent together alone, the dates, it was all adorable and kind of made up for the lack of "skinship."

Overall, this was a drama I tripped over and didn't allow myself to be picked up. I loved being pulled under. I wanted more and more. I laughed. I squealed. I loved. I hated. I just completely adored this drama!!
I may still watch the original Taiwanese version, My Queen, eventually, but right now I'm still getting over this gem.

Have you watched this drama yet? Or even the original? Anything you felt I should have talked about?

Let me know, below!

K-DRAMA REVIEW: King of Dramas

The King of Dramas

Korean Title: 드라마의재왕
Genre: Romance, comedy, drama.
Number of Episodes: 18
Watch on: Dramafever | Viki
Starring: Kim Myung-min, Jung Ryeo-won, Choi Siwon, Oh Ji-eun, Jung Man-shik.

Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of the Korean entertainment business, The King of Dramas revolves around Anthony Kim (Kim Myung-min), the brilliant CEO of a drama production company who will do anything and everything for the sake of money, fame and success. He is known to possess the Midas touch as he has created blockbuster dramas and Hallyu stars. When a death on the set precipitates his fall from grace, Anthony attempts to regain his former status by putting the drama Kyungsung Morning on air. And to accomplish that, he needs the help of idealistic Lee Go-eun (Jung Ryeo-won), who dreams of becoming a top writer someday, and the handsome but egoistic actor Kang Hyun-min (Choi Siwon).

Thoughts: *WARNING: Some of the pics towards the end may be a spoiler*

When I first started this drama, I expected it to be a romantic comedy, but the first five minutes are nothing but action and excitement. Meeting Anthony, I wasn't sure if I'd like him, he seemed to be quite an ass. He lied to Lee Go-eun to get her to help him with a drama then makes a man drive way over the speed limit to get the tape to the studio in time, which resuted in his death.
He is fired, obviously, and I thought it rather funny. I did not care for his selfishness.
Lee Go-eun was immediately a favorite, if not for her character, than her fantastic hair! Seriously, I was jealous the entire 18 episodes.
I digress.

Lee Go-Eun is an aspiring writer and wants nothing more than to get her drama on the air. After a promise from Anthony that he'll get it on the air if she helps him, she believes her dreams are coming true. But of course, being the selfish one he is, he lied to her. And I lost a little more faith in him.

Things started picking up when Anthony decides he will use her drama and does everything he possibly can, despite his nemesis every attempt to bring him down, to get this drama on air. They go on a hunt to find the biggest stars in Korea. Enter Choi Siwon and his character Kang Hyun-min, and now we finally have the comedic relief. His laugh. His faces. His body. [Whoa there.] And his excessive use of the phrase "Oh my God, Jesus Christ."
Almost every other drama Choi Siwon has played in, he's been the lead actor, so it was nice to see him in a completely new role while not being the lead. He's probably my favorite singer-to-actor in Kpop, so of course I was excited to see him in this.

When they finally get their leading lady, the gorgeous Sung Min-ah--who happens to be with a rival company as well as Anthony's ex (hello drama)--they have all they need to make the drama.
And finally I start to get a feel for Anthony being a human with feelings after we meet his blind mother and learn about how much he struggled in the past without a father.

The romance in this drama seems obvious but at the same time isn't quite canon, and for a lot of the drama I really didn't know who would end up with whom or if there would ever actually be a full on romance.  With that being said, I loved when Lee Go-eun spent any time with Anthony and the very....very rare times she was with Kang Hyun-min were as entertaining. He always managed to make a joke, even if she didn't find it funny, and he always made me laugh.

Towards the end when I heard there would be an extension from 16 to 18 episodes, I wasn't very happy. It's very rarely a good thing. They end up stretching things out and adding a plot that is so left field it makes you wonder if they changed writers, directors, locations, actors or if it's all a joke.
But to my relief, though there was a plot change, it was actually nice. I was expecting one thing to happen and they completely surprised me. Anthony learns devastating news and I was just sure everything would work out how he thought it would. But surprisingly, it didn't...but that didn't stop a beautiful ending. I got a little emotional, but no tears were shed.

The bickering between Sung Min-ah and Kang Hyun-min is perfect. The relationship between Lee Go-eun and Anthony was perfect.

 

At the end of the drama, I was satisfied. I felt like I got a full drama and I couldn't really think of anything that was left unsaid or open ended. I plan on watching more dramas starring all of these actors, especially the lead actors!

Rating:½