REVIEW: The Time We Were Not in Love (SPOILERS)

Photo from asianwiki.com

This show had all the trimmings of one of the best dramas of 2015. I mean you can't really go wrong with Ha Ji Won as the lead actress, right? Unfortunately, for me, the show fell flat half way through and I had to make myself watch the remaining episodes. Overall, it was an entertaining show with a lot of cute moments but there was a lack of tension and chemistry for me.

In the beginning, since everything was new and I was just excited to see the show, it was a really great ride. L was stirring up emotions and Lee Jin Wook was the masculine and caring male lead that we all love to see. However, there was a major event that shook up not just the characters but the show in general.

So, as much as I love seeing up and coming actor Yoon Gyun Sang in anything, his character kind of ruined the show for me. This has nothing to really do with his acting it's just that his character was really wet blanket. The character of Cha Seo Hoo was supposed to have our male leads battling to the death and our female lead really torn over who to go to, right? Well, what we get is Oh Ha Na being dragged along (again) by Cha Seo Hoo and Choi Won (Lee Jin Wook) fighting a battle all by himself (sort of). It was seriously like one of the hardest things to watch. To me it would have been better if at least Oh Ha Na seemed like she was secretly pinning after Choi Won or something but it felt like her character gave up which basically left the male lead that we were all rooting for in limbo. Ugh!

After that everything seemed like a half baked attempt to patch the original premise of the series back together. I have not seen the Chinese original yet, but since it has gotten rave reviews I am assuming that things were handled much better. If that wasn't enough however when our OTP does finally get together there were no sparks at least not from Oh Ha Na. Like pretty much all the relationships in this show (except Dae Bok and Eun Jung, and Mi Hyang and Park Jong Hoon) seemed one sided. Seriously, like no one liked the person that liked them. It was weird. It was even more weird that our leads who've built up levels of love practically their whole lives had no real romantic moments. I mean I guess you can count the wedding, but what wedding isn't romantic?

Now, it is possible that I am being overly critical/cynical of the show since it just straight up bored me near the end, but I have to say that if you are thinking about watching this show I say don't worry about it. Unless you're a super huge fan of one of the main actors you can pretty much skip it.

Please let me know what you think. 

And please let me know if I missed something that actually made this show magical.

First Impressions: Moorim School

After seeing all the trailers and explanations about Moorim School I had no idea what this show was about. After watching the first episode I still have no idea, but I think I might enjoy the ride. 

Not only does the show boast an impressive and diverse cast, it also appeals to the fantasy lover in me. So, what I gleaned from the first episode is that Moorim is a mysterious martial arts school. However, it seems to be much more than that and it looks like our two male leads (Lee Hyun Woo and VIXX's Hongbin) are in for a ride. 

The first thing that attracted me to the show was the chance to see Lee Hyun Woo in another drama, but as more of the cast was unveiled the more excited I got. I haven't been following VIXX fan for long but I can say that I am happy to see another member show off some serious acting chops. Also, our female leads (Seo Ye Ji and Jeong Eugene) have continued to show off their talents in project after project. I also know I'm not the only one who is super stoked to see Shin Hyun Joon and Sam Okyere in another drama! 

KBS has yet to fail me in a high school drama or a fantasy drama so I am looking for to this project as much as the next fan girl. If you were also wondering whether or not to make this drama your first of 2016 I say go for it. I'm sure that the show will be riddled with cliches but it also looks that it'll be filled with crazy stunts and shirtless scenes of Lee Hyun Woo and Hong Bin (I'm not joking). 

K-Pop Bias Battle with KOKO Culture

Hello peoples! I finally have some koreaboo friends close by. Yay! #kpopforlife
Anyway thanks to these awesome friends I can talk about Korean entrainment and they actually know what I'm talking about. In the spirit of sharing our enthusiasm we've started a YouTube channel called KOKO Culture. On our channel we'll talk a lot about our kdrama and kpop obsessions but there will also be videos about our lives as Koreaboos in New Orleans!

We've already posted our first video.
Check it out: KOKO Culture | K-Pop Bias Battle

REVIEW: Pretty Man or Bel Ami

**This review contains spoilers**

I'll start off this review by saying that I absolutely loved this drama. It was so funny and endearing that I was even able to convince my sister to watch it with me. Thankfully she enjoyed it as much as I did, which makes me think that this drama is a great suggestion for any K-Drama newbies.

There were so many classic K-Drama elements to enjoy from the evil mother/vice chairman to the inevitable and sometimes painful-to-watch love triangle. On top of that it had a pretty spectacular cast that included Jang Geun Suk and IU. What more can you ask for right? I'll be honest, not every single moment was a hit, but overall it is a drama worth watching.

WHAT I LIKED:

The very first thing I enjoyed was IU's character Kim Bo Tong. She was exactly like any K-Drama fan imagining life with one of their favorite actors. She was special (in a good way) from the start and thankfully she never really lost that even though she did mature throughout the series.

I also liked the relationship she had with Ma Te. I know most people would disagree with my sentiment of her creepy obsessive stalker mentality being cute, but it worked on her. One reason why it worked is because Ma Te let her do it and he showed the audience that he cared for her even if he didn't love her. At first I was worried that their relationship would be him taking advantage of her feelings for him and her letting him, but it developed into a pretty meaningful friendship that then developed romantically (which we all saw coming).

I like Jang Geun Suk's smile. As pretty men go Mr. Jang is one of the prettiest, however I wouldn't say he is the prettiest man in the world. For much of the drama I refuted that claim when I saw him. However, when he smiled he looked so great. He's definitely his prettiest when he's smiling.

The best thing about the show was it's level of comedy. Many romantic comedies don't actually have that many purely comedic moments but this one did and I liked that. One of my favorite moments was when Ma Te drew on Bo Tong's face. When David told her about it instead of being mad she was happy that he touched her face. It was hilarious, but it was only one of many moments that had me laughing.

Na Hong Ran was a great villain. The writers did a good job at not making her a sympathetic character at all. Even when she had the chance to receive sympathy she gave it up, so there was never a moment when I actually felt sorry for her. However, I did like that she redeemed herself a touch. It wasn't enough for us to start liking or even forgiving her but it was step in the right direction.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Choi David was overall a really likable character. He was so cute whenever he smiled and his adoration for Bo Tong was endearing, but toward the end he became a little pathetic and a little creepy. The fact that he named his car "Bo Tong" and called her his baby was really pushing it. And telling her that he doesn't care if she loves him was just sad. I never like the second male lead stooping to such painful lows. Even when the girl you like doesn't like you back: maintain your dignity, if that's all you can do then do it. He kind of gave his up, but he got shreds of it back at the end.

Hong Yu Ra as the mentor/ex-sister-in-law/manipulator. It's not so much that I didn't like the character, but there wasn't really a point to her being there. She just barely moved the story. I understood at the beginning why she was needed but toward the end she wasn't as necessary (which is probably why she "left"). To me they should have either kept her consistent or not used her at all.

All the secret children. **SPOLIER ALERT** The chairman was a very busy man, if you know what I mean. Out of no where David is his son and Ma Te is the chairwoman's son and I am like "WHAT?!" They played it off really well though. The writers did a good job exposing all of these details however, at a certain point I had a hard time knowing what to believe and keeping up with who was related to who.

At the end of this series I was pretty satisfied especially considering that it was funny all the way to the end. The ending was too sappy or vague so I enjoyed it.

I know this drama is kind of old now, but if you haven't seen it I highly suggest it. I know I gave away some pretty big details but if you're a true kdrama fan so you actually care about that part. Spoilers are half the reason I start watching dramas.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this drama or will enjoy this drama as much as I did.

REVIEW: Ex-Girlfriend Club

Ex-Girlfriend Club was sadly cut by a whole four episodes, from 16 to 12. However, the sudden ending didn't seem empty and I got what a wanted, a happy but still funny ending.

I was really looking forward to this, mostly because of the cast. Song Ji Hyo seems to act in something like once a year these days so I really needed to see this show to support her. Also, this is Byun Yo Han's first leading role since enchanting us in Misaeng so I had to support him too. However, they were only two of the many acting jewels that were a part of this production.  For the full cast list CLICK HERE. Now let's get into the review.

Synopsis: A film producer, Kim Soo Jin, and a manhwa (comic) writer, Bang Myung Soo, who were once inseparable friends meet up again after a long break to make a movie based off of the comic. Everything seems to be pretty standard but Soo Jin's company is in danger of going under and if that wasn't enough Myung Soo's exes want a say in how the movie goes. Obviously this will result in some frustrating but also hilarious situations. 

Things I Liked:

1. The relationship between Kim Soo Jin and Bang Myung Soo. They're friends! I know it seems impossible but at the beginning of the show these two are adorable friends that reminisce about good times and fight like only real friends do. That adorable friendship or at least elements of their friendship remained to the very end and that made for a very enjoyable and realistic show.

2. The ex-girlfriends. As irritating as it would be for your exes to come out of no where and try to control you, your friend, and your project years after breaking up, these were not your usual exes. All three women were tough in their own right. The three exes had strong minds and strong opinions and they never missed a moment to share them. It was also really hilarious to see how three exes of the same man interacted with each other. There was a bit of cat fighting but also a bit of understanding and encouraging.

3. Kim Soo Jin. I don't think Song Ji Hyo plays weak characters. If she has I haven't seen it so it's no surprise that as cute as her character is she wasn't going down without a fight. Kim Soo Jin was the perfect example of what most women are like in real life. They can be sweet, but they also have their own standards and expect the people they hang out with to uphold those standards to a certain degree. Soo Jin was sweet most of the time but she definitely didn't stop herself from getting angry if need be. Toward the end of the show her character was mostly on the sweet side, but if things start to work out how you want in your life wouldn't you be on the sweet side too?

4. Bang Myung Soo. He wasn't the super mean jerk or the sweet pushover. He was a normal guy with normal feelings and it was great to see him get attention. Like Soo Jin, Myung Soo was like an actual human: he was sweet, he was outspoken, and he was hilarious. I guess it was the webtoon writer in him but he had a lot of comedic sense which also made the show very enjoyable to watch.

5. Understandable villian(s). There may have been more than one antagonist depending on how you look at the show. However, none of them were so bad that you were hoping someone would come out of no where and just kill them off. They were normal. They became mean because of understandable situations and they were a tolerable amount of mean. It all made sense!

6. The theme song. One of the best theme songs I have ever heard. It's a folk and synth mix that is bouncy and playful and perfect for the show as well as summer. Check out Variegated by Jannabi.

What I Didn't Like:
Basically my main complaint with the show it that it was cut short. I felt that the cut didn't completely harm the series overall but it did have some effect on it. The flow in the last few episodes became really weird. It wasn't a major problem nor was it super obvious but as a fan of the show I could see that some things were altered from the original plan. I really wish that the show could have kept its run despite the low ratings. It was such a great show and for it to be cut like that was really frustrating.

I think the keywords for this drama are normal, sensible, and funny. The drama wasn't an epic melodrama or anything but it had a lot of good moments and a good cast that made it enjoyable to watch. It was perfect for the sweet days of spring and the dog days of summer, and if you've been wanting to watch it fall isn't too late. 

If you're looking for a drama that you can just watch without aging or feeling exhausted after every episode then I recommend this show. The best part is that now that all the episodes are out, it can be marathon-ed. I think this is one of those underrated dramas that only people who don't fantasize about living in k-dramas can appreciate. If you're looking for a good show to marathon then I recommend this one. 

Mini Movie Reviews: 2011 (Part 1)

Death Bell
Year Released: 2011
Cast: Nam Gyu Ri, Kim Beom, Lee Beom Soo, Yun Jung Hee, Lee Chae Won, Moon Woong Ki
Where I Watched: DramaFever
One Sentence Synopsis: A murderer lurks in the school halls seeking revenge for a student's wrongful death.
Mini Review: Not the scariest of movies but definitely suspenseful. It had a lot of layers to it that I didn't expect. It was a good movie especially for those of the mystery or thriller genres.

You're My Pet
Year Released: 2011
Cast: Kim Ha Neul, Jang Geun Suk, Ryu Tae Joon, Jung Yoo Mi, Choi Jong Hoon, Kang Ha Neul
Where I Watched: Hulu
One Sentence Synopsis: A man becomes a pet for a lonely woman.
Mini Review: This movie would have been kind of weird without the whole "pet" part, but even with that part it was weird. There was no fluidity and it was irritating seeing the female lead choose between two guys because she wasn't really good enough for either. Also, the musical scene was really horrible, but it did have some funny moments.

Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow
Year Released: 2011
Cast: Kim Myung Min, Han Ji Min, Oh Dal Su
Where I Watched: DramaFever
One Sentence Synopsis: Korea's first detective tries to solve the mysteries behind corrupt officials.
Mini Review: I really can't explain how I felt about this movie after watching it. I thought it was going to be really great but I was kind of disappointed. It had some great elements and great moments but they never really came together. The thing that probably confused me the most was the sort of haphazard introduction of the Christian faith as a source of strife. It's not that I am confused that they chose to use it, that part makes sense, but the way it was brought up in the movie wasn't always fluid and the end really threw me off. It's a movie that I am willing to watch again to see if I get it better, and it's a movie I would recommend to other fans of Korean dramas/movies to see if they can explain it to me.

My Favorite K-Pop Songs of 2015: May to August

Eat by Zion.T - Zion.T has always delivered great songs. The beauty in his work is it's simplicity. He manages to stir up emotions and even get the party going without a whole lot of extra sounds and equipment. This song is a perfect example of that. It's a bit stripped down but it's the perfect song to express longing and love.

Pray by Babylon - It was inevitable. After being a part of many successful songs as a feature artist he was bound to fly solo. I like Babylon most for his strong vocals. Dude can hold a note and that was definitely proven through this song.

Mannequin by Primary - I am so happy that Primary is back! This song is of course in Primary's typical retro R&B/Funk sound but Beenzino and Su Ran manage to make it feel new. Also, the lyrics are a bit more trendy than what I usually expect from Primary songs.

Playback by Playback - A really cute debut track. It has a retro R&B sound to it but it's accompanied by sweet vocals so it still has a pop feel.

Sold Out by Yankie - "Sold Out but we never Sold Out!" Great hip hop song with several amazing features and one awesome message to haters.

Ah-Ah by Teen Top - I really enjoy listening to Teen Top because their harmonies are so beautiful so I was pretty excited about this song. They didn't disappoint. they delivered a fun track that is just as well sung as any of their slower songs.

Bang Bang Bang by Big Bang - How could you not like this song? It's the perfect summer jam in so many ways. It gets you so hype and just when you're about to reach the max they slow it down in the chorus. It's electronic heavy so it runs the risks of sounding like a lot of other songs but luckily Big Bang is fly enough to keep it fresh.

If You by Big Bang - Such a beautiful song. Makes you wanna cry just listening to it, let alone when you actually raed the lyrics. I must say that my favorite part of this song was T.O.P. opening it up. At this point I still don't think T.O.P. is that great of a singer but he sounded really nice in this song.

Variegated by Jannibi - I wouldn't usually include OSTs, but this is one of the best k-drama theme songs I've ever heard. It's folksy, and bouncy, and perfect for a light summer drama.

View by SHINee - *cue the fan girl scream* I love this song. It's pretty trendy so I am familiar with the EDM based sound but thankfully SHINee gives us better vocals than most EDM works so the sound is taken to another level.

Kiss My Lips by BoA - One of the Queens of Kpop is back and she is AH MAY ZING! The song has a great R&B undertone while still being trendy enough for the pop side. Love it!

Awesome by N.Flying - I really enjoy the rock/hip hop crossover. It's not a completely unfamiliar concept but I think it was the perfect way to finally introduce N.Flying. I like the fact that nothing about them is gimmicky. They can really play their instruments and rock out, and they have decent rapping skills. So, I am excited to see a lot more from them.

Get by Urban Zapaka - A great song! I like that Urban Zakapa can take their sound and add Beenzino to make it even more accessible. I've only listened to a few of their songs but it seems that they usually go more for ballads. I like that this song is a bit more trendy and upbeat.

Trauma by Eun Ji Won - This song reminds me of so many R&B songs from my childhood, so I kind of fell in love with it for that reason. Also, I think Eun Ji Won sounds really good singing songs like this.

Over & Over by Pippi Band - The video is going to weird you out a bit, but once you get pass that you get a really awesome song. Zion.T featuring is just the cherry on top. If you like with synth-rock and are excited for the return of 80s music then this is the song for you.

Mirror by MBLAQ - As sad as I am to see a 3-member MBLAQ instead of a 5-member MBLAQ, I have to say that G.O, Mir, and Seungho held it down and released a good song.

My House by 2pm - The video is really good, the mix of fairy tales and 2PM's undeniable manliness is enough to make any girl fall. I think Jun.K did a great job with the song also.

Blue Horizon by Cokejazz & Hoody - You can blame my following Jay Park on Instagram for introducing this gem to you. Synth-pop with a touch of jazz, the perfect song for a chill summer drive. Also, if you're wanting to hear more Hoody, who is being dubbed the new queen of underground R&B, I suggest listening to her song Baby Oh Baby.

Um Oh Ah Yeh by Mamamoo - Mamamoo returns with their signature retro sound and a completely crazy and fun video.

OMG by JJY Band - I probably shouldn't endorse this song, but what can I do? I just love Jung Joon Young's voice, I like that he chose a more fast pace rock song this time around too.

Listen by Khalil Fong - So Chinese R&B may not exactly count as "kpop" but I had to tell somebody how much I like this song. If not for Crush including Khalil Fong's "Love Love Love" in his Melon Playlist I wouldn't have ever found out about this great artist. I like that he has yet to count out real instruments even if he does include electronic sounds here and there, plus he has a really sweet voice that works with slow ballad, upbeat tracks, and multiple genre fusions.

7E77 ME B43Y by Seulong - I really like the sound of this song. I can't quite explain it (synth-R&B?) but it's just perfect, not only for Seulong's voice but also for the lyrics of the song.

My Everything by Bumkey - Funny how impending jail time can make you want to release an amazing love song. I love this song, it's what R&B should sound like and of course it doesn't hurt that Bumkey has one of the best voices in music today.

Bassline by Nuol ft King Kong & Huckleberry P - This song is dope for a whole host of reasons but my number one reason is that the rapping surpasses even the most talented and prominent Korean rappers. This is a must listen--straight fiyah from beginning to end.

Dope by BTS - If we're being completely honest with ourselves, then we would say that this song is like most of BTS's songs so as awesome as it is it's a bit too familiar. However, BTS never fails at their crossover songs so it has to be said that as familiar as the song is, it is still quite good. Especially if we consider the number of rookie groups putting out similar songs with less fire.

It's Okay by BtoB - I've been a fan of BtoB for some time now, so I am happy that they are getting more and more attention for their talents. This song is so well sung, it's just about ridiculous. Listen to them runs, that harmony, you'll fall for them in no time. I even think that the rap part is stellar.

My Last by Jay Park - This song stole my summer. It was the first song I wanted to play whether I was escaping the heat at work, taking a drive, or playing outside. It is not only well produced but I also enjoyed Jay Park's singing and rapping, Loco's rapping, and Gray's sing-rapping. The perfect summer jam especially for Korean R&B/Hip Hop lovers like myself.

Just Right by GOT7 - I love this song for so many reasons. The video is fabulous and the message is sweet. But I think the thing I like most about it is how fresh the sound is for GOT7. Also, I noticed that they are constantly maturing their sound, so I am proud of them.

Love Me by Melody Day - I like the retro sound and even though the lyrics are a bit typical, the girls sound really good.

Party by Girls Generation (SNSD) - At first I found this song to be a bit of a let down, just because it sounds like so many other songs. However, I can't deny that it is a perfect summer jam.

Comes and Goes by Hyukoh - I am pretty proud of myself for being into this band before they truly came into prominence. They're great for the fact that they really just put out the music they like and somehow it works. From Ohhyuk's one of a kind voice to their unique mix of genres, they're really a great gem especially for people who are moving out of the pop world. I like this song because even though it's basically indie rock, it does not feel as exclusive as most indie rock songs. It's a type of sound that fans of several genres outside of rock can enjoy.

Champagne by Yunho (TVXQ) - As sad as it is to welcome a life without Yunho being active in entertainment I like that his last track was a fun party track and not some sort of sad goodbye song.

Married to the Music by SHINee - SHINee's ode to 80s pop, particularly the music and video of Michael Jackson, is enough to get any party started, so it was a great track to close out the summer to.

Devil by Super Junior - First off, I must say that the video is awesome. I love summer action movies and this was the perfect time to release a video like that. It's the perfect accompaniment to the song. The song is really great. I can't pinpoint what genre or sound they are pulling from at the moment but it is a welcome change for the group.

Gotta Go to Work by BEAST - A sweet song that perfectly fits BEAST's maturity level.

Don't be Shy by Primary - I love the reggae sound but my main reason for liking this song is ChoA's
pretty stellar vocals. To me it's easy for talent to get lost in kpop groups, I like that she was able to
show off on her own with this song.

Won & Only by Simon Dominic - Simon D is back and bringing good old school hip hop back. And if you just can't get enough of Tablo's daughter, Haru, then I suggest watching her in this video.

Hooka by Hyukoh - This song is quite different from Comes and Goes and yet I'm still a fan. Hyukoh's voice is a bit difficult to come by in this genre but it fits perfectly with not just the more metal based instrumental but also the thoughtful lyrics.

Kontrol by Kim Sung Kyu - I just found it hard not to like this song. Sung Kyu has a great voice and this song showed that off very well.

New Rasta Virus by Rude Paper - Reggae is starting to gain a lot of traction in Korea these days. As someone who grew up listening to reggae it's really fun to hear Korean artists take on the genre and add a smooth hip hop flair to it. I really should listen to modern reggae artist from the west.

Lion Heart by SNSD - Still loving the retro sound that a lot of girl groups are taking on these days. Sometimes it's hard for me to get into SNSD because they don't have anyone in a lower range to round out their sound in the chorus, but I think that it worked out with this song. Video was so cute!

You Think by SNSD - They went for a bad girl image and killed it. The song is quite trendy but it doesn't work against them. It is very reminiscent of late 90s/early 2000s R&B songs.

Sweet Girl by B1A4 - I like this sweet song that shows off B1A4's vocal talent as well as how effortlessly they can switch genres.

Bad by Infinite - It's in Infinite's go-to 80s electronic pop-rock sound, but they always manage to have an edge that other groups just don't have when trying to use this sound.