Princess’ Man:

Lee Se Ryung: “Forgetting everything.. and going far far away, I won’t even dream of such extravagant things… The last path in the end, I will act according to your will”.

Kim Seung Yoo: “After I go to the underworld and meet my father and Jong, I’ll tell them ‘There was a woman who loved me more than I loved myself’”.

Out of 10..

I Give My First Love To You (Japanese) - My perfect kind of movie. Enjoyed every bit of it. And nothing goes wrong with Inoue Mao. A beautiful love story. Cried my whole life out. Rating: 10/10.

Nada Sou Sou / Tears for you (Japanese) - story about step-siblings, and how they developed feelings for each other. I was actually quite disappointed.. It’s not bad, just that I thought there would actually be a romance. But the story was very objective. However, I didn’t manage to cry at all though. Rating: 7/10.

Last Princess (Japanese) - Japanese historical drama. The plot had actually more potential. I can imagine it being turned into a drama and being transformed so that the plot can have more substance. But the movie was just a bit.. lacking. It was quite entertaining though. Interesting to see Nagasawa Masami and Matsumoto Jun together. Rating: 7/10.

Once in a Summer (Korean)- A simple love story, yet still results in a lost of love. The movie has beautiful scenery and images. I enjoyed it pretty much. Rating: 8/10.

The first rating is the objective rating of the drama. The second one is how much I enjoyed it. Everything is out of 10. (:

49 Days - Unique and brilliant plot filled with life morals. Definitely prepare some tissue box. I enjoyed every bit of it although I wished more things were done to fill up the romance aspect of it. Definitely touching though. Full Review: http://karzreviews.tumblr.com/post/6597506546/drama-49-days . Rating: 9/10, 9/10

Autumn’s Concerto (Taiwanese)- Interesting plot, but it’s something that I’ve seen before. Vaness Wu was really hot in this one though. Rating: 7/10, 7/10

Bad Family- Funny, interesting, and amusing story and family. But I just never felt the chemistry between the leads. Rating: 8/10, 5/10

Boys Before Flowers- To be honest, this plot is my favorite ever, however, since this is the third remake of the drama and I’ve seen the other versions before, it’s really something not exciting. The drama is an eye-candy though with F4. I honestly really didn’t feel the chemistry between the leads though. Rating: 7/10, 6/10

Buzzer Beat (Japanese) - Basketball drama, but not your typical silly Japanese drama. Watched it mainly for Yamapi. If you’re a Yamapi lover, you’ll probably like it, but the drama is nothing great. Not boring, but it’s not something to get addicted to. Rating: 6/10, 7/10.

Capital Scandal- I like the setting of the drama. It’s something new. I fell in-love with Kang Ji Hwan all over again. Rating: 7/10, 8/10

City Hunter- Your modern Hong Gil Dong/Iljimae. Smooth from beginning till the end. Well-written, and excellent in exploiting modern corruption of politicians. A good mix too of lots of action, comedy, and romance. Rating: 9/10, 8/10. Full Review: here .

Cloud Stairs- It was a bit slow, but the chemistry of the leads brought the drama together. Rating: 6/10, 7/10

Dalja’s Spring- The plot is relaxed and refreshing. But I’m not a fan of older woman- younger guy relationships. Rating: 8/10, 4/10

Delightful Girl Chun Hyang- One of my favorite love stories ever. Mong-Ryong and Chun-Hyang will always be unforgettable characters to me. The drama will bring out every emotion in you. I laughed, cried, got mad, and fell in love. Rating: 10/10, 10/10

Dream High- An idol drama that will exceed your expectations. The drama will teach you how to value your dreams and your flaws. Filled with motivational lessons. Plus, it’s always fun to see your favorite idols in a show.  Full Review: http://karzreviews.tumblr.com/post/3644604178/drama-dream-high-review Rating: 8.5/10, 9/10

East of Eden- I was really hooked at this drama. However, it turned a little sketchy towards the end. I fell in love with Song Seung Hun though. Prepare to cry a lot too. But up till this day, I still believe that the ending could have been way better. Rating: 7/10, 7/10.

First Kiss (Japanese)- I originally watched it since I’m a fan of Inoue Mao. Although a bit slow, Mao’s charms will make you stick to the drama till the end. Rating: 6/10, 7/10.

Flower Ramyun Boy- If you’re looking to be entertained, THIS IS THE DRAMA. One of the funniest dramas I’ve ever seen. Cliche story of rich guy falling for a poor woman, and lots of eye-candy with good-looking guys. But not much depth within the plot and characters, and writing was so-so. But it’s one of those perfect light and comedy drama. Rating: 6.5/10, 7.5/10

Full House - This is actually one of my first dramas. I’ve seen this drama like 5 times. I love the simple plot and all their arguments, although some may seem repetitive. Rain and Song Hye Gyo definitely clicked. Rating: 8/10, 9/10 

Goong- Unique plot. Although it dragged many parts, it was still a drama that I loved. Oh, and this is where I met my first and longest Korean love, Kim Jung Hoon. Rating: 7/10, 9/10.

Hana Kimi (Taiwanese) - Although the drama lacked in many things, and although I didn’t fall in love with the leads, the drama was definitely funny and entertaining. Oh, and I was really fond of Jiro Wang in here. I loved him enough to learn all of Fahrenheit songs. Rating: 6/10, 7/10

Hana Yori Dango (Japanese)- My all-time favorite. I love the original plot and the characters. My heart fluttered every time Makino-Domyouji scene. I’ll never get tired of this. I wish they were real. Rating: 10/10, 10/10

Hanoi Bride- Short story. Watched it for Lee Dong Wook. It was okay, not the best, but not bad. 6/10, /6/10

Hello God- Based on the novel Flowers for Algernon. Beautiful drama. So many life lessons can be learned. I cried my heart out. This is definitely under-rated. Rating: 10/10, 10/10

Hong Gil Dong- My first historical drama ever. This is where I first fell in love with Kang Ji Hwan. I definitely love the plot, and all of the government issues that was exploited in the drama. I really loved Gil Dong and Yi Nok’s love story. So as their little crew. It was funny, heartbreaking, and although many didn’t like the ending, I was happy with the realistic ending.  Rating: 9/10, 10/10

It Started With A Kiss (Taiwanese) - I’m not really fond of the leads. Watched it since Jiro Wang is here too. But it was amusing although I never fell in love with the characters. 6/10, 6/10

IRIS- The drama is definitely intense. My heart jumped at every other scene. I can’t even stay still. It made people hooked but there were still flaws in the plot. Rating: 7/10, 8/10.

Iljimae- I loved Lee Jun Ki and Han Hyo Joo in this one. Funny in the beginning, but got really serious as it progressed on. But addicting and intense. I still wish that Han Hyo Joo and Lee Jun Ki had more sweet scenes. Maybe some other time eh? Rating: 8/10, 8/10

Legend of Hyang Dan - Short, funny, and amusing. Rating: 6/10. 6/10.

Lovers in Paris- Definitely nice plot, unpredictable too. Or maybe I was too young to be predicting plots. I’m not a fan of the leads, but I became a Lee Dong Gun fan. Rating: 9/10, 5/10

Loving You: It bored me. It was definitely a series of unfortunate events. The ending… “really?!?”. Rating: 4/10, 3/10.

My Girl - One of the funniest dramas ever, and yet sweet too. I love Lee Da Hae’s witty acting. I remember having a drama hangover for a month. Loved the story. Rating: 10/10, 10/10

My Girlfriend is a Gumiho - I’ve never been so happy watching a drama. A story of genuine love, and the plot is really something unique. You gotta love Shin Min Ah and Lee Seung Ki’s cuteness. Rating: 10/10, 10/10.

My Princess- Stellar cast. The plot is something new, but not super interesting. But hey, you gotta admit, Song Seung Hun and Kim Tae Hee got the sparks. Rating: 7/10, 7/10, 

My Lovely Samsoon- Arrogant boss falls in love with an employee. I always loved Hyun Bin, but I’m not a Kim Sun Ah fan. Don’t get me wrong, I respect her as an actress and she’s definitely great and gorgeous. But no matter how I tried, it just didn’t click with me. Rating: 9/10, 5/10

New Heart - Hospital drama. Definitely hooked at first, but I slowly lost interest later on. But it was still a good drama. 7/10, 6/10.

Nobuta wo Produce (Japanese)- What happens when you put Yamapi and Kame together in a drama? Kawaii. Full swagger. A story about friendships. I’ll always remember “Bye-Bye-Cycle” and “Kon-Kon”. Rating: 6/10, 7/10

Paradise Ranch - Very dull plot. Watch if you have nothing to do. But I surprisingly managed to finish it because I love the main leads. Rating: 4/10, 7/10

Princess’ Man- A Romeo and Juliet set in the Joseon Dynasty. This drama got me hooked, from the plot, writing, directing, characters, and actors of the drama, I was very satisfied in all aspects. Definitely one of the best love stories in k-drama. This drama will also have one of my favorite characters. Though I felt like some scenes were repetitive, it was still justifiable since it was developing the plot and characters. Rating: 9/10, 9/10.

Proposal Daisakusen (Japanese) - What will you do if you were given a chance to go back in time and win the love of that special someone? My cousin personally love this. I love it too and it’s unique plot. Every episode and moment felt precious. I especially love their friendships. Rating: 9/10, 10/10

Que Sera, Sera - I really don’t remember much, but I was hooked to this series. I just remember the rushed ending. I enjoyed it though. 7/10, 8/10

Sang Doo, Let’s Go to School - Again, I don’t remember much. It’s been a long time! But according to my past ratings… here it goes. Rating: 7/10, 4/10.

 Save The Last Dance For Me - Definitely fell in love with Eugene and Ji Sung. I loved every moment of the drama. And during that time, the plot wasn’t still classified as “cliche”. Rating: 10/10, 10/10.

 Secret Garden- Despite of the predictable plot, I enjoyed the drama. I was definitely hooked. And I’m happy I wasn’t deprived of “couple scenes”. All of the characters are fruitful and memorable. Full Review: here . Rating: 8.75/10, 9/10.

 Shining Inheritance - A modern Cinderella plot, but definitely full of life lessons. Although her “step-family” were evil, the drama didn’t feel that heavy to me. Eun Sung and Hwan definitely made my heart flutter. One of my all-time favorites. Rating: 10/10, 10/10.

Smile, You - The plot was nothing complicated, but it surely entails life lessons about family, and the importance of not money, but our personal wealth. I never felt so refreshed and happy watching a drama. The drama is really really funny too. And Jung-In and Hyun-Soo is probably the best couple that I’ve seen so far. Nothing will beat their cute and sweet moments. I cried, laughed, and cried of happiness. Rating: 10/10, 10/10

Snow White- Watched this when I was on a vacation in the Philippines. Simple plot. It wasn’t super boring, but it wasn’t that great either. Rating: 5/10, 6/10.

Sorry I Love You- Watched this because I was so curious on how sad the drama would be. I did cry, but I never truly fell in love with the characters. Rating: 6/10, 6/10.

Spring Waltz- Beautiful scenery. I did love Han Hyo Joo here. I thought she was the most beautiful woman on earth. No homo. A bit slow, and not the greatest plot out there, but not bad either. Rating: 7/10, 8/10.

Sungkyunkwan Scandal - The combination of all the plots out there. You get a “F4” and even a “Coffee Prince” feel with all the pretending to be a guy aspect. And the best part is it’s during Joseon Dynasty. I honestly love all of the government morals and the feminism side of it. Almost perfect. Full Review: here Rating: 9/10, 9/10.

Sweet 18- Cute and refreshing. Han Ji Hye and Lee Dong Gun caught my heart. Rate: 6/10, 8/10.

Take Care of The Young Lady- The plot had a potential, but it went the wrong way. Although I do love both of the leads, they just definitely didn’t have chemistry. AND you can’t put a hot guy like Jung Il Woo as Yoon Eun Hye’s second lead, I was hoping a miracle would happen so that they’d end up together.  Rating: 5/10, 5/10.

The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince- Who will ever forget Choi Han Gyul? Cozy, sweet, and definitely interesting. Rate: 9/10, 10/10.

The Man Who Can’t Get Married- It was definitely funny. But I have no love for both of the leads. And I was VERY VERY upset when the Yoo Ah In and Kim So Eun couple didn’t go through. :( . Rate: 5/10, 4/10.

The World That They Live In- The drama is unique and relaxed. Every episode has its own insights in life. Again, this was a drama that didn’t deprived me of “couple” scenes. I personally liked it. And Hyun Bin and Hye Gyo got that sparks. Rate: 8/10, 8/10.

Time Between Dog and Wolf- Exciting, two hot guys, intense, and addicting. Rating: 7/10, 9/10.

What Happened in Bali- I watched this drama almost 6 years ago. I do remember it’s addicting, and definitely Jo In Sung and Ha Ji Won had chemistry.. but the ending seriously killed every love I had for the drama. It was really upsetting. Rate: 6/10, 7/10

Who Are You? - The original swapping of souls drama. Enjoyed the drama, but it didn’t leave a deep impression on me. Maybe I have to re-watch it. Rate: 8/10, 7/10.

Wonderful Life- My first ever Korean drama marathon. I was so addicted to this drama. I remember people saying that it’s an “okay” drama, when I thought it was the best! (I’ve only seen 4 dramas at that time). But now that I look back, the drama had its lessons, but it quite drag. But I really enjoyed it at that time. Rate: 6/10, 9/10.

Yamada Taro Monogatari (Japanese)- The drama is touching, and it inspired me to work hard, and be a beautiful person. A story about the best big brother who would do anything for his family. Inspiring and moving. Rate: 10/10, 8/10.

You’re Beautiful - I love the cast. I love the story. But I can’t be too happy for the main couple when my heart was breaking for Shin Woo. :( I enjoyed it. But I like dramas when the lead girl has a character, someone who would argue with the guy. Park Shin Hye was way too nice at this one. Good drama though. Rate: 8/10, 7/10.

Synopsis: he story takes place in Seoul, 2011. Lee Yoon Sung is a talented MIT-graduate who works on the international communications team in the Blue House. He plans revenge on five politicians who caused his father’s death with his surrogate father Lee Jin Pyo and eventually becomes a “City Hunter.” - Dramawiki.

Plot Review: I’ve always liked action dramas because it delivers that feeling of intensity, and things like bringing the viewers to the edge of their seat, but City Hunter has just been more than that. It’s not your typical action drama where revenge is the center of the plot, but it’s the perfect mix of everything - romance, family, friendship, and politics. I am a big fan of historical/period dramas because of the reality it exposes about government, and this drama is definitely just like a typical historical drama BUT modern, and better. The drama is definitely a modern Hong Gil Dong or Iljimae. To be honest, I never expected this drama to have that “modern hero” theme. I thought it’s going to be purely revenge, but learning that the “hero” theme is in it, I was absolutely hooked, and inspired again. The drama exploited the different corruption that happens in government. It addressed different real life scenarios about problems in a country, and what the corrupt government officials do. It showed how power and greed can eat up humanity and compel them to do unimaginable things to their own countrymen. I found this to be very realistic - not the scene where the hero can beat up 20 guys on his own, but the scenes where government officials can fall into total corruption. 

I really liked Lee Yoon Sung’s character. His principles, and the things he stand for, are what all of us people should perceive: trust, integrity, and dignity. In the beginning, his sole purpose for bringing down the corrupt is to revenge, but towards the end, he is doing it because it is the right thing to do for his country. It’s very admirable, and I really wish “City Hunter” does exist. 

The drama is honestly full of twists too. I can pretty say that it’s very unpredictable in many ways. It’s something that will make you jump randomly, or even pause the show because you’re too scared to know what will happen next: Intense, as I said many times. I really think it’s well-written, and well planned. And thank whoever, the drama actually used their budget in an excellent way. Everything seemed so perfect, and the scenes were well filmed, lots of props were used to make it believable. Seriously, thank whoever that this drama didn’t blew up their budget.

But I also thought it’s the perfect mix of everything. It’s not as heavy because a lot of comedy were incorporated too. And those light moments between Nana and Yoon Sung were just adorable. The drama knew how to balance people’s emotions, I guess that’s how I can put it.

The drama ended perfectly too. Those who needed to be punished were punished. Those who deserved to suffer, suffered. It gives me hope that justice can still prevail in this world. But I am a big fan of happy endings, and though the drama ended somewhat happy, I felt that they could’ve done better, just to show viewers that the City Hunter deserved the happiness that he deserved. But it’s just me, I guess.

Favorite Drama Scene: One of my favorite drama scenes was when City Hunter bought Haewon Chemicals for 100 won coin. That scene is really brilliant, and I always feel that “karma” really does work with this scene. For some reason it feels like the corrupt business men and government officials really get what they deserve. It still blows my mind.

Another favorite scene is when Prosecutor Kim Young Joo died. It’s not my favorite because I wanted that to happen, but because the scene just got me hard. I cried so much for many reasons. Just the way he died for exposing the truth for the betterment of the country, the way he asked forgiveness for his father, and the transition when his father woke up from his vegetable state when he died, it is still sad when I think about it. But his character is really touching, and somewhere deep within me, I do hope that people like him still exist.

My last favorite scene was when the president personally handed out his illegal account dealings to City Hunter. I was touched by the president’s integrity and his pure heart as a person.

Romance: The drama started with a lot of focus in the romance part. To be honest, it was really cute, and during those times, It gave a light impression to the viewers. Kind of like a breather between the intense scenes. Kim Nana and Lee Yoon Sung were definitely cute, and a perfect match. I like how they both can depend on each other, not like where the other one has to save the other all the time. And I like how they can understand each other, and not fuss about stupid unimportant things. But let’s be realistic, a hero can’t accomplish his duties when he is in some relationship. So, I do fully understand why the romance has to be put aside towards the end. But regardless, Lee Yoon Sung still came back to Kim Nana, and we can all assume that they can live a happy life.

Acting: I’ll keep this short, and acting was very well-driven. Everyone did great on their parts, and if I have to give a grade for their acting, definitely an A+.

OST: Great soundtrack too. But my favorite is definitely the cute song “Cupid”. Whenever the song plays, it gives off that light atmosphere in the drama where you know you can breathe after the intense parts. And the song fits Lee Min Ho. It feels like the song is sung for him every single time, and it just reminds me of his “pretty boy” image. 

Overall: Definitely a great drama, and it exploited the shady parts of politics. I’m not really someone who cares about politics, but this drama made me reflect of what type of citizen I should be. It’s an eye-opener about what roles we should do as citizens, and how integrity and credibility should remain in people. It gives me hope that someday maybe I can contribute something in order to correct the corrupt system of politics in other countries.

Objective Drama Rating: 9/10.

How I liked the drama: 8/10.

Synopsis: The drama tells the story of Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), an arrogant and eccentric CEO who maintains the image of seeming perfection, and Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won), a poor and humble stuntwoman whose beauty and body are the object of envy amongst top actresses. Their accidental meeting, when Joo Won mistakes Ra Im for actress Park Chae Rin, marks the beginning of a tense, bickering relationship, through which Joo Won tries to hide a growing attraction to Ra Im that both confuses and disturbs him. To complicate matters further, a strange sequence of events results in them swapping bodies. — Dramawiki.

Plot Commentary: Lately, I’ve become a fan of dramas with an incorporation of the supernatural into their plots. The last dramas that I thoroughly enjoyed with all of my heart- My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and 49 Days- had the element of the supernatural in it. I like it because the plot becomes unpredictable. With the incorporation of the supernatural in the plot, the writers can steer the drama at any road. It’s not limited to the boundaries of the reality. The writers can create any new paths, as long as it makes sense to the development of the story. Thus, I was expecting for Secret Garden to be the same. The underlying reason for the switching of the bodies, and maybe its purpose in the plot - I’ve been wanting to know the actual reason for this. However, this drama didn’t clearly explain the need for that supernatural. I don’t know if my analysis just really sucks, but I seriously did not see the reason for that. It seems that it was just part of the plot, to add on to the rising action and the development of the story, however I did not see the purpose at all. I don’t understand why Gil Ra Im’s dad put those wine potions into them. It still doesn’t make sense to me. It feels like the writers just created that so that the characters of Joo Won and Ra Im have a reason to stick to each other, and fall in love with each other. The drama actually just turns out to be those cliche plots: rich guy falls in-love with a poor woman, and of course the evil mother will do anything to destroy their relationship, and ends with rich guy giving up his inheritance or even willing to give up his life for the girl he loves. The drama to me became predictable and typical. They say that every story has a moral in it, but to me, I didn’t really sense any moral. If there are morals, then it’s probably the cheesy ones, “Love can endure all things” or “Love can change a person”. It’s really not something new nor deep.

However, there are a lot of things that made up for the predictable and cliche plot of the drama. I definitely like the subplots: Oska and Yoon Seul’s love story, and the other characters that made the drama fun to watch. Another thing is the characters of the drama. The script of the characters, and their personalities definitely brought the drama to its highest potential. The characters of Joo Won, Ra Im, Oska, and Yoon Seul were definitely fun to watch. Their mannerisms, the funny unforgettable lines they have, and just their hilarious interaction definitely set trends in the drama world. I’ll always remember the lines “Is this the best you can do? Are you sure?”, “I’m gonna turn your 5 vertebrae to 6”, “This jacket was made by an Italian designer stitch by stitch”. In other words, although the plot may not be the best out there, this drama has swag because of the fruitful characters in the story. In addition, the super happy ending of the drama made me really happy- unbelievably joyful.

Plot Rate: 7/10

Acting: This drama is studded with the top actors in the industry. I mean, come on, its Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won. Even the supporting characters are all big stars. There’s really no way I can criticize their acting. All of the characters played their roles well. I definitely have to give the best award though to Hyun Bin. When you wanted him to be that arrogant jerk, he’ll give you that. When it’s time for him to act like a girl just possessed his body, oh trust me, you’ll even question his real sexuality for it- that’s how good is acting is. And when you want him to cry as if he’s going to lose his life, expect him to cry a river of tears. His acting is really impressive and he definitely gave a character to Joo Won. Ha Ji Won’s acting is pretty good and convincing. Although it’s not the best that I’ve seen, but it’s certainly flawless. I definitely love the supporting characters too. Yoon Sang Hyun and Kim Sa Rang. Oska’s character is loveable, and although I hated Yoon Seul in the beginning, you’ll definitely like her later on.

I’m satisfied with the acting, however, not enough to bring me to tears, or even fully love the character and wished that they were real.

Acting Rate: 8/10

Romance: If there’s one reason that I was addicted to this drama, and why I craze over it, it is because of the romance part of it. And this is probably what carried the drama all through out, and why it had high ratings, this is because of the undeniable chemistry of Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won. There are so many heart-fluttering scenes in the drama- enough to make me think about the characters even before I go to sleep. In a sense, the writers gave what the audience really wants: romantic scenes from the characters. In other dramas, the audience are really deprived of this “sweet scenes”, and the characters only get to kiss or hug just for so many times when the drama is nearing its end. However Secret Garden is not like that at all. Although the characters are always bickering and arguing with each other, every episode had its “unforgettable moment”. The audience were not deprived of kissing scenes and any heart-fluttering moments. The writers definitely know how to satisfy the audience. I even felt sensitive over my forever alone love life while watching this drama. I will never forget the sit-up scene, the milk kiss, and just so many other overwhelming scenes. I’d say Joo Won and Ra Im is one of the best couples I’ve watched so far. And yes they deserved that Best Couple Award that they won at the end of the year.

Romance Rate: 10/10

Soundtrack: Definitely love the soundtrack. The soundtrack is filled with beautiful songs. And the soundtrack definitely contributed to every mood of the story. Although the scene was not even that sad, the background song definitely made it really sad. My favorites are “That Woman” and “Here I Am”. I love “Here I Am”, and I am currently learning how to play it in the piano. Overall, the sound track is daebak.

Soundtack Rate: 10/10

Overall thoughts: Yes, I’ll admit the plot maybe cliche, but I still enjoyed every bit of the drama. As a former AP Literature student, I can’t help but be objective with my reviews. I can’t help but notice and question the flaws of the plot. However I am also just an ordinary teen-ager who is easily touched by silly romantic scenes. Although there weren’t a lot of morals learned from the drama, I enjoyed every scene and the romance between the characters satisfied my teen-age heart. The drama is really addicting, and again, this drama has full swagger on to make you hooked at every moment.

From now on, I decided to give my dramas two ratings. One is an objective rating based on the criteria above, and one is how I liked the drama personally.

Overall Objective Rating: 8.75/10

How I personally enjoyed the drama, rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Shin Ji Hyun was enjoying absolute bliss as she was about to marry her fiancé, Kang Min Ho, but her perfect life is shattered when she gets into a car accident that leaves her in a coma. She is given a second chance at life by a reaper, but it comes with a condition: she has to find three people outside of her family who would cry genuine tears for her. In order to do this, she borrows the body of Yi Kyung, a part-time employee at a convenience store for 49 days. - Dramawiki.

Plot Comment: I’m not going to go around in circles anymore- I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE PLOT. I think it’s because the plot is very refreshing and unique. Something the viewers haven’t really seen before. The way that they incorporated the supernatural world, or maybe the reality of after life, is very creative, which makes the drama not predictable at all. Every episode has its own twist, and every moment of the drama is just precious. There were barely any boring moments in the drama, and it will definitely make you laugh, cry, jump out of your seat, and maybe depressed. The plot will definitely make you think about life itself, our purposes, and what’s in store for us in the after life.

I definitely like the idea of finding three people who will cry genuine tears for her. In the drama, Shin Ji Hyun thought it was easy to find three people who will cry for her when she’s gone, but turns out that it’s not easy at all. She learned that although her friends may cry for her, these are not genuine tears of love. Some are tears of courtesy, some are tears of greed, and some are tears of pity. It portrayed the reality that not every human being is going to grieve because they sincerely love the person they lost. It showed that some humans do it to be courteous, out of pity, or maybe even because of shock, but seriously, it made me think about who are the real people who will cry genuine tears, or tears of love for me when I’m gone. It showed the reality that not everyone we know truly love us, and that there are only a special few who can truly become a part of our lives. It was an eye-opener to me.

Although it may be weird, I liked how the soul and the human being coordinated with each other. In the drama, Shin Ji Hyun uses Song Yi Kyung’s body in order to fulfill her mission for 49 Days. In the end, they cooperated really well, and even became good friends. Although it’s weird to be friends with a ghost, the drama showed the interaction with the supernatural isn’t scary all the time. Sometimes humans can be bridges to the remaining tasks of the people who left this world early.

Although I am still bitter, the moral of the drama is really something that we should take within us as we live our lives. The drama said that the day we are born and the day we die is already written in our book of fate. We truly don’t know when is our due date, but we should always be prepared, and should always live our lives like we only have a few days left. The drama is not saying that we should just go all out and enjoy ourselves every day, but it’s saying to live it without regrets: make peace with your enemies, tell the people in your heart that you love them, make sure your life had a purpose, and live your life happily. And in the drama, the 49 Days were given to Shin Ji Hyun, not so that she can continue on living her life, but so that she can fix up the different problems that she have, experience love, and leave the world without worries. During her 49 Days, she learned the evil plot of her fiance and best friend towards her family and thus saved her family and their business. She also experienced true love with Han Kang, and learned about the people who truly loved her. And after fixing all of these, she believed that she was ready to go whether it’s truly her time or not. For her, it wasn’t hard to leave the world because she knows that everything that she’s leaving everyone behind in a good way. This also made me realize that the scary part about death is not because you’re not able to do things anymore in life, but it is about leaving behind the people you love. Will a person be really at peace knowing that there’s so many unfinished business and worries to still take care? Maybe not. That’s why people are sometimes given second chances in life, so that they can leave peacefully, and be able to be happy in their next lives. 

Also, I definitely like the moral that those who are left behind should continue living even after the death of a loved one. In the drama, Song Yi Kyung is definitely living a ridiculous life for 5 years after the death of her boyfriend. All she does is sleep, go to work at night time, eat cup noodles, and sleep. An everyday cycle of monotony. For her, she’s already dead and there’s no more purpose of living. However, the drama showed that in the end, people should learn to let go and continue living their lives, because that is the only way that the person who left this world can be happy in their next lives - by knowing that the people they left behind are not suffering because of them.

The only shortcoming of the drama is probably the unrealistic underlying reason why Ji Hyun’s best friend and fiance plotted their evil motive. It’s really unrealistic how you can destroy a person’s whole life just because you were jealous of them, and because you wanted them to suffer like how you suffered. I don’t know if that’s the best that the writers can think of, but it’s definitely something that lacks of fillings. I felt like it was randomly thrown there. 

But overall, I still love the plot. There are so many morals in the story. The drama is definitely touching and brilliant. I don’t know how many bucket of tears I cried for this drama, but it’s a drama that made me think, and it’s a drama that inspired me to live my life as if I only have 49 days.

Plot: 9/10

Acting: To be honest, I watched this drama because I was really curious how all of the pairings would work with this soul-entering a body idea. The thought of it appeared to be very sketchy to me because it might messed up my preferred pairings/love team. But turns out, everything was really great, why? Because of the very convincing and probably super professional acting. This drama probably had the best actors in it. I have to credit Lee Yo Won the most. She definitely deserves the best actress award for this drama. The switching of her roles are very convincing. It is clearly distinguished whether Shin Ji Hyun has entered her body, or if she is the regular Song Yi Kyung. Whenever Shin Ji Hyun is in her body, she definitely pulled her acting. I can seriously sense the character of Shin Ji Hyun in her, and no it didn’t messed up the love pairing. I honestly can’t explain it anymore, but overall, she’s amazing.

I definitely love all of the other characters too. Nam Gyu Ri, who played the Shin Ji Hyun, perfectly played her innocent and loving role. I’ve grown attached to her character so much, that I’ve cried so many times for her, especially at the last episode. She is definitely adorable, and her acting will surely maker you love her. Jo Hyun Jae, who I’ve seen in this drama for the first time, was also great. I definitely love his character Han Kang, and until now, Han Kang still sticks in my mind. I can say that his character is one of my favorite characters in all of the dramas I’ve seen. To be honest, even the villains of the drama were really good that I even cried for them. Bae Soo Bin and Seo Ji Hye were so good that you’ll hate them one moment, and next thing you’ll know, you’re crying for them. They were despicable yet you pitied them, which shows how their acting is really good. Also the Scheduler is definitely adorable. Jung Il Woo brought comic relief to the drama, yet made you cry so much too.

The acting was beyond excellent. Honestly, hands down to the actors.

Acting: 10/10

Romance: In a drama, I usually pay attention to the development of the romance, and the best moments for me are when the people are falling in love. However, this drama’s plot is so beautiful, that I really didn’t put too much emphasis on the romance side of it. But regardless of that, the drama still showed a beautiful picture of love. The love story of Song Yi Kyung and Song Yi Soo is way beyond touching. They grew up together in an orphanage, and throughout their whole lives, they acted like they were a married couple. Since they’re orphans, they only had each other to depend on and that is why their love wasn’t only love from a partner, but their love became love from a family, friend, and a partner. The touching things that Song Yi Soo did for Yi Kyung such as being a working student just to pay for his girlfriend’s tuition, saving up for their future house, and just being a boyfriend who truly loves his girlfriend definitely defines the beauty of their love. And that is why when Song Yi Soo died, Yi Kyung became horrible, and dead herself. How can you continue on living when the only person you love in your life is gone? I’ll definitely not find a purpose to live if that was me. It’s also interesting to see the different climax of their love story. In many dramas, the climax is when the characters finally get together, but in this one, the climax is saying goodbye and formally letting go, which is probably the hardest part, which is why I love this drama because it shows the reality of things that we’ll never expect, or never want to experience. Overall, their love story made me sob, yet touched because even if its only a drama, it’s still nice to see that, that kind of love exists. Genuine and pure love. 

The love story of Han Kang and Shin Ji Hyun may seem frustrating. Shin Ji Hyun cannot reveal to Han Kang that she is Ji Hyun, and although Han Kang knows, he can’t act like he knows that it’s Ji Hyun too. But their mutual understanding and the things that they’ve done to each other shows that sometimes, love needs no words. Or like what they say “action speaks louder than words”. Although they cannot say that they love each other, the mutual understanding helped for their love to grow and to do so many things to help each other. To be honest, I’m really bitter about how they ended up. I wanted to see them happy, and be a loving couple, but the drama shown it in a different way. I know it’s part of the moral of the story, but the lacking of sweet moments frustrated me. I mean, dear writer, after watching 19 episodes, and Ji Hyun going through 49 days, I obviously wanted to see something from them, however, up till the end, it was a love of mutual understanding and not being able to truly show anything in words and affection. Ji Hyun wanted to leave without hurting Han Kang at all, and he didn’t want her to become like Song Yi Kyung who lives in hell after the death of her loved one, so up till the end, she truly didn’t show how she feels. But during those 49 days, she definitely felt the love of Han Kang, and that is what’s important for her- to truly experience love before leaving the world.

I really think that the love portrayed in this drama is genuine. However, nothing can ever erase the bitter feeling I got at the end of the drama. I was very sad for the characters and I felt like I was the one who’s being left behind, which is why I’m not giving this drama a perfect romance score. It’s true that not everything is “happily ever after” and I have to accept that, but still I really wished that more things could have done to give justice to Han Kang and Ji Hyun’s love. 

Romance: 7/10

Soundtrack: The soundtrack is definitely amazing. All of the songs has that mellow feeling in them, yet not very sad. It’s like the drama, many sad things are happening, yet you don’t feel that it’s a melodrama, but rather a touching one. All of the songs are really touching. Sometimes during the drama, the song itself is one of the reasons why tears formed in my eyes. The sad, or touching music definitely contributes to the mood of the drama. This morning I was listening to the soundtrack, and I seriously get the feeling when I was watching the drama. In a sense, the soundtrack is one of those things that will make me remember the drama, and the touching scenes it had. It’s the one that will make me sad again, and help me remember the lessons I learned in the drama. Later tonight, or in the future when I’m listening to the soundtrack, I’ll probably feel nostalgic, yet touched.

Soundtrack: 10/10

Overall thoughts: The drama is definitely one in my top lists. The unique plot, and just the way it made me look at life differently is enough for me to say that this drama made an impact in my life. Its purpose wasn’t to entertain, but rather to remind us about what truly life and death is about. 

Overall Objective Rating: 9/10

How Much I liked the drama: 9/10

If you guys haven’t seen the drama and if you don’t want to see spoilers, go all the way down to my overall thought for my overall review. (:

Synopsis: Sungkyunkwan Scandal is set in Sungkyunkwan University in the late Joseon era during the reign of King Jeongjo, revolving around the exploits and love stories of four youths. When her younger brother’s illness worsens and their family is in danger of being evicted from their house for lack of money, Kim Yoon Hee enters the school under his name, disguised as a boy in her desperation to support him. There, she becomes friends with the intelligent and upright Lee Sun Joon, the playboy Goo Yong Ha and rebellious Moon Jae Shin.
-Dramawiki

 If there’s one thing I love about historical dramas, its how they expose you to the reality of politics. This drama is the third historical drama I’ve seen. Although the situation of the politics are quite similar in this drama to Hong Gil Dong, and Iljimae, I’ve only fully appreciate and realize the reality of politics in this drama. It’s really some drama where I’ve learned a lot of lesson. While watching the drama, I personally already have a lot of thoughts in what I can write in this review. So, let’s hope I can remember all of my thoughts! So let’s start this!

Plot Review: The plot of this drama is kind of like a combination from every plots out there. A girl pretending to be a guy, a school setting drama, and the reality of government. They have actually mixed these plots brilliantly. What I liked the best in this drama is its feminism theme. During the old days, women were not given the same rights. Same here, the character of Yoon Hee is a woman who is very intellectual, studious, and capable of what any man can do in politics. However, as a girl, she was expected to stay home, and was forbidden to be educated. This is very ironic because there are so many man who are in the government, but are they really capable of being a government official? A lot of them are corrupt, and only seeks for their own interest. One of my favorite scenes in the drama, is when Yoon Hee asked her professor, “If women are not capable to be able to change the country, then can you tell me how these self-seeking government officials are qualified?”. It presents the question of how gender really classifies our capabilities, and does it really determine what we can do? Another scene that I really liked is towards the end when the Professor was telling the King, “It is true that in this country, it is against the law for a woman to be a scholar, but with this kid, I’ve learned that gender and knowledge are separable”. 

My other favorite thing in the plot is how they exposed the reality of corruption in the government. Throughout the drama, corruption dwells everywhere. Government officials received money from left to right and broke the law in so many ways. Even the noblemen are very corrupt. They will use money and receive money just to get their ways and control the government. I think my favorite subplot of the story is when Kim Yoon Shik (Yoon Hee) was blamed for stealing things in the University, and the King gave them a final exam to prove her innocence. When they found the real suspect, they learned that he is poor and had no other way of getting money in order to give his parents a proper burial. Kim Yoon Shik, who was pitiful and who relates to the situation of the real suspect, decided to just let him be. When trying to prove her innocence, she concluded that the real thieves are the corrupt government officials who steals from the people, and therefore people are compelled to commit crimes even if its against their own will, just so they can survive in the corrupt world. This was definitely an eye-opener for me. This kind of corruption does really happen in real life, especially in many developing countries. 

Another thing that I liked is how they exposed the reality of political parties. In the drama, the Noron and the Soron, quite like the Democrats and Republicans, are always opposing each other which always delays the country’s progress. Political parties are seriously a big obstacle in keeping the country on moving forward, and I believe that the drama portrayed this reality really well.

The ending of the drama is somewhat realistic, and it’s very nice since things ended nicely and smoothly.

Overall, the plot is very nice. Although not the best out there, it’s definitely interesting, and a big eye-opener of the ways of the different existing nowadays.

Plot: 9/10

Romance/Love Interest: When it comes to the Romance, I felt like I was watching Boys Over Flowers, with a combination of Hana Kimi and Coffee Prince. The trio of the guys - Yoo Chun, Song Joong Ki, Yoo Ah In - are definitely what you can call eye candy. Each one of them is very attracting, and they have their own appeals and charms. I seriously liked all of them equally, although Yoo Ah In’s role is my favorite. You can probably call them the F4 or F3 of the Joseon Dynasty. But anyway, the chemistry of Mickey Yoo Chun and Park Min Young is great and the development of the love interest is at its right timing. It feels like Coffee Prince because Mickey Yoo Chun thought he’s turning gay for Park Min Young, who is actually a girl. But then, it just shows that it is true love. Also, the sacrifices that he has done for her just shows how people can do up to different lengths of things just for love. There were also a lot of great, sweet, and cute moments, which really added to that romantic feel of the drama.

Romance: 10/10

Acting: This is the first time I saw Mickey Yoo Chun acted. As a lot of people know, Mickey is originally from DBSK, and thus, he is originally a singer, not an actor. But despite of that, he really portrayed his role convincingly. His serious and cold character definitely appealed to the viewers. Although I thought that his role is not really that hard to portray, he still acted well, and I feel like he’s already experienced when in reality, that is his first drama. As for the others, Park Min Young, Song Joong Ki, and Yoo Ah In, they portrayed their roles really well. I have to give credit to Joong Ki though, he’s character was really loveable.

Acting: 8/10

Soundtrack: I honestly enjoyed a few songs from the soundtrack. Every sound that was inserted in the scene was appropriate and contributed to the mood of the scene. There wasn’t any awkward inserts that didn’t match the moment. Although not all songs in the album were memorable, I had two favorites which is “Found You” by JYJ and “Drawing You” by Yeon Jung. To be honest, there were also other great songs by JYJ, but these are the two that sticks to my memory up to now.

Soundtrack: 8/10

Overall thoughts: Although historical dramas may appear boring, I definitely thought that this one is interesting, and is a perfect combination of everything. From comedy, to romance, to politics, this drama showcased the different aspects of a good drama, and more importantly, many lessons about politics, love, and life itself can be learned in the drama. I honestly enjoyed it, and I wouldn’t mind watching the drama again.

Overall rating: 8.75/10

How I liked the drama: 9/10

Personally, I thought this was the best album that GD has eve made. Most of the songs here are just brilliant and catchy. In a sense, all sides of GD and TOP are showcased in this album; from hiphop, to chill, to being sexy, all listeners can get all these vibes. The album has a lot of good songs that are good enough to be their lead singles. 

“High High” was just catchy from the beginning, and it even brings more amazement as you hear it more. It has that feeling that tells the listeners “Yeah, We are from BIG BANG!! And we continue to show you how awesome we are”. It has a club, and “let’s have fun tonight” vibe to it. I like bumping this song in my car at night, as I cruise around the town, and pretending I’m about to hit parties. It just gives you the feeling that “tonight is the night to have fun”.

“Oh Yeah” is a song about feeling good about a starting/potential relationship. It exactly gives you that determined vibe to get things going with someone. It’s a really chill song, and the lyrics is just brilliant. Bom’s voice in the chorus just definitely made everything better, she gave a soothing vibe to it which makes people really think “Oh Yeah”, “I’m feeling good”. I feel that this song is most appropriate when you see your crush, and you know things are going good, it makes you want to “put your hands in the air, and say YEAH”. That’s my impression with the song.

“Knock-Out” is an amazing song to showcase who really G-Dragon and TOP is. The song just sounds amazingly cool, and it shows the G-Dragon and TOP are big shots. I like the energy and the rhythm of the music.

“Don’t Go Home” is actually my favorite song in the album. GD’s voice in the chorus singing “Don’t Go Home Baby” is just hella sexy. GD’s voice just draws you in to the song. The song itself is a combination of sexy and r&b, which is why it’s a GD&TOP song. The lyrics are just a bunch of things they say to make the girl stay for the night, and although some of it are lame excuses, if you were the girl, it will really tempt you to stay the night. I don’t know anymore, but I really like this song.

“Baby Good Night” I didn’t like this song at first, but my brother loves it. My brother is not a kpop fan, but when he heard this song, he was just drawn. He downloaded it immediately, and he listens to it every night before he goes to sleep. I believe it’s a guys thing. But this song is definitely sexy. It kind of has that tempting vibe to it. The lyrics has its sexual connotation to it, but nevertheless, i love the abundant literary elements to the lyrics. The lyrics has a lot of description about the atmosphere of that special night, and a lot of similes and metaphors, which makes the lyrics smooth and not too vulgar about their true intention. Boys definitely love this song. I find it to be overly sexy. (:

The rest of the songs in the album are brilliant too. So, go check it out. (:

Rate: 6/6

So I just finished this drama last night, so I wanted to start my review blog about this drama. So this is how I’ll grade the drama, I’m not just going to randomly rate the drama overall and just give whatever figure that I thought it deserve. I’m gonna do it like in school, it will receive different grades for different aspects, and there would be an overall GPA that it’s going to receive.

So Dream High is a drama I have watched and love for weeks. I always tried to analyze the drama and the characters motive and all. Yeah, use those AP skills. :P So here is my overall analysis of the drama.

Plot: Honestly, I didn’t expect much from the plot. My initial motive for watching the drama is because “it’s an idol drama”. The plot is just going to show how idols train and become a star. Simple right? However, as the drama progress on, I learned that the plot is way deeper than that. In a sense, the plot portrays the whole reality of the idol industry: all of the hard work that trainees go through in order to just achieve their dreams, the conflicts they face, the changes they have to make with themselves, and all the other things they choose to give up in order to pursue this career. The drama conveys the message to “Dream High”, to never give up your dreams, and to value all of your flaws and failures, because although these are the painful part, these failures are the ones who’s going to motivate you to improve yourself and to dream higher. For example, Hyemi’s character was a selfish and ruthless person, however she struggled to change herself and learn to care and excel with others in order to succeed. Another example is Samdong’s hearing disability. Although Samdong momentarily becomes deaf, he didn’t let this hinder his way to pursue music and to prove himself to Hyemi. Essentially, whenever the characters faced a struggle, the pendant “K” that was passed around symbolized hope that everyone is bound to overcome the failures and challenges they faced. 

I actually liked the ending. It was very realistic. Although it showed them going separate ways and pursuing their own careers, it’s basically the reality in idol world. Everyone is going to bound their own ways after everything. Take for example senior idols like, Baby VOX, Fink.L Shinhwa, G.O.D, and many more; all of these are great idol groups, however now we see the success of the members as their own individual, and this only goes back to the main theme of the drama: it’s never to late to stop dreaming, keep dreaming, and dream high.

Overall, although the plot was simple, I liked it and its motivational theme. I give credit to JYP for developing this kind of drama.
I’ll give the plot a 9/10 rating. 

Romance/Love interest: So, of course, the romance part is a MUST in a drama right? Well although this is a drama about dreams, the romance part still excited its viewers. So I might be biased in this review since I’m a Hyemi/Jingook shipper. I felt that they are the appropriate couple since they “have” a history together, and the character of Hyemi just shows this attraction for Jingook. Also, Jingook has been the one with her ever since she started. He saw all of her failures, how she rose up. He knows her strength and he knows her heart. The first 3/4 of the drama is really exciting for me because it showed a lot of development to their relationship. And I really thought they were going to end up with each other. But Hyemi’s confusion disappointed me. She all of a sudden switched to Samdong with no basis. I mean, yes they’ve been together through everything too, but it didn’t really show Hyemi showing interest to Samdong like what they show with Jingook. I felt that there was no character development basis for the switch. It’s like when you answer only 75% of a test, but then you get a 100% when the teacher passes it back- there’s no basis as to why it ended up like that. But I’m trying to see all sides of it, and I think maybe it’s part of Hyemi’s character development. The whole drama she’s trying to find herself and maybe the realization of who she really likes is part of it. I wasn’t as disappointed because I do really like Samdong, just not as Hyemi’s love interest. Another part that disappointed me is during the last episode when Jingook told Hyemi that “This is our first time standing on stage together”. Being on the same stage is what Jingook and Hyemi originally dreamed about and the drama put a lot of emphasis on that dream, but when the moment arrived, Hyemi was just like, “Oh yeah.. that’s right.” Like Hyemi just lost interest all of a sudden. It’s pretty disappointing.

However, I liked the reality that Hyemi didn’t truly end up with anyone. I was actually hoping for this realistic ending. It just goes on and shows how idols have to sacrifice love for their dreams. For Samdong, he told Hyemi that “You are my music, you are my dreams”, so in order to prove his love for Hyemi he continued on a lonely path. I actually thought that was sad and sweet. It makes me think about real idols, like how many idols have a love inspiration behind their success? And uses this love as a motivation to succeed in the industry?

It’s also realistic in a way that idols cannot really go out and freely date, so they instead choose to focus on their dreams and career instead. 

The Milky Couple definitely lighted the romance mood. They are very cute and they made a lot of viewers happy. Pilsook’s inspiration- which is Jason, is really touching (:

Since the drama is not really about romance and its about dreams, it’s okay that they didn’t it’s not truly geared towards the character’s love interest for each other, and I’m not gonna count that as how I rate the romance part.

In my opinion, the romance will get a 6/10 rating, but again, this drama is about dreams, not romance. So..

I give the romance part a 8/10 rating.

Acting: I was overall satisfied with everyone’s acting. Yes, Suzy’s acting as Hyemi may seem lacking or awkward at first, but she definitely improved. And sometimes, I think it’s just the the character “Hyemi” is just so unemotional and expression-less that’s why she acts like that. But it’s really good. Everyone’s acting is convincing. I think my favorite is Baekhee though. Eunjung’s acting is really good. You can hate her and love her in the next episode. I especially love her acting in the end when she’s trying to copy Teacher Shi. She is so good, which lead to my uncontrollable laughter. (:

They may not be able to fully bring out the emotions of people, but they always have room for improvement.

I give acting a 7/10 rating 

Soundtrack: I’m not gonna go in circles anymore; the soundtrack is way beyond excellent. All songs in the album are really good. It’s rare to see a soundtrack of a drama to all have good songs. Usually, soundtracks have atleast 3-4 good songs, but all of the songs in the soundtrack was really good. My respect and admiration for JYP just increased big time for writing a lot of songs for the soundtrack. All of them are my favorite. The songs has that impression that will grow on you the more you listen to it. My super favorites are “Maybe” and “Someday”. The lyrics to “Dreaming” is really inspiring too, and it makes me emotional. I also like Junsu’s composed track “Don’t Leave”. I like all of it!

I give the soundtrack a 10/10 rating.

Overall thoughts: I definitely enjoyed the drama overall. It pretty much passed my expectations, and I was happy at the realistic ending. The drama may be not as dramatic, intense, but there’s definitely a lot of things that I got out from it. There’s so many things that I learned from this drama, and I would want to value these learnings and use it to “Dream High”. (:

Overall rating: 8.5/10

How I liked it: 9/10