#Song Jung-ki

[junkobato]

Upcoming Kdrama May 2024 💚

1/5: Frankly Speaking with Go Kyung Pyo, Kang Han Na. 12 episodes; rom-com.

4/5: the Atypical Family with Chun Woo Hee, Jang Ki Yong. 12 episodes, fantasy, romance, action.

11/5: the Midnight Romance with Jung Ryeo Won, Wi Ha Joon, So Joo Yun. 16 episodes; romance.

13/5: Crash with Lee Min Ki, Kwak Sun Young, Heo Sung Tae. 12 episodes; thriller, mystery, comedy.

13/5: Dare to Love Me with Kim Myung Soo, Lee Yoo Young. 16 episodes; rom-com.

15/5: Uncle Samsik with Song Kang Ho, Byun Yo Han, Lee Kyu Hyung. 16 episodes; business drama.

17/5: the 8 Show with Ryu Joon Yul, Chun Woo Hee, Park Jong Min. 8 episodes; thriller, psychological.

22/5: Not Very Strong, but Attractive Homicide Squad with Park Se Wan, Kim Dong Wook. 12 episodes; mystery, comedy.

24/5: Bitter Sweet Hell with Kim Hee Sun, Lee Hye Young, Kim Nam Hee. 12 episodes; thriller, mystery, comedy.

24/5: Connection with Ji Sung, Jeon Mi Do, Kwon Yul. 16 episodes; thriller, mystery.

Many new dramas! And so little time...

[buldakdrama]

5 must watch kdramas if you are in search of something unique

When it comes to Kdramas, you can expect a number of varieties in the plots. Some are plain rom-com, while others focus more on crime and thriller, some are painting ever-existing social issues in front of the audiences, while others are taking them to a trip of fantasia. All in all, you can get whatever you want here. 

However, it can get quite monotonous after a while. Since there are now a lot of rom-coms based on Boss-employee relationships or fantasy dramas based on non-human leads falling in love with the human leads, nothing is hard to predict. In this scenario, you must crave to watch something that has a refreshment to offer. Something that is not so predictable and leaves you hooked on the drama for good. And if you are looking for something just like this, then you are at the right place because I am about to suggest 5 must watch kdramas if you are looking for something unique. So, let’s get into it. 

1. Reborn Rich 

Trust me when I say Reborn Rich is nothing like the dramas we are used to watching even if it has that chaebol backdrop. This Song Joong Ki starrer is based on the revenge of an employee, who gets falsely accused and killed by his employers. Just on the moment he dies, he is reborn as the youngest son of the same employers but this time he goes back in time and starts from the start. Jin Do Jun now carefully plans his revenge as he claims his inheritance over the entire conglomerate. The twists and turns of the drama are really intriguing. In a moment Jin Do Jun is winning in the rat race and the next moment he is being interrogated by his girlfriend herself. But what is even more intriguing, is the ending of the drama! That unpredictable ending will keep you in a chokehold until you can’t comprehend what you have just watched. Additionally, if you have interest in business and finance then this one is a must watch for you. 

2. Celebrity 

Do you crave to have the limelight upon you? If yes, then let me tell you it comes with a caution. You might have to sacrifice more than what you can gain and all of it is pictured perfectly in Celebrity. This drama is the story of Seo A Ri, who accidentally becomes an e-celeb and completely despises what it has to offer. But soon she discovers the brighter side of the glam life she is offered and makes the best out of it, nonetheless, soon she finds herself succumbing to the darkness once she used to hate. This drama shows the downside of having an overly luxurious life and being addicted to social media popularity, which ends up costing A Ri’s life. But there is more to unfold. Celebrity is certainly intriguing but Park Gyu Young’s praise-worthy performance and the high-voltage cameos make it even better. If you want to watch a bad-ass female lead and a lot of unpredictable cliff-hangers then this drama is certainly a must watch for you.   

3. Remarriages and Desires

From the title the drama may sound to be one of the typical kdramas dealing with melodramatic plot but no, it’s not. Remarriages and Desires have a much heavier plot than you might assume. This one again is a revenge drama, but this time more on a domestic level. The drama focuses on a matchmaking agency called Rex, which signs up some of the wealthiest personalities of South Korea in order to match them up with their better halves. Seo Hye Seung’s not-so-simple life gets even more complicated when her mother enrolls her in as one of the members of Rex. However, she takes the chance of remarriage upon her unexpected encounter with Jin Yoo Hee, played by Jung Yoo JIn, there. Jin Yoo Hee is the person with whom Hye Seung’s ex cum late husband cheated her on and opted for a divorce. There begins the petty game of revenge and things get more and more intriguing by the end of the drama. However, only 8 episodes don’t do justice to the intriguing plot that it has. Nevertheless, this is one of the best dramas you can binge watch within a span of 24 hours. 

4. W - Two Worlds 

W is one of the most underrated suspense thrillers to ever be made, you can’t convince me otherwise. The plot of this drama focuses on two parallel words that are going on side by side and integrated by a door through a web novel. While Kang Chul, played by Lee Jong Suk, thinks he is pretty much real, Oh Yeon Joo’s sudden appearance in his life reveals that he is nothing but a character of a manga written by Yeon Joo’s father. Even though the backdrop of the drama hints at a rich guy falling for a random girl trope, it has a lot to offer. Your mind will go numb with all the predictions by the end. With an unexpected ending, an unexpected villain and an unexpected story development it becomes one of the must watches when you look for something unique. 

5. Extraordinary You 

Now this might seem to be an unhinged suggestion but wait, this is different. Extraordinary You is not a typical highschool romance as it seems it be, there are more. The drama is set within a comic novel. Yes, you read it right, within a comic novel, where all the characters are highschoolers and totally unaware of the fact that they are not even real. Until one day Eun Dan Oh, played by Kim Hye Yoon, finds out the truth. She then tries to change her pre-written fate at all cost as she doesn’t want to die at an early age. Changing her fate becomes even easier when she meets Haru, played by Rowoon. But things are not at all easy as it seems. The drama has a very unique plot indeed but it also has massive cringe alerts. So, please proceed with caution if you are not into sweet talks and PDA. Nevertheless, the unpredictable ending of the drama makes it a good addition when you want to watch something unique.

So what are you waiting for, get your spicy chicken ready and start binge watching these dramas if you have not already. I will see you in another post, another day.

-- Admin Nika

[shykpop]

K-actors icons

Like or reblog, If you save/use

Credits always welcome

Ask is open

[youknowihavenochingu]

Men in uniform kdrama edition 🔥🪖

Woo Do Hwan- The King Eternal Monarch

Ahn Bo Hyun- Military Prosecutor Doberman

Hyun Bin- Crash Landing On You

Kang Daniel- Rookie Cops

Lee Min Ho- Legend Of The Blue Sea

Jung Jinyoung- Police University

Jung Hae In- D.P

Song Joong Ki- Descendants Of The Sun

Jang Ki Yong- Come And Hug Me

Kim Seon Ho- Catch The Ghost

[namjhyun]

The entertainment agency NAMOO ACTORS celebrates 20 years in the industry with a big flashy editorial in VOGUE Korea January 2024 featuring Park Eun Bin, Song Kang, Kang Ki Young, Koo Kyo Hwan, Lee Joon Gi, Park Sun Ho, Lee Jung Ha, Seohyun and many more!

[leedongwook]

“What’s this? This is a look I’ve never seen on your face. I can’t believe that’s her face when she was 20. Do you know her? Did you meet her? When? What? In 20 years time.”

Reborn Rich 재벌집 막내아들  // Episode 3

[cercasinomeworld]

30 Days Kdrama Challenge

Day 6 - Favourite male lead

Vincenzo Cassano (Vincenzo) - Yoo Shi-jin (Descendants of the Sun)

Park Jae-won (Lovestruck in the City) - Noh Jin-wook (Suspicious Partner)

Lee Ik-jun (Hospital Playlist)

[fuckyeahkimyoojung]

[stuff-diary]

My Demon

TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2024

My Demon (2023/24, South Korea)

Director: Kim Jang Han

Writer: Choi Ah Il

Mini-review:

Look, I'm not gonna lie. I started this drama for a very superficial reason: Kim Yoo Jung and Song Kang are one of the most gorgeous couples I've ever seen. And tbh, that's one of the things that kept me watching until the end. The first half was pretty fun, thanks to their will-they-won't-they dynamic and some really funny supporting characters and recurring gags. Unfortunately, it began to drag around the middle part, and then it got more and more boring with each passing episode. By the time the final episode came out, I no longer cared about the plot, the characters or anything else (although the ending itself was quite nice). With all that in mind, I can't help but think My Demon would have worked much better as a movie.

[selfieignite]

John Cho will attend the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea on October 5, 2023. Other attendees include Youn Yuh-jung, Han Hyo-joo, and Song Joong-Ki on October 6th and 7th.

Press release

Ticket info

[junkobato]

Kdrama in 2024 💖

List of upcoming kdrama airing this year; updates every month.

JANUARY - FEBRUARY - MARCH - APRIL - MAY

List of kdrama in 2023

[mugglebornstuff]

The best trios in kdrama✨

[survivalistghost]

vincenzo (corn salad)

"Tramontate, stelle. All’alba vincerò. Vincerò. Vincerò."

Set, stars. At dawn, I will win. I will win.

[namjhyun]

The entertainment agency NAMOO ACTORS celebrates 20 years in the industry with a big flashy editorial in VOGUE Korea January 2024 featuring Park Eun Bin, Song Kang, Kang Ki Young, Koo Kyo Hwan, Lee Joon Gi, Park Sun Ho, Lee Jung Ha, Seohyun and many more!

[marisramblings]

Yes, The Kims are the Bad Guys: A Review of Parasite

(This is click-bait, please read my review)

Quick thoughts:

The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. There many stylistic choices that add to the overall atmosphere. The flooding scene with Ki-woo watching the water rush over his shoes. The water filling up their home as we watch the couple trapped in the bunker desperately trying to survive. The silence as Ki-taek realizes that he stabbed Dong-ik.

The movie is beautiful to watch and there are little touches here and there that make the experience even more enjoyable.

South Korea’s Culture:

I’m not South Korean, so there is a lot of cultural context I don’t have. There may be some critiques that come from this ignorance, so I would love to have an explanation. I think I caught most of it, but I know I’m missing information.

Why the Kims are actually bad people

I’m not starting with what they did to the Parks, but instead with Moon-gwang, her husband, and the driver. These people were also working class and had their lives completely upended due to the Kims. What I like about this, is that the Kims do feel some guilt but try to ignore it. It’s realistic and gives depth to our “parasites.” Purposefully aggravating someone’s allergies can be life-threatening. Planting the idea that someone’s driver may have assaulted someone is horrific. They manner in which these people were let go, may well affect their chances at finding other employment. Would you give a recommendation to a housekeeper you think is negligently spreading a serious disease or a driver that may fuck in your vehicles?

Ki-woo starting a romantic relationship with a high school sophomore is absolutely sickening. Min implying that he did the same? Also sickening. No one reacting properly to this? Makes me wonder if this is a common issue in South Korea. Not to mention, he attempted to murder the couple they trapped downstairs. Good on the husband for hitting Ki-woo. I also disliked Ki-jung manipulating a child’s trauma. She’s a cold one, for the most part.

Returning to Moon-gwang and her husband, I have to give the Kims some grace here. Their meeting and confrontation was an incredibly tense scene. Imagine finding out the previous housekeeper kept her husband in a secret bunk. Chung-sook could’ve accepted her deal, but chose to threaten her. A bucket of crabs situation, if you will. I love the parallels from this portion. They discover people doing what they’re doing and quickly work to secure their positions. The Kims attacked these people, attempted to cause anaphylaxis, and kicked Moon-gwang downstairs. Ki-taek finds blood on this unconscious woman and leaves her alone. Also, ties her up and locks them inside.

Why the Kims’ actions are understandable i.e. why they are great characters

The Kims depict the reality of poverty in SK. I assume it’s hard to get jobs unless you go to college. There’s a line about 500 graduates fighting over a security job. I think that paints a clear picture of how competitive the job market is. Ki-woo couldn’t pass what I assume were difficult entrance exams. Ki-jung has amazing talent with editing but probably can’t get a job for the same reasons. This family is barely scraping by. I have no qualms about lying about qualifications to get a job. Use that connection and make some coin.

The flooding scene and its aftermath are fucking amazing. Seeing them run in the rain just to find their only home covered in sewer water. Their few meager possessions are wrecked and they spend the night in the shelter. I think it’s a nice contrast to the warm and cushy night they were originally having. They’re living a fantasy and reality will fuck you over at any point in time.

I understand why Ki-taek lost it and stabbed Mr. Park. I don’t think the Kims are irredeemable monsters and Ki-taek crying over the man he killed shows that. They’re people living with shit circumstances trying to survive. They’re “bad people” in this movie, but they aren’t the bad guys.

No, the Parks aren’t bad guys, they aren’t good, but they aren’t bad.

I honestly want to delve into the minds of the people who think there are “good guys” and“bad guys” in this film. Where do they get this conclusion? The movie did not strike me as anti rich nor did it strike me as painting the Parks as these sweet, innocent protagonists.

The Parks seem like the average upper-class family. What surprised me was how often Mr. Park was home. I thought he would be more absent but he is involved with his family, minus his daughter.

Ahh, Da-hye. I assume SK also has this thing where sons are favored over daughters. She’s clearly looking for attention through her “trysts” with her tutors. I hesitate to fault the parents for not noticing her being groomed by two men because that shifts blame away from this fucking pieces of shit. She’s neglected and overlooked but because her base needs are met, the pain she’s going through is ignored.

I avoided parasite twitter to not see spoilers, but I saw the “hysteria” around Ram-don. Is sirloin expensive in SK? Could it be that the kind of steak doesn’t translate well in English? I get what it’s supposed to symbolize, but I can’t draw up too much rage at adding $10 steak to ramen.

The Park family crime is ignorance. They are shielded from the dark realities of the world by their money. When Ki-taek drives Mrs. Park around to prepare for the party, the stark reality of how different their experiences are is heartbreaking. The Parks don’t know what happened, the rain was just a nice bookend to the night. They don’t think about what a torrential rain can do to those that literally live below them. It’s like a snow day. Part of me is happy because I love the sight of snow and it often meant no school, but I think about the homeless people who are stuck outside in freezing temperatures. I can’t fault the Parks, but I understand Ki-taek’s frustration.

Class struggle(s)

Our three families represent the complexities of social classes and their struggles. Choong-sook said it best, the rich can afford to be nice because they have money. The Kims aren’t nice, but that’s the point. Their lives suck. When you’re siphoning wifi, folding pizza boxes, and watching drunkards piss outside your window, you’re not going to be super generous. We see that when they fight with Moon-gwang and her husband.

Moon-gwang and Guen-se are in similar circumstances, arguably worse since he has to hide from loan sharks. (I have questions around SK’s banking system. Loan sharks act like mafia and the Parks are paying their staff in cash and not via bank account). The Kims think they’re on the lowest rung and here are people even lower. Choong-sook tries to have them arrested to keep this newfound life of theirs. It’s selfish, they’re only focused on benefitting themselves. Still, the next day most of the Kims try to aid them. Too late, admittedly.

It says a lot that the Mr. and Mrs. Park expect Ki-taek to let “Jessica” and their other staff die to focus on saving their son. On one hand, I understand that the Parks were focused on saving their kid, like any decent parents, and that they didn’t know their staff was related. On the other hand, maybe have a little more concern for the people being attacked? I can’t fault Ki-taek for wanting to save his child too. Like I stated previously, the Parks, and by proxy the rich, struggle from ignorance. I’m not saying there aren’t rich people who actively revel in ruining others lives for their benefit, but some are just living. Am I really going to fault Mr. Park for living a comfortable life? No.

I like the imagery of the lower class characters having their issues downstairs. The Kims live below street level. Moon-gwang and Guen-se live in a bunker. They are situated even lower than the Kims. The Parks live uphill and upstairs, safely tucked away from the brutal realities of the world.

So what’s the point?

I’m not an economist, capitalist, communist, socialist, anarchist, etc because these theories hurt my brain. Money is fucking fake and people die due to greed.

This movie is sad. I felt for all the families in this movie. There are no good guys or bad guys, just people. People trying to live their lives. For me, this is the point. The Parks aren’t going to solve poverty. Ki-woo probably won’t get the money to free his dad. Moon-gwang and her husband are dead.

This movie critiques everyone. If the Kims had worked with Moon-gwang, they’d (might) still be living a cushy life. Mr. Park and Ki-jung wouldn’t be dead. Hell, they might’ve even gone home in time to close their window and hold down the toilet. The Parks' ignorance led to them getting conned and acquiring squatters. These are individuals in a fucked up system that propagates their mentalities.

Yes, I know this film is anti capitalist. I just hate economics.

Rating:

7.5/10

I wish the pacing was a little quicker since a good chunk of the movie is just the Kims getting their jobs. Besides that, I liked parasite. Great movie.

[leedongwook]

“Can you sit up? What happened? Why are you on the floor? I suddenly got a splitting headache. Then my memory ... Does it happen often? Well, sometimes. I’ll be fine.”

Blind 블라인드 (2022) // Episode 7