Pencil Skirts, Presentations, and a Whole Lotta Heartbreak: Queen of Reversals Review

I'm someone who gets bored really easily after the couple initially gets together in Korean dramas. (Why do the parents suddenly want to kick him out of the company?  How did she JUST decide that she wants to go study abroad for two years?  Do we really need some new plot twist about an unexpected half-sibling in a random three-episode arc?)  That's why taking on a 31-episode drama like Queen of Reversals was a monumental step for me.  That's almost twice as long as my preferred 16-episode series length.  Prior to QoR, the only other long-ish drama I had watched was Goong/Princess Hours, which clocked in at a solid 26 episodes.  Considering that at least 10 episodes in the middle were made up of some montage of the evil ex-queen lady looking devious, the grandma being startled at a new scandal, and Yoon Eun-hye staring into space, obnoxiously crying, and/or being socially awkward, I was a little nervous to try another lengthy series.

The only reason I was able to even start this series was because I read a spoiler about the ending ahead of time.  I'm going to go ahead and assume that spoilers will help other people get through, so don't even bother reading if you don't want to know what happens! Also, I'm giving advance warning that this post will be long--because the series itself is absurdly long.

The Basics

This series follows Hwang Tae-hee, ice-cold power female extraordinaire, as she falls in love, gets married, falls out of love, gets divorced, and finally pulls her life together.  This is going to sound absurdly cheesy, but more than that, it's a show about second chances and learning to change. (Yeah, that sounds even cheesier now that I type it, but I'm standing by it!  People change! Personal growth!  Hope for the future! Hold hands and sing!) Hwang Tae-hee may be the title character, but maybe a better title would have been Office of Reversals because the show is really about all of the characters turning their lives around. Even the minor co-workers had a chance to really grow before the last episode, and the process was endearing to watch.  If you don't connect with Tae-hee, you will at least connect with someone by the end.

One of the major selling points for me going into this series was that the second male lead becomes the first male lead halfway through. Yeah, you heard right--THE SECOND MALE LEAD GETS THE GIRL.  Now, lest the plot stray too far from k-drama-dom, the second male lead also happens to be a rich chaebol's son with a tragic past that prevents him from initially connecting with people.  Blah, blah blah. You know how it goes.

Just how can you tell that he's rich?
Ascot? Check.

Fur coat?  Check. Check. Check.

And, in case anyone missed it, THE GOLDEN BEDROOM. Check!

My one complaint about this character was their first kiss.  I know that it was supposed to be passionate and spur-of-the-moment, but if you slap a man for putting the moves on you and then he kisses you again, he deserves a swift kick to the groin, not a spinning camera of romance.  I don't care HOW rich he is.

The Length: Worth It?

As I indicated by my weird love of A Gentleman's Dignity, I'm kind of a sucker for shows that just show normal life.  Just like that one, this one was filled with adults doing regular ole adult-y things. With the exception of the Cruella deVille boss who loves to hold grudges almost as much as she loves to wear absurd red lipstick, the characters are all the kinds of people you could meet in real life.

The major advantage of the 31-episode format is that they really get to dig into the depths of the relationships in a way that I don't think I've ever seen on a television show or movie. At the beginning of the series, I thought there was no way I would be okay with the divorce; then I thought there was no way my heart wouldn't be broken for Joon-soo in the end; then I thought there was  no way I would be remotely okay if Baek Yeo-jin won her man. Every single time, my feelings changed as gradually as the characters' did, and suddenly I found myself understanding why they made the choices they did. When most shows milk divorce for some quick tears, this one really really broke my heart, and I appreciated the gravity that it gave to something that shouldn't really be an easy plot ploy.

The second advantage to the length is tied to the first one: the extended format lets the male actors really shine with subtle, gradual character development.  I already knew that Park Si-hoo was a solid actor from Prosecutor Princess, but I have to say that Jung Joon-ho as Bong Joon-soo really stole the show for me.  He played that character with an amazing empathy that really pulled the series together.  I thought I would hate him, and I ended up feeling more connected to him than to anyone else.

Not to get off-topic, but if we've already mentioned men in suits,
we need to pause for some appreciation here.  Ok, carry on.

I'm sorry to say it, but the women were seriously lagging behind the men in this drama as far as acting goes.  Chae Jung Ahn only really has three faces in any series I have ever seen her in (flirtatious, perturbed/scheming, and crying), and while Kim Nam Joo did pretty well, her surprised face could really use some work.

Tae Hee's normal dinner conversation face...
And Tae Hee immediately after she finds out that her husband used
to date her enemy and lied about it for five years.  See the difference?
Also, that helmet on her head?  How does it stay so stiff and swoopy?

Now, this isn't to say that the show didn't get draggy over 31 episodes.  In fact, I chose one or two subplots that I fast forwarded entirely and didn't feel the least bit guilty over it.  For me, it was everything with Goo Yong-shik's mom.  I know that it was supposed to add this whole element of emotion to his character, but I could tell where it was headed from the beginning.  Here's my pro tip: fast forward until the last 10 seconds of every scene and you'll get the entire gist without the long, dramatic pauses.  Kdramas love to repeat important stuff at the end of the scene.  They also love to do flashbacks for really important stuff, so you really won't miss anything.

Because of the workplace setting, you'll also notice a lot of repeated plot elements over. and over. and over.  (Oh?  Need some tension?  How about a high-stakes PRESENTATION?  What?  The bad guys sabotaged it?  How shocking!)  The business atmosphere also allows for ten million angsty elevator scenes.  You know the ones--the doors slooooooowly close (and they usually show this happening from four camera angles) as the leads stare at each other.  Yeah, that happens about once every episode. 

Overall, I had my highs and lows of this show. I couldn't speed through it and sometimes I didn't think I could make it to the last episode, but it had some really strong emotional pulls that make it worth it for those brave souls who aren't afraid to use the fast forward button like a champ.

Guest Post at Viki: Kdrama Love Squares

Hey guys, the excellent streaming/news/everything kdrama(and every other kind of drama) website Viki asked us to do a guest post for them on their blog!  We were really honored that they even found our little blog over here, let alone that they let us work with them!  Thanks, Viki!

We are including the post here as well for anyone interested, but let's be honest:  You were going to  spend your Saturday streaming kdramas anyway, so you might as well check out our post on their website while you're at it!

Kdrama Love Squares: Keep 'Em or Cut 'Em?

Anyone who has watched more than one K-drama on Viki has probably figured out that the heart of every series is the �love square.� You would think that we would get tired of them after the amount we�ve seen, but they still get us every time � clich�s and all. Let�s take a look at what we would keep or cut from the typical K-drama love square.

Female Lead

First up: K-drama female leads � love them or leave them? She�s the girl whose antics get her into all sorts of awkward situations. With two attractive rich men fighting over her, she�s also the luckiest girl in the world! Female leads are typically hardworking poor girls in desperate need of a makeover. They break down into either sassy girls who don�t let anyone mess with them, or girls who are downtrodden and overly accepting of nonsense.

One of the things that attracted us the most to K-dramas were the spunky, confident female characters, such as Sam Soon from My Name Is Kim Sam Soon. This type of female lead is an obvious keeper. But the dramas in which the female lead follows the male lead around like a puppy (Playful Kiss) are ones we might cut.

In their defense, downtrodden female leads are not all bad. It�s really satisfying to see someone go from frumpy and passive to beautiful and empowered, but only if the progress is extreme. For example, in Scent of a Woman, the female lead starts out painfully wimpy and homely, but by the third episode, BAM, she�s a total powerhouse. In spite of problems, we would keep her because deep down, most of us still feel like that awkward girl who hopes to become powerful and miraculously snatch the man of her dreams.

Male Lead

Male leads � at least they�re consistent. Ninety percent of the time, they are abnormally attractive, abnormally wealthy, and abnormally selfish and rude. However, by the end of the drama, they�ll end up with girls who are less attractive than they are, care less about their money, and become decent human beings with deep feelings. Although these male characters are in almost every single K-drama, we love them anyway. (Not to mention the brooding shower scenes!)

These male leads do come with their share of problems, though. Sometimes their version of a �decent human being� isn�t decent enough. Even though we don�t want to cross Boys Over Flowers fans, you can�t tell us that we�re the only ones who found Jun Pyo�s intensity just a little bit unsettling. Especially when he said things like, �I will encircle you forever so that you can never leave me.� There has to be some minimum standard for change.  For example, don�t beat someone�s faces to a pulp. Totally reasonable, right? 

Although they are ridiculous, overall we can�t help but say KEEP the traditional male lead trope.

Second Male Lead

Second male leads are easy to spot. They�re the handsome ones lurking (or stalking) in the background, doing thoughtful things for the female lead while she makes ugly crying faces over the rude man she loves. They�re the type of guys your dad wants you to marry.  

Second male leads occasionally end up with a terrible girl, but most of the time, they just end up brooding and sad. And for all of this brooding, they don�t even get shower scenes. Don�t they have to shower, too? Or maybe they don�t shower, and that�s why they lose the girl.

It�s this sadness that makes us dislike second male leads. And here�s why: we love them too much. We suffer from �second lead syndrome� on a regular basis (Flower Boy Next Door being the most recent example). So when the second male lead implies he will �never love again,� we get a little cranky. If you need to create jealousy in a drama, introduce an old love for a couple of episodes and then send the person on a business trip or have the person get hit by a car. It�s something that happens all of the time in dramas! Just cut these nice guys and give them a break.

Second Female Lead

The girl we all love to hate: the second female lead. Or, as it often happens, the first love who is often a raging monster in disguise.

What we would keep is the flexibility of the second female lead. Although most are monsters, some are kind, sisterly types who respond maturely to their jealousy. For example, Coco loves the second female lead in Coffee Prince. If she could, she would be best friends with her in real life. They would hang out at art galleries and eat brunch (because she�s too classy for lunch).

In reality, we have to recognize that sometimes second female leads literally kill people. In fact, we would rather have her be a horrible person and a murderer, rather than be tricked into liking some previously terrible person. But let�s face it: we fast forward through 90 percent of second female lead scenes anyway, so keeping them isn�t a big deal.

To sum up, we have pretty conflicted feelings about all of these characters. But conflict is at the core of K-dramas, which is why we adore them so much!

Best Kdrama Kiss Scenes

One of the things that I genuinely appreciate about kdramas in contrast to Hollywood romantic comedies is that they are pretty clean.  Hollywood movies often rely on a random sex scene to drive the relationship forward, and while I'm sure some relationships start with an accidental drunken rendezvous, these scenes aren't really representative of most healthy long-term relationships I know.  Kdramas, on the other hand, tend to focus on building relationships, and the rare sex scenes are implied rather than explicit.  There is some debate on whether this overarching chastity sends the wrong message (I read an article about this yesterday, but I can't find it now), but I think overall, it actually sends healthier messages about sex and relationships.

That being said, nothing drives me crazier than the lack of passion in some dramas.  When the female lead stands with her eyes wide open as the man inches towards her face and then they barely brush lips, it's infuriating.  THIS IS NOT HOW REAL RELATIONSHIPS WORK, PEOPLE! I'm not saying that they need to rip each others' clothes off during the first date, but when people are in love (and especially when they overcome absurd plot hurdles for that love), physical desire is a manifestation of that emotional connection.

Just like a bad kdrama kiss can undermine the emotional payout of the show, a good kiss filled with passion makes the whole thing worth watching.  So, for those of you tired of frozen lip-bumps, here is a countdown of the best gut-flipping, knee-melting kisses we've seen in kdramas. (I have included video where I could find good ones, but I would recommend just watching these dramas instead of spoiling the surprise. The build-up is half the fun!)

10.  A Gentleman's Dignity: The Window Kiss

I love this series, and it had a lot of solid kissing to choose from (And a good thing, too!  There's no need to be shy when you're 40!), but I think my personal favorite was the window kiss.  For one thing, I love that he gives her a mini warning kiss to shut her up before really going in for the kill.  For another thing, this was the first time in the series when they were both really invested.  The combination made me so happy for these characters who I had really grown to love.

9.  Secret Garden: Party Kiss

Now, I know that a lot of people actually prefer the famous foam kiss to the one at the party.  The foam kiss is probably more memorable, but I decided to veto it for two reasons: 1. In practical terms, licking food off of someone else's face seems unsanitary and gross, and 2. She didn't want to be kissed at this point in the series. The forcible kiss is rampant in kdramas, and I think that's kind of a problem (for a great explanation on why it bothers me, read this awesome post that explains it better than I could). On the other hand, this party kiss is filled with passion on both sides, especially since he basically just said, "Screw it--I'm in love with you."

8. My Lovely Sam Soon: First Kiss

I remember when I was first dating my husband and he told me that he always just waited until girls went crazy and kissed him first.  As soon as he said that, I vowed that I would never, ever make the first move (and I won on that one, by the way).  Even though making the first move isn't my style, I kind of like when kdrama girls take the initiative.  The poster child for this one is Sam Soon.  She doesn't let anyone boss her around in other areas in her life, so when her boss taunts her, it's only natural that she would take control of the situation.

7. My Princess: The Airplane Kiss

The first kiss in the series was somewhat underwhelming, but the chemistry definitely improved as time went on.  Here's another example of the girl taking the initiative, and it's both playful and romantic.  This is the last scene in the whole series, and if every series ended this way, I would be thrilled!

Bonus points for his flailing arms

6. Personal Taste: "Game Over" Kiss

As I said in my review of this series, this kiss was probably the best part of the whole thing.  I don't know that it's worth watching the entire series just for the kiss, so let me tell you the important parts.  Lee Min Ho pretends to be gay, and then this kiss happens, and then blah blah.  Just watch this on repeat and skip the rest.  

5. Goong: The IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME Kiss

Goong/Princess Hours felt like it stretched on for eternity, and by the time I got to episode 23, I was really, really ready to be done.  This kiss was like patting a kid on the head and giving him or her a lollipop after getting a shot.  Some people would say the lollipop was worth the pain. Others would say it was too little, too late.  I'm on the fence about the series, but man-oh-man,  Yoon Eun Hye is the best in the biz when it comes to returning the passion and not leaving the man to do all of the work. I somehow couldn't find a video that wasn't in slow mo.  Sorry?  Or you're welcome?

4. Coffee Prince: Man or Alien Kiss

I know we've talked about the kisses in Coffee Prince before, so you had to know this was coming.  In their first kiss, Han Kyul doesn't even know that Eun Chan is a girl, and yet somehow Gong Yoo still sells this scene.  Of course Yoon Eun Hye pulls her weight as well, which explains how she ended up in 3 of the top 5 kisses on this list.

3. Flower Boy Ramyun Shop: The Movie Theater Kiss

This series is a perfect example of how good physical chemistry can really help elevate a show that would otherwise be average (or below average, depending on how creeped out you were by the whole teacher-student thing).  Maybe this should be lower on the list because she isn't into it at first, but his commitment won me over. I mean, the man rides in on a motorcycle to sweep her off her feet. There are plenty of videos of this kiss, but you really need to have the subtitles to catch the full effect.  She is unimpressed with his first kiss--until he tells her that he isn't finished yet. 

I think it's safe to say that she was impressed this time.

 Also of note in this drama is the kimchi kiss.  I don't think Eun Bi was the only one whose legs buckled a little at that one.  Then again, the same principle applies here that applied to the foam kiss: Sure, it seems hot at first, but now your face is covered in kimchi AND spit.

2. Prosecutor Princess: Confession Kiss

Holy moly.  The further I get into this countdown, the more my heart is melting into a bowl full of gelatin.  The kiss in Prosecutor Princess is filled with waist-grabbing angst.  They're angry at themselves for being in love, but they let loose for a minute anyway before coming back to breathless reality. It's impulsive and passionate and all-around awesome.

Ladies, note that her eyes are CLOSED.
Thank you for showing us how it's done.

1. Lie to Me: Karaoke Kiss/Cola Kiss

I agonized over which kiss to choose from this series.  The cola kiss is more generally popular, but the the karaoke kiss was what really sold me on this show.  In both scenes, it's this intense, immediate realization of attraction that leads to on-screen magic.  I have yet to see anything that beats them, though I welcome suggestions for competitors! 

Which of these kisses was your favorite? Are there any more passionate drama kisses out there that we should check out?

Best Kdrama Kiss
	A Gentleman's Dignity
	Secret Garden
	My Lovely Sam Soon
	My Princess
	Personal Taste
	Goong
	Coffee Prince
	Flower Boy Ramyun Shop
	Prosecutor Princess
	Lie to Me
pollcode.com free polls

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Fashion Face Off Friday (Tuesday): Kdrama Hotties in Suits

Note: Our poll froze and we had to replace it, so if you already voted and it isn't showing, you can vote again!

The winner of our last Fashion Face-off Friday: Terrible Kdrama Date Outfits is Park Gae In from Personal Preference! She barely beat out our equally strong contender, Jan Di from Boys Over Flowers. Let's hear it for the ladies for being good sports about poor wardrobe choices and for the men who love them anyway!

I realize it is not Friday, but who cares? Let's do another fashion poll anyway! Okay, so I know our last few Fashion Face-off Fridays have focused on some of the strange and less desirable fashion trends in Korean dramas, so today let's take a look at something a lot of kdramas do well: hotties in suits. I am totally a sucker for a man in a suit, and luckily there are plenty to choose from. Which kdrama man wears his suit the best?

Contender 1: Hyun Ki-joon from Lie To Me

Possibly one of the hottest kdrama males in kdrama history in all the suits he wears in this drama. Am I right, or am I right? Dang boy!

Contender 2: All Four Men from Gentleman's Dignity

I know it's not really fair to put all four men from A Gentleman's Dignity into one category, but I couldn't help myself. They all just look so good standing there in those suits. Whoo!

Photo Source

Contender 3: Park Hae-young from My Princess

Next up we have an equally strong contender, Park Hae-young from My Princess.

Photo Source

Oops! I mean:

Photo Source

I admit that it was difficult for me to tear myself away from the shirtless images to find this one of him in a suit, but luckily he is just as hot fully clothed. Hold me back!

Contender 4: Cha Ji-heon from Protect the Boss

For those of you who are actually not that turned on by men in suits (is that possible?), I present as the final contender, Cha Ji-heon from Protect the Boss. He totally rocks the "As a chaebol I am obligated to  wear a suit, but as a spoiled, lazy brat I will wear it half-assed over a t-shirt" look.

Photo Source

I know it might make more sense to have Cha Mu-Won as the contender from Protect the Boss,

Photo Source

but let's stick with Cha Ji-heon for the sake of variety.

So, which kdrama hottie wears a suit the best? Let your voices be heard by voting in the box below. If you are not satisfied with the options, write in your vote in the comments.

Which Kdrama Hottie Wore a Suit Best?
	Hyun Ki-joon in Lie to Me
	All four men in A Gentleman's Dignity
	Park Hae-young from My Princess
	Cha Ji-heon from Protect the Boss
pollcode.com free polls

List of the Best Korean Dramas Available for Streaming On Netflix 2015

Here is a list of K-dramas currently streaming on Netflix (updated February 2015). It's pretty great considering that when I first started watching Kdramas on Netflix two years ago they only had three. We've noticed that this is a popular search term, and people have asked us for this list. Netflix rotates their selection of Korean dramas, so we'll try to update this every once in a while. I tried to categorize them as best as possible, but some of them fall under multiple genres. I put symbols next to the ones we've watched to show how we feel about them. You can find out more about them, and other Kdramas we recommend that aren't on Netflix but are on DramaFever, Hulu, Viki, or Soompi TV in our post Best Korean Drama Recommendations. There are also links to the ones we've reviewed here on our blog. Have fun watching your favorite K-dramas without commercials!

Key: 

* Really Liked
+ Just Ok
-  Didn't Like
# Quit Watching

Romantic Comedies

Coffee Prince*
Boys Over Flowers *
Secret Garden *
Playful Kiss --
Cunning Single Lady +
In Need of Romance
Fated to Love You*
It's Okay, That's Love*
K-Pop Extreme Survival
She Is Wow!


Melodramas

Angel Eyes
God's Gift: 14 Days
Good Doctor
Doctor Stranger
That Winter, the Wind Blows
When a Man Loves
Goddess of Marriage
A Word from a Warm Heart

Action/Crime Drama

Vampire Prosecutor*, Season 1
City Hunter *
You Are All Surrounded*

Historical

Gu Family Book
The Moon That Embraces the Sun
The Great Queen Seondeok

Note: Thank you to our readers who kindly pointed out the dramas that were removed in June 2014. Sadly, it looks like a lot of Netflix contracts are over, so if you see any new ones that have been added and aren't on the list, let us know! Also comment below on which of these you recommend.


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Kdramas in the Real World: Texts to a Bestie

When Coco wrote her post comparing her life to a k-drama, I started to wonder how I would react if her life suddenly turned into a kdrama.  Can you imagine the text conversations you would have if Geum Jan Di were your best friend?  I just did:

Which kdrama heroines do you wish would text you?  What would you say?

And the Winners Are...

Remember back in February when we held votes for our K-drama music awards ? And then I closed the polls but never announced the winners? Well, your agonized waiting for results is finally over! Unless, of course, you just clicked on the "view results" button a month ago, in which case you ruined the surprise. For shame!
You know how the Oscars come around and all kinds of pop culture gossip websites live blog the results for those chumps who aren't watching? (And yes, I'm one of those chumps who prefers to read the live blogs rather than watch the actual awards show).  In my imagination, this is how a live blog of  our k-drama music awards ceremony would go:

6:15-- The red carpet is awash with Korean celebrities supporting the music of their favorite dramas.  There was a rumor that Lee Min Ho might arrive to support the nominees from Faith and Boys over Flowers, but thus far, he's a no-show.  The fashion is ranging from adorable to downright crazy, though we're glad to see that Taecyeon left his accordion headband at home.  Good move, buddy!

The Dream High cast walking the red carpet.
Bow tie = 10,000,000 times better than accordion headband.
Image source

6:45--Right at the end of the red carpet, Kim Jeong-hoon shows up with Mae Whitman as his surprise date.  A befuddled reporter confuses Whitman for her man and speaks to her in Korean.  AWK-WARD!

7:30--With the stars all in their seats, it's time for the announcement of the first award of the evening.  We begin with the minor category of "Best Cover of 'Tell Me Your Wish.'"

And the winner is . . .

DREAM HIGH in a landslide!

With nominations in several other categories, the Dream High cast was the heavy favorite here.  In tribute to the You Are Beautiful Cast, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, and Kim Soo-hyun don wigs during the acceptance speech.  Everyone laughs heartily.

7:50--With the special awards out of the way, it's time for the serious business to begin.  First up is "Best Second Male Lead Theme."   Kim Jeong-hoon and Kim Hyun-joong are both sporting white suits in honor of their nominated characters. Fortunately, they decided against swoopy tan hair today.  Prior to the award's announcement, Jaejoong performs his theme from Protect the Boss.  No Min-woo juggles knives and pets adorable puppies in the background, making us wonder why the rest of these lame, mopey characters are even nominated.

Seriously, though.  The man has a magical dagger.
Most awesome second male lead ever.

And the winner is . . .

KIM HYUN-JOON and "STRANGER SUN"!

The audience mostly applauds, but some stoically glare at the stage.  This is the anticipated protest over the controversial choice to nominate "Stranger Sun" over "Because I'm Stupid" in this category.

8:15--In a shocking announcement, there is an unprecedented TIE in the category of "Best Ballad"!  Since "Carry On" from Faith and "Someday" from Dream High received an equal number of votes, the winner of the award is determined by a clap-o-meter a-la Saved By the Bell. IU has a solid response, but when the Faith theme song comes on, Lee Min Ho appears on stage unexpectedly, and the theater erupts!  Sorry, IU.  Maybe someone will give you a consolation kitten.

8:34--The announcers begin to announce a second tie in the category of "Worst Song to Get Stuck in your Head."  Upon beginning to play the two winning songs ("Lovin' Ice Cream" and "Never Say Goodbye") for the clap-o-meter, the audience quickly becomes unruly. There is a stampede for the door!  Children are curled in the fetal position, sobbing uncontrollably!  People are hurling anything and everything at the stage in the effort to just.make.it.stop!  This may just signal the end of the awards ceremony...

This is the exact face I make when I hear these songs.

9:01--Pandemonium ensues until Kim Hyun-joong spontaneously hops onto the stage and pretends to pensively play the violin in his white suit.  At the unexpected Ji-hoo re-enactment, 80% of the females in the crowd immediately faint, thereby putting an end to the chaos.  Once they recover, the show is able to continue.

9:10--Time for the final announcement of the night, and the song we've all been waiting for: "Best Upbeat Song."  You can hear a pin drop as everyone holds their breath in anticipation.

And the winner of the k-drama music award for "Best Upbeat Song" is . . .

"DREAM HIGH" from Dream High!

Well, this settles it!  Dream High is basically the k-pop version of Lord of the Rings in its ability to sweep (or tie) all categories for which it was nominated.  Wait, what's this?  Random members of the audience are standing in the aisles and doing this dance? At first the other attendees appear confused, but it's only a matter of time before they all join in!  That's right, folks!  Lee Min Ho, IU, and Yoon Eun-hye are all dancing side by side in what has become the best flash mob in all of history!

                                                          Why yes, I was able to find a video of Lee Min Ho dancing.  

                                                                               The internet is a magical place.

(Cut to commercial. And then exit my imagination back into sad reality.)

Do you agree with the winners?

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Playful Kiss Review

I have a major love/hate relationship with the Korean Drama, Playful Kiss. Before I delve into the negative aspects, let me just tell you that despite hating its overall message, I was completely enthralled, couldn't stop watching, and actually finished it to the end. So, here is the good, the bad, and the ugly in Playful Kiss. I'll let you be the final judge for yourself. 

The Good 

This drama was rarely boring. It had a whimsical feel at the beginning that I really enjoyed, and kept a light hearted and fun mood throughout. The characters were funny and entertaining. The female lead, Oh Ha Ni, is played by the beautiful and charming, Jung So-min. The male lead, Baek Seung Jo is played by the kdrama hotty, Kim Hyun-joong. They had pretty great chemistry and I really wanted to see them fall in love and have a healthy, caring relationship. 

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The side characters were endearing and had their own interesting little stories, like good kdrama side characters should. I particularly loved Seung Jo's mother. She was hilarious and over-the-top, yet adorable. I can only hope my future mother in-law will be as great as her. She is pretty much the farthest thing from your typical kdrama matriarch. 

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The love triangle was believable, and the female rival was totally gorgeous and hate-able, like a good kdrama female villain should be. The story kept me engaged and wanting more at the end of every episode, and even at the end of the series. 

The Bad

Unlike most kdramas, I can explain the plot in one sentence: Playful Kiss is about a simpleminded high school girl whose sole ambition in life is to be with an arrogant, hot guy who despises her but eventually tolerates and loves her. That's it. I kept waiting for there to be more, but nothing. No real character growth for anyone. Oh Ha Ni is likable and pure hearted, which somewhat makes up for her simplemindedness, but she never has any pride or self respect when others put her down. This is so unlike typical kdrama female leads, who I love for their spunk and back bones. 

Characteristic, pouty, "I don'ts understand" face.

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I had so little respect for Oh Ha Ni for never standing up for herself that I actually had a really hard time understanding why the male lead ended up with her rather than the smart and beautiful, but evil, female in the love triangle. They seemed like a better match. That should not happen in a kdrama! I really thought that eventually Oh Ha Ni would gain her own dream and be empowered, but no. She claimed that her only dream in life was to follow Baek Seung Jo wherever he went. I had a glimmer of hope when she finally decided to apply herself to become a nurse, but it was only because he was becoming a doctor. At literally the last minute of the series, Oh Ha Ni seems to find her own motivation to become a nurse, but it was too little, too late for me.

Update: Need an Oh Na Hi antidote? Check out our list of smart kdrama female leads! 

The Ugly

Even worse, Baek Seung Jo was just plain mean and condescending to Oh Ha Ni the whole time. Most kdrama guys start out mean and arrogant, but they usually learn and grow and have a change of heart. This just never happened for him, so it made it hard for me to like him. I missed the old Kim Hyun-joong from the his Boys Over Flowers Days. This character was about as completely opposite from Yoon Ji-hoo as you can get. I'm not going to lie and say that he wasn't attractive at all in this drama. Every time he actually decided to be nice and flashed one of his cute smiles, I was suckered into liking him. 

But him smiling was pretty rare, and definitely did not counteract their emotionally abusive relationship. He treated her like a child, and she seemed insecure of his love for her even after they were married.

This Sums Up Their Relationship
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This being said, remember that Playful Kiss was one of those dramas that I could not stop watching against my better judgment. You could say I had an abusive relationship with Playful Kiss. I really loved it while I was watching it because I kept thinking it would change. Every time it did a little, I forgave it and fell back in love, but in the end it had never really changed deep down. My best advice for Playful Kiss is to only watch it if you can look past the sexist, unempowering to women message, and the lack of character growth, and just sit back and be entertained by cute, funny actors. I'm glad I watched it because it's one of those dramas I love to hate. 

What did you think of it? Comment below. 

Places to Watch Playful Kiss

Dramafever

Viki

Hulu

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