#kDrama #WhooshReview

*** Positively Yours (2026) ***
(Viki 12 1:10 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

2 workaholics, who hate the idea of marriage, end up having a 1-night stand, which results in pregnancy.

The FL has 2 long-term friends, & it just so happens that their feelings are evolving right around the time of the 1-night stand. The ML has a horrible family situation & the pregnancy complicates it even further.

What starts as great chemistry between the leads fades. The love triangles are not done well. The FL's mother & the ML's SIL are irredeemable, yet the other characters try to understand them. In what is otherwise a regular romcom, the SIL thought she was in a makjang. The ML's secretary is perfect - great delivery on some funny lines. Many hanging story lines are left. Some nice support for women's choices. Pleasant enough for a casual watch, but unremarkable.

https://mydramalist.com/794566-positively-yours

#PositivelyYours #아기가생겼어요 #ChoiJinHyuk #최진혁 #OhYeonSeo #오연서 #HongJongHyun #홍종현 #KimDaSom #김다솜

#kDrama #WhooshReview

*** Bad and Crazy (2021) ***
(Netflix 12 1:10 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

A veteran police officer has always done as his superiors demanded, even if justice was ignored. Hoping for a promotion, he seeks a connection with an assemblyman of dubious character. Suddenly, a crazy man shows up who won’t tolerate injustice & negatively influences the assemblyman’s support.

Definitely an action thriller, the fight scenes are fabulous, but usually bloody. The 1st several eps. are a wild ride as the crazy man does one unexpected thing after another. We get bromance, great sr. & jr. cop friends, and a bit of romance too.

An unusual depiction of the fairly common K-drama childhood trauma story makes for some surprising twists. There is a bit of a slump in the middle as the various crimes get sorted, but overall, an exciting & interesting watch.

https://mydramalist.com/695539-bad-and-crazy

#BadAndCrazy #배드앤크레이지 #LeeDongWook #이동욱 #WiHaJoon #위하준 #HanJiEun #한지은 #OhKyungTae #차학연

#kDrama #WhooshReview

*** To My Beloved Thief (2026) ***
(Viki 16 1:10 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

A retelling of the story of Hong Gil Dong - stealing from the rich & giving to the poor. This time with a woman as the gifted offspring of a nobleman & a slave. She is a doctor by day & a savior by night.

A furtive prince passes time playing at detective. As he crosses paths with the dr. & the thief repeatedly, he learns a great deal about himself & the plight of his country's citizens.

Nam Ji Hyun is the star, but the other leads did a great job supporting her & the leads had great chemistry. The story has typical Joseon court intrigue, but with some fresh twists. The soul-swapping trope was used very effectively to switch up the story & provide new perspectives for the characters. A fine balance of mystery, romance, comedy, & social commentary.

https://mydramalist.com/779214-my-secret-romance

#ToMyBelovedThief #MyBelovedThief #은애하는도적님아 #NamJiHyun #남지현 #MoonSangMin #문상민 #HongMinKi #홍민기 #HanSoEun #한소은

#kDrama #kMovie #WhooshReview

*** Second Shot at Love (2025) ***
(Viki 12 1:00 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

A mechanic who has to keep up with her colleagues' drinking, but alcohol starts to interfere with her life. When she moves back to her small town, she meets her 1st love, who turned away from her years ago. He's now the town's doctor & an expert on alcohol dependency.

Unique because it recognizes drinking as a problem, it's mostly from a female perspective & it addresses the many health consequences of drinking. Also nice that it allows for imperfection & discusses things not typical in K-Drama.

1st 3 eps. are torture with horrible drinking scenes & stupid choices. A pretty predictable story, with crazy small-town yelling, screaming, chasing, & hitting.

It's a great cast, though, with wonderful acting (for the most part). It's impressive in its stand against the drinking culture.

#SecondShotAtLove #금주를부탁해 #ChoiSooYoung #최수영 #GongMyung #공명 #JoYoonHee #조윤희 #KangHyungSuk #강형석

#kDrama #WhooshReview

*** Encounter (2018) ***
(Viki 16 1:09 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

A politician & his social-climbing wife sold their daughter into marriage for campaign funds. After her divorce, she immerses herself in work. On a trip to Cuba, during a spate of bad luck, she meets a young Korean man with an old soul & a fondness for poetry & photography. As fate would have it, this chance meeting wouldn't be their only encounter.

The *best* noona drama. Gorgeous lighting, gorgeous actors with fabulous chemistry. Touching & appropriate OST. Beautiful writing with heart-throbbing & -wrenching delivery. They are STARS for a reason. The side character stories are sweet & supportive, a couple get some great development. The villain is truly despicable.

The story is a down-to-earth romance of 2 people from different classes. The pacing felt like a lazy river ride, mostly very smooth & languid, with some surprises.

#Encounter #남자친구 #SongHyeKyo #송혜교 #ParkBoGum #박보검

#kDrama #WhooshReview

*** Spring Fever (2026) ***
(Prime 12 1:10 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

A wronged teacher from Seoul escapes to a small seaside town. Determined to avoid more problems, she lives a dismal existence. Until a thug, who is not what he seems, steps into her life.

On the surface, it's silly fun & crazy antics done really well. But as well-written Korean dramas do, this one has at least another layer: If we hide the truth, can it be forgotten? How misperceptions can be overcome with the power of solidarity. & a few good life lessons thrown in.

Beautiful scenery, & fun OTT tropes. Great acting with a special nod to the lead school kids. Lots of fun hijinks made possible by the crazy muscles of the cartoonish ML. Colleagues provided some nice side stories & there was enough crime & hidden family secrets to keep the interest alive, but not too intense.

#SpringFever #스프링피버 #AhnBoHyun #안보현 #LeeJooBin #이주빈 #ChaSeoWon #차서원 #ChoJunYoung #조준영 #LeeJaeIn #이재인

#kDrama #kMovie #WhooshReview

*** Even if This Love Disappears Tonight (2025) ***
(Netflix 1:46 movie)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

Netflix advertises this movie as "bittersweet." 2 high schoolers, 1 with a disease that resets her memory every day, & 1 with a weak heart, start dating. I watched for the up-and-comer, Choo Young Woo, & ended up loving the FL, Shin Shi Ah, too.

You must suspend disbelief a bit because someone with a weak heart who hates to sweat could not possibly have arms like that.

The acting was worth watching. The story was well-written if contrived. The health problems create some unique situations that make you evaluate what you think about love & memories.

https://mydramalist.com/790594-even-if-this-love-disappears-from-the-world-tonight

#EvenIfThisLoveDisappearsTonight #오늘밤세계에서이사랑이사라진다해도 #ChooYoungWoo #추영우 #ShinShiAh #신시아

#kDrama #WhooshReview

*** I Order You (2015) ***
(Viki 16 0:20 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

An unemployed woman picks up food for her brother from a gourmet lunch box place, meeting 3 workers & falls instantly in love with the cold-hearted jerk (with multiple traumas that aren't even hinted at until later).

The first several episodes are tropey, stupid, & cutesy, although the FL cannot really pull cute off & is annoying, while the ML is stiff. Then we get to the episodes where the writer decided maybe it should be a melodrama with trauma. At this point, the FL's acting significantly improves, but the addition of the all-too-serious music had me laughing instead of sobbing. It was so ridiculous.

The side characters could have been interesting, but they were only pulled out for a few seconds here & there to advance the storyline slightly.

Only recommend if you're on a quest or you want to hate-watch something.

https://mydramalist.com/14062-i-order-you

#IOrderYou #당신을주문합니다 #U-Know #유노윤호 #KimGaEun #김가은

#kDrama #WhooshReview

*** Idol I (2025) ***
(Viki 12 1:00 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

A top lawyer & secret fangirl defends her ultimate bias when he is accused of murder.

Phenomenal casting, brilliant acting, spot-on costuming, cinematography that told the story, & a wonderful OST. Writing was poetic at times & so tight that a storyline was finished with 1 line & a camera shot. If you blink, you might miss it. Writer Kim Da Rin is not credited on MDL & this seems to be the only project.

Pacing was perfect, just enough angst, & clues to the mystery dropped to keep interest up. Romance was refreshing & evolved well as the characters developed.

Messages about believing in yourself, justice, & solidarity run through the storylines. It also provides commentary on overzealous fans & the societal backlash against any imperfection of stars in Korea. Excellent!

https://mydramalist.com/787814-idol-kid

#IdolI #아이돌아이 #ChoiSooYoung #최수영 #KimJaeYeong #김재영 #JungJaeKwang #정재광 #ChoiHeeJin #최희진 #KimHyunJin #김현진

#kDrama #WhooshReview

*** Spirit Fingers (2025) ***
(Viki 12 0:55 eps)

[!!CW!! Synopsis & non-spoilery review.]

Again, the synopsis fails. I had no interest until I saw the talented ML in "Spring Fever" & recalled mentions here. Yes, in a way, a typical coming of age, teenage angst story, but done in such a truly *delightful* way! This is the screenwriter's only credit & I'm hoping for more. Sets & costumes are also great.

Shy FL meets a nonjudgmental art group & begins to question her life, values & the parents that imparted these things. The group is composed of people ranging from 20s to 40s & they invite a couple of older teens to breathe some fresh air into the group. The story looks at relationships in various forms & at different points. How does believing in yourself & having confidence affect your opportunities & abilities?

Funny, irreverent, full of soul, & wonderful acting.

https://mydramalist.com/748441-spirit-fingers

#SpiritFingers #스피릿핑거스 #ParkJiHu #박지후 #ChoJunYoung #조준영 #ChoiBoMin #최보민 #ParkYouNa #박유나