Secret Affair

a.k.a 밀회

| More info on MyDramaList | 2014|

Lee Seon Jae may come from a poor background, but he is a musical genius. One day, he was tasked to deliver a package to  concert hall, and there, he was able to showcase how gifted he was in playing the piano.

Because of his extraordinary ability, he immediately got the attention of the venue's art director, Hye Won. She scouts Seon Jae to become her husband's protege. Hye Won's husband, who happens to be a piano professor, agrees on tutoring Seon Jae and honing him into becoming the next leading classical musician in the industry.

The piano lessons served as Seon Jae's ticket into escaping his miserable life. He is thankful for the care and support he got from the couple. Music became his salvation and he found a muse in Hye Won. Undeniably, Hye Won also got deeply affected by Seon Jae's gift. She was swept off her feet by this young genius pianist. Now, romantically and artistically, they're drawn to each other. Is it too late for them to turn back?  Will Seon Jae's confession lead to a secret affair?

Watch Secret Affair on Netflix.

Before One Spring Night became my favorite Ahn Pan Seok drama of 2019, there was Secret Affair. I watched this before the whole Netflix era. Now that everyone gets to stay at home due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I thought of watching the Secret Affair once more.

Boy, it didn't disappoint me! I never knew that I could love it even more. Honestly, the Secret Affair wasn't popular among K-Drama fans. I must say it isn't for everyone... AND fans are irked the moment they see the word “affair”.

I'm telling you now: don't put off a hidden gem just because of the “affair”. Personally, I never looked at it as Hye Won and Seon Jae's love affair, but for me, it was their love affair with music. I can set aside the age gap for a good drama. So, I beg you to set aside your prejudices because Secret Affair is truly a piece of art. 

The soul of the drama was their love for music, and it's not their love affair. Have you heard of the OST? One of the best! The piano pieces are music to my ears. I can listen to the melodies and not care of the world around me. The music alone transports me to Hye Won and Seon Jae's little world.

Trust me, the affair should be the least of your problems. It's an insult to say that it's just another drama about illicit affairs because Secret Affair is waaaay more than that. I love how mature and moving this 16-episode series is. Every little thing -- the conversations, the music, the chemistry between Hye Won and Seon Jae -- is just utter perfection. Both actors showed intense chemistry. I can watch them all day because they simply make beautiful music together.

The romance aspect was elegantly portrayed. It didn't seem dirty and cheap. Instead, it was very loving. The romance was handled with care and gentleness. They took their time and did not let their raging hormones dictate the course of their relationship. It was definitely geared to a more mature audience. I would definitely recommend this to people who would understand the delicateness and tenderness of love.

Their relationship is not about lust; you can genuinely feel their love for each other. Seriously, have you seen how Seon Jae looks at Hye Won? There was love, longing, respect and admiration all at once. I cannot find the right words to describe how Yoo Ah In nailed his performance as Seon Jae! 

Whether you like the main leads or not, you can't deny that there was so much emotion in one single scene than an entire pile of romcom movies combined. Their love made me cry. It's rare to find a love this deep. The Secret Affair wasn't just romantically done, but it was artistically done as well. 

Overall, Secret Affair is a classic drama that was able to hit the high notes. I can safely say that this is on  favorites list despite having watched many K-Dramas out there. The Secret Affair captivated me from start to finish. I was put under a spell by its classical OST. With a great cast and crew, it clearly stood out from the rest. Definitely deserving of all the awards and positive comments it gained along the way. A solid 10/10 for me! 

My Holo Love: 2020's Pleasant Surprise

My Holo Love

a.k.a 나 홀로 그대

| More info on MyDramaList | 2020|

“My Holo Love” centers on a woman named So Yeon, and by a chance encounter, she meets an A.I. named “Holo.”

Meanwhile, Nan Do is the owner of the company who created Holo (... AND HE IS THE FACE OF HOLO!) Because of the genius inventor that he is, Nan Do became recluse. He preferred to be with his inventions more than actual people. He only has his stepsister taking care of him.

Things complicate when Nan Do discovers So Yeon suffers from prosopagnosia or face blindness. When their two worlds collide, will So Yeon prefer the real Nan Do or the holo Nan Do?

Let me begin by saying this: My Holo Love is now on my favorites list of Korean dramas. Why? The storytelling, the pacing, the characters, everything is perfectly combined in a mini series. I swear, I was able to binge all 12 episode in less than 24 hours. That's how compelling it was! 😍

(So Yeon the fascinating main lead)

Meet the Characters:
So Yeon is such a relatable character. Personally, I can relate to her character and her life choices. You see, she lives an isolated life because she doesn't want people to know that she has face blindness. Despite having this rare condition, she strives to live a normal life especially at work. Her office mates don't even know she has prosopagnosia. So Yeon tries her best to memorize every little detail about her workmates.   

Nan Do is one arrogant dude, but you can empathize with him. Due to his dark past, he ended up alone. His only family is his adoptive sister, Yoo Jin. Together, they run Gio Lab and plans to mass produce Holo in the future.

More Than the Romance:
For me, what sets My Holo Love from the other Kdramas out there is that it does not just focus on romance. All the characters have a story to tell and they offer something to the overall plot of the series. I love how the show's creators were able to show the unlikely friendship between So Yeon and Holo.

Holo was there when So Yeon badly needs a friend, and he even helped So Yeon to be closer to her office mates. Because of Holo, So Yeon now enjoys a brighter life with her friends, and she has gotten closer to one guy friend at work. So Yeon has some sense of normalcy thanks to Holo!

Nan Do Enters the Picture:

Of course, there's the romance. So Yeon and Nan Do had a rough start due to the fact that Nan Do is the total opposite of Holo. If Holo is the definition of a perfect friend, who is perceptive, understanding, and polite, Nan Do is just plain obnoxious. A tough cookie, but definitely lovable on the inside! ❤️

FINAL VERDICT: DAEBAK! 대박! 
I don't wanna spoil it. Just go watch My Holo Love on Netflix right now! Binge the whole season, and enjoy the rollercoaster ride. Laugh, cry, and swoon with me! 

My Holo Love is filled with scenes that are SWOON-WORTHY, and would surely melt your heart. I PROMISE YOU THAT MY HOLO LOVE IS WORTH EVERY MINUTE YOU SPEND! As a bonus, I'm linking the Netflix video of Sung Hee (actress who plays So Yeon) and Hyun Min (actor who plays Nan Do) playing Mission Pong. Enjoy!!!

My Thoughts on One Spring Night so far...

One Spring Night

a.k.a 봄밤

| More info on IMDB | 2019|

Yoo Ji Ho (Jung Hae In), a pharmacist and a single dad, meets Lee Jeong In (Han Ji Min).  Of course, things are not easy for Ji Ho since he needs to work for his child. Lee Jeong In has her share of problems too. Her dad is insistent that she should marry her longtime boyfriend. Despite her boyfriend's impressive credentials, she decides to weigh her options.

Will Jeong In decide to get married? Will Ji Ho give love a chance?

Watch One Spring Night on Netflix.

You can tell by now that I am addicted to One Spring Night. If you haven't read my review on the 1st episode, click here. Anyway, I want to continue on and talk about some of my favorite scenes so far. I need to let these feelings out because My heart CANNOT handle it anymore! Seriously, each episode is heartbreaking yet I yearn for more. It's a long agony to wait for a week just to see what happens next.

I'm so invested on One Spring Night that I can't get it off my mind. There's just something so special about Ahn Pan Seok's latest masterpiece. The plot is simple yet so beautiful. The characters live in their small little worlds yet you can feel the powerful emotions. 

There isn't much excitement in to the characters' lives - they work, they go about their usual routine, and they continue living their lives like most of us. Personally, I am amazed with the flow of story. Nothing much is happening, but you could see that the 2 main leads are slowly getting emotionally attached to each other. Applause to Jung Hae In and Han Ji Min because I could see their characters come to life. Such great acting!

Can we talk about this library scene on episode 3? My gosh. There was no dialogue, but every single time, I think about it I smile like an idiot. The scene is engraved in my mind. Ahn Pan Seok sure makes the ordinary locations extraordinary. The cinematography and art direction proves that there is beauty in the simplest of things.

Remember this scene on episode 1 where he handed her a pair of chopsticks? That's the thing about this show: it emphasizes heavily on the little things. They may be talking about nothing, but it slowly adds up to the bigger picture. Before you know it, those small talk scenes make a big impact. I guess that's why I love it so much. This is what happens in real life, you know. One Spring Night highlights the many scenes that a lot of people experience in their daily lives.

I love how it shows the realistic approach of starting a relationship. It is lengthy and it will get messy at some point. AND THAT IS WHAT THE WRITERS ARE TRYING TO POINT OUT. Jeong In now thinks she is ''betraying'' her boyfriend, and conflicting emotions starts to creep in. I want Jeong In to know that a change of heart is NOT betraying Gi Seok. 

Jeong In is really torn between ending something she's used to for 7 years or starting a completely new experience. It's up to her now if she decides to take a leap of faith. It just makes me sad to see that she thinks she's the evil person here because she had a change of heart. 

All our emotions will change just like the seasons. Besides, it takes two people to cheat. Ji Ho knows she's in a relationship, and yet he continues to pursue her. Ugh FORBIDDEN LOVE, but I still ship them 100%. I hope Jeong In will break up with Gi Seok very soon before things get out of hand. I just don't like it that even Jeong In's father wants her to marry for his own selfish reasons. He wants to save his own face, and strengthen his ties with Gi Seok's parents. 

Ji Ho has been more straightforward in the recent episode. Basing from the teaser for the upcoming episode, it looks like Jeong In and Gi Seok might finally break up. We will see how Jeong In and Ji Ho are going to resist their intense feelings. After watching each episode, I can feel their intensity too. I don't know how I'm going to survive until 16 episodes. I feel like everything can go wrong anytime, and it will definitely break my heart.

Seeing Jeong In and Ji Ho pains me. I ship them so hard. I hope they will have some happy moments too, and  some relationship buildup in the coming episode. Ahn Pan Seok, please don't break them apart. They deserve to be happy. 

Jung Hae In and Han Ji Min in One Spring Night

One Spring Night

a.k.a 봄밤

| More info on IMDB | 2019|

Yoo Ji Ho (Jung Hae In), a pharmacist and a single dad, meets Lee Jeong In (Han Ji Min).  Of course, things are not easy for Ji Ho since he needs to work for his child. Lee Jeong In has her share of problems too. Her dad is insistent that she should marry her longtime boyfriend. Despite her boyfriend's impressive credentials, she decides to weigh her options.

Will Jeong In decide to get married? Will Ji Ho give love a chance?

Watch One Spring Night on Netflix.

To be honest, I was hesitant whether I will give One Spring Night a try or not. It had a similar concept with Jung Hae In's previous drama, Something in the Rain. I admit that I was NOT fan of the show. I didn't like it. I think it was mainly because of Son Ye Jin's character. She was a pushover during the start so I got annoyed and decided to drop the show. 

Sorry, I can't help but compare the 2 shows because of the similar story. Not only that, the two also shared the same production crew. Ahn Pan Seok directed both  Something in the Rain and One Spring Night. The latter was supposed to be Jung Hae In and Son Ye Jin's reunion project, but she declined the offer. I am glad she did because I don't think Son Ye Jin fits the role anyway. Han Ji Min did justice to Lee Jeong In.

I can see how her character (Lee Jeong In) is fierce. She knows what she wants. I like that in a person. I love how she fought for her happiness. Just because her sister Lee Seo In got married, it does not mean Lee Jeong In has to. Look at these snippets from episode 1:

This scene was when Lee Jeong In's dad asked when she's going to get married. She just said, Who knows what will happen? No pressure on when that is exactly. I like that about her.

AND THEN, this happened. She finally told her dad straight to his face that she wants to think about it carefully.
"I won't be pushed into it (getting married) like her (Lee Seo In.) I want to weigh my options and get married on my own terms when I am ready." - Lee Jeong In

20 Times Cha Eun Woo Made Our Hearts Flutter on My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (Part 1)

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty

a.k.a 내 아이디는 강남미인

| More info on IMDB | 2018|

Because of her ugly appearance, Kang Mi Rae was always teased and bullied by her schoolmates. Now that she is entering college, she wants a fresh start with no semblance of her depressing past. She decided to undergo plastic surgery, but sadly, things did not change. She is still bullied at her new school and people tag her as a "Gangnam Beauty." However, she found a friend in Do Kyung Seok. He does not care about things like physical attractiveness and good looks.

Now that My ID Is Gangnam Beauty is over, we can't help but rewatch our favorite scenes. If you ask me, I still can't believe that the show is done. My Friday and Saturday nights will NEVER be the same again without the #DoRae couple. Join me as I take a trip down memory lane and relive the best moments of "My ID Is Gangnam Beauty." Prepare to once again fall in love with Do Kyung Seok. ❤️

1. The moment he beat up Chan Woo's ass in Ep.1

2. Kyung Seok remembered the old Mi Rae. 

 3. He was able to catch Mi Rae when Chan Woo pushed her.

 4. He volunteered to drink for Mi Rae.

 5. He was able to see through Soo Ah's innocent facade.

5 Reasons to Watch TVN's Bubblegum

Bubblegum

a.k.a 풍선껌

| More info on IMDB | 2015|

Park Ri Hwan (Lee Dong Wook) and Kim Haeng Ah (Jung Ryeo Won) are very close since they grew up together. Since Haeng Ah’s parents died, she was raised by Ri Hwan's family. Years later, Ri Hwan becomes an eastern medicine doctor while Haeng Ah is a producer at a  radio station. In this series, you will witness how Ri Hwan and Haeng Ah progress from being best friends to lovers.  

When you search for the top romance kdramas, Bubblegum won't be on the list. It may not be the best in terms of plot, but it is STILL worthy of praises.  There were too many subplots and too many characters to be honest. If only the story concentrated more on Lee Dong Wook and Jung Ryeo Won, everything would have been better.  That's why in this blog post, I've listed 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH BUBBLEGUM. Let's get started, shall we?

1. THE CHEMISTRY
Lee Dong Wook and Jung Ryeo Won had an AMAZING chemistry. I'm not even exaggerating on this because the moment you will finish Bubblegum, you won't be able to deny the fact that they are perfect for each other. Their scenes together looked very natural and spontaneous. Their friendship was portrayed in a believable way. From being just friends, their relationship did not magically transform to being lovers. The transition is not instantaneous and they spent time dealing with the what ifs. (Too bad, the show had too many couples that the viewers can't focus on the main leads.)  

Cutie Ri Hwan waving to Haeng Ah.

 The way Ri Hwan hugs Haeng Ah. 

 When Ri Hwan tells her to stay. 

 Another big hug from Ri Hwan.

 A kiss from Haeng Ah.

The two leads sharing secrets lol

Series Review 01: Voice 보이스 (2017)

Voice

a.k.a 보이스

| More info on IMDB | 2017 |

This popular OCN drama stars Jang Hyuk as Moo Jin-Hyuk and Lee Ha-Na as Kang Kwon-Joo. Both characters will team up to solve 112 calls.

Back then, Jin-Hyuk was a topnotch detective, but after his wife was murdered by a serial killer, his life went downhill. He started to live aimlessly. His only goal now was to find out who really killed his wife.

Meanwhile, Kwon-Joo works as a 112 call responder. Her father was killed while she was talking to him over the phone. Devastated that she was NOT able to identify who killed her father, she took a break from work. Soon, she came back to Korea as a voice profiler. She now supervises  the "Golden Team" division and chooses to work with detective Jin-Hyuk to solve cases together in the hopes of finding the real perpetrator of their deceased family members.

Korean dramas are known to be sappy and sweet. Well-loved Kdramas never fail to make us laugh, cry, and swoon. Voice offers something unique because it does not follow the mainstream formulaic pattern. If want a Kdrama that's not the usual run-of-the-mill, this is it! Voice is very dark and twisted. It shows the viewers a very brutal way of maiming, killing, and dismembering people.