Ajooma Reviews 2021

Rounding up my Kdrama Reviews of 2021 and some notes on the ones that did not make a full review on the blog.

True Beauty Review Part 1 - Right after the finale of Tale of the Nine Tailed, we decided to watch True Beauty for three reasons namely: 1. Moon Ga Young; 2. Cha Eun Woo; 3. And GFRIENDS' revival of The Nolans I'm In The Mood for Dancing. And well, we are not disappointed at the turn of events and how the story has progressed thus far.

True Beauty Review Part 2 - True Beauty folded up last month. It has left us with good memories and lasting impressions. It had everything a Kdrama has to offer. A solid one true pairing (OTP); an unforgettable second male lead; an imperfect but admirable supporting cast and a sound track that is worth listening to over and over. I enjoyed it for what it is. I am forever grateful.

Do You Like Brahms -  is a Kdrama about young musicians and the pursuance of their dreams. Park Eun Bin plays the aspiring violinist but she is a bit short in the talent department. Nonetheless, she is diligent and dedicated to her job as an intern in a music and arts foundation. This makes her an endearing female lead. Park Min Jae plays the male lead in this drama and it is such a delight to see him essay a conflicted character breaking out into his own. He and Eun Bin have chemistry. Their look and personalities complement each other so, when the scene of their first heart break happened, I wanted them to be back in each other's arms again.

When the Weather is Fine - is one of the under rated dramas of 2020. I am happy to have seen this with my daughter. It is a visual feast, a well crafted story of redemption laced with comforting stories of family life and community. Park Min Young and Seo Kang Joon perfectly portrayed the disturbing silences inside them preventing them to love each other. And when they break this silence, their dialogues to each other  is poetry.

Lovestruck in the City -the story of six yuppies living in Seoul. It tells of their daily lives and the choices they make on love and career. It looks as simple as that. Yet, at the core is the quest of finding one's self and being happy about it. These six characters are connected to one another and  through interviews done by an unidentified character, the documentary/oral history approach in storytelling works. It was like watching a magazine interview in three parts or installments. 

 Chicago Typewriter - Ajumma Reviews is back after a long while. Let me tell you what I think about Chicago Typewriter (CT)

Looking back at 2021, I watched seven Kdramas that did not make it on the blog for a review. Bangtan happened. That is another story. So, here are three sentence reviews of the following Kdramas I have seen last year.

Reply 1994 - I enjoyed this very much because of Yoo Yeon Seok. I love works of the writer and the director of the Reply series as they offer a slice of life of many lives that make the ordinary extraordinary. Lastly, it is a homage to the 90s, my decade and my generation.

Warm and Cozy - Another YYS Kdrama with Kang Sora. This is a slow burn and the sudden change in YYS' character didn't sit well with me. There was a gap in his character's development but, Jeju Island made it to my Bucket List!

Dr. Romantic 1 and 2 - Recommended by a dear friend, this is a Kdrama I regretted not watching earlier on. But. This is so good I am awaiting season 3 to happen.

Hospital Playlist 1 - From the team that put together the Reply Series, Hospital Playlist did not disappoint. I fell in love with the Winter Garden couple and I dream of being friends with the Lacking Five. HP 1 made me subscribe to YYS' YT Channel following the reality shows featuring the Lacking Five.

Vincenzo - Song Joong-Ki plays an alluring villain that challenged me to examine my own definition of heroes and heroism. The supporting cast is hilarious! One of the best I have seen since CLOY.

Move to Heaven - For a Kdrama that has death at the core of its storyline, Move to Heaven is awe inspiring and life affirming. This is the first Kdrama I saw that respected people with special learning needs. It also makes a statement on LGBTQ relationships.

I have four Kdramas on my watch list so, let's see how things go!