Ahjumma Reviews: Kdrama Inventory 2025 to May 2026

I have been putting off Ahjumma Reviews posts since... OK. It's been a while. But, here goes my list and short reviews or annotations of the Kdramas I have finished watching since middle of 2025 up to the present time. I can't remember the specific month I finished watching them, but I did enjoy each drama in their own way.

So, here we go!

1. Tastefully Yours - Kang Ha Neul and Go Min Si together has chemistry, but it dissipates for me. Yoo Yeon Seok's character as third wheel made the pairing interesting. I wrote a short review on my Insta here.

2. The Murky Stream - Forget the pristine and decadence of palace life in Joseon era Korea. This drama took me to a place of structural corruption and class hierarchies that remain in the here and now. It is a brave drama for doing so and Rowoon took his role to heart.

3. Would You Marry Me - The slow paced romance and fake marriage trope, plus the wholesome pairing of Choi Woo-sik and Jung So-min are recipes I love cooking !

4. Study Group - Misfits, nerds and geeks unite! The action scenes and martial arts choreography are superb! Season 2 please, Kdrama gods!

5. Family By Choice - Now here is a Kdrama where the  mothers are problematic and the fathers go over and above their parenting roles. I love the food aesthetic and how it symbolizes care.

6. Lovely Runner - Here is a Kdrama where time travel is plausible and logically presented. I have since bought a yellow umbrella.

7. Buried Hearts - Park Hyung-sik essaying the role of the anti-hero is so sexy. There. That's the review.

8. Trauma Code -Season 2! Season 2! Season 2!

9. The Lighthouse Keeper - This drama got me really, really scared. But also, it got me thinking about love and how it transcends time. In between life and the afterlife is a Keeper of Lights who stays and watches. This ambiguity is what makes the drama unforgettable.

10. Bon Appetit, Your Majesty - Korean cuisine is the star of this drama. That's why, on our trip to South Korea, I'll be checking out the spices and that black version of samgyeotang. 

Right now, I'm on episode 2 of Phantom Lawyer and episode 4 of Pro Bono. And somewhere in between, I wished it was just one drama put together. 

Ahjumma Reviews: When the Phone Rings: Focus on Yoo Yeon Seok

I first saw Yoo Yeon Seok as the brutally ireverent samurai Gu Dong-mae in Mr. Sunshine. Though I favored the poet of the three male leads in the Kdrama, I was smitten at YYS’ acting and good looks. I followed and watched his shows available in streaming channels I’m subscribed in.

He was charming Chilbong in Reply 1994. He was the deserving first son of Doldam Hospital. He was the perfect son, friend and excellent drummer of the Lacking Five in Hospital Playlist. There are more of YYS’ works I have yet to see and admire, I’m sure.

Watching him play the tsundere in “When the Phone Rings” is a brilliant turn as he brings another complex character to life. He unfolds his tough facade in Episode 5 and became unhinged in Episode 6. From guarded intensity to raw vulnerability, YYS is magnificent to behold.

Next weekend can’t come any sooner!

Ahjumma Reviews: The Light in Your Eyes

The Light in Your Eyes, 2019

Director: Kim Sook-yun

Writers: Lee Nam-Kyu and Kim Soo-jin

The gold wristwatch cleverly disguises “The Light in Your Eyes”as a time-travel Kdrama, only to reveal a much deeper narrative. The well-crafted script pulls the rug from under the viewer, transforming youthful fantasies into a profound lesson on living life without regrets.

In the final ten minutes of the first episode, the captivating chemistry between Nam Joohyuk and Han Ji-min takes center stage. The camera lingers on their beautiful faces—vulnerable, intimate, and resolutely determined—creating a scene that resonates deeply. For me, it’s the most memorable moment of the series, perfectly capturing the drama's emotional tension, which lingers throughout until the last episode, where patience and perseverance are rewarded in old age.

“The Light in Your Eyes” is an underrated masterpiece, deserving of your streaming hours. It’s a drama for those who wish to slow down, laugh a little, and cry for catharsis. I did all three!

#KdramaIsLife #TheLightInYourEyes #namjoohyuk

Ahjumma Reviews: Nam Joohyuk in Start Up and Twenty Five Twenty One

During my convalescence, I caught up on Kdramas I missed from previous years. One of them is Start-Up. Now I know what everyone was raving about back in 2020. I’m Team Do-san since Day 1 and watching Nam Joohyuk portray the role was to me, a stunning revelation.

I first saw Nam Joohyuk in Twenty Five Twenty One wherein he held his own as lead to Kim Taeri, which is a feat because Kim Taeri’s charm and screen presence is remarkable. He was able to match her charisma with a quiet pain and understated vulnerability. Taeri’s vibrant energy and Joohyuk’s under the radar intensity complemented each other making their chemistry a key factor in the Kdrama’s success.

Having seen Start-Up recently, I was impressed even more at how Joohyuk essayed the role of a young entrepreneur who was struggling with internal and external conflicts - his own and society’s, too. The camera loves his face, especially in scenes of deep sorrow and regret. Even without the tears, there is an entire unexplainable context to know and discover. I love looking at his eyes in the scenes with his father: at home admitting his folly; in the auditorium on Demo Day; and when he was driving his mother on her way home upon his return as a successful IT engineer.

Of course, Kim Seon-ho’s Ji Pyeong is the perfect character foil who made it all work for Dodal.

Needless to say, I’m in my Nam Joohyuk phase. Watching Vigilante now and searching through streaming platforms for Cheese in the Trap, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju and the Light in Your Eyes. My Kdrama watch list remains long but, Joohyuk’s restrained and nuanced performances have a subtle but captivating appeal that draws me in every time.

#KdramaIsLife #startup #TeamDoSan 

Ahjumma Reviews: Again, On Dr. Romantic Season 3

If we are getting a Season 4, then Yoo Yeonsook’s behind the scenes post on IG is a promise of things to come. One photo shows him standing in the hallway of Doldam Hospital and the other is a screenshot from a video (my edit) of his character, Dr. Kang walking towards the Trauma Center. A character in motion.

The selected photo is a dedication to the two medical facilities that have taken a life of its own — the old and dependable Doldam Hospital and the newly established Trauma Center. The former has been a witness to many tales and life-death-life cycles of patients, its doctors and medical staff while the later is just beginning.

From seasons 1 to 3, Doldam Hospital, with its warm and subdued colors, wooden arches and lamps that seem to shine eternal has become a character that shapes and defines the people working there.

I love the camera shots that pan the entire lobby when a new character enters Doldam, especially at night when the old chandeliers are lit. That staircase leading to the President's Office and ICU is proud of its history. The hallway that opens to patients' rooms and offices is a setting from another time and place. Full of nostalgia and yet, it molds the young doctors into the philosophy of Doldam as a hospital for all.

What of the Trauma Center?

Kim Sabu has several projects in the works hinted in previous seasons, like the Oddball Project and the Rock Project. Season 3 may have ended neatly tied and tucked like a box to be stowed in the attic but the ending scene shows the two team of doctors running towards the respective doors of the hospital and the trauma center to meet their emergency patients.

How I wish all doctors are like that, especially in real life. Well, this is the purpose of Dr. Romantic and Kdrama of this sort. They remind you of an imperfect world populated by jaded people. There lies humanity and a reason to never lose it; to make the good choice despite the odds stacked against you.

And that epilogue where in Dr. Yoon is seen arriving in the dead of night at Doldam is a treat and teaser to fans. Aigoooo!!!

#DrRomantic3 #KdramaIsLife

Kdrama and Bangtan Crossover: Crash Course on Romance and BTS' N.O.

I am watching Crash Course Romance (CCR) a new Kdrama available on popular streaming channels. It’s funny and tender. The main characters have all been introduced fairly from the get go. In episode 1, the flaws and foils are already set up. Making me simmer in anticipation for the next episodes to drop.

CCR is about a Math teacher who has classes via a popular tele-online show. Parents enroll their kids to his class for review, enrichment and achievement of high scores in class and in college entrance exams. The atmosphere is very competitive to the extreme that learning becomes mechanical, constricting and stereotyped. The Math teacher is good looking and admirable (played by Jung Kyung Ho, Hospital Playlist, Prison Playbook) but he is stressed and malnourished. Needless to say, his health is faltering despite his success and degree of competence.

In the teaching profession, it is believed that what teachers exude, their teaching philosophy and how they behave are factors affecting the learning and disposition of their students. Include a system that adheres to the manufacturing line mentality and the result can be disastrous for many learners, be it student or teacher.

That being said, BTS’ N.O comes to mind. The lead single of the extended play O? RUL8, 2! (released 9.11.13) it has lyrics that question the boxes and limitations that young people are contained in by an educational system that is supposed to liberate and develop their unique skills and capabilities. It does not help when parents push and pressure their children into their own dreams and life goals.

RM’s refrain is subservient yet demanding.

“A good house, a good car, will these things bring happiness?

In Seoul to the SKY, would your parents be happy?”

SKY stands for Seoul University; Korea University and Yonsei University. These are the top three prestigious universities in SoKor. Parents compete with one another for their children to earn a spot in any of the SKY. Another Kdrama comes to mind - SKY Castle.

This competitive nature becomes unhealthy as children are lured to become prey and victims of bullying, anxiety and in worst cases, suicide. The process of pursuing one's goals, especially in a field of expertise that the child desires to be achieve becomes a trap rather than an experience of growth and development.

Suga’s verse brings to the open the reality of control by an authority figure over another. More so, it questions the ethics of ambition and the manner of reaching for one’s dreams.

“Who is the one who made us into study machines? 

It's either number one or a failure 

They trap us in borders, the adults 

There’s no choice but to consent 

Even if we think simply, it’s the survival of the fittest 

Who do you think is the one who makes us step on even our close friends to climb up? What?”

 

N.O was produced nine years ago but its themes of subversion over a society that does not allow freedom of choice and discernment remains relevant to this day. The song even connects to art and entertainment produced a decade after.

This is BTS. This is the power of 7.

Sources:

For the song's lyrics -> https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-bts-no...

For the MV -> https://youtu.be/_VoSHt8zFNI

@Kseriesaddict on Twt

@Hybe Label on YT

Ahjumma Reviews: The Fabulous

Ep 1 of The Fabulous (2022) is glossy, kitschy and unapologetic of the excesses of the fashion and advertising industry. Two episodes after, it revealed its true colors. It’s the Kdrama we all want to escape to when life is being a bitch.

While it romanticizes the despair of the young professionals’ heartbreak from jaded colleagues and discrimination in the workplace, I am happy of three things:

1. The reference to Bangtan as global icon;

2. Choi Minho in a romantic lead role; and

3. The portrayal of the successful ahjumma who guides and mentors trumps the likes of Miranda Priestly.

It’s streaming on Netflix this holiday season. Go check!

Ajooma Reviews: Kdramas and Mental Health

In early 2020, my friends from work egged me to watch Crash Landing On You on Netflix. Averse from watching Pinoy telenovelas, I always replied with an eye roll. When the pandemic forced the entire world to retreat in the comforts (or otherwise) of their homes, I gave CLOY a shot. The rest is history.

Watching Kdramas since March 2020 has been a form of bibliotherapy for me. It is something I share with my grown-up kids, my friends from work and communities, and new found friends in the BTS fandom, ARMY. Kdramas as fantasy is a form of escape. A space and a place where one's imagination merges and connects with the characters and in there, one can find identification, catharsis and to some extent, healing. Since most Kdramas pursue the good, the true and the beautiful, viewers emerge from the experience comforted and hopeful of better days to come. We all need hope and comfort regardless of the circumstances.

Since October is Mental Health Awareness Month, here is a list of Kdramas I have seen in the past two years that take on the issue of mental health. Included are my key takeaways.  

1. Hyde, Jekyll, Me (by Kim Jiwoon; Directed by Jo Young-kwang, 2015) Normalize treatment and therapy for people with mental health issues and those with challenges in learning.

2. True Beauty ( by Lee Si-eun; Directed by Kim Sang-hyeop, 2020-21) Look out for each other. Always lend an ear; a helping hand; open arms. Blessed are the teachers who can stand up for students with learning challenges and disabilities.

3. When the Weather is Fine (by Han Ga-ram; Directed by Han Ji-Seung) Trauma is real. Surviving and healing from a traumatic experience takes years to endure.

4. Bad and Crazy (by Kim Sae-bom; Directed by Yoo Seon-dong) Recognize that teh first person who can help you, is you.

5. Touch Your Heart (by Lee Myung-suk and Choi Bo-rim; Directed by Park Joon-hwa) More laws and protection for the disabled and marginalized.

6. Move to Heaven (by Yoon Ji-ryeon; Directed by Kim Sung-ho) Children, especially those in the spectrum need a community to raise them well. 

7. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (by Moon Ji-won; Directed by Yoo In-shik) Not all people with ASD are savants.

While the Kdramas I mentioned above ended happily ever after and the antagonists got what they deserve, I am well aware of the harsh realities that surround the treatment and stigma of people with mental health issues as well as the family and friends who care and love them. One thing I always take away from shows and series mentioned above is to hold judgement of another. We do not know the burdens nor the past of every person we meet. Empathy and compassion are traits we all need to grow and nurture.

For a less romanticized and non-fictional rendition on mental health, I turn to documentaries by credible content creators. Should you feel any disturbance from watching the Kdramas listed above, know that I am open for a decent and respectful discussion.

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!

Ajooma Reviews: Chicago Typewriter

Chicago Typewriter

Writer: Jin Soo-wan

Director: Kim Cheol-Kyu

Studio Dragon, 2017

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

CT is, I think, one of the better written Kdrama of that year/era. It does not have an electrifying cast that Goblin had nor does it have the alluring chemistry of BinJin in CLOY. But it succeeded in several aspects both as a genre of literature and media format. Here are three points that make CT one unforgettable drama that I will be recommending to friends and family.

1. The storytelling is layered and well scaffolded. It begins at present day America with an old typewriter, an object that is a powerful metaphor all throughout the series, affecting the life of a young writer and a fan girl of his. How this "haunted" object was used to reveal and unravel secrets of the past connecting to the lives of the lead characters in modern day Seoul is strategically done per episode.

2. Yoo Ah In’s irresistible charm is enough to carry the cast till the end.

3. I love the message of redemption, second chances and accountability. The only way to save yourself is by being accountable. This is a noble thing to do and very human.

P.S. The message that art and literature are not frivolous things to be pursued but essentials to living a full life and in shaping national identity are well rendered in cultural and historical contexts. I wish I could live in a mansion filled with books!

Ajooma Reviews: Do You Like Brahms, Love Struck in the City and When the Weather is Fine

It has been a busy first half of the year. One more week and it's June! Summer is up ahead. While I have been very much involved in community work, literacy advocacy and initiatives online and of course, work from home, I am updated on my Kdrama watch list. It grows long by the day, I tell you. Romcoms and slice of life genre are my biases so, I have them up on my list. 

Here are three Kdramas that I really enjoyed after watching True Beauty. 

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.

Over all, Do You Like Brahms is a Kdrama depicting the lives of young professionals overcoming their own fears and insecurities with a little help from the community who believes in them. Once again, the value of a community in shaping a person and how it impacts his/her life is very much evident in this drama.

Love Struck in the City is again, 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. 

Kim Ji Woon and Ji Chang Wook make for a beautiful couple. They did find their happy ending despite the open ended and heart breaking resolutions that beset their friends at the final episode. Those loose ends and open wounds linger. It will make you wonder what will happen next and though there is no promise of a second season, it is better to leave things as they are.

And now I go the last Kdrama review for this post. 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.

Up next in my Ajooma Reviews are three Kdramas, namely Dr. Romatic Season 1 and 2, Reply 1994, Vincenzo and Hospital Playlist.

Ajooma Reviews: True Beauty Ep 11 - 16

True Beauty 

Studio Dragon / TvN

Written by Lee Si-eun

Directed by Kim Sang Hyeop

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.

Our best boy, Seo Jun played by Hwang In-Youp, didn't get the girl but he has earned the admiration of thousands. He made it to my list of Second Lead Syndrome along with Lee Dong Wook (for Goblin) Woo Do Hwan, Choi Si-won, Kim Min Jae and Kim Jung Hyun. Kdramas have a way of allowing the second male lead to shine on their own and often, the actors portray their characters so well, they are elevated into the male lead status. What is interesting to note is the variety in which the leads are presented that even though they essay familiar romantic tropes and archetypes, they appear fresh and new (at least in my eyes, they are).

The same can be said with the arc of the OTP. The cold seemingly heartless male lead is smitten by the ugly duckling. We didn't know their connection from the past and their past lives, but the way it was revealed in the series make it exciting to follow. Another comfort food is the supporting cast. Imperfect as they are, they are admirable as they tried to rise above their own mistakes. And sometimes, an admission and an apology of one's mistake is all that matters.

True Beauty is campy and over the top. A romance and fantasy fodder for Kdrama fans all over. A light and fluffy entertainment we need to survive in these trying times.

Rating: 4 /5 Bowls of Ramyun

Ajooma Reviews: True Beauty Ep 1-10

True Beauty 

Studio Dragon / TvN

Written by Lee Si-eun

Directed by Kim Sang Hyeop

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 touches on very serious issues like self worth, bullying, dysfunctional family structures, suicide and peer pressure but the campy and hilarity in the writing gives the entire drama a lift that is strangely uplifting and inspiring at the same time. Credit goes to the cast. Moon Ga Young is endearing and Im-Semi is the older sister everybody deserves. Cha Eun Woo is an adorable tsundere but it is Hwang In Yeop who is turning out to be a revelation. 

It is a tug of war in the romance department and in one episode, the love triangle turns into a quad angle with three good looking guys pining after Ju-Kyung. And yet, she stays on course not losing her north star. She knows who she likes and she isn't one to play around. Also, having found joy and security in make-up and glamour, she is pretty content having that as her security blanket. So, when she and Su Ho finally started dating, her self confidence wanes and Su Ho is the supportive and reassuring boyfriend. 

Sounds good? Caveat. If you are not comfortable with and adult sensibility permeating the romance and the drama among characters who are still in high school, well, might as well watch Lovestruck in the City instead.

We are excited to watch the next six episodes as we are eager to know the reason behind Se-yeon's death, cheer-on Im-Semi and her lover and find redemption or at least a just closure for the wayward parents in this drama. It's an entertaining drama nonetheless. Aren't we all hard pressed for entertainment these days?

Ajooma Reviews: Tale of the Nine Tailed Episodes 15-16 Finale (2 of 2)

 Tale of the Nine Tailed

Studio Dragon, 2020

Written by Han Woo Ri

Directed by Kang Shin Hyo

Here is part two of my TOTNT review and the insights I have gathered from watching the drama.

1. All those little things done with great love can encompass the entire universe.

The day before Yeon and Ji Ah battle the Imoogi, they spent a day together eating ice cream and sharing a kiss, playing at the arcade, watching the day turn into night until the city lights shine and sparkle like the stars. They were running against time knowing the possible ending would mean death for either of them. Though, Yeon is more calculating and clever as he could see from miles away. A skill and power of a benevolent mountain spirit.

I am fascinated by this. How simple yet it means everything!

How the ordinary and the small things, those little acts of love that seem mundane can actually measure up to grand gestures! Time spent with a spouse, a partner, a lover or a friend and basking in his/her presence in the most simple of ways can mean the entire humanity and the universe put together. Go hug the person or the pet you love as often as you can! Tell them you love them. Go the extra mile for them. Listen and just be there. And forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.

Life is too short, too precious to be angry and indifferent.

2. Why we need to let go, especially of our attachments and the people we hold dear.

In episode 1, Yeon and Sunhoo met at the park as another kid was chasing after a balloon. Yeon, being a mountain spirit wielded the wind to bring back the balloon which Sunhoo witnessed. He then asked Yeon if he was an alien. It is here where Yeon first speak of these lines, "I'm saying that life is short so try your best in life...but know when to let go when something's too unbearable."

Wow. That packs a punch.

Relating this to the drama after seeing the entire season unfold and take a bow last Friday, I could not help but think if Yeon is saying this to comfort Sunho. Could it be that having seen too many human years pass him by, he too feels the pain of mortal men and women who get attached to their dreams and ambitions, to position and social class or status and even to the people they love that it destroyed them completely. It must have exhausted him to witness such internal and personal destruction that could only lead to the imbalance of society and the universe at large. Or is he, at this point in episode 1, thinking about the things and attachments that have burdened him for hundreds of years? For how long has he contemplated on the desires of his own heart?

With a finale that seemed to have rushed on a schedule, my questions were not answered. But, this I know, that letting go of things when it has become unbearable can be liberating. But I have to add, that discerning when to let go is the beginning of this freedom.

3. Life and death all but flow in one sweep of justice.

Now, we go to Rang.

Many could not understand Yeon's happy ending and, to this day, a few remain broken hearted at Rang's sacrifice. First of all, Yeon's choice to save Ji Ah is to save the world too. The Imoogi is so evil, he corrupted A Eum to go after Yeon to become the mountain spirit. For the second time around, Yeon is bent to correct this by saving Ji Ah and the world from evil. But Rang, being abandoned by his mother, has yet to grow up and understand what tough love means. It took him a while.

Sadly, the choices he made along the way immersed him further down to evil. Remember, Rang took the side of the Imoogi's cohorts to bring him back to life and deprive Yeon of his happily ever after. What Rang did not see at the time, is the pestilence and malice the Imoogi brings along in its wake. So, we had an amazing run in episodes 11-12 making Yeon the ultimate hero and Rang, the anti-hero we are all rooting for to change for the better. And with this, our own hopes for his redemption and happily ever after.

But in the TOTNT universe, there are deals and there are judgements.

Rang's only redemption is death. His sacrifice was appraised worthy by the Judge of the Afterlife in exchange for Yeon's thus, the elder gumiho brother got his happy ending. Finally, Rang has learned how to love other than himself. This makes life meaningful and, according to the Fates of Korean myth and folklore, such a life is worth letting go of.

I don't think I will begin watching a new Kdrama (one that has been released this year) in the next few days until January 2021. TOTNT resonated with me on many levels. Some scenes, events and characters brought me delight as well as sorrow. For all its inventiveness, TOTNT affirms a personal belief I discovered during my wandering years. The people who brings me great joy are also the sources of my deepest pain.

This makes life worth living.

Rating: 4/5 One of the best of 2020

Ajooma Reviews: Tale of the Nine Tailed Episodes 13-14

Tale of the Nine Tailed

Studio Dragon, 2020

Written by Han Woo Ri

Directed by Kang Shin Hyo

I begin this review feeling afraid for the drama.

I am afraid that TOTNT will end up like TKEM (The King Eternal Monarch). The cast is strong but many of them were left unused and their stories left open with no closure or agreement to the main plot.

I am afraid that TOTNT will service the fans. I am fine with a Goblinesque ending. Bittersweet. Reasonable. Unforgettable.

I am afraid to be disappointed. Yeon has reconciled with Rang. He is bound to take the ultimate sacrifice while Rang remains as the wild card. Ji Ah is turning out to be a better villain than Imoogi. But the main villain is looking like a misplaced K-Pop idol in this fantastic tale of love and vengeance. Come on, guys. Give us a fight!

I am still not over that well directed love scene between Wookie and Bo Ah but I want to see the intensity of Imoogi against Yeon. It is not working. 

So... let us see how Writer Nim and Director Nim wrap up the story and tie the loose ends of TONT.

In case you missed it, here are the links to my reviews and recaps of previous episodes.

Episodes 1 -2  - The LDW and Jo Bo Ah ship has sailed!

Episodes 3-6 - The strong folkloric elements are smoothly integrated in the drama.

Episodes 7-10 - That kiss in the rain... It is a masterpiece!

Episode 11 - 12 - Lee Yeon's is the best brother but he is not the perfect boyfriend to bring home and meet the parents. And that is perfectly alright.