TOP KDRAMAS I HAD WATCHED IN 2020 (#10-#6)
Continuing my TOP KDRAMAS I HAD WATCHED IN 2020-list, counting down #10 to #6, with this being the 2nd of 3-part blog-feature!
WARNING: *SPOILERS AHEAD*
DISCLAIMER: The shows on this list includes programs other than "Aired in the Year 2020", and includes EVERYTHING I have watched, including older series, because that's how I roll... and ALL programs watched in their original (South) Korean language, but with English subtitles. HAVE to listen to their original language, even though I have zero knowledge of said language (:p) ~ ONWARDS!
MY #10 TOP TEN KDRAMA FOR 2020: "TRAIN" (Hangul: 트레인)
PLOT SYNOPSIS: "A man lost a precious person because of a serial killer. He crosses over into a different world to figure out the truth behind her death. Seo Do-Won (Yoon Si-Yoon) is a detective and he is enthusiastic at his job. Han Seo-Kyung (Kyung Soo-Jin) is a prosecutor with an honest personality. Lee Jung-Min (Shin So-Yul) is a member of a scientific investigation unit. She is Seo Do-Won’s childhood friend and also his first love. She supports Seo Do-Won." (asianwiki.com)
I came unto "Train" as it aired after "Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation" (July 11 - August 16, 2020), and was intrigued to view more of OCN's productions (having previously mentioned I was impressed with their quality of presentation, and subject matters), and I was not disappointed! "Parallel worlds, alternate realities and people, with a train that crosses the boundaries of both"? I am IN!
And having "12 Episodes" would be easier to digest, no? I'm a sucker for "parallel wolds", what can I say?
I remembered actor Yoon Si-Yoon in "Psychopath Diary" but never could get into the drama, but with "TRAIN", the premise outshone the person, and I ended up enjoying the drama. The actor's performance and OTT expressions were a much better fit here, especially in duo roles, and as well a lot more solitary performances, as opposed to out-acting everyone else around him (I'm talking about you "Psychopath Diary"), so I'm good :)
MY #9 TOP TEN KDRAMA FOR 2020: "LESS THAN EVIL"
(Also known as "Bad Detective" / Hangul: 나쁜 형사)
PLOT SYNOPSIS: "Woo Tae-Seok (Shin Ha-Kyun) is a lonely veteran detective. He focuses solely on solving cases. He teeters on a line between good and evil. Woo Tae-Seok crosses paths with a female psychopath (Lee Seol), but he is unable to arrest her due to a lack of evidence. The woman eventually helps Woo Tae-Seok solve other cases." (asianwiki.com)
Utterly charmed by Lee Seol's performance in "When the Devil Calls Your Name" (#2 for MY TOP TEN KDRAMA FOR 2019), I tracked down her discography and discovered her TV drama prior to this , with her role as "Eun Sun-Jae", set against the uber-intense Shin Ha-Kyun as "Woo Tae-Seok" in 2018/2019's "LESS THAN EVIL" (December 3, 2018 - January 29, 2019).
The 32-episoder from MBC is a remake of UK television series "Luther" (that aired on BBC One from 2010), to which I have not watched and am wholly unfamiliar with ... but after watching this series, I searched on youtube to find quite a number of literally "remakes" of "iconic" scenes too! So either you want to "relive" the UK series, or enjoy this for what it is, I still recommend this crime caper.
Calling this world a "grey area" is an understatement. What I had not mentioned, is that South Korean programming - especially in crime stories - feature primarily knife/bladed crime, or blunt force trauma, as guns are not as widely used (besides by the police) and is not wholly a story-gimmick as much. Blades (needed to be blurred out) and blunt objects can be scary as well, as they are readily available in everyday life, outside of gun-buying-countries, of course.
Also, Lee Seol won "Best New Actress" for her role in this series, in the 2018 MBC Drama Awards. She is my TV Bias (Not sounding like creeping middle-age man, fhanks)...
MY #8 TOP TEN KDRAMA FOR 2020: "MYSTIC POP-UP BAR"
(Also known as "Ssanggab Cart Bar" / Hangul: 쌍갑포차)
PLOT SYNOPSIS: "Ssanggab Cart Bar opens only at night. Wol-Ju (Hwang Jung-Eum) runs the mysterious food cart. Customers who visit Ssanggab Cart Bar consist of normal people and the dead. While drinking alcohol and eating dishes with Wol-Ju, the customers of Ssanggab Cart Bar talk about themselves and try to heal their internal wounds." (asianwiki.com)
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Also as interesting about this Kdrama, is dealing with "healing", other than "saving the world" as most Western concepts are. I had discovered this series thru Netflix, no doubt bolstered by my wonderful rewatch of 2015's "SHE WAS PRETTY", and searching for projects of actress Hwang Jung-Eum (IG @jungeum84)! The "twist" reveal was such a KDRAMA-thing too! I would recommend this for anyone interested in this particular genre, which is an interesting blend of COMEDY, DRAMA and "Life" ... perfect for folks who are not out to take themselves too seriously.... or maybe you do, and you'll like this too :)
MY #7 TOP TEN KDRAMA FOR 2020: "KINGDOM Season 2" (Hangul: 킹덤 시즌 2)
PLOT: "While strange rumors about their ill king grip a kingdom, the crown prince becomes their only hope against a mysterious plague overtaking the land (S1).
The outbreak leaves no one safe. But the infected are not the only monsters in Prince Chang's way as he fights to protect the kingdom (S2)." (Watch S1 & S2 here on Netflix).
Not ALL "zombie" shows are created equal. Some are epic unto themselves (I kneel before you, TRAIN TO BUSAN), while some are schlock-shocks (Shall not be named) .... KINGDOWM is the former. And you know what folks rave abouve KINGDOM on Netflix? It's all true.
I finished all 6 x episodes of Netflix's KINGDOM Season 2 on a single Sunday sitting, watching it thru back-to-back (breaking only for dinner), and it was a satisfying end(ish), which started from Season 1, and is more fulfilling IF you've watched season 1, with this current being a direct continuation, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise, IMHO. (Read more of My SPOILER Impressions HERE). And while the allure and adoration I had for Season One has since been ever-so-slightly-diluted, Season Two remained a splendid watch, and quite easily digestible with 6 episodes (each season)!
What you need to know is, watch both S1 and S2 , and the current story arc will finish, while Season 3 will launch a new chapter in this now-ongoing story, including a spin-off "KINGDOM: ASHIN OF THE NORTH" starring Jun Ji-hyun (Gianna Jun) whom we see right at the ending of Season 2...!
MY #6 TOP TEN KDRAMA FOR 2020: "TALE OF THE NINE TAILED"
(Also known as "Tale of The Nine-Tailed Fox" / Hangul: 구미호뎐)
PLOT SYNOPSIS: "Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-Wook) was once the mountain spirit of Baekdudaegan. He sacrificed his life as a mountain god to resurrect the life of the woman he loved A Eum. Lee Yeon now lives his life as a nine tailed fox in human form. He has lived this way for hundreds of years. Meanwhile, Nam Ji-A (Jo Bo-Ah) works for TVC station as a PD of documentaries. She seeks out stories on the supernatural. Both characters' path crosses, as they have had centuries ago. They reunite and battle the evil that had returned to torment them.
Back in 1999, her parents were involved in a car accident in Yeou Gogae. She remembers a man that saved her in that accident. Now, Nam Ji-A reviews CCTV footage from a wedding hall where the bride disappeared. She sees the man that saved her as child walking out the wedding wall with a red umbrella. His name is Lee Yeon." (asianwiki.com / Watch on VIU.com / Video on Demand)
Immortal classic folklore characters living amongst humanity in the modern now? Fighting alongside reincarnated everyday folks against the past? SIGN ME UP!
Lee Dong-Wook returns to the screen in yet another supernatural role as "Lee Yeon", a MALE Gumiho/nine-tailed fox, at the same time joking about his role as the "Grim Reaper" in "Goblin" (Catch it in a blink-n-miss-it moment in Episode 1 :p), continuingly being hauntingly good looking (not a shade), and being a glib charmer here (compared to the tragic-mode of the Grim Reaper).
Jo Bo-Ah as "Nam Ji-A" was excellent and showed her range and ability, in a excellent scripted role as yet-another-PD standing out in a long-line-of-written cliched character roles (two series popped immediately into mind: "Zombie Detective" - which I stopped watching after a single episode, and "Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation" FFS)... and try as I might, I cannot unsee her as "Yves" from LOONA (forgive me, @xxadoraa) ~ I LOVE YOU BOTH laaaaah!
And while I've raved about the first two episode, I've never properly reviewed the 16-episoder tvN veries after devouring it (Aired: October 7 - December 3, 2020), which I am gearing up for ...!
Cheers,
Andy
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