POPCORNX's TOP TEN KDRAMAS OF 2021 (Part 1)
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Over 4 months Nearly 5 months in the making, I'd finally found the opportunity and verve to complete and (hopefully by the time you are reading this on my blog) publish this, so I can move on with reel life! All this a (nearly) never-ending round of cinsiderations of KDRAMAS watched in 2021 too...!
Counting Down my TOP TEN KDRAMAS of 2021!
SYNOPSIS: "Everyone who lives in a palace has secrets. Bong Hwan is a chef working at the Blue House in the present day. He is so talented that he can figure out one’s health conditions and even get into their mind by just observing what they pick for their side dishes. He somehow gets trapped in the body of Kim So Yong, a queen in the Joseon dynasty, and meets King Cheoljong, the two-faced king full of secrets. At first, they go through a hard time trying to understand each other. However, throughout the drama, they show how their sham marriage turns them into strong companions after enduring confrontations and misunderstandings.". (Watch on viu.com / Synopsis via)
#10 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: "Mr Queen (철인왕후)"
Held so much promise and joy in the beginning, the drama fizzled out at the end when court intrigues took over the focus away from the fish-out-of-water-and-time schtick, turning comedy-gold to mouldy-melodrama .... But I cannot deny the fun I had in the beginning of the series, and that stayed with me for a while too, refusing to be disappointed, even when a new mini series ("Mr. Queen: Bamboo Forest") was made to milk the characters and retcon everything before in the series proper LOL
Shin Hye-sun as Kim So-yong, is without the doubt the MVP of this series, with everyone else attempting to shine in her shade, as far as I am concerned.
I tuned into this series after my watch of her 2020 feature film "INNOCENCE 결백", and was not disappointed, much. You can read more about the 20-episoder via breakdowns on Wikipedia.
ABOVE TRAILER: "Mr. Queen: The Secret" (official Korean name: Mr. Queen: Bamboo Forest) from tvN featured the secrets and an extended love story of King Cheoljong and Queen Cheorin. It aired exclusively on the streaming service, TVING after the end of the main series' episodes 19 and 20 on February 13–14.
BUY Mr Queen DVD + OST ON U.S.AMAZON:
SYNOPSIS: "When things go awry in the city, a dentist decides to go back to her quiet seaside hometown for a fresh start. There, she finds herself at odds with the village go-to handyman who’s always up to help and fix what’s broken—perhaps even matters of the heart." (Synopsis via)
#9 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (갯마을 차차차)
Good decent romance which left me a emotional wreck in too many instances, at the same time smiling at the cliches since millennium-twisted, and smitten with the romance and giggles. I think "charming" fits the tone perfectly, and I am all for it.
Beyond the seemingly light-hearted fluffiness, are heartwarming morality tales told through the lives of not just the protagonists, but of the characters living in this series, that does not attempt to nock you over your tender heads with, IMHO.
Season One comprised 16 episodes (each ranged between 80 to 87 minutes), currently watchable on Netflix.
BUY Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha DVD + OST ON U.S.AMAZON:
SYNOPSIS: Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.
#8 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: Squid Game (오징어게임)
Enjoyable with all it's faults, with the depth of aesthetic design trumping my personal apprehensions in the plot, which beings no shade to the splendid work by the actors.
If you are at all familiar with streaming entertainment and pop culture, this series is the breakout global hit of 2021, and continues til today. SeasonTwo has been announced, and of course I will watch it - as there are a few nagging questions as yet addressed (my love/hate relationship with unfinished drama series).
And while I will not say this was THE best, it was memorable enough to sway my attention away from subsequent series on Netflix My Name and Hellbound, which thinking back, did them no favours - at least in my mind - because the impact they've been left with, helped them edge off the brutal games of "streaming" :p
Season One of SQUID GAME comprised of 9 episodes (ranging from 33minutes to 64m), and is currently watchable here on Netflix.
SYNOPSIS: "As his name suggests, Jung Ba Reum, a handsome fellow, is perceived as a righteous police officer who once had the honour of being recognized as a hero citizen. His willing and caring characteristics are loved by the people in Gudong where he works as the lowest-ranking officer of a police substation. Drawing the line between a detective and a criminal is nearly impossible when it comes to Ko Moo Chi, a pugnacious detective. His notorious nature may have allowed him the highest felony arrest rate, but he has no intention whatsoever to climb up the police ladder. Instead, the only thing he is after is revenge against a psychopath who took the lives of his parents. The story takes a turn when one day Ba Reum and his partner, Moo Chi, end up chasing a psychopathic serial killer, possibly the one whom Moo Chi was looking to kill.". (Watch on Viu.com / Synopsis via)
#7 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: Mouse (마우스)
Engaging story and twists, with the serial murderer-trope infused with a buried vendetta and misdirection galore, keeping viewers on the edge of their eyeballs and understanding. And while you can whiff the brain-switch-McGuffin a mile away, the journey to the discovery and redemption subsequently, was a pleasure to follow.
Solid scripting by Writer Choi Ran, unpretentious acting by (most of) the cast. This KDRAMA was to on my watch radar at all, and I do not remember how I came into it - stumbled on or otherwise due to boredom, but I am utterly elated I stayed, and continued to watch it weekly until I waited to binge the last few episodes.
Consisting of 20 episodes, "Mouse (마우스)" was broadcast on tvN between March 3 - May 19, 2021 (in the 22:30 time-slot). Official page on program.tving.com/tvn/mouse.
BUY Mouse DVD ON U.S.AMAZON:
SYNOPSIS: "Kim Do-Ki (Lee Je-Hoon) graduated from the Naval Academy and became an UDT (underwater demolition team) Official. His mother was murdered by a serial killer and his life changed afterwards. Kim Do-Ki is now a deluxe taxi driver and works for Rainbow Taxi Company. The company is not just an ordinary taxi company. The company offers a special "revenge-call" service. If clients ask them to take revenge, Kim Do-Ki and his co-workers will perform the service." (Synopsis via asianwiki.com).
#6 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: Taxi Driver (模範택시)
Vigilante at it's best. I had first watched multiple snippets of Mandarin-dubbed version episodes on cable, and had felt the approach contrite ... but upon further investigation with my watch of the OG-Korean language subtitled version, I binged the 16-episodes, and enjoyed the A-Team-styled collection of characters (I am such a sucker for "a crew"-styled dynamics), and became a firm convert of actor Lee Je-Hoon - who had the opportunity to act his ass off in the many different characters/roles he had to take on, in his subterfuge! FUN! Another of his projects is on my list too.
Between all the revenge, sus decisions and multiple betrayals, there were enough emotive elements to keep it grounded.
Based on webcomic "Mobeomtaxi" written by Carlos and illustrated by Lee Jae-Jin (published via naver comic.naver.com), this 16-episoder (each 50 minuted to 71mins) was directed by Park Joon-Woo, and was first broadcast in South Korean via SBS (April 9 - May 29, 2021, in the 22:00-23:10 time slot), and is currently watchable on Netflix, and/or Series watchable viu.com (Watch free with ads).
BUY Taxi Driver DVD ON U.S.AMAZON:
DISCLAIMER#1: There are at least a couple of "scandals" related to actors listed in the above kdramas, but this blogpost is not about that, and I have chosen not to address these issues here, and focus on the shows themselves, and my personal enjoyment of them, cheers.
DISCLAIMER#2: I cannot guarantee the authenticity of items listed above. Purchase at your own discretion, thank you for understanding.
Counting Down my TOP TEN KDRAMAS of 2021!
SYNOPSIS: "Everyone who lives in a palace has secrets. Bong Hwan is a chef working at the Blue House in the present day. He is so talented that he can figure out one’s health conditions and even get into their mind by just observing what they pick for their side dishes. He somehow gets trapped in the body of Kim So Yong, a queen in the Joseon dynasty, and meets King Cheoljong, the two-faced king full of secrets. At first, they go through a hard time trying to understand each other. However, throughout the drama, they show how their sham marriage turns them into strong companions after enduring confrontations and misunderstandings.". (Watch on viu.com / Synopsis via)
#10 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: "Mr Queen (철인왕후)"
Held so much promise and joy in the beginning, the drama fizzled out at the end when court intrigues took over the focus away from the fish-out-of-water-and-time schtick, turning comedy-gold to mouldy-melodrama .... But I cannot deny the fun I had in the beginning of the series, and that stayed with me for a while too, refusing to be disappointed, even when a new mini series ("Mr. Queen: Bamboo Forest") was made to milk the characters and retcon everything before in the series proper LOL
Shin Hye-sun as Kim So-yong, is without the doubt the MVP of this series, with everyone else attempting to shine in her shade, as far as I am concerned.
I tuned into this series after my watch of her 2020 feature film "INNOCENCE 결백", and was not disappointed, much. You can read more about the 20-episoder via breakdowns on Wikipedia.
ABOVE TRAILER: "Mr. Queen: The Secret" (official Korean name: Mr. Queen: Bamboo Forest) from tvN featured the secrets and an extended love story of King Cheoljong and Queen Cheorin. It aired exclusively on the streaming service, TVING after the end of the main series' episodes 19 and 20 on February 13–14.
SYNOPSIS: "When things go awry in the city, a dentist decides to go back to her quiet seaside hometown for a fresh start. There, she finds herself at odds with the village go-to handyman who’s always up to help and fix what’s broken—perhaps even matters of the heart." (Synopsis via)
#9 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (갯마을 차차차)
Good decent romance which left me a emotional wreck in too many instances, at the same time smiling at the cliches since millennium-twisted, and smitten with the romance and giggles. I think "charming" fits the tone perfectly, and I am all for it.
Beyond the seemingly light-hearted fluffiness, are heartwarming morality tales told through the lives of not just the protagonists, but of the characters living in this series, that does not attempt to nock you over your tender heads with, IMHO.
Season One comprised 16 episodes (each ranged between 80 to 87 minutes), currently watchable on Netflix.
SYNOPSIS: Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.
#8 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: Squid Game (오징어게임)
Enjoyable with all it's faults, with the depth of aesthetic design trumping my personal apprehensions in the plot, which beings no shade to the splendid work by the actors.
If you are at all familiar with streaming entertainment and pop culture, this series is the breakout global hit of 2021, and continues til today. SeasonTwo has been announced, and of course I will watch it - as there are a few nagging questions as yet addressed (my love/hate relationship with unfinished drama series).
And while I will not say this was THE best, it was memorable enough to sway my attention away from subsequent series on Netflix My Name and Hellbound, which thinking back, did them no favours - at least in my mind - because the impact they've been left with, helped them edge off the brutal games of "streaming" :p
Season One of SQUID GAME comprised of 9 episodes (ranging from 33minutes to 64m), and is currently watchable here on Netflix.
SYNOPSIS: "As his name suggests, Jung Ba Reum, a handsome fellow, is perceived as a righteous police officer who once had the honour of being recognized as a hero citizen. His willing and caring characteristics are loved by the people in Gudong where he works as the lowest-ranking officer of a police substation. Drawing the line between a detective and a criminal is nearly impossible when it comes to Ko Moo Chi, a pugnacious detective. His notorious nature may have allowed him the highest felony arrest rate, but he has no intention whatsoever to climb up the police ladder. Instead, the only thing he is after is revenge against a psychopath who took the lives of his parents. The story takes a turn when one day Ba Reum and his partner, Moo Chi, end up chasing a psychopathic serial killer, possibly the one whom Moo Chi was looking to kill.". (Watch on Viu.com / Synopsis via)
#7 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: Mouse (마우스)
Engaging story and twists, with the serial murderer-trope infused with a buried vendetta and misdirection galore, keeping viewers on the edge of their eyeballs and understanding. And while you can whiff the brain-switch-McGuffin a mile away, the journey to the discovery and redemption subsequently, was a pleasure to follow.
Solid scripting by Writer Choi Ran, unpretentious acting by (most of) the cast. This KDRAMA was to on my watch radar at all, and I do not remember how I came into it - stumbled on or otherwise due to boredom, but I am utterly elated I stayed, and continued to watch it weekly until I waited to binge the last few episodes.
Consisting of 20 episodes, "Mouse (마우스)" was broadcast on tvN between March 3 - May 19, 2021 (in the 22:30 time-slot). Official page on program.tving.com/tvn/mouse.
SYNOPSIS: "Kim Do-Ki (Lee Je-Hoon) graduated from the Naval Academy and became an UDT (underwater demolition team) Official. His mother was murdered by a serial killer and his life changed afterwards. Kim Do-Ki is now a deluxe taxi driver and works for Rainbow Taxi Company. The company is not just an ordinary taxi company. The company offers a special "revenge-call" service. If clients ask them to take revenge, Kim Do-Ki and his co-workers will perform the service." (Synopsis via asianwiki.com).
#6 TOP TEN KDRAMA of 2021 on POPCORNX: Taxi Driver (模範택시)
Vigilante at it's best. I had first watched multiple snippets of Mandarin-dubbed version episodes on cable, and had felt the approach contrite ... but upon further investigation with my watch of the OG-Korean language subtitled version, I binged the 16-episodes, and enjoyed the A-Team-styled collection of characters (I am such a sucker for "a crew"-styled dynamics), and became a firm convert of actor Lee Je-Hoon - who had the opportunity to act his ass off in the many different characters/roles he had to take on, in his subterfuge! FUN! Another of his projects is on my list too.
Between all the revenge, sus decisions and multiple betrayals, there were enough emotive elements to keep it grounded.
Based on webcomic "Mobeomtaxi" written by Carlos and illustrated by Lee Jae-Jin (published via naver comic.naver.com), this 16-episoder (each 50 minuted to 71mins) was directed by Park Joon-Woo, and was first broadcast in South Korean via SBS (April 9 - May 29, 2021, in the 22:00-23:10 time slot), and is currently watchable on Netflix, and/or Series watchable viu.com (Watch free with ads).
DISCLAIMER#1: There are at least a couple of "scandals" related to actors listed in the above kdramas, but this blogpost is not about that, and I have chosen not to address these issues here, and focus on the shows themselves, and my personal enjoyment of them, cheers.
#POPCORNX's TOP TEN #KDRAMAS OF 2021 (Part 1): https://t.co/IfpzW1vcXH#MrQueen #철인왕후#HometownChaChaCha #갯마을차차차#SquidGame #오징어게임#Mouse #마우스#TaxiDriver #模範택시#TopTen#iliketeevee pic.twitter.com/cVzZtnzJPG
— toysrevil (@toysrevil) May 5, 2022
#POPCORNX's TOP TEN #KDRAMAS OF 2021 (Part 1): https://t.co/IfpzW1vcXH#MrQueen #철인왕후#HometownChaChaCha #갯마을차차차#SquidGame #오징어게임#Mouse #마우스#TaxiDriver #模範택시#TopTen#iliketeevee pic.twitter.com/FrZGlHrPha
— toysrevil (@toysrevil) May 5, 2022
DISCLAIMER#2: I cannot guarantee the authenticity of items listed above. Purchase at your own discretion, thank you for understanding.
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