Drama Review: Madame Antoine (安托万女士)

Madame Antoine is a romance story between a fortune teller impostor and a psychologist with a psychological theme and if this isn't enough to attract your attention, the good-looking cast probably will.

Known as Madame Antoine, Go Hye Rim's (starring Han Ye Seul) profession is a fortune teller but that is a lie, including her story as being spiritually connected to Marie Antoinette but she is sharp and observant, thus most often she easily gain some information about her clients either through her insistent inquiries or their body language. She also runs a café so it is like killing two birds with one stone. A divorcee with a daughter who is studying abroad, she works hard to make ends meet. Despite her divorce, she still hopes for love and is a romantic at heart.

Choi Soo Hyun (starring Sung Joon) is a well known psychologist and is looking for a space to open his clinic. He found the perfect place, and it is located above Hye Rim's café. And the problem is, both the café and the clinic share the same name - Madame Antoine. Although Dr. Choi isn't bothered by it, Hye Rim sees red but she take in stride considering she needs the café to run both her businesses.

(Credit Source)

Despite their clash of personalities, they finally see eye to eye and Hye Rim even agree to participate in Dr. Choi's psychological test project although he didn't tell her the real reason behind the test. Truth be told, it is an experiment about love and Dr. Choi's goal is to prove that there is no true love and it doesn't exist. With other two men and himself acting as Hye Rim's pursuers, his motive is to make Hye Rim falls hard in love and ultimately declare her love to the man she's in love with in public. But of course there are complications and Dr. Choi soon finds himself falling in love with her as well.

(Credit Source)

Madame Antoine was a fun romcom and while I don't approve of Dr. Choi's project, I can see where his concern and doubts come from considering he is traumatised by a childhood experience whereby his mother left him to pursue a new life. There are also side plots involving a few Dr. Choi's patients with various mental issues as well as the romances of the secondary characters, but at its core it is very much a life story about Dr. Choi and Hye Rim and how they have struggled with their own fears and obstacles before they found each other. I may disagree with Dr. Choi's initial motive for his project (manipulation?) but I've to say I was totally touched by his actions in the end (sigh).

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Drama Review: A Korean Odyssey (花遊记)

A Korean Odyssey is a modern spin-off of the Chinese classic novel, Journey to the West (西游记), in which it depicts a tale of a Buddhist monk and his three divine protectors' mission and their journey to the 'western regions' to obtain Buddhist sacred texts and how they are met with various obstacles and challenges during their pilgrims journey. At its heart of the original story is the spiritual insight of the experiences they encountered and how teamwork and perseverance will push them onto their path towards enlightenment. 

While A Korean Odyssey retains the main cast of the original work, some of them have their roles switched (for the addition of the romance element) and I've to say the idea is a refreshing one. For instance, the Buddhist monk in the original work was re-script as a female human, Jin Seon Mi (starring Oh Yeon Seo), who is able to see otherworldly beings in this spin-off. Her encounter with Ma Wang (starring Cha Seung Won) (based on the Bull Demon King) as a girl is the start of everything after she has freed Son Oh Gong (starring Lee Seung Gi) (based on Sun Wukong), the Monkey King, from the Five Elements Mountain and a contract was sealed between them as a result. Now an adult, Seon-mi become Sam Jang (based on Tang Sanzang) since she was the one who has released the Monkey King from his prison. Son Oh Gong becomes her protector due to the magical bracelet (originally a head band) which bound him to her commands. 

(Credit Source)

What follows is a series of events which allow Sam Jang to interact with a few deities-like characters (and dispose of a few ghosts snd demons along the way with the help of Oh Gong) but the highlight would be the romance between she and Oh Gong and Sam Jang's summon to destroy a powerful black dragon before it escape into the world and causes destruction. 

(Credit Source)

While A Korean Odyssey tells a different story from Journey to the West, a few things retain such as the characters' characteristics and their abilities (for obvious reason) as well as the philosophy behind the original story, which is seeking true light in a dark world surrounded by the evils. The romance between Sam Jang and Oh Gong is a bold creation yet an original, refreshing idea. I absolutely loved the additional romance element and how it plays into a bigger scene in this story as it moves towards the finale, whereby one of them has to choose and make a decision surrounding the heavenly summon. A wonderful fantasy with a twist and I'd recommend this to anyone who loves this genre as well as fans of Journey to the West who don't mind a new perspective. (Trailer here.)

(My favourite OST - When I Saw You)

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Drama Review: Remember (儿子的战争)

This legal thriller and melodrama (2015) caught my attention thanks to an entertainment magazine article I read about actor Yoo Seung-ho and his latest work, I'm Not a Robot. Since I'd enjoyed that drama I thought it'd be good to catch up on Yoo's previous work and I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I've to say his acting skills in this drama was even more impressive due to the intense story plot as it requires (lots of) emotional acting skills.

In a nutshell, this drama is about the relationship between a father and son, power and conspiracies, as well as revenge and justice. There are bits of romance too, but I've to say the romance is a bit too short and bittersweet but a beautiful one. To begin with, Seo Jin-woo (starring Yoo Seung-ho) has Hyperthymesia, a condition which allows him to remember things in detail. When his neighbour's daughter was murdered, Jin-woo's father became a suspect since he was last seen in the woods with the girl's body. The thing is, Jin-woo's father is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and his memory comes and goes at times. Apparently he lost his direction home after buying a mobile phone for Jin-woo (which he had bought a few and has forgotten) and he couldn't recall anything and why he was in the woods.

Secondary characters such as lawyer Park Dong-ho (starring Park Sung-woong) and antagonist Nam Gyu-man (starring Namkoong Min) are this story's "backbone" as both of them played an important part in Jin-woo's story; the former is both an ally and a foe to Jin-woo, considering his father was the indirect cause to the death of Jin-woo's mother and brother when the latter is the real murderer and due to his family's power and wealth, they could easily persuade/bribe others to take on their side. Jin-woo later became a lawyer since he felt he could trust no one and this begins the tug of war between justice and power.

Nam Gyu-man vs Seo Jin-woo

(Credit Source)

Remember may be too dramatic at times but I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolds and it kept me on edge at most times. I felt for Jin-woo throughout the story; it seemed like his journey was full of bumps and heartbreak. Park Dong-ho is a character who will grow on you as the story progresses. Despite living around gangsters since a teenager, he has his own principles and at some point I was even moved by the things he has done for Jin-woo. As for the antagonist, Nam Gyu-man is a character whom you'd love to kick his butt because he is simply cold-blooded and evil. Due to actor Namkoong Min's outstanding performance in portraying the twisted Gyu-man, this has won him an Excellence Award for Actor in a Miniseries at the 5th APAN Star Awards (2016) as well as nominations for Grand Prize at the year-end SBS Drama Awards and for Best Actor at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards (2016) (info from Wikipedia).

All in all this was an intense legal melodrama supported by a cast of interesting characters (not to mention the great performance of the artistes who played their respective roles) and an unforgettable plot which had me glued to the screen unfailingly for the past two weeks. Recommended.

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Drama Review: Prison Playbook (機智牢房生活)

I've to say this black comedy drama between prisoners and the correction officers will either be a hit or a miss to viewers. For starters, it isn't your typical prisoners stories with lots of chaos and fights. Sure, there are still some scenes about those (after all, it's set in a prison and some bullying and fighting are inevitable) but basically it is focused more on the emotional connection between inmates and inmates, inmates and officers, and even officers and wardens (hope this make sense). To be exact, this story depicts the friendship and connections within a group of inmates locked together in a cell and at its heart of the story is about the downfall of a popular baseball pitcher, Je Hyeok (starring Park Hae Soo) and how he survives in prison and get his groove back through the help of his inmates and a few officers. So if you are expecting lots of fighting scenes and actions in this drama, probably this drama isn't for you. 

To begin with, Kim Je Hyeok (starring Park Hae Soo) committed a crime out of justice for his younger sister. He managed to save her virtue, but unfortunately by doing so he had assaulted and injured the man. As a result, he receives a 1-year sentence in jail. His best friend, Lee Joon Ho (starring Jung Kyoung Ho) is a correction officer in prison and you could say Je Hyeok is lucky to have him on his side. 

But that is not all, what also makes this story interesting is the other inmates who share the same cell as Je Hyeok. Each of them has a past and a story to tell - there are a few who are serving time for the crimes they did, but there are also some who are wrongfully convicted and are awaiting for a chance for retrial (their interactions are one of the highlights to watch - some are amusing while some are touching but nevertheless they show their bond and the things they will do for one another). And, you would probably think that a correction officer would be cold and oblivious to the welfare of the prisoners but not so in this story. One may argue that they are not following protocols (no matter whatever the reason is), but who can really judge when compassion and humanity are concerned? 

(Credit Source)

Prison Playbook (aka Wise Prison Life) may be a slow-burn at the beginning and not much of an action film but I liked it that it was inspiring and heartwarming in some ways. I'd recommend it if you prefer something different out of this genre. 

(Watch trailer here.)

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Drama Review: I'm Not a Robot (不是机器人啊)

This sci fi/romantic comedy drama tells a story about a man who has a severe allergy to human touch and how a robot (or a woman who pretends to be a robot, to be precise) has changed his life thereafter.

Kim Min Kyoo (starring Yoo Seung Ho) lost his parents since young. He was then adopted by his late father's business partner and good friend but the latter had an agenda for adopting him. Since then, Min Kyoo started developing an allergy towards human and any contact with them will result him in rashes and in some circumstances his allergic reaction may even lead to death if it is severe. No one knows about his condition and he always make sure to carry some syringes along so that should the allergy happens, he could always inject the prescribed solution into his body. For fifteen years he has suffered and endured this strange condition and lives an isolated life. As a director of KM Financial, he could easily command the staff and goes to the company only when necessarily. When he is out, he also make sure to wear gloves and carry a baton. This is how his life is like until KM Financial invests and brings in the Santa Maria Team; a group of four young scientists who are in charge of building and engineering a human-like robot they called Aji 3.

Jo Ji Ah (starring Chae Soo Bin) is a hardworking young woman who has the passion of inventing products which are both useful and sentimental to the users. Her ex-boyfriend, who is the leader of the Santa Maria Team, approaches her one day for her help in pretending as Aji 3 since the robot isn't ready to be delivered to Min Kyoo and Aji 3 has the facial appearance of Ji Ah. Ji Ah took up the offer eventually due to her needing the money and also as part of a favor to her ex-boyfriend and this begins a complex relationship between two human beings and a robot.

(Credit Source)

I enjoyed this drama for a few reasons. For starters, the romance between Min Kyoo and Ji Ah is so sweet; one could definitely feel the chemistry between them. I also liked it that this story is focused more on the connections among people than the sci-fi part; because after all most of the interactions is Ji Ah posing as Aji 3 rather than the robot itself, although there are still some scenes on the real Aji 3 showing its intelligence side. But, there are also parts which left me skeptical of course, such as the skin elasticity and the mechanical movements of the robot (because no matter how they look human-like or move like us, there are still ways to tell the difference between a human and a robot, yes?) Of course this is a (fantasy) drama so I'd cast my doubts and disbelief aside, after all what is most beautiful than finding love and conquering your fears?

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Drama Review: Black (黑)

A grim reaper and a woman who is able to foresee death; toss in with a few complicated murder cases and that is Black. Yes, these about sum up what this drama is about and I have to say I enjoyed this drama immensely.

Black (starring Song Seung-heon) is a grim reaper whose soul has taken over the dead body of a detective, Han Moo-gang. Also known as reaper 444, Black is known to be cold-hearted and ruthless in the underworld. Why his soul possessed Moo-gang's body remains a mystery but is also part of its core of the story as it slowly unfolds.

Go Ara played as the woman who could foresee death by the dark shadows surrounding the victims' bodies. Kang Ha-ram has had this ability since young and she sees this more as a curse than a blessing. After losing her father and with a mother who doesn't show her enough attention, Ha-ram lives alone and with a pair of sunglasses as her companion, her life is a simple one as long as she pretends she doesn't see all those dark shadows around her and that she minds her own business. Her peace of mind is shattered after knowing the death of her teenaged crush, Moo-gang.

What follows is Black having to get used to the mortal world and engaging Ha-ram as "his eyes" so he could locate other lost roaming souls. Ha-ram, on the other end, is happy enough to see Moo-gang is back on his feet again although he seems cold and distant towards her. As the duo work together, the crime squad has a few cases on their hands which Black later discovered are connected to Moo-gang's and Ha-ram's childhood.

What I loved about this drama is because it has all the elements I love - fantasy theme, intricate suspense plots and last but not least, romance. The story is well crafted and there are lots of twists and turns when the murder cases are concerned and what amazed me is while each of the case seems isolated (and mind-boggling at times), they are all linked nicely towards the end. And I especially enjoyed the tender moments between Black and Ha-ram; Black may be in denial over their so-called relationship but his concern and his actions speak volumes and I think it is romantic despite their exchanges stated otherwise. All in all it was a great fantasy and suspense drama alongside a great cast of characters. I was sorry to see it ended and would have given this a 5-star rating if the ending was better explained but nevertheless still a satisfying one. Recommended. 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Drama Review: While You Were Sleeping (当你沉睡时)

While You Were Sleeping is a story about dreams, connections, justice and not to mention, love.

At its core of this drama is our protagonists, Nam Hong-Joo (starring Bae Suzy) and Jung Jae-Chan (starring Lee Jong-Suk) who both have the ability of dreaming what might happen in future, usually circumstances involving them. Both share the same fate of losing their fathers when young over a same unfortunate incident, but each doesn't know the existence of each other until the funerals, which both deceased families held their respective wake within the same building. Jae-Chan mistaken Hong-Joo's gender due to her boyish look and her dressing style, for she always wore a baseball jacket and a cap and had her hair cropped really short. They shared their misery, and most importantly Jae-Chan had comforted her in some ways which no one else could.

(Credit Source)

As an adult, Hong-Joo is haunted by seeing the future deaths of others in her dreams; one including her mother. Jae-Chan, on the other hand, is a rookie prosecutor and together with his younger brother they move house and become Hong-Joo's new neighbour. At this stage, they're unaware of each other and their minds didn't connect with each other's identity given the years passed and that they're both grown up. Their acquaintance only begins when Jae-Chan has dreamt of an accident which allowed him to prevent Hong-Joo's dream from becoming true. What they didn't know is that this course of direction might change or have an impact of other course of events and along the way they'll befriend a police officer, Han Woo-Tak (starring Jung Hae-In) who has the same ability as them.

(Han Woo-Tak, starring Jung Hae-In)

(Credit Source)

I enjoyed this drama immensely due to a few factors - actor Lee Jong-Suk (so far I've loved most of his works), the fantastical concept of dreams and the inter-connections among the three characters, intense lawsuit cases and last but not least, the romance between Jae-Chan and Hong-Joo (I loved it that fate and their shared abilities have brought them together). I also have to highlight actor Jung Hae-In for his fresh look and the ability to turn heads in his smart police attire. In the story he has a crush on Hong-Joo and while some viewers would expect a love triangle relationship, I've to say there wasn't any because the relationship between Jae-Chan and Hong-Joo are already set in stone (think of how they met and what pulled them together) and plus, Woo-Tak is too sweet and a gentleman to do something outrageous and unthinkable (I've to admit his adoration towards Hong-Joo melted my heart). There are a few other heartwarming and emotional scenes as well but I'm not going to delve into them. Better still, watch it and you and I can talk about it. 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.