K-Dramas

DRAMAS WILL BE RATED AS FOLLOWS
(Rating system inspired by shirley)

Dramas are rated on the whole package and dramas I watched are based on who the cast are and storyline. How well it does in the ratings in Korea is the least of my concerns. I generally try to stay clear of melodramas whenever possible!!!

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense.
Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama.
Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama.
Bad Kimchi: Not enjoyable drama.
Smelly Kimchi: Really bad drama.

2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 |

KOREAN DRAMAS CURRENTLY WATCHING

Nothing at the moment.

KOREAN DRAMAS WATCHED

2022

Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area (Yoo Ji Tae, Park Hae Soo, Kim Yun Jin)

2021

My Name (Han So Hee, Ahn Bo Hyun, Park Hee Soon)

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (Shin Min Ah, Kim Seon Ho)

Squid Game (Lee Jung Hae, Park Hae Soo, Jung Ho Yeon)

2020

Mr. Queen (Shin Hye Sun, Kim Jung Hyun)

The Uncanny Counter (Jo Byung Gyu, Yoo Jun Sang, Kim Se Jeong, Uhm Hye Ran)

Sweet Home (Song Kang, Lee Si Young, Lee Jin Wook, Lee Do Hyun, Kim Nam Hee, Go Min Si, Park Gyu Young)

Tale of the Nine Tailed (Lee Dong Woo, Jo Bo Ah, Kim Bum)

Stranger 2 (Cho Seung Woo, Bae Doona, Jung Hye Jin, Choi Moo Sung)

Flower of Evil (Lee Jun Ki, Moon Chae Won)

Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim 2 (Han Suk Kyu, Ahn Hyo Seop, Lee Sung Kyung)

2019

Crash Landing On You (Son Ye Jin, Hyun Bin)

My Country: The New Age (Yang Se Jong, Woo Doo Hwan, Seolhyun, Jang Hyuk)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

Vagabond (Lee Seung Gi, Bae Suzy)
Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

2018

Memories of the Alhambra (Park Shin Hye, Hyun Bin)

Bad Kimchi: Save for Hyun Bin, this whole drama really didn’t go anywhere it was intended to be. Should I give the writer another chance in the future? Someone remind me not to. It was really that bad and leaves you scratching your head. 2/5 stars.

Mr. Sunshine (Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Ri, Yoo Yeon Seok, Byun Yo Han, Kim Min Jung)

Good Kimchi: GUNS, GLORY, SAD ENDING. Save for some episodes that we could do without but was needed to build up the necessary emotions, this drama is a masterpiece. Top-notch acting, storyline, noteworthy lines, AWESOME CINEMATOGRAPHY, sad and haunting OSTs. A round of 👏 applause to the cast & crew for their hard work. 4.8/5 stars.

—

Life (Lee Dong Wook, Cho Seung Woo, Won Jin Ah, Yoo Jae Myung, Moon Sori)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

—

Life on Mars (Jung Kyung Ho, Park Sung Woong, Go Ah Sung, Oh Dae Hwan, Noh Jung Hyun)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

—

Lawless Lawyer (Lee Junki, Seo Ye Ji, Lee Hye Young, Choi Min Soo)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

2017

Black (Song Seung Heon, Go Ara)
Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

—

Witch’s Court (Jung Ryeo Won, Yoon Hyun Min)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

—

While You Were Sleeping (Bae Suzy, Lee Jong Suk)

Okay Kimchi: Showed much promise with an out-of-this-world fantasy opening episode, but that soon became a mere afterthought. The storyline became too linear and predictable and left one feeling that it could have been much more. Missed opportunities aplenty. 3/5 stars.

—

Bride of the Water God (Nam Joo Hyuk, Shin Se Kyung)

Bad Kimchi: Abyss of nothingness. 2/5 stars.

—

Forest of Secrets (Cho Seung Woo, Bae Doona, Yoo Jae Myung, Lee Joon Hyuk, Shin Hye Sun)

Heavenly Kimchi: Awesome writing, great acting from cast, one of the dramas that you can’t miss. 5/5 stars.

—

Fight My Way (Park Seo Joon, Kim Ji Won, Ahn Jae Hong, Song Ha Yoon)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 4.7/5 stars.

—

Tunnel (Choi Jin Hyuk, Yoon Hyun Min, Lee Yoo Young)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 5/5 stars.

—

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (Park Bo Young, Park Hyung Sik, Ji Soo)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

—

Good Manager (Namgoong Min, Nam Sang Mi, Lee Joon Ho, Jung Hye Seong)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 5/5 stars.

—

2016

The Legend of the Blue Sea (Jun Ji Hyun, Lee Min Ho)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

—

Goblin (Gong Yoo, Kim Go Eun, Lee Dong Wook, Yook Sung Jae, Yoo In Na)

Heavenly Kimchi: Loved almost every moment I watched it. 5/5 stars.

—

Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim (Han Suk Kyu, Yoo Yeon Seok, Seo Hyun Jin)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 5/5 stars.

—

The K2 (Ji Chang Wook, Song Yoon Ah, Jo Sung Ha, Im YoonA)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

—

Love in the Moonlight (Kim Yoo Jung, Park Bo Gum)

Okay Kimchi: The first half of the drama was full of bubbly charms, but the story then descended into the usual drag and became stagnant until the end. 3.5/5 stars.

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W – Two Worlds (Han Hyo Joo, Lee Jong Suk)

Okay Kimchi: It had a great start and a cool set-up of going between the reality and the webtoon world, but things got messy midway with the overdoing of twists and turns, and it limped to a somewhat unsatisfactory ending. 3.5/5 stars.

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Another Miss Oh (Eric Mun, Seo Hyun Jin, Jeon Hye Bin)

Good Kimchi: Fun romantic comedy that will leave you in stitches and tears. 4.5/5 stars.

—

Descendants of the Sun (Song Hye Kyo, Song Joong Ki, Jin Goo, Kim Ji Won)

Good Kimchi: Slick production that you can’t really hate, save for a few flaws like excessive PPL and the male lead seemingly leading a charmed life. 4/5 stars.

—

Signal (Lee Je Hoon, Kim Hye Soo, Cho Jin Woong)

Good Kimchi: An intense and well-written production from start to finish. 4.5/5 stars.

—

Six Flying Dragons (Yoo Ah In, Kim Myung Min, Shin Se Kyung, Byun Yo Han, Yoon Kyun Sang, Cheon Ho Jin, Jung Yoo Mi, Park Hyuk Kwon)

Good Kimchi: An intense and well-written part fictional tale about the turbulent times of the waning Goryeo Dynasty leading to the birth of the Joseon Dynasty. 4.5/5 stars.

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2015

Yong Pal (Kim Tae Hee, Joo Won)

Okay Kimchi: It was so good in the first 6 episodes, but then it stopped focusing on Yong Pal and became the revenge of Yeo Jin. 3/5 stars.

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Mask (Soo Ae, Ju Ji Hoon)

Good Kimchi: You have to suspend belief for most parts, but it was intense fun. 4/5 stars.

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The Time We Were Not In Love (Lee Jin Wook, Ha Ji Won)

Smelly Kimchi: Time just seems to have stopped still. Time waster of a drama. 1/5 stars.

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The Girl Who Sees Smells (Park Yoo Chun, Shin Se Kyung)

Okay Kimchi: The execution was kind of lacking as the drama went on, and had a weak ending. I definitely expected more. 3/5 stars.

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Shine or Go Crazy (Jang Hyuk, Oh Yeon Seo, La Ha Nui)

Okay Kimchi: Strong chemistry between Jang Hyuk and Oh Yeon Seo. Had a great first half, which then descended into pure melodrama in the latter half. The shift from romance to politics kind of shifted the balance, and ended crappily. 3/5 stars.

2014

Misaeng (Im Siwan, Lee Sung Min, Kang Sora, Kang Ha Neul, Byun Yo Han, Kim Dae Myung)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense.

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Healer (Ji Chang Wook, Park Min Young, Yoo Ji Tae)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

—

Pinocchio (Park Shin Hye, Lee Jong Suk)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

—

Liar Game (Korean Drama) (Lee Sang Yoon, Kim So Eun, Shin Sung Rok)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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The Three Musketeers (Lee Jin Wook, Jung Yong Hwa, Yang Dong Geun, Jung Hae In, Seo Hyun Jin, Yoo In Young)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

—

Fated To Love You (Jang Hyuk, Jang Nara, Choi Jin Hyuk, Wang Ji Won)

Okay Kimchi: Drama was highly entertaining for the first half until the tragic turn mid-way through. The angst that followed was still fine and logical, but the last few episodes lacked proper conflict and felt really filler. OST was really good, and the chemistry between Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara was sizzling. 3.5/5 stars.

—

Gunman in Joseon (Lee Jun Ki, Nam Sang Mi, Yu Oh Seong, Jeon Hye Bin, Han Joo Wan)

Okay Kimchi: It had the potential and promise, but faded after the initial few episodes to become something rather formulaic, uninspiring and bland. Somehow the period it was set in and the use of guns over swords held it back in my view. Sword fights still look better than fighting with guns. 3/5 stars.

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Endless Love (Hwang Jung Eum, Ryu Soo Young, Jung Kyung Ho)

Bad Kimchi: Just kind of lost its way in the storyline mid-way through. As with most long episodic dramas, it tends to go around in circles. Very depressing stuff. 2/5 stars.

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Doctor Stranger (Lee Jong Suk, Park Hae Jin, Kang Sora, Jin Se Yeon)

Bad Kimchi: Started strongly in the first 2 episodes but soon spiralled out of control by trying to mix all sorts of genres together, which resulted in a story of ridiculous right until the very end. Wasted potential due to the story! 2/5 stars.

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Gap Dong (Lee Joon, Kim Min Jung, Yoon Sang Hyun, Kim Ji Won, Sung Dong Il)

Okay Kimchi: It would have been better if it had lesser episodes than the 20 it had. Quite stretched out story as it neared the middle, and it became a chore to finish. 3/5 stars.

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You’re All Surrounded (Cha Seung Won, Go Ara, Lee Seung Gi)

Bad Kimchi: Very uninspiring and stale storyline. Dropped it after 5 episodes.

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God’s Gift – 14 Days (Lee Bo Young, Cho Seung Woo, Kim Tae Woo, Jung Gyu Woon, Kim Yoo Bin)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

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My Love From The Star (Kim Soo Hyun, Jun Ji Hyun, Park Hae Jin, Yoo In Na)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 4.9/5 stars.

—

Prime Minister & I (Lee Bum Soo, Yoona, Yoon Si Yoon, Chae Jung An, Ryu Jin)

Okay Kimchi: Started off promisingly enough but was let down by a unspectacular storyline midway, and I decided to drop the drama just a few episodes before it ended. 3/5 stars.

2013

Nine: Nine Times Time Travel (Lee Jin Wook, Jo Yoon Hee)

Good Kimchi: 4.5/5 stars.

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Heartless City (Jung Kyung Ho, Lee Jae Yoon, Nam Gyu Ri)

Good Kimchi: Mostly good but there were some inconsistencies near the end. One of the best in terms of character developments. 4/5 stars.

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Two Weeks (Lee Jun Ki, Park Ha Sun, Ryu Soo Young, Kim So Yeon, Jo Min Ki, Kim Hye Ok)

Good Kimchi: Unbelievable at times, but it was good. 4/5 stars.

—

I Hear Your Voice (Lee Bo Young, Lee Jong Suk, Yoon Sang Hyun, Lee Da Hee)

Heavenly Kimchi: Only picked up after seeing the strong ratings it had racked up. Was surprised by it and left feeling mightily impressed by how everything about it was really put together nicely, although it kind of lagged after picking up a 2 episode extension. 5/5 stars.

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Heaven’s Will: The Fugitive of Joseon (Lee Dong Wook, Song Ji Hyo, Kim Yoo Bin, Song Jong Ho, Park Ji Young, Im Seul Ong, Yoon Jin Yi)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

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Gu Family Book (Lee Seung Gi, Suzy, Yoo Yun Suk, Lee Yoo Bi, Sung Joon, Lee Sung Hae, Jo Sung Ha, Choi Jin Hyuk, Uhm Hyo Sup)

Okay Kimchi: Did not have of an appeal at times, and feels somewhat lacking. 3/5 stars.

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Jang Ok Jung (Kim Tae Hee, Yoo Ah In, Hong Soo Hyun, Jae Hee, Lee Sang Yeob, Han Seung Yeon, Sung Dong Il, Lee Hyo Jung)

Okay Kimchi: Generally lost its plot in the middle of the drama and lacked punch. 3/5 stars.

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IRIS 2 (Jang Hyuk, Lee Da Hae, Lee Bum Soo, Yoon Doo Joon, Oh Yeon Soo, Im Soo Hyang, Kim Young Chul, Lee Joon)

Smelly Kimchi: Total waste of time with a plodding storyline that made no sense once again thanks to the brain-dead screenwriter who was trying his very best to write the best crap story. It’s so badly written that you can’t really empahtize much with the characters nor get into the action scenes. Everything was so disjointed and out of sync. The 3 minute cameo of Kim So Yeon right at the end of the last episode was the only redeeming scene for me. IRIS was made to look even weaker than ever before. It does appear that they would like to make a part 3 with that ending. Someone should tell them to just STOP! 1/5 stars.

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That Winter, The Wind Blows (Jo In Sung, Song Hye Gyo, Kim Bum, Jung Eun Ji)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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School 2013 (Jang Nara, Choi Daniel, Lee Jong Suk, Park Se Young, Kim Woo Bin, Hyo Young)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

2012

A Gentleman’s Dignity (Kim Su Ro, Jang Dong Gun, Kim Min Jong, Lee Jong Hyuk, Kim Ha Neul, Yoon Seah Ah, Yoon Jin Yi, Kim Jung Nan, Lee Jong Hyun)

Okay Kimchi: Campy fun episodic vignettes but there wasn’t much of a story really. Went around and around in circles at times, with 20 episodes perhaps too long. But it was a fun take on the lives of 40+ men and their love lives. 3.5/5 stars.

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Nice Guy (Song Joong Ki, Moon Chae Won, Park Si Yeon)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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Faith (Lee Min Ho, Kim Hee Sun, Yoo Oh Sung, Ryu Duk Hwan, Park Se Young)

Bad Kimchi: Not enjoyable drama. 2/5 stars.

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Reply 1997 (Jung Eun Ji, Seo In Guk, Hoya, Shin So Yul, Eun Ji Won, Lee Shi Un)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 5/5 stars.

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Bridal Mask (Joo Won, Jin Se Yun, Park Ki Woong, Han Chae Ah)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

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The Chaser (Son Hyun Joo, Kim Sang Joong, Jang Shin Young)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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BIG (Gong Yoo, Lee Min Jung, Suzy, Jang Hee Jin)

Bad Kimchi: Gong Yoo! Lee Min Jung! Suzy! Hong Sisters’! You would think that this drama would turn out pretty well but alas it wasn’t to be.

The story telling was lacking and really disintegrated into a farce as the drama went on and became really muddled. No amount of great acting especially those facial expressions from Gong Yoo could help this drama. Shin Won Ho was blessed to be lying on a bed for almost the entire drama.

There were some funny moments and familiar Hong Sisters’ drama scenes but that was it. A Hong Sisters’ dud which makes you wonder WTF did I watch, especially the latter episodes. 2/5 stars.

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Queen In Hyun’s Man (Ji Hyun Woo, Yoo In Na)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 5/5 stars.

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Equator Man (Uhm Tae Woong, Lee Jun Hyuk, Lee Bo Young, Im Jung Eun)

Good Kimchi: 4/5 stars

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The King 2 Hearts (Lee Seung Gi, Ha Ji Won)

Okay Kimchi: 3.5/5 stars

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Rooftop Prince (Park Yoochun, Park Ji Min, Lee Tae Sung, Jung Yoo Mi)

Okay Kimchi: 3.5/5 stars

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High Kick 3: The Revenge of the Short Legged (Ahn Nae Sang, Yoon Yoo Sun, Lee Jong Suk, Krystal Jung, Yoon Kye Sang, Suh Ji Suk, Park Ha Sun, Kim Ji Won, Julien Kang, Baek Jin Hee, Lee Juck, Kang Seung Yoon)

Okay Kimchi: 3.5/5 stars

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The Moon That Embraces The Sun (Kim Soo Hyun, Han Ga In, Jung Il Woo)

Okay Kimchi: 3.5/5 stars

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History of the Salaryman (Lee Bum Soo, Jung Ryeo Won, Jung Gyu Woon, Hong Soo Hyun, Kim Suh Hyung, Lee Ki Young, Kim Il Woo, Lee Duk Hwa)

Heavenly Kimchi: 5/5 stars

2011

Man Of Honor (Park Min Young, Chun Jung Myung, Lee Jang Woo)

Bad Kimchi: Disappointing. Despite having the same screenwriter/director combination from the ratings monster Baker King drama a year before, Man of Honor did not impress at all. Too much outrageous storylines put together in the beginning just put me off because they just didn’t click and felt deja vu. Chun Jung Myung failed to impress once again in his role, just like in Cinderella’s Sister. Lee Jang Woo acting felt weird while Park Min Young’s short bob hair was a disaster. Finally dropped the drama midway. 2/5 stars.

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Gyebaek (Lee Seo Jin, Choi Jae Hwan, Song Ji Hyo, Oh Yun Soo)

Smelly Kimchi: Bland storyline and uninteresting characters did not made for an enjoyable drama overall. Gyebaek will not be pleased. 1/5 stars.

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Warrior Baek Dong Soo (Ji Chang Wook, Yoo Seung Ho, Yoon So Yi, Shin Hyun Bin, Choi Min Soo, Jun Kwang Ryul)

Okay Kimchi: With what they set out to do in the beginning, everything appeared rosy and primed for greatness I thought. But alas, it was not to be. There were much too many scenes which could have been better detailed but instead were left to our own imagination and interpretation. The tempo also suddenly nosedived in the middle with crappy storytelling and never picked up again right till the end. A big shame. 3.5/5 stars.

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The Princess’ Man (Park Shi Hoo, Moon Chae Won, Kim Young Chul)

Heavenly Kimchi: A kick-ass Romeo & Juliet story set in the utterly delightful background of Grand Prince Suyang’s (later became known as King Sejo) cunning yet bloody usurpation of the throne in the Joseon era.

Park Shi Hoo and Moon Chae Won oozed chemistry on the screen while King Sejo was acted to perfection by Kim Young Chul. I wished I could list everybody but honestly, everyone in the cast was cast correctly and acted really well. Together with the excellent instrumental music pieces and another OST masterclass by Baek Ji Young which even led to me purchasing the CD (rarity), there’s nothing to dislike or gripe about this flawless drama.

So near perfection was this drama to every little detail that I got the series in full HD and I really couldn’t settle for anything mediocre (dramas) for a few weeks in the aftermath of finishing my The Princess’s Man marathon session. Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 5/5 stars.

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All My Love (Kim Gab Soo, Park Mi Sun, Jo Kwon, Ga-In, Yoon Doo Joon, Jun Tae Soo, Yoon Seung Ah, Yun Woo Jin, Jung Ho Bin, Kim Na Young)

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City Hunter (Lee Min Ho, Park Min Young, Lee Jun Hyuk, Goo Hara)

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The Greatest Love (Cha Seung Won, Gong Hyo Jin, Yoon Kye Sang, Yoo In Na)

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Dream High (Taecyeon, Suzy, Kim Soo Hyun, Eunjung, Wooyoung, IU)

2010

Sungkyunkwan Scandal (Yoochun, Park Min Young, Song Joong Ki, Yoo Ah In)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

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Dr. Champ (Kim So Yeon, Jung Gyu Won, Uhm Tae Woong)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

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Prosecutor Princess (Kim So Yeon, Park Shi Hoo, Han Jung Soo)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

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Athena: Goddess of War (Jung Woo Sung, Soo Ae, Cha Seung Won, Lee Ji Ah, Kim Min Jong, Choi Si Won)

Smelly Kimchi: Plot didn’t really make any plausible sense, what a waste of effort despite a strong cast presence on paper. 1/5 stars.

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Secret Garden (Hyun Bin, Ha Ji Won, Yoon Sang Hyun, Kim Sa Rang)

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Flames of Ambition (Jo Min Ki, Shin Eun Kyung, Yoo Seung Ho, Seo Woo)

Bad Kimchi: Perhaps expected too much after the high of watching Baker King. Did not develop as I expected and kept going around in circles. Lost interest around 10+ episodes and decided to give it up. 2/5 stars.

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Dae Mul (Go Hyun Jung, Kwon Sang Woo, Cha In Pyo, Lee Soo Kyung)

Okay Kimchi: It started well and was somewhat interesting but things got a bit out of control once it got to a higher level (politics) and ended being rather cliched. Ended disappointingly for me. Go Hyun Jung, Kwon Sang Woo and Cha In Pyo did a great job with their character portrayals. 3/5 stars.

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My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox (Lee Seung Gi, Shin Min Ah)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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Baker King, Kim Tak Goo (Yoon Si Yoon, Joo Won, Eugene, Lee Young Ah, Jun Kwang Ryul, Jun In Hwa, Jung Sung Mo, Jun Mi Sun)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 5/5 stars.

—

Kim Soo Ro (Ji Sung, Bae Jong Ok, Yoo Oh Sung, Seo Ji Hye, Go Joo Won, Kang Byul, Lee Pil Mo, Lee Won Jong, Wang Bit Na)

Bad Kimchi: Not enjoyable drama. Acting was pretty over the top, silly storyline, lame ass fighting, cheap looking sets. Don’t really do justice to the founder of Geumgwan Gaya, King Suro. 1/5 stars.

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Cinderella’s Sister (Moon Geun Young, Seo Woo, Chun Jung Myung, Taecyeon)

Okay Kimchi: Was quite hyped by the initial storyline and decided to give it a try. But it kind of disappointed me with the melodramatics and slow pace. It was also difficult to like Moon Geun Young’s character who seems to always take two steps forward in making you dislike her.

But props must be given to Moon Geun Young for pulling her role off and Seo Woo was another who impressed me a lot. I also love the father character played by Kim Gab Soo and the mother character by Lee Mi Sook. Chun Jung Myung had a lousy role to act from while Taecyeon was kind of not needed. Didn’t manage to finish the drama as my interest waned after the father died. 3/5 stars.

—

Personal Taste (Son Ye Jin, Lee Min Ho, Kim Ji Suk, Wang Ji Hye)

Bad Kimchi: Didn’t really enjoy the drama because there was seemingly a lack of chemistry between Lee Minho and Son Ye Jin. The gay factor also put me off somewhat. Gave up on the drama midway. 2/5 stars.

Chuno (Jang Hyuk, Oh Ji Ho, Lee Da Hae, Lee Jong Hyuk, Gong Hyung Jin)

Good Kimchi: This drama was the bomb! Really didn’t expect much because it was a pretty dark drama when the hype begun and didn’t pay much notice. But from the first episode, the opening fighting scene at the inn just sucked me in and I was hooked. Jang Hyuk (awesomeness), Han Jung Soo and Wang Son were great buddies/slave hunters and fun to watch as they played off each other excellently.

Oh Ji Ho was another awesome figure with his portrayal of a righteous general. Lee Jong Hyuk was also immense as a ambitious and ruthless general. Lee Da Hae had another complicated character to portray and I thought she did a good job. Sung Dong Il as the notorious Chun Ji Ho was another interesting one. Kim Ha Eun as Sul Hwa was another good character who really grew as the drama wore on. Then there was the unfortunate romance between the marksman Eop Bok played by Gong Hyung Jin and Cho Bok played by Min Jin Ah.

The soundtrack for the drama was superb and very well suited. The chasing scenes were in particular exciting and the 4-way fight scene between Dae Gil, Taeha, Hwang Chul Woong and General Choi was exceptionally well worked. The drama sort of dragged once the politics came into the picture and the direction was murky at one point. Even the open-ended ending at the end left me scratching my head but was probably the only solution because of the historical background. Recommended! 4.5/5 stars.

—

God of Study (Kim Su Ro, Bae Doo Na, Oh Yoon Ah, Yoo Seung Ho, Park Ji Yeon, Go Ah Sung, Lee Hyun Woo, Lee Chan Ho)

Good Kimchi: Always have a soft spot for high school related dramas and this was no exception. The story was based off a successful manga and drama in Japan called Dragon Zakura and I heard both were pretty awesome although I have never watched either. So once again, I came into watching this with no expectaion of what’s going to happen next.

Kim Su Ro did well in his role as the teacher-lawyer who rounds up a group of “hopeless at studying” students and tries to groom them into getting into the top university in Korea.

The five students all did a great job with their roles and great props must go to Yoo Seung Ho, Ji Yeon, Go Ah Sung, Lee Hyun Woo and Lee Chan Ho for bringing their characters to life. Bae Doo Na and Oh Yoon Ah provide good comedic moments while the four teachers bought in to groom the students were also eccentric and a fun bunch.

The show had a lot of study tips although I kind of zoned out when they start doing that because I was not that interested. The soundtrack was quite good and I particularly liked the Dreams Come True song by 4minute. There was some reality at the end as only 3 of the 5 get into the top university but it was a satisfying end in any case. 4/5 stars.

2009

Temptation of Wife (Jang So Hee, Kim Suh Hyung, Byun Woo Min)
Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

High Kick Through The Roof (Lee Soon Jae, Kim Ja Ok, Oh Hyun Kyung, Jung Bo Suk, Shin Se Kyung, Choi Daniel, Seo Shin Ae, Hwang Jung Eum, Julien Kang)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

Hero (Lee Jun Ki, Yoon So Yi, Uhm Ki Joon, Baek Yoon Shik)

Smelly Kimchi: Plagued with problems from the start with 2 female leads leaving due to different reasons before the drama was airing in a week’s time. Decided to watch this because of Lee Jun Ki but was left hugely disappointed way before the drama finale.

Based on his past track record, it was strange that he had chosen this drama before his enlistment. The story was kind of cliched, weak, predictable and too slapstick for my liking. The romantic element was there in the beginning between Jun Ki and Yoon So Yi but it then kind of fizzled out in the middle. I also lost interest in the middle because it was simply too depressing and heading nowhere. 1.5/5 stars.

Queen Seon Duk (Lee Yo Won, Go Hyun Jung, Uhm Tae Woong, Park Ye Jin)

Good Kimchi: A drama that was undoubtedly one of the better sageuk dramas in recent years although it was somewhat marred by a dramatic decline in direction and budget towards the latter stages.

The drama might be called Queen Seonduk but it wouldn’t be unfair to call it Mishil Saeju instead because the storyline tilted in favour of Go Hyun Jung’s character greatly. Go Hyun Jung in particularly made the role so lifelike and scary that she practically owned everyone on the drama. Maybe it was the writer’s fault who made Mishil into a godly woman in the drama. You can’t deny that the demise of Mishil, with 10+ episodes to go, really sunk the drama as no one in particular could take her place. One of the more irritating parts in the latter part was the numerous slowmo close-up scenes which made the episodes more cumbersome.

The problem with the drama is that the direction of some characters were really inconsistent and it is most evidently portrayed in the case of Deokman. Uhm Tae Woong’s character, Kim Yusin was pretty boring and lacklustre while Kim Nam Gil’s portrayal of Bidam was good until he became a lovesick puppy in the latter stages. Alcheon also impressed earlier on but faded away as his role became less significant.

Other characters that impressed me were Misaeng, Seolwon, Jukbang characters and the teenage characters of Deokman and Chun Myung.

Another portion that did not come off well were the war scenes which were practically glossed over in terms of narration and simplified scenes. And there were gross historical inaccuracies as well.

Overall, it was still a decent sageuk and deserved its high ratings in 2009 where it left everyone else far behind. 4/5 stars.

IRIS (Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Hee, Jung Joon Ho)

Good Kimchi: The big budget spy action thriller drama that had its high and low points. Boasting of an amazing cast, it really counted as they lit up the drama with their charismatic acting.

When you talk about IRIS, one can’t help but link it to Lee Byung Hun who was really good in his drama and he could not have picked a better drama than this to make this comeback after 8 long years away from the small screen. His lovey dovey scenes with Kim Tae Hee in Akita, Japan makes you wonder if he was really dating Kim Tae Hee.

His presence even made his co-star Kim Tae Hee look good who finally put in a good performance in a long while. One of her scenes which included her brawling with a male terrorist and another which saw her getting slapped hard by Lee Byung Hun were really realistic.

Other mentions include Jung Junho, Kim Seung Woo who did well in their roles. TOP’s role was limited but his every appearance were real kick-ass. I was particularly impressed with Kim So Yeon’s potrayal as Kim Sunhwa, where her feelings for Hyun Joon was really sad and touching.

The soundtrack also boasted of a glittering array of names including Shin Seung Hoon, Baek Ji Young, Kim Tae Woo, Seo In Young, etc. I in particularly loved the song, Don’t Forget by Baek Ji Young which was the theme song for Seung Hee and Hyun Joon’s love.

But the drama did have its low points. The action scenes leave much to be desired since not much thought was put into some. In particularly, the Gwanghwamun scene which was kind of short and poorly executed. Others include not much explanation about what IRIS was, Seung Hee’s actual identity, the open-ended ending about Hyun Joon, etc.

The transitioning between several scenes also left much to be desired. It would appear that they did a good job with the filming of individual scenes but then did a poor job of linking them up.

The cliffhangers were probably to prepare for sequels but it’s not good for viewers who have more questions than answers at the end. 4/5 stars.

You’re Beautiful (Jang Geun Suk, Park Shin Hye, Lee Hong Ki, Jung Yong Hwa)

Good Kimchi: This was probably one of the best written dramas of the year which became a big hit on the internet and it was a pity that it couldn’t get good ratings. Having been left disappointed by Hong Gil Dong, I was pretty delighted by the Hong Sisters’ new story and my faith has been restored.

The story was fun from the start and the end without the usual melodramatics. The part which linked Taekyung’s mom to Minam’s father was kind of sketchy and could have been better. But that’s just a minor part. There were too many classic funny scenes, the airport scene at the beginning, the part where Taekyung was chased by a wild boar in the fields.

Jang Geun Suk and Park Shin Hye really excelled in their roles and the former really lit up the drama with his potrayal of his cult character. Jung Yong Hwa did a commendable job as a rookie while Lee Hong Ki did well in his comedic relief role. UEE was also good with her role as the detestable Yoo He Yi. I was hoping to see more of Minam because he looks really cool.

Being an idol group drama, the music soundtrack was extremely good and complemented the story very well. Almost every song can be a chart topper. Definitely a drama that has great rewatch value. 4.8/5 stars.

Heading to the Ground (Yunho, Go Ah Ra, Lee Sang Yoon, Lee Yoon Ji)

Smelly Kimchi: Awful drama. The beginning was actually not too shabby and I could get by Yunho’s amatuerish acting (which improved as it went along). But I really snapped at the mental hospital saga which was simply RIDICULOUS. The storyline was really bad overall and cliched. It was a struggle to watch at times although there were some bright moments like Bang Joon Seo (Cha Byul) scenes, Lee Yoon Ji and Kim Jae Seung (Lee Dong Ho). There wasn’t much soccer action either. 1.1/5 stars.

Empress Chun Chu (Chae Si Ra, Kim Suk Hoon, Choi Jae Sung, Lee Duk Hwa)

Okay Kimchi: When one reviews this, they will always point to the first 8 episodes where Choi Chul Ho excelled as the mad king later turned good because of Kim So Eun who was good at her Empress role. But in the latter episodes after, Choi Si Ra really flopped in her role partly because of her acting and the limp storyline which hardly made her out to be the Iron Empress. Choi Jae Sung as Gang Jo was really good as he showed immense charisma although he was also rash in most cases. Story was inconsistent and ranged from good to bad in most episodes. Most of the good guys die in the drama also but that was only following what the history books stated. War scenes were pretty average except for the first episode. 3/5 stars.

Dream (Joo Jin Mo, Kim Bum, Son Dambi)

Smelly Kimchi: Awful drama. I am not sure why I picked it up in the first place. Joo Jin Mo was wasted, Kim Bum was wasted, Son Dambi did ok, romance triangle was stale, boxing was boring but the drama made it even more boring. Script was really bad and horrible. Stay away at all costs. There’s really nothing good that I can think of. 1/5 stars.

Soul (Im Joo Eun, Lee Seo Jin, Park Gun Il, Park Ji Yeon, Lee Jin)

Okay Kimchi: Started off strong as a ghost thriller which soon became a psychological battle of wits and then a farcial ending. It wasn’t really scary to begin with, but Hana (Im Joo Eun) is definitely a cursed girl and Im Joo Eun really excelled in her first leading role, I can see a great future ahead of her. She got her expressions and acting pretty much spot-on and was the shining light in this drama. The battle between Kim Gab Soo and Lee Seo Jin’s characters were interesting, bar the end. Two things that were enforced; absolute power corrupts everyone and the law does not protect the innocent. The song, Soul by YangPa was another plus. 3/5 stars.

The Man Who Can’t Marry (Ji Jin Hee, Uhm Jung Hwa, Kim So Eun)

Good Kimchi: Absolutely love this and looked forward to watching it weekly. Many have not looked upon this favourably as they felt that it was cloned after the Japanese version and Abe Hiroshi was miles ahead of Ji Jin Hee’s portrayal. I have not watched the Japanese version and probably won’t because of time, so I don’t really care. Ji Jin Hee was super comedic in his role as he played the role to perfection, love his character, personality, expressions and his little actions (enjoying his classical music, eating his steak. Love the part where it shows how he hates designs with flowers!). Uhm Jung Hwa was good as well, while Kim So Eun was eye candy for me and love their relationship with each other. Another notable mention was SanGu, the adorable chihuahua. The supporting cast were really awesome as well and special mention for the DVD store guy, the 7-11 stall girl whom eventually got together. Delightful refreshing comedy which I can watch again and again without any stress. Highly recommended! 4.5/5 stars.

Triple (Lee Jung Jae, Lee Sun Gyun, Yoon Kye Sang, Min Hyo Rin)

Okay Kimchi: Came into this because of director Lee Yoon Jung, the cast and figure skating theme. There wasn’t too much of a focus on figure skating but I liked the figure skating terms analogy at the start and ending of each episode. Most would feel underwhelmed at the ending whereby Hwal and Haru didn’t end up together after building for 15 episodes. But I thought it was a fair ending, Haru just realized that her puppy love was a phase in her life. Haru would suit Poong Ho better who was always there for her, rain or shine. Sad that they didn’t flesh it out clearly even in the last episode. It was sad that Hwal end up with nobody in the end though. Hyun Tae might seem to be a obnoxious guy who steal his friend’s girl but I liked how he never crosses the line and stepped away when it seem like it was really impossible. Was glad that Soo In finally found her real love and ended happily with Hyun Tae who could always make her smile. The most normal couple was Hae Yoon and Sang Hee who behaved like what real life couples do. And of course they had to have the best ending with twin babies. In summary, Triple is a drama that mirrors reality and thus without much drama nor climax, meaning you don’t really have an urge to really watch it when a new episode comes out. But you feel sometimes that if only you knew them as friends. Loved the skating ring ending. I liked this more than Coffee Prince even though ratings were low. 3.5/5 stars.

Ja Myung Go (Jung Ryeo Won, Park Min Young, Jung Kyung Ho)

Bad Kimchi: Left high and dry once again with another drama about Goguryeo. Had some expectations for this because it was loosely based on the folktale of Prince Ho Dong and Princess Nangnang. But they didn’t make good use of it and made it even more fictional with the addition of Ryeo Won’s character as Princess Ja Myung. They also simply glossed over the making of the magical war drum which left me disappointed among others. The beginning was alright but soon dragged, making it a very tiresome process to watch, things getting repeated and with no particular aim. Some roles were overexplored, especially Rahee’s mum and Ho Dong’s step-mum. The love story between Ja Myung and Ho Dong was kind of underwhelming. No one really stood out in this drama, the war scenes were underwhelming, oversimplified as well without much tactics or thought put into it. 2/5 stars.

That Fool (Hwang Jung Min, Kim Ah Joong, Joo Sang Wook)

Okay Kimchi: I just have a thing for dramas that involve stars and this was why I decided to watch this after Star’s Lover just a few months ago. It started off pretty well, a star and a postman gets “married” on a 6 months contract. It then started to get a bit heavy and boring before it picked up again in the middle and ending with a predictable happy ending. Hwang Jung Min was the heart of this drama with his wide range of acting. Kim Ah Joong was painfully difficult to watch at times and her delivery was rather lacking too. Joo Sang Wook really looks like Jo Hyun Jae to me and he really played a jerk very well. Baek Sang Hyun was quite irritable in the beginning with his continous outbursts but gradually toned down, and boy does he have some toned abs, Lim Chung Ah was ok with her bright personality. Doesn’t sound very appealing but there’s something that draws me in to watch without fast-fowarding it, especially when Dong Baek and Ji Su was bonding, their scenes were great tow watch. 3.5/5 stars.

Boys Before Flowers (Goo Hye Sun, Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong)

Good Kimchi: Probably the most anticipated and hyped drama to begin 2009 with. Did it deliver? Well, it wasn’t perfect with good and bad points but overall it was an entertaining drama. Being the 3rd adaptation of the popular manga, there were still some refreshing plotlines to keep us entertained. Lee Min Ho, Kim Bum and Kim So Eun were the breakout stars I feel, especially for Lee Min Ho who must be thanking his lucky stars to have landed the role of Goo Joon Pyo. The love for the SoEul couple is legendary. For Goo Hye Sun, it was a mixed performance largely due to the somewhat imbalanced writing for her Jandi role, ranging from sassy to idiotic in the extreme range. Kim Hyun Joong, at times, he was awkward and I just felt it was best for him not to say anything. He was rather inconsistent especially for the emo scenes but expected since it was his first acting role. But much was expected from him. Music-wise, the insertion of music plus the tracks (Paradise, Lucky) in the first half was overplayed until it became an irritant. The music for season 2 was much more enjoyable. A notable mention for Lee Min Jung who I felt played a good potrayal of Ha Jae Kyung. The pacing of the whole drama did not lag too much despite it being 24 episodes which was a surprise. Certainly something worth rewatching. 4/5 stars.

2008

East of Eden (Song Seung Hun, Yun Jung Hoon, Park Hae Jin, Lee Da Hae, Lee Yeon Hee, Han Ji Hye, Jo Min Ki, Lee Mi Sook)

Okay Kimchi: I could write an essay but going to keep this short. Billed as one of the mega budget MBC drama of the year and with an impressive cast, it looks like nothing could go wrong for East of Eden especially at the early stages. But audiences soon grew tired of the repeating plotlines and numerous side-stories (which usually end up in dead-ends).

How many times did we see Dong Chul and Young Ran being kept apart? And it seems like kidnapping is a proven method for getting things done in East of Eden as there were over 10 kidnapping attempts in the drama. There were also many question marks over the side stories which remained unresolved by the time the drama ended. The script had too much inconsistencies and a change of scriptwriter in the middle only made things worst. Who was Kim Ji Hyun’s parents? Where did Janice go? Dong Wook’s marriage disappeared? The ending also seemed too rushed in my opinion and simply put, the writer wrote too much stories than the drama could possibly fit in.

Acting-wise, most of them did a really good job especially Han Ji Hye, Jo Min Ki, etc. There were also many negatives in that Lee Da Hae quit the drama mid-way while there was a farce at the 2008 MBC Drama Awards where everyone involved with the drama won an award. It also lost in the ratings after the entry of Boys Before Flowers. In summary, it was a drama that started strongly but finshed on a weak note. 3.5/5 stars.

Star’s Lover (Choi Ji Woo, Yoo Ji Tae, Lee Ki Woo, Cha Ye Ryun)

Bad Kimchi: I thought it would be different and interesting. It didn’t really start off well for me but gradually drew me in with the wonderful cinematography, witty dialouge and the chemistry between Yoo Ji Tae and Choi Ji Woo. Choi Ji Woo was awkward but improved as it went along. Yoo Ji Tae was the reason why I stuck to watching this. But it soon descended into slow-paced meandering scenes around the mid-way mark and I started to hate it. The continous let’s be together – let’s split storyline was simply irksome to watch. Perhaps having 20 episodes wasn’t a really wise choice in the 1st place. I officially stopped watching after 12 episodes. 2.5/5 stars.

Kingdom of the Winds (Song Il Gook, Jung Jin Young, Choi Jung Won)

Bad Kimchi: Had high expectations going into this because of 2 factors: Song Il Gook was the main protagonist here as Muhyul, no one plays a better king than him, it was a story set in early Goguryeo, a time where war was like eating everyday. But after a few episodes, I was left utterly disappointed with the way it was filmed, they could have done a better job at it. Apart from Song Il Gook who excelled as the king, there were a couple who were simply unsuitable for their roles. Or maybe it was the weak storytelling which simply did not captivate me. The war scenes were underwhelming and oversimplified as well without much tactics or thought put into it. If the director’s aim was to make it a family oriented drama, it was simply the wrong drama to apply it to. A wasted opportunity. 2.5/5 stars.

Tazza (Jang Hyuk, Han Ye Seul, Kim Min Joon, Kang Sung Yun)

Okay Kimchi: This was a pretty predictable linear gambling drama from how it had panned out in the beginning. Well, at least I got the ending correct. I thought Jang Hyuk was quite over in some scenes while Han Ye Seul was pretty much insignificant frankly. Kim Min Joon did a really good portrayal of his Young Min character and you gotta feel sorry for his fate at the end. Kim Gab Soo as Ah Gwi was once again awesome as the villain. Overall not too bad but my failure to understand Go Stop with Hwatu (flower cards) which was the centerpiece of the drama spolit the viewing pleasure somewhat. Moral of the story, gambling is the root of all evil! 3.5/5 stars.

Women of The Sun (Kim Ji Soo, Lee Ha Na, Han Jae Suk, Jung Gyu Woon)

Good Kimchi: The drama revolves around the fate of Do Young and Ji Young/Sa Wol which develops differently due to a wrong decision made by the earlier when they were children. It’s about learning to forgive, love and the courage to admit to your wrongdoings. Kim Ji Soo was excellent in her role whom you will hate but gradually feel that she is so pitiful and didn’t really meant for that. Lee Ha Na was good in some but not that good in some scenes. The climax of the drama must be the play enactment between Do Young and Sa Wol during the live broadcast of the Wonder Woman show. It really blew me away. Jung Gyu Woon as Cha Dong Woo who will give up everything for his love Do Young was admirable and something that would happen only in dramas. Wasn’t expecting much judging from my initial intepretation of the storyline. But it was really well-written. 4.5/5 stars.

Iljimae (Lee Jun Ki, Han Hyo Joo, Lee Young Ah, Park Shi Hoo)

Good Kimchi: The ending just gave me a deja vu feeling but luckily on second viewing, I realized that Yong/Iljimae was probably alive because he was hit by a dull sword and not a real sword. Plus the final double shoes scene gave it away. The ending wrapped up the series nicely I thought with everyone settled down quite nicely. It was just sad I felt that Eun Chae never ever realized Iljimae = Yong while Bong Soon never ended up with Yong. The series started slowly but picked up pace from episode 8 onwards and the character development was nicely done. All the secondary characters were really interesting and I will miss them. Very good action drama overall. The last 4 episodes were excellent like a movie. 4.5/5 stars.

When It’s At Night (Kim Sun Ah, Lee Dong Gun)

Bad Kimchi: Pretty dismal and dire storyline. Considering the genre, it could have been better explored. The side characters are downright boring and one-dimensional although Kang Jung Hwa do tickle me at times with her princess complex. Kim Sun Ah’s character is too serious for my liking. Decided to put myself of my misery early. 2/5 stars.

Spotlight (Ji Jin Hee, Son Ye Jin, Jo Yoon Hee, Jin Goo)

Bad Kimchi: Coming on the back of the successful On Air, this drama was suppose to be the equivalent focusing on how reporters gather their news. But in the end, it really amounted to nothing more than a documentary rather than a drama. There were far too many serious overtones in the entire drama and not even 1 likeable character that you can identify with. There wasn’t even a romance storyline. Drab, dull and listless. Only the first story involving the convict on the run, Jang Jin Gyu was interesting. 2/5 stars.

Unstoppable Marriage (Seo Do Young, Park Chae Kyung)

Good Kimchi: Daily sitcom that lasted eight months with less than desirable ratings and an ending that left many unsatisfied. But I for one was satisfied with the open-ended ending because this sitcom was never meant to be taken too seriously. Other than Kibaek and Miho who got married, all the other couples were left dangling in the air. The sitcom lost direction once Kibaek and Miho got married frankly but they were saved by the triangle relationship of Su Jeong, Ilbaek and Sambaek. I was entertained by almost every episode, bursting in laughter at their ridiculous antics. I like the fact that they did hint at the possibility of Ilbaek possibly getting hitched with a dorkier lookalike Su Jeong on the plane at the end.Mibaek couple, Chungdam-dong pigs, GuWangCha, the Hulk, bluff Chungjae, the childish Manager Cha, the 100% regulations Crab Manager, the expletives-laden Chairman Shim, etc, they will not be forgotten. 4/5 stars.

Read my Extended Coverage

On Air (Lee Bum Soo, Kim Ha Neul, Song Yoon Ah, Park Yong Ha)

Heavenly Kimchi: Came into this show with minimal expectations and just slightly attracted by the plot, big budget and the initial star cameos. Glad I stayed on for the show as I was treated to an excellent behind the scenes of how the entertainment industry operate (some was over the top) focusing on drama production. Great acting from the main leads and the rest of the cast, excellent soundtrack and the numerous star cameos. There wasn’t any redundant or lull scenes. My drama of the year thus far. 4.9/5 stars.

Read my Extended Review

Read my Extended Coverage

U-Turn (So Ji Sub, Lee Yeon Hee)

Okay Kimchi: 12 minute movie splitted into four episodes. The storyline didn’t amount to much as it looked more like a MV or commercial considering that it was sponsored by a automobile company. Just a vehicle to announce So Ji Sup return and introducing me to Lee Yeon Hee. Nice twist at the end although it was coming. Just filler stuff. 3.5/5 stars.

King and I (Oh Man Suk, Goo Hye Sun, Jun Kwang Ryul, Jung Tae Woo)

Okay Kimchi: A saeguk drama that lasted for seven months. It can be summed up in one sentence, “Unbalanced script and poor storylines but saved by an excellent and intriguing cast. Despite its faults, you just want to keep watching every week because of the characters. 3.5/5 stars.

Read my Extended Review

Hong Gil Dong (Kang Ji Hwan, Sung Yuri, Jang Geun Suk)

Okay Kimchi: To rate this, you can just use Goong as a template. Started well and was really promising with it’s characters and storyline. But it faded towards the end with stale and boring melodramatic scenes. The ending leaves one scratching their heads. An underwhelming production. Kang Ji Hwan was on top of his game while Sung Yuri improved tremendously. Overall good production with lush bright scenes mostly. 3.5/5 stars.

Read my Extended Review

Robber (Jang Hyuk, Lee Da Hae)

Bad Kimchi: Not really a fan of depressing dramas and I am surprised at myself for thinking this wasn’t in the first place. It started pretty decent for me but then it subsequently got too heavy and melodramatic for me as the characters got darker and darker. Decided to stopped at Episode 12 after knowing that someone would eventually die. 2.5/5 stars.

2007

Lobbyist (Song Il Gook, Jang Jin Young, Han Jae Suk)

Bad Kimchi: Plot was really bad and unbelievably unrealistic. Humour was lacking and there were no interesting sub-characters to fall on at all, incredible. The acting generally leaves much to be desired. The only redeeming point must be the music which was really good. 2/5 stars.

Read my Extended Review

Tae Wang Sa Shin Gi (Bae Yong Joon, Lee Ji Ah, Moon So Ri, Yoon Tae Young)

Good Kimchi: The last episode really spoiled the rating for me. An underwhelming ending as the director seem to have taken the easy way out with a sloppy finale. Other than the piss-poor finale, the series were generally good with excellent acting and impressive CG. Cannot think of anyone other than Bae Yong Joon as Damdeok. 4/5 stars.

Read my Extended Coverage

Yi San – King Jeong Jo (Lee Seo Jin, Han Ji Min, Park Eun Hye, Lee Jong Soo)

Bad Kimchi: Things just keep repeating in this drama and I am pretty sick of it. There is little romance, little action and far more negatives than positives for me. Decided to drop this after 20 episodes. 2.5/5 stars

I’m Sam (Yang Dong Geun, Park Min Young, T.O.P, Son Tae Young)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

Read my Extended Review

Time of Dog and Wolf (Lee Jun Ki, Nam Sang Mi, Jung Kyung Ho)

Heavenly Kimchi: This was really a top-notch production, great acting, great storyline, excellent soundtrack. What more can you ask for? Maybe the romance portion wasn’t as strong, but the action and suspense more than made up for it! My drama of the year and the benchmark for future dramas in my eyes. Pity about the ratings in Korea. 5/5 stars.

Read my Extended Review

Capital Scandal (Kang Ji Hwan, Han Ji Min, Ryu Jin, Han Go Eun)

Heavenly Kimchi: Top rated drama, amazing in every sense. 5/5 stars.

Read my Extended Review

Coffee Prince (Yoon Eun Hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun Gyun, Chae Jung Ahn)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

War of Money (Park Shin Yang, Park Jin Hee, Shin Dong Wook, Kim Jung Hwa)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

Thank You (Jang Hyuk, Gong Hyo Jin, Shin Sung Rok, Kim Sung Eun)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

If in Love, Like Them… (Lee Hyori, Lee Dong Gun, Jung Joon Ho)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

2006

The Book of Three Han: The Chapter of Ju Mong (Han Hye Jin, Song Il Kook)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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Pure 19 (Goo Hye Sun, Suh Ji Suk, Lee Min Woo, Lee Yoon Ji)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

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Couple of Fantasy (Oh Ji Ho, Han Ye Seul, Kim Sung Min, Park Han Byul)

Good Kimchi: Fantastic drama even though cliche storyline. The chemistry was great between the leads. Han Ye Seul was extremely good. Classic jajyungmyung reference and her quotes would always be remembered. The ending was a bit complex though. 4/5 stars.

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Snow Queen (Hyun Bin, Sung Yuri, Im Ju Hwan, Yoo In Young)

Smelly Kimchi: This was really painful to watch, sleep-inducing and a total waste of time. Fast-forwarded it most of the time. 1/5 stars.

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Bad Family (Nam Sang Mi, Kim Myung Min)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

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What Star Are You From? (Kim Rae Won, Jung Ryeo Won)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

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Goong/Princess Hours (Yoon Eun Hye, Joo Ji Hoon, Kim Jung Hoon, Song Ji Hyo)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

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Heaven’s Tree (Park Shin Hye, Lee Wan)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

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My Girl (Lee Da Hae, Lee Dong Wook, Park Si Yeon, Lee Jun Ki)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

2005

Ballad of Seo Dong (Jo Hyun Jae, Lee Bo Young, Ryu Jin)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

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My Name is Kim Sam-soon (Kim Soon Ah, Hyun Bin, Ryeo Won, Daniel Henney)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

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Beautiful Life (Eugene, Kim Jae Won, Lee Ji Hoon, Han Eun Jung)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

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Sad Sonata (Kwon Sang Woo, Kim Hee Sun, Yeon Jung Hoon, Kim Yeon Joo)

Bad Kimchi: Not enjoyable drama. 2/5 stars.

2004

Full House (Song Hae Gyo, Rain, Han Jung Eun, Kim Sung Soo)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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Lovers in Paris (Park Shin Yang, Kim Jung Eun, Lee Dong Gun)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

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Sorry, I Love You (So Ji Sup, Im Soo Jung, Jung Kyung Ho, Seo Ji Young)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4.5/5 stars.

2003

Dae Jang Geum (Lee Young Ae, Ji Jin Hee, Park Eun Hye, Hong Ri Na)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

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Stairway to Heaven (Kwon Sang Woo, Choi Ji Woo, Kim Tae Hee)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

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My Fair Lady (Kim Hee Sun, Go Soo)

Okay Kimchi: This was loosely based on Japanese drama Yamato Nadeshiko and it had Kim Hee Sun in it. Along the way, it made for good watching until the last 6 or 7 episodes where it suddenly became draggy. 3/5 stars.

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All-In – (Lee Byung Hyun, Song Hye Gyo)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

2002

Success Story of Bright Cheerful Girl (Jang Nara, Jang Hyuk)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

2001

Guardian Angel (Song Hye Gyo, Kim Min Jong)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

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Four Sisters (Chae Rim, Jang Dong Gun)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

2000

PopCorn (Song Seung Hun, Kim Kyu Ri)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

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All About Eve (Chae Rim, Jang Dong Gun, Han Jae Suk, Kim So Yeon)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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Autumn Love Story (Song Seung Hun, Won Bin, Song Hye Gyo)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

1999

Happy Together (Song Seung Hun, Kim Ha Neul, Lee Byung Hun, Jun Ji Hyun, Han Go Eun, Cha Tae Hyun, Jo Jae Hyun)

Okay Kimchi: Slightly misleading title as this was pretty much a depressing drama with plenty of tears and sorrow along the way.

But it wasn’t that bad nevertheless and there were plenty of future stars in here in 1 freaking drama, which was amazing! 3.5/5 stars.

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Tomato (Kim Hee Sun, Kim Suk Hoon, Kim Ji Young, Kim Sang Jung)

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

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GoodBye My Love (Kim Hee Sun, Ahn Jae Wook)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.

1998

Mister Q (Kim Hee Sun, Kim Min Jong)

Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3/5 stars.

1997

Wish Upon A Star (Ahn Jae Wook, Cha In Pyo, Choi Jin Sil)
Okay Kimchi: Sometimes good sometimes bad. Okay drama. 3.5/5 stars.