Secret Garden

• Genre: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Melodrama
• Episodes: 20
• Year: 2010
• My Rating: Excellent

 Synopsis
The drama tells the story of Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), an arrogant and eccentric CEO who maintains the image of seeming perfection, and Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won), a poor and humble stuntwoman whose beauty and body are the object of envy amongst top actresses. Their accidental meeting, when Joo Won mistakes Ra Im for actress Park Chae Rin, marks the beginning of a tense, bickering relationship, through which Joo Won tries to hide a growing attraction to Ra Im that both confuses and disturbs him. To complicate matters further, a strange sequence of events results in them swapping bodies.


What I Think
A complete package of romance, comedy, and melodrama. Totally fun to watch the story :)
After a long break of watching Korean drama, I watched this drama and directly addictive to other Korean drama series.

Worlds Within / The World That They Live In

• Genre: Romance
• Episodes: 16
• Year: 2008
• My Rating: Fair

Synopsis
This drama is about the process of a television drama production. Jung Ji-oh (Hyun Bin) is a charismatic drama PD, while Joo Joon-young (Song Hye-kyo) is a PD who is direct and confident. They had a past relationship in their college days, which lead to complicated break ups due to their separate affairs with other people. After finally breaking up with their previous affairs, they decided to get back together and start a relationship.

Joon-young is a daughter from a rich family; she has problems regarding her mom (who lives a luxurious lifestyle, gambling and affairs with other men), which made her become too cold and reserve when it comes to expressing her feelings. These problems lead to her filming of cold and unexpressive dramas. Ji-oh on the other hand, is a son from a poor family of farmers and has a hard time dealing with his dad's temper and loves his mom dearly.

However, Joon Young's mother didn't much approve of Ji-oh, since he is only a lowly person in her eyes. Ji-oh's pride was deeply wounded by the impression Joon Young's mom gave to him, so he decided to break up with Joon Young. Joon Young was deeply hurt and doesn't realize the reason of their break-up, and Ji-oh is very mean as he pushes her away. Deep inside he still loves her, but he was bothered by their differences in wealth, values and characteristics. Many problems arise between the couple which test their love for each other. Ji-oh suffers an eye disease which leads to an operation and him not being able to film everyday. But at the end, both Ji-Oh and Joon-Young get back together as a couple and also directed a show together.

The drama basically shows the real life when it comes into making a drama, the actors' experiences and situations, as well as the directors and staffs hardships in order to create their dramas, with a twist of budding romance from each of the cast.

What I Think
The story line is quite flat and boring. In the other hand, it was nice to see daily activities of film industry. Talking about the romance, this drama captures on and off of a relationship.

Shining Inheritance / Brilliant Legacy

Genre:  Family, Romance
Episodes: 28
Year: 2009
My Rating: Excellent

Synopsis

Go Eun Sung (Han Hyo Joo) was studying overseas in New York and returned to Korea during her vacation to bring her autistic brother, Eun Woo, to the United States to study music. Sun-Woo Hwan (Lee Seung Gi), who was also studying in New York, was ordered to return to Korea by his grandmother, Jang Sook Ja, to learn how to manage her food company. 

Go Pyung Joong, Eun Sung's father, struggled to save his company from going bankrupt. One day, his wallet and valuables were stolen by a thief who subsequently died in a gas explosion accident. The police, upon finding Go’s belongings on the thief, mistakenly identified the thief as Go and a death certificate for Go was promptly issued. Go decided to lie low and not tell his family that he was alive so that his family could claim his life insurance money and use it to clear the debts. However his second wife, Baek Sung Hee, kicked her stepchildren, Eun Sung and Eun Woo, out of the house after collecting the insurance money and moved into a new home with her daughter, Yoo Seung Mi (Moon Chae Won). 

Jang became deeply disappointed in Hwan as Hwan had no direction in life and did not know how to cherish her company and employees. After an accident and received help from Eun Sung, Jang brought her home and announced to her family that Eun Sung was going to live with them and that she was going to appoint Eun Sung as the heir of her food company.

What I Think

Quite long story but very nice, exposing family life and restaurant business. Han Hyo Joo is very similar to Song Hye Kyo. This is the very first time seeing Lee Seung Gi, so far all Korean drama having him as the main actor are all Excellent. His character is suit profile of spoil and funny man. After seeing 49 Days drama, i just realized that Bae Soo Bin could act as good person also.

City Hunter

Genre: Action, Revenge, Romance
Episodes: 20
Year: 2011
My Rating: Excellent

Synopsis

The story takes place in Seoul, 2011. Lee Yoon Sung (Lee Min Ho) is a talented MIT-graduate who works on the international communications team in the Blue House. He plans revenge on five politicians who caused his father's death with his surrogate father Lee Jin Pyo (Kim Sang Joong) and eventually becomes a "City Hunter" and falls in love with Kim Na Na (Park Min Young) unexpectedly.

What I Think

Creative story exposes politics. The character of Lee Jin Pyo (the father) is strongly bad compared than usual bad characters in Korean drama.

Personal Taste

Genre: Romance, comedy
Episodes: 16
Year: 2010
My Rating: Good

Synopsis

Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho) is a straight guy who pretends to be gay in order to become Park Kae In's (Son Ye Jin) roommate. His hobbies include organization and ironing, and he’s known for his stoic poker face. He’s a stickler for cleanliness, but he also has a talent for figuring out a women’s feelings. Kae In is very trusting even though she has a habit of being betrayed. However that doesn't stop her from giving people the benefit of doubt and Jin Ho is no different. How will Kae In react when she finds out that her gay roommate is not actually gay at all and that he has fallen for her? 

What I Think

Nice story line exploring the rich culture of traditional Korean house. I just realized that the guy is Lee Min Ho after watching this series for the second time. His top performance is still in City Hunter I think.

Full House

Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 16
Year: 2004

My Rating: Excellent

Synopsis
Han Ji Eun (Song Hye Kyo) is a naive writer who got swindled out of everything she owned including her house by her best friends. Stranded in China, She managed to borrow money from an actor Lee Young Jae (Bi / Rain) to return to Korea. On her return, she found out that her house was bought by Lee Young Jae. In an attempt to get her possessions back, she entered in a contract marriage with Young Jae for one year. In spite of losing all, Ji Eun manages to be cheerful and takes things in strike and the business relationship between the two becomes personal as they start to rely and care for each other


What I Think
One of memorable drama along the time. Light and funny story yet could bring out emotional feeling at the same time. Song Hye Kyo and Rain act perfectly.

Love Story in Harvard

Genre: Drama, Romance

Episodes: 16

Year: 2004

My Rating: Excellent

Synopsis

Love Story in Harvard portrays the dream and love pursued by foreign students studying in Harvard. It demonstrates bright, hard-working, and romantic characters and storylines.

A young love story set at the famed Ivy League school in the United States. Kim Hyun Woo (Kim Rae Won), a 1st year law student at Harvard Law, enters into a rivalry with classmate Hong Jung Min (Lee Jung Jin) for the affections of beautiful medical student Lee Soo In (Kim Tae Hee). The two men are both from prestigious families, while Soo In is from a poor family. Can the trio resolve their romantic differences and chase their dreams at the same time?

What I Think

This is a very fresh Korean drama exploring the beauty of 2 professionalism: lawyer and doctor. It's so amazing watching bright students transforming into professionals after encountered such challenges and hard tmes. The love story was packaged nicely.