DryedMangoez Good Ol’ Reviews written after a television series has completed its premiere run.
That interest led me to checking out the show those clips were apparently from which was their debut series together entitled Fish Upon the Sky (ปลาบนฟ้า). Finding myself in a bit of K-drama hole recently, I decided to go ahead and watch the 12-episode series. And though it was far from a perfect series, it easily made me a fan of its stars and reminded me how fun and refreshing these interesting Thai BL series can be.
WHYNOT Media has been one of the leaders in producing Korean web dramas since launching in 2016. And their 2021 romantic drama Light on Me (새빛남고 학생회/Saebit Boys’ High School Council) might be one of the best web series yet.
KBS’ venerable School franchise has not only catapulted young up-and-coming actors toward stardom, it has also presented an honest and (sometimes unfortunately) realistic look at education in Korea. And this is all while allowing for an endearing and relatable character-driven experience. The latest entry in the franchise, School 2021 (학교 2021) certainly continues following in those footsteps. And in a well-written, well-acted and thoroughly engaging package.
To commemorate the 45th season of Super Sentai and the 50th year anniversary of Kamen Rider, Toei presents Saber + Zenkaiger: Superhero Senki (セイバー＋ゼンカイジャー:スーパーヒーロー戦記). The crossover film will feel familiar to fans who may have enjoyed the Super Hero Taisen series of films where numerous legendary Sentai and Kamen Riders come together to fight a vicious foe. And though there are certainly a few hurdles this film needs to overcome, it ultimately is a loving tribute to Shotaro Ishinomori, the father of the two long-running tokusatsu franchises. As well as to children, young and old, who have enjoyed both series the last five decades.
Yoo Jae Myung and Ji Soo deliver captivating performances in the warmhearted, though pensive Ping Pong Ball (탁구공). A part of JTBC’s Drama Festa anthology banner, this 2018 two-episode special drama might as well be a full-length feature film based on its production and presentation. A wonderful screenplay about the friendship formed between two seemingly different people is brought to life by two excellent performances and its cinematic treatment. All for what is ultimately a moving and fascinating slice of life portrait.
Netflix continues to churn out solid and unique Korean drama offerings. And the latest is The Silent Sea (고요의 바다), a sci-fi mystery thriller starring Bae Doona and Gong Yoo. The premise of the eight-episode series is intriguing: an elite team is sent to retrieve a mysterious sample from the moon in the hopes of finding a solution to the severe drought and desertification of the world. Though the series itself isn’t totally out of this world (so to speak), it is nonetheless a refreshing and ultimately enjoyable experience that offers something different from the norm. Even if the series leaves a lot of potential on the table.
Kim Soo Hyun, Cha Seung Won and Kim Sung Kyu deliver captivating performances in the Coupang Play original series One Ordinary Day (어느날). Adapted from the BBC drama Criminal Justice, the series follows a young college student accused of murder and the scruffy lawyer who decides to defend him. A gripping portrait of a young man struggling to prove his innocence, One Ordinary Day is an edgy and sadly realistic look at the harsh realities of the justice system with a character-driven narrative that keeps you guessing until the very last moment.
tvN’s apocalyptic thriller Happiness (해피니스) is terrifying simply because it hits so close to home in 2021. Set in the very near future where infectious diseases have become the norm, Happiness grabs hold of some familiar narrative themes and blends them together with frighteningly relatable real world situations. As much a character piece as it is a horror-tinged thriller, Happiness makes use of a strong cast, creative direction and the stoking of real world tension for what may be the last great series of the year.
The tvN series My Roommate is a Gumiho (간 떨어지는 동거) is a light, fluffy romantic comedy. With a touch of fantasy, the series adds an ample amount of charm and whimsy to what is actually an unexpected slice of life about college and friendship. Though, as the title suggests, the main focus is on the blossoming romance between a human and the titular gumiho, the series is actually at its best when it focuses on the friendships and relationships that grow out of every day, real world situations.
Time traveling stories can get tricky. Television series involving time travel and the like usually require a certain level of commitment and faith from both the viewer and the team bringing the story to life. Because of that, these series can be either hit or miss. There’s usually no in between. Until JTBC’s Sisyphus: The Myth (시지프스: the myth) that is. This ambitious, high concept series features a strong cast and high production value. But that merely allows the series to spectacularly get lost somewhere along the way. It is almost a case of style over substance as Sisyphus is a disjointed and unbalanced series that never commits to what it wants to be. And in turn, gets its wires crossed in a way that it unfortunately is unable to untangle by the time it reaches its baffling and unsatisfying end.