DryedMangoez reviews of television series, films and music.
Disney+’s Big Bet (카지노/Casino) is a fun and intriguing ride. Split into two eight-episode seasons, this first group of episodes introduces us to its anti-hero protagonist Cha Mu Sik played masterfully by the legend Choi Min Sik. The series is a fascinating character study of a man who from humble beginnings in rural Korea becomes an influential kingpin in the Philippine casino world.
Netflix looks to have its next big Korean hit with reality-competition series Physical: 100 (피지컬: 100). One hundred contestants from various fields in top physical shape compete in a series of grueling challenges to be the last one standing. And to claim the honor and 300 million won cash prize.
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Haruka is at Donbura stressing over being unable to come up with an engaging concept for her manga when Magerappa suddenly storm the café. HurricaneRed Shiina Yousuke is close behind and battles the henchmen for a strange blue stone.
ENA’s Unlock My Boss (사장님을 잠금해제) holds a lot of surprises. But the biggest of all is probably how much heart it has. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll gasp. The series mixes drama, comedy, fantasy and mystery into a tight package. And the unexpected bit of heart really holds everything together.
KBS2’s Bad Prosecutor (진검승부/True Sword Battle) is surprisingly quite bland despite having a solid cast. An overly familiar story of revenge and corruption that doesn’t really offer any new twists or approaches results in a series that is just there. It is not offensively bad. But there’s nothing memorable about it either. And that’s disappointing.
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As Haruka receives her Best New Actress award, she recounts how she even got to this point. Producer Saegusa had recruited Sonoi and Sononi to star in a film adaptation of Shin Hatsukoi Hero, the manga by Shiina Naoki that Haruka is accused of plagiarizing.
tvN’s Reborn Rich (재벌집 막내아들/The Chaebol’s Youngest Son) is a creative, high concept series that gives an interesting twist on familiar themes. Song Joong Ki’s charisma and charm is utilized to full effect and the ensemble cast is an important part of what helps the series reach its climax. While there are some missteps along the way, especially in its final acts, Reborn Rich is nonetheless an intriguing and refreshing drama.
To be honest, I only decided to watch Peacock’s new reality series The Traitors because I’m fan of Big Brother and Amazing Race alum Rachel Reilly. And while she delivered fun television as only she could, The Traitors actually ended up being a refreshingly enjoyable and fun new experience.
The second season of Netflix’s Single’s Inferno (솔로지옥 시즌2) might have redeemed itself a bit at the end. But if there’s more to come on the island of Inferno, there’s no doubt the show will need some tweaking to keep the format as engaging as it can be.
The 2017 tvN series Prison Playbook (슬기로운 감빵생활 /Wise Prison Life) is an enjoyable, heartwarming and endearing slice of life story about convicts, their families and the corrections officers tasked with keeping them in check. Quite an interesting combination, yet the series easily delivers a wide range of emotions to tell engaging character-driven and relatable stories about life, family and friendship. A stellar ensemble cast is the strong glue that holds all the pieces together for what is a complete and satisfying series.