DryedMangoez reviews of television series, films and music.
Weak Hero Class 1 (약한영웅) is a thrilling, yet sobering portrait of young students and the different struggles, difficulties and momentary joys they experience while growing up in a society that, too often, neglects and pushes them aside. It is strongest though as a character piece, telling the story of friendship and bonds that must survive under the weight of all that is happening around them.
MBC’s 2017 medical drama Hospital Ship (병원선) is a surprisingly character-driven slice of life procedural. Being able to balance a steady stream of patients and emergencies of the week with deep dives into the lives and backstories of the main characters, Hospital Ship manages to be both exciting and emotionally engaging.
Once Upon a Small Town (어쩌다 전원일기/Accidental Country Diary) blends together the best of romantic comedy and small-town nostalgia to deliver a warm, fun and enjoyable time. Park Soo Young (Red Velvet’s Joy) and Choo Young Woo lead a charming ensemble cast in this breezy series that takes full advantage of its cast and beautiful location.
So upon hearing about Kamen Rider OOO 10th: Core Medal of Resurrection, I was very excited. Not only because it was a chance to visit with old friends again. But also since it reminded me of how long I’ve enjoyed (and maybe not in some years lol) Kamen Rider.
If you want a simple, stress-free K-drama experience, KBS’s Café Minamdang (미남당) might be the series for you. If you’re looking for something a bit more than that, you might be left wanting more. Café Minamdang mixes over-the-top comedy with crime/mystery. And while it isn’t always able to seamlessly blend the two, the series is nonetheless a refreshingly easy watch compared to most of what’s on the Korean airwaves today.
A supermarket producing a webseries? Sure! Puregold, one of the Philippines’ largest supermarket chains, produced Ang Babae Sa Likod Ng Face Mask (The Woman Behind the Face Mask). The romantic comedy stars popular TV host/comedienne/beauty queen Herlene “Hipon” Budol as a young woman who must overcome her insecurities and lack of confidence as she finds love.
Kamen Rider Black Sun (仮面ライダーBLACK SUN) is a refreshing and engaging reimagination of not just the original 1987-88 season of Kamen Rider, but of the entire franchise itself. Celebrating the franchise’s 50-year history, Black Sun is a darker, more mature version of the long-running Sunday morning series. And it draws upon that history to deliver timely and universal stories though the familiar, though more mature confines within the Kamen Rider playbook. It has a little something for everyone, whether you’re a longtime fan or someone stepping into the world of masked Riders for the very first time.
Kim Yoo Jung and Byeon Woo Seok deliver pitch perfect performances to power Netflix’s 20th Century Girl (20세기 소녀). The film is a dreamy and nostalgic story of high school friendship and first love. And the chemistry of the two leads help to make director/writer Bang Woo Ri’s screenplay one that immediately endears and draws you in for maximum emotional effect.
tvN’s Shxxting Stars (or Shooting Stars/별똥별) is a romantic comedy through and through. It might not reinvent the wheel, but it knows what it wants to be and does it well. Yet it is also still refreshing and new while being as fluffy and breezy as a romantic comedy should be. That’s also true even when the series does dabble in more dramatic stories, especially those addressing some of the darker sides of Korean entertainment. But this stylized depiction of a world ripe for K-drama shenanigans is an absolute treat.
Along with a strong supporting cast, fast-paced writing and a long-overdue star turn for leading man Kang Tae Oh, experienced and talented actress Park Eun Bin delivers an endearing and nuanced portrayal of the title character in the ENA drama series Extraordinary Attorney Woo (이상한 변호사 우영우/ Strange Lawyer Woo Young-woo), While shining a light on Attorney Woo who has autism spectrum disorder, the series also provides a refreshing take on the law procedural that has felt a bit tired lately as many recent Korean dramas in the genre seem content on paint by the numbers execution.