The 2020 OCN drama Search (써치) is a thrilling mystery that packs a lot into its ten episodes. The fast-paced story and great cast leaves you both satisfied and wanting much more.
The 2020 JTBC drama 18 Again (18 어게인) is an all-around fun and heartwarming series depicting relatable life lessons about family, friends, school and career. Though it loses a bit of steam towards the end, it is a wholly satisfying series that is powered by sincere performances and a positive overarching message.
Asterisk Digital Entertainment’s My Extraordinary is both groundbreaking and heartbreaking, as well as maybe a missed opportunity. For being the first BL series on Philippine broadcast television, it is a big step forward for more to come in the future. As a series, it is a heartbreaking, painful, but hopeful story that can be relatable to a Filipino audience. But it also falls short in some ways.
OCN, long the home of genre-bending and bold storytelling, premiered crime thriller Voice (보이스 ) in 2017. But my review is for the second and third seasons of the series. (I”ll have to go back and watch that original season in the future.)
OCN’s 2019 series Strangers from Hell (타인은 지옥이다 / Hell is Other People) is a psychological thriller to end all psychological thrillers. Ten fast-paced episodes explore the often-tumultuous depths of people’s minds and often-frightening depths of today’s society. It serves as a reminder about not ignoring those reaching out for help and how there may always be something lurking beneath an innocuous surface.
The 2018-2019 drama series My Strange Hero (복수가 돌아왔다) appears to try and bring a new take to a familiar theme and setting. But being unable to commit to ideas it offers up results in a talented cast being given material that lacks cohesion and weight to really leave a lasting impression.
The 2018 film On Your Wedding Day (너의 결혼식) is a heartfelt, realistic coming of age story about the people and moments that help to shape your life.
The 2017 KBS drama Hit the Top (최고의 한방/The Best Hit) is a charming and fun slice-of-life look at youth at all ages. And the moments that help shape one’s self and one another.
While the Weakest Link revival captures some of the original run’s magic, including retaining the most of the music and visuals, there’s still something not quite right just yet.
The 2017 SBS drama While You Were Sleeping (당신이 잠든 사이에) may not have gotten everything right, but its ambitious, yet accessible premise and a charming cast ultimately make it a worthwhile experience.