Korean Drama Spotlight: When Life Gives You Tangerines

I wasn’t planning to watch this K-drama, but the glowing reviews in some K-drama groups convinced me to give it a try. I had my doubts. Mainly because I haven’t been able to finish any romantic K-dramas lately. But I’m glad I took the chance, because it turned out to be an absolute treat.

What’s It About?

When Life Gives You Tangerines follows the lives of three generations of women, whose main struggles revolve around money, not men. Their hardships and resilience form the heart of the story. At its core, the message is clear: with strong support, you can weather any storm life throws your way.

Thoughts

The story is as bittersweet as the name suggests. Tangerines are generally sweet with a slight tang, but when unripe, they can have a hint of bitterness. Just like the layered emotions in the narrative of the series.

Struggle stories can be hard to watch, but When Life Gives You Tangerines somehow makes even the toughest moments feel bearable. The female protagonist’s poetic narration offers a gentle sense of comfort, reaching out to you, the viewer, and softly encouraging you to keep going just as the characters do in the series.

IU shines as the standout performer in When Life Gives You Tangerines, beautifully supported by Park Bo Gum and Kim Seon-ho.

The series explores the complex relationship between parents and children with deep empathy and emotion. I heard it’s based on a true story, and that might explain the raw, genuine feeling that runs through every scene. You don’t just watch the characters. You journey with them, as if they’re personally guiding you through their world.

This isn’t your typical lighthearted romance. It’s a slow burn, and you might find yourself tearing up in almost every episode. Normally, I don’t appreciate being made to cry. But for this family, I was more than willing to make an exception.

When Life Gives You Tangerines is streaming on Netflix. The series has 16 episodes, with each episode lasting roughly an hour.

Korean Drama Spotlight: No Gain No Love

Recently, I watched the Korean drama “No Gain No Love” on Amazon Prime. I was going through a Korean drama slump, so I was unsure if I would be able to complete the drama. However, the cute chemistry between the lead characters kept me going.

What’s It About?

No Gain No Love is precisely what the name implies – if there’s no gain involved, don’t expect any love.

An ambitious woman, Son Hae-yeong, decides to enter into a fake marriage with a younger man, Kim Ji-uk, to claim office benefits. The man has his own share of secrets that he needs to safeguard from Son Hae-yeong.

Thoughts

I adored the chemistry between Shin Min-a and Kim Young-dae. Their pairing appeared fresh and different, accentuated by Shin Min-a’s perfect comedy timing and Kim Young-dae’s boyish charms.

Surprisingly, the series is bold in the sense it navigates different characters commonly unexplored in family-oriented Korean dramas. You have the leads indulging in mature, flirty conversations at the start, a departure from the usual cutesy romantic lines we are subjected to. Then, you have a writer who authors erotic books. Plus, there’s another couple engaged in an unconventional love story. The effort is commendable.

The newness of the characters aside, the story could have been written better. The plot is predictable and drags in the later episodes. However, the superlative performances save the series. It was Shin Min-a’s show through and through.

Another grievance is the considerable effort to portray the lead actress as someone younger than her age. Shin Min-a is 40 years old, whereas the character in the series is around 32-33. The smoothening filter felt overdone. Despite that flaw, the chemistry still worked for me, unlike “The Idea of You”, which had a much older character, played by Anne Hathaway, falling for a flirtatious, BTS-que boy band singer, played by Nicholas Galitzine. As long as the story and the chemistry make sense, the age difference does not matter. In “The Idea of You” the chemistry nor the story was convincing enough, but in “No Gain No Love” it was.

No Gain No Love is streaming on Amazon Prime. The series has 12 episodes, with each episode lasting roughly an hour.

Korean Drama Spotlight: Gyeongseong Creature

Gyeongseong Creature captivates you with every frame. The intricate storytelling, excellent performances, and impeccable cinematography hook you from the start.

I completed Season 1 the day it was released on Netflix. I did not leave a review on this website even if I enjoyed it as laziness got the better of me. When Season 2 was released, I knew I had to watch it, but I thought of taking it a bit slow and spread it over the course of a week so I would not spend too much time glued to my couch. However, once I started, I couldn’t stop, and I binge-watched it in a day. This, in short, gives you an idea of how I felt about the series.

What’s It About?

Gyeongseong Creature, as the name gives away, is a creature born in the labs of power-hungry monsters. Their sinister motive makes them more repulsive and horrifying than the Najin they created. The first season, which starts in 1945 during the late stages of the Japanese occupation of Korea, explores this origin story in detail. The second season takes place in a free Korea, where the evil elements are still at play.

Thoughts

Season 2 isn’t as perfect as Season 1, but it still has much to offer. Park Seo Jun and Han So Hee shine in both seasons. Special mention to Claudia Kim, who played Lady Maeda. She portrayed the character with such finesse that you cannot help but admire and loathe her at the same time. I also liked the new character in Season 2, Seung-Jo. Like Lady Maeda, Seung-Jo is a complicated character with many layers. His angelic looks contrast his duality.

Once I compeleted the series, I couldn’t help but relate it to the current world. We aren’t even remotely close to what is shown in the drama. Yet, you can’t help but consider the possibility of this absurdity getting executed in a smaller, intangible capacity in the wrong hands. In their pursuit of power, some leaders may be willing to sacrifice lives to achieve their goals. If a time comes when leaders cease to distinguish between right and wrong, how will ordinary civilians cope? Gyeongseong Creature offers a thought-provoking message in that sense.

Gyeongseong Creature is streaming on Netflix. The first season has ten episodes, and the second has seven. Each episode lasts roughly an hour.

Korean Drama Spotlight: Doctor Slump

We are a generation obsessed with climbing the corporate ladder. We want to make a lot of money and afford the best things money can buy. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Ambition is an admirable quality that many people aspire to possess. It takes you places. We all wish to do well in our respective careers and live the high life. But, it often comes at the expense of our health.

Enduring long periods of work-related stress may keep our bank balance happy, but when it’s time to relax, our entire being goes into a state of confusion. We have never been taught how to unwind. Since childhood, we’ve been taught to persevere and avoid rest. However, when we do take some time to catch a breather, restlessness uncannily creeps in. Before we know it, we find ourselves caught up in another stressful endeavor. Eventually, there comes a burnout point when our body and mind scream for a break, and our entire system goes into hibernation mode.

Doctor Slump is a k-drama that focuses on this particular phase in our life trajectory.

What’s It About?

Two doctors who were school rivals meet each other again at a turning point in their careers. They find comfort in each other, helping one another manage their mental exhaustion and insecurities in life.

Thoughts

The highlight, or rather highlights, of Doctor Slump are the characters. Park Hyung Sik is back to his quirky avatar, which he portrayed convincingly before with much fanfare in k-dramas like Strong Girl Bong Soon and The Heirs. It is difficult not to like him. His comedy timing is impeccable, and you end up feeling a sense of comfort watching him on-screen. Park Shin Hye aces her role as well. The moment she and Park Hyung Sik break down in tears while sitting on a bench is one for the books. I have not seen a scene like that in a web series or movie. The beautiful words in the background add to the overall vibe of the scene. Their chemistry will make you smile.

The downside of the series is, unfortunately, the story. Although Doctor Slump starts strong, it loses momentum after the 6th or 7th episode. You find yourself losing interest. However, you stick on because you love the characters.

If you are looking for some comic relief and an empathetic take on mental health, I would recommend Doctor Slump. It’s great to see a series promoting work-life balance amidst hustle culture.

All episodes of Doctor Slump are now streaming on Netflix. It has 16 episodes, with each episode lasting an hour.

Korean Drama Spotlight: Gangnam Beauty

One thing is sure, Gangnam Beauty made me rethink my perspective on those opting for plastic surgery. I was of the opinion that people should learn to embrace their natural selves. But what to do when you get bullied and ridiculed for your looks? It’s easy to say, “Ignore and move on.” Let’s face it, we are a world obsessed with superficial beauty. We say beauty is skin deep, but our actions prove otherwise. There is indeed a pretty privilege. As a woman who was not considered conventionally beautiful as a youngster, I can empathize with the feelings of those who never got positive validation for their appearance. It’s a brutal world out there, and that’s what Gangnam Beauty tries to address. It nudges us to be more kind instead of judgmental.

Disclaimer: This post shouldn’t be treated as a review because I am far from qualified to give an objective and professional take on dramas. It should be treated as a subjective viewpoint of a cinephile who loves to watch movies and dramas purely for entertainment. I have only one criterion – I shouldn’t get bored. The drama will be judged on that factor alone.

What’s It About?

Gangnam Beauty starts with a young girl anxiously standing at the door of a surgery room, tightly grasping her mother’s hands, frightened yet hopeful of a brighter future. She wants acceptance, and her physical transformation could just prove to be the key. How Mi-rae’s story unfolds post-surgery once she enters college forms the crux of the story. Does life get simpler? Or will there be other unpleasant obstacles?

Thoughts

I liked how the story showed the “other side” of plastic surgery. We often mock and ridicule people who end up doing too many cosmetic surgeries. But Gangnam Beauty shifts your perspective by showing how “natural beauties” don’t always fare better.

The drama cleverly avoids revealing Mi-rae’s appearance before her surgery. This decision highlights the subjectivity of beauty. While Kyung-seok, the main character, and Mi-rae’s father considered her cute before the surgery, disclosing her former appearance would imply conforming to societal beauty standards.

Jo Woo-ri’s portrayal of Sua stood out as my favorite performance. Sua embodies natural beauty and a charming personality, effortlessly winning people over. Yet, beneath her exterior lies a complex character with hidden depths. Jo Woo-ri masterfully brings this multifaceted persona to life, a rarity to witness on-screen.

Though Gangnam Beauty has its imperfections, I would say it’s worth a watch, simply because it has a social message I feel everyone should be aware of.

Gangnam Beauty is available on Netflix. It has 16 episodes, with each episode lasting an hour.

Korean Drama Spotlight: The Second Husband

I stumbled upon “The Second Husband” by chance. The show was being aired on an Indian television channel called “Atrangi” and was dubbed in Hindi. It was then that I realized that Korean dramas have truly made their mark in India.

Disclaimer: This post shouldn’t be treated as a review because I am far from qualified to give an objective and professional take on cinema. It should be treated as a subjective viewpoint of a cinephile who loves to watch movies and dramas purely for entertainment. I have only one criterion – I shouldn’t get bored. The film will be judged on that factor alone.

What’s It About?

A committed woman finds herself entangled in a web of lies and deceit. Her fiancé cheats on her with a wealthy, money-hungry businesswoman. An apt companion for the man, who himself is blinded by greed. They are ready to forsake everything for money – their integrity, conscience, and love.

Thoughts

The Second Husband is a story that focuses on power-hungry people and their never-ending thirst for wealth. Everyone holds a secret that the others should not know.

I recommend the series to people who like dramatic, frustrating, Indian-serial-type stories. It has the bad guys winning more than 90% of the time. Not pleasant to watch. However, it keeps your interest and is quite engaging. You will keep moving to the next episode, even after the mental turmoil.

All the actors gave a superlative performance. The main lead, Cha Seo Won, is adorable, charming, and playful. I am sure whoever watches the drama will fall for his charisma. Hopefully, after his military stint is over, we will get to see him in more dramas.

The villain, enacted by Oh Seung Ah, is top-notch. She’s as evil as evil can get, and brilliantly depicts the character’s anxiety and eccentricity without appearing caricaturish.

The drama is 150 episodes long, each lasting around 20-30 minutes.

Give it a go if you are in the mood for Indian-styled kdramas.