Wonderful Mama

Title: 원더풀 마마 / Wonderful Mama
Chinese Title: 优秀的妈妈
Genre: Family, Romance, Comedy

Synopsis

‘Wonderful Mama’ is described as a refreshing and heartwarming family story.

It’s about a loan shark mom, Yoon Bok Hee (Bae Jong Ok), a self-made woman who went from working a tiny market stand to owning multi-million-won buildings. However, she was suffering from Alzheimer’s and has to hurry to make her 3 adult kids (Jung Yoo Mi,Kim Ji Suk & Park Bo Geum) grow up before she forgets everything.

Meanwhile, Jang Hoon Nam (Jung Gyu Woon) is the second son of a family that’s owned a clothing material factory for three generations. He lost his parents when he was young and lives with his deaf older brother. He meets designer Go Young Chae (Jung Yoo Mi), who is Yoon Bok Hee’s eldest daughter in the company where they work together. At first, they have frequent conflicts with each other, but fall in love with each other after that.

Cast

Bae Jong Ok as Yoon Bok Hee
Jung Yoo Mi as Go Young Chae
Kim Ji Suk as Go Young Soo
Park Bo Geum as Go Young Joon
Jung Gyu Woon as Jang Hoon Nam
Ahn Nae Sang as Jang Ki Nam
Kyun Mi Ri as Kim Young Yi
Yoo Young as Jang Ko Eun
Lee Min Woo as Lee Jang Ho
Lee Chung Ah as Oh Da Jung
Yoo In Young as Lee Soo Jin
Kim Chung as Choi Eun Ok
Hwang Jae Won as Lee Ji Woo
Jung Kyung Ho as Sasa Kim
Lee Kyung Sil as Jaegal Jeom Soon
Heo Jung Eun as Kim Ha Pil
Lee Suk Joon as Han Dong Soo
Hwang Dong Joo as Hong Yoon Jae

Woman Is the Future of Man: So Real It Hurts

If asked, I'd say I had a bedgrudging respect for autuer Hong Sang-soo but after re-watching Woman Is the Future of Man, I'm going to let the begrudging part go. Although I may never be able to rally around Night and Day or Woman on the Beach (too many cliches; not enough plot), I actually liked the violently jarring The Day the Pig Fell into the Well and his melancholic The Power of Kangwon Province unreservedly. Woman Is the Future of Man, I downright love. A character portrait of a trio of people, Hong's film makes you cringe and ache so often you may think you've got Tourette's, surfacing as it does the little cruelties we inflict and little pains we experience on a moment-to-moment basis when we're in the thick of it. No one is the hero. No one is the villain. No one is the antihero. Art professor Lee Mun-ho (Yu Ji-tae), budding filmmaker Kim Hyeon-gon (Kim Tae-woo) and the woman they both once loved many years ago, bar manager Park Seon-hwa (Seong Hyeon-a) are three flawed humans trying to get through life, unable to free themselves from the daily treacheries that make survival a small scale war. As such, they're constantly betraying each other and themselves so that eventually the small fortresses that they've built to protect themselves are completely smashed away. Sad? Yes. But electric, too.
You can't really pick out a specific actor as the best one here. Hong has cast astutely right down to the lady across the street from the cafe and the guy in the back of the restaurant where Lee gathers with his students for an ill-fated meal. That said, Yu's professor is a fascinating mixture of bumbling and smooth, Kim's filmmaker can't quite shed the hipster edginess that you pray one day he'll outgrow, and Park conveys a quiet bewilderment as she relives the misguided choices of youth all over again one snowy, sloppy weekend. I'd also like to give a shout out to both composer Jeong Yong-jin for his hauntingly wistful score and to Mary, the black Labrador Retriever, who has so many perfect moments as a background player that you'd award her an Equity card (deluxe edition) if animals got those types of things. In terms of film-watching, 2012 hasn't been a great year for me but Woman Is the Future of Man restores my faith in Korean movies. So thank you, Hong Sang-soo, and sorry about any slights I made to your work in the past. Next time, I'm coming in an unreserved fan.

Jang Ok Jung

Title: 장옥정 / Jang Ok Jung
Chinese Title: 張玉貞
Previous Known as: 장옥정, 사랑에 살다 / Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love
Genre: Period, Romance, Melodrama


Synopsis
This drama tells the story of Jang Hee Bin (Kim Tae Hee), one of the most famous royal concubines in the Joseon Dynasty who was behind the deposition of King Sook Jong’s (Yoo Ah In) wife, Queen In Hyun (Hong Soo Hyun). However, unlike the countless dramas and movies about this famous villain, this drama will tell the story of Jang Ok Jung before she became concubine Jang Hee Bin and focus on her role as a fashion designer and cosmetic maker in the Joseon era.
Cast
Kim Tae Hee as Jang Ok Jung
- Kang Min Ah as Jang Ok Jung (young)
Yoo Ah In as King Sook Jong
- Chae Sang Woo as King Sook Jong (young)
Jae Hee as Hyun Chi Soo
Lee Sang Yeob as Dong Pyung Goon
Han Seung Yeon as Choi Sook Bin
Hong Soo Hyun as Queen In Hyun
Sung Dong Il as Jang Hyun
Yoon Yoo Sun as Kang’s Wife
Kim Seo Ra as Jang Hyung
Lee Gun Joo
Lee Hyung Chul as Bok Sun Goon
Go Young Bin as Jang Hee Jae
Kim Ha Eun as Queen In Kyung
Lee Ja Min as Yun Hong
Kim Min Ha as Ja Kyung (Child)
Jang Young Nam as Court lady Chun
Kim Se In as Jung Hon Ja
Dal Shabet’s Ah Young as Princess Myungan

Scars: A Miserable Marriage Not Worth Talking About

Spoiler alert! I'm going to jump right to this movie's big reveal, the scene in which the jerky husband (who's a newscaster at work, a joy-killer at home) is undressed by his maudlin wife (Park So-yeon) after he (Jong Hee-tae) has banged his forehead in bathroom sink to the point of unconsciousness. Once his white Oxford shirt is removed (both post-trauma and in an intercut flashback), we see that his torso has been ravaged by a fire; from neck to hip, he's covered with what looks to be a vat of dried Elmer's glue. As special effects go, it's actually not bad. As symbolism, I'm less sure. Are we supposed to interpret the scars as the imperfections that have made this man a perfectionist? The physical manifestation of the man's insensitivity to his ultra-passive, sulky wife? It feels like it's supposed to mean SOMETHING but all I felt was, "Hah! So the title actually has a pay-off."

The movie's other big symbol is a Buddha face that keeps reappearing for -- can I go so far to say, stalking -- the shat-upon wife, a children's book illustrator who manages to get work despite being completely uncommunicative in an interview. First encountered as a mud bas relief in a cave, she mauls the Buddha face. But the zen deity's face comes back again and again, in the side of a tree, in some soil underfoot, etc. What is the Buddha telling her when he resurfaces, perfectly formed and contented? Get your chill on, girl? Don't mess with God? Try sculpture instead of drawing? Honestly, only writer-director Lim Woo-Seong knows. And it's not as though there's much to help us decipher or decode this movie's motifs. Scars has very little dialogue and aside from a recurring sequence in which the Mrs. makes some sort of tea with apricot jelly (that's what it looks like from a very uninformed viewer), not much happens except the husband is cheating or brushing his teeth, the wife is moping or going for silent walks in the woods.

Running just over an hour, Scars can be classified as either a very short feature or an overextended short. I'd probably go with the latter. It feels long!

Fated to Love You

Title: 운명처럼 널 사랑해 / Fated to Love You
Chinese Title: 命中注定我爱你
Genre: Romance, Comedy

Synopsis

A remake of the hit 2008 Taiwanese drama “Fated to Love You“.

Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk) is the president of a chemical company that produces household items. He has a girlfriend dancer who is deeply in love. Meanwhile, Kim Mi Young (Jang Na Ra) works as a secretary in a law firm. Her nickname is “Post-it” (sticky note). She earned his nickname because of his inability to say no to what they ask their colleagues. She collects task because they take advantage of their kindness and little character. One night, both of them are drunk and passes a night together. Then, she becomes pregnant….

Grandpas Over Flowers Investigation Team

Title: 꽃할배 수사대 / Grandpas Over Flowers Investigation Team
Chinese Title: 花样爷爷搜查队
Also Known As: Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit
Genre: Comedy

Synopsis

This drama telling the story of Lee Joon Hyuk (Lee Soon Jae), a former petty cop who starts poking his nose into investigations with a couple of grandpa buddies.

God’s Quiz (Season 4)

Title: 신의 퀴즈 시즌4 / God’s Quiz (Season 4)
Chinese Title : 神的测验 4
Genre: Medical, Crime, Mystery

Synopsis

A drama about the process of tracking down mysterious deaths of elite doctors from the Korean University and unravelling a mystery related to a rare disease.

I Need Romance 3

Title: 로맨스가 필요해 시즌3 / I Need Romance 3
Chinese Title : 需要浪漫 3
Genre: Romance, Comedy

Synopsis

This drama is about a 33-year-old woman who doesn’t believe in love, a 20′s man who dreams of pure love and a 30′s man who is that woman’s boss at work.

Shin Joo Yun (Kim So Yun) works at a home shopping network. She used to have a warm and kind personality, but after 9 years of harsh working experience she has become cold. After a failed romantic relationship, she tells people that she does not believe in love. Deep down inside though, she can’t give up on real love. Her love interests Kang Tae Yoon (Nam Goong Min) who will be a work sunbae and mentors her versus a younger man Joo Wan (Sung Joon) who comes along and heals her jaded sense of romance.

Noble Woman

Title: 귀부인 / Noble Woman
Chinese Title: 贵夫人
Genre: Family, Romance

Synopsis

This drama is about the story of Yoon Si Ae (Seo Ji Hye) who was raised by a widow in extremely poor conditions and Lee Mi Na (Park Jung Ah) who is the daughter of a wealthy family.

Cunning Single Lady

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Title: 앙큼한 돌싱녀 / Cunning Single Lady
Chinese Title: 心怀叵测的恢单女
Also Known as: Sly and Single Again
Genre: Romance, Comedy

Synopsis

A comical, mellow drama about a woman who dreams of meeting a white knight after getting divorced but ends up trying to start over with her ex-husband who becomes filthy rich.

Na Ae Ra (Lee Min Jung) is focused on her appearance as she believes it will lead her to a better life. She then meets Cha Jung Woo (Joo Sang Wook) who studied engineering. They eventually get married, but they also get divorced. After their divorce, Ae Ra goes through difficult times. Unlike Ae Ra though, Jung-Woo becomes a successful IT developer and very wealthy. Now, Ae Ra tries to seduce Jung Woo to marry her again.

Mimi

Title: 미미 / Mimi
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Melodrama
Episodes: 4

Synopsis

The affectionate love story of a man and a woman’s exchanged fate beyond space and time.

Min Woo (Shim Chang Min) is a 28 years old webcomic writer. One day, he finds a memo on his desk calendar. With the memo, he begins to write a new webcomic “December 8”. The comic turns into an instant hit. As the webcomic becomes even more popular, He feels pressure from work and begins to suffer from severe headaches because of the pressure. he then decides to seek out his first love from high school.

You Who Came From the Stars

Title: 별에서 온 그대 / You Who Came From the Stars

Chinese Title: 來自星星的男人
Previously known as: 별에서 온 남자 / Man From the Stars
Also Known as: Love from the Star
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Time travel

Synopsis

A romantic comedy drama about an alien man who landed on Earth 400 years ago during the 17th-century Joseon Dynasty period, falling in love with a modern day actress.

Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun) is an alien who possesses a near perfect appearance and enhanced physical abilities involving his vision, hearing and speed. His character also happens to be a university professor and He looks 20. Although he holds a cynical view to human beings, but he gets entangled in a sweet love story with actress Chun Song Yi (Jeon Ji Hyun).

Jung Do Jun

itle: 정도전 / Jung Do Jun
Chinese Title: 郑道传
Genre: Historical, Political, Thriller

Synopsis

The story of Jung Do Jun (Jo Jae Hyun) who created a new Joseon Dynasty during the Goryeo period. Jung Do Jun, also known by the pen name Sambong, was the most powerful medieval Korean aristocrat and politician in the early Joseon dynasty. He was the closest supporter and adviser to King Taejo (Yoo Dong Geun), who founded the Joseon dynasty.

You Who Came From the Stars

Title: 별에서 온 그대 / You Who Came From the Stars
Chinese Title: 來自星星的男人
Previously known as: 별에서 온 남자 / Man From the Stars
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Time travel

Synopsis

A romantic comedy drama about an alien man who landed on Earth 400 years ago during the 17th-century Joseon Dynasty period, falling in love with a modern day actress.

Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun) is an alien who possesses a near perfect appearance and enhanced physical abilities involving his vision, hearing and speed. His character also happens to be a university professor and He looks 20. Although he holds a cynical view to human beings, but he gets entangled in a sweet love story with actress Chun Song Yi (Jeon Ji Hyun).

Melody of Love

Title: 사랑은 노래를 타고 / Melody of Love
Chinese Title: 乘著歌聲的愛情
Also Known as: Love Rides the Song / Love Through Song
Previously Known as: 콩가네 밭가네 / Beans and Fields
Genre: Family, Romance

Synopsis

This drama centers on three families whose members learn to appreciate each other, realize the true meaning of family, regret their misbehaves, and repent the hurt they’ve caused to other people after hardships and trials in the world where individualism is prominent.

Gong Deul Im (Kim Da Som) is a tenacious, outgoing, and optimistic aspiring musical actress with undying passion to pursue her dreams despite against her parents’ wishes. She will have romantic relationship with lawyer Park Hyun Woo (Baek Sung Hyun).

Meanwhile, Han Tae Kyung (Kim Hyung Jun) is the leader of a drama troupe and musical director. He will be acting as a perfectionist, but a gentle and thoughtful man outside of work. He will be working closer with Deul Im and is best friends with Hyun Woo and Deul Im’s older sister, Gong Soo Im (Hwang Sun Hee). He will develop feelings for Soo Im.

Basketball

Title: 빠스껫볼 / Basketball

Chinese Title: 篮球
Genre: Period, Sport, Romance, Action

Synopsis

Set during the turbulent years of the Japanese occupation until independence, and a few years before the division of Korea into North and South, the story is about the first and last time that Korea had a single, unified national basketball team, which made history by advancing to the quarterfinals of the 1948 London Olympics.

The drama follows the loves, conflicts, unity, and emotional victory of young athletes who cling to the sport as the bright spot in the darkness of their times.

Kang San (Do Ji Han) is from a poor family. He struggles to get away from poverty. Through the game of basketball, he becomes successful and meets Choi Shin Young (Lee Elijah) who come from a rich family. He dreams of their love overcoming the disparity in their social standing.

Meanwhile, Min Chi Ho (Jung Dong Hyun) is a basketball star enjoying nationwide popularity. With his fame, he inspires pride and spirit in his compatriots in the midst of the difficulties suffered during the Japanese occupation. He and Kang San become rivals in basketball and love.

Marry Him If You Dare

Title: 미래의 선택 / Marry Him If You Dare
Chinese Title: 未來的選擇
Also known as: Mi Rae’s Choice / Future’s Choice
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Time Travel

Synopsis

A time travel series set in the broadcast television world. Focusing on a writer who meets her past self and gives her advise on her life.

32 years old for woman is an age which may be little too late to start something new or little too early to give up something. The ‘future-self’ comes to ‘me’ today and gives advices about life and marriage. The future-self is trying to bring better life by helping her to meet a perfect spouse.

Na Mi Rae (Choi Myung Gil), a television broadcast writer, travels back in time to meet her 32-year-old self (Yoon Eun Hye) with the goal of preventing her marriage to Kim Shin (Lee Dong Gun) who is a broadcast announcer and thus send her past self down a different path in life.

Meanwhile, Park Se Joo (Jung Yong Hwa) is a handsome and talented Producer who is also a series lead. Seo Yoo Kyung (Han Chae Ah) completes the love rectangle as a reporter.

The Ghost-Seeing Detective Cheo Yong

Title: 귀신보는 형사 처용 / The Ghost-Seeing Detective Cheo Yong
Chinese Title: 能看見鬼的警察處容
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Action

Synopsis

Yoon Cheo Yong (Oh Ji Ho) is a detective who can see and hear ghosts from the day he was born. He solves mysterious cases along with female detective Ha Sun Woo (Oh Ji Eun) and high school student ghost Han Na Young (Jun Hyo Sung).

Secret

Title: 비밀 / Secret
Chinese Title: 秘密
Also Known as: Secret Love
Genre: Melodrama, Romance

Synopsis

Everyone has their own secrets. Secrets can help people succeed and even fall in love; but secrets can also destroy people. Secrets can sometimes make us happy, worried, or even blind us to reality. This drama is about secrets. It is an exploration into the trials and tribulations of people who live with secrets. These secrets drive the four characters desire to find love and exact revenge.

This melodrama is about a “fatal romance” between a man who loses his girlfriend in an accident, and falls in love with the woman responsible for her death.

Jo Min Hyuk (Ji Sung) was born into a wealthy family. He has everything including good looks, intelligence, but he doesn’t have kindness. He loses his girlfriend in a hit-and-run accident.

Kang Yoo Jung (Hwang Jung Eum) goes to prison, because of the hit-and-run accident that killed Min Hyuk’s girlfriend. Her boyfriend, Ahn Do Hoon (Bae Soo Bin) is the one that actually committed the hit-and-run accident, but Yoo Jung took the blame. She is then betrayed by her boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Shin Se Yeon (Lee Da Hee) is the one with an unrequited love. She’s described as “thirsty for love,” and she’ll be a character in pain because she can’t have the one person she wants.

Ruby’s Ring

Title: 루비반지 / Ruby’s Ring
Chinese Title: 紅寶石戒指
Genre: Family, Romance, Melodrama

Synopsis

Two sisters’ fates change when they get into an accident.