After winning a music reality show, Wang Joon Hyuk is on top of the world. But it all comes crashing in when his prize money is stolen by the person he trusts the most.  Now, 12 years later, his sister reaches out to him out of the blue to ask for help taking care of his nephew.  When Joon Hyuk learns how difficult life is for them right now, he decides to move in with his sister and try to help her and her son heal from years of abuse and mistreatment.  Along the way he may also be able to find healing for himself and a new lease on life, love and career.

Lee Kyung Hoon as  Min Ji Hoo

After years of abuse, Min Ji Hoo and his mother run away in the middle of the night and start a fresh life in secret, while trying to blend in and not attract too much attention.  When his uncle, who he has never met before, shows up to pick him up at school one day, Ji Hoo immediately puts up emotional walls.  But when it becomes clear that Joon Hyuk intends to stay and help him and his mom, Ji Hoo slowly begins to open up to him. And genetics aren’t the only thing these two share.  They both have a love of music and a silly sense of humor that help them become the best of friends.  But Ji Hoo’s father and grandmother are hovering nearby, and they believe that Ji Hoo’s place is with them, being groomed as the next heir to their family fortune.  

Min Ji Hoo is a young boy who has experienced years of emotional and physical abuse from his father and grandmother.  He suffers from asthma and some psychological issues that leave him lonely and afraid.  Slowly, his bond with his uncle begins to heal his scars and help him grow and move on.  Lee Kyung Hoon is an incredible young actor.  This role is complex and emotionally difficult, and I felt like he handled it all like a pro.  Through his sadness and his joy, I shared in his emotional journey.

Lee Sang Woo as Joo Kyung Il

Joo Kyung Il is a mysterious neighbor who lives in Joon Hee’s new apartment building.  He is a handsome single father, and all the ladies in the building are interested in him.  He has a daughter who is in Ji Hoo’s class at school.  Kyung Il is immediately attracted to Joon Hee, but he has a secret past that could ruin his chance at another relationship.

♥ Young Character Development

I enjoyed this young cast a lot and I was so impressed with how many of them got a chance to show character development.  Child characters don’t tend to get much story development, but each of these young actors changed and matured through the course of the show in realistic and interesting ways.  Se Chan, No Eul, and So Dam all got a chance to stretch their acting wings and I loved getting to watch that.  

 ♥ Kim Yoo Ra

In the beginning, I assumed Hwang Woo Seul Hye was going to play another rich, snotty character.  But I loved how she ended up siding with Joon Hyuk and Joon Hee.  I couldn’t help but giggle at her and Joon Hyuk kneeling in the bushes to exchange information.  And her straightforward honest was so endearing as she became friends with Joon Hee.  This role was really fun and I enjoyed seeing this lighter side to her.  

Kyung Il Murder Plot

Maybe it’s just because I really adore Lee Sang Woo, but I thought the whole “might have murdered his wife” plot was random and unnecessary.  It felt too much like they were trying to stir up a crime thriller story that didn’t fit well with the rest of the plot.  I never, for a minute, believed that it was true, and it was kind of sad that they left him as his own biggest doubter.  

Step Mom

So, this is a small complaint, but what in the world was up with Ji Hoo’s step mother.  First she seemed like just another toadie bowing at the grandmother’s knee but then I actually started to like her when it seemed like she was trying to help Ji Hoo.  But the whole idea that she did it because she loves video games and wanted to create her own character is just weird.  What a random explanation for her character’s motivation.  I didn’t really have enough invested in her to care one way or another, but I still have to say that was a lame role.

“Uncle” really focuses on the main characters for the ending after the time jump, but first there are some brief glimpses into our villains and side characters.  Ji Hoo’s dad takes off with the family fortune and goes off to live his dream in some tropical paradise.  Shin Hwa Ja finally caves under the pressure and seems to have lost her mental capacities.  The maid she fired is the only one who can stand to take care of her.  And Min Ki finally stands up to his mom and tells her he won’t lie for her and he wishes she would just be his mom. I guess I would have liked to see them all pay for the crimes they committed, but it’s good to know they have all paid in some way.  The Momvelies have disbanded and Da Jung leaves her husband and is working at Joon Hee’s doughnut shop.  And Kim Yoo Ra is staying with her husband, but she is the one calling the shots after his near-affair.  Now on to our leads.  After setting it up to seem like Joon Hyuk would die at the end of all this, a time jump shows him alive and well.  He and Hwa Eum are happily married with the little girl they had dreamed of.  Joon Hee and Kyung Il are still together and doing well. A passing reference to No Eul has her taking classes in criminal psychology. And Ji Hoo has become a famous musician, just like he and his uncle had hoped.

A working woman in her 30’s finds out that she has terminal cancer.  She decides to quit her job, write a bucket list, and take the opportunity to do all the things she never had the time or money for.  On a spontaneous trip to Southern Japan, she meets the handsome son of the CEO for her former company.  He is exactly the kind of man she has always dreamed of falling in love with.  But falling in love now means pulling someone else into her own pain and having to leave him behind.

Lee Dong Wook as  Kang Ji Wook

Kang Ji Wook is the rich son of the chairman at a large travel company.  He is the new director at the company, even though his dad has no confidence in his abilities.  In an attempt to show his skill, and an excuse to escape the office, he goes to Okinawa to check out the tourist spots personally.  He runs into Yeon Jae, and thinks she is his private tour guide.  Instead of clearing up the misunderstand, Yeon Jae uses the opportunity to spend the day with him.  He is drawn to her quirky charm and when he returns home, he finds out she was his employee until recently.  Once he realizes that he has developed feelings for her, he is eager to win her heart.  Little does he know, she is keeping her distance to protect him from her impending death.  

Kang Ji Wook grew up without any real affection, so when he falls for Yeon Jae, he falls quickly and completely.  His feelings for her help him to become a happier and more loving person.  It was fun to see this more natural side of Lee Dong Wook.  He is charming and sensitive, and he shows Ji Wook’s character growth in a realistic way that makes you understand and appreciate him.

Seo Hyo Rim as Im Se Kyung

Im Se Kyung is the woman Ji Wook’s father wants him to marry.  The families have agreed to the match, but neither Se Kyung or Ji Wook are interested.  But when Se Kyung finds out that Ji Wook is interested in Yeon Jae, she suddenly decides she wants him after all.  She does everything she can to corner Ji Wook into a marriage with her.

♥ Doctor Development

Too often, secondary character don’t get enough screen time to really show much character development.  That was not the case with Dr. Chae.  Watching someone he personally cares about go through treatment gives him a much more empathetic perspective on his other patients.  I enjoyed watching his character bloom and grow and his wary friendship with Ji Wook was really fun.  Also, a special shout out to Hee Joo.  She was a bright, adorable character and her subtly chemistry with Eun Suk was very sweet.

 ♥ Tango Lessons

I loved everything about the tango scenes in this drama.  From the crazy class mates and their quirky back stories to the steamy scene between Ji Wook and Yeon Jae.  It was an interesting side theme that delivered a powerful message about healing through art.  And I loved Kim Kwang Gyu and his “double identity”!  Although I wish we could have seen him get together with Veronica.

Im Se Kyung

I wish we could have seen something likeable from Im Se Kyung.  Her character was childish and selfish right up until the very end.  While Eun Suk had such great character development, Se Kyung remained shallow and one dimensional.  I tend to like my villains a little less black and white.  Maybe if it had felt like her feelings became sincere at some point, I might have felt some sympathy for her.  But it just seemed like she was mad about losing to someone she considered beneath her.  

Sexual Accusations

While I enjoyed watching Yeon Jae’s mom find love and get remarried, I felt like the sexual allegations against the teacher kind of came out of nowhere.  If they were going to drop such a big bomb, it seems like there should have been more references to a personal trauma or dark secret.  And the story could have easily just had her mother giving up on her own love for the sake of her daughter.  This is a big issue to drop in without warning and just as quickly blow over.  

As I’ve mentioned, I really like the way they wrapped up this drama, while leaving the real “ending” to our own imaginations.  Yeon Jae’s mom and Dong Myung finally get married and settle into couple life.  Yeon Jae goes back to work temporarily, but then her condition worsens.  Together Yeon Jae and Ji Wook choose to help her ‘live” by trying whatever treatment they can.  At some point later, we see everyone getting gifts from Yeon Jae.  For her mom and Dong Myung, she sends couple shirts, for Hye Won it’s gifts for the baby, for her tango class it’s dance shoes, for the cranky landlord, a stuffed dog, for Se Kyung it’s Wilson’s ring, and for Eun Suk it’s a new doctor’s coat.  Which pretty much catches us up with all the side characters.  Back to our lead couple. they are living happily together in the house Ji Wook bought for them. Eun Suk says it’s a miracle that Yeon Jae has made it this long, and they agree that even though it’s rare, they are sure she will get another.  Back at the house, Yeon Jae looks through her bucket list book, where Ji Wook has crossed off her wish to sleep in the arms of the one she loves, since she does it every night now.  She smiles and turns the pages as she begins to write a new wish on the last page.  She hasn’t given up yet and for now she has time to make more of her wishes come true!

Ha Young Eun leads the design team at a successful fashion company.  After her first love ghosts her with no explanation, she devotes her life to her career and avoids any emotional commitments.  One day she meets a handome photographer who threatens to tear down the walls she has built around her heart.  But the two of them share an ill-fated past that could make it impossible for them to ever be together.  Is their love strong enough to stand against social and family pressures?

Jang Ki Yong as Yoon Jae Guk 

Yoon Jae Guk is a free-lance photographer whose work is in high demand.  He goes by “J” in the fashion world and everyone is familiar with him and his art.  After meeting Young Eun in Paris, he decides to spend some time living and working in Seoul.  He leases a studio and sells portraits and ID photos.  When he finds out that Young Eun is the woman his brother had been in love with, he is curious about her.  But he is also afraid of her reaction when he tells her who he really is.  He becomes determined to win her heart, regardless of her connection to his brother or his mother’s strong disapproval.  

As an illegitimate son, Jae Guk grew up in the shadow of his older brother.  When his brother died in an accident, he was left feeling alone and guilty.  I really love Jang Ki Yong, but I feel like we have seen this overly optimistic guy in love with an older woman before.  There was nothing new in this performance, and while at first I loved his stubborn optimism, the forced smile seemed to become more strained as the story went on.

Kim Joo Heon as Seok Do Hoon

Seok Do Hoon is Jae Guk’s best friend.  He owns Vision PR Firm.  He is organized, mature and meticulous.  He falls for Hwang Chi Sook but in the beginning, Chi Sook isn’t interested in him at all.  Fortunately, his charming personality eventually wins her over.  

♥ Friend Trio

While many of the relationships in this drama felt unrealistic and forced, I did enjoy the friendship these women share.  Their interactions seemed sincere and honest.  Especially after they find out that Mi Suk is sick.  The way they band together to make the best of a painful situation was touching and sweet.  Their interesting perspectives on love and loss made their conversations thought-provoking, even if I didn’t always agree with their opinions.  

 ♥ Ji Min

The young actress who played Mi Suk’s daughter, Ji Min, was a bright spot in this otherwise dreary drama.  Her innocent bravery was inspiring to watch.  If all adults could roll with their punches the way this sweet girl does, the world would be a better, stronger place.  The joy she showed while visiting her mom to show off her award at the end was so bittersweet and beautiful.  I hope to see much more of her in the future. 

Chemistry

As I said earlier, I really love Jang Ki Yong, which is why this drama was so disappointing.  He and Song Hye Kyo never seemed to find a natural chemistry that made their relationship feel real.  Recently, in an interview, Jang Ki Yong himself called their interactions awkward, and I would have to agree.  I just never felt it with these two.   

Moms

These moms were all horrible in their own way.  Even Mi Suk’s mother-in-law, who we only see briefly, is cruel and selfish, while having no idea how sick Mi Suk is.  I couldn’t understand any of them.  They were short-sighted and didn’t seem to care at all about their own child’s happiness, all the time using their age to somehow justify a wisdom that was sorely misguided.  

“Now, We Are Breaking Up” doesn’t end any stronger than it began.  Young Eun and Jae Guk agree to peacefully go their separate ways, even though Young Eun is very tempted to accept his invitation to move to Paris with him.  So Jae Guk goes off to have a show in Europe and Young Eun starts her own label.  Hwang Chi Hyung  and Jung So Young join Young Eun at her new label while the rest of the gang stays at SONOS to carry on their work.  Chi Sook and Do Hoon finally make up and things seem to be going in the right direction for them.  Two years later, we find Soo Ho adjusting to life as a single parent.  For now, Min Kyung has decided to step in as a big sister for Ji Min when she needs it, but she and Soo Ho are not romantically involved.  Ji Min visits her mom’s grade and proudly shows off an award that she won.  Chi Hyung and Do Hoon are taking the next step and moving in together.  Jae Guk is back from Paris and goes to another fashion show in Busan, where he is hoping to run into Young Eun.  As he walks through the city, watching for any sign of her, the crowd splits and she is standing in front of him.  The two stand smiling at each other and that is it.  The end, or maybe the beginning?

Cha Young Min is a  talented but arrogant surgeon who is involved in a serious car accident that leaves him a “coma ghost”.  Now, he is stuck inside the hospital walls where the only ones who can actually see him are other ghosts and Ko Seung Tak, a book-smart resident with questionable surgical skills, who also happens to be the hospital chairman’s grandson.  But Young Min’s  ability to “possess” and use Seung Tak’s body may give him a chance to complete some of the unfinished business he left behind before it’s too late, while helping Seung Tak gain the respect of his grandfather and colleagues.  With Young Min’s skills and Seung Tak’s body, the pair will try to become a medical dream team.

Kim Bum as Ko Seung Tak 

Ko Seung Tak is a new resident, who is better known at the hospital as the grandson of the chairman.  While he is great at textbook medicine, he lacks the ability to carry out even the most basic medical practices.  He is the only person who can see Young Min after he becomes a ghost.  He agrees to let Young Min use his body to perform some important surgeries.  But when it comes to the surgery that could save Young Min’s life, he will have to improve his skills and overcome his fears.  

Ko Seung Tak almost drown in the accident that killed his father when he was just a young boy.  Since that time, he has been able to see ghosts.  His fear of operating on patients stems from the fact that he can see their ghosts begging him to save them.  His bright, easy-going personality is his way of hiding his fears.  It was so fun to see Kim Bum as the clumsy, ackward resident.  He was charming and sweet and I loved his interactions with Young Min.

Son Na Eun as Oh Soo Jung

Oh Soo Jung is a classmate of Seung Tak.  Her grandfather was a famous surgeon who worked at their hospital before his death.  But his life motivated her to pursue medicine, and little does she know her grandfather is still there watching over her as a ghost.  Oh Soo Jung and Seung Tak both have feelings for each other, but they are both too shy to confess them.  

♥ Death Scene

Chairman Jang’s death scene was so well-done in this drama.  I loved the blending of him playing games with Tess and laughing with the drama and emotion of Se Jin as she watched him slip away.  It was a beautiful tribute to his humanness and the inevitability of death.  His character was interesting throughout the drama, even if I couldn’t understand his need to protect his jerk of a son, and his ending was touching and bittersweet.  

 ♥ Bromance

It’s impossible to talk about this drama without mentioning the amazing chemistry between Young Min and Seung Tak.  This duo had such a great bromance.  Having both lived through the reality of ghosts, they had an ability to understand each other that no one else could ever know.  And that made their friendship all the more special.  And while Seung Tak had plenty to learn from Young Min about treating patients and surgery, Seung Tak had people skills and a bed-side manner that gave Young Min a renewed perspective on being a doctor. 

Tess

I didn’t really understand how Tess was able to stay in the hospital if he had already died.  While coma ghosts are tethered to the hospital, they disappear once their bodies either die or wake up.  But Tess had died years ago, so how was he still hanging around?  And what gave him the power to decide it was time to finally move on in the end?  I loved his character and adore Sung Dong Il as an actor but his character didn’t seem to fit into the parameters the show set up for this ghostly world.   

Young Min/Seung Tak Connection

Another point that confused me was why Seung Tak could see Young Min and why Young Min was the only ghost who could enter Seung Tak’s body.  It’s true that Young Min was used by a ghost back in his resident days.  And it’s also true that Seung Tak was saved by Tess, while he was a ghost.  But how do those two things connect the two of them?  Neither of them was directly involved in the other’s experience.  By that logic, Young Min could have used Dr. Ban Tae Sik, or any other surgeon Tess has been in.  Or, like Tess, are we just supposed to turn a blind eye to logic because these two are meant to defy all rules?

“Ghost Doctor” has a happy, satisfying ending that wraps things up nicely.  First let’s talk about our ghost trio.  Both Bo Mi and Hoon Kil got the surguries they needed and woke up.  While neither actually remembers the other, they both feel an unexplanable connection that tells us their fate is still tied together.  Unfortunately, Kook Chan can’t be cured.  Rather than be left alone without his companions, he asks Young Min to transfer him to a hospital closer to his home.  Young Min manages to complete most of his own surgery before being bounced out.  Luckily, all of Seung Tak’s hard work pays off and he is able to finish it up with no problem.  It takes Young Min a few days to wake up, and at first he pretends not to remember anything.  He gets a bit of revenge on Se Jin but it backfires when she puts a couple ring on his finger and then takes off to the the U.S.   Tess has decides that now that Young Min and Seung Tak are there to take care of the hospital, it’s finally time for him to pass the torch.  He gets a chance to say goodbye to his daughter and Soo Jung before a teary-eyed Seung Tak sees him off with a deep bow.  Later, as Young Min rants to Mandu about his frustrations with Se Jin, she breezes in with a suitcase and casually starts making plans to refurnish the place.  The final scene shows Young Min and Seung Tak working together at the hospital and it’s obvious that their teamwork will continue for many years.  What’s important is that Young Min has taken his experience as a ghost to heart and has a renewed passion for the people and patients around him.  

A 600 year old immortal mythical creature known as a bugalsal, seeks revenge on the woman who betrayed him.  Cursed with eternal life, he can’t die or be killed.  He hopes that by getting revenge on her, he will finally be able to die and end his years of pain and anger.  But when he finally finds her, she has no memory of him or what she did in that long-ago past life.  And when a common enemy goes after them and the people they love, they are forced to put their differences aside and work together in the hopes of saving all of them from a brutal death.

Kwon Na Ra as Min Sang Un/ Kim Hwa Yeon 

Since she was young, Min Sang Un has lived her life on the run, hiding in secret.  Her mother and twin sister were killed by a terrible monster known as the bulgasal.  Left to raise her younger sister, she works hard, avoiding the monster at all costs.  But one day, she is saved by a handsome stranger who is the bulgasal she has spent her life running away from.  Although she knows she should be afraid, she is mysteriously drawn to him.  He intends to turn her back into the bulgasal she once was to end his own curse.  As they try to piece together the full story of what really happened between them, they gather support from others around them, who also played a role in what happened 1000 years ago.  And unfortunately, Hwal isn’t the only bulgasal out to take revenge on her and her loved ones. 

Despite never being a mother herself, Min Sang Un is maternal and protective of those she cares about.  She is very honest about her thoughts and feelings, which makes her a relateable character.  Kwon Na Ra has a tendency to overuse her “deer in the headlights” expression, but she has definitely grown as an actress.  I don’t know that I loved her in this role.  At times her easy going attitude made the character feel a bit flat.  But I loved her straight forward approach to every situation and how she never backed down from a difficult time.

Gong Seung Yeon as Min Shi Ho/Dan Sol

Dan Sol was Hwal’s wife 600 years ago.  In this life, she is the younger sister of Sang Un.  She finds out at the beginning of the drama that she is pregnant with her ex-boyfriend’s baby.  Now everyone will rally around her to protect both her and the unborn child.

♥ Lee Joon

I really loved Lee Joon as the villain of this drama.  He is cold and calculating, and you can just feel the intensity of his eyes coming out of the screen.  This wasn’t an easy role but he really pulled it off well. I applaud his acting even as I was chilled by the character he created.  

 ♥ OST

This OST is haunting and beautiful.  I have noticed that Netflix soundtracks tend to be very well done, and this one is no exception.  The music sets the stage with it’s emotional intensity and I found myself swept away in it.  While it never upstaged the story or felt out of place, it was impossible to ignore as part of the scene itself.

Blood and Gore

I’m not exactly a squemish person, but there were definitely parts of this drama that made me squirm.  I can handle a bit of blood and gore, but it was the gulping and swallowing sounds while the bulgasals were drinking human blood that really pushed me over the edge.    I wouldn’t say it was overdone, but it does bear mentioning, as it was a bit intense.  

Blood Supply

So speaking of blood.  What happened to the cannisters of blood that were the only thing in Hwal’s refrigerator.  Once the house was refined and full of human food, where did they go?  It just doesn’t seem like the kind of thing they would keep next to the milk and butter.  And there wasn’t much mention of him eating after the initial scene where she bought it to him. Sang Un does bring it to him once when he’s hurt, but after that he just sits and watches the humans eat. It may not be important to the plot, but I’m still curious.  Also, after Lee Hye Suk is killed, how was he planning on getting more?

“Bulgasal ends by finally telling the whole story of what happened 1000 years ago and how Hwal and Eul Tae both ended up as bulgasal.  Back in the present, Hwal, Sang Un, and Detective Kwon show up at the well with a plan to poison Eul Tae and lock him in forever.  But things go awry when Eul Tae throws Hwal in, fatally wounds Detective Kwon, and chases Sang Un through the woods, where he finally catches her and injures her as well.  In a final act, Detective Kwon sends his own blood down the well for Hwal, fulfilling the Shaman’s prophecy.  Hwal regains enough strength to attack Eul Tae and protect Sang Un before stabbing himself to insure that both he and Eul Tae die.  The injured Sang Un goes to get Shi Ho and Do Yoon so they will know where the bodies are before she dies herself.  Shi Ho and Do Yoon are left as the last survivors.  We see them together through the years before a 50 year time jump.  Somehow Hwal and Sang Un have been reincarnated as humans.  Sang Un gets a mysterious letter with a picture of their old house.  Out of curiousity, she goes there and runs into Hwal and both feel a strange connection.  Fate has stepped in to finally give this couple their happy ending.

As a prominent member of the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Police Force, Soo Yeol has made his way up the ranks by turning a blind eye to corrupt officials and powerful allies.  But one day he meets a crazy man, called “K”, who has no tolerance for dishonesty or wrong-doing.  K pushes Soo Yeol  to put aside his bad-boy image and work to become a better person.  And K’s uncanny ability to show up at just the right moment doesn’t give Soo Yeol a chance to slip back into bad habits.  But where did K come from and how does he seem to know Soo Eyol so well?

Wi Ha Joon as K

K is a mysterious stranger who suddenly begins showing up whenever Soo Yeol is in a bad situation.  He continues to push Soo Yeol to do the right thing, even when it means putting his own life in danger.  Even though K is aware that he is really just an alter-ego of Soo Yeol, he leaves Soo Yeol to discover that on his own. Once Soo Yeol becomes aware of who K really is, he and K agree to work together to expose the corruption that has been going on for years between the police department and city officials. But as Soo Yeol gets more in touch with this side of himself and begins to get his memory back, what will happen to K?

K is crazy and loveable.  He does everything with full enthusiasm and sees himself as a superhero.  His job is to step in and protect Soo Yeol whenever he is needed.  This character represents the good that is in Soo Yeol.  Wi Ha Joon was incredible in this role.  I found myself laughing almost every time he was onscreen.  He was funny and yet so sincere.  The interactions between he and Lee Dong Wook were the best part of this drama, and Wi Ha Joon played it perfectly.

Cha Hak Yeon as Oh Kyung Tae

Oh Kyung Tae is a rookie police officer whose determination to help a little girl find her missing mother leads to our villains eventually getting caught.  He is honest and hard working.  He is transferred into the Anti-Corruption Unit to work with Soo Yeol and Jae Seon.  He adopts Jae Seon as his mentor and the two have a very cute relationship.  Some even refer to Kyung Tae jokingly as Jae Seon’s “wife”!

♥ Wi Ha Joon

Wi Ha Joon gave such a stand out performance in this drama.  He is charming, funny, and endearing all at the same time.  There are a lot of ways they could have played this alter-ego, but I loved how they created a whole new character for him.  The energy he put into this role actually made Soo Yeol’s character seem more likeable and understandable.  I love a good bromance story and this one was fun from start to finish. 

 ♥ Separate Actors for Personalities

Split personalities are usually just the main actor with a different hairstyle or glasses.  It gives the lead actor a great opportunity to show their duality but it doesn’t really feel like two individual characters.  The decision to bring in a totally different actor to play Soo Yeol’s alter ego was unique and engaging.  Doing this gave the leads a way to intereact and build a relationship that wouldn’t have been possible if one actor had tried to carry both roles.  

Parade of Villains

This drama took a weird approach with their villains.  As each one toppled, they revealed the next one, like a Matryoshka doll, until they finally got to the final villain, Boss Yong.  Unfortunately, these villains got kind of jumbled together so it was hard to remember who was who and what their connection to the others was.  Also, Boss Yong was such a unique and mysterious character that she could have been a leading role.  I would have liked to see more of a focus on her and her operation.  The other villains and their stories hardly seem relevant in contrast to her strong screen presence.   

Yoon Ho’s Profession

So how did the poor, orphan Yoon Ho suddenly become the esteemed Dr. Shin Joo Hyuk?  Even if he had stolen someone’s identity, he had to learn enough to treat patients and earn a reputation that made the police department trust and recommend him.  That feels like an awfully big jump to me.  It doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you can just make happen.  

“Bad and Crazy” ends with the same energy and chaos it began with.  Soo Yeol escapes the mental hospital, with help from K, of course.  He ends up confronting Joo Hyuk and having to pull Jung Hoon out of a burning house.  Soo Yeol wakes up in the hospital, surrounded by his friends who assure him that Jung Hoon is fine and Joo Hyuk, now Yoon Ho again, has been arrested.  Later Soo Yeol walks away from his chance to be reinstated because he refuses to deny that K existed.  We see him working with his brother at the pizza restaurant.  But after a visit from Hee Gyeom, he decides to go back to work and hints that he would like her to stay in his unit.  It seems like the couple are on the road to reconciliation, as if we had any doubts.  Yoon Ho’s lawyer offers to claim mental trauma in the hopes of getting a lighter sentence, but Yoon Ho refuses.  Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like he is able to stand trial, since Yong follows him into the bathroom at the court house and strangles him as revenge for what he did to Andrei.  One year later we see Soo Yeol back at the club where the politicians hang out and do business.  It looks like Soo Yeol is accepting a bribe until he suddenly grabs his phone to snap a picture and his team comes rushing in to back him up.  He is no longer willing to turn a blind eye to corruption.   The final scene mimics the beginning, with Soo Yeol rushing to the corrupt commissioner to call him out.  With a shout, he flies down the stair and launches into a flying kick, straight to the commissioners face.

Dam Yi was born as the twin sister of the crown prince.  But superstitions about twins being a bad omen cause her mother, Queen Jang Sun, to hide her existence and smuggle her out of the palace.  Years later, her brother is brutally murdered and she steps into the role of Crown Prince, pretending to be him.  Hiding her true identity from everyone, except her two most trusted servants, she lives her life in fear of being caught.  And when a handsome new tutor shows up at the palace, she struggles to hide her attraction to him.  Now she is forced to ask herself how long she can continue with this charade and what it will cost her.

Rowoon as Jung Ji Woon

Jung Ji Woon’s world collapsed around him the day he watched his father murder an innocent palace maid.  Crushed to discover the father he idolized was cruel and heartless, he left the country to study abroad.  Now that he has returned, he is a perfect candidate to become a royal tutor.  While working in the palace, he tries to find the young maid who stole his heart years ago, when he was a boy.  Little does he know that the stubborn Prince he is teaching is actually his first love.  

Jung Ji Woon is sensitive and intelligent.  As a tutor, he is devoted to learning and determined to teach the young prince how to understand the hearts of his people.  He is a skilled and kind doctor, who is determined to make up for the wrong-doings of his father.  Rowoon is charming and it was fun seeing him as a gentle, soft-spoken hero.  While this role didn’t seem overly challenging for him as an actor, it did give him a chance to show how comfortable he has become in the drama world, and I look forward to continuing to watch him grow.

Bae Yoon Kyung as Shin So Eun

Shin So Eun is the daughter of the Minister of Personnel.  She meets Ji Woon while he is working as a doctor in the countryside and falls in love with him.  Her feelings for Ji Woon create a problem when her father wants her to be chosen as a wife to the Crown Prince. So Eun is very honest about her feelings, even though Ji Woon continues to tell her he loves someone else.

♥ Role Reversal

Not only does this drama use the gender bender trope because everyone thinks Dam Yi is male, but they also do a fun role reversal of gender stereotypes with the lead couple.  While Dam Yi is blunt and always hides her emotions, Ji Woon is sensitive and gentle mannered.  I had to giggle when Ji Woon was wearing the flower behind his ear!  It’s always nice when a drama takes an outdated stereotype and turns it on its ear.  In a drama that sometimes seemed to struggle with finding unique content, this aspect gave it its own special flavor.

 ♥ Ji Woon and Inspector Jung

There was a nice honest beauty to the relationship between Ji Woon and his father.  Obviously, in the beginning, there were lots of past issues, and I liked that they didn’t just sweep those under the rug and ask us to forget the terrible things that Inspector Jung did for Lord Sangheon.  But they also allowed his character a bit of redemption in the end.  Ji Woon was able to make amends with him without excusing his heartless behavior and Inspector Jung died doing something noble.  

Queen’s Behavior

So, in all the sageuks that I have watched, there always seems to be strict rules about how royalty should act.  I just can’t imagine everyone would let the Queen run around acting silly and clueless without being reprimanded.  Ha Kyung constantly made me cringe with her childish behavior.  Sure, I felt bad that she was destined to be hurt by the whole situation.  But I still would have liked to see her learn to practice some decorum, as is fitting her role.  

“Secret” Door

Okay.  Bear with me on this one.  Maybe I’m being overly picky, but they expect me to believe that this secret door, that Ji Woon discovered within 5 minutes of his first visit to the palace, is never discovered by anyone else.  I know that the legend of it being haunted initially kept people away.  But with Dam Yi and Ji Woon coming and going so often, while they are being watched and followed by Prince Wonsan and his lackeys, this seems like a bit of a stretch.  Especially with Ji Woon hauling wagons full of flowers in.  

“The King’s Affection” comes down to the inevitable battle between Dam Yi and Lord Sangheon, with the backing of Prince Wonsan and their army.  Prince Wonsan, Inspector Jung, and Prince Jehyeon all die during the scuffle.  Dam Yi and Lord Sangheon meet for a final conversation.  Lord Sangheon plans to make her drink poison when they have finished talking, but Dam Yi is a step ahead.  She offers him a final cup of tea and he accepts, not knowing it has already been poisoned.  They both drink it and appear to be dying when Ji Woon finds them.  Later Dam Yi wakes from a bad dream to find Ji Woon at her side.  While she has been recovering, Hyun, as the only remaining heir, has become King.  He announces Dam Yi’s “punishment” for her years of impersonating her brother is to be erased from the royal records and sent to live with a new identity.  A flash forward has Ga On, now Commander Kang, living with Jil Geum and Young Ji, who are still running the clinic.  Ga On stops to flirt with Young Ji, which is very cute. Ha Kyung was sent out of the palace after Dam Yi finally told her the truth. She and So Eun are shopping together and Ha Kyung stops at a shop to look at something that would look good on the “King”, so she hasn’t totally moved on yet.  The drama ends with a final scene of Dam Yi and Ji Woon walking together on the beach.  They look happy and finally at peace.  And it ends with a happy reunion between the sweet couple and all their palace friends who stop in for a visit.

A detective is suspended and required to attend anger management counseling after a raid turns into a barroom brawl.  He meets a woman in his therapist’s office who happens to be his next door neighbor.  Although at first he finds her quirky behavior to be irritating and weird, as he gets to know about her personal trauma, he finds himself worrying about her and wanting to protect her.  Together they will learn that having someone to lean on can be a valueable step in healing.

Jung Woo as Noh Hwi Oh

Noh Hwi Oh finds himself on the wrong side of a criminal investigation that results in him being framed for excessive force and suspended from his job.  While attending anger managament counseling, he meets his next door neighbor, who sees the same therapist.  While he works to try to clear his name and get reinstated as a detective, he tries to help his new friend find health and healing.  And maybe her over-active imagination can actually lead him to find some of the answers he is looking for.  

Noh Hwi Oh was pushed to the edge by a fiance who left him in his greatest time of need.  But his real crime was trying to hold corrupt officers responsible for their actions.  And it is this extreme sense of justice that make him a great detective and a perfect protecter for Min Kyung.  I love Jung Woo’s slightly dishevelled charm.  I found him very genuine in this role that really plays to his strenths as an actor.  And it was fun to watch the ladies of his building fawn over his boyish good looks.

Ahn Woo Yeon as Sang Yeop/Samantha

Sang Yeop lives in the same apartment building as Min Kyung and Hwi Oh.  He likes to go out at night dressed in women’s clothing as Samantha. Sang Yeop is also a computer genius, who helps Hwi Oh with his investigation, while Samantha helps him disguise himself as a woman to go undercover.  

♥ Balance

This drama did a nice job of balancing humor with more serious topics in a way that felt very even.  It didn’t ever swing too randomly between the two.  Too far on either side would have made the drama either too silly or too heavy, but I felt like the balance struck just the right chord.  

 ♥ Sympathetic

While Min Kyung is definitely a weird and crazy character, she was also presented as a sympathetic one, especially as the drama goes on.  Just like Hwi Oh, we begin to understand the degree of trauma she suffered and how difficult that must be to recover from.  We also learn about how betrayed she must have felt when no one, not even her own mother, believed her side of the story.  

Seon Ho’s Mom

The only thing worse than a guy who abuses people in the name of love is a mother who defends her son for doing it.  There is absolutely nothing likeable about this character.  The fact that even the nosy neighbors, who are easily manipulated, found out how two-faced she was, proves that she has no redeeming qualities.  A little more humility on her part probably would have saved her a heap of humiliation in the end.

Soo Hyun’s Story

I love Lee Soo Hyun as a performer and I was excited to see her in this drama.  But I felt like her character was too random and disjointed.  She worked doing multiple jobs so she could become a police officer and then one youtube video has her throwing all that away to become a singer.  There was some explanation when she said she never got any of the study problems right anyway, but still.  If she had enough motivation to work as hard as she did, it seems like she would have given a little more thought before completely changing direction.  

The end of “Mad For Each Other” offers some exciting action scenes before bringing us in for a happy ending, but there are some bumps along the way.  After being drugged and kidnapped by that psycho Seon Ho, Min Kyung and Hwi Oh both end up in the hospital, where they have a sweet reunion.  But when Hwi Oh is finally released, he finds out that Min Kyung has moved out of the building.  He chases after the moving van and tells her that he loves her.  At first, Min Kyung plans to leave anyway. but she gets worried when it looks like he is beating up some random stranger, who turns out to be one of the guys from Min Kyung’s wanted poster collection.  Min Kyung and Hwi Oh kiss, while still holding the criminal by the collar, and it looks like all is finally well.  But not so fast.  A time jump shows someone else living in Min Kyung’s apartment.  A voice over from Hwi Oh catches us up with everyone else.  Soo Hyun and Samantha are busy building their youtube channel and seem happy spending their time together.  And the Women’s association finally succeeded in renaming the apartment building the Mapo Noblesse Central River.  Hwi Oh is back to work and seems to be doing well.  He and Min Kyung’s dog are sitting around missing her when they suddenly hear her whistle.  Hwi Oh runs out and finds Min Kyung looking rested and happy.  They stand smiling at each other as the “Happy Ending” song plays in the back ground.  I guess that says it all!  

A lead singer of a famous band begins sleepwalking due to a troubled relationship with his father and the day to day pressure of living in the lime light.  His agency hires a private live-in doctor to treat his condition and keep him safe.  But a crazy case of mistaken identity leads them to hire the doctor’s twin sister, who lies about who she is because she needs the money.  But as she gets to know not just Yoon Tae In, but all the members of the band, she is torn between her desire to stay with them and her need to tell the truth.

Lee Jun Young as Yoon Tae In

As the lead singer of the famous pop group Luna, Yoon Tae In lives under constant pressure.  Because of this stress, he has started sleepwalking.  He is totally against the idea of having a live-in doctor, but his agency insists.  But to his surprise, the treatments begin to work.  And even more surpising, he begins to develop feelings for “Dr. Kang”.  Eager to keep her with him, he begins to embrace their sessions together.  But the more he tries to draw her closer, the farther away the doctor becomes.

Yoon Tae In carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, between his troubled relationship with his father and his need to make sure that Luna succeeds.  All of this has made him cold and withdrawn.  He doesn’t have anyone he can lean on, until he meets Dr. Kang.  She becomes a much-needed life-line that he never wants to live without.  Lee Jun Young continues to grow as an actor, but his last two roles have been very similar.  I worry that he will get type casted as a cold, unfeeling idol.  I hope he can break out into some more challenging and mature roles as time goes on.

JR as Lee Shin

Lee Shin plays the bass for Luna.  He has been secretly dating a divorced actress, who he met while appearing on her radio program.  But when word gets out, he is forced to make some difficult choices.  He is young and naive enough to think that he can still have it all, but his fans and band mates are not as thrilled with the idea.  

♥ Fun Music

There is something fun about taking musicians from different bands and letting them work together, both acting and making new music.  These idol dramas usually have fun, upbeat soundtracks that fit the mood of the shows.  The song “Beautiful Breakup” has been recorded as a single by the drama actors, making Luna at least a semi-real band!

 ♥ Ga  On

So, I am familiar with AB6IX as a group, but I don’t know the individual band memebers.  But Kim Dong Hyun as Ga On was such a wonderfully sweet character.  His sunny disposition and fierce loyalty made him a highlight of this drama.  He felt like the emotional anchor who held everyone together.   

Posing as a Doctor

I don’t seem to be alone in feeling some general discomfort with the whole premise of this drama.  For Yoon Joo to pretend to be a doctor is not just a small white lie or harmless case of mistaken identity.  This is playing around with someone’s health and welfare.  And the fact that she succeeded in “curing” him seems to belittle the seriousness of the problem.  

Band Interaction

Although we hear them talk about a time when the band members were close and spent time together, this drama really starts with them so distant that it’s hard to imagine them as friends.  A slower drifting apart might have made this element more believable and interesting.  If they hadn’t said anything, I would have assumed they had never really gotten along that well.  And when Dr. Kang asks how they get along, the managers seem to gloss over it as if there was some secret there.  That only added to my general impression that their relationships had always been rocky.  

“Let Me Be Your Knight” ends on a happy, upbeat note.  After Yoon Joo saves Tae In from the crazy PR stalker lady, he realizes her feelings for him were sincere and forgives her for lying.  But then Yoon Joo breaks it to him that she is going to go back to America with her sister for awhile, and figure out what she wants to do with her life.  While she doesn’t make any promises, Tae In says he will wait for her.  And he uses that time to put his energy into the band.  Luna works together to make a new album with input from everybody.  They go back to their roots and play smaller more intimate concerts that help them remember why they became musicians in the first place.  They also each take time to pursue their own personal goals.  Dong Joo opens his own music studio, Ga On goes to college, Shin creates his own radio show, and Ji Sung takes an acting role.  The final scene shows Yoon Joo back in Korea, when she gets a call that her family home is under new ownership and looking for a renter.  She rushes there and finds Tae In with the keys.  And I’m pretty sure they will live happily ever after!