Welcome to Kdrama and Ramen

“Welcome to Samdal-ri” is a warm, healing romantic drama about fresh starts, friends, and family.  This drama contains all the elements that I love.  It has a beautiful slow-burn romance, interesting characters and relationships, and warm scenery and writing.  Plus the leads are two of my favorites.  Where this drama fell short for me was in how they dispersed screentime for the secondary characters, focusing more on the characters without their own backstories. I also felt like the leads sometimes acted rather immature for grown adults.  But despite a couple pitfalls and heavy-handed tropes, I loved the warm, slow pace of this drama and the healing story it told.    I give “Welcome to Samdal-ri” an 8 out of 10 ramen.

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“My Lovely Liar” is a mystery rom-com.  For me, the love story for this drama was sweet and fun to watch.  But, despite a wealth of supporting characters, the drama fell short at providing interesting side plots or establishing a riveting murder mystery.  If you are just looking for a simple fantasy romance, this one isn’t a bad watch.  But if you are looking for strong story elements and exciting mystery, this is probably not it.     I give “My Lovely Liar” a 7 out of 10 ramen.

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“The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract” is a light time -travel romance. This drama started much stronger than it ended.  While the cast was good and the romantic chemistry was swoon-worthy, there are lots of plot holes and inconsistencies in the time travel story. At times the story really didn’t make much sense.  And I never felt like we got a solid connection between the past characters and their present day counterparts.  I did enjoy the romance and concept of this drama, and it’s a pleasant enough watch, but I wish the execution were stronger.    I give “The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract” a 7 out of 10 ramen.

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“Death’s Game” is a fantasy drama that focuses on our struggle to live despite pain and adverse conditions.  Wow!  I really enjoyed this drama for its phenomenol cast and the original and unpredictable story.  Even storylines that seemed to fall outside of the main theme get wound back into the central storyline in unique and exciting ways.  If you haven’t picked up on it through the title or descriptions of this drama, death is central to this story.  So if topics of death and suicide are triggers for you, please proceed with caution.  There are those that felt that the opinions about suicide in this drama lean more toward blaming the main character instead of presenting any kind of solution or social commentary on the problems that brought him there in the first place. For me, I loved the uplifting message that, regardless of the hardships we face, life should always be seen as a gift.  I give “Death’s Game” a 10 out of 10 ramen.

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“Castaway Diva” is a sweet rom-com about love, loyalty, and never giving up on your dreams. While I enjoyed the message, the cute love story, and the wonderful OST, I did feel like this drama tried to pack too many side stories into the short 12 episode format.  At times, the story of greedy agents and fickle fans overshadowed the hopeful message of second chances and wishes coming true.  And some of the early abuse scenes may be triggering, especially if you aren’t expecting them.  But I loved the family interactions and Park Eun Bin did a great job both with the acting and singing. I give “Castaway Diva” an 8 out of 10 ramen.

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“Castaway Diva” is a sweet rom-com about love, loyalty, and never giving up on your dreams. While I enjoyed the message, the cute love story, and the wonderful OST, I did feel like this drama tried to pack too many side stories into the short 12 episode format.  At times, the story of greedy agents and fickle fans overshadowed the hopeful message of second chances and wishes coming true.  And some of the early abuse scenes may be triggering, especially if you aren’t expecting them.  But I loved the family interactions and Park Eun Bin did a great job both with the acting and singing. I give “Castaway Diva” an 8 out of 10 ramen.

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“The Worst of Evil” is a gloomy crime drama about betrayal and responsibility.  Once again, I need to emphasize that this show is rated Mature for a reason.  It is unapologetically violent, gory and at times stiflingly depressing.  .  To be honest, I’m not sure crime noir is my thing. All of that dark violence and action doesn’t leave much room for the story depth and character development I am partial to.  That being said, if you can get over the darker themes and violence, I have to hand it to this series.  The acting was raw and riveting and the cinematography was eerily realistic.  Ji Chang Wook’s performance as a police officer slowly slipping into the evil he is supposed to be fighting was well worth the watch.  I give “The Worst of Evil” an 8 out of 10 ramen.

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“Perfect Marriage Revenge” is a time travel romantic drama.  This series was a pleasant surprise, and I really enjoyed it.  The 12 episode format keeps the plot moving and the story is well told.  The revenge side of things definitely gives this a bit of the intense melodrama you would expect in a series about betrayal and family secrets.  But the retribution is so gratifying.  I loved the chemistry between the leads. And amazingly this drama manages to bring all the questions and pieces together for a satisfying ending. I give “Perfect Marriage Revenge” a 9 out of 10 ramen.

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“My Dearest” is a heartbreaking historical drama that highlights the suffering of a country living under foreign rule.  This is a heavier, more intense drama than some of the more light-hearted rom-com style, but the emotions are raw and realistic.  Some of the scenes of abuse and bullying may be difficult to watch, but it is not overly graphic.  Namgoong Min brings his usual, unflappable charm to this well-developed character.  Though I felt that the first half of this drama was tighter and better told, while the second half had some problems with pacing and consistency, the ending makes the journey worthwhile  I give “My Dearest” a 9 out of 10 ramen.

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“Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun” is a beautiful fantasy drama that creates another world.   It strikes a nice balance between romantic fantasy and historical intrigue.   I do recommend that you watch the first season first, because there is a lot of mythology to catch up with.  While I thought the cast did a great job and I love both Lee Joon Gi and Shin Sae Kyoeng, I did miss the original leads. With the leads and other cast changes, some of the characters felt like totally new characters. But The continuation of the story itself was seamless and engaging.   I give “Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun” an 8 out of 10 ramen.

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