Reading books, for some people, ­­­is the most effective way to have a good night’s sleep. But for me, KDramas have become my sleeping pill. Since I have no new dramas on queue, I decided to rewind some of the dramas I’ve seen before, and I' decided to take Faith.

Plot.  I find the time-travel in this story amusing than some of the similar-themed KDramas that I’ve seen so far since it was the female lead who has to go back in time. It was entertaining but quite frustrating at the same time… I was hooked into its storyline but in my opinion, the fantasy genre was somehow exaggerated. I believe the story would still survive even without some characters having super powers.

I also liked the political twists and turns in Faith: the reorganization, the betrayal, the movement towards an independent Goryeo, etc.   

This is also the first time that I’ve spent so much time thinking about the details of a KDrama’s storyline. There are a lot of ‘WTFs’, ‘how in the world did that happen’, and ‘what ifs’ that you will encounter that will definitely test your logic. I have a lot of questions in my mind during and even after watching Faith that I chose to just stop thinking about it so that I can finally have my peace of mind, lol.

Cast and Characters.

Kim Hee Sun as Yoo Eun soo. I’m not really a fan of the damsel-in-distress-type of female protagonist, but I have to say that Eun-soo managed to make me like her. She’s funny and clever at the same time, and she’s exceptionally skilled in the field of medicine.

Despite the love story and romantic scenes between Eun-soo and Choi Young, their kilig moments didn’t satisfy me enough. I believe Kim Hee Sun perfectly portrayed the role of Eun Soo, but I didn’t feel the connection between her and Lee Min Ho. Walang spark (charing. Haha!)

Lee Min Ho as Choi Young. To be honest, I feel sorry for this dude. Even if he’s the General of the Woodalchis, his character is trapped inside the palace. He wasn’t able to claim the freedom that he requested even if he has finally accomplished all of the missions that the king gave him. Tsktsk. I was also amused by the fact that he wanted to exit the palace and become a fisherman instead since it shows us the simplicity of life during that period.

As always, I wasn’t disappointed with Lee Min Ho’s performance in this drama. I think this role is a bit challenging since the character is a mature and serious one (plus the super powers), compared to the teeny-bopper and playful Gu Jun Pyo and Lee Yoon-seung.  

Ryu Deok Hwan as King Gongmin. This character really left a mark in my mind. The kings portrayed in a lot of sageuks that I’ve seen usually have a strong personality, making this king a bit different. He often gets scared and cannot make decisions on his own, which is a normal thing for a human being. He gets his strength from the people around him, and as Choi Young have mentioned, this king knows shame. He openly listens to the feedback of his people and makes the necessary actions to attend to it. The way I see it, he’s weak… but that’s also the reason why he’s strong (ene dew? Haha.)

I love how he shows his affection towards the queen… how he worries for her, and most especially his simple glances towards her (in the first episodes). I have to admit that what I always look forward in the episodes is the love story between these two.  

I don’t really know Ryu Deok Hwan before I watched this drama, and I have to say that I was impressed by his acting skills. Aside from the kilig scenes, I was totally immersed with his acting when the queen was kidnapped. The moment when he almost lost his sanity and let go of all his pride to beg his uncle for his queen’s safety. Omoooooooo~~~~

Park Se Young as Queen Nogook. I love this character soooo soooo much. Despite her frail body, she is actually a strong-willed, smart, and loving wife to King Gongmin. She’s always there to support him and help him with his political affairs, even if it means going to war against her home nation.  I’m a huge fan of their love story, which started in Yuan. She even studied Goryeo language so that she can talk to and listen to him. 

Like Ryu Deok Hwan, this is also the first time that I’ve seen Park Se Young. She also did a great job in portraying the smart and sophisticated Queen Nogook.

Yu Oh Seong as Gi Cheol. Probably one of the most annoying antagonists I’ve seen so far. He irritates me a lot, so I guess he’s an effective actor. HAHA. I like how he’s insanely evil, but at the same time hates the super powers.

Supporting Cast.

The Woodalchis. I actually grew attached to the Woodalchis while watching the drama, and I think they provided the best support in this drama. I love their bond and their loyalty not just to their King, which is given, but also to their General. I would like to give a shout out to Jeo Sook, who somehow made me cry when he died protecting the monarch. Ajujuuu~

Lee Phillip as Jang Bin. He’s the royal doctor during this time period and she became Eun Soo’s best friend, teacher, counselor, and confidante. I like the idea that they are working hand-in-hand and are willing to work with each other. Jang Bin played a big role in helping Eun Soo to adapt in this new world that she got into, so ***SPOILER ALERT*** it really made my heart crumble when he was killed. Ajujujuu~~ ***END SPOILER***  

Gi Cheol’s minions. It’s quite obvious that I didn’t appreciate the super powers of the characters right? So I cannot comment much on Gi Cheol’s minions. However, I particularly liked the Soo-in and Eum-ja duo [minus, of course, the powers]. Why? I find them cool. HAHA.

  

Overall Prodution. Setting— I’m a big fan of sageuk  and I had to say that this drama’s historical element caught my interest. This is something new for me since the drama is set before the Joseon dynasty, which is always the time period of every single sageuk that I’ve seen so far. Watching this drama added some heat to my boiling desire to study not just Korea’s but Asia’s history as well.

Cinematography—it was fine, but I didn’t really appreciate the animation effects of the blood splatter during the action scenes. I prefer the morbid and realistic ones, just sayin’.

Just found this nyuper adorable pic:

Final verdict: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♡ ♡ [3/5]

Many people spend their holidays by traveling to different places but here I am stuck in my own realm ending my two-week KDrama marathon. While browsing my EHD, I finally get to see my copy of Emergency Couple. I was intrigued by the very first scene and I knew right away that I would love this drama. Aside from the groom and bride escaping from what seems like “bodyguards”, what caught my attention is the bride who’s none other than my favorite Running Girl… Mong Ji! Hihi~

Plot.  Emergency Couple shows us the H O R R O R S of marriage… joke, haha! It shows us that just love is not enough in order for marriage to work. That marriage comes with responsibility and both parties need to work hand-in-hand. That one must not focus on his/her own emotions, but rather try to consider his/her partner’s as well. That marriage comes at the right time and should not be rushed.  

I have to admit that I find the concept of this drama impressive. Although the issue of divorce is common at this age, it is still nonconforming in the conservative culture of Korea. I was satisfied with the overall storyline, the chemistry of our OTPs, the presence of the supporting characters, and the characters’ growth.

I think one concept evident in this drama is feminism. It shows female independence through Jin Hee’s character development after her failed marriage and through Jin Hye’s character as a single mom; female dominance over their husband’s through Chang Min’s mom and as seen on the Young Ae—Sang Hyuk  relationship.

Cast and Characters.

Oh Jin Hee. I was completely astonished by the growth of this character. It was shown on the first episode that Oh Jin Hee’s character is somehow weak (after she married Chang Min), as she became dependent on her husband and developed inferiority complex probably due to the bullying of her monster-in-law (I think she probably lost self-respect during her marriage). She was also clumsy and can always stir up trouble in the emergency room, giving her the title of “Big Rock”. However, with enough self-confidence and determination, she managed to blossom into a dependable doctor and even managed to earn the respect of those people who used to belittle her in the past. 

Honestly speaking, this is the first drama that I’ve seen wherein Song Ji Hyo plays the female lead. I have only seen her in Goong and in Running Man, so I didn’t really know what to expect. As if Running Man wasn’t enough, I was then again impressed by her skill in acting… especially the crying scenes. Double thumbs up for Mong Ji~~~~

Oh Chang Min. Smart, good-looking, and great family background. Yes, that’s Oh Chang Min. A typical prince charming, okay? Like Jin Hee, Oh Chang Min’s character also developed a lot in the story. It was shown in the first few episodes how immature he was. But after a series of events, he finally learned how to respect and understand his ex-wife, and finally act like a man! Note: I like how he gets jealous whenever Jin Hee shows her smile to Chief Gook. If you’ll notice, he only shows his cute side to Jin Hee as well~~~~

I first saw Choi Jin Hyuk in The Heirs. Chang Min’s character is somehow loud and expressive, unlike the character he portrays in The Heirs. I was surprised to see him talking non-stop, making cute facial expressions, and actually smiling. His overall charisma is perfect for the character of Oh Chang Min.

I have the second male lead syndrome but I can’t seem to root for him. Okay, his kilig moments with Jin Hee is cute, but I really do want him to end up with Ji Hye.

Supporting Characters. From the ER staff to the family members of the leads, I think the supporting characters played their roles perfectly.

Shim Ji Hye. She’s mature, dependable, and I think she can be considered as the “mother” of the ER. I like how she managed to contain her feelings and actions towards Chief. I like the idea that their past didn’t stop them in becoming the best of friends. I’m just disappointed that she didn’t actually do what’s on her mind (the water slap to Cheon Soo). With her strong personality, she could’ve done that but it just stayed on her head. She should’ve expressed how she truly felt and her disappointment with Cheon Soo, right? Tsktsk.

Han Ah Reum and Im Yong Gyu. I like how the writers created the character of Han Ah Reum. Even if she’s the rich- Minister’s daughter, she’s not the spoiled brat who will use her connections just to get the man she’s eyeing for. For Yong Gyu’s character, I was somehow disappointed how easy it was for him to drop being a doctor just like that. I mean, it took him a lot of time and effort before he got his internship and it didn’t occur to him that he will definitely encounter medication errors like that? But then, his character shows us that there’s no age limit to realize what you really want to do with your life, and it’s never too late to take the first few steps in achieving it.

Lee Young-Ae and Park Sang Hyuk. Perhaps the junior OHOH Couple, which probably represents the main leads’ first few months of marriage. I find the characters not really necessary, but their presence added amusement in the plot. In some minor ways, I think they might’ve contributed to the main characters’ reflections on their failed relationship.

Oh Jin Hee’s family. I believe Jin Hee’s family gave the biggest support in this drama. From the mother to Jin Ae—Gwang Soo couple up to the adorable baby Gook. I think the return of the prodigal daughter turned back the Oh family’s house into a home. Even I, as a viewer, felt gloomy when it comes to the house-setting. But the moment Jin Ae stepped back into the picture, they gave that happy family feels, especially with the presence of Gook. Note: the name Kim Gwang Soo gives me the image of the giraffe. HAHA.

Yoon Sung Sook. Support, or maybe the femme fatale in the plot? Anyway, I have always seen Park Joon Geum play the infamous role of the lead male’s terror mother in various Korean dramas and she still gives me the same feels. I find Sung Sook annoying most of the time but for some unknown reasons, I can’t completely detest her maybe because of the comedic traces in her character. It’s just heartbreaking that her husband has to die before she can actually recognize and respect Jin Hee.

Overall Prodution. Setting—great. Mainly set on the hospital of course and… a bar (since our characters love to drink, especially Jin Hee). Cinematography—also great. I like the blending of colors. OST—perfect.  

Before I end this post, here’s a shout out to Mong Ji’s Monday boyfriend, Kang Gary, who made a cameo appearance in one of the episodes~~~

Wait… what? Scandal? Don’t get the wrong idea please. Sungkyunkwan Scandal is not porn or anything lewd. It’s one of the famous Korean dramas in 2010, and after four years, I have finally finished watching it. I started watching it two years ago, but my copy only has the first 16 episodes.

When Nadja and I went to one of our fellow ELF (and ka-towtie Doodles)’s place to cook Bacon Cheese Kimchi Fried Rice, I finally got the remaining four episodes of this drama. Thus, the marathon began once again. Of course I had to re-watch the first 16 episodes since I already forgot how the story goes. And I had to swoon over Yoo Ah-In ♥ once again. Ow my gas.

 Plot. Uhmm, yeah, it’s another gender-bender drama. But what makes it unique is that the story is set during the Joseon dynasty. During that time, women are not given equal rights as men. That’s why it was really difficult on the side of Kim Yoon-hee. She might would definitely face death once her real identity is revealed. Besides, she entered Sungkyunkwan which is considered as a “sanctuary” for scholars studying Confucianism. So the education and knowledge that she seek, also has death as its shadow.

Uhmm, yeah, it also has another F4-thinggy. BUT, the diversity of Joseon F4 is what makes it unique. Unlike the modern F4 that we know today (which is primarily composed of gorgeous-looking and super duper rich flower boys), the Jalgeum Quartet is composed of a Noron, a Soron, a Namin, and a merchant's son pretending to be an elite [I forgot the term, sareeh.] And what I also like most about this quartet is that they never really liked each other in the beginning (except, of course, with Moon Jae-shin and Gu Yong-ha which are childhood friends). 

Also, I would’ve appreciated it if we were given the idea of what happened with the Minister of War. Was justice served? I would also love to know what happened to the other characters as well. Like for example, Cheo Sun and Ha In-soo? Hmmm… ***END OF SPOILER*** [I’m not even sure if these can be considered as spoilers since what really happened was somehow unclear. Tsk.] 

Setting.  I personally like the setting of the story. To be honest, I like love watching historical dramas, for it makes me wonder what it feels like living a much simpler and somehow satisfying life. And as to what I have mentioned earlier, what makes SKKS unique from other gender-bender dramas is the setting. There’s one thing I’m curious though. How did Kim Yoon-shik handled her monthly period? Haha.

Cast and Characters.

Kim Yoon-hee, a.k.a. daemul, Kim Yoon-shik. I L O V E Kim Yoon-hee’s character. She’s smart, fun, a dedicated daughter and sister, and very hard-working. No offense to Go “Mi-nam”’s character in You’re Beautiful, but compared to this clumsy and dim-witted gender-bending twin sister, I find Kim Yoon-hee much better. Yeah, Mi-nam’s cute, but Yoon-shik’s coooooooooool.

Park Min-young’s portrayal of Kim Yoon-hee is close to perfect; it just somehow lacks during crying scenes. I have to say that she still has to improve on that. Her crying scenes are not the type to get the audience carried away or feel her pain.   

Lee Soon-joon, a.k.a. Garang. Uhm… I also have to admit that I didn’t like Lee Sun-joon’s personality at all. It somehow changed during the kilig moments with Yoon-hee (when he’s slipping love notes on the books at the Library, and trying to kiss but their hats got in the way, teehee~), but still not to the extent of totally liking him. 

He’s too righteous (although it’s a good thing) and full of composure and has a very cold demeanor, ugh. But I had to say that he’s truly remarkable. He’s very trustworthy because you can be sure that he will always do the right thing, even if it means forsaking his own father. He even isolated himself because he thought he’s gay. Tsktsktsk.

I think Park Yoochun’s portrayal of Lee Sun-joon is perfect. Here’s the evidence: I like Yoochun. But even if I do like him, that didn’t affect my views on Lee Sun-joon’s character. For example, you have a favorite actor, let’s say Kim Soo-hyun. Even if Kim Soo-hyun got a very detestable role/character in a drama, you will still like him because he’s Kim Soo-hyun. Kim Soo-hyun is Kim Soo-hyun, right? But in this case, no matter how much I like Yoochun, I still didn’t manage to like Lee Sun-joon. MEANING, he portrayed the character perfectly since my personal bias towards the actor didn’t affect my views on the character he’s playing. To make it simple, I like Yoochun but I don’t like Lee Sun-joon.          

Moon Jae-shin, a.k.a. Geol Oh. HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI~~~~~ Maybe another culprit on why I didn’t like the Yoon-hee—Sun-joon OTP was because of this crazy horse. He’s so cute. Behind that I-don’t-care-about-life and drunkard disguise, he’s actually very smart and also good with martial arts. Haaay sooo macho *drools*.  He also gets hiccups whenever there’s a girl around, which is soooooo soooo cuuuttteee, especially when he smiles. He’s good in shooting arrows as the Hong Byuk Seo, but I never imagined that he could also shoot my heart with his killer smile. OMOOOO.

So this is the famous Yoo Ah-In. I always hear him being mentioned in Showbiz Korea or other entertainment news, but this is actually his first drama that I’ve seen. I can’t think of any other actor that may play the role of Moon Jae-shin except him. He’s got the perfect combination of that dirty-and-bearded-crazy-drunkard slash the-masked-fast-shooting Hong Byuk Seo slash the neat-looking-SKK scholar. OMOOO. I just realized how biased I am. Did I already mention that he’s cute? Well, Moon Jae-shin’s cute. And. Hot. *Faints*

Gu Yong-ha, a.k.a. Yeorim. The playboy. At first I wondered why he befriended Yoon-shik and Soon-joon considering the fact that he already belongs to the President’s circle. At first I find him annoying and think of him as a troublemaker. But then, during the initiation rights, he already seemed like the only person who’s got sense in their circle. Oh well. 

Source: nycticoraxnycticoraxnycticorax.tumblr.com

***SPOILER ALERT*** I also never imagined that he wasn’t from a noble family. I like how his character developed in the story. From being a fashionable pretentious-money-wasting “elite,” he finally learned how to unveil his mask and finally embrace who he truly is. In the end, he was able to use that learning when he needed to stop the scholars from attending the meeting held by the king (the scene with his uncle, lol.)***END SPOILER***

I think Song Joong-ki is also perfect for the role of Gu Yong Ha. He has this "womanizer" charisma that perfectly fits the nickname yeorim. His portrayal of the character is also effortless. Clap clap clap. 

Overall Production.  SKKS is another evidence of how rich Korea’s culture is. I like the overall cinematography, and I also have to commend the outstanding action scenes. The whole production team did a very great job in this drama. 

Final verdict: ♥♥♥♡♡ [3/5]