Author Archives: ockoala

Encounter Cast Celebrates Drama Wrap and Ends with Slightly Higher Average Ratings than Same Network Memories of Alhambra

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It’s clear the screenwriter of Encounter (Boyfriend) took her writing classes seriously because there were no bad/poorly written characters in the drama. Every single role was three dimensional, and fleshed out despite limited screen time for the supporting cast. I’ll remember that fondly like I’ll miss Driving Miss Soo Hyun ahjusshi Manager Nam, good friend til the end Hye In, … Continue reading →

K-ent’s First Couple of 2019 Jennie and Kai Breakup After Less than a Month

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In what is the fastest dating-to-breakup turnaround in K-ent in like, ever, 2019’s first couple as outed by Dispatch has gone kaput. At least officially, who knows what’s going on behind the scenes. Blackpink‘s Jennie and EXO‘s Kai teased the possibility of a SM Entertainment and YG power couple after confirming their nascent relationship this January 1, but before the … Continue reading →

Lee Jong Seok and Lee Na Young Put on their Rom-com Hats as tvN Romance is a Bonus Book Premieres this Weekend

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When I watched the long 5-minute preview for tvN Sat-Sun drama Romance is a Bonus Book (Romance Supplement), I got a weird sense of deja vu that I’ve seen this all before. It’s a bit like male lead Lee Jong Seok encountered in his last drama While You Were Sleeping, trying to place all the where did I see it … Continue reading →

Happily Married K-stars Eugene and Ki Tae Young Showcase Bestie Romance in New Grazia Pictorial

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With Christmas and now New Year’s over, the next big Western holiday is Valentine’s Day in mid-February and with it comes the barrage if couples pictorials. Married for 7 years K-star couple Eugene and Ki Tae Young dropped a lovely pictorial this week to kick off the romantic festivities, being one of the reel-to-real couples that played a drama OTP … Continue reading →

Jang Hyuk Adds Veteran Gravitas to Sageuk Drama My Country with Young Leads Yang Se Jong, Seolhyun, and Woo Do Hwan

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Being a veteran K-actor or actress has the additional perk of picking even supporting roles that can end up more critical to the narrative. One needn’t always be the lead to scene steal and my gut tells me Jang Hyuk is going to hold down the fort in upcoming sageuk My Country. He’s joining the cast of young leads Yang … Continue reading →

tvN Drama Encounter Concludes with a Well-earned Happy Ending and the Best Episode Since the Strong Premiere

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I’m super stoked to write about the final episode 16 of tvN Wed-Thurs drama Encounter (Boyfriend), a drama that I followed closely for 9 weeks and am thrilled I loved it so much from the start because the conclusion didn’t disappoint me. Of course it was a happy ending, the relationship of older, richer Soo Hyun and young, idealistic Jin … Continue reading →

Kang Sora is Pretty as a Flower for Marie Claire February Pictorial

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Some actors or actresses never have a single hit so Kang Sora having a massive hit in both drama and movie is already an achievement. But she’s sitting on five years since Misaeng and eight years since Sunny, with so many disappointing projects since especially in the drama space with Warm and Cozy and Revolutionary Love. She’s due for another … Continue reading →

Byun Yo Han Confirmed as Male Lead for Sci-fi Space Drama City of Stars

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The City of Stars has a male lead and during the nearly one year development lag it’s not the star first offered the role last year. Byun Yo Han will get his first male lead role after confirming City of Stars, which I remember being the sci-fi space travel themed drama that was courting Hyun Bin. Binnie ultimately went with … Continue reading →

Tears Flow as Everyone Tries to Clean House in Penultimate Episode 15 of Encounter

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I find tvN Wed-Thurs drama Encounter (Boyfriend) petering out for me emotionally, and without even the how will it end curiosity that sustained me into the black abyss that was the end of Memories of Alhambra. Encounter actually makes a lot of narrative, too much so that it’s in dullsville territory because we know Soo Hyun and Jin Hyuk need … Continue reading →

Jin Goo and Seo Eun Soo Take on the Law in New Poster and Stills for jTBC Drama Legal High

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While current jTBC Fri-Sat night drama Sky Castle is rightfully dominating the air waves, it’ll soon wrap up in the first weekend of February and new arrival Legal High will air just after lunar new year. If Sky Castle hits a little too close to home on the competitive nature of South Korean parents and their progeny with respect to … Continue reading →

Noble Idiot Breakup Tears Flow in Teaser Pictures for Episode 15 of Encounter

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Call me a masochist but I’m actually looking forward to the impending breakup of the leads in Encounter (Boyfriend). While Soo Hyun has led an emotionally difficult life, Jin Hyun has grown up in love and safety and truly doesn’t comprehend how badly Soo Hyun’s enemies could hurt her and his friends/family. I need them to solve problems first before … Continue reading →

Yeom Jung Ah, Hyun Bin, and Song Hye Kyo Top the January 2019 Drama Actor Buzz Rankings

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It’s January of a new year and time to check out who is starting off the year on top of the drama K-actor and actress buzz rankings. Veteran leading lady Yeom Jung Ah takes the win thanks to the record breaking success of Sky Castle. Following right behind is Hyun Bin for Memories of Alhambra in second place, and coming … Continue reading →

Yamashita Tomohisa Dons Arm Prosthetic for J-dorama Adaptation of Hit Manga In Hand

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I have a new Spring J-dorama to look forward to and it totally blends together what Japan does so well. Yamashita Tomohisa is returning to the small screen to headline the J-dorama adaptation of popular manga In Hand. The visual conceit is that the male lead a super smart parasitologist has a black prosthetic arm for a replacement hand but … Continue reading →