For a high profile K-drama like Hwayugi with a big name cast including my faves Lee Seung Gi and Cha Seung Won, it’s dispiriting that the drama is limping towards the finale weekend with what feels like no buzz. It barely squeezed into the top 5 most buzzed about dramas for February and took an inverse journey of splashy premiere … Continue reading →
I had two opinion changes last December with two young K-actresses that I never connected with but changed my mind after their most recent roles. The first was Chae Soo Bin in I am Not a Robot as she won me over with a very warm performance. The second and even more impressive is Lee Se Young with a supporting … Continue reading →
I’m still unable to formulate a reaction to the love line in fantasy tvN drama Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey). For Lee Seung Gi‘s recent dramas it’s always been so clear to me how I felt – insane love for the OTP in A King 2 Hearts, the female lead Suzy‘s wooden acting ruining the romantic connection in Gu Family Book, … Continue reading →
The third weekend airing of tvN fantasy drama Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) went off without a hitch much like last weekend, and hopefully all the hiccups of the first weekend and surrounding mishaps are done with for good. Episodes 5 and 6 continued the ratings increase from last week, attaining 6.102% and 6.942% respectively. While tvN’s Wed-Thurs drama Wise Prison … Continue reading →
I’m pretty lenient when it comes cameo appearances in dramas, it’s solely service and as long as it’s not a jarring schism in the narrative then it’s fine to do. The Hong Sisters are well known for their cameos in their dramas mostly from prior stars who have done their dramas in the past. Jang Geun Seok has done two … Continue reading →
Cable network tvN aired episodes 3 and 4 of its fantasy drama Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) this weekend after two weeks off and the drama picked up right where it left off on Christmas Eve’s episode 2. Ratings for Episode 3 matched episode 2 of 5.6% and went up to just breaking 6.0% for episode 4. It’s not a surprise … Continue reading →
I don’t recall a K-drama fraught with so many mishaps, and so soon after premiering. Wolf had to be halted after airing a few episodes when leads Eric and Han Ji Min got hurt in a stunt car accident and it was never finished, so hopefully the same does not happen with Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) and more importantly the drama … Continue reading →
I truly hope all the screw ups for tvN drama Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) is confined to the first broadcast weekend and the rest of the series will be smooth sailing. The drama’s second episode had to be halted during airing due to the pre-production not being done but it turned out the drama couldn’t have started filming earlier because … Continue reading →
The rise of the screenwriting Hong sisters as a true Hallyu powerhouse with their own name recognition has to be credited to the incredible pan-Asia popularity of You’re Beautiful in 2009. Before then their dramas were hits in Korea and was part of the Hallyu wave, with Sassy Girl Chun Hyang, My Girl, Fantasy Couple, and Hong Gil Dong all … Continue reading →
Next week will tell if the snafu with the airing of episode 2 of Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) will affect the ratings for this tvN drama in the long run. For now there was a slight blip as Sunday night’s episode 2 ratings fell from the high premiere of 5.290% to 4.849%. Episode 2 saw longer than usual commercials for … Continue reading →
In what maybe be a new level of K-drama filming and post-production fail, the second episode of tvN weekend drama Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) went from ratings winning new hit to being unable to finish airing. Sunday night’s episode 2 of Hwayugi actually got pulled from airing midway through due to incredibly obvious post-production screw ups. Basically the post-production wasn’t … Continue reading →
Cable network tvN has another big hit drama on its hands and only time will tell if this one will catch up to the network’s two top scorers Answer Me 1988 and Goblin. The Hong Sisters penned fantasy romance drama Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) premiered this Saturday to fantastic ratings, taking in 5.29% nationwide just one point lower than Goblin’s … Continue reading →
This Saturday is the premiere of tvN drama Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) and my optimism remains high even as excitement is tempered by the sad news overwhelming K-ent this week with the passing of a much loved male idol. The drama has released official posters, held the press conference, and dropped the long preview so I was surprised to see … Continue reading →
