Korean Drama Review #3: 50 Episodes Plus Version

Ojakgyo Brothers
Genera: Family, Rich vrs Poor, Romance, Generation

This was one of the longest dramas I've watched. It is about 50 or so episodes, but each one was worth it. I first saw Joo Won in this drama, and I liked him immediately. I especially like some of the traits his character in this drama had. I liked Uee as well, and I think they had good chemistry. The story is about a pompous rich girl falling from grace, and needing to turn to an old family acquaintance for help. At first she struggles due to her personality and unwillingness to cooperate. Eventually they accept her as family after many ups and downs. This drama was interesting in that it turned the villain into one of your favorite characters. In a way it's saying that everyone is redeemable.

Smile, You

Genera: Family, Romance, Rich vrs. Poor
The themes are pretty consistent among the longer dramas I've watched, but I guess it could be that 50 episodes and  above dramas tend to be about those things. This drama is also about a rich girl going to live with a poorer family. Unlike the Ojakgyo brothers, this also talks about her side of the family. Instead of one person moving in, it's about two families coming together. The male lead is very homey. It was definitely a change from the usual leads of the dramas I have watched. There are a lot of heartfelt moments in this drama. You can easily get lost in their world! Also, a couple in this drama got married in life! Can you guess which one?

The Jewel in the Palace
Genera:  Historical Fiction, Romance, Medicine
I watched this drama with my parents. This famous drama propelled the Korean entertainment industry. It is about a little girl that entered the royal court and becomes an amazing cook. She later wins the favor of the King, after many difficult trials, and becomes his personal physician. She had ambitions no women in her situation dared to have. She had to flee because her practices were not in line with what the others believed at the time, such as surgery. This is based on the true story of Jang Geum, a famous female doctor during the 16th century. This drama teaches you a lot about the Korean culture, and is a good break from the usual romance and family drama.

Creating Destiny

Genera: Family, Cultural Differences, Romance

This drama hits closer to home for the Asian-American viewers. This is about a Korean immigrant (Korean-Australian) who's father wishes her to marry a Korean man. She agrees to "date" a childhood friend to appease her father, but if it doesn't work out, then she gets to do whatever she wants. She goes in with the mindset to stick it out for a few months, but because this is a drama, she ends up falling for the childhood friend. This is different from the other dramas in that it only has 31 episodes. The best part about this drama is the two lead actors got married in real life.

This does not say anything about the ending! However you can imagine how great the chemistry was.