My picks for entertainment ~ suggested movies, TV shows, music, and books ~ so you can enjoy some quality ME time! (ATTN Korean drama addicts! This blog has lots of K-drama love.)
When the government tells the people everything will be alright and what they are doing is good for the country's economy ... DON'T BUY THAT LINE!! That's what all politicians say. They work from a distance.
Sadly, the person who is working AT the nuclear plant tries to warn the president, the head of the government, that the nuclear plant is not being maintained and that if prompt action is not taken, the result will be disastrous .. IS IGNORED.
A loyal employee at the nuclear facility prepared a scathing report, identifying problems, and recommending solutions BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! For his concern and due diligence, he is removed from his position and replaced by someone less competent who does whatever he was told to do.
Long story short, by the time the president realized how grave the situation was at the nuclear power plant, nobody was willing to risk their lives to go inside and fix it! So the president gets on television, informs the nation of the danger, and pleads for volunteers who are willing to go inside the plant and make the necessary repairs.
The criminal underworld believes in equal opportunity. If anyone wants to participate in organized criminal activity, the door is open.
In the case of The Berlin File, the door that opened is now closed because of secrecy needed to conduct an illegal arms exchange taking place between a North
Korean, a Russian, and an Arab, in a hotel room in Berlin, Germany.
Before the transaction can be completed, agents from the Mossad
(Israeli intelligence) burst into the room. They tell the North
Korean he can leave; they only want the Arab and the Russian guys.
The North Korean spy tries to leave the scene but a South Korean NIS
agent chases after him. He manages to escape but the NIS
agent still plans to pursue him. South Korea needs to find a bank
account that belonged to the late Korean leader Kim Jung-il. The
funds will be used by other countries that aid North Korea. NIS
believes the North Korean spy has information about the money.
Unfortunately, the spy is being betrayed by his own countrymen. They
also want to gain access to Kim Jung-il's bank account for their own
political agenda and plan to frame him as a traitor. He needs to try
to escape from his North Korean comrades. the South Korean
NIS, and the other international spy agencies like the Israeli Mossad
and the American CIA who are thrown into the “mix”.
He wants to escape with the woman he loves.
Can
he escape? Where will he go?
Main
Characters:
North
Korean spy Pyo Jong-Sung (played by Ha Jung-Woo, “Narco
Saints”)
South
Korean NIS agent Jung Jin-Soo (played by Han Suk-Kyu, “Tree
With Deep Roots”).
Netflix suggested Unjust (2010) as a gem and I agree. The IMDb Rating: 6.6 out of 10 stars. But my rating for this movie is 9 out of 10 stars. This movie painted a very realistic picture of unjust acts that corrupt civil servants commit in their official line of duty. It was a chilling eye-opener.
The Unjust is an Intense Crime Drama!
The
viewer is immediately drawn into the storyline when it starts with
televised news reports about a serial killer on the loose, killing
young children and mutilating their bodies. The public is
justifiably outraged and wants to know why the police have not yet
captured this menace to society. Choi Cheol-Gi
is assigned to head up the task force and bring this brutal
murderer to justice. But instead of finding the real killer, he
picks a guy who has served time in prison for sexual assault against
a child and presents him to the public as the culprit. WHY? The
public will be relieved, the case will be closed, he will be painted
as a HERO, and will finally get that promotion.
Not
so fast!Prosecutor Joo-Yang eats and plays
golf with a wealthy corrupt businessman. When that businessman is
arrested for crimes, the prosecutor bends the law to get the charges
dropped. He is not exactly a saint. But when he finds out that Choi
Cheol-Gi did not catch the real killer, he makes it his mission to
expose him. There's bd blood between the two of them.
The
truth is these guys abuse their positions of public trust in order to
advance their careers. They're both corrupt and unjust. But one of
them is … The Unjust.
Which one?
The
list below are 5 Korean movies that are streaming free with ads on
Pluto TV. The “H” means the film is historical. In the previous
list published via PopGeeks, the movie gems were released between
2009 and 2012. The films on the list below were released between
2013 and 2021.
Killer Toon (2013)
The Sound of a Flower (2015)-H
The Swordsman (2020)-H
Beasts Clawing at Straws (2020)
Escape from Mogadishu (2021)
♦ 1) Killer Toon (2013)
A webtoon artist who becomes entangled in a series of gruesome murders because the real-life crimes resembling her fictional work. As she delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers dark secrets and a chilling connection between her creations and reality. This film is categorized as Horror, Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense.
PAYNUX Movie. “Killer Toon 2013 Full Movie Trailer - Murder Tragedy Based on Comic Story.” YouTube Video. YouTube, September 10, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChUrNinYNq8.
♦ 2) The Sound of a Flower (2015)
This historical period drama is based on a true story, set in 1867 Korea. Jin Chae-seon is a Korean pansori singer. She disguises herself as a man in order to compete in “Naksungyeon”, a national competition of pansori performers. This historical figure is believed to be the first female master of a male-dominated genre. Born in the 1840s, she became a master of performing Simcheongga and Chunhyangga.
CJEntertainmentUSA. “The Sound of a Flower Official Teaser Trailer W/ English Subtitles [HD].” YouTube Video. YouTube, October 30, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL_CP1sw9L4.
♦ 3) The Swordsman (2020)
After a king of Joseon was dethroned, the country's best swordsman who has served him faithfully, vanishes. His wish is to live quietly with his daughter away from the palace intrigue, corruption, and constant conspiracies. But his wish was not granted. There is a conflict between Qing and Ming Dynasty has thrown Joseon into chaos and his daughter is kidnapped. He must pick up his sword once again to go save his daughter. This film is categorized as Action, and Historical Fiction.
Tae Yool’s daughter Tae Ok (played by Kim Hyun-Soo)
Well Go USA Entertainment. “THE SWORDSMAN Official Trailer | Directed by Choi Jae-Hoon | Starring Jang Hyuk and Kim Hyeon-Soo.” YouTube Video. YouTube, December 16, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMuBuL982iQ.
♦ 4) Beasts Clawing at Straws (2020)
A bag of money gets lost and the lives of several characters interconnect and intersect. The more greedy and desperate they become to find the money, the more they are willing to take extreme measures. This film is categorized as Black Comedy, Crime, Thriller, and Neo-noir.
Artsploitation Films. “Beasts Clawing at Straws | Official Trailer.” YouTube Video. YouTube, September 28, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQFyCvDgL7Q. ♦ 5) Escape from Mogadishu (2021)
Based on true events. South and North Korean diplomats must escape from war-torn Somalia in 1991. The divisions of north versus south and political ideologies don't matter. In the midst of chaos and conflict, it's just humans working together to overcome adversity. Survival is what counts. This film is categorized as Action and Historical; and has won 20+ awards, including Best Film and Most Popular Film.
Han Shin-Sung, Ambassador, South Korean Embassy (played by Kim Yun-Seok)
Kang Dae-Jin, Councilor, North Korean Embassy (played by Zo In-Sung)
Well Go USA Entertainment. “ESCAPE from MOGADISHU Official Trailer | Korean Action War Drama | Directed by Ryoo Seung-Wan.” YouTube Video. YouTube, July 13, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvNFzwKtSy0.
The
list below is 5 Korean movies I have already watched or are on my
watchlist. The “H” means the film is historical.
Castaway on the Moon (2009)
I Saw the Devil (2010)
Swordbrothers: The Showdown (2011)-H
Nameless Gangster (2012)
Perfect Number (2012)
♦
1)
Castaway on the Moon (2009)
Kim
Seung-Keun (played by Jung Jae-Young) goes to a bridge over the
Han River because he is contemplating suicide. He jumps but instead
of dying he ends up stranded on a deserted island in the middle of
Seoul. Looks like it just wasn't his day to die. Once he gets
adjusted to his new life, he decides living a solitary life is not so
bad, even though he still wrote out a message in the sand “HELP”,
just in case.
Kim
Jung-Yeon (played by Jung Ryeo-Won) also lives a solitary life
and never leaves her apartment. Her hobby is taking photos of the
moon. But one night she happened to see “HELP” written in the
sand and a figure of a man walking on the shore of the deserted
island.
It's
a very unusual way for two solitary people to connect.
This
is a Korean historical period drama and the setting is Manchuria,
China, 1619. Heon-myung (played by Park Hee-soon, “The
Bequeathed”); Do-young (played by Jin Goo, “Shadow
Detective”); and
Du-soo (played by Ko Chang-seok) are
three swordsman from Joseon who are forced to come to China by the
Ming Dynasty. They
tried to take refuge in a tavern but found themselves cornered by
Manchu forces.
Do
you love intense sword fighting scenes in historical K-dramas? Then
you'll love this movie.
♦
4)
Nameless Gangster: Rules of the
Time (2012)
Set
in the 1980s, this gritty crime drama follows a corrupt customs
officer who rises to power in the criminal underworld. Choi
Ik-Hyun (played by Choi Min-Sik, “In
Our Prime”) is caught accepting bribes. He
wasn't the only dirty officer but he is the one who took the blame.
One night while still being employed as a customs office he discovers
a stash of illegal drugs in a warehouse. Since he had to leave his
honest job where he was dishonest, he makes up his mind to become
completely dishonest. It turns out he's related to a crime boss,
Choi Hyung-Bae (played by Ha Jung-Woo, “Narco
Saints”), so they become partners in crime and
take over the Busan underworld.
♦
5)
Perfect Number (2012)This film is a mystery thriller. Suk-Go (played by Ryoo Seung-Bum, “The Berlin File”) is a math genius. That's the highlight of his life. He's good with numbers, but not much else and lives as a recluse. Hwa-Sun (played by Lee Yo-Won, “The Great Queen Seondeok”) is his neighbor. He makes no effort to establish any kind of neighborly bond. She moved there because she was trying to escape her abusive violent boyfriend, only he found her.
Suk-Go hears sounds coming from his neighbor's house which are obviously the noises made when people are having a violent fight. Hwa-Sun manages to kill her ex-boyfriend. Suk-Go knocked on the door to ask if there was a problem and when he entered the house, he saw the dead body.
Hwa-Sun does not try to stop him from calling the police but she asked him if he would listen to her side of the story before making the call. Suk-Go decides to help her cover up what happened.
Hwa-Sun accepts his help but later she starts wondering “what's his angle”? She starts adding things up in her mind. Why did he help her? Does he have dark secrets? Is he a psycho who is worse than her ex-boyfriend? I mean … she didn't even know him and he volunteered to . Things don't seem to quite add up. It's not just math!
This movie is based on the 2005 novel "Yogisha X no Kenshin" ("The Devotion of Suspect X").
Lee
Dong-wook appears on many lists of “most handsome” South Korean
male actors. But he is not just a pretty face. He is popular for a
variety of reasons. He is very talented, has a versatile acting
range, is known to have a charming persona, and he
is “best buds” with Gong Yoo.
Lee
Dong-wook is an award-winning actor. Since he has been appearing in
Korean dramas since 2005, you might not know where to begin. Check
out this list:
Fans of Jang Hyuk will enjoy this intense action-packed historical period Korean drama series.
Lee Dae-gil
(played by Jang
Hyuk) is the son of a noble family,
who fell in love with Kim Hye-Won (played by Lee
Da-Hae), a slave. Her brother destroyed
his master and everything he owned. He thought he had killed Lee
Dae-gil. The brother destroyed the slave ownership papers and
created a new life for himself and his sister.
Since Lee Dae-gil had lost his family's wealth, he became a slave hunter. Mainly, because he was searching for the woman he loved, assuming that she was still a slave on the run. He would capture slaves, collect the reward, and then help them escape again but this time to freedom. Lee Dae-gil is also hunting for Song Tae-Ha (played byOh Ji-Ho). He has been labeled as a slave but he is a brave and noble warrior who will one day reclaim his honor.
To continue establishing
his reputation and wealth, Hye-Won's brother arranges a marriage for
her. On the day of the wedding, she runs away. She is about to be
attacked by bandits but Tae-Ha rescues her. Their relationship grows
into romance, all the while she believes her first love, Lee Dae-gil,
has died. Eventually, Lee Dae-gil finds her but realizes that she in
now in a loving relationship with the man, the slave, he has been
hunting. From there …. (NO SPOILERS!)
This Korean drama series is based on the webtoon of the same name (literal title: “Fantasy Sonata”). In 'Love Song for Illusion', a crown prince suffers from split personality disorder. He takes a woman as his concubine who plans to kill his father, the king.
“Love
Song for Illusion” begins by telling the story of how Asatae came
to be. “Seven noble families established the nation of Asatae,
and the Yeon family rose to the throne.”
Like
most kingdoms, there are loyal subjects and there are those who are
treacherous and covet the king's throne. Asatae is no different.
Minister Sajo Seung committed treason and usurped the
throne.
Crown
Prince Sajo Hyun is the son of the illegitimate King Sajo
Seung, and suffers from a split personality. The crown prince's
mental illness was triggered by physical and emotional abusive
treatment received from his father. In addition, when the young boy
witnessed the slaughtering of innocent people by his treacherous
overbearing father, it was too much and his mind split. His
alternate personality is named Ak-Hee. That personality is the
“manly man” his father always wanted him to be. His true self is
Sajo Hyun, a man who likes “womanly things” like painting and
dressmaking; the type of man his father despises.
Yeon
Wolwitnessed the deaths of
her father and mother at the hands of Sajo Seung. Since she was the
only living royal descendant to the legitimate throne, he intended to
kill her too. Someone saved her and took her away to raise her
secretly with a new identity. But she never forgot who she was and
fully intended to avenge the murder of his parents. She had grown up
in a home where she knew she was loved. When she grew up and trained
diligently to become an assassin to get revenge by killing
the king. But she can't complete her mission because when she went
into the palace she was drugged. When she wakes up she has no memory
of who she is and is informed that she is the crown prince's
concubine. Should
she stay in the palace or should she leave? She wants to leave and
search to find out her true identity.
The crown prince is also in a
predicament. Sajo Hyun thinks he should allow her to leave. But
Ak-Hee is attracted to her and wants her to stay. Ak-Hee is already
committed to being her man and wants Yeon Wol to commit to being his
woman. Which personality will win? Sajo Hyun or Ak-Hee?
Suppose
Yeon Wol remembers she is the only legitimate living royal descendant
in the Kingdom of Asatae and her plan to kill the king? Suppose by
then, she has fallen in love with either Sajo Hyun or Ak-Hee?
“The Killing Vote”
grabbed the viewer's attention right from the start. You think a
violent crime is taking place. But then you realize that it's an
angry father, Kwon Seok-Joo, going after the man who
violated his child. The justice system let that criminal walk the
streets again. The father took it upon himself to render what he
believed was just punishment. He stabbed the man to death.
Is it
murder or is it justice?
The Killing Vote; released 2023; 12
episodes; Legal Drama, Crime, Thriller
Of course, the father
was sent to prison. In prison, the prisoners show him great respect
and call him Professor Kwon.
But the professor is
not the only one who decided to take justice into their own hands.
Somebody developed an app that allows the people to vote on whether or
not a criminal should be executed. Vote Yes or No. Initially, the
police didn't take it seriously until 84% voted Yes and the criminal
was found dead.
To the police, the
execution is not justice, it's murder. So a special investigations
unit is set up. The unit is headed by Kim Mu-Chan, a
detective who struggles with his conscience. There have been many
times when he felt that he failed to do his duty as an officer
because the criminals he worked to bring to justice were set free.
But he knows you can't just work outside of the justice system and
vote for a person's execution.
Joo Hyun
also understands why. Her co-workers steer clear of her because she
blew the whistle on her team leader. It was a matter of conscience
and the right thing to do. When it comes to cybercrime she has a keen
eye and a talent for tracking the computer activity to its source.
She developed a lead regarding “The Killing Vote” app and took it
straight to the Special Investigations Unit. Because it was such
valuable information she was allowed to become a member of the SIU
(Special Investigations Unit).
How can there be a
fair and equal justice system based on votes that approve murder?
K-Playlist.
“The Killing Vote – Full Trailer | Park Hae-Jin, Lim Ji-Yeon.”
YouTube Video. YouTube,
August 1, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpg_efJRBJs.
"Deliver Us From Evil" proves that people who live a life of crime can never retire. In-nam performed his last contract killing and then retired; or at least, he wanted to retire. However, a guy named Ray needs help. His sister was kidnapped by a dangerous human trafficking ring and he wants In-nam to help rescue her. In-nam agrees to help Ray, and they go to Thailand.
The two main characters have great onscreen chemistry, and the action sequences are well-choreographed. This film was shot in three (3) locations: South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. "Deliver Us From Evil" was praised because it had awesome action-packed scenes, complicated plot twists, impressive cinematography, and outstanding performances by the actors.
“Hunt” is set in the 1980s, a time when South Korea was experiencing political turmoil and social unrest; and was under the military dictatorship of Chun Doo-hwan. Two (2) rival agents of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), Park Pyong-ho and Kim Jung-do, must capture a North Korean spy known as Donglim. This spy has leaked classified information and plans to assassinate the South Korean president.
Lee Jung-Jae plays Park Pyung-Ho.
The personalities of Park and Kim clash and they have different methods of approaching an investigation. But they set those differences aside because they need to unite to fight the North Korean agents, and the corrupt officials within the KCIA. During the hunt they discover that Donglim is not a single person, but a code name for a network of double spies within the KCIA and other government organizations.
To their amazement, they learn that Donglim's ultimate goal is to expose corruption in South Korea, overthrow the dictatorship, and reunite North and South Korea. Which should they choose? Their country or their conscience? Hunt is based on real historical events and characters, and the film won several awards. As well as playing one of the main characters, the film was also directed by Lee Jung-jae. Where to Watch
RATINGS:
IMDb: 6.7 out of 10 stars; MyDramaList: 7.7 out of 10 stars
“Chief of Staff”, Season 1, introduces Jang Tae-joon, an ambitious political aide with a troubled past, but a charismatic personality. The dark cutthroat world of Korean politics is an intricate web of power and corruption. Nevertheless, Tae-joon rises through the ranks to become the Chief of Staff. Even though he faces constant moral dilemmas and ethical challenges, he is determined in the pursuit of justice and bringing about meaningful change. His personal relationships may or may not be sacrificed.
Lee Jung-Jae plays Jang Tae-joon.
Season 2 carries on with the political intrigue and power struggles. Tae-joon faces new adversaries, discovers secrets, and forms unexpected alliances. There are new characters and relationships evolve. Conspiracies play out that threaten not only their careers but their lives. The scriptwriters for this K-drama series skillfully weave together personal and political storylines. This intense political drama is very thought-provoking.Where to Watch
RATINGS:
IMDb: 7.8 out of 10 stars
MyDramaList: 8 out of 10 stars
Netflix K-Content. “Chief of Staff | Official Trailer | Netflix [ENG SUB].” YouTube Video. YouTube, June 21, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl8YMGaQRKI. VIEW TRAILER/TEASER.
"Operation Chromite," a South Korean war epic drama about the historical events surrounding the Battle of Incheon during the Korean War. A South Korean Navy Lieutenant must lead a small troop and carry out the covert "X-ray" operation, which must be successful to carry out "Incheon Landing Operation" also known as Operation Chromite.
Lee Jung-Jae plays a South Korean Navy Lieutenant.
General Douglas MacArthur commanded the operation which took place from September 15 to September 19, 1950. The Korean lieutenant infiltrated the North Korean forces and gathered crucial intelligence. The recreation of these events was accurate according to the historical records. “
Operation Chromite” effectively captures the tension and stakes of the military operation. The portrayal of the characters was very intimate and realistic. Viewers could not help but admire their courage, sacrifice, and their indomitable spirit amid the chaos and danger of war. This film is a respectful tribute to the soldiers who played a key role in shaping the course and outcome of the Korean War.
"Shine or Go Crazy" (alternate title: "Shine or Be Mad") was released in 2015 and it is a "gem". If you have not already watched, then add this Korean drama series to your watch list. It has 24 episodes and is available on Viki.com.
Talk about palace
intrigue. It's loaded with murder by poison, spies who spy on the
spies, and warriors on different sides. The good guy warriors or the "Righteous" wear
BLACK. The bad guy warriors wear RED. It is set during the period
BEFORE the Joseon era when the country was called Goryeo. The main
character is Wang So (played by Jang Hyuk) and he is the cursed Prince
of Goryeo who is destined to become the emperor. But! Will he be a good emperor or a bad emperor?
The reason the
series is called “Shine or Go Crazy” is because when his future
or fate was read, it was determined that he was born with both a
light and fire. That means he will either shine bright like a star
OR he'll be a madman. We won't know until the last episode. LOL.
Is there a love triangle? Of course! It's a Korean drama! There is
more than one love triangle and some interesting family ties. I love all of those complicated
relationships.
I have a silly complaint though. I
don't really like the costumes from the Goryeo Dynasty (AD 918-1392).
I like the clothes they wore during the Joseon historical period.
But hey! It's history. If that was the fashion back then, I'll just
have to accept it.
"Assassination" is set in 1933 during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and involves a group of resistance fighters on a daring mission to assassinate a high-ranking Japanese officer and a Korean collaborator who supports the Japanese forces.
Lee Jung-Jae plays Yeom Seok Jin.
This film is a realistic recreation of the tumultuous atmosphere of 1930s Korea. Characters not only strive to carry out a dangerous and difficult mission but must also be on constant alert for “the enemy within”, i.e. being betrayed by their comrades. The storyline is engaging because of the historical authenticity, suspenseful and clever plot twists, intense action sequences, and the compelling characters who comprise the mission team.
Treathyl Fox aka Cmoneyspinner – Home Business Entrepreneur. Think. Dream. Focus. Believe in yourself? Hire yourself! Be your own boss! Do it! Self-employed and loving it! ♦ DISCLOSURE: In compliance with FTC rules and guidelines, be advised that some links shared via this websites might contain affiliate referral links which means commissions might be earned if product sales resulted from your click-through to the vendor’s website.