Angel's Last Mission: Love (2019); An Award-Winning Korean Drama

"Angel’s Last Mission: Love"

Kim Dan is an angel who knows the rules of the heavenly realm. He must never touch a human. If he does, he'll disappear, as in “cease to exist”. He doesn't want that. He wants to go to heaven. But even though he knew the rules, the female was badly injured and pleading for someone to save her. Lee Seul-hwa was blind but she could hear that someone was there at the accident and they were close enough to help her. She used to be a prima ballerina, but while performing on stage one night there was a terrible accident which resulted in her losing her eyesight. People are afraid to be around her because she is an angry, bitter, cold-hearted former ballet dancer who takes out her frustration on everyone else, as if it's their fault. What is even worse is that the Fantasia Ballet Company that her parents built for her to inherit has almost been stolen from her by greedy relatives.

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So many times Lee Seul-hwa had wanted to die. But now that she might actually die, she's begging to live. Her pitiful pleas were too much for Kim Dan and he yielded to temptation. He broke the rules and touched a human to save her life. When Lee Seul-hwa woke up in the hospital she could see! Meanwhile Kim Dan was getting ready to receive his punishment. But wait! He didn't disappear! Why does he still exist? It's true, he does exist, but no longer as an angel. Now he is a human who is being given a chance to re-earn his wings. This will be his last mission. If he fails he can forget about a heavenly reward. What's the mission? LOVE. He must find true love for Lee Seul-hwa. Even though she is no longer blind, she is still disgruntled, angry and a terrifying person to be in the same room with.

Lee Seul-hwa has so many emotional scars. She is afraid to love because all of the people she loved have died. Loving someone is too painful so she avoids becoming vulnerable. Kim Dan starts trying to play matchmaker, but starts to develop genuine feelings for her and unintentionally creates a love triangle. This wasn't supposed to happen. Aren't angels only supposed to love God? Will he be punished for loving Lee Seul-hwa?

Genre: Romance and Fantasy or Supernatural

IMDb Rating: 7.7 out of 10 stars

My Drama List: 8.4 out of 10 stars

Viki viewers rated this series 9.5 out of 10 stars

AWARDS: This delightful Korean drama won several awards at the 2019 KBS Drama Awards ceremony. Shin Hae-Sun won Top Excellence Award, Actress. Kim Myung-Soo won Best New Actor and K-Drama Hallyu Star. Together they won Best Couple Award.

Main Characters:

• Lee Yeon-Seo (played by Shin Hae-Sun, “Welcome to Samdal-ri”, “See You in My 19th Life”, “Mr. Queen”, “Don't Buy the Seller”)

• Kim Dan (played by Kim Myung-Soo, “Dare to Love Me”, “Numbers”, “Royal Secret Agent”)

LINKS OF INTEREST:

4 Heart-Fluttering Fantasy K-Dramas To Enjoy During The Fall | Soompi

9 Entertaining K-Dramas That Involve Multiple Worlds |Soompit

Winners Of 2019 KBS Drama Awards | Soompi

WATCH TRAILER:

Viu Singapore. “Angel’s Last Mission: Love 단, 하나의 사랑 TRAILER | INFINITE’S L, SHIN HYE SUN.” YouTube Video. YouTube, May 23, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TSA7zVmmx0.

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"Angel’s Last Mission: Love" ~ Finding Love for the Unlovable https://t.co/VzPlpPb7an #kdramas #Koreandrama #allthingshallyu #entertainment #popcornworthy #fantasy

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) August 10, 2024

The Matchmakers (2023): Viki Original Historical KDrama Series

The Matchmakers is a 2023 Viki Original Korean drama series, with 16 episodes. It is categorized as historical, romance, crime, and mystery, with light moments of comedy. 

The two main characters are a widow, disguised as a matchmaker, and a widower who is a prince working as a matchmaker according to a royal decree.

♦ The Widow and the Not So Merry Widower

Jung Soon-deok is a widow who becomes a matchmaker by personal choice. She is a widow, the daughter-in-law of a powerful political party leader. But she truly believes she is the “goddess of matchmaking”, i.e. Ssangyeonsulsa. It is not the kind of lowly work that a noble woman should do, so Jung Soon-deok keeps her true identity a secret by using the name “Yeo Joo Daek”. She didn't learn until later that the name she had taken as a disguise, was the name of a woman who was wanted for murder.

Shim Jung-woo is a Confucian scholar who scored the highest on the civil service exams. The king would been pleased if he could put this young man's intellect and skills to good use. But the leader of a corrupt political party, arranged for him to be married to the princess. On the day of the wedding, the princess dropped dead. He became a widower before he could even consummate the marriage. So now he's a prince who can not participate in political affairs or serve in any way other than being a prince, a member of the royal family.

♦ The King Makes a Promise

The king is furious and frustrated because he wants his son, the crown prince to marry and have an heir. But corrupt officials keep finding ways to prevent the marriage. He tells Shim Jung-woo to can come up with a way to thwart the efforts of the politicians so that the crown prince can marry. If he is successful, the king will have his marriage to the princess annulled.

Shim Jung-woo tells the king, to get a matchmaker to arrange marriages for the daughters of his close friend, who had passed away. But the plan was not so simple. Even if the politicians were not resorting to their treacherous tricks, the daughters themselves are all refusing to get married.

♦ The Widower and the Widow Become a Team

Shim Jung-woo needs to work with an experienced matchmaker since he knows nothing about the process. He meets Jung Soon-deok aka “Yeo Joo Daek” who agrees to assist him as long as he cooperates with her and follows her directions. He agrees, so now they are The Matchmakers.

The process of matchmaking is complex, but it gets even more complicated when they begin to uncover murders connected to political power schemes to overthrow the king and the crown prince.

On top of all this, the matchmakers ~ Shim Jung-woo and Jung Soon-deok ~ fall in love with each other. Theirs is a “match” that would break all of the rules.

Main Characters:

• Widower Shim Jung-woo (played by Ro Woon, )

• Widow Jung Soon-deok (played by Cho Yi-hyun)

This is a Viki Original series and Viki viewers rate this series 9.4 out of 10 stars. I agree. There was the main plot of forbidden love between a widow and a widower; a relationship that went against Joseon rules, customs, and traditions.

Then there were various subplots:

• Corrupt nobles, their wives, and the king's concubine, plotting against the king and the crown prince;

• True crime stories published as erotica novels;

• Old maidens (virgin women in their 20s) who need to get married ~ hence the need for matchmakers; and

• a slingshot!

The intricate plot-weaving kept me eagerly looking forward to the next episode.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

• The Matchmakers: Why You Should Watch This New K-Drama | Movie Web

• The Matchmakers: Viki Original Historical KDrama Series | PopGeeks

Content first published via Quora

Historical Period Korean Drama Series Review: Korea-Khitan War (2023)

Korea-Khitan War is a 2023 Korean drama series, with 32 episodes, currently broadcasting via KBS and streaming on Viki. Also available on also available for streaming on Wavve, Kocowa, and on Netflix in selected regions.

Korea-Khitan War is a historical period Korean drama series about the war between Goryeo and the Khitan Empire during the reign of King Hyeonjong.

♦ The War Between Goryeo and the Khitans Lasted 26 years

“Korea-Khitan War” begins with a scene of a bloody battle. It is the 10 century in East Asia, and the fierce Khitans have been successfully conquering various peoples. Their empire covered the regions from Liaodong to Mongolia and are now they were determined to conquer Goryeo.

The people of Goryeo, though outnumbered, were equally determined to fight the Khitans and not become subjugated. After those intense scenes showing how intense the fighting was between Goryeo and the Khitans, there is a flashback that shows what had happened several years earlier, before the war began.

♦ King Hyeonjong is Crowned Emperor

Kang Cho was 70 years old and a loyal subject of Goryeo. He was a seasoned warrior, understood politics, could offer wise counsel to the emperor, was not afraid to confront the kingdom's enemies, and took the risk of being branded as a traitor when he assassinated the emperor, King Mokjong, to clear the path for a new leader.

The new leader is King Hyeonjong, the last grandson of Taejo of Goryeo, who ascended to the throne at the age of 19.

Gang Gam-chan was an elderly statesman. He had been living in the countryside but returned to the palace and the court to serve the new emperor. King Hyeonjong appreciated his forthright comments. He did not use double-speak, offered the king sound and wise advice, and helped him understand politics.

Once the emperor realized that war could not be avoided, he made Kam Chan Commander-in-Chief, giving him the authority and responsibilities for defending Goryeo against the Khitan invasion.

Rather than cut off the head of Kang Cho, the young King Hyeonjong bestowed upon him the emperor's ax and sent him off to war. The king promised that when he returned triumphantly, he would no longer be marked as a traitor.

This series is based on the novel “Goryeo–Khitan War: Sweet Rain in the Winter”.

Main Characters:

• King Hyeonjong (played by Kim Dong-Joon)

• Kang Cho (played by Lee Won-Jong)

• Gang Gam-chan (played by Choi Soo-Jong)

REF:  Korea-Khitan War: King Hyeonjong Leads Goryeo to Victory

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K-Drama Review: L.U.C.A.: The Beginning (2021) | Make the World Better By Making Better Humans

L.U.C.A.: The Beginning is a Korean drama about a mad scientist who thinks he's good enough to be like God. In fact, he's convinced himself that he can make better humans than God.

This series is 12 episodes, released in 2021, currently streaming on Viki. As for the genre? It has elements of crime and mystery and elements of science that might have the viewer wondering if it's science fact or science fiction.

• According to current science, the Last Universal Common Ancestor, L.U.C.A. Is the ancestor of all living things, and is estimated to have lived some four billion years ago, when Earth was a mere 560 million years old.

First, a woman supplied her ovum and a man supplied his sperm. You don't need to be a scientific genius to know that is the beginning of human life. But! Suppose after you joined the ovum and the sperm, you combined human DNA with DNA from jellyfish, fruit flies, electric eels, and other animals. Now! Is the baby a human? A monster? A half-human, half-monster?  

Ryu Joong-kwon (played by Ahn Nae-sang) is a scientist who thinks that ethics hinder the research and advancement of science. He found people who were willing to fund his unrestricted research, so he was able to perform numerous kinds of scientific experiments. Only one of his experiments was successful. He genetically engineered an artificially enhanced child who was named Ji Oh. 

• L.U.C.A. stands for Last Universal Common Ancestor. Ji Oh (played by Kim Rae Won) is L.U.C.A.  This is his beginning.

Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018)

Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018) is the second film based on the webtoon series by Joo Ho-Min. Tibetan Buddhists believe that there is an in-between stage known as the bardo which can take up to 49 days.

The first film was Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds. In the previous film, Su Hong was a vengeful spirit roaming the earth.  In this sequel film, Su Hong (played by Kim Dong Wook), the vengeful spirit has now been taken into the afterlife. He must pass the series of heavenly court trials and prove that he has lived a virtuous life (not counting the time when he was misbehaving as a vengeful spirit).

If he is judged not guilty, he can be reincarnated.

Only ... he does not want to be reincarnated.

But? What will happen if he does not get reincarnated?

That causes a problem for the trio of guardians. Assisting souls and helping them get reincarnated are acts, “good deeds”, that are credited on their records. If they can help a certain number of souls get reincarnated they will also be allowed to reincarnate. They were once human and evidently, because of what they did in their past life, they were unable to prove their worth. So the gods in charge promised they could return to earth as mortals IF …

Su Hong's insistence that he does not want to be reincarnated is complicating matters for them.

But what did they do in their past life? 

Their memories were wiped. So they don't exactly know. In this sequel film, the life story of each guardian is revealed. It turns out there are some differences they need to resolve with each other. Su Hong's heavenly trials and the reconciliation of the relationships between guardians all take place in 49 days.

“Along With The Gods” Director Talks About Series + EXO’s D.O. Confirmed For Third Film | Soompi

• Where to Watch “The Last 49 Days”

Original source

Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) | Korean Drama That Explores the Afterlife and Reincarnation

Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds, released in 2017, is a film that explores Buddhist beliefs regarding the afterlife and reincarnation.  It is based on the webtoon series by Joo Ho-min.

Kim Ja Hong (played by Cha Tae Hyun, “Brain Works”) is a courageous firefighter who died in the line of duty. When he enters the afterlife he finds himself being escorted by a team of guardians. They inform him that he died and that he must go through seven (7) otherworldly courts. In each court, there are specific things that he has done in his life and he will either be judged innocent or guilty.

The Three Guardians are:

• Hae Won Maek (played by Joo Ji Hoon),
• Gang Rim (played by Ha Jung Woo), and
• Lee Deok Choon (played by Kim Hyang Gi).

They must attend each of his heavenly court trials, sort of as his team of defenders, and present proof that he has lived a virtuous life and therefore he should be reincarnated to live once again in the mortal realm. However, a problem has arisen that is making it difficult to prove his worth. It seems that his brother, Su Hong (played by Kim Dong Wook) has died a wrongful death, and has turned into a vengeful spirit. His brother's ghost is roaming around the earth venting his anger. Some of that anger is directed at Kim Ja Hong. He and his brother need to resolve their difference and reconcile with each other, so the trials can be completed. 

Of course, since Kim Ja Hong is dead and no longer on the earth, it might be hard to get in touch with his brother's spirit which has not left the earth. No worries. The guardians will find a way to bridge the two worlds.

Original source

Where to Watch ~ Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds

Finland Papa (2023) | A Viki Original K-Drama Series

Finland Papa is a K-drama Viki Original series that is an unusual story of love and healing.  Just 6 episodes; released in 2023. 

Finland Papa centers around the life of a young woman grieving the loss of her grandmother. In the first episode of this very short series, we meet Yu Ri (played by Kim Bo Ra). She is wearing the traditional black hanbok dress and standing alone in front of her grandmother's memorial. You can immediately feel her grief, pain and sorrow. Not only has she lost her grandmother, but her father had also tragically passed away. They were her only family. Now she is left in the world all alone. How will she carry on?

Her childhood friend encourages her to apply for a job at a restaurant called Finland Papa. According to the job ad, the applicant will be required to eat dinner with the staff. Yu Ri goes for the job interview and SHE'S HIRED!

There is something delightfully wonderful, yet mysterious and strange about the restaurant, such as:.

• None of the employees know who “Papa” is. They have never met the owner of the restaurant. But he gave 10 rules they must follow or they will lose their jobs.

One of those rules is: If one of the employees has a problem or something that's bothering them, all of the other employees must stop what they're doing and listen.

Read full review at PopGeeks.com

 

Rakuten Viki is Truly the Heart of Asian Entertainment

Rakuten Viki is an OTT video streaming website and there is no question that it is LEGIT. This media streaming service boasts that it is the “heart of Asian entertainment” and that is not brag, it's fact. I mainly go to the platform for Korean dramas but they have movies and TV shows that are Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, etc.

Image credit:  Amazon.com Download App

The parent corporation, Rakuten Group, Inc., is a Japanese technology conglomerate based in Tokyo, in business since 1997. Rakuten Viki is a subsidiary founded in 2007, and headquartered in California USA.

• FUN FACT: In 2011, this streaming service won the Crunchie award for best international start-up company.

When Rakuten acquired Viki (during 2013) it was a signal that Rakuten is positioning its $16 billion Internet services ecosystem as a competitor to Amazon and Netflix.

BEST FEATURES:

• Viki provides subtitles for 200 different languages. I love the English subtitles because the translation is very accurate. So far I have not seen any English-dubbed content like on Netflix. But I'm OK with reading the subtitles.

• Viki offers a wide range of content ~ films, series, etc. in various genres ~ released more than a decade ago up to the present; plus it produces its own original content. Their database is constantly updated. The company signed distribution deals with Hulu, Netflix, and others. So do not be surprised if you find Viki original content on other streaming platforms.

You can watch some content with ads. But they also have a subscription service which is very inexpensive. Based on my personal experience:

• I started with the Standard subscription for $4.99 per month; then

• Upgraded to Viki Plus for $9.99 a month.

I enjoy watching content on my Amazon Fire TV; but it can be viewed on desktops, laptops, or mobile devices. The app is available on Google Play. I have NO complaints about this streaming service and would definitely recommend it to others. 

Visit the official website: Viki.com

Subscribe to Viki Global TV on YouTube

Have you tried the Rakuten Viki streaming platform?

BMF Reviews

Duty After School | K-Drama Sci-Fi Series Based on a Webtoon

Duty After School is a Korean drama sci-fi series based on a webtoon by Ha Il-Kwon.  It's 10 episodes, released in 2023, and currently streaming on Rakuten Viki. 

*****

High School Seniors Earn Credits for College

It's your last year of high school and the last thing that you're thinking about is … FIGHTING ALIENS! And it's not a video game or anime. It's REAL!

For about a year there have been some strange-looking spheres floating in the skies. Were they dangerous? Did they pose a threat? Nobody knew. Nothing ever happened. Well! According to the news that was reported to the general public, nothing happened. The military knew a different story but the higher-up officials who headed up defense operations did not want to cause mass panic and hysteria. 

Seongjin High is a typical high school with a typical graduating senior class of boys and girls. There's the girl that all the guys like, the besties who always stick together, the nerds, the outcast, the class clown, the bully, etc. One day the homeroom teacher for Grade 3 Class 2 announces that early admissions to college or university have been canceled. Instead, the students will serve in the military. No worries. Their service will be translated into credits that will count toward their future education.

That announcement on that day changed their lives forever!!

Each episode of Duty After School poses a new challenge for these kids to overcome. The characters are very diverse and the differences in personalities often cause clashes. 

• Some are selfish and immature, and their fear makes them think only of themselves. They are not team players but they will stick with the team because … it's safer when you stick together. 
• Others prove to be brave and loyal and emerge as leaders who can take charge when serious decisions must be made. They will make a sacrifice for the team if they have to.  

Fortunately for all of them, Platoon Leader Lee Choon-Ho (played by Shin Hyun-Soo) is an excellent role model.

• Viki viewers gave Duty After School a rating of 9 out of 10 stars. I agree.

• Read full review on PopGeeks.com. 

K-Drama Adapted from a Webtoon: The Heavenly Idol (2023)

The Heavenly Idol is a 2023 Korean Drama series, adapted from a webtoon, titled "Sungseureowoon Idol”, by Shin Hwa-Jin. 

The writers poked fun at the entertainment industry and in particular, K-Pop boy groups. But it was done in good humor and good taste; and not meant to be insulting or derisive. In addition, I became a fan of Kim Min Kyu when he played the king in “Queen: Love and War”. In “The Heavenly Idol, he did a great job playing both a high priest from the other world and an idol in the new world. Since he had the lead role, I would not be willing to give the show a lower rating.

Per this user review found at IMDb: “The Heavenly Idol is quite frankly a perfect romantic comedy. It has a very wide range cast of characters that are all so much fun to watch, with each one adding a little bit of flair to the overall plot line. The story is fun, interesting, and just different enough to make it stand out from the crowd.”

I could not have said it better.

Lembrary (played by Kim Min Kyu) is a loyal and pure high priest who serves the god Redlin. Right at the precise moment that he is about to eliminate the Devil, he gets a splitting headache. When he opens his eyes and can see clearly he is shamefully dressed in black. I mean … he's a high priest and his bare abdomen is showing.  What happened to his long white robe?  That's not all. His hair is short, it's a different color, and his name is Woo Yeon-Woo. He's supposed to be a sexy male idol, a member of a not-so-successful K-Pop boy group called Wild Animal. Sexy? Idol? Wild? How vulgar!  The spirit of Lembrary, the high priest of Redlin, is trapped in the body of Woo Yeon-Woo. 

Kim Dal (played by Go Bo-Gyeol) met Woo Yeon-Woo (BEFORE he became possessed by Lembrary). He gives her an autographed CD and encourages her with kind words. He tells her that she'll be alright and he knows this because he has a gift for healing people. From that moment forward Kim Dal becomes a devoted fan of Woo Yeon-Woo.

***

Guess who else came to the “new world”: The Devil!

The Devil (played by Lee Jang Woo) switched bodies with Shin Jo-Woon, the Chairman of RU Entertainment. His presence is not an accident. He has been sent from the other world to kill Lembrary.  His minions are recruited by another being from the other world, who heads up an organization called the Red Rain Battalion in the new world. It's surprising how many humans are willing to sell their souls. Where does the RRB find so many willing souls? Uuuh … celebrities in show business. Where else?

Read my full review of The Heavenly Idol at PopGeeks.com.

Decoy: Crime and Mystery Korean Drama Series

Decoy is a K-drama crime and mystery series that has two (2) seasons. Seasons 1 and 2 were both released in 2023 and are six (6) episodes each. 

~ Noh Sang Chun (played by Heo Sung Tae) is a thug turned mastermind scammer.

~ Goo Do Han (played by Jang Geun Suk) is a lawyer turned detective.

~ Kang Jang Hoon (played by Lee Sung Wook) was once a detective but is now the Deputy Head. When he was a detective, he was in charge of the team investigating the crimes of Noh Sang Chun. However, the case was closed because the prime suspect died. As the Deputy Head, he is now Goo Do Han's boss.

Goo Do Han is very good at investigating but sometimes his superiors discipline him because he may have not followed "procedure".  The Deputy Head has a problem. It's been 10 years since the death of Noh Sang Chun. But several murders are occurring and before the victims die they call the police and say “Help! I am being killed by Noh Sang Chun.”

Detective Goo Do Han is supposed to be at home because he was suspended pending an internal review. He is not supposed to be working. The Deputy Head disregards the fact that Goo Do Han has been suspended from official duty and calls him back to work on this case.

Detective Goo Do Han is stuck between a rock and a hard place. It seems not only is he trying to bring criminals on the outside to justice, but there are corrupt government officials and police investigators on the inside who may be involved as well. He really needs to do his job while watching his back! If he doesn't, he might end up being one of the murder victims. He needs to determine:

• If Noh Sang Chun was reported dead but is in fact, alive and committing murders; or
• If someone is committing murders and confusing the police by claiming to be Noh Sang Chun.

It is amazing how much intensity could be packed into 12 episodes. Viewers who like crime and mystery TV shows will want to add Decoy Parts 1 and 2 to their watch list.

Read my full review of this K-drama series at PopGeeks.com.

Kokdu: Season of Deity | Viki Original Korean Drama Series

Kokdu: Season of Deity is a Viki Original Korean Drama Series, released 2023.  How long does a season of deity last? 99 days. During that time, Kokdu, a cruel angry death god, needs to find a woman, win her heart, and she must say the words “I love you”. 

Image credit:  Viki.com

Kokdu is a really mean and nasty death god, who is being punished because he incurred the wrath of the Creator. The only way he can be freed from this punishment is if a woman who knows how awful he is but still falls in love with him, faults and all. Like the fairy tale, “Beauty and the Beast”? Eh! Sort of. 

Kokdu Was Once a Human

Before he became a vengeful, hateful, angry, merciless, really mean, and nasty god, he was a human named Oh-hyeon. He was a handsome warrior in Silla, one of the three kingdoms in ancient Korea. He lost his life because he loved Seol Hui, a woman who had been gifted as a concubine to another man. The plan was for the two of them to run away together. Their plan was discovered and he was killed. Seol Hui decided that she did not want to live without him and so she committed suicide. 

In the afterlife, he was always angry and he refused to obey any commands received from the Creator. For him, there was no punishment that could be worse than what he had already experienced in the land of the living.  He was wrong.  It is much more painful and lasted much longer.  The Creator made him the death god and every 99 years he is reincarnated to visit the land of the living.  He is allowed to be there for 99 days, i.e. for a "season".  During this season of deity, he hopes that he will find the woman who can end his punishment.

• Kim Jung-hyun plays Kokdu / Oh-hyeon / Doctor Do Jin-woo.

• Im Soo-hyang plays Seol Hui / Doctor Han Gye-jeol.

Read the complete review at Popgeeks.

Our Blooming Youth: Historical Period Korean Drama

Our Blooming Youth is a historical period Korean drama series, released in 2023. It’s 20 episodes and currently streaming on Rakuten Viki.

• Crown Prince Lee Hwan is played by Park Hyung Sik. It was rumored that the crown prince murdered his brother so that he could take his place on the throne. Because of this wicked act, he was sent a “ghost letter”. Supposedly a ghost wrote a letter that said he is cursed. The curse has several parts to it. He will never be king, he will be betrayed by those he trusts, he will cause many people to die, and finally, he will die all alone with no wife and no children.
• Lady Min Jae Yi is played by Jeon So Nee. She is the daughter of a nobleman who is also the master/teacher of the crown prince. In addition, she is engaged to be married to the prince’s best friend. It was rumored that she betrayed her husband-to-be by engaging in an illicit affair, and murdered her entire family in order to run away with her lover. She’s a fugitive on the run, a lady in distress.

Read the full review on Medium.com.

Viki Original Korean Drama Series: The Red Sleeve (2021)

"The Red Sleeve" is a Viki Original Korean drama series released in 2021.  It is based on the love story between King Jeongjo and Royal Noble Consort Ui-bin Seong. 

Image credit: “The Red Sleeve” (2021)

• “The drama is based on historical records such as the fact that Uibin Seong, whose real name is Seong Deok-im, rejected Jeongjo's proposal to make her his concubine, not just once but twice. ...” (Source)

Lee Jun-ho plays Yi San, later King Jeongjo. He continuously strives to be a good king; a ruler who is kind and benevolent to his people. During the Joseon Era, everybody knows that all of the women in the palace are the king's women. He can have free access to any woman he chooses and does not have to ask their permission. The king knows this is the rule. But aren't the court ladies also his people?

Court ladies in the palace wear uniforms that have a red cuff on their sleeves. The king is attracted to a particular court lady named Seong Deok-im played by Lee Se-young. He does not want his relationship with her to be based on fear. He wants her to love him and willingly become his woman. Seong Deok-im initially resists the king's advances toward her. She feels that her life as a court lady affords her a certain amount of freedom. If she becomes the king's woman, she will no longer be free. If she becomes the mother of his children, she can not love and cherish them as an ordinary mother. They are her children, but they are also royal children and if they are sons they are heirs to the throne.

She eventually falls in love with the king but still tries to resist becoming his woman. In the end, LOVE WINS. She becomes Royal Noble Consort Ui-bin Seong. Just as she predicted, she did have to give up her freedom. The king was very happy to have her by his side and she was happy to be by his side. But she was not completely happy because in order to live as the king's woman, she had to sacrifice her free spirit. Not to mention, since it was obvious to everyone that she had the king's favor, some of the other king's women were “haters”. You can imagine the malicious backbiting she endured from them.

This series is 16 episodes and it is a very sad love story. There was no fairy tale ending. Choosing to marry the prince or the king does not always result in living happily ever after.

Original source

Viki Original Korean Drama Series: Queen: Love and War (2019)

Queen: Love and War was released in 2019.  In this Viki Original Korean drama series, a young prince meets and makes friends with a nobleman's daughter, when they were children. An accident happens on a boat and the girl he met is tossed overboard. Her father believes that she drowned. Her twin sister grows up and the prince, now king chooses her to be his bride; not realizing that she is the twin sister and NOT the girl he met when he was younger. Corrupt officials arrange to have both King Lee Kyung and his queen, Kang Eun Bo, assassinated on their wedding day. They succeed in killing the sister but the king miraculously comes back to life. The people are terrified of him. How can he possibly come back from the dead? 

Image credit:  “Queen: Love and War” (2019)

Coming back from the dead isn't all.  Let's not forget about the prophecy. Twins were supposed to be an evil omen. It's the reason nobody knew that the nobleman had twin daughters. He kept their birth a secret for fear they would be harmed.

The twin sister realizes that her sister has been murdered. She takes her sister's body and secretly buries it. Then she returns to the palace AS IF she has also risen from the dead, just like the king. The king not knowing that she is the young girl he had met as a child, also believes that his wife has come back to life. However, the twin sister's main purpose for returning to the palace is to discover who murdered her sister. For all she knew, even the king may have been involved. 

As she investigates to uncover the truth, she eventually realizes the king is innocent and falls in love with him. The problem is that she has already deceived him into believing that she is the one who died. This makes their personal relationship very complicated. AS IF life in the palace wasn't already complicated with all of the scheming, conniving, ruthless, greedy politicking that was going on.

• Kim Min-kyu plays the king, Lee Kyung

• Jin Se-yeon plays the twin sisters, Kang Eun-bo and Kang Eun-gi

This series is 16 episodes. It's love and war alright and the queen is right in the middle.

Original source

Viki Original Korean Drama Series: Grand Prince (2018)

Grand Prince is a Viki Original Korean drama series released in 2018. This 21-episode series is historical fiction, although it is loosely based on the true stories of Grand Prince Anpyeong and King Sejo.

Image credit: “Grand Prince” (2018)

It's a love triangle. But only because one grand prince does not want to accept the fact that the woman he wants has already chosen his younger brother. Her choice just adds to the list of all of the rest of the reasons that he is jealous and envious of his younger brother. It's a one-sided rivalry because the feelings are not mutual. The younger brother truly loves his big brother. It's not his fault that the royal adults chose to send his brother away from the palace and allowed him to stay in the palace. Whenever his older brother comes to the palace he is always happy to see him.

• Yoon Shi Yoon plays the younger brother, Lee Hwi, Prince Eun Sung. He doesn't really want to be king, even though he has the character to become a great king. He is sent to serve in the military to prove that he is worthy to rule.

• Jin Se Yeon plays Sung Ja-hyun, a noble lady, who falls in love with Grand Prince Lee Hwi. They pledged their hearts to each other.  When the grand prince is called to serve in the military, she vows to wait until he returns. If he does not return she will remain unmarried and live her life in a Buddhist temple. One thing she has determined in her mind is that she will NOT become his older brother's woman.

• Joo Sang Wook plays the older brother, Lee Kang, Prince Jin Yang, who covets everything that his younger brother has, including his woman. Unlike his younger brother, he has a strong desire to be king. He secretly arranges for his brother to be killed in battle and intends to take his brother's woman.

Original source

Streaming Services for Korean Dramas: Netflix versus Viki

In the USA, the most popular streaming sites for Korean dramas are Netflix and Viki. Maybe I shouldd say, the most popular streaming sites that I know of.  I have been a long-time Netflix subscriber and even though I give Netflix credit for introducing me to the wonderful world of Korean drama, I am a loyal Viki viewer. I became a loyal Viki viewer because Netflix didn't have enough TV series and movies to satisfy my appetite.  Especially not enough sageuk or historical period K-dramas.

These days, Netflix has added lots more K-dramas to their database; and their Netflix Original Series are very entertaining.  The Viki Original Series are equally entertaining.

• If you want to watch a Netflix Original Series, I highly recommend: Mr. Sunshine (2018); My Country: The New Age (2019); and The King's Affection (2021).  

• If you want to watch a Viki Original Series, I highly recommend:  Lovers of the Red Sky (2021); and The King Loves (2017).  Viki has lots more original series that I could suggest but I prefer to finish them and write reviews first, before telling others to dd to their watch list.

Rakuten Viki ~ The Heart of Asian Entertainment

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐊𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬?

Who knows what else I might find if I check different streaming sites. Thanks!!

My Sageuk Addiction – Medium