K-Drama Series: See You in My 19th Life (Based on a Webtoon)

See You in My 19th Life is a K-drama series based on a webtoon of the same name; has 12 episodes; was released in 2023; and is currently streaming on Netflix.

The main character, Ban Ji-Eum, remembers her past lives: people and places. In her 18^th life, her name was Yoon Ju-Won, and her life was cut short because she was involved in a tragic car accident. She was in the car with the boy who was her first love, in that life, Mun Seo-Ha. She was reborn as Ban Ji-Eum and remembered him, but did not know if he had survived the accident. Since she remembered where he lived, she went to visit. From the gate, she looked into the yard and could see that he had survived. But of course, she could not approach him because he would not recognize her. She then hatched a plan to reunite with him and continue their love relationship. Before she died as Ju-won, she had promised she would come back to him. In other words, she would see him in her 19^th life. She fully intended to keep that promise.

Ban Ji-Eum's ability to remember her past lives was not how reincarnation is supposed to be. Others don't remember their past lives. They start each rebirth with a brand new life.

This series poses several questions:

• Why does Ban Ji-Eum remember her past lives?

• Is she the only one who can remember their past lives?

• Is there a way to erase these memories?

• If you had the choice, would you want to keep your memories from your past lives, or erase them?

As the story unfolds, these questions will be answered.  Although, if it were you, you might have come up with different answers.

Main Characters:

• Ban Ji-Eum (played by Shin Hye-sun)

• Mun Seo-Ha (played by Ahn Bo-Hyun)

See You in My 19th Life | WEBTOON

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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”

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Business Proposal (2022): Korean Drama Netflix Series

Business Proposal is a Netflix Series released in 2022.

What is the best way to avoid going on blind dates?  There are two different answers to that question. 

1) Get your friend to show up for the date in your place and have her put on an act that will make the blind date run away and never look back!

-OR- 

2) Propose marriage to your blind date.  For real??  No!  Of course, it is not a real marriage proposal.  But it is a real business proposal.

• Shin Ha-ri (played by Kim Se-jeong) works as part of Go Food's Food Development Team One. 

She not only comes up with great recipes but creative ideas of how to turn the company's food products into best sellers. Her parents run a restaurant that sells great fried chicken. Her family, which also includes a younger brother, is not rich but they live comfortably and are happy. Her BFF (best friend forever) is Jin Young-seo.

Jin Young-seo hates the idea of arranged marriages and wants to marry for love. The problem is she keeps getting set up to go on blind dates to meet her “future husband”. But it's not really a “problem” because she has found the perfect way to get out of going on these dates. She sends her BFF instead.

• Kang Tae-moo (played by Ahn Hyo-seop) is the president of Go Food. 

He did not work his way up the corporate ladder. His grandfather put him in charge. But nobody can accuse him of not doing his job. He runs the business operations successfully, not just in South Korea, but in foreign markets as well.

Kang Tae-moo's grandfather wants him to marry so that hopefully he will see his grandchild before he departs this life. But Tae-moo has “issues” and does his best to avoid marriage. Kang Tae-moo's grandfather orders him to go on blind dates until he finds the woman who will become his mate for life. OR ELSE!!

Shin Ha-ri shows up pretending to be Young-seo, not realizing that the blind date is HER BOSS!  Shin Ha-ri does everything she can to discourage him and make him dislike her, not realizing that Tae-moo didn't want to be on the date either.

Tae-moo thinks her behavior is strange but he is distracted by his own thoughts. He's thinking of how to avoid the remaining blind dates his grandfather set up for him. He comes up with the perfect way to get out of going on these dates. He proposes marriage to Shin Ha-ri.

WHAT???!!!!

No worries. It's not a marriage proposal. It's a business proposal.

Shin Ha-ri signs a contract pretending to be his future wife. She goes FROM pretending for her best friend TO pretending for her best friend's blind date.  That way Kang Tae-moo's grandfather can stop pestering him and he can keep being married to his work.

Why do the best-laid plans always seem to backfire?

Read full review at PopGeeks.com:  Business Proposal | Netflix Korean Drama Series Based on Webtoon

  

Historical Korean Drama Webtoon Adaptation | Joseon Attorney: A Morality (2023)

Joseon Attorney: A Morality (2023) is a historical Korean drama series that stars Woo Do-Hwan. Fans of this popular South Korean actor are very pleased with his performance in this webtoon adaptation as the Joseon attorney Kang Han-Soo. 

For Money, Justice, or Revenge?

Kang Han-Soo (played by Woo Do-Hwan) was supposed to be dead. His father was falsely accused and executed. The false accusers then went to his home and killed his mother by hanging her, making it appear as a suicide. The people behind the brutal murder of his parents believed that he had died when his family home was burned down. But he survived, grew up, and studied to become a lawyer. He has a childhood friend who helps him with various court cases. 

Initially, he creates the impression that he is only practicing law for the money. But his plan also includes getting revenge for the unjust deaths of his parents.  However, when he takes different cases to defend commoners and slaves who have been wronged by greedy corrupt noblemen and wins, the people praise him for his noble efforts.  

• Kpopmap.com supplied an excellent summary of this K-drama series:  “Originally by Sim Gun and Writer Jeong, "Joseon Lawyer" is a hugely popular historical webtoon about a manipulative lawyer who orchestrates lawsuits and takes advantage of the victims but accidentally gets hailed as a savior of the people, which leads him to reflect upon himself and grow as a true server of justice.” 

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.

Webtoon -Internets latest phenomenon | Forum Coin

What is Webtoon? Webtoon is South Korean webcomics. While Americans have Marvel, DC, and Darkhorse comics, Japan has Manga... Korea has Webtoon.

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