Historical Period Korean Drama: "Queen for Seven Days" (2017) ~ For Fans of Park Min Young

"Queen for Seven Days" is a Korean drama series released in 2017, with 20 episodes, categorized as Romance, historical period, sageuk, costume and period; and streaming on Viki. It is based on a true Joseon queen who only lasted on the throne for literally 7 days. 

• SUMMARY: A dramatization of the life of Queen Dangyeong. TRUE STORY: Shin Chae-kyung became Queen Dangyeong. She married Grand Prince Jinseong. In 1506, when Prince Jinseong ascended to the throne, he became King Jungjong and Shin Chae-kyung became the queen. Just seven days later, she was deposed and expelled from the palace. Her father, Shin Su-geun, was implicated in a coup against King Jungjong, which led to her deposition. She remained deposed until her death in 1557. Her title was posthumously restored, i.e. she was honored with the title of Queen after her death.

♦ Based on the True Story of Queen Dangyeong

In “Queen for Seven Days”, Shin Chae-kyung is the daughter of the king's most trusted official. That official is also a relative of the queen and is well-connected in many ways. Even so, he did his best to hide his daughter in the countryside and she doesn't know why. She thinks her parents are ashamed of her. However, her parents were told a prophecy. If their daughter married into the royal family, there would be a bloodbath. Her mother and father believed that. (Although, truth be told, during the Joseon Era, weren't there always bloodbaths in the royal family?) Nevertheless, Shin Chae-kyung overheard servants talking and saw that an important document was supposed to be delivered to her father. She stole the document, dressed up like a young boy, and traveled from the countryside to Hangyang to visit her family's home. It would be a surprise! Surprise? More like a SHOCK!

Before she finally reached her home, she had a few misadventures.

• First, she accidentally met Grand Prince Jinseong, the boy who would become her husband and would also become the king and she would be his queen. Having never been to Hangyang or the palace, she was clueless and thought he was just a rude child of a nobleman who acted like a gangster.

• Second, that important document that she was carrying to give to her father was stolen by a pickpocket. She wrongfully accused the grand prince of stealing it. That misunderstanding led to more misunderstandings.

• Third, she thought she was chasing after the grand prince but crossed paths with the current king, the older brother of the grand prince instead. Once again, she was clueless, not realizing that she was interacting with her future brother-in-law.

By the time she finally reached her home, her mother and father were meeting with the royal family, discussing her marriage to the grand prince. She was standing outside the door and could hear her parents making all kinds of excuses about why she was not a suitable match. The grand prince noticed that someone was eavesdropping and when he pushed the door open, she fell down. Her parents were shocked and yelled out her name in the form of a question. “Chae-kyung????“ It was their turn to be clueless. What was their daughter doing in Hangyang? That was their question. Her question was why were her parents saying such terrible things about her? She was a suitable match for the grand prince and she was going to prove it!

Shin Chae-kyung had no idea about the prophecy. She also had no idea that the document she was bringing to her father was the “secret order” of the late king. It was that king's will that the grand prince ascend to the throne. Grand Prince Jinseong was also clueless about these matters. They were both innocents who had unintentionally walked directly into a fire, a hotbed of treachery and treason, and a bloodbath. They would eventually marry but Shin Chae-kyung would not survive?

• If only that young innocent girl had remained hidden in the countryside and/or her parents had told her about the prophecy.

• More importantly, if only the Joseon noblemen, government and court officials, and the royal family didn't always engage in politics based on treachery and treason!

Would her history have been different? We will never know.

Main Characters:

• Shin Chae-Kyung (played by Park Min-Young)

• Lee Yeok (played by Yeon Woo-Jin)

• Lee Yoong (played by Lee Dong-Gun)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.6 out of 10 stars

• My Drama List: 8.2 out of 10 stars

• Dramabeans: 9.3 out of 10 stars

• Google users shared a rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

• Viki viewers have rated this series 9.3 out of 10 stars

Park Min Young has had a loyal following ever since “Healer” but “Marry My Huband” made her even more popular. Fans may want to visit or revisit some of her earlier work like “Queen for Seven Days”.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

FirstImpressions: “Queen For 7 Days” Delivers Sweet Puppy Love AndIntense Family Drama | Soompi

Queenfor Seven Days Korean Drama Review | Kdrama Kisses

SevenDay Queen Finale Review | I Dreamed A Drama

K-Drama Review: "Queen For Seven Days" Reigns With Emotional Love Picture & Standout Portrayals | Hello KPop

5 K-Dramas to Watch If You Enjoyed ‘Marry My Husband’

♦

“Queen for Seven Days” is Available on DVD

♦ (Original source)

“Interior Chinatown” (2024) ~ A Hilarious Hulu Original Series Starrng Jimmy O. Yang

Interior Chinatown is a hilarious Hulu Original series, with 10 episodes, adapted from a 2020 award-winning novel by Charles Yu; released November 19, 2024.

"Feel like I'm a background character in someone else's story." - Willis Wu

This series pokes fun at Hollywood's stereotypes of Asians while making you laugh and also get involved with the main character, Willis Wu, who has always thought that nothing significant or important ever happens in his life. Then a female detective asks for his help in solving a crime and in the process, he learns things about his own family that he never knew.

If you liked Jimmy O. Yang as a stand-up comedian, you'll probably be happy that he got the opportunity to spread his wings. Getting the lead role in “Interior Chinatown” is definitely something significant and important in his life. In an interview with The Wrap, Yang indicated the his character was very much like him in that he had similar experiences early in his career where he felt invisible or not represented. (Interior Chinatown: Jimmy O. Yang Talks Stepping Into Lead Role |The Wrap)

The reviews on this Hulu Original series are mixed. It figures. Asian-Americans rarely speak out about the racism and discrimination they experience. So when a TV show gets released pointing it out and poking fun at the unfairness and inequality, and it's very IN YOUR FACE, that might strike a nerve with some people. Me? I like Jimmy O. Yang and am happy for this major step he has taken with his career. All of the actors in “Interior Chinatown” were an impressive cast.

CAST: Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, Chloe Bennet

GENRE: Comedy, Crime, Murder Mystery, Police Procedural

FILMING LOCATIONS: Filmed mainly in Los Angeles, California (on-location shoots and studio spaces, including the Fox Studio Lot and Universal Studios Lot). Certain scenes were in the actual Chinatown neighborhood in Los Angeles.

• Rajasini. “Where Was Hulu’s Interior Chinatown Filmed? All Filming Location Explored.” Sportskeeda, 21 Nov. 2024, https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/shows/where-hulu-s-interior-chinatown-filmed-all-filming-location-explored.

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.1 out of 10 stars

Watch “Interior Chinatown” (2024) | Hulu/Disney+

LINKS OF INTEREST:

JimmyO. Yang Shines in Excellent "Interior Chinatown" |TV/Streaming | Roger Ebert

‘Interior Chinatown’ Struggles to Turn an Allegorical Novel Into a Show: TV Review | Variety

TheHollywood Reporter | 'Interior Chinatown': Jimmy O. Yang in CharlesYu's Meta Hulu Mystery

InteriorChinatown review – ambitious, yet tiring, adaptation of CharlesYu’s novel | Television | The Guardian

Hulu's'Interior Chinatown' impresses viewers and critics with bold satire |YAHOO! Entertainment

Review:‘Interior Chinatown’ is too weird and ambitious for its own good| Datebook

(Original Source)

♦

Favorite Classic Movies: Best 3 Cary Grant Movies Ever!

One of my favorite leading male actors when I was growing up was Cary Grant (1904 – 1986). Why did I like him? He reminded me of my father. No he didn’t look like my dad at all. But he dressed like my father. Always neat, well groomed, and very dapper! Grant was much like my father in that the suits he wore fit him perfectly. He was always well-dressed, even when his clothing was supposed to be “casual”, i.e. not a suit and necktie.

Admirers or fans have described Cary Grant as “debonaire”, “sophisticated” and “funny”! But before being described that way, when he was an unknown, he must have had enough confidence in himself to believe that he would be a “survivor”. Born and raised in Bristol, England, he did not have a very happy home life as a child. He was expelled from school at the age of 14, and so he had to go to work and fend for himself. His mother had been committed to a mental hospital and he and his father did not have much of a relationship. He went to work in a theater in his hometown. That introduced him to the world of entertainment and that put him on the path to Hollywood stardom.

He came to America at the age of 16. He was traveling with a group of entertainers from England. His first stop in the USA? New York City. When the people he came with went back home, he decided to stay in New York. When he grew into manhood he was quite a dashing figure. His handsomeness was attention-grabbing! Yet he did not get his first Hollywood acting contract until he was age 27; using the name Cary Grant.

He established himself as a comedic actor. His humor was really clean too! You don’t mind watching all of his movies, where he played comedy roles, with young children around. It was said that he only accepted roles that he thought portrayed him as a good moral character. He wanted anybody including children to be able to watch him on screen. That was the public image he always wanted to maintain and he did. The movies he starred in for the first half of his career were wholesome clean comedy. But when he teamed up with the great director Alfred Hitchcock, he proved that he could also play dramatic roles quite convincingly. Whether comedy or drama, he maintained that image of being a decent and upstanding gentleman.

Grant became an American citizen in 1942 and the naturalization process allowed him to legally change his name from Archibald Alexander Leach to “Cary Grant”. He made 70+ films over three (3) decades (1930s – 1960s), but it was easy for me to narrow down my 3 favorite films (listed below) because, in addition to being a huge Cary Grant fan during my youth, I was also a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan. Hitchcock is known as the “Master of Suspense”; and his films and his television show were extremely popular back in my day. One may wonder however since comedy was not really Hitchcock’s specialty, why he would even approach a comedic actor to star in his films. But isn’t the answer obvious? Cary Grant made a very attractive leading man and if you paired him with an equally attractive leading lady, how could your movie not be a hit? Of course, I don’t know if that was in Mr. Hitchcock’s mind, but that’s what I would have been my thinking.

1. Notorious (1946), leading lady, Ingrid Bergman
2. To Catch a Thief (1955), leading lady, Grace Kelly
3. North by Northwest (1959), leading lady, Eva Marie Saint

All of the women chosen to star in the films with Mr. Grant were just as popular as he was; and onscreen they made the perfect pair.

Notorious (1946), leading lady, Ingrid Bergman

This movie is a Hitchcock classic that will not disappoint anyone who loves old movies about espionage. Most of the action in this film takes place in Brazil, but the opening scene is Miami, Florida, the city where I was born and raised. For that reason only, the movie instantly captured my attention. Ingrid Bergman plays the daughter of a man who was convicted as a Nazi spy. She is as American as apple pie and there is no reason why she should be punished for the sins of her father. Cary Grant works for the United States government as an agent and he persuades Ingrid Bergman to accept an assignment because it is her patriotic duty. They caught her father and convicted him but they need to catch another bad guy. Grant and Bergman fall in love almost immediately and that makes her carrying out the assignment “complicated”.

To Catch a Thief (1955), leading lady, Grace Kelly

Cary Grant was a professional thief and he was a very good one known as “The Cat”. But he retired to the quiet life of a bachelor in a gorgeous villa where he grew beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, there is a copycat cat going around committing burglaries and stealing people’s jewels. Naturally, he becomes the prime suspect. He needs to catch the real thief to prove his innocence. While trying to find the victims, i.e. jewelry owners, that the copycat thief is likely to rob, he meets Grace Kelly, the daughter of one of the victims, and falls in love. She helps him catch the thief and she steals his heart as well.

North by Northwest (1959), leading lady, Eva Marie Saint

I have often heard people say that everybody in the world has a “twin”. I don’t really know if that it’s true, but in my own life experience, I have had people mistake me for being someone else. The person’s name was Julie. I never met her but people have approached me or waved at me from a distance calling out the name Julie. That’s not my name! Nevertheless being mistaken for someone else didn’t really disrupt or interrupt my life. In this movie, Cary Grant is mistaken for someone else and his life is turned upside down! There’s a lot of spying going and one of the spies is a woman. No worries. She’s one of the good guys. He’s no experienced secret agent but he decides to help her accomplish her mission. The two most memorable scenes in this movie? The one where the couple is on Mount Rushmore and the scene where Grant is running, and trying to avoid being run over by an airplane!

♦ These are my top 3 picks for favorite Cary Grant movies. My favorite leading lady was Ingrid Bergman. Agree or Disagree.

(Previously published via Article Writing Jobs.)

In remembrance of Cary Grant, who passed #otd November 29, 1986 pic.twitter.com/jiAzvLUR6u

— 𝙉𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙜𝙞𝙖. (@Dear_Lonely1) November 29, 2022

Under the Queen's Umbrella: Korean Drama TV Series on Netfilx Released in 2022

Under the Queen's Umbrella is a Korean historical period drama series, released in 2022, that is currently streaming on Netflix. 

16 intense episodes. Viewers gave this series 4.9 out of 5 stars. I totally agree.  Kim Hye-Soo's performance as Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong is award-worthy. But giving credit where credit is due, quite frankly, all of the actors and actresses in this series gave exemplary performances. They played their roles as if they were real historical figures in the Joseon Era.

The worth of the flowers in the palace, i.e. the king's women, is judged by how many sons they bare the king. 

 Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong (played by Kim Hye-Soo) has been very fortunate. She bore five (5) sons for the king. Her oldest son is the crown prince, but he is suffering from a life-threatening illness. He could die any day! If he were to die, who would take his place? The crown prince already has a son of his own, so according to the line of succession, his son, her grandson, should be heir to the throne. Then as alternatives, one of his brothers, her four other sons who are grand princes, could be chosen. But her sons are perfectly content to never be king. She would have been content to allow them not to pursue the throne EXCEPT … the deposed queen (i.e. the queen before her) also had many sons.  When she realized the lives of her sons were in jeopardy, she immediately made up her mind that her sons would not suffer the same fate as Queen Yoon and her sons.

Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong now understands that THIS IS WAR!

Read full review at My Sageuk Addiction on Medium.com.

Original source

Meet Jeff Majors, Harpist and Breakthrough American Musician

The harp is mentioned more often in the Bible than any other musical instrument.

The harp is an earthly instrument with a heavenly sound. It can soothe a troubled soul.

In Jewish history, it is written that when King Saul was tormented, he asked for someone to play the harp for him to calm his spirit. A young harpist named David was recommended. The lad was surely an extraordinarily talented musician because he was often summoned to play for the king to relieve his distress. When David grew up, he succeeded Saul as the second king of ancient Israel. Music continued to be an integral part of his life, and in addition to being an accomplished harpist, he also wrote psalms (songs).

Unfortunately, none of the harp music of King David was preserved, so we can only imagine what those hauntingly beautiful and caressing melodies may have sounded like.

Fortunately, Jeff Majors is a harpist with a great imagination!

Image credit

The American music audience no longer insists that the harp is just for classical music thanks to breakthrough artists like jazz/gospel harpist Jeff Majors.

Now a well-known and much-appreciated African-American artist/composer/harpist, Jeff Majors followed his dream. Literally. He actually had a dream about playing the harp and decided he would learn.He was taught by the late Alice Coltrane (1937 -2007), jazz pianist and harpist, and the spouse of the legendary John Coltrane (1926 -1967).

Along with Alice Coltrane, Mr. Majors credits the late Dorothy Ashby (1930 -1986) with influencing his musical style. These ladies proved that the classical harp instrument could be easily and effortlessly integrated into jazz compositions. Once Mr. Majors mastered the instrument, he set out to share his musical gift with others. Through collaborative efforts with other artists, he has set to music some of the Psalms written by King David.

Official website.

FUN FACT: Mr. Majors named his harp "Hanifah". (A female given name: from an Arabic word meaning “true believer”.)

Original source

Indian Movies: Celebrities: Spotlight on Amy Jackson

Do you heart Amy Jackson?  Do you even know who Amy Jackson is? She’s an actress. OK. Yeah. She’s a hottie! I discovered her by accident, because of two music videos on YouTube.

• The first music video attracted my attention because it looked like an Indian version of Beauty and the Beast.

• In the other music video, Ms. Jackson was a female photographer who was being taken on a tour in India.

Watching the music videos piqued my interest. Had to seek and find what movies these videos were associated with. I was extremely pleased with the results of my treasure hunt!

Image Credit: Amy Jackson (Supergirl) signed 8x10 photo

♥ But first, let me share a little background info about Amy Jackson.

Her nationality is British; born on the Isle of Man and grew up in Liverpool. She was the winner of several beauty pageants including Miss Teen Liverpool and Miss Teen World. At the age of 16, her modeling career began.

Her acting career blossomed almost instantly when she caught the eye of director A. L. Vijay who thought she looked like a perfect fit to play the part of the leading lady in a Tamil language historical period drama. (He was right! IMHO.)

She has appeared in several Indian films and is currently included in the ranks with other female Bollywood superstars. She is also included alongside female superheroes. She is Imra Ardeen / Saturn Girl in the popular American TV series “Supergirl”.

Follow her on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

♥ And now the moment you’ve been waiting for.

The two South Indian (Tamil) films discovered after watching the related music videos, that made me join the Amy Jackson fan club are Madrasapattinam (2010), a historical period drama.  I (2015), a drama sci-fi thriller.

What hooked me about these movies? I’m a sucker for romance. Both were love stories.

* * *

Links of Interest:

• Gannon, Louise. “Meet Liverpool-Born Bollywood Superstar Amy Jackson.”DailyMail Online, Associated Newspapers, 27 Jan. 2018, www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-5303413/Meet-Liverpool-born-Bollywood-superstar-Amy-Jackson.html.

• Petski, Denise. “’Supergirl’: Bollywood Actress Amy Jackson To Recur As Saturn Girl.”Deadline, Penske Business Media, LLC, 26 Sept. 2017, deadline.com/2017/09/supergirl-bollywood-actress-amy-jackson-recur-saturn-girl-1202176567/.

Image credit: Amy Jackson Top Live Wallpaper by Solution

Search for #Bollywood movies on #AmazonPrimeVideo ~ https://t.co/A47IuCwJGZ @amazon @PrimeVideo #Entertainment #watchlists #watchparty #bingewatch pic.twitter.com/g1duxbV649

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) September 7, 2021

POPULAR BOLLYWOOD MOVIES ON NETFLIX
~ https://t.co/hvzqekN1H3 #watchlists #watchparty #Entertainment #horror #suspense #romance #comedies #truestories pic.twitter.com/or4YCpouBi

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) September 7, 2021

2 Turkish Drama Mystery TV Series to Watch

Two Turkish drama TV series that are pure Turkish delight! Should be on your binge-watch list.

Entertainment has come a long way from back in the 50s and 60s when TV was the new toy. Now we have video streaming and for me, talk about opening up a whole new world, with a new and fantastic point of view. WOW! In our house, we subscribe to a few popular video streaming services. Everybody wants to satisfy their own personal and peculiar tastes, so there's Hulu, Amazon Video, and Netflix. Plus there is also YouTube and a wide range of sites where you can stream movies and TV series from all around the world.  Long story short. Thanks to the wonderful world of video streaming my personal and peculiar tastes now include Turkish dramas. Here are two suggestions (quotes link to my usual style quickie reviews).

"Filinta" or ("Filinta Mustafa") (TV Series 2014 – 2016)

Mystery and Historical Period Drama
"... Let's say the series paints a 'true picture'. If so, to be a law enforcement officer in 19th century Istanbul, you never get any rest! The individual criminals, criminal gangs and criminal organizations from around the world scheme and connive to do everything from murder and robbery to starting wars! ...”

---

20 Minutes (20 Dakika) (TV Series 2013)

Modern Day Mystery Drama
“20 Dakika ("20 Minutes") is a love story.

Summary of the plot in one sentence?

~ Uuuuhhh ... It's complicated.”

My Other Entertainment Recommendations:

• Bollywood Legend: Aamir Khan

• Small Island (2009 BBC TV Drama Mini-Series)

• Films That Inspire You to Travel

• The Pinkertons (Canadian Detective TV Series 2014)

• Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007 Bollywood Movie Drama)

• The Titan (2018): Sci-Fi Movie Lovers Beware!

♦

Original Source

Four Favorite Movies and Nine Favorite Movie Stars

Favorite movie stars very likely starred in your favorite movies. Did you grow up watching television or going to the movies on Saturday afternoon? In this article, I am remembering the movie stars from my childhood who are no longer with us. They made quite an impression on my young mind – in a good way – and I don’t care what the official biographies or the movie critics say! To me, these actors and actresses were larger than life and the films they starred in helped build character. I will speak briefly about each. Very briefly. Even though these movies are old, it is possible you may not have watched them. I would not want to spoil the ending.

Image credit

● 1st MOVIE:  Bogart and Bergman in “Casablanca”

• Humphrey DeForest Bogart (Dec 25, 1899 – Jan 14, 1957)
• Ingrid Bergman (Aug 29, 1915 – Aug 29, 1982)

Casablanca (1942): This movie was a love story; and if you don’t remember anything else about this film you will remember these two lines: “Play it again, Sam.” and “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

● 2nd MOVIE:  Marvin, Bronson, and Savalas in “The Dirty Dozen”

• Lee Marvin (Feb 19, 1924 – Aug 29, 1987)
• Charles Bronson (Nov 3, 1921 – Aug 30, 2003)
• Aristotelis “Telly” Savalas (Jan 21, 1922 – Jan 22, 1994)

The Dirty Dozen (1967): This is a movie about redemption. A dozen men, twelve convicts, are given an opportunity by the United States Army to serve their country, just as any law-abiding patriotic soldier would do. All they have to do is carry out a mission behind enemy lines and come back alive! The records of their crimes will be wiped clean and they will be free men. Think they succeeded?

● 3rd MOVIE:  Frank Sinatra in “Von Ryan’s Express”

• Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra (Dec 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998)

Von Ryan’s Express (1965): This was a war movie. But it was Frank Sinatra like I had never seen him before. He wasn’t singing and dancing and this was no lighthearted film. He was a prisoner of war with a group of other prisoners who planned a daring escape from German-occupied Italy on a freight train. Frank Sinatra was Colonel Ryan.

● 4th MOVIE:  Peck, Quinn, and Niven in “The Guns of Navarone”

• Eldred Gregory Peck (Apr 5, 1916 – Jun 12, 2003)
• Anthony Quinn (Apr 21, 1915 – Jun 3, 2001)
• James David Graham Niven (Mar 1, 1910 – July 29, 1983)

The Guns of Navarone (1961): As this is a British-American film, it was released in both the United States and the United Kingdom. If I were to prepare a Top 5 List of Movies To Watch Over and Over Again, this movie would be on that list. A group of men, a commando unit, handpicked by the military because of their special skills were sent on a mission to destroy a German fortress located on Navarone Island.

The Captain of the team was persuasively played by Gregory Peck. Anthony Quinn was a Colonel who served in the Greek Army. The best way to describe his character is by plucking a line from the movie that he said about himself. He said, “I’m not so easy to kill.” If you’re going on a dangerous mission you want a guy like that on your team. David Niven is the demolitions expert. Though he was reluctant, he had to come along. Without his expertise in the field of explosives, there was no point in even attempting to carry out the mission. Everything about this movie was memorable. The actors, the soundtrack, the scenery! It was spectacular!

Remembering today the late 🇬🇧British actor #DavidNiven #BOTD in 1910 in #London, seen here with co-stars #AnthonyQuinn #StanleyBaker & #GregoryPeck in the 🇺🇸American epic war adventure "THE GUNS OF NAVARONE" (1961) dir. J. Lee Thompson pic.twitter.com/gD66mmzhCk

— Neville F Chamberlain (@NevilleFChambe1) March 1, 2021

♦

Who are your favorite movie stars who starred in your favorite movies?

Five (5) Popcorn-Worthy 'BAD' Korean Dramas

Check out this list of Korean dramas with the word “Bad” or “Bad” in the titles, available on popular streaming platforms in the USA.

Pass the popcorn, please!

 ♦ (1) Bad Guys (2014)

Watch Bad Guys (2014) Online for Free | The Roku Channel | Roku

Main Characters:

• Oh Goo-Tak (played by Kim Sang-Joong)

• Park Woong-Cheol (played by Ma Dong-Seok)

• Lee Jung-Moon (played by Park Hae-Jin)

• Jung Tae-Soo (played by Jo Dong-Hyuk)

• Yoo Mi-Young (played by Gang Ye-Won)

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller, Police Procedural

PLOT: Who better to fight bad guys than bad guys? In the classic American war movie “The Dirty Dozen”, the military decides to send a dozen criminals into enemy territory to fight for their country. They had particular skill sets that were useful and the military just needed to train them to be soldiers. This Korean drama has a similar storyline. A police detective lost his daughter to a murderer. He was suspended from his job for using excessive force to apprehend suspects. But then he was called back to work because one of his superiors also lost his son to a murderer. Violent crimes are on the rise, so the police detective forms a crime team made up of criminals to catch criminals. One is a contract killer and the other is a serial killer. Their work will result in reduced sentences and possibly their freedom. But will this really work?  

WATCH TRAILER

♦ (2) Bad Guys: Vile City (2017)

(NOTE: This is “Bad Guys 2.)

Available on Apple TV+

Main Characters:

• Woo Je-Moon (played by Park Joong-Hoon)

• Jo Young-Kook (played by Kim Hong-Fa)

• Heo Il-Hoo (played by Joo Jin-Mo)

• Jang Sung-Cheol (played by Yang Ik-June)

• No Jin-Pyeong (played by Kim Moo-Yul)

• Han Gang-Joo (played by Ji Soo)

Genre: Mystery, Action, Crime, Thriller, Police Procedural, Political

PLOT: The bad guys keep fighting the bad guys in this Korean drama series sequel. It has the same theme as Season 1. This time a crusading prosecutor and a detective work together and go after a crime lord. The investigative team includes a serial killer, an assassin and a mobster with a personal vendetta. The crime lord has managed to evade capture because there are those on “the inside” who work for him. Battling organized crime is hard enough but it's extra hard when you have to fight institutional corruption. But no matter, because for the team, it's just another day at work.

WATCH TRAILER

♦ (3) The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos (2019)

(NOTE: This is a movie. The series “Bad Guys”, released in 2014 is the prequel.)

Available on Apple TV+

Main Characters:

• No Sang-Sik (played by Jo Young-Jin)

• Detective So Oh Goo-Tak (played by Kim Sang-Joong)

• Park Woong-Cheol (played by Ma Dong-Seok)

• Kwak No-Soon (played by Kim A-Joong)

• Ko Yoo-Sung (played by Jang Ki-Yong)

Genre: Crime and Action

PLOT: While prisoners are being transported, the vehicle is attacked by ruthless assassins, in order to free a former Korean gang boss, who works with the yakuza. A crime investigative unit is tasked with capturing the escaped prisoners, especially the former gang boss. The unit includes certain criminals who are promised reduced sentences if they succeed. Some in law enforcement are aligned with the yakuza leader and they interfere with the mission and even betray their fellow officers. But the crime investigation team never wavers. They know what their mission is and they aim to catch the escaped prisoners and put them back behind bars.

WATCH TRALER

♦ (4) Bad and Crazy (2021-2022)

Netflix USA started streaming the series on November 28, 2022.

Main Characters:

• Ryu Soo-Yeol (played by Lee Dong-Wook)

• Alternate Personality named K (played by Wi Ha-Joon)

Genre: Police Procedural, Legal Drama, Medical Drama, Action, Comedy

PLOT: A young man has a split personality. He suffers from multiple personality disorder, also referred to as dissociative identity disorder (DID). It's not that he's “bad” or “crazy”. He just wants career advancement in the law enforcement agency he works for and figures the best way to get a promotion is to overlook or cover up crimes that have been committed. All he has to do is neatly wrap things up, close the cases, and file them away. However, his alternate personality known as “K” pricks his ethical and moral conscience and makes him do the right thing. In other words, his alter ego is a justice-seeking HERO!

WATCH TRAILER

♦ (5) Bad Prosecutor (2022)

Viki viewers rated this series 9.5 out of 10 stars

Main Characters:

• Jin Jung (played by Do Kyung-Soo)

• Shin A-Ra (played by Lee Se-Hee)

• Oh Do-Hwan (played by Ha-Joon)

Genre: Legal Drama, Action

PLOT: A young boy who witnesses many things that were unjust decides that when he grows up he will wield a sword of justice just like the swordfighters in video games. However, as an adult, he realized the fight against injustice was rigged by people with wealth and power, in their favor. The “sword of justice” he planned to use would not be effective in eliminating crime and corruption. He was hired as a prosecutor and assigned to the Central District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 3. Some of the prosecutors he worked with were as corrupt as the bad guys on the outside. They abused their positions of public trust and covered up crimes. Going by the book was not only time-consuming, but those standard processes and procedures usually did not work. Because his work methods were different from his fellow prosecutors and he didn't follow the “rules”, the young man was labeled a “bad prosecutor”. Since he knew that some prosecutors had ways to erase dirty deeds, he simply developed ways to work around them so that justice could be served.

WATCH TRAILER

Five (5) Popcorn-Worthy 'GOOD' Korean Dramas

Check out this list of Korean dramas with the word “Good” in the titles, available on popular streaming platforms in the USA.

Graba bowl of popcorn and enjoy!

♦ (1) Good Doctor (2013)

Viki viewers rated this series 9.6 out of 10 stars

Main Characters:

• Park Shi-On (played by Joo Won)

• Cha Yoon-Seo (played by Moon Chae-Won)

Genre: Medical drama, Romance

PLOT: The chief director of a hospital who knows a young man with special abilities persuades the other hospital directors to place him in the residency training program by putting his own job on the line. It's a tremendous risk, but he is that confident that he can be a good doctor. But if the resident trainee does not perform well, the chief director who recommended him agreed to resign. A top pediatric surgeon will mentor the young savant and he will live in an apartment complex for hospital doctors where he meets other residents he will work with. Against the odds, this young man with savant syndrome and a developmental disability, becomes a pediatric surgeon.  WATCH TRAILER

♦ (2) Good Manager (2017)

Viki viewers rated this series 9.5 out of 10 stars

Main Characters:

• Kim Sung-Ryong (played by Namkoong Min)

• Yoon Ha-Kyung (played by Nam Sang-Mi)

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Idol Drama

PLOT: A young man used to receive awards for being a math genius when he was a little boy. Somehow he took a wrong turn as an adult and ended up managing money for gangsters. Of course, he was skimming some of the money he collected for his gang boss. He had hopes, dreams, and big plans to immigrate to Denmark. Why? Supposedly it was a nice country with very little crime. How ironic. One day his crime boss found out that he had a cash stash and demanded his money back or else! TQ Group is a business that looks legitimate, but under the surface the executives are just as corrupt and dirty as gangsters. The corporation wants to fill their position for the chief of their accounting department and prefers to hire an outsider rather than choose from management or staff already working there. The young man interviews for the job and is hired. His gangster boss decides that instead of getting rid of him, he should have his former employee work at TQ Group. The boss hopes there might be a door of opportunity that will allow him to secretly infiltrate this so-called legitimate business. The young man is also hoping his job will be an opportunity, but for different reasons. Denmark is still his dream destination.  WATCH TRAILER

♦ (3) The Good Thieves (2017)

Viki viewers rated this series 9.3 out of 10 stars

Main Characters:

• Jang Dol-Mok (played by Ji Hyun-Woo)

• Kang So-Joo (played by Seohyun)

• Han Joon-Hee / Jang Min-Jae (played by Kim Ji-Hoon)

• Yoon Hwa-Young (played by Lim Ju-Eun)

Genre: Romance, Family, Crime and Mystery

PLOT: A group of thieves unite to fight corruption. Although they come from different backgrounds and circumstances in life, they have one thing in common: their ancestors were Freedom Fighters. Anyone who knows the history of Korea knows that the Freedom Fighters in Korea were courageous individuals with diverse backgrounds and skills who resisted oppression and fought for independence. They played a key role in shaping Korea's national identity. They certainly didn't risk their lives so that their country could be handed over to lawless and corrupt people. A group of thieves band together to pull off one last heist to expose the dirty secrets and horrible crimes of the rich and powerful. It's for justice and for the future of their own children.  WATCH TRAILER

♦ (4) Good Job (2022)

Viki viewers rated this Original series 9.3 out of 10 stars

Main Characters:

• Eun Seon-Woo (played by Jung Il-Woo)

• Don Se-Ra (played by Kwon Yuri)

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Crime and Mystery

PLOT: A young man who serves as the CEO of Korea's largest company. To those on the outside he's just another another chaebol heir, born into money. However, he secretly runs a detective agency. You could say he says similar abilities to Sherlock Holmes and he chooses to use them solve crime. He crosses paths with a young woman who was born with hyperacuity, and decides that she would be an excellent assistant and help him with conducting investigations. Almost like a Holmes and Watson duo, only a little bit funnier. As they work together solving crimes, their relationship blossoms into romance.  WATCH TRAILER

♦ (5) Good Partner (2024)

Viki viewers rated this series 9.3 out of 10 stars

Main Characters:

• Cha Eun-Kyung (played by Jang Na-Ra)

• Han Yu-Ri (played by Nam Ji-Hyun)

Genre: Legal Drama

PLOT: A rookie attorney thought she was starting her dream job in the corporate department of a prestigious law firm. Instead she was assigned to the divorce team. Her new boss has also been her teacher in law school and they never agreed with each other. Now they are working together? As soon as she starts working on divorce settlements, their differing perspectives clash again. Despite their differences, the rookie attorney realized that she was going to gain a great deal of legal experience and wisdom from her boss. Her boss actually appreciated the different way the rookie attorney approached her cases. She knew that the rookie always wanted to do the best for her client, which is why she hired the rookie to handle her own divorce. Her divorce was going to be very contentious and complicated. The experienced attorney needed someone who would think “outside of the box” and devise a successful legal strategy to severe ties with her adulterous husband and grant her custody of their only child. This was a challenge. Would the rookie attorney be able to come up with an effective legal approach?  WATCH TRAILER

TV Series: Binge Watch Star Trek and Beyond!

Binge-watching is bad for your brain. Well, there are some out there who say that binge-watching is unhealthy. That might be true and I suppose if you’re a youngster you might do some extra research to be sure that you’re not damaging your brain. (How binge-watching is hazardous to your health.)

But I am already beyond the half a century mark (50+). Video streaming is a new form of entertainment, that wasn’t around when I was growing up. So I am going to take advantage of video streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Viki, etc. In particular, I plan to enjoy all of those old TV shows that I remember watching on television when I was younger and also TV series that I never got a chance to watch when they were being aired.

Binge-watching is necessary because there are so many seasons/episodes. If I view one a week or one episode a day, it might take 100 years! LOL. Sometimes I also enjoy binge-watching movies in certain genres, like sci-fi. 

Star Trek and Beyond!

(NOTE:  Do not confuse the subheading above with the 2016 movie "Star Trek Beyond").  I simply meant to say I started with the original 1960s series and then went beyond to all of the spinoffs.)

The TV series that I decided to binge-watch is “Star Trek” and all of the other “Star Trek spinoffs”. Why? Because Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock made quite an impression on me as a child. The program had a talented and diverse cast. People from various backgrounds and ethnicities were represented “equally” and back in the 60s in America that was considered ground-breaking. I never watched the Star Trek spinoffs like “The Next Generation”, “Deep Space Nine”, etc. when they were on TV. But we have a Netflix subscription and it has all of the Star Trek episodes, except for “Star Trek: Discovery”. Here is a recap of what I have binge-watched thus far. No spoilers just a few “hints”.

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966 – 1969)

In 1966, I was 11 years old. Rewatching this series was a wonderful trip down memory lane. Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Lieutenant Uhura, and all of the others I remembered so vividly. I honestly can’t say that I have a favorite episode. But I can say that I was disappointed with the last episode. That TV series should not have ended like that.

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 – 1994)

This series was an excellent follow-up to the original series. My two favorite characters were Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Data. The Starfleet crew was even more diverse. They had a Klingon on board who was in charge of security. If you watched the original series you will recall that the Klingons were The Enemy. This series introduced Another Enemy far worse the Klingons. The Borg. If they don’t scare you, it’s because you’ve already been “assimilated”. (Hint.) Like the original series, I don’t have a favorite episode in this series either.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993 – 1999)

The crew/cast is “even more diverse”. In addition to humans, there are Klingons, Ferengis, Cardassians, Bajorans, and a species who were even scarier than The Borg. They were called The Dominion. My two favorite characters were Commander Benjamin Sisko and Odo, the Changeling. Incorporating the character Vic Fontaine, played by James Darren in the holodeck was a very creative piece of scriptwriting. My favorite episode in this series is “Badda-Bing Badda-Bang”. Commander Sisko is very talented. (Hint.)

Star Trek: Voyager (1995 – 2001)

A starship lost in space trying to get back home. My favorite characters are not the stars of this show. They are a part of the supporting cast. I love Mr. Neelix and Seven of Nine. In my opinion, this series is not as interesting and engaging as the other series. But it is imperative that I watch it to The End. I have to know how they get home. What a hook!

Original Source

Today in 1966: #StarTrek (TOS) debuted in the U.S. The original starship Enterprise studio model used in the TV show is in our collection: https://t.co/Y6LNJ1sDxC #StarTrekDay #AirSpacePhoto pic.twitter.com/Lki0fhfkMz

— National Air and Space Museum (@airandspace) September 8, 2020

#StarTrekDay

been boldly going for 55 years 💛
— happy #StarTrekDay ! 💫 pic.twitter.com/eg2OkLpx8s

— star trek gifs (@tosgifs) September 8, 2021