You know how it is here, if Kim So-Hyun is in it we give the kdrama a chance. And she doesn't disapoint in this one where we see her in the strongest role she has taken so far.

 

Suzy has become a warranty for great kdramas. And she has proven it once again with this kdrama because Start-Up definitely goes to my favorite list.

• It has a great love triangle.
At first, I assumed it would be like in other dramas and Sol Dal Mi's love interest was Han Ji Pyung. He is rich, handsome, cold but a good person at the bottom and with a sad backstory. Usually kdramas go for men like that. So what was my surprise when this drama went in the other direction. 

Han Ji Pyung still gets his love story, only is a different kind of love. And it was absolutely beautiful because it was the kind of love he needed. Probably one of the best stories I've seen for a second lead. His story with grandma making him at the end inspired to help other orphans in the same situations he was in (with that perfect cameo at the final episode of Yeo Jin Goo in person) felt like a great ending.




Usually soft, shy guys that knit like Nam Do San aren't the protagonist. But at some point I realized that a) He was with Sol Dal Mi more than Han Ji Pyung and b) I wanted him to end up with our protagonist. The way he stared adoringly at Dal Mi and supported her made me be like "please don't break this sweet boy's heart". But the point where I really started to cheer for him was when he decides he won't take someone else's credit anymore and will instead become a strong person. His character arc is incredible, it was so satisfying to see how far he grows. We see Nam Do San and Sol Dal Mi grow together and they are very similar as both prioritize their beliefs like when they rather helping others over money.

• The bromance of Samsan Tech's pioneers Lee Cheol San, Kim Yong San and of course Nam Do San. We see the deep friendship and chemistry these 3 have. It was such a great moment when they say goodbye to their old office because we see how much they have matured.
  

• It shows what technology can be when is used for good causes. We usually see technology's bad and shallow side but here we see the possibilities of using it to improve people's lives. NoonGil, an app that helps people with vision problems and Tarzan a car that drives itself that will prevent people from dying in car accidents. It made me feel so inspired seeing Nam Do San and Sol Dal Mi working hard to achieve their dreams with projects inspired by Dal Mi's grandma and dad and that had the purpose of making a change. It was a story with a heart since the very first episode until the end and I loved it.
  

 

By the end of 2020 I needed vacations desperately. As I scrolled through the kdramas to decide which one I'll watch during those days I realized I needed one that let me escape from thinking about anything work-related (have you seen how many kdramas are settled in an office?) But then I found one with the perfect ingredients: a bookstore, a little town, a love from the past. Bum! just what I was looking for.

• As I mentioned I wanted needed a gateway in the form of a kdrama. Just like the protagonist Hae Won, I felt myself healing as I watched this drama. 
  
• The scenarios, the slow rhythm of the town reminded me the feeling of peace a lot of the Ghibli movies give to me. Through the drama we see a lot of scenes of the town community, from their everyday lives to the events they organize where everyone is involved. I wish a place like that existed so I could move there.
  
• When I read in the synopsis the word "bookstore" I said, this is totally for me. As if that wasn't enough to win my heart the Goodnight bookstore host a book club. People talking about books OMG I'm melting! We get to know a little about the lives of each of the members which are very interesting mix of ages and personalities. I also found out that this is an adaptation of a book and I'm just over the moon *praying for a translation*.
  
• The backstories of the characters are slowly told through the drama in such a perfect way. Especially for Hae Won's mother and aunt it was important to see their story unfold this way. I cried when it was revealed what had happened to them.
  
• I love a good love from the past returning to the present. Because you get two storylines in one and because they portray second chance love.
  
• Eun Seob is a complicated character.Not only because of his backstory (which is already unexpected in a good way) but also in his personality. I'm an introvert too and can relate to him since we both find it easier to write our emotions and thoughts or show them in our actions rather than to say them out loud but I still struggled to understand him sometimes I was like boy, wake up! she's already making it easy for you.
  

I'll Go To You When The Weather Is Nice (When the Weather Is Fine) was like was catered to me, with all the things I love and needed that I just can't believe my luck that I found this kdrama at exactly the right time. It felt like going somewhere to heal.

 

You know that feeling of emptiness when you finish a good kdrama? I was of course expecting it when I finished The King, but this time I felt lost for quite a while because this drama was so perfect in so many ways. In the middle of the pandemic, this drama gave me a reason to be excited about every week. Because it gave me not only the visuals of Lee Min Ho and Woo Do Hwan but also an intelligent story with mind-blowing twists.  

• We saw it in Goblin and now we also have it in The King: a great bromance. Jo Yeong and Lee Gon are the definition of #FriendshipGoals. From the moment they meet as kids to the end where we see Jo Yeong protecting the king in both his adult and young forms. I couldn't help but fangirling every time I saw this pair on scene for the chemistry they had in every episode.
• And speaking of Jo Yeong, let's talk about the boy that stole our hearts and made us swoon, Woo Do Hwan. This handsome man deserves so many awards because he is an incredible actor. He made Jo Eun Seob and Jo Yeong so unique and different and then he takes it to the next level when he plays one of them pretending to be the other. Some of the best scenes are when we have this pair interacting with each other. There is one episode where we barely see him and let me tell you, I really felt his absence.
• Woo Do Hwan and Lee Min Ho in uniforms. I didn't know I needed in my life the image of Lee Min Ho washing rice in a uniform until I saw it.
  
• That epic action sequence of Jo Yeong and Lee Gon. They look so cool, and this comes from a person that usually gets bored with action scenes (seriously, I've slept in a lot of action movies) but this one had me at the edge of my seat and made me feel totally impressed. It was shot like in a video game and has a perfect choreography of the actors and the cameramen that made me so excited. 
• The best hugs scenes everrrrrr. The scene where Lee Gon saves Tae-Eul in the middle of the street is just glorious. And not just that, but that kiss on the neck? probably one of the sexiest kisses I've seen in a kdrama.
• The writer is a genius. There are so many little details that later on we understand and see how everything connects. As a viewer, I got the satisfaction of seeing things coming together. Some of them I did guess correctly like that the guy saving young Lee Gon was his older self (thanks to City Hunter I can now recognize Lee Min-Ho anywhere) while others totally made my mind explode: pretty much everything in episode 14.

 

First episodes are important, from them I decide whether I'll keep watching or not because it sets the atmosphere of the kdrama. Every now and then you'll get to a great first episode, one that makes you feel like you have found a precious gemstone. I've looked into my collection of those gemstones and chose the best one (yet). Ready? The best first episode award goes to... While You Were Sleeping. (Ok, you knew already because of the header above but just go along with me).

I remember when I watched it I was completely awestruck, gasping and feeling excited with every scene, and when it finished I thought: now that's a first episode. Because it was P.E.R.F.E.C.T. (I watched it again to write this entry and let me tell you, I fell in love with it again because it is that good).  

• You get all the feels. Is funny, then there's action, then is sad, and then there's more action. And let me tell you, action scenes aren't my cup of tea (what can I say, in movies, they even put me to sleep), so they have to be really good to keep me interested. Why it works here? because they made me get invested in the characters and what happened to them and because they were there for the story.
• And speaking of the story, it manages to set the premise of it so well. And that's so hard to do because this drama goes back and forth in time and that means you don't want your audience to get confused. The fantasy element had to be put perfectly clear for everyone to understand how it worked but in a slow way because they also wanted to surprise us at the end. 
• I'm telling you, Park Hye Ryun is a genius screenwriter. She is the one behind amazing kdramas (Pinocchio, I Hear Your Voice, Dream High) and just when you think you have watched her best drama, she surprises you with more because she just keeps improving more and more. Masterpieces, that's what she writes.
• You don't expect all those twists and turns (in just one episode!) I'm just saying, I was at the edge of my seat for the whole episode.
• Watching Suzy and Lee Jong Suk in a kdrama is already a delight for my eyes but is even better when they play such adorable protagonists. In the first episode, we get to know a bit of who they are as we see them in their respective perspectives.
• We get a perfect circle in the story a.k.a, we start and end with the same scene. The whole episode is to get to know what happens in between those scenes. Because even when they are the same, they happen at different times. And the cinematography of that scene in itself is so beautiful that it becomes iconic.
• The bests first episodes need to make you want more. That's why this one is a success because it leaves you thinking: wow, if this is just the 1st episode, the rest of the drama must be amazing too, I can't wait to see more of it.

I have to admit I wasn’t sure about this drama, but when the first episode ended I was totally hooked and I ended up watching it super fast. What I loved about it is the question it brings: Beauty is mostly subjective because is different for everyone, but maybe we can all agree with the conclusion this drama makes about when a person is truly beautiful.


The premise was very fresh: A girl who was super pretty in her childhood changes over time, to the point her childhood friend, Ji Sung-Joon can’t recognize her anymore once he sees her again at the age of 30. She is ashamed of both her life and looks so she makes her best friend take her place. But then they meet again at their new jobs in a fashion magazine and since Ji Sung-Joon doesn't know who she really is, he treats her poorly.

LIST OF THOUGHTS
(Beware some Spoilers)

• Ahh, the innocent first love story. Why do we (and dramas) like it so much? Oh yes, because is not only super sweet but it also makes us feel that these people are fated. Their love is so pure because they have fallen in love twice. This time it has extra sweetness because he was once chubby and grieving and she would defend him and support him.
• Ji Sung-Joon, why is this guy so rude, like dude, you so don’t deserve a girl like Kim Hye-Jin. WTF happened to you in America? If he was bullied by his looks, why does he keep that pattern with others?
• This girl is golden, she is genuine good. And her character arc, oh my god is so amazing. Kim Hye-Jin explores what real beauty is and her conclusion of it was very inspiring and it has stayed with me for its depth.
• The rectangular love works because of its characters. I mean you can’t hate her best friend, Min Ha Ri, because we can see how much she is just craving for love. And the number two, jeez, Choi Siwon I choose you, you are my number 1! (and not only because he is so hot but also because he sees the amazing girl she is). It’s sad because you always know he doesn’t have a chance, but his story at the end was very cool.

Going through grieving this year took me so hard, it left me a complete mess. I just couldn't get my beliefs to match with the deep sorrow. Unexpectedly, watching Hotel del Luna actually helped me to be ready to open the drawer in my mind of those confused feelings and to face the concepts about death that had turned upside-down. How could a kdrama do that you ask? Well, I think it was that it gave me the opportunity to see a different approach to death and to good and evil. Needless to say, I think this drama is beautiful and unique.  


THE STORY
You won't find a kdrama like this one. The premise in itself is very original, a hotel for the dead ones to solve their pending business before passing to the afterlife is brilliant. While most dramas are predictable and full of tropes, Hotel del Luna goes for something different.

The way the story unfolds was beyond my expectations. What I thought to be a story about ghosts turned into a deep story about redemption. Jang Man-Wol´s past slowly unfolds as this starts to intertwine with the present and the mysteries of it keep you hooked and gasping when they are finally revealed.

I was fascinated with all the fantasy and mythology in this drama and the way they portray them in a modern context. From the magic tree representing Man-Wol, to the characters of Death and Mago that aren't either good or bad.

THE ACTING 
We got a lot of ghosts in this drama but it was actually the emotion the cast conveyed for their characters and their stories what made me shiver.

• IU's performance took another level in this drama. Our sweet girl transformed into a badass with a cold face that said don't mess with me bitch and then as Jang Man-Wol started to soften, we'd see her mastering the art of saying more with little gestures. One of my favorite scenes, for example, is when Goo Chan-Sung tells her that she wouldn't be able to handle him without clothes and you can see her expressions going from figuring out what he means, to imagining it and then to a mischievous grin, all of these perfectly portrayed.
  
• Yeo Jin Goo, what can I say? I love this guy since he was young and adorable and now he is all grown up in a leading role and still adorable (I'm feeling like a proud aunt here) so yeah, he is perfect to save Man-Wol's soul (and ours too). You don't often see a male character like Goo Chan-Sung in a kdrama, one that isn´t cold despite being smart, that supports the female protagonist (without being the second lead) and that was saved by the woman as well. 
• All the secondary characters weren't just there as filling, I liked to see their stories and how, in some cases, they'll even have an important role in the main characters' development. And let's not forget the special guest actors' appearances that gave life (hahaha see what I just did here?) to the hotel.

THE FASHION
Kdramas are often good fashion inspiration but Hotel del Luna is a total feast for my eyes. Man-Wol´s has to be the best-dressed protagonist ever with a vintage style that perfectly fits a 1300-year-old woman that has gone through all the history periods. Every single outfit was stunning that it was so hard to pick just one, at the end, I have to say I went for the one I'm most obsessed to wear.  

THE ENDING

• Let's just take a moment for poor soldier Goo Chung-Myung. He didn't want to betray Jang Man-Wol (just say why you did it man instead of killing yourself!) and yet he took the punishment and stayed with her as a firefly for centuries #poorunforntunatesoul. I have to say this is the complicated love triangle I've been wanting to see.
• Ok now let's talk about the ending: It was perfect and wonderful and it left me in a puddle of tears. Not a lot of kdrama endings are good (sometimes they are rushed while others use time fillers) but this one was excellent. It was definetly more bitter than sweet but it was what it needed to be. Is a drama about death after all, but more than anything is about accepting death.
• And the ultimate guest's appearance, Kim Soo Hyun as the new owner of the now “Hotel Blue Moon”, wow what a way to make a comeback after his militar service. I know there's nothing planned for a second season but let me tell you, it has potential.

Season 1

• The soundtrack and the whole aesthetic of the drama are so pretty. The way they portrayed the app visually is simple yet it gives the drama the perfect atmosphere and the songs are so good and make you feel nice and fuzzy inside.

• Oh the old Cinderella story. The introduction of the app concept does manage to make it a bit different but still, we have been here already too many times with all the same characters tropes. 
• Kim Jojo's backstory is interesting, especially for the way they slowly show it to us and how it affects her current decisions. 
• I'm not so into Hwang Sun-oh as a lot of fans seem to be. His relationship with Kim Jojo is so fast (seriously you have just met and there's already a kiss? now that's something that so does not happen in kdramas). I admit he has his moments but he acts too much like a spoiled kid it was hard for me to warm-up to him.
• So going into a Netflix kdrama, I already know that they don't have the same production of regular dramas. They usually have great actors but let's be real, they just aren't developed as well as the regular kdramas. And you can't help to be reminded of it as you watch it (and of putting any expectations locked in a drawer because is either that or yell at the screen of frustration). Here is the thing, Netflix hasn't understood that series and kdramas can't follow the same formulas they like putting so much in their original content, for me the ones I'm not ok in kdramas are the episodes number and the cliffhanger ending. When I got to the 8th episode I was so frustrated surprised to find out it was the end of the season (seriously 8 freaking episodes!) and unfortunately, I did felt stolen that the story isn't complete and I just hate cliffhangers ok? 

I loved how the concept of the app is developed and explored (though how it works doesn't have logic, I just go with it because who knows if technology could make something like that in the future) as it makes you think about how it would be like in the real world. The drama sh
ows us the implications it could have in society and in our lives, but most than anything, it makes you think how dependent we are of technology, even of things we could do without it, like telling people your feelings towards them.

Overthinking checked, phone phobia checked, like to stay at home checked, dificulty at talking with people checked and (wrongly) been perceived as rude sometimes because interacting too hard to make the first step checked. Yep, I'm an introvert so I had to watch this drama because I can nod and say "yes, I know!" and just cry because I can relate to this drama so much. Besides the emotional compatibility, this drama is one of my favorites because it’s very well written and I enjoyed watching it so much.

The plot is about this CEO, Hwan Ki, who is super introvert so he spends most of his time in his office/department by himself. The only contact with other humans are 1) with his family (but mostly only his sister), 2) his secretary who is outside his office and is terrified of him and 3) his friend who is also a director in his company and who is often the one in the public eye while Hwan Ki is on the shadows behind all the great ideas. Energetic Ro Woon arrives to the company to take revenge for her sister suicide three years ago and to understand what really made her do that. An office drama combined with a mystery one.

LIST OF THOUGHTS

• As I said it has a very well written story. At the beginning, it hooks you with the mystery of what happened 3 years ago and then with how things are going to be fixed.
• Supporting characters are more than just filling. In some dramas supporting characters are just comic relieves or just time fillers. Here they are more than that, their stories are actually part of the main story. They all have their moment and they grow so much by the end.
• The main characters are so endearing. He is so sweet, caring for others and trying his best. I admit he is also creepy, lurking in the shadows and pretty much being a stalker but hey, he has good intentions so I guess it’s ok? She is a great complement for him. Helping him getting out of his shell but understanding he needs his space sometimes. I love it when the couple are perfect for each other.
• I like the message it gives. I’ve often been told that I need to “adapt” and that being an introvert is “wrong”. In this drama though it shows that being an introvert is just how a person is. Yes, he needed to improve but didn’t had to change (I'm taking a minute please, I'm crying). He could actually do great stuff because of his introvert side. He’d see things others wouldn’t notice, he´d think more deeply and he would care so much for others #introvertsrock.

In K-dramas there's sooo many cold guys with a bad attitude, which I'm personally, not into, like seriously I'm tired of the trope. In this drama, the protagonist, Goo SeoJin is especially a big jerk, so cruel that it almost discouraged me from watching if it wasn't that he has another personality named Robin.

This drama is a retelling from the novel Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde where the protagonist has a dissociative identity disorder, only in this version the personalities are inverted. The second personality, developed after trauma from his childhood, represents in a way what he wished he was, a sweet brave guy, always willing to throw himself to save others. However Goo SeoJin is the director of the theme park, Wonderland, so he can't risk having his mental disorder getting public or his position would get in jeopardy, so he will try anything to end once for all with Robin. That becomes more difficult with the arrival of Jang JaNa, the cirque director of Wonderland, since the personality of Robin comes to the surface with the mission to protect her, and with the kidnapping of the therapist with the secret of his cure.

THE GOOD STUFF

• It's a thriller! I love korean thrillers, they are always fascinating and super smart and it becomes more and more complex as we find out who kidnapped the therapist and his reasons. Also, it gets combined with a hypnosis element that works into the story and that makes things more captivating.
• The acting of Hyun Bin. From the way he looked, to the how he behaved and talk, it was as if the director and Robin were played by two different people. You can see the great acting, even more, when one personality is trying to act as the other.

THE BAD STUFF

• I'm not a fan of cirques, they have always kind of creep me out, but I'm surprised at how little it played a role in the episodes. The theme was there at the beginning but as the episodes passed, it became just a background.
• Whenever there are more than 16 episodes in a drama I worry. Prolonging the drama in more episodes affects the rhythm of the story. Is like they plan 16 episodes and then they request 4 more and writers freak out (that's my theory at least) because the last episodes feel different and slower. Here we finish the thriller section and the rest of the episodes are dragged to solve the relationship dilemma of the protagonist. Is important? Yes, but did we needed all those episodes to solve it? I don't think so.