What to Watch after Queen of Tears

If you just came out of Queen of Tears a favorite makjang (emotional complicated melodrama K-drama genre) that (nearly) beaten the World of Married in rating, you probably wonder what to watch next. Everything can be pale in comparison. This was what I felt after finishing Mr Queen to me, but after that there are other like Dr Cha, The Attorney Woo, and many manyothers. So fret not, your (K-drama) world will return to color soon. In meanwhile, I have some series you want to consider as rebound affairs. 

Atypical Family

The name of Jang Ki-Yong and the idea of new age indie story of super power to me is already two attractions. I thought in the beginning it will be comedy series, it is not.

This is a story of Bok Gwi Joo (played by Jang Ki-Yong) and his family who have supernatural powers. Bok Gwi Joo is able totravel back in time, but only to happy times in his life. Yet, he can’t change the past, so he can only dwell on those happy moments. But then tragedy took place and that led him to be afflicted with depression and lost his power. One day, Do Da He (Chun Wo Hee) coincidentally tangled with Bok Gwi Joo and his family. She begins to live with them, and positive change occurs. Do Da Hee herself has her own unsavory agenda with her family. 

While Bok Gwi Joo story with Do Da Hee is the main story, there are at least 3 stories at the same time, his daughter I-na(played brilliantly by Park So Yi), Bok Do Hee ( played by international star Kim Su Hyun) and Bok Man Heum (played by veteran actress Go Doo Shim). It’s a story that involved modern ailment such as insomnia, bulimic and smartphone addiction, also bullying and fraud. In shorter sentence, a rich makjangstory. 

Given this is super power related story, there are smatteringintriguing visual effects to illustrate the family super powers. It was done in such underrated way that it hints the super powersrather than focus on the super powers and it blends in unconventional way of hinting super powers such as with color / light, it really shines spotlight in the innovativeness of the videography of the series, especially those scenes that combine with emotion such as Bok Gwi Joo anguished over his past using his ability as an example. Jo Hyun Taek as Director with Snow Drop under his belt, definitely wrapped everything very neatly in term of videography and frame-by-frame beauty, leveraging slow Roll and detailed scene that was also on display beautifully in Snow Drop. 

Those that have seen Jang Ki-Yong acting in the past, know that he is a skilled young and rising actor and this drama prove his ability to shift and play super power role that is rich and not one dimensional. I like particularly Park So Yi acting, playing a timid girl with hidden and yet incredible super power. I can only see bright future for her as long as she keeps growing. Kim Su Hyun acting has been proven world-wide so no dispute to play a complex character with anguish and conflicts. Others are veteran actress and actors complete the casting and make this series very strong if not explosive.

Those that still crave makjang series but also keen to explore a bit different kind of makjang, this is absolutely good alternative to quench your thirst on melodrama. Also, of course that miss Jang Ki-Yong after Now We’re Breaking Up and My Roommate is a Gumiho, here it is for you.

Frankly Speaking 

If you are open to a completely different genre, romcom with absurd themes (Kdrama has a lot of those), this is one for you. It is about an announcer, Song Ki Baek (played brilliantly by Go Kyong Pyo) at broadcasting station that overnight shift from being well mannered and always saying the right thing to become someone who speak his mind unfiltered. This is all because he met On Woo Joo (Kang Han Na) is a strongly spirited TV variety show writer who get unlucky many time, who in the process find a solution of her problem by solving also Song Ki Baek problem by getting him appear on her variety show. At the same time, On Woo Joo also encountered complication as her ex boyfriend reappeared in her life as one of her salvation, Kim Jung Heon (Joo Jung Hyuk), who just happento be Song Ki Baek high school friend.  

Go Kyung Pyo has rich acting repertoire and quite daring in selection of roles, there was DP, Private Lives, Love in Contract, Connect and Chicago Typewriter, just to name a few. Thereforeyou can see him pulling his best in coloring this K-drama classic with his powerfully funny acting. He has good comedic sense, some of scenes are difficult to execute but somehow he manages to deliver well to the pleasure of the audience (aka me). Kang Han Na is somewhat new to me and I can see her acting chop is growing, and it will be intriguing to see how her acting will mature in the future. I enjoy though her growing comedic sense, her timing is impeccable. No to be trifle is Joo Jung Hyuk acting as Kim Jung Heon that require him to perform trot songs as trot singer, which is a specific skill. His is definitely entertaining, reminded me of Young Tak who is an accomplished trot singer. 

This will be a good change of scene from a Makjang genre to something lighter before one embrace another Makjang !