For context, this reviewer dipped into the Godzilla back catalogue for … (read more)

Protagonist Kim Kyung-mi (Jin Ki-joo) is deaf and can only speak with great difficulty. We’re quickly encouraged to like this … (read more)

After her breakout buddy cop role with Cynthia … (read more)

Three is alright. Gulp.

A single location thriller set in a hospital, Three maintains the quirky humour that is a big part of the Milkyway Image house style, although there’s a dark edge to most of the comedy this time around. Chance has a big influence on the outcome, … (read more)

I suspect Kim has been typecast as the mild-mannered romantic lead far too often, so this role must have been a welcome opportunity. It was first offered to Lee Jae-wook, of Do Do Sol … (read more)

And my answer is yes, gentle reader, we absolutely do. We need this particular version because we need the mesmerising Son O-gong that only … (read more)

The movie’s forty-five second trailer sells itself on the car chasing and other action, but elements of a lot of other genres — jokes, jump scares, melodrama and more — are along for the ride as well. … (read more)

TV Series – 20 episodes

Is it just me, or does Park Seo-jun’s contract stipulate at least one shower scene in every drama?

In this case, he’s joined in his ablutions by several other young men, so if that’s one of your criteria for a good drama, then put Hwarang on your list.

Ditto if you want as many K-pop stars as possible, because this has no less than three: Park Hyung-sik (ZE:A), Choi Minho … (read more)

TV series – 16 episodes

Most men would be thrilled if the lovely Shin Min-ah followed them home, but not Cha Dae-woong (Lee Seung-gi). Possibly because she’s got nine tails and 500 years under her belt, but more likely because she threatened to eat him – that kind of thing does tend to put a damper on even the most modern relationship.

If you can get past Lee Seung-gi’s startling hairstyle and plenty of shameless … (read more)

TV series – 16 episodes

This is for all the women who want some vicarious ‘beating the crap out of everyone who’s ever looked at me sideways’ enjoyment. It’s also a whole sack full of fun even if you don’t have the urge to pummel anyone.

Do Bong Soon (Park Bo-young) is tiny, perky, and possessed of the superhuman strength that runs in the females in her family. Park brings an effervescence to the role … (read more)

TV series – 17 episodes

This is just stitched together from a whole steaming pile of wrong. It can’t seem to decide what it is, so it veers between Cinderella rom com, mystery, and episodic ghost series, while never managing to be good at any of them.

Then there’s the acting and characterisation. Some of the actors manage, although the script doesn’t give them much to work with, but the male lead is like a … (read more)

TV drama – 16 episodes

The world’s most introverted over-thinker meets the world’s most outspoken non-thinker – what could go wrong?

Fortunately it gets better than that, because if it was just “Genius introvert falls in love with pushy extrovert”, I don’t think I could have stuck it, Sandeul soundtrack or no. I spent the first couple of episodes wanting to slap the female lead, because the character was so incredibly annoying. Most humans with … (read more)

TV drama – 20 episodes

It looked like just another cop drama, but this little gem ticked all the boxes on my Cracking Good Series bingo card.

For starters, the cast: Lee Seung-gi as Kim Ji-yong/Eun Dae-gu, whose mother was murdered in front of his eyes when he was 15, carries his role with a restrained intensity that starts at “To hell with the lot of you” and never flags. He often seems on the … (read more)

TV drama – 16 episodes

Everyone involved in this debacle should cower under the Doona of Shame for all eternity. I’m even embarrassed to say I watched it.

What a complete dogs’ breakfast – the script was woeful, frequently relying on the execrable tactic of character soliloquies to reveal important plot points & describe feelings, saving all that tedious acting nonsense you might see in other K-drama.

Maybe this was because the acting was so … (read more)