Inspiring Generation Weekly review: Episodes 5/6

This is EXACTLY how episode 5/6 of Inspiring Generation has me feeling. Episode 6 had me standing in the middle of the floor shouting at the TV, falling to the floor and near tears. I couldn't handle it. I don't want to go into detail about either episode, I just want to say that I ship Ok Reyeon and Shin Jung Tae. Seriously I didn't like Gaya from the start. I also adore characters who love someone who doesn't always love them back. I would have been ok with Gaya if she hadn't of gone all "I will kill your father in front of you," on Shin Jung Tae.  Ok Reyeon has been the perfect friend/girlfriend/bestie who waits for Shin Jung Tae, but episode 6 seems like another change is brewing. First I am not sure if we have really reach present day. Remember on the first episode Shin Jung Tae was told to go back to Shanghai by that guy (who most KDrama fans know as the guy who helped Goo Jun Pyo out in Boys Over Flowers, sorry I am terrible with names) we see adult Shin Jung Tae begin to reminisce about young Shin Jung Tae, but I am not certain the reminiscing is over. That is really beside the point. We are only on episode 6 and I want to hurt someone, I am not sure who.... I guess I relate with Ok Reyeon as I have found myself crushing on dudes only to be easily let down. Shin Jung Tae is not letting her down easily he is throwing imaginary darts at her heart due to his inability to walk away from a fight. I don't know how this one will work itself out....and every episode adds another character and its almost confusing. I am also nervous about the Japanese/Chinese/Korean war type stuff going on as well...seems like this is the prelude to the Korean War. Also not one episode goes by where Shin Jung Tae doesn't fight. It's terrible. Parts of me wishes that Ok Reyeon can be like Oh Ha Ni from Playful Kiss

and love Shin Jung Tae even though he keeps messing up (where as Baek Seung Jo was just a jerk). Part of me also wants her to walk away. Which is why I am not sure if the flashback is truely finished. I guess it is. I don't know. But the situation that Shin Jung Tae has gotten into at the end of episode 6 could be why we see him as a loner in episode 1. I don't know. I really can theorize right now. My head could explode right now. This drama is great but it could be too much for me to handle. I am feeling the same way I felt as I watched City Hunter, which I marathon over the course of two days. Fortunately for my HEALTH Inspiring Generation is new and airing weekly, other wise I would probably faint at work for lack of rest and like high blood pressure from the extreme changes in emotions.

Things that happened in episode 5/6

Even with scars Kim Hyun Joong is gorgeous. Something about his makes him shine. Maybe he really truely is Mr. Perfect. He has the best eyes EVER!!!

K-Drama Themes: The Male Lead (and why we love him)

If you are a veteran K-Drama viewer than you are familiar with the Male Lead on a K-Drama. If you are a newbie than you need to get familiar with him.

First understand that there are actually two types of  the Male Lead. Type A and Type B, right now let's focus on Type A.

The Famous Goo Jun Pyo total type A!!!

Type A is the most arrogant, and cruel jerk that the female lead will always fall for eventually if not immediately.
Also as the meme above says  they are ridiculously rich. For instance K-Drama god, Goo Jun Pyo, Male Lead Type A of Boys Over Flowers, was the Heir to the Shinhwa Group, a huge conglomerate.
And of course as mentioned before Cha Chi Soo was another arrogant Richie Rich, who was the Heir of the Cha Group.
Even Lee Yoon Sung from the action romance thriller, City Hunter, was arrogant and rather rich, even though his storyline and reasons for existence are tad different from the flower boy characters above. (Lee Yoon Sung actually got his hands dirty).

Through the course of the drama the Type A will eventually learn to be kind and that money doesn't define him or love. He will only care about the female lead's well-being and making a way for them to be together, whether that means going against parents orders (that is another big theme) or going against another male lead (best known as the second male lead another theme) or they have to get over themselves, such as the biggest jerk (to me) Baek Seung Jo of Playful Kiss. It took 15 episodes for him to get over himself and tell Oh Ha Ni how he really felt. AISH!!!! Thinking about it angers me. I love Kim Hyun Joong (obviously) but that character AIGOO, he infuriates me (ok so he reminds me an ex no need to re-hash). Even after he expressed his feelings he still doesn't treat poor Oh Ha Ni very well, I mean his lines before their first time was not very caring.   

Do Min Joon Saving Cheon Song Yi

The Male Lead that we don't usually talk about (probably because we lump them in one catorgory) is what I will call Type B. He is of course gorgeous just as his counterpart. Type B may or may not have money. If he is rich than having the money is no big deal, in other words it doesn't define him. Sometimes the female lead (who they have fallen for) has money.  Type B is often not as big of a jerk as Type A. He may be a jerk, but this maybe due to different circumstances, than having been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Take the current drama "My Love from Another Star" and the male lead, Do Min Joon. He tries to be uncaring towards Cheon Song-yi, but just in words and not in actions. Many times Type B has a mysterious or reckless past. For instance, Kim Tan, male lead from the recent hit K-drama The Heirs, was sent to America,  because of his illegitimate status as a son/heir. Although this character is similar to Goo Jun Pyo, Kim Tan is not a jerk toward his love interest. Also in My Love from Another Star, Do Min Joon just so happens to be a 400 year old alien, and has watched Korea develop over that time, of course this means in order to keep people from being suspicious he's had to have false deaths. Then there are those who have a reckless past such as the male lead in "When A Man Loves,"  Tae-sang, who was once the right hand man to a mob boss, is able to turn his life around and becomes a successful business man, pining for a young girl's heart. Similar characters can be seen in Jung Woo Sung's "Padam, Padam" and Jo In Sung's "That Winter That Wind Blows" where the male lead ha been a thug or is seen as a thug but is very caring and is trying to live differently.  There is also the unknowing type B lead. This can be seen in 49 Days with the characters, Han Kang and The Scheduler (who although is not the male lead is a huge presence and deserves to be mentioned.) In both situations they seem unknowing of what's really going on. Especially poor Scheduler. (Oh how I could cry.)

Scheduler and Song Yi-kyung (not the main couple but still male lead worthy to be discussed

No matter the circumstance the Male Lead, type A or type B is really just sort of a tragic hero (he just usually doesn't die). He starts as a person we really don't like at least we don't like his personality. This is his flaw. Then something happens to him and this evokes pity (or in the case of a K-Drama fan, love).  Unfortunately its been a long time since my High School Honors English class and also a long time since I studied Aristotle so all I can say is in the end the female lead (and us) fall madly in love with the Male Lead. We fall in love because of all of the above. NUMBER ONE these guys are like way HAWT!!! I mean come on they are usually gorgeous. Oh yeah and he has money DUH!!! Now I'm not saying I'm a goldigger, but look at all the fancy trips they take (usually to JeJu Islands), the cars they drive, and the make-overs they give (to the female lead).  In addition to good looks and money, once the male lead is in love with the female lead he does anything he can to have her. Goo Jun Pyo couldn't swim, but learned to swim for Geum Jandi. Why? Because he never wanted to have to see another man save his Jandi. Cha Chi Soo, gave up the Cha name, lost his inheritance and went AWOL from the military to have his Eun Bi. Eventually we have no choice, but to fall in love with The Male Lead, that is if we don't fall head over heels for the Second Male Lead. (Yoon Ji Hoo Saranghaeyo)  

Weekly Review Inspiring Generation Episode 4

AIGOO!!!! 

WOW
Inspiring Generation....

Where do I begin? I wasn't quite sure how this episode was going to keep the suspense rising and going for the viewer. Those feelings between Gaya and Jung Tae have changed drastically due to a misunderstanding that neither one of them was expecting. I will say that Jung Tae's father and Gaya's father are intertwined in some way, but I think there is so much more to the story between the fathers and the mothers who are both dead or so we think.

One thing I will give away about episode 4 (some what of a spoiler so watch out) we see Gaya and Jung Tae train for the fate of their futures. Gaya trains with the mysterious guy I call a samurai and Jung Tae trains to jump, well, trains.

This drama is amazing in that all these characters became related in some way, more complexed than that of the Lee Min Ho drama, The Heirs, and additional characters are added every episode. I can see in the end everyone will more than likely have it in for Shin Jung Tae and he will probably find an ally in an unlikely place.

I am feeling more and more sorry for Ok Reyeon as it is obvious she is someone Jung Tae loves but in that "you are like a sister to me way."

Shin Jung Tae does succeed in jumping a train only for some interesting events to occur where we see the Dobinoris save him with the help of another group in which they become indebted to them. Unfortunately Jung Tae wakes up and receives bad news.

Towards the end of the episode, and adult Gaya is now seen as well as the adult Shin Jung Tae.  I will truely miss seeing  Kwak Dong Yun. He was excellent in showing us how Shin Jung Tae developed to be the man he becomes bringing us to Kim Hyun Joong's Shin Jung Tae.

In the last scenes of episode 4 (spoiler) we see Kim Hyun Joong (fangirling over here) now Shin Jung Tae walk through a building beating men up the whole time. I couldn't help but be reminded of him as Yoon Ji Hoo in Boys Over Flowers and how he and F4 would always come to the rescue. Kim Hyun Joong can't help but to be a beautiful guy. I mean in this drama he is really trying to go for a tough guy, but we know him as the calm Yoon Ji Hoo. Its hard erasing all those flower boy thoughts away. Even though through his music he has had many identities. He certainly showed a rougher image with Breakdown and I know he was trying show a tough boy image with Unbreakable, but his pretty face makes us forget that image. We see a tough guy image, but we know he doesn't have a tough guy heart. This is true for Shin Jung Tae and his heart will lead him to trouble.

I am excited to see Kim Hyun Joong in more action scenes and I am excited to see more of his acting as well. I am interested to see the characters unfold as revenge and love are both apparent in this drama. I really wonder in the end will this be anything like City Hunter.

Inspiring Generation Review Episode 3

How can I begin with this first installment of this week’s Inspiring Generation review? Hmmm? How about….

 OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! 

Kwak Dong Yun is really bringing Shin Jung Tae to life for us. Or am I just falling in love with him? Looks like we are dealing with the Type B Male Lead here.  (I will discuss the difference between Male Lead type A and type B later). He is so sweet and caring that he could almost be killed from it. He wears his heart on his sleeve, but that might all change, because when we first met Kim Hyun Joong’s, Jung Tae, he was quiet and mysterious, he didn’t seem very nice at all. 

(Memories of Baek Seung Jo appear…Playful Kiss is another blog post for another day  *sighs*) 

Episode 3 shows us that things are slowly changing for Jung Tae as he is getting in deep with the Dobinori Gang and showing feelings for Gaya (poor Ok Reyeon).

Jealousy is everywhere.  (**Spoiler ALERT**) Ok Reyeon sees Deguchi Gaya kiss Shin Jung Tae on the cheek; there should be some rivalry there, but after I saw the ending of episode 3, I am not sure what could happen with these two. The rivalry could be um…deadly. At first I was a little confused about which of the ladies are the lead. I am not sure if this drama is going to be as cookie cutter as some of the previous drama’s we have watched such as “The Heirs” where we know who the male lead is and the second male lead so therefore we already know who will get the girl and who won’t, but with Inspiring Generation and the twist we see at the end, I am not sure how all this will work out, but now I see how Gaya (*Spoiler Alert**) becomes  Shin Jung Tae’s enemy. What is obvious according to all things Korean Drama, Shin Jung Tae will pretty much love Gaya and Ok Reyeon is probably forever the yeodongsaeng  (friend zone little sister also known as forever alone). But this is just a prediction.  Honestly I am confused about this love triangle.  

It also appears that there will be some clashing with in the Dobinori as one character seems to “feel some type of way”(also known as jealousy) about Shin Jung Tae and the attention given to him by the other Dobinori. There is also Do Ggoo from the other gang who has the thirst for revenge on Jung Tae as well.

Episode 3 also shows us a lot of the fathers’ backstory both Jung Tae and Gaya’s as they were once comrades. (Can someone say City Hunter? Remember that that plot twist, of course that is another one for another day, so much drama so little time!) 

I thought episode 2 hooked me, but episode 3 succeeded in making me an official fan. After the episode I said out loud to myself: “Ooooo, it hurts inside. Ooooo it hurts inside.” Meaning there were too many “feelz” and I almost couldn’t handle it. Love that turns into ugly revenge. Fathers, sons. Fathers, Daughters. A sick sister. A gang of smugglers. The chance of dying to jump a train. Random samurai killing folks. That one guy with that one weird eye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 It’s all so much!!!! 

 I tell you what I really can’t handle is waiting for 10 o’clock in Korea so it can air there so then Viki gets it and gets it translated so I can then watch it!!!! 

  Can’t wait to see Kim Hyun Jung return as Shin Jung Tae!!! 

Inspiring Generation!!!! Hwaiting!!!! Fighting!!!! 

Did he make that jump? Check of the video and go watch this drama!!! 

Actor Spotlight: Jung Il Woo

Jung Il Woo

As I mentioned before Flower Boy Ramen Shop (2011)  is the K-Drama that changed my life and made me the K-Drama Fan that I

Charismatic Cha Chi Soo

am today. Much of that has to do with the Male Lead Character, Cha Chi Soo, played by Jung Il Woo. Cha Chi Soo was the average male lead. (You will soon learn if you haven't already that the male lead is usually a charming jerk, that is insensitive to the others around him, but in the end is actually a sweet guy who was just ignorant of things due to the sheltered lifestyle of the rich).  I guess because I saw that Cha Chi Soo, was ignorant of his feelings as in he didn't know that it was love that he felt and he had no idea how to handle it which led to hilarious antics between him and Eun Bi. I loved his acting so much I wanted to see him in more. That is when I found Moon Embracing the Sun (2012), although this time he had the role of the second male lead and worse the 2nd son (by another woman), Prince Yang Myung (a double whammy in the Korean Drama world as far as the fate of the character) the show only added to my love for K-Drama. I will discuss The Moon Embracing the Sun thoroughly soon.

Although Flower Boy Ramen Shop and The Moon Embracing the Sun were top shows it was Jung Il
Woo's breakthrough role as the "scheduler" in the 2011 Drama 49 Days that really  proved he would be ready for his role as Cha Chi Soo and later his role as Prince Yang Myung. As the scheduler he was a modernized grim reaper who would help a young woman who was in a limbo of life and death, but wanted
to live and had 49 Days to do so in her outer body state.

In just two years Jung, excelled at portraying 3 very different characters, which shows his skill as an actor. What is similar about all of his roles is that each character has some comical aspect as it seems he is the guy who is always trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

He is able to be funny in one instance, then serious in another, all the while his eyes are so expressive. 

Aside from the dramas mentioned Jung Il Woo has be in many other dramas such as, Unstoppable High Kick, The Return of Iljimae, My Fair Lady, and was also in the movie My Love.

In addition to his bringing his characters to life Jung Il Woo also has had songs on the OST (Original Soundtracks) of the drama's 49 Days and Flower Boy Ramen Shop. 

Currently Jung Il Woo is in the drama Golden Rainbow alongside K-Pop and K-Drama star Uee.

For more about Jung Il Woo check out these articles:
http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/13997/20140108/jung-il-woo-transforms-as-filming-director.htm 

http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/71789/20140103/jung-il-woo-90-servings-of-rice-cake-soup-on-new-years-for-golden-rainbow-staff-team.htm

 http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/news/golden-rainbow-jung-il-woo-becomes-an-ice-062525712.html


Do you love Jung Il Woo? Why is he your favorite actor? Which is your favorite character? Are you watching Golden Rainbow? Which of Jung Il Woo's dramas do you want to try? Let me know what you think!

Korean Drama Themes: The Flower Boys

Ultimate Flower Boys

 "kkonminam" or The Flower Boy has become a staple to Korean Drama. He is good looking, rich, arrogant, metro-sexual, tough, tall, slim, snobby, and did I mention good looking? I mean he is what I call a pretty man. The funny thing is up until I found Korean Dramas I had always liked the appearance of a good-looking guy with lots of muscles. I was the girl that liked the big football player type with a beard who was more like a bear than a flower. After Korean Dramas my tastes fell for the flower boy. It actually made me feel funny about myself as these flower boys are pretty like women. (As in prettier than me).  Although there have been many flower boy icons the best examples are the beloved F4 from Boys Over Flowers. Now I don't want to go into detail about Boys Over Flowers right now, but these guys are the ultimate example of the flower boy. Unfortunately this wasn't my first drama, but I am glad it wasn't because I would probably have more issues than I do now as this show was amazing. These guys are rich, drive NICE cars, will also kick someone's a$$ if they have to and,  they do what they want and are all in high school. I didn't know any flower boys in high school, but let's get back to my previous comment: they are pretty like women. When I talk to non-drama fans about K-Drama, I usually show them the picture above as an example of flower boys and they usually point to my bias, Kim Hyun Joong (if you aren't familiar he's the one with the auburn hair) and they say: "That's a boy?!?!" and I usually say: "Yeah isn't he gorgeous?" LOL!!! He is quite gorgeous. I was looking at pictures of Kim Hyun Joong from a few years ago and I said out loud: "He's a pretty man." 

He's pretty and that's hot!

I tell you what I don't know if its the fashion (as I would wear that fur collared coat Lee Min Ho has on) or the hair (I love the auburn on Kim Hyun Joong and I love the curls on Lee Min Ho) or if its that they are rich (when I say they own the school I mean they literally own the school) all I know is that I could just "eat them up." I laugh at myself because in America we don't really appreciate a pretty man. We have good looking guys, for instance back in his Romeo and Juliet days, Leonardo Dicaprio would have been called a flower boy, and back in the day George Clooney had women pining over his good looks (I never got it). Today there are the big stars of Twilight, Robert Pattinson

Channing Tatum

and Taylor Lautner.  Channing Tatum is good looking, but his body is not like that of a flower...boy, but then again there is Song Seung Heon and he has nice body and pretty face. Wait what was I talking about...oh yeah but in America we

Song Seung Heon

want our men to be tough guys and roughed, even the pretty ones, being pretty is ok, but being effeminate is a no- no and although the flower boys of Korea are tough guys at times, they have many effeminate tendencies that make some people raise an eyebrow. Like there is a scene in Boys Over Flowers where we see Goo Joon Pyo (Lee Min Ho) get his hair curled. Now I mean the reality is how else would he have those beautiful curls, but in America beauty rituals are for girls. According to a few article Korean men weren't always in to the flower boy trend, but now days, having good skin and a nice appearance is good for... well... business. So just as women the men have beauty rituals and they wear make-up. (Korea is the male make up capital of the world apparently)

Lee Min Ho sponsors make-up products

Being American and knowing our views on such ideas I always felt slightly odd for being attracted to these pretty Korean men, but I am sorry, I am going to have step over the silly ideas of society and go with the flower boy. I have always liked a pretty face anyway. And if that pretty face comes with random trips to the Jeju Islands than all the more merrier. For more flower boys watch, The Flower Boy Next Door, Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, Flower Boy Ramen Shop, Pretty Man, Nail Shop In Paris. For more Song Seung Heon check out: When A Man Loves and My Princess.

Check out F4 in this fan made video 

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For More on flower boys check out these articles:
25 Ultimate Flower Boys  
http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/blogs/okpop/understanding-lure-flower-boys-050944369.html
 http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/10210/20130820/seven-prettiest-flower-boy-actors.htm
 http://mydramalist.com/article/2013/04/19/the-origin-of-the-flower-boy-trend#.Ut1EF7ROnIU
 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2204587/The-flower-boys-South-Korea-spend-beauty-products-men-world.html

What do you think about men being "pretty"? What do you think of men using make-up? Would you want to date a flower boy (yes probably)?  Who is your Flower Boy bias? 

Weekly Review: Inspiring Generation

Drama: 감격시대  Inspiring Age, Generation of Youth, Inspiring Generation: The Birth of the God of Battle, Age of Feelings

Genre: Period, Action,  Romance, Thrillers (Gangsters/fighting)

Air date: January 15,  2014

24 episodes

Where to watch: http://www.viki.com/tv/20024c-inspiring-generation-age-of-feeling

Kim Hyun Joong 2009, 2010, 2014

For all of Kim Hyun Joong’s  fangirls, the wait is over; his 4 year hiatus from drama is over. He is back on the small screen with this Action/Period piece, Inspiring Generation. More than likely I will spotlight Kim Hyun Joong as he is well known for being the calm, quiet, voice of reason, Ji Hoo in Boys Over Flowers and the mean and indifferent Baek Seung Jo from Playful Kiss, so he has had quite an influence on K-Drama not to mention K-pop as he was in the group SS501 and has had a great solo career.  For this drama he shed his Flower Boy appearance, buffed up and is showing us a new tough body image.

With just two episodes one can already see that there will be many plot twists and turns, not to mention character entanglement. 

Not a Flower Boy anymore

We first meet Shin Jung Tae (Kim Hyun Joong) as in adult in a fight that appears to be one sided. A massive fighter yells to Jung Tae, “il-eona!” (Get up!). This is when we see the fighting spirit that is in Jung Tae. We soon find out that Jung Tae actually throws the fight. He is told he must go back to Shanghai and with that the back story ensues, where we meet the young Jung Tae (Kwak Dong Yeon) and learned that even as a young man he is fearless. Working hard, earning little by little to pay for Cheng Ah’s (his sister) medicine and take care of her other medical expenses.  This is Jung Tae’s only goal at the time. We also see that Jung Tae and Cheng Ah have been abandoned by their father and their mother is dead. More on that will be revealed as the story evolves. With his friend Jjang Ddol (young) (Kim Dong Hee)  and Ok Ryeon (young) (Ji Woo)  (the girl who loves Jung Tae, but he keeps her in the friend zone) the four stay smiling while dealing with their issues. Jung Tae also meets (young) Dekuchi Gaya (Joo Da Young) a young girl who has gotten herself involved in smuggling to earn money.  She is in a very similar situation to Shin Jung Tae. It appears that Jung Tae may also like Gaya. Unfortunately due to naivety, money Jung Tae had saved was swindled in a scheme.  Fearlessly he goes to the gang (Dobinories/Smugglers) and demands his money be given back to him. Episode 1 ends with Jjang Ddol finding a bloody Jung Tae at the feet of the gangsters pleading with them telling his story about how he earned the swindled money. 

Kwak Dong Yeon

Now to be honest I wasn’t completely impressed at this point. I enjoyed the show, and I could follow along. I saw that there was something interesting going on but I was a little bored.

But...

Episode 2 sold me (without Kim Hyun Joong’s star power). In this episode we find out that the dobinori gangsters have taken Jung Tae and Jjang Ddol under their wings as it was found that there was a case of mistaken identity and someone else had taken the money. Additional characters mean additional sub-plots. There is also hard evidence that this is indeed the beginning of a love triangle between Gaya, Jung Tae, and Ok Reyeon. We also discover there is a rival gang to the Dobinori. On top of all that, there is a mysterious guy around, who saves Gaya in an epic martial arts fight scene where he says the coolest lines to a scared Gaya, who has her assailant’s blood running down her face between her eyes down her nose.

 “You probably wanted to run. You had enough time, but your feet probably didn’t move. That is fear. From now on, you will live under unimaginable fear. You have to be victorious over them all. That way you can live. Live so you can take revenge.” 

One thing that no one can deny is that the show is beautiful. The money put in for costumes, and sets were well worth it. Those who love period dramas would love this one.  So far I’ve learned about Korean Geishas in Shanghai which is a mix of three different cultures. Personally I was excited about this drama when I saw it was based on the 1930’s. I knew that meant there would be gangsters. I know that it is sort of different as I am a female who should like romantic/melodrama, but my favorite genres are gangster flicks and ninja/martial art films (with romantic sub-plots). So Inspiring Generation is right up my alley, of course I am bias as I also love Kim Hyun Joong. 

After episode 2 I am quite impressed with Kwak Dong Yeon. Of course I can’t wait for Kim Hyun Joong to return as the adult Shin Jung Tae. I am not sure if his regular fangirls will be able to handle him in this role but, many have already put out the word all over the dramasphere. This drama is perfect for men. If you have a boyfriend, husband, brother, father, grandfather, or that guy you friend zoned, grab them to go with you on the journey. I am sure they will enjoy this drama. It could possibly be just what they need to them started with K-Dramas. 

Stay tuned for updates about this drama next week. You can watch this one on: http://www.viki.com/tv/20024c-inspiring-generation-age-of-feeling In the meantime, tell me what you think of this drama? Are you a girl who loves gangsters or martial arts? What do you think of Kim Hyun Joong’s transformation?

Where it all started: Flower Boy Ramen Shop

 Drama Title: 꽃미남 라면가게 / Kkotminam Ramyeongage/ 

Flower Boy Ramen Shop 

Year: 2011

Genre: Romance Comedy

16 Episodes

For me, Flower Boy Ramen Shop was the beginning of my life as a K-Drama fan, which is quite interesting as it is said that the hit K-Drama "Boys Over Flowers" is the gateway drug of a K-Drama addiction. Not this time, but don’t worry "Boys Over Flowers" has its own special place in my heart and will certainly find a place in this blog as well. 

Flower Boy Ramen Shop definitely stamped the Korean flag right on my heart as I followed Yang Eun Bi (Lee Chung Ah), a teacher intern (student teacher) who has doubts about being a teacher, but wants to be something in society as she gets over a break up with a long- time boyfriend and also deals with some daddy daughter issues. 

BUT WAIT…

First we meet the tall, slim, pretty faced Cha Chi Soo, (Jung Il Woo) who gets out of trouble by being cute and saying something charming. Females melt in front of him as he says something random such as: “That mole, it’s pretty” and then walks away looking back and giving the female a quick wink of the eye.

After Yang Eun Bi and Cha Chi Soo meet randomly (in a female bathroom stall) as the always insecure tomboy Eun Bi looks at Cha thinking he could be around his twenties. After an encounter with her EX she takes off with the unknowing Cha Chi Soo who is more concerned with his cashmere sweater possibly being stained than acknowledging the vulnerable Eun Bi. 

It isn’t until the teacher intern goes to her first day of work after embarrassing herself by calling Cha Chi Soo “oppa” (although Oppa really means older brother, it is growing as slang for honey/sweetie) before realizing he is in fact a student. Not only is he a student he is the richest student and his father’s company owns the school.  

Another thing you will learn about K-Drama’s is that there will usually be a second male lead. I will take the time to talk all about the beloved second male lead another time but with Flower Boy Ramen Shop the second male lead is Choi Kang Hyuk (Lee Ki Woo). Throughout the show he is known as Pillar. Yes ladies this is another tall and pretty faced man. Kang is usually found sleeping in a random place. Eun Bi didn’t even know he was there for a while. 

Through unforeseen circumstances, Eun Bi, Kang and Cha Chi Soo all become involved and end up working at Eun Bi’s father’s Ramen Shop. (I don’t want to give too many spoilers).

This show grabbed my attention because it was pretty funny. I could relate to Eun Bi. When I first watched Flower Boy Ramen Shop I was getting ready to enter my student internship. She also day dreamed which I do way too often. I also understand how it feels to be getting older without a boyfriend and without any prospects of getting married as many others are well on their way to marriage.  

BUT….

As you will find as you enter your own journey into K-Drama, the flower boys will get you every time. Cha Chi Soo ultimately stole my heart as I watched this rich kid fall in love and has absolutely no idea what he is feeling. He had never had such experiences having been sheltered and initially thought he was sick. (He went to the hospital saying a fist was in his heart).  Kang was also a great face and body to look at throughout the story line. As a reasonable woman I understood how it made a lot of sense to be with someone who would stand at a pillar for you. (Hence his nickname as pillar).

Again I am not into spoilers, but there is more to Cha Chi Soo than just a cute face and money. He has some secrets as does Choi Kang Hyuk. They both share a common bond (a shocking revelation) and a love for Eun Bi. By the way President Cha, Cha Chi Soo’s father doesn’t like the idea of being involved with someone who is below them on the caste system if you know what I mean. (Another reoccurring theme in K-Dramas). 

The cast members make the show colorful and keep the storyline moving and also are the reason for the show being called Flower Boy Ramen Shop as these cute young boys all find themselves working at the shop. There are also sub-plots as other characters help to Eun Bi with her problems and their problems are revealed. 

Jung Il Woo was so magnificent to me as Cha Chi Soo, so much so, I wanted to see him in more dramas, which will lead to my next review. Without even knowing anything about K-Dramas I could see genuine acting. I mean it takes skill to have the comedic timing for certain characters and to me he did well. He also was amazing with emotional scenes. We often see Cha Chi Soo with tears welled up in his eyes.  I even named one of my dogs, Cha Chi Soo, which was approved of as I showed my mother Flower Boy Ramen Shop and she also fell in love with the show and K-Drama, now she and I usually watch K-Drama together.  Imagine that K-Drama pulls families together.   

It was intriguing to see this Noona/Dongseng situation as well.  OH the Noona/Dongseng theme…yes…another topic I will have to discuss for another day as for now, it’s the older woman/younger man relationship.  In America this drama would have been more of a tragedy than a comedy (although Cha Chi Soo is 19, therefore of age). 

Be prepared to literally laugh out loud, cry, and root for Eun Bi to find her way.  Watch and tell me what you think.  Have you already watched it? Did you love it? Did you hate it? Who was your favorite character? Who would you choose?  Why?  

In the meantime check out a few trailers: