#WeakHeroClass2 Mini Review Part 2

 Not for the Weak (Weak Hero Class 2 mini review)

PART 2

From PART 1>>> https://web.facebook.com/share/p/18UZzbtxuM/

What I like about the drama:

1. Bigger and badder foes versus stronger and mature friends. Si Eun lost his friends and is trying to overcome the trauma, unresolved guilt, and pain. He has no intention of getting close to anyone again after that.  “I’m more comfortable alone.” But the three guys are not giving up, continuing to break through his defenses (it was during their volunteer activity that Si Eun’s first smile appeared (while trying not to show that he is smiling), upon realizing how Hu Min got the wrong numbers of the girls from Buli High. He was about to leave Korea and study in Singapore, but hearing Jun Tae telling him that what happened to his old friends was not his fault made him stay. They were not blaming or judging him.

2. Choosing your own path – choosing good or evil. I wish I knew more about Hu Min and Baek Jin’s friendship. The friendship we failed to protect. I can still see love for each other in their eyes, there is pain all over. But it seems the gap is too wide now for them to reconcile and accept everything. Too bad, their story was underdeveloped. And I guess we didn’t get much for the rest of the guys, either. 

3. The comparison between Beom Seok (played by Hong Kyung) and Jun Tae – old friend and new friend. Beom Seok in Class 1 was devoured by the system, his need for acceptance and belonging led him to darkness. Jun Tae, on the other hand, is love and light personified. While we did not see his family or background, he seems to live comfortably. He is refined, dresses nicely, has knowledge of supplements, and is able to spend money on food and drinks for the bullies. As mentioned, he lacks fighting skills, is timid and gentle, but in the end, he showed his strength in terms of loyalty and EQ.

4. Newton’s Third law of Motion “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction” – standing up against school bullying and violence despite the consequences; struggling to do what is right in a world where no adults seem to be around, where nobody seems to care; breaking free from such violent patterns and writing your own story. Choosing peace over violence - Both Hu Min and Si Eun gave up fighting, but in the end, they decided, once and for all, to face The Union with a purpose. To protect Eunjang High’s peace, and their own peace as well.

5. Sun Ho’s appearance, no matter how brief, will always leave a mark. “You been alright? Who are those guys behind you?” “My friends.” “That’s awesome.” And Si Eun’s second smile capped the season. 

6. The OST during opening credits - Hero (Prod. by Primary) - song and lyrics by Meego – continues to haunt me up to now.

7. Chemistry. The rapport is apparent, there is real bromance. Some of them have worked with each other in previous dramas and we can see the closeness among the cast during interviews and guesting stints, and in their Instagram stories/posts.

Season 3? Maybe. Especially as we see the CEO recruiting Seong Je to replace Baek Jin. But I have faith in our good squad. They will pull through. They’re stronger and smarter. 

#WeakHeroClass1 and #WeakHeroClass2 are streaming on Netflix.

#BuhayKPam

#WeakHeroClass2 Mini Review Part 1

 Not for the Weak (Weak Hero Class 2 mini review)

Synopsis: 

Fighting his personal battles after losing his friends in Season 1, Yeon Si Eun transfers to another high school, only to face greater violence from a powerfully organized school gang, The Union, with his new squad.

I’m a sucker for male friendships or boy bonding underdog dramas, be it a group (Hwarang, Crash Landing On You, Twinkling Watermelon), trio (Start Up, Divorce Attorney Shin) or just two guys (Descendants of the Sun, Midnight Runners) with a close relationship and emotional connection built over time and shared experiences. I’m sure there’s a longer list out there, but hey bromance, #WeakHeroClass2 (WHC2), I’m all yours!

Although I was not able to watch Weak Hero Class 1 (it was not a requirement anyway) and I literally had to pause and think before pressing Play, I was drawn to this drama because of #Ryeoun (TW, 18 Again) who plays Park Hu Min/Baku, Eunjang High’s top dog, and #LeeJunYoung (Imitation, May I Help You, Mask Girl, Melo Movie, When Life Gives You Tangerines) who plays Seong Je, #2 villain. And nobody can ever resist #ParkJiHoon (Si Eun’s eyes alone could break your heart into bits and pieces, and that rare smile). And I now understand why #ChoiHyunWook (Twenty Five, Twenty One, My Dearest Nemesis) is so popular, his Ahn Su Ho character here is indeed lovable and charming, the same with his Yi Chang in TW. The other two good guys are #ChoiMinYoung (XO Kitty, Twenty Five, Twenty One), who plays Jun Tae, a bullying victim who shows so much class in this drama, might be the weakest in the group literally but has the strongest heart; and #LeeMinJae (Crash Course in Romance, Cheer Up) who plays Hyun Tak, a former athlete who lost the opportunity to compete further due to a knee injury courtesy of Seong Je. The bad guys? Aside from LJY, #BaeNara plays a perfect Baek Jin (yes, this 34-year-old can pass as a high school student).

I am not for bullying and school violence, well no one is, but why is this theme all over k-dramas? What is happening??? Is this for real? Where are the parents, where are the school administrators, where are the teachers, where are the police??? This is so scary. Hello - The Glory, Boyhood, Friendly Rivalry, Moving, Revenge of Others, Hierarchy, among others. The violence, the bloody fights, the adrenaline rush, the fear and pain and the struggle to survive – WHC2 is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Some say Season 1 is better (storytelling, character development, action, acting) and after 3 years, is Season 2 worth the wait? 

#BuhayKPam

#MeloMovie mini review

#MeloMovie (mini review)

As soon as they kissed, ang nasabi ko na lang, (Mga) Binata na ang Wooga talaga 😭

📌After Our Beloved Summer (OBS), it seems that 2 seasons of Jinny’s Kitchen, In the Soop: Friendcation, Wonderland, and A Killer Paradox were not enough to satisfy our hunger for #ChoiWooShik, whom we fell in love with as Choi Ung (although personally, I am not a fan of the female lead), and who was unforgettable as Ki Woo (because every time he goes abroad, he is recognized as “the actor in Parasite”).

📌When it was announced that filming had started for this drama from the same writer of OBS (Lee Na Eun), one couldn’t help but be giddy and excited, especially after seeing him up close and personal in November 2023. Tall and goofy and simply adorable, Choi Woo Shik has this sincere and contagious smile, and funny ways that are similar to his Wooga Squad. During the Hi Bye session in that same fan meet (our row was the first batch to hop on the stage), our Oppa was wearing a red sweater, saying hello to each one of us, with eyes that sparkled and a smile that will forever linger in my memory. 

📌He is not super handsome at first sight like Park Hyung Sik (PHS), but his looks are the kind that grows on you and after a while, you would notice that his nose is chiseled, his skin flawless, his eyes parang naaawa ka na sige mamahalin na nga kita (this was what happened to me in OBS), yung hair color nya pag na-hi-hit ng sunlight and its cut/style na nakaka-pogi sobra, and the height (1.83m, he endorses Project M). 

📌Here in Melo Movie (melodrama, tearjerker, love story), Woo Shik is Ko Gyeom, a movie fan who played bit roles when he was younger and became a popular film critic. He has an older brother, Ko Jun (played by Kim Jae Wook, Her Private Life) who because of an accident, became dependent on him. The brothers are orphans, with an 11-year age gap, kaya si Hyung raised him. And they loved each other dearly.

📌And anyway, ang babaeng pinagpala, #ParkBoYoung  (Daily Dose of Sunshine, Light Shop ) who has worked with Woo Shik’s Wooga brothers, Park Seo Joon (Concrete Utopia) and PHS (Strong Girl Bong-soon), plays Kim Mubee (of course, from the word “movie”), a film director’s daughter who hated movies (because the job took her father away from them for most of her life), but majored in Film and vowed to make an awesome melo movie in his honor and memory. Medyo tough sya, somewhat introvert, but fell for Gyeom anyway. Only to be ghosted by him, disappearing after his brother’s accident and coming back 5 years later. So syempre galit siya.

📌Bonus si #LeeJunYoung, whom I loved in Imitation, and later on cheered for him in May I Help You, Impossible Heir, and Badland Hunters. At 1.85m, almost same height sila ni Woo Shik . Pwede syang mabait and funny, pwede rin syang bad and talagang kakainisan mo (Mask Girl). Here, he is Si Jun, a struggling songwriter na can afford naman ang family, left home to focus on his music, but hindi nagte-take off ang career, and couldn’t leave his past and misery behind after his girlfriend of 7 years broke up with him to find her own path.

📌To complete the second lead couple, playing Ju-A is #JeonSoNee (Our Blooming Youth), a rising screenwriter who believed that Si Jun could come up with a beautiful OST for her movie with Mubee, thus the need to work with him and be together again after their painful breakup.

📌I finished the 10 episodes in one sitting, spending my Sunday with Oppa Woo Shik for 10 reasons. Because one, all 10 were available on Netflix;  Two, ayoko na sila pagsabayin ng Buried Hearts ni PHS when it airs on Feb 21; and 3-10, Woo Shik/Woo Shik/Woo Shik/Woo Shik/Woo Shik/Woo Shik. Ayoko na ito patagalin hahaha In fact, you can finish it all on its airing day - Valentine’s Day. 

📌Some of the funny scenes, feeling ko minsan wala na sa script itong gestures ni Woo Shik but was allowed by the director. Ang natural nya magpatawa. Siguro after the take/s, nagtatawanan sila. Sa mga reality shows nya, napaka-evident ng sense of humor nya. Yung nawawala na mata niya pag tawang-tawa sya. Dito pa naman, they all have their wounds and trauma, kanya-kanya lang sila ng dala, and his character siguro thought maitatago niya ito or these will go away by being funny, setting his own pains aside,  magpatawa ng ibang tao, be of service to others. 

📌Gusto ko rin yung relationship nila ng Kuya nya. May chemistry sila. Most of the funniest scenes, silang dalawa. Bagay silang mag-Hyung. Sa Episode 7 ako bumunghalit ng iyak, because dito napakita yung POV ni Ko Jun. Yung struggles niya all his life. Na he had no choice but to work at a young age, raise his younger brother, hindi na sya nakapag-girlfriend man lang, wasn’t able to have his own family dahil he dedicated his life to Gyeom. Gyeom suspected for a long time na hindi accident ang nangyari sa Kuya nya, but an attempt to kill himself. But at a time that he wanted to go on living, may sakit na siya and eventually passed. In denial si Gyeom, that’s why he has been putting off going home and sleeping at home kasi, “There’s nobody there.” But yes, to be able to heal, he must face his grief.

📌Support system – Mubee’s childhood friend Woo Jeong-Hu played by Cha Woo-Min (Study Group)

And kahit medyo masungit and looks conservative but cool din naman pala, Mubee’s mom - Kim Hee-Jung (Sweet Home, Call It Love, Start-Up). I don’t know, I thought theirs was a good mom-daughter relationship pero dun sa end, pinalabas na nagkulang pa si mother and that she wished she was kinder. Ewan ko lang ha, but I didn’t see anything wrong sa kanya. 

Bar owner and Su Jin’s boss - Kim Young-Woong (Study Group, Happiness, Vincenzo)

Director Ma - Ko Chang-Seok (Dream, Chicken Nugget, The Impossible Heir)

📌The OST is also good. Among the tracks is the male version of Under Sunset, na si Jun Young ang kumanta (kasi may female version din). Ahem, Jun Young is a former idol, a member of U-KISS and of the project group UNB. The song was played while the two leads were kissing, with Gyeom’s car stalled at hindi na sila aabot sa pupuntahan nilang film location sana at kung kelan hinahabol nila yung sunset. >>>Link https://youtu.be/Gig7MHxXddI?feature=shared thank me later. (Other tracks: Surfing in the Moonlight, TOMORROW X TOGETHER; My Star, DOKO)

📌Perhaps my biggest takeaway is (hindi ko alam kung tama) – but you don’t have exclusive rights over pain, getting hurt. Hindi lang ikaw ang nasasaktan, hindi lang ikaw ang may problems or nararmdaman. Minsan kasi umiikot lang ang mundo natin sa sarili nating hurts, heartaches, struggles. Hindi natin napapansin ung iba, na may pinagdadaanan din sila. Yung universal advice na be kind, totoo yan, tama yan. And yung makinig ka lang? Hindi yung may sasabihin sa iyo, tapos para kang nakikipagcontest na ay ako rin, ay ako nga…Wala ka sa lola ko levels ba. When someone shares something with you na malungkot, masakit, mahirap…wag ka na makipagpaligsahan. Just listen. Just be there. Hindi lang enough yung naririnig mo, dapat pinakikinggan mo rin siya/sila.

📌And speaking of episodes, episode titles are taken from movie lines, maybe Na Eun’s paying a little homage to films and film making (including Hollywood). All in all, while the drama is not that super spectacular, if you stan Woo Shik (or Wooga Squad like me) or Bo Young (who has her own following), it will certainly help. Pamatid-uhaw, ika nga.  

📌Basta for me, kahit mixed ang reviews ng Melo Movie – may ok, may hindi; may positive, may negative – it doesn’t matter. Kasi kung ako as viewer, as consumer – kung para sa akin, nakuha ko yung gusto i-convey na message, nagresonate sa akin in one way or another, nag-enjoy (kahit yung iba, hindi), naluha sa mga eksena or parts ng drama, dahil may naramdaman, may nakurot sa puso, for me, ok na yun. 

📌Like life, dramas (or movies, or fiction) are imperfect, may flaws, yung bida minsan sablay; pero basta may character development, hindi ka man perpekto, gaya ng istorya, but you always strive to be a better version of yourself, yung may goal ka to become a better person as you grow older, you’re doing great as it is. For the things and happenings that you have control over, (you can) write your own ending. 💕

🎬 Melo Movie is streaming on Netflix 

#BuhayKPam 

#TheImpossibleHeir

 #TheImpossibleHeir signing off

❗️❗️❗️may contain spoilers ❗️❗️❗️

Classmates in high school - an ambitious intelligent boy and an illegitimate son of a wealthy chaebol family - become friends, grow up and team up to climb their way to the top to take over the throne.

I am actually a #LeeJunYoung fan (#Imitation), but ended up cheering for #LeeJaeWook (Alchemy of Souls, Extraordinary You) in this revenge drama.

As usual, I am perplexed as to how things are in Chaebol / South Korean conglomerate families. Well, the power struggle and the fight for money, siguro gets mo pa. But, just like my review on #FlexXCop, I can never fathom why and how people with the same blood running in their veins would kill each other (or hire people to do so) and would endlessly find deceitful and evil ways para maglamangan. Kakatakot hahaha pamilya mo na, kaaway mo pa na pwedeng wala kang malay.

But then again, fiction naman and laging sinasabi sa disclaimer na coincidental lang kung may similarity sa totoong buhay or sa totoong tao.

Anyways, back to the two Lees na sobrang lakas ng presence. Ang chemistry, mga beshie. Ayaw paawat. Ampopogi, ang tatangkad, ang gagaling umarte. This is my first time with LJW who plays Han Tae Oh. Si LJY (as Kang In Ha), lovable siya sa Imitation lalo na nung nainlove siya and nawala ang angas, #MayIHelpYou and #BadlandHunters. Kaya naging oppa ko sya. Ang galing din niya sa bad boy roles and nakakainis na characters #MaskGirl. Sa inis ko sa kanya dito sa TIH, yung LJY pillow ko, inilayo ko muna sa akin, at nagfocus ako kay LJW hahaha Context: whenever I currently watch a drama with one of my Oppas in it, itinatabi ko sa pagtulog yung pillow nila.

It’s true that the female lead (Hong Su Zu) needs more acting improvement, pero for the male cast, including Lee JiHoon and Jang MaRu, super sulit. Lee Ji Hoon as Seongju, the 2nd son who decided to give up his and his mother’s ambition na palitan si father dear. “Let’s stop, mother.” I really liked this scene. Kaya naman narewardan siya in the end, and tama nga na mas madali ang maging kakampi then kalabanin mo pa ang family mo. While Jang MaRu, hindi maitago ang charms nitong batang ito despite the strong presence of his Hyungs. A smart techie guy. Matapang. Loyal until the end. Kaya deserved ang bakasyon engrande.

And yes, cute yung role ni Choi HeeJin as HuiJu and her undying crush kay Tae Ho hanggang sa huli. Pero buti naman hindi nadedz ang role niya dito (Strong Girl Namsoon, Behind Your Touch).

Yung chaebol dad, matalino rin eh. Dapat ganun eh, may sariling pag-iisip and decisions. Kaya nga Chairman ka eh hahaha

Gusto ko rin na yung prison life, just like in Cha Eun Woo’s Wonderful World, hindi depicted as sobrang scary, yung nasasaktan sila sa loob at may nakakaaway na prison mates. In fairness, they even found good and loyal friends. 

Yung character ni In Ha, I didn’t see it coming. Ang saya and sweet kasi nilang magkabarkada. And yung plans nila mula pagkabata. Why the 360 degree-turnaround? Although inisip ko na aside from the love triangle angle, ano kaya ang magiging conflict pa nila ni Tae Oh? Yun pala, siya ang bwiset hahaha If this story was real, yun ang lesson dun eh. Andun ka na eh, naging greedy ka pa lalo. Talagang yang greed, deadly sin yan eh. Literally nakamamatay. Minsan ok lang na maging kuntento na. I just have one pending question: What was it that he wanted to tell Tae Oh when the latter visited him in prison? Sabi lang nya, “Never mind…”

And yes, I wondered and waited if I can finally see Tae Oh smile and I was not disappointed. At last, si Tae Oh na umpisa pa lang puro struggles, family issues, dreamed of bigger things at 18, went to hell and back, achieved everything in the end. Siya ang totoong title holder, ang legit na Impossible Heir pala. And of course, naki-iyak na naman ang tyahin nyo when this happened. With the fireworks and all. 

That, I believe, is the most fulfilling part of a being a k-drama fan or viewer. Yung nakiki-share ka sa triumphs nung lead sa bandang huli, sa pag-overcome ng hardships, yung rising again after setbacks. At tuwang-tuwa ka sa mga closures in the end. Lalo na when everybody seems to get what they deserve. When every piece of life’s puzzle falls into place.

(Incidentally, when this drama series started, nahaluan ng romance / dating news ni LJW and eventually, they broke up. Why oh why. Truth is really stranger than fiction. Fighting, Wookie!)

You can still catch this drama at Disney+ PH  #BuhayKPam

#MayIHelpYou

 "Miracles are always by our side." 

#MayIHelpYou (100 Won Butler) tackles living and dying in a unique, endearing, heartwarming, and heartbreaking way. How our lives are intertwined in one way or another, and we may not know or realize it...

Reinforces once more that when you love someone, tell him/her/them BEFORE it's too late. 💯

Up until the final episode, this drama put tears in my eyes. While having a crush on #LeeJunYoung 🥰 who has become more and more handsome since #Imitation 🥰 

#Hyeri

📌 Some pics from their Instagram accounts @real_2junyoung @hyeri_0609 📌

 #talesofthegoodgirl

#KPam

# MAYIHELPYOU signing off

"Miracles are always by our side." 

#MayIHelpYou (100 Won Butler) tackles living and dying in a unique, endearing, heartwarming, and heartbreaking way. How our lives are intertwined in one way or another, and we may not know or realize it...

Reinforces once more that when you love someone, tell him/her/them before it's too late.

Up until the final episode, MIHY put tears in my eyes. While having a crush on @real_2junyoung #LeeJunYoung 🥰 who has become more and more handsome since #Imitation 🥰 #Hyeri #talesofthegoodgirl