COMPLETED:

Though I’d seen him because the ML in Her Personal Life and in secondary roles in a couple of different dramas, Kim Jae-Wook had by no means actually been on my radar. That modified this previous week, once I watched a film after which a drama collection from reverse ends of his profession. In each, his was far and away one of the best efficiency, elevating so-so materials and serving to the opposite actors to shine. Sir, you at the moment are firmly ensconced on my “watch something they’re in” listing.

Vintage – “Can anybody be sad whereas consuming cake?” Whereas the tagline actually bought my consideration, the primary incentive for watching this frenetic 2008 film have been the goofy bromantic hijinks of the 20-somethings Ju Ji-Hoon, Kim Jae-Wook, and Yoo-Ah-In as—respectively—proprietor, chef, and boxer-turned-apprentice at a high-end pastry store. The movie is an adaptation of the manga “Seiyo Kotto Yogashiten.”

I used to be pleasantly stunned by its lighthearted, largely judgment-free depiction of some unabashedly homosexual characters, with same-sex flirting, kissing, and even a horny interracial, post-coital bed room scene with KJW and his French lover. Because the extremely sizzling homosexual pâtissier who makes each women and men swoon, KJW gave a magnetic efficiency devoid of the stereotypical homosexual mannerisms. Someplace in there was a scrambled mess of a plot about—let’s all say it collectively—childhood trauma! However a minimum of it gave us a tweenage Yeo Jin-Goo enjoying the kid model of JJH’s character… the cherry on prime of the cake, because it have been.

Loopy Love KJW’s humorous, tender, attractive, nuanced portrayal of genius math teacher Noh Go-Jin, was the primary motive I actually loved this present. He had terrific chemistry with main girl Krystal, from the smooches and pillow fights to the misunderstandings and frank conversations. The present devoted plenty of high quality time to their development as people and likewise as a pair. The remainder was solely so-so, with a hateful SFL, insufficiently developed secondary characters and backstories, and a rapidly thrown-together conclusion. I did, nonetheless, respect that it prevented among the ordinary pitfalls by not letting sure conditions and misunderstandings play out for too lengthy.

Montage – Sadly, Kim Jae-Wook wasn’t on this 2013 crime thriller starring Uhm Jung-Hwa and Kim Sang-Kyung as a bereft mom and a police detective attempting to trace down the kidnapper and killer of the lady’s younger daughter earlier than the statute of limitations runs out. The film felt dated, with out a lot rigidity or suspense. My favourite half was name-checking the police squad, a Who’s Who of character actors I’ve seen again and again in numerous Kdramas.

DROPPED: –

Crash – Dropped after episode 4. I actually needed to love this one. But it surely didn’t work for me both as a drama or a comedy. I discovered it predictable and uninspired, with nothing that set it aside from dozens of different cop exhibits apart from the traffic-crime angle. There was little sense of camaraderie amongst…