Thursday, January 30, 2014

HALLYU ZOMBIE DRAMA REVIEW: Emergency Couple Episodes 1-2 (4/4)

Zombie Mamma, Tanya, and I are back with our first chat about tvN's new drama, Unemployed Romance. What are our first impressions? Read on to find out.

Zombie: So it seems we’re all in agreement that the first episode of Emergency Couple wasn’t nearly as awesome as maybe we were all hoping it would be. Maybe it’s because we’re all married that we don’t find a hugely gianormous fight between our OTP all that funny; especially when said fight brings about the end of a marriage.



Tanya: I don’t know if it was so much the fight itself, but rather the fact that we’re thrown into the conflict with very little backstory. Don’t get me wrong, the fight was super dramatic and over the top, but when you have nothing to really base that level of violence on it is a little overwhelming.

Karen: That’s true. I want to know the story of how they fell in love, but maybe we’ll get some of that back story later on.

Zombie: I hope that’s the case because the entire first episode just felt a little out of whack. Or maybe a lot out of whack… Something was just off about it. Maybe it’s just the fact that, like you said, we just don’t know the backstory so seeing such venom without a cause is a little off-putting.

Tanya: I still have hope for this drama though! A lot of the characters have very distinct personalities already and I like it. As long as the characters can successfully push the story forward, it’ll be good.



Karen: I wanted to ask you both what you thought is the reason why Jin Hee hesitated after being asked why she wanted to become a doctor. What are your thoughts on that?

Zombie: I think it’s because she doesn’t want anyone to know that her reason for wanting to become a doctor is to prove to Chang Min and his family that she isn’t/wasn’t worthless and actually could have been an asset to an incredibly snobbish family of doctors.

Tanya:  I honestly think it’s because Chang Min, as well as everyone else, have always told her she’ll never amount to anything. Chang Min couldn’t finish medical school because of their marriage and she wants to be better than him somehow. Becoming a doctor can prove that.



Karen: But then, why couldn’t she say her reasons out loud?

Tanya: She probably doesn’t want to seem petty in a new environment with people she barely knows. And she hasn’t told anyone she was married… neither has Chang Min and definitely not to each other!

Zombie: Would you want it known that you were once married to Chang Min? I’m pretty sure divorce isn’t as widely accepted in Korea as it is here in the U.S. so the fact that you’ve been divorced is probably something you wouldn’t want to share with the world.

Karen: I think that in front of your own boss, you should have at least something to say even if it’s a lie. Haha.

Zombie: Maybe she thinks her boss is kind of cute in a scary sort of way and just doesn’t want to admit the fact she’s a divorcee.



Tanya: There is also the possibility that she didn’t want to slip up and go on a rant. Every time she starts talking about anything to do with Chang Min she tends to explode, as we saw in the bar that ended up with her in the ER in the first place. I always say things I don’t intend to when I go off, so maybe she thought his name would come out.

Karen: That was an unfortunate event for her just before she started her job as an intern. I think that was how her intern colleagues started disliking her.

Zombie: That and because she’s “old.” Seriously, if I have to watch another drama where the thirty-something female lead is constantly berated because she’s “old” I might have to scream. C’mon people, thirty-something isn’t old!!!



Tanya: So let’s talk about some of the characters we met in these episodes. What do you guys think of the Lee Young Ae and Park Sang Hyuk couple?

Zombie: Honestly, they’re one of those annoyingly cutesy newlywed couples I just want to smack!

Karen: I find it hilarious that they wanted to keep their relationship secret, but they were so openly affectionate towards one another. They end up calling each other, “honey,” anyway.



Tanya: Did anyone else notice that Lee Young Ae is actually very affectionate toward Jin Hee although she pretends not to like her? There were a few times that Jin Hee would space out or think of other things and Young Ae would bring her back to reality. Case in point, when Jin Hee froze in the ER upon seeing it the first time and Young Ae grabbed her wrist to make her come with.

Karen: I think Lee Young Ae is just worried that her team will receive a “F.”

Zombie: I’m actually more interested in watching the relationship develop between Jin Hee and Dr. Gook. Yes, it’s no secret I’m a sucker for the second male lead (I suffer from SMLS on a painfully frequent basis) but I think that dynamic to this story is what’s going to spark the feelings in Chang Min that are needed to bring him and Jin Hee back together.

Tanya: Any thoughts on Shim Ji Hye and Dr Gook’s relationship? There’s obviously some history there.



Karen: I can’t wait to see how they interact in the ER. Perhaps, they dated once?

Zombie: I’m pretty sure they’ve had some sort of relationship in the past, my guess is it’s something similar to Jin Hee and Chang Min’s past relationship and I’m pretty sure they’ll end up back together, just as our OTP will, by the end.

Karen: Though they don’t seem to be the type that fight like cats and dogs.

Zombie: Let’s hope not! I don’t think I can stand more than one couple constantly at each other’s throats.



Tanya: I was happy to see Kwon Min as Kim Min Ki, one of the other interns. We haven’t seen much of him since Monstar. He’s adorable.

Zombie: So glad he’s not a jerk this time around! Well, not yet anyway…

Tanya: Rounding out our interns is Han Ah Reum, who is hilariously named after a supermarket.

Karen: That’s the first thing I thought of: H-mart, aka Han Ah Reum!



Zombie: I wonder if the writers know they named her after a giant Korean market in the U.S.? She’s the most stylish so they decided to name her after a store??? I suppose crazier things have happened.

Karen: Maybe there is a different meaning? Haha. I don’t know. I was so surprised she showed up in a miniskirt to work as an intern at a hospital. Does she know where she is?

Zombie: I think that’s what gets me the most about this drama… There’s so much of it that’s just completely unrealistic, especially when it comes to the happenings at the hospital. It makes me wonder if the writers of this drama simply watched a plethora of medical dramas and drew all their knowledge of the workings of a hospital from those because seriously, this drama is so far out there when it comes to all things medical.

Tanya: The medical theme actually seems a little out of place, but it makes for a more interesting setting than an office or department store like we see so often with adult characters.

Karen: As long as the audience doesn’t get any wrong ideas. Who knew a defibrillator can be a weapon?



Zombie: And this is where this show starts to get good… The absolute bizarreness of the circumstances that are bound to arise over the next eighteen episodes is sure to bring us the laughs that were somewhat missing in these first two episodes.

Karen: I am missing the romance part of this series!

Zombie: So basically, what we’re saying is that for a romantic comedy, Emergency Couple is missing both the romance and the comedy.

Tanya: I love when shows are miscategorized. I hope that’s not the case with this one because I can see the potential.

Karen: Me too. I hope our audience will stick with us to find out. We still need to watch Changmin’s blind date, Dr. Shim and Dr. Gook’s past history, and Jin Hee’s chance to shine at the hospital.

Zombie: Oh! There’s still so much more this drama has to offer! Good thing it’s only just begun ‘cause we’ve still got a long way to go!


So now that we’ve shared our thoughts, we’d love to hear yours! Share your thoughts with us in the comments below! You can also find us on Twitter: @dapowerz, @Hallyu_Tanya, and @TheZombieMamma!


Zombie Mamma | Hallyu Know? | Wehaiyo!


Emergency Couple:
Episodes 1-2: [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

HALLYU ZOMBIE DRAMA REVIEW: Emergency Couple Episodes 1-2 (3/4)


Welcome to the Emergency Couple review with Zombie Mamma, Tanya, and Karen. My name is Karen and for the next ten weeks, my partners and I will be sharing our thoughts on the newest episodes of Emergency Couple. Our thoughts will be simultaneously and exclusively posted on each of our blogs: Zombie Mamma, Hallyu Know?, and of course, this blog, my very own, Wehaiyo! You can find our latest updates on either of these blogs. All three of us are Dramafever Drama club reviewers for the Dramafever website, but decided that we would review this drama independently.



What I am anticipating in the Emergency Couple drama is the chemistry between actor Choi Jin Hyuk, who plays Oh Chang Min and Song Ji Hyo, who plays Oh Jin Hee. When I first heard of the story line for Emergency Couple, it sounded very similar to the story line of the 2011 SBS drama, Paradise Ranch. The two main characters of Paradise Ranch are played by Shim Chang Min, who is most famous for being one half of the TVXQ band and actress Lee Yeon Hee. Their characters married young against their parents wishes, but divorced soon after. Years later, they meet again and fall back in love by the end of the drama. Paradise Ranch was the first full drama I watched on the Dramafever website, but the story line left me so disappointmented and worse, I felt that there wasn't enough chemistry between Chang Min and Lee Yeon Hee. I sincerely hope that Emergency Couple does not fall into this trap. I can deal with a bad story line, but I don't think I can handle another chemistry-lacking couple.



Emergency Couple is the third Korean medical drama I am watching. I have watched the 2007-2008 MBC drama, New Heart, which focuses heavily on the medical part and I have watched the 2013 KBS2 drama, Good Doctor, which has an equal dose of medical and love in the drama. By the way, if you haven't already, I have reviewed all episodes of Good Doctor for Dramafever so feel free to browse through those reviews as well. So far, Emergency Couple seems to be the type of drama that focuses more on love than the medical part. We don't get any political bickering at the hospital as seen in Good Doctor and there is no hint of any staff member who has familial ties to any hospital administration executive as seen in New Heart.



Still, with a third medical drama under my belt, I should be more familiar about how a hospital works, but I don't. I am still very surprised at what an intern life was about. How are interns different from resident doctors? I notice that all interns go to work and leave at the same time. I wonder if the residents take over after the interns go home. Why didn't they go home in shifts like residents do? I understand the interns of team four are assigned to the emergency room for three months, but what are the other departments? I would have liked to know the name of the other departments. I was also extremely surprised when Oh Jin Hee poured a bag of a patient's urine on top of Oh Chang Min's head, exposing him to contamination. I work in a medical-related field so I know that this is definitely a very dangerous thing to do. Who knows if the patient had any kind of infection and the urine actually got into Chang Min's eyes. He would need to go to an eye washing station and report the incident to his supervisor immediately as well as get medical treatment as needed. Jin Hee would have lost her job immediately as she did it on purpose and Chang Min would have to deal with the medical consequences. This is never something to ever joke around with because everyone has a right to be safe at the workplace. Chang Min could not simply go to the bathroom and "wash it off." I am very bothered by that scene as it was a reckless move by interns who should know better.



On a related note, I am disappointed that, like the plot of Good Doctor, there is bullying going on in this drama as well. Jin Hee's first day was not only tough because of her mistakes from the previous night, but because all her team members wanted her to quit the hospital because she looked old and unreliable. I have low tolerance for people who judge other people without spending the time to understand the other person. Even the chief, Gook Chun Soo (Lee Pil Mo), tried to fire Jin Hee on the first day without giving her a chance to work. On that note, I felt sad for Jin Hee, especially after she removed her medical diplomas and placed them in her desk drawer instead. What a way to knock someone down. On the other hand, why couldn't she tell Chief Gook the reason why she wanted to be a doctor? That's really suspicious. In a way, I am not sure if she should quit or not quit because of that hesitation.



So far, I cannot take sides on this love drama war. Chang Min and Jin Hee equally annoyed me and I don't see a reason to take either side. Jin Hee seems to be such a weak character who is physically and emotionally influenced easily. Chang Min's words are so poisonous and his character is very selfish. As a married woman, I found their famous fight scene so dramatic. No matter how angry I am, I would not take my anger out on such expensive items. I guess they didn't show Chang Min and Jin Hee hitting each other because otherwise, the audience would be too shocked and uncomfortable with domestic violence. From what I see, both sides have their faults and I wonder how they will fall back in love within one year at the hospital. I expected Jin Hee to be more competent as an intern since she obviously worked hard to get where she is, but she messed up a simple thing like a blood draw, making me lose some of my faith in her abilities.


Those suffering from an Heirs drama withdrawal will experience a bit of deja vu because actress Park Joon Geum is playing Choi Jin Hyuk's mother again, only this time she is his real mother and Jin Hyuk seems to be a mama's boy.


Yoon Joo Sang, who I will always affectionately remember as Shin Sang Duk from the 2013 SBS drama, I Hear Your Voice, makes a cameo appearance as Chang Min and Jin Hee's wedding officiant. Actress Jun Soo Kyung also makes an appearance as a hospital director who flirts with Chang Min.


Since we ended with a ridiculous plot line where a suicidal patient had easy access to a security guard patient's gun, Jin Hee shocked the suicidal patient and Chang Min with a defibrillator, which was a bit comical because I don't know if her facial expression at the time meant that she enjoyed it or not. I think, at this point, I can't take the medical part too seriously so I better enjoy the romantic comedy parts and that's exactly what I signed up for.

Look for our upcoming collaborative chat about episodes one and two soon, exclusively on our blogs.

Zombie Mamma | Hallyu Know? | Wehaiyo!

Emergency Couple:
Episodes 1-2: [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Hallyu Zombie Drama Review: Emergency Couple Episodes 1-2 (2/4)


Welcome to Hallyu Zombie Drama Review! I am joined by The Zombie Mamma and Karen Yoon-Kung and we will be writing weekly opinions on Emergency Couple starring Choi Jin Hyuk and Song Ji Hyo.


Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this show yet, so my opinion may be fairly short this time around. In Episode 1, we got to witness an adorable rush to the alter as Oh Chang Min and Oh Jin Hee ran away from those who were seemingly protesting the marriage (this was never really explained, so I can only assume that is what was actually happening). Then we are launched into a depressing household, where the characters have been married a year, but there is not real explanation as to what went wrong and how they ended up in that situation. The climax is, of course, this epic fight between the couple which I didn't find humorous at all. I have to say though, even though it was a bit over the top, it was one of the most realistic fights I have seen between a couple in a drama. There truly are toxic relationships that end with everything literally being destroyed and the two sides just staring at each other as to say "how did we get here?" So in that sense, bravo drama land?

Monday, January 27, 2014

HALLYU ZOMBIE DRAMA REVIEW: Emergency Couple Episodes 1-2 (1/4)

Hey everyone! Hallyu Zombie's drama review is back and this time we've asked our fellow DramaFever Drama Clubber, Karen (aka Powerz) to help us recap TvN's latest medical rom-com, Emergency Couple. Woo-hoo! Much like we do for DramaFever, Tanya, Karen and I will be spending the next ten weeks sharing with you all of our thoughts and hopes, likes and dislikes, predictions and ponderings as the story of Emergency Couple unfolds. As always, we'd love for you to join us in our discussion, so grab yourself a snack, curl up in your favorite chair with a warm blanket and your computer and join us as we dig into Emergency Couple!
opening title
I wish that I could say I loved Emergency Couple from the very beginning but to be perfectly honest, I just can't. What started out as completely adorable, with our OTP, Oh Chang Min and Oh Jin Hee, racing toward the alter in an adorably carefree and slightly mischievous way, quickly morphed into something absolutely awful, a couple so full of anger and resentment they could no longer function as rational human beings. Now I'm sure the fight that tipped this couple over the edge was supposed to come across as funny (and I'm sure that to some it was) but for me it was sad, bordering on the line of completely heartbreaking. The very idea of such a reckless love turning so quickly into something so poisonous is just so sad, it made me wonder if I was going to be able to endure twenty episodes of pure hate. Lucky for me, the story quickly moves on and we find ourselves six years into the future, where, oh happy day, we find our OTP at each other's throats... Again.
hate ruins lives
Honestly, after the first episode, I was kind of wondering what I'd gotten myself into. From the constant spewing of venom from both Chang Min and Jin Hee, to the reappearance of Park Jun Keum as yet another vile, controlling mother with an awful hairstyle and far too many airs, to Jin Hee's the near-death experience and one too many chance meetings, I was seriously beginning to have my doubts about this show but then came episode two and all was forgiven. (Well, close enough anyway.)
oh jin hee is here
As soon as Jin Hee stepped out from behind the curtain in the ER, I knew this drama was going places and I'm excited to see if those places are anywhere near what I'm thinking right now because if they are, this show has the potential to be really good. So where do I see this drama headed? I'm so glad you asked!
this look says it all
First, I see Dr. Gook Chun Soo quickly finding that the woman he told to leave on day 1 is the very woman he comes to count on the most. I see this fact drawing Dr. Gook's attention and that attention turning into affection. Yes, poor Dr. Gook is the doomed second lead but have no fear, I'm convinced he has some sort of past with Shim Ji Hye (probably something very similar to what Chang Min and Jin Hee have going on) and in the end the two of them will get everything sorted out and live happily ever after.
and so it begins
Second, I see Chang Min falling head-over-heels for Jin Hee (obviously) though he's going to fight those feelings until he absolutely cannot hold them back any longer. How do I know this? Because he's already showing signs of affection, despite his best efforts. You can read in his face how much he dislikes listening to everyone in the ER bash Jin Hee, which is quite hypocritical of him but that's to be expected, given the circumstances. You can see in his actions how concerned he is for Jin Hee's well-being. Yes, on the outside he's an absolute jerk but when it comes down to it, you don't shove the woman you hate into a utility closet just to spare her from the pain that running into her ex-mother-in-law would inevitably cause.
where will this go
Third, I see the relationship between Jin Hee and Han Ah Reum developing into something but at this moment I can't really tell what that something will be. I can see it going one of two ways... Either they'll use their confrontational and competitive nature to shape each other into better people and better doctors and become friends along the way or they'll conflict with each other so much, they'll nearly kill each other. If the second route is the way things go, it'll only get worse when they see each other as rivals for Chang Min's affections because you know Chang Min's going to flirt with Ah Reum for a while (mostly to make Jin Hee jealous) before he realizes the girl of his dreams is the woman he was married to six years ago. Of course he's going to have to find a way to pull himself out of the pit he's going to dig with that one but he'll eventually do it and all will be well in the world once again.
hiding in the closet
So now that I've shared my first impressions and predictions, I'd love to hear yours! What do you think of Emergency Couple so far? Are you as happy as I am to see Choi Jin Hyuk back? (And more importantly, in a role where he'll eventually get the girl... Yes, Heirs, I'm still mad at you for that one!) As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts so be sure to leave your comments below!

Want more from the Zombie Mamma? Be sure to check out my website, www.zombiemamma.com or follow me on Twitter @TheZombieMamma

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Dramafever’s “Hallyu Star Makeover Contest” (Last Week!)

My 양머리 Sheep's head
It’s the last week of Dramafever’s drama reenactment contest and I thought I’d help Dramafever out by posting one final push before this week’s deadline. Dramafever is hosting a “Hallyu Star Makeover Contest” sponsored by YesStyle.com, Soko Glam, ToFebruary.com, and HQZ80.com.

Nubi is watching a pivotal moment in You're The Best, Lee Soon Shin
Are you a drama fan? All you have to do is reenact a drama scene or pose from any drama on Dramafever and take a picture of it. You could pose in it yourself, collaborate with others, or simply be the photographer for the scene.

All submissions can be submitted HERE.

Afterwards, there will be a three-week voting period for the best reenactment photo on Dramafever’s Facebook page. Semi-finalists will be shown on the DramaFever Facebook page on January 13th where Dramafever Facebook fans can vote for their favorites. From the top five most popular “liked” photos, Dramafever will choose the final winner!

If you look at what the winning prize includes, I’m sure it would be worth your while!

THE GRAND PRIZE (1 WINNER AND A FRIEND):


    3 day / 2 night trip to New York City
    A head-to-toe makeover styled by Youtube beauty guru Beautifymeeh
    Complete new wardrobes from YesStyle (valued at $1,000)
    "Best of Korean Beauty" gift baskets from SokoGlam (valued at $100)
    Online shopping sprees and accessories from ToFebruary (valued over $50)
    A professional photo shoot
    Night out in New York City with the DF team

HONORABLE MENTIONS (5 WINNERS):


    Beauty gift baskets from SokoGlam
    $25 gift certificates from ToFebruary


WHO'S ELIGIBLE?


    Must be a registered user of DramaFever (sign up, it's free and easy!)
    Must "LIKE" the DramaFever Facebook Page
    Must CHECK the box to agree to terms and conditions
    Must be 18 or older (sorry, it's for legal reasons!)
    Must reside within the 48 contiguous states (USA only)

The deadline is January 11, 2014 so you ONLY HAVE LESS THAN A WEEK LEFT!

Why do I get the feeling that any famous scene from Secret Garden will come on top? That drama series is full of famous scenes from the coffee kiss, to the sports jacket, to the famous sit-up, etc.

My other drama predictions:
Heirs – I’m sure a lot of people will attempt a scene here. I hope somebody reenacts the pillow fight scene between Han Ki Ae (Kim Sung Ryung) and Park Hee Nam (Kim Mi Kyung) or is that getting too fancy?


Answer Me series: Wow, that would be cool if we get seven people to pose as if they are from the 90’s.


That cover picture for the series Couple Breaking where Kim Hye Yeong (Jung Da Hye) performs a back-breaking Thai massage move on Lee Jeong Seok (Park Kwang Hyun) would be hilarious. I’d like to do that to my husband for fun.


What would I do? I would love to take a pic of a scene from Nine, my favorite K-drama of 2013. That would be awesome. My husband would probably have to play Lee Jin Wook in a suit.

I hope to get everyone's creative juices flowing. Don't forget,

Deadline: January 11, 2014

I can't wait to see everyone's picture.
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