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Top Picks of 2025

I have watched a few Japanese live-action shows, but this was my first Korean one. And I've just finished it, and I am so excited to recommend it!

A quick summary of what the show is about: a young woman named Sa-rang starts working, somewhat accidentally, at King Hotel, one of Korea's most successful hotels. There she meets the hotel director's spoiled son and, of course, they have an enemies to lovers romance.

Now, with this set-up with these two type of characters, you can probably already figure out some of the tropes that are going to happen. HOWEVER, and this is my main reason for recommending this show... while these tropes technically happen... they don't REALLY happen.

You see, our two leads aren't... stupid. Well, sometimes they are, but they are in very charming and fun ways. The tropes that come to mind with the spoiled rich boy meets kind, hard-working girl do somewhat happen... but they also really, really don't. Every single time one of these tropes show up... the show basically goes PSYCHE and then they change the tropes.

King the Land is so refreshing for anyone who likes rom-coms, but hate some of the most overused tropes. If you want an insanely cute romance with very likeable, non-idiotic leads who can actually communicate and have common sense... this is for you. Sa-rang and Won are so stinking cute and funny, both together and as individuals.

Mama Sky and I were hooked from beginning to end. I really can't recommend it enough.

The fight for justice starts with a little invitation...

...because evil is prevalent and vehement.

Here's a reminder that Season 2 of The Fiery Priest is scheduled to air on Friday, November 8, 2024 in South Korea. The Fiery Priest is the second of Park Jae-Beom's "Justice Trilogy" as it's frequently called (Chief Kim aka Good Manager ; The Fiery Priest; Vincenzo in order of release) and I would love an invitation into screenwriter Park's brain because his creations are so very very good.

On this blog, I frequently talk about movies but dramas, specifically "kdramas," are another delight and from script to director(s) to casting to cinematography and soundtrack, this trilogy holds a special place for me. I think I could write a novel on the themes and scenes in Vincenzo alone. When not only the titular character but the entire cast keeps you watching, you know it's the good stuff. So happy all three shows were twenty episodes and didn't follow the more current trend of shortening the season. The slow character development enabled the viewer to discover individual stories without muddying up the plot too much.

I'm looking forward to watching as soon as Season 2 of The Fiery Priest is available for me to view, and if you haven't seen any of the above shows, I recommend them!