On July 9th and 10th, I took part in the 2022 KPSN Podcast Fest to raise awareness and funds for Minority Mental Health Awareness, and as such, I thought it was only fitting that It's Ok, That's Love be the drama of choice seeing that it remains the best drama to discuss mental illness and health. It stars Zo In-sung, Kong Hyo-jin, Do Hyun-soo, Sung Don-il and Lee Kwang-soo, and is available for streaming on Viki.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My sincere apologies for this very late upload. This episode of Beyond The Romance was originally uploaded in September of 2021, and uploaded onto my YouTube channel, but I forgot to also post it in podcast format (due to health issues, I fell behind in uploading content in 2021, and recording in 2022).

Thank you so much to everyone who's taken the time to listen to the podcast, I sincerely appreciate you.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My sincere apologies for this very late upload. This episode of Beyond The Romance was originally uploaded in August of 2021, and uploaded onto my YouTube channel, but I forgot to also post it in podcast format (due to health issues, I fell behind in uploading content in 2021, and recording in 2022).

Thank you so much to everyone who's taken the time to listen to the podcast, I sincerely appreciate you.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Though both Stitch and I enjoyed the True Beauty mainly for the acting and the subversion of some tropes, we did have issues with how subjects like bullying, self-esteem and parenting weren't handled as well as they could've been considering they were the main subjects of the drama itself.

Listen to here as we shared our pros and cons, and if you'd like to watch the video version, you can find this episode of Beyond The Romance and others, on my YouTube channel. True Beauty is available for streaming on Viki.com.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Based on their web-comic of the same name, Hellbound is a drama that goes that explores how religion, religious fanaticism, loneliness and faith are all intertwined when people who can't find their own direction and purpose in life, are exploited by through the use of the media by those who seek to control others. Starring Yoo A-in as Jung Jin-soo, a young charismatic leader of The New Truth, a conservative religious movement where members are admonished to repent their sins lest they fall victim to "a demonstration", - a violent act carried out by three, tar black monsters, who brutally beat their targets before sending their souls to hell in a blaze of fire.

In the cast with Yoo Ah-in are Kim Hyun-joo, a lawyer who crosses paths with Jung Jin-soo, Park Jung-min as a PD and journalist and his wife played by Won Jin-ah who seeks the truth after receiving devastating news, and Kim Do-yoon as an unhinged social media influences who convinces his young audience to enact violence on unsuspecting victims in the name of The New Truth and God.

Hellbound is available for streaming on Netflix.

To see what shows I’m currently watching and live-tweeting, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Carriecnh12, for my drama live-tweets with #DramasWithCarrie, nightly at 8pmEST. Feel free to join me, ask for show recommendations, or spill any tasty K-pop tea. Yes, I’m also very much into K-pop. You can also watch me, and my guests over on my YouTube channel here.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview I speak with director Kim Jee-woon about building the visual world of Dr. Brain, and Seo Ji-hye, Lee Jae-won, Lee Yoo-young, Park Hee-soon and Lee Sun-kyun about the complex dynamics between the characters and their relationship with Koh Se-won.

Directed by Korean film legend Kim Jee-woon (I Saw the Devil, A Tale of Two Sisters), Dr. Brain is an intense psychological sci-fi thriller about Dr. Koh Se-won (Lee Sun-kyun) a brain scientist who becomes caught up in a mystery when he learns that a series of seemingly unrelated deaths, are connected to the death of his young son Do-yoon, and the tragic accident that befalls his wife Jae-yi (Lee Yoo-young). Determined to uncover the truth, Koh Se-won uses his new and potentially dangerous invention that allows him to sync his brain to that of another being. What occurs is a highly entertaining and unpredictable drama about a man discovering new sides of himself, and the people in his life.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is a charming and sweet rom-com that's the perfect palate cleanser if you've been watching a lot of heavy dramas and films recently. Centered around Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-ah) a dentist who winds up moving from the hustle and bustle of Seoul where she was sought after for her work by the city's socialites, to the small fishing village of Gongjin where she has to learn a new way of life. And of course this is where the romance begins to bloom for her as she grows closer to handsome handyman Hong Doo-sik (Kim Seon-ho), a man who loves to help everyone around him, except when it 's his day off. 

One of my favorite things about this drama is the relationship between Hye-jin and her bestfriend and assistant Pyo Mi-seon (Gong Min-jung). Both of these women while, unsure of how to navigate their burgeoning romantic lives, they are very sure about their friendship and the ways they support each other. They're true BFFs.

Adapted from the popular Korean webtoon of the same name, Yumi's Cells is another light hearted drama I'd recommend to help lift your mood and make you smile. Starring Kim Go-eun as Kim Yu-mi, Yu-mi's Cells gives audiences a look at the lives of the cells who keep her alive. Through Love, Hunger, Naughty, Nervous, Detective and Persona we get to see what goes on in side Yu-mi's head as she interacts with the people around her. To put a hilarious and novel spin on the story, there's Gu-woong (Ahn Bo-hyun) the shy but protective game designer she's learning to open herself up to after heartbreak, whose own cells offer a fun and dynamic counterbalance to the others.

With colorful and engaging animation and voice acting, the cells are hilarious in the ways they represent the different emotions, personality traits and facets of the body, and interact with each other and the world outside of the body.

Below is a list of the shows discussed and the streaming platforms they can be watched on:

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha - Netflix

Squid Game - Netflix

Yumi's Cells - Viki

The Tasty Florida - Viki

To see what shows I’m currently watching and live-tweeting, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Carriecnh12, for my drama live-tweets with #DramasWithCarrie, nightly at 8pmEST. Feel free to join me, ask for show recommendations, or spill any tasty K-pop tea. Yes, I’m also very much into K-pop. You can also watch me, and my guests over on my YouTube channel here.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's pretty obvious I'm a huge fan of K-dramas, and one of my favorite genres are legal dramas, not only because of my past professional and educational experience (I have a diploma in Paralegal studies), but because of how the writers and directors craft carefully constructed stories where they tie the law into the various storylines of the characters, showing how it impacts the lives of everyday citizens, in ways we don't necessarily consider, on a day-to-day basis. And Law School is an excellent example of that.

Starring Kim Myun-min and Lee Jung-Eun as Yang Jon-hoon, Kim-Eun-suk, respectively, Professors at the prestigious Hanguk school of law, Kim Beom, Ryo Hey-Young and Ko Yoon-jung as students who get caught up in an intense murder trial that changes the the course of their lives in unexpected ways.

During our discussion Christine shares how she got into the Korean television industry her experiences on set, and answers my many questions about the plot, production, the way story addresses serious topics like intimate partner violence

To see what shows I’m currently watching and live-tweeting, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Carriecnh12, for my drama live-tweets with #DramaWithCarrie, nightly at 8pmEST. Feel free to join, offer show recommendations, or spill any tasty K-pop tea. Yes, I’m also very much into K-pop. You can also watch me, and my guests over on my YouTube channel here.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starring Song Joong- ki as the titular character Vincenzo Cassano, Jeon Yeo-bin (Night in Paradise), Ok Taecyeon, Kwak Dong-yeon and a brilliant and entertaining supporting cast, Vincenzo is the perfect mix of action, drama and comedy, that will be an enjoyable watch for most. While the finale did have it's sad moments, the overall plot development perfectly suited the story set up from the beginning, with many small moments from throughout the season paying off with one of the best executed revenge plots I've seen in a long.

Though a difficult watch at times, Taxi Driver is a suspenseful show with a plot that revolves around real life legal cases from South Korea. Lead by Lee Je-hoon as Kim Doo-ki, the Rainbow Taxi crew take justice into their own hands when the judicial system meant to protect the innocent and victimized, fails those that needs it most. I must point out that some scenes and dialogue detailing suicide, bullying, violence, sexual assault may be triggering for some.

Below is a list of the shows discussed and the streaming platforms the can be watched on:

Korea:

Vincenzo - Netflix

Law School - Netflix

Mine - Netflix

Taxi Driver - Viki

Dark Hole - Viki

Taiwan:

Love is Science? - Viki

Papa & Daddy

China:

Mr. Honesty - WeTV

The Imperial Coroner - Viki

To see what shows I’m currently watching and live-tweeting, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Carriecnh12, for my drama live-tweets with #DramaWithCarrie, nightly at 8pmEST. Feel free to join me, offer show recommendations, or spill any tasty K-pop tea. Yes, I’m also very much into K-pop. You can also watch me, and my guests over on my YouTube channel here.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Set in the present day and Joseon era, the show is an entertaining mix of multiple genres - supernatural, rom-com, and action about a Gumiho Yee Yeon, searching for his long lost love, and since this is a K-drama his path to finding her is far from easy and predictable. As an actor Lee Don-wook never disappoints whether he's playing a dramatic and tormented character as in Strangers from Hell, or an ancient being with a humorous and matter-of-fact outlook on life. With his talent of being sardonic and witty, Lee is perfect as Lee Yeon, and while the show is mainly centered around the romance, it's the relationship between brothers that really captured both mine and Ray's interest, as well as that of the second couple of Go Yuri and Gusinju played by Hwang Yee and Kim Jong-ji respectively.

The relationship between Lee Yeon and his estranged brother Lee Rang (Kim Bum) was entertaining and engaging as they were constantly caught between their complicated feelings about each other. Kim Bum was impressive as he was always able to keep pace with Lee Dong-wook, and just makes us wish for them to be cast together in another project. I'll gladly take them as brothers again.

Tale of the Nine Tailed is currently available on Viki.com

To see what shows I’m currently watching and live-tweeting, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Carriecnh12, for my drama live-tweets with #DramaWithCarrie, nightly at 8pmEST. Feel free to join me, offer show recommendations, or spill any tasty K-pop tea. Yes, I’m also very much into K-pop. You can also watch the me and my guests over on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/XM9LPl9FXuo

My live-tweet hashtags: #DramasWithCarrie #SaturdayNightSciFi

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starring Park So-dam as Eun Ha-won a quick witted and resourceful young woman who's hired by the aging controlling patriarch of the Kang family to reign in his three grandsons to get them to spend time together. It's been almost five years since the Cinderella and the Four Knights first aired in 2016, but it's still as entertaining - and a bit frustrating - now, as it was then.

Laura and I shared the parts that annoyed us, as well as made us smile from cuteness. You can watch it on Netflix, and catch the YouTube video of Laura and I, and more recent episodes here, all of which will be added to the podcast channel also.

Cinderella and the Four Knights is currently streaming on Netflix.

To see what shows I’m currently watching and live-tweeting, follow me @Carriecnh12 on Instagram and Twitter with #DramasWithCarrie, and feel free to reply and join in, offer show recommendations, or spill any tasty K-pop tea. Yes, I’m also very much into K-pop.

My live-tweet hashtags: #DramasWithCarrie #SaturdayNightSciFi

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starring Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji and Oh Jung-se, It's Ok To Not Be Ok takes audiences on the type of emotional rollercoaster fans of Korean dramas love to experience. At the Ok Psychiatric Hospital lead by Dr. Oh Ji-wang (Kim Chang-Wan) Kang-Tae's older brother Sang-tae (Oh Jung-Se) who is autistic, is able to slowly come into his own as an artist when he's hired to paint a mural, and as an illustrator for famous children's book author Ko Moon-yeong(Seo). Moon Kang-tae (Kim) takes to healing and growth when he takes a job as a community health worker at a small psychiatric hospital and encounters patients whose stories cause him to come to terms with issues he himself has been struggling with for years.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the inaugural episode of Beyond The Romance, I thought it only fitting to celebrate the show's 13 years of popularity and cultural impact, by discussing all the ways Coffee Prince made me and my two guests, Josie and Joycelyn, swoon, cheer, cry and groan in frustration, and how our opinions on the story and characters have changed over the years.

When the South Korean rom-com Coffee Prince premiered on JTBC no one really had any idea how popular the show would become with audiences. Starring Gong Yoo *dreamy sigh* as Choi Han Kyul, the rich playboy tasked with running a café to prove he's worthy of being the heir to his grandmother's fortune, and Yoon Eun Hye as Go Eun Chan the tom-boy who pretends to be an actual man in order to work for Han Kyul. The show became an instant hit and classic with audiences during its original televised premiere in July and August airing of 2007. Not only was it a massive success locally in South Korea, it became a hit overseas as part of the Hallyu, or Korean Wave movement across Asia, making it credited as being one of the most influential with attracting international attention to the Drama side of Korean entertainment, or K-drama as it's known as.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-the-romance-drama-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.