2010’s Rewind|Dramas from 2014

Hello BAYOG Fam!~ I think life has basically been kicking us all in the butt. 2020 has definitely been kicking my ass…and we’re only 2 weeks into 2020… I really appreciate everyone’s patience and kindness. Seriously, thank you for the kind messages. It’s been kind of hard, but I’m trying my best. I know the bros are also caught up in things and doing their best. So in the meantime, I’ll do my best to keep y’all entertained~ Of course, it might take me some time to put out posts… Still, I’ll try my best fam~

We’ll be continuing the 2010’s Rewind today with dramas from 2014! Don’t forget to check out my previous posts: [2010], [2011], [2012], and [2013]. As you all know, my list is based on dramas that I’ve actually watched and made an impression on me. Everything is just my opinion. You might not see some of the big titles from that year because honestly, it probably wasn’t my kind of series. I should also note that this was the year I wasn’t really watching as many dramas. 2014 was when I was busy finishing my last year of university. There weren’t that many dramas that interested me. Also, it was when I was just starting to game more. Most importantly, this was when I was really getting to know and bond with the BAYOG bros. Anyway, let’s continue our rewind~

괜찮아 사랑이야|It’s Okay, That’s Love (KR)

Synopsis (credit: Drama Wiki):
Jang Jae Yul (Jo In Sung) is a mystery writer and radio DJ. He suffers from a obsession. He then meets a psychiatrist named Ji Hae Soo. Ji Hae Soo (Gong Hyo Jin) is going through her first year fellowship in psychiatry at a University Hospital. She chose psychiatry because she doesn’t want to perform surgeries. After she meets Jang Jae Yul, her life goes through big changes. They end up becoming home-mates and things turn romantic.

This was one of the dramas that took me a while before I actually started watching it. Again, it had older actors for the leads. Plus, in a way in had a bit of a medical background to it. Like I said before, medical dramas aren’t really my thing. Still, I gave it a try because of Gong Hyo Jin and Jo In Sung. They’re really well known and talented actors, so I figured I wouldn’t be let down there. I also admit, one of the main reasons I started it was because I’m a K-pop fangirl. Kyung Soo, better known as D.O. of K-Pop group EXO, was in it too.

It was a more mature kind of story compared to what I normally watch. So I was surprised that I actually liked it. It’s not absolute favorite or top 5. Still, it left an impression on me. I loved how it addressed mental health, disorders, and traumas. Things like mental health is still pretty taboo in Asian countries. So I thought it was really refreshing that this drama addressed some very real aspects. I liked how it addressed these things and showed that these characters are people too.

People may be different, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t worthy of love or loving other people. D.O. was a supporting character, but his acting was great. The leads did fantastic, no surprise there. Their chemistry was amazing. Kwang Soo also did a great job. This is also where I first saw Lee Sung Kyung. I admit that the majority of the story is kind of a blur to me now. However, I remember enjoying it. I remember feeling moved by it. Also, I didn’t the plot twist at all. So yeah, I thought it was a brilliant series.

The OST was really wonderful too. D.O.’s bandmate, Chen, also contributed to the OST. (Sidenote: Congrats to Chen on his upcoming marriage and baby!) Davinchi, god I love those girls, also contributed to the OST as well.

나쁜 녀석들 |Bad Guys (KR)

Synopsis (credit: Drama Wiki):
Detectives Oh Goo Tak (Kim Sang Joong) and Yoo Mi Young (Kang Ye Won) rally up a team of criminals to catch other criminals. Their team includes serial killer psychopath Lee Jung Moon (Park Hae Jin), contract killer Jung Tae Soo (Jo Dong Hyuk), and mob boss Park Woong Chul (Ma Dong Suk).
The team is called upon when there is a major homicide case. However, the key mystery of the series is revolving around Jung Moon as he is believed to be the serial killer who has killed Oh Goo Tak’s daughter. But Oh Goo Tak has doubts and puts this team together. Is Jung Moon really the killer everyone believes him to be?
The team starts to discover forgiveness and the hope of starting anew.

I briefly mentioned this in my [recent list] of things I’m watching/reading. Despite being a 2014 drama, I only just started this drama a few months ago. It came up on my Netflix recommendations. I immediately recognized Ma Dong Suk (Train to Busan, Along With the Gods, Marvel’s The Eternals). So I was like, “Okies. Let’s give this a try.” This is another one of those series that’s vastly different from what I usually like to watch. Typically, I’ll watch alot of brighter, happier, and sillier stuff. Stuff with alot of romance and comedy. I tend to watch more light-hearted stuff. Bruh. This was a pretty dark and gritty series. Literally on the opposite spectrum of what I normally watch. Still, I found it really interesting. The characters are all bad asses. I was also really intrigued by the idea of making a team of some of the baddest guys ever, and having them catch some bad guys. Like these dudes were bad. They did some really bad shit. At the same time, they seemed more human than the monsters they were catching. You couldn’t help but feel for them. They were seeking out redemption, and you would be on the edge of your seat hoping they got what they were looking for. Also, the cast is phenomenal. I was surprised to see Park Hae Jin in this. I was not surprised that he’s playing a psychopath/sociopath [again]. Damn is he good at being a manipulative psycho with a creepy smile. I really loved Ma Dong Suk’s and Jo Dong Hyuk’s characters. They’re the ones I probably really felt invested in the most. Also, dat plot twist.

ディア・シスター|Dear Sister (JP)

Synopsis (credit: Drama Wiki):
27-year-old Fukazawa Misaki and 29-year-old Hazuki are sisters who are polar opposites in both lifestyle and personality. Although they would hurt each other’s feelings, they would also make up for each other’s deficiencies. The beautiful Misaki is the typical younger sister who is good at putting on the little girl act. She did not fare well academically but knows how to swim with the tide. After graduating from high school, she left home and went missing. But one day, she suddenly moves into Hazuki’s apartment and behaves with wild abandon. However, Misaki has a secret which she keeps to herself… Hazuki works at a ward office and has set her sights on an early marriage to her boyfriend who works in the same office. She is the well-organised, fastidious chairperson type, but is a wee bit socially awkward. Hazuki feels that Misaki snatched all their mother’s love in childhood. What will happen now that Misaki has moved in with her? Hazuki actually has a secret which she cannot tell Misaki too. As these two sisters clash while living under the same roof, their values start to change little by little. 

I started this series on a whim. It was basically after I got back from my trip to Thailand. I was hella jet-lagged and sleepless. I also recognized Ishihara Satomi from a couple of other series I’d watched before. One of the dramas was Shitzuren Chocolatier/Heartbroken Chocolatier with ARASHI’s Matsumoto Jun. Wasn’t a big fan of that. Still, I thought I’d try Dear Sister. I was unexpectedly drawn into the series. I ended up binge watching it in one sitting. Like I finished it and was like, “Wuht..? When did the sun come up?? WTF??” Again, this series is a bit different from my typical dramas. However, I enjoyed the human aspect of the series. It’s something relateable and could very well happen in real life. There are times we’re jealous of people, like our siblings. Yet, sometimes they’re jealous of us. We can fight and have alot of misunderstandings, but we sometimes learn that we have stronger and deeper bonds than we thought. Also, I just related on the part where it’s really hard to try to adult. Like 24-25 year old me really felt that.

Also, I was surprised as hell to find out Jhameel contributed to the OST. It’s weird when one minute you’re watching a J-Drama, and the next…you see the name of this dude you met and know. Like, that was unexpected bruh. Jhameel did great though. I actually liked the OST alot. I felt like it really fit well with the series.

死神くん|Shinigami-kun (JP)

Synopsis (credit: Drama Wiki):
Shinigami-kun (Ohno Satoshi), alias grim reaper #413, is a rookie who pronounces the death of those scheduled to die and brings souls to the nether world. He would appear with the signature phrase “Congratulations! I’m here to call on you” although it is hard to say how this can be a happy occasion, and watch over the dying. To a grim reaper, persuading people attempting to commit suicide and preventing unforeseen deaths is also an important task. But because #413 is new to this grim reaper work, he has a tendency to lean towards humans in his judgments, break the rules of the nether world and get reprimanded by his superior.

This drama series was a live adaptation of the manga series with the same name. It starred Ohno Satoshi from the legendary J-Pop group, ARASHI. Yeah, that’s basically why I started it. I also just started it because I was interested in the supernatural aspect, and it looked like it’d be a silly series. I admit I don’t remember too much about it now. I do remember that it was kind of more on the lower budget end of drama productions. It was kinda cheesey at times. Still, I also remember liking the human aspect of the series as well. Shinigami #413 is an angel of death or a reaper. However, he tends to feel sympathy towards humans and even breaks the rules for them. Also, I remember it being pretty silly at times. I don’t remember it too much now, but I do remember that I enjoyed watching it.

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