Do You Know What's UP?

     Every major crossroad in my life has been influenced by the people who were making the same journey. 

     It is gravely important that we surround ourselves with those who make us want to be better and help us achieve our goals. 

     It is very easy to push each other to great heights or push each other off a cliff. 

     "What's Up" is the story of a group of musical theater students who must live, learn, and love as they reach for their dreams.

     As the story begins we find ourselves at the beginning of the semester as the students are called to audition for the Musical Theater Program for the University!

     Kim Byung Gun (Jo Jung Suk from "Oh My Ghostess") is an older student and trying a new career path.

     He doubts his self worth and his family has no idea of what he's up to...

     Will Byung Gun be able to find his voice? (I hope so!)

      The auditions begin! 

     While Byung Gun is having trouble breathing (at the thought of his upcoming audition) a fair breeze floats in as Eun Chae Young (Jang Hee Jin of "Big") tells Byung Gun that he's going to be ok.

     Byung Gun can relax now! He's found a friend in Chae Young!...right?

     In the audition we find out that Chae Young is actually a well known actress! (Omo!) 

     The audition committee question her reasons for coming to their department...mmm...I wonder too!

     As Chae Young's audition continues there are people who still haven't even found the audition building!


     Jang Jae Hun (Im Ju Hwan of "Oh My Ghostess") desperately tries to find the acting department but no such luck! (it doesn't help that his friend signed him up for Musical Theater! HA!) 

     On the other hand Park Tae Yi (Kim Ji Won of "Heirs") who's been to the school many times...is just as lost! (Oh no!)

     Tae Yi finally finds the audition room (with help from the University Security Officer) and finds a kindred spirit in Ha Do Sung (Kang Dae Sung of BigBang)! 

     Tae Yi and Do Sung had barely started their conversation when Jae Hun interrupts them to ask a very simple question...

...really...???

     I know that every Mother wants the best for her child but Oh Doo Ri's (Im Joo Eun of "Heirs") Mother is undoubtedly overbearing! (she makes you want to rebel!)

     Doo Ri needs this audition to help remove her from her Mother's grasp and allow her a moment to breathe...

     "What's Up" has a great ensemble cast of young actors who reminded me of my younger days and how I tried my best to see through my darkest times with empathy, humor, and sarcasm. (and I still do!)

     Director Song Ji-Won and Writer Song Ji-Na created a campus where the "teachers" taught each of the "kids" lessons about life, human nature, and strength of will! And how together they could figure out "What's Up"!

Will You Bend to My Personal Taste...?

     Sexual orientation can often be considered a taboo subject and many misunderstanding can happen if questions are left unanswered. 

     For one architect, Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho of Boys Over Flowers), letting people believe he's Gay is the only way his company can survive! 

     What he didn't plan on was meeting Park Kae In (Son Ye Jin) and having to continue the charade...when he obviously doesn't want to. 

Trying to get rid of Na Hye Mi...

     Kae In is an artisan furniture maker, accident prone, and has great difficulty in love. She is a human welcome matt letting the world step all over her...(sigh) 

     This does not deter her from trying to achieve her own happily ever after but she gets discouraged at times (even though she tries so hard!).

She is a MESS!

     Kae In meets Jin Ho through unfortunate circumstances (ofcourse) and believes that he has sexually assault her on the bus!

     Jin Ho cannot deny it fast enough and is troubled to have met such an unfortunate person as Kae In! 

Meet Cute...?

     One of the good things in Kae In's life is her boyfriend Han Chang Ryul (Kim Ji Suk of Cheer Up!)! He is a successful architect and heir to his Father's (Ahn Suk Hwan) construction business (also Jin Ho's business and love rival).

    Kae In's naivete in dealing with Chang Ryul is elevated as she misinterprets his words and actions as he tries to break up with her. (Ugh!)   

...is he going to propose?!?!

     Entering in the Seductress role is Wang Ji Hye as Kim In Hee! She is beautiful and destructive. Not just of those around her but herself as well...

     In Hee grew up with Kae In as sisters in the same house! Which Kae In's Father Park Chul Han (Kang Shin Il of Lie to Me), who is a famous architect and Professor, drafted and built. 

     So it is a great shock as Kae In walks into her sister-friend's wedding to see In Hee marrying her boyfriend! (Oh NO!)

BETRAYED!

      Personal Taste takes viewers on a hilarious ride through misconceptions, assumptions, and the hard truths about love.  

     Directors Son Hyeong-Seok and No Jong-Chan with the help of Writers Lee Sae-In and Kim Hee-Ju let us discover, through cinematography and the emotions displayed by these talented artists, that love finds a way through. Maybe not as you wished but definitely worth the sacrifice.

Sometimes All a Fine Instrument Needs is a Heartstring!

     Old-school versus New in this fast-paced musical romantic comedy. The two main characters, Lee Shin (Jung Yong Hwa) and Lee Kyu Won (Park Shin Hye), unwittingly have a meet cute while traveling on a bus in Jeju Island.

Meet Cute

     Lee Shin is a popular lead vocal/guitarist for a college band called the Stupid. (which fits since he is actually the leader of the popular rock band called CNBlue). 

     Lee Shin is arrogant and tired of "little girls" confessing to him their unending love.(...rolling eyes...)

Stupid

     Lee Kyu Won is training in traditional Korean Folk Music. Her Grandfather, Lee Dong-Jin (Shin Goo), is a world renowned Korean Folk Music Legend. He is most uncompromising in her studies and she is frustrated by him in many ways...but she still loves and respects him.

     Lee Kyu Won is well liked by most of the other students and is in the midst of raising funds, with her band WindFlower, to help pay for a professor's hospital bills.

WindFlower

     Lee Kyu Won is convinced, by the rest of her band, that if Stupid is added to the fundraising event they can sell tickets faster and raise more money to pay for the professor's bills. 

     Against her better judgment Lee Kyu Won asks Lee Shin to perform at her fundraising event. 

     The night of the event is upon both bands but Lee Shin is nowhere to be found. He is missing and no one is able to get a hold of him or get an explanation as to where he is. (oh no!)

     Lee Kyu Won and the expecting audience is angry and disappointed. Because Lee Shin never showed up for his performance Lee Kyu Won has to take responsibility and perform with his band mates.

Lee Kyu Won sings with Stupid

     Even though Lee Kyu Won's performance was unexpectedly good (that it even impressed a new professor greatly) she still had to apologize to the ticket holders for the inconvenience and lack of professionalism on the part of the Stupid's leader, Lee Shin.

     The next day Lee Shin is trying to give Lee Kyu Won the refunded money (maybe he's not such a bad guy?) so that she can pay the professors bills. 

     Lee Shin does feel bad that he wasn't able to make the performance and is trying to make amends somewhat. Lee Kyu Won is having none of it! (you go girl!) She is angry and hurt. 

     Unbeknownst to Lee Shin when Lee Kyu Won tried to go to the hospital last night to turn in the money she found out that her professor had passed. 

     Lee Kyu Won had no more need for Lee Shin's refunded money or room in her heart for any forgiveness. If she hadn't been cleaning up the mess he created by not showing up maybe she would have made it to the hospital in time to say goodbye. 

The Rivalry is Born

     Lee Kyu Won and Lee Shin are very well matched characters and it is great fun to see them bicker and get under each other's skins. They experience a lot together and have many growing pains. 

     Writer Lee Myung-Sook in collaboration with Directors Pyo Min-Soo and Lee Min-Cheol created a story that was funny, creative, and captivating. If Heartstrings is the result of these three great artists working in concert then I look forward to many more stories.

We can All Become...Monstars!

        Growing up has enough baggage to literally last a lifetime. The kids at this prosperous school fight to learn about themselves and their lives through music, laughter, and a few heartaches. 

     Yoon Sul Chan (Yong Joon Hyung) is trying to be the perfect son. Obviously not everything is falling into place and his temper always seems to get the better of him. 

     Yoon Sul Chan's production company compels him to go back to school after an...incident. Maybe school is where he'll find what he's been missing...? 

The Star - Yoon Sul Chan

     Min Sae Yi (Ha Yeon Soo) is mourning her Father's death and trying to get away from her Mother. As a compromise Min Sae Yi is sent to her Aunt Dok Ko-Soon (Lee Hee Jin) who teaches at a special music arts school.  

The New Girl - Min Sae Yi

     New to the school, shy, and told (by her Aunt Dok Ko-Soon) not to reveal that they have a relationship Min Sae Yi quietly walks into her classroom....what happens next shocks her into action...

The Introduction (KimMin Young as Sim Eun Ha)

Radio Suffers (KangUi Sik as Park Gyu Dong)

Radio rebels

They fight back - Together

  

The Challenge (Kang Ha Neul as Jung Sun Woo)

     Writer Kim Tae Hee and Director Kim Won-Suk showcase each of these characters as they strive to be themselves, even when confronted by their greatest fears and failures, watch as they become Monstars!     

Rah! Rah! for Cheer Up!

     The never ending struggle with class society is a continuing KDrama must have! In Cheer Up! we find two groups, the haves and have nots, represented by the 1% of a competitive school's highest and lowest achieving students. Baek Ho "Cheerleading Club" and the Real King, a street dance club, come head to head in this prince vs. pauper tale.

The Introduction

     The leaders of both groups are Kang Yeon Doo(Jung Eun Ji) of the Real King and Kim Yeol(Lee Won Geun) of Baek Ho. Their relationship starts out rocky but in true KDrama fashion they find people and situations to bond over and a need to protect those they love...and don't forget that they sizzle together onscreen.

The Kiss?

     Of course it wouldn't be a High School KDrama without the second male lead, Seo Ha Joon(Kim Ji Soo), who woos the fair maiden's heart, or at least confuses the audience and gives lots and lots of feels!(Whee!) 

     This love triangle is one of the best written in a very long time. Writer Yoon Soo-Jung provided enough depth in the bromance between Seo Ha Joon and Kim Yeol which encouraged them to be honest and worthy of their friendship.

Bromance

     This group of talented actors show the incredible pains and pressures that many Korean high schoolers, especially in a highly competitive school, go through in order to achieve greatness. Unfortunately, the greatness that they are trying to grab on to is mostly their parent's and society's version of happiness. In Cheer Up! the students are thinking for themselves and learning how to become truly happy.