Yes, She Can: Themes of Power and Love…and Feminism

I love the cast and most of the series. It is true that at some points its narrative pace weakens, and there are some transition issues perhaps from time constraints. However, when this 20-episode drama is good, it's very good. Some scenes are delightfully hilarious, others charming or deeply moving: the makers did a great job of developing characters and relationships. I think if it had been tightened and trimmed into 16 eps, with a less hurried writer, the series would have been gold. Still, the story and characters are strong, and the themes of loyalty, protectiveness, devotion, and love are explored tenderly. The series never is boring unless one views the dark sides of historical sexism, homophobia, classism, jealousy, abuse of power, political intrigue, assassination, murder, and struggles for position or justice through combat and power plays as boring. Or one never finished the series at all. For me, the real excellence of the series is its belief in friendship, loyalty, and love that "sees" and embraces the beloved, no matter the shifts and even threats. It is the series' greatest theme, and the actors deserve praise for their gifted performances in telling their characters' often tragic but also triumphant stories. And the most important take-away is that “Yes, she can.”

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The relatively low overall score for "Protect the Boss" on MDL is surprising. Reading a few of the random comments, it seems the negative scores are from a number of people who didn't finish this drama. I've just watched it again for the third time through the years, and it is as warm, funny, and sweet as always. This is a classic Korean RomCom without the usual stereotypes, but with brilliant, hilarious Ji Sung and a great cast. It has some slow moments in the middle and toward the end--the usual stretch for the contracted episodes--but it's lots of fun. What's so amazing about Ji Sung in all his dramas is that he can do absolutely everything: break your heart, scare you half to death, and make you fall off the sofa laughing out loud. He is a treasure. But the entire cast in this one is terrific, with characters to fall in love with and stories to cherish as they develop. "Protect the Boss" is a light, feel-good drama, beautifully written and directed, that is superior to most and on several "top kdrama" lists. It deserves a far better score on MDL.

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Great cast with important themes about true love, friendship, and beauty; nice pacing, often hilarious, touching, and with a satsifying ending. It’s not a 10 for me because I felt HJE was often over the top in her acting, which can be the director’s fault. But I didn’t enjoy the shouting and grimacing. Within the story itself, I felt PSJ’s character was the one who needed more attention by the writer since he rises above the lies that are told to him because of his love for HJE’s character. His character truly understands what love is, and I’m not sure any of the others really did. PSJ as usual was pitch perfect, truly one of Korea’s finest actors. In every scene, though, because he is so good, it was as though he was in a different drama, on a different level.

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It’s an important story to tell, but so far no one in the production is up to it. The problems are the fault of writer and director. Examples: Everyone walks v e r y s l o w l y; the actors, especially the lead, constantly stare blankly; far too many scenes are dead air. CEW never changes expression: in 10 eps I have no idea if he can even act. There are also lots of poorly executed moments like treating a wound through the jeans and repeated scenes to fill time. College students behave like middle school mean girls and bullies, and drink like fish. Much KDrama is all fake chaste about sex, but sloppy drunkenness is just fine. Hypocritical. Half way through, this remains a slow-moving, often boring, mediocre series at best.

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Begins okay but loses its way

The scores for this series steadily go down; in fact they plummet. Though KDrama and films are among the best in the world—maybe THE best—most fans know that they are not all superb or even all good. So when many people who love it so much score some of them like this one so low, there is a reason. We feel they are not very good, and there are too many more that are. I watched all 6 eps, and regarded it as a muddled mess, heavily influenced by the western demand for repetitious violence, sex for sex’s sake, cliches, weak character development, and just a lot of plot and character confusion. It’s a shame because though they work so hard, the actors’ talents are wasted in this series.

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Almost Great

Good drama that just misses greatness, but with main leads that are perfect, though I wished for more focus on their characters and their story. Both actors have eyes that say far more than words can summon—and what they tell us is so touching about the characters and the developing story line that not taking the time is a clear mistake by the director and writer. It’s why the series just misses greatness and causes the plot to struggle in spots. Still, it is good, and I enjoyed it. I also liked the charming second leads and wanted to see them developed more as well. I’m hearing there is a second season planned for Sept, so I’m happy that perhaps they will have time to do more developing of the main story—because these two main characters have far more to say—to each other.

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Excellent cast and direction; good series that flattens out

Wonderful cast and direction. But to me the series seemed to split, bog down, and then fall apart. When this happens, and the series has both a superb cast and fine director, then it’s either the writer or the promo people behind the scenes wrapping things up instead of coming to closure. Or both. At any rate, the first half is excellent and totally involving, quite intricate and an emotional roller coaster. Second half didn’t seem to match the tempo, and characters were flipped so much it was sometimes not very believable. But I did like the series, which is why I was disappointed by the pacing and seeming flattening out. Yet the cast is really great throughout. Recommended with reservations.

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Cast Shines in This Boardroom Drama

I will watch any series/film Lee Bo Young is in. She’s one of my top 10 favorite actors as is her great husband, Ji Sung. And the entire cast in this one is also outstanding along with most of the writing and directing.

Though I usually don’t care for boardroom politics and business shenanigan plots—which sometimes bog down this story also—it is generally a very enjoyable, satisfying series. Particularly fine are the delightful engagements of characters and, except for the occasional unfortunate screeching, the strong, confident women in mutually supportive and leadership roles are a delight.

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Great cast and director; weak female character development

This is a good series, but it does sag occasionally because the sequencing can be too long and limp for the actual plot and character development. Not enough attention is given to developing the female leads or the relationships between characters. It puts more emphasis on plot than on character development, but even then the writer leaves too many holes that she continues to spin, and not effectively. However, the series can definitely be recommended for its terrific cast and directors who keep the audience’s attention throughout despite the writer’s occasional oversights.

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Predictable Zombie Fest

I thought the cast worked hard and well. But I also thought this series could have been limited to about 8 eps at the most. For me there was too much repetition of Zombie tropes and cliches in the storyline as well as from the genre itself, and slow pace-often dragging itself along. Frankly, I got tired of the Zombies and am probably tired of the whole genre. And this one guy making what amount to apocalyptic decisions is not believable. That said, I really did like the cast, who made me care about them, which kept me watching. But still, the plot itself is predictable and underwhelming except for a few threads that touch the heart. It is okay, but no Train to Busan, Sweet Home, or Kingdom.

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Violence in the schools is assault.

I am both a parent and a teacher.

The behavior from the first episode is not “bullying” but assault. Let’s call these attacks what they are. Assault is a crime no matter the age or the perpetrators’ roles whether directly attacking, or making the attacks possible. Rather than the numerous drama series showing the criminals attacking other students always with impunity, expose physical and verbal assault in the school system for what it is: a crime punishable by expulsion and imprisonment.

For the victim to become obsessed and as vicious as the criminals—while understandable—makes her no better. I am still waiting for a brilliant writer like this one to stop the histrionics and go after the criminals and their supporters carefully and methodically and legally until they are expelled and imprisoned. Because it never should have gone as far as it was allowed. And it won’t stop until it is exposed and punished in the courts. That said, everyone in this drama is excellent. Think how much more they could have been in a true revenge story resolved through the courts.

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Respect the Audience

When you offer a love story about two really sweet people who take care of others and are devoted to one another, you do not then tack on a deliberately hurtful ending without explaining anything at all. Nothing. We don’t know why it happened. We don’t know why the writer did it almost immediately, and we don’t know why his beloved never tried to find him, ask about him. For so many years……Nothing. Yet the couple the writer and crew taught us to love never would have done that to one another, nor would a good writer have done it to the audience who loved them.

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The only drama series I watch again are Korean, and among those, only the ones I find excellent on all levels; I’m pretty demanding because I’m older, less patient with mediocrity, so have less time to waste. For me to stay with a drama, much less re-watch, it must be interesting, challenging, charming, amazing, and all those other qualities that keep us coming back. Of course I also watch for my favorite actors, writers, and directors. I will enjoy all genres if they qualify, because I know a great Korean drama will also reward me for my time spent with learning more than I knew , entertaining me, leaving me with such good vibes and memories that I will buy that drama specifically to watch again. I’m willing to try a new drama and actor(s) if they grab me in the first couple of episodes. I will also try one that has very high ratings, but even that is not always a good measure for me since we are human and have varying tastes as humans. All of which is to say why I love Great KDrama. . . And why I am re-watching Moon Embracing the Sun and other great KDramas during the COVID-19 Stay Home Era. Along with music, books, workouts, Zoom with friends, etc. they are perfect for this challenging time, and I’m also seeing aspects I missed the first time as I settle in with the drinks and snacks to stay home and reasonably calm these sometimes scary days. Can’t be too scared with these delicious stories and actors to distract from evil microbes.

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Sad Exit for a Great Actress

Considering the cast and director of Train to Busan, this film should have been far better, but the writing and storyline are both thin and clumsy. Some scenes are simply dropped in the middle as if they couldn't figure out what to do with them next. So the film ends up fragmented and changes into an often frenzied, overly long action piece. However, there are some nice visuals in set designs, the two veteran female leads are wonderful, and the mother-daughter story is moving. The tragic death in May of Kang Soo Yeon is heartbreaking. She was a deeply respected Drama star in the original Korean Wave, so this film should have been such a comeback for her. Instead, it is her sad epitaph: And she is wonderful. RIP Lovely Lady ?

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