God's Quiz Season 1 Review

       Recently, I finished the amazing drama God's Quiz. I had been skeptical to watch it because of the title. I'm a Christian and I didn't want to watch anything blasphemous. Thankfully, hulu put it into my recommended shows. They know me so well. I loved it.

God's Quiz of the network OCN, is a non-traditional Medical, Crime, and Mystery Korean Television series. It perfectly marries the law and science throughout comedy and drama. 

The lead character is played by Ryu Deok-hwan. I could image no other actor playing this role. He is the perfect height, weight, age and has the perfect style, lips, smile. I tend to prefer guys of his style over guys with 12 packs and a ripped muscles. There's something so intriguing about a simple guy with a slender build and even more simply dressed(so basically the male version of me)

     I had seen the lead character Ryu Deok-hwan in the drama Faith staring Lee Min Ho, so for me, it was weird seeing him in kpop clothes.  

      From the jump, I realized that this was no ordinary drama. It took me a while to figure out that there would be no love connections but pure professional drama. The show starts out with the lead role being transferred to a crime morgue to help with autopsies. Though most of the emphasis is placed on Ryu's character, the supporting actors are very strong. It was very great to see the doctors already at the lab get to know Dr. Han Jin Woo's dramatic character. 

I also noticed that in most TV, the lead character and the comic relief are not always the same person, however in this drama, we see Dr. Han lighten the mood and just be himself.

This drama will keep or even steel your attention. There are no slow moments or filler episodes as the season is only 10 episodes long. The writers of this show are absolutely amazing. This is some of the best TV show writing I have seen anywhere.

          I couldn't help but notice the similarities that exist among God's Quiz and already established American TV shows. I have only seen CSI a few times but it was clear to see that CSI had to have been one of it God's Quiz's inspirations. I especially loved to see the dynamic between the characters Detective Kang Kyung Hee and Dr. Han Jin Wee. This reminded me so much of the relationship and show of Rizolli and Iles. Along with the way they solve murders, their playful bickering and perspective as one being a doctor and the other being a detective, gave me flashbacks of the show. Also, the way one character is overly trained in defense and the other too cute to be bothered with a threat made me see a parallel of the two shows. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say their relationship more like Castle. . . I won't spoil it for you. :) I particular was fond of the contrast between the two characters with one having a carefree almost playful take on the world and the other with only a serious side. 

     Overall, each episode is entertaining and grabs the viewer. I love the fact that the show strives to portray a certain message to the viewer even sometimes literally. It's cool to see and hear  ideal, morals, and values. Likewise, it is interesting to see the Korean perspective of America whenever the topic arises. Everyone should give it a try.

That Drama Mamma

Off Topic: Miss A's I don't Need a Man

This has nothing to do with drama. I apologize.  I thought this needed discussion.

(This Has Nothing To Do With Drama no.1

Miss A's new song just hit the Kpop charts on Eat Your Kimchi. Everyone has been commenting on their clothes and style but I think it's a great message for girls in Korea. I have heard countless stories of Korean women sucking their boyfriends dry or relying on their parents for an extensive amount of time. I grew up hearing songs like this from Destiny's Child, The Cheetah Girls, and Ne-yo. This is my first time hearing this kind of message from a Korean pop girl crew. HUH?(Gdragon voice). The beat itself to me sounds more like a Keri Hilson R&B Hip Hop track (what should I expect from JYP). The lyrics that stood out to me were

"I don't sell myself to anyone"

and also

"I don't want to spend my parent's money as if it's mine, I'm old enough, I should ask them if they want some money."

I feel these lyrics because so many women around the world will sit in a man's house and be their sugar baby and think nothing of it. This is something their community really struggles with it seems. 

I have never heard financial advice in a hip hop song but we can hear it in the rap sequence:

"My car, my clothes – I bought it all on my own I bought them after putting money into savings, after giving allowance to my parents"  have heard Kpop is good for you. 

The song also promotes happiness with yourself no matter what state you're in. Miss A doesn't make mention of their Black Cards and islands they own like we hear so often in American music. Instead of popping bottles, they feel proud that they paid their own rent. They even said they would rather live honorable and not have enough to eat than the live a comfortable lifestyle with their parents. This is the total opposite message of the normal millionaire rap star songs. This kind of songs speak to their audience. Instead of envying them for their money, they want you to desire their honorably, drive, and morals. They talk about maybe not being rich but still loving themselves.

This song motivates me. I honestly can't say all of those lyrics proudly. I don't wake up early, I still live with my parents, and I am living comfortably in their middle class home. It motivates me not to sulk in disappoints but to rise above it all. Don't get me wrong. I'm no trust fund baby. My parents don't buy my clothes and I'm paying for my own gas and school. 

Am I reading in to much into this Kpop hit? Let me know in the comments below ?

Major Crimes

The Closer was one of my favorite shows in all of TV world. The best part about it was Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson. Even though I know they over exaggerated her accent to sound southern that show was the best. It had the best plots twists and turn and every season finale made you pee in your pants more and more each year. The Closer was Brenda played by Kyra Sedwrick. It would utter stupidity to proceed with a show without it's leading role. So when I saw Major Crimes sitting alone in my ONDemand underneath The Closer I scoffed at it. I said that there is no way on earth that Major Crimes could be any good. I said that until I watched the first episode. It led your attention slowly and slowly away from that fact that Brenda was no longer there. It gave you what happens in real life. People move on, they get promoted, they get older, they change paces. With that emotion, it kept me watching and pondering. I pondered "How is the team going to handle it all?" "Were they really as loyal?" "Is she really the replacement?"

        From time to time, I can admit, I did look around and say if Brenda were here or Brenda sure is going to come around the corner and have a chat with Fritz. But she never did. The closer came to a close and Major Crimes came to the forefront. We see different angles of certain characters we had never seen before. The drama of The Closer is still present only with a change in background music.

My first Korean Drama Experience

I can remember the very first time I saw a Korean Drama. I didn't even know what it was or what language it was in. I didn't know what country it was from. The only thing that I knew was that I was in love with the genre. I was captivated by the fashion, the music, the poetic nature of the script, the flow, and style of the Korean Drama. 

       The spring of 2011 led me to see it. "What is this?" I said, "In my youtube recommended videos, PTEP06." Just one click changed my whole entire life. I don't know how it got there. It could be from the fact that my subscription box sang to the tune of NigaHiga, KevJumba, and WongFu Productions. YouTube probably "assumed" that I was Asian the way they assume all black people eat fried chicken and are on food stamps. That season, I had discovered Dpryde, an Asian Canadian rapper. That year I also discovered Taeyang.  YouTube doesn't always get it wrong. I loved it. It was so different. It was something I had loved my whole but had never known of. 

      Soon PTEP06 turned into PTEP07 then PTEP08 and so on. How could something steal away all of my attention and not leave me feeling drained. Somehow, I finally realized the name of that majestic drama, Personal Taste. I would try to watch it everywhere, at school, but it was blocked. On my small pantech LED screen. I had never read so much in my life. I didn't mind the subtitles. The leading man was my dream guy and the guy I want as my best friend at the same time. The other guy was a total jerk yet also my dream guy at the same time. The leading female was so me. We had the same character traits, the same fashion sense, and the same back story. I had never experienced a connection like that with an American TV show. The episodes were so long but they were filling like a nice soup and not over powering like steak and potatoes. The weirdest part was looking back, it was really weird that I felt such a connection with a culture and language that I had NEVER experienced before. It's weird only because people say it is when really, millions of people around the world feel that connection with American shows like Fresh Prince and Friends. Why is it seen as weird for a black girl from America to enjoy watching the rollercoaster ride of a Korean Drama? 

To be continued. . .