Skip to main content

Roommates of Poongduck 304 (Korean Series)

This 8 episode Korean series (of about 30-35 minutes each) was surprisingly a warm, charming and engaging watch. It had occasional cheesy humor, some real slapstick comedy but also love story that felt real. The love between the two leads didn't happen just out of the blue, but there is a natural progression of their friendship and relationship over a period of time. The title of the show comes from the apartment address where our leads live as roommates.

Ji Ho Joon is the son of a rich and wealthy chairman of an industry. One day he gets an ultimatum form his father that he needs to learn to survive and make a life of his own and start as a team leader and show some profit in the company.  He gets kicked out and starts looking for an apartment. But he is very particular about  water pressure. When he sees an ad for roommate, he sees the house and likes everything and becomes roommate of Jae Yoon (the landlord). Next day in the office it turns out that Jae Yoon is actually an intern in the team that Ji Ho Joon is leading and it starts making for a very interesting dynamic. One os the boss at office and the other is landlord at home. For almost 3-4 episodes, we see their constant bickering, fights, teasing, one man upmanship to survive and make life difficult for other. But when they start working on a serious project, Ho Joon realizes how talented the intern is. They eventually become close and good friends and Ji Ho Joon also starts caring for him. One night Jae Yoon gets drunk and kisses Ji Hoo Yoon. After a few awkward moments the next day, they talk it out and are glad that they both feel the same way for one another and a secret romance starts and this happens by episode 7. But Jae Soon soon finds out the reality of Ji Ho Joon and is sad about being not told the truth and tells him that he may have rushed into the relationship and asks to break up. He quits and goes to his village. When Ji Ho Joon finds out truth, he follows him and convinces him of how truly he is in love with him and bring him back home. The show has a positive ending where Ji Ho Joon comes out of his father's shell and decides to start a new company with Jae Hoon.

As mentioned above, This was a charming and very believable series. Lets talk about some positives. The chemistry, constant bickering and fights and their role reversal between home and office played well and I enjoyed it. They have good chemistry. The office romance was fun. I really enjoyed the other two employees of their team and their slapstick dialogues and comedy. It was funny. Also the characters are supposed to be 27 and 29, and they looked the part (unlike some Thais shows where they look kids and are supposed to be CEO's of some companies). I also enjoyed the couple of scenes of Ji Ho Joon with his father and their fun banter. You could see the father mis frustrated with the son but their interactions were all light and laced with humor and I liked that. The makers did not make it all dramatic and serious. The show mostly works because of these light moments and their chemistry. Having said that, I do wish the series was better is some other ways. The romance doesn't happen until the second last episode. I wish it happened sooner and we could see more of that (but having said that, maybe it would have diminished the fun part). The whole angle of Jae Hoo being used by a childhood friend of his was stretched beyond the need. Sure, it is a critical piece because thats the beginning of how Ji Ho Joon starts caring for him, but there are a lot of those scenes where the friends is trying to take undue advantage of the simplicity of Jae Hoo and it becomes boring after a while. And then, just a random observation. I couldn't help but focus on Ji Jo Joon's teeth. Something was off and they just felt fake, every time he smiled (and he did smile a lot). I know I am being silly, but hey, what can I do!

Overall, its fresh, witty, funny, sometimes cheesy, but overall a good time. The plot is simple, and the drama was kept somewhat uncomplicated with a bit of rushed ending. I enjoyed it. (7.5/10)

Comments

Sailor Maan said…
One of my favourite Korean BL drama, I absolutely loved it! Especially the beginning where they fight and tease each other. Reminds me a lot of Rak Diao as they have the same boss/tenant dynamic. Then the progression in their relationship was greatly done. Many parts were so funny (that kick in the face OMG...). Jae Hoo was adorable and I liked he got an evolution of his character with his childhood friend (I know I shouldn't but I wouldn't have mind that punch in his face haha). I just felt the last drama with Ji Hoo Joon true identity was a small let down. Probably because I just wanted more! As a whole it was such a nice happy feeling drama.
Golu said…
A happy feel good drama. just what the doctor ordered
Golu said…
and thx for your recommendation to watch this one

Popular posts from this blog

The Shortest Distance is Round 3: Fallen Flowers

Continuing with the weird trilogy of "The Shortest Distance", I am so glad that finally I am done with part 3 and won't have to deal with this again in future. Thankfully, as of now the makers have not announced any further parts; which will save all of us on this earth from the embarrassment of watching this in near future. After the first 10 minutes are used in sort of recapping bits of first two parts, the story moves forward. Haruto is now starting to have feelings for Ruka, the mysterious pole dancer from second part. In a fit of rage, Ruka ends up killing the goat man and to save him and Haruto, Shibahara asks them to go underground. Meanwhile Shibahara continues the search for Seiya (the guy who had cut off Haruto's penis). It turns out Seiya is now also taking care of the original club owner from part 1. Both of them were released after they had informed Shibahara of Aoyama's secret location. Shibahara tortures Seiya's boyfriend leading to Seiya killin

One Summer Night (Korean)

I really wanted to like this film but for non native speakers, these movie leaves a lot to be understood and the way scenes were unfolding in front of me, I wasn't sure many times what was really going on. The story had potential button getting any back story on any of the characters limited my ability to empathize with any of these actors. Film starts with two North Korea military guys Yong Joon and Jae Sung having sex and they are caught red handed and they run. Three years later we see Yong Joon in Seoul leading a very mundane and poor life. He has a boyfriend Tae-Kyu, who is a weird guy. He is carefree, doesn't do any work and is completely emotional and financially dependent on Young Joon. In fact, even Yong Joon will go to any lengths to protect him , fend for him and taking care of him to the extent of even taking up prostitution. Suddenly one day Jae Sung appears in their life again. His motivation is not clear but it is obvious he wants Yong Joon back in his life, who

Ultimate masturbation: Shigoki no yama (Japanese) [The Ultimate Masturbation]

I would never know what was the point behind making this film. Was it supposed to be a comedy, cos it wasn't. It wasn't even porn. It was just a silly attempt at making something absolutely senseless and ridiculous. The story, as well as direction is equally shoddy. You could laugh for having seen something so bad, but I wouldn't call that comedy. An old man runs a camp about gay masturbation. The explanation given is that gays masturbate for pleasure unlike straight men, for whom the act is seen as shame or because they can't find a woman. One day a straight man shows up and wants to join the camp for his thesis. After discussion, he is allowed in. Rules include that you can masturbate together, you can masturbate one another, but there is no fellatio or anal sex. Some students of course breaks rule. The teacher then talks about 2 forms of masturbation which gives ultimate pleasure. He shows one without touching and then refuses to talk of the other. Somehow suddenly,