Daebak K-Rambles Podcast: K-drama Reviews

On Episode 89 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and friend Caitlin from NoSleep4Dramas Blog & Podcast review the crime thriller drama Connection , starring Ji Sung, Jeon Mi-do, Kwon Yool, and more. Jess and Caitlin talk through this underrated 2024 drama, discussing the elements that made it so addictive and thrilling, the cinematography and editing that made the watch experience so tactil...

On Episode 88 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guests Emily and Raquel from the Play on K Podcast review the sports drama Hot Stove League , starring Namgoong Min, Park Eun-bin, and Oh Jung-se. Jess, Emily, and Raquel talk through this 2019-20 Baeksang Award winner, discussing our history with sports dramas and baseball (like, what is a stove league?), the characters and performances, the...

On Episode 87 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Liliana from Tea & Soju Podcast is on hand to review Nothing But You , starring Wu Lei and Zhou Yu Tong. Jumping straight into spoilers, Jess and Liliana talk through this 2023 slice-of-life sports drama. The duo discuss the cast, the progression of this 10-year jiejie / noona romance, the best swoon-worthy scenes, the mommy issues, and more! GUES...

On Episode 86 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guests Melissa and Nolizwe from the African Seoulmates Podcast review It's Okay to Not Be Okay , starring Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, and Oh Jung-se. Jess, Mel, and Noli talk through this 2020 pandemic success, discussing the themes of mental health and illness, the characters and performances, the super questionable twist, the legacy of the sh...

On Episode 85 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and friend Caitlin from NoSleep4Dramas Blog & Podcast review Season 2 of Pachinko , starring Kim Min-ha, Lee Min-Ho, Youn Yuh-Jung, Jin Ha, and so many more. Jess and Caitlin talk through the second season of the Apple TV+ American adaptation of the bestselling book, discussing the depiction of World War II, the juxtaposition of the past and...

On Episode 84 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, the Drama Trio is back! Jess is joined by friends Caitlin from NoSleep4Dramas Blog & Podcast and Liliana from the Tea & Soju Podcast to review  The Trunk , starring Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-Jin. Jess, Caitlin, and Liliana talk through this 2024 romance-thriller K-drama, discussing the flawed characters, the melancholia and introspective nature of...

On Episode 83 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guest Carol from Kdramas Musings team up to review When the Phone Rings, starring Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin. Jess and Carol talk through this mega-popular 2024-25 drama, including its makjang bloodline, what went wrong (a laundry list of the illogical, plot holes the size of the Grand Canyon, too many kidnappings), favorite and least fav...

The Season 6 kick-off is here! On Episode 82 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and Miguel return to talk about the worldwide phenomenon that is Squid Game Season 2, starring Lee Jung-Jae, Lee Byung-hun, Gong Yoo, Park Sung-hoon, T.O.P, and so many more! Jess and Miguel talk through the hotly anticipated season 2 of the Netflix thriller, including our general thoughts and deep dive, a Netflix r...

On Episode 81 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, the Drama Trio is on deck with Nas from the Swoon Diaries Podcast to review  The Double , starring Wu Jin Yan and Wang Xing Yue. Jumping straight into spoilers, Jess, Caitlin, Liliana, Nas talk through this 2024 sleeper hit. The group talk through this cast, the amazing acting and cinematography, the revenge plots and the deliciously vicious villains,...

On Episode 80 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and friend Caitlin from NoSleep4Dramas Blog & Podcast finish off Spooky SZN 2024 with a review of  I Saw the Devil  (2010), starring Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik. Jess and Caitlin discuss this unsettling and depraved movie, talking through the director, writer, cast, and performances, the cat and mouse storyline, the true crime that inspire...

On Episode 79 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guests Natalia and Jessie from the Certified Noonas Podcast review  The Host  (2006), starring Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona, and Ko Ah-sung. Jess, Natalia, and Jessie discuss this monster movie from the phenomenal director Bong Joon-ho, talking through this stellar cast and performances, the Steve Buscemi-designed creat...

On Episode 78 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guests Jenn and Marisa from The KThree review Memoir of a Murderer (2017), starring Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Nam-gil, and Seolhyun. Jess, Jenn, and Marisa discuss this mystery thriller, talking through the other movies it reminded us of like Memento and Shutter Island , the portrayal of Alzheimer's, the lackluster performance from Seolhyun, the scen...

On Episode 77 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and friend of the pod Nas from the Swoon Diaries Podcast kick off Spooky SZN 2024 with a review of Train to Busan (2016), starring Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Choi Woo-shik, and Jung Yu-mi. Jess and Nas discuss this heart pounding and heartfelt horror flick, talking through a brief history of zombie cinema, what makes Train to Busan so critically acc...

The Season 5 finale is here! On Episode 76 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and Mina from the Kpop Bookshelf Podcast review  SKY Castle,  starring Yum Jung-Ah, Lee Tae-Ran, Yoon Se-Ah, Oh Na-Ra, and Kim Seo-Hyung, among many others. Jess and Mina talk through this drama from 2018, discussing the show’s incredible writing and performances from its cast, why it’s in the top 5 most highly rated...

On Episode 75 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and Liliana from the Tea & Soju Podcast review It's Okay, That's Love, starring Jo In-Sung and Kong Hyo-Jin. Jess and Liliana talk through this romance from 2014, discussing the show’s incredible writing and performances from its cast, its groundbreaking portrayal of mental illness and topics like mental health, trans issues, and consent, the...

On Episode 74 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by Daebak royalty Miguel AND Rico to review seasons 1 and 2 of the J-drama Alice in Borderland, starring Yamazaki Kento and Tsuchiya Tao, among many others. Jess, Miguel, and Rico team up to cover this 2020/22 Netflix drama, discussing the ultra violence, if K-dramas are more or less violent, comparisons to Squid Game , the themes and m...

On Episode 73 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, the Drama Trio is on deck! Jess is joined by friends Caitlin from NoSleep4Dramas Blog & Podcast and Liliana from the Tea & Soju Podcast to review Eternal Love of Dream ( aka Three Lives, Three Worlds, The Pillow Book), starring Dilraba Dilmurat and Vengo Gao. Jumping straight into spoilers, Jess, Caitlin, and Liliana talk through this ultimate...

On Episode 72 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guest Grace from the Afternoona Asks Podcast review the sageuk from yesteryear The Princess’s Man, starring Moon Chae-won and Park Si-hoo. Jess and Grace talk through this epic, ANGSTY romance from 2011, discussing the show’s writing, its accurate portrayal of real historical events, the cast and the scandal that rocked Park Si-hoo’s career,...

On Episode 71 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guests Curtis from the InfatuAsian Podcast and Brandon from the Pocha Playlist Podcast review the underrated K-drama Our Blues, starring Lee Byung-hun, Kim Hye-ja, Shin Min-a, Lee Jung-eun, Kim Woo-bin, and so many more. Jess, Curtis, and Brandon talk through this delightful and stressful 2022 show, discussing the all-star ensemble cast, the...

On Episode 70 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guest Pam from @pam_dramaholic on Instagram review the emotional K-drama Tomorrow, starring Kim Hee-seon, Rowoon, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Yun Ji-On. Jess and Pam carefully pick their way through this triggering 2022 show, discussing this super cool cast, Rowoon’s filmography and acting talent, the show’s religious themes, the context for cardboard...

On Episode 69 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and friend of the pod Nas from the Swoon Diaries Podcast review the vintage K-drama Autumn in My Heart, starring Song Seung-Heon and Song Hye-kyo. Jess and Nas laugh and cry their way through this classic and tragic 2000 show of yore, discussing the “Endless Love” series, the origins of so many tropes, setting as a character, and the creation of...

On Episode 68 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and friend Caitlin from NoSleep4Dramas Blog & Podcast review season 1 of the crime K-drama Stranger, starring Cho Seung-Woo and Bae Doona. Jess and Caitlin talk through this amazing 2017 drama, discussing the stellar cast, how it had Jess’s head spinning and confused (in a good way), the (platonic) chemistry between the leads, the most memora...

On Episode 67 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guest Becky from @dont_sue_rebecca on TikTok review the slice-of-life K-drama Because This Is My First Life, starring Lee Min-ki and Jung So-min. Jess and Becky talk through this underrated 2017 drama, discussing comfort-watch nature of it, the relatability and authenticity in the characters, the amazing ensemble cast, the chemistry between t...

On Episode 66 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guest Carol from Kdramas Musings team up to review Autumn’s Concerto, starring Vanness Wu and Ady An. Jumping straight into spoiler talk, Jess and Carol talk through this melodramatic 2009 Taiwanese drama hit, discussing the hysterical OTT plot beats and tropes (like the amnesia, for starters), the iconic cast and how outrageously hot Vanness...

On Episode 65 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guest Sarah from Kdrama This and the Afternoona Asks Podcast review a bit of a melodramatic K-drama— The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, starring Seo In-guk and Jung So-min. Jess and Sarah talk through this 2018 drama as best they can because FOR ONCE Jess couldn’t rewatch the drama! They discuss the changes from the original 2002 J-drama, the unde...