Daebak K-Rambles Podcast: K-drama Reviews

On Episode 39 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guest Paroma from the Dramas Over Flowers Podcast to review Youth of May , starring Lee Do-Hyun and Go Min-Si. Jess and Paroma talk through this star-crossed lovers story set in a historically significant time period, discussing the experience of watching, the amazing script, the director’s approach to the material, the chara...

On Episode 38 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by Laura and Kathy from the MIA2K Podcast to review Dream High, starring Kim Soo-Hyun, Bae Suzy, and Ok Taecyeon, IU, and so many more. Jess, Laura, and Kathy lovingly roast this iconic 2011 idol drama, discussing the acting from all the rookie players, the appeal of the show (despite its flaws in cinematography, writing, sound mixing,...

On Episode 37 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guests Jenn and Marisa from The KThree review Healer (2014), starring Ji Chang-Wook and Park Min-Young. Jess, Jenn, and Marisa return to this pre-2015 action-romance, talking through how Jenn and Marisa found the drama on this rewatch, how Jess has fallen madly in love with Ji Chang-Wook (finally!), the themes of identity, trust, and belongin...

On Episode 36 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and guest Lola from Lola Pops Off About Kdramas officially kick off Season 4 with a review of My Love from the Star (2013), starring Jun Ji-Hyun and Kim Soo-Hyun. Jess and Lola deep dive on this pre-2015 Hallyu wave juggernaut, discussing the difference between their first watch of the drama and this rewatch, its chicken and beer legacy, how deli...

On a special Episode 35 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by the ladies from the Seoul Sistahs Podcast to wrap up a review of Alchemy of Souls Parts 1 and 2. In the part 2 spoiler section of the review, Jess, Nas, and Ori talk through the characters and their arcs (if they even had one), swoon through some of the best romantic scenes, rail against some of the worst bits of writing an...

On a special Episode 34 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by the ladies from the Seoul Sistahs Podcast to review Alchemy of Souls Parts 1 and 2, a journey almost as long as the drama itself. In the part 1 non-spoiler section of the review, Jess, Nas, and Ori have a robust discussion, talking through what they generally liked and disliked about the show, the stunning cinematography an...

On another special Episode 33 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by pen aficionado and Utada Hikaru’s #1 fan Miguel to review the very first J-drama for the podcast, First Love, starring Mitsushima Hikari and Satoh Takeru. Jess and Miguel are back for some more ‘90s nostalgia in this 2022 J-drama hit, discussing the themes and messages of the show, major criticisms of the show, the st...

On a very special Episode 32 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by repeat guest Carol from the Kdramatics Club to do a Final Say review of the very first C-drama for the podcast, Love Between Fairy and Devil, starring Dylan Wang and Esther Yu. Jumping straight into spoiler talk, Jess and Carol gush and fangirl over this 2022 C-drama hit, discussing Dylan Wang’s performance, the well-w...

On Episode 31 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by repeat guests Mina from the Kpop Bookshelf Podcast and Kathy from MIA2K Podcast to review Extraordinary Attorney Woo, starring Park Eun-Bin. Jess, Mina, and Kathy talk through this 2022 K-drama hit, discussing Park Eun-Bin’s performance, the ASD stereotypes that complicated the groundbreaking and positive representation, the pros and...

On Episode 30 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by repeat guest Minal from the Crash Landed on Kdramas Podcast to review Little Women, starring Kim Go-Eun, Nam Ji-Hyun, Park Ji-Hu, and many more. Jess and Minal discuss this 2022 dark thriller, talking through Kim Go- Eun’s stellar performance, the themes of corrupting capitalism and money, what the show says about motherhood, why the...

On Episode 29 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by repeat guest Caitlin from @nosleep4dramas to review the perfect spooky szn drama, Flower of Evil , starring Lee Joon-Gi and Moon Chae-Won. Jess and Caitlin discuss this 2020 crime melodrama in detail, talking through Lee Joon-Gi’s creeptastic performance, the intense internal struggles of our main characters, the plots twists that we...

On Episode 28 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guest Alex from the Hallyu Been Podcast to review the first historical drama for the pod, The Crowned Clown , starring Yeo Jin-Goo, Kim Sang-Kyung, and Lee Se-Young. Jess and Alex ramble their way through this amazing 2019 sageuk, discussing the impressive performance from lead Yeo Jin-Goo, the strong (and ever so precious) r...

On Episode 27 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by repeat guest Mina from the Kpop Bookshelf Podcast to review Mr. Sunshine , starring Lee Byung-Hun, Kim Tae-Ri, Yoo Yeon-Seok, and many others. Jess and Mina truly deep dive on this 2018 epic, exploring the major themes of identity, belonging, classism, and more, the history and culture of the time, what America feels like in the hand...

On Episode 26 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guests Laura and Kathy from the MIA2K Podcast to review Love All Play , starring Park Ju-Hyun and Chae Jong-Hyeop. Jess, Laura, and Kathy deep dive on this 2022 sports romance drama, discussing the chemistry between the leads, “Potato Boy” Jong-Hyeop’s infectious smile, the basic plot and tired tropes of the show, the OST, im...

On Episode 25 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and Rico dole out a bit of mafia justice to review Vincenzo , starring Song Joong-Ki, Jeon Yeo-Bin, and Taecyeon. Jess and Rico talk through this 2021 crime/dark comedy drama, discussing the crazy shifts in tone throughout the show, pacing, chemistry between the leads, Taecyeon’s performance and character motivations, fun facts about the producti...

On Episode 24 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guests Nas and Ori from the Seoul Sistahs Podcast to review While You Were Sleeping, starring Bae Suzy, Lee Jong-Suk, and Jung Hae-In. Jess, Nas, and Ori giggle their way through a discussion of this 2017 show, touching on the chemistry between Suzy and Jong-Suk, similarities between other projects from the showrunners, the n...

On Episode 23 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guest Curtis from the Infatuasian Podcast to review Prison Playbook , starring Park Hae-Soo, Jung Kyoung-Ho, and many more. Jess and Curtis have a fun talk about this 2018 K-drama, discussing the portrayal of prison in Korea, their disappointment in the pacing and episode length, the funniest moments in this slice-of-life dra...

On Episode 22 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guests Gbemi and Carol from the Kdramatics Club to review Search: WWW , starring Lim Soo-Jung, Lee Da-Hee, and Jeon Hye-Jin. Jess and the Kdramatics ladies have a hot discussion about this 2019 K-drama, talking through the portrayal of powerful women in the workplace, the potential queerbaiting, the ethics explored in the tec...

On Episode 21 of the Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and repeat guest Miguel kick off Season 3 with a review of Snowdrop , starring Jung Hae-In and Blackpink’s Kim Ji-Soo. In between the giggles and roasting, Jess and Miguel deep dive on this controversial 2022 Disney+ original K-drama, discussing Ji-Soo’s acting, the admittedly very good chemistry of the leads, the progression of the plot, the mos...

On Episode 20 of the ATC Presents Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guests Minal, Sangeetha, and Poonam from the Crash Landed on Kdramas Podcast to review Pachinko , starring Kim Min-ha, Lee Min-Ho, Youn Yuh-Jung, and Jin Ha. Jess and the Crash Landed ladies have a hot discussion about this 2022 American adaptation of the bestselling book, talking through the acting performances,...

On Episode 19 of the ATC Presents Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by repeat guest Miguel to review Twenty-Five Twenty-One , starring Kim Tae-Ri and Nam Joo-Hyuk. Jess and Miguel deep dive on this popular and contentious 2022 K-drama, discussing Kim Tae-Ri and Nam Joo-Hyuk’s acting, the amazing writing, the framing device, the retro OST, the world events that pushed the plot forward, the r...

On Episode 18 of the ATC Presents Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guest Curtis from the Infatuasian Podcast to review Start-Up, starring Bae Suzy, Nam Joo-Hyuk, and Kim Seon-Ho. Jess and Curtis actually disagree on their assessment of this pandemic-era K-drama, talking through Nam Joo-Hyuk’s acting chops, “Good Boy” Kim Seon-Ho, the pacing, the fun OST, where the show could’ve...

On Episode 17 of the ATC Presents Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guest Jenny from the Pocha Playlist Podcast to review Goblin, starring Gong Yoo and Kim Go-Eun. Jess and Jenny cry over a bouquet of buckwheat flowers as they discuss this iconic K-drama, talking through the fantastical star-crossed lovers plot, the excellent second-lead couple, the notorious age gap, the confoun...

On Episode 16 of the ATC Presents Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess and Rico take a walk on the dark side on a review of Beyond Evil, starring Shin Ha-Kyeon and Yeo Jin-Goo. Jess and Rico talk through the crime drama, including the strength of the acting, the ever-thickening plot, what could have been done differently, Chevy product placement, maniacal laughing, and more! *CORRECTION: Writer Kim Soo...

On Episode 15 of the ATC Presents Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, Jess is joined by special guest Mina from the Kpop Bookshelf Podcast to review Navillera, starring Park In-hwan and Song Kang. Jess and Mina dance their way through this 12-episode drama, discussing the effortless chemistry between the leads, the comical dance doubles, underdeveloped side characters, the meaning of “Navillera,” Song Kang’...