Goblin (도깨비) Filming Locations in Seoul and Incheon

I'm addicted to Korean dramas and one of my absolute favourites is Goblin so on my recent trip to South Korea I thought I would visit a few of the filming locations and re-create some of my favourite scenes. I didn't initially plan this KDrama tour but after randomly recognising an alley in Samcheong-dong and freaking out over the fact my favourite actors had walked these very same streets it became my new mission to visit as many other filming sites as I could, so this is my journey and a guide on how you can visit them to.

I'll be listing these places in chronological order of appearance although a lot do appear multiple times throughout the series, also this isn't a comprehensive list of every filming location you can visit in Korea just the places I visited.

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YONGDAP STATION BRIDGE

Yongdap Station Subway Line 2, Exit 2

(Exit up the staircase and it will lead you straight up to the bridge)

This is possibly one of the most iconic places in Goblin with many scenes being filmed here throughout the series, from the first scene with Eun-Tak's Mother to Sunny and the Grim Reaper meeting for the first time. This was actually our first successful visit to a Goblin filming location and we weren't the only ones taking shots on the bridge that day, there were several other people re-creating scenes to but we braved the cold and waited till the bridge was clear and after multiple fails finally got those iconic shots!

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DEOKSUGUNG PALACE WALL

City Hall Line 1, Exit 2 

(Turn right at the palace entrance and keep following the walls, turn right again at the "squashed statues" and it'll be down that road, the last right corner of the palace walls)

In the first episode this is where Goblin sees through the walls into Grim Reaper's "teahouse" and they interact for the first time. Our visit to this location was kinda a fail, it was near the American Embassy(?) and there were a lot of guards and police around that day also a valet parking business was running right on that corner of the walls so it was a bit too hectic for us to take any real clean shots. However, it's a really beautiful area of Seoul and although we didn't go into the actual palace the walk around it and seeing all the interesting art and tree lined streets were worth the trip.

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SAMCHEONG-DONG STONE WALL

Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 1

(walk straight then turn right at the intersection, it's the street directly across from Insadong)

This location is where Goblin and Eun-Tak see each other for the first time and Beautiful Life is played which never fails to get me emotional. Such an iconic scene and this is almost perfectly where our KDrama tour all started because I happened to recognise the walls, ask me what I did yesterday and I probably won't be able to tell you but things like this I have a weird memory for! As it was dark when we were first here I didn't manage to get any good shots but we visited Bukchon again in the daytime later in the week and managed to get a few clearer photos despite the crowds of people visiting that day and a random magic show happening in the middle of the street.

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STAIRS OVERLOOKING INCHEON

Dongincheon Station Line 1, Exit 1

(It's is not too far away from Hanmi Bookstore! Here's the LINK for the exact location on google maps)

This location is where Eun-tak escapes from her family in episode 2 then later summons the Goblin to tell him about her new job at the chicken shop. Our main reason for being in this area was to visit Hanmi Bookstore but as we had made the long journey from Seoul to Incheon already and were nearby we thought we might as well visit this place to and I'm glad we did as it's such an unique part of Incheon. To reach the top we went up the backstreet to the left of the second screenshot and there were some beautiful little hanbok houses with some really cute art painted on them in fact by the time I reached the top of the staircase I was so cold and exhausted from the steep climb up I didn't realise I was already sitting where Eun-tak is in that scene. Unfortunately with the sun setting I couldn't get any really clear photos but I still enjoyed the view of Incheon and would recommend a visit there regardless of whether you're a Goblin fan or not as it was just a really interesting part of the city and a stunning place to watch the sunset.

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HANMI BOOK STORE IN INCHEON
Dongincheon Station Line 1, Exit 1

(The store is about a 10 minute walk from the station past some traditional markets! You can find the exact location HERE!)

This is the bookshop that Goblin visits in episode 3 which is also featured in episode 6 where Goblin learns how to be affectionate with Eun-tak and again in episode 8 where Goblin confronts the Lady in Red. This bookshop was one of our main reasons for visiting Incheon, it's in a pretty cool area that has a lot of traditional markets selling Hanboks and the road itself is famous for second hand bookstores but Hanmi is easy to spot because of its bright yellow exterior. I absolutely adored this place it was floor to ceiling filled with books (some in English an Japanese to) and such a cosy place, the owner even gave me a chair to sit on when he saw me on my knees combing through the many children's books they had there which was a really sweet gesture and I did end up finding a beautiful Korean Children's book for just 500 won (less that 50 cents!) so I definitely would recommend a visit there for book shop lovers, it was honestly the bookshop of my dreams and it featuring in one of my favourite dramas was just a bonus!

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SEONGSU-DONG GRAFFITI ALLEY
Seongsu Station Line 2, Exit 4
(Roughly a 5 - 10 minute walk from the station! You can find the exact location HERE!)

In episode 3 Eun-tak accidentally summons the Goblin here when she's grilling squid, this scene actually takes place just after the first appearance of Hanmi book store. This was our final stop on our Goblin tour and probably one of my most favourite discoveries in Seoul. The whole area of Seongsu-dong is known as the Brooklyn of Seoul and it really does remind you of Brooklyn with all the hip designer cafes, vintage stores and street art. Cube Entertainment is also not too far from here and they have a cafe (20 Space) so if you're lucky maybe you could catch a glimpse of Sungjae (BTOB) on his way to the studio.

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SHINSEGAE DEPARTMENT STORE ILLUMINATIONS
Myeong-dong Station Line 4, Exit 5
(Alternatively you can stop at Hoehyeon station on the same line and take exit 7, this is one of the most popular department stores in Korea so should be easy to find) 

In episode 9 and 10 this is where Grim Reaper and Sunny meet for a date and also where she breaks up with him. This location has been featured in so many dramas and I have to admit it wasn't until I was googling pictures of Legend of the Blue Sea I saw it appeared in Goblin to, also I didn't purposely seek out this location I just happened to notice it whilst shopping in Myeong-dong and had to check it out, luckily it was Christmas at the time I was there so the illuminations were out and although you only really see the fountain in the drama the tree was really pretty to.

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SINCHON GRAFITI TUNNEL
Sinchon Station Gyeongui Line, Exit 2
(This station is a bit difficult to get to so you might want to get off at Ewha and walk, the exact location can be found HERE)

In episode 11 this is where Goblin and Grim Reaper re-create their cool slow-mo walking scene from episode 2 but get in the way of a delivery boy on a motorcycle, then wish him a happy new year! This is one of my favourite scenes from Goblin and this was by far the biggest disappointment for me. After attempting to visit the "Goblin House" and randomly finding a filming location in Samcheong-dong this became the first filming location we purposely looked up and decided to visit and we had big ideas on how to recreate the scene, we even dressed up! BUT unfortunately as you can see from the photo below not only was access to the tunnel closed on both sides but all the graffiti there was gone to... FAIL! Luckily after our fails we didn't give up the mission and thankfully we got to take some really amazing photos and visit some other really interesting places we wouldn't have even thought of going to had it not been for our love of Goblin.

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WHITEBIRCH STORY TEA HOUSE

Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 1

(It's not far from the Samcheong-dong stone walls so head there, walk up and it's down the first alley on the left)

In episode 11 this is a cafe which Eun-tak and Sunny visit. I won't go into too much detail about this location as you can read all about it in my previous blog post but we luckily got to sit in the exact same place as they did in this scene!

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Deoksung Women’s University
Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 4
(The entrance to the university is right next to Unhyeongung Royal Residence)

I had this area bookmarked from my previous trip to Seoul as I happened to pass by the palace while it was closing and it looked interesting and after a little bit of research found that it was also the location they used to film the exterior of Goblin's house. So as we were in Insadong we thought we would check it out as it was on our way to Bukchon but our access was denied by these "STOP" signs posted at the entrance which I'd also like to point out are written not only in Korean, but English, Chinese and Japanese and specifically state that they appreciate you're a fan of Goblin but it's a working university so go away.... I'm guessing they must have had some problems with fangirls in the past and although it was tempting to just ignore the signs we respected the universities wishes and went on our way. So if you're thinking of visiting here don't bother because you won't be allowed in! I was obviously a bit sad but it wasn't something I had specifically planned (unlike the graffiti tunnel) so it wasn't much of a loss but I thought I would include it just incase anyone else is planning to visit there.

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What filming locations would you love to visit? Don't forget to check out my Goblin giveaway!

Love & Lattes

Cate

xoxo

BIG thank you to these blogs for helping us find these locations and live out our KDrama dreams:

♥ Travel with Karla

♥ Flyhoneystars

♥ Memago

Goblin (도깨비) Filming Locations in Seoul - Whitebirch Story - A Traditional Korean Tea House

From the moment you step inside Whitebirch Story you feel like as if you've entered a fairytale, there's so many cute shops and cafes in Samcheong-dong tucked away down the little alleyways of the Bukchon Village you're missing out by just staying on the main roads. Admittedly this wasn't a random discovery this was actually a place I found thanks to one of my favourite Kdramas Goblin (도깨비) which in fact lead me to visit some other really beautiful places around Korea, this is just one of them and I'll be posting about the rest very soon!

I've said this before but I'll say it again, a visit to a tea house is a must when you're in Korea there's just something so quaint and kitsch about them that you can't find anywhere else in the world. It was a very cold day when we visited so I was desperately in need of something to warm me up and I find tea houses in Korea are always so warm, relaxed and welcoming, the perfect place to hide from the cold winter weather.

There was a wide selection of different teas, coffee and other drinks on the menu there but as it was such a cold day I decided to go for a simple hot ginger tea which came with a little butter biscuit as service. I expected the tea to arrive as just a tea bag in some hot water but there were freshly cut pieces of ginger being steeped in my cup which I actually nibbled on later to give me an extra immunity boost. Ginger is just the best thing to eat in the winter not only does it give you that warm feeling but it's really good for you and helps prevent you getting sick.

Goblin was our reason for coming to this cafe but the relaxed ambience and the kitschy decor was why we stayed. We were also lucky enough to sit in the exact same place as Eun-tak and Sunny did in the drama so it felt like I was living out my KDrama dreams. I've always loved acting but my confidence and anxiety always held me back from going any further with it but little moments like this help me live out those dreams I had of becoming an actor.

Regardless of if you're a Goblin fan or not I would definitely recommend a visit to Whitebirch Story it's such a cosy place and everywhere you look there's something cute to make you smile, even the burn patches on the wall are cute, it definitely ranks high on one of the best cafes I've visited in Seoul and I'll definitely be back there on my next trip.

Keep following for more of my Goblin adventures & be sure to check out my giveaway!

Love & Honey

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below, buy me a coffee, get treats & a shoutout on my next post

KDrama Goblin (도깨비) Bonicrew Journal Giveaway!!

It's Korean drama month on Cateaclysmic this April as all month I will be sharing my adventures and mishaps visiting various Korean drama filming locations of one of my all time favourite series, Goblin (도깨비). So to celebrate I thought I would share the KDrama love and giveaway one of these cute Goblin Bonicrew themed journals I happened to find on my travels.

Mr. Buckwheat (or Boglegel) is one of the dolls featured in Goblin and although these dolls are long since sold out in Miniso stores you can still find them online. I actually found these journals in one of my favourite stationery shops in Thailand can you believe? So I just had to get myself one to scrapbook all the fun times I had in Seoul and of course one extra to share the KDrama love with all of my lovely followers. So if you want to be in with the chance to win yourself this cute journal just follow the instructions in the widget below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's your favourite KDrama series?

Good Luck

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching and Loving!

Time again to share with you some of the Asian dramas I've been watching and loving lately. I have to say I've been watching some really good ones lately especially from Korea and I've almost entirely abandoned some of the western series I used to watch! So if you're looking for a break away from the usually TV schedule here are just a few Asian series for you to check out...

U-Prince Series: Badass Baker & Absolute Economist

เสิร์ฟรักล้นใจให้ยัยตัวแสบ & ทฤษฎีป่วนหัวใจให้ปิ๊งรัก

U-Prince is making the list again and this time I'm recommending two series as they're only four episodes each, The Badass Baker AKA Dash and The Absolute Economist AKA Teddy, I will admit T-Rex is still my fave "prince" and probably will always be but these two boys are just as handsome and sweet but what I liked most about these two more than the previous U-Prince series I've watched is the female leads who we're just as funny and charming as the boys, they were actual fully formed characters in themselves with their own stories and problems rather than just a romantic plot device for the male lead in fact I think I actually preferred watching Chompink more than Teddy!

Prince of Wolf

狼王子

This is a Taiwanese drama about a boy who is lost in the mountains and raised by wolves who then falls in love with a girl and tries to adjust to life back in the human world. Pretty much as soon as I saw wolf in the title I knew I had to watch it even though the wolves are big, cuddly, adorable Malamutes but they're one of my favourite dogs so I won't complain. The lead actors of this series are so cute and I really found myself rooting for them and their families to, everyone was just so incredibly sweet in this drama it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

Goblin

도깨비

Goblin definitely filled the hole that Legend of the Blue Sea left when it finished although both aired in Korea at the same time this drama became the second most highest rated drama in Korean TV history and it totally deserves it to! Goblin is about an immortal Goblin who lives with a Grim Reaper and falls in love with a girl who can see Ghosts, I don't want to go into the plot too much because y'all need to watch this because it's just so beautiful in every way. I loved these characters so much and seeing the mythology and history of their past lives and how it affected their present and future lives (much like Legend of the Blue Sea) was so interesting to watch, there were so many cute, funny moments but then as with most KDramas you get hit like a truck in the feels so make sure you have some tissues when you watch this.

House of Sweets

おかしの家

This slice of life drama set in an old fashioned sweet shop in Japan is really heartwarming. The drama centers around Taro who lives with his grandmother who owns a sweet shop and spends most of his days hanging out with his neighbourhood friends thinking about the future and reminiscing about their childhood days. Although the drama isn't especially exciting and there's not much action (each episode is only 20 minutes long) it really filled me with a sense of nostalgia probably because I'm at the same stage in life as these characters where I'm am adult and have to deal with adult life but want to keep a sense of my childhood despite the harsh realities of the world. This is one of those dramas that's just nice to kick back and relax to after a stressful day because it's such an easy watch and although there are some very strange and sad moments it does leave you with a sense of hope.

W - Two Worlds

더블유

Doctor Oh Yeon-Joo's father mysteriously goes missing after completing the latest chapter of his webtoon and while searching his office for clues Oh Yeon-Joo get's dragged into the world of the webtoon by it's dying main character Kang Cheol in order to save him. THIS drama is AMAZING the plot is really unique compared to most other Asian dramas, yes it's romance but there's a lot of mystery and supernatural elements to which I really loved and it's done in such a interesting, stylish way. I have never binge watched a series so quickly it sucked me in right from the start (pun intended) and is definitely one of the best Asian dramas I've ever watched.

Love & Ice Coffee

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

Since returning from Korea I've been watching an endless amount of K-Dramas, there seems to be a new one released every week that I want to watch. One of the things I've started to realise is that I really do love watching romance dramas and maybe I am a bit of a romantic afterall because even with all the drama and tragedy they always end up making me feel really good and warm inside... it's strange how much things can change I never ever thought I'd be calling myself a romantic...

Alchemist

연금술사

I recently watched an interview with Young Ji (KARA) saying that she wants to marry Lee Dong Wook after seeing him in Goblin (don't we all?) and she mentioned how he's been helping her with her acting which got me curious to see what her acting is like so I stumbled across this little web drama from 2015. Young Ji (yes that's her name in the drama to) upon starting university falls in love with a guy at first sight which leads her to join a secret society who has banned dating and romance in the hope that she might get to know him a bit better. The cast are so cute and adorable and Young Ji is very funny, it's only a short drama so watching this made a nice little fun break between the more heavy dramas, so if you're looking for a giggle definitely check this one out.

Scent of a Woman

여인의 향기

Lee Yeon Jae a single woman in her mid-thirties, who has spent most of her life working hard for a company who doesn't appreciate her suddenly get diagnosed with cancer and decides to live the remaining 6 months of her life without care and too the fullest. From the start I knew this drama was going to be a sad one and it was but at the same time I really enjoyed it to, I watched it for Lee Dong Wook but I stayed for Kim Sin-A who did an amazing job and made me both laugh and cry. I like to binge watch my dramas but it took me a while to finish this one because of all high emotions and the subject it dealt with but at the same time I loved the humour and the romance which was incrediably sweet, you'll definitely need tissues if you watch this!

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo

역도요정 김복주

This is a coming of age drama about a group of young athletes training to succeed in their fields and find a healthy balance between career, love and life. After watching Scent of a Woman I was so happy to find a drama that was so much fun and light-hearted, it was such an easy watch and the cast are so sweet and funny, whilst it did deal with some heavy issues of the struggles of youth such as finding love, body image and family it was done in such a way that wasn't too heavy handed or overtly dramatic. I loved the relationship between Lee Sung-kyun and Nam Joo-hyuk, it was incredibly cute and it was nice to see the stereotypical strong protective male role reversed showing that women can be strong and protective not just emotionally but physically.

Coffee Prince

커피프린스 1호점

Coffee Prince is probably one of the most popular KDramas of all time so I probably don't even need to tell you to watch it because you probably already have. As great as Gong Yoo was in Goblin I just didn't get the hype around him and then my friend told me to watch Coffee Prince and now I totally get it and I totally get why this drama is so popular. So if you haven't got round to watching this drama (it was only released ten years ago!) then do go ahead and watch this classic.

Cinderella and Four Knights

신데렐라와 네 명의 기사

Eun Ha-Won is a high-school student who works multiple part-time jobs in order to save up money to go to college, she meets Hyun-Min a rich, arrogant, playboy who hires her to pretend to be his fiance for the night in order to ruin his grandfather's wedding but his grandfather actually find's himself so impressed with Eun Ha-Won's way of dealing with his grandsons that he hires her to move into a house with them and unite his three grandsons under the condition that she cannot date any of them. This drama isn't anything new when it comes to plot or characters but I really enjoyed it, Eun Ha-Won is so adorable and I was really rooting for her.

What series have you been watching and loving lately?

Love & Iced Americanos

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching and Loving!

As much as I try to watch as many different Asian dramas as I can Korean Dramas are definitely taking over my watch lists as they're just so aesthetically pleasing and well made compared to some other dramas being made in Asia and it's no wonder that a lot of countries are remaking them into their own language. Korean Dramas are definitely popular here in Thailand and it seems like a lot of the K-Drama stars are taking over as I can't seem to walk 5 minutes without seeing Lee Min Ho or Song Joong-ki advertising the latest phone or beauty product.

Madame Antoine

마담 앙트완

Ko Hye-Rim is a fortune teller who claims she can hear the voice of Marie Antoinette but in reality she's just an ordinary woman searching for true love with a keen sense of intuition that knows how to read people, when Choi Soo-Hyun, a world renowned psychologist who's goal is to prove that true love doesn't exist, moves into the office above Ko Hye-Rim's coffee shop they find themselves working together (although begrudgingly at first) to help solve people's problems. I really enjoyed this drama, I loved the characters and seeing all their relationships develop and I also really enjoyed the side plots of them trying to source people's problems and solving them as both the leads had very different methods and goals, it's a really funny drama to so definitely check it out.

My Love From The Star

별에서 온 그대

Doo Min-Joon is an alien who has been stranded on Earth for 400 years meets popular actress Cheon Song-Yi who he believes saved him in a past life, as he tries to find out the truth about who she is the two become close and fall in love. After watching Goblin and Legend of the Blue Sea this drama came highly recommended to me as it follows a similar storyline of finding past love with mystical beings, the drama also shares some of the same cast and after Legend of the Blue Sea I am such a fan of Jun Ji-Hyun! I have to admit I didn't really like the male lead in this I found him quite flat and boring and I know this is probably how the character is supposed to be as he's a 400 year old alien with little sense of humour who's avoided connection with people for fear of revealing his true identity but compared to the amazing Jun Ji-Hyun he just kinda fades into the background but towards the end of the drama I did warm up to him and I really enjoyed watching it maybe not as much as Goblin or Legend of the Blue Sea but it's still worth a watch if only for Jun Ji-Hyun, have I mentioned enough already how much I love her?

xxxHolic

×××ホリック

CLAMP's xxxHolic is one of my favourite ever anime/manga series and I had absolutely no idea they had made a live action version of it and stumbled upon this completely by accident. If you're familiar with CLAMP you'll how how beautiful and enchanting their artwork is and this drama brings life to that aesthetic, even the soundtrack works perfectly to add to that dreamy supernatural vibe. Ghost stories have always been my favourite and with most of the dramas I've been watching lately being romance or crime based this made a refreshing change even though I've watched the anime countless times! This drama felt a lot darker in tone than the anime, it lacked a lot of the humour of the original as well as my two favourite kawaii characters Mokona and The Pipe Fox but I still felt it was a very good adaptation and it's one I'd happily watch again and again.

Descendants of the Sun

태양의 후예

I have heard so much about this drama that I thought it was finally time to give it a watch, without going to much into the plot it's basically a romance story between a doctors and soldiers but it's so much more than that to and deals with themes of patriotism, duty, forgiveness and sacrifice. This was such a beautiful drama and a beautiful story I really loved all the characters and how selfless they were and I also loved the humour in the series as it worked well to lighten the mood between those heartbreaking and serious moments. I can definitely see why it was so popular, Korea knows how to make dramas!

Lost ID

そして、誰もいなくなった

Todo Shinichi finds his idyllic life in turmoil after a man bearing the same name as him is arrested and he's accused of identity fraud, as the story unfolds Shinichi realises that there may be something more sinister behind what he thought was a simple system error as he seeks to regain his stolen identity. Although this drama was only released last year it feels like it was made a while ago, maybe it's because Tatsuya Fujiwara is the main star and he's barely aged since staring in the Battle Royale and Death Note movies, seriously what's your secret dude? But aesthetics aside this drama was actually quite interesting and it was almost scary to see how not being a part of "the system" can affect your whole life through even the smallest ways.

Love & Sakura

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

Finally, I'm slowly catching up on the most anticipated Korean dramas of this year and wow I'm already blown away by what's on offer! This is just a small list but there is so many more I can't wait to watch, I can definitely understand the hype for these series and not one has really disappointed me yet, I'm honestly impressed with the production of these series as they're so high quality compared to the K-Dramas of old it's no wonder they're getting more international recognition. Anyway here's just a few for you to check out this month and they'll definitely be more coming soon...

Kingdom

킹덤

10 days have passed since the King collapsed from a mysterious illness and rumours are spreading about his death so Crown Prince Lee Chang who has been forbidden from seeing his own father during is illness decides to secretly investigate and finds that things are indeed not what they seem and this may not be a normal illness his father has; After finding out the truth about this illness he soon becomes the kingdom's only hope against this strange plague that is bringing the dead back to life. I saw an advert for this while I was on the train and it caught my eye so much that  just had to watch it and wow, it's AMAZING! It's you're not a fan of Zombies or horror then I would stay clear of this one but if you are a fan then you have to check this out at it's one of the best zombie series I've seen in a long time, the cinematography, the storyline, the setting, everything is just so well presented. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a period drama with zombies before, unless you count Game of Thrones (which maybe explains why I loved it so much), so this was kinda a unique experience for me. Aside from the zombie storyline I found the royal family plot line really interesting to and it took a shall we say "interesting" turn at the end. Speaking of the ending .... I can't believe they left it like that, what a cliffhanger, it really left me wanting more! Thankfully season 2 is already in production but it can not come quick enough.

Memories of the Alhambra

알함브라 궁전의 추억

Yoo Jin Woo is the CEO of an investment company in search of the mysterious inventor of an innovative augmented-reality video game. He takes a business trip to Granada, Spain to find the inventor and finds himself staying at an old hostel run by Jung Hee-Joo, who turns out to be the sister of the creator of the game, but he is missing. Together they find themselves drawn into a series of strange and unexpected events as the border between the real world and the AR world begin to blur. This was another series I happened to see the advert for on the train that caught my eye, I'll admit at first seeing the posters I thought it was just another typical romance story but seeing the gaming and fantasy elements in the trailer really appealed to me so much so I had to give it a watch. I really enjoyed this drama and the mysteries within it as Yoo Jin Woo progressed throughout the game searching for the creator and how this affected his real world life, there was some real heartbreaking moments towards the end of the series to. Despite the posters the romance was actually a very small part of the drama it was more focused n Yoo Jin Woo's mission finding the creator and releasing both creator and himself from the game, but Jung Hee-Joo was a very sweet character and I enjoyed her part in the drama both real world and gaming world. Definitely give it a watch it was such an interesting storyline and the gaming elements were done so well, it makes me wonder when we will see this level of technology and whether it will be a good or bad thing...

Are You Human Too?

너도 인간이니

Oh Laura, a renowned scientist is forced to part ways with her young son, Nam Shin and exiled abroad by her father-in-law, a rich CEO and to help cope with her loss she secretly builds AI robots in the image of her son. Decades later when Nam Shin is a grown man she unexpectedly sees him moments before an accident forces him into a coma. Oh Laura decides to protect her sons position as heir by sending the AI Robot of Nam Shin to Seoul to take his place and fulfil his duties while she waits for her real son to wake from his accident. I'm a big fan of these AI dramas and the question of what really makes us human and the future of technology. I loved how this drama started off as an AI learning from humans to in the end humans learning from him, I also loved the underlying message of how you shouldn't have to pretend to be anyone else and just accept yourself. We're so used to seeing robots and technology portrayed as scary and threatening and wanting to rule over humanity so it was refreshing to see a drama where the opposite is true and human motives were put into question.

Sky Castle

SKY 캐슬

Sky Castle revolves around the lives of 4 housewives living in a luxurious residential area called Sky Castle in suburban Seoul, as they try to make their husbands more successful and raise their children like princes and princesses. This drama cane highly recommended by so many and has become one of Korea's most popular dramas and after watching it I can understand why with the societal issues it deals with being a popular topic for debate in Korea. Personally it didn't grab me, I'm not really a fan of this Desperate Housewives genre and prefer some sort of supernatural or fantasy elements in my drama as it's all a bit too real and depressing for me otherwise but I do think it took on the subject of ambition and competition quite well because although as it states explicitly at the start of every episode it's a work of fiction there is definitely some reality in the show with the housewives stopping at nothing to get their children into prestigious universities and onto successful careers, but at what cost? I found the final quarter of the series to be very dramatic and emotionally charged and it became a bit of  a struggle to get through at times as it was so heavy but overall it is a really well made series that delivers a strong message.

Touch Your Heart

진심이 닿다

Popular actress Oh Yoon-Seo, known for her beauty but terrible acting skills is involved in a scandal that damages her career, leaving her jobless for two years. A famous screenwriter approaches her for a major role in an upcoming drama on the condition that she gains experience working at a law firm as a secretary for a few months. She is assigned as secretary to a lawyer named Kwon Jung-Rok, who is known for his cold demeanour and although he's not happy about the situation, he has to accept.
As you may know Goblin is one of my all time favourite K-Dramas so seeing these two reunited on screen together was very much anticipated as I adore their chemistry so much. These were very different roles for them compared to Goblin but their chemistry was just as strong and I really love the development of their characters together, their relationship was so sweet and every scene of the two of them together was just a joy to watch, I really hope they get more roles together in the future. I also enjoyed the romance of the side-characters to and found it very sweet, over all it's a very sweet drama and I'd definitely recommend it to my fellow Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na fans.

What have you been watching lately?

Love & Roses

Cate

xoxo