Miss Lee

Drama name: Miss Lee
Country: South Korea
Year: Sept - Nov 2019 

I stumbled across this drama on my local cable TV, which has TVN Asia channel. It was already airing Episode 2, and I started watching it. It was quite nice and I liked Miss Lee as she kinda looks like me hahah!! I know! Smh... ^_^V So I continued watching it as the weeks progressed. 

So, what's this drama about?

Lee Sun-Sim, or known as Miss Lee by her co-workers is a lowly accounts clerk in a small electronics factory named Cheongil Electronics, which manufactures vacuum cleaner parts for a larger conglomerate TM Electronics. She's basically the office girl who runs errands for everyone and nobody gives any respect to her of any kind. 

Miss Lee never complained much but was grateful to her colleague, Ji-Na who helped her get a job in this factory. However, Ji-Na was not a good person and she conned Miss Lee to buy the company shares from her as she already knew that the company was in the red. Ji-Na then disappears with the money. 

Cheongil Electronics owner, Mr Oh had developed his own vacuum cleaner and wanted to sell it on his own. He had enough of the sub-contractor relationship with TM Electronics but what he did not count on was that TM was very powerful and they worked against Mr Oh in trying to launch his product locally as well as overseas. 

Cheongil was going to be in bankrupt status, so Mr Oh decided to run away. The overwhelming debts of Cheongil was just too much so he faked his own death, leaving the employees of Cheongil in a lurch. They were at a loss at what to do, and during a drinking session they elected Miss Lee as the new president of Cheongil. 

The rest of the story goes on with Miss Lee trying to keep Cheongil Electronics afloat and fighting off acquisition by TM Electronics together with the help of the remaining employees. 

Overall thoughts

This is a really slow moving drama with the reality of life. There is zero romance but it is full of real life situations that people face daily. The struggles of being an employee, mother, single person etc. I really enjoyed this show as every character is very relatable. 

Best parts of the drama

I was quite surprised at the number of food featured in this drama! If you didn't know it could have been a mukjang drama even! I specially love Miss Lee's egg roll! It looks so yummy, wish I could try it! :D 

Philip Oh's red sports car... Yes, you know me! ;D I think it's actually the same car featured in Terius but this time in red... 

May, Cheongil's mascot dog... Haha! Well, if May could talk... the stories she would tell! Everyone sits and talks to May whenever they have problems... I love the part where the K-pop crazy lady put a printed jacket on May bearing her idol's face! Hahah!! 

Cheongil Electronics's vacuum cleaner... Seriously, that vacuum looks so good! I would buy one! 

Some of the life lessons and encouraging words to lift up your spirit to keep on fighting... 

Conclusion

Cheongil seem to be at a lost even after all the brave and tireless efforts of everyone. They were already at their ends and have decided even if it went bankrupt at least they have done their best. The turning point came when one of the senior managers at TM decided to be a whistle blower. The prosecutors investigated and found that TM had indeed abused their power over their sub-contractors. 

It's a happy ending for everyone, the bad guys went to jail and each character had their respective happy endings too. Relationships restored, family reunited, new love and joy for their company Cheongil Electronics. 

I liked this ending part where Mr Yoo comes back to work and he thought the girl was Miss Lee at first, but it turns out to be a new clerk. Miss Lee has now become the real president of Cheongil Electronics that everyone respects. Really nice... 

This is a nice drama of a slice of life as quoting one comment read online. It is not your usual lovey dovey romance k-dramas, which I really enjoyed. It was a tad bit boring at some point, but it also brought much tears (no, there were just onions around! ;D) However, realistically a company like Cheongil would go bankrupt as we all know real life is not like a k-drama with happy endings all the time. 

Alright, I guess I did a double review today! :D Haha! Just felt like it. It's been way overdue. I'll leave you with Miss Lee and Cheongil Electronics! Stay safe everyone. 

The Perfect Match (Taiwan)

Drama name: The Perfect Match
Country: Taiwan 
Year: Mar - Aug 2017 

Oh wow, it's really been so long since I last updated... My apologies, have been not much in the mood to watch anything current... plus daily life stress... Hope everyone is doing well and healthy. This drama came out in 2017, almost 3 years ago... I started Episode 1 but then left it on hold all these while... haha! Decided to pick it up again and it was quite nice! 

So, what's this drama about?

Hou Tingen is a Cordon Bleu trained top chef who is in charge of La Mure, one of the finest restaurants around. He is famous for lobster curry and one day he stumbles across an internet article which boasts a street food version of his signature dish at incredibly affordable price. He sets out to the night market to check out if the claims were true. 

Tingen meets Wei Fenqing, the street food vendor who claimed that her lobster curry sandwiches were just as good as the top chef's dish. He challenged her on the spot and prepared his curry sandwich using Fenqing's ingredients for the local folk to sample. Everyone there was blown away by his food. Fenqing's ego was hurt, she went to Tingen's restaurant the very next day to taste his lobster curry. 

She challenges Tingen to a battle, that within 7 days she can make the lobster curry just as good as his, provided that he would teach her how to cook it. Haha, I know right... the story line is already kinda ridiculous right from the start... But yeah, that's how it goes... 

The drama continues with Tingen teaching Fenqing how to cook his signature dish and how their relationship developed within the 7 days with family history secrets coming out and eventually threatening their love for each other. 

Overall thoughts

It is a light hearted rom-com, with not many really bad villians... The leads had good chemistry and the supporting cast were good, thus creating an enjoyable watch with the warm friendships from the night market crew. This drama is a bit cliche with the chaebol and poor girl kind of theme (if you are familiar with Korean dramas you'll know what I mean!) However, if you have watched Pasta or Wok of Love, this drama is definitely better than those two combined! 

Best parts of the drama

As with any food dramas, your eyes will have a food feast with all the fine dining dishes and also some Taiwanese street food! The show also starts off with some curry history which is kinda nice to know... 

Huo Tingen's apartment is really nice, please excuse the shirtless screenshots... :D 

As I have mentioned, the leads have good chemistry together. You'll have the full usual romance scenes, from scooter ride to rain and umbrellas.. princess dancing and eventually the kiss... ah, for such which girls would be super happy to get in a rom-com! :D

Tingen's food truck! It's a refurbished VW van... 

Notable scenes

Okay, this is what everyone is waiting for... yup, the super steamy first kiss! Man, Chris Wu can really kiss... you won't be disappointed! XD

Special mention

I had to mention this character from the drama, Xiaobin. He is Tingen's best friend and also right hand man. Haha, he's super funny, loyal and the bromance between them brings the comedy in... 

Conclusion

Okay, this is the part where the drama became kinda draggy... I read the comments and reviews online, and I do agree with them. As usual, there will be some kind of conflict between the leads and makes them separate for awhile. It turns out that Tingen's step dad and Fenqing's dad were supposed to be business partners back then. Fenqing's dad had the recipe for the curry, which Tingen's step dad stole after the guy got into a scooter accident on the roadside. 

With that stolen recipe, Tingen's step dad managed to build the empire which is what Tingen and his step brother are running at the moment. The leads separated because Fenqing's mum did not allow her daughter to marry the step son of the man who might have caused the death of her husband (Fenqing's dad) 

So with all drama ridiculousness, Fenqing inherits the empire and runs it like a boss. Sometimes, I wonder what script writers aim to build in people's minds... haha, I mean just imagine, she's just a street food vendor and then within 7 days or maybe a couple of months after and she can become the top chef of a Cordon bleu standard. It's just a bit stretched to me. 

But yeah, that's how the story is, Fenqing and Tingen's roles were reversed... Tingen became a food truck vendor serving food to make people happy, but he himself was not happy... the irony... 

It's a happy ending, don't fret just yet! The second lead decides to help them and brings them back together with a lawsuit. Yes, kinda like how they started.... Fenqing's group is suing Tingen for making a cheap version of their coronation chicken (a recipe which both Tingen and Fenqing developed together) So yeah, it was an awkward moment with the lawyer and everyone present. 

The leads get back together after that when mainly Tingen confessed his everything to her at the lawyers meeting. It was quite cheesy. Anyways, the drama ends with both parties running to each other (yes, true drama style) and kissing. The end. 

It's an okay drama, for those who love rom-com this would a nice one to watch if you have time to waste. I wouldn't recommend this much. It does depend on your mood, if you want a light hearted drama with romance and not too much heartache this would be okay. 

Alright then, hope you are staying safe and at home, with the covid-19 at large. See you in days to come. I'll leave you guys with Tingen and Fenqing...