Seo Yea Ji signed exclusive contract with Sublime

 

Fans of Korean actress Seo Yea Ji do not need to wait any longer for her comeback to the entertainment industry. Seo Yea Ji had recently signed an exclusive contract with the agency Sublime that house many acting talents such as prominent actor Song Kang Ho. Seo Yea Ji took a long break from acting after her drama Eve was broadcasted in year 2022. Since then, Seo Yea Ji was deeply involved in various controversies and gossips which forced the actress to take a hiatus from acting. Her exclusive contract with Gold Medalist ended in November 2023 and the controversial actress became a free agent. Seo Yea Ji is a rising star after she starred in the international hit drama It’s Okay to Not be okay, only to face her downfall a year later with the scandal of her text messages with her ex-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun. 

Seo Yea Ji scandal and timeline

Dispatch exposed the juicy scandal involving Seo Yea Ji and Kim Jung Hyun in year 2021, which is a year after the success of the hit international drama It's Okay to Not be Okay. We know Seo Yea Ji became popular after she acted in the drama. Unfortunately, her text messages with her ex-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun were dug out and Seo Yea Ji was accused of gaslighting her ex-boyfriend during the filming of the drama Time in year 2018. It was revealed that Seo Yea Ji manipulated Kim Jung Hyun into amending the scripts so that there is no intimate scene between his co-star Girls Generation Seohyun. She even instructed Kim Jung Hyun to maintain a distance from the female staff members at the filming set. In addition, Seo Yea Ji was also blamed for Kim Jung Hyun rude behaviors at the Time press conference. Due to the scandal, Seo Yea Ji was dropped like a hot potato from various endorsements that she represents. 

Subsequently, netizens start to dig out her past statements on the falsification of her academic achievement as she apparently said that she attended a university in Spain in hope of becoming a news anchor, before she decided to focus on her acting career. There were multiple times when she claimed to have studied in Spain, but she contradicted her statement when she revealed to the public later that she did not enroll in a University in Spain. Netizens were convinced that Seo Yea Ji had told a lie to the public and she faced backlashed again. To add fuel to the oil, past acquittances and ex-staff member of Seo Yea Ji had jumped out of nowhere and accused Seo Yea Ji of being a bully and even stole money from them.  The controversies went out of control at a point of time and people have come out with various accusations of Seo Yea Ji bad personalities. 

A controversial reporter exposed that Seo Yea Ji has been romantically involved with TVXQ Yunho and has been manipulating him. He also mentioned that Seo Yea Ji had dated her co-star in It's Okay to Not Be Okay Kim Soo Hyun. They were in a relationship before she decided to date his cousin Kim Sa Rang who is the co-owner of Gold Medalist. Seo Yea Ji and her then agency Gold Medalist had kept quiet throughout the whole accusation, and it incurred the wrath of the public as Seo Yea Ji did not apologize for her past actions. The last controversy was during the broadcast of the Drama Eve, her family were involved in a dispute with their neighbors due to the parking lot. The neighbors accused Seo Yea Ji and her family for been inconsiderate and caused inconvenience to others due to their actions.  

Seo Yea Ji was sued by the endorsement company for damage to their reputations, people who used to support her had turned against her. In light of her apologies to the public due to her immature personality and attitude, netizens still refused to let it go and even calling her out for being insincere. Seo Yea Ji decided to go for a time of reflection before she opened an Instagram account recently and slowly returned to the public eyes. 

My thoughts

While I understand that Korean celebrities operate on good reputation and clean image, I think the numerous controversies surrounding Seo Yea Ji was uncalled for and is unnecessary. The scandal snowballed into more controversies due to Seo Yea Ji past behavior started floating around the internet. The private messages were dug out and people think that they have the right to condemn an actress for her poor conduct and bad personality. I can't help but feel that there is a conspiracy to pull Seo Yea Ji down from the altar. Maybe she offended some people so much that they decided to destroy her rising career. There could be people who are jealous of her beauty and success after all. 

There is always a two side to a coin, and we should not judge a person immediately, especially when we don't know her personally. In my opinion, the person who revealed the private conversation was doing something that is illegal. We all do not have the right to see or even reveal any personal messages unless it had something to do with a crime. The personal messages were only for the couple, and it could be a quarrel between them since Kim Jung Hyun demanded Seo Yea Ji not to have skin ship with her co-star first. That led to many gossip stories about them. The party involved should be settling this among themselves but it is not up to us to judge anything. 

It was later proven that the bullying scandals were unfounded, and the falsification of her academic achievement was a misunderstanding as she was actually studying in a language school in Spain. Unfortunately, because of the unproven accusation, Seo Yea Ji reputations were destroyed. All the hard work she builds for herself as an established actress came to a halt because of the overwhelming protest for her to be cancelled in the entertainment industry.   Her lead role in the drama Eve was being overshadowed by her controversies and it was truly unfair for the production team. We know that Seo Yea Ji has the potential to excel in her role, but Korean netizen is not forgiving towards their celebrities especially women. There is a saying that drama mirrors our life, I supposed Seo Yea Ji acting as Ko Moon Yeung may be somewhat reflecting on what she is experiencing now. After all this time of reflection, Seo Yea Ji has become more matured and elegant now. I hope Seo Yea Ji will once again prove to the world that she is an outstanding Korean actress and be truly recognised for her work!

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Drama Review: It's Okay to Not Be Okay Vs Queen of Tears

 

Hi everyone, it has been so long since my last post. Today I am going to do a drama review of It’s Okay Not to Be Okay versus Queen of Tears. Since I had watched both Korean dramas, I am going to do a comparison between these two hit drama series. Kindly note that both of the drama is on Netflix now!

Storyline

In terms of storyline, I have a soft spot for It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. The premiere of its first episode captured my eyes because of the amazing animation. I don’t recall any Korean drama that used animation for their drama. It was a wise decision because I was immediately drawn to the narrative and couldn’t wait to find out more about the characters and their story. The storyline was well written by the scriptwriter Jong Yong who revealed that she wrote this drama based on her personal life story. She dated a man with personality disorder, but she chooses to run away instead of carrying on with the relationship. The drama follows closely with the message that the writer wants to convey to the audience. Many life lessons were taught to the audiences through the portrayal of the characters in the drama. We learnt about empathy and looking at something from a different perspective. Most importantly, we need to love ourselves first before we can love others. I cried and laughed throughout the drama, and it has been four years and I still remember this drama because it was a masterpiece which is timeless. It may not have the best rating in Korea, but it does have many international audiences that love this drama!

Queen of Tears is a rather cute and beautiful drama about a married couple. I like the message of the drama which is mainly about the importance of communication between two people. The miscommunication and misunderstanding caused a crack in their relationship. The story about the miscarriage and the family dynamics were some reasons for the breakdown of the couple. There were some realistic aspects of the subject of communication. Therefore, I am very happy that the drama addresses this issue and makes us realize that we need to treasure the people around us. There were times when I was very frustrated by the pull and push tactics when the couples were together. All the blowing hot and cold to the partner may relate to the audience too. Sometimes, I feel sorry for our hero who was been “bullied” in the in-law family! This is a drama that really hit the mass market with all the right elements about family, love and some makjang moments.

 

It's Okay Not to Be Okay: Grade A+

Queen Of Tears: Grade A

 

Characters

I must admit that I watch both dramas because of our Hallyu Star Kim Soo Hyun! In my opinion, I love Kim Soo Hyun since Dream High. Although Kim Soo Hyun did not film many drama series, his taste in script has been very spot on and I must say that he has an eye for scripts that are excellent.

Regarding his role in both dramas, I think he is good at portraying both characters. In my opinion, his method acting in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay was a good attempt as he acted as a reserved and self-sacrificing Moon Gang Tae. He has been improving tremendously over the years. We know Kim Soo Hyun is a talented actor who has won many awards. The role of Gang Tae in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay left a deep impression on me. Although many people mentioned that his acting pales in comparison to his co-stars, I think it was because of his character when he was not supposed to stand out among his co-stars. He was supposed to be extremely calm and patient whereas his partners have more outstanding roles and were loud.

This does not mean that Kim Soo Hyun is incapable of acting. There were times that his co-stars outshone him, but he held his own in the drama, creating a well balance in the acting dynamic. He did mention during interviews that he knows that he will have to share the limelight with his co-stars. Despite that, he still wants to join this drama because he wants to be in a role to assist other actors to shine in a drama. Unlike in the past when he only thought and chose the drama role solely for himself.

On the other hand, Kim Soo Hyun did a great job in Queen of Tears. I am glad that he decided to take up a husband role in Queen of Tears. He had acted as a boyfriend in many romance-comedy drama, and this is the first time he matured and grow into a husband material. Wow! He is a delight to watch as he ages like fine wine. He is already in his mid-thirties; I am sure he can deliver a great performance in this drama. His role as Baek Hyun-Woo is the ideal husband for thousands and millions of ladies. Kim Soo Hyun has the talent to make audiences drawn to his situations where we laughed and cried with him. This character as Baek Hyun Woo is tailored made for Kim Soo Hyun just as his role in My Love from The Star. His acting range was wide, and I really enjoyed all his comedic and adorable moments. His baby face really suited this role and made his character so likeable!

 

It's Okay to Not Be Okay: Grade A+

Queen Of Tears: Grade A+

 

 

Seo Ye Ji and Kim Ji Won

Prior to It’s Okay to Not be Okay, I did not know who actress Seo Yea Ji is. I thought she was a newbie and was in awe of her perfect portrayal of Ko Moon Young. This talented young actress has been buried underneath for seven years! That is such a waste of talent, and I am glad that she secured this lead actress role acting together with Kim Soo Hyun. She is so beautiful and fashionable in all her designer clothes, trendy make-up and nice hairdo. After this one hit wonder, Seo Yea Ji faced various scandals and been forced to take a break due to the controversies which was a shame. Seo Yea Ji excelled in her role as Ko Moon Young, a fairy tale writer with antisocial personality disorder. Her chemistry with the Moon brothers was out of the world. The way the main cast brings in their own harmonious energy in their acting. I like the way the actors know exactly how to react to each other like soulmates that matches each other.

I had watched Kim Ji Won acting in fight my way and I do enjoy her performance in that drama. However, I am surprised that Kim Ji Won looks much prettier and slimmer in Queen of Tears. She has that feminine look, and I must say that she looks great with Kim Soo Hyun. She is a good actress but her role as Hong Hae-In was a little stiff and expressionless at times. Probably Kim Soo Hyun is my bias, so I was a little frustrated with her mistreating him with cold attitude. However, this drama is mostly about the chemistry of the couple, and they truly deliver what is expected of them. I like the back story of the couple after the end of each episode. They really get into their role perfectly that it became so close to my heart.

 

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay: Grade A+

Queen of Tears: A+

 

Story development

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay has a great and impactful character development for everyone especially the main leads. They had such a beautiful transformation like a butterfly spreading its wing as it flies in the sky. The side stories from the other characters were also well written. I love the way the drama interlinks the fairy tale story and Ko Moon Young children’s books.  Like I said before, this drama emphasizes on character growth, and they succeeded in doing so for our main characters. It takes a person with an open mind and heart to fully appreciate this drama. That was probably why this drama is a timeless masterpiece despite its poor rating in Korea. I can see the effort the production team put into the drama. They filmed this drama with much sincerity and like what Kim Soo Hyun said this is a human healing drama that he has hope will not be forgotten.

Flaws

The only flaw that I can find in this beautiful drama is the character of Ko Moon Yeung’s mother - Do Hui Jae. I think the drama can explain more about the disappearance and her motives. It was unclear how she survived the fall from the stairs and how she escaped from the basement. There must be something that trigger her to become a psycho, but it was not explained towards the end. Although it is only a minor flaw which can be overlooked, but I do hope that the show will explain a bit more about her mental issue. Do Hui Jae seems to be scarier in Moon Yeung dream. I understand that her mother presence serves as a catalyst for Sang Tae to overcome his fear and the closure that the main characters seek in life. However, this drama has been consistently delivers great contents and it was a little disappointing with the loophole and the undeveloped story of the real "witch". 

 

Story development

Queen of Tears was rather interesting in the beginning when Baek Hyun Woo was bullied in the Hong family. As mentioned before, I love Kim Soo Hyun comedic timing. He knows that he has an adorable facial expression and body language, therefore he utilizes it to its full potential in this drama. He is so relatable and cute when he was “afraid” of his wife. Kim Soo Hyun excels in playing this type of pitiful, intelligent and cool guy that we can’t help but empathize and root for him. He is just so charming as an actor in whatever role he has been given. Besides Kim Soo Hyun good acting skills and his onscreen chemistry, I also like the family been closer to each other after the ordeal and learn to appreciate each other. The drama series was longer in comparison to other drama; therefore, the drama was able to deliver more content to satisfy the audience.

 

Flaws

I was totally scratching my head when Baek Hyun Woo was knocked down by a car. Logically speaking, how does he save his damsel in distress in that condition? He should be seriously injured and life hanging on the thread if that is a real situation. Surprisingly, he was able to get out of the hospital and look for his wife? The other loophole is that of getting out of jail in Germany so easily written off and it is anticlimactic to say the least for Queen of Tears. All the buildup in the previous episode became a bubble at the end of the drama. While I appreciate the ending at the graveyard and the family photo, do we forget that Hong Hae-In has brain tumor and it is a serious illness which the scriptwriter chose to overlook for the sake of the perfect completion of the drama. The villains and family drama were not important since the drama is solely on the main couple. 

Screenplay

I think both dramas were good in the screenplay department. There was no dispute that they put in lots of effort in looking for locations. However, Queen of Tears, having a bigger budget and takes the cake for screen play. I love the filming location set in Germany; the whole atmosphere was different. On the other hand, It’s Okay to Not be Okay has the mysterious castle and a mental hospital that have nice sea view. The other amazing factor is the fashion wardrobe that Seo Yea Ji brings onscreen. She really looks expensive in all the outfit and grabs many eyeballs with her beauty.

It’s Okay to Not Be Ok: Grade A

Queen Of Tears: Grade A+

 

Original Soundtrack

Sam Kim - Breath

I like all the original soundtrack of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay! This is the song that lingers in my mind after hearing Moon Gang Tae love confession to Ko Moon Young! This is a soulful song specially for our Moon-Moon couple! Love it.

       Janet Suhh - In Silence 

This song is titled: In Silence. I feel the pain of our Main leads Ko Moon Yeung and Moon Gang Tae. This song was so meaningful and touching that I cried when I heard this beautiful song.

Crush - Love you with all my heart 

I love this song by Crush – Love you with all my heart. My heart is flattering when I thought of the scenes with our couple in mind. Just like his previous OST Beautiful. This can be a good wedding song too.

                                                 Kim Soo Hyun - Way Home

Kim Soo Hyun sung in one of the OST in Queen of Tears! How not to love this song when it was sung by my favorite Korean actor?  I just wish he will sing the OST for all his previous drama. He is a multi-talented celebrity and that is why he is getting the highest paid actor (idol, singer) in Korea? He just has the whole package! Don’t we love his charm and his smooth voice?

It's Okay to Not Be Okay: Grade A+

Queen Of Tears: A+

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