Byeon Woo Seok Tops Actor Brand Reputation for the Month of June

Byeon Woo Seok's career is really skyrocketing during and after Lovely Runner drama. To be honest, after watching him in Strong Girl Nam Soon, I really thought he was a big star already but I was so wrong. It was only because of Lovely Runner that he really gained huge popularity that could already be considered as phenomenal in the Kdrama world. I can't believe that directors, producers and fans were sleeping on him for a very long time and even rejected him several times. I'm glad that he's finally having that deserving spotlight on him! 

Anyway, according to The Korean Business Research Institute, Byeon Woo Seok tops the Actor Brand Reputation for the month of June (ranging from May 27 to June 27). Here's the full top 10 list:

1. Byeon Woo Seok

2. Chun Woo Hee

3. Ma Deong Seok

4. Song Seung Heon

5. Lee Jung Jae

6. Kim Hye Yoon

7. Song Geon Hee

8. Roh Jeong Eui

9. Son Suk Ku

10. Wi Ha Joon

Kim Ha Neul and Jung Ji Hoon (Rain) to Lead Disney+ Drama "Red Swan" | Premieres July 03

Red Swan will have 10 episodes and it will tell a story about Wan Soo (Kim Ha Neul) who was born poor but turns her life around and became a well known golf player. Still, not able to pay her mother's debt, she married an heir of Hwan Group. Throughout their marriage however, Wan Soo became unhappy after she found out about the affair of her husband. 

As an ambassador of a foundation that's known for its charity work, Wan Soo encountered a gun fight after she came to Manila. She survived this nightmare as she was protected by Hwan Group's body guard named Do Yoon (Rain/Jung Ji Hoon). After a while of being together and discovering secrets of the Hwan family, Wan Soo developed feelings for Do Yoon.

Hmm... sounds promising, right? I'm actually looking forward to this. I first watched Kim Ha Neul in the drama 18 again and it'll be my second time to watch her again but in different genre! I'd like to see her chemistry with Rain too. 

Ji Sung and Jeon Mi Do followed Park Keun-Rok and Discover His Real Identity in Connection Episode 12 | Quick Recap

Yoon Jin visited Jae Gyeong at his apartment and found him in an almost lifeless state due to addiction. Since Yoon Jin felt time is running out for Jae Gyeong, she made him drink the lemon mulberry pill that she saw was delivered at the footstep of the apartment's door. After Jae Gyeong got conscious, despite the disappointment that he had to take a drug again, he moved on and brought Yoon Jin with her in tailing Sang Eui who he suspected to be the 'doctor'. 

They found out that Sang Eui was meeting Tae Jin in the restaurant he went in. They followed him there and used Yoon Jin's gadget to listen to their conversation. There, they discovered how Tae Jin used Jun Seo's desire for money. Since Jun Seo needed a 500,000 dollars for the treatment of his daughter that's supposed to be done in the U.S, he got hooked by Tae Jin to sell drugs to get the money. He swore to quit selling drugs after he gets the desired money but Tae Jin kept him doing it because Tae Jin is also after a huge money to become an investor for the Pilo-dong project. Sang Eui knew everything and that's why he's blaming Tae Jin for Jun Seo's death. 

After the meeting of Sang Eui and Tae Jin, Jae Gyeong and Yoon Jin followed him in his car. They revealed everything that they've heard but Sang Eui got frustrated that Jae Gyeong didn't find any hard evidence to prove his statement/allegations. He brought them to his laboratory underground where he manufactures the Lemon Mulberry and there he revealed his plans of revenge. He admitted that he was the one who drugged Jae Gyeong with the use of CEO Yoon and her goons. It turns out that he has an obsessive friendship with Jun Seo reason why he's holding a grudge for audiophile members as well as Jong Soo's group. 

I got really pissed off with Sang Eui so much in this episode. Another psychopath for me to get angry with just right after I finished Bitter Sweet Hell. Great! I think I'm the one who will ended up crazy in the end of all these. lol! 

Kim Hee Sun's Bitter Sweet Hell Ends with a 5.5% Nationwide Viewership Ratings | Episode 12 Review

Bitter Sweet Hell finally ended with 5.5% in the viewership ratings and even though it didn't reach the double digits, this drama is worth it to watch. Episode 12, finale, Se Na chose to end her life with the fire that she herself started. With the help of No Yeong Won's family, they were able to find Do Hyun's hideout and saved him from Se Na's plan of explosion. When Se Na, pressed her control to explode the hideout of Do Hyun, Yeong Won was devastated but thankfully, Jae Jin was there to tell her that Do Hyun was already saved. Yeong Won escaped the fire with Jae Jin's help but Se Na chose to stay and get burned by fire. This ending is indeed cruel but a bit unsatisfying for me, tbh. I mean, she did so many things to harass Yeong Won and her family and that's how she'll just end? I was hoping that she'll get caught and live her whole life in prison. That would have been the best punishment for a narcissistic person like her. She's nuts!

Anyways, since we only got 12 episodes, I think that's the better ending that the writer could've think of. Still, the drama was exceptionally done as the actors were so good at conveying the message of the story. Se Na was the root of all the secrets being out in the open for No Yeong Won's family. It's true that it was still a harassment but if it weren't for her, everyone in the family would live in lies forever. Isn't it more scary to live with people who you don't know well? And still call them a family? This is much better now that everything is out in the open, only then that they will live a happy life. 

I really love the ending. The whole family were separated but still has a bond that nobody can break. Hong Sa Gang left their home and lived in the woods with her trusted companion. She's still working as a novelist and had her latest work published called 'Bitter Sweet Hell', yep, it's their story made into a book.  Do Hyun on the other hand is now living abroad with his classmate and boyfriend. Jae Jin and Yeong Won may still be married but they decided not to commit their lives to each other. Now, they are choosing the life they wished to live for a long time. Jae Jin's license to practice as a doctor got revoked while Yeong Won still worked as a doctor but to counsel people in prison. There, she wanted to help and save those who are having mental health problems like Oh Tae Hwan or also known as Moon Tae Oh. Lastly, Dr. Oh became a changed person all thanks to her confrontation with Hong Sa Gang. They got reconciled and became a family that Dr. Oh had ever wanted. Dr. Oh is still with the kind detective and that's really splendid!

Overall the drama was good! Will I recommend it? Definitely YES!