Beyond the Bar | Recommended Kdrama

Beyond the Bar is over and I'm feeling empty again. Have you ever felt so attached to the characters and story that you can't focus on other new on-going series? You just can't help but think of what might happen if the drama has more episodes? It's this one for me. The last kdrama that made me feel this way was Park Hyung Sik's "Buried Hearts", which I am yet to make a review about here on the blog, that one was absolutely amazing. It's been months since that drama ended but I still think about it up to this time. When a drama really captures my attention from start to finish, I build that kind of connection towards the characters and the story of that series, so when the conclusion arrives and everything ending after 10, 12 or 16 episodes, I am completely left empty. And it's really hard to find nowadays a great Kdrama that captures my attention fully. Really. That's why letting go of a well written Kdrama is not that easy. 

Anyway, let's stop with the drama and get on with this review. Okay, so, Beyond the Bar is a legal drama that aired from August 2 to September 7 of 2025. It showcases the story of rookie lawyer Kang Hyo Min (Jung Chae Yeon) as she represents Yullim Law Firm through the cases that she works on through the help of her mentor and head of litigation department, Yoon Seok Hoon (Lee Jin Uk). As they work on new cases together, their relationship becomes closer and their backstory gets unveiled one by one. I honestly love that way of story telling when it comes to legal dramas. The cases and the story between characters flowed really in synched unlike some of the legal dramas that make these two flow differently. Both are effective, of course, but this kind of story telling from Beyond the Bar was a personal preference of mine. 

Family by Choice Will Make You Cry Almost Every Episode | Episodes 1-10 Quick Review

Every time I'm watching a new episode of this drama, Family by Choice, there has been no episode that I didn't cry or at least get teary eyed. A lot are saying that the original version, the Chinese version, is far more better than the Korean remake. But since I haven't seen the original one, I'm already contented and enjoying every bits of the Korean remake. I got no complaints at all. The casts were perfect, I can really feel the emotions of each character. 

Personally, I really like Haejun (Bae Hyun Sung) here the most. Even though I watched this with an intent of seeing Hwang In Yeop finally getting his girl in a drama, the character of Hyun Sung really captivated me. I mean, I guess I really like the sporty one instead of the bookworm type of character. kkk 

Both Kim San Ha and Yang Haejun are deep characters. They have a very unfortunate childhood and life in general because of their irresponsible parents. They all have a painful story to tell, however, Haejun's love for Kang Ju Won's dad is just so pure that it melts my heart everytime they're having heart-to-heart conversations. Juwon's Dad (Choi Won Young) is such a softie character as well, he's just warmhearted. Just these two characters alone, make me cry a river already and I just find their connection really beautiful which is probably why Haejun and the dad are very close to my heart more than the other characters. Anyways, we'll see once she became a total lady after San Ha expressed his real feelings for her. 

But of course, I still like Kim San Ha. He's still a cool guy despite his introverted nature. He also possesses a golden heart just like Haejun. But sometimes, it just makes me feel awful how overly kind and pure hearted they really are even to those who wronged them. Drastic example would be Kim San Ha's choice to take care of his selfish mom after abandoning him for 10 years. She literally just came back to get San Ha as her daughter's baby sitter and later due to a car accident, she lost her ability to walk and so San Ha had no choice but to take care of her again just because they're so called 'family'. Sigh. It just infuriates me how San Ha still made this choice. The selfish mom got so unfortunate (probably because she's a meanie in her entire life) and now she had to drag his son into his life after leaving him like a dog on the street when he was a kid. Ugh. 

Anyway, we're already at the adult life of the main characters. Episodes 11-16, we'll witness more of romance to build up around Haejun and San Ha. I'm not really fond of the female characters here more than the male ones but I can probably say that I like Dal. Well, I'm at least rooting for her for Haejun. As for Juwon, she's okay it's just that... she's way too immature for me to like even in her adult years. 

Bae Hyun Sung Got Angered by Hwang In Yeop's Truthful Words in "Family by Choice" | Episodes 3 and 4 Review

I can't believe these parent/s of San Ha and Hae Jun are coming back to get them after years of abandonment. Did they really think their children are like puppies where they can abandon them anytime they want and just get them back once they changed their minds? You know what, they're even worst than animals. Sheesh! Biological dad of Hae  Jun came back to get him just because he didn't have a child with his wife and that he doesn't want to share his wealth with his wife's family. It's so ridiculous. And we have San Ha's mom coming back saying he wants to live with him after abandoning him so easily in the past. And did she just said that she wanted to try forgiving San Ha for what happened in the past? An incident that all decent human being could tell that it's the parent/s fault for leaving two kids all alone by themselves. Where were they during that time anyway? Sigh. She's awful! And what really frustrates me most with this comeback of San Ha's mother is the fact that she's using her daughter from another husband of hers to get San Ha back to her. Seriously, the way she's telling her little daughter that San Ha would come to them to Seoul and will play with her, it feels like the mother is looking forward to make San Ha a baby sitter again. lol Seriously, that mom is so selfish and just ridiculous. 

All these parents are in no par with Juwon's dad. Juwon's dad is so kind hearted not just as a parent but as a person in general. But then I won't be surprised if Juwon's dad has some sad story to tell later on too. Because we all know that the kindest person always has a sad, if not tragic, backstory. But before that, I just hope that these problems that had occurred with San Ha and Hae Jun's awful parents would be resolved. Kudos to Juwon's dad for being so understanding of the people involved in their situation. Sigh. 

In episode 4, I'm in awe of  how good the relationship of San Ha and Hae Jun were. But it all crumbles down because of their current situation with their parents. I'm a little bit disappointed with Haejun's actions in here tbh. I get it that he also has family issues and has different perspective of things especially when it involves a mom, but he cannot push other people to think same as him. 

San Ha was trying his best to be the mature person from the start and tell his side of story, but Haejun always disregard his feelings. San Ha is also just young and very sensitive with family matters so... I really understand how he ended up blurting out hurtful words towards Haejun like that. At the end of the day, he's just telling the truth.

Family by Choice Episodes 1 and 2 Recap | Reactions Summary

1. Poor little Sanha He had to hear his mother blame him for the de4th of his sister as well as disliking him for eating and smiling with their neighbor. I'm like... to his mom.

I know she's hurting but how can be so cru3l to her other child.

2. It's nice to see Hwang In Yeop again 

Currently enjoying his latest drama 

3. Two dads in a household, nope, they are both straight. They're just a family by choice.

 Hae Joon wanted a dad, he now has 2 dads. 

4. Only Kang Hae Jun would think he could wipe Yoon Ju Won dry with his sweaty jersey. 

5. This is going to be tough. Two handsome young men around one girl. 🤭 Haven't seen the Chinese version of this but I think I already know where this is going. 🤩

6. Don't worry, Ju Won, you can still be family when you ended up together later on. 

 You can start a family with him. 

7. Hae Jun was looking for his mom, but another dad came. That makes it 3 dads for Hae Jun. 

8. My new favorite trio. 
Sanha, Juwon and Hae Jun. 

Yook Sungjae Accused By Jung Chae Yeon As Suspect For Her Father's Death In The Golden Spoon Episode 8

We're already halfway through the series and it's instantly becoming a headache for me. lol WTH did just happen? I'm so confused with the ending! It was going so smoothly (or not) and then the ending and the preview for the next episode flashed before my eyes making me frustrated severely. kkk I'm really so close in abandoning this show. Sigh...

Anyways, I'm here to do recap of the episode 8 only so that'll I do so. Basically, Na Ju Hee and the real Hwang Taeyong are both experiencing financial crisis. They are the characters that saw money as not that important or to put it simply, they haven't realized how important until now that there's no one giving nor helping them out in difficult times. Na Ju Hee had always been rich and her father was always backing her up against her step brothers while Hwang Taeyong was no longer getting any help or protection from Seungcheol. Hwang Taeyong finally witnessed how essential the presence of money in his life thru his poor family and Na Ju Hee losing the 500 million won. 

Yook Sungjae Got Arrested Over Lee Jong Won's Own Crime? In The Golden Spoon Episode 7

Okay, after this episode, I can now understand the essence of the golden spoon in Seungcheon's life. Before, I completely despises it since it makes everything so easy for him and thought that he would just laze around become boastful and abusive using the wealth of another person but I guess that's not the full picture. Now I see the usage of golden spoon by Seungcheon could serve a much bigger purpose and that's to reveal the whole truth behind all the dirty rich people abusing their powers to get whatever they wanted. Clearly, I see that the main villain here remains the father and son, Hwang Hyeon Do and Hwang Taeyong. 

Yook Sungjae Once Again Abandoned His Parents For Wealth In The Golden Spoon Episode 6

I'm having this huge disappointment in Seungcheon after this episode. I do get it, fate if not the old lady selling the golden spoon, that Seungcheon's tolerance is being challenged with all the unfortunate events that's happening to his family. And he actually gave in to that challenge and once again swapped his parents for wealth. Sigh. When will you ever learn, Seungcheon? 

It's awful 'coz this drama really is showing the real comparison of the life of the poor and the rich. It's really provoking me to get irritated everytime this drama is pressing on the stupidity, desperation as well as laziness of Seungcheon's family. It's really irritating to watch but this is just what reality is. There are a lot of uneducated poor population and so whenever they are in a difficult situation where their brains couldn't handle, their desperation to survive is surfacing and they instantly clings to a knife without thinking of the future consequences. The mother is like that and the laziness comes and lack of responsibility comes from the father. Actually, these traits are really applicable to all of them. 

Yook Sung Jae Confesses To Jung Chae Yeon But Yeon Woo Hinders Their Love Form Blooming

My emotions really took a rollercoaster ride because of this episode. It felt like a lot of things happened in just one episode. Seungcheon finally got back to his old life, however, they once again face another debt due to his father's accident of falling to his boss' car. The boss asked for 100 million won to repair the car and the whole family just conformed to it after the boss took down their request of making the repair payment smaller. Hmmm... I am not really judging the whole population of the poor but some truly lacks knowledge here. I mean, 100 million won for a car repair? Anyone could already buy a new car with that money! Also, ain't he the boss? Seungcheon's family could at least get a public attorney and settle this with that goon! Seungcheon's father got hospitalized for such a dangerous job and that goon being his employer, he should at least be responsible of what happened. What is their labor code for? Does labor code not apply to part timers? Hmmm... 

Sung Jae's Pretense Get Busted By Yeon Woo In The Golden Spoon Episode 4

All along I thought I'm gonna watch Seung Cheon boast the wealth that wasn't his the entire drama. Thankfully there's some twists and turns too. Some things really aren't for forever and some things are really good to be true. Seung Cheon is finally waking up from his false perception that anybody would swap their parents to accumulate wealth. He didn't know, Hwang Taeyong had long wished to have such warm family that would love and care for him. So his questions turned accusations that Taeyong would do the same thing as he did to achieve wealth went down the drain quickly. It hurt his pride and guilt overwhelmed him. Sigh. 

It's saddening that when Seung Cheon was treated unfairly by Taeyong's uncle, he ran automatically to his real parents only to find out that his original family is already happy without him. His father also took the initiative to abandon his dream and work outside that field to earn money for his family. That was definitely a slap to Seung Cheon's face. That served him right for swapping his parents so easily like that for wealth. He did a wrong move and now he's seeing these changes before his eyes. And now that his father got into an accident it'll be difficult for him to show his emotions and care for him just because he isn't Seung Cheon in their eyes. In everyone's eyes Taeyong is their son and not him. 

Yook Seung Jae Gets Threatened By An Anonymous Text Message In The Golden Spoon Episode 3

I'm starting to get irritated by Lee Seung Cheon (Yook Seung Jae) already and we're only at episode 3. lol After his life and identity got swapped with Hwang Taeyong (Lee Jong Won), my reaction was already "he sure knows how to act rich". He has long dreamed to be a rich person but I didn't expect that he'll transform 360 degrees in just a few days or weeks. I really like him a lot when he was the passionate and hard working Lee Seung Cheon but when he became rich and started giving off the boastful vibe, it was a turn off for me. I know that these rich people did him wrong, but if continues to punish them.. a lot of people would definitely go against him. Hate begets hate after all and so I wish he would humble down a bit.

Well, when he swapped his parents to Taeyong's, that was already the beginning of me disliking him. Although I did say in my previous blog post that I'm curious about that changing incompetent and awful parents to a deserving ones but after seeing how lovable Seung Cheon's mother and sister, it breaks my heart that he did that to him. Though in this episode, Seung Cheon really was pushed to do the swap thing because of his undignified father. Damn that man only knows how to beg on his knees. That's really awful especially for a man. 

Yook Sung Jae Switched Lives With Lee Jong Won In The Golden Spoon | Episodes 1 & 2 Recap

I recently watched the first 2 episodes out of the new on-going drama The Golden Spoon and wow I'm totally hooked with it after. Since I've watched several Kdramas that have those annoying parents who aren't competitive enough to provide well for their family, I've been thinking of the chances wherein a Kdrama would be open to a concept of children abandoning their parents and be rewarded... then this drama came out with that kind of scenario. Mostly. lol 

So basically, Lee Seung Cheon (Yook Sung Jae) was born in a poor family where his father is an aspiring webtoon artist, his mother is a waitress while he and his sister do part time jobs. I really have nothing against the 2 female of the family but the father. Seeing him hiding from the goons collecting rent/money, that really irritated me the most. I mean, he's the head of the family after all and yet he stooped so low in making his family face the debt collectors instead of him. I really hate incompetent and coward parent/person like him. Being a manga or webtoon artist is a decent job, but at least he could do something else to pay the debt of his family and be courageous to stand up for them. All he did was hide behind them. Sigh. He seemed really kind person but reality check it's not enough to survive this cruel world especially when you have a family to feed.