Beullaekdok

" Black Dog " was a nice slice of life drama.

For once, a school drama focused more on the teachers and less on the students. The story was pretty good and I really appreciated that they didn't add a romance twist to it, so the drama focused more on the main character and her struggles to become a good teacher who helps her students. However, if I can be totally honest, the last episode was not as good. But, as a whole, the drama was good, sincere, warm and humane. The performances were pretty good too.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

The best thing about this drama is that it wasn't from the student perspective but from the teachers' perspective. It does a lot right and delivers a decent package. However, it is worth noting that, given its lengthy runtime of over 20 hours, there are moments where the narrative can become monotonous or lose its momentum. Additionally, a minor thing that irked me a bit is how certain students looked a bit too old to be a teenager. The best thing about this drama is that it wasn't from the student perspective but from the teachers' perspective. It does a lot right and delivers a decent package. However, it is worth noting that, given its lengthy runtime of over 20 hours, there are moments where the narrative can become monotonous or lose its momentum. Additionally, a minor thing that irked me a bit is how certain students looked a bit too old to be a teenager.

Was very surprised at this as the lead actress is always in roles that make her the victim. No such case in this drama. Mi-Ram was also in this and I love her too. This is about how teachers that start off as temps struggle to get a permanent position in a school of their choice plus the main lead is trying to do what is right for the students. The ending was kind of sad because she wound up in another school but at the very least she still had a job. This is the way it is now even in the states. They claim they need teachers but when people apply they get rejected. Too many politics even when it comes to the hiring of educators. I thought that it only happens here but I guess it happens in Korea as well. A must watch series as this is something different that she is in.

Everything is in slow motion: the way the characters walk, speak, eat, look at each other...that it's easy to fall asleep.

I found it to be the same as another KDrama "Misaeng" where a temp shows his worth with hard work and determination.

Honestly, I almost baled this Kseries after a couple episodes. Why, because, I find it incredibly annoying to watch actors/actresses slow walk aimlessly about, stare off into space, or in the case of this series to repeatedly sat "Pardon?". This isn't the first Kdrama with these annoying producer induced characteristics to be sure. But I'm hooked on Kdramas.

But I stuck with it and found it getting better and better as a series of problems and plots unfolded along the way. What I find exceptional and thoroughly enjoyable about Korean Kdramas is the ability to run multiple character plots at the same time. I often find myself just as interested in what is going on with the secondary characters as with the main plot. I think this is what makes Kseries so fun to watch. Especially romcoms.

Those annoying traits that I mentioned also got less and less as the series unfolded, so stick with it.

On a personal note, my wife was a Korean immigrant who came to the USA when she was 30. She graduated #2 in her high school and attended university for mathematics, no dummy that girl. As I watch Yoo Ra experience, I often wondered how that was similar to my wife's experience and wished deeply that she was still alive to watch and learn her assessment of the movie and school experience when she was young.