This review may contain spoilers
This isn't really a review but just my thoughts after finished watching this. Contains major spoilers so if you want read this with discretion please.First problem, the biggest plot came pretty late, after 27 out of 32 episodes, and it wasn’t even that momentous, it was basically 3 people recognizing each other, and it had no impact to the show’s crux.
Second, they focused too much on the romance. The main couple was a bit all over the place. Romance scenes popped up every 5 minutes, even inappropriate sometimes, and often really cheesy. And what makes me mad the most is, they literally killed my second favorite character to fortify the main couple’s relationship.
Like, the death just didn’t make any sense and absolutely wasn’t necessary and other than that it was to prevent something that could’ve been avoided easily long ago. Feels like they used that in order to cover up a massive amount of plot holes and most of all it was their last solution to save the show which is viewers tears.
Third, acting is not that good. All they did good were smirk and squint, and cry. LJS still can’t act panicking right. I love him from Doctor Stranger but somehow he got worse in this one. Especially when the show was climaxing. That kinda makes romance scenes feel cheesy to me.
On the other hand, the show looks nice, good cinematography and good soundtracks. Humor was alright. TBH the biggest plot twist for me is who was the bride at that last episode. Jesus it still giving me shiver while writing this.
I think the show could have done much more. Because the 'can tell the future, messing with the time' theme has been used in so many other works that been considered Masterpiece in different forms such as anime, games, movies,... I was super hyped when I found out this show contains that material. If you’ve came across an anime called ‘Steins Gate’ or a game called ‘Life is Strange’ you’ll know what I mean. You save this person, 10 more people die because of that. The more time you save that person the more you create a butterfly effect. You save this girl 4 times to prevent her inevitable death and somehow a typhoon with a size of the moon appears and wipes away the whole town clean. So you gotta choose between stuff, stuff that as same important to you and that person, you gotta sacrifice either one of them, but if you do it good you can still get a happy ending. Now I’m not comparing these to the show, but the way they handled it, and the way they built it up was so clever and engaging and immersing. You have these first 10 episodes full of sunflowers and silky roads, and after episode 10 it feel worse than standing on Normandy in WW2. That’s how you do a plot twist. That’s how you make a show good. I was preparing all my body and my mind for something like that. I was ready to give this show a 11/10. Now I can’t tell that I’m not a bit disappointed. I personally thought they would inherit and learn from those successful factors and develop them into a new story but no, they just didn't do it. They chose to remain a formal KDrama and insisted too much on the romance aspect. They made the name of the show less meaningful.
Well maybe it’s just me who set the bar too high. I’m totally new to this KDrama thing and after all, there are things you can draw and code but simply just can’t film it out.
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story: While the story was interesting and unique, I felt like it was ultimately directionless. I loved the supernatural theme, and I believe that is what initially piqued everyone's interest in the beginning. Well, that and Lee Jong Suk of course ;) However, the more the story drug on, the more I felt like the supernatural unique aspects of the drama began to disappear and lose it's "magic" and appeal. It just became redundant and somewhat lackluster. In the end, the story tied up nice enough but I'm still left a little deflated with a lingering feeling that it could have potentially been more.
characters: In the end, the characters and character development, or lack of I should say, was what disappointed me the most. Lee Jong Suk did a marvelous job with his character. I could see his growth from an immature troubled youth still struggling with deciding between right and wrong and later watched him grow into a young man who stood firm in his beliefs. It was a seamless transition and I enjoyed the progress. In comparison, Suzy's character barely had any character growth. Her character was one dimensional at most. It was flat and a little boring to be honest. I don't know why, but something about her acting never communicated to me or pulled me into the story. I had the same problem with our second male lead in question, Han Woo Tak. While a handsome specimen and a potentially intriguing character, I felt like he was even more tasteless and boring than even Suzy. Even worse, I was left hanging till the very end wondering what dirty little secrets he was hiding or quietly pondering the possibility that Woo Tak might be more sinister then he let on as some of the directing of this series seemed to insinuate. I was sorely disappointed however when his character and role in general just fell flat resulting in a character I strongly felt was ultimately pointless and boring with no real character development either. I sometimes felt the side characters at the law firm had more interesting interactions and character growth to be honest.
music: The music in this was superb. It fit the scenes perfectly and was able to pull the perfect emotion for every scene. It was as beautiful as the cinematography which I also happened to find beautiful and breathtaking.
Chemistry: The couple chemistry was only so-so. I didn't really feel much of a connection between the two actors and I continue to feel like their relationship bordered on closer to friendship then it ever did to an actual intimate relationship.
Antagonist: And finally, the biggest problem I had with this entire drama was the antagonist. It was almost comical how the painted a big red villain sign on Lee Yu Beom. Sure the dude was crooked and manipulative but as the series drew on, I expected a little bit of insight into his sinister mask. What made him tick? What was his backstory? Why was he so twisted inside? They had so many opportunities to draw forth various complicated emotions from the viewers with a more complicated and complex antagonist so I was sorely disappointed when they decided to paint everything black and white and simply made Lee Yu Beom into the typical "Born to be the bad guy" lead in which every action he has ever taken was meant to cause distress to our main heros. The struggle between the antagonist and the protagonist was much too disney version for my liking. Character depth is more realistic and has the potential to leave a more lasting impression on the audience.
With that in mind, I over all rather enjoyed this series. I'm not dissuading anyone from watching this, if you are considering watching it then by all means go ahead. It was an enjoyable ride and I don't regret watching it. I would say it was worth the watch. If you are looking for something rich in supernatural mystery or character depth then I would advise against it. This drama was more focused on things like standing firm in your beliefs, distinguishing between right and wrong, human connections, and how we are all ultimately tied together somehow in an intricate and dynamic web of fate.
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The story: The first couple of episodes were very good, but sadly, that did not continue for the rest of the series. It became a one story per episode kind of series that felt very predictable. Though they tried to keep the main plot present throughout, it didn't really feel like one story told over several episodes, but more like a story referenced in some of the episodes. The side-characters were by far the most interesting and were a crucial part of my enjoyment of this drama. The best episodes are the first couple and the last couple of episodes. As the last episodes rolled around I came to remember why I liked this drama so much in the beginning. The story is not a bad one, but it had the potential to be much better.
The acting: If you have ever seen any drama with Lee Jong Suk you probably know what to expect. He seems to pick the same type of character to play in most dramas he appears in. He acts quite well, but I didn't really feel anything from his performance (except for a few scenes in the last episodes). Suzy was probably the weakest link in this drama. I wouldn't go so far as to say that her acting was bad, but she won't be winning any awards either. She mostly has the same face throughout the entire drama. Neither did she have any chemistry with Lee Jong Suk. I didn't really feel anything from their relationship. I neither loved it nor hated it. I would not care whether they stayed together or broke up. The rest of the cast did quite a good job. As I mentioned before, the side-characters were done very well. The child-versions of the main characters did a good job as well.
The music: The music was quite good. Not much more to say about that.
All in all this is an enjoyable drama. It does feel kind of repetitive so I might have liked it a bit less if i saw it all in one go rather than watching it as it came out. The acting was ok, but lacked in some ways. If you dont mind a one-story-per-episode kind of show I would recommend this.
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Unfortunately I have to say that it didn't meet my expectations and it was quite average. I was actually quite shocked to see the amount of praise it got because although it wasn't a horrible drama, it definitely was average at best.
The concept was interesting however the actual plot failed to engage me. It was one of those dramas that I just forced myself to watch just so I could complete it.
Overall it's not a bad drama but if you like crime/thriller dramas there are many out there that are better then this one such as 'Voice', 'Stranger', or even a more recent one like 'Flower of Evil'.
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When I first heard about this drama, I thought this was already great. The plot and the cast were promising. Yes, this is a law drama but the fantasy element mixed with this just lifted the overall mood of the drama.
From the first up to the last episode, I felt the emotions well and I didn't feel that the story dragged. There was enough room for character development.
The music and the ambience was really great as well as the cinematography.
It's not perfect, but it's definitely a must watch.
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Just... WOW.
I haven't been on the Korean-dramas train for long.
The first Korean drama I seriously sat down to watch was a few weeks ago and it was W.
I honestly thought nothing could compare. I was so sure W ruined me for every other drama out there.
Because nothing worked for me as I tried watching other dramas after it. Nothing hit me in the feels like W had.
At first, while I loved While You Were Sleeping, I couldn't help but think it wasn't as great as W.
I was mistaken.
The more I watched it, the more I realized its greatness.
In all honesty, I can't compare the two because they were each *as* amazing in different ways.
W probably beat While You Were Sleeping for me in terms of plot and pace.
While While You Were Sleeping probably beat W for me in terms of character development and emotional turmoil.
I cried actual tears more than once in While You Were Sleeping because the acting was just... SO... good. I laughed, I smiled, I loved those characters to pieces.
How do you know a show is great? If it makes you feel those strong, those intense feelings. If it makes you laugh, if it makes you cry. If it makes you feel excited just to watch each new episode. Like how I cried when a character broke out in tears. Or how I laughed at the silliness and the jokes.
How do I know if a romance is a great one? If they make me want to root for them.
And boy, did I root for them. I rooted for them from beginning to end, and they never let me down. Their romance developed in the best way possible. Not too fast, not too slow, while still remaining funny, sweet and passionate.
It felt natural, while not feeling dragged out. It had just the right amount of everything, and I loved them to pieces.
They made *holding hands* seem better than a kiss.
And when they hugged? *fanning myself*.
Let's just say the chemistry was sky high.
That, and the OST.
Because I'm telling you... I have yet to hear an OST as beautiful as this one in a show.
It was made to perfection. Each song fit the scene *perfectly*. It only made the romance, the suspense, the scenes, feel more alive.
My favorite of the songs: When Night Falls, It's you, I love you boy, Your world, Lucid Dream, Maze, Come to me.
Final thoughts: do watch this show. Please do. Whether it's because you're like me and you love a good fantasy-romance show with action and suspense, or simply because you love Korean dramas... just watch it. You will not regret it. It's one hell of a journey, and I'm so happy I took it.
And for those of you, like me, hoping for a happy ending... you don't have to worry when it comes to While You Were Sleeping (:
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1.) Plot/Story
2.) Suzy's acting
3.) Cast
Plot/Story
The plot of this show was really good. It was very unique, adding a punch of fantasy to a really good 'supposed' legal drama. It sounded stupid at first, but it blended really well, and the outcome was outstanding. It didn't fail to deliver in terms of being real enough for a legal drama, and not normal enough for a fantasy genre. Credits to the writers of the show and the director. And for whoever was in charge of casting that really cute corgi. I'm giving it a 9.5 to the story just because they failed to further discuss how they had their powers in the first place.
Suzy's acting
I'll be honest, Suzy isn't my favorite actresses. She is pretty, but she isn't that good in terms of delivery. For scale, my favorite actresses in order are
Han Hyo Joo
Shin Min Ah
Park Shin Hye
The acting of those 3 are far and beyond Suzy's current acting now, but she is in no way near of being classified as a bad actress by a lot of people. I would give her a rating of 7.5-8/10. If you want an example of a person who is really bad at acting, but is just overly hyped because he/she looks hot, look at Nam Jo Hyuk. I would rate that guy 3/10. Monotone as fuck. Suzy delivers during emotional scenes, and she makes us smile when she tries being quirky and cute during feel good scenes, but what I don't like about her acting is the regular flow. In scenes where there is no clear emotion, neither happy, sad, thrilling, or funny. Just the plain old, 'boring stuff' as some call it; the normal scenes that are explaining the plot of the show, she fails. She feels a bit awkward in those scenes for me because she doesn't look to convincing of a character. Her acting was far better as compared to Uncontrollably fond, but she still has work to do as an actress.
Cast
The cast was really good in this drama, particularly the main 3 characters + kim won hae. Lee Jong suk, is a shoo-in (we all know he's one of the best actors of Kdrama), Suzy has been discussed already. Jung Hae In, the adorable second lead who was so phenomenal a lot of people had Second Lead Syndrome once again. Would honestly watch another show where these 3 are in it. To further summarize my choice of Kdramas to watch is actually pretty simple: I see Kim Won Hae, I click. I get that his name isn't hyped enough to be cast as lead in a drama, but he sure does good whenever he's a supporting character, never failing to make us laugh, and on this particular role, cry.
Overall, I would watch this show again, even with one of the best plot twists i have ever watched.
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