Y’all need to watch this -
Y’all need to watch this - I’ve been in a slump with dramas lately. Nothing has been really keeping me hooked, I will start a drama and lose momentum within 2-3 episodes. I had this on my to watch list because of Lee Kwang Soo (I’ll come back to my adoration for this man). I am disappointed this was only 8 episodes. It was so good, I wanted to keep watching. I loved all the relationships in this community, they were so heartwarming to watch while you saw the plot unfold. I read reviews of some twists being predictable, and yes while this is true, so what? It was executed very well. The story line was engaging and even when I suspected one person, they did a good job of making everyone look suspicious. I watched this on Viki and it was awesome reading all of the theories in the comments as you watched the episodes. Honestly this is one of the stand outs for me this year, I’m not sure how many dramas I’ve watched so far this year but this is the most memorable.Lee Kwang Soo. I adore this man, he is so refreshing to watch. I am so late to his fan train that I feel embarrassed. I remember watching him in Innocent Man all those years ago and I liked him but I thought he was typecast as a support role. It wasn’t until I stumbled across Sound of Your Heart that I realized he was leading comedies and he’s so good. His timing and delivery and facial expressions are everything.
Jin Hee Kyung is fabulous - she delivers her roles so well. I remember her from Fight For My Way, she was a minor character but I adored her so much in that drama. She is so lovely, I would love to see her headline another drama. Also I was crushing on Shin Sung Woo, “his face is all he has” lmaoooo. Do A Wee is a little sweetheart - Kim Seol Hyun really played this role so well, she is so charming. I loved their little MS Mart Family, all of the characters Fish, Veggies, Butcher, Part Time and little Yul. Loved them all. Part supermarket part detective agency. I really hope they make another season, this is definitely a show that can carry over into multiple seasons especially if they keep it to the 8 episode format.
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Worth watching for Short Suspenseful drama
It’s was pretty good for an 8 episode series. At times I had to take deep breathes to calm down because the suspense was high. The writer does very well in not only keeping viewers on their toes of who the culprit is, but also of bringing the story (mostly) full circle.Wished some characters weren’t cannon fodder, but like I said it’s only like eight hours total.
The mart music is so catchy, I started to him along with it! I did not focus too much on the OSTs, but the vibes matched with the drama.
The cast was good, played their roles well. The MVP is definitely Yool (I always get a little concerned when child actors are in these types of movies because if it can mess with viewers/adults heads then it could probably really mess them up, during filming and even after)
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Mediocre at best
The Killer's Shopping List has an intriguing premise and a really interesting first episode, but the moments of nail-biting suspense are few and far between and the comedy elements generally fall flat, giving a few light chuckles here and there. The main reason many of us might have watched this show to begin with was for Kwang Soo, and to give him credit, he does act really well here., though his character was sometimes quite annoying. He is supposedly a genius with an amazing memory, but he barely ever uses his talents, which is such a waste. There are a few other good performances, but otherwise the acting gave more daytime soap vibes than thrilling drama. Perhaps that was the writer's fault? The story is a mishmash of different genres (comedy, suspense, thriller, slice of life, coming of age, romance, to name but a few), and as the saying goes: a jack of all trades is a master of none. As mentioned, the serious nature of the plot meant that the comedy couldn't go too "out there", meaning much of it was rather bland and forgettable. The suspense meandered between small moments of tension, suddenly washed out by the more slice of life elements, leaving me often not really caring about the whodunnit aspect. And speaking of that: it was kind of obvious who the killer was going to be. Most people in the comments section of the site I watched it on had figured it out the moment the character appeared on screen. The red herrings were as obvious as the real killer, whose motives, once revealed, were unsatisfyingly hollow. I was hoping there would at least be some twists and turns, but the plot ended up being rather shallow and uninspired. I almost dropped this halfway through, but as it was only 8 episodes, I decided to just plough on through. Admittedly, the second half is better than the first, but I was still left surprised by how such a short show - a murder mystery at that - could feel so slow paced.I managed to get it through it all, which usually means the show is at least a 5/10. I added an extra point just for Kwang Soo. I really missed him on Running Man and I want him to get more gigs, hopefully on shows better than this.
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One of the best kdramas I've seen this year...
This one took me by surprise because literally nobody was talking about it, so my expectations were low as a result. What a gen though! It was funny and lighthearted, but the mystery involved throughout the whole show ended up being much darker than I could have ever imagined. The acting was questionable at times and the plot was a bit predictable in certain points, but overall such a great watch. Will never rewatch it again though because emotionally it's just too much for me to handle. Too many personal triggers, but for one time watch I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!Was this review helpful to you?
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Kwangsoo's best role, story is great
This is mystery done in a fun way! The comedic aspect of this show is hilarious and it's lighthearted. You can pretty much figure it out by the 4th-5th episode, but it's done in a very interesting way. They discuss some pretty serious topics, too, like lgbtqia+ community treatment, mental health and inability to achieve goals, disillusionment, domestic spousal and child abuse, detective/cop corruption, real estate economy and how it impacts communities. Overall, some very nice themes and undertones which are addressed with a very progressive critique during the show. Plus these are dealt with in subtle ways, which is sometimes comforting and wholesome due its realistic nature.I may be biased because I began watching this show for Kwang Soo, but the story did grab me. Unlike a lot of Kwang Soo's previous work, this story did seem interesting. I can see he has some growing to do in the acting department, but he pulls off this role well! He's a natural when it comes to comedic acting (as expected), but I can sense a bit of "acting" going on during more stressful scenes. I know our giraffe is learning a lot :), and I'm highkey in love with the rest of the cast. The actress for the mom is amazing; Fish, Veggie, Products and Yul's acting is great, too!
100% recommend if you're looking for a lighthearted mystery show. Some scenes (like the murder discoveries) can be a bit grotesque for feint viewers, but it's really not very pronounced. They also do a lot of censoring, so not to worry.
I'm sad that next week will be the final week, but this show is great, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it :)! I'm curious to see how they will wrap this up, and "who" the murderer will be and what their reasons are! Would watch again :)!
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Attention to Detail
The story is about a jobless man who wants to own a supermarket and is being taken care of by his mother. Not only that, He also has a special ability to memorize all the details of what He saw. Suddenly, there is a crime where several women got killed in their area. That's where the story becomes interesting since they have to find the culprit. In this series, Lee Kwang Soo become much more serious in acting as a detective rather than comedy as always that He's doing.Was this review helpful to you?
From episode two - action and intrigue!
The Killer's Shopping List was an extremely enjoyable watch, and I loved the fact that, until episode six, I still wasn't certain on who the killer was. One of the best things about dramas with killers? When the viewer is left speculating after each episode has finished and has to brainstorm after each episode! Whilst I did correct the killer from episode two or three, I didn't actually have a valid reason for my speculation - it was more just based on a 'hunch'. I really liked the diverse personalities and characters, and I really loved the fact that the supporting cast were all on a 'main level' to the main cast. I also really enjoyed the acting provided by the main and supporting cast. Special mention to Lee Kwang Soo, I had only watched him in one drama before, and I thought he did a good performance, but in this, I would say it was close to phenomenal.The entire OST was really addictive and I also really enjoyed the editing styles and also the theme opening animation. The rewatch value is also higher than normal, I think this is due to the fact that there is only eight episodes instead of the 'usual 16', and also because of the unpredictability factor.
What could have earned this drama an even higher score? As I'm writing this, I can only think of a couple of things. I think it would've been nicer to explore the ML/FL relationship a little more, and at some points, the dialogue was a little repetitive... so maybe a change here?
However, I definitely recommend this drama no matter what - even if crime/mystery dramas are not your favourite!
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Unique and original story, with some missing plots but supported by great casting!
It's a unique and original story but with some missing plots here and there. The storyline goes up and down throughout all the episodes although the happy ending is quite warming.The casting is great, and the acting performance of all the actors, especially the supporting ones, is awesome. The characters I like are the ML's mother, Fish the transgender (he can be very handsome and beautiful lol), and the part-timer.
And last but not least, I love the little girl Yul with all my heart -- I am quite sensitive to topics related to child abuse and my heart breaks when I see the scars and wounds on her body when the ML's mother changed her clothes. It should be quite a challenge for the young actress to portray such a heavy role and she's doing it very well.
As I said earlier, the happy ending is heartwarming, although I hope that the ML and the FL policewoman get married and adopt Yul -- instead of Yul going back to Vietnam to live with her paternal grandmother as implied during the video call at the end.
Overall - it's quite an entertaining drama, a mix of comedy and mystery genres. It is quite recommended to watch.
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Very well done
Lee Kwang Soo is one funny guy! He's funny in this, but he's also a good actor that can wring other emotions from you. I thought this drama's storyline was very original and it managed to walk the fine line between drama and comedy. It was filled with twists and turns that kept me interested throughout.I love a show that demonstrates the strength of family and friends. This did that well. All the quirky supermarket employees really understood each other and looked out for one another. And just the best supportive mom, ever!
A lot of this drama was difficult for me to watch, especially concerning the little girl (who did a wonderful job, by the way), but I'm glad I took the time, though it's not my usual genre.
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Humurous, mysterious and light
Even though there's a whole criminal case going on, there are still some other parts of this series that will make you laugh or at least giggle a little bit, especially the misunderstandings. While being quite humurous, the case that's being investigated is far from that, which will keep you hooked on every single episode, to find out more details about it.To be honest, I don't think the plot/story is anything knew to kdrama watchers, especially the ones who are used to watching thrillers/crime series (like me), but it's better to keep it simple than to make it confusing, and iit's still interesting enough.
I also need to omplement the trans representation on this series. It's something small, but it's awesome and a big step that a drama from South Korea has a trans character. This character is also super cute (being biased cause its one of my fav actors lmao) and they all accept her well and lovingly.
Overall, even though it's nothing "revolutionary" or outstanding towards other series, it's still a nice drama to watch and I really enjoyed it!
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This review may contain spoilers
Underrated series.
Loved that they included themes like ableism in standarized tests, with an ending that it doesn't filled the cliché that usually is reserved for main characters. Sometimes intelligent people live by their own rules and not society's.I was stressed by Yul's suffering. Even while I guessed who was the killer very early, having my doubts I couldn't grasp with his neglect towards his daughter even more than him being a killer.
Actress is already amazing at her young age.
It took me by surprise the transgender representation, and nearly cried for Fish's outcome been accepted by her peers and living her best life. First time seeing this in a kdrama, which says a lot, so I really appreciate it.
One of my favorites.
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Short Shopping List
This was funny and disturbing at the same time, and brief (any longer would have been a problem, IMO).What I liked was how well the characters were drawn and acted. The physical comedy & timing between actors was excellent. This is the first comedy (other than the Fiery Priest and maybe Special Labor Inspector Joe) where the entire case carried the show, not just one or two actors, which is why I scored it as high as I did for acting and story. I also liked the uniqueness and interplay of the characters, I just wish they didn't go through suspecting each person before moving on to the real perpetrator, but I understand the writer's choice for that.
The series touches on some social issues of gender-based violence, queering, and child protection problems without being to heavy-handed. If you like happy endings then you'll like this series.
Laugh out loud / Spit out my drink scenes:
When to Do Ah Hee's father goes off on Daesong for the job he does and low motivation
When Ninja Grandpa showed up
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