Really, these characters deserved a better plot overall, obviously Chun Woohee is a real treat to watch no matter if she's a con artist or a vulnerable girl who never really got the chance to either grow up or have a childhood, but the side characters on the protagonist's side are also quite well defined and feel like actual people, which isn't always something that's easy to achieve. I really like the way characters like Nasa and Dajung are developed, Lee Yeon specifically needs a lot more roles, she definitely brings out a vulnerable and sympathetic side to a character that so easily could've just been some awful one note cool girl hacker. I can't say I liked Ringgo though, he starts annoying, he remains annoying. I do wish, however, despite liking how his character ending up, that Mooyoung started in a less wooden place. Kim Dongwook is a good actor and brings a lot of nuance, but it's brought eventually, and the character just isn't interesting enough to care about his scenes at first, which is a stark contrast to Ro Um.
Definitely echo the criticisms though specifically about pacing and product placement, the two most glaring flaws in the drama. Like, you just got done with one of the most emotionally resonant scenes and it just cuts to a Chilsung ad with absolutely no self awareness. It gets really bad in the otherwise really good finale, I'm guessing because they knew that people would be paying attention to other things. There's probably about a dozen worthwhile episodes of content stretched out into sixteen, given my criticisms about some of the villains, you can probably infer what parts I thought were worth keeping and which were worth getting of.
The romance is a surprisingly tender slow burn, which I appreciated. It's in the background the whole time and it doesn't feel rushed like it sometimes can, like they just shoehorned it in because audiences want two characters to get together. "Turn your brain off" is such a dumb thing to say about any media but the sentiment is probably there when I recommend this to others, though not literally, because you definitely need to pay attention at basically every moment. It's an okay to mediocre drama elevated by good performances and honestly some pretty fun plot beats here and there. Worth a watch if you like that sort of thing, but not worth your absolute love and devotion, unless you do love it in which case throw away everything I've said.
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Delightfully Delicious
What is touted as a revenge drama is more akin to a cross between Leverage and The Pretender (or perhaps The Institute).. This premise is both interesting and dare I say, better than most kdramas of a similar theme. Ultimately, I binged it.There is a lot to like about this drama, a show that I wasn’t aware of until two years after it originally aired. The first half was a delight, a delicious morsel that had the level of intrigue, tension between relationships and portrayal of characters just right.
Our main pair were superb. There is definitely something there between them. The evil characters were good. The notes of intrigue in the first half were classic and very good.
Show does have its brutal moments. They catch your attention. Each member of our Scooby Doo gang are suffering in their own way. Our heroic lawyer suffers from an empathetic illness that appears to threaten his life, a new one on me.
Three episodes from the end, my suspicions became clear and I wasn’t too happy with how the story was turning. The ultimate evil, mysterious, chairman was ho hum and in my view undermined what was a cracking story.
Chun Woo-hee Is an acting powerhouse. Her next drama: A Typical Family is proof of this. Kim Dong Wook is an actor I like very much and did a good job here. Then there is Yoon Park - his versatility knows no end - think Introverted Boss, For Eagle Brothers and Birth Care Centre.
Show overall, is delightfully delicious. If you like intrigue, morally grey characters with redemptive arcs and growing connections between a Scooby Doo gang, then this show is for you. Don’t be put off by the MDL rating.
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Better Than the Rating, Delightfully Surprised
This is a story about an evil bastard who destroys the lives of thousands of people, and how some of those wrecked people organize to bring him down. In the process of getting some payback these people heal each other and themselves. The story emphasizes steep character growth for the many broken individuals involved in the revenge scheme.The plot can be complicated but no overly so. Much of the uneven early presentation may have to do with this being a first script for the author.
I found the first seven episodes OK and good enough to hold my attention. It was the seventh and eighth episodes that I felt really hooked, and then it got better from there as the payoffs in plot development and character growth show up.
Usually the website ratings on shows are a good guide, but not always. Sometimes a particular drama appeals to a niche leaving others cold or indifferent resulting in a lower than deserved score (or the process can work in reverse). It's worth checking if you're in the niche for this one or not.
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This review may contain spoilers
I recognized the MML from a previous drama that I gave a 10 to which I rarely do but it was a good drama. Mostly because the MML got some mad fightimg skills.I thought he was going to fight in this drama but he didn't.
This drama wasn't bad but it wasn't good. The issue I had with this drama was that each episode was too long and too slow.
The MFL started off strong but fizzled in the end. She nailed about two cons and the rest went down in a heavy heap.
I usually look for character connection and of course the bromance. None of that was in this drama because the MFL was cold and bossy. The probation officer and the con crew was just annoying. If that wasn't enough when I saw who the main culprit was I was ready to stop watching. I now have some not so favorite Korean actors that I tend to avoid if they're in a specific drama and I should've skipped this one. It just didn't make no sense for this person to be the culprit. It was a horrible character choice and to me it's what dragged the drama down.
At one point I lost my patience and just sped up the rest of the episodes. What's sad was that even though I had sped up the last few episodes it still went by SLOW!!! Had I known the way this drama ended I would've stopped at episode 4 because that's where this drama went downhill. Even though each episode dragged the last two episodes just cleared up everything by the MML sliding his crew a note that solved most of their problems. I was like WTF was that?? Why was everything else dragged out but not that?!
I can't believe I was able to stick this out. I also have to check to see who's in these dramas. If it's got romance or a actor I don't like I will be skipping it.
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Not Good Enough
Korean Drama " Delightfully Deceitful " is a crime thriller comedy about a con artist and an attorney coming together to punish those who think they are above any law.The drama does start out strongly, with the story of the main female lead being compelling and her character even more so. And truly, there were some con cases that were handled nicely and the result was enjoyable.
However, the drama quickly deteriorates, getting boring and falling into way too many tropes. Things got out of hand quite quickly and the plot got even more confusing and stuffy.
The performances at least were enjoyable.
So, overall, three out of ten.
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This review may contain spoilers
Classic revenge combined with evil and good
- Storyline -I liked the main story and really was invested on how they will manage to workout and teamup together, although i struggled at first to comprehend and understand what's been happening but it surely came complete by the end. It's main goal isn't finding the owner, but in another way seeing how the victims deal with their trauma and keep up with them. It's showing the fact that the fl was seen as a psycopatic character, in fact it was them. When the ml cared for the fl when none else did, and gave her trust she started to open up little by little, none will ever notice it except the ml, his hyper-sympathy surely was an excuse because they needed eachother and they both helped eachother.
-actors-
I really love kim dong wook and ive never been disappointed for any of his works. The fl as well was indeed a beautiful woman, it was the first time i see her and she took my attention fully, she's got her own charm and she's so cute as well. Side characters played well and the probation cop was absolutely chaotic, i loved him. The psychiatrist is a real cutie, she's beautiful and i liked her character and her way of dealing with her responsibilities. Overall i loved them so much.
-Plot Pace-
Ngl the drama was moving slowly at first, it was moving so slow that i didn't understand what's going on, but episodes by I've been into it more and i enjoyed it. Fir advise you shouldn't care much about the details at first since you will understand it later, so you won't feel bored and just enjoy it.
-couples-
I'm aware there's no couples or romance but i can say there is a relationship between them, they opened up and they became trustworthy for eachother and that's what matters. I do hope ffor a slight of romance in between tho. For the probation officer and thw psychiatrist they're absolutely CUTIES.
-plot twist-
Yeah, it was indeed a confusing plot and i was shocked, still not sure if that's the end
This drama is fun tbh and i recommend it for people who's looking for an "evil" fl and "innocent" ml. They complete eachother like that
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Failed Potential.
I'm disappointed in this show. Really.
We had an excellent first episode setting up the Main Character (Lee Ro Um) and her backstory, as well as her apathetic view of the world in contrast to the hugely empathetic Han Moo Young.
Despite this, there was minimal "plot" and a very bland environment that stalled progress. Lee Ro Um's character had immense potential given the complexity of her past, but such trauma and desire to investigate the real killer of her estranged parents are not present. In fact, it's actually insane that they gave such depth to her character and proceeded to throw it away for the dullness of the scenes.
I understand that the point of the show is for them to work together to take down "bad guys." But the way that it was framed felt sloppy and a collision of personalities without any incentive for the audience to continue watching. Little humour. Little drama. It reminded me of the dynamic between the main characters of Catch the Ghost (without the comedy.)
Dialogue heavy dramas can work, but they require good script and visuals. This show had that in the first episode, but I can't say I was seeing it after that.
Hopefully I can pick it up again.
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Captivating Drama Delivers a Memorable and Satisfying Conclusion.
I loved the series. The character development takes its time, but it is essential in showing how the characters suffered and overcame their past. Since the individuals involved have a high IQ, their emotional quotient is low. Emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient or EQ, refers to the ability to understand, use, and manage one's own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflicts. This aspect is very apparent in the drama, hence the extended time dedicated to character development. For me, it was worth it.I especially enjoyed the last scene—it left me with a smile and reminded me of a Hollywood movie. I would rate it 9.5/10, but to balance the lower ratings, I will give it a 10/10 because the drama deserves to be in the 8+ ratings category.
If you're wondering whether to watch it or not, I recommend going for it. Among the currently airing dramas, this was one of the couples I always looked forward to. It's a great binge-watch with elements of mystery, investigation, revenge, and past trauma. The story develops over time, which can be frustrating for some, but it's important to understand that overcoming past trauma takes time. Overall, it's a great drama. Go for it!
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blood and gore
oh my gosh, this was so very well put together. from the beginning tomthe end, the storyline and production were amazing. a little on the gory side for those who dont like blood but nevertheless a brilliant drama. I love the fact that they had a secondary couple romantically even though you dont see too much romance between the lead actors, the sentiment is there. Understandably the emotions are subdued, due to her being raised by a criminal organisation. controlled by any signs of weakness (hers being those she loved or saw as family).I also loved how the writer wrote a redemption side to the FL, although she set about to kill those who had killed her family, the ending is so well written.
Kudos to the whole team, writer, producer and actors.
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Truly a Delight to Watch
This show was brilliant. A glossy heist like vibe that covers and contrasts brilliantly with the twisted world that lurked beneath. It was the perfect allegory for how deceit and cons work. Everything was so well executed. Every conflict arises naturally from opposing viewpoints and values and not from foolish miscommunications or noble idiocy. Every flashback reveals just enough to peel back the layers to the characters and every crossroad is an opportunity for growth. And the characters are all brilliantly written and acted. Their dynamics are fabulous and it was so refreshing to see characters be honest with each other. I have to shout out Kim Dong Wook in this. His performance has Han Mu Young is just incredible. He carefully balances a character that both has the softest heart and the steeliest spine. The performance is understated but the emotions he projects are powerful. Chun Woo Hee matches him an amazing range, bringing to life a character who wears cynicism like armour and has a well of rage beneath. Their chemistry and that of the entire cast is incredible. Every character gets a role and pushes the plot forwards and there’s not one wasted moment. I cannot recommend this drama enough.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
When talent meets creativity
My kinda series... this one, in my very personal opinion, is by leaps and bounds the best kdrama I've watched thus far.Every character has a story, and every story has a purpose. The winner of this drama is actually the penmanship of the scriptwriter. Everything you hear (or read in my case - subtitles), and every bit of detail conveyed, intricately weaves into the storyline. There's no buffer or filler or gaps left for malarkey.
The directors vision and the actors execution is perfectly aligned with the writers perception, or so it comes across.
Delightfully Deceitful was a delightful watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
Different from usual revenge dramas.
As implied from the headline, this is a revenge drama.The story is about a teenage girl falsely implicated in the murders of her parents, released from prison after 10 years and going on revenge mode to avenge her wrong imprisonment and murder of her parents.
The plot: Taking a u-turn from usual revenge dramas, this drama focuses on the main leads getting revenge by conning the bad guys. As said above, FL is implicated in her parent's murder but found support in an able lawyer who has the problem of being overly emotional with the cases. FL is supported by a bunch of her "colleagues"and together they formed a perfect team to avenge for what they had to suffer in the past.
Acting: This is the best thing about this drama, the acting. Everyone has done a splendid job here. I loved the dynamics between Ro-Um and Moo-young.
This drama do suffers from the obvious low moments in the plot which can be overly complicated at times. But the biggest positive is that the writers were able to wrap things up perfectly. In an era where kdramas are sucking at the ending, this drama feels like a breath of fresh air about how they approached the story and how well the ending is written.
I feel like the ratings are not doing justice to this drama. We have mediocre products like movies of certain big stars getting ratings of more than 8, while such good dramas are stuck at 7.7.
Don't go with the ratings. You will surely enjoy this drama.
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