This review may contain spoilers
I thought this was gonna be part of my top dramas in 2024….
Summary: Happy ending, high on angst, cliche moments, not medically logicalMy advice watch until ep 9 and just pretend the rest dont exist. For the first time I feel like I need to divide this review into 2 parts…
Review for first half:
I really clicked in without expecting much cause I just saw it one day on Netflix that a new drama has started. Initially I didn’t want to start it so early cause I prefer to binge watch it but that one clip from the first call made me give in.
I was actually so shocked by the plot and execution. Usually after a few episodes the intensity dies down and we start to predict what happens but wow for this one every call they made every dialogue they had was amazing. Eps 6 contained my most favorite calls. The execution was insane…
YYS and CSB initially I thought their chemistry will be a bit off but omg they are so good. Im so glad the role was given to them because I don’t think we would feel the same way if the acting was not executed to this level. However, I did feel CSB just looked much younger than him but I valued the chemistry and acting more so it was fine.
The second main leads were so cute as well. They tried to steer us away for one episode but the writers brought it back haha…
Review for second half:
Now with all this expectations set from the starting few episodes around ep 9 is where is started to go downhill…
The reveal of the “Teacher” aka mastermind behind all this was really very underwhelming…really barely any impact at all. I expected him to be a smart psychotic villain…in the end he was just fooled chasing after the wrong target all this while.
Now, the kidnapper always acted as if he was under the mastermind’s control. But suddenly once the mastermind was out of the story he became so ambitious and had so many plans to continue the revenge…
Ok all this I can close my eyes and just leave it to my imagination to develop but that ENDING literally what was that. It felt like all the effort put into the front few episodes were just wasted. I really hoped so much that it won’t be a lame ending where there is no justice served and they just kill off the villain…but that’s exactly what we got…another unsatisfactory ending for the villain…the last eps was just so bad it made no sense. Him disappearing okay I give it to him cause he needs to get a new identity. Why did he suddenly go rejoin the forces out of nowhere in a war zone state?? And why did the writers make HHJ go to that state alone in the middle of all the machine guns thinking she can just walk freely in the woods…like seriously I was just so disappointed!!
Basically towards the end that’s when it truly became a wattpad drama. Initially at the start it was still okay but the end really just purely for their romance with no sense in plot.
Really it was such a good opportunity for a clean closure but wasted….
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Disappointed in the end
I thought this would be the best drama of 2024 but for the last two episodes I'm just soooo frickin disappointed.The story went from exciting to unreasonable and pointless. It was like some 9 year old girl stole the pen from the writer.
The Argan plotline... It was a useless angst, they needed something little more to separate the couple. And they did a terrible uncreative job.
I feel angry because I really hoped this show is something more. Well it was not.
However the leads deserve applaude. Yeonsuk and Sobin both were amazing. I appreciated the mature marriage moments.
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Soapy, tropey, & a little ridiculous - All the things you want in a drama!
Thoroughly enjoyed this drama and thankfully didn't have to wait for the episodes to air since I was a little late to the party. As the title says its FULL of all the troupes, but there is a comfort in them if you're an avid drama watcher. I didn't care for our main couple at first but truly grew to love them by the end of the series. I also loved the side characters and grew to care for them and their lives just as much! The only weak spot for me was ending storyline drama with our main couple, which really pmo. Overall though, I loved it and would highly recommend it!
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This review may contain spoilers
The ending killed the show.
What’s up ending the drama series with him disappearing to a war torn country called Argan and her finding him as he liked to look at sunsets! It did not make sense… there are so many ways to end this drama.. and this is really nonsensical. The buildup was excellent but the ending was a complete letdown. This is my personal opinion.Was this review helpful to you?
A bit less than expected but a great watch.
I'm a bit torn with how I feel about this kdrama, but it was good, not a big masterpiece, but definitely good.The story does lack in some aspects, mostly towards the end, where it sometimes felt like they didn't know what to do with the plot, or like they were trying to keep adding unnecessary things, but if you don't think too much about what goes on, you can look past that. They do give an explanation to everything even if it might not be too satisfactory.
Overall, I enjoyed it and I would recommend it as a quick and easy watch that, despite everything, is pretty entertaining. In my opinion, it has a good balance of romance and thrilling moments, and the actors were a great choice for this story, they knew how to convey the emotions and make you feel them as well, also their chemistry is amazing, so I will say it is worth watching (and not as bad as I might made it sound).
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This review may contain spoilers
ENJOYABLE, but a bit makjang
Baek Sa Eon is a typical K-drama male lead—cold and stiff on the outside, but with a heart full of warmth for the female lead. I wasn’t a fan of him at first due to the lack of communication between him and Hee Joo. I know he did it to “protect” her, but still, it was unhealthy.That said, the romance developed at a reasonable pace, as did the mystery, so I was invested in the story and rooting for both leads to end up together.
Aside from the last two episodes, the series was pretty enjoyable, especially for those who like a little bit of makjang and don’t nitpick small details. There were a lot of twists, and by episode 10, I was starting to feel exhausted. When Sa Eon decided to go MIA without any explanation, leaving Hong Hee Joo confused and waiting all by herself, I lost interest. I ended up skipping a lot of scenes.
Eventually, Hong Hee Joo tracked him down by visiting the foundation Sa Eon had donated his money to. She ended up in a conflict zone—a reckless move, to be honest—and, of course, she got captured. Cue Baek Sa Eon swooping in to rescue her—so BBF-coded.
I really want to commend Chae Soo Bin for her sign language skills. It’s clear she put in a lot of hard work. I’m sure it wasn’t easy to learn and memorize, but she comes across as both comfortable and convincing. I’ve seen a drama before where the male lead used sign language, but it didn’t feel authentic at all. That’s why I especially want to applaud her dedication and performance.
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The best drama of 2024
First of all i like to appreciate the acting of the leads and all the supporting cast. Yoo yeon seok and chae sobin gave their best acting in their career. So good the sign language specially. Rest of the cast second leads, office staff, villain and parents all acted so well.Story/production/screenplay/direction: the story is so enticing and captivating there is zero filler scene in this drama. Every episode feels like a roller coaster ride and a whole film. So many emotion are shown in single episode. The production of the drama is top notch. From the styling to the outfits every thing is outclass .
Chemistry: this is the best chemistry i have seen between the leads in any k drama. Even the behind the scene of this drama are trending because of their chemistry. All the kiss and hugs scene are so good and natural.
Ps the OST Are so good specially see the light is so amzaing is already in billboard global top 10. And the song sung by yoo yeon seok himself is just cherry on the top. He is so talented.
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1This review may contain spoilers
11 Hours of Entertainment Followed by 30 Minutes of What Was That??
I am going to start by saying this.. Everything apart from crying or kidnapping most of the happy or romantic scenes thats worth remembering are imagination in this show.. So much so that even the ending had me thinking, ' Wait.. Are they going to show this was just imagination too?? 'The story was solid.. And the cast was absolutely perfect.. I heard people complaining about CSB.. But I honestly didnt feel anything wrong with her acting atleast in this drama.. The chemistry between the leads was spot on.. And the OST added so much more to the drama.. The first two episodes were well crafted and paced and did the job of drawing me in and making me want to keep watching.. And I think we just got the best kiss of 2024 in this drama.. Thank the director for making sure we got all the angles.. If thats what you are in it for.. One more thing I liked about the drama was the abundance of parallels.. If you pay close attention you will notice plenty of them in the drama..
In my eyes.. Heejoo is the true hero of this story.. She has endured heartbreak after heartbreak from the ones who should have cared for her and loved her.. Yet she carried on with unwavering grace.. She is a character who truly deserves all the love in the world..
" If it was for you.. I thought I wouldnt mind dying..
But I miss you.. I wasn’t afraid of dying..
But the thought of never seeing you again was terrifying.. "
Ep 11 was filled with angst.. Some might say it was unnecessary because of everything that happened in the previous episodes.. But I think it was exactly what the story needed.. It pushed the story to its limits..
Her mother wanted her to stay mute for more than 10 years.. Gaslighted her throughout her life.. And then suddenly everything goes wrong and she is the mother of the year?? Honestly these redemption arcs in Kdramas need to stop.. Some people especially parents dont deserve forgiveness that easily..
Now.. The ending... What in the Descendants of the Sun was going on there?? The story completely strayed from its original plot.. And the first half of the last ep was a total disaster.. And why would you even touch a sensitive topic?? That was totally unnecessary.. Honestly its becoming frustrating to say this about every drama.. But Kdrama writers really need to learn how to write better endings.. Is it so hard to give us a one hour happy conclusion??
Overall.. Its a good drama that will keep you entertained for 12 hours.. But once again its a reminder that a strong start and captivating characters can only carry a story so far without a satisfying conclusion.. Still its worth the watch.. Best drama of 2024?? Hell No..
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WTPR has everything can expect from a kdrama
Reviews are subjective but honestly I’ve never rewatched any drama as many times as this one while it was still airing… not even my beloved CLOY. For me, it’s perfect: the script, directing, camera work, the length, the tempo, no unnecessary or cringe scenes, and so many details are well thought out. The OST as well, and best of all, the acting and the chemistry between the main leads. We see a rarely seen nowadays top class acting from not only main leads but also supporting actors.Of course it has a few parts in the form of illogical and slightly realistic consequences of various accidents, but this is a common technique in this genre and is no more miserable than in other dramas, and it does not affect the story or the pleasure of watching.
To be fair, I haven’t seen a lot of the iconic and older dramas yet, but I think I’ve watched over a hundred various dramas already, and this one has everything I expect from a kdrama. For me, it’s in my top 3 and I will rewatch it more than any other series for sure.
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Ending ruined the whole drama
Last 2 episodes where the biggest load of horse shit. I am so honestly disappointed with the ending. My mind can't even comprehend how stupid it was, and how long they made us suffer that stupidity. Last 2 hours could have been 10 minutes.And the big long secret that was whispered in his ear.... nonsense... stuff we already knew and makes no sense for him to be so broken up about.
It makes 0 sense for Paik Sa Eon to "punish" himself in a way that meant ghosting her and causing Hee Joo pain. Also random entry of a made up African country where the rebels were white....? Korea if you are going to try and include international content at least make it obvious that you didn't just round up some foreigners as extras and actually put some effort in.
Apart from episode 11 and 12 the rest where great episodes
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This review may contain spoilers
Never been let down hard enough to write a review
As an ardent k-drama fan for the last 10 years when I saw the trailers of When the Phone Rings i expected it to have everything I have come to expect from k-drama Mystery/Thriller Romances.The first 4 eps were one of the most promising starts i have seen to a show, which, convinced me to watch it while it was on air (when i'm the type to binge watch).
Where it went wrong:
=> The calls: in the first few calls there was tension, there was anger, there was suspense but after ep 4 they just turn into banter, and somehow Paik Sae On just keeps spilling things about his personal life and just turns dumb???
=> Paik Sae On: Yoo Yeon Seok is wonderful in the role, like most of his other works his acting is incredible, but the character was written in a very amateur manner, isn't his character a master negotiator who has certification from like the FBI, and isn't a negotiator's first task is to not show any emotion to the threats but somehow to 406 he keeps losing control, like I get it, you are worried about your wife but bro you are smarter than that.
=> Hong Hee Joo's talking: Hong Hee Joo's selective mutism was just utter bullshit, after one point she just started talking to anyone and everyone???!!!! like isn't that the first point in her character sketch. Her entire deal was to not talk to anyone and only talk to him on the burner phone. Honestly it would have been better to stretch that bit out a little more.
=> The emotional abuse: Paik Sae On literally abuses Hong Hee Joo for 3 years only to be forgiven in one dialogue. Like sis where is your self respect?? and she justifies it by saying that its okay as she also lied about not being able to talk. Did he give her the safety of talking about it... no... so did she have to tell him also... no.
=> The entire last ep: not required... the arden arc... the 2 billion won... the name change.... just no.
In my opinion the only smart and sane person here was Hong In-A cause she left when she realized what was going on, got herself fixed, came back to save her sister, asked her father to take action, and supported her sister when she was alone.
Never been this disappointed with a show that started this well.
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An Overrated Balloon
This drama was decent, especially the first three episodes, but after that, it gradually declined. I got so bored while watching the episodes that I ended up watching almost all of them at 2x speed. I usually watch dramas at their normal speed, but this one was so slow that even with the gazes and music sped up, nothing was lost.Once the main mystery in the story disappeared, the drama's appeal faded even more. Character development and plot depth were very superficial.
I think it might be a nice and different drama for those who are new to Kdramas, but for people who have been watching dramas for a long time, especially since most of the characters were cliché.
The relationship between the main couple also progressed very quickly and without meaning. It was all over the place. Especially the last five episodes felt like a waste of time.
I like Yoo Yeon Seok, but I especially didn’t like his role here. However, you can still give it a chance and watch it.
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