Dramas/Specials - Completed 2025

The slowest of burns until it takes off and goes a little overboard towards the end. The story demands some leaps of logic, deep breaths, and a lot of patience - but despite that, I was still entertained. The father-daughter relationship was wrapped up well, even if their convoluted and painfully inefficient communication drove me up the wall for most of the show. My god, people, stop circling and just spit it out! Noh Jae Won broke my heart in Daily Dose of Sunshine, and he did it again here. Every scene he shared with the kid was so moving. A 10-episode run worked, but 8 might have been better.

It was passable entertainment, I suppose, but they really should’ve stopped after one season. I never became emotionally invested in any of the players (125 and 120 came close), but I cried for several in Season 1. Gong Yoo stood out again, even with his limited screen time. I get that logic and levelheadedness fly out the window when greed, fear and desperation kick in, but that final game was just a parade of painfully stupid decisions. And the VIPs’? Actually unbearable.

As expected from a Japanese production, the story didn’t shy away from complex yet mundane issues, explored through equally mundane and imperfect characters, who, as a result, felt human. Sei and Hagiwara both reached their needed individual arcs, but at one point during the finale, I wondered if their end would be different, and realized that I would be okay with that.

Fujisawa’s arc felt unsatisfying, wrapped up too quickly and neatly. It needed a longer conversation, a little more time spent on their past and his motivations. I don’t believe Fujisawa’s arc was meant to be redemptive and a dramatic confrontation wasn't needed. Both he and Sei understood exactly who he was and what he had done. There was no going back from that. Sei simply followed through on his words.

The cinematography stood out in several key moments, and the acting was strong. The nuanced, understated performances of the actors who played Kaori and Fujisawa were particularly striking in the episodes where everything came to a head and then unraveled.

The first 5 episodes were toptier, but unfortunately, they fumbled it toward the end - especially in the final episode, which felt rushed and uneven in focus. At least one more episode or longer runtimes to give the story and it's characters more room to breathe would've made this a standout show. Still, this was such a great watch overall.

The plot took an unexpected turn in the first couple of episodes, catching me so off guard, I almost dropped the show. However, after that initial speed bump, it became an entertaining, crazy ride until the final two completely unnecessary episodes.

I love a good melodrama and have a decent threshold for soapiness, but no amount of shirtless kissing can make up for horrible writing decisions. The final episode was bad - really bad. At least everyone mostly got what they deserved.