Nimue

Expectation Vs Reality

This drama is not for everyone and certainly not for me. It's hard even to say that I appreciate some of it coz there is no point. The ending doesn't outweighed the journey itself.

It's a hard debate but I found myself feeling disappointed because I felt cheated. I felt that I wasted my time. This whole time for nothing. I felt that the main characters gave up way too easy. But maybe only me coz many seems to like it, even praising this drama as a beautiful-slice-of-life-growing-up story. For me is like no-good-ever-going-to-change-me story. The main characters, no matter how wonderful they are in the beginning are just being selfish. There, I said it. It's true. Don't deny it. You can disagree with me all you want but that is what I got from their so called 'beautiful journey'.

Not that I can't appreciate a break-up story; If it was good and done right, I'd be crying a river. But this drama doesn't. It felt rushed and a cop out. Without any-I-gave-it-all-effort from both sides, they just threw the towels and called it quit. If you can't commit then why even bother to start. Relationship needs work. It's not always a walk in the park. It needs comprimise, sacrifices, give-and-take-effort, hardwork and understanding. When you stumble upon hurdles in your journey together, you overcome it; You don't stop and turn from it right away. Never have I feel so numb in my life. I didn't feel sad when they parted ways, I just felt numb. Empty. Annoyed actually.

Imagine this. You are presented with this wonderful gift. A box which has decorations of many pretty flowers, enchanting ornaments, crystal gems and sparkling ribbons. It has all the beautiful things that you can ever imagine. But then, when you open the box, you find it to be empty. Zero. Nothing. Only a void of space. And that's what this drama represent. Yes, you may keep the 'beautiful' box, but how do you feel about it? Please be honest.

The casts are amazing. The chemistry is off the chart. But the end result is just soo bizarre. It's a shame. What a waste!

There is an old proverb in my native language that says "Hendak seribu daya, tak hendak seribu dalih" which translates; When you really want something badly, you'd give thousand efforts, but if you don't want it, you'd give thousand excuses. That proverb really fits well to this story.

"It doesnt matter where it ended, what matter is the journey". Boohoo! That is such a lame excuse. For me, the journey is what shaped the end, both matter. Period.

As always; Do I want to watch the whole drama again? Hell NO.

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That darn door keeps chirping!

This is unexpected. It's a ROM-COM supremacy. I'm so glad that I started the series and ignored the naysayers about the show. I was drawn to it mostly because of Han Ji-hyun and thankfully, overall I am fully satisfied that this series is strong and one of the best light rom-com ever.

This is the definitive take on there is that one person (at least) out there for everyone. One person that you can rely on and not afraid to be embarrassed to. Yes, you may hate someone for being mean and harsh. Yes, you may say what a loser he is to let his partner have her way. But that is the REAL deal. Nobody is perfect. A person can be unbearable to you, but not to certain someone. Yes, you may hate/disagree with their choice, so decide if you want to be supportive or throw your tantrums on the floor.

The very core of a relationship/ bond to last is having acceptance of each other's flaws (never using them against each other). This series tackles not only from love perspective but between family, friends, sisterhood/ brotherhood and co-workers. It's not going to be a picture-perfect to fit your liking but with RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING and PATIENCE, those bonds are here to stay. This series is by far imho nailing those 'realism' brilliantly, no matter how unserious they can be at times.

Story
This is a not-so-typical marriage-contract setup between a head-strong heroin and a kind-hearted-angelic hero. The vibes in this one are super duper fun and so unserious, making it a joyful ride. It's like a box of chocolates, you'll never guess of what's coming and as of now I'm having a blast with their reality versus expectation scenes. Yes, keep em coming.

The introduction of the main couple is intriguing. Love, love, love with the animated graphics/ titles on certain scenes that help to amplify the antics of each character. What makes it stand out even more is the clash/ contrast of both leads which I find pretty unique on its own. The dynamics of the relationship is unexpectedly natural and exciting. Added with a stellar supporting casts whom I thought were also really appealing but doesn't feel overshadowing the main couple. Each of them was introduced subtly but made an impact, causing me wanted to see more of them.

Big kudos to the writer, I wished that I could get more than just 12 episode. Although the story may seem unserious, the writer manages to highlight heavy issues like cyberbullying, domestic abuse/ neglect, office discrimination, to name a few. It's amazing that the writer is able to take us on cloud 9 with it's romance, whack us with it's humour and educate/remind us at the same time.

But I have to give the highest credit to the director and the visual/sound editing team, for every little detail in every scene coz their effects are totally working and amplifying the storytelling. And not to mention that convenience store's door, it never fails to annoy me every time.

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SPOILER AHEAD
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Cast
Main Couple
Shin Min-ah is brilliant as Son Hae-young, her nature being an ambitious and calculative person were shown quite convincingly but isn't likeable/lovable to begin with. Her biggest flaw is her lack of empathy towards other people. What she understands are purely based on her own observation and life experience, shaped from her parent's lack of attention, thus making her insecure/ incapable of trust to others. She is confident in her own assumption, and sets out her goal as the most beneficial to her; and to other people, regardless of how she makes them feel or how they perceived her. In other words she seems like a selfish person but underneath it all, her 'calculative' decision is made to benefit others as well in her own twisted unique way. Her strength lies in her confidence, as she is willing to go the extra mile in any sort of situation. Unbeknownst to her, such act is actually a mirror to what her mother's deed all along. Although Hae-young might not be as angelic as her mother, they share the same value in life. We can see her bits of warmth and kind nature emerge here and there. Amazingly, SMA is able to make an unlikely likeable character to be relatable and that made me adore her even if she can really get on your nerves sometimes. This is one of her best works, alongside Gumiho.

Kim Young-dae brought his 'A' game as Kim Ji-uk. I'm sold at his portrayal of this awkwardly-angelic-persona as a good samaritan. Ji-uk stands at the very end of Hae-young's calculative nature spectrum. He was raised thinking that his existence is a curse instead of a blessing, and he lived his life as an act of service to the community just to fill his void (his sense of belonging). It was never revealed clearly as to what he was doing that is unknown to others (*my likely guess is he continues to care for his 'foster mom'). So he works at the convenience store nearby to keep in touch. And so happens, Hae-young asks him to be her fake groom. He just couldn't bear the thought of Hae-young getting involved with any stranger under those contract/fake circumstances. So, true to his nature to protect, he agrees, reassuring that at least it's under his control. Little does he know, the heart can play tricks on your mind. It brings me back to what Ji-uk's grandma had said earlier; "Whatever you say, is bound to happen later on". It implies that you'll do whatever your heart desires the most, which in Ji-uk's case, a family. A family which is not perfect; a family which is a HOME, a sense of belonging thus making his existence matter. KYD's portrayal of Ji-uk is highly commendable as his kind-angelic persona shines through just like his spellbinding mesmerizing visuals. I'm his new fan.

The chemistry between the leads are realistically incredible. It gradually climbs off the chart just like the dynamic in their relationship (from enemy to lover). It's insane if you think about the age gap. It's like magic. It's feels natural as both leads initially disliked each other; and each time both of them learn something new about each other, the sense of awe sparks their curiosity and eventually care. So how did they fall in love? Well, opposite does attract. Ji-uk thought he knew everything there was about Hae-young, but as he got closer, he realized that there was more. Hae-young's hidden charms slowly unmasked and grew on him. As for Hae-young, her curiosity about Ji-uk's past made her care about his well-being more than she should, as they share the same feeling of being neglected/ unwanted while growing up.

I just love watching them grow fond and be comfortable around each other. The push and pull effects with this couple is sizzling. SMA being maturely expressive somehow matches up with KYD's shy-aloofness. I'm not saying KYD is super-great but he's not all bad either. It works. I'm all giddy, anxious and excited each time I see them together.

Second Couple
Han Ji-hyun is an amazing actress. A room lights (steams) up whenever she is around. She plays Nam Ja-yeon/ Yeon Bo-ra, a +19 web-novel writer who is positively easy-going persona. She shines like a bright sun that can influence other people naturally. Her demeanor is quirky and often looks as if she is a care-free girl with no issues but underneath she hides a terrible past that shook her entire being. She often acts as the peacemaker if any fight occurs between the other two 'sisters'. Meaning that she is the type of person who doesn't like to hold a grudge for too long, easy to forgive and look for the bright side. Which resonates as to why she is able to accept Gyu-hun's sincere apologies. HJH's strong presence really made Ja-yeon believable as a survivor, given her ability to show her bright side in contrast to her dark-hidden past. The joke about her becoming a serial killer is actually a reminder to us all.

Lee Sang-yi as the insecure CEO Bok Gyu-hun is marvellously funny and charming. His brief intro with his family are amusing as it alternates from seriousness to opposite naturally. And then he pairs up with Yeo Ha-jun, his reluctant secretary play by Lee Yoo-Jin, forming a chaotic dynamic duo that will keep us entertain till the end. Their chemistry and interactions with each other never fail to make me laugh and I look forward to whatever turmoil coming their way. As for Bok Gyu-hun, his flaw is in his lay-back approach in dealing with what his parents expected of him (his mom especially), also by his lack of passion in his career/love. So the arc of half-sibling-rivalry and newfound love may trigger his true ability to shine through. LSY is able to portray such silliness with class. He made Gyu-hun to be likeable and charmed us in rooting for his growth.

As for the 2nd lead, with same trope (enemy to lover), imo their chemistry is good however it suffers a bit, as they came across each other pretty late in the story, resulting in a pretty jarring attraction; as to why would the writer have a soft spot for her hater, BUT it will be explained further in a 2 episode of spin-off (Spice Up Our Love). From it's preview, the 'spin off' took place when Ja-yeon fainted and slept for 20hrs... Haha, that'll explain a lot.

*Note : I'm not so keen on romancing cyberbullying, but I love to see how the storm subsided. So please be kind to each other ^__^

Other Cast (Overall)
Omg where do I start? Coz all of them are amazing.
Ms Cha - Love her deep tone voice and as the third sister, she is the 'normal' one that keeps the other two sisters (Hae-young and Ja-Yeon) on the ground.
Kkulbee Education staffs - Pretty solid, fun and entertaining. Big kudos to Ms Gong, never have I like a nosy co-worker with lovely comical expressions. Even Hae-young's two-timing ex-boyfriend, who I wished to see his downfall. It's never going to be a dull moment in that office.
Gyu-hyun's parents - Intriguingly funny. Their dynamics although was shown briefly, is enough to set the tone of how interesting the progression will be.
Mr Jang - How could I forget about him? Truly an underrated side character. Brief yet memorable.

5 Top Favourite Scenes :
1) All epilogue scenes; especially Episode 1
2) The fake marriage proposal; including the ring.
3) 'Family' dinner and the chaos that follows. (Including the morning after LOL)
4) Rooftop kiss... Insane! (the fluttering kills me) Great editing, hauntingly-beautiful score, the hands, the snowflakes... Ahhh it's so perfect!
5) The night when the power broke (I die again with that song)
5+1) When Ja-yeon realising Hae-young knew about the whole dad thingy. Han Ji-hyun, your acting is SUPERB! Award winning performance.

3 Honourable Mentions :
1) Wedding Night where Ji-uk opens up;
2) When their mom congratulate Hui-seong;
3) Gyu-hun/Ja-yeon's rendezvous in the office;
3+1) The fight between Gyu- Hun and Ja-yeon's dad. Till now I am traumatised.. laughing non-stop that is.

Music
Again. Kudos to the sound director/ editing team. They did an awesome job to match and amplify the effects of a joyful storytelling. As for the OST;
1. Possible Love - Sondia
2. Someday - Kassy (my fav)
3. My Side - Hui (Intro)
4. Falling Into You - Kim Jae-hwan (my top fav)
5. Another Story - Cheeze
6. A New Day - Kei
7. By Your Side - Bang Yedam
8. Only For You - Colde

As usual, should I rewatch it as a whole?
A BIG YES. Even if the show could crash and burn, I still have that annoying door to go back to.

(After finish the series) - Ending explained;

1) Ji-uk's promise to grandma that held him back from visiting his birth-mom;
2) Ji-uk's promise to Hae-young's mom that held his feelings for Hae-young;

So, why the break up is necessary? Understand this from Hae-young's perspective;
- She doesn't want to be the reason for Ji-uk to withhold himself further since he is still young with a bright future. She wants Ji-uk to put himself first, since he always held himself back.
- She knows that if she didn't push him away at that time then she wouldn't be able to let him go, ever.
- She asks him to help her to do the right thing and protect her to stay true to her nature of avoiding any loss, to her and himself (especially him).
- She afraid that she would always have her way, meaning that he will always let her win without thinking about himself. That is too burdensome.

Now from Ji-uk's perspective when Hae-young breaks off with him;
- He grew up having used to bottle up his feelings, unaware that he has been denying his priority all his life and always accepts whatever decision that's being made for him without throwing any fit or tantrum.
- He knew that he has no control of things that happened to him. So he needs to take charge of his life, without having Hae-young as his priority. The only problem is he still loves Hae-young nonetheless.
- He knew in his heart that even if Hae-young had pushed him away, he will always love her, no doubt about it. So, how to win her back?
- Ji-uk needs to be free from all his promises. Since he already broke promise no 2, then he needs to break promise no.1 for him to get a shot of reconciliation with Hae-young.

So when they meet again;
- The Canadian mini-globe marks the broken promise to his grandma, a clear sign that he has put himself first.
- Added with his new unusual act; being carelessly drunk, rambling consistently of how weightless he is. His light tantrum as a protest, a way to slip himself back into her life. (Baby Ji-uk is so cute that Hae-young was unable to resist.)
- She finally sees him in a new light, knowing that he will prioritise himself.
- She then discovers in herself that she could love him without any calculations; doesn't even mind about losing herself. You can see how distraught she was when she thought that he was gone. (She even wore mismatched slippers).

Final thoughts
It's a great ending for both main leads. Both have grown and come along way throughout the course of time they were being together or apart. The only problem for me as a viewer is that I want more of them because I love them so much. It's evident to me just how good the series is and that I am having trouble of letting them go. I need Help.

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Fast-paced Action Thrills. Here we go..

As an avid fan of the beloved manga, this is like a sweet treat. I didn't put any expectation and guess what? I watched the whole thing in one seating, (wait, so it was done right, right?) Hmmm sadly not so much, it's not perfect but even after all that, I'm finding myself wanted for more. Why?

It is a fast paced action thrills that really focus on the fighting sequences. I was amazed by it and would abruptly screamed myself out coz' it reminds me some pages of the manga. I giddy myself over Genkai throwing the walnuts. >___<

The cast ensemble although its not quite being portrayed accurately but pretty much matches the vibes of what these characters represents. For me, Urameshi stands for Second Chance, Kurama for Gratitude, Hiei for Salvation, Kuwabara for Loyalties, Genkai for Hope and
Toguro for Despair. If only their depth of backstory was told in more detail and subtle way.

You may hate or love this live adaptation BUT a BIG kudos to the action choreographer/ special effects team coz the fighting sequences are CRAZY!!!

Yes, it had potential to be even greater, but I am not going to complain about it.

As always; Would I spend another 5 hours of this?
You can count on it, any day, any time. :)

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A Must See Masterpiece!

With all that happen in the world right now, I really need an escape from reality pill. This show gave me just that. What a joy! I never get this excited about a show since forever. Crazy-comedy, romance, historical, supernatural, crime solving and magic show; all gel and blended well to an amazing show. Full of treats. It's crazy to think how on earth can this writer pull so many genres that ever existed in kdrama land and put it in one show. I'm up for it. Bring it on.

I may not an expert on evaluate things, what I do is just sharing my experience as a normal viewer. I feel bad and pity for those who feel otherwise; who is so stuck to their preferences; their 'standard' perhaps way high-up-over-the-cloud above mine (though I'm not that easy to be pleased either). I gave my review in respect of what the writer/ director/ casts/ production crew had done in making the show a success and wouldn't want their hardwork to not be given a chance or to be left unnoticed.

STORY/ PLOT/ CLICHE
A work of genius in my opinion. It's a familiar story with recycled plots and cliches, BUT as I continue on, I lost track of time. Each new episode will trump the previous ones, although some can be a bit predictable, but I still enjoy all of it. It keep surprises me to the point that I didn't even bother to skip/ fastforward/ predict of what next to come (believe me coz I'm an impatient type and FF button is my BFF). But not for this show. I just let the story takes me. It is undeniably refreshing and full of fun, crazy, thrilling, scary, mystical, fluttering, cringy, sad and sense of fulfillment moments. It succesfully tackles the theme of a feel-good joyride. The writer/ director excel in drawing me in, bring me to this familiar setting yet somehow is uniquely different; so yes, all I need to do is just sit back, relax and enjoy the show. No need to over-analyzed-of-nitpicking-every-single-thing. No need to dive in and dissect each details. Just have fun and experience it all as face value; laugh if it's funny, close your eyes if it's scary, shake your head if you're in disbelief, scream if you get angry or cringy, and cry if it's too sad. Yes, call me a big fool for loving every bit of it.

In a nutshell, it's about an unordinary man's journey of discovery about himself, his true love, family, friends and foes, in the most unconventional way. With so many genres that came into play, it's a neverending fun but interestingly light. His unexpected journey unravels in many ways, with twists and turns; Ups and downs; Intertwind wayback from his past life to his present-self. It also takes us to one event after another and another, that transpire into many unimaginable yet satisfying outcomes. That is to cherish the ones you love unconditionally, hold them tight and be grateful for what you have. Yes, it's a recycled life-altering lessons but told in a magnificent or perhaps in the most absurd way. Hehe I love every seconds of it.

CASTING
Overall casts are just amazing (including guests and extras) and their chemistry are great. Hands down; it's one of the best ever ensemble in a kdrama could ask for.

Park Hae-jin as Cha-woong/Poong-baek
What a performance! Or should I say two coz his portrayals of the two characters are excellent. Both really differ from one another in incredible ways. PB has this calm-reserved persona whilst CW is more of eccentric-confident one. And when the two combined, CW is upgraded into this charming-beyond-help being. He is killing it. The show won't be the same without him. Call me bias, but I don't care coz its the truth >__< hehe.

Jin Ki-joo as Seul-hae/ Chun-hwa
She is wonderful in her both portrayals. Although it may not seem much of a difference but it sufficient enough to deliver me a graciously lovely princess aura and a vivaciously passionate police officer vibes. She really shines in both times.

Jung Joon-ho as Bodyguard/General/Adviser Choi
He is lovable and annoying at the same time. His portrayal is convincing as someone that has seen it all. He seems animated and childlike as much as he was being adamantly serious, particularly in fangirling >__< hehe

The Ghost Squad
All 3 carried different traits of an employee. Chief Nam (Jung Sook-yoon) as the ever-want-to-please-the-boss one; Director Ma (Go Gyu-pil) as the rebel-but-still-have-to-obey one; and A-reum (Park Seo-yeon) as the smart-yet clueless-that-can-be-manipulated one. With all 3 traits combined you get explosive results. The dynamic is an endless chaos as the energy of each characters are delivered differently. It's brilliant.

The supporting casts also really did a marvellous job, from the villains, police squad, SH besties to Granny Ok; BUT Ye-ji (Jang Ha-eun) girl, you surprised me the most.

OST/ MUSICAL SCORE
I love all of it. It started with a wacky-funky-electric vibes of FREAK SHOW. Then fuelled with 2 slow ballads of I'LL BE THERE and TIME. Then a funky song of EHERADIYA and followed by a powerful yet beautiful ballad of FALLIN'. And lastly with 2 sweet melody of YOU YOU YOU and DANDELION SEEDS. I LOVE the latter song so much I could hum it all day. The musical score was done beautifully in every scenes whether if its tragic, dramatic, romantic or comedic. I really love it all especially the percussions.

Kudos to the writer of MPUB and also the director of SWDBS. It's a HUGE improvement from their previous work in my book. I will be enjoying this drama for so many times. So thank you.

WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD. I strongly suggest you read this after you have completed the show. Anyway...

MAGIC FACTORY CREW :
I LOVE them. Chief Nam, Director Ma, A-reum and Adviser Choi are just awesome. It cracks me up whenever they get irked by CW or when they get to roast him over. Even better when the dynamics are being shifted/switched here and there, left and right. It's just chaos. The ad-libs feel real and are all over the place. How they reacted to their ever-changing-charismatic-over-demanding boss is brilliantly executed. Their relationship really hits home; Like a real family. And with SH in the picture, the ensemble is complete. What a gang of chaos! My favourite moment is when the 3 ghosts save CW from SH arrest. I kept a mental picture of how stoic Chief Nam's face is; How he selflessly flew by infront of CW; and A-reum's quick and powerful vacuum moment. There are so many more to name a few.

OTP ROMANCE/ CHA-SEUL :
Cha-seul romance is a pretty classic OTP trope. They annoyed and push each other's button, as much as they are subconsciously care and curious about each other. When CW was forced to expose his ultimate secret to SH, they were bind into this mutual trust. Hence we can see how naturally SH clung onto CW whenever she got spook by the ghost's presence. Their constant bickerings are delightful and with the resolution of their big misunderstanding somehow catapult their unconventional trust into a mutual affection. Yes, they both have different views and values; but when they found their common ground, sparks fly everywhere. This kind of romance speaks more than the usually fast-shallow-cheesy ones; It involved character's growth and how these two strong-independent individuals discover that first impression doesn't always right and to love someone purely for who they are, not for what they have.

I do concern with SH a bit since she has Hee-soo, her longtime-childhood-crush. On impulse she strongly denies her attraction to CW and seems clueless at times, but when she can't reciprocate to HS's bold-but-too-late confession, I'm convinced. Her discovery about her feelings for HS; and how it actually resonates differently from her feelings for CW, was the turning point! And she never look back. Although she didn't fully have her past memory unlike CW, she truly loves him wholeheartedly. Her definition of love is what really captivated CW in the end.

As for CW, having those past memory really solidify his existing love for SH, BUT deep down he is shackled by guilt. And with danger looms ahead of them, his remorse of his failure to protect the ones that he loved before, wrapped him in this selfless mode, causing him to think that he is the root of everything (it's true though as the evil spirit was from PB's doing) and that SH shouldn't suffer anymore in this lifetime and would be better without him. It's a classic noble-idiot trope however, it's understandable. Only with the unforeseen-out-of this-world encounter in the end that finally set him free. It made him realized that she loves him nonetheless. Knowing that she still make that same hard choice, he finally let go of his guilt and do what he was meant to do. To just love her. To trust her. This is how/ what a classy noble-idiot should be written. Everybody, take note y'all.

And I got to say, the cringy-over-the-top-cute-but-please-stop-or-I-slap-you CW moments are super hillarious, and there are a lot of them (Idk how PHJ managed to pull it off. The cast and crew must've been hectic). There are so many Cha-seul moments but if I have to choose; It is when he confesses. It's not done in a slow-passionate way (opposite PB), but it is a lot sweeter, cuter, smoother and at ease with comforting and subtle fluttering vibes; kinda like your first love. It gives me butterfly everytime I hear that DANDELION SEEDS song in the background.

HISTORICAL/ PAST LIVES MEMORY
I'm so sick and tired of this blatant-stupid claim that this historical plot as being unnecessary-no-good-need-to-be-omitted. Grrr. I strongly disagree. Why? Because it's the core/ root for the whole story. This is where it all started, and it was done beautifully (not draggy at all). For it to be taken out, it completely ruin the final outcome (Do they really watch the show or not? Sorry for ranting, need to let it out coz the amount of 'intellect' baffles me).

Princess Chun-hwa and Chief Priest Poong-baek were just dream-like-angelic duo; a blessing from the heavens for their kingdom. Both were pure, kind, lovely and beautiful souls thus making their tragic love story heartreaking. From PB's denial/ hidden feelings to his falter/ confession; from the big betrayal to their narrow escape; from their swift defiance to their fateful demise. What a ride.

That cave-confession sequence is forever imprint as one of the most beautiful love revelations ever, its like a poem; but my most favourite part is when PB faced off with the villains. Although it was short, the cinematic value of that fight sequence is uber satisfying, especially the part where PB grabbed the villain by the neck and lifted him up in the air. It is so damn-satisfying and freakingly-awesome (so good that you wish for more). Everything then tied smoothly from the past to the present; with CW waking up to a clueless but grateful SH, followed by an abrupt yet subtle eruption of mix emotional weep (I cried too coz PHJ is soooo good).

GENERAL/ ADVISER CHOI
He is unexpectedly a thorn in the roses. I do love him at first but his true self was hidden behind a virtuous mask. His drive to achieve nirvana although its understandable, speaks in variable to me, particularly over his reactions after CW becomes aware of his sin. The little hints dropped by CW, the exchanged stare at the dinner table, their tensions that build up to their inevitable-confrontation; All are well executed to further deepen his guilt (and at the same time making him intolerable). The lines, although felt familiar really hits hard (I found myself saying those very lines with CW haha). And for Adviser Choi to just knelt down, break into tears of regret, begging for forgiveness, and to finally bare himself and own up to his cowardness, is really disheartening. It's raw. The very nature of what human is. I can understand why he did what he did. Of course I hated it and some may find it a bit insincere; but it is what it is. Adviser Choi was like any normal being, not perfect, forgetful, make mistakes and afraid to be left alone. I think the end result for him to be sent down again to retribute himself is pretty irony and satisfactory; No bad deed go unpunish.

EVIL SPIRIT/FULL MOON MURDERER/HS :
The evil spirit, Haechun-moo is written off as this one dimensional villain; Evil beyond redemption. I think it was done intentionally to amplify the eeriness of a good villain. Not great, but enough to make us despise him (and we don't have to feel bad about it). HCM was a ruthless-black-sheep prince from the powerful neighbouring kingdom. His thirst of being accepted somehow corrupted into this huge greed of unsatisfied quest of self-fulfillment, but nothing could ever fill that void. That hunger further magnified when Princess CH strongly rejected him. He is a classic narcisstic; Always blame everyone else but himself. Eventually he was punished by PB and become the evil spirit, the vital nemesis for CW/ Adviser Choi.

As for Full Moon Murderer, although Tae-chun was indeed a bad person, I think he is incapable of killings, he just got unlucky to be possessed by the evil HCM and became the FMM. He was unaware of it at first but later just succumbed to his fear for his life; I mean, who wouldn't?

At first I do have a tiny issue with HS arc; Yes, I predicted it too but that wasn't the case; I find it to be a bit unjust since HS is fairly a good person. He didn't deserved it, and I guess Karma play its role here. I hate it though; The idea that the son has to carry the burden for his father's sin. BUT then thankfully HS is different, due to his strong bond with SH. It proves to me that evil will not always win. And that annoying Police Chief is a lost cause. He is so wickedly vile and despicable. So when he ended up being possesed, I somehow like this unison (haha, guilt-free as charged).

OKHWA HOUSE/ 2ND COUPLE
Although it may seems insignificant to rest, I thought that the story of Granny Ok's sacrifice, her grand-daughter and her love story can't be overlook. At first, their story wasn't that interesting, served as a plot filler, but as it unfold and explored further, it really made me care. The arc although it was predicted left me a sense of gratitude. Ye-ji in particular really shines through in the end. Yes, she is somewhat a pain at the beginning, but I truly adore her now. Her uncontrollable outcry in the end really wins me over.

FINAL BATTLE/ FINALE :
OMG! What the hell did I just watch there? The long awaited battle; The miracle; How the past and the present are actually connected in ways that I could never imagine. They came in full circle beyond my wildest expectation. At first it is a bit weird and out of place but as it unfold, it totally made sense. Literally I was crying and screaming in uber-satisfaction of how epic it was. The realisation of what was tanspired before hits me like a bullet. Why she was risking it all to save him? Why she said those things? It totally changes my views about that particular scene coz it amplify my feelings like 1000 times. God! That is soooooo freaking GOOD. I don't want to spoil much further coz it just.... No enough words to described how well it was written. I'm just blown away. The amount of emotions I felt are just unbelievable. My brain was having a hard time processing each events that transpire one after another. BEST experience ever. Thank you writer-nim, I totally get you.

SACRED MIRROR MIRACLES
Whoever got confused with how SM miracle works, this is how I perceived it, I may be wrong >__<
1. Princess Chun Hwa's Prayer
- Princess CH offer her life to the heavens to clear PB's name and for her to love again in another lifetime. So both SH and CW are being protected by the sacred mirror power, granted that they have love for one another.
2. When SH and CW enclosed in a force field
- The sacred mirror power was activated by the act of SH protecting CW (her love). It mirrored PB's ability and memory onto CW. Hence the blue eyes and the ability to seal the spirit and his past lives memory. It also mirrored CW's see-ghost-ability onto SH. That's why SH can see ghost after the incident.
3. When CW impaled himself over Adviser Choi
- The sacred mirror power again was activated by the act of CW sacrificing himself (his love). It mirrored to brought CW to encounter with you know who, and it also act as a deflection for whatever spiritual/ internal injury that CW sustained and saved him from dying.

Since both SH and CW have used up the sacred mirror power, the ability that they have subsided naturally. Similar to Cha-family-inherited-shaman's ability, as mentioned by Adviser Choi previously. Hope this help.

As always; Will I watch it all again? Hell yeah!!! without FF hehe

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2 Sides of A Coin

"It's better to die in broken pieces of jade than to live a life of clay"

This quote sums up the gist of the story. The drama is actually pretty deep. Although it is depicted as a romance-military genre, they took it on a much slower, very delicate and pretty dark approach. Why does it have such a slower pace? Well, because the journey that you're about to take is not going to be a smooth one. They indulge us with rosy and fluffy moments only to slowly pull you down, and further down, leaving heavy angst dancing in mid air.

It focuses more on the healing process rather than about the war itself. It delved deep into the core of relationships between lover, family, friends and colleagues; not forgetting the hope for humanity in general. The sensitive subject is not everybody's cup of tea. PTSD is no joke. I wouldn't say that they nailed this subject, but it's a fair exposure. The diverse characters explored in here will definitely leave a mark in your heart, whether it's a good one or a bad one. Simple small things like gesturing a smile, plain water bottles or even an apple will never be the same.

Story
It's not your typical love story. A girl saved by a boy, got separated then tried to reconnect, they meet again and fall in love; the only catch is you have to put a warzone in the middle followed by its aftermath. It's not going to be a smooth journey as the main characters will suffer heavy trauma and life-alter experiences. It may differ from everyone's expectation, but I really love the depth of their struggle that they put on the table. It's really overwhelming to the point that me as a viewer has no room to breath. I may disagree with how they handle their issues but I'm just being mad because I can't really vent out my frustration at either of them, because it is understandable. Each has their own reasons and built-up to act the way they are.

It's not perfect. There are some issues with certain plots, certain pacings here and there, including a few lack of good editing and logic, but I guess the intention was to make us immerse and care deeply about the main characters. How they cope in a most dangerous, unimaginable situation; That somehow there is beauty in the most ugliest times. Yes, it made me root for them to be together from the get go. It also made me hope for the characters to heal and have a deserving happy ending (Just another me in a wishful thinking mode). Please be warned that the journey you're about to take, watching as it unfolds is like walking on eggshells. So, please proceed with caution and lots of tissues.

Main Casts :
* Chen Zhe Yuan as A Zan/ Li Zan
His depiction of A Zan/Li Zan is highly remarkable. You'll be captivated by him from the first moment he was introduced. His demeanor is shown as this cool, calm and collected persona. I was fully convinced that he is a de-mining expert that is doing well at his job. He embodies this character brilliantly. I was immersed with his journey from being a normal volunteer into a much darker phase; resulting from the war. The stark differences of his portrayal were immaculate. We could see how alive he was before and how messed-up he was after the trauma. The burden that he has to carry was shown ambiguously that it made us keep on guessing about his true condition. Is love ever going to be enough for him to heal? Will he snap? I felt those emotions coming from A Zan because he just wants things to go back like before so badly. Plus the guilt that he has over his friend's death, and not to mention his unfinished business in the Eastern Country. He has witnessed the casualties of war which fuel his unwaivering desire to help as much as he could, even if it means for him to break apart. His empathy towards others is off the charts. The world will be a better place if more people like him existed.

* Liang Jie as Song Ran
Song Ran is depicted as this indifferent person, as she grew up with lack of warmth because she has abandonment issues with her mother. Unlike A Zan who is much more mature, she can be a little childlike, disconnected and insensitive sometimes. That is her flaw. Often act as aloof, she meets A Zan which takes over her world. She was spellbound by him from the very first time they met and Liang Jie really nailed this character. I could feel how much A Zan has affected her. She is shown to be an independent, strong and resilient person but having A Zan in her life, somehow she became more fragile. But in dealing with her trauma, with A Zan by her side, she acts like she can overcome anything and rule the world. Those emotions were well portrayed in Song Ran. It's a much different vibe from A Zan. Her expectations of life radiate in a positive manner, a polar opposite from A Zan who is much reserved and a bit skeptic.

So which ones are you? Do you see things as half full or half empty?

Other casts :
* Eastern Country personnel
The supporting casts in here are mostly great, but it did suffer a few setbacks as their story kind of halted a little as we follow where the main characters are. So it felt a little disjointed as the focus was about healing the main characters. The narration helped a little, but I could only relate to their struggle through what the main characters experienced, causing me to feel a little less care about them in general but it doesn't eliminate my curiosity entirely.

* Family members
The cast for both families is commendable. I really like the dynamic between them. They captured the essence in general; about broken family and abandonment issues. Each portray good amount of emotion. It's believable.

OST
The musical score and the songs are really great. My favourites are Te Amo by A-lin and Moonlight Dance by Chen Xueran. Both tracks will stir your melancholic emotions; you'll be rooting for the couple to make it to the end.

Would I watch it all over again?
Yes, it's re-watchable. Highly recommended.

My thoughts so far :

A Zan - "She needs me so I have to do better"
Song Ran is treated as one of his goals that he needs to reach; aside from his work and physical ability. Unknowingly, she became one of his obstacles when he was not doing well. A Zan puts Song Ran above him. Although he wanted to keep up to match her but he ended up feeling defeated and useless, like he was left behind. Especially when Song Ran seems to be able to move on a do a lot of things. It's not his fault because he was built differently. His mother's absence since childhood forced him to be mature at a young age, so naturally he is being protective. It's understandable that he didn't want to drag Song Ran into his abyss, especially if he wasn't sure if he could come out of it.

Song Ran - "As long as he is with me, I am good"
A Zan is being treated as her motivation and her support. It hits differently. Song Ran puts A Zan by her side like her equal partner. It's not her fault though as he keeps bottling his feelings inside and does not reach out to her most of the time. So she trusts that he is doing fine when in reality A Zan is still struggling. But Song Ran in hindsight knew that A Zan still hid things from her. Thus she kept reaching out to him, ensuring that he didn't feel alone. For example in episode 18; where A Zan was struggling with guilt and isolated himself, and when Song Ran found him, she acted normal and asked how he was and cuddled him. The conversation seems natural and she didn't force him to tell, yet she shares her experiences dealing with nightmares however differ it may be. And when he offered to prepare her a supper, she didn't leave him alone instead casually joined him in the kitchen. She kept showcasing to A Zan that they are in this together, without having to say anything. For me that means a lot; but for some it may just not be enough or even damaging. 2 sides of a coin.

Edited - After ending
The ending is up to your own views of life. It's bittersweet as it left for us viewers to ponder by ourselves. The 'elope' thingy is up to our own interpretation. If you feel they didn't make it, then it's your call based from your own limit. How far can you really go for love.

In my opinion, both leave everything behind to live on their own terms of happiness; as long as they are together. It may not fit into our own standard of happiness; growing old, having kids, like a normal picture perfect couple. As for me I'm picturing them having a home somewhere in the mountains, live their slow-daily life just like what they have shown us earlier on. It may differ from yours, but I'm not here to argue.

In hindsight, I do think that they both died mentally during the kidnapping scene. Where Song Ran decides to self-inflict herself in the neck, and having A Zan to witness that shocking incident. Both barely hanging on to live on just for the sake of one another.

It's a beautiful story. It's been a while since I get so affected with such heart-breaking experience. This is a contender for 1 litre of tears in my book.

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Addictive Cough Syrup

Don't give up after first two episodes. This show really surprises me. Not gonna lie, the first two episodes are highly-cringe to the core yet, I'm keeping back for more. Why? The leads are just amazing. Both represents a stark difference aura but share the same kindness and care. I trust that they will deliver me a good story.

Story
Story wise in short is a bit predictable and I could guess some of the outcome. Again, cliché to the max, not a big fan over childhood bonding and long lost relationship, HOWEVER it fits well to a bigger narrative about how life is full of unexpected twists, turns and second chances. It dwells into social-taboo about people who made mistakes and their strive to get redemption and recognition from the society.

Can we really look past over people's mistakes/ crimes and moving forward for the future. It's a pretty heavy subject but the writer manages to balance its dark cloud and brings rain, bubbles and sometimes rainbows once in a while.

Cast
Uhm Tae Goo as Seo Ji-hwan is brilliant. I'm unfamiliar with his work before but boy, his aura really gives you the cold shiver to the spine. His comical and seriousness alternate in a surprisingly natural yet unexpectedly refreshing. I'm having a blast with his portrayal of a kindhearted, often misunderstood man with a hidden/ dark past.

Han Sun Hwa as Go Eun-ha is such a goody-two-shoes-natural, effortlessly lovely without being too obvious. She is believable as this kindhearted girl who always cheerful and thinks positive about other people, even when their malicious intent was made visibly obvious. At times, I do wonder could I have reacted the way she did, and my answer is yes. Just because I refuse to a confrontation, it doesn't mean that I'm weak. It's just that I chose not to waste my energy on people who doesn't deserve it. Agree to disagree.

As for Kwon Yul, I feel bad for him as second ML (Hyeon-u), who is doom from the start. His character is pretty predictable in my book. No matter how wonderful he is or how hard the writer will sugarcoat his lines in pursuing justice, I will naturally be on Ji-hwan side, if they ever face off with each other. For me, the story's weakness is the love triangle itself, which I think is unnecessary and can be overlooked from the start, but like I said, cliché in kdramas are unavoidable. It's like a sacred manual. It's hard to resist or to take another route. Just drink it like a cough syrup.

BUT our second pair of couple (Il-yeong and Mi-ho) are just purely fun and entertaining to watch. This is quite exceptional. The director/ writer excel in balancing their chemistry and manage to make both of them shine and stood out, and not over shadowing the lead couple. Tricky but it's doable. Kudos to that.

Other Cast
The Thirsty Deer Crew - Funny and very entertaining.
The Cat Gang - Almost equal to the latter.
Prosecutor's Office - Funny but can be forgettable.
Eun-ha's work colleague - Pretty solid and made you want to avoid in RL at all cost.

Music
Decent and quite pleasing.

As always, would I rewatch the series in the future?
Solid YES.

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Take a step back, breathe and come back strong as a log.

This theme is well suited to many of us. Everyone of us could use a little break from our hectic life and this drama delivers such a refreshing take on mental illness; its taboo and aftermath. I love the premise of it although some may find it as another cliche.

Story
It’s a simple story but it is told to invite us in to love all the characters and how the story will takes us. The setup was done way back from school years to adulthood. The dynamic is pretty consistent throughout the first two episodes. I didn't even notice how fluid it is as time passed by and now I can't wait for the upcoming episode.

In a nutshell, it's about two rival ex-schoolmates, Ha neul and Jeong-woo, who are momentarily in the 'slump' of their life somehow destined to be entangled in a web of affection. I'm eagerly anticipating how their relationship will unfold as the setup is pretty solid. This duo has incredible chemistry in my opinion. From rival to ally which would blossomed into love. Such a classic trope but well executed.

Cast
Park Hyung-sik as Jeong-woo is such a class act. His fall from grace and how he copes with it were handled effortlessly. His carefree persona resonates well as to adapt with the difficult situation he's in. As for his childlike behaviour is such a charmed pleaser. And when Ha neul starts to awaken his dormant competitiveness, I naturally shift on to his side and began to root for him all the way (no offence to Ha neul, I still think you're amazing).

Park Shin-hye as Ha neul is amazing in this. For the first time she is not acting as a ‘damsel in distress’ in a romance drama. The moment when she stood up for herself on her own terms was pretty satisfying. I was never really fond of her works in this genre before but now I'm her new fan. She is killing this character. Her antics and comic expressions really convince me as this 'manic' Ha neul. She really is the weirdly-ignorant-study-holic gal who will stop at nothing to reach her goal.

The rest of the cast are great as well; Ha neul's family is on crack. Her best-friend is pretty good and I can't wait for her story to unfold with Jeong-woo's ‘frenemy’. This second lead couple looks promising as well.

Edited (After finish the series)
Dr Slump sums up in a slow and great ending. It kinda loses some gas and angst towards the end, but the gist of the story is what really shines here. How the characters overcome their mishaps or tragedy in life. I really like the message.

" Life is not about being happy all the time. It's about how we might fall; how we care for the wounds; and continue to live on and be ready for another fall,"

Music
It's pretty good.

Will I watch this again?
Yes, definitely.

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Gem shines so bright

This is a gem.

One of the most memorable drama I watch growing up. Almost true to its source, we are brought into Aya's world where she experience growing up in a most challenging and hardest trial of her life.

Brace yourself for the most beautiful tear-jerker story of family, friendship, love, sacrifice, gratitude and letting go.

Story
It's a pretty straightdforward story about a girl struggling with her incurable illness. What separates it from others is how her sudden struggle affected her surrounding and how she regain strength from her family and friends. It also show the family and her friends struggle and hardship to support Aya to continue to live her life. How the pressure from society can be discouraging. How can you change your perception/ reaction from receiving help from others; Being grateful and say "Thank you" rather than being apologetic and say "I'm sorry" all the time. It teaches you to be grateful for what we have without saying the obvious.

Aya's journey is maybe short, but it was meaningful and full of love. The journey she shared with us was neverending and it continued beyond time. It's a timeless journey.

Cast
I love them all. The overall cast are amazing in their own characters.

Aya is amazingly portrayed as this positive, cheerful and strong yet vulnerable soul. She is relateable as a normal teenager who has dreams and goal in life. We can feel her pain as she bravely accepted her illness and strongly powered herself to keep on her struggle to live her life as best as she could.

Nishikido Ryo as Asou really breaks my heart. He is indifferent at the beginning, but his growth in the end speaks volume. How Aya really affect him as a human, friend and lover.

Aya's mom really amazing in this drama. She is the pillar that hold Aya to be as strong as she can. Her portrayal really touches your heart. She is my idol.

Music
I love the soundtrack of this drama. Konayuki is one of my most favourite japanese song of all time. Whenever I hear the song, I will be reminded of the story of Aya as well. It's beautiful.

As always; Would I watch it again in the future? YES.

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Downhill after a great start

I was hooked to this story mainly because of our ML. Their interactions and conversations felt so inviting and you will find yourself rooting for them from the get go. The overall casts are good. The dynamics is chaotic but interesting.

However the premise of Badminton really drops the ball on this. Idk whether its normal for an athlete to have booze once in a while during training, or such controversy has ever really occured in RL , but I do know for a fact that if you want to excell as a great athlete, of any sport, alchohol is a big NO-NO. So the big plot of this story really didn't sink in with me coz I'm a badminton fan myself in RL. So yeah since the big secret was out I keep FF through all the shenanigans. I could not relate to it coz it didnt feel real. Yes, you reap what you sow, but knowingly that it will jeopardize you in the end doesn't really resonates with me especially if you are an athlete.

I enjoy the beginning, happy in the middle, but puzzled towards the end. Wish it would have been better.

As always; Would I watch this whole drama again? No.

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Unusual at its BEST

What a lovely run that was...

Thank you for this rough gem. It has been forever for a youth drama to shine in this era. I’ve experienced from the huge fandom and crazy buzz over Meteor Garden, Itazura Na Kiss, Goong, Coffee Prince, Boys Over Flowers to name a few, and now I’ve found another in Lovely Runner (LR). It’s a masterpiece to me but maybe trash for others, and it's OK. They can enjoy their high tea-scones coz I like to eat my greasy street food.

Although there are certain poorly written fillers/ subplot, borderline unnecessary and annoying, it can be overlooked as the leads are just amazing; Yes, you may say that both leads carried and aced the show. The spotlight is on them and I'm not going to complain. The writer/director did an awesome job of telling their journey of overcoming an ill-fated love story.

Sometimes people just forget that some of us just like to watch a drama/ movie as a way to escape from reality. If you like to be a realist then this drama isn't for you. BUT having said that, if I have to be picky, I wished that the depression part for both leads were explored and explained further.

Plot
Story wise at the beginning suffers a bit of incoherent flow as we deal with a time slip theme however as the story progresses, it builds up a steady momentum of our curiosity, love and anticipation in rooting the leads and where would they take us. The twists and turns in this one are unexpected, thus creating opportunities of endless parallels or reverse perspectives which then were being used to the max. I’m amazed at how beautifully it was being executed, from the cinematography, the ambience and colour grading, the music and how naturally I was to be sucked in and stuck in LR’s Lalaland.

BUT what I love most about LR is that I was being blindsided, multiple times by the unexpected perspectives of SJ and the others. The iconic moment of SJ blowing his kisses remains forever and imprinted in my mind, added with his best friend’s reaction, it was truly unexpected. From here on, I knew that LR is not going to be your typical average rom-com drama.

Cast
Both leads has an amazing-out-of-this-world chemistry and we could feel their love for one another. Their energy genuinely bring warmth and charmed many of us into a fan. And I fell hard on both characters especially in SJ’s part. He is honestly not-your-usual boy who fell head over heels for Sol. His type is really rare to non-existent and only exist in dramaland ^^.

Byeon Woo-Seok as SJ is shining so bright that I went blind. I mean whenever he is on-screen I could not help but to smile whenever he smiles, cry whenever he’s sad, and scream whenever he did those silly little things that could make him look like a fool. Yes, a lovely fool in love. THANK YOU for bringing Seon-jae into life. Let’s just sums it all up as SJ the adorable silly guy in love, whether as a high-schooler, college student or famous star, he just can’t help himself from his destiny. His portrayal for each version of himself are superb and differ from one another yet share the same silliness traits except the one where he was in despair in the beginning; which sets him apart from your typical rom-com leads and I couldn't picture anyone else portraying SJ.

Kim Hye-Yoon as Im Sol is like reminiscing her portrayal in Extraordinary You but it's an upgraded one as she dealt with multiple version of herself. As a girl who originally suffers hardship and trauma, she grows into the adult Sol as a bright yellow sun just like she was when she was in high-school; full of drive, hope and desire. Her portrayals are commendable and I just love her for being able to make each portrayal distinct from one another yet share the same strong concern and anxiety in ensuring SJ's wellbeing. Although this is a rom-com, her dramatic portrayal was actually her strongest points, especially when she was depressed for being paralysed or yelling ungratefully at SJ for saving her; and of course in the final part where she reunites with her lost and forgotten love. Her wailing is full of relief, yearning and sadness mixed with happiness. Her journey throughout the show is definitely not one dimensional.

Other Cast (Overall)
Sol's family n best friend - Mixture of good and bad; Funny but can be annoying at times.
SJ's father and friends - Epic and never enough.
Kim Tae-Sung - Mixed; Funny but can be ignored at some point. Sorry if I'm not a fan LOL.

3 Favourite Scenes;
1) The iconic yellow umbrella, their first meeting.
2) The reunion, after SJ remembers everything.
3) The finale, wishing cherry blossom and its parallel.
3+1) Grandma’s blessing to SJ, I just need to add this one coz BWS is such a damn good actor.

Music
Awesome. It helps to create the mood of hope, youth, love and yearning. My top 3 favourites are Sonagi, Like A Dream and Spring Snow. For me they are truly LR's anthems that complete the story as a whole.

Would I watch this again?
Definitely YES YES YES!

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What a surprise!

TBH I came across this drama accidently and was interested enough to check it out of curiosity and boy.. I was pleasantly surprised by how such a simple story can actually hooked you in. I went to finish all remaining episodes in a heartbeat, and now I can't wait for the next one.

The Story
The story of youth and growth are easily one of my favourite trope. The story of cheering squad makes it more interesting and added with the mystery elements, OK I'm sold. The mysterious parts are not annoyingly discouraging and it was pretty engaging as the story slowly reveals its secrets and twists adequately, so that us viewers can keep on guessing.

I love the epilogue parts. Although I can predict most of it but still it charms me as it should be.

The Casts
The main characters are likable from the get go. The FL is brilliant (ISTG, she is similar to Kim Go-Eun). She is strong yet vulnerable and quirky at the same time. I love her as a whole. The ML also good however he is pretty reserved, and sometimes he was overshadowed by the vibrant energy that FL brings. Overall casts are pretty good.

The Music
Pretty good.

Will I re-watch this series?
Yes. The cheering really got me. >___<

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Lost in a/Maze; Quit or Power Through?

Hong sisters are back again with fantasy-historical genre (on steroids, I would say). The world of mages; And magic was seen as a normal and high-praised status in their social standard. However, I'm having a hard time engaging with such world. Why? Because so far, it felt so alien and puzzling to be honest. The reason why I'm still giving this show a chance is because I am still curious about Mu-deok's origin. But if the story chose to neglect and pro-long its development, I'm considering to drop it anytime soon. Why? Because the story is set to a potentially biased or misleading outcome; Particularly the arc of Mu-deok, the blind girl (I hate what the writer did to her so far).

Story
The story is actually inviting and has a strong attraction, however its introduction fell flat. I think it's a mess and were all over the place. I was having a hard time to comfortably settle in and digest its grand-other-wordly setup. The mystery of each plot/ characters were briefly shown (but poorly) then jumped from one another almost incoherently. And as the story keeps progressing, I was left-behind feeling more puzzled than with awe. It's too overwhelming to keep me from moving forward, to move along with the story as it was being developed. As it keep on building and building, somehow my curiosity is shrinking and deflated at some level.

So far, I'm not invested with the characters at all except for Mu-deok (the blind girl not Naksu). Why? Because the story chose to neglect the blind girl's existence from the get go. The story focused solely on Naksu entirely. Nobody cared for that poor girl soul and I find it to be disturbing and intentionally biased and misleading. The 'Four Seasons' didn't affect/ amaze me in a way as it should be. And when that happen, I know that the story is flawed in my book. In the beginning, there are too much puzzles (questions) in the back of my mind to let me focus and sink in for whatever it is that being presented. It prevented me from engaging with the character development; It didn't make me curious. Actually it is doing the opposite; It's discouraging me from being interested in discovering it. And fuelled with the overdosed fantasy-historical aspect in the centre, the puzzles becomes bigger and harder for me to comprehend. I even had to go back to rewatch some scenes so that I could understand it better and it's getting annoying rather than enjoying.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of supernatural, fantasy and historical genre. But somehow I still didn't connect with this show. So far judging from how big scale/ grandeur the whole setup is, it was design to prevent me from really care about them. I was distracted with yet another and another puzzle thrown in. I'm somewhere lost in this huge beautiful-amazing-but-confusing maze. Yes, it has everything, the well-executed and crafted exterior are no doubt mesmerizing; As it should but I'm having a hard time to connect, understand and explore its depth. I'm left with this unnerving struggle; Either to quit or power through the journey till the end. And right now, I feel like I'm out of gas.

I'm not hating it entirely as there are some interesting dynamics especially the leader of Songrim and the maid servant, but sadly its not enough to carry the show and I'm struggling. For those who love the show, I'm jealous actually. I wish that I could feel the same way. Probably I will continue to watch for the sake of the blind girl that nobody in the story seems to care.

Cast
I love Jung So-min. I think that she is a wonderful actress. As Mu-deok/ Naksu, she is convincingly being portrayed as this strong-willful shadow assassin who you don't want to mess with. However I was having a hard time to fully engaging with her as I was more curious about the blind girl's origin. The unknown is more intriguing than what was being presented. So, is it a an advantage? Maybe coz I still stick to the show.

Lee Jae-wook as the trouble-maker Jang-uk is commendable. He is the pretty boy with clever-wits-smooth-talker that always manage to get out from any troubles comes his way. His origin is vaguely misleading and purposedly crafted to engage but it fell short at certain level, I'm not drawn or care much about his character. His drive to be the greatest mage didn't resonate much to me.

The rest of the casts are pretty good. Few are just eye-candy and few are better and well portrayed as mages and villains. No wow performances yet.

Music
Pretty good and well suited for fantasy-historical genres. No memorable piece yet.

As always; Would I rewatch it all again?
Probably but not for the pleasure, just to understand the story better. It's pretty annoying to rewatch a story so that you get a clear picture not because you actually care.

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Overrated! Full on make-up with no substance

This drama is just forgetful. I did enjoy some of it but most of the time was a painful experience. Simply because I'm struggling to focus and try to care for the characters; Any character. Having not to fastforward everything is no joke. Cliches done right? Now that is a joke.

The Story
It is nothing new. A handsome, perfect but broken rich-man who falls in love with a normal hardworking girl. The premise is already starting to make me yawn but I still try to give this show a chance. I crave for something, anything to draw me in. Sadly, none. Not even the comedy parts was that fun. The hidden past also not that intriguing. It would have a stronger effect on me if it was explored further but again, none.

The whole setup was so vain; It only has beautiful make-up with no substance. Like I said earlier, it's forgetful. And you know that there is something wrong and pretty messed up when the second couple is outshining the main couple. Don't deny it. Be honest.

Cast
Overall are just pleasing to the eyes. Thats it. With such shallow-no-depth characters, its really hard to judge if there was any acting involve. Convincing? Okay. Forgetful? 100%. Except for the grandfather.

Music
Okay.

No harm to watch it though. Proceed at your own discretion.

As always; Would I watch it again? No.

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Unsung Heroes

I didn't expect that I would like this drama. At first, it kind of gives you the similar vibes as 'Signal' but as I continue, I was pleasantly surprised with its charms; how it naturally unfolds by giving us a glimpse of crime solving in Korea. How it has evolved and forever changed in criminal profiling, introduced in a classic setting of old age versus new age; Although sometimes it may be seen as a bad cop versus a good cop. The pilot episode was a bit slow and painful to watch to be honest, but believe me it got better as we continue on.

I simply love the subtle way of each main and supporting characters is being portrayed, which include the dynamics of the politics in shaping the future of the newly developed Behavioural Analysis Team (BAT). It doesn't discourage you as it pan out, whether to the unit's advantages or the opposite, but I found myself rooting for them to succeed nonetheless. Yes, I care for them. In my book, if a story like this can pull you into their world, immerse in their emotions and struggles, it's a pretty damn satisfying journey to experience. It reminds me so much of the beginning of my most beloved crime show, Criminal Minds.

Story
It's pretty straightforward as most of the cases were based on true events. This is a realistic investigation story that balances well in their logical problem solving with no over-the-top of emotional turmoil. Their approach is subtly layered with the right amount of emotions, just enough to get you to care about the victims without feeling overwhelmed. And you'll keep yourself rooting for the good guys instead of feeling frustrated even when they get stuck in their investigation or fail to meet your expectations of the outcome. This drama affected me in such a good way, the very opposite of the other usual crime investigation angst.

The story revolves from various views; the BAT itself, the criminals, the Special Crime Squad as well as the reporters or public, which I find very intriguing and interesting. The dynamics between each of them contribute mixed feelings of anticipation, frustration, excitement and disgust but in a subtle way which is surprisingly surreal to me. The show kept us grounded, even with the unimaginable grotesque crimes involved, the burden to unravel such horrendous acts was even bigger to fill in. It led us to think, what makes us human?

But what captivates me the most is how we witnessed and came to understand the evolution in profiling, the dynamics within the police forces and the criminal act itself. Both are developed side by side, echoing with our increased anticipation as viewers of the classic battle of good against evil. Again the show delivers us not only the character development, but how they reacted with its ever changing surroundings. Although it focuses more on the criminal side, the important message is that ‘Through the darkness’ of the criminal’s minds, we must not forget the victims and their loved ones who are the true heroes in the whole story. They are the reason as to why the BAT ever formed and profilers can somehow stay sane and cope with their ever so challenging job. This is like a tribute to those real profilers existed out there in the real world.

Cast
Kim Nam Gil is marvelous as So Ha Yong. His demeanour really makes you curious and sympathetic, as to how he reads, dissects, reacts, interprets and comes to understand the criminal minds as he keeps digging and unraveling the truth and reasoning behind each criminal's act, however twisted it may be. OVERALL, the casting is realistically believable. Down to the portrayal of the criminals itself. It will give you goosebumps.

Music
Pretty decent and suits with crime-theme drama.

Rewatchable?
Yes. It's engaging even if you already knew what would happen.

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How to Fall in Love?

I watch this with zero knowledge of anything. The premise is really inviting. I was drawn by curiosity of how this world would become after the breakthrough of love alarm technology. How it would effect our normalcy. How to fall in love.

Story
It's originality and storyline is intriguing. The story was unfold pretty slow but still acceptable. What I love the most is I was being misled the whole time but in a good way. Just like the app invention that I thought would bring a great outcome for many, however it speaks differently to the main characters. The story cleverly written to paints us this picture perfect illusions of what love means when in actual reality it doesn't work that way. Love works differently for everyone. That one app doesn't have the absolute answer for all, and certainly not for the FL.

This drama really push the usual kdrama cliches on romance. Yes, it's a pretty long and crawling journey but it's getting there. Finally a drama that pushes normalcy into building a relationship. How FL finally breaks her barrier and pushes through the wall that everyone else is trying to forced on her.

What's with all the hate and backlash that this show is receiving? Just because the final outcome doesn't go your way? LOL. I guess some are missing the point of the story. How FL was being forced into a situation. A situation that she still perplexed and having trouble to understand. The whole first kiss drama is supposed to represent WHAT NOT TO DO in starting a relationship (Ooops sorry to stranger). Heck in any situations. It's a big NO-NO. But the reaction from everyone else speaks differently from how I felt. Am I sane or everyone else is crazy?

Cast
I hated that rich guy. I found him to be annoying as hell. The character is unbelievably self-centered and obnoxious and I found it so alarming that almost everyone else seem to love him. Is it just because of his looks? If it is, that is pretty messed up.

FL is convincingly troubled and I sometimes annoyed by her reactions to all the shenanigans that she had to put up with. But her character growth really speaks volume and I really love her towards the end when she finally stand up and has the courage to pursue what she feel, regardsless of the app.

The actual ML is the star here. He is the one that kept me on the show. He is the embodiment of 'How to Fall in Love' done in a sane way. Meaning; no force, no manipulations, no app, no agenda, no bs and no strings attached. It's about time that falling in love was shown in the purest way.

Overall casts are pleasantly good and pretty believable. The schools, the parents, the office are well portarayed as normal-no-that-perfect vibe. It's decent.

Music
The theme song is really captivating just like the app. Really draw your attention. I was spellbound.

As always; Would I watch it all again?
Yes.

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