MilicaB

A great start, hiccup, then it got back on track

Written after ep 2:
I like this drama bc it is more of a real thing - the real deal kdrama, like kdramas that made kdramas so popular globally - rather then some netflixed trash that resembles holywood and/or tries to kiss as$ of western $$$$. I understand wanting to make money however, if kdramas are too westernized, they will lose their appeal. Kdramas are the most sophisticated, most refined, most WARM storytelling out there, with character growth and positive messages. THat is what makes kdramas so awesome.

Let's make some amazing kdramas.

This drama is about normal people living normal lives
The story is interesting and it moves relatively fast
and there is character growth already in the first 2 episodes. That scared FL had to train so hard to get up and speak up. And she did it!!!!!! Bravo!

Yeah yeah yeah ppl say the cold dude ... but is he really.... ? There are plenty super warm and cuddly friendly scenes already - dont miss that.

I say, keep going, this looks like a new classic in the making.

Written after ep.5:
FRUSTRATION - the script took a U turn and made the ML a totally one-dimensional closed off mean person. All his good qualities GONE. So that is boring to watch. The actor is bad in acting mean scenes, and his grumpy face is unpleasant to watch non stop. Get him off :)

Written after ep 7:
I think something is wrong with the script, it is not moving fast enough, th explanations and the growth just do not happen
When that dude was missing for a month, he had plenty of time to self reflect.. but did he?? and we still don't know what he was thinking about and what bothers him

Written after ep 8:
OH IT IS BACK ON TRACK!!!! ML had to be hit hard and fast with karma to even start getting his life back on track...

So ML now again behaves as a normal human being, which is really interensting to watch because ML actor is EXCELLENT in acting complexities.

ANd the script took some severe twists where all kinds of revelations happened... so we are getting more insights on the characters.

FL is an amazing communicator, she honestly speaks her mind and that forces ML to speak his mind. Both of them are smart and have common sense, so the conversations are AMAZING.
The scenes in ep 9 them talking about using the office space, etc are JUST AMAZING

ML is an excellent actor and gets a lot of screen time full face on, because he CAN act long complicated complex scenes... he is really AMAZING actor, he makes it look real
and FL is a newbie but bc of him, her acting improved.

I respect FL. She is from a disfunctional family and poor, but she has common sense, she self reflects, and she keeps trying to make her life better. She is an honest person who communicates honestly.
Yeah she is a young woman and can be petty and annoying but she is entitled to be less than perfect. I personaly just wish that the FL actress stop puckering her lips to make herself look cute. It is NOT cute.
FL character is very strong and does not need those kinds of sillies.

Overall, I root for the FL as someone who is growing into a strong, honest, caring and successful woman.

====
The most scandalous thing to me are the comments from the audience!!! so many people belittle the FL as clingy, annoying etc and do not even comment on the ML who was a real douchebag, refused FL with some major doodoo lies, and prostituted himself in a contract marriage for $$$$. But people keep attacking the FL bc she insisted that ML give her an honest explanation for refusing her.

ML is a cold and calculated dude who opened his own company and since he needed employees fast, he hired FL without ever thinking if she is gonna like seeing him or not.
Nobody commented on THAT. But they commented on how annoying and clingy FL was bc she complained about his intrusion in her space after everything nasty he said to her to refuse her.

=========

My honest opinion is that ML loves FL a lot but does not know it.
His actions around her and he taking her for granted, that she will always be there and be nice, his relying on her, and his almost crying when she was crying, his jumping to help her...
are all signs he DEEPLY BELIEVES SHE IS HIS WOMAN

and so WHY he isnt admitting that to himself? WHAT IS THERE?

=========
Another great young actor coming up is ML's younger brother. That actor is very handsome and also acts his role with a great conviction and as-if-real, so I predict him a great acting career.

The villain cheabol mom is also great as a villain :)

Read More

Interesting psychological thriller

Do not underestimate daily dramas :) The plot moves fast... and you can watch 30 mins or binge watch more easily... and the acting and plot are decent. Also, I see how new actors "graduate" into acting better.

This turned out to be a really interesting revenge and corporate politics and psychopatic chaebols drama.... The first 17 episodes are torture bc the FL and her daughter are total losers and it is painful to watch them fail and fail and fail and fail bc they are simply dumb. There is so many hysterical dumb women screaming, and the music is hysterical and over the top so it is really hard to watch.

THEN in just 1-2 episodes, our FL gets the message, gets her wits together, and grows up in an instant, and then prepares and comes back to fight properly.

So it is very educational to see WHAT EXACTLY made her change her mind and finally SEE what she was dealing with.

And it is very educational to see what kinds of mistakes people make in revenges, how they are discovered, etc. IT IS A GREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA.

Also the music calms down so it is ok, the "church music" for the drama is really effective.

The Moon director actor is someone to watch, he SHOULD BE a new a rising star.

Read More

Very hollywoody meaningless showy SOAP. Like a 100-episode morning drama in historical context

So many ppl wrote that the ML was a great actor and FL terrible, and I agree. She cannot act. I saw her in All About my Mother and she is acting there the same way she is acting here.
I watched the side actors and they are all pretty bad. They cannot act It is clear they are pretending.
ML on the other hand can act a wide range and is rather convincing.

The plot as the story is interesting and realistic to some degree. What ruins it is the Hollywoody shocking thing (and unfortunately real thing) of abusing children in evil rituals. That part was .. iffy. ... Although historically and currently that happens in the West (and the east too??) .... well... it was too much and it took away from the drama because it introduced more mess than necessary. It was one of those signature SENSATIONALISTIC Hollywoody tricks and it is just ... distasteful in the end.

Well the topic of using children for evil rituals has to be talked about though. But in a way that doesnt make it just a show but a way that makes it a social commentary on why that is possible and how to prevent it. Not just a big heading in the news with flashy bombastic text and pictures, leading to no change.

So the plot without too much emphasis on the "shocking stuff" would have been ok... .but .... nothing was done with it. There is no character development, or conflicts worked out and resolved. It is just ... mindless show. AND, the overall message is the message of desperation and gloom, or a sugary ending without any explanation and any pointers for how it happened. Just like most Hollywood is. ALl glitz and glamour SHOCKING stuff and supposedly catchy scenes, but no content. WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSED TO LEARN FROM THIS KDRAMA?

How the drama was made, plus the overdone soapy acting, just doesnt cut it for me.

I watched the end episode too

I watched a lot of it with sound low and without much subtitles so I saw the acting really close up. Then I listened to the music - it is sooo over the top soapy and terrible.

Overall, the soap factor here is about 100% and it reminds me of morning 100-episode dramas, just done with a lot more $$$$ spent on costuming and scenery. Total Hollywood. I see that Netflix makes kdramas like that and I really dislike it. I think Netflix is basically killing kdramas as it is making them americanized to sell more of it in the west, but then the kdrama charm is GONE. True Kdramas with their CREATIVITY and MEANINFUL CONTENT and shows about real people from daily life and their struggles and how they overcame them, kdramas with content and without much vulgar or violent scenes, with sophisticated humor and deep insights, kdramas suitable for all kinds of audiences and ages, showing WARMTH of relationships and GROWTH, and FAMILIES, and society, .... etc. well they might die at this rate. I am really concerned.

The only thing that came a little close to real kdramas is the very very very very end scenes, like last minute of the last episode.
I like the very very very end scenes with FL recovered from the trauma and grew from it. She moved into a better life and helps children, being at peace. It is a realistic and meaningful ending. The horror did not destroy her. I wish we got to see HOW she did it. This unexplained "magically happened" happy ending is too much Hollywood and Disney for me. It is too sugary and soapy. What would make the drama worthy is to see HOW she overcame the trauma. And I wish that FL actress acted those end scenes better. It almost got ruined by bad acting.

===================================================
In summary: I dont like this kdrama. I think it is a very glorified morning 100-episode SOAP..... and I have watched some of the morning 100-episode soaps and imo they are better than this.

This drama is good for nice historical costuming and scenery. That's about it.

Read More

Amazing kdrama!!!! a masterpiece script and acting etc

Based on the comments, I decided to watch this and I LOVE IT!!!! all the issues are stated up front.

The ML gives a speech about functional alcoholics... everyone should rewatch that until you get it...
and the FL calls off the wedding because she chose alcohol over her fiancee, straight to his face, because "DRINKING IS A NORMAL PART OF SOCIAL LIFE". There you go. It is all out in the clear.

FL is a functional alcoholic with a job and gets a little "higher" during the day and plastered at nights and weekends, like many people do, and is unwilling to quit. SO now what... ?

THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIKE HER OUT THERE. causing car accidents and other accidents at work etc, overloading the medical system, and unwilling/unable to reproduce. So now what... ?

I know so many functional alcoholics!!!!! construction workers, mechanics, businessman, real estate ppl, self employed, sales people, mothers, housewifes, entertainers, .. etc etc etc are some groups that are very prone to being a functional alcoholic...

I strongly support this kdrama. I think is is a wonderful piece of art and social commentary, it is done very very well, the acting and script are amazing. No time wasted. It keeps rolling.

I think this kdrama cleverly uses sexism LOL since men are EXPECTED to drink for business - FL said "you cannot build relationships without alcohol" etc So it is impossible to call a male drunkard to the carpet bc the society will defend his drinking.

But if a WOMAN is a drunkard then people will bash her - and hopefully then they will connect the dots and look at their wives, sisters, daughters, and themselves LOL and hopefully men will start thinking that if it is bad for women it must be bad for men too...

Also, alcohol seems to be a form of psychotherapy and making sure to have honest conversations... so ... people need to get educated on those skills too... This kdrama has FL dancing around the lake to vent out.. hiking.. prayer... etc those are all remedies...

the rewatch is useful bc there is EDUCATION throughout the drama ...

And, .... this is a huge issue deeply entrenched addiction and socially acceptable since there is huge $$$$ industry and business behind it.....
Alcohol will never totally disappear but it can NOT be out of control either...

Read More

Smart, wise, kind and functional FL for a change; and professional and other respect btwn ML and FL

This kdrama goes on the same old sexist trope as usual - he is cold and she melts his heart... but it is different bc the FL is a competent individual and actually HELPS the ML, he doesnt have to babysit her or save her from her own stupidities.
They work well together. She earned his respect by being an excellent professional, and he gained her respect by being excellent too.

So then the personal romance starts. The tea analogy was phenomenally well used.

WHAT IS ROMANCE? TO ME ROMANCE IS ANY TIME THERE ARE FEELINGS OF BEING PULLED TOWARDS ANOTHER. It comes in many intensities - you may flirt with someone on the other side of the restaurant just looking at them, or you may talk and be happy, or you may end up in bed - it is all romance to me......

The audience bickering if there should be any romance in this drama since it is not labeled as romance in the MDL summary, and since it is a "legal" drama, then bickering that FL is too young for the ML, ... was just ... wtf wow how can anyone think in that direction, in such limited ways.... ??? Very MENTAL audience.

Life is romance, thriller, bickering, politicking, horror LOL comedy tragicomedy all rolled into one, and I really APPRECIATE that kdramas mix it all up and produce really fun things to watch.
Any lawyer has a private life and hopefully has some love life so why not include that in a legal drama??? It affect the legal issues.

Haunted Palace drama was about an imugi and a competent shaman working together to bust some monsters, and falling in love in the process, and it was such a great, FUN, kdrama.

I think this drama will be like that. ML and FL are a good match, both smart, educated, kind, with integrity, hard workers, team workers, really capable people ... who will do great cases together...

AND that tea of ep 2.... the tea theme of the entire episode... the tea used in such a PERFCT way, the script was so masterful.... that tea is the opening of a personal and intimate connection between them two.

the romance is brewing already. It might take time to express in physical world, and I expect episodes of them healing their past love traumas, overcoming office politics blaming them for dating and favoritism, etc - but I think they are ALREADY a solid couple energetically, the tea hooked them up forever, and they will be pulled into each other more and more until they become an official couple in "real life" of this kdrama LOL A partner and a star new hire in love. That will be a scandal but also not so much since HE had no gfriends ever :) it will be clear this is serious :)

then I wish then many successful cases, their own law firm, becoming rich and famous, and living happily ever after :)

adn the lawsuit cases... lets not make them soapy like in ep 2... giving birth to a child just bc they resemble you is so narcissistic, destroying the child, so i thought the case in ep 2 was totally fake.
the usefulness of it is that it raised the issue of loyalty and ML and FL got closer bc of it

The romance here is so subtle... !!! and so clever... and so wordy...
FL is so smart and an excellent reader of character... she saw though her boyfriend immediately....

and then ... ML stayed after 6pm and invited her for a tea... and asked her how she was doing. THAT is not his typical behavor. It is already a sign he noticed her as a woman.
and she asked questions on his personal opinions, what HE would do, and that means she already noticed him as a person and as a man... she really asked him personal questions and you dont ask such questions unless you are interested in that person...... which he answered in a way that made her respect him and NOTICE HIM

What he answered was very ... short and very potent, he answered a life dilemma in just a few powerful words... and helped her to see some profound concepts of life.... He answered as a wise smart and reliable person... so she realized she was talking with someone on her level

so yeah ..... this is going to be a love between two capable, functional and very perceptive and wise adults of high integrity.

so that will be fun to watch, how a mature love like that can take two people so much further

I think the few words they exclanged while drinking tea are life changing words, they talked about some profound life CONCEPTS and both reflected and communicated and LEARNED from each other

I am looking forward to more of that

========
The ending is appropriate bc they are two very mental and egoistical people and also lawyers so they try to THINK about everything and make sure to make "contracts" - so they are gonna need a LOT of time to melt down, IF that even happens...

THE JUST DO NOT LET GO AND LISTEN TO THEIR HEART. Actually ML and FL turned out quite pathetic LOL and need another 20 episodes to melt down...

They are so... robotic... There is attraction, they enjoy each other's company, but they do NOT explore their feelings, they always stay SAFE. Staying safe is good only for assassins. If you are going to love, you have to step forward and RISK IT.

THEY ARE UNWILLING TO RISK.
meanwhile they are just losing time in loving each other and having a good time together
They should have hooked up and went walking the dog every day and on the weekends, just having a good time

BUT THEY CANNOT LOVE
that was disappointing to me to see at the end - both of them are too stucko in their heads and their own little shells and will NEVER come out of it bc it is inconvenient and they dont want to risk
That is the price of their posh life and their feeling like they "made it" -
THE ARE EMOTIONAL COWARDS
Nah there was attraction pull and she really liked him, she was feeling it - the smell on his hankie, touching his hand in the taxi, etc. SHE KEPT HER HAND THERE NEXT TO HIS TOUCHING HIM
BUT she is dead inside and doesnt pay attention to her feelings and her body and heart...
and she cannot, that is her boss..

He is a lot worse, he is essentially impotent. To believe that you can go for a year without intimacy in a romantic relationship and that it definitely disappears after a while.. well, ... he is just unhealthy and frozen inside.

So their love may never happen, they are too frozen, too egoistical and cowardly :)

Maybe if there is season 100, they might make it by then :) But I doubt it, honestly. I really think they are not human. They are robots.

Read More

Masterpiece. True kdrama classic. Fun. Warm. Positive. Inspirational. Enjoyable. Educational.

what happened since 2020 that masterpieces like this one are so much more rare?
THIS DRAMA IS EVERYTHING THAT KDRAMA BECAME FAMOUS FOR

It is a masterpiece classic, family drama, comedy, rom com, thriller, melodrama, revenge, everything rolled into one.
IT IS FANTASTIC
The actors are great too, a lot better than recent dramas too. WHERE DID THESE ACTORS GO????

There are no murders and scheming, it is about NORMAL people doing NORMAL lives.

It is so warm and positive and inspirational.

WHY ARENT THERE KDRAMAS LIKE THIS ANYMORE?
WHAT HAPPENED?
as kdramas become more and more holywood bs

In some ways it is ok bc some heavy topics are addressed these days, but still

also in a drama like this, we are watching ONE set of characters for a while and a lot of time is spent to see their stupidities LOL and see ourselves and others in those situations..

For example, this kdrama made me realize how kdrama plot are sexist. The plot is created by female stupidity, dumbness, irrationality.
For example the Doctors Pair Na Hee and Kyi Jin....
SHE is totally frigid cruel. ANd he is a nice guy.
Then there is ANOTHER nice guy who tries to woo her...
and she with her stupidity and coldness and rashness, keeps getting into trouble... but TWO NICE GUYS have to break their necks trying to woo her...

So...... that plot is super annoying. The truth is, the 2nd guy should take her, he is like a father figure and caters to her, and is patient, so behaves normally, , and she likes him, and will be a nicer person, so ... go with him. !!! already! she is a mentally unstable person, so super EGO THIN and needs a male babysitter. There he is. TAKE HER!!!!
Na Hee actress is pushed into acting a really stupid and one-dimensional cold blooded egoistical selfish immature weak character - who happens to look pretty. Her acting is thus shallow and boring and seeing too much of that character on the screen is super ... draining. She is cold selfish and super weak, to the point of being destructive and parasitic. Yeah as her MIL said, carnivorous energy..

KDRAMAS DO NOT SHOW MEN WHO ARE ROTTEN AS MAIN CHARACTERS. IT IS ALWAYS THE WOMAN WITH THE FLAWS WHO IS THE MAIN CHARACTER

Also, there is always some literally dumb woman who is "kind" and "accommodating" - Da Hee. That actress cannot act that. It is obvious it is contrived. She acts naturally only when she is cocky and egoistical
And that character is also super weak, immature, egoistical, a CHILD that needs a male baby sittter to guide her.

It is sexism to the max - when there is a "cute" dumb kind girl who gets a great guy just because she looks helpless

It is super funny, as Koreans are aware of it, the StuntMan father was saying to his daughter - "hey you are already pretty, if you turn out smart and a good student, everyone will avoid you, dont become a good student"
- IT WAS SAID ALOUD, so they are fully aware of the perils of their culture and societal pressure to produce "cutsy wall flowers"

Then the puckered lips - Kyi Jin, Da Hee, stuntman daughter, etc - they all pucker their lips and affectionate ... that is ... boring and ugly. REALLY annoying, who talks like that????

The Kyi Kin doctor actor is excellent with his eyes and body language and also has a great smile and should not be puckering his lips to look cutsy.
He is great in acting loving scenes or romantic pains.
He is terrible in acting melodrama scenes, like looking for his sick mother etc. He just cannot relate to that, seems like.

Da Hee "cutsy" is just nauseating. She is like a little girl doing a pretend during playing. It is just absolutely UGLY. And all the nervousness and fear... like a scared rabbit. Mentally unsable, really.

There is NOTHING attractive about watching a little girl in an adult body. That is Asian sexism to the max, showing dumb immature little girl women.
yeah the Western sexism comes by showing totally lose woman going around like sex toys. That's sexism just a different flavor.

Luckily Da Hee had moments of courage honesty and integrity and that saved me from turning off the TV and keep watching this.

So I kinda survived through the rom-com portion for immature 30yr olds who cannot communicate,

Also I kinda survived through the old trope of Asian parents trading their children as if they are furniture. WHO CARES whom your kids marries, you are NOT to live with them? Unless you are leaving them a fortune and are actually BUYING their spouse for YOUR BUSINESS, why should you care?

The trope of "I made your mother cry, she begged me not to marry you THEREFORE THE SELFISH DESIRE OF THAT ADULT MORON WHO HAPPENS TO BE YOUR PARENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR LOVE" is just like ... woooow!!!!!!
If parents were 100% perfect and all knowing, sure, then we should listen to them immediately. But parents are NOT that perfect, and especially some parents.. What parents say needs to be doublechecked esp if the parent is known to be a really bad person with a track record of messing things up.

Everyone know that this particular parent is an alcoholic snowflake drama queen super selfish mean cruel greedy spoiled brat, SO WHY SHOULD ANYONE BLINDLY FOLLOW HER OPINION?????

Also the twist on the same trope - "I will forego my own happiness so that someone else will not be unformfortable BECAUSE I AM A LAZY INSECURE AS# AND I DO NOT WANT TO WORK ON MY LIFE BUT WILL TAKE TH EASY WAY OUT" - so I wont date the man whom I like and have a good relationship with just bc I dont want to confuse my kid, BC IT IS TOTALLY EASIER TO CONFUSE MY KID BY BEING AN UNHAPPY PERSON

Another twis on this perennial asian trope is the "anio" trope where people hide things "for the sake of another, not to hurt them"

An another twist on this perennial asian trope is telling some moron who is FINALLY self reflecting and realizing that they ARE a jerk and need to do something about it - telling them to stop... "oh no, it is not your fault at all, it is my fault" - GOSH LET THEM REALIZE WHAT A JERK THEY WERE! LET THEM GROW UP!!!!

The trope plays in the typical trope - "my child is ah so precious and flawless and your child can never match" - WOW how idiotic. Like Na Hee's parents not realizing their daughter was SELFISH COLD CRUEL AGGRESSIVE PROUD COMPETITIVE EGOMANIAC JERK. The miscarriage was her fault. SHE had to be responsible for it. And dumping her husband etc. And not treating his mother a little better, etc. SHE THEIR PRECIOUS DAUGHTER IS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL PSYCHO and that is just brushed aside.
Luckily Na Hee slightly got better. Not quite though, she is still frigid iceberg and super crude and calous. I dislike her character the most because she is the epitom of someone "successful" who is actually a cold blooded monster.

AS ENG SUB WOULD SAY - MY FOOT!!!!! - that exuse of "lying to help / save face and pain of another" is such a bs - you never hide or do or dont do things for the sake of another but FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, for the comfort and safety of YOUR OWN AS@.

BECAUSE YOU ARE A COWARD

So the selfishness of parents or love partners or whatever is totally emphasized and in general selfishness of humans, who want comfort for themselves at the expense of another human being.
And then another weak human being goes along with that because it is just easier.

Those are classic Asian tropes and their cultures are so full of it bc they are super packed people, they live on top of each other in highly densely populated areas where everyone knows everyone and everything is done through connections and prestige.
So yeah, that is the EVIL egotism of that lifestyle and culture.
It leads to utmost corruption and ... slavery, actually. There is NO WAY OUT. You cannot ride off into the sunset to do what your dream is. You gotta stay in the anthill and march with the rest of the ants, exactly like everyone else. It just kills any creativity.
In some ways it spurs creativivity bc there are healthy ways for the enslaved ants to deal with it - write poetry, study judo, be a functional adult - but hey.... underneath.. it is just SLAVERY TO SOCIETAL DOGMA

The West has its own evils :) because ppl are so isolated and independent, they are isolated into depression, drug use, overconsumption, and all kinds of unhealthy and self destructive addictive self indulging behaviors.

I think Asian cultures CAN go that way if let, like China and the opium epidemics that lasted for like ... 500 years?

So as usual, the correct solution is somewhere in the middle, where Eastern consideration towards others is mixed with gentle honesty and gentle pursuing of one's own dreams regardless who is saying what.

So the usual drama trope that produces ah so dramatic scenes and plot is"
The the scared little girl who gives up on her man just bc his mother is nasty.
The parent who doesnt want to date bc the kids will be confused.
etc.

I want to fast forward through that.

LUCKILY this drama is very creative and the script is masterful so the drama does NOT depend on creating episodes out of this.

There was ONE episode and that's plenty enough :) and then it moved on positively. THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS DRAMA WATCHABLE - it doesnt get stuck in the muck.

Thinking about it, I fast forward through a lot of things - violence, sex, stupidities, etc etc etc. It is a miracle when something captures me.

This kdrama has EXCELLENT acting - a lot of excellent acting - there are some amateurs in there and you can see when they pretend - but many of the actors are very skilled.

And it is kinda fun to have makjang because then the actor can HAVE FUN acting out anything they want. I think it is great :)

and then by episode .. 50? or so it got a LOT more interesting when then more mature and more FUN character of the "fat actress" with the potbelly, the SIster, came into the picture.

Also, the Younger Brother Doctor is also childish and immature and acts as as sugar daddy for his little girl Da Hee but at least he is honest and gentle person so he was a lot less annoying.
BUT IT IS ANNOYING TO SEE THAT HIS ATTRACTION TO HER IS TO TAKE CARE OF HER AS IF SHE WERE A SMALL CHILD.
I think in love that is ok but where is the line.... ??? His line is too immature.
StunMan father had the right line... his care for his wife was 100% adult and great. He was a great example of a dedicated father.
The young puppy doctor will hopefully become more like that one day instead of TAKING CARE OF A CHILD WHO HAPPENS TO BE HIS WIFE.

His older brother turned out to be a scheming liar and I came to dislike him and Na Hee entirely. I dont find them interesting at all.

Also, the Pretty Sister and Cool Judo Superman romance was so fun for me to watch, and in general anything with her or him, bc they are both HONEST and have certain integrity - she grew up a lot bc of him and I really really really enjoyed that character and their romance and the little boy. I would say that is one of the favorite parts of this drama for me.
And yeah she is pretty and I LOVE her fashion!!!!!

I think it will go ugly as she considers marrying a moron "for the sake of the child" - she should be grown up enough to KNOW not to do that.

Generally speaking, watching stupidities of immature people is ANNOYING WASTE OF TIME for me. I dislike it.

I realize that a couple of high integrity characters saved this drama for me, or else I would have stopped watching it as entirely useless. My tastes changed :)

The story starts with the divorce of Na Hee and Kyu Jin (if I spelled their names correctly), the two doctors. They are both egoistical selfish proud people, he is softer than her though, I barely survived the episodes witih their divorce. It was PAINFUL WASTED TIME to watch two immature rams but their heads together, over and over and over and over and over again.... !!!!! it was like - hey .... have you heard about the word HONESTY?
He is a lot better actor than she, and it was not bad to watch him in painful scenes since he acts with eyes so well, but ... I prefer when he acts smiley scenes.
but then later when they did that scam to the other couple... I lost ANY respect for them. Wow what a selfish pair of entitled liars... ... they deserve all the suffering.

And then there is the traditional market vendors, which covers the older generation. Mr. Young is indeed death for chicks handsome. Aunty Ok just didnt seem quite a pair :)

The twist of Mom leaving the house and ending up somewhere TOTALLY unexpected, the twist of the birth scam, the twist of Noona's boy, etc etc
THERE ARE SO MANY AMAZING AND WONDERFUL TWISTS THAT ARE SUPER FUN AND SUPER SURPRISING

overall it is really fun

So there is something for everyone in this drama, all ages and levels of maturity and expression are covered....

There are some SUPER WICKED twists ... when the Iceberg Cold Doctor Sister starts melting, and when the criminal characters enter the picture.....

I wonder what happened with the oldest sister and the Judo bronze medal. Seems like he lives far away and he does not call anymore. He fell out of their lives. And maybe shows up once in a super rare blue moon for a shoot and then disappears.

Read More

Super cheesy twist - a powerful FL and a very immature and dumb ML

The ML is like a .... toddler... he cannot read the room, he is clueless, totally naive, so stuck up on doing the right thing...

he just does not match her!!! HE IS DUMB!!!!

and the FL is a powerful martial artist and do-gooder Robin Hood

I will watch this on Wed TH when there are no other shows to watch


====
This is a cheesy fun crazy makjang rom com
It is hillarious tragicomic plot - SHE is bigger wiser more mature than him YET super dumb partriarchal rash irratioanl ****blockhead**** who cannot communicate ... who does not communicate where she needs to but takes orders of those she shouldnt listen to... ....

That is the tragedy and complexity of her character - she can do EXTERNAL things like run around at night masked out doing Robin Hood deeds, YET she is into worshiping her dead never seen husband nad honoring her "father" and INSTRUCTIONS FOR WOMEN...
She is a .... brainswashed semi robot

and he is like toddler with puppy eyes next to him, she has to protect him... He is so skinny compared to her... He is sooo imature, so naive, so cannot read the air, so does not get the world, she is like a little kid... so simple and pathetic. He at least has honor and integrity but bc of his immaturity, inability to communicate, and naivette, he is a liability most of the time...

THE DRAMA IS A FANTASTIC COMENTARY OF THE MYSOGONY AND SEXISM OF KOREAN CULTURE
THe widow staying at home half dead... that book of Instructions for Women...
AND HOW WOMEN HOLD EACH OTHER DOWN BY UPHOLDING PATRIARCHY e g telling other women to stick to the book of instructions and even kill themselves
those are horrid stories dead never seen husband, nad honoring her "father" and INSTRUCTIONS FOR WOMEN...
She is a .... brainswashed semi robot

and he is like toddler with puppy eyes next to him, she has to protect him... He is so skinny compared to her... He is sooo imature, so naive, so cannot read the air, so does not get the world, she is like a little kid... so simple and pathetic. He at least has honor and integrity but bc of his immaturity, inability to communicate, and naivette, he is a liability most of the time...

THe very start scene in Red Sleeve kdrama ep. 8 where HE tells HIS WIFE that he owns her and she can live or die bc of his whim and orders... is the truth behind it all

THE LEAD ACTRESS IS AN AMAZING COMEDIAN
BUT WHY DOES SHE WHISPER ALL THE TIME???? THAT IS WEIRD

Read More

Starts as light fun! Excellent acting UNTIL EPISODE 7 and 8 WHEN IT TURNS INTO TRASH

SUMMARY:
The first 4 episodes is a cute coming-of-age college delusion affair, two flawed young ppl of weak character doing trial and error and trying to get together. So we hoped they would overcome their toxicity but heck no it kept getting worse.... . THEY STAY IMMATURE, TOXIC AND DISFUCTIONAL FOR PRACTICALLY ALL EPISODES AND THE DRAMA IS **** D E A D *****.

ALL THE WAY THROUGH HALF OF EPISODE 12, the drama is a drag of staring at each other and SOMETIMES mincing a few quiet meaningless words in constipation-like voices. This drama is like a vampire sucking your energy. Super toxic.

So from ep 5 to 8, it was AGONY to watch this rotten murky smelly toxic mess of really immature closed-off selfish people doing dumb things or just staying passively in one spot. The female lead was a passive princess who required coddling, ML was trying but then gave up at the first obstacle and showed his true selfishness, and second ML was a passive standbyer. NOTHING was moving forward....
I dropped this in frustration as it was wasting my time. I was generous and patient enough to drop it after watching ep 8. I dislike giving bad reviews and I felt responsible to check the pulse on this dead drama, so later I fast forwarded through ep 9-11 to check if it came back to life, and yeah the drama was still DEAD.

Then I took a peek at ep 12 and yeah at the very end of ep 12, it has a sorta happy end, after a time skip of 1 year and again challenges of both of them being closed down and not communicating... so MAGICALLY AT THE VERY VERY VERY END of ep 12, they come out and say they like each other and there is a happy end with rings. But it was too fast and not explained enough at all. We didnt see them put too much effort. Obviously the script writer doesnt have experience.

So overall you watch a very flawed relationship and TOXIC characters for 11.5 episodes and then magically they come together as a couple with rings. Hm. No thanks. WASTE OF TIME and esp for those who are toxic and confused and cannot tell who is doing what in this kdrama.

YEOL AND BUNNY AND JI WON ARE SUPER TOXIC CHARACTERS ALL THE WAY TO ALMOST THE END OF EP 12

The only functional couple is the side couple, they communicate

-----WRITTEN AFTER EP 11

I dropped this after ep 8 bc it was just so toxic. The characters started as flawed character immature college kids in trial-by-error phase, so it was fun in the beginning BUT THEN THEY NEVER GREW... they stayed immature as always, nothing changed, this is a bunch of VERY CONFUSED toxic young ppl who do not communicate, who do not self reflect, who do not understand boundaries or commitment, and who NEVER EVER grow. The characters in ep 11 are the same old same old as in ep 1. NO CHANGE WHATSOEVER.

Just now I fast forwarded to see ep 9,10,11 bc kdramas can always take a U turn and turn out super great, unexpectedly, so I checked the pulse on this drama, is it still alive? NOPE it is a dead horse still.

Then I took a peek at ep 12 because I would dislike to be accused of calling this drama bad unless I really had to, so I had to check the pulse on this dead drama.... and yeah it has a happy end after a time skip of 1 year and again challenges of both of them being closed down and not communicating... so MAGICALLY AT THE VERY VERY VERY END of ep 12, they come out and say they like each other and there is a happy end with rings. But it was too fast and not explained enough at all. We didnt see them put too much effort. Obviously the script writer doesnt have experience.

So overall you watch a very flawed relationship and characters for 11.5 episodes and then magically they come together as a couple with rings. Hm. No thanks.

AND NOW I UNDERSTAND HOW THE BAD SCRIPT AND BAD FILMING RUINED IT. Technically, I can tell you how the filmmaker ruined it. Totally ruined it.
***** Bc the script is super poor and has no action nor plot, so they create action by these long holding scenes where nothing happens except staring at each other. ******

The script is lazy and lacks energy. Most scenes are the ML and FL or whoever just STARING at each other for a VERY long time with some gloomy music, and then ML AND FL FOR SURE SPEAK IN THESE LOW ENERGY DEAD-HORSE WHISPERING and ****FLAT LIFELESS BORING VOICES****** They sound totally pathetic.

It takes energy from the audience to listen to that. It is so..... DEADLY. It kills ya.

******As the audience, you instinctively feel repulsed and want out. You dont want your energy sucked out of you, by being forced to GIVE ENERGY to the actors. *****
THIS DRAMA FORCES YOU TO GIVE ENERGY TO THE ACTORS and then you feel dead after watching this.

THE CONVERSATIONS, ESP BETWEEN ML AND FL, ARE LIKE THEY ARE SITTING ON THE TOILET WITH SOME MAJOR CONSTIPATION AND MINCING A FEW WORDS HERE AND THERE BARELY ABLE TO SPEAK!!!!!! THEY NEVER COMMUNICATE!!!!! the best that the ML can do to communicate is to grab her arm or to yell at her !!!!!!

and FL tries to look cute and sexy by looking totally spaced out, zombied out absent, anxious, and scared, with her lips slightly open, not able to talk, and if she does talk sometimes, she says a few scared words in that whisper without any energy it in.
**** YOU AS THE AUDIENCE CAN FEEL YOUR ENERGY BEING DRAINED BY WATCHING THAT *****

THIS DRAMA IS TRASH!!!! THE SCRIPT IS TRASH AND THE FILMING IS TRASH!!!!! THE ACTORS ARE FORCED TO ACT HALF DEAD!!!!!! And I think ML could be a lot more spunky but FL is all set to always be this fish out of water open mouth gasping for air half dead person that just CANNOT speak. I think the FL actress is known for flopped roles and botched movies, and I can see the pattern of lazy roles where she doesnt act, and just receives attention of male characters who have to hustle around her character while she acts like an innocent and 100% entitled princess, all spaced out. In other words, her roles are super passive, boring , PARASITIC roles where she does not GIVE anything but keeps receiving. It seems like she thinks it is sexy and picks those roles and acts that way. Heck no. IT IS BORING. MOST BORING. IT IS SUCKING THE AUDIENCE INTO A BLACK HOLE. IT SUCKS LIFE OUT OF THE AUDIENCE.

Initially, I enjoyed a fluffy kids romance until .. ep 6,. then 7 was WOW this is trash!! and now after ep 8... I am like YUCK THIS IS TRASH.... THE KIDS NEVER CHANGED, NEVER GREW UP THEY STAYED AS CONFUSED AND TOXIC AS DAY 1. WHICH IS BORING TO WATCH
This is a highly toxic drama with very dumb, immature characters who do not communicate, and there is no hope because there is really no salvation to this kdrama. The script is just OFF. The characters are not trying to grow up and it just will never work.

Yeah. Yeol is an immature jerk who does whatever he wants. He is that SLIMEY POPULAR HOT GUY WHO DOES WHATEVER HE WANTS AND EXPECTS HIS CHICK TO COME TO HIM AS SOON AS HE SNAPS HIS FINGERS
This kdrama is an advertisement for toxic relationships and sexism to the max.
The scene of FL running across the street to him is like .... jees.... this is TOXIC.

His ex Yeo Reum is a pathological type. She lies to him and breaks HIS heart so that she wouldnt break HER own heart, leaves him for years and then comes back to claim him as if he were a lost-and-found umbrella. Hello. Yeo Reum is super toxic and confused.

THE FEMALE LEAD IS A PATHETIC ACTOR, her face is always in pain and confused and sometimes she smiles, so I am done with her. Her role is written for her to be a DUMB LITTLE GIRL. As an actress, she is 0. And also, I got tired of watching 1 kg of white powder on her face to make her look white, and her hair bangs straight into her eyes. Hello, get a haircut so that I can see you, and wash your face, and then maybe I am willing to watch you.

The second ML is a toxic type himself, always quiet and always trying to be nice to this damsel in distress FL who is just a little girl, extremely immature, weak, passive and delusional. So the second ML is just a wasted role. He has no chance with this idiot chick he kinda likes, but not really. He never DOES anything to win her over. And he wouldnt succeed anyway. She is a little girl and just USES HIM to babysit her and escort her around. She is ABUSIVE to him.

So - SAYONARA. I am dropping this, it is a waste of time. I got something out of it in the first few episodes which were light fluffy kids romance, and it served its purpose for me.
Now the kids proved to be just kids, there is no substance here, the kids are just trashy weak people doing really stupid egoistical things, and I have no reason to watch their muddling through because THEY ARE NOT HONEST

The kdrama lacks HONESTY

I understand that we have to dive into the ugly to see how they will overcome it, but these kids are NOT diving into ugly and are NOT overcoming it, not even trying

THEY ARE NOT TRYING. THE SCRIPT IS OFF.

They are confused spoiled brats, all of the characters, so I cant watch it


====
This is what I wrote after watching 4 episodes:

I am not into fluffy dramas and romance, AND the writeup of this drama totally turned me off....bc it was all about PRETTY FACE and that was disgusting. So much about pretty face was too much and that's why I gave less reviews. So I did not want to watch this and I was cringing during the first episode when they were swooning over pretty faces...
So I was watching this for the first time when it was already up to ep 5, to unstress bc there was nothing else on Wed Th.
I watched 4 episodes at once, I FFed through the "pretty face ah!!!" scenes that were basically an advertisement for plastic surgery, and I kept watching because the characters were interesting.

As usual, the ML has a lot more interesting script than FL, Yeol is a really complex and interesting character to watch. And still has a big nose and is considered "pretty face" which I REALLY appreciate. Also Yeol's character is handsome because of HOW he is. He is a really interesting prick - a combo of an overwhelming controlling boss and a very great softie. Perfect for a movie maker, the person behind the camera controlling a whole team... Really...
Luckily the FL was not an idiot and had some sense in her and actually acts well the little that was given to her, and I enjoyed watching her. She is a master of subtle acting. She was so tiny and skinny and rather helpless compared to the tall husky athletic looking Yeol so I was wondering ... this would NOT work in real life :) I wish kdrama females had BODIES with some meat and muscle on them, so that they COULD hold their breath for a few minutes and kiss properly LOL No wonder Korea lacks kids these days!!! these skinny frail women will NEVER be able to pounce on anyone or give birth.... But that set aside...

the drama was so light and airy and positive, and I was enjoying "good kids" exploring love, and at the end of my watching, I realized I suddenly had some great realizations about the financial crime I am researching now :) The drama helped me clear my head and fill it with sunshine :)

The Yeol actor is really an amazing actor and Yeol character is very complex. The character is a very enterpreneuring bossy confident guy who has a mean streak and also a very caring good side, and that actor has it all. Yeol character is like a benevolent rulers. A little too bossy for my taste, but ALMOST always with good intentions. I wasnt sure about putting stuff into locker that the other guy wanted. That seemed MEAN...
That actor can be scary too. That scene as thugs in those funky clothes and bubble gum ... he was a natural.... I believe it. HE COULD ACT A THUG. That actor has a mean streak to him so he COULD switch to all kinds of roles. He could be a thug, a bossy CEO, and also, he could act a pushover softie, and all in between

The FL is really cute!!! She is very feminine and soft and the lighting, colors and her acting really makes it look beautiful. DO NOT PUT SO MUCH WHITE POWDER ON HER FACE!!!! she can smile so nicely and she acts very well. I enjoy watching her. One of the scenes that is memorable is when Yeol ties her hair. That is such a detailed scene, both of them are acting is 1000%.

I think the script has to be a little nicer to FL. A woman who just stands there watching a bball flying into her face ..... ? ???? do ppl exist like that.... ???
Also, she is super skinny and so much shorter than the guys. Can you put women of normal size... ? Why look like a child next to a guy... ?
and her naivette... the guys are doing all the romantic work for her. She has not reached to grab anyone and she is so insecure, she doesnt know when a guy is reaching out.

So I am waiting to see FL grow up a little bit.

Read More

Total chaotic choppy mess, like a video game

yeah 1st ep was mind blowing, this is like energizer bunny on steroids... so chaotic, for audience with attention span of like 1 msec. Worse than a video game

Nothing Korean kdrama-like about it. It feels like a cheap western production - all kinds of meaningless unrelated fast chaotic actions without any rhyme or reason or order or SENSE

THERE IS NO MEANINGFUL COMMUNICATIONS
NO CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

yeah we see they are stealing but ... so what??? Some dazzling flashy scenes just flash by our eyes and that's the drama...

So ... no thanks to this one.

Read More

This kdrama has too many action scenes for my taste.... Also, those scenes are ALWAYS bc the kids are so impulsive and overly emotional and careless and ONE gets the whole group into trouble, esp So Mi. I fast forward through all that crap.

Imo the impressive thing is picking EXACTLY small pieces to show off the darkness to really get the idea of what it is.
So the pace is rather fast and everything is more and more clear as you go along. ***Masterful*** script, in that regard.
Just ONE short scene conjures TONS of information. That is due to a really sharp script writer.

For example: the scene when AY visits the mom of the missing boy and mom already has a new baby ... but cries... then it seems over but then she cannot help it and cheerfully asks about pretty shoes. Or when AY and her mom talk about why AY has only 2nd place, or Snow White. Those are scenes that last about 1 minute at most but tell EVERYTHING about the relationships, about the people themselves, about the plot.

Also the dark scenes are not gross nor too plastic, for example So Mi being molested is conveyed in no uncertain terms, but we do not get to see the details - which is exactly appropriate. WE GET TO BE HORRIFIED without being infested with the violent images. And we learn the key aspects about So Mi and her father and family in just one 1 minute scene.

Yeah masterful script writer.

Also, this is a masterful slimey way to test the audience if they would allow this kind of stuff, especially in countries with low birth rate and going extinct. Which is essentially all developed world. As soon as a place gets rich, no more kids. So many men go gay, Seems some women too but it doesnt seem in such high numbers or maybe they are not as a powerful group to get their gay agenda into the public. Sexism even in gayness :( Straight people just do not marry or have kids, they have nice easy pleasant fun lives without any obligations.

SO UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, IF YOUR COUNTRY IS GOING EXTINCT, WOULD YOU ALLOW CLONING LIKE THIS? is really the main question here...

But the thing is, the world just does NOT need new people.
The world already has plenty enough.
Seems like only fast reproducing countries and groups will survive on planet Earth.
Like... Africa. S America. etc.
Lots of Catholics ;)


There is a great kmovie THE SILENCED that talks about a real life situation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silenced_(film)

Of course this has been happening in Native American boarding schools (ran by church), colonized places and with minority or poor kids. Anyone who isnt able to defend. Just google it. The last Pope "appologized" to Native Americans just last year or so.

Read More

A meaningful, warm, fun and sad story about Service to Humanity, purpose of life, and karma

The official posted summary of this kdrama does not describe it properly imo... you will have to watch 2 episodes at least to understand what it is about.

The story addresses sad and gruesome problems from daily life of poor people, laborers and migrant workers, who work for greedy sharks..... The ML helps remedy it, and in that, he provides Service to humanity and redeems himself, bc ... he didnt start out as a nice enlightened guy :)
But he did NOT start as a money driven guy... He wanted to be happy. He was really bad with money and too nice. He was a clutz. A passive loser. An uninformed, lazy seeker, but still, a seeker. A lost person.... who then stumbled upon the path he was looking for, a meaningful life that made him deeply satisfied. It just so happens that his path does not look very glorious or luxurious so at first he overlooked it and did not fully utilize it - some can say he was a scammer, but his blackmailing safety inspections did manage to save some people here and there - UNTIL the Divine showed him the right way to be useful.

The story talks about very deep social and labor problems, and a person who redeems himself by solving these issues.
The drama shows the issues in a down to earth way, from different angles and with a little bit of black comedy humor when appropriate, which often turns into tragedy and might make you cry,
and also the story contains extreme warmth and meaning.
And real solutions.
It is an enjoyable and engaging watch, and very super realistic.

So far, no scary ghosts, only "nice ones" who came for help.
The story is NOT a ghost story... ghosts are there just to introduce certain problems that we otherwise would not know about.

So do NOT expect to be seeing too much of ghosts :)
And do expect to see solving real-life problems of laborers, migrant workers and poor people in general, working under dangerous inhumane conditions. The person who solves these problems redeems his useless wasted life by being helpful to the wronged people. It is just that the wronged people are dead already :) but our ML also helps their still-alive families and friends and issues.

The story of this kdrama is the same old story of a lost person who is not living what he is supposed to be living and he knows it..... but he tries to solve it in wrong ways..... and he keeps going down.... and then he hits rock bottom .... and then he stumbles upon the right way.

The right way is ALWAYS about doing some kind of Service to "higher principles". He does well.... And it is often the case, falls again.... he tries to escape his service bc it is uncomfortable. Luckily he is given another chance and pulled back in.

The service is uncomfortable because it involves a heart wrenching tour of the world of laborers and migrants working in poor conditions, and related people, all suffering. It is also deeply warm and meaningful as many people come together to make it better.

The only thing that I found off is the look of the ML actor, he is so super skinny :) Very different than beautiful athletic bodies of other MLs. I guess this one must be some kind of fashion model? Well ... it wouldnt hurt to get some more meat on him :)
Just half kidding. He does an ok job acting this role and that is all that matters. In fact, he is very very convincing in his role, there is no actor, just the character, and he is MEMORABLE. Something about his acting is so genuine and natural that he is memorable. His character starts as rather ... lost and slimey LOL and ends as a helping hand hero who saves lives (and deaths LOL)

The two side characters (content creators and scammers ) are interesting.

The idea of working for ghosts to help them ascend is also a very interesting idea that keeps popping up in so many kdramas, I suppose bc it is ... realistic :) Seems that that IS a huge issue, lots of ppl who get stuck down here and need to LEAVE asap. So helping them LEAVE is something we alive must do or else.. they haunt us LOL like in Haunted Palace.... From what I understand, planting comfrey helps with that.

This kdrama is NOT a horror story and does not mention revengeful or scary spirits like Haunted Palace but talks only about those who were unjustly wronged and are "malevolent and nice"

So this kdrama is a little too rosey unrealistic, and Haunted Palace is a little too scary, both address extremes, but there is much in the middle too...

But in this kdrama, the ghosts are not the main topic of discussion, but the ISSUES they bring to be solved, and the issues involve work, education, life and family environments of many people.

The issues are very deep deep deep relevant and meaningful issues..

And the drama is filmed ok and moves ok and it is fun to watch.

I am not sure why "rewatch value" is one of the things we have to rate on... imo it is enough to see this drama once to learn all that you need to know.
Very very very few dramas are worth a rewatch, imo :) So dont mind me on that issue :)

Read More

Wow this is a great fun drama! starts as delightful, refined comedy ... then script gets bad

Written after fast forwarding through ep 10 to see if I want to finish watching this drama, The acting is great. The side character (female helper in kitchen) is great :) and ML is great. It is amazing he is acting so lively and so ordinary and yet he has this amazing face, so it is so ... interesting to watch him. He is a great actor.

FL is soooo flat and stiff.... The actress is, and perhaps the script makes her so. The scipt totally does not do her any justice. She is just a little spice on he side, and otherwise totally irrelevant, the script totally leaves her in the dust.

Written after watching ep8: well.. the plot got so thin and meaningless.. the trip to Japan, the other guy, ... all that was so ... blah. Too many blah episodes. Undeveloped and unconnected script. Ruined it all.

THIS IS WHAT I WROTE AFTER WATCHING A FEW EPISODES:
I didnt expect Netflix to put out something locally Korean and in the true kdrama style, very artistic creative playful fun sophisticated warm positive, very very FINE, meaningful, educational, uplifting, like good old kdramas :) BUT HEY they did!!!! wow. I was surprised but hey I take the gift and thank Netflix!

The script is HILLARIOUS in meaningful ways and the actors really make it come alive and so funny :) The ML is an amazing comedian, and the side characters are very strong. It is a convincing story and great acting.

This is a great fun kdrama, like good old kdramas, very very very very fun :) I adore the comedy and have been laughing a lot with this kdrama. So marvelous, delightful, so light but deep, the issues it covers are for real... . It addresses the social issue of corporate abuse of small business, and tells the very dark story through humor.... LOTS of humor :) It is a GREAT storytelling and great comedy......

Yeah someone said this is like a Potato Lab and in some way it is, this is the same basic plot of "corporate heartless male shark versus a powerless poor woman with a dream", but this one is a lot more sophisticated than the Potato Lab... Potato Lab did not have meaningful side characters (except a few villages sometimes) and ML and FL characters were kinda one-sided, not very complex, and super closed off and immature and unable to communicate. The plot was often just slapstick comedy.
This kdrama has more and more complex and well-acted side characters, the ML and FL communicate in more adult and meaningful ways, the jokes are more refined, the plot is more refined... Potato Lab was like an elementary school fight between girls and boys, and it took until towards the end of ep 11 to have the female lead say something meaningful to the ML and for the two of them to communicate about their issues (the freezer scene). Luckily they kept communicating (e.g. the bed scene where she cannot participate and he helps her) and they turned out a very fine and well-matched couple at the end of ep 12. But it took them 12 episodes LOL

I hope this kdrama will stay good and get even better till the end. In this kdrama, ML says something meaningful and personal to FL in ep 2 and she shortly takes it in and they move on in harmony, and they are discussing the core issues already at the end of ep 2. Totally higher level game in this kdrama. The characters are more mature and open to begin with.

The ML actor is soooo comical and acts in such great detail and is so alive and genuine that it is really fun to watch. He is a master actor. The drama revolves around him as the lead actor and it is right. He makes it alive.
The other actors do a good job too to support the drama but he is clearly the star of the show.

The scene where they introduce ML and he turns around in that James Dean look - he seems so arrogant bc he knows he can dazzle western audience looking as a handsome European guy - but - he is a lot more beautiful and cute when he is more honest and tasting kim chi :) with his hair down. he looks younger and healthier :) bc he looks softer and more genuine.
I think the drama makes it "equal" and introduces the 2nd ML in the same way although he is not such a "looker" but is a spicey character LOL
The FL was introduced in a less AHA WOW! way... She too got to flash a bit, at first hidden under the hat. But it wasnt so flashy as the MLs.

My favorite scenes is ML and 2 brothers talk at the produce and meat shops LOL and the questions they asked him before and during that talk :) Wow impressively funny and on the point LMAO And the ML actor looks impressively handsome although he is acting something very ... mundane. What makes him handsome is the GENUINE ALIVENESS in his talking.

Perhaps someone put that actor as the ML to provide a pretty face on the screen, but he is a lot more than just a pretty face, he is a very great actor. I saw him in different dramas and he ACTS DIFFERENTLY which very few actors can actually do... So many actors act the same in any drama they are in :)

I saw the ML actor here and in Scarlet Heart Ryeo, and those two roles are 100% opposites.
In Scarlet Heart Ryeo he is a prince, a very COMPOSED CONTROLLED RESERVED QUIET mellow slimey quiet dignified serious person, scared, depressed, sad, violent, crude, caring but not really .... very melodramatic..... ver subtle and under the radar.... the acting requires very minute differences in egoistical expressions and some genuine care expressions, and he did it great.

In this drama he is in a very OUTGOING AND EXPRESSIVE troublemaker wheeler/dealer, comedian / macho entitled boy character, sort of jester role, he is a vivacious cocky obnoxious entitled young rich male character who is obsessed about getting what he wants, comical, who gets in your face, who causes trouble, who gets out of trouble by comedy as well as swindling, and he is acting it great and making it a HILLARIOUS COMEDY.
I think what makes it so wickedly good is the paradox and opposite forces in the script, he is actually a mama boy trying to please, including being a trained robot to grab the company, and ALSO genuinely interested to make it work, regardless of the fact that his motives and underlying inspiration are off.... Selling his jacket and watch LOL and wearing those awfully short sleeves LOL
So the underlying issue is, what will happen when his passions and inherently good heart get introduced to causes that are beyond his mama's agenda? CAN HE ALLOW HIMSELF TO HAVE HIS OWN DREAM?
So we are laughing as we watch him trip and fall and get up while he is figuring this out....

So this kdrama and Scarlet Heart Ryeo are his TOTALLY different roles, and he CAN DO THAT WHOLE RANGE excellently. Wow I am impressed.
How he acts in this kdrama allows for more details, like his facial gestures, or looks, his body language, etc. because there is so much more communication, more "fire" in expressing emotions, and plenty of comedy and plenty of various "looks" of his character facets, including "arrogant corporate scammer" to "village market unemployed" to "in the dog house by his woman" - who tamed that barking dog ML literally in the first minute of their meeting LOL to "big manager managing unruly adjumas in a tiny unruly place" etc etc etc so he can act sooooo much and there is so much to watch - the slump of shame, the short sleeves look, etc LOL stealing a drink and a bite while working LOL he is really really really fun to watch.

ML actor is an ***excellent*** actor and the level of detail of his acting in this kdrama is sooo fun to watch. The actor was having so much fun with his role... ! so nice to see. So far some of my favorite scenes are sitting with 2 brothers at the table LOL Overall, he made his role really alive and genuine. He is just this vibrant, RADIANT, bubbly, alive character. The scene of his running with FL was amazing. His whole acting and so many comedic moments are just amazing. He is a fantastic comedian.

The FL and ML work well as a pair. FL actress is not so good at acting and the script isnt so much in her favor. So far, FL is just too one sided proud stuck no-common-sense and yelling. FL character is like a teenager in a temper tantrum..... a business owner without a plan and without any business sense... A loser....!!!! But she luckily learns fast. She did hire someone. She did pull out the plates. etc. Luckily she seems to do well with the new employee. The first time she steps forward is the stare and the question at the end of ep 2. She is pretty and seems smart and knowledgeable and she controls the unruly dude, ok, but she needs to be a little bit more ... complex and stronger as a character. And yeah the outdrinking each other - hm... seems like drinking is out of control in S Korea..... ? Both ML and FL seem so immature there....

Well the script showcases the ML more, as usual.... but ML actor acts better and FL actress cannot act as well. WHY DOES IT USUALLY HAPPEN LIKE THIS IN KDRAMAS?

The second FL (new employee) was the lead villain in Undercover High School and there she is an excellent villain as a very dead serious person. Her face and facial expressions easily lead to villain roles, she looks scary.
The astonishing thing about this kdrama is that her face and facial expressions work for her role here. She is terrifying when she smiles and she has that scary look when she looks aside to check out the situation, however, when that is amplified in the positive direction and an open smile added, she makes for a PERFECT unruly-but-positive employee.

Anyway, this kdrama is a gem, a truly comical, delightful gem to watch.


So yeah, this drama works for Netflix $$$, without a shocking plot and violence etc, and also works for the kdrama art lovers... Local Korean GOOD FOOD will be appealing to the global audience esp americans who are obsessed about food, and we the real drama audience get to see something truely creative and fun.

I expect future counterfeits LOL bc the plot can be globally transplanted... :) maybe not in France :) maybe not in the USA bc there arent small restaurants anymore... perhaps in China.... but .... Nobody can come close to kdramas. cdramas are never that FINE, that WARM and SOPHISTICATED and KIND and PLAYFUL and CREATIVE like kdramas are. I am not sure what it is in K-culture that makes it so .... refined and common sense.
On the other hand... once in a blue moon, chinese stuff can be super deep and I have never seen that deep in kdramas, I am thinking movie Xuan Zhang 2016 about that monk who walked on foot for 5 years to get buddhist texts from India. That is where all Chinese torturesome lifestyle comes to produce a DEEP masterpiece beyond measure. The pain leads to more insights anda greater deeper more passionate desire to reach towards something Higher. A comfortable capitalist country just ... perhaps... cannot produce that. There isnt enough pain to appreciate lack of it... And yeah money rules so there is a limit on artistic freedom... But Xuan Zhang is a movie about a Buddhist monk, and represented communist China at the International Film festival in 2016. I do not understand how it happened. :)

Read More

Professionally done excellent triller, psychodrama, rom com and healing story

Everything is top notch,

except one thing: I think it is distasteful and artistically grossly cheesy to show scenes of murder / murdered people in great detail, repeatedly. TMI TMI TMI.
Just say what they looked like dead, or just show the blood all over, or someone throwing up in disgust...
Do NOT show us what it really looks like and HOW it became that way, we the people are not forensic experts. Leave it to american movies to show shocking, meaningless, scandalous, distracting, dumb details like that. Bc kdramas do not do such dumb scenes, and that is WHY we watch kdramas only. BE SOPHISTICATED

Other than this complaint, imo the drama is stellar.

The acting is stellar except FL.

The ML is an excellent minute detail actor and it is worth rewatching just to see him. There are other numerous characters represented by excellent actors. I would say practically everyine in this kdrama is acting super well. Except perhaps FL.

Although ML is so grumpy and not well dressed, the character (and the actor) is very cute bc he is GENUINE. The ML character is honest. We do not know why, we just find him that way. Druggingly honest. I am not sure how he managed to stay honest in his line of work.... how come nobody killed him yet for exposing stuff??? But - he is honest, warm, good person underneath a very grumpy cold isolated exterior.

The small detail of taking off the hat and showing hair is super effective to emphasize his good looks and his softness underneath being grumpy. The fact that the hair is slightly curly and messy is actually cute.
The contrast of the straight "lid" hat and his curvey soft hair is an amazing "trick" to showcase his good looks and softness, you get the sneak peek of what is behind the front wall... The front wall is so high and so tough....

The lid hat on and off is like a metaphor when he feels safe to come out of his shell and be real himself and be vulnerable. That is why FL doesnt let him take the hat off, bc then she is gonna fall in and jump on him :) and get beat up since his defense wall is very high and very tough. But she is waiting ... im ambush, camouflaged... taming him very very very slowly....

ML is fun to watch bc he has soooo many shades of emotion. There is no actor and character, there is just this PERSON, this detective, who is ALIVE on that screen. It is like watching a real person live their life. There is no "acting". The actor IS that person. totally convincingly.

I think the actor is the same actor from Oh My Venus?Hm no he is not :) my bad. They just look alike.... I have not seen him in any role before. Or maybe I have, but I thought it was So Ji Bin :) to me they really look alike.

In any case, ML acting is so convincing, it is clearly a unique person in this drama. Wow great actor!!!!

how that actor acts is waaaaay beyond good looks, he acts FOR REAL, there is not the smallest shade of doubt that actor IS that detective. Excellent excellent acting. The icing on the cake is that he is cute.

FL on the other hand was - hey this is Itewon Class chick!!! here again!!! same face, SAME ACTING, SAME PERSONALITY....

FL is cute but one dimensional in her acting, she does NOT show a range of emotion at all, her response in 99% of ALL situations is a surprised snide look.... one version of "poker face" just a little bit more animated than the poker face..... AND THE SAME FACE SHE SHOWED IN ITEWON CLASS... so it is boring to watch her except for mostly eye candy.

Seriously what is up with female leads, most of them can NOT act. WTF WHY????

I did not recognize the actress from Itewon class but as soon as I saw that acting, I KNEW it was her, it is THE SAME ACTING, 100% THE SAME PERSON...... the Itewon Class chick showed up in this kdrama as one of the participants...

COMMON!!!!!!!!!! ***** ACT ***** AND BE A DIFFERENT CHARACTER EVERY TIME!!!!!

Luckily FL script is super smart so that is fun to watch how she figures out various crimes and people. It is also filmed sometimes in a very creative way, so we "see" her thought process. That is all fun.
And please get those bangs out of her eyes so that WE CAN SEE HER better, she has pretty and shiny eyes

Luckily the script is slightly different, the Itewon Class chick in that kdrama was taming someone who was also protected by super afwul head style - his own moronic haircut - but in that kdrama, ML was closed off and shut down totally, he could not "take off" his bad hairdo, he was always under that ARMOR.
In this kdrama, Itewon chick is at least trying to tame a guy who has heart and even sometimes shows it.

The script is amazing, it is sooo riveting, you never know who is betraying whom...

I might have one idea though. After ep 8, I am starting to suspect that the orphan boy who was the subject of doctor's seminar talk is the culprit and he is the Captain :) After the start of ep 9, I am sure it is not the captain, he had a mother. But I still suspect the killer is that orphan boy. And perhaps the captain accidentally put the fire under his truck or something like that... And, who is the orphan boy? The new recruit or the two police bosses... ?

Overall, this is a really well done kdrama that is extremely interesting.

Oh one detail - in this kdrama, UNLIKE ALL OTHER KDRAMAS, the FL is chasing the ML who is a typical single guy .... how she is roping him in is remarkable LOL Omg she is sneaky and clever!!! that dude is totally roped in and he doesnt even realize it yet.... She got him!!!!!

And yeah that is the same plot of Itewon class... they took this actress bc she can act a chick patiently trying to rope in a guy who has NO DESIRE WHATSOEVER to date.

But it is the typical american plot... bc in the USA men NEVER court ladies, the men expect to be courted by women and their p#### pride kissed up. I think the USA has a shortage of men, plus many are gay, so finding a single guy worth attention is like looking for buried gold... ALmost mission impossible...

So the rom com reminds me of the USA, where stuff like that is normal,
rather than what is shown in kdramas, where TWO male leads chase one FL. That puts S Korea as the leader of testosterone and real men out there..

The USA us super short on testosterone. THe men are just .... very few and very weak and not masculine at all, they are all silver spoon men who wait for women to compete with other women and win them and fall into their lap. An american male is a lost cause already. CONSUMERISM made men go extinct in the USA...

The ML detective is a very closed off male who has not been interested in romance ... for at least 10 years and probably more..... so FL tricking him, baiting him, ORDERING HIM, movng on LOL with the suitcase and humidifier LOL sleeping there, eating there, ... and in general taking charge to tame him is totally endearing and hillarious. The drama does not make it into comedy but it is tragicomic and also endearing, they are helping each heal from trauma, and she is very gentle with him, so they never really clash, they keep moving forward. Excellent couple communication.

Read More