Justice is challenged by corruption
"Stranger," This crime thriller drama has an intriguing plot, well-developed characters, and suspense.Prosecutor Hwang Si-mok, played by Cho Seung-woo, and a police officer Han Yeo-jin, portrayed by Bae Doo-na. The drama begins with the murder of a high-ranking official, which leads these two together, unraveling a web of corruption and conspiracy within the criminal justice system.
One of "Stranger's" standout features is its character development. Hwang Si-mok, with his emotionless exterior, hides a complex personality shaped by his traumatic past. However, the guy is like a robot sometimes. They reveal what happened to him but there were times I wished he would (or could) show more emotion. Cho Seung-woo delivers a remarkable performance, portraying Hwang Si-mok's inner struggle and determination with depth.
Bae Doo-na's portrayal of this dedicated police officer brings a sense of balance to the seriousness making her character relatable.
"Stranger" maintains a steady pace with its cleverly crafted suspense. The intricate plot unfolds gradually, revealing shocking revelations and unexpected twists that constantly challenge my assumptions. The blend of intense action sequences and quiet, introspective moments further enhances the overall viewing experience. With that said, however there were a couple of episodes where I found my mind drifting away.
Visually, "Stranger" is well done. The show's cinematography captures the gritty atmosphere of the criminal underworld when power meets corruption.
There are times when you think you know somebody or a coworker, but the reality is quite different. As a whole, I recommend watching "Stranger" if you're looking for an intelligent crime drama or thriller. Add this to your "to watch list" at a later date if you're in the mood for a comedy or a romance.
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Hard choices to pursue your dream and happiness
The Dr. Cha series was good. The drama revolves around the life of Dr. Cha, a talented and dedicated doctor who faces numerous personal and professional challenges.One of the highlights of this drama is the exceptional cast acting. The lead actor portrays Dr. Cha (Uhm Jung Hwa) with such conviction and depth that you can't help but empathize with her struggles and root for her success. Her husband (Byung Chul) plays the typical insensitive and non-supportive spouse. All of this pushes you to empathize with her cause and to hope she chooses the right path for herself. The supporting cast also delivers commendable performances, adding layers of complexity to the overall narrative.
Dr. Cha's writing was well done. The pacing is engaging, but the story was somewhat predictable. However, adding additional potential interest kept me engaged. (remember that empathy build up) Perhaps to break up that predictability. The blend of melodrama, romance, and medical themes creates a perfect balance, making the storyline both intriguing and relatable.
The drama's production quality is good. The set designs, costumes, and cinematography transport you into Dr. Cha's world. Attention to detail is evident.
Furthermore, Dr. Cha tackles various societal issues, shedding light on the challenges faced by medical professionals and the ethical dilemmas they encounter. It beautifully explores themes of love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and redemption.
I enjoyed Dr. Cha, but I just found it a little above average. It was the acting and the intrigue of what may happen next that kept me attracted to the show despite the predictability.
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This series will always have a special place
Great and inspirational. This series is an excellent choice for those who enjoy dramatic themes with romance and comedy. This is one of those series that I will remember for quite some time to come. It follows a number of dramatic themes resulting from a number of court cases throughout the series. In some respects, these cases have an impact on the cast and their normal lives and ways of thinking. A strong point of the series is the portrayal of Woo Young Woo by the remarkable actress Park Eun-Bin. During her tenure as an attorney with autism spectrum disorder, her performance was remarkably strong. It is also important to note that the supporting cast does an outstanding job in many regards. As a result of this series, I have been reminded of various reasons why I enjoy watching K-dramas. Excellent writing and outstanding acting. After this, my viewing bar was raised regardless of the origin source of production.Was this review helpful to you?
Enjoyable experience
It was enjoyable to watch Crash Landing on you throughout. It is primarily due to the plot and premise of the film. The film is fueled by two outstanding leads, Hyun-Bin (Lee Jeong) and Son Ye-Jin (Yoon Seri) While paragliding, Yoon Seri is caught in a powerful strom that blows her off course, right into North Korea. Her presence is alerted to Captain Lee Jeong and his Army border patrol unit.The captain discovers Yoon and the rest is an entertaining ride of intrigue, deception, comedy, and ultimately love. It is the incredible acting and phenomenal chemistry between the two main characters that sells both the story's plot and its purpose. In addition to the supporting cast and set production, the writing also contributed to the success of this classic. The two main leads do very well, but Son Ye-Jin's performance will pull on your heart and emotions.
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This review may contain spoilers
Just let some things go and you will enjoy.
Business proposal is a fun, yet frustrating rom-com. The writing is good but at times it gets in the way of the bright, entertaining cast.In the entire series, main actress Se-Jeong (Shin-Hari) stands out. There were times in the story when her talents were underutilized at crucial moments. As a whole, the story was entertaining and fun, but halfway through it became repetitive and redundant. There was a feeling that they were trying to stretch 130% beyond the main theme. As the series went on, this improved towards the last three or four episodes. Yeong-Seo, the best friend of the main character Shin Hari, seemed to have more chemistry with her boyfriend than she did. Now I see why they shared the best couple award. Business Proposal provides some fun laugh out loud moments. So, I do recommend it. You just may have to try and not take it too seriously...
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The Toy luck Club
A Virtuous Business was an enjoyable watch. You can make a story involving some risqué themes and make it pretty straightforward and mature without being graphic. What kept my interest in the story was the background and development of the four women. Kim Yeon is such a part away from her role in The Penthouse. That shows her great range as an actress. She did so well separating those two characters; I was like, Wow, she may just be portraying herself in this role.The premise of the risqué sales was mainly the foundation in which the friendships and developing back-and-side stories were formed. I rooted for their success in their personal lives as well as business.
Overall, A Virtuous Business was a good watch.
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I guess life is how you react to it.
Mr. Plankton was a great watch that started out with very questionable beginnings. Even the characters called out the things that made no sense. I began to understand more, and it became more clear. They were flawed people.The acting was pretty good, even though I could do without some of the wailing like a 4-year-old. (flawed)
However, the execution was decent. I enjoyed the way the series opened the worlds of these characters. I felt bad for Eo Hueng as well as Hae Jo. Despite some issues I just had to ignore, Mr. Plankton was a bittersweet and engaging ride.
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This review may contain spoilers
So much fun
My favorite part of Mr Queen is that I repeatedly return to it in small scenes just to laugh my butt off. Its plot, premise, and incredible acting never get old. It's just that type of series.As the series is set during King Cheoljong's reign, it takes place during the Joseon era. In this storyline, Jang Bong-hwan, a modern chef, finds his spirit or soul in Queen Kim So-yong. While maintaining his identity, (at least trying too) Jang navigates complicated and intricate court politics disguised as a Queen. In addition, the concept of the storyline makes it fascinating and hilarious at the same time.
It's a refreshing take on the historical drama genre. An element of surprise and unpredictability is added to the story by the premise of a man suddenly inhabiting the body of the queen. King Cheoljong and Jang's dynamic is fascinating as they build a friendship/tough romance (no toucheee!) and navigate their roles.
It is a well-crafted story with relatable characters. The story is spiced up by the side characters, mainly the head court lady Choi and maid Hong Yeon. The royal chef is also quite a character himself. It is also noteworthy to highlight King Cheoljong's growth and transformation, as he embraces a more modern approach and challenges traditional norms. Intertwined with the old ways, the new mindset brought on by the spirited queen brings a refreshing new concept. All of this works because of the good script, pacing and execution of the actors. But let's give credit where credit is due and praise Shin Hye Sun's performance as Queen Yong/with Jang Bong's soul. Just exceptional.
Among the themes explored by Mr Queen are gender, identity, power dynamics, societal expectations, and loyalty. Not only is the series hilarious, but there are also many serious moments, making it an engaging and entertaining watch. I find Mr Queen very entertaining and underrated. Yes, the show aired years ago, and there is no more promotion, just word-of-mouth, which is probably why some have passed on it. Even I did at first. Having finally tried it, I am glad I did. It is now among my top five favorite K series of all-time because of the solid story execution and performances, the pacing and the music. I see why this series has lasted for years on Netflix.
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Rico Suave
Vincenzo took much longer to finish than I anticipated. Despite its good overall quality, there could have been three fewer episodes in the series. I find that unfortunate, because I usually prefer series with more episodes if I'm really into them. It's a mixture of action and crime drama. Comic relief is a nice touch in many characters and scenes. It is the middle part of the story that bothers me about Vincenzo.The story gets to the heart, but it drags a bit. Through and through, Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong-ki) is a smooth dude. There are times, however, when the plot armor hurts the theme. I like heros or anti-heroes who are a bit more vulnerable and who overcome their weaknesses. Because the final acts make up for portions of the midrange episodes, the series has been upgraded to 8 stars. Overall, it's a good look.
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Cherish your moments with your family, as life will always bring challenges.
Wow, what a ride! "Tangerines" kind of reminded me why I enjoyed "Reply 1988. IMOP, "Tangerines" is a tad step above. That's due to its core storyline. (I submitted a review to "Reply" that may help you understand where I'm coming from.) So much I want to say, but I will keep this spoiler-free and just say, IU… Wow. You acted your $ss off. Even though I wasn't too much of a fan of the dual role. But man, you killed it.Every actor, lead and supporting, was amazing. The theme was heartfelt. Life has so many trials as well as joyous moments. "Tangerines" hits on so many levels. The only really nitpicky negative I can say is, at times, there was a continuous back and forth of timelines in succession, many times. A little irritating after engrossing scenes, but definitely not a deal breaker. Because some of those moments brought deeper meaning to the previous scene.
This series stands out with outstanding performances, great cinematography, and true-to-life scenarios. I finally submitted a personal rating of at least 9.5. It's been 2 years. I always welcome great shows to challenge my top 5. (now top 6 foreign series or movie) Thanks to "Tangerine." If you enjoy long, lifetime-type heartfelt stories, I definitely recommend it.
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I tried...
The last thing I want to do is to be negative, but in this case, I have to. After the first two episodes, this series was like walking barefoot on broken glass. I crawled my way to episode 8. The characters were uninteresting to me. Multiple relationships were formed using "color by numbers" methods. Forced and weakly navigated. As dictated by the weak story, none of them seemed natural. A lot of staring and being shocked by the smallest gestures of kindness. In general, each couple's buildup was uneventful. Well, maybe dancing was kind of cool and funny.
The scene with getting out of the car in the middle of traffic and then saying goodbye was the most frustrating and useless scene, story-wise. It seems the director was trying to build character in the male lead all while showing a moment to build chemistry by asking her out of the car and then walking 150 ft...for what? I know, let's build chemistry in the context of the story by having the female lead stare at him in the rain with adoration just because he covers her head with a jacket.
Now, I'm not new to K-dramas at all. I've watched quite a few. I'm used to the cheese. I'm familiar with most of the formula. But this was just bad. Not caring about these uninteresting characters didn't help. The story failed to put "ME" in that sweet spot. The spot where you are so engrossed in the story, you root for the characters to navigate through it. All the while the character development is forming, their purpose is different. So each relationship (in the context of the story) is earned.
Ultimately, Divorce Insurance falls short of its potential by failing to engage my interest through compelling characters and a captivating narrative. While the story attempts to weave together various relationships, the lack of interest in certain characters detracts from the overall experience, leaving me wanting at least to have a more engrossing plot.
Although some characters display halfway decent development, their journeys often feel overshadowed by others that struggle to resonate. As a result, while there are tiny moments of promise within the narrative, the inconsistent character engagement diminishes the impact of their relationships and leaves a lingering sense of unfulfillment.
I really try not to drop shows, but I found much better shows to spend my time on.
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This review may contain spoilers
Great series, despite the fact that it didn't take advantage of its much greater potential.
To begin this series, I waited until it was almost completed. It's definitely worth waiting to binge a little at a time. I give props to both the writer and the production team. I was really impressed with how well-made the show was. Every once and again, I feel we are treated to a series that rises above even the highest average show.IMO, what makes QOT work are the leads. The leads are excellent. For much of the show, they lock you into their world with their acting prowess. Kim Hyun and Kim Ji-woo pretty much carry the series. The solid writing and crisp direction blend with many of the smooth and kind of jazzy OSTs.
I could go on and on. With that said, with all of the positive things, I did have some issues. I actually gave the show an 8.5, which for me is great! But it's more like an 8.7 or 8.8. So, I guess 9.0. There were a couple times in the 16 episodes I found myself thumbing through my phone. With all its great performances and moving episodes, there were small points of predictability and "convience" for the plot.
We can debate for the next 10 years about the happy vs. sad ending. But I will say that if he or she had died by episode 15, yes, it would have upset many, but it may have also, if done right, unleashed a floodgate of tears and emotions among fans. At no point in the series was I convinced or concerned that anyone could die. Especially after Baek Woo getting hit at 40 miles an hour by a car and ran away from the hospital, on foot...
Overall, the performances, the production, and most of the writing superseded the small issues. Anyone can nick pick, but some of the "pickyness" couldn't be ignored.
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