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The title is deceptive. It is an idol drama about struggling musicians

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2017 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 16, 62-68 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Kang Han-gyul (Lee Hyun-woo) was a bass guitarist in the pre-debut boy pop rock band “Crude Play” and helped make the band successful with his amazing song writing skills. Along the way, he discovered he had more talent as a producer and song writer than a guitarist. With the encouragement of the company CEO, Han-gyul quit the band to focus on perfecting his skills behind the stage. He is considered a genius in his field of music production but his people skills leave a lot to be desired. It does not help he represents his former band members who often resent him for losing site of the people in the product. He was recently in a relationship with popular female solo singer, Chae Yu-na (Hong Seo-young) but she did not feel he was dedicated to their relationship and felt he prioritized his work over all else. He is shocked and hurt to discover Choi Jin-hyuk (Lee Jung-jin), his mentor in the music world and CEO of the company started a relationship with Yu-na after she and Han-gyul had a fight. Devastated by the betrayal and already struggling through conflicts with his friends/former band mates, Han-gyul has a chance encounter with student Yoon So-rim (Park Soo-young). In a moment of inspiration Han-gyul bumps into So-rim in a park amd asks to borrow her phone to record some lyrics that came to him, Later he realizes the young woman now has his chart topping song and tells a series of lies to disguise his identity and attempts to charm her to get it back. What Han-gul does not realize at first is So-rim is a talented, singer and song writer herself. But So-rim fell in love with the talented Han-gyul at first sight. So-rim gets her break in the music industry and it so happens to be atthe same company Han-gyul works with. Despite his rocky romance with his former female singer girlfriend and despite the fact that So-rim is younger than he thought, Han-gyul finds himself drawn to her. Once his lies are exposed will So-rim still like him the same? Will their careers interfere with romance?

Review

Titles can be so deceiving. I thought this was going to be about a con man or someone who was a pathological liar. But this was more like the genius, prodigy musician who told some lies to protect his famous identity. And the story is really centered around the struggles of producing music and being a musician. There was a very sweet romance and it was a strong focus of the story but there still was a heavy focus on music and it was definitely an idol drama. It was good, I would watch it again. Would recommend it to fans of any of the actors as they all acted their roles well. And it ends happy.

Spoilers

I liked that there was not a separation trope because it seemed to be leaning in that direction. There were no annoyingly overdone tropes. Which is always refreshing.

I wish the jealous brat teenage girlfriend, Lee Se-jung (Jeon Yoo-rim) would have suffered more consequences. Some social shaming would have been something. Lee Kyu-seon (Park Jung-hyuk) going after her and comforting her after she was rightfully chastised was disappointing. Call me spiteful but I like to see people who act atrocious out of jealously get some serious karma. At least Chan-young what’s like? How could you possibly think I would’ve noticed you or liked you after what you did?

I do not know why they had So-rim’s childhood friend and band mate, Baek Jin-woo (Song Kang) be secretly in love with So-rim.

The President of the company, Yoo Hyun-jung (Kim Sung-joo) was horrible. She forced Crude Play to fake then was angry when they wanted to tell the truth.

It was a bit of a soft ending. I wanted to see both bands find real success after they chose to be honest in their music. It showed things were “taking off” but not that they arrived. There was also no real ending or resolution with Han-gyul’s father, Kang In-woo (Choi Min-soo) and having his music stolen and all that. And so what President Yoo was in love with him, nothing ever came of it. So In woo who could have made it big, just remains a street

Chae Yu-na (Hong Seo-young) cheated on Han gyul but then turned it around and made it his fault. You made me do this type thing. And it seemed he accepted that because he was not as angry with her as it felt like he should be. Like he was mad for a minute then back to writing songs for her. At least Han gyul’s friend and band mate, Seo Chan-young (Lee Seo won) told Yu-na off about how she cheated.

Seo Chan-young (Lee Seo-won) was a bit ridiculous. He gets his golden opportunity that so few musicians get to play with a band on the eve of debuting and all he can think of is how he is supposedly. I thought he was a huge whiner. Then he selfishly insisted that so rim saying his music when she would’ve more likely came out bigger if she had use the most successful songwriter, Han-gyul. I felt like it was cool he was supportive of all Mush & Co at the end but he was a little bit responsible for them being in danger of being spilt up because they did not debut as well as they could have.

#TheLiarandHisLover #LeeHyunWoo #HongSeoYoung. LeeJungJin #ParkSooYoung

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Good premise, characters well developed but has a typical soft Jdrama ending

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2018 Japanese Romantic Drama with 8, 24 minute episodes. Also known under the titles "Literary Virgin" and "A Virgin of Literature".

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

8/10 is my rating. Kanoko Tsukishiro (Aoi Morikawa) is an editor of literature for a prestigious publishing company that edits and publishes books for some of the top authors. She is a relitively new editor, looking to make her name in her field. She has always loved books and one of her favorite authrs is Saku Kagaya (Yu Shirota) who is currently known for writing mystery books. When Kanoko is assigned to be Saku's editor, she could not be more happy. Although he writes mystery, his original book, which made her fall in love with his work, was a romance. In fact Kanoko, who has never been in love herself at 26 years old, says her first love was the male character in Kanoko's romance book. Saku is still very popular but has hit a bit of a lull in his career and Saku is convinced he can write that next great book in the romance genre. With the goal of helping this greata author write a book you can "cuddle up with", she approaches Saku with much excitement. But Saku turns out to be a playboy who flits from one romantic interlude to the next. Having Kanoko near Saku greatly disturbs one of her work seniors, Chhiro (Masaki Nakao) who is secretly in love with the refreshingly innocent Kanoko. Can Kanoko get Saku's attention long enough to get him to write that next great novel? What is she to do when she feels her own heart stirring for the first time over the difficult to work with Kanoko?

Review

8/10 is my rating. Like Japanese dramas can be at times, this is a bit more risqué than the usual Korean dramas I watch. That being said, it does not show as much skinship (physical contact) as others I have seen with similar content. It is not a new premise, woman meets man, they do not originally seem interested in each other or compatible but slowly fall for each other. But it was entertaining watching a woman, who is a virgin still in her mid twenties, dealing with a man who is a Cassanova. It was good, kept me engaged and was overall a happy story. The ending was happy but soft in that it was not completely wrapped up. I would not seek it out to watch again because I like well wrapped endings. But for those that want a relatively quick romance, like any of the actors, or simply enjoy this type of premise, it is worth the watch.

Spoilers

The romance never fully took off for me. There were some teasers where they would seem to be getting close then something would happen to disrupt them fully getting together. For such a relatively short series thre was a lot of character development which made it even more frustrating to not see the full outcome for the characters. There were multiple love triangles going on with all the main characters and some resolution with some but not with others.

In the end it seemed Saku confessed his feelings for Kanoko through a piece of literature he sent to her publishing company, and she rushed to reunite with him because of what he said in the literature, but it ended there. That is why I said it is a soft ending. We didn't get to hear much of what he said that had Kanoko so hopeful for their reunion. I don't like things being left for my imagination, tell me the story.

The chemistry was there, the characters were developed well, the premise was intersting, and it just fell short of completing the story. It could have been a really good romance but those flaws made it more of a just slightly above average one.

#AnInnocentWomanofLiterature #AVirginOfLiterature #LiteraryVirgin. #MasakiNakao. #YuShirota. #AoiMorikawa.

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Well written coming of age, time travel, romance that is heartwarming

9.5/10 is my rating. This is 2023 South Korean Coming of Age, Time Travel, Fantasy romance.  It has 16, 59-73 minute episodes.

 

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

 
Synopsis



Han Eun Gyeol (Reyoun, Go Yoon-hwan) grew up in a household where the other family members, his dad, mom and older brother were all deaf and he acted as the interpreter and spokesperson for his entire family.  It was a large burden for a young person, so he found refuge in the company of a grandfather figure who taught him to pay guitar at a local music shop.  Growing up, he continues to pursue guitar but keeps it a secret as his father, Ha Yi Chan (Choi Hyun Wook) is determined his son become a doctor, or something else, to elevate the status of the family.  Just when Eun Gyeol’s secret is discovered by his father, and they are amid a huge falling out, Eun Gyeol is transported back in time to 1995. A magical music store appears, because it has musical instruments he goes in, sells one of his guitars, then he steps out back in time.  In the past, he encounters the younger version of his father, who is forming a band but is also very interested in a beautiful but icy cellist, Se Keyong (Seol In Ah) who is problematically not Eun Gyeol’s mother.  To get his mother, Cheong Ah (Shin Eun Soo) and father together Eun Gyeol he has to join his father’s band and make it successful.  Will he succeed in uniting his parents in this new past and can he return to his own timeline?

 

Review

I did not fully read the description before starting this series, so I was surprised it turned into a time travel show.  I thought the main element was just going to be a family where most of the members were deaf.  That would have been enough to write a compelling story, so when it switched to time travel, I was surprised.  The switch from a family centered drama to a time traveling drama, would have been okay, but I did not feel they did it well.  It was confusing a lot of times.  The switches back in forth in time were not very clear at times. But then it got really good. It had a bit of a rough start, but the latter half of the series was very good. There were a few, relatively minor, issues in terms of time travel concepts. I liked it a lot and I am not a huge fan of time travel. The romance was not completely central to the story, it was more focused on the family relationships. But there were two very heartwarming romances. I liked this a lot, would definitely rewatch it and recommend it to anyone that likes time travel, romance, stories about musicians, magical content, or are fans of any of the actors.

 

Spoilers

 

I am not a fan of time travel series.  I like things to happen in the order they occur.  Switching back and forth between timelines can be confusing and I felt like this story suffered a lot in that process.  For instance, when the younger version of the dad was first introduced, we were simultaneously following the main guy in the current time and I kept wondering who that character was and how they fit into the story.  We hadn’t yet been introduced to the time travel so I was not considering the possibility it could be a younger version of one of the characters.  After the big reveal on time travel, and I realized that was the younger version of the father, I had to mentally review what happened with that character.  There were times when, rather than just abruptly change the scene to something that transpired earlier, they could have had a character reflect back so it was clearer the events happened in the past.  Instead they just throw a scene in with past events and you wonder if that is present or past. 

 
I found it annoying how oblivious the main character was to the fact that the people, in the past version of themselves, would not know who he was.  I get it would be exciting to come across a young version of a parent, other relative, or close friend but you would have to temper that with the knowledge they haven’t lived the future yet.  If they were time travelers too, sure call someone “dad” or “ajumma” but if you call someone that, who you are a stranger to, they will think you are crazy.  And he didn’t just call them like that once, realize his error, and act like you would towards someone you just met, he continued to call them familiar titles. He persisted even when the person would say I don’t know you or why are you calling me that.   I’m like dude they don’t know who you are.  No wonder he is running from you, you seem crazy.

 
The main character, who is supposed to be super smart, not only didn’t realize people in the past wouldn’t know him, he was also really frustrating in getting practically any point across.  Like when he is trying to convince the younger version of his dad he can play guitar, he doesn’t say let me play guitar and show you.  So, they would be arguing about whether or not he is telling the truth about his musical abilities and there would be a guitar right there.  I am like grab the guitar, and do a riff, that would convince your “dad” way more than any verbal argument.  But they tease that through scene after scene until they finally have him playing and the dad hears him from a distance.  There was the same frustrating situation with the past version of his mom.  She is deaf, and the dad keeps misunderstanding her because he doesn’t know she is deaf, it has to be apparent to her that is going on yet she never grabs something and writes “I am deaf.” In both situations the situation could have been resolved quickly. And I get it is entertaining to have that carrot move as you are just about to grab it, but if you do that too much it quits being amusing and just becomes frustrating. And both were such smart people, it is not credible within each character that they would fail to think of something so obvious.   

A “hole” in the time travel concept was when one of the main female leads traveled back in time and people mistook her for her mother, she let them think she was her. The grand plan was, she wanted her mom not to fall in love with her dad but with someone else. She was suicidal and figured if her “mom” fell for someone else, then she would never be born. But, the problem with that was, people thought she was her mom, but she wasn’t really her mom. Her mom was studying abroad. They never explained how her getting someone else to fall in love with her would have any impact on her mom’s future. So that was an inconsistency, to me, with the theories around time travel.


#TwinklingWatermelon  #Ryeon  #GoYoonHwan  #JungHeyonJun   #ChoiHyunWook  #ChoiWonYoung   #SeolInAh  #LeeSoYeon  #ShinEunSoo  #SeoYoonHee 

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An anti-romance between two very broken people who “complete” each other

6/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 Japanese Romantic Drama with a run time of 3 hours and 52 minutes. Known under the Japanese title "Honki no Shirushi: Geijoban". This is an adaptation of a 2000 era manga by Fukada Koji that originally aired as a 10 episode mini-series.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Tsuji Kazumichi (Win Morisaki) is in upper management at a business that sells toys and fireworks. His daily existence is very calm, ordinary and too predictable and he has several casual relationships. His life takes a dramatic turn when he encounters a troubled woman and saves her from tragedy. While he could have turned away after his heroic act he is drawn to the little bit of chaos that surrounds the beautiful and intriguing stranger. What follows is a tumultuous, and at times dangerous, romantic interlude that leaves them both forever changed. Prior to his encounter with Hayama Ukiyo (Kaho Tsuchimura) he spiced up his existence with romantic interludes with a couple of his office co-workers. He has a flirty relationship with his 24 year old Minako (Fukunaga Akari) and allows his more steady friends with benefits co-worker, the older woman, Ms. Naoko Hosokowa (Kei Ishibashi) to play housewife.

Review

This film was ranked among the top foreign films so I thought it would be heart-warming or at least an emotionally compelling romance. But you wind up asking yourself what you just watched. Early you may form an impression of Ukiyo as a damsel in distress and Tsuji as a knight in shining armor but that does not characterize either of them well. So you start out thinking you are watching one kind of movie and, mid-way, you realize it is not what you originally thought. It is an emotional ride but not, in my opinion, in a good way. I would not watch it again nor would I recommend it to anyone that likes romances or dramas on the lighter side. It has been termed an anti-romance and I would agree with that assessment. Some people like the darker content, exploring difficult topics, and/or experiencing many different realities. If you are okay with weighty emotional content and fractured personalities, you may like it. It just wasn't for me. I avoid these types of movies when I can as I am an empath, so I absorb a lot of the emotions. Which is okay when it evokes light-hearted emotions but not so good when it elicits darker emotions.

Spoilers

From the title you might think that Tsuji is going to move from the rather shallow relationships he has been participating in, to a deeper, more genuine connection. But you would be wrong. Actually, the bond between Tsuji and Ukiyo is toxic as neither of them turn out to be as noble as they first seem. They play this long push and pull game that is often as frustrating as it is un-nurturing. There is nothing wholesome or heart warming about the two of them together. I do not like dramas or sad movies and this is very dramatic and it is actually sad to see two people who are broken in so many ways bring out some of the worst aspects of each other. The movie attempts to show that only the two can truly understand one another as they come from a similar mental place but, from a psychological perspective, that type of relationship is always unhealthy.

The portrayal is the main characters are the users, but a closer examination reveals that the other people take advantage of the vulnerability of the two. This is alluded to when others say Tsuji is "too nice" and how Ukiyo is always compliant and apologetic. Tsuji and Ukiyo are both damaged in that they do not know themselves well, allow themselves to be steered by people and events, and are not happy in their current lives.

#TheRealThing #WinMorisaki. #KahoTsuchimura #FukunagaAkari.

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I had high expectations from other reviews but found it slow and drawn out

7/10 Season 1. 8/10 season 2. This is a 2020 South Korean medical drama with 12, 73-113 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

The series centers around five doctors who have been friends since medical school. Lee Ik-jun (Jo Jung suk) is balancing a busy career as a general surgeon and medical professor with the demands of single fatherhood. Despite the many challenges in his life, his magnanimous personality makes him well liked by fellow doctors as well as patients. His son, Woo joo (Kim Joon) is growing up well in the extended family he is experiencing among his father’s close friends despite the absence of his mother. Ahn Jeong-won (Yoo Yeon seok) is an assistant professor of pediatrics but his real passion is Catholicism. He is considering focusing on the clergy as he has a difficult time dealing with patient suffering. Chae Song hwa (Jeon Mi do) is a brilliant neurosurgeon and her amiability and pleasant disposition often draws the group together. Kim Jun wan (Jung Kyung ho) is admired but his austere domineer also prompts fear, particularly among the interns. His career is on the move as he achieves the head position in cardiothoracic surgery. He has known and been friends with Ik jun since childhood and is also close to Ik jun’s pretty and energetic sister Ik sun (Kwan Sun young). Yang Seok hyeong (Kim Dae myung) is also among the divorced. He is perceived as cold and distant because he is quiet and shy particularly compared ti his more outgoing friends, but he is a very caring doctor and professor of obstretics and gynecology.

Review

Comtrary to a lot of other reviews, I found it slow and I forwarded every time they did the band practice. In the first season it really just goes from one tragic medical case to another. They often had good outcomes but it still was emotionally a bit of a downer. The friendships among and between the five doctors were nice and heartwarming and it was clear their mutual support is what helped them weather the emotional storms to excel in the areas of medical expertise. But their romances were less believable as the focus seemed so strongly on the friend group you did not see full development of the romances. So when they started having a romance it felt abrupt. Woth the exception of two of the couples but there were still some aspects that felt unfinished where there would have been more time to develop aspects if so much time was not spent on band practice. I am glad the second season was out when I watched it or it would have been a sudden and incomplete end. That is why liked season two better, it at least wrapped up loose ends.

Spoiler

Jeon won and Jang Gyeo-ul (Shin Hyun been) become a couple but there was no lead up of significance. She confessed and he at first rejected her feelings. Then he basically had his friends and his mother Jung Ro-sa (Kim Hae sook) say they would be a great couple which I guess made him reconsider. Then he suddenly reconsidered, and when she confessed again, kissed her and then they became a dating couple. But it was like she confessed the first time and then he goes back and hangs out with his friends and it doesn’t seem like much developed between the two of them and then later he’s like “oh wait a second you’re right I do like you” and then they are together. It just seemed weird.

Jung Kyun ho (Kim Jun-wan) and Lee Ik-sun’s (Kwak sun young) relationship also felt just out of the blue. He had a girlfriend he broke up with because she seemed to have alcohol issues. Then what felt like all of a sudden he expressed interest in Ik sun. There was no build up. Just, bam, suddenly he is really into her. I got angry with her when she selfishly broke his heart because she decided her illness and the distance thing were too hard on him. Since she told him she was in love with someone else, she lied to him about her real reasons. They seemed to be dating again in the end but they were never fully back together which made the whole relationship seem pointless. Ik jun obviously came to know one of his best friends and his sister were a couple but neither of them ever talked about it to him. It was weird and also felt like it did not reach a logical juncture where one of them would have “come clean” to Ik jun.

Song hwa was my favorite and it was easy to see how someone like her would be loved by her patients as well as her students. It was also believable that two of the men in her friend group had feelings for her beyond friendship, and why all her male friends looked to her for companionship, comfort and advice. That was why I absolutely loved her and Ik jun’s romance. They were perfect together and made so much sense. It was sad they liked each other all those years and had their early romance derailed because of their mutual friend, Seok hyeong’s confession to her. I wish they had further closed the loop by showing Woo soo’s reaction to Song hwa and Ik jun becoming a couple. Song hwa and Woo Soo already acted like mother and son so I think he would have been very happy to have Song hwa as a stepmom.

I was suprised that I very much liked the romance between Seok hyeong and his intern, Choo Min ha (Ahn Eun jin). She did not like him at first, got to know him and fell for him and then pursued him diligently. It was slow burn and very believable when they finally started dating. His mother, Jo Young hye (Moon Hee kyung) was something else so I wish they had shown Min ha either win her over or tell her off but we did not get the satisfaction of either. And the whole gold digger suspicion his mom had around his ex wife, Yoon Shin-hye (Park Ji yeon) was never resolved. They show Shin hye with this large diamond necklace that could have been from the ring Young hye thought she stole but was it? If it was the same diamond then it would have vindicated Young hye and laid the ground work for Min ha and her to have a good relationship. I did not like that aspect of Young hye’s character, her as a horrible harpy of a mother-in-law. They spent so much time early in the series portraying her as a character we should sympathize with because of her husband’s flagrant affair, that switching our feelings for her as a mean mother-in-law seemed to be an inconsistency in the character. Were we supposed to like her or not?

Overall it felt like there was a heavy focus on the friends. I liked that but did not like there was so little time spent on the romances. And too much time spent on band practice. They did some awesome songs and one or two would have been okay but it was a lot more. And hearing Song hwa sing off key was not enjoyable at all. I know it was supposed to be comedic and it was, the first time, but they had her sing off key a lot.

They spent a lot of time playing music. I found we fast forwarded a lot not because we did not like the music but because we wanted to watch the drama content.

#HospitalPlaylist #JoJungSuk #YooYeonSeok #JungKyungHo # KimDaeMyung #JeonMiDo #KwanSunYoung #MoonHeeKyung #AhnEunJin #KimHaeSook

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Good but not great but the mix of cultures carries it

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 Japanese Supernatural Romantic Comedy drama with 10, -45 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Yuri Motomiya (Fumi Nikaido) does not know why an accident years ago gave her a unique telepathic ability. Being able to read the thoughts of others is both a blessing and a curse. She has learned how to use the thoughts she hears to help people. However, she finds it impossible to fall in love with anyone as she inevitably hears unkind thoughts. At 30 she is beautiful and successful as a CEO of her own company. Yoon Tae-O (Chae Jong-Hyeop) is moonlighting as a delivery man while studying to be a biologist. He has a very outgoing and bright personality and is able to break through Motomiya”s social introversion. Because Tae O speaks Japanese as a second language, all his internal thoughts are in Korean. Since Motomiya cannot speak Korean, he is the first person she is unable to read. Which is only part of the reason she is attracted to him. Things chill down when 26 year old Tae O starts an internship at Motomiya’s company. Her co-owner has a strict no mixing business with personal life rule and now Tae O is Motomiya‘s subordinate. She tries to push him to a distance but fate and love have other plans for them.

Review

It is a cute, predictable romantic drama with the cross cultural element adding some additional intrigue. I would watch it again if it was on and would recommend it if someone was looking for a relatively simple plot. It is good and ends happy.

Spoilers

There were a lot of problems with the story. Why and how exactly did she gain the ability tipo hear thoughts? Yes she almost drown but a lot of people nearly drown yet do not develop a supernatural ability. How did her father become so seeverely paralyzed? We know he saved her and was in a coma but neither of those things alone explain his paralysis.why is she a CEO but her friend and partner would be able to fire her.

Two break ups? Really? I dislike one breakup but two was really ridiculous. I seriously dislike the I cannot be with you because someone likes me and I do not want to hurt them trope. If the other person waited until someone else liked you to declare their feelings how deep and genuine are those feelings? In this case he was afraid she would reject him but new guy wasn’t. So that break up was ridiculous. Then they find out some book says if she stays with him he might die and they all buy it? Why? How? It did not even make logical sense they would all believe what it said in a picture book.

I found it interesting how each had to learn aspects of each other’s culture and thought it was heart warming she made an effort to learn Korean.

#EyeLoveYou #YuriMotomiya #ChaeJongHyeop

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Quick cute light fluff

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Japanese romance mini series with 6, 24 minute episodes.it is an adaptation from the manga series “Batsuichi ga Moteru nante Kitemasen”.

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review.

Synopsis

As a star editor for a fashion magazine, Kazuha Ono (Takanashi Rin) seems to have a perfect life. At 35 she has a great career and a happy marriage. Or at least she thought so. Things crash down when her husband announces he has been having an affair and is in love with a younger woman. She figures she might as well rip the band aid and announces her divorce at work before her colleagues hear it elsewhere. That day just happens to be the day, Ayato Mitsui (Tsuna Kieto) started with her company. Fresh oit of college and 12 years her junior, Ayoto starts to admire Kazuha. But things are awkwars because Ayoto is nit only older and a divorcée but she is qlso his superior whipo is supposed to mentor him. .But Ayoto is not the only one interested in the kind and beautiful Kazuha, turns out Rensuke Hayami (Shiono Akihisa) a popular actor, has known Kazuha for awhile and even liked her when she was married. He sees her divorce as his opportunity. In the unusual position if having two handsome eligible bachelors interested in her, who will Kazuha choose. Being a subordinate whi is younger is fraught with problems but coupling with a famois actor has its own issues. Who will Kazuha’s heart pick?

Review

If you are looking for a lighthearted, uncomplicated yet predictable romance this would be a good choice. I would recommend it to fans of either actor, Japanese drama fans, or as a filler drama or quick watch. Maybe you watched something heavy or sad and just need a reset. Well this would fit the bill to offer some quick fluff to reset your emotions. There is not enough substance for me to watch again but I would not avoid it if someone had it on.

Spoilers

I am not usually one for large age gaps but these two characters fit each other so well that it did not seem as big a deal. With short mini series I often feel they would have been better if they were longer.There were ao many possibilities the ex husband could have tried to get her back, she could have tried dating the actor who was closer to her age, and there could have been a side romance. But mostly we could have gotten to know the characters better and had more time with them dating and getting to know each other.

I seriously loved her mom sticking up for her and getting in a social media battle with the ex. That was great and made up for Kazuha effusively apologizing when he and Ayoto got in a fight. Her ex was so in the wrong and I disliked her apologizing to him like that. Her mom telling him off made up for it.

#MyHappyDivorcedLife #TakahashiRin #TsunaKieto. #ShionoAkihisa

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Strong female character who is a super hero level martial artist

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean period costume comedy romance drama with 12, 64-72 minute episodes. Based on a webtoon.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Cho Yeo Hwa (Lee ha nee) was widowed after never even seeing her husband on her wedding day. As the daughter-in-law of of the most prestigious noble family, her mother-in-law forces her to follow the most strict rules that applied to widows of the era she must spend many hours at the shrine honoring her husband and cover herself modestly in public. She cannot wear anything but the drab mourning attire and must always conduct herself in such a way to be beyond reproach. That is the day time version of Yeo Hwa, At night she dons ninja like attire and rights injustices. After 15 years of keeping her night persona a secret, she runs across Park Soo ho (Lee Jong won) a by the book military officer who does not appreciate Yeo Hwa’s vigilante ways. At first he is determined to bring that masked menace to justice until he discovers the man is actually a woman and a very attractive and intriguing one at that. The more Soo ho learns about the mysterious martial artist and that her actions are actually noble, the more he finds himself helping her. They also share commonalities around events in the tragedies of the past. Intrigue turns to like then possibly something more.

Review

This is one of the best historical dramas I have seen because the focus isn’t on the politics, even though the politics are a part of the plot there’s so many other interesting things going on that it isn’t central. If you like action dramas with strong central characters and leads that are very interesting in their back stories, this would be a good one for you. The romance element is there but it’s certainly not highlighted and that could be a plus or a minus depending on how strong you want the romantic element to be. The series ends well and happy with all major plot points resolved.

I highly recommend this series and will likely watch it again.

Spoilers

The only critique I have of this, as somebody who likes romance, is they never fully kiss. That disappointed the romantic in me. I like displays of affection, to see chemistry, or lack there of. In the end they’re together, but it’s not like any level of commitment is made. She just reappears and it’s pretty obvious they’re going to be together from that point forward, but you only get to see just a few seconds of that reunion. After waiting through all of the episodes for them to be together, only getting a few seconds at the end of the final episode, just wasn’t enough to satisfy my desire for strong romance. Honestly, the show was so good though I couldn’t decrease how I rated it based on that small aspect. It was just something that would’ve made it even better if they had given a little more time for the satisfying union of the two main characters.


I felt so sorry for the widows in this and I was curious how real the severity of the social restrictions were. I’m sure some of it was accurate but I’m not sure how overblown the sacrifices they had to make in this series were. I have the sense that it could be individuals’ families deciding how the widow could behave. I was glad Yeo Hwa helped the other widow escape with the man she loved. I also liked that she broke free if that miserable existence.

Personally, I really like characters that are strong physically and I enjoy complex martial art scenes were the good guy defeat the bad guys believably and repeatedly. Yeo Hwa was super hero status in her martial arts ability and it was fun to watch.

#KnightFlower

#LeeHanee

#LeeJongWon

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Fairly formulaic and good but why oh why the separating for your own good trope

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy medical drama with 16, 60 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Nam Ha neul (Park Shin hye) is an intern on the path to being a professor and practitioner at a major medical university. The problem is her supervisory professor steals her work which keeps her from advancing. When she complains about her professor’s unethical behavior he becomes physically and emotionally abusive. After a period of putting up with him, she finally reaches a breaking point and has a screaming argument and resigns. Not seeing what went on behind closed doors, everyone blames her for the incident sending her career into a downward spiral. The abuse and her dying career prospects put her into a state of depression and anxiety. At the same time, Yeo Jeong-woo (Park Hyung-sik) was a successful, near celebrity, plastic surgeon until a tragic medical accident causes his career and his life to fall apart. Needing to live more modestly, he moves into a roof top apartment not knowing his high school academic rival, Ha neul, lives with her family in the building which they own. Once frenemies can these two doctors, who have hit a slump, recover their careers? Can both overcome their mental issues that developed from their highly stressful careers? Will rivalry turn to friendship then something more👅?

Review

It was a feel good romantic comedy. In some of the reviews I read others felt there was no chemistry with the leads. I thought they had chemistry, it wasn’t over the top burning chemistry but, given the show is a friends turned lovers premise that level of chemistry makes sense.  The plot was well developed, the characters were interesting, and the premise had some unique twists to it.  It ended well and happy with all major plot points wrapped up.  I might watch it again if it was on and I would recommend it to others that are fans of the actors or that like this genre.

 

Spoilers

The pace for me was a bit off. I have to admit I am a bit Goldilocks in my determination of when the couple should get together.  If the main couple gets together too early the rest of the series can feel somewhat pointless.  On the other hand, if they get together too late it feels rushed.  So there is a happy medium and many are able to find that balance.  In this one it felt like they got together a little early and the only thing that saved it was there was enough story about the medical accident that it kept the plot moving.  They may have gotten them together to build another plot point where she breaks up with him because the guy he sees as a great friend almost brother is the same person that mentally tortured her.  It completely devastated her when she found out he did all that to her, kept her from becoming a professor, only so he could build his resume to do something else.  I get that would be devastating. I had research stolen from me and it basically made someone else’s career so I know, all too well, how that feels.  But, her being so devastated that she breaks it off with him made no sense and was unnecessary. I know it would have been hard at that point to tell him the person he thought so much of was not the person thought he was.  I get she might have been afraid if she told him he would be conflicted and she did not want to add to his burden.  But breaking it off?  She just broke his heart at a time when it was hard for his heart to take it. I was disappointed they developed that point as I do not view that as something someone would do to someone they really loved.

 

The South Korean view on depression is interesting. The way it was portrayed in this show you would think she had some horrible, terminal disease. Her brain was “broken” she said in so many words. Depression is horrible.  Anxiety is even more so. But it is not a fatal disease. With the right counseling, most people can recover from depression well. At times it is looking at what is going on with the person’s life and balancing nutrition. Some of the recent findings on medication indicate that may not be the end all.  But there are things that can be done. I think her slump was completely driven by very real events as was her depression. But I did like they showed her recovery.  It was just an interesting way to look at depression. His Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was well portrayed and completely valid for what he went through. The way she helped him was actually perfect. They both would be dealing with forms of PTSD for the rest of their lives.  Depression, anxiety and PTSD are all things that don’t go away but you can learn to manage them.  Part of the battle is how you view yourself and how you view those conditions and I thought the show talked about that very well at the end.  It ended on a message of hope for those suffering from those conditions.  I liked that.

 

The second couple was so cute!  I loved their story.  The way they started noticing each other just by helping out with single parenthood is such a solid foundation.  It also showed something I strongly believe, that kids benefit the most from having each gender influence.  The little boy needed and craved a father figure and the young girl needed that female influence. I loved how it showed us pictures of the four and how they had formed a family. The personalities of the two characters were such a perfect fit for each other.  He was such a nice guy.  And I liked that the female character specifically mentioned that about him. The fact that he and main guy patched up their broken friendship was a super bonus. I think love and friendship are such wonderful and unique human conditions that it is heartwarming to me to see those friendships and relationships restored.  And main guy needed that friend.

 

They seemed to like the “we need to separate” trope because first they did the unnecessary separation early in the series and then they were threatening another one later when she was going to take the overseas assignment. I guess they wanted us to be happy that her assignment was cancelled and they were able to stay together.  I would have preferred that she chose not to go.  Careers are important but I do not think anything like that is more important than the person you love. Life is too short and precious to waste a second doing something that is not essential.  Doing that tour was something nice to do and may have helped her career minimally but you can never get those six months back.  If something happened to the person you love or even at the end are you really going to look back and think man I am so glad I spent that six months away.  Nope.  Very few people would think that way.  I want to see the best romance and to me the best is where those in love realize how precious that is. They protect it and they do not do unnecessary things like separating just to build their career.  Especially when the relationship is new. That initial period when they are first in love and you are presenting the very best of yourself to the other person is fleeting. That period of newness and romance does not last, for many people, beyond the first year. 

 

I loved main girl’s family. They were just eccentric enough to keep it interesting. I loved the way they embraced him and treated him like a son. He needed a real families’ support and they provided it.  

So often they either show someone wronged either being completely vengeful or totally forgiving. In this one they struck a balance. And that was the advice mom gave him. You don’t owe anyone forgiveness and you don’t have to forgive now. If not forgiving helps to heal you, then be angry about it. If forgiving is what you need to heal then do that. Maybe you forgive some things someone did but not others, that is something that can be done as well. The show did a good way of depicting that forgiving or not forgiving is up to the individual and there is no right way or right mix of forgiveness and anger or resentment.

 

I was worried when it was approaching the ending, that it would be one of those endings where they were together but hadn’t actually did a solid commitment. In their case that would not have been a satisfying ending because she had a tendency to be on a solid path and then just break up or change course. So I was happy when it said they had the wedding shoot and the epilogue showed wedding shoot photos.  I wanted to know with them that their relationship was solid after all they went through.  That made it a happy ending for me. If they ended it with them just going out that would not have been very satisfying. 

#DrSlump
#ParkShinHye
I’m #ParkHyungSik

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Had an interesting sibling swap premise but fell apart in boring trope land

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Chinese Romantic Comedy drama with 22, ~45 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Su Jishi (Cecilia Boey), a Ph.D. Geologist, is perfectly happy spending her days doing field work. Jishi’s identical twin sister, Su Jin (Cecilia Boey) leads a completely different life as a glamorous movie star. When Su Jin takes an unexpected hiatus and disappears, her manager asks Jishi to pretend to be her sister so all the things she worked for do not get taken away. Jishi agrees to pretend to be her sister not wanting her sister to lose her hard won status. A surprise is in store once Jishi is poised to fulfill the role, Su Jin is in a theee year contract relationship with Mu Xiulun (Gao Hanyu). Jishi finds herself not only trying to navigate the entertainment industry but also partake in a “pretend” relationship with Xiulun who happens to be the CEO of a company that has mining as a central business activity. Common interests and mutual attraction soon draw the two together for real. Is there a way forward given the underlying deception? Will Su Jin return and what happens when she does?

Review

Overall what can be expected from a modern Chinese drama. Typical flow and a lot of the standard tropes occur in this one. It was good but not great. The ending was happy enough and resolved the major plot lines. If you do not have too high of expectations then someone could enjoy this. I am pretty jaded at this point since I have seen so many outstanding series that the failings of this could be minor to others but are particularly egregious to me. It was slow in parts and ended reasonably happy with most major plot points tied up well. I would not watch it again though myself but would recommend it to those that like romantic drama series.

 

Spoilers

It started weird because the manager kidnaps her and she is just essentially okay with it.  Like yep, perfectly legit you kidnap me so I can stand in for my sister. Then after he kidnaps her, he tells her what is going on and asks her to stand in for her identical twin sister. So why didn’t he just ask her. There was no reason to kidnap her.

I liked the sassy main character. She did not cave to pressure and tended to do what she thought was right even if there were negative consequences. But, what I liked about her in the beginning became a source of annoyance in the last episodes. After getting with main guy and steadfastly staying with him through multiple conflicts, she decides that it is best if they break up so his company does not suffer from the scandal she and her sister created. As if the sister swap scandal is just too great to overcome. I am always annoyed when a character makes a decision independently without considering the viewpoint of the person they supposedly love. And, she makes this stupid decision without consulting him and it was over a year separation. So she did not go off stupidly on her own for weeks or months but for over a year. Even after the year, when he said there were no concerns with her coming back, she still did not. She stubbornly continued to say they should separate.  He just sort of accepts it.  Doesn’t like it but seems to accept it and just wait for her to come back or at least reappear. But instead of them getting married, or at least firmly on the path, there is this long completely pointless separation.

To fill up the time during the pointless separation of the main couple they switch focus back to the second romance which is between Gao Ling (Cheng Lei), Xiulan’s secretary and Mu Xioman (Lin Zilu) his younger sister. I guess they figured it was good timing to see the culmination of that second romance and it shows Xioman and Gao Ling’s wedding. That was a poor substitute as I found that couple incredibly annoying from the outset. Gao Ling originally said he didn’t feel that way about Xioman, he had seen her since she was young and felt more brotherly toward her but then suddenly did a complete reversal for no solid reason.  Him caving all of a sudden and professing to be madly in love with Xioman was completely unbelievable. Xioman, whom I had liked up to that point, became a whiner about him not liking her that way. As if Gao Ling owed her romantic love. She went from an interesting and spirited younger sister side character to a pouty petulant child woman. Xioman’s behavior seemed to more prove Gao Ling’s original point that she was much younger, and less mature, than him.  So we see them, who I don’t really care about, get married but do not get to see the main couple marry.  That was disappointing.  This was after we spent many episodes with the main couple seeming firmly together to the point of wondering what was left to happen with the plot.  It got boring they were so seemingly solidly together. But then, all of a sudden, there is the scandal and now, at the almost very end, they “have” to separate. And they are like all is not lost for love as now you can focus on 2nd couple. No thank you. I could not see how anyone would like her treat my like a Princess, you have to love me because I love you and whiny behavior. RUN while you can.

Then the main couple get back together finally, at the very end, and he surprises her at an award like banquet and she agrees to marry him (but she did before and then backed out so it is not definite). But no extravagant proposal or wedding just m’kay guess we will be back together now. not sure what they were trying for that. She’s some kind of strong, confident woman that doesn’t need a ring and a wedding. It was just weird to go through all of that and have such a soft reunion. I didn’t trust her. She promised not to leave him behind before, but then she did the minute the going got tough. She made a decision on her own. Nothing to say she would not do that again in the future. The quick reunion was less than satisfying.

#ExplorationMethodOfLove

#CeciliaBoey

#GaoHanyu

#ChengLei

#LinZilu

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Very good. If you read the Webtoon you will notice there are a few changes that were unnecessary

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean time travel, revenge romance with 16, 70 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

In 2023 Kang Ji won (Park Min Young) is married to Park Min Hwan (Lee Yi Kyung) and is living a miserable life where she is emotionally abused by her husband his mother. Things worsen for her when she is diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. The one bright light in her life is her “other half”, her childhood friend Jung Su min (Uhm Seo hyun). Or so she thinks. What remains of her life is completely shattered when she finds her husband and best friend in the midst of an affair. Even worse they are not remorseful and mock her poor condition. Things get physical between her and her husband and he winds up pushing her, in her weak state, into a glass table. As her life light dims, she hears her best friend and husband talking about life insurance and how she was just going to die anyway. She comes to finding herself having traveled back in time to before she married her murderous spouse (2013). Fate has given her the opportunity to change her life path and get revenge on those that wronged her. You want my husband? Well you can have him. She discovered she can change her fate by having key events transfer to someone else. And she cannot think of anyone who deserves her horrible husband more than her former best friend. Can Jiwon get revenge, change her fate and find love in the second chance?

Review

This is an interesting and unique time travel romance. It ends happily. I would watch it again and recommend it to others. I read that Park Min young went on a very restricted diet to be even more thin for her role as a cancer patient and want to say she just, overall, did an outstanding job of portraying the role. I think she is a remarkable actress and I seek out series where she is in a lead role. Having seen Lee Yi Kyung in comedic roles, I was unsure he could play the sleazy, evil ex husband well, but he did an incredible job making the viewer loath the character.

Spoilers

I think it is a dramatically different experience watching this after having read the web novel and/or webtoon versus never having read either. It does follow the webtoon closely, which is good, but there are some deviations I do not think improved the story line or made it better adapted to a live show. I think they did it to add intrigue but, to me, the events from the webtoon were compelling enough.

The things that were different from the comic to the webtoon:

1. In the comic the Yoo Ji Hyuk (Na In woo), her former college classmate, who harbored an unrequited love for Jiwon, discovered her body after realizing she was missing from the hospital. He was so devastated by her death that he killed himself in the ocean. He didn’t ever have a fiancé and Jiwon was his one true love. He always knew he loved her but stayed away because he thought she found happiness elsewhere and didn’t want to interfere. That’s why he made an effort to get closer to her when they regressed. He wasn’t going to let her husband ruin her life again. In the live action version they chose to have him die in a car accident which, I felt, was less impactful.

2. In the Webtoon version, the lady supervisor, who becomes a good friend of Jiwon, had a very different romantic story. In the Webtoon, Yang Juran’s (Gong Min jeung) love interest was younger than her and had a fun, carefree personality. Because her married life was so difficult and she was so serious at work, it made sense for her to fall for the younger man. There was some moral conflict in the comic about whether it was okay to fall for him, but she lost out at the end. In the live action, Mrs. Yang’s love interest is Lee Suk jun (Ha Do kwan) who is an austere, older executive who is unapproachable to most but shows a softer side to Mrs. Yang. It took out the whole Noona trope and added in a cold executive vibe which I did not feel was a good fit for a side romance.

3. In the webtoon, Jiwon convinced Mrs. Yang to get tested for her stomach and that’s how she found out early enough to fight the cancer. It became a plot hole, in the live version, when Mrs. Yang’s cancer was not terminal like Jiwon’s was in the Webtoon version. Yet, in the live version, Mrs. Yang caught the cancer early, without any intervention from Jiwon. That type of cancer is infrequently caught in the early stages so it made less sense for Mrs. Yang to catch it early all on her own.

4. In the live action version, I didn’t like how active of a role Jiwon had to take to take down Minwan and Sumin. In the scene where she catches them cheating, she gets in a physical altercation with Sumin and Minwan which makes it look like she was the aggressor and the push that wound up ending her life was just them fighting back harder than they should have. They did not highlight, in the live action, that she was still alive after she fell against the glass table and they did nothing to try to save her life. The moral ambiguity continued through the live action when Jumin was completely willing to let Sumin die in her place. In the comics, once Minwan and married, they continued to attack each other. They self destructed. Minwan’s azoospermia took a more active role. After su-min “lost” her fake baby, the mom was a nightmare about conceiving and blaming her all the time. The home life was hell with the mom. She went to get fertility testing at the moms behest and demanded Minwan get tested too and that’s how she found out. She brought it to the mom and the mom was so angry she had a stroke. In the webtoon , Sumin became her mother-in-law’s sole caretaker and tormented her to get revenge for the way she was treated. But she was also was cruel to the mother-in-law after the stroke simply because she was not a very nice person as evidenced in the way she treated Jiwon when she had terminal cancer. Sumin’s evil nature was further revealed in the Webtoon when she resolved to kill the mother-in-law by putting air in her IV line. There was a witness and she was caught and sent to prison. Meanwhile Minwan decided to get ride of Sumin for insurance money and cuts her brakes. He hears about his mom and rushes over, forgetting about the brakes and dies. Sumin then escapes from custody and tries to run over Jiwon with a car but Mr Yu jumps in front to save her and goes to the hospital. SuMin is captured again. In the webtoon, Sumin, the mother, and Minwan bring about their own destruction while the Jiwon and Jihyuk build their relationship and remain happy. I liked that the Webtoon did not make Jiwon actively steering events so that others died. Having them self destruct made her a much more heroic and sympathetic character.

5. In the comics the characters weren’t quite so intensely bound by the concept of “transferring fate”. No one died by a coffee table again. Their actions had a real impact on the timeline and they weren’t as helpless.

6. There was no ex fiancé in the Webtoon. It was a huge cliche and caused way more drama than necessary. Oh Yu Ra (Kwon Bo ah or simply BoA) was a bland, stereotypical spoiled chaebol type with little dimension beyond “she’s just crazy”. It created a love triangle that was completely unnecessary to the plot.

7. The twist that Mr Yu regressed as well was made way too early in the show. In the comic it was a last reveal, and done through a letter while Mr Yu was in the hospital. Jiwon learned everything he had done for her and how long he loved her and why he died before. Her father brought him back from death. He overcame his fate to be with her.

8 The romance between the sister, Yoo Hui yeon (Choi Gyu-ri), and the chef, Baek Eun Ho (Lee Gi Kwang) was way cuter in the comics. They barely developed it in the show. She tried really hard to win his heart and he had lingering feelings for Jiwon but eventually came around. They shared a love of desserts.

#ParkMinYoung

#ChoiGyuri

#LeeGiKwang

#KwonBoAh

#UhmSeohyun

#LeeYiKyung

#LeeGiKwang

#MarryMyHusband

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How did they make a fascinating premise so boring in parts?

7/10 is my rating. This is a 2023/2024 South Korean supernatural romance drama with 16, 67 (average) minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Do Do Hee (Kim You Jung) is the adopted daughter and heir apparent to a conglomerate company called the “Future Group”. She is known as a devilish, hard hitting, and “take no prisoners” executive who has won many awards. Her adopted mother, Joo Chun Sook (Kim Hae Sook) made it clear, when she was alive, that Do Hee would take over after she passed. This does not endear Do Hee to Chun Sook’s children who consider it their right to inherit all of their mother’s assets. The obvious solution to some of them is to get rid of the problem. In this case the problem is Do Hee. When a serial killer is hired to kill Do Hee, he nearly succeeds until Jung Koo Won (Song Kang) appears in his role as a Demon who strikes deals with mortals by granting wishings in return for their trip to Hell 10 years later. He originally plans to only save Do Hee if she enters into an agreement but then agrees to save her and then talk about the agreement. In the chaos that follows they both wind up nearly drowning and the tattoo that gives Koo Won his supernatural powers, transfers to Do Hee. Koo Won finds that he can still perform his role and have access to his power by holding Do Hee’s wrist where the tattoo is located. When Jun Sook tragically dies a condition of inheriting the business is Do Hee must marry within a year. Koo Won agrees to a contract marriage for mutual benefit, he needs to be close to her to touch her tattoo and she needs a husband to secure her inheritance. The two have twisted fate in the present, but things get even more fate based when it appears they also had a connection in the past.

Review

When I looked at reviews there seemed to be those that really loved this series but there was a near equal number that did not like it well. I am in the “did not like it well” camp. I think it is worth watching for the two talented actors, great chemistry and interesting premise if you can relax your expectations for a sensible plot. I was actually bored at times because the progress would hit a stall. I would recommend drama fans watch it once but I wouldn’t rush out to watch it.

Spoilers

I have seen hundreds of dramas at this point and that could be why I am among those that found this one very underwhelming. The main couple got together too early in my opinion. Then was no sense of anticipation. It did not make sense to me that she was so driven and determined to be the heir and then she just gave it up. I know they were trying for the “anything for love” angle, that she was willing to give up all the power and money to protect herself and the person she loved but it was out of character in my opinion.

The serial killer bad guy who was hunting her died too early. I was wondering what they were going to have happen next. It was just odd to have that particular bad guy gone so early in the story.

Two very annoying things in this one. Usually you feel somewhat sorry for 2nd girl or guy and I did like second guy but the 2nd girl was one of the most annoying I have experienced to date. They tried hard to gain our sympathy for her in showing how he saved her from abuse but, even that, did not excuse her toxic behavior later. She even tried to get main girl to drink poison so that the main guy, who is a demon who already lived hundreds of years, could live. Although she had hung around him for over a decade and he showed no interest she still blamed main girl for wrecking her chance. What chance? Her jealousy was misplaced and annoying.

The other annoying thing was the romance between the elder couple. It was fine they liked each other, even cute, but them hiding it for so long became ridiculous. I think it was supposed to be funny and they definitely did the big reveal where they thought they were hiding it but everyone already knew. Oh ha ha! Like we have never seen that play out before. It was unoriginal and just not funny.

When Netflix gets ahold of something I know it is going to be drawn out too much and there will be way too many flashbacks. That was the case in this one. The plot would already be dragging because so many of the major conflicts and reveals already happened and then, oh great, let’s rehash the whole script again.

They, of course, had to do the separating from you for your own good trope. I don’t like that trope. It is right up there with the amnesia trope for me.

I believe it was confirmed the leads were dating in real life and they definitely had that level of chemistry. It is not their fault the script was just awful at some points. Their acting was excellent but the content was off.

There was so much potential in this one. With a great cast and interesting premise this could have been a great addition to the supernatural genre. I am not sure how they managed to make it so drawn out and boring except the pacing and when they chose to do reveals.

#MyDemon

#SongKang

#KimYouJung

#KimHaeSook

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If you like dramas about idols it is a good one just do not expect much from the romance

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 Japanese romance drama with 10, 57 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Asuka Nakamachi (Tsubasa Honda) takes a job as a dorm mother for struggling boy band 8loom. It is a departure from her original dream which was a teacher that was a sunny spot for her students but, when that dream fell through, she was desperate to move out of her sister’s honeymoon house. Her background may be the perfect fit to help the seven-member boy group find their path to success. As the unwavering cheer base, she may even help the leader of the group, her former student, Dan Sagami (Fumiya Takahashi) hit his stride.

Members of 8LOOM

See also: § 8LOOM

Dan Sagami (Fumiya Takahashi). He is the center of the band. The main songwriter. The only group member that knew Asuka before.

Daijirō Naruse (Ryūbi Miyase). Knickname Naru. He is the youngest member. Still goes to high school.

3. Yukiya Furumachi (Keito Tsuna) He is the oldest member of the group.

4. Ēji Ichinose (Rintarō Hachimura) A college student.

5. Ryūsei Hiyama (Shūto Mori)

6. Takumi Kurushima (Noa)

7. Takara Onodera ( Kōki Yamashita)

Review

I like idol dramas especially dramas that are about idol groups. This does a good job of conveying the many ups and downs on the very bumpy road to success. It is more about the group and the process than it is about the romance. It ends happy but not completely clear in terms of their relationship.

Spoilers

I was disappointed that Asuka’s teaching career ended as it did. I think they left a lot if details out but it seemed like she took on too much then let criticism tear her down. It seemed like a weak way out.

Naru looked the part the most. He just had that overall pop look and demeanor. He was one of my favorites through the majority of the show so I was very disappointed when it turned out he turned in Dan and Asuka like he did. He even went so far as to encourage the band to go on without Dan. I was really disappointed in his behavior and it seemed out of character.

There was not a lot to the romance and it ended on a nebulous note. I thought Dan took a step back from 8loom to pursue her but he left her as she was supposedly happy in her new teaching role. I realize that is probably closer to reality for pop stars but it would have been an improvement on reality for him to fully get with Asuka. All of the build up led to a very soft pairing at the end.

I am always drawn to shows about idols and idol groups because it is such a difficult path. For all their emotional and physical sacrifice, few even make it to true fame. I feel so sorry that they become prisoners of their fans and cannot pursue romance and other dreams.

#FumiyaTakahashi

#8loom

#IWillBeYourBloom

#TsubasaHonda

#RyūbiMiyase

#KeitoTsuna

#RintarōHachimura

#ShūtoMori

#Noa

#KōkiYamashita

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Cute Enough for what it is

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 Japanese Romantic comedy with 9, 30 minute episodes. Japanese title: "Ore No Kawaii wa Mousugu Shohikigen?"

Few people stay cute, pretty, and/or super attractive forever. Still, it came as a surprise to 29 year old Maruya Kosuke (Yamada Ryosuke) when a stranger pointed out he would not be cute forever. Sanada Izumi (Yoshine Kyoko) is a brilliant data analyst and was an ace product developer but her inability to manage others resulted in her taking the blame for others.

Review

It is worth the watch for how cute Maruya Kosuke is. There isn't enough to it that I would watch it again. It ends nebulous with a question as to their status as a couple. It is not an unhappy ending just not a very well wrapped up ending.

MyCutenessisAbouttoExpire

#YamadaRyosuke

#YoshineKyoko

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I wanted to like it but a miss for me

7/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 supernatural romance drama with 16, 60 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Mok Sol-jee (Kim So-hyun) hears people lying everywhere she goes. Born with a special way of depicting a lie, she has learned not to trust most people. Her mistrust of most people was reinforced when her fiancé, Lee Kang-min (Seo Ji-hoon), broke off their relationship with little rationale. She is immediately attracted to Kim Do-ha / Kim Seung-joo (Hwang Min-hyun) as he is one of the few people she encounters whi isn’t telling lies frequently. He is handsome and talented but extremely reclusive as he hides behind a alternate name as a suspect in his former girlfriend’s death. Sha On/Sa Ji (Lee Si-woo) fell in love with Kim Do-ha who believed in her and helped her rise in stardom by providing the music behind her successful career.

Review
I really wanted to like this more than I did. It had all the elements an interesting premise, cute romance, great leads, but despite all that I found myself slow walking through it. I even debated not watching but I was so far in at that point I just continued on. The mystery was about the best part of it and there was a surprise twist to that. I am picky because I have seen hundreds of series and this was not on par with any of the really good ones.

Spoilers

The chemistry between the leads was off. He was passionate enough in the kiss scenes but she seemed very stiff and unnatural. I am not a fan of long moments of just gazing into each other’s eyes but there was so little of that in this one it made their relationship seem equivalent to good friends.

The sound it made when there was a lie was confusing because they also made a sound when there was a dramatic statement. There was a lot of potential with that ability but the cases it showed were not that interesting.

I had zero interest to the point of annoyance with the side couples. Her mom and dad reuniting was not believable to me as her dad lived like a homeless person and her mom craved luxury. Plus she was such a con woman and never changed. I felt sorry for the dad and thought he should stay far away from his toxic ex.

I never had sympathy for 2nd guy. He elected not to tell here about having cancer then thought he could just get her back when he was ready. So I was never rooting for him.

The plot was chaotic in that they lacked good flow between the mystery, supernatural elements and romance. It would be focused on that romance then abruptly switch to the mystery. It just felt very disorganized and it dragged at some points.


#Kim So-hyun
#Hwang Min-hyun
#Seo Ji-hoon
#Lee Si-woo

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