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Liked the twist of a female being the cold CEO

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romance drama with 12, 64-79 minute episodes.

First, I provide a unique synopsis then review. I provide the synopsis because I find, when I’m looking for a show to watch, some of the synopsis describe the series very well. So the unique synopsis is intended to provid another perspective. If you aren’t interested in the synopsis scroll down, the review is labeled.

Synopsis


CEO Kang Ji-yoon ((Han Ji-min) and Yun Eun-Ho’s (Lee Jun-hyuk) first encounter is not ideal for two people who will work very closely together in the future. As the CEO of a company that “headhunts” and recruits talent, Ji-yoon is after one of the star employees at Eun-ho’s current company. Eun-ho, a Human Resources worker, is under strict orders to guard the valuable employee. A battle of wills ensues, insults are slung, but ultimately the employee is recruited elsewhere. Eun-ho has an abusive supervisor who has been looking for any excuse to fire and black list him. The single father is now out of a job with a grim looking future with the lies his former company told about him. Workaholic Ji-yoon is desperately in need of a secretary but her cold personality and unreasonable demands have made for a dry applicant pool. Seo Mi-ae (Lee Sang-hee) is the company financial officer but has been serving double duty filling in as Ji-yoon’s assistant. She is also Ji-yoon’s friend so she is the only person who, once she encountered Eun-ho and saw his exceptional skill set, could hire him as Ji-yoon’s secretary. At first Ji-yoon does everything to drive Eun-ho away as she still hold a grudge from their early encounter. But Eun-ho’s quiet competance wears down the icy CEO. The duo wind up complementing each other’s skills in business and, as they work together to overcome obstacles their feelings blossom into something more.


Review

This is a twist on the typical beauty melts the beast in that the cold CEO is a female and it is oh so handsome who thaws her heart. I liked it. It was a good slow build romance. Great chemistry between the leads. Just a very good, heart warming romance. It also had good slice of life with aspects of “head hunting.”

Spoilers

I understand it is a different culture but even still it bothers me that people get blamed for things others do. In this case the father saved the male lead from a fire and died. This was when ML was an unconscious child. He finds oit and is afraid to tell female lead and when he does she says she does not know how she can be with him. I did not agree with her blaming her father for leaving her in the first place. He was saving another human. It was not like he intended to die. But she blamed her father for years,

And what was up during that fire? Why, after FL father saves the child, does he basically continue to stand where the fire is? Why didn’t he step to the landing where the firefighters were? Why didn’t they grab him and pull him to the landing?

The ending was good but not all wrapped up. They were not even living in the same hoise. And she started a new company and he started a new job so how much time would they have together? And second couple just started dating. I want engagements or weddings. That is a good rap up to me.



#LoveScout #HanJiMin #LeeJoonHyuk #KimDoHoon # #ParkBoKyung

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Not a huge fan of the time travel trope but I liked this one

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2012 South Korean time travel, historic romantic drama with 16, 45-53 minute episodes. Also known under the title “Queen In-hyun’s Man”.



First, I provide a unique synopsis then review. I provide the synopsis because I find, when I’m looking for a show to watch, some of the synopsis describe the series very well. So the unique synopsis is intended to provid another perspective. If you aren’t interested in the synopsis scroll down, the review is labeled.



Synopsis



Choi Hee-jin (Yoo In-na) is a struggling actress just looking for her first big break. Little does she know her now famous ex, Han Dong-min (Kim Jin-woo) tipped the scales in the favor of her getting the role so she would rise to a level of fame where it would be acceptable for him to date her again. He is playing the King in the historical drama they are in. Fate is playing some tricks as the role she is playing, Queen In-hyun, ties back in time to a political situation time traveler Kim Bung-do (Ji Hyun-woo) was involved in. Bung-do is in possession of a mysterious talisman that gives him the ability to travel back and forth through 300 years from the Josean Dynasty. Ironically, in the past, the real Queen was deposed by a scheming concubine and Bung-do is determined she return to her rightful place. Hee-jin falls in love with the noble-born scholar and he with her and the two must navigate their feelings and work through the political intrigue of the past that has strange ties with the modern day. Will a love that has so many barriers even be possible?



Review

This one is classic. It comes up top rated on so many review lists as it has all the classic elements of a great time travel, historic romance, If you are a fan of romance then this is definitely one to include in your watchlist. It is also a great addition to time travel. It has a historical component but it does go back and forth so there is a significant amount of modern time in it too. Loved it. Would rewatch.



Spoilers



It could be sad at times. Not being able to get back to her, forgetting each other, friends dying, there were many sad events. But that is often the case with historical as so many messed up things happen in ancient politics. I thought his friend who gave him the talisman, Yoon-Wol (Jin Ye-sol) was extremely sad and wish he had saved her instead.



At first, I had serious second lead syndrome with Hee-jin”s ex Hang Dong-min (Kim Jin-woo). I felt sorry for him and thought wow they were probably really good together before. I did not think she should take him back though because he cheated and had all signs of going it again [like his flirtation with the other one playing Queen, Yoon Na-Jung (Park Young-rin)]. I thought he was funny at first and he was helping her in her career so that was a positive. But then when there was that time lapse where they all got amnesia and they had gotten back together in that timeline. He was very demanding and pushy and he showed how he really was. When she just couldn’t stay n the relationship, because of her increasing memories/dreams of Bung-do and broke it off with Dong-min, he was a violent jerk about it. I completely quit liking him at that point and I wasn’t feeling sorry for him at all. Instead I was thinking wow girl you really dodged a bullet.



I found her friend and manager Jo Soo-kyung (Ga Deuk-hee) to be extremely annoying. I get that she was her manager and Hee-jin acted like a hormonal teenage girl a lot but she could be overly non-supportive towards Hee-jin. I was really annoyed when she was pushing her at Dong-min purely for the benefit of her career, she did not act as a friend should act much at all.



#TheQueenandI #QueenInHyunsMan #YooInNa #JiHyunWoo #KimJinWoo #GaDeukHee. #ParkYoungRin JinYeSol

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A second chance at romance trope more than a hate to love

**7.5/10** is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean Romantic Comedy with 12, 70-minute episodes.

**First, I provide a unique synopsis, then a review.** I provide the synopsis to give another description of the story since, particularly with Chinese and Japanese shows, the descriptions aren't very good. If you're not interested in the synopsis, the review is labeled; you can scroll down to it.

**Synopsis**

Born of two rival families, Seok Ji-won (Ju Ji-hoon) and Yoon Ji-won (Jung Yu-mi) were destined to be enemies. But in true Romeo and Juliet style, they fall in love as teenagers. However, a misunderstanding drives them apart for 18 years, and circumstances reunite them as adults. Now, they not only have their family rivalry but also their own personal grudges to overcome. Can they put aside their differences and convince their families that their love is the key to ending the long-standing feud?

**Review**

I'm actually surprised by how many other reviewers really like this one. Perhaps because I've watched over 300 dramas, I am jaded. I actually like a lot of the tried and true tropes. When I saw this one, I thought it was going to be like a hate-to-love trope. I thought they might try to get one over on each other in funny ways, and that would be the comedy part of it. That would have made it interesting. But it really wasn't much of that playful enemy-type banter at all. Instead, it was a rather uninspired romance. Instead, they were angry with each other over a misunderstanding that had nothing to do with their family feud. They just had these angry bickering exchanges and then all kinds of blocks in the road of their romance. Because they didn't go for some kind of entertaining battle between them, there wasn't much else to it. The chemistry was lukewarm, there were some unlikable secondary characters, and nothing else to pull you in. If you are a romance junkie, it is worth a watch.

**Spoilers**

Yoon Ji-won’s friend, Cha Ji-hye (Kim Ye-won), is the worst kind of friend. Her violating Yoon’s privacy to delete messages and even respond in a way to break Seok and Yoon up was just bottom-feeder low. Then she does something similar again as an adult. They tried for this redemption arc in the end where she admitted what she had done, and her friend forgave her, and they just went on being besties. I had a problem with that as she didn’t admit everything she had done. She just admitted deleting a few emails when they were younger and didn’t tell her she actually replied with a nasty comment back to him, telling him to never contact her. That is a much worse offense than simply deleting some texts (although that is bad enough). And I think she blocked his calls too. She also didn’t tell her she stole her phone again as an adult and did similar. So, if you forgive somebody based on them only telling you a portion of the wrongs, that is not a truthful confession, and the forgiveness isn’t valid. I was actually very disappointed that the main girl forgave her without even telling her off. And then we never even got to see the main lead find out that the snake of a friend had lied to her, not once but twice, and kept them apart, not once but twice, so I never could feel good about that character at all.

Of the battling elders, I thought Seok’s father was not a very likable man. He was abusive to his son. I liked Yoon’s grandfather and was on team Yoon in the "to golf course or not to golf course" battle. Seok's father did have some redemption in the end when he decided to be nicer, but it was hard to forgive him for those early slaps he gave to his son that were just physically abusive.

The other thing I did not like about this one was that as a young couple, they were both top-tier attractive, but then the adults who played their grown-up selves were attractive but not at the same level. It just wasn’t a very good match of the young actors to the older actors.

I also thought it was ridiculous when the elders found out they were together, and they treated them like teenagers, saying they couldn't even be in the same house.

Whoever did the wardrobe for the lead female part put her in the most dumpy, frumpy clothes I think I've seen in a while. It somehow even made her look a little chubby, even though you could tell she was completely skinny. That wedding dress! So ugly! It took me totally out of the moment. What should have been a very romantic moment, when the male lead first sees her in the dress, became a comedic moment. I’ve seen some pretty ugly wedding dresses, but that is now the #1 ugliest. Maybe the female lead should have let her mother-in-law pick it (or maybe she did). The veil was horrible too. It looked like they just plopped some taffeta on her head and called it a day. So he catches a glimpse of her, and it is supposed to be the moment he thinks how beautiful his bride is, and I would have bought it more if he had turned and run from that fashion nightmare. Completely shapeless dress, like she jumped in a big white potato sack. Then, at one point, she moved her arms, and the dress became even more shapeless, which I honestly did not think was possible. And when it showed it from the back, it even made her look like she had a bigger butt. Just a horrible, horrible wardrobe.

It ends okay. The lead couple gets together and are on their way to marriage finally. But I just wasn’t all that invested in any of the relationships. They didn’t show enough of the sweet side of the main girl, even when she was younger, to make you understand why he would like her. And then they had a young couple that were in high school. I guess they were supposed to be similar to the main couple when they were younger, and I thought that girl was extremely unlikable. She was mean to all of her classmates, so I don’t know. Is there this trend where attractive lead guys like mean lead girls? Did he only like her because she was pretty? Because he should have been relieved of that notion with the frumpy mess of wardrobing that made her look less attractive.

**#LoveYourEnemy** **#JungYuMi** **#JuJiHoon** **#KimYeWon**

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Interesting premise. Lots of unlikable side character though.

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 16, 62-74 minute episodes.

First I provide a Unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Han So-jin (Jung In-sun) is unlucky in love. Multiple ex boyfriends cheated on her during their relationship. As a genetic research scientist, she normally anlalyzes her partners for a whole range of genetic propensities and has even narrowed down a cheater gene. She has tried romance the traditional way only to be disappointed when they once again cheat. Now she is determined to use her genetic knowledge to pick her perfect other half. Shim Yeon-woo (Choi Si-won) loves women. He is a skilled obstetrician and gynecologist who goes above and beyond to ensure the best health outcome for his patients. Which is why part of his standard practice is to run genetic tests to identify genetics concerns in advance. The primary genetists working with his hospital is So-jin the same woman who drunkenly attacked him for dumping a female associate. Yeon-woo is handsome and wealthy and has his pick of female companions. But he has never felt any connection with any of them. So-jin is not at all Yeon-woo’s type but, on a cellular level they seem to have a connection. Despite trying to stay awy from the DNA obsessed science nerd, So-jin, Yeon-woo finds they are connected socially as well. Seo Kang-hoon (Lee Tae-jwan) has been So-jin’s friend and protector for many years and also happens to be friends with Yeon-woo. So they are connected through work as well as in their social circles. When So-jin finds out Yeon-woo has multiple copies of the cheater gene will that be the end of their groing interest in each other? Seo Kang-soon realizes he has feelings for the woman he thought of only as his noona/friend when Yeon-woo gets close to So-jin. Is Kang-soon, who has always been there for her, her perfect match?

Review

I liked so much about this series It had an interesting premise, a great cast and a nice blend of comedy, romance and suspense. I have liked so many things Siwon has been in and the type of character(s) he tends to play that noticing him in any series is an immediate lure for me. I enjoyed this the whole way through despite what I felt were sme problems with how certain things were written. I may watch it again if someone else was watching it and I recommend it to to anyone that likes the actors, is a fan of romance, or finds the premise interesting. it is definitely worth the watch

Spoilers

This ends happy in that Sojin and Yeon woo reunite and it seems they are going to be back together as a couple. So if the desired outcome was for those two to be together, then it is a happy ending. I thought it was a bit uncertain in that he was working as a small town doctor and she was still working as a geneticist in the city. So it wasn’t clear how they would resolve working in two different places. He did finally say he loved Sojin.

Part of the issue I had with Yeon woo the entire time is I thought he was selfish and it really bothered me that he deceived her with pretending to be her DNA lover and trying to trick her with her telepathy. She had such a strong belief in those things that him ridiculing made him seem less geniune and serious with her. Plus he told Jang Mi-eun (Jeong Eu-Gene) the truth about the DNA mix up which gave Mi-eun ammunition against Sojin as a romantic rival. People do not change a lot. At least not their core personality. So, I never felt like Yeon woo would be right for Sojin because he was so emotionally damaged himself that he was stingy with affection. But, women in reality make the same flawed choice and are, for some reason, drawn to the broken ones.

Sojin’s family was just horrible Yoo Myung-hee (Seo Ji-young), her mother said the most unforgivable thing about her innocent child. She deplored carrying her and equated her with a demon or something like that. When the father was alive she seemed to treat her okay but after Sojin’s father died any warmth she had shown her daughter went with him. She said the most horrible things about Sojin to some random woman she decided to claim as a daughter, Jang Mi-eun, and I disliked Mi-eun for listening to all that and encouraging the mother. You would have to be a little bit of an abuser yourself to listen to al that emotionally abusive language from a mother about her own child and being okay taking that abused daughter’s place in her mother’s cold heart. I didn’t care later whe she had cancer and Sojin had been nearly murderd that she acted like she wanted a relationship. She was just a horrible person. The sister was no better. She said horrible things about her sister to others.

Seo Kang- hoon was the perfect man for basically anybody. He freely gave his time and affection to Sojin and was always there for her. I often get second lead syndrome, like everyone else, but in this case he was so perfect for her it was hard to accept her choice of Yeon woo. Even more disappointing was it seemed he had a relationship going with Mi-eun who I did not like for multiple reasons.

What is it with some of the recent dramas and having a character who is “polyamorous”? I have seen it in several series lately. It made me wonder if this was something that was becoming widespread in South Korea and everything I read indicates it is not. South Korean’s do not approve of polyamory at any higher level of acceptence than do Americans. Which was a relief to me because one of the reasons I prefer South Korean shows over USA series and others is the more moral and wholesome content. I did not like Mi-eun for any of the male characters because she proclaimed she was polyamorous. I detest that notion. It is like saying I am going to tie up someone’s hear but want the option to cheat if I feel like it. There must have been some recognition of this because one of Mi-eun’s boyfriends broke it off with her when she was openly flirting at a dinner with Yeon-woo. It is just wrong think in my opion that results in a lot of people being emotionally hurt. I hope they quit with the putting polyamorous characters in dramas because it detracts from the story.

#DNALover. #JungInSun #ChoiSiWon #LeeTaeJwan #SeoJiYoung

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It is a roller coaster of emotions but they are a cute couple

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Japanese romantic drama with 10, 46-60 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Asagi Soramame (Suzu Hirose) is heart broken when her childhood friend, Shota Yano (Kaito Sakurai) now her fiancé, breaks it off with her. After having thrown all of her caution to the wind, and traveling from her home in the country to the big city of Tokyo, the sudden break up swept her world out from under her. Too embarrassed to let her friends and family, who were preparing for the wedding back home, know that she is no longer getting married, she decides to find a way to live in Tokyo. However, after going on a bit of a drunken depressive binge, she spends all of her money on a hotel which quickly runs out and now she has nowhere to go. But fate was about to play some tricks and bring a man she had a brief encounter with back into her life. Umino Oto (Ren Nagase), was a man Soramame bumped into when she first arrived in Tokyo. During that brief encounter, they discovered a mutual love of the same music, had a pleasant conversation about music, and then went their separate ways. But Oto felt an instant connection with the beautiful girl he bumped into and was about to go after her only to see her go up to a man who appeared to be her boyfriend. What Oto did not know is that was the last time the pair he saw were together as a couple. Now Soramame is all alone in Tokyo, has spent most of her money, and decides to go to a spa in order to have a place to stay while she gathers her thoughts on where she’s going to live next. But Soramame spends too much time in the hot sauna and winds up passing out and is rescued by a woman who happens to be Oto’s landlord, Kyoko Yukihara (Mari Natsuki). Feeling sorry for the young woman after hearing her story, Yukihara takes Soramame in and offers her a job and place to stay. Her motivations are not completely pure, secretly Natsuki views the beautiful 23 year old as a good romantic prospect for her son Sosuke Yukihira (Yoohei Kawakami). Hoping if the young girl lives with her, and is around her son, sparks could develop. But what Yukihara does not know is her other tenant Oto, and Soramame have already started falling for each other from that first brief encounter. Living in the same house the young pair bother each other like siblings all the while inspiring each other to become their best selves. Will their silly banter develop into something much more romantic?

Review

Don’t expect any levity in this one, it is a pure drama with only minor points where it is lighter or funny. It is a good romantic drama. The leads have great chemistry amd it is well acted. I recommend it for those that like drama, are fans of any of the actors or enjoy romance of any genre. I would watch it if someone had it on and would recommend it for romance fans or for anyone that is a fan of any of the actors.

Spoilers

It ends happy but it does keep you wondering to the very end.

Their interplay when they are harassing each other is flirtatious playfullness. It is fun to watch as things between them evolve and it is evident how they fall in love.

Her fashion gets frustrating because she works so hard to make it then was like, never mind. It was disappointing. At least she does start back to designing for the singing duo.

There were so many near misses with them kissing or telling each other their feelings it became frustrating. I had the timed comments on and others were indicating frustration as well. Some were so frustrated they were like I cannot watch this anymore. They do not get together until the very end so there is very little time to enjoy them together as a couple after so many incidents where they nearly confessed.

The songstress/scammer/liar they just forgive her way too easy. She inowingly and intentionally emotionally hurt someone she professed to love. Thatis so selfish. And they barely react.

#HoldMyHandAtTwilight. #SuzuHirose. #RenNagase #MariNatsuki # YooheiKawakami

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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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