Messes the viewer's psyche, but also messes its story's logic
This is the second Jdrama that I have ever watched, so I really don't have a solid opinion about their storytelling technique as of now. But based on my "background knowledge" on animes, I have come to conclude that Jdramas, especially for this genre, know how to portray gore and violence well. This show was not an exception.Fundamentally, it shares the same root as Squid Game in that it is a survival show where morality is often questioned and often times, it's grey. They both focus on how the main lead would push through several challenges/games, and ethical dilemmas along the way, then ultimately survive in the end. However, the best distinctive characteristic for this particular show is that it focuses more on the narrative and its story, rather than the people around said narrative and story (which is not the case for SG). My opinion for SG is that it focused too much on the characters rather than the story, and that is what I loved on its Japanese counterpart.
The best episode for this show has got to be the 3rd episode. I won't be sharing how the events happened for this specific episode, but it was just messed up, to say the least. And it being messed up and its unexpected outcome was just brilliant in the storytelling perspective. I utterly gasped as the credits rolled, and just couldn't properly function for some time.
Moving forward though, there were some illogical events and inconsistencies on its story. The screenwriter was not able to properly grasped the game's complexities, therefore some plot holes appeared here and there. I want to make this review spoiler-free, and to be honest, said inconsistencies are not that obvious on its first watch. But then again, when it is becoming quite prevalent, one would question whether it is really just a coincidence or already an inconsistency.
Furthermore, I was just impressed on the male lead's character development. Arisu (Yamazaki Kento) came a long way from being a wimpy loser into a strategic and mature person. But at the same time, was quite disappointed with the female lead's character development. Usagi (Tsuchiya Tao) fell prey on the "strong FL at first, but became dependent on the ML later on" syndrome, and I was quite disappointed on that. I hope it changes on the 2nd season since the dynamic between them is already great. By the way, I am already predicting a romantic subplot later on.
But, the most obvious letdown here is the plot twist as to who the game master is. I was appalled when the person's identity was revealed at the end. Yes, it was surprising and shocking. But unlike its Korean counterpart, the show did not invested some story and emotions on said person, yet I am hoping that this would be tackled more on the next episodes.
Despite all that, Alice in Borderland (今際の国のアリス) is still better than SG in that it was consistent on the story that it wanted to tell. The gore and violence was much extreme and bloody, which in my opinion, made this series more thrilling and gripping. Each episode was just different, and the level on shock increases as more that I watch this. Still, I just can't visibly omit my criticisms for this series and also can't say that it's miles better than SG. Overall, this Jdrama messes the viewer's psyche, but also messes its story's logic.
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Slapstick comedy that really slaps
Prior to watching this kdrama, I honestly expected it to be one of those typical slapstick comedies that would be redundant towards the end. Yes, this show is a slap-stick comedy, but redundant it is not.Gaus Electronics (가우스전자) has the elements of office romance, eccentric characters, name double meanings (which I found really funny and witty), and the nonending chaebol dramedy. What I liked about this show is that it was not shy in portraying parodies, which if not executed properly, would have become boring. One such great example is the parody of the chaebol romance with Kimchi slaps. Just watch the show to get this reference. Basically, the parodies here were very funny.
Although promising, the first 2 episodes weren't quite entertaining. One might be discouraged to finish it, but since it was promising, I gave it a chance. And it really bloomed plot-wise after the dots were finally connected, and I was able to distinguish the characters, their relationships, and dynamics.
Lee Sang-sik (Kwak Dong-yeon) really is the highlight for this story. His clumsiness might get along the way for his team, but also what made me root for him and his story as well. He has the naivety of a child, and the prudence of a working professional together. He just wants to do his job in a high-quality yet nonsensical manner. And the acting was just spot-on. Lee Sang-sik was really written for Kwak Dong-yeon.
The pacing was good too. There wasn't a solid direction that the story wanted to go aside from the main plot, and for this kdrama, it was good since it was able to create a spontaneous and fluid story flow where it just wants to tell the day-to-day lives of the Gaus Electronics Marketing Team 3. The 12-episode run, honestly, was too short for me. But it is because I was beyond entertained for this series.
The post-credit scenes/advertisements were not only delightful but very witty as well. Of course the laughs were already expected, but its wit was just at another level. Very smart addition by the story writers on this series.
What I just didn't liked is the finale episode, since it wanted to compress all the stories and give them all an ending just in 1 episode. It was still funny, up to a point, but it could've been better had it already set the tone of some stories on the previous episode so that the main story be given better closing here. Nevertheless, it was all still good.
Overall, this Kdrama is a great intersection of office life with comedy with a sprinkle of wordplays and romance. But the best thing that has come out from Gaus Electronics is its slapstick comedy that really slaps.
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Crash Course in Romance? More like crash course in blotchy mystery featuring romance as a side dish
일타 스캔들/Crash Course in Romance, as a social commentary, showed the unfortunate norm of hypercompetitive education in the Korean society well. Although it was not groundbreaking since there are already shows that only focused this issue, but it was still distinct on its own in that it added some flavor to the story literally and figuratively, especially the cuisine, romance, and towards the latter part, mystery/thriller.The budding romance between the star teacher Choi Chi-yeol (Jung Kyung-ho) and the nation's best side dish maker Nam Haeng-seon (Jeon Do-yeon) is as typical as a Korean rom-com story can be. There were some clichés as expected, but for this show, its edge is that it was a middle-age adult romance done realistically. What also added to the successful execution of the romance part was the chemistry between the actors themselves. They knew how to act their characters well and their emotions and mannerisms were just amazing onscreen. There were issues regarding the FL's age and fashion that honestly didn't made sense with me as someone who doesn't like pure rom-com Kdramas. I am more concerned with the romantic connection and not the petty unrelated stuff.
The plot was well built-up. There were several substories in the beginning and the later episodes that were portrayed well and thus, making the pacing exemplary on the 1st half. Won't be spoiling them but basically, it was just entertaining to see everything, from the different side dishes, to the dizzying world of math (shows how weak I am on this subject LOL). In terms of flavor, the romance and proper pacing on the 1st half represents the sweetness.
Speaking of sides, the side characters were just as entertaining to watch as well, most notably, Su-a's mom. She really epitomizes the tiger mom "I don't give a damn as long as I'm the #1" attitude with just 1 goal. She may not be as dark as the FL in Sky Castle, but she too, had her almost dark moments. In terms of flavor, she represents the bitterness.
But why won't I give a perfect 10 rating on the story?
First and foremost is the mystery. As mentioned, the story was well built-up and that includes the mystery part. There were some plot twists and misleads, but it still added some tension and grit, in a way. It's just that after the shift from romance to mystery in the 11th episode there were little to no moments on the relationship anymore. I wanted to know more about them, and the mystery was a necessary for this show to hit 16 episodes. Still, I was accepting with how it stole the screentime, thinking that it may be a turning point of some sort. Yet it only culminated in just a splash, literally. It was disappointing and blotchy with how it ended. In terms of flavor, the mystery represent the sourness.
Also, is the out-of-the-blue almost slapstick "romance" between 2 side characters. It was just a "stop trying to make fetch happen" Regina George to Gretchen Wieners moment. It wasn't needed since it was obvious that it was more logical for them to have a brother-and-sister relationship, and it was just better if it didnt happen. Although in real life, I won't be complaining since I can't control their feelings. However for this show, I was salty about it, hence the salty flavor it represents.
The finale tried to salvage the messy thriller somewhat successfully, but it was already predictable at that point. It gave the boost needed from the mediocre previous episode. The charm was still there, and it wrapped the story as necessary. There was fluff and redemption from various characters, albeit some were rushed.
Contrary to some, the last "obstacle" for me was expected and was not contrived at all. It was a decisive moment for Haeng-seon and Hae-e's relationship and love for each other.
Then again, this show was more on being a social commentary about Korean education rather than just a pure romcom. It was not expected to fix the system overnight, but this show was quite successful in conveying its message across.
With that in mind, Crash Course in Romance? More like crash course in blotchy mystery featuring romance as a side dish.
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When there is something wrong, there really is something bound to happen
You know when there is something wrong, something is really bound to happen. That is basically what the movie is trying to convey, as with all disaster films.What I liked the most here was that it developed the characters quite well. The first part which introduces the characters is a must and is the most common choice to start with disaster movies. In a sense, it might be a cliche, but for this case, it was not. As a result, it was not boring since their own stories were introduced one by one, and the overlapping of said people made sense in determining their respective connections with each other. I also liked that there were several perspectives shown here: the hotel workers/management, the guests, and their eventual life saviors/rescuers. At this point, the mood was still happy as it was Christmas Eve.
The pacing was rather expected but still entertaining. It was Christmas Eve, the busiest night at the Sky Tower. Of course, the priority was to serve the guests the best way possible, which lead to the negligence of the structural flaws that was fueled by an accident. The mood shift towards thrill and suspense was naturally executed. They were now facing a pandemonium with several dilemmas thrown here and there, again which is common in this type of movie.
My criticism here would be the overtly focus on the emotional aspect and its drama, which is already a norm in Korean disaster films. On most cases, the drama part would be good in tugging my heartstrings, but in here, I just found it to be too much and overshadows the story itself. The addition of what was an attempt to black comedy in the middle of a serious scene was just not properly timed. It rather made me confused as to what direction this movie wanted to go at that point. Furthermore, the ending was just adequate in terms of closing the story of the characters here, but it would have made more sense had it shown if were there any consequences on this disaster by the government to the hotel's owners since they were basically shrugged off (or maybe the film just wanted to show the loose punishment for the rich in Korean society, in this case, it was poorly done.)
On the other hand, the cinematography here was actually great for 2012. As I have already watched some of the newer Korean disaster movies with more sophisticated CGI, I had to adjust my lens to a 2012 perspective. The scenery and setting (the hotel itself), as much as it was fake, was still believable and was integrated with the plot quite successfully. You won't be able to easily spot the CGI at first glance, and the cinematic effects/music timing were also well done.
In the end, it was a decent movie with complete check points on what a disaster movie should be. It didn't show a new perspective in terms of the disaster aside from it happening on a Christmas Eve. But as most movies in this genre, when there is something wrong, there really is something bound to happen.
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Offered no original story, but definitely offered great comedy
Crash Landing On You meets Joint Security Area added with a comedic twist. I was reminded on these shows while watching 6/45. Basically, this movie replaces Yoon Se-ri from CLOY with a lottery ticket that lands in North Korea, while diffuses the aggresive tension between the North and South Korean soldiers when they met in contrast to JSA.6/45 was nice in that it builds up the plot gradually. It introduced its main characters, the South Korean soldier Park Chun-woo (Go Kyung-pyo) and his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho (Lee Yi-kyung), in a proper yet funny manner. Although the progression of the storyline itself was somewhat slow in the first half, the comedic tension between the two provided relief. Their encounters were already funny in itself, and when more people now knew about the lottery ticket on both sides, it became more hilarious, my stomach actually was hurt. Personally, the funniest side character was the most unexpected one. I was just gasping for air during his moments, and at times overshadowing some of his superiors in terms of execution of his comedic lines.
Was waiting for a shocking ending, but I was glad it ended the way it did, for the most part. Honestly, I can't say that I was fully satisfied with the ending maybe because of some loose parts. First, the movie could've created more build-up and screentime to the "villain" since honestly his characterization was just more of a story filler rather than part of the story itself. Second, the "romance" sub-plot ended rather vague, although it is possible due to the present circumstances of the two Koreas.
It is more satisfying to watch this movie without any expectations, since the comedy itself presented here is not new nor innovative. The story may be simple and at times hysterical, but what I appreciated the most here was the great comedic timing with the most hilarious delivery possible. Furthemore, I think that the humor in this movie would be appreciated more for those with background on inter-Korean politics and military and would try to imagine a funny film scenario about it, since 6/45 fits the criteria quite well. Otherwise, it is highly suggested to skip this.
After the post credits scene was shown, I had an ear to ear smile while also being curious as to what happened to all of them next. Generally, I had a fun time even though I was just expecting that I would pass time watching this movie. 6/45 offered no original story, but definitely offered great comedy.
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Peaceful revenge can also be a great revenge
Peaceful revenge. This is a concept that is foreign in a Kdrama, especially when usually exposed to the typical vengeful revenges themes. It makes one wonder how does it work, whether it can be done, and if so, is it satisfying? 부암동 복수자들 (Buam-dong Revenge Club/Avenger Social Club) is the best example to watch in order to familiarize oneself about this unusual concept.It was obvious that there would be a difficulty to form such club at the beginning, especially when its members are from different walks of life, yet live just almost near to each other (Note: Buam-dong is a neighborhood in Seoul). They had a rough patch to start with and I really felt the awkwardness on their first interactions with each other (episodes 1-2). However, not only that it was very funny, but at the same time made me think on those times when I was also on their shoes.
The succeeding episodes, not only that they were very entertaining and just made me laugh nonstop, but I loved how it was paced cleverly and it was able to successfully portray their individual life stories, and most especially, the bond that they have formed through this club. It was made easier with the great chemistry of the cast themselves.
But all were not in smiles when this show now started to gradually revealed the reasons why these people wanted to pursue their respective revenges. Add to that, their background stories which were sad to say the least, added more substance to the story overall and I was very interested on how they would overcome their specific burdens. I was emotionally-invested in how these seemingly weak ajummas (and haksaeng) defy odds and have their character developments along the journey.
It was also great that it was only for 12 episodes which made the plot itself more cohesive because and didn't gave any opportunity away to drag the story further, which I commend. My questions throughout the show were answered satisfactorily and not just in a rushed way. It was also able to close several arcs without any loose ends.
My "minor" complaint is the deus ex machina particularly toward the finale but still done in a brilliantly comedic way. The reason why I said minor is that at first glance, I overlooked these conveniences in how they were able to overcome their challenges since it was almost covered up by the comedy, but looking back, I just couldn't glance over it. Another letdown is that the build-up towards the finale was excellent yet the finale itself was almost anticlimactic and their ultimate revenge to the villains was rushed. Personally, I would've loved more had their smoking gun created a bigger impact towards the results. For me, it may be safe and somewhat boring since it dealt more on the after effects rather than the final revenge itself yet was still satisfied with the outcome.
Moving forward, maybe this brand of revenge may also be applied to future Kdramas as opposed to the currently prevalent dark and gruesome revenge stories out there. But I also want this particular Kdrama to have this unique approach to justice, which I haven't seen anywhere else. This show proved that a peaceful revenge can also be a great revenge.
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Clueless girls being oppressed, thus silenced
Started slow with steady mystery build-up that ended on an abrupt screenplay shift. This is primarily this movie's substance.Joo-ran/Shizuko (Park Bo-young) was sent to an all-girl's boarding school outside of Seoul but was actually a sanatorium, and the sudden change of her environment made her into a quiet and shy student. Her adjustment was slow but expected, which also made the story slow. The plot really picked up its pace when mysterious events are now happening and she was always the witness and her body now somewhat feels stronger, which was unusual since she has tuberculosis when she first arrived.
The horror and thriller parts could've been made more suspenseful and even with the "terrifying" background music plus "chilling" camerawork on scenes where jumpscares were almost certain, it failed to scare me even a bit which was odd for someone that is easily spooked. Furthermore, the pacing of the story could've been made more tense by adding more scenes that would've made me anxious even at the beginning of the story, since as what I mentioned earlier, it was not really mysterious and I didn't know that this was a mystery horror movie. But still, there was a steady build-up of mystery on the unusual events that occured on said school/sanatorium.
This movie's highlight would probably be the "sismance" between Joo-ran/Shizuko and Yeon-deok/Kazue (Park So-dam). Their relationship was portrayed to be just close friends but their chemistry was too strong to think that maybe they were more than friends. It was Yeon-deok/Kazue that really helped Joo-ran/Shizuko adjust to the school life as well as rediscover her old bubbly self. I was more emotionally-invested in them than the plot itself.
The mystery itself was not a mystery anymore, as I knew already what it is based on the context clues scattered in several scenes. However, I was shocked more on the basis of said mystery which was correlated to the time setting of the movie, and I was now able to get the relevance why it was set during the Japanese occupation of Korea. This was not only really a tragedy-in-the-making for the clueless and innocent students of the school, particularly to Joo-ran who had now experienced something strange in her body but also eerie since the school's headmistress Kato Sanae (Uhm Ji-won) has no remorse on what she has done, and will do everything just to be recognized as a loyal citizen of the Japanese empire, even at the expense of her Joseon compatriots.
After watching this movie, I was confused as to why is it called "The Silenced" when it wasn't really explained throughout its run? My interpretation would be based on its premise of having clueless girls being oppressed, thus silenced.
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Amusing and entertaining movie to watch
Halmeoni was annoying at first but after a slight lens adjustment, perspective towards her changed. That is what the director wanted me to know when I was watching this film, and it was successfully done.The introduction of Mal-soon halmeoni was rather unpleasant. She is shown as someone who is rude, crass, and even arrogant. Later on, her daughter-in-law is not able to tolerate her attitude and was admitted to the hospital. Halmeoni realized that maybe she is a burden to her family and wanted to escape it. This is the reality that is currently faced by our elderly. I actually liked the transition of the first scene which defined ageism by the halmeoni's professor son then towards the scene with halmeoni and her family situation, then went to a point that she may be sent to a home for the aged. Because of that, she wants to be given another chance at life which was granted...with a twist that she returned to a 20 year old lady physically but mentally still her.
Now that she has returned to a youthful appearance (she changed her name to Doo-ri), she is now able to pursue her lifelong dream, which is to become a singer. Comedic scenes were abundant here and all did not fail to make me laugh out loud. Her feisty grandmother stature was ever present despite being in a 20-year old body, which made the comedy pleasing to watch, but what I liked here is that she is now able to minimize her previous crass character and somewhat evolve into a new character that is more understanding of her actions in the others' perspective without losing her unique character. Also, her being in a band with her grandson was not only hilarious, but the songs were just great and the lyrics and message were also fitting with the story. I actually thought the actress that played Doo-ri wasn't the real singer of the songs here, and was surprised and pleased when I found it out later on. She has a nice voice.
She is (almost) able to rekindle her romantic side as she developed feelings to the charming Seung-woo PD. I actually liked how she was able to reexperience romantic love, especially with after what she went through with life. Despite with a sad ending at that part, I still felt content with them both.
What I also found great in this movie, and personally, its highlight, is that it was able to explore more on the backstory as to why Mal-soon halmeoni became who she was. It was mainly to support her newborn son as she was now a single mother after the death of her husband that she had to create a stern, firm, and most importantly, a feisty person, in order for her and her baby to survive. I still find it wrong though how she did it, as seen on one scene. Yet to the unfamiliar person, she may be shown as someone who is rude, crass, and even arrogant, as I mentioned earlier. With that in mind, this is the reason why her neighbor and friend (and former servant), Mr. Park has struck with her all these years. I loved how the pacing of the movie slowly emphasize this side of her to me, the viewer, and at the end, I was able to understand our halmeoni, in an understanding as same as Mr. Park. I also admire that their "romance" was left open, and the final scene was just funny.
Plot wise, this movie is light in terms of emotion and predictable. But it did not fail to entertain me and bring comedy, it was just funny, especially on the "younger" Mal-soon/Doo-ri scenes. The music was delightful to hear, and the pacing as mentioned, was properly executed. There were some parts that I felt was conveniently ended (e.g., her relationship with her daughter-in-law, although to be fair, it has a time skip to a year later). I also wanted it to explore more on the "ageism" issue, as what was shown on the first scene, since it was fitting for our halmeoni, but somehow, they forgot to address said issue. Still, an amusing and entertaining movie to watch.
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Surprisingly good
This show is not for the faint hearted. But for those who are into suspense, mystery with supernatural and even religious elements, you might want to watch it.지옥 (literally "Hell", but translates here to "Hellbound") is a series that is divided into two different stories, but is interconnected by this supernatural phenomenon where there would be a sudden presence of an angel that would "decree" a person for eternal damnation in hell on a specific date. Thinking that it is a "divine intervention", shaking the core of the society is a massive understatement.
The first part which spanned on episodes 1-3 focused on the effects of that sudden phenomenon. Afterall, everyone was now afraid that they were the next to receive said decree and experience what people before them did. The pacing on the plot, as well as the suspense and thrill were very well combined as it created a sense of terror to the people, even losing their minds. And this is where the charismatic Jeong Jin-soo entered. His stoic and calm exterior with the knowledge and wisdom he seemingly have were enough to make the people follow in his organization "The New Truth" and live more righteous lives. Yet, we all know this is not true. He has more than that, and his hidden brutal borderline sinister characteristics were revealed later on (which was the climax of the first part.) The highlight for this subplot would be at the end of episode 2 and beginning of episode 3.
Most viewers were turned-off by a sudden shift of story especially after episode 3 with its transition to the second part. I was waiting on the part where the show's plot quality would go down. At first, I was confused and lowkey disappointed but as much as there was a confusion, surprisingly, I liked that it now shifted with a new purpose - to question whether what is being preached by the New Truth true or not. Obviously, it was not true as presented with the new character Kyeong-hoon's baby receiving the said decree despite being a newborn. I found it interesting that at this point, the show is now trying to question whether this "divine intervention" really divine or not. I was not stucked with the narrative that the decrees were absolute, although the demonstrations were. Also, the hypocrisy and cult-like characteristics of this organization is now being slowly exposed.
Despite surprisingly liking the story shift, I had more questions than answers after watching the season finale since it ended with a cliffhanger, although I am now relieved that there would be a season 2. Furthermore, the finale proved that there is a reason underlying these occurences and I am now curious as to how it will unfold.
It is interesting to note the lesson that I learned with the 6 episodes I spent watching here which is that interpretations of the "messages" that God is trying to send to humans can vary, as what we have witnessed at the finale. Though some people/groups of people by whether established religions or cults would like to enact said interpretations to the whole society, saying these messages (or decrees, as in this case) is the truth, we really can't deduce that it is the absolute truth. After all, we don't know what God is thinking.
This was on my watchlist for so long. I did not watched it right away to prevent bias due to hype and afterwards, I had a kdrama hiatus. But now, I already finished it and it was surprisingly good.
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This review may contain spoilers
Korean Shamanism 101
This genre is often underexplored or if tackled upon, mostly only used as an accessory for the thrill rather for the plot itself. This kdrama is different as it portrays Korean shamanism as its main story, as well as introduces it to the international viewers, especially to those unfamiliar with it (like me.)The first half was thrilling and suspenseful, since it showed that the "bad guys" have the upper hand, although at times it was slow-paced. After all, having a powerful and greedy shaman, a well-oiled machinery of thugs to do various evil deeds, and a narcissistic antagonist gave me less hope that Jin-hee and So-jin (the 2 leads) would be able to stop said shenanigans. Nice pacing on the 1st half since it really made me stick my eyes to the screen, curious as to what would happen next. The gory scenes here were also stand-out, and didn't make me feel scared at all.
It was smart for the production team to make it into 12 episodes rather than the standard 16 as it was able to convey the story in a smooth flow without the unneccesary fillers. At the same time, the action part and the rituals especially in the second half was executed well. The plot twist was really able to convince me that the connection between So-jin (the lead with shaman powers) and Jong-hyeon (the main antagonist) was well-thought. If you would be confused with the first few episodes, they would be all answered on the last 3 episodes, and I really appreciate how the flashback episodes were executed, it all really made sense. Add to that was the built-up of my interest with the conflicting supernatural powers between the So-jin and the rest of the antagonists particularly at the finale, it really added to my interest on the whole series.
Despite the cliffhanger however, it wasn't enough to pique my interest to watch the sequel (a movie), as I felt that the story (at least here) has been adequately finished, albeit with a few questions/suggestions:
QUESTIONS:
a. How did the inugami be united in So-jin's body instead of just transferring to the new host, which is not a person?
b. How different are the powers of So-jin and the chairman? Although it is understandable that the evil spirit originally dwelt with her and was just split to both of them, it would've been more thrilling had the chairman possessed just even half of So-jin's power.
SUGGESTION:
- it would've made more sense if Jin-hee and her husband, Seong-joon were just friends instead of a married couple, it just didn't felt that they were married here. In fact, Seong-joon's reaction to Jin-hee's abduction was more of an acquaintance's rather than a husband's.
Overall, was still interesting plot-wise despite the slow pacing of the first half, especially if you are curious as to what is Korean shamanism. There were gory scenes (the deaths of some characters were not only unique, but also brutal), and the rituals, talismans, and curses were executed properly here. I think you would appreciate this show more if you are already interested with the culture (in this case, shamanism), rather than just to watch it for the sake of watching.
Although the ending was a cliffhanger, it didn't made me curious as to what lies ahead. Still, a must watch for Korean shamanism 101.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ridiculous whirlwind of emotions every episode...for 129 episodes
NOTE: The term "ridiculous" may appear quite often in this review, but with a good reason.Do not be fooled by its number of episodes, and most notably do not be fooled by the plot's superficiality.
For this kdrama, I divided it into 3 parts:
a. Pre-revenge (eps 1-44) - it was adequate at best, too drawn-out at worst; I would have liked it more had it been lessened at least 5 eps to make it more less filler-y, but it was done great too as it was able to present the dilemma of Eun-jae and convinced me to follow Eun-jae's revenge plot. Girl really experienced A LOT, and it is not even exaggeration. Honestly, I would have done my revenge just like her if I were in her shoes, and on the same circumstances.
b. Revenge (eps 45-90) - THE MOST EXCITING PART of this series, and really its core. Really the epitome of "makjang". I was just hooked (that's coming from an experienced makjang viewer). If you don't like to watch the pre-revenge part, just skip to ep 45 or even to ep 49 towards the tango scene (if you know what i mean). The "revelation" was just chef's kiss.
c. Post-revenge (eps 91-129) - it would be better to subdivide it into 3 subparts; it's just too many spoiler alerts but you will get what I mean if you would reach this part. This is where the fruits of Eun-jae's revenge will be reaped, but obviously she won't be able to enjoy it right away due to complications. There are more plot twists, and some more gaslighting. I was somewhat disappointed on the last 4 episodes with how they tried to create a redemption arc for the Kdrama's greatest gaslighter (Ae-ri) and weakest playboy (Gyo-bin) and the problematic So-hee but the last episode was a great way to end this epic kdrama. No wonder why this is often called the "Bible of Makjangs".
Maybe for the plot, not really the most realistic. However, I was actually surprised to not found any plot holes, and the plot itself, as much as it was superficial, but was also adequately coherent for a makjang, which usually focuses more on the emotions rather than the plot itself. At the same time, let me just tell right away that the revenge plot and all subplots surrounding it are just utterly ridiculous, but its proper execution is reason why I was drawn right away to this kdrama.
For more experienced makjang viewers like me, it was already expected that this would have overacting...and as much as I would find it outright silly, but for its plot, it was actually well done by the actors. The angst that I felt for Ae-ri and Gyo-bin (and later, the real So-hee) as well as the awe I felt for Eun-jae made me forget that it was overly acted as maybe because I was emotionally-drawn to this kdrama, was really able to understand the context why they acted like that (both the characters and the actors).
There were some lacking points mainly Geon-woo, but still passable. I just felt that his character was too shallow, and had he been more fleshed out, I would've rooted more for him.
The only time that I felt stable watching this is on the scenes will Kang-jae and Ha-neul. I really wanted more of them just to deflect from all the schemes running around, but unfortunately, it did not happen. Other than that, just pure rollercoaster of emotions is what I felt watching these episodes.
For 2022, it's not the best makjang anymore per se, but really, REALLY paved the way on how makjangs should be properly done.
P.S. This is actually the 1st kdrama I watched in months due to a hiatus, and I was also really in a mood for a "hearty" makjang, so that also affected my "journey" watching this. It's not recommended to watch if in a hurry since 129 episodes does really need some time investment to fully grasp its plot. Also, for non-makjang kdrama viewers, I would advise to skip this...except if you are also scheming for revenge, hehe.
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Still funny and entertaining as the first movie. But honestly, this can already stop here.
It was as if Sang-sook (Ra Mi-ran) has already changed for the better, but old habits just die hard. Until karma hit her again, and this time, much harder than before.I was initially apprehensive for this sequel, since the first movie was already adequate with its story and ended with a closure. This time, I am glad that it was still able to retain the foundations of its predecessor that made it funny in the first place, for the most part.
Sang-sook was as kooky as ever, and Hee-cheol (Kim Mu-yeol), as loyal as he is to her, was just as entertaining as well to watch. Their dynamic was explored more here, and it, being this story's core, was one of the better points of this movie, if not its highlight. Individually, they were already funny, and together, it was truly comical.
One thing to note is that the comedy this time was more superficial and toned down compared to the first one. Maybe it was because it was set on a provincial setting which is not as robust as the capital Seoul, but it was still enjoyable. I just laughed with their foolishness at the beginning, then towards the "return of the curse" at the middle, until the "plot twist" at the end. Also maybe, because I was just in the mood to watch a mindless comedy film in that this movie just clicked with me.
The pacing and story direction were satisfactory as well. New characters and settings were introduced here, and it was quite good how it was drawn out. Pony (Park Jin-joo) could've been more fleshed out, since the actress really shines in comedic dramas. Her character could've been given a bigger role on the story.
In terms of pacing, there weren't filler scenes all througout the movie, but since the story events were already predictable, the screenwriter and director had to bank on proper comedic timing to really make this sequel as interesting as the first one, and they were mostly successful on that aspect.
In terms of production, I was amazed on the CGI effects on one scene about the long term goals of a certain entity (I have to make this spoiler-free hehe). There weren't really standout production and screenplay value here, but nonetheless, it was coherently done.
The ending was more or less the same, bringing up again the possibly of another sequel. I, for one, though found this one to be still funny and entertaining as the first movie. But honestly, this can already stop here.
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"If my husband is a spy, then I'm the wife of a spy"
Initially, one would ask as to how was this movie greenlit given the Japanese' generally denialist stance on the events of World War II? Then again, it is also refreshing to see their perspective regarding this bitter and painful event of human history. It's even more refreshing that this movie slowly tries to recognize their gruesome role on the war and maybe it can lead to future movies telling the truth of its horror but something that should be remembered for generations to come."Wife of a Spy" circles around a married couple - a busy businessman Yusaku (Takahashi Issei) and Satoko (Aoi Yu), amidst the changing and turbulent 1940 Japan. What's more is that the wife's childhood friend, Taiji (Higashide Masahiro), now a squad leader in the military police, is suspecting the husband of being a spy for being "too Westernized".
The first half was a tad bit too long. There could've been scenes removed since it just made me lost on some parts. Yet at the same time, it was intriguing to know what the real story is. But still, its early somber mood was important for what's coming next. This part really showed that ignorance is bliss.
Then, the big reveal happened. Although the incident that was being referred was too vague (in terms of the real historical event), yet it is still important to know that until now, Japan still refuses to fully admit its war crimes.
The clip on an internment camp that was shown, despite brief, but really gave me chills as to how inhumane their military did to the innocent people at that time. It's very ironic to see the smiling barbaric Japanese scientists at one frame yet transitions to the angry but hopeless war prisoners at the next. There was only few violence shown onscreen, but one doesn't have to imagine what dreadfulness that the Japanese empire did to its enemies, even if it was its own people.
But at the same time, I really liked how the music at the second part upped the tension and thrill on the succeeding scenes. This is despite the no to little background music at the start. This could've balanced out the storyline and created equal tension already.
The last 30 minutes of this movie was just too exhilarating for me as the viewer, but nerve-wracking for the leads. Each scene was just brilliant, and the plot twist shook me to say the least. It was truly gripping and enthralling.
It's ending might be quite melodramatic, which was a sudden shift from the high tension it had earlier, but was still done well. The note at the end was tricky for sure, as I thought I was watching a biopic but is not.
My biggest gripe for an otherwise great movie is its production value. Originally, this is a TV movie so budget isn't really the main priority, but still, there were very visible production errors noticed:
First, is the sound mixing which was uneven and at times, there was static heard. Second is the setting itself particularly the storage area, where it was obvious that there were modern speakers near the screen. Third, the exterior set was inadequate for a wartime period film. Though for the third point, it may be understandable as Japan is still new in producing movies set in the 40's.
My next gripe was the terrible borderline funny acting of the English-speaking characters, though I do understand that it's because of the availability of actors, but still.
Nevertheless, it's amazing to see that Japan is now ready to face its not-so-good role during the war, even with some nationalism still interjected.
The story maybe focused more on the characters rather than the plot itself, but there's one line from this movie that really stood out for me and perfectly encapsulated this movie's essence: "If my husband is a spy, then I'm the wife of a spy."
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Dark but has sense
I have not been actively venturing out of Kdramaland prior to watching this. The reason I watched this in the first place was due to the disappointment I had with its Korean remake and wanted to know the original version and its story. And I am very glad that I did it.This is my first Japanese drama ever so I don't have any expectations before watching this except for the story material on which the Kdrama remake was based on. The 11-episode format was actually adequate in order to really flesh out the story. In this case, the 1st half was rather messy in pacing but really did picked up as the storyline progressed and answers were now gradually revealed. The first 6 episodes could've set the tone on what to expect and built up the tension more intensely while Ryo (Kimura Takuya) started to know more about his past. This is where I think the Korean remake had an edge compared to the original, since its 16-episode format allowed ample time to develop the appropriate amount of intensity needed for the story.
However, this is now where the quotes "The original is always better" and "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes in. The storytelling was just miles better here than the remake. Despite its pacing issues, it was really able to convey what it wanted it show successfully, even though it was dark. I am planning to make a detailed comparison between this and the Korean remake after making this review, but for now, my comments would be about this show. The Korean one had fundamentally deviated its story from here that it seemed to be diluted at the end. Also, I had questions on the Korean one that were answered here even though the storyline here was simpler.
This was not the darkest show that I've watched, but the darkness here was just utterly sad. Furthermore, what I liked here was that despite it being on the dark zone, the storyline was cohesive enough for me to be able to feel with the characters. Although the show started basically as a puzzle, but it was able to slowly put it piece by piece together and created a depressing yet gratifying story.
Sora Kara on the great scale of dramas that I've watched so far is not among the best and honestly, I doubt that it will leave a long-lasting effect on me. But one thing I realized after watching these is that I am now ready to venture out to discover more Jdramas in the future. The rawness of the emotions portrayed here partially convinced me, especially for someone like me that focuses more on the story rather than the aesthetics.
In conclusion compared to the Korean version, this Jdrama (original) was miles better in that it was dark but has sense.
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If Wild West was set in a Korean prison
NOTE: turn off all of your medical knowledge before watching this Kdrama coming from someone in the healthcare field.For a person not familiar with the medical, psychiatric, and most especially rehabilitative protocols portrayed here, you will best remember this Kdrama as full of revenge scheming lawlessness coiled with plot twists all over sprinkled with intensified suspense for the duration of its 32-episode run. Personally, I nearly dropped it after the first episode due to its massive protocol breaches and medical logic was just basically thrown off. I wanted to brush it off, but it was too immense not to ignore. Also, I wanted to list all instances were protocols were broken, but it will just take all the space of this review. Again, be thoroughly warned.
Despite said drawbacks, the fast pacing of the story is really to be acclaimed. The plot twists maybe convoluted at times and almost all characters may be morally gray, but it was just not boring. I was hooked by Na Yi-je's (Namgoong Min) revenge plot and the delivery of both the revenge and his acting were just top notch. I liked that the plan was too intricate despite several obstacles. There were many players in this game, and I not know who will definitely win due to the enormous amount of power play in between episodes. But despite of its complexity, the story did not lost its touch even up to the finale. I was already satisfied with the end, no need for the second season unless the story would be as significant as here.
Next, the acting game here was just too outstanding, particularly Lee Jae-joon (Choi Won-young). It's the first time that I saw him play a role different from others, but he was just too memorable a villain. He just shined out all throughout most notably the last episode. On the other hand, because of the great acting here, I found Han So-geum (Kwon Na-ra) to be the "weak link", but that doesn't mean that she was bad here. It may be due to the script and her character or may be it was just the other actors showed greater range of their acting skills in this Kdrama.
The production here was also where I had problems. The prison was too dimly-lighted and I had to move my eyes closer the screen to see the characters. The lighting, since it focused more on the darker color shades, was now more like disco club which did not set well to the story mood. It was too prominent and distracted their dialogues. Also, the music was not in sync with the mood at times. There were instances that the BGM played was light yet they were threatening to bring someone down, which was not appropriate in this context. Basically, not a fan of the production value showed here.
Overall, a very intense fast-paced story that was not dull, however it could've been improved at some, if not many aspects. Yet still, this Kdrama should not be skipped just because of some of my complaints. After all, Doctor Prisoner is a great example of what a Kdrama is if Wild West was set in a Korean prison.
P.S. for the story, I excluded the medical aspect from the score for the overall plot of this show itself.
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