E9 was the first ep that truly made me feel like i was watching a classic kim soon ok drama. Everything was happening at breakneck speed, with twists and revelations coming one after another just like Penthouse. The previous episodes felt quite different from most of her past works but this one finally delivered those signature kim soon ok vibes. I had an absolute blast watching it.
Right now, Jae gyeong feels like an unstoppable force but im sure her downfall in the final two eps is going to be really satisfying to watch.
The scene that hit me the hardest was when chairman kang sincerely apologized to Hwang Jun hyeon. M pretty sure HJH isnt actually dead, they have most likely kept him alive but seeing chairman kang finally realize that he had completely ruined the life of a poor, hardworking man was heartbreaking. His emotional scene with HJH's grandmother was one of the best moments of the episode. Chairman kang has been getting some really good character development and im really loving that.
Also its kinda hilarious how both of chairman kang's daughters are so dangerous to him. Elder one is literally trying to kill him while the younger one casually beats him up every chance she gets 🤣🤣.
Can you please spoil me the ending for both main leads??I am really curious but I won't be able to watch this…
Choi Hyunwook perfectly fooled Choi Minsik's character and completely ruined both his career and personal life. After that, he ghosted him. In the final scene, he returns to the library or book store where Choi Minsik's character is working as a librarian/storekeeper and says, i have a story I want to tell. Choi Minsik's character asks, whats the story?? and the drama ends with to be continued.
So, there might or might not be a second season, depending on its performance on the netflix charts.
Although Choi Hyunwook's character had his reasons for ruining Choi Minsik's character, as there was a backstory explaining his motives, i personally dont think those reasons were grand enough to completely destroy someone's life.
Notes from the Last Row was pretty interesting drama. It was packed with twists and turns and the story kept me engaged from start to finish. Both MLs were absolutely unhinged in their own ways. The drama also gave me some vibes of the movie parasite and another netflix original The frog. The stories are completely different but they share a similar unsettling atmosphere and psychological tension.
Choi Hyun wook's character was a crazy psychopath not in a murderous sense but in the way he manipulated and fooled Choi Min sik's character. Watching him execute his plan was both fascinating and disturbing. On the other hand, Choi Minsik's character was consumed by obsession. His insecurity, jealousy and fixation on his rival (played by Heo Junho) gradually drove him insane, ultimately destroying both his career and his life. It was a great portrayal of how obsession can slowly consume a person.
The direction was impressive and the screenplay was one of the drama's strongest point. It constantly introduced new twists while maintaining suspense, making it hard to predict what would happen next.
I will say if you are into psychological thrillers with strong performances and an engaging screenplay, its definitely worth watching.
E2 was even better than E1. The highlight of the episode was definitely watching the FL stand up for both herself and her junior (the SFL) against that bully boss. It was so satisfying to see her finally leave that toxic team and join the ML's team instead. I also loved how the ML recognized her talent and potential from the beginning and was the one who personally invited her to join his team.
The entire episode had such cute and wholesome vibes. It was really feel good watch, even more so than E1. Although her ex showed up again and he is total trash, i loved how she immediately shut him down and ended things without hesitation. That said, im actually loving the flashback scenes from when they were together. Despite how things turned out, they had great chemistry as a couple so i wouldnt mind seeing more of their past relationship through flashbacks.
Contrary to how many people feel, i dont see anything wrong with the chairman marrying the butler lady just one year after his wife's death. Imean, come on, its his life. There is no freaking way his children should get to dictate how he lives it. People always criticize parents in kdramas when they try to control their children's lives and interfere in their decisions but suddenly they draw the line when it comes to a parent's right to move on?? Why should that be any different??
And there is no way the twins were teenagers when he married the butler lady. Both of them must be around 45-50 yrs old now, which means they were probably in their early to mid 20s when he remarried. Even if they had been teenagers, i still wouldnt care that he remarried after just a year. Its his life, after all, and he is free to live it however he wants.
And stop putting entire blame on him for the way Jae Gyeong turned out. She is not a child anymore. She is old enough to understand her actions and take responsibility for them. She literally has a child of her own now. Its not even like she grew up struggling or living a miserable life. Her father was a freaking chaebol chairman. She had wealth, privilege and opportunities that most people could only dream of. Millions of children grow up in far worse conditions, yet they dont all turn into people like her. Even the youngest daughter was neglected while growing up but she still turned out to be a decent person.
To me, Jae Gyeong's actions stem largely from her own insecurity, greed and obsession with power. She constantly craves validation and control and thats what drives most of her decisions. In fact, i sometimes think that if the chairman had favored her more while she was growing up, she might have become even more dangerous because she would have had both the ambition and the full backing of her father.
Now, was the chairman wrong for neglecting his daughters?? Absolutely. Especially the youngest one. The eldest daughter may have received less attention than her brother but she still got far more recognition and opportunities than the youngest daughter. She was given a powerful position in the company and had much of her success handed to her. What the chairman did was wrong but its nowhere near comparable to the things Jae Gyeong is doing now.
And Jae Gyeong is late 40s or early 50's years old. At this point, you cant keep putting all the blame for her actions on her chairman father. She is middle aged woman, not an 8-10 yr old girl throwing tantrums because she was ignored by her parents.
Yes, the chairman's neglect may explain some of her insecurities and resentment but it doesnt excuse everything she is doing now. She is old enough to understand right from wrong and take responsibility for her own choices. People are acting as if she is still a child who cant be held accountable for her actions, when in reality she is a grown woman who has had decades to make her own decisions and shape her own character.
I really loved E1. It was so cute and charming. Its not the kind of romcom that makes you laugh out loud every few minutes, instead its a soft, cute and heartwarming romcom with a very fluffy vibe. The drama gave me vibes of Yumi's Cells as well as those feel good chinese office romcoms.
The FL's personality reminds me so much of Yumi from Yumi's Cells while the ML has a reserved, calm and rational personality. They are already looking so good together and their chemistry is adorable and natural.
Im just hoping the drama stays this good until the very end.
i don't think ML does a good job at portraying the Chairman. The way the Chairman talks and behaves is different…
I think it was entirely intentional on the director's part to portray them differently, even though they are technically the same person. Chairman's original personality is very serious and authoritative and if he had remained that way throughout the entire drama, it would have been difficult to incorporate the comedy that is such an important part of the show. By placing him in a younger body, the director was able to make him more playful, witty and expressive, which naturally created more opportunities for comedic moments.
That said, the drama still gives us glimpses of the real chairman beneath that lighter exterior. In several scenes where he is speaking privately with the director Lee Sang Jae, you can clearly see the old chairman's commanding presence and sharp mind. There are also moments when his regrets as a father come to the surface, especially when he realizes just how far Jae Gyeong is willing to go. In those scenes, you dont see a playful young man, you see an aging father who recognizes his own failures and the consequences of the way he raised his children.
Thats why i dont think the difference in characterization is a flaw or inconsistency. The contrast feels deliberate. The younger body allows the character to be more humorous and approachable, while the serious, calculating chairman still emerges whenever the situation calls for it. To me, the drama intentionally presents two different sides of the same person rather than treating them as completely identical personalities.
Like she is so smart but I really hate seeing her winning!! I need her jailed next week, she is inhumane at this…
She don't really win all the time, there is always balance betn both her and Hwang jun hyeon (chairman kang), last week protagonists team had an upper hand and this week she is the one who is calling shots. I like that balance, otherwise it's boring if only protagonists keep winning every time.
Reborn Rookie is so good, man, really one of the most engaging dramas im watching right now. E8 was absolutely insane, especially that ending. Kang Jae gyeong continues to prove why she is such a terrifying villain. She is not just evil, she is damn intelligent and always seems to be several steps ahead of everyone else.
Im also really loving the rivalry between the three siblings, as well as the constant clash between chairman Kang Yong Ho and eldest daughter, Jae gyeong. Whats fascinating is how much she resembles her father when it comes to intelligence and strategic thinking. In many ways, she is the person who inherited his strengths the most, which makes their clashes even more interesting. And that final scene in E8 was a perfect cliffhanger.
Also what i love most about this drama, though, is the relationship between chairman Kang Yong Ho and his children. Even though Jae gyeong has become an absolute monster and Jae seong operates in a morally gray area, he still cares about them. He rarely says it outright but you can see it in his expressions and actions. Deep down, he seems to blame himself for the kind of person Jae gyeong turned into as if he views her darkness as one of his greatest failures as a father.
Thats what makes the protagonist - villain dynamic so interesting here. In most dramas, heroes and villains are complete strangers, so their conflict is purely about defeating each other. But in Reborn Rookie, the protagonist is literally the father of the main villain. He wants to stop Jae gyeong's schemes and prevent her from causing more harm yet he still loves her as his daughter and cant completely let go of that bond. That emotional conflict adds so much to their rivalry and makes every confrontation between them far more interesting than a typical hero vs villain story.
I felt like Teach You a Lesson had a much more meaningful script than the usual school bully-victim dramas. Imean, those shows can be very entertaining, WHC and Study Group are great examples but Teach You a Lesson goes beyond simply focusing on a victim seeking revenge or justice.
The drama explores a wide range of issues affecting students, teachers and parents alike. It touches on school bullying, drug abuse, false accusations against teachers, the pressure teachers face from overly interfering parents and the extreme competitiveness of korean society. Rather than portraying everything as a simple battle between good and bad, it highlights how complex the education system can be and how different people are affected by it.
Ofcourse, the drama itself isnt particularly realistic. The way many situations are handled is more fantasy than reality and its unlikely things would unfold that way in real life. Still, what makes it stand out is that it uses those exaggerated scenarios to draw attention to real problems within modern education. Because of that, i found it far more meaningful than the typical school bully-victim drama that focuses on only one issue.
Last episode was so cute. It wrapped up all the storylines nicely and delivered a satisfying happy ending. What I liked the most was that the writers avoided the typical breakup trope in E11. There was a moment when it really looked like the leads were heading toward a breakup, as would usually happen in a typical kdrama but instead they chose to stay together and face the problem as a team. That felt much more mature and refreshing.
The first half of the drama focused mainly on the office affair cases while the second half shifted its attention to the personal lives of the four main leads and the workplace drama surrounding them. Although i didnt liked the direction the SFL's storyline took, i was happy with the SML's redemption arc which felt well earned and satisfying. SFL's track was the only minor hiccup in an otherwise enjoyable drama.
Overall, i would give it an 8.5/10. Its a refreshing romcom that manages to avoid most of the genre's overused cliches and brings something really different to the table which made it a fun and worthwhile watch from start to finish.
Honestly this was such bad film for me. The entire movie felt extremely predictable and packed with the same overused horror cliches we have already seen countless times before. The premise itself is very generic, a group of people goes to a place they clearly shouldnt be entering and then things start going wrong. There was barely anything fresh or unique about it.
What made it even more frustrating was the supporting cast. Except for the main character, almost everyone else was unbearably annoying, irritating and unbelievably stupid. They were the exact type of characters you always see in cliche horror movies, the ones who keep acting overconfident and mocking the existence of ghosts just to prove how fearless and smart they are, only to end up dying horribly later. The film follows this same formula scene by scene, which made everything so easy to predict.
This is honestly one of the biggest reasons why so many horror films feel repetitive nowadays. Instead of building real tension or atmosphere, they rely on loud, dumb characters making foolish decisions for cheap horror moments.
Even the main horror lore and backstory werent strong enough to save the film. It was just decent at best and lacked the depth or impact needed to make the story memorable. Overall, the entire movie felt dull, frustrating and emotionally empty.
I actually went into this film with very high expectations because i kept hearing that it’s the highest grossing horror movie in south korea of all time but after watching it, it honestly felt below average to me.
The Wailing is still the No.1 korean horror film for me. Nothing else has even come close to matching that experience yet.
I really don't turn up to watch rom-com to see half the episodes worth of unlikable characters tbh.
You also missed the point that the second leads drama only starts becoming important in the second half of the series and even then, they barely get 10-15 mins per episode. The main leads are still carrying most of the runtime with their wholesome and sweet moments. In the first half, the second leads werent even that important. So even as hyperbole, your comment still doesnt make much sense.
I really don't turn up to watch rom-com to see half the episodes worth of unlikable characters tbh.
Half the episodes?? if I have to calculate accurately they are hardly there for 10-20% of total screentime in all episodes combined.
Noh Kijun team and other cases gets pretty much more screenspace than them. In today's eps ah jeong and JJY were there not more than 15 min out of whole 67 min episode.
1 
Nationwide : 15.7%
Seoul : 15.9%
This is crazyyyyy because just with 2 episodes it reached 15.7% ratings and become highest rated drama of 2026. Now I'm hoping for 20% next 🤞🤞
Right now, Jae gyeong feels like an unstoppable force but im sure her downfall in the final two eps is going to be really satisfying to watch.
The scene that hit me the hardest was when chairman kang sincerely apologized to Hwang Jun hyeon. M pretty sure HJH isnt actually dead, they have most likely kept him alive but seeing chairman kang finally realize that he had completely ruined the life of a poor, hardworking man was heartbreaking. His emotional scene with HJH's grandmother was one of the best moments of the episode. Chairman kang has been getting some really good character development and im really loving that.
Also its kinda hilarious how both of chairman kang's daughters are so dangerous to him. Elder one is literally trying to kill him while the younger one casually beats him up every chance she gets 🤣🤣.
Nationwide : 9.5%
Seoul : 9.8%
This is one of highest opening for SBS non seasonal show in last few years.
So, there might or might not be a second season, depending on its performance on the netflix charts.
Although Choi Hyunwook's character had his reasons for ruining Choi Minsik's character, as there was a backstory explaining his motives, i personally dont think those reasons were grand enough to completely destroy someone's life.
Choi Hyun wook's character was a crazy psychopath not in a murderous sense but in the way he manipulated and fooled Choi Min sik's character. Watching him execute his plan was both fascinating and disturbing. On the other hand, Choi Minsik's character was consumed by obsession. His insecurity, jealousy and fixation on his rival (played by Heo Junho) gradually drove him insane, ultimately destroying both his career and his life. It was a great portrayal of how obsession can slowly consume a person.
The direction was impressive and the screenplay was one of the drama's strongest point. It constantly introduced new twists while maintaining suspense, making it hard to predict what would happen next.
I will say if you are into psychological thrillers with strong performances and an engaging screenplay, its definitely worth watching.
8.5/10
The entire episode had such cute and wholesome vibes. It was really feel good watch, even more so than E1. Although her ex showed up again and he is total trash, i loved how she immediately shut him down and ended things without hesitation. That said, im actually loving the flashback scenes from when they were together. Despite how things turned out, they had great chemistry as a couple so i wouldnt mind seeing more of their past relationship through flashbacks.
Anyway i cant wait for the next episode.
And there is no way the twins were teenagers when he married the butler lady. Both of them must be around 45-50 yrs old now, which means they were probably in their early to mid 20s when he remarried. Even if they had been teenagers, i still wouldnt care that he remarried after just a year. Its his life, after all, and he is free to live it however he wants.
And stop putting entire blame on him for the way Jae Gyeong turned out. She is not a child anymore. She is old enough to understand her actions and take responsibility for them. She literally has a child of her own now. Its not even like she grew up struggling or living a miserable life. Her father was a freaking chaebol chairman. She had wealth, privilege and opportunities that most people could only dream of. Millions of children grow up in far worse conditions, yet they dont all turn into people like her. Even the youngest daughter was neglected while growing up but she still turned out to be a decent person.
To me, Jae Gyeong's actions stem largely from her own insecurity, greed and obsession with power. She constantly craves validation and control and thats what drives most of her decisions. In fact, i sometimes think that if the chairman had favored her more while she was growing up, she might have become even more dangerous because she would have had both the ambition and the full backing of her father.
Now, was the chairman wrong for neglecting his daughters?? Absolutely. Especially the youngest one. The eldest daughter may have received less attention than her brother but she still got far more recognition and opportunities than the youngest daughter. She was given a powerful position in the company and had much of her success handed to her. What the chairman did was wrong but its nowhere near comparable to the things Jae Gyeong is doing now.
And Jae Gyeong is late 40s or early 50's years old. At this point, you cant keep putting all the blame for her actions on her chairman father. She is middle aged woman, not an 8-10 yr old girl throwing tantrums because she was ignored by her parents.
Yes, the chairman's neglect may explain some of her insecurities and resentment but it doesnt excuse everything she is doing now. She is old enough to understand right from wrong and take responsibility for her own choices. People are acting as if she is still a child who cant be held accountable for her actions, when in reality she is a grown woman who has had decades to make her own decisions and shape her own character.
The FL's personality reminds me so much of Yumi from Yumi's Cells while the ML has a reserved, calm and rational personality. They are already looking so good together and their chemistry is adorable and natural.
Im just hoping the drama stays this good until the very end.
That said, the drama still gives us glimpses of the real chairman beneath that lighter exterior. In several scenes where he is speaking privately with the director Lee Sang Jae, you can clearly see the old chairman's commanding presence and sharp mind. There are also moments when his regrets as a father come to the surface, especially when he realizes just how far Jae Gyeong is willing to go. In those scenes, you dont see a playful young man, you see an aging father who recognizes his own failures and the consequences of the way he raised his children.
Thats why i dont think the difference in characterization is a flaw or inconsistency. The contrast feels deliberate. The younger body allows the character to be more humorous and approachable, while the serious, calculating chairman still emerges whenever the situation calls for it. To me, the drama intentionally presents two different sides of the same person rather than treating them as completely identical personalities.
Nationwide : 11.005%
Seoul : 10.891%
Yay, RR finally crossed 11 % ratings. It's first drama of JTBC in ages to achieve such high viewership. Congratulations to whole cast!!
In penthouse people literally survived bomb blast so resurrecting chairman kang ho again is not that difficult for her 😂.
Im also really loving the rivalry between the three siblings, as well as the constant clash between chairman Kang Yong Ho and eldest daughter, Jae gyeong. Whats fascinating is how much she resembles her father when it comes to intelligence and strategic thinking. In many ways, she is the person who inherited his strengths the most, which makes their clashes even more interesting. And that final scene in E8 was a perfect cliffhanger.
Also what i love most about this drama, though, is the relationship between chairman Kang Yong Ho and his children. Even though Jae gyeong has become an absolute monster and Jae seong operates in a morally gray area, he still cares about them. He rarely says it outright but you can see it in his expressions and actions. Deep down, he seems to blame himself for the kind of person Jae gyeong turned into as if he views her darkness as one of his greatest failures as a father.
Thats what makes the protagonist - villain dynamic so interesting here. In most dramas, heroes and villains are complete strangers, so their conflict is purely about defeating each other. But in Reborn Rookie, the protagonist is literally the father of the main villain. He wants to stop Jae gyeong's schemes and prevent her from causing more harm yet he still loves her as his daughter and cant completely let go of that bond. That emotional conflict adds so much to their rivalry and makes every confrontation between them far more interesting than a typical hero vs villain story.
At this point, it deserves its own genre: TraumCom 🤣🤣.
The drama explores a wide range of issues affecting students, teachers and parents alike. It touches on school bullying, drug abuse, false accusations against teachers, the pressure teachers face from overly interfering parents and the extreme competitiveness of korean society. Rather than portraying everything as a simple battle between good and bad, it highlights how complex the education system can be and how different people are affected by it.
Ofcourse, the drama itself isnt particularly realistic. The way many situations are handled is more fantasy than reality and its unlikely things would unfold that way in real life. Still, what makes it stand out is that it uses those exaggerated scenarios to draw attention to real problems within modern education. Because of that, i found it far more meaningful than the typical school bully-victim drama that focuses on only one issue.
The first half of the drama focused mainly on the office affair cases while the second half shifted its attention to the personal lives of the four main leads and the workplace drama surrounding them. Although i didnt liked the direction the SFL's storyline took, i was happy with the SML's redemption arc which felt well earned and satisfying. SFL's track was the only minor hiccup in an otherwise enjoyable drama.
Overall, i would give it an 8.5/10. Its a refreshing romcom that manages to avoid most of the genre's overused cliches and brings something really different to the table which made it a fun and worthwhile watch from start to finish.
What made it even more frustrating was the supporting cast. Except for the main character, almost everyone else was unbearably annoying, irritating and unbelievably stupid. They were the exact type of characters you always see in cliche horror movies, the ones who keep acting overconfident and mocking the existence of ghosts just to prove how fearless and smart they are, only to end up dying horribly later. The film follows this same formula scene by scene, which made everything so easy to predict.
This is honestly one of the biggest reasons why so many horror films feel repetitive nowadays. Instead of building real tension or atmosphere, they rely on loud, dumb characters making foolish decisions for cheap horror moments.
Even the main horror lore and backstory werent strong enough to save the film. It was just decent at best and lacked the depth or impact needed to make the story memorable. Overall, the entire movie felt dull, frustrating and emotionally empty.
I actually went into this film with very high expectations because i kept hearing that it’s the highest grossing horror movie in south korea of all time but after watching it, it honestly felt below average to me.
The Wailing is still the No.1 korean horror film for me. Nothing else has even come close to matching that experience yet.
5/10.
Noh Kijun team and other cases gets pretty much more screenspace than them. In today's eps ah jeong and JJY were there not more than 15 min out of whole 67 min episode.