Bri

Cutie patootie romance

This story was so stinking cute! I loved the characters so much! Everyone was so fun, and all had great chemistry with each other! A very cute high school love story!

Shane and Kit were pretty adorable together. I loved seeing them grow closer as friends and then into a relationship! They had such sweet moments together!

Kim and Mon were my favorite couple! Their story felt the most natural on how they got together. They are both just so cute together! Need a show of these actors as the lead couple together!

I figured Tar and Per would get together just based on how much they were on screen together. I think they're a cute besties to boyfriends' relationship.

Tan and Nat's relationship was definitely the least interesting to me, but they were still cute!

If you want a cute high school romance, I highly recommend!

Read More

A very unnecessary season

I loved this season but definitely is the weakest out of the three. There were a lot of things I liked about the season but definitely things I didn't as well.

I liked how amped up the games were compared to the other seasons, that being said I thought the finale game was a little boring to watch, otherwise I liked the new ones. I think these games were more challenging to figure out which was really cool to see. Arisu is always just such a fun character to watch. He's so intelligent and caring! The sets, cinematography, acting, and special affects I think really carried this season.

I think the thing this season is lacking is the emotional connection to the characters. Other than Arisu and Usagi I found it really hard to get attached to this season's characters. I think they waited too long for us to find out information/backstory on them for the audience to get attached to them or care if they make it or not. It's not that they were necessarily unlikeable, we just didn't know enough about them. I really like Rei and Nabu and some of the others, but we just didn't get to see them enough. Some of the character deaths felt like they should've been more impactful, but I just didn't care that much if they died like in previous seasons.

I wish we got to see Arisu & Usagi as husband and wife more. We didn't really get to see them together until episode four which is another complaint of mine. I did like that we got to see what both of them were doing during the time they were separated, but I wish we saw them together more. I also just thought it was weird they were still calling each other Arisu and Usagi for being together for the past five years and literally being married. You think they would use first names or nicknames at this point. You would also think they would live together. Usagi's relationship with Arisu just felt so off this season, like she didn't fully trust him. Why was she telling stuff to others that she couldn't tell her literal husband?! The whole reason she went into the game was just so dumb. Idk her character felt off to me this season.

As for the finale...the death of Jack/Joker/whatever you want to call him was so unsatisfying. They were building him up all throughout the season just to have a random character take him out. Speaking of that character, I just think he was such a pointless character. He came to ask Arisu if he wanted life or death when Arisu was obviously going to choose to live and save Usagi. His whole speech and role in the show seemed like time filler more than importance. I would've much preferred that time go to showing more of Arisu and Usagi after they got out rather than just the quick scene we got. I loved the cameos of all the characters from the first two seasons being in the finale! It was nice seeing them again because I definitely missed them this season. I think if they were all in it more, it would've made it more enjoyable.

Overall, I did like the season, but I do think this one has the least rewatch ability. I could see myself watching it once or twice more but not as many times as I've watched season one or two. Total props to all the actors though. They all killed it!! Especially Kento & Tao!

Read More

The most unlikeable couple I've ever seen

I absolutely hated this show so let me breakdown why.
-The show had so many plot threads that went nowhere or had such little payoff. There was a lot, but one example is how Da Reum talked about wanting best employee to on the trip for multiple episodes and then we never heard or saw anything about it again.
-I could tell whoever wrote this show is not a kpop fan and just guessed what it was like from looking online. All the saesang behavior aside (which I'll get into later), there were so many moments that my roommate and I knew a fan would not do or react the way they did in the show. We are huge kpop fans and the whole time we were watching, we rarely related to the "fans" in this and not just because of cultural differences. For example: At the reunion concert, the three girl friends would've sat together. It's fine their boyfriends are there too but they would've sat next to each other. Their all-time favorite group and the whole reason they became friends in the first place, has reunited after over ten years...they would've sat together and they would've been way more emotional about it than they were. The whole audience would've been way more emotional about it than they were.
-Going hand in hand with that last one, so much saesang behavior was called normal fan behavior in this show. Why is the fan culture we're showing?!
-We should've gotten way more of DNX. I don't just mean when they are back together and reunited either, i just mean in general they should've been in it more. I literally didn't even know two of the members names until I looked it up. The storyline of them getting really famous, breaking up, and getting back together was far more interesting than anything else happening in the show. We should've seen more of why they ended on such awful terms and what brought them back together, but we didn't. We just got the tiniest little bits and pieces of their story. Even though Chan was a main character, we didn't even see or hear much about what he thought on the group splitting. The few moments we got of DNX was so good.

My very few positives
-The scene with Chan and Da Reum on the couch in episode 11 or 12 where he tells her that he was the one who gave her the necklace, was so beautifully well done. There was so much raw emotion from both of them in that scene. It felt like a different write entirely wrote this scene.
-They did a great job showing the protests and scandals for actors and idols in Korea and how it affects them as well as the fans
-They did a great job showing how bad groups breaking up can be for the idols and fans as well, especially when ending on bad terms
-Seeing the team at Appello grow closer was really nice and fun to see. I loved seeing how they all brainstormed new ideas and worked hard together
-The music was great. I even added a few of the DNX songs to my Spotify
-The sets were cool, especially the Appello office
-The actors all did great for the most part as well

Onto characters
-Chan: I'm starting with him because he's the only one I liked out of the main three and was the most likeable in the whole show. I really wish he was in it more than he was. For being a main lead, we saw him so little. He was such an interesting character and had such depth to him as well as a fun and flirty personality. His storylines were also just better overall. Like I said before, I loved everything with DNX and the idol side of things! I also liked to see his actor side of things, his friendship with the CEO, the budding romance between him and Da Reum, and his history with Cho I. All his just seemed more thought out and exciting. I'm not just saying that because he's one of my favorite actors either. Though I will say, I loved seeing him as an idol.
-Ha Gi: He's got to be one of the worst and most unlikeable leads I've ever seen in a romcom and I've seen so many. He was so boring, had no personality, obsessed with his AI bot (that could be for a sponsor though so idk), and was so delusional. What I mean by delusional is how much he thought that Da Reum was in love with him, even when she thought he was gay, even when she told him straight up she didn't see him as more than a boss, and even before she began to have the slightest feelings for him at all.
-Da Reum: At first, I thought she was pretty funny and thought it was cool to see kpop fangirly as the main lead, but as the show went on it showed more and more that she wasn't a fan but was a saesang. Nothing made me happier than when there was the episode with the protests calling her out her being one. Thought that happiness was very quickly taken away when everyone else she was talking to told her she wasn't and the showed tried to convince us she wasn't by all these people saying the "fan" behavior they've done in the past which was just EVEN MORE SAESANG BEHAVIOR!! Another thing that bothered me about her is that she seemed to never know what she wanted. She would want something until she got it and then she wouldn't want it anymore. It drove me nuts. I will say I loved how driven she was and how great she was at her job. She showed time and time again why she kept being offered new opportunities and I loved that.

-Cho I caused a little drama in the beginning but other than she was such a useless character. We honestly could've had drama even without her. It felt like they wanted her to be a bigger antagonist than she was, but we didn't see her enough for her to be one.
-Jeong Yeon was introduced too late in the show for me to care about her at all. There was nothing wrong with her character really, but she was introduced so late that she didn't really affect anyone at all.
-Seong Uk was barely in the show, but I was still able to guess really early on that he was the mole. I think the show did a decent job misleading on who it was though, even if I did guess it early. I thought it was still crazy he betrayed Ha Gi though since his kids literally call Ha Gi uncle and they're really close outside of work. I did feel bad for the CEO with that.
-Min A and Yeong U were a lot of fun along with some of the other colleges like Mi Yeong. I think they all brought some funny moments to the show.
-Min U was such a catch. I loved him a lot. He brought some good comedy as well was just a good guy all around.
-Mi Mi's character was fine but didn't really stand out at all.
-Seul A was just another saesang in the show. I did like how she helped Roy make his way back to DNX again.

Relationships
-Chan and Da Reum: I really liked their relationship a lot. I knew going into the show that she was ending up with the ceo and was curious how they were going to make her not want the man she's been in love with for 10+ years, and I think they did it in a stupid way to be honest. Not the worst, but it definitely could've been better. He was so sweet to her, constantly asking if she was okay, was opening up to her, and really tried to get to know her. She on the other hand didn't put any effort in at all. I completely understand being upset when he left her at the dinner, but as for the other times they were interrupted, she knew going into this that he was a famous celebrity. I think it would've made more sense with her being upset over it if they were together longer. If we saw they were together longer and every time they're trying to have date, he was ditching her or him not being who she thought he was, then it would've made sense why she ended things, but he left her one time and she ended things. It was so ridiculous. I'll also say I think these two actors had better chemistry together than her and the CEO by a long shot.
-Ha Gi and Da Reum: As you can tell I already didn't like these two as characters and I didn't really like them as a couple either. We only ever saw them at work or work-related events or talking about work. They so rarely talking about things outside of work that it didn't really make sense why they fell for each in the first place, other than that they were constantly around each other in the workplace. We never saw them bond or relate to each other on anything or got really any emotional scenes between them, so the relationship felt so empty to me. Which leads me into my next point about them. They both have the emotional intelligence of a toddler. These people are supposed to be 30+ years old and were acting like little kids. I've seen toddlers more in tune with their feelings and thoughts than these two. Neither of them ever wanted to or knew how to express how they were feeling about anything. Their kissing was some of the worst I've seen in a long time too. You could tell the actress did not want to kiss him. They just had bad chemistry together as actors. Even in interviews I've seen, they didn't seem super comfortable around each other, and she seems to just not like him very much.
-Chan and Ha Gi: Their friendship in the first episode or so was really cute and they had moments throughout the rest of the show that were sweet, but for the most part they kind of were bad friends to each (mainly Ha Gi towards Chan). They didn't really tell each other anything and they're supposed to be best friends...sure. The actors had great chemistry together though. In the interviews they seemed way more into each other than with her.
-Da Reum, Min A, and Yeong U: I loved seeing the friendship between these three a a lot. It was really cute. I was shocked the two ended up together because I thought he was gay the whole time I can't lie.
-Our three girls: They did have some really cute and sweet moments together as friends and I loved that liking the same group is how they became friends to begin with, but a lot of what we saw was just them supporting each others saesang behavior.
-Mi Mi and Min U's relationship was cute for the most part but the playing hard to get was so childish.

Overall, as you can tell, I really hated this show. It was only on for six weeks and those two hours every week really dragged. It's by far the worst thing I've seen Woomin in. I have very few good things to say about this show and absolutely would never recommend this anyone.

Read More

So cute and nostalgic!

I absolutely loved and adored this show! This was so cute and so wholesome! It's been my favorite thing airing the past 12 weeks and am so sad that it's over. I love AlmondProgress and KenPaul, so I was happy to see them in a new show! All of these guys are just incredible actors!! It was my first time seeing Keaton and Justin and they were great actors as well. I love that over this show we got to see them go from young high schoolers all the way through them graduating college. Seeing all of them grow up was so nice to see. This show just gave me so many nostalgic feelings throughout it even though I didn't go through much of what they did, it still gave that feeling of nostalgia and youth and I loved that.

Ko and Ko:
Ko (Progress) was so funny! I loved seeing that he was more than just a funny guy though as well. We really got to see a lot of different sides of him and I loved that. Ko (Almond) was so smart and so loving. I loved that we got to see him go from someone a bit more reserved to someone goofier and more open with his feelings. I thought it was pretty cute that they had the same name and loved the nicknames they gave each other. Them going from neighbors to friends to boyfriends was so beautiful to see. I just loved seeing how their feelings for each other kept developing. They really grew a lot with each other as a couple as well as individuals. They had so many sweet moments together, it was too cute!! Even when they had issues, they seemed to work it out pretty quickly which was nice to see. Almond and Progress did such an incredible job playing these roles. The confession in the rain really showed how great of actors these boys are.

Augur and Aichi:
I'm going to put Aichi in my pocket, he is so stinking cute! He's such a sweetie and I loved seeing him get a little sassier as he got older. I loved how good of a friend Augur was to everyone. He really helped a lot of relationships develop if you think about it. I loved these two together so much. Seeing them go from friends to boyfriends was so sweet. I loved how they just went everywhere together and seeing Aichi be Augur's number one supporter with basketball. Their confession to each other was so cute and so flirty, I loved it! I was shocked that they argued so much when they were in college, but I loved what Augur said about it all in the end.

August and Tle:
We have to address the elephant in the room before anything else with these two and that is Justin. Obviously because of what Justin did, it effected the screentime for August and Tle in episodes 11 and 12. We barely saw Tle at all (I don't think he was in more than one shot in the finale) and he wasn't even mentioned other than that. We did still see August because of group shots and things like that, which I have no issue with. I personally wish they would've just left those scenes with August and Tle in because it did feel very incomplete and like Tle was just written out of the show. What Justin did was in no way shape or form okay, but that being said I do think we should blame the actor and not the character. I mean because of this, poor Keaten was basically written out of the last two episodes and that is not fair to him, or the characters August and Tle at all. I did really think August and Tle had some cute moments together and was looking forward to seeing where that relationship would go, but all well.

I just absolutely adored this show and despite the last two episodes being a little shorter because of the Justin situation, I'm not going to take any points of my rating off because of that. This show was just so wholesome and so enjoyable to watch. These boys all had great chemistry together, whether that was romantic or not, and I loved this friend group so much! We need more shows like this!! So stinking cute!!

Read More

Absolute perfection, a true masterpiece

This show is a true masterpiece. This is easily one of the greatest shows I've ever seen. In only six episodes they were able to tell such an incredibly beautiful story. I was brought to tears and cried multiple times and I've never been religious, so I can't even imagine what it was like being religious and watching this. I could talk about it this show forever.

Barth:
Getting to learn about his past, his experience with religion, how he came to the school in the first place, and seeing that grow into the man he becomes in the end was so beautiful. He went through so much. Seeing him reconnect with God after visiting his mom made me cry. Such a powerful moment when he looked up and prayed after visiting her. I loved Barth so much. He was funny, such a tease, kind, and so loving. I love how much he flirted and teased Tan without ever pressuring him into anything. He fell so hard for Tan and I loved seeing him go about that relationship given the time and where they were.

Tan:
Seeing his struggle with his faith and his sexuality was so heart wrenching to see, but so real. So many people go through the same or similar things, and it just felt so real. He broke my heart and made me emotional and cry multiple times. I loved seeing him learn about his feelings with Barth, it was so wholesome and again so heart wrenching at the same time. I was so happy when he got to talk to the trans woman because I think she really helped him get the clarity he needed. I loved seeing him go and talk to Father in the present day about everything and how understanding he was with it all. He was just such a sweetheart, so caring, so smart, and so full of love. His whole monologue at the end as well was so beautiful.

I loved seeing Barth and Tan's relationship develop. It was fun and playful yet so deep and powerful at the same time. I loved seeing them together 20 or so years later happily married too! Seeing them with their wedding rings, photos, and just their life in general was so emotional to see. I really thought the show was going to have a sad ending and I'm so glad it didn't and in fact was just a love story.

Gemini and Fourth absolutely killed these roles. I can't imagine anyone else as Barth and Tan. Their acting is some of the best I've seen. They both were able to convey the story perfectly and could say so much without saying anything. Before this show, I hadn't seen them in anything before, and this show made me want to see their other work. Give these guys an award for this!

The cinematography and lighting in this were absolutely incredible! The different lighting choices depending on the moods of the scenes, the different camera shots; everything about it was true cinema.

This show is just a true masterpiece, and I recommend it to everyone, but especially those who have faced religious traumas or struggles or is part of the LGBTQ+ community. I wish I could give this higher than a 10/10 because it truly deserves it.

Read More