
Slow yet Enjoyable
Miraculous Brothers is a slow paced story about a murder and how 3 men get embroiled into the case spanning 17 years. The second mystery revolves around a teenager who seems to appear out of nowhere in front of the ML's car and can't remember anything about himself. They discover he has some special powers that allows him to see more than what others let on.Both mysteries are good and overall plot is interesting with a satisfactory ending as long as you are patient. Even the bromance takes time to develop. Sometimes a few characters can feel annoying, eg. ML's mother, but one can look past it. Unlike plots of other shows where things get left out, the writers don't leave any plot holes with this one. Just don't watch this show because of the sci-fi element as it's not present throughout the show. Whenever it is there, it's enjoyable and I do wish we got a bit more of it at times. Miraculous Brothers has a bit of a Signal feel to it. But instead all the work is being done by ordinary citizens and the police is terrible at their job which can be frustrating to watch at times.
Apart from the pacing, I don't really have any complaints with the story. So if you feel the same at any point, just watch on 1.5x speed. That was the biggest drawback for me. While watching the finale episode at normal speed, I noticed that many of the characters, other than the main leads, would all talk slowly with unnaturally long gaps between their dialogues. It's not one particular character but way too many of them which is clearly the director's instruction to the actors. Because of which I wasn't sure if there would be enough time to cover everything but they did.
The ending seemed to tease the possibility of a second season or to just say that more adventures await. :)
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Plot as annoying as the disturbance faced by the tenants
The first half of the movie was intriguing. A regular office worker buys his first apartment while slaving away at 2 jobs just to make ends meet hoping to cash in when the market value of his apartment rises. He has put up with so much, what's a noisy neighbour at 4am?Then the neighbours come into picture and everything becomes a dumpster fire. While I understand the movie tries to recreate the frustration and distress faced by the male lead in the minds of the audiences but it was more irritating than just building tension. I never wanted to get through a movie faster than this one!
I couldn't STAND these characters and at some point that included the male lead. Nor did I care for the way the movie ended. It all felt super pointless.
If you love horror or thrillers, this is not worthy of a watch let alone a rewatch.
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Visually Beautiful With Enchanting Music
The story is not very special and some of the characters are not fully fleshed out which make the characters a bit unrelatable but overall the movie is quite enjoyable. Mainly due to the bright visuals and the goosebumps-inducing music. There are some funny moments like introducing the Saja Boys (Ahn Hyo Seop) to Love, Maybe (Business Proposal OST).From Soda Pop to Golden to Your Idol, the songs are fun to listen to on repeat. The movie isn't boring for a minute and holds your attention quite well. But it is geared towards those who enjoy KPop, Kdramas and Korean language and culture. There are words in Korean that don't seem to have been translated so you won't be able to understand those little things.
If you look into the cultural references, a lot of details went into the art and animation of KPop Demon Hunters which is quite cool! The details on the animation is especially impressive.
Overall, I would say the plot is the weakest aspect of the movie but the overall fun feel and being a family entertainer certainly makes it worth watching at least once and is possibly a movie that you can even watch on repeat if you enjoy this kind of music.
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This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful but Incomplete
Twinkling Watermelon has a lot to love about it. I love Time Travel tropes already and I am happy they chose to introduce deaf characters and depicting family bonds and friendships. Despite it having several heart touching moments there is still something missing.Ha Eun Gyeol is the only hearing member of his family. He has seen a lot of struggles as well as had to put aside his own dreams for the sake of his family. He is carrying burdens and is scarred without realizing what he means to his family. Travelling back in time helps put a lot of things in perspective and he hopes it is also an opportunity to save his father. It is only when he goes back in time, he realizes that his father was also once a teenager who had dreams of his own as well as struggles of his own. The same with his mother and he still desires to carry his family's burdens. But in the process he also ends up sharing a strong bond with his father, Yi Chan. One that he never expected. His moments with Yi Chan are the highlight of the show so the ending does leave you with a little more to be desired.
With regards to his mother, Cheong Ah, again he forms a protective relationship and a lot of instances made me tear up. The depictions are beautiful. Yet again, the ending speed runs through their reintroduction.
Eun Gyeol also meets Eun Yu. I found the chemistry between them quite lacking unlike Yi Chan and Cheong Ah's. The former's relationship didn't really develop well and felt quite choatic. We also don't see Eun Yu overcoming her own trauma rather running away from it. The series also completely skips over Eun Yu's family reunion which was disappointing.
There were moments that felt like the series was dragging and if they had simply reduced those, they would have had the time to give us a more complete picture and then I could surely rate it a 10.
The OST is nice but other than the final song, nothing really blew me away which is disappointing since music is such an important aspect of the plot. The final song is catchy but not exceptional.
Overall, the series is good and heartwarming. The actors have done a fine job in their portrayals and make this series worth watching.
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Controversial
To be honest, I enjoyed the show except for the very end. Perhaps if they had ended it differently, I would rate it higher. But it would also be no different from other shows and be easy to forget. I can see the writer's dilemma.Nonetheless, I've rated it as a work of fiction. I enjoyed the acting and the story telling. I do understand that such lifestyles work for some people. Just like polygyny, polyandry exists. Men bragging about threesomes gets brushed away as normal/exciting. But women having several partners or partners simultaneousy is viewed as immoral or shameful. Such is the reality of most patriarchal societies that are especially worse in the continent of Asia.
If those involved are in consenting relationships, should we be offended is what it ultimately comes down to. It is possible to have your own set of beliefs without imposing it on others. In order words, live and let live.
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Even with the lows, the relationship is worth watching
I'll be honest, the reason why I rated it this high is because of the relationship between the couple is so mature that it is one of the best I have ever seen. The understanding that the male lead has towards the female lead genuinely touched my heart even towards the last few episodes. The ending of this show didn't make a lot of sense but I still cannot take away from how much I enjoyed the show to score it low. Either way it's still an 8+.Things I loved:
- The strong female lead. She is a working woman and has to deal with a lot of misogyny at her workplace despite being incredible at her job. However she has a knack for dealing with people and it made me want to save the dialogues. I loved the way, the writers wrote her lines.
- A male lead that is understanding. Not just in a superficial sense but in a deep sense. He knows why the female lead is the way she is. And when he doesn't, he is guided into understanding her by his father.
- The couple's relationship itself.
- The lines are powerful. I genuinely enjoyed so many different dialogues.
- The OST.
Things I disliked:
- The brother and his relationship with his wife. It is toxic and I never quite got why he is the way he is.
- Though I love that the show covers the life of the female lead in her law firm but the name of the show is "She and Her Perfect HUSBAND". For whatever reason, they don't show much of their time together at all compared to the law cases. The male lead's character has less screen time which I didn't appreciate.
- SPOILER: The ending. The husband and wife get a divorce at one point because the female lead cannot accept that she has feelings for the male lead. I'm not sure why when she can admit it to everyone else. The male lead decides to wait until she is ready to accept him and her feelings for him. However, that never happens. He just moves next to her and they hug and everything is resolved. It was so rushed that this is the main aspect that didn't make any sense. I am not sure if it has anything to do the editing or they just ran out of time (they had 40 episodes) but that was nonsensical in an otherwise perfect show.
I still recommend the show for the highs. For those who aren't interested in the law aspect, it might not be suited for you but it's worth skipping parts to where the main leads are with each other or discussing each other.
I will rewatch parts of this show that I loved for sure.
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Drama Special Season 12: A Moment of Romance
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Kindness always wins
Enjoyed the story a lot. Sometimes things that seem small build up in a relationship making you feel completely alone and unloved. That is how the female lead started to feel. She also saw the loveless marriage her parents had and wanted different for herself. Everyone deserves to be cherished.I am glad she didn't give the male lead a second chance. Old habits die hard. He would have only changed for a short while and then they would have gone back to their status quo. The biggest mistake most women make in relationships is hoping men will change and they never do. Instead she decided to give a man who truly cared for her well being a chance. In the end, kindness goes a long way in showing you care about your partner.
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Mind blowing ending
This series is proof that even dramas with short episodes can be amazing! This should be on everyone's must watch list.Though the show has a fantasy element to it with the face swapping, the show is mostly depicting human emotions and relationships and character developments as well. The evil characters are actually grey. The story is actually simple but presented in a wonderful way. The relationship between the main couple is very sweet and will make you smile. The female lead is not powerful per say, but she is not feeble-minded or presented as helpless. She knows how to solve her own problems. The male lead is also intelligent and kind which really shines. The side characters, be it the military adviser, the child, the friend from the brothel house or the head maid, are all lovely and add their own charm to this show. The negative characters also add a very interesting element. I enjoyed the role of the prince quite a lot.
Episode 17 is probably the best. It moves super quick and brings some unexpected insights that tie the whole plot together.
The OST is very memorable and catchy. This is definitely much more than a romance drama with the mystery element but it will give you enough of both.
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Brilliant show with a terrible ending
I was prepared to give this show a 10/10 rating until I saw episode 15 and 16. So bizarre! I've adjusted my pre-final rating of 9.5 to 8.5 just because of those last 2 episodes.The story begins with a national level fencer, Na Hee Do, who is now retired dropping her daughter, Kim Min Chae off to perform in a ballet contest. However, seeing her competitor's performance, Min Chae runs away and eventually goes to stay with her grandmother in Hee Do's childhood home. She discovers her mother's diaries and learns about Hee Do's passion for fencing, her rivalry and friendship with Go Yu Rim and her first real relationship with Baek Yi Jin. Most of the story revolves around these characters growing up in the 90s and how they deal with hardships and forming a strong support system for each other. This journey (until episode 14) is the most beautiful part of the series. The realism and the positivity is inspiring.
Then from episode 15, everything starts to spiral downwards eventually crash landing in episode 16. Ep 15 was a drag. There was a huge build up surrounding what happened between Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin and who is Kim Min Chae's father? The answer is weak to non-existent. Of all the obstacles, both endured, the result does not make sense. Even if the writer did not want to deliver a positive ending, which not all stories and real life experiences have, why not answer some questions as to who Hee Do married and why focus on this elaborate story if it was all about the kid going back to ballet?
Overall:
The Good
1. Na Hee Do's fencing moments are thrilling.
2. The rivalry and friendship between Na Hee Do and Go Yu Rim are beautiful! I adored the development and result.
3. The way Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin's relationship develops and their journey as each other's support system is endearing.
4. Baek Yi Jin's struggles from his family facing hardships and his growing responsibilities as the new head responsible for bringing his family together is worth watching.
5. The friendship between Moon Ji Woong and Ji Seung Wan is adorable and provide a lot of comic relief!
6. The coach and Hee Do's mother are wonderful characters and their relationship with Hee Do is interesting to watch with plenty of ups and downs.
7. The OST is wonderful.
The Bad aka the parts that are left unanswered:
1. The writers wanted a sad ending but Yi Jin's choices did not make sense since he switched fields just to avoid ever hurting Hee Do and in the end completely avoided her.
2. Why send a rookie in local news to cover a major international event? This is entirely illogical in the real world setting. It does not sit well with me progression wise.
3. Why did Yi Jin leave coins over the telephone booth at the beach? It wasn't clarified who it was for.
4. Who is Kim Min Chae's father and what was the need to hide his identity towards the end? There is no communication between the family and the father over a call either which is bizarre.
5. Why was Kim Min Chae and the older Hee Do required for the story? Was it all just so that Min Chae is motivated to pursue ballet? Could Min Chae not have the same life experiences without it?
6. The unnecessary dramatic departure that was stretched way too long.
I wanted to rewatch this series but after this ending, I might skip it. I would only recommend this show until mid ep 15. Don't bother with the rest.
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Too much talking
I gave this series a fair shot by watching every episode but sadly I never got emotionally invested with any of the characters though I was intrigued on how it would end.The series is good but not great. The CGI initially was just awful. It did gradually get better. The FL was intolerable to me for most of the storyline except towards the latter part of the series. The ML is okay. Didn't really feel much for him which is a bad sign. There is just too much talking and very little action. Because of that I had to watch all 40 episodes in 2x and I still wanted it to go faster. The slowest part of the plot was the 'mine'. It just annoyed me.
The set design was actually pretty good. I can definitely see the work that went into it. The plot itself is decent and just elaborate enough so you don't lose interest. But I would have liked it more if there were fewer episodes.
The series ending was not great. Guess we will get some extra scenes. The final fight was okay. Still way too much talking for my liking which dampened my interest.
It was my least favourite wuxia drama as I kept hoping it would get better but the feeling of wanting to skip ahead or wishing to play in 3x never went away. It didn't help that the poor subs made the dramatic scenes hilarious instead of upsetting.
The secondary characters were quite decent. I just wish the main characters were superior. The action scenes are okay. Mostly flying and CGI. You don't see any special fight moves because of the light and sparks.
The OST didn't make me want to go back and listen to it. But it's not bad.
I was conflicted on whether to rate this a 6.5 or 7. But if I am being honest, I wouldn't recommend this drama though I can appreciate some of the complexity to the story. It just didn't interest me enough. Some parts didn't quite make sense to me like the entire immortal realm being evil and overpowering any of the good. Another airing drama like The Legend of Shen Li is far better in holding my attention, the CGI and the dialogues are interesting. You don't feel like skipping ahead because it has good drama.
Burning Flames is good but even if you skip, you won't miss out on anything special, IMO.
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Lovely - if I say so it is!
It was one of the best shows currently airing and a breath of fresh air. The plot of pretty simple really - FL can hear lies in real time and ML is overly cautious of people.I enjoyed figuring out the mystery behind the ML and the whole what-happened or who-dun-it scenario. Though I figured it out relatively quick, it didn't seem obvious to others so it's a decent mystery.
Watched this for Hyung Min Hyun. His role is similar to that of Alchemy Of Souls where he is a quiet and decent guy who falls in love. We get some nice action sequence initially as well and I hope he does such roles in the future too. I also enjoyed his cute comedy.
Kim So Hyun - I loved her line - if I say so it is. I started using it in real life for fun. I liked her strong yet soft personality. She has empathy for others. The leads had good chemistry.
I love mix genres that mix romance with mystery and if you're like me you might like this as well.
The OST is nice and there are lots of different songs included since it covers a music company and Min Hyun plays a songwriter.
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Behind the scenes toxicity but good for a casual watch
This was my first kpop survival show and even though the production quality was good, the contestants are a good mix from far east Asia, the production team seemed to be toxic. Right from the second challenge, the controversy started when they did not care about the contestants's health. Lee Seung Gi as a judge was unbearable to me and I used to like him before. Now my perception of him has totally changed because his remarks were so nonsensical.Also the final line up of debutants was disappointing. I was already upset that a lot of my favourites didn't get to top 18 despite being better than some of the contestants that did. But then some of the not so good contestants even took the spots of the actual talents in the top 9.
I also had an inkling that the contestants that the team kept highlighting and focusing their cameras on were the ones who got more votes because the others were simply not shown much or at all. Thus they could not develop fan bases. And when 2 of your consistantly top contestants withdraw because of the harsh and unjustified comments they received, you really need to think hard on what kind of company you are.
If you want to watch the series casually, go for it before it is enjoyable and their Signal song - Good Luck as well as their final song for fans were good.
ADVICE: Don't get invested because this show is almost like the GOT of survival shows.
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Beware if you can't stand cruelty
I truly loved the first 2 episodes. Until about episode 4 I found the show exciting and then things took a turn for the worse. Life can already so miserable so if you're looking for an escape, this show isn't it. It depicts the worst of human nature, frustrating characters, the insanity and of course the sadistic aspect. It was extremely hard to stomach. It hit me like a gut punch and that's where I started to lose interest and had to speed up just to get through to the end.Would a show with pleaasant people have been as entertaining? Perhaps not for such a genre. But then I also do not find these kinds of horrific shows entertaining and I keep forgetting to check details of Netflix Korean dramas which tend to contain nudity (male in this one) and extreme forms of violence (torture) compared to what ordinary Korean dramas would consider depicting. Basically I just read the synopsis and went in blind.
Another aspect that I disliked is the awful ending that is quite underwhelming but teases a second season. I'll pass thanks.
I have rated it a 6.5 because I thought the concept was quite good (a bit like Squid Game - similar set-up but worse in many ways). Also because I enjoyed the first half as well as the mystery behind each character. However I still don't understand the actions of some of the characters while some were just a victim of lazy writing or ignored entirely. The only positive is the unpredictability of many characters and the perspective and conundrum of a very ordinary unspectacular male lead.
If you aren't triggered easily then you might find this show more enjogable than I did. Personally, I will never be able to rewatch this.
I didn't notice the OST other than the "i'm so lonely" sped up as the intro. It was meh.
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Excelled in every aspect
From the plot, the acting, the cast, the production, the CGI, the action sequences, the comedy, the romance and the OST have all been top notch.I consumed this drama so quickly, it was hard waiting for more episodes to come. It is ideal to binge watch because you can't stop once you start watching.
I enjoyed the strong FL and mature depiction of affection between the two leads. But romance is more subtle and the story deals more with the responsibility these two characters carry. It had a strong start and I don't believe any point of the plot did I find the story boring. There are some interesting plot twists so avoid spoilers. Some of the comedy towards the end was most enjoyable. The action sequences paired with the OST is thrilling. The CGI is quite beautiful in those moments as well.
I enjoyed most of the secondary characters as well especially a female character towards the end - lady in red. But Shen Li definitely is the show stealer and it is nice to see a female given such a strong role.
I happened to watch this drama by chance and I'm glad I started it. Will definitely be recommending to others as well.
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This review may contain spoilers
Not predictable but not exceptional - trigger warnings discussed
I enjoyed the series considering a lot of people didn't. Most didn't seem to like the directing style which didn't bother me. The show wasn't boring at any point but the focus of the show seemed to shift drastically towards the middle with the male lead being sidelined. The other characters are also interesting but it felt odd by the end. The story direction took away the impact of their lead.The other thing that bothered me is there is a blaring female full frontal nude scene disguised as a sex scene. Meanwhile the male is cleverly hidden and wearing full clothes. It felt like a cheap attempt at gaining viewership. Such a Netflix thing. There aren't any strong female characters in the series unfortunately or at least not for very long. Mostly the women are side characters. The show does deal with sexual assault but despite being a show surrounding justice, the audience isn't given much time to empathize with the victims. They are almost secondary to the plot. The story just skips over quickly to the next case. It feels like the production didn't care too much about those victims. The focus was mainly on the men and their way of handling situation.
Another trigger warning for those sensitive to such topics - suicide and attempted suicide has been depicted. Sadly I can't really applaud them for the way it has been presented as it doesn't really deep dive into the emotions of the characters. Everything is shown in bites and then the story moves on.
The gore is just bearable, I'd say. They somewhat toned down the brutality of the murders by slowing scenes down or cutting to a different moment in time, imposing other shots in between to take you away from the moment of horror. The story also showed less and less on how murders impacted the male lead and his psyche. There was a drastic shift from his world view to story of the other characters.
I binged the series in about a day. It's got a decent pace for the most part. But if you enjoy thrillers or plots revolving around killers, vigilantes, and justice, etc, then this show is one of the weakest since it leaves you longing for something more. Nothing exceptional has been presented here. However, if you do watch, you certainly won't be bored.
Nothing really stood out from the OST for me.
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