ColourMePurple

Magic, mystery and plenty of music

The series reminded me of the musical Mary Poppins but instead of a nanny, Yoon Ah Yi meets a mysterious magician who keeps trying to get her to believe in magic whenever she's at her lowest thereby alleviating a little bit of her misery.

Yoon Ah Yi is a highschool student struggling to look after herself and her younger sister after her parents abandoned them when they were children due to debt. Ah Yi is a meek child who longs for the return of her parents or to grow up. Due to having no guardian in her life, she is forced to work odd jobs while trying to do her best at school. In trying to pay the rent and provide for herself and her sister, she lands herself in trouble and makes uncomfortable deals.

The positives:
- Her classmate and also the topper, Na Il Deung, begins to have feelings for Ah Yi but finds it difficult to express them. Those moments and the ups and downs of their relationship is interesting with cute moments.
- The magic depicted has both stage level magic and fantastical elements. So when the magician asks, "do you believe in magic", you want to believe him.
- The mystery element added as a side plot is intriguing.
- Unlike Mary Poppins, there are some very nasty natures of people depicted and it's very realistic and a contrasting element.
- Several good messages are shared throughout the series especially the end.

The negatives:
- The story slows down several times throughout the show. Some episodes have a lot happening and are enjoyable but other episodes seem to be dragging.
- I generally enjoy the soundtrack of shows. Unfortunately didn't enjoy this one as it's quite slow and brings the story to a standstill many times and I had to skip ahead.
- The idea that parents can simply abandon their young children and leave them to fend for themselves in their home is infuriating. There is no explanation how Yoon Ah Yi survived all these years. She seemed under 10 years of age and her sister might have been 3-4 years old. It was bizarre storyline.
- There is no explanation of what happened to the mother.
- Bella, the parrot. Watch till the end to understand why.

Overall, I liked the drama but with so many dramas releasing, I would probably not come to this one except maybe to parts of the last episode as I enjoyed some of the dialogues. Very meaningful.

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A complete package!

I loved watching Undercover High School so much! It was an absolute delight! The entire cast did a fantastic job and not just the main leads. I always love me a strong and smart female lead and Sua is definitely one along with being a compassionate person. Haesong is just too cool in every way. He has managed to portray action, comedy and deep emotions spectacularly. The team was just a delight. The students were also talented and bring life to the show. Loved the bromance and sismance. The chairwoman's character is also wonderfully portrayed and made a great villain.

The most enjoyable moments for me were the action and comedy scenes. It is rare that I truly enjoy the comedy because everyone has their own niche preference of what makes them laugh. I believe Undercover High School's comedy would have mass appeal. It's subtle rather than over the top. There is both physical comedy as well as dialogues that will make you laugh.

The plot itself is simple yet perfect. An NIS agent is on the mission to find the rumoured hidden treasure at a high school. In order to access the premises, he has to disguise himself as a student and face challenges that other students also deal with in high school. They do not waste time with him solely building inter-student relations. It very much revolves around his mission and introduces various characters in the process.

One can also get a taste of multiple genres like mystery, horror, historical, youth, besides action and comedy. As for the romance, it is mostly in the form of acts of service and bucket loads of chemistry. I would hope people still watch it for the cuteness of the two leads.

The show has great pacing and not a single moment is boring. I would probably watch this show all over again which is extremely rare for me to do!

Perhaps the OST is the only thing that didn't stand out for me (maybe because I was so immersed in the series) but I didn't dislike it either. So overall the show is a 9.5/10! Highly recommend it!

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Action, Rage and Friendships

What a powerful series! I heard of it only a week prior to it's release and when I started watching, I couldn't stop. I binged the whole show in one sitting!

Don't be put off by the bullying and high school storyline. This is more than the average revenge drama. There are many layers to our 3 main characters. The story revolves around 3 students, one is a studious kid, the other sleeps through most of his classes and an excellent fighter and the last a transfer student. The three end up forming a deep bond over the harassment by their class bullies. I found myself cheering for them with every obstacle that they encountered. The action scenes are incredible. Some are a little gruesome. You really have to wonder if bullying in Korean schools really as bad as the claims are.

The show is not all dark. It has it's sweet moments as well as moments that make you sit at the edge of your seat in excitement.

I genuinely loved the series but I have to deduct 0.5 simply because of what happened at the end. It was extremely frustrating and upsetting for me to watch.

The acting of all the actors (including bullies) is simply top notch. Although there were a few times when I felt like the storyline defining the characters was a bit extreme. I didn't pay much attention to the music but whatever I did hear, it was quite enjoyable. I hope people give this series a try and I hope you will be pleasantly surprised just like I was.

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Not much content in the story till the end

When I first started watching, I really enjoyed the show. Finally a couple that was more mature and not acting silly. Then they introduced the second couple who started acting like children. Can't stand them together. Also there doesn't seem much to the story. No progress episode to episode means they have left everything for the last or last 2 episodes.

To be honest, I don't really care much for the main couple's slow burn romance either. I do like all the cast members as individuals. However, the romance is not depicted well. Only the last few episodes of their romance was decent.

Another frustrating aspect was that the detective brother keeps preventing the female lead from remembering anything or doing anything. Nor does he do anything. I didn't understand why. The female detective is so underutilised.

I'm glad this is only 12 episodes long but perhaps the story could have been wound up in 6 - 8. After the first 4 episodes, it would be better to just skip to episode 10. Story picks up from there and gets a bit interesting.

The drama is okay for a one time watch.

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Enlightening and Enjoyable

Apart from a few episodes in between around the earthquake where the story feels a bit slow, the show as a whole was amazing and worth watching till the end.

Keeping this review simple, I'll list out some of the highlights of this show for me:
1. The firefighting was what attracted me to the show as there are not many shows that cover this line of work (The First Responders kdrama also do an excellent job). The show detailed all kinds of rescue work that firefighters are involved in and the kind of equipment and techniques used in their missions along with use of technology making it quite fascinating.
2. The romance plot is a bit of a slow burn but was also an interesting addition to the show. Highlighting the professional and personal lives of both the main leads and how they maintain a balance as well as how one impacts the other giving a well rounded idea of both characters.
3. The strict mother plot also gives another interesting perspective to Asian families and how even adults are forced to juggle between independence and not upsetting their parents with their personal decisions.
4. The portrayals by the actors were interesting and memorable. I also noticed that the female lead would change her mannerisms while at work, dealing with her mother and her boyfriend. While at work she was strong, reserved and unflinching. With her mother, she was quiet and timid. And later with her boyfriend, she was happy and almost child-like and carefree. I loved all these sides to her and the actress did a very realistic job with it. Similarly, the male lead was strict and stern at work, unwavering almost as the leader who is responsible for everyone's safety but with the female lead, he was protective, caring and playful in the latter half of the series. Even when they were trying to hide their affection for each other, they had moments where they let down their guards.
5. Each cast member also had some part to play in the story and made it quite a strong performance and an outstanding series. The sister, the firefighters and the medical staff added a bit of comedy and fun so it was not as serious as one might believe.

I don't have too many complaints.
1. Somewhere in between the show was a little slow so I wish that was cut shorter and other scenes that were cut out were added back instead.
2. No wedding scene. Though it's not a big issue but I would have liked to see that.
3. The second male lead (portrayed by Vin Zhang) had a very short role.
4. I wish we could have seen Da Peng and Dr. Li Nan's story move forward. That was disappointing.

The series also has lovely, soothing OST. I hope more viewers give this series a try. It's certainly worth your time.

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Brilliant cast and edge of your seat suspense

The emotional rollercoaster this show has taken me on has been spectacular! Though the second part was a tad slow at first, the writers managed to keep us in suspense until the very last 2 episodes on how everything will come together. So for those watching and worrying, just sit back and let go of your anxiety and have fun with every moment.

Go Youn Jung had very big shoes to fill after Jung So Min charmed us with her sass and wit in season 1. But this season is not about the actress replacing the other. It is about growth and change. What you will get it hints of the same character yet different. And the main moments are the chemistry between the male and female lead. We also see hints of the special connection she has with the other male characters.

Crown Prince Go Won has been a lovely character once again. And Jin Mu has been the bad guy this show needed.

The only flaws with the show are the slow momentum, much less action and CGI. However, the ending will still leave you satisfied.

The OST of this show is one of the best! I can listen to it on repeat endlessly.

This show is worth rewatching and probably one of the few shows that I actually went back and saw multiple times in the process of waiting. Will definitely recommend it and whoever I did recommend the series to, have thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you do too!

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Good twists

The show started off a bit slow in the beginning but my interest grew from episode 3 onwards. I was curious to see where they would take the story and how the ML would try to help the FL. The use of statistics to try and evaluate the incidences of people getting injured around her was a good plotline.

I didn't realise that the series was only 10 episodes long so by 10th episode I thought we needed a bit more and was a bit surprised that it was over. I didn't see a certain twist coming and that was quite interesting. The story of the second male and female lead was a bit rushed. Perhaps these would be the only drawbacks.

The actors did quite a good job and the OST is lovely as well. Overall I enjoyed it.

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Couldn't Connect

I was extremely excited for this season after enjoying the first season but somewhere in the middle I lost interest in the plot.

The story seemed to be all over the place. They killed off a character which I didn't quite understand the rationale behind. The show was still all right till that point albeit a bit slow for my liking. Story in between is forgettable. Then one by one new characters came out of the blue. One to serve as replacement to complete the trio but it just wasn't the same. I must have fallen asleep at some point because I don't understand why a certain character came into the picture. Convenient placement?

I liked that they added the autopsy scenes but it wasn't as impressive compared to the firefighting of the earlier season. They didn't really highlight a lot of medical and technical advancements.

The shows certainly goes for the shock value towards the end with the final criminal. Some incorrect medical statements were also made. I'm not sure how the system works in South Korea but since they are working with bombs, shouldn't a different department have jurisdiction? In that case, it would have been earlier to find the seller using legal means. I might also be mistaken but it takes less work to access the dark net which is why so many criminals can frequent it in the first place and nothing can be done about it.

Part of my interest dwindled when I had figured out the mystery of the final story so I couldn't enjoy it as much. It wrapped up quick which was good. I rolled my eyes at the US officials being certain of the result of a trial that hasn't even taken place. It's not like perpetrators ever get away through a mistrial or lack of evidence, right?

I wish I could score this higher but at the same time don't want to rate it too low since the actors did portray their characters well. They did try with the story. It just didn't strike a chord with me the way I wished it had and I don't have the patience to rewatch for now.

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Complicated with good moments and plotholes

I wish I could say I was enthralled with this series like so many others but something kept me from falling in love with it. One of the main reasons was not being able to understand every single business/political element to the story and there is plenty of it which is what adds to the thrill. So if you cannot completely comprehend some of those "wins", it gives a very dull effect. Something the writers should have considered and tried to explain or simplify. You can still enjoy the show. Just not to the full effect.

Best moments:
1. There are many shocking moments and revelations that you can't anticipate and were enjoyable.
2. The fantasy element that adds a twist and is a major part of the story.
3. The relationship between Do Jun and his grandfather were truly some of the best moments.
4. The way Do Jun makes his way through the hurdles armed with the knowledge of his past life.
5. Seeing the Jin family fail and fight amongst themselves was amusing.

Not so great moments:
1. No one noticing that Yoon Hyun Woo and Jin Do Jun look EXACTLY alike.
2. Not being able to understand some of the "lingo" fully.
3. Do Jin ignoring his family after his real mother's death even when he could have.
4. The romance is practically non-existent and although I would not care otherwise, it feels like they built up a story for no reason.
5. The conclusion. Part of it does not make sense. You are rooting for a character and in the end, everything feels a bit bland and unsatisfactory.

Up until the 14th episode my rating was 8.5 for this show. I'm changing that now to a 7.5 based on the last episode. I am not likely to rewatch this show but it's a decent show. There are plenty of good reasons to watch it.

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Problematic with some nice moments

The 2nd season was definitely a bit of a let down. I found myself checking repeatedly to see how much more is left midway. I'm going to share spoilers to explain why I had issues with this half of the show.

First, the positives in the show. The husband is shown growing in responsibility but continues to be loving and kind. The sweet couple moments are enjoyable. The way they overcome different obstacles is fun (mostly).

The disappointments:
I genuinely enjoyed seeing the duality of the husband in the first season, but because the wife was angry with him for it, he abandons that identity completely. The male lead looked so impressive in the white wig! It was part of his charm. I never understood why she could not accept this side to him when she herself was hiding that she was not the person he thought she was. He completely accepted her. Why couldn't she? At least if that was explained maybe I could accept it.

Sexual assault trigger warning! The couple get a potential concubine by allowing to her to get molested by a creep. I thought they would formally introduce her so he decides to wed her. That would have been better. Apparently the manga explains this far better but I have to go by what was depicted in the series. Later, another prince gives away his wife without her consent to the same molester in exchange for power. These are very off-putting plot points.

Apart from these, the story was alright. It picks up towards the end.

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Cute and funny

If you're looking for a feel good romcom then A Business Proposal is perfect for you.

It's a simple story of mistaken identity that leads to love. The writers know the situation is a cliche rich guy poor girl story and they enjoy making fun of it by depicting the various characters watching a drama with similar situations being portrayed as to what's taking place with the leads. There are many funny moments which makes the drama enjoyable to watch.

And for those who dislike the main leads, the second leads should win the show some brownie points. Both make a good looking pair and it is interesting watching them and how they overcome misunderstandings and their hesitancy. The grandfather is another loveable character and he plays a strict but loving father figure for the Male lead who is way too busy working his life away. I also loved the sister rivalry to sisterhood moment between Jin Young Seo, the second female lead, and her cousin, Jo Yoo Jung.

My reason for not rating this drama higher is only because of a few flaws/depictions I disliked. Shin Hari (female lead) works with her team manager, Yeo Eui Ju, and a development team member, Kye Bin, who eventually start dating. The show depicts them as eccentric older characters to make fun of. Their love and bickering is shown as funny and somewhat distasteful. Also, the toilet scene jokes were a bit boring and overdone. And of course the show hits nearly every major romance cliche so there is no real surprise element to the show (until ep 10).

Despite these negatives, I enjoyed it a lot and most people would probably enjoy it too.

Edit: I have actually given ABP a 0.5 higher rating than my original review because I actually believe this is one of the most enjoyable romcoms I've come across and I have seen less enjoyable shows with the same rating ao it's only fair that it's entertainment value be considered.

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Dramatic at times but meh

I went into watching Little Women blind with only the idea that it's based on a book that I hadn't read but had heard was quite good. I don't find this Korean adaptation to be special. It left me questioning many things that didn't quite make sense.

Yes, Little Women has wonderful cinematography and the director knows how to build suspense and anxiety but at times I felt like the motivation behind everything lacked any kind of logic and the end folded so neatly, it was actually both a relief and disappointing.

I wish I could make sense of why the society functioned the way it did. Felt meaningless and unbelievable that no one questioned a thing.

Although the Oh sisters irked me in many instances, I was genuinely rooting for In Joo and In Kyung. Oh In Hye will go down as 2022's most annoying main character. So selfish and ungrateful! I prefer any of the villains over her because at least you understand them to a degree.

Loved the mysterious Choi Do Il and it was fun reading viewers speculate. It's unfortunate that the other male character is nothing to write home about.

If you enjoy suspense, then you might enjoy the rollercoaster ride this show takes you on. However, the ending is not very dramatic. If romance draws you in then you might want to give this one a skip.

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Gets Progressively Worse

Disappointing is an understatement for this series. It starts off interesting and you enjoy the bonding of the 4 main characters but slowly you start to lose your patience. It became hard to watch and I had to leave half the episodes for the end to binge which I watched on 2x and it still felt too slow.

There really isn't much for me to say about this show. It doesn't have comedy but maybe a few moments that make you smile. Romance is barely there. It's best not to pick up this show for that reason. The mystery isn't really worth watching for either. There aren't any extraordinary fight scenes. The leads are charming. The only other good thing is watching their friendship and bonding in the first few episodes of the show.

The ending was okay. I wasn't blown away by it nor did it redeem the second half. The chips just coincidentally fall into place.

The OST is alright.

There is a suggestion that there might be a second season but I really hope they don't bother. There is nothing left to be told that would be of any interest.

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Disappointing

I had high expectations with the plot that a man who is depressed finally gets a second chance at life through the eraser of his bad memories. Even though the first episode wasn't great, I persevered but the series kept getting worse and had no business dragging on for as long as it did.

At first I liked the female lead's character and it made sense why she was so formal with the male lead. It made sense that she wanted to keep things professional as a doctor patient relationship. But as the show went on, her behaviour made no sense. She lacked compassion. But it was not just her that frustrated me. Too many characters acted senselessly. The ML's mother who is a helicopter parent, his brother who comes across as a sociopath, the young doctor who also acted unethically in so many ways! And if that isn't enough, the ML feels like a useless character whose job is only to be miserable and obsessed with 1 thing.

I would suggest you watch the first 4 episodes and then the last 2 and it's all you'll need to understand the entire plot. Nothing else really matters. It is just dragging the story and turning it into a nonsensical one. There is barely any romance in the drama as well.

Perhaps the only highlight of this series is the OST. In particular, I enjoyed the song - grey.

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Imaculate Cast

Lee Je Hoon being one of my favourite actors, I simply could not resist watching this movie. I loved Koo Kyo Hwan in DP and this is similar role except on the North Korean side of the tale. There were also a few actors that have worked with LJH in Taxi Driver so that was a fun discovery! I was also surprised to see Song Kang. So the cast in this movie are another plus point.

The plot is quite simple. It is about a man's planning involved in defecting to South Korea. The main thrill lies in how difficult that plan actually is to execute. There are some predictable moments and a few that feel unbelievable. But the movie is engrossing despite that. It does have some incredible moments and a few comical ones.

I also liked the message behind the movie about having the freedom to choose. That is something everyone can connect with.

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