ColourMePurple

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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Watch for the character Jayden Lee

I can honestly say I enjoyed the start and the end of the series the most. The show slows down a bit towards the middle albeit I won't say that it's bad but at didn't excite me during those times and I was not eagerly awaiting the next episode.

Basic plot summary:
Han Yihan is a cardiothoracic surgeon and an exceptional one at that. Unfortunately for him, the head of the hospital uses him for his son's ghost doctor secretly when he is in trouble in the operating room. One day a patient that Han Yihan operated on tragically dies the next morning due to questionable circumstances. The hospital decides to place the entire blame on Yihan under the accusation of medical negligence. With no one on his side and no proof, he is forced to accept blame and his medical license is revoked. 4 years later he emerges as a lawyer who specialises in medical malpractice. This is where our story truly begins.

Review:
The plot has a very strong start but the story might seem a little cliche as revenge dramas go. But, the true hero of the story is this mysterious character by the name of Jayden Lee who adds unpredictability and spice into the show. Where Han Yihan's seriousness and lack of charisma can lead to detachment from the character and the female lead (prosecutor) leaves much to be desired, Jayden brings drama and suspense. No one really knows or understands his motives. Is he a good guy? Is he pretending? And it is also because of him and the dilemma that he adds that you feel more supportive towards Han Yihan.

There is no real romance in this drama from the main leads but Jayden and the second female lead, Im Yoona, have a fun chemistry. Add some jealousy to the mix.

I won't give away the finale but the last two episodes, in my opinion, were edge of the seat entertaining. And that is part of the reason why I am willing to give this show a 9. Shows like these deserve an ending on a high note.

I don't usually comment on the OST, but Freedom is a nice exciting track. I enjoyed it. Didn't listen to the others.

Regarding rewatch value, I would probably speed watch the show or select some of the major episodes to watch. It's not that high on my priority list. Then again there has only been one revenge drama I've seen twice and that is Taxi Driver which I love and there aren't many shows I would actually watch as of now. I would still recommend Doctor Lawyer at least once for Jayden Lee.

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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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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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Not Impressed

When Moon in the Day started, it had potential to be really interesting. The whole past life connected to the present life could have been done well but the let down was the story itself.

The major problems I had with the plot was that they really kept dragging what actually happened in the past. Everything was mysterious but not in a good way. Rather in a very slow and boring way. The reveal will only come in the last 3 episodes and you feel like, "is that it?". Also one thing I noticed is the FL in the past had struck the ML on the neck. But in the present, his scar is on his upper chest/shoulder. A very bizarre mistake when you keep repeating that scene and highlighting where the sword struck him. It simply does not match. They just wanted to be able to hide the scar without making the actor wear a turtle neck.

Another thing I disliked is the FL was a strong character. Both physically and mentally. She was capable of taking care of herself but shortly afterwards, she ends up being made to portray a helpless character. I wish they would have kept her character as a firefighter. She shouldn't have had to give up her job. Rather if the writers allowed us opportunity to see how much the ML actually cares for her even when he thinks he doesn't when he sees her endangering her life to save others. For the first half of the show, ML was trying to kill her and that suddenly changes without explaining how or why his anger subsided or why he thought he could move on if he was the one to kill her to begin with when he didn't do that in any of the previous lives. It also begs the question that if he was with her for 1500 years, how was he unable to protect her other times she dies but this time/life it was possible like saving her from drowning to the point that she believed she had a guardian angel.

There really isn't much happening in the first half. The historical scenes were good. They should have shown more moments in the present. This also needed more romance. The ML and FL were serious for the most part. Wish we could have seen their chemistry throughout even if was funny moments.

The brother's character was decent. The bad guy was okay. The other characters were mostly just there without much effect. The monk also spoke in unnecessary riddles so it was mostly a waste.

The ending is okay but I didn't really feel super delighted. Wish they had shown more. I guess you can call it a realistic ending. It's not a terrible show but nothing fantastic.

I thought the theme song and the design of it was beautiful. One of the few things that really stood out.

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Don't Fall For The Poster!

This is a cute drama but nothing like I imagined it would be. There isn't even enough romance for me to consider it a romance drama.

It's more of a story about a 27 year old woman who works herself to the core in a job without so much as an appreciation for all her hard work. Eventually, she gets an interview offer from another company that has a better work environment and she finds inspiration to grow and be a better version of herself.

I feel really let down by this drama on the romance front. Though both male lead and second male lead are really nice, genuine characters, there is hardly any moment outside of casual interactions with them so the poster was a complete false advertisement and I doubt anyone picked this drama because they wanted to see an office work environment story.

I liked all the characters and the OST is cute.

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It will suck you in instantaneously

I mostly binged this part and it was probably the best decision since it's an easy watch. By that I mean, it is very easy to sink into the story. It captivates you. There is a lot happening constantly so you certainly won't be bored. It also has some very emotional moments. At least they were for me. I was on the verge of tears at least a couple of times so expect angst as it delivers it well.

The war scenes were brutal without being too gorey. They left it to the audience's understanding of what might have happened/is happening and I am thankful to not have to seen some of those scenes. Else it would have required me to take a lot of breaks. It's nothing close to Game Of Thrones if you need an idea. There are some action scenes but not that much and nothing that blew me away. It's less skill and more about war tactics.

I enjoyed the character development of the female lead. How she changed from being self-obsessed and somewhat immature to having great strength, wonderful leadership qualities, being a quick learner and strong-willed. The male lead on the other hand gives off red flag vibes initially but falls hard for the female lead so there were several points where he won my heart. There's a lot of push and pull happening.

If you prefer quick resolutions, don't bother. It's a bit of a rollercoaster. The final episode may leave you feeling a tad annoyed. But nothing we didn't expect I suppose.

All actors were brilliant. The OST is beautiful. Hopefully part 2 will be satisfying.

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Strong start, Powerful finish

I binged season 1 in preparation of season 2 but if you don't want to, story-wise you won't miss much as this was a completely new plot. But you will not feel the full effect of the backstory. Why is Lee Yeon depressed in season 2? Why does Lee Rang hate his brother. To get the full gist of it, you need season 1. But they have made it possible to watch Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 as a stand-alone show by highlighting some moments from season 1.

Even though the plot involves time travel, most of the story is set in 1938 (as suggested by the title) so it covers a little bit of Joseon history. There is a lot happening in the series with loads of new characters and threats. Most of the stories are interesting although shortly past the halfway mark, the story dragged a bit. But the ending fully redeemed itself. Every hero was at their best and, though, I don't know about re-watching the entire show but the finale is worth watching multiple times!

Every actor did an outstanding job! I especially loved the continuation of the relationship between Lee Yeon and Lee Rang. Plus Lee Yeon's friendships with Ryu Hong Joo and Cheon Moo Young was explored well. The secondary characters also add their own lovely flavour to this season.

As for lovers of the first season, there is a bit of that romance too. :)

The finale was epic and it's what gives season 2 an edge over season 1. We are also teased with a possibility of season 3.

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Meaningful and misunderstood

The criticisms of this series are quite harsh. I, however, quite liked it towards the end. I found some aspects relatable and it even made me emotional.

The story revolves around a girl who has grown up feeling unloved. She dreams of a love story out of kdramas. One day she discovers a magical notebook that seems to make her desires of love come true. And anyone she writes about in it, magically fall in love with her. However, the magic does not last beyond a month. But even when her best friend protests her actions, she can't help herself as this is the only way she can feel loved. What she doesn't know is that he is actually in love with her.

This series isn't actually about romance. It's about a girl and her desperation to feel loved. There are moments that touch your heart like points where she thinks her father wishes she was never born and that she is actually undeserving of love. Although people have criticised her for misunderstanding the situation, the reality is, her father never actually treated her with warmth. Since her mother passed away when she was very young, she doesn't remember her relationship with her mother either. She is also scared of losing her only friend. The show is still quite light and didn't go too dark with a terrible past which can make her problems come across as superficial.

Though the story is presented under the context of a fantasy element, a lot of people with low self esteem end up with partners who don't actually care for them and in certain cases it can lead to abuse. This is also why she has a hard time saying no even when she knows she should. She is afraid of losing the person. Yes, such people can come across as frustrating at times which is why many dislike the female lead. However, the reality is that it is not easy to change without help.

Though the ending is simplified, the series tries to explain that the female lead was in fact loved. She just couldn't understand acts of care as a love language and was slowly starting to understand it. The series ended the way it did is because finally she had to learn to love herself first before she can accept someone else's love completely. Similarly, the male lead recognised that he was overly dependent on the female lead because of his anxiety. Would I have preferred some kind of closure? Yes. But that doesn't mean the show was bad. I would say it is rather misunderstood.

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There are shorter dramas with more romance

I was thoroughly enjoying the series initially especially the comedy and the romance was sweet too. I really liked the ML, Yuan Song, as he was a kind and caring boyfriend. Saving your girlfriend's fingerprint on your phone so that she knows you have nothing to hide is a huge gesture. In fact, he kept making huge gestures towards her and she kept wanting to hide the relationship. I never understood that. You only hide a relationship when you think you are doing something wrong. Instead she should have opened a dialogue with him as well as her family.

The other thing that annoyed me is that the main couple spent more time broken up than they were together. That is not why I chose to watch this drama. If you are like me, it might be a good idea to skip the episodes after they are broken up until you get to the end. By the 28th episode, I started to get tired of the other plots. And by the 37th episode they were still not back together.

I wonder if the reason for keeping them apart this long is because of the real life age gap. Why not create dramas with actors that are older but have similar age gaps if you can't provide a genuine take on an older female younger male couple? Maybe one where the male is also established. I am yet to find a show that depicts how such couples deal with their relationship long term rather than running away from it.

I couldn't care for He CanYang and Cai MinMin's relationship either. In most cultures, men marrying girls 10 - 15 years younger is normal. No one really bats an eye. Meanwhile even marrying a woman few years older is looked down upon. Even in this series, CanYang is more worried because MinMin is his student. Luming is against it because CanYang is his girlfriend's brother. They are not dealing with an age issue at all. In fact, I liked the brother until he repeats the toxic misogynistic line that his relationship is normal because he is a man but his sister's would be shameful because she is a woman. What a fall from grace of a character that seemed open-minded.

I could only appreciate 2 side stories - the other designer male's office romance and the cheating husband. It would have been far better if this series was shorter instead of adding so many couple stories when the main couple is simply not progressing. I would have definitely liked to see more of Yuan Song but there are 2 episodes without him and in some he is just barely there. In fact, the second male lead has far more scenes. I really loved the ML's stepmom's character. It was nice to see their relationship.

The main couple's romance is honestly disappointing. If it weren't for the comedic moments, I would not even give this show a 7. In comparison, The Rational Life is a superior series.

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Poorly made

The biggest problem with this show is how confusing it is. Dr. Mo Ian is a psychiatrist who has lost his license to practice because a patient's case was made public. That is because his office is set up in an under construction building to unofficially see patients there where anyone can eavesdrop or steal a glimpse at his patient's files. That itself is bizarre.

Secondly, the is no explanation why he follows the female lead or acts like he knows her or stalks her. It just doesn't make sense. I couldn't understand if he had seen her previously or not. At times I wondered if something got lost in translation.

There are a few interesting moments which involve him treating patients but they are rare. Even from a romantic genre point of view, I don't think it's worth watching. The acting is not really special. The dialogues aren't memorable which could have otherwise made up for the limited time. There was no opportunity to build up the characters which is the biggest flaw.

Furthermore the story is forgettable. I completed it only because of the length even though I considered dropping it after the 4th episode.

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Disappointment

I'll leave the spoilers for the end so let me begin with my overall impressions as I watched the show.

When I first heard about Eve, I was excited. The plot summary also made it sound extremely intriguing as I do love my revenge plots but what unfolded gradually was nothing short of a disappointment. The only reason I put up with it is because I was waiting for the revenge part and what a long wait it was!

There were a couple of episodes that I fell asleep while watching and just continued with the next and it didn't make an ounce of difference. I could follow the story because nothing much was happening in the show. There was at least one completely filler episode.

I want to say I was impressed by the actors but I really can't for most of them. The male lead, CEO Kang Yoon, has no facial expressions besides serious. I did not see those muscles move throughout the show. Similarly for the second male lead, Seo Eun Pyung. I was rooting for him. But expression wise, he was in a perpetual state of concern. Nonetheless, he is a handsome guy so this role is almost tragic for him. And then coming to the female lead, Lee Ra El. She had the widest range of emotions on display so she certainly brought the most to the table considering the role is all about her. I also have to give it up for the wife's character, Han So Ra, who you almost pity at times. Then she reminds you exactly why she deserves to be disliked. A well portrayed character. Ra El's adoptive mother's role and portrayal is also interesting with interesting dynamics between the two.

My rating is entirely for the actors and not really for the plot.

Finally ***spoilers*** and this is going to ruin the show for you so beware:
The first two episodes were the highlight of the show. Lee Ra El seducing Kang Yoon Gyeom through her tango and then by letting him watch her with her husband. I wish they had maintained the shock value with every episode throughout the show but somewhere in between complacency set in and Ra El was just trying to fit in. When the big bad guys who just kill anyone that gets in the way, learn about Ra El, they do nothing. I wonder what Ra El's plan was without SEP's help because she could have very easily been eliminated very early on. Another point of irritation was that all of the evidence that Ra El was collecting was illegal and inadmissible in a court of law so I have no idea what the course of action was for her adoptive mother. There was no way they were winning the civil and criminal cases. If viewers are waiting for the actual revenge then you'll have to head straight for episode 15 and 16. Episodes 14 and 15 were still alright. But 16 was just utter nonsense. The wife So Ra who is depicted to be deathly afraid of her father, decides to confront him. Yoon Gyeom who loves his children and knows what it's like to be without a loving parent decides the only thing that matters is what Lee Ra El wants of him. And what of the 1.6 billion dollar divorce? The director seemed to acknowledge it as an after thought.

There are a whole lot of plot holes and actions of people that don't make sense eg. So Ra's bodyguard. I do want to list them all but that would essentially be ruining it for someone who still wants to give this show a shot.

It's possible that if I was watching this show after completion, I would have either sped through it or skipped to the end or just dropped it. I can't rate a show very high if I didn't enjoy it nor would I recommend it to others. But that's just me. :)

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Fun and mysterious but not enough magic

For a drama about a magician, there isn't much magic shown in this drama so if that's what is attracting you to it, then you might be disappointed. However, that is not to say that From Now On, Showtime isn't worth the watch. On the contrary, it's a lovely, fun and lighthearted drama. That is partly why I'm having a hard time picking an apt rating. 8 - 8.5 would be accurate.

The reason for the less amount of magic is because Cha Cha Woong is not a real magician. His tricks are performed by 3 ghosts, Ma Dong Cheol, Nam Sang Gun and Kang Ah Reum, who are his employees. He still manages to perform some tricks as does his rival which I wish there was more of. He meets an officer Go Seul Hae one day and when his secret is revealed to her, she requests him to help her fight crime as her partner. Little do they know that their meeting is more than a coincidence.

From Now On, Showtime is such a mixed bag of genre that there is a chance you'll find something to enjoy. The characters are sweet. The 3 ghost employees are an oddity but they work well together. The humour of this show is light. The actors have done a pretty decent job and there are several emotional moments that catch you off-guard.

There are other characters as well that are sweet and add to the comedy in a positive way.

Let's get to the negatives. The story at one point slows down in order to explain some connections. And the ending was a little cheesy to say the least. I would say a character referred to as 'The General' was my least favourite. But all in all, the show is still a good watch.

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Binge-worthy and suspenseful

Reset is a time loop story of a college going girl, Li Shi Qing, who wakes up in a bus only for it to get into an accident and explode instantly killing her and all passengers. The only time she manages to get off the bus is when she drags a boy, Xiao He Yung, who is a game designer into her plan and both manage to get off together. But getting off the bus is not enough. They both find themselves stuck in the loop and realise that saving the passengers is their only escape.

Positives:
1. The episodes are under 45 mins long and it's easy to binge watch because your curiosity wants to see the leads tackle the situation they've found themselves in.
2. The series also explores the stories of the passengers and some of the police officers involved in the investigation.
3. One of the drawbacks of time loop dramas can be the repetitive nature annoying audiences and Reset manages to avoid much of it with new directions being undertaken by the leads. Adding the mystery/suspence element to the story helped.
4. Multi-layered characters.

Negatives:
1. I have seen several types of time loop stories but I wouldn't rate this as high simply because the story telling process is quite slow. Around episode 3, I was feeling a bit annoyed by their actions and the actions of others.
2. Some of the questions were not answered as to why these two were the ones chosen to enter the time loop and not others.
3. Why the police were more cooperative in some loops and more suspicious in others.
4. What was happening to Xiao He Yung?

I have other grievances related to some of the important characters and their reactions that were not as natural as one would expect in certain situations especially towards the climax.

I would still recommend the series and found it fairly well thought out.

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Amazing but not for the faint-hearted

This was genuinely a tough watch because the subject matter revolves around school bullying and assault. There is also a lot of gore and violence depicted so it might be hard to watch the first 4 episodes of the series. It gets better after that as the bulk of the worst forms of violence is over.

This is a revenge drama that follows a series of murders committed by a victim of school bullying, Hwang Kyung Min, as an adult shortly after he was suspected of killing his wife. Kyung Min, leaves messages for his school friend, now a police officer, Jung Jong Suk at his crime scenes inviting him to join him. Thus the detective becomes part of the investigation and provides insight into who the potential victims can be. With every episode we are taken to flash backs to experience the intense violence and humiliation that was faced by Hwang Kyung Min for being of lower social status than the rest of the class. At the time, he was befriended by Jung Jong Suk who eventually started to stand up to his friend's bullies and faced their wrath.

The story is intense and gripping. As a viewer, you will find yourself rooting for the main lead as he seeks his revenge. There is another mysterious character introduced and with each episode you understand their relevance to the story. The ending was incredible and unexpected! I hope people are not put off with the gore and make it through to the end. It'll be worth it.

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