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Intense and well-acted : I would love to follow those characters through a drama !
This thriller and horrific movie really gripped me. It follows a team of shaman and geoman who tackles paranormal issues, some necessiting exhumation of corpses as their customers are haunted by deceased family members. Far from taking an humoristic road, it is a very dark and frightening movie that really spooked me at times.Despite its long length, the film remained captivating all over its various narrative arcs. The build up was good and the conclusion was strong. I would have liked a bit more of background around the goal of the antagonist as well as more flashbacks because the past story was incredibly interesting. So I would have wanted even more of that, as well as regarding the origin story of the main characters who shared a very good chemistry together.
Indeed, acting was great : Choi Min Shik, Kim Go Eun, Yoo Hae Jin and Lee Do Hyun did an incredible job. I totally believe their characters were skilled in handling and facing obscure forces. The rituals scenes, the encounter with the paranormal phenomenons, the way the characters behaved in dire situation...It was skillfully acted !
Production value was very high as well : the visual effect really worked on me. There were not really any scare jump but the tension steadily climbed over the course of the story, as the horror gets more and more proeminent. The soundtrack was good overall, fitting for the dire atmosphere.
I would recommend this to people looking for a thrilling horrific movie featuring shaman, corpse and exhumation. The gore level is rather low but the angst is pretty high. There are a lot of talk around death and people do get hurt and dies. So be mindful of the trigger if you have any. It is a quite long and intense movie, that might necessitate some breather to get through it in one go.
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Loved the main relationship, not so much the over-the-top dramatic storylines & antagonists arc
Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoyed this BL thanks to the lovely main couple relationship. I loved their growth as individuals as well as the evolution of their bonds. That was definitely the most interesting and touching part of the series: they learnt from each other, one becoming less childish and supportive, the other one learning to open and accept help.Next to it, there were the secondary couple relationship (which I did find less believable and compelling) and foremost also over-dramatic company storylines involving even gangsters. All those over-the-top plot points were addressed quite clumsily in the script, especially towards the end where the antagonists storylines felt brushed off without very convincing closure.
Having said that, there are a lot of very charming scenes between the leads in the drama. The two main actors have a very good chemistry and were convincing in the more intimates moments.
Production was not extraordinary and felt a bit "soap"-like with some overbearing music that overlayed a bit too thick on the romantic scenes making them slightly cheesy. At the same time, it is what made the series pretty entertaining.
I would recommend this to people looking for a BL with interesting characters growth and great chemistry. It is a bit thin in terms of scenario but at the heart of it there is a romance that I found quite lovely.
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A good conclusion to the story with some predictability but impactful with its great cast
This is the second part (and conclusion) to the drama Death's Game in 4 episodes. I quite enjoyed the story, it took some very interesting turns with once again the incarnations being the main stars of the series. There was some predictability with the ending and I wish as a viewer to have been treated to a longer epilogue but there is a certain beauty in ending the series like that.The cast remains fabulous with some of the new incarnations shining through in various ways depending on their backstories. I particularly enjoyed the 8th and 9th reincarnations which were the most developed with the expected 12th reincarnation as well. Kim Ji Hoon really once again impressed me, so far I have seen him playing extreme characters and I'm curious to see him in other type of roles because he was crazily impactful here.
The production value is as stated in my review of Part 1 quite outstanding and I still enjoyed a lot the ending song for each episode (which was kinda the unique music of the series). I loved the titles of each episodes, super insightful and I found the gore and violence really well done with some truly horrific and frightening sequences.
I would recommend this to people that have seen Part 1 of course. It is a proper conclusion to the story, it does not aim for subtlety but is impactful. The performance of the cast (from both Part 1 and Part 2) makes it a very good watch even if there are some little things I wish would have been a bit more developed regarding the lore itself. As Part 1, be aware that this series is super violent and graphic, so you might want to check the tags if you have any trigger.
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Solid 2nd season of a series that wrecked me with its gut-wrenching youth drama in season 1 !
Even if the series does not reach the same level of incredible turmoil of emotions that "Weak Hero Class 1" made me live end of 2022, it is a relief to be able to say that "Weak Hero Class 2" is worth the hype (and the long wait) !Once again, the story is portraying strong friendships amidst school bullying and violence. Despite some overlapping thematic, the series is quite different from its first season. Indeed, the main character must handle traumatic event from its past, leading him to almost take a backseat in some situations letting the light shine much strongly on his entourage. It is not necessarily a default, but the "weak hero" trope is less exploited here than previously, as the hero is not as much an underdog as before.
In addition to the very different narrative arcs, this season feel also less indie: clearly Netflix budget is now there and very noticeable. There are some really beautiful and striking images, some impressive fighting sequences, very brutal. The reverse of the medal is that there is also less contemplative moments and that the production while feeling more refined, lost part of its gritty charm. The soundtrack remains one of the strongest point : the opening song but also and foremost every songs ending the episodes, with some impressive raps is worth a listen while the generic are going by.
What stays the same is that the acting is top-notch ! The ensemble cast does an excellent job : among them, Park Ji Hoon and Ryeo Un are outstanding. The first one has eyes that tell deep and sorrowful tales without saying a word ! The latter, who definitely bulked up for the part, delivers a really solid performance as well. He clearly took some inspiration from a character played by Choi Hyun Wook and it is an excellent choice given his role in the scenario.
I would recommend this to people that have seen the season one. It really provide a true closure with the hero undergoing an emotional inner journey. It is a story about growth in the middle of traumatic events. If you like baston manga, this is clearly a series for you !
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A revenge drama that took way too long to have thrilling stakes: finished it thanks to hot main lead
Let's be real : without Park Hyung Sik in the main role, I'm not sure I would have completed this revenge drama. Indeed, the story progressed in a sluggish way, after a (long) but somewhat gripping introduction, it took almost up to last quarter of the drama for the stakes to get really thrilling. The choices made by characters are often dumb and feel contrived by the pacing of the series : often there to add artificial drama rather than making real sense. The hero could have had his revenge multiple ways but writing purposely seemed to slow down his progress. Then when the story really picked up in its last arc, it seemed a bit too quick on the conclusion and handling of its aftermath.The romance was not good : at no point of the story did I manage to care for the heroine : not sure what's the most at fault here : the scenario offering almost nothing to do to the character or the very bland way the actress Hong Hwa Yeon portrayed the role. Park Hyung Sik is the highlight of the series : he reaches here an upper level of hotness and charisma, each of his slow motion arrival feel like an angsty runaway. Among the remainder of the cast, I was particularly impressed by Lee Hae Young who played the most interesting antagonist among the foes that want to harm the main lead. Their interactions were the best part of the series.
One of the undeniable strong point of the series resides in its high production value. The sets and decors in which the characters evolve are quite magnificent. The hanok house of one of the villain, the company office...there are a lot of picturesque sets highlighted by a good directing and amazing job of the lighting department. The way that light frammed the characters was really striking over the course of the series.
I would not necessarily recommend this drama unless you are a fan of Park Hyung Sik or are truly an aficionado of revenge drama. The romance felt too bland to me and other than the hero, almost no secondary characters on "the good side" is interesting because of lack of solid background. The real stakes and angst come a bit too late and feel to short-lived with what felt like a rushed conclusion after a sluggish set up.
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Unfortunately, never got onboard as much as I wanted with the romance
This age gap love story between a young host and a teacher who became his tutor had everything to seduce me. I enjoyed the first half of it with the focus on learning and the night life topic providing a very griping context for the romance. I found fascinating the Kanji writing and learning issues discussion. I found interesting the way the characters were built : deeply flawed and mostly unlikable because it was understandable given their background. I also liked the OST overall and the production value, even if there were some awkward editing with abrupt fade to black between scenes.However, I never managed to get fully onboard with their romance. I believed in the tutoring relationship and found it even very touching. However I was never convinced by the romantic chemistry. I think it is part linked to poor casting of the two main characters as well as storytelling. Indeed, they never showcased real intimacy between the main leads as their relationship remained very pure, which given the respective age and job of both characters felt strange. In addition to not offering satisfying romance opportunities to the couple, the scenario also derailed quite a bit as it provided to the antagonists too quick change of heart and undeserved redemption.
I am left to ponder if another casting for the main actor and actress would have helped in making the romance more palatable and the relationship feel more passionate despite the flaws in the scenario. Here some of their scenes felt very fake and lacking in the more romantic as well as more angsty moments.
I would not recommend this to people as I feel there are better "older woman/younger man romance" out there. Maybe with another cast and without the scenario derailing in an over the top way, I would be less severe with my criticism of the series.
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Past the very entertaining honeygate, my interest drastically slowed down...
This BL features the evolution of the relationship between Jin, a rookie actor, and Akin, a very experienced popular one. I truly enjoyed the beginning, however, midway through I got more and more frustrated at the traumatic events being dumped on one of the character and the too easy handling of the many aftermaths. It felt very much "1 episode = 1 trauma = 1 resolution (often within the same episode, consequences be damned !). The quickness with which issue are resolved and their huge number totally prevented me to feel any angst for the characters. Some of the antagonists also had some easy way- out that I found absolutely undeserved and underwritten.Production had some clear high and low. Some scenes were memorable (even if kinda gross and logistically impossible, aka the honey scene). However, the camera work was very clunky and awkward at times. It might be because of the huge height difference between the two male leads...But there were obvious issues framing properly their faces when interacting with each other, especially at the beginning in some critical scenes. It got better overtime though.
Despite those flaws, it is not all negatives. The chemistry between the actors was very good. They seem very at ease with each others and they share some very believable sizzling moments. The first part of the series with its solid introduction and the way the relationship get concrete was very entertaining. I also enjoyed the ending soundtrack, even if the remainder of the OST did not leave a lasting impression on me.
I would not recommend this to people because of my issues with the writing. The good chemistry between the actors could save it for you, so if you enjoy crazy BLs show set up in entertainment industry with an heavy part of dramatic events, this might totally be up your alley. Unfortunately for me, I got too annoyed with the traumas dumping on one of the main characters and the easiness with which everything was resolved each time, preventing me to care about what was happening on screen.
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Very disappointed by the writing and pacing, too many secondary couples without substance
This BL is about the encounter of dentist Jin Xun An and restaurant-bar owner Bai Lang who suffer from a serious tooth ache and is terrified by having to go to the dentist. I found the story interesting at first in a slice-of-life way...Unfortunately, it felt apart very quickly because of big issues in terms of pacing as well as in the writing itself. At the end of each episode, I realised how slow the development of characters went, and how little happened in each episode.In addition to the main couple, there were also 3 storylines around 3 secondary couples which were unispired and not really developped in any purposeful or meaningful way. It felt like random fluff but without any substance or care and details for the characters. I really think the series overall would have benefited for the script to focus solely on the main couple and only one additional couple. Preferably on the bartender and apprentice one. That's the one that was the most exciting and cute....and sadly enough there was almost no screen time for them.
The acting was quite average. The main actors had some cute moments but nothing really exciting. The chemistry was cute but not flaming hot. I think I wanted more from it but the script was not helping at all.
The production was standard with nothing really noticeable here, except for the various meals which looked very good (lunchboxes and cocktail from the resto-bar that looked really appetizing, characters cooking tantalizing dishes...). The OST was relatively ordinary and left no memories at all on me. The ending sequence with the cute dance was fun but I did not like the main song.
I would not recommend this BL as I felt there was pacing issues and the writing was really not strong enough to have interesting elements during the full duration of the drama. There are not enough good ideas and plot points for the length of the series, the screenwriter could have taken some shortcuts on some repetitive developments and focus a bit more of her energy in building one secondary couple (-just one of them) to improve pacing. I enjoyed much more comparatively the two other BLs that I have seen from the same screenwriter Lin Pei Yu (namely "We Best Love" and "Kiseki Dear to Me"): those two were not without flaws in the writing but were really nice to watch despite of it. In the case of "My Tooth Your Love", the acting and the production are not strong enough to compensate the issues in the storylines itself and make it exciting enough.
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A really nice and heartwarming youth romance - a stand-out in this genre <3
This movie is about the development of the relationship between two highschool students, through an exchange of a diary. The premise of the story is super simple and worked very well. It was just a super cute and heartwarming youth romance featuring some lovely friendship as well. The pacing of the plot was good and the evolution of the relationships between the protaganists felt very natural.The acting was very good: the female lead was a really sweet chipmunk and the male lead was handsome with a lively personnality. Both worked very well together as well as with the secondary cast acting as their friends. I will for sure be looking for more dramas / movies with Takahashi Fumiya because he was really charming and gave a lot of charisma to a role that could otherwise have felt very flat.
The production value was pretty great: the decors are colorful and warm with a lot of details. The soundtrack is really diverse and in line with the story and the love of music of the main characters.
I would recommend this to people looking for a sweet highschool romance. It is pretty classic for the genre but it is really well done and was able to brought me a lot of feelings when I watch it. The filmmaking, the directing and the acting combined to a well-conceived scenario will provide you all the feels.
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Found family and friendship matter far more than blood ties, series brought up a lot of emotions
This is simply a great family drama. A story where found family and friendship matter far more than blood ties. I loved-to-bits the relationship between the three youngsters as they grow up, between themselves and with their father figure. The various arcs of the series were well-built and developed, with maybe a less inspired last act which could have been better balanced than a succession of misfortunes.I loved the main characters and the actors and actress really brought likeability into their roles. They had a good chemistry together and you felt the change and shift in their relationships over time. It was very pure and satisfying with a lot of looks and attentions from both boys toward the girl. The cast playing the older generation did also a good job, I really disliked some of their characters which mean they did a good job portraying them. The "villain(s)" of the series are really enemies you hate, I could not manage to gather an ounce of sympathy for them as they were (or at least one of the "antagonist") unredeemable in my eyes and not worth of any redemption. Some of the secondary roles were more averagely played but it was ok in overall.
I enjoyed a lot the production value. There are a lot of cooking scenes that are very appealing as well as some striking and memorable moments for many of the relationships. The OST is beautiful: it is sad and nostalgic but very pretty at the same time, it is tugging your heart strings. The opening and ending generics are great and un-skippable but you really need to listen to it without watching the images in order to avoid spoiling yourself (which I managed to avoid fortunately).
I would recommend this to people looking for a great family drama. There are quite a lot of characters and they take their time to develop each of them. It is a very satisfying watch which can brought a lot of emotions. The ending was a bit tiring in terms of scenario for the last arc and a bit too quick at the same time. I would have loved a smoother landing but I was not disappointed in any case.
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BL story with an original cute concept but not fleshed enough
I found the concept of the pets coming back to life as humans super interesting and cute. It was a chance to have a lot of fish-out-of-water moments and to have the characters act out all the stereotypical sides of their inner dog/cat. Unfortunately even if there was such scenes, it was not enough for me and I would have liked to see this aspect of the story more developed. Overall this interesting and fresh idea for the show's plot was not fleshed out enough. It required a lot of suspension of disbelief (which I was up for) but did not take enough advantage of the trope to make it totally fulfilling for the viewer.Despite the short episodes, the drama was kind of slow-paced and a bit missing in terms of feelings and passion because of the focus of the directing being more ambiance-based rather than scenario-driven. The atmosphere of the series was soothing but it still felt at some point a bit as a waste of potential for both the concept and the actors. Indeed, the acting was good overall (especially knowing that the main leads are rookies) and the dramatic scenes were well pulled off. It could have been better in terms of romantic chemistry but the friendship was very believable and sweet.
I would recommend this to people looking for a short story with a fresh concept giving off an healing vibe with very cute characters and who do not mind relatively slow-paced and platonic relationships.
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Impressive and memorable BL that wrecked my heart and took my breath away in the best way ~~~
This BL drama manages to do so much over the course of its 11 episodes of about 30 minutes. It portrayed the relationship of two highschoolers in a very worthwile and touching way. It made so much sense why they grew closer, despite (or rather because of) their difference in social class and personality. Their family background was instrumental in bringing them together and nurturing their connection. The writing of the series was very solid in getting to the point, without too much fioriture and creating a clear picture of the story for the viewer in very limited time.The chemistry between the two main leads was very good. The evolution of their relationship felt very credible in their feelings as well as the way the intimacy naturally increased between the characters. There was a brilliant progression over time in the skinship moments and the way the kisses got more an more passionate as the series progressed took my breath away. It felt very real but poetic as well. There are a myriad of gestures, little touches that gave life to the characters and their romance in a meaningful way. Some scenes will definitely stays into my memory for a very long time.
The production was really good with water being a common thread in the making and a key element for the storytelling. I loved the OST with the un-skippable opening song and the emotional and sorrowful music which was inserted purposefully in the background of some of the scenes.
I would strongly recommend this stellar and emotional BL to everyone looking for a poetic romance with gut-wrenching storytelling. I wish they had a bit more time to even further develop some elements but it is also because I loved it so much ! Do yourself a favor and don't miss episode 11 who serves as a beautiful epilogue to the story with a strong and important activist point of view ! Far from being preachy, it opens the door in a mindful way to reflection on the place of gay relationship in Japanese society.
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S2 of exciting game show that will put your brain on fire in a very entertaining way !!!
Exactly like in Season 1, the concept of this TV show features teams of students from different universities that face each other around games requiring a lot of brain power. Once again, the showrunner managed to have a nice variety of challenges and rythm all throughout the length of the show with of course, some games being more exciting than others.The cast was really good : once again, full of genius...Maybe even more impressive than in Season 1. The production also improved a bit the set up of the games, despite the budget seemingly still quite limited. My only nitpicking is that some games were set up but not all results / solution shown. It might have been a sensible production show to keep a good pacing but it was a tad frustrating when it happened.
I would recommend this to people that love to watch skilled people, full of talents, compete with each other. It is a very gripping show that might take you on a binge watch that will fry your brain.
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Despite interesting set up and idol context, underwhelming
This drama focus on a defense attorney that find herselves defending her favorite idol accused of murder. I loved watching Kim Jae Yeong acting in this : he is super hot and credible in portraying the brutal downfall of an idol. I also enjoyed all the tidbits of idol life and fan experiences that were highlighted through the series. I even wish there would have been more of it because it was the most interesting part.Other than that, I felt the investigation was super empty, with everybody being dumb just for the sake of dragging the plot. The legal aspect was very minor making the trials feel very superficial. At the end the resolution felt half-backed with not much legal work but rather luck...Writing was poor overall with male lead making dumb choices and his touching moments were not enough to not feel just frustrating. The female lead was smarter but her dialogs were very uninspired. If I'm honest, I found the acting quite average for most of the cast. It is probably due to the scenario, but despite finding the male lead very hot and convincing for some scenes, the chemistry with the female lead felt limited for the romance.
The production value (directing, making, effects...) felt super cheap for a South Korean production and the soundtrack was also very mid...For a show set up in the context of idol, I expected much more, at least from the music.
I would not recommend this to people unless you are a fan of Kim Jae Yeong or another cast member. The legal aspect of the series is pretty poorly executed and the romance is also rather average. The series felt very slow with not much happening. The most interesting part of the series for me was the Entertainement industry set up but it was not exploited enough.
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Even adorable baby could not save this drama
This drama is an example of love triangle done wrong. The story was engaging in its first episodes, featuring two in-laws hating each other in a forced cohabitation to take care of their nephew. However, instead of focusting on this storyline, the script devolved into an insufferable love triangle that made the second male lead the central figure of the romance...When the heroine is going into more dates over the course of the series with someone who is NOT the hero, you know that it is a disaster for any kind of proper romantic build up.The cast was a mixed bag. The adorable kid (Park Yu Ho) playing the role of baby U Ju was an incredible casting choice. Bae In Hyuk, as the male lead, was quite good but Roh Jeong Eui was insufferable as the female lead. None of her scenes touched me, and I got more and more annoyed with the character with every episode passing. Not all the blame can be put on the actress though, as the script was really not doing any favor to her character. Park Seo Ham, as the second male lead, felt also pretty mid but once again, it might be more due to the writing (forcefully pushing this secondary role instead of the male lead) that made him unlikeable.
In addition to the big disappointment that was the overall story, the production value felt in overall pretty low, even if the camera did a good job capturing baby U Ju cute moments.
I would not recommend this to people as it very much did not succeed in terms of rom-com nor family drama. The heroine growth was non existent and the overwhelming presence of the second male lead did not leave enough room for the male lead to shine much. The baby the leads had to care for became less and less central part of the plot, leaving the viewer with nothing much too look forward. Overall what's started as a cliche / full of well know tropes but quite nostalgic watch remindering of older Kdrama, devolved into a frustrating watch.
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