News 
Follows the Trope--solid series
The series follows the repressed male and the wacky female trope. I liked that they addressed the issue of disability and discrimination. Good actors with an interesting use of technology--would be nice if it were really available. Enough conflict to keep the momentum going. Nice use of the airport theme, made me wonder what it is really like to work there.Was this review helpful to you?
Lots of Eye Candy
Love that the episodes were quick and to the point. I was not thoroughly convinced about the dancing but it was done with conviction. Emotions felt honest, even if the acting was a bit superficial (but what to expect with so little time). The production quality was good. Overall, very nice and lots of eye candy.Was this review helpful to you?
Dated but Interesting
The medical issues were a bit exaggerated but it was interesting to see the variety of issues that can arise and the attitudes of people in 2010. It was fun seeing the young Song Joong Ki act. Ending was realistic but not very satisfying. Loved the 2nd ML--interesting to see the ethical playboy--well played.Was this review helpful to you?
So much promise--such a pity!
With such a strong cast , budget, and concept, it's a crime that the writing was so weak, leaving much of the antagonist actions off-screen and the protagonists largely reactive. Yi Im Jwa spends much of his time with knowing looks and telepathic communication--actor was good but writing was poor. They should have just added telepathy as a fantasy superpower rather than have him narrate with his mouth shut. He develops a formidable team of evil-doers who just sit around and agree with his pronouncements. Sigh. The gambling scenes were nice. Yeo Jin Goo probably learned some of his Crowned Clown kingly behaviors from Choi Min Soo. It was fun seeing Jang Keun Suk play a serious role and demonstrate his acting abilities. However this series was thinly written with surprise reveals and no visual preparation or background work. Thus it felt too long--such a pity.Was this review helpful to you?
Slow start but worth the watch
First Love tells the story of damaged people navigating their lives in the aftermath of frustrated dreams. Its split timelines and generational parallels create an artsy structure that can feel confusing and emotionally distancing at first, but the acting and scenario ultimately reward viewer patience. The series is well acted and directed, and the script gains momentum after the early episodes, delivering a more engaging and emotionally coherent second half.Was this review helpful to you?
A Lottery Butterfly
How would a modest lottery win transform your life? An unexpected financial cushion catalyzes change for Kong Eun-tae, a hardworking, inhibited team leader, unlocking skills long shackled by fear and unexamined restraint. Against a backdrop of corporate upheaval, competing ambitions, and complicated relationships, Ordinary Jackpot explores the butterfly effect as small changes ripple through the lives of its richly developed characters.Was this review helpful to you?
Better titled, "Confessions..."
Melo Movie has well-conceived characters and a cinematic context that should have created a lot more consequence and drama, but the characters all suffer from the malady of failure to communicate. As a result, the interesting parts get told in hindsight, when the series is ready to wrap up its threads. If you like drama told as a podcast, this series will fit the bill.Told with excellent actors who are slightly underutilized, Melo Movie addresses Romance, Regret, Philosophy, Ambition, Death, Life, and Love—all the good stuff—with restraint and care.
Was this review helpful to you?
One of my favorite rewatch series
An individual's "story" doesn't sit in a vacuum, neither do the stories of a retired 70 year old postal carrier nor a wanna-be late-starting ballet dancer. Dreams loom large in Navillera's quiet drama with richly drawn supporting cast populating the ecosystem with discoveries about how to approach life's challenges and the value of connection and support. Aging, bullying, abuse, financial collapse, and other important subjects are addressed with a light, yet personal touch as the responding and becoming themes reveal themselves with greater consequence. Park In Hwan delivers an outstanding performances while Song Kang and the supporting cast deliver shining moments in this simple yet richly drawn tale of ballet and life.In short: Navillera is a gentle generational tale of two dreamers who connect through the medium of dance and support each other as they interact with the rich ecosystem of characters who in turn have aspirations and challenges to overcome.
Was this review helpful to you?
Tender with Room to Breathe
Current convention seems to fold sexual attraction into the definition of soulmate but the series Soul Mate resists simple definitions. Instead, Soul Mate explores vulnerability, support, space and love in the apparent context of friendship and possibly more. The story unfolds at a pace that gives thought room to form and re-form. Consequences feel material--handled gently and sensitively, even under harsh conditions. Well acted and beautifully told, with an epilogue episode that "explains" all that may have been ambiguous or implied, this series elevates the meaning of Soul Mate in a broad and tender manner.Was this review helpful to you?
Episodic with a Larger Question
Who gets to speak for the dead? Who gets to investigate their deaths? What happens when institutional interests conflict with the evidence? These are the questions posed as an experimental US-styled medical examiner group honors the Loved One while revealing the truths from the body that doesn't lie. The three principal actors give heft to their roles as the clues that the body and environment leaves are discovered and put into place. Never gruesome, always respectful, this is an episodic examination that makes a quiet case for existence.Was this review helpful to you?
Mizomizo and the Art of Becoming
What do you do when life has handed you a raw deal and the world keeps telling you that you do not measure up? That is the core question posed in Quartet, an eclectic art-house series with Japanese sensibilities and a universal message. Using music, mystery, and humor to explore social norms, relationships, and communication, it throws four people together in a shared living space under the pretext of creating music. But surface intentions are not all that meets the eye, and droll commentary emerges along the way. Cleverly presented and acted, Quartet is an artfully unconventional look at life that takes restraint and disappointment on a thoroughly satisfying journey toward becoming—with heart and soul.Was this review helpful to you?
Love in many forms
Using student protests against government actions as the backdrop, When My Love Blooms artfully questions various forms of love beginning with the First Love Trope and asks what people do when emotions or ties linger. And how does one wrestle with the sense of self when the person you've become is not your best self? Beautifully acted with well drawn characters, this series gives plenty to ponder with well integrated music and images. Enjoy.Was this review helpful to you?
Beyond conventional: plenty to ponder
Love and how to protect who and what you value are ideas explored in Pursuit of Jade, a folkloric tale of mythic proportions about a pig butcher whose provincial life is upended when she saves a mysterious stranger from certain death. Beyond a conventional romance, the characters retain their agency as they unearth the past and fight for their futures, with consequences both personal and epic. Blending politics, action, and glimpses of life in a fictional imperial China, this series is ideal for those who enjoy a banquet of trials, intrigue, symbolism, and a healthy helping of hope rooted in community.Was this review helpful to you?
Great Music
Glass Heart is the journey of a band as its members grow in artistry and sense of self. Music is integral to how the members learn to appreciate their differences as they pursue the common goal of creating meaningful music together. The actors fully commit to their roles and convincingly portray musicians, bringing enough aspiration and inspiration to fill the series with heart and joy.Was this review helpful to you?
Montage Heavy
My Secret Romance is a light romance with actors who commit to the tropes. The ML shows range with plenty of eye candy as he moves through the storyline's primary motif. The FL is competent and does what the script and role demands, nothing more. The script loses momentum and disolves into endless montages in the later part of the the series. Too many episodes for the material presented but good if you like montage music videos.Was this review helpful to you?
