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Social issues tackled, but with plot full of flaws
At first glance, Revenge Of Others indeed has all the makings of a fantastic teen revenge-thriller. It’s stylish and has that early ’00s teen horror charm – set in a creepy, gothic school, with bullies that invoke unimaginable fear among their peers, however the script and the storyline at times are overwhelming.Major bombshells are dropped and new characters and potential arcs are introduced so quickly it feels like one is barely even explored before there’s another. Moreover, some scenes were made hastily just to make a connection between the events. Despite the many letdowns in the plot (yes although it did tackle the problem of bullying), the actors’ performances are eye-catching. In particular, Shin Ye Eun’s solid acting is outstanding. I have seen a better and fast paced high school action thriller of 2022 (Weak Hero Class 1), which had a better output, whether be it in terms of social issues or storyline.
Despite it's heavy atmosphere and many flaws in plot, Revenge Of Others is a satisfactory watch, dealing with bullying, broken justice system and desperation of the teens to seek justice.
My Rating : 6.5/10
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Hangs in the middle
Today's Webtoon, adapted from a Japanese manga, is mild and not much interesting when converted into Korean Webtoon world. With a global hit (Business Proposal) this year, Today's Webtoon is the 2nd drama of Kim Seo Jeong in 2022, however it had less to no sparks in terms of story.The screenplay to Today’s Webtoon recalls K-drama tropes where a bubbly female lead ends up inspiring those around her and changing it for the better – cheesy motivations, juvenile humour, viewer enjoyment highly dependent on the geniality of the leading lady. At times, Today's Webtoon stretches out select moments of friction between characters or circumstances. At others, it glosses over points that could underpin significant character development.
To summarise, Today's Webtoon is much like the many office dramas before it, but the unbridled confidence, optimism and faith of the characters makes it a one time worthwhile watch.
My Rating : 5.5/10
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Gripping with a rushed yet satisfactory ending
Another law mystery drama in this year's plate, Why Her started strong, thanks to an amazing performance by See Hyun Jin. The premise is simple, a goal of reaching to the top, due to unfair past behaviour by everyone.In a world full of injustice, there seems to be no hope of going up against big corporations that can easily influence various institutions in society.
Although fictional, characters like Chairman Han, Assemblyman Lee, and Chairman Choi represent a portion of the powerful in today’s society, who abuse the law for their personal gain.
But in the end, there is an end to their abuse of power that disgraces the justice system. The collapse of their empires is also caused by their own misdeeds, which have always been at risk to be exposed.
The pacing was well maintained, although it suddenly rushed in when the 14th episode aired, with multiple layers coming and ending within moments, without giving a proper enclosure. The finale was cliche and had nothing extraordinary, but what made me feel good about the finale is that justice prevails in the end, no matter what.
My Rating : 8/10
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Somewhere in between..
Forecasting Love And Weather had a good concept, but dragged down, primarily by weak writing, but also due to it's not so impressive execution.It felt like there were 2 different things shown on screen, and neither of them was able to achieve anything. The chemistry was good between the leads, however the constant dilemma of the leads to the situation in their hand, made me annoying towards them.
What works though, are the side characters. Chae Yu Jun and Han ki Jun had a happy ending, however it still bothers me that cheating led to a good conclusion though. Apart from them, the personal life of the other members of the Team 2 was quite intriguing which made the plot more interesting and relevant to the message which the lead character should have displayed.
An another drama, where the conclusion wasn't good enough, with focussing on details that weren't much relevant to the premise. However, the story and engagement of side characters' story is what handled the drama a bit well.
My Rating : 6.5/10
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Short but effective in its own way
Soundtrack#1 is a romantic work that was as beautiful and exquisite as a picture, with everything in its place to the point, however it was a shame that it couldn't last for many episodes, which might have been a better treatment in terms of character development and relationship of friendship to love exposure.The drama has a good soundtrack, soothing and alleviating oneself from any sadness, to create a good mood. Soundtrack #1 elicited sympathy from viewers by depicting the romantic story of ‘between love and friendship’ in a cute manner, bearing satisfactory results, although it could have been much more than that.
The major point missing in the drama was the connection they formed, their past wasn't much explored, how they connected and 20 years later, the bond still prevailed. This could have had a major impact in the story which otherwise ended with a very simple and cliche ending.
My Rating : 6.5/10
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Life is beautiful, just live it
Hometown Cha Cha Cha is not a love story, but a story full of emotional moments. It's all about love, pain, sorrow, happiness, regrets and every human emotion that can be expressed.Without divulging much, it is impressive how Hometown... attempts to go beyond a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy as it explores grief, guilt, loss, and healing. While this is dealt with in a mature way, it would have benefited the show more if the intense themes weren’t all packed into the final two episodes.
Kim Young-Ok as Gam-ri, an octogenarian grandmother who Du-Sik is closest to, once again proves why she’s the best K-drama grandmother. Hometown excels at slice-of-life goodness and wholesome romance of the best kind.
My Rating : 8/10
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Beyond Evil is beyond your average thriller
Beyond Evil is a great example of how to take a simple concept and absolutely run with it. Between the exemplary acting, tight writing and numerous twists and turns along the way, this Korean drama is easily one of the best shows of the year.Given the simplicity of the story, it’s actually quite impressive that the series adds layers of twists while also making sure there are no plot holes left behind either. Every single character has an alibi, a place to be and – more importantly than that – a motive for killing. In fact at one point there are 8 different possible suspects!
Beyond Evil is amazingly consistent and efficient in its writing; it not only manages to keep episodes compact yet compelling, it also manages to keep up the suspense for its full 16 episodes, which is a big deal. The OST was used skillfully as well.
My Rating : 8.5/10
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Brilliant origin spin off story
Kingdom Ashin Of North is a brilliant spin off of critically acclaimed Kingdom series which tells the story of Ashin and the origins of the undead.The story was great along with the lead cast and overall production of this special episode. From the very beginning till the end, there was no boredom whatsoever. A story of survival, betrayal and revenge, Ashin Of North serves a great plot that will eventually tie up with Kingdom storyline. Jun Ji Hyun was brilliant as Ashin.
The 3rd season will probably the ultimate showdown of humans vs the undead and I am waiting eagerly for it
My Rating : 9/10
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A unique idea and a nearly perfect execution
Start Up started very well, with unique idea of innovation world with competition among the best. But the way it ended, especially the last 3 episodes, I would say it was nothing like expected.The emotional connection between Mr Han and the grandma was beautifully portrayed, so was the friendship between the developers/friends of Samsan Tech. The only unexpected thing was the relationship between Jung Sa-Ha and Chul-San although I can understand why they ended up together in the show.
The episodes towards the end felt a bit fast paced, loosing the grip of the story, not much but to certain extent. Although I can't argue who should have ended with whom, and what ending could have been more satisfactory, but I still liked the show very much due to it's unique concept.
MY RATING : 8/10
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All well that ends well
Business Proposal is your typical office rom-com with employee boss love affair that starts on a wrong note, but eventually gets synched by the end. What works with Business proposal are the characters, and I mean both the couples.I won't say this is the best rom-com in the recent times that I have seen, given that there were innumerable cliche points, however Business proposal still proves to be effective with it's charming characters and the comedy moments that happens time and time again.
Kim Se Jeong was too good and adorable to watch. The drama didn't only shown relationship of a couple, but a strong bromance and womance throughout the show. The soundtrack was decent that matched well with the moments.
To summarise, Business Proposal is a delightful drama that minimizes weighty issues and major conflicts in favor of a comfortable plot and endearing characters. Plus, there are two lead couples worth rooting for. Although it's not the best I have seen, but it's worth a watch.
My Rating : 7.5/10
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Great start, rushed ending
A fantasy drama that blends comedy, history, romance and most importantly, food into a 12 episodes joint.The story centers around chef Ji Yeong, who is thrown into the past by some unusual circumstances, and is seeking to make her way back to the modern world from the Joseon Era she stucked upon.
The first half of the drama progresses steadily, with a ton of delicious food thrown in the front of viewers. The camera follows Ji-young through the process, focusing on the ingredient selection and the process of cooking as much as the final dish. The production was quite vibrant. Both the ML and FL had a great chemistry.
The political aspect had a lesser establishment in the first half, while it's focus shifted heavily towards the ending episodes, leaving us with many plot points unexplained. As with most of the drama, the palace politics come with a fairly simple narrative that splits characters into those who support the ML and those who don't. That's it, the political narrative.
The FL Im Yoon-a plays her with fantastic range, with an adequately hammy performance for the comic scenes and a heartfelt portrayal during the more emotional ones. While the ML doesn’t have the same range as Yoon-a, Chae-min offers an entertaining transformation from a tyrant to a soft-hearted king.
Overall, Bon Appetit is a lighthearted show to enjoy, even though the finale might pull down the overall satisfaction, due to rushed ending and unexplained plot points.
My Rating : 7.5/10
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A ride that lost it's way
Tempest is a Korean series that centers around political tension between both Korea (North & South) and the U.S.A.The drama with 9 episodes, started strong but kept on diverging from it's path with every episode. Yes, it was ambitious. But it couldn't deliver the way it should have.
To be fair, the beginning was quite promising. The pacing worked, the intrigue kept me curious, even if things were already starting to feel a bit tangled. But the further it went, the harder it was to keep up. The political plot grew unnecessarily convoluted, conflicts felt rushed and half-resolved, characters lacked proper development, and the editing often lacked the quality. The drama repeatedly lost momentum. Tension would build nicely, only to fizzle out because of clumsy execution. Storylines were dangled like they’d pay off, but then they just dissolved into thin air.
Both the leads were not much intriguing. I personally found the act of female lead as pale and blank. The rest of the cast, instead, did a better job. The chemistry between the characters fell out of place. While the first half build strong plot, the second half got dragged a lot and left us with mixed feeling towards the show.
Overall, Tempest is a one-time watchable political thriller that dwelves into your senses, only to awaken nothing from within. Positive points for it's good international concept, but pulled down by weak execution.
My Rating : 6.5/10
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Unnecessary addition, but still intriguing
Although an unnecessary addition and maybe Netflix's cash grabbing opportunity, this original material got me excited nonetheless, although I didn't kept much expectation.Season 3 starts with an obsessed professor to have a near life-or-death experience. He lures Usagi to the game again, ultimately causing Arisu to join the game.
As we saw in the earlier seasons, this piece continues to give us high stakes game that are thrilling, although a bit sluggish at times. The new characters doesn't create much impact, except Rei. This season has less episodes compared to S1 and S2, however the slow pacing (especially in Eps 5 and 6) makes it less intriguing.
From games perspective, some were fresh while some were seen in earlier seasons which automatically diminished my excitement a little. The emotional aspect was given more weightage towards the final episodes.
Coming to the finale, I would say it gave us little answers and more questions. Although we got to take a look into Borderland's existence, we didn't get much insight though. Viewers maybe divided with the season finale in my opinion.
Overall, Season 3 of Alice In Borderland is an unnecessary addition, that still manages to engage it's viewers with high stake contests and the lead characters. An enjoyable season, if not fulfilling or relevant.
My Rating : 7.5/10
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Uninteresting and messy
With 12 episodes, Head Over Heels feels exhausting due to it's over-the-top execution and a story that feels all over the place.While the drama started well with it's initial episodes, the story kept on getting complex and stretchy. The positive aspects were the background score and good cinematography, however was let down by messy ending.
Tropes have always been a staple in K dramas but the magic had always worked before because they knew how to make things feel fresh but now?
We're past the middle of the year and once again I regret investing time in a rince and repeat story. It's yet another K-drama slop that puts lots of familiar ingredients in, but fails to put some soul into their main characters.
Overall, Head Over Heels is an over-the-top drama with weak characters and unpolished writing. There are many better dramas in my opinion to watch instead.
My Rating : 4.5/10
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Enchanting fantasy crafted with precision
With its fast-paced plotting, engaging characters and resplendent wardrobe, Alchemy of Souls was a compelling escapist fantasy that helped us fly through the sweltering summer.Plot wise, the show revolves around the lives of people residing in a place not known to regular humans, Daeho. There, mages, sorcerers, assassins, maids and all manner of other imaginable people ply their trade, helping the numerous areas of this restricted world function. Continuing, the whole series looks fantastic visually. Bringing life to this fictitious world, director Park Joon-hwa emphasises the expansive area he has to play with, immersing the viewer in every scene. Complete with some rather solid CGI, visual effects and use of pathetic fallacy, the show has some undeniably sleek appeal.
Overall, the first season of Netflix’s Alchemy of Souls was an enticing, consistently solid introduction to (and journey through) the complex world of Daeho. It might not have been perfect, nothing ever is, but there’s plenty here for anyone to sink their teeth into, as well as enough substance for those looking for something comprehensive to enjoy, with season 2 down the line.
My Rating : 8.5/10
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