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Heart & Soul
MY MISTER (Naui Ahjusshi) was a k-drama that defied my expectations and left my predictions hanging out to dry. It is deep, layered, and so full of heart. At times it was tragic and heartbreaking, while others it was laugh-out-loud hilarious. It was always quirky and fresh. I can’t begin to express how touching this was. There is something just so beautiful and deep about it. Wonderful acting, brilliant writing, gorgeous music, quirky realistic characters, down to earth vibes, heartfelt plots and themes...everything was so great. This show has so much heart and soul.The acting was fantastic. The entire cast gave stellar performances and all left lasting impressions. Lee Ji-eun (as Lee Ji-An) and Lee Sun-kyun (as Park Dong-hoon) were both so great and relatable. You truly feel for both of them, as people, and their trials and tragedies impact the viewer deeply. I loved Lee Ji-An’s relationship with her grandmother. I also really loved Park Dong-Hoon’s deep bond with his family and friends, but particularly with his brothers. The trio were so relatable and lovable. The entire side cast was fantastic as well.
This drama is close to real life. It is such a beautifully complex show and all the characters are so well-rounded and realistically portrayed. There are layers of emotion and subtext between the every day lives and events of these characters. There was so much going on that kept me watching, even though the overall pacing was fairly slow and it had an almost dreamy, melancholy vibes going for it.
Some viewers might not like the lack of typical romcom themes (over-the-top-silliness, unrealistic stories and excessive coincidences, mushy-gushy love at first sights, overly perfect looking cast, HEA endings for everyone, where everything is neatly tied up in a bow and everyone unrealistically gets their own sparkly magical happily ever after.) Nah. This drama brings home the feels. It brings home a meaningful story.
There were so many sensitive issues and life lessons learned in this short series, such as seeing the beauty in life and in the little things, the importance of family and friends, empathy for others when we don’t understand their secrets and sorrows, supporting one another through thick and thin. Overall, this was a great series, especially for more mature viewers.
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Dark & Mesmerizing
THE FLOWER OF EVIL. This was such a great show and such a fascinating, compelling story. Having a whole cast of wonderful characters, preformed by great actors and actresses, as well as great music OST and visual cinematography, made it an excellent experience. It is unforgettable and definitely a rewatchable, thrilling show. It takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions from start to finish, and the ending had me choked up. It definitely packs a punch.First of all, Lee Joon Gi (Baek Hee Sung) and Moon Chae Won (Cha Ji Won) were fantastic in their roles and made the series so believable. Both are superb actors and had such excellent on-screen chemistry, even though this isn't really a romantic drama, their relationship is a key theme throughout. The entire cast was fantastic, even Jang Hee-jin (as Do Hae-soo) and Seo Hyun-woo (as Kim Moo-jin). I found Kim Moo-Jin such a funny, lovable character. The police/detective team were great as well. Also, wow, what an incredible and absolutely adorable child actress Jung Seo-yeon as Baek Eun-ha, is (daughter of Hee-sung and Ji-won)! She was just the cutest, especially when interacting with her father. She lights up every scene that she is in.
Overall, this show is a highly complex story with layers of mystery, dark psychological aspects, intensely thrilling moments, dark secrets of the past coming back to haunt, full of twists and turns and a complete emotional rollercoaster ride that leaves you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The series did such an excellent job of balancing the fine line of being both tender and gritty, beautiful and yet dark. Highly entertaining and beautiful to watch, thought-provoking, memorable and just an overall fantastic series. LOVED IT. (Hoping for a Season 2!)
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This review may contain spoilers
Moody Drama
APRIL STAR (Fan Xing Si Yue) was one C-Drama I will never forget. Let me start by saying, I am a huge fan of the actor Nicky Wu, hence why I first decided to give this show a try. This show was fantastic and extremely powerful and completely not what I was expecting. Having completed the show, I will say this. I have no regrets. However, this show contains some very intense themes and difficult content. Even still, it is very meaningful. The importance of family, acceptance, forgiveness, and truth was the moral behind this tale of rejection, lies and revenge.Ye Fan Xing struggles with dark secrets and painful memories from her past. Stephy Qi is an amazing, moving actress, playing an incredibly strong yet surprisingly vulnerable character. She is extremely convincing in the role of Ye Fan Xing, who appears strong, cool, level-headed, when beneath the surface she is anything but. She is a character of extreme depth and visceral pain, trying to hide it. I think one of the things I loved most was that she was both lovable and hate-able. She was a really well developed character, with so many shades that she felt real.
Xiao Han was amazing, because, well- Nicky Wu. However I wished his character was expanded upon more than he was allowed to, and not left so mysterious towards the end. Nicky Wu is such an amazing actor though, so he really carried the role, at times warming my heart and at others, breaking it. I love all of his characters and have followed many of his previous dramas, and this character was no less fascinating—interesting, strong, intelligent, compassionate, patient and sometimes the only sane character around— a real breath of fresh air. To me, he was a character that I loved straight through the entire drama.
Mi Si Yue was another character that really made a lasting impression. She was completely interesting. The actress, Zuo Hang, was incredibly lovable, funny, and moving. She gave her character so much spark and vibrancy and was so believable in her role. Watching her transformation was nerve racking.
Fu Xia was another interesting character, though one that took me longer to care for than the others. There's no denying he was well-acted by Ming, a unique and quirky person that really suited this role. While I found him to be more bothersome than charming, he did have a funny and amusing persona and I gradually liked him. Not sure the ending suited him though...
I loved Ye Fan Xing's team as well. The villain was also pretty believable and creepy.
Overall, there were so many awesome actors, interesting, developed characters, the plot was really intriguing and touching and the opening credits were Ah-Mazing. I never wanted to skip them...
((TEAM XIAO HAN <3 ))
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An Epic Journey to Save a Kingdom....
ICE FANTASY (Huànchéng) is a great epic fantasy C-drama.Although this story is filled with fantastical realms, characters and creatures, epic storylines, adventure and drama, gorgeous costumes and music, it also revolves around the deep love and loyalty that two brothers share. I find this fact to be very pivotal and moving. Ka Suo and Ying Kong Shi go on an adventure to save the Immortal and Mortal Realms and restore the Ice Tribe. I loved so many characters in this series. They all grow on you and gradually become more complex.
The only reason I'm rating it a little lower is mainly because of some occasional cheesiness (mostly because of the overacting of the Fire King) and because it wasn't the absolute best C-drama series I've watched in my lifetime. It was very good though. No regrets. This series was over all really good, the visuals, costumes and realms were really stunning. I really enjoyed this drama, and so many of the characters, such as Ka Suo, Ying Kong Shi, Li Luo, Yan Da etc. And, an added perk, this series features some really strong female heroines and villains as well. Love. Overall it was a great watch.
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A Must Watch Medical Series
GOOD DOCTOR was such a great show. This was the second K-drama I ever watched, back when it first came out and it got me hooked. I found the concept so touching and accepting, although there are some painful parts in it as well. I absolutely love the concept. There should be many more shows like this one. People with differences, limitations or supposed "disabilities" can achieve great things, help others and change the world. In truth, many are not lacking but gifted. This series tried to make a statement that everyone deserves respect and absolute equality, regardless of their differences and/or medical condition. This show was so well done and very intense. The characters were all so well casted as well. An amazing medical drama with a lot of heart. Loved it! I loved the character of Park Si-on.Was this review helpful to you?
Memorable Show
COFFEE PRINCE was one of the first K-dramas I ever watched, quite a few years ago now. It is a very entertaining rom-com, but as light as it may seem, it also has a lot of heavy-heavy feels going on. The premise is fun and entertaining and yet very moving. The characters are all interesting and well-casted. I absolutely loved the main character, a tomboy heroine named Go Eun-chan. She was so lovable, relatable and interesting. Although a bit slow at times, this show was an unforgettable watch. Super cute. No regrets.Overall, it was worth the watch.
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A Compelling, Mysterious Sequel Series
VICTIM’S GAME 2 picks up close to where the first season ended, with our Forensic Detective (ASD / Aspergers Syndrome lead), Fang Yi-Jen, pulled into another investigation of an equally mysterious string of murders, with Journalist Hsu Hai-Yin helping along the way.The show is very compelling. I really enjoy the intensity of this series, as a dark, edgy crime show full of believable yet unique story and characters. I really enjoyed the cast, especially Hsiao-chuan Chang (as Forensic Detective Fang Yi-Jen) and Wei-Ning Hsu (as Journalist Hsu Hai-Yin), as well as Moon Lee (as daughter Chiang Hsiao-Meng), but the entire cast was really great.
“After discovering his estranged daughter's link to mysterious murders, a forensic detective with Asperger's syndrome risks everything to solve the case.”
Overall, this 2nd season of Victim’s Game series was really good and stayed in tune with the previous series. Watch this if you liked the previous season of Victim’s Game.
[NOTE: Trigger Warning. Suicide. Abuse. Violence. Gore. Bullying. Cancer. Language. Dark Adult themes. etc.]
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A Serial Killer Thriller
A BLOODY LUCKY DAY is a interesting and thrilling Kdrama about an optimistic taxi driver who is desperate to pay off his financial debts, having been a victim of a scammer, in order to restore and reunite his family. In order to accomplish this, he begins taking on extra clientele, one of which turns out to be a serial killer.Lee Sung-min plays the optimistic, kind-natured, Oh Taek. He is very believable and memorable in his role and I always enjoy his acting. His happy-go-lucky persona is perfectly counter balanced by the dark, sadistic character of Lee Byeong-min (played by Yoo Yeon-seok). The two have an interesting chemistry and creates great tension for the series.
There is another parallel storyline in this series about a mother (Yoon Se-na played by Han Dong-hee) doggedly searching for her son’s killer. She is another excellent and believable character and you can really empathize for her situation.
The whole series is really intense, realistic and compelling, although there are a few aspects where you may have to suspend your disbelief. It never felt too much and certainly kept things interesting, in my opinion.
“An ordinary taxi driver who becomes entangled with a customer that turns out to be a serial killer.”
Overall, this was an excellent show. I appreciate the unique approach to the somewhat overdone genre and topic of mystery / thrillers concerning serial killers. The acting is really great, as is the storyline, settings and music. This was a really fun watch and I can’t wait to see more! Wooo Part 2!
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This review may contain spoilers
Timeless Love Story...
ETERNAL LOVE (San Sheng San Shi Shi Li Tao Hua / Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms) was an unexpectedly wonderful show, super entertaining plot and lovable characters. I was skeptical going into this one, fearing it to be another "too cheesy to believe" romance. However, it completely pulled me in. Everything was really well done. <3The character of Bai Quan played by the wonderful Yang Mi was perhaps one of the best female leads I have seen in a C-Drama yet. She is very loveable, feisty, witty and completely unique. I loved her character so much. Mark Chao was great in this series as well, but especially as the stoic, yet warm-hearted Ye Hua. I loved Bai Qian and Ye Hua and adored watching their love grow and their lives intertwine. They had such palpable chemistry. So adorable.
The whole cast was great, honestly. Bai Fengjiu and Dong Hua were also very enjoyable. Li Jing, although broody and tormented, was also a very interesting character. I honestly wish there were more episodes, even a second season. The costumes were dazzling, the setting breathtaking and the mythology was captivating. I fell in love with the world of Eternal Love, along with the majority of the cast.
And the music! Fantastic. My only complaint, and it’s a pretty small one, was at some points the drama became almost melodrama, as if the emotions overshadowed the plot, slightly detracting from the suspense of impending doom. (Usually the melodrama had to do with Su Jin or Li Jing.)
This show made me teary, and I don’t cry easily. But the ending was very satisfying, complete with HEA. Anyway, this was a very enjoyable, creative and dazzling show. If you’re into fantasy romance, and xianxia, give it a chance. Unforgettable.
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Bitter & Sweet
The Beginning of the Sea (2024) is a really tender and moving Jdrama about a young man who finds out he has a daughter by a past girlfriend, but he finds out only after her untimely death. By this time, he has already moved with someone else and yet his memories come vividly back to him, causing him all sorts of new emotions."A love story depicting the connection between parents and their children in various forms."
This series is quite well-made and very watchable but also very emotional and tragic at times. Highly recommended for fans of complicated love stories, tender slice-of-life dramas, covering a painful range of topics such as death, loss, grief, abortion, parenthood, and ultimately, family.
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Dark Fantasy Drama
GHOST BRIDE (2020) is a really well-made Taiwanese / Malaysian drama. The story was very unique with elements of drama, romance and paranormal fantasy horror. While not very accurate to the book the show still has a eerie atmosphere and is very watchable. The characters were all interesting and the plot very compelling. The visuals are really stellar."In 1890s Malacca, Li Lan finds herself in the afterlife and becomes mired in a mystery linked to the sinister, deceased son of a wealthy family."
I really appreciated seeing the city of Malacca, Malaysia in the 90's era portrayed in a drama. The drama is a really good watch and great for fans of fantasy paranormal horror. Definitely glad I gave it a chance.
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…Let the Games Begin!!
SQUID GAME (2021-2025) is a dark, twisted and thrilling kdrama about poor people who find themselves in financially horrible and hopeless circumstances, by means of debt, scams, gambling, and bad life choices etc. and are each invited to a mysterious challenge to participate in children’s games for large ammouts of money. Prepare to be thrilled and disturbed.This series is visually appealing, and exciting. The concept is a bit twisted but very compelling as well. The sets, costumes and effects were all next level.
A mysterious organization invites the most down and out people to something called The Squid Games, a twisted spin on children's games, where desperate adults can participate to win a huge cash prize and hopefully have a second chance in life, but not everyone can make it out alive.
"Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits with deadly high stakes: a survival game that has a whopping 45.6 billion-won prize at stake."
Overall, "Squid Game" was a violent yet philosophical series, that thrills as much as it makes one contemplate. It ask some very deep questions such as the value of human life, the nature of poverty, the goodness of humanity. This show is exceptional yet extremely violent. Not for the faint of heart or stomachs. A great watch!
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Cute Contract Show
BUSINESS PROPOSAL (2022) is a Korean romance drama. It is heart warming story about two unlikely characters who find love, but the friendships in this show were some of the sweetest kdrama portrayals, and although the family relationships often took back burner, the family dynamics were sweet as well.This show was a romantic drama, but is often very funny and laughable. Some of the side characters are very colorful and enjoyable, especially Ha-ri's bestie and coworkers.
While at times this series does have some controversial aspects with regards to female treatment by males, it's not something viewers won't expect or find too extreme either, though I did lower my rating a bit.
"In disguise as her friend, Ha-ri shows up to a blind date to scare him away. But plans go awry when he turns out to be her CEO - and makes a proposal."
Overall, this is a touching, heart-warming show that is also very short (only 12 episodes) compared to the usual 16-25. Definitely worth a watch for fans of romance and kdrama.
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Introverts & Social Anxiety
SHY BOSS (2017) is a pretty funny KDrama rom-com about an incredibly shy man, an introvert with extreme social anxiety that hires a outgoing employee.The series is pretty fun and entertaining though it certainly has its moments of heaviness. The show can be quite moving at times, especially as its main topic concerns the common misunderstanding of people struggling with mental health issues.
"The quiet life of an extreme introvert is thrown upside down when his company hires a cheery and outgoing new employee who's not all she seems."
Overall, this drama was a pretty fun one. While at times it could be over the top, this show also gets a lot right. This one is definitely a good watch.
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Teenaged Rom-Com
BOYS OVER FLOWERS (2009) is a now classic (and iconic) teenaged romantic comedy / Kdrama.It is my personal opinion that this drama was one of the drama's that caused Kdramas to become so popular and more mainstream in the West. This drama is one of the few that started the craze.
While I appreciate it now, there are a few times I found things to be cringy or controversial. Nevertheless, "Boys Over Flowers" is a near iconic rom com in the realm of dramaland.
"Geum Jan Di gets a scholarship to the elite Shin Hwa High School. She is picked on by Gu Jun Pyo, one of the richest and most popular students, but soon Jun Pyo finds himself attracted to her."
Overall, this was one of the earliest Kdramas I've watched. It will always be somewhat special to me.
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