Short but sweet? Well... ALMOST!
The acting was top-notch, let's say, INSANE! Park Eunbin and Sul Kyung Gu's duo were out of this world, but the script was not perfect to say the least. I think this should've been 12 episodes. They didn't solve anything, except that 1 thing in the finale.Unless we get another season, this is just a half-baked cookie.
Overall, it was a lot of fun and thrilling, but without the two main lead, I'm not sure, anyone would talk about this drama.
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Peak Slice of Life drama!
When it's good, it's good, BUT sadly, there were some problems with the show, as usual with most Kdrama.The overall message of the story, the characters, even the side characters are great, especially The Dolphin trio with Mina, Doein and Minchul. I love their mother-daughter dynamic, and this little 8 year old kid stole the show, to be honest. I would watch a drama with them.
The oldest sister's story was interesting too, but I'm a bit disappointed they didn't do much with their story. I mean, it's not like there weren't enough time, because they stretched the main story too long anyway.
So, now let's talk about the main couple. The whole drama between the two family was well done, even tho I can't understand why did it take like a decade or even more to finally talk about their issues. To be fair, it's a fair representation of people. What I can't understand is why Samdal and Yongpil just accepted everything broke up. It's not like it's the Joseon era where parents can control their kids, and they were teens. They were adults! And when they finally resolved every problem, and started dating again, Yongpil decides to leave for 2 years? I mean, sure, let's say he has to fulfill his dreams as well, but for me, it doesn't make sense at all. They suffered for 8 years, and now they're basically in a long-distance relationship? At least give us some info about how they managed their relationship.
Anyway, my biggest problem with the show is that I HATE what they did with the bullying scandal. I mean, it represents well how toxic the Korean society, but the whole was about how strong woman Samdal is, yet, she never did a single thing to defend herself. She should've told everyone that her boyfriend cheated on her with her employee. It's not like she didn't have proof, it was on her on phone! Also, later she traveled back to Seoul, and I thought, FINALLY, she's gonna do something, but no. All she did is asking that crazy woman if she wanted to commit suicide because of her. What the heck?
Without her friends, this problem NEVER would've been solved, and that's ridiculous! How on Earth she can be a boss if she doesn't realize that her employee promoting products from fashion brands for money? How can someone be a real photographer is she can't see what her employee does? The whole scandal plot was a MESS!
Lastly: the story with their mothers was messed up in the finale, too. She has heart problems, yet they let her work again? Makes zero sense, again!
Thankfully, I could forget it, because the rest of the show was really good. It's a feelgood drama with a good and important message, but Welcome to Samdalri could've been perfect with better writing.
The soundtrack, the directing and the acting were all great, even tho, sometimes the acting was a bit over the top. The REAL drama was top-notch!
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The Ultimate Beer Comercial!
This Kdrama is like your favorite beer! You know why you love it, ergo you know what you're gonna get, and in that, so you won't be disappointed!It's not extraordinary or special, but it was a fun! It's not a surprise that Kim Sejeong carried the whole show, but the side-characters were good, too!
My biggest problem is that we only get 12 episodes, and we had too many storylines, like the one with the soldier boy. That could've been so much better, and honestly, it deserves its own show, but we only got like 1 episode worth of story overall, and they moved on from it pretty fast.
Not to mention the plot with our main guy and the life-saving incident. They didn't do anything with it. I'm not talking about the obvious and typical Kdrama trope, I'm talking about the reason he had to be saved. They completely ignored that!
The usual stuff, like the romance and the main plot is predictable, but if you expect something else, this isn't for you. If you watched one show like this, you know them all, but that doesn't mean you're not gonna enjoy it.
Overall, it was fun, but nothing more!
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Full of action without a soul!
Before I start my review, I want to say something, so people can understand why I think, this is just another below average Japanese adaption!I LOVE Yu Yu Hakusho since I was 10! I still remember that every week when the new episode aired in my country, I recorded every episode on my VHS. Yes, I'm that old, I used a VCR.😅 Then I watched all the 112 episodes, over and over again. I've seen the anime at least 50 times. So, when I say, YYH is my favorite Anime, I'm not exaggerating at all. When I first saw the trailer for this adaptation, my first thought was that it looks cheap, like basically every Shounen Fight adaptation that was made in Japan. Even tho the casting looked good, and the best part in this adaptation is the cast and the acting, I don't think I can name other positives.
The worst thing in this show is not the fact that it's only 5 episodes. They literally adapted 66 episodes from the anime in 5 episodes! Okay, okay, technically this isn't true, because they left out some side-stories, not to mention important characters and backstories. The worst part is not this. The fact is, if you never watched the anime, I don't think you're going to feel anything towards the characters. Sometimes it made me emotional, BUT only because I know these characters already, and I know why those things happened. Also, why these characters acted like the way they did.
If you never watched the anime, maybe you'll feel that it was a fun, because it is action packed and there's no slowing down, not even for a second. Still, I don't think you will have any connection with the characters. This adaptation is like a recap of 66 episodes. You will know the basics, but what's the point watching a recap when you can watch the whole story with real emotions, and you can see the whole journey and character developments? Not to mention, you'll understand why these characters became friends. They completely left that out from the show. This is like when you play an online game with strangers. They're not your real friends, but it's still fun, except that you will forget about them after you closed the game. This show is exactly like that!
So, yeah, it's not bad, but you're going to forget everything and everyone after you finished it.
I don't see the point of having another recap season. The best part in this show is the fight scenes, the acting, and the fact it will make people watch the anime!
Lastly, I have to say that the OST (the songs and the score too) was boring. One of the best part of the anime is the score!
Also, the VFX is not always bad, but it wasn't anything special. It's a typical Japanese CGI anime adaptation.
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Would You Write Me a Better Script?
Oh, Jung Somin, that sh-t that I have to go through because of you.It's not bad, but not good either. Like, you literally have to turn off your brain to enjoy this. The writing is nonsense, the plot is ridiculous and irritating a lot of times. Especially the last episode.
Also, I'm so done with this "main characters have to know each other from the past" trope. It's so boring, honestly. The show wouldn't be any different without that.
The two main lead and some other side characters carried the show, but that's all. The adult baby and his family should've been removed from the show after the 6th episode.
My advice: Unless you really love Jung Somin or any of the actors, don't watch this if you can't turn off your critical brain. I don't know why so many Kdrama fans love to forgive or just ignore bad writing, but I'm not one of them.
I gave it a 6/10, because overall it's a lighthearted fun nonsense, but you won't miss much if you skip it.
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More like "Dear God"?!
I mean, I'm not talking about the drama itself, because it was well-written! A bit short MAYBE, but there are no plot holes! Trust me, if there's one, I would be the first to say that!I've seen multiple people saying the story was flat, rushed and there were a LOT of plot holes.
The thing is, with this drama you won't get the same experience, the writer is not gonna spell everything out for you if you don't pay attention. For example, many people are interested in the Snow guy. Well, he's just another soldier, nothing special, it was just a red herring, basically. He was one of the main solder of FL's dad, that's why her REAL brother Hongrang had dreams about him, he probably saw him doing something.
The only thing I could name is a weird plot, is the poisoning. Unless ML got some medicine from his boss lady, he should've died a long time ago. This is the biggest problem in the story, and not that big deal, honestly.
The writer actually deserves the praise, because how it was written was not your typical Kdrama way. Sure, the show was short, I could watch like 3-5 episodes more, but I think they finished the story well enough.
It's not a Happy Ending, and it's sad, but in a way this was the better way to do it. A typical happy ending would just the series in the same old average Kdrama category. I'm also glad they didn't do any weird ending like, he just got a cure from nowhere, or let's meet in another life 100 years later. I was actually surprised they didn't use the "I have a kid" after the 2 years later jump, either. The ending felt natural.
The acting, the directing, the OST and the Score were top-notch! The two lead Jaewook and Boah were fantastic together.
If you don't mind it's not a happy ending, and the fact that it's short, and you have to pay a LOT more attention to the story than you usually need to with other Kdramas, this show is for you!
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I wish I could travel back in time to stop myself to watch Lovely Runner!
ABSOLUTE MESS! DON'T SHOW THIS TO ANYONE WHO NEVER WATCHED A KDRAMA!!!Other than the two main lead being cute (and cringe) together, and the OST, what else is good in this show? Honestly, I can't mention anything else.
I don't understand how this drama can have a 9.0 rating. Like everyone is blinded by the eye candy?
I watched a lot of movies and shows about time traveling, but oh my God, this has one of the most inconsistent writing EVER! If you want to write a story about time traveling, and create your own rules, at least don't change it in every episode!
1st: We NEVER get any explanation how can she travel back in time. I'm not talking about the method, I'm talking about the whole reason why she can do it. Who made it possible?
2nd: If she can't tell anything about the future, because the time will freeze, how did she manage to tell multiple people still? The writing was so sloppy! The fact that her past-self don't remember anything, just made the whole plot meaningless. The fact is, she never loved the guy, she was a fangirl, and she falls in love with him in the past, but her past-self didn't even know the guy.
3rd: Sol is THE DUMBEST female character I've seen in a Kdrama! Like, she never tells anything to anyone. Not even her kidnapping. How is that even possible, I don't know. I mean, the police just thought: "Let's not say anything to her family, even tho she's a minor, and a guy wanted to kill her, it's not important!" No wonder he was outsmarting the police for 15 YEARS! Absolute JOKE!
What's more irritating is that, Sol isn't even trying to change the future. She knows exactly how it's gonna happen and where, yet she goes to the same place rather than just travel to another city or a country. If I know how my loved one will die, I'm not gonna act like Supergirl and fight with the killer. To be fair, it's not like the police can handle anything. Even a toy version is more reliable.
This isn't all, the worst part in the story is probably the last couple of episodes when she removes herself from the memory of everyone, except her family, but of course, somehow her grandmother with dementia still remembers, and the guy will slowly remember as well, because why not, right? They can remember the past that never happened!
So, yeah, this show doesn't deserve the hype or the high score, at all!
I mean, I could say, if you can ignore everything, it's a fun show, but what's the point of ignoring everything? You could just watch the paint dry on your wall. Same experience, without the cute female and hot male lead!
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It looks good, and taste good!
"Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" is really that Kdrama that doesn't lie to its audience! You know what you'll get on your plate from the first minute. The creators put on a great menu with good script, actors, visuals, soundtrack, and cinematography.There isn't much we could ask for, some may argue, it should've been a bit longer, but if you think about it, 12 episodes were perfect. The writer developed the characters almost perfectly. The main storyline (cook to save your life) didn't have any plot holes. To be fair, it's not the most complex one, but we've seen others fail to deliver with the most simple storylines too. The comedy, the romance, and all the scheming was properly written. All the dishes we've seen throughout the 12 episodes made me hungry, and it was visually pleasing. Not to mention, in some cases they showed food can make you remember your past, heal your soul, and that's what I appreciated the most about this drama. We can talk about the politics or the romance, but overall, the most important part of the show is how these characters connect with each other through food.
We could say, sometimes it was a bit overdramatic, and over the top, especially with the crazy visuals, but I never wanted to skip the reactions, because it was funny, and the VFX were creative.
It's not a perfect show, but just like any decent food you're regularly eating, if it tastes good, you don't need anything else to change it.
As I said already, the actors did everything, the two main lead, Yoona and Chaemin were great together, the connection between the two characters was built up nicely. I loved seeing their bickering in the first half, then the developing romance. Chaemin proved he was the right choice, even tho he wasn't the original actor for the role at first. I never felt he's a rookie actor. As for Yoona, she may be not the best actress, but her charisma and likable persona can compensate even the sloppiest scripts, and no one can take away her hard work that she put in this role. The same can be said about the supporting actors too. I don't think I can name a single actor who didn't have a memorable scene and performance.
The fan favorite is probably Gil Geum played by Yoon Seoah. Her character had some part in my negative list, but not because Seoah or her character wasn't great. It's the opposite. I just wanted more, because one of my favorite part of the series is the friendship between Gil Geum and Ji Yeong. Just like the other, more important side characters, she had an instant impact on me with her first scene. I would've love to see what happened to her and Gong Gil who was also a great character with a well-made side story and Lee Joo Ahn did a great job! He was funny and badass at the same time.
SOME SPOILERS FROM HERE!!!
The other negative is Kang Mokju played by Kang Hanna. She was also amazing, but her character was lacking a bit. Sadly, she was more of a pawn rather than a real antagonist. I think they could've done a bit more with her, but overall, it was good.
The other characters and actors really just did what they had to, so there's nothing I can complain about.
As a hardcore time traveling plot fan, I was expecting some explanation, but we never really got it, but this time, I don't mind, because it was consistent, the writer sticks to their rules, and even in the finale it was obviously how the traveling happened. They hinted the clue in the first episode, and we got an answer in the finale with that one remaining page of the book. The book and that one page was basically a two-way door to the future and back. It's just we don't know how the book turn out to be a time machine. My only real complaint about the traveling is that we've seen in the finale how Ji Yeong came back to her own body, so that means she was always in the future, but we never got an explanation how she can have a body in the past as well.
I always knew we're gonna get a happy ending, and even the fact that almost everyone had a new version in the future as well. So, there's nothing that was surprising in the finale. He kept his promise, he found her and will cook her every day, so it was a good ending in every possible way, and not only, because it's a happy ending.
So, overall, I think we can say, it's another good Kdrama with a well-written script, good acting and characters. It's also a lot of fun and meaningful as well!
There's no leftover here, you just start to watch it, and enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
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At least it was short!
I don't want to write a whole book about this drama, because there's not much to say, to be honest.The first thing I want to say, it's not as bad as some people make it out to be, but it's not good either. It had its moments, but overall, this is like the "Fast and Furious" saga. Dumb, not the best written, the visuals are bang average, but it's still a brainless fun.
Who wants to watch a brainless fun? You should decide that for yourself.
In my opinion, this was a wasted potential, the cast is great, the chemistry is great, but it feels like someone put everything in it without making it consistent.
One of my biggest problem with the show is Mireu was completely useless! I was waiting to see some badass things from her, yet she's basically the Damsel in Distress, and I hate nothing more than this ridiculous trope! It's outdated and makes no sense, especially when you have multiple badass female characters on the show. Also, she can see the future, but never said anything about it.
I don't think they will get the greenlight for the 2nd season, but even if they will, I'm not interested. I would've like the ending without the typical "credit scene", and the fact that they brought back the other Angels. That was such a nonsense!
My advice: Don't waste your time, unless you don't mind 8 hours of brainless fun!
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Another disappointment!
Honestly, it was a good show... until they ruined it. I mean, I don't mind if it's not a happy ending, but for the love of God, if you want to include fantasy elements like time travel, at least try to do something with it. Literally nothing was explained. It's like the whole show was a dream. This is the most irritating trope, honestly.This show was like: "How not to write a show 101." I get that characters need obstacles so they can learn something and grow, but making the dumbest mistakes is just lazy writing. Honestly, I don't think I would've watch more than 10 episodes without IU and Lee Joon Gi.
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Writer-nim ghosted the last couple of episodes!
Great start, the team hit the bullseye, but in the last 3 or 4 episodes they got tired, and they tried to wrap it up, but they didn't use the right spell.At first, it was a lot of fun, with a decent writing, and good acting, but let's be real. This is another example when the creators didn't do much with a potential that "Head over Heels" had!
I don't want to talk about the romance, because I don't feel it was the best written part of it, the two main lead did a good job, but I never felt, they're actually in love. So, let's talk about what's actually important.
The show is about Shamans, ghosts, afterlife, and everything that comes with this. We got a great villain, two, actually. Both of them had their reasons, and I can empathize with them, but at the end of the day, they did many bad things to achieve their goals, so the way the writer wrapped up their story was lazy and bland! I don't like when everyone has to get a happy ending, and I'm not even sure what happened with Yeomhwa. Her story was unfinished in my opinion.
And this is my biggest problem, we already knew the real name of Bongsu, they had the chance to ask his name, but they had to stretch the story longer, even did a 3 year time jump, and for what? I'm so done with this nonsense where the so called EXPERT of the show can't come up with a real plan so they have to sacrifice themselves, but in the finale, the guy who doesn't know anything about ghosts can come up with a better one. Seongha has to beg for the help of the Fairy and everything is wrapped up nicely.
This part irritated me the most, because her mom gave up everything, including her life to save both of them, yet Yeomhwa wanted to kill her foster-sister basically, that was her whole plan in 3 years, and Seongha just let the ghost guy to go on rampage, even tho she watched her mom die. Like, you can't be a bigger fool, even if you try.
I'm sorry, but this is just LAZY WRITING! They could've finished the story in episode 10 or 11, and do a slice of life story in the finale. The side characters and both main lead deserved a better ending, not just the same old Kdrama one.
I would've loved a sad ending better than this one, if I'm being honest.
Overall, it's good, and I think I will rewatch it again someday, but I'm really disappointed again with yet another finale!
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Peak Guilty Pleasure!
Satan who's a Genie, and a Psychopath falling in love?Put aside your agenda, this is a BRAINLESS FUN!
Asking this from people is pretty much impossible, like eating sand, and thinking you're not thirsty anymore.
Anyway, the story doesn't really offer much, it's your average fantasy drama, but it's a LOT OF FUN! Isn't that most Kdrama fans want? The plot couldn't be more basic, you know what's gonna happen even before you start watching it. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ride, tho, because not only the two main lead, Suzy and Woobin are great, but every other actors as well. They deserve the praise.
To be honest, I expected some lazy writing, and a typical ending, and we can say the finale was kind of similar to many fantasy drama, I still think they did a good job. I have to admit, they surprised me with that one twist in the end with our lovely grandma. For me, SHE IS THE MVP! Both Kim Mi Kyung and Ahn Eun Jin, not to mention, Lee Joo Young (as Minji) were amazing! Almost everyone deserve a friend like her!
My biggest complaint is the writer missed a good opportunity with the wishes, they could've delved into that part deeper, because the so called villains of the story were bland at best. The love story was good, but it's not something you can't see in any other drama. The one thing that actually made it more interesting is that the male lead is Satan, and a female lead is a psychopath. The duo was insanely good together in every possible way, and even tho it might be not obvious for many, but Kayeong's last wish was also surprising, and it was obvious she didn't realize what her wish actually meant.
The way they broke the 4th wall was unnecessary, but in some cases it was funny, especially that one cameo.
So, in general, this is a pretty good drama if you only need a fun ride, but don't expect too much seriousness. It had its moments with some deeper meaning, but that was mostly about family.
Don't believe everything you read online, this show doesn't deserve the ridiculous hate, because it's not about the story, and everyone knows that.
If you want a good guilty pleasure drama, this is for you!
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Absolute GARBAGE! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!
No, I'm not exaggerating, this is easily one of THE WORST Kdrama I've EVER watched!I can't understand how people can give more than 3/10 for this show, because other than the acting, there's nothing in it that's actually good. It was like it was written by a newbie!
In the first 12 episode NOTHING happened, not even kidding, you can skip the first 12 episodes, and you won't miss a single thing.
I should get an Award watched every episode without skipping a single scene, but honestly, I only did it, because of Seohyun! That's all.
Okay, so, firstly: Like I said, the writing is not just a HOT MESS, it's GARBAGE! No character development whatsoever, there isn't a beginning or an ending in the story.
The first couple of episode were interesting with all the spy drama and the swindler plot, but the minute the main focus was the spy stuff, it became boring, and the story was all over the place! I'm 100% sure it was written by AI.
It's one thing that the characters always changing sides, but do you know where I drew the line? When they shot someone in the head, and in the finale he's miraculously doing shenanigans with his woman, again! I mean, we never get a single explanation if he actually died, or it was just a set-up, but one thing is for sure, he was shot in the head, and Yoon was shocked as hell, so she didn't know anything, that's for sure.
Also, the main characters should've died like 100 times, the Company wants to kill them, yet they can meet with them without any problem, and just leave.
It's one thing to finish off the story in the finale, because in Kdrama world, that's a usual thing 99% of the time, but what the actual hell was that finale? Not only the fact that Wook is still alive, but that One Hand guy looks like was working with the other company, and we didn't get any explanation about that either.
Also, the actual ending with the new President, and the wedding scene was another nail in the coffin. So, you want to tell me, they want to get married, again, but he had to leave, again? Why?
It's not an open ending, or sad ending, it's just a GARBAGE ending, they finished the show without any explanation, it was like someone cut the cable, and you can't watch the actual finale.
Anyone who rate this drama more than 4/10 is crazy!
The OST and the directing was also below-average, I only gave 3/10, because of the actors!
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8 hours, felt like 4!
I wanted to watch this Kdrama for a very long time. Now, I had some free time, and even tho, this is a fantastic show, it felt like they wanted a marathon, but eventually it became a sprint. The bases of the story are nothing special, to be honest. This is a typical revenge story. What makes it great is the acting!!! Han So Hee literally carried the whole show on her back. If you want to watch this show for the plot, just ignore it, because after 2 episode or so, you're going to figure out everything. Especially if this isn't your first crime/revenge drama.The story is pretty simple, someone killed Ji Woon's dad, and she wants revenge. That's the whole story. This is like the female version of John Wick! Han So Hee's acting is absolutely phenomenal! You can tell that she's worked like crazy to make us feel, she's actually a badass fighter, and she is! Sure, sometimes fight scenes are weird because the camera movements are fast, and just like in John Wick the protagonist should've died a long time ago, and not just her. But if you can ignore this, and the average story, it's a really good, action packed 8 hours!
The big problem with this show is that it's too short, and I feel like the writer didn't really know what she wanted from this story. Sometimes Ji Woon wants revenge, but here comes the romance, if we can call it that, because it came from nowhere, it just happened. I don't know what was the point if they killed him in the process, just so we can have a big ass fight scene. They should've ignored the whole romance story, especially because I don't think the chemistry was there.
Also, the finale felt like they lost interest or didn't have enough money to finish it like they wanted to. We literally don't know anything about what happened with Ji Woon after she killed Moo Jin. How did she survive, why she's not in prison, etc?! It was like they cut out 30 minute.
For me: the best ending would've been Ji Woon kills Moo Jin, but she would've died in the process, because what now? She's going to live alone, without any punishment? Makes no sense. You can't just live a normal life after killing so many people.
So, yeah, this is a great drama overall, but it felt like a 1st season, and I don't think there's going to be a 2nd season, and I don't think we need another season, because she finished what she started. With 10 episode, this show would be perfect!
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Why it's not perfect?
To answer to my own question, I have no idea!How should I describe Castaway Diva in a simple way? It's a show about people whom are fighting for their families, their love, their dreams, and never give up! Mokha is probably the most inspiring character I've seen for a long time. Park Eun Bin and the whole cast and crew deserve every award! I don't know if I should've given 10/10 or 9/10 for this show. It feels like I'm nitpicking, but honestly, there were a couple of things in the story that could've been a LITTLE BIT better. IN MY HEART, THIS IS A PERFECT DRAMA, but as a more critical person, it's "ONLY" 9/10! It would be surprising if Park Eun Bin and the crew won't win anything next year. Amazing show, masterclass acting, one of the best written show in 2023, the entire production was top-notch, and probably had THE Best OST too. I don't even remember when was the last time a Kdrama had a perfect OST, not just the songs, but the score too.
Here comes the long part!😅
What I LOVED about the Castaway Diva, is that on the surface it's about a girl who idolize a singer, and she wants to be a singer too, just like her Idol. But if you watch the whole show, and you pay attention, you'll see, it's about finding your own path, finding happiness, and that's not fame or money, it's LOVE and FAMILY! Nowadays, these words became cliché, thanks to the souless movies. This show is about REAL PEOPLE with REAL STRUGGLES. Most Kdrama creator don't even dare to put half of what the Castaway Diva creators put in this show. In the past 6 weeks I saw so many comments from people, complaining, when will we see Mokha as an Idol. The sad part in this fandom is that most Kdrama fans aren't used to the real world stories. They want fantasy, and that's okay, but for me, there's nothing more important than learning something meaningful from a show, movie, or a book. A story can be fun, even if the story doesn't make sense at all. Marvel movies proved it for years, but if you're watching the same thing over and over, it will become boring eventually. This Kdrama showed everyone, you can write a fun show even if it's realistic and dealing with many real world problems like, domestic abuse, depression, alcoholism, toxicity, prejudice, or insecurity. Why is it so hard to be an Idol in Korea (especially if you're older than 30) or just being an average person who can't even ask help, because the Korean legal system is messed up so much. What I liked the most, is that there wasn't a single character who was one dimensional or boring.
I'm sure, for most of you, Mokha and Kiho were the best couple, and it's not like I don't love them. Easily one of the best romantic couple of all time, probably! They really fought for each other, especially Kiho, but like Park Eun Bin said in an interview: "That's a fantasy!"🤣 I love fantasy, but what I LOVE THE MOST is when two women don't hate each other, they're not perfect, and don't want to kill each other for the most ridiculous reason.
THE BEST PART in Castaway Diva were Mokha and Ranjoo's sisterhood. Even if some people didn't understand it sometimes, they fought for each other like real sisters, NEVER wanted to betray each other for fame or money. I honestly don't want anything else, but seeing Park Eun Bin and Kim Hyo Jin winning "The best couple" award, because this year, there's no one who deserve it more!
I don't think anyone can write a review about a show with Park Eun Bin being the main lead, without mentioning the fact that she proved over and over for more than 20 years now, her versatile skills as an actress. Every time she's on the screen, the viewer is either crying or laughing, or both.😅 I honestly think that there's nothing she can't do. She was a wife and mother who fought for her family in a Joseon dynasty in 'Hur Jun, the Origin Story'. She was a troubled young adult in 'Age of Youth', a fierce warrior "King" in the 'The King's Affection', and a brilliant lawyer with ASD in the 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo', and now: She's literally debuted as an Idol, and proved to everyone that she can win a Grammy for her singing skills too. If someone only watched Castaway Diva from her, I'm 110% sure, they will think, Park Eun Bin was an Idol first and became an actress later.
I have to mention the other actors too, especially the two young actors: Moon Woo Jin (as the young Kiho) and Lee Re (as the young Mokha), because without them, I don't think this show would be this good. They're THE MAIN REASON the 1st episode was PERFECT! Having acting skills like they have at a young age is probably a talent they were born with. Being kid actors is always hard, especially in Kdramas, but being in the same level with the adults is a talent that not everyone has.👏
Chae Jong Hyeop and Cha Hak Yeon proved again, they're not just pretty boys. The nuances in their acting, not something you can learn easily. A writer can write the best script in the world, but if the actors are not good enough, it's going to be a disaster.
The same goes for Kim Hyo Jin and Kim Joo Heon. Like I said, the characters aren't one dimensional, that's why sometimes you can hate them and a couple of minutes later you love them again. Especially after you realize why they're doing what they're doing.
I'm glad Hyo Jin's Ranjoo wasn't just a simple mentor or a finished article who's jealous of Mokha or Eun Morae. There's a good reason, Ranjoo was my favorite character after Mokha. I love characters with flaws, with real problems, and Ranjoo had everything. She proved that she's not a finished article, she was the best mentor and friend that a real fan like Mokha could ask for. Her story with her mother and with her mentor, and to be honest, a second dad, was the cherry on the top. Like I said, masterclass acting and writing! I don't think I will forget the scene where Ranjoo singing for her mother.
If we say, Kiho is the best boy that a girl can ask for, or as kids say it nowadays, a walking green flag, Daddy Kang was a whole forest with his forest fairy, Song Ha Jung. 😅 Daddy Kang (Lee Joong Ok) and Song Ha Jung's (Seo Jung Yeon) love story could probably top even Mokha and Kiho's. I don't think there's too many people who can endure the amount of pain and misery that they had to deal with. Living in fear for more than 15 years, raising two kid, dealing with judgmental people and still love each other and don't run away, instead fighting for their family. There's nothing harder than that.
Lee Seung Joon as Jung Bong Wan won't go down as the best person in the history of Kdramas, but the fact is that he's one of the best written antagonist. He wasn't a typical evil person who would do everything to achieve his goal. I don't think there will be a single person who will sympathies with him, but his character is a great example, what happens when you have too much power and freedom to do whatever you want. Even tho, he loved his family in his own way, it was one of the best representation of a toxic relationship, and they showed us why is it hard to leave people like him, even after so many years.
I have to mention the director and the writer too. Park Hye Ryun (writer) and Oh Choong Hwan (director) worked together once, but this time, in my humble opinion, they made something really SPECIAL that people won't forget for a very long time. I hope they will win something for their work, because they deserve it, BIG TIME!
I could talk about the Castaway Diva for a week, why everyone should watch it, but I don't want to waste your time with reading my novel, so just go, and watch Castaway Diva!😅
I'll end my review with my favorite line from the show. There were MANY, but this is probably the most meaningful of them all!
"- I guess it’s true that givers create takers. You were the one who was the giver, and I was the taker.
- Why are you a taker? You’re a gift."
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