The Sageuk Returns With Bloodshed, Tragedy And Sociopolitical Themes...
Screenwriter Kim Eun-Hee first introduced us to the webtoon-based“Kingdom” ( the intriguing, bloodthirsty political cutthroat sageuk) back in 2019 , with its zombie-survival storyline and characters in order to keep audiences hooked at the edge of their seats.Yet similar to all the best offerings in the zombie genre, Kingdom is about much more than mindlessly fighting hordes of the ravening undead. Its initial creator Kim Eun-hee has said her webcomic (as well as the series) Drama) have been inspired by chronicles in “ the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty”—accounting the medieval dynasty that lasted some 500 years (1392-1897), where hundreds of thousands of enigmatic deaths occurred possibly through mismanagement of the authorities.
Consequently, whilst Kingdom’s zombie attack in Season 1 notably highlighted some political suggestions whilst focusing on bloodthirsty scenarios , Season 2 uses the outbreak as a means of exploring broader sociopolitical themes. The general populace suffers from starvation and pestilence as their ignorant or oblivious leaders strive for political power. It is only fitting, then, that the starving commoners become the zombie horde, while the hunger for power of certain leaders results in rash decisions that could mark the end of the Joseon Dynasty.
Of course, this is nothing entirely groundbreaking for South Korean storytelling in general. However, it is refreshingly original and within its universal allegory. Regardless of culture , time or nationality, corruption exists and may (quite literally in the case of Kingdom ) turns the rivers red.
In the opening of Kingdom Season 2 is a fast-paced one but what follows is an intrinsically observant look at a struggle behind the scenes of a kingdom and country torn by bloodthirsty wars and politics. Yet with a notable heavy focus upon the political intrigue or the show, it would seem apparent that viewers can easily become a little bogged down by the heavy subject areas. Strangely, Kingdom Season 2 hits the balance just right between grappling action and driven politics behind a country. Although the subject matter of politics still weighs heavily in some scenes, it is brilliantly counteracted by its coordinated camera angles narrowing onto the swift and brilliant fight scenes of the show, whilst not losing its core to mindless violence as well.
Fortunately, there are just as many (if not more) people able to find the better angels of their nature and rise to the occasion. Whilst Prince Chang ( Ju Ji Hoon) ‘s often felt a little lacklustre in season 1, season 2 helps to solve this issue by deepening his role as the protagonist through his notable interactions and experiences with other characters and memories from the past, with a notably stronger and more intricate moral compass. Similarly, Seo-bi ( Bae Doo-Na)’s character’s transition from a plot device in season 1, becomes notably apparent within her role as an altruistic heroine in Season 2, where the character becomes a driving force within learning more about the disease. Even Yeong-shin’s characterisation since season 1 from a seemingly disdainful character to a complicated hero, is marked by helping Prince Chang complete missions including at risk of his own life in this season.
However, Season 2 also marks notant motivations and transitions from moustache twirling villains, to well-rounded antagonists such as Queen Cho ( Kim Hye Joon). Whilst nonetheless some of her actions cannot be defended by being horrifyingly ruthless , they did help to add intrinsic depth towards Cho’s motives. In addition to this, one particular character that made a strong impression is the traitor among Prince Chang's most trusted allies hinted back in Season 1 . Without any spoilers towards the identity of the turncoat , it is surprising to say that there was a notably empathic reason behind their actions.
Pacing -wise, the drama zips across the actions in double-quick time (though its zombies are definitely way too fast). This makes it perfect for binge-watching which was certainly what we ended up doing. It was nearly impossible to stop watching once you’ve started, with each episode ending on a cliff hanger that’ll make you immediately switch to the next episode for more. Each episode is over an an hour but with how action-packed each episode is, it hardly feels like any time has passed before you find the credits rolling.
Was this review helpful to you?
Mouse; A Masterpiece or A Mess?
The best way to describe screenwriter Choi Ran’s "Mouse" is somewhere between a masterpiece and a slightly disjointed mess in certain parts.
It’s wrong to entirely slander that " Mouse" wasn’t a good series. Without a doubt, the main cast were absolutely brilliant. ( Especially Lee Seung Gi’s hauntingly profound portrayal as Ba Reum, truly defining his talents as an actor.) Additionally , " Mouse" arguably had some of the best character development seen in a mystery- crime series in a long time. The portrayal of psychopaths felt haunting for the most part, whilst main characters Ba Reum ( Lee Seung Gi) and Mo-Chi ( Lee Hee Joon) had some shockingly profound character developments and twists. Even seemingly superficial side characters in the beginning such as Oh Bong-yi ( Park Ju Hyun) and the suave Choi Hong-ju, or " Sherlock Hong-Ju" ( Kyung Soo-Jin), had a lot more to their characters than first meets the eye.
However whilst it would be easy to give this drama a decisive ” 10/10” and write it off as flawless , it is undeniable that it isn’t without its faults either.
" Mouse" is undeniably a collection of surprising twists and turns which soon become a little disorientating. Whilst rooted in real—life depictions of a serial killers with a slight "fantasy twist" intriguing plot points soon become slightly predictable and mundane in the latter part. It was almost as though screenwriter Choi was running low on ideas ( despite the endless supply of unanswered questions left open for viewers) and decided to group together a cluster of feverish flashbacks, dismiss more intriguing characters peppered throughout the storyline and manoeuvre deux ex machina solutions for the resulted ending.
So, is " Mouse" actually worth watching from all the hype? This depends a lot on personal preferences. Whilst not flawless and a little clunky in the second-half, "Mouse” was undeniably filled with good acting, intriguing plot, characters and profound themes.
Was this review helpful to you?
You Are My Spring ; The Attempted Reimagining Of Love
Fusion genre dramas aren’t unheard of in K-dramas, but ‘ You Are My Spring’ certainly pulls out a new record with the amount of genres in tried to cram into the show. Does it work? On certain grounds ‘ You Are My Spring’ is partially poetic and partially natural speech at times . The dialogue infused by screenwriter Lee Min Na is a rare example in a K-drama for each individual character -feeling natural because it flows out of the mouths of these characters coherently .
Of course this drama wouldn’t be complete without its star-studded cast. Whilst admittedly there were few eyebrow raising moments of acting in parts of the show, our main cast did add their own dynamic charm to their onscreen personas. Actress Seo Hye Jin plays bubbly hotel manager Da Jung. A talented businesswoman and a person with a heart of gold, Da Jung had a rough upbringing and believes her love life has forever been tarnished by her mother. Da Jung immediately has a likeable charm for viewers even from her initial introduction -she isn’t the cliched “ ditsy and innocent ” female lead archetype, but still often finds herself at the crossroads during problematic moments in the drama. Similarly she’s career-orientated and a hard worker but is often fairly relaxed and kind-natured. However whilst it is understandable that whilst we do see her struggles flare up during “ necessary” moments for the storyline, this was often used as a carte blanche by the screenwriter to “ intensify drama” in order to keep the plot moving, or kindle “ potential chemistry” between the main characters rather than explore Da Jung’s sentience in more depth . There was so much potential to understand more about how Da Jung tried to cope with years of trauma in daily situations, her relationship (in more depth) with her mother, her past relationships as well as how this impacted Da Jung’s social experiences during childhood and growing up also.
On a more praiseworthy note and before commenting on the rest of the main cast, it is important to commend the cinematography and symbolism in this drama . Director Jung Ji Hyun tangoed a lot with screenwriter Min Na’s storyline points through subtle motifs and shifted lighting in order to explore the drama’s heavy-hitting moments in more detail. Da Jung’s morbid obsession since childhood with Edgar Allen Poe’s “ The Black Cat”acts as a perfect analogy for the mystery of the drama.
Yet back to our main cast it is impossible to forget Hye Jin’s fellow costar Kim Dong Wook who played main lead Yeong-Do. Kim Dong Wook added a refreshingly calm presence to our main lead. As his onscreen persona Yeong Do is very much written in the role as the “ nice guy” trope- he’s flawed and has his own emotional scars, but is amiable and possesses a good heart. A psychiatrist who significantly cares for all of his patients, it is fair to say that it was surprisingly heartwarming to see Yeong Do confront his patients or people who come to his clinic in different ways and through small, yet meaningful words and interactions. On a more nuanced note Yeong Do was very much in the same boat as Da Jung.A likeable and sweet character, but a lot of unexplored territory with his development beneath the service . Without giving any major spoilers, it’s fair to say that there was a lot of potential to explore regarding Yeong Do’s childhood. His complicated with his father was often dismissed or skipped over rarely giving opportunities to understand more about his childhood, the impact of his childhood on truly shaping the person he was during the events of the series and of course his exact reasons for becoming a psychiatrist in the first place. Whilst it is arguable a lot of his motives for becoming a psychiatrist were arguably sparked as a consequence of the dramatic events of his past , there was surprisingly little mention or reasoning even during heartfelt talks with Da Jung to back this up.
This naturally moves us onto the potential romantic relationship between Da Jung and Yeong Do . Whilst there are some undeniable qualms with the written relationship between their characters, it is undeniably that respected actors Hye Jin and Dong Wook really worked well together with their onscreen chemistry. They undeniably added vital life to their onscreen personas’ feelings for one another and watching this growth from blossoming acceptance to something more was quite heartwarming. However it is important to be forthright by explaining that this relationship was also the drama’s hamartia.
Refreshingly , it wasn’t necessarily a problem that this potential paring was “ toxic” or “ unhealthy” by either characters’ implicated actions. Both characters made flawed mistakes and misunderstandings within this relationship, yes. However both character were also able to accept and move on from their mistakes or fallbacks- Da Jung could learn to lean on Yeong Do rather than bottle up her emotions, whilst both Da Jung and Yeong Do learnt to give one another distance and time to heal after a particularly severe incident without relentlessly hounding the other. It was honestly a fairly overt relationship. On the other hand it is quickly apparent to see where viewers can grow lost within its labyrinthine plot- a romance story which suddenly turns to a murder mystery, and then back to a slow-burn love story with dominating screen time after the halfway is undeniably off putting for viewers expecting thrill and hype . Adding to this issue was of course the myriads of cliches and tropes which began popping up in the romantic side of the drama- so lacklustre and predictable from other aspects of the uncertainty of the thriller and mystery elements of drama, that sometimes the skip button could never look so appealing.
Of course it is important not to forget the talents of “ second main lead” Yoon Park who added a layer of depth and brilliance to his dual performance as Ian Chase/ Chul. The storyline surrounding the mysterious Ian Chase ( Yoon Park) and his uncanny resemblance to Chul ( also played by Park) was a major source of intrigue throughout the drama, and whilst this storyline certainly didn’t disappoint as later revelations came to light , there were moments which often fell flatline at times because the show was often being pulled apart in so many different directions. Nevertheless did this become more apparent just after the halfway point. Juggling between murder mystery and romance soon saw a higher dedication to the lacklustre slow-burn romance between the main leads- sweet and gradual, but so disconnected and predictable ( including tropes)from the other aspects of the drama that sometimes the skip button could never look so appealing.
Then there’s Ahn Ga Young( Nam Guy Ri). Admittedly there’s a lot more than meets the eye here with Ga Young and rather than sending her down the superficial route as the “ second female lead”, it was intriguing to see this character ‘s growth by her backstory and gradual wholesome friendship with Da Jung. However whilst Gyu Ri is a good actress , the tropes defining other aspects of her character resorted to her being reduced at times as nothing more than a quick plot device to heighten the stakes or comical foil. This was also case and point with our side couples-so cute and bubbly that they often won over the viewers’ attention from a dragging scene between Da Jung and Young Do, but lacking screen time did little to give these couples more limelight in the
second-half also. The ending was as expected-bittersweet in parts, sugary sweet in others but failing to wrap up some more nuanced storyline moments also.
The verdict for ‘ You Are My Spring’ is undeniably that it is dependent on what you want from this drama. At its forefront ‘ You Are My Spring’ delivers good performances by the cast, surprisingly well-written dialogues ,aesthetic cinematography in parts and tries hard to deliver a fusion genre production. Whilst the different genres do help to “ spice up” certain elements of the storyline early on, this idea soon falls flatline when other genres ( particularly the romance) begin to dominate major screen time for evidently more quintessential storyline moments. As a consequence the characters’ development and slow pacing in the storyline soon begins to struggle beneath the surface. The drama often becomes lost in its own labyrinthine complexity-trying its hardest to be an avant garde masterpiece , but often failing to reach the mark in the second-half. Enjoyable but admittedly flawed.
Was this review helpful to you?
Is it Worth Investing Time in ” Hospital Playlist”?
Yes, I am late to the party with only just having completed screenwriter Lee Woo Jung ( Reply series, Prison Playbook ) ‘s drama “ Hospital Playlist”. However with ”Hospital Playlist 2” now ( at the time of writing) being released on Netflix streaming services , I decided it was a good time to give the critically acclaimed and hit series a go.Of course“ Hospital Playlist” isn’t without its more nuanced flaws. At times ” Hospital Playlist” struggled to step away from the medical show fusion genre scenario with the mundane setup of high drama, lighthearted comedy, “life vs death” consequences, and not every patient makes it through in order to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. (Additionally this provoked the evident problem of tedious pacing in the show also.) However, there’s a more poignant element similar to Friends in the mix, as the quintet are revealed to have a deep-rooted friendship with one another for more than two decades.
Whilst the first couple of episodes invest time within “ getting to know” our ensemble and present the fairly dynamic performances of our main cast, the following episodes explore an oddly balanced investment into the quintet jamming out in their band during their free time, backstories and the current ups and downs of life at the hospital also.
Arguably one of the major roles to talk about in the drama was the role of Jo Jung Suk as Ik Joon. As a single dad, Ik Joon could have easily been stereotyped as the cliched “ estranged father” or having a “ bitter” relationship with his son Woo Joo (Kim Jun) due to the bitter nature of his divorce from his wife , however, Ik Joon is refreshingly nothing but a kindhearted goofy dad, with a charm that easily wins over even his most stubborn of patients in the hospital . Arguably the potential “ love story” element in consideration to his unrequited feelings for Song Hwa ( without decisive spoilers) may leave viewers a little on edge by the unnecessary setup, however, surprisingly the later decisions of Ik Joon felt surprisingly natural for his character.
Following on from Ik Joon is evidently Jung Kyung Ho as Kim Jun Wan.
Despite his tough shell in front of the trainees and his peers , actor Kyung Ho seemed to pretty much nail Jun Wan’s archetype as the “ grizzly bear with a marshmallow heart”. Jun Wan is a harsh teacher at times, but a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon and truly cares for his patients ( even if it means making tough calls). In one particularly heartfelt scene of the series, Jun Wan adorns a terrible suit from Jae Hak (Jung Moon Sung), and attending the wedding of his patient’s daughter as his patient is unable to attend. His love story with Ik Soon ( Ik Joon’s sister) did undeniably start on a bit of an eccentric and uncomfortable setup but did become enjoyable ( especially with Jun Wan’s grouchiness at times) as the series progressed.
As the only female friend of the quintet and a single woman in her 40s Chae Song Hwa could’ve easily done down the more stereotypical route of being “ bitter” or “ pitiful”. However Song Hwa is refreshingly anything but these labels. A Charismatic, compassionate, intellectual and elegant character , its easy to see why actors Jo Jung Suk and Yoo Yeon Seok recommended theatre actress Jeon Mi Do for the role.Arguably whilst season two has given a potential opportunity to explore the landscape of Song Hwa’s mixed feelings for her respected love interests, season one undeniably often failed to truly sketch - out Song Hwa’s more profound complexity in her love life. (However room for a second season will hopefully delve into this issue more.)
Nevertheless arguably one of the most surprisingly heartwarming characters in the series was Kim Dae Myung’s role as Seok Hyung. Seemingly starting off the drama as the cliched and spoilt “ mama’s boy”, Dae Myung’s performance added surprising layers to Seok Kyung as a character with his complicated past and rationale as a medical professional . His potential love story with coworker Min Ah could’ve easily gone down several mundane routes, but his overall development and reactions rarely felt out of character.
On a weaker note, the final member of our quintet was Yoo Yeon Suk as Jeong Won. This isn’t to say that Yoo Yeon Suk’s performance was bad in any way. In fact the actor truly animated his onscreen persona to life with many endearing and likeable qualities. However Jeong Won was sadly a little less well-rounded. Whilst he had an intriguing storyline and a more complicated backstory than a lot of the other characters, but his later motives and personality assets often felt less profound. In addition to this whilst the show did seem to go down the evident route of his potential love story with Gyeo Wool in snippets, it often lacked the same charisma as the rest of the ensemble.
So is “ Hospital Playlist” worth watching? The show doesn’t entirely step upon new ground with its concept with certain characters and storylines felt slightly undeveloped ( although a sequel season will hopefully dismiss these issues) and snail pacing in parts also. On the other hand “ Hospital Playlist” has surprisingly profound and bittersweet themes with backstories and life in the hospital, as characters are often faced with realistically challenging issues which helped to provide food for thought. If you are willing to invest some time into this show, then you’ll absolutely love “ Hospital Playlist”.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Sugary Sweet Romance Tale...
Based upon the renowned manga (Hori-san to Miyamura-kun) and having been released fairly simultaneously with an anime series in Japan, the drama version ” Horimiya” undeniably regurgitates the same plot premise of social butterfly Kyoko Hori ( Kubota Sayu) beginning to date seeming otaku Miyamura Izumi ( Suzuka Ouji) who hides a deep secret from his school-life persona. While there are prominent points to praise about “Horimiya”( which will be raised later), there are notable faults which arise from the drama production from casting, trying to transcend notable setups from the manga into a real-life setting, as well as the abridged closure ( or lack of it) in the finale.Before anything else, it is probably important to address the primary issue which has surrounded the drama with casting choices.
Respectfully, Kubota Sayu wasn’t entirely ‘’ terrible’’ as our female lead Hori. In fact, in an odd way, Sayu did seem to grow into her role fairly well with a sense of genuine emotional investment into her character. However, it is difficult to really point out anything particularly captivating or striking about Sayu’s performance as Hori.
Ironically as a character, Hori is fairly unforgettable by her her eccentricity and outspokenness. Of course, this is not turning a blind eye towards the typical tropes used as a drama sourced from a manga such as the “ popular girl” , the “ academic student” and the “ tougher than she seems” cliches , however, even in the drama, Hori’s greatest trait remained within being able to overcome certain stereotypes about herself as well as her relationship with Miyamura. Hori was given an actual chance in the drama for viewers to fortify her characterisation through her interactions sans with Miyamura, such as her interactions with her father Kyosuke ( Kimura Ryo; one of the few actors who felt fairly well-cast within his role) and her younger brother Sota ( Takagi Haru). Arguably, Hori’s interactions with her mother Yuriko ( Kawai Aoba) and her later friendship with Sengoku Kakeru ( Onodera Akira) and Ayasaki Remi ( Marsh Aya) felt fairly minimal within the drama version, nor truly giving viewers a chance to see Hori’s interactions as a friend as well as her maternal relationship with her own mother in a respectfully fairly masculine household .
The relationship between Hori and Miyamura was the focal point of the series and the plot development. For Hori, Miyamura has a metamorphosis from the archetype “ weird kid” in her class, to a more multifaceted individual. Against all odds of the notable problems which arose in the series and can strike to the surface of romance dramas with emotional gaslighting and “ obstacles in the way of their romance” , the pairing between both characters felt fairly natural as teenagers. Neither character followed the cliche archetypes of having “ had a crush on one another forever” , nor manipulating “ to win someone else’s affections”. Hori simply entered her relationship with Miyamura upon shared grounds early on in the series before the rest of the drama focused upon both characters learning to understand one another and for their feelings for one another to grow mutually. (Perhaps the one element of the relationship that the drama version did better than the manga and anime, was leaving out the more “sexual undertones” of their relationship . This isn’t to condemn these elements in either versions as they do help to portray a more realistic notion of teenagers, however, this always felt slightly mismatched against both characters as individuals even in the original manga and therefore wasn’t really necessary.)
It is fair to say that whilst Sayu is a good actress, she was slightly miscast as Hori by struggling to channel Hori’s personality as a character, consequently making Hori in this drama version, a fairly forgettable character against other romance heroines. ( A shame for an otherwise interesting character.)
Then of course the biggest elephant room (regarding casting) is often raised by the choice of Suzuka Ouji as Miyamura Izumi. Similar to his costar Kubota Sayu, Suzuka was not inherently appalling within his performance
as the male lead. In many ways he did certainly help to animate his character away from the more one-dimensional realm of male protagonists as “ emotionless” . On the other hand, Suzuka did seem to mismatch his character slightly within his physical appearance. This is not suggesting that Suzuka is “physically unattractive” or a slightly younger actor would have been better for the role,however, it does raise certain questions when the drama production sees Suzuka in a terrible long-haired wig without even attempting for the drama production to make this look natural.
Similar to Hori, Miyamura was an intriguing character against all odds of setups. Although initially appearing as “peculiar” and taciturn, Miyamura was fairly kind-hearted as well as hardworking and altruistic by helping out at his mother’s bakery, as well as the ongoing and unusual friendship between Miyamura and his best friend since middle school, Shindo Koichi ( Inoue Yuki). Parallel to Hori, Miyamura enters his relationship with her romantically upon mutual grounds before growing to like her more in a natural process which felt odd against the more cliches stereotypes of the drama. However, there’s a lot to note about the dynamic between Miyamura and the other characters of the series ( sans Hori), both within his fraternal friendship with Hori’s younger brother and father, as well as of course with his best friend and their complicated reasons behind becoming friends in the first place. Arguably, the one element of the series which did feel incredibly rushed and underdeveloped with Miyamura as a character, occurred within his past, especially with his estranged relationship with Makio Takihara. Therefore whilst Miyamura was a fairly intriguing character, it is fair to say that Suzuka was perhaps not entirely suited for the role.
The other side characters of the drama such as Kakeru, Remi , Kono Sakura ( Sakura) and Iura Shu ( Sota Ryosuke) should have been by default interesting characters, however, lacking screen time and setups, easily made them fairly forgettable over the course of the series as individuals (besides their occasional involvement within the plot dynamic between Miyamura and Hori).
Overall whilst certainly not an unwatchable or dire production with some praiseworthy features of having a healthy, fairly realistic relationship between teenagers as lovers and friends as well as some intriguing characters, poor pacing, tropes, miscasting and lacking focus upon certain plot lines for characters, often made this drama feel underdeveloped. The ending of the drama whilst arguably allowing some ground for a second season , did not truly bring a sense of closure or help to tie off characters and the relationship between Miyamura and Hori, as well as friendships also. Therefore it’s important to summarise that whilst Horimiya is not a terrible drama upon any grounds and was sweet within its ultimate concept , there are certainly better dramas to watch out there.
Was this review helpful to you?
Wish You: Your Melody From My Heart (Movie)
16 people found this review helpful
A Progressive Tale About The Melody of The Heart in Seoul ...
Going into this movie without a lot of prior knowledge of the series beforehand , left open a lot of ground to analyse and draw up where issues and strengths lay within the movie overall.
The biggest thing to say is that the series both portrayed our male leads , rising singer Kang In Soo ( playing himself ) and novice producer Yoo Sang yi ( Lee Sang) ‘s relationship in a refreshingly less cliche way than previous same-sex pairings in Korean productions - not through their sexuality, but through Sang Yi’s journey in making sense of his genuine feelings for Kang In Soo over the course of the movie.
It was an undeniably sweet and modern love story for our two male leads , yet nonetheless sugarcoated in favour of avoiding more difficult issues about Korean society. Whilst South-Korea is undeniably becoming a lot more progressive than other Asian countries and in comparison to its past towards homosexuality, some members of Korean society are still prejudice and homophobic towards homosexuality and gay relationships.
First of all it is important to say that whilst this wasn’t the main aim of the movie to home-in on a “ realistic” relationship and certain Korean beliefs towards this, it still felt a little odd in the particular plot’s centralisation of the music industry, not point or at least suggest this. The repression of sexual orientation amongst musicians and producers in K-pop has particularly come into light in recent years , something which although gradually getting better, is still something which should’ve have at least been raised or emphasised upon the other pressing issue of “ masculinity” as well.
Undeniably, Kang In Soo and Lee Sang were brilliant within their portrayals echoing a certain level of heartache and emotion behind their performances. Their characters were also evidently Kang In Soo was set out to be the “ mysterious” and “ handsome” musician, whilst Lee Sang acted as the “ awkward” and “ kind-hearted” producer. Yet apart from these roles and their evident relationship onscreen, their characters often felt lacking in greater depth.
What makes a character intriguing is getting to know them either through their pasts, friends, family or interactions. Sans from some interactions with In Soo’s best friend Choi Min Seong ( Baek So Bin) and Sang’s Lee Yoo Jin ( Su Bin), we were left a lot in the dark a lot in the movie about our characters as actual individuals- their journey to their respected career choices, if they have faced problems with their sexual orientation as well as problems or connections with their family.
Whilst these points may seem minor, it would have been probably made the relationship between In Soo and Sang Yi more “ fleshed-out” if we’d actually got to know more about them as “ realistic” individuals first, rather than just mere plot devices.
Overall WISH YOU: Your Melody From My Heart isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it was a surprisingly sweet and progressive love story in Seoul with a fairly intriguing premise and brilliant acting from our male leads. However, the show lacked a lot of character depth and realism within its portrayal and the issues around both the music industry and homosexuality in South-Korea, making the production feel sugarcoated and generic at times as well. Certainly worth a watch as a sweet romance movie , but certainly flawed within its deliverance of story and characters.
Was this review helpful to you?
Is This Worth Watching, Or Is It A “ Lost” Cause?
Screenwriter Kim Ji Hye’s ‘ Lost’ is an odd-fusion melodrama which both feels old-fashioned within its dated outfit choices, haircuts, over-the-top scenarios and dialogue as well as surprisingly boasting an array of well-crafted main characters. However for newcomers or those merely wanting to pick up ‘ Lost’ this leaves us on an ultimate decision; “Is ‘ Lost’ actually worth investing more than sixteen hours into?”To cut it to the chase the premise of ‘ Lost’ mainly revolves around Lee Boo Jung ( Jeon Do Yeon) a 40-year old writer stuck in an unhappy marriage with her husband Jin Jung Soo ( Park Byung Eun) who has finally hit a rut in reality by realising that she has not truly achieving or accomplished anything in life . By a whim of fate she ends up encountering someone from a different walk of life, jaded 27 year-old Lee Kang Jae ( Ryu Joon Yeol) who fears for what the future may hold due to his complicated past .
One of the strongest gaining factors for ‘ Lost’ was the casting choice . Admittedly whilst the acting can dip a little at times with certain line deliverances, the main cast immediately help to convey something worth watching. Actress Do Yeon was brilliant as Boo Jung playing the role with a level of complex heartache and angst. Her micro expressions throughout the series captivated all of Jung’s emotions flawlessly and helped to make her onscreen chemistry with her costars believable.
Parallel to Do Yeon was evidently younger costar Ryu Joon Yeol who played his role as Kang Jae with a swift touch of moodiness and arcane mystery. As their onscreen personas Do Yeon and Kang Jae’s chemistry is undeniably slow-burn and well-built up, however, this is also undeniably thanks to screenwriter Kim Ji Hye and directors Hur Jin Ho and Park Hong Soo’s approach to the relationship. Rather than enforcing the typical traits of a lusty affair filled with dirty secrets and dramatic sneak out scenes, both characters’ gradual chemistry was surprisingly refreshing . Admittedly the slow-burn approach could work at a snail pace at times but the ability to see both leads reach out through getting to know one another through their deal( as well as having time to talk about their own feelings) offered surprising relief .
One of screenwriter Ji Hye’s major fortes came through approaches to character writing and interactions throughout the show. Whilst certain character did feel more antagonistic for plot-drive than motives, even these individuals were rarely pinpointed as “ villains” by having their own moments of humanity, flaws and strengths.
Ji Hye even took time away from our main couple to focus on an unlikely relationship between Boo Jung’s somewhat staid husband Jung Soo and his rekindled feelings for his old crush Kyung Eun( Kim Hyo Jin).
Yet ‘ Lost’ is evidently not without its more problematic writing flaws. The drama whilst having an intriguing setup is incredibly slow-paced and takes awhile to really build-up more dramatic momentum . Of course some of this is necessary to build plot, however, the storyline also failed sometimes to reach climatic tension or build-up during entire montages and even entire episodes due to being more focused upon very nuanced details rather than keeping the plot moving more actively .
In addition to this there’s also the problem with the over-the-top cliches. Whilst tropes can be fun and intriguing to see how a screenwriter revamps them and did work well to an extent in the setup of the drama, ‘ Lost’ ‘s usage of the tropes ( including the nearly-farcical cliche of the “ slap on the cheek”) often felt mismatched against the stronger and fresher writing attributes of character-build and relationship. The ending certainly matched the more profound writing moments of the series- bittersweet and interpretative, yet oddly appropriate.
Overall the viewing expectations for ‘ Lost’ is entirely dependent on what you’re looking for in a drama series. ‘ Lost’ embodies the classic tropes of a melodrama series from the overused tropes which lack more profound depth, to slow-paced story build-up in order to “ create slow burn tension ”. The acting front is undeniably one of the show’s winning strengths alongside the drama’s more original approach to the adulterous affair cliche. The directors carefully used an artistic touch to the moody and drab cinematography which symbiotically helped to reflect the tension and ambience of the plot. So is ‘ Lost’ actually worth watching? ‘ Lost’ is a drama which is dependent on your patience and tastes. Those looking for a more adrenaline-rushed and quick paced drama with flaring chemistry may be disappointed. However if you have patience and enjoy slow burn chemistry, then you’ll absolutely adore ‘ Lost’. Whilst not flawless this is undeniably one of 2021’s hidden gems.
Was this review helpful to you?
"In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream…"
Choi Han Yong’s ‘ The Silent Sea’ is a series which will like divide its audience demographic greatly. Notable A-listers such as Bae Doona and Gong Yoo will likely attract drama enthusiasts towards the drama’s cast lineup and involvement. However ‘The Silent Sea’’s amalgamation of different sci-fi stories and Han Yong’s attempted execution of these plot points may naturally lead to some divided opinions amongst drama enthusiasts and sci-fi aficionados alike.
The plot takes place in a dystopian alternative-future where the earth’s water coverage has been reduced by nearly forty -percent. In an attempt to govern humanity and ration supplies, citizens are assigned a “water grade” based on a hierarchy ranking system that determines how much of the liquid they’re allowed to access. So in an attempt to resolve problems humanity attempts to look for answers ( quite literally) in the stars.
Astrobiologist Dr. Song Ji-an ( Bae Doona )is sent on a salvage mission alongside gruff soldier Han Yoon-Jae ( Gong Yoo) in order to collect samples at the deserted Balhae moon station. With both characters having their own personal motives for taking on the assigned task the duo come across some startling and horrifying secrets as they begin their mission.
Netflix’s ‘The Silent Sea’ origins were admittedly still quite visionary by being based upon Han Yong’s notable short movie ‘ The Sea of Tranquillity’. Yet unlike the art-house-style influences of Yong’s original directed work, ‘ The Silent Sea’ notably markets itself to a wider audience demographic as a “ sci-fi and dystopian epic” with slow- burn mystery ; a mini-series that is likely to eagerly please and disappoint in equal measure.
The plot twists and turns that become apparent throughout ‘ The Silent Sea’ will likely divide those familiar with the sci-if genre; action sequences straight out of Ridley Scott’s ‘ Alien’, a suspenseful tone familiar to Christopher Nolan’s ‘ Interstellar’, bilingual exchanges paying an evident homage to Joss Whedon’s ‘ Firefly’( changed evidently to Korean and English ) , a key plot point nearly strikingly familiar to Jo Sung Hee’s ‘ Space Sweepers’, and an unsurprising likeliness to the water -themed 2009 British series’ ‘Doctor Who’ special ‘The Waters of Mars’, will possibly highlight the fine-line between paying homage and striking similarities to other notable works throughout the drama.
Of course whilst the familiarity of some of these plot twists does come into question when looking back at ‘ The Silent Sea’ it’s important to point out that the series does facilitate a solid pace with its revelations and twists right up till the last episode. However while the plot surprises are still interesting to some extent , ‘The Silent Sea’ could often neglect a crucial element to delivering its attempted tour de force moments: the cast and the characters.
Bae Doona and Gong Yoo are the undeniable star- attractions of the drama through their idiosyncratic performances offering a subtle touch of mystique and heartache as their onscreen counterparts.
Nevertheless given the evident potential for character depth in a series which explores the complexity of humanity, it will likely strike viewers as slightly unusual that ‘ The Silent Sea’ rarely diverged into using even initial exposition for establishing character personalities and adding a tweak of depth to their seemingly profound egocentric motives . Whilst later episodes place a quintessential limelight upon the characters’ roles to play in the events of the series and plot-drive, without baseline personalities ( aside from Doctor Song), notable main and important characters in the series could often slightly shallow and uninteresting .
The design of ‘The Silent Sea‘’s “ advanced” technological world and the cinematography are decent enough during viewings. There is an undeniable high reliance on CGI throughout the filming of the series; not out of the question for a series set in space, but also leading to some heavy artistic licensing by Han Yong. ( Astrophysicists, engineers and science experts may want to look away from these scenes as the logic is often devoid during these scenes .) The established setting is also not too preposterous for audiences ; several holographic displays subtly reminding the audience that this is series is set in the near-future every so often but admittedly not quite being awe-inspiring either.
‘The Silent Sea’ delivered a promising sci-fi mystery epic that brought together a myriad of sci-fi plot point twists to an original concept. With that said the series felt as though it could’ve had more episodes in order to actually flesh-out characters and the world-building of the series , leading to a mixture of mixed-reception with the final production. Viewers looking for a quick binge-watch investment with some familiar faces along the way may revel in the series’ end result . However fans of the sci-fi genre may be slightly disappointed by Netflix’s s high- budget extravaganza which whilst satisfactory for the most part did lack more of an impactful punch.
Was this review helpful to you?
“Nature or Nurture?”; The Ultimate Question of ‘ Hwayi:A Monster Boy’
Director Jang Joon Hwan and screenwriter Park Joo Seok’s attempted to delve deeper into the ultimate debate of “ nature vs nurture” with ‘Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ - a savage action-thriller that is expedited by its gratuitous fight scenes. Despite Jang Joon Hwan’s film bringing forward TV star Yeo Jin-goo’s first silver-screen debut, the film’s scant insight into the motives and drives of its odd ensemble of characters alongside shoehorned storytelling and dialogue, will likely test the patience (at times) of action-genre enthusiasts and casual watchers alike.
The movie focused upon the titular main lead Hwayi ( Yeo Jin Goo); a high-school boy who was kidnapped as an infant and brought up by a gang of sadistic thugs. From a young age Hwayi has been reared into becoming a perfect killer by his five “ dads”: Suk-tae (Kim Yun-seok), Jin-sung (Jang Hyun-sung), Ki-tae (Cho Jin-woong), Dong-beom (Kim Sung-kyun) and Beom-soo (Park Hae-jun). However after turning seventeen, Hwayi is soon forced to face the reality of his upbringing as questions soon rise towards his birth parents against his violent nurturing and environment.
Jang Joon Hwan’s 2003 success ‘ Save The Green Planet’ was a work that combined graphic violence, fantasy and social critique to create a daring result. In many ways ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ shared a lot of similar themes with its predecessor- bloodlust gore and themes revolving around captivity and humanity blooming to life in an attempt to hook and intrigue viewers. However, whilst ‘ Save The Green Planet’ was a movie that possessed tactful multilayered themes and topics, ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ struggled to sketch-out the same depth as Joon Hwan’s previous work due to a notable key issue; writing.
In theory, Hwayi’s complicated relationships with his five fathers should have been the backbone of the entire movie. However, their character-drives and definitive personality traits were so ineptly draw together at times in Park Joo Seok’s fictional and niche microcosm of convicts and killers, that it was often difficult to truly differentiate them apart. Aside from Suk-tae acting as the boy’s main rearer and as the leader of the group( who is revealed to have his own motives in a twist which whilst climatic, lacked pretension, )and doltish Ki-Tae who sincerely showed affection for the boy , the other men’s reasons and personal motives for bringing up the boy and corrupting Hwayi were rarely tackled or given convincing explanations.
Playing Hwayi as a character pushed over the edge, Yeo Jin Goo could admittedly often lack an air of subtlety by overstating his character’s angst. Nonetheless Yeo Jin Goo gives the main lead an edge of complex fragility, instability and sympathy for audiences. His budding romance for classmate and potential love interest Yoo-kyung (Nam Ji-hyun), one of the few female characters of the movie( who lacked definitive qualities) , acted as a lighthearted respite from the movie’s downbeat narrative.
Costarring alongside Yeo was Kim Yun Seok. The venerable actor added a running streak of brutality and viciousness to his onscreen persona Suk-Tae. Nevertheless despite the brilliant dynamic charm of Kim Yun Seok onscreen, tedious dialogue exchanges against lukewarm chemistry between him and Yeo during scenes rarely instilled tour de force moments when ambiguous feelings of love and contempt became apparent in their final conflict.
In terms of pacing the narrative is filled with adrenal energy- suspenseful and expedited by its violence, but given the myriad of action sequences and locations shown throughout the film, the pinnacle conflict of the movie was climatic yet slightly incoherent also . ( Especially due to sporadic editing at times.) A notable issue which should also be addressed within ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was its presentation of female characters. Whilst it is arguable that Joon Hwan and Joo Seok may have been trying to present a critique towards the infringement of gender stereotypes within South-Korean society, the lacking scope for female archetypes aside from the nameless, abused wife of Im Hyung Taek ( Seo Hyung Hwa), and “ love interest” Yoo-Kyung, served little purpose or depth exploration aside from being plot devices to keep the storyline moving.
Of course it’s wrong to entirely critique the movie. Admittedly well-mounted cinematography served as aesthetic eye candy for viewers with inventive and intuitive choreographed fight scenes paired together with a subtle yet momentous score.
Overall ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was a film which will likely appease and irk audiences alike. The notable cast lineup did not disappoint and whilst the polished and slick fight sequences and gruesome violence will likely appeal to many fans of the genre, the bogged-down dialogue against cliche-ridden characters and plot will test genre aficionados and casual watchers alike. However, whilst the ending certainly helped to wrap up several key plot points, the end outcome of ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was a mixed-result of gory and hare-brained carnage against some insightful delves into nurture, crime and parenting along the way.
Was this review helpful to you?
‘Tomorrow’; Death Meets Satire In Rowoon’s Latest Fantasy Series…
Mortality is never an easy subject to tackle in dramas. Based upon the eponymous webcomic (‘ 내일’) by Llama, fantasy series ‘Tomorrow’ decided to bring forth the topic of death in a powerful smorgasbord of social issues and topics. Instead of reimbursing the old cliché of grim reapers being harbingers of doom and death, ‘Tomorrow’ rebrands its morbid psychopomps as fashionably suave members of the Crisis Management Team, attempting to save certain unfortunate souls from suicide.
The series focuses upon an alumnus from a prestigious university, Choi Jun-Woong (SF9’s Rowoon-‘Extraordinary You’, ‘She Would Never Know’ and ‘ The King’s Affection’). Struggling to land himself on the job market, Jun-Woong’s life is changed forever when he ends up encountering angels of death Goo-Ryeon (Kim Hee-sun-‘My Fair Lady’, ‘Angry Mom’ and ‘ Alice’) and Lim Rung-Gu (Yoon Ji-on-‘Dear My Room’, ‘Be Melodramatic’ and ‘Jirisan’ ).
Waking up outside of his corporal body after an accident, Jun-Woong discovers that he has been physically rendered in a comatose state. He is given the choice by Director, Jade Hwang (Kim Hae-sook- ‘Precious Family’, ‘My Father Is Strange’ and ‘Inspector Koo’): he can choose to be trapped in his unresponsive body for three years, or he can work with them in a ‘’half- dead’’ state, reducing his comatose state to six months and then landing any job he wants after he wakes up.
Woong is assigned to the Crisis Management Team alongside Goo-Ryeon and(, by default of being her protégé,) Rung-Gu. As the unlikely trio attempt to work together as a team, Jun-woong soon discovers that his new position is far from being a walk in the park.
Adapted to the small screen by novice screenwriters Park Ran, Park Ja Kyung and Kim Yu Jin, ‘Tomorrow’ places heavy emphasis upon prominent social messages and themes.( Including sensitive issues such as suicide, the trauma of war, inequality, bullying, the generational trauma of South-Korean comfort women, depression, peer pressure and eating disorders.)
Without a doubt, ‘Tomorrow’ is a varied accumulation of satire, provocative angst and mirthful wit. Although the series was often tactful within its approach to various subject areas and themes (in particular helping to offer light-hearted respite in-between heavy-hearted points of the narrative), the screenplay could admittedly feel somewhat out of place at times with its attempts to balance between hard-hitting messages and comic relief.
Of course this is not necessarily to say that the comedy shouldn’t have existed at times. Certain issues tackled in ‘Tomorrow’ were certainly supposed to be heavy-hitting and the requirement for an interim of slapstick comedy or comical exchanges was certainly necessary. (In particular, this was shown at times by Park Ran, Park Ja-Kyung and Kim Yu Jin being able to strike a surprisingly harmonious balance for most of the series through the kaleidoscopic array of themes and contrasting tones for their audience.)
However despite certain commendation certainly having to be given to the trio of screenwriters for their consistently provocative themes and tones, ‘Tomorrow’ could sometimes feel as though it disengaged between its plot and themes. To explain this further it is important to reiterate that comic relief was often quintessential within the screenplay in order to offer respite from darker themes and subject areas.
On the other hand, it did become noticeable at times that the series would often fall victim to divulging deeply into comic exchanges. This would often divert attention away from building-up the narrative events and characters, or alternatively struggling with the opposite problem by failing to allow a necessary brake or moment of light-hearted respite for audiences to grapple with events or characters. ( This seemed to flare at times later in the show in episodes such as ‘’Someday, Because Of You’’. Although the episode tackled a heartfelt subject area and was surprisingly bittersweet , it often felt as though the prominent meanings behind the messages in the episodes weren’t as reinforced as they could’ve been.)
Of course, this is not to make out that the entirety of the writing for ‘Tomorrow’ was inadequate or unwatchable in any way. Although perhaps certain issues ( in particular mental health and eating disorders) were perhaps
not fully explored by the screenplay or given speedy outcomes , ‘ Tomorrow’ often placed a certain level of open finesse with addressing issues and helping the audience and the characters coming to terms with them.( In one of the later episodes of the series entitled ‘’Spring’’, the audience were supposed to be particularly hit home with an onslaught of emotions with the controversial and historical subject area of Comfort Women, focusing on a dark chapter in South-Korean history.)
Naturally this brings up the discussion surrounding character-writing within the adapted screenplay for ‘Tomorrow’, as well as the performances by the main cast. Perhaps one of the most notable roles in the drama is given to main male lead Choi Jun-Woong, played by idol-actor Rowoon.
Rowoon has often been the subject of intrigue and debate with his previous career trajectory as the ‘’ leading man’’. Nevertheless, Rowoon offered a fairly consistent onscreen performance as the main male lead and it is fair to say that for many viewers, this could easily be seen as one of Rowoon’s best performances yet. As the main character of the narrative and storyline, Jun-Woong embodies what many would probably classify as the ‘’everyman’’ trope.Of course, this wasn’t a bad approach per say. It is sometimes common in fiction to see a main character become a medium for the audience, especially with a character being uprooted from their mundane, everyday life and being placed in an unfamiliar world or setup.
For main lead Jun-Woong, this was evident through being caught between two worlds: the afterlife and then the everyday mortal world. ( This was also shown arguably through Woong being conflicted in initial problems with common problems of interview and job struggles and then again with attempting to navigate his new role as a member of the Crisis Management Team .)
However, this also brings up an intriguing debate with regards to Jun-Woong’s character-arc. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jun-Woong is purposefully supposed to be flawed at times. Naturally this did not always enforce Woong to be placed as ’ heroic’’ figure at all times within the series.
He had his evident flaws and ‘ Tomorrow’ placed heavy emphasis upon some of Woong’s values feeding into an evident critique of social conformity by South-Korean society vs developing subjective morality and beliefs. ( In particular the screenplay would sometimes bring this idea up in early episodes with Woong’s shared social views on issues such as bullying, before contrasting this in later episodes with the main lead developing his own values and standpoints.)
Although it certainly allowed Woong to act as an embodiment of social views, it is noticeable that this often forced Woong into playing “ certain roles” in order to propel the storyline. Again, this isn’t always a bad writing decision but it did often feel as though there were some poorly tied loose ends such as Woong’s own personal struggles with his situation, his backstory and personal goals were often disregarded until the ending of the series.
In addition to the casting choice of Rowoon, it is hard to ignore Kim Hee Sun’s performance as grim reaper Goo-Ryeon. Hee Sun’s acting career has been eclectic and while respectfully her acting performances have varied, the actress’ pink dye job certainly helped Kim Hee Sun to embrace her suavely mysterious onscreen persona as the female lead. Alongside fellow costar Yoon Ji-On who played her laidback mentee Rung-Gu, audiences will likely find themselves tearing up and laughing at the antics of the two characters’ interactions and appearances onscreen.
As an onscreen character, Goo-Ryeon is arguably one of the most enigmatic and intriguing characters in the series. She is often fairly detached from overtly emotional displays like Woong but she is impassioned by her cause to help others. Initially viewers are supposed to remain uncertain of Ryeon’s onscreen presence. In particular, her unconventional acts of tough love towards the main lead and those she is seemingly supposed to save will bring about topics of intriguing debate for viewers.
However as the series soon reveals, Ryeon’s root cause for her actions are sourced from genuine sincerity for her position as a member of the Crisis Management Team, especially as a result of her complicated backstory. Naturally as a consequence of this writing point, ‘ Tomorrow’ placed heavy emphasis upon her mysterious backstory in the latter half of the series, similarly echoed to a lesser extent with side character Rung-Gu also.
Despite both characters having their fair share of traumatic and difficult backstories, it often felt as though Ryeon’s character arc felt a little rushed in particular. . Of course while audiences certainly did see a few hints of foreshadowing at times earlier on in the series ( in particular with Ji-On’s trauma), it certainly felt as though some of these backstory revelations and plot twists could’ve been developed or built up. There was a lot for viewers to digest with regards to Ryeon’s past and her important connections to other characters but due to an anticlimactic buildup, the momentum of these events rarely felt as though that they had reached their entirety even by the finale.
Aside from the main characters, it is also important to mention about some of the reoccurring characters of ‘Tomorrow’ also. Model-actor Lee Soo-hyuk ( ‘ Vampire Idol’, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ and ‘ Doom At Your Service’) starred as Park Joong-Gil, the straight-laced head of the Humanitarian Management Team who shares a complicated past with Ji-On, as well as Kim Hae-Sook playing the role of the Jade Hwang, the head director of the afterlife and the bureau of grim reapers. The supporting characters certainly had their necessary roles to play in the events of the narrative. In particular during the later events of the series, viewers are given several surprising backstory revelations but admittedly these side characters felt as though they deserved more screen time or interactions with the main cast in order to build up their character arcs slightly more.
Then of course there is the discussion surrounding the execution of the series. Perhaps it is important that ‘Tomorrow’ decided to offer viewers with a fairly systematic approach; introducing viewers to main lead Woong’s predicament and his unlikely alliance with the main leads, the new dilemma or issued faced in the episode, the reactions and causes of debate for the characters and viewers, the dilemma reaching its climax and then helping to resolve or bring a conclusion to the events of the episode.
This approach by the trio of screenwriters certainly allowed the screenplay to tackle a wide array of issues and problems. However, it certainly did not come without its problems either. A lot of the storyline’s early plot objectives were rarely sketched out aside from the “ mission of the team”, leading seemingly important events or obstacles for the main leads being disregarded at times and then being given half-baked conclusions by the ending of the series. As a consequence, the ending of ‘ Tomorrow’ will likely leave viewers with mixed-feelings; bittersweet and certainly offering a denouement to the events of the storyline but rarely tying off all loose ends or bringing a complete feeling of satisfaction for viewers also.
Stylistically under the leadership of directors Kim Tae Yoon (‘Another Family’, ‘New Trial’) and Sung Chi Wook ( ‘Special Labor Inspector Jo’,‘ Kairos’), ‘Tomorrow’ was often caught up in an impressive onslaught of aesthetic shots and glossy gradients, with mood lighting and tones helping to add emotional turbulence and significance for characters and viewers in certain scenes. Perhaps one slight nag with the cinematography came through a lack of consistency. Rather than attempting to stick to a particular consistent form of filming or shots and tying these scenes and moments with the worldbuilding and lore of ‘Tomorrow’, the extravaganza of surrealist scenes and panned shots heavily influenced by big-budget movies felt somewhat disengaging from the screenwriting and world building at times. Nevertheless it is fair to say that ‘ Tomorrow’ did boast an impressively stunning array of imagery and scenes.
The OST for ‘Tomorrow’ was comprised mainly of a collection of modern pop tracks, varying somewhat dependent on personal tastes. Perhaps there may be certain songs such as the surprisingly upbeat rap song ‘’Red Light’’ by J.don and the morosely lovelorn ballad ‘’My Loneliness Calls You’’ (‘’나의 외로움이 널 부를 때’’) by Suran which will appeal across the board for viewers.
The sixteen-episode webcomic adaptation will offer viewers with a surprisingly heart-wrenching mixture of social commentaries, traumatic character backstories and comic relief. At times, ‘Tomorrow’ often struggled slightly with maintaining a harmonious balance between its writing and messaging. ( This often lead to parts of the storyline feeling rushed or lacking a sense of completion such as the ending or certain character arcs.) However for those looking to indulge in a fantasy series beyond the surface level with some prominently current social and critical commentaries with a touch of traditional Korean folklore and mythological beliefs in the modern world , then ‘Tomorrow’ will certainly offer viewers with a good watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
Does ‘Police Academy’ Need To Be Interrogated In Room 101?…
‘ Police Academy’ is a fairly lighthearted approach to the “detective and crime” genre- sweet and surprisingly heartfelt in parts, comical in other scenes and undeniably with more irritating flaws also . So this leaves the ultimate question; is ‘ Police Academy’ worth watching?
The acting front is solid enough here. There are a few slip-ups when long dialogue pauses or line deliverances felt a little mismatched against foregrounded scenes, but Jung Jin Young certainly exceeded expectations as main lead Sun Ho. The idol actor added a level of angsty-sweetness to his onscreen persona .
Sun Ho was a subverted example of the “ main lead with a tragic past”. He didn’t follow the stereotypical routes taken in fiction of being jaded, arrogant or the “ apathetic prodigy” but a fairly normal and confused teen. There were some surprisingly touching scenes ( never to be explored or seen again ) with surrogate father figure Yoon Taek II ( Oh Man Seok) as well as his fraternal-style relationship with best friend Yoon Seung Bum( Choi Woo Sung) helped to foreground some functionality within Sun Ho’s everyday life. However for our main character to befriend fairly positive influences such as Seung Beum and deal with a pretty austere paternal figure such as Yoon Taek this ultimately begs the question; “Why and how did Sun Ho learn to hack and get involved with the authorities ? “ There’s the argument by some viewers that " it is a take your brain out comedy" and “ Sun Ho did so because he was bored”", however, the show never really tied this major point concisely. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad if the drama hadn’t carried this over more as an important role in later episodes with sporadic and partially-inaccurate terminology and tech setups , only adding to the confusion as to Sun Ho’s involvement in this world .
This then leads us to talking about his “reasons” for training to become a police officer . A character doesn’t always necessarily have to go down the “ vengeance backstory” route, but it was an odd move that the drama didn’t interlink or at least explore more about Sun Ho’s backstory, his parents as well as some sense of relief and poetic justice for Sun Ho’s goal to become an officer . Aside from the prosaic reasoning in the show that “ the girl I like is pretty and can fight , I want to have a goal and follow her too.”
On this subject there’s evidently also the problem revolving around Kang Hee. Idol actress Krystal isn’t too bad here. This is admittedly not one of her most captivating performances, but not unwatchable either. Our female lead Kang Hee is a bit of a mixed-bag. Despite being Sun Ho’s "dream girl", Kang Hee does have a more evident character drive than Sun Ho in parts. Her mother is far from being a good citizen and Kang Hee has often put academic pressure on herself to succeed in order stray away from being labelled as her “mother’s daughter”. ( A relationship which was given a patchwork happy redemption arc later on without a lot of explanation)However here’s where we hit a major rut with Kang Hee; she isn’t a likeable character.
Of course we are supposed to like her in theory . She’s intelligent, a talented fighter and witty. However the problem with the female lead is that whilst she does have a ‘’complicated ‘’ past which helps to explain some of her motives, she never seems to learn to grow, accept or develop. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad if the show pointed this out or made Kang Hee mature by accepting her own mistakes or begrudgingly understanding the errors of her ways, but sadly Kang Hee rarely escaped her one-dimensional character depth throughout the drama.
Then there’s the potential ‘’ onscreen relationship’’ between Kang Hee and Sun Ho. The setup itself is simple enough; Kang Hee is Sun Ho’s crush and his raison d’être. The female lead has rarely noticed Sun Ho up until the storyline of the series, but this soon changes when events begin to unfold. It’s a straightforward enough concept and whilst Krystal and Jin Young’s onscreen chemistry was decent enough, the relationship often hit a rut due to a lack of definitive development as well as hitting an anticlimactic conclusion.
Meanwhile away from the problematic romance factor of the drama there’s then the topic to discuss about Yoo Dong Man ( Cha Tae Hyun) also. Aside from serious questions being raised about how Dong Man wasn’t picked up by any of his colleagues for his initial attitude to Sun Ho, Dong Man is your typical seemingly “ gruff and arrogant cop with a heart of gold”. It was evident that the drama would go down the route of exploring Dong Man’s gradual buddy friendship with the male lead and it was undeniably sweet. On the other hand there was lot left in the air about exploring more complicated depth with Dong Man’s character; his past, rivalry, rookie days and his own complicated feelings when the antagonist is revealed in their midst was often left as unexplored territory.
The antagonist(s) and “climatic tension” of the drama were fairly predictable- not bad per say, but simply existing for the sake of “ plot drive” rather than being given depth or more prominence. As a consequence the ending was quite anticlimactic. Sweet and on a happier note than possibly viewers were anticipating but nonetheless cliche and slightly disappointing.
Whilst ‘ Police Academy’ did offer some enjoyment through its impressive cast lineup and style, the drama’s ability to tackle character writing, depth and plot tension and climatic build seemed sporadically thrown together and lacklustre often resulting in anti climatic solutions or endings . Overall ‘ Police Academy’ was mediocrity at its best- okay if you’re watching just out of boredom and not bothered about writing during a binge-watching session but those looking for a drama with an enjoyable police buddy element and depth may want to look elsewhere.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Beauty Of ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’…
“My name is Woo Young-woo, as in flower and luck. It means a lucky charm as pretty as flowers. But perhaps Young-woo as in clever and foolish would’ve been a better fit. Woo Young-woo, who remembers every single book she’s read since birth but can’t even go through a revolving door. Clever and foolish Woo Young-woo.” - Woo Young Woo ( Park Eun Bin).
Legal romance drama ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ attempted to make some big steps in the world of procedural dramas with a positive representation of autism and some complicated legal cases. However while the sixteen-episode series certainly soared far and high with its subject, plot and acting performances, it certainly had a few issues along the way also.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ is mainly focused upon upcoming law attorney Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin- ‘ Operation Proposal’, ‘ Do You Like Brahms?’ and ‘ The King’s Affection’) at Hanbada Law Firm. An intelligent and top-achieving law graduate from Seoul National University, Young Woo finds it hard to navigate her way through social and emotional situations due to being on the autism spectrum. Struggling with earning respect from those in the law profession as well as clients, Young Woo’s journey to make it to the top is far from easy or straightforward. However, with the surprising support and camaraderie of fellow coworker and young lawyer Lee Joon Ho ( Kang Tae-oh- ‘ My First First Love’, ‘ Doom At Your Service’ and ‘ Run On), Young-Woo is determined to continue persevering and to overcome social prejudices.
Probably best known for ‘ Innocent Witness’, screenwriter Moon Ji Won is likely not a familiar name for many K-drama watchers. Nevertheless, there is a lot to talk about when it comes to Ji Won’s writing decisions as well as subject matters. At heart, ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ is a fairly lighthearted watch. Of course, this isn’t to say the series isn’t afraid to delve into some deeper issues. (Screenwriter Ji Won was fairly open about addressing topics such as stigmatisation, assault and crime to name just a few.) However , it is important to acknowledge that ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ doesn’t expect or require viewers to have in-depth knowledge about everything addressed. Instead, ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ is a procedural drama with a big heart and attempted to remain fairly accessible to a wide audience .
It is infectiously feel good ( if not a little tiresomely at times),comical as well as surprisingly touching with its open address of real-life issues.Nevertheless, the show does admittedly run into trouble in a few moments with accurate depiction and has divided some viewers over its “factual” representation. ( Especially with regards to the portrayal of autism throughout the course of the series.)
Delving into ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ would not be complete without talking about the title namesake and main female lead, Woo Young-Woo. Played brilliantly by actress Park Eun Bin, Woo Young-Woo is a character who could’ve easily gone of one of two ways. Young-Woo is shown to be a quirky individual. She has a complete obsession and fascination with aquatic mammals ( especially whales) and has a meticulous routine with the order of things in her bedroom, as well as partaking in eating her father Woo Gwang-ho (Jeon Bae-su)’s carefully prepared kimbap on a fairly daily basis. However as the plot premise would suggest with Young Woo’s new profession, one of the female lead’s major growth points comes through having to acknowledge that real-life can rarely be so structured.
The motif of whales in the opening and ending credits, their symbolism on objects as well as passing dialogue at times by Young-Woo can often be said to wonderfully coincide with Young Woo’s character growth and journey. ( Whales are symbols of extraordinariness, strength as well as change; traits that perfectly epitomised Young-Woo’s personal journey .)
Additionally, there were moments in ‘ Extraordinary Young Woo’ which could feel a little frustrating with little frustrating to see Young Woo having taken one step forwards and one step back at times. Although in retrospect, it did help to add a touch of realism to Young Woo’s personal struggles. ( One of the most heart-wrenching moments of the series occurred when Ji-Woo openly spoke out about social stigmas held against those with autism; “ Even now, hundreds of people click the like button on a comment that says, ‘It is a national loss if a medical student dies, and an autistic person lives.’ That is the weight of this disability that we bear.” ) As mentioned previously, her autism is admittedly a topic of debate for a lot of viewers with regards to its accuracy but regardless of opinion, it seemed as though Moon Ji Won’s depiction of an autistic and successful female lead was well-intentioned.
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding her surprising ally and coworker Lee Joon Ho, played fairly consistently by actor Kang Tae Oh. Lee Joon Ho is what many viewers would define as the “ nice guy” archetype; sweet and a good person to have in the female lead’s corner as well as a potential love interest for the writing of the show but a little staid at times also.Of course, this is certainly not a bad writing decision per say. He was fairly supportive, kindhearted, had his own struggles at times as well as remaining non-judgemental when it came to first meeting Young Woo and learning of her autism, instead valuing personhood rather than her disability. ( “I want to be on the same side as you, Attorney Woo. I want an attorney like you to be on my side.”)
However considering Joon Ho’s relevance in the storyline as well as the focus on empathy throughout the series , it felt odd that the narrative didn’t delve slightly deeper into some of these writing traits. Aside from that, his potential romantic relationship with Young Woo was admittedly a subject of debate for a lot of viewers. Although some saw this as a positive and healthy relationship as well as a good message put across for autistic characters to have love interests, others have noted that the potential relationship seemed a little enforced and took away somewhat from the initial camaraderie between the main leads.
In addition to the main leads, ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ boasts an eclectic group of side characters also. Woo Gwang-ho, played by Jeon Bae-su, was a surprisingly heartwarming side character as Young Woo’s single father, senior attorney at Hanbada, Jung Myung-seok ( Kang Ki Young) was Young Woo’s stern boss and mentor, Choi Su-yeon ( Ha Yoon-kyung), played the role as the female lead’s coworker and her former classmate at law school, Han Seon-young ( Baek Ji Won) was the CEO of Hanbada law firm and her father’s old friend from university, Kwon Min-soo ( Joo Jong-hyuk), Young Woo’s peer at work, and Dong Geu-ra-mi ( Joo Hyun-young), Woo Young’s close friend and associate.
The narrative of the series unsurprisingly takes an episodic format; a situation or dilemma case is presented to the characters and the audience, Young Woo’s approach or reaction to a situation is often seen as unconventional or comes under scrutiny by those around her, Young Woo is forced to work hard to prove her approach is okay, and then she is forced to confront or resolve the issue or dilemma of the episode, often resulting in a bittersweet outcome or a surprising turn of events.
Perhaps the one problem with the narrative structure came through feeling a little predictable and repetitive at times. Early episodes rarely fell into this trap but later episodes did noticeably begin to heavily rely on niche tropes which while having the possibility to be intriguing in the frame of ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’, were often slightly niche. ( Cliches such as the “ traumatic backstory”, an “ envious antagonist” and the “ enemies to lovers” being noticeable in particular.)
Stylistically under the directing reigns of Yoo In Shik, ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ was a fairly slick and glossy production. The palette scheme was multifaceted; ranging and varying from scene to scene and heavily dependent on changing mood, tone and atmosphere. Although this was a fairly standard approach, it certainly did often help to animate scenes to life for viewers. (Standout examples include the ever-changing neutrals of the law firm feeling warm or harsh, the friendly and comforting tones of Young Woo’s family home and the use of rain, sunshine or nighttime background to reflect the feelings and emotions of the characters.)
The comprised OST for ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ was typically upbeat and lighthearted. A few of these tracks often bordered on being overly chirpy while others were bittersweet and serenading. Admittedly there were a few songs throughout the sounds track which did feel a little indistinguishable from one another but this was also dependent on personal taste. However, there were some songs such as Beyond My Dreams" (상상) by Sunwoojunga and “Tuning In To You" (기울이면) by Wonstein which did stand out.
‘ My Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ is a procedural series filled to the brim with heartfelt moments and empathy. Naturally the series did have its ups and downs ( especially in the latter part of the drama), but the main cast were fairly consistent throughout with their onscreen acting . (Especially actress Park Eun Bin). Overall, a fairly good watch though a little rough around the edges.
Was this review helpful to you?
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!
23 people found this review helpful
A Heartwarming Love Story In Tokyo...
30sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii is one of those dramas which will probably be avoided by most mainstream drama watchers from its surreal , seemingly unrealistic and “ sexual “ concept of a 30 year-old businessman, Adachi Kiyoshi ( Akaso Eiji)who can suddenly hear other people’s thoughts simply because he has never lost his virginity.Yet against all odds of its bizarre premise, 30sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii’s greatest strength was representing the relationship of our two main characters- not simply because they are a part of a “ same-sex pairing ”, but as flawed and independent individuals in their own right (something which only a minority of recent and contemporary romance dramas have been able to portray in the same manner of depth) .
Akaso Eiji was undeniably brilliant within channeling the meek- mannered Adachi, who is naturally perturbed after receiving his new abilities by being able to read the thoughts of anyone he makes contact with . To make the scenario worse for Adachi , he is surprised to discover that his popular male colleague Kurosawa Yuichi ( Machida Keita) has been harbouring complicated romantic feelings towards him for a long time.
Initially Adachi is hesitant to help out Kurosawa at work or grow close to him. Yet as Adachi reads more about Kurosawa’s thoughts and feelings both towards him and as an individual , viewers actually get to see in the process Adachi making sense of his own feelings towards Kurosawa as well. In one particular scene, viewers learn that a lot of Adachi’s problems with wanting to start a relationship with Kurosawa aren’t entirely homophobic, but a consequence of self-esteem and confidence from his past. It is only when Adachi is actually able to start respecting himself ( an important stage in any relationship) that he is able to start falling in love with Kurosawa also.
On the other hand, this also moves us on to one of the biggest flaws of the drama ; its inability to capture actual attitudes and thoughts of Japanese society towards the LGBT community in Japan. Whilst it can be said that not every drama should always be a political and radical message towards society, there’s no lies within saying that Japan has always had a complicated relationship with LGBT rights. Although undeniably a lot more progressive and liberal than some countries in the world and a lot more than the past, there’s no sugarcoating that open- homosexuality or being in a same sex relationship is still sometimes a cause of shame and prejudice amongst some members of Japanese society.
For a drama which specifically tackles these difficulties, it felt a bit out of place not to openly cover some of these pressures and expectations such as in Adachi and Kurosawa’s workplace upon their sexuality and the forced image of “ manliness” often imposed upon men of all cultures as a consequence. This is a flaw which could have easily been shown in the drama and therefore meant that 30sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii was lacking in some genuine and realistic approaches to homosexual relationships in Japan.
On the other hand, my biggest praise must be given to the scriptwriters Yoshida Erika and Okazaki Satoko within the manner in which Adachi’s feelings and attitudes are portrayed. Although he comes to grow accustomed to his own feelings being more than platonic for Kurosawa , it was finally refreshing to see a case where Adachi as a romantic lead is not suddenly head over heels for Kurosawa either. Adachi is finally shown as a protagonist who learns to develop his relationship with Kurosawa over the whole course of the series as a slow and gradual process, rather than a sudden rush for them to suddenly hook up at the ending of the drama.
In a similar manner, Machida Keita was equally brilliant as Akaso’s costar within his role as Kurosawa. Although initially portrayed as overly extroverted and a little too optimistic at times within the drama, there’s no denying that Kurosawa’s reasons for liking Adachi do follow some typical romantic cliches. On the other hand, Adachi’s abilities reveal that Kurosawa is very thoughtful and respectful of some boundaries within their relationship as well as his own feelings towards Adachi not getting too out- of -line. As opposites within their progressive and complicated relationship, Kurosawa and Adachi’s connection isn’t overly presented with beyond salvation cliches nor is it an easy ride; it is more a case that both characters learn to walk through their differences as individuals.
Our side couple, partial- hikikomori ( shut-in ) Tsuge Masato ( portrayed unrecognisably by Asaka Kodai ) and cheerful delivery boy Wataya Minato (played by Goto Yutaro ) was a complicated portrayal for viewers to say the least.
Undeniably both Kodai and Yutaro were just as brilliant as our main actors within their roles, but both their characters respectfully in the beginning of the drama felt a little too much like our main characters within their roles of the “ less confident” and “ socially awkward” guy and the “ popular social butterfly”. Yet perhaps my one note of praise for their relationship comes later in the show , where a sincere revelation by Minato, opens up Masato’s tightly-closed shell and his own feelings as well. On the other hand at this point in the drama, there is sadly also little time to actually focus upon the same depth of their relationship as our main leads, making their progression seem a little too rushed and consequently lacking in the same emotional investment.
Overall there is no denying that although there are several flaws with some characters , cliches and avoiding certain area topics (such as some general attitudes by Japan towards homosexuality), 30sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii is a surprisingly progressive and heartwarming Tokyo romance, portrayed by a brilliant cast, as well as the focus upon the two leading characters as individuals, rather than mere plot devices as well. Definitely a drama watching.
Was this review helpful to you?
A “ Bloodcurdingly” Dire Drama...
Upon paper, Blood actually has quite a good plot premise; vampires created in a “ I am Legend” - style way by infection (rather than the traditional manner in most vampire shows) , a protagonist infected since birth who wants to defy his fate and help others by becoming a doctor , as well as a female lead who actually had the potential to be a strong and independent asset within the show rather than just a mere love interest .Instead, there is a sense of discordance within the overall drama between Ahn Jae- Sung’s moping upon screen for nearly half the series around a hospital (which after the first few episodes no longer seem to have something called “ A and E” or a regular flow of surgery operations )and Gu Hye Seon raising her voice as she flouts about the hospital stalking Jae-Sung as Yoo Ri Ta, without a second glance at the fact she’s in a senior position and in reality would be inundated in a pool of work requests and submissions.
It isn’t that Jae-Sung is a bad actor as he’s proven his talents before in shows like The Beauty Inside (2018) as one of the suave Male leads who was comically charismatic . Yet there’s no sugarcoating that Jae-Sung ‘s performance as Park Ji Sang was not one of his best and for a major proportion of the show, Jae- Sung came off as rigid and tight. Similarly whilst Gu Hye Seon is renowned for her performance in Boys Over Flowers (2009), she channelled her character, Yoo Ri Ta through a mixture of a deliverance of yelling her lines and stoic expressions as well.
Admittedly this also a fault of the director, the story writing and characterisation of the overall drama as well. Rather than directors Lee Jae Hoon and Ki Min Soo pulling up Hye Seon and Jae- Sung’s performances over minor errors in earlier episodes to improve their performances and avoid later mistakes, they seemed to be too obsessed with the thought of trying to deliver a contemporary drama which they thought that Korean audiences would lap up after recent waves of western vampire franchises in Korea.
Yet the scriptwriters must also be put under the interrogation light here for their part as well in regards to the lack of characterisation and plot as well. Rather than Park Jae Bum actually allowing us to see Ji Sang’s own personal struggles as well as a sense of attachment towards Ri Ta’s own experiences as a development within their relationship, the scenes that viewers do see ‘ moments of the past’ are neither talked about or mentioned again leading to a very rigid “ romantic’’ ( if you can call it that ) relationship between both characters for a major proportion of the show. Perhaps the one saving performance of the show was Jin Hee who was actually fairly good within his performance, however, the same cannot be said for his character Lee Jae Wook who had the potentially to be possibly one of the most intriguing characters of the drama, yet typical to the cliches he was forced into a lacking sense of depth and purpose within the show.
For most of Blood, Jae Bum seems obsessed with trying to cram in a myriad of useless plot points amongst only a couple of useful ones before rushing to the action and ending by the finale. Rather than building or progressing the show over a course of sixteen episodes, there’s little explanation or reasoning behind a lot of the events of Blood; presumably Ji- sang not ageing at the same rate of humans ( and if this applies to all vampires in the show), the actual motives behind our antagonist and of course what was up with the ending as well.
It is wrong to say that Blood is entirely unwatchable as it did actually have some good points such as Kwon Hyung Sang as the much needed comical relief of the series ( for most of it at least) and an intriguing plot premise, yet rather than Blood being one of the best cult classic Korean dramas of all time, it’s a farce of itself with dire acting, directing and writing. Overall it’s fair to say that Blood is a perfect drama to binge watch if you’re bored and looking for something to watch, but it is certainly not worth investing time and effort towards.
Was this review helpful to you?
Light And Sugary Sweet, But Will It Truly ” Touch” Your Heart.?
There are probably three main factors which will drive watchers to picking up this drama.Let’s not kid ourselves, though. The majority of watchers will probably be drawn to this series for our main costars Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na performing again as starred-crossed lovers after their renowned onscreen chemistry in the hit-drama Goblin; The Great And Lonely And Great God (2016-17).
However, here’s the biggest question that anyone watching this drama and looking through a series of often biased verdicts by watchers praising it with “10/10”; is it actually worth watching ?
Perhaps the most important thing to summarise about ” Touch Your Heart" is that the majority of the show is an easy-going, romantic comedy.The drama follows actress Oh Yeon Seo (Yoo In Na) who had rose to fame because of her enthralling innocent look, which made her the crème de la crème of commercial films or advertisements in South-Korea. However despite desperately yearning to be taken seriously as an A-list actress, she was widely critiqued for her bad acting.
Unfortunately, she got caught in a drug scandal with a big business tycoon, which damaged her career and forced her to off the grid. Two years later, Yeon Seo’s reputation and name is still being dragged in the mud by the controversy with no solid acting offers or contracts, but she continued to lift her head up high. Then one day, she discovers a drama script for another actress in their agency, and becomes infatuated with the premise, fantasying about taking up the role as a lawyer. Convincing the screenwriter to cast her despite initial rejection , the writer finally acquiesces under one condition ; Yeon Seo has to prepare for the role by working in a law-related job for three months. This is easier said than done, however, when Yeon Seo starts off on the wrong foot with the seemingly stoic and straightforward top lawyer at the company, Jung Rok ( Lee Dong Wook). Yet as Yeon Seo and Jung Rok begin to bicker and run into predicaments, both main leads soon find their hearts being melted by one another’s love...
A concept such as ” Touch Your Heart" can easily grow tiresome by the archetypical characters and cliches because it is not entirely unique in itself. Admittedly, this became evident at times within the show becoming enthralled with its own treasure trove of cliches, however, its wrong to entirely dismiss that there was nothing inherently enjoyable about the formula either. The majority of characters ( including secondary ones ) were enjoyable and although they often took time to grow close towards, they had time to sometimes grow outside of the more evident labels enforced in the beginning of the show.
The main female lead Yeon Seo did seem to ring warning bells initially of going down the " ditsy goddess” trope early on in the drama. Whilst Yeon Seo could often be prescribed to the previous trope at times , she was often a loveable character by her genuineness, intellect , resilience and Yoo In Na’s added charm. Lee Dong Wook’s chosen role as Jung Rok may rise eyebrows by his straight-laced role again as the ” stern and abrasive male lead ” ( similar to Goblin), however, Dong Wook seemed to be able to capture Jung Rok’s journey out his shell and development as an individual with emotions and feelings, especially regarding his relationship with Yeon Seo.
Perhaps the one refreshing element of their bond came through defying unhealthy tropes . Yes, there relationship was cliche-ridden by being founded upon the ” opposites attract” and ” rivals to lovers" archetypes , but as their relationship developed, it became apparent that they were able to grow out of the shadows of falling into the territories of ” romanticised” emotional abuse and gaslighting. The couple soon began to grow on mutual respect as they were able to smooth-out misunderstandings by Jung Rok’s brusqueness and Yoon Seo’s emotional honesty .
Even our secondary couple consisting of Lawyer Choi Yoon Hyuk (Shim Hyung Tak) and Lawyer Dan Moon Hee (Park Kyung Hye)was oddly entertaining. Their pairing could could have easily blown into being poorly-sketched and tiresome by the cliches of their stereotypical contractual relationship and full-on personalities , however, beyond the stereotypes of being one another’s ” adversaries ", Yoon Hyuk being a " spoilt mama’s boy" and Moon Hee falling for her looks, they did have some genuine heartfelt moments which helped to fortify the characters as individuals.
On one critical note, whilst the storyline revolving around the prosecutors Jung Rok’s close friend and roommate Kim Se Won (Lee Sang Woo) and Yoo Yeo Reum (Song Sung Yoon was necessary to some extent for plot development , their associated storyline did drag on due to an overexposure with screen time . The friendship dynamic between Se Won and Jung Rok of course was heartwarming in parts, however, having intrigue around Se Won and Yeo Rum as individuals was minimal due to lacking development and an overuse of cliches dragging these characters( in some circumstances)as dull plot mechanisms.
Overall, ” Touch Your Heart" is an entertaining drama- formulaic in parts, with a sprinkle of angst but mostly topped with a lighthearted viewing experience for watchers to help take your mind off heavier subject areas. The cast undeniably were brilliant for the most part ( although though there were some questionable line deliverances) by helping to bring the characters to life. Even the easygoing OST helped to warm up scenes and add a spark to Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na’s fairly good acting behind an enjoyable and heartfelt romance onscreen. If you’re a fan of cute and fluffy romantic comedies with a touch of humanity, or you desire to see new life being breathed into certain old cliches, then ” Touch Your Heart" is certainly for you.
Was this review helpful to you?
