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My first adventure into Fantasy/Time travel world
There are a few things I generally steer clear of in life, like surprise pop quizzes and, in the drama world, anything heavy on time travel or fantasy tropes. Yet, as a card-carrying member of the Seo In Guk fan club, my radar is always pinging for his latest ventures. So, as you can imagine, Doom at Your Service and I had a bit of a dance, with me mostly doing the dodging. But, wouldn't you know it, I finally caved. And let me tell you, my friends, I'm genuinely happy I did, because it's been ages since a drama earned a solid 5 stars from me.
Now, time travel. It's a tricky beast, easily fumbled into a confusing mess that leaves viewers more distressed than entertained. But this one? It was handled with such a soft touch, it felt less like a brain-twister and more like a gentle stroll. I particularly appreciated that the writer didn't get twisted down in the mechanics of crossing worlds, instead pouring their efforts into truly developing the heartwarming romance between Doom and his fated counterpart.
This story, was so utterly captivating that other dramas I was watching got unceremoniously shoved aside. My brain willingly sank into its depths. It’s packed with life lessons, cleverly exploring intricacy between divinity, humanity, and the curveballs life throws our way. Choices, sacrifices, it's all there. But the absolute biggest takeaway? The sheer, undeniable power of love. Turns out, love has the capacity to transform even doom itself into a mere mortal. Who knew?
On a separate, yet equally delightful note, I’ve been on a personal quest to find a drama where Lee Soo Hyuk isn't playing a demon, a villain, or, heaven forbid, a vampire. And voila! My search is over. He’s ridiculously funny and witty here, without even breaking a sweat. As for Park Bo Young, this was my first rodeo with her, and I'm pretty sure she's about to join my ever-growing list of favorite actresses. And let’s not forget Kang Tae Ah, Shin Do Hyun, and Da Woon, they were impressive and brought a much-needed splash of fun to what could have been a rather weighty topic.
All in all, I genuinely adored Doom at Your Service. It's even made me reconsider my staunch opposition to time travel and spiritual world tropes, a crack in the armor created, perhaps, by The Eternal King: Monarch and Goblin (which, confession time, I still haven't finished). My only gripe, the singular thorn in an otherwise perfect rose, was the second lead's love triangle. It munched on precious screen time that, frankly, belonged to our main couple.
For the fantasy-phobes and time-travel skeptic like me, who usually find these tropes as appealing as juggling three balls blindfolded. Trust me, this show was practically written with you in mind. 10/10 recommends.
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King The Land: A land free of toxicity
Alright, I'll admit it: sometimes I pick a drama based on all the buzz, and other times, I skip one for the very same reason. This time, though, I decided to ignore the noise and dive in myself. I was fresh off the emotional rollercoaster of "Love in Flames of War" which was quite the ride and then had a much-needed laugh with "The Forbidden Marriage." So, I was looking for a little balance, or maybe just a healthy dose of Chaebol drama.A Fresh Take on an Old Story
This a simple story, one we've definitely seen before. But this writer gave it a neat little twist. Our Chaebol lead is actually the son of a second wife, and he doesn't really care about the family fortune. His mom used to be a servant, so he’s got a heart of gold and a mission: to help people working at the same level his mother did. This part of the story, I thought, really gave the drama some soul. To do that, he needs power, and getting that power means going head-to-head with his super greedy sister, who'll stop at nothing to keep him from taking anything. Despite a tough childhood being left by his mom, kept his nose clean. He's one smart cookie, even if he looks like he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
The acting? As you'd expect from seasoned K-drama actors, it was solid. The visuals? Very visualizing. The supporting cast did an amazing job, and the friendship between the female lead and her best friends was seriously enviable, they really stuck by her. The fan favourite 2ML Mr. No, the male lead's assistant, stole the show with his comedic timing, delivering every line with such smoothness, and his loyalty was top-notch.
The relationship between the leads was beautifully done. They solved everything with open communication and decided from day one that they were meant to be. No silly breakups, no toxic in-laws, no crazy friends meddling.
Overall, it's a very watchable drama. It might not be one I replay endlessly or gets stuck in my head forever, but it was definitely a good watch.
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Tokyo Holiday: A Cross-Border Drama That Just Didn’t Land for Me
Ok…For me Tokyo Holiday was kind of DOA (Dead on Arrival).
Hear me out, we watch, we listen, we don’t judge (ok, maybe a tiny bit).
Due to unavoidable circumstances (also known as me quietly saving my sanity), I will not be continuing this drama. Yes, the ML is handsome , you know how Thai men are basically walking eye candy, but even his beautiful face couldn’t convince me to stay.
It’s hard to put into words, but something just felt… off. Everyone seems a little too over the top, especially when they’re speaking English. The side characters? A real mixed bag , some good, some… let’s just say “room for improvement” Having multilingual dialogues felt like a cultural soup that didn't blend well.
And maybe that’s the thing. Japanese actors have their own style. Thai actors have theirs. Foreigners in Asian dramas? Bless them, but they often bring that “cringe but trying their best” energy. Now combine all of that into one 24-minute episode and… cue my internal tears.
There was just something missing in the way it was executed. The story isn’t exactly groundbreaking, and cross-border dramas can go really right or really wrong. This one? Sadly, it felt stuck somewhere in between.
But hey, if you loved it, I’m happy for you. It just wasn’t my cup of matcha. And that’s okay.
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