SKITC

Trying to figure out whether the cinematographer or the casting director is crushing it more. Tough call.

Not great first episode. A lot of monotone between JKY & SHK. Could use a lot more Kim Joo Heon.

Totes. And after spending much of the first few episodes trying to figure out which horrible character was the worst, it's settled. Woo Jae is The Worst.

Have to admit, I kept watching expecting there to be some dramatic reveal that would make it all worth it. But nope. Nothing really happens and then credits roll.

Thanks for the nice comments on the review though :)

Jang Yool was phenomenal, 10/10.

It's got flaws, but Han So Hee was much more credible than I expected and that, plus Jang Yool and Kim Sang Ho, make it a very good show.

No. I liked the show overall a lot and would recommend watching it. Han So Hee was really good and because of this show, I look forward to seeing her in her future projects.

But the final episode as a whole was shaky and the last 20 minutes was just awful.

Agreed that Sa Ri staying single was a nice slightly surprising twist at the end. I'd seen Yoon So Hee in "One More Time" and thought she was quietly very good in it so I was surprised that she was so flat here. Some fault lies with the writing (or lack of it) and directing. But check Kang Ha Na in "Bite Sisters". Again, just the barest semblance of story and hardly anything happens plot-wise but she has so much more charisma that the weakness of the show around her matters much less.

I love this article.

Alice in Borderlands - I watched through episode 3 which is one of the best television episodes in any genre ever. I was wrecked by the that episode. I stopped and got my family to start watching. Got to episode 3 and they were all blown away. We continued to finish the series as quickly as we could. Loved not just the main 2, but Hatter & Kuina & Chusiya & Aguni. Had that great third episode and then the tension started cranking back up to a really top notch finale.

Squid Game - have been stuck since finishing episode 6. Not as invested in these characters, not the main ones and definitely not any of the supporting ones. Nope, not even Sae Byeok (if we'd gotten more early on Ji Yeong, maybe that would have worked). Not surprised by the twist in team building. Not entertained by the organ trafficking side story. Not jazzed about the Wi Ha Joon arc. That said, the production design is amazing. Wardrobe team made some all-time iconic gear. So visually, it's superb. But from a storytelling narrative, it's not close.

I'm ALL IN on Alice for this debate.

Status: All In

Maybe I’ll sleep in 2022?

Thanks for the very helpful article 🙂

Locked in on 3:
1. Hellbound
2. One Ordinary Day
3. Happiness

If I have time:
4. Now We Are Breaking Up
5. Let Me Be Your Knight
6. Melancholia
Unlikely that I'll have that much time of course...

So let’s, for giggles, say we can fix it by replacing Song Kang. But with who?

So let’s, for giggles, say we can fix it by replacing Song Kang. But with who?

You can put two good leads together without much else going on & it can work.

Kind of.

To a point.

Hometown Cha Cha Cha is that kind of show IMO. But that kind of show with Song Kang as a lead? No chance.

YES

I love it. I thoroughly trashed "The Devil Judge" in a review. Made it through 14 episodes before I dropped it but it was so bad.

I'm baffled why Park Bo Young hasn't been part of a better show recently. She's so good and her recent shows have been so just kinda blah.

As for a Song Kang show with a lot of hype that I thought was unwatchable, give me "Nevertheless".

I did like Move to Heaven a lot though :)

Ooohh, interesting stuff...

So 2 thoughts...
1. "Bring It On, Ghost" also comes really close to checking all the boxes although it's a college club instead of business really (although they do charge for their services) but it does sort of transition away from the case-a-week setup about halfway through.
2. I think when a show in the genre works well, it has a healthy mix of lighter humor/fun to mix in with the action, tension and mystery. It can't take itself entirely seriously all the time to thrive. Which is why, to me, "Mystic Pop-Up Bar" succeeds far more than "Witch's Diner" despite Song Ji Hyo just CRUSHING IT as a witch.

She was the new hire at the publishing company from the rich family who ended up with Kang Gi Doong. Those two were sensationally funny together but were sadly were in minor supporting roles.

Excellent piece.

Park Gyu Young has some outstanding work in her filmography and is amazingly versatile. Even in shows that I would not recommend (e.g., Devil Judge, Romance is a Bonus Book), she is brilliant. This might be her best role yet, but her previous stuff is worth seeing too.

Very interested to see if Han So Hee matches up equally well with ABH

Ahn Bo Hyun and Kim Go Eun are a tremendous pairing. I had very high expectations for this show and, so far, it is surpassing them.