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Almost a Masterpiece
This is probably a very unpopular opinion, but I absolutely loved this drama. I believe, if it wasn't for the almost "confusing cool-down" of the last two episodes that were, I admit, a little disappointing, I would be calling this a masterpiece. A flawless masterpiece. But my excitement for the last two episodes did admittedly go down a notch as I was getting a little too confused with the story (which to be honest, was expected, since this is time-travel related, and I nearly always struggle with this trope).Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the last two episodes, but like I said, notably less than the previous fourteen. I guess it's not just about the "journey" of a drama, the ending is just as important (for me, anyways). The first fourteen were a masterpiece. A brilliant story, greatly acted with an awesome cast, an absolutely stunning OST (perhaps the tiniest bit overplayed, but that's just nit-picking, honestly), with also great production value, SFX, editing, cinematography and directing.
I thought the chemistry with all cast members was fantastic, and the characters were all well-written and dynamic. The plot twists were so unpredictable and legitimately shocked me, alongside some other great things such as bromance and the fact that the story would always make you guess when you weren't watching.
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Deserved the 'Starting Hype'
While I wouldn't say it's in my 'Top 10' of all time, I can say that Squid Game, unlike many other series, managed to deliver in it's hype which it had received since day one, providing top-notch production quality, sensational acting and character development, alongside a concept that was extremely interesting. One of the key things here, the character development, worked perfectly with the story theme: the fact that, in face of money, even your best friend can become your worst enemy if you need to survive etc.Casting choices were absolutely perfect, and while I was the tiniest bit disappointed with the direction of the final episode (funnily enough the same sort of feeling I had with one of Lee Jung Jae's previous projects known as Chief of Staff) - I understand why it was done.
One other thing I really like about Squid Game is how easy it was to watch. I normally am not interested in re-watching dramas, but with Squid Game, I don't think that's the case - even when I know who survives and who doesn't. Two words: great writing. Here's another four words: check Squid Game out.
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Don't "run" away the thought of watching this
Considering finding the first episode really slow, my enjoyment of Run On quickly changed to a really positive turn from that point onwards. Run On not only has the greatest couple I have witnessed to date, but also honestly just a really interesting and nice story. This probably doesn't make sense but I really took my time watching Run On because I actually felt sad if I went through the episodes to quickly, I wanted to "savour" them as much as I could! I wasn't too sure on the romance between the two main supporting cast, however by the last few episodes my opinion had also changed on this too. I just think the characters and the friendship between them, alongside the elements of sports and movie/translation made Run On a true masterpiece that will still be talked about in the next ten or more years.The only one thing I didn't find much enjoyment from, which could have impacted it from receiving a 10 was the "character in movie" type scenes, they're hard to explain but you'll understand once they appear near the final episodes. Again, nothing bad, just a tad confusing.
Acting and chemistry was perfect alongside the OST, the OST wasn't too distinctive which was great because it was only used in important scenes, something which I think is better to have, compared to an OST which is overplayed throughout each episode. Don't do what I did and hesitate too long about Run On, trust me, you'll regret it. You'll love it, you'll love Run On!
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Hot Stove League proves that sports dramas can work!
Just like my headline, Hot Stove League really proves that sports dramas can work when done like this! Hot Stove League made me like baseball, a sport that I never liked until now! A really good story and sub-stories mixed in with a really good cast that seemed to have perfect chemistry with one another right from the start in the first episode until the last second. Hour long episodes rarely feel like 30 minute episodes and the story make it such perfect material. A few members of the cast, actually perhaps the majority, I had not been familiar with but now I need to watch more dramas with these actors/actresses in! Well done, Hot Stove League! Bravo! Lets go Dreams! Go Dreams Go! Go Dreams! Dreams Go!Was this review helpful to you?
Pleasantly Amazing
Before watching HDL, I thought it wasn't going to be my "cup of tea". However, I was wrong, I was very wrong. HDL was amazing, fantastic, superb, wonderful in all the right bits and places. The first one or two episodes were a little slow, however, this is nothing new to me, as many Korean dramas seem that way, that's natural! But by the fifth or sixth episode, oh my gosh, I was so hooked! I loved every single character, the chemistry between the cast was phenomenal, and the storyline somehow had just the right amount of everything.I'm not usually much of a fantasy-enthusiast but HDL may have drastically changed my opinion on the genre altogether and has made me become more aware of how great a fantasy drama can truly be.
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Started Strong...
I still don't quite actually know how I feel about this one. CITT started out pretty strong and the final few episodes were pretty great, but it was hard for me to invest so much do to me not wanting the ML to end up with the FL. I would have preferred the second male lead to have ended being with the FL. Also, from about the third to tenth episodes, for me personally, jheez they were so slow and boring. There were positives however, mainly from the acting and the OST that came with CITT.Honestly, I think everyone should try this drama out, however, I do think it's either going to be a hit or miss.
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Surprisingly Amazing
WOW - a surprisingly amazing drama that anyone can easily love! I was very sceptical at trying this drama just due to the sheer hype - the synopsis I read felt like a cringefest but I am so glad it wasn't the case, this romance was anything BUT a cringefest.Although unfamiliar with nearly the entire cast, after watching this series, I am wanting to watch all of the cast in other respective dramas they are involved in. The chemistry between each and every character truly felt remarkably amazing. The OST to this drama is also very addictive! A must watch drama!
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I was unfamiliar with nearly the entire cast so at first I was sceptical about it all, but truly great acting performances from the start assured me that at least acting-wise that this series would be good. I hope to see a second season for Suits (Korean Version) and I also hope to see these members of the cast whilst I embark more on the K-Drama journey. Overall, decent show, I suggest you to watch.
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Too complex and confusing for my liking
Whilst the story of Buried Hearts started out reasonably strong, it became too complex and confusing for my liking. There's just so much going on that it felt like us viewers needed a notepad to keep track of all characters, relationships, allies, enemies, weaknesses, strengths etc. Of course I don't mind dramas that have alot going on but here it felt overwhelming at times. However, when it wasn't too complex not confusing, which was sometimes, it was a very enjoyable watch and there were some unpredictable events which were genuinely shocking, and I liked to see.I wish to always contain a paragraph of what I liked. Honestly this has been a little difficult for this drama. The only things I can think of are the cast members, some acting performances, which outshone the rest, and perhaps the fighting scenes and OST.
Whilst this definitely isn't a bad drama, unfortunately, I do not recommend starting this.
Personal Note: I believe this is only my second ever mobile review! And my second ever time editing a review!
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Addictive
A very easy-to-follow drama which is pretty entertaining and addictive. I am a huge fan of sports dramas and this does definitely not disappoint. A very basic story on paper but directed and structured in a great way. I really enjoyed each episode, great story alongside great acting, great music and cinematography. I really enjoyed the stunning visuals and camera work.The only negative? Personally I would have liked more episodes - the story needs it.
However I still recommend this!
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Just a little too much going on...
In my opinion, Adamas is a great drama, it's just has too much going on. It's not necessarily too complex to understand, it's just a lot of things happening at once so the viewer needs to always be actively engaged at every moment to really grasp everything. In a way, it makes it a great watch. It's been a long time since I've had that feeling. On the other hand, when there are lots of characters and rivalries in a drama such as this one, it makes me identify plot holes or instances of 'well that doesn't make any sense - why would they do that?'.I was unsure of the 'twins' ML as it kind of brakes the fourth wall for me, but thankfully in this drama, it didn't. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, even though there were too many. Because there were too many, it unfortunately meant that some were showcased more often at some points, then another episode they might not appear much at all (inconsistent screen time). But all characters were indeed amazing as I previously stated, and the acting was supremely amazing by pretty much everyone.
The rewatch value is high. This is because of the awesome pacing of episodes, the mystery, the structure of the story, the suspense and cinematography. Usually I don't score too high for a drama in this category, but Adamas definitely deserves a high score when it comes to this. The OST is also sublime and I will probably listen to it for a while after today.
Would I recommend Adamas? Yes, absolutely!
Personal Note: My first ever MDL review I have written on mobile!
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Confidently good
Confidence Queen is a drama that I can confidently say is good. It's delightfully unpredictable, has great bromance and friendship, a nice set of unique characters that blend well together, i.e. the characters who are supposed to be bad make the viewer really hate them, the characters that are made to be supported have the viewers on their side. I would say however that there were a few unpredictable moments that made me confused, and I'm glad it ended where it did, as it was becoming a little repetitive; not bad, just on the verge of repetitiveness.I enjoyed the vast range of themes and scenery alongside costumes and cinematography. The OST was wonderfully addictive and the cast was what I expected from the cast when seen on paper: great. There were a few minor characters who were a little off and the extras were made to look seriously dumb and stick out like a sore thumb, unfortunately.
In conclusion, if someone was to ask me about whether they should try 'Confidence Queen', I would say yes, watch it, but try and binge-watch it. I think watching it at a slow pace myself made it a tad less enjoyable. It's still a solid drama in the drama world, however.
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How can a drama start so strong finish so weak?
After the first few episodes of watching Tempest, I had so much confidence by at the end of this drama I would be giving this a 10 out of 10. After the final few episodes, I actually think my 6.5 out of 10 rating is actually somewhat slightly generous. This started out brilliant, so what went wrong?First of all, I personally found all of the romance totally unnecessary and forced. This story didn't need romance and it kind of undermined the main story point. Secondly, everything felt rushed and because of this, the main story alongside the relationships that connected this main story became confusing to understand. Thirdly (although if I had all the time in the world I could definitely provide more reasons) would have to be, and I don't use this word lightly, the absurd amount of unoriginal cliches.
Positives of this drama however include the characters. The characters all felt very different from one another, the 'good' feel good and you want to root for them, the 'bad'... well, hating them is easy, and of course that's what you want to happen! Acting was also really good. Even if the story became bad/boring in the later stages, the story at the beginning and middle were superb/excellent.
Actually, I have no idea whether to recommend this or not. My head says yes, because the first few episodes were so good that I want everyone to watch it. However, the final ones were so weak that I couldn't recommend it. No matter what though, I definitely would say, it was 'interesting'!
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From Interesting to Borefest
'Light Shop' started out as a remarkably interesting drama that had a somewhat unique premise and storyline that was captivating and easily kept the viewer guessing the next move or next twist and turn of the story. This feeling of excitement however only lasted three or perhaps four episodes. From this point onwards, this became a borefest. I don't know how suddenly it became like this, whether it was because of the odd pacing or weird dialogue at points or whether it's because all of my questions about the story became answered, but it's a real shame because the first three episodes in particular were so amazing that at one point I was thinking maybe this would be a 10/10 drama.Some positives would be the cast and their performances. Yes, whilst the story (quality wise) was on a downward trend, I did appreciate the hard work by the actors and actresses. I really enjoyed the depth of the different characters, they all felt full of life and were all different from one another.
I guess the feeling I have right now is disappointment, because it started out so amazing and by the end of the drama it was even hard just to try and focus on the story and pretend I cared.
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Ehh...
This is a difficult drama to rate. With a theme I usually am not a fan of (fashion); this was definitely one of the better ones. But whilst fashion was centre-stage in this drama, it still lacked a genuine story to accompany. Yes, there was a story of sorts, but it was more of a 'moral of the day' kind of approach with each episode. Every episode felt different enough even though the meaning of it was the same. The majority of the episodes were very average, but there were one or two that were very captivating.The same can be said with the acting. The majority were average (not bad, just average!), but there were a couple of standout performers. Actors are humans at the end of the day so I shall not name any names. The OST for the most part was pretty good, but there were one or two songs that stuck out like a sore thumb. Also, this drama is full of constant, repetitive sound effects that almost drove me insane at one point.
Re-watch value given is higher than I had expected. I think it's because of the provided Korean subtitles on the screen and the somewhat slower pace of dialogue which made it a nice treat for my Korean language learning. Would I recommend this? If you are into fashion, give it a try!
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