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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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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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This review may contain spoilers
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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This review may contain spoilers
Drama that should stay hidden.
Hide - a drama that should stay hidden away and out of your watchlist! The most part, an extremely boring drama filled with confusing or extremely weird dialogue and direction, although a couple of things saved it from being a complete and utter borefest, with these reasons ultimately being why I did not drop it (although I had considered dropping it a few times).Okay, the positives. The lead villain, the SML and the fighting/action scenes. I really like the inclusion of a female murdering villain, something I don't see much of but always like to see for a change. The SML was acted essentially well and generally a likeable character I believe the audience could root for. The fighting/action scenes, choregraphed particularly well, making it feel like genuine fighting.
Okay, the main negatives, because a list containing all the negatives would be too long to read. The dialogue (already mentioned I know), pacing, directing, and acting. I won't name specific names because at the end of the day actors are humans with feelings, but there were three in particular who performed poorly throughout the drama. The pacing was horrendous in certain episodes - some sections I think watching paint dry would've been more enjoyable.
Anyways, whilst it's not the worst drama I've ever watched, and there were a few positives, I do not recommend watching 'Hide'.
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Second half saves it from failure
The second half of 'Newtopia' saves it from failure. Actually, the first half and second half feel so different that they could easily be mistaken as different dramas. I'm a novice when it comes to Korean zombie dramas/movies, I believe the only one I've watched before Newtopia was the movie 'Train to Busan' - a must-watch by the way if you haven't watched that gem already! Anyways, I really didn't know what to expect. To be honest, I don't like my zombies with comedy, and whilst it can be done well, it is rare. So I definitely preferred the moments that did not have this. Thankfully, there were many serious moments, and I really enjoyed the final few episodes. The first few episodes, however, were a chore to watch, honestly. I also didn't like the fact that when some scenes were starting to get interesting, it would cut out and change scenes to where the other characters were, killing the momentum.Whilst this does sound more like a negative review so far instead of the positive, I will say that the characters, their wide range of personalities and stories, were really interesting and enjoyable to watch. I also really enjoyed the unpredictability of the story, and the different settings used for a zombie drama that I have not seen before: really innovative! I also liked the number of episodes and episode length which I think were spot on. I can predict people may complain about the ending, but for me, I felt satisfied.
The OST was really nice to listen to, as were the SFX and general editing, cinematography and directing.
Whilst it's not the greatest drama ever, it definitely isn't the worst, either. Yes, the first half is a drag, but the second half is so good that it's worth an entire watch.
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Great but left me wanting more
Osore is a very decent drama, although it has left me wanting more, due to the ending. It's one of those dramas which has a difficult-to-follow story for the majority of the drama until everything all clicks into place and makes sense. In 'Hollywood' terms, it's like the Transformers: don't think too critically, just enjoy the action and have a good time! So in that kind of way, this was almost perfect. However, the story did have a few issues; issues in which I think could have been saved if the run time were longer and had allowed for some character development.Regarding the acting/cast aspect, phenomenal. I do not watch many J-Dramas at all, but I was seriously impressed with the performances here, especially by the FL (Riko) and the two MLs (not described as main roles on MDL but I'm talking about Takaki Yuya and Kasahara Hideyuki, although I understand why they are not attributed as main roles). I have become instant fans of all the cast, but especially of these three aforementioned talents. The OST, too, was also just simply phenomenal. I am already planning on listening to the OST in my spare time.
The rewatch value is pretty decent for the score I usually give a 'rewatch value', although it would have been higher if the ending was more satisfying. However, with all being said, I do strongly recommend that you watch Osore.
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From episode two - action and intrigue!
The Killer's Shopping List was an extremely enjoyable watch, and I loved the fact that, until episode six, I still wasn't certain on who the killer was. One of the best things about dramas with killers? When the viewer is left speculating after each episode has finished and has to brainstorm after each episode! Whilst I did correct the killer from episode two or three, I didn't actually have a valid reason for my speculation - it was more just based on a 'hunch'. I really liked the diverse personalities and characters, and I really loved the fact that the supporting cast were all on a 'main level' to the main cast. I also really enjoyed the acting provided by the main and supporting cast. Special mention to Lee Kwang Soo, I had only watched him in one drama before, and I thought he did a good performance, but in this, I would say it was close to phenomenal.The entire OST was really addictive and I also really enjoyed the editing styles and also the theme opening animation. The rewatch value is also higher than normal, I think this is due to the fact that there is only eight episodes instead of the 'usual 16', and also because of the unpredictability factor.
What could have earned this drama an even higher score? As I'm writing this, I can only think of a couple of things. I think it would've been nicer to explore the ML/FL relationship a little more, and at some points, the dialogue was a little repetitive... so maybe a change here?
However, I definitely recommend this drama no matter what - even if crime/mystery dramas are not your favourite!
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This review may contain spoilers
The most unpredictable K-Drama
Memorist is definitely the most unpredictable K-Drama I have watched so far, it's not even a close contest. This is the first drama where I have literally be stunned and shocked with the revelations. The almost perfect but still sensational story kept me guessing every single episode, although by the end it did become a little too complicated due to the amount of characters and the constant switches from flashbacks to present day. However, the story was still amazing. It's how a story should be, instead of some dramas where you can easily identify the 'secret killer' by the third episode of sixteen.I also really enjoyed the OST; every song felt fresh every time I heard it, and really fit well with the tone of the drama alongside the personality traits of the characters. I also really enjoyed the editing, the chemistry between characters and the general cinematography. The re-watch value is also exceptionally high compared to my usual standards. This is because of the unpredictability of the story, I feel like I could easily re-watch this drama and still be shocked by the end!
There were a few acting performances I did not like. I won't name them, after all, we are all human beings. The main cast were solid, it's always nice to see familiar faces alongside new ones I'm not familiar with.
Overall, I definitely recommend you to watch Memorist.
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A flame that started hot, but faded away
Big Issue was a decent drama. It started out at a phenomenal standard of story and cinematography which unfortunately started to slowly fade as each episode went on, although it would be harsh to say the latter episodes were 'bad'. I did really enjoy the story including it's depth, alongside the unexpected twists and turns along the way. These genuinely surprised me, which I always love to experience, instead of twists and turns I can predict. I also really liked the cinematography, editing and directing of this drama as I felt it all stood out compared to usual dramas. The OST was also really nice and there were definitely one or two songs I would consider 'extremely addictive/catchy'.And whilst I did like most of the acting, let's talk about the biggest dislike of the drama for me... the characters. For a considerable portion of the drama, there was not a single character I liked. This was a struggle for me, as I always desire to like at least one character. A character doesn't necessarily have to be 'good' - a character just needs to be someone who I can root for, if that makes sense? Thankfully this wasn't for the entire drama, and there were characters I ended up liking.
Would I recommend this? For the story, yes.
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This review may contain spoilers
While it's titled 'Imitation', it is pretty original!
I really enjoyed watching 'Imitation'. I wasn't sure what to expect from the moment I started it but I'm glad I made the decision to watch it. Whilst the story could be considered rushed in places, and in other areas unfinished or unexplored, the story that was shown was really good. This is one of those dramas where I wished the usual 16 episodes were given, as I think the extra 4 episodes would be needed, and it would've probably boosted the overall score to at least 9/10. I am unfamiliar with the majority of the cast, except the ML who was great again (no surprise there) - he plays the outside cold/inside warm type of ML very well indeed. The acting/cast section was rated lower than usual, I think this is because there were a couple of notable actors who I thought were quite unconvincing in their roles, but I don't like to name those people (after all, we are all human beings!).Re-watch value... well, the first half of this drama was addicting! I was watching multiple episodes a day, something I haven't done in literal years. However, the second half was quite draggy, the pacing just felt off and awkward. The OST was phenomenal however. All songs were just perfect in their own way, and were made to fit the groups in the little fictional K-Pop world created by the people of 'Imitation'.
Despite the draggy second half, the first half was addictive, the drama is still really good, and the OST is addictive. Therefore, I strongly recommend watching this drama.
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