After a long tine, a viable 2nd ML, but still bad
Hello there. This kind of drama is the hardest to review for me, mostly because its value is just outside of being total sht. And while reviewing it, I often "feel the need" to add another bad thing about it, and another, and another. But this time I'll try to keep it together.
Visuals. Meh. A couple of very decent shots, but mostly is just alright.
Audio. The sound design was ... maybe not bad, but barely missing it. And mostly because of the over usage of sound effects. for every fkin little thing. Plus, the usual "hear this track? this part is sad/quirky, you must feel sad/amused" assortment of trying to "tell" you how you're supposed to feel. Also, the group's songs, not the greatest either.
Editing. Meh, at best. A couple of bad stuff, also a couple of really horrendous parts. Like the ending for episode 10 (? maybe, I wont rewatch it). Its supposed to be a cliffhanger. 50 seconds of people looking at each other. I think in the moment I even thought that some of the shots were reused, to make it feel longer. And after all of that, after that "tense" and "oh, no" moment, 30 seconds later we get the preview for the next episode, which had scenes with spoilers of "all good now, don't worry". A couple more scenes the same, but this one in particular stood out. The world-building is a mess. The pacing was meh, as usual, apart from some specific moments when we are told, you have no idea if its the same scene of how much time it passed. Sometime in the last 4 episodes (like I said, I wont rewatch any of the scene from this drama, not even to check something), the FL is at her desk. Then we get a location shot (the shop's name), she's again at her desk, but some time had passed. One day, one week, no idea. Same for the last episode. She's working, or rather finished working (she had to end before 3 PM), the scene moves to 1st ML, then to her again, and apparently its another day. Every time I had to go back a couple of seconds, to check her clothes, to make sure if its the same of a different day. Also, I could nitpick something in regards of the same scene. It might be viewed as a spoiler (not really, you can see it a mile away, but I'll pretend it is). For those watching this k-drama after checking the reviews. Apparently its weekend. Her colleague just left, so maybe mid or later in the day. They have a video call. Both their rooms have direct sunlight... And thats all I will say.
So, high production value. Why? No idea.
Now the "good" parts. I guess its ok to say good casting. Rather than charisma, the thing between FL and 1st ML worked because of the actors, whereas the one with the 2nd one it felt more natural. Again, it might be because of the actor itself. Decent acting overall, more or less. It might also be a director's fault thing. Because I've seen the FL in other dramas and she wasn't this terrible. Not the greatest as people praise her, but also not bad. I think it all simmers down to the roles she's best suited for and this drama was not it. The FL played almost entirely like a teenage girl. Very forced "easy-going person and happiness all-around". Ofc, the script didn't helped either.
So, script. The writing was horrendous. starting with the dialogue, on to the story itself. This is not "just" a director problem but of the writer itself. While end credits, I saw that it is based on some webtoon. I have no idea if the adaptation follows it, but I'm sure thats also sht. Because the core progression is bad. Very bad. Its a story full of tropes and cliches (not the same thing). Every little thing is a plot device. It is full of plot devices at least, maybe even plot holes, but I stopped paying attention to that when I saw how bad this drama was. At key moments, you can take a guess on the usual way the same scenes unfold in other dramas and you'll guess whats going to happen next here. More or less. Terrible story and structure. Problems popping out just to have drama going. Characters reacting in very specific (non-logical, non realistic) ways, just to have drama going. *sigh*
I think this is also the place to mention it: I hated that "smart home" gadget thing. AI that was quirky and had human-like "feelings". Always having answers. Used for gags. And that was entirely forgotten sometime mid-season (again, I wont recheck). Or maybe it was a product placement thing, no idea.
Next. Character development. Whats that? No, thank you. From mid/bland characters, to horrendous ones. From a teenager-acting FL, to her terrible friends. I have a very specific example in mind (although there are a lot more to choose from). I have no idea how that went in the source, or how they thought to make it work here. Also, it happened right at the beginning, 20-ish minutes in of the 1st episode (I think). The scene: FL with her friends, drinking, getting wasted. She hears someone saying bad stuff about a person dear to her, so she gets up to give him a piece of her mind. Her friends say stuff about FL, what she usually does when she's drunk. Basely, "uh-oh, not again, she must be stopped at all cost". So, they don't get up in a hurry, when they do eventually, they stop 2 meters behind and get one in the arms of the another while bickering or something. All this "acting" to make sure that FL does what it is supposed to do, to ensure that the rest of the story can happen. I think this was the moment (in regards of writing, acting etc) when all my worries were dispelled and I knew for certain what it was going to be a bad drama.
I wont even start with the whole idol industry and the fans.... Yes, it was an important backstory element, while also only taking the parts they wanted to and completely dismissing the other ones. So, no.
I've told you I will feel the urge to keep talking about its bad points.. So I'll stop. It gets a rating of.... 5? Barely, barely (if pen on paper, check marking stuff, crossing stuff, it might be a 4 or even lower, but I'm a nice person like that). Too much meh. A couple of decent things in regards of visuals, some nice acting from MLs. It was the first drama (in a looong while), that had a decent 2nd ML, one that felt like his backstory made him into a viable option (even if we already knew that it wont happens, ofc). No re-watching value. If you like any of the cast, check their other works. At best, this is just a waste of time.
Have a lovely day.
Visuals. Meh. A couple of very decent shots, but mostly is just alright.
Audio. The sound design was ... maybe not bad, but barely missing it. And mostly because of the over usage of sound effects. for every fkin little thing. Plus, the usual "hear this track? this part is sad/quirky, you must feel sad/amused" assortment of trying to "tell" you how you're supposed to feel. Also, the group's songs, not the greatest either.
Editing. Meh, at best. A couple of bad stuff, also a couple of really horrendous parts. Like the ending for episode 10 (? maybe, I wont rewatch it). Its supposed to be a cliffhanger. 50 seconds of people looking at each other. I think in the moment I even thought that some of the shots were reused, to make it feel longer. And after all of that, after that "tense" and "oh, no" moment, 30 seconds later we get the preview for the next episode, which had scenes with spoilers of "all good now, don't worry". A couple more scenes the same, but this one in particular stood out. The world-building is a mess. The pacing was meh, as usual, apart from some specific moments when we are told, you have no idea if its the same scene of how much time it passed. Sometime in the last 4 episodes (like I said, I wont rewatch any of the scene from this drama, not even to check something), the FL is at her desk. Then we get a location shot (the shop's name), she's again at her desk, but some time had passed. One day, one week, no idea. Same for the last episode. She's working, or rather finished working (she had to end before 3 PM), the scene moves to 1st ML, then to her again, and apparently its another day. Every time I had to go back a couple of seconds, to check her clothes, to make sure if its the same of a different day. Also, I could nitpick something in regards of the same scene. It might be viewed as a spoiler (not really, you can see it a mile away, but I'll pretend it is). For those watching this k-drama after checking the reviews. Apparently its weekend. Her colleague just left, so maybe mid or later in the day. They have a video call. Both their rooms have direct sunlight... And thats all I will say.
So, high production value. Why? No idea.
Now the "good" parts. I guess its ok to say good casting. Rather than charisma, the thing between FL and 1st ML worked because of the actors, whereas the one with the 2nd one it felt more natural. Again, it might be because of the actor itself. Decent acting overall, more or less. It might also be a director's fault thing. Because I've seen the FL in other dramas and she wasn't this terrible. Not the greatest as people praise her, but also not bad. I think it all simmers down to the roles she's best suited for and this drama was not it. The FL played almost entirely like a teenage girl. Very forced "easy-going person and happiness all-around". Ofc, the script didn't helped either.
So, script. The writing was horrendous. starting with the dialogue, on to the story itself. This is not "just" a director problem but of the writer itself. While end credits, I saw that it is based on some webtoon. I have no idea if the adaptation follows it, but I'm sure thats also sht. Because the core progression is bad. Very bad. Its a story full of tropes and cliches (not the same thing). Every little thing is a plot device. It is full of plot devices at least, maybe even plot holes, but I stopped paying attention to that when I saw how bad this drama was. At key moments, you can take a guess on the usual way the same scenes unfold in other dramas and you'll guess whats going to happen next here. More or less. Terrible story and structure. Problems popping out just to have drama going. Characters reacting in very specific (non-logical, non realistic) ways, just to have drama going. *sigh*
I think this is also the place to mention it: I hated that "smart home" gadget thing. AI that was quirky and had human-like "feelings". Always having answers. Used for gags. And that was entirely forgotten sometime mid-season (again, I wont recheck). Or maybe it was a product placement thing, no idea.
Next. Character development. Whats that? No, thank you. From mid/bland characters, to horrendous ones. From a teenager-acting FL, to her terrible friends. I have a very specific example in mind (although there are a lot more to choose from). I have no idea how that went in the source, or how they thought to make it work here. Also, it happened right at the beginning, 20-ish minutes in of the 1st episode (I think). The scene: FL with her friends, drinking, getting wasted. She hears someone saying bad stuff about a person dear to her, so she gets up to give him a piece of her mind. Her friends say stuff about FL, what she usually does when she's drunk. Basely, "uh-oh, not again, she must be stopped at all cost". So, they don't get up in a hurry, when they do eventually, they stop 2 meters behind and get one in the arms of the another while bickering or something. All this "acting" to make sure that FL does what it is supposed to do, to ensure that the rest of the story can happen. I think this was the moment (in regards of writing, acting etc) when all my worries were dispelled and I knew for certain what it was going to be a bad drama.
I wont even start with the whole idol industry and the fans.... Yes, it was an important backstory element, while also only taking the parts they wanted to and completely dismissing the other ones. So, no.
I've told you I will feel the urge to keep talking about its bad points.. So I'll stop. It gets a rating of.... 5? Barely, barely (if pen on paper, check marking stuff, crossing stuff, it might be a 4 or even lower, but I'm a nice person like that). Too much meh. A couple of decent things in regards of visuals, some nice acting from MLs. It was the first drama (in a looong while), that had a decent 2nd ML, one that felt like his backstory made him into a viable option (even if we already knew that it wont happens, ofc). No re-watching value. If you like any of the cast, check their other works. At best, this is just a waste of time.
Have a lovely day.
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