1
True-to-life plots (plural) and lessons
Don't get confused, «Melo Movie» is a 10-episode series about love from romance to family to friendships, and yes, even break-ups and moving on.If you're thinking it's just another typical melo story, well, you're wrong. It tackles a lot of topics about love and life, and how different people handle the challenges the world throws at us. It can either remind us of how good it is to feel loved and to love someone, or give us new lessons we haven't gone through that we can use one day.
Or, maybe, it's just me because I was able to relate to many of the plots that I've been through one way or another. From a parent-children relationship to how not ending a relationship properly can stop us getting back on our feet.
I give it 1000 over 10 stars.
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This review may contain spoilers
Broken in all the right places
# Nocturnal (2025) Review: Broken in all the right places**Spoiler warning ahead. Proceed only if you've already watched—or don't mind being broken wide open.**
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## A title lost in translation
There’s something quietly frustrating about mismatched titles. The Korean name for this film, 브로큰 (beurokeun)—Broken—says everything it needs to. It’s raw. It’s thematic. It’s accurate.
And then came Nocturnal. Elegant, perhaps, even poetic. But Nocturnal is the name of a novel within the story, not the story itself. A choice that, while likely made for international appeal, ends up setting the wrong tone and wrong expectations.
If you go in expecting a moody thriller about late-night brooding, you’ll come out thinking the third act forgot to arrive. If they had kept the English title as Broken, the story, pacing, and ending would’ve made more sense.
## Acting and atmosphere
For what it is—a revenge thriller—the film delivers. Solid performances all around, led by an actor who wears his role like it’s grown into his bones—a notorious gangster who had already left that life behind but is forced to return after the death of his younger brother.
It gives off the same energy as John Wick—feared, respected, tried to live a normal life, but got dragged back in. Except instead of a dog, it was his sibling.
The cinematography fits the tone: mysterious, crime, gritty, and fitting for a revenge plot. No complaints there.
## Final thoughts
> When mislabeling ruins the mood
The tragedy here isn’t just in the story—it’s in the mismatch between title and tone. International viewers might be left confused by the final scene. There is a sense of something settling, but it’s jagged and unsatisfying—because it was never meant to be about closure. It was about being Broken.
If they had just stuck with Broken, the pieces would’ve come together. Instead, we’re left with a film that feels unfinished, incomplete—not by design, but by branding.
Rating: 5 out of 10 stars (8 if you pretend the title was Broken all along)
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- License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC By-SA) 4.0 International
- By: Yohan Yukiya Sese Cuneta 사요한 (YourOnly.One)
- Date: 2025-05-26
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S01 was better
S01 was good.S02 was nowhere close to S01 story quality.
If they're going to do S03:
* I also prefer Stella, no offense Sally.
* Bring back Lt. Cha.
* Don't repeat the S02 mistakes:
a. No conclusion to the S02 arc.
b. The individual cases weren't that good, and consumed 2-3 episodes. Some of those should've consumed 1 to 2 episodes at most.
c. Seriously? Trying to string a romance with Dr. Baek? He still hasn't resolved his emotional pain, and other ghosts from his past, and you tried to create a romance with the character?
d. What happened to character development? The story Dr. Baek is not yet over. S02 should've shown how he's trying to resolve the other ghosts from his past. But… nope… nothing. He got stuck as a paper or machine.
e. The list goes on.
Again… S01 was good, and then S02 was meh.
If you want to do multiple Seasons:
1. always conclude the Season Arc.
2. never forget to continue character development.
3. build the relationship between the characters… not by inserting romance where it isn't needed. Relationship is not just about romance.
4. Multi-episode arcs should at most only have 2 episodes. If you want to do a 3-episode arc, it should be your best plot, not same old dull moments.
5. It doesn't have to be linear. You can insert a case or two that has nothing to do with the Season Arc, and only makes sense in the season finale as part of the cliffhanger. A way to prepare for S03.
Argh. I rarely do this type of feedback because I believe that writers have a story in their mind already that just doesn't fit in one season. But there are rare times when things have to be said, especially when they did well in the first season.
The way the second season was executed, it was as if the network demanded a S02 but it was never in the plan of the writer(s). Something like, “They want us to make S02! Get everyone here and let's come up with something, anything!”
Anyway… they need to repeat the formula for S01, not S02, when they start to work for S03. They don't need to surpass S01. A good story and execution doesn't mean you have to do better than your most successful Season.
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A tribute to the original show (1971) and actors.
This was a tribute to the original show and actors.* Detective/Inspector Park was played by Choi Bool Am in the original and the 2023/older version.
* Detective Kim played by Kim Sang Soon in the original passed away in 2015.
* Detective Jo played by Jo Kyung Hwan passed away in 2012.
* Detective Nam played by Nam Sung Hoon passed away in 2002.
Special mention:
* Actors Lee Kye In and Song Kyung Chul, were also in the original. They appeared in the last episode of this show.
I hope they release a sequel.
They can do it multiple ways:
1. Another prequel set before the original “Chief Detective 1971”.
2. Remake the 1971 original.
3. A sequel of 1971, set sometime later.
4. A modern 2023/2024 version. Continue the story line of the present time. This time, focusing on Park's descendants, and telling us the other case stories through his grandson.
If they'll choose to do a 2023/2024 version next, then those past case stories can become the 3rd sequel/prequel. For example, it will tell the story of Park's son. Was he a detective as well? How much did he adore his father, the cow-thief detective? What were his achievements?
Doing that way will fill in the gap as to how original Park's grandson became a detective, which is his father (or son of original Park).
There are plenty of ways they can go about this. And I hope they will.
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실종된 사람들과 남겨진 사랑하는 사람들에 대한 이야기입니다.
만약 여러분이 "예능적인 목적"으로 이 시리즈를 보는 것을 고려하고 있다면, 여러분은 다시 생각해보고 싶을지도 모릅니다. 이 시리즈는 관객들을 즐겁게 해주기 위해 만들어진 것이 아니라, 하나의 미션을 가지고 만들어졌습니다. 미션이 무엇일까요? 대중들에게 전 세계에 많은 실종자들이 있고, 그들 또한 그것 때문에 고통 받고 있는 가족들이 있다는 것을 알리고 상기시키기 위해서입니다.이 시리즈는 대부분의 사람들이 실종된 사람들을 어떻게 무시하고 무시하는지를 묘사하는 데 있어 실수가 아니었습니다. 우리가 그들을 그냥 지나치거나, 책을 읽고 신경 쓰는 척 하는 것 말이죠. 하지만 우리는 단지 우리에게 그런 일이 일어나지 않았기 때문에 그 부담을 공유하지 않습니다.
이 시리즈는 그것에 관한 것입니다. 그것은 로맨스에 관한 것도 아니고, 당신이 가장 좋아하는 배우가 잘생기고, 예쁘고, 아름답기 때문에 침을 흘리는 것도 아닙니다. 그것은 작가의 스토리텔링 기술과 이야기를 실제 행동으로 옮기는 감독의 예술적인 비전에 관한 것도 아닙니다.
"미씽: 저편"은 실종자, 남겨진 가족, 그리고 실종자의 배후에 있는 상황에 관한 것입니다… 많은 용의자들은 주로 범죄 때문이었습니다.
시즌 03이 나오나요? 의심스럽습니다.
S02E14가 끝난 방식은 후원자들에게 이 아이디어를 처음 제안했을 때 목표를 달성했음을 암시했습니다. 그들은 청중들에게 실종자에 대해, 그리고 우리가 할 수 있는 모든 방식으로 여러분과 제가 어떻게 부담을 공유하고 도와야 하는지를 상기시키기 위해 이 아이디어를 끝냈습니다.
실종자 문제는 결코 끝나지 않을 '이야기'이기 때문에 개방적입니다.
시즌 03을 만드는 것은 그들이 시즌 01과 시즌 02에서 만들어낸 메시지와 영향력을 희석시킬 뿐입니다. 세 번째 시즌은 "시청률과 광고를 위해 시청자들을 우유 짜기"에 지나지 않을 것입니다. 왜냐고요? 메시지가 강력하고 이미 보냈기 때문입니다. 세 번째 시즌에서 그들이 만들어내는 모든 이야기는 단순히 시즌 1과 시즌 2에서 그들이 이미 말한 모든 것의 반복일 뿐입니다.
이를 통해 이 시리즈의 중요한 시점으로 돌아가겠습니다:
사라진 사람들과 남겨진 사랑하는 사람들에 대한 이야기입니다.
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It's scifi with the human aspect.
This is the best "Moon" to date. The #Kdrama industry once again has proven that they can produce top notch #scifi productions. They never cease to amaze me on how they can keep the human aspect strong in their stories without it turning into a regular drama.I highly recommend this!
You wouldn't even think it was an Asian production. They surpassed Hollywood here, hands down.
Thank you Viu for providing both a subtitled and dubbed versions. I enjoyed watching both versions. A great 2023 holiday gift for your subscribers.
And congratulations to the production team for giving the world a great film.
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However, there is room for improvement when it comes to storytelling. There were episodes and scenes which were confusing because of the constant jumping from one time period to another. There are certain actions, or plans, that takes time, but the next scene, it was as if it only took stepping out of an elevator. This was especially evident in the last episode of Season 1.
I'm not saying that they should be very detailed and write "filler" scenes to keep the time pacing, rather, they should not overdo it. It is a tool in storytelling, and like any other tools, it shouldn't be overused.
Last, but not the least, great acting from the entire cast. Not only that, great choices on who should be acting which character. Live-action shows require having the perfect cast, we shouldn't cast someone just because they can bring in audiences because of their popularity, or because we are building an actor up. Casting should be first and foremost based on the character they are going to bring to life. If actors fit their characters, then their acting overall will be in harmony with each other, making the entirety of the show feel like it was actually real.
I hope there will be a Season 02. This is a great show. Watch it.
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The best part of our lives
I love this! It captured that moment when we were in High School (Grades 10, 11, 12 in South Korea; Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 in the Philippines).It was a very good throwback to the best day of our lives. When we were so young, innocent, brave, that part of our life where we were trying to carve a name for ourselves, trying to be independent, yet reality is pushing us back. That point in our lives when we start to hate our parents/guardians because of this and that.
But, today, as adults, we are saying the exact same thing to the kids of today. Go study. GO STUDY! It is not the time to be in a relationship. Or, us adults find it hard to trust kids because WE KNOW EXACTLY what is going on in their minds and what they are and will do. Why? Because we've been there ourselves.
To some, relationship became the reason their grades fell. While for some, it became the reason they became the top of the class. Some got distracted because of it, some it was a source of inspiration.
That is what this show is about, High School life, and how we were poking into the world of adulthood, yet too afraid to face make a stand. Where we thought we knew better, only to realise, often the hard way, what we know about ourselves and about life is nothing.
EVEN SO, it is that point in our lives that many of us wants to go back to. The fun. The feeling of being sooooo muuuuch in love. Laughing with our friends. With absolutely no care about the world.
To kids out there, enjoy your school life. Play hard. Live it. Laugh all you want, cry all you want. Be in love. Feel all the pain of break-ups. Because, trust us, once you are an adult, you will never have time to play, you will never experience that kind of life ever again. You will never have time to laugh, NOT EVEN to cry. And all the pain you will experience as an adult, you will lock it away. And all the love in the world, you will learn to ignore it.
It sucks to be an adult. So, enjoy your High School life. Make the best of it. Make a lot of good memories, and learn from all the bad memories. It will shape you. It will be the source of your strength and success one day.
You may hate your teachers, those subjects, but they will become useful in your adult life.
At that age, you think you know what you want to become and what job you will apply to, but no, more than half the time, things doesn't go according to your plan.
You hate math? Who doesn't? You are thinking you don't need to learn history, or English because it has nothing to do with the job you want? We all assumed that, too.
But, you know what, kids? We were wrong. Even in the type of jobs where it's 99% not needed, there is always that 1%, and you will wish to paid attention to your teachers.
Enjoy your life at eighteen, or you will regret it later.
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A masterpiece!
What an awesome film. It touched my heart too.1. How they split the different part of his life, and in order of importance instead of chronological, that was a brilliant idea. It helped built the foundation of the story, the major message, while at the same time allowed them to insert other lessons along the way.
2. It was also not about the main character, but it also reflected the lesson for the other characters, most especially the senior grim reaper.
3. The CGI is perfect. If the CGI becomes ever more realistic, it would only distract the audience. If it was less, it would make the film cheap. It is important to strike the balance between eye candy and the message of the story. Well done.
4. Choosing to set this story as a film instead of a TV show, or an episodic film, was itself a good decision. Keeping it as a film guaranteed the focus remain true, instead of adding other side stories that can lessen the impact of the story (and even distract the audience).
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Hilarious. Endless laughter!
The funniest group I've ever watched in any region/country. They gave us endless laughter which helped balanced out the hardships we experience on a daily basis.You know the proverb, "laughter is the best medicine". Earth Arcade. with this combination of players, is that medicine.
Hoping to see them again soon and not 12 months later. Thank you hosts. Thank you PD Na. Thank you entire staff.
And I hope you feature the Philippines in Season 3, since it appears you've decided to go to Hawaii in Season 2. ^_^
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This review may contain spoilers
Good ending but …
MORAL OF THE STORY: Do NOT enter a location when you see people wearing PPEs. (If you are a nurse, you should know this already.)I applaud the screenwriter for not shying away from killing a major character. There are very few screenwriters who are brave enough to do it, often screenwriters choose the "they happily lived ever after" route.
However, as the intro to this post hinted, I do not approve the sudden stupidity of a major character just to get that character terminally ill. Go Mi Ho was a nurse. She is intelligent and full of wisdom. Where did her intelligence AND WISDOM go in the cave sinkhole episode? Then after that episode, Mi Ho became intelligent and full of wisdom again.
In that one episode, she suddenly acted a hero when it was never part of her character, and after that episode, she never acted a hero either. She is intelligent AND WISE. She took calculated risks. She was no hero, before or after. But in that one episode, she acted a dumb hero which led to her getting exposed to deadly radiation.
Sure. There are people who would have done the same as she did but that is a rare thing most especially when the people escaping a disaster are wearing PPEs, and you happen to know as well as corrupt and evil the operator of that cave. All for what? For that character she saved to only die WITHOUT contributing anything to the plot after he was saved.
That episode. Go Mi Ho suddenly throwing her intelligence and wisdom out the window was only meant to get her terminally ill. No more, no less. It was very weak. They could've have used a contaminated bottled water or fish planted by Choi Do Ha, or some other method other than letting her do something out of her character.
People rarely do something like what she did unless they have a very, very, very strong conviction which Go Mi Ho did not possess. She took calculated risks for her husband, that was the entire driving force behind her. Her saving people begins and ends with her working as a nurse, outside of it she didn't do anything.
Again, good job on not being afraid of killing a major character. But very bad job on how to get that character terminally ill.
From 10 stars, it's down to 8 stars.
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Needs an experienced director.
Story: Has potentialSpecial effects: Good
Execution: This is where it was lacking. I want to say that they should've turned this into a TV series but as the movie progressed, it would be scary to see it in this medium if done by the same director.
Acting: They can do it but it seems the director did not pushed them. The actors weren't newbies in acting, yet it doesn't seem their hearts are into this project.
Again, the story has potential. The universe can be developed further. It's just the execution of the project which pulled this film down. With that said: 6 out of 10 stars only.
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Could have been better. It obviously lacked in budget and time.
The story has potential but the production seems to be lacking in budget and time. Also, they need to get an experienced English translator for their embedded translation or just include one and leave it to their partner streaming sites to do the English translation for them.I hope the sequel, if there ever will be one, will have the budget and time to allow the writer and director to tell the story. A good story shouldn't be wasted like this. Make it count.
Last but not the least, the robots does not have to be "stiff". What they lack are emotions not oil. They came from a very advance universe. The virus may have had removed their emotions but it did not made their motor movements like a robot prototype of the 1900s. Make them relax. I mean, look at that female robot host to the virus, not once did she act stiff. Why are the other robots stiff? They don't need to be. Even the fighting scenes of the robots, it was like watching someone do the robot dance.
I hope this improves in the sequel.
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Full of love and self-growth lessons
An amazing TV series about family love, self-growth, finding yourself, and turning over a new leaf. There is not much to say because no words can truly express the lessons this Korean Drama imparted to all of us.Challenging ourselves to new things every day gave us strength and courage.
It doesn't matter even if you collapse or fail every day.
When that happens, tell yourself this:
"You're doing well.
"You're the most magnificent star in your life.
"That is, if you refuse to give up
"and get back on your feet once again."
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A story you will never forget for the rest of your life
Practically a movie, 2 hours and 20 minutes running time. I would say that by approaching this from an episodic method, they were able to tell the story in a simple and yet very touching way. If they turned this into a movie, it wouldn't have the same impact as the expectations and requirements for one is far different.This proves that great stories does not have to be long, it is the execution and delivery that matters. I also love how they embedded the importance of studying mathematics and science--something that students need to understand--by throwing a modern student into the past where their survival lies on it, just as how important these are today.
I can't believe I only discovered this today. I will never forget this story for the rest of my life.
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