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Beautifully Produced, Medium-Heavy Psychological Exploration.
Recommendation value 8-9 if you're in the mood for something uniquely interesting, thought provoking, and beautifully done. *It feels more like a psychological thriller than a romance BL!* It's not perfect, but it's different, hooked me quickly, I enjoyed the whole thing, and I will definitely rewatch. General spoilers only at bottom of review.Story/Script 8, Acting 9 (Yoo Jun was a 10 & story is from his POV, Hur Hyun Jun was a 7), Cinematography/Lighting 8.5, Editing 10, Music 9.5, Audio 10, Chemistry 5 (leads fairly comfortable with each other but attraction feels more like best friends than love interests), for intimacy there was a lot of close physical proximity, some skinship, and flat kisses, Angst level (mostly resolved) 9, Rewatchability 7.
It's a fast watch with eight 15 to 16 minute episodes. Given the time constraints, I think the story did a decent job building the connection between the leads. It definitely could have benefited from more time, to give more weight to their deepening bond, but there was enough there to elicit an emotional response from me as the series went on. Yoo Jun as Yeon Woo is the main reason for this- he got me invested in his character very quickly with his captivating performance!
I was especially impressed with the visual and audio editing. It was seemless, perfectly enhanced scenes/emotions, and created a cohesive feel. Certain parts of the audio track (music, silence, or ambient sounds) would subtly crescendo and decrescendo within scenes to emphasize certain lines of dialogue, create/build tension, or underscore emotions. Sometimes the part of the audio that swelled was brief and sometimes sustained, and it all seemed purposeful. I thought it was really masterfully done.
GENERAL SPOILERS
Trigger warning for suicidal thoughts and attempt.
It is a hopeful ending for the leads.
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College Slice Of Life About Insecurities & Opening Up To Others.
Recommendation Value 9.5, Acting 10 (everyone was good, especially the leads), Angst Level 8 (resolved), chemistry 9 (Actors were comfortable with each other. Some skinship, a few amazing/emotional kisses, and a brief but lovely lead up to a love scene shot in silhouette), Cinematography/Lighting 9, Music/Audio 5, Rewatchability 5 (for personal reasons), No suspension of disbelief needed, character emotions & psychology made sense.Another reviewer said it well: an "empathetic and observant slice of life story." How insecurities accumulated growing up can impact the psyche and in different ways for different people. Beautiful emotionally and acted very well but it resonates a little too much with my history so I don’t see rewatching this often. That's why I'm ranking it a little lower in my personal list even though I would easily, and highly, recommend it.
The interactions between characters is the focus more than the plot is. The dialogue is written well and has a realistic flow to it. Pretty cinematography and lighting. Music was okay; not memorable but nothing distracting.
GENERAL SPOILERS
The last scene between the main character and his mom is especially powerful. Also loved his interactions with his sister throughout; very realistic. Made me cry a bit in happy relief the last episode. Feel good ending though I wanted it to last longer and show more of their lives.
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Sweet. Don't Take Too Seriously And Enjoy.
Simple, sweet, light. It made me smile a lot and I ended with a big smile and lingering warm feelings.A lot of suspension of disbelief required, especially around the stalker and the avoidance of going to the police. That was ridiculous, but the show never felt too serious so I was able to shrug off the awkward things and enjoy the series.
Though I would have enjoyed more time for the story to unfold a little more organically, for six 20min episodes, it surprisingly didn't feel unsatisfactory. It was a little awkward in spots jumping time to progress with the story but that was easily shrugged off.
The acting was good but the show also didn't require huge depths of emotions. Han Hyun Jun as Ji Woo easily kept my attention even though I personally wasn't visually attracted to him. He did a great job with some subtle yet deeper layers of feeling in the last episode that produced a little emotional angst (that gets resolved). Kim Tae Hwan as Ro A was a good match with him though I was wishing for a little more intensity in emotional expression the last episode. That didn't diminish the feel-good ending though.
There's some skinship and physical closeness throughout. The kiss at the end is not very animated (a step above a dead-fish-kiss) but it lingers and the body language of the leads gives it emotional intensity.
The secondary characters were good in their roles
The music was fine and didn't distract. Nothing special about cinematography, lightning, or dialogue, but nothing cringy either.
There were two bits that made me laugh a lot. The best was in Ep 1 with the tongue-in-cheek use of opera music while sharing a drink; clever and hilarious.
I could see rewatching this at some point.
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Hated Ji Ho Joon Then Fell For Him!
Spoiler only at bottom of review.Ep 1-2 were written overly dramatic and a bit goofy. Ep 3 I starting liking the characters. Ep 4-6 were a 10/10! Ep 8 felt rushed and hastily wrapped up so it didn't end quite as strongly as I'd hoped. Still very satisfying overall and I will rewatch.
The confession scene actually had me tearing up and crying (rare). It was so sincere and poignant. No big scene or flowery speeches made, just taught with all the emotions that would be present in real life, followed by the relief and gentle awe/joy of reciprocation. It was beautiful.
I loved how the two lead character's competitiveness continued to be a part of their interactions even as they went from enemies to friends to more. Instead of just being used as a plot contrivance at the beginning, it transitioned from hostile to playful and continued as part of their dynamic. It felt realistic that way.
Chemistry was great and skinship and kisses felt natural. Kim Ji Woong was especially good at creating tension with physical proximity. And his eyes became more and more expressive as his character's feelings grew.
I liked how the story balanced the power a bit from the team-leader/intern dynamic with a building-owner/tenant situation. And once they had called a truce, Ji Ho Joon and Seo Jae Yoon worked very well together. I liked how the series showed their respect growing as they watched and interacted with the each other on their projects.
The soundtrack was pretty and fitting when I noticed it.
VERY GENERAL SPOILER of the ending:
The total lack of communication from one side in Ep 8 was was a little frustrating and kind of felt like lazy writing for plot contrivance.
The end solution for the familial/social/work concerns made some sense, but because it was laid out and glossed over so quickly in Ep 8, it didn't feel like a realistic resolution, which slightly reduced the satisfaction of the ending for me. I didn't get the time to feel fully re-grounded in their happiness before the credits rolled. But the last scene was funny, cute, hot, and sweet so I just replayed that a couple of times, lol.
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Fun For Comedy, More Bromance Than Romance
Purposefully absurdist. It's very much like a manga with exaggerated behaviors, facial expressions, and vocal exclamations for comedic effect. It's odd, goofy, and sometimes borderline cringe from the ridiculous situations created. I was in the right mood for it, however, and found myself laughing out loud at least once every episode.GENERAL SPOILERS BELOW.
The story did an interesting job in giving examples of different types of love. But two major things didn't work for me.
First, the main character isn't very likeable (though the actor makes him fun to watch!). He's hard working, positive, and kind with clients so you see why other people may be interested in him initially. But he's not that thoughtful with the people close to him, and he doesn't show character growth in this regard, even when it's pointed out to him (repeatedly). He's a good natured bumbling idiot who wants to keep the peace and avoid confrontations.
Second, mutual romantic love is in very short supply. It supposedly comes to fruition at the end for the lead, but his interactions with his lover don't support this. It starts like a bromance and ultimately stays feeling that way. For that reason the ending landed a bit flat for me.
I rated the acting by all highly because even though it's exaggerated, it is conciously done by the actors for comedic effect, and they succeed well in what they're aiming to achieve. The actors playing the main character and the boss were especially dynamic and enjoyable to watch.
Music didn't distract but there was nothing specifically memorable either.
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Well Done, Simple Sweetness
Great. Sweet and cute. Well written, acted, and directed. Definitely worth a watch. Story is simple but still holds up to an occasional re-watch. Quite satisfying and left me with a smile.Watch past the last title page in each episode for another short scene.
The actors were comfortable with each other and had great chemistry. Their characters are believable as two young men in love. The uncertainty, flirting, skinship, and kisses are all very natural. The kisses are realistic and look like the characters are actually feeling through them.
Lee Seong Gyu was very charismatic. He also did a fabulous job realistically portraying the anxiety and a panic attack associated with the fear of his love interest once again disappearing on him. He successfully tugged at my heartstrings.
A little angst, that was mostly light, and everything was resolved well. The length of the story felt just right (eight 30min episodes)
Music wasn't memorable but wasn't distracting either.
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Very sweet, slow-burn (even though only 5 episodes)
Almost perfect!The acting was awesome, very natural. Both actors were nuanced in facial expressions, tone of voice, and body posture. It was a joy watching them interact as their characters.
The show had a positive message and multiple thoughtful and memorable quotes.
There were a few comedic moments that made me legitimately laugh out loud.
Music was unremarkable, but didn't distract either.
The story felt a lot more rushed in the last episode than it had in the previous four episodes. For this reason, I wish they had made it six episodes. The ending wasn't completely satisfying because of this, in my opinion, and brought my rating down. I think it still has high rewatch value though.
SPOILER ABOUT ENDING:
... ... ...
After all the tension and build-up, having their first *mutual* kiss at the end interrupted left me feeling frustrated and disappointed, lol. I wanted that sweet resolution to go with the relief and happiness.
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Watch Once for Billy & Seng's Chemistry!
The story isn't written particularly well, and is pretty goofy, but the two leads have The Most Amazing Chemistry! Billy is especially charismatic; his energy radiates, and his face and eyes are so expressive. He and Seng were awesome in War Of Y, and I got through this series mostly because of them (I did a lot of fast forwarding through stuff that didn't interest me). Their intimate scenes are a 10/10! The story starts slow with a lot of second-hand embarrassment, but it does get sweeter, and there are a few interesting plot developments here and there.Was this review helpful to you?
Satisfying, sweet, realistic
A leader and subordinate relationship that's healthy! Mutual respect grown from getting to know each other realistically. Good chemistry. And the way the social fall-out was handled was super satisfying! Not complex but very enjoyable. Left me smiling. Not a lot of physical intimacy (not surprising from a Korean BL) but it wasn't needed. Like many KDramas, the connection developed between the main characters is heart-warming and satisfying. While there's not much to the plot, the script is written well. Dialogue flows naturally.Was this review helpful to you?
Love OffGun But Losing Brain Cells.
You should be able to tell if this show is for you within two episodes. You may enjoy this if you love Off/Gun, want something light and easy to watch with some sweet/cute moments, and are in the mood for simple/silly humor.At Ep 9/12: My previous review of Ep 1-5 holds. I decided to give it a try again for OffGun's sake and watched Ep 6-9. Apparently the YouTube version is cut (in the USA). I switched to the uncut version via Telegram after Ep 5, but it didn't change my lack of enjoyment with the show.
Previous review: At Ep 5/12. This may not be a popular sentiment, but from my perspective, this show is a slog through simplistic boredom. Apart from Off & Gun's characters, most everyone else acts like middle-schoolers (around 11-13 years old) instead of university students. The 'humor' is extremely basic and simple. There's no cleverness in this screenplay at all. Most characters are more like caricatures and what little plot there is, is so far predictable.
I was so impressed with the series Not Me and Gun and Off were so fantastic in their roles. They acted with nuance, depth, and authentic emotions. The production of Cooking Crush is a huge downgrade for what their talent is capable of.
I'm watching the scenes with Off & Gun together at normal speed because they manage to elevate the generic material to bring some interest and depth to their interactions. For everything else I'm watching at 2x the speed to keep myself from dropping this show entirely.
I really want to support OffGun, but the screenplay is so shallow/simple/boring/predictable, and the secondary characters so annoying and often over-acted, that I really can't bring myself to rate this higher currently. If OffGun weren't a part of this show, I would have no qualms about rating it a 4 and dropping it.
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Naturally sweet romance; two people finding their way back to each other after many years.
A vertically filmed micro drama (I rate these on their own sliding scale). General spoilers only below. Really sweet while staying natural (not going over-the-top), and fully satisfying! The focus remains on the developing relationship between the leads. A calm yet captivating story, especially for those who enjoy slow-burn, long-standing crushes, and rekindling love. There's pursuing, wooing, and flirting as well as supporting and comforting. A bit different than most vertical dramas I've seen, and well written. Mostly from the FL's POV, but there are times with the ML's POV interspersed throughout.Both leads are good people, genuine, and faithful to eachother. I was easily and fully invested in both of them.
The acting is great (especially Wang GeGe as the FL; her eyes express so many nuances), and the chemistry is palpable and consistent throughout. There is some skinship, hugs, face caresses, and face/neck kisses. No direct lip kisses in this one but I didn't mind in this instance because the romantic and physical tension was satisfying even without them. There are a few suggestive lines of dialogue too later in the story. The FL is enraptured with the ML's hands, he knows, and it's fun to watch him use them to flirt with her.
Characters act and speak like people in real life might, even the jealous ones. There are no crazy plot shenanigans (there is a little drama here and there but it stays within the realm of plausibility), no violence (apart from a couple of punches), no abuse, no family hate, no long pointless arguments, and no mistaken identities. While there is a 3rd wheel wannabe for the ML, she is not given a lot of screen time or power, and the guys who get crushes on the FL are respectful and get minimal screen time as well. There is one big misunderstanding from back in highschool that takes a while for both leads to open up about, but that is also approached believably.
An easy recommendation for fans of relationship-focused romances. I expect I will also re-watch at some point.
I watched on a licensed channel (浪漫短劇社Romantic Drama) with good English subtitles in Nov 2024: https://youtu.be/OVjp4QDx128?si=fE1zgYw2emTuw-gC
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Good For One Watch, Slow Burn, Mix Is Captivating.
Good for one watch if you don't mind it dissolving into unnecessary, predictable, and angsty melodrama for a while. Overall I'm glad I saw it (mainly because Mix is a fantastic actor and I really enjoy watching him in his characters), but I won't watch it again.Ten 60-75min episodes. Great (8.5 or 9 out of 10) then Ep 7 started to slide into some clichés and frustrating character choices. Then Ep 8 & 9 were full of clichéd plot lines, all so predictable in their character stupidity. People said things or didn't say things in unrealistic ways to force the contrived plot points aimed at emotional angst to work. The screenplay became so melodramatic. I started watching at 2x the speed, rolling my eyes frequently, and so annoyed that I stopped caring about the story and stopped feeling for the characters. I just wanted to get it over with.
In Ep 10 the stupidity died down a little and it became watchable again and Mix's acting managed to get me re-invested in his character. The second half of Ep 10 was great and satisfying. One of the best airport scenes ever! I usually find them cringworthy but this one was understated, heartfelt, and perfect, even with other character's reactions.
Earth is not my favorite actor but he was surprisingly more nuanced in this than in Moonlight Chicken.
All of the secondary and tertiary characters did great.
This is one long, major slow-burn! It stays pretty PG, but the hearfelt way Ep 10 was done made it satisfying nonetheless.
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Adorable And High Quality.
8 min 30sec short film. General spoilers only. Relatable because it perfectly captures a growing crush, nervously feeling things out, and awkwardly/cutely confessing. Naturalistic acting and good chemistry. A satisfying ending and I would easily watch more of this story or these two actors together. There's not much to it but it's well done and thoroughly enjoyable.The production value is really high for such a short work. The cinematography is purposeful, as are the music choices, and both visual and audio editing.
On Strongberry YouTube channel. I have to say they are very consistent with great quality content!
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A Tightly Woven Cute Story.
Eight 16-20min episodes. The whole production is very well done and happily satisfying. The only weak link is the music, which was meh. Would highly recommend, though I probably won't re-watch frequently.Tension is masterfully and evenly sustained as the present unfolds and the past is revealed (university and highschool). There's a lot of jumping back and forth but it was fairly easy to follow, especially once I recognized this visual clue: in flashbacks the boys wear a highschool uniform that has a blue and red pattern on the inside of their collars! If you see that, it's in the past.
The premise kind of felt like a Japanese BL; a fantastical take on something mundane that sets up a romance, almost like it’s fated. The feel of this series remains very Korean though; strong storytelling with great acting, lovely cinematography, and a well-written script with a lot of earnest and sweet moments. There is some angst but also communication (eventually) and a satisfying resolution.
The two leads have great chemistry and their yearning is tangible. Kisses are just pressed lips yet still manage to contain emotions and passion in their gentle sweetness.
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Great fun through Ep 4, then treat Ep 5 as a fluffy epilogue & stop!
For Ep 1-5 it's an 8.5/10. Great fun through Ep 4, then treat Ep 5 as a fluffy epilogue and stop at 38min. After Ep 5 it slides quickly into very poorly written, clichéd, repetative, annoying, plot-predictable, and eye-rolling ridiculousness with unnecessary melodrama (with unbelievable and poorly choreographed fight scenes).Ep 1-5: I was hooked within 20 mins. The premise was unique and the story was fun and interesting with relatable lead characters. There was great romantic tension and sweetness. Overall it was lighthearted and enjoyable. I eagerly looked forward to new episodes every week.
Ep 6-8 were a 3.5/10. I stopped looking forward to it and there was so much cringworthyness that I fast-forwarded more and more. I found the ending so cheesy that it wasn't satisfying.
After Ep 5 Kenji becomes the main antagonist. The actor playing Kenji is sooooo bad it makes any scene and plotline involving him lose steam and all seriousness. His over-active jaw movements make me cringe and laugh out loud at the same time. The part isn't written well to begin with, but the terrible, overly dramatic yet flat and shallow acting makes him the weakest link by a long shot and he dumbs everything down.
Some of the transitions between scenes are abrupt and the music is generic.
I can see myself rewatching Ep 1-5 at some point but I will never again force myself through Ep 6-8.
g_jun's review on MDL also sums everything up really well.
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