So Many Life Lessons- of Perseverance, of Teamwork and Love
What drew me to watch this is Yoon Kye Sang since I have watched Chocolate a few months ago. I don't usually watch kdrama, as I would still need subtitles. But this one is such a gem.What do I like about the drama?
I should say this drama is promising, a lot of characters which will make you wonder how they will interact and figure out their challenges. It is full of life lessons - how to overcome failure, to rise above opposition, to stand your ground and live with principles. There are many types of sports featured in this drama. But what makes rugby different in this story, is that it needs a good relationship between the coach and the players as well as player to player. It is a team sports, unlike the other sports featured were more on solo victories.
I like how the characters of the young men evolved and how the coach inspired them. The actors have given life to the character - either you will love them or hate them, depending upon which side they are. Ju Garam is an inspiring coach, though his past was colored. He truly loved rugby and these boys. These men showed how to fight, how to love and play. As Garam said, "We are to unite 7 hearts to play as one." and they did. The turnaround of the Hanyang Rugby team is really a miracle, to get the gold in the Nationals. I love those rugby boys, they acted so natural, and they had great chemistry even with the adult actors.
In every drama, there are antagonists also. If you get so pissed off with the VP and the Head Coach for shooting, it means their acting is very good. However, I don't know if high school is really this political.
In the end, the good come out victorious and the bad gets bad karma.
The best life lesson I got is this - YOUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE YOU. Anyone can make a turnaround as you put your mind to it. No one is too old to make new life choices or change in their career.
We need more inspiring stories like this - even teaching parents to help their children find their path and not impose their own. Kudos to the whole production team - cast and crew. Can we have a season 2 of this please? So many stories can evolve from this one - the new Hanyang Rugby Team, where does Coach Garam go after this, what happened to those who graduated and perhaps a grand high school reunion?
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Love and Law
I heard so much positive feedback about this drama that made me watch it. Each episode is packed with cases that are quite difficult to handle, yet the Litigation team have handled them with much hard work and teamwork. As we see the ending, I anticipate a Season 2 for this - how will the restructed Yullim look like and what will happen for the rest of the corrupt ones.What made me continue to watch is to see how the story of Seok Hoon and Hyo-min unfold, why they think that way and their interaction with one another.
I see why the title is Beyond the Bar - because it challenged their moral and ethical principles as well as how they view life in general. It shows humanity, mercy and love even in the hardest of cases they faced. There is compassion even when the sentence was pronounced.
The Actors
Lee Jin-Wook's demeanor is just right for the role of no-nonsense mentor. However, we also see a soft side of the character as he listens to the reasonings of his juniors and perhaps really a good reader of people. We see him transitioned for being 'all work' to enjoying his team, not just giving advise but also receiving.
I saw Jung Chae-Yeon in Family by Choice, and she looks so young there when in fact it was just last year. Here, she portrays a much older character, a genius, yet had some issues which only unfolded as the series progressed. Hyo-min is a breath of fresh air for the team and much more for Seok-Yoon who seem to be so stiff - as his teammates say their team is dry.
It is also good to see side stories of the other lawyers, both the good and the bad and how we all desire the good to win.
The 2nd lead lawyers' story added to the dynamics of love and law. In the end, love wins.
Should I rewatch it?
Perhaps after 6 months, when my brain cells can keep up with the terminologies... just kidding.
Overall, I rate this an 8.5, and wish that the Lead's story will continue to Season 2? Please season 2 soon.
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RISING ABOVE LIFE'S CHALLENGES with those who believe in you.
This is a story of not just Mok-ha but also of Ki-ho's survival and how they rose above their difficult situation.Though Mok-ha's survival is miraculous and much more the way she was discovered by the very people she once knew, it gives us hope that anyone can rise above life's challenges.
The Story:
The story may have started with heartaches as the two leads tried to survive abuses. It gave us a picture already of their background from the start unlike other dramas that start in the present and go back and forth with their past. I think many Korean dramas run this way, highlighting only a little of the past to connect with the present.
It is amazing how Mok-ha was able to get to the island alive without knowing how to swim. That is something, we can say as a miracle in order for her to reach her dream.
I like the development of the story; it was not slow nor too fast. It walked us through the story of each of the character and given us the answers little by little without making us itch to get it to the bottom of it. However, the time span was not that clear to me from the time that Mok-ha was found till she became a superstar. We can only infer that eventually, as they became tenacious and strong in the middle of intrigues and threats, each of the Lee family and Mok-ha achieved their goals with much love, peace and joy. For me, the story is full of love which is expressed in different ways.
The Actors and their characters:
1. Park Eun Bin - Many say that she is overacting in this drama. Perhaps we need to analyze why she acted that way. First off, she left her town when she was just 16 and grew up only with her abusive dad. Then lived for 15 years in an island alone. So, perhaps she did not grow up with any guidance how to be a lady but merely trying to survive. She didn't know how to interact with people her age and with the changing society.
2. Jong Hyeon as Bo Geol /Ki-Ho - I like the calmness of the adult Ki-ho, just like the younger version, despite of the abuses he received from his dad. At first, He isn't cold, he is just trying to protect himself and his family.
3. Hak Hyeon as Woo Hak - I wondered at first why he is trying to figure out if he is Ki-ho. The character is compassionate and one who doesn't want to break the law.
4. Ki-ho's dad - I did fear for Ki-ho's life and his family by the way this character behaved. and I think we live in a world that there are still people like this who treat their family like possessions.
The Music
I think this is the first time I would comment on a Korean drama OST. I love the songs and was surprised how beautiful Eun Bin's voice is. The songs are beautifully written, and the music is great. And each song tells a life story- of hope and love.
Will I rewatch it? I might perhaps after a year but will skip the violence.
My overall rating it an 8.
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Loving yourself
Each time I watch a movie or a drama series, I try to look into some kind of value.To some it is just light and cutie, and of course, it is a teen story. It is about first love. It is about all the insecurities that goes with growing up as a teen.
The FL is cute even with her Freezy hair, and just what Yun-Seok said, he likes her the way she is. I believe that there are plenty of adults who are still insecure in the way they look - hair, height, weight, complexion and many other things. The girl who tries to catch someone else's attention by changing herself eventually fall for someone else.
I only watched this to take a break from the other series that require much energy to process. Sometimes we need this kind of a break. And it is good that it ended in a happy note.
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Joy and Love in Chocolates
It is an interesting story revolving around chocolate and its power over people's lives. I like that the episodes are named according to a certain chocolate product.I like how the transformation of the two leads, how they learned to get over their individual struggles and found love in the end. I am a sucker for love stories and so much also with chocolates.
I think the 8 episodes are enough and won't need a 2nd season.
All the actors did very good. I can feel the anxiety of the two leads as they are faced to do what is not common to them. I can feel the love and the joy as Hana makes her chocolate. I can feel the love of the Le Saveur team and had not discriminated Hana. I also like that both Sosuke and Hana went personally to different partners and because they had done it, they had their support. This goes to show that even in business, the care for partners is essential. It is not always about money, but the value we give to the people we work with and the people we offer our products to, is far more significant and impactful. I hope others see this value in this drama.
The sceneries are lovely. I was hoping that they made the running Leads from the wedding the ending. It seems anti-climactic to end the Anonymous Circle with a special guest.
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Love conquers all
What draws me to this drama?First, are the two leads - Kang Tae Oh and Kim Se Jeong. I have seen them acted in several modern-day drama and have consistently delivered. Both have been successful as singers and actors, navigated the entertainment world separately. To partner them was genius. It seems their individual personalities matched the original characters they played. But what made them more attractive is to act the other's character. Both have shown a range of emotions not just by their words, but also with their facial expressions. I believe that both of these actors will go a long way in this industry and find more challenging and fulfilling roles in the future. Both of them look so good in their hanboks.
Second is the story. Body swaps may not be an original idea, but the way it happens at several times and discovering how it happens contributed to how they navigated the political, social and personal struggles they were in. This drama gave us love, joy, anger, anxiety, revenge and finally victory. Each character contributed to how the story unfold. Each episode has a cliffhanger which makes you wait for the next to see how things will go.
Third, the supporting characters which I like. The villain itself is a crucial role who had manipulated and dominated the king. His weakness was his love for a woman he could never have. His greed for power, for control, brought him to a road of no return. Because of him, many have suffered and died. His death was somewhat too dramatic for me.
The story and some of the characters have flaws at some point, but in the end, I should say this drama will be remembered for a long time. I love the setting and the costumes.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of Moon River!
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Rise above the Challenge
This must be one of the first Korean drama I have watched 2 decades ago when it was aired in my country. My friends and I had been waiting for each episode and even had exchanged notes.What draws me to this drama are the cooking elements. Jang Geum has an exceptional talent in cooking, even when at the time she lost her sense of taste. She proved herself to be the best in that field even though someone wants to sabotage her. We may think everyone is against her, but having someone supporting her gave her the hope to rise above the challenge.
It is amazing how she transitioned from being a cook to a doctor. In Korean dramas of this period, we do not see women as the lead physician. However, we see her wisdom and talent in cooking came handy.
As this is a period drama, the production had prepared well from the costumes, the sites, the cooking methods and utensils. It is amazing, how Korea had tried to preserve their history with this kind of drama. This is something they should be proud of and hoping the next generations to come will cherish and embrace their history as well.
As this reached more than 50 episodes, I do not think of rewatching it. Though I have watched this 2 decades ago, I remember the faces, specially of Jang Geum who did not seem to age, now that she has a 2025 drama with a younger actor.
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To Live Well Despite of a Loss
Those who have lost a loved one can relate to this series. It truly hurts to lose someone in a very untimely manner - that you didn't get to say goodbye before he/she dies. Regrets, guilt or losing the will to live can haunt us. And we see that in the life of Hee Wan and Hong Seok who for the past five years still feel the hurt.The series gave Hee Wan and Ram Woo to spend at least a week and view life beyond the loss. But in reality, no one gets to spend a week with the person we lost in an untimely manner. The story with its going back and forth to present and past slowly unfolds how their relationship started, how this exchange of name affected them and even expanded their sphere of friendships.
Kim Min Ha did exemplary in portraying the adventurous girl in high school and later on the directionless college student. As for Gong Myoung, I still remember him in Love Untangle, where he also played a high school student. It suits him to be the serious and kind young man. I would like to see him do a more challenging role to see the extent of his acting.
It gives us also a view of the importance of family and friends, that though we have lost someone so dear, their support, their life, are also important to move forward and live well.
Our life moves on, even when we lost someone dear. And the grim reaper didn't take her but rather saved her. In view of this story, we should then reflect the importance of being intentional in building our relationship for good.
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Finding One's Path
Somehow this movie gives me the feel of "When the Weather is Fine" but on a lighter note.The different seasons reflect the different thoughts of Hye Won's life.
Winter ... when almost everything is freezing, or hibernating ... and her life seem to be frozen also in time, not knowing what to do but returns to a life she once escaped from.
Spring ... when new sprouts come alive and gives hope ... shaking the blues of winter
Summer ... when planting and reaping is at its peak ... it is also a time of seeing the fruit of her labor ... and what she is trying to understand, her mom, even her future, what she really wants in life becomes clearer.
Fall - when the dried persimmons are ready to be kept for wintertime ... ready to face where she left off ...
She did leave without saying goodbye to her friends ...
Then returned ... now on a happier feeling as someone came back before her.
All along these seasons, she remembers her mom, coupled with what she cooks that suits the season. She learned them from her mom. As she plants, it shows patience and expectation of her harvest. This gives me a deeper appreciation of planting as it cultivates a character of patience, hope, and love. There is so much introspection in this movie. The alone time, the quiet planting and harvesting are times of reflection.
Somehow, the seasons represented also her own season of maturity - of finding clarity, of contentment, and of hope.
I have dreamed of living in a countryside, slower pace of life, with fresh air, no smoke or traffic. Many people think that life is better in the city and the movie tells me, it is a matter of seeing the beauty of where we are planted. It does not matter if it is the city or the country, what matters is - is it home?
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"The present is the past to your future"
I have watched many time-travel series, but more of a different era for no apparent reason. But this drama, has given the ML the purpose to travel back when he was not even born.The first episode felt long because it tried to establish the connection of the two leads.
The Story
First, we should not take it seriously as in changing history. It is fiction, so I take it as a creative work of the writer to use the time-travel to solve various crimes. As the ML is from the future, he knows what may happen, but as he tried to save lives, somehow, what was the original time and scene of the crimes committed were altered. And there is no way that they can keep their secret be revealed to a few. Somehow there is redemption in the end, an understanding of their past parents/ grandparents and the hope of a better future. Somehow their "meddling" made a positive difference to their families.
The Actors
I like Jin Ki Joo. She never disappoints me in her acting. I have seen her in several dramas, and she has the right expressions in each situation.
As for Kim Dong Wook, it is my first time seeing him. I think he is suited for this kind of drama - investigative and crime solving. I just don't feel so much the love between these two leads. Perhaps it is because of the family background before they went to 1987.
The supporting actors - played vital roles in the story. We may not understand the why's of the bad characters in this drama, and somehow it is implicitly told that they became like that because of their own family's ways.
For me this time-travel drama is just for entertainment. But we can learn from it on how we live our lives in the present. I like what Yoon Young said to Mi Suk - that she can be better, "the present is the past to your future." We should not beat ourselves over past wrongs. Instead, we live today with better choices to be a better future self.
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Inspiring Turnaround
I am always looking for inspirational movies. And this one did not disappoint. And I love stories of mentor-mentee, teacher-student as I am also a teacher of some sort. Here we see not just a passing of knowledge, but rather a teacher investing his life for someone who has a potential to be great and get out of the wrong path.The actors - Lee Je Hoon and Han Seok Kyu did a wonderful job, had shown a wide scale of emotions throughout the story. Their characters may have resisted at first, but eventually something click within themselves. It may be a hope for a dream to come true, a hope to get out of the wrong path, the joy to invest on someone's life. Though I may not agree with the way the teacher treated his student, it was his tough love that set him straight. And the last song showed how much the student loved his teacher as well.
The timeline when he was in school to get the break may be too short, was he lucky? However, this goes to show that we all desire dreams fulfilled and celebrate success of someone in one way or another been part of that journey. I just wonder, who is the singing voice of Je Hoon?
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Tough job handled by a cool guy
I am quite late watching this drama as there were so many others that pique my interest first. But as I started watching it, it is like a good book that you cannot put it down.The Story:
No violence, no sci-fi, no love story. And I like the way it is as we see how an M&A expert did his job with his brains despite having so many oppositions. Am not knowledgeable of M&A, and this drama taught me how tricky it can be. Right words and right timing coupled with wisdom and patience are some of the elements that is in the M&A team. I like the M&A team's supportive attitude. The story won't be colorful without the villains, or antagonists.
The Actor:
Lee Je Hoon, I was pleasantly surprised by his appearance. In his other dramas like Taxi Driver and Signal (which I saw trailers only), he looks the tough guy, but here, he is way cooler with his white hair which fits him very well. I am having a hard time figuring out what else had changed since he looks more handsome here than having black hair. His acting, I should say fits well with the character - one who is careful with words, does not show anger or fear in his face despite of being played.
To me the rest are all supporting, though they played vital parts in how the story goes.
Am just thinking if the writer can think of a sequel - How Director Ha will play out now that he is on the other fence and what else will Ju No ask his senior to do. Am also wondering, if he is in good terms with his wife, will he return to her and adopted niece? But it can also end with just this and we assume, that the chairman trusts him now.
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Futuristically possible
This drama is fast paced yet so many mysteries needed to unfold in each episode. And as I am watching with a sub, I have to focus on the dialogs and trying to see the action at the same time. The beginning speaks of genetically made meat which is not too far from reality. But what is truly futuristic is the idea of generating organs without harvesting from a deceased patient. This must be a thought running through many medical researchers to answer the growing need of organ transplants. And if this truly comes true, they showed us how this can play politically and the desire for world domination. That would be scary!We see the plot thickens even more with the investigation being made by Chae Un who seem to follow orders from a former president, yet he had put up a wall so that no one will know his true intentions. Even his recruitment process as bodyguard to Ja Yu is odd - no intro, no instruction, all he needs to do is respond/react to what is coming. He is very guarded, yet he is protective and does what he is hired for. However, both Chae Un and Ja Yu are suspicious with one another throughout the story though they tried to give a little trust since not one of them had shown any double crossing.
All the actors did very well with the characters they played. Even I kept guessing who the spy is, just as Ja Yu also tried to solve it. Ju Ji Hoon is perfect for the role of a former soldier turned bodyguard - with his physique, his acting, who seemed trying not to show much emotion, yet you can see in his eyes the doubt without saying a word. He looks much older and bulkier here than in Trauma Code.
Han Hyo Joo showed quite a different character here from other dramas - saw her in W and in Romantics Anonymous lately. She showed strength of character as CEO, who tried to trust her bodyguard, despite knowing so little of him. Her facial expressions are just right for the role.
The other characters played harmoniously with the leads. You would wish that the villains, whoever you may think they are will get what they deserve in the end.
Great plot, kudos to the writer and the director who orchestrated the whole production. This is not an easy story to execute; the production seems to have a huge budget though some parts can be done with CGI and AI now. It is only now had I realized that there is such a huge building, but it seems too few employees coming and out of it. I understand the HQ is placed in a remote place, but how come this is known by the PM.
On the point of view of an architect, I saw some flaws in the production. If this building holds valuable research materials, how come there is not much security from the road before coming in the building. Sorry, am thinking as an architect, that is why I thought the building should have a perimeter security. And how such a forward-looking firm gets hacked and without a back-up?
However, I was so shocked with the ending. I have so many questions in mind:
1. What happened to Ja Yu at the operating table?
2. Did she survive?
3. What happened to BF and all its facilities since the PM was found in error after all the seizure?
4. When Chae Un opened his eyes, where is he located? Is he bionic already?
5. What happened to Chae Un's house and his cat? It is his property, why would they seize it anyway? Isn't that illegal?
I don't like open ended dramas. Are we supposed to make our own conclusions? With these questions, I think we need a Season 2 to give us some closure. Whether the leads die or not, we should at least not be left guessing.
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A Strong Motivation of Love
I primarily watched this drama because of the two leads - Choi Yi Hyun, whom I had seen in The Matchmakers and Choo Young Woo of Trauma Code. With the title Head over heels and promo photo, I just thought it was an ordinary young love, but there were so many twists in the whole story.The Characters:
1. Choi Yi Hyun as the Shaman Seong-A:
She is really cute and could really pass for a high schooler. As an actress, I believe she gave her best, showing different depths of emotion. Her face is very expressive, much more her eyes.
Her character started off as a young person who just carry on a side hustle of a shaman but not too attached to any of her clients until Gyeon-U came. You may say she is obsessed and her desire to save him is because he is her first love. For 10 episodes she is very actively involved with him, but we lost her after taking Bong Su with her. The character has a transformation, a maturity that didn't go to the dark side and kept her mission as what her spirit mom told her.
2. Choo Young Woo as Bae Gyeon U:
He played quite a different role here from Trauma code, and as a high schooler with dark secret. It is good to see him play two different characters which are extremely opposite to one another. Good acting as the melancholic Gyeon U and the playful young Bong Su, that made us guess his age.
Gyeon U thought that he is really doomed forever, and only Seong A was able to give him hope. He needs to find his purpose after his grandma died and that purpose is in archery.
Other characters that really played their parts very well are Seong A's spirit mom and Yeom Hwa. I love the tenacity of the General and the sacrifice she needs to do in order to save Yeom Hwa. And whatever is the future for Yeom Hwa, actually I don't care, at least she left them in peace.
Somehow, I felt the last 2 episodes jumped too fast forward many years without giving a story of Bong Su in Seong A, or what was Yeom Hwa doing within those years if she has already lost the power of a shaman. I had wondered when Bong Su left the body of Gyeon U and followed Seong A, where they went and was surprised later that he is in Seong A already. He is a boy and went in a girl, but acted like a girl? That seemed out of character for Bong Su. They could have made Seong A tomboyish instead if Bong Su is in her.
Am not really loving it. I only finished it to see if they were able to be free from being possessed. I don't usually watch stories of ghosts, with the exception of The Master's Sun. I wonder if Shamans are still existing in modern day Korea. I watched this because I was after redemption and the love story. I don't think I will rewatch the whole drama, perhaps just pick a few episodes that will bring joy to my heart.
What do you think?
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Could it be that ML and FL are both Masters and Suns?
I saw this series quite a long time ago but not fully. So, I decided to rewatch it this year. Actually, I really do not like ghost stories, but this one is quite different and unique in a way that the ghosts have unfinished business that only Gong Shil can help them.The ghost stories vary, and Gong Shil's reaction of fear is but natural. Even after so many encounters, she has not gotten used to them. And she only has peace when she touches Joong Woo.
What I like about this drama?
Both So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin did a marvelous job. It is just funny how Gong Shil treated Joong Woo, as if a maniac which makes the latter fear for his dear life. The facial expressions are so funny and not irritating. Their interaction is so cute. And we can see a transformation of character for both of them as they learn to depend on one another.
As this story is on the supernatural, we can expect a lot of special effects. The faces of the ghosts were terrifying at first, but later on as Gong Shil converse with them, they just look like ordinary people. This gives us the idea that there are people with unfinished business when they were still alive and they need someone to help them to fulfill them.
I was wondering about the title of this drama
Who is the Master and who is the Sun? I just think Joong Woo is both the master and the sun to Gong Shil - she follows him around and becomes the light to shoo the ghosts. Gong Shil can be the sun to the life of Joong Woo who helped him be freed of his past. She can be the master of her own life, that will not let the ghosts cause her to fear.
This is worth rewatching because of the two main actors and how the story unfolds quickly.
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