You don’t want to miss it
I had a hard time to get a grip onto that series. I mean, I started to watch it several times and dropped out of boredom but finally came to the end. It is a great plot. Honestly a great plot.It apparently is based on some true stories even if most of them compiled together don’t really add up to the point where it is comparable to the series.
Anyway I liked the plot very much even if the end was not flawless. It is acceptable.
The only drawback to me are the performances. We can all say that Kim Hye Su is a great actress. And I am convinced by all vilain characters in a performance point of view.
Unfortunately, Lee Je Hoon is lacking so much. Sorry for the fans but there is something wrong. In his favor I wonder if the filming direction was good in this way… There are a lot of long scenes where he just… think ? wonder ? try to show emotions ? those scenes are seconds but feel like minutes and he never conveys it right.
As for Jo Jin Woong, I was convinced by his performance but the too much crying (sorry spoiler) didn’t work at some point.
That is actually my point that the performances
of the 2 main characters don’t feel natural.
But the story is indeed great !
Was this review helpful to you?
A very powerful drama
Which was a bomb went it was released in Korea as it highlights the issues about juvenile delinquency but which in fact, resonates with every country.Compared to similar dramas very engaged and committed that say something outloud and speaking up about crucial problems…here it is very much “romanized”, a tiny bit far from reality but not less appreciatable because it’s very well done.
What I enjoy the most personally are the side
stories. To which you can relate. The main character’s development is beautiful and interesting. Certainly her best role, both in her performance and complexity.
We also have a drama for which the end is very well made, which is usually lacking in the korean drama industry.
Was this review helpful to you?
Beautiful message
It makes me think of Death’s game but this is way better. Sorry I shouldn’t compare dramas as I am strongly against it but it made me think of it… The concept a bit.I will say I was bothered so much about the drama trying to be funny and some scenes that were odd. But in the end I understood why they are necessary.
Topics involved are deep and so closed to reality. It is disturbing how well they picture reality. And it is crescendo. The more you go the harder and deeper topics get. You need to “light up the mood” even if it doesn’t work out.
And that is also a beautiful message to our lives and problems. You need light over the darkness. You need people trying to make you laugh when you don’t want to or think you cannot anymore. You need ridiculous stuffs to the seriousness of the situation called life.
Finally can someone give LSH some lead role ? This guy has so much to show us and so much under his sleeves.
Was this review helpful to you?
People are never satisfied anyway
I do believe people would have been disappointed whatever the ending. I do agree S1 should have been the beginning and the end but here we are.I actually liked S3 because of the characters’ development and the acting performances which were really good for whoever it was.
I actually was blown away by the performances of Yim Si Wan, Park Sung-Hoon and Jo Yu Ri is a very promising actress. S3 brings a lot of nostalgia with its last episode as well. I think the story was also endearing.
That being said, I have a hard time judging the series because of the presence of a very controversial cast… for instance I think Lee Jin Wook is a fantastic actor, not just here. The same goes for Park Sung-Hoon who is extremely talented. So Can we separate the actor and his performance? That is a big question here…
Also it is true you can tell the business drive behind seasons following S1. There are also a lot of small issues but I personally thing this season particularly was endearing and showed a lot of acting range from actors even though some actors are questionable.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A not so bad plot and a not so bad acting
A series adapted from a novel which I didn’t read so I my review will only focuses on the series.We get a very interesting first 2 episodes with an original concept as well as in the directing and artistic approach, with an intriguing cast, intriguing because it is far from the roles we usually see them in, and if you don’t know it’s from a novel, it is also a very unique plot.
To me I am satisfied with 95% of the storyline and the acting. I especially love the scenery, this darkness around each scene and the dialogues with a lot of depth. The sign language conversation is extremely enjoyable. Vilains have some depth too even if you think the main vilain is psycho.
It is a very short series for which we can expect another season and worth watching especially since it is short.
Now I will talk about a few things that, personally didn’t work and thus, the reason why it is not a 10/10.
First of all the development of Jeong Ji An is not completed. Was it saved for another season ? We have a child version and short development of her as a kid. You must have spotted how strong JJA as a child is very brave and very intelligent. We could think her childhood affected this version of her but they showed us when Jeong Jin Man was raising her. We still see confidence, braveness, curiosity and excitement actually… The young adult version of her is quite far from the picture we got from her in the past. The young adult teenage version of her is very frail, not confident, weak also (in her way to think and physically act)… So it feels we are missing something.
Another plot problem to me is how quick some situations get resolved. I mean, these people are very smart, not easily fooled, they think… How this whole situation gets resolved is not convincing. When JJM dies it is not convincing how easy people think he died. Is it because the novel said so ? Should we blame the writer ?
Another problem is the acting. Don’t get me wrong I am satisfied with everyone and if sometimes Kim Hye Jun is questionable I think it is more a characterization problem. But Park Ji Bin could have done way better especially when he dies…
Lastly why not a 10/10. Well even if it was very entertaining and nice I think it is hardly rewatchable and they are right, the re watchable value is part of the rating. You might think because it is short it is not rewatchable but DP is rewatchable (season 1), on american series Black mirror is rewatchable. Might be very different kind of stuff but to me the rewatchable value here is lower than some other stuffs.
PS : I talked about the cons but I also mentioned the pros and of course I enjoyed it. I think LDW is pretty amazing even tho it is not his best performance.
Was this review helpful to you?
A imperfect but enjoyable surprise !
Alice in Borderlands was a bit of a surprise to all of us because it was such a new concept. When you look at the comment section you will easily spot words like “odd” “strange” “different” and most of us, especially if we are drunk in asian contents, are drowned to that kinda of stuff.This original series is even more likable as we get a beautiful scenery, intriguing story, mostly great performances and there is no time for boredom. If you watched similar “themes” (suspensful atmosphere, games, life or death games, new world fictionnary or made by some entity…) like Squid Game or 19th floor… they take time to set the plot even tho they leave you a part of mystery to it. Alice in Borderlands doesn’t. It goes fast and right to this “imaginary or made by someone” setting.
All of this is a good recipe to keep things addicting and interesting. At least for most of us.
S1 is more about the games. We get full episodes on some games. To me I prefered this one as I found it entertaining and new and not boring. But there is a little place for characters’ development. So we don’t get much emotionally engaged when something bad happens to them. not just the male lead but to anyone.
S2 focuses more on characters’ development and we get almost zero games fully played on screen. Maybe one and a half in the last episodes. On S2 we get attached to a lot of people. Maybe everyone in a way. The second season also tries to be a satire of our society but not really about humans’ behaviors but what people go through in their minds. It is different directing approach but likable too. But is it for the same audience ?
The cons now. Personally, I regret that season 2 didn’t develop the ending of season 1 which I think was very interesting. If you have watched a ton of dramas you might have seen the end of season 2 coming which was a bit disappointing even tho we can also have another idea of how it will develop again as season 3 seem to be on its way. If season 3 catches up with season 1 ending which is still possible it can be amazing. The last episode on season 2 is a no to me in the directing process. To be fair once the games were sort of done and they were trying to convey the “main story” there were a lot of flaws in the directing process. Maybe were they pressured or not creatively free enough from netflix ? Who knows ! I regret also on season 2 the lack of depth in all games. To me people were confusing the characters’s charisma and the actual games that were not even closed to the development they had in season 1. In season 1 you can have things to say about performances about pretty much everyone even the male lead at some points. When we get to this environment with a lot of folks it shows even more and is a bit off.
Last con to me is the main vilain or the character they pictured as the vilain is not innovative nor funny nor interesting, it is seen over and over, this character lacks a lot of originality and is as irritating as most vilains we see. The lack of depth about this person is also disturbing as in season 2 they develope everyone but that person. And it is to me a flaw cause even for “basic vilain” we have a motive which can be very simple. It is lacking here.
On the question should you watch it ? Of course it is one of the most innovative drama we have ever seen and beautifully shot from japanese industry which has their signature and which is very enjoyable. That being said I think the audience from S1 can be different from S2 and also some characterizations can be a drawback to the full engagement of the viewer.
People like to compare squid game and alice in borderlands especially since they came out at the same time. Besides that squid game is set in a reality while we question the reality of alice in borderlands and that, the latter is bloodier I have a hinch of why alice is rated higher, it’s the rewatchable value. A very good drama nowadays is rewatchable and still enjoyable. Alice is more rewatchable than Squid game. It is my personal opinion but if you look at people’s reviews you will find out that tthe majority thinks the same.
I am sorry I haven’t check the series background like if it was made out of some specific inspirations (book, video game) so I only reviewed the series.
Was this review helpful to you?
Why so many have missed this ?
Everything about this drama was great. Even the length shouldn’t be longer. Best performances from both main actors. People are going to sau “My name” bu Han So hee is incredible in romance dramas and even more in romance/jealousy dramas. She gives such purity to her character, something we rarely seen from her. so why 8.5?Well as the title says “soundtrack” the music should have been better. The soundtrack, the song written process. Everything that deals with music should have been much more better. But as the rest follow we say amen.
Was this review helpful to you?
legendary
Oh boy. You know when a drama is one of the greatest of all time when it sticks in people’s minds no matter how many flaws it has. When I say greatest it is not like “great” but more like “a legend” like… people will remember it.Does it mean it is not good ? I personally liked it a lot. I personally liked those old fashioned dramas because they rely more on performances than anything else. Cgi aren’t great, plot isn’t flawless, artistically speaking it is far from nowadays series’ quality in every aspect… But performances are always on point. No wonder why we remember more those actors’ names and praise them.
I think the moment of “I can seduce you in less than 10 secs” (of 5?? I can’t remember) is one of the most memorable scene of all korean series production. And it personally was at this very moment that I found myself also convinced of this series. (sorry for short spoiler)
Was this review helpful to you?
A piece of art yet to be understood
It is crazy how such charismatic people and relaxing vibes (music, scenery…) can make you watch a whole series like this which is actually pretty empty in a way.But in a way the whole series sounds like a poem or a piece of art because it is beautiful but the meaning is unclear and not everyone can understand it (if there is anything to understand). Yet our eyes like what they see.
I have very little to say about the rest of the drama. How can you comment on performances if you don’t understand what they are trying to play or convey.
Was this review helpful to you?
It is enjoyable!
A lot of flaws in this series in pretty much everything (plot, cinematography, music, performances and so on) but still very enjoyable.The concept is one to be stolen because it is actually good. I repeat that it is very enjoyable cause as for myself, it got me going until now and I wil prolly watch the last episode. But of course, all characters are a bit cliches and can (to me) be a reason enough to drop the series half way. I can also say that in a way it’s a bit long. Episodes are only 35 (idk exactly) minutes and a lot of scenes could be cut out to get a more intense or “normal” rythm and get straight to the point.
Then the list of flaws is long but not going to spend more time of it.
Was this review helpful to you?
