Zogitt

Jekyll & Hyde show that is doing my head in

To say that I'm torn about this show is an understatement. I have seldom seen a series that managed to succeed in one key area and yet screw up another. Please allow me to explain.

This series is built on two drama staples. Swoon worthy romance and the time traveling do-overs.

It nails the first with aplomb. Our leads' chemistry is undeniable and when it works, it is meltingly good. Time and again, when I start to suffer, the writer-nim would bring on the amore and we are floating on a pink cloud. . . until we crash back to earth due to the ham-fisted way the show handles the timey-wimey stuff.

The problem is not that the show tripped up on some high temporal concept but rather simple plot management. To wit, the show used weaponised time travel like a blunt instrument. Internal logic and intersecting plots be damned.

It worked ok the first go around but after each do-over, the narrative got more convoluted. It basically tied itself in knots. Did events change? Did time correct itself? Does someone know or cares?! I'm sure the writer doesn't. Forget about time traveling taboos, it was a road kill right from the start.

Another contributor to this mess is the serial killer/kidnapper subplot. How I wish k-dramas would stop using this trope, but I digress. As before, his first couple of appearances was impactful and fits within the context of the central premise. However, one of the fundamental purposes of a do-over is to change the timeline so that history does not repeat itself. In this case, the plot around the killer is more like a rubber band. It is a millstone.

It doesn't help when the antagonist is a "faceless" bogeyman. I get that he is obsessed with the FL, but the rationale is lost in the mist of plot disarray. He has a name but no backstory, no motivation for any of his actions. They shouldn't have met, or he should be in jail as each timeline changes. Then what happened to him in the 15 years since he may or may not have kidnapped the FL? Did he killed more girls or just looked for the FL all those years. What are the police doing? Watching reruns of Dr. Who?!

The antagonist finally got his just deserts in the last EP but how I wish it happened 6 eps earlier. The last EP is total fan service on steroids! It speed-run through a stack of dating tropes and it is total guilty pleasure. It compensates for some of the mid show confusions.

There is a decent amount of skinship throughout the run and they felt right. Not the most passionate I have seen but swoon-y nevertheless.

In terms of acting, it is the same split personality. I love the leads to bits, but the support cast is all over the place. The grandma is sweet. The mum is bearable. The ML's dad is a buffoon who goes for the cheap laughs. The FL's bestie and her brother are so cringy. Their roles get more and more exaggerated as the show progresses. Are they 13 or 30? I groan during some of their scenes.

The kidnapper deserves his own paragraph. He is so one dimensional. Basically, a cardboard cutout. He shows up, does the Death Stare with bonus grimace and retires to a dark corner to await his next money shot. So little effort yet so pivotal a role.

In the end, if they do a director's cut of our leads’ romantic journey, it would be 10/10. I would be a happy couch potato watching it on repeat. The rest gets a 6/10. In view of balance, the show gets an 8/10.

I can totally understand the hype and attention surrounding the show but I also get why some would defer as well. I need therapy.

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A stark contrast of two cultures

I like this show very much and a lot has to do with the first half of this series which was set in Helsinki, Finland. The snowy cityscape is very appealing. The use of local actors in key roles helps with immersion and let us know that it is not a token effort.

Whether it is the setting or the fact that the ML has been living abroad for several years made him very forthcoming in his pursuit of the FL. Similarly, FL is also surprisingly receptive when you consider most romantic c-dramas will spend a good deal of time wandering around the garden path while the leads assess and reassess their feelings. Forget about skinship, a mere accidental touch is all you'd get.

Not so here. The ML knew what he wants, and he is going for it. He taking no prisoners either. While the FL was initially hesitant, she soon fell into his warm embrace, and we have an explosion of skinship mere days after their fateful meet-cute in a snowstorm. They were hugging and kissing at every opportunity while enjoying the delights of the city.

This is so refreshing that I commented to an online friend that it feels like I'm watching a western romance. The progress is steady and meaningful. None of this endless longing and confusing double speak. We are not in Beijing anymore!

I was praying that the show will keep going down this path and they can be HEA in Finland. I'd have given this show 11/10 on the spot! Alas, this is not to be. China happens.

Yep, both leads relocate back to China after a time skip. The change in tone is stark. Gone are the carefree days of love and be loved. Now it is all about rules, status, obligations and respect.

The OTP are still madly in love, but they must hide their relationship and tread carefully. PDA quota went over a cliff. The ML puts on a mask and behave like other ML's in a typical c-drama. All hail the status quo.

It is not all bad. The relationship between the ML and his teacher was mended and it was beautifully done. There was not a dry eye in the room when the elderly gentleman passed. However, this just triggers another round of scripted role playing and more conformities.

To be honest, this was disappointing for me. I harboured hopes that this drama will dare to be different. Yes, it was that and more for 2/3 of the show but as soon as the ML arrives back in China, it was like a different show. It became a tropey Chinese drama poured from the same mould. Family issues, youthful transgression, societal obligations weighting everything down. The core is still there but you can barely see it from the tropes. If anything, the writer seems to double down on them. They really labour the teacher/disciple relationship as well. It feels like you're watching a wuxia drama rather than billiards! I guess they are trying to promote the positive aspect of Chinese cultures but it was a bit heavy handed.

The flag waving event where China won many gold medals in billiards is over the top. Huzzah!

It makes any talk of spreading the game to the masses seems farcical. It all comes down to prize money, world ranking and a creche of elite players.

Eventually, we get the HEA ending we craved. It was telling that the passing remark from the ML after 3 years in China is that he wants to be "free and easy" again. Guess where he went? ;) Is that a hidden message from the writer? It certainly rings true for me.

Acting by the leads are on point. There are so many sweet and swoon-y scenes. The tender moments felt real. I ship them unconditionally. Forget RL dating rumours, I'm waiting for the wedding invite! This makes the scenes back in China feel all the more like excess baggage.

Support cast earned their pay, but they have little to do. There are no real second leads nor secondary couples. A few minor distractions but it was the OTP's show from start to finish. There is no real antagonist either but there are angsty moments when the leads are back in China. As I mentioned before, the change in tone is stark.

I'd have given it 10/10 if it was a 20 eps run focused on their wonderful romance in Finland. The rest pulled me out of my happy place which lead to a re-evaluation of my final score. That is a shame.

I could rewatch parts of this show but I'd skip tracts as well. The OST is very good.

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One for the fans or a new c-drama watchers

Let me start by saying that there is nothing wrong with this drama. The cast is good, and the production value is decent. However, there is nothing original nor unique about it. This is a little surprising because it is supposed to be an adaption from a novel. To be honest, it feels like just another tropey c-drama. Awkward.

As such, it is entertaining in a "paint by numbers" kind of way. It is like watching an amalgam of similar shows. The ML's role will be familiar to his fans and viewers of his recent dramas. The FL basically reprised her role of a sassy professional. They all look the part and everything slots into place. Easy peasy.

BTW, there are 3 side couples by the 1/3 mark (the final total will be 5). This means while the OTP are dancing around each other and sorting out their feelings, the other CP's are racing ahead and showing up the OTP. It is distracting and makes the romantic journey of our leads seems more fraught than necessary.

The business plot is all smokes and mirrors plus some mandatory flag waving. The FL struggles to start her own business which is not helped by her inept business partner. Hey, who needs enemies when he pretty much scores all his own goals.

The role of the ML is very cliché. He is the classic knight in shiny armour. He is always there to help the FL in every way imaginable. I'm getting flashbacks of Best Choice Ever. She tries to push back but we know how this will go down.

The relationship between the FL and her long-suffering ex-BF feels cumbersome. He is the nicest guy but he has to make way for the ML. His story arc feels muted and contrived.

In a sense, that's how I feel about this show in general. Yes, there are angsty moments, and the odd act of violence but it is never convincing. They are there because the playbook demands it.

Furthermore, there is insufficient original material to sustain 40 eps so there is a fair bit of padding with cliché business maneuverings and meandering side couples shenanigans.

Of course, once our OTP is official, the herd of unicorns is let loose. The last few eps are total fan service and super sweet. Not complaining because they are a nice CP and I enjoyed their swoon worthy moments, but it also feels like the show is overcompensating because it wasted so much time earlier on. It was not helped by the ubiquitous late show break-up which dragged on for too long. So many pensive looks and thousand-mile stares from our leads. I don't know if it was painful to watch or I'm sharing their pain.

As it stands, it is a solid production. It goes out of its way to tick all the boxes and stay true to the genre. Fans of our leads will rejoice. It is also a safe intro for any new c-drama watchers. Trust me, you can do worse. I don't regret watching it, but I kept seeing ghosts of shows past. I just wish it would do something original, anything.

BTW, there is a short bonus "epilogue". It is sweet but inconsequential. There is a bittersweet scene with the Sorry Card. It is mostly harmless, like the rest of the series.

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What do you call a show with a chaotic start, a solid middle and a jingoistic ending?

This is an odd show. It has one of the most chaotic start but also a solid middle. It then ran out of puff. Becomes really jingoistic and flag waving towards the end. There is not a lot of substance to the main plot so I won't bother to dissect it. I’ll just list some pros and cons;

Pros:
• It is angst lite. There are some family issues, business shenanigans and a hint of a love triangle but nothing life or death. There is a lot of misunderstanding early on which took many episodes to clear up. While the entanglement is a bit contrived, its resolution is surprisingly well scripted and plausible.

• There is quite a bit of swoon worthy moments once the leads are official. The skinship quota is also higher than usual and quite passionate. There are no fish lip kisses nor camera tricks.

• The acting is generally good. The leads have lots of chemistry. The FL is minx like and her growth is rewarding to watch. The ML is handsome and charismatic and he turns in a solid performance. The performance from the younger cast members are more uneven but it is par for the course.

• There is a recognisable gay support character. This came as a surprise to me because for the last couple of years all BL dramas have been shelved and male characters are decidedly masculine and unambiguous.

Cons:
• The start is chaotic and a bit silly. Lots happened but achieved very little. Too many side characters are introduced in a rush which leads to more confusion. I’m not surprise if some viewers dropped the show after the first couple of episodes.

• While the romance line is nice and sweet, the main plot is a bit thin. It is mostly tropey family problems, office politics and business shenanigans. Nothing unique nor original.

• PPL, so much PPL. They are hardly subtle. A rough count has the leads catching 4 or 5 colds just so that the cold medicine can make an appearance. Ditto various cosmetics and personal grooming aids. The scene with an electric shaver was so heavily scripted that it was laughable. This extends to a parade of new cars.

• This show reminds me of Flight to You where at times it feels like a glossy promo video for the new Chinese airliner (C-919). In this case, it is the Chinese owned global positioning satellite system called BeiDou. However, it is much more patriotic and jingoistic in this show. There is even a firebrand professor who lectures us on sacrifice for the greater good and why the world needs an alterative to GPS. This also means several characters (including the antagonists!) and related subplots are sidelined to make way for it. Your mileage will definitely differ.

This show is watchable once you get past the messy start. The romantic line is swoon worthy and the leads makes the most of it. However, the last few episodes feel out of place and the propaganda is quite heavy handed. While we got the HEA ending in the end, it feels flat to me. Peace out.

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Peak romantic escapism

I’ll be honest, this series has me in two minds. There is the critical side of me that see the contrived, cliche plots and then there is the romance drama tragic that lapped up all the swoon-y moments and happily frolicked with the unicorns. It is a tug of war at times but in the end, the drama tragic won and the critic was banished to the naughty corner.

The premise of the plot is the classic BFF to lover trope. Of course, it is a bumpy ride for our besotted leads or it won't be a k-drama. However, it is also less angsty than I expected. It is pretty smooth sailing on the Love Boat for our OTP once they sorted out their feelings. The angst largely comes from the second leads and the parents. Interestingly, they are not the usual annoying, controlling parents. They are decent folks, but the show put them at loggerheads due to some misunderstanding just to create tension and serve up some distraction.

As I mentioned before, the A-plot is quite simple if we pare back the extraneous side plots. What is left is a sweet OTP romance and an engaging 2CP. I'm happy to see the OTP is rock solid after their confession. However, the 2CP is on far shakier grounds. When you throw in a cute little girl into the mix, I’m shipping them big time.

I’m not saying that the OTP is boring. Where the OTP excelled is their chemistry. I think the acting experience of our two senior leads shows. Their interactions feel natural and believable. Their skinship is more passionate as well. The 2CP has their moments but they are a bit awkward around each other most of the time. Not that I’m complaining but there is a clear winner if you put them side by side.

If I release my inner critic, the show would be about 7.5. It is perfectly watchable if you want something that is angst lite and uncomplicated. On the other hand, if I morph into the Romance Drama Tragic™️, then it is an easy 8.5 (9 if you only rate the last 4 eps). You just need to filter out (skip) the noises and focus on the swoon worthy moments, especially during the second half. If I were to rewatch this, I’d start at the end of ep.11 and be a couch potato for the next few hours unto the happy end. I'll have to skip forward a few times but that's par for the course.

Speaking of the ending, it is very sweet but not quite sugar overload and less formulaic than expected. Everyone, and I mean everyone, gets a happy ending. There are minor twists, but the main plot stays the course.

One odd thing though. The budding romance of the FL’s brother and the ML’s coworker. They are obviously the 3CP but somehow their timing seems off. 10 months of close interaction and he doesn’t get the hint that the girl is into him?! I’ll just put it down to an odd slip by the writer-nim.

This show is a guilty pleasure for me. Maybe you will enjoy it too.

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Sex is good but this show is better

Let’s start with the standard caveats. If you are uncomfortable with open discussions about sex or graphical contents then stop reading now. This show is not for you.

If you are still reading, then you’d better be sitting comfortably because this is a long review.

This show is a rare find. It is a superior show in many ways. It will surprise you with its subject matters. It will shock you with its openness and directness. It will make you re-evaluate your viewpoint about intimacy and gender stereotypes. This being a k-drama is certainly an eye opener for me.

If any viewer has doubts about its main topic, the opening minutes will certainly dispel them. While it might start like a show aim to shock and awe with titillations and sexploitation, it is much more than that. It is very thought provoking and surprisingly earnest. It is particularly relatable for female audiences. Certainly in a Korean context but also in a broader application.

This is because the show is very open about female sexuality and the tightrope they must walk at times. While men are part of the equation, they are often seen as selfish and ignorant. This is very refreshing compared to most romantic c/k-dramas. Typically, what passes as intimacy is reduced to cliche motifs like the intertwining of fingers while lying down and then fade to black.

The sex talk podcast plot allows the writer-nim to explore the full gambit of misconceptions and misinformation surround female sexuality. The lack of frank discussions and societal pressures in eastern societies cloud the issues and perpetuate many myths. Not only does the show lay them bare, but it also presents them in relatable scenarios. Yes, it is much more racy than your typical k-dramas but the sex scenes are not egregious nor are they exploitative. (See later discussion)

Nevertheless, being a rom-com, it can’t discard the venerable playbook completely. While the show started with an almost anti-romance stance, it turns the table in the last third of its run and it becomes quite romantic. It is tropey, but nicely done.

Speaking of exploitation, there are some online comments suggesting that the FL is a user/abuser who manipulated the ML and used him for her gratifications. I understand that POV as she was quite eager to turn him into a friend with benefits but once he confessed his love for her, she backs away and left him high and dry. It is not a good look.

However, I have a different take on this. Looking at the whole picture, we can see that she wasted 5 years of her prime in an unfulfilling relationship. She is uncertain about her self-worth and the role of love, sex and fulfillment after the breakup. Their typical monogamous relationship is strait-laced. Masturbation, casual sex and friends with benefit are exciting and liberating ideas but they are also fraught and alien to her.

Into this maelstrom enters the ML who is suave, handsome and most importantly, available. It is hardly surprising that she zeroes in on him. However, I don't believe that the FL is toying with him. She is naive and eager to experiment. She wants to copy the 2FL but she can't help falling in love with her soulmate. She knows this but she is not ready to commit. Her recent breakup is still raw. She needs more time and went on a journey of self discovery. Please note that she didn't play around as soon as the ML is out of the picture. This is not the behaviour of a cunning vixen. Maybe she could have handled it better but she is in a brave new world without a google map.

We know she has sort herself out at the NYE party. She is happy to see the ML and didn't appear surprised. Did she arrange the meeting? She wore his parting gift and happily show it off to him to signal acceptance. This will do for me.

Similarly, it took a lot of courage for the 2FL to start a new relationship when she swore that she will never be hurt by a lover again. Even someone who is quite self centred about sex still wants to be loved.

Acting is solid from all concerned. Pacing is spot on. There are a lot of energies from the ensemble cast and the OTP’s have oodles of chemistry. It is a joy to see relationships, love and intimacy being portrayed realistically. Yes, warts and all and amen to that! It does makes it hard to go back to the vanilla c/k romance dramas where 9/10 of the show is about NOT getting together and then we are “rewarded” with token PDA.

The show is not about being liberal nor lording over someone. What they are saying is, sex should not be taboo or an obligation. It should be fun and mutually satisfying. Masturbation is liberating. Sex with a compatible sex partner is better but sex with your soulmate is the best.

This show surprised me in a good way and engaged me like few others. I’d happily binge watch this again and so should you.

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It is better than I expected but missteps kept it from being great

I liked this show. It was entertaining and made me chuckled on occasions. If only the show knew when to stop and finish on a high and it would have been a surprise hit. As it stands, it is good but not great, funny and cringey in equal measure. A celebration of inconsistency that can be good, bad and meh.

The premise of the show is our leads soul swapped and have to live in each other’s bodies for a period of time. This brings about the usual sex change gags and innuendos. More importantly, they now realise challenges faced by each other. This understanding leads to mutual appreciation, and romance ensues. If all that sounds familiar that’s because it is a popular trope for contemporary as well as costume dramas. To top that off, the show has one of the messiest beginnings of any shows. It is quite possible for some confused viewer to drop the show after the first episode.

So I think it is best that we get the backstory straight now. The show is actually based on a graphic novel and the artist behind it is going through a sad divorce with her husband who is the publisher of the said novel. To mess with him, she deliberately introduced the soul swap plot, fully expecting the novel to crash and burn but the readers end up loving the plot twist. It is that novel we are watching as a live action show. To complicate things, we are dumped in the middle of the ongoing story without much preamble. There is little explanation of people’s behaviour nor their motivations upfront. However, the show does provide some background information later on. This means that for a casual viewer, the first couple of episodes can be bewildering and its overuse of zany sound effects and comedic devices only muddy the water even more. Let me assure you that it is not a farce even though it might appear so initially.

Once the dust settles, the show is actually better than expected. From my perspective, that is due to three key factors. Firstly, the script is quite clever. We have the usual tropes and there are plenty of them but the show work the tropes in such a way that it shows how the leads truly complements each other. They both have their shortcomings but by switching roles, they actually helped each other to overcome some sticky problems that have been festering. It also shows how their lives are more complicated than they thought. This allows a lot of character growth and breaking down the barriers between them.

Secondly, the acting of the FL is great. She truly played two roles. Her female role is quite stereotypical. Not bad but largely cliché for a costume drama. It is when she is playing as the king then she truly shines. She extrudes the gravitas and behaves regally.

Thirdly, the OTP's chemistry is good and their romance is swoon worthy. It is lovely to watch them grow closer together over time and find true love in an organic way. The path is not easy but it is a rewarding one both for them and for us.

This brings us to the not-so-good bits. The soul swapping part went on for too long. While I appreciate how well it set up the eventual growth of the leads, there are missteps so the longer it went, the weaker the overall show becomes. The show also relies heavily on tropes which is more obvious in the middle stretch. It doesn’t suffer from mid show drag per se but the pacing is patchy. The plot is mostly on rails.

The palace intrigue subplot runs the full length of the show. It was mostly predictable with standard antagonists filling the cliche roles. It is not particularly engaging. It was just there. Its conclusion is fairly predictable.

Another weakness is the ML’s acting. The ML is handsome in costume, and he does a decent job while playing the king. His behaviour while soul swapped is like a caricature of a girl and can be quite cringey. It makes the “FL” looks dumb and silly. I accept that she is not the sharpest knife in the kitchen but when she is in her own body, she does not behave like an airhead, so his portrayal seems unnatural and a bit off.

The link back to the contemporary storyline is a waste of time. In the span of 30 episodes, I think those scenes added up to around 20minutes. They are just snippets with a foregone conclusion to round things out. Other than making sense of the messy start to the costume drama and act as a postscript, it serves little real purpose.

The ending of the show is as sweet as you can expect but it is also contrived. It was the ending we have to have but you can feel that they took some serious liberties with the plot to get us there.

All in all, I enjoyed this show. The OTP's romance is swoon worthy. It can be funny and insightful. It did breathe some new life into the genre, but it is not consistent enough to be a breakout drama. It still have one foot firmly mired in tropes and it did the show few favours.

OST is not bad, but it does become repetitive.

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My cup of romance overflowth

You know the old saying, you don’t know what you missed until it’s gone. Well, this show is my corroboration.

When I first started to watch this drama, I wasn’t hooked. The meet-cute was functional but kooky. The leads are good looking people, and the setting is bucolic. It was not until the halfway mark when it dawns on me how enjoyable this show truly is.
The premise of the Show is fairly typical. Boy meets girl under some trying circumstances and leads to misunderstandings and mistrust. Nothing new there, all been done before. What the show was good at is to put the OTP’s relationship front and centre and show how a healthy relationship can form realistically. How I miss such a simple and straightforward premise.
While the ML is her boss, there is no power tripping nor maltreatment from the ML.

There are teasing and meaningful glances, but there are a lot of communication as well. Quite a lot of the dialogue are musings about relationships in general. There are no hidden agenda nor unhealthy intentions. The ML did have to work hard to break through FL’s shield, but he did it with patience and forbearance.

There is a bit of angst, but it is not directly related to the OTP but rather business related. The strength of their relationship is strong enough so that they can stand shoulder to shoulder when confronted with challenges. Even the parents are lovely and understanding. They are so supportive of our leads.

It is true that the Show is lacking in high dramas but it is a blessing when you consider shows which are willing to derail a perfectly fine love line in the name of overwrought theatrics and angst filled subplots. I’m looking at you, Flight To You.
Acting is good from all involved. I like the fact that the FL is not the classic beauty, but she is so good in this role. The ML is handsome and sweet, a true gentleman. My surprise find is Assistant Lin. He is not idol grade handsome but his is very charismatic.

There is an appropriate amount of skinship and so many swoon worthy moments. I have no problem shipping the CPs at all. The romance is sweet, but it is a steady, organic growth and not the usual 9 tens push-pulls and then the last minute magical confession. This is how it should be. It is not rocket science. I can relate to this which seems to be a point missed by so many writers.

If there is one fault with this show it would be its overuse of "funny" sound effects. This is particularly egregious early on when every humourous moment is accompanied by a cacophony of barnyard sounds or loud zany music track. It got toned down a bit towards the end but it is overused and fairly pointless.

I can highly recommend this Show if you are a romantic at heart and are sick of shows that portray romance as military grade obstacle course that takes no prisoners. This Show will restore your faith in love. It is on my rewatch list.

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Is it possible for a show to choke?

This Show starts well and showed a lot of potential. It was fast paced, funny and really hooks you within the first couple of episodes. The leads have great visuals and are charismatic. The OTP also has good chemistry and their love line is quite swoon worthy. Throw in some unusual litigations and messy family dynamics and we have a nice smorgasbord of stories. What more can you ask?

Everything was humming along and plots are developing nicely. The love story of the leads are progressing well. We even have a psycho antagonist which really spiced up the proceedings. That is why it is so baffling when the story telling seemed to goes off the rails at the last 1/3 of the show.

The cracks starts to appear when Team Law Cafe took on a sexual harassment case.

It is set up nicely, all the background stuff was dip fed to us. Very troubling but impactful. The veiled threats and actual dangers are there to heighten the tension. Everything is set for a multi-episodic arc with a David vs goliath style battle both in and out of the courtroom. What I didn't expect was a seemingly rushed conclusion to that storyline just when it got interesting and the tension is rising. It just feels underdone.

Yes, it does set up the big showdown with the main antagonist but the handling of this key plot felts arbitrary. It sounds like the back of a napkin type of writing rather than a finely tuned one.

Next, the hostage scene at the church is laughable. It was really illogical. We are talking about a dozen or more armed police with guns drawn standing by while the antagonist stood in plain sight waving a knife and threatening the hostage. He stood like that for minutes while ranting at the assembled police. The sorry saga only ends when the injured ML tackled the antagonist single-handedly. Yes, we get the heroic act but it really defies logic and looks farcical. Not sure how that passed script review. That was the moment the Show jumped the shark.

The acting on the whole was good. The antagonist did a very good job of portraying an unhinged person. The FL was bold and sassy and she really had fun with that. The ML was low key and conflicted. He feels out of sorts around the FL and is over protective. It worked well in the early stage of the Show but it does get a bit tiring towards the end.

I enjoyed most of the show and loved the spunky FL and the OTP's cute interactions but the weird misstep in the story telling did give me pause and took me out of immersion. The last episode is pretty much fan service. I can't rewatch the whole show but a highlight reel will not be a chore. Peace out.

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Tropey melodrama that was buoyed by the acting but hamstrung by the script

The promise of this show is old school tropey. Rich, controlling patriarch ruining his kids’ lives. Misunderstandings, forced separation, single motherhood, the works. Classic melodrama from go to whoa. Hence, I would focus on what worked and what didn’t.

What worked:
The acting: All the key actors were superb. This is a perfect vehicle to test their mettle. Many scenes were done without OST or even dialogue. It is all about projecting the longing, penned-up emotions, hatred and confusions to the viewers. It could be a challenge for some but not this ensemble. My heartstring was bow tight by the end of many episodes. Have tissues handy.

The production: It complimented the story very well. It is realistic and believable. Gritty when it should be. It does not dress everything up in glitz. In fact, a lot of the mood is set by the lighting, especially in the hospital. Shadows and lights all played a role. It was a complete package.

Direction: Good actors need a good director. When the team is firing, the scenes were off the chart. The bathroom tryst, the drunken “apology” in the FL’s hallway, the return to their hometown during his regression, and more. Each of those scenes are worthy of rewatch and classroom discussions.

The young actors: Thank goodness for them. I can’t imagine the older leads dressed up in school uniforms. The young actors pulled their weight. Well done!

The son: Finally, a child is allowed to behave naturally. There are meaningful dialogues but no wisecracking one-liners. When you pair that up with an adult voice actor trying to sound like a kid, it is cringe worthy.

No dubbing: Hallelujah! The emotional impact of this show needs that connection and expert dialogue delivery. A floating voice will ruin it.

The Script: A win and a miss. At times, it is a wonderful script and allowed the plot to play out slowly, but steadily. The story is grounded. It is not over the top. At least for a good 2/3 of the show.

What didn’t worked:
The Script: Ahh, I see, all the old tropes have taken up residency here. There is enough directorial and acting firepower to make it work but the script really developed cracks in the later half of the show. It is almost as if the weight of the tropes has overwhelmed the writer.

Case in point, the mental illness trope. It allows for some light and breezy scenes which was great fun to watch and showcased the acting of the leads. But the tone abruptly changed. Why bait us? Ditto the business shenanigans towards the end. It changed the feel and dynamics of the show. It was a plot looking for a story. There were hints of something more but it just ended up toeing the line. (see below)

The Ending: It really pains me to write this. Almost everything to do with this show was on point and then the ending happened. After 29 episodes, the show basically says, we can’t deviate from the clichés/tropes. Every loose end tied with a regulation approved knot. Yes, job done but it felt rushed, awkward and unsatisfying.

To elaborate further; Sheng Fang Ting’s story could have ended much better. Considering Sheng was portraited as driven and angst filled but not evil. He could be kind and caring. He has a hidden agenda and an axe to grind but what if the writer takes the high road, let the brothers have the private chat but instead Sheng said, “I was going to take everything away from you but you are not like father. I respect you as a man. Now we shall fight side-by-side and save OUR company.” The ML was so touched that he signed the company over to Sheng because he has the business mind and is the worthy successor. Shu Qin overheard it all as per the script but now she is even more in love with Sheng. All the elements are there. The show could have pivoted at that point. After the relentless groom, this is one little sugar pill I shall gladly accept.

Similarly, there was a lot of communication between Sheng and Shu before the wedding. All that stopped. No scenes of them talking or arguing. Sheng could have told her his past and how he suffered. She can decide if she’d forgive him. That is logical. But the trope (or censors) demanded a morality tale. Revenge might be sweet, but the price you pay is much, much worse in the end. We get that but do we want it?

The last straw was the resolution of the puzzle of the FL’s father death. It was farcical. It is the key reason for the barrier between the leads and caused multiple deaths. The whole plot was wrapped up in moments with only a deadpan voiceover about crimes and punishment. Is that it?

Elephant in the room:
The timeline: The leads broke up 7 years ago and the actors looked to be in the 30’s (they are actually in their 40's!). But the leads should be in their late 20’s (school/college/pregnancy). We seemed to have lost 10 years. It is not a deal breaker but it can pull you out of immersion.

Negative comments abound about Wallace's accent but diversity is a fact of life. Dubbing and homogeneity has a lot to answer for.

To be honest, this show was tracking a perfect 10 for the longest time but some script issues and then the ending gave me pause and it lost its shine. I would rewatch parts of it for the superb acting but not to the end, especially the ending.

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Death by a thousand cuts . . with a dull scalpel

Makjang and melodramas are a staple of k-dramas. Most of the time they are well sign-posted. Once in awhile you'll stumble across a show that looks harmless on the surface but a makjang in disguise. May I present to you, Dr Cha.

At its core, this show is about the struggles of a middle-aged woman stuck in a loveless marriage, her identity and the fallout of an affair. Our FL has an epiphany after recovering from a very serious illness and wants to break free from a closeted existence. Everything is on track for several episodes. The antagonists might be circling but the expectation is that our FL will overcome.

Not so fast, my eager friends. She was soon relegated to the peripheral while the antagonist takes centre stage. I'm not saying that the FL didn't try to push back but it is as if the Show is determined to beat her down with every cliche gender stereotype and societal/familial coercion. This is not helped by the tyrannical behaviour of her husband.

While Korean audiences might tsk-tsk at the horrid husband, they are more likely to accept it as typical patriarchal behaviour. Essentially, this show is a graveyard where all the makjang tropes come to die. Caveat emptor if you stumbled across it on Netflix and thought that it is a heartfelt romance.

The fact that the bulk of the show's pacing and flow are dictated by the antagonists made it hard to watch for me. The FL's growth is stymied by one person's illogical behaviours and interference. She is trapped in a no-win situation with the weight of the world on her shoulders. It is draining and unrewarding to watch. There is no hope, just despair.

Even with all the trials and tribulations, we still get a HEA ending. The last episode is total fan service, on steroids. Everyone gets redemption. There must be a 2 for 1 offer at the wholesaler. Honestly, if you jumped in at this point, you'd never guess what happened in the first 15 episodes. Even the herd of unicorns are falling over from sugar over dose. The sentiments are rooted in traditional values, quite inoffensive and banal. The reason why Dr Cha rejected her suitor is so old fashioned that it should be delivered in a calligraphy scroll.

Having said all that, the acting of the various leads is very good. Especially Dr Seo. You end up with a love-hate relationship with his character. He steals most scenes but at the same time, his character is so unlikeable that you just want him to go away. Well done, sir! The FL is good, but she only has moments of highlight rather than a dominating presence. Sadly, Dr Roy is relegated to cameos most of the time. He should be given more screen time. What a waste.

In the end, Dr Cha is a show that will resonate strongly with some but polarising for others. It is not bad, per se. Acting and production is up there but it doesn’t work for me because I'm not the target audience and I don't agree with their world view.

This brings us to a growing concern of mine. While the Hallyu wave have netted us some amazing dramas, the pressure on the various streaming platforms to find more k-dramas is ever growing. This in turn creates a buy-first-ask-later mentality. We might end up with a constant stream of patchy but hyped dramas with little quality control. Peace out.

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Short and sweet fluff or two hours long ad?

When they said mini drama they meant it. It is about 2 hours total in length. I have seen it presented as 20 x 6 mins episodes or 3 longer episodes each about 42mins long.

The premise is quite straightforward. The ML knew the FL when they were younger and there was a hint of first love but they lost contact. By some cliché plot device, the ML was transported into the future and met up with the FL again and they are now both working adults. He ended up living with the FL for a while and they fell in love all over again.

The story is fairly straightforward. It has a tropey plot but there was no nasty surprises. The OTP had good chemistry and they made a cute, good looking couple. A big negative was the egregious product placements. It wasn't just the usual jar of cosmetics by the sink or drinks in the fridge. They actually wrote the ads into the script so that the actors pushed one company's products relentlessly. At one stage, the ML got a job selling the products in a shopping centre and, of course, he has to demonstrate the products and tell us all about their benefits.

On the whole, it was a harmless show with a decent plot (point deducted for all the PPL). Cute and fluffy with minimal investment in your time and emotions. Think of it as a palate cleanser between two must watch shows.

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(In my best Yoda voice) “Feel the Love!”

Once in awhile a show comes along that just tells a simple story really well. No fuss, no unproductive theatrics, just the basics.

This show is all about the love story between a handsome dude and a beautiful girl 5 years his junior. Their association started when the girl was in junior high and she developed a crush on him when he was introduced as his older brother’s roommate in college. The ML played the "brotherly" role for years until the FL comes of age and he started to have romantic feelings for her. That’s how the show portrayed his side of the story and we shall leave it at that.

The Show took its time to recount their early meetings and how the girl crushed hard on him and going through all the highs and lows of an unrequited love. The Show really hits its stride when they meet again by chance after the FL finished high school and went to a college in the city where the ML is working. Their chemistry is a sight to behold.

As I mentioned in other reviews, in a romance drama, you want to ship the OTP and watch them overcome adversities and fight foes arm in arm. More often than not, dramas will have them fighting each other due to some weak plot twist and go through a breakup or two just to "spice things up". I am thankful that the writer heard my prayers and there is none of that in this show.

Instead, there are lots of playful teasing and plenty of heart fluttering moments and bonus skinship. Their deep love for each other should be distilled and bottled for sale. There are challenges but they are handled with aplomb by our OTP. The writer seems to have gone out of her way to collect all manners of relationship challenges and then set about resolving them in the most positive ways. Each obstacle serves to reaffirm their love and make their relationship stronger. There is little fuss and definitely nothing can come between these two lovebirds. There are no real antagonists and a circle of good friends cheer them on. This type of honest yet heartfelt love story is rare in today’s dramaland. I, for one, give thanks.

The leads are perfect for their roles. ZLS was born to play the lead. I believe this is her first high school drama and she did it with ease. She looks cute and vulnerable in her high school scenes. She then blossomed into a beautiful and radiant young woman in her college years. This goes double after she is in a committed relationship. CZY is handsome and showed a lot more maturity in his role. He played the big brother role well but his take on a devoted boyfriend is next level. He is loving but respectful and always caring. He will make any girl swoon. Their scenes are always worth watching and their chemistry is off the chart. You can really feel their love and commitment especially in later scenes when their resolve is tested.

However, it is not a perfect show. the FL uses a breathless, higher pitched voice when she was playing her younger self and it can be unpleasant to the ears at times. Most of the support casts are from central casting. Their subplots are largely superfluous.

Hidden Love is a sweet, fluffy romance with little angst and few stress points. It is not going to win any awards but this is a show that you can rewatch with guilty pleasure. If you have Romantics Anonymous on speed dial, then you will be doing a happy dance. However, If you want to watch a show with complex plots and matching level of angst and intrigue, then you should have stopped watching 24 episodes ago.

For me, this show has a permanent spot on my rewatch list.

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Perfectly sweet, perfectly inoffensive. Totally . . . fine

To hate this show would be like kicking a puppy. To like it would take no effort but that’s a low hanging fruit. If I was new to drama watching then I'd scored it higher and posted a page full of ❤️ but I'm too jaded and grumpy so I ended up writing a review instead. ;)

This show reminds me of several other dramas in the same genre but with the angst dialled down and the sugar level hitting WHO daily dosage level. Is that a bad thing? For some, this is their sweet spot. However, it really does nothing for the genre. To be brutally honest, it is samey and forgettable.

The writers seem to go out of their way to minimise the impact of any angsty tropes. If there was a chance of misunderstanding, then the other party would just happen to walk past to overhear the relevant conversation. If there was a hint of danger, then someone would happen to be in the vicinity just in time to defuse the situation. It is nice to be harmless but it can also be a path to extinction.

In terms of acting, the ML is playing the same nice guy which I thought was perfect in Perfect and Casual (2021). I suppose it is better to be typecasted as Mr Nice Guy than a serial killer. He is totally besotted with the FL for years and she can do no wrong. While it is great to see them get together, there is not much push-pull.

The FL is sweet and innocent. She is well casted in that role, but it is hardly a challenge either. The rest of the support cast are standard issue and I, for one, am glad that the parents are so nice and supportive. As I said before, inoffensive.

The 2CP is fine. Has a bit more kinks in their path to happiness but we know they are the 2OTP hence it is so written so it shall be done. The 3CP is more about social commentary than the pursuit of happiness. Thus, they are a bit inconsequential. Everything is . . . fine.

I would be lying if I say that I didn’t enjoy this little romance, but I would be hard pressed to recall its storyline in a few weeks’ time. It is a classic popcorn flick. It is fluffy, harmless and forgettable. That is a shame because the potential is there. The show just has no desire to push any boundaries. This is odd as the underlying storyline is all about the FL trying her best to succeed in her career.

BTW, there is a 30mins “epilogue” which is total sugar overload. It largely consisted of bonus scenes that didn’t make it to the actual release. Sweet, so very sweet.

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Some shows are created great, some achieve greatness, this one needs to try harder

Let’s start with the good bits. This Show is watchable. It is not too long. It has swoon worthy moments and a bit of skinship. The ML is handsome and charismatic. The use of antique restoration is an interesting backdrop. If those statements feel a bit like faint praises that’s because while the Show does nothing drastically wrong, there is little substance to sink your teeth into.

Now let’s move on to the not-so-good bits. While the Show is watchable, the plot is tropey and uninspired. It started well enough and there are some nice plot developments early on but then it got tedious and is not helped by some loose storytelling.

There is an overarching thread about antique fraud, but it is not hard hitting at all. To be honest, it is fairly amateurish in execution. Any twists are telegraphed well in advance. Some side plots and scenes feel like busy-work as if they are drawn randomly from a shoebox of plot ideas. Can a show suffer from FOMO?

While the ML is handsome and charismatic, his role suffers towards the last 1/3 of the show. After his confession, his character becomes a bit capricious. I get that people can behave a bit “funny” when they are in love, but his portrayal is stilted and hammy. I’m inclined to blame the director for some iffy instructions. The personality shift does not sit comfortably with his style.

The FL has the feisty, street-smart girl role down pat. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have the experience nor the range yet to give her role real depth. She can smile and cry on cue, but you can sense that she is being told what to do rather than owning the role. This contributes to my next point.

I don’t ship the OTP wholeheartedly. The script would have us believe that they are madly in love, but I don’t sense a strong chemistry between them. Yes, they went through all the typical rom-com tropes, and they say all the right things, but it is not convincing. I also dislike the script’s propensity of leading the actors to the brink of confession and then pull back hard only to have the leads suffer from some misunderstanding in the next scene. All that can be avoided if their feelings are clear. Once more around that blasted mulberry bush we go. As someone who wanted to ship them, it is frustrating and unrewarding.

Speaking of CP’s. I can see the writer wants to push the opposite attracts trope so 2CP is a mismatch and tiresome to watch. Of course, they will get together in the end, the drama gods have spoken! I get more chemistry while watching dough rise.

Sometimes, a show can be lifted by a good ensemble cast but the secondary characters here are problematic. The 2ML won’t take no for an answer and is delusional. The cousin of the FL is the main troublemaker. He is not evil, but he is stupid, greedy and inept. Yet the Show paints him as a loveable rogue. Even though he does so much damage, he is always forgiven and handled with kid gloves. Most of the secondary characters are one dimensional and farmed out to actors with limited abilities. It is not a happy confluence.

The antique restoration theme is largely used as a plot device. They try to make it educational, but the titbits of information soon feel superfluous. They should put a disclaimer before the show to make sure viewers DO NOT try this at home.

Am I being harsh? Yes. I’m not mincing words because the Show is not trying to do better. You can find B grade shows that is hitting above its weight or really awful shows that should never be made. It is the crowded middle that is a quagmire for mediocre shows to sink out of sight.

I don’t believe in dismissing shows just because it doesn’t have top stars or a big budget. I have been pleasantly surprised by a number of second or even third tier productions. Nevertheless, It is a waste when you pair decent actors with a decent production and you still ended up with an insipid mishmash.

OST is serviceable. Rewatch? You jest. Peace out.

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