First off, I really loved this drama. In fact, I dropped all the ones I've been watching and marathoned this one over 3 days I was so addicted to it and the characters. It was a charming story...but...it did have it's problems. For ME, the irritating thoughtless ex-husband and his loud thoughtless wife scenario, which were the cliche comic relief for this story, wore out their cuteness very quickly. After a while I just wanted to dump both of them. WAY too much screen time for that family. Also WAY too much time for the monotonous monotone acting of Seo Ji Suk and Hong Soo Hyun. The lack of chemistry and woodenness of their performance was appalling. Considering Lee Sang Yeob, who was absolutely terrific in this, was the purported lead, they spent less time on resolving his story line than everyone else's! The Elders' story was a shining star in this and was absolutely lovely and tear inducing to watch. The ending was flat and too fast....as is way way way too typical of the vast majority of Kdrama and long kdrama in particular. 50 hours of waiting, and we get that!?? Beyond frustrating. I would even have been able to overlook the other cliche...the time jump...if they could have bothered to close out his future for us. I wavered mightily on the rating as I really think it deserves an 8 or an 8.5, but I find it very hard to rate a drama that high when it fails to deliver on several levels, but, most especially, for the leads. I'm presuming it's a cultural taboo kind of thing...but geez, give me a break. Everyone is going to be okay with a girl who almost broke up a marriage, but it's a horror that a guy marries a girl who is the sister of the guy who marries his ex girlfriend? That's insane! 7.5
You know how there are those dramas that really shouldn't, and you don't think they will, but they just hit that sweet spot? This is one of those for me. I did something I have not done since my first days of Kdrama almost 4 years ago. I stayed up until 5:30 a.m. and marathoned the whole thing. I loved it. It was a perfectly fun, easy going Kdrama. Loved the music, though some of it was horribly repetitive after about the 6th time...though I never ever will get enough of Million Roses and really liked Sarang Sarang Sarang. The video quality was, unfortunately, pretty rough on DF, but it's also older. Her wardrobe was great! Loved her Character! All kinds of moronic comments about how she was ugly, cried too much, dressed inappropriately. It amazes me how ignorant some people are of who the character they are watching is and what kind of heart wrenching emotions they enduring. Just go with it! And wow...her choice of men. My life should be so good! Both of those guys are big favorites of mine. It's a definite rewatch for me when I need some escape time. It's not a 10 or even a 9 as far as production + acting + script + all those things that push a drama into the superb realm....but it is high for me just for pure escapism. I'm gonna squeeze 8.5 for it just for the enjoyment I got out of it.
All Greats. Seen all but one Ong Bak, which has been on my list forever. And I own 8 of them. Seven Samurai I have watched more than 20 times. It's my #1 on this list, but they were all my #1's while I was watching them!
Terrific writing, superb acting, Kim Myung Min is just brilliant. I didn't rate it higher because I got tired of the trial business in the middle and found it rather contrived. Also the political maneuvering was so ott petty it just didn't ring true to me. I think it was greatly exaggerated for drama affect. Still...the final episode was a masterpiece. Cried my eyes out!
What a sad, beautiful, happy movie. I hope and pray that the nightmarish, medieval conditions of this hospital will someday be wiped off the face of the earth. It is heartbreaking to think that these fragile people must endure such cruel incarceration when they already live in such fear. A very sweet story told wonderfully. Very uplifting in its overall message. As usual Yeo Jin Goo gives such an incredible performance. He puts his heart and soul into everything he does. Amazing the amount of talent that young man has. I can't even imagine what he will be like in the years to come, but hope I will be around to see it. Lee Min Ki again gives an intense and emotional performance. Well written, great supporting cast, beautiful cinematography. Definitely worth watching. It will fill up your heart.
Semi Spoiler? If you aren't pretty sure going in what the ending of this is going to be, you aren't paying attention.
Odd Movie. Cinematography was lovely. The scenario is all too familiar with a modern day Cinderella type fairy tale gone wrong. The mechanics of how this movie was put together were so jarring in the beginning. It seemed to go from scene to scene like cut outs from different movies. Scene 1: Nice Girl in Unbearable Position Receives Magic Perfect Proposal. Scene 2: Cinderella Makeover After Capitulation To Perfect Proposal. Scene 3: Feelings Develop and People are Watching. Scene 4: Show Everyone What a Cruel Man the Old Guy is. ETC. There was no connectivity between these scenes, no sense of character or time building. We are talking about a scenario that would take weeks, if not months to enact. This man is still a powerful and intelligent man. It's made abundantly clear he trusts no one, but we are supposed to believe he decides to marry a girl within days of meeting her? Without doing his own background check, since it was obvious he did not trust his son in the least? Even for a fairy tale this is absurd! Or was he really that unaware? Was he perhaps tired of the non-life he was leading, the machinations that constantly swirled around him, the coming revenge that he knew he deserved and was tired of fighting? Or that by his own death he trapped his own son in his own revenge plot? A father who would entice his own son to kill him to escape a life he was tired of living? A son who would kill his own father? A match made in hell? One wonders.
Yet, as the story moves into it's final act, and the inevitable finale arrives, and the allegorical tale underneath all of it becomes clearer, I found myself feeling a little kinder towards the storyteller. As a cautionary tale to all the Cinderellas, Snow Whites, Sleeping Beauties out there, it was a smoothly delivered message...most particularly in the final scene between our two leads. As her Fairy Godmother he had an agenda she ignored, as her Prince Charming he awoke something he saw in her that she did not. As they looked at each other through that window, I think he did have regrets, but used his words to send her into the world awakened.... stronger and more wary of the other Prince Charmings in the world. To me her smile contained no hate, nor anger, but a hint of sadness and a lot of irony as she looked at him trapped in that mirror, looking out at her, knowing what he had said to her had more truth about herself in it than she was willing to see. And that, good or evil, he was the one to awaken her to it. And for that I did shed a small imaginary tear.
I am a big fan of Yoo Yeon Seok. His Bad Guy roles are chock full of richness. You so desperately want him not to be bad. And his best roles are those where he has those layers of Is He Good or Is He Bad? I really want him to play the good guy, but honestly, he is so much better at being bad it's hard not to want more roles like that for him. He shines...darkly...in them.
The extras in this were entertaining...like the mice and the birds in our fairy tales, they were there to help rescue our princess in the end.
Terrific movie. So relatable to everyone. This man had an amazing story to tell, yet his children and grandchildren will probably never realize what heartache and hardship he went through. By the time they think to ask, to care to know, to realize how important it is to ask those questions, it will be too late and he will be gone. In this we can all relate. Those of us who have lost our parents and all the history and life that went with them...all the memories forever lost, all the happiness and sadness of their lives that we could have shared with them in their stories...all too late. It reminded me of my mom and all that I lost when she left us too early. I cried a lot in this...it is a tearjerker for sure, but just a wonderful wonderful movie.
I will always remember and never recover from Bleak Night. One of my longest comments ever I think...I was so overcome by that movie. I WILL watch Seonam soon. (2013=3 words Best Bromance Ever.) Shut Up was amazing. Loved Socrates and definitely want to watch it again-another long comment. Most of the rest are on my list...for one day. Another great set of movies!
I just rewatched this dramaI first watched it a few years go early in my drama watching. I remember thinking it was sweet and loving and I needed that kind of break. Also, I was curious to see how I felt about it after such a long time and a few hundred other dramas under my belt. I have to say, it exceeded my expectations. I am a big Kang Dong Wan fan. It was fun to see him so young and innocent and goofy. I absolutely loved the feel and message of this drama. I have begun to get very jaded about kdrama lately with it's repetitive, cliche ridden stories full of the exact same scenarios repeated ad nauseum by the exact same actors in every drama. Amnesia-check, psycho ex girlfriend-check, evil MIL-check, and on and on. The refreshing thing about this story is the unusual family dynamics and the incredibly lovely love stories that abound in it...not just one or 2 love stories either.Like one other commenter mentioned, this show wins the prize for having one of the best set of parents in kdrama. It is a quiet drama with minimal makjang, thank God, imo, so some might think it's boring I think it has a wonderful message about family and what it takes to fight to keep a marriage and a family going.
Another thing I absolutely loved. We get to see our couple BE a couple for longer than 15 minutes at the end of the show. In fact, we have about 8 or 9 episodes of family building and interactions to enjoy.
darling show. just enjoyed it thoroughly. Sweet love story, definitely worth watching again. Sung Hoon looking absolutely gorgeous! Wish there were more like this. Such a nice break.
Wonderful picks and beautiful talented women. Several I have seen play evil and nice roles, both equally believable. When they are hateful I swear I can never watch them in another drama! But we have all been there!
Enjoyed it very much. Great balance of dry material (stock manipulation) and enough action and tension to keep me glued to the screen for the entire time. Casting was right on. Wonderful to see Young Ha though I cannot watch him without some heartache.
The reviews on this movie almost made me not want to watch it. I guess it's the eye (and heart) of the beholder. If you want a movie that addresses the political and social ills of the time period, then this is not the movie for you. If you want a movie that shows how family and blood are or are not related, a movie that is just sweet and feel good, then you will enjoy it. I liked it a lot! Sometimes it's just nice to NOT have to think about everything that is or was wrong with the world! Every movie does not have to try to explore the deeper meanings behind all the world's problems. There are no ground breaking revelations nor performances. Just a sweet story of what family really means and what the real bonds are that create a family. It's a pretty common theme in Korean drama and film, but this one is set in a fairly unusual time period, so it adds an interesting layer. 8/10 for me.
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Thank the gods I've seen most of these! Finally! Some terrific terrific shows here...King of HS just made my day though! And Pitch Black....how many of us could put ourselves in the places of those characters. Terrific show.
Another in an increasing long list of superb dramas that have come out these past 2 years. I am amazed at the quality of acting, scripting, directing and production that Kdrama is pumping out. More and more we are seeing a quality of writing and production beyond the mind numbing makjang repetition of everyday kdrama. And it's not just the fantastic crime and revenge dramas like this and Punch and Cruel City, but amazing dramas like Misaeng and Assembly. It's Okay, That's Love, Heard It Through the Grapevine and so many others that go so far above and beyond the unvaried, unchanging dramas I'm so used to watching. My expectations now are, unfortunately, through the roof! I cannot be satisfied with the old monotonous dramas that recycle the same old trite, cliche scenarios. Not a single case of amnesia nor psycho MIL, nor mental ex or wanna be girlfriend to be seen. Thank God! I am utterly and completely spoiled!
Last created a new world we have not seen before and I absolutely hate having to leave it. I wanted very much to spend a lot more time with these people. I gave it a 10 for the sheer pleasure of a unique story, well written and terrifically acted. Any amount of encouragement I can give to be able to see more of these kinds of dramas, I will.
"Or lemme be more honest, it’s the actors’ embodiment of those characters that is having me hooked." Period. That where I am and why I'm still watching.
I have rarely seen more idiotic police procedures in a show than this one. I am constantly throwing up my hands in disbelief at the unbelievable stupidity written into this show. From the very first, when she left her partner alone to cuff a serial killer while she sat down to REST? and did not call in everyone to assist in the apprehension of such a dangerous criminal...who does that? During the apprehension of a known serial killer you leave someone alone? Where in any police show do you see that? That is just basic police procedure! The second the perp is apprehended all available hands always converge because otherwise COPS DIE! The most dangerous time is during apprehension. Who doesn't know this? And this was supposedly a planned and coordinated trap...where were everyone's communicators? Everyone and their dog should have converged on that site instantly as soon as he announced he had the guy.
And showing up at that motel for god know what reason, dragging along a CHILD to a place she knew a serial killer was at...and where did that part of the story disappear to? What disciplinary action was taken when her actions resulted in the death of a child? Can you imagine the headlines if a cop anywhere did what she did? What about that child's father? Just disappeared? That is 2 deaths right there from stupid actions a rookie MIGHT make, but most certainly not a seasoned detective who is head of a unit of supposed elite detectives.
And small things...like the team is in the car on the way to an incident, Do Young pull out her hand gun, POINTS IT DIRECTLY AT THE HEAD OF THE PERSON IN THE FRONT SEAT to see if it's loaded. WTH!!! Every single episode is filled with this kind of thing. And don't even get me started on the chief who is playing patty cake with our resident bad guy....and Mrs Cop is more than aware of that too. Ugh. Holes....you can drive the Kdrama White Truck of Death through the gaping holes in this thing.
There are tons more, but I'm just getting angrier and more frustrated. It's a great cast...love them all...but the writing! smh.
The only thing I remember about Girlfriend is LMAO! Don't remember the plot, nothing..just remember being really happy watching it. No Doubt has been on My List for a long time. MUST get to it.. Tears was good, but the story was very predictable No surprises. Great Action though!!! And terrific to look at. But I expected a little more from the guy who directed Man From NoWhere.
Odd Movie. Cinematography was lovely. The scenario is all too familiar with a modern day Cinderella type fairy tale gone wrong. The mechanics of how this movie was put together were so jarring in the beginning. It seemed to go from scene to scene like cut outs from different movies. Scene 1: Nice Girl in Unbearable Position Receives Magic Perfect Proposal. Scene 2: Cinderella Makeover After Capitulation To Perfect Proposal. Scene 3: Feelings Develop and People are Watching. Scene 4: Show Everyone What a Cruel Man the Old Guy is. ETC. There was no connectivity between these scenes, no sense of character or time building. We are talking about a scenario that would take weeks, if not months to enact. This man is still a powerful and intelligent man. It's made abundantly clear he trusts no one, but we are supposed to believe he decides to marry a girl within days of meeting her? Without doing his own background check, since it was obvious he did not trust his son in the least? Even for a fairy tale this is absurd! Or was he really that unaware? Was he perhaps tired of the non-life he was leading, the machinations that constantly swirled around him, the coming revenge that he knew he deserved and was tired of fighting? Or that by his own death he trapped his own son in his own revenge plot? A father who would entice his own son to kill him to escape a life he was tired of living? A son who would kill his own father? A match made in hell? One wonders.
Yet, as the story moves into it's final act, and the inevitable finale arrives, and the allegorical tale underneath all of it becomes clearer, I found myself feeling a little kinder towards the storyteller. As a cautionary tale to all the Cinderellas, Snow Whites, Sleeping Beauties out there, it was a smoothly delivered message...most particularly in the final scene between our two leads. As her Fairy Godmother he had an agenda she ignored, as her Prince Charming he awoke something he saw in her that she did not. As they looked at each other through that window, I think he did have regrets, but used his words to send her into the world awakened.... stronger and more wary of the other Prince Charmings in the world. To me her smile contained no hate, nor anger, but a hint of sadness and a lot of irony as she looked at him trapped in that mirror, looking out at her, knowing what he had said to her had more truth about herself in it than she was willing to see. And that, good or evil, he was the one to awaken her to it. And for that I did shed a small imaginary tear.
I am a big fan of Yoo Yeon Seok. His Bad Guy roles are chock full of richness. You so desperately want him not to be bad. And his best roles are those where he has those layers of Is He Good or Is He Bad? I really want him to play the good guy, but honestly, he is so much better at being bad it's hard not to want more roles like that for him. He shines...darkly...in them.
The extras in this were entertaining...like the mice and the birds in our fairy tales, they were there to help rescue our princess in the end.
Another thing I absolutely loved. We get to see our couple BE a couple for longer than 15 minutes at the end of the show. In fact, we have about 8 or 9 episodes of family building and interactions to enjoy.
Last created a new world we have not seen before and I absolutely hate having to leave it. I wanted very much to spend a lot more time with these people. I gave it a 10 for the sheer pleasure of a unique story, well written and terrifically acted. Any amount of encouragement I can give to be able to see more of these kinds of dramas, I will.
I have rarely seen more idiotic police procedures in a show than this one. I am constantly throwing up my hands in disbelief at the unbelievable stupidity written into this show. From the very first, when she left her partner alone to cuff a serial killer while she sat down to REST? and did not call in everyone to assist in the apprehension of such a dangerous criminal...who does that? During the apprehension of a known serial killer you leave someone alone? Where in any police show do you see that? That is just basic police procedure! The second the perp is apprehended all available hands always converge because otherwise COPS DIE! The most dangerous time is during apprehension. Who doesn't know this? And this was supposedly a planned and coordinated trap...where were everyone's communicators? Everyone and their dog should have converged on that site instantly as soon as he announced he had the guy.
And showing up at that motel for god know what reason, dragging along a CHILD to a place she knew a serial killer was at...and where did that part of the story disappear to? What disciplinary action was taken when her actions resulted in the death of a child? Can you imagine the headlines if a cop anywhere did what she did? What about that child's father? Just disappeared? That is 2 deaths right there from stupid actions a rookie MIGHT make, but most certainly not a seasoned detective who is head of a unit of supposed elite detectives.
And small things...like the team is in the car on the way to an incident, Do Young pull out her hand gun, POINTS IT DIRECTLY AT THE HEAD OF THE PERSON IN THE FRONT SEAT to see if it's loaded. WTH!!! Every single episode is filled with this kind of thing. And don't even get me started on the chief who is playing patty cake with our resident bad guy....and Mrs Cop is more than aware of that too. Ugh. Holes....you can drive the Kdrama White Truck of Death through the gaping holes in this thing.
There are tons more, but I'm just getting angrier and more frustrated. It's a great cast...love them all...but the writing! smh.