bojojoti

Fun to Watch and Even More Fun to Listen To

This is the perfect gateway introduction to K-pop/K-dramas for the uninitiated. I'm not a devotee of animation, but I had a watching party for KPDH, and the viewers were enthusiastic, especially about the OST.

As an avid K-drama fan, I laughed when "Love, Maybe" played when Jinu met Rumi, knowing that Jinu was voiced by Ahn Hyo Seop, who played the ML in Business Proposal, where the song featured heavily. What a lovely Easter egg for fans!

I awarded an extra star for the soundtrack. "Free" has beautiful lyrics; "Takedown" and "How It's Done" are great for working out; and "Golden" is powerful. "Soda Pop" may be pure sugar, but if I'm dragging on my daily walk, I play it and get instant energy.

I'm looking forward to a sequel, as the story felt rushed and unfinished at the end.

Read More

Intelligent Characters Overcome Trauma with a Sweet Romance

Two appealing, intelligent leads, a virtual reality world set in the Chinese Republican Era, and a slow-burn romance made for a pleasant watching experience. Add the beauty of Shanghai and some lovely architecture, and Love Between the Lines distinguished itself from other romance dramas.

There were exquisite scenes, especially in the snowy virtual world. I could have happily spent more time there; I wish a larger storyline had been set in the virtual world. It was cold and mostly colorless, a reflection of the ML's mindset. Within that world, he was in absolute control, ruthlessly plotting and eliminating his enemies at will. He was free to live as himself, something that had been taken away from his true life. When FL joined the game, she also discovered she could free herself from the "safe" walls she'd erected around her life; she could be as spirited, daring, and reckless as she wished. The couple were so striking in the virtual world! The ML in a military outfit cut a commanding figure, and the FL was stunning as she nearly glowed in white costumes in that dark world.

The ML and FL were seemingly two opposites: he was cold and aloof, while she was warm and bubbly. Their homes represented them. His was a large apartment in a modern high-rise. It was empty, quiet, devoid of character, and bereft of color (except for some lit bottles of alcohol). When the FL first saw it, she said his home was merely an extension of his office. The FL lived in a longtang, a community of multi-storied older apartments facing an alley that was shared as a public space. Her home was old, noisy, cozy, cluttered, and filled with personality. As the ML and FL's relationship advanced, his life began to fill with color, sound, and comfort; her life began to add order and purpose.

Special mention should be made of the 2ML. I generally despise love triangles, but Dai Xu played the part of the quasi-villain so deftly that I couldn't help but empathize with him and hope for good things in his future.

The best dramas show personal growth and enlightenment. Although the ML had learned to grow up quickly, hide his innermost thoughts, and depend only upon himself, he learned to trust and share with the FL. As for the FL, she'd lived with trauma that had caused her to choose safety over dreams. With the ML's support (and it was often hands-off, because he trusted her to handle things on her own, something I relished greatly), she learned to make decisions for her own good, not for security or to appease others. A line of hers that resonated with me from the drama (and I am paraphrasing loosely according to my wonky memory) was, "When a pair of shoes don't fit, I change them; if the road becomes a dead end, I take another road; if a person doesn't like me, I change him for a more suitable one." Our sweet, kind FL had learned to set boundaries and draw lines.

The quality of viewing faltered somewhat for me when it became too dramatic towards the end, but that's a minor quibble for a drama that I mostly enjoyed.

I'm awarding an extra half star for some lovely visuals in the virtual reality world.

Read More

A Lonely Fairytale

I'd seen Encounter on many lists, but I avoided it because I don't care for melodrama, and I generally steer clear of romance unless it's mixed with mirth, murder, mayhem, or mystery. The drama sat, disregarded, on my "to watch" list until I saw it was about to leave the service I use. I half-heartedly clicked "play," not expecting too much.

I would not have dreamed I'd derive so much pleasure from this drama. The casting was perfect, especially Song Hye Kyo as the Ice Princess and Park Bo Gum as her Bright Knight. The cinematography was stunning, especially the Havana scenes. The director did an amazing job showing emotions without speech by the subtle turn of a foot, the motion of a hand, or the glance of an eye. I'm not generally a fan of hokey camera angles, but the split screen was effective, as it was used sparingly.

It's as if the creators of the drama took notes of my favorite things and lovingly showcased them: art, photography, music, bookstores, prose, poetry, plants (I want a lemon cypress!), and beautiful landscapes. The anime in each episode was charming, and the OST was magnificent.

I could complain about the angst going on too long, but Park Bo Gum's radiant smile and sweet expressions make me forget any negative remarks I might have had. I have to award an extra half star for that smile.

Read More

Love Triangles Squared? A Geometric Nightmare of Relationships

MDLers loved this more than I did. The drama featured Lu Bai, whom I've enjoyed in other dramas. ML was relatively tall, which I always appreciate, but he had the face of a little boy. The recurring theme of the drama was that he was super attractive, which I'm willing to be convinced of, but he still had the face of a child; although as the drama went on and I began to like his character, I didn't mind so much that he had a baby face. So, I should have been more enthusiastic, but the characters, nearly all of them, were extremely unlikeable in the beginning.

ML was cold and mean; FL was childish and petty; 2nd ML was willing to destroy his friend's happiness and business out of selfishness; 3rd ML was willing to destroy a young girl's life out of selfishness; and the supporting characters lied, stole, coerced, cheated, and carried out personal vendettas. Later episodes improved, but there wasn't enough happiness and cute moments to make up for all the unpleasantness.

If you're allergic to love triangles, this is a geometric nightmare. FL dated three men, and, in EVERY ONE of those relationships, there was a triangle. Or square. Or tetrahedron.

Subtracting a half star for being tedious and exhausting with all the misunderstandings and love triangles.

Read More

Communication Was Poor; Fabric Flowed Beautifully

The Good:
• The visuals were delectable from landscapes to nighttime city scenes to romantic moments.
• The FL started in typical college frumpy wear, but she began dressing in couture once she moved to Paris. The ML dressed in couture even in the mountains! FL had some striking black/white ensembles. Not to be missed was the designed purple deer dress (I know that sounds weird, but, trust me, it was captivating) and a red wedding dress that was tailored to perfection. Fashion sets this drama apart from others.
• FL was an interesting person. Although she was often immature and rude (she was young), she'd basically raised herself and her brother because there was no father and her mother was often out of the country. Consequently, she had to stand up for herself and figure life out quicker than most. I appreciated that she didn't allow others to diminish her. She didn't care about status or wealth; she considered her worth equal to any other human, and she wasn't hesitant to call out people, even elders, who tried to discount her because she "came from the street." FL had a fierce independent streak, but it was tempered with a tender heart, a loyal soul, and a trusting spirit.
• The romance felt real. Many dramas are virginal (I saw one where the couple was married for years and hadn't consummated the marriage), that it's a wonder any babies are born in dramaland! The ML, once he declared his love, was unable to resist touching the FL, whether it was stroking her hair, pinching her cheeks, or booping her nose, in addition to hugs, caresses, and full body contact. They had some cute interactions like people in love do.
• Some of the villains actually paid a price (a small one, relatively) for their rotten deeds. Not everyone got a happy ending, even among the "good" people. When I saw two of the fallen villains meet toward the end, I was concerned the writers were going to cop out and have them rescued by the FL, but that didn't happen. A drama feels more grounded when it has some realism.

The Bad:
• It was absolutely excruciating to watch supposedly intelligent, professional people incapable of figuring out their corporate espionage. Oh my tortured soul, when would they put the ample clues together? It's as if a dozen people shared a lonely brain cell.
• The misunderstandings were idiotic. They could have been avoided or explained in one terse sentence. Easily, 10 episodes could have been cut due to unnecessary misunderstandings. Make that 20.
• FL's boyfriend told her to stay away from 2ML who considered ML his enemy, but she kept getting involved with him. I will fault the ML for not sharing that 2ML had told him he was going to steal her away. She knew her interactions with the 2ML were upsetting to the ML, so she'd lie about being with the 2ML. It took a bash to the brain to finally get through to her.
• The dubbed French was awkward, as it was apparent there were two different voices for each actor. It's like, "I speak Mandarin in soprano, but my French is spoken in tenor."
• Ending episodes had time skips, the obligatory separation to improve one's self, and a smattering of story lines that didn't need to belong.

TL;DR: The main leads were adorable together, the visuals were stunning, the topics (fashion, fabric, and culture) were interesting, and the wedding scene was lovely.

Read More

Bromances More Compelling Than Romance in This One

I followed up You Are My Hero with another romance involving a female doctor and man with a dangerous occupation. YAMH involved a military policeman, and Fireworks of My Heart featured a fireman. Both men were brave, exemplary leaders, willing to risk their lives for others. That's approximately where the similarities between the dramas ended.

Although both dramas featured a female doctor, they differed greatly in nearly all aspects. Physically, YAMH featured an average woman; FOMH showcased a willowy beauty. YAMH's FL was confident and comfortable in her skin. She believed the best of people and easily made friends. FOMH's FL was a shell of a being, having been restrained and emotionally beaten down most of her life. As a result, she was extremely reserved and protected herself by keeping people at arm's length. What people mistook for coldness and uncaring was her way of defending herself.

Honestly, I wasn't very invested in the romance. The bromance between the ML and his Inspectors and fellow firefighters was more compelling. I wish the romance had been of that caliber. FL spent most of her time nervously clenching her fists or crying. But she looked pretty doing it.

I have the trophy for most despicable mother in drama permanently reserved for Gu Jun Pyo's mom from Boys Over Flowers, but I'm thinking it should be co-awarded to the mother of FOMH's FL. She was a nasty piece of work. But what's worse? A mother doing horrific things, or a father implicitly approving those actions, while distancing himself and appearing to be the good guy, because the outcome benefits him? And I won't even get into my skin crawling whenever the skeevy brother was on screen.

I awarded an extra half star because of Yang Yang. Even when the drama isn't perfection, I always enjoy his performances. I'm shallow like that.

Read More

Spoilers Galore! Read At Your Own Risk!

I was blindsided. I thought this was a pleasant romance. The synopsis didn't reveal the angst, and the tags didn't include "tearjerker." It was definitely NOT fluffy nor low angst. As much as I had wanted sweet, I got a hard-hitting tale, but I don't begrudge the time watching it. Or my ugly crying during it. I only wish I'd been more prepared; hence, my warning to you. I often avoid tearjerkers; I'm glad I mistakenly watched this one, but viewers should be aware.

Bai Lu did an amazing job transitioning from a naive girl to a mature woman in the role of Cui Shi Yi. One of the few portrayals of aging I've viewed that was entirely believable. Ren Jian Lun's portrayal of Zhou Sheng Chen, the noble man who lived for country while denying himself, was perfect. I had adored Wang Xing Yue's character in The Double. His acting skills made me despise his character of Liu Zi Xing, even while feeling some sympathy for him. The actor would have been only 19 years old (or younger) at the filming of this drama. He should have a long and distinguished career ahead of him. The supporting cast were also fleshed out and memorable.

For those who like romance and can handle pain, Shi Yi and Sheng Chen's relationship was realistic and endearing, and I couldn't help but want good things for them and hope desperately for a good outcome. Be forewarned, however, that the drama was a tragedy. Out of a cast of about 50 characters, with many couples and love interests, not ONE ended with happily ever after. I racked my brain to come up with just one couple, and I couldn't. Unrequited love was the best outcome.

My main objection to the drama is insurmountable. The ending of the last episode was an anticlimactic mess. The viewer was treated to a powerful scene of Shi Yi dressed in red, and the visuals were striking and indelible. Ethereally beautiful. Then, the drama played as if funds had run out, and the rest of the story had to be relayed in walls of captions and time skips, the most egregious display of telling not showing.

I've awarded an extra half star for the overall feel of the production: striking cinematography, complementary OST, and stellar performances.

Read More

Nothing is Secret That Will Not be Revealed...

Thanks to Tat for the recommendation. I needed a break from blood -spewing wuxias and mindless romcoms, and this was a welcome change. Zhao Lu Si was perfection as the closed off, careful schemer. William Chan did admirably as her chameleon lead, at first charming the viewer as a thoughtful suitor until he revealed his cold, manipulative nature.

I hate lying, despise liars, and tire of drama misunderstandings, but those issues were dealt with a deft hand and made sense. I was sympathetic to the FL's need to create a carefully crafted, totally bogus image of herself. The misunderstandings that derived from her duplicity occurred naturally and were understandable. The overriding narrative of the drama is that nothing remains secret forever, and there is a price to pay for dishonesty.

The character development of the ML and FL was compelling as their masks were dropped, and they became increasingly honest with one another.

The final episodes sullied the drama a bit by having too many over-the-top conflicts presented and overcome. At least one, if not more, of the ridiculous scenarios should have been discarded. I can only suspend belief so far until reality rips me out of the story.

I added a half star for Zhao Lu Si's acting.

Read More

Cute Dog, Lovable Brother, and Inane Emperor

Si Jin contained many tropes, but it was highly watchable. The cast, including the dog, elevated it from an average drama.

The Good:
• The swift pace kept the story interesting. There were many ongoing crises to be navigated and overcome.
• The romance between two intelligent, decent people was rewarding.
• Huang Yi's depiction of a villainess was chilling, but it was masterful in allowing her vulnerabilities to be shown.
• Xu Hao portrayed pure narcissism: she was evil with a cute face. Still, the viewer understood how her upbringing, or lack thereof, had brought her to that point. Even that bit of understanding and sympathy didn't lessen my desire to see her suffer a quick and unequivocal demise. It needed to be thorough, like the execution of a vampire: a stake through the heart, decapitation, burning the body, and then nuke it from orbit to be sure. No halfway measures. Two out of four was barely acceptable.
• The most endearing character was played by Zhang Chi. His interactions with his sister, brother-in-law, and love interest brought levity, charm, and warmth to the drama.
• Er Niu, the dog.

The Bad:
• I've never understood why, in most transmigration/reincarnation events, the protagonist didn't take full advantage of previous knowledge to orchestrate outcomes better. Jiang Si re-entered her body ten years in the past with all the knowledge of what had transpired in that time and had many opportunities to take people into her confidence, to warn of possibilities, and to purposefully manipulate situations. For the most part, she was passive and handled each crisis as it happened.
• Was it ever explained how Jiang Si returned or became the Saintess? It was mentioned that Yu died for her, but there was no further explanation of which I'm aware. The flashbacks were unnecessarily vague and confusing.
• Most dilemmas were settled satisfactorily, but did I fall asleep and miss how the timid sister escaped marriage to the sickly son of a magistrate? Or was that never addressed again?
• I'd expected more from the emperor, but I guess we all have blind spots for our loved ones.
• Lazy writing. Let's have the maid slip our private letter halfway through the gate on a busy street so our enemies or anyone else can retrieve it. Let's talk about big secrets in our normal voices without having anyone outside to watch for spies. It's not like we have servants to do that job.
• Do all romantic couples need to leave one another for a distant land for a long period of time after finally getting together? I tire of this trope. At least, this couple communicated by carrier pigeon, unlike modern dramas that pretend cell phones and the internet don't exist in other cities and countries.

I'm adding an extra half star solely because of the emperor's line of being a good judge of people made my jaw drop.

Read More

Uneasy Alliance

I was getting "The Double" vibes in the beginning, and I settled in for a treat. And it was compelling, initially. The FL was mesmerizing as the abandoned child grown into a scheming survivor. When the equally calculating ML met her, the intrigues grew into dueling agendas. They reluctantly agreed to assist each other when their objectives matched, but it was an uneasy alliance filled with distrust and lies.

The Good:
• The story had enough twists and action to keep me engaged. It did lose steam as it progressed but was still very watchable.
• The actors nailed their parts. Yu En Tai was masterful as the mild-manner father. I couldn't take my eyes off of Wen Zheng Rong when she was on screen.
• The ML was a stoic character, but his interactions with his little daughter were delightful. The actor could infuse some warmth into his frigid character with his smiles, indulgent attitude, and hugs when playing with the child.
• Beautiful costumes. Love those capes with the fur collars.
• Lovely scenery. I was amused at all the flowers blooming in the snow every shot, but, whatever. Ancient China must have had special growing zones.
• I sometimes grouse about open endings, but I admired how the viewer was left to interpret the final scene. Inventive!

The Bad:
• Both the ML and FL were morally gray characters. I empathized with them, but I never grew to like them. ML was willing to lie and endanger others for his purposes. He was comfortable with torture. FL was willing to kill the innocent in order to obtain her revenge. I admired their bravery and intelligence (but why were they always one step behind the villain?), but their ruthless natures made it hard for me to love them.
• This was a revenge, not a romance, drama, but I had hoped for a little more between the leads. It felt as though the drama was headed there, but those sweet moments never materialized.
• At the end, the FL admitted to the ML that there was one more thing she had lied to him about. He told her the past was in the past and to enjoy their beautiful future. Well, that's fine for him! What about me? I want to know what the other lie was!
• There was a bit too much "girl power" evangelizing. Even when I fully agree with the sentiment, I hate having it preached to me. Repeatedly.
• I had to suspend belief far too many times.

I added a half star for that imaginative take on an open ending.

Read More

The Cast Elevated a Convoluted Script

At the beginning, I thought this was going to be an "oops, I hit my head and now I'm in the Goryeo Dynasty," but later it seemed it was a body switch between two women: one real and one a fictional side character in a novel. Unfortunately, the story never addressed the ancient transported to the modern world, and it was treated as if she just automatically fit in with short hair (which was shameful in her era) and technology. She didn't even have a language barrier or an issue with Hangul.

The Good:
• I was grateful the 2ML wasn't part of a love triangle. One trope dodged! Once the ML and FL chose one another, their relationship was solid. No unnecessary break-ups. Second trope averted!
• I liked the message: "Revenge is for those who can't turn back." The ML was willing to turn back once he loved the FL. He wanted to offer the other prince a chance at laying down his hatred and redeeming his life.
• TFNwtD was surprisingly kissy for a K-drama. Good ones, too—not the we're-30-years-old-and-look-like-awkward-teens kind of kisses. I'm a bit old school and am not comfortable with excess screen affection, but, if it's going to be part of a drama, it should look competent.
• Do Hwa Seon was spoiled and evil. Ji Hye Won did a great job in the role. I couldn't help but like her!

The Bad:
• I can't decide if there weren't enough cutaways from the past to the future or there were too many. As it was, there weren't enough to make a coherent backstory or there were too many that intruded upon the story of the past.
• The lack of cohesion and the proliferation of confusing storylines marred a potentially good drama. K-dramas are usually masterful in blending intrigue, action, and comedy, but this was was loaded with the comedy in the beginning and heavy with drama at the end; it was unbalanced.
• As is often the case, the villains were forgiven, redeemed, or their bad deeds ignored. What's a little murder or treason between friends? This trend is deadly in the real world, and it's unsatisfying in the fictional one.

I really should have given my 7.5 star rating for standard fare, but I added a half star because Ok Taec Yeon looks great in historical dress, wields a sword well, and emotes with his eyes.

Read More

I Promise You Won't Experience Second Lead Syndrome

I needed another calm drama like Road Home (real life has provided plenty of angst lately, thank you very much), and this featured the same actress (and snow) of Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, which was just about as chill as it gets. Oddly enough, like Road Home, Shine on Me had attractive snow scenes and rugged desert scenes.

The Good:
• There were beautiful visuals: plum blossoms, canal scene, ski resort lit in the dark, sweeping desert vistas, and Shanghai neon shining at night.
• FL's younger cousin was a delightful addition. He was sweet with just the right amount of ornery. Their interactions felt authentic. Although they teased one another unmercifully, it was always apparent they cared about each other.
• The OST complemented the drama excellently. The lyrics were on point, and the music was fitting.
• The snow figurines were darling.

The Bad:
• The last two episodes could have been squished into previous episodes. I didn't need the time skips. As the risk of sounding like a curmudgeon, I really didn't need all the lovey-dovey stuff at the end.
• Entitled one-sided loves who don't know when to give up are tiresome. And is it really love if you don't trust or believe in that person?
• Some characters faded away with no further mention of them.

I added an extra half star for the younger cousin. Finn Han's acting was natural and appealing. He made a small role memorable.

Read More

Slow but Beautiful

Road Home was a gentle love story between two people with nearly everyone against their relationship, especially family and friends. The pace was slow, but the actors kept this viewer's attention. The ML, especially, did a notable job with his stoic, quiet presence, mainly emoting from his eyes.

The Good:
• The cinematography was outstanding. The snowscapes were spectacular. I was bundled up in my cozy red blanket while it snowed outside my window in real life, but my view wasn't nearly as magical as a night scene in Qining with the houses reflecting colored light on the wintery snow. The desert scenes were equally majestic with mountains, canyons, and gorges dominating the screen.
• Once the ML and FL were grown, they acted like adults in love. The FL was a refreshing departure from the 30-years-old-acting-like-a-12-year-old virginal damsel. She actively pursued the ML and admired his body openly.

The Bad:
• Unless you're a completionist, there's little need to watch the last episode, as it's a rehash of previous scenes which have already been viewed multiple times, and it felt anti-climatic. Good scenes were shown repeatedly in long flashbacks throughout the drama. Cutting or shortening those repetitive flashbacks could have trimmed at least four episodes (conservatively) and tightened up the story telling.
• Chinese dramas (and Korean ones, to a lesser extent) often like to rehabilitate, overlook, or forgive the villains. A violent, abusive, alcoholic man who cheated on his wife, beat his children, and actively tried to destroy their futures realized the error of his ways, stopped drinking, returned to his wife, and became a better man. If only life worked that way!
• There's more rah-rah propaganda than action.

Read More

Clichés Dressed in Lackluster Fashion

A CEO's plan to acquire the wedding dress company of a famous designer required him to appear as a happy couple. When a woman in dire financial straits needed his help, he forced her into a marriage contract. Add all the cliches: love triangles (one with the typical scheming woman and another with an initially good-hearted man who didn't know when to give up); overbearing rich mother "protecting" her son from the gold digger; nonsensical misunderstandings complicated by dumbfounded mutism (no one can say what they really feel); a secondary couple's love story (which was of very little interest); stumbles which led to accidental kisses (why has this NEVER happened to me; I'm relatively clumsy); lots of awkward kisses with open eyes; and that odd insistence of the woman deciding, after love is verified, that she needed to go far away and improve herself without contact with her loved one for a period of time.

The Good
• Male lead had puppy dog eyes in his love scenes.
• The 2FL did a great job of playing a villain. She was despicable.
• The ML's secretary did well in his minimal role. Even when he was blurred in the background, he never stopped acting, whether it was to loosen his tie or strike a pose.
• The relationship between the leads was sweet once it was established (if I overlooked FL's reliance on the 2ML).

The Bad
• This was supposedly all about fashion, and the FL, a designer, mostly wore frump-wear: baggy frocks, unremarkable T-shirts, and boring hoodies. There were very few outfits that I found fashion worthy. The dress she made for her mother-in-law and a few men's suits made the cut, but the rest of her clothing looked like cheap street retail.
• I'm not a doctor, but I'm pretty sure a person can't fall into a coma over a little stress. I know I'm not supposed to look for logic, but does the writer have to disrespect the audience that much?
• Was it really believable (it wasn't!) that the ML would confuse the masked FL for the 2FL? One had fine brown hair; the other had thick black hair. One was rail thin; the other was curvy. How did he miss that the 2FL was no longer endowed in the bust department? Most men notice things like that. Most women would notice a significant weight loss. That scene was enough to make ME fall into a coma.
• The FL knew the ML was unhappy with her constant interactions with the 2ML, but she continued meeting and eating with him. She forbid the ML to follow her to the training school and told him not to call her because she'd be too busy. Yet, she allowed the 2ML attend her school and take her shopping and out to eat. I hate the trend in dramas where it's acceptable for the woman to have male friends, but the man can't have female ones. I don't care the sex: if a person is counting on someone other than the professed loved one to provide emotional support and spending prolonged time with them, it's a form of cheating and harms relationships.

I've awarded an extra half star for the sweet grandmother, although I wish she'd been utilized better.

TL;DR: For a mediocre drama, I was too verbose. I guess I write more when I'm irritated.

Read More