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.
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The Wrong Character's Teeth Were Fixed
Sweet Teeth has a high MDL rating, but it just didn't hit right for me. There were appealing moments, but it fell short. Initially, I was all in for the FL: she was a librarian with a love of books and she had close friends. Unfortunately, she over-reacted like a spoiled child which made me cringe, and she had the unsettling habit of lying constantly and irresponsibly (avoiding her boyfriend, when he'd made a special trip to the airport, just because her hair hadn't been washed that day).Some nitpicks:
The dentist worked on FL's mouth, when it didn't seem to need it, as far as I could tell, but NOTHING was said about his mentee who had problematic teeth. Personally, I thought the mentee was adorable, as was his smile, but I can't imagine a mentor dentist overlooking those teeth.
It also rubbed me the wrong way when the ML told the FL he'd always apologize first, even if she was in the wrong. Hell's bells! That's not the way a healthy relationship works. How is the other person ever supposed to grow and learn if all their mistakes are upheld? I love that my significant other and I stand our ground and hash out our differences. That's what a real relationship built on truth and respect is all about.
In a fluffy romcom, it was out of place to insert the topic of abortion. I especially hated the idea proffered that the young man would support his girlfriend no matter what she did. A person shouldn't support everything in a misguided notion that that means love. Sometimes, love means saying, "no, you're wrong, and I love you enough to tell you."
Finally, the last scene with ML and FL left me disgruntled. I know it was supposed to be romantic, but all I could think of were the books they were destroying: all those broken spines, torn pages, and messed up covers.
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Visually Appealing Period Piece. With Monsters.
Park Seo Joon and Han So Hee, along with a cast of sterling supporting actors, elevated a monster story set in Japanese-occupied Korea.The pawn shop was gorgeous, the town was visually appealing, and the hospital was appropriately stark and chilling. The drama had charm as a period piece. The underlying camaraderie of the oppressed people knit the community together and made the viewer want them to succeed.
There were issues with writing. It drives me mad to watch stupidity in action. Every time the heroes were in peril and were trying to escape, they'd stop in a hallway and have a meaningful conversation. Have a sense of urgency when you're being chased by evil people!
I have no idea why the bad guys had such a hard time keeping up with our heroes, because they always returned to the pawn shop. For 100 years, they always returned to the pawn shop. Why bother tailing them? After an especially harrowing escape, I thought (silly me!), they had best hightail to a hotel or remote cabin somewhere to elude the bad guys. No, back to the pawn shop, where everyone knew they holed up. They still couldn't find them half the time!
TL:DR: Season 1 had compelling stories: occupation, freedom fighters, separated families, blended families, and the struggle for survival. Also, too many long dialogues during tense moments.
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Some Stories Can Be Told Well in Six Episodes
Beautifully and tightly told in 6 episodes. The drama can stand alone, although I wanted it to go on, as I wanted to see what happened to Su In later. Was very pleased that Kang Woo's story had an upbeat development (hired on with the Grey team). The story was left open ended: hard-fighting Choi Jun Kyeong was shown shaking hands with a mysterious Japanese man. Reading reviews, it seems Netflix axed Season 2, which is a shame.Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet Without Being Cloying
Our Chocolate Moments was like a small, delicious chocolate presented in a pretty box. There may not be a great quantity of it, but what's there is exquisite. The acting was wonderful, and the camaraderie was warm and meaningful between people whose only initial bond was their love of chocolate. I would gladly watch a sequel to see how the newly bonded friends' lives changed.Was this review helpful to you?
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Fun RomCom
Cliches done right! Rich, cold guy/poor, warm girl, love triangles (at least five?), misunderstandings, amnesia, comas (both leads!), falling into a kiss, obligatory fan service male torso shower scene, etc. It was entertaining to watch a gentle satire of Asian dramas.The editor of romance novels found herself inside one of her novels, and her knowledge of their inner workings helped her leverage out of the second female role into the lead female's place to capture the heart of the cold CEO.
The romance was sweet once things were straightened out from misunderstandings. This is only my second drama from Taiwan, and I'm going to have to check out more, as I'm impressed! I realize I'm looking at a tiny data point, but if other Taiwanese dramas are done this well, they've made me a fan. The two dramas I've watched have known how to make a happy ending. I was given that dopamine hit that Korean dramas often fail to produce in the last episode (they are killer up to that point, but I've often been bitterly disappointed by the ending).
I've awarded an extra half star to the ML for his quizzical looks as he read FL's romance novels. I found his bewilderment amusing. "Cheetah, again?"
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Noble Idiocy Practiced as a Fine Art
The pointless misunderstandings went on far too long, but I liked the leads and the supporting cast. There were no villains, and once the ML and FL learned to communicate (they broke the fourth wall and spoke to the viewer more than with each other!), there was resolution. FL was cute, but she never varied her orange/blue manicure for a year. Things that make one go, "hmm."Was this review helpful to you?
A Calm Sea and Beautiful Days with You
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Sweet Slow Burn
A young woman entered a marriage arranged by her parents with a man she'd never met. He was asea for their wedding ceremony; a photograph took his place. The drama detailed their slow adaptation to one another and the deep connection that gradually developed.This was a very sweet story about two people with tall walls who overthink internally. There were no villains except for that treacherous inner voice many of us have that comes to rob our peace.
The romance between the second leads was just as compelling, if not more. I didn't begrudge their time onscreen as I often do with secondary romances.
MDL doesn't have this listed under the "Comedy" genre. The over-reactions may seem out of place if the viewer isn't expecting a romcom, but this is firmly in that category.
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Being a Genius Doesn't Bring Happiness
The Kidnapping Day showcased many of the reasons I find K-dramas appealing: an intriguing story, warm human elements, and emotional impact. The suspense was balanced with surprisingly comedic moments (I was giddy with amusement during the hamburger eating scene). Best of all was the growing relationship between the kidnapper and his "victim." The child actress did an amazing job.As much as I enjoyed the drama, there were plot holes and unanswered questions. Evil doesn't stop just because circumstances change. Those holes left ample opportunity for a continuation of the story. With Ro Hee's intelligence, would she be tempted to continue her parents' plans? Or could she look for vengeance? I'd love to see more of Ro Hee.
Note: It's important to watch the post-credit scene of the last episode. Holy open ending!
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Friendships Save Lives
It seems I've watched mostly light, quirky Japanese dramas, so I was unprepared for the beauty and suspense of Erased. The visuals were stunning: starry night skies, snowy fields, barren trees, and a little girl in a red coat at the center of it. The story kept me at rapt attention, jostling me from sweet interactions with a rag-tag group of school children to gut-gripping dread that one of them will become the next victim. Kudos to the child actors; they were all exemplary. And, amazingly, they resembled the adult actors they were to become.When first introduced to Satoru, he wasn't in a good place. He lived estranged from his mother, was a sullen loner, and his career as a manga artist wasn't going anywhere, so he worked as a pizza delivery guy. Even so, when he had his "revival" spells, he still tried to help people anonymously. He was afflicted with a five-minute reset of time whenever something bad was about to happen. He saw the issue in real time and worked to remedy it during the reset.
Every reset was about five minutes previous until something dramatic happened, and Satoru was sent 18 years back into the past to his younger self. He realized he was reset to prevent the murders of three school children that occurred when he was a child. In order to do that, he had to break out of his shell, stop being a loner, and reach out to his classmates. The ensuing friendships changed Satoru. He wasn't just trying to solve the mysteries in order to return to his timeline; he began to genuinely care for his classmates, and they loved him in return. He started to see his mother in a new light and began to appreciate her. His character development was rewarding to watch.
There's also a psychopathic killer on the loose if personal growth arcs and adorable children don't hit your sweet spot.
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Enjoy the Scenery: Mountains, Yi Lin, and Esther Yu
I like sports dramas. I appreciated learning more about snowboarding, but I wish there had been a little more competition shown. Except for two jumps, there was no suspense involving the snowboarding.There should be an expiration age on full-time aegyo for adult humans, and Esther Yu, approaching 30, has reached it. I didn't mind the childishness in Love Between Fairy and Devil, because aegyo suited the character of an innocent flower fairy. It's different when Esther Yu is playing an adult businesswoman. This is not a criticism of the actress; I like her very much and will happily watch most of her dramas, but I hope she can get more adult-ish roles where she plays an intelligent, competent person without all the toddler, spoiled attitude. What's cute as a toddler just isn't as an adult. I'm not saying she has to take cold, calculated roles, but wouldn't it be fun to see what she could do with a villain role?
When watching this drama, leave logic at the door. FL wore a new snowboarding outfit every day but claimed she couldn't afford to buy fogless snowboard goggles. This from a woman staying at an exclusive resort and taking personal snowboarding lessons. And she carried one suitcase a trip when she wore the equivalent of a complete dress shop. She seriously couldn't get two of her coats in that suitcase, much less all of the boots/shoes/purses/hats/dresses. That suitcase must be like the Tardis: bigger on the inside.
Kudos to the secondary romance of a snowboarder and his ex-skier girlfriend who lost her legs in an accident. Their love story was more interesting to me than the leads. It's not often a disability is done well. Either the person is pitied or made into a saint. The girlfriend was treated like a normal, sweet person with dreams and abilities. The third romance between FL's best friend and snowboarder Lao Yan was weird and unfinished.
Loved the scenery. The mountains were exquisite. It's hot summer where I watched the drama, but I had to cuddle up in a warm blankie to make it through all that snow! Beautiful scenes!
All in all, I'm not mad I watched, but I was a tad disappointed, because I expected more.
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A Drama About Nothing That Touches Everything
When teacher Park Ha Kyung needed an escape from her life, she'd take a day trip. She didn't pack for overnight, as that would be too much trouble, and, ironically, she didn't enjoy traveling. The drama revolved around her walking and eating in different locales, and that could have been extremely boring, but Park Ha Kyung had the gift of observation and appreciation for the small things. A quotation attributed to Albert Einstein states: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Park Ha Kyung doesn't look for large miracles; she is content with the tiny, healing ones that come from simple acts such as sincerely apologizing, sharing a meal with a stranger, or attempting something new. Definitely not a drama for thrill seekers or romantics, but I relished how different, subdued, yet rich, it was.Was this review helpful to you?
We Are More Than Our Brains
This drama ticks many of my boxes: a plethora of brain conditions/injuries, intelligent characters, and engaging actors. The co-leading man was a handsome psychopath; the other co-leading man was the relatable, comic relief; and the supporting/guest actors were gems. I'm always mesmerized by Ye Ji Won: she never plays a boring part.I enjoyed all the brain dilemmas, even though the science was flawed. I'm capable of overlooking poetic license for a little drama.
I'm a sucker for intelligent characters, and this drama had mostly smart people until the 15th and 16th episodes, when everyone must have take stupid pills and overdosed. I was cringing at the thought of two neuroscientists being so brainless, and three cops (count them!) being so unprofessional and unprepared. There is also no way a truly psychotic being would have ended the way he did. It was agonizing sitting through all that while muttering, "Call for back-up!"
I wanted to remove a star due to the cringe-worthy ending, but I can't because the leading man had a two-story library and a mouse/rat named Algernon (read the short story Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes; don't read the novelette as the short story is superior: https://www.sdfo.org/gj/stories/flowersforalgernon.pdf). It obviously doesn't take much to make me overlook a disappointing ending. I also liked the philosophy that we are more than our brains. We don't have to be constrained by what we're given.
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The Winner of Worst Wig...
Is Hong Ryeon/Mu Yeon, by a landslide. Wigs are often bad in historical dramas, but this one was atrocious. The actress had dark auburn hair, but her wig was raven black. The actress, Kang Moon Young, did a fine job chewing the scenery in her role as a villain, but I couldn't keep my eyes off her wig. Very distracting. As was the rap music in the fight scenes. Still, time spent with Lee Joon Gi and Shin Min Ah elevated what, otherwise, could been an average offering. I enjoyed Hwang Bo Ra as comic relief, too.In typical K-drama style, early episodes started promisingly, middle episodes had a tendency to drag, and the last episode had everything thrown into the blender at high speed, then poured out haphazardly. I won't add this to my "Unsatisfying Ending" list, but it just barely escaped. It isn't a sad ending, but it's unfulfilling. It's just enough to leave me disgruntled.
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You'll Laugh, Cringe, and Fan Yourself
This was the equivalent of Cheetos, dipped in chocolate sauce, topped with whipped cream, and garnished with pickles. It didn't make sense, and it wasn't good for me, but I enjoyed it anyway.Passionate groping and steamy kisses were interspersed with nonsense. I obviously watched it in the right frame of mind; generally, I would have looked askance at a drama that was so silly (when it wasn't trying to be campy), but it made me laugh (rather unintentionally, I'm sure).
I snickered when the ML tore off his shirt, and his torso glistened with oil. Well, with a torso like that, a guy should oil up on the off chance he's going to rip off his clothing. My eyebrows rose when the bride-to-be made out with a stranger at her fiancé's funeral--on top of his coffin, no less. The FL had to have hemorrhoid surgery, something I've not encountered in a romance before. The FL was forced to marry the psycho because he put a bomb in her bridal bouquet. ML was viciously knifed and in a coma for days. When the FL walked into his room, he was standing and fully dressed right after awakening. Those are some killer genes that provide instant healing! And kudos to the ML. That actor approached every kiss like an Olympic event in which he was going to set a record. The man was enthusiastic!
I laughed, I cringed, and I fanned myself. It wasn't a cinematic masterpiece, but I had fun.
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