catcracker6

Alchemy of Souls Seasons One and Two combined.

This was a difficult series to watch and review, but I will do my best.

To summarize, this is a story in which the characters of a fantasy realm belong to families/clans of mages. A few mages have the ability to use a spell (Alchemy of Souls) that can take a living person's soul and transplant them into a recently deceased person. However, after the transfer has happened, the energy of the soul in the new body needs to be recharged every so often. To do this, they must take energy from another living person which in turn causes that person to die. If the energy is not replenished in a timely manor, the soul goes crazy and kills as many people as it can to recharge itself. This is called "going wild". If the person is unable to recharge, they petrify.

You can tell just by that brief explanation just how complicated this story is. And on top of that, long complicated words are used to describe households, customs, spells, etc, which can be hard for an English speaking person like myself to understand. So much so that I had to switch back to English dubbing just to comprehend what was going on.Another complication was keeping track of who's soul was transplanted into who, and who was now using who's body. Aaawwww.

Along these same lines, I would say this series should have tried to complete itself within 20 episodes rather than 30. But who really knows if that would have been possible.

I almost did not complete this two part series because of the above complications. Also, it took almost an agonizing 8 episodes for me just to really get into the story and become vested into what was going on. However, I am glad I stuck with it because the show really takes off after that.

One aspect of the series that I liked was there were serious moments in the show mixed comical reliefs. It exhibited to me that the show was not to be taken too seriously and to enjoy myself while watching it. Many times the show was just plain silly. I think this made the show a lot more enjoyable as it took the viewers on a roller-coaster ride of emotions.

The actors were awesome as always. Jung So Min as Mu Deok (FL) was particularly good. It was hard for me at times to let go of an actor who was playing a certain character, to suddenly be replaced by another (great) actor, due to the bodies/souls switching.

I am generally not a fan of computer generated effects. But this series did a good job overall. Magic spells were great and not overdone. Thus, they were able to perfectly mix the computer graphics into the magic/fight/battle scenes into a realistic experience for this mystical environment.

There were a good number soundtracks in this series. I have added 3 to my playlist of which one stands out as one of my favorites. The song is "Just Watching You" by Jeong Sewoon. The others were Breath by Kim Na Young, and Aching by Kassy. These soundtracks helped this series with my overall rating score. (As I write this, I just added "Scars Leave Beautiful Trace" by Car, the garden to my playlist) There were others good songs. But these are the ones that stood out for me.

Alchemy of Souls was able to finish the series in the final episode. There was so much story to conclude that I did not think they would have enough time to finish without feeling rushed. But they accomplished a really good ending before time ran out. Maybe it could have been concluded over the last two episodes a little better? But the show ended just fine the way it did.

I'm glad I finished this series. For me, the rating gradually increased as the show progressed.


I will have to rate this series as 8.5 out of 10.

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Love Next Door - 16 Episodes - 2024

This is a story of two childhood friends who went their own ways in life, only to reunite in their 30s. Being back together rekindles the flames that never quite got started when they were younger.

This was such a joy to watch. It had the perfect storytelling pacing and kept things interesting from beginning to end.

First. there were at so many story lines to keep you entertained, it was amazing. For example there was one for each of the main leads parents. One for the main leads best friends, one for the senior women who as a whole who called themselves the Lavender Group. And one for the main leads fathers, just to name a few. All stood very well in their own right, but also blended perfectly well with the other story-lines at the same time.
Next was the constant banter between the characters. That is what really stood out and shined for me in this series. It is almost describable. From the female lead's mother always hitting everyone she argued with, to the FL never missing a chance to get someone in a headlock. It was just so much fun to watch.
The acting in this series was so good that it is almost unfair to distinguish the actors/actress into categories of main leads and supporting cast. Yes, they were all that good.

As mentioned above, the pacing was great. They did not have to depend on long stares or dramatic pauses to communicate the loving mood of the series.

The OST was a good background effect for the story. But I am not sure there is any songs I wish to add to my playlist. Even though it did not distract from the quality of the program, it does disqualify it for me in giving it the best rating possible.
The only situation they relied upon on the verge of too much was the drinking. It was many times the way for the writers to have the characters open up and revile whatever truth needed to be told to clear up the current conflict. They were fun to watch and were well done. But it did repeat itself many times.
If you are really into romantic comedies, you feel you will not be disappointed.
I will rate this series as 9.0. I really had fun watching this program.

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Oldie but Goodie

Because this is my First Life - 16 Episodes 2017

In short, this is a story of a young writer named Yun Ji Ho (Jung So Min), who quit her job and is in need of new living accommodations. She meets Nam Se Hui who is need of a roommate and source of rental income. They both come to an agreement through the use of a marriage use as a contractual tool that fits both their needs.

This was an interesting story from start to finish. The hook of the story is Nam Se Hui (Lee Min Ki) who plays an emotionless character much like Spock of Star Trek or Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. Both enter the contract with no personal feelings for one another. But over the course of the program, they both fall for each other.

Some reflective and self narrating scenes were on the verge of being too long. But luckily that line was never crossed. There were many scenes that were exceptionally well performed. Jung So Min performed several scenes in which she had to show sorrow or other emotions that were very impactful. So much so that I felt her performance rivelled many other award winning productions.

The pacing of Lee Min Ki's character was perfect. He possessed a number of emotional and social barriers the were the essence of his character. The writers were careful to remove those barriers brick by brick in a suspenseful and meaningful manner, making it so much more interesting and rewarding.

There were two other side stories involving the main lead's friends. Their stories held up in their own right. Interesting and very well played out. If given a chance, those stories and actors could have been another series in and of itself.

There was just enough humor and twists to keep the interest for each episode. Many of which had a ending leaving you wanting to see the next episode immediately. Spoiler : One such example is that the first kiss actually happens at the end of the first episode. How is that for a hook?

This is just one of a few series that I have viewed with Jung So Min. And she has yet to disappoint me. I believe she possesses so much star-power that is often overlooked. Performances in Alchemy of Souls and Love Next Door just to name a few.

OST had some really good songs that fit the shows perfectly. Very lite and upbeat. However, I have only selected one to add to my current playlist.

I recommend this series and rate it a 8.5 out of 10.

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A surprisingly good series. Simply good entertainment

The only reason I chose to watch this series was to watch another performance by Actress Yeom Hye Ran. You may remember her as the award winning best supporting actress, playing the part of Jeon Gwang Rye, Ae Sun's mother in When Life Gives You Tangerines. And as expected, I was not disappointed in her performance.

After watching the first episode, I pre-judged this series as a cute little funny, not too serious, maybe low budget production that was not to be taken too seriously. Maybe even a little corny. (nothing wrong with corny by the way) But as the story developed over time, the story and the characters really transformed into interesting people that you wanted to rout for. The pacing of the episodes were perfect. Nothing too fast. Nothing drawn out too long. There were some love interest mixed with humor. But nothing over the top, which was perfect. The stories were not complicated, yet they were able to keep your interest with no effort. It left you feeling like you just had to watch the next episode. Lastly, I also never felt cheated with a quick, easy answers to whatever problem they were facing. Solutions were not as predicable as I have experienced in other Kdramas. That is good screenwriting.

As a newbie, I am realizing that saying "the acting was great" is a waste of time. In Korean dramas, I think I have only ever seen one actor that was somewhat questionable in the 20+ shows I have seen so far. But I will say it anyway. The acting was great.

Yeom Hye Ran as expected, did not disappoint. She was great. As was the rest of the cast.

Lee Hong Nae and Ok Ja Yeon stood out as perfect villains. I would have to say they were outstanding.
I do want to point out that on the surface, this series appears to be a comic book, super heroish type of show. But don't be fooled. There are some grewsome events that I don't feel would be good for kids under maybe 13 or so. Nothing I don't think an adult couldn't handle. Not gorish. Just not violence children should watch. (Just this old mans opinion)

I would recommend this show for viewers looking for something different. Something easy to understand. Something to smile with and enjoy.

I don't believe there is any music I would add to my playlist. So that brings the score down somewhat.

I would rate this as 8 out of 10.

PS. I almost forgot. At the end of season 1, the ending credits did the usual still photos of the cast and production crew. I always enjoy that. But this show had a few photos with each of the main cast individually standing with their stunt double. SOOO COOL.

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Age of Youth - Also titled Hello, My Twenties

This was a very entertaining story of a cast of young women coming of age. The cast of characters were a nice mix of young and old, (if you call 28 old), witty to smart, goofy to serious.
The story lines were mainly told within one episode showings. Topics switching from one main character to the next. It also included a few story lines that lasted throughout the series.
Acting was top notch. I found myself cheering for each character to overcome their situations.
The stories were clever. However, I did feel they were somewhat rushed to complete each one. Also at times, the episodes seemed somewhat detached. You could be speeding along on a topic towards the cliffhanger at the end. Only to resolve that situation within minutes of the next episode with many times no lingering effect on the character effected. You could have a traumatic situation suddenly be resolved, and have life afterwards carry on like nothing happened. I believe that this a result of the limitations of time allowed for each episode.
OST. I can't say I would be adding a lot of music from this series to my everyday soundtracks. But I will say that this is the first series I have ever watched the opening introduction in it's entirety for each episode, and not skip to the start of the story. The soundtrack and visuals just make you feel happy from the beginning.
I am really happy to see that there is a second season. I really love the actors/characters and am anxious to see them continue their adventures.

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This is a story of two girls born as identical twins. The story begins at birth and continues into their thirties. Though they are identical twins, this is where the similarly stops. Both are very different characters who have had many different experiences in life. As the series proceeds, each of the girls, Mi Rae and Mi Ji, learn about each other's strengths, weaknesses, and misconceptions of each other. Misconceptions being key, as this seems to happen to all the characters in the series. From their mothers and fathers, to past classmates, business associates and friends. These misconceptions and miscommunications are what the characters must work out and move forward in their lives.

I believe this is the first series review where I can point out how excellent the production team did on creating this series. I remember in many past shows where the same actor/actress were performing two different characters in the same camera shot. These were incredibly done in this series. Best I have ever seen. So seamless that it is hard to believe it is the same actress doing both parts. Well done. A++++

There was not too much in-depth drama in this series. But the cast and crew performed outstandingly. It was a show I feel that made the viewer feel happy, hopeful, and supportive of all the characters in the series. Sometimes you just need a loving and feelgood show to watch. And this was it.

As usual, all the actor's/actress's performances were great. I did not note any outstanding soundtracks to add to my playlist.

I would recommend this series, and look forward to seeing these same actors/actress again in future projects.

I rate this series an 8 out of 10.

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Park Eun-Bin and cast fabulous. Do you like Brahms not so much.

This series is about a young lady of 30 choosing to study music as a violinist. What follows is all the struggles that came with that decision. There are 6 main characters, all of which are connect to each other thru music and intertwined love triangles.
I believe the best way to review this series is by pros and cons.

Pros

The series stars Park Eun=Bin as the main female lead. And as would be expected, her performance was flawless. Other stand out performances were given by Park Ji Hyun as the stoned faced, cold hearted silver spoon violinist Lee Jun Kyung. And Seo Jung Yeon as the down to earth, consoling voice of reason, performance planner Cha Young In. Other actors not listed were also very good.

There were a few very touching and thought provoking moments in this 16 part series that were really clever. But far too few to support the show. If the show had been written to the standard of those touching and thought provoking moments, it could have gotten a much higher rating.

Cons

As you can tell by the short Pros list, there are a lot of Cons to this series. The writers seemed to have crammed in every single cultural hardship they could think of to add misery to this story. I would judge 90% of the entire series were characters in pain and suffering. Most of which the characters tried to cope with within themselves. Misunderstands and setbacks were abound. Everything connected to social class status ranging from income status, musical talent, what school you attended, ticket sales, who your tutors were and years of experience you had been playing your instrument, and social and family connections just a few problems facing the characters. Add in the relationship/love struggles and the pressures the parents put on their children to be the best at their chosen craft AT ALL COSTS and you end up with a very depressing viewing experience.

Watching this program was a marathon of how much sadness you could bare in hopes of a happy ending. They did seem to wrap up the program in a satisfying way. But the payoff was just not worth the effort it took of watching all the continuous agony and depression.

Rating

Because of the performance given by Park Eun-Bin and most of the other cast, I will give 5 points. There was no music that I wished to add to my music list. And too few standout "wow" moments to helped support the show. The lack of a really good story will take away half a point. It really pains me to say this. But unless you are a fan of Park Eun-Bin and can watch her character endlessly suffer for many episodes (not to mention all the other characters also suffering), I would not recommend this series.

My rating is 4.5 out of 10.

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