lilili

Flawed but I loved it for the wonderful characters

I was spoiled going in so when I watched AJTL, I was looking to see if a) the character deaths were foreshadowed and b) they were narratively justified. The answers are a) yes and b) kinda sorta but it should've been done better.

But let me start with what I loved: My favorite character by far was Yang Ying. Her journey from a fearful princess who was used as a sacrificial lamb by her family to a badass ruler who understood how to be a true leader was inspiring. Big standing ovation to He Lan Dou for her performance, it was the strongest in the drama IMO

I also adored our main ship. It was a truly egalitarian relationship built on shared values and mutual respect. They healed each other's wounds and always supported one another. It's rare to see this kind of love depicted in any country's series.

I got very attached to the Liudao crew. Each individual was well developed and I loved their friendships with each other and how they were mentored by the leads. Special shout-out to Alen Feng as Shisan and Chen You Wei as Yuan Lu, they both made me love their characters and broke my heart at the end of the story.

I also loved the critical lens the drama places on selfish rulers and the toll their actions take on ordinary people. Nearly every royal in this drama is the absolute f**** worst. The leads and Liudao crew serve the rulers but only in order to try and prevent a catastrophic war. It was compelling seeing the characters struggle between what they want and what they need to do for the greater good. Given the critique I was surprised the drama passed censorship but perhaps it was because a few of the royals do have redemption arcs and end up ruling justly.

Now we get to the ending, which a lot of people hated for a good reason. There's pretty heavy foreshadowing about people not making it out alive, especially Yuanzhou and Ruyi who become weaker and weaker as the story progresses. Also we're told up front that Yuan Lu has a terminal illness so no surprises with him. But I hated that our leads died protecting Li Tongguang, who is framed as the ruler who will finally bring peace with Yang Ying at his side. LTG simply doesn't mature enough to justify having that role in the story. He's a whining baby who only wants his shifu. Sorry to be gross but it was almost as if he wanted her to be his nursemaid.

Had they shown us his character develop the way they did with Yang Ying it would make sense that Yuanzhou and Ruyi died so he could survive. Instead their sacrifices felt like a waste. I was also really hoping Ruyi would have a baby so at least their child could survive but alas 😭

But even with the flawed ending this was an incredibly well written drama with complex characters that grapples with philosophical questions relevant to today, especially with this weekend's N0 K1ngs pr0tests. One of my fave watches in a year where I've watched some very good dramas.

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Live action manga with great action and baby Jang Hyuk, Shin Min Ah and Gong Hyo Jin

It took me a long time to see this because it's hard to find but the Blueray version finally turned up on Internet Archive. It's hella fun and deserves a higher rating than 6.7. The film looks great thanks to high contrast color grading that makes it look like a live action manga. The action is silly and so is the acting but it's deliberate and you just have to let your brain go into neutral and enjoy the ride. It's fun to see very young Jang Hyuk, Shin Min Ah and Gong Hyo Jin. The action scenes were mostly done with wire work and practical effects which look amazing but were dangerous for the actors. JH was knocked unconscious during filming and you can see it happen in the behind the scenes video: https://youtu.be/jrxfzO4Q_wI

The Internet Archive also has the 2004 MTV edit of the film with voice overs by Method Man, Snoop Dawg and a lot of other hip hop artists. Unfortunately it's not as fun as it should be because Andre 3000 does a terrible job voicing Jang Hyuk's character. Better to stick with the original.

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Solidly good drama

I enjoyed this drama a lot but I'm not as enthusiastic about it as a lot of people here who rate it a masterpiece. It's a solidly good drama with an intricate time travel plot that miraculously doesn't unravel despite some loose threads here and there. The characters are likeable, esp. Huang Yu Xuan, Mo Jun Jie and older Li Zi Wei. The performances of the core three actors are very strong, with a special shoutout to Alice Ko who is brilliant in a double role that requires a lot of subtlety and nuance. The OST is lovely and Last Dance is a perfect song to trigger the time travel sequences, loved that.

Having said that, here's why I don't think SD1D is a masterpiece:

1) The drama is very slow to start. Honestly if I hadn't seen and loved Rainless Love in a Godless Land first I might have dropped after the second episode. I kept going because I trusted the creators.

2) The core couple didn't convince me that their love was so epic that it spanned space and time. They seemed like a perfectly lovely 20 something couple but nothing that special and that causes problems in a story that hinges on their fated love. Having said that, ep. 9 (LZW travels forward in time to woo HYX) made me sob.

3) Chen Yun Ru's villain arc is introduced in the next to last episode. She was a fascinating and complex character, sympathetic and unlikeable at the same time. She needed more development so we could be as invested in her story and redemption as we were in the core romance. I also wanted to see more of her with MJJ because he was such a great character and also didn't get enough screentime as the story progressed.

4) The psychiatrist's storyline ultimately didn't amount to much esp. given how much time is devoted to the arc.

I still really enjoyed this drama and will recommend it to friends.

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Gorgeous, mesmerizing fantasy that doesn't stick the landing

This is an incredibly creative, innovative and ambitious drama that ultimately falls short but is worth watching anyway. The drama is based on the mythology of the Amis people, who are the indigenous people of Taiwan. Each episode opens with a beautiful animation illustrating an Amis folktale narrated in their native language and the language is also used in dialogues by the gods.

Some of my favorite things about this drama:

> The narrative structure: The show explores memory, loss, grief and time. It makes extensive use of flashbacks, which is something I normally hate. But in this case the flashbacks were the story, like thematically and in terms of what we learn at the end, the entire thing is rooted in the fluidity of time and how what we knows shifts and changes as we move back and forth through the timeline. Sometimes it felt overwhelming and ultimately didn't quite work once I got to the end but I respect the ambitions of the writing team, it is not easy to create a narrative like this. I love that they Went For It.

> The animations: Absolutely gorgeous, kudos to the artist and also to the writers for conceiving this way to address the mythology of the story. Every single animation tells you something extremely important to the story, including the ending which was telegraphed very early on but of course we only realize that in retrospect. If you're finished watching, read this thread that documents the narration and art in every opening: https://twitter.com/Hoyaanae/status/1455182655524245514

> The cinematography: Absolutely stunning, just on the level of pure beauty this drama delivers.

> The OST: One of the best I've ever heard, it's been on repeat in the car and I've never listened to Mando music before. And it turns out it telegraphs the entire plot and ending of the story only you won't realize it until you're done.

> The acting: Everyone was great but special shoutout to Alice Ko as Toem, the goddess turned evil. Her performance was scary, subtle, nuanced and ultimately heartbreaking. Fu Meng Bo was also perfect as Orad, the god in love with a human. You've never seen someone pine so beautifully.

What I didn't like:

> The ending. It is a gigantic shock and not in a good way because it takes a lot of drama's intricate plot and flushes it down the drain. I was literally screaming at the screen when I realized how it was going to end. Having said that, it was moving to see Orad's joy at the end and how all of the kawas and sikawasay end up so that somewhat made up for the mindf*ck of an ending.

> The main ship: I didn't hate them together but they didn't have the intense chemistry that I felt was needed to sell me on their epic romance. The ending would've been more palatable if the chemistry had been better.

> The ecological angle: this turned out to be a plot device that was abandoned pretty early on which was a missed opportunity.

Despite the ending I haven't been able to stop thinking about this drama. It's truly mesmerizing, like a beautiful dream that you immerse yourself into and allow to take over your mind. Go in with zero expectations about where the narrative will land and you will be in for a drama watch like no other.

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Dumb but fun

This show is completely ridiculous, the writing is bad and the plot makes no sense but I had so much fun watching it anyway and it's because of the chemistry between three of the couples:

Irin-Hack (Lookjun & Krist): They fed me the toxicity I was hoping for from the whole series. Completely dysfunctional, falling into bed with each other and then saying hurtful things, I loved it. Their reconciliation was rushed but made sense and I strongly shipped them. Super fun.

August-Pine (Pat & Off): Another toxic couple with OTT sexy vibes. August served c*nt as an older successful woman with no time for BS or a relationship. Pat and Off had fire chemistry and looked fantastic together. Their story didn't make much sense and I didn't like how it wrapped up but the sparks were there in their scenes.

Florence-Nathee (Aye & Luke): This was my favorite couple. Florence knew she wanted Nathee's fine @ss and she went after him without holding back. They were hilarious and sexy together. I'd love to see Aye and Luke paired up again (come on GMMTV, don't just create BL supercouples, give us a few straight ones too)

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Gritty and heart-wrenching with a terrific performance by Jang Hyuk

This is a story about what happens when people are subjected to poverty and abuse from a young age. When someone grows up in desperate circumstances they'll do anything to survive even if it means exploiting the people around them. But sometimes a brief taste of kindness and warmth can help someone turn their life around.

This drama was so much sadder than I expected. Even though the story had Kdrama fantasy elements like poor leads with an endless wardrobe of trendy coats and a 2ML who's a rich fund manager, for the most part the story reflects gritty reality. All of Oh Joon's setbacks, his relationships with his sister and his best friend, even the filming locations in poor parts of Seoul, everything added up to a story that was often heartbreaking. Yes, it has sweet and funny moments, especially at the beginning, but the story turns darker and darker as the drama progresses.

I watched Robber for Jang Hyuk and as usual he delivered an amazing performance. Oh Joon is a complex character: he starts out as a con man who is ruthless and selfish as he takes advantage of vulnerable women for money to pay off his enormous debts. He also steals money from his best friend and seemingly neglects his only sister (though all is not what it seems at first). But inside him is a tiny core of decency that grows when he meets Jin Dal Rae and experiences a loving family and warm home for the first time.

Oh Joon's journey to becoming a better person is not easy and he often backslides into his old habits. He's also subjected to gut wrenching violence at the hands of loan sharks, something that becomes very important to the story late in the drama. But he desperately wants to escape the endless circle of lies and violence and slowly manages to turn his life around. Jang Hyuk is the perfect person to portray Oh Joon because he has the ability to show complex and even contradictory emotions through his eyes and how he stands and walks. The way he slumps against a wall, staggers down a bleak alley or hangs his head with shame all make you feel enormous empathy for this deeply flawed character.

Most of the cast is very strong. Some standouts are Hong Kyung In as Mandoo, Oh Joon's best friend, Ma Dong Seok as Jong Guk, a loan shark enforcer who hates that he harms people for a living, and Kim Hae Sook as Dal Rae's mother in law Soon Sum.

Unfortunately I didn't like the writing or the acting for the female lead. Jin Dal Rae comes across as a manic pixie dream girl who seems to inhabit a different reality than the gritty and bleak world inhabited by Oh Joon. It's not helped by Lee Da Hae's acting. She's very pretty but not capable of keeping up with Jang Hyuk. It often felt like he was hard carrying their scenes together and scenes that should've made me cry left me feeling not much of anything because she was so blank. I think if the FL had been better cast this drama could've been a memorable classic instead of an obscure drama most people haven't heard of.

The 2ML is a waste of time and I had zero investment in his story. The actor was fine, it was a problem with the writing.

This drama has a bittersweet ending that could even be called tragic depending on whether you're glass half full or glass half empty kind of person. I thought it was a very fitting end to the story but it definitely left me feeling sad for Oh Joon. If you've seen dramas like Scent of a Woman or Marriage Contract you'll understand the kind of ending you're in for.

In terms of rating the drama, I'd give Jang Hyuk a 10, the supporting cast a 9, the directing an 8, the writing a 7 and the Fl a 4.5 at best.

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The Most Toxic Show I've Ever Watched

I went into this show thinking it would be something like The Jungle with people being mildly naughty and everything resolved with happy endings and instead I got a gut punch of insane toxicity. All of the leads are terrible people who commit major crimes and betray each other repeatedly for 18 episodes. But it's a cracky ride. Even though I hated almost every person in the story I couldn't stop watching. Do be aware that this show has scenes of S.A. & abuse and could be triggering.

Let's sum up what happens to everyone (spoilers ahead!)

Prae:
* Crimes: Ordered her friends to throw Pal off a balcony and then covered up the murder as a suicide. Allowed her friend's brother to be S.A. and didn't call the police to avoid getting caught with drugs. (I don't consider her sexual preferences crimes, nothing wrong with being a freak but don't be stupid enough to get recorded doing it)
* Punishment: sex video leaked at wedding, kills self
* Deserved?: Hell yes. She was abused growing up but that doesn't excuse a damned thing.

Wanwan:
* Crimes: Helped murder Pal and covered up the crime. Arranged the leak of Prae's sex video to drive her to suicide. Slept with Meen's boyfriend.
* Punishment: Goes insane, murders mother and brother, goes on the run
* Deserved?: Yes but it's not very satisfying since we don't know where she is at the end of the story

May:
* Crimes: Helped murder Pal and covered up the crime. Helped Sarat cover up the death of her lover's wife. Stole information from Wanwan's computer to give to Wee.
* Punishment: Murdered by Wanwan's mother after Wee S.A. her and terrorized her
* Deserved?: No, no one deserves to be S.A. or stalked. I wish the show had handled her ending better, this left a very bad taste in my mouth after everything the show did to emphasize she didn't deserve the S.A.

Meen:
* Crimes: Covered up Pal's murder. Took money from Pitch's mother to break up with him. Sent the video of Wanwan's brother having sex with Pal to Wanwan's mother.
* Punishment: Married to Pitch who turned out to be an evil bastard who masterminded his sister's death. Also stuck with an evil mother in law for life
* Deserved?: Yes, I was afraid she'd get a happy ending because she was such a self righteous hypocrite but she got what she deserved in the end.

Sarat:
* Crimes: Covered up Pal's murder. Pushed her lover's wife down a flight of stairs, causing her death, and then covered up the crime. Began a relationship with Term while lying to him about her identity.
* Punishment: Prison after she confessed to the crime to get a clear conscience
* Deserved: Hell yes but she also got the closest thing to a happy ending because Term is visiting her in prison and still cares for her. She also gave away her fortune to a foundation. She has the best shot at redemption in the end.

Pal:
* Crimes: Drug dealing, allowed her friend's brother to be S.A. and didn't call the police to avoid getting caught with drugs. Attacked Meen with a pair of scissors. (I don't consider her sexual preferences crimes, nothing wrong with being a freak)
* Punishment: Thrown off a balcony by her friends
* Deserved: No, she was awful but her friends were worse

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A Classic for a Reason

I recently started watching Jdramas and this drama kept getting recommended to me as a must watch classic. Everyone was right -- this is one of the best dramas I've ever watched in any language. The story itself is pretty basic: an aging model gets ditched on her wedding day and ends up moving into her ex's old apartment with his former roommate, a classical pianist whose career is floundering. It's a slow burn opposites attract romance. But the execution is truly special.

A lot of people have already shouted out KimuTaku and the rest of the cast for their stellar performances and also the OST which is wonderful but I want to spend some time talking about the directing because it's incredibly good and makes it feel more like a film instead of a drama.

The drama mostly takes place in the apartment building where Minami and Sena live. It's a real apartment building not a set and the production took full advantage of the location. After a while ago you'll notice that certain emotional beats take place in certain parts of the building and street. For example almost all of their fights take place in the cramped apartment. But they draw closer when they are on the rooftop or on the basketball court adjacent to the building. Whenever Sena is feeling lost, lonely or contemplative he tends to stand alone on the path overlooking the river.

There are some iconic scenes that illustrate how the director used the site. One is when Sena throws Minami's glitter ball three stories down to the street and then catches it when it bounces back to him, symbolizing the ability to bounce back after setbacks. Another is when Minami tells Sena that she's planning on marrying her boyfriend, after she exits the building she can hear Sena playing her favorite song followed by the wedding march (heart wrenching!). Another one is a spectacular shot that starts with Sena standing alone in the apartment after Minami has moved out and then pans out across the river until he's out of sight to illustrate how lonely and isolated he feels now that she's no longer living with him.

Another thing I noticed was the hair styling and costuming. When the drama starts Sena wears a tweed jacket that seems to symbolize how trapped he feels in his life. Even his hair is styled in such a way to look stiff and unmoving. Minami wears trendy clothes in loud colors and a lot of makeup. But things change as they start to fall in love with each other and to emotionally mature. Sena stops wearing the blazer and is usually in tees when he's spending time with Minami and his hair becomes softer and looser. Minami starts wearing jeans and cotton shirts and very little makeup. She also starts to wear white shirts which are associated with Sena since he's often in a white shirt when teaching and performing.

These are just a few examples but honestly you could easily do a shot by shot analysis of this drama. Just how they use the visual space in the apartment in different scenes tells you so much about what's going on with and between the characters at different parts of the story.

This might sound dry and technical but it shows the care and attention that the production team put into all the details of the drama. And as a result you end up falling in love with the characters.

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Unhealthy but compelling relationship

Hira is a fascinating character : he wants to worship and be dominated by Kiyoi but he's also very demanding and unwilling to bend when it comes to pursuing his desires. Kiyoi in turn finds Hira's attention gratifying but also dehumanizing. He doesn't want Hira to see him solely as an object of worship but as a vulnerable and flawed human being. They both emotionally hurt each other a lot with the hurt becoming physical a few times. Is this a healthy dynamic? Absolutely not but these two are obsessed with each other and the heart wants what it wants.

The actors are strong and have excellent chemistry. Hira's actor is handsome but the production downplays it and leans into making him look awkward and slightly creepy. Kiyoi's actor is indeed beautiful which gives some weight to Hira's obsession. The production design is very good for what is a short and inexpensive drama. I particularly like the animations associated with each of the leads.

I know this is a polarizing drama but if you go in knowing it's a messed up romance between two messed up people you can relax and enjoy it for what it is. Not every drama has to portray healthy relationships.

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This drama is so bad it gave me cancer

I'm a huge fan of Jang Hyuk, I think he's an incredibly talented and unique actor who is fun to watch even in mediocre dramas. But this show did him in. He tried, he really did, but this honestly is in the running for the worst writing ever in a drama. Nothing makes sense at all. It's the worst run hospital in the world, there's no way it wouldn't be shut down not just because of all the murders but because of the unprofessional staff who stand around in the hallways gossiping even when a patient is bleeding out in front of them. The head of the hospital is basically a serial killer and openly admits it to one of his direct reports who doesn't report him to the police even though one of his patients is a cop and the female lead. And speaking of the FL, she's a traffic cop but somehow has the ability to barge into an unlocked interrogation room and interrupt a murder investigation. The writer should've made the character a detective to begin with, there's literally no reason for her to start out as a traffic cop. The only bright spot, at least at first, was Jang Hyuk doing his best to give his sociopathic character some depth and nuance. But he gave up after episode 5 and went for scenery chewing and who can blame him.

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Deeply humane but beware it can be triggering

The Korean title for this drama is Morning Also Comes in a Psychiatric Ward and it's much more accurate than the English title. The drama aims to educate people about mental health and encourages viewers to feel empathy for the people who are suffering and struggling to heal (not always successfully). Because of this, the story is a little clunky at times with early episodes dedicated to different mental health conditions such as panic disorder and bipolar disorder.

But the narrative really takes off in episode 6 when a beloved character takes his own life and the fallout for the entire cast reverberates through to the end of the drama.

Some of the scenes are devastating and had me sobbing. Anyone with a history of mental illness or who has loved ones who suffered should tread cautiously since this drama could be triggering.

Something I thought was very well done were the visual illustrations of people's illnesses. For example there's a person with panic disorder who finds himself drowning in a bathroom filling with water and a depressed character who sinks into the floor as if it's quicksand.

The romance is secondary to the main plot but it's very sweet and affecting, especially in the final episodes.

I definitely recommend this drama with the caveat that you're going to be in for a lot of emotional pain and that it's not an easy watch.

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Everyone falls in love with Mamoru and so will you

Like a lot of people I came to this drama after watching the two MLs in Cherry Magic. But I ended up falling in love with Mamoru, one of the most unique and interesting drama leads I've ever seen (played to perfection by Eguchi Noriko).

The drama opens with her on top of the world as an orphaned heiress who has built a growing e-publishing business. Mamoru is smart, funny, brave and passionately devoted to her business partner and employees who she treats as her surrogate family. But when her partner betrays her and embezzles all of the company's assets Mamoru is dead broke for the first time in her life and forced to restart her business from scratch with only a small, ragtag group of loyal employees and inexperienced interns.

Mamoru is so charismatic that not only does she find herself in a love triangle with two younger men (played by Cherry Magic leads Akaso Eiji and Machida Keita), there's also a female employee in love with her. Even the employees who aren't in love with her practically worship her and it's not surprising. What I love about Mamoru is she always leads with her heart. She's piercingly intelligent and willing to take risks but she's also endearingly quirky and awkward and unexpectedly shy. It's a joy to see a drama female lead who's allowed to be a badass leader but also imperfect. She makes a lot of mistakes, mostly trusting the wrong people, but her unerring moral compass and devotion to her team makes up for it. Eguchi does a fantastic job with the portrayal and her unconventional beauty really fits with the character.

The side characters are also delightful and well acted. Special shoutout to Miyamura Sora (played by Machida Keita), a younger man whose life was literally saved by Mamoru and has sworn lifelong loyalty to her, and editorial director Ikari Kenji (played by Furuta Arata) the company's oldest employee who enjoys a strong drink, mentoring young comic artists and snooping into his boss's business.

Even though I loved this drama, there are two big flaws that I think are why this drama has very low ratings on MDL. Number 1 is the plot, which is all over the place. Big events take place that are never really dealt with and have no influence on the rest of the story. For example, a major character is stabbed and hospitalized but the entire incident is wrapped up in one episode and never referred to again. The plot also gets repetitive as certain incidents get recycled with different characters and similar outcomes. There's also a lot of time skips and after a while I gave up trying to guess how much time had passed in the story. The ending isn't terrible but it isn't terribly exciting either.

The second big problem is the tepid romance between Mamoru and the ten-years younger Yu (played by an admittedly very handsome Akaso Eiji). I'm normally all for a May-December relationship but these two don't have any sexual chemistry. I did enjoy their domestic scenes cooking and talking together but it felt more like a comfortable friendship than two lovers.

I think the best way to approach this drama is not to expect a tightly written and coherent plot or a burning hot romance and instead view it as an office based slice of life with an incredibly interesting and compelling female lead.

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No plot, no conflict, just adorable characters and pure fluff

It's hard for me to rate this drama because it's pure fluff without plot. Literally nothing happens. There's no conflict and no problem that can't be solved in 20 minutes. The opening credits give away the entire story. This is the kind of show where the female lead lives in a crowded dorm room and yet somehow has a different brand new coat to wear every day. But the drama hooked me anyway because it's absolutely adorable and it gave me 12 hours of escape from the cold cruel world which I really needed.

The main couple is the living embodiment of the sunshine/sunshine protector meme. Su Zaizai falls in love at first sight with Zhang Lu Rang and showers him with warm positivity through the whole show (she also looks like a living doll). Rang Rang starts out expressionless and monosyllabic because of the pressure he gets from his mother to be a school topper, but as he spends more and more time with Zaizai he gradually thaws out and one of the best parts of the show is watching him blossom into a warmer and happier person. He also has two dimples which makes it even better when he flashes one of his rare smiles.

The rest of the characters in the friendship group are very cute but underdeveloped. I would have liked to have spent more time on the second lead romance.

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A weird ass drama that turned out to be my fave of the year

So maybe you’ve seen people talking about Behind Your Touch but you’re not quite sure whether you wanna watch a kdrama where the central premise involves reading people’s minds by grabbing their asses. Well I freakin' loved this show and here’s why I want everyone who’s been holding back on starting this one to check it out.

Behind Your Touch tells the story of Bong Ye Bon, a small town veterinarian who one night during a meteor shower acquires the ability to see people’s memories -- but only if she touches their butts. She teams up with Detective Moon Jang-yeol, a Seoul detective banished to the town because of a screw up, to solve crimes and soon they’re desperately scrambling to solve the mystery of her mother's death and to stop a serial killer. To give you a flavor for the tone of the show, their meet cute is when he arrests her for trying to test out her powers by touching a pickpocket’s behind on the bus.

There's a lot of bizarre comedy like when the FL’s best friend develops a crushes on the ML and keeps serenading him with an accordian. She has a girl squad who she calls on to provide muscle as needed, like the scene where they deliberately start a fight at a political rally so the FL can run through the crowd and touch as many asses as possible. The squad includes a token man who is subbing for his pregnant sister and refers to the 2FL as EONNI! There’s also a screamingly funny 2521 parody that goes on for half the drama (people were referring to it as 5551) and even a throwaway gag referencing a famous artwork by Yoko Ono. The small town residents speak in an impenetrable dialect that has to be translated for Detective Moon who can't understand what anyone is saying.

But even in the early episodes (which are the funniest), there’s elements of a disturbing thriller. For example, the very first scene of the drama shows poor Ye Bon watching her mother’s body getting pulled out of a car in the ocean. And the first episode also features a scene with a woman being dragged through the dirt by her hair

Also know that while there are some very sweet and deeply heartfelt moments and some heart fluttering moments, this is not a romance. While I was dying for something serious to go down between the leads, it's only ever alluded to. I still loved them together. And there are secondary romances which are delightfully bonkers.

As the drama goes on it become less and less about zany wacky shenanigans and more and more about omg where did he stick that knife. The body count is truly impressive and major characters who we deeply care about die which is a bold choice for the creators and raises the stakes for catching the killer.

Unfortunately the thriller part of the story eventually goes off the rails. This writing team has never produced a thriller before and it shows. There's a lot of huge plot holes and implausibilities in the unsatisfactory final episode. It's really too damned bad because up to ep 15 I was absolutely riveted by this show and loving every minute of it.

In addition to the mostly excellent writing (except for the final episode) I want to shout out the performances. Han Ji Min and Lee Min Ki are absolutely perfect as our chaotic crime fighting duo. They handle the comedy and tragedy equally well. The entire cast is stellar, especially the actor who portrays the killer. I also love the Mujin police officers and the local shop owners and fishermen.

My biggest problem with the drama was episode 16 which failed to close some gigantic plotholes and wasted time with cameos from people we didn't care about instead of giving us a proper ending for the main couple.

Despite all that I freakin' loved this show and rate it my favorite watch of the year. I need LMK and HJM in a proper romance together asap.

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