linxminx

Couldn't watch it to the end

This had a really good cast, but a really poor storyline. Surprisingly, as one of the strengths for Korean dramas is the ability of the writers to really develop the characters. This fell very short of that strength. The first couple of episodes were strong, but after that it just went downhill. For me, the weakness was in the believability of the characters to handle their lives. They seemed exaggerated, rather than human. Park Seo Joon's SaeRoy just wasn't believable. To go through what he did and endure such injustice, then behave so apathetic and stoic just wasn't believable. The same with Yoo Jae Myung and Ahn Bo Hyun's characters. To kill someone's father then go after that father's son, unjustly sending him to prison, then once released going after him again for even more vengeance just seems unbelievable. This was a revenge trope theme, and there are a lot of these type of dramas coming out (i.e. Reborn Rich, The Glory) that have stuck with the main plot, yet allowed the characters to show some humaneness even as they are enacting their revenge. I think where this drama failed was the main characters were way, way too exaggerated in their roles, and the supporting characters were way, way too subdued and neither were ever fully developed.

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Welcome to Kdramal-ri--stay awhile, you will enjoy this!

This is what good Kdramas are all about. A well-written story full of delightful characters, all with their own stories to tell who take the viewer on an amazing experience. The main word I would use to describe it is heartwarming. As the main character returns to her hometown due to a scandal, she must confront a past tragedy and grief that influenced her decision to walk away from her one and only love. He too has to confront the past, the pain of losing her, and the influence his father's grief has had on his life. The two main leads did an exceptional job portraying the simultaneous emotions of heartache with attraction, and walking on eggshells with their parents. I don't think they could've gotten better actors than these two. They were so genuine with their roles and characters, with each other, and with family and friends. It was like two best friends who actually grew up together said to each other one day, "Hey let's make a movie!" Well done Ji Chang Wook and Shin Hye Sun!! And who could not help but fall in love with the Haenyeos?!! Set and filmed in both Seoul and Jeju Island, the cinematography will stir the traveler in you to get on a plane and visit these beautiful areas of South Korea. All of this wrapped in a good soundtrack and you've got the makings of viewer nirvana, which is actually what it was. Great story, good subplots, great acting, great locations, music, and a good ending. All that's left is to grab the popcorn, curl up on the couch, and watch!

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For me, this drama was a massive fail and very offensive

I couldn't watch it to the end, so if anyone who has seen the last episodes wants to comment so I can muster a tad of redemption towards this drama, please do so.

I'm angry right now...just angry. At the casual and indifferent manner in which Korean entertainment treats mental illness. This story is about a woman with a serious mental disorder. One which needs serious help from a highly qualified mental health specialist. The writers use this disorder for entertainment and comedy in this drama and I think it's unbearably offensive.

I'm sure I'll come back as a fan, but right now, I need a break from Kdramas.

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Season 4 is a good one....You Should Watch It

Added note after viewer feedback on social media sites--Apparently SI4 has not been well received. There are viewer complaints that it was too boring, that Sian dominated and got all the viewing time, that the contestants were already celebrities so it was just staged to give them more publicity, that the "roughing it" element has been lost and Inferno is too cushy now, and there are complaints even about the panelists. So after reading some of the viewer feedback, here are my thoughts:
--if the producers are going to use only celebrity contestants (aka actors), we will all have to get use to an element of fake built in
--the panel brought the funny much more than the contestants....don't change the panelists!
--bring back the kitchen/cooking activity; the contestants were able to interact and even do some flirting AND it was entertaining
--I do agree that Sian dominated the show and I did get tired of her in every scene; some viewers have renamed this season to Sian Inferno 4, and I can see why
--I did not miss the cringey, awkward, floral tub bathing scenes between the couples. If the producers never do that again, it would be fine by me!!

Finished--just completed this season. First I want to say that I really enjoyed this season. All of the contestants were great. A lot less drama than season 3, but I didn't find it any less entertaining. Paradise was much, much better this season with the couples actually getting to do some fun stuff together. As far as the couplings, I admit I was wrong about Sian and Jun Seo. I honestly didn't think they would end up together. I like each of them, I just didn't think their personalities went together.

Dong Ho and Arin were absolutely my favorite couple. I'm glad they ended together. Arin was my favorite female contestant. I just loved her confidence (even when Dong Ho was with other girls) in herself, and her positive and energetic personality.

At the end I was worried about Jeong Su. He looked like he lost weight and just didn't feel well. Although he didn't end with Sian, I'm sure he'll find a nice girl as he is certainly a great catch. I don't know why more of the girls didn't see that. Unless there was editing and just some things we didn't get to see. He did seem conservative and traditional, and maybe today's modern Korean females don't want traditional. It's hard to say.

There is still some cringey with Single Inferno 4, but I think this is just a matter of different cultures. The two bed scenes (with Sian and Jun Seo, then with Sian and Jeong Su) were a little cringey. Not to the same degree as the floral tub scenes in earlier seasons. Sian and Jun Seo's bed scene did not seem romantic to me. It just seemed like it was a drunk guy getting into bed with a drunk girl, trying to make something happen, but too drunk to and she was passed out. I don't know....I didn't find it romantic like the panelists did. The bed scene with Jeong Su seemed a little too forced. He seemed really awkward, and I just get the feeling that in real life he is not that awkward, so it just felt too staged.

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We're All Just Trapped in a Cage

Much like many of the reviews of this drama, I was left with a feeling that it didn't deliver what I wanted. Usually when that happens, I try to look at it from a production perspective, mainly the writer and director. I ask myself, "What was the point of this story?" As I thought about this a conversation with a friend came to mind. One day we were talking about the rise of Korean entertainment, specifically Kpop, and she stated, "I feel for Kpop idols. They are trapped in golden cages."

When I looked at the characters of this story, they are all trapped in cages.
The parents trapped in the cage of ruthless power and wealth while appearing to do good in the world.
The principal of the school trapped in the cage of image and branding while constantly putting out fires that threaten that image.
Jae I and Ri an caught in the cage of being the most perfect, obedient, best students in the school, as well as, being crowned royalty which comes with the expectation of service from others.
He Ra was caught in the cage of survival when her only way of life she knew was threatened.
U Jin was caught in the cage of loving He Ra from afar, always wanting but never having.
Ji Su, the teacher and U Jin's lover, was caught in a cage of wanting to be a part of that wealth and seeing U Jin as the source. Her desire led to unspeakable, unethical, and illegal behavior. She was a teacher, suppose to be a good guy, but she was as corrupt and depraved as the students that bullied, the parents that controlled, the principal who covered up.
The wealthy students were caught in a cage of constantly establishing their superiority over others which also meant delivering abuse.
The scholarship students were caught in the cage of just putting up with the abuse to show gratitude for this educational opportunity.
Kang Ha's cage was one of getting revenge for his brother's death.

The only person I could see with a true mission of making things change was Ju Won who wanted to make his mother see how the effect of hiding the student's true behavior was damaging so many people inside the school and also damaging his mother. Which in the end led to the tragic death of In Han.

The story was about people taking control and breaking out of their cages. I think where the story broke down is the act of breaking out of the cage wasn't as clear as it should have been, wasn't as dramatic as hoped for, so we all didn't get the satisfaction we expected.

Jae I was probably the most dramatic of those who broke out of the cage. She said goodbye to Ri an, said goodbye to her way of life, and left to find her banished mother. We are left with the assumption that she is just living a normal, ordinary life.

Ri an too broke out of his cage by not allowing his mother to protect him. He declared he would not be his mother's heir and follow her down the road of corporate wealth. He apologized to Kang Ha for the part he played in his brother's death. Kang Ha's words to him motivated him to go before the disciplinary board to confess he too was guilty. We are left with the assumption that he would be a better person.

Ji Su was arrested for In Han's death and we assume she is now in a real cage.

There was an inkling that U Jin and He Ra might get together but nothing solid. Life seemed very much the same for them. He Ra's father got their company back on track so she was back in the driver's seat of living the good life. No assumption here, as it isn't clear at all what happens to them.

Kang Ha's ending story also fell flat. The revenge he sought in bringing down the school, Ri an, and the other bullies was entirely too anticlimactic. Instead it was coopted by his crush on Jae I, which I felt was too contrived. I honestly didn't feel they had a love connection at all. The scene of him running to catch up to her was stupid. In fact, most of the scenes for the final two episodes were awkward and stunted, like they were suppose to have a purpose but fell very short. It was a bunch of actors delivering their lines as though they all felt in the end that this didn't come together as expected. Which it didn't.

I like a storyline of a person coming into their own skin, breaking out of that cage of expectations by others, and finding their own footing in life. It can make for a really good story. But unfortunately, if that is what this story was suppose to be, it really fell short.

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Korea's version of Greek mythology

I felt like I was watching a storyline straight out of Greek mythology. The gods are loose and wrecking havoc on the world with power hungry , manipulation, jealousy, betrayal, and all sorts of despicable behavior inflicted on the poor humans. All of this is encapsulated within the Kpop world. Which is hilarious when you think about it. Almost a metaphor for music labels with the Devil as the CEO of the label. It was pure entertainment and I think it was done well. I did not take it too seriously and that meant I could enjoy when the actors were over-acting and exaggerating their roles, when the storyline went a little crazy, and when the main couple did things that didn't always make sense. It really was a mythological version of the music industry in all its glory. Sit back and enjoy the entertainment on this one.

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How to Know When to Let Go

"But the world outside of movies was always harsh and burdensome. There were no well-crafted plots or heartwarming lines. Life was just lonely and desolate." Ko Gyeom

Humans would rather hide in a pretend world than face the true reality of living. This series follows four characters as they work their way out of the blinders they placed on themselves in order to please others, but really....to hide from the hard truths of their lives and themselves . The two main leads, Ko Gyeom and Mu Bi are adults still dealing with the loss of their parents at a young age. For Mu Bi it was the loss of her father, whom she felt never loved her or wanted to be with her. For Ko Gyeom it was an over dependence on his older brother who gave up everything to raise Gyeon when they lost their parents. Kim Jae Wook plays the loving, protective, yet depressed brother so well. He is the fifth character in the story that cannot find a way to move on and forward past the harshness life has dealt him. After his brother's death, Gyeon realizes how much his brother sacrificed for him, how little he knew about him especially his unhappiness, and how his own selfish dependence kept the both of them living in an endless loop of pretending life was like the movies. This leads to Gyeon working on a movie set where he meets Mu Bi, who like her father, made movies her career. An attraction between the two begins, but as fast as it sparks, it gets interrupted. They disappear from each other's lives for 5 years, then suddenly find they are living across the street from each other. The rest of the story is how the two get together and also how they work out their individual pain that loss and guilt has left them with.

There is a secondary couple whose storyline is one of the best I've seen in a drama series. Their story is how young love fails to grow which leads to breaking up. Five years later, they come back into each other's lives to work on a project together. One has moved on, one is stuck in the past, but they are both mourning the loss of the great love they once had. Lee Jun Young and Jeon So Nee are excellent in these roles. The writing and the acting really came together on this one, and dare I say, these supporting actors and their storyline eclipsed the leads. I really think this was one of the best parts of this series.

All in all, this series has an important message. As humans we become lost if we stay too much in the past, especially if we are caught up in guilt and anger. We have to allow ourselves to take time to heal, and then we need to bravely step back into our lives again and into the future. A message beautifully told with Melo Movie.

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The Story Has A Deeper Meaning

It's really about finding oneself, understanding oneself, and loving oneself in order to be able to accept, love, and commit to another person. It's also realizing that relationships are not perfect. Long-term relationships can be off and on, up and down, go through valleys and be sky high. For relationships to stand the test of time, one has to accept each other in good times and bad, and be willing to go through the valleys together to try and come out on the other side still together. In other words, relationships are work.

The series is the story of two people trying to not only figure themselves out, but also figure out their relationship, and how they can navigate life and stay together. They both make a lot of mistakes, but it is in the persistence, and that they keep trying again that they learn how to keep the relationship moving forward.

The secondary storylines were good as well. Especially the relationship between Young Hee and Hyun Jae. From very different backgrounds, this caused a lot of insecurity in Young Hee. She tried to cut him loose as she felt bringing darkness into his life was unfair. But, dang, he just stuck with her time and time again.

The main plot and sub plots play out over and over again. To a certain extent, it makes the drama boring. However, the same scenarios happening over and over again are needed to show the journey of discovery these young people are on. However, some of the characters behavior was exaggerated in typical Kdrama fashion. The males are so besotted with the females, they just fall all over themselves to please the girlfriends. While it would be nice if this were realistic, most of this can just be chalked up to the typical fictional Kdrama male. It definitely sells the story, but guys like this don't exist in real life.

It ends well with all the couples happy and together. The soundtrack was good. The scenery was good. Overall, it was a good series.

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Intense, gripping, enormously satisfying...a must-watch!!

For anyone who has been on the receiving end of bullying and oppression, and would love to see their oppressors get what's coming to them, this is the series you'll love. It's a hard watch, especially the beginning which sets the stage showing Dong Eun's history of being bullied, which was really being tortured at the hands of classmates. Planning and preparing for years, the remaining storyline is about what she sets into motion to seek her revenge. There are twists and turns, additional characters and secondary storylines that add layers and complexity to the main plot. It will have you on the edge of your seat as you watch episode after episode. You will be shocked, be angered, be scared, then be relieved only to have the story take you through all those emotions again. It was quite a ride, and well worth it. I think it's the best Kdrama of 2023 so far.

The production was top-notch from start to finish. The cast were perfect in roles that could not have been easy to portray. Kudos and applause to both cast and crew for this outstanding series!!

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Perfectly Imperfect

An amazing and well-written story of three individuals traumatized in childhood. The storyline weaves a tale of discovery in the connection of these traumas to each other, yet examines their individuality as each character breaks through the trauma and begins to experience life on the other side. At times it felt scary, almost too much of a thriller. There are scenes I held my hands up in front of the screen to protect myself from the "gotcha" moment. At other times I laughed out loud as the secondary characters provided the comic relief, and cried alongside those who felt pain and hurt. I thought all the main leads, Kim Too Hyun, Seo Yea Ji, and Oh Jung Se were perfect for their roles and the acting was extraordinaire. However, the secondary parts were amazing as well. I knew Kim Chang Wan from his despicable character in Hwarang, and loved seeing him play the director/counselor/father-figure to those at the OK Psychiatric Center. He is an amazingly versatile actor. So were the other characters played by some of my favorite actors from other dramas, Kim Joo Heon, Kim Mi Kyung, Park Jin Woo, and Park Gym Young. The casting director for this drama should take a bow for getting the right actors into the right roles.

The storyline keeps you caught up in the story by weaving the connections between past and present. I don't really recall a time while watching that I felt the story lagged. There is also a twist that I did not see coming, and I have to say it was a blow to my ego. I'm fairly good at figuring out plot lines in books, tv, and movies. This twist I did not see coming at all. That's how good the writing was. I'm adding this to my top 3 best dramas I've watched this year.

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A Thrilling Fantasy Tale

Normally I'm not drawn to a fantasy genre, but this had such good reviews, and I'm a fan of actress Jung So Min so I thought I would give it a few episodes. I was caught up in the story from the first episode. The strength of this drama are the visuals, from costumes, to sets, to the actors, to the CGI magical effects, it has been done with great quality and attention to detail. I also enjoy period pieces that mix some modern-day touches in with the historical. The production transports you into the fictitious Daeho and makes you feel this is a real place. The ending surprised me, that is all I will say about it. However, it did end in a way to set up Season 2 and I'm thrilled there will be a second season. It is well worth the 20 episodes.

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Something New and Different

This drama takes a break from the normal "boy meets girl, they can't stand each other but fall in love anyway" theme. It is fantasy genre and takes the viewer into an imaginary world of grim reapers. It also tackles the very hard subject of suicide, mainly suicide prevention. Each episode is a different story, but woven into this is the main plot which culminates at the end. I thought this was very cleverly done by the writers and kept me glued to both the episode storylines, and the main plot.

What really jumped out at me in this drama is how well the casting was. The right actors were cast for the right parts, and lent such a strong believability to this fantasy story. The development of the main characters, their own personal storylines showing both their strengths and weaknesses, gave such richness to the overall drama. I finished wanting more. I loved the four main characters, and would love to see another season produced. I didn't get enough of Goo Ryun, Choi Joon Woong, Park Joon Gil, and Im Ryung Goo.

A piece of advice--have tissues handy as some of the episode storylines will squeeze your heart and having you bawling like a baby.

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