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This is indeed another rich guy with issues falls for a poor no-nonsense girl drama. It has all the elements you should expect in this kind of kdrama, including greedy family members, a rival "hot" guy, and a jealous female rival. Even though the story is basically unoriginal, the way the characters act/react is often refreshing, and not so typical. There is also a pretty standard subplot about business corruption, betrayals, and greed, which eventually took too much focus in my opinion.
The supporting cast is made up mostly of fully developed characters, not just people meant to keep the main couple apart. Wang Ji Hye was really a stand out among the supporting cast. I initially liked Hero Jaejoong, though his coolness/aloofness started to bore me towards the end. I would have personally liked less time spent on the secondary couple who's scenes started to feel too repetitive. I also liked Ha Jae Sook, and I loved the female friendship displayed on the show.
The music fit the show well, though none of the songs were particularly memorable. Both male leads have more than one moment where they sing, which i thought was pretty cute.
I agree that this drama goes on too long. Compared to the pacing of the earlier episodes, the last episodes really started to drag the story out, and lost too much of the humor. The last scenes were underwhelming, and felt rushed. This is one of those kdramas that start with a bang and ends with a shrug. I still think this drama has more good going for it than bad, and would definitely recommend it.
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The math just didn't math.
It's been a while since I completed a drama that I disliked this much. I started watching without expectations, and even though I knew the extreme study culture storyline would be hard for me to relate to I was open. The pressure the students faced and the young actors' performances turned out to be the best part of this show. Unfortunately, this drama gets failing marks in all other categories. The romance plot was dated and stale. The mystery plot was comically bad. I really wanted to root for this aunt who shifted her whole life to raise her niece but instead, I watched the same petty rants and schemes from entitled parents, I watched two clearly older romantic leads acting like awkward children dating, and that was honestly more annoying than wholesome, and I watched the most unnecessary thriller plot that I still don't quite understand. And I still kept watching.Jeon Do Yeon plays Nam Haeng Seon, our supposedly strong and super athletic lead who too often for me was passive and boring. I know many people have complained about her age, but I'm not sure that's why her character felt off to me. She and her bff played by Lee Bong Ryun were surely meant to seem less sophisticated compared to the other women characters, but that should not mean being bland. She is matched with Jung Kyung Ho who plays Choi Chi Yeol a supposedly super dynamic rock star teacher who was also cheesy and bland. The backstory provides a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why these 2 fall for each other but I just didn't believe it based on their interactions. Their romantic moments seemed forced. Their smiles at each other seemed super fake. Teacher Choi's high kicks were so ridiculous that they made his motivational teacher brand seem less believable. I totally understand the writer's intentions with the lead characters but they just didn't work for me.
If I'm honest, my favorite performances were Roh Yoon Seo as Hae Yi and her friends, and Oh Eui Shik as Jae Woo. Jae Woo was really a weird comic relief character throughout, but he still managed to create a believable and likable character... one of the few. The rest of the characters, mainly obsessed parents and rival students, were too extreme to feel real at all until the very last episodes. Maybe the extreme parts were meat for laughs but I wasn't laughing. And don't get me started on the random murder/suicide plot that never seemed to really fit at all. They clearly gave up on that plot based on its conclusion.
Would I watch this again? Absolutely not. I don't even know what kept me watching until the end. I think part of me kept hoping to connect to the characters or for the story to start making sense but eventually, I was just waiting for it to finally end.
Overall, this drama gets a hard pass from me, and I don't mean a passing grade. Maybe people who can relate to this kind of pressure to get the top grades or go to the highest-ranked schools will relate a little more but that won't make the writing any better. Sure, it ends well, as far as closure for the characters, but the end also felt too simplistic and too dragged out. I was watching the clock for the last 30 mins. Maybe for some watching the banter between an unconventional family or a different kind of couple may be enough to keep them engaged, but I wish this drama went on fewer tangents and developed the two leads enough to carry the whole story. Maybe if you want a drama with a more retro feel then you can find some charm in "Crash Course in Romance". Me? I can't recommend this drama or understand its high rating. The math just didn't math for me.
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There were two major issues I had with this drama. The first is that I really could not stand Hong Seol. She irritated me, and frustrated me, and made me want to reach through the screen and shake her. Kim Go Eun does a decent job, and I totally believed her as an awkward college student, but there was a charm that was missing for me. Seol is a complicated character emotionally, and I just don't think she pulled that off. She kinda played the role as if the character was on anti-depressant medication. That approach also added to one of the biggest fails in this drama for me - I just never believed that Seol actually liked Yoo Jung. Their chemistry was awkward. Even if both characters are "weird", and she was on guard with him, there should still be a sense that they actually belong together to make the romance work. She had much better chemistry with Seo Kang Joon as In Ho, but still not enough to carry a whole drama.
Speaking of the two leading men, they were my favorite characters. Figuring out the dynamic of their relationship became one of the most interesting parts of the show. Park Hae Jin was great at playing the line between sweet and sinister, so I loved him as Yoo Jung, but I didn't believe he liked Seol very much either. Part of what may have made their dynamic weird is that Park Hae Jin is older, looks older, and behaved as if he were older than the entire cast of students. He could sorta physically pass for a college student (sometimes - from certain flattering angles), but not compared to the other main student characters (except maybe Sang Chul). He seemed more like Seol's older brother, than a love interest. Similar to the dynamic he had with Seo Kang Joon, but the bromance gone wrong story touched me more. In Ho was also a great character, the epitome of the bad boy with a good heart. I definitely look forward to seeing him in more dramas in the future.
The rest of the cast was great. Many of the supporting characters are more campy than realistic, which fits the style of the show. I hated most of the character's traits, and had very little empathy for them, but they were played very well. In particular, Lee Sung Kyung as In Ha was very over the top, and smack-in-the-face-able, but memorable for sure. Eun Taek and Bo Ra were cute together, and I thought they had a better love story than the main characters.
What about the writing? I think it was pretty bad. It was good enough to get me interested, but not good enough to hold that interest. Yoo Jung is almost treated as if he is Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho", when I didn't see anything really wrong with what he did, even at his worst. Maybe that's a cultural thing, or maybe that's because I like movies like "American Psycho", but he just didn't seem bad enough to warrant how people acted towards him. I think they should have made him temper much worse revenge thriller-style, or make the misunderstandings more obvious, but the weird in between just made things confusing for me. Why were his actions seen as unforgivable vs the other characters in the show (who's actions were equally terrible). It seemed like lack of empathy was supposed to be a big theme in this drama, and I don't think that was executed well.
Much of the show is told through vignettes, which matches the webtoon feel, but especially towards the end, the story felt less cohesive. And don't even get me started on the ending, which was terrible. The only reason I wasn't completely dissatisfied with the end, is because I was just ready for it to be over at that point. Maybe it was meant to give you that "sequel pending" feeling, but it seemed more like the writers rushed to finish. Or maybe it's related to the drama surrounding this drama that I didn't care enough to read up on.
Would I watch this again? Nope. I barely made it through the first viewing.
Now that I completed this show, the story still had so much potential for me that I started reading the webtoon. So far, I'm not a fan of it either (super confusing to follow - maybe too much is lost in the translation - but I'm only on #20). Like the show, the concept is interesting enough that I will keep reading hoping to like it more. Characters (certainly Seol), and relationships between them make more sense to me than they did on the show, so I wouldn't even recommend this drama to the webtoon fans.
Overall, I will say this is a drama whose concept, and potential, was much greater than the execution of it. I can't recommend it, unless you really like being frustrated by characters and their choices, but I can see how people could see this as an interesting look at human nature. It just wasn't interesting enough for me.
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First, I have very mixed feeling about the lead. I actually liked her in the beginning, but slowly she started to annoy me, and then her character stopped making sense at all. IU was great when if came to flirting with and challenging all the Princes, but once the role became more serious, her acting seemed more and more lacking. Then add to that the fact that the character's actions made no sense, and I could no longer stand her, or her visions. She was a very frustrating character to try to root for.
To me, the real stars are two of the Princes, Prince Hottie (#8) Kang Ha Neul, and Prince Bad@ss (#4) Lee Joon Gi. They are the ones who kept me watching. They were definitely the most complicated of all the characters, and they both had great chemistry with IU in the beginning. Unfortunately, as the story progressed they both went from being complicated characters I could empathize with, to characters that were very hard to defend or like. I know in some ways that this is a tragedy, but leaving me with only characters I don't like left to root for makes it hard to want to keep watching.
There were also some good villain characters, which I can appreciate. One of the worst mom's in the history of dramas, the worst sister, the worst father, and of course the worst brother (or two, or three...), but once almost everyone left seemed to be evil, the villains were a lot less fun to hate. I just started to dislike everyone instead.
That brings me to the story. There were so many characters, and some really great dramatic stories to follow, with a great supporting cast to make it all work. The problem is that after building up each story, where it eventually all lead to was very disappointing. The way characters suddenly completely switched personalities made no sense. The main romances started to feel forced and fake. The tragedy aspect of the story started to get extreme, almost like they threw every terrible thing they could think of in... with even the cute romantic scenes starting to seem rapey. Still I was more frustrated than sad, and also totally confused. The conclusion, and why she was there in the first place seemed thrown together, and I felt cheated. Many of the supporting characters had better plots, and stronger performances, than the lead. It almost seems like a waste of a great ensemble cast.
One good thing was that the soundtrack was good, with a few songs being worthy of my KDrama OST playlist.
Would I watch this again? Probably not, but part of me still remembers what I loved in the beginning, which may be worth revisiting. However, 20 episodes did feel way too long once the story started to fall apart. If I could go back in time I would probably tell myself to watch it again, but with lower expectations, and maybe skipping through most of the last few episodes.
Overall, this is a hard one to recommend unless you are a true sageuk fan, or a fangirl for any of the Princes. Part of me is curious to see what the Chinese version is like, but I doubt I will ever watch it. This was my first time watching 2 on air sageuks, and If I had to choose the best one with "moon" in the title, this one wouldn't be it.
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I will start with the "delightful" girl herself. I put delightful in quotes because using that to describe Choon Hyang seems almost sarcastic. Instead she is stubborn, has a bad temper, and usually keeps her true feelings hidden. It would make more sense calling her frustrating b#y@tch Choon Hyang, or by the alternative "Sassy" title, but I guess that can too easily be confused with the movie. I think Han Chae Young did a good job with the character, and made her likable in spite of her flaws. I did think some of the more emotional, and romantic parts fell flat because of her, and though her character is meant to be cold at times, I think it had more to do with her limitations as an actress.
Then there's Jae Hee who plays the rebel she's forced to marry, Lee Mong Ryong. I was not very impressed by Jae Hee's latest drama (Color of Woman), but I really liked him in this. I thought he was extremely charming, and I felt like I was really watching his character mature. He definitely makes a lot of animated faces, but I never found it distracting... ok, maybe it was a little distracting since In my head I couldn't stop referring to him as "Johnny Depp face" (which is definitely a compliment). As a main couple they were cute together, constantly teasing and arguing with each other, but they didn't really have an exciting chemistry. There were a few good romantic moments, but nothing kills the romance for me quicker than a bad onscreen kiss. The way they kissed was as if they were asked to freeze just as their lips touched, and they just held that awkward pose waiting for someone to finally yell "cut". Their emotional moments also often felt forced, so I didn't cry once, which says a lot since I can be a crybaby.
Speaking of nicknames, I kept using a bunch while watching this drama like "psycho-noona", "creepy dirty old man", and "the worst best friend on earth". The supporting cast is filled with extreme characters meant to keep the main couple apart. Their actions were often hard to believe, and aggravatingly annoying. Some of these characters made me angry enough to want to throw things at the screen, which means they did a pretty good job. I thought too many of the supporting characters played one note for too long, and didn't have much depth. I think the Hong Sisters were a little lazy when it came down to the supporting cast as a whole. Maybe the actors should share the blame since I found Uhm Tae Woong to be extremely creepy from the start, even when he was being kind. I thought the one exception was Ahn Suk-hwan, who played Mong Ryong's father, and was my favorite of the bunch. Speaking of parents, what in the world happened with Choon Hyang's mother????!!!
Viewers should expect some signature Hong sisters fantasy, and parody moments. My favorite parts were actually the interludes which refer to the original legend. They were clever, and offered a nice balance to the main story. Towards the end the mood shifts dramatically, as they try really hard (unsuccessfully in my case) to pull at the audiences heart strings. The time line for the story is also pretty ambitious, but I think they made it work. Still, not every episode is created equal, and I definitely prefer the earlier fun ones to the later ones. I did think the ending episode was well done, and was not as predictable as I expected it to be.
Maybe if I saw this first, or closer to when it first came out, I would have liked it more, but honestly I don't think so. I didn't exactly hate it, there are just so many other dramas that I would recommend before this one. The only way I could see myself rewatching this is with friends as we yelled at the screen, & heckled the characters. I can see why those who liked this early on would defend it, but I wanted to give another opinion for latecomers to kdrama like me who are just getting around to watching some of the older dramas. I guess I would recommend this to big fans of the Hong sisters, just so they can see how far they've come.
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Should be renamed "Then this B@%# had the nerve..."
"Reflection of You" seems like such a weak title for a drama like this. A title like "Then This Heaux had the nerve to..." or "Can you believe what this B@$#% did???!!!!" would be much more fitting. It's been a while since a drama made me curse at the screen like this, so I can't believe the rating for this show is so low. This drama was slow to get me interested. I was pretty bored for the first few episodes because it takes a while to get to know the characters and their relationships with each other but once you do the pace is relentless and filled with intense betrayal, ruthless pettiness, and Draaaaamaaaa. The cast is phenomenal. Every character is multidimensional, duplicitous, and yet somehow still empathetic. There aren't any likable characters, to be honest, but I enjoyed the fact that these characters were so messy and sometimes outright awful without being too unrealistic. If you're looking for happy escapism this is the wrong drama. If you want to watch how characters keep digging themselves into a hole until they finally reach the hell they deserve then grab some snacks and enjoy!This story centers around Go Hyun Jung as Jung Hee Joo. I despised her character so much but that's because she played her so well. Most of the fun of this drama is how details about the story unfold so I don't want to say too much about what she does, but her self-centered, manipulative, audacity as she tried to hide behind a phony victim persona was what fueled my interest in the story. I loved watching her gag every episode, and anticipating how everything would eventually backfire. Yes, the mood of this drama fits that of a thriller but the plot is mostly melodrama with some of the shadiest characters ever. At times it was a little distracting that her age gap with the other characters was so noticeable but I also liked seeing a more mature female lead. I only remember seeing her in a rom-com when she was younger "What's Up, Fox?", but this is the exact opposite of a comedy. I also saw her more as the villain than the character who was probably supposed to be seen that way, Shin Hyun Bin as Goo Hae Won. I actually loved Hae Won as a character, which may be worrisome lol, but I could empathize with her so much. Also, Shin Hyun Bin deserves extra praise for playing her character's evolution so well. These two ladies had rival chemistry that was perfect. Their scenes were like watching a great tennis match between star players. That's how all of the scenes felt honestly. Even the teenage characters were strong players.
I can't emphasize enough how great this cast is. I wish I could name all of them. Kim Jae Young as Seo Woo Jae is definitely obsession-worthy, although his character was the least fleshed out in my opinion. He felt like the only lazily written main character, but Jae Young still made the most out of the role. Choi Won Young as Ahn Hyun Sung is always so good at playing cool with something sinister hidden right under the surface. His role in this is not quite as epic as "Hello Monster" but it's still a great performance. Kim Bo Yun as the worst mom ever was another favorite of mine. Even with a subtle look and fewer scenes, she was legendary. Then there's Shin Dong Wook as "good guy" uncle Jung Seon Woo, and the angstiest KDrama teen maybe ever Kim Soo An as Lisa. I loved that I got to know so many characters' stories and struggles without it distracting from the main plot too much. Maybe being based on a book is why the characters seem so well written. The stories also have complimentary themes of choosing to hold on to the past, the cycle of revenge, flawed parents, broken trust, the punishment fitting the "crime", and how hurt people hurt people. I may not have been moved to tears by the story, and some parts of the plot seemed weaker than others, but I was moved by their self-discoveries, even when they chose the less righteous path.
Would I watch this again? Yes. The scenes are well done with intense dialogue as well as catty banter throughout, although knowing the story would take some of the thrill away. The ending did feel like a bit of a safe cop-out and rushed at some moments, with things resolving a little too nicely and neatly, but by the very end, it felt well done. I don't like vague endings, but this ending left me with enough closure. I am also sure with a rewatch there will be some details that I missed the first time, especially in the flashback clips. There are a lot of flashbacks, but I didn't mind that.
Overall, I'm glad I didn't pay too much attention to the rating and gave this drama a chance. I'm also glad I binged watched the whole thing because waiting each week would have been too hard. I think we all have different thresholds for being able to move on, so this story may be too obsessive and dark for some viewers, but I loved it. If you like stories about how complicated human nature can be then this drama is a must-see. This is not your average melodrama about spoiled rich people and random amnesia, these characters surprised me often. "Reflection of You" may not be a new favorite but it's certainly underrated. I could point out holes in the plot, and specific parts that I wish were less vague, but I was so involved in the characters that those things didn't affect how much I enjoyed this drama as whole. If you've ever felt like a member of #teampetty this is a drama for you!
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Rain is incredibly cute, and often shirtless, as the stubbornly childish Lee Young Jae. Song Hye Kyo is endearing as the unbelievably naive, and ditzy Han Ji Eun. The first two episodes are filled with totally unrealistic, but pretty amusing, situations that end in a false marriage, and the two leads having to learn to live together. Full House paves the way for many future K-drama clichés, since they work so well in this one (like "Personal Taste", which Is my first K-drama love).
Everything is basically straight from the K-drama RomCom handbook (unrealistic chance encounters, unbelievable coincidence, nursing people back to health, rich vs broke, OCD vs slob, frustrating misunderstandings, running through airports, Hallyu star scandals, love squares... ) and most of it works. The cast is what makes it work so well, and kept the sometimes repetitive moments entertaining. I also think the leads, & their romantic rivals, do show some depth. I loved to hate Han Eun Jung as needy Kang Hye Won. Kim Sung Soo as Yoo Min Hyuk was a little one-note throughout, but still made for an appealing 2nd lead (but those eyebrows???!!!). I really disliked Han Ji Eun's two "best friends" who's audacity was hard to believe, and watch, but I think that is the fault of the writers, not the actors. One of my favorite supporting characters was the grandmother, and I thought the family scenes were really cute.
This drama could have easily been cut a little shorter. They made sure to drag out the banter & bickering to the last possible moments, because they know it's what people like to see from the leads. It's clear, during the last two episodes, that they ran out of story, and that they had to rely heavily on flashbacks to fill the time. The leads do a good job of keeping the chemistry going, so the final moments still have some entertainment value, and I did really like the final moments with the 4 main characters.
If you're in the mood for a love story without any frills, give this one a try. I have already rewatched it, and it doesn't lose it's charm with the 2nd viewing, nor does it feel too dated (just the phones). The soundtrack is also incredibly catchy. For better or worse, I found myself humming the songs to myself.
The key to liking this drama is knowing what to expect. It's a lighthearted innocent romance that's fun to watch if you're in a romcom mood. It's still converting people into drama-addicts for a reason.
Aja, Aja, Fighting!
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I was really ready to hate this movie when it sucked me in.
I am not a fan of vague and abstract films so I was worried that this would be disappointing in spite of the great cast. The pace is super slow, and the story is vague in many ways, but it's also very interesting, and surprisingly suspenseful. I can definitely say I had no idea where the story was heading, and the ending definitely made me feel uncertain but satisfied. "Burning" is the kind of movie that will haunt you with questions, and performances that certainly are noteworthy.I decided to watch this after seeing Jeon Jong Seo in "The Call" and as Hae Mi I can definitely see how this performance would get her noticed. Hae Mi is an awkward free-spirit, seductive, eccentric, and needy... and she is on a quest to find some meaning and inspiration in her life. Jeon Jong Seo nails all of that in her performance, and I can now confidently add her to my list of favorite actors already. Another favorite actor of mine is Yoo Ah In, who is brilliant as usual as Lee Jong Soo. Jong Soo is pretty similar to other roles he has played (a loner with pent-up aggression is what he does so well), but that doesn't make his performance less memorable. I love how he conveys so much without relying on dialogue. The chemistry these two have may not be what is normally meant by chemistry but it's what carries the intensity of this whole movie. The trio is completed by Steven Yeun as Ben, who is great at being mysterious and charming and rounds out the main cast well. Maybe it's because I haven't seen him in Korean movies or shows before, but he seemed a little more out of place... but that may have been on purpose. His performance was definitely great as well, along with his nuanced smile, and the dynamic of three of them together was enough to keep me interested alone. The third wheel energy is strong, but think less love triangle and more "what in the world is going on and why is it making me so uncomfortable?".
The story however is what I struggled with, and not just because of the slow-burning pace, but more because certain moments felt tedious. Visually it's beautiful, but not much "happens" in many of the early scenes. There are also some very graphic, almost gratuitously graphic sexual and nude scenes, that seemed too much for me when I couldn't figure out what the story actually was. It's about an hour and a half into the film when things finally start to come together, and the real suspense kicked in for me. That may seem too long for a lot of people, but I think the payoff is worth it.
Would I watch this again? Absolutely, and I already did! This is the type of film where knowing the end changes how you see the rest of it completely! It's also the type of story that will keep you wondering. During the first viewing I could feel how long the film was, but the second viewing dragged much less, and I wanted to analyze every moment. The end is still somewhat open to interpretation, but not in a lazy way that sacrifices storytelling for a cool shot, which I hate. I saw it more as us "knowing" the end without it having to be said, but there still is room for doubt or different perspectives, and that's what makes the story so haunting. What the story does best is play with the theme that some things can be believed in without being seen or confirmed, and also how perspectives can be totally different using everything from pantomime, a well, a greenhouse, to a random cat, and letting that prime us for a very suspenseful premise.
Overall, this movie has an arthouse feel, but it really is a thoughtprovoking mystery. I can't say too much more without spoilers, but if you're patient, the story unfolds in a captivating way. Now I am even interested in reading the story it's based on, although I'm sure this stands more on its own. I never read any Haruki Murakami before, but this definitely made me curious to see what the original story is like. I also may watch more Lee Chang Dong films if they are this interesting. This film took me on an intensely interesting journey that will stay with me for a while. Still, with the great direction, great performances, and an intensely suspenseful plot, I can see "Burning" being too extreme for mass appeal. I was really ready to hate this movie right before it sucked me in, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. The more time passes the more I like it... I changed my rating multiple times... this is a slow burning that stayed with me, and I feel like the longer the emotional fire burns the higher a rating it deserves. The film may not be exactly perfect but the title is.
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Of all the characters I liked Yeon Woo Jin as Jang Yoon the best because you could never quite tell what his intentions were. I've definitely liked him in other dramas but seeing him being so duplicitous made me like him even more as an actor. I loved how charming yet sinister he could be, and that made me really want to know what his motives were. He is matched with Kim Se Jung as
Hong Yi Young, who I liked much more than I thought I would. At first, I thought she would be too young to hold her own with him, but her character was written in a refreshing way so she wasn't a doormat and often spoke her mind directly. Her "YOLO" tendencies could have easily been annoying, but she was so likable that I wanted to root for her. Even her being a timpanist is a cool choice. I think the two of them also had some great chemistry moments, which along with the mystery of Yi Young's forgotten summer made me eager to watch each episode. There are other characters who are pretty good too, though most are just filler. The best part of this drama is the idea of their love story, but as Yi Young says early on, this is NOT a love story.
Yes, a lot of this story involves romance, but the bulk of it is a murder mystery. The mystery storyline is revealed in interesting pieces and the world of the orchestra was a great setting, but once all the pieces start to come together in the later episodes the story starts to get really boring because it feels so drawn out. There are so many repeated flashbacks in the final few episodes that I actually started to get annoyed. Then the reveal of what happened and wrap up of all the characters was an even bigger disappointment because it felt so forced, cliché, and contrived. Song Jae Rim as Maestro Nam had the best story arc of the side characters, but Park Ji Yeon was completely underutilized. Many of the other characters were forgettable and very one-note, even her BFF. If it weren't for the romance elements this drama would have felt like a complete waste of time, and even the romance was a let down at the end no matter how hard they tried to recapture moments from earlier episodes.
Would I watch this again? I doubt it. I'm sorta curious about how watching this drama would be now that I already know what really happened, but I can't imagine watching any of the later episodes again. And as for the soundtrack, as much as I liked the orchestra, especially the baby shark moment, I despised the "Beautiful Day" song that they kept insisting on repeating! I know she's an idol and stuff but I'd rather hear Jang Yoon sing me a full concert than hear that song ever again. I don't wanna hear that song!
Overall, this drama goes from an exciting start to a basic ending. Maybe if it were shorter it would have been better, or maybe if the ending was less obvious and dragged out I would have liked it a lot more. Instead, this is a drama that I am likely to forget by next summer. Maybe it's worth a watch since there are much worse dramas out there, but I suspect you will lose interest towards the end. Perhaps it's better to watch the first part and then when you're ready to drop it ask for spoilers instead of suffering through the final episodes. Unless you need a cure for insomnia too? If so, just treat the last episodes like a serenade from Jang Yoon and let them lull you to sleep.
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Lots of Meat for a Great Trilogy Sandwich!
As brutal as "Squid Game" Season 1 is I have watched it over and over and have become obsessed with the characters and the story. It took 3 years to finally release this second season and after so much hype I was afraid Season 2 would be disappointing. I was pleasantly surprised instead. First, I think it did a great job of recapturing the intensity of the original without trying to repeat it. I knew I would miss certain characters and may not connect to these new characters as deeply, which was true, but with so many familiar KDrama faces in new roles (like Kang Ha Neul and Si-Wan) and knowing how Hwang Dong Hyuk is mindful of the tiniest story details, I trusted I would become invested in these new people who volunteered to join the Squid Game Universe, and I absolutely did. The returning cast and new cast live up to the hype, but unlike Season 1 where everything was packed into 9 episodes, we are left with so much more to learn about so many by the end of Season 2, and Season 3 thankfully comes in 2025.So yes, you must watch Season 1 to understand everything in Season 2 and eventually Season 3. Think of the movie musical "Wicked" but with more guns and less singing, besides Thanos' cringy rap verses courtesy of T.O.P.
Lee Jung Jae is back to revise his role as #456 Seong Gi Hun. He is still as bitter and mournful as he was at the end of Season 1 and he is obsessed with and determined to end these games once and for all. It's also not a spoiler if you watch any trailer to know that Wi Ha Joon is back as Officer Hwang Jun Ho as well. He too is just as obsessed and determined as he was in Season 1 although clearly the inspiration for his motivation has changed. Other returning characters that I was happy to see and see more screen time from in Season 2 are Lee Byung Hun as "Front Man" In Ho, and Gong Yoo as the recruiter. There are a couple more side characters from Season 1 who make a big reappearance in Season 2 but I won't spoil their reveals if you missed them in the trailer. I actually loved how all of the characters evolved over the 3 years in a way that stayed true to them and their story.
I was not as emotionally invested in the new characters as much as I was in Season 1 but I believe that is because of the direction of the story not because of the performances. T.O.P as "Thanos" is entertaining. The Mom and Son duo and Baby Mama Drama is a nice dynamic to add to the plot. With more time and episodes to tell the story I believe we will learn more about many of the cast we've only seen glimpses of in Season 2 in Season 3, but the roles that impacted me the most so far are Park Gyu Young as Kang No Eul who is so different from Dali in "Dali and the Cocky Prince" and has such an interesting character perspective from any of the characters in the first season which surprised me, and Park Sung Hoon as Cho Hyeon Ju, who I just watched in "Queen of Tears" and I didn't even recognize him at first because he is so different and this time very likable. Talk about range!
Would I watch this again? Of course. I binged it in one day on the release day and I will likely watch it a bunch before the release of Season 3. I can already tell that this is the kind of season that has details I may have missed since we know some of the clues for what will happen next are literally written on the walls. The way the Squid Game story takes a look at humanity in a philosophical way is still super entertaining, reflecting people who vote against their own self-interests as well as those willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. The games still inspire a "what would you do?" feeling with morally gray characters that make you both empathetic and frustrated. The story hits familiar plot beats from Season 1, Like 'red light green light', without making it feel redundant or predictable. The only part of the story that I couldn't really vibe with was the last episode. I don't think it is badly written, it just switches the tone we are used to so much that it feels like a normal action drama which was less interesting than diabolical kid's games. But by the end of the final episode, we are back to the same kind of suspense that kept me eagerly waiting and excited for Season 2 for these past few years, but this time I'm glad we only have to wait one year (or a few months).
I like that this season came at it from the perspective of putting together all the pieces of the game that we already know. As an audience, we have seen a lot but each individual character only has their limited perspective which is fascinating to see when you realize what they still don't know. I also love that the true question is still the blue pill red pill dilemma that questions whether it is important to play the hero even if most of the odds are against you or just enjoy living under the delusion that everything is ok with as many comforts as you can get.
Overall, "Squid Game" is still a well-done dystopian spin on capitalistic greed, and human nature/survival instincts. It does a good job of reflecting society without doing any finger-wagging. It's still visually iconic with a soundtrack that is haunting and campy and will remain burned into my brain (I love the 'red light green light' game remix). I can see people not liking it as much as the original but for me it's like comparing Star Wars to The Empire Strikes Back (iykyk). I can tell this was a compromise where they chose to tell a longer well-developed story and break it up rather than just come up with a quick formulaic sequel and I think they pulled that off. I may not have cried the way I did in the first season but I was shocked many times, touched by a few moments, and even plot points I could see a mile away got me hyped and yelling at the screen. Everyone has their taste but Squid Games is my "Hunger Games" and I'm all in for the thrills, sacrifices, betrayals, heroism, and unlikely teamwork. I see a lot of reactionary low scores for this season and that just makes me think many people still prefer 'blue pill' entertainment, which is fine. Personally, I am now once again invested in Gi Hun's journey and curious about how he will evolve in Season 3. Hwang Dong Hyuk is a great storyteller and dare I say it's been fun to be a viewer of these games. Does that make me a low-key VIP? I don't know, but I can't wait to see who ultimately "wins" in this series.
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The cast also did a great job, and I was impressed by Lee Yo Won's range, and absolutely loved Jung Il Woo as the Scheduler. There were no weak links in the cast. I admit that Nam Gyu Ri did get on my nerves, but i think I was just annoyed by her character.
Though I would give the story, and acting high marks, and I even liked the soundtrack, I still have to give this drama an overall lower rating. My main issue with it was that it was soooo depressing. There's not much comic relief, and even romantic scenes always seemed to have a cloud of impending doom. It did make me reflect about life, but more so it made me depressed. The story centers around issues of betrayal, and grief, which aren't exactly happy topics. If you cry easily make sure you have a huge supply of tissue nearby as you watch this.
49 Days simply didn't give me the addicted "I gotta watch" feeling that I usually get from kdrama. I knew I wouldn't miss any characters once it was all over. I can't think of any memorable scenes, or moments that I would want to watch again. I watched all 20 episodes because I wanted to see how it would end, and once it ended I was satisfied, and ready to move on.
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A Dark and Twisted Rashomon
"Mask Girl" packs a lot into 7 episodes. Instead of offering typical KDrama escapism, this drama delves into characters looking for their own forms of escape. Mask Girl and the characters in her world are dark, lonely, and even delusional anti-heroes. They may not always be likable or sane but they are easy to empathize with as we watch their lives spiral more and more out of control with every episode. This drama's content is also wild and intensely adult, including nudity and violence, but it never felt too over the top to me. In a world full of influencers, Idols, and only fans setting a new standard, "Mask Girl" and its themes feel perfect for the times even though much of the story technically takes place in the past.My favorite thing about this drama is that it is told in a Rashomon style with each episode representing a new character's POV. The less you know while watching the better as each character is introduced and brought to the forefront with new perspectives on things we thought we knew and have already seen. I admit that some of the story is predictable but in a way that feels more tragically inevitable, making the suspense more intense. I especially loved the first 2 episodes, not only because of the amazing performances by Lee Han Byeol and Ahn Jae Hong, but because it really felt like I was a fly on the wall observing someone's most intimate thoughts, feelings, and desires which made me root for some characters even in spite of their actions as the story progressed. In a weird way, it's a shout-out to the intensely socially awkward but also about all of us.
Another honorable mention for me is Yeom Hye Ran. She really broke my heart in some scenes while totally surprising me in others. She gave my favorite performance in this drama and I was totally able to separate her from Ms. Chu in "Uncanny Counter 1&2" (which I am also currently watching) even though I love her in that role too. She definitely has an acting range FAAAAR beyond her years. She's for sure one of my favorites now!
Would I watch this again? Sure. It's not an easy watch, but the characters are so interesting that I would be curious to see it all again knowing the full story. I do think the later episodes wouldn't be as exciting the second time around, but the story and performances are still strong enough to keep me watching.
The only thing I didn't like as much is the ending which I wish went the less safe and obvious route.
I also think the soundtrack is perfect. Adding a lot to the storytelling without an unnecessary epic ballad or song repeating over and over again to force the mood. The music just complements everything with just the right mood.
And shout out to the director for some really cool yet subtle imagery, and keeping the nudity, sex, and violence tastefully done.
Overall, "Mask Girl" delves not only into an image-obsessed society but also into the different personas we show the outside world vs. how we truly are and feel inside. Yes, this is a thriller, filled with violence and revenge, but it's also thought-provoking, delving into image and validation and obsession and insecurity... some of the less appealing aspects of human nature, without being too preachy about it. I also feel like this is hardly a dark comedy. I laughed a few times. but this is pretty much a tragedy from start to finish. Still, it manages to avoid being too depressing and that balance helps make it super easy to binge. I definitely recommend it to those interested in a grown-up drama, with some memorable characters, and a unique storytelling style. "Mask Girl" is the personification of a "don't judge a book by its cover" drama. It definitely won't be for everyone, but don't judge "Mask Girl" by the poster, description, or shocked reviewers. This one, I think, you have to get to know for yourself.
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An ambitious drama... but maybe too ambitious
I'll start this review by admitting that I am normally not a big fan of plots about greedy rich family members fighting over power positions but once I saw Song Joong Ki I knew I would have to watch this. He never disappoints, even in dramas I don't love, and this unfortunately was one of those dramas. Don't get me wrong, there are some really great things about "Born Rich" and I say this knowing nothing about the book it's based on. The rivalries are intense and keeping up with the lead character's wins and losses flavored with Korean nostalgia was fun each week. This was largely due to Lee Sung Min as Jin Yang Cheol, the family patriarch at the center of all the greed and corruption.Jin Do Joon and Jin Yang Cheol's relationship are what makes this drama so exciting. There are other great characters as well but watching them match wits eclipses everything else. The main story is a pretty standard revenge plot with a retro twist, and clever Do Joon is easy to root for, but what I liked more was the feeling of watching an intense game of chess between two fierce rivals who clearly admire each other. I was less interested in the war between siblings, even with some impressive actors in those roles. The terrible rich people being terrible trope is just not as engaging after a while, and too many of the family members were 2 dimmensional awful people.
One part of the story that really did not work well is the romance plot. I think in this case it wasn't just the writing but Shin Hyun Bin's performance that made this storyline fall flat. Her choice to play Seo Min Young as cold, guarded, and robotic throughout left no room for any romance scenario that made sense. I felt myself rolling my eyes whenever her character showed up, and that's not a good look for a love interest.
Another problem I had with "Born Rich" is that there were a lot of times I had a hard time following what was going on and who was who. There are a lot of characters with agendas, and a lot of agendas conflict and overlap. Add to that a lot of significant Korean history moments going over my head and me likely missing a lot of important details. Thankfully the music helped me know when something sinister was about to go down. lol
Would I watch this again? Maybe. Now that I know the ending I would be slightly interested in seeing it from the beginning with that in mind. However, the episodes are so long that I think without the suspense they may not be fun to watch anymore. I was satified with seeing the main character's evolution and I think that's enough for me to move on from this for now. I know a lot of people didn't like the direction the story went towards the end but I appreciated the twist and what it said about the blind pursuit of wealth and power.
Overall, "Born Rich" didn't disappoint but it did fall a little short. It just felt too inconsistent. By the end of episode 15, I was really excited about this drama's ending, but it kinda fizzled and turned predictable by the very end. Is it worth watching just to watch Song Joong Ki? Yes. Is this as good as some of his other famous roles? Definitely not. Even his infamous charming smirks seemed more low key in this one. If you didn't read the synopsis, good! Don't! I'm glad I started watching knowing nothing from the very beginning. The conflict for me is that I liked the story more than how it was told. I loved the suspense and cliff hangers but hated the repetitive scenes with shadey characters staring suspiciously at each other. Be aware that this is a plot that stays true to one genre and focuses on Politics, Power, and Revenge. If you find people discussing plots and schemes tedious this is not the drama for you.
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A reflective slice of small town life
Summer Strike is what I would call a mood slice of life drama. It's a story about Yeo Reum "Summer" whose hectic life is falling apart when she decides to pack a backpack with a few belongings and go on strike from the life she's known. She winds up in a strange small town full of interesting characters and makes the choice to lead an unconventional life without any responsibilities or plans. The concept is pretty inspiring except for one thing... Yeo Reum is a frustrating mess. Good thing for her, the entire town is full of messy characters.Although Yeo Reum is the main character the true star of the show is Yim Si Wan as An Dae Beom. He is so awkwardly adorable and endearing, and honestly the most interesting character even while barely saying a word. He has cute chemistry with Yeo Reum from the very beginning, and their connection is super sweet, but if you are looking for a conventional romance be warned that this is NOT it. Think more slow-burn kindred spirits who like to run a lot and you will be far less likely to be disappointed. Many of their interactions happen in the library which should give you an idea of how adorkable and wholesome these moments are.
The rest of the ensemble is great too, but full of frustrating characters, from Grandmas to single dads, HS students, and ex-cons. I don't want to speak too much about them all in detail since the interesting part of the story is learning about these characters as Yeo Reum does. The town is full of sadness and tragedy and is haunted by a mysterious murder from years ago. Of course, Yeo Reum's presence changes things in the town mostly for the better, but not the mood. This drama is still mostly melancholy, frustrating, and sad. Still, this isn;t quite the "fish out of water" trope that I expected. It's more about the town adapting to and at times blatantly rejecting a stranger's presence.
Would I watch this again? Probably not. Although I like the simple concept of the drama, I do think the plot isn't as interesting as the characters. There also aren't many scenes that I would necessarily want to rewatch. If I were a bigger fan of slice-of-life dramas then maybe just the small-town atmosphere would be enough to make me want to rewatch/revisit Angok. I thought it was nice to escape to Angok each week, but since many of the characters were frustrating, I was more than ready to say goodbye to them by episode 12... the perfect length for this drama.
Overall, this drama feels a little like reading someone's diary. Or rather, listening to someone's diary since there is a lot of narration. There isn't a major character transformation but watching feels intimate and definitely piqued my curiosity throughout. The romance and mystery parts of the story were a little disappointing because they were so played down. However, it's certainly an eventful summer, no matter how slow paced the drama feels at times. If you ever had a fantasy of running away from your life this will either inspire you or scare you. By the end, I did feel comforted by the sense of community, I was touched by Yeo Reum's imperfect pursuit of happiness, and there's an emotionally healing feeling even if it left me dry eyed throughout, so I would recommend binging this it if you're in a introspective and reflective mood, and I appreciate this simple drama reminding me to appreciate the simple things.
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Why her? A complicated and interesting female lead character... that's why.
"Why Her" is about corporate greed, ruthless power, and revenge. TK Law Firm is the setting for one of the most corrupt and toxic work environments and one truly entertaining evil villain. It stars Seo Hyun Jin as Oh Soo Jae, literally another Miss Oh (lol), and the "Her" in question in the title. I loved her cold, clever, poker-faced lawyer character, who seems pretty ruthless but is living with some painful demons. She truly is one of my favorite actresses in KDramaland and this drama showcases a lot of her talent well. However, I am not the biggest fan of dramas with major corruption plots, and although this drama does attempt to incorporate some romance as well, the underdog fighting against a major corporate power trope started to drag and the mystery behind it all was too confusing for too long. The writing is a bit messy, but with such strong performances, I stayed invested till the end.Seo Hyun Jin is matched with Hwang In Youp as Gong Chan. He is clearly enamored with Lawyer Oh but it takes a further dive into their pasts to learn why that is. I liked their characters and their story. I loved the idea of accepting each other, flaws and all, but I admit the two didn't have much chemistry. For me, it wasn't the age gap or the teacher-student scenario that made this couple not work that well. It was more the lack of excitement between the two besides comforting each other. Scenes that should have caused butterflies felt forced. They honestly felt more like siblings, and if this drama removed romance from the plot completely it wouldn't have made any difference for me.
Although there are great side characters and ensemble performances the true male lead of this drama is Heo Joon Ho as
Choi Tae Gook. He is so excellent at being THE WORST human. He could have easily been played over the top but Choi Tae Gook had depth and range. Even minor things about his character, like his snacking all the time, made his performance so impressive. Still, even his evildoings started feeling repetitive until the last few episodes. I think it took a little too long to reveal the past, which made me wonder how intense this would have been as a movie instead of being dragged out for 16 episodes. There were just too many meeting and plotting scenes that slowed down the pace. There were also so many side characters. Some got too much screen time (like petty coworkers) and others not enough (like Gong Chan's cute hyungs).
Would I watch this drama again? Probably not. I kept watching to first learn how ambitious Lawyer Oh rose to her position and then to see how her power play with Choi Tae Gook would resolve... they really were perfect rivals! I was bored by who owned what and who backed who and only slightly interested in the unresolved murder plots. There were no moments I would want to rewatch, and although a second viewing may make some things much clearer that I may have missed the first time, I would be tempted to skip too many scenes.
Overall if you like law and crime melodramas then this one is worth watching. If you like flawed powerful women leads then this drama delivers. If you want romance you will likely be disappointed. The student lawyer scenes definitely gave me "How to get away with Murder" vibes, and there are some Olivia Pope sensibilities in the way Soo Jae "handles" every situation. I at first expected a strong woman in a male-dominated field storyline but by the first episode, we see that things are far deeper and nastier. What or who would you sacrifice or compromise to secure and protect your own power? That's the main question. Soo Jae goes through so much in this drama with such composure that I couldn’t decide if that made her cool or tragic. Probably both. I laughed, cried, and cheered her on even when her methods were questionable. If you are a fan of Seo Hyun Jin this is worth watching for her performance, but I wish the corruption plot wasn't needlessly complicated and the love story was stronger. I'm glad I watched although I understand why this drama kinda flew under the radar. If you adjust your expectations, embrace Tae Gook's snacking and drinking prowess, Soo Jae's resting b*@$# face, and Gong Chan's puppy dog eyes as they all play this game of mental chess, there's still a lot to keep you entertained. Oh Soo Jae's evolution and Choi Tae Gook's impending reckoning are the whys that make this drama worth watching and why I will still recommend this drama despite its flaws. Why her? A complicated and interesting female lead character... that's why.
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