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RomCom Sample Pack!
This was a hard drama for me to get into and pretty easy for me to start losing interest in, but if you like romance dramas with plenty of couples to ship this may be the perfect drama for you. "Sh**ting Stars" is about the drama industry behind the scenes, and as a non-Korean, a lot of the drama behind entertainment scandals seems either ridiculously exaggerated or boring. If you are invested at all in Hallyu Star life then you may like the premise more than I did. The idea of keeping up a pristine image for Actors who aren't doing more than dating bores me pretty quickly. Still, I liked and could empathize a lot with Lee Sung Kyung as the overworked and always-on-call-to-help Oh Han Byul. However, It took 3 tries to finally give this drama a chance.It was the frenemies banter between the two leads that kept me watching when I was ready to drop this drama. Kim Young Dae as the arrogant and childish Gong Tae Sung was fun to watch. His character is pretty basic and some of his storylines, like volunteering in "Africa" to be a mentor, are super cheesy, and one-dimensional. Eventually, the romance plot takes center stage and that's when I started looking forward to episodes. The leads have cute although often immature chemistry. Many of their scenes are also played up for laughs, at times extra silly and childish on purpose. The entire cast has a sense of silliness about them. I could also appreciate that if you don't ship the main couple there are quite a few other side couples to ship. For me, the couples ranged from slightly cringy and forced to satisfyingly sweet. It helps that the majority of the characters are likable. I definitely grew to like many of the characters over time, and the way they all overlap made for a strong ensemble.
I only lost some interest because of how repetitive the plot became.
There are also emotional storylines that although they logically tie the stories together just never made me feel anything. It normally doesn't take much for me to cry but I stayed dry-eyed throughout. I think it just took too long to reveal these parts of the story and then they were rushed through so I didn't have time to care. The idea that attractive people are recruited into acting without having any acting ability also seemed super offputting. Like that casting process, this is not a drama with much depth or substance. Soon we were back to secret crushes, and secret couples being the main focus, which I preferred.
Would I watch this again? Probably not. Even with all the cute moments, I'm not sure there are enough to hold my attention for a full second viewing. This drama could have easily been shorter too. I did like the cast enough to keep watching but none of the characters stood out as favorites that I would want to watch again. The last episode gave me more than enough closure.
I will also admit that a lot of the obvious drama cameos and drama references went over my head because they were dramas I haven't watched. In a similar vein, I did think the self-aware product placements were funny.
Overall, if you're in the mood for a light romcom with many ships, this one is imperfect but good enough. If you get nauseated in a room full of couples then this might give you a more annoyed feeling which I can understand too. This drama is great if you're in the mood for a romcom and can't decide on what kind you're in the mood for. It's a little like a romcom sample pack. You can tell the cast enjoyed themselves and working together and that's what shines through in "Sh**ting Stars" the most.
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Ambition and Entitlement are a helluva drug!
This was my third time trying to watch SKY Castle. Twice before I dropped it during the first episode. I just don't find dramas about blind ambition and shallow social circles that interesting without a compelling story, so I didn't understand the high ratings. After finally giving this drama a real chance, and making it to the end of episode 1, I realized that this story builds pretty slowly, and getting to know the families and their dynamics becomes important in caring about what happens later on. If you were raised in an environment where getting amazing grades in school was prioritized over everything else then this drama and its message may resonate with you more. I would almost call this a lite melodrama, because of its comedic and silly scenes, but It's the mystery part of the story that actually kept me watching. If you weren't raised with that pressure (like me), the attention put on grades and college may seem super exaggerated and hard to take seriously, but it was the dynamic between parents and their kids that affected me the most in SKY Castle. It's taken to the extreme for sure but was easy to empathize with. The cast is also great, even if the majority of the characters often aren't likable. Some characters are ridiculously over the top too, but it all works with the satirical style of the drama.This is very much an ensemble drama too. Most of the story focuses on Yeom Jung Ah as fierce "Tiger mom" Seo Jin, but each main family in SKY Castle has its own interrelated stories and some really great performances. However, the standout for me is Kim Seo Hyung. I wish I could go more into why without spoilers but I'd rather you learn by watching. The mystery of her character is the glue that holds all the pieces together and she made a strong impression on me while doing it. Also, don't let these slightly campy characters fool you, there are some super emotional moments that I didn't expect that lead to real tears quite a few times.
Would I watch this again? Probably not, but not because it's a bad drama. Not knowing what to expect is what kept me intrigued and there were a lot of unexpected twists from the first episode, despite its slower pace at times, and I just don't think I would have that same excitement watching it again and knowing what to expect. It's also a pretty sad drama, even with its more comedic and catty moments, so it's not a "fun" rewatch either. I do think knowing the characters better would make the earlier episodes seem less boring, especially the first celebratory dinner scene, but I couldn't rewatch it all. I can maybe see fans of any of the actors wanting to watch this again, or people who relate more to the high achiever plot and find this cathartic rewatching. I would be much more interested in a sequel instead, although I can't imagine where the story would go from here. I felt this drama did a good job of bringing closure to all the characters even with the provocative ending.
Overall, I see why this drama was so popular. It really is well-written and never gets too melodramatic to make a real emotional impact. It's more than a look into the secret lives of the rich and entitled, which is what I expected (and why I kept dropping it), and is more about examining and challenging the pressures put on young people to succeed. I'm sure watching it from a Korean point of view is different from my American perspective, but once I was drawn into that high-pressure world of SKY Castle, I empathized more than I ever thought I could. If you're bored by the beginning like I was, just know that the pace picks up, and the story gets addictive. The world of SKY Castle is realistically unreal. I don't think it's perfect, nor would I add it to my favorites list, but like one of the major themes in this drama, it doesn't need to have perfect grades to be appreciated.
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The perfect interlude drama that's far from perfect
To be honest, I am watching 2 on-air Monday dramas and 2 on-air weekend dramas and the wait in the middle of the week was getting to me. Since I am watching so many dramas (yes, that's a lot for me at once) I didn't want to invest in another drama that would have a deep story or serious content. I wanted a fast food drama. I wanted something I could binge quickly and not invest too much in a whole new set of characters. "Ga Doo Ri’s Sushi Restaurant" was exactly what I ordered. It's a cute n' quick drama filled with tropes and assorted silliness. Yes, there are a lot of flaws and not much substance, but it can fill a void if you're in a classic rom-com mood. I know 5 is a low rating, but I'm glad I watched.Lee Joo Bin plays Ga Doo Ri, owner of a trendy small restaurant, and she reads tarot cards on the side. Her character is the cliché prettiest girl in every room character but she's clueless about how that makes others feel and is just her weird quirky self. As the main character, she should have been a lot more interesting but she does have a few cute moments that made me laugh. She's matched with Hyuk as Cha Woo Bin, her new next-door neighbor. I know many of his fans will just love watching him smile and switch up styles but don't expect a groundbreaking performance. Together, their chemistry is cute enough to make this drama entertaining but it's overwhelmingly awkward, and often cringy. The good thing about this drama being so short is that the cringy parts don't last too long and the story doesn't waste time moving forward. There is also a hilarious 3rd wheel, Jung Jae Oh as secretary Mo Tae Kyung. He's completely over the top but kept me laughing at his ridiculousness. If you don't like silliness you will probably quickly become annoyed by his character, but I was in the mood for silly.
Would I watch this again? Probably not. I can't think of a single moment that I would want to rewatch. The story is not one where I felt attached to the characters or connected with the plot. Not all fast food leftovers are good reheated.
So obviously I wouldn't recommend this drama, right? Wrong! If you enjoy romcoms and can adjust your expectations, this could be the perfect drama to quickly binge and move on. Misunderstandings, Betrayal, Fate, and Food Porn. You get a taste of each without anything being too heavy or needing sleepless nights to complete. If you want an original story, memorable characters, and hot chemistry, this is definitely NOT that drama. If you want to watch something mid-week so that the time for weekend dramas "comes sooner" then this drama is the perfect distraction... for RomComs fans who have tropes as guilty pleasures. If there are any more dramas like this one please recommend them to me. Are interlude dramas a genre? If not, it should be. They'd be the perfect fix for my on-air drama-watching-and-waiting woes. I know this one was.
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Sometimes staying dead is better.
This drama is a mess. I watched because of the number of great reviews, and my expectations were too high. "Born Again" tries to be an ill-fated love triangle, a crime thriller, and a revenge thriller and didn't do any of them well enough to carry my interest. Normally I am willing to go with an unbelievable storyline if the cast is really good but I think it missed the mark here too. The male leads did their best, but the story centers around the love of one woman and unfortunately, that character wasn't interesting enough to make me care or justify their obsessive love.Based on the title this isn't a spoiler but each lead plays 2 characters. Jung Sa Bin plays Ha Eun and Sa Bin. Both characters for me were too similar and too one-note. I could blame the writing but since this is the second romantic drama lead I've seen her play that was boring I think I have to admit I am not a fan. She played off of being wide-eyed and innocent too much and even her crying scenes lacked emotion that I could feel. I was also annoyed by her speaking with that soft childish voice. Don't even get me started on her dead fish kisses and robotic confessions. This story doesn't have the chemistry I needed to carry the drama and that was my same issue with her performance in the "Grand Prince". Even attractive male leads couldn't save her perfromance.
She is matched with Lee Soo Hyuk as Soo Hyuk and Hyung Bin, who plays the annoying stubborn cop cliché which is one of my least favorite drama tropes, but at least his perfromance is good. She is also matched with Jang Ki Yong as Jong Bum and Gong Ji Chul who has the most complicated roles and also does a good job. Out of all of the performances Jang Ki Yong's was my favorite but it was still missing some of the spark I saw him have in "Search: www" (which I watched at the same time). I really think that these two actors with a better female lead could have made me like this drama a little more and be more forgiving of the plot.
I also have a major issue with the idea that 3 people are reborn in a short amount of time (30 ish years later) and are almost identical to their past selves and happen to work and live in the same area but pretty much no one notices??!!! It can maybe make sense for one of the characters but for the other two it really doesn't make any sense at all. The male lead rivalry also felt too repetitive after a while. I was way more interested in what the side characters were up to (Lee Seo El needed more screen time). The only question that kept me watching was who she would end up with and that was less about me caring and more about putting an end to my curiosity misery.
Would I watch this again? Not even if you paid me. I may even avoid all Jin Se Yeon dramas for a while. Honestly, this probably would have worked better as a movie considering all the overused flashbacks and not much story development until the very end. There arent really any rewatch worthy moments for me, and are way too many fast-forward worthy scenes. I did appreciate the music but it made some scenes seem even cheesier.
Was it worth watching until the end? Yes, and no. Many of the secrets and motivations of the characters are finally revealed in the final episodes but it was too late for me to care and it didn't make me like the drama any better. It no longer mattered to me who she chose and why. The end was also messy. I thought I would at least shed a tear over it but my eyes stayed dry for this entire drama... and "Born Again" is filled with sadness topped with more sadness, and I'm a crybaby.
Overall this drama drags and disappoints. It had potential as a memorable makjang but it missed the mark on the romantic chemistry it needed to make this story addictive instead of forgetable. It could have been much more fun, even with the ridiculous plot, if the performances were just as over the top or charismatic. The older actors were much better at this but their scenes and storylines were cast aside for more boring love triangle scenes. The leads try to take this and themselves way too seriously and most of their deadpan conversations were too skip-tastic. If you don't fall in love with "Born Again" at first episode I suggest skipping this drama completely.
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The Heirs stars Lee Min Ho as another extremely wealthy student, like a Boys over Flowers flashback, but honestly, he seemed way too mature to be a student this time. Maybe it's because his character was so passive, but even with his usual charm, he seemed out of place as Kim Tan. He is matched with Park Shin Hye as Cha Eun Sang, in a standard poor girl role that has definitely been overdone but can still work if there is great chemistry... Spoiler Alert: There is no great chemistry! Initially, I was kinda entertained by the first few episodes, even if it was full of tropes and way too many coincidences and seemed to escalate to romance way too unrealistically. If the show kept up the same energy as the beginning then this drama could have been decent. Instead, it became so painfully dull I had to force myself to watch it till the end. It didn't help that most of that dullness came from Park Shin Hye's acting (and this isn't the first time I thought she was boring in a drama). Other than successfully crying on cue, I thought she was a bad choice for this role. Her character was supposed to inspire all this attention and admiration, but I couldn't understand what everyone saw in her since she was so boring and uninteresting. That brings me to the bad@ss third-wheel Kim Woo Bin as Choi Yeong Do. He is definitely the most interesting of the three main characters, and a great 2nd lead to secretly root for, but his storyline just didn't make the most of his performance. That can also be said about most of the performances, and that brings me to the writing which is this show's biggest flaw.
I don't always need a drama to make complete sense if it's entertaining. I also understand that melodramas tend to be over the top, which can be fun to watch if done right. I kept waiting for something entertaining or over the top to happen but it never did. Most of the show is the same unequal social status romance trope over and over again mixed in with school scenes of students being catty and bullying each other. How they are kept apart isn't even interesting, neither are the random moments of corporate infighting, featuring Choi Jin Hyu in a forgettable role. Please don't make the same mistake I did and expect the story to eventually pick up or end with a bang. It never does. Even if they condensed this drama into a two-hour movie I still don't think there'd be enough drama to keep the story from dragging, so 20 episodes seemed painfully long.
If I had to choose the best parts of the show it would be the relationship between the leads' moms. Kim Mi Kyung is a favorite of mine and the best performance in this whole drama, and she doesn't even speak, which says A LOT.
Would I watch this again? Never. I'm still surprised I didn't drop it the first time.
Overall, don't be fooled by the cast. This drama really is as bad as people say. Watching characters do the same things over and over again was like watching a drama that is 90% flashbacks. What's the point of a romance with a boring couple that mostly cries over being apart, and anytime they do get together you don't even care (Don't even get me started on the awful kissing scenes). This drama tried to rely on repeating what has already been done in countless other popular dramas and failed. This is the kind of drama you can take several naps through and not miss anything. If you do watch and you start getting bored just skip to the final episode, I promise you that you won't miss anything that important and you will save yourself from wasting hours of your life like I did. Yes, there are worse dramas than this one, but there are too many good dramas with these cast members to watch 20 hours of this.
I guess the point of The Heirs was to feel sorry for these characters who seemed to have everything, but by the end, I just felt sorry for myself for giving this drama a chance. Please don't be like me, believe these bad reviews and skip this drama.
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I admit that I was turned off by the concept. I hate the idea of an "ugliest time of the week" for women, which is what the title refers to. The story also starts off making the female lead seem pretty pathetic, so that was a turn off as well. However, Jin Ki Joo & Hong Bin have immediate great chemistry, and instantly the story went from annoying to super sweet and charming once Jae Won and Eun Woo re-meet.
There are many cute swoon-worthy moments overall, and even with such short episodes, and a cheesy premise, I really felt like I was watching a relationship develop.
The rest of the story involves a jerk of an ex, which was well played by Ahn Bo Hyun, because I couldn't stand him. There's also a female second lead who rounds out the "love square", and a surprisingly likable character played by Kim Hye Ji. The love story uses many of the standard kdrama romcom clichés, but because it's an abridged romcom none of the tropes overstay their welcome. So maybe it's predictable, but it's also entertaining. It's the perfect binge watch length, so I could definitely see myself watching this drama again. It also doesn't feel like a long series of commercials, or music videos, which I was also afraid of.
If you don't expect great depth, or a truly unique story, I think romance fans can really enjoy this one. If cuteness makes you cringe, then this drama really has nothing to offer you. For me, it came right on time, delivered exactly the kind of light story I hoped for, and in spite of myself, I will no longer think of Wednesday at 3:30 the same way again.
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The story itself revolves around revenge, crime, and the price of success, with one character getting caught up in a life he didn't plan, and another character having her entire perfect world turned upside down. Somewhere in between there is an ill-fated love story. I do like melodrama, so I can generally handle all the feels this drama offers, but I admit that it was even too much for me at times... not the circumstances, but the heavy handedness. Some of that could be the fault of some weak writing and acting.
The cast is lead by Yoon Kye Sang who plays a man who reinvents himself into a con man in order to seek revenge. His struggle to fight against his true nature is heartbreaking, from the very first, beautifully shot, scene. I haven't seen him in any drama since "The Greatest Love", where he gave me major second lead syndrome, but here he is completely different. Here he gets to show off a much wider range, going from bad@ss to vulnerable with ease. I thought he was excellent, but I can't say the same for his costar. Han Ji Hye as Han Yeong Won is either a case of an actress not bringing enough to the role or the role not giving her much to work with. She played the sheltered rich girl part well, but her emotions were pretty one note. She was good enough for me to believe her character, but compared to the epic tears and emotions from Kye Sang, she often felt flat. I mean, she's dealing with some major tragedies and betrayals in this drama and her reactions always seemed a little "Meh". Even her anger seemed super passive, which I think was a character choice, but it made it hard for me to invest too much in her emotionally. I wanted to care about her more than I did. To put it more bluntly, she can be pretty boring to watch. I may have cared more about the whistle than her by the end.
The supporting cast is excellent. Of course Kim Young Ok is the Halmeoni MVP of KDramas, Kim Young Chul was excellent as the worst dad ever, as well as the other wonderfully horrible family members, and I especially loved the cast of cons as an ensemble. I was honestly more interested in Kim Yoo Ri as the petty and jealous Seo Jae In than I was in the female lead. And the real star of the entire cast in my opinion is Jo Jin Woong as Park Kang Jae. I think there is a reason he earned a spot on the promo poster, and that is because he is by far the strongest character in the show. I liked that almost all of the characters blur the lines between good and bad, and are complicated, but his character made me angry, made me root for him (even when he was wrong), and brought me to full tears. I have already seen him in Signal, so his being so good is no surprise, but his character was imo the best one in the drama as far as the writing and performance goes.
I feel like the story itself was interesting when in came to the cons, especially in the first episode, but instead too much time was spent on two sad people trying not to want to be together. The romance is also very restrained, which makes sense to the story, but it means more tears and anguish than loving or passionate moments. If I watched this while it aired, I probably would have dropped it after the first few episodes, but instead I powered through the boring parts just to see how it would all end. It also helped that the beginning was so intriguing that even when the story got slow I at least wanted to make it to the part that the beginning scene foreshadowed. The ending wasn't disappointing, so I have no regrets watching the whole drama, but with it's fair share of clichés and tropes it is hardly original, or necessarily recommendable. It does feel more like a movie than a drama at times, but only visually. I also want to avoid spoilers but the characters are far more complicated than the actual story. Just know that you've probably seen this all before.
Would I watch it again? It's possible, but not that likely. I just didn't like the story enough, although I liked some of the characters enough. A lot of it is also already forgettable, which is not a good thing.
Overall, if you choose to miss this drama you're not really missing much. I do believe that Yoon Kye Sang deserved a much better leading lady, and maybe I would have liked this more. Still, it's entertaining enough if emo-melodrama is your thing. Just keep some tissues nearby, just in case.
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"Have you finished watching this title?" Umm... Is that a trick question?!
"Have you finished watching this title?" I guess I have technically but since this is only the first part of this story it feels like a trick question. This isn't a full review because this drama put itself on hold at least halfway through, which is annoying, but I will admit this is an intriguing and easily binge-able first half."The Glory" is a story about extreme bullying. The plot is pretty cliché as far as revenge thrillers about abuse go, but the intensity of the bullying definitely raises the stakes of the story. Song Hye Kyo plays revenge-obsessed Moon Dong Eun. Don't expect the charm of her earlier roles (like in "Full House"). This drama seems to fall under her new typecasting, which is the cold and bitter woman who is too traumatized to be truly happy (like in "Encounter" and "Now, We Are Breaking Up"). Dong Eun survives unimaginable circumstances so her coldness is justified and fits, but it can also feel a little redundant after a while. I prefer the few moments when she is enjoying taking revenge or at least showing some other emotion besides numbness.
The rest of the cast is mostly filled with a couple of interesting and likable characters with their own demons to manage and characters to despise. The villains are pretty one-dimensional, either spoiled sociopaths or obsessed with status. I guess they are convincing but just basic and predictable. My favorite characters so far are Yeom Hye Ran as Kang Hyun Nam, who has the most entertaining character transition, and Lee Do Hyun as Joo Yeo Jung who I feel like I was finally getting to see new and interesting sides of when season 1 ended. I hope these characters, and others key characters will have more depth and screen time in season 2. I also hope season 2 focuses less on setting up the plot and more on actual suspense and revenge in action.
There are a few too many flashbacks in season 1, but Jung Ji So as young Dong Eun is also excellent. I could see her playing the young and adult role quite effectively tbh.
I also fear that I may forget a lot of the details of the plot before season 2 starts.
Luckily I watched all 8 episodes in a day, just in case I need to rewatch to remember.
Overall, I wish I waited to watch this. Instead of an intense cliffhanger, I feel like I was rudely interrupted in the middle of them finally really starting the story. I want the satisfying feeling of watching people get what they deserve and I feel like I was cheated into waiting for a real payoff after having me sit through some pretty horrific and traumatic abuse scenes. "This Glory" definitely does a good job of setting up a lead you can empathize with, and enjoy her meticulous plotting, but the pace and interruption make me less enthusiastic about this drama for sure.
So I guess this is less of a review, and more a warning that starting this drama means committing to wait months to see how it finally ends. If you are a revenge drama binger more than an "on-air" wait and watcher I would definitely save this one for later. I personally wish I waited, but I believed the NetFlix hype while in between dramas. Song Hye Kyo fans are probably just happy to see her in another drama, so maybe that's enough of a reason for some to just watch now. I guess the Go game metaphor was supposed to teach us patience while watching but I don't know how to play so that's totally lost on me! lol! I just hope by the time season 2 comes out I will still care enough to watch.
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I'll start with the story, which wasn't bad, it was just standard. It's filled with marriage pressure, past loves, and the currently trendy age gap between the two romantic leads. The age gap in this one was very VERY apparent, then I realized that there's almost a 20 year age gap between the two actors. Still the chemistry between them is the driving force behind this drama. The fact that seeing them together was sometimes shocking in the beginning made the story work better when I was suddenly rooting for them. Uhm Jung Hwa and Park Seo Joon were really great together, and I could certainly understand how even the coldest witch could fall hard for Yoon Dong Ha. I'll admit that I liked him a lot more than her, but together they got me hooked on the story. I loved watching the romance develop, and get messy, but towards the end the cute relationship scenes were starting to get on my nerves because they were so cheesy. I definitely felt myself losing interest in the last episodes.
The supporting cast was great, though many of the characters were cartoony. Mom, Her BFF frienemy with her lovestruck husband, her coworkers... they were all pretty funny. I think I loved Soo Cheol & Dong Ha's bromance almost as much as the main couple. When the story started to get repetitive, whatever the story lacked, the cast usually made up for it and kept me entertained. Well most of the cast anyway... Eun Chae was kinda pointless, but it did give Yoon Hyun Min more screen time so I wasn't that bothered by her.
I did really like the soundtrack, even the cheesy witch theme. And I definitely swooned when I saw Park Seo Joon singing Come Into My Heart. To me, he's the star of this drama.
Overall this is a pretty good addition to the older woman-younger man craze. It's a cute love story, but also pretty mature, and doesn't take itself too seriously. I would probably only rewatch scenes, not the whole thing, which is why my rating is lower than most. It also starts to lose steam towards the end, but at the end of the last episode I was satisfied.
It's also nice to see a non-cinderella k-drama romance once in a while, so I would recommend Witch's Romance, especially to the ahjumma crowd (aka grown and sexy lol).
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I watched this drama without any excitement, sometimes taking two days to watch one episode, and it was a struggle to complete all 16 episodes. The only entertaining thing about this drama was Park Shi Hoo, who played charming and mysterious very well. Once he left the screen, I was no longer interested in what was happening. Some of the supporting cast were decent, but the 2nd male romantic lead was a complete bore. Eventually a secondary romance started to unfold, and it was extremely hard not to fast forward through their scenes. They should have made the drama shorter instead.
I gave the music a low score, because I often found it distracting, and at times out of place. During a somber moment, having someone belt out "GoodBYEEEE my princess", or listening to the korean version of "oops, i did it again", didn't really work for me.
The few cute romantic scenes, and a decent mystery, couldn't make up for a hard to root for main character in my opinion. Maybe I would have liked it better with a different lead actress. Overall, I did like the way the drama ended, but I was more relieved that it was finally over.
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I guess it's a comedy because life can be funny even when it's not.
"Mr. Plankton" is a drama that makes it clear from the opening scene what exactly you are in for. Yes, a lot of the characters are comedic even though their situations are dark, but if you're a person who appreciates a good trigger alert know that abandonment issues, terminal illness, fertility issues, and hospice are major themes in this story. This story is also full of horrible circumstances, bad luck, and lingering hurt, so this isn't the kind of drama you watch for fun escapism. A lot of the dark comedy in this story is about how these characters interact with each other when their lives are at their lowest. The comedy is never so silly that it takes away from the impact of the drama. I was very invested in Hae Jo's journey with Jae Mi, no matter what odd turns the plot would take.Woo Do Hwan is amazing to watch, and his charm shines through even when his character is super toxic. Hae Jo as a character managed to make me laugh at his worst behavior, and empathize with him when he was at his most vulnerable. Hae Jo's impulsive behavior made the story feel a little more unpredictable even with so many standard tropes. He is matched with Lee You Mi, whose epic role in Squid Game reminded me more of Hae Jo, but as Jae Mi she leans more into a more optimistic and upbeat character which was nice to see. They had great chemistry even when my rational brain couldn't root for their codependency, the natural fun they exuded together was palpable.
I liked the rest of the cast but Oh Jung Se as Eo Heung was the stand-out among them. I loved him so much as Sang Tae in "It's Okay to Not Be Okay", and he brought a lot of those same elements to this role even though he is an entirely different character. Kim Hae Sook playing his mom was also great to see since she is one of my all-time favorite KDrama actresses. I also really enjoyed Jo Han Chul's guest role.
For people who hate love triangles, yes this one is a big part of the plot, but because the story is more about character development than just romance it may not be as upsetting to watch, and is often played up for laughs much more than for drama.
Would I watch this again? Maybe. It is a short drama, and I did enjoy the characters, but for me, a lot of the themes were a little too intense to want to rewatch. There were also points in the story that felt like filler and a few characters that got a lot of screen time that I thought could have been better with less like Oh Dae Hwan as the gangsta set on revenge and the odd mysterious bodyguard John (?). I wish instead more time was spent on the stories and perspectives of the main characters, and less on cheesy fights and slapstick humor, but I guess that would make the whole drama more dark than they wanted it to be.
Plus, some of the repeated songs did start to drive me a little crazy, and not in a good way.
As a new Woo Do Hwan fan, maybe just watching him is enough to justify a rewatch. Yes, He's THAT good.
I was unsure about how I felt about this drama once it was over, but I found it tragically sad but also inspiring. I loved the theme of following your path as you go and appreciating what you have instead of harping on what you don't have or can't do. Yes, I expected to be heartbroken at the end but instead, I felt unsettled which I think is better and a more realistic ending feeling. We don't necessarily know the fate of all of the characters but we know how they faced their issues about family, discovering where they belong, and how this odd character of Hae Jo impacted their lives.
Overall, I feel like this is a good drama to watch if you are ok with inevitable tears. This is not a drama that attempts to solve the meaning of life but honors the journey for all its happiness and misery and unmet expectations and imperfections. It's also beautifully directed, and the episodes flow seamlessly into each other for great binging.
I got to visit a Bioluminescent Bay in Puerto Rico so the imagery of plankton shining was a vivid one for me. I love the idea of glowing plankton as witnessing unexpected beauty and purpose in small seemingly insignificant things and stars as the glow of what has long been gone. Hae Jo's perspective is an interesting one to follow as it changes and evolves, but his Plankton perspective was especially touching, and his observations never felt heavy-handed or sappy which made its emotional impact stronger on me.
It's not a perfect drama, and there are plenty of clichés throughout, but the main characters in "Mr. Plakton" are what made me a fan. I also appreciated a sobering look at how life may not always be fair but there's still space for laughter, love, joy, hope, and redemption until your very last moment.
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If a Kdrama is a Netflix suggestion, and has polarizing reviews on MDL, do you click play...
I started watching "The Frog" without knowing anything about it, not even the genre. I finished watching it not sure how much I liked it or not. It certainly turned out to be an interesting ride. Sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes ridiculously frustrating, but the suspense kept me watching the entire time. This thriller/mystery follows two separate yet related not quite linear stories that explore awful luck, questionable choices, and unapologetic evil. The two male leads each run remote vacation rentals and both learn the dangers of hosting the wrong guest.What kept me engaged more than the story were the characters. Yes, I wanted to know what was happening and why but I was more interested in why the characters reacted the way they did. Many of the characters had me yelling at my screen over how they could do what they did or how they didn't do what I thought they should do. The fact that many of the characters are morally gray left me unable to guess what would happen next. Even characters I empathized with would often make decisions that I would consider to be problematic, but I think this show explores the idea that poor choices made as a response to horrible circumstances beyond your control don't make you less of a victim. Each episode starts with the famous "If a Tree falls and no one is there to hear it does it make a sound" question while simultaneously making us question if characters who choose to look the other way and not get involved when they suspect something is wrong are also guilty or complicit.
The characters being so essential to this story means the performances are crucial and every cast member delivers. Kim Yoon Seok as the passive protagonist Jeon Yeong Ha is perfectly cast. He is the epitome of plausible deniability. He is both easy to empathize with and irritating for that reason as we watch him slowly and reluctantly get pushed into action by escalating events. Yoon Kye Sang as Koo Sang Jun acts as a mirror to Yoon Seok and in my opinion, is the most heartbreaking character as we watch his positive and helpful nature become broken. He is the quintessential nice guy, which is said ominously by another character, and that mentality can't spare him from despair. Lee Jung Eun and Ha Yoon Kyung as cold and observant Yun Bo Min in many ways is the glue that connects these two main characters but I found her to be the least interesting character. I don't fault the actors for this, who I think did a decent job, I just think with so many interesting characters her storyline often slowed down the pace without adding much more to the suspense until the later episodes. There was an opportunity to make a very memorable detective character which I think was missed by choosing to make her blank-faced and seemingly detached.
The rest of the cast is great, and even some minor characters were surprisingly hard to read or to predict their actions. The cast's grounded performances helped as the story became more and more extreme and borderline unrealistic. Speaking of extreme, the clear breakout performance in this drama is Go Min Si as Yoo Seong A. It was so much fun to watch how unhinged she could get, to wonder if she was really that evil or misunderstood, and to watch how far her performance could go. I hope it's not too much of a spoiler to say that if you love an antagonist you can openly hate - she over-delivers! She seemed to be in her element as a manipulative and irrational villain. The crazier she got the more I was entertained. Her performance reminded me a bit of Christian Bale in American Psycho. She is without a doubt the biggest highlight in this drama for me. She deserves some extra praise for her performance.
Would I watch it again? Definitely. Even though the story was initially confusing to follow and dragged in some places I was always intrigued, even rewinding when I thought I missed something important. A 2nd viewing without that confusion, and understanding the characters better, would be fun to watch with a revised perspective. I could spend less time focussing on guessing what will happen and instead enjoy watching the dynamics of the characters. Plus the cinematography and soundtrack are great too. The use of the popular Bobby Blue Bland song "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City" in a sinister way was geniusly done, like one would expect from a Jordan Peele movie. Some people may think this drama relies too much on atmosphere and too little on story, but it made even the locations feel like an important character. I have no complaints about the director's choices, and was often impressed by how certain highlighted images set the tone, or how they leaned into the overall theme of not trusting everything you see.
Overall, this is an ambitious 8 episode drama that has a lingering quality I really appreciate. It was easy to binge and kept me too curious to be bored. I don't think it was overly philosophical or deep but it did leave me still thinking about the various characters long after it was all over. The ending was decent, not necessarily predictable or wildly original but tied up the story neatly. I was not profoundly moved, even during the saddest scenes, but I was disturbed in an oddly fun way throughout. I'm not surprised that the reviews so far are on the extreme ends of low or high ratings. It has a polarizing style that won't appeal to everyone, even if you're a fan of the genre or the actors. I can't say it's a favorite of mine, but I think watching it without expectations made me appreciate the journey this drama took me on.
Maybe it also helps that remote woodsy areas are automatically creepy to me, and I won't be planning a vacation in a rural area any time soon, even if there's a nice view! o.O
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A thought provoking drama that is not a Squid Game clone.
My first disclaimer is I fully embrace my bias toward Ryu Jun Yeol so of course I was going to watch this (I know nothing of his dating scandal life because he is my Bae in my head and that's all that matters lol). I also love "Squid Game" and while anxiously awaiting the sequel I was excited to see anything even remotely similar. I never heard of the webtoon so I started watching knowing nothing besides assuming it was another twisted game scenario, so I will try to continue this review with as little spoilers as possible. I think this drama works best if you go into watching this with as little info as the participants. Just know that no, this is not just a "Squid Game" clone, even though the outfits are just as iconic, and the characters are just as "yell at the screen" worthy. This is a very small cast who did a great job of keeping me engaged and invested even when the story seemed to drag a little. If you like stories that explore human nature this is an intriguing, infuriating, and hilarious one.Ryu Jun Yeol as Bae (appropriate name lol) Jin Soo doesn't disappoint. His adorkable awkwardness makes him the perfect lead to balance out the intensity of the plot. I think every single actor nailed their role, and I will be vague about the specifics because of how much their relationships and personalities drive the story, but the definite stand out in the cast to me is Chun Woo Hee as Song Se Ra... If you watch enough K Dramas you learn to feel a certain way about "Se Ras" and she is definitely on brand. The show focuses a lot on relationship dynamics more than deep connections so to some the characters may seem 2 dimensional, but I think that's what makes the story work so well. The characters don't even go by their names which makes them feel more like archetypes you can easily root for or against. This isn't about their individual stories as much as it's about society reflected and that may be a turn-off for some, but I found it super interesting and even fun to watch until the end.
I agree with many reviews that said the story starts to drag in the last 2 episodes. There is definitely a shift and things get a bit more abstract and surreal but I still think the story is well done as a whole. Maybe the ending could have been stronger if more questions were answered but some of the open-ended things just made me keep thinking about this show long after it was done. They definitely wrote this with the possibility of a sequel in mind so I am curious if it's the same ending as the webtoon or not.
Would I watch this again? Definitely! I'm curious to see if there are any details I missed initially. I was able to binge-watch the whole show in one day so it's the perfect length for a second watch. The performances are also entertaining enough to keep me engaged even knowing what will happen, especially Ryu Jun Yeol's cute antics.
Overall, I am surprised this show isn't more popular. I think it would be unrealistic to think it would match the appeal of "Squid Game", but it is certainly a show worthy of massive viewer numbers and discussion. If you like thought-provoking yet disturbing stories like "Parasite" I would definitely recommend watching "The 8 Show". If you are more of a romcom or light-hearted family-friendly Kdrama watcher then this is not the drama for you. There's no real shocking gore or explicit sex shown but the story is very dark. I look forward to hearing more reactions to this drama as time goes on. I think the brilliance of this drama, and others like it, is that it makes you wonder what you would do in a similar situation, and I finished this drama not quite sure, to be honest. There is also a guilt you start to feel as a viewer that may be the key to why the last episodes aren't as fun, but I feel like even that is saying too much. There is so much I want to comment on but the less you know watching the better.
Want a drama that's conversation-inspiring? "The 8 show" delivers. It may not be 100% unique as far as the premise but it is certainly a memorable stand out in its execution. As much as part of me would love a season 2 if the concept was right I feel like this show was the perfect length for what it was.
And on that note, I should end this review before I am tempted to say too much about what I think, how I feel, and why it works so well... and to me, that's the sign of a great drama!
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Guilty Pleasure
"So I Married an Anti-Fan" is a mediocre drama at best but also highly addictive. I did not see the original, so I can't compare it, but the appeal of this drama has nothing to do with the story and everything to do with the chemistry between the two main leads. The concept is standard, two people who can't stand each other falling for each other. It may be cliché, but that's what this drama gets right. Unfortunately, the rest of the drama is filled with an annoying rivalry and a 2nd toxic couple that gets way too much screen time. Still, it was all more entertaining than not, until the last episodes at least, and the exact kind of romcom junk food I sometimes crave.This drama stars Choi Tae Joon as Hoo Joon, a worldwide pop star whose public image contradicts how and who he is in real life. Is he the most believable pop star? Not really, but his low-key arrogance did work well for the role. He is matched with Choi Soo Young as Lee Geun Young an ambitious reporter who is also super passive until an encounter with Hoo Joon pushes her over the edge. I guess it's pretty cute to have the pop star play the anti-fan, and I liked her in the role. Their story is filled with annoying misunderstandings, ridiculous coincidences, and cute banter, and the latter is what got me hooked. No matter how corny the story got I was completely invested and couldn't wait for the next episodes. The chemistry is just really good, and it's been a while since I've seen a couple this fun to watch... corniness and all. Neither of them gives truly amazing performances, but I still loved watching them flirt and fight on screen.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have Hwang Chan Sung as JJ matched with Han Ji An
as Oh In Hyung, two truly unlikeable characters. Both are Z list stars desperate for fame and jealous of their former colleague Hoo Joon's success. If you like characters that make you so mad you want to yell at the screen then they fit the bill. They both do a good job at being awful but their acting is also super overdramatic, which does fit the style of the drama. Their whole storyline from start to finish is a mess though and takes up way too much of this drama's time.
Other characters are great too, including Hoo Joon's Hottie manager, the reality show staff, Geun Young's friends, and the real scene stealers... Geun Young's parents. The whole cast honestly does a good job with this weak plot. You know a show is bad when they have to constantly rely on flashbacks... the same flashbacks... over and over again. I also will never understand what Korean's expect from celebrities so these scandal-trope storylines are hard to get into. The whole premise of creating this reality show also made no sense to me either. The show within a show concept just felt like an excuse to force them into cute situations, which worked for me, but that's what makes this drama more of a guilty pleasure than great.
Would I watch this again? Sure with, with my finger ready to fast forward when necessary (especially every "who's my daddy?" scene). I would even endure listening to the same 3 annoying songs over and over... I swear "Baby, youuuuuuuuuu" will haunt my nightmares... And I would definitely skip most of the final episode which was painfully slow and seemed thrown together without a plan. I get that covid delays may be somewhat to blame, but it was still really bad.
Overall, If you don't like the main couple this drama doesn't really have much else to offer. I liked them so much I would watch them team up again for a better storyline. I admit I had a lot of fun reading Viki commentary while watching which probably made me tolerate bad moments more. This is definitely a watch with friends and talk back at the screen kind of drama. If you're looking for a meaningful script with depth, you've come to the wrong drama. At most you get some basic character growth. If you're a romance fan with a high tolerance for tropes then you might end up being a fan like me. I felt a little like the leads, falling for what I initially expected to hate. "So I Married an Anti-Fan" may not be a great drama but Drama youuuuuuuuuuuu... I'm still with you!
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Welp, its no "Squid Game".
If you're a fan of movies with last-man-standing-survival-game-fight-to-the-death themes then you may be curious about "As the Gods Will". If you have ever seen a Takashi Miike movie before, then you kind of know what to expect already... lots of over-the-top creepiness and blood. I have mixed feelings about most of his movies because they tend to be more concept-driven than plot-driven. I like horror movies with great plots and that's what makes "As the Gods Will" so different from other movies that I like in this genre, This being brought up as the alleged inspiration for "Squid Game" is what made me decide to finally watch this and unfortunately the first scene/game is where the similarities begin and end. Sure, children's games are a big part of this movie but these games are very Japan-centric and are more visually creative than strategy-based.There is a smart hero and a smart villain, but many of the other characters are just gore fodder, which is disappointing. The CGI is also very cartoony, so It's not as scary as it could be either. It's also school-based so it definitely feels more like "Battle Royale" and "Hunger Games" influenced, with the same teen crush and sociopath classmate tropes. Fukushi Sota is a great hero as Takahata Shun. He plays the emo empath role well and certainly looks the part. Kamiki Ryunosuke is also great as Amaya Takeru, although his character is much more one-dimensional, he was my favorite performance. Yamazaki Hirona is a great co-star as Akimoto Ichika but sadly due to gender stereotypes, she gets reduced to a typical female love interest role instead of coming into her own as a hero herself. That's another disappointing thing about many of Takashi Miike's films. There's also an angsty teen character that I just felt was added for no reason, and with explanation. Clearly, the writer judges apathetic teens but fails to create compelling characters, which gives the story "OK Boomer" energy.
Would I watch this again? No. It's interesting for a first watch but I didn't like it enough to want to watch it again. I did like some of the final twists, and themes about not taking daily life for granted, but in the end, it was more weird than entertaining.
Overall, the characters were too simplistic for me to really care and the concepts seemed to be grander than the story. If you are a bigger fan of Takashi Miike and haven't seen this one yet, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. If accusations that Squid Game plagiarized this story made you want to watch this then you most likely will be disappointed. If you're expecting a deep life changing message at the end just don't even bother to watch at all. This has a Crazy Manga vibe more than a Horror Thriller vibe. The gore is actually lighter than I expected from this director, which I personally appreciated. The Bizarre parts are probably better appreciated if you don't take things too seriously, but I really wished the story was less basic. The games are the best part and the earlier games are the better ones. Luckily this movie begins holding nothing back so you can tell early on whether or not it will be worth your time, or too much for you. I don't regret watching it at all, but I can't say I'm a fan. There are too many versions of this kind of story that do it better in my opinion, even if it's not as shocking to watch, I would rather have a well-crafted plot than a jump scare or a visual cringe.
Confession: I watched this right after watching "Squid Game" for the 5th time, so yes, I am biased.
I also think "Ichi the Killer" and "Audition" are overrated. "One Missed Call" is more my speed.
One thing I do know is that I will never look at a Daruma Head, Maneki Neko, or Nesting Dolls the same way again! lol
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