Watch it until after the credits
Satoh Takeru - yup, that's why I watched it. He's intense and, as usual, I enjoyed his performance. The scene where he sent her away was heartbreaking. His hair was too long and you couldn't see his eyes, and it seriously needed to be washed. But, I digress...This movie is hard for me to rate. It left me feeling dissatisfied, for lack of a better word. Maybe there wasn't enough time to develop the characters more fully (but I don't care enough to watch the Korean version for more story). Part of my problem is that I don't like liars. That part of the story didn't go on for too terribly long. That she was a high school student was a little problematic, but it didn't seem too noticeable.
Everyone just seemed not too terribly likeable. I was bothered by the fact that the ML had money, fame, etc. and walked around like he'd just been given a death sentence. That's the point, I know, but it just irritated me.
Maybe it was my frame of mind when I watched it. If you want to try it, at least you won't be out too much time.
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I was annoyed a lot watching this
This was a cute friends to lovers story. I liked watching them getting to know one another, but wow, the repeated scenes in such a short drama, getting different points of view, I know, but come on! I liked watching the leads together and even though the editing was pretty choppy, I liked watching the progression of how they came to like one another.However, I hated the evil girl/triangle story. For being such a short drama, she got too much time in the story. I didn't like the bullying or how the FL never told the ML what was actually going on. Learn to communicate! I was also bothered by the fact that the evil girl started these terrible rumors, which everyone believed, and they spread like wildfire, but there were no consequences for the evil girl. Also, if everyone is very vocal in trash talking the FL, there is no way the ML wouldn't have heard anything.
The time jump was necessary but confusing in that the characters looked pretty much the same and hadn't aged at all.
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This review may contain spoilers
Cute watch, but...
I loved the actors in this. Mori Nana as KiKi was just precious. Though often immature, which was slightly problematic for me if I was supposed to believe her with Asaba, she changed those around her. I liked her energy and how she wasn't the typical J-drama female that kept her head down and apologized for absolutely everything she did. Nakamura Tomoya as Asaba - he needs more romantic ML roles! He's very charismatic, and there were a couple of times where he would suck on his bottom lip slightly...my! Nakano Taiga was just lovely. It helped that, for the most part, I liked his character, but he did serious very well, and he's got good comedic timing. He portrayed Makoto's sweetness, but also his caring that he had for KiKi. I enjoyed watching him.Which brings me to the problem that I had - the romance part of the story. My biggest complaint - if I'm supposed to believe a romance, part of that is convincing me that you are in love. If you are in love, you don't want to be with anyone else. 1) Asaba's relationship with his past girlfriend bothered me, not only because I didn't buy them as a couple, but they were basically living together. Call me old-fashioned, but one of the things I like about romance (though I know I'm living in a dream world, which is why I like watching these things!) is when the couple hasn't been with others. This one left an especially bad taste in my mouth, because the girlfriend had LITERALLY just broken up with him, and she had to tell him that he liked KiKi. - Get a clue, dude! 2) KiKi - she's pining after Asaba, but then suddenly decides to date Makoto. That, to me, was wishy washy, and unfair to Makoto. She's even ready to pick Makoto before Asaba shows up. 3) Which brings me to Asaba confessing to KiKi when he knows she's in a relationship with Makoto. Asaba and Makoto have been friends for years - not cool! You had your chance and you blew it. 4) Extremely short time for Asaba and KiKi being together - not only once they were actually together, but the lead up. There really wasn't anything to show us them beginning to like one another, not much of a build up. I felt like they ended up together because they were the leads and it was SUPPOSED to happen. I even cheated and watched part of the last episode when I was only halfway through the show, because I had no idea who I was supposed to be rooting for! The scene where Asaba and KiKi are running to one another and he is telling her that they have nothing in common and have no chemistry, was sadly true up to that point.
A couple of other minor points. The "villain" (corporate guy) did everything he did just because he didn't like Asaba - that's not a good businessman and you going back to doing things the way they used to be done (but weren't working) out of spite? Nope! Finally, in Japanese dramas, why is there always at least one person that is completely overacting? The older convenience store worker was too over the top.
So, my bottom line, it's a short, cute watch at 10 episodes, so you don't have to make too much of a time investment. It's enjoyable if you don't want to be too invested in the outcome.
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If you've ever developed second lead syndrome, this one is for you!
I watched this last night on YouTube, and at just seven episodes it's a quick watch. It was very cute. You don't necessarily get attached to the characters much, because each male gets the opportunity to be the male lead - Rowoon, Zuho, Dawon and Chani each get to win the girl. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide who she should be with. Clever, actually. It doesn't happen often, but I hate when I'm watching something, and I think that the FL should be with the 2ML.The acting wasn't as cringy as I was afraid it would be. I thought the guys did a better job than the girl did. She spent a lot of time pouting and pursing her lips to be cute.
Because it was so short, there wasn't much opportunity to show how clumsy she was. They spent quite a bit of time at the beginning basically warning the whole school to stay away from her for their own safety, but then that wasn't really addressed.
Since it's an older show, it was fun to see actors/actresses that I've since seen in other roles (mainly the teachers talking in the office).
It's cute and it was fun to watch on the heels of a drama that I was very disappointed in.
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Getting friend zoned
This was a short, four episode drama. Whenever I watch older shows, I get stuck on the fashions and the graininess of the camera work. This is a good show to watch when you don't want to make a big time commitment, or if you need a break from heavier shows.Everyone in the world knows that the ML likes the FL, except, apparently, the FL. She's a little dense that way. For how short the drama was, there was certainly a lot of drinking going on.
"I don't know how I feel" is a phrase that I never like to hear in a drama, right up there with "I THINK I like you". I couldn't quite see what the FL's confusion was regarding her feelings.
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Short, sweet and to the point
I didn't particularly care for the character of Woo Ri. I think because the series was so short, it was hard to flesh her out. She definitely had self-esteem problems (loser boyfriend!), but once she ran into Park Jun Seok, she found herself again, and I think she was able to remember what she used to like about herself.I'll be honest, I watched this for Kim Young Dae, and he didn't disappoint. There is something very charming about him, and I'm sure he doesn't want to be pigeon-holed as an actor, but he should always play the nice guy male lead. He's a natural at it. For anyone that has not seen him in Sh**ting Stars, watch it!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Oh, how I wish they'd ended the drama with episode 19!
A complicated, convoluted, interesting, fast-paced story with lots of characters, CGI, stunts and color. It was beautifully filmed. I loved the color palettes used, the juxtaposition of the lights and darks to represent good and evil. The scenery was beautiful, the stunts and CGI were really good and I was all in until the end of episode 19. I will come clean and say that I’m not a historical drama lover and I don’t go out of my way to watch action/fantasy. Give me a good romance and we’ll call it a day. I loved how we got a bit of 21st century in the way they talked at times, as well as with the hair and makeup for the cast. THANK YOU for not putting all the men in the giant, ridiculous hats. The hairstyles were pretty much current, without all the extra, complicated ornamentation that they tend to use in historicals.THE CAST was really good overall, but the standouts for me were:
Lee Jae Wook as Uk. Played immature very well, and I really liked watching him grow into his powers. He’s gorgeous to watch and he’s subtle. I am fascinated by him for some reason, I've liked him in everything I've seen of his. PLEASE make him a ML in a true, honest-to-goodness 21st century romance!
Jung So Min as MuDeok. She did amazing things using only her eyes and facial expressions. I could totally buy into her role, and becoming more human as she went along. She was able to change from being the master to the servant in such a way that you weren’t pulled out of the drama. I have liked her in all the roles I've seen her in, she's very natural.
Hwang Min Hyun as Seo Yul. For the first few episodes, all I could think of was Che Eun Woo every time he was on screen. That eventually went away, and I loved his acting. This was another part that required subtlety, using eyes and micro expressions. My heart hurt for his character. Strangely, I cried for him.
Shin Seung Ho as Go Won. Initially, he was kind of a caricature, larger than life, obvious makeup, stiff hair that looked like a football helmet. I thought, “Oh, I’m going to hate him.” His character was wonderful, and I liked the bromance between him and Uk.
Jo Jae Yoon as Jin Mu. I think I’ve only ever seen him as a bad guy, but boy, does he do it well! With that silver hair and that ice stare of his, he was creepy.
Characters/writing: There was a lot to keep track of, but I didn’t really feel like anyone was a throwaway. The writing was necessarily confusing, with all that was going on and I felt like I needed a flow chart for the towns, the characters, and the convoluted love stories (past and present). I loved how the characters called each other by their first names.
Chemistry: I can see why romance is third on the list of tags. If asked, romance wouldn’t be the first word I would use to describe Alchemy of Souls. However, the romance was wonderful from the standpoint that the leads had absolutely no idea how to go about being in a relationship. Their foreplay was arguing, and they did it well. Kisses – just wow. I also really liked the chemistry between MuDeok and Seo Yul, and MuDeok and Go Won.
Music: Fabulous OST. From the haunting opening song, the powerful instrumentals that sound like they are making use of Taiko drums, to the vocal tracks, the music fit perfectly. BIG Naughty’s Love Letter, is beautiful and dreamy. Gummy whispers her way through Raindrops. Car, the Garden’s Scars Leave Beautiful Trace fit perfectly with the Joseon feel of the drama. Jeong Sewoon, Just Watching You – I think he could sing the dictionary and I would be enthralled.
Rewatch value: This is low for me, because romance wasn’t the driving force.
Ending: RANT and SPOILER!! From a romance standpoint, episode 19 was wonderful, because after all the darkness, bloodshed and evil, we got an episode full of sweetness and light. This drama could have ended on episode 19 and I would have been perfectly happy. But noooo, you had to go there, you couldn’t let people be happy! The ending was set up specifically for a second season, which really irritated me. I hate open endings, I hate cliffhangers, and I hate being forced to watch another season of a drama that pretty much tied things up. So, I’m thinking season two will create more of the same problems that our main characters have already gone through. Of course, I have to watch it just to see what happens, and I’ll try to reserve judgment.
Should you watch it or not? I’d say definitely, especially if you are into historical dramas, fantasy and action.
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A very hypnotic, relaxing watch
I can't get over how much I enjoyed this show. I mean, c'mon it's a reality cooking show, for heaven's sake! That said, I've been recommending it to everyone. First, I'm fascinated by the Korean culture. What got me watching K-dramas to begin with was their culture - I love the way they interact with one another and their respect for each other. And the food, of course!I've watched the previous iterations of the show and enjoyed them for the most part, but there was just something different here. I looked forward to the episode every week and just watching them cook made me so relaxed. There was no stress or drama (for me at least)! Bacalar was a beautiful place and we got to see a little of it through their eyes.
I also loved how people recognized Woo Shik from Parasite. They were impressed and then went back to eating. I DID love the one older woman that was ARMY, with her eyes trained on the kitchen door to catch a glimpse of Taehyung. That was pretty much the only fangirling moment.
I hope they can do another season of this someplace else, perhaps in upstate South Carolina?
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Binge watched
This was a surprisingly enjoyable web drama. I started watching it in the afternoon and my life basically stopped until I finished it. I'm not going to reiterate the storyline, but just give my feelings for the drama. I know that a lot of people felt that it was boring. I didn't find it to be so - there were periods of slow pacing, which I found to be a relief after the tough-to-watch scenes.I struggle watching bullying of any type, whether it be between teens or being perpetrated by adults. Da Hee's mother was very controlling, and I felt very uncomfortable watching these scenes. I vacillated between thinking that Da Hee needed to grow a spine, to understanding that even though she was an adult, she had no way to support herself, so was pretty much stuck in her situation. We got to see some of the reasoning behind the behavior of the mother, but I still didn't think it justified her behavior.
Han Sun Min as Da Hee. She was pretty expressionless throughout the whole series, but I felt her hopelessness. She was able to convey that hopelessness, along with her desire to be like others, very well. Later, when a few of her issues were resolved, I was glad to finally see her smile.
Kim Woo Seok as Hyun Jin. I definitely got Park Bo Gum vibes from him. He and Da Hee were an awful lot alike, each with their own traumas, skirting around all the others, pretty much emotionally removed from deep friendships. Granted, he did have a couple of friends that he spent time with, but even with them he was not transparent.
Park Sang Nam as Ha Jun. This was a surprising character, one that seemed to have it all together, but was really just holding it all together by compartmentalizing his life. I though his character change was chilling to watch.
Chan as Hyun Jin's friend was funny and over-the-top. "Ketchup? Ketchup? Ketchup?" At the beginning he irritated me because he was so 'much', but then he really grew on me. He was able to provide a lot of comic relief when things started to get really heavy.
I thought the romance was sweet. Da Hee and Hyun Jin had known each other briefly in high school so this had kind of a "fated" vibe, which I love. I loved watching their interactions, and how they were trying to figure out how to navigate liking someone. Him taking texting advice from his clueless friend was funny. A couple of good kisses.
As mentioned before, I don't like bullying. The bully that was always around causing trouble, especially taking pictures and posting videos, I just wondered if he ever went to class.
OST was nice.
So, it wasn't rocket science. Being a web drama, it wasn't supposed to be, but I enjoyed watching it.
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Somewhat uneven watch
I'll start by saying that historical dramas are not my favorite genre, so ratings for these, for me, tend to be lower. That being said, I think one of the problems I had with this movie was that it was uneven. At the beginning it acted like it wanted to be a comedy, then the writers gave that up midway through. It moved along rather quickly, since it was a movie rather than a serial drama, and I was thankful for that. I have to be totally enthralled with a story to put up with all the filler that the dramas include, and this was far from an enthralling story.The acting was okay, I don't know if it was the actors or the script that didn't draw me in. There was something that kept me from being involved in the story. I found myself look at the time a lot, and that's never a good sign. I also wasn't "feeling" the romance at all. The chemistry was lacking, as well as the fact that the romance was definitely on the back burner compared to the palace intrigues.
I did, however, REALLY appreciate the way they wrote the king. Finally, a king that makes some of his own decisions, rather than being led by his untrustworthy cabinet.
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Fun watch
Rated down strictly because this show was entirely too long, with too much extraneous stuff. Aside from that, this was a wonderful drama. The two main characters in this were lovely. I loved their relationship. His dialogue with her after he finds out that she's a robot? He was absolutely wonderful and my heart broke for both of them. His friendship with the team was fun to watch, they were all misfits in their own way, yet they found friendship with each other. The ending was cute, though somewhat rushed. Definitely a good show to watch, though. Great chemistry between the two main characters, no "fish face, open eyes kisses".Was this review helpful to you?
Older but cute show
Song Joong Ki travels to Japan for food and fun. It was interesting to see all the various types of food that Japan offers. I was amazed to find out the number of food places there are in Japan! I don't eat fish, so a lot of the foods I just didn't "get", but it was worth it just to watch Joong Ki eat oysters!This show is 12 years old, but Joong Ki's cute aura shines through. You just want to squeeze his cheeks. His interactions with his staff, as well as fans and others that he encountered was fun.
Every so often (unfortunately, it's happening frequently these days!) I have a run of bad luck on the shows that I watch and I just need to turn off my brain for a while. This was perfect for that.
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Sweet
What a cute movie! I wasn't too sure at the beginning, because it seemed so outdated, the film quality was a little iffy.I didn't care for the ML or the FL at the beginning. He was just a sad sack, and she was completely materialistic. I was wondering if I should continue, and I'm sure glad I did. The growth and development of both characters, both individually and as a couple was lovely to watch.
The concept was slightly like Il Mare, with the two mains being in 1999 and 2018, but here, they end up inhabiting the same apartment. I thought the special effects were well-done, and what they did to the apartment so they could inhabit the same space was really clever.
The ending was bittersweet, but based on the clips following the credits, I choose to believe in a happily ever after for them.
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Easy watch
This was a quick binge watch of easy sweetness. You know how you sometimes just want to watch something purely for enjoyment's sake, not having to think too much, keeping characters straight or being let down by a confusing or open-ended conclusion? That's what I found here. For the first time in a long time, I looked forward to watching the next episode in a show. Call me superficial, but there you have it.The story surely wasn't anything that we haven't seen a million times before, but there was something so endearing about the characters here. I thought the actors all did an adequate job, these weren't roles that required a lot of acting skill, so I'll address the characters themselves. I find that, for the most part, when I watch something, I have to care about at least someone, to want to see what is going to happen to them and how they are going to develop. I found that in this show.
Seung Min - your "average Joe". This was a character that was not popular, not unpopular, but just someone that no one would give a second thought to. He was perfectly content to like Ji Na from afar. I liked how the character was not a social outcast and how he just seemed to feel comfortable in his own skin. And once the contract began, I really enjoyed watching his enjoyment of being a boyfriend. He was excellent boyfriend material, and he did some very sweet things for and with Ji Na. The couple of interactions he had with his dad were sweet as well.
Ji Na - the popular idol trainee. Beautiful, sure. At the beginning she seemed lonely to me. She had a couple of friends but the way it was filmed, we saw that everyone else just watched her from afar. I think she was popular for how she looked, not for who she was. She was nice and didn't seem to bask in her popularity.
Hyung Tak - the baseball jock, inconsiderate boyfriend. Even though he thought that Ji Na couldn't possibly like someone else, I really liked this character and the way that he matured. You never know what you have until it's gone.
Han Na - though she looked like she had just sucked on a lemon for most of the show, this was a character that I just wanted to slap. Toxic.
Ba Ul - This character was all kinds of over-the-top. Initially, it was off-putting, but then I got used to him and enjoyed his cuteness.
Min Ji - the friendly, supportive best friend. Sweetness and light and enjoying Ba Ul.
So, this isn't a show that's going to tax your brain or change the world in any way, but I found it to be a fun and peaceful watch. I laughed, I teared up, and I'm glad I took the time for it.
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Tsundere and girl with no self-esteem
I'm not going to reiterate the other reviewers. For me, the rating is mostly for being able to look at Dori Sakurada - oh, my goodness! That said, there really wasn't too much of a story line, other than repeating over and over and over again how low the girl's self-esteem was. I was so tired of "I'm not good enough for him". Actually, she said that so much I had to agree with her. She never even really talked to him so I don't get how they could be in love. He was aggressive, which if she was as innocent as she kept talking about, she would have run for the hills. I just kept waiting for her to get a spine, and it never really happened.Was this review helpful to you?
