michelleoc

You have TOTALLY got to watch this!

This show will make you laugh out loud and make you cry. The characters are wonderfully written and portrayed by the actors. The romance was just lovely - he liked her first (I love when that happens!) and their relationship developed from friendship. This was a realistic portrayal of a developing relationship. They talked to each other, spent time together, etc. His romantic gestures were in the way he took care of her. He is the kind of boyfriend every girl dreams of, just wonderful in every way. I also loved the stories of the friendships between Bok Joo and the fatties, between the male lead and his friend and the development of the relationships between the two groups. Even the obligatory evil ex-girlfriend was well fleshed-out and you really understood why she behaved the way she did.

I was impressed by Lee Sung Kyung as Kim Bok-Joo. She portrayed the character in a way that, even though she physically didn't change much from the beginning of the show to the end, as you watched her she became so much more attractive. That to me showed that our actions help determine how attractive we are. She was a stalwart friend and how she behaved with her friends, and ultimately Jung Joon, was always supportive and positive.

The biggest surprise for me in this show was Nam Joo Hyuk as Jung Joon. I have seen him in supporting roles in a couple of things and was questioning his ability to tackle a leading role. I needn't have worried. He brought such heart to the role of Jung Joon. At the beginning he seemed like he was very immature and heading toward being a bully toward Kim Bok-Joo. He was able to walk that razor-thin line between meanness and playfulness successfully. He was strong, but when he showed his sadness and vulnerability it just about gutted me!

Wonderful ending. And cameos by Ji Soo and Lee Jong Suk were a bonus.

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Great story, but not strong on romance

Very interesting premise for a show, and they didn't use too many obligatory Korean cliches. Taecyon and Kim So Hyun were both very good. His character really developed as the show went along (as you would hope) and he went from being a complete loner to finally letting people into his life. She was kind of a stalker toward him early on, but not in an irritating way. She was innocent, but not immature, and very sweet. Kwon Yool does an excellent bad guy and was very creepy. I loved the relationship between the two main characters because they were both misfits in a way, but together they worked. I rated it lower because I'm all about the romance and it was lacking in this show, in order to make time for the story and all the ghosts. I also don't like open eye kisses (and one of them you could tell that they weren't actually even touching each other) and the ending was very weak.

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Could have been totally cliched, but wasn't

Light, lovely show. Seo In Guk was made for this role. The range of emotions that he displayed - scared, clueless, naive, vulnerable, playful - I found myself smiling throughout a good portion of the show. The female was very good also and they had such sweet chemistry together. If you just read the overview for this show, you might think that it will be just a re-mix of every Korean drama you've already seen. I mean, c'mon, wealthy guy/poor girl, amnesia, we've seen these things before. I didn't hold out much hope when I started this - I'll be honest, I was watching because of Seo In Guk. I very quickly realized that this show was going to knock down all my pre-conceived notions. This took the K-drama cliches and either turned them on their ear, or soften them so you weren't being beat over the head with them. Very good kissing scenes, nice ending without being rushed.

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I think to call this a romance is a mistake, but worth watching

I'll start by saying this was NOT a romantic comedy. Comedy yes, but romance? There was someone that she was in love with, but there was no chemistry between the two, no kissing, actually no touching between the two at all. They could have been brother and sister, in my opinion.
I thought she had more chemistry with her editor! The lead actress was just precious. Her character, Etsuko, was very high energy with a positive attitude. At the beginning I almost quit watching because she had not taken any job in seven years because she only wanted to be an editor for one specific magazine - was she stupid? Did she think she was so special that she should be given a job that she had no experience in? I'm glad I stuck it out, though. She finally got hired as a proofreader (she thought she was going to be an editor) but made sure to tell the proofreaders that she was working with that she wasn't going to be there long, because she was going to be moved up to editor. Each episode focused on a new job she was working on. She learned a lot as a proofreader and taught everyone else in the process. I loved watching the developing friendships with the authors, her editor, and especially her proof reading colleagues. For me, this show was mostly about the clothes (how did she afford them? Where did she put them in that tiny apartment?). I loved the preview of the outfits she was going to be wearing before each scene. Etsuko was one of those characters that, on paper, would be a big pain in the neck, but she was so likeable that you just had to root for her to be a success.

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Fun show!

This was a sweet story about a woman that's creating a dating game to play on your phone, and the president of the company that has absolutely no clue about women. Their relationship starts out antagonistic and the bulk of the movie is about their developing friendship. It speaks to the importance of friendship and how we often don't see a relationship for what it is, until it's almost too late. Yes, there is a large age difference between the two, but it really doesn't matter - she's mature, and he's very naive about the real world. The age difference made me focus on their relationship, and not how gorgeous-looking they were, which made me sink deeper into the enjoyment of the story. Part of it was filmed at Christmastime which made the whole thing kind of like a shiny package of happiness. The ending was happy, though as Asian dramas are wont to do, extremely rushed.

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Come in for a soju and a chat

This was an extremely original concept for a show and, for me, there was a lot to like about it. I loved how each episode was like its own self-contained little drama. The music was wonderful. The special effects were really good. The story of trying to solve the grudges of others while holding onto your own was very good and I loved how in every episode you got another snippet into the back story of the main characters. There were so many funny aspects to this show, but with a serious base, and the two were well-integrated.

The acting: Choi Won Young as Chef Gwi was terrific. I'm used to seeing him in supporting roles as the driver or the secretary of the male lead, and he was really up to the challenge of a leading role. I liked his character from the outset and just kept liking him more and more. Yook Sung Jae as Han Kang Bae - he has that wonderful innocence about him, and he really conveyed the loneliness he felt because of the gift/curse that he had. Hwang Jung Eum as Wol Joo - I know she's kind of a controversial actress, people either usually love her or hate her. Unfortunately, she usually gets cast as someone that yells/screeches/screams a lot, with broad physical movements (think Lucille Ball) because she is good at physical comedy. I was pleasantly surprised that was not the part she played in this show. She starts out extremely cold and unlikeable, and as the story goes along and you find out more about her, you are able to empathize with her and the life she is forced to live.

Production quality: This show was beautifully filmed, full of bright colors and nuanced textures, drawing your attention to the sidewalks, walls, pop-up tent, etc.

I did not find this show romantic. There was a romantic subtext to it, but, for me, this was a show about building a family. Resolving differences, building trust, letting go of grudges. It was so heartwarming to watch Han Kang Bae go from being alone to being part of a family.

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Watch it for the main couple! Seriously!

I've never seen Jing Bo Ran in anything before, but as ML Lu Chen he was excellent. He wasn't cold, he was stoic. But his heart was on his sleeve for Gui Xiao from day one! Okay, you can never go wrong with a man in uniform, so that was bonus. His stature and demeanor were such that you totally bought him as soldier/police. But being the romantic I am, I loved all of his scenes with the FL. The small gestures were a testament to his love for her. Closing his eyes when hugging her, burrowing his head into her neck like he just loved the essence of her, the kiss in her hair when they hug. Every action was butterfly-inducing.
I love Tan Song Yun and she was lovely as Gui Xiao. She is a good actress, she's so beautiful, she is a beautiful crier.
Their chemistry was amazing! Bo Ran has very expressive eyes and manages to convey so much love using just his eyes. And when he smiles, my oh my! Lots of wonderful kisses and hugs. The scene where his back is to her and asks her to take his hand - beautifully filmed and so tender. They were yin and yang. She was so bubbly and effervescent, and he was serious. I can't stress enough how much I loved this couple together.

Big bonus - thank you SO MUCH for not adding the conniving female trying to break them up, or the sad/morose male that loves her from afar. This truly was a drama about them and the strength of their love.

The second couple was cute to watch.

So why is my score so low, after waxing poetic about the strength of the leads?
1) There is SO MUCH filler in this drama!! They spent an inordinate amount of time showing the training and the missions of the SWAT team. I couldn't quite figure out if it was patriotism or propaganda. All that extra stuff took up at least half of the drama.
2) The flashbacks. There were, I think, three different years that they kept flashing back to. I didn't think that the flashbacks were used effectively, especially since the actors pretty much looked the same once they got out of school. The last episode's flashbacks finally gave us the whole history of their relationship, which was nice to see, but then the drama just ended!
3) This might be just a translation issue, but she asks if he still remembers her and he says, "I'd still remember you if you turned to ashes." They showed this a couple of times, and the wording is just a little creepy to me.

I can highly recommend this drama for the main couple. Plus, you might not be bothered by all the time spent on work stuff, but I didn't find it interesting.

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How to ruin an otherwise okay show

I loved the main couple throughout most of the show. I especially liked the more mature skinship for a change. They were lovely together through most of the drama. I'm a sucker for "we knew each other as children" storylines, if they are managed well.
Yoon Kye Sang was very good as Min Hoo.
Seo Ji Hye was lovely as Ye Sul. She is stunning and captivating to watch. The scenes when they were together and laughing were a joy to watch.
I enjoyed watching Tae In Ho as the doctor. In everything I've seen him in, he plays a complete jerk, so this was a nice change.

Problems for me:
2ML. He seemed desperate and needy and cared only about his own feelings. This wanna be triangle went on too long.
2FL. He told her repeatedly that he thought of her as a sister, she didn't care. This wanna be triangle also went on too long, and her crying and carrying on was irritating.
FL was too wishy washy. I got the feeling she couldn't decide who she liked.
Hwang Bo Ra as one of the office workers, Ye Sul's friend. I normally like this actress because of her quirkiness. In this she was just extremely irritating.
The doctor's storyline. Dating someone for a week. That storyline made no sense, and it showed up periodically to fill time.

But the absolute worst, and what made me drop my rating like a rock:
Did a different writer write the last episode?! A serious drama suddenly turned into a farce, with physical humor and by turning the main characters into caricatures! These were not the same two people that we watched fall in love and I was SO irritated!

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BEYOND pleasantly surprised!

The trailers looked silly, and Ahn Bo Hyun has never been one of my favorites. He's always been that support character that I've enjoyed well enough, but he hasn't wowed me when he's been the lead. All of that has changed with Flexx Cop. But let's back up a little to initial thoughts.

STORY: A chaebol that is used to playing RPG, suddenly finds himself as a cop. This could have gone quickly bad if he had been made out to be stupid. I loved how he was able to look at cases from a different perspective that the cops hadn't thought of. I also loved how he seemed to throw money at almost every case, providing help/resources that only his massive wealth could bring. I'm a big fan of having a case take just a little over an episode. This keeps it from being drawn out needlessly and keeps things moving.
Friendships: I loved to watch the development with the four main characters. Impatience/mistrust/dislike turn to caring and trust. I was halfway through the drama when it struck me how organically the friendships developed. With each case, the other cops grew to like Yi Soo. I love how they came to appreciate/like Yi Soo and were there to support him and keep him safe when he was struggling.
Romance: Hmmm. Okay, so I'll admit I'm a dyed-in-the-wool romantic. I thought the story line of the cop and the medical examiner was cute. However, I wasn't feeling it between Yi Soo and Kang Hyun. I think the writers purposely didn't develop in, knowing that they would have a season 2. I just really enjoyed them getting to know one another and coming to depend on each other.

ACTING: Excellent. Ahn Bo Hyun owned this role. He could have come off as obnoxious, but he played it so innocent that you couldn't help but like him from the get-go. He really had to run the gamut of emotions in this role, and he nailed every one of them. The scene toward the end with Yi Soo and Kang Hyun's mother just about broke my heart. Everyone was excellent in their roles, Kwak Shi Yang as Seung Joo kept me guessing for quite some time. I was disappointed in the direction he took, but I realize that's the only way it could go. I really liked the casting of Kim Shin Bi as Hyung Jin, the youngest cop of the group. He had the sweet innocence that played nicely against the more seasoned and jaded cops. The hero worship he had for Yi Soo was so fun.

MUSIC: There were some nice songs that faded into the background.

REWATCH VALUE: Usually, the only shows I rewatch are the good romantic scenes from shows I've watched. However, this was so good I'm going to watch it again right away!

WISH LIST FOR SEASON TWO: I'm not normally a fan of a show having a second season, because it's all been done in season one. Going from dislike to working together as a team - that was a big part of this season, and one of the things that made it so enjoyable. I don't know how the writers plan to do this, but I hope that they keep the format of a case an episode. And if you can't give us a good, hot, chemistry-filled, believable romance, just leave the romance out. They are great as friends.

Honestly, I can't get over how much I enjoyed this show!

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Started out great

I'm not a big fan of historical dramas, but the trailers made this look like it would be more comedy than melodrama, so I thought I'd give it a try. I liked it a lot...until I didn't. Unfortunately, they took a show that was really working as a comedy and switched it to palace intrigue/kill the crown prince/don't trust anyone in power/melodrama about halfway through, and it became a different show. Did they switch writers halfway through or something?

What I liked:
-the comedy in the first part of the show.
-Rowoon's (as Jung Woo) comedic timing, goofy facial expressions
-Jun Woo's servant. He was excellent and so much fun to watch!
-a good king
-beautifully filmed. The sets were beautiful. The camera work was interesting. I especially liked the filming of the wedding of the multiple couples. Filmed from overhead so it reminded me of a game board, which was appropriate with all that was going on.
-The costuming was good as well, other than the front of almost every dress the FL wore. The top layer of her dresses were gathered and shorter than the rest, probably so you can see the layer underneath. But it just looked like she got part of her dress stuck in her belt and she needed to pull it down.

What I didn't like:
-the whole melodrama aspect. Does every historical have the storyline of trying to kill the king or prince? The murder plots were messy and took up too much of the show.
-Rowoon's constant throat clearing. Give the man a lozenge!
-no chemistry between leads. I mean, seriously, no chemistry.
-one REALLY bad kiss in episode 12. I couldn't get over how bad it was. Their lips weren't even aligned correctly, no movement, no feeling, no chemistry.
-There's a lot said about the fact that no one recognizes the FL without makeup, even her brother. That was so unrealistic, because they didn't recognize her voice either?! There was virtually no difference between how she looked with and without makeup. Gorgeous either way.
-Did I mention no chemistry?
-A few of the bachelors looked alike, as well as some of the potential brides. It was hard to track who was who.
-Too many storylines to do any of them justice.
-A 14-year-old marrying the oldest of three daughters. This was just all kinds of no.
-Each episode had either the ML or the FL talking about why they couldn't be together. One episode it was him, the next episode it was her. Due to their lack of chemistry (have I mentioned that already?), I didn't think they should be together anyway, so this just made the show more drawn out.
-The evil mother-in-law. Excellent acting. But everyone knew that she had not only been part of the planning to kill the crown prince, but she actually murdered her husband and her brother, and the only thing that happened to her was she lived alone at the end of the drama!?!?!? And she told her daughter-in-law to kill herself? This woman was obviously a burger short of a happy meal and shouldn't have been allowed to roam free.
-The whole multiple people, convoluted mess of a wedding.
-The FL going on and on about how much she had loved her husband. It was talked about so much, but the FL's actions didn't line up with what she was saying, and I felt that this really diminished the feelings that the ML and FL were supposed to have for one another. But since they had no chemistry anyway... (sorry, I digress.)
-The whole storyline with her supposedly being dead. I didn't feel the emotion of loss from him, she just shows up out of the blue, and his non-emotion continues.
-The ending. Lackluster is the only word I can come up with. He almost died, he thought she was dead, we've spent 16 episodes watching them try to get together, and they stand there talking about whether they should get married or just date?! As I watched the ending scene, all I could think was that the actors actually hated each other and were agreeing to the ending as long as there was no emotion, and they didn't have to touch each other.

If you are a fan of historical dramas, you might have the patience for this one. As for myself, if I'd known my feelings were going to change so dramatically by the end, I would have dropped it halfway and given it a higher rating.

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Middle-of-the-road for me

I love actors Park Hae Jin and Jin Ki Joo. Park Hae Jin normally plays a pretty stoic character, he was a lot warmer (and smiled a lot more in this one). Jin Ki Joo is just sweet and easy to watch.

I didn't find it to be an original storyline and it suffered from lack of direction. Is it a comedy? Is it a mystery? Is it a thriller? Is it a romance? All of the above, but it doesn't do any of the genre's justice. The pacing was pretty uneven and too quickly tried to slide from one thing to another. The romance was developed quickly and quickly became boring, possibly because there is so much other stuff going on. I'm gonna be honest, romance is normally the most important aspect for me in the things that I watch, and I could not really understand how these two got together, other than the fate aspect.

I'm going to say that I really enjoyed the ghosts. They were my favorite part of the whole thing. It wasn't a bad watch by any means, but I did fast forward through quite a bit of it.

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If you love historical dramas, watch this one!

I'll start by saying that I don't care for historical dramas, I find the hats distracting, everyone with a beard looks alike, they tend to be very formulaic (evil king or else evil family member trying to kill the king). So, if I was rating solely on my enjoyment of this drama, my score would have been a lot lower. I did rate it a little higher, knowing that this type of show is not my cup of tea.

Acting - Jang Dong Yoon at NokDu/Lady Kim was exceptional. I don't care for gender bender shows, because I always feel like they think we're stupid, because it's completely obvious that the character is not the sex that they are pretending to be. However, Jang Dong Yoon was terrific as both a male and a female. As a female he had the right tone of voice that didn't sound like he was trying too hard. He has such a beautiful face and his long hair helped as well. NokDu was trying to find out who he was and it was an interesting journey. I loved his interactions with all the ladies in the widow's village when he was Lady Kim.

Kim So Hyun as Dong Dong Ju - she had her own secrets that she was trying to deal with. I have loved this actress in everything I've seen her in. She's got such a sweet face and she played her part very well. The "I like you" "go away" got a little old, but I really appreciated that they didn't stick with cliche responses to her finding out NokDu's secret

Kang Tae Oh as Yool Mu was exceptional. The arc of his character was a joy to watch. From sweetness and light to evil personified.

Lee Seung Jun as NokDu's father was very good. I've seen him in things where he's a little goofy/funny. This serious role suited him.

Jung Joon Ho as the king. WOW!

CHEMISTRY BETWEEN LEADS - they were a treat to watch. Their bickering was such fun and her standoffishness played well as he kept trying to get closer to her. Their chemistry was great. The way he watched her and the smile that he got when he saw her, sigh. There were some great kisses and I really appreciated that she wasn't missish and acting like she was terrified of him. Their quiet times sitting together talking were lovely. It seemed that they wanted to be there for each other, helping the other when they had a problem. I could see/feel the progression of their relationship, I rooted for them and I believed the love between them.

ACTION - lots of swordplay and blood.

BONUS - unlike other historical dramas I've seen, this show had multiple scenes of Jang Dong Yoon being just yummy eye candy. Shirtless changing clothes, wet clothes sticking to him, shirtless when he gets wounded and she takes care of him, and my favorite - open robe as he twirls around showing her how to do a fan dance.

ENDING - Plus - it wasn't rushed. There was a wedding to tie up the story. Minus - no consequences for the bad guys and our leads live the rest of their lives on an island? Since there were no consequences, I felt that the bad guys could show up at any time which, as a lead, character, would certainly throw a pall on my happiness!

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Beautiful to watch

This is a beautiful show to watch. Beautiful cast, beautiful set, beautifully filmed, etc. I was impressed by IU's progression throughout the show. I really hated her at the beginning (as I was supposed to), but her character really progressed and you could really see her pain and her vulnerability. Yeo Jin Goo was very good at the reluctant hotel manager. There was a sweet romance, but this spoke more to me about resolving issues in our lives, and the fact that family doesn't have to be nuclear. The hotel staff had their own lovely family.

I thought the special effects were very good and added to the enjoyment of the show.

The costuming of IU was the standout for me. Her clothes and her jewelry were always so stunning and classy. I've watched some other K-dramas recently and have compared the feeling of the clothes/cinematography to Hotel Del Luna. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Add the cameo appearances of Lee Joon Gi and Kim Soo Hyun - bonus!

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