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Jumpy pacing, weird editing, Half-baked acting
Having heard so much about this one and how iconic of a BL it was, I really went into this with high expectations. And unfortunately, I was so disappointed.The drama seemed off from the start. The dialogue is quippy — and almost constantly. There's barely any room for conversation that sounds natural or is more serious because they're always joking or making banter to upbeat music. I constantly felt like I was missing something, like the development between the characters was constantly skipping steps and we were rushing to get to the certain moments. I grew confused about what the relationships between characters were, like if there was a love triangle that suddenly appeared and disappeared.
I also think the editing for the show was off. It jumped from scene to scene, often giving me whiplash. I think the drama was in dire need of more "transition" scenes (think lingering on people just spending time together, cutting to empty sets, scenic views before going into the other plotlines). Instead the show sometimes would cut from one story directly to another during what seemed like in the middle of a scene. But other than that, even the editing for scenes sometimes seemed weirdly cut.
I also didn't really connect to the acting of any characters; part of this is because of the previous two comments — the pacing and dialogue didn't give the characters or actors time to marinate. The leads have their moments that really put a smile on my face, but other than that, I still didn't really feel that the emotional scenes were earned or convincing. The chemistry fluctuates. As for the side characters, I didn't care at all about their stories at all, and the chemistry also wasn't there.
I know most people were most disappointed by the ending and the lack of intimacy between the characters. I definitely do agree with this to some extent. Adding overblown drama in the form of a cliche misunderstanding in the penultimate episode really wasted time, especially when the plot point felt like something that should've come earlier. The truth is, though, that by the time I got there, I already didn't feel any stakes or emotional investment.
Overall, this is a drama that might've been big when it came out, but I've personally seen way better BLs — better plot, better chemistry — that have come out since then. Two that I've recently watched: Bad Buddy and Not Me.
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THE MOST ADORABLE COUPLE YOU WILL EVER SEE
PatPran have officially become one of my favorite couples ever. The way they actually communicated and were supportive and misunderstandings were not dragged out — even generally they were so adorable (one of the few couples that did not get boring after they got together) and it was so amazing how they were on the wavelength all the time because they talked to each other. The banter was super fun as well.This is one of those dramas I wish was longer because there was actually so much here that I wanted to see, especially in regards to how the families and the main couple dealt with the familial conflict over time (instead of a time jump we got). Even it was more about the backstory, the flashbacks, or with the side characters, the content was so rich and I would've loved more of it.
Still, I think it's safe to say that in terms of the healthiness of the main couple — they did everything absolutely right. They perfectly embody my favorite part about the "one person fell first, the other fell harder" trope and have one of the most iconic rooftop scenes ever. MY LIFE IS FOREVER CHANGED BECAUSE OF THEM.
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Beautiful and intelligent
I was really worried about this drama being frustrating seeing as the premise itself is about one character keeping a secret and initiating a break-up, followed by years of no contact — but that wasn't the case at all. The plot was realistic, the characters so mature and complex, and the script was surprisingly intelligent and beautiful because of it; there were a lot of places where annoying tropes could've come into play but the drama subverted it every time and instead the characters worked things out with communication and emotional connection.This was just a beautiful drama to watch and it's so comforting from beginning to end. There are no villains, every side character is multi-faceted, and it was a beautiful story about people reconnecting and not only bridging the language gap, but also learning to accept each other and the passage of time. 11 episodes was perfect for the pace of the plot but I also wish I got so much of them.
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Hilarious (with a few buts)
With the random influx of murder mysteries into rom-coms recently, it was really refreshing to watch a drama that was just a pure romantic comedy, especially one that really made me laugh out loud at times. The chemistry between the leads was top notch too — they matched each other's energies in a really unique way and it really made the entire show come alive.The second couple was decent, but I think their story wasn't as interesting and might've not even have been necessary.
I do think there are some tropes and dialogues that didn't quite sit right with me — while the enemies-to-lovers aspect was mostly funny, I think this drama did suffer from "they're not like other girls/guys" syndrome. A lot of dramas have this but I think this one just made it a little too explicit in the dialogue, with lines like "all the women I've met were manipulative" or " I've never dated a man that was nice."
The second part that sort of didn't sit well with me was that "scandal" for the ML was a gay rumor. There was a throwaway line by the FL about how it wasn't wrong, and I'm aware that the sad reality IS that attractive male celebrities will lose support in SK if news like this comes out, but it felt kind of icky to me to use that plot device and not address more the issue of cultural homophobia.
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Hits so close to home
The best films are the ones that creep up on you and this did exactly that. It's a slow burn for sure but it never feels that way and every scene hits really close to home. As someone whose immigration journey was the other way around (Taiwan to the U.S.) I honestly expected a little bit of distance between me and the content, thinking that Fen's experiences would be very different from mine.So imagine my surprise when watching this movie felt like reliving memories; the feeling of being a fish-out-of-water, of missing home, of feeling lonely — I've felt that before. The ugly words that uncontrollably come out of your mouth during a fight with your parents — I've said those before. And at the end of the day still knowing you love each other, that "can you clean my ears for me" or "I cut a plate of fruit for you" means "I love you and I'm sorry" — I lived that too.
This movie is beautiful and I cried my eyes out. I didn't expect it to end when it did, but in hindsight I'm kind of okay with it. The film is a snippet of the life of a family against a historical backdrop and even after the movie ends, real life goes on.
這部影片就是那種會悄悄的走進你心裡的那種。劇情的速度緩緩的，但永遠不無聊，也不停的讓人念舊。因為我的移民方向是反的（臺灣到美國），我錯以為我和女主的經驗會有距離。
看這部電影的感覺反而跟回想自己的回憶一樣。那種不自在，想家，寂寞的心情我感受過。那些失控中說的難聽的話我也說過。那句『媽媽，妳可以幫我掏耳朵嗎？』中的『對不起，我愛你』我也都體會過。
《美國女孩》真的是一部溫馨，令人感動掉淚的電影。結局是有點突然，但越想越有理。畢竟，我們看到的是一家人的一時刻。影片結束了，人生卻不斷持續的。
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What is motherhood?
It's been a long time since I've rated something a full 10 out of 10 but wow. The amount of emotion I felt watching this and the amount of tears I shed...this drama has immediately skyrocketed atop my list of favorites.The plot and pacing were perfect. There were absolutely no filler moments and even when we were following other characters like the biological parents or the detectives, I felt like more was being added to the story (and to my stress).
Every character is extremely three-dimensional and well-written, and through the way they were intertwined we were able to see the different ways in which "family" could be formed or broken.
The best part of this drama is its moral questions — questions about whether Soojin's actions morally vs. legally, about cycles of abuse, about parenthood and its responsibilities...there were so many scenes and moments of dialogue that were really thought-provoking.
But the best part of this, undeniably, is Soojin/Yoonbok and watching their relationship develop into mother/daughter. It was beautiful, it was heart-wrenching, it was PAINFUL. But the chemistry between the actresses was top notch and the acting performances were amazing.
Thematically I absolutely love that this is a female-centric drama, and I would recommend everyone — literally everyone — to watch it.
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Fantastic characters trapped in a drab plot
Those first few episodes started out, quite simply, very strong. And then they started to add a bunch of different elements and the final result was a huge cast that was trapped in a story that just tries to do far too much.From the very beginning I knew that Do Haeyi would become one of my favorite female leads of all time. It wasn't just that she was so fun and bubbly, but also that she was full of paradoxes — She's fun and bubbly but also straightforward, hardworking, prideful, and VERY realistic. Her personality is so relatable and I loved her dynamic with all her family and friends.
I even quite enjoyed the love triangle because it was very clearly about Haeyi's values and choosing between money or love.
As the episodes went on, it just...lost the plot. Parental and class issues are great topics and it was really where the drama shined. I think it could've done completely without the thriller subplot because it always teetered on the line between being an actual legit thriller, and something that was not so different from any other youth drama with an annoying saboteur character.
The love triangle also got so insanely draggy; it was like Groundhog Day seeing the FL reject the SML, just to have him say he's okay with one-sided love, just to go back to chasing her and getting upset when another rejection comes.
Add to the mix THREE side ships (two of which I marginally care about and one which I thought was a waste of time considering how many scenes they got) and I just felt like we were getting bits and pieces of subplots but never the full story. Everything felt half-baked and we barely got to see any cheering.
In tidbits this drama has fantastic scenes and great lines of insightful dialogue that will make you think. In the last two episodes, I absolutely did cry my eyes out when the story returned to the issue of money and life's priorities, and it made me think that it was such a shame that the drama veered away from that and decided to focus on a love triangle and treat it like a random kdrama FL trapped between two MLs, both of which I did not care for.
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The tragedy of being "too late"
Even though this movie seemed like a general rom-com, the more I think about it, the more it's the kind of movie that grows on you. It really reminded me about having to be responsible towards your own life, filled me with a lot of hope, and finally made me think: Remember that life is short.What does it mean to be in a time loop? It means having unlimited time, getting unlimited chances to make the right decision, to right the path you are on, to prevent regrets. Say Yes Again on the surface is saying all these, which is not too different from other time loop movies.
The two leads acted decently and I really felt the excitement of their honeymoon period while also noticing the differences in their characters: One was more realistic and practical, and the other was more carefree and easy-going. From the ML's perspective, this was his coming-of-age story and it was a little silly but also very relatable.
But it was the last 10 minutes that really flipped everything upside down. Though it was a little rushed, I really enjoyed the premise and intent behind it, and it not only tugged at the heartstrings but made me think twice about my attitude toward life.
I often think to myself that one of the most tragic phrases in the world is "it's too late," and at its core that was the meaning behind this movie.
雖然這部電影看起來只像浪漫喜劇，但我越來越覺得它耐看。它提醒了我要對生活負責任，也讓我充滿了希望，又好像跟我說：記著，生命短暫。
時間循環有什麼意思？就是給你無限的時間，給你無限的機會做最好的決定，把軌道修正，避免後悔。【再說一次我願意】在表面上就在說這個，跟別的時間循環片一樣。
兩個主角演得還不錯，讓我感受到蜜月期的興奮可是也讓我看得出來兩個人的性格差距：一個人比較腳踏實地，另一個比較瀟灑。從男方的角度著就是他的成年故事，有點搞笑可是也很有相關性。
可是電影最後那十分鍾把世界完全顛倒轉。雖然是寫得有點太匆忙，但真意我還是很喜歡，不但能動人心弦也造成我對自己生活的態度再次思考。
我經常自己想，世界上最悲傷的一句話就是「來不及了」。【再說一次我願意】的內涵意義也就是這個。
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Comforting but a little disjointed
This was pretty cliche but that didn't prevent it from being a really fun and comforting watch; this was one of those school-setting films that I absolutely love for its nostalgic factor. The romance was very innocent and heart-warming, combined with the coming-of-age element it was just a really feel-good watch.I do think there are some cuts that are confusing — it's as if important scenes where characters communicated were cut out and I had to fill in the blanks on my own (which is surprising considering that this movie has quite a hefty runtime for its genre).
The acting is a little stiff sometimes and in those moments this really feels like an idol movie (a movie where it feels like the primary reason for its making is to show off a singer's vocals instead of telling an actual story), but with that being said, the OST 100% holds up and the songs and vocals are impeccable.
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Tension-filled story with fantastic cinematography
I'm a sucker for anything time related and this was no different — I think they did the time rift thriller thing perfectly; the speed at which the timeline would change was so fast and it really instilled a feeling of high stakes. There are some questions about how time works and potential plot holes if you think more deeply but this was really one of those fun tension-filled films that I just immersed myself into, and the ability of the movie to make me suspend my disbelief is really just a testament to how it was made.The cinematography was really great as well. I absolutely loved seeing the different timelines being differentiated through color filters. One of my favorite watches for this October.
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My comfort characters
This is one of those cdramas I really wish were longer because from start to finish it was just so solid and I really wanted the side characters to have bigger subplots.Overall, there's not that much about the characters dreams or career ambitions — it didn't bother me, but it surprised me because that's often a topic that youth cdramas really double down on. Instead, I really loved the emphasis on family and friendship throughout the show — this is slice-of-life as its best; the topics it covers are really relatable and moving, it's heart-wrenching sometimes but stays very realistic.
I also just really loved the relationship between the two leads; they had a few ups and downs but Tan Song and Cheng Zi really embody why my favorite trope is friends-to-lovers. The support they had for each other throughout everything, the way they understood each other's little quirks, the way they talked through little conflicts, and the teasing and joking around...it was just a really healthy and fun relationship and this is one of those couples that didn't at all at more boring after they got together.
There's not really much of a plot but I didn't need one. This is one of those coming-of-age dramas where you just grow to love spending time with the characters, no matter what they're doing.
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Fun and inspiring, a little bittersweet
This was actually so great.I really loved the relationship between the leads. The backstory added a lot and wasn't overdone, and even though they butted heads it was playful and they never crossed that line. I really loved the little will they-won't they dynamic (of course knew they would) but it's this little period of carefulness and tension before a couple gets together that I always love the most and this drama showcased that really well.
Overall, the romance was just so mature. Despite their silliness, when it really came down to it, they communicated and supported each other through tough times, and I just absolutely love a drama without any unnecessary misunderstandings or breakups. The relationship was just so healthy. With gaming dramas like Go Go Squid where the FL isn't a gamer, one of my key complaints was that the drama always sidelines the story of the FL's professional growth. I definitely felt like the female lead's role in this wasn't as important as the male leads, but the way they handled her arc and gave her character agency to be someone outside of the gaming world and outside of the team was actually a pleasant surprise and probably one that I hadn't really seen in a drama like this before.
The second lead couple was less serious but I still also really liked watching them. Individually they were great characters and together they were entertaining.
Another great part of gaming dramas is probably the friendships and that absolutely shined in this show. I really loved seeing how all the side characters had their own roles in the story and grew as characters, even the ones I expected would just be comic relief. It was just so fun to see the team come together and become friends and see how the underdog story came together, without swerving too extremely into subplots, but still giving side characters their time to shine.
The friendships in the backstory was wonderful too; it really showed the e-sports industry as a whole and helped with the depth of characters' histories in flashbacks.
I always really love the theme of following your dreams, of taking risks vs. playing it safe, of humility and learning, etc. in these sports dramas and this was no different. At its core this feels like an underdog story — the male lead is trying to make his comeback in a rookie team that no one believes in — and I was worried it would be too cheesy if they won everything. But the drama showed this really well too, and I loved seeing different issues that the team had to overcome, and how even then it wasn't all sunshine and roses at the end but they had each other. There's some bittersweetness in there, but overall I just found this to be a really fun and yet inspiring and comforting drama. Would highly recommend, especially to those who liked Falling Into Your Smile.
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Cute but unbalanced
This is probably one of the better written plots in a modern cdrama that I've seen — I truly felt like the story about HSY's was really cohesive as we met different side characters and figured out how each of their roles played into it. The part about chasing your dreams, about regrets, about life's priorities, and about memories and holding grudges — all of that was really powerful. I liked the second ship's plot too and how the main plot tied into them. Some different K&K characters had their little subplots as well (it wasn't very much but we got a really clear sense of their personalities).The main couple is SO cute when they're together; it's funny because it's usually the opposite for me (I care more about a couple before they get together and then they get boring) but in Go Go Squid, I absolutely loved seeing her bubbliness and how the ML gradually became softer as well. The K&K Team and their teasing added such a fun dynamic to their relationship as well.
But while the main ship was cute when they were together, it was kind of unfortunate how uncute they were when they weren't. From the start, I felt like the "love at first sight" part was really cringey and awkward, and the female lead was crazy and obsessive with how she followed around the ML and tried to bypass rules when he clearly showed that he wasn't interested.
After that, the "disapproving parent" trope was really annoying in this one because of how the ML ended up being super rude to the FL while she still continued to chase after him. In certain situations, I appreciate the unfiltered character who is not afraid to still love despite being hurt but I really think that at some point you should have some pride and self-respect. This part dragged on for a lot longer than I wished and the way it was "resolved" felt a little unsatisfying.
Individually, I also felt like the ML's backstory and characters were so fleshed out, the female lead kind of got the short end of the stick. Yes, we knew she was a smart computer science major and an internet singer, but none of her subplots were cohesive like the ML's; instead, they just seemed to appear or disappear randomly, unexplained, and her future felt like a throwaway sidenote as it was told to us offhandedly. I really wish her character got a little more depth.
The gaming part was okay to me but I honestly found it difficult to understand what was going on in competitions (compared to Falling Into Your Smile, where I felt all the anticipation and stress of every match) and for that reason, I didn't really feel the high stakes that the drama was trying to show.
Even aside from that, I thought the leads were SUPER adorable when they were together, and this was a pretty fun watch.
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Beautiful and a little heartbreaking
I watched this way back in high school and to this day it's a movie I'll never forget. It's more than a teen love triangle, more than a queer teenager coming out, even more than a coming-of-age film. It's about unrequited love, and growing up, and learning to find (and love) yourself. This is a movie that made me feel a lot of yearning and nostalgia and even pain, for a childhood that wasn't even mine. The feeling of being misunderstood, confuse, unsure, lonely...the story for this film might not be ground-breaking, but it still made me feel every emotion.Was this review helpful to you?
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First half > Second half
So in the first half of this drama, I would have flat-out rated it a 10/10. Considering it's from 2014, the production quality might be a little low and the humor and timing a little awkward, but I was willing to overlook all that because I really loved, above all things, the main female lead. She was independent, strong-willed, confident, work-focused, and walled off romantically — everything I felt I could personally relate to. Kai Qi is precisely how I want strong female characters to be written, flaws and all. And I felt like the male lead was the perfect counter-balance. His personality was softer, quieter, more caring, and compromising, having grown up as the bullied younger sibling. They meshed perfectly and the storyline was stressful in all the best parts (I had no idea that a cooking show could stress me out so much!). The childhood friends backstory was integrated well too, as was the second lead's history with the FL.Even after they got together, I really liked the romantic dynamic that was still fun and allowed the better parts of their personalities to shine through.
It was about an episode after that, that things started to go downhill. The plot started inputting random tropes (spoiler: a kidnapping plot) and character decision-making (the FL especially, who had always been straight to the point), started to make no sense. Of course, there was an obligatory break-up, and for two characters that had begun communicating so well before, it all just felt very dramatic and forced. The sudden extreme of the plot really felt like they just pulled random tropes and inputted them into the story.
It got worse because they just dragged this out so long, until the end of the drama, where it felt like there were no obstacles for them being together, other than the female lead just saying no for no good reason, for reasons that they had discussed multiple times.
The female lead had always been a straightforward character, and a lot of that was lost. This isn't limited to the main ship either, but also to the second couple — but I was wondering why there were so many episodes dedicated to coming up with elaborate schemes to get people to meet coincidentally or be part of random competitions to trick them into getting together when they could just sit down and talk things out like normal people. There was basically no plot, just the ML chasing after the FL again.
While all this was happening, the second lead's personality started to shine through more, but there really wasn't time dedicated to his character or a full plot for him at all. There were a few side plots for supporting characters and while I don't really have a problem with that, I felt as though the acting was mediocre and the writing was not really fleshed out enough for me to even care about them or see how they were relevant.
All in all, there's still a sort of nostalgia when I watch something like this, especially because there's some over-acting and it made me cringe, as old dramas often do. All that aside, I still do like the set-up of the female lead. The second half, however, is probably something I'll purposely overlook.
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