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Watch the drama
Coming-of-age Asian movies will always fill me with a warm, fuzzy feeling, but I really do prefer the drama version of this story purely because of the runtime.The chemistry between the leads is decent in certain scenes, but I didn't really feel the longing or the slow build that the story requires, and the characters don't have as much depth as I wish. The plot also feels somewhat nonsensical, like we're skipping through scenes.
This movie does what most Asian coming-of-age dramas do — which is introduce a final act conflict and separation — and while it's necessary for the male lead's arc, the resolution still feels pretty rushed.
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Great mystery
This was great! I went into this one without any expectations and it turned out to be a really wonderful medical mystery. There’s a great mix of case-of-the-week mystery and an overarching thriller, and the pacing is done really well.I ended up being far more attached to the cast than I expected; one thing Japanese dramas are really good at is giving each character backstory without making it the entire plot, and this one was no different. Everyone had their own mini arcs and backstories, but they felt a lot like real life people outside of them too. The female lead in particular was really likeable and down-to-earth, and I loved her relationship with her family.
This isn’t the most mind-blowing mystery out there but it was a really solidly written one from beginning to end, and I felt really satisfied when it was over.
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Action-packed bromance
The best part of Season 1 was the bromance and friendship between the two leads, so I’m really happy that the writers understood that and kept the heart of the show in season 2. The main leads (plus the other people in the gang) continue to stick together and it makes for both really good fight scenes and really heart-warming friendships.I think the action in this one is better than the first one — the villain feels genuinely intimidating, and the fight scenes feel so much more brutal; huge props to the choreographer and the sound designer in particular. I felt every punch. I do think the emotional motivation for the villain is a little weaker than S1 where we had more backstory; here, the motivation is a little thin. Nevertheless, the actor killed the role.
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Super cute!
This was a really fun watch! It's exactly what I wanted out of a cute little youth romance movie, and it was paced surprisingly well throughout. The leads have good chemistry and I like that there's no annoying villain character in this — it makes their character arcs really refreshing. The ending ties everything up nicely as well. Remember to stick around for the post-credit scene!Was this review helpful to you?
The cutest kid actor ever
I was looking forward to this one because of the good reviews, but it ended up not hitting the spot.I've looked it up and while this show doesn't seem to be dubbed, the line delivery just felt very artificial and awkward, while made it hard to connect with right off the bat. And the way the plot develops feels very forced, especially with the annoying miscommunications in later episodes.
Both leads are okay, but I found the side characters to be pretty cliche and annoying; the SFL is your typical feminine, manipulative villain, and the SML the nice, long-term friend. I'm tired of seeing antagonists like the SFL, and the SML's character was bland and had no believable chemistry with the FL. The second couple also feels very fake and I didn't care much for them.
On the other hand, that kid actor was awesome and just SO cute. His character was definitely used as a plot device, but he was so adorable I kind of just let it slide.
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Lighthearted and sweet
Pretty cute! The chemistry is good and I would've loved this as a full-length drama where we could see them develop more and over more time. That final act conflict is pretty much what you see in every youth drama/movie and it does feel a bit rushed because of the runtime, but I didn't really expect anything else.Was this review helpful to you?
Your typical Taiwanese BL
I went into this one with pretty high expectations considering its high rating, but it ended up being okay and not so different from other Taiwanese BLs, where there's silly humor and. heart-warming home scenes mixed with random dramatic plot points like attempted assassination. The side ship also started off strong, but the short runtime really worked against them; they didn't really have time to develop, but I ultimately think this was the right decision because our main leads used the screentime well.What this drama does do really well though, is deaf representation. It approached the topic with sensitivity while showing many different ways to communicate through his relationships with his family and friends. The male lead ended up being my favorite part of the drama and he brought a very soft tenderness to the show.
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The Uncanny Counter Season 2: Counter Punch
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Great to see them again
I liked this one still, but I definitely think it's generally weaker than the first season.It doesn't have the more grounded plot of So Mun's normal life — and the bullying plot and So Mun's relationship with his childhood friends were my favorite aspect of last season. Do Hana has this this year, and while it's not a lot, it's once again my favorite part.
I like how this season similarly tries to make a personal connection with its choice of antagonist, and it definitely works. The emotional scenes are great and everyone's acting is great. However, this antagonist and the main villain really were the only ones I cared about, and the smaller villains came across as more annoying and unnecessary to me (especially when the characters spoke in very bad Mandarin sorry).
Of course, we also have a new addition to the Counter family, and while he's fun and well acted, I think he really needed more backstory so his character would have more depth and he'd have a more purposeful character arc.
Overall, still a nice watch, though I really miss the "underdog" feeling we got from the first season.
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One Piece Season 2: Into the Grand Line
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Even better than S1!
I already loved season 1 but this season absolutely blows it out of the water — the world-building gets so much deeper and we're introduced to new characters that are such great protagonists and antagonists. You can feel the showing leaning so much more into the wackiness with the set design, costume design, and character designs, which adds so much more to how big and real the world seems.As someone who's already caught up on the manga/anime, it's so interesting to see the foreshadowing they've been able to include. It's so satisfying to see the show take its time setting up stories and plotlines that aren't going to happen until seasons later, and they're able to be fun easter eggs for existing fans and add intrigue for new fans.
I also just have to give flowers to the casting department and the actors they decided on — I think every single character, even those with only a few minutes of screentime, were chosen perfectly, and I love seeing how into it the actors are. Mr. 9 and Mr. 3 were the standouts for me this season, but I genuinely loved every single portrayal.
Can't wait for S3!
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Best in its last episodes
This drama is at its strongest when it's about the historical era, whether it's the actual past life scenes, or when they're trying to figure the past out during modern day. This happens in the later half of the show, which ended up being my favorite episodes. It really feels like there are stakes to the romance and the friendships, and the parallels between past and present work really well, while the first half goes for a more typical mid-2010s type rom-com plot, which I didn't enjoy that much, especially since the female lead had no idea about it and just felt very detached from the main plot — an issue I also had with dramas like My Love from the Star.I do think the love triangle was done extremely well here. Even though I already quite like this trope (as opposed to most people), this is one of my favorites because it really shows the different ways of love and how it affects who ends up together and who doesn't. It's also really clear that everyone cares about everyone else, which is so much more touching than annoying competitions. The love triangle gets to shine a lot in the last episodes, not by taking over, but by elevating the stakes.
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Heartwarming action
This was a wonderful drama full of action that still managed to show so much heart.The main group of Counters is definitely the heart of the series, but I must say that what stole the show for me were the scenes with So Mun's school friends. The way they always stood by him was so sweet and opposite to where I thought their story would go once So Mun had his secrets. And the bullying plot was so satisfying to watch.
In general, it was really smart to blend a supernatural antagonist with a more realistic one — it made the stakes feel so much more personal.
There were some things that were more meh to me, namely the Yung people, who I didn't care that much about apart from Ms. Chu's. For the most part it seemed like they were placeholders for exposition or plot devices, and I didn't really like when they served as the reason for the plot moving forward that the characters had to react to, versus plot developments that were more character-driven (like the detectives investigating cases).
Nevertheless, this was a tightly written drama and I'm looking forward to seeing what shenanigans this little group will get up to in season 2.
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Even better than the first
I really liked the overarching plot and villain in this one, and the show does a great job of balancing it with a variety of individual cases.The drama is once again great at showing Lee Jehoon's range as he takes on different characters, but the best part is still, without a doubt, the friendship between the main cast. It's especially interesting because we start out with a break from the status quo with them having disbanded, and we get to see them coming back together in a very heartfelt way. As a romance-lover, I also liked the subtle hints we got between Go-Eun and Do-Gi, but I appreciate that it's not a plot that takes up time and changes the dynamic between the team.
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Super fun!
It's really interesting to start a drama where the ensemble is already well-established, which makes it so much more fun to see how they work together on different missions and take on their roles. The banter is really fun and honestly it's the friendship that really carries the show.I'm a little more mixed on the overarching plot. I like the cat and mouse game with the prosecutor and the moral questions it raises about what's valid when the legal system fails. But the other antagonist was not really that interesting, other than how it gives us the final conflict where all the cases we saw throughout the season culminate into one situation.
Overall, a really enjoyable show that's definitely very watchable — I can see why it's renewed for so many seasons.
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A great journey
This one had a rough start but it gradually grew on me.The female lead's baby voice and naivete really grated on me in the first ten or so episodes, and I'm pretty mixed on the stretch of episodes on the middle which takes place in the mortal world too, since everything — from the settings to the characters — just feels so different. The body swap trope is not one I'm a big fan of and it doesn't really add much to the story aside from providing comic relief and showcasing acting chops.
However, after finishing the show though, and seeing everything fall into place, I can confidently say that I ultimately did enjoy this drama. The pacing is really well done, and I liked the development that the characters go through. The female lead becomes really fun and strong (and significantly less air-headed), and the romantic chemistry is great. The final battle is really climactic, and I think overall it was just a good time.
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Dark and Intriguing
This was cool! It's definitely very different from the first one — which I think is why it's gotten mixed reviews. On that aspect, I do agree; even though it's a sequel, it doesn't quite feel like it's actually part of the same universe.I didn't really have an issue with that though; the new setting is very unique and the tension seems much more palpable compared to S1. The cinematography, set design, and choreography are all great, and I really enjoyed the darker vibes of the story. The acting is pretty good across the board, though there are some hiccups with the side characters here and there.
In general, I'm pretty satisfied with the plot, but I did find the finale and the twist to be quite rushed. Still, I like the premise of the ending and how it sets up season 3, so I hope we get a renewal sometime soon.
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