Kate

The whole show was based on the lack of communication.

If they actually started talking to each other even a little bit, the show would be half of the length if not less. One could think this will be a rivals to lovers type of a drama, but it ain’t it. It ain’t anything.

The plot had potential, but they should have established the initial conflict a bit more. They “warmed up” to each other too fast, but to keep the story interesting we got some random miscommunications. If you want to make your show a full on cliche entertainment - fine with me, but lean into it. It was just too basic. It was not realistic in any aspect to appeal as a slice of life, but it was also not bold and fun enough as a mindless entertainment. It’s half baked fluff.

There was also one side plot that simply made me feel uncomfortable and it's worse the more I think about it.

The leads had a mild and mediocre chemistry and while the acting was decent, no one wowed me, but I also did not feel offended by the performances. Yes, the “nsfw” scenes were cringe and funny, but I blame the directing, not the actors themselves. The way they tried to frame it as sensual, but delivered full on awkwardness…

The production was the biggest clownery. I mean, I was more discreet about recording lectures at university than them acting as reporters. They could have done a better job with props and framing to make it a little bit less ridiculous.

Overall, it’s a show I’ll forget I’ve watched in two days, but I don’t regret watching it. It weirdly grows on you as you watch it. Watching it every Friday became my afterwork routine.

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I would like to start by saying: this is not really a school drama in the sense we usually understand it. While the plot takes place in the school, it’s more about the politics that go into being a teacher and how the school is running as an institution. We don’t get that many cute and lovable interactions between students and teachers, and it’s more focused on the power struggle between different departments, permanent and temporary teachers and other institutions involved in the education and internal struggles between doing what you find right and fitting into the environment.

That said, it’s not all rules and cold politics. We get to know an amazing variety of characters, with different motivations, behaviors and ways of dealing with problems, and as we watch, we learn that at times there is no good nor bad decision, but rather a variety of different choices and all of them have some pros and cons to them. The few interactions between teachers and students are truly meaningful and add to the emotional depth this drama presents.

I assume many people may not like Go Ha Neul since she at times acts really cute, unsure and innocent, but in my eyes she is actually a really strong character. With everyone saying she should not get involved or rebel against the system, she fights her battles and proves everyone wrong countless times. There is nothing wrong with being cute and strong at the same time. She wants to stay true to her beliefs, do what’s best for students and survive in a new environment. She makes mistakes but is quick to admit to them and learn from them.

The whole drama revolves around the daily struggles of realistic and complex characters with many flaws but even more good qualities. There are no really bad characters, just different people dealing with problems in different ways. While we might agree with some more than others, it's not hard to see the logic behind them all.

This was truly an emotional ride, which made me laugh and cry many times. By the end, I loved so many characters I disliked at the beginning, and it was all possible because of the amazing writing. We either got fantastic character development or a deep dive into their perspective, which helped us understand their reasoning. While the plot was not the most complex and thrilling, the relationships built between the characters were all we needed to fall for this drama's charm.

For whom: people who like complex and realistic characters, slow paced dramas that truly show problems from different perspectives, character driven dramas, beautiful cinematography.

Who may not enjoy it: people enjoying a lot of action, overdramatic style of filming and dealing with problems, high school dramas that center around students and not teachers, people that get bored with politics and behind the scenes of a workplace, romance driven dramas.

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The mundane pain that just makes sense.

Realistically speaking, I would not say it was as charming as season 1, yet the story itself was for sure more compelling. Yes, the delivery of the characters’ struggles had some misses, but I appreciate the realism of this season.

One thing I appreciated about it was the fact, it in fact had a plot. While many people wanted more fluff and the pair being all cute, I truly dislike the empty fanservice type of sequels. This was rather raw and I loved it. Seeing these characters struggle as individuals was great. A couple is not just a pair, they are also individuals. Some issues are personal, and while they might affect the dynamics between two people, the source of them is found somewhere else.

I also believe it was a smart choice to start the plot after the break up, without actually showing all the details of when it happened. Yes, seeing the in depth portrayal of how it affected Seo Joon would be great, it would also mean less time to see Ji Woo’s side of the story - and we truly got barely anything here anyway (more on that later).

Strangely, I liked the reasoning behind the break up too. I can imagine many people were disappointed. I know many people were disappointed, I was reading the comments as the drama aired. For me though, it all made sense. That's kind of how life goes. You don't always end a relationship because you have no feelings for the other person - sometimes it's one or a few bullshit reasons that at that specific moment of your life make sense, even though it does not for anyone else.

On the characters - Kang Seo Joon was as much of a loyal puppy as he was in season 1. It’s impossible not to love him. At the same time, I found his character miserably helpless and it was so amazingly human of him. The way he could not move on after a year, how he desperately tried to find any reason and opportunity to still make the relationship work, to be close to Ji Woo. How he did not take a “no” as an answer, how he came back after each emotional kick. It was obviously not a healthy approach, but being weak when faced with someone or something you love and care about is extremely relatable.

On the other hand, I agree with many that Ji Woo was not a likable character in most of the episodes. I hated his actions, but I also understood where he was coming from and how he ended up in such an emotionally exhausting and empty state. Being scared of being happy. Running away, because it’s easier to handle. Hiding your feelings and not knowing how to express your insecurities. He tried to be strong, but at some point it just all crumbled down and he decided to run away instead of facing the issues he had. I found his selfish behavior quite realistic and relatable.

That said, I wish some hints of his inner struggles were introduced as the show progressed, instead of dropping it all closer to the end. The show focused so much on Seo Joon’s pain in the first half, it was hard to relate and root for Ji Woo. I’m not surprised some viewers even wished the couple would not end up together by the end. We’ve got the answers for his behavior too late for some people to find the strength to care for his happiness. At some point, some viewers got tired of waiting and just gave up on him.

As for the other characters, I know the show faced a lot of criticism because of the inclusion of “useless female characters”, but I couldn't agree less with that. Not keeping your characters in a social bubble, where they only interact with each other is a good thing. People have other people in their lives than just their romantic partners. For me, adding more characters, be it female or male, is a good thing. It adds depth and layers to the main ones. They interact differently with different people, we learn more about them thanks to these conversations. They say things they would not say to each other, that are important to understand their inner struggles and thoughts.

If I had to complain about any characters, I would say Ho Min’s trainee/idol aspect came a bit out of nowhere and was not necessary - adding nothing to the plot. Seemed more like an afterthought than a planned plot point.

Now, to talk about one of my favorite aspects of the show - the shots. The scenery was just so beautiful and well placed as the transition scenes, it made the flow of the scene so much better than just faded to black. Production wise, it’s an obvious improvement compared to season 1, which itself was already really good for a smaller production like that.

The OST, ladies and gentlemen - what calming bops we've got. How perfectly they fitted the whole mood of the show. Not to mention, having the lead actors sing one of the songs was a perfect choice to make the delivery of the message and emotions even more hard hitting.

Acting wise - it was good. By now I’m a big fan of Son Woo Hyun. Can’t wait to see where his career will lead him. Kim Kang Min has improved a lot since the previous season. His delivery was more expressive and natural. Yes, we still got “crying with no tears, trying to squeeze a few drops like a lemon” scene, but overall, the performance was quite stable and good.

Overall, while I do prefer season 1 as a whole, I like the story of season 2 more. If I’ve got a bit more steady pacing for the characters and a few more hints about their motivations earlier on, I could possibly like it more than the previous installment.

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Countless misfortunes with Disney solutions.

Idol: The Coup opens with quite refreshing, more accurate depiction of idols and the Korean music industry as a whole, but ends on an over the top, makjang note. And yet, I truly loved the show. Somehow, it convinced me to ignore all the flaws and only focus on the true entertainment and emotional connection I have made with the characters. And for that, I am thankful.

The drama tells the story of Cotton Candy, who are deemed as "'망돌(망한 아이돌)” (mangdol - failed idol). Both the company and the members themselves gave up on trying to succeed, with Jenna, the driven leader, being the last person who still tries her best to make the team overcome the issues and survive in the industry.

Each member has her own traumas, hardships and obstacles they need to face, and as the drama progresses they learn how to trust each other again, how to work as a team, protect and support each other.

Idol: The Coup truly takes the viewers on a whole journey of “hate to love”. At first, you might despise the majority of the characters, just to end up loving them and rooting for them by the end of the show.

It’s also the first drama with an idol driven plot, where the songs are truly good, and something I could see in a music show. Both, the songs that are suppose to be part of the fictional groups’ discographies, and the songs that were only used as a soundtrack easily found a place on my playlist, with few favorites being: “Home”, “Honest”, “You Can Cry”, “Fly Up”, “Pray” and “Remember Me”.

It would be a crime to write this review and not mention the amazing chemistry between Jenna and Jae Hyuk. This dynamic was extremely entertaining to watch. While at first it might seem that Jae Hyuk holds all the power, each disagreement they had, leaves the viewer thinking he was the one who lost and was more affected by it. It became a battle of wits and determination, over one character just abusing another.

The acting was not outstanding, with some idols struggling to connect to the emotions and truly deliver the lines in a natural manner (I’m looking at you Kim Min Kyu and EXY), but overall, none of the performances were truly cringeworthy, and the few miss-deliveries became a charm of the show too. Maybe I am biased, maybe I just convinced myself to love even the bad aspects of the drama, but at the end of the day, does it matter? It was a fun watch, whenever it had or had not had any issues.

That said,

If you want to watch idol romance, this ain’t that. While the female and male leads have amazing chemistry, and many viewers wished to see some kind of feelings spark between them, it never crosses the line of hints and future possibilities.

If you want to see a realistic portrayal of idols’ life, this ain’t that. While the first 3-4 episodes did a good job showcasing the struggles “failed” idols might face and the industry trend to see the idols as replaceable assets and not human beings, at some point, the amount of tragedies happening to Cotton Candy reached a ridiculous number. The solutions were coming out of nowhere, just as the problems were showing up with little explanations, and at times, as complete contradictions to what already was established in the drama. That said, the issues themselves were not unrealistic, but rather the fact they all happened to this one group in such a short period of time.

If you want a wholesome drama with nice characters you can root for from the beginning till the end, this ain’t that. There were moments when I wanted the group to disband, there were moments when I totally understood why they were failed idols and maybe they should not work as a team. I went from “let them disband”, through “I’m an ot4 stan”, to “I don’t care if it will make no sense, these babies need a happy ending”. The characters are truly flawed, but you might end up loving them despite their shortcomings.

Overall, what a ride it was. Idol: The Coup has countless flaws, and yet it made so many viewers enjoy it and get excited for more episodes. The idea of one hour and thirty minutes long episodes scared me, but when they went down to just one hour, I was truly disappointed. Each episode made me want to see more, and wish for just a few more minutes of the content. I got addicted to this soft idol makjang with fun, but frustrating characters, over the top tragedies and Disney solutions.

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One could say it’s your typical Thai BL, but that would be insulting to all the mediocre Thai BLs. Technically it’s the same old story - two cute guys pinning for each other because they suck at communicating their feelings. It should be all cute fluff, pure entertainment, feel-good watch. So how come it was either boring or infuriating? The good aspects were toned down, while they exaggerated the awful miscommunication trope to some ridiculous levels.

Daonuea? Cute, chill, awkward. Somehow have like 3 guys after him, go figure. At the same time, I hated him. He claimed to care for people and their feelings while also acting like a coward leading people for whom he obviously has no feelings. It’s not like he was truly an awful character, he had his moments and overall I enjoy his interaction, sadly only with people that had no romantic links to him.

Then we have Khabkhluen… I don’t even know where to start. His whole story? Ain’t buying it. This level of lack of communication, but also ONLY when it involves Daonuea? Ain’t buying it. The “progression” of his feelings? Ain’t buying it. He was just poorly written, that’s that. While it was fun to watch his silent moody demeanor at first, as the drama progressed I simply got tired with it, since the guy had like -10000 initiation levels. He just did not do anything.

I don’t care enough about the side characters to write about them. Some had some random not well executed last minute stories presented, but who cares? Not me.

I think my biggest issue was how they built the conflict, or rather dropped it out of nowhere. What it felt like - they obviously did not have enough plot for 8 episodes, so they had to invent some random issues that had no place to exist and be part of the show, that’s how ridiculous they were.

The acting was… mediocre? I was fine with most scenes, but the cast failed me with anything involving deeper emotions.

Overall, damn this was disappointing. It had a decent start with the first two or three episodes, and went DOWNHILL from there.

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Each new person we meet is a new chapter in our life.

I want to be completely honest - this is my subjective take on the show. I feel like My Liberation Notes is a drama one either vibes with, or they don’t. I don’t. It’s not like I hated it, but I was not as moved, touched, absorbed by it as other people. It had a fair number of elements I enjoyed, but overall, I was not invested.

I think my biggest reason for disconnecting was the fact I did not relate to any of the characters and, at the end of the day, it is a character driven show. Yeom Mi Jung? Extremely unlikable for the majority of the episodes. I completely gave up on trying to like her when on one hand, she complained how no one ever made her feel alive and whole, but at the same time said she herself never really liked anyone.

I understand that all the depression (probably more specifically dysthymia) symptoms she presented must have been something many people related to. I am not a stranger to these feelings myself, and yet, I could not be on board with what they tried to present with her. Admitting on the side though, the last episode changed my perception of her character quite a bit, and I liked that a lot. They hammered a specific picture of her, and then gave me a 180 change with a new perspective delivered with just one line. Whatever I did not like about how she was written became less valid at that moment.

That said, putting aside whenever she was likable for me or not, I do appreciate some aspects of her personality. The fact they broke away from the “shy introvert” portrayal many dramas have. She was not shy, she was simply not interested in people. Sometimes people who don’t engage in every social interaction are not shy, they just don’t care. At times her inner dialogue and conversations with people made me think she might even be asocial, one step further than introversion. If we truly listen to what she was saying, I still have to appreciate that it’s just who she is - there is no trauma, no social phobia. She just does not like people that much and prefers solitude.

Then we have Mr. Gu. I liked him a lot at first. The mystery around his character in that rural area made me curious about his story, but they dragged it for too long. When I finally found out more about who he is, I was not that interested. It was a well done suspense, since me and many people wondered about his identity, but I feel like keeping the viewers in the dark for so long took away from him as a character. On the other hand, one could say he serves as a good contrast to Mi Jung’s journey, and the different pace they both took in figuring themselves out.

While Yeom Ki Jung was entertaining to watch and one of the reasons I pushed forward and finished the drama, I found her arc a bit one dimensional. At some point I started to feel like her obsession with finding a man was overshadowing the underlying issues she has. It felt like a comedic bit, that is not quite funny when you truly think about it. That said, her romantic endeavors were enjoyable and endearing and for me, she was easily the most likable of all the siblings.

I don’t really have much to say about Yeom Chang Hee, except for the fact he was underused. His interactions with Mr. Gu were amazing and I would love to see more of them - that friendship could have been an interesting addition to the story. I am honestly not sure what his purpose in the drama was. I get the vague idea, but for me his characterization lacks focus? He shined the most in the last (around) four episodes, and I probably enjoyed him the most at the time, out of all the characters.

One of the aspects about the drama that can be either viewed as a positive or negative thing depending on the preferences, is how the main characters were not that well defined. A lot of aspects were left for interpretation. I was discussing the show with many people as I was watching, I also read many comments and takes on the plot progression and characterization, and I have to say - many people had quite different takes on who the characters were.

As far as I see it, it’s a good thing. It’s not a “play in the background” type of a show. The true value comes from wondering about it as the episodes end. Trying to understand the characters. And since everyone looks at them from the lens of their own private experience and personalities, it’s given that they will see different things in them. It’s the viewers who add depth to them, their interactions and plot development. So for me, who was not engaged enough to feel motivated to do that, the drama lost one of the most important aspects.

I know a lot of people love the dialogues and inner monologues in this show. I completely agree they were well written, but they were also repetitive. A lot of them were talking about exactly the same thing, just with different words. So at the end of the day, we end with exactly the same issue - you either relate to the lines and love them, or you don’t and you find them boring.

While they went into detail about Mi Jung’s inner struggles which led to many people appreciating the show, I also feel like a lot of aspects suffer because of it. The relationship between the parents being one of them. Literally all the supporting characters. The biggest let down? Underuse of Liberation Club. I wish there was more focus on this rather than Mi Jung and Mr. Gu together. Using the writing note as a way to deliver the inner monologues was used just a few times, overshadowed by emo train rides that took the spot for the narration time.

That said, with all the complaints I had, they are all subjective. The same things I complain about, other people name as the reasons for loving the show - depending on the perspective. As I said, you either vibe with it or you don’t. It’s really consistent with how they deliver the mood and message, creating a well composed picture. The acting, writing, directing, editing, soundtrack - everything fits well together.

Overall, would for sure recommend to anyone who likes slow paced, character driven shows that focus on daily lives and struggles of normal people. There is no reason not to check it out. It's a good drama, it just does not try to cater to every viewer, and as a result, it might not resonate with everyone. But you won't know if it's something you will see as a true gem, unless you check it out yourself ;)

Ps. Refrain from telling me maybe the genre is not for me. It’s not the genre, it’s this specific show.

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Missed opportunity

I am sad. This show had such an amazing opportunity to mix crime investigation with supernatural elements, and they decided to ruin it by adding tons of boring plotlines that had less than satisfying conclusions.

Imagine this, the show focuses on Lee Hwa Sun, as she tries to catch the serial killer that murdered her husband while the “end of the world” is happening. Instead of giving us paralel plotlines, make it more procedural - her meeting different types of survivors in different places while investigating. Keeping it rather simple is the way to go with a short format like that.

What we actually got were boring characters with typical stories, and literally no valid resolution for any plotline. Props for the writers to be willing to kill the characters, but even that was not satisfying at all, since I was not attached to any of them.

The whole mutants/zombie/alien deal: don’t waste screen time on plots trying to figure out what it is, if you won’t deliver any answers. How about redistributing that time to develop the characters more so I can actually give a shit about what is going on?

Conflicts resolution? Let’s just find a cheap way to either write it off, or deal with it in one clean way, no matter if it’s just lazy writing. ALL the conflicts (and I truly mean ALL) were resolved in the EXACTLY same way.

What was the purpose of Yoo Tae Han even existing in this show? No idea. He had no personality, no clear motivation, no goals, no nothing. He just showed up whenever convenient to help the “good guys”.

It’s hard to even comment on the acting, when the majority of the characters had little personality or were the typical stereotypical assholes. Song Sang Eun did the best and had the most diversity of the emotional performances from the whole cast.

Overall: Honestly speaking, it’s not a bad show, but it’s just amazingly frustrating because it could have been so much better. We do not get fresh and fun new concepts that often, so for it to be wasted like that does not sit well with me. I watched it being mildly entertained, but I kept thinking how every scene and plot line could have been easily improved.

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Cat and dog dynamics done in the best way possible.

For the main couple, this is close to perfection. Simple story that presents both enemies to lovers and friends to lovers trope, depending on the perspective taken.

The relationship progression between Shu Yi and Shi De was really well paced. It didn't feel rushed, the milestone moments were happening at the right times, and never felt out of place. The dynamics between them sold the show. Both Shi De and Shu Yi have this trickster quality to their actions, which makes We Best Love that much more entertaining. The plot could be simply described as: two main leads getting closer to each other, one step at a time.

Speaking of the cat and dog dynamics, Shi De reminded me of a Golden Retriever with his warm and patient demeanor, and Shu Yi was like a small cat - playful and curious. Seeing them interact with each other just brings happiness to my heart and a smile on my face.

Shou Yi was one of the characters I was the most curious about. Sadly, if his story gets any more depth, it will happen in season two. That said, him being the relationship MVP for Shu Yi and Shi De was one of the funniest aspects of the show. I never enjoyed someone being such a busybody as I did with his character.

Being perfectly honest, some side characters were unnecessary, or rather, they got unnecessary side plots. Some of the scenes and developments came out of nowhere since there was not enough screen time to dive deep into the side plot progression.

The production value was amazing. I especially appreciated the transition scenes, which are usually extremely generic, but here they became either pretty or fun screenshots (shout-out to best supporting character - Mr Skeleton). Music wise, I cannot remember one song. On one hand, it means OST was not that memorable for me, but on the other, it also means they were fitting for the scenes they were used for, since I was not bothered by them.

Overall, amazing chemistry that, at times, almost set my laptop on fire. On point acting, especially from Sam Lin - boy shocked me in one scene (good acting always gets me overexcited). One of the nicest and well paced BLs that tells a simple yet extremely engaging love story.

See you in season two!

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Perfect balance of ups and downs.

Honestly speaking, I’m not that into makjangs. A full on makjangs is a trip to ruined mood and constant annoyance. What I do enjoy is a "soft" makjang, where the shenanigans are still ridiculous and over the top, but there are some breathers incorporated to make you actually enjoy the plot. Perfect Marriage Revenge is like that - perfect balance of ups and downs.

We get all the evil mothers and stepmothers, neglect, abuse, attempted murder, secrets and betrayal, cheating, crime - all the entertaining twists known. But we also have a healthy relationship of the leads, nice and smart supporting characters, some fluff and comedy. The leads are not exactly complete underdogs who are beaten to the ground to raise in the last episode and win the prize. It’s rather an even fight between them and the bad guys, and that’s what makes it fun to watch!

The show is beyond unrealistic, but if that’s anyone's complaint, you picked the wrong genre. Makjang is not supposed to be realistic. There were many scenes where I laughed out loud with how detached from reality they were - that’s the beauty of dramas like that.

For the romance - the chemistry was chemistrying. Sung Hoon ain’t a good actor, but he knows about romance, that’s for sure. What’s strange - his lack of skill was actually a perfect match for the drama. I honestly don’t think I would enjoy it as much with a “better” actor.

Jung Yoo Min won my heart with her performance as Yi Joo. I bought both the naive and good hearted, and cunning and strong. The emotional scenes tug at my heartstrings, the badass scenes made me clap like an excited kid.

Big props to Jin Ji Hee too. Han Yoo Ra might ended up as my favorite character. Amazing performance, and surprise nuance in how the character was written.

Overall, I binge watched it in 2 days. Once I started I could not stop. Addicting is a perfect word to describe it. I planned to just skip the scenes and watch the romance, but I ended up being glued to the screen and seated for 12 hours with hands away from that right arrow on the keyboard.

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The campus love story of psycho and weirdo.

One of the sweetest things I have seen in quite some time. Keeping it simple was the blessing we all deserved. Extremely likable characters, where even their stubbornness could be viewed as cute and adorable.

The plot did an amazing job at setting up the dynamics between Jae Young‬ and Sang Woo, but also introducing them as separate characters with unique personalities. The introduction of the leads was done in such an effective way in episode one, I did not question their reactions and motivations in later episodes - I accepted that’s who they are and their actions made sense.

The plot that links Jae Young and Sang Woo is also believable, bringing up many funny interactions and ways of testing the leads' communication and patience. Enough screen time was used for it, so it never felt like a plot device that could be easily replaced, but rather an integral part of the story telling.

The gradual change in Jae Young and Sang Woo relationship was simply delightful to watch. We could see what moments were the turning points, what led to them, how they influenced the main characters. It was a well written and presented progression, and while the characters were falling in love with each other, I was falling in love with the show itself.

The thing that I appreciated a lot was how Semantic Error showed changing for people you are about is a normal thing, and sometimes you have to get out of your safe zone, but at the same time, they did highlight the importance of respecting and trying to understand the differences in personalities people might have. Mutual respect and mutual effort are the key to any relationship - be it romantic, platonic or professional.

The pacing was perfect, if we take into consideration the length of the show. They truly did their best not to waste the precious screen time on useless side plots that bring nothing to the table. Sure, Ryu Ji Hye’s character was not exactly needed, at least not in the way she was incorporated into the story, but it’s more of my personal view. I’m sure many viewers loved her the way she was and the role she played in the story.

Jang Jae Young‬ is probably one of my favorite male leads in any BL. Yes, he might be a bit of an asshole at first glance, but even his childish behavior was more entertaining and adorable, and less frustrating and annoying. It’s truly impossible not to fall for his charm. The guy shines the brightest when he tries to be patient and understand others. Him being so good looking is truly just a bonus, a cherry on top of his awesomeness.

Think of a completely opposite character of the social butterfly who goes with the flow - that’s Chu Sang Woo‬. His asocial personality was somehow endearing - he had his ways of dealing with problems, and was always straightforward about his expectations and rules. More often than not, I actually thought he was right in his approach - with freeloaders during university work, or setting boundaries with lecturers.

That said, I do think they went a little bit too far with his “robotic” characteristics. We get it, the boy has issues with dealing with his emotions. He needs time to understand them, he is flustered and sometimes scared. While all of this gave us many funny moments, sometimes I just went “okay, chill with the googling body malfunction”. Still love this child.

The supporting characters had enough screen time for me to believe they are more than just one dimensional fillers. Choi Yu Na was extremely cool, but also a caring friend, and Go Hyeong Taek was a ray of sunshine and cuteness that brought some fresh atmosphere on the screen.

I would not say this was an Oscar worthy performance from the cast, but it was on par with a lot of mainstream romance shows, not just BLs. Park Seo Ham truly aced the role of Jang Jae Young‬ - a lot of it was in his eyes. I replayed some of his reactions and scenes simply because I appreciated his performance in them.

Production wise, for sure the best we have seen so far from k-BLs. From the opening shot, the intro, the use of angles, light and shadows, to the set design - nothing I could possibly complain about.

I admit to adding the OST to my playlist. The songs are that good. Even if I have not seen the show and was not emotionally influenced and biased because of that, I would like them a lot.

Overall, this is a perfect sweet de-stresser. What adds to it are all the interviews and behind the scene videos that show the good atmosphere on set and great chemistry between the cast. You can see they enjoyed the filming and liked the story they were presenting on screen. Nothing better than people involved in the production actually believing in what they are creating.

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Constant state of pain and agony, washed with the holy waves of never-ending angst…

and yet, somehow… Part two made me feel far less than part one did. By the end of the drama I felt like the writer loved their story and all the characters too much to give some aspects up. Too many things were not set up and developed enough, too many plotlines felt rushed, luckily the closure was solid.

Don’t get me wrong though, I still enjoyed the show a lot, but the progression of the story and the lack of focus just lost me a bit. The politics and war were mostly the context in which the characters operated and explored their beliefs, personalities, morality and relationships in part one. It was great. We had many powerful scenes showing the contract between the royal family and the common people. Not knowing any real details was not an issue, because these royal idiots were never main characters in the first place.

Sadly, this whole royal drama gets more attention in part 2. It takes away precious time from the main characters. Where even was Eun Ae? Why did most of Yeon Jun's character development happen between the scenes? He took a couple of 180 in terms of his morality, but we never got enough reason for it to even happen. And it's not like the screen time they took away from these characters was even enough to truly develop and explore the palace storyline. It felt like I needed to do a lot of work myself to fill the gaps of the plot in my mind based on vague ideas and shallow set ups. It's like they tried to turn a character driven show into a plot driven one half way through...

All that said, the drama is still dear to my heart and even if I enjoyed part two less, I still enjoyed it a lot. We've got more of the exploration of different themes relating to morality, justice, duty, honor. Many scenes connecting to events in part one in a smooth and eye opening manner - adding to already intriguing commentary on social standards and gender roles.

Undoubtedly, the best gem, the true treasure of My Dearest was Gil Chae. Easily my favorite female character in 2023, probably top 3 from all the dramas I have ever seen. The masterfully crafted character development, the realistic flaws, the strength that was inspiring. The depth of emotional performance given by Ahn Eun Jin. There are no words that can truly describe how much I adore this character. The drama shows, you can have a female lead that is feminine, compassionate and good, without making her a stupid pushover. Gil Chae was smart, cunning, witty, and resourceful, but also stubborn. At times shortsighted and blind by her perception and understanding of the situation. Her character was beautifully complex and for her existence I am grateful.

Did I love Jang Hyun while watching? Of course I did. Do I want one in my life? Yes. Did I think he was not as developed as Gil Chae and I wished they explored his character more? Also yes. Since the past story did not really lead to anything significant and it felt more like a cheat and easy fix for some plot developments, I could not stop myself from feeling disappointed. The set up for the mystery of his background was perfect, the conclusion answered all the questions, but the overall picture created by that opening and ending felt a bit lacking. With little to no background for the character in part one, I thought they would explore him more in part two, but this did not really happen. From start to finish he was badass, smart, driven, caring (even if he kept denying it) and madly in love with Gil Chae.

What’s more to love? A strong set of diverse supporting characters that felt so real and humane with their, at times questionable ideas and actions. Ryang Eum with whom I went from friends, to lovers, to enemies to lovers trope, with how my feelings changed towards him. Jong Jong who was a loyal friend and support for Gil Chae, even if on the surface it felt like it was mostly Gil Chae protecting her. Gu Jam who always provided a solid dose of entertainment with his sharp comments and badass actions. Yang Chun, who truly shows that good people can have backwards ideas. Even Prince So Hyun and Crown Princess Kang’s scenes had many meaningful and touching moments.

Still adore the production and the attention to details in terms of how the characters are presented. You know how in many historical shows, as long as the female character is part of the main cast, they will have make up worthy of the royal family, looking like Crown Princesses themselves? Not here. From episode 1 till the end of episode 21 of the whole series, there was a lot of care put into making the looks realistic and fitting the context and hardships the characters went through.

Overall, I loved it, but maybe I loved it a bit too much, so it made me expect more. I wish the whole story was more simple, with less side characters and plot lines. Wished the plot focused on the common people more and kept the palace drama and the war as the context and background the story is happening in, rather than the focus of the plot. From the start, I loved this drama for its characters and countless social commentaries and powerful scenes, and it was never truly about the plot for me. While the conclusion was amazing, giving proper closure to it all, I wished the journey itself was either more detailed, or more simple…

That said, once you sell your soul to this drama, there is no coming back, so while I might have had some complaints, they were delivered through tears of both sadness and happiness, and complete devotion I had to the main characters and their journey.

Review for pt1: https://kisskh.at/profile/Shini/review/300809

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Ambitious project, maybe too ambitious.

This is exactly the type of a story that requires a longer format. It's not even about complexity, but rather the type of a storytelling - building it on the small hints about the connections and past events, the lasting feeling of familiarity between the characters that the audience cannot grasp at first. Slow buildup is not something you can achieve with less than 115 minutes or runtime.

I can clearly see the production team did their best, but some things cannot be overcome just by trying hard. Here’s the thing, I am not sure I would truly understand the whole plot if I was not checking out comments from people who read the webtoon. Especially Denis’ part of it, which also seemed to be made far more simple and passive? There was simply not enough time to present his side of the story and explain his feelings and motivations.

That’s about Denis, what about the other mains?
Dong Baek is such a stock character, the best of the NPCs. Rarely speaks when others argue about him right next to him, mostly interacting with people if they interact with him first. He acted the way the plot needed him to act, no matter if it made sense or not.

Yu Dam could have had far more depth and I wish we could see more… desperation and sadness? Taking into consideration his story, dude was way too chill about everything. Again, I do believe it was caused by the short runtime.

It does not mean I disliked everything about the show. I enjoyed the chemistry between the leads, I actually enjoyed how annoying Denis was and strangely he was my favorite character. I liked the production quality and the soundtrack. I loved the ending - truly. The conclusion and last few scenes were probably my favorite part.

Overall, a great concept that should have been kept on the shelf till the BL industry got bigger and more profitable, so they could do the story justice with enough support.

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The loop of framing Wei Young.

The drama went from solid 9 to 5.5, the plot went from entertaining cunning politics and schemes to repetitive ploys as if everyone got repetitively hit by the white truck of doom and got amnesia every few episodes, deciding to create the same schemes over and over again, for 54 episodes. Not to mention the IQ of the characters going from 150 to -10 as the drama progressed.

You know a show is full of clownery when a character that just has been tortured is being asked “Is it very uncomfortable?”...

I think the most disappointing aspect of the show were all the female characters. All the lead ones, except for Wei Young, had one focus and one goal only - to get the guy they love to love them back. All of them were scheming, plotting, risking their families’ and their own lives for dudes. How pathetic is that? Some characters were literally identical - copy paste. While at first they seemed to show some diversity of personalities, the second half reduced them all to just obstacles on the female lead’s path.

Every few episodes I tuned in for another “Who framed Wei Young this time?” game. By like 5th time it should be obvious that whenever someone accuses Wei Young for anything, she is innocent. The fact that even characters that did not even have a chance to meet her, and she did not affect in any major way wanted to kill her became a comedy of itself.

While I loved the female lead at first, the same traits that made me appreciate her, later became a reason for my dislike. Being patient, more reactive than proactive, acting low-key, never attacking first made sense in the early episodes - she had no power and no allies. Not being hot headed and thinking things through before jumping to action was smart at that time. Enough is enough though. When 90% of people around you want to see you dead, it’s high time to slowly eliminate them one by one, and not just react to what they try to do to you.

Male lead was a boring low-key psycho, who did some amazing job with gaslighting Wei Young in the last few episodes. There is close to nothing to say about him. He was supposed to be intelligent, good, noble, strong, empathetic, without flaws… boring?

I know a lot of people liked Tuo Ba Yu, but for me even he barely delivered as a character. Making his internal conflict more prominent would be better. I felt like with all his plans, he did not really risk that much when he took detours for personal reasons.

Since all the villains' motivations were either weak or boring, there was not that much thrills nor excitement. It’s obvious the female lead will not die 30 episodes before the drama ends, so all the life risking situations did nothing to me. For all the scheming, not that many people died and that’s a bummer.

That said, the drama for sure delivers in terms of acting. Tiffany Tang is a goddess in terms of looks and quite a talented actress. She did an amazing job acting as Li Wei Young. Sure, playing an 18 years old in your mid 30’ mid be a lot, but her performance was strong enough I did not even pay attention to how ridiculous that casting was age wise.

Production wise it has some amazing shots. Some locations they filmed at were breathtaking. There was quite a lot of work put into the details of the set designs. One thing I have to praise the show for is the make up - no one looked like a ghost with the foundation too shades too light cutting off when the neck starts.

Overall, the first 20-25 episodes were quite fun. The set up was strong enough, motivations of the characters clear. But then I got another 30-35 episodes of exactly the same thing. It was the same story told over and over again with few details changed. Instead of this person framing Wei Young for some crimes, it’s this person. How much of that can I take before I fall asleep?

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Office drama that will evoke in you the makjang level of emotions.

A character driven tale on the workplace environment, self-worth, values, principles and one bug of a human being called Han Se Kwon that you want to step on with the heaviest shoes you own.

It’s not an overstatement to call this show a perfect office drama. Mixing realism with entertainment is not an easy task - On the Verge of Insanity managed to do that. With the variety of unique characters, it’s a story relatable even for people who never worked in a similar environment. It tackles issues like retirement, layoffs, job hunting, reassignments in the workplace, power struggle, but also more universal topics like acting in line with your principles, loyalty, friendship, selfishness vs selflessness.

The three main characters present different takes on life and dealing with problems. Dang Ja Yeong tries to go by the book, following instructions, seeing it as the best and most efficient way. Choi Ban Seok is a hardworking and loyal person, who is willing to risk his career if faced with moral dilemmas. There are many nasty ways to describe Han Se Kwon, and I’m truly forcing myself to stay civil here. Let’s say he represents the inferiority complex in the perfect way, spiced with his cunning and shady behavior.

As the drama progresses, we see how they manage to face all the problems happening in Hanmyung Electronics and what are the results of their actions. There is no plot that goes from point A to point B, as the drama focuses more on the relationships between the characters, different departments, higher-ups and the employees.

The comedy, though, how good it was! There is nothing better than situational comedy based on the character’s personalities and relationships. No cheap jokes that could work in any scenario.

The casting was a pure perfection. Each of the actors fitted their roles perfectly. Big props to Kim Nam Hee for his job on Shin Han Soo’s character, who became one of my favorites.

The production value is insanely good. I have truly nothing to complain about. The soundtrack has plenty of amazing songs from slow ballads to indie pop and rock.

Realistically speaking, this show might not have the same entertainment value for people preferring fast paced, plot driven dramas. There are many questionable choices made by all the characters, so if you look for a clear cut “smart at any occasion” or “good at any occasion”, you will not find it here. Characters excel in some areas, but fail on others - for me, that’s the charm and the realism of the show.

Overall, On the Verge of Insanity made me smile, laugh, cry, curse at my laptop, and hug my pillow. Vast range of emotions have been awoken and I’m so amazingly thankful. It’s a solid watch from the first to the last episode.

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It's a variety show that's close to perfection. I have only one complaint, but since it's not a major one, I gave it a fair 9.5 rating.

STORY AKA CONCEPT

So freaking fun and refreshing. The best thing a director and writer can do is to invite viewers to enjoy the show more actively, and this is exactly what happened here. Guessing which places were real and which were fake was extremely entertaining (even though I failed more often than not). The concept was just something I have never seen before, and I have to say the scale was huge. They must have had some big $$.

One thing that I would change - more variety of the themes in the episodes. There has been just a little bit too much food. They could have had strange hobbies, surprising online celebrities, etc. Anything, other than food? That said, I must admit, the restaurants’ episodes were the most fun.

CAST

That's the core of the show. I cannot think of a better cast for it than the one we’ve got. Ladies were truly crazy, and Jae Suk was balancing the craze with the work perfectly. Even if the concept of a particular episode was "meh" for me, it was still extremely entertaining because of the interactions between the cast members.

Same goes for guests. Only Lee Sang Woo did not fit into the picture that well (hence I found that episode the weakest). It was fascinating to watch the male guests trying to understand the mess that is happening and try to match the hype.

MUSIC AKA PRODUCTION VALUE

Through the roof! I truly don't even want to think how much money was put into the production of all the places they made. I am simply amazed how they created whole fake businesses in a week, to the point it was almost impossible to distinguish them from the real ones. A lot of hard work and care was put into it.

EPISODES

As I said, not all episodes were equally entertaining. If I had to pick my favorites I'd go with: Sang Yeop episode (truly won everything. Jessi and Sang Yeop were unforgettable), Dong Yoon episode (I loved how dedicated he was to finding the fake place, and he had great chemistry with the cast) and of course Tae Hyun, who truly felt like the regular cast member.

Overall, this is a show I would recommend to everyone. Cannot think of one type of person who would not enjoy it. It had jokes, heart, amazing cast, mystery, elements of surprise. All I can say is - I cannot wait for season 2.

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