Kate

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.

Read More

You know how some dramas have extremely shitty endings, but overall are amazing and you still truly enjoyed them and did not regret picking them up in the first place?
Yeah, this ain't that.

It had a strong beginning and seemed like a fun, well executed cross-dressing show with tons of cliches that make you laugh. Later, it became so amazingly bad I could still enjoy it. But.. At some point every episode either bored or frustrated me.

The plot just seemed like a whole mess. The beginning was strong on romance and had minimal politics, just enough to create the tension between the leads. But then, closer to the end they dropped all the heavy politics' plots, but since I could not care about them with the lack of explanation and elaboration previously... What exactly was the point of it? And when they tried to be semi surprised who the main villain was, WHEN EVERYONE KNEW and they knew since they talked about it more than once. The string of ridiculous events that happened in the 2nd half (and especially the last two episodes) had me questioning my existence.

Another flaw of the show was the male lead. Literally everyone was a better man than him. Heck, the female lead was a better man than him. He had truly nothing going on to make him more believable and relatable. He was a huge block of muscles with little to no expression and personality.

Now to the practical effects. This show made me laugh like maniac while watching the attempted murder of a child. The bridge scene (if you saw the show, you know exactly what I'm talking about) brought me to tears with how bad it was. I had to stop watching for a good 15 minutes because I could not calm down from the silly giggle/mad laugh. If you don't have money for the proper props, use smart camera angles so the viewers know what's going on without you really showing it. Just... be a smart director.

This drama had nothing innovative or refreshing. If you can think of any drama cliche: this had it in. It had the strong and smart female lead, but only for certain episodes and scenes, since she went full 180 closer to the end. The only reason I finished watching it was for Wang An Yu and the doctor guy. While I loved them, I still regret wasting the time…

Read More

The Exorcist meets MARVEL.

Rather than a horror movie, it felt much more like a superhero origin story with a religious twist, and I loved every second of it. It was extremely entertaining, the effects were nice, and so were the fighting scenes. The acting was believable. Except for a bit of a false advertisement (the trailers made it seem like more of a horror than action movie), I'd say this is a solid film.

The best part was definitely Park Yong Hoo's character and how amazingly unimpressed he was about all the crazy stuff happening around him. I chuckled a few times simply because of his reactions, or rather lack of it. He was a rather well written hero, who struggled with accepting his true calling. As I said, it sounds like a superhero origin.

Since I myself don't believe in any of the things presented in the movie (hi there all the atheists) I cannot rate how scary this movie was, coz for me it was not at all. That said, I've been watching horror movies since I was around 6 years old, so it's not easy to scare me anymore.

All the characters were nicely done, we got a believable main villain (in terms of his motivations), the side stories and characters fitted the overall tone of the movie. It was a consistent storytelling without any plot holes and unexplained storylines. The ending felt a bit like a final boss fight in a video game, but that was fitting with how "superhero versus the villain" the whole movie was.

It's obvious how high the production value was. The shots were extremely aesthetically pleasing, the background music was fitting, the set design was amazing (the last scenes in the club: loved them). I also want to thank the demon for not ruining Do Hwan's face close to the end of the movie. He knows the true beauty and how to appreciate that.

Overall, really enjoyable. I might rewatch some scenes with Park Yong Hoo from time to time, since as of today, he is my favorite "horror" movie character.

Read More

What’s good? The actors are good looking and have great chemistry. The editing and pacing was surprisingly not bad, compared to TOSSARA. With just the four episodes they had, they did quite well presenting the story and building the relationship.

What’s bad? Whole first 5 minutes. You can’t just open a show with sexual assault and borderline rape. Not good. And no, just because the bed scene was not shown, does not mean I didn’t have a problem with it. Vee as a character has literally zero redeeming qualities. Watching him being sad and crying was a delight for my soul.

War did a good job. I quite enjoyed his character, even though he was a mess too. I don’t know... I watched the show because of his pretty face. That’s the tea.

Read More

Love Like the Black Hole - sucking the energy out of me.

It was just truly not a good follow-up after part 1. They limited/removed all the good aspects of it, and the new things they added/developed did not grab my attention or were just ridiculous.

One of the things I struggled with was the random shifts of tone - from drama to comedy, sometimes happening multiple times in one scene. I did not feel the emotional impact because of the random comedy lines, but I could not quite laugh about the comedy, because of the serious tone and situation the characters were in. This lighter tone fitted part 1, since the setting was less serious and less prone to major incidents. The moment Shao Shang entered the palace, it all changed, and I feel like her character and how the scenes were carried should have been tweaked to fit the new environment. I’m not saying make Shao Shang a completely different person, but character development exists in writing for a reason.

Yes, some of her behavior could be excused because of her young age and the lack of education/neglect. Some things though were so out there, it was too much to take even for me. Random treason? Why not? Making more or less the same mistake a few times in a row? Shao Shang will deliver. Here’s the thing - she was never that impulsive in part one. We saw her plan and scheme a sweet revenge quite a few times. Rarely ever she just randomly jumped into action without prior preparation. They amplified her hot-headed temper so much in part 2, it was hard to watch, and she went from one of my most beloved characters, to one of the most frustrating ones.

Not to mention, she demanded from everyone to accept her for who she is, while not doing the same for others. The egocentrism made it hard for me to like her.

With all that, there was one thing I liked about her character - her strong belief that women are as capable as men. That women can be individuals with their own goals, plans and motivation. That she can be happy and fulfilled without a man. Yes, sometimes they presented it more as her being just stubborn and not wanting to communicate/cooperate, but the overall sentiment stays the same - she knew her value and she knew she was capable.

Here’s another thing about her age though - it makes the romance creepy. I do not want to hear how “time period accurate it is”, because the whole drama is NOT accurate and realistic. Shao Shang with her bevarior in that time period would be dead in a few episodes. There is no reason to keep the semi-pedo age difference between the leads for accuracy, while also making sure everything else does not follow the time period customs and norms. On one hand I had to mentally age Shao Shang to be 18, to feel fine with the romance, but then I had to constantly remind myself she is just 15 to excuse her stupid behavior.

On the stupid behavior - what the heck happened with Buyi? The last few episodes were especially ridiculous. He was known to be meticulous, able to turn any situation for his benefit, and patient with his schemes. Now - all out of the window, left in the trash as he slays his way straight to treason and basically exile. He did not even try to find a different way. The Emperor was so painfully biased towards him, I’m sure he would agree to execute his uncle under false allegations, if it meant keeping Buyi safe.

And what’s up with the massive self-victimization of the leads? Both acted as the most pitiful people on the planet, acting as if they were the only ones who ever suffered hence their actions, no matter how egregious, were justified. Buyi thinking he never felt real love since his childhood is basically a slap in the face to the Emperor, Empress and even Consort Yue. All these people literally cared for and loved him more than their own children. Buyi had literally such a huge support system, and he willingly refused to use it. His loneliness is on him. It’s his own choice. He literally refused all the love people were giving him.

In the eariler episodes I was joking around saying he is basically a psychopath, because he distresses by torturing prisoners and hunting down traitors, but the closer to the end of the show I got, the more real it became. Dude was a psychopath. Machiavellian might be a better term.

Family drama, all the tea spilled during the dinners and gatherings was an easy 10/10. Shao Shang went from 10 to 5, back to 7 on good days. The romance was lukewarm, and Leo Wu carried it all on his back. Sorry, but Shao Shang gave me nothing in that aspect. Technically she did say she loves him and all that, but did she really? Like, really? I felt nothing, not a tiny bit of romantic feelings from her to Bu Yi. One day she was questioning what love really is, and how it feels, next day she was making some random love declaration and lecturing others about her undying love for Bu Yi. And my brain went - since when? How? It was literally: she doesn't love him, next scene: she loves him. And even then it felt more like her trying to convince herself she loves him, rather than her actually having these feelings. So since I did not understand when and how she fell for him, even the more emotionally impactful scenes felt a bit flat.

As much as I disliked the writing, I have to say the performances were truly strong. Especially Zhao Lu Si - this girl has such an emotional range I am amazed every time I watch her on screen. Leo Wu did well delivering the emotionally broken man too, especially during the more intense scenes. Other roles were not as demanding, but the performances were just as solid.

Another really minor and random thing that was good - some kills. They did not shy away from blood and truly showed the injuries and pain that comes with slashing someone up and running someone over with a horse.

Overall, I think I just feel disappointed? It hit me while watching the last episode, how good part 2 could have been if it was focused mostly on the separation and what happened after they reunited. The more serious and dramatic tone would make sense with the characters being older, the angst would be more impactful if it lasted longer than a few episodes. They would have had more time to show how Shao Shang changed through the years, and how she matured. I also feel like it would make much more sense if she truly fell for him after they reunite in the future.

Read More

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.

Read More

Strong beginning, mediocre middle, lackluster ending.

Not gonna lie, I thought it’s going to be more comedy based with focus on Kaneda being a massive fanboy and trying to deal with working alongside, and later dating his idol. It was not. While it still had some scenes here and there focusing on that aspect, it was mostly just an office romance, with not that much romance.

It worked so well at first. Kaneda was sweet and in the constant panic mode because of any most basic interaction with Yanase. Yanase was a nice and helpful mentor, who slowly started to see how adorable Kaneda is. And then they moved to the most basic rom-com stuff one has seen and all the spark was gone - still enjoyable, but ain’t special.

Sadly, they apparently wanted to finish with something more emotionally charged? The artificial, overexaggerated identity crisis Yanse has at some point just seemed so not fitting and out of place, I wish it was never included.

That said, the most frustrating aspect must have been the last two episodes - the fillers. This is the stuff writers add in their 16 episodes dramas when they run out of ideas. It was a completely unnecessary new chapter added at the end of the show. If they truly wanted to dive into the change of dynamics and unsureness in their current situation, it could have been quite a nice short second season - why add it at the end of this one?

Still, I did enjoy the characters a lot. Yanse was such a sweetheart and such a good boy, it was hard not to love him. He was smart, caring, trusting and hardworking. Kaneda gave me some good comedy bits that made me laugh. Sadly… the side characters were extremely forgetful. There were two female co-workers with questionable hobbies. That one guy who complained how he is not valued at work, while also not doing his work well. There was that white/half-white dude who showed up just to cause some emotional trouble. They filled the space, but that’s it.

Production wise, it was really nice. Good camera work, good set design and smooth editing. The transition between the scenes was decent and it never felt like they were completely jumping from topic to topic without caring for cohesiveness.

What was great? The outro. Expanding it after each episode was a great idea, so - to people who are about to watch - don’t skip it, watch till the end.

No complaints about the acting. I was honestly quite impressed with Seto Toshiki - he delivered both the over the top, and more subtle performance, and they both felt natural.

Overall, it’s a nice show with some fun scenes and good chemistry. Better as a binge watch.
Random side note: it had quite a few questionable falls with questionable physics.

Read More

It takes a village to raise a child…

A tale of a broken system and juvenile crime.

Who is at fault when a child commits a crime? Juvenile Justice tries to present the complexity of the issue, and for the most part, it succeeds (as much as a fictional drama can). It presents kids as both the victims and perpetrators, rightfully pointing out the roles are not mutually exclusive. It shows the effects of neglect, bad or lack of role models, abuse.

A small group of people trying to do their best in the system that does not support their efforts and does not protect the people it was created to protect. While showing the gruesome reality, it sticks to a more positive, but still realistic approach. Often justice is served, but only in the frame of the current juvenile court system, that for many is not harsh enough.

From the first, till the last episode the drama does not fail to keep the tension high, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The cases are not one dimensional, showing different sides and perspectives, at times, leaving me with only one conclusion: everyone failed - the parents, the teachers, the judges, the kids themselves.

The plot and presentation wise, the only thing that it lacks in my eyes is the context some of the kids were in. What pushed them to become what they are? What could be the possible motives for their actions? What behavior was a norm in their house? These are the questions I hoped to get a more elaborated answer for than a short note “abused by step-father” in the case file.

Moving back to the positive aspects: I appreciate how we do not get an outstanding character development from any of the main cast. They all made mistakes, they all got carried away by their emotions and fears. That said, how they handled Na Geun Hee’s character by the end of the show left me with a few things to desire. Did not buy that arc, which might have been the result of the lack of the screen time.

Acting wise - no complaints. For a show full of the younger cast, all kids and teens did an amazing job with presenting their characters. Especially impressed by Lee Yeon. To present a believable acting of a teenage boy, when she is a 27 years old woman, must have been quite a challenge.

As for the production, even the opening scene made me love the visuals of the drama. The dark and cold tones used throughout the show intensified the gloomy atmosphere surrounding tacked topics.

Trigger warning - the drama presents quite a number of scenes showing child abuse. They are not short, they are not vague.

Overall, as long as you can handle child abuse and exploitations of children, this is a drama most people should watch. Understanding that kids are capable of doing evil acts is a first step to figure out how to prevent tragedies from happening. Turning a blind eye and giving excuses is not a solution, as it gives only one message: no matter how drastic measures you will take, no one will care. Supporting them through their struggles while punishing for the wrong actions should become a standard.

Read More

Underutilized everything, but the chemistry.

I’m just kind of underwhelmed by everything I witnessed - the last episode just made me crave for me. Why center your plot around such an interesting concept to barely use it? What’s the point?

Starting from the good - the chemistry between Pond and Peterpan was amazing. Fireworks on screen, literally and metaphorically. The tension was there, the desire, love, fear and hope. I did believe every emotion that was presented in the context of their relationship. Especially from Thada. Yes, I do believe Armin loved Thada, but Thada LOVED Armin - all caps. The devotion this man presents. I am sorry, but he deserves better than Armin - I said it and I’ll stand by it. Both actors delivered amazing performances though.

Then we have the true MVP, easily my favorite character Veynai. What a comedic timing this man had. There was not one bad scene of him. He often delivered just one or two lines, but they were so on point we did not need more. Also, shoutout to Janine who was the best pro manager ever. I wish they actually did more than vague hints that maybe one day there might be something between them. What an unstoppable duo they would be.

From the good I’d also give props to music and aesthetics. So many songs were such bangers, and even if the night sky at times gave me AI generated vibes, the drama was still visually stunning.

Onto the bad - everything else.

The plot was so mid it’s actually sad. At least they could have made it ridiculously entertaining. The villain was both tragically cartoonish, and painfully boring. The whole mystery was non-existing, we know from the start who is behind everything and it’s just frustrating for the leads to do NOTHING to eliminate the issue from the start. The “reincarnation/waking up in old body” aspect is barely used too. This could have brought so much more angst and tension, but instead we had like “I’m old” jokes every 2 episodes. And then there is the whole issue of the last “accident” which I rant about in the comment under spoiler. That thing though, almost broke my brain, I was so frustrated.

Overall, yes for the chemistry, no for the plot.

Side note, around half way through the drama I was chatting with a friend how whenever someone says Tada, I always repeat after them with the ‘ta-da” intonation and I’ve sent this gif: https://media.tenor.com/8pLlGDVzPRYAAAAM/muppet-family-christmas-muppets.gif and then… till the end of the show I had that muppet in my brain whenever someone said ML’s name.

Read More

The ultimate sweet romance.

You think you saw unproblematic, cute, heartwarming and wholesome dramas? Let me tell you, none comes even close to Hidden Love. It’s an ultimate sweet romance.

Easily the best aspect of the show was how natural and real everything felt, and I’m not talking about just the romance. The relationship between the siblings? Exactly how it usually looks like in real life. The friendships? Hilarious and relatable - both for guys and the girls. How people act when they are drunk, sick, sad, happy, shy, excited - both the way it was written and then performed was just… natural, and that’s the best compliment a drama can get.

Still, the highlight, the core, the true beauty of Hidden Love was the blooming romance between Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xiu. What started as a teen crush, turned into one of the most healthy and balanced relationships I have seen in any drama ever. Getting into the show I was afraid how they would handle the age gap. 5 years is not much, but it is not little considering the age Sang Zhi was. The writer did not disappoint.

What I loved the most about the relationship was the fact I could see true partnership between the leads. It was not an older guy just taking care of a younger girl sacrificing everything for her happiness. They also did not make Sang Zhi this unrealistically mature, 20 acting 30. They became each other's emotional support, they handled issues in a mature way while still believably presenting characters in their early and mid twenties. They also delivered some good kissing scenes, no fishes to be found on set ;)

And you know what’s great? The leads were amazing as a couple, but they were also great as their own individuals! While there were moments I found Sang Zhi’s behavior too sweet for my taste, it’s simply impossible not to love her. She was emotionally strong, empathic, driven and supportive. Then we have Duan Jia Xu - honestly too good to be real, and that makes me feel depressed. Good natured, patient, protective. But I also appreciated his own arc and the depiction of the loneliness he was facing.

What’s more to love? The sibling dynamics between Sang Zhi and Sang Yan. I’ve got both comedic and touching scenes. Yes, they might have fought a lot, but they also cared for each other deeply. And honestly? The bickering scenes between them were some of my favorite moments in the drama.

One thing that caught my attention production wise were the outfits picked for the characters. Not only did I love the slight couple matches Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu were wearing (even before they became a couple, their colors always matched), I also literally wanted to steal the whole wardrobe from Sang Zhi.

The acting from the whole case was so good it got me jealous watching. Jelly for the romance, the friendship, the family dynamics. It all seemed so real and so wholesome. I knew Chen Zhe Yuan is a good actor after watching Our Secret, but he was so much better in Hidden Love (even though I did not think it’s possible). Zhao Lu Si's little mannerism added to the realism of the character she was portraying and I could not stop smiling while watching her performance.

Anything I did not enjoy? Not that into the “debtor” story, or rather the closure it got. With how serious it was introduced, I expected something more to happen for it to end. I was also completely not interested in a love story of one of Sang Zhi’s roommates.

Overall, for modern romance fans, this is a golden standard. I’m extremely pleased I’m ending 2023 with this drama. Nothing better than entering the new year with a new found crippling loneliness after seeing the most perfect couple in dramas history.

Read More

It took quite a few detours for them to reach the destination.

Flight to You is a drama that somehow manages to be both amazingly realistic and painfully ridiculous at the same time. How? The characters represent the realistic part, while the plot, especially in the last 8-10 episodes gets a little bit too close to a mental circus you just have to accept and not question the logic behind.

The best aspect of the drama is how the characters have real flaws which have real consequences. Cheng Xiao might be smart, driven and friendly, but she is also impulsive and overconfident which affected her career quite a few times. Gu Nan Ting might be patient, fair and hardworking, but he is also closed off and too strict. Similar descriptions can be written by other characters, even the “bad guys” - no one is just good and pure, or evil and flawed.

Speaking of which - I loved Jiang Tao (or loved to hate him would be more fitting). What a well written antagonist. He was just a normal man that was painfully sexist and too power driven - something we see in real life more often than we should. At some point I even started to feel bad for him - his old fashioned and full of prejudiced worldview was simply limiting - both for him and for the company he cared so much about.

I also appreciated how the supporting characters felt both familiar, as many followed well established tropes, and fresh, by adding small twists to their characterization. The whole show is truly driven by how likable and relatable these characters are.

Onto the plot. Romance was so slow at times it felt like we were walking backwards. It was all in the hands guys, all the romance, love, frustration, pinning, doubt. Pay attention to the hands (not like you can miss it with all the close ups…). Truth to be told, I was completely fine with this snail pace. I appreciated and enjoyed the relationship between Gu Nan Ting and Cheng Xiao not only for the sparks, but also the partnership and friendship they built. How much they influenced each other and grew to be better pilots and better people because of it.

As for the airport related plots - you gotta close one eye and ignore some illogical aspects of it. Closer to the end you might need to close two, since the show just gives up the realism as it struggles to keep up with the plots and give them all a proper closure. That said, by then I was so in love with the characters, I was not even frustrated, but rather amused by some of the developments.

The performances were strong. Wang Kai can deliver any role and make it believable. He makes any character seem like a real life person. Tan Song Yun also aced her portrayal of Cheng Xiao - she was literally THE center of the whole drama and she carried the show on her back with no issue. Each and every supporting cast member did a fantastic job and I honestly have no complaints.

The production value was on the high end of the drama/slice of life workplace c-dramas. Something I want to compliment the show on were the transition scenes - the sped up shots of the sceneries showcasing different times of the days were beautiful.

Overall, a great show that focuses on self-improvement, fairness or lack of it in the workplace, taking on responsibilities and dealing with the aftermath and consequences of both the achievements and failures. It tackles the issues of mental health (at times in a questionable manner) and sexism and how hard it is to fight against it in a workplace. It’s easy to binge watch and surprisingly engaging.

Read More

Predictable and rather simple, yet surprisingly charming.

Not gonna lie, this is not the most complex story I have seen. It’s the same old crime for greed dressed in fantasy elements. Yet, this fantasy set up makes it stand out compared to other shows and make the watch more enjoyable.

I honestly don't care much about the investigation, if it was not directly linked to finding the bodies of the people living in Duon Village. Sure, the mystery was well crafted and had great pacing, but I honestly don't care about the living people involved with it. The plot shines the most when it focuses on the residents and how/why they died.

Some of the characters I liked the most were Thomas, Jang Pan Seok and Baek Il Doo. Most of the cast had a great chemistry between each other, and the friendship between Wook, Pan Seok and Thomas was fun to watch.

Sadly not all characters had much to offer. Personally I found Choi Yeo Na painfully annoying, and at times quite selfish. She had little going on as an individual character, and mostly served the role of delivering exposition and motivating other characters to do some work. There was nothing interesting nor entertaining about her.

No complaints about the production. Maybe some of the cgi was questionable, especially when the residents were leaving the village - the more detailed, longer and more close up the scene were, the worse it looked. That said, Missing: the other side was a beautifully crafted show with quite a number of screenshot worthy moments.

Overall, a fun and easy to binge watch show. I took my time with the first half, but watched the second in one sitting. While there will be a second season, this one can be easily watched as a stand alone, as it provides all the necessary closure.

Read More

The most heartwarming kidnapping story one can encounter.

I cried, I laughed, I almost smashed my laptop - it was all worth it. The connection between Ro Hee and Myungjoon is not something I will be able to easily forget.

Not the brightest, but a strong man and a genius child - this setup for the main characters sounds like the beginning of an over the top, unrealistic and not easily relatable story. To make it good, the writing of the characters needs nuance, and that’s what The Kidnapping Day presents.

Myung Joon is not this dumb guy who gets manipulated by everyone while being completely unaware of what’s truly going on around him. He is not just a passive tool for others to use, and his loyalty and compassion are the exact reasons he was one of the most dynamic and driven characters.

Ro Hee is not this emotionless adult-like genius. Yes, intelligence was a big part of her, but the detailed writing did not ignore one of the most important aspects of who she truly was - a child. Many stories focus so much on characters’ cognitive abilities, they completely forget to showcase their emotional development - this way we get these robot-like smart kids who just act like adults. Not here. That innocent and child-like nature made the story far more impactful. It also made it possible to present a variety of the types of interactions she had - some treated her like a child, some treated her as a genius, some treated her just as just… I guess that’s something you will find out if you watch the drama ;)

It’s a story about making choices and facing the consequences. How some wrongdoings cannot be wiped clean, no matter how much we try. How trauma can hunt you for a lifetime. How greed can push you to do despicable actions. How everyone's idea of happiness is different. It’s a story about fear, desperation, obsession, but also compassion, family and support. It’s a whole package.

The Kidnapping Day for sure leans more into character (and relationships) driven drama, but I would never say it neglects the plot aspect of it. It was just slightly less masterfully crafted. Some aspects were not quite detailed, but all was enough to tell a cohesive and engaging story. We hit some dead ends and a few bits had not quite satisfying conclusions, but since I never viewed them as the focus of the drama, it did not bother me that much.

The acting… I have no words. Big props to Yuna who had the hardest and most demanding role to carry. I truly fell in love with Ro Hee and cared for this child with all my heart. Yoon Gye Sang presented so much warmth in his performance, I wished to have someone with a similar presence to Myung Joon in my life. I’m also impressed with Kim Shin Rok as Seo Hye Eun. I kept going back and forth with hating her and feeling sympathy - presenting the complexity of her story and the duality of it was not an easy task, but Shin Rok handled the role amazingly.

The production, directing, editing - all perfect. I even loved the small details like the chapter titles at the beginning of each episode with well selected shots as background and these tiny doodles as symbolic representation. Even the soundtrack was amazing. Especially the instrumental score.

Was the drama perfect? No. I still believe that the second episode was a poorly constructed introduction to the investigation and Sang Yoon. Some characters got me confused about their presentation - from feeling not that threatening, to then abruptly switching to the biggest threat. As I previously mentioned, there were some plotlines that could have been explored more and had better closure.

But even taking all that into consideration, this drama was truly a magnificent experience that kept me tense, happy, sad, angry, hopeful, scared each Wednesday and Thursday from September 13th till October 25th - and I will probably come back to it from time to time.

Read More

Behind every lie is a wish waiting to come true.

Saying I had a mild existential crisis as I was watching the drama could be an understatement. It deals with many themes like environmental issues, free will, destiny, power of belief. difference between truth and lies, the price of responsibility and power. Some presented better than others, but as a whole package, it was truly an amazing journey.

Three main plotlines/themes addressed in the show were the romance between the leads, the questioning of free will and fight against the written fate, and environmental issues.

Starting with the romance - quite an enjoyable delivery. It was slow paced and, while ever present, never felt like it was shoved in my face as the main and only focus of the story. On many occasions the relationship between main leads served as an opportunity to explore other themes and ideas. Have to say though, till the end I was a bit more sold on Orad’s side of that love story.

Free will, meaning of existence, fate - that’s the part that gave me an identity and existential crisis. I almost had a philosophical debate with my laptop when I was pausing some scenes to fully grasp the ideas behind them. I also feel like this part of the plot had the best presentation.

Then we had the environmental issues that were addressed in the show. While I appreciate the inclusion of that topic, I cannot stop myself from thinking some of the scenes were extremely on the nose - sometimes it felt like I was watching a promo for kids in middle school. They could have been a little bit more subtle about the message and trust that the viewers are not complete idiots.

I feel like there were some pacing issues too. While I never felt bored, after finishing the whole show I do feel like the middle part was a bit dragging and was not as tight as the beginning and the end.

What slight complaints I might have had about the plot and pacing, the characters make up for them. Xie Tian Di, while flawed, was still truly likable. It was great to watch her learn from her mistakes and understand others’ perspectives when she was faced with similar dilemmas.

Orad was just adorable. What a loyal man. It’s hard to actually talk about his character in more depth without giving spoilers, so just know there is more to his story than just being a guard for the female lead.

Fali, this guy. I dislike him, but I also want to give him a hug. That said, I am still slightly confused about his goals and plans and overall motivations. I think the writers could have done a better job exploring his character.

Toem is the girl you root for even if you don’t want to. She is smart, cunning, brave, flawed in all the best ways.

Talking about flawed characters - Kakarayan… really didn't vibe with him. He had just a few scenes, but it was enough for me to put him on the bottom of the characters I enjoyed.

The performance - no complaints. Not only that, I was truly impressed with some. It’s quite rare when even the supporting or bit roles are well delivered, but this drama gives us all the best, even if someone shows up for one scene and one scene only.

The soundtrack. 10/10 does not do it justice. I am not joking when I say this is the best soundtrack I have heard in dramas I’ve watched this year, and one of the best in my long history of watching dramas. A song that especially moved me was Shi Shi’s Never Ending Rain.

On the production - no idea what the budget was, but they did everything they could to make it an aesthetic feast with what they had. So many beautiful shots, so many visual ways to represent the emotions and ideas behind the story.

Overall, I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. It’s been so long since a drama delivered well written plot twists that I didn't see coming. The last three episodes were just one surprise after another, but it all still made sense!

Read More

Just like in season 1, season 2 delivered the best entertainment in the form of mydramalist comment section - full of bias, double standards, over exaggeration and villainization of normal mundane people, just with better than average bodies and faces.

Truth to be told, this season was nowhere near as fun to watch as season 1. It seemed like most people gave up halfway through and everyone was just chilling in a friendly manner. I mean, I felt the pain of the editors. The uneven screen time for all the cast, how some episodes literally showed close to nothing from what was happening in Inferno - I guess they truly struggled with finding a good footage to include in the final product.

While in season 1 I felt like almost no one was rejecting anyone because they were “playing the game” and doing what the dating show is supposed to be about, here everyone was obsessed with their initial pick, but also no one wanted to be the bad guy or rude so no rejections happened and it was just this awkward vague bubble that did not want to burst.

I honestly don’t have more to say about it. The only reason I still watched it after the halfway through point, were the fun discussions in the comment section and to know the context of some comments and replies.

Do I feel bad for any of them for not being picked by the people they liked? Or not going to paradise? No. They are all hot, young, with successful careers and even their stay in “Inferno” is a vacation many people could never afford… I think that’s why I enjoy shows like that. I can watch them with no negative emotions.

Ps. Se Jun was THE MVP. Best boy ever. Bless him. Wish him all the happiness.

Read More