Kate

Negative correlation between Prince Jing’s looks and the number of his working brain cells.

It took me 3 attempts and “harassment” from a friend for me to finish it. I said it once, I will say it again - this drama could be a podcast. I don’t quite vibe with the tell not show style of directing I’ve got here. I did not really watch the majority of the events unfold, I watched characters talk to each other about said events. While I did get more invested closer to the end, it was not because of the clever shenanigans, but because of the entertaining clownery.

While the journey of me watching it did not become enemies to lovers for me and NIF, enemies to partners in crime, calling out everyone for being dumb, for me and Su might have been a more fitting conclusion. I feel like I went through a whole ass character development and existential crises while watching this drama, since complaining about it was part of my mdl personality for the past 5 years.

Do I think it's a masterpiece? Hell fucking no. I still think it's a podcast dressed as a drama. It should have been around 10 episodes shorter. They should have shown more, talked less. I want to see shit happen, not people describe it to each other as they sit in their fancy homes sipping tea spiked with poison. I WANT TO SEE THE TEA HAPPEN!

Is Chang Su a master strategist whose IQ is higher than the combined IQ of all of humanity? Maybe in that universe, but it's not hard to be a genius when everyone around you has a negative number of brain cells in their head. And yet, strangely I think I’ll miss Chang Su, even though I found his well organized plan to be more of a quick reaction to whatever issues other people created and the conclusion to his character being shockingly ridiculous in presentation. This man mastered the art of judging other people’s stupidity and I aspire to get to that level at some point in my life.

The whole court power struggle and the “who’s gonna be the crown prince and future emperor” question was for me dumb for a simple reason - the country would be doomed whoever wins. Prince Yu in his fancy attire was too egocentric and prone to conspiracy thinking while also being way too naive to rule, and Jing Yan and Jing Xuan were, to put it simply, dumb and dumber.

Jing might have been hot, but also had a surprising level of brainlessness at times. He was not connecting any dots whatsoever. Clueless. I was waiting for him to march with clown makeup at some point. You want to give him the country to rule when he cannot even control his own emotions? More often than not he needed to chill, relax, drink some tea and touch some grass.

Personally, I believe Jing's mom should have become the ruler and no one was even close to being as qualified as she was. Patient, smart, observant, good at manipulating people around her for her goals, taking good care of her people, and loyal. None of the men got anything on her.

The biggest issue I had was the fact I just did not care about any of the characters, I didn't care about who would sit on the throne, who would survive, if they would get the revenge. I just do not care. The tiny underlying love line between Chang Su and Ni Huang I should care about because why? They went full on melodrama on their 3rd or 4th meeting, while I still knew nothing about their past - so why should I get emotionally invested? Add to that some unexpected moments like a cameo from Bigfoot or Fein Liu fighting against gravity and winning, and you truly have a whole clownery making the watch entertaining, but lacking emotional stakes.

All that said, I truly did enjoy watching the last 10-15 episodes. Things finally started happening, all the characters were fully established, I understood their motivations and I could enjoy them proceeding with whatever plans they had in mind. The tea was spilling and it was scorching hot. I accepted the flaws of all the characters, tuned my brain to the level of brain energy the drama presents and just went on the final ride with a smile on my face.

Overall, I am completely incapable of objectively judging this drama. Truth to be told, the 5 years journey I had with it makes me incapable of judging it even subjectively - I don’t REALLY know what I think about it and how I feel about it. I don’t think I’ll ever know. My opinion is painfully blurred by the fun interactions I had with users about me struggling so much. Watching these 54 episodes became literally a memorable long term project/event in my life, and for that I know I am grateful.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“I said you are simple. Do you really not use your brain?” - said by the Emperor. Reach of him to say that when he himself had maybe half of a brain cell working.

“You have loyalty and honor, but why do you not have a brain?” facts Su said to Jing and I’m questioning why he wants him as the future emperor.

“The reason you lost to me is because you are stupid”

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“One lie leads to a hundred more.”

And one untreated trauma leads to many more issues… Han Tuo needs a “hot” date with a therapist, not a boyfriend. Not that a few sessions would not help Lu Jun Xi too. But then, it would probably help us all.

There is a huge difference between supporting your partner while they work through their issues, and working around your partner's issues. And with how it is right now, Lu Jun Xi is going to live a rather exhausting life. And I’m just here asking - why the tone at times became so serious? Either keep it light and fun, or overdramatic and entertaining. But they actually tried to be serious with inner conflicts, while also doing an extremely poor job tackling the subject, since they did not have enough screen time to dive deep into it and explore it enough…

I really enjoyed how chaotic the first few episodes were, the on crack pacing was actually what kept me interested - what random thing will they throw at me next? But then the pacing actually slowed down, and it did not bring much development. Han Tuo was insecure and unsure about Lu Jun Xi's feelings and it kind of stayed like that till the end. They made up a few times, but is the issue actually gone? Then we have poor Lu Jun Xi who in the speed of light had to deal with his newly found discovery of his sexuality AND being in love with his best friend. This alone could (and should) be the internal conflict for the whole show, not a small setback for one or two episodes.

Were they cute? Yes. Was the chemistry nice? Yes. Did I enjoy the friendships as much as the romance? Yes. Were the kids’ scenes great? Yes. Was I getting more and more bored with every new episode? Also yes. I don’t know… maybe because they started with a bang, I expected explosions later on in terms of plot developments, but was met with the emotional aftermath of the blast instead. Blame my expectations, but also they made me have expectations based on the first few episodes, so who is truly to be blamed here?

Overall, it just felt… fine.

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These (basically) 2 hours felt like a summary of the story, not the whole story itself.

From the start I was not exactly amazed. Trauma, depression, and anxiety is a trend in k-bls in 2023 and I’m kind of tired of it. Still, just because it’s used a lot, does not mean it’s written well, so I would not mind a good representation - this ain’t it. It’s not offensive or anything, just painfully superficial. The whole writing lacks details to make it relatable and realistic.

And then they decided to literally put most of the plot and characters progression in the time jump. Not gonna lie, this was an interesting storytelling idea - not really showing the most important developments.

So we end up with Seung Jun who had little to no personality, Jae Hyun who must strongly believe in love at first sight to start liking Seung Jun without any good reason, Joo Won - the truest man-child with toddler tantrums (probably my favorite character, simply because of how entertaining it was to watch him act in such a pathetic manner) and Ho Yeon, a third wheel that is there to fill the space.

Realistically speaking, the best part of the drama was the friendship between Seung Jun and Ho Yeon - caring, supportive, calm and collected, selfless. Because Ho Yeon was such a big part of Seung Jun’s recovery, the relationship between the main couple did not feel as sincere. What about Jae Hyun was so impactful to have any effect on Seung Jun's life - this part of the plot was not really well executed.

The acting was good. Lee Dong Won presented the anxiety in a decent manner and while the writing and directing might have been improved, the performance itself was not an issue. Don’t think Byun Sung Tae had a hard job to do, since Jae Hyun is not exactly the most complex character, but he managed to hold my attention on him during his scenes.

The production was… your typical short low budget k-bl.

Overall, this is sadly a skip.

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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.

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Finally, after having this drama on-hold for 2 years, I finished it. I do not regret waiting so long, before picking it up again. I might have rated it lower if I was watching it as it was airing, being swayed by other people's opinions. Now, with a clear heart and head, I can be as true to myself as possible.

STORY
Cults are not exactly the most commonly used theme for dramas, since it's hard to present them in a realistic way, staying true to the complexity of how these organizations work and the mentality of people being involved. This drama did a fairly good job at it. Till the end I wasn't 100% sure if the cult leader is a true believer, or if it’s just an act. There were hints fitting both of the cases throughout the show. That being said, it was unnecessary to introduce the "corrupt politician" into the mix. Next to such a fresh idea of the victims of a cult, giving us an overused story of a power hungry older guy doing anything he can to win, was a mistake. Especially since the drama would be just as interesting without it.

CHARACTERS
The drama tries to sell us a story of 3 young heroes: Sang Mi, Dong Cheol and Sang Hwan. Sadly, they failed. They told us Sang Mi is the heart, Dong Cheol - the muscles and Sang Hwan the brain of the group, but it was Dong Cheol that came up with the majority of the plans, he was smart enough to know not to involve the cops and not to believe in Sang Hwan's dad.
Sang Mi was smart enough to fool everyone involved in the cult and survived there for years. There was no brain in Sang Hwan up until ep 14/15th. A bit too late if you ask me. There was truly nothing going on for him as a character and I was never invested in him and his journey. He was there to show up at times and solve plot problems that might be hard to explain otherwise.

As I was finishing the drama, I finally knew why I disliked Sang Hwan so much: the writer and director tried to TELL us he is the hero of the story next to Sang Mi, but they did not SHOW it at all.

He kept making the same mistakes, never learning from any of them. All the consequences never hit him directly, but hurt the people around him. Don't know if it was the director's/writer’s idea or Taecyeon's misdelivery, but I never felt that he is truly sorry for all the things that he did. The production team tried to put him in the same "I am a victim here" group as Dong Cheol and Sang Mi, which was ridiculous. His mistake put his best friend in jail and an innocent girl in a cult for years, and everyone forgave him like it was not a big deal. I don't believe that there can be a nonredeemable character and they could have made Sang Hwan work, but they did not even try. All the mistakes were just forgotten.

One of the more interesting characters to watch was Apostle Kang. There were moments when we could slowly see her breaking out of that "salvation" mindset and seeing how things truly are in Goosuwon. It made me question and wonder how her character will develop and which side she will be standing on at the end. I appreciate that she stayed true to her beliefs, no matter how twisted they were. It just shows the true power of manipulation and brainwashing that had happened in the cult.

ACTING
Except for Taecyeon, all the cast did an amazing job. I must say, I might be biased though. I never liked Taecyeon acting, not once have I thought he did a good job with the role given. I just don't feel any deep emotions and those nuances in his facial expressions that distinguish amazing actors from just an actor. Being placed between such a strong cast, I could see that he still lacks in some areas of the delivery.

On the bright side though, Jung Hae Kyun and Yoon Yoo Sun did a fantastic job, easily overshadowing the rest of the cast with their acting. Everyone truly hated Joo Ho and felt pity towards Bo Eun. Many people think acting "crazy" is an easy thing to do since you just have to do random stuff, but it's hard... really hard to make it believable. The random stuff are not really random, there is a reasons they do them, do stuff that no one else seems to understand. You need to understand the reasoning behind the unreasonable actions to be able to portray them in your character.

Overall, really good drama. The frustration that keeps rising during the watch makes the ending even better. Even the comical death of Jung Ki was a good choice, and if all the actions leading to it were not as serious and heavy, I might say they overkill him. OCN knows how to deliver, and we should be thankful.

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The set, the scenes, the dialogues - it all felt empty and painfully staged. The story itself was rather simple, but fun to follow. Fish out of water scenario makes it easy to create some comedic elements, and Jun more than delivers in the role of Eun Ho with his facial expressions and natural line delivery, making the show worth the watch.

Seeing how the drama has a fantasy element and the whole background of it to explain, they truly wasted a lot of time on Lee Heon and his storyline. Who is there to kill him and why - truly unnecessary. Him being the abandoned Crown Prince that needs to hide to save his life is enough information.

Then, there is also the issue of Eun Ho just gives up on trying to find out why he traveled to a painting and finding a way out. Good few episodes he has been just chillin with the prince and his glam bodyguard, without making any effort to figure out what was going on. A few too many times I said to myself “What is going on?” for me to conclude the story was well paced and presented.

Not gonna lie, I did finish the show purely for Jun and his portrayal of Eun Ho. He was great with his funny, but realistic reactions and it was worth spending these 12 minutes a week on the rest of this rather mediocre project. Yoo Hyun Woo was fine during the soft and calm scenes, sadly, his delivery in more emotional ones failed to evoke any emotions in me. Kim Tae Jung was just there. With the way Go Geum was written, I don’t think he had that much work to do.

Overall, I believe this show would flow better as a movie. Watching it two episodes per week was a mistake. I am also not quite happy with the explanation of why it all happened - I feel like all we’ve got was “coz why not?”. Go for it, if you can binge watch all the episodes like a movie. You won’t be amazed, but it will give you a few entertaining bits here and there.

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Too little internal conflicts, too much external bullshit.

What started as a fun cliche rom-com, ended up as a dumpster fire of convenient resolutions and dumb plotlines with close to zero proper development. How?

Romantic comedies are as good as the characters and the chemistry between them - be it couples, friends and even rivals and villains. Sadly for Would You Marry Me, the writing left a lot to desire. None of the relationships was set up, developed and explored enough. When the big changes in dynamics happened, big plot twists that should have huge emotional impact on the audience, I actually felt nothing. Not only that, at times it felt as if the characters barely felt anything. Why are you reacting to this life changing moment as if it was nothing more than a daily annoyance?

Woo Ju and Meri were cute together, but all the crap happening around them made their relationship actually barely exist on screen. How do you even have time to develop the couple? Or any character? Or any of the plotlines you introduced? The same way dramas have main and supporting characters, they also should have main and supporting plots and use the proper ratio of screentime on them. Here it’s hard to even point out what the main plotline is. Was it the fake relationship and the house scheme? Maybe the mystery about Woo Ju’s past and his family? Both too poorly written, developed and concluded to be called the main. What exactly was the focus? What was I supposed to take away from this show?

I was watching episode 11 and 12, where everything was supposed to slowly get resolved and it just felt empty. Convenient ways out of serious problems, the most lucky police work when the evidence literally walks into their hands, last second relationships progresses - and I did not care at all.

I cannot even say the acting saved the drama, since it was rather mediocre. Not because of the actors and actresses - I know they are great. Jung So Min is one of my favorite actresses and I started this drama for her. The writing was just so bland and it lacked detail. Honestly, I don't know if this lackluster presentation was the result of poor writing, directing, or mix of both. One way or another, the show ended up as a huge disappointment.

On the positive side - I did like a lot of separate scenes. Some jokes were funny. I also really enjoyed the dynamics between Woo Ju and Eung Su (if Eung Su had more screen time he would probably be my favorite character). I found Baek Sang Hyeon’s story the most interesting and I liked how he was not necessarily just presented as a victim of circumstances, but also his own choices. Not to mention all the scenes with the second lead couple that seemed far more… natural and interesting than the leads.

I don’t have much to say about the production - your typical pretty shots with little to no innovation.

Overall, I’m just disappointed. There was so much going on plot wise, and yet I was painfully bored the whole second half. There were too many stupid external conflicts and issues with poorly written resolution and not enough internal development to truly make me feel connected to any of the characters. I wanted to love it, but the drama was on a mission to make me fail.

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Rebranding to sport sitcom with slice of life undertones and romance as a guest role.

I think it’s important to set something straight right away - this is not a romantic comedy. This is a full on comedy with a sports/health setting and the romance is more of a guest role in the story. The poster, trailer and genres are completely misleading. Does this make it a bad drama? No. But it for sure is not a good rom-com.

Not what I think about it, the opening scene literally tells you all you need to know - the same way the gym with all the promotional material seemed like a club, when it was not. The same way this drama seemed like a rom-com, but it was not.

Yes, I did enjoy it. Even with over the top comedy and at times unhinged jokes, they were still able to deliver more often than once truly heartwarming messages. I truly appreciated how the message was more about loving yourself and striving for improvement because of that, rather than trying to meet a certain goal to start loving yourself. It had sitcom branding and a slice of life spirit and it weirdly worked.

That said - it’s simply not what I was expecting and it took away quite a lot of my enjoyment. And it’s not on me for having wrong expectations. It’s on the production team for misleading advertisements. If I crave ramen, but get an ice cream, it does not matter how good it is, it’s not what I wanted at that moment. They made me excited for a lighthearted romance, and they never delivered.

Since the romance was honestly so insignificant, I actually believe the drama would be better if they completely removed it. Lee Jun Young and Jung Eun Ji did not really have much chemistry and the constant break from the romantic vibes, to insert a punch line ruined it for me till the end. The show just lacked balance.

I did like both leads as individual characters. Seeing Do Hyeon Jung open up to others and start to understand different perspectives was fun. Lee Mi Ran slowly learning how to love herself was touching. Their partnership was great and I adored the whole gym community they formed. While I loved Roy (or do I just love Kim Kwon?), I did feel like he was out of place more often than not.

Production wise it was great. I am honestly surprised how many aesthetically pleasing scenes they were able to deliver without dropping that silly comedic tone. And I already added some songs to my playlist. Some special effects were more on the miss and Lee Jun Young’s body simply looked uncanny in episode one, but in general there was nothing major to complain about.

Overall, I am annoyed at the marketing of the drama because whatever we talk about the poster, genres and trailers, they have nothing to do with the reality of what the drama actually is. If they were more truthful to the content with their advertisement, I’d for sure enjoy it more.

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Love is two souls dwelling in one body…

And when two matching pieces meet, the audience dies. For dance you need the restraint of passion. Sugiki Shinya had restraint and control, Suzuki Shinya had passion and expression, together they completed each other.

Why did my 30+ years old self felt like a teenage girl when I was watching it? All these proper and perfectly delivered romance themes just melted my brain. The tension, the chemistry, the perfect pacing - what more could I ask for (maybe better editing for the opening and ending, but that’s later to complain about)? They gave me all and more.

First of all, I went into the movie with an idea of who the characters are and the movie slowly destroyed my misconception. What I thought I was getting is the free-spirited man slowly breaking the walls of the stoic and restrained one. Boy I was wrong. Who was breaking whom, when and why and to what extent is a whole big part of the storytelling that held my mind captive for two hours. The one broken by the end was me.

The dynamic between the leads was just enticing. The question of who was in control - be it of the external factors, the other person, or their own feelings. The tension was tensioning so hard I might have pulled a muscle or two. Suzuki Shinya was the unrestrained seduction that set the screen on fire, while Sugiki Shinya was the domineering force that grabbed all the attention.

With the limited screentime it’s an amazing romance with interesting internal dilemmas. I was so entertained and fascinated by Sugiki Shinya’s character that I could write a psychoanalysis of him. There was so much more depth in both lead characters - I went into it for well delivered cliches, but was surprised by some twists and turns on that insanely captivating journey.

For the acting - damn. For everyone who is traumatized by closing elevators after Cherry Magic!, fear not - we for sure do not face the same issue here. They both committed. Putting the romance aside, the thing that I appreciate the most was the depiction of hesitation and fear. In the context of the movie it had to be obvious for the audience, but clear to be something they wanted to hide and they both performed it perfectly.

I cannot speak on the actual dancing, because I know less about it than the actors themselves. All I can say is - I enjoyed watching the dancing scenes and for a clueless person like me, they were beautifully shot and delivered. For the music though - I wish they went less “cliche” with their choices. I am sorry, but River Flows in You should be banned from being used in any cinematic project till the end of the universe - it has Twilight copywritten in the brains of millions.

Visually speaking - they knew exactly what they were doing. This movie for sure does not give cheap vibes, even if they use “cheap” moves - I do appreciate the abs on the forefront with hips not lying. Somehow they still made it feel expensive and tasteful. Maybe because they truly did take their time to build that tension and they were not rushing any scenes.

For the complaints I think my biggest issues were the editing for the opening and ending scene - the clear cut to the title screen just punched me in the face for no reason. The hard cut did not really fit the pace of the overall story. And as I already mentioned - the music. Could have gone a little bit more creative.

Overall, I feel blessed. That was the holy experience I needed before Christmas. We truly do not get movies and dramas that are so unapologetically focused on the romance, tension and connection between the characters.

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Too safe and too commercial.

There was nothing outstanding about the show. I’m not gonna remember any scenes from it in a month, because everything was just lukewarm and bland. And it truly pains me to say that.

I think my biggest issue is how for many scenes I did not feel like I’m watching Atom and Kongthap, but rather Fourth and Gemini. The further into the show we’ve got, the characters seemed less similar to how they were initially introduced. Atom was not really timid and clumsy and Kongthap went from not understanding what love is, to being pro in a relationship. I was watching Fourth and Gemini have fun playing around and flirting on screen, rather than two fictional characters and their story. And it completely took me out of the show.

Don’t kill me, but the whole drama I kept thinking: where did Fourth and Gemini’s acting skill go? Took a break? Deserved vacation? I loved them in the previous dramas, but here everything seemed… forced, some lines robotic. That said, Some of this seems to be the editing issue - leaving too much pause between lines made some dialogues sound unnatural. There were scenes that were great, but if I had to talk overall, it was more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Since I kept seeing the actors behind these characters, I could not connect to the presented story at all. I stopped caring for their romance and individual journeys, even with how relatable they might have been on paper.

And the drama does tackle a lot of issues and concerns of youth. One that I especially appreciate is the conflict between following your friends and loved ones and following your passions and dreams. Should you pick a school that would let you cherish the closed ones and spend more time with them, or the school that would be best for your individual goals and improvement? How will you approach that dilemma? How will you deal with the aftermath of whatever choice you make?

What’s more to like? I did enjoy the second couple quite a lot. I found them to be more refreshing, cute and funny. Their scenes for sure stood out more.

Production wise it was good if we are talking about set design, directing. I have one question though - how low are the payments for PPLs for them to need so many? I felt like I was watching ad after ad, as if the show was created around different advertisements rather than these product placements being smoothly incorporated into the plot. You already have 4-5 different ads before each part starts…

Overall, I think we are passed the “nothing was wrong” standard and we can expect more and this show just simply did not meet my expectations.

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When the victim becomes the perpetrator.

Can trauma and growing up in a toxic environment excuse someone’s awful actions? If yes, then no one is guilty in this show. From my perspective, this show quite well presents how a person can be both the victim and the perpetrator and society should make sure not to ignore their tragic past while also acknowledging their horrific actions in the present and punishing them for them.

This is not a story about righteous characters - there are no heroes. With how dramatic and excessive everyone’s actions were, it’s hard to even call them gray. It’s a journey into madness. It presents an interesting dilemma - up till which point a person is a victim that needs help, and when exactly can we see them as perpetrators that need to be stopped and punished? Can you still be called a victim if you yourself create more victims?

Not gonna lie, what started as a “fun revenge story”, ended on a bitter note, and I’m not mad about it. I thought it’s going to be a “put morality on the shelf, turn off your brain and enjoy some bullies getting their punishment” type of a deal, but the further into the story I went, the more it made me think about it and how complex of an issue bullying is. Bullies themselves are often victims of either bullying by upper classmates or abuse at home. So here’s the question - if their actions were not excused in the drama based on their circumstances, why would we excuse what the main character did?

One thing to keep in mind - the ending might leave a bad taste in your mouth, but I think it’s fitting the story, even though it fills me with rage. And the literally last sequence of scenes broke my heart.

It’s a story of the friends trio - Kyungmin, Jong Suk and Cheol. All complex, all raw and interesting. And then there is Jin Ah. Why she exists in the show is beyond me. Clearly the story could have been told without adding her, as she is not a character in the original animation. Her being the good cop, moral one just does not fit the mood of the drama. Not to mention, the whole investigation plot line was simply ridiculous and boring. I found her to be rather obnoxious, flip flopping between following the rules and playing the proper cop, to ignoring the rules when the show needed that, but still acting like a voice of reason.

All the supporting characters were rather one dimensional, but they played their roles well and created the cohesive picture of the world presented. That said, one of the issues I had with the show was how extreme it went. It’s not exactly a realistic portrayal of school bullies as adults - everyone was either awful or went on a guilt trip that dominated their whole life. I guess the closest to a more typical story was the first victim/bully, which for me was the most questionable.

The acting was great. The two performances that stood out for me the most were Kim Sung Gyu and Choi Hyun Jin. Hyun Jin, this child - he has a bright future ahead of him. His performance also led to Cheol being my favorite character. The actor is only 14, but I could feel the pain, desperation, sadness, glimpses of hope and happiness in him. It was all so well delivered, I will for sure check any of his future projects.

Production wise, I appreciate how they did not shy away from creating truly gory scenes (yes, they were blurred, but with all the horrors I have seen, my imagination kicks in fast). Some of the pictures created were just hitting hard emotionally. The pig and wolf masks were truly detailed and creepy. Honestly speaking, I have zero complaints about the production. Maybe sometimes the scenes were a little bit too dark, so it was hard to see what was actually happening.

Overall, it’s a great drama that could have been amazing if they did not decide to add Kang Jin Ah and her whole investigation side of the plot. Still, I was interested till the end and in a strange way, I was satisfied with the ending, even though it felt a little bit half assed.

Trigger warnings: school bullying, abuse, sexual harassment, blood, gore, psychological abuse, animal abuse, and probably many more. I would not call it a safe drama for the majority of people, so be warned.

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“Just let your instinct guide you. That way you won’t get lost.

The moment you throw yourself into the unknown, you’re not adrift anymore. You become a drifter. ”

Imagine you are having a truly awful day, nothing works out, you feel like crying and giving up... and then you hear a really dark joke that is like a final blow to your misery, but somehow it feels liberating - this is how this drama made me feel.

I didn’t really like much about it, but it was a strangely appreciated experience. The characters were well written, but also awful for the most part. We are left with them taking the first steps to self-improvement and it’s unsatisfying , but hopeful at the same time. And yes, that includes Eo Heung, who also had a lot of issues he had to figure out.

The romance was a mess, the characters were a mess, the plot was a mess and it perfectly captures the essence of the drama and it makes sense. Why? Because more often than not life makes no sense and we are just powering through complicated emotions pretending like we know what we are doing, making awful choices and trying to handle the consequences.

That said, I for sure liked the second half of the show more. I liked how the characters started to create one cohesive picture instead of everyone doing their own thing. Wish we’ve got more scenes between Hae Jo and Eo Heung - these were for sure some of my favorites and probably some of the more impactful ones. I guess I would love to see Eo Heung catch up to them faster - less chasing, more bonding.

A lot of plotlines were left on a truly uncomfortable end for me. Especially in terms of the leads’ parents. It did feel like a deliberate choice though, not a “we ran out of screen time” type of a deal. These endings were unsatisfying for a drama, but understandable for real life. I guess if someone watches dramas just for the pure escapism, this show would slap them in the face with reality.

For the performances - Woo Do Hwan and Oh Jung Se for sure shined the most. Both performances were rather raw when needed, but witty and uplifting when the scenes required. I am honestly amazed how Oh Jung Se could portray the character that by all means would be seen as a country pumpkin, clueless and naive idiot, but with this performance he had so much depth, warmth and drive to him.

Funny how I was the most excited about Lee You Mi as Jo Jae Mi, but with every episode I started to lose more and more interest in her. I feel like all the characters had clear motivations except for her. Till the end Jae Mi was shown as a character put in the context of other characters, and not once as an actual individual.

I don’t think I have that much to say about the production quality - it’s your typical Netflix production that looks pretty, but nothing really stands out that much.

Overall, I feel like it is mostly a show about overcoming your fears, whatever they might be. I might need to discuss it a bit with friends to form more in depth opinions about the themes, but I have to admit, it’s a drama that invites reflection.

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When lack of communication skills is your whole personality.

This is not a sweet rom-com. This is a frustrating journey that will test your patient, and I have no idea why I enjoyed it.

It’s a story of two people who love jumping to conclusions and never verbalizing their feelings and issues. Female lead was slightly less frustrating than male lead - she was at least aware of her own feelings, which cannot be said about the other half of this infuriating couple.

All these miscommunications were blast to watch though. Why? Thanks to all the supporting characters, who had some of the best and most reasonable reactions to all the childish shenanigans going on. I appreciate how it was established that it’s not the writing that is stupid, it’s the main duo only, and it’s done on purpose. I can go on board with it.

Female lead had little self-esteem, male lead had no self-awareness, I had no business using my brain watching it. Love triangle of poor character traits - best relationship between the drama and the viewer.

The performances were great. Seino Nana somehow made Akiha a character worth rooting for and Sakaguchi Kentaro was able to calm my distress caused by Shu’s character with his cuteness. I also love Kursahina Kana and her portrayal of Miharu - probably one of my favorite characters in the whole show.

Production wise - this is your typical rom-com. Nothing bad, nothing good. Standard quality, nothing to complain about. Bless them for having the cat though, he was amazing.

Overall, this was entertaining for all the wrong reasons.

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Feel-good sports slice of life that made me feel old.

What did this show have? Great characters, beautiful bonds and friendships, motivational messages, well delivered comedy, great acting, beautiful visuals. So why did so much of it feel like fillers? If I skipped the majority of the villagers' stories, it would be an easy 10.

The heart of the story are the Racket Boys and their friendship. It’s undeniable that they were the best part of the drama. Personally, I just loved the reckless Hae Kang and mentally adopted him as my son. His personality was so vibrant and even if at times annoying, he was still extremely adorable and endearing. That said, even though I had my favorite, each and every boy was lovable and brought their own unique personality to the table to give me this fun and enjoyable ride.

Some of the dynamics I liked the most were Hae Kang and In Sol, Woo Chan and Yong Tae and Yoon Dam and Han Sol. What’s more, I appreciate how the drama showed how you can be both rivals in sports and loyal friends outside of it. Many times we have seen different teams enjoying their times together between the competitions - I love his healthy portrayal of rivalry.

Sadly, I was truly not that invested in most of the adults’ stories. I wouldn’t say I disliked them, I was just completely not interested. I think the issue was the initial presentation of the characters - most if not all were introduced in rather negative light so it was hard to connect to their stories as the drama progressed. This small “plot twist” where the characters are not what they seem like at first is a great touch, but not when it is applied to all the characters - then it becomes exhausting.

The only side story outside of the teens that I cared about was the new married couple in town and Phil Ja and Song Hee’s development of friendship.

About the acting, I have nothing, but compliments to say. The young cast did a phenomenal job. I’m extremely impressed with Kim Kang Hoon - such a young boy, but was able to deliver a lot of depth and raw emotions in his performance. I’m a little bit on the fence about Choi Hyun Wook though. Did he do a great job here? Yes. But it’s the 3rd extremely similar role I have seen him in, so I hope he is not an actor of one role.

I’m also impressed with their badminton skills. Do I know anything about the sport? No. I am sure though, that even an inexperienced person can tell when someone really sucks at a sport they are supposed to be good at. I’m certain there was a lot of work put into the training before the filming which contributed to the believable matches, but I also have to compliment the filming and editing.

It’s always hard to talk about production value in kdramas. Why? Because most big studio productions have more or less the same high quality, and most kdrama do not stand out either in positive or negative ways. The standard quality is just that high. It’s the same case with Racker Boys - great scenery, great directing, great editing, great set designs. Everything is great, just like the majority of SBS shows.

Overall, amazing watch, but would have been perfect if it was 4 episodes shorter and only focusing on the kids.

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It's 4 episodes if you skip all the walking.

This show left me in a state of complete confusion. What happened? How did it happen? Who approved it? At some point I was 5 episodes in and I could not comprehend how there are 3 episodes left. How dumb will they make the characters to fill that screen time?

I’m not kidding when I say nothing made sense. The investigation was laughable - the worst I have ever seen in any drama. The killer was just mediocre and was able to kill for so long only because everyone else was so imcompetant The male lead… I don’t even want to talk about him. Each and every choice he made was making me question my sanity. Not to mention Bae Tae Jin who was there to add “spice” to the typical story, but failed to do so.

I am honestly impressed by how bad this show was. It can fool you during the first 2 episodes - they are generic, but not tragic. How fast it changes though. The longer you watch, the dumber it gets. Protect your brain, don’t watch it. And if you like to suffer like me, at least don’t binge watch it. Your brain could fry.

The characters don’t even share one brain cell. There are no brain cells being used by anyone in this show. Zero brain cells. Negative brain cells energy. Basically a black hole for brain cells.

Sure, the acting was goodish, the production itself was not bad. But no amount of technical aspects being done well can save this project.

Overall, why does it exist?

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