This review may contain spoilers
Lead chemistry saved this show
The good:The song "Ikuokukonen" by Omoinotake is an absolute banger. I've been following this band since they made the ost for the "Twittering Birds Never Fly" movie, and I'm glad they got their break with "Ikuokukonen".
Acting:
Chae Jong Hyeop's acting is seriously great! He exudes that golden retriever energy without being cringy, and his subtle acting with his eyes when the tone gets serious makes me emotional. I've been following the producers for the show and Jong Hyeop contributed to some of my favorite scenes!
The Cast:
I've been following the show's Instagram/Twitter/TikTok accounts, and the chemistry between Chae Jong Hyeop and fumi nikaido and with the staff heals me lol.
The Bad:
The story needs a lot of work. I read on the producer's Twitter account that he worked on this story since 2021 and it still needs work. The added drama with Min Ha Na and the book was unnecessary and contrived. They added some lore that had something to do with Ainu people that looks like went nowhere. IDK, the plot is a bit of a mess after episode 5/6.
I see people criticizing the people criticizing the FL's acting, but even Japanese people have been saying it's bad on filmarks.com (which is like the Japanese version of IMDB). I kinda agree, but I feel like it's the fault of the director and how they characterized her character.
Anyways I love Chae Jong Hyeop and he really carried this show for me. Overall I like the show, and its a comfort show for me. Something easy to watch and makes me feel all warm inside lol. I watched episodes 1-3 three times already and Tae-Oh still gives me butterflies in my stomach lol. He smile is to die for.
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The Scooby-Doo Gang Minus A Goofy Dog
I was anticipating the reunion between Jung Il Woo and Yuri after being blown away by their pairing in Bossam: Steal the Fate. So when I saw that one of the genres was crime & mystery, I was looking forward to a detective show where both leads would deploy their abilities and work (and flirt) together to solve crimes and deal with the darker side of humanity.Well, this show was that but not really that either. I can only say that it was a novel, mash-up of genres and had an interesting, chaotic dynamic about it. The show kicked off with great energy and mostly maintained the fast paced action throughout that kept me interested. I knew that there was comedy but I did not expect such silly, slapstick humor and ridiculous set ups. I supposed the opening credits in comic book style should have given me a hint that this show did not take itself seriously. Each episode required one to suspend disbelief, sit back and enjoy the ride which I totally did. I found every episode hilarious and entertaining.
Even though the show was all over the place, with tons of inconsistencies and plot holes, there was still a main storyline with the ML, Eun Seon Woo trying to find the murderer of his mother. Actually a prominent chaebol, Seon Woo opened a detective agency as a front for his investigation. Helping him was his sidekick and probably only friend, Yang Jin Mo, a brilliant lawyer who was also incredibly tech-savvy. I gotta say, Yang Jin Mo had the best lines throughout the show and Eum Moon Suk played this funny character very well.
Along the way, Seon Woo met Don Se Ra and ended up having her as part of his undercover team and while the romance between the two main leads took a slower path, culminating only in the last couple of episodes, Yang Jin Mo and Se Ra’s best friend and baker, Sa Na Hee played by Song San Eun, went on a much faster track.
The four main characters had great rapport and played off each other so well. Il Woo again impressed me with his ability to emote different feelings via his micro-expressions and his eyes, oh his eyes…Yuri took Don Se Ra, a character that I found irritating at first due to her self-righteous stubbornness and evolved her into a likable FL. The chemistry between Il Woo and Yuri did not disappoint! Even though I had hoped for more kisses to make up for the lack of in Bossam, I still enjoyed watching their interactions on screen. Jin Mo and Na Hee, on the other hand, made me cringe but also laughed a lot - their overacting and silly antics never failed to tickle my funny bone.
Really, these four reminded me of the Scooby-Doo gang minus a goofy dog. They even had a van that the real Scooby-Doo gang would be proud of! I was happy to see Lee Joon Hyuk who was also in Bossam as Director Hong. He was another character that delivered the right amount of comic relief.
The antagonists fell flat for me though with some wooden acting but Hong Woo Jin deserved kudos for playing a secret psychopath.
The music track was great - the opening song and the other ones were upbeat and lent an uplifting tone that was apparent throughout the show. For posterity, I added the list of songs below.
Overall, even though I can see why “Good Job” could be a hit or miss with most people, I would recommend that you give it a try. It is watchable, bingeable really with only 12 episodes, has many great moments and ends on a high note.
OST list:
Closer - JAY B & Youngjae (영재) |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rheg1w0k3Us
https://open.spotify.com/album/4RxzSoaDzWmFEeJB2H23br?si=GxbNoKerROeB5f5YvmCEfA
Savior - Baekho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXQAAqjzQbI
https://open.spotify.com/album/1Dvc61AhWBaCxtzWZvNcUh?si=LMSqeE2MQ16yOqsurlpRcw
하루 (A Day) - SUMMER CAKE (썸머케익)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pZnAmfnEHo
https://open.spotify.com/track/24thngWyztJ8opjZgam2DE?si=6ae7eb1324f24161
Spring ‘봄’ - Yerin (예린)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOqqlE20x5w
https://open.spotify.com/album/0W13rQuiY4xY5cISSa9uni?si=F5nHO9_1S9GxKwJJJIb3_w
Obvious (뻔해) - SOULSTAR (소울스타)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVvZ7NEvZBw
https://open.spotify.com/track/20eeWxB72UDma9z1nGk3Ah?si=c22c91920c9542e9
Like You 굿잡 - 찬주 (Chanju)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC0AqWa-eEA
https://open.spotify.com/album/0dnFHJfAFIirCZkXbu4AGS?si=LF2r3EwbR2qY6XnipPhJoQ
Key - Bryn (브린)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1nB6wwWsmk
https://open.spotify.com/track/54yc7L3u6ZeWofDvlWybZI?si=8e28553e995a497f
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A short but soft flame that stayed lit!
It honestly feels like China has cracked the cheat code on how to deliver BLs and they have been quietly doing a good job at it.Trapped in Osaka is a bite-sized series, just four episodes, each around 10 minutes. Super short but very digestible.
The plot is as straightforward as it gets: a debt collector ends up falling for the guy he is collecting from and somehow, they end up living together. It hints at a lot of backstories and possible subplots, but never dives deep considering the run time. Strangely enough though, it still works. You just get what is happening, both on screen and between the lines.
It sure does lean into cliches but I don’t mind a cliché when it’s done well. And this one is.
The two leads were a total visual treat.
Their acting felt really natural, nothing over-the-top, just smooth and very believable. The chemistry between them was from the get go. It did all the heavy lighting when plot ran thin.
There was this constant lingering tension in the air like something was always about to happen...Even when they were just standing, it felt like something is gonna snap but somehow it does and doesn't at the same time! No dramatic or big moments, just this lowkey connection that kept building.
It works without making a big deal out of itself and honestly, that is what makes this good.
The production is clearly low-budget, but it never really feels lacking. In fact, some of the beach shots were genuinely pretty.
I know giving it an 8.5 might seem kinda generous, but it earned it. It's not at all flawless and there are number of things that could have been fleshed out more. But for something so short and low-budget, it had a surprising amount of heart. You can tell they really tried and honestly, that effort landed. It didn’t need to be perfect to be good.
Definitely worth checking out. And it’s so short, even if you end up not liking it, it’s really not much of a loss.
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If you´re only in it for the romance, than skip that one. This KDrama is actually so much more.
This is a family saga in cross-section. Typically, the list of the main actors only contains Lee Seo-jin, Kim Hee-sun and Ok Taecyeon. However, I think the whole family belongs here because family is the issue. Of course there is a romance (and not just one). However, sooner or later is always about family. And so "Wonderful Days" is the perfect KDrama to study family structures, dynamics and values as well as its impact on every day life in South Korean culture and tradition.Family hierarchies, manners, customs and traditions are presented in detail. The setting for this is fittingly the traditional hanok, in this case a giwajib, a dwelling for a middle-class family. In "Wonderful Days" you experience family as it would like to be and family as it really is, behind the facade - with all its taboos and lies and secrets and flaws. The issues of disability, adultery and flaws of single parents are dealt with. The questions of who is allowed to marry whom and what that means for family life are worked through. Finally, it is also about pride, guilt, shame, reconciliation, forgiveness and emancipation.
I think actress Youn Yuh-jung rocks the entire show. The processes she goes through again and again are numerous and moving. In some places, where she seems very traditional and her decisions seem virtuous in the service of the family, she also turns out to be truly modern. She always makes up for her lack of education with a lot of heart and common sense. She is already a strong mother model. But at the same time she shows herself vulnerable and conveys very vividly that this mother role demanded by society is practically superhumanly difficult and actually impossible to achieve.
With the action location of Gyeongju, you also get a tiny glimpse of the historic Silla city in south-east South Korea. The grave-mounds of the Silla Kings provide a scenic background more than once. The specific, comparatively melodic Busan dialect that is spoken in this region is also acoustically striking in the dialogues.
This family drama, in which everyone works through their own inner and outer struggles within themselves and the family, is told in a compassionate, vivid and multi-layered manner along numerous storylines through the entire family. Accordingly, this 50-episode KDrama has more episodes than usual. You can indeed learn to understand how the individual in South Korea holds back for the family, or what strength one has to muster in order to protect one's self-interest against the (supposed) well-being of the family, especially the elderly. Self-sacrifice and the ability to suffer are a given - as if it were the most natural thing in the world. However, they are sometimes subtly and sometimes openly questioned. The quarrel is conducted within the drama-family, but inevitably continues in OUR heads, hearts and personal worlds, too. Thus, it is a sensitive socio-critcal study and a sophisticated scenario, for confronting South Korean audience with traditional values facing modern life in 2014. Perhaps it is also interesting to know for non-Koreans (in order to understand some other dynamic of the story): adultery has only been unpunished in South Korea since 2015, abortion since 2017. Before that, it was a crime.
Sometimes the family dynamics are almost unbearable from a western point of view. They may also seem exaggerated as far as our (I am here refering to ´my´ western, german) reality is concerned. The decisions of the protagonists sometimes seem to be incomprehensible. But then again - as far as South Korea is concerned - this is not exaggerated at all. These dynamics are real (but in good makjang fashion, they also add a bit more drama for good catharsis effect). In any case, for Western viewers those dynamics are instructive for studying the culture-specific value systems and, last but not least: occasionally also thought-provoking, too.
Ah. Don´t let me forget to mention... it is about a love story, too. Not only one actually. But if you´re in it for only this romance, than skip that one. You will be busy fast-forwarding most of the time - because this KDrama is actually so much more...
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The Escape of the Seven: Resurrection
36 people found this review helpful
Fake news, questionable morality, and troublesome technology
"The Escape of the Seven" was an organized mess that had all the "charm" of a sinking ship. There were plenty of moments that threatened to send me scrambling for the nearest escape route (the poor character development, repetitive conflict, pseudo-romantic encounters, rushed redemption arc), and plenty of others that managed to serve up food for thought on the human conditionOne moment of revelation was the ill-fated character "K," who was swapped at birth and brought up in a wealthy household. After discovering his origins, he was discarded by his once-doting family. K's words, "noone can be family unless you're related by blood" (episode 12, 32:34) and "since I was young, I was the one to entertain and serve Father, why am I the fake son?" (episode 12, 39:25), invite us to question society's obsession with "biological lineage." Far too often, adoptive families or children are seen as "less worthy." The pursuit of a biological "mini-me" takes precedence, as if blood were the determinant of familial bonds. This skewed perception belittles the love, commitment, and joy found in adoptive families
Another moment was the dichotomy between "the real and the fake" (episode 12, 39:00). The drama reminds us that no matter how convincingly something mimics reality, there will always be a distinction. Even if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it might not be a duck
The drama considers our unhealthy relationship with technology and the ramifications of unchecked technological advancements. It draws attention to humanity's "vulnerability" to the influence of fake news (episode 12, 15:16), a significant issue in the modern, tech-driven society
In conclusion, "The Escape of the Seven" was a blend of misguided, cringe-worthy storytelling and surprising insight. It had both irredeemable and redeeming qualities
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This review may contain spoilers
How a Guy Speedran His Mid-life Crisis: The Movie
Now, I know what it sounds like when I literally rate this a 10/10 across the board but I swear I cannot overstate this when I say this is forever going to be one of my favorite movies for the rest of time. Director and writer Liu Jiangjiang was very humble when he said that some people might think it's an immature movie, with immature/inexperienced staff and actors, and with messages that might be too on the nose -- he went on to say that he just hopes everyone will appreciate the movie, even if just a little bit, because he and the rest of the cast and crew put so much of their heart into it. And you know what? Lighting Up the Stars exceeded all expectations, at least for me. Heartwarming, funny, profound, playful, a tearjerker... This film is the equivalent of finally coming home after being away for a while, of being wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter's day, of sleepovers with your friends in childhood, giggling after lights-out. Words cannot do justice to how this film makes you unlock emotions you probably weren't even aware of -- in a good way.Before I go on with this review, I do want to stress that there's a scene near the start that's extremely uncomfortable to watch, showing Sange basically attempting to sexually assault his ex-girlfriend. It's obviously not shown in a good light, and nothing happens because they get interrupted by her new boyfriend who she cheated on him with while he was in jail. Still, I want to add this warning beforehand, because despite how much I adore this film this was the sole thing I absolutely despised.
It's a very straightforward story, but that doesn't detract from everything else at all, it's one of its strengths. The topics of funerals and death is one that has a lot of taboos associated with them, and choosing to tell the narrative from a child's (Xiaowen's) point of view gives the already novel subject matter a spin you don't often see. While ostensibly a movie about a little girl losing her grandmother and gaining a new family, it's about much more than that. Yes, Xiaowen is at the heart of the story; it is, in many ways, a story about her more so than the adults around her. But it's also about what family really means, it's about what you want in life, it's about love in all its forms, it's about what you do -- and what you don't do. It's about the very outlook on life and death, and how one small change can make the difference. It's about a little girl just wanting her grandma back, and a man who is disillusioned with the world desperately wanting to live up to his dead brother's image finding each other and being what the other needs.
Connected through a series of funerals (of course, what else could it be, when it's Sange's literal line of work), each one is distinct in not only execution but also atmosphere, set dressing, and so on; each one a beat in the movie showing the changes in the characters and driving the story forward. While the ostentatious one with the old man who pretends to be dead is by far the loudest and most colorful (and definitely the funniest), the funeral that stuck with me the most was actually one of the first, with the little girl. From Xiaowen pretending to be Sange's daughter to get her family's approval to manage her funeral to her drawing on the girl's cinerary casket which couldn't be washed off, to the girl's family bursting out into tears of gratitude because their little girl loved to draw and Xiaowen's scribbles are so much better than more impersonal casket it originally was... While to some degree you can see it coming, it definitely sets the stage and does so well to convey the unpredictability of life and death, and human's hearts. Liu Jiangjiang's family is in this business and it shows in the care and details he puts into every one of the funerals depicted, the people who are buried but also their friends and family who are grieving for them.
For a movie of roughly two hours, the pacing doesn't feel rushed or drawn out, and the character development, while at times a little flat for anyone who aren't the main leads, is still very well done. Sange going from "she's my arch nemesis" and "look how you're going to ruin me" on day one to appreciating her place in his life and wanting to keep and protect her not even a day and a half later is, yes, hilarious, but on a fundamental level it's so heartwarming to see his entire outlook on life change for the better because of her, and in such a short amount of time. It shows how much he really wanted something (someone) to care about this much, a sentiment echoed later by his ailing father. Vice versa, when Xiaowen gets adopted by Sange's friends (which happened through a hilarious turn of events, and for a movie about death, there's way more comedy than expected, or, perhaps, just the right amount to offset everything else) and nominally by Sange himself, she starts letting go of her grandmother and starts opening up, all of it culminating in her telling Sange that she knows he lied, but that's okay, she's not scared anymore because she's got a dad now.
It makes their separation all the more painful when he basically lets her mother (who! surprise! is not dead but just had horrible luck in life and hit rock bottom and went to jail like Sange and just wants to be a good mom now and loves her daughter deeply and means well despite everything and-- well. You get the idea.) kidnap her in the middle of the night. One might be frustrated at the lack of communication from Sange, but when you remember how he never really had a childhood growing up in a funeral house, and how he has inferiority issues and a slew of other problems, his actions become understandable even though still not justified. All's well that ends well though, and they reunite with a scene that had me bawling when I first saw the clip months ago, released as promotional material, and that made me bawl again watching the full scene, entirely attached to both characters.
The cast of the movie is phenomenal. Zhu Yilong has delivered probably his best performance yet, portraying a character entirely different from his body of work and doing it in such a way it feels entirely natural and immersive. In interviews, Liu Jiangjiang mentioned how he wasn't sure about Zhu Yilong playing someone like Sange -- isn't he too handsome? Isn't he too pretty? Isn't he well-known for playing gentlemanly, scholarly, soft-spoken types of characters? And to a certain degree, he's right; Zhu Yilong's entire image is that of a prettyboy actor who, despite being fairly well-known as a good actor beyond his looks, and simply does not get cast as an uncouth rogue like Sange. So, a departure from his previous works for sure but in the best way possible. Zhu Yilong as Sange shows once again how versatile his acting skill is, and what range he has as an actor. When shooting, everyone called him Sange; Han Yan (the producer) even said that once he'd cut his hair and they started shooting in Wuhan, Zhu Yilong wasn't there anymore: he was Sange.
The fact that the entire movie was mainly spoken in Wuhan dialect (Xiaowen mainly spoke in a Sichuan dialect, or Sichuan-accented putonghua) or Wuhan-accented putonghua (they couldn't have the entire movie be in the Wuhan dialect, for viewer's accessibility, so han-pu was the compromise) added a lot of depth to the film as well, really showing the locality and anchoring it in a way most films don't consider. From a personal point of view, it's also just such a breath of fresh air not to hear standardized accents from everyone when it's filmed and takes place in a very specific part of China where of course everyone would more likely speak in the local dialect. Zhu Yilong, a Wuhan native, was said to have added a lot of his own knowledge of Wuhan to Sange's character, from when to speak the pure dialect and when to speak han-pu, to which scenes he'd smoke cigarettes and when to mention something specific to the culture there. All of this shows in how real Sange feels as a character. While he's been known to be meticulous when crafting characters, this one, more than any other role he's played before, is the one that cements his status as character actor.
Yang Enyou, the other lead in this movie, was also amazing. While I generally don't approve of child actors (on moral grounds more so than lack of acting skills or otherwise), the fact of the matter is that as Wu Xiaowen she really was the glue that kept the movie together. It was a joy seeing her on the screen and her acting was convincing and emotionally poignant. For a debut movie, this role really made her shine. Zhu Yilong also treated her the way he thinks Sange would've treated her to help her with acting, and interacted with her in a way that was really sweet, as were the other cast and crew members. I will say that from cast interviews and behind the scenes clips there are things I definitely don't agree with in how they handled having a 7 year old on set, mainly how they intentionally ignored her or made her angry by teasing/bullying her to get her in character. While it's no Shelly Duvall in The Shining type of situation, it still feels needlessly cruel to be mean to a literal child purely for a better shot or a more "real" emotional reaction.
The actors for the side characters also did a great job, all with their own motivations and lives and relationships with each other and outside of the scope of the movie, brought to life (or not, haha) by the cast. I especially loved how every character, no matter how minor, was played with the utmost conviction and with every last bit of heart that the main cast had too. Lighting Up the Stars is a work of love, and the way every single actor brought that to their character shined through.
I also adored that everyone looked like quote-unquote normal people. As with the usage of Wuhan dialect over putonghua, the deliberate choice to cast actors who aren't conventionally attractive like idol dramas and movies (it's why Zhu Yilong's casting made such waves), and instead style everyone to look like someone you could meet on the street is probably an understated but no less important aspect of this film. It brings together everything else about the film as well; Liu Jiangjiang said he wanted to focus on the day-today lives of ordinary citizens, the nitty gritty of everyday life, and the styling of the characters reflects that vision. From Sange's floral shirts to the background characters' colorful (but not distracting, more like the bassline that adds to the symphony of the rest of the film) clothes, everything fits and has that feeling of "oh this really is a movie about normal people" to it. The only person who stands out, then, is Xiaowen's mother, who looks sleek and dresses fashionably, and is immediately branded as an outsider because of it. Even without everything else in the narrative telling the viewer she is different, this visual element tells a whole story in itself. And yet, it's also because she cares so much about Xiaowen that she looks like that, perhaps to leave her past behind where she failed her daughter, but more importantly to show that she can take care of her daughter now: look at her, all dressed up, visible make-up, brand name clothing and all.
Xiaowen and Sange being styled after Nezha and Sun Wukong was also a detail I especially loved. Xiaowen's feral little act, especially near the start of the movie, with her red-tasseled spear and her hair in two buns, drives home her resemblance to Nezha. Sange on the other hand doesn't look like a lot like the Monkey King (although the funeral where he's in opera get-up and starts twirling the staff to protect Xiaowen is incredibly reminiscent of Sun Wukong and his golden-banded staff), the resemblance being more narrative- and dialogue-driven. Their stories mimic those of Nezha and Sun Wukong to a certain degree as well, and there are a lot of jokes and references made to Journey to the West, especially with regard to Sange (memorably, "Are you Sun Wukong, always changing your shape so easily?!" because he changed his mind and wanted to keep Xiaowen by his side after wanting to get rid of her initially).
I'm sure there are things I've missed, things I couldn't think of or that I felt didn't fit in this already too-long review of a film about family -- I haven't even touched on the many dynamics in this movie that aren't the main leads' which I nonetheless truly loved. I'm also sure that there are people who think it was much sillier than I make it out to be, or not as good as I've praised everything from the narrative to the acting to the styling. In the end, though, the message of the film is very clear: if you think you hit rock bottom, adopt a child.
And if none of this managed to convince you: Zhu Yilong strips down to his underwear in this film.
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Min Ki is so HOT in here! He is such a gentleman I loved how he was caring toward her and changed her into a better person. Did i tell you his eyes are gorgeous!
Chae Rim one of my favourite female actress, she blew me out of my seat.
A must watch drama that you will never regret ever watching!
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This review may contain spoilers
I decided that I really wanted to watch this not only because it was one of the most highly anticipated Chinese dramas of 2019, but because of the actors/actresses. I really wanted to see ZTao (Boxu) in a drama because I was very curious about him in an active role and to be honest, I enjoyed every second of his character. I loved watching his growth from this misunderstood c-pop star who hid behind his popularity to this soft and funny man who learned what was most important in his life and it was one of the things I loved most about this drama - the chemistry between the two leads. I loved their back and forth banter that was 100% flirting, but both didn't realize it. Their relationship seemed extremely comfortable and natural, which made me ship them from the beginning.
Sorry, Yu Zi Rui. This brings me to my next actor - Niu Jun Feng who placed Yu Zi Rui. It was the second time I had seen him in a drama and he was one of my favorite characters in the first one. When I found out that he was a major-minor character again in this drama, I had to watch. Especially since he was playing the caring and gentle (first) love interest of our main character. Was I a little disappointed in the character he played? Yea, but I think he did an amazing job playing his character. I loved watching his internal struggle trying to figure out what he thought was most important in his life and what he was willing to do to get there. Similar to Boxu, but almost an opposite result, which broke a lot of people's hearts, but made others full.
Finally, there is Janice Wu. I don't know how it happened, but I somehow ended up watching two dramas at the same time, not knowing she was the lead in both. I love what she brings to every role that she is in and ended up being one of my top favorite actresses. I loved that she played this hard-working woman who was not scared of Boxu and always was true to herself and in her relationships with others. We also got to see her in some down moments, but she always bounced back with the support of the people she built strong relationships with.
I enjoyed this drama a lot more than I thought I was going to, but there were a few things that I couldn't get over. The first being the consistency and the flow of every episode. It seemed as if one episode was cut into 2 or 3 parts, so when you watched it, at the end of these eps were abrupt and in the middle of a sentence. I also wasn't a fan of ANYONE that worked at Star Entertainment. Some people had their moments, but it wasn't enough. I honestly wanted Boxu's contract to be terminated so he could go somewhere else. BUT, Star Entertainment did seem like a family....a dysfunctional family.
BUT, the one person I disliked the most, and idk if she just enjoys playing these types of characters, was Xia Yuan, Zhen Zhen's best friend and roommate. I felt like she was too much. I'm glad she did a lot of growing in the drama as a whole, but she was a mess in the middle and took it out of Zhen Zhen for something he has no power over. Especially when she decided that she was in love with Yu Zi Rui for no reason really, but I appreciate the ending that they gave her and Zi Rui.
Overall, I would love to see Z.Tao act in more dramas as well as continue to watch Janice Wu in the future. I hope they collaborate again. I was also in LOVE with every song in Boxu had written, that was in this drama, and extremely happy that they were real songs by Z.Tao and downloaded them all.
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As implied above, Yakou Kanransha delves into the effects a shocking murder has on two families (and the town in which they live). It is an emotional story marked by highs and lows, much like the ever-rotating path the titular Ferris wheel follows. Other issues tackled over its course include bullying (by neighbors and classmates), ostracization, domestic violence, and societal pressure. Unlike many other Japanese dramas with such a focus, family is not held on a pedestal. Instead we're shown a realistically flawed structure, full of secrets and misunderstandings. Despite this, beauty remains to be found in the connection between friends, brothers and sisters, parents and children; something so imperfect can still be wonderful.
Most incredible might be how deftly these emotive aspects are combined with exciting, cerebral ones. Character development intermingles flawlessly with shocking revelations and startling secrets. Scenes are rarely lingered on; the pacing maintains a seamless stability throughout the series.
Japan excels at the ensemble piece; Yakou Kanransha boasts a large cast which more than lives up to this standard. Suzuki Kyoka clocks in a believable and solid performance as Endo Mayumi. This role is written simply so she might serve as our eyes into this fantastic circumstance; despite this, Suzuki-san completely brings her to life. Among the other adults, Yasuda Shota and Natsuki Mari are of great interest. Natsuki-san plays an especially polarizing part, yet her consistent and complex portrayal makes quite the impression.
But young actors Nakagawa Taishi (15) and Sugisaki Hana (16) completely steal the show. Both deliver honest and affecting performances beyond their years. Particularly Nakagawa-san; it floored me how drawn into his scenes I became as the series rolled along. Definitely a budding career to watch.
If like me, music comprises an important part of your viewing experience: take heart. Yakou Kanransha posesses an immaculate soundtrack, full of richly mysterious strings and hollow piano. There are also fine vocals, such as those from Ai (ending theme "Voice," which exudes action), and Reiko Oshima ("Daydreaming," a hopeful ballad with a bittersweet feel). Other highlights include the masterful use of sound effects; during particularly intense scenes, one can sometimes hear the grinding machinery and clacking carts of the Ferris wheel. Also take note of its use as imagery between scenes; you'll never forget the way it looks, brightly lit at night.
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This review may contain spoilers
The good story with weird ending
It was a very refreshing drama, kind of sweet, I love the way of execution of the story and the character development. Even though there is 8 years difference between the main lead but their screen chemistry was very good. but it was very good until the 14 episodes they messed up the ending...I mean they really messed up, It was the weirdest and worst ending ever. It didn't explain anything. So it was 8.5 for me until 14 ep but it's all messed up now ...like all people got a happy ending except the main lead (or they got writer knows it's like an open ending) I am very confused.I will surely recommend this drama but the last 2 episodes are a huge disappointment!
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This review may contain spoilers
Lamest revenge in the history of makjang revenge plans
Expectation: Makjang drama about rich people and their arranged marriage woesReality: A scorned woman's half baked attempt at revenge set in the backdrop of a dating agency for rich people
Honestly, I would barely even consider the FL's revenge as revenge, because it just involved a. telling anyone who would listen how much of a bitch Yoo Hui is. b. Trying to stop Yoo Hui from getting a man. Both of which would have failed SPECTACULARLY if not for the 2 rich MLs. Revenge was never her goal in the first place; running into Yoo Hui at the dating agency somehow reminded her that she ought to embark on the most ambitious plan of ruining someone's life with virtually no plan in place at all! Compared to the other makjang revenge drama next door (Eve), the "revenge plans" in this drama were like child's play. Thankfully, this drama is only 8 eps long so FL's idiocy and helplessness wasn't dragged on. HOWEVER, this show tried to be overly ambitious by throwing in a multitude of kdrama tropes that were sufficient to last several dramas: 1. Illegitimate child trope, 2. white truck of doom, 3.childhood sweethearts trope, 4.corrupt politicians, 5.chaebols, 6.disapproving parents 7.Getting backstabbed by your BFF and more. In particular, the politician trope was so unnecessarily convoluted and illogical and the show could have done without it. The antagonist (Yoo Hui) was portrayed fairly realistically and wasn't omnipotent like in other makjangs but her motivations were so poorly explained it was like the writers forgot halfway why they made her bad in the first place. The only bright spot in the plot was the CEO of the dating agency (Choi Yoo Sun) who was extremely charismatic and manipulative. Her backstory was never fully fleshed out but it still intrigued me more than whatever the hell Hye Sung wanted to do to get "revenge". As a whole, the whole "dating agency for rich people" premise had a lot of potential and for it to just devolve into a cliched kdrama revenge story is just sad.
Acting wise, I had higher expectations from Kim Hee Sun considering how experienced she is. She looked like she was phoning it in the whole time and her "romance" with the 2 ML could barely be considered as romance, just like her half-baked revenge plans. No intimacy AT ALL (not that you need intimacy to show romantic feelings... but still?) and barely any chemistry. Her scenes with the 2 ML just looked like she was hanging out with friends and when she got married to one of them it was like oh? okay then. She had a perpetual damsel in distress look which isn't a good thing in a revenge kdrama at all. Yoo Hui (Jung Eugene) was great and I actually found her despicable. The 2 ML's acted well, bonus points for their good looks lol.
Cinematography and music were good, and I find that in this regard Netflix always maintains a high standard. Still, the rewatch value is 0 due to the lame ass revenge plot and the low entertainment value.
Conclusion: watch only if you are a die hard fan of one of the actors. Else, don't waste your time. For a makjang that is more over the top and entertaining, watch Eve or Penthouse instead.
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A feel good drama!
Finally completed this, such a feel good drama.Don't look at the cast or the synopsis. If you enjoy looking at food program of how tasty food are prepared, you may enjoy this drama. Lot's of cooking,. the camera angles are professionally done. Don't bother if the hands does not belongs to the main actress. Just enjoy the flow of the show. Make sure your stomach is full before watching. It's not a typical chef show where you only get cooking demonstration in a few scenes. You will have lots of them. The story line will only become more prominent after ML & FL got married in the middle of the drama. Be patient.
The ML & FL leads are destined to be soulmate. The sister/family love is amazing. FL lead met a lot of trusted friends. The ML is very supportive and understanding. Very good chemistry. Strong FL lead who have talents and big dreams. If you prefer a light drama with a simple story line of how the FL become successful gradually, this is the drama to watch. The music somehow reminds me of Go Princess Go..
A takeaway learning from this drama, live your passion with all your heart. Success is not easy but with every steps and effort you put in...
You may hear before,.. you won someone's heart through the food you feed them. I believe the ML is so proud of his wife and he is so lucky. If you love food documentary and like to see a well bonded relationship...this is the drama. It brings smiles to myself on several scenes. Hope you feel the same if you think alike. Enjoy.
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Sweet But A Little Too Slow
The first season of Hospital Playlist was so impeccable that it really set my expectations high for the second season. Hospital Playlist 2 was great but not up to par for a few reasons.One is that the episodes this season felt very slow. I know romance is not the main focus of this drama but I also know that it's one of the reasons why the second season was highly anticipated. Everyone, including me, was eager to see how the stories of the couples will unfold. This part of the drama just seemed to drag on for too long. The romantic relationships of the other couples don't really blossom until the last few episodes. Moreover, some of the couples (*coughs* Chu Min Ha and Yang Seok Hyung) were given way too little screentime. Instead, we get an overabundance of Jang Gyeo Wool and Ahn Jung Won. I found some of their romantic moments cringeworthy even though I shipped them so much in the first season. Maybe it's just me but I felt like they lost their spark once they got together.
Another bummer for me is that the side characters that I enjoyed watching a lot in the first season got pushed aside - the twins, Yong Seok Min and Heo Sun Bin, and even Woo Ju. Yes, they're supporting characters but it felt like their roles became even more minor. Even Min Ha as a doctor and not as Seok Hyung's love interest could have gotten more screentime.
Lastly, the final episode was anticlimactic and unnecessarily long. Perhaps it’s to make up for the episodes that they missed in the earlier weeks but it was just not quite compelling despite that 2-hour running time. Also, a lot of the things that could have happened in the earlier episodes were packed into the finale as if to clearly imply that it’s over and that there will be no third season. And again, characters that I wanted to see didn’t appear that much. On the bright side, I loved hearing all the OST’s play in the drama one last time.
All that is to say, it shouldn't have taken that long for the other couples to get together. In exchange for the slow pacing, I at least wish the other couples and supporting characters appeared more in each episode.
Nevertheless, Hospital Playlist still remains to be a top-tier drama, and even though the second season was not as enjoyable for me, each episode never failed to make me smile, laugh, cry, and sing out loud.
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The Bad Kids
Juvenile Justice is a character-driven legal thriller revolving around Shim Eun Seok and her appointment as a judge of the Juvenile Criminal Settlement Division of the Yeonhwa District Court. Her profound hatred of juvenile delinquents provides the backdrop of her approach to dispensing justice upon the minors charged in the court of law as she presides over a variety of deeply complicated and convoluted cases.The drama is rated R-18 in South Korea due to references to drugs, suicide, physical and sexual violence. Elements of social commentary are present that explore the judiciary statutes, investigative authority, politics and education system. The complexities of the human drama is provided by the respective backstories of the juvenile offenders in terms of their difficult family backgrounds and dynamics, as well as the suffering endured by the victims and their own families.
The screenplay is written by Kim Min Seok for what is his first drama project. Although credited as an original screenplay, it purportedly draws parallels to several high profile cases that have occurred recently in South Korea; the 2017 kidnapping-murder case of an elementary school student in Incheon, the 2018 Sookmyung Girls' High School test paper leak in Gangnam, the 2020 Daejeon middle school student rental car theft accident, and the 2018-2019 Incheon Metropolitan City sexual assaults.
Directed by Hong Jong Chan with Kim Tae Sung (Happiness, Snowdrop, Inspector Koo) serving as composer. Principal photography took place in May 2021 primarily at Jeonju District Court located in Jeollabuk-do, which serves as the Yeonhwa District Court. Other filming locations include Dongseong-ro Spark in Daegu, Dongseong-ro Spark and Misa High School in Gyeonggi-do, and Seoul Women’s University.
What I Liked
There are three main aspects that have impressed me immensely.
Firstly, high praise goes to the overall production values, specifically the mood-inducing cinematography that establishes the noir vibe to the entire visual tone of the production. This fits perfectly to a narrative that delves extensively into the dark subject matter of violent crimes, together with the slow burn and gritty storytelling approach. In fact, a huge portion of the drama takes place at night where one of the more memorable moments included snowfall in its scenes. I’ve also enjoyed the framing of Shim Eun Seok’s contemplative moments in her office through low-key lighting that accentuates the evocative atmospherics throughout the story. There’s no question that a lot of money went into this production and it is apparent for all to see.
Secondly, the exceptional acting in this drama. Particularly Kim Hye Soo’s portrayal of the lead character, Shim Eun Seok. This is quite possibly her strongest performance in recent memory which I believe surpasses her role of Jung Geum Ja in Hyena and perhaps aided tremendously by the characterization that feels very much designed with her in mind. This is the epitome of intensely hard-boiled and ultra bad-assery without so much as breaking a sweat. The emotive expressiveness of her unflinching piercing gaze that punches right through any suit of armour is as intimidating as it is effective.
Other members of the cast that impressed me would include Lee Sung Min as Kang Won Joong, the Chief Judge of the Juvenile Criminal Settlement Division of the Yeonhwa District Court. Initially giving the appearance of the typical annoyingly loud and abrasive boss, he gradually settles into this extremely layered and grey character who is torn between his personal ambitions and protecting his family.
I also have to mention Lee Yeon. My first time seeing this 27-year old lady in what is truly an incredibly remarkable yet unsettling depiction of an extremely unhinged teenage boy! It’s the kind of performance that leaves an indelible imprint in your psyche for years to come. The drama also features a number of familiar faces in the supporting roles including Lee Jung Eun as Chief Judge Na Geun Hee, and Kim Mu Yeol (currently in Grid) as Division Judge Cha Tae Joo. Yeom Hye Ran (The Uncanny Counter), Yoo Jae Myung (Hometown) and Kim Joo Heon provide noteworthy guest appearances.
Thirdly, I was captivated by the intrigue of certain cases. Going into this drama I was anticipating a more “common” or “garden-variety” type of crime committed. After all, how much trouble could kids really get into, I thought to myself. Well, I was proven very wrong because some of the crimes manifested belong to the psychologically disturbing and immensely macabre category. The one that caught my attention from the get-go has to be the first case while the second case provided a fascinating insight into juvenile rehabilitation facilities.
What I Didn’t Like
My biggest issue is with the screenplay. I think Kim Min Seok was trying to weave too many themes and sub-plots into a 10-episode production, most of which finally play out in the final 2 episodes. I can’t say for sure if this drama is merely providing social commentary or perhaps the screenwriter is attempting to convey a statement or message that raises public awareness. Or it could simply be heavily dramatized fiction that’s intended to wow (or shock) viewers.
Whatever the case may be, the end product becomes something of a contradiction for me. It’s not ok for other people to abuse their authority but when it comes to the protagonist, it’s perfectly fine. It’s not a big deal for other cases to reach a dissatisfying conclusion but when it involves the lead’s tragic backstory, then justice must be fully administered at all costs. Judiciary bosses with years of experience are a bunch of noobs in comparison with the junior judge for they do not comprehend the spirit of justice, which justifies acts of insubordination. Finally, that sense of self-righteousness and moral high horse that comes complete with the speech gets repeated several times, only to be refuted by hypocrisy when convenient.
My interest in the second half kind of waned because the focus was lost amidst the tonal shift of the narrative, firstly to the politics of education and by-election campaigning, then finally to Shim Eun Seok’s complex backstory. This aspect wasn’t properly fleshed out but instead given the brief flashback sequence, alongside elements that eventually become inconsequential in the form of the ex-husband and mother-in-law who contributed nothing of significance apart from melodramatic angst.
Final Thoughts
The biggest positive for me is Kim Hye Soo’s performance which I hope would garner her at least a nomination for this year’s Baeksang. Juvenile Justice ended up being a mixed bag for me but all things considered, I would recommend this drama predominantly for the well executed technical aspects rather than the plot trajectory and didactic social critique.
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