Maybe Needs Improvement?????
First of all, Ah....The Visuals...I'm Screaming!!!I binge watched the entire series. So I would like to disagree with the people who said in the comments that stated there is no development in the relationship between the leads. According to me, the relationship already started developing when "Jun & Jun"(how funny) first met. Maybe they watched it episode by episode which felt like eternity to few people but to me the relationship development went exactly how it is supposed to be.
And again the story is nothing new, just childhood sweethearts becoming a couple but what made it unique is the cameos (Mr. Heart couple and Yim and Tutor), idol to company worker plot and three people aiming(liking) at Lee Jun LOL. Coming to the acting Choi Jun(the actor) definitely delivered what needs to be and also he is sooo handsome, and Lee Jun(the actor) tried his best to act cute when required but fierce character(towards Choi jun) is what made his acting stand out. And the supporting actors also did a good(may be not great) job. Kudos to them. Also, the leads have great chemistry, although it is only shown at the last episodes - definitely worth waiting.....hehehehe :)
But the reason I gave it an 8 instead of 9 or 9.5 is that the story can be a lot more improvised. Also, I felt like few scenes were forcefully made short or few scenes were rather incomplete. Also, the ending scene did not feel like an ending scene at all. But the climax scene is one the greatest climax scenes I've ever watched.
So, watch it for the visuals, watch it for the cameos, watch it for the effort the team has put into, watch it for the great chemistry b/w the leads. Whatever the reason is...Go Watch it!!...A definite one time watch.
P.S. - Not time consuming, Short and sweet, yeah few flaws, but worth the time!!!
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Zero Character Development
I must say that I felt hooked because I was waiting for the main character to finally win and get her revenge--but I wrong for rooting for her because she is stupid. She keeps getting entangled with her husband who was not worthy at all. How I would breakdown the plot:Episodes 1-4 = pretty much Tae-Ho gaslighting Sun Woo that he is not cheating
Episodes 5-14 = revenge going back and forth, no winner but everyone is a loser; both parents emotionally abusing the kid / Jun Yeong
Episode 15-16 = pure trash; Sun Woo trying to be a saint saving his trash ex
That's pretty much it. A trash I would not recommend because there is no character development. Sun Woo could have been a better character if she was not stupid. She keeps on telling that she wants everything for Jun Yeong but keeps exposing the kid to the wrong environment because she is selfish and have other motives.
Best ending goes to Ye Rim. Girl freed herself from stupidity.
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Started Off Dull, Got Funny, Then Fell Apart: A Drama That Lost Its Way
**Episodes 1–4: What Did I Just Sign Up For?**My Girlfriend is the Man had promise, but instead of the comedy/bromance I was promised, I got an emotional rollercoaster. The trailer lied—talk about a bait-and-switch.
The plot revolves around Ji Eun, who transforms into a boy (Ji Hun) and switches back and forth due to genetics. The main conflict centers around her boyfriend, Yoon Jae, who struggles to accept her transformation. Instead of comedy, Yoon Jae goes on a constant nostalgia trip every time he gets close to Ji Hun, remembering his moments with Ji Eun. This emotional reflection kills the comedic timing, leaving us with more sappy moments than humor. The bromance is practically nonexistent, and while there are a few funny moments (like when Yoon Jae gets drunk), they’re far too few to make any real impact.
Yoon Jae learns more about his girlfriend as a man and falls more deeply in love with her through these challenges. His love for Je Eun transcends her physical form, and he's willing to stay with her even if she changes (remember, he’s straight).
Ji Eun's friendship with her best friend is annoying, and the 'spoon woman dance' that's supposed to be funny just feels awkward. Meanwhile, the second female lead, who likes Yoon Jae, is arrogant and rude, and his constant pushover behavior gets old fast.
The series spends too much time on side stories, like the parent-child bonds, sibling romance, the café part-timer, and the building owner. They feel like a filler, and I found myself skipping through them, especially when things got too sappy.
**Episodes 5–8: Unexpectedly Hilarious (Finally)**
This is where things started to pick up. The drama goes from overly sentimental to chaotic and funny—and I was finally entertained. One of the funniest moments is when Ji-hyun gets involved in her best friend's romance. It’s hilarious when she kisses her best friend, and the boyfriend is just standing there, thinking, “Why am I watching this?”
Another funny moment is with Yoon Jae’s study friend (Chuu). This friend makes Ji Eun (Ji-hyun) so jealous, and it’s just hilarious to watch. Then this friend moves next door to Ji-hyun, becoming even more entangled with them.
I also find it sweet and funny how supportive the sister and the part-time café worker are of Yoon Jae and Ji-hyun's romance. They’re totally okay with the two men being in love because they can see how much they genuinely care for each other. (They don't know that Ji Eun can change into a boy)
That said, I still don't like how much of a pushover Yoon Jae is.
**Episodes 9–12: Chaos and Disappointment**
I finished the series… and honestly? I kind of hated it by the end.
While the middle episodes were funny and entertaining, the final arc just became a mess. I started skipping scenes just to get it over with, and that’s never a good sign.
However, I felt like there were too many side characters and subplots thrown in. The love triangle between the three adults (the sister, her first love, and the café owner), the café part-timer, and the best friend—was that really necessary? There was barely any screen time for them, and it felt underdeveloped. Then there were the grandparents, Yoonjae’s parents, and even Yoonjae’s sister—all of it felt haphazard and rushed. Nothing was fully fleshed out or wrapped up properly. Yoonjae’s sister, in particular, seemed to exist just to gush over her brother being gay, without any real depth or contribution to the plot.
One thing that really bothered me, though, was how the mother handled everything. Why didn’t she just explain the situation from the start? Waiting until she got caught and then finally revealing everything felt unnecessary and frustrating. Like, okay—it runs in the family, but wouldn’t you think something that major deserves an honest conversation with your daughter from the beginning? For example, explaining how her grandpa is actually her grandma, or that she might remain a guy forever, or that she has to keep changing genders.
And to be honest, Ji-eun and Ji-hyun felt like two completely different people. They didn’t feel like the same person at all, which made it hard to connect emotionally with the main character’s journey.
The plot also kept going back and forth too many times, which made the pacing feel messy and inconsistent.
That said, I appreciated how Yoonjae finally came to accept his girlfriend at the end, regardless of whether she was in a male or female body. It really emphasized the idea that love knows no bounds. He worked through his own issues, and that development felt real.
**FINAL THOUGHTS**
My Girlfriend is the Man had a great premise, but completely fumbled the execution. The first few episodes were slow and overly sentimental, the middle episodes were genuinely funny and engaging, and the ending fell apart under the weight of too many characters, side plots, and inconsistent pacing.
But overall? This drama was sloppy, chaotic, and full of wasted potential. I wouldn’t recommend it, and I definitely wouldn’t watch it again.
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Strong female lead
I started this drama because i like seeing strong woman in historical dramas working hard for her position.Half the drama is exactly this. So what differs dramatically from others drama of this kind is, that the main girl is not totally good. I hate this part in most historical dramas, that the main girl always saves the bad people and don´t get justice herself. In this drama she will take her revenge and doesn´t prevent that the evil will be punished.
The other half of the drama is the love between her and the prince. Don´t let you misguide from the synopsis. The drama is full of romatic scenes between them.
The story was not really unique. Many things were like in all that other dramas i watched, but there were a few scenes that surprised me. I couldn´t stop myself and watched this drama in only a few days.
I would recommend this drama everyone who likes romance with a strong female lead that goes her own way.
If you think 59 episodes are too much, i need to say here that the runtime of each episode differs. It started with 40-45 min per episode, then it got to 30-35 min and the last few episodes were only 20 min long. It was really easy to watch this drama.
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1FULLY BLOOMED
I have to commend the show for showing us that short series doesnt have to feel rushed. With 11 episodes of about 12 minutes each, the series was beautifully developed and delivered with just the right pacing.I loved that almost all scenes (and characters) felt important with minimal fillers, sprinkled with just the right amount of cuteness, sillyness, adult kissing (and lovemaking) and a few obligatory shirtless trap scenes.
It also doesnt hurt that we got two very good looking and capable leads. Im not sure if it was intentional but the awkward acting of Jo Kyuk Joon somehow worked for his mysterious emo character, and Kang Eun Bin is like a younger Kim Min Jae, and i mean it in a good way.
On the other side, the series reminded me of the anxieties i felt while watching all other beauty transformation series that tried to deal with leaving an old life behind and trying to live with a somewhat fake beautiful identity to get acceptance - only this time, we see it from a guy's point of view. Or are we?
Cha Si Won can be played by a male or female actor without needing to change any of the script. The series was trying to say love is love and it has no gender, by emitting (or ignoring) any mention of homosexuality. However that for me was the weakness of the show - because in reality, same sex relationship isnt all rainbows and butterflies, and it could have added another layer to the love story of SiWon and Da Un. There are so many BL series nowadays who prefer to take this route and to be frank, it acts as a double edge sword that can sometimes work but sometimes can undermine serious gender issues and over romanticize the idea of an unconditional love.
The fact that they showed the mother feeling scandalized by being portrayed as a bad mother and yet has no concern about having a kid being in a same sex relationship, may prove to be a little too unrealistic and unrepresentative of the situation on the ground.
To be honest, what we have here is a shortened watery version of My ID is Gangnam Beauty.
Would i reccommend? Yes, definitely.
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This review may contain spoilers
the plot was a mystery, even to the writer/director/editor
Overall: The chemistry and production was really good but it was ruined by the nonsense plot and confusing editing. Hope to see these actors again in something else. Aired on iQIYI.Content Warnings: murders, violence/fight, blood, non con kiss, kidnapping, stalking, manipulation
What I Liked
- the gritty/darker tone (though it did fall back on the silly comedy parts a few times, none of which I found funny)
- opening credits with appropriate heavy metal music instead of a pop song/ballad (Underneath The Surface by Tiger Gang)
- intro scene grabbed my attention
- a clear time jump
- chemistry between Lue and Ken
- that treehouse
- production value (especially the color grading)
Room For Improvement
- it was just too confusing and it's sad because they could have made it make sense (i.e. adding a location text in the first episode so we knew they weren't in Thailand, adding in when there are time jumps/location jumps how many days/weeks later it is, not having 2 different guys wearing the exact same outfit (all black), telling the story in a linear fashion instead of constant flashbacks)
- total nonsense things (how did no one ask about the gloves, why was he wearing turtlenecks in very hot Thailand, why didn't any airbags go off in that car crash, why was everyone knocked unconscious, why did Ken have zero sense of self preservation, how was Ken strangled and crying in practically every episode including his dream, why run after a bad guy when your friend might be dying, why is there a bath tub in the middle of a warehouse, why did they botch a very important casting so the plot makes zero sense, why can't anyone shoot in the final episode etc)
- continuity errors (Lue was missing a scar that he should have had, characters are injured and then suddenly not injured, etc)
- stupid characters (Din could have just pretended when he found out about that stuff and then reported it later, Ken makes the stupidest decisions considering what he's been through, Lue's "plan" made zero sense why couldn't the police have someone go undercover to get evidence, why couldn't Lue tell Ken????)
- bad editing/jumpy, scenes suddenly jumped or picked up elsewhere
- I had zero interest in the side couple, if my significant other did that to me during a business meeting then that might be the end of our relationship
- cartoonish villains (and it isn't human trafficking or drug smuggling??? in the final episode we learn more stuff why wasn't this shown before)
- why did a character suddenly have visions?
- please never kiss through a shower curtain again, also don't wear double underwear
- that open ending was bad, wasn't Lue acting in self defense and working with police why would he be on the run???
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
LOVING A HERO
If I could give this more than 10, I would just for the chemistry between Nan Chu and Liu Xiao. I absolutely love the chemistry between the FL and the ML. DON'T BELIEVE THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS. The first episode focuses more on the firefighters than on the relationship between the leads and led to some dropping the show leaving low ratings. I stuck with it because Zhang Jing Yi is one of the most natural actresses who has a way of connecting with her costars. And this show is no different. I started to feel the chemistry between them quite early in the show. It becomes obvious that the ML is falling for the FL from early in the show and that she likes him too.What I love about the ML is that even though he is tough as he needs to be as a leader, he is soft when it comes to the FL. Watching this ML do something as simple as adjusting the FL's belt and making sure her uniform was on properly is sweet. It especially sweet because he doesn't do this for anyone else. He is not only attracted to her outer beauty but also to the beauty within. Johnny Huang does an excellent playing his character. I love the way he is with Nan Chu and it is hilarious to watch the other firefighter's expressions when they see their leader doing special things for her. Johnny Huang's character, Lu Xiao, is not weak at all. He is strong and he leads with empathy and understanding for his team. For this, he is loved and respected.
The FL is strong in character. She will step forward to correct a wrong or to defend someone. She shows maturity and intelligence in her interactions with others. She is also a dancer, so there are some scenes with her dancing. It was a big bonus to see Nan Chu perform a dance scene with Liu Xiao. I rewatched that scene many times before I could move on. I just wanted to keep watching it and will go back to it forever! I loved Zhang Ying Yi in Lighter and Princess and might even love her more here. She is now my favorite actress.
Once you get to know all the characters including the firefighters, you will find yourself invested in their lives as well as the main leads. Therefore, as much as I am always looking for romance dramas, I do not mind any of these characters taking up air time. Bright Eyes in the Dark is much more than just romance or the lives of the two main leads when they are together. It is also about the characters finding their way in life and fulfilling dreams and goals. Nan Chu's career path is in dancing and acting while Liu Xiao's is in serving his country as a firefighter. And as much as Nan Chu sees Liu Xiao as her hero, she feels that while he protects the country, she will protect him. To Liu Xiao, Nan Chu is "like a piece of candy" bestowed on his life. You need to watch to feel the chemistry between the leads.
There was a comment in one of the reviews which said that "Wang Zi Qi played a bad character." NO. Wang Zi Qi played a character who is determined to reduce casualties with the use and technology and tougher training. He transferred in as a director. He pushed the team to improve and this only caused the firefighters to resist his methods. He is not a bad character. He just needed to learn how to motivate the team. He knew the ML years before and the ML is not against him at all. It was fun to see Lu Xiao (ML) help this new director fit in with the team. And he does eventually.
As I am waiting for new episodes to be released, I am rewatching from the start, and on the second watch, I see the significant details in episode 1 that you will understand more after watching the episodes that follow. Perhaps the producer should have opened the show with a scene of the couple that would hook the viewer rather than open with an introduction into the background of the characters. I am so glad I kept watching because now I cannot wait for the next episode.
And I should mention: LOTS OF KISSES! LOTS OF HUGS! LOTS OF LOVE! Nan Chu is not afraid to express her love. Many times it is Nan Chu who initiates the kisses and hugs.
THE ENDING
If you do not want to know about the ending. Do not read further.
I felt I needed to add this for those who might watch and be surprised at an ending they did not anticipate or like.
Before I go into my interpretation of the ending, let me say that I saw the live interview with Johnny Huang and Zhang Jing Yi where he said that the ML did not die. He said it was an open ending.
And before I go even further, let me say everything stated above still stands. I love the couple and the characters in the show. The characters were well developed. The relationship between the main couple was beautiful.
This drama deserves a 10. Many are changing their reviews because they are upset or disappointed about the ending because it seems the ML died. The drama ends with Nan Chu dancing on stage while the members of the fire department watch. There is an empty seat. But the scene shifts to Lu Xiao walking into the theater and sitting in the #34 seat. He claps at the end of the dance and no one but Nan Chu hears him. I interpret this as even though Lu Xiao is away protecting the country, he will always be there for her emotionally and in her heart. Another indication of the seat number could be to show that he did not sit in the empty seat that was saved for him. That seat was #1. He sat at #34 which from the signs, was located at the top right corner of the theater. It looks as if he entered an empty theater but it is clear that the back of the theater is empty. It could be he arrived late.
NOTE: In Chinese the #3 means life and the #4 means death. There is a significance in the #34. Perhaps the significance is that Lu Xiao's place in life is difficult as he is in a position that could go from life to death in a flash.
Whether you feel the ML died or not, or if this drama deserves a high rating, there is no denying how beautifully the emotions were depicted. I am leaving my rating of 10 even though I feel sad. I am sad because I will miss the main couple and the wonderful characters. Perhaps Lu Xiao did not die as Johnny Huang stated. He was away protecting the country. Nan Chu said, " You go protect the safety of the world. I will protect you." I am going with the premise that Lu Xiao did not die. And before you say the firefighters all looked so sad, so he must have died, perhaps they looked emotional because the dance was in honor of firefighters. And with that, I will rewatch the final scene again.
***As someone who does not like open endings and will avoid the shows that have them, believe me when I tell you this drama was beautiful on many levels. I have no regrets watching it.
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CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE!
Writing this review is like writing an obituary.The Show showed great promise in its infancy. Adolescent was a blast and overflowing with energy and potentials.
We went on wild rides with some interesting and engaging characters. It was lawyering without the law. Creative writing at its whimsical best. We get hints of a dark backstory but that only served to whet our appetite.
The Show matures with a 2 episodes arc of flashbacks which tells the origin story. It was bittersweet and hard hitting. It is meant to set up the last third of the Show for an impactful finale.
It was a mystery at the time why the tone and writing of the storyline changes drastically after the flashbacks. I know the phase “lost the plot” is cliché but I can’t think of any other way to describe the next few episodes. The Show dialled up the slapstick at the cost of narrative logic. It is fun to watch for a while, but it leaves me scratching my head.
I then started to hear about the Show being cut down from 14 to 12 episodes even though it was rating through the roof. However, any talk of a second season was quashed. News of cancelled screening and weird substitutions began to flood the news feeds. To say the fans are confused and upset is an understatement. Then came the rumours that the writer-nim has a fallout with the production company and there were chattering about shenanigans regarding multiple rewrites and rejections. It sort of fits in with what is happening but it is cold comfort. One suggestion is the writer-nim objected to the overuse of PPL and changes to the original plot for mass appeal. I'd agree that the PPL goes way beyond the bottles of water in the fridge trick. It was literally baked into the script. We have the leads ordering take-outs and then leisurely eating and commenting on the meal. It is totally egregious.
The next couple of eps felt rudderless. There are signs of life here and there. There are important revelations, and the plot moves along. At the same time, some subplots also disappeared even though you can sense why the writer-nim included them in the first place. They were discarded unceremoniously. By this stage, the Show was on life support. Ep.11 was a filler with little substance. It took 60mins to do what should have taken 10. This is a sad waste of screen time when you consider it is the penultimate episode.
By the time the finale arrives, I watched it with trepidation. Of course, we wanted a good and satisfying finish, but we also know the clock is ticking.
The final episode is rushed, there is no other way to say it. Everything that needs to happen, happened. It feels heavily scripted rather than clever and nuanced. It is like watching a checklist being ticked off. It got the job done but the Show deserved better. The “epilogue” on the island is unnecessary and out of place.
In terms of acting, the ML was outstanding. The first 2/3 of the Show really showcased his talents. He has great presence and comedic timing but when needed, he can bring on the feels too. His acting in the titular role is what hooked us. It is disappointing that it becomes more like a caricature towards the end.
I feel sorry for the FL. She was not given a fair go with her role. She has the visuals and is a competent actor in her own right but she is always Robbin to his Batman. There was a hint of attraction between the leads at one stage, but it is nixed after the flashback episodes. The SML was a complete waste of a role. There is a hint of a decent subplot in the beginning but it went nowhere and feels superfluous in the end.
It is a real shame that the Show declined in such a way. It shows all the signs of a smash hit in the making but has been brought low for some nefarious reasons. If it was delivered in full and as intended, it could have been an easy 9. RIP.
Rewatch is fairly pointless. Peace out.
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Without sounding too pretentious, this drama is really about human relationships and how societies expectations make us question our wants and needs in our personal lives. This drama addresses those thoughts that we all have to ourselves: “I like this, but what would my friends think about it? What would my co-workers say if they knew I was doing this? What would my parents say!? Am I wrong for feeling this way?”
The lead characters are complex and well acted by Kato and MatsuJun. Particularly with the Momo character, I really liked that there was more to him than meets the eye. He’s not just some shallow, free-loading bum with a pretty face. Just like Sumire, he too has his emotional scars and is being healed by their unconventional relationship.
In addition to being smart and well-acted, the drama is downright sexy! Not overtly so, but in very subtle and playful actions between the main characters. It’s funny how some of those moments are intended to be completely “non-sexual,” but still feel as such because of the undeniable chemistry between the two leads. There’s also a lot of sexual tension throughout the series, which is never a bad thing. :)
The script is also youthful and wonderfully comedic. Sumire’s best friend in particular is candid and absolutely refreshing in her role. I love characters that unabashedly say what the audience is likely thinking!
My only complaint about this drama is the use of the Fukushima character. Why must all melodramas portray their antagonist as a typical b*tchy, jealous and spiteful woman? I get really tired of that character. She’s in, like, EVERY drama. It would be nice if writers could re-think the antagonist role, or at least make it more interesting. The Hasumi character is also a bit too gullible for my taste, but he isn't completely intolerable and serves his purpose well enough.
Overall though, Kimi wa Petto is so well-acted, interesting, sexy and funny that the plusses greatly overshadow the small, b*tchy and gullible minuses. :)
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I knew after only 10 mins that I would love this drama so if you're still unsure if you want to watch this just do that.
The first episode starts with a scene 10 years in the future and this show leads up to this beautifully filmed sequence.
Basically this is a show about two best friends that get affected by the downfall of Goryeo and the establishment of the Joseon Kingdom and how their own definition of how they want their country to be makes them drift apart.
Moreover this is also a story of the political game at that time, especially by Nam Jeon, a high ranking minister, a General that will become the King and of course Bang Won, played by Jang Hyuk with a breathtaking performance, who for sure outdid himself in this role.
The actors were all exceptional in their roles and the OST is simply amazing and matched the mood of the show very well.
One of the best things of the drama was definitely the high production value, the amazing directional and camera work and the great fighting sequences which I personally loved to watch.
It is a serious drama with a lot of tragedy, heartbreak and angst, but more than that it shows amazing fleshed out characters and their unique development. While it was definitely character driven it had a high-paced storyline and the show suffered a little bit of squeezing so much storyline into 16 episodes. I think 2/4 more episodes would have made it even greater.
While I liked the romance, it was overshadowed by the amazing friendship portrayed by the main leads. It was truly one of the best I've seen on TV and I thought the writer made a great job of exploring the different stages of it.
There are a few things I think could have been made better, like the expansion of the FL storyline that started to feel like a secondary character at the end, the unrealistic recoveries of stabbing wounds and the huge timeskips in which a lot of storyline happened offscreen without much explanation, which could be a bit confusing for people who aren't familiar with korean history (like me).
But overall the show was just SO good that I could easily ignore those things in favor of this amazing show which I will definitely rewatch (when my heart is ready again).
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Suspenseful, colorful, cheerful and even sweet – entertaining in several ways
"Check in Hanyang" nonchalantly takes elements of the modern lifestyle and the high-end five-star hotel industry of the 2020s back to Joseon, puts up-and-coming stars of today into robes and uniforms of another time and provides them with various challenges and group dynamics as part of their apprenticeship (while making the world a better place).The competition among the aspirants is fierce. Fair play is rare. However, one or the other is eventually less concerned with employment than with their very own, secret mission. The KDrama is brought to life by the charm of these youngsters. A piquant detail, though: one of those young men is actually a woman dressed in men's robes. You may guess, there´s room for plenty of funny situations.
The female protagonist actually has a murder case to solve on her own behalf – but suddenly she finds herself (and everyone else up to the audience) in a suspenseful polit-thriller with romantic icing.
The KDrama also benefits from the sharp chemistry between the owner of the Yongcheonru and his top of the range innkeeper. Here, Kim Eui-sung and Kim Min-jung can directly tie in with their controlled, explosive cat-and-mouse relationship as father and daughter in "Mr. Sunshine" as a successful pairing. With their charismatic presence, the veterans of South Korean cinema and TV significantly contribute to intensifying the dramatic overall pattern. Thus the handful of pretty rising stars may with good-humoured esprit fully indulge into playing their way even further into the hearts of the audience.
Actually, the story is about the hunt for a golden key, of which there are two parts – a key that some are highly interested in, all the way to the king. This hunt even goes over corpses. Thus, the double life of those hunters – old and young alike – is eventually getting quite dangerous.
Suspenseful, colorful, cheerful and even sweet – “Check in Hanyang” is entertaining in several ways. Actually, the first part in particular offers quite a load of fun and games with tricky group dynamics and demanding challenges for the competing candidates. In the course of the second half, however, tension, depth and drama are gradually increasing.
The fictional story draws courageously from the rich tradition of Joseon with a wide variety of selected details. The historical setting is thus mainly inspiring as a colorful, exotic backdrop of a rather timeless political thriller. All of this quite beautifully staged.
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Psychological thriller re. gaslighting & family, wonderfully wrapped in the cloak of a black comedy
Psychological thriller meets black comedy. “Bittersweet Hell” is wonderfully staged in many ways. The script may have its weaknesses here and there, but the performance as a whole quickly makes you forget about that. Lee Hye-young clearly steals the show from Kim Hee-sun here. However, it's hard to top her fantastic performance as the eccentric mother-in-law (which alone might make a rewatch worthwhile...). Together they form a resolved mother-mission-duo, both determined to fight the 'WE' of their family, in which they feel deeply at home… even if this 'WE' might have plenty of flaws... Eventually, the cast is also hand-picked in other ways, e.g. with KPop Idols Yeonwoo, Jaechan and Chansung. Overall, I´d say “Bittersweet Hell” offers unique KDrama enjoyment.The plot is centered around the psychological phenomenon of so-called 'invalidating communication', which is also known as 'gaslighting' – after the play "Gas Light", which became particularly famous in the 1944 film adaptation "The House of Lady Alquist" with Ingrid Bergman. Gaslighting is about deliberately and consistently misleading a partner, family member or close friend. Gaslighting only works among close ones, i.e. trustworthy people. Thus manipulated with psychological tricks and lies, the victims feel increasingly insecure when it comes to their own perception, ultimately preferring to entirely rely on the supposedly valid judgment of their trusted person… who is now able, to fully control his/her victim. In "Bittersweet Hell" various examples of this phenomenon add to the plot dynamics. In passing, the KDrama also explores other socially explosive topics – above all the high value and ideal of ´family´ versus the sobering reality of ´actual family lives´, but also the weal and woe of the mother's role, different parenting styles and sexual orientation.
In my opinion, "Bittersweet Hell" could have used the 16 episodes (there are only 12) in order to better develop some character profiles. The effective production and performance, however, is actually very well making up for some lack of substance here and there. Therefore I´d consider this criticism a suffering on a rather high level… because nevertheless, “Bittersweet Hell” comes along as a great psychological thriller about gaslighting and family, wonderfully wrapped in the cloak of a black comedy.
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I like how fast paced the drama is, or at least the first half. When I watched the first two first episodes, I wasn't really into it but as I continued watching I began loving it. Each episode ends with a cliffhanger and it makes you want to watch more. I still wasn't the biggest fan of the last few episodes -- I think some things could have been resolved without getting too dramatic which could have prevented the drama dragging out too much. Well, 12 episodes are not too many and I think they would have been perfect for the drama if they focused more on some things and avoid others.
I wanted to see more romantic scenes between Nan Do and So Yun. Yeah, you probably think I'm a romance enthusiast and I watch dramas only for the romance, but no, it's not like that. But with a drama that has a mediocre plot, the romance should be there to save the day. I really loved Nan Do and So Yun's chemistry, as well as Holo and So Yun's. I'm glad that they made ''both'' main leads likeable even though they were completely opposite. The second couple was also very cute and I enjoy watching their scenes. I wanted to see more interactions between Nan Do and Holo too, I loved their conversations.
The ending was satisfying for sure, especially the last scene! It was very cute and it made me glad that I watched the drama.
The acting was quite decent. I like Hyun Min and he did a good job with portraying two characters, but he can do better for sure. Go Sung Hee was amazing as Han So Yun, I believe this role perfectly suits her.
So overall, ''My Holo Love'' is a nice drama and I recommend it if you want to kill time. It's perfect for binge-watching as I already said, it's cliche but it's well-done -- with good CGI, decent acting, some cute romantic scenes and amazing OSTs.
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Started watching it at 1pm ended at 7am (no sleep). That's how good the drama was for me. The complicated relationships made me wanna watch the next episode so bad that I ended up having no sleep.
THIS DRAMA IS NOT FOR KIDS. One has to be open-minded when watching this drama.
Acting was good. The leading woman acted cutely. The leading man acted jealous and cute. I started this drama wishing that the 1st couple would end up together (after watching the 1st episode, i skipped to the last just to know who the woman will end up with). Towards the end, I ended up wishing that the 2nd guy and the leading woman would end up together.
It has a sense of comedy and drama. You'd be able to feel the drama's emotions. What I mean is that when one feels angry, you'd be angry. When one feels in love, you'd also feel in love. That's what I liked with this drama.
I think this drama aired last year (2011). I actually told myself, why the hell did I postpone watching this?! I regretted watching it late. Now that I've watched it, I feel good because another happy ending has ended. ;)
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Total run-time: Uncut version, 3h, 14m over 2 parts. This is actually a series of 15 episodes but what I watched was combined into two parts.
ACTING/CAST: All did a good job and Mai Ding is too much!
MUSIC: This soundtrack is spectacular. I've listened to it many times. It's all in Chinese so very tough to get good English lyrics though.
REWATCH VALUE: Yup, seen it many times.
OVERALL: Lots of funny and feel good moments sprinkled with some good dramatic moments. Definitely worth your time.
TL;DR: A fun movie where the uke chases the seme in an effort to get the seme to fall in love.
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