This review may contain spoilers
Light, pacing & space set in the perfect ratio, honoring not only 1 but all K independence activists
PROLOGUE:One might criticize that historical facts about the historical figure Ahn and his person are too brief. That too much poetic license was taken with regard to the fictional comrades and opponents in this case. Even, that these guys also remain too pale as individual characters. That too little pace and tension are built up, and that there is overall too much debate in the dark.
But then, it would have been a completely different film. With a different message.
From my perception, “Harbin” does not want to tell us about historic events as it was, but to stage the dilemma, the hurdles, the challenges, the performance, the passion, the agony of the Korean resistance struggle as an epic monument. We do not get heroes in shining armor, but desperate fighters for a fairer world - for their freedom, for their country, which is their homeland, for their families or the families they cannot have themselves. "Harbin" wants to honor their price, which they paid for all those who now can actually live in freedom and relative independence today. In addition, "Harbin" is choosing a critical approach - with its focus on the struggle for perspective, hope, morality, and justification in regard of the many painful sacrifices.
TERRA NULLIUS BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS, BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG
Anyone who has seen "Harbin" will not forget "Harbin". This is ensured by the haunting staging, with artistic ambition consistently composed in terms of film technology, to set light, pacing, and space in the perfect ratio.
Here, preferably filmic means like camera, light, powerful scenes that burn themselves unforgettable into the memory were used! Whereas dialogues provide less contextual information but convey the personal and collective struggle for the right attitude. It's about morality and the opposite of it.
We do not learn much about the historic independence fighter Ahn, about whom one could have made a completely different film. His personality would certainly have allowed for that. And yet, in drastic scenes and moments, we learn what he deeply stands for: For an upright, just attitude that does not want to repay like with like, but wants to do better. Ahn fails in this, but he does not give up. Until the end, he stands for what he considers right. We do not learn in "Harbin" that he wrote a treatise during his imprisonment - a concept for a better world. But we have come to know him during those 108 minutes as a man to whom we can certainly trust that.
The others who work with him and against him are practically nameless and stand for the many nameless who struggled and suffered in their own way back then - under the cold, the cruelty, the hopelessness of this underground fight in the far north of Mongolia. And yet they made their contribution.
POETIC AESTHETICS OF DARKNESS
For a Western audience, "Harbin" may present a challenge in two respects. The KMovie is (like many other KMovies) not action-heavy but relies on the intensity of slowness. Even in this one, action is used sparingly. The subtle driving force is rather the aesthetic concept: This does not rely on light, but on shadow, on the poetic aesthetics of darkness and its subtle nuances, where diffuse light highlights textures and shapes. Adding sparse, precisely selected color impulses and contrasts, too.
With refined, powerful visual impression the icy bitter cold in the snow-covered forest, on the frozen river, and in the vastness of the desert landscape of Mongolia comes almost tangibly close to the viewers. Nature, in its powerfully aesthetic staging, becomes a symbol for the arduous path to freedom.
At the beginning, we are confronted with the inhospitable nature of underground life, where light is sparse and food consists of cigarettes. The cigarette smoke makes the dim light even more diffuse while the coats make the cold of the barren rooms appear even colder. And then the story catapults us abruptly and mercilessly into the unvarnished repulsive ugliness of this resistance struggle – in the scene in the icy, blood-smeared mud the bestial brutality becomes almost unbearable to watch.
All this represents and reinforces the sheer despair of the brave warriors who want to fight for their freedom from the oppressors despite all odds. Under almost hopeless circumstances. In an almost superhuman struggle with themselves and with what is right...
A TRIBUTE TO THE KOREAN UNDERGROUND STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
This joint fight for justice, independence, and freedom deeply defines the Korean identity as a nation, just as the suffering that the people share due to injustice, dependence, and oppression - the 'Han' as a collectively shared, yet individually felt pain, mobilizing a sudden strength and unexpected collective resistance (in this case against Japan).
The willingness to make sacrifices as well as the necessity to make sacrifices are deeply rooted in tradition. This may also be deeply problematic in itself, but like everything: it has two sides. Right? Wrong? Everyone has to decide that for themselves.
However, "Harbin" is not about judgement. It is about honoring those people who had actually dedicated themselves to this conjoint resistance struggle: not wanting to be oppressed and treated as subhuman beings (by Japan). "Harbin" represents an aesthetically intensified tribute to those against all odds fearless fighters. Woo Min-ho did not want to create a historical film here. With the context of this legendary assassination the KMovie rather sets a cinematic monument not only to this legendary independence activist, but by doing so, to all of the others, too. Therefore, at the same time, with the example of this legendary assassination in Harbin it sets a monument to the entire Korean resistance struggle, too - then, before, and after.
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Its only 10 episodes of about 50 minutes each - it is concise although I did find the last episode a little rushed and would have preferred more time spent on the resolution of the story.
The side characters were engaging and hilarious. My personal favourite was Seung Hee's inept boss. There are also a few funny cameos along the way. The acting by the main characters was good and believable.
This drama's depiction of a relationship seemed REAL and not like the stylised, overly romantic, fantasy type romances usually depicted in Kdramas. It shows the characters from the very first meeting to gradually forming a relationship over a period of several years with all the accompanying ups and downs of life, I really liked this aspect.
The music - I remember a couple of pleasant tracks but nothing particularly striking.
My rewatch score is always low as I never re-watch dramas.
I enjoyed it overall and wish more people would discover this little gem.
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1The premise sets up the whole show in the first episode - it's semi-serious but with some tongue in cheek at first, but then it just dissolves into fun LOL once our hero decides that diary is his!
Yoon Si Yoon just does this duality thing perfectly - his ability to morph into whatever movie psycho he finds useful to 'recall' his past as a 'predator' had me laughing through out. So smoothly done, the time perfect, lovely to watch! And the music fit the action as well.
Our REAL psychopath, again, very well acted indeed. Kudos to Park Sung Hoon for bringing this character to life, with his confused looks and hidden glee LOL The writers created a well-rounded character here, with motivations and weaknesses, rather than a pure evil, flat stock villain. We understood why he behaved the way he did, without sympathizing with him much (although his DADDY, well, enough to drive anyone to some kind of hell)
I loved our two wanna-be detectives - the lead girl did such a great job! That character showed lots of strength and resolve, while her partner was not just a foil for jokes but a fun character on his own merits.
I also loved the soft-hearted gangster LOL
Our little Victon boy Jung Su Bin did quite well in the few parts of the drama where his character had a main part. That made me smile :D
The plot moved along nicely, hit all the major issues & in the end resolved almost all of them, and managed to never change into some makjang mess in the middle - every time I thought it might, the writers turned the tables & amused me :D Someone in a review lamented this - but in fact it's a strong point of this drama - it is a COMEDY after all!!!!
I highly recommend this drama and I may actually put it on my rewatch list :D
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A true joy to watch - with a HEALTHY & WHOLESOME relationship! :D
If you think that this is some tearjerking, serious, or sentimental drama just because it deals with disabilities (the poster image on here really makes it look that way), I assure you, it’s the complete opposite. Full of fluffy, goodhearted romance and comedy, and most importantly, one of the rare dramas that has a healthy relationship with open communication and realistic problems between two socially belittled individuals, Koi Desu may just be one of my favourite J-Dramas of this year. FINALLY Sugino has a breakthrough character that perfectly fits him, and the acting between both FL and ML is effortless and it just makes you feel all warm and fluffy while watching them!Sugino Yosuke has really been meh in other shoujo/josei dramas I’ve seen him in, either being too cringy as an “ikemen” character or not memorable enough. I really think that this is a huge turning point for him, as he plays the character of Kurokawa Morio so effortlessly. Morio is goofy, earnest, and wears his heart on his sleeve, not taking offense and trying to learn and understand Yukiko’s eye condition, which creates an unbelievable gap moe to his threatening “yankee” demeanor (he just looks cute imo). He’s patient with the FL and understanding of the protectiveness of her family, never pressuring the FL to reciprocate his feelings for her.
Sugisaki Hana has also been very “meh” for me, but her character as Yukiko is headstrong, kind, and independent in this drama. Her acting and skepticism towards Morio is realistic and understandable. She is someone who is constantly wanting to prove that she can do things just as well as others can. And the two really do have an affinity with each other!
The other characters are all really delightful to watch, and the drama is kept to a minimum that gets resolved by the end of the episode. It’s an inspiring, uplifting drama that will leave you feeling giddy and envious of the leads’ onscreen relationship. I highly recommend it! :)
Also, the little informative comedy asides by the comedian Hamada Yutaro, who is also blind in real life, are really entertaining! I love that they included him and gave him a platform to speak and further explain the tools, resources and feelings that blind individuals encounter on a daily basis, all in a light-hearted fashion. You definitely don't want to miss this one!
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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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This review may contain spoilers
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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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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I have noticed how this drama is not received well with a lot of people. I can understand why. It's got to be one of the most depressing dramas ever. 'Missing You' falls in more of a makjang-tastic melodrama genre which could have gone wrong. For me, of course, this drama worked very well. I loved the whole plot and enjoyed every character in it.
I am usually critical of tragedy being used as a cheap means to get the plot moving. Often, including tragedy is seen as convenient for Kdrama writers when they want to create the 'shock effect' in the viewer. What sets this drama apart from so many others is how tragedy is used as a base here instead of some random, bang-up scenario. It makes room for rest of the plot to build up, leaving scope for a lot of plot development and some amazing character development- which is commendable.
The sad parts of the drama are so wonderfully done (especially the childhood parts) that they will remain in my memory for a long time. They are touching and were successful in moving me. Even the sub-plots are very interesting, including the romance.
I loved how even though a lot of bad stuff happened to its characters, they were able to bear with it. That shows us how there's hope even in the darkest of the times. Okay, I know I am making it sound like some sadistic, boring drama but it is not. It is both beautiful and poignant in many ways. It had a nice pacing and many interesting sides to it.
The cast gave stellar performances. I believe this was Yoon Eun Hye and Park Youchun's best role till date. Although I am not the biggest fan of Youchun's acting, he impressed me here. His chemistry with Yoon Eun Hye was very good and believable to me. Apart from that the child actors were TERRIFIC- especially Kim So Hyun. When she suffered, I got the goosebumps. It was that great! Kudos to the director for making it seem so real.
The OST of this drama is terrific. I recommend every one to listen to it.
Overall, this drama is a whole package with a memorable cast, a touching story, lots of tears, lots of love and a solid soundtrack. Though it doesn't have a very high rewatch value, I won't mind rewatching my favourite scenes between the main leads.
Recommended to fans of melodramas and sad stories with good endings. :)
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This review may contain spoilers
FABULOUS STORY, POOR ENDING.
The best thing about Korean 'crime thriller/ murder mystery' dramas is, they focus more on showing the criminal psychology than anything else.And what makes 'Memorist' more interesting other than the supernatural thingy is, the meticulous use of cryptology & cryptanalysis. I regret I misjudged it at first.
Being a semi-supernatural drama, it got a fabulous story, which is as expected heavy, since it's also a crime thriller. The lead actor, who got psychometric powers since birth but had to forget about his past in a tragic accident ends up joining South Korean Police force. He rejects plenty of proposals worldwide to get researched on once his superpowers are revealed worth millions of money. Motive: To find about his forgotten past. In this process he along with the profiler female lead, has to encounter challenges involving another superior power, namely 'the executioner' who creates havoc and gets away every time with them.
The direction, screenwriting, editing, connecting plots & events and the entire plot development are really really good. The crew has done an amazing job and the cast too did their respective parts well.
BUT BUT BUT
Let's talk about the ending.
It was DISAPPOINTING. The way the executioner was caught FUNNY and the person who turned out to be the main culprit behind everything, was an absurd end point to the drama. This drama being one of the best of 2020, had to ruin the ending like this. I was totally displeased tbh.
There's a proverb in Hindi language, "Khoda pahad nikli chuhiya" which translates, "dug up the mountain just to find a mice" means "Insignificant returns resulting from enormous toil".
The ending of MEMORIST felt exactly like that. Anyways, this is a must watch that I'd recommend to everyone.
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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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This review may contain spoilers
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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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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Pluses and Minuses
Overall: I enjoyed how we had working adults (I think these are the first lawyer characters that I've seen). Unfortunately a very cliche plot point towards the end was unnecessary and disappointing but the numerous cameos (especially the enjoyable final episode) knocked my score up to 8.5. Watched on Gagaolala/Viki.Content Warnings: 2 slaps (kind of acting), fight scene
What I Liked
- the opposite personalities, Fu is more serious and careful, Zheng is more goofy/player and carefree (but I did like that they showed he isn't always super happy go lucky because in real life even really positive people have times when they are sad/angry)
- that they have less common drama jobs (lawyers, laundromat owner, bartender)
- how Zheng apologized to his dad
- the acting, especially you can see how Fu is conflicted and not sure what to think/react
- good production value
- episode 12 moved quickly but was great
- the daughter did a good job and the story she read in episode 12 was adorable
Room For Improvement
- that the sister was recording them
- the cliche of forgetting doing a certain something when drunk
- the cliche plot point at the end especially after Fu talked to Zheng about never doing that (and what terrible timing too)
- the female bartender's cliche plot point
- sometimes the pacing was too slow
- the side couple didn't really hook me, I didn't like the aggressive pursuit/attraction for virtually no reason
- some nonsense things, like tons of lights when camping, lounging around at home in suits
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Just like a dream...
This drama has not been advertised properly as you might start watching it simply because you are browsing for a new drama... just like that..And then... surprise 😮 the unconventional first episode literally throw you into a dream world and you cannot yet recognise what is a dream and what is reality. Then, in a complete state of mental confusion, i decided to watch the second episode, and that dream was getting weirder.. and then.. no more doubts, i was hooked!
I didnt know the team here is the same as for A Familiar Stranger which other short drama i love! Amd it makes sense as the athmosphere here is similar, with some dark magic elements and a couple indeniable attracted to each other.
Do not skip the initial OST as mesmerizing, has reminded me of the OST from a League of Nobleman.
A must watch! Shame it is too short.. 😕 😔
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