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I Remember You's story is not that original; serial killers are everywhere, and exist in every crime drama. However, what I Remember You does with its story is the difference; it's what puts the show in another league. It simultaneously allows the viewer to feel horror and pity toward certain characters, while it allows us to sympathize and chastise others. It doesn't keep its secrets, though. One knows, oftentimes, what will happen. Yet, despite the predictability of outcome, I Remember You captures the viewer in by probing them with these ultimate questions. In so doing, the show remains intriguing, fresh, and wildly entertaining. Does it answer the questions? One will have to see.
The acting in I Remember You was superb. Jang Nara, Seo In Guk, Park Bo Geum, and Choi Won Young brought such complexity to their characters that they too provoked the viewer to cheer for them when they might not otherwise do so. The chemistry of these characters, sometimes posed in times of large-scale situational irony, pricked both fear and at times, humor into the mind. Special mention must also be given to Do Kyungsoo, who, despite possessing a cameo role, prompted loss of sleep and fear so palpable to derive from an angelic face. (I did not sleep well at all after episode 1.)
The music, sneaky and chilling, provided an immensely rich background for the ensuing action. It allowed the intensity of fear, of romance, of horror to perpetuate into the viewer's ears. In addition, the music never faltered in its fit to the actions on screen. Nothing was out of place or jarring.
Overall, I will remember I Remember you. I don't think I could forget its ability to draw me in and make me question my own notions on human nature and evil. I've always enjoyed shows that make me question everything and everyone's intentions and objectives. In this, I Remember You does not disappoint. In fact, it exceeds my initial expectations, and is now a personal favorite, both in its genre and in kdramas altogether.
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2Flower Power.
The Starry Love is a divine comedy packed with romance, sisterhood, friendship, adventure, mystical powers, and gut-busting laugh-out-loud moments. It takes dead aim at the tired, cliche-ridden xianxia formula. I was sold on both the drama and the female lead the moment she asks the most relevant question; after thousands of years, does the equipment still work? I laughed so hard that I fell off my treadmill. Be warned; it can be life-endangering to eat junk food or sip wine while watching this hilarious xianxia spoof.This story rehashes a well-known plot about mixed-up brides where two sisters end up with each other's intended. Born under auspicious omens, the elder, virtuous, and good-natured Princess Qingkui is engaged to the aloof and righteous Shaodian Youqin, Sky prince and protector of the realm. The ill-omened, defiant, and mischievous younger Princess Yetan is to be married to the ominous Void realm, where the unfavored, scheming, and ruthless third prince, Chaofeng plots against his brothers to be the next Void Tyrant. Through a comedy of errors, Yetan ends up in the Sky realm where she turns the world of the pompous Youqin upside down while Qingkui stupefies the nefarious Chaofeng with her goodness. Both couples hilariously discover that opposites attract and two wrongs make a right. All too soon they discover that they are twin flowers born from a sacred tree that can unleash chaos on the four realms. Can their flower power prevail over destiny or will their stories only be remembered by the starry skies?
The more familiar you are with common xianxia tropes, the funnier this drama is. The plot unfolds along recognizable lines, gobsmacking you with unexpected twists along the way. The sisters truly love and support each other and the friendships are genuine and tested by hardship and sacrifice. While there is a healthy dose of the genre-defining angst that made my eyes burn with tears, it is usually short-lived, turning into humor in the blink of an eye. This is a very self-aware drama that pokes fun at the absurdity of tired tropes by acknowledging that even invincible immortals fear death, that the Sky realm is a very boring place and most of the eye candy lives in the Void realm. While it is a humorous fresh take on the genre, the underlying messages about good and evil are all too familiar and there is not much substance to the story.
It is undeniable that the sis-mance and romances are the highlights of this drama. Each sister finds in her mate all the qualities she loves best in her sister! The sisters are loyal to each other almost ahead of their lovers and their men get it and accept that there are more important things than love. Newcomer Chen Muchi gave me palpitations with his sexy and charismatic portrayal of the duplicitous and manipulative Chaofeng. It was a joy to watch Qingkui awaken that spark of conscience that sets him on the right path without losing his air of devil-may-care wickedness. I was initially less impressed with Chen Xingxu's cliched and stiff portrayal of Youqin's stony indifference. But the way Youqin comes alive once that facade crumbles and how he shows us the many sides of Youqin - germaphobe, pyromaniac, mercenary, and playboy; once again attests to this actor's versatility and mastery. Chen Xingxu's and Li Landi's wonderful chemistry and the way they are able to play off each other's emotions and reactions are authentic and captivating. Li Landi is really a young actress to watch. Her Yetan is so brave, naughty, and infectiously bubbly that it is no wonder she had not just Youqin but the entire Sky realm at her feet. All four lead actors have excellent comedic timing and the impressive ability to pull off many simply uproarious lines with a straight face.
The biggest criticism I have of this drama is the overuse of bright lighting and the over-lit Sky realm. It makes for an overbearing visual experience that makes the back of my eyeballs feel like I have been staring down a torchlight. The production values and CGI are not the best and almost made me skip this drama, which would have been a mistake. Because it is addictive from the start and overall well-paced although it loses some momentum in the mortal realm before reaccelerating to the finish. The final arcs take on a more serious and angsty tone and the villains are a bit cliched and too easily identifiable. It also overuses the bad dad trope and some of the rationale of the Sky emperor in particular does not bear close scrutiny. Although many are not pleased with the ending, I have watched enough xianxias to expect something like that so it just made me laugh. I think it was quite comical and oddly fitting with the spirit of the drama. I am happy to recommend this as a very enjoyable light watch. I rate it 8.5/10.0.
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1st half: So realistic, it makes you queasy — 2nd half: so clichéd, it makes you yawn (loudly)
This series is definitely for a more mature audience, now I get the 19+ rating. It's not your typical fluffy rom-com with a lighthearted tone, sweet more caricatural than real characters and heart fluttering moments.Well, this series does make your heart flutter, but for other reasons, namely, a) the sexual tension between the leads and b) the anxiety and unease that comes along with it. It initially is a realistic depiction of what dating nowadays looks like, of trust issues, fear of commitment, the struggle to really open up and the stress when you can't read your crushes' mind and intentions. When to call yourselves exclusive? Is there even such a thing? Nowadays, is there really the option of falling in love and staying in a monogamous relationship when there might always be 'a better option' out there? You might be one swipe away from an exciting rendezvous, the acknowledgement you lack from your partner, the distraction and escape you need (from yourself). The earlier episodes of the show really makes you ponder on all these things.
Also, you can really see that women are working on this show as they've captured the essence of what concerns and bothers women (in their twenties) so well. Be it the excitement, obsession and fear of rejection when having a huge crush on someone, the dejection when you try hard at university or work and are still left-behind, the urge to fit in and still feel disconnected with everyone. Really well-done.
The cinematography, pace, dialogues and background score also enhance the emotions and mood to a great extent.
As for the romance, the main theme of the plot, I think a lot of people might actually drop this series, because the story seems so relatable and doomed to be painful, too relatable even, for those who have experienced something similar and just can't cope with it anymore. And even if you might not agree with all of the female lead's actions and at times find her annoying and irritatingly irrational, she is still absolutely relatable, as you can literally grasp the train of thoughts that leads to these actions and decisions of hers. I further believe we've all either been in such a situation, were tempted enough or 'have this one friend' to/who despite seeing the red flags can't help overlooking them, knowing this might eventually crush us/them. Cudos to the cast for making our anxieties come alive.
Sadly, the earlier episode are by far better than the latter ones. At some point the story starts to feel repetitive and drained; there is no real progress and the authenticity and originality up until then slowly but gradually devolves into a clichéd run-on-the-mill romance, —outdated even — in which the heroine is (seemingly) stuck b/w two boys; although her final choice is blatantly obvious. Curious if there'll be an unexpected turn in the end. Also, there were some personal issues with an actor, wherefore his screen time was reduced drastically; reasonable, but unfortunately it took a toll on the quality of the drama.
All in all, this show had great potential — until the makers felt obliged to follow the 101 k-drama formula. Watchable only for the chemistry of the leads and the side stories, even though the ending is unfit imo and Song Kang's lack of emotions (blame the character) even make his pretty face boring.
And I urge you all to listen to the soundtrack, even if you don't want to watch the show: so fresh and SO good!
*EDIT*
If you've already seen the show (or do not plan on watching it) and would like to know why I felt the ending wasn't really fitting, see the comment section below this review. It's marked as a spoiler.
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This review may contain spoilers
The first few episodes made me so happy. I was in heaven with the cute and fun interactions between the characters. The romance was sweet and down to earth. Jung Ha was able to fight for her rights, Hye Joon stayed true to his morals and Hae Hyo was on the way to crossing the villain line. And then… nothing happened.There are quite a few plot lines here; basically every character gets one, but none is truly explored nor well established. At first, this messy and unbalanced way of directing and editing seemed charming to me. Life is messy and unbalanced too. I liked how some important plot lines were not explained right away, but instead, we got a whole scene of the female and male lead discussing how one should apply hand cream. It worked, because I was sure the plot lines will be slowly addressed as the drama progresses… Sadly, they weren’t.
All the characters were rather poorly written, though had great potential to be amazing. Hye Joon is boringly perfect and everything works out for him. Jung Ha has a great 180 closer to the end of the show, Hae Hyo was truly useless plot wise. All the supporting characters were there filling the space, but their motivations were never explained. Why do they do what they do? Who knows?
It had its moments. Park Bo Gum crying? A+. Well, that would be it.
How did the relationship between Jung Ha and Hye Joon go from perfect communication and understanding each other, to never communicating what they truly want and feel and making all the decisions on their own? We had so many dramatic plot lines that could bring the tension in the last episodes, why add new bullshit one?
Why introduce Ahn Jung Ha’s mom into the picture when this story was never truly explained nor explored? She just shows up to give Jung Ha an excuse to be sad and cry, and then she is gone. They ONCE mentioned how Jung Ha has problems accepting help because of her mom, but it was never mentioned again, it has no meaning in the story itself.
Why did they never do anything with Won Hae Hyo? He was neither good, nor bad nor gray. He was just kind of there. How interesting would it be to actually see more of his internal struggle between being a loyal friend and disappointed actor?
Why give us a side romance between Jin Woo and Hae Na? Probably the most useless plot line in the whole show. This could let us explore more of the controlling behavior of Kim Yi Young or be another burden for Hae Hyo: one friend “stealing” his spotlight, and the other dating his little sister and hiding it, pushing him into “I have no one I can trust” state of mind and explaining his feelings for Jung Ha, who was always honest with him.
Why did they never truly use the Charlie story? It was always somewhere in the background, but at the end it had no lasting consequences on the characters at all. When dating make up artist affected Hye Joon more than having a famous designer as his gay sugar daddy? Where is the logic? Why even add the story when it was never important to anyone?
Kim Su Man was painfully dumb.
The "2년 후" aka the boring ending.
That’s it. Not really. But I have no strength left to write more. Damn… this could have been such a good show.
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W was certainly one of the most anticipated dramas of the season, and for good reason: a creative storyline paired with an exemplary leading cast. I, like many others, was captivated by the idea of a webtoon coming to life. And Lee Jong Suk? Huehue. Say no more.
The writers of the show crafted a plot that is bound to keep you on your toes and send your brain into overdrive. It’s not the most intelligent story I’ve seen. At times it's confusing and borders on being nonsensical, but it’s logical enough to make it worth watching. W is especially intriguing because of its unpredictability - even if you grow used to the plot, each new problem creates an addicting mystery. You become determined to understand exactly what will happen next.
While I enjoyed W and the anxiety its suspense caused me, this drama is not perfect. A show amazing in concept, it fails to deliver in some of the most important aspects.
One thing I found particularly problematic was the romance. Some might disagree, but I found Kang Chul and Yeon Joo’s loveline to be one of the most poorly-written in any K-drama I’ve seen. I’ll admit that there was incredible potential in their relationship. However, the writers never give you any reason to like this couple except that they just are a couple - it’s the unspoken drama rule that because they’re the main characters, they have to be together. Fair enough, but that doesn’t get my heart racing.
Is the romance necessary? Yes - to an extent. Love is the easiest way to connect the two main characters. But trust me; that romance sucks badly. In the beginning episodes, you find it cute. What’s not adorable about a cool guy who’s curious about this ditzy girl? Then, you suddenly hit the point of doubt: but…but why, though? Why are they together? How? Sadly, there is no satisfying answer to these questions.
Yet, as much of a letdown as the romance was, what ultimately kept me from giving this show a higher score was its characters.
I have a burning passion for well-written characters, and I thought W would be the perfect drama to see it being done. The idea of the story is that the boundaries between reality and fiction are blurred, causing a mere created character to act and feel as a real human does. What we viewers deserve out of such a concept are heart-wrenching characters whose personalities you could find within a human in this world; who would persuade you that creations are self-aware. But disappointingly, nearly every single one of W’s characters are dull.
Strangely enough, the best example is Kang Chul. Our main character happens to be perfect. That sounds great! He’s rich, goodlooking, with an incredible sense of justice (this is where I swoon). He wants desperately to live, and you feel for him because…well, he’s not just a webtoon character; he’s a human being goddammit! Look at his perfect skin. And his eyes (oh his eyes). Also his backstory is so sad! But there’s something sadder than his backstory - his personality, which is as two-dimensional as the lines that were drawn to create him.
I’ve seen a lot of people share the same justification for why he has no real flaws: he’s a webtoon character, thus not real, thus does not have to be bound by the unspoken law that all people are imperfect. Fine; that makes sense. But isn’t that ironic? His whole gist is that he’s a human being. Where does he come off claiming such a thing if he’s so flawless? You’ll begrudgingly accept this character because of Lee Jong Suk, but that’ll be the extent of it.
And, the side characters are just that - side characters. Oh, sure, they exist. Yet I never really cared about them. Most of the time, they were convenient plot devices, not people. (I’ll say that I did very much like the role of Yeon Joo’s father - out of everyone, he feels the most realistic.)
If this were any other drama, I would let this go. I understand that a show can’t have everything, and characters are often the afterthought in the face of such a complex plot. However, I want to make it clear that if the writers are going to create a show based around the idea that these webtoon characters seem human, then they have to create characters that are human, and as a result, elicit my empathy. By the end, I should have been setting up a shrine in my house and counting prayer beads in hopes that they all get a happy ending! Uh…maybe that’s an exaggeration. But do you get me?
I know this review sounds bad, but I do want to get across that altogether, I did have a good time with W. Doesn’t sound like it, but it’s true! Its problems may be obvious, yet its strengths are enough to keep you going.
Its control over suspense had me hiding behind my hands at certain parts. And the cast itself is great - particularly the actor portraying Yeon Joo’s father; I cried womanly tears for you, sir. I’ve never watched Han Hyo Joo on screen before, but I did enjoy her role and thought she did a pretty good job with her character. I will also again emphasize my love for Lee Jong Suk: those emotive eyes. Gah. Almost made me like Kang Chul.
I recommend you to watch this drama, but simultaneously caution yourself against the blinding hype that it received. The end product of this show was nothing near to the perfection that I expected it to have, but it also wasn’t anything close to being bad.
Don’t expect a masterpiece. Watch it; have fun with it!
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Both Extracurricular and How to Buy a Friend were really refreshing takes on the high school genre, which I had previously lost interest in due to the fact that most dramas of the same vein were now being reduced to simple, relatively mundane rom-coms. Having attempted to watch many other dramas this year that felt like they dragged on aimlessly, the fast pacing was a huge source of relief.
The main characters are, for the most part, morally ambiguous. The world of Extracurricular isn't solely black and white-- there are various shades of grey in between, which makes them all the more fascinating to watch. The cast does a great job of delivering their roles, and while I initially took it up for the boys, I ended up falling for Park Joo Hyun (I can't wait to see what kind of roles she'll be doing next!) Kim Donghee did a great job of embodying the role of the reluctant, disillusioned antihero. I also loved the snappy dialogue and the dynamics between the characters.
The plot isn't entirely unpredictable, but that didn't take away from the story itself. I was still on the edge of my seat at every turn, both anticipating and dreading what would come next. Overall a really fun watch.
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i am conflicted about how i feel when it comes to this drama.....first and foremost, bohnduen who? why are they the main characters? they were cute at the beginning but then sadly as they progressed.... they became boring and annoying i just had to sonicc my way through the episodes and skip their scenes
why didn't i like bohnduen?
-bohn's actions were kinda creepy? i just found how he was pressuring the heck out of duen not cool....
-bohn has no right to treat duen like he's some sort of object he possess and also he should chiLL like ffs this dude gets jealous about everything and i don't understand how tf duen is the one apologising !!!
whether you're in a relationship or not, you can't limit your partner to not have interactions with anyone else lol
-sO repetitive !!! legit the only conflicts they have is bohn getting jealous bc someone came an inch closer to duen liKe bRuHH
-cheesy and not the good kind of cheese
-i feel like they would've done well as side characters
mekboss? more like mehbore hA sorry yeah idk what to say about them except that mek's actor deserves better they did him dirty with that dubbing
fiNALLY RAMKING THARAFRONG THANK YOU JESUS
-if these 2 couples didn't exist in this drama, i have no clue how i would've survived watching this !!! i absolutely love these two they truly stole the show
-ramking are the softest boyfriends (i know they're noT official bUT THEY ARE OKAY SHUT UP FIGHT ME)
i love how they cared for each other at their lows and i melted like a goSh darn puddle
i couldn't find any reason to not sacrifice my heart to these two (i am in a cult yes)
-tharafrong? yes they have the half of my heart
thara being the purest out of the purest, having a pet lizard called cupcake and him cleaning places when he's not in a good mood???? hence, thara best boy
i feel like their scenes were a teaser bc we didn't really get much out of them buT I'M ABSOLUTELY PUMPED TO SEE MORE OF THEM IN SEASON 2
therefore, ramking and tharafrong are the superior couples and you can't change my mind
(hi i don't welcome war thanks)
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Acting: They’re having their own personalities as characters. DoJin is a cool handsome lonely man, Taesan is a warm-hearted friend, Yoon shy nerd, and cute attorney, and Jungrok is the hottest playboy on earth haha. Actually, I just want to tell you guys that I’m smiling while typing these because they’re so funny. Kim Haneul and the other 3 divas also did a very good job in supporting, although you saw these divas fighting each other sometimes, I bet they failed to get on your nerves. they’re pretty too. In each of the opening episodes you better get prepared because these F40’s will make you laugh like crazy except when Yoon’s wife's death moment. I didn’t realize I cried my tears out, those without-word scenes really touch my heart deeply, I never cried that much after Secret Garden.
These F40’s really did an excellent job in acting, flawless, cutest, funniest, and great chemistry between the cast especially Dojin, Taesan, Jungrok, and Yoon. You’ll miss Dojin's Betty, Taesan's cursing skills plus Hwak!!, Jungrok's ring and Yoon's nerd glass.. They made my day. AGD is a mixed-feelings drama, funny, sad, dreamy and desires, exciting and loving and this is really the best romantic comedy ever aired. From my personal view, although ImMeahri can be irritating sometimes I pity her. Her relationship with Yoon makes me cry so many times, the cutest forbidden love story. The way Yoon hides his feeling toward her sometimes can be frustrating at a moment but luckily they live happily in the end.
Music: Every time I hear High High, I just imagined the 4 of them gathered and making havoc everywhere. LOL. That song really makes my heart jump excited every time I listen to it and Jonghyun’s song called “ My Love” is in an acoustic version, omg he really has an angelic voice.
Rewatch value: I did rewatch them and I will rewatch them after this, especially the opening of each episode.
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This review may contain spoilers
How the Easter Bunny & the North Star Got Boyfriends
Okay, Pond, imma need you to blink twice if you need help. Cuz, P’Hill had like 2.5 facial expressions throughout this drama, and one of them read like he was either secretly mapping out the exits in his head or counting backwards from hundred waiting for lunch. Also, in case you didn’t hear it when they mentioned it for the billionth time, P’Johan is going to Boston, you know, Boston? yeah, he’s going to Boston. BOSTON.Listen, the year just started, so I wanted to keep quiet and go sit my somewhere without reviewing this drama, buttttttt, I sat through 16 (surprisingly 17) episodes of... yeah, so imma rant about it.
I'm not even gonna sugarcoat it, Johan and North made this drama. I was this close to given up before their story started, then I was like, finally, some meat on this dry arse bone. North was my favourite character, I found everything he did enduring. For him, I stayed until the very end.
The premise of this series looked good on paper. Four couples with four different stories, and a cast with leads I’ve previously enjoyed watching. When I first heard about it, I was like, sign me the eff up! Unfortunately, the execution of the story was all over the place, and I ended up bored and waiting for the whole thing to be over. Let me explain.
HILL & TER
Boring. The story of these two started off intriguing, then immediately became boring. They spent the beginning episodes making it seem like these two didn’t know the other had feelings for them, only to reveal later they did more than friends did?? HUH??? So what was the whole point of them not knowing if the other liked them? And it was soooo repetitive, they kept going back and forth with their feelings like they was playing pingpong. Literally this was their whole plot:
HILL: I am not asking, this is me telling you that I like you and I'm going to pursue you and make you mine.
TER: OMG, North, I don't know what P'Hill wants from me, but I think he likes my sister Christmas Tree.
HILL: Let's go on a date. I like you, like a lot. Let's make out.
TER: OMG, North, I am sooo confused if P'Hill likes me or not. Yes, we made-out and basically act like married couples, but we are not together. I don't think he wants me as a boyfriend.
ME: Go hug a tree you Easter Bunny.
Like??? Arrrggg, they dragged the whole plot with unnecessary mediocre drama that in the end, I just rolled my eyes whenever one of them started talking. Just, No. Also how the hell didn't Ter know he was the guy in the face-mask? And who the hell was taking those picture collages of Hill in Ter's mother's restaurant during that time he was in the face mask? Man had a whole photo album as proof and I was like hmmm, how?? Hahahaha, alright, do you I guess. Though, I did like that backstory, it was so heartwarming and sweet. More of that from the beginning would have made some good difference.
Listen, is it just me or did Pond not wanna be here? I don’t know if it was the way the director wanted him to play the role or not, but he came off as disinterested and flat-out lost throughout this drama. Sometimes it felt like he wasn't sure where he was or what was happening, which made his acting stale. Very unfortunate, cuz he’s one of the best bl actors out there. Please, watch '180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us,' if you haven't, Pond was amazing in it.
Earth (Cooheart) playing a childish adult character… literally why are uni students acting like children? He’s a talented actor, and they turned Ter into a whiny overthinking child. And all the sound effect. Gawwwd, please let 2025 be the year thai bls leave the cringy sound effect and grown-up childish behaviour behind. Yes, I’m asking for a miracle, I’m optimistic, we only 9 days into the year, let me have this. Anyway, I loved the friendship of Ter and North, loved all their antics and conversations.
All in all, I felt very disappointed with Hill and Ter's plot. Their story dragged and became uninteresting really fast. I wish it could have been better. It’s sad, cuz these two actors had good chemistry and could have done so much more if they’d gone in a different direction, or they’d at least given them a better script to showcase their talent.
JOHAN & NORTH
First off, yes, Johan is going to Boston, just a heads up. Now, this two lifted the rating of this drama for me. Sure, they didn’t have much going on, but at least their story wasn’t boring, and I liked North’s character a lot. That scene in episode 15 when he cried, I felt every emotion, it was such a beautiful scene. He was my favourite. But dayum Susan, did everyone and their mama have to have a crush on North? Also, did anyone else go, 'Kamol, come collect your man, Kim is out here wildin' when Ton showed up as Day? Lol.
Anyway, I loveddddd the chemistry between these two leads. I’ll argue that the second kiss in A Time of Fever was the best bl kissing scene of 2024, but that kiss in the cafe between Johan and North is worth mentioning. And their backstory was also so interesting, like how long Johan waited for North and didn't want to steal him away from his girlfriend. When North cried after hearing it, I was like, same Susan, same. No, these two deserves more episodes and like another season.
That being said, I was not a fan of the whole money playing a bigger part between them, kiss me and get so so, send me a video and get so so, my brother you like him, just give him the money without all the strings. And the part where North suddenly became sad and quiet, and basically unable to function because Johan went to Boston made me roll my eyes. Sure he missed him, and not getting a call from him made him anxious but damn Susan, y'all doing too much.
Speaking of Boston. I’ve heard astronauts going to the freaking moon talk less about their travels. Did the scriptwriter enjoyed hearing people say Boston, or like it was a big deal in their novel? CUZ, I GET IT, JOHAN IS GOING TO BOSTON!!! They mentioned it so much, I legit thought something was going to happen to him when he left, only for us to not even see him at the airport. Dude went for like two screen changes and like three sequence of North looking like his husband went to war with his left foot. Like??? Give it a rest.
OTHERS
The other two couples didn't have any or little to no screen time, so I'm looking forward to their stories in the part two, heard there was gonna be a second season for them. Though we did get Fah and Typhoon looking real hard and sad at each other for like a couple of seconds, so I'm curious to know what's eating them. I legit laughed out loud when Arthit said he got bitten by a piranha and all the friends were like, that's your friend. LOL, the way no one wanted to claim him.
OH, I lowkey liked Ger and Nao's side story. I kept screaming for Ger to just tell him, cuz dude was clueless as eff. Ger being in love was so cute, and North teasing him for it. Wish he was braver and didn't waste so much time pining.
FINALE:
The story was wrapped up nicely for the two main couples, so there were no loose ends. They both had their happy endings. North and Johan's mother being snitches had me laughing. The dinosaurs finally came around, so it seems the happy ending is gonna be forever and ever. That last scene with the Hill and Ter and the necklace was cute. Seeing the scene of the four friends together at their drawing club, I wanted more of them, the way North said 'huh, that's how your face always is?' had me rolling, the poor sleepy cat. As for the side couple, Ger and Nao are apparently going to Boston together...seriously, what's there? Hopefully he braves up and confess in Boston.
All in all, this could have been waaay better than it was. The beginning dragged and just when it picked up and got a bit interesting it ended. I'll still recommend it, if not for anything, for Johan and North's story, cuz those two did their thing, but that's like towards the end of the series, so you gotta sit through all the other mess. I am looking forward to more work from these four leads. Pond already have ResetTheSeries coming soon, so I'm excited for that. I'm always down for anything Cooheart, and I want more MaxzyBas, so I'm seated for them all.
Season two was announced so I can't wait to see the story of the two others, and hopefully get glimpses of the old couples.
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Sci-fi or birthing campaign?
Food analogy: plastic plateI follow Lee min Ho's cinematography byheart ( bcoz city hunter was my first kdrama, i. e emotional attachment) but i don't think he read this script.
The story is made of loopholes with very little plot in it. The pacing so slow that I was praying for a 2.0x button from netflix. The first episode was still tolerable, but the characters made it impossible to root for them.
Somehow, what I hated the most was that the moment eve got pregnant, all her value for her life, the amazing career that she had created, everything got overshadowed. It was like she became a heavenly creature the moment she decided to give birth, even after knowing that it will potentially kill her. The way these kinds of sacrifices are glorified are severely unhealthy, as if women loose value if they choose not to give birth.
The music was ok but i couldn't enjoy it because i felt like i was wasting my time.
I never thought i would say this but somehow min ho's acting detoriated as the series went on. It was like he stopped trying. Somehow, everyone felt very unserious and loose with what could actually be.
There is like no redeeming quality in this series, better scroll social media.
Ps: How the baby survived the launch in her belly is beyond me.
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'Shut Up' is not about music or a band, though. The friendship, rather brotherhood, between the main characters is the driving force and is what makes this drama so enjoyable. Bromance between hot guys is fun to watch no matter what, sure, but the writing and overall development of the story made everything even stronger.
About L: I'll admit, I had issues with watching this at first because sticking idols into dramas never really turns out well. He is a really fantastic actor though. At the risk of giving too much away, I'll just say that even though I'm not a fan of his, I was very pleasantly surprised by this performance. He has real talent.
The music is so good. Crappy music can really break a decent drama, but 'Shut Up's music really made everything better.
Everyone says this is an emotional, heart-wrenching show, but it's also one of the only dramas to make me actually laugh out loud at my screen. Everything was crafted so nicely from beginning to end.
If anyone else is on the fence about giving this a shot, just go for it. (Rewatch is a 9 only because I rarely rewatch dramas). I watched this in 2 days because I literally could not pull myself away. Give it a shot!
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This review may contain spoilers
"Don't give up , don't become distant"
Overall this was a very good drama. It didn't have a complicated plot nor did it have villains. It had a very realistic ending, although it was a happy ending it showed that everyone's "happy ending" differs. I recommend watching it, it's a very light drama and every character has a good point about them but also bad ones, which makes the series more enjoyable.One of my favorite things a character said was what Hyun Seung said during episode 16, "But now i know I cant always win in love, even when I've given it my all."
Some spoilers about the episodes!!!!!
I started this series expecting nothing, especially since most of the comments were about how creepy Hyun Seung was, but after watching it, I don't regret picking this series up. Yes at the beginning Huyn Seung was a bit creepy and stalkerish, but let's be honest how many of us haven't acted at least a bit stalkerish towards someone we had a crush on. The way he broke the news to her was very crude, but after understanding her character better, I don't think she would have believed him if he didn't physically show her what was happening. He has also had a big character development since in the span of 8 episodes he went from stalkerish to knowing where the boundaries are. It's really nice seeing Yoon Song Ah slowly starting to fall for him.
Lee Jae Shin is a total jerk despite his past. Yes, he was unfortunate but he decided his own path. His excuse was that t was a plea disguised as an order. but he had a choice. He could have said "no" and he could have lost everything he had but he would have gained his freedom. His excuse was that he had no choice but I beg to differ, even when you're given an order there is always a choice, and it's up to you to decide what you want, and sadly he chooses his poison, which led to him losing Song Ah. It is even more repulsive to think about the fact that he was in a sense playing with both women, and that he planned to hide it from Song Ah.
At first, it thought Lee Hyo Joo was going to be the typical bratty spoiled rich girl, who was going to do everything in her power to destroy Song Ah after she had the tiniest doubt about her relationship with Jae Shin, yet during episode 8 she started to intrigue me.
EP011/12- I completely take back what I said about Hyo Joo, she is not stable. I don't if she expected Jae Ahin to drop to his knees and love her after she basically forced him to marry her by threatening him with her life. On the other hand, our main couple seems to be going strong. I loved all the small sweet moments. Also loved how Song Ah's team members stood by her side and stood up for her when the rumors were going around. I can't wait for Hyun Sung to meet his soon-to-be brother-in-law. I want to see their reactions since from what I see Hyun Sung doesn't know his sister is dating lee Jae Woon and Jae Won doesn't know Hyun Sun is his girlfriend's brother.
I also like how the ending of almost every episode is a heart-stopper, that leaves you wanting more.
13/14- For me these two episodes were depressing. I hate how they went towards the typical break-up before the ending episodes and then getting back together on the last one. I don't blame her for picking her dream job over her relationship after all they were both on different emotional levels in the relationship. Hyun Sung is obviously more emotionally invested since he was pinning over her for such a long time. The last scene on episode 14 where they were both on opposite sides and when he saw her he walked away broke my heart. I think he finally had the time to love himself more and out himself in the first place. It's obvious that for the next two episodes it's going to be her trying to get back together with him and they will probably get back together on the last episode if we are lucky they will get back together soon and if we are unlucky it will be typical they get together again on the last 10mn and it ends with a hug or kiss. On the other hand, jaewon and jiseung are so adorable together. I am glad they found each other. I felt so bad for the other sister though.
15/ Ok this episode was not that bad. I like that Jaewoon and Ji seung are getting married. I can tell the second sister and her husband will have us guessing until the end. The second leads seem more mature. Lee Hyo Joo also seemed like she learned how to draw the line and not depend on wanting a man to love her, seems like they will be back together. The only thing I disliked was again the whole breakup. It doesn't seem smart to add a breakup 2-3 episodes before the final one, it seems the last episode will just be song ah trying to win Huyn Seung over. And I get this was based on a webtoon but seriously the whole breakup is an overused cliche.
16/ This episode was very nicely wrapped up. I would have wished to see Jaewoon and Ji Seung's wedding, also I'm glad jae won and Jae Shin kinda fixed their friendship. Jae Shin and Hyo Joo also had a very good ending. Apart from Jae woon and ji seung it was hinted during the last scene that Huyn Seung and song ah were going to get married, again I would have loved to see their wedding and the reaction of their co-workers to them getting back together. Song Ah mom also had a big character growth, at the beginning we saw how dependent she was but in this episode, we finally saw her being independent and enjoying time with her friends. The second sister broke my heart, but I'm glad her ex-husband finally started to accept himself.
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The correct title: Heesu In the Background Of Class 2.
I loved Hee Su and Seung Won, but if we actually gathered all their scenes it would be the length of a fan made youtube video. They were both sidelined getting supporting characters treatment in their own story.And no, I do not only mean romance wise. Which characters got more elaborated individual stories presenting them outside of their love lines? Chan Yeong with his Tennis arc and Ji Yu with her music. What about Hee Su and Seung Won? Nothing. I’m sorry, but if you describe the plot of the drama to someone, Hee Su perfectly matches the typical second male lead - in love with the male lead, trying to win him over just to give up when the female lead shows up. Ending up with the female lead’s best friend.
No amount of pretty poetic narration done by Hee Su will convince me he got the proper treatment as the main lead of the story. For me, these lines sounded great, like out of context motivational quotes since the episodes often did not focus on his perspective enough to validate their existence. I mean… even the last episode could not have been all about the mains, we also needed a montage of the love story of the second leads.
If I was to rate just Hee Su and Seung Won, it would be a good 8. They were sweet and fun to watch. The misunderstandings actually seemed realistic for their age. The low key pinning was great. Seung Won was just calm perfection - so many of his simple few words amazed me - the simplicity with the greater message behind them was just right.
But then we have Chan Yeong and Ji Yu. I would not even be that mad if they were not just so painfully boring both as a couple and as individual characters. But to take away from the gay couple, to focus on this mediocrity is just a crime.
Maybe because their characters did not have much to offer, the acting also felt mid. Ahn Ji Ho though - amazing. The hesitation around his crush, the glances he kept stealing, the anger and the frustration when certain things came out to light.
The production value was obviously a lot better than many other k-bls - the bigger budget was clear. Can better production quality save uneven writing? Probably not.
Overall, disappointment. I was one of the people who was not initially angry about the straight couple, but I was still naive thinking they will stay in the sidelines complimenting Hee Su’s and Seung Won’s story. I did not expect them to come to the forefront and stay there till the end.
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This was my first "historical", and I use the word loosely because I understand that this is by no means a real historical, in that there is time travel and magic. The time travel aspect isn't really unique, especially with the recent crop of dramas this year utilizing it. However, the magic was a first for me, though I wish they had handled it better, or maybe utilized an explanation a little bit more. No one in the present seemed to be aware that magic ever existed, even when Eui Seon seemed to know a lot about Choi Young from her history books. You'd think that he could control lightning magic would have been a prominent focus.
The cast in this show was just amazing, seriously. Though, as it is my goal to someday have Lee Min Ho's babies, I may be a little biased. I had never even heard of Kim Hee Sun before this, and her acting in Faith has me interested in looking up her past dramas. I can't believe it's been 6 years since she has acted! The supporting cast was also a delight to watch, especially Dae Man, who I am glad we finally got a bit of his backstory later on in the drama. I kept wishing they'd tell us how he came to find Choi Young! I loved Lee Philip in Secret Garden, and I wish he had a bigger role in this drama, though I understand his eye surgery issues may have had a part in that. My main complaint on the cast probably lies more with the script than the actor himself. The King was just so whiny! I understand the idea that Kings are humans too, and I get how they tried to humanize him, but sometimes I just wanted to hit him over the head and tell him to man up already!
I make myself wait a day after finishing something before writing a review, because sometimes, you're just too close to it to accurately describe how you are feeling. And usually by that time, I have forgotten all about the music. But this show had such great music, it stuck with me. It really fit the tone of each scene remarkably well.
If you want something with lots of action, a sweet romance story (with next to zero PDA), and lots of kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, poisoning, subterfuge and court intrigue, then this is the drama for you! The romance remains the key plot point for the drama, so you have to like love stories or I think you might be rather bored by all of the posturing and pursuit of Eui Seon's heart.
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little peace of advice
if you love noisy mothers , this drama is made just for you. without her being the center of the drama, i would rate it a lot higher. this drama was carried by leads who hardly even get romantic scenes together. don't get me wrong. i love a good business centered drama but this time, it added nothing to the story. not to mention, whoever wrote the body of work must have terrible family. otherwise, i can't explain a mother who gets away with treating her daughter by playing a victim until the end of the dramaWas this review helpful to you?
