Reviews

Vigilante - The story of A Dark Hero, without super power's fighting for Justice.

➥ Intro / Reminder :-
It's a story about law and vigilantism with sub story about evil fighting the more bigger evil & became an evil with fighting against evil.. Protagonist ( Nam Joo-hyuk) when facing the criminals that the law had freed, displayed a calm, clear smile and a refined madness that was not beyond at the top.

➥ Short synopsis:-
"Vigilante" is an action thriller in which Kim Ji-yong ( Nam Joo-hyuk), who lives as a "Vigilante" who defends the law during the day, judges criminals who have avoided the law at night, and people with different purposes face each other fiercely.

➥ Detailed Analysis :-
If you're a fan of intense dramas with a gripping plot, well-developed characters, and an thought-provoking exploration of moral complexities, then The vigilante is a must-watch drama.
Excellent and Wow. That's all I can say. I was freaked out about this drama, because I loved the first two episodes. after reading 25 episodes of webtoon I had high expectations. And it exceeded those And truly the Best drama to bring a webtoon so chillingly and realistically to real life ife.

The acting was excellent, The action was good the action here is based more on suspense and violence.The story was great. The characters were diverse and interesting. However, the drama does not only deal with the catharsis of crime and punishment.It makes the viewer think constantly about the justice system.
Criminals getting away from the law is a problem that the show brings up, and vigilantes need to step up and do something about it. There are important questions that this brings up about the legal system and how people can help keep the peace.
And in 5th ep When Ji-Yong comes face-to- Jo-Heon about the errors in the legal system, the moral ambiguity of his vigilantism is highlighted. This sparks an intriguing debate about righteousness, morality about law and the shifting boundaries between right and wrong makes Watchers to think what is correct in present society is Vigilantism or Law this one is my fav scene of Vigilante. The conclusion of Vigilante will cause viewers to reconsider what justice and the law are. The public remains unaware of Ji-Yong's identity as the vigilante at the final episode, Viewers are also at ease to judge whether or not the vigilante's actions can be justified morally by this point of view. Despite his efforts, Ji-Yong is successful to preserve his identity under wraps, some things are out of his control.

➥ Nam Joo-hyuk :-
Nam Joo-hyuk, who is challenging the action genre for the first time in his life through 'Vigilante', to create realistic and realistic action, he received weight training, boxing, judo, and martial arts, he lived in his character role here "The law has a hole. Now I'll fill the hole.With the line, "This is justice," he shows charismatic appearance, armed with intense action and cool eyes that punish criminals with a deep black hood.. his black hood and police uniform, create a completely different atmosphere, making us look forward to his first action thriller completed with his delicate and detailed acting.

➥ Other departments :-
The cast is full of top quality actors including Nam Joo-hyuk, Yoo Ji Tae, Kim So Jin, Lee Joon Hyuk
The Remarkable Direction, Cinematography, Music and the Acting, editing, sound, score, visuals, and action are all top notch. The series' cinematography and storytelling skills especially shine during action scenes and scenes with shocking twists. The depth of the characters and the complex plot development make this series fascinating.

➥ Direction:-
Despite being Choi Jeong Yeol's first drama, he handled it very well. The drama showed his potential in 4 episodes, which is enough to anticipate more entertainment from the next episodes..

➥ Conclusion :-
Vigilante, the intriguing webtoon adaptation that offers a unique twist on the vigilante genre, blending character development with intense action, making it a must-watch for fans of action and thrillers and exploration of complex moral themes..
( Personal Review )

Vigilante" who judges criminals with his own justice, and throw a new topic to viewers about the law and what true justice is.

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Your destiny is a matter of your choices.

"Yumi's Cell" is indeed an unique drama you'll ever get to witness with an entirely different approach to showcase human psychological behaviour, their relationships and their lives. This drama is an example of how the simplest of stories can be made interesting, meaningful and valuable with the use of a creative mind, and an idiosyncratic storytelling method. I naturally came here for the cast but despite a decent performance from them what kept me hooked was "the cells." The cells took over the star-studded cast, I swear.

Before anything else, let's spare some moment to praise and applause the writer of the original webtoon writer of the same title, Lee Dung Gun, who has done a very commendable job with their creative approach and analytical mind. This work will force the audience to keep everything else at one side and look up to the drama as the episode goes by.

If you see, the storyline and basic plot of "Yumi's Cell" is not anything new or of that sort but what makes it stand out on a far high level is the utilization of various kinds of 'cells' of the body; not the biological cells, but the cells representing various types of emotions, expressions and important factors of our lives. Then, the way everything has been executed with the appropriate use of science, psychology and technology, makes the entire thing even more interesting. Basically, most of them are brain cells, coordinating with the entire body and Yumi's mental health.

The drama is basically a romcom, with some "slice of life" of elements and whatever shown in here might seem silly, but my dear, these are the real-life relationship issues that every single couples go through in a dating relationship. The seemingly slow screenplay in the later half of the show, is nothing but the gradual buildup in a relationship, that we don't always see in Kdramas. The chemistry development and story progression is in fact very light and instead of the cast, the cells play the key roles here, hence it's a story of the cells portrayed through the human beings.

The Cells here are not the cells you think, these are rather tiny smurf-like cartoons or let's say human beings, playing different cells inside Yumi. Yumi, in the story, is a simple girl, living a simple life, maintaining the balance between her work and almost nonexistent personal life. The basic plot is about Kim Yu Mi (Kim Go Eun) & Gu Woong (Ahn Bo Hyun), them coming together, trying to date, ending up a relationship and then the most important part, maintaining it with their best efforts. Yes, that sums up the entire story, then what's interesting in it? It's the action of these cute little cells that narrates what exactly happens inside Yumi while all these things happen.

The justifying title shined very bright because the drama when says Yumi's Cell, it signifies solely Yumi and everything about her; It's only her who thinks, analyses, examines and makes choices for herself. The human-like cells and their convictions are what makes Yumi function as a human being and whatever happens is always a processs that relies on factors, that only Yumi has control over. The cells are in fact very humane, their actions are impetuous and has the reflection of naturalness. Though presented in the form of animation, the screenplay is realistic and relatable to a great deal. Again, the implementation has been done in such a way, the cell village and their interactions just feels like our daily lives; evoking every kind of emotions. It's infact also funny in regards of this, as in the stupid yet seemingly sensible causes behind the cells' behaviour and their responses with the given stimuli, that make it an interesting watch throughout.

The screenplay distribution between the cells and the real humans is very appropriately done, I must say. The cells, without any doubt, got more screentime than the cast, which is only fair but whatever the cast got was a perfect combination as well. The simultaneous screenplay through the live actions of the cells, showing their rapid & spontaneous response to everything, is such a cheerful and exciting thing that you keep wishing for more. Lee Sang Yeob PDnim is not a new face in the industry, but given the concept of the drama and his period of existence in the rapidly-changing technological aspects of production, he has done a very wonderful job in directing, managing and editing the entire drama and every single thing has been implemented very well.

The screenwriters, however changed for the drama, have done a good job in setting up the entire story. I can't judge their work while comparing it with the original webtoon because I haven't read it at all, so for me, their job was amazingly done and their experience actually shows from the script.

There are so many things about this drama to fall in love with and at the same time, there are few plots plus elements to get mad about. But then, while considering reality and judging from the perspective of characters, I tended to shift my way of thinking, which helped me to a great extent in understanding and relating to them. Because, irl, we never know someone very well to predict their moves and assume what they're thinking, that's basic human psychology.

Ahn Bo Hyun's effortless fashion sense was also something that had attracted me to the drama and for first few episodes I was so very happy seeing him but the biggest disappointment about the drama is the fact that, they changed it. Idk about anyone else, but I wanted Gu Woong to keep up with his looks; his long hair, his Bohemian beard, his choice of outfits, him in short pants, everything about him was so enticing, oof. I will always be mad about it TT.

A great message that the drama also served is that, every single being has some flaws and nobody is that perfect to be doing the "only right" actions all the times. We commit mistakes, hold onto it, then come to realise our actions, try to solve it, reflect on it with guilt and finally try to overcome it; this is life. Not just Yumi and Woong, it was also the major side characters like Seo Se Yi (Park Ji Hyun), Ruby (Lee Yoo Bi), Yoo Ba Bi or Bobby ( Park Jin Young), Chae Wu Gi (Choi Min Ho) and in fact the cells, all of them go through the same process. Some characters are one-dimensional and weren't much explained but again, the story is from Yumi's pov, so the side characters are what she thinks they're.

I am happy about Jin Young and Minho being here, which I was unaware of before the drama started airing; even more happy about their character arcs. Didn't except Minho to be playing such a character (you'll know what when you watch) though he's a very minor character who appears sometimes randomly; nevertheless, he also was a key reason for the happenings of the basic plot. Jin Young also is a minor character in s1 but from what I read about the webtoin in short, he shares a good amount of timing in s2 serving a major role in further in the story, hopefully.

There is no manual for dating, there's no order for the sequence of events that should happen in a relationship as long as it's meant to be. Don't force everyone into your ideals that are basically stereotypes and makes people think that deviating from it is a taboo, which in turn also affects their mental health. I said this because in the course of the drama ongoing, I've seen people complaining about the direction of Yumi & Woong's relationship and how that felt boring and honestly, it turns a lil slow from 9th episode onwards but what we should also remember that, constant failure is very real. And not everything follows as we wish them to; things not necessarily happen right the next time just because it was wrong in the previous one. This reminds me a quote from the drama "Start-up" that said, "Time doesn't heal all the wounds". I liked how the motive of the story changed from a simple romcom to a relationship progression from there, which at first, I thought would not be interesting.

Obviously, in a relationship one is more insecure than the other but those insecurities are not always from the experiences of past relationships but can also be the result of own's convictions and conclusions. It's okay to be indecisive when it comes to vital turning points of life, because it's not so easy to just clap and make choices instantly. We learn through thin & thicks over time and thar period time varies from person to person. Even in a room full of 100 people, every single one differs by 0.001% from the other and that's okay. Noone is 100% honest in their relationships, there are things that you fear to share even with the closest person of your life, assuming that might affect whatever is there between. All these things are closesly associated with our psychology and thinking process which has to vary, otherwise life would have been very simple without any pain, that is practically impossible.

The drama also throws light on One's "Priorities". Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important. When you know what's most important to you, making a decision is quite simple. But it's not the case in real. As I said, we learn things over time. Another element is courage that again reminds of this quote, "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." That also applies to relationships, because If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.

The ending.... Umm yes it has a sad ending but sad endings are not bad endings and again the definition of happiness & sadness or good & bad is upon ones perceptions. It was made obvious that there'll be another season since the webtoon is awfully lengthy, but I was still praying them to wrap up though I knew what'll happen. Not like I don't want more, it's just I am very impatient and anxious to wait for a year. Anyways, I don't think the very ending was absurd and since we have another season left, I wish for good.

There could be things that won't please you but I must repeat, this drama is about the cells and not the human beings. Watching it with an open mind will surely help you like it and it'll naturally grown upon you. It's entertaining, cheerful and definitely a mood buster. For me, it was a beautiful and decent watch which I needed after watching 3 thriller dramas back to back and I am sure I loved the entire thing, especially the cells. So the purpose and goal of the story has been causally served, if you're in love with the cells. Please go for it.

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If you want to watch it, do it !!!!

It was a masterpeice !!
I really liked this drama and I will surely watch it again. From the music to the acting everything was a 10/10. All the characters were well played and were relevant to the story and the focus on the story of Jeong Jinman and his niece was well done and the end of each episode leaves you on your couch wanting more. The action scenes may be a little bit too violent for those who aren't at ease with this type of scene but they are very well done. This is the 1st time I watch a kdrama made by Disney + and Hulu and I think it was very well made . So, If you still haven't watched it, you should watch it and you will not regret it !

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In the past year the BL community has had the odd experience of three expensively-produced BL productions reaching their final few episodes only to collapse under their own aspirations, angering viewers and overshadowing all of the elements that they might have gotten right.

In all three instances it can be said that these series (HIStory 3: Make Our Days Count, 2gether, and The Shipper) were trying to do something "different" with the BL genre. For 2gether, the intent was to reach a more global and conservative audience by toning down the gay aspects of Boys Love and replacing them with bromance. For HIStory 3: MODC and The Shipper, the directors aspired to transcend the BL genre and deliver something more realistic and thought-provoking. Unfortunately, the way both of these series did it was by killing off a beloved main character.

For me, a main character's death is as inappropriate in a BL production as a high-kicking chorus line would be in a production of King Lear. In the case of The Shipper, an artful story was already being told very well, and the series actually did seem to be transcending the genre. So many commenters on the MDL page have mentioned how the body-swapping theme sounded unpromising at first, but after giving the series a try they found that it played exceptionally well. Why, then, did the series end up killing off one of the main characters, even before they'd had a chance to actually be in a relationship with their partner?

I still have yet to learn how Kim's death in The Shipper served the themes of the series. At least in the case of MODC, the director had a theme that she wanted to promote ("make sure you cherish every moment with the person you love because you don't know when they'll be gone"). Attaching such a theme to a BL series proved to be a mistake, but she had her reasons.

For The Shipper, the character death seems gratuitous because its theme about ships, shippers, and the people being shipped doesn't need for anyone to die in order to get its point across. (Plus there's that tease about a sequel in the very last moments of the final episode. If Kim can live on in a sequel then why not in the original?)

Now, I've seen where because the main character of The Shipper is Pan and the "real" Kim has limited screen time, people have said that the series doesn't qualify as BL. Pan's journey, though, is mainly about discovering who the real Kim is, and as she learns more about him the viewers learn along with her and their affection for him deepens. By the time she hits the paydirt that yes, Kim and Way have a relationship that goes beyond friendship, we've become completely invested in that pairing. We're in it to win it! We thrill over Way's epiphany that he actually loves Kim, then get even more excited over the proof that Kim also loved Way, and from that point on Kim has become as important to the series as any of the main characters who've had more screen time.

How sad, then, that none of these revelations can ever get acted on or rewarded because one of the boys turns out to be dead. We discover that what's been served up is a full-blown BL storyline but with a tragic ending. And if anything doesn't belong in a BL storyline, it's tragedy.

It must be said, too, that the longer Pan stays in Kim's body the less appealing she becomes as a character, deciding to intervene with the people in Kim's life to make sure they know that he's actually not a good person. At one point I became disgusted by her judgmental attitude and smug sense of superiority. I'm not convinced that she ever truly lived that down, thus weakening her standing as a main character that people can sympathize with completely. In this regard Way is the much better person, and all the more deserving of the happy ending that the series squanders on Pan.

It also bothers me that the hetero-normative couple gets the happy ending while the m/m couple gets the dead boyfriend. Back in the 1950's, death was in store for most gay characters because the morality of that era demanded that they meet a tragic fate. In this sense The Shipper is terribly unenlightened and regressive. It would have been so easy to give both the m/f and m/m couples a happy ever after, and it would have more effectively communicated how every kind of love deserves nurturing and respect.

A happy ending for all would also have been befitting the BL theme of the series.

I would have liked to listen in while the creative team for The Shipper worked on the storyboards and reached the decision that Kim would be killed off. What the heck were they thinking? They obviously misread their audience in a fundamental way, and I can only hope that GMMTV takes heed of misfires like The Shipper when they hire the next production company to mount a BL series.

In about three months I plan to do an experiment where I'll approach a few BL fans at random and ask them what they remember most about The Shipper. I think I know what the answer will be. In the meantime I'll be checking in with The Shipper's MDL page every now and then to see how many comments are NOT about the crappy ending. (Not many, I bet.)

This is the danger of messing with a genre that people absolutely love. But, after what amounts to three disastrous decisions in three expensively produced series, I'm starting to wonder if anyone in charge really cares.

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A complex story with many more deep-seated conflicts and emotional drama than it initially reveals

Prologue:
"Motel California" piles up drama in reverse, so to speak. The more we learn about the past, the more we understand of the tragedy...
Dramatic. Grievous, too, yet rounded in itself. Not joyful, yet the ambivalent emotions subtly creating a strange kind of warmth, because it's about human beings. Deeply hurt, insecure, imperfect and even embittered human beings who try to put aside their suffering, even suppress it, and still live their lives as best as they can.
Demanding, because as audience we might initially be somewhat reluctant to open our hearts to these people in "Motel California". (But we should, it´s worth it.)
A bitter, moving, and yet beautiful story about despite their defect nevertheless lovable people.




"Motel California" is a healing story amidst a structurally sickening, toxic work and living environment. It's primarily about the 'good, true and proper' origin, the outer impression, the 'right' educational institution, the 'right' gender (male). Additionally it is as well about exploitation, discrimination and bullying. It is also a story about love. Primarily between a boy and a girl. The girl ultimately struggles through life as a deeply sad lone fighter after having to leave behind the only much loved, loyal companion – the only one who, in her eyes, ever made her feel warmth, unconditional trust, reliability, and care in a cold, rejecting world.

"Motel California" is a complex story with many more deep-seated conflicts and emotional drama than it initially reveals. The recurring flashbacks gradually provide more valuable insights. This helps us better understand what is presented to us "today." Accordingly, only over time do we get emotionally closer to the protagonists, i.e., in the course of the second half.
"Motel California" tells of complicated life, of great pain, and above all of the FLs pain, who barrels through life with a disturbingly repellent shell. But many others also carry injuries and scars. Wonderful actors help us feel the drama within the drama through their strong performances.

The story, based on a novel, tackles demanding material. Quite courageous, because what torments and drives the two protagonists internally is not always pleasing on the outside. Especially the FL, with her incorrigible defiance and exorbitance, is sometimes hard to bear. Moreover, her deep pain, which sometimes almost spills out of her eyes, can be quite intense. Respect!!! For daring to uncompromisingly and soulfully tackling in a KDrama the distressing, uneasy dark side of emotional realities in an otherwise highly polished South Korea. And for Lee Se-young to take on the difficult, deeply wounded, ambivalent, and insecure character of Ji Kang Hee, who fights against the rest of the world from a seemingly lost position.

This is not a light-hearted KDrama. "Motel California" is not easy fare. Nevertheless, the latent severity is repeatedly dissolved by soul-warming scenes or channeled through pointedly inserted, humorous scenes. Additionally, there are soothing details between the lines, e.g. in dialogues, mise en scene, and atmospheric lighting.

What ultimately turns out to be a love story, at first starts of somewhat clumsily. At times, it might feel like a study of an almost toxic emotional dynamic between a man and a woman. In their rather awkward addictive habit and sometimes inappropriate ambivalence the love between them still seeks its way in difficult terrain. Over time we get to know the characters a bit more – their motives and backgrounds, as well as their unresolved, unredeemed feelings of guilt. Compassion may spread. And quite a lot so. This is KDrama par excellence. It's worth sticking with “Motel California” and not abandoning the two main leads (nor everyone else) along the way.

Layer by layer, the cloak of forgetting and suppression is gently removed over the 12 episodes. This cloak protectively covered the unresolved feelings. Yet, ultimately it turns out as emotional prison that has long prevented authentic, sincere encounters and healing communication.

The 'Motel California' ultimately represents a nurturing vessel for such encounters and healing. It is a symbol for origin, stigma and opportunity alike. The 'Motel California' forms an island in the sea of cruel rumor mills, social control, social ostracism, and discrimination. The name of the motel – "California" – represents the dream of another world. The motel as an establishment, in turn, stands for what the protagonist was always ashamed of in her childhood. For what caused her to experience painful 'othering' as a child. She was different and grew up under shattered, disreputable, and ultimately tragic family circumstances. I.e. that she is different – not as she should be – was (and is) mercilessly mirrored by her environment. She was not recognized as a full member of society in a small world where everyone seems to know everything about everyone else . And the 'disreputable' that clung to her was inevitably linked to the 'motel' in her eyes – the motel as a mirror of her inconsolable, almost unbearable, and still unresolved injuries of her childhood and youth. Nevertheless, the motel is also her home and witness to her forgotten (including good) childhood memories. "Home, Bitter Home", so the title of the original novel. At last the Motel also becomes a social hub for those who are ready to find redemption. This is thanks not least to Kang Hee's father, who, with his liberal, unmistakably patient, and trusting manner, opens the field for it.







Nevertheless, I also have criticism:
Quite inappropriate in view of the difficult, emotionally complex theme of this KDrama are, in my eyes, the really intrusive product placements – almost as if a commercial break is being inserted every now and then... Cringey!

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Proof that even good acting can't revive a lackluster script

The first 15 episodes were so good. Really kept me engaged and every time I finished an episode, I was left wanting for more. But it somehow went downhill from there. Just cliche after cliche after cliche. Mind you, all those cliches weren't even executed properly. I haven't read the novel but from the spoilers I've seen, it seems like the scriptwriters didn't either. The plot's a mess, the characters are boring, their actions are predictable, ACTUAL interesting characters aren't utilised properly and the pacing is absolutely terrible. The acting's the only redeeming quality of this drama.

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I enjoyed it, or should I say "some" of it lol, I skipped all the "elderly" scenes, and basically watched the rest. I think It's a decent one-time-watch - just for the second leads.

Cast: Uee & Sung Joon were a very very boring and uninteresting couple with zero chemistry. Everything felt so stale and "fake" between them. Their "love" wasn't believable - even to the last episode. I don't know if it had something to do with the writer, the directing, the actors themselves or the characters they were trying to portray - but it didn't work... On the other hand, Park Hyung Shik & Im Ji Yeon had amazing chemistry and their scenes together were always adorably cute^^ - I stuck with this drama just for them <3 Chang Soo (PHS) was funny, realistic, Hot and very very charismatic ;D I loved his style (hair, clothes & personality) <He had a great role. Ji Yi (IJY) was also funny, down to earth, adorably cute - she's like no other female drama lead I've ever encountered before - It's no wonder our Chang Soo falls for her ;) She makes you wonder how her brain works - she amazed me with her responses to people time and time again. I was speechless at her unconventional ways of relating to people. *Best couple award should go to them*

Music: I personally loved the OST - Train "Just a Memory" (Played once during a bicycle race between Sung Joon & Hyung Shik), Jung Yup "Dazzling Day", Kim Joo Na "I Can't Live Without You", Acoustic Collabo "Don't Do That", Park Hyung Shik "You're My Only Love", Maximilian Hecker "Summer Days In Bloom" - I absolutely loved each and every song ^-^

I won't re-watch this drama entirely - But I would definitely re-watch any and all scenes with Chang Soo & Ji Yi^^ & I will listen to the OST for a long time to come ;)

I think it's good to watch at least once - and if anything - skip-watching may be best :) I'm glad I watched it for Chang Soo & Ji Yi and the OST - so I'm satisfied & I liked the ending ;)

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The Most Formidable Bromance of 2021 that will bring you to your knees

Where do I even begin? This is the best detective thriller drama I have ever watched. There, I said it.

How many of you have grown tired of watching crime shows that just don't feel exciting anymore?

So many times, crime dramas get lost in the 'next big moment' and finding the thrill factor that they stop connecting with the watcher.

Beyond Evil is a beautiful mix of emotion and supense. It's a blend of heartbreakingly slow, full of feeling moments and bone chilling darkness. It's not a super fast show. It takes its time as it unravels, develops and comes to fruition gorgeously- like a well simmered pot of stew.

The drama's biggest strength is its unforgettable characters and the mindblowing acting by the cast.

In the beginning it induces your trust issues in a gut punching manner by introducing its two seemingly morally grey and unreliable protagonists and then slowly but surely brings to light one of the best friendships the Korean cinema has ever seen.

Both the main leads are phenomenal, each holding their own and being a massive force to be reckoned with.

Shin Ha Kyun put out acting worthy of a Daesang. His reckless, passionate, wildly fearless and courageous detective with the biggest smile and eyes full of pain doesn't take long to cement his place in your heart.

Yeo Jin Goo, on the other hand, while young, owned his role phenomenally. His character Han Joo Won, a prickly, seemingly cold catlike man with heart of platinum and a strong sense of justice is extremely easy to fawn over.

Together, these two are a storm- infinitely badass with balls of steel; a dynamic team that you can't help but fall in love in with.

Aside from the two, all the supporting characters bring their own flavour to the screen. While their little self-proclaimed 'Avengers' police team brings instant warmth to your heart, the antagonists are blood boiling-ly good in equal measure.

The music is fantastic- sombre and dark at times; sometimes cheeky and playful and other times enough to wreck you. There are a lot of stunning shots and the drama is both extremely well written and directed.

The character development is amazing and the bonds these characters form among each other is a powerful thing to witness. There's so much nuance in these relationships and it's hard not to catch feelings and let go of your heart when it comes to a show like this.

Honestly, for me a good psychological thriller is hard to come by and this was by far one of the best. I was so invested in it that some of the scenes made me bawl my eyes out, while others made me laugh, giggle, swoon and shout HOLY FUCK at the top of my lungs.

They nailed both the emotion and the 'whodunnit' aspect in a way that's very unique to the genre.

It was a wild, crazy, full of thrill and heart ride that I almost don't want to get off of.

Surely, a must-watch. Highly reccomended for fans of psychological thrillers who like their dramas with a little extra oomph!

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10/10 EVERYTHING!!

This drama mainly focuses on the aspect of a broken relationship of a mother and it's child after the loss of their husband/father, and its healing journey. it has many emotional scenes as well as uplifting and bubbly comedy that is well executed. I liked the touched-on romance in this drama as well, as it's not really shoved in your face. ALSO TO MENTION!! the revenge plot was just SO GOOD!! it made sure every person got what they deserved!

the whole drama is amazing!! this drama is a pure example of how talented lee dohyun is, his character is very broad in this drama from acting as a student to a professional cold-hearted prosecutor to then a 7-year-old, is just so good. The relationship between the son and mother is so pure and emotional, and the wholesome atmosphere of the neighborhood makes you feel as if you’re part of their family. everything was so well made and shown!!! every cast member did amazing!!

if I could I would 100% watch this drama again if I had no recollection of it.

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Stupid Plan

*sigh* I don't know why I was hoping this would be a decent drama given that MAME is the writer. I will give her credit that she is good at creating stories that are surface level attractive, that being said, don't try to go any deeper or you'll be sorely disappointed. Wedding Plan is no exception. It's filled with attractive actors/actresses, decent music, lovely camerawork/visuals, and beautiful sets and costuming, but the characters themselves are lacking as is the plot. A good portion of the story hinges on unnecessary drama and while the initial concept isn't bad, it quickly comes crashing down.

The story centers around Namnuea, a wedding planner, and his client, groom Sailom. Nuea is supposed to be planning Lom's wedding to Yiwa, but there's a catch; neither Lom nor Yiwa is straight. The "plan" is for the two of them to get married so that Yiwa can be with her girlfriend, Marine, and get away from her conservative family. She and Lom have been friends for over a decade so he agrees to this arrangement. But having seen Nuea at a friend's wedding, Lom falls in love at first sight and decides to pursue him. Now I had zero issues with Yiwa and Lom's plan. I can certainly sympathize with their situation and how they didn't see another way out. They both had conservative families who wouldn't accept their sexuality and were forced to do something extreme to escape and gain their freedom. That was all fine and dandy. Lom's plan, however, was incredibly stupid and was the one that caused all the issues, because he starts to pursue Nuea without telling him about his and Yiwa's arrangement. And Nuea has pretty much fallen for him at first sight so Nuea is put into the situation of trying to hide his feelings initially and then once Lom starts actively pursuing him, fight those feelings. It's incredibly unfair to him because a brief conversation with Lom explaining things would have cleared everything up. But then this drama would be 3 or 4 episodes instead of 7. So instead, this situation gets dragged out with Nuea feeling more and more guilty and anxious as Lom continues to pursue him, almost forcing himself on him at times, until Nuea finally gives into his feelings. I truly feel bad for Nuea because Lom forced him into a corner, physically and morally. Nuea doesn't know that Lom isn't actually taken, so naturally, he feels incredibly guilty that he has, in his mind, cheated with the groom. He runs home, Lom follows and they eventually get everything worked out. The wedding moves ahead as planned until on their wedding day when it turns out Yiwa has eloped with Marine and left the country. Not only does this give her and Marine the freedom to be together and get married, but it also allows Lom to slowly bring his relationship with Nuea out into the open. I also didn't have an issue with Yiwa's plan here because while I know some people think it's unfair that she shouldered all the blame and Lom got away scot-free, that was her intention. So the fact that she planned it that way and that's what she wanted, I was fine with it. Honestly, typing this out, it sounds more interesting than it actually was.

Besides the stupidity of Lom's plan, there are a myriad of other issues here. There are plenty of unnecessary scenes that affect the pacing and make it drag. A prime example was all the wakeboarding scenes towards the beginning. Did it look cool? Yes. Was it necessary? No. Those scenes could have been significantly cut down and absolutely nothing would have been lost. The repetitive scenes of Nuea moping and his boss and co-workers trying to eke out of him what was going on could also have been cut. And that after credit scene with Lom and Nuea as children was equally unnecessary. I was afraid they were going to pull something like that where they actually met as children when Lom commented he thought he'd been there as a kid, but was hoping they wouldn't do it because it's just so cliche. Unfortunately, they did and aside from being sort of cute, it served absolutely no purpose. There were more, but I'll stick with those couple. Similarly a lot of the dialogue was repetitive and did nothing to move the plot along. And while the moms could be entertaining, particularly with the music that played whenever they entered, the fight between them at the wedding went on far longer than was necessary. And speaking of the wedding, weren't there supposed to be like 600 people? I mean, I understand logistically with filming that simply wasn't possible, but it didn't look like there were even 100 people there and there were ways they could have been consistent without actually having 600 people on set. And while I don't find fault with Lom and Yiwa's plan to get married in and of itself, the logistics of it did not seem well thought out for the long run. What exactly were they going to do when their mothers wanted grandkids? How did they plan to keep their lives separate while also being married to each other? Living in the same building made things easier, but if one of their mothers decided to drop by unannounced as happened with Yiwa's mother, that had the potential to cause issues. Frankly, I think the strain of carrying on such a farce would have eventually led to trouble in their respective relationships. Their plan would have solved one problem, but caused numerous others. As a final note here, I also didn't appreciate the way they tried to use repetitive shots of a half naked Lom as a way to distract from the lack of plot. I hate when dramas do that, it's so cheap, and while the man is attractive, I'd rather have a cohesive and entertaining plot. But that's just me.

I did enjoy getting to see Payu, Rain, Prapai and Sky of Love in the Air again. While I thought Prapai and Sky speaking English at their wedding was odd, it was still a sweet moment and Payu's proposal to Rain was beautifully done. Their appearance in particular made it believable that time had passed since the drama which I appreciated, but they were also still very much themselves.

Besides the plot and writing being less than great, the characters, similarly, were nothing special.
-Lom, while not necessarily toxic, was at best an idiot and at worst a total ass. My biggest problem with him was his decision to remain silent and all the damage he did by doing so. By pursuing Nuea while still planning a wedding with Yiwa, he put Nuea in a moral dilemma which was incredibly cruel and unfair to him. I still do not fully understand why he didn't tell Nuea from the get go. I could understand potentially being afraid of coming out to someone when he'd kept it such a secret, but considering the fact that he made it very clear that he wanted Nuea, I don't understand his reticence in telling him what was going on. It was ironic that he was friends with Love in the Air's Prapai because he reminded me of him to some degree with his stalking of Nuea, manipulation, and deception. On the flip side, he could also be incredibly caring and sweet. I did believe he loved Nuea, I just didn't care for the way he went about it.
-Nuea was supposed to be this very put together wedding planner who excelled at his job and yet his lack of professionalism when dealing with Lom didn't give me that impression. I work in customer service, I understand clients getting under your skin and irritating the crap out of you. However, I have never lost my composure with them and gone off on any of them, no matter how tempting. Nuea had to have faced challenging clients before, so the fact that he lost his cool so easily seemed weird to me. And while I can't justify his actions with Lom, I can understand them. I felt his struggle regarding his feelings for Lom were relatable and human. He actively tries to resist, he even reminds Lom that he's getting married, but he does eventually cave. It's not right, but again, I could understand how he reached that point because resisting someone who's pursuing you that hard has to be incredibly difficult. He could have done more to separate himself from the situation and I do feel like he put himself in the path of temptation, but I appreciated he realized his mistake and owned up to it and then worked to make sure it wouldn't happen again until Lom finally explained everything to him.
-Yiwa and Marine were our girl couple and while I found them to be kind of sweet, I didn't find them to be particularly interesting which was disappointing because I felt they could have been utilized much better. Despite the fact that their relationship was given some background, they still felt fairly shallow and a lot of their interactions felt repetitive. Marine came across as sweet and empathetic, however, she was also a bit bland. She lacked energy and she seemed very hesitant when Yiwa initiated any kind of physical intimacy which was odd since they were supposed to have been together for 2ish years. Yiwa was the more outgoing and bubbly of the two. I liked her personality and I liked her friendship with Lom. They definitely gave a brother/sister vibe. I also appreciated the conundrum she was facing with wanting to try to balance her familial obligations while remaining true to herself. I thought it was incredibly gracious and brave of her to take the brunt of the backlash regarding her and Lom's failed wedding. And I was glad that she and Marine got their happily ever after.
-I liked Nuea's family. They were all so incredibly supportive of him and their protectiveness of him was equal parts amusing and endearing depending on the situation.

The acting was tolerable but nothing special. Sunny and Pak weren't consistent with their chemistry. Sometimes I felt it, other times it was lacking. Both felt pretty green which was understandable considering their lack of experience. Pak seemed more versatile, his expressions and actions were more varied. Sunny's acting lacked that extra nuance. Aya and Kate really seemed to struggle with their chemistry. Kate in particular just seemed uncomfortable when they were kissing and it made it hard to believe they were an established couple. Individually I found Aya more interesting to watch. There was a sameness to her expressions, but she brought more energy. Kate lacked that energy and seemed a little too reserved and perfect. I felt like she could have done more with the character, but given this was her first acting role, she wasn't awful.

The production value is excellent. The camerawork, the lighting, the sets, etc. were all high quality and very well done. I loved the costumes. I particularly liked how each character had their own distinct style that was maintained throughout the drama. The music was also pretty good, but not particularly memorable.

I ultimately found myself disappointed in Wedding Plan. I wasn't expecting anything spectacular, but I hoped it would at least be a fun and fluffy diversion. Instead we got MAME's trademark of a lack in communication causing more issues than were necessary which lead to more drama/angst and less fluff. So, if you're looking for an actual plot and decent characters, I would skip this one, you won't be missing much. But if your cup of tea is some steamy scenes and attractive, shirtless men, you might enjoy this.

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Wow...nicely executed, this drama really keeps you on the edge of your seat and consistently engages your emotions in a such a way that will literally have your blood start boiling and eye balls glued to the screen as you anxiously wait to see what will happen next. Furthermore, the plot of this drama, while simple in design is built with so many individuals intertwine into one big storyline, one can't help but feel over-time the complexities that arises out of such a simple course of action...



Going further, what makes this drama so engaging is that it puts the human emotions and experience of betrayal, vengeance, love, family, friendship, and money into a universal context that possibly anyone can relate to. First and foremost is the betrayal. You may have experienced in life when you felt betrayed by the very people/person who trust and admire...simply being used up and tossed aside like trash...one can't help but feel betrayed thus leading one into seeking vengeance for the pain that one has experienced...it is only justice, right? "Eye for an eye", as the saying goes...they made you suffer, you've experienced emotional pain, now they will get a taste of their own medicine...there's an interesting double karma that occurs in this drama that really makes you think, "Could there have been a better course of actions?"...



Along the way in one's vendetta, you meet people or someone who brings love and friendship into your life...your heart wavers because you begin to fall in love with this person...what will you do, when your heart betrays you as well? Will you give up your vengeance for this person?...seems like a very plausible thing to do and just forget about everything while you're still trying to complete your master plan...will falling in love mess you up?



Family is also important as well, as your action may consequently affect everyone in it...as well as those who are connected to your family...however, what if your family hides a dark secret, will it still justify for your actions and vengeance? Often in the scheme for power, it is really about about the money, the Benjamins...as greed is quite an over-powering human desire for more of everything in life...after all, money is what makes the world go round, right?...I think...well not really in my opinion but nonetheless we need it in order to survive in our current societies.



If you're not into those sappy and sad dramas...this one will be a treat for you...it's a thriller filled with twist and turns and I think blends very well with the love plot between the individuals who create a love triangle that's rather interesting to watch and see it unfold.

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I watched this Drama a while ago and there is actutually a lot to say about it. At first it is one of the most beautyfull dramas i have seen so far. The acting is great and the music matches well with the scenes. I often have the problem that historical dramas get boring after a while and I see myself skipping some dialogues in order to go on to the more "interssting" parts. In the drama Hwang jin yi however this feeling wasn't there as much as in the other so i nearly watched every second of it. The only thing I didn't like that much was the sadness that you find yourself in while watching it. There are many scenes where I actually cried and that is the reason for me not to rewatch it that many times.... But that doesn't mean that it's not worth rewatching. The dances and the acting of Ha ji won in particular are sooo outstanding and in my opinion they portrait hwang jin yi soo good that all the time you get what she stands for, fights for and how great of a women she is. For all those who are interessted in Art this is a drama that leads them back to the past to discover what being an artist means.
To sum up this drama is valuable in acting, art (costumes are great) music and dancing also the storyline is interessting. The only thing you need to prepare yourself is getting a bunch of tissues ready as it gets really emotional ;)

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Ok it's 1 AM i have school tomorow but i have just finished it and i need to express my feelings.
First i have to say to everyone who don't want to watch it because of the 100+ episodes, just watch it ! Each episode lasts 30min so it's really fast. But i have to admit that i watched this drama in one year ! Why ? Just because it's the type of drama you want to watch when you need to laugh, don't have a lot of time ( for exemple during exam ) and you need some fresh air. Every episode have a different story but it has a link and every charachter has his "highligh" moment. This drama made me laugh ( like reaaaaally ), cry, had goosehumps ! I loved every single charachter and i am very sad to say goodbye, but well after a year it was time i think :)
Anyway, I have so much more to say about it but i am just gonna say : watch it, it totally worth it

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When I started to watch this Drama, I didn't have high expectations, since a lot of people don't like it.

In the beginning, I was totally annoyed by Anna's personality. She was just some high society lady, never satisfied with anything, always greedy. Oh Yoo was friendlier and more sympatic. But as the story continued, I noticed how special Anna is.
You may think she is just like all those spoiled young women that appear in a lot of shows and Anna really is. But somehow she has grown dear to me. I can't really say why. Her character developes during this Drama, but still she is very unfriendly to everyone. She experienced so much already, so she can't change this much anymore.
After completeing the Drama, I'm really missing the Anna who was always yelling and complaining. Just like Chul Soo's love to her my affection to her also grew. I just love the way she developed but still remained the same.

Even thought Anna was the main character and carried nearly all of the story by herself, the side stories were very amusing as well. They made me laugh several times, but still they fit in well since they had some dramatical scenes as well. I was disapointed because there were one or two scenes where the comedy part didn't quite fit.
Over all I think the comedy and drama parts were well timed and well balanced.

The music was also fitting very well, I seldomly enjoy an OST this much. I'm even listening to it at the moment (:

Overall I'd highly recommend this Drama. I'm sure it won't fit everyones taste, but to me it seemed very well balanced, except some scenes of a side story. Still I liked the whole cast, especially Anna and Kang Ja (her friend). The main story was enjoyable, so I'm considering watching the original movie, even thought I'm afraid that it might be a bit disappointing...

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