Reviews

The sparks and the spices

This dating reality show is so enjoyable. There are sparks but at the same time spices as well. The whole concept of the dating show is interesting especially the phone call to express the feeling part. The phone calls kept me at edge. Like I could never predict who each of the contestant would call. It was interesting and at the same time agonizing especially the phone calls involving the love triangles.

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead!!

Honestly Junseong and Sungho are the best part of the show for me. I rooted for them since the very first phone call. "Roommate, hi" was what got me into the show and I fell deeper and deeper episode by episode. I couldn't help but cheer for Junseong. He was so sure about who he wanted and the way he expressed his feelings in the most sincere way whenever he got the chance to, every second of it was absolutely worth witnessing. On the other hand Sungho was sure about his feelings towards Seonwoo until he wasn't. He wavered ever since the first call from JS. From "friendship 100% love zero" to "Beside Junseong, others are like friends or colleagues to me", he came a long way. And damn their dates were an absolute delight to see especially the one after call match. The sparks were flying everywhere. They really stole the whole show for me,

Moving on to Seonwoo, I won't lie at first it really felt like he was leading everyone on and I wasn't quite a fan of it but as I watched more of him, he grew on me. And the love triangle of Hyun Joon, Minsung and Hyun Jin, it was a bit of a mess. For most of the part except Hyun Joon, the other two seemed confused. They were certain one moment and the next moment they were not. It was honestly agonizing to see but I do get it that none of them were actually at fault. However, I liked Min Sung and Hyun Joon together. Their date was cute. But it's commendable how Hyun Joon stood up for himself. Also, Yunghee damn he was so consistent and his efforts towards SW melted me. And Jeongwook this guy deserves nothing but happiness. He is such a softball mahn. I wish each one of them a happy life. I hope they live it to their best and also find the one they love and who loves them back too.

Overall an enjoyable show that kept me awake one whole night and even after I caught up to the recent episodes I could not stop myself from binge watching it. Highly recommended!!

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This is a fabulous show with a lot of depth - one of the best out there

DO NOT BELIEVE THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS. This is one of the best historica dramas out there. The only thing I agree with: the poster is misleading but only a little, because at the heart, it's a socio-political drama. This shows highlights:
The foundation of trust and friendship is what matters most;
that agency of women has been hard fought and we are still fighting;
people in power will do anything to keep their power unchecked;
social injustice unhinges people; revenge is never pretty and is a vicious cycle, and one day someone has to sacrifice something to break it.
learning to be humble and thankful for things we often take for granted (freedom to make choices, having enough to eat, having a roof over the head, trusting people around you when anyone could kill you anytime);
And it's about making the right choice. This drama also features one the most FEMINIST heroes that I have seen in a very very long time. It's unbeleivable how beautifully that arc has been shown. His belief in his woman's capabilities is limitless and is a pure delight to watch. He is never the knight in the shinning armor, and only steps in if his woman is facing trouble because of others' prejudices. As Jay Yi beautifully says in one instance "he is a man who breaks down high walls for a woman who is stuck behind it'.

It IS a romance but not the regular kind we see today. It's more a vehicle that moves the narrative forward. Yi Hwan (the Crown Prince) falls in love with a woman he has no chance with - she technically belongs to his best friend (whether she wants it or not, she is just an object in the eyes of the soiety she lives in), while the best friend has this unhealthy attachment to a woman he has never met as an adult, making life truly difficult for the Prince; plus she does not fit any criteria to become his Crown Princess even if she were to be absolved of the murders (The Crown Princes were governed by strict rules of marriage, he had no choice in who he could marry as it was always a politica decision taken by the royal parents; the Kings however were not bound by any of it, they could choose their own Queens if they wanted). Min Jay Yi, duty bound to marry the man her family chose for her, marriage being a contract between families with no place for choice/love, is now an accused murderer on the run and, not only she loses everything - her family, her home, her reputation, her identity, but she also ends up falling in love with the most unatainable man she could imagine.

Hence, they have no chance with each other. But when does heart ever listen to reason? Yes, they never touch each other and totally adhere to the Josean principles of physical space between a man and a woman at all times. But their relationship is so wholesome, beautiful and pure that it harks back to the times when romance was all about yearning and longing. Don't miss their interactions, they confess to each other throughout without saying the actual words and it's beautiful to behold. And their interactions are hilarious at times. He is stuffy, morally upright, naive and insanely competitive. She is fiesty, unconventional, motor mouth but keeps her innermost feelings bottled up because that's how she has been raised. He falls for Jay Yi for the world she shows him outside of his very lonely existence (she is fearless and she drinks haha!), someone he can trust, rely on, beleive in, and laugh with, while she falls for his progressive thoughts, and benevolence. Both are brilliant people and never fail to complement each other for that. Or take each other down a peg when the situation demands.
All of these are packaged into a constantly moving narrative, packed with super funny moments and sparkling chemistry between Park Hyung Sik and Jeon So Nee. The side characters are to die for - Myung Jin and Ga Ram (Lee Tae Sun and Pyo Ye-Jin) are fabulous and the four make an investigative team (Shield team) that eventually resolve the mystery, with each of them bringing something to the table. These four could easily have a spin off show. Jeong Da-Eun as princess is super adorable and a very interesting character. The main villain is one dimensional but at the end, that makes his end supremely satisfying to watch. But it's the backstory that keeps you hooked.

The cast is steller, but Park Hyung Sik is ethereal as the Crown Prince. Not only he is blindingly good looking, but boy, can this man act. He brings Yi Hwan to life, and he does it with just his voice and his eyes. You cry with him, you laugh with him, you feel his heartache, you feel his jealousy, you feel his helplessness and rage at the injustices he is trying to fight . This is an award winning performance and hope he gets recognized for it. Jeon So Nee is a perfect foil to him. She starts ordinary and then grows on you. The fact that she is drop dead gorgeous is a bonus (take her out of the Eunuch uniform, put her hair down, put her in a plain unfashionable white gown and she takes your breath away). She goes through various stages of her performance with aplomb, and absolutely aces it in the emotional scenes (her confession will give you goosbumps and stay with you for a long time). She is an actress to watch out for.

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Normally I am not into dramas like this. I'm so glad I made an exception and watched this drama. TSDOML is a emotionally fulfilling drama that made me somehow hopeful and happy through all the crying. The story isn't anything new or exceptional, but that is what makes it so great. The simplicity of the story is the charm or it all. The writer introduces characters that everyone can relate to if you are a parent, child or lover. It is beautifully portrayed even though some of it is long and there are more flashbacks than are necessary. I didn't give it a perfect score, because I sometimes felt like the director should just let the viewer feel with out the flashbacks. Other than that the drama was really good.

The acting is excellent. Unexpectedly the chemistry between Kam Woo Sung as Dong Ha and Choi Soo Young as Bom Yi is palpable. The age difference between them in the drama is 18 years and in real life is 20 years. I think some people might have a problem with it. However, Bom Yi is the kind of person in whom everyone would fall in love. Bom Yi's personality is well written and portrayed. Choi Soo Young is beautiful and seamlessly kept balance between optimism and depression I have totally fallen for Kam Woo Sung. His portrayal of loving strength is perfect. I would definitely want to be in a relationship with that kind of person. I am now going to find time to watch every thing he has done. The other actors are good too, but I came to not care much about anyone other than the main leads and the children,

The music is beautiful.

I won't rewatch this, but I can see someone might want to rewatch it.

I highly recommend this drama.

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Overall, I still liked the drama. There were times when the story seemed to be repetitive and the constant persecution and denial of Baek Kwanghyun's ability as a physician grated on my nerves. The medical procedures were interesting to watch and I suggest never to be caught eating during some episodes; however, the major focus was on the political intrigue which detracted from the story greatly. When the focus was on medicine, it was great; when it was on the machinations of the nobles and ministers, it could get downright boring. Would I recommend? Only for the hardcore medical saguek drama watchers.

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Great drama, a must watch!

I really like this drama, mainly because of the 2 main characters! 13th prince is really good looking and is a great actor for his young age (I hope that he will have lots of new dramas because I like watching his acting!). The main characters have excellent chemistry in all their scenes and it really warms my heart every time those two are together. 4th prince's character is well written, as he is depicted as a serious, just and loving character. I wish there are more scenes of 14th prince with MW. I really enjoyed the acting overall, especially the king.

The concept of the drama with the time travel is quite confusing but it doesn't bother me much as the romance story is very interesting and sweet. The villain (Ming Hui) really is EVIL! She appears in every single episode for a very long time, which is the MOST ANNOYING part of this drama. I really don't like her character, so I had to skip through a lot of scenes with her in it.

Highly recommend if you like good looking cast and sweet romance story! There is a bit of comedy too which is a huge bonus. The ending is satisfying.

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Warning: this film contains over the top violent scenes, torture, dismemberment, rape, disfiguration and many other bloody things so if you dislike extreme gory films then you’re definitely in the wrong place and you should stay away from this as far as you can.

Takashi Miike is one of my favorite directors. Being the lord of gore is one of the main reason why I like him and Ichi the Killer is absolutely the epitome symphony of violence Miike ever made. I am into bloody productions: mutilation, torturing, splatter-gore, cutting body parts to pieces, heads rolling and everything that belongs to the category; you can call me eccentric or a psycho but those are my personal references and a part of my real life job. However, the reason why I liked Ichi the Killer and many of Miike’s films is not the gore for the sake of gore, it’s true that I like that element but it’s not enough to make me like a film, there has to be a message and a meaning behind it all.

Ichi the Killer has a dark graphic storyline; it tells the story of Ichi, a psycho killer who split people to halves and sometimes to little pieces through razors in his shoes and Kagihara, the masochist who’s looking for the killer of his gang’s leader who happens to be Ichi. That’s the general plot but there’s much more behind the events and the characters’ development, the hidden meanings and the final reveal of the characters’ relationships was pretty amazing and let’s not forget the mind-boggling ending that keeps your imagination wild. None of this would have been done without the fantastic performances of the charismatic brilliant actor Asano Tadanobu and Omori Nao, who had to play a childish character at one second and a sadist killer at the next moment.

Now let’s talk about violence, the main lead in this film; it was creative and pretty well-made sadist type of violence. People call Miike a “cult” or a “sadist” director and he probably is, the way he shot the explicit gore scenes was truly brilliant with all of those cutting and blood’s splashing everywhere. It makes this film one of the kind if we consider how far he went with bloody scenes, I haven’t seen that anywhere before. What also makes the violence special is that it was entertaining, I found myself laughing at few scenes and no, it’s not because of my sick personality; there were some amazing dark humor moments inserted in this film because Miike can mix gore and comedy so well (think Dead or Alive trilogy).

Watch if:
-You like gory films with a meaningful storyline.
-You like Takashi Miike’s way of making films because this is probably his best work.
-You like bizarre Japanese productions.

Do not watch if:
-This is absolutely NOT for the faint of heart.
-You dislike anything that has to do with gore or you can only handle a little amount of it.
-You dislike over-the-top violence.
-You’re easily disturbed or grossed.

Ichi the Killer is the highest level of cinematically shot violence. It’s without doubt not for everyone, it can be a hit or a miss, some would find it a masterpiece and others would run away from the first few scenes. It’s bloody as hell and I completely loved it.

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Sweet and Fluffy Romance

Honestly, I don’t understand the other ratings cause everyone seems to have a problem with the plot although it was pretty clear what it was. Me personally, I’m a fan of these kind of clichés where the ML falls first and FL realises later. If you don’t like this kind of plot then watch something else rather than expecting something different. Then again, it’s just 1 ep so we don’t know how things might change. So far the main leads have really good chemistry and they’re some of my favourite actors so I’m not disappointed. Also, it was nice to see the guy from My Lovely Liar here as the second lead lmao😭iykyk

Looking forward to the rest of the episodes 👍

Okay, so I finished watching so I can give the full review. Honestly, for me it was good. If you’re looking for a sort of laid back drama with cute scenes then yeah watch it. To be honest, some scenes were a bit dragged and some stuff were going really slow but it’s fine considering it was 8 episodes. Cause normally most rom coms lose the plot after the first half so it’s good they kept it short.

Might not be for everyone but give it a try.

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TOO SHORT!

Its not short and sweet, it is too short! I need more!

I love watching short series because netflix trained me to binge and its a torture to wait episodes weekly. However, the fact that i am wishing there were more episodes or at least longer ones is a testament that i fell in love with these characters and i would have love to see more, and to know more about their issue and characters.

Things i love:
1. Pacing
2. No mention of the word gay or homosexual or whatever their preference is.
3. No unnecessary dragging of the conflict. They were both adult enough to discuss and solve it.
4. Just the right amount of intimacy, and nooky nooky.
5. And lets not kid ourselves, Jang Eui Soo is so sexy even his hair deserves its own series.


Like i said, i want more. Maybe they can release an extended version. Will i recommend? Definitely!

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I just want to live, with you around….

Time Travel Done Right !!

Ever happened, even when all the pieces of the jigsaw are in place ...you feel that it still doesn't fit...that's the case with most time travel stories ...even when everything falls in place there's still this sense of perfect fit that I have always felt missing …
and after being disappointed so many times ...you just want to give up on your expectations and start believing that you would never find a show that will give you a sense of perfect fit and maybe what you are looking for is something that doesn’t exist...
I wanted to give up too ...but I just can't, I still have my hopes up every time I start a time travel drama....but to my surprise this time I want to yell loudly …
"I am not disappointed .... !!”

what was all this not so necessary plot build for ...??
(just to make you realize how much I liked this drama ....)

The drama revolves around Oh Ha Rin and her best friend for 10 yrs or shall I call the love of her life Ji Seo Jun who died on her 18th birthday and even after 10 yrs, regret's still holding her tight. One day she comes into possession of some mysterious photos that her first love left behind...with painful memories relighted she decides to burn the pictures....and to much surprise (okay, not for us) finds herself in the past ...maybe now she has a chance to create a future she wished for....but you know in drama land and in reality too, things can never be that simple right.....

For every time you change the past, the future will change too ....she gets few attempts of traveling back in time ...and obviously, in all those, she tries to create a perfect future by saving her love and friendship...protecting the people she cares for...but you got to pay for what you get ...every action has a consequence...and so does trying to change the past …
What happens next is what you are supposed to see the show for ...lol

Similar in premise and tone to other stories that deal with time travel ...this drama holds it better than most hyped ones with a rookie cast that'll gradually adapt perfection (in their upcomming dramas in next few years-hopefully ...lol) and a storyline that's "simply amazing".....(it doesn't mean every second was perfect, and trust me it need not be...)

The overall quality and technical aspects, including the visual effects, background music are unquestionably well-executed within a relatively shorter duration of 20 mins and 16 eps, the storytelling is compact with explanation for almost everything that happens and without the intrusion of unnecessary fillers....it makes you involuntarily press the next ep button.

As for the characters ..they give off realistic vibes with their actions and decisions most of the time...and the overall friendship and all the happy moments they share make the whole show warming and beautiful as is ...a must-watch if you ask me …!!
I give a special mention to the photo studio owner ...I don’t know why but he made it so difficult for me to not appreciate his guest appearance.

As for re-watch value ...even when I know what happens ...I can still watch it (even tho I won't cuz I never rewatch) ...but yaa that’s how much I have come to like this show …!!

As always the column for my fav quotes and dialogues :
“We can draw lessons from the past but we can not live in it”
“I don't think about the past, the only thing that matters is the endless present.”
“All I want is nothing special ...talking to you, holding your hand, spending an ordinary day with you are all precious to me.”
“When you touch the past carelessly there will be big trouble and misfortune.”
"There aren't right answers. But what we confirm is that the least regretful choice ...would nearly be the most correct one."
“Finally your standstill time begins to flow, at last, it flows to me.”

In essence, if you are looking for a time travel with almost no plot holes, fast pacing, and well-written story ...then stop looking here and there ...go watch blue birthday!

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Queen Go Hyun Jung

If there's one thing to summarize the entire series - it is to establish Go Hyun Jung as the queen.

This gripping and dark slowburn thriller is an exaggerated study of genes vs nurture - is someone pre-disposed to be something because of your blood or do we actually have the freedom to shape what we want to be according to our freewill and upbringing?

Okay lets backtrack a litlle bit, because there was a bit of backlash when the show was airing when they revealed that the copycat killer is a trans character but we also have to understand that this is an adaptation and the same backlash happened during the airing of the original french series which it was based on. Yes in the original the copycat was also a transwoman.

I know the progressives hated that twist and most of the question hovered around the reasoning they had to demonize a transwoman. I have a little bit of theory about the reason and i know a lot of people will hate it. Here it goes - a boy was brutally abused by his father and a woman came to save his life - yes the killing was sloppy and irresponsible but to his eyes it was also empowering and it set him free. He idolized the woman who defeated the demon for him and he fashioned a new life to MIRROR the life of his saviour - thats why he chose to become a woman. Was he actually a transperson or was he just copying the queen mantis? That is the mystery. I didnt see it as an attack to the trans community.

For me this show is a lot better than the original - first and foremost is the acting - Go Hyun Jung's Jung I Sin is so different from the original and made the role her own, her acting was subtle and so much scarier - that scene when she pulled and strangled the first suspect (which is not ont he original) is etched in my mind as it was so calculating believable awesome and terrifying. Jang Dong Yoon also did an excellent job as Cha Su Yeol who showed so much more vulnerability and his dynamics with Jung I Shin is much more believable compared to the original. The support cast also did a good job.

I also liked how they changed the ending a little bit which made it more effective like when Jung I Shil overpowered and stabbed Seo A Ra ,and when she actually prevented her son from killing her father (which kept him from becoming a criminal himself) and did it herself through that fire. And that open-ended ending - were they hoping to do a season 2?

The makeup to deglamorize Go Hyun Jung was also spot on and perfect for the character.

Would i reccommend? Yes the acting alone makes it worth it. Would i rewatch? Probably not as the topic is too heavy for repeated viewing. Overall i give it an 8.

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First off: I rarely watch revenge lakorns, mostly because no self-respecting man or woman should put up with that kind of abuse, let alone FALL IN LOVE with their abuser. I watched this one because it's the same director who did Full House, and I ADORED Full House.
WARNING: RANT AHEAD

THINGS I LIKED: Directing is exemplary (as usual). I especially like how this director humanizes the nang rai; Chaya really wasn't evil for the sake of being evil. They portray Chaya as someone who is so desperate for love that she will do anything for it. Childish, but mostly realistic.
The music was good, mostly. The dramatic music was definitely overused, though.
Peat and Kiew's chemistry was AMAZING.
Peat is SUPER HOT.
The romance between Kiew's friend and the bar owner guy was SO CUTE and serious relationship goals.
Those few episodes where Peat and Kiew were happy together made me so happy, though they were fleeting.
I was glad they showed how hurt Peat was. Instead of being just an angry guy up to his eyeballs in revenge, they showed us that underneath all that, he was deeply hurt (not that that justifies anything). In short, I loved the emotional depth of the characters.
I liked Kriss a lot until I realized in ep 9 he was probably evil.
The story is mostly unique; it followed a few stereotypes, but everything else felt very original.

Now for THINGS I DISLIKED (here comes the rant):
The overused dramatic music.
Peat was WAY TOO CRUEL. I desperately wanted Kiew to find somebody, anybody, better than him so she could stop suffering. I couldn't even be happy they ended up together at the end because Peat was so abusive.
Pest and Kiew's dad. I HATED the BS of "use your love to thaw Peat's heart because he still loves you." How DARE he ask Kiew to endure more abuse based on the TINY possibility Peat actually loves her! It doesn't matter if Peat still loves her, when he is abusive to her, he deserves JAIL. Period.
Chaya and Kriss. Honestly I would've shipped it if Kriss hadn't tried to ASSAULT her that one time. Messed up.
Peat's repentance came too quickly. It should've been a slow process of him learning from his mistakes, not one sudden revelation that made him good again.
Kriss. Oh, Kriss. His repentance scene is downright cringey. Not that I don't believe in repentance, but the guy TRIED TO KILL THEM AND RUIN ALL THEIR LIVES. NOT cool. Again, it's a slow process, not "Wow you just shot me but I forgive you cuz you said sorry haha lol BFFs 4ever!!" *facepalm*

Strangely, I still enjoyed the drama pretty well. I guess it's the same with all revenge lakorns: it's just a guilty pleasure. I've seen too many even more frustrating dramas to say this one was horrible, though I will say it could've been a lot horrible. If you like great chemistry in a guilty-pleasure lakorn, this one hits the mark.

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I Swear if That Boy Don't Remove That Thing On His Face!!!

At some point we need to find out who keeps giving Star Hunter investment to make these nonsense bls, so we can throw eggs at them or boo them in public, cuz what the hell? Just why? Who green lit this? And what was the point of the ugly arse maid custom, and did y’all see that ugly lingerie? Also did that boy put a plastic bag over the lead's head?

Listen, is Star Hunter looking to go out of business or something? Cuz seriously, what the eff was this? Yes, this had a plot, with a start and a middle and an end, but it was executed so badly, with awful acting, cliches, cringe, awkward dialogue, horrible direction, stupid cheesy sound effects, basically, they found a 'do not do list' and said, wanna bet? This whole show was unfortunate. Let me explain:

The lead was naive to the point of stupidity and talked so loud it was like he lived inside a washing machine. The love interest's whole thing was that he was a dirty smelling dude who looked like a creepy uncle and came off as a garbage collector. The second couple were meh, cuz the smaller one was so obnoxious he made me wanna hurl. There was a female couple who could have been replaced by a houseplant and it wouldn't have made a difference to the plot. The lead's friends were annoying and loud, and wasted screen time on nothing. There was attempt at a love triangle, but the rival was so boring and uninteresting, chalk had more personality than him. Another random dude was in love with the dirty love interest cuz he saw his cow photo one time or something. And there was one guy with blond hair who's purpose for being in the drama seemed to be filler person. No really, his whole thing was to fill in the empty spaces on screen. If there was an empty chair, he was sitting in it, if there was white noise, you can bet he was saying something stupid to fill it.

And that was about it, and don't get me started on the cringy arse scene with the 'Can I taste your lips' or 'I am thirsty' crap. Or the ugly arse facial hair that vexed me to no end, why did he have to have it for so long? Oh, and that tv remote bit, where suddenly the lead was no longer acting like he was born yesterday. And the milk. OMG the milk, what was up with the milk?? I mean everyone need a thing but...you know what, never mind. I'm not doing this today, if you're looking for a bad bl show or your time is worth nothing, go ahead and give this a chance.

Star Hunter, thanks for nothing Bob!

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