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Completed
Catch Me
22 people found this review helpful
by Aryael
May 30, 2014
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
Story: What will you do if the woman you had loved all this while re-appear in your life after 10 years and she is a famous cat burglar while you are a dedicated detective at the verge of that big promotion you have been waiting for? Will you save your love or your career? This film explores these questions in a light-hearted and comical way. This is one movie you can sit back and relax to.

Acting/Cast: Superb and mature acting.

Music: Nothing that stood out, but hey... it's a movie, not a drama.

Rewatch value: This is an easy watch and certainly with good acting and a sufficient storyline to grab the audience's attention for 2 hours, it has a very high re-watch value. Great for weekend movies!

Overall: If you haven't watch this, I recommend this movie for your weekend watch. If you are Joo Won's fan, be prepared to fall in love with him all over again. If you do not know who he is, no worries.... just enjoy the movie. :)

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Completed
Youth of May
21 people found this review helpful
Jun 16, 2021
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

PURE LOVE WITH SAD BEAUTY...

There is so much to write about this series. I must say that I still can't get over it. The story, the acting, the music used in the series... I don't know where to start. First of all, if I briefly describe it, I think I can say that it has a sad beauty. There is no element in the content of the series that I would say if it were not. On the contrary, I wish it was a series with longer episodes so that we could feel the characters more deeply. We can say that it is a very good job in terms of cinematography.
This series was like a book or a poem, describing a deep love.
The fact that it was built on real events affected us emotionally. Yes, such people really existed. They loved and were loved despite the difficulties. They had dreams, hopes, loves. Most of them were ordinary people. Just like the characters in the series. Then there were evils, intolerance, cruelty, greed. People acting with these feelings have turned the lives of thousands of people into hell. In fact, the feelings and experiences of the people described are so universal. Even now, bad people who can't tolerate any other thought other than their own and disregard human life unfortunately still continue to exist, in many different ways in many different parts of the world.

Returning to the series, the way the main characters love each other is so ingrained that we have become one with them. The details of the script, the music and the great acting play a big part in this. The screenwriter especially wanted us to connect with them and empathize with them, and I think he wrote his screenplay accordingly. The actors also reflected the emotions very well. There is already an incredible attraction between the couple, which makes it easy to get into the story. In every scene where they looked at each other and held hands, I was excited with them, I felt those emotions.


By the end of the episode, we were all devastated. Because we were too attached to the characters. Myung Hee was such a strong, loving, kind hearted woman. It was the first time she had wanted something for herself. That girl was brave and passionate. She was not like the leading female characters in most of the series. She first held out her hand to Hee Tae, she kissed it first, she was the one who grabbed her hand and ran ahead as she was running away from the engagement ceremony with Hee Tae. Episode 11: "I'll be your family, let's get married." it was she who said it. She deserved to be happy, she. She breathed her last, alone, on the cold earth. I can't forget their last breaths. Imagine how lonely and scared he must have been. When I saw Myung Hee like that, I didn't just think about the people in Gwangju who actually experienced it. I thought of all the people in the world who are still experiencing this. Yes, at first I was very angry. I was so attached to the couple that I got used to the happy ending without realizing it.

Then I realized that the happy ending would probably go against the message the show wanted to give to the audience. This is the best way to understand the people who died and lost loved ones in Gwangju. We can think of this series as a homage to the memory of those who have died and to the pain of those left behind. If it had a happy ending, maybe we wouldn't be able to understand the feelings of all those people who died and stayed behind. In addition, the fact that it was so sad did not detract from the beauty of the series in my opinion.


We need to talk about the music. The music made is so in harmony with the feeling of the show. "Days in Memory" is already the song Hee Tae wrote for Myung Hee. We also heard Hee Tae muttering in the scene where the girl died. It was incredibly impressive. The lyrics and interpretation of "Words I Want To Say To You" made my heart ache. The scene where he was used in episode 11 was magnificent. "Winter of May" reflected the emotions of the characters exactly. I can't listen without crying. Then there is the need to mention other music used. The Rose, Annie's Song... They are both so meaningful. They have been carefully chosen, adding tremendous emotions to the scenes in which they are used.

Some words from The Rose:

And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live
...
When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose

And finally, in the last episode, the song playing in the restaurant while Hee Tae is looking for Myung Hee... My heart aches as I listen to it.

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Completed
Coffee Prince
22 people found this review helpful
Jun 30, 2015
17 of 17 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 9.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
I honestly forgot, or more didn't realize, what a gem this drama is! I just finished rewatching it, and now that I'm seven years older than when I first watched this I can appreciate this drama a lot more. It's always on that list of "must watch dramas" when you talk to someone who's asking around for good dramas, and for good reasons.

Story is the typical girl looks like boy, uses that to "trick" certain people, gets closer to the male lead..the same old stuff back in the last decade. What made this drama different then most was the fact that the lead actor was unaware of her gender and was a poor guy thinking he was confused. That to me, was one of my favorite aspects of this entire drama. This ended up being a romantic comedy without going too overboard on the comedy (in my opinion). The relationships formed naturally on screen between the leads and between all the side characters. There were some slow parts in this drama but for 17 episodes, I thought things moved fairly quickly. This story just has side stories for most of their other characters.

Cast. UGH. I completely forgot how much I loved this cast! Gong Yoo and Eun Hye are seriously a match made in heaven. Their on screen chemistry was simply undeniable. From when they met until the very end, all of their scenes together were pure perfection. Their acting was so perfect it seemed real and I haven't been able to find a Korean drama where two actors grab my attention like these two.
All of the side character actors were just as perfect. The cafe workers (rip Lee Eon), all the family members and others were casted perfectly. Everyone just seemed to mesh extremely well together.

Music, honestly was never a favorite of mine. Though the whole "la la la lala" song would get stuck in my head for days, there was nothing really special about the music used.

As stated, I have rewatched this drama and believe me, in time so will others. It's just that type of drama where you wouldn't mind watching it from beginning to the end again. I always recommend this drama to new drama watchers and I think I always will. It's a feel good drama and it's also up on Netflix for the time being so if you have it, watch it!

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Completed
Glory of Special Forces
22 people found this review helpful
May 12, 2022
45 of 45 episodes seen
Completed 14
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Gloriously special indeed

I’ve watched quite a fair number of military-themed Chinese productions over the years which usually contain similar themes and DNA in the storytelling structure. For more recent productions, we will come across the usual suspects as far as the villains are concerned.

- Themes: New recruits’ coming-of-age at the military academy
- The DNA: think propaganda, jingoism, and a healthy dose of flag-waving at every opportunity.
- The usual villain: Being set in present times, these days its nefarious drug cartels and its associated shadowy crime organisations.

Glory of Special Forces contains the same blueprint as outlined above. But is it exactly the same as other military C-dramas or does it showcase anything new? More importantly, is it worth your precious time to check it out? My answer is a definitive and unequivocal YES. I daresay this drama is quite likely the best in the genre that I’ve ever watched, and then some.

The drama is adapted from the novel "The Special Kind of Special Forces” (中国特种兵之特别有种) written by Fen Wu Yao Ji (纷舞妖姬), a nom de plume whose actual name is Dong Qun (董群). He is an award-winning and renowned military fiction novelist who is responsible for the source materials that form the basis for the box office hits Wolf Warrior and Wolf Warrior 2.

Directed by Xu Jizhou (Rookie Agent Rouge) who also co-wrote the screenplay adaptation along with Feng Ji, notable for having written Ark Peace (headlined by Chen Kun), The Weasel Grave and Decoded (one of my favourite Republican-era spy dramas). Principal photography took place from April to December 2019. Yes, this drama had been in censorship limbo for quite a while before it was finally released. The main cast reportedly underwent actual combat training under the guidance of active servicemen, the result of which is quite apparent in terms of their physical appearance and overall stunt coordination in the production.

The soundtrack features a total of 4 songs specially composed for the drama, along with various patriotic music and the original score. Liu Yu Ning participated in the project as well by contributing 2 songs.

The Book of Life 生命之书 - Liu Yuning 刘宇宁
Looking Up at the clear skies 仰望晴空 - Liu Yuning 刘宇宁
Climb 攀 - Zhang Lei 张磊
My Pride 我的骄傲 - Jin ZhiWen 金志文

What I Liked

The character-driven narrative. Yes, it’s about an army recruit’s coming-of-age who goes through hardships during training to finally make it into the elite special forces team and bring justice to the bad guys. But this young man’s journey takes on a multifaceted approach that includes themes of dealing with complicated backstories, complex family, team and relationship dynamics, as well as combat-related PTSD, along with the thrills and spills of the action and adventure. Despite the lengthy 45-episode count, not once did I feel bored or disconnected because the content is engaging that covers a wide range of interesting subject matters while the storytelling is brisk and finely balances the multitude of intersecting plotlines therein. There is a noticeable absence of unneeded fillers that tend to plague C-dramas of this length, which is always very much welcome.

The scope of characterizations. Most dramas of this nature focus purely on the leads while everyone else is neglected - supporting characters and antagonists alike. Not this show though. Although the ML drives the drama, and magnificently at that with a depth of character and strength of conviction that shines through, the rest of the characters are afforded a certain extent of the spotlight which elevates them beyond mere one-dimensional caricatures or inconsequential afterthought. The mentor(s), families, comrades-in-arms, friends, and even the villains are able to breathe life to their presence as crucial elements of the story, each with their very own character arcs that interweave seamlessly into the overarching plot.

The authenticity in the depiction of the military aspects. I’m no military expert but from years of watching such content, be it Asian or Western, there is a marked deftness to the portrayal of the special forces’ operators. In terms of the intensity of the firefights, the brutal hand-to-hand fighting and the coordinated execution of the field missions. Likewise the hightech hardware, weaponry and gadgets showcased.

Another facet of the military life that forms the bulk of the story is the hardcore training. Now there have been many forms of military training showcased in various dramas, most notably the recently aired Operation: Special Warfare’s harsh “Shaolin-esque hell’s camp” where bricks are smashed on participants’ heads, among other things. How true that is, we’ll never know but in this drama there is no such brutality that beggars belief, which reflects a measure of realism felt from the scenes shown. That said, there is a scene involving breathing apnea for underwater training and carving chrysanthemums out of rice grains to improve calmness and shooting accuracy…

Finally we have the cast themselves. My personal opinion - this drama could possibly be the turning point in Yang Yang’s acting career. I enjoy watching him especially in the currently airing Who Rules the World. He is definitely leading man material who possesses the charisma to light up the screen. As the ML here, however, his overall performance is more than a couple notches above and quite possibly his best ever. The level of commitment in undertaking tough preparations to literally transform himself physically into a tanned lean and mean machine to fully convince viewers he is a bona fide special forces soldier. As if that isn’t enough, he goes on to display a complete spectrum of emotions in his acting. If you’ve ever wondered how a distraught, tormented and agonising Yang Yang looked like, you can see it all here.

Despite the FL billing, Li Yi Tong actually has a smaller role as a supporting character. Nonetheless, her character of a resolute military officer is subtle, nuanced and unobtrusive. The one character that impresses me tremendously is Jiang Lu Xia who plays sniper Guo Xiao Xiao. One of the best written and depicted female soldiers ever in a C-drama. This is not a pretty face that’s shoehorned into the role of a tough-as-nails female character - she really is the real deal. In fact, she used to be a national Wushu champion before becoming a star of the much-lauded Operation Red Sea. As for the rest of the supporting cast, they generally delivered a decent account of their respective portrayals.


Perhaps Could’ve Been Better

This drama is not flawless by any means but without nitpicking, I honestly do not have major concerns on the production quality or significant complaints on the plot, both of which have exceeded my expectations in general. However I do wish there had been more action in terms of active missions and actual operations to balance out the training scenarios, in addition to a stronger and more impactful ending to the story.

Not a popular opinion perhaps, but I also wouldn’t mind having light romance added into the mix as part of the ML’s development. Not too much but enough to depict a more wholesome emotional growth in an overarching side story and to flesh out the relationship dynamics between Yang Yang and Li Yi Tong’s characters.

Despite the obvious improvements in the portrayal of the antagonists in this drama, I feel more depth could have been written into the characterization and backstory to heighten the complexity of the storytelling as well as to avoid the pitfalls of merely resorting to unsound villains with psychotic tendencies as the go-to trope.

Final Thoughts

I have thoroughly enjoyed the best military-themed C-drama as well as Yang Yang’s best performance, to date. There is much to love about Glory of Special Forces and I’m glad it delivers despite the long wait and extensive running time. This is absolutely recommended viewing indeed.

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Completed
Sandglass
22 people found this review helpful
Oct 3, 2018
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
I started watching this drama nearly blind. I knew its mythology, so to speak (through the roof ratings, iconic status, etc.), but nothing whatsoever of the story. I had seen two of writer Song Ji Na's dramas prior to watching this one (A Man's Story and Legend, both much more recent than this one). And while somewhere in my mind I probably knew she wrote this drama before I started watching it, I didn't consciously realize it until a few episodes in, when I got a sneaking suspicion that it was her handiwork. So, wait for credits to roll and sure enough, there she is. She doesn't recycle stories; they all feel fresh, but there are definitely themes that appear in her work that apparently span many years.

This drama surprised me in so many ways. Despite its age, it's very watchable today. The acting was stellar all around. It felt quite natural and in a way, less staged and choreographed than many modern dramas. Seeing actors such as Choi Min Soo and Go Hyun Jung in their breakout roles would make the 24 hours of heartache worth it even if the drama was not quite as good. It is that good, though!

The music, while unconventional, fit the mood of the drama well. Thank goodness they chose atmosphere over trendy ballads because I'm sure I would not have appreciated that as much in 2018. It got a tiny bit repetitive, but it's a minor issue. I wonder if that was a criticism they got when the show aired as well? At some point pretty late in the drama, a "new" background music appeared to soundtrack all the action scenes. (I didn't like it. It was cheesy and didn't fit with the rest of the music :P)

There are only a few other things I can think of to criticize. The wardrobe seemed odd to me. The story runs from the early 70's to the late 80's. It was filmed in the mid 90's. Throughout the drama, the clothing was basically pure 90's to my eyes. So when the real life footage shows up, it's kind of jarring that those people are actually wearing clothes of their time but the drama characters are not. It's a bit jarring. And the other criticism is that the sound effects are very dated. Cartoonish "thwaps" and "pows" abound whenever a fist fight occurs. It's kind of endearing in a way, though. :)

I won't describe the story. Even if you aren't normally a fan of politics and gangsters, you might find you like them in this context. If I had known in more detail what I was getting into, I might not have been so eager to watch, so don't let genre deter you if gangsters aren't your thing either. I was won over by the pace of the story and the compelling characters. I was impressed by the lack of common tropes. If I had any preconceived notions of what a 90's kdrama was like, I think it must have been that I expected way more cliches and the same old tired tropes that we still have even now. They had to come from somewhere, right? Well, maybe, but they didn't come from this drama. No childhood chance meetings ending in eternal love. No clear-cut, neat revenge plots. What it does have: lots of gray characters, which are my favorite kind. A surprisingly strong and articulate female lead. No easy answers, no preachiness, but lots to think about.

The intertwined lives and fates of the three main characters is what drives the story. What holds it together and gives it staying power, even today, are the timeless themes of corruption, abuse of power, and the thirst for change for the better despite so much resistance and sheer inertia. (And bringing in real life issues and events that would still have been in the fairly recent past for the audience at the time lends it that much more weight.)

Lastly, THE ENDING. I shall say no more in terms of story. But it hit me like a ton of bricks. Nicely done, show.

I cannot believe that no one has written a review for this drama! I'm not sure my review does it justice, but if you like a compelling drama and don't mind some dated effects and styles, then give it a shot.

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Completed
Drama Special Season 15: The History of Us
22 people found this review helpful
by cejj
Nov 6, 2024
1 of 1 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

and historians would say they were good friends...

oh well one them is a historian!

Can we truly understand someone who is willing to sacrifice their own history for the sake of a crown? The writing captures this internal struggle but I think there should be more to it.

But hey the chemistry between the Crown Prince and the young officer is electric. This dynamic could have been further amplified with a more than that storyline that allowed their relationship to evolve even more organically. Or should I say a different drama with these two.

While this is tragic , it has emotional depth and strong performances, there’s an undeniable potential for an even richer experience with more storytelling that fully exploits the chemistry between its leads. and I can only hope for future projects that allow these actors to shine even brighter. And no to historical negationism.

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Completed
In Family We Trust
22 people found this review helpful
by rihii
Jan 6, 2019
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 10
I watched many Thai dramas in 2018, but in my opinion this was one of THE best. If you are looking for a mystery drama that revolves around family relationships then this is the drama for you.

I initially watched this without subs because the synopsis had peaked my interest and frankly I just didn't want to wait. Even without the subs, I was enticed fully from beginning to end. I found myself binge-watching about 6 episodes in the space of a few hours. This family drama was everything I never knew I needed in life. The story was not exactly anything new, I mean betrayal and lies are pretty much main themes in every thing these days, but there was just so much more to this story. I felt for the characters and found myself putting myself in their shoes. The whole Thai-Chinese tradition is intense if you ask me. You would need to watch to see what I mean. When I watched the drama with subs finally, everything was obviously put into more perspective, but the second time I was even more shocked at the many twists in the story.

My only negative is that there were some scenes centred around one of the characters that I really felt were not needed. At one point, I was just like 'why was that even a part of the story'. I came to the conclusion as the story unfolded, that it might have just been how the writer wanted for things to be unveiled. And in all honesty despite my ill feelings, it was actually a pretty crucial aspect.

Acting: the cast overall were fantastic. The older cast especially. I am a big fan of Thanapob Lee (Yi) and was not surprised at how good he was. He proved he has mad acting skills with this role. Of course, JJ Kritsanapoom (Pete), James Teeradon (Vegas) and Captain Chonlathorn (Earn) did great too. The newer faces (may recognise from Thai group 9by9) were fine in their respective roles. You could tell it was their first time acting but otherwise their flaws (e.g. facial expressions) weren't extremely noticeable. What I loved was the portrayal of the many different types of relationships between the younger cast in the drama. The actors and actresses really nailed those parts.

Music: the music was definitely appropriate for the mood of the drama. The choice of the various orchestral scores was a good one. Every time one particular one came on, I was on the edge of my seat.

Re-watch value: 10/10. Heck yeah I would re-watch this, even without subs might I add.

Overall, In Family we Trust is worth the watch. I am really glad I discovered it. Not only is it a roller-coaster ride of emotions, endless surprises await you.

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Completed
Candy and Kiss
22 people found this review helpful
Apr 1, 2019
Completed 4
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 10
This movie is perfect in my eyes. Is the acting pretty bad? Yes it is. Are there a couple cliches? Yeah. Totally, but they're great.
This movie while very simplistic takes on a concept I've never seen before. The main character is a guy who is plagued by his anxiety. Because of this, there may be a time where the viewer'd get annoyed, but the ending is completely satisfying. It's a love story that leaves you with nothing but happiness. It's super pure and super sweet.
It's a JAPANESE MOVIE. I want to say that about every Japanese anything. Because of this, the way the movie is shot and the elements of it will be weird to someone who is not accustomed to Japanese stuff. However if you like Japanese stuff, this is perfect for you.

Rewatch value?: For you crazy BL fans, 100%.

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Ongoing 16/16
The Matchmakers
22 people found this review helpful
by Just7
Dec 26, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 7.0

A solid rom-com which is better than what the rating here suggests.

One of the best drama to come out this year. Glad I didn't change my mind halfway through because of the ratings. This drama knew exactly what it was and stuck with it till the end rather than confusing the audience with unnecessary conflicts which seems to be the trend these days.

I was skeptical at first. Always dropped Rowoon's other dramas except for 'Tomorrow'. But I loved both him and Yi hyun here so much. Both had a innocent charm about them. Which made wait for them each week. And the all other characters were unique and had their own personalities and goals. I always love the stories when it doesn't completely revolve around the main leads. The whole cast did an excellent job.

One thing that may go unnoticed is how well made this drama is. It is very well directed, cinematography is excellent, written without trying to outsmart it's own audience, and soundtrack which was memorable and lively.

If you're looking for a sweet, and heartfelt drama, definitely should give this one a try. Don't mind the ratings.

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Completed
Love Behind the Melody
22 people found this review helpful
Jul 15, 2022
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.5

A little hidden gem of 2022

I've actually never written a review before and neither have I thought that I will one day, cz I just feel lazy to, but I felt obliged to write a review about this drama, since too many are missing out on it and the ratings aren't doing it justice.

I had a blast the last 3 days watching this little gem. If I was to come across this drama or someone recommended it to me, I don't think I would have watched it since I'm not a fan of musical genre. But I'm thankful for the autoplay of youtube that made me watch it ^^
From the acting, to the aesthetics and finishing by the music, everything was on point! Once you watch it , you can't tell it's a low budget drama. 24 episodes is the perfect number for this drama. It could have been even limited to 20 but I don't mind watching my beautiful couple for an extra 4 episodes XD
The Lead Couple did a great job, I was shocked when I knew that the FL is a 2002 liner, cz she nailed it! She looked so mature and well role fitting .AND So did the ML.Their chemistry is incredible.And their relationship is one of the mature,respectful and where mutual trust reigns relationships.There weren't any misunderstandings,nor cliché romance,nor obsessive love.In Short, my definition of a successful relationship.
The second couple was so adorable as well.My favorite roles are Xin'er and the ML servant XD theyre' the best! The comedy is so good.
This drama has the fantasy effect also since the FL is a pipa (chinese instrument) player of the 21 century who went back to the Sheng Dynasty in ancient China as a pipa player as well, where she got to meet our ML who is a talent recruiter and the master of on all girls' orchestra back then. The FL had to finish the girl's will in order to come back and so the beautiful journey begins.
Overall, who ever is looking for a sweet, delightful and stress-relieving short drama to watch I highly recommend this drama ^^ You won't regret it !
PS: even though the subtitles suck but you'll get the point :D

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Completed
9 Seconds: Eternal Time
22 people found this review helpful
Dec 12, 2015
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 6.5
PLEASE WATCH THIS ONE! ... I have picked this only because it was short. No alternative motives, just a random pick. I do not regret it. Although it's designed for younger audience I truly enjoyed the plot of the story. Magic was involved and to be honest with you, couple times it gave me goosebumps. Some moments were funny too at the beginning, but mostly it's a sadder drama dealing with serious issues - I even cried at moments because the story moved me so much. I truly enjoyed this short drama because of its serious yet powerful message. The cast was not only cute but acted well and there was a cute chemistry between the couples. The uncle made me laugh from time to time there was also sad moments that made me think deep. I marathoned the whole thing in one shot and I have not regret it..... by the way, this drama is available on Dramacool and the only thing that should have been improved on was the message at the end.

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About Time
22 people found this review helpful
Dec 10, 2019
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
Totally bucking the trend on this review, I picked it specifically because I wanted to see more of Lee Sung Kyun's work having enjoyed her work as Baek In Ha in Cheese in the Trap, but with review scores on the low side I didn't have my expectations for the overall story too high. I guess I just have different expectations to other viewers then, because I have absolutely loved every minute of this - to the point I just binged the last few episodes, it's nearly 4am and, uhm, I need to get up for work in a too-short-while.

There are some really deep questions posed in this story. If you knew how long you had to live, would you spend that time differently? Would you want to know or not? I think it does a great job of just reminding us all to seize the day now, mend those fences, meet back up with old friends now and don't wait until your funeral for all your old school friends to get back together, do it today. If even one person comes out of watching this story and acts on that message I think it's done its job.

The story has three main "chapters" really, the first is a very happy and fluffy romance story and I think that the transition to the second "chapter" is what throws people because suddenly it's not happy anymore, it's downright depressing, it's hard to watch and there's lots of crying (on the show too, ahem) - but it has purpose. The third "chapter" is then the resolution, which I thought was really great. The conclusion needs you to take a few things at face value and not ask too many questions - but then you're watching a show where someone can see clocks on peoples bodies so let's not get too caught up in the "science".

Choi Mika, the lead character played by Lee Sung Kyun, has the weight of the world on her shoulders, I absolutely cannot understand how her character is tagged "Weak Female Lead" in the tag list for the show because she's one of the strongest characters i've seen to date. She knows when people are going to die, more than that she knows when she herself is going to die and even worse - it's not that far away, 3 months or so. Knowing any of that, let alone all of it, I think most of us would utterly fall to pieces. She's learned to accept it and start saving to help her family after she's gone and she's working to make sure she achieves her dreams before she goes. Yes, she cries a lot once things turn south, but if you can't understand why, that's a shame, it's not because of any kind of lightweight reason.

In the first "chapter" of the story, she meets Lee Do Han who she discovers can stop her clock from counting down and even better, she finds her clock starting to go up and suddenly she has a new lease on life.

I won't go any further into the story because from here on it's spoilers, but suffice to say that if you have even remotely appreciated the weight on her shoulders as the story begins, it becomes unimaginable as the story continues to unfold, and it's here that the crying starts. There's a fair bit, but I don't think any of it unjustified, everyone involved is having an insanely hard time, so it's natural to be sad about it.

In other characters - Lee Do Han (played by Lee Sang Yoon) was good but not the star of the show, which was absolutely and entirely Lee Sung Kyun. Her sparkling performance both in the drama and on the stage within the drama were a joy to watch. Songs from the musical were performed brilliantly by everyone and i'm hoping to find some of them on the OST.

In an unusual twist for me - the other point of the "love triangle" was also an absolute highlight for me. I don't normally like this kind of character at all regardless how well it's played (or love triangles themselves, for that matter) but I thought Im Se Mi completely captured the character as she descends gradually in her composure and sanity throughout the entire story until her dramatic pinnacle when her story comes to a head. I always enjoyed her scenes, even if I was verbally shouting "booo! get off!!" to the TV every time (we'll talk about my own sanity another time).

As demonstrated by the reviews, this is NOT going to be a story everyone gels with, the gear shift from the happy fluffy romance almost within 60 seconds to something entirely different will throw people off, especially how joyful that first bit is, you'll miss it and you'll feel the pain, the author does a good job of making a sky high go to a hellish low.

This is an absolute re-watch for me at some point when I start repeating shows, although it won't have as much magic and mystery the second time around I will enjoy the journey and the amazing music just as much.

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Completed
You Are My Destiny
22 people found this review helpful
by Rabit
Jun 24, 2020
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Overly dramatic. Too much pull and push making it too dragging

Usually, I don't write reviews but was very dissatisfied with this version. I liked the original version more even though the ML was a jerk since the story developed better. I was expecting quite a bit with this version as I love the ML but was quite disappointed. The only thing I liked better is the begining and that it wasn't the medication that made him sleep with her instead they spent time together and got drunk. This version was too much drama for me. It wasn't as light as the Korean or Taiwanese version.
I felt the middle part where he felt in love with her was lacking like too bleh/flat and he found out I like you cuz we are living together and you are my hommy wife (getting used to her making lunch and cleaning).
The ending was were got very draggy and I'm mostly disappointed with. More than 8 episodes deciding to get back together or not. Push and pull too much. I love you but hurts too much to get back together but they kiss (again and again), and it got like that for the last 6 episodes. I was like oh my gosh, get it over with already. She finds out everything he has done for her home, helping her mom and being Mr. W and the baby's room/diary but she still leaves on her trip. What was that for? No love there. Ok, he catches up to her at the airport and again, I love you but I'm leaving you. Gosh... No words.. until Ana texts her and tells her the truth about the divorce papers... Not realistic.. she was so stubborn and trying for the past 3 years without any remorse and decides at the end she can let go and explains it to the FL?? The original, she told grandma about it and she told the ML and they got the misunderstanding done. The other disappointment is no post recovered period in this version. They got back together and went directly to the wedding so no sweet moments together after such dramatic dragging 6-7episodes.
Overall, I didn't like it as much. I was excited and anticipated so much about this version but too dramatic for me. I had to fast forward some parts as I was getting too bored and uninterested. I wouldn't watch it again.

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Completed
Woori the Virgin
22 people found this review helpful
Jun 22, 2022
14 of 14 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 1.5
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 3.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

Somebody left the writers keyboard in a baby's room.

I really wanted to enjoy this but......the writers lost me. So much was missing. They could have save this around episode 6 or 7. It just seemed like they really didn't want to make it worthy of us watching. I really hope they get better roles. Especially Sung hoon i hope thats correct ...the ML. Whoever suggested his last few roles must really hate him. 😒. His last few roles didn't fit him.
It was like watching a horrible accident in the making
All in all i was disappointed for the cast it got to a point were you know it must have been felt weird on set to finish.

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Completed
Summer Again
22 people found this review helpful
by naaa
Aug 1, 2021
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

THE BEST YOUTH DRAMA!!

I want to say that this is probably the BEST high school theme drama I've watch (please mind that this is purely my opinion). I just love everything about it from the acting, the chemistry, the cinematography, everything is just PERFECT.

The plotline is just like any other high school theme drama generally but it has a different element that made it unique from the other drama I've watched before. More than focusing on their loveline (yes there is a loveline but in a high school type of way), it's mostly about friendship. its shows that the bond between friends does not just disappear over time.

I really love how the drama also teaches us that each of us is perfect just the way we are. We don't need to change ourselves just to please others.

TO ME ITS A MUST WATCH HIGH SCHOOL THEME DRAMA. I really recommend this drama to those who are searching for a good drama to watch and mostly to those who loves watching high school type of drama. I PROMISE YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.

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