‘Fishbowl Wives’ ; A Worthwhile Watch, Or A Waste Of Precious Time?
‘ Kingyo Tsuma’ ( alternatively known as ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ or ‘ 金魚妻’) is adapted from the eponymous psychological work by Kurosawa R . A mature and a surprisingly dark insight at times into the world of marriage, affairs and domestic abuse, ‘ Kingyo Tsuma’ is an intriguing if somewhat unrelieved portrayal into the fishbowl-like environment of main female lead Sakura Hiraga ( Shinohara Ryoko).
Hiraga is seemingly living the dream. She’s married to affluent hair stylist Hiraga Takuya( Ando Masanobu), she lives in an opulent penthouse apartment and she is envied by almost everyone that she knows.However as the saying goes: the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Unbeknownst to others, the seemingly perfect Sakura Hiraga is an abuse-victim. Attacked physically and verbally by her husband on a regular basis, Hiraga likens herself to a goldfish stuck in a fishbowl; trapped in an inescapable situation with no way out.
It is due to her fascination with goldfish that Hiraga ends up encountering Toyoda Haruto ( Iwata Takanori). Toyoda is a kindhearted and younger man who owns a pet shop. After becoming enamoured by Hiraga, the female lead begins to question whether Todoya could be the key for her escaping from her megalomaniacal husband.
Screenwriter Tsubota Fumi has numerous works accredited under her name. Previously having worked upon ‘ Will I Be Single Forever ?’ (2021), Ojisan wa Kawaii Mono ga Osuki’ (2020) and ‘ Colorful Love: Genderless Danshi ni Aisareteimasu’ (2021), Fumi has notably had previous experience with adapting or writing somewhat “ avant garde” or unconventional screenplays.
This isn’t to entirely critique Fumi’s screenplay or the leadership of directors Matsuyama Hiroaki ( ‘ Mystery To Iunakare’, ‘ Switched’, ‘ Nobunaga Concerto’ ) and Namiki Michiko ( ‘ Mirai Nikki’, ‘Soredemo, Ikite Yuku’, ‘ Ichikei no Karasu’). The series did an excellent job through the writing reigns of Fumi and Hiroaki and Michiko’s lens perspective of making viewers feel uncomfortable during key moments. The topics exploited onscreen particularly revolving around infidelity, debauchery and domestic abuse could often purposefully make the viewer feel almost voyeuristic.
In addition to this it was apparent that ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ offered some wry and witty attempts at comic relief- a droll comic exchange or setup evidently drawing attention away from tense or angst-ridden moments in the series. However where ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ could admittedly feel somewhat limited was through the direction of writing .
The performances given by the main cast are certainly solid, with Shinohara Ryoko and Iwata Takanori particularly stealing the spotlight during tense or tour de force moments.
On the other hand whilst both leading actors’ idiosyncratic performances were certainly good, the onscreen chemistry between Ryoko and Takanori was admittedly somewhat stunted and inconsistent in parts .
Perhaps this isn’t entirely the fault of the actors. Whilst there is supposed to be an awkward barrier between their onscreen characters due to their respected age gap, it was often hard for viewers to truly engage with this “ developing” relationship due to the characters rarely having a lot of personal drive. ( Particularly with Sakura Hiraga. Although the female lead does develop and does make some life-changing decisions, there were many elements surrounding her seeming “ disregarded” dreams, her first meeting with Takuya as well as trauma which were often widely disregarded and limited opportunities in order to flesh out her character.)
Naturally this also had a knock-on effect with the plot. One of the focal and major drives of ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ narrative came through Hiraga and Haruto trying to find happiness. Whilst we did see opportunities as viewers towards Haruto and Hiraga’s feelings for one another blossoming and the impact of their relationship upon plot, the somewhat lukewarm venture into the characters’ mutual growth and chemistry with one another did restrict dynamic engagement with the audience.
As for the progression of the narrative, ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ is truly a trial of patience. Even for an eight episode miniseries the plot could feel somewhat tedious in parts and slightly dragged out. Admittedly the series did attempt to offer some distributed screen time upon the subplots revolving around Hiraga’s acquaintances, but due to limited screen time, these storylines felt somewhat rushed and sporadically placed.
The delivered ending is admittedly dependent on viewers’ expectations; some possible enjoying the bittersweet note and imagery, whilst others feeling somewhat disappointed by the lack of a concise conclusion.
Under the directing reigns of Hiroaki and Michiko, ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ is notably an assortment of bright palette schemes, symbols and motifs. ( One of the most reoccurring motifs throughout the series evidently being the goldfish; an important plot device for the main characters, as well as a symbol of irony and foreshadowing). In addition to this the OST is notably subtle yet synchronic with key scenes; somewhat generic in parts, but helping to heighten certain scenes also.
‘ Fishbowl Wives’ offered viewers with aesthetically pleasing scenes and decent performances by the cast. However whilst the series did offer viewers with an intriguing plot premise, ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ slowly began to meet its cataclysmic downfall as the series progressed. The ending of the series will certainly differ for audiences dependent on expectations, but helped to reinforce the assertion that ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ struggled at times to escape its own bubble of writing limitations also.
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Watch for the plot, not the romance
A lighthearted easy to watch drama with the main focus being the dating show.I had very high expectations for this drama after watching the first two episodes, it was right up my alley (providing an old kdrama vibe). However, it slowly lost that charm. Don't get me wrong, it's still a reasonable drama, I really like the dating show concept, it kind of feels like watching one, the only difference is being able to see the behind the scenes chemistry of the cast and how it's all put together. But just a heads up before jumping into this, the first half and second half are quite different due to its shift from focussing on the mains relationship to only mostly focussing on the dating show.
As much as I absolutely adored them in the early episodes, towards the second half of the drama, I began to lose interest in Yu Reum and Jae Hoon's relationship. I was worried this would affect my overall view of LIFS as waiting for their romantic relationship to actually develop was tiring. However, I chose to focus on their individual stories, rather than their romantic ones and I think, with that mentality, I was able to stick with this longer and enjoy the drama more. And for that, I recommend starting LIFS for the plot and less for the romance between the main leads, because, even 11 episodes in, there is little to no romance between the two. The title 'Love Is for Suckers' summarises this drama pretty well.
Lee Da Hee and Choi Si Won are an amazing kdrama couple (perfectly casted in my opinion), but they sadly just couldn't thrive the way they were meant to with a plot like this... They had so much potential, but the writing was lazy, giving no tension or hook.
There is a love triangle, but the second female lead is sweet and likeable, no overly rude and annoying SFL's in this drama - just means viewers might root for her happiness more.
Overall, it's cheesy but not to the point of being unbearable and cringe to watch, the acting is pretty good and most of the characters are likeable in their own quirky way. The plots rather simple (and slow paced), but it's reasonably interesting despite being a bit messy and occasionally going backwards rather than forwards in the development of characters. Also, the actual story doesn't start until episode 5; the first 4 are more just an introduction to the characters and their backstories.
The writer did one thing right - giving a good character development to John Jang. I was so much more invested in his story, he’s surprisingly a really likeable character as the story progresses. Park Ji Wan too! Those two are lowkey my favourite characters. ^^
If you read my review and still think you'll watch it, why not - go for it! Despite its flaws, it's still worth checking out.
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Cast: My favorite character was Dal Bong (Hyung Sik) I think he resembled his father in personality and traits the most - he was the most caring kid this guy had - even in his immaturity he was still pretty mature lol His character brings life to this drama with all his charm, cuteness, emotions, temper, awkwardness & that "fake laughter" of his that was so similar to his dads^^ Seol Woo the country bumpkin as I call her is my second favorite. Kang Shim & Tae Joo were the hilarious couple - man that guy can make lots of weird, crazy, strange ugly funny faces lol - but he was quite charming when he was serious <3 & KS can sure make a person cry :'( The Dad is my next favorite - his only fault - being a little too self-less. Then we have the cousin Young Sul - always looking for trouble might I say lol The rest are all on equal boats for me - I never really liked Kang Jae (the older brother) he was way too emotion-less and distant but there were a couple scenes where he made me cry. He's arrogant and I've never liked arrogant people - they rub me the wrong way... oh and Dal Bong's "friend" Eun Ho was a great part of the cast too, he really riles Dal Bong's feathers up and it was entertaining most of the time, a few times I got mad at him but that quickly dissipated every time :P
Music: On the Road by Choi Baek Ho, I Told You by Yozoh, Father's Youth by ? (I really like this song but I don't know the artist)
Re-watch Value: 9/10 I really enjoyed it and will re-watch it again someday.
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Usually in J-dramas the topic of sex is one that is not addressed at all; in this drama, it is there and openly seen, but not in a lewd and raunchy manner (unfortunately which is seen far too much in American dramas) so that is a relief. We see characters actually acting like adults and not middle school students that are afraid to hold hands. There are actually kiss scenes that are quite believable and not overly awkward to watch. The romance scenes are not too steamy to the point that you would get uncomfortable if someone were to walk into the room when you were watching.
Another positive point is the music, setting, and atmosphere. This drama was beautifully shot and has a great soundtrack of memorable songs that get stuck in your head for the entire week after watching an episode. I myself have been listening to the soundtrack a lot. Ken Arai did a great job in capturing the perfect compositions for the various moments in the drama. I also like how the theme of chocolate was included in the drama. It is not strictly a food drama but the importance of this beloved treat in the various love interest's lives is an interesting and apt addition, without overriding the other aspects of the plot and making it another culinary porn type of series.
Things I did not like about the drama were the lack of characterization for certain characters, especially Rikudou and Sekiya , and to an extent Saeko. Rikudou could have been a very memorable character if utilized properly, but unfortunately his presence was one that contributed very little to the drama as a whole. Sato Ryuuta did a great job in all of the scenes that he was in. Sekiya was just a pointless throwaway character. The actor's performance was not memorable and neither was the character. As for Saeko, I feel like we could have seen more what makes her the person she is, like a bit of her past, her hopes, dreams, ambitions. Instead, she is regulated to an empty manic pixie dream girl who really is defined by the men she is with. Sure, there were some good instances of female bonding with Kaoruko , but the character was not developed enough. The same can be said about Olivier as well.
Also, the drama does a poor job of addressing heavy subjects such as domestic violence and infidelity. I feel the characters have done things that are taboos and generally accepted as wrongs, but very little repentance is shown. It really sends a clouded message. As for the ending, I very much though that it summed things up nicely, apart from certain unrealistic and overly optimistic aspects. I'm glad the ending wasn't the typical drama ending, but this opinion may not be shared by others.
All in all, it was a entertaining drama from start to finish, though definitely not perfect. So for that, I give it an 8 overall.
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NOTE: The official YouTube channel does not have subtitles and blocked Fruitylads's posts. Try Google. Also, these episodes average 25 minutes with a staggering 5.5 minutes of opening/closing credits!
ACTING/CAST: The ENTIRE cast are all very HOT! You will see a scene where Lu Bai does Cosplay; I am at a loss for words to explain how amazing he looks. There's so much good chemistry here, especially between Xiao Mo and Lu Bai. The cast are young and inexperienced, and it shows.
MUSIC: I like the main theme and the credits and there's some good background music, like the haunting piano melody when something bad is happening.
REWATCH VALUE: Yes. Already have. I simply love the story and concept even if all the BL was cut out of it.
OVERALL: I love fantasy but wish there was more focus on a bromance instead of just fan service. Watch the prequel movies too.
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“Your job needs to be something more than just a source of income”. Ok Da Jung.
Don’t let the cover picture nor the description fool you! This is no rom-com and I actually mean that in a good way. I have missed the old typical rom-com K dramas, which had meaning and had strong message to carry on. I was almost losing hope in finding good quality typical K drama BUT I finally found Ms. Temper & Nam Jung-Gi! At first it may give you the impression that it’s just a silly, funny, shallow typical k drama with lots of clichés and predictable plot. Yes, it is to some point predictable I’m not going to say it isn’t BUT is it typical? No, in my opinion it isn’t. First of all, take any rom-com drama out there (especially work related ones) and take out the “romance” element or the “comedy” element what are you left with? Basically nothing impressive, this drama on the other hand has so much more to offer you other than just romance or comedy.
The story took path where we as viewers couldn’t predict; it wasn’t really focused on one certain element but all elements and all characters equally. I loved how the work environment is the most essential element here and loved the way it was presented. They took something real and serious and presented it in a funny and humeral way at the same time kept it realistic. Therefore, you as a viewer not only will you have fun and great amount of laughter while watching but also you will appreciate/understand the message behind each and every episode here.
Ms. Temper & Nam Jung-Gi as a drama has given importance for the side characters just as much for the main characters and that is something isn’t often seen in drama land if you ask me. The story allows you to slowly understand the characters each and every one of them and takes you along with them so you will be able to understand their actions or why they decided to live their lives the way they do. In opinion what makes this drama special isn’t the story as much as the well-written characters. I wonder how the writers were able to make them so interesting and fun to watch at the same time kept them down to earth real. No perfection, no bad or evil characters here just different perspectives and different way of looking at things. Life is hard enough, we fight constant battles each day to survive we don’t have the luxury to worry about others so how far are we willing to go in order to survive? Does that make us bad/selfish people or timid spineless people? Or does it just simply make us people?
I will take a moment here and appreciate one of K drama’s best female character ever created and a true role model Ok Da Jung (Lee Yo Won). She is a strong, righteous and great person who knows exactly how to stand up for herself and wouldn’t fight using dirty methods no matter what. She may seem harsh and too blunt but she isn’t a bully and she cares mostly for the company and staff. You could learn so much from Ok Da Jung and you will probably wish you had such a great boss to work for in real life.
I think Lee Yo Won did great accepting this project, at first I was surprised because I am used to watching her in melodramas or more dark serious plots and entirely different characters than ODJ so I wondered why would an A-list actress go for cable project and with such unknown cast but I still trusted her judgment and as her fan I respect her for taking this risk. This is her first rom-com project and I’m happy she decided to explore her talent, she was wonderful as Ok Da Jung it will be almost impossible for you not to love her. The rest of the cast did splendidly especially Yoon Sang Hyun as the timid nice angel Nam Jung Gi and Hwang Chan Sung as the boy who has still yet to learn to grow into a man who can handle responsibility. It is fair to say that even the guest actors (Lee Jung Jin & Yeon Jung Hoon) did an amazing job for short appearance; I was delighted to have them on the show.
I generally do not rewatch dramas but I do have few ones that I'd rewatch. However I think this drama can easily be rewatchable material for anyone who would rewatch dramas in general because I do believe it will be just as much fun as it was the first time and frankly you never get enough of Ok Da Jung & Woo Joo's scenes.
Overall
I can see this drama will be one of the underrated dramas here on MDL and will go unnoticed. I don’t know if my review has helped or not but if you are looking for your typical fluffy romance then let me tell you this isn’t it. This drama does not focus on the romance in fact you can barely see it but you most certainly can feel it. The thing is "romance" in here is presented in mature manner but that's also has its beauty so don't let this stop you from giving the drama a chance. Ms. Temper & Nam Jung-Gi has so much more than just comedy and romance; this is a fun enjoyable ride if you are willing to appreciate what this drama has to offer. After all as Nam Jung Gi says, “Does a relationship between a man and woman have to be melo or lovely dovey fairytale? Why do people expect that?”.
Also Ok Da Jung and Woo Joo make the cutest most adorable couple ever don't miss out on that :')
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First I'll mention what worked, and for me that was Choi Daniel. This is the part where I confess that I probably kept watching because I was developing a crush on Nam Chi Won at the same time Yoon Yi was. Being handsome has a lot to do with it, but he really was great in his role. I loved finding out more weird and adorkable things about him hiding behind his rigid and serious exterior. I also thought Yoon Yi was cute without crossing too far over into annoyingville. I think the romance between these too really worked well, and carried the show. There are lots of cute, sweet, and even some sexy moments. Some moments were a bit too cheesy for me, but that goes back to the bad writing, not the acting.
I think the same can be said for Lee Won Keun and Kang Hye Jung. Their relationship was definitely weird, but adorable. Although I liked watching how their characters became closer, and think their relationship arc was better than the main couple, I still feel like making them deal with stupid storylines made them a little less appealing.
The rest of the supporting cast was mostly good. I liked the office worker cast, though they were mainly there for quick commentary, and comic relief. I was a little less impressed with the 4 girl friends. Their scenes all together were pretty boring, and since their friendship is a large part of the plot, that's not a good thing. I especially wish that they gave her coffee making friend more of a story besides just being the mediator. Then there are the villainous bosses, who were so over the top that I couldn't take that part of the story seriously. Some situations were funny, but they got to be so repetitive, that I could no longer laugh without cringing a little. They also waited too long to add depth to some of the characters. The last episode is way to late to try to make me sympathize with a person who's been in jerk mode for 15 episodes. Too many of the supporting characters were written to be one note.
I think some of the disconnect with me and this drama may be also cultural. I can't really relate to dating scandal plots, and I don't see the big deal about divorce, or being an older employee... So what were major issues for the characters didn't seem so major to me. The office rivalries also couldn't hold my interest, and I was often tempted to skip scenes. Obviously that means a low rewatch score from me too.
Overall, I enjoyed enough of it to keep watching till the very end, but I can't quite recommend it, or say that it was good. It took a while to grow on me, then managed to hold my interest, but I can see myself forgetting all about this drama in a few months. If you like romance dramas, and you don't have anything exciting in your queue, this could be a good way to fill the time. It's probably much better to binge watch too, so you don't get bored, or tempted to drop it. At the very least you've got Daniel being as cute as possible for 16 episodes, and for me that was good enough!
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This review may contain spoilers
I just finish the drama and I'm shock. The story was good and it had power female characters. MC was a good hero and I ship him with Xun Er. I really happy that they didn't go the harem route for the MC like in the book. I hope he pick one girl to stay with.The only thing I dislike was that it has a lot of loop holes in the story, but there not too bad. You still can get the plot flow even though some time things are clearly missing. The story plot goes normal speed and isn't slow like a manga or webtoon tends to be.
I really hope there a season 2 and the MC comes back(there been rumors that his not coming back). I hope the MC pick ome girl and keep it that way for season 2.
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A well-structured but boring watch
PLOT: Starts entertaining, but sizzles out pretty darn fast--------------------------------------------------------------
Jun Ji Hoon (the ML) is an Interpol undercover agent working on a case that involves his Ah Reum's (his ex-wife's) close friend. When the job goes south, Ji Hoon is forced to keep a close eye on Ah Reum (the FL), reigniting his feelings for her in the process.
In the wake of a tragedy, Ah Reum decides to unofficially investigate the suspicious circumstances of her friend's death. The trail leads her to reconnect with Ji Hoon, her ex-husband, and then later to suspect Derek Hyun, her current husband, of being involved in her friend's death.
If you go by the summary, one would imagine this show to be Male-centric, since we know right off the bat that the Male Lead and Second Male Lead are both secret agents on opposing sides. And to a certain extent, the story begins with them. Yet Kang Ah Reum's character becomes the best thing about this show and the heart of the story until we cross into the second half.
Unfortunately, there's nothing memorable about this drama aside from the depiction of a consistently strong Female Lead, who just so happens to also be kind of boring and a bit self-centered.
While we could blame the incorporation of comedy as one of the weakest points, it's the bland characters that hurt this drama the most.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Simple, dull, and unengaging
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Kang Ah Reum:
An ambitious wedding dress designer who works hard to keep her business afloat, Ah Reum is not only smart, charming, and hardworking; but she's also stubborn, uncompromising, and committed to a cause. For a Female Lead, Ah Reum is always actively involved in the plot and, one could even say; she one-ups both Male Leads on multiple occasions. Credit where credit is due, the writer managed to keep Ah Reum from becoming the "victim" of the male leads' deceitfulness. That doesn't mean she doesn't feel hurt when she figures out both men lied to her, but rather that she isn't defined by that pain. Unfortunately, after a while, her character just falls flat and becomes boring. Her wishy-washy attitude towards the male leads certainly doesn't help. And she starts to showcase some flaws as we cross into the second half, during which she's shown to be self-centered, petty, and judgemental.
Jun Ji Hoon:
An undercover Interpol agent who's introduced as the ace of his team and Ah Reum's ex-husband. Unlike your typical Male Lead, Ji Hoon has been written with enough flaws to balance his strengths. He's a master of combat, smart, and loyal; but he's also emotionally-driven, ridden with guilt, and lonely due to his sacrificial nature. Outside of his love for Ah Reum, however, there's nothing of substance to his character. And let's just say there are even a few occasions where I wondered if he was referred to as the "ace" in a sarcastic way. Don't get me wrong, he's always a sweet character, but he's ultimately the most boring.
Derek Hyun:
He's Ah Reum's current husband and a corporate spy working for an underground group who's wanted by Interpol. He's a master of disguise; charming and sweet, who has been groomed from a very young age in the art of deceit. And it's precisely how easy that smile lights his face that makes him a dangerous spy. For one never knows if he'll offer a hug one second and stab you in the back with the next. Out of all the characters, he was the most interesting but also the less explored.
Although the three of them may read quite impressive on paper, they failed to be fleshed out properly. Like I've mentioned, Derek comes closest to an intriguing protagonist, especially on those few occasions when he narrates his thoughts and exposes his contradicting feelings. But being locked in the wretched love triangle hurts his story; as his identity crisis (being a loving husband vs being a cold-blooded spy) is never dealt with properly. Especially because the drama reminds us constantly that he's the second male lead and we all know what that means, right?
With leads me to talk about the weakest part of the drama...
PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Uncommitted & boggled down by the Love Triangle
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If you're not tolerant of a love triangle that drags throughout most of the story, then this one will test your patience. Add to that the fact that it's never made clear who Ah Reum loves from the two men (up until the very end), and this draggy mess of a romance becomes boring fast.
Ah Reum is certainly loyal to Derek, but at some point, it felt more of a commitment of the mind than of the heart. Long before certain events took place, it was clear she felt like she was "stuck" with Derek rather than she wanted to be with him. Which was a disservice to both characters and their relationship.
On the other hand, Ah Reum's feelings of guilt towards Ji Hoon, whom she felt she discarded when their relationship got too hard, makes her constantly gravitate to him more organically. And because Ji Hoon is still in love with her, their relationship felt like infidelity in progress --which is a hard sell for someone intolerant to cheating portrayed as romantic.
It's clear that reconnecting with Ji Hoon and finding out the real reason they broke up shook Ah Reum's heart enough to tempt her. Which caused her relationship with Derek to feel like a settlement of responsibility rather than actual love.
It doesn't help that the love triangle feels forced and unfair towards both male leads; who lose their identity by becoming little more than love interests.
The desire of the writer to keep both prospects equals in terms of pain also meant that most of the emotional aspect of Derek's story was left unexplored. Even worst, Ji Hoon got an uncompelling, watered-down version of Derek's story to keep him in the "running" for the audience's sympathy.
Needless to say, I didn't enjoy the romance at all, which is a problem since that's a big part of the dull plot.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Unmemorable
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There's not much to say about them except that they provided a few comedic moments. Ultimately, though, they were unremarkable.
ANTAGONISTS: Predictable & riddled with clichés
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The drama had too many antagonists and, as a result, they all felt shallow, cliched, and uninspired in their execution. None of them stood out or left an impression. How could they? There were so many, there was simply no time to make them unique or even slightly interesting, for that matter.
The only one who was mildly interesting because of his eccentricity was Jang Doo Bong, who showed Hyun Joon has some great acting chops.
OVERALL: Draggy and forgettable
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I think the drama struggled to create a good enough story for me to recommend it. This feels more character-driven than plot-driven, yet the characters themselves lack complexity or at least something interesting to make them stand out. The bland story, coupled with the uninteresting characters, made this drama a difficult one to muscle through. The pacing slowed and dragged even more once it crossed into the second half. So if this drama doesn't pique your interest during the first four episodes, chances are you won't enjoy the rest.
Perhaps The Spies Who Loved Me needed to have fewer characters to properly flesh out the important ones? Or maybe they could've gotten rid of the whole love triangle business sooner, so we could focus on the plot and the "twist" (I'm being generous by calling it that)?
Though Derek's story was the only interesting aspect, it wasn't original. Episode 15 may have touched lightly upon identity crisis, but it was never fully delved into. It's a shame because that aspect showed potential for an enjoyable watch. But the fact that he wasn't the Male Lead also meant his airtime was limited in service of giving Ji Hoon (a much less interesting character) more screentime.
While Ah Reum was certainly a strong female character, ultimately she was just as uninteresting as her male counterpart. I never felt emotionally invested in any of their stories. Even when the characters were in pain, the portrayal of hurt seemed superficial and irrelevant. There were also a TON of cringy moments when it came to the bromance; a relationship that seemed built for kicks & comedy at best, and queer-baiting at worst. Although the last few episodes did show a sweeter relationship between the guys.
All in all, I can't recommend this drama if you're looking for an interesting plot. But if you enjoy love-triangles and don't mind a bland story, this one might strike your fancy.
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I feel the plot is kind of a cliche but written well, it can be great. And I honestly loved this drama. The actors were great, the progress was good, and overall probably one of my favorite Korean dramas.
I'll admit I only started watching this because of Song Ji Hyo. I haven't seen too much of her work and I'll also admit at times I did see "Running Man's Ace Mong Ji" from time to time during the drama. I feel it just can't be helped though.
I adored the chemistry between Song Ji Hyo and Choi Jin Hyuk. They fit together so perfectly in my opinion. Their cute scenes, fighting scenes, funny scenes etc were great to watch.
The supporting cast was great too. I can't remember all the names but I felt all the family members, interns, doctors and nurses were great. They had enough screen time to move the plot along and were just as important as the main leads. And can I just say the emotional scenes got me wiping the tears away. And that baby. He was so adorable!
One thing I do have to say is that I feel this drama could've been maybe a couple episodes shorter. Some things dragged just a little and I'm glad they didn't make it more than 21 episodes. Compared to others though, the plot being dragged on isn't as bad. Episodes moved by quickly so it honestly didn't feel like I watched 21 episodes.
Music was okay. Same background music and whatnot. Oh, I loved the sound effects that were always used. It just made things even funnier.
This is also one of the few times where I was happy with the ending. When the flashbacks of the drama and bloopers started playing, I sat in front of my laptop feeling satisfied. Wish there could be a special or something later on.
I would definitely watch this drama again and recommend it to anyone. It's a good drama to watch during down time.
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Simply because this is an action drama, I just love watching action dramas and IRIS seemed to be the right choice at the time.
2) Storyline/Plot:
The general storyline was written in a good way, there were a lot of interesting cliffhangers all over the drama, action-suspense packed with romance thrown every once in awhile.
Postive Points:
*Being an action drama that's full of suspense isn't something new yet to see this type of drama in the Korean industry is rare that's why it would feel appealing.
*Main Genres:
--->Action: Considering the fact that this is an action drama, it contained many fighting scenes which were attracting to watch. The action element was set in a way that would make the viewers anxious about the next fighting development. Well, martial arts scenes were practically absent, only guns and free wrestling yet it felt right for this kind of drama plus fighting all over the drama was cool to follow.
--->Suspense: The suspense element wasn't very interesting like the action element yet that doesn't deny the fact that it had an important effect through the drama and the story's development. It's true that it wasn't present ever since the beginning but the fact that it got extended every episode was a smart move to make the audience wonder about what will happen next.
--->Romance: I wouldn't say it's fully a positive point but it was the right amount for an intense drama because in action-suspense dramas, too much romance would ruin the whole plot. Here, romance participated in the story's development by making it more captivating.
Negative Points:
*The negative points that I can think of are related to the suspense element; it's true that I previously mentioned it in the positive points column and it's true that suspense made this drama more interesting yet when there is suspgense and mystery there should be "truth revealing" at/near the end but that wasn't the case here. Yes, we get to know many things but it was left open in an annoying way.
Story: 9/10.
3) Acting/Cast:
*Lee Byung Hun:
I am not very familiar with him as an actor so I wondered if he could pull off an intense role, I also kept questioning his ability in delivering emotions through his acting and the answer was: Good action actor, I liked his skills whether in action or in the dramatical scenes (even though there weren't many).
Kim Hyun Jun was an ordinary action lead male character, I can't think of something special about his character since I've seen it many times before yet it wasn't boring nor usual to watch. I enjoyed his scenes especially his action scenes because he had some respectable action moves.
*Kim Tae Hee:
I like this actress but I believe that her previous roles weren't that interesting therefore I was happy to find her in an action drama with a an intense role. I wanted to confirm her skills and I am satisfied; her perfomance was good enough to make me like her even more.
Choi Seung Hee was an acceptable character, it's true that her action scenes weren't that special and I wanted her to be more strong yet it was good enough to keep the entertainment.
*Other Cast:
As for other main roles, I believe that they were satisfying as actors and characters. Supporting roles were good, I have no complains about them. I specially liked the second lead female as an actress and as a character.
*Relationships:
--->Friendship: I liked the realationship between Hyun Jun and Sa Won all the way through the drama whether it was bromance or conflicts. The friendship between Hyun Jun and Kim Sun Hwa was good too, it's one of the fewest times that I liked the relationship between the lead male and the second lead female.
--->Romance: There was great chemistry between the main roles, the romantic scenes between Hyun Jun and Seung Hee were always good to watch.
--->The Triangle: It was different and much better from other usual boring Korean triangles.
Cast: 8.5/10
Acting: 9/10.
4) The ending:
Don't expect too much from the ending, it's one of the storyline's flaws since it doesn't answer the suspense questions yet it's expected for this intense drama. The ending will leave with lots of questions, it could be considered as an open ending or maybe they're preparing questions for a second season or a film, in that case I wouldn't consider it as an ending.
The ending's rating 7/10.
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
*Usually, an action drama is always interesting for me but this drama had great bonuses: Romance and suspense, which means that I fully enjoyed it from the beginning till the end.
*There's no chance that you will get bored while watching this drama. You can consider it as a thrilling ride that will take you through amazing events and awesome action scenes.
*Is this drama memorable: Yes it is, the fact that it is one of the fewest Korean action dramas, I think it worth a spot in my "unforgettable dramas list" and I am still hoping for a second season, I think it would be good.
My impression: 9/10
6) Overall:
*If you like action-suspense dramas then you need to watch this.
*If you like action dramas with romance thrown in it then IRIS will fit your taste.
*IRIS is a drama that you need to watch when you're looking for a respectable action story with lots of mystery and suspense and let's not forget that it has great main roles.
Overall: 9/10.
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Bloody mess
If you have watched some classic Takashi Miike films, you probably know what to expect. If you haven’t, I recommend you to check the tags and see for yourself if it is something that you can stomach or not.What I liked:
- Opening credits: a gorgeously made animated intro.
- Cinematography and directing: nice camera angles, great color grading, some beautiful shots and well choreographed action scenes. Certainly a pleasure to the eye.
- CGI and gore: The CGI looks realistic enough and the gore scenes seem like they came out from a video game or a webtoon. As a result not only you can feel the influence from the source material, but at the same time the gory scenes are as bloody as they should be to not disturb the viewer. The gore and disturbing scenes are actually pretty mild comparing to some of his work (Audition, I am looking at you).
- Duration of the episodes: each episode lasts from around 37 minutes to 50, something that greatly helps with the pacing.
- Female lead: we finally have a strong morally grey female character.
- Easy and fun to watch: again, if you are not into violent and gory series, you will probably hate this, but if you like watching these type of shows, you will be entertained enough.
- Jung Hae In looking like an anime character: self explanatory. I am shallow, I know.
What I disliked:
- Lack of suspense: even though it is a fun ride, as a viewer I didn’t feel like I had to watch the next episode immediately.
- Plot holes and nonsensical scenes: unfortunately there are way too much nonsensical stuff (plainly speaking the characters' actions are dumb).
- One of the characters that appeared in the last episodes: I found that particular character very unrealistic (I know this is a sci-fi drama but still).
- Comedic relief: I felt like they added some elements as comedic relief and even though they didn’t focus on them, I found them unnecessary for a live action.
- Unnecessary actions between our two main characters.
What I found mediocre:
- ML’s character: this is just a personal thing, but I found the male lead to be a bit underwhelming at times. He is definitely not your typical hero, but his foolish actions and the fact that he could barely fight made some of the scenes a bit boring to watch.
- Plot: even though there were a lot of plot holes and nonsensical stuff happening, like I previously mentioned, the plot had potential and the concept was pretty good. I definitely had fun watching it, as I knew I had to think illogically to enjoy it.
- Acting: definitely more on the positive side, but certainly it didn’t have the great performances that I expected.
All in all, it was fun and easy watch that you can only enjoy if you know beforehand that you need to throw your brain out of the window.
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A sparking marble in the grass
The first couple of episodes, while charming, had me fearing mediocrity. But over time, I grew to see a surprising level of quiet depth and maturity in the leads. These young men have been hurt and are still dealing with hurt. One is more naive and hopeful, though, while the other is disillusioned with reality and terrified.Takara's fight to not fall into the same depths as his mother and fear of himself the moment he mirrors her behaviors, even slightly, in particular, stood out to me.
"If I want something, I must have it."
What it must be like to fear your own wants and feel the need to push your desires aside in case you just might take a treasure into your hands, keep it from the world, and unwillingly crush it.
I would like others to see what I did, but I understand if you don't. Regardless, I found this a precious watch that I almost want to keep to myself. My own "treasure."
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2
1It's TayNew Magic
I always write my reviews with parting positive , negative points but there is no negative thing so I have to write my review in a paragraph . I have seen Tay and Newwie's acting before so I am not surprised right now . There are no words to describe how outstanding this drama is . Although this is not a BL but you don't need romance if there is Tay and Newwiee . Every scenes of this drama is chaotic , funny and awesome . If you are feeling bore then must watch this series . The cinematography , music ., visuals , story and the side characters are just perfect . And most likable thing is Tay and Newwie are doing different types of drama apart from BLs .Overall a solid 10 /10 for me .
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