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.
Was this review helpful to you?
The creepiest, most disturbing, most terrifying study of the human mind!
Finally a drama made me write a review and this one deserves all the golden stars.The story keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing all the way through. The ominous atmosphere makes you feel like something terribly bad is going to happen any second. This drama studies human mind in such a terrifying and fascinating way.
Acting is top-notch! I checked this drama out purely because I love Lee Dong Wook and think he's the most beautiful man alive but I'd never seen this side of him before and I'm so glad I have now. This became my new favorite roll of his. All the actors in this drama knocked it out of the park.
The OST fits perfectly and even though I prefer OST pt. 1 by The Rose, I truly love and enjoy all the four songs.
Strangers from Hell is in my opinion a perfect gateway drug into dramaland for any lover of true crime or creepy psychological stuff in general. WE NEED MORE DRAMAS LIKE THIS!
Was this review helpful to you?
Extended Fan Service Special Episodes
I was only asking for maybe a couple of episodes just to tie up the original series properly, but instead we got 5!Its an obvious attempt to correct the shortcomings of 2gether and im glad that the relationship between Wat and Tine doesnt feel like bromance anymore. What i appreciated even more is the better screentime for Mil and Phukong, for Man and Type, and yes even for Dim and Green, oh and Boss and Pear.
Its supposed to be an easy to watch teeny boppy romance so lower your expectations and just enjoy the ride.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
A different perspective
Overall, the premise was interesting, cast and acting was outstanding. The unique musical taste added a memorable flair to the entire drama. I truly enjoyed the entire ride, though there were some major flaws which did not sit well with me. I'll focus on mainly the negative points as most of the other reviews here are positive.- I don't watch too many action movies as I'm not a big fan of fight scenes, and this drama really reinforced that in me. The main character, Doki, just seemed invincible to the point where there was no conflict during any fights. You were not rooting for him anymore because you just knew he would survive. Too many times he would go 1 vs 15... and win... Even at one point getting whacked by a baseball bat over 20 times, then escaping and going 1 vs 15... TWICE, and winning. Another time getting stabbed in the shoulder and taking down an entire legion of men with baseball bats, solo. Not humanly possible, no matter what level of military experience.
- Judging from the title, you'd expect more involvement of the taxi or the taxi driver. I loved the style of the first two revenge cases - the factory and school violence cases - picking up the client in the taxi and hearing their stories. From the data centre case onwards, it just became so convoluted. The agency picked up cases where they had no stakes in, and it felt like the drama shifted more to focusing on the content of the cases rather than the agency's role in protecting the victims.
- Potential spoiler ahead! The last episode left a sour taste in my mouth. I interpreted the last scene as the gang getting back together, DESPITE already agreeing to part ways just 20 minutes before (1 year in the timeline). So what was the purpose, then, of building up the whole 'Revenge begets revenge' narrative? I felt like it was a clear money grab at securing a second season, and, speaking of money grabs, the product placement was a little over the top that that was all that stuck in my mind after watching the finale.
With all that being said, it was definitely an enjoyable ride as, after all, it's just entertainment. In terms of Kdrama quality, this was undoubtedly an extremely well-produced drama, with a memorable plot as well. I wouldn't call this my favourite crime/thriller, but I'd give it bonus points for going beyond just the mundane cat and mouse plots typically found in police dramas.
Was this review helpful to you?
Many of you will know that SitR ties closely with One Spring Night, whether it be the casting, music or directing styles. This doesn't mean that OSN is simply a carbon copy. No, it's much more than that. This show is a picturesque amalgamation of modern romance, societal pressures and conservative values without the unnecessary plot devices employed by other Korean dramas. But that's just Ahn Pan-seok's (director) style, and it's why I am a huge fan.
Lets go through this methodically so I don't lose track of my objective here. OSN is a story of two people with their own complicated situations, falling madly in love despite the inevitable backlash that will result from the stigma imposed by their cultural values. This is also something that should be kept in mind. This is a story based within Korean culture and society so there may be huge differences in values to what you are used to. Nonetheless, there may be decisions and moments where the character's rationale is incomprehensible. I understand that, but try not to let it detract from your experience. All that aside, this is a drama that provides an important social commentary on modern day Korea's outdated values, something that Ahn Pan-seok (director) and Kim Eun (writer) have successfully conveyed in their earlier work, SitR. Akin to SitR, OSN provides a realistic take on the romance in question. While it is a gradual progression burdened by eventual complications, it is an authentic romance between two people that can't help but tug at your heartstrings and make you feel all giddy inside. There are one or two unresolved story points, but I feel that is largely appropriate and shouldn't be taken as a gripe. This is a realistic story and not everything can be resolved at once. The essence is that things have fallen in place and the rest will be resolved in due course.
Acting/Cast? Perfect. Jung Hae-In and Han Ji Min were both superb in their roles as the couple deeply in love despite their 'flaws'. Their chemistry was electrifying, similar to Jung Hae-In's performance with Son Ye-Jin in SitR. I truly do not believe that anyone else could pull of Han Ji Min's role as well as she could. That's not to say that the side characters weren't also quintessential to the story. Unlike many of the other dramas, the side characters in OSN are seamlessly natural in their performance and appropriately impactful on the main characters. They aren't caricatures or plot devices used to fuel the story, but rather, they have their own lives and accompanying struggles. Side note, it's a bit jarring seeing Kil Hae Yeon as an endearing and accepting mother in OSN, given that her character in SitR is quite the antithesis (and one of my most hated characters).
I feel like it's also appropriate now to talk about directing styles. As you can probably tell, I revere Ahn Pan-seok's modern-romance directing style. He has a way with capturing a scene that encompasses all the quiet nuances and raw emotional value in a colourful, minimalist fashion without any unnecessary distractions. These scenes convey a beautiful and somber melody that truly captivate viewers like myself. It's a style hard to perfect, and something that a lot of directors and producers should aim to achieve nowadays especially when grappling with romance.
The music in OSN was also flawless and appropriate to the story. It boasts the ensemble of Rachael Yamagata, who produced many of the OSTs in SitR, as well as a song from Oscar Dunbar and Carla Bruni. These songs aren't just great for their addictive repetitions on your phone, but they seamlessly blend into the settings of OSN. One song in particular, Spring Waltz by Carla Bruni. My lord, that song was perfect for OSN and an absolute delight to listen to. Even if you don't watch this drama, which I highly doubt by now given how much you must've read of this review by now, you should google that song and play it on repeat. These songs are limited, just like in SitR, but it shouldn't really be an issue.
Rewatch value is ambiguous. Personally, I'll be going through this again very soon (maybe in 2 or so days), but for others, it depends on your enjoyment for romance. I highly believe that this is a drama worth at least one rewatch. For the sceptics, give it a couple of weeks after you've finished the last episode to play it all again. I do concede, however, that I have seen SitR about 4 times by now, so there may be some slight bias but I know OSN will give it a run for its money.
Overall, OSN has ranked definitively in my favourite Korean dramas of all time. It's needless to say at this point in the review, but the casting choices, music and directing styles were all impeccable. OSN showcases a captivating love from one to another with endearing characters from varying social backgrounds. It's truly a romance that will keep you engaged in the show from all their ups and down. I will definitely miss seeing this on my 'Continue watching' list on Netflix, but all good things must come to an end. There is this faith between the main characters that persists throughout the show, and it's a faith I have for the romantic dramas to come from director Ahn Pan-seok and writer Kim Eun.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Sisyphus in a Suit
You stare at the screen and can’t help but think: Oh, humanity. Always longing for a restart because, predictably, we messed it up the first time."The Judge Returns." It’s 2026, and the world remains a damp cellar filled with greedy old men. At first glance, it feels like an echo of 2022’s "Again My Life". Has South Korea not moved on since then? (Looking at the current geopolitical landscape, neither has the rest of the world...)
The message is so sobering you’ll want to retreat into a dark room: Without magic, without some metaphysical glitch in the system, you can’t knock these corrupt fossils off the board. It takes a time-reset just to summon the courage for basic decency and integrity. What a pathetic indictment of our species. You take a few pieces off the board, but the Game itself just laughs. Corruption isn't a bug in the system; it is the system. An endless war, a tiny victory—but in the end, does everything stay grey?
Then there’s Ji Sung. He carries that unshakable face of his through every frame. As a judge on his second attempt, he seizes his chance with absolute consequence. For a moment, it feels good to believe that something could actually move.
The Verdict?
• 10/10 for Ji Sung (honestly, just watching him is enough).
• 3/10 for Hope (which, as we know, is merely a lack of information).
But it’s not just about his face. It’s about what that face embodies.
(And thankfully, he isn’t entirely alone in this.)
Amidst the mire, there are these delicate moments where the series actually reflects on the Law. This KDrama (based on the webnovel Pansa Lee Han-young) bows before the Idea of Law. Not because it’s perfect—heaven knows it’s as full of holes as Swiss cheese—but because it’s the only thing standing between us and total whimsy. It is Sisyphus’ work: rolling the stone of the rule of law up the mountain every day, only for it to roll back onto our feet. But that doesn't mean the work is meaningless.
The Koreans have a beautiful term for this: Cheon-myeong (천명). Literally: The Mandate of Heaven.
Embracing the burden of destiny as a call to action, however bleak the odds.
So, would I recommend watching it? Yes. Even if—or especially if—those lying men in suits are increasingly getting on your nerves. It’s an act of defiance to watch someone tirelessly roll that stone up the hill, if only for those few episodes. (I think anyways.)
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The drama delivers a great story of brotherhood and politics. It's not a very emotional drama, so maybe you will not cry watching this, but it delivers a great message of friendship, sacrifice for greater good, and idealism.IMHO, because the drama is loosely based on real history (which they turned into a fiction), you don't see much of character development, but more into how the characters from two factions use tactics to fight one another. Not much character development means that the personality and the ideas of every character in the beginning stays the same until the final episode (except for the Empress'!).
Some people got disappointed on the ending, but I'm rather satisfied as it shows how the main character's heart and priority never changes. From the very beginning he knows that peace is the most important thing, and peace does not lie only in one family name. His determination and personality never changes until the very end.
I love how Regina Wan played the empress role. Very elegant, especially the way she speaks.
I also love the opening and ending music. Perfectly matches the drama.
To sum up, the series is worth watching if you're not looking for a too emotional drama, or wanting a good politics drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
Story: Storyline is the strength of this lakorn - hands down. Perhaps this has to do with how the lakorn is based on a best selling novel; so it does come with twists and turns, plots and sub-plots and a love story between a high school girl with an IQ of a genius and a cold and calculative mafia boss. There are many shootings, killings and people running and hiding in this lakorn. The props are poorly done like in a low budget film/drama but if you can look past that, the story is quite addictive. I will not elaborate more on the story without giving it away. It's the sort that makes you stay up just to find out what is going to happen next despite the poor acting, directing and props! Serious!
Acting/Cast: The best actor in here is the main female lead - the high school girl! I find the main male lead too stiff in his acting to appeal to my taste. Sure, his role is that of a cold and calculating mafia boss, but that does not mean his body language should come across awkward as well! Add to that the fact that I have to fast forward too many unneccessary scenes where ppl pretty much just stare at each other for long periods of time, the acting and directing of this lakorn is really its downfall. The use of poor "Chinese" props and customs (such as the fist to palm greeting that no modern Chinese alive will be caught using!) and a few other boo-hoos provide either comical relief or a frown of annoyance.
Music: Obviously they did not invest much on the OSTs. Nothing worth mentioning here.
Rewatch value: This is one of those lakorns where once you had watched it and know the twists, you will not want to watch it again... at least not in the near future! The value of this lakorn lies on its interesting and addictive storyline but once that storyline is known, all the other weaknesses of this lakorn puts you off re-watching it again.
Overall: I give it a 7.5/10 thanks to the saving grace of its rather unique and addictive storyline. I can see why the novel sells well. What I would like to see is either Taiwan or China adopting this into a T or C Drama. The storyline is certainly worth investing in. Put to it the better filming technologies, use of props and funding in Taiwan and China, this story may be given the essential life for it to be a highly rated drama since most of the characters in this story are supposed to be Chinese! I would also like to see Korea adapt this storyline to apply to Korean gangsters and filmed in Korean contexts. In summary, I feel that some Chinese, Taiwanese or Korean director or producer out there should be alerted to this novel and the potential it can bring if produced properly!
Was this review helpful to you?
Learnt something
Just watch it.Enjoy it.
Learn something.
But be careful dear
"WHAT YOU WISH FOR".
Some stories tell us what struggles are
Some say it's not just revenge that is needed.
We should try hard to achieve our goals.
And sometimes we strive do hard, but in the end our hands seems empty.
Easy ways are temporarily and tempting.
Easy ways are not for free.
People debated on who is the main protagonist.
But funnily the story is not just protagonist. But it's us who are playing the main role.
And our dear witch is just a catalyst in making us to achieve our goals faster.
There is Jin
jins mom,
jins moms mom
And two very wonderful helper.
And many many characters.
Each one representing" us".
And mainly there is 🌳
Was this review helpful to you?
Story: In order to catch "bad guys" former detective Oh Gu Tak forms a team of "bad guys" to rid the city of the other "bad guys" < This was one of the things that attracted me to this drama ;)
Cast: Lee Jung Moon (Park Hae Jin) *My personal favorite* (and the reason I started this drama), a genius "psychopath" they have labeled him but is that really what he is? His character had a childlikeness to him that I loved - he was vulnerable and honest. Park Woong Cheol (Ma Dong Seok) a gangster with a warm heart - I loved the bromance between him & Jung Moon <3 Jung Tae Soo (Jo Dong Hyeok) a contract killer who turned himself in. Oh Gu Tak (Kim Sang Joon) a former detective who is kicked out after his daughter dies b/c of being overly violent; He brings Jung Moon, Woong Cheol & Tae Soo together & forms the "bad guy" team (but are his intentions pure?) We see these guys build friendships with each other and learn how to care for other people - can bad people become good people?
Music: The intense ost was right on par with every scene.
Re-watch Value: 10/10 - I loved every second of this drama so I will definitely re-watch this <3
A couple of my favorite quotes: "Violence is the law of beasts. Non-violence is the law of people." - Gu Hyeon - "To sin is a human business, but to justify sins is a devilish business." - Jung Moon quoting 'Tolstoy'
Was this review helpful to you?
Destiny is not a matter of chance it is a matter of choice. -: W.Bryan
Basing from the the first half this drama tells about the story of Ye Xi's love story in her every page of life that because of those men she always ended up dead.. Then a Divine Doctor that has always loved,cherished,cares for her trully and always saves her, But because of a curse that he could not fall inlove he could not express or trully openly say his feelings and always love and watch over her secretly..This drama is just very fun,light, and Li Hongyi and Huang Ri Ying are just cute to watch espicially when Li Hong Yi is jealous :-D hahah.. I just binge watch every episode that is uploaded and wanting more..
I recommend this drama you won't feel boored its just a fun watch...
Was this review helpful to you?
===================
A 17-year story in the making (don't take it literally) with a very grim and dark start that anyone can be easily be turned off. But as you progress through the series, you will realize that it is less about the action taken by Tharnnam, but rather the effect it left for the people around her. It branches out to the other characters that was once touched by Tharnnam and her "never-met-younger-brother".
The approach of the taboo of suicide is unique and doesn't really focus on the ugly side of but rather humanizes what Tharnnam went through both the good and bad. You will ask "why", "what happened" a lot! But no worries, the writing is superb and was able to answer all of those that you will feel relieve after you finished the series. Yes, there are also a lot of heart-wrenching, tear-jerking moments, but, I tell you, all those tears will not be wasted.
You might think that this series is a love drama. Not entirely true. Yes, it may be the main reason why the whole story started, but it will take you for ride in the dynamics of family relationships and sacrifices we make may it for love, friendship or for a family member.
While Tonmai is the only selfless person in the series, which he was tempted at one point to be not, is able to stay consistent with his personality. And I almost forget Mr. Tai. He did everything for Tharnnam in his own capacity. But the rest, Tharnnam, Chet, On, Pana and Tee was selfish at one point in their own respective way. The people around Tonmai is shrouded with lies and secrets. It took Tonmai and Tharnnam's collective effort to shed those layers and at the end is a very very beautiful set of characters that you will forget that once in the series, you might have dislike him and/or her. The revelations will help each character's growth from being one-dimensional to having another side or face. that makes the characters matured in their own respective ways.
The plot has no sharp turns that will leave you dumbfounded. It is constant increasing with revelations here and there but those are integral part of the story, the questions you might have in your minds, and I promise, you will appreciative every single one of them after they are answered.
ACTOR/CAST
===================
Pluem is definitely carries the series in the sense that he is the center of it all with Mild as the catalyst for the other cast members to interact with each other.
Pluem with his demeanor as cute, vulnerable, non-confronting looks fits perfectly for his character as Tonmai as the one that is the most emotionally beaten up in this series. His crying scenes are impeccable. Imagine crying while delivering your lines, relaying the emotion you want to project and sniffling while he do those! Always, always, that when he starts to cry, my eyes become watery too.
Mild as Tharnnam, comparing her role as Sandee in Kiss Me Again is totally a different take on her looks and acting. And seeing the trailer in the upcoming "3 Will Be Free", surely, her looks and acting are noteworthy. In KMA, you can see her as the bossy type girl around her friends and in 3 Will Be Free, she takes a role that is a different "boss". Her being Tharnnam is totally on a different league which she performs quite amazingly too!
All the support characters are effective in their respective roles. From their reactions to facial expressions is a perfect match to what he/she is saying at the time. There was no cringe-worthy scene that you will be left like "Err, i think she/he could have acted this way instead", or am I just too consumed with what is happening while I was watching? I could see Chimon (young Pana), when becomes older is the old Pana here. I guess with the lips and eyes. And that is what I call a great casting.
SONG
===================
The opening musical score for each episode, though the sad version/tune of "Happy Birthday", sets the mood in what you are about to watch.
The song played in the walkman is Kong's song in SOTUS, brings back memories too.
Episode 13, the emotinally heaviest episode with a number of songs will take your watching experience into a different level without realizing it, your tears are falling.
REWATCH VALUE
===================
This is what I find hard for series that start with a big mystery at the beginning; and once the mystery is solved, there is no real value in watching it again since you know how the story will unfold. But if you want to relive or perhaps shed a couple of tears, you will definitely will watch this again, and very soon!
Was this review helpful to you?
I mean that's hardly impossible. Usually, long dramas must contain few boring episodes. But this is an exception.
PPL WHILE WATCHING THIS DRAMA I WAS ALWAYS THINKING WHY DID NO ONE RECOMMEND THIS ONE TO ME?!
- The story is unique and addicting (will get you attracted from the very first episode to the very last). All the stories(including sub-stories) are interesting and never fails to entertain you. 133 episodes and you won't skip a minute.
- The acting is really good that whenever they cry, I do. Whenever they laugh,I laugh as well. The romance is so effin attracting that you can't get enough of it. Drama's love never touched my heart like this one did. I envied such a love.
- The music is catchy. Not the best but it really fits every scene.
- Even though a 133 episodes and I never rewatched a drama, I think that one day, I will re-watch this one.
- Overall I give it a 10 without a second thought. You hear me ppl, A FUCKING 10!
P.S anyone who misses it or ignore it because it's a 100+ drama, then you missed a MASTERPIECE.
Was this review helpful to you?
