News 
This review may contain spoilers
I can only continue walking forward
Yes it was Great watching it specially the story building and and character building was so good accurate and every single thing in this drama was super good. It make me more sure that one should never think about committing crimes such as killing or suicide. Both can be very dangerous. But the fact they all somehow resolved there 1000 year old beef and tried to be together is so cute. They didn't only focus on main lead but also support lead. I also wanted to see dok hwa getting married or having rebirth with them too. I didn't expected to have such a plot like i was thinking dok hwa is going to be someone bad but it turns out he was not. It was so cute and lovely to have them see together again.Was this review helpful to you?
Life Changing
I suppose I have to write a review for GAP. I have said it in the comment section already, but this show was life changing to me. I have never seen a story that cares so deeply about representing the joy and beauty of being a woman in love with another woman, even in the face of adversity. Sam and Mon's love story is accurate to the real life sapphic experience in so many ways. From the way they show affection, the difficulty to comprehend their feelings at first, to the feeling of relief and plenitude when they finally allow themselves to feel what their hearts want to feel.I understand if it doesn't resonate with some people the way it did with me. It can be cheesy, the situations might seem absurd and exaggerated at times, the characters actions might not be the most logical, the side characters are not the most complex. But everything made it all the more delightful in my eyes. It is ultimately a fun, colorful story, that eventually deals with some more serious topics.
Give it a chance, especially if you are a woman who loves women. Even if you don't love it as much as I did, I believe you will at least have a nice time watching these characters fall in love.
Was this review helpful to you?
This is the first time I've watched any of the main actors except Yoo In Na. I have now officially developed a Gong Yoo crush and understand why drama fans are enamored of him. Gong Yoo as Kim Shin/ Goblin was mesmerizing. I could listen to his voice for days. Every scene he was in was a treat. Every emotion that his character had was palpable, and his smiles could light up the sky.
And Kim Go Eun as Ji Eun Tak was super cute. She had a lot of detractors and the writer got a lot of flak for making her so young. But the character and her age were perfect for this story and how it unfolded.
Lee Dong Wook as the Grim Reaper had the perfect deadpan (heh) delivery. And he may be the best male "crier" I've seen yet.
The story will make you laugh and make you cry. Not only is the love story epic, but so is the bromance between Goblin and Reaper. I've found that I'm quite fond of this fantasy genre and this has been done so well. I have hardly any criticisms of this show at all because even the flaws faded into nothing noticeable for me. It's sweet, funny, romantic, sad, tragic, beautiful...
The music was perfect and perfectly lovely. I don't always pay much attention to the music, but this show utilized it so well and chose the perfect songs. So many people loved even the intro song that they made a special recording of it to make it a full length song (Round and Round, but may also be found under Never Far Away). Beautiful by Crush was the best song in my opinion, and I believe that it was the theme song for our main couple. And Stay With Me by Chanyeol and Punch was another favorite.
Rewatch value is high - if not everything, then there are many, many favorite scenes that I'll go back to and relive the feels. :)
Was this review helpful to you?
Ju-on: Origins
I understand why some horror fans are (will be) disappointed with this series, even my brother was a bit disappointed, because as far as the usual/traditional horror formula goes it isn’t really that scary. The build up to the jump scares were just so-so.For me, it’s more psycho triller than horror. Unlike other stuff under the horror genre, in which the “ghost” causes physical harm to the victim, in this one she just mentally manipulated them into a killing spree. As how my brother desribed it: “She shows up in front of the person and then be like: Surprise! You’re a killer now!”
The gore scenes were also deeply disturbing because it’s way way too graphic, censorship and trigger warnings be damned. There were parts that I had to look away because it was a lot to take in.
Overall, I really enjoyed watching it. I like that it’s plot-heavy instead of focusing on the scary parts. It can be a bit confusing at the start tho because there are two different timelines/stories but they were able to connect it smoothly so the confusion was worth enduring.
I also think that it focusing on the story-telling is a major thing that separates it from the early Ju-on films, and yes other fans might see it as something disrespectful (idk) but I’m honestly okay with how they deviated.
Was this review helpful to you?
1This review may contain spoilers
Interesting to Speculate on
I love reading peoples thoughts and saw some here, speculating on what Sung Kyu (the adopted brother) felt especially during the ending scene where his smile disappears. So I decided to give my own two cents. In the beginning it felt like it was already shown to me that Sung Kyu was pretty apathetic and didn't necessarily feel strongly towards acting a specific way to be liked. Barely being able to choke out the words 'it's delicious......... mom'. He wasn't shown trying to connect with Sung woo other than randomly picking him up at school once either.The first time Sung Kyu shows assertiveness is when the shower scene happens. Because of this detail I didn't feel like he tried to appease Sung woo like someone else did. (which is why I like seeing other peoples perspective since it can be so different!)
I also don't think it was suppose to be about sexuality at all and whether or not Sung Kyu is attracted to men in general. For me this was more an exploration on how Sung Kyu didn't really feel anything and therefore tried to fill the emptiness within him with a new family and the shower scene mostly to me looked like 2 very empty and emotionally tired people that desperately needed to feel 'something', just anything. But just like most one night stands, it didn't fix the initial problem, that Sung Kyu felt a loss of identity and therefore remained apathetic after not being able to find it with his new family either.
Thinking back, Everyone in this movie seemed to fill up the emptiness with something, The mother keeps filling the emptiness the loss of her son caused her, by adopting multiple people. Sung Woo seems to fill up his emptiness coming from a broken home with physical affection from a significant other. And Sung Kyu as a grown man being adopted into a new family with a new identity because he feels like a nobody.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Queen of Mystery (Mystery Queen) is a mixed genre Korean drama with slice of life/mystery/thriller/comedic elements that overall I found to be a satisfying though sometimes uneven drama. If you want something a little different and romance isn't a must, give it a go.But first the Cons:
Pacing: After one of the most satisfying first episodes, I found the next two to be in okay territory. This ends up kind of being a cycle with some very enjoyable episodes followed by satisfactory episodes. I did do some skipping here and there but it was limited. Also, one particular mystery in the first half of the drama goes on too long.
Too Much: This drama has solid actors but too many of them and a solid story to tell but they glutted it with more more more. I actually wished the drama had focused less on Inspector Woo, the chaebol characters and really would have been ok never meeting Seol Ok's husband. This is nothing against any of the actors but, rather, the lead actors and the neighborhood crew were so good, it didn't need all those other characters and story lines.
Suspending Reality: Various times there are things left hanging or one particular instance in particular where the audience has to suspend all sense of reality. I will leave it there to avoid spoiler territory but it involves the sister-in-law. Also, like many k-dramas there are some coincidental connections that are just too much to believe but again, this is kind of standard.
The Pros:
Actors: They are all great and a shout out to the leads. I am not as familiar with the actor's dramas, but he has the charisma and timing to pull off comedy without a problem. It actually took me several episodes to realize that the actress was the same one from Heart to Heart. She is lovely. All the co-stars are great as well, and the drama has one of the best, most honest representations of a mother-in-law. I loved that the actress is the same that plays the opposite type in Secret Garden, Heirs and Mask.
Direction Etc: Directions was quite good and music was solid though no OST songs really stuck with me.
Story: Flawed but overall enjoyable and quite honestly something different than a thriller or rom/com. The idea is nothing knew (Scarecrow & Mrs. King - a US show from the 80s - was a housewife and a spy), but I like seeing Korean dramas expand out into other avenues and it gets a little extra love from me for that.
As you can tell I really liked but didn't love this drama. I took a point off for pacing issues and a point off for the uneven story, plot holes and problematic ending. It still gets an 8 from me because this drama made me care about these characters and they grew as the drama went on in honest, realistic ways.
Complaint Other Viewers Have:
Now overall I didn't have issues with the ending because I knew going in everything was not going to be tied up with a red bow. However, there are some unhappy viewers regarding the ending. I felt that I knew where the characters were going so, at the end of the day, I was happy enough with that. At the same time, I understand why others were not. It has now come out that the production team is hoping for a Season 2 so they did this on purpose. Shame on them. I hope they get a second season because they could totally do a fun drama and close up some story lines, but I think the fans deserved better because second seasons are hard to come by in k-dramaland.
Was this review helpful to you?
Acting can make or break a show for me
STORY: I enjoyed the Korean version more, mainly because this version was entirely too long and drawn out. There was so much that could have been left out entirely, without losing any of the storyline. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for the destiny, we knew each other years ago storyline. However, here the male lead was pretty unlikeable, so I couldn't fathom how either woman could fall in love with him. I didn't feel that the male lead's character was as mean as in the Korean version, but that's mainly due to acting...ACTING/CAST: I enjoyed Dilraba Dilmurat as Li Hui Zhen (though she was considered ugly because of frizzy hair and freckles? Although the freckles were so poorly done, but that's another issue). I didn't think she was as over-the-top as the actress in the Korean version, which I appreciated. Peter Sheng as Bai Hao Yu - his acting was terrible in this. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything else, but here he was wooden with no expressions. There are so many actors that can play the cold hero well, by use of expressiveness of eyes. He, unfortunately, appears to not have this capability. Vin Zhang as Lin Yimu was AMAZING. First, I think his part was really well-written, so there is that. He and Dilraba had amazing chemistry, which was lacking between Sheng and Dilraba. Li Xi Rui as Xia Yiao - she had a few scenes (which seemed to involve movement, so maybe acting and moving are too much) where all you could see was her acting. However, for the most part she did a pretty decent job. The rest of the cast was okay. I did like the progression of the friendships between all the workers in the office.
CHEMISTRY: Great chemistry between Dilraba and Vin Zhang. Between Dilraba and Sheng, not so much. I enjoyed the scene where they were eating together in the car, but I never really felt that they were in love.
This is actually a show that you could watch the first few episodes and then skip to the last 10 episodes and not miss out on anything.
Was this review helpful to you?
Not as Good as the Series
This is the rare case of when the series is better than the movie version.The Movie/Series: Both had a cute storyline and a good script. The acting was ok for the most part. There were times some of the actors seemed rigid and unsure about what was going on. I was not a fan of the ending and was hoping for something better.
The Movie: The main problem with the movie version is it suffers from very poor editing choices. They cut many scenes from the series that did not help with the story progression. They left out some key scenes which made various scenes seem disjointed. I was not a fan of the ending in the series version, but it was better than the edited version in the movie. I didn’t think I could hate the ending more, but the movie version proved me wrong.
Random Notes:
I recommend watching the series instead of the movie version.
It was cute to see the cross promotional material for Behind Cut which was made by the same production company.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I'm disappointed with the ending
I enjoyed the first half of the drama. I especially love episodes with Dilmurat Dilraba (Li Hui Zhen) and Zhang Vin (Lin Yi Mu). Zhang Vin was sooooooooooo charismatic, funny, caring and self-less. I think he should had been the male lead. I really was rooting for him to end up with the girl. Watching the drama, I totally get how he fell in love with Li Hui Zhen. And I truly feel that she should had love him back. They had so much chemistry!!Meanwhile, I found it unbelievable that Li Hui Zhen was in love with Bai Hao Yu. Yes, they were best friends when they were younger. But, I don't get why Li Hui Zhen would love him. First he totally ignored her on their first meeting, didn't spare her even a glance. And then throughout the drama he was terrible to her. There was no romance at all between the two leads.
Halfway in the drama, I couldn't stand the suspense anymore, I read spoilers and found out she doesn't end up with Lin Yi Mu. I was super upset. I wanted to quit the drama. I wish this drama had an alternate ending. She definitely picked the wrong guy.
Was this review helpful to you?
Voice 4: Judgement Hour -- Intergenerational Impact of Abuse
To think that this season is based on a true event is mind-boggling; that a Dong Bang Min actually existed in this lifetime is horrific. To imagine that what happened to Dong Bang Min in the drama may have happened to a child to the extent that the child needed to create personalities to escape it is unimaginable; the fact remains, though that abuse does not excuse the horrendous acts the child/man goes on to commit no matter the cause. While watching this drama, I read many comments on Song Seung Heon's performance and how he didn't measure up to detectives of seasons past, but I beg to differ. He was probably one of the most balanced. I am one who strongly believes the first season of this series remains the best. But of all the detectives, I found Derek Jo to be the most rational and composed, particularly since he, same as the rest, struggles with his own demons while fighting to bring some of the most horrific crimes and criminals to justice.I loved this season's cases and stories despite some of them being hard to watch at times. I liked the message each story left behind even more. I commend the writer for depicting such heartwrenching true event stories and the director for bringing them to life. Still, the actor that shone the brightest without a doubt is Lee Kyu Hyung as a villain tormented by self-hate but more the need to survive in a world devoid of love or appreciation. A job well done all around. I liked the drama's choices and the awareness it tries to bring on the importance of the family unit, the damage of abuse and neglect, and the devastating and long-lasting detrimental effects it has on children and society alike. Just as a family can be everything for some, they can be hell on earth for others.
I wasn't ready for Voice 4's end; it felt more personal than the other seasons; I enjoyed it greatly for what it was and came out from it with more appreciation for all the actors but especially for Lee Ha Na in her continued calm, supportive and balanced depiction of the Golden Team and Emergency Center Director for the run of the seasons, Song Seung Heon as the calm, clever, and extremely focused Derek Jo, Baek Sung Hyun as the tormented Shim Dae Shik with a second chance at redeeming himself, which he more than does and very bravely. But mainly, I admired how the show depicted all of Bang Min's personalities and the way he came to realize what he had become in his desperate bid to survive his nightmare.
The message I am left with here is that although the physical, psychological, and behavioral consequences of child abuse and neglect weigh more heavily on the shoulders of the children who experience it, the impact of it does not end with them. Society pays the price both directly and indirectly; covering up the issues under the guise of protecting the family harms more than helps, especially when the family is the root of the problem. It is in the best interest of the families in particular and the communities as a whole to act to stem the effects of such abuses and, rather than find fault with the abused, support them and provide families and communities with the tools to stop maltreatment before it occurs and mitigate intergenerational impacts. To this, I say thank you to the production team.
Now that the Circus Man's journey has come to an end, I look forward to a new journey into Kang Kwon Joo's superhuman hearing abilities. I can't wait to see what else the Voice series has in store. I loved all the OSTs but especially Coming to you 그래쓰(GRASS).
Was this review helpful to you?
This show was awful, horrible and miserable down to every scene. I wanted to punch the fuck out of every single character at one point. It was so dark, disturbing and frustrating and yet, it was excellent too. To the point that it captured me so deeply that it was a downward spiral that I couln't help but be swept into.
This is precisely the reason, I understand its poor rating on MDL but also why it was a super duper mega hit in Korea when it aired.
The acting and character development definitely took the cake in this one.
Jo In Sung. Jo In fucking Sung left excellence behind with his role. I have no words to describe his acting. It was simply wonderful. His character, Jung Jae Min, violent, crazy, childish, often pathetic, vindictive, violent and simply irredeemable didn't leave much to be desired and yet, he definitely made the list to become one of my most favorite characters of all time.
Ha Ji Won, ofcourse the queen of queens. Her character has to be one of the most despicable characters in K-drama history. Lee So Jung was a slap in the face of every self respecting woman. Greedy, desperate, classless, disloyal, annoying to the point of making you feel violence and yet, there was nobody but Ha Ji Won who could have played her. Because, despite the fact that she was everything I couldn't stand, I still found myself rooting for her. Like I said, only Ha Ji Won.
This was So Jisub's breakout role and I can definitely see why. He is the king of emoting from the eyes and he did it spectacularly here. Out of the three of them, his character was the least dislike-able and yet, despite my love for him, I found myself rooting for him the least.
Many international drama watchers think the show is famous for So Jisub but that's not true. This show is Ha Ji Won and Jo In Sung's through and through.
People said it was the greed of the characters that made them destroy each other but I think it was the desperation, madness and pain that each of them harbored. They were all victims of life in their own way and that made them make all the worst decisions possible. This was humanity at its worst with selfishness at its peak and yet, you couldn't help but feel sympathetic for these unlucky souls.
The show is a hard watch. I can't even count how many times I had to pause in between because I was so sick and emotionally exhausted by the complexity of these characters and their actions. But I was unable to drop it and now that I have finished it, I don't regret watching it at all.
The ending was exactly how it should have been. The OST was spot on. And while the show is dated, it still does not fail to pack a solid punch even after all these years.
So all in all, it's a show that you will hate with characters you will hate but if you aren't afraid to tread into dark waters and get out of your comfort zone, once you'll start you'll be unable to stop. And when you end it, you'll have no regrets.
Definitely one of my favorites.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
"Star and Sky: Star in My Mind" – A Heartfelt Journey of Young Love and Self-Discovery
Plot Summary:"Star and Sky: Star in My Mind" is a Thai BL drama that explores the intricate relationship between two young men, Daonuea and Khabkluen. The story begins with Daonuea, who has been harboring a secret crush on Khabkluen since high school. When they reunite in university, Daonuea decides to confess his feelings, setting off a series of events that challenge both characters to confront their emotions and navigate the complexities of their relationship.
Main Characters and Actors:
Daonuea (played by [Actor's Name]): Daonuea is a sensitive and artistic student whose courage to confess his feelings drives the plot. His character's emotional depth and vulnerability are key elements of the story.
Khabkluen (played by [Actor's Name]): Khabkluen is charismatic and confident, yet his interactions with Daonuea reveal a more introspective side. His journey of understanding his own feelings forms a crucial part of the narrative.
Overall Impression:
"Star and Sky: Star in My Mind" is a heartwarming and engaging drama that beautifully captures the essence of young love and self-discovery. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, making their evolving relationship both believable and compelling. The series successfully blends romance with moments of humor and drama, creating a well-rounded viewing experience.
What I Liked:
Acting: The performances by the lead actors are commendable. They bring authenticity and nuance to their roles, making the characters' journey emotionally resonant.
Storyline: The plot is thoughtfully crafted, with a good balance of romance and personal growth. It keeps viewers invested in the characters' journeys and their evolving relationship.
Cinematography: The visual presentation is beautiful, with carefully composed scenes that enhance the storytelling. The use of color and lighting adds a layer of emotional depth to the drama.
Music: The soundtrack is well-chosen, enhancing key moments and adding to the overall emotional impact of the series.
Areas for Improvement:
Pacing: Some episodes might feel slow-paced, particularly in the middle of the series. A more consistent pacing could help maintain viewer engagement throughout.
Supporting Characters: While the main characters are well-developed, a deeper exploration of the supporting characters could add more depth to the story.
Recommendation:
"Star and Sky: Star in My Mind" is a must-watch for fans of the BL genre and anyone who enjoys a heartfelt romance. The drama excels in its portrayal of the characters' emotional journeys and the complexities of their relationship. Its strengths lie in strong performances, a compelling storyline, and beautiful cinematography, making it a highly recommended series for those looking for a touching and well-crafted love story.
Was this review helpful to you?
Contains less insects than you might expect!
No, really. This show doesn't actually involve many insects at all, considering that's the literal title and summary. So don't let that stop you from giving it a try.In this show, you will find very lovable characters that defy drama clichés. Sweet, developing relationships without a focus on romance. Teacher/student, Mentor/mentee, Siblings, Parent/child, you will find them all!
The cases are interesting but not as interesting as the drama wants you to believe. I enjoyed them and the twists did surprise me, but no, I did not need to watch the same flashback five times. Thankfully, they only started doing this in the second half of the drama.
The ending did actually manage to surprise me and I was satisfied with it! Overall, I enjoyed the time I spent watching these characters - Would recommend! (And the ending song is amazing, I'm absolutely in love with it.)
Was this review helpful to you?
There's nothing new under the sun, the film is about a Ronbin Hood-like gang who steals from the corrupted rich and gives to the helpless poor. Set in the twilight years of Joeson period, the film is a hybrid historical piece about martial arts, nobility and revenge. The plot takes its time to make the main character meet his destiny but the remaining space wasn’t wasted at all; the screenwriting always focused on the remaining characters and some colourful dialogues in between.
Kundo depicts a strong combination between the usual Asian melodrama and martial arts’ style. It was successful at portraying both flying fighting scenes as well as the characters’ feelings within. It also focused on inserting some pretty nice dark humour sequences without disregarding the serious melodramatic tone of the period piece. The over use of explanatory narration might come out wrong in few sequences. The screenwriting over-focused on some trivial side stories but it managed to come back into the right track soon enough.
Led by the overly charismatic Ha Jung Woo, the acting department was impressive. The main character had a very rough start that made him a part of the Kundo tribe, his journey was pretty much enjoyable and Jung Woo was too darn good at making it feel real – except the age part of course, there’s no way he looks 18 to 22 year-old.
On the other hand, Kang Dong Won was the freaking king of the action department in this film. Being used to swordsmanship due to his other period action films; he did the whole remarkable martial arts himself without resolving to stunts; that’s in itself is too wonderful for words. Other than that, he was amazingly good at playing the role of the dangerous villain. Of course, the back story provided to his character was extremely helpful at setting an unbreakable ground for what he has to portray. It’s been a long time since I last saw a very detailed back story of a villain; as if they’re making you think that any monstrous thing he does is legitimate.
Other actors were pretty good; they were fit to each character they played especially the Kundo group where Ma Dong Seok, Jo Jin Woong and Lee Kyeong Yeong are only few to mention.
Inspired by Kurosawa and Tarantino’s filmmaking, director Yun Jong Bin pulled off a memorable piece. His directing style was poignant with top notch technicalities. It’s a fact that visuals worked so well for this film, the lavishing designs and well-chosen colours were a great plus for this film’s cinematographic appeal. Even the polished sceneries, well-crafted aristocrats’ mansions and clothes were very well handled.
Watch if:
-You like dramatic period pieces with action.
-You like combination between Asian and western filmmaking.
-You like the main actors because Ha Jung Woo and Kang Dong Won were extremely good.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike historical pieces.
Despite some minor flaws, Kundo Age of Rampant is a very pleasant period film that’s well-worthy of the domestic success it witnessed upon its release.
Was this review helpful to you?
I wasn't sure how I felt about Kwon Sang Woo before this but I enjoyed his character a lot. He plays an honorable son, prosecutor and a loyal, steadfast friend. He's hot headed, prone to fight and often very funny. Go Hyun Jung is wonderful, as always. I like her so much. She has such range; from What's Up Fox to Queen Seon Duk (Evil Misil!) to Dae Mul, she is an undeniably great actress.
This is one drama that uses its side characters well. They all orbit around the leads in believable ways. They are necessary to the story and not distractions, which if you have ever read any of my reviews, you'll know this kicks up a drama's rating for me.
At 24 episodes, I felt the pacing was just fine. It took me a long time to finish this but I blame the springtime glut of obsessive fare like Greatest Love and others for stalling me on this and not a lagging storyline. This drama is worth your time if you are into politics and more adult storylines. It's written well, directed well and most of all, acted well. There is some strange editing at the end/beginning of some episodes but they always clean up the story during the hour.
I'm giving it an 8 over-all. My Re-watch value is low. Not because I didn't like it but because I'm more apt to watch light romantic fare over and over rather than a long political drama.
Again, this drama is worth it if you like political stories or if you are a fan of the leads. They do a great job in this drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
