Are you looking for a gripping adrenaline fest to watch on the edge of your seat?
Are you looking for a mature story line and brilliant characters?
THEN DON'T WATCH IT !!!!
Not only that this is a huge snooze fest, The actors and the characters have absolutely spark and the story makes no sense. This was the biggest disappointment of 2017 after last year's uncontrollably fond. Not only they managed to completely destroy a beautiful story but they reached new heights of trying to make a fool out of the viewers. This whole drama was just pretty people declaring themselves as deities and acting like snobby little bastards and squabbling like high school kids. The story was long lost and there was almost no chemistry between the leads.
Genre : rom-com, supernatural, manwha
Story : This drama was inspired from the manwha series Bride of water god by Yoon Mi Kyung and then they went ahead to rip the story into shreds turning it into bullshit. If you're looking for a similar story as the manwha about sacrifice, love and grace and politics, then go watch something else because this has absolutely none of that shit. The so called god of water is a narcissistic asshole who's self-centered to the point you're annoyed. Yoon So Ah is a materialistic bitch who is way too involved in acting like the victim. The story makes no sense till a while and the characters that actually were exciting like the one of Im Joo Hwan and the nurse aren't developed further. At least Goblin developed all the characters well.
Actors : Shin se kyung is a bad actress and i don't think i am going to watch any of her other dramas. Nam Joo hyuk's acting was a wasted opportunity same as In joo Hwans story. There is almost no chemistry between the leads and the other side actors aren't that commendable. The only surprise in the package was Crystal who surprisingly was way better than the drama.
Will i watch it again... Hell No.
Will i recommend it to anyone?... I am doing a public service by advising you to go look for some other drama. Seriously there are tons of better ones out there.
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Acting/Cast: At first I was a bit worried when Zheng Shuan was cast in the role of Wei Wei. The novel described Wei Wei as a beautiful young woman with the perfect body and frankly speaking, Zheng Shuan's not the best around when it comes to having curves where curves should be. The movie version of this drama cast Angelababy as Wei Wei which was closer to the description of Wei Wei in the novel. So, having watched the movie first - I had to adjust to seeing a mediocre-looking Wei Wei in the drama but after a few episodes, it became a non-issue as the story took precedence. The shining star here is Yang Yang. His boyish charm shone through. He alone pulled through the chemistry with his leading lady when Zheng Shuan was a little stiff to start with. Watch out for those scenic and romantic scenes....and kisses! The dialogues were also excellent!
Music: Passable but it is not the music that attracts. It's the sweet love story.
Rewatch value: Highly re-watchable. Lots of sweet scenes.
Overall: Addictive. Sweet. Smile inducing. Makes me wanna re-live my younger days in Uni and fall in love again. Highly recommended.
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This review may contain spoilers
Tortured Unrequited Love
I think if you are going through a breakup and keep thinking you might get back together, watch this drama. Otherwise don't torture yourself unless that's what you are after.In terms of romance this show tells us to not bother falling in love. If you get into a relationship make sure your exes and old crushes have been cut off. Otherwise they will be toxic clinger who will never let you go. Also the show seems to be telling us that one sided love is wrong, most people cannot stop their feelings. But the way it is shown makes it seem like you've committed some crime.
The main couple - are supposedly smart people. But despite their good grades they are the worse couple. I stopped shipping them by episode 24.
Luo Zhi has been madly in love with Sheng Huai Nan (SHN) since they were children, but he's never noticed her. Almost everyone else seems to know that she likes him, and the antagonists, namely his ex-girlfriend Ye Zhan Yan and her friend decide they want to scheme and manipulate it so that SHN can never really trust her.
There is also the other women who have crushes on SHN who also go out of their way to bad mouth Luo Zhi. But they eventually give up.
Sheng Huai Nan spends half of the series either unsure about his feelings or testing them on the poor girl. Honestly he's an idiot. He was treating Luo Zhi like she was his yoyo, pulling her close when he wanted her, and then pushing her away when he lost trust her in some way.
The last third of the the series spends most of the time focusing on SHN trying to persuade LZ to date him, only so that he can do something stupid in the next episode. Making her want to give up on her feelings.
I read a lot of comments of people blaming LZ for not forgiving him and I disagree. He was a jerk towards her. She was always helping him. At best he got her some cold medications and pancakes. Which he did in an underhanded way. Girls don't just fall for looks and money, underneath the shell is a vapid, insecure young man who can’t recognise sincerity or love if it smacked him on the face and kicked him in the balls.
Now let's talk about the pig Ge Bi and the very sad Bai Li. I hate Ge Bi. He is the worst boyfriend to all the girls. And even when confronted he doesn't care. He is selfish, stupid and frankly deserved worse than he got.
Bai Li is a great friend, and she really loved Ge Bi to a very toxic level. It was frustrating to watch and my heart hurt for her. She was really a foolish person, with so little self respect. It was tiresome to the very end.
There are many kinds of bad relationships, but the show made no effort to show us the positive sides of love. This team of producers and writers must have felt really bitter and angry when creating this production.
Really the only good relationships worth watching on this show were the friendships. Ming Rui was exceptional on this show. His character was the most likeable and sane.
The closeness of Bai Li and Luo Zhi was very sweet. Even Ye Zhan Yan and Ding Shui Jing loved and cared for one another.
If you have watched the 2019 version, you will not be able to stop yourself from comparing the two shows.
The 2019 is shorter and frankly less stressful to watch. The 2021 is very frustrating. There are so many examples of unrequited love on this show. So many ways in which characters seemly torture one another, mislead each other, and fail to trust each other. Once started I couldn't seem to stop, like many unrequited loves, I had such hope for it, and it was just an illusion that left me unfulfilled.
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Highly entertaining but also frustrating
Bossam: Steal the Fate managed to be one of those intensely polarizing dramas where many viewers laud the series as the greatest, most engaging thing ever to grace the small screen, while others condemn it as a terrible waste of time. This drama was able to achieve the highest viewership ratings (9.8%) of any drama in MBN history, and yet, if you read the reviews and comments on MDL, you will sense the opposite sentiment.As for me, I liked this well-written, intelligent and enlightening show that showed me another aspect of Korea's historical culture. Bossam was a custom in the Joseon period, in which a single man himself or through a hired hand kidnaps a widow by wrapping her up in a blanket at night and then makes her his wife. During those days, it was a way of getting remarried and an opportunity to get a new life for the widow who was obliged to live alone after her husband's death. Based on this custom, the drama unfolds the uncliched love story between the leading couple as they experience conflicts between social classes and families and survive being in the center of political struggles and turmoil.
Why highly entertaining?
From the get-go with the opening scene illustrations, I found this drama to be quite unique. It is a historical drama accompanied by non-traditional touches like the selection of eclectic songs and background music. The music producers deserved credit for being prolific and delivering quality tracks. The OST or BGM that underscored each scene was truly fitting and had elevated it to the next level for me.
Furthermore, the cinematography and directing were also a big part of the show's appeal, as one can tell that a lot of thought was put into each scene to evoke the necessary emotion and feeling. Every episode was nicely shot and expressed. Even details like how the hanbok skirt formed in a perfect circle surrounding a sinking woman was impactful. The settings and landscapes were lovely, like works of art. Visually, it was a treat to watch this show. The costumes and makeup also stood out for me because the show did not go for an idol drama feel with overdone makeup or glaringly obvious colors. The actors looked normal, good-looking nonetheless but refreshingly ordinary.
Acting-wise, I am impressed. I have heard of Jung Il Woo's ability but this is my first drama of his and I am blown away. He clearly has the experience and acting chops to pull off a complex character like Ba Woo, born from nobility but grew up a street rat. Shown initially as a rogue who was obviously a little damaged, it was also quickly apparent that our male lead, the heroic outlaw, was a good and generous person at heart. Jung Il Woo's micro-expressions were on point, and there was an underwater scene where he executed the scene perfectly by just his expression alone. His visuals are not my usual preference, but in this show, in that persona, Il Woo just exuded manly sexiness.
Shin Hyun Soo's character, Lee Dae Yeop, got a lot of hate for being the clingy second male lead who could not move on. However, I had a soft spot for Dae Yeop, especially after finding out his back story and romance with the Princess as well as his background. His actions may have seemed rash and selfish at first, but he never wavered from his desire to protect and ensure the happiness of the only one he loved. I had high hopes for his character development, and he did not fail me up to the finale. My heart ached for him a lot, and Shin Hyun Soo was brilliant in portraying this lost soul. With his eyes alone, Hyun Soo showed the hopelessness and defeat that Dae Yeop must have felt, trapped with no way out between his family, duty, love, and his own desires.
Kwon Yu Ri, however, is the show's biggest hidden gem. Her acting as Soo Kyung/Princess Hwa In, a demure, well-bred but humble Princess who was also passionate, brave, and intelligent, left a firm impression. Knowing that she is a Girls' Generation member, I was not prepared for her wonderful performance. In a way, this drama was also about how the Princess chose her own happiness by freeing herself from the societal rules and obligations, and Kwon Yu Ri portrayed this character's growth well. I appreciate the female empowerment theme featured in this show, like when Ba Woo constantly praised and respected Soo Kyung's intelligence and strength.
With the addition of seasoned actors like Shin Dong Mi, Song Sun Mi, Seo Beom Shik, Yoon Joo Man, Kim Tae Woo, Lee Jae Yong, and Lee Joon Hyuk, you have a cast that was able to deliver the story effectively. The child actor, Ko Dong Ha, who played Cha Dol, has potential as well.
I love that the characters were shades of gray. We had the antagonists who felt justified in their actions, people on both sides helping each other for justice and principles, and there were the protagonists who made bad decisions, said and did things they did not mean in the heat of the moment. The show scored points with dynamic characters who struggled with their actions, who were not always clear if they were doing the right thing or what the right thing even was.
To me, the show's strongest point is the way it executed the plot. I liked how the drama encouraged and engaged the viewers' imagination. It was my imagination that filled in and enriched what the show's visuals or soundtrack both concealed and alluded to at the same time. At least, I prefer to think that what was left out was not a mere lack but instead a conscious artistic act of intentional omission and suggestion. Coupled with somewhat predictable plot twists but, when revealed, were simply shocking in terms of magnitude and nature, the result was a story that kept me engaged from start to finish, with each episode leaving me eager for the next one.
Why frustrating?
Even though I appreciated the moments of omission and suggestion, the conspicuous use of them for the romance between Ba Woo and Soo Kyung left me wanting for more. The chemistry between those two was palpable, and I wanted to see more than hugs. Ideally, I would have preferred more tantalizing or passionate scenes, but if not those, then at least some other obvious display of affections that provide the anticipation and build-up that one usually seeks in a show with a romance tag. That said, I did find the scenes between the leads incredibly romantic, especially with the setting, music, and dialogue. There was a dignified and pure way about how their love for each other was shown, and I did believe that they truly loved each other. I also like the phrase they used for each other "saranghae yeon-mohada (연모하다)" which means to love and long for someone. Seeing them together left a good feeling and I was satisfied with how they ended.
With the romance underplayed during the second half, the show somewhat got derailed by the heavier focus on the palace and court politics. The villain, Lee Yi Cheom, constantly got on my nerves with his audacity and arrogance, but really, this was a good thing because it showed how terrific the writing was. I was glued to the screen, on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen to the OTP and the other good guys. Had I not wanted more romance and pleasant "slice of life" episodes featuring the main couple, I would have appreciated the political shenanigans even more.
Overall
I would rewatch this drama since there were many nuances and subtlety that I may have missed the first time. I also enjoyed the story and characters enough to watch them another time, although I am unsure if I want to feel Dae Yeop's pain again.
I do recommend that you try this drama out and see for yourself. Thematically for me, Bossam: Steal the Fate is a show that encapsulates life in many aspects and topics. It touches upon self-identity and personal growth, love (romantic and familial), respect and loyalty (to self, family, country, and principles), politics, societal obligations and problems, the balance of power and inequality, friendship, and more.
Side note:
For posterity, I have enclosed the link to the soundtrack list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bossam:_Steal_the_Fate#Original_soundtrack
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I honestly admire the idea of the show and how well it was executed. With this type of story, things can easily go wrong. But ''Hi Bye, Mama'' never took this wrong step and it remained good till the end. Writer Kwon Hye Joo for sure knows how to write such heart-warming stories.
However, the reason why I'm not giving a better overall rating is because I think there were a bit too many side stories and characters. Somewhere around the middle, the story kind of dragged too much, then later on became better again. It's not the biggest flaw a show could have, but the fact that I got bored for around 4-5 episodes affected my rating.
The characters were overall very good and the relationship between them were excellently developed. Cha Yu Ri definitely grew on me a lot, the same goes for Gang Hwa and Min Jeong. The sismance between Yu Ri and Min Jeong was great too, I loved how they didn't make them hate each other or something. It just made the drama sweeter.
The acting was amazing! Lee Kyu Hyung with a main role, freaking YES! I've loved him since I saw him in Prison Playbook and I'm so glad that he finally had a main role. Kim Tae Hee, gosh, this woman! I swear to god, when I saw her in Yong Pal, I was so put off by her weak performance that I thought she's one of the worst actresses and I was even sad when I saw she was cast for this drama. But thank you, Tae Hee, for proving me wrong! She was brilliant as Cha Yu Ri, I was so impressed.
So overall, I liked ''Hi Bye, Mama'' and I think a lot of people would enjoy it. I'm just trying to be more honest with my ratings, you know. But yeah, it's a very addicting show and I'm glad that I stayed with it till the end.
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During the first half of the series I was extremely excited. The story of the royals plotting, and scheming, was great. I loved following their rivalries, obsessions, and ruthless ambitions. I thought it was even more impressive considering the fact that most of the main cast was so young. The performances by the teen actors were really great. I think Kim Yoo Jung, and Yeo Jin Goo could rival any adult couple with their performances. l loved watching all the relationships develop, and the fact that there were such strong backstories for the characters. I loved some characters, and loved to hate others. I was instantly hooked, but then all the characters grew up...
Once the characters matured, the show lost some of it's spark for me. I'm not sure if it was because of the pacing, or the constantly depressing tone. It was clear from the first episode that this story would be tragic, but many times in the 2nd half I was bored watching characters cry & scream over the same things. It also seemed irrational for so many characters to be so determined to be with people who didn't love them, so it was harder for me to sympathize with them. The story always managed to pull me back in however with new revelations, or a great scene, but there were still long periods that felt repetitive. This made it much harder to stay excited.
I can't really blame the adult cast, because many of the adult cast members matched their younger counterparts well. I thought Kim Soo Hyun did well as the king, and he really seemed like an older Yeo Jin Goo. Jung Il Woo didn't really look much like his younger version, but I knew to expect a great performance from him. The Queen, Seol, and Jan Shil were all great casting matches. I think the most flawless transition between the young and older version of the character was Jin Ji Hee and Nam Bo Ra. I also think that Nam Bo Ra had one of the most moving scenes in the entire series. On the other hand, one character that was a disappointment was Song Jae Hee as the older Heo Yeom. He just seemed so much older than the rest of the cast, and It was distracting hearing him described as being so handsome when, no offense but... he's one of the least attractive men in the cast.
I think one of the biggest character issues I had was with Wol/older Yeon Woo. I thought she visually matched Kim Yoo Jung, and gave some good emotional performances in some scenes, but she lost all of her charm. She transformed from a young but wise independent thinker, into a willing doormat with a blank wide eyed stare. I really had a hard time believing that such a well read young girl would be so self sacrificing towards the king. I think it also effected their romantic moments together. I think Han Ga In meant for her performance to be melancholy, and altruistic, but instead she often looked bored to me.
Even though all of the main characters had at least one epic crying scene, i barely teared up while watching this. Nam Bo Ra, and Yeo Jin Goo came the closest to making me cry, but I did not have an emotional reaction to many of the sadder parts, which is crazy since the 2nd half is mostly sad parts. Even when characters died my eyes were dry, and I am often a crybaby. I enjoyed watching the relationship between wol, the king, the prince, and the queen, but it lacked enough chemistry to get me emotionally invested in their stories. You still may want to keep tissues nearby just in case, a lot of them.
Speaking of story... The plot itself was a good one, but the pacing of the episodes got worse and worse. There were too many repetitive scenes ( i said this already didn't i. irony...), which fueled much of my boredom. There was also too much reliance on flashbacks, including a flashback of a scene that happened seconds earlier. I didn't lose interest in the story, I just lost patience with how it was being told. The last episode is a perfect example of that. They rushed through endings for major characters, some pretty tragic endings, then filled the time with a silly story about learning to play an instrument. I was satisfied with the ending, but not moved by it.
I would recommend this drama to people who like tragedies (like 49 days, or Sorry I love you). Those looking for more romance (like in Sungkyunkwan Scandal, or Goong) may be disappointed. Those looking for comedy will find some funny moments, but not enough to balance all the crying, sulking, and screaming. Overall I liked the story, but thought the drama was inconsistent. I doubt i would watch this again, but maybe I'd like it more the 2nd time since I now know what to expect.
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This review may contain spoilers
an informal compilation of why the writing sucked.
- mafia could have tossed everyone's phone across the boundary and win at any point; they could have injured or killed everyone at night at any point. it's a very easy win for da beom, but nope, he goes: "okay jung won, even though you're bffs with yoon seo and jun hee, i'll totally believe you when you say you'll kill them..."- da beom, who was very determined to kill yoon seo and jun hee, just stops trying to kill them. then, he starts threatening his mafia partner and tries to kill her..? it's like that horrible and annoying trope where all the villain needs to do is pull the trigger to kill the hero, but he goes on a rant and allows the hero to find an opportunity to beat him. except this is 10x worse than that. da beom literally could stab yoon seo or jun hee at any moment and win the game, yet he just spares them? and he's screaming, running around, and sweating to kill jung won first for who knows why.
- we still don't know how or why yeon woo got stabbed, how mafia planted evidence for mina's shoe, or how they knew jun hee's plan to entrap them.
- we still don't know jun hee's backstory and why he got traumatized by pools or who had drowned in his brief flashback...
- we still don't have a full backstory for the FL
- essentially our ML and FL, whom the drama went at extreme lengths at protecting, both lack depth and a backstory... in other words, there is no reason for why these two should be or is our protagonists except that they look better than their peers?
- jung won apparently came up with a plan for doctor's (and bullies') death. are we to believe she calculated that doc would follow the two bullies, get caught, and killed once she threw the can..? how does that make sense at all?
- jun hee and yoon seo did not bully se eun and were, in fact, the few friends that she had, yet the parents go, "DURRR, send them to hell. boohoo my daughter. my daughter no longer alive" :( :( :(
- in fact, only a handful of students actually instigated and bullied her. most were either bystanders who ignored the problem or believed a false rumor and gossiped with their friend group. yet... they deserve the same punishment as the bullies? what sort of logic is that. basically, according to the parents, if you're stupid and gullible or just don't care, you are automatically complicit and deserve to get punished (*cough* everyone giving this drama higher than a 8.5 *cough*).
- girl literally committed suicide because they deep faked her face to an adult entertainer... like come on, make the bullying more believable. I was so interested in how she got bullied, why everyone was traumatized, yet the big reveal is one of the tamest and lamest bully tactic there is... there have been youtube pranks a lot worse than this.
- Mafia is a random game. you could have punished the kids with so many interesting and relevant games, but no, parents want to go, "DURR I hate you all, so you guys all get to play a detective game forever muahahahaha. that is your punishment!" like, choosing Mafia as the game setting to get "punished" is so random and doesn't make sense. I'd understand if they were stuck in a horror game or something, but what's the point of Mafia? to train the kid's sleuth and reasoning skills to recognize how they bullied a girl? to get better at lying? lol.
- frail and sick little FL literally just accepts her fate and goes back into the game without a fight. it's as if someone is robbing your house and the thief says, "shhhhh, it's okay, just go back to sleep now," and you just fall back to sleep. wtf was that?
- what's the point of killing the kids over and over if you're just going to wipe their memories? that they played the games dozens of time already may sound spooky until you realize they dont remember anything right after.
- if jung won is an a.i. in the game, then wouldnt she remember all the previous iterations? if she doesnt, then the parents, who think jung won somewhat represents their daughter, are in a sense punishing their program version of their daughter like everyone else?? it's understandable if she were some invincible host or something, but the fact that she is vulnerable and plays like everyone else suggests she's getting punished too, and not just that, but facing the same punishment as her bullies. this was really poorly thought out.
- what the hell was the point of se eun's ghost arc if the game itself was revealing everything?
- and the most important question: how are the kids eating, pooping, and peeing while they're stuck to the VR?
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memorable leads, memorable supporting cast and a memorable story makes this drama my favorite of the sprint 2012 season!
if you long for a wacky but clever comedy to keep you in stitches, this is the drama for you.
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Roller-coaster feeling
It's my first review about a drama so if I made any mistake please forgive me. First of all the storyline describes the drama well.The cast was amazing. You can feel every emotion. I usually don't watch melodrama cause I like comedy a lot. At first I thought I would not watch it but still I gave it a shot.It's not your typical idol type drama where the male lead is very popular and is surrounded by a lot of girls even though he is intelligent and handsome. The female lead is pretty,smart and talented in dancing. Those supporting roles played very well. What I liked is:1.Good storyline.
2.Fabulous acting.
3.Drama fitting ost.
Now let me tell you a bit of this drama. It was love at first sight for the male lead. This drama reveals the dark side of reality and love. It also reveals the dark side of entertainment industry.Being born in a rich family doesn't mean that you have everything cuse you need your parents affection while growing up.Love is always not so sweet, sometimes it's hard,painful and filled with jealousy. Sometimes it's unrequited. Even though after all of this love can heal each other.I wanted to give a lot of spoilers but I didn't cause then you might probably become less curious of this drama. Overall even if you don't like melodrama a lot you can watch this cause it's really heart touching and you might feel like you are riding a Roller-coaster. Whatever happened in the middle the ending episode was the most beautiful.
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Romantic and Meaningful
Love is Science? (戀愛是科學) is an 18 episode romance drama that revolves around 2 couples, Yan Fei - Wang Hsuan Yu and Ou Wen and Mark. Love is Science? is a slow but very heartwarming series. No antagonist, the characters are just sweet and natural. Though the plot is it’s rather cliche but it has a sweet atmosphere that makes you invested in it!! Plus, All of them have good chemistry, little misunderstanding.Love is Science? the premise revolves around two couples, one bxg couple (Yan Fei and Wang Hsuan Yu) and one bxb couple (Ou Wen and Mark). The first couple's storyline is really sweet, it focuses more on how Wang Hsuan Yu unrequited love is finally being reciprocated, and how Yan Fei comes to realization that Hsuan Yu has been by her side this whole time. Watching the first couple, you will feel butterflies in your stomach (but slow butterflies), Yan Fei feelings realization towards Hsuan Yu comes rather slow. Therefore, all their sweetness is around the last episode. But while watching the earlier episodes, you won't feel bored because you don't see their sweet moments. Rather, the earlier episodes and every extra scene (Hsuan Yu's and Yan Fei's childhood scene) make their romance buildup more interesting and meaningful.
On the other hand, OuWen and Mark couple focuses more on character development and how they grow together, as a couple and as an individual. Mark started off as a playboy and a homophobic (Mark expressed his disgust towards OuWen when OuWen touches him and more). But over time, Mark started to open his heart and realize his feelings for OuWen. Their love story is really heartwarming, that it makes you go "aww". However, Mark and OuWen's story does not only revolve around them. Their love story also revolves around Qiao Anna (Yan Fei's best friend) who once hooked up with Mark, then to find out that she's pregnant. (The second couple story does overshadow the main couple, but I don't mind since I find the second couple story actually more interesting than the first one and yes, they deserve a separate drama for the second couple)
Each character is also designed very well done and 3-dimensional. Personally, I love OuWen as a character, he’s honest and confident but also vulnerable. One of my favorite dialogues from him is, "why a gay man cannot be manlier than you?". He might be confident about being gay, but he also takes into consideration people around him. Love is Science? storyline doesn't all focus on romance and love, but it also provides glimpses into slice-of-life, how each individual how they grow, family, friendships, and more.
In terms of production quality, technical execution, Love is Science may not be perfect, but it is satisfactory. The drama uses soft filters and vibrant color palettes that provide a generally pleasant and vivid viewing experience. In addition, it also has decent camerawork. The cinematography and color palette makes this drama an enjoyable watch. There are also several setbacks in this drama, but the only major setback I can think of is the male lead comes off to be rather awkward.
Overall, Love is Science? is a good watch if you're looking for something romantic but meaningful as well.
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Even through its dark and moody tone, the drama is surprisingly melancholy and understated. It strikingly fits the persona of the lead protagonist Michima Shin, a struggling novelist played by Noda Yojiro.
The characters are deep, and their character arcs are well developed considering that this drama is only 12, 25 minute episodes. Due to the run time, the story is very tightly written. Each episode beautifully plays into unraveling more of the mystery.
Million Yen Women has a bit of an off tempo. It is leisurely paced over 12 short episodes. I would highly recommend giving this drama a chance. I found that I was quickly pulled into the storyline. I will restrain myself from saying more so I won’t give too much away.
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The idea was cute, and fun, but a lot of the times I wasn't that amused. I mean this isn't a bad drama, but it isn't the BEST one either. I think if you have time you should watch it but it's not one of those dramas I'd stop everything for to watch.
It has a lot of laughs in their along the way, and many strange scenarios. Junnosuke Taguchi playing a swedish guys son was pretty funny, especially with that blond hair, and those blue yes.
In closing this is basically a Japanese version of Scooby-Doo, and if you have some time to kill go ahead and watch it.
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1I still can't believe I watched all 52+ episodes of this mess voluntarily.
I gave myself an extra week before finishing this drama because after weeks and weeks of this hot mess of a drama I wasn't quite ready for it to end. Watching this show has been slightly masochistic. The plot is possibly the most ridiculous I've ever committed to watching, the main couple was well past my threshold for cheesiness, and yet I couldn't look away. Every week I volunteered to be irritated by characters and baffled by their actions. The actors committed to some of the worst written characters I've ever seen, so I can respect them for that, but it is so way over the top that I couldn't take a minute of this seriously. If I could rename this drama I would call it "Why can't everyone just mind their own business?!!" since most of the plot ends up being about meddling parents and caring too much about what others have to say. I'm sure culturally this maybe resonates more with a Korean audience but I couldn't relate, and the actions of many of the characters felt insane. I felt insane too because I couldn't stop watching.The main story is pretty basic. A young tutor/nanny and her widower boss fall in love in the most nonsensical way. There is also an implied HUGE age gap between them which already felt strange because in real life there isn't that same big age gap, and it shows. Their romance also feels extremely childish. The FL was constantly having random mood swings that went from obsessed crush to pouty brat while the ML was usually in robotic and gullible mode. They fought like immature kids, not lovers, for most episodes. Maybe people who like an old-fashioned love story will like how innocent they are but I felt like they traded in chemistry for a more "wholesome" style that was more cringy and corny than exciting and romantic. Still, this didn't stop me from waiting and watching to see what would happen, even when the same tropes kept repeating episode after episode. The silly music often played to remind us when it was supposed to be funny but I don't remember ever laughing... not even once in 52 episodes. I just stared at the screen wondering how something so terrible could put such a spell on me.
The rest of the characters consist of selfish parents throwing tantrums... a Sa Ra who is just as evil and slap inspiring as Se Ra's of dramas past, a lot of random family members in their own relationship messes, and 3 kids... 2 of which are super adorable and the show's highlight by far. All of these characters also constantly talk to themselves aloud which adds another layer to the ridiculousness. Still, I can only blame myself for tuning in each week. I dare say the end didn't disappoint, complete with a cringy musical moment that felt like our big prize for finally finishing this. There were also dramatic moments that left me completely dry-eyed but helped with the closure I need to move on.
Would I watch this again? Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa.
No.
Should you watch it? How do you feel about wasting hours of your life watching parents act like toddlers and the dysfunctional relationships they cause through meddling? Do you think dramas today aren't wholesome enough? Can you just not get enough of Amnesia plots? How about birth secrets and false paternity claims? Do you enjoy yelling "This is so stupid" at the screen? Do you enjoy being frustrated by characters doing things that make so sense at all? Do you love stories that drag out plots and jokes? Then by all means enjoy all 52 episodes of this train wreck of a drama. Scroll through the comments here and commiserate with others who also decided to watch this madness week after week. This is the one time where I feel like watching in real-time was better, and I just can't see binging this show for 52+ hours. The way so many parts of the plot drag on would be more blatant if watched back to back.
And don't forget the special... which could have easily been added to the last episode but maybe they needed more time for product placements and cheesy montages and flashbacks.
I admit that I will miss the "Do-Ba Do-bi-do-bi..." song during the awkward moments, which was a guilty pleasure.
Not to be confused with the more lighthearted "Dodo lehdehdeh..." lol! The music was definitely cued up to set the mood and will probably haunt me for years to come.
Overall, this is definitely a drama for a specific audience, so I don't want to trash it too much because I chose to keep watching. I'm still in shock that I made it to the end. If you dropped it, don't bother trying to watch it again. It doesn't get any "better" If anything it gets worse. Or maybe gather friends and you can heckle it together like "mystery science theater", because I know I wouldn't have made it without the comments here showing me I was not alone.
To all those who also made it to the end, We did it! I don't know why we did it to ourselves, but we did it!
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