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I have watched quite a few Kdrama since The Heir and Boys over Flowers or even Lovers in Paris but I have never had a kdrama series that not only I but a lot of viewers intensely “ENGAGED” to the point of mastering on the facts and brewing theory after another on whats going to be the next episode. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I have watched this as soon as it was aired. The agony of waiting for another week in order to find out what happens next created the hype and the passion for this show.
Nevertheless, its the comeback show for 2 of our main roles, Lee MinHo and Kim Go Eun not to mention the scriptwriter is no other than KES ( who wrote Goblin and the Heirs as well). She is known for her romantic dialogues, puns and witty lines. Plus the introduction of a parallel world and romance aka long distance relationship in a parallel world is unheard of in the Korean drama realm.
The undeniable chemistry between our FL and ML is another thing that made this show worth to watch and rewatch like 10 times over. Lee Min Ho as Lee Gon, the benevolent king from the Kingdom of Corea and our brave Lieutenant Jeong Tae Eul from the Republic of Korea mastered their craft and manifested in the screen.
As the story unfolds, the team behind this show didn’t fail to give as much spotlight for our other main leads and supporting actors as well. I like that they have their own stories to tell and how they are instrumental and uniquely intertwined with our main lead’s lives.
I love the quick-witted humor in this show and how it is being presented. Not the usual funny and comical antics like the usual rom-com shows I have binge-watched before.
Kim Eun Sook is a genius! A lot of people seemed to give up on this kdrama just because it’s too complicated but it need not be. You just have to watch the whole thing through ... everything will beautifully unfold right then. The realization that their relationship is a bit sad and entails a lot of sacrifice since we are talking about a love eternal in a parallel world but they decided to just embrace their fate and live only for today and love tirelessly until forever ... Every dialogue, every word, every line in this show holds a lot of truth and depth, thus setting the bar so high on how a beautiful love story should be. Definitely a 10 in my book!
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This review may contain spoilers
Don't recommend !
I normally don't write reviews but seeing one under this made me specifically want to comment. The comment was stressing that new bl fans were having a problem with this drama because of the stepbrothers and r*pe romanticizing. I've been a fan of bl since 2018 and I've seen many stepbrother plots which is not a problem. I am tired of the trope but it's something that'll probably never change. However, that person justified the r*pe as just a toxic factor within the couple. Romanticizing r*pe within dramas/novels should never be a thing and that's why people have a problem with it. TengTeng and Licheng completely saved the entire drama, I skipped through and ignored the other couple's parts. Not only did Yongjie admit to having sex with Xingsi against his will and getting him drunk on purpose, but he also took a video of it and showed it to his parents. That's sexual harassment. I get the point that person was trying to make but it was a terrible point, r*pe should not be justified as toxicity, it is a real problem in the bl world that people don't talk about. Yongjie being sweet and cute later on does not justify what he put Xingsi and his parents through. The show terribly executes their story and really could've done better. R*pe should not be included ever.Was this review helpful to you?
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Haters Be Damned.. Love.. Justice.. And a Touch of Chaos in The Judge From Hell..
Such a horrible drama.. Bad CGI.. Poor acting.. Bad Ending.. What was that all about?? 5 /10 for me..If you have heard or read comments like this.. Don’t be too quick to believe them.. Trust me.. This show has so much more to offer.. From the unique storyline to the carefully crafted characters.. Every episode brought something memorable which i wouldnt want to miss..
The drama started off strong.. But ep 2 is where I got completely hooked.. The abuser getting to experience his sins and the pain he was in before his death brought total satisfaction.. This is the kind of intense and unapologetic justice you rarely see in Kdramas... And that ending?? When she stabbed the ML.. Just made it more interesting.. How on earth are they going to go from this to being in love?? Well.. They were in love and more than that by the end of the drama.. This isn’t just the usual Enemies to Lovers trope.. This is something even darker and more intriguing.. Killer to Lovers?? Forbidden Love trope??
Seeing her thrash those culprits was so satisfying.. Easily one of my favorite parts of the drama.. Its not often that a show gives us such visceral justice.. And I honestly couldn’t get enough..
I read people complain about the lack of romance in the first half.. But honestly the chemistry was there all along.. Romance isn’t just about kissing scenes and physical intimacy.. It’s also about those micro moments.. From her smirk in the courtroom when she saw him smiling to her disappointment when he didnt trust her.. She was clearly drawn to him even before she understood her feelings.. She was in love long before she realized it herself.. She literally needed a psychiatrist to point it out..
She is a demon who dont know what love is.. But she was quick to clash with anyone who stood against the ML.. If that’s not love then what is??
When the detective went missing.. What surprised me was how casually her abduction was handled.. Even Han Da On didn't seem interested in doing anything.. I understand his reasons but it felt off.. She had disappeared from a dangerous situation.. She was like a mother figure to him.. He should have been searching for her like crazy.. But he didnt and he didn’t even ask Bit Na for help..
I despised the A Rong/Gremory character from the start and just wanted her to die as each episode passed.. I don't know why.. But she really got on my nerves.. However I have to admit she made up for her mistakes later on.. Really loved Man Do.. He was fun to watch..
I read some complaints about the CGI.. While I wouldn’t call it top notch.. I would rate it a solid 8 out of 10.. Most scenes were well done.. Except for a few scenes involving water..
Justitia went from killing him in ep 2 to going on to say:
" I wanted to kill everyone who made you cry..
And I wanted to make you happy so u never have to cry anymore.. "
And she went from calling kissing scenes in dramas filth to asking him to kiss her more.. That transformation was so much fun to watch..
Now.. The whole drama was a masterpiece.. But the ending.. Ending felt lacking.. She has 3 years left in earth but she chose to stay as a Judge that too far from the person she loves.. With whom she wanted to make memories which she could remember for eons?? And he didn't consider transferring to her city or taking a break?? He can work all he wants after she disappears right?? The logic was quite lacking considering what they both went through to reach where they are and the fact that they don't have a future together.. It was such a vague ending.. If they confirm a second season then all good.. Otherwise the ending is really lacking for me..
PSH really outperformed everyone.. Well there was no one as good as her here.. But she was really good.. She is one of the most convincing reason for the drama's success.. Kim Jae Young did a good job as well.. I hope this drama gives him the recognition he deserves and gets more opportunities..
Overall.. The Judge From Hell has amazing actors.. Great chemistry.. But the interaction between Da on & bitna in the first 8 episodes was truly spectacular.. Just stood out for me.. They were the opposite ends of the same coin.. The plot of Da On chasing her was absolutely exhilarating to watch.. The first 9-10 episodes is the reason why this garnered so much attention..
P.S. I find the subtitles for most dramas frustrating.. They often fail to provide accurate translations.. Missing key moments and not capturing the intended emotions.. Thankfully I understand a bit of Korean.. So I can pick up on what they really mean.. But I cant help but think that most people are missing out on the essence because of the terrible translations.. Its a bit annoying honestly..
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Well, without giving any spoiler, I do believe that the overall plot of this drama is well presented, and I enjoyed it so much. I just wish that it would be a bit longer because there are things that need to be explained or tackled and not just left in the dark. The plot is well-paced, and I really liked the ending, teary-eyed. The series is cute and fluffy but there are some dark themes in it during the later episodes (the reason for R18) but nonetheless, I got hooked up with the story as it is my first time watching this kind (Mono and Probe thing) of drama. Overall, the story is very good, and I liked how entertaining it was.
ACTING
The visuals of the main leads are oozing with handsomeness. I AM OBSESSED. But to get into acting, I do believe that they gave justice to their characters and played it very well. Yeon Woo (Yoo Jun) already played in other dramas before and I liked the way he acts. Same with the Heo Hyun Jun. There are like around just 5 characters in the series and I think that they did a good job.
MUSIC
I love the OST and I barely download songs from series. I always play it while I am doing my skincare haha but true, I liked the OST so much. It fits the vibe of the series.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Coming from a country that is well-known for producing top tier dramas, I think that this has good production quality compared to existing BL dramas (Thai to be exact, but no hate tho) The editing could be a bit more polished, but I understand how hard it is to add effects during Color Rush scenes, so I love it as it is.
Overall, this drama is very good, and I loved it from the start till the end, I just wish that it was longer so that it can explain some parts that I think are important for the plot. Between WYEL, Mr Heart, and Wish You, this is my favourite. Also, this has a possibility to have a SEASON 2 (I heard from some ppl)
PS. I cried a bit during the ending.
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1Would You Write Me a Better Script?
Oh, Jung Somin, the sh-t that I have to go through because of you.It's not bad, but not good either. Like, you literally have to turn off your brain to enjoy this. The writing is nonsense, the plot is ridiculous and irritating a lot of times. Especially the last episode.
Also, I'm so done with this "main characters have to know each other from the past" trope. It's so boring, honestly. The show wouldn't be any different without that.
The two main lead and some other side characters carried the show, but that's all. The adult baby and his family should've been removed from the show after the 6th episode.
My advice: Unless you really love Jung Somin or any of the actors, don't watch this if you can't turn off your critical brain. I don't know why so many Kdrama fans love to forgive or just ignore bad writing, but I'm not one of them.
I gave it a 6/10, because overall it's a lighthearted fun nonsense, but you won't miss much if you skip it.
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Scheming For The World
Who Rules The World is adapted from the novel of the same name, 且试天下 (Who Rules The World) by 倾泠月. But the novel author did not take part in the scriptwriting thus there have been changes to the drama. Though promoted as a wuxia drama, Who Rules The World is not 100% a wuxia drama as it also has a combination of romance, court, and political intrigue (heavier on the romance and court side). The drama has a lot of elements, but the drama manages to blend them all seamlessly, it doesn’t confuse you.As a Tencent S+ project, the drama has a big budget and high-quality production, and the high production values are reflected in the overall production. Who Rules The World features outstanding fight scenes, authentic sets, lavish costumes, beautifully shot landscape, and remarkable CGI. In addition, the drama is also helmed by Yin Tao, the same director who directed Love and Redemption and Ancient Love Poetry, you can expect a good watch!
The drama opens with Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi's adventure in Jianghu, but also shows the interconnection between the court and jianghu. The story narrative unfolds at a fast but also leisure pace, it gives viewers enough time to understand the character’s relationship and their connections. The plot and character points are planned well in advance and the story unfolds in a way that pulls us into various plot threads and the partial reveals.
To me, what makes the drama stand out the most is the two main lead characters and great choreographed fighting scenes. I love how both leads are equally strong, and they understand each other well. There is no damsel in distress, it is always them fighting side by side against the enemy together and protecting each other when one of them is in danger. It is also entertaining to see them argue with each other, and their push and pull relationship! Hei Fengxi (Feng Lanxi) is a smart and strong character, he is a formidable foe. He’s always ahead of each other, know what others are planning, has a backup plan, and more. But you’ll understand why he did all that because it is the survival of the fittest. In order for him to be safe from all the schemes, he needs to schemes, outwit others and think ahead. On the other hand, Bai Fengxi (Feng Xiyun) is a dauntless and free-spirited character. She has a genuine heart, she cares for the world but at the same time, she does not let those bad guys off easily. Bai Fengxi uses white silk as her weapon because she believes in the world of martial arts, the highest level is not to kill.
Who Rules The World also has immaculate fighting scenes. It has a brilliantly choreographed fighting scene with engaging shots and thankfully no slow motion. The drama has adequate cinematography with bright also appropriate levels of color grading along with close-ups, immersive, and tracking shots.
Anchored by Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi, you can expect eye candy in the drama! Both of them are gorgeous actors whose emotions and facial expressions transform and make them compelling in their appeal. Moreover, the drama also features a large ensemble cast with many familiar faces. Zhao Lusi has once again surprised us with her new role. Her acting as Bai Fengxi has really shown her great improvement compared to her previous drama. From her articulation, bearing, posture, and acting, everything about her is perfect! On the other hand, Yang Yang imbues his character with elegance, grace, and wittiness at the same time. Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang have great rapport and chemistry, especially if you watch their behind the scenes. I also absolutely adore scenes where they bicker and fight side by side. I personally feel those scenes have more “sugar” rather than the actual romance slo-mo part. Though indeed, in some parts of the drama, Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang have an awkward interaction and bearing.
Who Rules The World is not flawless by any means. Who Rules The World has choppy editing, a rushed storyline, and some bad CGI towards the end. The drama was supposed to be a 45-episode drama, but they cut it down to 40 episodes, hence the choppy editing. Some scenes are not coherent with the others, you can still understand what's going on, but it's not pleasant to see. Another drawback because of the choppy editing is a rushed storyline towards the line. The drama spent too much time on the political side, it is too draggy. It would be better if the political plot was actually intriguing, but I personally feel like the political plot was like a child's play, I didn't feel there's a need to spend so much time on it. The drama spends too much time on the political part making the jianghu plot unattended and left out eventually. The rush to closure also makes some parts of the drama anti-climatic, for instance, the part where Feng Lanxi discovers that Bai Fengxi is Feng Xiyun. Furthermore, I feel towards the ending, the CGI gets bad. The CGI during the beginning (their adventure in jianghu) is very remarkable, especially the CGI of their fighting scenes and Bai Fengxi's white silk. But towards the end, the CGI looks cheap and fake, especially the fight scene ending.
Overall. Who Rules The World is a good watch if you are looking for a light historical drama (also a good watch for those who are new to cdrama).
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I Love My President Though He's A Psycho
49 people found this review helpful
If you enjoy Thai Lakorns (I love them), then please do watch this drama. While it might not be the best if you enjoy proper slap/kiss lakorns then this will fit the bill (except of course it's in Chinese). The drama was an absolute riot, from the crazy obssessed male lead to the innocent door mat of a heroine, to the crazy diabolical evil rival lady, let's not forget the dissaproving and equally diabolical mother (of the male lead). These are the ingredients for thai lakorn people! You either love it or you don't, no one can make you understand why it's so good. It's not an acquired taste, the love for this type of drama is ingrained in my blood. Your pile of poop is my bounty!
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Geniuely a really good drama, not what everyone is making it out to be
I’ve never written a review for anything, but I feel like this had to be my first. As I think people are making Nevertheless out to be worse than it is. Personally I really enjoyed this drama so much.My favorite things:
1. The cast was truly amazing and their chemistry was so good that I always found myself smiling at the screen and repeating many scenes
2. THE ACTING!! The way they portrayed every single scene truly came down to the chemistry between them but just wow Song Kang and Han So Hee's acting truly needs more credit than what they are given
3. Every single ost in this drama was beyond beautiful, I looked forward to every week adding a new song to my ost playlist to have all the tracks on constant loop
4. The story was very realistic for their situation and this is the biggest thing I think people are making out to be worse than it is
One main thing I think people are forgetting or pushing aside is this is supposed to be a friends with benefits relationship and it is very emphasized from the beginning that that’s all that’s wanted. The word “toxic relationship” keeps being thrown into correlation but I personally don’t see anything toxic about their relationship when everything was put out there about the friends with benefits narrative. Yes, their relationship can be seen as flawed as the aspect of feelings are very evident but we also have a character who has never felt any of that and it’s an unfamiliar feeling that they don’t know what to do. In addition, communication between Na Bi and Jae Eon doesn’t really happen except for the times they explode in anger since they don’t address what they’re feeling.
Nevertheless (haha), I think everyone has mixed reviews depending on your stance on a friends with benefits relationship, but if you’re looking for a drama that’s more raw with sexual scenes and tension. A cast with amazing chemistry and a lot of fun scenes when they’re all together. In addition to people trying to understand their emotions and feelings when it comes to love this would be a great drama.
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The Uncanny Counter Season 2: Counter Punch
115 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
Uncanny Counter 2; A Disappointing Follow-Up To A Brilliant Series…
When Uncanny Counter hit our small screens back in late November 2020, viewers were in for a great treat under the writing of Yeo Ji Na . The series was filled with intriguing characters, lore and high stakes to keep the plot engaging and well-written. What was delivered to our screens in 2023 left a lot to be desired, not just straying from the original webcomic, but being poorly written.The basic plot premise of the second season returns to our ragtag group of heroes, The Counters. Now slightly older, Mun ( Cho Byeong Kyu) has begun helping to train the other counters. Ga Mo Tak ( Yoon Joon Sang) has doubled up as a cop and Counter to help the team, while Do Ha Na ( Kim Se Jeong) and Chu Mae Ok ( Yeom Hye Ran) are left to harness their powers.
However, trouble is soon on the horizon when a trio of evil spirits Hwang Pil-Gwang ( Kang Ki Young), Gelly Choi ( Kim Hieora) and Wong ( Kim Hyun Wook) become an increasing threat to the counters. With the help of new Counter Na Jeok-Bong ( Yoo In Soo), the heroes find themselves running into more problems than one, especially for Mun and his friend Ma Ju-Seok’s (Jin Sun-Kyu)‘s journey down a dark path…
To understand where one of the major issues of the show lies, I think it is essential for us to address the writing change. Yeo Ji Na’s talents as a writer really shone through in season one. Her ability to address complex issues and themes, as well as facilitate them to shape our characters made the series engagingly dark, comical yet also filled with mystery and adrenaline. The story had stakes because the main villain was threatening and similar to Mun, viewers were new to the world of Counters and learnt about the lore and world of spirits along the way. It made the story engaging and proved Ji Na to be a talented writer.
After season one and for various conflicting and directional reasons, Kim Sae Bom took over from Yeo Ji Na as the main writer for season two in production. Kim Sae Bom, most likely standing out for his involvement as a screenwriter for Bad and Crazy, has a very different approach to writing than Ji Na even from the offset. Is this a crime in itself? No. In fact, the initial premise of season two did seem quite interesting alongside theme shifts, especially with new characters introduced onto the field. So where did things go wrong with Sae Bom’s writing? The big issue lay with the plot and character changes feeling jagged and convoluted , as well as the evident decline of writing between seasons.
Season one was well-balanced between themes of action, angst, friendship, supernatural and aspects of tragedy. It was far from a flawless masterpiece ( and did struggle a little with balance in places), but it was self-aware of its themes and characters. Season two tries to mimic a “ similar balance” in the mould of a mystery comedy setup. The fights are still there , but while the action is present, the emotional deliverance leaves a lot to be desired, even from the balance of themes. This resulted in a notable struggle with the writer attempting to imitate Ji Na in his own style while falling short of being a decent copy. As a consequence, witty jokes from season one turning into toilet jokes ( repeatedly) and yelling random English phrases to enact as the comic relief of the series.
When the series attempted to take a darker turn in parts, it struggled a lot to be poignantly reflective as the previous season. A mixture of sloppily rushed writing ( particularly out of character choices) as well as questionable connection with the audience, did often make these scenes feel more arduous than moving. ( One of the best examples being early on when we see the guardians first reunite with their Counters. Considering the emotional impact of their challenges throughout the first season, the cheesy happy family moments between the characters was somewhat out of place. It gave little opportunity to reflect on the actual development in the relationship between the Counters and their guardians from the previous season.)
The acting of the series was admittedly a little mixed. Although the series has a good cast and some brilliant names introduced into the lineup , a mixture of overreacting and wooden dialogue did have a big part to play with some more cringe-inducing scenes . Some noteworthy performances did come through Seo Byeok-joon as Park Do-hwi, Ha Na’s first love, and Hong Ji Hee as Lee Min Ji, the tragic wife of Ju Seok, in particular. Both actors delivered good performances as their respected characters, even if the writing did not give their onscreen personas full justice.
Character writing is another mixed bag. Main lead Mun stands out in particular as the epitome of the show’s changed writing quality between seasons. In season one, Mun was very much the tragic bullied teen, who goes through a lot of character growth from naivety to teen angst ( mixed with powerful abilities) and then to genuine acceptance of his circumstances . He stood out as a fairly good protagonist because he changed and grew a lot from beginning to end, while still remaining true to himself. In season two, Mun is noticeably different from his earlier counterpart.
Of course, he is meant to be older and thus a little different from his teen self, but the more noticeable traits of Mun being somewhat anxious at times and fairly defiant, is changed for him playing the role of the comic man in the first- half . It isn’t necessarily bad seeing Mun grow out of his shell, but it felt odd considering how much Mun’s noteworthy personality traits were not carried over more in season two, especially by replacing a key aspect of Mun’s personality as a fairly reserved individual. In particular, season one featured heavily on Mun’s deep bonds with only a few people in his life. He needed deep connections with people such as his two best friends and grandparents ( and eventually the Counters) to form genuine relationships. These were important parts of Mun’s life and helped him to carry on. In season two, while these characters do feature in some background scenes, it was beyond out of character to see Mun having such a “deep” bond a practical stranger. It did not reflect Mun as an individual, and even more disappointingly, did not convey the character we had come to love through his gradual growth.Episode eight and nine attempted to offer a “ twist” to Mun’s circumstances, but having already repeated the same concept from season one, it felt a little overused . Perhaps the only good aspect we saw through this “ twist” came through an opportunity to see some more traumatic sides to Mun’s inner-self, as well as his strong bond with Ha Na coming to light. However, the resolution to this convoluted “ development” episode was both rushed and incredibly sappy, giving little opportunity to actually explore Mun’s darker and more difficult issues at heart and growth.
Then there’s the other counters. Mo-Tak was beloved in season one for being the sarcastic “cool guy”, who helps out Mun. The fact that Mo Tak was going to play a bigger role in season two gave so much potential for this character, yet, rather than giving him an opportunity to be developed further , the show rendered him as the show’s jester; often spending most of his time making unfunny jokes and being the butt of someone’s jokes. To add insult to injury, there was also the attempt to weaken the previously strong fighting abilities of Do Ha Na and Chu Mae Ok. Considering their poignant backstories and strength, it was sad to see them being put on the back burner for most of the show . The series did attempt to offer some “ intriguing” aspects with Ha Na’s first love ( one of the few good aspects of this second season) and she did feature in some later episodes, as well as Mae Ok with her son, but aside from that, they were rarely given as much exposure as within the previous season. Choi Jang-Mul ( Ahn Suk Hwan) features again in the series, though while in season one he was the comical rich man (with a not-so secret crush on Mae-Ok), in season two he plays more of the role as a clown in some of his featured scenes.
Then there’s the new counter Na Jeok Bong ( Yoo In Soo), arguably one of the show’s greatest letdowns. Yoo In Soo is a good actor, but even he cannot entirely save his character from failing. Jeok Bong is meant to be the definition of the “ fool with a hero’s heart”. He is beyond awkward and useless at fighting, but he is seemingly a “good person”. The problem with Jeok Bong is that the writing confuses creating the unlikely and foolish hero with being likeable as playing the useless fool all the time. Rather than seeing Jeok Bong gradually grow or develop into a better person ( even through nuanced scenes like comforting others, or be given a more difficult issue to face ) he is still played out to be the fool for most of the series. Instead, a never -ending cycle of toilet jokes and failing fights pretty much encapsulates this character’s screen time time and time again . Whether the writers didn’t want Jeok Bong to grow from out of Mun’s shadow or be the “comic relief”, it is hard to say, but the writing direction this character was taken in was a sad reflection of wasted potential, questioning why another counter was even introduced in the first place . ( Aside from plot fodder.)
The villains of the series were unintentionally a little mixed. Their initial introduction did hold a lot of potential; a trio of nefarious evil spirits who gain Counter powers and are not afraid to kill others in their wake. The problem is that while they are played by very good actors, their characters struggle to be well-developed threats . In season one, the big bad of the series was just that; evil to the core and driven to complete his goals of bringing destruction and ruining the Counters . In season two, it’s hard to really work out what the trio actually wants aside from some measly power grabs here and duped powers . Sure, they want to stop the Counters from getting in their way, but where are the true stakes? Why are they so fixated on them to the point of going as far as they have done? What are their true goals aside from just being plot devices? As antagonists, they are fairly “evil”, just not particularly with a sense of impending threat or being a true foil for the Counters. The stakes could have been there, but season two does little to make them an imminent antagonistic force beyond obvious “ plot drive”. This is sad considering the fact that especially Hwang Pil-Gwang, as the leader of the trio, could have been a really interesting character if he had been developed properly as early hints suggested. Gelly Choi did get her moments later in the spotlight by proving that she is quite devious, but considering her featured screen time, Gelly and Wong were certainly underdeveloped and underused .
Last but not least with characters, it is hard not to mention Ma Ju-Seok, one of the show’s most divided characters for viewers. On paper, Ju Seok had a really interesting role; a “ nice guy” driven to the edge and Mun trying to help him. On the other hand, Ju Seok was simply a cause for plot rather than well-developed. One of his major flaws came through his “ deep bond” with Mun. The show constantly forces the message that Ju-Seok is a “good “guy, but the series forgets a key point in writing: show don’t tell. Rather than showing us these acts ( aside from helping Mun’s grandmother in some scenes ) we constantly hear the same narrative in dialogue that Ju Seok is a “nice person”, but not through very sincere actions or scenes in particular. To make it stranger, Mun is established to be intimate with a small circle of his family and friends, and takes time ( as shown with the Counters) to really develop intimate bonds. It makes little sense for Mun to suddenly trust Ju Seok on such a level ( helping his grandmother or not), without actually getting a sense of what has really drawn them to form such a friendship. For example, had Ju Seok played a role in scenes as an older brother/ uncle figure by encouraging Mun in other respects , then maybe this relationship would have been more poignant, or at least viewers could understand some of Mun’s trust in such a character . Instead, it rarely delivered the full intimacy it was suggesting, making it an odd spectacle to see Ju Seok try and go dark-side and for Mun to be so set on helping a near stranger . Ju Seok’s “ character arc” did have somewhat of a resolution, though it was rushed.
Perhaps the few strengths of this second season came through showing Mun’s darker issues ( though not in resolution), as well as the return of Mun’s friends Kim Woong-min ( Kim Eun Soo) and Im Ju Yeon ( Lee Ji Won). Although very much background characters, their teasing potential romance between the two characters: as well as their long-standing friendship with Mun, did provide quite fun and heartwarming in most of their featured scenes. Another minor character, Park Do-hwi ( Seo Byeok-joon), Ha Na’s first love, was also quite a delight. ( The series did seriously go about a very cliche way of his resolution , but his featured screen time was certainly engaging .)
The other issue at hand comes through execution. To put it simply, Uncanny Counter 2 struggles with pacing a lot. The major part of the series nearly drags along at a snail’s pace, trying to place some action in training montages and some villain scenes to lead up to the “ big showdown” . Later episodes did bit up the pace slightly and were slightly more engaging with the plot and some themes , but most episodes, especially the first-half, felt underdeveloped and quite repetitive. The ending was probably one of the show’s greatest letdowns. It certainly brought a bittersweet note for the show, but last minute plot points, which could have easily have flourished and been developed earlier on, were rushed and thrown in for quick angst. This lead the resolution to feel a little unresolved.
The directing of the series under director Yoo Soo Deong follows a fair sleek and basic cinematography. The CGI is decent enough, though compared to some of the more sleek palettes in season one, there is a little left to be desired for the eyes. The OST was okay; there were some good songs such as CRAVITY “Ready, Set Go” which helped set the mood in some scenes, and was quite catchy too.
Overall, Uncanny Counter 2 is not quite on the same level as its previous season both across the writing range and execution. It is understandable the show wanting to go in a different direction. Mun is no longer the naive kid we saw in season one, and has begun to grow beyond playing “ the heroic role” all the time. However, the way the show tried going about this with poor writing decisions made Uncanny Counter 2 feel a little rushed and convoluted in parts. There are definitely a few good aspects to the season , including accessibility to viewers who have not watched the previous part as well as some interesting characters and general setups . However, poor pacing did make this season feel out of place across thematic and writing styles. Overall, okay for a quick binge watch but that is about it.
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Honestly, what happened?
I want to start by saying - splitting it into 2 parts is dumb and I truly do not understand the logic behind it. I refuse to call it a season, because it is not - it’s the same story, same arc, same characters, direct continuation, no?The 6 episodes we’ve got were truly just an introduction to the characters and plot - nothing less, nothing more. And I don’t even think the introduction was that good for a lot of the elements.
Van has no personality and the only interesting and entertaining aspect of his character were the few reactions he gives when interacting with Mi Ho. That’s it. I love Kim Nam Gil, I do, but this role ain’t it.
Mi Ho is fine and I love her chemistry with other characters. The issue was - for a fantasy driven action flick, they wasted too much time telling us who she is in the present time. We don’t care. I couldn't care less about her struggle for power in her father’s company and the nasty aunt. I did not need a lengthy set up on why she had to go to Jeju. Only 6 episodes - time is precious, why are we wasting it? Also, this is a side rant, but every time the magic happened and Da Hee made the moaning sound I was like: girl, this ain’t the sound you should go for in this situation…
Surprisingly, the character I was the least excited about ended up the most fun and entertaining. Kang Chan Hyuk aka Father Johan. Eun Woo should take more roles like that, fitting his personality. Yes, the more "emotional" scenes were often lacking, but overall this is a lot better than many of his previous performances.
The cold emotionless lead is just not his thing. I liked how Father Johan was honestly a rookie compared to the forces he had to go against and he was too confident for his own good. I especially loved him testing Van and how far he can push before Van starts punching back.
Eun Woo as a cheeky priest was to die for. The child became a man. Man of faith and man of kinks for many viewers.
Production was painfully questionable in the CGI department. Just the manifestation of the power/energy was great. The barrier set by “the villain” looked amazing. But then, the design of the possessed was laughable, the execution was wanky. I liked the tree spirit monster, but that’s it. The worst of it all? The CGI models for the actors when they were doing the crazy fighting scenes - the movements were just bad. Then we also have the awkward scenes where the use of harness and lines could not be more obvious. I don’t think they practiced enough…
Overall, a mess. As much as I had fun watching it and joking about it with other users on feeds, the quality of the show itself is just bad. I’m so confused… What happened? I assume they had the budget, the cast was also good… So why was the end product just mediocre at best?
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The best word to describe this drama is: BORING. The main characters are written to be super quirky and especially at the beginning there are a lot of weird situations for the sake of creating comedy and showing their quirkiness. This kinda works at first (there was a time, like 2 months ago, when I was actually excited for the upcoming episodes) but as episodes went by everything became so dull, plain...boring. I can't exactly pinpoint what doesn't work for the main characters: poorly executed clichés? lack of character development? romantic chemistry where?, but something went reaaaaally wrong and I ended up skipping their parts in favor of the secondary characters, who surprisingly had much interesting storylines and relationships.
I'm not saying this is the worst thing I've ever seen, but it's frustrating looking back after investing 16 hours of my time and seeing that I could have watched something else instead. Oh, they also used Despacito as background music in several occasions and that was the last straw for me.
(lol no I'm kidding the characters were worse than despacito but really?? in 2019??)
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This review may contain spoilers
Okay, this show does a really terrible job of explaining itself so imma clear it up for those who have watched it and are confused or those that haven't and are interested in doing so. I'm not sure if the issue lies in the translation or in the writing itself, but either way, I gotchu:Convoluted explanation:
Qing Chen utilizes a set of nine stones to reset the universe after the love of her life nearly comes to a fatal end. However, doing so is not without consequence. Firstly, no one will remember her, nor can she reveal her identity. Secondly, she'll only have a predetermined amount of time before the flower of life wilts, which loses a petal whenever the major players in that timeline die and/or as time passes. And thirdly, if she doesn't recollect the scattered stones before her time is up, her existence will be wiped from the history of the universe and everything she has done up until that point will be nullified.
Simple explanation:
The basic premise of this show is that a girl (Qing Chen) goes a year into the past to change the fate of the love of her life. It obviously can't be that easy because the writers have another 45-ish episodes to write, so there are rules: she only has roughly 6 months to recollect the scattered stones that acted as her time machine and return to the future. If she fails, she disappears from the universe (including people's memories) and, as mentioned above, everything she has done up until that point will be nullified.
(If you haven't watched it yet, stop reading now if you want to avoid spoilers)
So what does she do? She devotes all of her efforts to saving Ling, her true love, and basically blows off searching for the stones because... Selflessness?? I guess?? Honestly, when it comes to dramas like these, the overall consensus is that any "genius" character is just a brilliant fool... Mostly for plot convenience. When the writers need them to pull some miraculously impossible solution out of their ass, they do, and when the writers need them to play dumb and overlook something blatantly obvious, they do. And that about perfectly sums up Qing Chen. She's a brilliant fool and victim of cheap plot manipulation.
She SHOULD be concerned about finding the stones. She SHOULD value her life. Why? Because if she doesn't find the stones, or if she dies, everything she went through to save Ling will go to waste— he'll still die at the hands of his power-hungry brother from before she went back in time, she just won't exist to witness it. It basically invalidates everything she is putting herself through; it's like devoting tons of time and effort into a video game with the intention to just delete the save file halfway. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
There are so many plot holes, so many I've lost count. They pulled a J.K. Rowling "Prisoner of Azkaban" so many times. What do I mean by that? Well, the whole premise of "Prisoner of Azkaban" is that Harry and Hermione fuck with time to fix a bunch of shit, but that mechanic is never visited again in the subsequent books because... Well, because it was hellish to write about so J.K. Rowling just casually opted out. Plus, it would've destroyed her tragic plans for the the story (since everything could be fixed by time travel), making it boring, repetitive, and predictable. TL;DR? "Lost Love in Times," like "Prisoner of Azkaban," is another example of— say it with me now— PLOT CONVENIENCE.
Then again, they must've done something right since I did watch it until the end, which is rare for me these days. I gotta give it to China— they've got political turmoil and domestic upheaval down to a science. If you can keep track of all the characters and side stories, you won't be disappointed by the amount of detail that goes into the corrupt and ceaseless competition for power. WITH THAT BEING SAID...
What a cheap excuse of an ending. It's the epitome of "oh shit, we wrote ourselves into a corner and the characters don't have their happy ending. Whelp... SCREW IT. FAN SERVICE TIMEEEE."
Don't get me wrong, I love me a happily ever after, but I'd rather a tragic ending that makes sense than a forced and poorly executed happy ending. Period.
*deep breath*
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This review may contain spoilers
Main character have 2 braincells sometimes more
The main character just frustrates me so much and the rich kids even more. Do people act like this in real life?The main character does the dumbest things imaginable and then acts like it is because she is poor and not because she literally doesn't think before acting. The best example of this is when she attacks the main antagonist rich girl. The main character left expensive shoes in a public bathroom and then is surprised that somebody stole them. Instead of going to the shopping center security she just attacks Jena because sure the thief would just stay around and wait for someone to find them (sarcasm).
AlsoThere are so many plot holes that don't make any sense. For example, in the last episode (10) girls are fighting on the rooftop and the main character doesn't hear a thing. Excuse me but is she deaf or something? The building is like 10 stories high so she would have definitely heard the girls screaming in the dead of the night at about 2-3 A.M. Also how are students allowed to stay in school during the night?
Long story short don't waste your time except if you like to cringe and feel like your brain cells are dying.
P.S. I finished it because I always finish the show no matter how bad it is ;|
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The Nine-Tailed Fox Tale With A Romantic Twist…
Admittedly whilst the quality of these fantasy dramas are often variable upon screenwriting ,‘ My Roommate Is A Gumiho’ surprisingly hits most of the marks by portraying well-rounded characters, strong chemistry between the main leads and an intriguing premise which felt enjoyable and surprisingly heartfelt for viewers.
Taken from the eponymous webcomic and adapted by screenwriters Baek Sun Woo and Choi Bo Rim , " My Roommate Is A Gumiho” revolves around Shin Woo Yeo( Jung Ki Yong)- an ancient nine-tailed fox ( Gumiho) who yearns to be human. Woo Yeo must turn his fox bead marble blue before reaching his 999th year, otherwise he will never be able to attain this possibility of becoming mortal . However, nothing ever runs smoothly for supernatural beings in K-dramas. When young and feisty university student Lee Dam (Hyeri) swallows his bead, Woo Yeo soon finds himself battling between his desires and a new obstacle of affections for Lee Dam…
Starting off his performance on a slightly lacklustre note, Jang Ki Young soon proved his talents to animate the sagacious and mysterious onscreen persona as Shin Woo Yeo to life through his surprisingly heart-rendering scenes of Woo Yeo’s complex past and sweet interactions with Lee Dam.
It is surprising how underrated Lee Hyeri’s acting talents are by truly delivering a resonant performance as headstrong Lee Dam. Lee Dam ( as a character) is arguably an evidently "down-to-earth heroine" than a lot of K-drama female leads out there- deadpan expressions, shamelessly honest comments and straightforward priorities ( not least the fact that she was more worried about not being able to eat fried chicken again with the bead) helping to epitomise this.
However to be more brutally honest with Lee Dam’s characterisation, it was evident to see some nuanced problems here also. This didn’t mean her sentience as a character was non-existent. Early on in the series, Lee Dam established she was no pushover when calling out the sexist remarks of second male lead Gye Sun Woo ( Bae In Hyuk)’s friendship group upon her body. She comments defiantly that she is a human being; ” not an object" in a moment which truly brought forward the taboo issue of misogyny in South-Korea . ( Kudos as well for screenwriters Baek Sun Woo and Choi Bo Rim for having addressed this issues overtly than burying them under the carpet also.)
In addition to this the screenwriters also used the opportunity to explore more with her interactions outside of romances alone, with her two best friends; Do Jae Jin( Kim Do Wan) and Choi Soo Kyung( Park Kyung Hye) . The " best friends" archetype in K-dramas is often used to present “animosity”( either through love triangles, lies or relationships) or as “unnecessary” ( they are used to fill-in time or for comical relief). At times, the duo were manipulated into both roles in order to heighten drama, however, they was something oddly sweet here ; they genuinely cared about Lee Dam.
However, the biggest problem occurred sometimes in between this development of " comical" and " serious" Lee Dam scenes, there was a opportunity to use this time to sketch-out more about Lee Dam’s sense of identity . Admittedly , this also fuelled more tedious interactions between our main leads in the beginning as we had little to truly grasp ( as viewers) about their characters.
Arguably, however, it this was necessary to foreground who are characters were as individuals and to get to know one another first. This seemed to remain evident in later episodes with a more fortified pairing feeling refreshing, gradual and healthy-both for the characters, and the logic of the plot without having to define Woo Yeo merely as the ‘ supernatural and inhuman’ character of the series for angst and tension. Although some viewers have risen red flags about the “ improper” relationship between Woo Yeo and Lee Dam’s addressed name to him ( “ Elder/ Sir”) in Korean, there was undeniably something well-matched about the chemistry between these two characters. The storyline could’ve presented Woo Yeo as a “ callous” or “ disruptive” towards Lee Dam, but the male lead was fairly respectful towards our female lead and likewise with Lee Dam towards Woo Yeo. Their relationship was undeniably slow-burning but built upon gradual mutual respect and symbiotic feelings, rather than the stereotypical causes which often reduced the main pairing in fantasy dramas being there “ for the sake of plot”.
The supporting leads were in a similar boat. Second female lead Yang Hye Sun ( Kang Ha Na) was an absolute delight with her wholesome friendship with our male main lead . There was initial fear that perhaps Hye Sun would go down the stereotypical ” female animosity” route due to her close-knit relationship with Woo Yeo ( due to her established " vixen-style and mischievous ”personality). However, thankfully the show allowed Hye Sun to steer clear of this route. Instead Hye Sun is paired together with an unusual side character which you won’t see coming . Now, without spoilers ( to either the drama or the webtoon), there is a particular reason why the storyline paired these two polar opposites together, however, first-time viewers will possibly feel disconcerted with this pairing choice due to the more ” comical" approach taken on at first. (Although admittedly there are some surprisingly heartfelt moments between these two also.)
Our second male lead Gye Sun Woo ( Bae In Hyuk) was a little bit of a curve ball. Bae In Hyuk was undeniably delightful as our main lead. However although the series did attempt to present Sun Woo as the “ forlorn lover with unrequited feelings” towards Lee Dam, lacking character growth and missed opportunities to use Sun Woo’s egotism in order to explore more about his backstory, truly derived from the screenwriters’ intended desire of presenting him as this sentient individual rather than merely a story writing trope.
On a more positive note the ending was fairly well-matched for the series and did leave a sense of completion towards the overall events of the drama.
So aside from the seeming abundance of high ratings for this series giving it “10/10”, is “ My Roommate Is A Gumiho” actually that good? Well, the drama undeniably has its flaws in parts. Whilst it hits the mark with good acting, prominent messages and brilliant relationship chemistry between our leads, the fresh spins upon tropes are sometimes mismatched against more tiresome cliches particularly with later storyline developments, slower pacing in parts and evidently the character development of Sun Woo. On the other hand, “ My Roommate Is A Gumiho” was an entertaining watch with chemistry which sparked alive onscreen and will definitely win the heart of any avid romance fan.
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