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"The poor lacks much, but the greedy lacks more."
It's true that humanity survives on greed and as they state, there is no greater calamity than greed. A man's greed is like a snake that wants to swallow an elephant. From the synopsis, this drama might look like a survival game to you, but it's much more than that. Somehow, despite it's message the drama is just mediocre. Watch it with a major TRIGGER WARNING, if you are sensitive to gore and dark elements.Squid game (Ojingeo) is an age old Korean game meant for kids where you have to play within marked boundaries with certain designated titles. You have to secure your title by hoping on one leg first and if you reach a certian point, you become the "Royal Inspector" who can use it's both legs. Now you have to just defense the opponent by any means and reach the peak to win. The drama uses this game as the main objective through a flashback in the beginning which is also the destination of the story journeying through sets of several games.
Ki Hoon (Lee Jung Jae), an unemployed and divorced man in his 40s lives with his mother working as a chauffeur and huge sum of money oweing to loansharks. Sang Woo (Park Hae Soo), is an SNU graduate who lost his money through invested stocks, eventually turning into a conman. Both of them are childhood friends who loved playing squid game with others kids. Both of them come across some kind of agents who trick them into a game where they can win a huge sum of money. Not knowing what exactly the game is, both of them choose to give it a try and land up in an unsual environment with 454 others among whom Ki Hoon is the last, i.e. 456.
Lee Jung Jae and Park Hae Soo are master actors in the industry which everyone is aware of. Other than them there are plenty of familiar faces as well; Jung Ho Yun, Wi Ha Joon, Heo Sung Tae, Kim Joo Ryung, Oh Young Soo are those prominent actors. There is an Indian actor Anupam Tripathi in the main character too.
Other than that there are 2 very big shots in the drama with 2-3 scenes so we can call that guest roles but trust me, they are 2 of the key characters in here. You won't find them in the cast list, just to be surprised watching the drama. So go ahead, haha.
The games are quite intriguing if you have not watched likes of it (Liar Games, Alice on the Borderland, etc). I wonder why the screenwriter cum director Hwang Dong Hyuk took 10 years to complete this story. I mean this drama is nothing sort of very wow or anything. Judging from all the aspects, it's just mediocre. The drama fails to provide proper side stories for the main roles in order to back their characters well.
Cinematography, which is very important for dark thrillers like this, was pretty beguile, hence keeping the viewer attached. The sound ending was apt for the mood and very suitable to the scenarios. The story progression is okay but becomes out of order or inconsistent at many points, especially the last 3 episodes. Some scenes were very firm and eye-catching but still......
I think all the hype about this drama lies on the fact that people here die like mere insects and as we know violence and bloodlust are what people love the most, lol. The twists are pretty predictable, particularly when you're an avid Kdrama fan, it's pretty much easier to guess the major plots of it.
The finale is very lousy. The games end in the beginning of the episode and becomes slow. The lame setup towards the ending, indicating for an another season, annoyed the shit outta me. The writer-director did a very poor job in that regard as well.
Soooo....overally, SQUID GAME is an average one time watch. The ending is not exactly an open one, like we can just assume on our own but in another way you might expect one in case the production hints at it. Otherwise, there is no particular and firm necessity of another season. Sure there are few questions that they left unanswered but I can't be certain about another season.
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The most disgusting and despicable main lead in the history of BL...
This is hard to rate and I'm sure I will not find the right words (even in my native language).What begins as cat and mouse game between the leads spirals out of control quite fast and is very hard to watch. It's hard because "the president" is really an awful human being for several reasons, but he does care for his love in a very twisted way also. His trauma to be left alone made him do unspeakable things in the name of love, so that his partner can't ever escape him.
But as also as in real life, most lies will come out and crash down on "the president". When he nearly lost everything including his love "the director" he aknowledges his faults, his errors and tries to redeem himself. Mr. director has his own baggage, an orphan who was taken in, an orphan who made himself as small as possible to not stand out because his early life served as lesson to survive. But his outward very calm demure is just a fassade and it breaks due to the actions of "the president".
In the end, they can't escape each other regardless of all the pain they endured, regardless of all the hurting things they did to each other.
Production quality is top notch, only the lip syncing could have been better, but besides that, there is nothing to complain about it. Both actors did an incredible job with such heavy roles. I can't recommand this series to anyone with mental heath issues at all, it's taxing to watch. They made it feel so real that it really hurts. This series is not fluffy to begin with and it's outside of the "norm" of most other BLs. It's not really toxic in the normal way, it's not cringe, it just feels awful most of the time. I would have liked if the finale episode would be 10 minutes or so longer to have some real nice moments, but we need to wait for the special episode. Overall a series which breaks the "law" of normal BL series, but still with a happy end.
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It isn't that it is really bad, but it is totally overrated IMO and it got my hopes up too high.
But maybe it is just because I couldn't stand the main female role (not the actress, but her character).
I just hated her guts almost until the end when she finally developed some good characteristics.
But the plot... Wait. WHAT plot?
It was ok, but I just cannot understand why everyone loves it so much.... Too bad.
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Cliches & cliches… And I can still smell cliches!
Good Acting but nothing else…You can go through the sypnosis given in MDL, it's how this story starts… The same repitative Poor FL-Rich ML trope… & that also with a cold arrogant male lead who's actually a big hot-shot CEO as if there's nothing else in the world except him. The CEO offers her a deal (actually tricks her into signing it) and she willingly sells herself off to act as some WIFE.
Things that convinced me to give a lower rating ~
☠ What's new? there's accidental kisses (too many of them), wrist grabs with long pause, constantly looking at each other moments (and me be like "Let's skip 30 sec" the same thing is still going on "Oh no! Let's skip more………" ) and ta-da this is how they fell in love, a bitch yet Beautiful looking 2nd female lead who plans obstacles, then ML saving FL like some superhero, the good 2nd male lead (who will never get the girl **actually sad for him** )… again what's new!?
☠ the villain here or 2nd female lead ~ doesn't gives a damn about her own life, has no self respect & just wants ML anyhow so she keeps pestering him even after he rejects her with insults… she is evil af… I wanted to shout at her. "Girl, wake up. He is married. He jumps around with his wife, praising her & what not. So please open your eyes. Move on. You are pretty, rich & talented. You deserve better." Oh! but she wants to be villain after all…
☠ The 2nd couple which is often like a life saver in a drama didn't stand out much here… like I didn't get half of their story & they were just not acceptable… how did they fall in love, where is the passion coming from…
☠ again, female lead is too helpless. Either male lead or second male lead backs her up for every development…
☠ They talk about fashion here & there but there's actually not much variety in clothing visible… actors had been repeating clothes constantly…
☠ Male lead is a stalker. Like let her be independent please…
☠ Female lead was taking advantage of SML till the end… like Girl he confessed to you already yet you keep talking to him as if nothing happened and even accepting extra helps from him…
Things that saved the drama some rating ~
☘ Sichen's mom
☘ The acting by Wang Zi Qi, Ian Yi, Zhong li li and others…
☘ Even though there were loopholes with the story yet the chemistry between Main leads felt real in some scenes… I guess it's their acting…
☘ Second male lead… not evil or selfish… he was ready to become just a friend & silently help her … I really pity him… T_T
☘ Fei'ang (Sichen's Assistant)
[ CAST ]
✦ Yin Sichen ( played by Wang Zi Qi ) — what a drastic change from Prince An/Xiao Jinyu in imperial coroner to Yin Sichen here. He looks good with modern outfits lol. But this alone was not good enough to carry out this drama. He was also good at making that wicked side smile lol… Nevertheless, I think he tried his best on the acting part.
✦ Gu Xixi ( played by Uvin Wang ) — Not having much to say about her. I think the way her role is… she didn't stand out much in the drama. She didn't impress me or disappoint me.
✦ Ran Xiwei ( Zhong Li li ) — Her outfits were on another level. I would like to have some of them in my wardrobe ;)…… well She acts nicely. Infact, great. After all, it's never easy to act an annoying character…
✦ Mo Zixian ( Ian Yi ) — I hope they gave him a different suit lol. He was literally repeating the same suit in the whole drama. He had a good role here & his acting compliments it. I wish to see him in a lead role someday…
✦ Mu Ruona ( Yang Yue ) …&… ✦ Shang Ke ( Li Jun Chen) form the 2nd lead couple here. They tried to form a decent story yet it wasn't interesting for me at all. I don't know it's the concept or the acting but it just felt weird between them and I can't help but skip their already less scenes…
[ MUSIC ]
❥♪I really like u♪ — Clairo Guo
❥♪Because of love♪ — Dou Zhiwen ~ it's the ending theme
❥♪Identify♪ — Zhao Wei Er ~ it's the opening theme.
❥♪Love is coming♪ — Zhao Bei Er
Tbh, I didn't liked any out of these…
[ REWATCH VALUE ]
Nah… has zero chances of rewatch cause there was nothing new or special. If you've watched other Contact-marriage or Fake relationship kind of C-dramas, you must have watched the same trope with different faces…
[ OVERALL ]
Give it a go if you're too bored or wanna watch cliches. It has all kinds of repitative cliches. A cheesy Romance drama including a bickering turned over-sweet couple and nothing else… a watchable drama for fluff lovers too… & I am warning you already, don't look forward to logics here lol
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A demonstration how a series demolishes itself.
Too bad I woke up with a bad headache today and I could not watch anything. 12 hours later I'm fine enough to watch the conclusion of this pile of crap. This series is completely unbelievable. First of all the main couple was quite boring, their brake-up was extremely stupid and the series did nothing which was in the least interesting for them. And then they had a second couple - the only thing interesting in this show - and they killed it off. This was the ONLY thing keeping me on this show. I gave a rat's ass about the so called main couple - you can play it at 2x speed an you won't miss a thing. The second couple was the star of the show, the believable one, the guys who can act well. And then Mr. "President" died and they introduced a new "boss" but he had no impact at all. There was speculation it was all a fake death to reveal a conspiracy of the new boss but no - the scriptwriters had no imagination at all.And the main couple - they got on my nerves so much especially when they talk about the past. Mr. good guy was "Oh, it was a misunderstanding? I'm glad we could clear that up." - WTF man? 10 years wasted because your lover did not trust you? I would have exploded, cursed him out for at least an hour - but I would never have chased him in the first place.
So my verdict is, this show is a waste of time. The second couple should have the show for themselves and the main couple should have gone in the trashcan where the script for them belongs too. I have no clue what you need to smoke or take to come up with such an outrageous storyline. And as I can see in some reviews, people are digging this bullshit. I can't understand that. If your lover does not trust you and does not talk to you, he is a waste of your time and not worth your effort. The quite high rating is only because of the second couple, even when the two children did lighten the mood a bit.
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A promising start learning to no where
A drama that got me hooked from the very start. I literally went to what I was 2 years ago, impatiently waiting for the new episodes. But it came out quite a surprise how, the creators can ruin their own creations. I literally have no problem with baekedo not ending together, but they way the drama was messed in the second part, and it began hitting the rock bottom.Nam jio hyuk has improved a lot as an actor,and Kim tae ri was phenomenal as usual, osts and BG scores were top notch.
This drama destroyed all of my brain cells. But I do not deny the first half was awesome, the youth phase was incredibly relatable.
WATCH THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
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This is the BL We Lived For
This is the BL We Lived For. The BL genre is so saturated right now and its good to see production companies try to deliver unique plots even with limited budget.Short summary. A hunky Guy suddenly appeared in a man's house looking for an evidence of a crime 10 years ago. Guy put the Houseowner in a cage in his own basement because who doesnt keep a cage in their basement, to search for that evidence. Suddenly, Houseowner's friend - an obviously gay twinkie Cop who is looking for a way to clear his father's name, appeared in the house and met Guy - who pretended to be Houseowner's brother. Of course Cop would believe and flirt with Guy because why not? They made love and fell in love. However, Cop realized soon enough that Guy is not Houseowner's brother and is keeping his friend in the basement, but still chose to believe Guy's explanation over his friend. Guy found the evidence he was looking for- same evidence that can clear the Cop's father's name. Chaos ensues as more people appeared the house. After all the killing, Guy and Cop remained alive, and they lived happily ever after, in a beach somewhere.
The good:
1. Great camera work - i dont know what type of camera they used but shots look cinematic, plus great editing and color grading.
2. Unique story.
2. Capable and good looking main leads.
Im so sick of watching Korean BLs with 10+ min per episodes, i honestly dont understand why they cant just make episodes longer when their intended broadcast platform doesnt have limitations on episode length. can someone please explain it to me? That why, i am glad that the episodes for this series are slightly longer than the average Korean BLs. The 5 to 10 minutes added per episodes gave the story enough breathing time so the execution doesnt feel rushed. It felt like a well executed complete story but still i cant help imagine what the show could have been if its a regular length series.
However, the show isnt perfect and there are some loopholes in the story:
1. However twinkie the cop may look, why would he need a self defense training from a random stranger - he is a cop for crying out loud, isnt self-defense and all other kind of defense and offense training already part of cop training?
2. Why would the criminals wait for 10 years to look for the evidence that can implicate them in a crime?
3. its an expensive looking house but people kept showing up unannounced - dont they have a front door or something? Even the father cop suddenly appeared in the living room without even knocking and announcing himself and has the guts to say lets do it by the books.
4. I may get a flak for saying this, i had a hard time identifying all the other cast members - they all look alike with the same styling even in the flashback scene from 10 years ago.
Will i recommend? Yes definitely. it's a 9 out of 10 for me.
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1Absolute Master piece and The drama of the year 2024!
I love watching fantasy, suspense and adventurous dramas and this drama is giving me everything I love and more!!! Its easily the best drama that has surfaced this year.The cast whether they are male or female are doing stunning jobs portraying their characters so spectacularly and perfectly. I can't fail to mention that all the cast is full of gorgeous and beautiful actors and actresses which makes this drama even more captivating. The villains are extremely cunning and powerful and so it increases the chaos and difficulty of the problems the main characters have to face.
I love the complicated yet adorable romance between Wen and ZYZ. Also the complicated but very admirable friendship between ZYC and ZYZ, it warms my heart everytime and I enjoy their progress from enemies to bros/ friends . The love/hate story between LiLun and ZYZ is really intriguing and mysterious. Their story of bros to enemies is unfolding slowly but surely. Also all the other team members' back stories are incredibly interesting. There is always something to find out and explore about each character, their back ground, their behaviour, their choices and emotions. The bromance between the members and the sismance is also blowing my mind up. Its so adorable, bittersweet, funny and exciting.
All the characters are showing emotions and expressions incredibly well so you feel emotionally attached to their life and fate. I love the humour of the characters and chaotic energy they display, it's really fun to see their funny interactions. The chemistry of all the team members is impeccably smooth.
The story is extremely gripping and suspenseful. I love how the mysterious cases are revealing important past stories and are related to main cast one way or another.
The gorgeous costumes, top cenimatrography, beautiful fight cheography, all environment settings and the sound/visual effects were mind-blowing!! Its one of the best dramas I have ever seen. The OSTs are incredibly beautiful and heart warming.
Overall I'm in love with this drama and don't want it to finish ever! I'm savoring this extremely satisfying experience. I feel the pace of the drama is not too slow or not too fast. Its just right. Everyday I eagerly wait for the next episode. I hope watchers give it fair chance and watch it till end.
ENDING:
The ending is beautifully executed. The series of events that unfold, fit so well with the story. It has been very cleverly menouvered to that point where everyone had to make hard choices out of either their deep love, deep bonded friendship, admirable brotherhood or heavy responsibility of protecting/saving others. Although the drama has an open ending/sad ending, we are given happy ending as well in the extra episode. The happy ending ties so well with the end that we are left with a relief and hope for our dreams to come true that we spun during the drama.
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Review of "Ski Into Love": From Hibernation to the Crown
Ski Into Love is a romantic comedy drama with a sports theme, focusing on skiing while also serving as a healing drama. It tells the story of a woman and a man who find themselves at the lowest points in their lives, almost as if they are in hibernation. As they embark on their journey to rise again, they cross paths—two lonely souls who begin to accompany and support each other. Together, they chase their dreams, reclaim their place at the top, and regain their crowns.Love That Accompanies, Not Heals
One of the most unique aspects of Ski Into Love is its refreshing take on healing. Unlike most healing dramas that portray love as the ultimate cure, this drama presents love as a companionship rather than a remedy. Instead of healing each other’s wounds, the protagonists provide mutual support, encouragement, and motivation to become better versions of themselves. Love here isn’t about fixing someone; it’s about walking alongside them as they rediscover their strength.
The drama’s original title, "The King is Hibernating," is also quite significant. The word "King" is used in a gender-neutral sense, implying that both the male and female protagonists are "kings" in their own right. They are both in a phase of hibernation, struggling to rise again and reclaim their crowns.
A Stronger Adaptation from the Novel
While the drama is adapted from a novel, there are several key differences that enhance the storytelling. The drama delves deeper into character development and provides more logical plot reasoning. One notable change is why Shanchong treats Weizhi differently from other students—this is tied to their first encounter, which left a lasting impression on him. Unlike others, Weizhi unknowingly broke through his emotional walls, making their connection special from the start.
Similarly, the explanation behind why Weizhi doesn’t recognize Shanchong is made more reasonable in the drama, adding depth to their relationship dynamic.
A particularly commendable aspect is Weizhi’s character portrayal. She is depicted as a kind-hearted, funny, smart, talented, and delightful person with a strong spirit and positivity. She brings warmth to every scene, making it impossible not to root for her. She is not just a passive love interest but a strong, career-driven woman who pursues her dreams with determination. Weizhi learns skiing out of her own desire and has a clear vision for her future, making her a much more compelling and inspiring protagonist.
Additionally, the subplot involving plagiarism and AI-generated comics adds a modern and fresh twist. Given that AI in the art and creative industry is a hot topic today, this storyline makes the drama even more relevant and engaging.
Esther Yu’s Exceptional Performance as Weizhi
Esther Yu delivers a phenomenal performance as Weizhi, proving once again why she is the queen of rom-coms. Her acting is natural, effortless, and incredibly charming. She captures every nuance of Weizhi’s personality—her kindness, her liveliness, her intelligence, and her unwavering determination—with absolute perfection.
Esther’s ability to blend comedy, emotion, and charisma makes Weizhi an unforgettable character. She is funny, lovable, and full of life, making her presence on screen an absolute joy to watch. Whether it’s through her adorable expressions, heartfelt moments, or comedic timing, Esther completely embodies the role, making Weizhi one of the most endearing female leads in recent rom-com dramas.
Lin Yi’s Compelling Portrayal of Shanchong & Their Breathtaking Chemistry
Lin Yi as Shanchong also delivers an excellent performance. Although his version of Shanchong differs from the novel—being more of a green flag, gentle, and swoon-worthy character rather than just cool and distant—he brings a refreshing depth to the role.
The chemistry between Esther Yu and Lin Yi is simply unmatched. Their connection has been evident since their time on the variety show "Let’s Go Skiing," and this drama further proves how well they complement each other on screen. The production team truly did a fantastic job uniting these two talented actors, creating on-fire, top-notch chemistry that’s simply irresistible.
Breathtaking Cinematography, OST, and Passionate Production
From a visual perspective, the cinematography in this drama is stunning. The skiing sequences are masterfully shot, making even those unfamiliar with the sport feel excited to try it. The costume design is stylish and aesthetically pleasing, adding to the overall charm.
One of the standout aspects of Ski Into Love is its commitment to realism. Instead of relying on CGI, the team shot on-location with real buildings and breathtaking landscapes. Additionally, all the audio was live-recorded on set, which is incredibly rare for a C-drama. This level of dedication shows just how passionate the team was in bringing this drama to life, making the experience feel more authentic and immersive.
The OST selection perfectly matches the drama’s vibe. Even "True Love" by Esther Yu, originally a song from her birthday album, fits seamlessly into the drama’s atmosphere.
One of the most impressive aspects is the meticulous research done by the production team regarding skiing and comic artistry. Their attention to detail, combined with the live-recorded audio and real scenery, makes this drama stand out in terms of production quality.
Endless Promotional Material – A Treat for Fans!
Another reason why Ski Into Love is such a fun drama to follow is the never-ending promotional content. Thanks to Esther Yu, the ultimate promotion queen, fans are spoiled with a constant stream of promotional material. From behind-the-scenes clips, interviews, posters, and bonus content—there is always something new to enjoy!
Not only is Esther always prepared with tons of promo content, but the production team itself has been extremely generous with sharing extra material. They clearly understand how to keep fans engaged, making it an absolute joy to be part of the fandom.
Whether you're watching the drama, enjoying behind-the-scenes clips, or diving into interviews, there’s always something fun to look forward to. If you haven’t joined in yet, now is the perfect time to jump in and enjoy the ride!
Final Verdict: A Must-Watch Drama!
Ski Into Love is a lighthearted, enjoyable, and visually stunning drama that offers a beautiful blend of romance, sports, and personal growth. With an engaging plot, phenomenal chemistry, and breathtaking cinematography, this drama is an absolute delight to watch.
At the heart of it all, Esther Yu’s incredible portrayal of Weizhi makes this drama truly shine. Weizhi is a fantastic character—kind, smart, talented, full of warmth, and endlessly charming, and Esther brings her to life in the most captivating way possible.
For those looking for a drama with healing elements, a sports theme, rom-com charm, or simply a heartwarming love story, Ski Into Love is the perfect choice. Highly recommended!
And if you love dramas that keep on giving with endless promotional content, fun interactions, and extra surprises, this one is an absolute must-watch. Join in and enjoy—it’s a ride you won’t regret!
" As the drama promotion said, Ski Into Love will keep you company until the last snow falls and spring arrives ❤️"
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1This review may contain spoilers
What am I even supposed to say after this?? Am I really expected to write a coherent review with all the key points on why this drama was amazing?? That would turn into a whole essay.. Forget about the story, I could literally write pages just about why I liked the FL, Liao Ting Yan or about her relationship with the ML, Sima Jiao..The world this drama created is rich, dark and gloomy but also hopeful and full of light.. The plot and world building go far beyond what a lot of other dramas have given us.. There are countless vivid moments, beautifully painted scenes.. Sure there were some VFX issues but honestly I would overlook them because of how stunning most of the scenes were.. The world building is done so well but of course, even exemplary world building and background mean nothing if the characters don’t measure up.. There is a huge array of characters throughout the drama.. They were impressive and didn't feel wasted..
Arthur Chen as Sima Jiao was just perfect.. Grandmaster, beautiful, brutal and powerful.. He appears to be cold and arrogant with rough edges that will make you love him even more.. He endured so much.. Tortured, drained of blood and locked away for 500 years since childhood.. He is as dangerous and ferocious as he is subtle and generous.. He hides behind a mask of cold blooded killer but beneath the mask he is kind.. And it only took the FL to reveal that side of him.. He is such a complex, multilayered character..
Wang Ying Lu as Liao Ting Yan was nothing short of amazing.. She is like the most unbothered person alive.. Thrown into a fantasy world, she adapts so quickly that she literally compares working for a murderous immortal to her everyday 9 to 5 struggles.. She starts off as an oblivious protagonist.. Someone who needed to be protected and who only cared about food, rest, and sleep but eventually grows into one of the most powerful individuals in the WDBTD universe.. I absolutely loved her character development..
" You are the only one who can make me yield without a fight..
That makes you the strongest of all.. "
Now to the juicy stuff, the romance.. Romance was chef's kiss.. Absolutely amazing.. The intimacy felt sensual and delightful.. You can take that however you want.. Anyone who has watched this would agree that the leads would look just as good in a modern drama.. So casting directors, you know what to do..
" The most frightening thing isn't death itself.. But the parting it brings.. "
I am not going to lie.. There were moments when I just needed something to happen.. At times, it felt like the drama was dragging things out.. But on the other hand, everything was narrated so well that I couldn’t really complain.. Ultimately every scene felt measured, filled with meaning and significance..
Overall, it was a really good drama even though I wasn’t completely happy with the ending.. Her death and the return to the present were expected, it was obvious that’s how it would go.. I just wish they had spent more time in the present with the characters instead of wrapping it up with a simple ‘ I found you again ’ and a smile.. But honestly who cares after 33 episodes of brilliance in storytelling, performances, visuals and chemistry that led up to that final compromise?? I absolutely loved it..
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Did Love Alarm Season 2 Ring Another “ Alarm” Bell For Bad Story-writing?
With a nearly two year gap between season 1 and 2, an additional director Kim Jin Woo onboard, anticipation from drama fans about the fate of Jo Jo ( Kim So Hyun)’s love life, and high expectations about the overall production value , it may surprise a lot of reviewers scrolling through some of the top reviews, how many fans have scored the drama with adequate ratings. Some of these comments tend to argue along the same ineffable and biased notions that it was a “ bad ending” and “ not as good as season 1”, however, how does the story actually play out through an objective criticism in terms of characterisation, coherency and storyline in season 2?
“ Love Alarm Season 2” picks itself up during the initial time-skip of season 1, with previously “ high school” characters now ensuing careers or studies; Jo Jo is a university major, her current “ complicated ” boyfriend Lee Hye Young ( Jung Ga Ram) works as a technician at JoAlarm ( the development company for “ Love Alarm”) and former flame Hwang Sun Oh ( Song Kang) is becoming a famous national model and endorser for the app, however, Jo Jo has been hiding a secret about her app that allowed her to cut off the signal in order to inhibit her true feelings from Hye Young and Sun Oh . With the desire to reveal her feelings again, Jo Jo decides to pursue the mysterious Brian Cheon in order to unlock this feature.
Before addressing anything about the show, it is probably most prominent to point out the confusing chronology at times within the opening of season 2, by not initially “ leaving” off from the cliffhanger of season 1. Although it is understandable that a wide gap between seasons could have left viewers a little cloudy upon events and thus starting on a different storyline wasn’t “ too illogical”, it was a little head-scratching that screenwriters Lee Ah Yeon and Lee Na Jung didn’t attempt to even address or explain this suddenly “ different” storyline from season 1’s ending. This naturally left a massive hole within story development, not least for our main trio and their previously poorly-tackled characterisation from the past season.
Kim So Hyun wasn’t entirely “ unwatchable ” within her role as Jo Jo, but her performance did feel a little lacklustre due to general line deliverances. In terms of Jo Jo’s character development, there were a couple of more notable traits for Jo Jo than her season 1 counterpart , by actually acting out upon her emotions rather than remaining “ obliviously unaware” as well as a fairly traumatic backstory. On the other hand, Jo Jo still failed from breaking her initial mould as the “ prosaic heroine” of the series due to the same ridiculously staid personality traits imposed onto the character by screenwriters Lee Ah Yeon and Lee Na Jung.
The most evident example of this being Jo Jo’s “ complicated” feelings between Hye-Yeong and Sun Oh, which whilst evidently used to “ heighten” the tension of Jo Jo’s love life, still seemed fairly cruel by Jo Jo’s similar indecisiveness as the first season at times, by not forthright addressing her affections rather than leading on both male leads in such an immature manner . ( This is advocated by a later plot development which proves Jo Jo’s true nature.)
It is important to address this factor of immaturity, due to the evident age difference from different seasons often allowing a character to develop and mature as a consequence of their experiences. Instead, Jo Jo seemed to make the same mistakes as her past self by making ridiculously stupid decisions questioning how on earth she lived so long, let alone pass her exams to get into university. This is exemplified in an early scene of the series when she is working at the convenience store and hears a love alarm go off and her stalker’s uncomfortable actions towards her, Jo Jo’s first thought is to walk home by herself, talk to her stalker and then proceed to run away without thinking to call the police or at least her friend Mon Soon ( Bae Da Bin) in order to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again. Whilst this scene was used to “ drive tension”, it did seem to gloss over the uglier possibility of what could have happened to Jo Jo as a consequence of her stupidity in reality as well as the more “ romanticised” tones of emotional and physical abuse appearing in the series.
This naturally draws us onto the biggest elephant in the room since season 1, the “continuously brooding” ( and “ preferred” love interest by many devoted fans of the series ) Sun Oh. Similar to his costar, Song Kang is a fairly good actor, however, his performance consisted mainly between stoic, constipated expressions and furious yelling for a major proportion of the series.
Arguably there were some better insights than season 1 into Sun Oh’s fairly estranged relationship with his mother Jung Mi Mi ( Song Sun Mi) and his unhappy family life, however, rather than screenwriters allowing this to gradually mature or allow Sun Oh to develop from his inferiority complex in season one, his personality is still written off as fractious, immature and egotistical within his portrayal in season 2 by often storming off, breaking things and hurting others in the procedure. In particular, this is seen through how Sun Oh interacts emotionlessly his “ girlfriend” Yook Jo ( Kim Shi Eun) and often manipulating her overt feelings towards him, as well as his interactions with Jo Jo.
With his unrequited love towards Jo Jo since high school becomes the main highlight of their “ possible pairing” for many fans and whilst it is understandable why Sun Oh felt anger or upset towards Jo Jo not replicating her feelings, it does not excuse some of his terrible actions towards our female lead. Sun Oh’s actions of publicly embarrassing Jo Jo in front or her classmates , kissing her without permission whilst she is respectfully dating Hye-Hyeong and then throwing another temper tantrum by flaring up in Hye Hyeong’s face without accepting or apologising for his mistakes , made him an incredibly difficult individual to truly romantically pair with Jo Jo by his lack of respect towards her feelings ( and his former best friend Hye Young).
This naturally draws us to the lovelorn Lee Hye Young, who viewers are made aware early on in the series that he is aware of Jo Jo’s ambiguous feelings towards him in their relationship , yet nevertheless does not force or implicate Jo Jo to give him an answer. Whilst Hye Young remained the most respectful towards Jo Jo as an individual and as a love interest, his obsequious beliefs that “ one day she will love me too” seemed a little questionable towards Hye-Young’s fairly hot pursuit of his own feelings towards Jo Jo in in season 1. Consequently, the introduced relationship between the two characters felt more “ obliged” in order to keep the “ storyline moving ”, than intricately complicated as it should have been with Jo Jo’s feelings. In addition to this, there still remained many unanswered questions towards how Hye-Young landed a job at the company as well as more realistic insight into his qualifications at work whilst presumably not in full-education.
Perhaps the one actual interesting element of the second season remained within the mysterious appearance of Brian Cheon ( Ki Do Hoon) who makes the characters ( most notably Jo Jo) wonder if he is actually their “ dead” classmate and seemingly former developer Duk Gu. Whilst this is an overarching storyline in parts of the episode, the ending result felt incredibly letdown and lacklustre by lacking development or screen time as well as wider development for second female lead Park Gul Mi( Go Min Si), rather than in favour of the heroine’s questionable romantic pairings.
As a consequence, the pacing of the show felt oddly imbalanced between moments of genuine interesting development, and dragging scenes of puppy dog eyes by Hye Young and Sun Oh towards Jo Jo from a distance creating many notable plot inconsistencies . The ending of the series was more a matter of opinion that particularly “ bad” or “ good”. Diehard fans who haven’t really acknowledged the direction of the plot, may feel disappointment, yet whilst still undeniably half-baked in comparison to the initial premise introduced in the show back in season 1, it was not an entirely “dire ending” for the show as well .
Ultimately, “ Love Alarm Season 2” did initiate more mature themes and backstories behind our characters, however, lacking character development, inconsistencies, a coherent and riveting plot line in a fictionalised reality and rushed development in parts, made the second season feel more like a surreal dream phase, than a coherent and complete finale for “ Love Alarm”.
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Woo Do-Hwan never fails!
Woo Do-Hwan never fails to please!My two top Korean actors right now are Woo Do Hwan and Lee Do-Hyun.
I first saw WDH in Save Me and my favourite ones out of his dramas would have to be:
My Country and Bloodhounds.
With Mr Plankton I really enjoyed it for the first 7 episodes and then I'm not sure where it quite started turning for me, but it did.
I hesitated to watch this drama because I knew the fate of his character and didn't want to go through that all again like with My Country.
With Mr Plankton the ending was sad, but not as devastatingly sad for me like what happened in My Country for some reason.
Have seen others of his dramas in full like: Save Me, Tempted and Mad Dog which I really enjoyed as well.
As for Joseon Attorney (4-6 episodes) and King Eternal Monarch (half) and didn't mind these either except maybe Joseon Attorney would probably be the least liked one out of them all. Not because of him, but rather the story itself.
King Monarch I would probably finish only he isn't the male lead.
In regards to Mr Plankton, it is about the main character being diagnosed with a terminal disease (less than 3 months to live) so he goes on this personal journey to find his real father, only decides to kidnap his ex girlfriend at the start, just as she is about to get married with a gang on his tail out for revenge.
It has a great mix of humour, a solid story line, drama, action, a sad or bittersweet feel, romance and adventure.
The music is so so - nothing really stood out like Stay With Me (Goblin) or Butterflies (Wedding Impossible).
A major dislike for me would be the female in this as she got on my nerves with her crying - it is the worst, also, her hissy fits. I really wish I could have reached through the screen to slap her out of it. Really annoying!!! Far too many scenes for my liking and she grated me the wrong way as she sounded terrible. Couldn't stand it! Her other scenes were mostly fine - just the sobbing and hysterics were irritating. Terrible! She really did come across as being idiotic quite a bit of the time which was unfortunate - I'm not sure what he saw in her. Another minor peeve was the way she ran. Weird!
Wouldn't it be something to have a female that is mature even when annoyed yet sassy, full of spunk, charismatic and adorable even if not dropdead gorgeous. Just not a cry baby, nagger, whiner or screamer.
I need a female actor that can pull it off like WDH, who in my humble opinion, is one the BEST actors in the industry for crying, laughing and emoting expressions and feelings. His crying or sobbing scenes in My Country were believable, but especially that one scene inside the room with that silk item and his name embroidered on it probably due to the significance of what it meant.
Simply the BEST!!!
The gut wrenching moments in this drama definitely have momentum, but not as impactful as two specific scenes in My Country.
What else?
I really enjoyed the bond that was made on the road trip back to Seoul between the Heir and character played by WDH - the bromance was fantastic and seemed better than what was between WDH and the main female lead at times!
WDH has a beautiful laugh, way of chuckling and tantalising manner with particular words or expressions.
Him and only him!
Anyways, Mr Plankton is recommended for those that like a good mix of everything, but after episode 7 it doesn't seem as exciting and seems rushed or done so as not to leave any loose ends. But...done so without depth.
Maybe one loose end actually - I don't remember seeing anything about the test results of the 3rd candidate. 🧐
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The Shipper is a love story, but not in the way you think.
From day one, as people fussed over endgame, what is and isn’t BL, what was appropriate for TV or what wasn’t, I felt something was different about this show. Scratch that—I knew something was different. The writing had something to say, and as I continued to watch the series unfold, what I wanted this show to be didn’t really matter to me anymore. I was simply content to see where the director, Aticha Muilanie (who has proven herself quite adept at injecting narrative with purpose), wanted to take us.The Shipper, at its core, is a humble parable. It’s about trusting in yourself and trusting in others. It’s about learning to forgive and to be forgiven. Growth. Relationships (in and out of them). Love…
The Shipper is a love story, but not in the way you think.
This is a story about what it means to be loved. To understand that, no matter where our place in the grand scheme of things, we are worthy of being loved.
That seed is planted from the very first episode and carried all the way to the very end through all the shenanigans and hijinks that ensue. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, but most importantly, it will make sure you remember what it has to say.
With its expertly directed cast, excellent use of colour, pleasing camera work, and charming soundtrack, it’s a grounded fantasy that’s hard to say goodbye to. I know I will be coming back to it again and again.
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OVER THE TOP! SUCH A MEMORABLE SERIES! <3
Please, love everything!!! Maybe because it's from a novel so it's well-written. Well-written, good dialogue and everything is perfect! There's so much motivating and touching dialogues. The plots are seriously great and amazing. Not to mention the values. Too many values are given in this series. Lately, if you feel like you don't believe in love anymore, please binge-watch this series. Full marks!! There's no draggy and messy at all but kept me craving for more and more. Such a perfect series and this is what I want! It is not a repeating drama, not typical enemy-lover story omg I'm getting tired. This drama had such meaningful stories. Gotta says finally I found the best Cdrama for this year <3333 And of course it will be my favorite drama for all the time!Their acting is much better. To be honest, no one can replace Chen Feiyu and Zhang Jingyi as Li Xun and Zhu Yun. The chemistry of the main lead love love love! The way they looked at each other were full of love and everything felt so pure. I love Zhu Yun's character the most. I love everything about her. If I'm a man I'm gonna date her then never let her go. SERIOUS TALK! What a beautifully portrayed characters that will stay in my heart for a long time!!
Every OSTs are sooooooo good! Suits the situation, the vibes are indescribable!! The effects of the OSTs, every time I listened to the songs, I miss the drama and keep wanting to rewatch the series. Yes, I’m not moving on!
Will rewatch this drama again and again. Highly recommended! 100% RECOMMENDED!!
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Just an Encore is absolutely beautiful, and heart wrenching at the same time. The characters are not perfect, they get jealous, they can be selfish and petty. And yet it is precisely these qualities that make them so lovable, and more real.
But I won't lie, the reason why I loved it so much can be summed up in three words:
He Xin Liang.
He has set a new record for book boyfriends. He is so damn caring, patient and sweet,..... andjust all kinds of amazing.
Your heart breaks for him so many times.
He is just...too good.
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