Reviews

Excellently written and directed, not to mention wonderfully acted, it was both realistic in its portrayal of someone was who on the “spectrum” (but of the highly-functional-and-bestowed with-genius-type, and hence could be termed eccentric), and other “normal” people. The struggles one go through on this journey of life was minutely encapsulated in this lovely drama, which had the expressed wish to be a beacon - if only for a moment - of healing for our harried lives.

In turns funny, heartfelt, heartwarming and bittersweet, this was a drama which will leave you with feelings of contentness and peace.

A major theme of the drama was kindness and acceptance of oneself and others; after all, we could be no one else but ourselves. Many other things to marvel at and learn of, as well.

A must watch! (For those who are looking for a small piece of warmth and nuggets of wisdom).

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A story with strong themes, which didn't reach its full potential

The Judge Returns was a drama that caught my attention the moment I read its synopsis. I have developed a keen interest to series about law and judicial system so it goes without saying that I decided to give this one a go.

The series' start was very strong. The first two episodes were a very good setup for Han Young's backstory and eventual development. From the get-go, we get introduced to a cold judge, who delivers "justice" based on money instead of the law and ethics. We witness him at his lowest in terms of morality and yet, when his eventual death followed, I couldn't help but pity him and wish for his growth in the second chance he got to redeem himself.

This was the first time I watched Ji Sung and I can already tell that he's about to become one of my most favourite actors. He embodied Han Young and he made sure to steal the spotlight every time he appeared on the screen. You could see the fire in Han Young's eyes and his thirst for justice and fair punishment. Han Young's charismatic, charming and yet cunning personality was encapsulated perfectly by Ji Sung. I loved the way he changed his body language and the tone of his voice based on the characters Han Young interacted with, adding more layers to the various dynamics.

Park Hee Son as Kang Sin Jin was an absolute gem, from a visual and acting point. He owned this role and the authority he radiated in his scenes was unmatched. Sin Jin was a multilayered character and Hee Son did a magnificent job portraying his polarizing morality. His micro expressions andsubtle movements made Jin Sin more intimidating and unpredictable and it showed why he had so much influence. His chemistry with Ji Sung was one of the strongest aspects in the drama, emphasizing the ongoing silent battle between Han Young and Sin Jin, their scenes together were so exciting to watch and the build-up to their final confrontation made me eager to watch more.

The rest of the cast was very modest, some performances being more remarkable than others but overall, everyone delivered what was expected of them. I especially loved Tae Won Seok's role as Jeong Ho, Han Young's friend. I watched The Judge Returns before watching Bloodhounds and I couldn't believe that the ruthless bloodhound who made Woo Jin and Gun Woo's lives a hell shared the same actor with a kindhearted and supportive CEO. His versatility was very impressive and although his role wasn't very demanding in terms of emotional delivery, he stole the show whenever he would appear on screen, bringing a breath of fresh air.

The ongoing battle between good vs evil is the most prominent and yet the most complex theme in the drama. Instead of a simplified presentation of the judicial system, the writers highlighted the complexity that lays behind the scenes. There's the famous quote about justice being blind. Everyone is equal before the law and justice is ought to be served regardless of financial power, status or connections. While both sides in the drama strive for this, the means they utilize clash, resulting to a battle of deception.

On the one hand, Han Young, in search of atonment and redemption, is ready to do whatever is possible in order to ensure justice and apply the law fairly. On the other hand, Sin Jin, in pursuit of justice, bended the law and utilized power and money, thus betraying his initial goal for a justice system that will protect everyone equally. Both sides, in theory, fought for the same future, where no one will be treated unfairly. But the methods they used couldn't be any more different and thus, a great dilemma was present. Are we supposed to fight injustice with injustice? Or should we have faith in law?

While I appreciate the drama for its ambitious premise and although I recognise its qualities, unfortunately, once I was done with it, I realized that my feelings weren't as strong compared to my initial reception.

The first half always had me at the edge of my seat, I was looking forward to Han Young's redemption and his confrontation with Sin Jin. At the same time, I enjoyed the domestic moments between him and his friends, which toned down the hectic political aspects and left room for more humane interactions and bonds. The blend between comedy, action and slice-of-life was handled very well in the beginning and kept my interest more than alive.

Alas, in the middle of the road, my feelings for The Judge Returns started to change.

Once the series reached its second half, I noticed that my interest had started declining. I didn't rush to keep up with the released episodes and my attention was deteriorating in some parts. In the end, I decided to put the drama on hold and I put it off for 5 months. Now, putting a drama on hold is by no means an indicator of its quality, but once I resumed it, I understood why it failed to keep my attention.

I love slow paced stories. In fact, the majority of my favourite books, movies and series are slow paced. But while The Judge Return's pacing was not an issue for me at first, in the second half, I found the plot dragging to the point I almost considered skipping some scenes. There were some moments which felt like fillers to me and I wished that instead of them, we would get something that would contribute to the development of the characters and the story. One can handle only so many dialogues between corrupted men. The last two episodes in particular were very hard for me to watch and I almost felt relieved when I reached the end.

Aside from that, the scenes started to feel disjointed, which contributed to the slow pacing. One moment something dramatic would happen and then, the setting would change to something else. Which yes, it can work in terms of narrative but it became predictable and annoying because it ruined the flaw.

A pet peeve of mine regarding the technical aspects was the soundtrack. In thrillers, I prefer it when the soundtrack evokes some emotions and is used to create a suitable atmosphere. But in The Judge Returns, I found the usage of the main theme, particularly the opening, to be used in random moments, thus making the scenes less serious and anticlimactic. I am aware of the fact that soundtracks do not make or break a series but when it fails to deliver the best result, it can affect the viewing experience.

In addition, there were issues with the writing of some characters. Yoo See Hee started off strongly and I was looking forward to see her development both individualy and with Han Young, considering their relationship in their previous life. However, while the character was promising and while Oh Se Young did a good job portraying See Hee, the writing was underwhelming. I found her to be too dependent on Han Young and it would have been nice if the writers had explored her feelings outside of their relationship. There was room for more development and in the end, while I felt proud of her progression, I was left with a lackluster impression. Moreover, the subtle romance between See Hee and Han Young left me unmoved, I was eager to welcome it if done well but in the end, it was done poorly (not that I blame the actors, of course).

But my biggest grip was the way Kim Jina's character was written. Seriously, what was that? You have her being marketed as a main character and yet there were supporting characters which had more screen time than her. And no, I will not listen to any arguments about her being important to the story even with less screen time. A main character is supposed to be a main character and it's a shame she got sidelined. Won Jina was great and I'm sad I didn't get to see her full potential because of the way her character got treated by the script.

Another aspect that could have been handled better was Han Young and Sin Jin's relationship. It would have been interesting if we had seen more of them as "partners" because it would have added more impact to Han Young's betrayal and Sin Jin's broken trust. The scenes we got were definitely magnetic, albeit too few in my opinion. It would have also been nice if they had more exchanges of their different viewpoints (in a subtle way of course, since Han Young couldn't reveal his true beliefs). A bigger debate between them would have added more food for thought compared to what we got in the end.

The Judge Returns doesn't try to offer to the audience a utopian dream of a fair world and a justice system based on equality. Unfortunately, no justice system can be equal and accessible to everyone, at least with the current social standards. But it tries to show that it's still worth fighting for law no matter what. We shouldn't be what we sought to destroy in the name of "justice". What we should do is try to be better humans by helping those who are in need for help.

I definitely recommend The Judge Returns to people who like law series or Jisung's fans. But I don't think it's that profound to not miss it, if it's not under your randar. There are better series in my opinion which tackle similar themes in a better way, such as Pro Bono, a kdrama which became one of my favourites. I definitely do not regret watching The Judge Return but it's a pity it didn't reach its full potential in terms of writing.

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I'll start off by saying that this movie is not for the average viewer. It's an artsy movie with no palpable plot, seemingly dead action-wise and with no apparent thread of thought.
However, if you acknowledge the above, then you are in for a very interesting experimental movie, directed in a wonderful postmodern manner.
There is nothing happening in the movie, as I said, but actually everything is unraveling in a furiously silent manner. What is important to look for are the many symbols and small gestures that compose the hidden story behind the film: the sudden changes that shot small glimpses of the house bathed in light,on a clear sunny day that overlap with the dark, gloomy, rainy house; the open doors from the bright house, that suggest openness, hope and harmony, yet human activity is completely absent, as opposed with the progressive closure of each door in the inhabited house, on a rain stricken day; the opposed motifs of the dog sculpture she received from her husband early in their relationship, which symbolized stability, loyalty, and the cat that crawled into their house, which suggested a free spirit, unattachment, and reinforced by the fact that the cat was very scared and in the process it hurt him, although he was doing his best to tend to it and the strong scene where she seemed to become a part of the darkness while looking out the window and, while she blended into the dark, the cat suddenly appeared, to only disappear again after the woman came out of the shadow, that suggested that the cat was really an avatar for the woman... oh, I could go on, as the movie is really packed with symbols, but then again, I'll let those that chose to watch it to discover things for themselves.
The acting was great, their expressions were very rich and suggestive, the gestures, the pauses were stellar and gave of the right vibe for this movie. He portrayed the perfect image of an emotionally handicapped individual that was unable to express his true feelings, and she was also great at illustrating the character of a strong woman that also needed someone to comfort and show emotion, but that fell into frustration with the man she still loved and had to seek refuge in another relationship.
All in all, I recommend this movie if you are in the right state of mind to fully enjoy a more complex film that is sure to spike your interest and curiosity.

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A perfect flight to comfort & happiness

It was fast paced!!! LOVE how they showed different aspect of women empowerment in the most beautiful way possible. They even showed many ways men* knowingly try to suppress the desire women who want to be someone they'll be proud of. Loved the romantic dynamic b/w Ming Yu & Si Xian. They really showed person & private life can be kept seperate if tried. Their sweet shared momemts were the highlight & their stories over the years. Love their cutetest wedding scene right near the runway!

*The captain Yue Yang was the worst example in the best possible way, man his acting was on point i literally felt disgusted hy him

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This drama had so much potential! The first few episodes were excellent, but rushed writing really brought the quality down near the end. It still gets an overall 8 from me for it’s strong start that gave me all sorts of cute butterfly feelings, but it just couldn’t maintain that initial wow factor.

The beginning of this drama was absolutely adorable! It was refreshing to see two adults be, well, adults about their relationship and the romantic chemistry between the leads was electric. But the plot really started struggling once it began focusing too much on the male lead’s perceived struggles rather than Asuka’s storyline. Despite his good looks and soft-spoken charm, he became such a noble idiot that I actually switched loyalties to the second lead, something I rarely do. It’s pretty clear that cutting the length of this drama had a negative impact on the script writing and subsequent character development.

Nishiuchi Mariya really carried this drama and I loved her portrayal of Asuka. First-time actor Yamamura Ryuta impressed me a lot too and I hope he continues acting. The supporting cast didn’t have much to work with when their characters got quickly pushed into random plots near the end but they also performed very well. There was so much potential!

Conclusion: It was a good drama that needed more time to develop its plot and characters. Not a must-watch but if you like cute and realistic relationships check it out!

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This was a really great series that managed to balance its constant hilarity with moments that were surprisingly profound or heartwarming. The cast of characters was almost universally endearing, mostly thanks to the incredibly comic performances that the various actors delivered. Despite all this, I found the series to be unexpectedly didactic, delivering viewpoints on topics such as friendship, honour and pragmatism. Unless you have an aversion to a bit of blood, this is a must see. My only regret is that it finished at episode 10.

P.s. as someone already pointed out, the theme song is a cover of 'Otoko no Kunshou'- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frC94k58Hvo - Jiro Sato, who played Riko's father, makes an appearance in this music video.

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While I admit the story line is extremely cheesy in some places, it is just as sweet and touching in others. The relationship between the characters is incredibly well depicted. This is not an indepth story...if you want that go look at Vampire Prosecutor. But neither should you pass it by. Once you get into the story, it's very entertaining and interesting. The characters grow on you with each episode, and you are rooting for their family by the end. Some of the vampire parts are silly, but it was the best for its time. I would actually be as likely to re-watch this as I would be to re-watch Vampire Prosecutor (and in fact I have re-watched this show a couple times). It's short, and is a great just sit back and watch show.

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I was sad with developed

When I read the synopsis I was curious, because there was potential in the history. There were 50 episodes for developed all details. When I was watching I was more and more frustrated with the lack of attention for developed and fix the mystery.

Well, the series lost a lot of time with stuff those no matter. I am frustrated I don't recommend this drama.

If there is a remake to fix this inversion of the importance. In other words if the directors and writers put attention in history, not in foolish and repeated jealousy the series can become good.

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I only watched for the sizzle between ML/FL

Honestly, I only watched for the hot ML and the hot, steamy moments between him and FL. I didn't care about the family intrigue at all because it's the same ole revenge-based plot that never brings anyone any happiness. They get their revenge at the expense of their relationship (and in ML's case, his sanity) and end up more miserable than before. So, there's nothing new in this drama - I fast forwarded through everything but the hot moments. I didn't like any of the family members except perhaps Grandpa.

At first, FL wasn't worthy of a guy like ML - she had no backbone whatsoever - but she finally found some gonads and started acting like she might be worthy of such a cool dude. In the end, I liked her because she showed strength of character when needed, and she was clearly more stable than ML, emotionally and mentally. Yeah, he was badass cool but was hanging onto his sanity by his fingertips. This, viewers, is the result of a life based on getting revenge. Apparently, he needed to lose everything to come to his senses. And where were his buddies when he was falling apart? Chasing some chick. FL, of course, had to run to his rescue, even after he'd shredded her heart in the episode earlier. Nice to see that FL knows how to forgive.

And, of course, in true C-drama fashion, we had to break this couple up and try marrying ML off to a red-lipped, obsessed hag named Tang Lin. I had hoped we'd be able to avoid this obsessed chick/business marriage troupe, but, nope, right in the middle, the Chinese came through and used one of their favorite templates. I thought a ML of this caliber wouldn't allow himself to be pressured into a business marriage, but no, he walked right down the aisle and handed the hag her flowers. It was a sick copy of his first engagement with FL. I do applaud FL for, once again, finding a backbone and going and getting her man right in front of the red-lipped hag and guests. This shouldn't have happened and didn't need to happen. It was purely added to follow the angst template.

But wait! The stupidity and troupes are not over - in episode 20, we've got to go through the old 'your daddy (unintentionally) killed my daddy so I can't be with you' nonsense. Geez, I want to pull my hair out with this one! It's the stupidest reason for breaking up in the book. Quite frankly, ML gets what he deserves in the following scenes (near insanity) since he's so stupid as to throw away the woman who loves him because of something that happened in the past between their daddies. Honestly, dude, let it go, and your life wouldn't be a crap sandwich right now. Yes, seeing him in this state was heart-rending, but he brought a lot of it on himself by pursuing this grand revenge scheme of his. I understand being devastated by your family being killed/broken up but seek counseling, not revenge. There's healthier ways to deal with your grief.

As for the other couples, I could care less if the red-lipped hag found happiness with another guy. Honestly, I was hoping she'd throw herself into the ocean and drown. Yep, I'm heartless, but I've watched too many of these obsessed chicks to feel any sympathy. They have no self respect - clinging to a guy that pretty much detests you. I really don't understand these chicks - why live a life of misery with a man that feels nothing for you just for the sake of 'possessing' him? She goes on and on, shouting 'I like him! I like him!' Yeah, so what? I liked Harry Connick, Jr. in my youth, but I knew there was no hope of getting him so you accept it and move on. Some people are just unattainable, ok? As for the love triangle, I personally think the bestie ended up with the wrong guy. Yeah, I liked his personality better (upbeat, talkative and cheerful), but I preferred the quiet guy. He needed her more.

And let me ask you - why in 90% of these C-dramas is the evil mastermind behind everything a woman? I guess the Chinese culture (or at least the screenwriters and directors) agrees with Kipling who said 'The female of the species is more deadly than the male.'

Lastly, I'd like to give credit where credit it due. For once, the Chinese costume designer dressed FL with class, not like a multi-colored clown or twelve year old. And it's interesting that ML suddenly began wearing sweaters when he was in his soft and fluffy mode following his breakdown - nice use of clothing to reflect emotional state. But, dang, there's nothing hotter than a man in glasses who knows how to do the Superman tie tug! That, alone, is enough motivation to watch this drama.

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Beyond my expectations ~

Beyond my expectations ~ my own opinion that may or may not others agrees with ....
I like dramas that goes not like what I thought it'll be~
I had nice time watching , which I didn't expect~ I'm glad it was one from the type of drama that kept me day and night watching hehehe till last ep ^^
Kind of typical kromance but so well presented , the acting the osts and the filming I liked all
And so puzzled by how low the rating ? It deserves more at least at least over 8 but why ?? It deserves more ...
I liked the way how she questioned the feelings and the acts by him , and how he do revenges that woah loved it
And ofc I fell for the main although I like the sec but the main ( heart eyes emoji ) XD

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Here's a better summary for you: After an accident, the soul of Lee Hyeong continuously possesses the bodies of a wide range of characters. What these characters have in common is that they're all struggling with love. Lee Hyeong attempts to mend said love while in search for his own identity.

This is a fairly slow-paced movie, and it may be a great choice if you're having a peaceful weekend and you which to watch something that doesn't require a lot of focus. It is an enjoyable movie which may leave you feeling pleased and happy for all or some of the side characters - I say side characters because this is a movie that doesn't follow just -one- storyline; it moves from one couple to another, all as Lee Hyeong moves on to other bodies. Because of this, it felt more like watching a bunch of shorter movies than one movie as a whole. That said, I felt like it lacked a bit of a main purpose.

Yet again, I would recommend to watch it, for one of those calm evenings when you just want something to relax to.

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Not too scary, political, but more than that, a love story.

Let's start with answering the question, "Can I watch these without watching the movie and playing the game?" - Definitely yes! It can stand on its own because the series had interspersed it with flashbacks (flashbacks that are part of the narrative which for me will not bore you to death).

What I don't like:
1. I started watching this one with the idea that I will be scared... I came out unscathed. But scary-ness is definitely based on individual's scaredy-cat (lol) level. So it might be different from your viewing experience.
2. Supporting characters acting is sometimes off.
3. The political theme made me read on Taiwan's White Terror. I did feel the need to know why they (the characters, specially the villains) acts that way.

What I like:
1. The series did not only focuses on the horror and political theme they touched on. It explored the main characters' struggle and showed how they triumph (and their reward/punishment) for the choices they had made. It is not often to see in horror series those elements.
2. I like the very intelligent use of flashback in this one.
3. This series made me buy and play (in chapter 2 right now) the game.

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The series isn't perfect, but more than enough to satisfy my liking

I've read lots of reviews saying how this series is the "typical Thai BL" and yes it is.
However, that doesn't automatically mean it's bad.

Lately, I've been watching some heavy on heart and filled with drama kind of shows, so because of that, it was really refreshing for me personally to come across this light-hearted and sweet mini series, taking me back to the times, bringing me back the feeling I got when I first started watching romance dramas. The chemistry between the main leads isn't something to joke about and believe it or not it made me giggle like an absolute shameless idiot, but I don't regret that cus it was worth all that.

On the other hand, I do understand why some people might not think the same as me; as there were some scenes that could've definitely been improved and have been executed in a better manner. As for the plot it really was just a simple one, which didn't seem to be many peoples cup of tea. And neither was it mine, but I thought maybe I should give the series a go; making that the best decision I have done in a while.

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“I wonder if the people watching will be happy with the drama” I was very miserable actually

Jfc where do I even start. First off I never watched Jane the virgin so you know this is from an unbiased viewer that doesn’t have the bias of having watched the original, with that out of the way:
My first problem rose in around the 6th (give or take) episode, the kiss was horrendous holy sh.. do you know how evidently bad a kiss has to be for a person that hasn’t kissed someone to not only know it’s cringey but to legitimately think the show is better off without kissing? The focus on the kisses made it wayyy worse like if your actors are awful kissers then show it from afar or something but nooooo it had to be in plain view, every kiss took down 5 years from my life span.
Second problem: unnecessary plot. They put too much focus on the crime plot like sir I DO NAWT CARE they failed to make it interesting and dragged it for too long
Third: Lack in reasoning behind characters actions. So many characters did things out of character and then on top of that their reasoning was sh-t
Overall By episode 9 I was full on skipping scenes, having it as background noise the last episode I skipped the entire episode and watched the last thing and I audibly cringed like cmon now.
The female lead was awful she cannot act wtf this is my first time actually saying this about someone because I never notice but this one was actually so obvious it gave me physical pain
The baby was the best actor you did great sweetie
Conclusion save yourself don’t bother

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