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Sheesh
Every episode from now on could be absolute garbage (highly doubt it though) and episode one could make me forget it all. The acting, the intimacy, THE CHEMISTRY.There has been a clear improvement in the acting already (although it was never bad) and I’m eating it upppppp.
I just about think my gay heart exploded. Nobody out here delivering like my girls right now.
Did I already mention the intimacy?!?!?!?!
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this.
where to start?i am completely convinced this will never be topped. just everything about this is so cute.
let's start with the story. with the first episode everything has already been said. "this is a slightly silly love story about hardworking good-natured high schoolers." and it is exactly that. this is a character-driven drama honestly. the plot is there for the characters not the other way around. like a lot of coming of age dramas, it's about the characters and not the plot. it shows the life of a (struggling and confused lol) bisexual teen in high school juggling new love, friendship and of course, school. it also sometimes shows the persepctive of his love interest, a well-meaning volleyball player who is also new to this whole love thing and bad at expressing emotions.
the acting. the facial expressions michieda shunsuke has done for this show is incredible. it might seem over the top but for those who have read the manga know im not kidding when i say that's practically what aoki is like in the manga too. meguro ren as ida was spot-on. that is the blank-faced ida i know and love brought to life. the casting was just perfection. also ya gotta admit. they're a good looking pair. as for fukomoto riko and suzuki jin, they are also perfect cast. they do amazing as their characters. the casting seriously perfect.
oh the music. oh the music. i love it. i really do. both secret touch and ubu-love. these songs are blasting in my head at all times. they are very fitting to the drama. the lyrics from secret touch especially. secret touch is sung by meguro ren's group (snowman) and ubu-love is sung by michieda shunsuke's group (naniwa danshi).
and the rewatch value? oh darling, i was rewatching the first episode religiously since i saw it. it became apart of my DAILY routine. then the second episode was released. so i was rewatching the first two until the third episode. then i was rewatching the three until the fourth and basically that's how i've been living. easily rewatchable. you will be desperate for more.
overall. my favourite jdrama and probably overall drama for all of 2021. i love a series with heaps and heaps of drama but something like kiekoi has seriously topped. it's a sweet silly love story of two inexperienced teens in high school realistically done. one of my favourite aspects is probably how relatable this was for me. as a bi teen in high school, i have experienced something like this. it wasn't as sweet and happy in fact it sucked. watching aoki and ida navigate their love in a sweeter and happier way despite their ups and downs, makes me like this drama a lot. so. watch this if you need something sweeter than candy.
tldr; one of the best jdramas of 2021. sweet cute love story between two inexperinced teens. 10/10 would recommened. biased because it's personal to me lol but seriously, its really really good.
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Definition of military's reality
D.P. is a short drama but it still manages to be entertaining and bring up some real military life issues at the same time.It has a lot of dark, raw, gore and emotional moments, thus it’s not a light drama. However, there are also action and some stress-relief scenes perfectly balanced which make the drama easier to watch without destroying the serious tone of it. As the episodes go by, the atmosphere gets heavier and heavier. The ground is being prepared for the most intense moment of the series: the finale.
The production is pretty decent and meticulous so D.P. is pleasant to watch. There are many nice sceneries, shots, scene transitions and also, the colors and filters of the drama have been selected carefully.
The main color is yellow, the color of madness, sickness, mental illness, egoism, betrayal and caution. The more serious and dark scenes have basically cool colors but in general, D.P. is full of vivid colors similar to a comic’s color palette. The colors, in combination with the old styled (mainly jazz) soundtrack of the series, give a retro vibe. It feels like an old comic is brought to life. Every scene is like a moving comic frame and every scene transition is like turning the page.
The acting is remarkable and almost all the characters are interesting and well-written. Every actor did a great job at portraying a different character of the military corps and all of them look quite realistic. The two main characters, Ahn Joon Ho, the newbie-robot soldier who is doing everything by the book, and Han Ho Yul, the warmhearted, social and funny person that everyone wants as a friend, created a very dynamic duo.
D.P. did actually a pretty good job at highlighting the raw reality of the military and the mental deterioration that causes to humans. Enlisting in the military is like entering another reality, the reality of war. There, public laws do not exist. Human rights do not exist, only the law of the superior, the law of the powerful. Military training tries to simulate the conditions of war by letting bullying and harassment be without punishment. Although this is limited now, it still remains, and this has to change.
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In the beginning you have all of these arrogant kids who start to change and mature as Yankumi becomes their teacher. She takes care of her students, she's always on their side. It's a drama that says "You can live by standing on your own two feet" - sometimes you just need a helping hand.
The acting is great - Part of my reason for wanting to watch this drama was for MatsuJun: the more I see of him the more I can see him as a great actor for his portrayal of different types of roles. The rest of the cast was great, too, no complaints.
The music is okay - they only really had 1 song that played at the end of the drama. The rest were instrumentals that fit the drama but didn't stand out to me.
I think I'll watch this drama again someday.
Overall: I think this is a drama worth watching. Remember that it came out in 2OO2, that it's also based off a manga. It gets better with each episode - I watched the last 7 episodes in one day. If you're looking for something light and comedic with characters that go through problems and mature - this is a good drama to watch (:
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The movies showed a lil bit of government's incapacity to react on national crisis due to politics and nation's image issues. And this fatal mistakes led to a bigger crisis and loss from their citizen. The pace was fast. We got straight to the main crisis on the first few minutes, but the writer still capable to maintain the depth of each character. There wasn't any flashback scene (almost), unlike the usual Korean Movie's with fast pace plot, but we still able to understand each character's idealism and initial heart.
Pandora showed a good, undisturbing, graphics. There wasn't any action and all the focus was to solve one big crisis in any way feasible. Surprisingly, with this thick and intense plot, Pandora wasn't boring at all. In fact, we were brought to a roller coaster of emotion, right from the very start. A mass production, with the purpose to remind that a big advantage has the same amount of risk within it. Entertaining, as well as educating (who knows that South Korea has 24 nuclear power plant in 9 southern cities?)
That's it the Pandora.
"Don't close your eyes because of fear. Don't cover your ears because of fears. We have opened the Pandora's Box. Although disaster were inside. Wasn't there also hope?"
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Started off as great, drifted in the middle and fell short to deliver good concept
This drama wants to give an important lesson - In case of grave situations, will you choose yourself or your loved one? In the recent self-centered world, there are people who still choose to sacrifice themselves to protect their loved ones. And our leads are one of them.This drama had good concept, very good cast and different vibes from other horror dramas. But unfortunately it did not deliver properly because of LACK of required content after airing half-way through. It started off as very FAST-paced and engaging, but soon it became dragged and went in circles and circles. There was nothing to keep you look forward to next episode. But last episode finished on pretty good note.
I wish they give another chance and make a season 2 with good story with the same cast.
The acting is great. Daniel kept his worth as ghost detective Da il. He is clever and deeply cares about the people around him. Eun bin is a good actress. Yeo wool was convincing. Both leads had painful past revolving around their family and so they understand each other. They had GOOD chemistry together but couldn't be explored more as it isn't in the story. But whatever time they had together, it was good. The bond between them was very different, more of two humans who shared SAME VALUES together.
Ji ah is really scary as Sunwoo hye. Killing people while sucking on a lolly-pop. she was an UNIQUE antagonist. She is smart and more powerful than the leads. Of course, little Sunwoo hye (Heo Jung Eun) is more scary. She made me cry in Oh My Geum bi! and here she is scary as hell.. Bravo to little actress!
This drama would have been better if there were only 10-12 episodes instead of standard 16 episodes. Just because of insisting the certain number of episodes, they ruined a very good drama. but the last episode was definitely saver.
Music is good. Some OSTs are memorable. Background score gives you goosebumps in some cases specially in Ji ah 's scenes.
Definitely NOT a rewatch.
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This is how you do the perfect enemies to lover trope
I waited for this for more than a year, and finally we get this drama, and it didn't disappoint.This is just an almost perfect story of the enemies-to-lovers trope, and they nailed it. As a huge admirer of LYN, I feel immense pride in him once more, as he flawlessly embodied his role. ZZR also did an impressive job, and she was beautiful, and I applaud her acting here. They both perfectly delivered their characters, so I almost cry at how outstanding it is.
The other characters also needs to be applauded. It's like Journey to Love Again, where you love all the side characters.
I think we all agreed that this has the best intimate relationship ever. This demonstrates the physical affection between a husband and wife who love each other. It's not awkward or displeasing to the eyes. It's just two people who wanted to be in each other's arms. Love love this.
Overall, this is a wonderful show. It's fun, touching, romantic... it has everything.
This will be my favorite drama this year.
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Well , this drama was the most I was waiting for this year - except of Criminal Minds of course ( because of LJG), and I can say I liked it from the first episode.. The acting was a little raw then, but the cinematography, the mood and the music made it for me! I wasn't really familiar with the actors before ( except Jong Hyun from ML), and I want to say three of them really impressed me!
Im Siwan - it was really my first time seeing him, and he was great, from the first moment till the last! I wasn't always agree with Won's character, but he gained my love and respect in the end!
Yoona - I've seen her in couple of episodes of Love Rain, and I've heard some bad rewies about her, but I loved her and her character so much in this drama! There's always something annoying for me in the female lead in all dramas, but I haven't felt it here! She was always adorable, cheerful and brave through all the story! And she could convince me when she started to love the one she loved..
Jong Hyun - If the 4th prince wasn't played by Lee Joon Gi in Scarlet Heart, I'd definitly have crush on this sexy villian :) I hated him there, but sometimes I also felt bad for him - that means he could deliver his character! In King in Love he was the total opposite of Wang Yo.. Maybe he was a little frozen at start, but slowly he opened up, and brought one of my favorite characters ever! Yes, I was team Rin, and I'm proud of it :)
There were very different opinions about drama's love line - some loved it, some hated it at the same line, and I want to say - that's what one of the best parts of this drama, but it's also what lowed it's rating (I think), because most people like predictable....
First of all- imho - there's no first or second lead in this drama - the three of them are main leads -and they totally deserved to be called it! Because this story is about friendship - deep and genuine, between three young people! And the actors did amazing job, showing how much these three deeply loved each other! Sometimes love story came in the middle of their frienship (of course!), but none of them didn't want to hurt another, and that what made this story such painful for them! But at the end they have learned how to understand and sacrifice for each other! The open ending was satisfing and not at the same time for both teams, but it left a little for imagination of all of us! Thank you, writers for making this story so unique!
There were a lot of scenes that I laughed and enjoyed with the characters, and closer to the end a lot that made me cry! It was lighthearted and bittersweet at the same time! One of my favorite scenes were of course Rin and San goodbye scene and the scene on the cliff... Both broke my heart! Also the last friends' jorney together - we can see how three of them have changed and grown up there..
I also want to compliment cinematography and the music - both were spectacular ( total joy for video maker :), and I wish there was this cinematography and music in Scarlet Heart - but it still the most perfect drama for me!! :)
I know, I will rewatch it! Maybe not from the first episodes, but I totally will!
I think that's it.. I guess I made it clear that I totally loved this drama, and would recommend it to everyone.. But I know, not everyone would love it...:)
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This review may contain spoilers
“What the actual fuck?!” I apologise for my language but this is the best and most brief way to describe this completely cray cray drama. Ms. Perfect was definitely bizarre, a bit weird and thoroughly eccentric but left a memorable aftertaste exactly because of all these traits.
Story
Ms. Perfect is one of those hidden gem dramas that should be protected exactly because they can be perceived differently depending on the viewer. On a surface level, Ms Perfect can be described as “the story of a sasaeng fan”. Is that a lie? No it is not, it is actually unexpectedly accurate. However taking a critical look at this and analyzing it from different perspectives, it is arguable that Ms. Perfect is not only deep but actually surprisingly original and profound.
So, what exactly did this drama do so well to make me this passionate about it?
Firstly, It put together several weird, borderline nonsensical characters, gave them obvious roles (the villain, the hero, the victim ect) and forced them to act accordingly but not quite. I think I speak on behalf of every viewer when I say that we were all frustrated by every character’s frustrating decision and way of acting. Having said that, if you take a closer look at the character, it is dead obvious how non-archetype they actually are. There are several layers to all of them, and what I actually loved? It depends on the viewers’ perspective to choose who you want to root for, who is your hero and who is your villain.
Secondly, this is officially the only drama where the 2nd female lead not only was freaking amazing, but WAS the actual drama itself. 2nd female leads… we hate them, don’t we? At this point after so many dramas, we feel intrinsically inclined to dislike them on sight. Yet, here not only do we have a memorable 2nd female lead but one that is so compelling you can’t help but love. The whole drama was built around her and I have never been happier about it! 2nd female leads rule and this drama proved it! My salute to the actress for making this drama work. This drama was a huge celebration to 2nd leads (male and female) and i loved it for it!
Finally, it is arguable to say that the drama is more adjacent to makjang rather than other genres. Don’t expect any heavy crazy shit happening but the drama did manage for at least 15 episodes to make me say “what the hell” at least twice every episode. Continuous plot twists and questions that hover around. The type that hook you on and you cannot stop no matter how ridiculous this shit is. Ms. Perfect was certifiably addicting either you enjoyed it or not.
If I could put the drama under a genre, I would say it is a mystery/comedy (bizarre combination I know). Comedy is reduced to side story character after a while while mystery is strong almost till the end. Despite the quite heavy concept of the situations presented I can’t say the drama ever became melodramatic or depressing or overly serious. Romance is present in the drama but doesn’t happen until the 2nd half and it does not occupy a huge part of the drama. Having said that and since I am not a romance lover, I thoroughly enjoyed the romance here. It was not forced, it was not cheesy, it came naturally and was fulfilling.
All in all the drama for me was unpredictable, with great character writing and well thought-out. It never dragged or had a boring moment.
Acting
I read some negative comments about the acting. Well… I can understand that, but we’ve seen worse haven’t we?
Go So Young was just right and I can tell she really enjoyed her questionable character and drama overall. I wouldn’t say her performance was memorable but I did not face any problems with her
.
I am not Sung Joon’s biggest fan but he’s a good actor. He made a complete 180 here on me.
Yoon Sang Hyun was also satisfying but not memorable.
And after all these peasants let’s talk about the queen of the drama. Jo Yeo Jung. KWEEN! I have deep respect for her. She is not the best actress, definitely, but she knows how to pick a project. I appreciate her because she always goes for questionable dramas and bizarre challenging characters! I don’t think the drama would have worked without her portraying this character! I know if she is in a drama, it’s gonna be a good one! Cheers, you are amazing gurl!
Recommend
All that being said, this drama is not one for everyone. The oddity, the makjang, the frustrating and quite unlikeable characters all have their downside. I would recommend this drama to viewers who enjoy peculiar dramas, want to watch something different and are open-minded. I thoroughly enjoyed it but I can very well see why one wouldn’t.
Characters
The official review is over and spoilers may be included from now on. The drama, even though wasn’t really character-driven (or like one character directed the whole thing) it showed some really layered and multi-faced characters and I want to take some time to reflect on them.
Shin Jae Bok. The seeming victim. I disliked her but I didn’t. I rooted for her to have a happy ending but I can’t argue she really deserved it. Yes some crazy shit happened to her out of the blue and honestly she did nothing to elicit any of it but still… She was the type of woman to bring others down (namely her husband) just for the shake of it. A character that kept looking at herself as a victim (main reason why she’s not one) and was extremely relentless in getting into other people’s business. She could have taken a shortcut and spare herself from all the drama but she just couldn’t do it. A borderline control freak. Having said all that, I can’t deny how strong Jae Bok was, straightforward and direct. Traits I appreciated made her human and relatable but did not make her likeable at least to me.
Koo Sung Hee. The hero (?). Arguably the best written character, why? Because he was rotten to the core, but if you ask him what do you think about yourself? You’ll get such a self-assured answer like he is a war-hero. I was amazed at how selfish he was without realizing it, saying that he “does things” for others either his kids or his wife or his “love”. He said he loved 3 different people in 20 episodes and weirdly, I believe he did all 3 of them, but why is that? Because deep inside it was himself he loved the most. A very incompetent person who tries to always find the easy way out but always with a convenient excuse to look as a hero to himself! Incredible writing for one of the most despicable characters I’ve seen on screen.
Lee Eun Hee. The villain. I am biased, I admit. Bonkers crazy, and she knew it. Batshit crazy, and quite proud. I couldn’t dislike her, not one inch, not at all. Yes she was crazy and her situation could not get any better. If you stand still for a moment and reflect on what she actually did… it is overwhelming, sounds like something no one would do, but simultaneously, quite plausible if you are REALLY determined. To me she was nothing more than a little girl who was never loved. Abused and ignored trying to survive sustain herself and her mental health the best she could, she found settler in one person who gave her the slightest bit of comfort and then she tried to hold on to him. Why? Because he was the first person ever who made her happy. Like clutching at straws, a fleeting moment, her savior. Hence, her constant, relentless efforts to recreate that moment all her life. The one person who made her happy all those years ago, he can do it again. Rather depressing when you actual think of it.
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Intense build-up, decent wrap-up
The first half of this movie was absolutely flawless — I was terrified (in a good way) by all the jumpscares, the mystery was extremely intriguing and I was trying desperately to figure it out myself, and the soundtrack and interactions between the characters all added to the dark vibe of the movie.I still think the second half, after everything was revealed, was a decent watch, but I did think that it took away a lot of the things that I loved in the first half. Of course, a mystery can't go on forever, but I definitely felt like the story didn't feel as dark as it did before and there was no more anxiety-inducing tension, more just running around and fights. Those were still fun and exciting and I really enjoyed how the story was revealed, intertwining different characters, but the first half still felt more captivating to me.
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One word for SFD: Epic
Four words for SFD: Epic But With FlawsLet’s break it down -:
❌ The flaws:
☠️ Power inbalance b/w the dragons:
Two of them are clearly the stars (Sambong/Yi Bang Won). Two of them feel like very endearing supporting characters. (Bang ji/ Mu hyul) Two of them are disguised idiots who insult the term. (Boon Yi/General Syeong Hi) The acting prowess also varies in the same order. (Deteriorating as it descends)
☠️ Boring Middle:
Except of a few outstanding scenes the middle of the show does come with a lot of 'meh'. Endless, tiresome and less than impressive politics. Where the writers keep trying to find new and new problems for the main guys to fight against, often not even properly solving the previous ones. I almost put the show on-hold here.
☠️ Shitty antagonists:
Except one, all antagonists are pretty mediocre with lame strategies and they keep getting replaced. As soon as a villain gains solid footing and identity, the show do's away with it in some way. Makes the back and forth a bit boring since the good guys are way too strong and for a very long time SFD does not take any risks.
☠️ Cop-Outs:
Again, the middle is problematic. The show uses huge ass convenient plot devices to get out of complications and some illogical things don't add up.
☠️ Character Development:
This is also a strength of the drama. While for some the CD is brilliant, others (Bang Ji/Moo Hyul) could do with more of it. Friendship/brotherhood is one of the highlights of SFD, however it could've easily been more explored and impactful.
☠️ No good female characters:
Literally all of them suck/are weak af except one and she isn't even a major role. The female lead is like a blank brainless floppy fish with her wide eyes and sputtering lips. I wanted to slap her silly
✅ The Epic:
👑 Yi Bang Won. Yi Bang Won. Yi Bang Won 👑
The most fleshed out/dynamic/well developed character of the show and easily one of the best anti-heroes in K-Drama History. He's simply wonderful. Yoo Ah In did the acting of a lifetime- Out of this world.
Among a sea of self-righteous fuckers, he's a hell wrecker. He's evil, good, kind, reckless, weak, strong, deadly, vulnerable, lonely, childish, manipulative, magnificent, insecure, ambitious, a mastermind but above all- he's wholly human. I just don't have enough words. He was the biggest and at times, the only reason I stuck with this show till the end. The moment SFD plunged into monotony, Yi Bang Won was the one who changed the course with all that shit he stirred up. I haven't been this in love with a character, since Empress Ki's Emperor. Truly excellent.
✔️ Music:
Holy fuck. This is without a doubt the best OST I have ever heard. Whether it be lyrical or instrumental, whether it be sung by characters or played in the background- every song was perfect. Perfectly timed, perfectly meaningful and perfectly emotional. Just perfect.
✔️Action/Swordsmanship:
Some of the best action scenes in a drama can be scene in SFD. They are always important too because our guys emote with their blades and no fight is meaningless.
✔️High Quality Production:
Beautiful camera work. Brilliant direction amd screenplay. Very pretty angles. Gorgeous sceneries. Crisp cinematography
✔️Suspense:
The drama has some legit chill inducing, goosebump worthy scenes and some brilliant cliffhangers that promise something exquisite in the next ep. What's more is the next ep always delivers on its promise. So every episode has a great start, a great end and an okay-ish middle.
✔️Last couple of episodes:
While the show significantly picks up at episode 30 and maintains the level of great, the last few eps are just plain awesomeness. My heart was hurting, breaking, sputtering, palpitating and melting all at the same time.
✔️Moral Dilemmas:
Fickle human nature at its finest.
✔️Sambong/Moo Hyul/Li Bang Ji:
The acting done hy Kim Hyung Min is spectacular- Sambong is a genius. The sexy and passive Bang Ji and the big man with a big heart Moo Hyul are all golden aspects of the show.
✔️The End:
Very satisfying.
✔️History:
Most historically accurate show I've watched. It's almost all there. All real.
✔️ 50 hours worth, is it easy to watch?
Yes and no. Some episodes are so gripping and well-executed that you can't help but bulldoze through but some drag enough that you have to actually motivate yourself to push forward.
☑️ Conclusion:
The Epic far outweigh The Flaws. This is a show that is a must-have under your belt as a drama fan. A classic that lives up to the hype.
Definitely reccomended.
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This review may contain spoilers
Started well, but ended poorly
I thought the acting and story was good... up until the last few episodes, at which point a few things derailed it:The singer from Akdong Musician who was working as a convenience store part-timer learning to study to become a police officer - Her appearances were kind of the 'b-plot', until her storyline arc suddenly changed as she 'started singing' randomly while walking home. It felt unnatural and kind of cringe. Yeah, I get it, she's a famous singer, but having her incorporate it seemed forced and more like an advert.
I can ignore that though, what I disliked more was the ending where Hwi-oh 'won back' Minkyung with what appeared to be an act of aggression. It wasn't what it seemed, but something just felt super off about it, much of Minkyungs concerns weren't really addressed but she did an almost 180, and they got back together.
Also, it was pretty unclear where she suddenly vanished to (before she came back)... was it Mongolia?
Anyway I would say the first 9 or so episodes were great, but then it kind of fell off a cliff. It really felt as though they were struggling to figure out how to wrap things up, and went in a bit of a weird direction.
Not a waste of time, not terrible, good.. but thats a shame because it could have been really good
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The plot was really lacking, first of all. This writer did that romcom + thriller thing in SWDBS, and I LOVED that, but the conspiracy plot in this one was simply underwhelming. Firstly, it was introduced early on, disappeared for a few episodes, and really came to the forefront maybe in episode 10-ish. It was resolved SUPER quickly and unsatisfyingly, and what I thought would really be the climax basically turned into a plot device to make the romance angsty. Even the sort of science/medical plot points were really shallow and had no real explanation or reason to them, and they seemed to just be there so the main characters would be separated by SOMETHING.
Speaking of the romance — I really did not feel any chemistry between the main characters at all. They’re both super high-profile actors who I know can do AMAZING things, but honestly from this drama you couldn’t tell. The first kiss was sudden and awkwardly forced, and I really didn’t even know they liked each other until they were like LET’S DATE. The romance was over-the-top cheesy in so many scenes, showing basically what happens when you use cliches and use them badly.
The entire drama was over-the-top, especially in terms of humor. SWDBS had this too, but the main leads saved the drama with their cuteness. In this one, the “humor” was everywhere, and it was loud and obnoxious. Both the leads’ families were basically there to either cry or react over-dramatically, and as a result I hated basically ALL the family members. The only one I loved was Nam Tae, and I felt like his character and the relationship he had with Miran had so much unexplored potential. The same could be said for Byung-Sim, or Miran’s ex-boyfriend, and her two best friends who I loved as teenagers but HATED as adults.
And Na Hayoung. Dear god, Don’t even get me started on her. She really had no role other than to be an annoying pining ex who would remind everyone that time passed. I’m going to cut this section short by saying that basically all the characters except Nam Tae was BAD.
The one thing I’d say that this show had going for it was that the OST was pretty good, but the show itself was so bad I think it might’ve tainted the songs for me.
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This review may contain spoilers
Sorry if this goes against the general opinion but this drama is just a giant ball of frustration and disappointment for me.1. The beginning of the episode was interesting but then it just gets boring.
2. The main characters in the show are just really unlikable and there are no character development at all.
3. Its just stupid to think that the main character is smart and daring enough to run his security/pimp operation but then all of his other actions shows him just being a wimpy, indecisive and scared kid.
4. No backstory to explain what happened or why the characters are in these situation. Pretty convenient that Jisoo just happened to be saved by an ex-military man and proceeds to form a loyal partnership?
5. Positive is when we are not being frustrated, we are treated to some good and thrilling scenes that keeps you wanting more.
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“If you want to protect something, then you just do it.”
i went into this film unaware that it was a sequel but i think that was for the best because i would’ve been far more disappointed with this, and i already am.mantis tries to be a lot of things at once—a comedy movie, an action flick filled with gore, a heartfelt emotional film that focuses on its characters—and it fails at doing most of this considering its less than two hour runtime. i was excited for this because the casting was literally insane and their performances definitely carried the film, but that was the extent of this movies greatness. i absolutely loved park gyu young’s performance and i think her character was the most fleshed out, with jae-yi’s inferiority complex and struggles clearly being her driving motive and acting as the main conflict of the movie as she makes her decisions based on these emotions she’s experiencing. i also thoroughly enjoyed choi hyunwook’s performance as benjamin because he does such a good job playing these bratty and manipulative characters, similar to his character in taxi driver whom i also loved even though he was a little shit. yim si wan’s character han-ul was a very basic character who didn’t have a lot of depth but it was his acting that made him stand out when he wasn’t in an action scene. speaking of those scenes, they were enjoyable for the most part but the best one was honestly the opening scene. the final fight was also slightly memorable but mainly because of a singular shot of yim si wan’s heartfelt and anguished facial expression.
other than the points mentioned above, the rest of the movie is honestly boring. the entire movie is rushed which makes the pacing really off seeing as before i knew it an entire year had somehow passed in the span of like five minutes, there are funky shots in both the good and bad sense as some of them were fun but a lot of them looked ridiculous, and the plot tries to do a lot at once with the sort of love plot between han-ul and jae-yi, the betrayal plot, the group break up, overthrowing and recreating the killer for hire system… it’s just a mess and it’s only mildly entertaining at best.
i definitely won’t rewatch this and i wouldn’t really recommend it, but if you really want to give it a shot i’m sure you’ll at least enjoy the performances done by the really incredible actors in this.
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