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First off, I'm being generous with my ratings. I can't quite decide whether I liked or hated this drama. It's probably a little bit of both. The concept was good and got me watching in the first place. The first half was really good and had the potential to be something great but then the last half sort of spiraled out of control. Who doesn't want to watch a man (Han Tae Sang) who's had a hard life, meets a girl (So Mi Do) that makes him want to change it all, becomes successful while quietly supporting and loving her over the course of 7 years. When Tae Sang and Mi Do meet again and he begins to pursue her, their story moves along pretty quickly. Tae Sang was right to the point with his feelings, as was Mi Do. Then enter the third wheel (Lee Jae Hee) and that's where all the drama begins. Sounds like your typical kdrama setup but eventually the story became so far out there it made it seem ridiculous. There were also sub-stories regarding Tae Sang's long lost mother and brother, a murder, a jilted woman w/ a one sided love and the rival of our main actor. I don't feel some of those stories were explored as much as they should have been therefore they ended up being overlooked. At least for me they were. By the time the last episode rolled around I had no clue how everything was possibly going to be resolved in just one hour. There was just so much the writers were throwing at the viewers. I guess, for me, if the writers wanted to add all these extra plots, they should have toned down their focus on the love triangle or just not even introduced those plots in the first place.
Acting/Cast: Many people stayed with this drama bc of Song Seung Hun. I know he was the only thing keeping me going at one point lol. Han Tae Sang was my favorite character and the only one I even care about in the end. He was such a naive man in his pursuit of Mi Do it became endearing. He was learning the ropes through trial and error. He would even research how to interact with a girl on a date and so forth. He had his faults but was ultimately a good man. Han Tae Sang definitely got the raw in of the deal throughout this drama though. Poor guy couldn't catch a break, and he was such a likable character! You really started to hate the writers for how much they screwed with him. Now So Mi Do...there's so much I could say about her but I'll keep it short. She was a very unlikable character. She was extremely selfish, stuck up, rude and immature. The way she treated Han Tae Sang drove me crazy and she showed hardly any emotion. I did like that she was straightforward and got right to the point. She also lost her moral compass for a bit but I feel she tried to redeem herself towards the end. In the end, I still didn't care what happened with her. Lee Jae Hee, I never really liked him either. He wiggled his way right in between Tae Sang and Mi Do even though Tae Sang was the one who provided the very best for him while his brother (Chang Hee) was away. He basically tried to find anyone who would speak ill of Han Tae Sang to, I suppose, justify his backstabbing. He was so naive and blind to the truth it was maddening to watch. He didn't want to hear anything that could make him question the hate he had built towards Han Tae Sang. Besides, he was pretty sloppy at being a "bad guy" towards Han Tae Sang. Supporting characters I liked were Lee Chang Hee, Tae Sang's bff and Jae Hee's brother. He was kind of the voice of reason (to an extent) and the glue that tried to hold everyone together. Loyal friend to Tae Sang and protective hyung to Jae Hee. I also liked Mi Do's mother, her brother, her 2 friends, Roy Jang and his father. Characters I felt were completely pointless were Baek Sung Joo and Goo Yong Gab. Goo Yong Gab was the most useless rival I've ever seen. He really didn't do anything. Baek Sung Joo was also pretty mild compared to other scorned women. They basically worked out and had dumb conversations with each other. Completely useless.
Rewatch Value & Overall: Rewatch value is not likely. This drama put me on a roller coaster of emotions throughout the entire thing. I wanted to drop it but it kept pulling me in. That's why I scored it higher than most probably would. It infuriated me to the maximum degree but left me needing to find out what would happen next. It could have been a great drama had the writers not gone completely insane. It does have it's good points but I feel the bad unfortunately outweighs the good. The ending kind of sucked too. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be but they could have also done something to make it spectacular and that just didn't happen. I say, watch maybe the first 10 episodes or so, stop before it heads on its downward spiral, and just create you own ending lol. Guarantee it will be better than anything that happened in the last half of the drama.
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I am glad it ended.
What can you say about a show which does start with sexual harrasment and mentally abuse?It's a trope nobody needs, a trope nobody asks for and a trope which was lame 10 years ago.
Besides the cinematography and the title song this shows has nothing really likable. The characters are plain, the story is awful and everything is so full of clichés. If you want to know more other reviewers will detail all the points which are bad, but I have no time to waste on this show anymore.
It's one of the dissapointments of 2024. Nice production quality meets aweful script, boring acting, some fan-service and nothing more. You should avoid it, if you haven't watched it yet.
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Worth Watching Drama
I think this is the fastest reicarnation I have ever seen in any drama, it only took 30 years but it is still interesting for me. I do like drama with some that kind of fantasy.I never like Hyung Bin or Soo Hyuk.. he just too prejudice, and he keep provoking Jong Bum that he is the criminal. I never ship Soo Hyuk with Jan Bin, I really really like Ji Chul / Jong Bum, he is really just a poor kid,, especially Ji Chul, his mind is corrupted by his murders father, and he being abusive since he was little, all he wants to help Ha Eun because he love her even in his own way, he meant well. He is still a nice person. I also don't really like Ha Eun because she doesn't not even give Ji Chul a chance to talk but I do like Jan Bin (Ha Eun reincarnation), she is more open, straightforward and understanding, she gives Jong Bum a chance and she listen and believe in him even throughout the rumor about him being a murderer at age 15.
At first, I don't know who will be the main actor, the one Jan Bin will choose at the end, but I really shipped her with Jong Bum. I don't know why I just don't like Soo Hyuk, he was quite corrupted prosecutor, frame the criminal just to get them behind the bars without a proper investigation and he just to prejudice! just because Jong Bum was at the criminal scene doesn't mean he is the culprit. The real psychopath are smart, they don't get caught easily because they are melticulous, they will never get caught easily on cctv and as a prosecutor, he did an abrupt decision.
I first start to notice Jang Ki Young in Go back couple, he as nam gil, as a second lead. Oh, how I have such second lead syndrome watching that drama, I really really really like him but I know he will never end up together with Jang Nara because she already have a child together with his husband before.. and when I watch this drama, oh please don't give me that second lead syndrome again. I couldn't bear to see that again. But luckily, it turns out well even though the ending quite abrupt for me.. But it satisfies me enough to see him get together with Jan Bin.
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I simply couldn't, and still cannot, comprehend how someone would take 7 episodes to learn that money is a valuable thing if you have little of it. Even though his spending habits were enormous, Louis should've picked up by the second scolding that he spent too much. He never did though.
Ko Bok Sil doesn't learn anything either. She finally seems to have trained Louis into not spending cash and she goes out to get a credit card.
I also cannot comprehend how the writer would think it was not obvious to name Louis dog Koboshi and only in the last episode reveal that he named the dog after a girl he got a gift from; Ko Bok Sil. Even Bok Sil herself thought he called her when he called the dog, so why didn't any of the intelligent adults pick up on this? Why didn't Louis?
Last thing I couldn't get: why all the broken lovelines? Sure, Louis and Bok Sil end up together, same goes for Mr. Kim and Ms. Heo. But Joong Won ends up chasing someone else (we have no idea what kind of feelings she has for him, if any), Ma Ri ends up chasing someone who's not interested and the same goes for In Sung.
All in all I don't think this K-Drama deserves the 8.4 it got here, I'm rating it 6.0/10.
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There's lots to say about “I Promised you the Moon” but I have to begin by saying how it's close to ITSAY. While comparing IPYTM to ITSAY (which is but natural, considering they are sequels), many have pointed out how IPYTM fell back while others loved it more than it's sequel. I belong to the grey zone where I loved both for what they were.The biggest parallel or similarity between these series was how Teh and Oh-Aew's relationship progressed. In itsay, they start out as friends, not best friends or bosom friends–these two boys were attached at the hips. They new even the most minute details about each other and the details they didn't know about each other, they were ready to learn. Similarly, in ipytm they start out as boyfriends. Not flings, not the questioning phase. Boyfriends in the truest sense of the word.
But all good things don't last and so it ends for Teh and Oh-Aew in both itsay and ipytm. In itsay they fight when one questions the other over whether they'd be ready to give up the thing they love for each other. In ipytm the struggle is different. It comes first in the form of Oh-Aew’s change in faculties which makes Teh feel betrayed; while Teh becomes closer to his own friends and his work, Oh-Aew gets closer to his own friends and his new faculty. Things hit the fan when Teh develops an attraction for Jai, his friend and then the director of the university play he acts in.
The problem with both Teh and Oh-Aew is that they don't stick together. The moment something happens they switch off communication, cut cords, ignore each other completely. But they can't let go. They keep thinking about each other. Both can't happen simultaneously, you either care of you don't and their conflict is that they do care but are forced to show that they don't. In itsay Teh texts Oh-Aew but he doesn't send it while Oh-Aew waits to talk to him in person. In ipytm Teh texts him again but Oh-Aew cuts him off.
The fact that they can't let go is highlighted when they meet each other for the first time after their fight. In itsay, they stare daggers at each other, unaware of what they will mean for each other in a month's time. In ipytm Teh and Oh-Aew meet at least two years after their breakup. Teh is heartbroken and guilty; Oh-Aew is heartbroken and angry.
It's ‘Shangxin’ all over again. Two people applying force against each other's hearts.
They take comfort in knowing that the other is okay. Seeing Teh flourish in his career on TV makes Oh-Aew smile. Teh texts him to know more about him, but stays away without imposing himself on Oh-Aew. The first thing he asks Oh-Aew on meeting him is whether he's okay.
“No one can replace you for me.”
Teh and Oh-Aew aren't just friends to lovers. Their connection runs deeper than that. It runs so deep that Oh-Aew knows he has to comfort Teh on learning about Tuty’s death. A small detail, but it really stood out to me. Because regardless of how many boyfriends Oh-Aew has and how many partners Teh dates, nobody can take take the place of Oh-Aew for Teh and nobody can take the place of Teh for Oh-Aew.
The series ends with at Phuket, with Teh’s brother getting married to his long time love. Teh and Oh-Aew, now with the sunset at their back, a calmer sunset–not the glaring brightness of the Promthep cape at Phuket–they get together again.
Direction • script and storytelling • cinematography & soundtrack
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CINEMATOGRAPHY:
In terms of cinematography, the quality is still maintained. Apparently the 4k release on Vimeo is the best experience ever, as has been said by those who purchased the Vimeo package. While we don't get to visit the quaint spots of old town Phuket, we have amazing shots of the characters with the Bangkok skyline in the background.
Aesthetics aren't about how much scenery you can clump into an episode–the colours matter. I never knew there were so many shades of blue.
In episode 3, where Oh-Aew first sees Teh and Jai kiss, the colors work perfectly. The drama club room where Teh and the other's practice have a light brown shade to them: Teh's shirt, the close-ups of Jai's face all meld together but Oh-Aew's bright pink and red don't match.
Again in episode 3, during the floating in water redux scene where Teh sadly backfloats on the water, the color is sea blue but this time it's artificial and lonely unlike the waves of Phuket where Teh and Oh-Aew swam in their childhood. The Bangkok skyline is navy night, not black. I can't help noticing all this about ipytm.
The most important usage of the color is the counterplay between cool blues and warm reds. Itsay was a whirlwind romance which shook me as an audience. It left me feeling raw in places, ugly sobbing and emotionally drained. Ipytm was considerably different–it was meant to be different. This is Teh and Oh-Aew after six to seven years of their relationship. They are both older, calmer and their story is sadder.
The final scenes of both these series have a sunset but where in itsay it's the bright radiance of Promethep Cape of Old town Phuket, in ipytm it's a calm sunset with small waves. There's even an ornate pier which wasn't there before. Phuket has changed, Teh and Oh-Aew have changed, Mama Sui has changed (she speaks slower and softer now, stressing more on the syllables)—but that's the point of love. Unchanging and forever. In the end, it's not the sunset that convinced me that these two people were meant to be, it's the people.
SOUND EFFECT:
The sound effects of IPYTM don't sound like normal sound dumps in most dramas. Where the OST is just dumped during long agonising moments of 'romantic' eye contact, or during the kiss scenes–no, the tracks have been perfectly timed.
There are three particular beats in the OST which have never stuck out to me before but at the moment when Jai tells Teh to recreate his first memory with Oh-Aew (read: sleep with Oh-Aew again) in episode 3, I could feel the weight of those three notes, they perfect hinted at the impending sadness.
In episode 1, one of my favorite parts was the ending scene where Oh Aew was sitting alone on the couch, closing his eyes an hoping to conjure Teh in front of him. When he opens his eyes and sees Q who makes him join the party, the crescendo rises in the background before coming to a still.
TIME SKIP:
If you've been keeping up with the news on ipytm since March, then you might know that Nadao had announced that each episode will be dealing with a year of their lives at the university. Needless to say, this worried me A LOT. Time slips/jumps always feel like meaningless plot devices but I'm just beginning to understand that it's more about how you use it. In IPYTM, each year hasn't been summed up in one episode, instead key incidents from each year have been woven together to tell the story.
Thanks to P’Meen's direction, we can see all these actors at their best, bringing the characters to life. IPYTM (like itsay), is not a sci-fi or fantasy or historical production. Its a largely ‘feeling based’ romance, as in the emotions it conveys to the audience are very important. To convey sadness, an actor doesn't just have to be good at crying, the build up to that emotional precipice has to be guided well and the director, scriptwriters and everyone working backstage have done that.
Cast & Characters
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1. OH-AEW & TEH
Both Teh and Oh Aew have changed slightly—the cognitive changes which accompany the beginning of adulthood—but at heart Teh is still the enthusiastic boy who saw Yongjian on his television screen and realized what he wanted to be and Oh Aew is still the soft boy who fell in love.
But after episode 1, we begin to see significant changes in their characters. To anybody who complains about this, people do change. People change enormously, especially during the transition during university. Oh-Aew and Teh face lots of emotions–lomeliness on their first week when they had only each other for comfort, rejections during cast calls, the fear of not fulfilling their aspirations, new friends, new lives–they both change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.
PP Krit and Billkin have grown so much as actors. PP's soothing voice was perfect for the osts and mvs released for this series. He has really controlled tears, those single tear lines in episode 5 just shook me. Billkin deserves lots of love for his role. I hated to see people thrash the actor for the nuances in Teh's character. Billkin is a wonderful actor and nobody can change my mind.
2. JAI
JaiHe is so much more than an intriguing side character. First of I want to say that even though Jai told Teh that he wasn't sleeping with Ms. May for grades, I don't really believe him. His manner was secretive, not confidential while he told about it to Teh, as in he's hiding something.
Does that make him a bad person? I would say yes. If you've been to university, you may have encountered such individuals who to resort to such techniques. Does it make him a completely bad person? No, everyone is capable of growth. Does it make him a bad director? Definitely not. Judging from the way he interacts with the crew, it's evident that he's not a bad director. He pays attention to details, he reads through logbooks, he's considerate when he has to be.
A clear example is how Teh interacts with him. At first Teh was enamoured by Top but Jai was the one who told him to work backstage. Who opened up options for him. I'd say it's really natural for Teh to feel those signals from him. What stood out to me most about Jai was his dedication and secondly his insecurity. He tells Teh that he broke up with James because he was afraid how long they were going to stay together. He's afraid his portfolio isn't good enough for the New York university, which is probably why he's sleeping with Ms. May.
We get to see one shot of Jai in the end of episode 5 when he smiles on seeing Teh and Oh-Aew's post on Instagram. Regardless of what he has done, he's a character who left me rooting for him till the very end.
OAB is a splendid actor. If anyone has seen Blackout, you might appreciate him even more. He captures every emotion perfectly.
3. OH-AEW'S FRIENDS
Can we appreciate how unassuming Oh-Aew’s, Q, Mang, Plug and Au’s friendship is? In the fifth episode, when Mang and Plug (now dating) have a small argument which Oh-Aew and Q happen to witness, Q tells Oh-Aew to look after Mang while he will do the same for Plug and then they have a small squabble with Q finally conceding that he will take care of all of them. They will not judge their friends on the basis of who breakup and because of whom and will extend the same support regardless. When Teh comes on tv after the breakup, we see Au looking constantly at Oh-Aew to gauge his reaction to it. In this way we get too see how closely knitted they are.
4. OTHERS
If someone asked me what is the best part of IPYTM then they'd probably expect confusion but i have my answer ready: REAL CHARACTERS.IPYTM will convince you that the people they show are real. They are friends, partners, exes, sons/daughters—real people with aspirations and dreams and responsibilities. Even the side characters have a story to tell. Like Top who despite reaching his goal suspects that he isn't truly good enough. Khim, who isn't ready to forsake her dream yet but her duties compel her to. Teh, who is afraid of being alone. Oh Aew who gets judged for being who he is.
Everyone from itsay was reunited at Hoon's wedding. Teh’s brother Hoon finally–finally–gets married to the love of his life and that brings everybody who left Phuket, back to their scenic hometown. We get to see the MoRaoYuLok a final time, some of them are dating, some have a job, some want to return to Phuket, some want to stay in the places they have built for themselves outside Phuket. We get to see Bas, handsome as ever. We get to see Mama Sui, and she is sweeter than ever.
Also, are Top and Khim dating >·<
Cast & Characters
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1. Romance
We get to see a lot of romantic gestures from both Teh and Oh Aew. In the first scene we see Teh with the milk bottle in his hand. Even though its been a year, Oh Aew still heats up milk for him. He gets a small tattoo too. Teh may be more subtle but his emotions are there. I was particularly touched in the scene where Oh Aew was drunk and Teh, instead of taking the bed, sleeps on the carpet beside the couch.
2. Coming Out and being open
Five minutes into the episode 1 I was grinning like an idiot because Teh’s mom just got the best mom ever award. She's not only supportive but a romantic at heart and she had handmade gifts for both Teh and Oh Aew.
Then comes the aquarium kss. I think it was perfect that their first public kiss was after Teh’s mom accepted him. Even in LTIP, while they're on a nearly deserted street, they don't kiss openly. It's Teh's family's acceptance which gives them the courage to be open and it is Teh's love which let's Oh-Aew be free too.
3. Diversity
Itsay as fans know, took diversity to a whole new level in terms of ethnicity. Teh was partially Chinese, his friend was partially of Western decent. Ipytm took it to the next level with a transgender woman as Teh’s manager. It was the most natural thing ever and I hardly even realized it while watching the series. She was written in as a side character, thank you to P'Meen for not writing a cliche bl with horrendous transgender representation.
Also, kudos to Teh our bisexual king. He has dated other girls and boys but he's never struggled to find a label for himself. Then there's Oh-Aew who's comfortable in being gay. When Teh was not-so-subtly trying to find out whether he has a partner, Oh-Aew confirms that he doesn't have a 'boyfriend'. Some people like labels and some don't, giving space to your partner and understanding them is the most important part.
4. Phuket vs. Bangkok
The reason cited previously for the director change was that P'Meen would be better at framing a script which showcased the problems a student from a rural area would encounter in Bangkok and these were realistically portrayed: homesickness, cost cutting, sticking out in the crowd.
Teh, despite his avid interest in film making has no idea of how it works and is fascinated with even the simplest backstage tasks. The drama club members playfully laugh at his interest.
Oh Aew too faces difficulties, he is unable to make friends at Anantsart. While Teh immerses himself into the drama club, he is unable to toggle between reducing transportation cost, late nights backstage and making time for Oh Aew. When Teh thinks of resigning, Oh Aew encourages him to continue with his drama saying that he will be fine. But what was supposed to last just a month, stretches into two.
5. Reaching your dreams
Every character in itsay and ipytm was working towards a particular goal. While Teh is one minded and confident about his choices, Oh-Aew wavers. But in the end, both are successful. Even their mutual friends from Phuket have jobs or are in relationships. But we also have Au who decides to take a break which is encouraged by Q and the others.
Reaching dreams is hard and there are many obstacles, in some cases like Oh-Aew's, the obstacle includes discrimination for his slightly 'feminine' nature. This made me appreciate seeing a transgender woman in a strong job even more.
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8.0/10 for an awesome story which fell a little flat sometimes but worked for the most of it.
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The story, the characters, the music,the actors, i will never forget this drama, it actually opened my apetite for dramas.
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Astonishing -maybe in another space and time !!!
I think a recreation of this drama in another space and time would be amazing and that c-censor board is the reason for most of things that went downhill !That being said ...it was surely an interesting watch a lot of cliche's served but also carefully garnished by time and space twists this wasn't a drama I was anticipating to be this enjoyable !
I love space and time interventions and time travel stories and I have had a fair share of them this year -- this drama is nothing fresh out of the oven pie -- but it's surely delicious !
→ STORY -- The lead ziqi crosses path with a girl at his lowest point and every day is a story of keeping her safe and revealing the secrets wrapped around his father's death with carefully entangled past and present the narrative is a space and time mystery of survival among the forces who's greed knows no bounds!
The leads have amazing chemistry and screen presence and tho initially unlikable they have a way to grab you in ...the second couple do not bother you with their not required screen time and the cliche's keep you giggling!
Every episode ends on a high note to make sure you stick around for the next one at the edge of your seats -- and best of it all ..people here know about "communication" !!! they actually tell each other things.
Tho a lot of things come across as brainless --in the spoilers-- but they are needed for the story to progress and your blood pressure to fluctuate -- i mean that's the thing you need to be pissed at times with the characters too lol !
the villains tho disappointingly handled but don't get to a point you start questioning why you even bothered to watch it and least have valid motives for doing things !
For a short drama in the world of cdramas with 20+ hrs of run time ...this 8hr storytelling is pretty much what I needed and absolutely loved.
→The actors did such a great job and the FL wasn't some pathetic loser and did figure out a lot of things on her own with a pinch of damsel in distress but don't we all need her to faint in ml's arms atleast 1000 times lol !
→I hope more people watch it ...and i really look forward to any adaptations of it bec -- c-sensor board I AM ACTUALLY QUITE PISSED with the last ep !!!
---- spoilers ahead---
So anyone who want's to know if it was a dream -- yes bec c-sensor board wouldn't have approved otherwise !
I myself am confused about the end but what i think it was he handled everything by himself (i hate it tho and imma pretend I never saw the last ep) and then they get together and all of the side characters have their memories erased ...whereas FL vaguely remembers ML and then falls for him again --THE WORST WAY TO END !
but we know for the plot to progress we need people dying and more specifically FL dying
what i don't get is why the ML even after knowing he's in danger doesn't keep precautions like man if you are going to some xyz building that has people full of villain's gang then get a grip and take few men with you ...or buy his men ...i don't think you are short on cash
or if in the wedding you are to be stabbed most probably ...then wear something to prevent the damage ...get one for your girl as well ...all of that to collect evidence right so you do not have to necessarily shed blood for it ...call the cops or something !!
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My fav lines --
"If I am no longer around please find the courage to move on , don't live in the past for me !
The past was wonderful but we should leave it as that -- i always believe what you remember will surely return - we might meet again in another space and time "
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SAVE YOURSELF! this show is so bad it can only be written by some alien just landed on earth who understands neither life nor relationships nor women nor friendship nor humans?!?? storylines and relationships make no sense!!! People just randomly turn evil, have no backgrounds/concepts, get breast cancer just to bring all of the characters back together again….I am seriously, I still don’t know how or where or where or how one of the women were literally in a span of 10 mins underwent cancer diagnosis and never talked about again?!! Worst of all, after having seen hundreds of Chinese shows, I am introduced to the THE WORST CHARACTER of all: Han Shuang!!!! Is there an episode where she doesn’t yell or scream at literally everyone?!?! Friends, parents, boyfriend, husband, employees, random people she just meet, this girl always ends up throwing tantrum at them or threatening to kill them. She has to be written by someone who hates women lol
God , so many terrible terrible characters. Anyway, yeah, save yourself and literally go stare at walls or something. Your time will be better served.
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This isn't what you're looking for and don't dream to have a better ending than the one from the drama!
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Seriously. I was one of the people who were a bit iffy at the age difference. Its not the age gap itself that bothered me (12 years isn't that wild for me really, knowing lots of couples irl have similar of even larger gaps) It was the visual age gap. Joo Sang Wook looks his age (maybe a bit older) while Kim Bo Ra could probably get asked to check her ID if she tries to buy a drink. It's not a key element at the drama at all for the most part though, rather just a nagging based off my own bias.
The story was forgettable. I honestly couldn't tell you a thorough synopsis even though I literally just finished the final episode. I think there was some business war and some ex-lover mess in there somewhere? something about suicide awareness maybe?? Touch tried to arise too many problems and themes for anyone to have a real grasp of the "story". I honestly think this could've been a really cute and relaxing drama if there was less attempts at edgy business wars, chaotic relationships, and missing people. We could have a cute little rom-com following and ex-idol discovering a new path while inspiring and falling in love with her mentor but instead we got Touch.
Acting having a 6.0 is only thanks to side characters. The ML and FL failed to serve any type of romantic chemistry, even when they straight up kissed. No matter how hard I tried, I just could see anything but a mentor and pupil. My heart never fluttered watching them. I wouldn't even say this was due to age gap, I just truly felt NOTHING other than a developing friendship between the two, maybe a bit of adoration on Se Yeon's side. Them kissing was equivalent of two pieces of stale bread pressed on eachother. Yes, for me it was that bad. Luckily we had actors like Hong Seok Cheon (Dong Min) and Lee Taw Hwan (Do Jin) to brighten this shows excuse for romance and plot. The only times I ever laughed, swooned, or felt sad during this show were during their (and other support) scenes.
This show was a first class waste of time. It may not be the worst out there but it's definitely far from good. Please only watch this if you need to fill out a challenge requirement or if you need to something other than watch paint dry.
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Does it tell the story of a girl who needs to come out of her hidden sense of guilt and find the lost relation to her father? Or is it about this same girl seeking revenge against a cheating boyfriend?
Perhaps it tells the adventures of a young man who pretends he\''s gay, as the title seems to suggest. Or, again, it\''s the story of a house and how it influences the lives of those living in it.
In short: I could compare this drama to a pot-pourri. You know, those pretty little boxes or vases filled with all sorts of dry flowers, herbs and spices. You open it thinking it will smell of frangipani and your nostrils are assailed by a nondescript cocktail of perfumes, from cinnamon to roses.
The acting is not bad, although I maintain that Lee Min Ho is too preoccupied with his good looks to be a truly believable actor. I\''m ready to face the consequences of my statement.
And, to be honest till the end, I was slightly distracted throughout the whole show by the length - or lack thereof - of his trousers.
Overall, it starts in the best of ways, with elements of comedy and all the premises for a very sweet, passionate love story. It loses direction somewhere by the middle, and it doesn\''t find it back.
Disappointing.
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The plot is rather simple and dare I say cliché in some aspects (boy meets girl, insta-love, CEO and employee, cold emotionless guy vs sweet shy girl). However, it adds original and rather fun things like the virtual world battles and interactions. Also, kudos for adding such a contemporary theme like games and gamers. It was really refreshing to see not only boys but also girls playing virtual games.
However, even if the plot is somewhat decent, I don't think the characters or even characterization was well done. I mean, let's admit it, the main couple was a bit...too perfect for my taste. Nothing wrong with having capable main leads, but the two seem more like Mary Sues than actual capable, independent characters. I would've liked it a lot more if their flaws and problems were highlighted more (or even there to begin with, I didn't see ANY major flaws from each character), because they didn't feel realistic to me. But I kind of liked the way they trusted and confided in each other, but still felt a tad bit unrealistic (really, every couple has problems).
Also, the acting was stiff to say the least. I didn't feel anything at all from both parts. Yang Yang is drop dead gorgeous and a hella of a kisser but nothing more than that. I know his character is supposed to be this distant, somewhat emotionless guy, but he could've given much more than just the same cool, cold guy that we are tired to see in dramas (at least I am tired).
Zheng Shuang has the same flaws: a pretty face (also justified since her character is supposed to be pretty) but nothing much more than that. She lacked emotions and expression, what was supposed to be quirky turned out to be just plainly awkward. I know that because I've read the novel this drama was based on, and let me say the novel's Wei Wei was a lot quickier/ funnier than ZS portrayal, which made me like her more than when I watched the drama (even if she was still a Mary Sue).
Side characters were well played, and actually more developed than the main ones. I liked the subtle bromance between two of Nai's life long partners, but it's so subtle and undeveloped that it made me wish to see more, luckily I read the novel and got what I wanted.
All in all it was addictive but turned out to be underdevoloped, which is sad given it's 30 episode lenght. Honestly, I've seen dramas with a lot less episodes but much more fulfilling in terms of acting/plot/development. Also, the episodes seemed draggy sometimes and pointless. I think it would be better if it was 16 episode kind of drama, since the lack of depth and not much to do with the plot could allow this one to be a sweet, funny journey. But what's done is already done anyway.
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Worth the wait!
I finished this a couple of weeks ago and I've been re-watching it just to see both Gao Shi De and Zhou Shu Yi. I will never get enough of these two and like I said in the first series, too damn short!The story line was not as deep! I wish there was a more deeper reason as to why Gao Shi De was away for so long (clearly, I thrive on drama) and I feel Zhou Shu Yi forgave him too soon. I feel if the drama had a few extra episodes, it would have been different. The story would have been prolonged a bit and we would get to see the missing parts.
I also would have loved to see more of Shi Zhe Yu and Liu Bing Wei and how their love story came to be. Maybe there is a 3rd season that will give them more airplay, we can hope!
All in all, I would give it a 9 without question. The chemistry between the two main leads is great and Zhou Shu Yi's dad is funny, a cool dad … haha!
The music is beautiful. I actually had to download it.
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Naked Dining: Love, Life and Liberation
27 people found this review helpful
started well, went downhill at ep 6
Overall: somehow an awesome slice of life/cooking/comedy series devolved into cliched plot points. My advice is to watch episodes 1-5 and then episodes 11 & 12. 12 episodes about 20 minutes each, aired on GagaOOLala.Content Warnings: past death not shown, non con kiss, slap
What I Liked
- funny moments (the undressing, the van driving off, that look and the crow sounds at the end)
- realistic reaction to an accidental fall and catch
- cooking/the food looked delicious
- Mahiro's friend/coworker (wish we had seen more of that love story in the present)
- the villagers (much rather have had more screentime with them)
- Mahiro supportive of the naked dining
- managed to subvert something in ep 11 but it was due to (yet another) miscommunication
Room For Improvement
- they used cliched plot points including poor communication in order to drive the plot (and how in the final episode do they still have terrible communication skills)
- I ended up disliking Mahiro, wish they showed more in the flashbacks so we'd understand Mahiro better because he seemed very selfish and immature
- Souta was too dumb, at first I thought it was a bit endearing but they pushed it into the unbelievable area
- the pacing could have been better, I think 8 or 10 episodes instead of 12, plot went in circles, why on earth did episode 12 start 1 week after episode 11
- the non con kiss and slap both felt dated and not needed
- comedy mostly vanished
- odd things: why is the house just sitting there for 6 months? why did he have that band aid, they could have easily shown him find it as he went through those boxes, the boss and wife took a train how far for dinner? that potential buyer was oversharing to fit the plot, what was with that thing with the grandma? at the end
- based on the title, I expected a certain scene and I'm disappointed we didn't get to see it
- so she's all good now with dating the boss???
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