This gives you the best of Yoom Eun Hye. Actually, it made me huge fan of her. A thin girl, with no makeup and short hair made her the cutest boy on the planet. Though, the girl disguised as a boy plot, is ancient but this drama adds a new charm to it. Gong Yoo did amazing as the lead. His character left an imprint on me. I have not dared to watch him in any other drama due to the only reason that I want him to remember as Manager Choi of Coffee Prince.
The chemistry between the pair is worth dying for. As for music, I was so busy watching Eun Hye, I hardly remember.
Others characters also add to the awesomeness of the drama. You just can't stop after Episode One. It gives you the warmest feeling ever.
P.S. You'll drink twice as much coffee as now, after watching this.
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I started this drama this on a whim and boy, am I glad I did. Ever since I started watching this I couldn't stop; I found myself binge-watching. Spectacularly done. Now let's get into this review.
STORY:
Warning: By no means is this drama full of fluff and such. If that's what you're looking for then find yourself elsewhere. If, however, you are willing to take up the challenge of not breaking your computer/phone/tablet screen due to your anger, then this is the drama for you. This drama is all about ENDURANCE. Yes, endurance. You'll definitely need that for this drama. There are points in this drama where it will be tested. Trust me.
First off, I don't think people should be intimidated by the amount of episodes. It's going to have you so hooked you won't even know how fast the episodes are passing.
There is something I learnt in school when giving critiques about something or someone - 'Sandwich Critiques. You start good, mention the bad in the middle and then end good. That way, overall, it'll sound good and make people feel like they did good. I think this could have also applied to this drama. Give us some good, some bad in the center and then some more good at the end. But No. This drama didn't want to. From the beginning it was throwing stones at ya! BAM! BAM! BAM! One thing after the other. It seemed as though that things were just not meant to go the right way and things just went from bad to worse to 'worse-er' (if you'll allow me :D).
Of course it couldn't be all bad. We had an amazing ball of sunshine: Im Ha-Yoon. What a cupcake. We also had our side couples who would give us some laughs before we went back to the battle feel.
This drama really was a beast in some ways. But be not afraid, there is a nice pot of gold awaiting you at the end of the rainbow :). Satisfying!
P.S This drama will just make you fall head-over-heels for Gun-Woo. This man's devotion is no joke! *Faints* Perfectly perfect (too bad he only exists in a drama)
ACTING
Honestly, I don't think they could have picked a better cast for this drama. This is my first time meeting Lee Yoon Ji and I must say, she made me fall in love with her acting. She did a great job portraying the character. And boy! Can this girl cry or what? Her crying came so naturally for her - it was amazing. I'm sure after she was finished with this drama she had no tears to cry for a year. HAHA! As for our handsome man Son Seung Won - handsome indeed. Another oppa to be added to my already larger-than-life list! He's relatively new to acting and he hasn't had any main roles before this drama, but I think he did pretty good. And this was a long ass drama so yeah, 'pretty good' in an understatement. Kim Mi-Kyung, this ajumma that's everywhere tsk. I love her. I've only ever know her as a good person, so seeing her acting this evil was a punch to the gut for me. BUT she was so amazing in her role. I respect her. GO! Kim Mi-Kyung! This was also my first time seeing Lee Ha Yul in action very handsome. Not my first time with Ha Yun Joo; very pretty. They just had to play the bad role though, didn't they... Nevertheless, very convincing.
Shout out to the supporting roles. Honestly, without them this drama would have been as cheerful as a graveyard, if you get what I'm saying. They provided lots of laughs and peace to soothe the aching hearts of not only the main characters but the audience as well.
All in all, everyone did an amazing job. They made you feel all the suffering, anger and joy along with them.
MUSIC
Honestly, I don't know. Was there any music in this? Hmmm. There was?! Oh, my bad. I was a bit too indulged in the drama to notice it. Yes, that's how bad I was.
Other Notes
Honestly, I really wanted to see more of Myung-Sun and Gwang-Soo. They were my sunshine in this drama. Too funny. ALSO! HOW! How could they not show us Myung-Sun's daughter at the end?! WHY? Why did you do this to me. An interaction with Gwang-soo and his daughter was much need....for me at least. I was so looking forward to that. :(
Also I felt like there were a few loose ends in this drama. But nothing much to worry about. Overall, it was great! Now. On to my next drama. Bye~
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What's better than having Won Bin star in a film? Having him perform alongside Shin Ha Kyun. The two are chameleon actors with a lot of chemistry (no doubt from previously working together on Guns and Talks); they really seemed like brothers despite looking nothing alike. Many viewers will relate to Won Bin's Jong Hyun, especially if they've ever felt their parent has played favorites. He's the more human of the two brothers, delinquent, rude, and jealous...but also loving and inwardly kind. It's a complex part that I lost Won Bin in; I totally forgot it was him for the longest time despite his unique look.
Shin Ha Kyun's Sung Hyun is something of a saint in comparison; he's sweet, smart, perpetually patient, the beloved son. Despite the fact this is also how Jong Hyun jealously sees him, Sung Hyun suffers a lot too. He was born with a harelip and never has an easy time of anything, even establishing a good relationship with his younger brother. Shin is fresh-faced and subtle here, a perfect foil to Won Bin's dynamic performance.
Unfortunately, My Brother will not be to everyone's tastes. The music was nothing special and, as mentioned before, the story is slow. So this is not a re-watch friendly movie; once you've seen it, there's nothing to go back for unless the interaction between the leads impressed you. The one time you do see it is definitely worth it though.
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Perfect Summer Film
I was so happy when I heard about this film being part of the Nippon Connection line-up. Honestly, everything about this film is so much fun. I love the pace, the acting, the music and I adore the passion these kids have. The dialogues are natural and fun. This is the perfect summer film with quite an unconventional ending. I'm looking forward to the future projects of the director and the cast too. Something that really surprised me is how the director could mix a lot of genres without making it a chaotic mess. This is truly a film for everyone.Was this review helpful to you?
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This review may contain spoilers
Wholesome fluff, top-tier chemistry, and the destiny trope done right.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the destiny trope Apple My Love gave us. Another unique GL trope in the bag.From Kris's horrendous self expression skills, the show dives into sweet, simple moments that do exactly what they’re supposed to: make you smile and feel warm.
Kris’s friends? Absolute gems. They’re supportive, adorable, and might just be the best friend group in any GL ever. And let’s give props to OrmFolk because they are straight-up masters of fluff. The sweet and flirty scenes were so good they carried the show, making the simple plot feel exciting and fun. Kris and Karn’s chemistry was top-tier in every soft moment. Even the love scenes were a pleasant surprise.
Kris’s character development was a slow burn, but it worked. You could see her putting in real effort to grow, not just for herself but for Karn too. And the guys in this show? Surprisingly great. Except for that one jerk (looking at you, Toy), the men were actually helpful and even funny, making the show even more entertaining. They represented healthy, supportive relationships which is refreshing.
At its core, this show isn’t about big, dramatic conflicts (except for the last episode). Instead, it’s about Kris and Karn facing hurdles in their relationship and helping each other grow, both as people and in their careers. The communication and understanding between them are what really stand out.
So, if you’re looking for a show with minimal drama, tons of fluff, cares about its side characters, and a genuinely healthy relationship, this is your go-to. It’s a feel-good, stress-free, easy watch that will leave you smiling.
The downside? Six episodes weren’t enough. Budget restrictions led to rushed pacing of the most interesting and lovable details in this series in the last two episodes. With more time, this could’ve been even better.
Trigger warnings: Hetero sex scenes.
2024 GL Ranking: https://kisskh.at/list/Ln8MOBO4
My Top 10 GLs of All Time: https://kisskh.at/list/4vGQqnb1
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Story: First, everything about the drama after the first sentence of the synopsis is misleading. In fact it just gives a summary of the main female characters background (everything that happens to her before the time that the drama takes place). Everything that happened during the dramas run was so unpredictable, which I never expect from family themes dramas. I don’t want to give anything away but be prepared for a ton of drama. What I liked most about it though was the fact that the writers balanced the funny scenes with the emotional stuff really well. I laughed a lot in the beginning but by the last few episodes towards the end it gets pretty heavy making me shed many tears. I just wanted to add that there is romance in this but its very subtle and not the focal point of the story. The ending is sad, happy, and hopeful all in one if that makes sense.
Actors/Cast: This was an ensemble cast where all the characters get a chance to shine even if they only had small roles. When it comes to the 2 female leads, I had never seen anything they had acted in before but wow you can tell they are veterans. They gave powerful performances. Anyone who has ever heard of Shin Hyun Joon (Stairway to Heaven, Cain and Abel, Bridal Mask) will know what an amazing (and underrated in my opinion) actor he is but wow his character in this was so unexpectedly different than any of his characters. As for the supporting cast, they made their characters memorable and the villains did a tremendous job of me hating them but also feeling pity for them by the end.
Music: They did a pretty good job with matching the changing tone of the show.
Rewatch: I will rewatch this one day sometime soon but not right away cause this drama is pretty heavy.
Overall Dummy Mommy is an unexpected but heartwarming and enjoyable must watch family drama.
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3 Friends dealing with life and death
Made me cry almost as much as crash landing on you! It’s a really touching, light, but heavy at the same time story of three best friends dealing with friendships, family, love, life and death. They did such a beautiful job writing the scenes, from beginning to end, it was very emotional in both good and bad ways. The character of Mi Jo might make other feel like it was written too dramatic and unrealistic. And I agree, she cried A LOT. But I feel like they portraid her anxiety fairly well (I can say this, having ptsd and anxiety myself). The character of Chan Young was written beautifully! The character of Joo Hee was balanced but felt a bit lacking in the story. It was focused a bit more on Mi Jo and Chan Young. I do recommend for everyone wanting to watch a kdrama.Was this review helpful to you?
I liked most of the characters and thought the acting was excellent. Both the adults and children did a great job. I was especially impressed by Lee Yo Won, who played Duh-mi. She got into character so well that I almost forgot that she was just playing a role! I want to check out more dramas with her in them.
I found the women's stories to be a little bit more interesting than the men's, for the most part. (Probably because I'm a girl...haha). However, I really disliked Joon-hee's character, especially during the later episodes. I thought she was bratty as a child and had a really nasty side to her as an adult. I understand that she had a lot of stuff to work through, but I didn't think it was an excuse to treat other people the way she did. I lost a lot of sympathy and respect for her. In a weird way, though, her behavior made me like this drama even more. I figure that if a character causes you to have such strong emotions, positive or negative, it has to be a good show.
I have to warn you: This drama is sad. Very, very sad. The ending literally shocked me. I was hoping for something happier, but I appreciate that the writers took a more realistic approach than is seen in the endings of some K-dramas. Life isn't always happy, no matter how much we'd like it to be!
Overall, I recommend Fashion 70s to anyone who likes period dramas, a slow but steady story, a great cast, surprise endings, or all of the above. :)
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The Story is one of my favorite types - ordinary person gets together with a celebrity. I know if you change "celebrity" to "a person of higher status (richer/more famous, etc)" then that would probably describe 80% of romance dramas! But I especially like it if one of the people is a celebrity. So anyway what I'm trying to say is the story is not really new and in fact sometimes predictable and somewhat stretched or draggy in some parts. So if you are familiar with this type of story then you would probably get what you expected with no real surprises. Which is a good thing for me because like I said this is exactly my type. Another thing I liked about the story is they did not end it when both leads said "I love you" then faded out. There was a tinny bit of "ever after" at the end.
What made this drama special was the Acting and Chemistry of the main leads.I've seen 4 or 5 of Yoo Ji Tae's movies, but I have never seen Choi Ji Woo in any other drama yet except for when she guested on Running Man. But wow! I can understand why she's considered one of the best actresses in Korea! Right from the start the chemistry between the two was so natural you would think they were a pair in real life. The way CJW portrayed her character with "childish" personality was great. Even the standard supporting characters did good as you really get mad or sympathize at the people they want you to get mad at or sympathize with.
Music is okay but no song or theme really stood out for me.
Rewatch value, well I already watched this 2 times in the past month and will be watching again for sure in the future.
Overall I would recommend this drama mostly because of the chemistry between the leads. And if you just want to get what you expected from a romantic drama.
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Note - I didn't give high marks to the music, because honestly, I don't really remember the music in this at all, but the system wouldn't allow me not to rate it.
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Flawed as it was, Green Mothers' Club will keep you on edge of your chair
Originality and ambition are two words that sum up the experience the drama makes you feel. It is original because it deals with social issues in a very explicit way that you don't see so much in other dramas, and ambitious because, in the end, the drama tries to get at a lot of angles that really don't make much sense.First and foremost, when it comes to this kind of drama, we must make a pact with the show to let ourselves be carried away and not use reason to verify if what happens is realistic or not; at a certain point, the drama only seeks to entertain without taking into account the veracity of what is shown. As viewers, we should not value the degree of plausibility of the facts, but the degree of entertainment it offers. Actually, this is not very different from dramas like Sky Castle, Penthouse, or Avengers Social Club, and all of them share the trait of putting the "wow factor" above everything else.
That being said, from the first moment the drama caught my attention, and from the first chapter, I couldn't stop watching it. The plots are very complex, which makes you get addicted to them at the beginning, although at the end they don't conclude in a clear way which leaves some holes; but, really, who cares? While the script could have been better, the acting was outstanding. From more experienced actresses in such roles as Lee Yo Won to the children, the acting skills of the whole cast definitely made up for the plot holes.
I found the story original in its initial formula. Mothers compete with each other through the education of their children. The mother whose children get more recognition in their education will be the most popular mother. Of course, every parent wants to be above the rest regardless of the mental health of the children, which arises problems between different families, but also inside the same families. Up to this point, the drama presents an original story. However, the plot is surrounded by false friendships, back-stabbing, stalking, drugs and even murder.
Flawed as it was, Green Mothers' Club will keep you on edge of your chair, that is for sure. The story is addictive and the acting is one of a kind. Give it a try!! you can always drop it if you don't like it, but such a good drama deserves a chance.
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Wow Amazing
I thought the story was very interesting and unique. A short Chinese drama that mostly tells the story of one-night stands and wealthy CEOs. Wang gege and Kaimu are extraordinary in their roles. Six strategies in winning a mission, which at first Wang gege was rejected outright and even humiliated. But finally he found his true love. The storyline goes back and forth, and is difficult to predict. Hmmm, there is a fairly intense scene when making love. Overall, it is good to watch again. AMAZING.Was this review helpful to you?
As the rooster crows and the candle blows out...
...the grave robbers must cease all raiding activities and quickly leave the tomb. Such is the golden rule that all members of Mojin Xiaowei, one of the four major tomb raiding sects, must abide by.Candle in the Tomb: The Lost Caverns is the direct sequel to Candle in the Tomb (2016), as far as the chronology of the Candle in the Tomb series’ web dramas are concerned. However, an entirely different cast has taken over from Jin Dong and Chen Chiao En, who headlined the first drama, and will continue with three more sequels in addition to this one, namely The Worm Valley (currently airing, at the time of writing), Raiders of the Wu Gorge and Kunlun Shrine. This, of course, excludes the timeline continuity of the numerous film adaptations, as well as prequel drama adaptations that have either already aired or presently in the pipeline as future projects.
Directed by Fai Zhen Xiang, who had helmed two earlier adaptations (The Weasel Grave and The Wrath of Time) and has directed The Worm Valley. He is certainly no stranger to the action adventure genre and his experience does shine through in his third foray into the series. Yang Zhe, who wrote the screenplay for Medical examiner Dr Qin, heads the screenwriting team comprising eight others. Principal photography took place amidst the vast rugged expanse of Shenmu county in Shaanxi province, bordering Inner Mongolia and situated across the Yellow River.
The plot is adapted from the second volume of Ghost Blows Out the Light (鬼吹灯) novel series written by Zhang Mu Ye. Set in 1982, Shirley Yang, Hu Ba Yi and Wang Pan Zi, close companions and tomb raiders of the Mojin Xiaowei sect, travel to Shaanxi to explore the mysterious Longling Maze in search of the legendary Book of Dragon Bones which holds the secret to finding the elusive Dust Bead, the key to lifting an ancient curse.Compared to the 2016 prequel, the plot development feels more riveting and faster paced while the action is more suspenseful and thrilling as well.
The production quality is unquestionably top notch. The cinematography is truly worthy of praise in terms of the immersive views of the beautiful Shaanxi landscape and the majestic Yellow River, as well as within the massive subterranean maze where a major portion of the exploration takes place. The proper application of lighting along with the steady camerawork and excellent editing ensure that scenes in the tomb are never too dim while the action sequences are not choppy. The set designs are equally impressive, from the authentic town setting in Shenmu to the gloriously furnished underground tombs.
There are plenty of visual and special effects on show that are generally well rendered. Certain stunts involving wirework do appear somewhat awkward but for the most part, are quite decently performed. I love the variety of BGM that infuses distinct flavours to suit the atmospherics in different scenes without overpowering them in the process.
One of this series’ strengths, which is evident in this drama, is how fact and fiction intertwine seamlessly as part of the detailed worldbuilding. The fusion of mysticism, folklore, ancient history and real world concepts such as Taoism and Feng Shui all combine intricately into a compelling narrative. In addition, the elaborately designed traps and mechanisms featured in the storytelling adds immensely to the thrill. How technically accurate any of it is, I’m not entirely sure but the intrigue is certainly captivating.
Another aspect that impresses me is the authenticity and depth of the characterization.. Casting experienced mature actors and getting them to appear haggard with actual sunburn and minimal makeup. Dialogues between the various characters that are logically written and spoken with regional dialects do add to a greater sense of realism indeed. The only gripe I have is the English speaking parts which seem rather contrived and unnatural.
The new cast, in my humble opinion, fit their roles perfectly. It doesn’t take long to warm up to their portrayals because aside from the individual brilliance, they display such convincing chemistry with one another.
Pan Yue Ming’s Hu Ba Yi is slightly more down to earth compared to Jin Dong’s charismatic version, but he does possess a laidback and understated old school charm that grows on you. Zhang Yu Qi, who earlier in her career gained fame in Stephen Chow films, comes across as a more grounded version of Shirley Yang and I honestly appreciate her interpretation of the character. Minimalist yet stylish without the extravagance, she embraces the role convincingly. Together with Hu Ba Yi, their temperament appears to be quite a good match. Jiang Chao takes on the role of Wang Pang Zi with aplomb. I get the feeling that he’s literally portraying himself because he injects much fun and humour into the characterization in an extremely realistic manner. His physique certainly matches the persona as well.
All things considered, I’ve very much enjoyed the viewing experience of Candle in the Tomb: The Lost Caverns. Great entertainment value from an intriguing plot with endearing characters and at only 18 episodes. Despite wrapping up nicely and without a cliffhanger ending, the story does not end here. The tomb raiders’ quest continues in the next instalment where there are more adventures and excitement to be had.
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Three words: "Simple yet Meaningful"
Overall - The development of the main characters and the main point of the story had been conveyed creatively.
Story - Simple yet the key points had been established. Idealistic scenarios from realistic conventional and unconventional characters had been well plotted.
Acting/Actor - Realistic portrayal of the raw emotions of the students had been displayed. Each of the actors consistently performed their roles effectively to make the story focused on what it intends to say.
Music - Deemed fit for this kind of story. It also enhanced the scenarios to support the emotions of the characters.
Rewatch Value - As for this kind of story which is mild yet meaningful, it had been rewatchable because of the development of the raw emotions and attitude of the characters. These made the unexpected friendship be deeply bonded due to both typical and unusual events where they matured in rendering trust and understanding for each other.
For the fans of friendship genre and anyone who wants to try this, this simple drama will leave you a smile on your face and you might hope to have or have had this kind of bond with your friends.
By the way, my criteria per review and how I rate each category are discussed in my profile.
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