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A Captivating Blend of Passion, Pain, and Powerful Storytelling
From its very first moments, Broken (Of) Love proves itself to be far more than just another romance drama! It’s a beautifully crafted story driven by emotion, tension, and depth.The cinematography is absolutely stunning, with carefully composed shots that elevate every scene and give the series a cinematic quality. Each frame feels intentional, drawing the viewer deeper into Alisa’s complex world of revenge, vulnerability, and unexpected love.
Faye Peraya delivers a truly captivating performance as Alisa. She portrays every layer of the character with remarkable precision, from quiet pain to fierce determination, making it impossible not to feel every emotion alongside her. Atom Pariya is equally impressive, bringing a natural charm and sincerity that perfectly complements Faye’s intensity. Together, their chemistry feels organic and compelling, adding authenticity to a relationship that is both tender and complicated.
The supporting cast also deserves recognition, contributing strong and believable performances that enrich the story rather than simply supporting it. Every character feels purposeful, helping to build a world that is both immersive and emotionally engaging.
What truly sets this series apart is its intriguing and addictive storyline. The blend of revenge, romance, and moral conflict creates a narrative that constantly keeps you invested. The tension between past trauma and the possibility of healing adds depth, making it all feel meaningful and layered rather than predictable.
The soundtrack further enhances the experience, perfectly complementing the emotional tone of the series and amplifying key moments with subtle but impactful choices.
Overall, Broken (Of) Love is a visually striking and emotionally engaging series that stands out for its performances, storytelling, and atmosphere. It’s a compelling watch that draws you in and keeps you wanting more with every episode.
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This had a promising start but this drama turned out to be a disappointment. It was such a waste because it was obvious that they had spent a great deal of money for the production. I managed to watch the first few episodes with much expectation but as the series progressed I couldn't watch any further. At times I did try to pick it up but it just got too stale for my taste. As a remake it was a complete disappointment. Most of the weight of its failure went to the actors and how the plot was executed. The original Korean showed character depth and development, but here the series is almost done but still they act like a bunch of elementary kids. I am also uncertain if there was a non kissing clause in the main female lead's contract but if it turns out to be true then it is a disappointment. There are some drama that have no kissing scenes but still managed to deliver but this one just went around the bush, it is not even a push and pull. This drama failed me so much, It failed as a romance genre because the main leads are just too cringy to watch with all those fake kisses. The villains are just plainly annoying. This drama will go into the archives that I assure you. Hey it is just my opinion.
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2Two men navigating a delicate waltz of feelings and a fierce tango of longing!
When the trailer was out, I was expecting good things like great chemistry, impressive dance moves, clean aesthetics and a lot of tension. What I didn't expect was to come out this emotionally jumped and honestly, it delivered on almost all the fronts.The movie thrived, flourished and floored me with tasteful slow burn, discomfort that ate, and proximity that had me holding my breath for no reason. They didn't need dialogue and honestly, no dialogue could convey what their eye contact did.
Who was the hero in the movie? The audacity. The audacity to let silence do the flirting. Audacity to assume that the audience will notice the small change in breathing, posture shifts and corrections that feel too personal and the way no man absolutely refused to blink. They assumed and we proved them right. These two grown men who know exactly what they were doing, risking and the awareness of that just every interaction so much heavier and meaningful.
We have our classic opposite attract set up where both the leads have contrasting personalities. And while I would have been happy with the cliche set-up too, they decided to test every ounce of sanity you have when you are watching it by showing the predictability of the characters in the most unpredictable way.
The best thing about this drama for me was THE HOLY CHEMISTRY! It deserves its own warning label. Everything was felt by the leads, and it translated 100% on the screen. It's not loud or trying to be instantly likeable. It builds through resistance, control, lack of it and two people constantly tests each other's boundaries. If you haven't realised, I am blown away by their chemistry.
Performance-wise, both the leads understood the assignment and stayed in the right ballpark. They didn't do too much or too little. Just perfect to make it swoon worthy. Machida Keita as Sugiki Shinya, all suited up with the tie and that domineering gaze was not on 2025 bingo but I am nothing but thankful. I know he is a great actor with a good range but this is not how I imagined him in any multiverse and I am glad we got it.
This was my first introduction to Takeuchi Ryoma and honestly, colour me impressed. He, as Suzuki Shinya, was wild, passionate and beautiful with that subtle vulnerability as he should have been.
Coming to the dance section, I am no professional, so I won't be judging by techniques but visually, I enjoyed everything. I am sure the actors worked very hard and it definitely deserves a special mention. This was about the dance and we see plenty of it.
Visually, it was rich and sleek. The camera work was amazing. Even a little change in hand gesture or posture was captured perfectly. Kudos to that! Money was not a problem for the production, and it reflected from the cast to the costume to the set design.
The supporting cast also did a great job. The women of 10Dance though, weren't in the limelight, but they did shine through whenever the focus was on them. I liked the friendship between Tajima Aki and Suzuki. In fact, the two ladies had such good chemistry with each other.
Now, after all that praise and positive points, if you ask me why it's not a 10, it comes down to a few things that lowkey bothered me. Not major enough to ruin my watching experience, but enough to not ignore.
- Starting with the background music. When you have such a stellar cast looking like Greek gods in such magnificent sets, why play the most generic music? It wasn't bad but compared to everything, it could have been better. Way better.
- Second was the lighting issue in a few scenes. A few scenes were a little too dark for my liking. Maybe it was more of a me problem.
- Third and the major issue, I was left wanting for more. When you build such delicious tension for 2 hours and somehow skip that in the most important final moments, it kind of stings. Narrative-wise, it did make sense and it was very thematic but it did annoy me. It diluted the character impact and skipped few important inner monologues that could have made this a masterpiece. And you know when the overall vibe is, of a lot what felt is unsaid , sometimes it paves way for miscommunication. And If you are familiar with J dramas, it is the most common trope and in few scene it does make an appearance.
Overall, desipte everything, this was an EXPERIENCE. From start to finish, I was entertained with good quality drama, acting and visuals. Will I recommend it? Hell yes! You will definitely not regret it.
Also, this is a Netflix-backed production, and one should ask the question, will it milk its golden goose yet again? Everyone knows the answer. And this time I really want them to.
Thank you for reading my review! <3
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A Problematic Tearjerker...
If you ask for a drama watcher’s recommendations of “ saddest dramas they’ve ever seen”, it is probably likely that you’ll hear or see “ Uncontrollably Fond” ranked somewhere on that list.The series focuses upon successful superstar Sin Joon Young ( Kim Woo Bin) who awkwardly meets his old flame from his youth, No Eul ( Bae Suzy), a producer of documentaries. When their respected careers awkwardly make their paths cross once again, No Eul is surprised to learn how much Joon Young has changed into a shallow and materialistic individual, rather than the kind-hearted person she once fell in love with, however, Joon Young also begins to stumble upon a life-changing truth which may finally ruin his relationship with his former love...
Undeniably, Uncontrollably Fond isn’t the type of drama to watch if you’re looking for something” fun and fluffy” ; the focal point of the series centralises upon terminal illness, tragic love and angst with Lee Kyung Hee’s ( The Innocent Man, Chocolate) screenwriting hoping to tug at heartstrings of viewers , rather than relish in a sweet romance tale (as shown in his more light-hearted works). The show is certainly effective within inflicting heartache onto viewers towards the particular fate of our characters, however, it is still certainly problematic when it comes to characterisation, as well as clearing up the evident inconsistencies which arose in this angst-ridden ride as well.It is important to note that the acting in the show is certainly quite good. Kim Woo Bin and Bae Suzy are undeniably brilliant actors, however, it is fair to say that their characters are tackled interestingly, to say the least.
Bae Suzy’s character, No Eul is undeniably a kind-hearted soul who is passionate about her work and desperately tries to make amends with Joon Young over the course of the series . On the other hand, No Eul often felt too dormant within her actual role and presence as a fleshed-out individual onscreen. Whilst it is important to stress that a show doesn’t necessarily need to go into a whole life story upon a character in order for viewers to “ get to know them personally”, it’s hard to really distinguish or get a grip upon No Eul as a character outside of her “ necessary flashbacks “ and past relationship with Joon Young. Even minor details such as her interests, interactions outside of her workplace and reactions to prominent obstacles over the course of the story , often felt passive and lacking in emotional depth to truly portray her as a well-written female lead.
Then of course there is Kim Woo Bin’s role as Joon Young. Undeniably Joon Young goes through several terrible ordeals even before the main events of the series, which fundamentally shapes his certain outlook upon life, relationships and characters (No Eul, being the evident subject of Joon Young’s changed interactions and feelings). No Eul’s entry into Joon Young’s life again comes nearly simultaneously with his life-changing news. This consequently causes him to try pushing No Eul away, as she becomes his saddening and haunting reminder of a past that he’s tried to reject, and he can never return to.
This of course leads us down two routes of “ problematic” characterisation; the first within Joon Young’s behaviour, and secondly towards this behaviour is inflicted towards the female lead No Eul . It’s important to say that Joon Young’s reactions and attempts to drive No Eul away by flirting with other women, did add a slightly realistic reaction towards the male lead’s scenario. Joon Young is supposed to be only human and naturally intrinsically driven like most people towards rash decision-making.
However, Joon Young’s often anger-driven emotions and reactions towards his situation by throwing things or beginning a screaming match, soon became both frustrating when he began to lash out at times upon No Eul. A lot of fans of Uncontrollably Fond’s pairing often seem to gloss over the fact that ,for the majority of the series, Joon Young was emotionally abusive and physically harassed the female lead upon several occasions ( not least throwing her out of the car in the middle of nowhere, grabbing her arm often without consent and often manipulating her feelings rather than merely being honest).
Again, this is not saying it was “ wrong” for Joon Young to have feelings anger or for the show to touch upon emotional abuse or physical harassment, but it was concerning that the drama neither raised this up prominently as a terrible issue or relationships, and suddenly tried to “ sweeten” this by Joon Young and No Eul’s more “ romantic” feelings before the finale. This sudden transition from Joon Young tossing No Eul out of a car to hugging her several episodes later, wasn’t just nonsensical, but ridiculous in terms of character and relationship progression.Nevertheless, despite the questionable relationship between the two characters, the finale did leave a sucker- punch for viewers’ feelings. Without spoiling too much, it is fair to say that upon reflection the ending isn’t “ sad” per say because of the fate of our characters, but rather the blinded acceptance towards what is happening in their present, rather than their pasts or futures.
Overall Uncontrollably Fond wasn’t a bad show with some well-written qualities of the psychological complexity of coming to grasps with terminal illness, relationships, love and an emotional ending. On the other hand, Uncontrollably Fond had little greater character depth, straying away from cliches and explanations ( not least the “ unexplained illness”) ,a healthily progressive portrayal of relationships and problems of sugarcoating issues of emotional abuse and physical harassment within the main couple as well. As a drama to pass the time and as a tearjerker , Uncontrollably Fond is undeniably a good-binge watch, however, if you’re looking for a show with genuine depth and a well-written relationship between our leads, then look elsewhere because Uncontrollably Fond certainly isn’t the one that you’re looking for.
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Unpopular opinion but honest...
Ok, here is my unpopular opinion. After years of people recommending this drama, and so many perfect reviews, and a brand new season, and a pandemic, I decided to finally watch Stranger, and honestly, I was bored. I kept waiting to get sucked into the story and it never happened. I kept wanting to root for the blank-faced Hwang Shi Mok, but I was as indifferent to him as he looked. Bae Doo Na as Han Yeo Jin was the only character I really liked a lot, and I did think the Lieutenant and Prosecutor duo had some great moments together, but as for the story - mostly I was very VERY bored.I admit that I don't have much interest in political crime dramas. I prefer thrillers, and this is definitely more crime drama than thriller. It starts off with a thriller vibe, but the pace was very slow and even tedious to me at times. There are several characters who are duplicitous, which is the main focus of this story, but not as much actual action and suspense. Most of this drama is conversations, arguments, eavesdropping, thinking aloud... LOTS of thinking aloud... I consider myself to be pretty analytical, but the plot didn't grab me enough to justify dwelling on the details. There are twists, but nothing truly surprising. There was nothing that made me excited to tune in to the next episode besides mild curiosity.
This is the kind of drama where you really have to love the characters to like it, and I found most of them to be pretty forgettable. The main character, who should have been the most interesting considering his back story, was too flat. I can't necessarily blame any performance, the acting isn't the issue, it's just that I had a hard time caring about any of them based on the plot. One character, Shin Hye Sun as Young Eun Soo, seemed completely unreasonable to me and I just couldn't sympathize. Other characters started to feel one-note, with lots of corrupt, greedy, and ambitious tropes.
Would I watch this again? Clearly not. I was tempted to watch this mostly in preparation for the 2nd Stranger season, but I will most likely pass on that one too. Well, maybe I'll give episode one a chance... but just out of more mild curiosity.
Overall, if you are not excited by the story early on don't expect it to be more exciting later. Most of the action is in the very beginning and the very end. I did become more interested around episode 14 and that's a long time to watch and wait for some excitement. To be honest, I should have dropped this and left it at that but with so many amazing reviews I was tempted to see if it would all be worth it in the end. The end is well done in some ways, and everything does come together, but for me, it wasn't worth completing. I wanted to add my opinion just in case anyone has a similar feeling while watching and is on the fence. The payoff wasn't big enough for me to justify recommending this. The most disappointing part is how they barely go into the main character's backstory, which would have been far more interesting than just watching him be slightly smarter than everyone with a mostly emotionless face, and maybe would have made him less boring to me. I won't say it's overrated, but it's certainly not for everyone. If corruption dramas are what you love you will probably like this way more than I did. If you find yourself wondering if there's romance... you probably want to skip this one. The political thriller shows I like are more like "House of Cards", but If watching someone solve a jumbo puzzle for 16 hrs sounds like a good time, you're in luck, because that's what watching this felt like to me.
Part of me wonders if high expectations made me dislike it more, but that's also what kept me from dropping it for good.
This isn't my first time not liking a beloved drama, so I'm fine being one of the less impressed few.
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LOTBS was a solid drama that I fully enjoyed watching week after week. Was it amazing though? Maybe not so much. I definitely enjoyed LOTBS far more than I would care to admit, as there was some lack in plot direction-sometimes the same problem would meander for a few episodes, or the villains had too much screen time not being threatening so it wasn't compelling. The villains were not that smart, plain out. They were stock and annoying to me. They didn't pose much threat and I was just not a fan, honestly. I couldn't relate to them whatsoever except for one. Lee Ji Hoon gave substance and sympathy to Chi Hyun as a character.
Now, the beginning in Spain was lovely visually and a good start to the drama. The plot of LOTBS is pretty simple: you get the mermaid on land antics, then the starting to care to actually caring relationship. It's nothing new, but I still loved watching it. It could be that Lee Min Ho is the best I've ever seen here. He's emoting well and I no longer think his acting has huge limitations because he's portraying so many different emotions here-romantic, familial, and family.
The OTP between Joon Jae and Shim Chung was cute and touching at times but I felt like it lacked a bit of something. I think there was some emotional disconnect in some scenes. As a whole, though, Lee Min Ho and Jeon Ji Hyeon had good chemistry and are visually stunning together.
The bromance was spot on! If you like bromance, then this is the drama for you. I love Joon Jae, Tae Oh, and Nam Do together. They are just too cute.
I was a little disappointed that the story became more about reincarnations, rather than mermaid folklore. The drama did drag in some spots here and there so it could've benefitted from a tighter episode count.
I liked the OST a lot! It had nice instrumentals and the theme songs were very fantastical and appropriate to the story.
LOTBS wasn't the next DOTS everything thought it was going to be. However, I did enjoy this drama a lot throughout its run. It has all the elements to be a great star-crossed lovers romance, but it just lacked the extra oomph. Despite that, I still recommend it for its light-hearted, romantic fare that veered melodramatic in the latter half, but pulled back to the fluffiness I love eventually.
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This review may contain spoilers
Uneven pacing, rushed story, and a fizzled out romance really disappointed me
SPOILERS....Overall, I was very disappointed with part 2: They had some amazing scenes: Pretty much all of the emperor, empress, consort Yue, and 3rd prince scenes were awesome!
I also loved the arc where CSS, YSJ, and 3rd prince team up to help exonerate LBY. Those episodes were amazing and the FL was consistently smart again during this period. I remember saying to my sister, "we're back with part 1 FL and why couldn't she have been more like this for the entirety of part 2?"
But the arcs after this were almost all terribly rushed and edited. The Lou Ben arc in particular was a complete disaster! Probably the worst edited scenes in this entire drama...the events just happened because the writers said so. More attention and care to the script was needed to come up with a reasonable explanation for why Lou Ben acted in that manner. Someone of his talents and patience wouldn't have committed those acts without something happening that's life threatening to his loved ones. And if he had this dark/twisted/"ambition over everything" side, the drama should have revealed it to us.
And don't even get me started with the most retarded scene of all: The LJT carriage scene where CSS, despite not trusting her, still rides with her alone and ends up almost killed had LBY not come to her rescue. That scene was horrendously written and it makes CSS seem extremely dumb since she clearly doesn't trust LJT, yet chooses to be alone with her anyway without any protection. Like, huh? I thought LBY taught you some moves and if you're unable to even handle a physically weak female, how were you able to lead soldiers and protect villages? Again, this scene was nothing more than a cheap way to make LBY look heroic and to hasten CSS's eventual forgiveness.
Which leads me to the other retarded scene where CSS repeats her mistake: Despite being suspicious of Lou Li (Lou Yao's stupid cousin) and having never gotten along with her, she chooses to go with her alone anyway without any guards (she could have taken any of the dozens that were behind her). Why do the drama creators constantly have the FL purposely placing herself in danger when she had no reason to do so? Why does she constantly go off to dangerous places alone despite knowing she lacks martial arts skills? And what was the point of her previously asking LBY to teach her self defense skills if she never intends on using them in crucial situations?
Not only that, shortly after arriving at the Lou residence, she's constantly eyeing Lou Li with suspicion and wouldn't even drink the soup laced with poison. Yet she still does nothing but roll with whatever Lou Li wants, ending up trapped with YSS and ZJ. The idea that a braindead girl like Lou Li could have successfully lured one of the smartest drama FLs is so laughable and ridiculous -we have truly hit the bottom of the barrel.
If the director needed to get the FL into the trap to continue the story, he could have done so without sacrificing all her brain cells. Seriously, the FL's character in the later episodes of part 2 was so inconsistent, constantly vacillating between brilliance and retardation, that it gave me whiplash. The drama successfully turned her into a walking plot device, being whatever the plot point demands her to be.
The subsequent underground reveal was also rushed: I tried to hold back my laughter when LBY just came leaping down when the last time we saw him, he was still outside and didn't even mention the Lou residence. It's like entire scenes were skipped just to get to the showdowns more quickly.
I also really hated using LBY's near death to force CSS into finally forgiving him: It was done really badly and felt cheap. The drama writers fit his whole regretful speech and near death experience all in one rushed scene to reconcile the leads. I felt nothing as I couldn't even take his near death seriously: LBY was able to take down dozens of guards with only a few followers, yet couldn't even handle a frail woman holding onto his leg? He does nothing to shake her off and only stares up at CSS, waiting to die and see her reaction. It seems the drama creators wanted to make that scene touching, but instead, it felt so unbelievable and laughable. Once again, horrible writing and execution.
The drama writers pretty much went with my worst nightmare: Using lame near-death experiences as a shortcut to speed up the leads' reconciliation. This is pretty much the least satisfying and cheapest way to force a forgiveness in any romance. And it's definitely not enough for our leads' specific situation: LBY abandons CSS when she's already a character with trust issues due to being abandoned by her parents for 10+ years. This is not something she can get over after two near death situations (not to mention they're two of the worst written/executed scenes in the drama).
Overall, the pacing in part 2 was uneven (certain scenes stretched too long while others were too short) and certain arcs like Lou Ben, Cheng family calamity, and the last few episodes all felt rushed and sloppily written. It's like the drama creators ran out of time and decided to just give us all the payoffs without the proper setups, which effectively made everything feel unearned.
I also hated all the whitewashing: No way would grandmother Cheng ever say that she'll save all her treasures to use on CSS (completely out of character). The mother trying to reconcile with CSS also felt forced and shoehorned in just because the writers wanted to tie everything up with a neat bow. If the writers intended on making everyone regret their actions, they would have had to put in a lot more character work and heartfelt interactions to make it convincing. But what we ended up getting felt completely half baked and unbelievable.
Yet, even with all the writing inconsistencies and uneven pacing, I still could have been satisfied had the drama creators continued to deliver on the romance.
Unfortunately, the romance later on was too passive and subdued for me, kind of boring. After five years, I wanted to see LBY really fight to get his girl back, but instead, he stayed too passive and never lost control. That's just not exciting nor is it true to his character.
He's somebody who lost his whole clan as a kid and found it extremely hard to connect/fall in love with anyone. Thus, once he finally found the love of his life, he tends to be extremely possessive and protective. No way would he remain this subdued after five years of being without his girl.
In the novel, as soon as he's anywhere near the FL, he loses control and would end up going after her. That's the LBY I know and love. Not this passive guy that's content to never make a move unless she wants him to...LBY was never the type of guy to watch from afar and keep waiting. He could delude himself into thinking he'd be able to "do the right thing" by letting CSS go only if she's not in his vicinity. But as soon as she comes into his sight, all hell would break lose and he won't be able to stay away from her. Such is CSS's effect on him.
Now, THAT version of novel LBY would have been really exciting to watch: Somebody who's very human and unable to contain himself after being starved of CSS for 5 long years. No way would he be as controlled as he was in the drama. Come on drama creators, where's the passion and desperation?!! Where's the emotional catharsis?!!!
The fighting/clawing and emotional groveling scenes from the book where LBY pleads with CSS to not be so cruel to him would have stimulated the romance like nothing else. It also would have given the actors more to work with and we could have gotten some truly emotional/angsty scenes from them, making full use of their chemistry! I wanted to see WL and ZLS go all out with their acting.
Instead, the drama creators made all their subsequent interactions too tame/subdued, effectively devoid of any tension. The romance simply fizzled out completely for me by the end. I couldn't believe how bored and checked out I was in their final scene together (felt long and stretched out too).
That last sequence showcasing everyone all happy/giddy felt more like fanservice and it just kept on meandering. I could have used another follow-up scene of the 3rd prince and LBY after their touching battle scenes.
In closing, I felt part 1 was much stronger than part 2 in terms of storytelling and quality of script. Even though the love story wasn't heavily underway and there were less intense plot points, the actual slice of life story presented was much better told. Other than a few minor quibbles (FL mother's repetitive criticisms, some unreasonable amplifying of bitch drama, and the FL's love revelation), I found the overall pacing and storytelling of part 1 to be pretty even and smooth. There weren't any arcs and story events I found to be sloppily executed or confusing. The FL's characterization was also much more consistent, unlike part 2, where she's smart one moment and foolish/sloppy the next. Altogether, much more care was taken when filming and writing part 1.
I'll still give the overall drama an 8.5/10 (very generous rating mainly due to my HUGE bias) due to the storytelling in part 1, our favorite royal trio/3rd prince esp. in part 2, the intense LBY trial in part 2, and how invested I became by its world and characters. I also loved the initial tension and buildup of the leads' romance up until the manor massacre.
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A disaster in disguise
Spooky in Love started with so much promise. The first two episodes blended comedy, ghostly fantasy, and a charming storyline that felt fresh and exciting. But then everything fell apart. The comedy vanished, the fantasy was sidelined, and what we got instead was an endless family feud that dragged on without adding any real flavor to the drama.I kept waiting, thinking maybe the writers were just building up the romance but no. Each episode only got worse. The ghost plot devolved into a bizarre attempt to solve a 3000-year-old problem that felt completely irrelevant. The villain’s arc was forced and lifeless, and the vibe that made the show special in the beginning was gone.
To make matters worse, unnecessary plot devices kept piling up: a heart transplant, the infamous white truck trope, the villain unaliving yet another person… all filler, no substance. It felt like the writers thought viewers wouldn’t notice or care, which is insulting.
And let’s talk about the romance. Kdrama romcoms are still stuck in their 2010 era, awkward pecking scenes, no real kisses, even between adults who are supposed to be dating. Sure, some of these shows are made primarily for Korean audiences, but the industry knows by now that international fans are watching too. We don’t expect hyper-realism, but we do expect something smarter than this.
In the end, Spooky in Love was a disaster in disguise, a drama that wasted its incredible actors on a storyline that lost its magic, its humor, and its heart.
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So I love all the actors and the story is alright if not a little banal...but wow what a fkn trainwreck. I had such high hopes for this - Matsuda Shota, one of my all time favourite actors and Taemin (I am a big Taemin fan) in a drama together?! I was so excited. But...whether or not it was the director's decisions or the production company's decision or whoever - the drama felt lazy and engorged. The flashy film-student-esque cinematography and casting of the massively popular Taemin does little to hide the immensely awkward self-indulgence and at many points, the drama - and the actors - come across as painfully self-aware (and not in the good way).
Here are some of the GOOD POINTS:
-Actors: They had some big veteran actors come on board and Matsuda Shota was definitely one of my favourite aspects of the drama.
-Cinematography: Though I hated the over stylised, MV-like cinematography, there were a few shots and sequences that were beautifully shot. Also, some of the cuts were interesting choices to make on the director's behalf. I mean, I'll give kudos where it's deserved. I'm not entirely unfair haha.
-Potential bromance: Taemin and Shota's characters could potentially have had a fantastic bromance/friendship. However, it was let down a bit by the lack of chemistry between the actors. Needless to say, this is my opinion. You might read it differently.
-Music: Music is A+.
-Violence: I LOVE violence and gore and action and this drama does a great job of throwing out unexpected, sudden violence.
BAD POINTS:
-Actors: You can tell Taemin is a little uncomfortable in this role. Maybe it's the language or maybe it's the writing or the directing. I just think he's been totally underutilised here. I really hope he's able to show his true potential in his next acting role. I was disappointed here.
-Plot: Bleurgh. It's very slow-paced and it didn't hold my interest very long.
-Cinematography: Seriously, wtf. It reminds me of the kind of style that the overcompensating hipster film students would utilise for their projects (you know the type - the ones who would list Tarantino, avant garde french films, and vintage Belarus fashion as their creative inspirations). It's uninspired, confused, awkward, flash with no depth, and a little too forced. Also, the lighting proved to be distracting a lot of the time.
-Pace: Just.........wow. I watched a few episodes at 2x speed and it was still slow.
-Obligatory MV Time: Like the surety of ad-breaks when watching your favourite drama on Viki, Obligatory MV Time rolled around like clockwork. It's essentially a random 30 second music video thrown into the middle of several episodes. It's quite jarring when it happens actually. One moment, you're watching a drama and the next you're watching a Taemin MV. They did little to push the plot forward and what little plot they did tell - I just found it to be a lazy technique of doing so. I personally skipped past these bits.
In fact, I skipped past a lot of bits because I couldn't stand the cringe. I guess some people would love it, some people would hate it. I just think there needs to be more consideration before hitting the 10-rating because Taemin and Shota are starring in the drama (though yes, they are super pretty and pretty super).
IDK what you'd take from this. Watch if you will I guess?
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Starts good but goes for a free fall in the end
Started good and strong but went straight down hill in the last episode. Till E5 she was just one greedy woman who wanted to earn lots of money but in the last ep they turned her into a cheating woman too who blames and gaslights ML for her sleeping with the ex bf. Instead of talking with her husband for lack of intimacy she cheats on him and then calls him out for not being good enough. ML suffered the entire show for her greed and all he gets in the end is this. The best ending would have been them moving on separately but NO they just get back together like nothing. Ruined the entire show and character for me.Was this review helpful to you?
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Let's talk about the plot. For me, I like the topic about trying to achieve one's dream but having so many hurdles in front of you that a lot of times, you just want to give up. I sensed that in the first half of this drama. I felt the hardship. Being ripped off, being seen from others as a no potential, having others stepping on you like your worthless because of your status. At the same time, we see two sides of family impact as well, barely any support and too much support to where they are controlling and you don't know how to adapt to reality. Some people may find these kind of issues in a drama boring but I liked the realness of it and I could sense it. I would've been fine with this drama had the whole drama revolved around this, focusing on the family relationship issues and the relationship hurdles when becoming a celeb now.But here's where it went wrong. The writer lost a sense of direction in the second half of this drama. Past ep 8 is pretty much worthless to me. They added conflicts that, in my opinion, weren't needed. I think they were trying to add the reality of scandals occurring in a celebrity's life but I just didn't see a purpose for this relating to the initial plot. The annoying reporter and the stupid old manager who cheated on Hye Joon's success and growth were a real pain that ruined the 2nd half of this drama. To be honest, the last few episodes weren't handled well. The last episode may solve a few things but in honesty, a lot of episodes wasted.
Character wise, they have a few strong moments but it's really forgettable due to the overall character of the leads being pretty bland.
Music wise, this drama has some great OSTs. It's just that it wasn't played much as I would've liked to hear.
Definitely not worth a rewatch after seeing the direction the writer decided to go with this. Had the potential to be a good drama for me but failed miserably.
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Affection level for this Series, Plus Plus Infinity
I just dived into the show without giving it much thought and I was utterly surprised from the very first minute. First and foremost, I love the transmigrating into the game premises and all those game inbox styled notification just add even more to the whole premises. It's a unique concept in the BL world and it's executed pretty well. Sure, the later half of the series felt a bit rushed with abrupt cuts but hear me out the plot didn't feel one bit incomplete and I enjoyed it anyway.Talking about the cast, I love each one of the leads. They all have portrayed their character so well. My favorite is, no doubt, Tae Myung Ha. He is such a sweetheart, a cool one at that. He transmigrates into the game like world and his mission is to make Cha Yeo Woon, his favorite character, happy. His affection level with Cha Yeo Woon starts from minus and with the minus affection level brings a bunch of debuffs that just makes the whole concept even more interesting. It's so heart touching to see him care for Yeo Woon. Yeo Woon, he seriously turns on my protective mode. He is so so so freaking cute and his smile is everything. He really deserves the world.
Myung Ha and Yeo Woon, they are absolutely adorable. They would be the one flirting, smiling, looking at each other, interacting and going on dates but you would be the one blushing, smiling and banging your hands somewhere. I guarantee it. Their cuteness is really blinding.
Also, the other lead, Ahn Kyung Hun, he looks so adorable with those thick glasses, curly hair and he is a real sweety and a really really good friend. Cheon Sang Won, him trying to get Myung Ha's attention is kind of funny and annoying. But I liked him too. He is just as adorable as the others.
And I so badly wanted Yeo Woon to call Myung Ha Hyung instead of Sunbae even just once, not that I had any problem with Sunbae, but you know just the urge. And I know I already mentioned this but they are absolutely absolutely adorable and I have binged watched it for the nth time now. And I am still stuck on them.
I really enjoyed watching this. Definitely highly highly recommended!!
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A faux-deep show with a harmful message
I’m actually surprised to see how much praise is being sung for Death’s Game. Death’s Game is by no means philosophical, nor does it bring anything new to the table in terms of discussion around the subject of suicide. It simply offers the common - and harmful - rhetoric of “You should feel guilty about (thinking of) killing yourself because your death will hurt others.”Living to avoid causing pain to others - and by proxy living FOR others - is no way to live at all. In fact, according to this rhetoric, if no one would mourn your passing, then it should be fine for you to die by your own hands. Your desire to live has to come from yourself because the minute it depends on other factors you lose any semblance of control over it.
Death’s Game tackled its message wrong from the start. In my opinion, an anti-suicide show should focus on the “joys” rather than the pains of life. If you’ve ever said something along the lines of “I’m feeling down/sad/upset” and been told “well others have it worse,” did that really make you feel any less upset? Probably not. This is why reincarnations such as the baby’s don’t work as substantial support for the show’s main message.
On the topic of support for the show’s main message: this support is thin. Why? Because so much of it is just pure shock value. There are multiple instances of this. The baby. But also the prisoner reincarnation. One would think this particular story would end with the hit-and-run daughter’s father killing who he believes to be the perpetrator BECAUSE this would tie in with the idea the show was pushing about the consequences of Korea’s lenient juvenile laws. But no, the main character is then stabbed a SECOND time by another twist villain. Did this add anything to the show? No. In fact, it lessened the impact of the previous scene. So why did it need to happen?
On a side-note, the twists in this show are so random. Some I predicted from the start, like the brother being behind the airplane crash. Other twists just exist to be twists. That is not good writing.
Additionally, logically-speaking, why does Death target our main character specifically? Does she give this same experience to everyone? Surely there are others who fit her criteria more explicitly. And, on the other hand, imagine someone who has suffered much worse than Choi Yi Jae. Does said person deserve to experience more suffering (multiple deaths) simply because they sought to put an end to their own? Definitely not.
I really can’t tell what this show wants to be. It feels so ungrounded from reality that I find it hard to take it seriously. The tone feels a bit all over the place. It doesn’t help that the special effects look cheap, and that the dialogue sometimes sounds incredibly comic book-y. All it was missing was some text bubbles. I’m assuming that might be because the show is an adaptation from a Webtoon, but what works in comic format won’t always work in live action. Also, I’m not usually one to comment on bad acting, and I’m sorry to say that despite the cast being visually stunning, this show is chock-full with it.
Lastly, I felt no emotional connection to any of the characters? I wasn’t sad about any of the deaths. Which I find surprising given I’m very empathetic and often have no trouble doing so. Nor did any character relationships particularly stand out. The main character and his gf have the stock template, textbook start to their relationship, and their dynamic isn’t particularly interesting.
If Death truly cared about the main character’s respect for “death” she would show him how to love living again instead of torturing and potentially emotionally traumatizing him for the remainder of his existence.
Death’s game is not as deep and thought-provoking as some laud it to be, and it's honestly worrisome how well-received such a show is. It presents its singular perspective on suicide, which negates and ignores the mental health aspects that come along with suicidal ideation.
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While there are still six months to go, the bar has been set extremely high with Abyss: a giant mess acted by a cast who really deserved better.
The annoying thing is, like last year's Worst Show of The Year (About Time), Abyss could have been fantastic. It has a great premise, a decent cast. It could have been an hilarious - almost farcical - comedy of mistaken identities, body swapping, and annoyed aliens. Instead what we got was a turgid, unfunny mess underpinned by a philosophy that was at times confused and at others actively offensive.
Ahn Hyo-seop has a lot of potential as an actor but he is still far too green to be given a leading role. With a good director, a good script and a good female lead he could have still produced something decent. But unfortunately he only got one of those in a criminally-underutilized Park Bo-young, - who really deserved better in her first lead show since the (sometimes equally as offensive) Strong Woman Do Bong-soon.
Both the lead roles were poorly written, with Ahn Hyo-seop's Cha Min changing from scene to scene depending on what the writer needed him to do - at times an uber genius, at others the dumbest male lead to ever appear on screen. Park Bo-young was given so little to work with for her character, Go Se-yeon, that she opted for cute - an interpretation that did not work with the character or the script.
Both these characters die and are brought back to life by a glowing alien marble. The unattractive Cha Min is suddenly gorgeous, while the stunning, willowy, Go Se-yeon is... Park Bo-young. Which is to say, she's a super adorable tiny person so the idea she's now "plain" is just ridiculous.
From beginning to end, Abyss had some profound things to say about image in our beauty-obsessed culture.
Like:
“you can’t love someone who’s ugly”
"what you look like is what your soul is like"
“plastic surgery gives you a better soul” and
“dieting makes your wedding day better”
Apart from the dumb, messy plot, the poor characterisation and the wall-to-wall stupidity of the characters, it's ultimately this utterly shallow and almost vacuous underpinning philosophy that makes Abyss truly awful.
Appearance is everything. Nothing else matters.
No thanks, Abyss. No thanks.
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First of all there is a plotline. It started off pretty weak but quickly got better. It was funny, it balanced well between cliche and innovation. The most important thing is it was totally enjoyable. There was not even a moment I got bored, I barely skipped anything in this drama. Characters were well developed, even side characters had their story that explained their actions and behaviour. And the relations between them! Something beautiful. Especially good was bonding between Lee Sun Tae and his granddaughter Mal Sook. The humoristic aspect was ideal. I love how they did so many parodies and at the same time managed to make more dramatic plot. No exaggerated plot-twists. I like how they made us think it is going to be predictable but they did something totally new and refreshing. Even the ending was good and it's hard for me to like the ending as well.
Casting was the best thing that could have ever happened to this drama. All those cameos were so good! For those who watch 1n2d they were even more enjoyable. I really liked Deokhwa in this drama as well as his character's granddaughter. Yoon Shi Yoon did great in portraying his characters and changes in him. I want to praise Cha Eun Woo too - he did really good. Hong Kyung Min managed to act so good it had me wondered why did he not pursue his acting career. He was the real scene stealer in this drama. Special mention to Lee Han Seo who made this drama even more approachable. Not to mention Cha Tae Hyun - it is undoubtedly difficult to do both acting and directing, yet he managed to do exceptionally well in both.
When it comes to directing it would be a huge mistake to forget about Yoo Ho Jin. It was his first drama and he did a really good job. I think it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a genius. I am really looking forward for his upcoming projects.
I can't say much about the music in this drama, it's pretty ordinary, nothing's out of order. I do want to say I really like T-ara's song and it weirdly matches this drama well. Also it really bugged me that the instrumental of Yoon Mirae's song is pretty much the same as her previous work in Descendants of the Sun.
Summing up, it was quite a journey. I can't say that as a fan of 1n2d I'm not biased towards this drama team but I tried my best to give an objective opinion. The only thing I hated about this drama is the beginning. I even thought about not watching it and hanged on just because of the cast. And I do not regret this decision.
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