This review may contain spoilers
This darn tear-jerker.If you're looking for a real horror, this isn't it.
If you hate crying, this definitely isn't it.
I'd say for this movie, it's tragedy before horror. Sure, there are some horror elements, however- it's really more sad than scary.
The story is subtle. It's not deep. I have to remind you that this show's literal title is TRAIN TO BUSAN. It's a whole show about characters doing their utmost best to reach the safe zone- Busan. On a train. It lived up to its title, i'll give it that.
The acting and characters were great. Gong Yoo's acting is excellent, as expected. His character's development was amazing. He went from a selfish to selfless man that learned to truly care for others more.
Ma Dong Seok's character is as likeable here as his character in Bad Guys. You'll get fixated with his character for sure. This actor deserves more recognition.
And the most unexpected- Kim Soo An. She's an adorable and talented little actress. Then again, most Korean child actors and actresses raise the international standard for acting capabilities amongst children.
Kim Eui Seong's character is extremely unlikeable, proving that he played his role well.
The music is good. It's suitable when it's suitable.
Rewatch value: 10
Heck yeah i'd watch it again.
I can tell you that I am definitely not a fan of zombie movies but as I said earlier, it's more of a tragedy than horror. So if you're a major zombie-apocalypse-kind-of-movie fan that finds value in the horror aspect and expects this movie to fulfil it to its best, don't expect too much. The makeup is realistic and well-done.
Even if I cry my eyes out again, it's worth the watch.
If you enjoy a little bit of horror, action, thrill, a little wincey bit of comedy and quite a bit of tragedy, give this movie a go. It's one hell of a ride.
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1Do Bong Soon is played by Park Bo Young, who was in one of my favorite dramas,"Oh My Ghostess", yet I didn't recognize her at all. With her super cute bob haircut, her amped up adorable personality, and her petite stature, it was exciting to see her character with this unexpected superhuman strength. I loved her character's origin story, and I'm always a fan of the anti-damsel in distress, so I was already interested in this drama from episode one. She really plays the sweet girl you don't want to mess with role extremely well.
She is matched with Park Hyung Shik as Ahn Min Hyeok, and I don't think I can accurately describe with words how charming, and just beautiful to look at he is in this role - it's *swoon* overload. He is not even my type, at all, but it's like they put a special perfection filter on him, and he played every scene in a way that made it impossible for me not to fall for him. Together their adorable couple rating is off the charts! Their chemistry is perfect, so perfect that the cheesiest scenes and moments still worked for me, and soooo many scenes were extra cheesy. He is also so supportive of her, which makes the traditional role reversal refreshing to watch. To me they came right up to the border of being obnoxious in their cuteness, but never crossed it, because they were such a good match.
The rest of the cast was mostly awesome too, considering all the genres that they had to cover. Ji Soo as In Gook Doo completes the love triangle, and plays his part really well, although I honestly couldn't stand how the actual character behaved. Gook Doo may inspire 2nd lead syndrome in some, but he was too controlling and self-righteous for me to really root for. I loved Bong Soon's family, BFF, and especially grandma. I also really liked the villain, who I think was played by the actor better than the character was actually written. He was creepy and sinister, yet kinda seductive and attractive, which I think is a recipe for an excellent villain/nemesis. Then there is the supporting cast MVP Kim Won Hae. I didn't love him in his first role, It was just too corny and gross for me, but his second role was hilarious in its absurdity. I applaud his ability to take both roles to such extremes. The cast is definitely full of memorable characters.
Part of the reason I deducted some acting points was because a lot of the comedy just wasn't my to my taste. Korean humor can get too silly for me sometimes, which was part of my issue with some of the performances. There is a whole gangster subplot that annoyed me. There is a Monk that is completely ridiculous. Then on a more serious note, Seol In Ah's role was pretty useless, and forgettable. There is also a family drama plot that I forgot all about until the end when it's obvious that they were missing. These criticisms are because of the writers, more than the acting, which is why i deducted even more points from the story. Don't get me wrong, I liked the story a lot, and loved watching Bong Soon become more confident and evolve into a Shero, but the story as a whole is all over the place. The thriller part is intriguing enough to drive her motivation, but it went from being seriously creepy to resolving with a more comic book feel. There are a lot of parts of the story that I felt were left without a real explanation, or resolved too quickly, but all of this was forgivable because of how much I still enjoyed watching every episode.
I also forgive the last episode, which had mostly filler, but I loved the very end (obvious but perfect), which made me very curious about what a second season would be like.
The OST was good, and matched the show well, especially the "Super Power Girl"Theme! However, I did not fall in love with any of the songs, not even Park Hyung Shik's ballad.
Now comes the highest score for me - rewatch value. I gave it a 9.5 because I could definitely see myself watching this more than once. With all it's flaws, and silliness, I just had so much fun watching, and couldn't wait to watch the next episode! I almost gave rewatch a 10 but I would definitely skip through some of the comedy scenes.
Overall, I would recommend this as a cute twist on a superhero story that encourages female empowerment, not in a subtle way... in a walnut hammer over the head way! I also love the message of not underestimating someone based on appearance, and helping others selflessly. I think it's best to just embrace that the plot is chaos, the comedy is ludicrous, and enjoy the fact that it may not always be coherent but it all supports this character's journey to her destiny (well, maybe not the stupid monk). I also highly recommend it to anyone who is on the lookout for a talented and crush-worthy actor, because I think Park Hyung Shik definitely fits the bill.
If you're looking for maturity, a substantive plot, characters with great depth, and no clichés or exploited stereotypes... back away from this drama slowly and don't come back to it until you're in a lighter mood.
This is the drama equivalent of a bag full of candy! Not every flavor in the bag will be good, but most of it is delicious, and the sugar high makes it all worth it!
Oh, and if there was a Bong Soon video game, I would totally be excited to play it!
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An Underrated Gem Destined To Become a Comedy Classic
WHY I LOVED IT . . .Crazy Love is so unique and unpredictable and LOL crazy yet at the same time, unexpectedly moving, it’s really a shame it’s not getting more attention. While it does get off to a bit of a slow start—which is often the case with early ep exposition and all the players being introduced—each ep is better than the last and this trend continues even after the halfway point.
One minute you’ll be laughing so hard your stomach's sore, amazed at how truly batsh!t crazy Kim Jae-uck and Krystal are acting on your screen, the next you’ll be hurting so badly for them as you learn their backstories, especially that of Noh Go-jin (Kim Jae-uck).
The character development is so compelling and believable and well-acted, you can’t help but root for the OTP couple, despite the fact that the ML starts off as an arrogant, insufferable jerk and he and the FL really, really hate each other’s guts when the story opens. And when he does finally start to realize the error of his ways, it’s not solely the result of his falling head over heels for the FL.
Crazy Love’s got a bit of everything—enemies to lovers, a fake engagement, a sweet romance, swoony kisses, hilarious knock-down-drag-out fights, intrigue, tons of unexpected LOL moments, and a FL who gives as good as she gets, if not moreso, when pushed hard enough.
We also have a lead couple who, much like the OTP in Her Private Life (which pairs Kim Jae-uck with Park Min-young), actually communicates openly with each other and works together to resolve issues and potential misunderstandings—once they’ve stopped hating each other, of course. Sure we’ve got a few tropes but the show revels in its tropiness, subverting them in fun and surprising ways, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Kudos to Kim Jae-uck for throwing his suave, sexy image right out the window. (Although he's still plenty sexy as Noh Go-jin, despite the less-than-flattering CEO hairstyle, and the man knows his way around a kiss.) This is a great role for him as it’s really given him an opportunity to flex his formidable acting chops, tugging at our heartstrings with his beautifully nuanced emotional scenes and tickling our funny bones with his physical comedy skills. And despite what happens in Crazy Love, Kim Jae-uck can actually carry a tune. He majored in music in college and is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and composer for his indie rock band Walrus, named for The Beatles song “I Am the Walrus.”
It’s been a revelation watching him and Krystal really let loose as I never imagined they could be so funny and they are clearly having a blast. I was not a fan of Krystal’s before, having only seen her in Sweet & Sour, but I like her portrayal of Lee Shin-ah and their chemistry is surprisingly good. The show’s at its best when they’re the focus so I did sometimes find myself wishing it spent less time on the supporting characters, but I guess that’s true of many dramas with an appealing OTP.
ABOUT THOSE RATINGS . . .
Crazy Love’s Nielsen ratings in South Korea started out at 3.4% and spent much of its run at 2.5 - 2.6%, but the show finally broke into the 4s with Ep 11, building to a series high of 4.6% for the Ep 16 finale. One issue may have been that dark, edgy comedies like Crazy Love don’t tend to appeal to older women, who are the primary viewers of dramas during their initial television broadcast. (This older audience is why the longer “family” K-Dramas with 50+ eps often achieve ratings of 20% and even higher.) Younger viewers who are more likely to like this genre often watch online and on DVRs but these views are not reflected in the ratings. (In the U.S., most networks use Nielsen's Live Plus service which does track these delayed views.)
And to make matters even worse, KBS screwed up big time by delaying its release because of the Winter Olympics. When Crazy Love premiered in March 2022, Business Proposal, Twenty-Five, Twenty-One, and Military Prosecutor Doberman had already caught fire with audiences, and while those shows received global marketing support from Netflix/Viki, Crazy Love was released with negligible promotional support from Disney+ which didn’t seem to know (or care) what the heck it was doing with its K-Dramas back then.
For some inexplicable reason, D+ has only released Crazy Love in nine APAC countries: Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand; hopefully, D+ will make the show available to the rest of the world ASAP now that it’s ended its run in SK. (Shows like Grid and Soundtrack #1 are in the same D+ limbo as Crazy Love.)
IN CONCLUSION . . .
Kim Jae-uck said he chose to do Crazy Love after his three-year hiatus because he wanted to make people laugh and help relieve some of the stress brought on by the pandemic. If the 6,200+ comments here and its 8.3 rating (as of the 4/26 finale) are anything to go by, he and Krystal and the rest of the cast succeeded.
Please give Crazy Love a try! It’s a lot of fun and keeps getting better and better—although the last few eps focus less on romance and more on figuring out who-dun-it—culminating in a satisfying ending that manages to give closure to not just the main characters, but the supporting ones as well. The show is not perfect by any means but I tend to judge entertainment based on whether it delivers more than the sum of its parts—and the way it makes me feel and think—and Crazy Love comes through on all counts with plenty of feels and food for thought along with the laughs.
(Full disclosure: I’m a big fan of Kim Jae-uck but most of his dramas and movies have landed in the 8s and 7s for me rating-wise. Even gave one drama a 6.0.)
[1/14/23 Update: D+ U.S. has made some of its K-Content available on Hulu, including Big Mouth, Grid, May It Please the Court, Connect, Kiss Sixth Sense, etc. Sadly, Crazy Love is still not available outside of Asia/Oceania.]
[5/24/23 Update: As of today, more than a year after it first aired in South Korea, Crazy Love is finally available on Hulu in the U.S., Disney+ in Canada, the UK, and Europe, and Star+ in Latin America. Unfortunately, there has been zero promotion in the U.S. The only reason U.S. fans knew it was even a possibility was because Disney+ Latin America announced it was releasing there.]
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I Hear Your Voice got me hooked right from day ONE due to its unique and original plot. There are quite a few cases in the drama, which is not surprising given its genre. However, the amazing part is how the scriptwriter manages to weave all these cases into a seamless drama comprises of elements of romance, comedy, suspense, thriller and friendship. There is never a single episode which is draggy and if not for my work commitment, I believe i could have marathon this show within 2 days.
Everyone acted superbly in the show and are truly lovable and realistic in their roles, even the villain has his own story (I won't reveal more on this though). The OSTs are excellent and catchy and they just make the whole experience of watching the drama even better.
I am sure I will rewatch this show in the future as it really warms your heart and makes your day. Give it a try and I am sure you won't regret the time spent, it is truly one of those rare breed among kdramas.
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This review may contain spoilers
Another milestone of epic love story & a new aspirant for the hall of fame of historical KDramas
Now that another 11 episodes of the second season of “My Dearest” have come to an end, I have a couple of additional thoughts, that I would like to add to season 1.First.
In my opinion, the mission (I am here referring to the side note of my review for season 1) was a complete success in terms of the haunting dramaturgical interlinking of personal fates, love stories and a historical context, whose traumatic shadows for the national self-image extend to this day. Therefore I consider “My Dearest” as definitely belonging to the hall of fame of historical KDramas. And as a milestone of epic love stories, too.
So, on the one hand, there is the never-ending, tragic roller coaster of this fateful lovers... at times you may even become impatient that this (hopefully!) has to come to a happy ending soon, shouldn´t it? On the other hand, it is precisely because of those two significantly insignificant contemporaries and their personal context that we are cleverly torn ever deeper into the actual historical and political framework of that time. Whether we like it or not. Basically, we are of course primarily concerned with the touching dynamic between the two :-) but, nevertheless, we inevitably get closer to the dilemmas of the people, their problematic king and the political framework of that historical chapter, too... Thus, the emotional intensity of the love story kind of also serves as the cream topping for an audience, who is going all the way through this humiliating (preferably repressed) time for Joseon.
This brings me to the second:
I was positively surprised, how Confucian moral values (based on ruling authority, especially morality and loyalty) are openly pilloried in this production. Actually, the MBC KDrama production “My Dearest” from 2023 takes a pleasingly liberal stand, when it comes to a conclusion. Officially, in the narrative of the story, authoritarian values are upheld, but for the audience, this supposedly unerring path to ´order´ and ´harmony´ is clearly revealed to have failed.
It is said that the fish rots from the head down. Eventually, when it comes to such a stench, the noble, ethical-political teaching of Confucius must fail, too, if authority (embodied by the king, the teacher or the father) is weak, sick and delusional. Loyalty to a delusional king or an almost fanatical adherence to principles obviously borders on stupidity. Thus, it doesn't accomplish anything. On the contrary. Dramaturgically speaking, “My Dearest”´ haunting dynamic is driven by exactly this officially ethically legitimated, but then in fact again personally motivated 'stupidity' of some, who call themselves scholars or nobles. Practically speaking, it is about stranded traditional Confucian values… and therefore, as far as Joseon at that time is concerned, highly self-critical, too. (E.g. it is neither ONLY the Qing, to be blamed, nor ONLY the Joseon king…)
P.S.:
And as a third:
In my opinion, Ahn Eun-jin in the role of Gil-chae has really catapulted herself into a new league of acting over the course of the series - with her increasing presence, depth, authenticity and overall growing charisma. Respect! I'm definitely looking forward to further productions with her as female lead...
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I was satisfied with the plot as it was very well rounded and as there were no loose ends. I really appreciate the way it unfolded which was very neat. Everything fell right into place, this drama is one of those that make you feel at ease as there is no unnecessary dragging of the plot and complications that are out of place, everything is gradual and build up in a way that everything happening makes sense.
The characters apart from being well cast, they were all given attention and had a path laid out as they made progress in a heartwarming and natural way. All of the supporting characters were very endearing in unique ways and got to show a lot of their charm. For me, the most wonderful thing was friendship shining through with all of them on multiple occasion showing their shared desire to care for others. As for the mains I was very happy to see that none of their problems were created by misunderstandings or unpredictable happenings beyond their control which always puts me off, they were very considerate of each other and also acted like mature, healthy, functioning adults while their behavior and decisions were aligned with their character and that is a very big win for me. And I have to mention that the main female lead was very wonderfully written, showing a strong, kind, patient side and in so many ways a favorite with a delivery executed in a very graceful manner. Also the main couple was pretty cute without it ever being too much and the actors had chemistry.
Even though I am not the type to ever re-watch, if I ever felt down and wanted a safe bet for making myself feel better this drama would definitely manage to lift my mood without losing any of its qualities.
Over all I really enjoyed it as it didn't get too depressing but was also consistent and had a lot of beautiful moments. I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to watch something soft and fuzzy but also with a plot that gradually progresses in a light and neat way.
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Coming to the cast. I am not particularly fond of Chae Soo Bin, but this drama definitely changed that. She was perfect both as the robot Ah Ji and the street smart Ji Ah. Yoo Seung Ho was ADORABLE! He was the best thing about the show! I've seen plenty of his works and I think by far, this is my favorite character portrayed by him. This character really suited him so much. The supporting cast was really good. Loved Ji Ah's friend and her brother as well as his family. They were all great. Sun Hye's little love triangle was awesome. lol.
The music was great. Perfect amount of chirp and serious.
I would definitely come back and watch it for the adorable character of Kim Min Kyu as well as certain hilarious scenes. Also, someone needs to invent those things Ji Ah made in the show, but sounds a little difficult from science's POV, lol.
Anyways, if you are in a mood for an easy-watch, this is definitely your show!
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A Romance to Stand Above the Rest
This is the best CDrama I've ever seen. And it ranks high even among all the shows I've ever seen. Although short, the pacing is perfectly executed, and as a bonus the production and direction is simply outstanding. The show deals with heavy themes and deep messages, exploring varying viewpoints and motivations from believable and evolving characters. What's more, the focus of the drama is on a romance with a premise that's fresh and interesting and which is manifested in a believable and beautiful way. It all comes together to create something special, in a way few shows can do.The most important element of any show is the story, so that's where I'll start. "Definitely Not Today" brings two opposing personalities together through unorthodox circumstance and under occasionally violent conflict. This sort of premise, while often feeling contrived in typical shows, is done very naturally and evolves without excessive coincidence (there's a little, but it's forgivable). The plot itself is a perfect balance of romance, action, and the occasional comic relief, developing deep bonds between the characters and the viewers while maintaining suspense, intrigue, and enjoyment. Throughout the show, we see beautiful symmetry in moments and relationships, things that really add to the emotional ambiance. I can't say much more for the sake of spoilers, but the pacing is very well done and the story has a satisfying ending.
The characters themselves are extremely well done, part of the reason the show stands out so much (apart from its originality and incredible production). Each character has a background that deeply influences their personality, and which is revealed at the right moment for the sake of the story. The exposition on characters never feels forced or dialogue heavy. Throughout the show, the characters (mostly just the two main leads) evolve in reaction to their circumstances and others. The flaws that each of them carry are unique and believable, and most importantly allow us to be sympathetic or even empathetic with the characters. Even some of the worse characters (although not the villains) have sympathetic backstories that you can understand without forgiving. This is an incredible feat of writing, and brings more texture to an already fantastic plot.
One thing that's so good you often take it for granted is the incredible production. Such things can be a luxury (especially in the CDrama world), but things like cinematography, set design, sound design, direction, and the all important acting and extremely well done. The cinematography in particular is outstanding, with striking framing and beautiful lighting that is still threaded well into the flow of the scene. World-class acting has almost become a prerequisite for a larger budget show at this point, but we must still acknowledge the great work of the actors and the people who cast them, as they portrayed exemplary depictions of characters with a wide range of emotions and which evolve over time. Even more importantly, the two romantic interests have a palpable chemistry with each other, something that can make or break a romance drama (and clearly made it here). The music choice was also excellent, and the sound design was good enough that you didn't notice it.
I've seen many comments on how this show is a breath of fresh air for romance dramas, and I cannot agree more. Virtually free of tropes (there's no 2nd lead!) and brimming with thoughtful beauty, I couldn't help but get instantly sucked into the world; I binged the whole show in one sitting. This is not difficult to do, because the show is short and therefor a smaller time commitment. And so, for that reason in addition to all the incredible qualities I've mentioned above, I will sincerely recommend this show as my favorite CDrama.
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The plot for the story was very tightly written so there are no huge holes or what the heck moments to deal with. It was also a great romance as well as providing the viewer with great historical context. If you are looking for a historical drama to watch this would be my #1 suggested drama.
Also the episodes are short so the 108 episode count is misleading. It is not at all a hard drama to get through.
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Visually stunning with a truly poetic story. Insights into the early 16th century art included
"Saimdang, Memoir of Colors" is an excellent KDrama with historically impressive dimensions. The focus here is on the legendary artist Shin Saimdang, whose head is also depicted on the 50,000 won note today. The KDrama pays tribute to the great artist and also pays tribute to her roles as a devoted mother and virtuous, yet uncompromisingly progressive woman. The focus is on a time and space transcending, tragic love story - fictitious... or at least not historically documented. (But why should´t it have happened in this way or another? ... :-)----------------- SIDE NOTE --- Shin Saimdang (1504 -1551) ---
... was a painter, calligrapher and poet who was valued in her time and far beyond. Since her father had no son, he gave her (rather unorthodox for a girl) an education and training in literature, poetry, calligraphy, embroidery and painting. Her works as a painter are characterized by their particularly sensitive view of nature and its subtle, sensitive representation. Today only about 40 paintings in Indian ink and mineral colors can be directly assigned to Saimdang. However, it is suspected that many more works of art have survived, although they are not clearly signed as her works. Shin Saimdang has also gone down in history as the ideal of the good mother. She had five sons and three daughters, some of whom also inherited their mother's talent. One of her sons is the even more famous Neo-Confucian scholar and politician Yul-gok Yi I.
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In addition, as far as the perspective of traditional art is concerned, the special focus of this KDrama is the nature of the world of animals, plants and mountains. Actually, it could be mentioned here, that South Korea is characterized by several mountains and 21 national parks on more than two thirds of the country's surface. This KDrama aesthetically focuses on the spiritually legendary mountain region around the Geumgangsand - The Diamond Mountain. It probably got its name in connection with the Diamond Sutra of Buddhism. It was a center of Korean Buddhism, traces of which can be dated back to the 1st century. At the beginning of the 20th century there were still more than 40 active monasteries in the region. In any case, the mountain world plays in several respects an important role in this gripping historical drama.
Special dynamics arise through the play with intertwining time and space. There are two plots. One is set in 2017, the other in the early 16th century during the Joseon era. One follows a young art historian writing her PhD thesis on artist An Gyeon's work 'Geumgangsando'. The other follows historical Shin Saimdang through the first 3-4 decades of her passionate yet virtuous life. Parallel to the art historian's research and struggle with it, that is at the same time enhanced and endangered by Saimdang´s diary, insights on the artist´s eventful life are revealed. Both storylines are quite exciting in their own way. Particularly charming: people from Saimdang's time-line seem to have reincarnated in Seoul in 2016 and are once more somehow connected to each other... Surprisingly, the fulcrum where the timelines converge is Tuscany in Italy.
This extraordinary and visually stunning KDrama offers a truly poetic, heart-rending story, added with interesting insights into the special aesthetics and sensitivity of contemporary Korean art of the early 16th century, as well as the paper production craftmanship of that time. It is rounded by an atmospheric soundtrack and, last but not least, actors who are as if absorbed in their roles. At last, there is plenty of makjang, too.
Taking everything into account, the story is effortlessly captivating over 28 episodes.
At the end I was left in bewilderment, yet to some extend somehow surprisingly satisfied, too.
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Kept me glued to my seat for so long that I might need an adhesive remover to get off now—
All in all, Gold Panning has everything I could ever ask for in a mystery drama: a compelling storyline, great execution, perfect cast, beautiful visuals and an amazing musical score that complemented each scene it accompanied.✦ Story ✦
The unique premise of this drama, which is obviously about the cutthroat industry of gold panning like the title indicates, may or may not appeal to everyone but regardless of whether you're into it or not - this drama's main focus still lies in its premise. To describe it in a simple phrase, Gold Panning is about "Dog-eat-dog world" or "Survival of the fittest" as greed for gold (which everyone believes can grant them a better life) basically drives the actions of all the characters, but despite being greedy, they might not be completely selfish and have their own reasons that are unveiled at a steady pace with each episode.
And one thing that sets it apart from typical mystery/thriller dramas is that Gold Panning doesn't rely solely on gore and body-horror to make the drama dark or depressing. There's slight gore, there's slight body-horror, but neither of them is the main point.
However, this drama demands your full attention. You can't just play it in the background as you do other chores as each scene is crucial, purposely added, and greatly contributes to the plot. Sometimes you might think "what the hell is going on?" (I did too lol) but it's like completing a jigsaw puzzle whose picture you don't know beforehand; You only discover what it's all about after you put more and more pieces in place, and together, they start resembling something. The unpredictability, foreshadowing, and plot-twists here actually make sense in the end and this makes Gold Panning a perfect drama to binge watch as you're never bored while watching it.
✦ Characters ✦
Most of the characters were complex, flawed, morally grey/vague and fleshed out which makes them compelling to watch. I especially loved how the female characters were written, despite neither A Qiu nor A Lai getting much screentime compared to the two main characters, they still managed to be one of the most memorable characters in this drama; I mean, two strong women—one who's a single mother and the other who cross-dresses as a man—working by themselves in a male-dominated field, what can be cooler than that? Not to mention, A Lai has to be the best cross-dressing character I've ever come across. Every character here just felt so humane, so realistic, so alive. I simply loved it.
But talking about the two main characters, Chen Baojin and Wu Jianchao, separately - here's what I personally think of them:
♟ Wu Jianchao — It's the first time I've seen Liao Fan's performance and the amount of screen presence he has accurately described to me why he's known for his acting. His role as Wu Jianchao was so complex that I couldn't figure out if he's the bad guy or one of the good guys most of the time, it just kept me guessing.
♟ Chen Baojin — Chen Feiyu's acting has improved a lot! At first, I thought he can't portray 'vulnerability' during emotional scenes because it always looks as if he's holding back pent up anger (his acting isn't at fault, he just have fierce-looking eyes imo). But then, I realised it's not necessarily a bad thing and only adds to his character. Chen Baojin is a proud, stubborn teenager who's determined to go to any lengths for his main goal, so even when he cries, he doesn't look 'broken' - he looks angry like he's going to seek vengeance and want everyone to suffer tenfold for the suffering they've inflicted on him. In short, Chen Feiyu nailed his role.
✦ Music and Visuals ✦
The music, both instrumental and lyrical, really amplified the ambience that the visuals initiated. I also never felt like skipping the opening and ending themes because they were really addicting.
However, my favourite thing has to be the colouring in this drama, especially how most of the scenes had a tint of gold/yellow (they really stayed true to the title and concept even in terms of visuals) and some certain scenes were black & white - which made them seem more serious and sombre than they would've looked in normal colours. I actually had to delete some photos off my gallery because I took way too many screenshots...
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This review may contain spoilers
Not your typical Cinderella story and an unforgettable romance!
One of the bestest and loveliest love stories imaginable. A drama which not only deserves that rare 10/10 rating but makes you wish you could give it 1,000,000/10 because of how inspired, satisfying and rewarding it’s been.Promise Cinderella reminds me of the 2000s classic jdrama rom-coms (which is a good thing) aka the way they used to be until they contracted some sort of a narrative plague and basically died out, with few exceptions. Tightly plotted, well-written, brilliantly acted and with an OTP that oozes chemistry, it’s a very thoughtfully and sensitively made adaptation of the original manga (even though, I only read the first 18 chapter on Comikey so far). The drama took the Cinderella tropes and spun them on their head, breathing a new life into them.
All that is perfectly accompanied by a sublime soundtrack composed by Yamada Yutaka who delivers perhaps a first full-fledged bona fide jdrama OST with several distinct songs, not merely the insert and closing themes. Each song is written in such a way that the lyrics perfectly describe each character’s feelings and storylines.
Fumi Nikaido and her Hayame have been all sorts of awesome – mature, strong and plucky but still vulnerable and so real and relatable - and not the infantilized caricature of an adult female you often see in Asian dramas nowadays.
Maeda Gordon has been such a revelation - he does an amazing job portraying all the various facets of Issei, this boy-man on his journey to become an adult. I love how gradually Issei turns softer and more vulnerable because Hayame and his feelings for her make him shed his bravado to reveal all the insecurity, vulnerability, and tenderness he has been trying to hide. There is this amazing dichotomy of showing a teenager with what is basically a body of a grown-up man but personality that no longer belongs to a boy but neither to a man yet. It’s a great choice and casting. He has such a wide range of facial expressions and has the natural ability to act with his whole body, giving Issei so many adorable quirks, that very few actors possess, especially ones so young.
Seigo has turned out to be truly great second male lead. You can root for him and he poses genuine competition for Issei. If this were a kdrama there would be no way in hell he wouldn’t get the girl if only for the sole reason they share a past and are each other’s first love. I love how Hayame and Seigo’s relationship is actually properly developed, not some childhood sweethearts trope or them meeting a couple of times without getting to know each other. Iwata Takanori does such an incredible job portraying Seigo and conveying his conflict. I remember him from Dear Sister and stealing the whole show with Ishihara Satomi so it’s great to see him in a well-made jdrama once again that gives him a good script to work with.
Even the supporting characters are unforgettable and an absolute joy to watch, each one having a distinct personality – Issei’s cool matchmaking grandma and adoring Yoshitora, who are always there to support him, or Koya, Issei’s new BBF with who he shares epic bromance,… - without stealing the thunder from the main characters with multiple irrelevant side stories, which is something so many Asian dramas utterly fail at these days.
Even the ending is a perfect farewell to a perfect love story, completely reversing the Cinderella tale…
The fairy tale ends just like the love story for the age it is, with Issei’s proposal and promise to his Cinderella (hence the drama’s name) to live with her happily ever after - after she saved him from the evil witch - and the shoes to make up for the ones he threw away in episode 1, but, hilariously, they don't fit (turning another Cinderella trope on its head) and, just like his body and love for her, pretty much swallow her whole.
Their future lies ahead of them with one part of their journey ending where they have learned that reality and real love are much better than any games and dreams.
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Story: The story was pretty good. The fact that Dan Sa Ran was a foundling and the route she took in her life to supplement this was a bit different from other dramas. People usually try to live their lives better after learning something so shocking; Not sink further down not minimize the damage. I think the idea of using Gisaengs is something that many dramas have not touched upon, it really brought an old world feel to a modern age situation. I do think it was a little cheesy how everyone was connected by the Gisaeng House but it didn't take away anything from the drama. The only thing that people may find fault with about this drama is the fact that it took so long for the secrets to come out and to find out anything really. The other fault would be the story progression in episodes 40-50.
Acting: I absolutely loved the casting for this drama. Im Soo Hyang is perfect for the role of Dan Sa Ran. Dan Sa Ran is wise with classic beauty and a cautious but loving heart. Sa Ran's character was played perfectly, more so than any other character. Ah Da Mo was played by a new actor and while he was shaky in the first couple of episodes, you could see that he loosened up and really embraced his role as the cocky rich son who falls in love and is willing to give everything up. Geum Ra Ra had a lot growth in the drama, going from the spoiled rich girl to someone who really wanted genuine happiness. At first I was not sure how her character could redeem herself because the actress looks arrogant but she pulled it off and I developed a new found respect for Han Hye Rin.
Acting;Other characters: As far as other characters go, for the stepmom I don't think they could have found anyone as annoying as they did, the adoptive father was soft as tissue, and the sister took the family ties further than anyone else in the drama. The hospital director was very stoic and I felt he could have displayed more emotion. The head chef played the bereaved mother perfectly also.
Music: While I think they played the same song too many times, I can't really complain because I loved it. Kim Ye Won/Kim Shin Ah (the Vietnamese girl from Romance Town) sings the ending song for this drama. It is titled Yeonjungga (Song of Passion). It was beautiful and sad and seemed to match the drama perfectly. During happy times they would play a more upbeat song that still conveyed elegance.
Rewatch Value: Well I think that the rewatch value for this drama is pretty high (I've watched it twice already and will watch again) I think that for many of the actors to be old and quite a few of them to be young and new to the acting scene, you realize a lot of the differences between the generations. Watching it over you can discover new things and think of the situations from different perspectives. I know that the number of episodes is a turn-off for a lot of people but the drama really is worth it.
Overall: Overall I think this drama was absolutely brilliant, by far my favorite drama. This isn't just a one dimensional view of the drama. Considering the acting from Im Soo Hyang and Sung Hoon to the unique storyline, to the beautiful ending song that sprang up at best times during the drama I think this drama is a must watch.
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STORY (No spoilers)
For me, the idea of a couple gradually growing to love each other through an arranged marriage is an appealing concept because I am someone who carries the belief that while passion and romantic love is great for its drama and high tension, it doesn't stand the test of time. What stands the test of time is the love and devotion that comes from slowly knowing a person for who he/ she is, faults and all, and still choosing to forgive and accept the person into your heart, and to strive to make things work. Warm, gentle love vs explosive passion = warm gentle love wins for me. So, the fact that this is not your average dramatic, explosive slap/ kiss Thai lakorn, already makes this a very different beast.
The story is set in a sort of 1950s setting - love the period feel of it with the fashion and the sets. The pace might be a bit slow for those who are used to fast-paced, snappy, dramatics. By contrast, it has a relaxed, dreamy feel here. The show takes it sweet time in showing us the background of the main characters, and bulk of it is focused on your everyday living during that era.
However, this show is not exempt from the some of the usual drama tropes of bitchy second female lead. I am honestly shocked at her outrageous and ridiculous behaviour. And I am not sure if it is dramatic license or not, but some of the scenes with her come across incredibly unrealistic to me. There is also a running plot through the series of a criminal group which the main male lead is supposed to apprehend. The leader of the group, the White Tiger, practices black magic and uses it for nefarious purposes. Some of this will probably seem rather far-fetched to a viewer who does not subscribe or believe in this sort of thing, but as I come from an Asian/ Oriental culture myself, I do know that some people really do believe in this sort of thing. So, if this aspect of the show does not float your boat, feel free to ignore or fast-forward those scenes. I certainly did that myself and found that it did not detract much from the main storyline which was about how the two main leads fall for each other gradually through living with each other and discovering more about one another.
There are other secondary couplings (the 2 sisters of the female lead), but I freely confess that they did not really catch my attention because my main focus throughout this series was on the 2 main leads. But these events certainly lend some drama and also break what some people might deem as monotonous from watching the 2 main leads interact.
I personally did not find the slowness and the gradual budding love and understanding between the main leads to be monotonous or boring in the slightest. In fact this was really the sole reason I kept watching this series to the end because, as I mentioned earlier, I am a sucker for gradual building of love and trust, and for gentle and warm love.
I also particularly liked the sort of themes the show explored, about the type and kind of person one looks for in a life partner, and the kind of flexing and compromising one has to make in a relationship in order to make things work. Because life can be long and paths can be difficult, and it is good for the characters to examine what sort of life partner they would want to have with them as they make this sort of journey. Not many lakorns explore such wide, over-arching concepts and values, so this lakorn has more depth and dimension in itself, compared to loads of others out there.
PS: The editing can also be rather choppy - one of the negative things about this show. Scenes are abruptly cut with the accompanying background music also suddenly ceasing and before you know it, a completely new scene and background music jumps in. This makes for a jarring watch, especially when it happens at particularly emotional/ poignant scenes. The editing could definitely do with more work.
PPS: On hindsight, those sudden breaks of scene could very likely be due to advertisement breaks during the show's airing.
ACTING/ CHARACTERS
As I was mainly fixated on the 2 main leads, this will be my main review point.
BELLA RANEE - who plays Rin aka Brulalee, did well in portraying her to be the sort of noble gentlewoman of high society. Generally restrained, gentle and refined, I enjoyed her character and personality very much. I also like that she comes across very hands-on with the housework (though who really cooks in the kitchen with those outfits?), and is not a wilting wallflower when she feels strongly about something. Rin is not a one-dimensional character, and I like that she is relatable and realistic (unlike the caricaturish second female lead).
JAMES JIRAYU - who plays Saran, looks rather young to be a Deputy Sheriff and the male lead, but I warmed up to him because unlike your alpha-male dominant character, Saran comes across confident but not too aggressive or over-bearing. He is also humanly flawed. What I do like about this lakorn is that Saran rather quickly warms up to Rin and is willing to give her a chance and make things work out with her early in the show. James makes it easier to like his Saran character and understand his conflicts. He has a sweet smile and can carry the occasional cheeky look, which makes his character rather cute at times.
Also, I thought that the 2 main leads looked good together and there is a comfortable natural-ness to their acting which makes their love and warmth believable. It is on the strength of this great chemistry that I enjoyed the series as much as I did, so well done to both James and Bella for their portrayal of their characters in making me like them and root for their happy ending.
MUSIC
I actually like the soundtrack and thought that it suited the mood and the pace of the show very well. There is this slow, dreamy mellow feel to the music which is very reminiscent of the period itself. However, towards the later half, I thought the theme songs for Rin and Saran were starting to get over-played. it would have been nice if they had changed the songs from the second half of the show onwards to prevent song-fatigue.
RE-WATCH
I probably would not re-watch the entire show again but I may re-watch certain bits of it for the Saran/Rin interactions because they were lovely and sweet. Overall, it is a lovely, sweet, warm and slow-build little show. If you like this sort of style and premise, then you really should consider giving this a try - it certainly won't disappoint you on that front.
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Fifty Shades of Pink
Fifty Shades of Grey, this isn’t. There are parallels to be drawn involving primarily the contractual relationship trope and the BDSM theme, if it isn’t already apparent. That is where the similarities end, however. Despite the R-18 rating, I would consider Love and Leashes to be much less intense and provocative but rather more fun and heartwarming. After all, this film is meant to coincide with this year’s V-Day which takes place in just a couple of days. Hence the more upbeat and romantic vibe, this is definitely a case of love being slowly unleashed.Jung Ji Hoo is your average salaryman working in a 9 to 5 job. Unbeknownst to his co-workers, however, he has another side to him - one that involves a fetish for BDSM. One day, due to a mix-up by the delivery service, a female colleague finds out his secret. What transpires subsequently involves a whole lot of awkwardness and embarrassment as well as the resulting suggestive intimate moments, before eventually leading to something more profound.
Directed by Park Hyun Jin, who also co-wrote the screenplay adaptation with Lee Da Hye, the source material is the Naver webtoon entitled The Moral Sense conceived by Gyeoul aka Winter, which was serialised from 2015 to 2018. The original score was composed by Kim Hong Jip and Lee Jin Hee, with Lee Sun Kyu playing the guitar. Principal photography took place from April to July 2021.
What I Generally Liked
Running at just under 2 hours, I thought the film was rather entertaining and eventful. The concept is refreshing, by Korean or even Asian standards, for a mainstream production distributed globally by Netflix. You don’t often come across BDSM-themed romance as the main feature of the story and in this case, the subject matter was handled in a very tasteful and mature manner.
For me, the main takeaway from the film has more to do with the relationship dynamics in terms of the emotional connection between two individuals rather than purely the explicit nature of the BDSM acts themselves to be manifested as a comedic effect or cheap thrills. I particularly appreciated the nuances drawn from the eventual growth of both leads and the organic evolution of their relationship. Additionally, the film explores elements of office politics and gender discrimination that are very much borne of a deep-rooted patriarchal culture.
Given the involvement from Netflix, the film unsurprisingly delivers reasonably high production values. I’ve enjoyed the overall quality of the visuals presented and the set designs, while the accompanying music score nicely complements the ambience of the scenes.
My first time seeing both Seo Hyun and Lee Jun Young in lead roles and they gave a pretty decent account of themselves in their portrayals of Jung Ji Woo and Jung Ji Hoo respectively. I haven’t read the webtoon but I do think they managed to personify their characterizations the way they were intended to be convincing and relatable to viewers, to a certain extent.
The ML is just adorable, almost like a puppy who loves playing with whips, handcuffs and candle wax. The FL, on the other hand, is like a deer caught in headlights. At first, anyway, as she gradually gets a hang of the whole situation. In fact, her transformation from the down-to-earth girl next door to a dominatrix behind closed doors is quite remarkable.
For the most part, the film comes across as quite lighthearted but things do get a tad serious in the final third, where we get to observe a bit more substance in the portrayals of both leads as they finally deal with the repercussions of their actions. I honestly feel that Seo Hyun generally did more of the heavy lifting in this film.
Final Thoughts
As a feature length film that is meant to be mostly a romance comedy, I think the scope of the storytelling is quite extensive. Perhaps certain aspects could have been fleshed out more, such as the respective backstories of the leads and interactions with the people around them but I honestly think those aren’t particularly major issues. For all intents and purposes, and without giving too much away, I was rather pleased with the final outcome and closure to their story. Suffice to say, all’s well that ends well.
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