Reviews

Needlessly Frustrating

This was a frustratingly stupid mess. This could have literally been solved within the first hour if it weren't for the absolutely idiotic behaviour of nearly everyone. The police were asinine and so were many of the core characters. The mother leaving out after the first encounter was face palming silly and a whole assortment of other ridiculous foolishness this movies gets up to that I'll spare you due to spoilers.
Perhaps the worst part of this movie was it's attempts at supposed messaging and social commentary. Primarily as it set up some of the silliest and most unbelievable scenarios to comment on the treatment of the disabled. A woman frantically running, screaming and being pursued by a man with blood all over him would set off literally everybody's red flags.
But oh no she can't speak so clearly she's deranged and we won't give her the time of day. THIS WOULD LITERALLY NEVER HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE.

The acting was fine, the music reasonably forgettable but I expected nothing less. This movie should have just been in the Door Lock, Blind school of inoffensive thriller that is just tightly written and done but some how they managed to make an absolute mess of it.

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I really can't figure out why this isn't as popular as it should be.

I was sucked it by the first episode-- watched it all in barely four days. There was really nothing about it I didn't like. I actually tried to find problems with it:

Music= I didn't watch it on mute! Good job music.
Romance (too much/little)= this is how you balance, man.
Action (pointless/thrilling)= :') All interesting and had a purpose
Actors= chemistry was great, I didn't have to cringe at anyone
Comedy (too much/little)= Came just when I needed it. It was sarcastic and witty and wow I'm pretty sure I didn't laugh at anything I wasn't supposed to this time because, y'know, good acting
Ending= the only time I really didn't mind an ambiguous ending.

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Visual leads with cute chems… no breakup! almost no angst!

What i like:
- The visuals of the leads is just something… come one, have u seen them? N the chems is cute… i’m not a big fan of a noona romance, but Angela Baby looks so young n beautiful, so i have no probs in that dept…
- No breakup once they get together… the relationship between the leads is just so healthy… yes he’s younger by 7years in the drama, but he doesn’t act like it, he is very mature n such an adult, especially in the relationship with her… ML is honestly how a perfect BF should be like…
- I like almost all characters, everybody has plus n minus n redeem themselves eventually, even the father… except FL’s ex, he’s just something else… he didn’t take the villain route though, so there’s that…
- No real villains, not even the ex… no real SFL either, lots of girls like ML, but noone annoying or playing tricks, their luv is strong…
- Almost zero angst!
- The side couples r cute too… FL’s BFF with ML’s boss (he has a kid, so that plot is funny) n FL’s lil bro with FL’s colleague/ML’s friend… all HE…

Why i was a bit conflicted:
- The relationship was a bit complicated… ML&FL r not related by blood, n even though they r stepsiblings, they were never raised together… he went abroad for a long time then they met again when they r adults… he fell for her first, then after a while they got together… i personally don’t think it’s wrong, but somehow i wish they weren’t step siblings, it’s still weird in a way…
- Again i’m not a fan of a noona romance… but since i like both leads, n they look so cute together, so yeah, i enjoyed watching them…
- There were a bit boring parts in the drama, but it was ok portion… i wish they could show more of them being together in front of other people n not being cute only when there’s noone around…
- The working plot wasn’t that strong either…

Overall i really like it! I’d def recommend this for people who like a light romcom n don’t mind a bit complicated background for the leads… n it’s a HE…

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Yet another highly praised show that failed to resonate with me.

As a piece of entertainment, it is more than decent. But it is unsatisfactory in the messages it is trying to get across. It raised very important problems, such as being driven into a corner by a competitive society and being stuck in a poverty cycle, and feeling oppressed and helpless as a youth. These are extremely prevalent and sensitive issues in SK and other countries. The show offers a message that comes from good intentions, but it is over simplified and maybe even insensitive towards depression and mental illness. Throughout the show, there is no empathy offered to the main character's suffering, but rather a lingering feeling of "your pain is bearable compared to many others who have suffered so much more than you". Which is obviously distasteful and wrong in many ways. It's classic victim blaming, coming from an outsider's POV.

Furthermore, it ultimately does not provide any tangible solutions to any of the main character's problems and he will realistically end up in the exact same place. In the end, he's just back to square one with the wounds of living multiple lives and with the guilt of hurting others with his decision. There is no accountability for the further damage to his mental state. I can't help but feel that if that was the route the show was going to take, it shouldn't have presented such severe societal issues through the main character's story in the first place.

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Something new u might like <3

I eventually decided to give it a try because I like Aaron in 'professional single' hence I wanna see more of his project! I have watched up to eps 24, and surprisingly enjoyed it (even though it's quite angst hiks)! At first, it was a bit awkward indeed, but hey! It's not that bad as others said though! Its storyline is basically about a domineering CEO who has a strange superpower that allows him to control others, besides reading someone's mind. However, he couldn't use his power upon FL. The 'CEO' stuff is not only a title or cover, but they genuinely implied basic business such as strategy marketing, how to maintain a good price to compete with other brands, etc.
FL herself is a bold, stylish (her fashion lure my eyes ngl) as well as tough woman. FYI, ML and FL were high school mates. They're best friends, moreover, ML had a crush on her back then. Due to one misunderstanding, FL cut ties with ML. Time skip, they encounter each other once again. They keep bickering yet I see he still deeply in love with her.
Aside from that, this drama is even funnier than I imagined, let alone side characters lmao!! I like the bromance thing between ML and his bestie (the doctor) as he's so hilarious :D
Lastly, don't think so highly about cdramas, just let it flow, then you'll find your own peace. If it's not here, find your kind of comfort dramas out there without messing up in the comment section. Luv! <3 *purple heart*

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How a bad lead character can ruin a show

This story is about a 70 year old woman that finds herself not being needed and feeling unwanted by her own daughter after spending her life raising her while running a restaurant. One day after an argument she leaves home and ends up at a shop where her appearance is changed, taking her back 50 years to her 20 year old self. Now in a much younger body she must decide what she will do and if maybe this is her chance to follow the dreams she abandoned long ago.

First this show has great side characters. The two male leads are great and fun to watch, the granddaughter is multifaceted, and the overall concept makes the story interesting. The music is also great which adds to the appeal. But, while I enjoy aspects of this show the things I do not enjoy outweigh the things I do. The cinematography is mostly done very well but the repetitive use of the close ups on the faces at a downward angle are really unflattering. It is such an odd camera angle and used so frequently that it is hard to overlook at times. The styling of the show also feels unbalanced making the show that is set in 2024 feel more like its decades behind.

The show's biggest blunder, however, is that it suffers from two major flaws. First is in the execution of the the main character's transmigration. Time travel and transmigration can be a bit tricky to get just right but there are so many examples of stories where leads went back in time or were able to start their lives over that were complete successes and that is due to the way the performances were delivered. As a viewer I have no problem with a 70 year old becoming a 20 year old again and having a second chance at achieving their dreams but for it to work the character has to feel like they are young again. This show gives us Mal Soon/ Do Ri who is taken back 50 years to appear as her younger self but she never once acts young. She continues to behave, dress, and speak exactly like her 70 year old self. This approach feels like a miss to me because I find that I can not connect with the character when she behaves in this way as it never feels like she is trying to achieve her dreams or change her life. She is just trapped in this younger body and instead of actively pursuing her dream of becoming a singer she is being dragged into it. This is also where the romance feels wrong to me. I can accept her falling in love with a man the same age as her appearance if she behaved that way but since she never sheds her 70 year old persona then the romance with a much younger man gives me a bit of the ick.

That leads me to the second major flaw and that is in the way the main character behaves. Mal Soon/ Do Ri is not a likeable character. She is arrogant and stubborn but without just cause to be that way and the way she treats the people around her is selfish. Her not being likeable at first would have been fine and would have shown character development and allowed the viewer to grow to like her. But 10 episodes in and this character is still not likeable. Not liking the titular character of a drama for the entirety does not make it an enjoyable watch. Especially for a show like this that is supposed to be a romance and a second chance at life.

The flaws are made more glaring when you see Park Jun become his younger self and actively accept the change and dress and behave as a 20 year old would. He still gives advice or makes comments with the wisdom of years as he would as an older man but he is believable as a young man and easy to root for. Mal Soon's daughter is another horrible character that you never find yourself feeling pity for because she is just as awful as Mal Soon. Even with the reveals that give some reasoning behind their actions I find that they are given too late in the show so there is no impact. The change in the characters occurs far too late in the series and is rather sudden instead of the gradual build up throughout that would have given the viewer more attachment to the story.

Could have been a good story but ultimately fails to capture any of the magic and 'what if' energy I usually get from watching transmigration stories. The last two episodes are touching but also confusing and ultimately underwhelming ending the series with many unanswered questions.

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I don´t understand why so many don´t like it!

I know it is overwhelming to see all the negative comments!!!
But trust me it was a really sweet story!
First of all I understand that it´s the typical old school school romance BL love story so it can be boring for many,
because there are so many that exist already!!
Also they should have wrapped it up after 8 to 10 episodes .. 12 was to long!
Other than that for me it was a very sweet wholesome story of two people falling in love!!
Yes there was a bit of drama but nothing over the top.. they always managed to get back together
and the reasons why there was some drama was also Ok and nothing that people can´t understand!
I get that people want to get other story´s as the same old school classic stuff...
BUT IF u want a classic school love story this is completely fine!
There are many sweet moments and also really good kissing scene´s!
I completely recommend watching it until the end and not stooping halfway thru...
even if there are some parts that they should have made way shorter!
Over all I love Joong & Dunk As a couple and I think they really improved (especially the kissing)
also the second couple was very sweet as well!
I want to see more of Aou & Boom hopefully someday with an own story!
the only thing was that I did not like that there where to many episodes and that Zo´s (Dunk) mom was a bit aggressive in the way to teach her son...she put to much pressure to him! I didn´t liked that at all! But it ended all well!
So please really give it a try!!!!!

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1) The reason I watched this:

I was mainly attracted by the cast then the story seemed intriguing enough I just went for it without high expectations or anything.

2) Storyline/Plot:

Generally speaking the story was about royalty nowadays and north-south Korean peace process through love, pain and many other mixed feelings. The Korean nation, the king, the love realtionships, loyalty, friendship and action therefore you can say that the story got it all!

Positive points:

*The different theme: When you watch too many dramas of the same genre you would get tired of all the Korean romantic stories that share the same plot but this was unusual; script writers gave a unique story: I haven't seen anything like it before.
*The South and North Koreans never ending troubles; this existed before in some dramas like "Muyang the spy", it's not a new theme but it was greatly expressed here. Well, a non-Korean person may find himself not interested in this sort of theme but everyone ould like to watch the peace process and the two nations reunion.
*Royalty nowadays was a great background. It's true that "My princess" shared the same background but "King2Hearts" was way too interesting.
*The romance was cute but not shallow. The romantic development was always captivating especially that there's two different love stories to follow.
*The action was set up in a good way; those scenes were exciting to watch. Writers were brilliant for inserting action in this story because that genre is able to eliminate any sort of balnk moments.
*Involving other countries like China, the U.S and even Japan in the drama made the events complicated in a good way.
*Politics: it wasn't heavily present but when it existed it was well doe especially the diplomatic talks.

Negative points:

*I wouldn't say it's a negative point but I wanted the main couple's love story to go deeper since there was lack of drama in that aspect.
It's true that there were many obstacles but I felt like they got together so soon. Anyway, it wasn't bad but I wanted everything to go deeper in this drama.
*Beside that, everything was cool except something that happened near the end but it would be a spoiler if I mention it.

Story: 9.5/10

3) Acting/Cast:

*Lee Seung Ki : I've seen him in two dramas before but here he was amazingly different. At the beginning, he may sound childish but in some point he felt like a total grown up plus his character development was greatly done. I fell for his role and even his speeches were nicely spoken plus he delievered great emotions.

*Ha Ji Won: I like this actress because she have a great way in portraying her roles. Here, she was different from what I saw before. Being a couple with Lee Seung Ki may seem like a huge age gap but events didn't allow to think much about that side. Then there's her North Korean accent: that was really annoying to hear at the beginning but I got used to it as the drama went on. I specially liked her actions scenes and her convincing acting.

*Jo Jung Suk: i haven't seen him in anything before before but I fell for the character ever since his first meeting with Lee Jae Ha and everything that happened later on, he was so cool.

*Lee Yoon Ji: Special likes for the princess; I liked her character and her relationships with everyone.

*I didn't hate Jhon Mayer like I hated his stupid psycho artist Tara or whatever, I still want to kill her!! But I have to admit that they were great actors and performed their parts greatly.
*The remaining cast were awesome; thumb up to the WOC team and the queen.

*The chemistry and relationships between the cast members was cool uncluding other countries cast; it was cool to hear English, Chinese, Japanese and even French here.
* I rarely give 10's to any drama's cast or acting department but here I was deeply impressed.

Cast: 10/10
Acting: 9.5/10

4) The ending:

I really hated one event near the ending that I even considered it a negative point earlier but that doesn't deny that we had the ending that we wanted.
The ending a nice closure to a great drama.

The ending: 8.5/10

5) My impression (How did it affect me):

*I really enjoyed this drama, so much that I feel some sort of emptiness when it ended.
*I always love the unique different stories and I found that in this drama's storyline. Special likes to politics since I love it.
*The cast was amazing one of the fewest drama's cast that I genuinely loved.
*I had all sort of feelings while watching this: great impression.

My impression: 9/10

6) Overall:

*If you like watching royalty stories then you would like this.
*If you're looking for an interesting story the this is for you.
*If you like romance combined with action and politics then you would like this.
*If you like Lee Seung Ki/Ha Ji Won then you need to watch this.

Overall: 9.5/10.

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a really thilling and imaginative story

Well. having read previous reviews and had watched 3 episodes, I really had the dilemma whether I should continue watching Grid or not. Thank goodness I did! The storyline was very clear from the beginning and you could easily connect all the dots given by the writer, when the appropriate time came to it. Suspensful, full story, no holes in it at all. It kept my mind alert all the time and I had no difficulty whatsoever in following the story. I really do not understand why other viewers found it so difficult and non coherant. The idea of grid was all over the place, it did not fail the story not even once. Another thing that was interesting about it, is how the writer exploited the theory of probabilities and the philosophical question of what time is. She wisely kept a low tone tossing the question to the viewers for the time being. Excellent job, mrs. jakkanim!
I trully believe that it was one of the best Kdramas I've seen so far, and I 'm anticipating season 2. All the hints for season 2 were given from episode 7 and on.
Worth watching it? A profound Yes.
Acting was very good from all actors, many kudos to all of them.
Directing was also fantastic throughout all episodes, especially the two last ones. It was giving the hints of season 2 in a very laconic manner which I loved. Congrats to the director for that and also the writer who had the bouldness to keep it that way.
Finally, the music was auxiliar to the story and not over the top, but I'd rather like one more score than the one and only, just for variety.
Rewatch value, now. Yes, I'd watch it again.
I hope this review would attract more viewers, thank you for reading this.

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Honestly felt more like a kpop fangirls wet dream rather than an historical coming of age drama. Which is a pity, because the actors did really well, but the writing was horrible.

I honestly don't know what the writers were thinking because the characters were interesting, but not developed enough to be interesting or matter and the acting wasn't that bad, Go-Ara is a brilliant actress but her character was written so badly she couldn't show her skills. Park Seo-Joon did a brilliant job with what he was given, although he wasn't as badly written.

The worst character was by far Han-sung. His character was so interesting - A fun-loving young man who loved his peasant brother dearly, opposed his families views, and had the burden of being the sole heir. THE POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT WAS IMMENSE. But he got no development and was shown perhaps once every other episode. He was a big part of the shift in direction towards the end but his dynamic with various characters wasn't explored so it was more of a fact stated than actors showing this - again, writers fault, not the actors.

Some characters had interesting histories but weren't explored at all - mainly the Hwarang who didn't know who his father was.

The romance was just thrown in their for the sake of showing some kissing. Park Seo-Joon and Go-Ara did well enough to show that their characters cared for each other, but story wise, the romance wasn't needed. I cared much more for the dynamic between Hyung-Sik and Seo-Joon.

The plot had potential, but showrunners focused more on Go-Ara walking around depressed than moving the plot forward.

Overall, the acting wasn't bad at all but the showrunners left no room for the actors to, well, act. The characters were so 2D that it was like asking an actor to act as a lifeless corpse.

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I started this drama for obvious reasons - Lee Seung Gi and Suzy. But this drama instantly gripped me with the parents' story. Before I knew it, I was gushing over Wol Ryung's cuteness and crying over his sad 'demise'. For me, Wol Ryung and Seo Hwa had a truly classic and epic love story. Coming to the other cast, Kang Chi is like my role model now. He's just so pure and righteous, without ever acting superior. And Yeo Wool was just the kind k-drama lead that I love. She never annoyed me and I just loved her kickass-ness. It was weird seeing Sung Joon in a supportive role after his amazing performance in Shut up! Flower Boy Band. But I loved him as Gon too :)

I think this drama had the right balance of suspense, comedy, fantasy and romance.

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As a fan of the webtoon "Girls of the Wilds" I have always wished for a live action dram to be made from it. I was excited when I came across "Sweet Combat" shortly after it had started airing. However, this can only be described as a loose adaptation of the webtoon. Even though it's not an exact production of the original story, I do think that the main plot is there and the personalities of the all the main characters are also close to the original. It's obvious that around episode 15 the writers decided to veer away from the original story and just sprinkle things in here and there. But they did stay true to the main plot and the feelings of the main characters. The only thing that I'm really disappointed in is the fight scenes and the lack thereof compared to the original story. The intense fight scenes of the original story was one of the biggest draws I think. But, this is a Chinese idol drama and has to fit that mould as well as a budget that probably couldn't afford a Jackie Chan stunt team. All in all I think it is a decent drama to watch. And if you haven't read the original webtoon I would suggest checking it out, but maybe wait until after watching the drama.

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It's a keeper for me

I decided to write a review after a particular scene in episode 8 sparked a cherished memory. It reminded me of the classic film ‘Heaven Can Wait’ (1978, starring Warren Beatty), where a glance into his eyes reveals his true identity to her, despite being in another body. That moment always gives me tingles. Having watched the film countless times growing up, I find this drama evokes similar emotions. It’s a story that celebrates inner beauty and true love, transcending mere physical appearances. The series is not just about laughs—though it certainly has its funny moments—but also mystery, intrigue, and a compelling narrative. I was captivated from the first episode and eagerly anticipate each new one.

Liu Xue Yi is fantastic as always. He's a real star.

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No, forcing is not sexy.

Yes, my rating is quite low. And i'm verry sorry for those who appreciated this.
But as a person who was in a kinda abuse relationship, it was really really hard to watch. I ended watching all by skipping.

It was very promising. I just loved how Phayu and Rain met, I found this so romantic. Maybe the first scene of first episode was the best. However, it didn't last very long before Phayu tries to force Rain into sex, then treatening him and blowing hot and cold. Some find this sexy, to me that's just how a narcisist works. But at least, Rain felt he had the choice, if we forget the first rape atempt, despite preassure ("I"ll mAke uU fAll In lOve").

We can't say the same for Sky, who was preassured to have sex with his cOol and rIch Prapai, then stalked everywhere despite not wanting to have a relationship yet. Just how can you force a younger guy to have sexe with you ? Is that how an elder should behave ? Characters may have changed later, I just can't accept even the healthier relationship when bases are so wrong. T

hat's a waste because that started not so bad, the idea of illegal racing was good... But basically, the message of this series is "Have money and you can force everything you can, you can rape and treatening for sex". I know that happens in reality, but at least Thai dramas last years tried to work on people understanding that being gay doesn't equal being easy and always saying yes. But this drama just destroys all this work that was made.

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This adaptation depressed me

Japan is always unique and exception in making Boys Love stories but what the hell is this ? Sorry but I think this drama is made just to make money instead of giving viewers excitement , happiness . Thai adaptation was good and there were so many good actors , plots , funny scenes but here is everything missing . As this is adopted from a good story so they should give justice like the Thai one did .

Every episode is too short to describe the story .
Acting is bad ( I did not like )
In every episodes , there are lots of NC which are not enjoyable .
The characters are too childish to play Sky and Rain .
There are lots of cringy moments .

At the end of the day this is the worst adaptation . It could not match Japanese high standard in BL dramas .
Thank you .

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