Reviews

I started watching this drama because the plot seemed interesting. How would the characters react when they realize they are in a fake world, with a fate already decided ? And not even the main characters of the story ? The first episodes where Dan Oh realizes that and wants to change her fate made me hope it would be a refreshing drama, but it didn't last long.
After that, the drama is just the typical romance in high school. And I couldn't even get myself to support the main couple because screenwriters made Haru look completely dumb in the beginning. I even wondered if he was supposed to have a handicap or something. I understand some scenes were for fan service purpose, but it could have been done in a less stupid way. So you might be happy if you're a fan of Rowoon to begin with, but I was just facepalming. Plus Rowoon isn't very good at acting, although it gets a little better at the end. So for most of the drama I couldn't believe he loved Dan Oh. And the problem is, that's the only thing his character is here for. He doesn't have a back story like Kyung that could have made me like another aspect of him.

Other than that, this drama is full of dramas' clichés (you'll even find one TWICE) and of "plot twists" that you can see coming from miles away. At some points I thought I would be surprised, that things will be less simple than I thought... and no. It never happened. This drama doesn't take any risks, and it's such a letdown with a promising plot like that. Except for one character (who is not even a main one) most characters don't have any evolution, or a veeery rushed one as if screenwriters just realized the end was near and almost nothing had changed. The ending was meh because again, it was nothing I couldn't predict.

The only things I liked in this drama are :
1) the two first episodes where Dan Oh realizes she's a mere extra in a comic.
2) characters laughing at the ridiculousness and cheesiness of their comic world, very similar to Boys over flowers. While actually, Extraordinary you is also very cheesy.
3) Kyung, only because he was the main source of things actually happening in the drama which is otherwise very plain. But I got sick pretty quickly of the lead/second lead dynamic with Haru.

To sum it up this drama is boring and couldn't live up to my expectations, and I really don't understand why some people love it so much.

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Producer Ahn Pan Seok is considered one of Korea's finest PDs for three main reasons: his shows are beautiful works of art defined as much by what he doesn't choose to show as much as by what he does; his use of music is poignant, artful and powerful; and he's a strong feminist, creating female victims of a sexist and misogynistic culture and then freeing them in ways that can be brutal but are no less cathartic.

So it seems strange to write a review about his latest work and say that, while it no less beautiful or artful or well-framed, it's use of music is ear-screechingly bad and its portrayal of women's lives depressing. In fact, this is the most depressing Korean drama I've seen since Misty told us a woman can only have success if she destroys men - and she won't be happy anyway when she does it.

Which is not to say that there is anything wrong with the writing, acting or cinematography of this show. It is, in fact, a warm and often-visually beautiful representation of the ordinary life of a very ordinary noona and her very ordinary romance with her friend's dongsaeng. But it is in the show's realism that it fails.

Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin) is the most everywoman portrayed on TV: told her job is to compromise, to keep the peace, to slide through without conflict. Basically raised to be this way and then simultaneously judged for being this way. Forced to be a participant, essentially, in her own mistreatment. In the end, Jin-ah will only be happy, and the people around her will only be happy, if she stops trying to make everyone happy. She's such an everywoman that I don't know why the writers and the PD told the story at all - unless it's to completely depress us as to the current state of feminism.

For those who want a fluffy, happy romance this is the wrong show, even if there's a lot of that in the first half. Love it seems can survive in a bubble but can't survive the real world, even if the two people in the romance are not doing anything wrong.

In the end, this show gets a seven because it was a very good piece of television despite the depressing overall theme. The one true flaw was the OST, which was so awful it had me muting the soundtrack throughout. If you told me a few weeks ago that I'd be muting the soundtrack in a PD Ahn drama, I wouldn't have believed you. But here I am. And if I have to hear 'Stand By Your Man' one more time, it will be one time too many.

Sometimes it is hard to be a woman. But only if you are brought up to embrace noble martyrdom as a woman's main role. It is ironic perhaps that the people who will truly hate this show are the ones who love shows that promote woman's noble martyrdom as a virtue to be rewarded - like Mischievous Kiss. And while there is a lesson in that for women, it's not a particularly uplifting one.

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This was a nice break from the usual korean drama i usually watch, highly recommended drama!

Historical drama to an extend happened in real life, people may think that, the writers are not creative thus they decide to use history. Well yes! The writers did that and it was done wonderfully! It was such a nice drama, seeing history unfolding right in front of your eyes! The romance between the princes and Rouxi was so nice, you can't decide which prince you want to ship Rouixi with.

The casts was perfect for each of the characters they played. You can't hate any of the characters even if they have done such an evil deep, you'll end up feeling sorry for them instead. The acting was great, you will find yourself, crying then laughing and crying again and the emotion is just like a roller-coaster ride. It was perfect!

An other perfect thing for this drama is that the music was beautiful, i even downloaded their theme song onto my ipod and i dont even understand chinese! That's saying some thing. It was beautiful, the melody and the music for each scene was perfect for it. Oh let me warn you, once you're done with this series and the theme song comes up. You'll feel like crying cause you miss this series so so much!

Overall i'm rating this drama a 10! Just because it's perfect and i watched this drama 4 days straight! Once i got up, i turn on my laptop and continue watching it.

Reasons to watch this drama:
- Strong female character
- Handsome and pretty actresses
- Awesome Plot
- Roller-coaster ride of emotions

If you like those this drama should make your day!

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Hello there, past addiction for the past few months! This drama is ridiculously good, and ridiculously bad at the same time. How can that be? As much as I love our main character, I can't even tell you how many times I was hell bent on throwing objects at her via computer screen. At the same time, she's lovable, quirky and extremely clueless, which is how most heroine's are. Did I mention she kicks ass, like literally? There's a love triangle and I honestly can't tell you who I was really rooting for, but all in all, I was content with the ending. There's annoying secondary characters (like all dramas) but they sort of turn out to be lovable. LOVED IT. Must watch, for serious.

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Not good, not bad.

Produced by JTBC Studios & Megaphone, "Green Mothers' Club (그린마더스클럽) [2022]" is a mild makjang Kdrama putting particular emphasis on parenting, education of kids and friendship between mothers. Written by Shin Yi Won and directed by Ra Ha Na, the show was also aired on Netflix.

This will be a simple review.

The story follows five mothers, residing in the same neighborhood, and the growth in their motherhood in the course of time through thick and thins, learning and unlearning as well as adapting and rejecting, ideas, notions and behaviours, while they strive to deal with the concerning problems about their own. It also depicts the establishment and development of friendship between mothers as they attempt to tackle issues surrounding them and their kids.

# Lee Eun Pyo (Lee Yo Won), a mother to 2 little boys, is a self-confident woman and a loving person, who believes in relaxed education for kids and always puts emphasis on how it's important to help children grow to become good human beings rather than making them academic robots. She's personal flaws though which is irritating.

# Byun Chun Hui (Choo Ja Hyun), a mother to a boy & a girl, is a highly ambitious woman yet under-confident, who has contradictory beliefs to Eunpyo and can go to great extents when it comes to make her kids reach the top of the race.

# Seo Jin Ha (Kim Gyu Ri), a mother to a boy, is an highly esteemed artist, yet struggles to deal with her own mental health and is greatly emotional & expressive.

# Kim Young Mi (Jang Hye Jin), a mother to a girl and a boy, is a propagator of anti-capitalistic & advanced education methods and have the ability of self-control.

# Park Eun Ju (Joo Min Kyung), a mother to a girl, is an easygoing lady who loves her family so much and can be easily manipulated by others.

Provided that the drama revolves around the child actors to a huge extent and the fact that all of them, casted in the show, have done a tremendous job in carrying out their roles, I believe they needs to be mentioned as well...
# Jung Dong Seok (Jung Shi Yool) and Jung Dong Ju (Lee Chae Hyun): Eunpyo
# Kim Yu Bin (Joo Ye Rim) and Kim Young Bin (Kim Seo Jun): Chunhui
# Henry (Shin Seo Woo): Jinha
# Sae Bom (Jeon Yu Na) and Jul Pin (Ahn Seok Hyun): Young Mi
# Lee Su In (Park Ye Rin): Eunju

On that note, I think I should mention the husbands as well, haha....
# Jung Jae Woong (Choi Jae Ram): Eunpyo. He's the best and cleanest character of all.
# Kim Joo Seok (Choi Deok Moon): Chunhui
# Louis Bunuel (Roy): Jinha
# Oh Geon Woo (Im Su Hyung): Youngmi
# Lee Man Su (Yoon Gyung Ho): Eunju

Plot development is quite a goal (for 12 episodes); def something to look forward to. While giving the impression that the writer doesn't really indulges to a single plot element, it throws light upon several things, from family to friendship, child mental health to education system and murder to mystery; it sums up everything in a decent way. Pilot episodes were good enough to expect from the show, and so is the furtherance throughout. At every twist it felt like they're gonna exaggerate the plot, they come up with another interesting element to keep you hooked; never ran outta context. The last 4 episodes did feel a lil dragging in terms of the mystery plot, but I don't think it affects the overall quality much. Coming to my personal thoughts, the show was till 12th, then the plot became a lil choppy in 13th & 14th and finally the 15th and 16th episodes somehow went wary, even so it wasn't obvious. Whatever disappointment actually comes in the 15th ep was from the 2 main ladies of the show, rather than the overall plot; their ways of dealing with the consequences, it was stupid and funny, really. Nevertheless, the 16th episode recovered the damage to a level and the ending sequence of 20 minutes was satisfactory.

Shin Yi Won jakkanim being a debutant have been able to pull off a decent and well composed script with a handful number of flaws. I am in fact happy that the story is not entirely a makjang story, rather a melodrama with both makjang and slice-of-life elements. The plot development is beyond likable and definitely makes you look forward. The pacing is perfect, with momentary rushing/obtuse, here and there, which is manageable. I suggest you look forward to the character arcs and their development, bcs it's both simple and intricate at times and reflect reality, that has been executed by natural means. The only problem with the writing from the writer's pov was the final character assessment, where the writer decides to make the characters do stupid things.

Even though Ra Ha Na PDnim debuts through this drama, seems like they've (they/them/theirs) gathered amazing amount of experience during her previous jobs. Directing a drama special, a webdrama and assisting a full length cable drama, they have taken their fair amount of time to work on their skills. The screenplay management, the scenario establishment, the screen editing tasks, the sound production, the cinematography and the overall execution has been well taken care of. The modern urban setup with both vivid and light hues or variable pallettes were able to serve the demanded essence.

There are 5 OSTs in total which are not noteworthy though addicting. "Happiness" by Nakkyeum is a jolly song which portrays the desire to have good days ahead. "Moonlight Mother" by Jang Pil Soon is an ode to motherhood that shapes in various forms, with the soulful rendition of the artist. "What If" by Jung In is a melancholic reminiscence of alternative possibilities. "Ivory" by Jemma depicts the conflict with your own as well as with others. "A Song For You" by SAya is a track for friendship or soulmates. Other than the tracks, the background music as well the opening theme credit are beautifully composed.

What I liked...

# The plot development is amazing, with each of it's major elements in perfect proportions, that too addressing them at appropriate time. I am happy that it was not a complete makjang which also chose to emphasize on education and friendship to a great deal. I admit the last 4 episodes could have been better but I personally don't think it was ruined or something.

# The natural human instincts, changes in mind, ups & downs in friendships as well as mental health issues including the side-effects of distorted mentality, etc. have been meticulously and explicitly portrayed through variety of human behaviours.

# The particular representation of mental health issues concerning children, is another reason you should be looking forward to. Putting pressure on those blooming minds and making them go beyond their limits by forcing them to overdo can lead to grave situations, and the drama stands out as an alarmist.

# Unveiling of mystery plot isn't really very impressive of sort but it surely takes you to edge during it's peaks, which is more than two dozens in the show. I love how things were still mysterious even for the finale.

# GMC indeed shows you several sides of parenting methods as well as the pros & cons of them. Parents attempting to fulfill their own dreams through their children, leading children along shoddy roads through their actions & reactions and overprotecting, could be creating a path of disaster, no matter the amount of love they pour. You get to witness, the failure of both the protagonists and antagonists as parents and everything boiled down to what the show actually allows you to take home away.

# Friendship in Kdramas aren't new but with each drama, we get to see an unique growth and bonding. So was the case here and the most valuable one was between Eun Pyo & Chun hee, which was based on their thoughts and action as mothers of their children. Look forward to it.

# The distorted education system, the way it shapes parenting and it's effect on the children have been well drawn and felt real.

# The character development on the parts of the main adult and child characters was enjoyable since the respective growths were contributed from various factors that are experienced by us in real, from a close proximity. The last 2 episodes, however, ethically ruins the main characters a bit but thankfully the writer recovered them.

What I didn't like...there isn't much, really...

# The dragging towards the ending, though subtle, was a lil annoying yet bearable. The final delivery from the characters was annoying and disgusting per se.

# I would have loved Jinha to have more screentime for 2 reasons: firstly, Kim Gyu Ri is a fabulous actrees and was able to carry out the role stupendously, exhibiting in herself and evoking in the viewers, the accurate emotions and, secondly the character had so much scope to regulate the story itself; I admit the writer could be correct in drawing the fates in her own accord, it's just I was expecting better.

# Similarly, I was really disappointed with Jang Hye Jin having very limited screentime in comparison to other major characters. Kim Young Mi definitely was the main role in her own world, who also played the most important part in unveiling one of the key facts, but the inconsistencies in her appearance throughout the show is what irked me the most.

Final Remarks... Overally, a good show with well developed storyline, amazingly directed and executed, which had a decent outcome. Would love to recommend others. My initial experiences with the drama would rate it 8.0 but with the progress and finale I would retain at 7.5. Even so I won't really discredit the efforts entirely bcs the overall thing isn't exactly bad. I believe it's absurd to reject something based on the final experiences, so yeah!

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1)Objective :

This drama is one of those dramas that have a full ride story : It's the kind of storyline that's not common, it can sure give you another sense of entertainment and mixed up feelings.
The story was devided : before episode 6 and after episode 6 : it sure gave it another spirit with time passing by and all, even though there were some dramas like that but this one was diffrent, it had another concept that you feel like you've never seen it before.
The storyline development was amazing even the little things sounded very important.
The cast was perfect: i can't imagine a diffrent one, both lead actors were awesome not to forget the cute little child, he gave the drama another diffrent cute perspective. Even the supporting roles have made the drama much enjoyable.
I remember the music and i do believe that this drama is very rewatchable, at the matter of fact, i think about rewatching it sometime soon.

2)Subjective :

This drama is one of my favorite taiwanese dramas of all time ! I felt like i was in a great ride, going through all the details and amazing events withut a blink of an eye.
At every ep, i feel like i've waited for it forever and i keep expecting more and more from it.
All the romantic moments were enjoyable for me, wether it was at the beginning, in the middle or at the end.
I enjoyed the leads performance and i really liked the cute child and wanted to see him everywhere.
Autumn's Concerto is one of the dramas that i'm unable to forget not even the little details, because when i was watching it, i was really excited and felt all kind of feelings that the actors were delivering.

3)Overall :

This drama is recommandable to everyone specially romance lovers : It won't fail you expectations.

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I have never felt so confident in a K-Drama's perfection as I have with It's Okay It's Love. From the very first episode to the very last, I watched with anticipation and angst to reach the end and see how everything unravels.

First off, the story progression was absolutely great. It was nicely paced without giving everything away too quickly. A lot of things could have gone wrong with its progression but the writers avoided all my concernsl. If they changed the focus of the plot to tackle some of the slightest story lines that they left untouched, it would have hurt the overall plot progression, but whomever wrote the script is a genius.

Secondly, the cast was great. With each drama I watch, I keep saying "oh God this cast is great," but end up somewhat feeling like I forced myself to say that. However, with this cast, I instantly saw the chemistry and knew that they were having fun with it. They weren't forcing themselves to play the role. Instead, it came naturally and that's the beauty of this cast. Also, the love between all the couples was refreshing. As a dude, I would normally cringe at this stuff, but the more K-Dramas I watch, the more I become inclined to smile at a good K-Drama couple when I see one and this drama was no exception. Love was all throughout the air, and I need to kindly ask to borrow some of it (and So Nyeo if that's alright).

Music wise, K-Dramas never tend to fully grip me with their soundtrack choices, but damn, this one made all the right choices. For the first ten episodes, the dramas usage of music was flawless. The songs put at each scene were cleverly chosen, and I applaud the PDs for that because some dramas choose pretty good songs, but either use them at the weirdest spots or over use them. As the show progressed, especially in the last four episodes, certain songs were being over used, but they were still being utilized well. The OST was ridiculously good and that goes for the BGM all throughout the show, too.

Lastly, for re-watch value, I give this one a 9, but honestly I never re-watch a drama, but this one is probably going to change that. I might re-watch this bad boy during Christmas time or something, but I never thought I would ever find myself saying "oh I'm going to re-watch this drama."

Overall, ridiculously good drama. Execution, writing, camaraderie, this show has it all. If you ever are contemplating whether to watch this, stop because It's Okay, That's Love is a worthy sixteen-hour long ride,

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One would expect a 'Warm and Cozy' drama to stay like that. However this quickly deteriorated into a boring and pointless drama. Don't get me wrong. The leads, romance, atmosphere and setting are all lovely. It has its strengths and won't fail to entertain you- depending on what you think entertaining is. If you're looking for some laughs, random cuteness and eye candy this drama is for you. Else, look away.

This drama can best be compared to Full House. Their resemblance at times was eery. Both dramas have a bickering couple, cuteness, a killer OST and a lot of repetitiveness. It's basically the whole back and forth of will-they-wont-they. The thing is you already know the answer and if you are not patient or if you don't have a lot of time on your hands you'd just want to give up.

I wish this drama could have remained the way it was introduced. A bit random but fresh with a lot of appeal. I won't say the freshness died or anything because come on, it is set in JEJU frickkin island. The cinematography was killer and the lead pair is endlessly soothing to look at. I really enjoyed the old school Kdrama style it followed at times but during others it made me want to tear my hair out.

I didn't have the will to rate it higher than a 8 nor did I have the heart to rate it lower. The second leads are terrible in the drama. The other couple (hyung and the diver lady) were the funniest till their relationship had nothing left anymore.

I want to mention the little attempt the drama makes at encouraging people to try living in Jeju- including foreigners. I liked how they have little programs for people to adjust to the lifestyle there. Plus they showed a really nice relationship of the people living there. The mayor was shown as a sweetheart to all the people and the way he went around in his bicycle was adorable. <3

Baek Geon Woo was a cutie at times and a jerk at others. I wish Lee Jung Joo could be a bit hard at times but she was too soft-hearted. A classic Kdrama heroine in short. Think of Full House and the characters are almost a replica at times. I dunno if anyone else felt that way or not but I did.

Anyway, I had a lot of issues with the drama but couldn't get to rate it any lower. Like Dramabeans says, how much I enjoyed it v/s how much it deserves- I'd say an 8 v/s 6. That's it. Now decide for yourself whether you wanna watch it or not.

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Coffee Prince was okay, possibly even decent, but I didn't like it. For a drama that is lauded as being thoughtful, fresh, romantic and cheeky it came across as being disappointingly stale, languid and excessively long.

I'll give it to the writer of Coffee Prince for being able to deal with the topic of homsexuality in such a refreshing manner - especially when one considers how touchy Koreans are about the topic. Choi Han Gyul's struggle was believable and was dealt with much tact. The free and relaxed intimacy between the couples was commendable as well. However, there wasn't much going for the drama plot and execution wise.

The acting was hit or miss. It started off pretty decent, but even Gong Yoo's performance seemed lacklustre by the end of the whole parade. Yoon Eun Hye was clearly worse than she was in Goong, and asides from her crying scenes, she came across as incredibly concious of everything. I generally preferred watching the supporting cast as their performances were small doses of natural entertainment.

As with all shows about females who disguise themselves as males, one has to suspend an element of disbelief and just go with the flow when it comes to believing that Yoon Eun Hye could actually pass for a 24 year old male (she looked more like a pre-pubesecent elementary school boy if you ask me). So, I'm not going to criticise Coffee Prince for such a far-fetched premise; although, I would have much preferred for the big reveal to happen earlier rather than as late as it did, but more on that later.

My primary problem with the show was how the relationship and feelings between the leads developed and progressed. It was clear that Choi Han Gyul was totally, madly, selflessly in love with Go Eun Chan, but I never got the same vibe from Eun Chan herself. I understand that it is difficult to tell someone &quot;Oh, hey, by the way I'm a girl&quot; when they've thought you were a guy for several months, but Eun Chan's refusal to tell Han Gyul she was a girl went on for too long and her reasoning behind not telling him was selfish and self-serving. Her behaviour was unreasonably deceptive and she did nothing to ease Han Gyul's distress, everything she did was for herself and for no one else. It was difficult to believe that she actually loved Han Gyul when she continued to behave in a selfish manner after they were going steady. I get that she's poor and wants to prove her independence, but she never actually gave anything to the relationship and kept leaving Han Gyul hanging. The same thing goes for the other couple in this drama.

The second major flaw of the drama was how easily the men could be reduced to puddles of absolutely worthless misery. ALL of them were incapictated and emsaculated by the women who had them wrapped around their little fingers. Not one of them ever had a relatioship of mutual understanding with the woman that they loved. It was unbearable to watch such an unrealistic and exaggerated portrayal of male love.

Thirdly, the drama was meaninglessly long. I came to love for the fast-forward button on my remote control during the last 6 episodes. Needless exposition, supporting character story arcs that never developed and repetitive scenes where a change in scenery was the only difference all led up to an essentially fruitless finale. What was the point in having a two year time skip if the characters remained in exactly the same position as they had before? (Save for a few.)

I know that many people - especially women - will love this drama, and I can understand why it's considered a K-Drama classic because it has the makings of one (cliché + cliché + timeskip = classic), but I didn't like it as much as I liked other classics such as Goong. In my opinion, Coffee Prince is totally worth skipping. If you want a cross-dressing, reverse harem drama that is a whole lot of fun go you're better off watching Sungkyunkwan Scandal.

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It's been such a long time since I last watched a drama or wrote a review, I'll be either shot on the spot or given merciful hugs - you know, the return of the lost lamb and all that.
I hope for the last, but given what it’s to come, I can’t be too optimistic. This show has one quality in my book: it prompted me to finally watch an Asian drama to completion, after months of going over all my repertoire of already known by heart dramas. And what better way to come out of a slump, than jump happily into Melo at its highest... or lowest?

Relax, I'm not going to bore you with long explanations as to why I find this drama ranges from interesting to mediocre - suffice to say that it has all your average paraphernalia attached to a melodrama: cancer, stabbing, abandoned children, scheming side characters, the mob, the corporation with its shareholders and a complete absence of logic.
This said, if one enters Meloland with a clear head, one is also prepared for all the above and more.

However, I'd lie if I said I enjoyed the descending curve of both plot and acting, which started well and ended horrible. Beautiful Song Hye Kyo suffered a pitiful case of DAS (Degenerative Act Stiffening), to the point in the end I couldn't help but wonder if there was a real person under that perfect skin of hers. Her behavior was at times so random I had to check whether I was watching the same drama or had been catapulted into another while I blinked.
Jo In Sung is like a shot of hormones through the veins, hence making every other consideration a little hard, at least until my female mind has fully cleared from the fantasy of his km long legs and other amenities. But while I think he’s great in portraying his desperation, I do believe there was just a tad too much desperation as a whole. Why not simply make him play poker, fight and interact with yummy Kim Bum? The ending of the drama would have made just as little sense anyway.
Therefore, the acting as a whole was good, at times incredibly intense, but at others over the top or repetitive. Not the best I’ve ever seen. And as superficial as the issue may be, I found the kisses, all of them, highly disappointing, almost a relapse into K-drama wall-kisses after a series of dramas that made us all hope for a change.

I loved the piano pieces, not so the songs.

On the positive side, there’s a plot that keeps you curious as to what will happen, a wonderful cinematography – I do believe this feature should be given a mark of its own, That Winter would get a full 10 – a pair of lovely side characters, well portrayed by Kim Bum and Jung Eun Ji, and Moo Cheol, one of the most complex and appealing villain I remember . It’s definitely worth a try, granted you like makjang and don’t really care for plausibility in a work of fiction.

Oh, and please someone give me the name of Oh Soo’s coats’ designer, because they are all absolutely gorgeous and I want them (yes, before you ask, I know the coats will not come with Jo In Sung inside them…)

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Lackluster and Ultimately Disappointing Series With Cowardly Characters!

By the time you reach the last few episodes, the series becomes like a plate of mushy carrots. You choke them down just to get through them, so you can move on to something better.

I’m going to start this review by saying that Shin Hye Sun is one of my favorite actresses, and I started watching this series because I saw that she was in it. However, I will say that this is the worst series that I’ve seen with her. It’s not her fault, however. As always, she gives an illustrious performance, given the lackluster and convoluted story and a very unappealing character in Cho Sam Dal.

The series is pretty solid through about the first eight episodes or so, but then it’s all downhill from there. No, it’s actually more like dropping off a cliff because the lack of story, quality, and direction, are suddenly nowhere to be found.

Cho Samdal is a prominent photographer, rising to near the top of stardom as one of the most sought-after photographers in the business. She photographs model and celebrities. Her protégé torpedoes Samdal’s career, forcing her to retreat to Jeju Island, where she is from. She hates the island, viewing it as a primitive locale where no one can possibly succeed in anything. What we end up having is a character who whines, drinks, and cries—often in that order too! At heart, she’s a true coward and unable to deal with her thoughts, feelings, or desires as well as her inability to stand up for herself. There is very little that is actually appealing about Cho Samdal.

Cho Young-Pil is a weather man based on Jeju Island and Samdal’s former boyfriend. Young-Pil is a man dealing with the tragic death of his mother—a haenyeo diver (women who dive for mollusks and other sea life) eight years prior. At the start, all we know is that Young-Pil and Samdal broke up, leaving the viewer to question why the breakup occurred as well as who instigated it. We find that one of the most cowardly characters of the entire series is Sang Tae, Young-Pil’s father.

A drowning man will always try to pull someone down, and Sang Tae is the spitting image of a man so lost within his own grief, that he sabotages Young-Pil and Samdal’s relationship. He holds Samdal’s mother responsible for the death of his wife, despite the two women being the best of friends. What is sad is that Young-Pil never really confronts his father about his irrational and self-destructive behavior. Even when Sang-Tae is verbally abusing Samdal, Young-Pil simply stands there without offering any defense or attempt to pacify. Sang Tae is a man who can’t see anything beyond his own pain, which literally mars and threatens to destroy the true memory and love of his wife. However, nobody bothers to even bring up this point with him. He spends his time drinking and sulking. The ultimate coward is the one who won’t let go.

In the midst of this, Go Mi-ja (Samdal’s mother) is suffering from a heart condition, which we might well connect with her own grief and guilt. I found her character the most appealing, and I wished the story had focused more on her and the friendship she shared with Young-Pil’s mother.

One side-story that was also far more appealing than the main one, involved Hae Dal Cho, the youngest sister and widow of Samdal. Her interactions with Ji Chan—a dolphin expert—were sweet and far sweeter than anything between Samdal and Young-Pil. I would have preferred a story surrounding her than Samdal.

By the end of the series, we have a cast of characters who are largely cowards at heart. Samdal is unable to deal with her past or even truly fight for her future. Doormats are only appealing because you can wipe your feet on them, and yet Samdal allows her protégé to use her as one three times throughout the course of the story. Samdal only wags her finger at her protégé, which does absolutely nothing. And I’m not entirely sure why Samdal would allow her ex-boyfriend to work with her after he betrayed her. So many things in this series made absolutely no sense at all.

It's sad how everyone believes that a “better life” must be in Seoul rather than in Jeju. I would have preferred seeing everyone make a success in Jeju, rather than treating it as the hindquarters of Korea where success goes to die. Who said you have to go to a big city in order to be successful? Not only is this deluded thinking, it’s also untrue. Samdal only succeeds in revealing her level of immaturity by how much disdain she has for her hometown.

Also, are you seriously going to tell me that someone with her wealth and notoriety doesn't have an attorney on retainer?! That was about the most ridiculous thing of this series as if the writer had no clue!

The writer and director clearly had no idea where to take the story, and we have everything magically being resolved within the last few episodes without any viable explanation. Samdal doesn’t bail herself out. Everyone else does it for her, leaving the viewer to realize that she’s still never grown up or known how to take care of herself. True strength isn’t as much about helping someone out of trouble as it is about helping them figure out how to get themselves out of trouble! The story would have been far better served had they chosen that road.

Despite having some truly hilarious moments—especially the seaweed fight—Samdal is just a very annoying and largely unlikable character. She acts like a 14-year-old child most of the time. She gets angry with Young-Pil over the smallest things. She peeks at him through her bedroom window, and then gets angry when he confesses his feelings for her. She then runs off like a scared child and barricades herself in a shed because she can’t deal with any challenges or forms of confrontation. She’s about as big of a coward as you will ever find! I also lost count of how many times she hits Young-Pil. It was supposed to be humorous, but by the tenth or eleventh blow, it just becomes silly and tiresome.

Given the great cast and acting performances that this series had, it’s a real shame that it was all wasted on this unappealing story, which lacked both charm and sophistication.

I went back and watched “Our Beloved Summer” again just to get the bad taste of this series out of my mouth. I wanted to revisit a series that was well written with smart, likeable characters, because this series just doesn’t have either one. “Welcome to Samdal Ri”? More like, stay away!

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Of Gentle Feelings and True Affection: A Tale to Delight the Heart and Enchant the Feelings

I must confess myself entirely governed by the inclinations of the heart when it comes to the subject of Korean dramas. Should a tale so enchant me — if it cause me to sigh with longing, to champion the felicity of the characters, to loathe the villains with untempered zeal, and to yearn most fervently for a romance of tenderness and charm — then, most assuredly, such a drama shall secure a cherished corner in my affections. I am not, by nature, of analytical disposition; I do not dissect performances nor assess the finer points of production. It is the whole, the sentiment, the essence that captivates me. And if the principal romance should stir the gentler parts of my soul, then I confess — my heart is quite entirely won over, without the least hope of recovery.

Head Over Heels ensnared my sensibilities within mere moments of its first episode. I found in Park Seongah a creature of such innocence and ingenuousness, that I could not help but see a portion of myself reflected in her gentle manner. Nay, I envied her. I longed — ardently — to one day know an affection such as hers, kindled in but a single glance at Bae Gyeonuh. Her love was so sincere, so untainted, that I was transported into a reverie, dreaming sweetly of their union.

To witness the blossoming of his regard for her — steadfast, unwavering, and, in time, surpassing even hers in depth — was a source of endless delight. Perhaps it is the influence of my upbringing, steeped as it was in the romantic ideals of fairytales, where noble princes strove valiantly for the happiness of their beloveds, that rendered Gyeonuh’s devotion so very affecting. His every action bespoke his desire to shield Seongah, to ensure her welfare, and I was wholly under the spell of his quiet heroism from the very beginning.

I felt no grievance that the narrative did not extend to the resolution of his familial entanglements. Indeed, I am of the opinion that such individuals were unworthy of his presence, and their exclusion from the tale’s conclusion caused me no dissatisfaction.

The love shared by those two souls awakened in me a longing to one day experience an affection so earnest, so guileless — and, perchance, equally returned.

I have secured the entire drama for my private enjoyment, to preserve it for those occasions when I shall seek the comfort of nostalgia, and to feel once more the delightful tumult of emotions that their romance so exquisitely inspired.

For me, this drama deserves a resounding ten out of ten, for it is no ordinary story that may stir one’s heart to such heights, as did the tender and whimsical love between Seongah and Gyeonuh.

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No. Just no.

I should have know this was going to be a disaster after seeing the trailer and the intro episode. I honestly don’t really like anything about this show. Not the plot (it wasn't really interesting), not the execution, not the acting, not the OST… it was all very bland and mediocre. The cinematography isn’t the worst I have seen, but the lighting and certain shots are done very strangely. The comedic sounds were horrible and didn’t really blend in.

Dino & Rak: Dino looks too old to be in university and most of his “seniors” look like they are ten years younger than him. As a character, he was very straightforward but also in a slightly creepy way. I didn’t like how pushy he was at times, but also super closed off and not ready to share anything with Rak. Rak is… well Rak. There is nothing about him that stands out, he is soft and innocent. And that is his whole personality. There was some chemistry between the two actors, but it didn’t translate well most of the time. I knew Pepper (Dino) from before and I must admit I didn’t really enjoy his acting in this series. As for Kong (Rak), it felt like he had one, maybe two, expressions throughout the series. His crying was not believable, and the adorable-yet-dumb look that he wore the rest of the time was annoying.

I really wanted to give this series a chance, hoping I would at least like some of the side characters. I know that there are three more couples in the Buddy Line Y Animal storyline, so I thought at least one of them might interest me to watch its future series. Yeah, this was my one and only try at it because the rest of the characters were very meh as well.

I honestly ended up skipping a lot of the scenes, mostly because it got boring and kind of repetitive very quickly. I don’t fully understand what they were trying to do by dragging this series out into 10 parts when the storyline could be done in a much better-rounded way in less episodes. It would probably be less boring too.

I dropped this on ep 7, mostly because I couldn’t force myself to watch any more of it. Even with skipping big chunks of it. It just wasn’t an enjoyable watch.

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