1I laughed, alright, but that's about it!
The main genres listed for this drama are comedy and romance, and to be very honest, it tanked in both. I was expecting a light, rom-com with some gym aesthetics here and there but what I got instead was a drama that tried too hard to be funny that it left the romance somewhere in a forgotten side plot, only to dust it off right towards the end (literally!)Do Hyeon Jung is a gym manager/trainer and is portrayed as someone who is obsessed with health and fitness while his business is actually sinking. His entire personality is this loud bloke with exaggerated facial expressions, comedic timing and a baffling lack of professional boundaries. And while I get it is all for the laughs, I was constantly teetering between what he meant well and what was wildly inappropriate. In a real-world context, If I had a gym trainer like that it would be uncomfortable for me.
I won't lie but I did enjoy the slapstick humour in the initial 3-4 episodes but after turning my brains off. He was fun and more of a comedic relief without any depth.
Coming to Lee Mi Ran, our FL had a food-loving or should I say junk food-loving personality. From the initial episodes, I was expecting her to be a bit more layered, someone who could balance the humor out in the drama with the depth of being unapologetically herself. But unfortunately, she was reduced to surface-level traits. I felt like her character was always orbiting around other character arcs. There were moments of vulnerability that could have been explored more deeply to give both the story and her character a bit more depth.
Also, I was searching and kind of expecting some body positivity message while advocating to maintain a healthy lifestyle and realistic take on fitness but the writers clearly decided to use the same "tired stereotypes" because this message might be too heavy! Because the FL really went 2 dress sizes down in like what 2 episodes?!! No. Sorry!
The romance in the drama felt like a forgotten gym membership, where it was paid in full and never used and is only activated towards the end out of sheer guilt. For a drama marketed as a rom-com, you better not blink because you will miss it. Every week I kept waiting for the actual sparks to fly, the emotional tension to build, anything... but instead, I got fitness montages, expected supporting characters' bizarre subplots out of nowhere. I felt both the leads had better chemistry with their ex than each other. By the time, it was "finally" happening, I had checked out of their romance. In the journey of pumping up the healthy love, love was lost along the way!
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a comedy series with a bit of last-minute romance, but if I see a romcom ( see the main genre listed), I expect equal parts of comedy and romance in the driver's seat, not a setup where I have to wait 10 weeks for it to even begin and it still doesn't feel convincing till the end.
Coming to the supporting characters, they felt a bit blurry to me. Sure, each of them had their moments, but none of them really contributed to the main leads’ storyline, whether it was romantic or personal.
Lee Ji Ran and her boyfriend were just silly and I don't know if they were supposed to be the second couple but I am 100% sure the story will remain the same without both of them, that is the impact they had.
Honestly, you could branch out a whole different drama for each character: the gossip ladies who decide what to eat the moment they step into the gym, the young gym trainer with family issues or the female trainer who suddenly realizes she can be more. Individually, all these arcs are equally interesting, but the cohesiveness was kind of a mess. The way new arcs were introduced felt random like their relevance and timing just didn’t land right.
Acting-wise, I came from Weak Hero class 2 to watch Mr. Jun Young but was a little disappointed with the overall experience. He wasn't bad at all but the writing didn't support or uplift his acting. It was nothing I would run home about. Jung Eun Ji as Lee Mi Ran did a decent job based on what was given to her. Supporting characters stole the show for me in terms of acting.
Also, whoever designed the intro song should take a voluntary pay cut because it was just bizarre and if someone picks up the drama seeing the opening credits, I am sure they will decide otherwise.
Overall, despite my heavy-handed critique, this is a fun drama if you are in the mood for some over-the-top comedy. But if are expecting romance, please be very patient and do not be afraid of disappointment. I would personally not recommend this.
Also food for thought : Does it not rain in SK ? Will machines not malfunction if they are kept in open ??!!!
( Sorry had to say this outloud)
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Great for those unfamiliar with broader mental health issues; otherwise nothing truly new.
I finished this drama thanks to Seo Ye Ji and Oh Jung Se. If this review possibly happens to make you question watching IONTBO, I would tell you to watch it for these two incredible actors. I've been a fan of Seo Ye Ji since her Moorim School days and her talent has only become more stunning as time has passed. Oh Jung Se is a legend in my books, period. I'd also say that, if you like artistry in storytelling, IONTBO is an interesting watch. There is beautiful incorporation of various art styles weaved throughout the show, and this is one aspect that I truly enjoyed about the show. The writing is alright; certainly better than your average drama, though it still succumbs to obvious fan service (which, to be honest, I can't completely fault the writer for because Seo Ye Ji and Kim Soo Hyun are her leads—she took expert advantage of that, haha).So, onto the not-so-great elements. As an individual with deeply personal experiences with mental health, as well as experiences with the mental health of loved ones, IONTBO ultimately is a slap in the face. It's not entirely the show's fault, truly. KdramaLand and, in general, Korean entertainment as well as entertainment internationally, are all guilty of requiring a beautifying lens on most interpretations and storytelling of the world.
Don't get me wrong, I also enjoy watching beautiful people playing roles in heart-wrenching storylines. But there is just something irreconcileable to me about the concept of beauty and mental health. I do not (at all) mean that beautiful people cannot have mental health issues or that mental health is a completely ugly thing. However, when we talk about de-stigmatizing mental and having diverse voices or representative storytelling—I could not help but think: how many people would be raving about IONTBO and its championing of mental health issues if the leads were not Seo Ye Ji and Kim Soo Hyun? If this was a representation (note: I don't mean copy or true story) of real life, how many people would truly care if this story was told? What would domestic and international reception look like if Kwon Yoon Hwa was cast, rather than Seo Ye Ji?
And so, as the show progressed a certain cliche refused to stop ringing in my head: "Nobody cares unless you're beautiful or dead". While I personally can't say that I believe this to be completely true—sadly, when it comes to most mainstream media, wherever you might be in the world, this saying often holds heavy truth.
As I did not expect Crazy Rich Asians to be the representation of all Asian stories and voices, I do not expect IONTBO to represent all voices, stories, and perspectives for mental health. That being said, if you've been around KdramaLand for a while now, you'll know that this is not the first "groundbreaking" attempt at telling stories about individuals and mental health.
Ultimately, IONTBO will be enjoyed by most, I reckon. So, all I can say is that IONTBO was nothing new for me in KdramaLand, and is certainly not groundbreaking in its explorations of mental health. Instead, it's a painful reminder of the endless habit of beautification in film and TV industries around the world.
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Interesting but Unmemorable
Let me start with some disclaimers because, as you'll find out, my rating for this mini-series is much lower than the majority of other reviewers/raters. Suffice it to say I have always struggled with Japanese Dramas.I think their stories are interesting -- especially those that delve into the dark psychological aspects of human nature. However, almost all, without exception, have failed to elicit any emotion from me. For whatever reason, I often find that characters in J-Dramas fall flat. Alice in Borderland, unfortunately, is no exception.
Another important thing of note is that this review pertains only to this drama. I'm aware the story is based on a manga that I have not read, and the truth is told, I don't plan to check out. So keep in mind that I jumped into this series without knowing anything about it.
PLOT: Interesting, albeit left mostly unexplored
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The world (aka country/reality) in which this drama takes place is hands down the most interesting aspect of this series. So much so, that wanting to know more about the world and explore it through the "escape rooms" game-dynamic kept me engaged enough to finish this one in three days.
Sadly, the series had to juggle too many characters, so the world itself was left vastly unexplored. Of course, this is only the beginning and I've heard rumors of a second season, so they may simply want to keep some mysteries to resolve in the sequel. If so, I'll probably watch it in hopes of getting some answers to my numerous questions, though I won't really be holding my breath for it.
CHARACTERS: Flat and forgettable
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Rather than talk about each of the main characters, I'll talk about them as a whole, since they all share the same problem and that is... none of them are really fleshed out.
You could blame the length of the drama, certainly. But that would be a cheap excuse. These characters lack complexity and it was that alone that made me feel nothing for them. They could've all died by the end and I wouldn't have shed a single tear.
Now, there was an attempt at building emotion. But it felt superficial, rushed, and "formulaic". I knew when a character was going to be axed because we got to hear their sob story through a quick dialogue with another character.
To be frank, if you like being engaged by the characters this Drama may fall short for you. But if you don't mind simple characters we don't really "get to know", so long as the world they inhabit is interesting, then this will make a decent watch.
MALE VS FEMALE CHARACTERS: Problematic
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I want to take a moment to express a problem I have with Japanese Dramas. Mind you, I haven't tried that many... but my avoidance of them has to do precisely with the reasons I'm about to briefly delve into.
This Drama is male-centric. Meaning, male characters tend to be given more depth than female characters. As such, the drama gave almost every male character some kind of motivation which explained why they made each of their decisions.
Unfortunately, female characters were left unexplored and at times, downright untouched. Even Usagi (the FL) was stripped from giving her depth by focusing her flashbacks on her father, rather than on her own life/aspirations. There's only one female character (a transgender gal) who was given a brief but beautiful story. Her aside, though, female characters were depicted as disposable, selfish, useless, and/or simple eye-candy.
Unlike female characters, male characters were usually portrayed in a nobler way. Even minor male characters were shown willing to sacrifice themselves for other men/friends. While female characters were killed off for reasons verging on the absurd (like showing the audience the dangers of a room, for example). I don't want to add spoilers here, but if you're interested to know more, add a comment and I'll explain using the spoiler tags.
FRAMING: toxic male gaze
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The above points lead me to talk about how the Drama was directed because it's one of the most problematic areas and maybe the aspect that spoiled my enjoyment the most.
Many of the decisions here were taken with the idea that "sex sales" and, of course, most times that means female bodies will be exploited. So as the series crossed into the last quarter (when they reach the beach), a rule was set that everyone should walk around in a bathing suit to ensure "no one can hide any weapons".
The result was having most female characters walk around in small bikinis while male characters got to wear baggy trunks and shirts. The fact that they didn't march around shirtless nullified the supposed "purpose/logic" of the rule. To the point where we even see a few of these male characters taking out weapons from the back of their swimming trunks...
But perhaps more intolerable than this was a scene that involved what would've been a gang-rape had the scene not been interrupted. Luckily, the director decided not to undress the character who gets kidnapped and almost assaulted (which I believe is supposed to be an underage girl).
Yet, the entire scene still felt crass because the camera hovered over the assailant's shoulder, making the audience complicit by showing the scene from his POV instead of the victim's. The result is that sexual assault ends up portrayed as something quasi-erotic, rather than as something horrific that is happening to the victim. This didn't settle well with me, as this has been a technique I thought we'd move past with the rise of the #metoo movement...
OVERALL: On the fence
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To be honest, this one is a tough one to recommend without putting on the table all the additional notes/flaws I've pointed out in this review. I think the world is interesting enough to make this drama watchable --binge-watchable even!-- and the "escape room" games were hands-down the best part.
However, the characters are not memorable or even original. They felt cartoonish to me and ultimately unengaging. I also hated the directing and the constant "butt framing". The disparity in how the genders were handled was especially jarring, so I wouldn't recommend this one if you care about that at all.
I also think this show calls for some trigger warnings because we see: attempted gang rape, executions, and a number of shootouts that may hit close to home to someone living in the USA; as it is reminiscent of many real schools shootouts in the way they were portrayed. So keep all that in mind if you decide to watch. If any of these things trigger you, I'll recommend staying away from this one.
If, on the other hand, you don't care about these things and like watching psychological mysteries (which are constructed like anime), then you'll probably really enjoy this one.
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One Word Description: Boring
Suffering from insomnia? No worries, here's an effective solution. It won't fail to help you to fell asleep. da da da 'Doom at your service' powered by tvN network.Disclaimer: This review is written by my utter frustration. Still, I tried my best to point out the pros and cons. So please don't mind me.
You are making a soup, you bought all fresh ingredients and veggies, added all exotic spices. Soup is simmering for many hours and it smells so nice and even makes you hungry. You have a beautiful set of crockery and cutlery. Now the soup is done, then you take a sip and the 'Moment of Eureka'........... you forgot the salt. But you can't take it back as it's already been served. As salt is the soul of every dish without it everything is tasteless. The same thing happened with drama. It doesn't have a soul, it's just trying to become somewhat majestic and ends up becoming nothing.
Everything is so pretty... pretty actors, pretty sets, pretty cinematography, pretty clothes, and most important the 'petty' story. It's badly written has no logic, draggy with many plot holes. The conversations aren't meaningful rather vague. Where plot twists aren't interesting, surprising, or have the ability to hook the audience and keep them on their toes.
The thing with fantasy is, it's a vast genre without many restrictions, rules-regulations it depends only on imagination, the main problem is the 'story' which lacks in 'creativity' and becomes repetitive after one point circling. We live in 2021 and the plot is about 'A damsel in distress with knight NO Doom who's gonna save her.' is this intriguing? I found only the second leads storyline is interesting in the whole mess (But they don't have screentime lol), and as I person who doesn't give fuck to second leads it's the superlative thing. Just because the lead storyline has literally nothing captivating.
Tak Dong Kyung has a most miserable life. If you are having a bad day just go and watch the first episode Oh No not for lifting your mood, because you won't feel your day was bad after watching her day. I don't have a particular problem with her character just she lacks common sense lol. Her many decisions are just stupid, why even she made it if she was gonna return to the same point. Kim Sa Ram/Myeol Mang, well he is good-looking... um very good looking oh yeah his hairs look cool. Wow, I have literally nothing to talk about his character lol, he seems to hate humans but then why he has a soft corner towards Dong Kyung. I am confused by his actions, firstly what the heck was his plan? and secondly why the hell he started to like Dong Kyung? He isn't human, right? he can't sleep, eat or drink then why does he have human emotions? There's a conversation where the male lead says he can't cry (time stamp 54:58 14th ep). And in that very scene, he is crying... seriously, does this make any sense.
Talking about Deity hats off, they played dirty with her character. She doesn't have her own personality as it depends only on the flow of the story what will be her actions or her behavior. Whereas any other side characters don't have a major role, as none of them actually has contributed. Only Deity is part of the main plotline.
We didn't even get time to explore characters individually coz they had to mix Loveline in between so abruptly. Where is the process? out of blue, they were head over heels, without giving a simple reason or explanation to it, their romantic relationship development went from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye. Well, I know you don't need a reason to like anyone but as a viewer am I not getting fool? As it gets bombarded (We have to use our imagination power to find a reason wow, what creativity). I mean WHAT? so they made one cliche trope around the 12-13th episode, but without brain lol, well I mean if you are doing something stick to it, why just do something to consume time as you have left nothing with the story. Due to failed execution its pace, great acting was in all vain.
Drama has an amazing casting Park Bo Young and Seo In Guk look good together with great chemistry, whilst with all supporting cast, it would have been a blockbuster. Music is one of the few things I liked... it has some beautiful OSTs 'Breaking Down' by AILEE would be my favorite. There were some scenes I particularly liked, some had good humor that made me laugh too. Seon Kyung's character is quite fun and refreshing. The cinematography is stunning, with great visuals. Pretty much eye candy.
Fun Fact: For those who don't know Seo In Guk is also a singer and he has sung one of the OST 'Distant Fate.'
Maybe for the beginners of this genre, who have many things yet to explore this might be a pleasant watch. But as a person who has watched almost everything of this genre in K-dramaland, 'DAYS' has failed miserably to show me something new and refreshing.
Still, you insist. Go watch it and waste precious 16 hrs of your life.
Enjoy! Have fun xD
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I started watching this drama because a friend had told me so much about it. She knew I was a sucker for romance, and thought I'd enjoy this drama.
The music was mesmerizing, and fantasically helps display the different emotions portrayed in the drama. The cast was perfect. The two leading roles had sizzling chemistry. :D
The plot was very interesting. It kept me watching episode by episode...I didn't skip any parts!!
I especially loved how the plot of this super amazing drama makes the viewers think if there is a "fated" or "destined" person out in the world for them (if you watch the drama, you'll understand what I mean).
I honestly recommend this drama for viewers who are looking for a romantic, historical-modern, and comedic drama. Or, for viewers who are looking for dramas that could help the time past. This is also the perfect drama to cry and laugh to.
Also, in terms of the rewatch value, I gave it a 10, because the drama captures so much detail. The filiming was beautifully captured. :)
"The Rooftop Prince" is definitely one of my favourite dramas ever!! I finished this drama in three days. That's how great this is!
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It was a bit weird because it seemed like each couple was like out of different genres of dramas.
I needed fluff right now so I still liked it. I watched it without much thought while it was in the background.
If you want something light and fluffy you can watch without much thought you will enjoy it. There are still better ones out there.
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Bloodhounds is back with its sequel and this time it’s less stylized, more brutal, raw and packed with action.. I honestly missed this kind of fight scenes.. I gotta say, this is how a second season should be.. It stays true to its core story of heartfelt friendship, and family.. While bringing back all the gripping elements from the first season.. But this time the action, the boxing, the fighting, it’s just wild, intense and bloody..WDH really unleashes his talent here.. He was too good.. You can tell he has put in an insane amount of hard work and preparation.. It shows his discipline and mindset as an actor.. And while we are talking about insane hard work and preparation, we have to talk about the antagonist this season.. Rain, you absolute freak.. His physical transformation is genuinely insane and his screen presence is strong.. Ruthless, obsessive, physically intimidating, dangerous, unpredictable, he was a force to reckon with.. Almost unstoppable, one of the most terrifying villains.. And the way he fought?? His boxing, his skills?? Not flashy, just pure ruthless violence..
The visuals and soundtrack were really good as well.. The fight scenes are visceral and intense, shot with a kind of frenetic energy.. And what made this drama even more special was the cast and the cameos.. The whole cast was perfect.. Everyone played their roles to perfection.. They didn’t try to glorify or heroize just one person.. It felt like a true team effort.. Even the supporting cast had some insane fight scenes and showed some mad skills.. It’s a knockout performance from everyone, full of blood, sweat and tears..
The cameos?? Just crazy.. Who would have thought eh?? So many of them.. Park Seo Joon?? Wow.. He was an intriguing character and someone I would honestly love to see more of if there is another season.. Oh and Kang Min Ah?? The transformation, slick.. Give her more badass roles.. She absolutely killed it with her screen presence..
Now.. The script is more straightforward.. It lacks a bit of emotional weight.. It doesn’t feel story driven.. Everything is more or less set up for the fights.. Which I don’t think is a bad thing honestly.. Because they really do make up for the script with some wild action..
One more thing I need to mention.. This time it felt like Hong U Jin was sort of sidelined.. He got his ass kicked more than once and didn’t feel as strong as he did in the first season.. Maybe that’s because of the five year break and his lack of actual boxing.. Still, I would have loved to see him do more..
Overall this season is darker, more violent and delivers an insane amount of wild, well choreographed, bloody, tactical fight scenes.. It doesn’t pull any punches, it goes all in on the action.. Everyone’s commitment to their character is genuinely impressive.. You can see they have put their whole heart into it.. WDH delivers an absolutely astonishing performance with Rain being purely evil and intimidating.. Season 2 feels bigger and more relentless.. I just hope we don’t have to call this underrated.. It really deserves more recognition..
P.S.. Oh, to be loved by so many people.. Kim Geon U is surrounded by people who love him dearly.. That’s who he is, that’s his character.. And WDH, he portrayed that innocence so well..
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More Like A Hundred Disappointments
80s story that could have had potential but ruined by hundred dumb routes. They have promising setting, two female bus conductors at first having their own family burdens, social expectations, and dreams. Their contrast personalities give balance for their character. But the show reduce them to “love rivals” rather than an individual characters who have goals. The writer want to create story about girl friendship complexity but failed, no build up, no progress, no motivation, no solid story message. They wasted it with story being defined and revolved around the male lead and lost the unique identity they supposedly had.Oh yes, I understand it is romance. But then they didn't show how they develop the relationship, how and why they catch the feelings bit by bit, what push them to change, how they got to be who they are. The story becomes a disconnected events rather than a cohesive journey for the main characters. All of their purposes are pulled into shadow by the romantic entanglement rather than resolved by their own growth. All these forced emotions are craps.
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A Hundred Triangles?
Alas, I find the male lead out of place from the female leads's dynamic. Whereas Yeongrye and Jonghui's opening come from down to earth household, economic hardship and gender expectation; Jaepil comes from the contrasting background. Prince on white horse? His cliche "privileged rich cold boy" introduction failed me to connect with his character in their 80s setting.
Yes, ML owns his emotional wounds, daddy issues, and bankrupt era. But the drama also seems to rely on him being the “object” that the two female leads orbit, rather than giving him enough depth to make the audience care deeply about him as more than just a romantic figure. Even his "aspiring boxer" narrative is scrapped by "heartbreak". He also got no much role for female leads's development. At least other male characters play a significant part in female leads's ambitions plot / Yeongrye asking the brother duos about law as she lacks education but she still revolve the problem on her own / Jonghui with his criminal brother side by side with Ko's siblings.
Once again, the main character's dreams, are scrapped throughout the drama, removed, forgotten, then pulled back in last seconds just for the sake of dumb plot. Titled hundred memories then give us a whole 7 years timeskip with a minimum flashback with majority of dramatic tension still weight heavily on the male lead, who, is not given enough complexity, growth, or... good acting to justify that weight. Romance drama? Well, it is also supposed to be a youth family drama but the series fall back into hundred romance tropes.
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Not Enough A Hundred Memories, But A Hundred Cliches.
Anyway, some parts are great especially when they show Yeongrye's family dynamics and 80s economic straits through the open door bus conflicts and.... well, there isn't much arc in the dorm lmao, what else I can mention? Wait, there is another love triangles plot in the dorm! Rather than showing the fellow conductor's struggles, they chose to add another male-centered side story! Even the side character cant escape from the love triangle, sick how the writer sidelined Jeongbun's struggle and made her story all about cheater character instead of addressing pregnant without marriage issue in 80s. The ending is such a joke too, I would accept the writer's intention to push "friendship" narrative in the last minutes if they focus resolving the main conflict, the stab incident trauma between the girls, but then they pulled this foggy dream light crap and made Yeongrye scream "Jaepiiiill" !!
But really, this drama has some genuine emotional moments, especially during first half in portraying female friendship and societal pressures of eldest daughter, female labor etc.. Though it went down hill, jumped to the cliff latter part, especially with the makjang nonsense.
Overall I am disappointed. I gave it lower rating because I had high expectations with my fave starring here. I have much more to complaint especially the late 80s hair salon background setting and styling post time skip. I expected much more from both Kim Dami and Shin Yeeun. Why the hell did they accept this script? I wished the story prioritized showing the dorm characters's inner lives, ambitions, 80's conflicts, and especially more evenly. It could have been a strong 80s story. If you are looking for that, turn around! Don't get scammed like me~
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1ABOUT THE ROMANCE....
Touted as a female-centric drama, The Story of Pearl Girl tells the story of Duanwu's journey from slave girl to entrepreneur. It is a story of hope, perseverance, and resilience. Zhao Lusi's portrayal of the growth of her character from one whose actions came from desperation for freedom to one who uses her prosperity to help other women was captivating. Lusi as a versatile actress is well known. I am not part of any one fandom and have several other actresses I enjoy watching, but I have to say that I cannot imagine another actress in this role. She was outstanding!One expert in the field of TV and communications noted that "the drama opens up a new direction for the transformation of female-oriented dramas... as there is an awakening of women's consciousness, shifting from a desire to watch love stories to that of watching business dramas. " Well, not me. As much as I enjoy an interesting business drama, I enjoy love stories more. For more details such as expert feedback, background, production, and all things The Story of Pearl Girl please see Frost-edelweiss' companion piece. Just copy and paste the following link or you can find it in discussions at the top of the TSOPG forum. https://kisskh.at/discussions/zhu-lian-yu-mu/131556-the-story-of-pearl-girl-companion-piece.
Romance....
I felt the tension between the leads long before they got together. Lusi and Liu Yuning's chemistry captivated me in such a way that I have never wanted so much for a happy ending. Their relationship did not start with love at first sight...even though I saw a l flicker of interest in Yan Zi Ying's eyes when he saw the beautiful Duanwu in her pearl dance. Their earlier relationship was not one of equality and YZJ was not the gentle hero. You might even find him cruel and unyielding at first but you will come to understand him. The relationship developed at a steady pace. Duanwu's quick mind allowed her to keep up with YZJ. It was obvious he found her fascinating and smart. And little by little he gave in to her wishes. But he also allowed her to learn and to grow on her own. I don't know at what point he realized he loved her, but watching this big tough man fall in love to the point her closeness unnerved him, was endearing in itself. I am unsure if it was character or actor, but the way YZJ held Duanwu's hands, smiled at her, and simply engulfed her in his protective arms melted my heart. And perhaps it wasn't just him, but the chemistry between Lusi and Liu Yuning that made it so special. Viewers have to see for themselves, but anyone who has watched Lusi before will not be surprised. This is my second drama with Liu Yuning as the ML and I find myself loving him the more I watch him. And yes, there are kiss scenes...special kiss scenes...special to their unique chemistry.
While TSOPG is said to NOT be romance centered, it was the love...the chemistry... between YZJ and Duanwu that held me captivated. To me, their relationship was the center. Meeting YZJ, set off a series of events that led to Duanwu's character growth. There were times he watched her fail, and times he helped her. Watch for those little quirks of his lips whenever she succeeds. You will see that he fell first. Duanwu was too busy trying to achieve freedom. I felt the romance every time the leads were together. There is a separation after episode 18, but it doesn't last long and even before the misunderstanding is cleared up, they still see each other. There was never a doubt that YZJ still cared for Duanwu. The lull in their relationship allowed for the FL to grow in her efforts following the ideals of female empowerment. Yes, the plot was interesting and it was gratifying to see Duanwu's resilience and intelligence result in her success as an entrepreneur. BUT it was the chemistry of this couple that had me so invested in this drama that I had ONE WISH! Both Duanwu and YZJ suffered many losses. I wanted them to be happy at the end.
The Ending (SPOILER)
I have no regrets watching The Story of Pearl Girl. It was a beautiful journey. And beautifully performed. Zhao Lusi and Liu Yuning went beyond expectations. While Duanwu and Yan Zi Ying were able to achieve goals and take fate into their own hands, there were some things they could not change. It was heartbreaking to see the dignity in their acceptance that YZJ was going to die. He decided to leave as he did not want her to see him die. He wanted so much to be with her, so it was heartbreaking to see his selflessness even as he cried. It was heartbreaking to see the composure that Duanwu held together for so long fall apart as she asked him not to leave her. But it was beautiful to see the way they were in their last scene. It was when they finally faced the truth together. YZJ didn't have to hide his health from Duanwu, and she no longer had to pretend she didn't know while doing everything she could to help him. Only then did they share their pain. I like to think perspectives changed once it was all in the open. Perhaps YZJ did not leave Duanwu behind. She wished to see the world with him and she told him. She might have convinced him to let her go with him. We don't know how much of an open ending we can see this to be, but knowing Duanwu, she had always been able to sway YZJ to see her way at some point. We do know at the end, that she declined the position as head of the guild so she could travel. Some might say the gradual build-up to finally facing the truth together, sharing the pain, and then shifting to Duanwu receiving recognition for her accomplishments was beautifully done.
But.... I detest sad endings. And I detest open endings. Good for those who feel the ending works for them. Even though I see how beautifully it was done and appreciate the performances of both Liu Yuning and Zhao Lusi I still need to ask, "Wèishéme?" Why? Why couldn't they have had their happy ending? Why must we watch 40 episodes of ups and downs, be dragged for almost 22 episodes hoping for the cure only to find it was hopeless? And why did they make this couple so loving that we feel invested in their outcome? They deserved their happiness. We deserve our happiness! His death was not necessary to show female empowerment or that Duanwu could do this on her own. She had already proven her resilience and capabilities. I gave TSOPG 10s for everything except rewatch value which I put as 9 at first. Then I changed it to a 10 after writing this review because I miss them. Needless to say, I have already rewatched the final episode several times looking for answers. My heart aches and it is hard to move on. They made me love them ....
Liu Yuning sings the OST "Only Wish." Visit Peachey Blossom's The Story of Pearl Girl Full OST video: https://youtu.be/oNvhO0pbO-4 to listen to Liu Yunings beautiful voice. The lyrics show life and death are two extremes of life's journey. We don't always get our wishes because some things are beyond our control. The following are some lyrics that stood out for me in terms of the drama.
Floating life is like a boat , ferrying the sorrows and joys of the world.
I hope this fateful entanglement is half regret and half hope
...the splendid memories will stain your eyes
...the bitterness of the world is still accompanied by dreams.
...I'll be moored on the other side of the river for the rest of your life, watching
The message here is in life there is good and bad. But may you always remember the good times. Even if there are sorrows, there are joys. The joyful memories will never go away. They are worth it. And this is what I have to say about watching this drama. Yes, it has a sad ending or an open ending as you might see it to be. Like the leads, I didn't get the ending I wanted but it doesn't negate the beauty in this drama or all that went into this amazing production. It is a 10 for me. And it is a beautiful journey you should see if only for once.
It is worth it.
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Ever bake cookies and forget to add sugar?
A bit of insight in to your author: although it may shock readers that writing reviews for MDL doesn't pay much (although the good vibes it provides are prodigious), the day job for your humble reviewer is running a cafe. Years ago, patrons complained that a batch of blueberry muffins were not so enjoyable. So the baker and this writer sampled one and, sure enough, it tasted like blue spotted cardboard. Or rather, it tasted like stale blue spotted cardboard. It was absolutely dreadful and, after retracing her steps, the baker realized she hadn't added sugar due to being preoccupied with something else. Lesson learned. Without all the ingredients, baking can go pretty horribly wrong.Flash forward to present day (or more recent day) and the production team of "Love Your Enemy" followed a similar path. The ingredients they remembered - a solidly likable and skilled cast, a basic scenario that is regularly beloved by drama watchers, somewhat well-worn but compelling enough characters, a terrific backstory with wonderful teen versions of the main characters, secondary story arcs to complement the main plot with extra tension, laughs and potential romance, and a warm and delightful grandparent actor & character. The ingredient they forgot - any kind of coherent narrative to pull these things together.
Jung Yu Mi and Ju Ji Hoon don't put forth their best work here. Neither seems naturally suited to straight romantic comedy but they are capable actors and are engaging, particularly in the Enemies/Not Lovers Yet Phase. Even when that phase passes, there's never a moment where the two are grating but it isn't a raging inferno of nitro hormonal glycerine between them either. The supporting cast is above average, from Kim Jung Young's mom to the school faculty to the current generation of high school students. What doesn't particularly land is the performance by the villain (cast member not revealed so as not to spoil), a completely unnecessary part for Baek Hyun Joo as a school principal and a flop of a potential third spoke of a love triangle with one of the most bland performances of recent memory by Lee Si Woo.
One of the bright spots is Kim Gab Soo who sparkles as one of the warmest and most likable grandparent figures of recent vintage.
But the standouts are Oh Ye Ju and Hong Min Ki who play the teen versions of the Ji Won main characters. It helps that they have the best dialogue by far of any part of this show, but the actors are both charismatic and work extraordinarily well together. The scene where Oh Ye Ju's Ji Won falls and her friends try to get get Hong Min Ki's Ji Won to carry her to the nurse's office and what follows is some of the very best high school amour (although not quite at the level of Shin Eun Soo and Choi Hyun Wook from "Twinkling Watermelon").
Tragically, the backstory features heavily only through a few episodes and then the script malfeasance skyrockets. The primary romance never strays from anything but the most generic track. And the subplots that appear and then are dropped or concluded in the most glossed over manner possible are legion.
Kim Ye Won's Ji Hye interferes with the main characters but it amounts to nothing and no hard feelings.
Two characters are battling severe depression and exhibiting potential suicidial behavior but it's just forgotten and they're just fine moving forward.
Two supporting school staff members have a romance but it's literally dropped in so haphazardly in the later episodes that it could have been replaced with a static screen with a block caption reading "FILLER MATERIAL".
Three present day students appear now and then. Something about an honors class with meddlesome parents. Something involving a misogynist father from a main character's past. Something about a recently discovered family relationship. [shrug] There's no tension and no development and no point to any of them. Perhaps had the writers picked one and threaded it in on a regular basis from episode to episode, there could have been a potentially entertaining diversion. But these characters appear sporadically and are the stereotypical male jock, stereotypical female superachiever, the stereotypical kid with parents that want them to be a superachiever and a stereotypical dysfunctional family troublemaker.
There's one of the saddest attempts in human history to create a love triangle plot which is thankfully quickly abandoned.
The most frustrating is a second half reappearance by Oh Ye Ju's young Ji Won who has now graduated and is in a toxic office environment. But after a compelling setup with a deliciously repulsive antagonist, big conflict is teased and then the entire thing evaporates almost instantaneously.
Recommended? Well, it's better than a sugarless blueberry muffin and it's not at all unpleasant. But anyone that needs something stellar and captivating should keep looking.
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A “ Lesson” For Itaewon Class...
Most people will probably tell you that this show is the “ most original Korean drama, they’ve ever seen” or “ the best one ever”, however, there was something about this drama which took me awhile to work out where my problem lay from a critical manner. Of course, there’s no doubt that Itaewon Class has some selling points which were tackled for the appeal of the “ young generation” and “international” viewers. This is particularly seen through; casting choices ( note fairly newcomer actors Da- Mi and American Chris Lyon) , themes tackled( attitudes to racism, LGBT rights and of course released prisoners) , fairly unique plot premise and characters as well . So, where did a show with such brimming potential go wrong? Well, its biggest problem was for once not entirely upon the acting ( this is something which I must give the show some praise for , especially from Da-Mi ‘s emotionally vibrant role as her role character Yi Seo, against lead actor Park Seo Joon’s sometimes lacklustre moments) , but, upon the characters and plot itself. The show ( based upon the titular Korean webtoon) centres around Park Sae-royi ( Park Seo Joon) who during his teen years, was wrongfully imprisoned around the same time of his father’s accident, when he is angered by bully and legitimate heir to Jangga Group, Jang Geun-won ( Ahn Bo Hyun). After being released, Sae- royi claims revenge against Jaanga Group by establishing his own restaurant in Itaewon with the help of fellow misfits , intelligent and tech savvy Jo Yi- Seo as his manager ( Kim Da- Mi), Yi- Seo’s classmate and illegitimate son of the head of Jaanga , Jang Geun-soo ( Kim Dong hee), fellow inmate Choi Seung-kwon ( Ryu Kyung-soo) transgender woman and head cook Ma Hyeon-yi( Lee Joo - Young) and Guinean- Korean part-timer Kim To- Ni ( Chris Lyon). As a premise, the show has a unique flair to it, but, I think it’s quick to become apparent that a show which focused upon the characters as plot devices rather than human beings at times, certainly has lacking emphasis upon characterisation . This cliche grew apparent when the show trickled into the tropes of revenge dramas from illnesses, illegitimate heirs to the stereotypical cliche of love scenarios between the “ older” Male lead Park Sae- royi, the “ young prodigy ,and not so innocent” Yi- Seo , the “ tangled between love and duty” Oh Soo-ah ( Kwon Nara) and the “ puppy -dog outcast” Geun- Soo. Whilst there was nothing entirely wrong with having romance in a drama about misfits, Itaewon Class made the classic mistake of centralising too much focus upon the romance of these characters rather than as individuals with personalities, pasts and lives outside of their relationships . For me, this was particularly seen with Sae- royi. Considering the amount of psychological and emotional damage he’s been through as a character since episode one, you’d expect such a character to be a realistic, cautious and likeable Male lead who is able to relate to viewers through their own painful experiences. Instead, Sae-royi is a perfect example of a “ stock Male lead” who has little emotional outburst, awareness to feelings, manipulation or any moments of weakness which truly make us reflect as viewers upon his journey. Arguably , there’s his “ romance” with Yi- Seo to make him more ‘ human’ ; so lacklustre that it’s a question why it exists in the show at all . Sae-royi seems to constantly mislead this girl with “ obliviousness” only to suddenly be falling in love with her next moment, with little explanation or reasons behind his feelings. Whilst I find it hard to fault Da- Mi, Yi- Seo was a female lead who I absolutely loathed upon so many grounds. I can understand where drama viewers are coming from to an extent by the argument that Yi- Seo is a “ strong and independent female lead”. The show made that evident from nearly episode one when she is able to “make or break “ an establishment’s reputation through her social media account and hold herself in a fight against people using her wit as well. This is also what irked me about Yi- Seo as well. She was a strong character , but she had little emotional depth as an individual. Whilst she did have some scenes which exposed more “ vulnerable moments” , these scenes didn’t truly add up with her “ sassy” characteristics at times or were truly built to expose this side of Yi- Seo without seeming somewhat “ random” and poor writing . Note the scene with the confrontation with her mother early on in the show about chasing an ‘older man’ ( Sae- Royi) rather than following her mother’s hopes for her to become a successful and independent woman. Whilst to an extent the scene explains some of the psychological reasons behind Yi- Seo’s desire to fall in love in order to escape from the planned- out intentions of her mother, there was little emotional bonding or vulnerability both with Yi- Seo and the mother who raised her, or anything truly emotional to expose Yi- Seo as a human being in this scene . Whilst I guess there is the argument of Yi- Seo being a sociopath suggested by several fans by her ability to grow on emotional attachments through her manipulative intelligence, there are scenes later on ( such as Yi- Seo bursting into tears in front of Geun- Won) which question whether this is simply bad character writing , or simply a confusing interpretation for us as watchers . I don’t usually bring in comparisons to my reviews, but, looking at dramas with similar “ strong female leads “ like Jang Man- Wol ( IU) from Hotel Del Luna or Ko Moon Yeong ( Seo Ye- Ji) from Its Okay, Not To Be Okay , brings a stark contrast between “ strong” and “weak “story writing. Love or loathe both dramas, there is the undeniable strength within both shows of a female lead who has emotional emotional depth; exposing these characters not just as “ plot devices for romance”, but, human beings as well with feelings, scarred pasts and flaws as well . Overall Itaewon Class isn’t necessarily a terrible drama, but it the epitome of recent romantic “ fad” shows - mediocre storywriting, poorly-written characters and easily forgettable the minute the watcher starts a new drama. If you’re bored and looking for something to pass the time, I’m certainly not saying that you shouldn’t give it a go , however, this isn’t a drama to watch if your looking for something to genuinely commit time towards.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Moon truly does rise where the River is
Acting and Characters: Kim So Hyun was absolutely perfect as Pyeonggang. Na In Woo took on the difficult job of filling in On Dal after Ji Soo got dropped and exceeded all expectations. Lee Ji Hoon was the swoony SML that we grew to love and hate. Choi Yu Hwa did an amazing job portraying a cunning yet kind-hearted Silla spy. The side characters were all so lovable. Pung Gae and Jin were so cute. The Queen and Go Won Pyo were extremely well portrayed. Won (or King Yeongyang) was lovable as a teen and despised as an adult. King Pyeongwon was a character that we grew to love over the course of the show.Plot: The plot was iffy at times but it was bearable. It didn't help that they rush a couple of episodes and write a whole new set of episodes due to the allegations around Ji Soo. Overall I think they did a really good job of sticking to the history and folktale while giving us the viewers some fanservice with that ending. They did Geon and Won (or King Yeongyang) dirty in the latter half of the show, but at least we got their true character back by the end. The "death" of On Dal was kind of unnecessary but I get why they did it. They needed to stay somewhat true to the ending of the folktale.
OST and Cinematography: OST was amazing. The soundtracks used for the battle scenes so perfectly. The main OST was lovely. The cinematography was absolutely stunning at times. One of the better cinematographies I've seen. The setting for the scenes was absolutely beautiful. The camerawork was pretty good. Overall a very well-produced show given the circumstances.
Final Score: 9/10
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The drama itself was a pretty good drama, not one of the best I've seen but I did enjoy watching it. Its one of those dramas you have to keep watching to like.
I really enjoyed the acting, characters were really unique and entertaining to watch. I mean you get to see both No Min Woo and Park Ki Woong play completely different roles from what we are used to and on top on that they sing >< .....I just loved the music. The songs were really fun and catchy.
Any who definitely recommend if you are in the mood of watching a light romantic/comedy.
P.S NO this drama does not have anything to do with the first Full House but the name.
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There were a lot of things that I liked about this drama and a lot of things that I didn't.
The acting was one of the best thing of the drama. Each actor and actress did a great job portraying his or her character and they complemented each other perfectly as a family. Sometimes they fought, sometimes they cried and sometimes they were plain hilarious, but each time they did it as a family. Seeing them like that kind of made me wish I had such a huge family like them!
The music was a lot better than I expected, I even learned the lyrics for the songs! There was one that was specially catchy, the one with the ?vis a vis face to face? chorus.
Now to the main part: the story. This is a really long drama,so the story is like several stories put together. The first chapters were really frustrating for me to watch because every character is really annoying and dumb. They made me just want to smack them really hard.
But then, as the story continues you learn to love these characters even with their flaws, and feel what they're feeling. Maybe, you will even learn to relate to them.
In my opinion it was a wonderful story, because it wasn't the kind of story that made you want to dramathon through the drama, but it grew on you slowly and made you want to keep watching what happened to this crazy family, and how each character grew (they really needed to grow, ALL of them).
The downside of this drama for me was that it was extended. I think the drama would've been a lot better if they had finished it in episode 39-40. The last 5 episodes were a torture for me to watch, because I felt like I had already witnessed the end of the story, and that the last few episodes were a really LONG epilogue, and no one wants long epilogues.
Overall this a really funny, light and heart warming drama. It is constantly entertaining and you will never get bored watching it, there's always a crazy scene waiting in the next 5 minutes. If you're in the mood for something like that, this drama is just for you :)
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Framing Weiyoung
Repetitive, boring, there may not be words that better describe Princess Weiyoung. Even a story based on conspiracy, betrayal and a hint of melodrama cannot abuse an appeal in this way. Okay, the protagonist is chased, she has many enemies, but is it necessary to use the framing tactics all the time? Didn't the writers realize that the protagonist being framed almost every episode tires the viewer, even those who like "tricks"? My discontent is huge that I refuse the biggest episode 34, which was the last one I saw, sad because the story seemed promising.EDIT:
I finish the drama but my opinion remains the same
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