Youth isn't always joyful
I usually barely write reviews, but this drama moved me so much I just had to express my thoughts here. This drama had a light typical romance in the beginning, and as the 1980 tragic events started occurring the drama became too sad. I cried so much and this drama showed a message that the tragic events of the Uprising must have scarred others just as painfully as Myeong Hee, and Hee Tae. The couple went through a lot together as the drama started getting into plot, and there were many traumatic events for what happened to the male lead, but a thing I liked about the male lead was that he was strong and was always there for others. His love for the female lead was undeniable, just as the female lead's love for his. So yes, the drama doesn't have the joyful satisfactory ending, but it was realistic and would be as what was expected in the Uprising in 1980. I cried a lot during this drama, and my mondays and tuesdays will feel empty now. So if you are considering a drama about hardships, youth, and love this may be one you should start considering.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The rookies delivered the best k-drama of 2024 so far
A very interesting premise. Rookies galore. Full female cast. I had lots of fun watching this short drama. The main thing that I like about this show is that while it has so many characters involved, most of the characters are meticulously crafted, with their own motivations, flaws, and moral compass. The main protagonist and antagonist being equal monsters made the battle of wits so entertaining. At no point did I feel that one side was too overpowered and it was a chess game played by two masters who took turns to deliver punches. Every one of those beautiful ladies was capable of being an ugly monster if they had to for survival and nobody was truly on one side till the end. A thrilling war of nerves that kept me rooted. Will you conform or challenge?Being somebody that is not very good at pairing names with faces, it took me a while to remember all of the character’s names. There were so many characters being introduced from the get-go and all of them being female names made it quite a challenge for me. However, despite the lack of “A-listers”, it was this show with a bunch of newbies that slayed.
Some people are just born to act and Jang Da A is one of them. You know how some people make hard look easy? How they seem like they are not doing much but actually delivers? Baek Ha Rin (game master) took a stroll for 10 episodes and yet she is the main impression that was left on me. She barely moved yet I felt a whole spectrum of emotions from her performance. Mad mad performance for a debutant. I enjoyed watching her descent into madness as she slowly losses her initial gracefulness and composure. Not all madness needs to be represented by loud screaming and excessive arm waving. You have to remember this is a chaebol kid who has to maintain her image in public at all times and show absolute control with class. Her facial expression for a first-timer was unbelievably good. Imo this will be an iconic character- The twitch bitch.
A weird theory struck me during the scene of BHR cutting her hair short. Unless I am missing something, that scene did not mean anything to the plot and there was really no reason to do that. What I took from that was it could be an attempt by the director and Jang Da A to break the fourth wall and send a message that actress Jang Da A is here to deliver and is stepping out of the shadow of her famous sister because of how strikingly similar they look. That would be so cool if true.
Seriously, there are just too many great performances from the rest of the girls (Im Ye Rim is my fav hehe) that I could go on and on but I shall not- this show had such a high level of acting I can only say all of them were amazing. They are one of the most talented groups I have seen in recent times and many of them here are gonna give their sunbaes a run for their money.
I have to talk about THAT paintball episode. My god that was one of the best writing and acting I have seen in recent times. The build-up to that final moment was so perfect, coupled with a great soundtrack. I am unable to think of a better way to showcase that scene of unified camaraderie amongst the underdog to break the enemy’s morale and win the psychological warfare in the most composed and collective effort. Top top tier. They won that round with such class despite being the “peasants” of the system and turning the “nobles” into absolute jokes. Winning the devil at their game, what a beautiful uprising of the underdogs. The Prisoner Dilemma. S tier writing there, I applaud.
Ngl, I fell asleep once in the middle of finishing the last 2 episodes. Thought it was just me because of how perfect the show had been up till that point but read many similar sentiments about the rather stale ending and a sudden change in the strange pacing. I was expecting a "finale" in the sense that BHR would deliver a final desperate blow but she became overwhelmed and subdued instead. I thought a lot of the key characters were being sidelined and had no proper conclusions. Do Ah (class president) felt like a much more complex character than what the show portrayed and I wish she along with the likes of Da Yun (girl abused by daddy) were given more storytime. The ending was being wrapped rather lethargically imo and did cause it to drop 0.5 level down in my book.
Overall a great concept with the Pyramid game that when you zoom out it reflects a tiny version of today’s society but when you zoom into it deeper, it is reminding you to eat Subway. Baek Ha Rin lost cause she did not had that bread.
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I can understand why this series has the fairly high ratings it has, especially for this genre. The twisted connection between the three main actors and the development of their relationship was done well. I also very much appreciated how the supporting actors did incredibly well with their shifts from a normal human being to just plain creepy.
This isn't one of those "let me shock you into fear" or "let me disgust you so much that it will hopefully leave an impact" kind of show, which is nice. And although there were scattered moments of drag, there was enough depth to the story and characters where I still looked forward to the next episode. The ending felt a bit rushed and you'll have some unanswered questions or explanations but I was pleasantly surprised at the enjoyment factor.
Bonus points were given to the score because this genre is particularly difficult to do well.
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Falling High School Girl and Irresponsible Teacher
10 people found this review helpful
by virgievirgie 
2
2 Love on a Suspension Bridge
What is the suspension bridge effect? According to Urban Dictionary, “the suspension bridge effect happens when a person crosses a suspension bridge and he sees someone of the opposite sex. His fear of falling down causes his heart to pound. He then mistakes that for the heart-pounding feeling felt when falling in love with the opposite sex.”Is the love Ochiai Mikoto (FL) feels for Haiba Jin/Haijin (ML) a result of the suspension bridge effect? Will these feelings go away once she’s not standing on the edge of the building? Well, you will have to watch the drama to find out.
“Tsuiraku JK to Haijin Kyoshi” aka “Falling High School Girl and Irresponsible Teacher” is a dark comedy addressing the serious issues of suicide and loneliness. The drama does not take the issues lightly, but offers an alternate, witty and sarcastic way in handling them. You will fall in love with the leads and their personalities. Both of them are caring, considerate, ‘unique’ and ‘wacky’. But the best part of the drama is their interactions. You never know what’s going to come out of Haijin’s mouth, and what comebacks Mikoto will have. They are just so fun together.
The drama is really short - 9 episodes and about 20 minutes each. It doesn’t tell the full story but only gives us the initial encounter and relationship building. I wanted more of them and wished the episodes were longer. I want to know more about how Haijin fell in love with Mikoto. That one flashback is not enough for me.
If you are unsure of the taboo relationship of a teacher and a student, I can say there’s nothing overtly out-of-the-line physically. But there’s heavy flirting and you know emotionally they are ‘together’. There were only two instances where they performed an act to ‘save someone’s life’. Of course, that’s their way of justifying the act. But they did it in such a comical way that it didn’t feel dirty at all.
This drama reminded me of the C-drama “Definitely Not Today”. Both tried to tackle the issue of suicide with dark comedy but approaches this topic very differently. This drama has a lot more comedy and flirting.
If the themes of suicide and teacher/student relationships don’t bother you, I recommend this unique drama to you.
Completed: 9/18/2023 - Review #355
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Hedonistic and Not For Everyone
Look, this is NOT a short film for everyone. It is a bl (boy lust) series rather than a BL. It is for adults. No romance here just pure animalistic lust. It is very well acted and has the classic 'bad boy' feel about it. We all like to pretend that this type of fantasy would never happen to us as we are sensible, have a moral compass, and have some boundaries. But this short film shows otherwise how easy it might be to succumb to a more lustful nature if the circumstances were right. Seemed almost too easy.Was this review helpful to you?
Story- the first few episodes told the child stories. Normally I’ll fast forward through these because I don’t have the patience but I found the story compelling already. By the time the time the adult characters come on you are already immersed into the story and wanting to see how these damaged characters grew up and how they come together. This drama made me laugh and cry. The ending was just perfect=)
Acting/Cast- The acting was perfect by everyone. I am a new fan of Kim Jae Won! He portrayed his deaf character so well. Really spectacular acting by NGM. His character had so many layers and he was able to portray his complex character so well that I was able to feel Maru’s pain.
Music- Lovely score.
Rewatch- I’d watch this again in 2 years. That will give me enough time to forget a lot that happened. I loved the cast so i would want to see this again sooner than later.
Overall for a drama that is 30 eps, it is worth the watch because it’s so well written and acted.
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The Crucified Lovers tells the story of an unfortunate love affair between a servant and his master's wife. The film is quite simple and slow placed but therein lies it's beauty. The lack of action and multiple side stories forces you to solely focus on the couple and their plight. The movie itself is beautiful-I always find these classic Japanese films to have a serene and majestic quality to them. A simple movie with a simple message: a life with love, however brief, is much preferred to living 100 years without it.
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I was amazed how they acted! They were really good and I can't wait for more of some of these actors!
They picked the right music, sometimes it wasn't my taste but that is personal.
I would rewatch this movie and I would recommend it to anyone who like some action, a good story and some suspense!
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DMD Friendship Reality, the Third Chapter
10 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
not really a dating show nor a casting show and for a fact not reality...
While most of the boys look cute to charming to handsome, this was the most scripted show I could imagine. First, five episodes of just the daily life and the "missions" are not nearly enough to do anything useful. When we know that everyone does not know each other, without one couples exception, it feels very unsecure and unsure. They are really young, have not much experience especially with what they want in a partner and there were not a lot of in depth talks.Patji & Ryujin were build up to be a couple, but even this show added unnecessary drama if they really go together or not - which felt so cringe. Of course they will be together, they know each other for about two years and both of them would not choose a stranger.
So, all in all it was a very scripted show, easy on the eyes but it felt not natural at all. They would have needed not a week but at least a month, they would have needed lots more episodes. Maybe there were in depth talks, but we did not see them and that would have been much more interesting. OK to watch, but not interesting at all.
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The first part had an interesting story. Although the first episodes were a bit of a let down and probably could have pushed people away, the idea of the selection was entertaining and full of intrigues between the women (hence the girls war alternative title). The mean characters were plenty, and some of them were even playing friendly when they were in reality the worse. Some others had tragic endings, so the tragedy genre was plenty in this one. So, the girl's adventures and how she managed to survive the twists and traps that the other contestants set for her were entertaining and spiced up the story.
The chemistry of the couple was amazing, too, and they had a nice romance. Their romantic scenes were pretty intense and they had plenty of kissing scenes, which is often rare in historical dramas. Though, the love triangle they wanted to present was not as good and it was underdeveloped.
However, the second part was predictable. It was pretty much what happens to all historical dramas, the bad old aristocrats want power, the girl wants to protect the king, the king wants to protect her, and so on. The ending was okay, but boring.
Finally, the main character was good, but she got annoying from time to time, especially in the end, even though she started as a strong, sassy character. The male lead was pretty swoon worthy and he was a nice romantic lead.
So, overall, seven out of ten.
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This review may contain spoilers
The 1st half was overly dramatic and the 2nd half was a snooze fest. Park Hae-jin's character Li Ang and his love interest Li Ren were supposed to be the main pair but they threw in 3 other couples that had the same amount if not more time given to them, especially Li Ren's cousin, Tian Na. Towards the middle it seemed SHE was the lead. When time was actually given to the OTP, it fell flat. I did not feel their chemistry at all. It was odd, they had scenes that should have been romantic and sweet but it felt like they were just checking off a to do list. Definitely not building a close and connected relationship with each other. Such a disappointment.
If a viewer is into crazy and sometimes nonsensical kinds of relationship shenanigans they may like it. Lots of breakups, lots of ex's, meddling elders and a bunch of grown ups who don't know what they want. Personalities seemed to change on a whim. Several scenarios happen over and over. What was the worst for me was I didn't particularly LIKE most of the characters. Even the ones that weren't bad weren't that exciting either.
***Possibly Spoiler-ish***
One love story fights against age and social status differences and has a jealous ex-girlfriend which was as cliché as possible. The jealous ex-girlfriend is especially grating. There is also an extra-martial affair relationship, a crazy psycho girl in love with a creepy magician and one other relationship that was actually normal but just seemed to be there to fill up screen time. One character that I did warm up to was Li Ren's cousin, Tian Na. In the beginning I couldn't stand her but by the end she won me over with her exuberant and quirky personality.
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Shen Yue you done well...?
i liked the acting of SHEN YUE, she done well. And all the casts as well. Although it is remake but it differ in version. I like the chinese version not because of the Shen Yue, but the story as well. The music, OMG i like their OST "Pure Love" very romantic and its fits very well the concept. I keep on watching it 2x already and still counting because i love the chemistry of Shen Yue and Jasper.kudos UFMT production team. Hope there will be UFMT part 2 with thier kid/s 😅 Jasper and Shen Yue, hope you have more project again. And what i had observed to Shen Yue, she is improving her acting.Was this review helpful to you?
The Legendary Odyssey Between Merman and Human
Whether it was the visuals/actors, storyline, or OST, everything about “The Blue Whisper” was effortlessly flawless. I originally came for Dilraba and Allen Ren, but I quickly fell for the rest of the cast and its amazing production overall. I would not regret watching this beautiful masterpiece.~~~
“The Blue Whisper” is about the love between a spiritual master and a merman- a love that should’ve not occurred in the first place. Ji Yun He has spent her entire life confined and restrained from freedom, being trapped to the Flower Valley by “invisible chains”. She has spent her years yearning for the day where she can finally leave. Chang Yi, on the other hand, is the crown prince of the East Sea. He is caught by the evil Fairy Shunde, and is sent to Flower Valley in order to be trained to become her attendant. Shunde orders that the merman must speak, break his tail, and present his merman pearl.
Surprisingly, Yun He treats Chang Yi unlike the others spiritual masters, and instead she is a much needed friend. Both are caged from freedom, and rely on one another for the hope that one day they will escape together. As both of them develop unexpected feelings for each other, more secrets about the world unravels.
~~~
What striked me first was the OST. My absolute favourite song in the whole drama is the opening song, and I have to listen to it every time I start a new episode. It was just so heavenly, and I always enjoy it so much. The other songs didn’t let down my expectations either, and I even found myself humming to them, every now and then.
The cast… it was almost perfect in every way. Dilraba did not let me down, as usual, and she surprised me very much throughout the drama, as I felt her development as an actress. Allen Ren, was just drop-dead-gorgeous, and his acting skills definitely lived up to his looks too. I also felt a ton of chemistry between the two main leads. Additionally, the rest of the cast was also very talented and good-looking, so that was a huge bonus.
As the drama progressed, I fell deeper into its story and could not stop binging it whatsoever. It was very well written, so kudos to the author, and I felt completely engrossed in its special effects and production as well.
I would recommend “The Blue Whisper” for anyone who’s looking for an exciting, addicting and astonishing fantasy drama. I’m so excited to start Part Two! ^^
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This review may contain spoilers
How beautiful the storyline of Immortal Samsara actually is
I'm one of the ppl who rarely watch xianxia dramas but Immortal Samsara changed my mind completely. At first I decided to start watching it because of Yang Zi & Cheng Yi. And I never regret abt it, the best decision I've ever made.- The acting
The chemistry between Yang Zi & Cheng Yi so gold, rare and yet, no joke!! Their acting skills are on next level, Everytime I see them together, my heart flutter for them, can't help but smile like a fool all the time. Yang Zi is known for her amazing acting skills, she can express different types of emotion to show ppl what's inside her mind or heart, her face says it all. Cheng Yi never disappoints me as well, ofc when he cries, I feel so heartbroken for him too. His expression can show his true feelings and the way he portrays Ying Yuan & Tang Zhou differently is what surprise me the most. I can completely see the differences! Huge respect to Yang Zi & Cheng Yi, including every casts and crews of Immortal Samsara
- The storyline
Yan Dan may looks like she's weak but not only she's so powerful but also so intelligent and knows how to use her head!! Also, YD is one of the mature female lead characters who always thinks for other ppl's feeling and never act recklessly for once. Yan Dan also understands and let go of her feeling over Ying Yuan as she completely understand Ying Yuan's action on her and Three Realm. On the other hand, I love how Ying Yuan is not the typical male lead who think love is everything. He put the peace of Three Realm in front of his love for Yan Dan. Many ppl blame YY but without the peace of Three Realm, YD will also be in danger as well. He is the emperor of the Heaven, he still thinks abt his people even tho he truly loves Yan Dan so much, Ying Yuan's true love over Yan Dan is so pure!
By watching IS, you still can see both of them are ready to sacrifice for each other, both YD and YY sacrificed their lives to keep each other safe and sound. No matter if he/she loves her/him back, they will still save each other at the end of the day. But this also teaches us that love isn't everything as people's life and the peace of the world should be the first thing to put in front of love. As long as their love are still growing with pure and true love, YD and YY can store the peace of Three Realms with their love together.
I totally recommend everyone of you to try watching Immortal Samsara, the pure love between the main lead can totally flutter your heart, I promise! Even if you think this might not be a cup of tea for you, please just try to watch at least four or five episodes. When you start to develop interest in IS, it will never disappoint you! I finally found my home now, Immortal Samsara family including the casts and the fans of IS becomes my family!
- My opinion over the script
(However, I might have to complain a lil bit as the scriptwriters are more focusing on background character's story rather than focusing on YD & YY's love story. I feel so bitter abt it since the main reason why I watched IS is for YD and YY only!! For example, Xuan Ye & Ran Qing love story might be even more than the main lead's story! Also, everytime the sweet scenes came, they all turned out to be dreams, illusions or one of YD and YY is unconscious! WHAT THE HELL! The scriptwriters suck! Are they taking us as a joke or smth, having Yang Zi & Cheng Yi as a main lead couple so rare and gold but they made the script like this, like how!)
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