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Story: Can two politicians from completely different parties find love? If you were to ask me this question a few months ago, I probably would have said something along the lines of "It sounds boring. I don't really care.". I barely pay attention to politics in real life, why should I watch a drama about it? However, after the first few minutes of the drama, I was sold hook, line and sinker. I loved how this drama can go from serious to laugh-out-loud funny in under a second. The politics weren't really the main focus of the drama, but they did play a key role in the conflicts. I'm glad that there wasn't too much emphasis put on the politics in this, but rather the cute and conflicting relationships all throughout. Just as the title shows, "All About My Romance" is seriously *all* about romance. I'm not joking. There is no other plot there, *but* romance (Well, there was a shot at makjang somewhere along the line, but I was willing to ignore it for the sake of both my sanity and my love for the main couple). Anyway, there were about four (?) different pairs of people involved (not necessarily four couples, there's waaaayyyy more pairings than that), but I can only think of two couples that are actually focused on for the whole show.
Acting: Lee Min Jung first dropped onto my radar back when I watched "Boys Over Flowers". She had a bubbly and bright screen presence, and I honestly see her becoming the next A-List actress sometime soon (?). One of my biggest issues with the drama's viewers is that many people dropped it simply because Shin Ha Kyun wasn't "attractive enough". While I do understand the whole eye-candy thing, isn't that a bit shallow? At least stick around a while if your whole issue is purely a visual thing. If those viewers had some issue with the plot, I could understand why they dropped it, but looks? Really? *sighs*
I'll admit, Shin Ha Kyun is not as attractive as he was back when he debuted, but his character's personality sort of made you immune to that, and over time you found him to be kind-of-sort-of attractive.
Y'know. In that ajusshi way. Sort of like one of those older models in those business magazines?
Moving on. Shin Ha Kyun acted really well in AAMR, and without his skills the whole thing would have probably collapsed. No offense to Lee Min Jung, but she just wasn't passionate enough for the drama to rest on her shoulders, and the second lead and minor actors weren't given enough screen time to help her out.
Music: Cute and adorable. The OST will forever bring a stupid grin to my face. I especially loved Akdong Musician's contribution to it.
Rewatch Value: For the funnier scenes, definitely.
Overall: Cute and light. AAMR tries to teach you something about love and tries to be more serious in the process, but it kind of flops in that department. I'm glad that this drama knew where its strengths were and stuck to them for the most part, though. 8/10
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intense
There is no way to review this movie without discussing the major plot points so if anyone is reading, be warned.I went in not expecting much. It was a rainy day and I was bored. This movie happened to be on my recommended. I remember watching the trailer and not being too interested but then I realized the same female lead in Vincenzo was acting and I thought why not?
The plot itself is moderately good. Above average. The thing is, I've watched a lot of action movies, thrillers and I could predict a lot of the major scenes. The element of surprise didn't work for me, unfortunately. Why then did I like it so much? it was less about the story but more about how it was told. The narration, the subtle hints, were a treat to me. A little predictive but that didn't lessen my curiosity.
The movie did not stray from what it promised. I could feel the tension and the anger, the sadness, the whole absurdity of the system. There was no right or wrong. I think it's a close representation of how mobs and gangs work. There is always a score to settle. The gang isn't one big family. There are backstabbers and power is the only thing that matters. No sugarcoated representation. No romanticizing being a bad guy. Even though (by the power vested in me by my addiction to movies) I was able to literally predict everything I think I still would watch it. The silence, the sounds, the scenery, the coloring; perfect for a rainy day.
Some have said they didn't see the point of the whole romance aspect. I personally loved it. it was more than just love. I think it added the depth the movie needed. I don't think they loved each other, no. I think they needed each other. I think they gave each other a reason. One who did not have a reason to live and one who did not have enough time to live. The end was reasonable and left me feeling satisfied.
The acting is spectacular. The whole cast was perfect. The male and female lead was something else. Just enough chemistry. Enough to make me intrigued but not too much that it overpowered the main story. Their portrayal of their characters' emotions, the action scenes; even though I knew what was coming I couldn't help but hope. The ML raspy voice was something I won't be forgetting for a long time.
The music was perfect. As I've mentioned, the perfect balance of silence and sound.
if anyone reads this far (which I doubt lol) go watch it! it's not a movie you would want to miss.
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Too much happening for such a short amount of time
I’d say the episode zero is a must watch before watching this. It’s a short episode but it give some background information for the opening scene of the series to make more sense. The series looks realistic, both the characters and events. I do like the production value as well, there are certain scenes that are just so beautiful to watch.But what’s with all the couples?! This is an extremely short series. All episodes combined and it’s still less than 90min long. I don’t understand why the story needs to be told by a girl who we don’t really know much about. She is simply telling the story of the other two couples to her lover. There is not nearly enough time to really develop all the storylines, so it does come across as quite choppy and rushed. I did like that the flashbacks were quite clearly separated from the present.
Damien & Hayden: there is not really much to say about them. We got a few snippets of them spending time together and apart, but I don’t think we really got much information on either of the two. Damien is heartbroken, possibly Hayden too. But that’s pretty much it. They do form some sort of connection, but the intensity doesn’t really correspond to what we see otherwise.
Kelvin & Archie: their story is heartbreaking. No matter how you look at it, someone will get hurt. And the person who might end up suffering the most, is the one who is the most innocent one in this whole mess. I do think that Kelvin is really trapped. And say what you want, but what he had to go through and is still going through is not something a good person does to another. Especially if they care about that person. No, that is what an abuser does.
All in all, I think there was just too much to be resolved for such a short series. It would have greatly benefitted from focusing only on one couple or having a few more episodes.
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Magical at times, disillusioning at times….
Initial thoughts; I came across this drama through an exchanged list with a few friends. Have always loved Ji Chang Wook but I must admit that I wasn’t entirely engaged as some of his recent works have been a bit meh. Though I was willing to give it a go after seeing a promotional video.Tone of the show; ‘Sound Of Magic’ is very much what I’d say is a “ non offensive” show. It was sweet in parts, lightly melodramatic and angsty in others with a few cheery ( and sad) musical songs out of nowhere. Honestly I’m not saying that it didn’t go into issues and I thought that it was pretty brave of the narrative to go into some hard issues like inequality and hinting at exploitation. But it was very rarely pushed to the boundaries. Not saying that this a bad thing at all as the show was what it was. Lighthearted and occasionally dipping into some darker themes but never to the point of making viewers squirm or delivering shock. For those expecting a dark fantasy series like Hotel del Luna then you might be a bit disappointed especially as themes were rarely driven forwards.
Characters/ Acting ; I think as a lot of people in reviews have pointed out, Chang Wook’s character, the magician, was a bit disappointing. Honestly pleasantly surprised to see CW delivering an outstanding performance but his character sort of felt as though he had missing parts. I can’t say that I’m basing my judgement on the webcomic as I’ve never read it but even as a newcomer to the world of The Sound Of Magic, I have to say that the magician felt a bit lacking in charm and mystery. His character twist felt a bit sudden if I’m honest. Surprising but could’ve been built up or hinted at more.
The female lead was decent enough. The actress Choi Sung Eun wasn’t familiar for me apart from her performance in Beyond Evil but she was good. Her character felt a bit cliche if I’m honest. We’ve seen the poor girl trope so many times being branded and branded again that it can feel a bit lost amongst others. I did like the main female lead’s uncertainty and her genuine sincerity but I felt as though the narrative missed out on a lot of opportunities to explore her process of growing up too fast and coming to terms with reality as well as her mother not coming back.
The supporting lead was played by Hwang In Yeop. I’ve liked In Yeop like many since his performance in 18 Again and adored him in True Beauty. It was definitely weird seeing him play a “ good student” role aside from “bad boy” or “ delinquent bully”. Nevertheless his performance was fairly good and I definitely thought his onscreen pairing with Sung Eun was well done. His character felt a bit repressed at times. I liked the fact that the show presented the potential lover genuinely caring about the female lead and falling for her but there was a lot not talked about the supporting male lead nor understanding the female lead’s pain or struggles, or at least him coming to understand her circumstances more. His backstory was existent and even from a brief glimpse I feel as though we could understand a lot about him but could’ve been better.
There’s also the female lead’s bully who was necessary but definitely a cliche and superficial character. The ending felt a bit rushed more than anything and incomplete but the pacing was okay in my opinion just a little slow at times.
I liked the filming techniques and it did add a certain magic but there definitely could’ve been more in later episodes. The musical songs felt a bit bland. There were a few ones which were good but definitely not enough to get stuck in your head.
Overall; Decent series and fun but felt as though it could’ve been a bit more concise at times. Overall I liked it but I can say the trailer certainly made this one seem a bit edgier and provocative than it actually was in reality.
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Disturbing,gripping
Chun woo hee, the woman you are, i became her absolute fan. Her best work,how annoying she was i wanted to break through the screen and slap the shit outta her.Ryu jun yeol, another blast show by this man. He can for sure act very well.
The show was what squid game had but with a social commentary and no survival games.
They made time as an important aspect too.
The ending could have been more different but it was okayish.
The show had many disturbing parts and sometimes I didn’t know what was actually happening,but i see thats how it’s meant to be.
The actors made this show more watchable for sure!
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This review may contain spoilers
Robin Hood Robbing Hearts
To My Beloved Thief is set during the dark days of the Joseon era. The kingdom was ruled by a tyranny whose greed knew no bounds as it caused oppression of the weak resulting in hunger and injustice. He looked the other way as his ministers filled their granaries robbing the weak in plain sight. Amidst all this madness however, arose a Robin hood by the name Gildong whom the weak praised but the rich condemned. The twist is that our Robin Hood is a she. A low-born female physician named Hong Eunjo.Grand Prince Dowol and Eunjo are the central focus here, with their lives being intertwined through an unexpected switch in bodies. While switching bodies can come off as overdone, here it serves as more than a plot point. I loved how it puts the characters in the other's shoes, forcing the prince to understand what it is like to live as a commoner, and Eunjo to understand what it's like to be trapped in a royal court where political dangers are ever so suffocating. This switch truly brings "walking in someone else's shoes" phrase to life here, and I appreciated how it is through this very experience the prince finally understands why the woman he loves became Gildong.
Unlike most fluffy romances, this is a romance between two people who have a lot that separates them, right down to their backgrounds. A romance where politics and social standing make a normal love story impossible. One where class, danger, and saving their country takes precedence above anything else. Their love never gets in the way of the greater crisis; instead, it strengthens the will they have to fight and overcome it.
This drama boasts excellent acting from its leads. One such example is the fiery nature of Hong Eunjo, played by Nam Jihyun. Also worth mentioning is Moon Sangmin for his role as Grand Prince Dowol; someone who has the grace and power of a prince but also enough kindness to complement her character nicely. And, while I'm at it, another commendable performance is that of Hong Min Ki as Im Jaeyi; whose cold yet warm personality was both frustrating and brilliant.
While the core plot may be somewhat cliché, its twist and turns kept it fresh and interesting. One particular thing I adored about this drama was how the second female lead, Hae Rim was well-written. She was a sweet woman who truly cares about the people; who doesn't get jealous over unrequited love and accepted her defeat in a gracefully dignified way. Better yet, the two female leads are friends and avoid the typical rivalry, with each girl offering support and strength to one another, which felt very appropriate for their respective worlds.
However, not everything was so brilliant; some parts of the plot did seem rather convenient. Im Sahyeong escaping, for example, didn't feel right considering everything he had done; a criminal being left at liberty without being guarded felt like a cheap ploy to push the plot forward. Another cliché was applied in the tense scene where the villains took an eternity to breakdown the door just so that the couple could express their undying love toward each other before they could attack them smh; one surely has to switch off their brain to stomach such scenes lol. In any case, in the grand scheme of things, those rare moments of foolishness were just a drop in the bucket.
The cinematography was okay however, there were scenes that stood out to me; like when the leads accidentally kissed under the blossoming trees and the moment the courtesans successfully escaped from the palace and tossed off their robes into air...how liberating that was.
Finally, this particular drama is like a romance novel which happens to feature politics within its story lines. It is based on empathy and unity of purposes; a love that is built through shared objectives rather than through romancing. If you seek a drama that features interesting characters, background knowledge, slow burn love, and political elements, then this may be the one to pick.
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The Ultimate Beer Comercial!
This Kdrama is like your favorite beer! You know why you love it, ergo you know what you're gonna get, and in that, so you won't be disappointed!It's not extraordinary or special, but it was a fun! It's not a surprise that Kim Sejeong carried the whole show, but the side-characters were good, too!
My biggest problem is that we only get 12 episodes, and we had too many storylines, like the one with the soldier boy. That could've been so much better, and honestly, it deserves its own show, but we only got like 1 episode worth of story overall, and they moved on from it pretty fast.
Not to mention the plot with our main guy and the life-saving incident. They didn't do anything with it. I'm not talking about the obvious and typical Kdrama trope, I'm talking about the reason he had to be saved. They completely ignored that!
The usual stuff, like the romance and the main plot is predictable, but if you expect something else, this isn't for you. If you watched one show like this, you know them all, but that doesn't mean you're not gonna enjoy it.
Overall, it was fun, but nothing more!
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This review may contain spoilers
Movies are built on “what ifs”
Devastating, cruel, heartaching, bleak like a domino effect of misfortuneJust like Saw and The Mist, everything would’ve been better if they worked together
But in this black cold interpretation, one bad choice, one act of unkindness, led to another bigger deeper hole
In ways no one was to blame, he was scammed and he lost everything and then some when the earthquake hit and took his family so all he had left was that empty shell of apartment
They had to kick the intruders cuz they almost killed a person
And with that power came dark responsibilities
He took his anger at the supermarket guy and I think that should’ve been the line
But that was just a spark that made the “outsiders” fear and despise the apartment ppl
For me, the most heartbreaking thing that really made me burst out crying was the “kidney” guy that hid the kids and mom, lose it and killed himself after he saw how the apartment ppl made the others who hid outsiders apologize so cruelly 😭
Then it got darker when the “outsiders” attacked and 902 was just really trying to survive and fit the narrative of the apartment ppl, they were the ones who suggested the kicking, he just wanted to grasp and survive
But dang dude went crazy when he threw the kid in the never ending hole but the way he still tried to help the rest and threw the bomb… things were just so grey…
Now minsung and myunghwa should’ve stayed cuz 902 had time to go back to the ninth floor, yet another sad symbolic way of his desperation to grasp at the last thing he “owned”, but in ways minsung was already over his limit when he didn’t help out the ppl cuz he to was just desperate to survive with his wife
And myunghwa needed to go out and show the ironic and simple way ppl beside the “cockroaches” lives, a simple act of coliving and helping each other out
Tho another plot hole was how eventho they always went out to look for food, they rarely met other ppl and never found other survivors in such a big scale
Tho the news about the crazy apartment ppl would surely make ppl try hard not to show themselves
That was honestly beautifully acted tho, every emotion, every devastation was perfectly executed
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Rollercoaster ride of emotions.
The story: The surviving daughter of the Lin family comes back to seek revenge, after her parents death.When I set foot on this drama I was mesmerized by the cast, the cinematography, back ground music and the acting. I immediately understood that this drama would be great to watch. Although the story starts in a very simple way we often see. This drama turns the avenging FL's plot to another level.
The Chemistry is off the charts and the love scenes between ML and FL was breathtaking. I could just blush seeing them getting close. And then We had some violent scenes following those sweet moments, make it a rollercoaster ride to watch.
So you have to buckle up because, like a lot of Chinese republican dramas, the world is full of dangers and the characters a subjected to them.
This drama also made me cry and I have to give them a good point for that. I was so into the story that I actually felt very bad for the characters.
I really liked the story of this bullied ML, whose resillience lead him to finally get justice. He reminded me of "The Count of Monte Cristo". Like him, Zhang Han Yi's patience and perseverance underline the idea that justice, although delayed, ultimately triumphs.
This drama was really a treat to me and despite having to close my eyes before the graphic violence at time, I enjoyed every bit of it.
Pros :
- Amazing Strategist FL and amazing genius incense master ML.
- Great witty and intelligent leads.
- The chemistry is top notch between the leads and also between the genereral and his sister.
- Belivable kiss scene. Frankly I was very happy the actors could deliver.
- The acting is great.
- Top notch quality : great directing and cinematography, acting, costumes hair and makeup...
- Surprising twist and turns. Some characters actions are very unique. I so them cross taboos in this show. (*_*)
- Like in all Republican Era dramas. Anything can happen, I mean really anything.
- Strategies and mind games were great to watch to me.
- Morals are good.
Cons :
- Graphic violence .
- The ending was justified but I would have liked another one.
- Stunt accesories and special effects makeup could have been handled differently.
Overall:
If you like a drama with great chemistry, a story that has a lot of twist and turns, with top notch technical quality and you can beare with some graphic violent scenes. This drama is for you.
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KBS Drama Special 2012: Another Wedding
13 people found this review helpful
Story: Great example of how uncleared misunderstandings can destroy relationships. I thought the conservative view of Koreans will prevail at the end, but sadly, it didn't. It's weird that I loved the epilogue but hated the ending.
Acting/Cast: I came across the drama because of Yin Ji Han, and was surprised Hong So Hyun is also casted, whom I also liked so I gave it a go. I loved both of them, and really, I cried because they did a good job on their roles.
Music: I don't remember any standout song or music.
Rewatch Value: It was heartbreaking for me so, no.
Overall: With all these hints, I think you get what to expect at the drama. I'm not too fond of heartbreaking romances that's why I didn't gave it a high score but it is worth watching if you have free have time to spend and of course you want a moment to fangirl over Jin Yi Han. :D
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The first couple of episodes were painful to watch, since THAT letter was too cruel. I hated Asako, and I didn't like the boy. Actually, till the end, I couldn't figure this boy out. But on the other hand, I felt too sorry for Asako, in spite of all her many mistakes. While Yui was suffering for almost a decade for the lost of her baby boy, Asako's intentions of being a mother were mostly selfish. She wanted a son because of social pressure, because of loneliness... But still, what does being a mother mean? Doesn't it mean to love and raise the child to be someone, to be there for the child, to give him everything the child needs in order to become a better person?
While there were many painful scenes, and scenes that make you upset (like when Asako was telling Yui SHE was the one who raised Kou, SHE was the one who knew him better... thank Heavens for that slap!), there were also many light scenes, heartwarming scenes. This dorama is mostly about family, not only blood-related, but also people who are always there for support and interventions and good and bad moments.
I love the cast, specially the women. I think Sawajiri Erika may be too young to be a mother of a teenage boy, but she was dressed very homely in order to look more mature, with baggy clothes and light-to-zero make-up. Her friend, interpreted by Itaya Yuka, was excellent. She always plays the sweetest and kindest friend to perfection. I think it is her smile. But the one who deserved all awards was, for me, Koike Eiko. Her role, as the woman who raised the boy, was meant to be hateful. But her tears... oh gawd, her tears made ME tearful. For about 8 episodes I had a love-hate feelings for her, but by the end, I pitied her enormously. Poor woman, in spite of everything!
The husbands were good as well, nice sidekicks. But what impressed me the most was Nakajima Yuto. This guy has everything to play a romantic MC; he is tall, young, handsome and can act, and here again we have him, as a serious worker who should be played by someone older. WHYYYY...
The kids were ok, obviously with the least experience and you can tell, especially since the older cast is so good. Still, the boy who played Kou was adorable.
I love the OST! Very moving, and I love the EP, "Just you and I", by Amuro Namie. I am currently listening to it. The lyrics are very meaningful.
The ending was satisfying. I think this is one of those doramas that will be liked by anyone, specially those who like family genre.
The other cover is much better and meaningful that the one here on MDL.
Mini-reunions: "1 Liter of Tears", "Hotaru no Hikari", "Kounodori", "Date".
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This review may contain spoilers
Since I started to watch dramas, In Time With You has been one of my favourites dramas. I remember the first time I watched the T-drama version and how I felt about this story. It's not a perfect story, there is some flaws, but at the same time it's so poetry and has so deep meaning that I still think this story is very underrated by people who watch dramas. I think this story is the best when we talk about this kind of this situation "friends to love". The fact is, some people misunderstand the meaning of what this story want to tell us. It's not about love or dating, but it's about friendship and how firendship is more important than love. We see that in our main characters. It's not about a guy who wants to be more than a friend. It's about a guy who likes a girl, but loves her friendship. I think the drama gives us a messange that may be hard, but we need to accept. I think others dramas that talks about this kind situation failed in develop this messange and that's why I like so much this drama.
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But talking about this version. I think is more developed than the others one, but unfortunatelly the end was not so good as the T-drama. I also think there is more good songs in the first one than in this one. And I also think Bo-lin did a better job in some scenes. But besides that, I don´t have anything more to complain. They clearly transmited what the story mean and I also think they showed us more interactions between our main leads. In this version we have a Yo less selfish and more independent. I really liked the fact that they didn´t change her work. I also like the fact that in this version they showed us more her love for Ren.
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Overall, this drama is also more mature than the others one and its also more closer than the korean one. It was my first time seeing the actor who plays Ren, but he is really good and now I'm hoping I can see more dramas with him.
I think we guys need to watch this drama, but thinking about the meaning of the title. There is a reason why the T-drama is named In time With You. And there is a reason why the japaneses prefer to translate as I don´t love you yet. Try to understand the name, before talk bad about the plot.
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