This review may contain spoilers
A lot of things were hidden, mainly the reason.
This was a sweet story at times, frustrating at other times.My biggest gripe comes from the FL character early on.
It almost seemed as if the 14 year old version was more mature than the 18 year old.
I had a hard time at one point keeping track of her age due to her overly childish behavior and ridiculous baby voice.
No one I know has ever acted or talked like that.
From other reviews it seems she does this intentionally (?) which is even more bizarre for a character to do.
The ML was pure eye candy and he knows it.
This role was just another way for him to boost his fan count.
I disliked the way he dressed / styling of his character.
Some scenes his jeans seemed too high up and he'd have his shirt tucked in like someone's grandpa.
A 5 year age difference is not that much, especially not to dress him so much older.
I appreciated the few times they did things and it was a first for both.
Example: walking together on campus and then he plays basketball.
Even though he had already been to college, he didn't have the chance to do 'couple things'.
We saw very little development in his feelings for the FL though which was a let down.
It was very sudden and not very convincing.
The reason seems to be a complete mystery other than a few flashbacks of him looking at her (very short span of time).
He literally was calling her kid and treating her like a little sister one day and then BAM! all of a sudden he's head over heels in love with her.
How?
They could've spent more time developing that part of the story and less time on the fact that his dad killed someone while drunk driving.
I also didn't understand the constant emphasis on how wealthy the FL supposedly was.
They seemed to be middle class, maybe a little higher.
Not too impressive but somehow was a big point.
The leads are both good actors so they played their parts well, but their chemistry was very lacking.
Not a popular opinion, but given my seasoned experience, one I am sticking with.
I was not moved by it, but overall it was a good watch.
Just not worth all the 9s and 10s floating about.
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It started out as a promising drama. The first episodes were great, you had the various stories set out, and I was ready for a cute drama about friendship, life and romance.
But not even the great acting, lovely secondary characters, and much-anticipated cameos from the R1997 cast could light this drama up.
It's all about the husband scavenger hunt, at least a 90%. It was so focused on that, that two of the characters involved in the love triangle did not have any story other than that. And that's bad, because it means that two of our leads were empty as heck.
My main concern was Najung, the female lead. I think she was the only reason why I did not ship anyone with her in this mess of a drama. Whatever happened to her story? Whenever she appeared onscreen, it was either about her undying love for Trash (the childish part of the love triangle), or something that had to do with her friends (only 10% of the time it was about this, sadly).
And the endgame couple... quite boring, too. This pairing... I won't say much, but unless you shipped it, I'm not sure how satisfied you could be. For me, there was just no spark. Maybe due to the fact that I disliked Najung, or maybe because the writers probably switched their endgame couple toward the middle, throwing away the flow this drama could've had.
This also made the dumped second lead, not saying who, seem like an empty plot point. What exactly was he doing in the show? He started out with a hint of the story, but then he was down-leveled to an empty character, a bit fuller than Najung, but still empty. As I mentioned, he was just there to keep the drama more "interesting", nothing to gain out of his presence, sadly.
To wrap things up, this drama was a disappointment. Maybe because I began watching it with too high expectations thanks to everybody's comments, or maybe because it truly was a bad drama.
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a dark and gripping historical thriller
Fair warning, this drama is not suitable for the light hearted. Gyeongseong Creature is one of the darkest and most unsettling dramas I have seen so far. It explores the darkest side of human nature during horrifying times and some scenes may be hard to stomach.That being said, this drama is an unforgettable and compelling narrative of the brutality of Japanese war crimes during World War 2. It is a terrifying yet gripping experience, as we witness the cruel and inhumane conditions of war fueled by the evil and greed of humans. The standout elements of this drama includes the cinematography, an outstanding cast and the high production value, as we have come to expect of high budget Netflix productions. Props to the production team who did an amazing job with the gorgeous set and costume design, both of which helped capture the mid 1900s era in South Korea during Japanese occupation. Additionally the cgi was good, maybe a step down from Stranger Things but solid nonetheless. As for the story, I found the writing to be intricate yet accessible, ensuring that even those not familiar with the history can follow the storyline with ease. The plot was well written and brought to life with strong performances, especially from Han So Hee, Claudia Kim and Park Seo Joon. However I will note that the romance seemed unnecessary and a little forced, but personally it did not bother me too much. In conclusion, Gyeongseong Creature stands out as a thrilling blend of historical drama, supernatural horror, and emotional depth. The series offers a unique exploration of trauma, survival, and the human spirit, while keeping viewers on the edge of their seats with intense action and suspense. The strong performances, especially from the lead characters, and the clever intertwining of mystery and supernatural elements make this show a captivating watch.
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Keep calm and drink on!
While modern affairs says Moonshine is a brand of corn whisky, according to medieval literature, it means high-proof liquor that is produced illegally and the name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. The drama, in fact, is based on the same concept and truly depicts and justifies throughout.Literally titled "When Flowers Bloom, I Think of the Moon (꽃 피면 달 생각하고)", the show is created by KBS Drama Division & 2 other companies and distributed by KBS. This drama is a debut for the writer Kim Joo Hee and directed by the exclusively KBS PD Hwang In Hyuk.
A period of 10 years ban on alcohol leads to the formation of hidden Moonshine organizations who secretly produce alcohol to do business and to take advantage of the ban by earning plenty. Sequence of events lead to the discovery of stash of such alcohol and while unveiling the forces behind everything, even bigger truths are disclosed which seem to be involving the main leads as well.
Inspector Nam Young (Yoo Seung Ho), appointed at the Prohibition Office (Sheonbu) is a law-abiding officer who craves for justice and truly carry out the ban as ordered by the King. Kang Ro Seo (Lee Hye Ri) is a poor noblewoman who got no skill but to make excellent quality liquor. To live a normal life by making money, she dares to disobey the laws but got a pure conscience and uprightly morale. Byun Woo Suk plays the naive yet calculative Crown Prince Lee Pyo and Kang Mi Na plays Han Yae Jin, a noble lady who is easy peasy and believes in being honest.
In supporting cast, there are many familiar faces like Choi Won Young, Jang Gwang, Jung Young Joo, Moon Kou Kang, Park Ah In, Kim Gi Bang, Im Won Hee, Seo Ye Hwa, Hong Yeon Pyo etc. The acting department was full of decent actors and the performance was overally very good except for Byuk Woo Suk. He didn't show any improvement from his previous dramas and him playing a main character wasn't a good impression though his screentime was significantly reduced in the later half.
Most of the major characters are likable, especially, the ones played by Seungho, Hyeri and Mina; I liked their roles and their characters. The one with the least experience is Mina and I was actually happy seeing her doing good in here.
Plot development is more than just good. It's not a brainy intriguing watch with lots of angst or even heart-fluttering moments. Plus, unlike most of the Korean sageuks, where the central plot gets diverted to plenty of political conspiracies and somehow becomes romance-centric with the goal of uniting the ML & FL in the end, this truly sticks to its main plotline for most of it's parts. The first 2 introductory episodes were able create some impression regarding the moonshine businesses and the progression throughout remained up to snuff and satisfactory.
It obviously has several peak moments as expected but not that stupefying in general; I think that's the speciality about this drama. The ending sequence however got a bit repetitive but it was okay. There's not really much to discuss about the development honestly and it was a good watch throughout. In addition, the pacing remains constant plus up to par and it didn't demand me to skip anything or even fast-forward it at all. I think the biggest plus point for this was the fact that it never ran out of substance involving the main theme, despite an average storyline.
Hwang In Hyuk PD-nim is a familiar face in KBS Drama Division with more than a couple of hugely acclaimed dramas in his resume and the decades of experience seems to have been reflected despite the drama being not a masterpiece of some sort. The screenplay management, premise settings, the scenario conduction and the cinematography have been well taken care of. The overall screen editing is nice, and despite the least amount of emphasis on colour pallettes, the vibe organization using appropriate hue, is brilliantly done. The pacing is good as well; which at few places (for instance ep 9 & 11) felt like becoming slow, but glad they picked up the acceleration shortly.
Writers making a decent delivery in their debut is not new, however, this was indeed a beyond decent one from Kim Joo Hee, and I believe, she should be paid her due credit. The overal value of the script is way more than average though I can't deny the flaws, but I feel those were manageable and I'm sure many of the viewers wouldn't notice. The plot development is simple, steady and entertaining. Some plot elements could be predictive for avid watchers but that clearly doesn't decrease the quality; I must mention, it's a light and decent sageuk. Unlike 90% of recent sageuks, the screenplay doesn't have any fillers and complementary side plots just to complete the 16 episode quota.
In fact, the amount of romance is very less and equally balanced with the bromance line. The development of bonding between different characters including the love relationships, is simple, good and not exaggerated. The patriarchal dominance is almost nonexistent and to my delight, this has so many feminist female, and not to lie, male characters. Using a contrary approach, the female lead here is the saviour of the male lead and in way, anything misogynistic has been included either.
Composed by Park Se Joon, the OST album ha a total of 9 songs and all of them are likable. My most favourite is "Even Though" by Monday Kiz which has beautifully written lyrics that render your heart. "Love Me Again" by Sojung (Ladie's Code) has the old K sageuk vibes. "Who You Are" by Ha Sung Woon is a song with is a soulful romantic track. "Missing You" by Minseo is a heart-rendering song with great vocal values. "Once In A Minute" by Seo Eun Kwang (BTOB) is a jolly track. Other tracks are:
# "Fly High" by LUCY
# "Moonshine" by JAIME
# "Someday" by Miyeon
# "Love Your Everything" by Golden Child
What I liked...
# The feminist female characters.
# The plot transition
# The character arcss and their growths
# The unique conspiracy plot
# The balance between different factors like: romance, bromance, family aspect, royal affairs, conspiracies, comedy, fighting & stunts, etc.
Final Remarks... Overally, "Moonshine" was a good watch in my opinion. It was likable, engaging and not time-wasting. It could have been a very good thing given the concept and storyline but the fact that it is one of those dramas with least amount of noticeable flaws, makes it an average and decent piece. I won't say it's a must watch but please do it in case you're not looking for a simple sageuks with typical yet balanced elements.
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It doesn't matter if some people hate me. And let me be alone here - but I enjoyed it. A series to have a good evening. I was really looking forward to the end of this series so I could watch it later. And I was not disappointed. I really liked it. JoongDunk acting has improved. And this is noticeable in many episodes. For example, in the episode where Zo and Joke have their first time/first night. I really liked this scene. Zo's embarrassment, hesitation, awkwardness - how well Dunk portrayed it. You watch it and you rejoice that the writers added conversations and such a scene. In most of the series I've watched, the main characters are so experienced and active in their first time/first night. So this Zo and Joke scene appealed to me.
I also liked the scenes with aggressive Zo. It's probably funny, but it is. I think Dunk manages to portray aggression excellently.
The plot itself is filled with tenderness. It really seemed that way to me. Yes, the plot is not genius, but it's not as bad as many people write here. But I liked the idea of the writers about the plot. And I won't even mention the chemistry between the main characters. It's just unbelievable. The looks, the tenderness, the kisses. Haha
Again, I don't understand some people who obsess over these debates. What's the big deal with it? I don't understand comments like "I forgot that Zo is part of the debate club", "the plot is not consistent, I forgot about the debates". I am not in any way condemning these people. I know that everyone has different tastes. But some of them remain incomprehensible to me. The series' plot doesn't revolve around debates. Imagine if they talked about debates every 5 minutes for 12 episodes. People wouldn't have liked it, they would have said that apart from debates, there is no plot. It's the same thing.
I liked how they tried to show the problems between parents and children here, about unhappy first love. Especially in the 9th episode, they managed to show that relationships are not always perfect, any misunderstandings or attempts to hide the truth can have consequences. Zo and Joke showed us that. And yes, I understand that the reason for their fight may seem trivial/stupid to some. But as I already said, it's about relationships, where any small misunderstanding can have consequences. Furthermore, I can understand why Zo reacted that way. He had an unsuccessful experience with his first love. Moreover, I like such scenes in series, they are a kind of resemblance to real life, and about situations that can happen in real life.
Overall, I liked it. Yes, the plot may be banal, but I liked it. And honestly, I can't understand why everyone doesn't like Dunk's acting? Maybe it's because I liked the series, and I liked the main actors, and I just don't notice it. But after watching the series "Sky and Stars," I still don't understand what's wrong with Dunk's acting. I personally really like it. Especially his smile.
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BEST CDRAMA I’VE EVER WATCHED
I really enjoyed this cdrama, i like the story and the flow, and the setting it’s really fantasy. Whei Zhi and Yan Yue’s chemistry is the best, their cute interaction behind the scene and on the scene is really romantic and cute. The open ost sang by ju jing yu is music to my ears, it’s really sweet like her voice, I’ve already fallen for her since then, and the closing ost sang by Ju jing Yu and Guo Jun Chen, their voice really match well, I hope they have more collabs songs in the future. I’m literally crying right now beacuse it ended, I wish it will never rnd, the show will never end, I will miss it forever. Whei Zhi and Yan Yue you will be missed forever. I wish Beauty of Resilience is having a season 2 soon.Was this review helpful to you?
great start, terrible ending
Overall: I was really impressed with the first episode and the first half of the second episode. Unfortunately, cliched writing really let it down. Aired cut on SUKFILM YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYfaogVGCvwTczUW4K1YELu_cWQfUQ21a&si=Wv8xKJkU1Fq2v-5t and uncut with channel Membership https://youtu.be/ync6RU2p-Mg?si=veM-TZOGJ6Q67cI5 (I have watched both the cut and uncut versions)Update - since they are airing more episodes I have increased my rating to a 7
Content Warning: coercion
What I Liked
- tension/chemistry
- indirect way at first to say he didn't have money, used context clues instead of exposition dumps
- clear communication at the start of episode 2
- intimacy
Room For Improvement
- didn't love that they were doing something before what happened at the end of ep 1
- characters started doing "because the writer said so" stuff in episode 2, why would he write that right next to the other guy? why did all of a sudden feelings change and he ran out to meet him? he just left his phone screen visible on the table when he left, etc
- cliched female characters as potential/actual antagonists
- this is obviously an indie production, but I think they could have collaborated with a coffee shop to get a free location in exchange for naming them as a sponsor/publicity, also subtitle errors in episode 4 made the plot confusing (also had some missing subtitles)
- that ending was such a letdown, cliched and unsatisfying (update: they decided to release more episodes)
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Why do I say waste? Because the story line was pretty annoying. I don't know what the writers were thinking when they started brewing up the plot. It had a weak start and a weak ending. The main character was a superb actor, we all know that but the story didn't give justice to his acting skills at all.
Though I would have to admit that there were times where I laughed my ass out to some scenes but that wasn't enough for me to go on rambling and recommending the drama. It will only be a waste of time. So I'm posting it to say that this is one of those drama's which people should avoid watching. Even the music did not give color to the loose story line.
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Stalkery Makjang MESS
This Drama is billed as being about a strong capable woman. It STARTS that way, but, like so many TW Dramas, melts into a makjang mess. Here's a quick synopsis of why I gave it 3/10 (I could have gone lower)1. STALKING IS NOT ROMANTIC - For the first 11 episodes, the ML is not only an utterly self-absorbed whiny spoiled manchild, he's also actively stalking the FL with a tracking app she is unaware of. This is creepy, disgusting and criminal, not romantic, but apart from her slamming the door on him in one scene he basically gets a free pass from her in part because
2. MAKJANG MELTDOWN - ML's father dies, and older half-brother peels off the Scooby Doo mask to reveal a full-blown psycho nutjob underneath. At the same time as he goes on a murderous rampage, the FLs protege goes on her own descent into diabolical double-dealing, for why? BECAUSE SHE CAN"T GET A MAN. For a Drama that supposedly celebrates a powerful, independent woman, to see her deputy turn "evil" for no reason other than jealousy that the man she's crushing on has a crush for the FL is major head-desking material.
I was impressed with the actor playing the female lead, and will be looking out for her again. But my advice to anyone who doesn't find masochistic delight in watching promising potential destroyed by makjang mysognist melodrama is simple: AVOID THIS DRAMA
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Whaaaaat?
Let's get straight into it.BNW is a big pile of doodoo. Whatever they're trying to achieve is lost in a stale and inconsistent storyline. Now the only interesting things were the mind reading and existence of the alternate world. There were factors that spoiled what could've been a unique story. Factors being bad acting, unrealized plot and irritating main and side characters.
Noeul has not grown as an actor. Like the LITA cast, they are stuck at that level with no maturity besides the added years. Noeul is basically acting the same role - innocent and clueless. Boss being the exception was the only reason to reach this far. They do nc scenes well which is a poor selling point as actors who are not in the porn industry. Admittedly, there is a level of comfort between them that some others don't have. Side characters aside, Noeul's delivery of his lines are part of his character but really irritating to hear. Phu slept with Cir twice before running away confused about his feelings which only resolves after Cir got in an accident. One word, boring. What was this incessant need to keep repeating their names? The tally of this might account for half the script.
Cir, in the alternate world (dream world unconsciousness) meets the previous version of himself and learns the reason of the past lives. Their endings have not been happy. He's trapped there until Phu cries out his deep love for him and only then is he returned to his physical body. Here's where it gets tricky. The Cir that Noeul loves has a scar on forehead. The other Cir does not. So does the scar disappear and materialize depending on which version of Cir's consciousness inhabits the body? Make it make sense. Even at the end there is no explanation for this inconsistency.
It is revealed that Cir has been his protector and stalker for a few years which leaves to beg, why the pretense? Phu seems to be a kind hearted gentle neurotic soul and would have accepted him, so why the pretense. If this is to protect from his mother, why did he eventually contact him? The deal with his mother was one final year of freedom before joining the company. Why contact Phu when the relationship had a deadline? To confuse him more?
Phu meets Cir's unwanted fiancé, gets slapped, is saved by Cir who rebuffs all the parties that caused their meeting and is taken away to safety. Directly after, whilst sitting in the apartment, Phu asks Cir if he has met with the fiancé and how did it go? 😳 My confusion level had me thinking that I probably napped here. Was Cir not next to him when the fiancé show down happened, so what is he asking here? Was there a telepathic meeting the viewer didn't see? Inconsistent and poor editing. Throughout the series there have been other repetitive nonsensical conversations, but this being the most glaring.
Genuine question here, do all female side characters have to sound like harpies? Why can't they be seen as even tempered beautiful women? They are either physically aggressive, delusional or erratic. Can't this be banished and more multilayered characters be written? This would be a welcomed change. Though it was great to see his Phu's friends so protective of him except that one idiot.
Now to the mind reading. Unless I've missed it, it's not clear how Jin acquired the ability to do so. It is interesting and since meeting Wim, he has liked him and still was able to use it. When he confesses to him, it's suddenly lost. So verbalizing his thoughts took them away and he is like everyone else, guessing his way through the relationship. Wim, the most polarizing character with his incessant need to speak, doesn't believe him. Upon confirmation from Cir, he is willing to be let Jin in. Honestly, their story would have been more entertaining that what this was. Nine episodes of lies, and one full of repetitive declarations.
Cir's mother is displayed as deranged and despicable. Now, we see why Cir needs an alternate universe to survive. The solution to her wanting to trade one property for another is not met with a white padded room and restraints but entertained. The fiancé, what was her motive to marry someone who clearly despised her? Money? On meeting her intended mother in law, any sane person would refuse. Conclusion: they all need the white padded room and restraints.
This series left me wanting more than just great nc scenes. The plot needed to be tightened, the acting upgraded and the characters likeable. This was 10 episodes of boring, unimaginative lies and unlikeable characters save Jin and Ramil. Will not be re-watching. Once is more than enough.
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Watch it till finish, overall enjoy the full episode with all the awesome cast! Especially episode 51 (those male leads or heroes, for me thou) they're all together, ready to fight their enemies. For those who loves to binge-wat ch mystery and suspense plot, try Tomb Of The Sea. But I'am actually hoping for the final ep, Li Cu and Wu Xie would meet up again prolly because they both had suffer together, separate and fight for their lives. The brotherhood is there. I watch without subtitles but I shall rewatch it to understand the plot better ???? Was this review helpful to you?
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The villains and twists related to them are forced and do not connect too well with the rest of the "story".
What is even more forced and cheesy in the worst way is the finale, where everyone gets what they deserve and everything is a bed of roses.
Every couple is obvious from the first glance and their every interaction when they are seemingly beating around the bush is only making it more awkward and frustrating to watch.
Sure, the visuals of the main couple are stunning and their chemistry is quite decent, but we don't get to enjoy too much of these good scenes with only them, and honestly any amount of that would not be enough to save this show.
Comedy ranges from really weak to screaming in laughter funny. The latter could be a lifeboat here, if only it wasn't so scarce to make space for more pointless attempts at drama.
Not recommended for anyone, since there are thousands of similar shows which are much better written and could actually surprise you or evoke emotions, unlike this one, which is at best just mildly sweet and decently funny with nothing else to offer.
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