Completed
It's Okay to Not Be Okay
16 people found this review helpful
Dec 21, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 4.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 3.5
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

It's Okay To Not Be Okay Is...Okay

I'm not a fan of romance whatsoever but I am a fan of great storytelling when it involves small doses of romance. That being said great storytelling also involves great screenwriting where the dialogue is clear and compelling and doesn't leave all the heavy lifting to the viewers. But what 'It's Okay To Not Be Okay' suffers from is its heavy reliance on flashbacks. It's okay when you're recapping episodes and if they are used sparingly for dramatic effect but if you have to continually remind viewers of certain plot points then it seems to indicate a lack of confidence in the story itself. The likelihood of a man with an autistic older brother falling in love with the daughter of the woman who murdered his mother is a hard sell. And even with some strong individual performances at times by the show's leads, I didn't buy it. I wasn't convinced of the motive that caused the mother to kill in the first place. I also thought the show did a very poor job of exploring the real-life stigma that people with mental health issues face.

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Completed
Diamond Lover
16 people found this review helpful
Oct 30, 2015
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
I am writing as I see nobody did a review yet and I always like to share and review what others may not be able to find in this website :p

Rain in a chinese drama, of cos its dubbed, what do you expect :)

Story:
the plot was ok. Interesting to see Tiffany being 'ugly'' ...LOL

there are quite a few funny characters that you will enjoy especially the 2nd couple or the 2nd male lead (he is so funny)

however, up to the ep 43 and above, its a little draggy with the theme : to lie or not to lie, tell the truth or not kind of thinggy....its draggy, trust me.

Cast:
The Cast was good... although some situations was exaggerated, the acting and some scene were too over. especially just a fall and this person turn into coma - something like that. you will see a very different Tang Yan here especially when she done so many same scenario drama previously.
Lei Yi Ming and Gao Wen is very funny here and they scene was really worth to watch. (if you watch u will really know what i meant about the exaggerated scene and Lai YI Ming....)

Its very difficult for a korean actor to act in a chinese drama but here, Rain really protray good acting and his expressions are really good as well. room to improve of cos but worthy for a praise here.

The romance was of good balance and level here, many sub sub stories and couples.

Music:
Music was good, ost matches with the drama

Rewatch Value:
i will watch again especially Lai yi ming and Gao Wen part, will skip the draggy part too. Cheers!

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Completed
Boyhood
16 people found this review helpful
Dec 25, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

Im-Siwan giving another iconic character: Jang Byung Tae, the dogged warrior against bullying!

After the iconic Jang Gu-Rae (Misaeng), Si-wan has given us another legendary character as Jang Byung Tae. Words would not be enough to praise this idol-turned-actor for every diverse role he undertakes. At 35 years of age, he plays a high-school boy with such finesse which I doubt actors of that actual age would be able to deliver. His latest work, Boyhood, deserves to be added into his ever-growing list of amazing works & personally for me it has wrapped up my 2023 Drama-Year beautifully!

⭐ STORY SUMMARY:
In first half - we meet Jang Byung Tae, a meek school-boy, oppressed all his life by bullies, no matter how many school he changes. He has been "whooped" so much that he and his family assume it to be his destiny & he has no other meaning/dreams from his life. By a comedic chain of events - in his new school he is mistaken to be renowned bully/fighter than being someone who is bullied. He gets to live life on the other side - but all good things must come to an end, right?

The second half - reveals the truth & once again Byung Tae is miserable as bullies oppress him and his friends. He reaches his breaking point & when his friends/family make Jang Byung Tae realize that his life is meaningful & he is not someone that should just be bullied. He vows to fight the bullies to end this cycle of violence so that one day he and others can wake up to enjoy life as they should. But in face of the oppressor, can Byung Tae emerge victorious as a true Dragon Warrior?

❤️ BEST PARTS OF THIS DRAMA
In short - EVERYTHING! But let me break it into main TOP 3 (rest under detailed review)

1. Hitting the right notes of nostalgia through the music, cinematography, story & acting by all that made me experience 1989!
2. Balancing the serious issue of bullying with apt comedy, action, cute romance & friendship of youth!
3. Im-Siwan: he proves his acting chops again. Dialogue, face expressions, dancing - is there anything this man is not good at?

OVERALL:

Very rarely you come across dramas that remains true to its premise & expectations. Boyhood manages to deliver it through the acting, action, music, story, friendship and romance - making it one of the best dramas of 2023 for me! It wrapped up neatly in 10 episodes, which ensured no dull moments, even pace & satisfactory conclusion. While Si-wan is the highlight for me but the above factors intertwined with his character's journey beautifully making this a delight to watch.

Would highly recommend to watch, it would be worth your time & I am confident land up as a drama high-rated on your individual lists.

Im-Siwan, yet again has all my heart ❤️ what a talent! He already has recognition for his work, cannot wait for it to go to another level/global in his future work (especially counting it for Squid Games 2)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

❤️ DETAILED REVIEW - of parts that I loved in this drama

• The Dogged Spirit: Laughing in the face of bullies
Throughout the series, it delves on bullying & it's effects which we face head-on with Byung Tae & his friends. The gravity of the bullying will make you somber & is more prominent in the second half of the show. The seriousness is cut through with apt comedic situations, dialogues & acting - making it a perfect blend of comedy . The show will give a lump in our throats, misty eyes but loads of laughter!

• Im-Siwan as Jang Byung Tae:
In his role as Jang Byung Tae, Siwan is exemplary right from his dialogue delivery, his stances (as the bullied guy & then the change as he learns to fight), the pouting, the crying, the cute dances. Literally everything this man does is par excellence & a delight to watch. TBH, I would just ask the readers to simply go & watch the show only for Im Si-wan. He is one of those few talents that are rare and needs to be watched, re-watched, recommended at every opportunity we have.

• Soundtracks, Cinematography & Acting:
Without downplaying anyone - I consider Byung Tae as the only main cast & rest support him in his journey. The story of Byung Tae & his youth cannot be told unless sharing about the bullies, families & friends. The actors in these roles all bring in their A Game in execution, making us relive the 1989 rural life of Korea through their adventures. Their unique stories & characteristic quirks blend seamlessly in Byung Tae's personal journey from being bullied to fighting for justice! Aiding the acting is the right location, make-up, fashion, camerawork & props that is sure to hit the nostalgia button - as you watch their school life, places the gang hangs out in and the awesome fights!

The music is diverse: tracks that are plain fun, soulful renditions that define our relations of our youth - friendships & romance, & dance hits of 1980s K-POP. All the tracks may not be memorable, but each of them fits perfectly into the scene that is playing.

DOWNSIDE:

1. I wanted more romance between Byung Tae and Ji-Yeong:
They have a lot of sweet moments which are cute & so wholesome. But since we are used to K-dramas having a confession/kiss scene initiated by the ML, I blame this unconscious bias of mine for finding fault here. Right from the start we know they are tight & even without the drama explicitly showing it - I know where these two are headed in future, in terms of romance. But human me is unable to overlook this minor thing.

2, What is the ending for Jung Gyeong-Tae and Kang Seon-Hwa?
Given the evil forces they are - again I know where they could be headed, but I guess I would have liked it to be shown that being implicit/open-ended.

The above issues are very minor, personal opinions and it does not impact the overall magnificence of this drama. It still remains as one of the best dramas of 2023 for me! This drama had everything - good storyline, great acting, fitting soundtrack, beautiful cinematography - truly a hidden gem of this year & I cannot wait for more people to discover & enjoy it! ❤️

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Completed
I Hear Your Voice
15 people found this review helpful
Aug 12, 2013
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
To simply put it, this drama is on my all time favourite list. The story was unique, had me acting like Sherlock Holmes.
The story was...captivating; it had AMAZING moments of romance, comedy, action, thriller, drama. Everything was well balanced, and well though out (WELL DONE SCREENPLAY WRITERS!!).
The cast, my oh my...need I say more. They all had amazing chemistry and made it seem realistic. I even found the anti-hero compelling! Everything worked really well together. I thoroughly enjoyed it, I really did.
If you're seeking something that is not easily predictable, with a good plot, and adorable/cute/fantastic actors then this show is for you!

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Completed
Mom, Don't Do That!
16 people found this review helpful
by Toot
Jul 21, 2022
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Not entirely a sexy romantic romp

WARNING: If you are looking for a light and fluffy sex-romp. THIS IS NOT IT.

I admit, I can be shallow. I came here at the prospect of seeing "more" of Chris Wu (Wu Kang Ren). Also, because I love Alice Ko (Ko Chia Yen). I must admit I do like the prospect of finding love later in life. And sure, this is a show about sex, and it IS hilarious, all the way through. BUT don't be taken in by the trailers: the very clear themes of this show, are loss, abandonment, grief and trauma, and as the episodes progress, if you invest, you will find yourself crying as much as laughing.

The story centres around Mei-Mei and her two adult daughters, Ruo-Rong and Ruo-Min. Both daughters are seemingly failing in their lives, because they are unmarried. And as the trailer will tell you, Mei-Mei believes marriage is a woman's purpose.

Mei-Mei decides to find a man to try to fill the gap left by the sudden passing of her husband Guang Hui Chen (played by Johnny Kou/Kou Hsi Shun). Ruo-Rong is a cheap romance novelist, working as a high school teacher, to pay the bills, whilst collecting stories from her uninhibited best friend, Kate (played by Vicky Tseng). Ruo-Min is a chicken shop manager, who is unable to let go of anything from the past, including an unapologetically cheating ex-boyfriend, whose smell reminds her of her father. Circumstances bring the three women together in the one house. Chaos ensues as they try to find a balance between their differing values, and their individual traumas.

The editing of the show is very sharp and sudden, and at first can be off-putting and confusing; however it becomes evident in later episodes that it was done this way for a reason. It also contributes to the sense of confusion and bewilderment the characters are experiencing, after the sudden loss of their husband/father.

Mei-Mei swings from spoiled teenage princess (quite a feat for an older woman to pull off - props to Billie who plays it with conviction), to desperately grieving widow. But as the show progresses, it shows us who she truly is - loving, supportive and desperately optimistic in her pursuit of LIFE! And with her progression, we also witness the subtle growth of both of her daughters.

Alyssa Chia plays a compellingly complex Ru Rong but I can't say I was satisfied with her conclusion, even if I'm meant to believe that she was, and even if the whole "telling" of the story is essentially hers. And whilst we do see substantial growth from Ruo Min, played with beautiful subtlety by Alice Ko, I still felt like I had to fill in the majority of the story with my own imagination. Admittedly, I usually like shows like this - that assume you are smart and can figure the story out for yourself. But this time, for me, the characters were not explored enough. I was left wanting more, hence my lower "story' rating. The show admits to its limitations in telling the stories of the support roles - especially Xioa Cha , Ruo-Min's cheating boyfriend, played with gleeful charm, by Austin Lin. We get almost nothing about the true character played by Chris Wu. The lack of character name in the MDL page is a giveaway, but he is only ever referred to as '"Senior". I could have watched a whole drama about Jin (Shen Hairong) and Lu Yi (Wasir Chou). And don't get me started about the side characters like "The Live Streamer" (played with an endlessly photo ready smile, by Chole Xiang) and "The Pokemon Grandpa". All of this makes the "re-watch" value high for me, as I feel like there is so much subtlety I have missed.

The acting was fantastic. Even when there was potential for it to become pantomimic and melodramatic, it continued to be very realistic. My one area of disconnect was, the scenes in Australia. Robert's (played by John Henry Richardson) accent slips. A LOT. But we (being Australian) have a long and storied history of famous actors, getting the Australian accent WRONG. The supporting cast in Oz, don't even attempt an 'Aussie' accent. But if you accept that Australia is in reality multicultural, varied accents are perfectly ok and quite realistic. The travel scenes however, are HILARIOUSLY unrealistic. I took it as a tribute rather than an attempt at fact.

With all of that, I still rate this a 9 overall. It took me by surprise and probably caught me at a good time, to cry and laugh through the grief and mayhem.

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Completed
Romance of a Twin Flower
16 people found this review helpful
Apr 17, 2023
38 of 38 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Tropey but Enjoyable, Great Acting

The storyline of Romance of a Twin Flower sounds tropey – fall off cliff, switch identity, amnesia, an egregious antagonist, an admirer turns deadly, and more – but the execution of it is excellent with intact scriptwriting, directing and acting. The setting is authentic, the costumes are nicely done and beautiful, the dialogs are as expected, and the logic is sound. Most of all, the chemistry of the main couple is good and believable.

The drama opens with Nie Sangyu (Peng Xiaoran) falling off a cliff. She is then rescued but has totally lost her memory. Nie Sangyu is a cruel and despicable person, but the rescued Nie Sangyu is a kind and very lovable person. Turns out the rescued Nie Sangyu is not the original Nie Sangyu, but no one suspects that she's not the real one because they look exactly the same except different in temperament and character.

Nie Sangyu is married to Marquis Ning Yuxuan (Ding Yuxi) who is forced to marry her, but he dislikes her because the original Nie Sangyu is not likable. After going through all the life and death experiences together, both the fake Nie Sangyu and Ning Yuxuan fall in love with each other. When he finds out Nie Sangyu’s real identity as Ji Man, Ning Yuxuan wants to marry her, but this must be done privately because her real identity cannot be revealed to others just yet. Their wedding is disrupted unexpectedly as the events unfold.

Both Peng Xiaoran and Ding Yuxi have given a wonderful performance here. Their characters are believable and lovable. I have loved Peng Xiaoran since Goodbye My Princess. Here, she is beautiful and natural. Ding Yuxi may not be everyone’s pretty boy and he’s not tall in stature, but he’s a wonderful actor. I have enjoyed all his dramas.

The antagonists are made known from the beginning. Ma Ke plays Ling Jianxing as Ning Yuxuan’s nemesis. Throughout Ning Yuxuan’s career, Ling Jianxing has always been there to create stumbling blocks for him, many times deadly, but each time, Ning Yuxuan is a step ahead of Ling Jianxing.

Ning Yuxuan also has a concubine whom he marries for a reason. Wen Wan (Jia Nai) is the most hated character in the story. Hypocritical, jealous, murderous, Wen Wan wants Nie Sangyu dead, and sabotages her repeatedly. Again and again Nie Sangyu dodges death through her quick wit and help from Ning Yuxuan.

Luckily, we have an intelligent and benevolent emperor here that makes the story very pleasant. The two maids that follow Nie Sangyu/Ji Man around are sweet, and her friends are trusty and dependable. Ning Yuxuan’s loyal bodyguard, Gui Bai (He Changxi), is also an interesting and lovable character. There are some very lovely side couples with their respective sweet romance. Too bad a secret admirer whom I have come to like, becomes a deadly antagonist.

My Verdict
Despite all the tropes and cliché, and some plot holes here and there (eg. how Ji man loses her memory), this is a very enjoyable drama. For romance buffs, this is not smooth sailing for the couple; they are separated for one year (for an acceptable reason) before getting back together again. Great acting, lovely story, and good directing.

Enjoyable watch! Don’t miss it!

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Completed
The World of Kanako
16 people found this review helpful
Apr 15, 2015
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
-Craziness....check!
-Wildness beyond imaginations.... check!
-Violence... check!
-Hopelessness...check!
-Spot on comedic scenes...check!
-Amazing performance from the whole cast...check!
-Magnificent use of flashbacks, colours, lighting and music... MAJOR Check!
-Memorable... We'll see about that ;)
-Story... I don't usually watch anything where there is no one to root for, much less enjoy it, but somehow this story was engaging so...check! But it was mostly because of it's characters rather than the story itself.


This is definitely a director piece. What I love about this movie is exactly what I loved about Confession. The not so linear timeline, the constant use of flashbacks, seeing only part of the picture piece by piece until it makes all sense, the effective use of music to indicate the absurdity of the situation, the colours used show the madness in the world. The movie doesn't shy away from anything, and the story is told by one hell of a messed up dirty old ojisan. Under a lesser director, this movie would've been like any other, average, forgettable. Nakashima has a way of mastering the image he's showing. A true artist who manages to connect with the audience through images.

Yakusho Koji's genius was beyond my imagination (currently checking out his movie list ;)) Tsumabuki was adorably delightful. I smile on every scene he's in. Sometimes I burst out laughing. Specially in his last scene in the movies. Hilarious! It just caught me by surprise. Odagiri, oh Odagiri, he may not appeared long in the movie, but it was long enough to captivate me. To the point that I didn't realize I was missing my chance to get some great screencaps of him XD. What a scene that way. Words cannot describe it. It was so effortless on his part. Playing crazy characters for him is like a kid getting his favourite toy on christmas!

That young cast! No fear for the future of the Japanese cinema as long as they're around. It's my first time seeing Komatsu Nana so can't judge much but she has the perfect demonic beauty that she uses effectively here. Hashimoto Ai always knows the best thing to say at the right moment. Hiroya Shimizu was also perfect his the use of his character is interesting.

It wasn't an easy watch but totally worth watching. If you're a fan of Nakashima movies, especially Confessions, you'll definitely like it. If you are a fan of any of the cast, they make such a spectacular job it's worth venturing into this movie!

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Completed
D.P. Season 2
16 people found this review helpful
Jul 28, 2023
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Although (Nothing) Changes, The Last Wind Breezes By

First, I'm grateful to catch up on every single thing in this sequel. 'Nothing Has Changed, Unless We Do Something' pinpoints out that they're not doing this for nothing. They did, for the betterment of all generations' future, even include the next as well. All I can say for sure is that they exceed my expectations, that I thought "oh, they're still not disbanding DP?" and I felt relief to watch. It's all good. And for the best

And definitely... I'm awaiting for the final season. It's gonna be a trilogy one, surely. And that wind (stands for wish and hope in Hangul), will passes to the rightful ones

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Completed
Cruel City
15 people found this review helpful
by jasg83
Nov 4, 2013
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
Hello ^^ So, i'm mostly through this and thought I'd write a review on it thus far.

Firstly, what really sucked me to watching this show was the description given on MDL - i'm a sucker for a good romance. but BE WARNED: while I thought this show would have a drug/gangster secondary story line to COMPLEMENT the romance, its actually the other way around. the gangster theme plays out the main part of the story, and in fact there are far and few scenes thus far between the main leads. (although when there is a scene, its usually really cute :)

so do not go into this expecting romance to be the main component - it does play a part, though.

HOWEVER! Even though based on the description it wasnt what i thought it would be, its still amazing. The plot is so dark and twisted; I can blatantly and happily admit I have never seen such an unpredictable drama. Also, the characters are great to watch. The lines between "good and bad" are so fuzzy; you never know who to trust or what the motivation behind an action is. it keeps you guessing. It makes the show more human; the characters are round and have so many dimensions instead of your stereotypical bad guy-good guy flat characterization.

i would for sure recommend watching this if you love action, suspense, wicked cliff hangers, and some romance :)

OH and i forgot to add: holy shit, this show is a tearjerker. be prepared, dude.

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Completed
Brain Man
16 people found this review helpful
Jan 11, 2014
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
No, Hollywood COULDN'T have done that better!! I was riveted from the beginning! Okay, I admit, I have a lot of Ikuta Toma on my watchlist, well they have now soared to the top! This movie is freaking FANTASTIC! Not for everyone though, it has blood and some seriously twisted killings. But if the Bobsey twins don't scare the bejeesus out of you, nothing will! What a great movie for a Saturday night! I highly recommend it for anyone who likes suspense, thriller, and a little psychological mind games! These two were definitely the flip side of the same coin. You watch the movie, you'll know who I mean. ANd the ending? The BEST!!!

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Completed
Delivery Man
16 people found this review helpful
Apr 7, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0

Wholesome Supernatural Romance no creepy ghosts

Delivery Man 📺:Viki 🚕👻
12eps / PG-13
Murder Mystery/Supernatural/ romance/ comedy

If you want to watch a light, fast paced Supernatural (Ghost) Kdrama I recommend this one 👌🏽
No creepy ghosts, dark evil things/ monsters or anything like that.

A story of solving crimes so the Ghosts/Spirits and crossover to the light.
Think The Ghost Whisperer (American TV show) but more wholesome. Loved this one!

PROS:
◇The writing nothing dragged was milked which is what caught my attention immediately.
◇How wholesome/light this show was over all. They could have easily made it dark and super heavy like most of its genre but they didn't.
◇The acting I thought everyone did a fantastic job from the main cast, supporting & guest appearances.
◇The OST is a fun light one matching it perfectly.
◇I was always engaged with the story & was superised by the turns it took.
◇Loved how it was a happy ending.

CONS:
◇Some Supernatural elements that never fully got flushed out. Personally it didn't bother me because everything else was so good.

Overall really enjoyed watching this one week by week and will miss it!
Hopefully Kdrama writers can make more light, fun, wholesome Supernatural Kdramas like this one ♡


#deliverymankdrama #kdrama #ghost #supernaturalgenre #asiandrama #newsshow #Kdrama

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Completed
Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy
16 people found this review helpful
by Axel
Jul 24, 2025
Completed 0
Overall 1.5
Story 1.5
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 3.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Honestly im impressed

I'm honestly very impressed at how bad this is.
Im even making an account to write this review. Ridiculous.
I was excited at first, an adaptation of my favorite story featuring lee minho, jisoo and nana.
But wow. How could the director messed this up so badly. I don't like how absurd your changes is. I can't agree the way you change jisoo's weapon. But im giving a 6 for the cast because im still bias my fav actor/idol.
But its still terrible. You can't even use these actors well. Is your budget so bad you can't style lee minho well? He have a good face why made his hair like that. But i still love his acting. Maybe because im bias. He do look stiff though. Actually everyone is stiff. I love the movie because of some of the cast, hate the movie be able of you and how badly you butchered my fav story.

Don't get me started on the cinematography and cgi as well. What is this? I thought you had budget. Why is it terrible. I feel like watching slide. It feels like looking at a joke. Their words and their thoughts were all jumbled up im confused. It feels like im looking at a bad comedy.

Would not recommend to watch it. Don't waste your money.

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Completed
Fated to Love You
15 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2014
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
I haven't written a review on a drama in quite a while but couldn't resist writing one on this drama. This was a delightful drama. It was the first time I have watched Jang Hyuk in anything. Must say I am now a fan. The story line was easy to get hooked on. The characters had great chemistry. I watched this drama originally for Choi Jin Hyuk and he certainly did not disappoint...and Jang Na Ra was as adorable as could be. There were times that I felt this drama was a little "over the top" in craziness but that turned out to be part of the charm of this drama. I've mentioned how much I enjoyed the main characters in this, but I don't want to forget mentioning the others. This drama was filled with great characters. I don't normally rewatch a drama, however, I may make an exception with this one. I enjoyed the music also. I felt a full range of emotions with this drama. I laughed, I cried, felt happy and felt sad at times. I hope you will also enjoy this drama as I did.

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Completed
My Only 12%
16 people found this review helpful
Nov 11, 2022
14 of 14 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 4.5
This review may contain spoilers

Disappointing Ending

First of all, Earth, Santa, and Prem were amazing and they deserve 500000/10 stars.

But I am left feeling so disappointed with the ending. The last two episodes were like torture. I never read the novel, but the series until ep 11 never indicated that the entire plot would cease being about Cake and Eiw's relationship (which is what I cared about, what I was expecting), and end up being entirely about Eiw's relationship with his parents.

There was no relationship development, there really was no character development (except Eiw became less shy??). They pretended there was a happy ending, but it touched on nothing. The last two episodes are entirely Eiw and his family sobbing uncontrollably and Cake hovering in the corner sometimes, awkwardly.

I guess the esteanged and dying parent storyline (besides coming from out of nowhere at the end of the season) hit too close to home for me and that’s why I'm grumpy. But like... Eiw spent an hour explaining why he hates his dad who abandoned them because he never stopped smoking. Really? Youre not at all mad that he abandoned you and your family for years, missed out on hugely important events? You're just mad... that he smoked?

The ending seemed to suddenly become an anti smoking commercial and an egregious melodrama, with almost no romance whatsoever. So... if you, like I did, thought you were about to watch a romance, you might as well stop watching after the one makeout scene.

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Hotel del Luna
16 people found this review helpful
Sep 1, 2019
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
IU and Yeo Jin Goo are some of my favorite stars in the Korean entertainment industry, but I never expected them to end up in drama together. I enjoyed seeing them together on screen. The Hong Sisters have written some of my favorite dramas and I often really enjoy their fantasy dreams, though I must admit that in recently they have not been as strong.

This drama had that bit of a fairy tale vibe about it that I really enjoyed, and I felt lacking in their previous fantasy show. There seems to have been put a lot of effort into it, looks wise at least, which made it really cool to look at. The drama looked stunning. The clothes that IU wore were frenzy, the scene was done, and the special effects were well done.

The story wasn’t terribly original, and you can very easily point out similarities to other dramas like Goblin - another hugely popular drama about a fairy-tale creature that lived for a very long time and falls in love with a human being. Or just other stories about ancient being falling for mortals. There are plenty of those to go around. But I do like this version of the story. Mainly because here that ancient being is female, which is rarely the case.

And that magical being, Jang Man Wol (and of course IU), stole the scene every time she came on the screen. And the fact that she got to be the main star there, in a role most often assigned to a male character in similar stories, was what made this drama sorts of unique to me and was one of the main reasons why I liked it so much.

Yeo Jin Goo, though perhaps a better actor than IU, did not get to shine all that much in this drama. His character was sometimes just there. He was out connection to the human world to us and the ghost characters, but he was also just there to make Manwol open up and find love again - a role most often given to the female character. It got on the nerves of some people (understandably) but I enjoyed the role reversal a whole lot.

Some of these ghosts of the week (as I call them) didn't really do much for the plot, didn't link it too much together and were often just there to act as fillers while we waited for more on Manwol's backstory and gave the characters time to do something as the story chucked along. But Manwol’s story was the focal point of the whole drama. But even if it happens quite slowly, but I didn’t really get that bored. I enjoyed a lot of this extra bits (even if it started to drag the story a lot towards the end) and some of the side characters that the drama gave us.

I was impressed by some of these ghost stories were told and some of the more fantastical storylines, though they became weaker as we went further into the story. The Hong Sisters are usually good at mixing ghosts and some of the more traditional romantic comedy plot, but they also tend to loose their hold on that as the story goes on.

The romance in this one was a bit on the slow-burning side of the spectrum. I expected a whole lot more from it at the start of the drama. There was never any great spark between IU and Yeo Jin Goo. That chemistry where you felt they were right about kissing every time they were together. I was a lot softer than that and the romance a lot quieter than I expected, but you really got the sense that they really cared about each other.

The story, or the romance, was never too tense. It was more just sweet. But I really enjoyed that. The intensity was more in Manwol’s backstory, so while some might find the modern version of the show a bit boring and lacking compared to that, I felt like it created a bit of a balance between the two stories. And that part being more somber and mellow made the backstory stand out more. However, it also made the story kind of just fade out towards the end instead of going out with a bang. It was nice, but maybe not super rememberable.

It was a mellow little noona-romance and I liked it. There was more chemistry and drama in the other storyline, but this one had that fairytale vibe. Unlike other stories, like Goblin, it was never creepy that one person was immortal and the other was not. And I think the role change helped. And I enjoyed that.

The story wasn't big enough for these sixteen episodes. It was rather simple. But what the drama may have lacked in story, it sorts of made up with style and a kickass female lead, which I was kind of okay with.

After all, this was Manwol's drama, where her character and her backstory were the strongest point of the drama. Her backstory could have been its own drama. And IU is so charming in this role. This drama would be lifeless without her and getting to see a female character in such a role is not something I see every day (both in kdrams and other shows). I shall remember this drama for a long time because of Manwol.

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