A Masterpiece-to-be , said the director of 'Misaeng', 'Signal' and 'My Mister'; Director Kim Won Seok. A drama that heals everyone who was having hardships in life. A drama that will touch our hearts. EVERYONE, please listen. This is NOT a romantic drama. It is one of the issues that this drama faced prior to its airing. Lee Ji-An, a girl in her 20s experiencing hardships in life portrayed by IU, Park Dong Hoon, a married man in his 40s portrayed by Lee Sun Kyun together with his brothers, Park Ki Hoon(Song Sae Byuk) and Park Sang Hoon(Oh Dal Su; later replaced by Park Ho San because of the rape allegations). Controversies regarding a man on his 40s developing a relationship with a girl on her 20s surfaced before the drama aired. Allegations on Oh Dal Su that affected not only him but the drama as well, until he was eventually replaced by Park Ho San. But behind all of this, they never failed to deliver.
Story: This is the first time I'm watching a drama not because I'm a fan of IU, but because I want to watch something different. Something unique. As a person that is currently having hardships in life, this drama attracted my attention. Not a romantic drama, not a thriller, not a Rom-Com. But instead, a healing drama, no romance at all. How many times have you watched dramas with a cliché plot? My Mister showed a different perspective in life. Even though we're experiencing hardships and problems, there's always a light of hope. With your family, with your colleagues, and that special someone that has been on your side ever since.
Acting/Cast: I've watched all of IU's dramas since I'm a fan and I can see how much she has improved all through this years. Some people doubted if she can pull of cold, and tough woman since her past roles showed a more bright and fresh image. Well, she proved them wrong. Her acting in this drama is probably the best out of all her drama. Lee Sun Kyun on the other hand for me is somewhat underrated. Since some(not all) based their preferences on looks but not on their acting. This is somewhat irrelevant but if you come to think of it, Lee Sun Kyun is one of the Ahjussis in Korean Entertainment today but has been overshadowed by other actors(not going to drop names). I believe that if other actors took this role, this won't be as good as it is right now. Lee Sun Kyun perfectly portrayed a middle-aged man who is trying to survive despite the hardships and challenges that life has given to him. Believe me, once you watched the drama you'll get goosebumps every time his scene comes up. Song Sae Byuk and Park Ho San complimented the character of Lee Sun Kyun really well as his brothers. Their chemistry together is really amazing. And to think that Park Ho San is suddenly casted because Oh Dal Su has to leave, he really fits the role as the eldest brother and believe me, you wont feel much difference, you wont even think that Oh Dal Su was supposed to play this role.
Music: All of the OSTs. as in all of the OSTs is truly captivating. The way that they are played during some certain scenes gave me chills. For me, my favorite would be OST Part 2: Sondia - Adult (??). Every time this OST will be played, you can really feel the weight of each scene. Also, IU wrote lyrics of one of the OSTs. which is OST Part 4: Dear Moon.
Rewatch Value: I only gave this 9/10 because the heavy plots in this drama is definitely not easy to rewatch. Once you watched it the first time, the emotions will really kick in. This is one of the dramas that made me cry. Because I can relate and I can feel how heavy it is. Well, it's not actually bad if you rewatch it a few times, but that excitement, that surprising plot and cliffhanger on some endings of each episode makes it really worth the wait each week. Once this drama is finished, I will be rewatching it and I sincerely hope that every episode will still give me the same feeling that I have felt the first time I watched it.
Overall, a 10/10. One of the best Korean Drama ever. Trust me, it will be worth your time. The Cast, Cinematography, Music and Story is truly stunning. I hope that this drama will not be underrated and receive recognition as much as other titles. It may have received a lot of controversies and issues along the way but it truly stayed to its track and captivates the heart of the viewers. Thank you so much and it has been an honor watching such a masterpiece.
EDIT:
Last two episodes: As I said in the earlier section of my review, I wrote this review while there are still 2 episodes left and no matter what the ending would be my verdict will still be the same. Out of all the episodes, these last two episodes probably is the best. Now that the drama is finished, please do me a favor and share this masterpiece with your friends. "Even if you're having hardships in life, just hang in there. It's no big deal".
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Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas
16 people found this review helpful
For over half of the episodes I tried and during the five episodes I've gone through, not once did I feel entertained. But then again, maybe it isn't entirely the drama's fault ; it had been sold to me as a particular genre, and therefore I was waiting to see a story fitting the said genre ; except it had nothing to do with it. Then the question is, would I have enjoyed the show if it had been sold properly to me ? Maybe....but probably not. Whether or not this was sold to me properly shouldn't have been an obstacle to feel entertained, but I wasn't. The question now is why.
Let's start with the plot. For the majority of the seen episodes nothing mattering occurred; if the scenarist's inspiration was Gustave Flaubert, a French writer bragging how he can write about "nothing", then he succeeded, but missing the writing style. One would say it is used to build up the suspense or to get to know the characters better ; I felt none of the two. I simply did not care ; at fault isn't really the story, in itself, it is neither bad nor good, just boring ; the real issue, is the acting performance of the cast.
The cast looks bored, and inevitably, when an actor isn't entertained by his own job, the interest in the performed character is immediately hindered and in this case, it includes close to the entire cast. So if they are bored, why should I, on the opposite, feel entertained ? I am after all the receptor. As for the characters themselves, they are generic and don't leave much of an impression, except one or two. Well, on the other side, it is also the role of the director to guide his/her actors' properly so they can perform at their best and how he/she wants the characters to be. So the actors, even if bored or not, aren't entirely at fault, the director shares the blame.
A second issue, with the story, is linked to the situation they are in : teenagers cut from the rest of the world in a building with one of them being a murderer ; and most of the time, I have absolutly no sense of danger ; the characters are way too calm and composed and only start to react in a more realistic way in episode 5 (if the question is why I didn't continue when it was finally starting to have a ray of entertainement is that I simply forgot about it and couldn't care less anymore) ; even the simulacre of investigation, or the revelation of some pasts and some shades of mystery being solved aren't enough for it to build suspense or entertainment.
The music is very often redundant and the same song used too often per episode, but apart from that, there's no real formal issue with the production ; and then, considering some musics they use, they certainly lost a good amount of money simply to pay rights. Don't expect many asian songs in this, there's a fair amount of older occidental songs. Like, dislike, but do not forget they'll be quite repetitive and sometimes overused.
The rewatch value....well, obviously....when one drops it, it can only be quite low.
Overall....as I said...the show isn't bad, just uninteresting and generic. If you've never seen this kind of story, you might appreciate it, because naturally it'll appear fresh and new like every first time, but then I hope you'll encounter many more stories of this genre in the future, because if it isn't bad, it isn't good either and there's a lot of good fictions with similar stories waiting out there.
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Did not like it
All the scenes felt so jumbled up most of the time, I was very confused. It's like trying to put together a missing-piece puzzle lmao. I admit there was good chemistry between the actors in some moments! Their touching interactions brought sparks that made it just a little more bearable during all that chaos.But I think this is just really not my vibe; at one point, I started scrolling through my phone instead of watching. That being said, though, I did very much appreciate the cultural exchange and artistic collaboration behind it. Even though the execution of it all was not done well in my opinion but it's cool to see different styles and perspectives coming together.
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Desperate attempts from the production
This drama is nothing like any other korean drama i've watched. At first it makes me eager to know what happened to all the villains characters in it but in the end they decided to keep the audiences by continuing to season 2 which is for me unnecessary because in season 1 they drag and spin the story line too much . I think the director/production are so desperate in attempts to make it a hit drama. It has no originality, trying to copy sky castle drama by not being better but horrible at it.The fact that they tried to copy sky castle already annoyed me so much because in sky castle the riches wants their kids to continue studies in medic, which is makes sense but in this drama the compete to be soprano singers? Like wth?If you like all the screaming, dramatic and overly react acting, then you can watch this drama. Nearly the end, I feel so sick of watching all the screaming scenes. If you asked me whether it worth to watch, I said no. The only thing good about this drama is the actress play their roles so well and they are all suited with the characters in the drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
The reason I found this K-Drama is because I was searching for the US version of Leverage and came found this remake. The original Leverage is one of my favorite TV shows of all time so I had to see what the Korean version would be like. My review may be biased because of my high hopes for this show. For the rest of the review I will be referring to the new Korean remake of Leverage as KLeverage and the original US version as just Leverage.First things first, the KLeverage shares the simplest plot elements with Leverage. Both shows feature a insurance investigator whose son dies. Both have a cast of five with roles of Mastermind, Grifter, Thief, Hacker, and Fighter. Both are based on a Robin Hood concept where the team tries to help the underdog in a fight against a corporation. That's where the similarities end. KLeverage's episodes are connected by the victims who are all related to the people that led to the main character's son's death. Leverage's episodes are isolated plots where each episode features a new victim whom the team helps. This is understandable because of the format of Korean vs Western TV shows. In 16 episodes, KLeverage cannot follow the same format that Leverage did. However, the story of KLeverage is uninspired with cookie cutter villains all willing to kill whoever bothers them.
KLeverage features an interesting group of characters who work well together. Without time to provide fully introduce each character's backstory, KLeverage is still able to show some growth. The actors also did a wonderful job as portraying each member of the team as likable in their own unique way. This is what I believe KLeverage did the best and what would keep me watching for a season 2.
In hindsight, KLeverage is exactly what it sets out to be. It is a Korean remake of an American show which means it is going to be similar to other Korean dramas. I should not have been surprised that it did not follow the same format as its 77 episode predecessor. As a casual watcher of Asian (and mostly love dramas at that), KLeverage did nothing to impress me. For someone who is more used to the Korean drama tropes, KLeverage may be an interesting crime show that can be finished in a short 16 episodes. I however, will stick to re-watching the original Leverage.
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A heartwarming drama with a fresh story
"See You in My 19th Life", as the name suggests, we will be immersed in the world of a human being that is being reincarnated over and over, and remembers ALL her past lives.The drama follows the journey of a young woman who mysteriously remembers all her past lives, and attempts to change the course of events that led to her tragic fate while embracing her past love.
One of the most vital aspects of this drama is its narrative. The reincarnation aspect is handled with care; keeping viewers engaged as they unravel the mysteries surrounding events that shaped her life.
Shin Hye Sun delivers a remarkable performance, effortlessly portraying both the vulnerable and determined sides of her characters. Her chemistry with the rest of the cast, including her love interest Bo Hyun Ahn, adds another layer of emotional depth to the series. The supporting cast also shines, bringing their respective characters to life and enhancing the overall viewing experience, especially the second leads. They were very lovely.
The production value of "See You in My 19th Life" is quite eye-catching, with visually stunning cinematography and colors. The drama effectively utilizes its soundtrack to evoke a range of emotions, enhancing the storytelling and immersing viewers in the world created by the show.
While the drama explores themes of love, revenge, and past lives, it also delves into deeper topics such as the consequences of one's choices and a curse made in between. It beautifully portrays the complexities of human relationships and how deep feelings can go in our lives.
However, this drama does have a few flaws. At times, the pacing feels slightly uneven, particularly during certain episodes. Yet again, the plot got way too complicated at some point, with too many villains and loopholes; making it a bit confusing. The story is very intriguing, however, 12 episodes seemed to be a bit short to fully depict the story, and the ending was rather rushed.
Overall, this drama is a must-watch Korean drama that successfully combines romance and fantasy elements to create a captivating and emotionally resonant viewing experience. With performances, engaging storylines, and beautiful themes, Kdrama fans won't be disappointed.
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slice of life mini series
Overall: this is a 20 minute short movie that was originally released in 2022 and was broken up into 3 mini episodes (first episode was 5 minutes without the credits). Aired on Strongberry's YouTube channel over 3 weeks (1 episode per week)What I Liked
- fighting over the diary
- realistic vibe
- production value
Room For Improvement
- beginning didn't hook me, and how I couldn't see the main character's face
- released such short episodes at 1 episode per week instead of all together
- the ending was open to interpretation with contradictory clues/evidence for each ending
- the title (just do an internet search on "happy ending slang" if you don't know what it means) but I didn't take off points
- the subtitles needed to stay a little longer on the screen as people read slower than when they are just listening (didn't take off points)
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I will not recommend this drama to watch if u have plenty of time than go for it.
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Must watch for Queer people
Its not a typical bl its a Gay 2 men love story with family and societyAmazing story and acting nowonder it own so many awards . Taiwan always prove they are quality over QUANTITY. Taiwan movies are really underrated hope people will check out more
This movie tell so many stories of their sides with suspense and mystry . Its been 3 hours i am still crying and my pain hasnt stop knowing if i fall for women with child . I will not have no right to call my baby cxe for world of eyes there is only Husband and Wife . Its really painful how real life is 100× more wrost of gay/queer people and how in 72 countries we are still illegal.
This story potery feelings of Mark , how regret is the most powerful thing ,Dad Mark II you are the best father and husband . You did nothing wrong it wasnt your fault .Hope people respect this movie as art and respect it
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This review may contain spoilers
I'm actually really conflicted on the rating.... I give my 10s easily, but I have this feeling that something was missing..I feel like this drama just tried to push the limits, and at a certain point they got caught up in their own plan of "how can we make this even more shocking". I kinda started to lose interest by ep12 ish, and I think that's when they tried too hard to add more conflict so the story doesn't end, but they didn't want a rushed ending so they made ep15 seem like a pre conclusion, but then they kept adding conflict after the resolution becasue they had 2 more hours to go.
like the "I'm sorry", "I'll kill you", "let's forget this", "I'll kill you" dance...
for one thing, I'm glad of how they handled Ye Rim and Je Hyuk, but just like the rest of the story I feel like they gave us too much buildup/middle ground and not enough cleanup/closure?
like they never talked about Hyun Seo or In Gyu again. so what? was it suicide? was it not? why did they play us to think it might be Yoon Gi?
and the son running away? then they didn't show his face at the end? why because he looked older or they couldn't film that scene with the real actor? becasue it was a last minute thought?
when Tae Oh tried to kill himself I got the desperation, but it was a slow street, even if the bus/truck hit him he'd have only broke a bone or two. it was not going that fast, but I was emotional when they revealed that he wasn't dead. otherwise I'd have given it a 1 ;)
also all of those scenes making it seem like they were going to kill the son? come on that was a cheap move..
which makes me wonder if the son running away was the writers "punishment" for Sun Woo, because at the end of the day she was not blameless in that mess
but I do admire them for breaking away from the revenge mold, usually it takes them 10eps to uncover the secret and 5eps of omg I can't believe, with 1 wrap up party..
the ost was great and I never rewatch stuff
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Disappoinment
Even the trailer made me upset. I don’t think I can watch the full movie. I really liked the original novel, but this adaptation does not do it justice. The story feels rushed, the characters don’t seem right, and the emotion is missing. It doesn’t feel like the same story at all. I was hoping for a faithful adaptation, but this was a big disappointment.Was this review helpful to you?
Music nothing special, and not very good re watch value. Once you know the tricks, it won't be as suspenseful anymore, because..... simply because you know the story. The story depends a lot on unpredictability.
So, anyone like suspense, action, mystery, supernatural/scifi, a must watch for you. just be ready for a lot of twists.
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This review may contain spoilers
I had no idea what to expect coming into this drama. As if Peking opera and WW2 aren't already very general public unfriendly, it is a BL adaptation of a novel most people have never heard of before; and it is one that BL fans would reject bc the main character is canonically married to a woman and the 2 leading actors are not young fresh actors but veterans in their 30s, 40s. Plus the controversial producer. I personally first started watching bc I already have some affinity towards Peking opera, but how do I even go about promoting this drama to the casual viewer? their first thought would be "it looks boring", which I get it, I thought so too.BUT if you’re reading this have some interest towards any of the topics presented in the this drama, I would strongly suggest giving it a try; it could subvert your expectations in a big way. The way this drama presented Peking opera is so vibrant, elegant, and romantic and it's so well incorporated into the story. Having background knowledge about the operas SXR sings really enhances the experience and actually motivated me to look at more Peking opera material (which I know is rather difficult without knowledge of Chinese, but again, narrow topic!). The sets, costumes, cinematography all just screams effort and quality. I don't think much need to be said about the acting. Anyone can see from the cast list that these are all the big guns. They're not gonna draw a crowd of fangirls, but you can expect on point acting from A to Z. The leads, the supporting actors, all did their job superbly. I do have to give special attention to Yin Zheng, bc Shang Xirui is a very difficult role; any role that involves a Peking opera singer will be, but SXR is extra crazy. tbh I found him unlikeable in the novel, but it was so fascinating to watch him grow and change. Yet Yin Zheng manages to express the duality of SXR's elegance as a opera singer and his rabid dog personality offstage. They aged the character up significantly (the immaturity of SXR makes more sense in the novel as he was only 17/18) but Yin Zheng somehow still made it work as an adult. And the fact that he is so visually gorgeous and mesmerizing in opera costume sobs.
For the aspects I'm not keen about, one is WW2 (which is a topic I don't think many drama viewers are keen about anyway lol). While I ate all the plotlines about opera right up, I did have to skip some military scenes. I know these 2 kinda have to go hand in hand bc history, but I'm glad the show kept a fine balance and the war stuff didn't feel too bogged down. I also felt like the "bad guys" could be more multifaceted and natural. I think they really tried with 2 annoying opera troupe boss coming around to SXR at the end and there's that ONE good Japanese person, but all those arcs felt too cheesy. I also don't dig the OST much, which is truly a personal preference. there are really amazing Peking opera fusion songs out there with perfect vibes for this drama, and they did use one for the opening song, but I just wanted more.
Lastly, I know a burning question people have is about the "bromance" or BL. Well the official answer is, it's there. They're the deepest of soulmates and there is no character in the drama that wouldn't acknowledge it by the end. ngl I was expecting just a true socialist bromance because of the synopsis: "Shang Xirui and Zhu Fengtai are moved to make sacrifices for their country". I can tell you now that's not what happened lol. Towards the end the plot moves solely by the constant sacrifices they made for each other. There is zero sexual motivation between them (which there was plenty of in the novel, and I know BL fans are at least looking for hints of that), but I felt like they encompassed the emotional depth of everything from romantic love, to familial love, to unconditional love etc. the kind of love that makes you free just by being in the presence of the other person. There are no daring fanservice scenes like kabedon or bathing scene or that much slowmo, but the script/dialogue is fantastic and if you really listen to what these 2 characters are saying to each other I promise you’ll get plenty of emotional fulfillment. I do admit that I don't think YZ and HXM have sparks flying chemistry, but it's enough and both of them are so good at acting that I'd eat up any relationship they want to portray.
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Hilarious, Tear Jerking, Endearing.
This one is truly a rollercoaster ride. Mainly due to its ability to make me laugh and cry simultaneously within the same episode.It reminded me strangely of Hikaru No Go, for some reason, though I have only watched the first few episodes of that one. Maybe the bromance and ‘Chu Ying’ being the keys?
Pu Yi Yong, a rowdy highschooler hailing from a family of well respected calligraphers fails to perform well at school and is constantly accused of bullying the star student, Cao Guan Yang. Discovering his talent for calligraphy while on detention, his principal and teachers encourage him to enter a contest.
Whilst on the way to the contest, the bus gets into a freak accident, severely injuring Yi Yong and plunging his family into misery. He wakes up after ‘a long time’ in coma to discover that he has somehow acquired the power of seeing the dead – or rather “things” that are invisible entities. With the help of a traffic cop Chu Ying and the most unlikely ally, his own nemesis Cao Guan Yang, he sets on a journey to piece together the puzzles that will eventually lead to the answers he is in search of.
What makes this drama a highlight of 2023 (for me) is the realistic portrayal of the various relationships in life.
Starting off right away with an inauspicious and ominous scene (although the drama has several funny moments) the major cases or “things” that Yi Yong come across are related to the dark or rather unpleasant aspects of human life. Some of them were genuinely heartbreaking and made me tear up.
There are about 5 or 6 different mysteries within the twelve episodes, and I appreciate how the scriptwriters and crew managed to almost deliver a satisfying conclusion to each one of them.
On the other hand, the shenanigans of Chu Ying, Cao Guan Yang and Yi Yong were to die for. They made a perfect mixture of realistic, dumb and wise all at once. Sprinkled in is also the bromance between Guang Yan and Yi Yong, which I adored. [There is no romance to focus on, so don’t you worry. Or you can imagine a budding romance by yourself.]
Yi Yong was definitely the character whom the writers spent more time and effort on. Guan Yang is much more reticent. Peng Cian You was “really” convincing as a highschooler and a sophomore who barely interacted with human beings. His performance in the final episode was gobsmacking.
I have to say, Tseng Jing Hua managed to convey Yi Yong’s dilemmas, fears and the comedy naturally and is easily a favorite. Aside from him, the supporting actors were terrific, particularly after EP4. The writers managed to somehow circumvent 'plot blockers' and utilize almost every character onscreen.
Even a random baker who appeared by chance had some impact in the story, but I'm not quite convinced by the way it proceeded as it felt out of place.
Yipa, aka Chu Ying was lively, but I felt that she had a more comedic role than Yi Yong. This is my second time watching Vivian Sung after “Our Times”, and it was good to see her back on screen, but for most part, she existed to help Yi Yong with his ‘cases’. We see that she has begun to view her job through a different light by the half mark.
Then, there were times I realized that she really is the elder one amongst them. Her colleagues at the department and Yi Yong’s two buddies were hilarious and never failed to make me laugh.
Setting that aside, several wise and haunting words in the drama are spoken by supporting characters.
Aside from all this, I loved the relationship between Yi Yong and Mom - who for once was a constant part of his life and made an attempt to genuinely encourage him despite his setbacks.
The OST was solid - there was only a single tune that was well emphasized with different renditions for each situation. Plus, a set of cartoonish BGMs were exclusive whenever the “Frenemies” came on screen.
My favorite is the closing song “Painful Hug” by Ozone. It perfectly encapsulates the core theme of the story.
From what I gathered so far, Taiwanese dramas tend to do a better job at plotting stories well if they have an idea.
I found the first two episodes quite slow in spite of all that happens, but I had experienced the same with another Taiwanese Drama, so I decided to stick around. The 'main' or rather the heart of the drama can be a bit predictable, however, it does not feel worn out and had a much more emotional impact.
I will rate this a 9.5/10. It had been a fun ride that I will definitely rewatch. I would not say no to a well developed second season, but sequels usually ruin the memories of it's predecessors. All in all, this was definitely an indelible drama worthy of my time.
I hope that Yi Yong and Guan Yang are still bickering somewhere and driving Chu Ying crazy and that every character finds their happy place.
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DMD Friendship Reality, the Third Chapter
16 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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