This review may contain spoilers
I had so much fun with this one! Usually I find the dramas with blended genres a bit imbalanced but this is not the case for TBM. The action spy drama is complimented by the comedy very well and the show itself is self aware to a certain extent which makes use of some of the typical tropes in unique ways.However, the last couple of episodes are a problem. The spy plot did not hold its ground and the product placement was just plain ridiculous. I have no problem with it, even find it amusing but the last three or four eps here were just pure commercial and it got on my nerves. On the other hand the first ten episodes or so are amazing - the tempo is there, the story as well and the cast is out of this world.
I really, really, really loved every single character here. So Ji Sub is just the freaking best. Not only did he dig out quite solid chemistry with the female lead, but he is phenomenal in the scenes with the kids. I also liked Go Ae Rin as the female lead. Yes, she was foolish sometimes but she honestly surprised me by being quick on her feet and helping the main plot progress.
Now, the KIS is another thing. This is the purest #squadgoals. I loved how they showed the contrast between the spies and "neighbourhood ahjummas". The KIS sometimes came across some things/cracked some with just plain wits and the spies using all the gadgets were clueless. I enjoyed that a lot. Not to mention the Kim Bon/Kim Sang Ryul bromance.
I will for sure come back to this. Some scenes were iconic. Music was nice, again, it used well the balance of the drama and was intense when it should be and playful when there were lighter parts.
All in all, I had a blast watching TBM. It made me giggle and the in the next second all tense because of the spy plot. Great drama.
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Funny enough, but speaking of funny here's come the bad news: details' lack makes the national intelligence service seems like a ordinary security company. Too many things that off. I mean, how a secret agent can say their (true) name blatantly to a (surprise! knowingly) suspected person? How can a fugitive be effortlessly(?) popular among the ahjummas with his (stubbornly) stoic act, stay unidentified? I mean, at least he can disguise himself well, if he tends to mingle with those ahjummas instead of just keep his stoic act alll along, which is make him more stand out on that apartment's neighborhood. I wonder, is this drama really about the national intelligence that related to a Nation? Despite the lack of details, they spread the humour here and there that make this drama somewhat continously entertaining in its each episode. If you looking for a comedic thriller action drama with sprinkles of ahjumma POV, there you go! You should watch this.But if you looking for a real deal scenes about fugitive vs National Intelligence Service agents kind of thing just skip this out. Even the romance scene seems like just a tomato in a burger; insignificant.Regardless, you will be spoiled by both Seo Ji Sub's fatherly charm and cool ex-national security bodyguard action (gun playing, 1vs10 fight, cool cars riding, transparent board of suspicious killer suspects, etc you name it, if this details can makes you in an awe, yes, you're in the right place, yeoreobun!). Jung In Sun is also the real deal, She portray the nuisance ahjumma perfectly. And watchout the ahjumma squad, I think they're the heart of this story that make this drama alive!
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Unfortunately about 3/4 through the drama the plot shifts and the children are taken out of the plot, which I think was a poor decision because their presence offered comic relief and something to gush over (the children actors were absolutely ADORABLE!). Things also got much more NIS involved, with the focus being more about spies and solving the case. I don't particularly mind this, but I very much preferred the plot prior to the shift in focus.
Something that REALLY bothered me was that the writers "killed" 1 particular character whom I grew to like and even though we end up finding out that that character isn't dead, I didn't appreciate the use of that trope personally.
There were also a few loose ends left unanswered, but nothing too terribly obvious, just things that left me pondering and wishing had been wrapped up better.
The soundtrack was very nice. I found that the music was well placed/timed and the music selection was appropriate in making me feel emotion during the right times. A personal favorite of mine was Shout to the Sky by Eun Sung - she has a beautiful voice and the tone is very fitting for the drama.
The main reason why I've rated this drama at a 7.5/10 is because it had so many sweet, lovely, and well-thought out pieces, but I don't think everything was put together and progressed seamlessly. For example, there are time jumps in the plot that are unspecified (the time jump duration is not stated) or they are somewhat random to conveniently move the plot, which I feel is poor planning and can be a bit sloppy and confusing, especially for the viewer. I am also absolutely disappointed in the fact that the romance that was alluded to throughout the entire drama was never truly resolved. There was no kiss to literally seal the relationship. And while many people might be okay with this, I really need more in a resolution to feel satisfied. And ultimately, the shift in the plot going from a lighthearted, comedic drama to a drama that became much more serious and mystery focused left me feel unsatisfied.
Overall, a good watch and something I would not be hesitant to recommend, but instead, explain it's shortcomings as a prelude as what to expect and encourage people to enjoy it for what it is. I will personally probably rewatch many of those comedic moments (mostly found in the first half of the drama, which usually involved the twin children) in the future simply because they made me smile and gush with happiness. :)
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The story of this seemed quite intriguing and interesting and it managed to follow it in a linear way pretty well. It did seem messy at times, but it cleaned itself up as the drama went on. The whole single mother drama is not new but this seemed like nothing I had seen before as the mother Go Ae Rin was very tough. This is pretty uncommon for more recent dramas as normally the female lead is very emotionally dependant on someone, but it is otherwise in this drama.
I liked the acting in this drama. Jung In Sun did very well in portraying an independent mother, whilst So Ji Sub was amazing in portraying a cold, hurt man who was wanting to change.
I would recommend this drama to anyone who is wanting to watch a lovely rom-com with serious matters intwined within. :)
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This review may contain spoilers
For So Ji Sub
I know I’m late in that I just watched this show (in 2021) when it came out in 2018. This drama is pretty good but there are some things that I don’t really like about it.Watch because:
-So Ji Sub. He really carried the show. He was very charming and manly.
-There are funny elements in the show that made me lol. Some parts are cute!
-The supporting cast is supportive of the female lead. No backstabbing from the best buddies. Best buddies were the stuff of dreams - supportive, helpful, funny.
-This drama is not too heavy in that it doesn’t leave the viewer feeling troubled, disturbed and perhaps, even frightened.
-There is suspense in the show and the show is quite fast-paced.
-Happy ending!
The stuff that I didn’t like:
-The female lead could be a different actress. I don’t think she fully suited the role. I don’t think she did a very good job.
-The female lead didn’t seem like a very good mother in the show.
-The two kids could be different too. They weren’t cute. They were annoying and I cringed whenever they appeared.
-Some parts of the plot weren’t well-linked / didn’t make full sense. (But well, drama is drama.)
Overall, this show is watchable. It’s just 32 episodes at half hour each or 16 episodes at one hour each. It’s much better than a lot of rubbish that’s out there. If you are searching for a drama and don’t mind an ‘old’ drama while waiting for this year’s releases, you can try this drama.
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A verrrrry slow starter for me, but in the end, very enjoyable
I watched about 4 episodes of this months ago - maybe a year - and abandoned it. I could not get into the story of a cold and mildly nutty bloke living next to a recently widowed mother of twins, who were sweet but annoyingly shouty and up to mischief, and she herself was apparently irritatingly naive and a bit hopeless. I struggled through 3 or 4 eps and then jumped ship.I returned despite a few reservations, and didn't bother trying to rewatch the start. Quite frankly I would not have been surprised if I still found it unwatchable. However, it seems that it was pretty much just at THIS point that things actually started happening and some of the earlier irritations were at least partially explained, or faded more or less completely.
This time around, a few things fell into place and I found it fanciful but enjoyable. I began to get to know each of the varied characters slightly better and some of the irritating things stopped happening or became understandable. The nosey neighbours who appeared so intrusive and judgemental were revealed as real friends, willing to be vulnerable and reveal their secrets or follies to console each other, but also to take real risks for each other.
I can't say the denouement and the revelation of the real dark master behind all the horrid stuff came as any surprise, but that really did not matter at all, and I admit that the identity of the other "man in the shadows" was no surprise either. Well, what I MEAN is that I recognised the actor from his vice, his hands, and a very dark and shadowy quarter silhouette of him that read more like a line drawing of simply the edge of his face simply confirmed it. Smug little me. On both counts.
The FL continued to be a bit irritating at times, a bit clueless even though she proves herself to be full of courage and determination, and much more capable than she at first seems. It is a dislike of mine in dramas, to see women who are home-makers and mothers portrayed as inept in the wider world, and needing a man in order to function. And yet, despite the growth of this character, her normal demeanour remains much as it was early in the series. She did, thankfully, become more likable , most of the time.
The ML is, well, lovely. He thaws completely, and warms those around him, becoming friends even with the King's Castle Mafia - such is how I think of them. The way that all his relationships develop is delightful, mostly conveyed in very few lines. It's very clever acting and extremely well played. I loved the growing man-crush, too, especially that nose-nose moment. Beautiful and confident work from the writers and cast.
Speaking of relationships, however, I did not get much chemistry between ML and FL. In earlier episodes she was still too close to her husband's death for that to be appropriate, but even though you could see moments when it should have been developing, later on, ... nah. There was much more chemistry between ML and the kids - beautifully written and played by all three of those actors.
Personally, I suspect that the FL in this case was perhaps the victim of some sort of reconstituted virginity myth in Korean culture. Mums are never seen as fully functioning women, they seem only to exist only as carers and feeders for their families - it seemed that this was in play here, and the drama is much weaker for it, as indeed is the personality of the FL.
Overall, there were niggles throughout this drama, but it was still enjoyable enough to keep my attention.
The plot - well, it's full of holes, and a lot of nonsense, none of the numbers in my head made sense (how is ANY of this secret "government work! funded or reported on? what is Terrius actually LIVING ON in that apartment in the incredibly unaffordable Seoul? Does anybody actually do ANY work?) but that's OK. Let that nonsense go, and you should have a pleasant enough time looking at pretty men doing "thinky" acting or fighting each other, or have a blast laughing at the angst and struggles of some of the other characters going through the circus of life and keeping up the appearances they feel they need - until they don't.
That reminds me, there are moments of light comedy, some of which are actually funny, and they leave quite a warmandfuzzy feeling. Early examples, like when we are supposed to find the FL ridiculous (I think) are not funny for me, but the other residents do offer many mild moments of fun, as well as some quite moving instances of real understanding. They remind me a bit of Shakespeare's "chorus", minor, often stupid or ridiculous characters who actually can hold the key to what is important.
The music - never important for me ... the best film music is such that you should not really notice it, unless it is evoking some internal processing on the part of a character. Here, it wasn't bad, but I did find it intrusive at times, which is not a good thing. In the end, apart from the worst of it, it was mostly pretty meh for me.
Well worth watching this series, but you may need more patience than you expect in the early episodes. I hope you enjoy it.
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Best Kdrama ever!
The cast, story, plotline, suspense, romance is perfect for this. I'll admit, the first episode didn't grab me, but I was hooked from the 3rd episode. I liked it because it also because:- Main leads were not their first love
- They weren't childhood friends
- No love at first sight (Lmao he got a nosebleed at first sight)
- The FL had time to mourn her loss of her husband. I know the show didn't say too much about that, but she had to stay stron for her kids.
- The ML fell in love with the children before FL lol.
It's so underrated though!
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Heartwarming Spy-to-Sitter Journey with a Wack-A-Mole Espionage Thriller Tacked On
Good Things:* The fashion. Apparently everyone in the intelligence community wears fabulous suits and has an obsession with designer handbags; very inconspicuous.
* The found family. ML takes on both a fraternal and paternal role with FL's children, and him slowly opening up and remembering how to live a life on normal terms is incredibly heartwarming. Likewise, FL's friendships with her nosy but supportive neighbors and fellow parents are squad goals.
* The parallel espionage plots. There are two spy agencies - NIS and KIS (the apartment's gossip mill/neighborhood watch) - that each deal with their own intrigues. When they cross purposes, it's a hilarious battle of wits as to who gets what information first.
Either-Or Things:
* The romance. It probably won't be satisfying for most viewers as it's entirely implied and not a major part of the plot. But it has some great dynamics like a mutually protective FL and ML who just want to take care of each other and a 'notice me, noona/sunbae!' SML vying for the attention of SFL.
Bad Things:
* The inept spy-craft. You don't have to be an agent of international espionage to pick out some very obvious flaws, most of which could have easily been better dealt with by the story.
* The tonal/narrative gulf. If it had committed to light-hearted parody with warm slice of life or serious espionage thriller with higher stakes it could have been a great drama, but skirting the line hurt both aspects of the story overall and the final 1/3 in particular.
* The whack-a-mole antics. It's very obvious who the bad guy is, which takes a lot of the thrill factor out of the spy side of things.
Interesting Things:
* There are a few famous scenes from international spy thrillers like Kingsman, Leon: The Professional, and James Bond re-framed on Kdrama terms.
It's a 7/10 as a whodunit spy thriller and a 8.5 as a cozy, domestic slice of life from me, so somewhere in the middle as a whole. If you're looking solely for a thriller, look elsewhere; but for the unique genre blend indicative of Kdramas it's definitely worth a watch.
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All the parts about the K.I.S group were great, there investigation techniques and the serious way they navigate daily life was exciting to see and very relatable as well, especially the power a group of Mom's on a texting app can possess and their ability to influence each other, let alone how funny they are. Their scenes were always fun to watch really, and surprisingly they were smarter and more thorough than the secret agents' society,
When it comes to the Acting, not a single actor disappointed me, maybe Ra Do wherever it's an emotionally intense scene, but he was charming in all other aspects, so I can let that pass.
However, as an average person I could see that the serious stuff were done half-heartedly as I felt I was watching an early 2000's Asian show, a lot of plot holes and stupidity, the professionals are acting like no one can see them while they're carrying a mission, even though we know the professional agents can't act so recklessly, they hang around the same places all the time even when someone pretends he is dead, he comes back to where he was and trots around freely assuming people will not recognize him, that's only an example.
this is a show that's fun for its family value great acting and characterization,, but underdeveloped and half-assed when it comes to the serious aspect, totally unforgivable considering how developed the Korean Drama's are now in the crime, spy, thriller genres. However, if you don't want to be too serious and involved in something and just watch it for fun, this is certainly the show for you, and your family, they will love it.
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Spy on meh
What a mess. A cute and enjoyable mess, but a mess nevertheless. Terius behind me is clearly a comedy, through and through, to the point that there's a chance to laugh even to the more serious aspects of the drama. If you're expecting a spy drama of sorts, I highly suggest you find yourself a safehouse somewhere and hide from this drama alltogether : the focus is elsewhere. As it happens, that's also the enjoyable bit : a sweet comedy, relying on a spy background to provide quirky scenes and situations (still with some action, bland as it was), and misbehaved cute children for some endearing moments.So here's a spy trade secret to enjoy this drama : don't expect anything from the scenario, overly simplistic. It's merely a pretext to the scenes and situations mentioned previously. It's still enjoyable, but way too weak to entertain even the less experimented detective tv-show fans.
Along with the bland and predictable twists of this script comes the sentiment of unrealistic behaviors the show gives off, quite often. It may not exactly be a serious issue - don't forget, it's almost a comedy - but that still could affect your "immersion" into the show. At times, the unprofessional and idiotic behaviours from the members of an intelligence agency (emphasis on intelligence) could most likely ruined the entire emotion that the scene was supposed to provide.
Eventually, what remains enjoyable in this show is, in a single word, relationships. The interaction between the main leads and their support. From the extravagant but honest housewives information network, a mother and her children, a spy and these children, and eventually everyone that cross their path. The relations between a single man with an extraordinary but lonely life into the ordinary life of a friendly widow.
To that aspect, the performance from both the main actors (equally, despite what others may say) and support was quite good, and maybe even slightly better from the support characters, since an important part of what makes this drama enjoyable, clearly comes from the tenderness, the cuteness of their respective roles.
Since these relationships and the feelings that followed were to me a better and more enjoyable surprise than the investigation scenario itself, I can't exactly spoil the only bits of enjoyment this drama could provide to you, so ...
it's up to you if you care enough to follow Terius, moving behind him and past this review autodestruction in 1 sec.
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Just an okay drama.
The first half of the drama was really good but unfortunately it did not keep up with the excitement in the second half, although it was still watchable. I really liked the plot and the pacing of the whole drama felt just right. There is nothing much to say, it's a really refreshing drama. The performances were really good especially from the kids, they really kept me invested through out the drama. To me this is not a romance drama, the closest the leads got were touching noses so do not go in expecting romantic scenes. Overall I don't regret watching this so I would recommend.Was this review helpful to you?
