The Pirates 2: The Last Royal Treasure
1 people found this review helpful
Is the treasure really gold or the friendship built along the way?
I was pleasently surprised by the film, read the synopsis and meh just for the cast I'll give it a go. However it was far from that, a great adventure comedy and really engaging.Acting was solid as expected, key reason why this film was a very funny one, facial expressions and tones were spectacular.
Kwang Soo was here so I expected this to be wayyy lighter than the original pirates, Which it does. this can be a bad or good thing but in this case it was good, if it leaned more to the serious side, It wouldn't have the same impact.
Production was an eye candy, the CGI and cinematography was well done, comparable to western pirate films.
It does get slower as it progresses, 140mins was too much.
Don't expect anything mind-blowing in terms of plot, cheesy ending, just the way you'd expect it, no plot twists or shocking revelations.
Something to take note is reading carefully the origin given at the beggining, will really come in handy as the problems start to occur.
I'm a sucker for action comedy movies, adding a pirate genre didn't hurt, overall I enjoyed the childish comedy and hunt for treasure, would have wanted to seen more Chae Soo Bin though.
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a lesson to not live our lives for anyone but yourself
I generally have a low standard in terms of comedy, anything that's light and funny will almost always be a 10, but this film is both good and bad at the same time.It had good comedy and started off with an interesting light story we can follow, but it starts going downhill.
Love+Sling follows the daily lives of 2 familes experience love and friendship while trying to figure things out in the process. I'd recommend people to watch this blindly without reading the synopsis or watching the trailer, It would be more ridiculous + funnier.
the film failed miserably on pacing, 1hr 48m was too much, despite the occasional laugh out loud moments, it couldn't suffice the bad storytelling.
Acting was above average at best, the film is surely not the best performances of the actors, but I wouldn't blame them, they just sinked along with the bad script.
Unless you have a lot of time to spare or have nothing to watch, I do not recommend this. Luck-Key, Midnight Runners, or Okay! Madam are movies with better storytelling whilst having the same great comedy.
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can humans and monsters co-exist?
After a season 2 that featured new faces and varieties of characters, it seems like we’ll fianlly retract our focus back to our leads, with their emergence back to the overall plotline.it’s what audiences needs in a series like this, a set of characters to root for and be emotionally connected to but sweet home 3 failed to deliver this aspect as the show continues to progresses. With heavy reliance on flashbacks and stories from the previous season’s it felt like the ditector was forcing the enotions out of us instead of it coming naturally.
Aside from the main character’s we knew from the original, there were other characters that were also rootable as well however they either didn’t have enough screentime from such a limited series with many different characters or the character motives becomes loss makes me go “why?????”
A huge issue I have is how everything is all over the place, so much going on in such a small period of time that I can’t even tell which are the one’s that matters. Scenes taking up huge portions of the episode then proceeding to not appear in the future episodes or season is such a frustration I have with sweet home. Finally without a clear battle with anything or anyone the direction of the show was very disappointing in my end. With a mediocere explanation to the future of the universe we’re watching, I wish it would have been better.
Overall it wasn’t one of the best shows out there but it’s an okay watch especially if you’re a fan of the first two seasons or the actors playing, they were able to produce an okay storyline and amazing acting that can keep viewers enteratined, an overall verdict of 7/10!
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what are you willing to do for family?
The Bequeathed focuses heavy on family relations and makes you question how far you will go for your loved ones.it was an eerie watch and fulfilled the thriller and mystery aspect, the show gives us a fresh take on the genre which is nice to see.
I lovee the series the most towards the end where it’s direction was properly placed and we are there questioning the motives of the characters
Ryu Kyung Soo was amazing in this role, he potrayed the character of Young Ho with such conviction that left me in awe, he was by far my favorite here.
Park Hee Soon and Park Byung Hun balanced this story out as well their scenes perfcetly times in just as soon scenes get too draggy from the main plot. and with such veteran actors they delivered such an emotional performance.
but this series wasn’t free from flaws, to start I personally think that our main character was unlikeable and made decisions that didn’t make sense, also not a knack on Kim Hyun Joo’s acting but it wasn’t on the level of the other leads
the lackluster character backgrounds irked me as well, with so little screentime and backstory for all the characters it was hard to root or be emotionally attached to any of them, it feltike watching random people.
there were so many character relations that could have been tackled more in depth, making the character attitudes and motivations make a lot more sense, but the show really failed this aspect.
However I do understand that negative since it’s a short show with only 6 episodes, you atleast need to prepare an engaging storyline and premise though but they failed to do so as well.
Despite Being 6 Episodes with each having less than an hour, it still felt like it dragged especially on the earlier episodes, the show had si much unnecesarry scenes for such a short show, where they could have focused on inteoducing the characters.
Overall this wan’t my cup of tea, I’ve seen better Mystery Thrillers but if you have nothing to watch give it a try, just keep in mind to lower your expectations
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train to busan but on a plane?
Emergency Declaration is part political thriller and part disaster film, both of which are done good enough. Essentially it took it's time before moving into our main plot, which is good because it became easier seeing the different circumstances of our leads.People in my local theater are either the most emotionless people in the world or weren't actually watching, I was jumping out my sit on the suspense scenes and crying on the sad ones.
It's a show of the human nature, how we react to situations that are life or death, and where true humanity stands out, that there are people out there willing to sacrifice themselves in the face of death. also how we should appreciate our loved ones, one moment they might be there but can be gone in an instant, we should make every moment count.
there's a whole bunch of political nonsense throughout that cuts off the suspense at times, especially prominent in the latter half of the film. it was good when we we're looking for where to land, desires of each country fighting but too much off it had me almost asleep.
this film when does good it's extremely good, but also when it does bad it's extremely bad.
This was an extremely stacked cast lineup with veterans Song Kang Ho and Lee Byung Hun to top stars Kim Nam Gil and Park Hae Joon, however nobody delivered a better performance than Im SIwan, more on this later.
(MINOR SPOILERS)
The film was a mirror of the COVID19 pandemic we are experiencing took to another, extreme level. it reflects how in the early stages, people that tested positive are divided and shunned by the mass, even blaming an entire race or continent for it, these moral ambiguities we're heavily present here.
Killing off our main antagonist less than half way into the film was gutsy but In a way made sense, but that extra angst knowing he'd still be alive along with the commotion in the latter half would have made this a much more suspenseful ride. despite the limited screen time and getting killed off, Im Siwan in his villain role was crazy good and terrifying, add that to his lovely features, it made the character soooo creepy.
Ending for me felt force and gave twists just for the sake for it, my tears during the farewell scenes felt like I was robbed off it and that cliche ending was the culprit.
(END OF SPOILER)
unfortunate how this ended so weak, could have easily been the best 2022 korean film. to answer my headline, though it has quite the similarities, I personally think the thrill and suspense of the 2 films are from different sources.
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"it's our duty to protect our own"
Right off the bat, I think it wasn't better than the prequel. With 12M box office and quite a lot saying it was better than the first, with those expectatuins I was a bit disappointed leaving the cinema, but don't get me wrong it was still a great film.We follow the same police force with Ma Seok Do and the rest, this time around they try to arrest a suspect overseas, where they experience numerous struggles
No it doesn't have a mind-blowing story, it will probably go the way you expect it to be. However it does have a gripping action scenes and gore, sided with good humor.
Not sure if this is filmed overseas or not but I liked the cinematography this time around, it gave good distinction between Vietnam and Korea.
Son Sukku being the main antagonist this time around was probably a big burden, Jang Chen was an icon and it would have been hard to top it off. Still despite that he was aboe to deliver a chilling performance, big props.
It's an easy film to understand and a perfect watch with the entire family, will for sure rewatch this when it releases in streaming platforms.
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The truth always follows you around
With 20mins left I was all but ready shitting on the film, and much regret for not listening to the comments and reviews. However I'm a sucker for plot twists I don't see coming, that last last narrative change had my mouth wide open, I would recommend the suffering just for that.Story is simple and goes on throughout the film. grandparents house; weird hole; reveals truth that has been kept hidden; the whole truth shows how the truth always has a way in revealing in finding and revealing itself. Also shows the toxic households and relationships in asian families.
CGI effects we're laughable and felt like was made for a child, I'm disrespected at the lack of effort the makers make. Music also was forgettable, either screaming or some random sound that filmmakers need to know is overused and doesn't work on horror films.
Acting was worse, they're better off stage acting with the amount of overacting they do, along with this is their awkward expressions that makes you unemotionally invested in them. I can't blame the stars too much since the script felt like equally a mess.
there's too much unnecessary characters taking screentime, to have no closure and never appear in the film again again again. We should never even have left the 2 main settings, since practically everything else was useless, would have resulted in a much more cohesive film.
It build a good atmosphere at the start just for it to fall short, because the same thing happens over and over and over and over. It makes a sound, they look at the hole, scared, decided not to look again, makes another sound, looks again. I was watching this stuck in heavy traffic and I really should have had that extra sleep instead.
Ending was puzzling more than anything, wasn't as satisfying as I expected. We're they intending to make a second film or just that? Either way not the most ideal conclusion to the film.
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peer pressure and alcohol
It's a shame, I really wanted to like this. I read the reviews and some were saying it's better than the 1st so I went thinking it will be great, what a letdown.The whole film was a mess and felt like it was written by a child. Yoon Si Yoon was categorised as a lead but was barely shown throughout the show.
Also there were so much characters and scenes that had unnecessarily long screentime, when they weren't even that important. Considering they wanted to push too many things in, this problem gets worse when you find out the rising of the story only starts at around 28min mark, which is bad considering it is 1hr 20mins.
The film felt like it took forever even with it's short time span. Furthermore that ending judt ruined it for me, too many things that are unclosed and characters without a proper resolution.
To end in a good note, I think the CGI and cinematography for this film was much better, it also was directed pretty well and was able to deliver a roller coaster of emotions while presenting issues that may happen in our education system.
If you thought the first was average or bad, then don't even think of watching this, but if you're like me who loveeeeed the 1st and want some more school themed survival games then it's worth giving a shot, lower down your expectations though.
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Perfect Action Comedy
Directors should take note of the good points of this film, because this is how you engage an audience. I feel like every age group will enjoy this. from my younger cousins to my grandfather, everyone in my family was laughing at loud at the comedy scenes and gripped at the acgion sequences.I had no expectation going into this and didn't even plan to do a review but I just had to recommended this to y'all. This just shattered my favorite korean movie list!!
Story was engaging, we follow a family of 3 to their trip to Hawaii and how it went wrong. The shift from comedic to action was natural that you wouldn't even notice it. The film had 100mins in screen time but never onced was bored or checked the time remaining.
Characters, were perflectly balanced from our protagonists to antagonists. We had no idea what their intentions were at the beggining but it starts to unravel as it progresses. Acting, was also amazing for everybody, which I expected seeing how this film had a veteran lineup of actors/actresses. Also there's a cameo that you should look out for, where it actually moves the plot and not meaningless.
The thing that made me appreciate the movie is the con'ections of our leads and how it ties up all the loose ends and overall was a satisfactory film.
The action sequences, was suprising to say the least. Because when we think of action comedy, directors seem to focus on the comedy aspect. But here the action is as good and that is because of the amazing performance of the actors/actresses who worked hard for the role.
Ending, at first I was worried that this good of a film will be unable to finish strong but it did. Satisfactory and couldn't ask for a better ending.
Overall, you can watch this yourself, with family, with friends, etc. Because honestly speaking this is for everyone. I dont think anyone wouldn't enjoy this, because there's variety of genre that can be seen here. Furthermore it's a light watch so it's going to be a good mood booster!
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can we forgive a good father but a bad husband?
The world of the married is as makjang as it gets full of love, obsession, and revenge. it stars Kim Hee Ae, Park Hae Joon, and Han So Hee. Fun fact Kim Hee Ae won best actress in the star studded best actress on television in the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards. We follow a picture perfect family who has everything they could ever want and living the dream life but a cheating husband turns everything around.The show was captivating and had my heart pumped out throughout, like seriously. We get the reveal at episode 1 if that doesn't hype you up, I do not know what will. it tried to push the limit, maybe even too much. I have quite the conflicting feelings and thoughts about this drama, so let's start the review.
The Good
Screenplay
props for the writers this was for me the best part, it was what made emotional scenes more impactful and at times needed to replay and pause to gather myself.
Acting
Kim Hee Ae showed everyone why she's a veteran actress. she showed the nuances and conflicting thoughts of Sun Woo without being too exaggerated. furthermore we saw the stages of a divorce through her eyes, I'd think no other one could have played the character as well. Park Hae Joon first lead role is surely memorable. Tae Oh the husband that is boastful, cannot be contented, think's too highly of himself, and overall a bad husband. Han So Hee was a breakout start after this, deserved. Da Kyung was not the typical evil family breaker, I actually thought besides that she was a great person. furthermore she loved her parents and was kind to others however actually manipulative. we see this later on, how good she is with words in a bad way.
Music
I loved the soundtrack for this drama, it was a perfect balance between thrill and calm. it enhanced the experience while watching and made it more gripping, however some we're too overused. I heard songs that we're great that was played like 2 to 3 times and this one song that plays like 5 times each episode, which gets irritating. other than that I would have given the music a 10.
Story/Plot
We have seen sooo much cheating partner drama's throughout the years, specially in the kdramaland. which explains the low ratings at first, because it felt like another typical watch. but what saved that from going down that road was the plot and how things we're executed.
Cinematography
it was shot well and utilized techniques that let's us envision and live like the crumbling world of our main character. furthermore it got me emotionally and physically attached to some characters.
Premise
it was tackled well, it was trying to tell us that the decisions we make, creates our future. to add that is not forgetting the one's that love you the most.
Social Issues
this was a key point of the series, it made the show a realistic one and something we all can learn from.
some that are mentioned is as follows:
-gender inequality
-prejudice to single moms
-pressure to stay fit
-marriage and divorce(how it affects the casualties)
Favorite Scene
it has to be from Da Kyung accusing Jun Yeong to Jun Yeong eventually hugging his mom. I felt soooo much emotions in this scene. disappointment, shock, sad, angry, happy, etc. it reveals the true nature of Da Kyung and gives Jun Yeong a realization that the only one that truly loved him, was his mom. contradicting my title, it was also a realization to me that TAEOH WAS NOT A GOOD FATHER. but honestly that came out of nowhere, since tae oh was becoming likeable and regretful the past few episodes but I guess the show wanted him to be the main antagonist. Jun Yeong was the biggest casualty and the only character I was emotionally Invested in this series, the others had me not caring for them after latter episodes.
Ending
I was dumbfounded by the ending, it was unexpected. furthermore I wasn't sure where to put it but decided I wanted to put it here in the good parts. I was expecting a murder suicide, Da Kyung and Tae oh staying together or even Sun Woo taking Tae Oh back, but that is where I am wrong. this drama took a different approach for bad or good, an open ended one. if thinking too highly of yourself and ego is what sparked our drama the conclusion should be thinking lightly of yourself and humility.
The Bad
the Da Kyung and Jun Yeong scenes
this had too much scenes in the last episodes which leads me to my next problem, but more on that later. any interactions with them were so uncomfortable and unwatchable, like why were there so many? Jun Yeong literally is either just standing/sitting while Da Kyung endlessly talks, and at best he answers with a "yes" and that's it which is frustrating watching over and over and over. if it wanted to make us feel the struggles of Jun Yeong then okay but it had me off the show in a lot of times.
Progression
if only we had proper progression, this would have been perfect already, then we could have avoided 1 and any other filler scenes. the series could either have been shorter or build the plot better. Ep1 reveal is only best if you can keep the same intensity throughout, however it does not. it became so slow in the end and tried forcing so much not needed scenes and characters that does not even get a proper ending.
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Overall
this is a must watch if you like revenge driven dramas. just when you think you know what is gonna happen, it turns the tables around and gives you a massive plot twist. furthermore it tackles and shows social messages exaggerately but that can still apply in real life, however this is a dark series and a lack of someone to support can be too much to some.
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Can you be hopeful in a hopeless world?
Time to hunt is a scifi crime thriller and is the most anticipated film of 2020. This is generally because of the A list cast But more on that later. I have sooo much thoughts on this film both good and bad, let's start.As soon as it starts, we are introduced to a dark and eerie society and gives off that atmosphere just right. The cinematography was stunning and made us feel that we we're living the dystopian world with them.
It was also shot well it was able to advance the story, show the hopeless world, reveal character motivations, and create emotions. The music also guides and invokes the suspense when it is needed and it heavily enhanced the film. The acting was amazing as well, they gave the right emotions for each scene that you can't help but wow. Furthermore it was a new side to everyone, it was a different Lee Je Hun in architecture 101 and a different Choi Woo Shik in parasite.(also the other casts)
My favorite parts were the heist scene and one towards the end where our main experiences hallucinations. I also loved how it wasn't super dark, there was a lot of humor points to balance it out. Furthermore, The pacing was great for like 2/3 off the film, I was always in the edge of my seat. Their are small details in the film that may seem like it isn't important but comes to play later on, so pay attention!!
The premise was tackled well, the general notion of the film is about friendship, sacrifices, and regrets of a person. Even if it seem like it wasn't the focus it was still delivered subtlety. The story was nothing special, we've seen so much dystopian films in the west but not as much in Korea, as a standalone it was top tier. Plot was also top tier until the last 50 minutes of the show, which I will talk about on the next part.
For the bad parts, I have quite the complaints.
1. The ending
I did say that my favorite scene was around the ending scene but this is different. The ending action sequences was very unsatisfying that I could have imagined 3 better scenario's this might be just personal preference though. However I'm not going to go deep into it because I want this reveiw to be spoiler free
2. The last 50 minutes
The plot progression and pacing went so slow for whaaaat?? this would have been better of around 95-100mins instead of the 140mins
3. Predictable and no shock value
I get it this isn't supposed to be plot twist left and rights but it went just the way it's supposed to, it was too focused on the chase instead of the characters development. Which leads to me not having enough connection between them, because we weren't shown anything, we just randomly follow these 3 friends and their heist.
Overall: time to hunt was an enjoyable thriller but honestly it could have been better with everything they had. I enjoyed the watch but not something I would be rewatching anytime soon. Don't get me wrong I still do recommend it to everyone it was a great film and landing on my favorite Korean thrillers
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Having a good dream should I smile or cry, if I know it will not come true?
This was highly recommended by a favorite Korean movie channel of mine, great cast, and acclaimed director therefore I had high expectations though I did not get disappointed but I do have complaintsStory: we follow a hitman who succeeds in everything with ease gaining the trust of his boss, he was ordered to eliminate the boss's girlfriend if caught cheating but when he decides to let the girl off, this is where everything goes wrong and a irreversible war with the gang begins. Everything mentioned is exactly what happens in the film, personally it was a bit slow for my taste but i did expect that considering it was directed by Kim Jee Won. What was lacking was that adrenaline factor, in tale of two sister we got a surprising plot twist and in i saw the devil we had so much violence, therefore i think it was underwhelming for me. Though do think it it did things good in some factors for example is missile the human side of our protagonist even when he is a hitman it shows that you can also love and not the cold person we see throughout.
Acting: our task consists of a list superstars main protagonist is lee byung-hun and our main antagonist kim yong-cheol we also add a stunning supporting cast of shin min ah, oh dalsu, and hwang Jung min. Leave your hand was as always amazing. He show us the nuances of the hitman Kim Sun Woo not even in cold demeanor you felt love for someone. Veteran Kim yong cheol was also great as always but I did hope Shin Min ah more screentime.
Music: the music in me the suite life was amazing the high pumping music during the action sequences that leveled up from the original
Rewatch Value: i gave a rewatch value there wasn't anything to rewatch it was a movie that is straight to the point and will understand in 1 watch. However it still an okay rewatch to see the transformation of our protagonist and the amazing action sequences
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Unnies Are Running: Witch Fitness Basketball Team
2 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
hilarious and choatic
This is a journey of 7 female celebrities learning and improving their basketball skills, while giving out comedic and embarrassing antics. It was a fun ride so far, from going against elementary kids to actually being decent players, was nice seeing their improvements.What makes this show special is the casting, all the girls we're perfect fits and showed off their comedic side in this, our managers and coaches also give off the perfect balance by being done and at a loss of words at the team.
I personally love basketball and actress Soohyang, while also having nothing to watch, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to try. I've never laugh this much in a long timeee, every single one was just effortlessly funny and a perfect team, both variety and basketball wise(MRI theee best!!).
A problem I do have with the show it's over the top slow motion and replaying of almost all scenes, even unimportant ones, which at times can be frustrating. Along with that is the long episode time, almost reaching 2 hours at some episodes, normally wouldn't sit for that long on a variety show, this is one's an exception because of it's overall great contents.
If you want to laugh and watch something without much thinking while experience the heavy training and effort put in to sports, I recommend this, personally one of the best variety shows recently.
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Dad, did you continue looking for me?
Fun fact, actress Kim So Hyun who played Hye Rin beat out 499 other aspiring actresses in a 5 round audition to secure this role. Ultimately she was called back and made her debut, this without any acting experience. And the rest is history. She was for me the best actress here.Speaking of debut's, this is also the director's debut, and it certainly feels that way because this is not his genre. It tried to be different but failed miserably. Political slow burn like Director Woo Min Ho's later works were much better.
How easily can your faith and belief changed? To what lenght are you willing to do to save a love one? What happens when a crime is forgotten? This is answered in Man of vendetta, which honestly is a bad title to what it was trying to potray.
Story wasn't anything new and just so so, but there were lots of elements like guilt and religion but as the movie progresses it just disappeares for no apparent reason. Also recommend watching this blind, because the trailer's give away too much.
Uhm Ki Joon was amazing despite the lacking script, his villain role was chillingly good. As I said in the start, Him and So Hyun was the only one's that delivered a good performance here. It was a Reminiscent of Joo Dan Tae in the Penthouse series. The character Choi Byung Chul lacked believability in the psychopath role and showed no depth throughout that the actor saved it.
The script was so bad that Kim Hyung Min forgot to act. Joo Young Soo also had zero depth, unrootable, and was the same zzzzz character throughout.
The film would have benefited from a shorter time span, 2hrs was a nightmare. I get that it was trying to go for a different approach but tagging it as a thriller crime it failed miserably, could have passed as a melodrama.
Premise is unclear, it wanted to tackle disturbing topics, but didn't want to go deep, honestly frustrating.
The condition of Hye Rin was one of the only interesting things in the film, and So Hyun barely even got screentime. It was disappointing how it gave little to no focus to it but at least the acting of Sohyun gave clarity of the trauma the character has faced.
Another positive is the cinematography and music of the film. It was good and engaging that mafe us feel like we're living the characters lives. One of the few redeeming qualities.
Ending was also good, heart wrenching and emotional.
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Overall it's a average mystery thriller and not something you should watch right now as priority. If you want movies of this genre, the yellow sea, the man from nowhere, and the vengeance trilogy are better films to watch. If you're like me and are here for the cast then go ahead, it'll be torelable so it's fine.
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People need to take a film for what it is, entertainment.
If I was Son Ye Jin's husband, I would be okay to her having 2 husband's. Jokes aside it was an entertaining film and had a lot of LOL moments, there are quite the good and and bad with the film so let's start.Story: first time hearing the plot from YouTube, I was intrigued but thought it was strange as well. As it started they were already a couple 15mins in therefore I wasn't feeling the chemistry at first(more on that later) and unable to empathize with our main character. Added to that is how annoying both are. It's a shame because I actually liked it and laughed a lot while watching but overall was not more than a 6. It had a good message at the End and is recommendable as a B side Romantic Comedy
Acting/Cast: the late Kim Joo Hyuk played the character well, he showed the confusion,anger, loneliness, and love of a character having a wife that loves him but not only him. Son Ye Jin as always is a staple in romance movies, I love how she shows such an absurd character in to life and delivered the lines in a manner where I believe YeJin actually wants 2 husband's. Their chemistry as I said was lacking at the 1/3 of the movie but got better as it progresses.
Music:. The music was placed at the right places at the right time. The tracklist we're perfect for both the comedy and romance of the film.
Rewatch Value: i enjoyed the film however this is not something i would want to rewatch any time soon. It was a great romantic comedy but there are many other films that are far better in storytelling and plot with still showcasing the romcom.
Overall: all in all this film can be something you may want to watch with your partner and see the opinions of yourself and your partner to the issues that are presented in the film. Dobby warned the film 18 + movie there for you wouldn't want to watch this film with someone who will make things uncomfortable.
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