GYong
Singapore
It felt really silly to me. While I understand the reality of a couple grappling with their romance and having other partners in their lives before they find one another, this drama was entirely frustrating and only cute at certain points. I started watching this drama because of the overwhelmingly positive reviews on MDL, but only 2 episodes in I was already bored.
I'd have to admit that the drama performed well in certain areas. For one, the music was great! Super cute OST and I love that they didn't restrict themselves to recycling a few sets of songs just because they are written solely for the drama (i.e. they used other music too). I also understand that people like it because it is so down-to-earth and relatable, funny at some parts even. But yes, great acting from the main leads (can't really say the same for the support roles :/)
When I finished the drama I just felt like... I listened to my friend tell me her life story about how she got together with her current lover, for example. It just wasn't interesting enough for me. Guess this drama just didn't hit the right spots for me, in terms of plot at least. On a personal preference level, I like my dramas to make me feel like I'm reading a novel; and Marriage, Not Dating made me feel like I'm reading an autobiography. Sorry, not fictional and dramatic enough for me. Whoops.
Let me put it this way - if you're out for some great acting and a light filler drama, go for it. Also if you like those that are a little more slice-of-life-ish. But if you're like me and you're looking for dramas that make you choke up and cry, or your heart pound faster in anticipation... then I think you should look somewhere else.
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Story: It was alright at first, I thought the premise that the girl was unlucky held tremendous amount of potential, especially for a romance drama. It was also alright all the way till 3/4 into it, where the tension builds, where they play push and pull... until the last few episodes where I just got really frustrated with the (non-existent) issues that the girl was struggling with. In my mind the whole time I was just like... WOT M8 do you want him or nah? which made me minus a good chunk of points because of the shitty ending. Also the unlucky theme didn't surface consistently, so sometimes it felt like... was it even important to the story?
Acting/Cast: Ah, hot Danson with the cute girl. He's alright and she's the stereotypical meek girl, which works I suppose. They're okay. But the rest of the cast (other than our poor Jojo who's always the yearning second lead) is just meh. It was okay, but nothing spectacular or terrible to shout about.
Music: I actually don't remember the music. :x Was alright I suppose. Meh again.
Rewatch value: Wouldn't, except for the kiss scenes maybe.
Overall: meh.
Okay, it's not really worth a watch unless you've finished watching the better dramas and want to use this as a filler. It's just meh. It was a good premise but they didn't use it to its maximum potential.
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- Attractive leads: Mike and Aom are so freaking adorable. And good looking. That is always, always a plus.
- Fantastic acting: Chemistry between the leads? Off the charts. I felt like I was falling in love alongside two of them, rooting for them, and the evidence that the drama passed the test is, y'know, THAT feeling in the depths of your stomach when you feel the loooooveeee and tension coming out from the couple. Mmm.
- Plot: If you've watched the Korean version, this is without saying. Kudos again to the original mangaka who managed to make his work a hit, but I like how the director injects so much humour into this one!!!!!!!!!! I literally LOL-ed several times, and I'm almost always smiling watching this drama :) Psst, they also pay homage to the Korean version somehow. Haha.
- Music: their OST is pretty catchy. That's all I remember, so good going. Their music started, faded, and stopped at appropriate times and set the mood correctly too, so many points!
I can't speak or understand Thai and my initial understanding of it was that it was a harsh-sounding language and thus I was hesitant to start, but this drama really, really, showed me that Thai lakorns hold plenty of potential once I gave them the chance.
Watch. Today. No regrets, promise. I also say that this is better than the Korean version (and I think Mike is cuter than Rain too. Whoops.)
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This review may contain spoilers
It's like riding a rollercoaster but instead of the big dip you were expecting, the ride just ends.
Have an iQiyi sub and started watching out of curiosity.If you are like me and kiss scenes are important to you + and love male leads that pine for their lover, read on.
Story: Lighthearted as it goes, some parts even made me laugh. Typical palace intrigues but there were some plot holes that were bothering me (shouldn't the emperor have more power than a general?) As a romantic drama, there was good focus around the main two characters, and I also liked that the drama was not too long either, which is atypical of historical C-dramas which can get long and draggy. I was left wanting and waiting to watch the next episode as soon as I finished one.
A major reason why I took points off was because I felt like the GREAT dramas have off tangent, but related plots that develop alongside. There was none of this. Also, the last 3 episodes felt like everything happened at once and these were MAJOR plot developments, and the story just ends there. What you may have expected to happen did not, and it just kind of feels like the director wanted to wrap things up quickly and call it a day.
Acting/Cast: Acting was great, I liked the actors and their characters and felt all sorts of feelings towards the characters appropriately.
Music: Average? Nothing to shout about, but it was definitely put in places where it needed to be. No memorable OSTs, but no heavy repeating of 1 song over and over again (that can end up super annoying and make scenes predictable - kdrams are guilty of this)
Rewatch value: Would not rewatch this because it doesn't really matter in the end.
Production: Just a small note to add that I don't normally include in my reviews. I noticed that I could see the wig lines for the Main lead, and that really affected the immersion for me. Historical chinese dramas always have beautiful sets and this wasn't an exception but the makeup artist needs to be fired because I could see the plaster on the actors' face.
Overall: This drama is the 'what could have been'. After all the investment that you put in throughout the episodes, one can't help but feel like you are left with confusion and a little bit of pain, which could have been intentional to keep you thinking about it (because I am). But the bitter taste that's left in my mouth is certainly not what I'm looking for after I've been served all sorts of sweet and salty before. I am left thoroughly confused, and not in a great way.
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Story: This story is so frustrating but because of that I think it was enjoyable to the end - you'll be left wondering, and craving for a new episode to see what happens next. The villain is brilliant in the show, and as with most mysteries and crime cases, this one left me wanting to know what happened next, so unknowingly I finished the drama (.__.|)
The resolution at the end of the show tied everything up nicely. Regarding comments on its dragginess.... I think it's because something always has to go wrong, but I would argue on the other hand, if it was too easy, it wouldn't be as meaningful to the plot anymore; which is why I was okay with it stretching out.
My only gripe is where there are plot holes, where I'd go "they could have just... (done something)" which would've solved the case faster, but I guess (the action) it was intentionally left unexplored this way for conflict in plot :/ (although I feel that IRL the S.Korean police would probably have more... efficient methods.)
Acting/Cast: This is actually my first Yoochun drama, and I wonder why I didn't watch any of his previous drams earlier. He is so adorable here! He's not THE BEST actor, but I think he's pretty good. And OH YEAH, Sensory Couple is really funny, mostly because of him. I really liked that this drama was crime, comedy, and romance at the same time :) But yeah he's hot and a pretty decent and funny actor, so kudos to him ^^ This is also my first Shin Se Kyung drama, and yeah she fits the role really well (and she's funny too)... I'm not sure how well she'd hold out in other dramas with more complex personalities though, but that's beside the point.
But the real MVP is Nam Gung Min (as Kwon Jae Hee)... he made me feel so many things towards his role, and if you ask what kind of feelings... lets just say he's really good at being his character. Watch and you will understand. I loved the other supporting characters too, like Yoon Jin Seo (as Yeom Mi), Lee Won Jong (Detective Chief), Jo Hee Bong (Detective Ki), and Choi Tae Joon (Detective Ye). The good supporting actors were a huge reason why I gave a really good score for the cast (and Yoochun of course.)
Music: Cute, dramatic, etc. etc.... Extremely fitting in each scene, and worth listening to after the drama as well. Points. Nice music. I don't think there was a song that I didn't like/got sick of hearing (you know, some dramas severely overuse an OST in like, EVERY scene) and so I think it deserved a 9.5/10 that I gave. Such dramas are actually rare.
Summary: The Girl Who Sees Smells is light-hearted, funny yet nerve-wracking, peppered with the romance of the main leads. If you're looking for dramas that don't JUST give you romance, this is a good one to watch. It's like holding hands with your lover - it's warm and exciting, but not as hot as a kiss or quite as warm as a hug, but it still feels pretty nice anyway. Worth a watch. :)
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Story: The plot was interesting enough to keep me going to finish this in only 2 sittings.
Acting/Cast: Apart from them being so damn gorgeous people, I think the main leads held up pretty well in terms of their character. Honestly though I can't remember any of the supporting characters >___<
Music: SO. DAMN. GOOD. Catchy af.
Rewatch value: Definitely, it was soooo cute!
No regrets here.
Hope this TL;DR review helps! :)
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Draggy at the start, but super sweet near the end.
I feel like this drama could have been so much more if they cut some scenes at the beginning, I'd say the romance and drama really, really starts at episode 15. Prior to that, it's little sneak peeks but I didn't like that the focus was not on the main 2 leads. Thus, the rewatch value rating is quite low because of the front portions of the drama. I get that they want to develop a universe of interrelated characters, but making the viewer wait till episode 15 feels a little much.Overall, the tone is light and fluffy, some parts humorous, as with most office romance dramas. I liked Xia Ke's character but I did think they did Bai Lu dirty with the hairdo they gave her throughout the show. I would have given this ONE watch but I definitely won't watch again. Overall, if you're looking for a filler drama without much intensity, this could be it.
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Story: Typical premise. Nothing to shout about. Rich guy/poor girl story.
Acting/Cast: New actors, but they held up quite okay. Having idols cast also make the story more interesting. I did feel, however, that the main male lead overdone it just a tad bit with his aggressiveness (you'll see what I mean) and several times I really winced and it ruined it just a little for me (because then I didn't like him as much), but it can be just me.
Music: Music was actually pretty good and wove in well with the drama.
Rewatch value: Not really. No memorable scenes. Was cute and made me smile at times, but the romance was really meh.
Although my ratings sound a little bad I do think it's not bad if you're not in the mood to start a new long drama, or need some drama to help you get back your appetite for dramas after not watching one for a while. I decided to watch this because I was tired of chasing long dramas, and now I'm ready to go for longer. But honestly, a better webdrama series is Noble, My Love. I loveeeed that one!
Hoped this TLDR review helps! ^__^
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In short; a drama about a childhood love and mental traumas.
It's a drama less about romance than it is about personal healing and learning to come to terms with your past.If you liked It's Okay, That's Love, you will love this. Although the romance underpins the whole story and keeps it going, I believe what most people liked about it is that it is driven also by relatable psychological themes such as family, personal hurt, trauma, and etc. I will rate this an 8 overall because it's objectively a good show, but not a show with themes that I particularly enjoy.
If you like dramas that are a little heavy with the romance not being the main focus, you can check out this show! Music and storytelling are great all around, it's a matter of taste.
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This review may contain spoilers
Unrealistic and weird
This got recommended to me on YouTube so I figured I'll give it a shot I'd really wanted to like this drama, but unfortunately it hit all the wrong spots for me :(The good bits:
- Decent no. of kiss scenes (if it matters to you cos it does to me)
- REALLY attractive cast (all of them are so good looking)
- OST 'Love' by BOL4 is really nice!
The not so great bits:
- The story is ridiculous. I read a lot of shoujo manga and I know for a fact the ML is always unrealistically, unconditionally in love with the FL, but it being made into a live action doesn't translate well. For one, which guy is gonna be ok with his gf ghosting him for 2 days and turning off her phone and not taking calls? She literally chases him out of her home to draw and work - like why can't he just hang while she's working? I don't get it, am I just jaded? lol
- Story skipped a lot - it's definitely a short dorama but the romance developing was so weird and abrupt.
- Chemistry was lacking, even though the cast are so stupid good looking - what a shame! >_<
- What was that ending?
I finished this drama in a day or less because it's only 6 eps, so I'd only recommend this if you want to add the drama to your list for reasons (?) but I'd say just save your time and skip on this one. Sorry!
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Incredibly compelling crime story, with romance peppered in between
The main leads are super sweet, and I loved the twists and turns and how the plot kept me guessing.I don't have high ratings for a lot of C-dramas and this one really surpassed my expectations.
If you like your dramas to have a main 'topic' as a setting (e.g. crime, office, historical) that serves as a point of tension throughout the series, you will love this. The romance builds up throughout, but it's not just all about the romance and the story itself is interesting enough for you to want to keep watching.
The acting was stellar and I was hooked on the story. It has a bit of City Hunter vibes but the story is totally different.
Why watch: Great plot, kiss scenes are cute, good actors
Why not: I didn't like the FL's voice (LOL), drama may be too long for some, lack of good english subs on iQiyi, main male lead is not traditionally handsome but I think he looks cool
Overall, I really enjoyed this drama but somehow because of certain plot holes it was lacking a solid umph that would have made it a 9 or 10. still worth a watch though
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Boss-employee relationship with a lot of tension building at the start!
I loved the way the scenes were shot and the kiss scenes were amazing! I also liked the ups and downs of this drama, kept me hooked but I did feel the drama was a little too long and could be better paced. I found myself skipping some parts near the end, and some scenes were quite draggy for no reason.Overall, definitely worth a watch if you like sexual tension between the leads, great kiss scenes, and a corporate setting. I would avoid if you don't like the premise of the boss-employee relationship or are looking for a great second male lead. I didn't particularly like the 2nd male lead in this case.
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Fluffy romance drama, well-paced, not steamy
I like steamy dramas, but this one wasn't as steamy as I would like which is a shame because the main male lead is so handsome! Is it just me or C-dramas tend to be quite light (in terms of romance)?Other than that, the drama was easy to watch, editing was very cute and overall felt like a fluffy, light-hearted romance drama which had its humorous moments.
My ideal romance drama would contain some highs and lows, with steamy buildups, but this felt really *PG* - if that's your style, go for it :)
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Story: Premise is interesting, as with every sports-related show, there are good tension points and dynamics with the team that would carry the drama. This one is the same! Overall, the show was easy to watch, didn't feel too dragged out and was simple enough to understand. I also liked that the director included some plot lines about the side characters. Also, the plot holes (as with all genderbend dramas for me tbh) felt too unrealistic for me to take seriously
Acting/Cast: I liked the male lead (:heart_eyes:) and I loved the rest of the cast; they were relatable, funny, and I could believe their characters. The female side characters are also super pretty?!
Music: Fit well, but not the kind I would add to Spotify
Rewatch value: Likely not to rewatch this because I prefer to rewatch dramas with more dramatic highs and lows.
Steaminess/Kiss scenes: would give a 5/10- could be better; some scenes had so much potential but ended up leaving me thirsty :(
Overall: Not the worst but definitely not the best! You may like it more than I do, I think it's a decidedly average drama and I think I wouldn't have minded if I never watched it or not.
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FL is living the Y/N life - if you dig that go for it
Have an iQiyi sub and started watching out of curiosity.If you are like me and kiss scenes are important to you + and love male leads that pine for their lover, read on.
Story: I think the premise of it is interesting, I don't hate it but I did wish it could be a little more realistic; I felt like the love that developed wasn't 'substantiated' through the plot or explained somehow. You know when in dramas you can tell when the ML/FL falls in love? Yeah, I couldn't tell with this one. Ditto for the second love interest - how?! Why?! I don't think it necessarily needs to be explained but like... why? From where?
Acting/Cast: I liked the leads, they're all super attractive (esp the ML :heart_eyes:) but I felt like there was a little bit of disconnect which I can't really explain.
Music: Not memorable, not horrible
Rewatch value: Likely not to rewatch this because I prefer to rewatch hot, steamy, heartpumping drams.
Overall: Cute but too much Wattpad vibes for me, I couldn't take the romance seriously.
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Light and easy to watch, but not memorable and no strong hooks.
This being one of the hit dramas to be featured on Netflix surely gave this title more attention than it otherwise might have gotten. It was trending in my region for a while (Singapore), but I do suspect it might have been due to the drama drought no thanks to COVID-19.Story: I don't hate it, story is relatable and the conflict points were not forced. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the ride, but the entire premise just wasn't strong for me, as compared to other dramas. For example, Her Private Life or What's Wrong with Secretary Kim are also more slice of life, but they felt a lot stronger to me than Start Up was.
To me, this is the weakest point of the entire drama. The ups weren't high enough, and the lows weren't as low as I felt it should be.
Acting: Loved the male leads. The female lead? Not so much. She has a long way to go.
Rewatch value: Meh. It's not a heart pumping drama that will keep you up at night or cause you to think about it years down the road.
Overall: Worth a pass, but nothing more.
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