Starlitelet
Mellow Land
I watched A Moment to Remember for the third time yesterday. The first time I stumbled across it was by accident. The second time I told my parents that they should watch this, since I thought it was incredible. And now for the third time, I watched it with them again after 4 years.
Storyline:
The storyline is quite simple, yet the amount of emotion it magnifies is beyond words. I'm afraid I won't do it justice. I'll just dive right into what you should be looking out for when watching this movie.
a) Definitely pathos driven. Compare our OTP's meeting from the first 20 minutes to the scenes near the end. I felt so bittersweet at the end. It's no sarcasm. I love how they transmit such raw emotions.
b) Pay attention to details. I really loved how they incorporated scenes that happened at the beginning to the latter part of the movie. There's a lot of foreshadowing too.
c) Unique couple. It's a wonder how such a man can love his woman this dearly (I sound so pessimistic about reality haha). They share a lot of tender moments with moments of struggles that you can't help, but root for them. I loved the baseball scenes.
d) Simple, yet gorgeous. I've already said how this story is simple, but the way it touches upon such a hard topic such as "Alzheimer" and make it interesting is flawless.
e) Major tearjerker. Don't say that I didn't warn you. I usually don't cry or even shed a tear for movies/tv series, but this one, I just couldn't hold back. I didn't cry for the main couple, but I rather cried for Su-Jin's situation.
Acting/Casting:
If you've ever read my other review, you'll see that I'm a huge fan of Jung Woo-Sung and it definitely sprung from this performance of his. He always plays his role sublimely without hesitation. In other words, he never makes the scenes feel uncomfortable for the audience. It really shows in the way how his co-stars seem genuinely comfortable with him.
I love how he transitions from an aggressive/troubled lad to a heart-warming and forgiving man. He has a lot of facial expressions which proves that he's one of the higher/experienced actors.
Moving on...
Even though it was just a film and not a mini-series, I thought Jung Woo-Sung and Son Ye Jin had a lot of chemistry on their limited time. Well doesn't he have chemistry with all of his female counterparts, anyway haha?
Son Ye Jin's role, Su-Jin, reminds me of Ji Na from Padam Padam a bit. I think it's just me watching one melodrama after another haha. Though, Woo-Sung's character, Cheol-Su, also reminds me of Kang Chil from Padam Padam. Perhaps, it's due to him being an architect in both melodramas or how he's aggressive with everyone except to his woman (Yes, we can all swoon)?
Anyway, Ye Jin looks so young here. She's definitely a natural beauty. Aside from that, I thought she was also on par with Woo-Sung. Loved how her character didn't hesitate to make the first moves. They truly complement each other through their differences.
I'm sure the men who watched AMTR want a woman like Su-Jin similarly to how the women who watched AMTR want a man like Cheol-Su.
On another note, I also liked how they added family members and friends from both sides. Even though they didn't appear all the time, they gave more character backgrounds/information on our OTP. In this case, not developing their characters worked perfectly, since the movie clearly focuses on Su-Jin and Cheol-Su's lives.
Music:
The music worked well with the scenes. Though, not my type/cup of tea. I don't think I'll ever remember the songs played in the movie. But it did give a good feel in the moment I was watching.
Bonus:
Beautiful cinematography. I loved the details in the scenery, such as the one where they were strolling in the sunset (I believe it was sunset?). I won't mention others in case I ruin anything, but you'll know what I mean after giving it a shot (you should if you still haven't!).
Overall:
Even though this movie was released in 2004, it feels rather fresh and new.
What more should I say? It's not a mini-series, so there are no excuses on time limitation.
I have watched this three times, so shouldn't that summarize my entire review already?
A Moment to Remember is without a doubt my favorite Korean movie. I just wish they would make more movies like this!
Overall rating for review: 10/10
Purely for entertainment: 9.5/10 (Why not 10/10? I'm not always in the mood to cry when watching anything, be it movies or dramas.)
My Dramalist rating (avg): 9.75/10
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Jung Woo-Sung is a must-watch actor. His versatile performances are hard to come by these days.
So if the storyline seems intriguing AND I get a chance to watch him deliver, I'll take that as a nod to dive into the fresh pool. Jung Woo-Sung always has something special to offer to his audience/fans.
Storyline:
Padam Padam has to be one of the most original scripts up-to-date (at least from all the Korean dramas that I've watched thus far). I love how the series does not look down on its' viewers. In other words, the plot doesn't go around in a continuous loop. Most, if not everything, gets resolved and there's no hiding/bickering between characters for too long. Hence, it doesn't make the viewers angry. The main character is very straightforward/honest, so perhaps that explains why the plot doesn't stall also.
The pacing of Padam Padam was just a tiny bit slow for me. However, I don't know exactly what they could have left out, since I believe most of it was necessary. Perhaps, it's just me who finds it a tad slow paced for my taste (especially near the end).
So what does this series have to offer?
a) Pathos driven. It will pull at your heartstrings whether you like it or not. I didn't cry, but I know people who did.
b) Sense of humor/comedy. The comedy nicely contrasts with the emotional/seriousness. There's quite a lot and it's incorporated together really well. It doesn't feel forced. I actually even laughed out loud at some parts (especially the bantering between Gook Soo and Kang Chil).
c) Family Relationships. There are a lot of heart-tugging/tender relationships (especially b/w a father and son, and son and mother).
d) Friendship. I absolutely loved the bromance between Kang Chil and Gook Soo. Those two are my favorite 'pairing' from this drama.
e) Very Romantic. Our two leading stars are not afraid to express their emotions on-screen. They looked sublimely natural together. Love the small/big romantic gestures. It doesn't feel cheesy either.
f) Strong dialogues/writing. This obviously enhances the series' quality.
g) Originality. Like, I've mentioned above.
h) Unpredictable. It's actually quite unpredictable, since there's an element of fantasy involved.
j) Fantasy. There's a touch of supernatural which I was hesitant at first, but it worked nicely. I wish they would have delved more into the 'chicken mutant'.
i) Crime drama. Not your typical gangsters. Phewww!
k) Realistic. One of the most realistic Korean dramas out there, despite it being marketed as a melodrama. The poor characters actually wear the same clothes multiple times. No characters are super 'evil'. Many themes (hope, will, and miracle) relate to our modern society/life. Even the locations and reactions from the characters are realistic. In fact, realism is probably the series' strongest point (aside from the great casts).
Each episode doesn't feel like a separate episode. It rather feels like a whole storybook told from the POV of the protagonist, Yang Kang Chil. And thankfully, he's a well-rounded/flawed character.
Acting/Characters:
I enjoyed most of the characters. I wasn't on the edge of my seat rooting for them, but I am glad that I went on such a wonderful/heart-warming experience with them.
My favorite characters are: Kang Chil, Gook Soo, Mi Ja (Kang Chil's mother) and Min Hyo-sook.
You grow to love these characters as you understand their motives/reverse-psychology tactics. Their reactions are very realistic and each character has distinct qualities which makes them unique. I despise when characters are just written to support the main characters’ existence. Padam Padam is definitely not one of those cases.
Without a doubt, Kang Chil’s character stood out the most. He’s such a heart-warming character. He has lots of flaws, thus many ranges of emotions. Probably every emotion that exists can be seen in his character. The reason why Kang Chil is such an expressive character is largely thanks to Jung Woo-Sung. His face contortions and smiles don’t require words to back up his character’s (Kang Chil) unique thoughts. I can’t remember the last time I saw a character with such huge range of complex emotion. Jung Woo-Sung has never failed to amaze me (perhaps in Athena, but that wasn’t the actors’ faults). He really understands his character well and it shows A LOT.
Gook Soo is also an amazing character (too bad Kang Chil is hard to beat). I love his innocence / contemplation of what is a miracle or not. He’s like the archetype of Kang Chil. In a way, they both bring out the best in each other and it is indeed rare to come across such a strong bromance. They truly stick to each other through thick and thin. Kim Bum has improved A LOT from the last time I saw him in Boys Over Flowers. When I first saw him in BOF, I never thought of him as manly, but he has definitely changed my mind. He’s also a very versatile actor. I can’t wait to see him in another project that will do him justice like this one. He’s a young actor that should be used to the fullest potential (like Kim Soo Hyun).
Mi Ja is the epitome of a caring mother. She often uses reverse psychology because she doesn’t want to show her weakness. And I love how she’s so brave / strong even though she’s a single mother. Definitely love the relationship b/w her and Kang Chil. It’s also rare to see a bonding mother-son relationship in K-dramas. The closest one that I’ve come across is Will it Snow on Christmas?
I don’t know why, but I just love Hyo-Sook’s presence. I admit that I wasn’t too fond of their countryside accents at first (shallow me!), but I grew to like hers. Her conversations with Gook Soo were also tender / cute. She really brightens the mood whenever she appears, which is nice for a change.
On a side note, since Ha Ji Min plays a huge role as well, why not talk about her? I personally thought her character, Ji Na, felt unoriginal for me. She's your typical Korean drama girl. I was hoping for a more in-depth characterization b/w her and her father. It wasn't a huge deal in the end though.
Nonetheless, Ha Ji Min played her character beautifully. If a less experienced actress played her role, I think it would have been hard to watch, since Ji Na isn’t a very interesting character to start. The thing that stood out for me the most is how Ji Min reciprocates Woo-Sung’s actions/love. They felt so natural together that it was hard not to believe that they aren't more than just friends in real life. Ji Min and Woo-Sung are probably one of the best/most natural on-screen couples I’ve seen. I’ve already mentioned in my review of The Princess’s Man how I like it how couples give the same amount of effort in the relationship (HATE when the man does everything). And they did just that, or they even went beyond it! One look/one touch, sparks were flying all over the place.
Music:
Originally, the songs didn’t peak my interest, but as the drama and its’ characters pulled me in, I started to take notice.
My two favorite songs are “You’re a Fool” by Brown Eyed Girls (JeA) and “In Order to Live” by Noel.
“You’re a Fool” matches so well with Ji Na’s perspective. The melody pulls at my heartstrings.
On the other hand, “In Order to Live” fits the mood and it makes me palpitate whenever it comes at the end of the episodes.
These two songs make you feel like you’re living a part of these characters’ lives.
The other songs were nice, but they didn’t stand out.
Bonus:
It took me awhile to get into the way it was filmed. First of all, it was shot like an actual film.
The backgrounds/scenes look rather gloomy for my taste. Though, it gave it darker/grittier atmosphere which complemented the tone of the drama. Hence, I slowly came to appreciate the cinematography. It added realism to the storyline.
Did I mention that Woo-Sung and Ji Min look beautiful here? Honestly, beautiful, beautiful couple! Not just in the looks department, but the way they cared for each other.
Love the addition of Tengie!! I'm an animal lover, so maybe that's why.
Overall:
Loved it! Padam Padam is a well-rounded drama if you’re looking for a melodrama that’s realistic (does that make sense?). Not only is it realistic, but the characters are thoroughly fleshed out (with a few minor missing). I loved the concept and the twist of fantasy.
If you’re a sensitive person, you might want to carry a box of Kleenex with you while watching this. Padam Padam excels at bringing one moment of sadness followed by a moment of happiness. The mood transition happens quite quickly, but it’s plausible (can’t really explain it until you’ve seen it). My mom actually cried while laughing at some point (no, she’s not crazy).
It’s quite uplifting and inspirational too. So if you’re looking for a change/originality in K-dramas, be sure to give this a chance. You won’t regret it.
It's not the type of drama that I would watch over right away, since some parts were kind of slow (for me at least).
Overall rating for review: 9.5/10
Purely for entertainment: 9/10 (Why not 10 instead? Padam Padam is a spectacular drama, but I did not obsess over it)
My Dramalist rating (avg): 9.25/10
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It was late and I was bored, so I didn't have time for a new drama. Hence, I went ahead and looked for a movie in my "to watch" list. Ta-dah!
Storyline:
The storyline is in no way original. I've seen this happen in several melodramas before. It felt like a deja vu. Nonetheless, it was heartfelt and touching overall.
So if you're ever in a mood for another melodrama-I've-seen-it-before with good acting, then here is what Only You has to offer...
a) Looking for cute couple or nice feel romance? Here is the right place! I thought our OTP worked really well together. I've long overused the phrase "they complement each other". Though, it's true! That phrase applies here too. I also loved our two leads' complexity, but I wish they delved more into their dark pasts.
b) Sports/Fights. Want to see some MMA? Check this out. There are quite some worthy cringing gory scenes.
c) Willpower. I love how Han Hyo Joo's character, Jeong Hwa, is always so optimistic/cheery despite her circumstances. It was inspiring. Han Hyo Joo always lights up my mood.
d) Good pacing. I didn't find that it was too slow at any point. I wouldn't say perfect pacing either, but it never bored me.
e) Funny moments. Not laugh out loud moments, but I did chuckle a few times at the beginning from our OTP interactions.
If you're an avid drama watcher like me, then you've probably seen this storyline from somewhere before. Though, it's not done badly. It just wasn't something that blew me away.
Acting/Cast:
Great acting from Han Hyo Joo and So Ji Sub. Actually, the movie's strongest point goes to the acting.
This is the first time seeing Jyo Hoo in a movie and she gave a good impression like always. Though, I hope she won't stop acting in tv series.
She acted really well as a blind person. The way she looked at Ji Sub's character, Cheol Min, was really expressive. The same applies for Ji Sub. The way he marveled at her makes me believe that he truly loves her. They're both very expressive actors.
Though, the acting wasn't phenomenal. I've seen them act better in previous projects. Not to say that they didn't excel here, but it wasn't anything new.
I wish they delved more into the main characters' minds. I felt like I never understood them inside-out. I still had some lingering questions at the end about our main characters.
Music:
The songs were pleasing to my ears/heart while watching the movie. I especially liked the instrumental ones playing during the scenes where Cheol Min was boxing.
Truthfully, I don't remember much about the songs as soon as the movie ended.
Bonus:
Puppy/Dog!!!
Overall:
Nothing jaw-dropping or mind-blowing.
If you want something simple/slightly tearjerking/enjoyable then watch this. Other than that it's not a must-watch. If you're a fan of Han Hyo Joo (like me!) or So Ji Sub then this movie will definitely not disappoint you.
Overall rating for review: 7/10
Purely for entertainment: 8.5/10
My Dramalist rating (avg): 7.75/10
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It`s been around a year that I haven't watched Korean dramas. Why? A lot of them are repetitive or lack originality in terms of plot and characters. Fortunately, out of the blue, I had this weird Korean nostalgic epiphany after randomly viewing The Moon That Embraces the Sun (TMTETS). And since TMTETS hasn't finished airing, I asked a friend for a list of recommendations. I was in a mood for a period/sageuk drama. Hence, I chose The Princess's Man. Boy, it was epic!
Storyline:
Where should I begin? I believe the correct first description is amazing. If you are still doubtful, then please do read on.
The pacing of The Princess's Man is just near perfect (at least in the latter half). If I were to watch this while it was still airing, I would have died for every week. Not only does this drama successfully execute the main plot-line, but the subplots are also beautifully woven together. I have watched countless of Korean dramas, and many of them fail to relate the subplots to the main plot-line. The Princess's Man is one of those few exceptional gems.
Moreover, the series touches upon many themes that will definitely peak most of its viewers' interest. In fact, there's a bit of everything for everyone.
Here is a sample of what this series has to offer:
a) Suspense. Almost every single episode ends with a cliffhanger. You will literally be on the edge of your seat. If not, you will start biting your nails(like me!).
b) Romance. Don't let the Romeo and Juliet tagline scare you. There's so much more to the OTP other than being star-crossed lovers. And if you don't like one couple, stay tune for more!
c) Family Relationships. Great stories revolving around different households interacting with their family members. The most prominent, IMO, is the father-daughter relationship.
d) Friendship. Love how all the friendships form/crumble (especially the trio and the two brave female characters).
e) Revenge. Who doesn't love a story of good vendetta?
f) Action. There are even some sword fight scenes.
g) Politics. If you're afraid of watching this because I've mentioned politics, don't fret. I had the same reaction. However, all the themes are evenly balanced out that even the politics between the old folks add suspense to the story.
h) Unpredictable. Yes, there are moments of predictability, but overall there are twists and turns that will leave your jaws drop.
i) Sense of humor/comedy. I like the small comedy relief. It helps ease the dramatic tension. I especially love the character, Jo Sook Ju.
j) Realistic. For a melodrama, it's actually quite realistic how the events play out (especially the ending). Even the characters react realistically so they don't make you mad (not that I've ever been put to a life-death sort of test before).
I can go on, but it will be a better experience for you to explore. Trust me.
Speaking of realism, every action that each character takes has some sort of repercussion later on. Everything happens for a reason. Therefore, there is not a moment where something is unnecessary.
Side note: If you're hesitant after watching a couple of episodes, don't stop! All the problems will heighten and much more will be at stake. It's a wonder how some of these characters escape/win their problems.
Characters:
I was emotionally invested in every single character, ranging from the leading casts all the way to the supporting casts. It's so rare to come across a drama where every single character matters.
Nonetheless, my love for these characters blossomed over time (even for the 'bad guys'). And if a character is able to change my first judgmental impression of him/her, then that must be some awesome characterization.
My favorite characters (since I can't choose just one) are: Se Ryung, Su Yang, Seung Yoo, and Princess Kyung Hye. Yeah, that's a lot!
The 'bad guys' and 'good guys' aren't simply color coded as black and white. The 'good guys' aren't superbly smart nor are they godly strong (thank the lord!). Even the 'bad guys' have redeemable qualities. Therefore, everyone has flaws which makes them likable/relatable.
If you compare the first few episodes to episode 14, you will see a huge range in character development. There isn't a single character that is left underdeveloped (the closest is perhaps the character of Myun).
In addition, it's so much more enthralling when the villain is one of the main characters. It adds more depth/layer to the already gripping storyline.
Acting:
The actors playing my favorite characters are the ones (in my opinion) who were phenomenal. Nonetheless, nobody shied away from the limelight.
Moon Chae Won and Park Shi Hoo have so much chemistry together. It's undeniable! There's not a moment of dullness (perhaps a bit of cheesiness, but it's a Korean drama). Whenever they go through a roller-coaster ride, it gives me a huge adrenaline rush. I also love the fact that both of them contribute equally in the relationship (I hate it when the man does all the work). They also exude so much emotion that easily captivates viewers (just look at the expressions in their eyes). Whether they're apart/together, they're both awesome.
Se Ryung is definitely MCW's strongest performance by far. On the other hand, I cannot judge PSH because this is my first drama of his. Honestly, his looks didn't originally capture my heart, but the more I see him with his smile and dark looks, the more this fictional character/actor wins a piece of my heart.
Kim Young Chul steals the screen whenever he appears. I somehow really understand his character (not that I'd side with his doings). I just love the way he portrays Prince Suyang/King Sejo. I also love the heart-tugging relationship between his and MCW's character.
Hong Soo Hyun's character speaks 1000 words without saying anything. I am still so amazed by how much she cried. Whenever she shed tears, I felt her pain. The way her bottom lips quiver/(involuntarily) tremble she cries seems utterly believable. I'm surprised that she didn't dehydrate from all those exhausting scenes.
All in all, these talented actors made the drama shine even further. They were genuine/comfortable in their roles.
Soundtrack:
I love the entire OST. The songs played at the right time (like spot-on). Hence, it enhanced the quality of the series.
For example, the song that played at the end of each episode/cliffhangers made it feel so epic. Even the songs that played during the vendettas or the shocking scenes are those to look out for. Don't even get me started on the emotional soundtracks that played through SR and SY's meetings.
I've been putting the OST on replay everyday!
My favorites are (once again, I can't choose just one): Longing, I Love You Today, Destino, Vola, Irreversible, The Day Comes and One Day of Love.
Bonus:
Great intricate traditional clothing. Lavishing scenery. Vivid colors. Captivating representation of historical figures (mainly speaking of King Sejo). Obviously, it's not literally accurate, but it gives you a nice glimpse/idea of Korean history.
Overall:
I completely stopped watching TMTETS because I was so caught up with TPM that even after finishing TPM, I didn't feel like going back to TMTETS. As sad as it sounds, after the final song played in episode 24, I felt like I've lost a great friend.
It's been so long that I haven't found such a wonderful Korean drama.
And of course there are some flaws with TPM, but they're so minor compared to other Korean dramas that it's not necessary to nitpick about them.
Definitely going to re-watch this again. I'm even planning on having a marathon with my friend!
Overall rating for review: 9.5/10
Purely for entertainment: 10/10
My Dramalist rating (avg): 9.75/10
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This review may contain spoilers
Great suspense throughout, but the ending was not worth it.
The show hooks you right away within the first episode, but as the climax comes into play and the cards are laid out, you realize how the show took the cheap and easy route.The characters don't make sense, especially Gi Eun and Sang Woo. Their character developments change drastically out of nowhere, and it's apparent towards the end.
Since when was Gi Eun so heroic? Ok, let's say he cared about his daughter, and now that he has won the game, he is going to abandon her again? I really don't buy that his character is going to fight for justice, since he has been a weakling and won a lot of the games by sheer luck. He also seem to have forgotten that he got into the game for his daughter. Throughout the series, Gi Eun was portrayed as a coward and has relied on others to win the game, so I don't get what he's thinking to go back. What is he going to do anyway? WHO TOLD HIM TO SIGN UP FOR THEM, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE? Don't blame the game, but the player.
Since when did Sang Woo feel remorseful? It's not within his character to stab himself. He didn't even feel bad when he let Ali die or when he killed Sae Byeok. So what gave him the sudden change of heart?
The reveal of player 1 was really a cop out and is supposed to add shock factor, but it was so cheap and obvious. It has been done a million times already. It felt forced, and I did not buy into his motivations. Also, the game preaches equality, but the old man keeps helping out our main guy on multiple occasions. The rules don't seem to matter.
We also don't get closure from the cop and his supposedly Front Man brother, which shows that they are heavily reliant on a second season.
I had other nitpicks with the other characters, but it was more obvious towards the end where the flaws lie with implausible character development.
In retrospect, the show has a good way of hooking you in and keeping you on your toes since you want to see how the characters will get out, and the games were enjoyable to watch for the most part. The actors did a fine job, and I think it's within the culture to have exaggerated characters. The plot has a weird way of grabbing your attention and makes you want to binge it, but it is a cheap thrill like Money Heist. Ultimately, the ending kind of ruined it for me, since it went against everything that was within its message and having the characters change 180 did not help. If it had ended similarly to Parasite, where Gi Eun is sent back to society, but he is still not happy because money and greed don't buy happiness then it works out. But this ending? CHEAP.
6.5.
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This review may contain spoilers
DO NOT WATCH unless in need for some some brain degradation.
I knew it! They couldn't have possibly pulled back in 3 episodes. In fact, they did nothing with the last 3 episodes. I honestly have no clue what was the point of this drama. It feels like the director pitied Song Kang from the show that everyone hated so they made him the end goal in this drama. His character is so much more toxic in this show than Love Alarm, yet he still gets the girl. This is so worrying. If you want realism with a tint of fantasy, Love Alarm makes so much more sense. I don't care about all the hate it is getting, it's still one of the best Korean shows I've watched in terms of realism in a flawed character. Jojo's character is the real representation of a flawed person going on a journey to self discovery, yet people hated her for it. What about Nabi here? She had no development nor any consequences.Seriously all the acting was really subpar and nothing stood out. The only thing that stood out like a sore thumb was the annoyance of our three main leads. Nothing came out from them. If you watched episode 1 and then episode 10, you wouldn't have missed anything! Even if it doesn't make sense to watch it this way, let me tell you, it still doesn't make sense when you watch from episode 1 to episode 10. We are back to square one by the end of the series. Jae Eon gets away with his manipulation, and Nabi is as dumb as ever and the Potato Boy is a step-over mat as usual. The side plots were also really boring and kept dragging on for so long. I didn't care about anyone.
For those who are saying that this drama evokes debates, hence it's still meaningful, are wrong. Stupidity can evoke debates too, and this is the perfect example. Actually, it's not even a debate, but more of a rant to be honest. Anyone who likes this, please question your morality or see a therapist because Nabi surely needs one.
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Wow, it's been a while since I've written a review. I'm sorry that this one won't be as long as my previous ones.
Now, going into this drama I was very excited because when was the last time that Jeon Ji Hyun was in a drama eh? She's coupled up with Kim Soo Hyun too! That sounds like an advantage there already.
Storyline:
In general, the storyline seemed to be unsure of where it was heading. I felt like the first half of the drama felt different than the second half of the drama. I mentioned in the comments that starting around episode 12 to 21, everything felt generic and repetitive. To be honest, I cannot differentiate between what happened in that episode and the previous episode. It got to the point where it was that bad. I got tired of the bickerings and the reminiscence revolving around the two main protagonists. It was like as if the writers were actually feeding us cheese at that point! All I remember is how Cheon Song Yi followed Do Min Joo like crazy then she cries in her room and he hears. It was cute at first, but then it was just like, "Am I supposed to laugh because I've seen this countless of times previously". They kept saying the same thing over and over. Instead of all of that, the writers could have simply made us learn more about our beloved characters by adding substance and background to them.
Moreover, the beginning of each episode where Do Min Joon was in the Joseon period did not correlate to the current scenes IMO. Sometimes they added those in certain episodes, and some episodes did not even have that.
Characters/Acting:
Another thing that bothered me was that, did Cheon Song Yi know that Do Min Joo was the guy she was waiting for since forever? They made so much emphasis of that at the beginning but there was no correlation afterwards. Also, Se Mi's character was weird. She was being b*tchy then all of a sudden became thrown out of the script. What was her purpose? If the two second leading characters were not in this drama, it would have not made a difference!
The thing that bothered me the most about the drama was Lee Jae Kyung. How on Earth did he master all those evil plans? I have no clue. I know this is a drama, but at least make some sense! Even when he was captured at the end, he still blabbered child play stuff. Who defends themselves like that? I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about if you've seen the last elevator scene before he was sent away. That just ruined the drama for me and it made me realize all the other fatal errors.
The acting in this drama, hands down, is superb thanks to Jeon Ji Hyun. She's such a fluid actress. She feels genuine. She reminds me of the protagonist Kim Sam Soon in her acting skills and talking ways. Oh man, Cheon Song Yi is not only beautiful, but she's really funny! Jeon Ji Hyun doesn't try hard at all. She's a treat to watch. She's naturally funny. When she's sad, you also really feel her pain. I cross my fingers that she will be in another drama with a better script!
Kim Soo Hyun was alright in this drama. I liked him, and I enjoyed his scenes, but Jeon Ji Hyun stole all the scenes.
The two supporting casts were dumbed down. They had potential, but not enough credible substance behind their characterization to say much. I feel bad for the actors.
Music:
The songs played in this drama matched well with the scenes. There wasn't a particular song that really stuck to me, but overall the soundtracks were in the moment. It added more emotion to the drama. Lovely.
Bonus:
Cheon Song Yi's fashion and beauty was a huge bonus for me HAHA. I loved her dance of "Will You Marry Me?" by Bruno Mars too. The random spurt of english from both mother and daughter were funny.
Overall:
The plotline was really messy. They built so much on it at the beginning, and they just let it all go near the end with uncertainty. In fact, near the end, it kind of reminded me of "The Time Traveler's Wife" haha!
The characters in this drama were not fleshed out. The acting was not bad at all though.
The songs were well put together as well.
However, I would not rewatch this drama except maybe Cheon Song Yi's scenes.
Overall rating for review: 6.25/10
Purely for entertainment: 6.5/10
My Dramalist rating (avg): 6.375/10
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I saw a lot of recommendations, so I said why not? Besides, the casts seem solid, and I have a soft spot for Yoon Kye Sang.
Storyline:
Let me just bluntly lay it out, and get to the point.
a) Humor. I didn't like the comedy AT ALL, and not to mention, this drama is a rom-com. Perhaps, the sense of humor wasn't my cup of tea. Then again, the highly exaggerated comedic movements/expressions felt too slapstick. It was as if I was watching a childish cartoon/anime. Don't get me wrong, I love cartoons and animes, but I hate the ones that degrade the audience because they're narrowing it for the younger generation. In this case, The Greatest Love was really corny for me... I was hoping the humor would get better, since the first episode was already hard enough to digest. Though, it doesn't get much better. Sadly, not at all.
b) Too much predictable/boring tug-of-war. Our two leads' stories are uninteresting. Their unrealistic backgrounds are too generic that I had no connection with them. Their relationship is formed by mere bickerings. The love-hate story is handled too typically for me. Everything worked out too conveniently.
c) Unrealistic or rather not plausible. I know that most Korean dramas are unrealistic considering the characters and the environment set-up. Not to mention they're mostly all melodramas. Though, that isn't an excuse to make the characters' reactions and actions do illogical things. I seriously don't understand the way these characters' mindsets work, especially Dokko Jin.
d) Nothing happens. From beginning till end, it's about Gu Ae Jung getting shoved down and brought back up then shoved back down. The same thing over, and over again. I don't mind a simple plotline, but The Greatest Love doesn't give us any new ingredient. Honestly, I can't differentiate between any of the episodes because nothing big ever happens. There's nothing for us viewers to guess or wonder. Everything is laid in black and white, but in an uninteresting way/fashion.
e) Boring side characters. Ae Jung's brother was boring and unnecessary. That farting scene was just idiotic. If anyone thought that was funny, then I'm sorry. There's just no dynamic between any of the side characters, and our main characters.
I'll leave it at this...
Acting/Cast/Characters:
I didn't like any of the characters, nor was I rooting for any of them. The only character I felt sorry for was Yoon Pil Joo. Even then, his character was very 2-D. Heck, all of the characters are like cardboard cut-outs. They're all the typical Korean dramaland characters combined into one. Another reason why I didn't like the character Pil Joo was because he's the typical nice lad that always gets tossed aside. I'm starting to get sick of the pitiful supporting dudes. Even though, I love Yoon Kye Sang, I couldn't understand why he did what he did for the main lead girl, Ae Jung.
It's like these characters complain about their hardships when they surround themselves near people who give them a hard time.
The character formula here is very typical of any Korean drama. We have the main female lead who likes this egotistical dude. However, there's this really nice/proper lad who likes her, but she uses him or pays no mind to him. Wait, there must be more drama (for no reason) to add hardship for this pitiful lead girl. So what do they do? They throw in this evil (not so menacing) girl who's jealous of the leading female. Though, the female protagonist is so oblivious to all of this, and she tries to be a saint and save everyone's life, but never her own. Awww... this makes the boys love her even more. So preachy! It's as if the scriptwriters didn't know what to do with the evil girl, so they just dumb her down a notch. You'll know what I'm talking about if you give this drama a try.
Aside from my hatred of these poorly developed characters, I thought the performances from Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Jin were very solid. Though, I wouldn't recommend them doing another rom-com. They're not funny. It was a nice change for Seung Woo, but I prefer him sticking to his bada** roles. Anyway, I understand that it's harder for actors to excel in comedic roles because not everyone is a natural comedian/joker. Hence given this leniency, I'd say they did a good job. I can tell that they're really great actors because of their range of emotions. Though, no matter how good their acting are, if the characters fail... then most likely it's a fail overall. Good acting can't help cover/compensate for bad characters in the end.
Music:
Hmm... don't remember the songs much. There wasn't anything that captured my attention.
Bonus:
The only time I actually laughed was when Lee Seung Gi came on as a cameo. Now, that's a dude that knows how to act naturally in a comedy.
I like the way Dokko Jin says "Bingo". Don't know why though - haha.
Overall:
Yeah, maybe it's just not my type of comedy. There were no witty lines nor cute banters. I strongly disliked the script (or more like the dialogue exchanges). In fact, I don't really like The Hong Sisters because their scripts/characters can be a great hit or a huge miss. It's like a 50/50 chance here. Most of the time, their characters are overly exaggerated, or try too hard to be cute, which sometimes works and sometimes it doesn't. In this case, it didn't work for me, and it's a rather run-of-the-mill storyline/characters that have been rehashed far too many times already.
I fast-forwarded many scenes because they were redundant. I was about to give up halfway or near the end, but somewhere within me, I was still keen on seeing these characters on-screen. So I'll give them bonus for that.
Overall rating for review: 4/10
Purely for entertainment: 4/10
My Dramalist rating (avg): 4/10
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This review may contain spoilers
My Mini Back-story: I watched More than Blue a couple of days ago. Originally, I was pumped because there were a lot of praises for this particular movie. The rating also seems pretty high on "mydramalist". And since I fairly enjoyed Only You / Always, I thought this would be on par with it. Now I'm stumped. Storyline:
I have to shrug this off my shoulders. Sorry if it starts and ends on a bad note. This is just my humble opinion.
I felt like my IQ level stooped to its' lowest point. Yes, that's an exaggeration, but honestly, this film does not deserve all the praise it is/was receiving.
I'm not even going to bother listing things that you should be looking forward to because it was truly disappointing. Instead, I'll just list a number of factors that frustrated me.
a) Illogical. Everything could have been solved within 15 minutes, but then that wouldn't be a movie, right? I don't know what the writers were thinking. I understand that it's a "melodrama", but at least make the direction in terms of story plausible/logical for the audience.
b) Draggy. I haven't seen a movie that dragged on as much as this one in a long time. There were too many unnecessary scenes, especially at the beginning with the manager and "Cat Girl"?
c) Nerve-wracking characters. Why on Earth did both the protagonists have to do that? I can't mention much, since even a minor detail would be a spoiler. Besides, what was the point of this movie? Did the doctor have to be dragged in? Poor man.
d) Fail attempt at being emotionally driven. I felt rather sleepy after watching this movie. There was no raw emotion that I felt from our OTP. Initially, I did think they were cute, but their idiotic actions took a toll and I changed my mind. A lot of people thought the twist was nicely done because it enhanced the quality of the movie. I think otherwise. It threw me even further away from the bell-curve.
e) Lack of originality. Sure, the twist did make me go, "Ohhh" and "Ahh", but I've seen this written in short stories / fan-made fiction before. I love Korean dramas/movies despite the fact that they can be too melodramatic. Though, I cannot stand the over-emphasis of excessive melodrama in More than Blue.
f) Pointless.
One thing I'll say though... some of the dialogues were kind of witty. I believe that's where most of my points are going in this category anyway.
Acting/Cast:
The acting wasn't bad. Our three main leads played their characters nicely, despite their characters are half-dead most of the time. Truthfully, it was the characters that threw me off. I have not felt such hatred for so many characters in a movie/show in a long time.
Kwon Sang Woo plays as K. He's a dull character, let me say that. For half of the movie, he looks high. I guess that's plausible under his circumstance and situation.
Lee Bo Young plays as Cream. Her character annoyed me. She's not a straightforward character when she needs to be and she's too direct when she doesn't need to be. I just don't understand her actions. The acting from Lee Bo Young complemented the annoying character. I don't know if that was done on purpose. If so, she's an extremely talented actress.
Music:
It's only been a couple of days, and I don't remember any of the music scores. Then again, I don't remember it being horrible.
Overall:
Need I say more? It's a A Story More Stupid than Stupid.
Horrible script in terms of storyline direction, frustrating characters, dreadful/nonsensical meaning, but good acting with good casts (at least the 3 leading actors). Sadly, the actors cannot make up for it. No matter how great the actors are, if the storyline and characters are annoying, what can the actors do?
If you want to stay away from something that will waste about an hour and a half, this is the movie to stay away from. Perhaps, I'm just not a sensitive person.
I'm baffled that there's a recommendation of this with A Moment to Remember. No way is it on the same level nor are they similar. The characters in More Than Blue inflict depression/sadness/pain upon themselves with their own stupidity, whereas what happened to the characters in A Moment to Remember was out of their control.
Overall rating for review: 3/10
Purely for entertainment: 2/10
My Dramalist rating (avg): 2.5/10
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I was on Korean/Asian drama hiatus for about a year, until I came across The Moon that Embraces the Sun (TMTETS). Initially, Han Ga In drew me to watch the drama. I wasn't extremely familiar with the rest of casts, but they were definitely eye-candies. As I began to watch, I was drawn back to Korean’s nostalgic mellow land. Thank you TMTETS (for that much)!
Storyline:
To be honest, I started with episode 7. I usually do this when I’m unsure about Korean dramas. I was also curious to see the how the older actors looked like, especially Han Ga In. I haven’t seen her in such a long time! Not only were /are the older cast spectacularly gorgeous looking, but the storyline piqued my interest. Hence, I decided to give this series a try by going back to episode 1. I thought to myself that TMTETS might very well be the drama to call me back to my Korean-obsession-mode.
I’ll just go right ahead and dive into my mixed feelings (mostly negative, but I have my reasons!) about the plotline/story/characters.
a) Too many unnecessary flashbacks at the beginning. I’m typing about the repetitive flashbacks from the young versions of the characters. After what happened to the female protagonist, they had to show flashbacks of most, if not every, single character in relation to her. I mean, we literally saw those scenes a couple of episodes ago. We get the point.
b) Pacing was all over the place. Episode 10 (or so) up till the female protagonist’s realization was extremely draggy. Other important supporting characters could have been further developed within those episodes. Instead, we get fillers. On the other hand, a lot of parts were skimmed over too quickly, especially the ending. I thought the first half of the drama had a better pace.
c) Let-down cliffhangers. They make it seem like something extravagant will happen in the subsequent episode, but most of the time they are a let-down. Nothing big happens.
d) Lots of major/minor inconsistencies in terms of plots/characters. I believe at some late point, they finally realized that they’re on a time constraint; hence, they try to cram. The sad part - they combine unnecessary scenes that stray away from the core conflict. So they end up discarding/disregarding important scenes that should have been there instead! Whatever happened to Hwon’s illness? Whatever happened to the King’s mother? Did anyone find out about Granny? Those are just a few.
e) Nice incorporation of humor. I extremely loved the eunuch and his smile - haha. The eunuch and The King/Hwon really complemented each other whenever they appeared together. They never failed to impress me from episode 1 all the way to episode 20.
f) Semi-pathos driven. There were a lot of scenes that were required to be executed properly in order to sway/move the audience with the correct stroke of chord. In replacement, we have to overbear (endless) crying scenes that don't move us as much as it should have. I’m specifically typing about the last two episodes (perhaps because it’s still somewhat fresh in my mind). Nonetheless, there were moments of strong emotions coming from less important characters. I was deeply touched by the Princess’s riveting scenes (despite many people hate her).
g) Story that focuses on romance, yet lacks chemistry? Yes, bash me all you want. I still can’t feel the energy/sparks between our OTP till the very end. I honestly had a stronger connection with the two younger characters/actors. I even thought Yang Myung matched more with Wol at some point.
h) Unpredictability at its worst. The ending totally threw me even further away from the bell-curve. The twists and deaths that occurred to people seemed very random and out of place for me. There was no mention/reasoning as to why those had to happen. There were more ways/logical reasons as to why they could have avoided them altogether.
i) Illogical actions/plot. That’s correct. I’m thinking about the ending. I know that a lot of Korean dramas tend to butcher their endings, but this was just not acceptable.
j) Family relationships – meh? Originally, there were a lot of ties between different characters that started off interesting. I was waiting for it to blossom over time (would have been heartfelt), but instead, the relationships dispersed even more over time. Some characters should have reunited A LONG TIME AGO.
k) Love conquers? Not when so many people have to die for that. C’mon! The King functions only for love. After Yeon Woo came back, he completely disregards the well-being of his citizens. At first, he looked like he was going to make huge improvements.
l) Plot a little too simple. The “bad guys” were let off the hook too easily. I actually felt like the writers degraded our intelligence. I don’t care what I’m watching, but I can’t stand when writers throw things at us and expect us to accept them blindly.
m) Weak friendship build-up/crumble. I wish they went more in-depth with the F4. Though, that’s not one of my major concerns.
I’ll just stop here, since my review is already too long and I haven’t even gotten to the other parts/sections yet. I know that some of these are really nitpicky, but if you think about it… the cons outweighs the pros and it surely adds up. It could have been a mind-blowing/smart story because TMTETS had all the correct elements to begin with. The storyline/premise originally had love, vengeance, family, friendship, honor, interesting lot of characters, great tension, and so on…
Side note: The last half of the series feels completely different from the first half. They feel like two different dramas.
Acting/Cast:
Wow! What a huge/great cast ensemble.
Let me just start off by saying that the children actors were awesome! I actually preferred their story than the latter half.
Like I typed, I was originally drawn to this because of Han Ga In. I know that she’s not the best/good actress, but she was never too shabby. Her beautiful/striking looks somewhat compensates for it as well. Anyway, I just liked her presence/demeanor. I don’t know how to describe it. However, I cannot pardon her in TMTETS. Despite how much I like her (she’s one of my favorites); I cannot turn a blind-eye and type she did fine. No, she didn’t act horribly in TMTETS, but it was bad enough. I’m sure people are sick of seeing my username and me referencing to Han Ga In’s lifeless performance, but I’m going to have to spill it over here as well. If it bothers you too much, skip this part because I’m not sugarcoating anything.
Han Ga In who plays as Wol/Yeon Woo made me bored, and that’s a bad start since she’s supposed to be the main female star of the show. Her monotone voice doesn’t help either. In fact, it adds to her emotionless/expressionless facial expressions. She has beautiful/round eyes, yet she cannot convey any sort of emotion through them. If I was to look at her with no subtitles, I would have no clue what on Earth she was feeling or what her character wants at particular times. I can never tell when she’s truly happy or sad. I have no clue if her character is supposed to be submissive looking all the time, but I remembered she was once a strong/intellectual/willful young lady. Whatever happened to that?
Kim Soo Hyun who plays as The King/Hwon was one of the factor that partially saved the show. He’s the one that shined the most IMO. And no, I’m not bias because I never knew who he was nor was/am I a crazy fan-girl. I just thought he stood out the most, in terms of posture/acting. His acting skills/maturity is beyond his years. He’s actually a lot better at conveying his emotions compared to other older actors in the business. Kim Soo Hyun has a wide range of emotion. Some of his crying/yelling scenes amplified the whole tone for me. Sadly, his character was also a let-down. I’m not talking about the romantic parts because he has certainly tried his best (from the looks of it). I guess it is awkward to act intimate with an older and married woman – haha. I didn’t feel the reciprocated connection from Han Ga In, so the chemistry wasn’t there. I mean, no matter how romantic tries to be, if she’s not going to respond then there’s a problem for our OTP. Aside from Hwon/the King’s romantic side, I thought he would be able to do something more meaningful, but he only thinks of Wol. Is it just me or the whole world revolves are the Moon? All the characters’ world/existence seems to revolve around Wol/Yeon Woo… which brings me to my next character…
Jung Il Woo who plays as Yang Myung was kind of annoying. I didn’t find he was too annoying, since Jung Il Woo played that role nicely. Though, if another (bad) actor were to take his place, I would have second thoughts. The ending just totally butchered his character for me because of the decision he took. Originally, his character starts off as a troubled/rebel, but later strays far away from that. Once upon a time he was interesting! Yang Myung only follows Wol/Yeon Woo blindly later on that he has absolutely no other purpose other than that. So then there’s the whole love triangle. I would have preferred if Yang Myung was more focused on rekindling his bromance with Hwon. It’s just too bad that they never fully developed it. Instead, his character gets to mop around and stare at the moon once in awhile to reminisce about Wol.
Why does everyone stare into the moon once in awhile and think of Wol? They all seem to do the same pattern. Anyway, the supporting characters such as Seol, Mother Shaman, Yeom, Janshil, Woon, the Princess and the Queen were never fully developed either. It seemed like the writers just built a skeleton of their characters and fooled us into the paths they’ll explore in the future, but obviously they’re never touched upon. They made a huge emphasis on the F4, but decided not to expand on the matter. Seol and Janshil didn’t even get to have a story of their own nor did they get individuality. Yeom was also a very smart character, at least when he was younger. It seems like that (Yeon Woo’s) whole family has been regressing instead of progressing. And Mother Shaman had absolutely zero purpose, aside from hiding the truth all these years. Everything could have been resolved sooner, but no, she had to hide all of this. I think the outcome would have been the same if she had revealed everything sooner. Anyway, the only character that stayed consistent was the Princess. A lot of people seem to dislike her, but I thought she was one of the better characters along with the Queen. Nam Bo Ra and Kim Min Seo did a phenomenal job at portraying their characters. They deserve two thumbs up. There was so much more depth/range of emotion compared to Han Ga In.
Now onto the “bad guys”… they initially looked all bada**, but later on they did nothing. Absolutely nothing. The writers make them seem like they’re really conniving/evil/strong, but apparently they’re just plain stupid. If you’ve seen the last few episodes, you’ll know what I mean. It’s such a let-down that they’re not on par with the “good guys”. It’s always more exciting to see a tug-of-war.
Music:
Awesome music scores! The ballads truly touched my heart. In fact, some of the songs are still haunting me. I especially loved the new addition to the OST. It’s called “Only You, One Person”, specially sang by none other than Kim Soo Hyun himself. It’s always a nice bonus to have one of the actors singing a soundtrack for a particular work they are in. It adds another level of emotional impact/love for the drama. I didn’t even recognize his voice at first because the man/guy sounded like a professional. He has such a warm/soothing voice. Kudos to him! It’s so unfortunate that they never even played it once.
In fact, their songs are extremely underused. The only two vocal songs that we hear from time to time are “Back in Time” by Lyn and “Under the Moonlight” by Heora. I wouldn’t have known about the rest of the amazing soundtracks if it weren’t for youtube.
“Back in Time” is such an enchanting and melancholic song. When it played, it matched the mood/tone of the scene. Though, I wished they would mix around with their songs and gave others a chance in the latter half of the drama. The other songs only seem to appear in the credits.
As you can tell, my three favorite songs are “Only You, One Person”, “Back in Time” and “Only You, One Person”.
TMTETS had a variety of songs to choose from, yet they decide to undermine them in the desert instead.
Bonus:
The clothing/hanboks are extremely beautiful. It very well complemented the already good-looking casts. I especially loved the Queen and Yeon Woo’s outfits. All their outfits have contrasting colors which makes them stand out even more.
The scenery were very vivid. Loved the colors pop-out. I also liked the areas that were shot in the palace (wasn’t almost the entire series shot there anyway?). Though, I wished they shot the outside a little more often.
Honestly, the outer appearance of this drama can be your one excuse to watch this drama. The cinematography is so nice. It makes you feel mellow – haha.
Overall:
It’s not a horrible drama, but it’s definitely not one that I will immediately go around to recommend to others. If people want to watch a “real” historical drama, then don’t even bother with this. TMTETS is the very definition of “fluff”, compared to its other sageuk competitors. There are many historical elements in it, but they’re not executed properly.
Want to watch something of proper sageuk standard? Try Jumong, Queen Seon Duk or The Princess’s Man. I admit they are different in terms of genre. And yes, maybe they’re a little too raw compared to TMTETS, but even Dong Yi and Yi San are better off.
I might/try (to) understand why people are emotionally driven by TMTETS. Don’t get me wrong, some parts were very endearing, but looking at it from the whole scope… not so much. I didn’t even get time to feel invested in these characters. In fact, some characters took up too much time, yet wasn’t able to sway/move me. So how can I feel emotional over these characters’ problems/deaths? If someone gave me a synopsis of this drama, I would surely find that it sounds so epic/bittersweet. It’s true, the overall story is epic, but when you’re watching it (especially the latter half)… not so much. Some parts feel very separated and unattached to each other. There are moments of sheer brilliance, but they often crush your hopes when you’re expecting the series to turn around and go uphill.
So beside those factors, if you’re not used to sageuks give TMTETS a try (I don’t consider Sungkyunkwan Scandal a historical one, but I enjoyed that one a lot more). It might blow your mind away like it did to many others.
Too bad the good aspects of this drama could not overshadow the rest.
No way will I marathon this. It will remind me how I was originally invested in these beloved characters, but only to be disappointed by their short outcomes. I might watch some particular scenes, but never will I watch the entire unorganized drama again.
Overall rating for review: 5.5/10
Purely for entertainment: 6.5/10
My Dramalist rating (avg): 6/10
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As usual, I was looking for a new Korean movie to watch, and Chilling Romance caught my attention. From reading the synopsis, I thought the story and characters sounded interesting. Then I went ahead and searched for more background and information. Let's just say that the dramalist rating set my hopes a little too high.
Storyline:
The storyline is quite original. To be honest, the beginning was bizarre. I didn't really know what to expect. However, about 20 minutes into the movie, I got the concept/feel of it. In a nutshell, Chilling Romance is a mix of horror/drama/romance/comedy. Quite a lot, eh? Sadly, it didn't meet my expectations on most of those categories listed. I thought they could have added more spice/excitement to each of the already captivating elements laid out in the movie, but I guess they preferred to stay on the safe side. They had a bit of everything, but the bits were very loosely handled.
Here are some of my thoughts on what Chilling Romance has to offer, yet lacks at the same time...
a) Mixed feelings on our OTP. It's weird how sometimes I thought they were ultimately adorable together, but sometimes I thought they were a bit awkward with each other. I guess their awkwardness is understandable, since Yeori is anti-social in some ways.
b) Sense of humor. I actually enjoyed some of the witty/funny conversations between the characters. I specifically thought some of Jo-Goo and Yeori's conversations were funny. Her friends were also funny (at times).
c) Supernatural/ghosts. I liked how they originally presented the idea to us, but it seemed like they sugarcoated the whole "horror" element (especially in the last magic trick). In other words, the ghosts felt out of place and were left unexplained in a lot of areas. At first, it was funny to watch Jo Goo's reaction to the "little kid". I thought they were going to play around with the comedy/horror aspect, but they went in a different direction. Moreover, it got to the point where I was questioning if some of these ghosts were really necessary at all.
d) Story all over the place. I felt like it tried too hard to be a bit of everything that it ended up not fulfilling/satiating anything at the end completely. It originally had several interesting aspects/themes, but it was unable to connect them altogether in a smoothly/properly fashion. Hence, a lot of parts felt random for me.
e) The ending. It was a little too clean/corny for me. It felt like an easy way out for the writers.
All in all, the storyline is definitely unique from the lot of Korean movies that I have watched. It had a great mix of many elements that a great movie should have, but the execution was done somewhere between poor and meh. I guess it's hard for a movie to pull off the horror, romance, and comedy altogether.
Acting/Cast:
Nothing outstanding from these characters and actors.
Though, I thought Lee Min Ki acted pretty naturally when it came to the funny scenes. It's my first time seeing him, and he's not a bad actor at all. His character, Jo Goo didn't have enough backbone (past stories/in-depth understanding), so I didn't really care for him all too much. I don't know what else to say about him from this movie, truthfully.
I fairly enjoyed Son Ye Jin, especially at the emotional scenes. The part where she was talking super fast over the phone to her friends was one of the more memorable ones from the movie, IMO. However, I personally don't find she's fit for a comedy movie/drama. The frog mimicking scene came off as too cutesy wannabe or forced for me. In general, Son Ye Jin doesn't seem natural in those the funny scenes. In any case, I prefer that she sticks to melodramas or more serious dramas/movies. She's definitely one of the more emotional/natural actresses when it comes to sad/crying scenes. I give her props for that.
Clearly, the whole movie focuses on our OTP. Like I typed previously, I fairly enjoyed some of their scenes. Do they have chemistry together? Sure, but it's nothing awe-worthy or new.
Music:
The OST was really soothing to the ears. I guess it caught me attention because I even went ahead to search for them. "Falling in Love" and the one from Jami Soul are both very soft and relaxing. They both totally remind me of songs that could be played in a comfortable/"home-feel" coffee shop - haha.
Bonus:
I liked the cinematography, especially the slow-motion part with the bus.
This probably doesn't fall under the bonus category, but Son Ye Jin looks mighty young and fine for her age - haha!
My favorite scene was where Jo-Goo performed a card trick in front of Yeori ^^.
Overall:
In conclusion, I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd liked to. It's definitely not a must watch movie.
Despite some cheesy romance and horror, I actually didn't mind the whole cheesiness factor. Though, I think the small/funny gestures and sense of humor from our OTP stands out the most.
Basically, it's a borderline of good/fine movie that could have been great if the elements worked out correctly. Perhaps, it could have worked out better if they had cut/crop out some elements altogether. Sometimes too many things in one isn't good because it's too hard to handle!
Overall rating for review: 5.5/10
Purely for entertainment: 6/10
My Dramalist rating (avg): 5.75/10
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I totally fell in love with Jung Hae In and Son Ye Jin. Man, can we just say his smile is just so beautiful? I'm totally in love with his character.
The story could have been better since I felt like there were a lot of unnecessary and repetitive conflicts. I felt like as the episodes go on they have little character development to give us besides the hugging and kissing that we've seen so much of already. There was a huge built up to their relationship, but as episodes go on their relationship becomes 2 dimensional. Not really fully fleshed out. I feel like this drama didn't know what it wanted to be in the end. The first half had me really going then it just went downhill. Good acting and nice cinematography can't save the whole show if the characters start feeling boring or the story is not being very smart.
I also love the songs played, it added so much more feels to the scenes.
Also, I've been totally out of the Korean drama loop for a while since none seem to interest me anymore, so this is my first comeback in a while haha.
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