Dirty But Pretty(Pretty Actors but no gripping story)

There were countless times when I just wanted to drop this drama in between, that is how bad I felt this drama is. I felt this drama could have been 30 episodes instead of 40, It was way too stretched! The first 3/4 episodes were bang on and fast paced but after that the drama loses its lustre and goes completely downhill. It never regains its pace and is barely watchable after the 20th episode. You already know who the antagonist (an amazing Dong Ha) is by then and there is no suspense left.
I am a huge fan of Ji Chang Wook, He looks amazing and puts a lot of effort into all the characters that he plays. In this drama all his antics and mannerisms as the frustrated attorney No Ji Wook will make you swoon over him. He looks hot even when he shouts and screams out of frustration.
But Besides Ji Chang Wook's amazing screen presence and there is nothing more in this drama.
The FL in this drama is annoying and stretches the story even more by trying to resolve things on her own / getting into difficult situations on purpose. She is an attorney but tries to act cute / clueless in more than half the drama. Plus are scenes of her in yellow and pink coloured business suits in the drama to add to the cringe.
I actually liked the second lead - Prosecutor Cha more than her, She atleast looks elegant, intelligent, shrewd and impressive, just how a prosecutor should look.
Even though the drama has a decent ensemble cast, there are not many moments that shine and the supporting cast feels like props. The story is all over the place and the sub plots are neither logical nor gripping enough for a legal suspense drama, take for example a murder sub plot of a man who is assumed to be murdered by his wife / his son when neither of them are the real murderers but are just presumed to be! The many such pointless legal cases / sub plots which are supposed to add to a story, stretch this pointlessly lengthy drama even more...Talk about beating a dead horse!!

Watched it only for Ji Chang Wook

Read More

Family Drama from an adult webtoon? Backstreet Rookie : Hold My Beer!!

There are quite a few successful drama adaptation of webtoons like Whats Wrong With Secretary Kim and Mystic Pop Up Bar, The reason why these webtoon based drama succeeded was because the story was good if not great and had some scope for character and plot development.
After seeing this drama caught up in all sort of controversies after only 2 episodes, I actually read a couple of chapters of the manhwa "She is too much for me" to see what the fuss is about
- This is not a typical damsel in distress K drama, in fact it appears to be the other way round. The female lead clearly shines, this drama is more centered towards the FL than the ML. Kim Yoo Jung overshadows everyone in this drama, yes even the veteran JCW. It is hand's down her drama!
- The manhwa "She is too much for me " is an adult webtoon so it is no surprise that it has the "asian kink" of sexualizing school girls and a grown man fantasizing about a teenage girl at its core, However why the writers choose to adapt this webtoon into a 'family show' is a mystery. This isn't Reply 1988 or even a Smile Dong Hae
- However it is to be noted that the directors and writers are trying their best to "tone down" and "cleanse" the adult content of the webtoon and the actors (especially the female lead) are doing a good job with their roles.
- As the main backdrop of the drama is the convenience store, the sub plots have limited range...ML suspecting the FL of stealing cash from the store, ML getting in trouble for selling cigarettes to minor, expired food etc
- I have read a couple of chapters of the manhwa and I did not come across the reggae friend of Dae Hyun , (who is actually a Korean in the drama as well as in real!) The way he he portrayed as an adult webtoon writer with licks coming out of his hair, Saet Byul's friends calling him a caveman/ neanderthal, Saet Byul giving him weird looks for comical relief is again unnecessary, disappointing and has surely backfired
- It is clear from Episode 1 itself that Saet Byul is chasing Dae Hyun and probably do whatever it takes to separate him from his girlfriend Yeon Joo. She is clearly shown to be infatuated with the male lead for no particular reason from the moment they met. The male lead is not a regular K drama alpha main lead but more of a 'guy next door' with a flat personality and little charms but still has two women vying for him (an alpha go getter Saet Byul and successful and elegant Yeon Joo). It is very brave of Ji Chang Wook's part to take up a role of wimpy male lead like Choi Dae Hyun.

Read More

Hold swords while enemy fights with guns

A train wreck in the best way possible, A drama where the bromance is better than the romance. This a drama with full blown craziness in all its glory.
No matter how high the production cost is, No matter how good the lead actors are, No matter how amazing the supporting cast and OST is, if the story does not click with the audience, the drama is doomed to fail.
There is no denying that The King: Eternal Monarch is a visually appealing series thanks to the high production cost and great actors but the story telling lacks depth, you can sense that as a viewer from Episode 2 itself. The amount of attention on the visual appeal should have been given to the pace and storyline.
The drama failed for me as a viewer because of the stiff acting, forced and rushed chemistry between the main leads, too many historical errors, a very confusing plot involving parallel universe and time travel with many contradicting theories and loose ends and lets not forget the in your face product placements.
The relationship rumours of Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun meant to lure the audience failed to fool the viewers either.
Rewatch value? This drama doesn't even have 'watch it once' value.
This drama would be used as an example of not taking the audience for granted, I watched it only for Woo Do Hwan

Read More

Best Korean Romance Drama of the decade

This is one of the best dramas I have ever watched, It is simply amazing. Besides the lead actors who have scorching chemistry we have a stellar ensemble cast which includes the amazing second leads with contrasting personalities, north korean comrades, Cho cheol Gang, North Korean millitary village ladies, Seo dan's mother and uncle and Captain Ri's father. Each one of them shines in their respective roles. Every scene shot in Switzerland is breath - taking
I loved the first 10 episodes more, They are outstanding ! However in the later episodes some sub plots like Captain Ri and Cho Cheol Gang coming to South Korea by digging a tunnel seem illogical and far fetched. Similarly the way NIS of South Korea warmed up to RiRi couple's love story was a bit too much...also how Captain Ri's father casually kills a very important North korean officer (Director of Millitary to be precise) in an attempt to protect his son is over the top. The actors and story is so good that you tend to overlook gaps like these...
Besides the flawless acting and overall gripping storyline, CLOY has an amazing OST. Make sure you don't miss this one out!

Read More

The plot melts rather fast!

I seriously fail to understand why an established actor like Ji Chang Wook took up a drama like this which fails to fall in either Fantasy, Romantic, Time travel or Sci - Fi genre. It is more like a scientific experiment gone wrong...
I really liked many of Ji Chang Wook's previous dramas like Healer, Empress Ki and even The K2. After a seriously okayish Suspicious Partner in 2017, He returned with this dud in 2019. There were so many hopes pinned on this drama by his fans which was touted as his comeback after military stint of 2 years.
Ji Chang Wook looks disinterested and has a dead pan expression throughout in most of the scenes and the chemistry between the leads is visible only in the later episodes.
Rewatch value? This drama doesn't even have 'watch it once' value.
Do yourself a favour and please skip this one!

Read More