Relaxing movie

This is a movie to watch if you don't want to have to think about anything. There's no plot to keep track of, angst is low, there isn't a large cast with multiple plots going on. I have to say, I liked it okay for what it was. Being a movie, it moves on pretty quickly with no dragging; however, I didn't feel too emotionally invested in any of the characters.

It was the typical school story of bullying the weak, the hero comes to save the day, they fall in love. I was irritated by the FL apologizing all the time, because it appeared to me that she was apologizing for existing. I did like that they didn't have the ML calling the FL names, as so often happens in J-dramas.

It was basically a short, easy watch while I look for a different show to invest my time and energy in.

Read More

Frustration abounded for me

Let me start with what I liked and go from there. I REALLY liked the relationship between Dong Man and Ae Ra. They've been close friends for over 20 years. Theirs was the kind of relationship that they could hit each other, call each other names, and make fun of each other, but if someone else tries it? Then their fighting spirit comes out. They lived next door to one another, ate together, drank together, and hung out together. I loved their bickering. They brought out the worst, and yet the best, in each other. They were a joy to watch and there was a lot of comedy. Park Seo Joon impressed me, he had the body of a grown man, but emotionally he had some growing to do - his immaturity was endearing. I also enjoyed watching them interact once they developed feelings (or recognized) their feelings for one another. Suddenly they were uncomfortable with one another and very aware of what they were wearing and what they said to each other. Just a cute, cute couple. If they had stuck with them, I think I would have enjoyed the show a lot more. Instead:

Second couple. Joo Man and Seol Hee were good friends of the main couple, and as their friends they were fine. But I REALLY had a difficult time with them as a couple. He's a salary man trying just to survive. Her whole goal in life, for most of the show is to just be with Joo Man. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but she appeared to not have any thought outside of Joo Man. They had been together for six years, his family was terrible to her, and he kept getting upset at how nice she was to him. I also didn't like that the costume designers put her in the most frumpy, unattractive clothes. I felt like Seol Hee thought that since she had this boyfriend, she didn't have to try to look good anymore. I really felt like she was just living through him, and whatever he wanted to do, she just went along with it.

Then we had not one, but TWO ladies that were willing to do whatever they needed to in order to get their man. These people bother me in dramas, so to have two was doubly irritating. "I broke up with him years ago, but now I'm back so step aside, because OF COURSE he's going to prefer me over you." Ugh! These characters not only make themselves look bag, but they also make the male characters appear weak, because they don't say or do enough to discourage the women. In the case of this drama, I think both women needed a restraining order against them. And then to call a meeting with the offended party to apologize, yet say that they just couldn't help themselves, they just like the guy so much. There was too much screen time spent with these irritating women.

Adding unnecessary storylines. There's the mystery woman upstairs. I felt that it was just something unnecessarily added to the mix, as well as the doctor that liked Ae Ra (what a douchebag!) Granted, it was terrific casting - with Choi Woo Shik's sweet and innocent face, his ultimate behavior was a surprise! The creepy producer friend - ultimately did a good thing but spent every time he was on screen being creepy.

I had one problem with the main couple, which was unfortunately toward the end of the show, so it left a bad taste in my mouth. Her giving him an ultimatum, "Give up fighting or I won't see you anymore." The man had no other dream! There was nothing else he was able to or wanted to do. And giving an ultimatum like that just seemed so immature and non-supportive. I get that she was afraid of him getting hurt, but it was his passion. Think of a way to make it work - maybe don't be an announcer at his fights or something.

Bottom line, I loved watching the main couple and could have done without everyone else. Oh, there was one other plus for me - hearing BTS Fire every time Dong Man was getting ready to fight!

Read More

Hmmm, I thought it was a little all over the place

First, I'll say I'm not a big fan of historical dramas. Though the costuming is beautiful, I sometimes find it distracting. So many of the men look alike, between the hats and the facial man-pubes, just not attractive. Then there's always the typical palace intrigue -the same plot line dropped into every historical drama. It's superficial, I know, but there it is.

This is a difficult review for me to write, because my likes and dislikes seem to be so intertwined, but I'll do my best.

LIKES:
-Ahn Chang Hwan as Poong's servant/companion/champion/friend - This was a wonderful character. Used mostly for comedy relief, my interest was piqued each time he was on the screen.
-Some beautiful filming - especially the women's festival with the fireworks and the swing. It was used as a hook toward the very beginning, and I kept hoping for more. I had to be satisfied with the beautiful landscaping.
-Kim Min Jae as Poong and Kim Hyang Gi as Seo Eun Woo. They were marvelous together. There was mutual respect there.
-The people of the medical community/village - found family. The bonding between the characters, how they had each other's backs, how they talked through crimes together. A lot of comedy, but the love shone through.
-The music was used effectively.
-Solving multiple cases. I liked how it wasn't JUST palace intrigue, but they solved a new case every couple of episodes.
-I liked that the main characters called each other by name (she may not have, I can't remember), but he did. I realize it's a cultural thing, but it always bothers me when two characters get romantically involved and she still calls him Mr./Director, etc.

COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
-I am NOT liking this trend of having multiple seasons. It makes the show seem draggy in a lot of ways, because they need to milk it for all it's worth just to continue in a new season.
-Hated the ending. Again, I know there's another season, but it was so lackluster.
-The show felt uneven to me. There were so many lighthearted moments, but then in the last three or four episodes it turned to full-on melodrama. I don't like melodrama, but that's just me. I fast forwarded though a lot of the last few episodes.
-Romance is listed way down on the tags, as it should be, but scenes that you see advertising the show focus on the romance, like they are trying to sell it as a romance. So, as a romance lover, I was disappointed in the storyline. I couldn't even call this a slow burn romance. Not only did romance take a backseat to all the intrigues, it wasn't even in the car!
-So many evil characters, and the main bad guy was so over-the-top he seemed like a caricature of a bad guy. I kept expecting him to twirl his moustache like cartoon bad guys do.
-An awful lot of abuse by parents to children. This is hard for me to watch.
-The name of this drama really bothered me for some reason. This was more like a CSI-type show. They did mention underlying reasons for what was going on with people (anger, despair, etc.), but then moved back into the acupuncture jargon.
-Overacting by the granny. I realize she was supposed to have dementia, but her constant yelling and dancing was very distracting.
-So, basically by working with Poong for a week or so, Eun Woo was a doctor?!?! I know that the standards were different back then, but sheesh!

So, I'd say give it a try, especially if you are a historical drama fan. It did have a lot going for it, but it definitely didn't leave me feeling satisfied, especially knowing now I have to watch the new season, just to see what happens.

Read More

FUN!

SJS - love him in anything! That serious demeanor with the mushy center - gets me every time! I LOVED this series! Lots of comedy, lots of drama. I loved the guy speaking in Korean and switching to English, that cracked me up. These two characters had to go through so much to be together and I was loving being on the journey with them.

There were some very romantic scenes in this show, which I always appreciate. I loved the main characters, but I also loved the rest of the cast, the friendships they built. I have watched this show numerous times, especially after I've suffered through a few "not so good" shows, and it's like seeing old friends again.

Read More

Touching stories

I loved the different story lines and the back stories they told about the deceased. There was something so sad about each story - life circumstances, dying alone, that really got to me. I do wish they had covered a more diverse socioeconomic aspect of the deaths, they all seemed to have died in squalor, which made things even more sad.

Lee Se Hoon as Cho Sang Gu was believable as someone on the spectrum, though I felt he made more eye contact and was more engaged than people with Asperger's are usually. I do wish they had tried to figure out a way for us to get to know him better. We got to know his story, which I loved, but I didn't know him any better at the end than I did at the beginning.

Ji Jin Hee as Sang Gu's father was wonderful. The character was well-written, and he played him with such love. I enjoyed their scenes together throughout the whole series. Maybe that was the only way we could get to know Sang Gu, to see his interactions with his father even at the end of the show.

Tang Jun San as Sang Gu's uncle was excellent. A man with a violent, lonely and troubled past is thrown into a family and he doesn't quite know what to do. His character arc was wonderful, and for the most part, he played him in a very understated way, letting us feel his emotions through his body language, his facial, and his eyes. That tough guy exterior with the squishy inside is so fun to watch, especially when that person has no idea what to do with those emotions.

My complaints? 1) Is there a reason to drop the F bomb so much, especially when the guy is saying "Aish". We get the idea. I know that most people don't seem to be bothered by language, but I don't like it. 2) The cage fighting boss got away - possibly for a second season? I'm hoping not, that was my least favorite storyline. 3) Abrupt open ending. Again, possibly for a second season.

Overall, this was a quiet, emotional watch for me.

Read More

Short and basic

I tend to get excited when I come across a show with fewer episodes, as so many of the dramas have an inordinate amount of filler. Unfortunately, for me, this one was only able to scratch the surface of the characters and their personalities. The relationship between the father and daughter was very sweet, but the romance between the main couple was very lacking. The anxiety issues of the female lead moved along at a very quick rate, from being crippling to being totally fine, without really working through the issue completely, because of time constraints.

I enjoyed watching both of the actors, but I just wish the story had time to develop their relationship better.

Read More

Light, surface story

There isn't a lot of depth to this story. It's short - only 10 episodes. If you're looking for some serious skinship, this is the show for you. I appreciated the skinship, but I didn't feel emotionally invested in the story, because we didn't really learn enough about the characters to feel anything for them. Two boys liked the FL in high school (why? Because she was pretty? That's the impression I got. It certainly wasn't because of any interactions that they had with one another). They meet 10 years later, and the same two men are still in love with the woman.

The FL did a lot of pouting, which was supposed to be sexy maybe? There really wasn't anything happening, drama-wise to create tension and move the story along. There was a moment when she said she might be leaving the country. The ML was like, "Oh, okay." The ending was abrupt.

So, overall, not a bad watch, but just not much there.

Read More

Slow, quiet movie

The pace of this movie was very slow and quiet. We get a look into the lives of two people that are living thousands of miles apart, and how destiny brings them together. I guess you could call this a 'hate to love' story. Having someone disturb your sleep, talk to you inside your head, and try to sabotage your life can't be easy or fun. There were some cute scenes of them messing with the other's lives. But then a bond is forged, a rhythm is established, and they learn and grow from one another.

What happens if that bond gets broken somehow? This movie addresses this, though I didn't think it was in the most clear-cut way.

Read More

As good as season 1, except for the plot holes

The story was full of twists and turns, but there were so very, very many names to keep track of! Each bad guy was worse than the last and it seemed like every sentence named at least three people. Lots of corruption, which you get used to seeing in Korean dramas, but this one, by the end of the series, people that had been in prison for serious crimes got out scott-free. That was bothersome to me. There was also a storyline where a young woman had a crush on Ji Hyuk - this went on for multiple episodes, and then she fell off the face of the earth. I would like a season three, with more focus on a specific number of characters, rather than just throwing everything but the kitchen sink in.

I LOVED the relationships between the cops. Lots of humor and heart were put into their storylines. One thing I especially appreciated was the way that Oh Ji Hyuk was written (both in season one and season two). I loved that they didn't have him become stupid over a woman. He always had a plan and the character stayed true to himself throughout.

Special kudos, in my opinion go out to Kim Hyo Kin as Cheon Na Na and Choi Dae Hoon as Cheon Sang Woo. Hyo Kin was brilliant as Na Na, my eyes were trained on her in every scene she was in. I would have liked to see her further lose control at the end, that part felt very rushed. Dae Hoon as Sang Woo. I loved him in Crash Landing on You, and he played a completely different character here. He, too, had a lot of chilling moments. Unfortunately, it wasn't until the end when we got to see a little of his playfulness, and I would have liked to have seen more.

Park Geun Hyung as Jung In Beom as the grandfather - I want to be related to him! I love the respect that Do Chang and his ward had for him. Those scenes were lovely.

I did enjoy watching this show, but I couldn't binge it, because each episode made me a nervous wreck! It was time well-spent.

Read More

A pure joy to watch

I'm not normally a fan of reality tv. I started watching this to give myself a break between dramas. I'm so glad I did! I smiled through the whole thing. I've loved all the actors in the works I've seen them in, and I may have to go back and re-watch the specific dramas represented by these actors.

The games/competitions were so much fun to watch, especially at the pool. Between the actors having water dumped on them or being thrown into the pool, I found myself laughing out loud.

One of the reasons I started watching Korean dramas was that they seem to be so respectful, and I'm fascinated by their culture. Seeing these young actors getting permission to stop using honorifics, bowing to one another and their politeness, showed me that this is not something just seen in their dramas, but intrinsic to their culture.

I also got a question answered that I've had since I started watching Korean shows. Do girls really talk about how handsome men are right in front of them? Yes, they do! I thought that surely it was something that was put into dramas for effect, but the women were very verbal in how much they liked the actors and how attractive they thought they were.

And, in the last episode, when the little girl came in with her mom, all of the actors were just enamored by the "baby". That was so cute. So, to finish, I can highly recommend this show for some time of fun entertainment. This is the first time I've wished for a Season 2 for any show that I've watched!

Read More

Touching film

If I'd had to rate this movie halfway through, I would have probably given it a MUCH lower score, purely based on my dissatisfaction with the character of Li Peiru. She was drunk (a lot), selfish, a user, AND she thought she was "all that and a bag of chips". I struggle to watch things when the main characters have no redeeming value.

That said, by the end, my opinion had changed drastically.

ACTING: The acting was top-notch by everyone, especially Liu Ye as Fang Zhengdong. He was such a lovely character - upstanding, caring (for friends, family, co-workers and public that he encountered in his job), yet terribly lonely. His micro-expressions were spot-on. His love for Li Peiru was so strong, so pure, yet you could see that he didn't quite understand it. As his health deteriorated, the way he displayed the anger, the paranoia and the fear really made me cry. Shu Qi as Li Peiru sometimes felt to me that she was overacting, but once her character finally arched to a reasonable human being, watching her awaken to actual caring emotions for others was wonderful to watch.

STORY: This was a story that addressed so many different emotions, most of which we, as the audience, can identify with. I loved watching the inevitable transfer of power, going from someone that takes care of everyone else, to knowing that you will need to be taken care of. It was a romance deeply felt between the main characters and their efforts to determine what was important and what they were willing to do for love.

This movie really got me in the feels.

Read More

Spicy bite-sized drama

I'm glad I didn't read anything about this drama ahead of time, because I would have bypassed it. One reason I watch Asian shows is their lack of explicitness. Had I skipped over it, I would have missed out on an enjoyable evening (I stayed up and binged this one).

Story - It was an original story and handled well. Some of the lines were somewhat stilted, but that can either be due to the way it was translated or I'm viewing through American eyes.

Acting - the acting was good, especially by leading lady Takada Kaho. First, she's stunning to look at. Contrast that with her slight goofiness and the fact that she's bemoaning that she's a virgin. She was a joy to watch. Plus, it's not often that you see a Japanese woman that is, for the most part, together and not completely subservient to the man.

Chemistry - oh my goodness. These two were hot together. Their tenderness with one another. Not giving much away, but two things stood out to me - 1) They had a "no kissing" rule. There were numerous times that he gently rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb - wow! 2) The scene where they were sitting on the bed with him behind her with his arms around her - this was such a wonderful scene, because they were sharing so much with their words, when previously it was just with their bodies.

The music for the intro was too loud and very irritating, it didn't go with the rest of the show.

I will probably rewatch this show again, especially if I have watched a couple of shows that I've been disappointed in.

Read More

Maybe it was just overhyped to me

It seems like EVERYONE loved this show, it's possible that I could be nothing less than disappointed. And I was very disappointed. There were some positives, and I'll get those taken care of first.

Seo In Guk as Yoon Yoon Jae - I love him as an actor. He's got that cool, serious look about him; his smiles are few and far between, the intense stares always serve him well. I liked his character as whole. I loved when he realized he liked her, and his support of his brother, as well as his friendship with Kang Jun Hee were extremely special. SPOILER HERE - when he discovered that Jun Hee liked him, I really appreciated that he didn't treat him any differently and he still loved him as his friend, just as he had all along. END SPOILER.

Hoya as Kang Jun Hee - I don't know if it was the actor or the storyline that I liked in this instance, but I must say that this was my favorite story arc of the entire show. And I do not watch BL, so it wasn't due to that. He played the role with such sensitivity, and he valued his friendship with Yoon Jae, as well as Yoon Jae's happiness over his own. I'm so tired of characters that will do anything the can to get the person to like them, at the expense of the other person's happiness. To me, that's not love, that's obsession.

So, that's it on what I liked. On the other side of the coin:

Jung Eun Ji as Sung Shi Won - there was never a time in this entire show that I liked her character. She was pouty, immature and abrasive, and I couldn't understand why ANYONE would like her. Plus, I felt like she was playing the older brother, she didn't like him but still dated him. I could never tell when she started liking Yoon Jae, and even once she supposedly did, she was never nice to him.
Lee Si Eun as Bang Sung Jae - this character was irritating throughout the whole show.

Brothers and Shi Won storyline - older brother was just TOO old, so that storyline was creepy for me.

Lack of chemistry between the leads. Partially, this was due to their antagonistic love/hate relationship (which was not healthy, by the way), but I didn't see the attraction between them AT ALL.

Editing/poor differentiation between time periods - sometimes they told you what year it was, sometimes it was a small time period between the scenes, but I didn't think things ran cohesively through the story. For example, in one scene, they weren't even friends at that time, but he called her his girlfriend. She dragged him away, saying they needed to talk, and the next scene cut to something completely different. From what I could tell, the talk, where they would explain why he was calling her his girlfriend, never happened.

Language - I'll be honest, I don't understand why, even if curse words are used, they need to be translated. I don't like to hear them or read them. Men calling the girls B*tches - never a good thing.

Needless to say, I couldn't recommend this show to anyone, but I'm glad it was so famous, if for no other reason than to introduce others to Seo In Guk.

Read More

Binge worthy!

Wow! If I could just stop my review here, I would, but since a certain number of characters are required, I'll expound a little bit. First, the time loop premise - there are so many ways that it could have gone terribly wrong, the worst being feeling like everything is being re-hashed over and over. They did not fall into that trap, instead each loop was just a little bit different than the last, with us the audience, learning right along with the main characters. As I was watching, I felt that this was a really fresh take on the concept of deja vu.

Acting - the main characters did an excellent. As I find in most Chinese dramas, the ancillaries suffer from overacting and the terrible dubbed voices. I could forgive it here because the whole story just kept moving so fast.

There was a touch of romance to the story, and it, by necessity, took a back seat to all the action. I really felt like the main characters were drawn together because of their experiences, but their relationship was very believable. I felt like if they met under ordinary circumstances, they would still be drawn to one another.

This show gets you to thinking about, if you could go back and change things, or set them right, how would you go about it? What would you be willing to do?

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of watching this.

Read More