It was underwhelming to say the least.

DISCLAIMER: I just completed this so my thoughts haven't really marinated as yet but somehow the show left me feeling empty. I've been feeling like this since the ending of season 1.

Season 1 was definitely SO MUCH better than season 2 in my opinion, I mean I even rated it a 9/10 and I usually don't give dramas such high ratings. I couldn't get over the fact that the Naksu/Buyeon amnesia arc overshadowed the main plot and the essence of the show. Call me biased idc... I don't think Go Yoon's Jung acting was that strong in comparison to her counterparts. She makes the same blank / innocent facial expressions and cries a lot — this got old, tired and extremely annoying for me. Also the back and forth with her and Uk and him not realizing who she was sooner really agitated me. The pining / longing in season 1 was wayyyy better than what they tried to achieve bringing the newer actress in. I guess I didn't see the chemistry that everyone kept raving about. There were no sparks. I felt sorry for her character when they made it seem like all she would ever be was a replacement for Mudeok and someone to warm his bed at nights to free him from the wraiths. I thought him keeping her around was cruel and that he should set her free but the irony was she ran away from home in order to be free but her being with Uk was like another prison where she had to not only face/fight her demons but also his too. That was a burden she should not have been carrying.

This season felt way too insta lovey (especially when Uk and Buyeon/Naksu kissed in the 2nd episode) for me to enjoy it. I felt like their "chemistry" was being pushed down my throat and that Bu Yeon was coming on way too strong. In my opinion Jung So Min had the best on screen chemistry with all of the guys while Go Yoon Jung only ever really tried to have chemistry with Lee Jae Wook. I feel like Go Yoon Jung was all looks and no substance. I personally didn't feel any emotion, passion or see true authenticity. She didn't really give what Jung So Min gave when she was Naksu in season 1. If anything all she served was face / strong visuals (even though she looks like a child imo) and like a very soft version of Bu Yeon. That aside, I think the progression of their relationship was not built up as well as it was in season 1 and again I reiterate that their marriage of convenience romance subplot became the main plot and the whole alchemy of souls and Jang Uk's story of being born under the king's star and now possessing the ice stone was immensely overlooked. What kept me watching this drama was the fact that it was so overhyped and I didn't want to be left out of the loop. Honestly I wasn't planning on finishing it but i did. I feel like the last 2-3 episodes were quite rushed and it felt choppy and like the 3rd act conflict was very much underdeveloped.

I wish Jung So Min at least made an appearance in the final episode because when both Seo Yul and the crown prince (Go Won) finally admitted and acknowledged their feelings for Mudeok when she was “Buyeon”, it just didn't hit the same for me. I spent a lot of season 2 wishing and hoping Jung So Min would come back (at least in the last episode) because in my heart I was so attached to her character and each episode with the flashbacks only made it worse. I tried to remain impartial and unbiased while watching but found myself picking apart everything and comparing/overanalyzing – I guess that happens when shows switch / replace actors.

I love the soundtrack but I felt like the Blue flower theme, I'm Sorry and Love Letter (with you) was played much too frequently. I was glad to see that Min Hyun sang over Tree (Just Watching You) it sounded so similar to the original that even I was shocked. But truthfully I preferred the season 1 soundtrack and how they spaced the songs combined with the instrumentals far more than season 2.

I enjoyed Maidservant Kim and Park Jin as well as Jin Ho-Gyeong, she was cruel to Naksu but she just wanted her daughter to return to her as she has been searching for her for years. The Crown Prince and Seo Yul are truly underrated gems. They became my faves this season as I became tired and annoyed with this dark, brooding and moody Jang Uk - don't get me wrong LJW's acting is generally good but I preferred his acting in S1. I feel like all those actors always put so much emotion and effort into their scenes that you can feel it through the screen. Somehow I'm always impressed by Jin Mu's acting even though he is the worst character in the show. When he switched bodies with Seo Yoon O I thought the actor Do Sang Woo really nailed the part. I wish Jin Mu had suffered a bit more and died a slow and painful death but I guess we don't always get what we want. In my humble opinion I don't think this show needs season 3 and I am okay with how they wrapped it all up quickly and neatly. I was unbothered by the happy ending but in my opinion it felt rushed/choppy. It seemed like they tried to fit 3 more episodes into 1 episode which was unrealistic in a sense and I just couldn't truly be happy for the main couple.

I really wanted to like part 2 of Alchemy of Souls but unfortunately for me it missed the mark. Initially I had rated it a 7/10 while watching weekly but there were so many things just not properly executed that I could not overlook. After watching the last 3 episodes my rating lowered to a 6.25/10. I believe I am being generous by rounding it up to a 6.5/10 rating overall. With that said a lot of this season was forgettable and I definitely would not rewatch.

S1 >>>>>>>> S2

ARGUE WITH THE WALL!!!!

✌️

Read More

It was anticlimactic...

***DISCLAIMER: These are just my thoughts while watching the show. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone.***

Tropes: sports romance, boxing, age gap, coming of age, grumpy/sunshine.

Idk... this was one of those dramas I started out of boredom. To be fair I felt like the entire drama was slow and the romance was subpar / lackluster. It only started getting interesting with the betting ring and when the men kept on kidnapping him and threatening him but they did not do enough to really develop that plot and make it compelling. Then with ML best friend dying... that just felt like a lazy way for the writer to give him some trauma so he'd turn over a new leaf and try to exit the rigged games he was participating in. I just felt depleted after all that and then to see FL lose the match at the end and not be able to end her career and retire on a high note sucked. The ending was not good, to put it nicely. I felt like that kiss high key came out of nowhere... I feel like it ended with more questions rather than answers. Like what exactly happened to the ML, why did the gun shot go off, why was ML bleeding, why did he disappear for months?

Usually I am one of those people who enjoys a reformed bad guy because he met a girl but this just completely missed the mark with me. Not to mention the FLs first relationship / bf just pissed me right off... he basically was using her so he wouldn't be unemployed then he turned around and became an agent? Spare me... if I was in sports I would not go to that man or trust him with anything.

I really wanted to rate this higher because I enjoyed Lee Sang Yeob's acting... I really feel like he put a lot of effort into his character and during his scenes you could feel the emotion dripping from the screen. It must have something to do with his really expressive eyes. Not to mention, he's good looking and has this floppy puppy dog thing about his mannerisms. His smirk / smile got me every-time and I really empathized with his character and wanted to see him win and get out of the mess he was in. But again, one man is not able to carry an entire show. I thought that the villain, Mr Kim Oh Bok (Park Ji Hwan) also did a good job of selling the role of the menacing ring leader of sorts and the FLs dad (Kim Hyung Mook) was also a scene stealer. I feel like this was Kim So Hye's debut in acting.. with that did she did ok for a first project but there are aspects of her acting that she can improve. Having said that, I'm sure she'll improve as she takes on more roles or receives more training.

Overall, I would not rewatch this drama and I'd say it is forgettable and I probably won't remember it much in the next couple of months. Nevertheless it was a good distraction and kind of kept me entertained when I had nothing else to watch.

I'd really rate this a 5.5/10 but I rounded it up to 6/10 because I did enjoy the acting and storyline to an extent... it's just that it could have been better executed and developed.

Would I recommend it to others? No, probably not. Unless you are a Sang Yeob fan and want to watch for his scenes, there's really no point. I'm not going to say anything else but if you don't trust my opinion then you should watch it and come to your own conclusions / judgments.

Anyway, thanks for reading and happy watching!

❤️

Read More

THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF TOMORROW

***DISCLAIMER: THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE AND I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE WITH ANYONE.***

I don't want to start conflict, so please keep scrolling to protect your peace if you believe you'll get defensive / triggered / be rude then obviously, this review isn’t for you.

As usual, this is a LONG one, so bare with me ツ


GENERAL COMMENTARY:

The title of this review perfectly encapsulates how I felt after watching the entire drama.

Long story short, Lovely Runner was really anticlimactic, to say the least. The drama was a promise unfulfilled, and it is severely overhyped imo.

Don’t get me wrong, this drama started as a cozy watch and I liked tuning in every week until we hit the midpoint.

There were too many plot holes, insufferable characters, a poor storyline, and no growth, which made the drama almost unfinishable for me.

I truly believe that this drama should have ended in 8–10 eps, 12 eps maximum. The plot was unnecessarily dragged out & going in circles.


IN MORE DETAIL (SPOILERS AHEAD!):

I really like Byeon Woo Seok (I’ll watch anything with him) but I think his character in Lovely Runner was just a big loser and that gave me the ick. The golden retriever boy is for some, but I don’t think they are for me. It’s endearing up to a point but then it becomes cringe. I also dislike how both characters are codependent and seemingly cannot exist without the other. Even when Sol erased him completely out of her life, they had to meet and reconnect. If she didn't want that to happen she would have relocated to somewhere he couldn't find her. Granted, the drama would have ended quicker / on a sad note but she didn't even try hard enough to avoid him?

First off, 34-year-old Sol did not behave like a 34-year-old. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt say that because she spent her first life confined to a wheelchair, she had no true perspective on life or dangerous individuals like the serial killer. This is why her choices seemed impulsive. She was no match for him, in my opinion, and I was bothered by the way she would scurry around terrified, waiting for him to attack. It was exhausting how she constantly put herself in danger and haphazardly traveled back in time without a solid plan in place.

Some people are engulfed in the fandom with their delusions and theories that would justify this poor me plot but the writers themselves became lazy and lost sight of their goals / the resolution for the drama. In a foolish attempt to break the fourth wall, the writers had Sol transform her experience into a script, and as Maddy Perez put it, "Is this f*cking play about us?" This arc was simply, corny / cheap and very similar to what you'd see in a Wattpad fanfic circa 2012.

I never thought I’d say this, but I felt sorry for the 2ML. I felt like he, too, was blinded by his love for Sol and became her biggest simp. Imo, he deserved better, and that plot where the 2ML always comes around and has to support the happy couple is such bs. It's overdone!

A lot of persons swear that this was the best drama they ever watched in their entire life and that the characters were fully fleshed out; that the time travel didn't need to make sense, and the storyline didn’t need to be elaborate or convoluted etc. but for me, I was more focused on the mystery and circumstances that created this time slip. I needed to find out the reason for Sol traveling back in time, Why Sol? How did this happen? Where did 19 y.o. Sol go when 34 y.o. Sol inhabited her body? Did Sunjae ever time travel in other timelines? Did they both happen to timeslip to save eachother? What was the grandma’s deal? Why and how was she able to time slip too? There were far too many unanswered questions and I just needed more depth.

The villain was lackluster and his sole purpose was to be an obstacle between the two leads. The serial killer lacks a backstory, previous killings, or reasoning for his focus on the couple making him a one dimensional character. It was like a dead end street watching both relentlessly try to escape their fate. I found his death cliche with the white truck of doom taking him out. They could’ve made him suffer more imo.

Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon did a good job. But if I'm being honest I think her character was annoying and overly emotional. She cried so much she could give Park Shin Hye a run for her money. She was also so sickeningly bubbly / hyper all the time which irritated me. Her voice was also grating to listen to, everytime she’d say “Sunjae-ah” I was over it.

The only time she was truly unhappy, grieving and sobbing uncontrollably was when Sunjae died. Ironic isn’t it? She literally could have saved Sunjae but she forgot to stop time in the moment? Be so astronomically for real.

I mean ok… let me be a little less harsh she was in “shock” seeing him get stabbed to death, but DID HER BRAIN STOP WORKING TOO? Excluding the last time she totally erased herself from his memory, all of her attempts to save him were merely ineffective. This drama had the feel of being stuck on a spinning merry-go-round with no way to halt or reach a satisfactory resolution / explanation for the happenstance.

I believe you could swap out these characters with any other actors, and I bet people would not be hyping up this drama as much, especially if the leads were not as attractive as the current ones. I can just see an alternate universe where people would just be hating on this same drama if that were the case. That’s just so crazy to think about but so telling.

I’ve seen too many heavily plot driven dramas with pretty good acting get bashed on MDL and other platforms because the leads are not attractive or don’t fit societal beauty standards. It’s sad the world is shallow like this but it’s a fact that visually stunning leads sell a drama more than the overall production, strong plot and great acting.

Which brings me to another topic. I honestly believe Sol was created for delusional soft girls / obsessive stans and I could not relate with her character at all. In my opinion, she was unpredictable, overhasty, and single-minded in many aspects. She also entered practically every timeline without a plausible and full proof strategy. Worse, I couldn't see upending my entire life for just a guy. Thank God this is just fiction.

The acting was also overly dramatic. At times I felt like I was watching a theatrical stage performance rather than a tv show. I understand this is the usual for dramas but in a lot of scenes it was overbearing. The acting didn’t feel natural in a lot of scenes and the hyperactive and big / flamboyant personalities were sometimes distracting. Not to mention a lot of Sol’s facial expressions were over done. She smiled and cried so much, but I didn’t really get any tender / loving looks from her which is essential for a good rom-com. KHY tried her best though and did numerous takes to try and capture what the director wanted so I really can’t fault her, I see her effort and dedication in the BTS scenes.

Additionally, I can’t stand dramas where the leads are one dimensional. I also wanted more in depth backstories for Sol, Sunjae and Tae Sung. It felt like Sol only cared about Sunjae and was willing to run off with him at any point in time. I feel like she got to time travel and had the golden opportunity of spending more time with her mom and grandma and she completely wasted it. If I was in her position and knew my grandma would get dementia and not remember me half the time I would’ve made the most of every single moment. Moreover, the drama started with her being his fan and then the scene where we find out he fell for her (at first sight no less) made me sort of kind of lose interest… like where’s the flavor in that? We also never fully understand why Sunjae even likes Sol. What about her is so special that he becomes a lovesick puppy / loser for her. Did he really just see her smiling brightly and running with a bright yellow umbrella and just fall head over heels for her? Bffr

As for their chemistry, it was good up to a point then fell flat / seemed forced to me. I feel like nothing could top their angst in the almost kisses or their first kiss as adults in the present. That episode where they went to the countryside was everything. When we got back to present day, I was bored and just over the anguish and yearning, so in episode 16, I couldn't even truly be happy because it just felt like fan service. I’m glad they had a happy ending, but was it realistic? Nope. I believe they mulled over a lot of their issues too quickly. How would Sunjae have stayed single for 15 years? That’s just not possible. I also hate how Sunjae apologized to Sol when she was the one who erased her from his memory. Bsffr!

I think a lot of the side characters (Sol’s brother and her best friend) took up too much screen time. I honestly didn’t really care for them and they were the basic bsfs brother trope. It was ironic how the drama used realism with the lottery, making Geum share the win with others because of his stupidity, while they suspended belief in other aspects. They seriously couldn’t just make him win and become rich?

Don’t get me started on Sunjae’s overbearing father. I couldn’t stand him at all especially after he slapped him in a previous timeline. The tipping point for me was when he insulted Sol in front of her mothers face. Was that meant to be amusing?

I believe his dad was better in other timelines, tried to encourage Sunjae and push him but Sunjae is grown and he should’ve been sensible enough to make his own decisions. It seemed like he just gave up on swimming out of the blue even though his characterization was that he was passionate about it and hoped he’d make it to the Olympics one day if not for his injury. I felt like he gave up too quickly and became shortsighted because of his infatuation with Sol.

Furthermore, these types of stories make it seem like being paralyzed is the worst thing that can happen to someone and that life isn’t worth living if you don't have legs or end up disabled because of an accident. I hope nobody who can relate to the former Sol or a similar situation feels like that or wishes they could go back in time to change the past. That's just so tone deaf and impossible. As people, we can only move forward and make the best of today. Worrying about tomorrow and what you could do differently will only bring you misery. Why torture yourself about things you can't change? Which is why I wished that they showed us another version of reality where she was paralyzed and still got to live her happy ending with Sunjae instead of the main plot we got with both of them lamenting the fact that they couldn't save each other.

Imo, representation matters and I think many viewers would have appreciated that arc instead. These inspirational stories are common in everyday life and it would’ve been nice to see a resilient character be bold and daring in spite of their situation and just overcome life’s obstacles but maybe that’s a different drama for the future.

I’m happy for those who enjoyed this, but I really think I was expecting more. All I can think of is the wasted potential. I could have written this story at 13 y.o. I think this drama was written for younger or teenage audiences, and now that I’m grown I just don’t care for these weak plots. This drama had me frustrated somewhere between eps. 8-12 then disinterested from 13-16. I feel this drama should be tagged fantasy mainly because a lot of things don’t add up.

I realized that I like sensible, and resilient FLs, and sure some will say Sol “tried to do the best she could” but imo she was very flighty and unstable. Bffr, all she did was chase a man and I’m supposed to praise her for that?! ABSOULTELY NOT! I don’t like the message and I believe the essence of this drama is lacking. Yes, "hold onto memories, they will hold onto you" like the song says — but WHAT ELSE?

Of course the grandma’s quote that she was "time traveling through memories" can offer solace to individuals who have close friends or family suffering from Alzheimer's disease, but the drama missed the ideal chance to convey to us the full extent of her experience. What event caused her to acquire the ability to time slip and how was she now able to do it in her mind? Give us something, even if it is just a flashback to her youth or a memory with her husband. The grandma’s arc lacked depth and meaning. I believe that the drama's demise stems from the writers failure to make these quotes connect with the story and come full circle.

One of the only good things about this drama was the OST. I was really impressed knowing that BWS sang most of the songs. Throughout the drama however I think Sudden Shower and Spring Snow were played too often. Standouts for me were the last couple of songs: Gift, I Think I Did, Please Don't Leave Anywhere & A Day. Honorable mentions are: Monologue, Like a Dream & May I Love You.

I really enjoyed the overall aesthetic of the drama. I thought the flashbacks to the past were really evocative and cinematic. The slow motion scenes create the illusion that you are seeing the character's pov at that moment in time. Kudos to the director for knowing what he was doing in that sense. The leads also had some visually stunning and cute scenes with plenty of kissing. If that's what you're looking for, the drama does not let you down or fall short in that regard.


FINAL THOUGHTS:

Overall, I think the drama was “mid” for lack of a better word. The drama initially amused me, but halfway through it, I began to lose interest, and by the end with 2-4 remaining episodes, they completely lost me. The fluff and filler bored me, and I felt like with each episode I could predict what would happen next.

The writers present this drama as a meaningful present but when you open the wrapping it’s just a basic ass necklace that you’d probably never wear (iykyk) As the light hits the small jewels, they appear shiny, and eye-catching from a distance. However, up close, you start to discover all of its defects and how cheaply made it actually is. In reality, you would return it as soon as you had the chance, even though you would act as though you liked it at the time.

LR is not terrible, it’s just not my favorite. I think it’s 2010s formulaic, and if you've watched many dramas, this one will feel boring and predictable. Imo, a lot of other time travel / youth dramas do it better. I think I would’ve preferred an open or more realistic ending over a happy one. If you are a beginner kdrama watcher however, this is perfect to get into dramas as it is reminiscent of dramas of the past, with less toxicity and more romance ofc.

Would I rewatch this? Probably not, because I think an edit could suffice instead. This drama is another example where I think the edits are far better than the drama itself. They capture the positive and leave away the negative aspects of the drama.

Sorry (not sorry) but this drama was clearly not for me. If you’re looking for fluffy romance and no plot, then what you see is what you get. Unfortunately, my standards were “too high” and I expected too much (sarcasm)

I feel bad as I haven’t loved a drama in a while as they tend to usually start off pretty well, then everything suddenly goes downhill & I’m left feeling dissatisfied/ disappointed by the end. This was the case with Lovely Runner but, EVERYONE CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO “LOVE” EVERYTHING!

Overall, I give this drama a 6/10 and it’s because this drama is just average and it’s extremely forgettable imo.

__________


SIDENOTE:

My friend and I were at a crossroads because they "loved" the drama and I didn’t. You can imagine that I woke up to 50+ messages from them breaking down the drama for me, like I hadn’t already watched it? So spare me the essays and rants. We’ll just have to agree to disagree because I won’t change my mind. Also, this is not me “raging” or trying to “hate” on LR as what is amazing to one might be a let down to another.

I will never be that person who forces myself to love a drama just because everyone is hyping it up to be some kind of “masterpiece”. That is not to say people shouldn’t hype it up either because like I say, to each their own.

Personally, I’m waiting for the next groundbreaking rom-com drama that will fill me up and make me feel everything and then some. So I have hope at least!

Anyway, don’t let my review discourage you. I say WATCH IT AND FORM YOUR OWN OPINION!

Also what I’ve said here is merely a fraction of what I actually think. I only highlighted what came to my mind 1st.

__________

It's insane how much backlash I received. For those who don’t know I changed my rating (as one does) after letting the drama marinate + also reading several offensive comments & DMs. 6/10 is not bad and tbh I should give it a lower rating considering everything I’ve endured because of fans who can’t respect an opinion. All of this to say, it's never too late to stop & think before you comment hateful words.

If you happen to stumble across this review and perhaps read this review with your eyes closed and are here to start unnecessary drama (ie. leaving hate) I advise that you quit while you are ahead. Thank you! ʕ•ᴥ•ʔっ❀

Once again, this is just my point of view. I never intend to offend anyone who thinks differently.

Thanks for reading & happy watching!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Read More

DON'T BOTHER WASTING YOUR TIME — HORRIBLE PLOT, ACTING & INSUFFERABLE CHARACTERS

"IT'S SOOOOO BAD I WANT TO GIVE YOU A ZERO. BUT THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE SO I GIVE YOU A ONE."

I hate this drama and doubt I'll ever watch it again. I was irritated to death by the FL. I despise the plot and everything else about it. The entire premise of her being bullied, then relocating to another school and learning to do makeup so that she is suddenly liked, popular, and attractive sends the wrong message. The flashbacks of her allowing her ex-classmates to harass her in this way and without fighting back or trying to defend herself made it much worse. The whole plot of bullying someone just because of their appearance enraged me even more. When the FL then attempted to commit suicide because she was bullied for being ugly just made my head hurt. The point is that she isn't even ugly. The fact that the writers deemed an ugly person to be someone who clips up their hair, has acne, wears glasses, and has rosacea infuriated me even more. Overall the whole transformation of female lead -- her watching videos and learning how to put on makeup in order to be beautiful when she was already perfectly fine left a bad taste in my mouth. Ugh next. I'm sick of these boring, insipid female leads... didn't we leave this behind in the past? Then having the most popular guy at school ignore / dislike her when she is "beautiful" and treat her nicely / appear as if he likes her more when she is "ugly" makes absolutely no sense. Not to mention that the male lead is bland and dry as hell, and he CANNOT act! I don't care if you people like him because you think he's gorgeous that you ignore his horrible / emotionless acting because I WON'T.

Idk what else to say other than I dropped this show and I see it as a complete and utter waste of time. I legit cant even fathom why my friend recommended this garbage to me.

Read More