Pinocchio (2014)

Very solid drama that covers several genres. You have love relationship between Dal Mo and In Ha who are technically adopted uncle and niece but the former had feelings for her since young. But at the root is the death of Dal Mo's father which separated Dal Mo and his brother and became a family with In Ha. So theres the mystery of uncovering the truth. And then theres the growth of our leads as reporters and learning what responsibility comes with this line of work.

What works well with this drama is a good cast. No one single actor carries the weight of the show. All the main and supporting cast were elemental is bringing the story to life. Jong Suk and Shin Hye are very suited for their roles and most importantly they have good chemistry. In fact Shin Hye was very natural starring opposite Jong suk. Her best so far and they also haf better kiss scenes compared to her previous costars. They were cute and adorkable. Big props for the writing on In Ha's character. Her Pinocchio trait means that she couldn't lie to Dal mo or even herself. If she did her hiccups would give her away. I was pleasantly surprise when she calmly and maturely stated her feelings. Even Dal mo did not see that coming. I like how the script was consistent that in spite of the past or working for rival broadcast stations, In ha's mum's role in Dal mo's childhood tragedy, In ha always prioritise him first. Their relationship although the young love type was steadfast and beautiful in its honesty. Back to the cast, they were great actors all round from Lee pil mo as the sunbae in reporting to Gyun Sang as Dal mo's brother to Young Kwang as Seo Bum Jo who also had interest in In ha. Bum Jo's character grows on you. He had one of the greatest growth in character and was never selfish in his love (or like?) for In Ha. The baddies which are the mothers were really good in their roles too. And i love grandpa and papa In ha who provided all the homey love to balance the negativity

My qualms with the drama, perhaps a matter of personal taste it wasnt engaging enough sometimes. I did not marathon it even though the episodes were available. I watched a few episodes , on hold and came back a few days later. So clearly something is missing for me. Theres no big bones to pick or faults with the drama. Perhaps the pace and writing wasnt exactly suited to my style but i must mention i appreciate the light shed on world of reporting and broadcast. It was an eye opener and if you are a fan of Shin Hye this is her best work so far. Definitely showed improvement in refining her acting. I also think Jong Suk seems smitten and attracted to Shin Hye in real life.He was that transparent at times. (watch behind the scenes of their final shot in wedding attire and you will know what i mean)

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This drama was a treat from the start. The pain felt by Ki Ha Myung’s family is vividly portrayed and so exceptionally done that you feel for them. The plot isn’t as simple as it appears and there are so many layers to the story, each of which is peeled off one by one as the story progresses. The cutthroat environment that is created by rivaling broadcast companies is played out for the viewers to understand the functioning of news channels and the crooked tactics that they sometimes employ to obtain a story. While the character of Song Cha Ok is very detestable, Jin Kyung does a wonderful job of acting. She is so convincing in her role that even though I hated her for most of the drama, towards the end I was very glad for her. Her character development would be one of the best for the show. I also liked how In Ha and Ha Myung got to know each other and the entire process from them being friends to a couple was rather adorable.

Even though the Pinocchio Syndrome that was used in the drama is fictional, it proved to be integral to the storyline. Initially In Ha faces a lot of flak for not being able to lie, which is somehow “important” to become a reporter. As the drama draws to a close, we see how she becomes an exemplary model of a reporter and teaches the others ideals and values to be upheld as a reporter. Being a media student myself, I loved this drama for its content and the morals that it showcased. While In Ha and Ha Myung were meant to be, I wished that Seo Bum Jo was given some importance. In fact he does serve a vital purpose in the drama and things do get resolved all due to him. But he is left behind with this unrequited love and for some reason I always wish that the main leads would pick the secondary characters. Moreover, I felt that In Ha’s behavior towards him was a little cold and she wasn’t as considerate of his as he was of her. Anyhow, the drama has been put together very well and some of the characters like Hwang Gyo Dong, Ahn Chan So were very endearing. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the drama and would recommend it to all.

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This drama is cute and has great chemistry between Park Shin Hye and Lee Jong Suk. The team that wrote and directed this is the same team that wrote and directed "I Hear Your Voice," which got me really interested in watching the show. Like in "I Hear Your Voice," one of the main characters has a condition that does not exist in the real world hence the title. The family elements of this show are so sweet and endearing and makes the noble idiocy more tolerable. I kind of lost interest 1/4 way down because the plot got less interesting then. It's a good show for passing title but not something that makes you rave about it so much.

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one of the best dramas

I cannot recall the last show that I found so gripping and intelligently written. I feel that this show has raised the bar for me and placed it considerably high. I simply didn't want it to end! A show that had me hooked from the 1st episode to the last one without a single low point or a hitch - it's hard to come across those. I'd like to warn you that this review might be a long one, but such a show deserves nothing but unabridged words from the heart.

The story was simply genius. The twists and turns didn't seem deliberate, the characters were true to life, the sub-plots were all significant as well! Nothing, and I really mean NOTHING was out of place. No side characters seemed forcefully added or hastily exited (Although the finale did seem to exclude an end to a tiny plot the writers were building, but I'm willing to squelch that itch in my brain). The story itself taught so much! I still remember the great things I learned from I Hear Your Voice and the writers haven't failed to teach me several things in this show either. There was such commendable courage, unconditional love, and selflessness shown in this drama, it simplifies many things that have become complicated in our lives these days. The main pivotal element, that brought freshness and brilliancy to the story, was the drama's namesake medical condition - Pinocchio Syndrome. The inability to lie brings such delightful reprieve from all the deceits and hidden truths and misunderstandings that come along with relationships. If only people were usually so honest and open about their emotions, things wouldn't be so complex. There are some of the most beautiful bonds that I saw in this show that I will never forget. I could go on and on about how remarkable the story of this show was, and still not say enough.

I need to take a deep breath before I begin about the actors. Why? Because I need to make coherent sentences from the heap of positive adjectives that are popping in my head. All I can think of, are words such as - Perfect, incredible, incomparable, outstanding, amazing, brilliant, etc. etc. I can certainly say that from the leads to the guest appearances, EVERY single actor, that worked on this show, deserves an applause or a pat on the back at least. I've never seen such a plethora of great performances, all in one show. Each performance of the actors seems to be imprinted in my head. Lee Jong Suk was positively dazzling throughout the series! And Park Shin Hye pleasantly surprised me with her remarkable portrayal of Choi In Ha. I'd never been a fan of hers, but I have to admit, she gave an absolutely stunning performance. The veteran actors, that were part of the cast, need no extra praise, they were great as always. A special mention for Jin Kyung and Kim Hae Sook though, these two ladies gave such captivating performances as the antagonists that I couldn't help but respect and admire their characters even while hating them. Kim Young Kwang and Lee Yoo Bi looked really promising! I've seen other works by these two, but Pinocchio definitely brought out the best of them, as well as every other actor in the cast.

The OSTs in the drama struck a chord in every situation they were played in. The music really brought forth the emotions and conveyed the intensity of the moments spectacularly. There were so many scenes where I simply shed tears because of the perfect harmony of the music and the script.

Which reminds me to mention the powerful script that the show had! Such impactful words, such brilliant dialogues! The chemistry between, not just the lead pair, but every actor was evident and impressive. I've run out of adjectives that I usually get to use while describing a show, but I still have many things I haven't been able to mention. The list of things that worked in the favor of the show is too long to post in this already too long review. If anybody has had the patience to read till now, I'd like to request you Dear Reader, do not let anything stop you from watching this show, it'll be one of the best you've ever seen. I can guarantee that. I'm off to place this in the top slot of my favorite dramas.

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This is seriously one of the most entertaining dramas I have ever seen (and I've seen more than I can even remember). It was seriously my perfect drama. I never got bored, every episode was really interesting and had lots of things going on so I was always super excited to watch.
I can't even put into words how much I enjoyed this drama, it was just great. I especially loved the characters, and how unique and interesting EVERY SINGLE ONE of them were, which in my opinion is very hard to find in a kdrama.
I never wanted to skip any of the side storylines however short or long they were, because I was genuinely interested in every single bit. Other dramas often have parts I don't enjoy as much as the main storyline so I often skip those parts which makes me feel bad but I just don't enjoy them, however this was probably the first one that I didn't skip a single bit of, not one second.
I actually had been wanting to watch this show a while back, but I thought it would be slightly uninteresting and I had others to watch first with 'more interesting storylines' but holy hell was I wrong. This was seriously great. I really think the amazing writing, acting, camerawork etc. all added up to just make a really great and enjoyable tv show. I loved that it made me think about the cases and evidence and what would happen next, and unlike most kdramas, I was guessing what would happen next rather than just knowing "oh he's gonna do this and that will lead to this" which is usually the case and is so repetitive in dramas. 'Pinocchio' is just freakin awesome to be honest.

lol I like how I said at the beginning that I couldn't put it into words - well there you go.

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Shockingly Well-Written

By now, I've gotten used to tropes and forgettable writing in dramas. I actually even avoided this one because the premise sounds so hokey.

Fortunately, the Pinocchio gimmick is rarely used and isn't the focus of the show at all. Instead, you have the story of young journalists trying to make it in the industry, as well as a well-paced overarching plot. The story doesn't break down in shambles after the main couple get together like in other dramas because the main point isn't about the romance between them. Actually, I think this drama will still be as good (if not better) without the love story, which felt unnecessary. At times, you wanted the couple to get the twenty seconds of longing stares over with so you could get back to the investigation. That said, not all ships are a loss. I'm a fan of the pairing of the feisty and resourceful ex-sasaeng reporter Yoon Yoo-rae and the most unlikely character (I won't say any more apart from he's yummy).

For the most part, Pinocchio tells an aspirational story about reporters wanting to do their jobs and serve the people the right way. It's so unabashedly idealistic and hopeful it reminds me a lot of Aaron Sorkin shows like The West Wing and The Newsroom. Of course, as I'm only reading translated subtitles, most of the beauty of the language is lost on me. That said, the writing still managed to be moving and highly quotable (to the point of characters actually quoting each other, lol). Granted, it still employs most k-drama tropes, but it doesn't fail in leaving you with the desire to be a better person.

Can we get a Season 2 of more dramatic news stories and life in the press room?

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Pinocchio tells the story a man whose life was devastated by corrupt reporters who seeks to reveal their true motives by becoming one himself and a girl who suffers from Pinocchio Syndrome which results in her being unable to lie without hiccupping. The two go on a journey of self-discovery that forces them to face some uncomfortable truths. The drama sets up the story very well so that we clearly understand the situations and emotions our characters are experiencing as well as their motives right from the beginning.  We then move into the present time for the rest of the drama.

Lee Jong Suk is wonderful as Choi Dal Po.  His life is absolutely destroyed by reporters, and he is on a quest to show the truth to the world.  Along the way, he learns things aren’t always black and white, and his mission is put in jeopardy by his feelings for the daughter of the reporter he hates most.
Park Shin Hye was perfect for the role of In Ha.  I always enjoy Park Shin Hye, but I particularly liked her in this role.  She is full of spunk and because of her Pinocchio Syndrome, she always tells it like it is.  Her optimism, dedication, and willingness to put her family first easily made me love her character.

And how I love this couple!  Lee Jong Suk and Park Shin Hye play off each other so well and seem completely comfortable with each other.  Because they grow up together, they treat each other like family.  But even though they are very at ease with each other, they have fabulous chemistry.  The looks between these two are intense.
This drama contains a couple of my all time favorite kdrama kisses including the famous Toast Kiss.  That is one sexy scene!  And for those of you who have been underwhelmed by Park Shin Hye’s kisses in past dramas, never fear!  She has some fabulous kisses with Lee Jong Suk in Pinocchio.  Don’t miss out!

 It has that nice mix of a beautifully woven story along with comedy, romance, and drama that all come together.  I love this writer because of their well-rounded and emotionally engaging stories.  A great soundtrack also sets a wonderful tone for the drama. Dal Po and In Ha are one of my favorite drama couples, and all of the acting is intense and wonderful throughout.  I smiled so much and truly felt for these characters.  I was never bored once with this gem of a drama and have enjoyed it multiple times.  I consider Pinocchio a must see kdrama.

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Good plot-based drama - very intense

Pinocchio is a really good plot-based drama. Going into it I didn't know what to expect, but that first episode - WOW. I was gripped! I feel like so much happened in the first half, but as it went on, like every other drama, it started to lag. I just have to accept that this is the case for all of them XD.

The following are some of my initial thoughts whilst watching the first half of the drama:
• I really hated that the fire was the major disaster. They are literally my worst nightmare and freak me out so much. Edit: Needless to say, I wasn't happy when I got to the repeat storyline in the second half!
• Oh my God! That dude really lied and said he told the firefighters not to go in! I thought he was sincere when he was worried about his workers, but then he lies and leaves the blame for the Chief firefighter!? I hope justice is served. Edit: It was. Jae-myoung really did leave him in a hole to rot.
• So the Mum literally killed herself in front of her own son!? And now the little boy has disappeared!? What remains for his brother!? He has been deserted!
• During the scene where the reporter woman (which turns about to be the girl’s mum) is interrogating the two boys, I actually cried. This scene evoked emotion, along with various other scenes throughout the remainder of the show.
• Gosh, he’s so ambitious reading all of those books of hers to become a reporter. It is so sweet how he likes her. The way he looks at her is just 😍
• Finally, the glow up we’ve all been waiting for! Thank God that hair is gone.
• This show is really proving how fabricating the news industry can be.
• I feel so sorry for Dal-po having to sit through that scene where they are discussing the accident 13 years ago, only to discover that his dad’s skeletal remains were found 3 days ago. What a way to find out they found his dad dead. And then for Dal-po's brother to be on the site? Horrific.
• In the episode when In-ha fell to her knees at the end after realising about Dal-po, I feel like I had a lump in my throat and I could easily cry. This show evokes so much emotion. The only other drama that has had that affect on me is ‘Still 17.’

The second half of this drama was just as intense, but I don't know... I feel like it was a little lame that the reason behind Dal-po's father getting all of the attention in the news was simply because Beom-jo's mum was covering for her people. And then we found out that In-ha's mum was just a puppet on the news stand being fed lies to help cover up the truth? What a corrupt system.

I was glad when we found out the connection between Beom-jo and In-ha. To begin with, it was really creepy and I was like why is this dude stalking her...? But he turned out to be a good soul. His mother on the other hand; thank God she went to prison.

I felt so confused about In-ha's mum. The following dot points just don't add up:
• Why has her mother abandoned her!? What a bitch! She said she didn’t have enough free time to miss her!!? What a total COW!!!
• Heartwarming moment when In-ha’s mum sat down next to her for lunch and they swapped eggs.
I mean...if that's not a juxtaposition, then I don't know what I was learning in English class XD.

Not gonna lie, I was disappointed with the romance in this one. I know the romance was a side story, but there could have been more of 'THEM' :( My favourite two scenes for the couple were:
1) their first kiss - my reaction as soon as I'd seen it: Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! They had THE BEST first kiss scene in my opinion. Everything was just SO sweet! Firstly, she tries to block him and he’s like, that ain’t gonna stop me and kisses her hand! Then he goes in again for the real thing, holds her hand and the small of her back - all while in the middle of a cross walk and it’s snowing!!
2) The ending where they're trying on their bride and groom outfits, and that final kiss! My heart.

The acting was very good - like this dude can shed tears kind of good, and this girl can hiccup on demand, like what? XD. I was impressed. I loved In-ha's dad and grandpa. The dad was so funny - love him.

There are just so many discussion points for this show - I could go on for hours.

-E

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Recently I've been messing around with things on Viki and I stumbled upon this drama. I read a couple reviews and decided to watch it to try it out. At first, it was quite boring, with all its flashbacks that would last forever. Not only that but that hideous haircut that the male lead had (Can't remember his name). Before I knew it I was fast-forwarding whole episodes because of how boring it was! I made it to episode 3 when the (Male lead) got his hair changed. After that, I was really happy with what I was watching. In the end, I definitely would recommend this to my friends and you too!

(It also has my favorite actors in it) <----still unbiased

Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes. Remember this is also just my opinion please don't come at me <3

XOXO.

Unbiaseduser

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The drama that brought me to kdrama land

Even though Pinocchio is one of the dramas that I have watched for a long time, this drama is still the best drama in my opinion. I really like the acting of all the players, all of them have good acting. The main cast also have very good chemistry with each other. This drama is quite serious, but the character of this drama is quite relaxed and sometimes it is also interspersed with comedy.

In my opinion, this drama is one of the dramas that has the neatest plot. When watching this drama, we feel like we are peeling a red onion, each episode is like peeling the layers of the onion, we are always given new facts, and made us curious. I feel that this drama has a very good storyline, from episode one to the last the plot is well written and the focus never shifts suddenly. All plots in each episode lead us to completion at the end of the story. As someone who likes to write stories, I really wish I could write stories as neat as Pinocchio.

I like the main character who is left to solve problems in his own way. They depend on each other, but can still stand on their own feet. They don't sacrifice for each other, but they are always beside each other. In my opinion, Choi In Ha's character was one of the breakthroughs for the main female character who was quite independent and ambitious that year. Where previously kdramas usually showed female characters who were always saved by male characters. Here the two characters save each other.

I've probably watched this drama about eight or nine times. But I always feel amazed by the plot of this drama, even though I already know the story. I've always liked the chemistry and problem-solving between characters that aren't pushy. One of them is the settlement of Choi In Ha and his mother. Or the settlement of Beom Joo with his mother, and Choi Dal Po with Choi In Ha's grandfather. I think everything fits and feels realistic.

And when I caught myself in this drama, I felt that there really aren't really bad people. Sometimes they just have different priorities and different ways of solving problems. Even so, what is wrong is still wrong. Although everyone always has a reason for doing something, as Choi Dal Po said, "The truth always stands in its place".

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