The Penthouse Season 3: War in Life (2021)

season 3 is good but definitely not all that it could've been *SPOILERS EP 1-10*

i love the penthouse! it is one of my top kdramas. season 1 and 2 were very well done and kept me on the edge of my seat. i think season 3 is great but the plot is a bit TOO much this time around. i think solah having a twin that is alive was a great addition to the plot because it ended up being seokkyung and we can finally see some character development in her. when seokhoon and rona break up i think that was one of the worst things the directors could've done and was completely unnecessary. it doesn't really make sense either because rona's mom had just died and she leans on seokhoon a lot during that time and him and his mom take care of her after yeonhee's death. it doesn't make sense that a few weeks after that seokhoon is like "alright imma pack it up and leave now because my dad might've killed your mom." like she won't blame it on you????? AND IT WASN'T EVEN HIS DAD WHO DID IT LIKE- they better make up soon because i am TIRED. i was so ready to see some development in their relationship this season since in the past seasons they haven't gotten too much of the spotlight but then he dumps her??? so stupid. another thing i didn't quite like was the additional information from dantae's past. like i think it was kinda unnecessary in my opinion. i know it is probably going to add to how dantae gets arrested in the end but i think there are other ways of doing that. but if it really needed to be added, i think it would've fit better in one of the past seasons when dantae would freak out when he got blood on his face. like a flashback to his mom and sister dying would've fit better back then instead of adding this new and useless character to the story. ANOTHER THING. justice for eunbyeol because i was starting to love her and then she just had to take those fucking memory loss pills again???? i didn't like that. i just wanted eunbyeol and rona to be besties. is that so much to ask for??? anyways i'm still gonna finish it and watch any more seasons if they do more because i still really like the show. i just think season 3 had a lot of potential but it was not as good as it could've been.

ps. a little more character development between rona and the dilf (aka eunbyeol and rona's dad) would be nice!

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Reflecting on the Impactful Conclusion of Penthouse Trilogy

The third and final season of Penthouse, in my opinion, serves as a fitting conclusion for all the characters in the series. Despite their actions, driven by the desire for the betterment of their children, the characters' deeds are, in essence, irredeemable. While some may argue that the two mothers should have survived, I find the collective demise to be a more acceptable ending. The toll of their actions has left them physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted.

The conclusion of the students/children's arcs is also well-executed, offering significant character developments and delivering just outcomes, even considering the involvement of other characters in crimes such as murder and arson. This trilogy holds a special place in my heart, and I anticipate revisiting it whenever I seek a touch of complexity in my drama list.

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Season 3 is no no.

Before I start, I just want to warn this review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.

The Penthouse was a drama I never thought I would like, but season 1 and season 2 proved me wrong. This drama is makjang, similar to a telenovela but more caricatured. The acting was extremely well done, to the point I hated the characters - just like the screenwriter intended us to. And the story was so captivating it kept me on the edge of my seat. I wasn’t the only one and the proof is the ratings of those two seasons.

However, I am extremely disappointed with season 3. Only two episodes have aired, I know, but it’s enough to make me drop this drama completely. It seems like the screenwriter needed more time to develop the story, but the pressure from the audience and the higher-ups for a new season must’ve obliged her to speed things up. I can’t believe that the same writer who wrote the first and second seasons is the same one who wrote the third. So, I think the major reason for her terrible work is because of the pressure. I say this because they are repeating the same storyline from the previous seasons, with no originality. We have one more doppelganger - or twin, whatever you want to call it. By the second episode of the third season, we get to know that Logan Lee had a twin brother called Alex Lee, all this time (both are played by the same actor). I have two issues with this character.

First of all, the whole reason Logan Lee’s character exists is that Min Seol Ah (or Anna Lee) was adopted by his parents so they could donate her bone marrow to him. Introducing a character that is Logan Lee’s direct blood-related brother, particularly a twin, makes me question why they needed Min Seol Ah in the first place. Why didn’t his twin brother, who definitely was a match, donate his bone marrow to him? Okay, maybe the parents didn’t want to use their other child in case something went wrong. So they used Min Seol Ah, whom they had no connection with, instead. But these are just maybes. This is just me trying to understand what the screenwriter is trying to do here in a way that makes sense. The way I see it right now, the screenwriter did sloppy work with this one, turning the plot into a whole mess. It just doesn’t make sense why there was a need to introduce another twin/doppelganger. If the screenwriter didn’t actually want to kill Logan’s character, then they shouldn’t have done it. Otherwise, just let Logan’s character die in peace -or as much in peace as one can be by being murdered LOL.

And second, what the hell was that characterization? You can see from the pictures MyDramaList provides what I am referring to. Alex Lee is presented to us as a mockery of an African-American from the “hood”. He is not only dressed from head to toe, in what is considered a “thug” - often linked to the same style some black Americans like to wear/use -, but he also talks in a stereotypically African-American way. All of this is racist, offensive, and a mockery of an entire race and their culture. South Korea is famous for being a racist country - they are not the 10th most racist country for nothing, am I right?! So, this isn’t really a surprise. However, it’s hurtful and frustrating to see it happen, over and over again. More so, when this isn’t the first time SBS does it. It just shows how they have zero consideration for black people around the world, and even worse, for black people in their own country. SBS clearly, does not care how the way they portrait black people in their shows might impact negatively since, after what happened in Backstreet Rookie, they still gave the okay for this episode to be aired. Also, there is the fact the actor who plays Alex Lee lived in the USA for many years. He, more than anyone involved in the drama, knew how wrong it was to portray Alex’s character in this way. And let’s not talk about how Alex’s bodyguards were all black, and how in previous seasons they showed black people as hitmen while white people were shown as “prestigious” businessmen. The anti-blackness is highly present in The Penthouse.

It’s a shame to see a drama with so much success, internally and internationally, lose its reputation like this. We are in 2021 and what this world doesn’t have is a lack of information. The Internet is free. SBS and all the people involved in the drama could have prevented this from happening, but they chose not to. I agree with many others who say The Penthouse should have ended in season 2. Oh well, there’s nothing we can do now.

I felt incredibly uncomfortable by this whole Alex Lee thing so, I will drop this drama here. I understand many watchers can’t do the same due to their love and attachment to the show, characters, and actors. And it’s their choice to do so. I can’t and shouldn’t dictate how one lives their life. However, I can’t simply ignore racism. Despite loving this drama's previous seasons, I can’t turn a blind eye. It goes against my nature and my morals. I can only hope SBS and The Penthouse, at least, release an apology to all the people they offended. I don’t think that is going to happen, but a person can hope, right?

I still recommend people to watch seasons one and two, but the third? It’s not worth it.
I don’t know whether this review was helpful to those feeling indecisive about watching the drama or not, but I felt like I had to leave my two cents on it before I parted ways. It's your choice to do whatever you want.

Thank you for reading until here.
Have a nice day and stay safe!

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Unnecessary but Watched

I think the only person that really delivered was CSJ which is why I gave it a 10, she nailed her character to the full, the only time I didn't like her character was when she was being dominated by JDT as a housewife. Although the storyline was overly exaggerated and absurd, it was entertaining and the fashion alone will keep you going even when you feel like giving up on the drama, SSY slay in all her looks being the classy lady she is and CSJ slay as a boss and dominant lady that she is as well. I love how the cast played their characters especially the villains even though some were over the top, and I'm glad KSH won a deasang for her spectacular acting. It should have ended in season 2 which had the perfect ending and the perfect revenge plan.

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Never did it ever cross my mind that I would cry for Cheon SeoJin and EunByu

The story has S1 was fine then S2 got meh and FINALLY S3 made me uhh… I watched the first two seasons while they were airing then I got to S3 I just skip skip and skip since I’m not into melodramatic troupe. But I binged watch it these two days, the story wasn’t bad but there were many loopholes…and the ending could’ve been better or they should’ve at least shown a bit more interactions the drama too 3seasons but the ending was so rushed just a few mins if the last ep. They didn’t even let Rona mourn for Dr.Ha actually no one really mourned for Logan, Soo ryeon or Dr.Ha. They didn’t even show Seo Jin’s secretary’s story a little but like Secretary Cho’s that I can’t even remember his name. I can only recall his scenes where he helps Eunbyul , gets slapped and give the real Dan Tae fake bones…They also didn’t show what happened to him at the end, makes me feel he deserve much better…..but one good thing tho I’ll be able watch SeokKyung, Eunbyul and Minhyuk actors’s future works peacefully now to see that they’ve grown and mature. There were probably many loophole because either the author was rushed or she was out of ideas or both??‍♀️

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Disappointed

This drama should’ve stopped at season 2… like they could’ve gave us a special episode where everyone’s happy after they come back from jail.. but no.

Let me remind you that I don’t know how to write reviews at all… I’m just sharing my thoughts and why I feel this way.Now episode one was had me excited and I was happy but also mad. But I’m here to talk ab episode two and how they based Logan’s twin off stereotypes… like you could’ve easily gave this man a fade an left his hair how it was… and a lot of you will be mad at me for dropping the show just because of that but I felt offended so I don’t want to watch it anymore and I feel like they’re dragging it now.. they honestly should’ve left him dead.

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Love the cast hate the story

I think the headline is explanation enough. Anyways I recommend u go watch hometown cha cha cha cuz it’s good so far orrrr Move to Heaven ? ohh or prison playbook. U know what also hospital playlist. Okay is that 500 characters. No? Okay there’s also go back couple. Orr crash landing on you. Honestly I also wanna say this show made me so happy in the first season and the cast is amazing and it’s so well done visually. But this season really made all that lose its meaning. U can’t end it like that I felt like I was watching a joke ending the whole time. I’m not sure what happened but I think something changed so they had to do this. Idk is it revenge from the writer cuz we kept saying everyone keeps coming back to life. Good byee

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This K Drama Is GOLD!

Once you watch one episode you get stuck. If your new than start at "The penthouse season 1" than come back. I am telling you I have been here sense day 1. I would also was wait once a week for 2 or some days 1 ep , Well that's all hope you like it too................................................................................................................................................................................,,.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,...............................................,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,....................................

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Should Have Stopped At Season 2

Honestly was Season 3 even needed?!
The writers are just dragging this story for no reason and it isn't even necessary. I loved all of the crazy acting and was truly shocked on how good the actors were but I mean they could've ended this show with Season 2 and the recent episode where there was cultural appropriation is big NO. They really did Logan Lee's actor really dirty. They should've have known better. I'm so disappointed especially since this show gained such a big audience, you'd expect more intense and crazy plot twists but at this point it's becoming a whole joke. They could've given this man a haircut but no. The writers really recorded this and spent hours editing this shit and thought that this was really okay? Also this isn't the first time this show made fans upset. They really need to think it through and do their research especially with many fans waiting for episodes every week. I honestly loved the last two seasons and I just can't anymore. The cultural appropriation is the redline for me. I had high hopes for this show but guess not anymore. Going to reconsider if this show is my favorite.

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