Destined with You (2023)

Doormat of an FL

After watching this have to say that the character of the FL is written to be a doormat with no spine and no brains too. Imagine going to meet a psychopath by yourself with no fighting skills or any strategy because she wants to catch him….oh lord and what’s with the childish high pitched voice and infantile mannerisms can’t believe that Netflix picked up this garbage of a script and is planning to increase monthly subscriptions too so that we can watch such incoherent stories ! The script was all over the place and most of the characters like the vile bitchy co workers and the ML’s father were so infuriating that I ended up forwarding anytime they appeared onscreen. Only saving grace was the hunky ML for his visuals . Car crash of a series! Watch at your own risk.

Read More

Maintaining the chemistry

First things first, despite the fact that this series is as formulaic as they come, it wasn't inherently awful because it was, for the most part, enjoyable. The male lead is the key justification. Both the serious and humorous portions of his performance were good, making the watch enjoyable. But how long can you hold something with just one thread?
Because there are no other compelling characters, watching each episode of the show eventually becomes tedious.

I'm going to talk about something that I've recently seen in a number of shows. when the man and woman finally start dating. The chemistry we had felt up until then fully changes into cringe. I felt uncomfortable as I saw the leads' interactions.
The awkwardness I experienced while watching the protagonists interact once they started dating is not unique to this program, but it does continuing the trend. This is very definitely caused by the lack of proper writing . I cut out a good number of shows as a result of this.(Hometown cha cha being one).
Why bother finishing the story when the sole element that was keeping you interested is no longer there?

Read More

Rowoon's acting was just joss ?

I completed this drama just in 3 days... It's reels make me crazy watching it... but I waited for the last episode... For me It's quite boring to wait so long for each episode.... And after all my crazyness gone after watching it fully....I'm so happy... some people found this boring... but for me it's an exciting one....Both the male lead (Rowoon) and female lead (Jo Bo-Ah) did grate...Their chemistry was so so so good... Why Rowoon is so cute..♥️. Actually both of them are cute.. But I liked Rowoon's acting skills most... Almost in every scene I thought that how that can be an act when it seems so real...
Some more things I must say... The second main lead was great also ... It was also funny and pretty watching Mr. Gong and Ms. Ma's chemistry... And Shin-yoo's father and mother... Those characters were also amazing.. And about the story... I liked it... I Love it... ???

Read More

Cliche Kdrama, what more do ya need?

It’s basically soulmates trope, who get their destiny messed with but still find their way to each other yadda yadda…

To be quite frank, I felt a little sad when the show ended, it was probably because I started watching it while the episodes were still airing, so I spent quite some time watching this show. It was really cutesy at first, I mean who doesn’t love a good cat and mouse chase between the ML and FL am i right?

But at some point I felt like things just got super repetitive. From the stalker being the whole plotline the ENTIRE show like thats legit the only conflict they had in the show, along with some past bullying which was resolved pretty quickly and summarised in one episode…I mean they showed flashbacks but it still felt super rushed imo.

Also about the daughter getting arrested, like, what happened there? Why’d hongjo look at her as if she believed that she wasn’t an accomplice? I thought they would make a whole plot out of that or something but it just got shut down and onto the next plot of the show which was just showing what happened next with other characters.

The beginning of the show was pretty good and ropes you in, i’m not calling this show bad of course, just not that special. The spicy scene definitely made up for the boring scenes though, I’m not even gonna lie i felt butterflies ooppppss

But yeah, not a bad kdrama but it was just a tad bit too cliche and most of the time i could always guess what was gonna happen next, it was very predictable.

Also the bloody hand though, it was such a good add in the show and made you curious about it but the reveal was lowkey boring. I expected a bit more…it felt like they were going for supernatural but then halfway decided against it idk…and the whole love potion thing, i’m not even sure if that was real or not, they just…forgot about it…lol

Read More

It was cute

Me? I actually really enjoyed this drama!

Was it perfect? No. The tie-in of the past and present storylines was unspeakably bad, and to be completely honest, the premise wasn't all that original and the execution could have certainly been better.

But I found myself smiling each and every episode because of the playful and endearingly silly relationship between the main couple. Rowoon really acted his ass off in this one and I really liked his and Bo-Ah's energy together. I laughed a lot during the first few episodes when he was waging an internal war with himself over his feelings for Hong Jo.

I think Destined With You has good re-watch potential, if only to watch the main couple slowly fall in love again (I'd skip all the scenes about the secondary characters' plotlines, since none of them proved to be all that interesting or important). Plus, I'm obsessed with the slow solo-piano version of I'll Always Be With You.

Read More

Charming romance with Room for Growth

This one was a good watch. If you're in a mood for a sweet, fluffy romance "Destined with you" has got you covered. Rowoon and jo bo-ah chemistry will leave you with a warm warm, fuzzy feeling, leaving you with a smile. I love their romance.

While the romance steals the spotlight I couldn't help but to wish for a bit more depth in the overall story. The narrative structure left something to be desired. Everytime the plot tried to involve it got pressed/covered quickly. The spells, magic and the past history feels rushed and occasionally the storyline takes backseat and gets overshadowed with the dominant romance.
But the leads chemistry and their enchanting romance to the great extents saved the drama and make this worthwhile viewing.

All in all, if you're looking for a dose of heartwarming love "Destined with you" is a great pick.

Read More

Ignore the haters, this is MUST watch, don't miss out; you're welcome x

Why all the hate????? This was honestly one of the best dramas I've ever seen. Easily in my top three now. King the land (which I also loved) was so well received but the main couple's romance was cringey at times despite their amazing chemistry. At no point did this drama make me cringe. Rowoon & Boah have electric chemistry..honestly some of the best chemistry I've ever seen. I loved this series so much. I did not expect it to have such a hold on me but it will forever have me in a chokehold. The storyline was interesting/intriguing, the ML & FL were loveable funny characters, their banter was TOP TIER??? I'm a sucker for storylines that deal with reincarnation and past lives. The comedy in this was great. Especially the first few episodes were the male lead is trying not to love the female lead and his body is contradicting what he is saying. Ignore the haters and give this a chance for yourselves. I haven't been THIS obsessed with a drama since See you in my 19th life or Hometown Cha Cha Cha. A MUST WATCH FOR ROMCOM LOVERS?

Read More

I got a hard time watching it

I love Rowoon, he is such a great actor and each one of his jobs are completely amazing, eitherway I had a hard time trying to finish this one.

There are two reasons, the plot and the female leader. The plot started getting repetitive at some point and as for the FL, It was so exhausting for me as a viewer, seeing her being practically bullied by everyone and doing nothing (at the beggining) I was hoping and waiting for the moment she would change and be a better FL but the only thing she did was put me on my nerves with every action she did. I really couldn't understand the reasons behind her actions, it seems like in every episode her logic took a cab and run away from herself. Added to that, for me (unlike everyone say) the main couple was lacking of any chemistry and not in real life but in the story (in real life Jo Boah and Rowoon did so good) FL character was so desperate that ruined the chemistry with ML. Kept myself watching the show just for Roowon and he character.

Read More

It could have been a new favorite...

****BEWARE OF SPOILERS****

Honestly this drama is an enigma I couldn’t quite decipher… It had a grip on me that not many dramas have but sadly there were some “less positive” things going on there too. The start was very promising and I thought “omg the chemistry is already off the charts, the story seems original with elements of fantasy and mystery mixed here and there and the FL is also quite relatable, it’s gonna be awesome!!” and frankly it could have been an 9/10 or even a 9.5/10 but sadly the plot itself couldn’t keep up with what it wanted to create in the beginning.

For starters, let’s talk about the bad things. I’m sure many people will share the same sentiment as me but I clearly expected more magical elements in this story, because the first 8/10 episodes were full of the book of spells, the owner of the wooden bow, the shaman, the books of curses even but then it was barely addressed in the end…? The magical things happening were indeed very real since the ML’s sickness miraculously vanished, but for the rest it’s more of a supposition than a certainty. Let’s take the love spell for example, of course, I think that the ML already had feelings from the very beginning and the spell was just a catalyzer for what happened next. But surely the fact that we didn’t get a clear answer from anyone concerning the working aspect of this spell will deter many people from liking this story like they should: “their love wasn’t real”, “it was forced and the FL took advantage of it” etc. etc. Also, the “villain” was so disappointing to me!! Of course, the actor was doing his best but the reason behind his character’s actions was clearly undeveloped, at least for my taste. I was so sure that there was something even more “dangerous” hiding in the shadows but sadly it proved me wrong and all I was feeling in the end was dissatisfaction. It did get a little repetitive also, but I guess they couldn’t make time to add another subplot to this.

Another aspect of the drama that made me quite perplexed was the secondary characters… To this day, I still strongly dislike the FL’s colleagues: they were very mean to her since the beginning just because she was around beautiful men and honestly, I didn’t even notice their “redemption arc”, if there was even one. I wanted the FL to put them back in their place one day but sadly it never happened. Apart from that, their respective characters are just irritating and not even funny. I expected the FL to develop meaningful relationships with people that treated her right for once, but with the exceptions of the ML, the SML, and the little boy, it felt very empty and superficial. I also didn’t understand the purpose of the ML’s friend, who was close with his mom, since she didn’t even divorce her husband in the end. Another disappointing thing!! The ML’s father was always awful to his wife and we are meant to believe in his mini depression after her announcement of wanting to divorce “for good”? I expected her to divorce her horrible husband and live her life like she wanted, I didn’t even care if she got in a relationship with the ML’s friend or not frankly. But no, the writers made him cry a little and of course all the abuse was forgotten! Pfff… And let’s not talk about the SFL, she was just insufferable!!

Now that I vented a little, I can talk about the good things. The thing that first comes to my mind is the amazing chemistry between the main leads. Sometimes, the chemistry wears off a little when the couple is finally together but fortunately it wasn’t the case here! And honestly, I think I fell a little in love with the ML but hey who wouldn’t? His acting was on point and his looks were pretty dreamy too!! The leads were so sweet together and their bickering in the beginning was pretty funny and entertaining. And I loved the story behind their past lives!! It was so well done and I couldn’t help but cry a little… I’m sure you know what I mean if you already saw the drama. I wanted so much to see even more of their past together, or even how the ML continued to live after the “event” … The FL was also very interesting to watch and was perfectly relatable to a few of us I’m sure… Her absolute need to find her own group of friends/family but being rejected by those around her was a little hard to watch at times because I could perfectly see myself in her. I’m glad she could stand up for herself in the end. As for the SML, he remained pretty enjoyable till the end, so that’s a bonus, and fortunately I didn’t have second lead syndrome! Moreover, I want to give my big thanks to the production team and the crew behind the cinematography because it was beautiful and also a big reason as to why I liked this drama so much despite its flaws. The OST was pretty great too, that’s why I already bought the album lol.

Maybe if you read this “review” till the end, you are currently wondering why I still chose to give this drama an 8.5/10 despite all the flaws I cited in the beginning… Well that’s simply because the leads took my heart with them and I couldn’t wait to watch their interactions each week. The general atmosphere was also very nice and appealing and some secondary characters were great (the little boy, the ML’s funny colleague, even the grandma was interesting). I only regret the fact that the plot didn’t give what I expected it to give in terms of villains and characters’ relationships… I think I will even rewatch it when I’ll need a little boost of serotonin one of these days. So yeah, I’m gonna end this review here and just cry in a corner because I already miss this drama and its characters.

Read More

A Weak Plot the Star-Studded Cast Didn't Deserve

It's been a while since I wrote a review, so please excuse me if I ramble a bit!
PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE SPOILERS!!!

Storyline: 4/10
The premise of this story is quite interesting, a man whose family has been cursed for a long time and a woman who seemingly can save him. On the outside, it looks like a perfect set-up for a magical modern story as the characters fall in love. The storyline starts out interesting but quickly gets sloppy, as the writer clearly struggles to maintain and balance the modern elements of the story as well as the fantasy elements. Although I've never personally written a script, I found myself thinking throughout watching the show that the writer had opportunities to put in plot twists but didn't take them---and at times threw in twists that weren't completely necessary.

I would say the love triangle was pretty much useless in this show, as the second male lead contributed essentially nothing. He does not protect the female lead, does not add anything to her magical journey, and just seems to argue with the male lead all the time. His character is also rather static, we learn very little about him except for his dysfunctional family dynamic and even that doesn't add very much. I'm sure it must have been a very limited character for the actor to work with, but he did a very good job with what he had.

Similarly, I felt the whole "other woman" dynamic was also poorly executed. Yes, the male lead's "girlfriend" cheats on him and we're meant to think everything is "even" because the female and male leads are technically cheating when they get together. I think they did a bit too much with the male lead's girlfriend in terms of the bully character, forcing the actress to repeat the same lines over and over. Although her character technically gets her karma in the end, we don't learn what she ACTUALLY did to the female lead until literally episode 16. Very sloppy!

Throughout the show there are many build-ups to literally nothing. For example, the shrine at the start of the show. We're told it's important and then they do nothing with it, no big full-circle moment like we'd expect. Same thing with Grandma Eun-Wol's character, you think she'll add something important but she doesn't. And most of all, the magical part of the show! We never learn for sure whether magic is true or not, and characters question it the whole time. This definitely makes the show duller, as we're promised fantasy and don't get it.

Overall, the writers of this show completely shot themselves in the foot. The story has so much prospect, but it is terribly half-baked and thrown together. This is of course reflected in the viewership ratings which even Rowoon's handsome face alone can't save. With some more planning and time, I personally think this show could've been a big hit!

Acting/Cast: 8/10
Now, some might disagree with me on this, but I truly felt bad for the actors of this show. As I described above, the storyline was incredibly messy and oftentimes redundant. Despite this, I felt that the actors truly did their best to make this show somewhat palatable. Rowoon does an excellent job at playing a golden retriever boyfriend, although I do find some of his more serious scenes bland---with the exception of his acting in episode 16 during a certain emotional scene. This is the first time I've watched Rowoon, and I actually didn't know he was an idol until I looked him up. His romantic and comedic expressions feel very natural, but his anger and seriousness could be just the tiniest bit better. Overall, he did amazing.

For Jo Bo Ah, I've seen her in Tale of the Nine Tailed, and I must admit, this is exactly what I expected from her. Just like in TotNT, Jo Bo Ah's happy-go-lucky acting feels very forced and bland. Comedy doesn't particularly seem to be her strong suit as an actress, neither is the cutesy style. However, I absolutely LOVED her acting in the flashbacks. Serious, heartbroken, and tear-filled. She truly sells her role in the flashbacks. Even when confronting her stalker, Jo Bo Ah's serious and tense expressions really come through. I'd love to see her in a thriller/revenge plot as the main character, if she hasn't done something similar already! Overall, I liked her and thought she did quite well with a rather plain Jane character.

For Ha-Joon (who played Kwon Jae-Gyeong) and Yura (who played Yoon Na-Yeon), I felt they also did a great job at making their dull characters come to life. Like I said, the script is messy and neither of their characters grow throughout the course of the show. I did find Kwon Jae-Gyeong's expressions a bit dull, but he certainly sells the image of an aloof gentleman well. As for Yoon Na-Yeon, I liked her micro-expressions especially in teary-eyed scenes. You can feel she's trying to give the character more depth through her acting, but the script doesn't allow for more than what she can show you. I felt like that was a real shame.

I'd also like to point out that of all the female characters in this show, there is never a single scene where they are not discussing a man. Between Lee Hong-Jo and Yoon Na-Yeon nor between Lee Hong-Jo and her co-workers. I understand that it's a rom-com, but seeing women who can only talk about men and nothing else is unrealistic and difficult to enjoy for me personally. Nonetheless, all the actors including the supporting actors did a good job!

Music: 8/10
Personally, I'm not a big OST person, so I don't know enough to give you a proper critique of this show's OST. That being said, I thought the background music was pleasant and easy to hear. So 8/10 for that!

Rewatch Value: 4/10
Unfortunately, I had hopes this show would be good as I've heard good things about Rowoon's acting and I personally like Jo Bo Ah. For me the rewatch value is a 4/10 because although I picked apart this show quite a lot, I think a good part of it is because I watched it every week as it was airing. If you're in the mood to sit back and not think a whole lot (unlike me haha), this show is fine to marathon and the eye-candy male and female leads certainly make the entire experience better!

That's all from me, thank you for reading my very long review haha <3

Read More