Scrambled eggs, not eggs benedict.

This drama is a slow simmer - not a hard boil. It's slow starting out and the pace doesn't really pick up at all. If you're looking for something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this not the drama for you.

It started out well enough. I felt an emotional connection with the FL and it was good to experience Gonjin and it's townspeople with her. Because of that, I could understand what first drew her to Gonjin. But that's as far as good characterisation goes with the female lead. When I think about it, I don't think that she created any real relationships with any of the townspeople besides Gam-ri and Mr. Hong. In the end, she still felt more like a person who's in Gonjin as a result of circumstance rather than an integral part of the town. Moreover, Mr. Hong was an even more frustrating character to watch. His story was told in a rushed fashion with minimal tension. What a wasted opportunity! I believe more could have been said on trauma, grief, survivor's guilt and even about our ideas on how society defines success. It just felt like his emotional struggle was a plot device to keep us watching and once the drama had gone far enough, they just wanted to get it over and done with.

I also noticed that whenever Hye-jin and Mr. Hong had an important conversation, the camera would focus on their faces for a few seconds and it would feel like that awkward moment when you're done talking to someone but you can't decide whether it's okay to leave yet. They would smile at each other in a way that I found absolutely cringey. Am I the only one who noticed this?

I understand why some take issue with the relationship between Hwa-jung and her ex-husband, but I think the actors did a great job of portraying the yearning and hurt between them from the very beginning. And given enough time, more could have been done to flesh out their story. Ultimately, I still enjoyed watching these two and I wouldn't mind watching a drama based on a story like theirs.

All in all, relationships were a major problem. Some were resolved through the magic of TV happiness (Hye-jin and her stepmother) and others by simply forgetting and focusing on something else (Yun-kyung and her husband). Really, I'm tempted to start a #JusticeForSides movement.

Apart from all these issues, I can see the money that went into making this drama. The setting was ideal and it made me wish to see the town for myself. I can't really call it a light watch because you'll need a lot of determination to finish it. But it's great if you're looking for something that will not take too much from your mental faculties.

Read More

A dignified drama with both fun and substance.

My first thought after watching five minutes of the first episode was that this was going to be a really slow drama. I imagined myself watching episode 10 with half-lidded eyes, hoping to finish it just because I'm not a quitter. As it turns out, I was very wrong. Although slow-paced with barely any tension (no murderers or mysteries here) it was fun to watch with genuinely humorous moments. This drama's strength lies in the relationships. It was wonderful to watch how the four gentlemen care for and interact with each other. I find this to not only be an endearing portrayal of men, but also more realistic. They have flaws and are understandably frustrating to the women around them.

It's a fun and chilled drama to watch that won't feel like a chore. Despite the number of episodes, it ended well with no dilly-dallying like dramas are wont to do these days.

Read More

This movies exists - That's all

Given that the cast is great and the production isn't bad for it's time, one would expect that this would at least be half-way decent movie. But no. This movie fails in terms of story and plot. The characters exist. It's like a slice of life with no interesting plot points. The only somewhat interesting plot point isn't really finished off. It's like the movie was created to fill time so it didn't matter to it's creators whether all questions were answered. Or, whether all characters completed some sort of development arc or not. I imagine that it falls off the way-side as an ending. An event that happens. Unexpected but not enough of a big deal to leave a lasting mark.

Read More

A fun body-swap

Overall, this was an enjoyable drama to watch. Jo Jung Suk is a seasoned actor and he did a stellar job in this drama. It started off really well, with great set-ups for the key characters in the beginning. I was really looking forward to watching a bromance develop between Jo Jung Suk's character and that of Kim Seon Ho. Unfortunatelly, the story veers off somewhere in the middle, losing it's pacing and tension. It was frustrating to watch but there is reward for those who keep watching from the last quarter onward. In my opinion, the romance doesn't play such a big role in this drama but if you're looking for a good mystery, it worth a watch if you're patient enough to stick it out.

Read More

A holey drama with Zombies.

I don't think that this movie knows what it wants to be. It wants to be a zombie movie but not enough time is spent killing zombies. They are a dangerous element that exists outside but not much of a threat indoors. Although the characters are forced to go outside eventually, the build-up to that decision happens much too quickly. The whole thing just left me with more questions than anything. How do you survive 20+ days with barely a week's worth of food and no water? How does one watch the news on their television with no electricity? How do you post videos online when there's a network outage and simple messages aren't even coming through?
Anyway, as far as zombie movies go, I would say that this movie is okay.

Read More