Couldn't Connect

I was extremely excited for this season after enjoying the first season but somewhere in the middle I lost interest in the plot.

The story seemed to be all over the place. They killed off a character which I didn't quite understand the rationale behind. The show was still all right till that point albeit a bit slow for my liking. Story in between is forgettable. Then one by one new characters came out of the blue. One to serve as replacement to complete the trio but it just wasn't the same. I must have fallen asleep at some point because I don't understand why a certain character came into the picture. Convenient placement?

I liked that they added the autopsy scenes but it wasn't as impressive compared to the firefighting of the earlier season. They didn't really highlight a lot of medical and technical advancements.

The shows certainly goes for the shock value towards the end with the final criminal. Some incorrect medical statements were also made. I'm not sure how the system works in South Korea but since they are working with bombs, shouldn't a different department have jurisdiction? In that case, it would have been earlier to find the seller using legal means. I might also be mistaken but it takes less work to access the dark net which is why so many criminals can frequent it in the first place and nothing can be done about it.

Part of my interest dwindled when I had figured out the mystery of the final story so I couldn't enjoy it as much. It wrapped up quick which was good. I rolled my eyes at the US officials being certain of the result of a trial that hasn't even taken place. It's not like perpetrators ever get away through a mistrial or lack of evidence, right?

I wish I could score this higher but at the same time don't want to rate it too low since the actors did portray their characters well. They did try with the story. It just didn't strike a chord with me the way I wished it had and I don't have the patience to rewatch for now.

Read More

A gem!

I didn't expect to love it so much.

It's a very simple series about two people struggling with mental illness and the friendship that forms between them. It gives one insight into how people feel and how leaning on another can make things a bit easier. You also get to see how their families are dealing with their own issues.

The actors did a good job, especially the male actor. I really understood how he must have felt with the circumstances he was dealt. He did a great job emoting. There is a little bit of humour in the show as well which is cute.

I really loved the title and the message this show is trying to send. I hope this show finds more viewers!

Read More

Complicated with good moments and plotholes

I wish I could say I was enthralled with this series like so many others but something kept me from falling in love with it. One of the main reasons was not being able to understand every single business/political element to the story and there is plenty of it which is what adds to the thrill. So if you cannot completely comprehend some of those "wins", it gives a very dull effect. Something the writers should have considered and tried to explain or simplify. You can still enjoy the show. Just not to the full effect.

Best moments:
1. There are many shocking moments and revelations that you can't anticipate and were enjoyable.
2. The fantasy element that adds a twist and is a major part of the story.
3. The relationship between Do Jun and his grandfather were truly some of the best moments.
4. The way Do Jun makes his way through the hurdles armed with the knowledge of his past life.
5. Seeing the Jin family fail and fight amongst themselves was amusing.

Not so great moments:
1. No one noticing that Yoon Hyun Woo and Jin Do Jun look EXACTLY alike.
2. Not being able to understand some of the "lingo" fully.
3. Do Jin ignoring his family after his real mother's death even when he could have.
4. The romance is practically non-existent and although I would not care otherwise, it feels like they built up a story for no reason.
5. The conclusion. Part of it does not make sense. You are rooting for a character and in the end, everything feels a bit bland and unsatisfactory.

Up until the 14th episode my rating was 8.5 for this show. I'm changing that now to a 7.5 based on the last episode. I am not likely to rewatch this show but it's a decent show. There are plenty of good reasons to watch it.

Read More

Problematic with some nice moments

The 2nd season was definitely a bit of a let down. I found myself checking repeatedly to see how much more is left midway. I'm going to share spoilers to explain why I had issues with this half of the show.

First, the positives in the show. The husband is shown growing in responsibility but continues to be loving and kind. The sweet couple moments are enjoyable. The way they overcome different obstacles is fun (mostly).

The disappointments:
I genuinely enjoyed seeing the duality of the husband in the first season, but because the wife was angry with him for it, he abandons that identity completely. The male lead looked so impressive in the white wig! It was part of his charm. I never understood why she could not accept this side to him when she herself was hiding that she was not the person he thought she was. He completely accepted her. Why couldn't she? At least if that was explained maybe I could accept it.

Sexual assault trigger warning! The couple get a potential concubine by allowing to her to get molested by a creep. I thought they would formally introduce her so he decides to wed her. That would have been better. Apparently the manga explains this far better but I have to go by what was depicted in the series. Later, another prince gives away his wife without her consent to the same molester in exchange for power. These are very off-putting plot points.

Apart from these, the story was alright. It picks up towards the end.

Read More

Cute and funny

If you're looking for a feel good romcom then A Business Proposal is perfect for you.

It's a simple story of mistaken identity that leads to love. The writers know the situation is a cliche rich guy poor girl story and they enjoy making fun of it by depicting the various characters watching a drama with similar situations being portrayed as to what's taking place with the leads. There are many funny moments which makes the drama enjoyable to watch.

And for those who dislike the main leads, the second leads should win the show some brownie points. Both make a good looking pair and it is interesting watching them and how they overcome misunderstandings and their hesitancy. The grandfather is another loveable character and he plays a strict but loving father figure for the Male lead who is way too busy working his life away. I also loved the sister rivalry to sisterhood moment between Jin Young Seo, the second female lead, and her cousin, Jo Yoo Jung.

My reason for not rating this drama higher is only because of a few flaws/depictions I disliked. Shin Hari (female lead) works with her team manager, Yeo Eui Ju, and a development team member, Kye Bin, who eventually start dating. The show depicts them as eccentric older characters to make fun of. Their love and bickering is shown as funny and somewhat distasteful. Also, the toilet scene jokes were a bit boring and overdone. And of course the show hits nearly every major romance cliche so there is no real surprise element to the show (until ep 10).

Despite these negatives, I enjoyed it a lot and most people would probably enjoy it too.

Edit: I have actually given ABP a 0.5 higher rating than my original review because I actually believe this is one of the most enjoyable romcoms I've come across and I have seen less enjoyable shows with the same rating ao it's only fair that it's entertainment value be considered.

Read More

Not much content in the story till the end

When I first started watching, I really enjoyed the show. Finally a couple that was more mature and not acting silly. Then they introduced the second couple who started acting like children. Can't stand them together. Also there doesn't seem much to the story. No progress episode to episode means they have left everything for the last or last 2 episodes.

To be honest, I don't really care much for the main couple's slow burn romance either. I do like all the cast members as individuals. However, the romance is not depicted well. Only the last few episodes of their romance was decent.

Another frustrating aspect was that the detective brother keeps preventing the female lead from remembering anything or doing anything. Nor does he do anything. I didn't understand why. The female detective is so underutilised.

I'm glad this is only 12 episodes long but perhaps the story could have been wound up in 6 - 8. After the first 4 episodes, it would be better to just skip to episode 10. Story picks up from there and gets a bit interesting.

The drama is okay for a one time watch.

Read More

Disappointing

I had high expectations with the plot that a man who is depressed finally gets a second chance at life through the eraser of his bad memories. Even though the first episode wasn't great, I persevered but the series kept getting worse and had no business dragging on for as long as it did.

At first I liked the female lead's character and it made sense why she was so formal with the male lead. It made sense that she wanted to keep things professional as a doctor patient relationship. But as the show went on, her behaviour made no sense. She lacked compassion. But it was not just her that frustrated me. Too many characters acted senselessly. The ML's mother who is a helicopter parent, his brother who comes across as a sociopath, the young doctor who also acted unethically in so many ways! And if that isn't enough, the ML feels like a useless character whose job is only to be miserable and obsessed with 1 thing.

I would suggest you watch the first 4 episodes and then the last 2 and it's all you'll need to understand the entire plot. Nothing else really matters. It is just dragging the story and turning it into a nonsensical one. There is barely any romance in the drama as well.

Perhaps the only highlight of this series is the OST. In particular, I enjoyed the song - grey.

Read More

Imaculate Cast

Lee Je Hoon being one of my favourite actors, I simply could not resist watching this movie. I loved Koo Kyo Hwan in DP and this is similar role except on the North Korean side of the tale. There were also a few actors that have worked with LJH in Taxi Driver so that was a fun discovery! I was also surprised to see Song Kang. So the cast in this movie are another plus point.

The plot is quite simple. It is about a man's planning involved in defecting to South Korea. The main thrill lies in how difficult that plan actually is to execute. There are some predictable moments and a few that feel unbelievable. But the movie is engrossing despite that. It does have some incredible moments and a few comical ones.

I also liked the message behind the movie about having the freedom to choose. That is something everyone can connect with.

Read More

Worth The Watch

The title was what caught my attention at first since I enjoyed the kdrama Sell Your Haunted House. Haunted House For Sale has some similar elements but it's not the same story. If you'd prefer some details on the similarities, I have added spoiler free ones at the end.

This series is about a woman working at a real estate agent who is asked to work on selling stigmatised properties (places where a death has occurred). The male lead who is undecided on what to do in life decides to join her team. One thing he doesn't mention is that he can see ghosts.

The series has a decent mystery element introduced along with multiple cases attached to each property visited. As a horror, the show is very mild. The CGI effects are alright. The main selling point is the plot and the characters. The leads do a great job portraying the characters. Didn't feel bored at any point. The OST is lovely. There is some romance but it is not the focus of the show. Don't let this be your main reason for watching or it might feel disappointing.

If you'd like to know how it's similar to Sell Your Haunted House, the female lead in both are the main character and both are the serious type, the male leads are more jovial and the mediums, we learn about each ghost and in both series there is a mystery surrounding a parent of the FL. There is also a similar CGI effect in both which I found interesting. SYHH is probably a bigger and better production so it's definitely a better show in terms of CGI and horror as well as the plot development but HHFS is quite entertaining and hopefully the kdrama fans will enjoy this one as well.

Whether you've seen the kdrama or not, I hope everyone gives this series a shot.

Read More

Not Impressed

When Moon in the Day started, it had potential to be really interesting. The whole past life connected to the present life could have been done well but the let down was the story itself.

The major problems I had with the plot was that they really kept dragging what actually happened in the past. Everything was mysterious but not in a good way. Rather in a very slow and boring way. The reveal will only come in the last 3 episodes and you feel like, "is that it?". Also one thing I noticed is the FL in the past had struck the ML on the neck. But in the present, his scar is on his upper chest/shoulder. A very bizarre mistake when you keep repeating that scene and highlighting where the sword struck him. It simply does not match. They just wanted to be able to hide the scar without making the actor wear a turtle neck.

Another thing I disliked is the FL was a strong character. Both physically and mentally. She was capable of taking care of herself but shortly afterwards, she ends up being made to portray a helpless character. I wish they would have kept her character as a firefighter. She shouldn't have had to give up her job. Rather if the writers allowed us opportunity to see how much the ML actually cares for her even when he thinks he doesn't when he sees her endangering her life to save others. For the first half of the show, ML was trying to kill her and that suddenly changes without explaining how or why his anger subsided or why he thought he could move on if he was the one to kill her to begin with when he didn't do that in any of the previous lives. It also begs the question that if he was with her for 1500 years, how was he unable to protect her other times she dies but this time/life it was possible like saving her from drowning to the point that she believed she had a guardian angel.

There really isn't much happening in the first half. The historical scenes were good. They should have shown more moments in the present. This also needed more romance. The ML and FL were serious for the most part. Wish we could have seen their chemistry throughout even if was funny moments.

The brother's character was decent. The bad guy was okay. The other characters were mostly just there without much effect. The monk also spoke in unnecessary riddles so it was mostly a waste.

The ending is okay but I didn't really feel super delighted. Wish they had shown more. I guess you can call it a realistic ending. It's not a terrible show but nothing fantastic.

I thought the theme song and the design of it was beautiful. One of the few things that really stood out.

Read More

Don't Fall For The Poster!

This is a cute drama but nothing like I imagined it would be. There isn't even enough romance for me to consider it a romance drama.

It's more of a story about a 27 year old woman who works herself to the core in a job without so much as an appreciation for all her hard work. Eventually, she gets an interview offer from another company that has a better work environment and she finds inspiration to grow and be a better version of herself.

I feel really let down by this drama on the romance front. Though both male lead and second male lead are really nice, genuine characters, there is hardly any moment outside of casual interactions with them so the poster was a complete false advertisement and I doubt anyone picked this drama because they wanted to see an office work environment story.

I liked all the characters and the OST is cute.

Read More

It will suck you in instantaneously

I mostly binged this part and it was probably the best decision since it's an easy watch. By that I mean, it is very easy to sink into the story. It captivates you. There is a lot happening constantly so you certainly won't be bored. It also has some very emotional moments. At least they were for me. I was on the verge of tears at least a couple of times so expect angst as it delivers it well.

The war scenes were brutal without being too gorey. They left it to the audience's understanding of what might have happened/is happening and I am thankful to not have to seen some of those scenes. Else it would have required me to take a lot of breaks. It's nothing close to Game Of Thrones if you need an idea. There are some action scenes but not that much and nothing that blew me away. It's less skill and more about war tactics.

I enjoyed the character development of the female lead. How she changed from being self-obsessed and somewhat immature to having great strength, wonderful leadership qualities, being a quick learner and strong-willed. The male lead on the other hand gives off red flag vibes initially but falls hard for the female lead so there were several points where he won my heart. There's a lot of push and pull happening.

If you prefer quick resolutions, don't bother. It's a bit of a rollercoaster. The final episode may leave you feeling a tad annoyed. But nothing we didn't expect I suppose.

All actors were brilliant. The OST is beautiful. Hopefully part 2 will be satisfying.

Read More

A Good Unique Take

I enjoy time loops dramas. This isn't the best but it's certainly an interesting one. Unlike most time loops shows and movies that I've watched, the thing that stood out the most is it is not one or two people that are stuck in an endless loop. It's the entire office. In the sense that one by one, all of the office members are working together to figure out what caused this them to end up in this predicament.

Although there is no great murder mystery or life they need to save, it is still good enough to make you curious. And it's fun to see how each person goes around trying to convince the other about the time loop.

I was at a tad disadvantage as none of the text nor the scenes of the manga pages were translated. Although it was visually beautiful, I was watching quite cluelessly. If there are more complete subs in the near future, I'll attempt to rewatch the portions I missed out on and adjust my review as well.

It's not a long film and if you enjoy time loops, you can certainly give this one a try.

Read More

Very Slow and Doesn't Achieve Its Goal

The first episode started off fine but in between Heartbeat started to drag a lot. I disliked watching the struggle of the teokbokki restaurant owning vampire and the tarot card reading vampire. Man Hwi and Rose were the most interesting support characters and I liked them the best. I enjoyed scenes with them in it the most as well.

The show was about a vampire who wanted to experience his heart beating for love which is why he wanted to become human. I am not sure if we really got that. It seems the writers wrote themselves into a corner and decided the viewers will be satisfied with that. They could have done this same ending in fewer episodes and it would be less disappointing. It just made me glad that I binged a lot of the episodes together instead of watching weekly as it was not worth watching something this slow moving only for a semi-satisfying ending.

The main leads didn't even get enough romantic moments together. Too many distractions and running around. Second male lead and second female lead were also all right. I'd say most of the characters are very muted.

One can keep guessing if the ending was real or imagined. I thought it was just okay. Not what I had hoped for at least.

The comedy tag doesn't suit this show either. I can't remember one moment that I felt was funny.

If you like the leads, you might enjoy this series otherwise, it's best to pass. It's average.

Read More

Slow-moving and sparse

Lies Hidden In My Garden started off on a strong note. It even had a good build-up when it came to the suspense and a couple of decent plot twists. But when you look at it by the end, you are left feeling underwhelmed.

The story begins in a luxurious home where the husband is a doctor, the wife is a house-wife and they have a teenage son. They moved from the city into a suburb because the wife is unwell due to her dealing with her sister's untimely death. One day, the wife starts to smell a strange stench which her husband denies smelling.

On the flip side, there is another wife who lives in a shabby apartment with her abusive husband. She is pregnant. Her husband decides to take her to the doctor's house one day and meets with his wife. One the way to the house, she notices a phone in her husband's car with a bejeweled floral case that he attempts to hide. On arrival, from the car, she notices that both she and the doctor's wife wear the same scarf.

The issue with the plot began when it started to drag it's heels midway. There are literal moments of silence and slow responses and just staring. The reason being, there isn't much to the story. And despite that, questions were left unanswered such as the scarves both wives wore and the doctor's wife's sister's death. Why was she killed?

The ending was not amazing though the cinematography is. But visuals alone do not make for a great drama. I feel a bit misled. Still it has it's good moments and there is character development shown with the doctor's wife. I also enjoyed the mother and son's relationship even though it wasn't explored in great detail. I also appreciated the neighbour's character and the story behind her husband's death. All the actors also portrayed their characters well and created the much needed drama.

It's an intense series yet lacking. Good for a one time watch.

Read More