EarlGayTea
USA
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Either way, if you could take this for face value instead of trying to delve deeply into the story it can be really enjoyable and fun.
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Anyway, lets start with the good. Shin Min Ah delivered an amazing performance as per usual. I definitely believed her as Kang Joo Eun. She delivered the weird and quirky personality so well. Yoo In Young was great as Oh Soo Jin. I especially loved when the two were on screen together. They worked so well as friends to rivals to friends.
I really loved Henry's character as well. He was fun and definitely helped add comedic moments to otherwise too intense ones. His acting wasn't amazing, but since he wasn't on screen too much it didn't really bother me.
The soundtrack was really good too. Several of the songs got stuck in my head and I never found them annoying. They cycled threw a few different songs so it wasn't constantly the same verse anytime there was an influx in emotion.
I also loved the cute, fluffy moments between the main couple. They were adorable and I'm pretty sure they're the reason I even finished it. I'm a sucker for really good fluff and Kang Joo Eun and Kim Yeong Ho provided tooth aching, cotton candy filled fluff whenever they could.
Now the not so good, the entire plot. I was extremely uncomfortable from the very beginning with how Yeong Ho was constantly shaming Joo Eun for her weight. An especially hard concept for me to take was the "your body is mine" thing he said throughout the first few episodes. I get that show was trying to promote being healthy but I think they went about it in a way that could be harmful.
It was too long. The last two episodes were completely unnecessary. the amount of repeated scenes from previous episodes had me skipping through them almost completely. And the two little "plot twists" they threw in in the last 5 minutes of the show were completely unnecessary.
Despite all this, I still mostly enjoyed watching the drama if only for the cuteness of the OTP, the side characters, and the general humor in the show.
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Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas
5 people found this review helpful
The actors definitely didn't disappoint. I loved every single one of them. The acting was superb and they really sold the drama for me.
That being said. I was severely disappointed with the ending. To the point where I ended up just skipping through the last 2 episodes.
The drama turned out nothing like any of the synopses would lead you to believe and I also feel like that's what lent itself to my disappointment in the plot. Even from the very first episode it wasn't anything I had imagined but the story line did get rather predictable by the 3rd episode and that's coming from someone who doesn't watch these kinds of dramas.
If you do want to watch it (and you should if only for the actors) go to it with an open mind and try not to build it up too much.
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All of the "psychology" in this is utter bullshit. It is, thankfully, better than what It's Okay That's Love considers psychology. It also treats psychological illnesses better than It's Okay That's Love did. But both are equally garbage at actual representation of mental illness. Don't @ me about this. I am mentally ill, have taken several psychology courses, and know what real psychology looks like. Neither of these shows is right about it. This show is just slightly more right than IOTL.
The main male lead was unlikable at best and unethical and sleazy at worst. I never rooted for him. The female doctor (can you tell I couldn't be bothered to remember names) was annoying. Especially the way the actress spoke. I don't know if that was actually the actress's voice or the way she chose to portray the character but it was SO grating. I also don't really care for Sung Joon as an actor at all. I've never finished a show of his besides this one.
So what, you might ask, did I like about this drama? I loved Hye Rim. I found her spunky and unique. I love me a good female character who's in her late 20s to 30s. She felt like the same character the whole way through. I saw some people were mad that she suddenly lost her incredible insight about people when it came to the three men approaching her, but honestly it never felt like she looked at any of them that hard. She was just having fun. The one man who did successfully lie to her knew how to manipulate her senses. Then when he was breaking on that, she wanted to believe the lies. It makes sense.
I also enjoyed most of the side characters and sub plots. They were cute and decently developed. I did find it weird that all three of the experiment subjects ultimately ended up liking Hye Rim. I also found the female doctor and the second male lead's relationship really weird and off putting but in it's own way heart warming, I guess.
Still, this drama hit a few buttons and I found myself unable to stop watching it. But I found myself bored and skipping scenes a lot. I don't recommend this drama. Don't watch it. Save your time and watch something actually good. I would give this lower stars, but because I did have SOME enjoyment I think setting it at a 4/10 is where I'm going to have to leave it.
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What I Liked:
I enjoyed the somewhat new character in Yi Ryeong. She had her convictions, she was raised in the mountains, and doesn't know a lot about the city but didn't really let that stop her from saying and being what she wanted.
The premise for the story typically hits a spot with me in regards to dramas. I love cheesy cliche rom coms.
The pace of the drama was also nice. Just when I started getting bored it would pick up or close a plot line and open a new one.
The humor but only in the last 5 or so episodes. Those last few eps actually had me laughing out loud at some moments.
What I didn't like:
The humor in the first 15 episodes. I don't understand why they thought it'd be hilarious to have the humor men just yelling loudly and yet somehow under their breath but that was the "comedy" in the first 15 episodes.
Everything about Choi Sae Hoon. He embodies the male lead in dramas from 2008-2014. He's entitled and mean and demanding. You still see this in current dramas but I think it's milder than earlier dramas and definitely milder than this character. I was kind of rooting for Yi Ryeong to be like nah and live her life happily with her aunt.
Overall, I think this will fade completely from my memory but it was enjoyable for the majority of the watch.
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I think my overall favorite thing about this drama is that each character was SO believable as a real person. I could believe Baek Se was real and how she dealt with her illness felt real. Some people don't want to dwell to deeply on it and would rather live life and I think she portrayed that kind of person perfectly. The only character that wasn't all that believable was Ji Seol Woo and honestly, he was in it so little as a character that it didn't matter.
The story itself was somehow both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
I can't say too much more without spoiling but overall for a webdrama that will take about 2 hours to watch the whole thing it was definitely worth it. It's obviously not going to be the best drama out there but I'd say it's one of the best webdramas I've seen.
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Han Yeo Reum needed to make up her goddamn mind. I'm honestly glad for how it ended. I think if it had gone differently I would have given this drama a much lower rating. I'm not here for cheating on your SO stories which is essentially what this was. She cheated on Nam Ha Jin emotionally when Kang Tae Ha reappeared in her life.
For me the acting was pretty good. But I'm probably biased. I am Eric trash. I will watch anything he's in honestly. Sung Joon has improved since Flower Boy Band where I found him completely unwatchable. Jung Yoo Mi was cute and believable.
The music wasn't awful but it also wasn't great. I'd describe it as forgettable honestly. And I would never consider rewatching this drama. Maybe a scene or two but never the whole thing again.
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Honestly, there's so much to love about this drama. It's not overly tropey. The characters act their age most of the time. Misunderstandings aren't major plot points. It has some cheesy moments but what drama doesn't.
I equally love all the characters. They feel like real people going about their lives. They have flaws but what person doesn't.
I could go on for ages about what I love about this drama. But what it comes down to is that for it's the perfect drama. I've rewatched it several times and each time I find new things to love.
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This review may contain spoilers
Spark was a cute little watch. You know exactly what you're getting going into. A short, cliche feel good drama. It's not great but it's not bad. The acting isn't great but it isn't bad. Overall, it's just a short watch to put you in a good mood and deliver some fluff. I couldn't really ask more of a show that's 12 15-minute episodes. The biggest failing for me honestly was the whole bit in the first episode about Ha Neul pooping in the bushes. I get that digestive humor is a big part of Korean humor but dear god am I sick of it. I mostly just find it annoying and I'm hoping this weird bit of humor starts to fade out.
I also think the ending and character motives could have been a little more clear. Especially with two specific characters though I won't go into more detail to avoid spoilers. I know it's hard with a drama that's so short but some actions by character's were definitely completely out of left field. There was absolutely no set up for things they did.
Like I said, I can't complain too much. I knew exactly what I was getting into and it was exactly what I wanted from it. A cute little rom com that I could finish in a couple hours.
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Either way this drama is a must watch. I would give this a trigger warning for violence especially against females.
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This review may contain spoilers
This little drama was cute and heartbreaking. I swear I cried for the entirety of episodes 4-8. I loved seeing the story from both characters perspectives. I really enjoyed watching Yoo Tak's character development. It's amazing how much they were able to show in such short episodes.
The storyline was super interesting as well. I definitely wasn't expecting anything that happened. I won't say anything more so there's not spoilers. But there was no predicting this drama honestly.
What did fall a little short was L's acting. He's definitely gotten better but it was still a little hammed up. Especially in the first two episodes. I just didn't find it very believable.
I also think episode 3 dragged a little bit story wise. It almost made me drop the drama. For a drama with a very short episode length and not a lot of episodes. It felt like they were wasting times and being a little too repetitive. But episode 4 and the rest of the drama definitely made getting past that worth it.
Overall, this was a cute, quick, and heartbreaking watch with a deliciously open ended final episode.
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Taecyeon's improved a ton in his acting from Cinderella Sister and Dream High and I'm excited to see the improvement. I've never seen anything with Kim So Hyun but I was absolutely delighted with her. I did find the age gap between the two actors a bit of a concern. So Hyun is only 17 when this is being filmed and Taecyeon was 27.
The music was okay but I don't think I'll be listening to it again. It never got annoying though. But nothing was very memorable about it either.
Honestly the shining light of this drama is In Rang and Cheon Sang (played by Lee David and Kang Ki Young respectively). Their friendship was both hilarious and sweet. I found myself laughing whenever they were on screen.
This show would have been better if it embraced the campy, fun feel instead of attempting to make it overly suspenseful with weird sound effects and dragging out the plot.
Still I really enjoyed watching this drama. It's fun and cute.
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What I liked:
The story
It was cliched and trope-y but still utterly engrossing. I'm not sure I'll ever tire of contract relationships. I also thoroughly love the whole person a took care of person b in time of need and now person b is utterly in love and doesn't know what to do with themselves.
The characters
Cha Yeon Soo actually kept her spunk. These days I'm so used to spunky female leads becoming doormats the instant they start falling for the male lead but that thankfully never happened to Yeon Soo! I've also never seen a character that was a vet before it was super interesting and I really believed that Yeon Soo loved her job and loved animals.
I also liked the plethora of side characters. Both the little brothers were great. The actors playing them had better acting than the leads in my opinion so they were a delight every time they were on screen.
The shortness
Like I mentioned, web dramas are great because they're short. I never felt like the story was weighted down with filler. We got exactly what we needed from each 0 minute episode.
What I didn't like:
Lee Kang Hoon
He embodies everything wrong with kdramas when writing male leads. He's controlling and demanding. He always has to have things his way and there's never any character development. There were several times where this character alone almost made me drop the drama. I'm so sick of alpha male bullshit in kdramas and I hope this is a dying trend.
The acting
So far, I've loved Sung Hoon in everything I've seen him in (especially Oh My Venus) but here he was just....not good. Kim Jae Kyung is also my favorite member of Rainbow so I was hoping she would do well. However, both of them weren't that great. They had moments and they definitely had chemistry. But their acting ranged from over the top to stiff to mediocre. I found a lot of the side characters had better acting than these too which is a down right shame.
Overall
I think this was a cute little watch and I'd recommend it if you're in the mood for a cliche feel good drama. You know exactly what you're getting when you watch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
On paper, this drama looks like just another contract marriage/dating rom com, which is honestly what I was expecting and in the mood for, but it exceeded all expectations I had of it honestly.Let's start with how it subverts drama tropes and stereotypes. I won't give any spoilers but there are many aspects--second male and female leads, subplots, secondhand romances--that never played out the way I was expecting. Instead, the show mostly turned these around and twisted them so that even if I predicted what would happen, I could never predict the outcome. It was so refreshing and fun.
Second, I never got bored. I've watched over 80 dramas. I usually get bored with some aspect of a drama I watch. That never happened with 1 Percent of Something. Even in spots where the show could have gotten boring, I think the biggest factor in helping this show is the 40 minute episodes. This helped keep the show from getting stale or putting in a lot of filler. Each minute had to mean something and helped keep me engaged with the characters.
Which leads me to my third point: the characters! They were so alive and engaging! I loved all of them. Even the second male and female leads which is honestly a hard feat for me. They were all so real. I felt like I could call them up and they would be real people instead of creations of the writers' minds. It was absolutely amazing. The characters were flawed but had so many redeeming qualities. I didn't even think the jerk chaebol was THAT big of a jerk. It was so incredibly nice to watch.
My last point: The most realistic version of hate to love I've ever seen. You get to watch the main characters slowly fall for each other over a series of small moments. It doesn't feel forced. You watch as they interact on the terms of the contract and slowly start caring for one another. It's obvious in their actions and what they say that they're both falling. Nothing feels out of the blue. Jae Inn is able to redeem himself slowly and even learns from his mistakes and doesn't continually treat Da Hyun as garbage like a lot of dramas will do (coughheirscoughcough).
There were some not so great things. The small plot lines about Da Hyun being the president of Ji Su's fan club wasn't my favorite thing. But it was cute and added to her character. The music was just okay. It was nothing that got stuck in my head or that I'll ever listen to again later but it worked well in the drama.
Overall, this is definitely going to get added to my favorite dramas list. I am a little worried about rewatch value since a lot of my enjoyment came from being surprised. That's why I've marked it a 7. When I eventually feel like watching it again, I might update this number/review. We'll see.
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