Another Frustrating Romeo and Juliet Story

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Sorry, but I really hate Romeo and Juliet, so keep that in mind.

Acting/Cast: This is the first area that began nagging at me. I wasn't a fan of the female lead's acting. It felt stiff. Even the male lead's acting felt a bit stiff. Maybe it's a lack of chemistry between the leads. I was never able to fully get on board with their relationship. Really, they hardly know each other. I thought the side characters did good though. The strongest performance was probably from the 2nd female lead. The male lead's mom stands out to me too. 4.5/10

Writing: The drama started strong with an entertaining premise (although cliché). However, once the plot took a turn and became depressing and angsty, it quickly became frustrating and predictable as well. Yes, I get it's a tragedy, but the entire drama was just a bunch of characters continually making horrible decisions. If the plot requires a death of a major character, at least don't let the cause of their death be their own fault. It's not as much of a tear-jerking moment otherwise. I thought the second female lead ultimately had a more interesting story with a lot more potential (although she was pretty annoying in the first half), but unfortunately none of the plot points in her story were expounded. With her character, it was just dead end after dead end. She was even completely abandoned by the writers at the drama's conclusion in favor of the main storyline. Another issue I had with the writing was the plot line between the female lead and her father. It was predictable and unrealistic, which kept me from being able to connect with the female lead. Also, the male lead's father didn't make sense to me - a really abusive and seemingly psychotic, power hungry dude that sees his family members as objects, suddenly develops feelings and a sense of familial love. Throughout the entire drama they kept emphasizing how much he doesn't give a crap about them, so the sudden drastic change at the end left me trying to rationalize his behavior in my head. On a positive note, me favorite aspect of this drama was the storyline with the kids. I liked how their friendship developed as well as the character development of the male lead's little brother. Ugh...it's so frustrating because there were so many interesting facets that either weren't explored enough or weren't explored at all. 2/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama did have an old vibe to it, which seems completely intentional because it takes place in 1980. I don't like the style though. I loved Snowdrop, which takes place in 1987, and that drama feels like it has a much higher production value without feeling too modern. The OST is fine, but it's not my style either. 5/10

Entertainment Value: It was fairly entertaining. I had no desire to drop it, but I also put off finishing it and watched other dramas instead. I had a good idea of how it was going to play out, so I wasn't too bothered about finishing the drama quickly. I had a hard time connecting with the leads, but there were other characters that I was interested in. Too bad the writers weren't as interested in those other characters. In the first half of the drama, the leads were more compelling to watch, but in the second half everyone else became more compelling to watch. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4/10 mainly due to my hatred for Romeo and Juliet and how frustrating everything was. Oh gosh... the game of hot potato at the end with that damn watch was so annoying.

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Perfect Male Lead, Undeserving Female Lead

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I held off writing this review because this drama disappointed me so much. I probably would have ranted a lot about the female lead. Now that I've calmed down, I'll try to keep this short.

Acting/Cast: The cast and acting were great. No complaints here. Watching the male lead (정해인) in particular made me think that he really is a top tier actor, as I compare him to some male leads I've seen in other dramas. 10/10

Writing: The first half of the drama was amazing. The way that the relationship was built and how it evolved. It was so cute. I usually stay away from age gap romances, but this one made me feel like it could actually work. I was becoming a believer. Their chemistry and the writing was making me believe in them and root for them when society would find their relationship weird and taboo. That is until about midway through, the female lead begins making a series of stupid decisions with no end in sight. Seriously, everything she did made things worse. It would have been better if she went into a coma for 5 years instead. It was almost as though she was intentionally trying to ruin everything (her life, her career, her relationships) and cause drama. I'll give an example (it's one of the early bad decisions & I'll try to be vague): She gets into a clearly dangerous situation with her ex, where she could have pressed charges against him. But instead, she continues to communicate with him like she's a naïve 14 year old girl and even GETS INTO HIS CAR (keep in mind this is a 35 year old woman with a boyfriend getting into her ex's car who has a recent history of emotional instability and violence). Then, after surviving an even scarier and more traumatizing situation that she had gotten herself into, she still acts like her ex is her friend and tries to shake his hand. It was so strange...I was bewildered by her behavior. This is why I think she may have been intentionally causing drama, because it just doesn't make sense. Maybe the writers were trying to emphasize how much of a doormat she is? But, it just gets worse from there. Her mental age continues to regress, all while trying to convince the audience that she's growing and becoming a better person. Meanwhile, the 25 year old male lead continues to be perfect. He's definitely the more mature person in the relationship to the point where the mental maturity of the two are greatly contrasted. The way she treats her boyfriend and her best friend...I couldn't believe it. She had become incredibly selfish and ended up completely thro- Ok I need to stop before I spoil anything. Let's just say, by the end, I wasn't rooting for her anymore. She didn't deserve such a perfect relationship with the male lead. 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I love the tone, the vibe, the camera work style of the drama. It had that charm that draws me back in and invades my thoughts. The OST is nice on it's own, but it was entirely in English which felt a bit strange. However, what really irked me was how repetitive and obnoxious the music became. The same loud English lyrics would replay over and over. 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: The first half was great. I was excited to watch the next episode. However, the female lead became progressively worse over time. It was frustrating to watch. Notice I haven't mentioned anything about the mom. That's because the female lead is the real problem. The mom was just there to cause a conflict for the leads to overcome. I get it. 3/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. The ultimate ending wasn't terrible. Yes, it was pretty unsatisfying how certain plot points ended, but watching the downward trend from midway through to the end of the drama was worse than the ending itself. What I'm trying to say is that relatively speaking, it ultimately ended on a high note in comparison to the events leading up to it. I know that's not saying much, but at least there's a tiny bit of light at the end of this tunnel.

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Side Characters Carried This Boring Drama

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I normally don't watch these kinds of dramas - a drama with a fanfic type plot that appeals to teen girls - but I want to see Jang Gi Yong (장기용) in main roles. He was awesome in My Ajusshi playing a scary loan shark, but he had limited screen time. All of the main roles I've seen him in so far after that, he's played the same character type - stoic, no emotion, robotic. I don't know why he seems to be only playing these roles now, after he did so well with his character in My Ajusshi. Maybe he was afraid to be typecasted as a villain?

Acting/Cast: The promising cast is deceiving. Yes, the acting was good and the humor was good, but the story itself was so boring that the cast and their acting couldn't save it. I thought the two leads were the weakest in this area. Maybe it's more of a writing/directing issue though. The male lead was the "stoic" type which a lot of times (in badly written dramas) means that they can't convey emotions well and makes for a boring watch. It's difficult to write and portray a good stoic character, but it's not impossible (Terius Behind Me male lead, My Ajusshi male and female leads). The female lead's character building in the beginning gave me false hope - that she was going to be a distinct and unique female lead. She started out that way but by the end, I was annoyed by how she talks and acts, specifically with the male lead -- It felt too childish. The side characters were great, however, and I really just wanted to watch them. 7/10

Writing: The plot itself is pretty boring. There's not much to it. The fantasy element really didn't add much, since it became a simple cohabitation plot and a college romcom plot. There was this really annoying back and forth regarding the relationship between the two leads that made me want them to just give up on the whole human and fox love story and be with their own kind. They kept stressing how the male lead is "just an animal" as if he is literally a fox and that he's a super old man...so that made me feel weird about the leads being together romantically. He felt more like her guardian rather than a potential love interest. I also love love triangles when they're done right. This is also something that is difficult to do, but not impossible (Cheer Up, True Beauty, The King In Love). This drama had a weak love triangle, so much so that it was completely pointless for it to be included. Literally, it was only used to make the male lead jealous. It was clear that there was no way the female lead would even consider the second male lead. I actually felt bad for the second male lead and thought that he could possibly be a better match for the female lead than the male lead. Also, why make the female lead a history buff and not use it in a meaningful way for the story? So pointless... 1/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I want to blame the acting of the two leads on the direction. The music is nothing special. SFX was ok I guess. There was a stupid scene in a sauna involving ice powers for some reason...That might have been when I started really losing interest. The sauna scene in Episode 9 is a good marker for the beginning of the decline. 1/10

Entertainment Value: It was decent up until episode 9 when it first started going downhill. Then, when the red string was added in at episode 10 and the weak love triangle was created, I was just annoyed. I kept watching hoping that maybe there would be some unexpected twist. I almost dropped this drama at episode 13, but I decided to continue watching to see what would happen with the side characters. I should have dropped it though. 1/10

Overall, it was tough to give this a final rating. I ended up giving this drama a 2.5/10. I can't help but compare it with Tale of the Nine-Tailed, which I gave a 3/10. I didn't like Tale of The Nine-Tailed either, but I never considered dropping it like I did with this drama. The nine-tailed foxes in Tale of The Nine-Tailed were much more interesting characters with a certain kind of charm and with more interesting lore.

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Emotionally Heavy With Endearing Characters

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I saw that this drama had won awards, so I thought “why not?” I was in the mood to cry.

Acting/Cast: Park Bo Young (박보영) is hit or miss for me, but in this drama, she is a hit. Portraying mental health issues must be difficult, but I think everyone did a great job. I really liked the male lead (the surgeon). He was an interesting character with a quirky personality. I don’t think I’ve seen a male lead quite like him before, so I enjoyed watching his character. I also liked the patient that the female lead befriends - Kim Seo Wan played by Noh Jae Won (노재원). His acting was amazing; he felt like a real person, which is vital in allowing the audience to really be able to connect with him. Without him and his performance, I think this drama would have received much lower ratings. 10/10

Writing: I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I thought this drama was going to be a formulaic show that focuses on a new patient each episode. Nope. This drama focuses on the female lead and her own mental health. I was thrown off. It was a pleasant surprise because I can’t stand those formulaic shows. It was strange though, because this drama goes from quirky and goofy to extremely dark…some of the most depressing stuff I’ve seen in a Korean drama. I wasn’t complaining since I tend to enjoy darker themes with a focus on psychological aspects such as depression and suicide. Since the writers went in that direction, I think the story line of the female lead’s best friend - Song Yu Chan played by Jang Dong Yoon (장동윤) – was too much. I think it was a waste of time and unnecessary to the main plot. The character itself is fine, it’s just his storyline that I thought was weak. Instead of wasting time on his storyline, I think that they should have given more attention to the female lead’s storyline. Her storyline felt unresolved and even rushed at times. I felt the pacing was off and that, as a viewer, I was getting emotionally whipped around way too much. I think that giving more time to the female lead would have helped slow down the pacing a bit. I don't like how her storyline felt incomplete, as well, and left me unsatisfied with the ending. However, I think this drama portrayed the psychology of a depressed person very well. I was pleasantly surprised by that. 5.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I see that viewers have been comparing this drama to It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. I didn’t see a resemblance. I found myself comparing this drama to The Atypical Family (which has a mental health plot disguised as a superhero plot.) It had a similar quirky vibe that feels somewhat fantastical. The music, in particular, reminded me of The Atypical Family, which gives this drama a sort of eerie vibe, too. I didn’t know what to make of the plot because of these things; I was getting mixed messages. However, the uncertainty kept me engaged. Was it going to suddenly turn dark? Will it turn into a fantasy? Will it turn into a thriller? I think this confusion actually helped me identify with the female lead more though. I also have to say that the CGI in this drama is pretty impressive. 6.5/10

Entertainment Value: I was highly entertained while watching. The strangeness of the drama, although confusing, was entertaining to me. I liked the characters. I liked the darkness of the plot. However, I can say I was disappointed by the ending. Actually, I didn’t even realize it had ended. I though it was going to have 16 episodes. At the end of the last episode, I thought it was just segueing into the next episode. Maybe they did it that way to leave it open for a season 2? At any rate, I wasn’t ready for the drama to end - the fault of which lies with problems regarding the drama’s writing (pacing issues and not enough time spent on the female lead’s story). Unfortunately, unsatisfying endings can do quite a bit of damage to the lasting memorability of a drama. 6.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 7/10. A pretty solid rating for me (anything 6 and above is in the recommended zone). Not a perfect drama, but highly entertaining. I cried A LOT watching this drama. It is extremely emotionally heavy, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you aren’t prepared to get really sad. Man…I almost felt like I was experiencing what the female lead was going through. I can’t say anything more because I don’t want to spoil it.

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A Unique and Engaging Take On Relatable Problems

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I wanted to watch this drama because of Jang Ki Yong (장기용). I loved his acting in My Ahjusshi, but it seems he's only played emotionless, stoic characters since (I hate it...). Except maybe Born Again; that drama was alright. So, I was interested to see how he'd do in this drama, although I didn't have high hopes.

Acting/Cast: I felt like Jang Ki Yong (장기용) actually played a unique character in this drama. I'm so proud. Everyone did great. I wasn't previously too familiar with any of the other actors in this drama, but everyone exceeded my expectations. I would say the acting of Park So Yi (박소이), the male lead's daughter, stood out to me the most. Her character felt very realistic and I personally related to her a lot. Kim Soo Hyun's (김수현) character came across as a bit annoying and over-the-top in the first half of the drama, but even she grew on me as her character grew. I really liked watching viewers cry about the female lead not being a perfect, sweet angel. Con artist male leads are fine but con artist female leads are unthinkable? Thank you for a unique female lead with an actual personality and character growth. However, I kind of wish they leaned more into the bad girl aspect of her character though. Don't be afraid to make an immoral female lead; that way, seeing her character growth will be more rewarding in end. 8.5/10

Writing: The plot is on point. Such an interesting premise -- a depiction of common issues that regular people face, but expressed metaphorically through a family with super powers. I also really like how the writers didn't explain the metaphors to us, therefore preserving this drama's intelligent writing. However, the male lead did talk about having depression a little too much. Saying it once was enough. Also, the food-addicted sister was a bit much with the scenes of her stuffing her face with food. However, I like how the story unfolded; it didn't become predictable. The characters were written well. Each character had notable character growth throughout the drama. The time jump towards the end was jarring. I'm not even quite sure how big of a jump it was. It seemed like it was only a few months, but the weight loss was too severe for it to be that short...so it just confused the hell out of me. Also, the sudden romance at the end should have been hinted at throughout the drama in order to make it more cute and believable. The dance club plot point with the dad seemed like it came out of nowhere, too, as if it was only used to further the main plot. I felt that as the drama was wrapping up, a certain character had too sudden of a change. It was too idealistic for my taste. In reality, a tiger tends to not change its stripes, especially that quickly. In other words, the ending was too happy in contrast to the rest of the drama. However, the ultimate ending between the two leads was beautifully written. 7.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama is well-produced with a vibe somewhat reminiscent of a Tim Burton film (a bit gloomy, a bit cartoonish, a bit eccentric). The SFX wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either. A lot of fire in this drama and some flying - both are effects that seem to be more difficult to get looking right. I can say though that I was highly impressed with the quality of the fat suit and makeup. It looked very real. The OST is just as unique as the rest of the drama. It adds to the drama's quirkiness. 9/10

Entertainment Value: This drama kept me guessing until the very end with its unique plot and cast of characters. I think a huge reason why this drama was so entertaining is because it's so different from anything I've seen in the K-drama world. It's slightly controversial, it's deep, it's relatable, and the leads aren't your typical romcom leads. I watched this as it aired along with Lovely Runner and I was so surprised at how much I was enjoying two airing dramas at once. It has really been a good year for K-dramas so far. 10/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 9/10. All in all, I was very impressed by this drama. In the beginning, I was so shocked that I was enjoying it, that I kept looking through comments and reviews to see if anyone else was feeling the same way (and they were). This drama also pulled on my heartstrings a lot as I personally related to the struggles that multiple characters were going through, especially the daughter. I definitely recommend this drama to anyone who wants to watch a very different take on a romcom, family healing drama.

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Cute, Simple, Cheesy

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Among short, surface-level romances, this drama is one of the better ones. Despite its MANY flaws, it was a nice binge watch.

Acting/Cast: This is probably the strongest category. Good cast and acting. The secondary love story was nice to watch, as well. The male lead was great, even though I found myself wishing it was Hyun Bin instead, but obviously he's too big of an actor to play in a drama like this. Maybe I was just thinking about Memories of the Alhambra too much...8/10

Writing: Maybe it would have been better if it had more episodes. There would have been more time to flesh out characters and the pacing could have been improved. The drama felt very rushed and sloppy. For instance, when the male lead comes to the realization that he has feelings for the female lead, it seemed very sudden and I felt like I had missed a scene or something. A slow burn romance would have worked better with his personality type and both of their childhood traumas. Unfortunately, like I said before, not enough time for that. I would have also liked to see more of the growth of the relationship between the male lead and the AI over the years of his life. Also, the ending was too...childish? Immature? Idealistic? With the premise of the plot being about AI, loneliness, and being disconnected from people, the writers could have went really deep with the psychological issues and the effects of these technologies on human relationships and the world. It could have taught the audience a profound moral message. However, the drama barely scratched the surface of these aspects. It seems like a waste of a plot that could have taught us so much. But I guess if they wanted the vibe to stay more on the cute and cuddly side , they succeeded. To me though, it feels too childish, too simple. I like it when dramas can really get me thinking. 2/10

Direction/SFX/Music : The SFX was good for the most part. There was one scene where the green screen looked terrible, but that's about it. The direction could have been better; scenes could have been cut better to illustrate emotional build up and help the audience connect with the leads. For instance, the scene where the male lead sees his mom for the first time since childhood. The camera should have been on his face for most of that scene, especially his initial reaction. I don't need to see his mom; I don't have an emotional connection with her--I need to see HIM see his mom and then his acting would be a tearjerker moment for the audience. As for the OST, it's pretty good. It wasn't good enough to enhance the drama on its own, but still good. 4.5/10

Entertainment Value: It was a quick watch that was able to keep me interested throughout. The lightness of it was the most boring thing about it to me. There was stupid romance stuff like running in the woods, having a panic attack, and now the male lead needs to carry her on his back. It made me roll my eyes. But, luckily it was mostly toward the end where I was getting annoyed. The ending itself really annoyed me though--very cliché. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4.5 out of 10 due to it's superficiality, rushed story-telling, and cheesiness. I found myself comparing it to Are You Human, Too? (a similar sci-fi plot about AI) and I had liked that one much more (I had given Are You Human, Too? a 5 out of 10). I also couldn't help but compare it to Memories of the Alhambra (a sci-fi about augmented reality becoming real), which is miles better than both My Holo Love and Are You Human, Too? (I had given Memories of the Alhambra a 6.5 out of 10).

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Enjoyed The Novelty But Can’t Recommend

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I was immediately excited to watch this because it’s a Park Shin Hye (박신혜) drama. Also, she’d be playing a completely different type of character than I’m used to seeing. I was so interested in this idea because I think Park Shin Hye is a pretty bad actress (not the worst, but she’s down there) and I really want to see her improve. She was the lead female in the first K-drama I’ve ever watched (The Heirs), so there’s a sense of nostalgia when I watch her.

Acting/Cast: I am happy to say Park Shin Hye killed it (pun intended). Her character was by far the most entertaining aspect of this drama. I already knew she could do action, which is a huge thing for me. So, I figured that was a big reason why she got this role. She did great with the action as well as the acting. Her sidekick was also a well-acted character. I like who they cast to play Bael. That was a nice surprise. My biggest issue in this category is the male lead. I don’t remember ever seeing him in anything else, so, unfortunately, I can only gauge his acting off this drama alone. It was terrible. I could not tell at all how he was feeling by looking at his face except for when he was literally crying. He looked like he was daydreaming, honestly. He had zero chemistry with Park Shin Hye’s character. It was a bit cringey. He wasn’t half-bad in the beginning though…what went wrong? 5/10

Writing: It’s all over the place. I feel like this drama switches the plot on us multiple times. Characters are introduced and done away with quickly. Things happen that don’t make any sense. The lore doesn’t even make sense. Characters change their minds suddenly to suit the direction in which the writers decide to take the plot. I think what people like about this drama is the revenge aspect. It’s brutal revenge, as well. Park Shin Hye’s character doesn’t do things by the books (unlike most K-dramas), but instead tortures and kills the murderers. In K-drama world, she’s only allowed to get away with this as a female lead because she is already evil and it’s her job as a demon. Loop holes… Anyway, the male lead is a cop and a human, so he can’t take revenge in this way because it would make him “evil”. So basically he just ends up taking a backseat for the duration of the drama. If he doesn’t physically do it, even though he’s not stopping someone else from doing it, he’s still good. What a cop out… (I’m usually not this punny. I swear.) He’s just there to watch along with us I guess. I usually like revenge type plots, but I didn’t feel this one was very satisfying. Especially, the judgments on the murderers who weren’t part of the main storyline. I don’t know these people. I haven’t had enough time to emotionally connect with their victims. I don’t want to see them get tortured. Honestly, even if I was able to emotionally connect…I still don’t like seeing that stuff. I think the revenge in The Glory was really satisfying because she outsmarted them and got them to destroy themselves and each other. And in Revenge of Others (another satisfying revenge drama), the vigilante tortured perpetrators because the law was letting them get away scot-free. He also wasn’t killing them afterward, so they had a chance to repent or be punished by the law as well. Plus, the drama allowed us to fully connect with the victims before enacting revenge. In The Judge From Hell, I also really didn’t like something that happened near the end. I can’t say too much but… we watch revenge dramas because we want a feeling of justice being carried out, wrongs being righted, and we root for the victims and underdogs. There was a victim in this story (this person wasn’t “good”, but still a victim) that was robbed of that and there was really no reason for it. It’s like they just threw it in there because the writers wanted as much death as possible or something. I was a little perturbed during the last couple episodes because of this. 1.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: Scene cuts felt jarring at times, but I realized it was just the style. They would jump ahead and then backtrack to show the events leading up. The special effects are well done and the soundtrack, although it wasn't quite my style, is distinct and adds personality to the drama. 8/10

Entertainment Value: Now that I’m thinking about it, this drama really has Tale of the Nine-Tailed vibes. The plot is all over the place, it has interesting characters that bring a sort of charm to the drama, one lead is great while the other is terrible, and there is no chemistry between the leads. For me, this drama was a lot more fun to watch though. I never felt like dropping it. Although, I did get annoyed toward the end.
6/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5/10. It felt like going to an amusement park and buying an overpriced, not-so-great souvenir. It was a fun time and the souvenir’s purpose, although underwhelming, is just to help us remember the good memories we had that day. I definitely would not recommend this if you want to watch a good romance and/or you dislike violence and gore. However, I would recommend it if you like watching Park Shin Hye. It’s the best acting I’ve seen from her.

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A Makjang That's Nothing Special

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

This one is pretty tame for a Makjang. It's not bad but very forgettable.
By the way, I am not familiar with the webtoon this drama is based on.

Acting/Cast: Most of the casting was fine. Even the male lead grew on me. He always plays these types of characters though. I'd say the worst character is the 2nd female lead (the female lead's sister). I felt like she was unrealistic and over-the-top. Her acting is probably the worst. The female lead's acting isn't great in the beginning either but I think she improved through the course of the drama. No interesting characters really... The villains are lame. My favorite character was the male lead's mother played by Lee Mi Sook (이미숙). 4/10

Writing: The plot is interesting and the writing isn't terrible. I was just expecting more craziness than what I was given. Not much for twists. Nothing super unexpected happened. No real roadblocks for the female lead. The villains are boring and unthreatening. It made for a stress-free watch though. The romance is surprisingly good (I say that because I normally don't like Sung Hoon's characters (방성훈). I felt the leads had chemistry and I like how the romance develops between them. I also liked that the female lead has an impressive talent. She kind of reminded my of the female lead in Love In Sadness (now that's a memorable drama). 3/10

Direction/SFX/Music: It has good pacing. The music is ok. One thing, that I'll mention here, that bugged me while watching was the styling of the male lead. They kept putting him in really baggy clothes that just makes it look like he's not wearing the right size...as though he just recently lost a lot of weight and hasn't had time to buy new clothes. But that was just a small personal gripe. 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: I stayed fairly entertained throughout the drama. I think I started to lose some interest toward the end when I realized nothing too crazy is ever going to happen. So, it was entertaining enough to get me through the drama once and fairly quickly. However, it's no where near entertaining enough to remember this drama let alone to want to watch it again. I actually forgot that I had finished this drama, which is why I'm writing this review a little late. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4/10. It's not bad, not good...just meh.

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Intense Feelings of Hopelessness

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I'll preface this by saying I am not a K-pop fan. I didn't even know a K-pop star was starring in this drama until I got near the end of the drama. And now that I know the lead female is a rookie actress and considering this drama is her first time playing a main role, I am impressed. Also, I will say that my all-time favorite K-drama is White Christmas, which is also a hostage plot, so this type of story is right up my alley.

Acting/Cast: I'd say one of the best things about this drama is the casting of the spies. Perfect casting, especially the male lead spy. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing that character. He has this innocent look about him, but he can also have an intimidating presence, which is essential for the role. His ability to convey emotions through his eyes and facial expressions was vital to the role, as well. I think everyone inside the dorm (for the most part) had good acting. I didn't even have a problem with the rookie female lead's acting. Those outside of the dorm are another story. I think the worst thing about this drama is Park Sung Woong (박성웅). I hated every time he was on screen. His acting was over-the-top obnoxious. My brain's reaction to his presence would be to automatically start tuning him out. I actively had to fight against it. Him, as well as others on the outside of the dorm, really brought an unwanted cheesiness to the drama, which actually has a very serious plot that I think should have been taken more seriously. 7/10

Writing: For the most part, the story is pretty well written. The foundation that was built in the beginning was very solid except for the two important ANSP agent characters. I didn't care about them at all in the beginning. I didn't know exactly what to expect with this story, so once the hostage situation began, I was shocked and hooked. I think the writing begins to get shaky toward the end. I kept thinking "I wish the female lead had more of a role." She was great in the first half. She felt like a realistic, but strong female lead. She was trying to fight back, figure things out, even manipulate others to save her friends. The only thing potentially unrealistic about her behavior would be that if I were in her situation, I would be deathly terrified of the male lead. I wouldn't even have been able to look him in the eyes. I'd be way too traumatized and ashamed about the whole thing. However, toward the end, it's as though the female lead becomes more of a background character who looks sad all the time and is silently hating herself. I wouldn't have been surprised if she had tried to take herself out at some point...I think that would have been realistic. I mean, it's a deeply depressing and traumatizing situation for her specifically. Another reason I thought the writing got shaky toward the end was because of the excessive twists. I don't think it was necessary to put in twists toward the end; the main plot itself is engaging and complex enough and should have been fully embraced as it was. Also, toward the end, the intense feelings of hopelessness that I felt from the whole situation had increased too much to where I was almost unable to see any light at all at the end of the story. I think that's a bit more of a personal taste - I need a certain amount of hope to keep me on the edge of my seat and not lose interest. On a positive note, the political aspect of the drama became more interesting to me as the story went on (usually stuff like that bores me) and the two ANSP agents became much more likeable. I found the politics in this drama to be very thought-provoking. What kinds of events in real life have governments and media worked together on to cover up or spin to win elections? 9/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama definitely had a higher quality of production, which I really look for. I will drop a drama 20 minutes in if the production quality isn't doing it for me. There are a lot of guns, bombs, blood, I love the set and the time period. The OST is okay. It didn't stick out too much for me. The only complaint I have here is that sometimes the music didn't fit the situation, especially in the beginning. There's a gun fight and blood and chaos but romantic sounding music is playing. How is this romantic? 9.5/10

Entertainment Value: I was hooked for a majority of the drama. I stopped watching other dramas to binge watch this one. It was only toward the end (maybe episode 14) that I wasn't exactly excited about watching it...more scared to watch it I guess. 9.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 9/10. It's rare that I ever rate a drama this high. I think this one won't soon be forgotten. I wish there had been more of a sole focus on the dynamics inside of the dorm, such as relationships between the girls, and how their personal bonds helped them to survive. This person being an ANSP agent or that person being a northern spy or this person doing something bad in the past or that person having some past connection that I don't care about -- to me it was just a bunch of unnecessary Korean drama clichés that didn't really add much to the plot.

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Unrealistic Plot Points, But Good Chemistry

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Every once in a while, I'll watch a melodrama. The plot seemed weird but interesting. This is also an older drama and those are nice to watch from time to time.

Acting/Cast: Decent cast with good acting. I think this drama's greatest strength is the chemistry between the two leads. The male leads acting is exceptionally well done. He was realistic and came across as being genuinely in love with the female lead. The female lead's speech pattern was strange. I guess it's her character, but she spoke so slowly that it was frustrating. It's like she's trying to sound poetic with everything she says. I had this same problem with the female lead in Born Again. Other than that, the acting was well done for all of the characters. 7/10

Writing: This drama didn't play out the way I wanted from the beginning. So, I wasn't really hoping for any particular ending. This story could end in one of three ways: Realistic ending (sick people die or everyone dies), Movie ending (person with the greatest sin dies as redemption or punishment), K-drama Ending (unrealistic and overly happy ending to appease fans). I was actually surprised by the ending they went with. And even more unexpected, I think viewers were mostly irritated by the ending. I didn't care though. The reason I didn't care is because of how I saw them treat the Secretary Wang situation. She did something so disgusting and criminal and everyone just brushes it off like it's no big deal. The female lead has got to have Stockholm Syndrome. That's the only way to explain it. What is everyone else's excuse though? Once I saw that shit going down, I was no longer invested in the drama. This drama does get frustrating because the female lead is so gullible, there's stupid things that happen (such as what happens with the loyal best friend and the secretary), and parts of the plot are weak (such as the villain's motives), but the writing surrounding the love story is actually very well done. This drama does have strong incest vibes and not just vibes...so it gets weird and uncomfortable, but only for a little bit. I know exactly what I would do to easily fix the issues I have with this drama. I'll add it at the end of this review since I think it'll be a bit of a spoiler. 4.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama had a really nice vibe. It was nostalgic to watch. It is a slower drama because it's a melodrama. I got halfway through and I thought 'how are they going to stretch this out for another 8 episodes?'. But they did it and they pulled it off surprisingly well, too. The music is definitely not my style - the overly romantic and dramatically sad type. It would make me laugh. 5/10

Entertainment Value: It took me a long time to get through this drama. It's a melodrama so it's supposed to be slow going. Despite it taking me so long, I preferred to watch this drama over the drama When The Phone Rings (which I've now dropped). I've never even thought about dropping this drama. Of course, with the change I would make to the plot, I think this drama would much more entertaining. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4.5/10. Things happen that would piss me off or make me roll my eyes. It gets too incest-y. The ending is...I don't even know what to say about that. But, there was something beautiful about this drama hidden amongst the junk.

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Spoilers Ahead

Ok now for my change to the plot. It's simple. I'd make it so that the female lead figures everything out very early on. Maybe even right away. However, she chooses to go along with it because she doesn't have much time left and he gives her the ability to experience things she was never able to experience. This way, they can have all the sexual tension without it feeling too incest-y. On top of that, the female lead would feel less pathetic and instead it would change the power dynamics in the household. Those that ran her life had all the power, and now because of her 'brother' entering the picture and her being the only one that knows truth about him, she now has the upper hand for once. Her 'brother' would also be unsure the entire time about whether or not his con has been compromised. (Even the audience could be unsure if she knows or not, which would be entertaining for us as well). Also, I'd make Secretary Wang pay for her crimes, naturally... I mean, wtf were the writers thinking??

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Childhood Connection Trope Done Right

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I loved Eom Tae Gu’s (엄태구) character and acting in Save Me 2, so I was happy to see him again. I was watching this drama while watching Dreaming of A Freaking Fairytale (which has a similar zany, cartoonish vibe and even share the same second male lead) and I ended up liking this drama more.

Acting/Cast: A great cast of characters. They’re all very distinct from one another but are believable as a family. I enjoyed getting to know all of them. I liked the leads a lot as well as the second male lead. I think they were the strongest actors. 7.5/10

Writing: I wasn’t sure how to feel about this drama in the beginning. I typically don’t like over-the-top cartoony style comedy, but this drama ended up being really cute. I was so impressed by the character building and relationship building. It was refreshing to see such good character development in a rom-com. I’m a bit of a sucker for “enemies to lovers” romances though. I like what they did with the second male lead’s character. It was different from how I expected it to go. Yes, a lot of dumb, cliché things happen in this drama, but the overall plot is really sad yet beautiful if you think about it. I really like the childhood connection trope in this drama. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it written as well as this. It’s really meaningful to the story; it isn’t just throw in. Also, their childhood connection isn’t why they love each other – they actually fall in love with who each other are in the present before finding out about their past connection. I can say that I didn’t like the ending. My only explanation for how it ended is that they’re leaving it open for a second season. I don’t think it needs one though, so I wish they would have wrapped up the drama well. They leave two hinted side love stories just hanging there with pretty much zero development. The main love story is left unfinished, too, which is unsatisfying. I also think the male lead needs to care more about his own life since there’s so many people that rely on him. Please stop taking L’s for psychotic unrepentant criminals. Sorry, I don’t find it sweet or heroic at all. Something I don’t like about dramas that are too sweet or feel-good is that they try to give redemption arcs to antagonists even when it doesn’t make sense for them to have one. Sometimes you just got to let the villains villain. 6/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama has a very cartoonish style. To put it in perspective, the main villain purposely acts and looks like the 90s cartoon version of Batman’s Joker. He even says “Why so serious?” if anyone had still been wondering who he’s doing a parody of. The drama also has a vintage feel, as if I were watching something from 2016 or earlier. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, as well. I actually thought I would end up dropping this drama because of all these reasons; it’s not the type of drama I usually watch. However, the exceptional writing saved it. The music is decent. There is one song in particular that I really like – See The Moon by LeeZe. 4.5/10

Entertainment Value: It was a little slow in the beginning. I actually thought I would end up dropping it. Although, once I accepted the style and saw what they were doing with the story, it became a very enjoyable watch. It wasn’t too light or too heavy. I liked watching all of the characters, especially the leads. By the end, however, I started getting bored because the ending was looking like it was going to be a pretty cliché one, unfortunately. For the most part, I had fun. That playground scene in the earlier part of the drama was hilarious, by the way. Give me more of that. 6/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 6/10. On my scale, a rating of 6 and above is in the ‘would recommend’ zone. Very cute with great leads and a sweet story, but the ending disappointed me.

I made a short music video for this drama that captures what I really liked about the plot. It’s on YouTube and it’s called “My Sweet Mobster | End Of Beginning” and my channel name is The Enablers (@theenablers3846).

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Decent Action, Underwhelming Plot

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I decided to watch this drama because I was in the mood for something darker and this one is only 8 episodes. So why not? I’m kind of also trying to get a sense of Han So Hee’s (한소희) acting ability because I haven’t liked anything I’ve seen her in so far.

Acting/Cast: The acting is fine, but the casting of the female lead could have been better. She’s supposedly 5’5” but she seems even smaller in the drama. It makes no sense for her to be able to take on all these dudes at once. There’s a scene where she’s picked up and thrown into a wall like a ragdoll. She looked so tiny...I can suspend some amount of belief but this is ridiculous. I think Guem Hae Na (금해나), who plays Min Hye in A Shop For Killers, would have been perfect for this role. She’s awesome at action, whereas Han So Hee (한소희) had a few kicks and hits in there that lacked any power behind them at all. Then, the sound effects added in just made it cringey. I could see Claudia Kim (김수현) from The Atypical Family and Gyeongseong Creature as a potentially better option, too. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise to see Ahn Bo Hyun (안보현) in this drama. I liked his character and I felt the drama got significantly better once he came into the picture. The major gang member characters had good acting, but Park Hee soon’s (박희순) character came across as too overly dramatic for me. 4/10

Writing: The plot is pretty lame. A lot of holes, basic, predictable. Just unintelligent writing all around. And the ending came across as lazy and uninspired. The plot became interesting for a second when the female lead’s identity gets revealed but unfortunately it doesn’t last long. They should have exposed her earlier on in the drama (at least to her partner) and played around with themes of “going by the book” versus vigilantism mixed with elements of understanding, love, and the struggle of saving a traumatized soul. But...a plot like that would have taken a lot more thought to write; it’d have to be heavy in psychology, character development, character growth, and dialogue that really hits. Another issue I had with this drama (surprisingly) was all the blood. How can someone get stabbed, cut, and shot so much and not pass out from blood loss? Especially for a girl as small as her. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate seeing fight scenes with a female character that gets visually messed up (swelling, bloody, scars, stitches, messy hair, etc.) - but realistically, she wouldn’t be able to keep going day after day losing more and more blood like that. 1/10

Direction/SFX/Music: No huge issues in this area except a couple times where some sound effects sounded cheesy. However, comparing the action in this drama with the action in The Worst of Evil, there's a clear difference in quality (with The Worst of Evil taking the prize here). The music was fine, not memorable though. I think this drama would have done much better as a movie, since the plot is severely lacking. I think as a movie, all of the holes in the plot may not have been as obvious. 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: They really got the cliffhangers down in this drama. Good cliffhangers are important; do not underestimate their power. I can binge watch a terrible drama easily as long as there’s good cliffhangers. A lot of action, too, so that always helps with keeping me entertained. And a hint of a romance (that probably should have stayed at ‘just a hint’). Nevertheless, I got through this drama very quickly and was highly entertained despite all of the plot issues. However, I don’t think this drama will be very memorable to me in the long run. 6/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4/10. I found myself comparing this drama to The Worst of Evil. I liked the plot of My Name better in the sense that it wasn’t as depressing. However, the action in The Worst of Evil is so much better and the writing is technically better (with more of a focus on psychological aspects). If you want to watch this just because it’s a girl kicking ass, then ok I get it. But because of the casting choice, it doesn’t seem believable here. I would recommend A Shop for Killers for that.

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Clever Writing, Movie Quality From Start To Finish

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

(This is a review for Part 1 and 2 together)
I watched this for Park So Dam (박소담). It’s been so long since I’ve seen her and she’s so cute. However, in this drama, she’s playing a character that’s not so cute. I was curious to see how she’d do. I wasn’t disappointed.

Acting/Cast: Great and unexpected cast. I was so happy seeing all the familiar faces and they all performed exceptionally in their roles. In particular, I think Kim Jae Wook’s (김재욱) character was so well done that he could have a drama or movie of his own. He was like every iteration of the Joker rolled into one. The styling, the suave body language, the confidently demented personality, the high-paying hobby with a horrifying secret—he was very much his own mini movie. I think the main actor, Seo In Guk (서인국) overacted at times, but it could have been more of a directing choice. 9.5/10

Writing: The writing was extremely well done. The story had a movie quality to it due to how neatly everything was laid out and then wrapped back up. I had no idea what to expect when going into this. Except, I knew it was going to have a body swapping theme, which I usually don’t like. I thought it would be another cliché plot. Not at all. There is no sugar-coating with this drama. It doesn’t pull any punches. Be advised- this drama is not for the faint of heart. There is a ton of gore…shocking gore, too. That’s something I also don’t normally like, but I think the shock value added something much needed to the idea behind this drama – the fear of death--or the reverence of death. I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give anything away...but this drama is about suicide. Suicide is a sensitive topic that is difficult to address. It’s a subject that I am very familiar with, so I tend to be particularly critical regarding how it is approached. I felt like this drama portrayed the internal struggle of a suicidal person fairly well. Towards the end of the drama, my cynicism caused me to think that “this would only be an effective message for those who have at least one good parent in their life or a significant other that truly loves them. What about the people that have nobody? What’s their reason to live?” Despite my negativity, after watching this drama, I immediately typed up my reaction or my ultimate take-away from the story: “Watching all of these people die so suddenly...so easily…and watching them fight for their lives…made me think that the time we have alive can be seen as a gift or an opportunity. We really have a short, temporary life that can end at any moment. So why cut it even shorter? It'll be over before we know it anyway. ‘It's ok if we fail, as long as we don't give up.’ (a quote from the drama)” I need to mention the ending here. A little predictable…ok maybe more than a little, but not bad. This feels so out-of-character for me to say, but I think that an open ending would have worked really well for this story. Wow, this is the one time I’ve actually wanted an open ending. 8/10

Direction/SFX/Music: Watching this drama felt like watching a long blockbuster movie. Not only because of the writing, but also because of the high production value. Immediately, we see stunts, action, explosions, blood, and all out insanity. I was shocked. Why was I under the impression that this was going to be a romance? At times, I even thought it was too much--too over-the-top. Just think if this drama had a badass OST... I mean even Bad and Crazy had one awesome song that made the drama super memorable even though I didn’t really like the drama. Same thing with Tale of the Nine-Tailed. This drama just needs that one badass song to really make it unforgettable. 6.5/10

Entertainment Value: I waited for this drama to finish airing before watching it. I knew it would be binge-worthy. It does slow down quite a bit in the end, but I wasn’t complaining. I needed a break from all the insanity anyway. Sometimes, it was a bit tough to watch. I don’t like gore. I had to look away a lot. It also has a very depressing theme. I’m glad I was able to get through it quickly. I feel when I’m watching a drama, it’s sort of like a part of me is in that world until the drama’s over. So, I’m glad I wasn’t in that world for very long. 8.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama an 8/10. There’s a lot of violence and gore. It feels over-the-top at times. The topic of suicide is really tough to navigate, but I like the fearlessly aggressive approach, even if I don’t necessarily agree with everything. I don’t like it when drama creators are too afraid of the audience to do anything risky. It could have really used a badass OST though…

I made a short music video for this drama featuring one of the characters. It’s on YouTube and it’s called “Serial Killer Thirst Trap | Death's Game | DPR IAN” and my channel name is The Enablers (@theenablers3846).

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Strong Foundation But Still Managed To Lose Its Footing

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I really had high hopes for this one. I love Rowoon (로운); I think he's a great actor. I saw some short clips of this drama that highlighted his portrayal of a quirky character in an unfortunate but comical situation. It seemed very charming. So despite my dislike for the female lead, I decided to give this drama a shot...

Acting/Cast: This is going to sound so harsh...honestly, the only positive in this category is Rowoon (로운), the male lead...and even he struggled. I don't know if it's his fault or the writing or the direction or all of the above, but he couldn't hold the character. It was such a unique character, too, with an extremely distinct personality and it just...fizzled away as the drama progressed. I would catch glimpses of his former self here and there but it only served as a depressing reminder of what once was. Jo Ba Ah (조보아), who played the female lead, wasn't any better. I had really disliked her after watching her ruin Tale of the Nine-Tailed with her horrible acting. At least she had improved in this drama. I was surprised that she wasn't the reason this drama failed. The villains - all three of them - are lame. The side characters tried so hard to be likeable and they just couldn't pull it off. Oh, I almost forgot about that poor 2nd male lead... a K-drama pet peeve of mine -- disrespected 2nd male leads. 1/10

Writing: I'm so sick of the "we loved each other in a past life" trope. It's so over done. It's seriously becoming another huge K-drama pet peeve of mine. The writing and plot started out strong. It was an interesting premise with a dark, ominous undertone. Unfortunately, this all goes away pretty early on in the drama and it just becomes a boring, typical romance...with a stalker cliche. I think it fizzles out around episode 8 or 9. Ugh...the beginning was so good...I'm so disappointed... 3.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama does have good cinematography and production quality. This is definitely the strongest category. The OST is decent. Direction though, I did not agree with. Going from unique, quirky, cute, with some creepy and even adult vibes to a cookie-cutter romance. I forgot the ending. It's only been a few days and I already forgot. That's how unimpressed I was. 6/10

Entertainment Value: Getting through the 1st episode wasn't quick for me. I don't know if it was the drama or me. However, after the 1st episode, I really got into the story. I was excited to watch it. I really loved the male lead's character and the dynamic between the 2 leads. I thought the plot itself was very engaging. Then, I reached the 2nd half of the drama and as I continued watching to the end, I experienced all the hope within me slowly shrivel up and die. 4/10

Now I'm sad.
Overall, I gave this drama a 3.5/10 due to the complete disregard for the solid foundation that had been established in the beginning of the drama.

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Learning to Shine as Ourselves

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

A charming drama with a great message. I'm so glad I didn't pass this one up.

Acting/Cast: This drama has a great cast with acting that feels very natural. My favorite is probably Choi Hyun Wook (최현욱) and his portrayal of his character, Ha Yi Chan. I loved watching him on screen. He is such a strong and unique male lead - he's pure, joyful, passionate, tough, caring, and childlike. I keep thinking of that scene where he randomly starts spinning around and yells "TORNADO" for no reason. His character was such a breath of fresh air - no angst, all fun. His chemistry with Yoon Cheong Ah seemed so organic and the way his relationship with Ha Eun Gyeol developed felt realistic and heartwarming. I would say Choi Hyun Wook is this drama's MVP with Seol In Ah coming in at second. The entire cast just seemed like they were really enjoying their time while filming this drama and watching them have fun made it so much more fun for me. However, I would say the weakest link in this area would be Ryeoun (려운) who plays the male lead, Ha Eun Gyeol. While his character was written well, his acting was noticeably weaker than the other lead actors. He didn't have that effortless, natural feel to his acting that I felt while watching the others. Fortunately, this did not hurt his chemistry with Ha Yi Chan. 8/10

Writing: The characters are extremely well written and developed. The plot is interesting. Because it wasn’t predictable, it kept me engaged. I don’t think I’ve seen a drama with a plot and characters quite like this one. The story had a good progression of events and good pacing. There are only a couple issues I could point out in this area: One is towards the end of the drama - there is a scene that shows what had happened in the original timeline of events, but it feels a little jarring and I had no idea what was going on at first. I thought I had skipped an episode. The other issue is the ending itself – it went in a direction I did not expect, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I felt it was like an alternate or fake reality because it seemed like too much of a change and more on the unrealistic/idealistic side. 9/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This is definitely a well-produced drama. The special effects were good, the music was good, the art was good, the styling, even the name of the band. Like I mentioned above, there was a scene toward the end that felt jarring. I would have shot it differently, like with a filter and effects to indicate that it was a different timeline of events. There was also another scene toward the end that involved a bad case of staring that I felt didn’t fit or feel authentic to the situation. However, these are just minor gripes. 9.5/10

Entertainment Value: A binge-worthy drama for sure. The fantasy aspect gives it a bit of mystery and the characters are so well written and acted that I just wanted to keep watching them. The fun vibe of this drama also makes for a fairly stressless watch. The ending though, caught me off-guard (like I mentioned before) and caused me to feel some kind of disconnection with the story. 8/10

Overall, I gave this drama an 8.5/10 due to my issues with the acting of the main male lead and the ending. This drama has a wonderful message about family, friendship, life, and self-acceptance. It’s very encouraging and healing while being entertaining. Also, I love the sign language aspect of this drama and how integral it is to the plot. I really like the direction they went with it.

I made a short music video for this drama. It’s on YouTube and it’s called “Twinkling Watermelon | Beautiful Things” and my channel name is The Enablers (@theenablers3846).

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