Suspenseful Drama

Duel was an exciting show that kept me engaged and I felt it had a satisfying ending.

What I Liked

Yang Se-jong’s performance as two different people was very good. I could definitely tell the difference between them. Sung Joon had a kindness about him and was determined to help Deuk Cheon find his daughter. Sung Hoon, on the other hand, was impulsive and, on the surface, it seemed he was doing what he did because he enjoyed it but there was more to his character. He was unpredictable, at times delusional, and that creepy smile he had was really chilling.

I really felt for Deuk Cheon’s character and was rooting for him to find his daughter. He made a lot of dangerous decisions, but it was understandable since he was in a distressing situation. I liked the bond that he and Sung Joon shared and felt it was built-up well throughout the show. Sung Hoon’s inner turmoil was interesting to witness as well, and I would love to do an in-depth character analysis of him because I felt he was a complicated and complex character with different sides. He wasn’t just the average villain without a reason for what he was doing. He exuded this calm exterior at times but, as the show goes on, he becomes more and more agitated to the point where it seems he's lost his sense of reality.

The suspense was well done, and I found myself binge watching to see what would happen next. The music wasn’t very memorable, but it did serve its purpose, which was to pull the viewer into the chaos that was happening to the characters. I liked the storyline and felt invested in it along with the characters. Everything was revealed at a good time and it didn’t feel at all draggy.

What I Didn’t Like

The underground fighting part seemed a little chaotic and disconnected but it did serve to bring Sung Joon and Mi-rae together. Other than this though, I really enjoyed the show. It wasn’t much I didn’t like.

Would I Rewatch?

Yes, definitely! It’s a show I would watch from the beginning after a few years. I would say it's one of my favorite chase/suspense dramas so far.

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Very Intriguing Show

What I Liked

I liked the consistent action and thriller aspect of the tomb scenes. You never knew what was going to happen to the characters. I was also very intrigued by the storyline of listening to thunder and seeing how the tomb psychologically affected the team. While I did like the other storyline with Black Glasses and the mute girl (was her name ever said?), it didn’t quite flow with the same thriller vibe that the tomb scenes had. I did like BG and the mute girl’s relationship. It was fun and cute, and I loved the song played when they were together.

Which leads me to the music. I loved the OST. It did what it was supposed to and was very memorable to me, especially the song Unlimited by Charlie Zhou Shen. It was a very beautiful song that I listen to it all the time now. I felt the music was unique and helped to create the mood of the show every time I settled down to watch it.

Of course, I loved Zhu Yilong’s portrayal. I liked the voiceovers of his thoughts on searching for his third uncle. His relationship with Fatty was one of the best aspects of the show for me. They played off each other very well and I really liked how spontaneous and goofy Fatty was. I often went back to rewatch their scenes together because it was so well-acted and their chemistry was seamless.

I think it was decently paced as far as having the first part be about raiding the tomb, which led to the second half, which was the Warehouse investigation. Wu Xie’s declining health also served as another storyline that made me wonder how he would continue and how long he could carry the secret.

What I Didn’t Like

I didn’t feel that the deaf village worked as seamlessly with the tomb scenes as it could have. I found myself wondering when we would get back to Wu Xie, Fatty, and Xiao Ge back at the tomb. The location and comedic aspect made it feel like a different show than the tomb's dark, suspenseful atmosphere. I did like when all the cast members finally connected and came together.

Fatty’s love interest was cute for a while but then she just seemed to become weak. I felt this storyline didn’t need as much screen time as it was given because it didn’t really connect meaningfully until later. I liked their relationship and would like to see them get together later, but I felt she could have been a stronger character. It just seemed like an extra storyline to fill in the space of too many episodes.

A little more than halfway through the show I realized the voices weren’t matching up with the characters’ lips and did some research. I found that the show had been cut due to Chinese censorship as well as the new rule that Chinese dramas can’t be over a certain amount of episodes. I believe the show was originally 62 episodes but was cut down to 32 for the first season and 30 for the second season.

I’m currently halfway through the second season, which doesn’t seem to have been cut like the first. The editing in the first season chopped some important parts from the storyline, and I eventually became confused and felt I was missing something. The finale didn’t feel like a finale because not much was answered, and Wu Xie still hadn’t found his third uncle, but his search continues in season 2. I suppose it wasn’t considered a finale since it was initially meant to be 62 episodes.

Would I Rewatch it?

Yes (and I already have rewatched a bit)! I loved the thriller vibe, the suspense, and of course Zhu Yilong! I felt the storyline was unique and would love to see how everything wraps up in the end.

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Started Off Good But Fell Flat

I really liked this drama in the beginning. I didn’t think it would capture my interest but was surprised when I started binge watching it. I liked seeing Yoo In-na and Lee Dong-wook together again after Goblin, which I really enjoyed, but around episode 12 I just suddenly lost all interest.

What I Liked

I really loved their chemistry. Kwon Jung Rok’s serious, mostly unsmiling demeanor was a good contrast to Oh Yoon Seo’s upbeat, cheerful personality. I thought the pacing was decent, how they butted heads in the beginning but gradually began to understand each other and work around their differences. Some parts were cute and funny, though halfway through it began to wane.

I also liked the other characters and their relationships, especially Choi Yoon Hyuk and Dan Moon Hee. I found them funny and wanted to see where their relationship would go.

Some of the music was nice especially Wendy’s “What If Love” song. I liked it so much I added it to my playlist.


What I Didn’t Like

In the beginning, I liked Yoo In-na’s character. It did seem a little weird that she was so clueless in the first episode but later revealed to have a sharp memory and was smart enough to get into law school. Her character felt more fleshed out after the first episode, which seemed to mislead us into thinking she would be a bubbleheaded celebrity with little to no skills. This wasn’t the case though.

After a while, the consistent repetition of everyone’s obsession with her got really annoying. She was always ‘the universe’s goddess’ and could do no wrong. In the beginning, it was okay because the focus was on her relationship with Rok but as the show went on it became repetitive to the point of irritation and made me like her character less.

We didn’t know Rok hardly at all. In all the 16 episodes, she asked him one personal question about why he became a lawyer and that was it. We did get see a tiny portion of his personal life with his father but that didn’t really add much to the overall storyline. Everything else was about Yoon Seo’s acting life and how to make her happy. It was very lopsided in the end and made me like Rok’s character less because he felt so one-dimensional. I wanted him to be more human and react to things instead of remaining so stiff and nonchalant.

I suddenly didn’t care for the other couples because they all seemed to go in circles. *SPOILER* In the end, Lee Doo Sub didn’t get with Yang Eun Ji and I saw absolutely no point in showing the really slow build-up of their non-relationship. Though I liked Yoon Hyuk and Moon Hee when they finally got together, I was already annoyed with the show and didn’t really care that much.

The first half felt a little more grounded in reality with Yoon Seo’s past coming back to haunt her but it was wrapped up too quickly to be realistic. Her past could have served as a problem for their relationship, which would have been a better reason for Rok to have cold feet, but instead this was brushed aside. I felt the show didn’t know whether to be a law/police drama or rom-com. I admit the law/police part wasn’t bad and I was interested to see how it would play out but later it fell into the usual rom-com formula where everything leads to sunshine and rainbows.

Is it Worth a Rewatch?

Only the first half, I would say. It should have been 4 or 5 episodes shorter because the latter half felt forced and a problem was created that had no real meaning, especially because we knew how it would end. I guess I got too invested hoping for more characterization but in the end, it was a rom-com, and they don’t really need strong storylines, just your standard love story. In the end, it was entertaining, and I would rewatch Jung Rok and Yoon Seo’s best scenes but I wouldn’t rewatch it as a whole again.

If you like Lee Dong Wook & Jo In-na and can overlook a mostly average storyline then you might enjoy it.

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Most Disappointing Ending

I was immediately pulled into Memories of Alhambra. It was interesting from the start and I was invested in the characters, but the ending did not live up to the build-up. There seemed to be a plot hole that didn’t make sense to me and I felt it left off on a cliffhanger that leaves the viewer confused and annoyed.

What I Liked About It

The suspense was the best part of the drama. It was exciting to see Jin-woo level up in the game as he fights to put the pieces together. There was never a time where I was bored. In fact, I was binge-watching the show for a few days at the start.

The music helped amplify the suspense. It wasn’t beautiful music or anything, but I felt it served its purpose of pulling us into the turmoil Jin-woo was faced with every episode. The acting was also very well done from all of the characters, which helped to make it more believable though the premise was impossible.

I really liked Hee-joo’s younger sister, Min-joo. She was excitable, respectful, and she was the reason I sort of believed in the relationship between Hee-joo and Jin-woo. They felt mostly incompatible to me but whenever Min-joo started trying to get them together I was instantly invested again. I thought she brought some humor and relief to the characters after the constant strife they dealt with throughout the entire show. I also liked Hee-joo herself because she was relatable. She worked tirelessly to keep her family afloat without much help and was there for Jin-woo even though he sometimes didn’t deserve it.

I loved that they were in Spain and I could practice listening for both my Spanish and Korean learning skills. There was also some English used as well. I liked the diversity in location; the scenery in Granada was quite beautiful and made me want to take a trip there; I never knew this place existed until this show, so I learned something new.


What I Didn’t Like About It

I didn’t like Jin-woo’s character. He was selfish, secretive, and mostly used Hee-joo in the beginning. He did warn her that he wasn’t a good person, so at least he wasn’t painted as the great grand hero. I feel his character did change throughout the show. In the beginning he was just interested in using people for his own gain, but after constantly having to question his own sanity, his driving force was no longer money. For someone who started off selfish, his character did grow to care for others later. Still, I never really liked his personality and felt that he was always kind of stringing Hee-joo along. After he had his secretary pretend to be her brother sending emails for an entire year, I doubt I would want to date him after that. Hee-joo seemed to forgive him quickly since he was working hard to find her brother, but I would’ve never trusted him again.

I hated the ending. I literally leapt at the screen with bulging eyes saying, “What? That’s it??” How is that it? They completely neglected to explain how in the world this game was able to make fake game guns shoot real bullets and kill people who miraculously became bugs in the system. They didn’t explain how Hee-joo’s brother, Se-joo, was able to create a space in the game for him to disappear into, a space that only exists in the game in order to hide from the real world. Obviously, it’s supernatural, but I was hoping for some sort of explanation as to how in the world he could create such an elaborate game that exists outside time.

Is he a god? Does he have special powers? My initial thought was that there was a hallucinogenic in the game contacts making people hallucinate, but that doesn’t account for why people were actually dying from weapons that weren’t real, so…Whoop-dee-doo I guess we’ll never know, but that makes this one of the most annoying endings I’ve ever seen in a TV show. The writers just didn’t create the entire basis for the story and simply didn’t finish telling it. It feels like there should definitely be a second season to explain the entire first season, but I don’t know if that’s likely; it’s been 3 years already.

Another thing that annoyed me was the huge plot-hole. In the end, it appears that the bugs were all the people who were killed in the game, but the first person to be killed was Se-joo’s backstabbing friend yet when Jin-woo got rid of the bugs the first one was said to be Hyung-seok. Yes, he was the first to die by Jin-woo’s hand in the game, but he wasn’t the first to die in the game period. That was Se-joo’s friend, whom Se-joo killed by mistake because he didn’t know the game’s guns could actually kill people. So, why did the writers act like Hyung-seok was the first to die?? Did I miss something? There’s no way Se-joo’s friend could be gotten rid of because Jin-woo hadn’t yet given Emma the key at the time of his death. So…huge plot hole that was pretty glaring if I’m remembering correctly.


Is It Worth a Rewatch?

At the end of the day, I would rewatch certain scenes, such as the ones shot in the beautiful Granada. I would watch for the actors’ performances and if I want to see something suspenseful. I would not rewatch it from the beginning because I know how disappointing the ending is. They create all these chasing scenes with all this loud, suspenseful music just to lead up to a deflated balloon-type ending. So disappointing.

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Really Cool Show But Could Have Been Better

Lawless Lawyer is an entertaining, fun show with some suspenseful aspects. I really enjoyed the beginning, but it began to fall flat for me toward the end, and the ending itself could have been better.

What I Liked

Lee Joon Gi is a great actor and did well here. The agony Bong Song Pil experienced concerning his mother’s death was well portrayed, especially in the very beginning of the show.

Bong Song Pil (whose name I really like; just seems to roll off the tongue) and Ha Jae Yi made a great team, and I was rooting for them throughout the show. I really liked Jae Yi because she was strong and assertive and could really hold her own. She didn’t need anyone to tell her what to do or how to do it and didn’t need anyone to fight her battles for her.

The acting was done well. You just hated Cha Moon Sook and I felt Ahn Oh Joo was laughable in the way he carried himself, his slow, scratchy voice and shuffling gait. It was interesting to watch.

I liked the music for the most part, such as the theme song and I loved the intense piano riff, which was played at the right time. I especially loved the intense piano called "I'll Protect You," which I had to track down and repeatedly listen to. I wouldn’t say the music was spectacular but whenever I think of the songs it makes me want to watch the show, so I suppose it did its job well.

I liked the court scenes the most, especially in the beginning. I was at the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. I couldn’t always guess, and it kept me interested.


What I Didn’t Like

The show started to drag around episode 11, which seems to happen with a lot of kdramas for me. I enjoyed the court scenes but towards the end of the show they became lackluster and a bit predictable. Though the show started to pick back up around episode 14, it really dragged in episode 15 and 16. They constantly talked about what they were going to do to bring down Cha Moon Sook rather than actually doing it; there were too many 'lead up' scenes that seemed to just fill up space to reach 16 episodes.

I liked Bong Song Pil's team but sometimes their camaraderie and friendship seemed forced and, at times, a little annoying. They were pushing for the show to have some comedy but to me it just took away from the overall storyline.

The beginning felt more gripping, more emotional, but it seemed to fade by the end. Lee Joon Gi does an excellent job with very emotionally gripping scenes, and I felt the storyline called for that. I don’t see how Bong Song Pil could even be in the same room with the person who killed his mother and not be about to lose his mind. I understand he had to push his feelings aside to get justice, but I feel that he would still be struggling emotionally. More time could have been devoted to fleshing out the emotional side of the show rather than the comedic side, which often felt forced.

I didn’t really understand Cha Moon Sook and why she did all the things she did except that she’s just a sociopath. Most of the time, the viewer was left guessing what she felt about what she was doing to people. I wanted to see and understand her relationship with her father and the legacy she felt she was upholding. I felt we were closed off from understanding her completely.

The ending was alright, but I was disappointed in the last court scene. It was a bit predictable and didn't pack as much of a punch as the earlier court scenes. I felt the writing could have been stronger. I also felt that not all of the criminals got what they deserved in the end.


Would I Rewatch It?

Overall, I felt it could have been better but it was a really fun show to watch. I think with more emotion and a much stronger ending, it would've turned out to be a great show. I would rewatch certain scenes and episodes but probably not the show as a whole unless I haven’t seen it in years. I still would consider it one of my favorite kdramas.

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Okay Show But Needed More Fleshing Out

What I Liked About It

I liked the supernatural aspect. I always like when supernatural beings come to earth and have trouble understanding the ways of life as a human. It was funny to see Ha-baek learning about money, getting a license, and navigating a cellphone.

When his power was shown, which wasn’t often, I liked how it was presented and wished there had been more times where he got to use them. I suppose that wasn’t the moral of the story. He needed to be without his power so he could understand the process of not relying on it and also see humanity in a different light. Not having his powers helped to curb his arrogance.

A lot of the music was memorable and set the mood for certain scenes, which I felt was well-done. I thought the storyline with So-ah’s past and her torn relationship with her father had depth and when you find out what truly happened, it’s actually really heartbreaking. That storyline was very well-done and well-acted.

I liked most of the characters, but the one who stood out to me was Shin Hoo-ye. I felt Ju-hwan’s performance was gripping. He made us feel for his character, who I never hated. I wasn’t sure if the writers wanted us to dislike him simply because the gods did, but I felt more for him than the gods even after their reason for hating him was revealed. His character actually understood what it felt like to be human, to make mistakes and have to live with them. I just felt for his character and perhaps that had everything to do with the way Ju-hwan portrayed him. I would like to see what other dramas he’s acted in.

I liked Ha-baek and So-ah’s relationship. They were funny and cute together and I was rooting for their love the whole time. I really enjoyed watching their romance unfold and liked their performances together and apart.


What I Didn’t Like

I didn’t like that all the gods looked like models. I understand that they’re gods and are arrogant and want to be praised, but it seemed kind of blatant to have Ha-baek be tall, slim, and sought after because of his looks while his servant, Nam soo-ri, is overweight with glasses and pursued by So-ah’s friend, who was painted as weird (though I liked her). I know So-ah was a god’s servant too, but in the end, she was Ha-baek’s bride, so she had a higher purpose than just serving some god. Soo-ri didn’t seem to mind working day and night for his god because he was brought up as a servant. The whole obvious opposition of his and Ha-baek’s appearance was a little annoying to me. It was representing the gods’ appearance as the only appearance that is worthy, but I guess I’m looking too deeply for representation that you don’t see often. I just like a non-offensive, diverse selection of characters. Nam soo-ri was there to be a servant, he had no other purpose but to serve Ha-baek, the beautiful, tall slim god. Just sayin’.

I didn’t quite know what the overarching storyline was for a while. I knew Ha-baek came looking for his servant/bride and was looking for the stones, but there was also Hoo-ye’s character, who I thought was painted as the overall villain. For a while, I didn’t understand Bi Ryeom and his anger toward Hoo-ye and even after the reason was revealed the storytelling still felt vague to me. The flashback scenes of the gods’ world felt disconnected from the rest of the story. The real storyline was So-ah’s story. Everything else felt a little extra. To be honest, when I reached episode 13, I took a break because I was annoyed at the repetition with Bi-ryeom hating Hoo-ye and not understanding why.

I wanted to see more Ha-baek’s powers, but that’s just because I love seeing supernatural magic. I didn’t like the build-up to the revelation of powers he ultimately never showed. But I can forgive this if it was done for the sake of the moral of the story.

I did not understand Shin Ja-ya’s character until the end and even then, her character still felt meaningless. It seemed that her scenes were there to fill up space that could have been used to flesh out the vagueness of the main storyline. I didn’t like Moo-ra except when she was with Bi-ryeom. Their scenes were interesting because Bi-ryeom was more caring with her than he was with anyone else and Moo-ra was more soft-hearted and uncertain when she was with him. Apart, they both seemed kind of callous and a little obnoxious. I got to understand their characters better when they were together, and I saw that there was more to them than just the surface face they revealed to everyone else.

Would I Rewatch It?

For the most part, yes. There was humor, supernatural elements, nice music, and a deep storyline with So-ah’s character. I also really liked Hoo-ye’s character and performance, so I would rewatch for this, but it’s not the best drama and could have benefited from more fleshing out in the storyline and the characters.

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