MattPeddlesden
Kent, UK
Waffley Bit...
This is a really slow burn romance, and they manage to do something that most really don't do very well at all - they manage to find a way to get the two leads actually in an ice cold place (at least from one side) to where he actually can't stand the sight of her and then slowly turn the heat up throughout - it's a good 7 or so episodes in before there's thawing even, let alone when they get to kiss (which is much further in). I liked that nothing was just magically resolved, they went through things and just because they are decent human beings ended up in situations helping each other and that's what starts to grow their affections.
The story is principally based around a Hospice that provides palliative care for the terminally ill and helping ease their way in their final time. You can immediately tell from that that there's going to be a lot of characters passing away and that's the source of a great many sad moments throughout, lots of different stories and backgrounds for the characters, and how they resolve them. I was particularly engaged by the story about Michael, his adopted American mother and his birth Korean mother and how that story develops. It is quite emotionally tiring though as there's quite a lot of it throughout so keep that in mind.
The other major theme in the story is cooking and food. With Ha Ji Won's character being a renowned Chef there are many opportunities for cooking to be shown and they don't shy away from it at all. Imagine the kind of detail you get in medical dramas and now put that in cooking - there's a lot you can learn about Korean food and how it's prepared, what the ingredients are and so forth in this show. I recognised Jajamyeong being prepared in one of the recipes straight away and I don't think any steps were left out at all - which I found really interesting and unusual. I realise that's a pretty straight forward recipe but hey, I'm no expert :)
Some of the story takes place on an island in the south of Korea called Wondo, I always appreciate stories that venture out to the islands a bit more because it feels more like "real" Korea than the westernised way that Seoul is usually presented (not that I have anything against Seoul), some lovely scenery and great shots out there.
The story with the Director at the Hospice and his first wife was another particularly touching one, it's another one that runs throughout most of the story and you discover new things about their history, how they got to be where they are and so forth at various times during the story. I always enjoy watching Kim Won Hae anyway and this was one of his more emotional roles I think.
There is one patient story which kinda sneaks in about a YouTuber that forms the basis for one of the most profound messages in the drama which Cha-Young's brother says to the screen as if recording a YouTube video - but really, I suspect it's intended as a message from the production and writing teams to the viewer, breaking the fourth wall.
The title is an interesting choice, because on the one hand chocolate doesn't figure much in the story at all... but if you think about it more after you've watched it you'll realise it was the foundation of the entire story from just about the moment it starts.
Soundtrack is superb, I need to listen to it properly on its own but you can tell a good soundtrack when you are humming along to the songs as they come up during the drama.
Annoyances...
The only real annoying for me was the male lead's family, a typical shouty moany whiney fighty schemey Chaebol type family - I get that they are probably meant to provide the counterpoint to the deep messages being put out by the time in the Hospice but it just got a bit much at times. I didn't fast forward anything while watching - but the scenes with that family would be the ones i'd fast forward through on a re-watch, without a doubt.
I didn't really appreciate the ending. I like that it ended on a positive, but I just thought the way it was done made absolutely no sense to me what so ever. I was honestly expecting them to end up running Bada Restaurant in Wondo, both being chefs and making people happy, taking forward their life lessons from the Hospice. I expect i'm missing something deep and and meaningful but... I still missed it.
Overall I really enjoyed it, I was hyped that Ha Ji Won was in another drama, one of my favourite actresses. Really glad I watched it but a re-watch is less likely as I didn't really appreciate the ending as much as I hoped I would.
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Brilliant but not without issues
Short: This is your average bubbly fun romance. The main leads are just perfect and seeing their relationship develop is the definition of happiness for me, brilliantly written and performed. it *doesnt* have some of the flaws of other romance stories, it *does* have some, and there's a bit of lazy writing near the end. This became a "must-watch" the minute each episode was available with subs for me, definitely recommended.Detail:
After the disappointing lack of happy ending for Choi Soo Young's character in Run On I was hoping for her to get a great role in this one and she really delivers, finally given the chance to actually be a "normal" character and take the romance to the conclusion was a joy to watch and she's definitely become one of my favourite actors.
This story does follow the usual path to many extents, including the flaws, it even has the "go away and come back months later" thing that drives me mad. BUT, it does improve on the formula in a few ways. Firstly - in the go-away thing he didn't ghost her and said he'd text regularly, ok so that's not terrible. In another instance there's a strong case for them to have a massive misunderstanding when something she's written privately is stolen and published but without any question he trusts in her. Trust, wow, in a romance drama? That's new, I like it, let's see more of that please writers.
There are a number of pillars that make up a strong relationship - trust and support being two. They nailed the trust thing I think better than most, but support? not really - giving support is easy, receiving can be hard and when I felt they should have had the big star being supported by her he kinda cocoons and excludes her from it, I guess some notion of "protecting" her, but I'd have liked to have seen his vulnerable side more and given her the chance for the Anti-Fan to become the Number One Fan - in fact I was largely hoping that was the direction this would take, but it really doesn't. She does some things in the background but there's no visible payoff to it so it may as well have not been included.
She's a strong character, but I don't think the story gave her enough room to actually see that strength be of value, so it's almost that it didn't *matter* her character was strong as much as it should have. I think is the crux of the problem that I have.
I don't like that they didn't explain the path of Hoo Joon back to popularity. The writer used an (imho) lazy trick of doing a reset by sending him away and when he returns boom all is good again. For me, it was the anti-fan becoming the number 1 fan and standing up for him in the publics face, setting the story straight, that I was expecting to be the way ship righted but they went for the magic button reset instead - a real waste and the crux of why I didn't rate this a 10 because otherwise, it's a solid 10.
Other characters:
The second leads.. well... Jae Joons character is probably one of the most frustrating i've seen in a drama to date, massive massive chip on his shoulder, huge inferiority complex, rage issues, self confidence issues and more besides. In Hyung, his girlfriend really does love him but he can't see it because he's blinded by everything he perceives is going on around him that isn't. I kinda wish they'd been able to find a *better* solution to it but sense is kinda knocked in to him in the end albeit rather drastically.
I will repeat the flag noted in at least one other review though, this is NOT a normal relationship and if YOU find yourself recognising any of this with your own circumstances please talk to friends or professionals and get help before something bad happens.
The third couple - who I won't name - were brilliant as well, fun and bubbly and I adored how they did the proposal for that one, completely in character for them. They had a fun dynamic throughout and was good seeing their relationship develop - I mean it was a very minor part of the story but just made scenes all the more fun with their story in the background.
Music was good, but the repeated use of "Bittersweet" (the one that starts "I wonder what is love...") got a little annoying and even out of place given it was already part of his performances and then here they are in the production studio apparently working on that same song.
Definitely recommended, and one I'd certainly watch again to enjoy their relationship and Choi Soo Young's brilliant acting.
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Detail:
Really good to see Shin Ye Eun in another drama as a lead, she was great in He is Psychometric too. Also thought Yoon Ye Joo did a great job in her role as the shy Ji-Eun - frankly all the actors were great but those two stood out for me. The cat was fantastic too, helped along some times by a Computer Graphics render of a cat where they needed particular things and couldn't get the cat to cooperate, but most of the time it's a real cat.
Basic premise is a cat finds he can turn into a human when around his owner Sol-ah, humorous things happen when she mistakes him for the step brother she hasn't met yet. She's a webtoon author and finds herself inspired initially by the story of her and someone from her past who just stopped talking to her, that she represents in the webtoon as a cat - and then starts evolving the story based on Hong-jo's thoughts (while he's pretending to be her step brother) and the story takes on a new life. In many respects it mimics the events happening in the drama.
It's fundamentally a fairly simple plot really, some nice bits where he helps some captured cats out as he's captured himself, and talks to other cats who can turn into humans too.
I've seen commenters (not sure if on here but certainly elsewhere) expressing negatively about the idea of a person and cat in a relationship but... its a person, there's worse out there in drama land, just chill. :)
But the fundamental problem with this is that they set down some rules eventually for the changing from cat to person, and ultimately break them without explanation to give the ending. My gut feeling is that given this was shortened from 32 to 24 episodes - that the missing 4 hours are the journey from where they end up in episode 24, to where they end up in the last 10 seconds of episode 24 :) I think 24 episodes ultimately would probably have been enough, in retrospect there was a bit too much meandering, too much time spent where she doesn't know that he's the cat, and probably if anywhere that's where i'd re-balance things.
Still - it IS still worth the watch, it's good fun with some funny moments and the music is entertaining too.
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A Mess
I really had to push myself to finish this one and with them delaying the *final* single episode by a couple of weeks just added more pain to the injury. Finished it today, nothing that would change my mind happened.I went into this one not really knowing quite what to expect other than the premise sounded interesting - someone called Gaetal organises a vote for whether to execute a criminal that the justice system has failed to handle, and they'll happen regularly. Sounds super interesting.
First couple of episodes go by and i'm starting to build up a picture of where I think it's going - and i'm *really* getting hyped for it to go there. This is a bad thing to do, and leads to disappointment. Don't do that. In my view, they were setting the foundations for a really good discussion about vigilantism, why the system exists, that they'd move on to say that "Gaetal" was a concept rather than an individual and there isn't just one "bad guy" here and so forth. It really looked like it was kinda heading that way. Debate about "if you click yes, are you an accessory to murder" etc. What happens if they get it wrong etc. Lost of really interesting things to discuss here.
Then reality dawns and their goals are far less aspiring and much more plain. I mean it's not bad, it's watchable, but I just feel so let down by it and the potential it had. This had "squid game" level capability written all over it, I could see those dog masks becoming as iconic in modern culture as the masks of the guards on SG.
The ending... it's finished, it's a conclusion, but it leaves you with implications for what would happen next and... i'm sorry, it didn't earn enough credits with me to justify that. Had it been more bold it would have been absolutely ripe for it, and even a potential sequel or even series of series! :)
I guess i'm mostly grumpy that it just feels like so much potential lost, a real opportunity to have a challenging discussion.
Is it watchable and entertaining? Yes. If you like your crime dramas then you will probably get into this. But don't get swept up in the incredible hype set out in the first two or three episodes and you will probably enjoy it more :)
Cast are fantastic - some really great crew here no complaints there at all. Music I don't recall at all (so, not good not bad :) ).
Bah humbug. Etc. :)
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What... the... heck.
Short: Overall, this feels like an exceptionally light and bubbly drama, with a major exception, this is like a cure for all ailments, a cure for all people feeling a bit down. The cast are light, the story is amusing, the piano music is fantastic - and approachable, the main theme is "twinkle twinkle little star". Ra-Ra's character is the most light hearted, innocent and pure i've ever seen in a drama. And then the story takes a major course change and then crashes and burns in the most spectacular way (imho).Detailed:
This story has some interesting characters, the writers will take you on a really clever journey of misdirection on a number of occasions leaving you hurling insults at the TV as an episode ends and then explaining in more detail in the following episodes. Time and time again you will fall for the misdirection because it's all in the fun and really done quite well.
In some respects it's a bit of a Romeo and Juliet, they are together but he's run away from home and the mother is relentlessly hiring people to try and find him and force him back on the path she and the father want instead, so there's this note of wanting to be together but then forces trying to keep them apart.
There's a hint of a love triangle (albeit one that I was sincerely hoping they wouldn't pursue) but it did keep things interesting and allowed for more than one bit of amusing misdirection.
The piano music is great, I love the Piano, it's my favourite musical instrument - but my appreciation for it is probably at a simpler level than many and I find that I can't enjoy a lot of the Piano music that people consider great because I just can't get into it, relate to it or understand it... so my favourite pieces are generally simpler. While this doesn't shy away from the more complex pieces, there is a lovely mix of simpler and complex pieces throughout to where all the Piano music was a real joy. The piano is definitely no small bit part in this drama, but neither should it put you off if you're not that fussed either - this drama treats the Piano as it should be, everyone's instrument, whether it's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Flight of the Bumble Bee.
The first 15 episodes of this for me are a solid 10, if I could go to 11, I would, I couldn't wait for each new episode to come out and watched it as soon as I could.
Then episode 16 happened.
I won't go any further because spoilers. But... i'll just say that a drama that I was a massive fan of took a nose dive and crashed firmly into the ground in a blazing ball of fire with the ending.
I am so gutted. I've given it a 7 because I loved so much of the previous episodes and I can't face giving it a lower score because of that... but that ending is just...
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Han Ji Min and Kim Hye Ja deliver stunning performances.
Some really great characters, I thought the brother was a really different character and I really enjoyed the playful relationship he had with Hyun-Joo.
Nothing in the sound track particularly stood out, but it wasn't bad either, I think it's more a sign that what was going on in the story drowned everything out emotionally.
I think it's definitely got to be worth at least one rewatch, because once you finish it you'll probably want to watch it again to see if, knowing how it ends, you understand what goes before it differently.
So good.
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The Songs! Her Voice!
Park Eun Bin never, and I mean, never, fails to deliver and this is no exception - adding a whole new facet to her talents by having her knocking it out of the park with that stunning voice she has too, alongside her already award winning acting talent.The rest of the cast are great too, of course, and I particularly loved the interplay between Park Eun Bin and Kim Hyo Jin (who played Ran Joo), and Lee Re who played Seo Mok Ha when she was younger was an absolutely inspired choice - the two of them were a brilliant younger/older pairing and so often when watching the older Mok Ha I could see the little twitches or tells that were the same as Lee Re portrayed on the younger Mok Ha - this truly felt like a younger and older version of the same person.
This is a story of people who have lost their way, whether it's in their careers and dreams or literally on an island, and how those people find each other and guide each other to their futures.
The music throughout is spectacular, absolutely my taste and i'll be adding most of it to my playlist on Spotify, wait for the credits at the end of the last episode for a different video to one of the songs too featuring Mok Ha on the island, nice little treat.
Of course aside from Mok Ha on the island, you've got a number of other things at play, from Ran Joo losing her way as an artist, to the other things happening to Ki Ho, Mok ha's friend from home who tried to run away with her at the start that threaten to not just derail their futures but potentially worse.
Numerous times throughout watching this you'll get those big warm fuzzies, or ball your eyes out, depending on how you react - not spoiling anything but... Ran Joo and the balloons, that's all i'm saying. Sorry, i've got something in my eye...
Trigger warnings - abusive parents at the start, pretty tough to watch, but it all contributes to the story I thought and none of it was gratuitous.
I'd happily re-watch this one. The songs, the sights of seeing her grow and sing, the journey the other characters take, I don't think knowing what comes actually diminishes the value of re-watching it much if at all.
Right, i'm off to get a fair-use warning on Spotify for listening to the OST for this too much...
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While I've not seen any official note or comment referencing it, there's definitely a close relationship between Signal and a US movie called Frequency released in 2000 where an NYPD detective in modern day is able to use an old radio set to communicate with - what transpires to be his father back in the 60's and he tries to prevent his fathers death by warning him of events to come. So - I come to Signal having watched both this and the TV series of the same name, both of which were absolutely fantastic, and with that premise and a really strong cast I had high hopes.
High Points:
Production quality is outstanding, the visuals are superb. The simple effect of styling and colour grading the scenes in the past and present differently was superb and enabled you to instantly tell what was going on as well as providing a dated feel to the visuals (imagine you're watching it on a VHS tape perhaps). The cast were superb and I really enjoyed their performances and the music was good too - though I have yet to listen to the OST properly.
The story does keep moving at a decent pace, there are numerous cases that are covered so it's not like you're in the mire on one case the entire time, which helps keeps things interesting too.
There is one section with Kim Hye Soo where she is involved in one of the cases that was one of the best performances i've seen, knowing a little about how actors prepare themselves for roles to be able to create their characters I hate to think what she put herself through to be able to capture the intense and raw emotions portrayed as this sequence comes to a close.
Low Points:
Fundamentally the core element of the show - the radio being used to communicate between past and present - is totally underused. Where in the "normal" run of events people clearly didn't solve cases, this time around they are figuring things out even without sharing that information on the radio. When the radio is used other than a small number of times where it IS used effectively, it's almost only used as if a couple of buddies catching up and then that's it, radio is off again, and meanwhile everyone carries on solving murders and figuring things out at the same time anyway.
There is one time where the bad side effects of tampering with the timeline are covered brilliantly and devastatingly and I thought that was one of the highlights of the whole story. It was crushingly saddening and definitely one of those rare moments in any show where you're sitting there open mouthed thinking "what the heck are they going to do now?", but at the same time it also then cripples the characters from taking certain actions and ultimately was the turning point for the story going down hill for me as the story largely turns into a fairly normal crime thriller and the radio becomes a bit-part.
I felt the ending to be extremely weak. On reflection I have to admit that they do wrap up a lot of the main elements of the story but they leave some key ones open and even suggest at some new elements, this has all the hallmarks of "let's leave room for a season 2", though I don't feel as cheated as say "Vagabond", enough was wrapped up to mostly conclude the main story elements it just wasn't a truly satisfying end for me. Yes, I do like things wrapped in a pretty bow darn it.
It's definitely not a 9 or a 10 for me, but it's definitely kept me entertained. I wouldn't see myself watching it again based on the poor ending however.
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Detailed:
One of the main things that attracted me to this drama (other than the fabulous Lee Bo Young) was that this told not only the love story of how the couple meet but also the later story of how they meet again later in life, how their lives have become so completely different because of the events that have happened to them in the intervening time. Values that were held strong in youth are cast aside and almost turned on their head by the older versions, but are the same two people still in there, and is there a future for them?
So many romance stories show the couple meeting and coming together and that's your happy ending, but this one gives you a taste of the 90's with some great music and scenes from the period, brings them together and then forces them apart only for them to coincidentally meet many years later. He's married, she's divorced, he's gone from anti-corporation to the vice president of one of the biggest, she's picketing outside that very same corporation against its greed.
The cast are fantastic both the older and younger pair, Yoo Ji Tae and Lee Bo Young are long time professionals and they carry their roles with all the expertise you would expect. Park Jin Young and Jeon So Nee carry the mantle of the younger counterparts and do so very well.
There's a lot to unpack as the story progresses but it doesn't rush, it's consistent and keeps a steady pace throughout so that you don't get bored, but at the same time it's not rushing it either.
Music is fantastic, some very appropriate original pieces in the sound track along with some classics from the 90's for those who remember them.
There's some really nice work in the two time periods being represented too, one that stands out for me is where the older pair go for a trip somewhere they went when they were younger. In the younger reminiscences you can see they are walking on some kind of railway platform with arches. In the later version of the scene, that platform and railway have been replaced with a road but it's clearly the same place. Really nicely done and added to that sense of the two time periods.
The story progresses both timelines side by side, showing something in the past, showing something in the present, and often using the past to explain the motivations and feelings behind things said and done in the present.
Fantastic story, definitely recommend it if you like a relaxing warm romance that's a bit different to the normal.
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A Brilliant Pantomime!
Short: The word "pantomime" is really the best one I can think of to describe this. It's 26 episodes of absolute crazy mayhem. It's extreme in all the ways you can be extreme. It's loud. It makes no apologies. You're either going to love this one or hate it, I just can't see how you can be anywhere in between. Great cast, hammed up to the max :)Long:
I mean... where to start.
If your normal drama's are delicate shades of colour and grayscales, with softly defined lines and imagery contained within both the positive and negative spaces, then this drama is BRIGHT, PRIMARY COLOURS, BIG THICK LINES and COLOURS OUTSIDE THEM! :)
It's a bit of nonsense really, there's so many plot holes and contrivances you can drive double decker buses through but... it's consistent in its nonsense and asks for no forgiveness :) It's loud, characters shouting at each other in extreme emotions, there's so much furniture and so many vases smashed, so many desks wiped clean smashing everything in a fury - it's got all that and more besides. Everyone's backstabbing everyone. Affairs, children of unexpected parentage, murders, the lot.
After watching a couple of episodes and looking at 24 still to go - making it probably my longest drama watched at all - I wondered if I would really want to continue it. It's so different to what i've normally watched but after another couple - it became "NEXT!" fodder - the plot is silly, but it moves at a really good pace, there's nothing slow about this, and I found myself wanting to see what happens next all the time.
It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea though, so I'd suggest if you're looking for something wildly different to your normal style for a change (maybe it'll get you out of that drama rut) or you happen to like this kind of extreme style then it's worth a short - and if you're not sure, heck, watch a few episodes and see if you get hooked or repulsed.
The cast are great - though my main reason for watching was of course the beautiful and incredibly talented Jang Na Ra who pulls off her lead role exceptionally well (as expected!). She brings a wide range of emotions and regardless of what she's doing she seems to deliver the emotion and personality of her characters better than most, in my opinion of course :)
One character who you grow to despise quickly, over time I gradually saw what I felt was his redemption and I liked how they explained his back story, in amongst all the other goings on which helped you really understand the machinations of the depicted imperial house, how the children were routinely emotionally and physically abused and then brought up as puppets for the adults to manipulate for their own benefits. It's quite brutal, but that goes with the whole flow of this, there's nothing subtle about this story just as their isn't with how it's told.
Don't take that to mean it's explicit or gory - it's no more so than just about any other drama really, in fact compared to dramas with swords - much less so :)
Really enjoyed it when I did not expect to after the first 2 or 3 episodes - your mileage may vary, give it a shot though :)
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Well thought out, and brilliantly performed
Short: We're all broken, even the ones who take responsibility for fixing us are broken too, and once we accept that then there should no longer be any stigma around that. That's the message here. Brilliantly written and well acted drama, Jung So Min's performance resonated particularly to me. Really enjoyed this, nicely paced and good ending.Detail:
So i'll start by saying that my view on this might be different to others, not sure what the wider cloud-think is on this one because I haven't looked. For me personally, this drama, and in particular Jung So Min's performance as Han Woo Joo resonated very deeply. Someone close to me has similar symptoms to Woo Joo, she isn't BPD but it's amazing how similar some of the symptoms are and while Woo Joo's were perhaps more severe I've seen and recognise so much of it, seen how much it wrecks her inside also been with her as she got treatment and medication and is now no different to you and I. So... I might be a bit biased on this one, and i'm fine with that!
Jung So Min - someone i've always enjoyed watching, but this was definitely my favourite of her work, by far.
Shin Ha Kyun takes on the role of the Doctor who befriends Woo Joo, starting by treating her and then it develops into something more. If you're squeamish about older man, younger woman (in reality they're about 15 years apart) that might be a struggle for you. Similarly, if you get hung up on the inappropriateness of doctor-patient relationships (which let's face it, are wrong for a reason) then, again, that might be a problem. BUT I did feel that this was handled better then I was expecting and it wasn't glossed over. If you can get over all that, it's all good from there.
There's a lovely heart warming message throughout all of this about how we're not alone, we're all a bit broken, and we should embrace it.
There are numerous other cases throughout, along with the ongoing storyline you have various new things happening in each episode and some of them progress through to others episodes. Kim Dong Youg (Cha Dong Il) is only credited with one episode on MDL but actually is in several and another example of how characters go from being troubled to finding their feet and becoming everything they wanted to be.
Lots of plotlines to keep you interested as the main stories develop. All the characters feel real and have flaws as well as their strengths.
I watched this one as it aired and it was one of my most looked forward to shows each week.
Definitely recommended!
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Two Brothers, identical twins. One praised, the other punished for not being as great as his perfect brother. One ends up a judge, the other a thug with repeated times in prison. When the judge brother goes missing, the thug brother stumbles into his life and sees an opportunity to snag some cash while pretending to be a judge...
The result is hilarious in places as he stumbles his way around and some how manages to convince everyone he's his brother (let's not think too hard about how he manages to get all the key aspects of being a judge about right - and assume it's because he's been in court himself a few times :) ).
Along the way he becomes attached to his new trainee, whom he heaps on lots of work to effectively cover up his lacking skills and knowledge.
I found it a very entertaining light weight drama to watch, with some very touching and heart warming moments especially towards the end - the tone definitely shifts from funnier at the start towards the romance and tears at the end.
The ending felt a BIT cut short but I didn't feel cheated, it was an ending, it made sense, it didn't *need* to go further but didn't allow you fully take in the ending before it froze for the credits.
Acting was great, I thought the female lead was great to watch, a different character to many shows but fitting for a legal professional I think. The male lead was good at portraying the two different characters, though the Kang Ho (thug) character was much more of a caricature than a character being completely over the top - but it added some fun to the character I think.
Most of the story is going to be following the thug brother and the female lead - while the judge brother is definitely there, he definitely plays a bit part, and again while the second female lead is definitely there - again, definitely much more secondary than some shows. As a secondary couple they barely make any impression, but that's ok, they weren't who the story was about after all.
The story with the mother and how she realises her contribution to the upbringing of the brothers was good and I am glad they pushed on with that aspect of the story rather than just focusing on the main thug-brother elements exclusively.
There is some irony that the thug-brother is probably actually a better person than the judge-brother, once again making you ask the question - what makes a good person?
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Across the board, outstanding!
Time travel that works?Amazing music?
Brilliant cast?
Amazing story?
Great Humour?
Life lessons?
Not all in one drama at the same time, right? Yep!
Bottom line, ya just need to watch it, brilliant.
OK, Mr/Miss/Mrs Sceptic who is still here, why...
First up - time travel stories are hard to do well and this one nails it. It doesn't go overboard, and its respectful of the timeline. Is it perfect? No, because it's never going to be - time travel doesn't exist right? - but it feels right and not over done.
There's some great humour here, a towards the start (and a little again at the end) there's these fun little riffs on the Back to the Future sound track and some familiar facial expressions and reactions from Eun Gyeol that you might recognise from it too. But - true to everything else, they don't overdo it. Get it out of the way, have a quiet chuckle with the audience, and move on. This isn't back to the future, it has its own story to tell (probably a more meaningful one, if we're honest here - and I'm a BTTF fan).
The cast are utterly brilliant in every respect, different characters portrayed really well. I loved the deaf angle on this one, it makes it stand out - who'd have thought to make a heavily musical story, about musicians, and then make key characters deaf? Takes a bold team, and Jin Soo Wan (writer) and Son Jung Hyun (director) pulled it off.
The music, throughout, is fantastic. I'll be getting some of these on my spotify play list as soon as possible. Fun, upbeat, something to sway to.
Broadly, the main character is the only hearing-able person in his household and this weighs on him constantly, his passion is music but he's afraid to share it because it's something the others can't do themselves so it feels selfish. After his dad discovers him performing in a band and careless heated words are spoken in both directions, the main character finds himself wandering into a music store to sell is beloved guitar and give up on his dreams. The owner of the store takes the guitar and after they talk for a while, the main character leaves - and finds himself back in 1995, where he soon meets up with his younger father - who can hear just fine.
OK back to the waffle / gushing...
I really enjoyed the storyline elements involving Cheong-ah (main characters mother) and the journey that, in particular, her father took. There's a moment where the main character says to him something like "I really want you to see your daughter smile, she has the most beautiful smile" and later when he does see it, it pays off big time, Kim Tae Woo who plays her father nails the scene perfectly.
Our two main characters learn and grow through this journey in different ways, they each get different things out of this but they get what they need to put themselves back on the right track.
Enjoy it, the title is wacky, the drama is a bit wacky, the characters are completely wacky, the music is fabulous and the end result is one of the most fun dramas of the year in my view.
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Detailed:
It's 24 episodes, one of the longer dramas I've watched - but I enjoyed every single minute. As soon as I realised where this one was going I was glad they'd given it the extra time.
This one has a love triangle in it predominantly but before you switch off - I thought they had a really interesting take on it, and it was made all the more interesting and difficult simply because both guys were great, so it's not like you are looking for her to pick the "right" one. I thought how this was resolved was really good too. I also thought it was amusing that there are numerous triangles between various cast, whether it's the two mums and the daughter, or the two mums and the restaurant owner, or the two guys and the FL etc. It really felt like they were hamming it up a bit as if to say, if we're going to do a love triangle, let's ramp it up :)
Numerous things come up in the story and each time there's a thought out resolution. The length going to 24 episodes instead of a usual 16 or 20 means that there's time to do a proper job, but at no point did I feel like it was dragging.
Of all the dramas with Gong Hyo Jin (It's Okay That's Love, Masters Sun) that i've seen, this is probably my favourite of her performances. There's one scene where her whole expression is full on, and she goes from a big full-face smile, to crying - and the way her whole expression morphs and her faces changes colour to a deep red, was incredible.
This is probably my second Jo Jung Suk drama (Oh My Ghostess being the first) and I probably enjoy his work a lot more after this (and I enjoyed OMG a lot). His character goes through some tough times - things that I am delighted to see being covered, it's very rare that male medical troubles are ever touched upon and in this they are far more than simply touched upon - his character changes a lot, and he's able to deliver the full spectrum believably.
Seo Ji Hye (Black Knight and Crash Landing On you) was good to see in this drama too, I like how she plays strong women and I actually think her along side Lee Da Hee would be something awesome to see.
There's numerous little cameos too, whether it's Han Ji Min (One Spring Night), Go Sung Hee (Suits, My Holo Love), or one that I am not 100% sure of but I think was Lee Sun Kyun, who Na-Ri goes out on a blind date with and judging by the comments made it sounds like he's the guy from Pasta (a drama that both Gong Hyo Jin and Lee Sun Kyun were in).
Some of the visual effects were added nicely too, some of the repeated use of TV screens to show what was going on in their heads were interesting and at times quite amusing, but keep an eye out sometimes it's not obvious and easy to miss.
Music was fantastic, several tracks stood out.
The ending was perfect. I had in my mind how I wanted it to end, and if they went down that route, how I wanted them to finish in the final scenes and they did just about exactly what I had hoped. Can't ask for more than that :)
Just absolutely great, heartily recommended.
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I was a huge fan of the first series, and not just because Seo Hyun Jin was in it, honestly. What you get with the second series is something that you can relate to very nicely with the first series and yet it doesn't feel at all like it's just rehashing the same ideas. Many of the key cast at Doldam Hospital are the same, some are new and bring their own baggage and problems.
The opening scenes for me were one of expectation, once again they start the story in the main hospital and you have someone we all know skulking away in the background in his raincoat figuring things out before anyone else can and all i'm thinking is - hurry up and let's get to Doldam! When the scene finally cuts and we're at Doldam Hospital they do a great job of re-introducing you to an old friend (I mean the hospital itself). The blinking "dam" light is still there on the front, most of the team are still there including the formidable head nurse (one of my all time favourite characters and a fantastic actress) but there are new additions that arrive to bulk up the team and get it back to proper staffing levels again.
Fridays remain Fridays, with the never ending torrent of accidents coming in and the new staff being utterly bewildered by how busy this so-called backwater country hospital is. We're watching this enjoying them being floored by the whole thing because - we all know what Fridays are like, we're old hands at Doldam. It's a different experience to the first time where you are sharing the wonder and awe with the newcomers, this time you're like the head nurse smiling and shaking your head and hoping they'll make it.
There are some interesting story lines including something that culminates in an eye leakage in the final episodes, I won't say what, but it was powerful and well handled. Master Kim also has his own problems to deal with, hinted at towards the end of the last series.
The two main new surgeons have major baggage, she can't stomach being in the operating theatre and usually faints and the he has loan sharks chasing him and a massive chip on his shoulder.
Eun-Jae starts out as a weak character, but Master Kim shows her that she's not weak at all and just needs to believe in herself, it's handled brilliantly and was so good to watch her develop into a fearless strong woman who goes after what she wants, no longer told what to do or running away.
Woo-Jin wants to lash out at the world, but he learns what it means to be a Doctor and a great person.
Fans of series 1 ought to thoroughly enjoy this and relish the idea of returning to this wonderful hospital and the team that work there. If you haven't seen Season 1 you don't need to in order to enjoy it but why would you deny yourself the pleasure of watching the first season and then coming back for more? Do it now!
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