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It is perfect just the way it is.
This 5-episode web series grew on me. It has an interesting and well-written plot. The cinematography is superb. I love the warm tones and minimal props. It's very appealing to me. The entire cast did well. This story of romance is a triumphant effort on Soo Not Sue’s part in making viewers weep with joy.And while most fans wanted a second season, it is perfect, and I would prefer to leave the ending that way. It gives a feeling of satisfaction, a refreshing feeling.
She Makes My Heart Flutter is definitely this year's best GL series, and I'd definitely watch it again.
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A TV drama with a dragging storyline, but still worth watching
This has been the longest K-Drama I've watched, the last one being My Only One and Queen Seonduk. I originally planned to watch all 103 episodes in about 2 weeks, but managed to finish in just 5 days. I must admit that in the beginning, I got really annoyed on how the story is dragging especially on the mid part, but I've grown to like it until the last episode.This is a "makjang" drama. Main plot twists are quite predictable, especially the main character's arc. But what makes a makjang drama effective is not just a great storyline and script, but also having superb and amazing actors to pull off such story.
Park Ha Na and Wang Bit Na are truly amazing in this drama. Kyung Hye (Wang Bit Na) is the character I'm attached the most. Kyung Hye somewhat reminds me of another Wang Bit Na's character Boo Young in the period drama Hwang Ji Ni. Both characters started off as villains, but eventually became the likeable ones towards the end. It is no wonder that both Park Ha Na and Wang Bit Na won awards for playing Se Yeon and Kyung Hye, with Ha Na winning the Best Actress in a Daily Drama award and Bit Na winning the Top Excellence Actress award back in 2018.
Can I also say that Kyung Hye and Se Yeon's affection towards each other is lowkey gay? To be honest, Se Yeon and her boyfriend Jae Jun have no chemistry at all, but Se Yeon and Kyung Hye? I ship them like the Titanic. I prayed hard they'd end up together, but the writers decided to make them straight and that's very disappointing. I've read somewhere that the writers might be testing the waters by writing such characters to see if Korean audience is ready and accepting. But man, international audience is thirsty and dying.
103 episodes could be too much but hey, it's not bad especially when you're under quarantine. I recommend this drama.
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A drama with a modern take on marriage and married life in general
Watching this was not as frustrating as other dramas with contract-marriage themes, mainly because the main characters were created as mature adults who are just at the right age to settle down. Contrary to the usually shy and innocent heroine, the drama featured a naive country guy named Jak Doo having to agree to a fake marriage to a materialistic Seoulite to save his cabin. It does have some twists, but as mentioned, it's not frustrating to watch. There are no cheesy moments. Heck, only four kiss scenes were done during the entire drama. There was no deep hatred between the main characters, unlike in some Korean rom-com and melodramas, partly because the characters were written as mature adults. It also featured women in today's era taking over their careers (and personal lives) without much help from men. Lastly, it gave viewers a glance at the ups and downs of long-distance relationships and compromise in marriage in terms of the career and personal lives of the two lovers. It's pretty much straight to the point, which makes it more interesting.Props to the production team for casting a team of actors to portray the characters in this project. This was not the first time for Uee to star in a contract marriage-themed drama, but compared to Hye Soo who made me cry a lot in 'Marriage Contract', Seung Joo reminded me of PD Tak Ye Jin in 'The Producers'- strong, stubborn, passionate woman. And Uee, as always did an astounding job. On the other hand, Jung Sang Hoon is quite a revelation to me. I've always seen him as a funny guy in SNL Korea, so seeing him in this drama was interesting. The character Eric Cho is a funny and genuine person, yet savage when it comes to his business dealings. Jung Sang Hoon did really well. I'm looking forward to seeing his other works.
Also, the songs are one of the very few drama OSTs that I really really love.
Overall, My Contracted Husband Mr. Oh is a drama with a modern take on marriage and married life in general. Their love story did not have a good start, but there are lots of heartwarming moments that will definitely make you smile until the end.
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If I'm not mistaken, Actresses is South Korea's first mockumentary film
Six of South Korea's beautiful actresses gather for a magazine photoshoot, resulting in conflict of individuals. At the time when I used to worship mockumentary television shows like 'The Office' and 'Parks and Recreation', South Korea also released their own mockumentary- in the form of film. The rare gathering of six of the country's top actresses, giving hem a specific scenario, and letting the camera roll as they improvise their own lines and have an honest dialogue with each other really appealed to me.Plus, let's not forget the real-life confrontation between Choi Jiwoo and Ko Hyunjung, which I thought at first was part of the scenario given to them.
As what Director E J-Young mentioned, he wanted to create a film that's unconventional, and so Actresses was born- a film without a script. He is known to create films with topic of scandals and affairs (The Bacchus Lady, 2016), and unconventional ones such as Behind the Camera (2013), another mockumentary style film.
Their emotions and thoughts not as actresses but as humans were beautifully captured, Actresses is a film that you'd likely want to watch again.
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Woman on the Beach deftly captures the subtle layers of monotony, humor and sadness
The film revolves around a movie director making a trip to the beach along with a friend and his girlfriend in the hopes of getting inspiration to finish his script. Soon after, the director and his friend's girlfriend developed an attraction with each other, sneaked out together at night and sleeping together. I've seen this film numerous times, and I'm always captivated by the fact that it doesn't have a lot of lines or fancy dialogues. It has humor and sadness at the same time. Those long shots of particular scenes were beautiful, it reminds me of Lav Diaz's style of filming.The film featured an ensemble cast, with Kim Seung Woo, Kim Tae Woo, and Go Hyun Jung as the main characters. This is also Go Hyun Jung's debut in film after starring in numerous high-rating TV dramas in the past. I don't have much to say with the acting; as expected with Hong Sang Soo, the characters were well-written so these veteran actors were able to deliver. In addition, the quiet and lonely beach greatly matches the film's conventional storytelling.
If you are a fan of Korean arthouse films, you might have seen Hong Sang Soo's other films as well. His originality is widely praised by both Korean and Western film critics and earned him several international awards. He also known for being spontaneous when shooting, highlighting realism in his films. It can also be seen in his other works such as 'Like You Know it All' and 'Right Now, Wrong Then'. A few months ago, Woman on the Beach had a limited screening at Film at Lincoln Center.
One of Hong Sang Soo's best films, Woman on the Beach is a film highly recommended to watch. If you have already seen it, go see it one more time.
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Not bad for South Korea's first space blockbuster
Regarded as SK's first space-themed movie, I had few expectations. But I was surprised at how it was executed with stunning visual effects and combined with a fantastic ensemble of actors. The story is not that bad, but what I like the most is the sequence of actions, from going after space junks to running away from the bad guys. The little humor in some scenes is not bad either.Space Sweepers is a breath of fresh air in the South Korean film industry. Rather than contemplating and reading the reviews, one should watch the movie right away; I can guarantee that it's a good one.
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Bedevilled is an outstanding and award-winning film
The story revolves two childhood friends, Hye Won and Bok Nam. When Hye Won visited the island where she grew up, she reconnected with Bok Nam, who is now an abused wife and a target of misogyny by the locals.I first watched this film in 2011. I never attempted to watch it again ever since. That is until earlier, when I was cleaning my stuff and found my old thumb drive containing movies, including this one. It's a story of friendship, love, abuse, and revenge. I actually ended up sympathizing with Bok Nam as she hacks every single person in her village to death.Seo Young Hee and Hwang Geum Hee delivered superb performance playing main characters. Seo Yeong Hee, in particular, nailed her role as Bok Nam, from a meek wife and a loving mother, to a vengeful woman in the end.
Bedevilled is Jang Cheol Soo's first film which earned him several awards. He recently directed one of SF8's episode, White Crow. True to his roots, White Crow revolves a dark, eerie storyline. It was SF8's darkest episode in the series.
An oustanding and award-winning Korean thriller, Bedevilled is a must-see film.
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Another Beautiful Story from Writer Noh
'Dear My Friends' is another slice of life story from the celebrated screenwriter Noh Hee Kyung. Watching this reminds me of what I felt when I watched 'My Mister' - so beautiful that I don't want to miss a single episode. It's a story that features people who are in their twilight years, one that is rarely featured in today's Korean dramas. Props to Writer Noh for not making the story complicated, and for the wonderful ensemble of veteran actors. Surprisingly, the soundtrack is also worth listening to.It's a refreshing drama with a heartwarming take on friendship, love, and living your life until your final years.
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I had no regrets watching this drama
My Mister is not your typical Korean drama. If I were to describe it, the story is too beautiful and enthralling that you don't want to miss a single episode. But it's also a drama that makes you not watch it with a back-to-back episode. That is because you need a lot of time to absorb and digest every episode of it. The simple, pragmatic story, the dramatic urban location, the tender yet sensible portrayal of characters will immerse you deeply into the drama and makes it hard to recover quickly. To be honest, it took me almost a month to finish all 16 episodes. Even though I have time, I couldn't watch more than one episode. Well, I tried once, but it took me more than a week before I could watch again. This is what makes an outstanding drama.My Mister is not a typical Korean drama. It will not make you laugh. It won't make you cry either. Every episode leaves viewers a heavy feeling but makes them ponder more life and survival, and in the end, will give you the feeling of realization. One may find it depressing, but it's not. It's a healing drama and a good reminder of how one can still lead a good and happy life despite the hardships he endures.
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A straightforward yet entertaining drama
A story about 3 women plotting revenge. Joined by a young man, they carry out their individual revenge to people who did them wrong. Lee Yo Won, Myung Se Bin, and Ra Mi Ran play lead characters in this 12-episode drama.It is pretty much straightforward- no intricate storylines, no dragging backstories, no complicated twists. 12 episodes might make someone think that the entire story was cut and compressed, but it's not. Aside from the fact that it was a female-led cast, the drama also deals with suicide, domestic violence, and sexual harassment against women.It is one of the few dramas I've seen where the majority of the main characters are women aside from "Night Light". And while Lee Jun Young also plays a main character, the storyline is focused on the 3 women. The production team did well on casting Myung Se Bin as a physically abused wife, Ra Mi Ran as a single mother, and Lee Yo Won as a rich young wife.
Avengers Social Club is recommended to watch if you're tired of watching the typical rom-com dramas. It may make you shed a tear at some point, but will definitely make you laugh.
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This film will not disappoint you
Inspired by the novel Fingersmith by Welsh writer Sarah Waters, The Handmaiden tells the story of a young woman entangled in a grand conspiracy after being hired as a handmaiden for an heiress. The plot was beautifully written with surprising twists. As the sneaky plan of conning an old man is being executed, two women from the opposite sides of society fell in love, causing another twist in the story.Kim Min-Hee and Kim Tae-Ri did not disappoint either. Given that the film has erotic scenes, their chemistry and skills have made their characters instantly likable. Ha Jung-Woo, delivered an astounding performance as a con man trying to swindle a Japanese old man. Props to these stars for pulling off such wonderful acting.
I am not really someone who admires cinematography a lot, but I can say that the Handmaiden is one of the few films that made me say wow within the first few minutes of watching.
I've seen a few of Park Chan-Wook's films before (Thirst, Vengeance Trilogy, Joint Security Area), but this is probably one of his best works and the best one I've watched.
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The Recipe is one of the very first Korean films I've watched.
I remember seeing this back in 2011. At first, one may think the storyline is quite common, and one may find the film boring. But deeper plots and backstories are unraveled as the story progresses which leads to a puzzling and chilling/eerie ending. Lee Yo Won, playing the central character did a wonderful job, complimented by Lee Dong Wook and of course, the amazing Ryu Sung Ryong . A well-written story that has bits of romance, drama, fantasy, and mystery. A fantastic film that can fit into multiple genres.Was this review helpful to you?
A Fantasy Drama with Impressive Story and Cinematography
It is very evident from episode one that this is a Lee Ji Eun drama. As I mentioned earlier, I have never seen her previous dramas. But during the first few minutes of Hotel Del Luna, I was captivated by how she portrayed the moody, greedy, and funny Jang Man Wol. I found myself laughing whenever she tries out food or jewelries, or when trying to justify her reasons for getting a new car. It made me look forward to seeing the other dramas she starred in. A few singers and idols have been dabbling into acting recently, some have transitioned from being an idol to an actress and has gained massive popularity for their immense skills. Take note of Kim Yu Jin or Uie, a former idol and member of the group After School. The dramas she starred in always end with high ratings and has earned her numerous accolades. Like Uie, Ji Eun is also a singer and a talented songwriter known by her stage name IU. Hotel Del Luna has cemented her as a skilled actress.I know people might call me an ancient or old-fashioned, but this is my first time to see a Korean drama with an impressive cinematography and use of CG effects. Is this the new trend in K-Dramas? I was actually looking forward to seeing one in the upcoming series ‘SF8’, but watching Hotel Del Luna had set my expectations higher. The stunning cinematography really compliments the dark/fantasy genre of the drama, even the colors were well-chosen, from hotel’s walls to Man Wol’s garish clothing.
Overall, Hotel Del Luna is South Korea’s most popular drama of 2019 and it’s a no-brainer. It is a drama that breaks away from the typical romantic comedy genres which in my opinion has saturated the Korean drama industry. A drama that deals with death and the unseen world, it also deals with justice, healing and forgiving which are good values. For me shows that one who have been wronged will always get the justice he deserves. But sometimes in order to achieve justice, one should let go of all his grudges and learn to forgive so he can be fully healed and be free. Overall, it’s a must-see drama with great story, great visuals, and great cast.
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