Needs an experienced director.

Story: Has potential

Special effects: Good

Execution: This is where it was lacking. I want to say that they should've turned this into a TV series but as the movie progressed, it would be scary to see it in this medium if done by the same director.

Acting: They can do it but it seems the director did not pushed them. The actors weren't newbies in acting, yet it doesn't seem their hearts are into this project.

Again, the story has potential. The universe can be developed further. It's just the execution of the project which pulled this film down. With that said: 6 out of 10 stars only.

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Could have been better. It obviously lacked in budget and time.

The story has potential but the production seems to be lacking in budget and time. Also, they need to get an experienced English translator for their embedded translation or just include one and leave it to their partner streaming sites to do the English translation for them.

I hope the sequel, if there ever will be one, will have the budget and time to allow the writer and director to tell the story. A good story shouldn't be wasted like this. Make it count.

Last but not the least, the robots does not have to be "stiff". What they lack are emotions not oil. They came from a very advance universe. The virus may have had removed their emotions but it did not made their motor movements like a robot prototype of the 1900s. Make them relax. I mean, look at that female robot host to the virus, not once did she act stiff. Why are the other robots stiff? They don't need to be. Even the fighting scenes of the robots, it was like watching someone do the robot dance.

I hope this improves in the sequel.

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A story you will never forget for the rest of your life

Practically a movie, 2 hours and 20 minutes running time. I would say that by approaching this from an episodic method, they were able to tell the story in a simple and yet very touching way. If they turned this into a movie, it wouldn't have the same impact as the expectations and requirements for one is far different.

This proves that great stories does not have to be long, it is the execution and delivery that matters. I also love how they embedded the importance of studying mathematics and science--something that students need to understand--by throwing a modern student into the past where their survival lies on it, just as how important these are today.

I can't believe I only discovered this today. I will never forget this story for the rest of my life.

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An art masterpiece

This film blew me away. It is very rare to find movies, and even novels for that matter, where the sex scenes were accurate, realistic, and is part of the story. Most of the time when sex is incorporated into movies, it was dead and porn and won't make a difference if removed--in other words, just there as a filler. In "The Handmaiden" it's the total opposite. It was an art. It was about building relationships and how it should be valued and respected by the couple.

The two lead females--Kim Tae Ri and Kim Min Hee--showed how they mastered their craft in acting in this film. From their facial expressions to their emotions and to their actions. I would not be surprised at all if the spark they showed in this movie was actually real. While there were a few scenes Kim Tae Ri felt uncomfortable … which was showing on her face and movements … she quickly relaxed. It was evident that Kim Min Hee helped Tae Ri overcome her uneasiness, they did prepare for this.

From what I understand, this was an adaptation of an English/British novel. That said, I am praising the director and writer, Park Chan Wook, in picking the perfect era in Korea for the adaptation. It could have been set in the modern era or in an even distant past but the impact would have been far less because of the distraction the other eras would bring into the scenes. It also flawlessly opened up a lot of their settings which made the plot deeper and resonate with the audience.

I also liked how they naturally switched between Korean and Japanese. In most movies where there are other nationalities involved, shortcuts are always made by making everyone speak the same language after establishing a character's "foreign"-ness. I frown on such shortcuts and I am glad I did not see it in "The Handmaiden". I was also amazed how the characters mixed the two languages to form one sentence, the way bilinguals actually speak in real life. Great addition to this little detail but equally important in building up the film.

I hope everyone who will watch (and watched) this film will see the deeper message of this film instead of focusing only on the obvious ones. Look beyond the surface and you'll see the important reminder and lesson behind "The Handmaiden". What is it? Better watch it. If you've seen the movie, watch it again and look for it.

10 over 10 in all categories for me. Congratulations!

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High emotional impact. Amazing cast. Great music! A story we can always watch.

NOTE: There are no spoilers. However, some people might consider some information as such. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

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I. Story
There are two stories in this series, the first is the political rivalry; and the second is the relationship between the Main leads.

The political rivalry story was well-written. There were always fresh "content" (if we can call it that) in every episode. They avoided repeating the same plot or reusing what was already "solved" in the previous episodes, while maintaining the overarching plot.

The story between Kang Chi Choi (played by Seung Gi Lee) and Yeo Wool Dam (played by Suzy Bae) was more than perfect. I loved how they did not dive into romantic scenes and dating game, otherwise it would've ruined the whole show. They carefully built-up the expectation and tension between the characters and perfectly used the intense emotions they captured from the audience at the right time, at the right moment.

The finale episode (ep. 24) was beyond perfection. While writing this review, I can still feel the impact and weight of this episode. Anyone can easily feel the emotions of both characters and the dialogues were realistic, what most people would say if they're in the shoes of either of the characters.

II. Acting
Everyone successfully brought to life the characters they played. The seriousness, the anger, the laughter, and craziness were also reflected on their faces. Superb acting!

The Main leads--Seung Gi Lee and Suzy Bae--captured the hearts of the audience which made it easy to feel their characters, to think like their characters, to be their characters. The way they gave life to their characters was natural, we can feel their humanity.

Special mention to Suzy, if I am not mistaken this was only her third Main role in a TV series, the delivery of her lines and they way she showed us her character's personality was at a veteran actor level. It wasn't perfect, similar with Seung Gi, there were a few scenes which were awkward or maybe forced but both of them quickly recovered (even in the same scene).

III. Music
The best music/OST. Perfect timing, at the right place, at the right scene, at the right time. The songs were also memorable and easy to listen to. They also did not forget to lower down the background music a second or two before a dialogue, something often forgotten in many other shows.

IV. Production
It was clear they gave a very good budget for this show. The texture and colours of their costumes and props were awesome on the screen. It helped in bringing-in the audience to live in the world of "Gu Family Book".

V. Verdict
Highly recommended. 20 out of 10 stars. Very high in the re-watch list.

Great job!

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Lovely, touching, and memorable

What a lovely, touching, and memorable series!

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I. Story
a. Episode stories: Some of the episode stories were good but there were those which were great. Out of the total 16 episodes, there are 5 anyone would watch repeatedly. The "legal" aspect were good, the comedy were very funny, and the relationship between characters were what anyone can relate to.

b. Series story: The overall story of the show was neatly written and realistic. It isn't your typical boy-meets-girl-and-they-lived-happily-ever-after which are usually boring and only for the "giggles" factor. While You Were Sleeping have the dynamics and challenges usually experienced by two strangers, turned friends, and started falling for each other yet there were some things holding them back.

II. Acting
Overall, the acting were amazing. They easily portrayed the personality of the characters they were playing. However in the latter part of the series where there were more kissing scenes, the two lead actors weren't into it. I am assuming those scenes were filmed near the beginning of the project and they weren't at ease with each other yet, if so, it was not a good decision. In those particular kissing scenes both actors were lacking emotions, it was "platonic", they were just "acting".

The supporting actors did well too and made their characters memorable especially when it comes to comedy, they delivered the scenes perfectly. Great job!

III. Music
For the whole series, there were only 5 songs which made an impact out of 14 included in the OST. These songs were played in the correct scenes and hopefully were used also in more scenes, or at least an instrumental instead of the other music they used.

IV. Rewatch value
I've watched this twice already. The first time was the Filipino-dub version and recently the original Korean-dub. Anyone can watch While You Were Sleeping anytime and everytime they want, it is a light drama and very romantic.

V. Suzy Bae
Suzy Bae did well in portraying a lovable and pretty character who anyone would fall into at first sight.

Hooray Suzy! Keep it up!

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While Suzy's acting was great as always, unfortunately, this did not help her career. I don't want to say that the story was bad because I haven't read the original material this live-action adaptation was based from. I think the problem was the execution of the live-action adaptation. It was everywhere and nowhere.

They could have had focused more in building the main character instead of showing the other relationship of the other characters, then what Doo Na's going through would be more impactful instead of lacking. You know, it's there, the audience understands what she is going through, but there is no emotional attachment to it.

The show, “Castaway Diva”, with a similar celebrity whose career ended, actually have a better introduction and background build up. Both characters want to die. Both characters were pushed to their limits. Both characters made mistakes. But there is no emotional attachment with Doo Na and there is with the other character with a parallel story. It's one thing to “know” and it is totally another to “feel”.

Watching Doo Na was like having a discussion, from a logical and objective perspective, of a celebrity's life in a classroom. They should have chosen a real-life story and created a documentary, which would be perfect for this kind of execution or production.

I actually stopped watching at episode 06. It took a few weeks before I was able to force myself to watch the last three episodes, and that's coming from a big fan of Suzy.

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A great story about life, love, relationships, and family.

I like how they turned the story into literal vampire + symbolic vampire.

The FL is a symbolic vampire. A type of vampire that sucks the love and fun around her and from other people. Focused only on making ends meet, nothing wrong there, but is dead inside. She thinks she is living her life, but the truth is, she's an “undead”.

Meanwhile, the ML, a literal vampire (or half-vampire in the present day), is a vampire who wants to become a human. Who wants to feel love. Who wants to know what it means to live as a human and enjoy life to its fullest.

Two opposites meet each other. Nothing in common with them. They should repel each other… instead, they slowly attract each other.

The real vampire is making the symbolic vampire realise what she is missing. And the symbolic vampire is only making the real vampire firm in his decision to become a human.

Why? The clue is the fact that he can see his reflection only in her eyes. Because that is not only literal, it is also symbolic. He can see himself in her. The kind of life the FL is living is the life the ML had before he fell in love.

That is… just living for the sake of living.

Exactly what the FL is doing. Living for the sake of living.

Seeing himself in her, with the kind of life she is living, is only strengthening his resolve to become a human. He is done with being a vampire. He wants to find meaning. He wants to enjoy life to its fullest. Who cares if he dies? What is immortality if there is no meaning and purpose to it? He wants to love and be loved “until death do us part”.

And here's the FL, getting curious why a vampire wants to become a human. Why love is so important for this vampire. Because, for her, immortality is a gift, not a curse. For her, she can live a carefree life. She doesn't have to worry about paying bills, or what to eat tomorrow, or where to live next month. She can even make a fortune.

But… a vampire, with immortality and no worries in life, wants to become a human because of love? Knowing he will die as a human? Why indeed?

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While for some the story is cliché, I enjoy stories that add symbolism or deeper meanings to each character, like as I've mentioned, the ML can see his reflection in the FL's eyes is both literal and symbolic. Or, how the FL is a symbolic vampire; and how the two of them are attracting each other instead of repelling.

Good job. Love it!

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Deserving of high praises and top rating

"The Uncanny Counter" (2020) Season 1 was a live-action adaptation of the webtoon ("digital Korean manhwa") entitled "Kyeongirowoon Somoon" (2018) by Jang Yi. It stars Jo Byung Kyoo, Yoo Joon Sang, Kim Se Jeong, and Yeom Hye Ran, as the Counters--people who hunts evil spirits.

The multiple story arcs were well thought out and I was amazed with how these different stories perfectly fit together in the end which brought out the best in the characters and the moral lessons of the series. The casting and acting for the four lead characters were so good it was as the audience witnessed a true story.

The music, overall production, editing, and directing, were all superb. The choreography in the fight scenes were not lacking and were not overdone, simply fitting for four ordinary individuals to do; otherwise it would have been unrealistic.

Finally, and it is rare to see this in most Asian dramas, they ended the series properly leaving an option for a sequel or a new season. Stories should not be sealed--leaving no room for the audience to create their own continuation, which in turn also leaves no room for an official sequel.

Since it was already announced that season 2 was given a green light, it further proved the importance of ending a series with room for the future. Well done. I will be waiting for season 2.

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ENDING EXPLAINED

Okay, so it was indeed a game as suspected and it was Se Eun's parents who programmid it and the "AI" Jung Won who learned how to hack it.

I think episode showing Jung Won creating the game was her learning the harsh fate of everyone, and she's continually trying to end the game.

Also, Jung Won seems to be making sure Jae In remembers bits and pieces of the previous games. And in the finale episode, Jae In remembers everything from the previous one, including when she was awakened by Se Eun's parents.

The real question here is this: Did See Eun's mother reprogrammed Jung Won?

When the game reset, Jung Won was sitting far from Jae In. Also, Jung Won looks at Jae In with contempt.

I'm highly suspecting Se Eun's mother changed Jung Won (the AI) and now Jae In will be the one who will suffer the most since she volunteered to take responsibility.

I think that's what She Eun's mother did, she reprogrammed Jung Won to "think" that Jae In is the primary person responsible. Hence, Jung Won was looking at Jae In with contempt.

Even moreso, Jae In remembering everything is an additional layer of "punishment". She will be the only one who will remember the pain, as Se Eun's mother wanted.

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Did I watch a theatre play or a TV drama?

What a masterpiece. «Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born» («정년이») gave us an unforgettable finale, and Kim Taeri (김태리), Shin Yeeun (신예은), and Woo Davi (우다비) absolutely delivered. These three? My absolute favourites.

Here's why it stood out:

1. The editing? Flawless.
2. They filmed the theatre scenes as if it was a real performance. It didn’t just feel authentic—it _was_ authentic.
3. Every scene mattered. No fluff, no fillers. Just storytelling that hits hard.
4. They focused on what’s real: the relationships, the struggles, the rawness of being an actor, singer, or dancer. It wasn’t just about glitz and glamour. It was blood, sweat, and tears.

Now, about that finale. If you’re going to watch it, do it right. Big screen. Full volume. No distractions. It felt so much like a real theatre experience I caught myself clapping with the fictional audience, tearing up, and giving them a standing ovation.

Honestly, I don’t know if I just watched «Jeongnyeon» or an actual stage play. That’s how good it was.

100 over 10 stars to the cast, crew, writer, and everyone who brought this story to life. And a huge salute to every artist out there who pours their soul into their craft. You are seen. You are celebrated.

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A Masterpiece!

Summary: Alice is a major masterpiece.

Some details:
I. Time-travel
-- I am very critical when it comes to time-travel stories. The writers of Alice handled this very well with just 16 episodes. They backed it with current science and theories and less on artistic freedom. They also handled well the grandfather paradox.

Were there loopholes in the time-travel? At first, it appears so but after watching the whole series there is none. In the finale episode, many would probably think there were a lot of loopholes but I beg to differ, there were none as far as the theories and science used by the series they did this one well.

II. Acting
-- The acting of everyone were superb. From the comedy to seriousness, from the love triangle to family love, and from the future to the past to the present. I have no idea the sequence of filming you did--all past scenes first for example, or was it mixed--but everything fit perfectly.

III. Music
-- The background music were in the right place and at the right time. Not too soon, not too long, and definitely not in the wrong places. It was not used to elicit emotions, the music was there to add an additional layer to an already complex dynamics.

IV. Story
-- This is the most important part. The story is very deep and thought-provoking. It is a love story about a mother and her son. It is a love story about the son and a person who looks exactly like his mother. A love story about the son who was adopted and grew up with another family. It is a story about camaraderie. And it is also a story about time-travel and the repercussions and morals of it.

Having weaved all these different stories to form one grand story is not an easy thing to do in a 16-episode series. This is usually possible in a novel or comics but the writers of "Alice" and the director were able to pull it off. It started with love and ended with love.

Time has no beginning and no end but people do.

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S01 was better

S01 was good.
S02 was nowhere close to S01 story quality.

If they're going to do S03:
* I also prefer Stella, no offense Sally.
* Bring back Lt. Cha.
* Don't repeat the S02 mistakes:
a. No conclusion to the S02 arc.
b. The individual cases weren't that good, and consumed 2-3 episodes. Some of those should've consumed 1 to 2 episodes at most.
c. Seriously? Trying to string a romance with Dr. Baek? He still hasn't resolved his emotional pain, and other ghosts from his past, and you tried to create a romance with the character?
d. What happened to character development? The story Dr. Baek is not yet over. S02 should've shown how he's trying to resolve the other ghosts from his past. But… nope… nothing. He got stuck as a paper or machine.
e. The list goes on.

Again… S01 was good, and then S02 was meh.

If you want to do multiple Seasons:
1. always conclude the Season Arc.
2. never forget to continue character development.
3. build the relationship between the characters… not by inserting romance where it isn't needed. Relationship is not just about romance.
4. Multi-episode arcs should at most only have 2 episodes. If you want to do a 3-episode arc, it should be your best plot, not same old dull moments.
5. It doesn't have to be linear. You can insert a case or two that has nothing to do with the Season Arc, and only makes sense in the season finale as part of the cliffhanger. A way to prepare for S03.

Argh. I rarely do this type of feedback because I believe that writers have a story in their mind already that just doesn't fit in one season. But there are rare times when things have to be said, especially when they did well in the first season.

The way the second season was executed, it was as if the network demanded a S02 but it was never in the plan of the writer(s). Something like, “They want us to make S02! Get everyone here and let's come up with something, anything!”

Anyway… they need to repeat the formula for S01, not S02, when they start to work for S03. They don't need to surpass S01. A good story and execution doesn't mean you have to do better than your most successful Season.

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Once again, Kim Tae Ri has proven why she's a Rank 1 actor. Special mention was her portrayal of the ghost desperate to live yet Tae Ri's character was forcing her to burn the final key object to banish the spirit.

I played that scene multiple times because I can't get enough of the out of this world acting by Kim Tae Ri. I felt compassion on the ghost in that scene. She only wanted to live because she was wronged when she was still alive. And her very strong desire to live, by trying to fight back San Young (Tae Ri's character), was delivered by Tae Ri in a very powerful way. I think Tae Ri's theater acting training and exposure greatly helped her at that moment. She knew how to act the ghost's desires and desperation to live without overdoing it.

Of course, I also commend the director and the cameraman for perfectly capturing that moment, up close and personal. It magnified what Tae Ri wants the audience to feel: this ghost, she was a victim, while it doesn't justify the ghost's murders, it is us humans who turned her that way.

Which is true. Many of humans only think of their own desires and greed, and doesn't care if another human being turn evil because of their actions and words. Yes, we cannot blame others for our own actions, but we also cannot deny the fact that we are who we are because of our experiences.

For me, the moral of this story is that we should always strive to do good. If you truly want to be selfish, then keep your mouth shut instead of speaking hurtful words behind other people's backs. For example, San Young realised how she was killing herself in the final episode because of how people said hurtful words, like that scene with the convenient store manager. If one did not notice, Tae Ri showed her "evil face" at that time, and she was not yet influenced by the ghost then.

Many of us probably reacted that way too after hearing hurtful words from people. Our faces probably showed how we want "kill" them for looking down on us as if us struggling in life was our fault (when it was just what we're given). Or, like it was a sin to have been born in that situation. And that moment was when San Young, without her knowledge until the final episode, that she started to slowly kill herself.

I've been there, too, without me realising what I'm doing. You gave up. You just try to live every day, but you no longer have any desire to live. You are just waiting for death to collect you, and you'll even welcome death with open arms. And the ghost that possessed San Young, she was right. San Young was wasting her life, and she (the ghost) wants to live.

The show may have been about ghosts and suicide. But if we look deeper into it, it is sending us a message that we should strive to live no matter what. Why? Because there were people whose lives ended not out of their own will, rather, they were forced to it. They were victims.

So, to you and me, this show is a strong and powerful message. Fight to live. It is hard. I know, I am struggling myself. I want to give up. I had enough of this life. But, let's fight to live another day. Let's show this world, let's show this evil society that we have today, that we can. If we know people whose lives ended early, either through suicide or they were murdered, let's live for them. They have desires and dreams, let's live for them, and maybe, through us, our society will become better.

Thank you, Kim Tae Ri, to the cast, the staff, the director, the writer, for this very timely story and message. I hope you'll win awards for this, you 100% deserve to grab all the awards.

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