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  • Last Online: Jun 17, 2022
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: INDIA
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asmitha chandini

INDIA

asmitha chandini

INDIA
Completed
Love at Night
3 people found this review helpful
Dec 11, 2021
30 of 30 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers
I love some of the new C-dramas coming out that are breaking the mold. Not the usual story lines in this one.

Music is great. Lead actors are also fantastic.

I find the second couple a bit bland and tend to skip through some of their scenes.

It is a slow-burn for sure. Up to current episodes and I'm ready for the FL to actually make a decision and take action for herself. Although she has had moments of standing up for herself, there are plenty of situations where her long-time boyfriend/ex and father are clearly manipulating her and she lets herself be pushed around. I guess, maybe as a woman who has witnessed and experienced my fair share of subtle or not so subtle masochistic behavior, it is quite 'triggering' in some way. Like girl, stop flip flopping around just stand firm already. She gives in on one scene and the stands resolute the next and this happens repeatedly.

Also, who behaves like that when drunk? She behaves as a child when drunk (something common to C-dramas: paint their cheeks bright pink and make the girls behave like 5year olds).

In all fantastic and so close to being a more realistic view on relationships that aren't fairytale. It has elements of being modern and sexy. I'm looking forward to the rest!

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Completed
Her Private Life
3 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers
The leads have fantastic spicy chemistry and depth develops as the episodes progress. There are some ignorant reviewers of this show who don't understand Korean culture at all. 1) The entire point of this story is the fact that she is an Ajumma fangirl, she is supposed to be over 30, that's part of the reason she hides her fangirling. That's the plot, so a younger actress wouldn't make sense as her age/job is the conflict. Also, I hate to break it to those who want younger actors, but Korean dramas air late night and so are usually made for adults 25 and older, teen and young adult dramas are usually summer, web, or weekend dramas. Korea puts too much academic pressure on students so there just isn't a young viewer audience they cater to like in China, Chinese dramas have a lot more for your age range. 2) Korea typecasts on a whole other level so even though PMY is capable of darker or more complex roles as an experienced actress, she is seen as a bubbly rom-com actress and those are the roles she'll be offered. For instance, the actress who plays PMY's mom has played a similar mom character in countless dramas. If you want a cute rom-com that doesn't take its self too seriously but has some character development similar to Secretary Kim, you'll love this. Also, this is the first drama I've watched that has a very forward, positive dialogue about the LGBT community in spite of the conservative Korean audience, for that alone, I love it. You should watch this until episode 4 at least before giving it up as I feel that the first 2 episodes don't really show how great the characters and story are, but by episode 5 you will be hooked.

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Completed
Jealousy Incarnate
3 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2021
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 6.0
Story 1.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 3.0
Although I watched this love triangle drama till the end, my disappointment did not disappear. The basic idea of this drama could have been quite interesting, but the main characters and their behaviour spoiled it completely. The worst was the female main lead, who was just naive, awkward and simply dumb, which was completely contradictory to her ambition to become an anchor. I could not understand why both male leads fell for her. For the rich Go Jung Won her attraction might have been based on the fact that she was likable, modest and no typical high-society daughter. But the fact that her arrogant and erratic colleague, whom she was pestering with her care and affection, finally fell for her although he had rejected her for three years, is not convincing at all. And in the end she even chose the latter for marriage, although his affectionate caring friend would have been the better match for her. The whole plot was dragging on and there were too many lengthy scenes. The only interesting aspect of this drama were the scenes that dealt with the difficult work at a broadcasting station and the problems the respective staff had. Personally I would not recommend this drama, all the more as it is relatively long with 24 episodes.

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Completed
GO into Your Heart
3 people found this review helpful
Nov 4, 2021
41 of 41 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
This show was surprising to me. I knew it was going to be too long but I dove in not really expecting too much. It won me over in many ways. The premise of the show revolves around the game of GO. I even watched an online video of the basics of GO because I wanted to understand better as I was watching. They successfully made all of the parts revolving around the game extremely interesting. I’ve never been so tense watching a boardgame before as I was watching the competitions in this drama. The main leads were so perfect that you were drawn to them immediately. I first saw Niu Junfeng in Love O2O and knew he was a good actor but would never have guessed he would be able to transition into the male lead. This drama is a testament to his superb acting. He transformed himself into another person entirely and held this show together and created a believable character. Landy Li was the perfect choice for the leading lady in this drama. Her smile lit up the screen and her character was one of the most delightful I’ve seen. The entire drama was so fun to watch and devoid of any typical clichés. They incorporated new experiences for the viewers to watch and a ton of excellent humor and dialogue throughout. There were some unbelievably great support characters that made the show even better. The reason I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 was the unnecessary length. Although I found the entire thing extremely interesting and fun some of the scenes were drawn out and a few episodes could’ve been deleted and it would’ve been a better drama overall. It’s certainly worth watching all the way through so you don’t miss any of the fun moments. I have to give a thumbs up to the wardrobe selection. Because of the color blindness issue they brought in a fantastic selection of sweaters and sweatshirts in bright colors that emphasized the importance of color in life. Every time the leading man saw the leading lady, her pop of colors made me smile, and you could feel his heart. Well done!!!!!!

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Completed
The Tale of Nokdu
2 people found this review helpful
Nov 6, 2021
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers
Jang Dong Yoon and Kim So Hyun together have proven to be a dynamistic pairing. They both have "wow-factor" beauty and together they are simply a GORGEOUS couple. The push and pull dynamic between the characters of Jang Dong Yoon (Nok Du) and Kim So Hyun (Dong Ju) ranks among some of the best seen in romantic K-Dramas. I enjoyed immensely the constant "love bickering" between the two leads, the secrets that they kept from each other, the outright denials of affection for each other and then the sad eyes and hurt hearts as a result of their denials. I loved the code language that they would speak to each other that revealed what they really felt for each other which was always in direct contradiction to their spoken denials of any affection for each other. I loved the blushing that occurred whenever they would touch each other and the sweet things done for each other in the name of safety and protection. The slow and methodical build to a red-hot burning desire for love and intimacy between Nok Du and Dong Ju was well done by the writers. The first 18 episodes concentrated heavily on the relationship of the leading couple so that the audience would understand both the temperature and the chemistry between the two leads. With certainty, the emotional bond that Nok Du and Dong Ju had was tested in the second half of the drama. The strain put on the relationship in the second half of the series served to assess if their love would survive the threat of permanent separation from each other due to selfish choices and misguided ambitions. The audience's investment in the couple would make the second half of the drama a very intense and emotional experience for anyone who was cheering this couple on. As the second half of the drama unfolded, the back-stories of Nok Du and Dong Ju were fully revealed. Their fully revealed histories brought them into a direct head-on collision with each other. Now they would have to decide if their initial plans were more important than their love for each other.

In the end, Nok Du and Dong Ju made a decision that the love that they had for each other was more important than exacting revenge. The ending was profound in its way of proclaiming a message not often heard in K-Dramas and that is the unjust and the evil ones just might go unpunished in this lifetime but do not be greedy for things that are not necessary for true happiness. If you have escaped to your paradise and have love & family all around you, you have the supreme possession in life.

Much acclaim and praise should be given to the excellent writing of Hye Jin Yang (original webcomic author of "Nokjujeon") and the writing of Im Ye Jin, and Baek So Yeon (adaptation-to-drama writers). And a bow of honor to all the actors who executed the script to perfection.

At just 20 years old, Kim So Hyun gave a signature performance which served HallyU notice regarding who she is now as a young adult actress and all the great things that are yet to come from her career. Congratulations Kim So Hyun!!! Jang Dong Yoon delivered a diverse and masterful performance. How many male actors can say that they displayed both bravery and daintiness in the same drama....lol....😀😉😎. Dong Yoon was comedic, fearless, compassionate, manly, womanly, and a serious lover sometimes all in the same episode. I see why his female audience will love him to the end----he can act and he has killer looks.

Finally, the cherry on top of this great story was the performance of Park Da Yeon. She just turned 8 years old and she played the character Aengdoo. Aengdoo was a treat to watch; she was like a shot of your favorite syrup in your best hot or cold latte drink of choice. Her "man-crushing" on Nok Du and Cha Yool-Moo was terribly cute, her refereeing the many love-spats of Nok Du and Dong Ju was hilarious, and finally her extreme love for food gave me great delight every time she chow'd down, slurped, grinned, gulped, and burped her way to delectable gratification; it was sheer joy for me to watch her being in "7th heaven" in these moments. Aengdoo was the quintessence of what the Story of Nokdu was all about. This great love story was punctuated by the bright spirit of Aengdoo and her consistent demonstration of pure love, joy, loyalty, and great happiness of spirit. The Tale of Nokdu is more than worthy of the high praise and the high ratings that it has and will continue to receive.

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Completed
Clean with Passion for Now
2 people found this review helpful
Nov 4, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5
This review may contain spoilers
I absolutely loved it!! The first 13 ep were a solid 10 romantic comedy all the way. I laughed so hard, omgoodness, it was hilarious! I loved the storyline, plot, subject, different characters, all the actors, they were all amazing. The lead actor was absolutely perfect for this role, I’ve seen him in several other dramas as a supporting actor and he was great in all of them, so I was so happy to finally see him as a lead. He played each part, comedy, serious, emotional, and romantic equally well, I just loved him! And was my first time seeing the lead actress, she is a gem for sure, especially for being so young! But she was so beautiful, cute, warm, funny, just adorable.

Like I said, I seriously loved every actor & character, and thank goodness no real evil villain! But I have to give a special shout out to the actor who played the girl’s father. I have seen him in so many dramas and he is excellent in every one! He is an extremely funny comedic actor but also equally good with expressing genuine emotion & feeling, I absolutely love & adore him!

I also can’t express enough how much I enjoyed the romance & true realistic kiss scenes! Thank you writers & actors for having two adult people who are falling in love and dating to actually participate in a “real life” kiss, and not a motionless or “emotion-less” frozen face plant or pecks. To see the female lead actually participating with her whole body, and not acting all shy & coy & innocent like a school girl was so refreshing!! Thank you again! And it was such a joy to watch the lead couple’s relationship grow & develop into something so beautiful.

I also appreciated the subject that was addressed in this drama, of OCD & the phycological aspects of the disease. His sickness caused him to be so isolated & lonely, being so deprived of love & human touch, and he thought he was fine without it. So to see how he was healed by the touch of the woman he loved was just so beautiful.

Now, my only complaint, and it’s really just one of my pet peeves for most all dramas in general, not just this one: I was more than slightly disappointed in the last 2-2 1/2 ep, for the sole reason that we pretty much lost all the comedy & the romance, and only got the angst, up until the last 10 min or so. I really thought we would be spared from the formalistic inevitable obligatory k-dramaland heart wrenching, soul crushing, no explanation given, lie & hide your true feelings break up scenario! Like I was so hopeful because this couple had become so strong, and this was just after she had promised to stay by his side no matter what! I was seriously like, wth whyyyyyyy???!!!🤯🤬 I mean yes I understand there was a reason, but it shouldn’t have been a reason, AT ALL, I’m sorry, it was just so wrong!! This really almost ruined the drama for me, in fact I would rate the last 2 ep about a 5. This is a wake up call to the writers, please take note! Doing this when it is so uncalled for and unjustified , and serves no purpose whatsoever, just makes the character lose all credibility, heart & humaneness, and makes me lose all respect for them! I mean can we please come up with something different for a change, like idk, maybe a couple who actually communicate, confide in each other, and talk & work through things together instead of playing the instant, “I don’t like you & I never want to see you again for no reason” breakup card?! I was so mad at her I felt like she didn’t deserve him, because he was such a beautiful, tender hearted man, soul & character! It literally killed me and was almost unbearable to watch, but his acting was amazing through all of this! I give him 10 stars for how he reacted & handled it and tried so hard to understand and fight for it, how he never gave up, man it just made me love him even more, so I guess that’s a good thing lol! And then we have the other dreaded dramaland trope, skip so many years into the future........ sometimes it’s necessary and works, but in most cases I just see it as wasted years and time, so useless!

BUT, even with that said, I just had to vent lol, believe me, that is in no way a deal breaker, or make it less of an outstanding drama, I don’t think there’s a perfect one out there and I’ve seen my fair share. But the acting, story, etc was excellent throughout, and everything worked out in the end, so I’m happy, I just would have loved for them to carry that togetherness & romance through to the very end. But despite that I will still actually rate this in my top 10 favorite dramas, (next time I’ll just forward through all that nonsense😂). It is absolutely worth the watch!

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Completed
Tale of the Nine-Tailed
2 people found this review helpful
Nov 6, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.5
Came for Lee Dong Wook, Stayed for the Plot.

I genuinely cannot say enough good things about this drama! The main girl character is not a cry-baby, and has a good head on her shoulders. (I’m a huge fan of strong female leads who can take care of themselves. I do not mean to put any of the other female characters down, it’s just not my preference). Even the main villain is likable! Not a lot of kdramas make a lot of the antagonists complicated characters. A refreshing break from the typical, power and money hungry CEO. So far, all of the characters in this story have been extremely well written.

And the best part of this show,in my opinion, is the DIALOGUE !! The actors have such a great way of talking with each other and it just feels so natural. It’s not cringey at all, and even when translated into English, the jokes make me laugh.

Another good part is the chemistry between the two main leads. It’s actually crazy how well they suit each other. It’s not some cringey, miscommunication stuff, but real adults learning to love each other, and I think it’s just so beautiful.

The only bad thing I can point out is the effects and hair extensions? But that’s literally it... and it doesn’t distract me from the story at all.

In conclusion, this drama is 100% worth anyone’s time. Even if you’re not into fantasy or particularly romance, Tale of the Nine-Tailed has a perfect balance of both. With fantastic pacing and an interesting storyline, this is one of the few dramas I actually look forward to watch every single week

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Completed
Mr. Queen
2 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2021
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers
When I first read the synopsis of this show, I wasn't overly excited about it but I thought I'd like to watch it eventually.... like maybe AFTER all the episodes had been released. I think curiosity got the best of me and I finally started it after the 10th episode had been released.

Well.... that was it for me. Episode 1 hooked me, line and sinker! It was funny and different and completely unpredictable. I loved it. The only problem I ran into was binge-watching those first ten episodes and then having to wait until the next episodes were released!)

Even the opening credits were fun to watch. I ALWAYS hit the fast forward button through opening credits (except on the very first episode of a series). But I liked the opening music of this series and I loved the artistic torn-paper mosaic animation. Confession: I watched the whole opening credits for probably 18 of the 20 episodes.

This series was captivating.... the characters AND the story. The growth of the characters through the episodes was moving. I even got goosebumps in episode 20 when Cheoljong was reprimanding the group of officials for their crimes. (I've never gotten goosebumps from a scene like that.)

Honestly, I've been binge-watching Korean shows for a year and have seen LOTS. But I think this one is probably in my top three for favorites. Completely unexpected. I NEVER imagined this show would be satsifying to watch - it had everything I never knew I wanted in a show (good music, great credits, great characters who actually grew with the story, good and unexpected plot twists among a solid plot to begin with, action, romance, lots of unexpected hilarity, heart-wrenching emotion...).

Is it worth watching? Absolutely. And not just once. I'm adding it to my "watch again" list!

A quick note of kudos to the Viki subtitlers: thank you so much for the English subtitles (and for taking the extra time to note the translations of written titles and cultural notes). As a North American with zero Korean connections, it was really helpful to learn a bit more about historical Korean references. I would have never known those otherwise and it definitely added to the good experience of this show.

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Completed
You Are My Hero
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 21, 2021
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
Very well done mix of medical and law enforcement procedurals with a healthy dose of romance all sprinkled with bits of humor. Definitely worth a watch!

Positives:

* I love that women are portrayed as strong characters: they are all independent and kick-ass in their own fields. There are some maiden-in-distress situations but even those are caused by circumstances and not about the woman’s weakness.

* There is a good amount of action, both medical and SWAT, which helps to move the show along without an overt antagonist. It's nice that the show doesn't have a conniving evil villain to move the plot.

* The SWAT action is done well. I like the flow between the two worlds. Both worlds are given equal time and both are action packed to help move the story along at a fast and exciting pace.

* I really like the two leads. The ML is adorable (he was awesome in Rise of the Phoenixes!) and the FL nails her character. Their romance and love is cute without being syrupy. Extra kudos for making the FL realistic and not coating her in make up and dressing her up in ridiculously fashionable/tight clothing like they do in American doctor shows.🙄

* Even the side romance/love stories are done well. I like the best friends’ romance: also done well and a cute side storyline. I like that there are very few misunderstandings and romantic detours.

Negatives:

* The medical action is not done as well as the SWAT parts (maybe I’ve seen too many really good medical procedurals - loved House.) As a part medical drama, it was annoying to watch them perform CPR without doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It's a necessary medical procedure and not a romantic gesture and yet they avoid it like the plague.

* As with many longer shows, there are some slow downs. This was particularly true for episodes 30-34.

* I understand the FL character is suppose to have a more subdued personality but Sandra Ma speaks so softly in this entire show, it’s like she’s whispering all the time. That got annoying and made it hard to hear her clearly.

Conclusion:

I found this drama refreshing and fun to watch. The relationships held my attention and got me fully invested in their emotions. It is action packed and moving between police and medical procedurals helps keep everything fresh and not bogged down in either worlds. Overall highly recommend!

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Completed
W
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 6, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers
THIS drama is truly a masterpiece. it has EVERYTHING that viewers want : comedy, action, thriller AND romance.
the romantic scenes are just so well done they make you all bubbly and frustrated inside, that you'd literally be screaming alone in your room.
THE ACTORS THOUGH, lee jong suk has always been one of my favorite actors, alongside with ji changwook. he acts so DAMN well wether it's with his face or body. his facial expressions really transcript his feelings. not to mention that he's so fucking handsome, like come on (and he's 185cm !!!!).

han hyo joo is such an amazing actress as well. i really love her and her way of portraying her character. she doesn't annoy you and she does not whine when she's talking, which i find extremely important.

and don't even get me started on kim eui sung, this guy really needs to earn i don't even know how many awards. he's SUCH AN AMAZING actor. i really mean it, i hope you'll enjoy his acting skills as much as i did !

the plot itself is so well thought, there are NO plot holes and everything slowly makes sense leaving you wanting for more. the story is so unique, i swear to god. the synopsis of this drama doesn't even represent 1\10th of it.
the cinematography and editing in this drama are incredible, i'd say excellent even perfect.
there are a lot of transitions between the two worlds and they're just- so well edited. i always get impressed everytime they come on lol.
AND THE MUSIC ! i reallYYYyYYY love the background music (not the ost), of course i love the ost too but the background music really sets a mood.

all of this to say that i have rewatched this drama 3 times by now, and i will continue watching it lmaO. (first when it came out, then in december of 2016 and now in september of 2017).
there are a lot of people who complained about the repetition and flashbacks of certain scenes, but it's part of the story !!!! if you're going to complain or whine about something so little, maybe you shouldn't even be watching dramas in the first place.

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Completed
Search: WWW
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 6, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers
This drama just hits different...
It’s incredible how this is Kwon Do Eun’s first work as a head writer bc she truly created a masterpiece. Apparently she used to work as an associate for Kim Eun Sook and considering how KES is the writer for works such as Heirs, Goblin... and the female characters in these dramas aren’t portrayed in a great light I’m glad Kwon Do Eun got to write a drama on her own. She clearly knows how to properly portray women as strong and independent.

The thing about kdramas and “weak” female leads...I usually don’t mind seeing characters with flaws. If a female lead cries a lot or doesn’t have a back bone, so what? We all have our weaknesses and that’s perfectly fine but my problem is how there’s always the chaebol main lead that initially treats her like shit and eventually becomes her knight in shining armor. It’s repetitive and annoying to see that all the time.

In this drama however the women are portrayed as confident and independent while also clearly having flaws. It’s also refreshing how their strength and “badassery” differs for each of them. For example: Scarlett is a textbook badass female character. She’s athletic, beats people up and can’t stand witnessing injustice.

Bae Tami’s character is what’s refreshing for
me. Her strength is in how she carries herself and how she doesn’t waver for anything. The scene in the beginning where she says “this is the internet” with her bold
red lipstick on when she’s being questioned at the court is what sold this drama for me. It’s so subtle yet so impactful. I also really love how intelligent she is, she’s always one step ahead and knows what she’s doing. It’s also admirable how she’s a great mentor and a gal’s gal who builds fellow women up...that’s beautiful. Tbh she’s one of my favorite female leads, I genuinely look up to her.

And then we have Song Ga Kyeong who is more of an anti heroine. She makes a lot of problematic and questionable choices throughout the drama but her complexity is what separates her from the typical one dimensional bitchy rivals of female leads in other dramas.
This writer really just gave us all of these gem of female characters in one drama and I honestly didn’t know how to act because THANK YOU?!!!!!
Let’s also not forget about the male characters. Some ppl have said that they were unnecessary and their presence takes away from the message...what message? That a career driven woman don’t need no man? According to whom? A strong independent woman who loves her career can also love a man, those two aren’t mutually exclusive so both Park Morgan and Seol Ji Hwan are needed characters in the story.
Ik this may sound contradictory given my previous statement but the difference in this drama is, these men aren’t there to act as a hero. They’re not magically appearing when
These women are being beat down and dragging them by their arms...they are just individuals who became entangled through mutual interests and attraction. Through that it developed into love and they started growing together.
Besides
If not for
Park Morgan who else was gonna deliver such smooth ass lines and some fine ass visuals? Also might I add, Even tho the story wasn’t centered around his character Jang Ki Yong showed some range...I mean esp
If you know his previous roles, his character in this one was a refreshing change. Park Morgan is also prolly one of my favorite male
Leads along with Ryan Gold from HPL. They’re just the right amount of mature and smooth. (Also an excess amount of fine)
This is also not a typical noona romance I honestly didn’t notice the age difference at all and if it wasn’t mentioned in the drama I wouldn’t even know. Ok maybe I would know bc I’ve seen Im Soo Jung in I’m Sorry I Love you looking the same so she clearly doesn’t age but I know she’s older than him when it comes to numbers since that drama came out a long ass time ago.
Either way it doesn’t matter because they have incredible chemistry
WHEW
Storywise, this drama shed a lot of light on what goes on web portal/search engine companies. It explores many aspects of work ethic and makes you think about what goes on behind the scenes of these companies that run the search engines in real life. Just overall this drama is very well written and has some really great dialogues. Not to mention the visuals and incredible choice of music.

Anyways before I go ranting on even more I’m gonna finish this up by saying this drama is a gem and the writer should make more dramas like this...

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Completed
Revolutionary Love
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 6, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
Have you ever seen a drama that comes off somewhat corny and goofy but the message of the drama is so LOUD it outweighs its approach? And when the message is being carried by such a talented and beautiful actress, in the person of Kang Sora, it’s impossible not to pay attention to both the message and the message-bearer. Kang Sora truly sparkled in this drama. “Revolutionary Love” covers familiar themes such as---good triumphing over evil, justice being pursued and found, and most of all the powerful visual of the revolutionary power of love which opens the understanding of ignorant and insensitive people and transforms bad behavior. Baek Joon (played by Kang Sora) is a woman who is trying to live a principled life without compromise; it was refreshing to see her grit and determination operating in a world where honor and support for such living was almost nonexistent.

This drama receives a few deduction points due to what seemed to be a sophomoric performance by Choi Siwon which was disparate compared to the performance of Kang Sora. It is hard to know if it really was a lack in Choi Siwon’s performance ability or the way that the writer’s wanted the character of Byun Hyeok (Choi’s character), to be portrayed. Regardless of the cause, the character performance of Byun Hyeok was lacking in contrast to the bright luminary rays of Baek Joon. The other issue that I think most people would have is the ending of the story. You felt that a great love story was building between Baek Joon and Byun Hyeok but Baek Joon’s final decisions about the direction of her life seemed out of character and inconsiderate toward building any immediate future with Byun Hyeok---it caused you to question both her decisions and the measure of love that she had in her heart for Byun Hyeok. Despite the issues raised in this review, these should not be reasons to overlook this surprisingly entertaining story. If you have never seen Kang Sora in a drama, this alone is worth the time invested in watching this story---her performance was fabulously charismatic and charming.

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Completed
Playful Kiss
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 1.5
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 3.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This show is amusing, but it’s dated.

A part of the large Mischievous Kiss empire started from the Japanese shojo manga almost 30 years ago (the original began in 1990), this is a Korean spin on it after many previous Japanese remakes and new international sequels are being produced still.

The male lead, Seung Jo, has his cute moments, but overall is cold, underhandedly manipulative, and constantly puts down Oh Ha Ni for all her shortcomings (even after they finally get together). He rarely admits he even likes Oh Ha Ni and pulls the old “how did you put this spell on me? I really don’t know why I love you, but I do” to new levels that are honestly hard to believe throughout much of the show.

The real draw for me was the slapstick comedy and over-the-top antics of early 2000s sitcoms which balance the cringe-y moments. You may also enjoy the lovable, nosy-yet-sweet classic TV trope mom to Seung Jo (totally following the pair around all the time in disguise) or Oh Ha Ni’s diehard BFFs
that support her and believe she will succeed no matter how many times she fails (in basically everything), yet Oh Ha Ni is not called ‘Noah’s Snail’ for nothing...a clever motto her character revolves around... Not to be forgotten, Ha Ni and Seung Jo’s dads are comical and completely adorable in their devotion to one another and that shines through a lot of the show as their kids live under the same roof!

So while I get the enamor of the underdog on the come up and Oh Ha Ni gaining her 4 year one-sided crush’s reciprocated feelings, there’s something that leaves a bad taste in my mouth even when the most likable modern day FL strives for nothing else in life aside from winning their crush’s heart. Oh Ha Ni outright stalks Seung Jo throughout the entirety of the show — trying to secretly follow him everywhere like when he joins Tennis Club, tailing him to find out where he works and separately lives at one point, trying to become his restaurant co-worker and when failing proceeding to show up daily as a customer while pretending the whole time she’s not there for him at all. Her very existence only runs on catching glimpses of him, eavesdropping on his conversations, getting a later job as a secretary to be close to him while he steps in for his dad’s company, and changing her major to nursing when Seung Jo decides to pursue becoming a doctor.

This didn’t age as well as Coffee Prince or other even older Korean romcom shows of its kind and while it’s easy enough to deduce I would prefer more than a one-dimensional leading character with some form of her own independent ambitions and basically able to do, well, anything, if I had seen this show when it first aired a decade ago, as a young teen in a different era, the charm of this show might have been more bright.

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Completed
My Roommate Is a Gumiho
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers
PART ONE: This was the story of a nine-tailed fox by the name of Shin Woo Yeo (played by Jang Ki Yong) who is running out of time to become a human. He meets, quite by accident, Lee Dam (played by Hyeri), who ends up swallowing his marble. Woo Yeo and Lee Dam end up living together until the right action is taken to remove the marble from Lee Dam. In the interim, they fall in love with each other. This drama came roaring out of the gates, the chemistry, the emotions, the music from the OST, and the push and pull between these two characters were sizzling and fiery.

PART TWO: Once the marble is removed from Lee Dam there were quite a few episodes of separation, misunderstanding, fighting, tears, sadness, visits from the unseen world, and then reconciliation and a decision made by Lee Dam to try to salvage this union. Equipped with the information given to her from a “Mountain Spirit” Lee Dam feels that she is now armed with enough information that she can help Woo Yeo attain his dream of becoming human. With a heart full of determination and courage, Lee Dam moves forward and to help Woo Yeo become human and obtain their happy ending. She announces at the end of episode 13 that she is moving back in with Woo Yeo.

PART THREE: Woo Yeo thought he might not make it so he created beautiful and perfect days with Lee Dam as moving memories that would sustain her if he had to leave. In those final days, Woo Yeo learns to be patient and kind, to love and sacrifice, and find a reason for wanting to live. The ultimate sacrifice he indeed gives so that he could be reborn, and rebirth came once he heard the voice of Lee Dam calling for him through the portal of time to eternity to return to her side who was desperately wishing for him to live again as she decided she would patiently wait for Woo Yeo’s return no matter how long it would take.

POST FINALE COMMENTS:

Lee Dam was truly the hero in this drama. Lee Dam was not a damsel in distress that needed saving, but she took the initiative to be the savior. This drama rehearsed an important truth and that is love is the necessary ingredient to humanize the inhumane. Lee Dam was the brave heroine and the righteous and sweet lover that tamed the beast and humanized the nine-tail fox.

Hyeri and Jang Ki Yong were MAGIC on screen together. Ki Yong was at his best in the first part of this drama where his handsome looks, deep voice, and eyes that speak, kept Lee Dam swooning 😉 😊 😊!!!! The only thing that I did not like about the drama was that I wish Woo Yeo had done a little more to try to save himself from his pending troubles. It was like he was just going to accept misfortune as fate rather than see if fate could be reversed. I did not mind seeing Lee Dam be the angel of deliverance, but I just wish I saw more of a fight in Woo Yeo than what I did. Other than this one objectionable point, this drama is a very entertaining watch.

On a final note, I would like to say that I have never seen Hyeri in a drama before, but I must say she was a real treat to see on screen; her smile adorns her with an extra beauty element that is hard to compete with because it is God-given and makes her simply radiant. If you look at episode 5 when Woo Yeo and Lee Dam are taking lots of pictures together with their phones, this little photoshoot session will give you a view of Hyeri that makes you shiver that someone could have a smile as beautiful as hers. When she truly flashes that smile your way you feel like you are being showered with rainbows, fairy dust, and candy canes all at the same time.

You will love both leads for different reasons. I believe that you will enjoy this story.

A VERY IMPORTANT POSTSCRIPT MESSAGE (ADDED IN OCTOBER OF 2021)

When I see a drama couple that I really loved on-screen—where their chemistry seemed to cross over into the real, I look up everything I can on that couple to see what they did behind the scenes during filming and what they did together after the drama such as interviews, game shows, award shows, radio shows, photoshoots, etc…..

Hyeri is just captivating to me. Please check out the YouTube video link below which is a compilation of many wonderful moments that this couple had during and after the filming of this drama.

You will witness chemistry and friendship like none other that I have ever seen between any two lead actors in a drama. Their flow and the joy that they have working with each other on and off camera is electric, it was endearing, and their kisses along with the accompanying soundtrack made this little video montage super steamy.

It would be very hard for a man not to fall in love with Hyeri.

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Completed
The Heirs
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2021
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
First, the plot. I can't say much without delving into spoiler territory, but it's a cliche. Does that mean it's bad? Not at all! Although it's a cliche, it's very well done and it also puts its own spin on the lives of the rich, showing us some of the less-than-desirable moments as well as the parts that people dream of.

The show itself has a way of playing with your feelings. There are a lot of lighthearted moments, as well as dashes of comedy and each character has their own underlying development arc. It also shows us a lot of different types of relationship - romantic, family, and friend - and how they all have their own ups and downs.

To add, the cast is one of my favourites. Lee Minho, Park Shinhye, Krystal Jung and Kim Woobin especially - if you like even one of them, I'd suggest this drama solely for that. The soundtrack is also one of my favourites out of any drama (second only to The DOTS). Bite My Lower Lips by eSNa remains one of my favourites from the OST of The Heirs.

So... is it a show that will play with your heartstrings? Most likely. Is it a show that will annoy you at times, or make you cringe? Yes. Is it one full of cliches? Definitely. Does all of that make it bad? Of course not! Obviously, it has it's flaws, but it's a solid show overall and I enjoyed it a lot all 4 times I watched.

I would really recommend this drama to people who enjoyed dramas like The Master's Sun, Lie to Me and Love Rain.

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