Light & fluffy turned serious & intense

I was hooked from the beginning of this drama! Boy was it so cute, fluffy and charming! However, I swear as soon as we got past the fluffiness of episode 7 and 8, the show got way more serious. I guess their kiss was the climax of the cute part and then that story got side shifted to focus more on Ra-on’s/Eunuch Hong’s situation within the palace.

For a minute I was very confused about the whole boy/girl situation. One minute I would be like, ‘Does he know she’s a girl,’ and the next I was thinking the opposite. Very confusing - anyway, it sorts itself out in the end and the Crown Prince finally realises that she is in fact a girl, and they have the best kiss scene (even though at that point I was still unsure where he stood on the whole ‘was she a boy or girl’ situation).

The later episodes got really intense. Being a period drama, I expected it to be more serious from the very beginning, not so light and fluffy. That’s what drew me in, otherwise I would have struggled to watch this one, but overall it was a pretty decent story and entertaining and interesting so I liked it very much.

It all started to take a turn when more of the palace people became suspicious of the Crown Prince’s relationship with Ra-on/Eunuch Hong.

I did shed a tear when I thought Byeong-yeon had died - and how did he not die might I add? I was glad he remained alive.

It was horrible how Ra-on/Eunuch Hong was pinned as being a traitor just because she is her father’s daughter (who she had not seen in forever!) Heck, she didn’t even know the reason why she had to pretend to be a boy until she was finally reunited with her mother.

I cannot believe that woman abandoned her baby and then even tried to have it killed.

The way this drama wrapped up was so beautiful it made me cry. The two of them in that field of flowers was gorgeous. These are the swoon-worthy moments that melt my heart. Just before that though, the Crown Prince really did sit down on the stairs instead of his throne lmao XD What a man! Trying to breakdown that hierarchy and become one with his people.

The OST is really good - I liked all of the music!

The acting was great, but MY GOD was there a lot of staring - this is a drama pet peeve of mine. Also, there was so much eye acting/acting with the eyes. I don’t know how the actors did it always tearing up. It became one of those things you always notice, like when someone continuously says ‘Um’ during a conversation. Also, shout-out to the little girl who played Princess Yeong-eun. She did such a good job! Very impressed.

Credits to the wardrobe and design team! All of the outfits were so beautiful and looked well made.

I think I would find myself wanting to rewatch the cute scenes of this drama. So heartwarming.

-E

Read More

Bleh

Good Morning Call is average/mediocre.

It started off and all I could think of was Itazura na Kiss. First it was Uehara not accepting an invitation, then it was them living in the same apartment. Even his demeanour and the fact that he was so cold just reminded me of Ire-kun.

The production quality was very low, but because the story was a bit lame it didn't really matter. The lighting was poor and made the show feel more dismal than it would be otherwise. It was filmed in 2016, yet it looked like it was filmed in 2006.

I really don't have many thoughts for this show. It was easy enough to watch and did just follow the everyday life of a high school couple who lived together.

Towards the end it was predictable when Uehara went to get Nao's key. The very ending was not exciting as they ended up just living next door to each other. Really, how is this going to be any different to what their situation was before?

I wouldn't watch this again.

-E

Read More

Smiling? I'm melting at this cuteness

Okay, hear me out… I know this is a drama about gaming, but my God there was a lot of gaming. I was pretty much enjoying this show the whole way through and was like, oooh I wonder what will happen in the final episode!.’ I know obviously they had to win the final tournament, that was a given, but did they really have to spend the entire last episode just gaming? A very important aspect of the show, I know, but still. We all knew they would win so why did they have to spend the entire last episode just on the final tournament!? They could have had 15 minutes at the end of episode 30 and be done! When things were getting so good with Lu Si Cheng and Tong Yao and that’s how they end it? There better be a season two because I can’t leave these characters like that.

Okay, so it all started with Lu Si Cheng stealing her food and closing the door in her face. How rude! Little does he know she’s about to change his life. Before that though, we get to watch her being a queen, jumping on social media and roasting his ass for the world to see. Already in love with Tong Yao XD

Imma break this review down into dot-point.

The romance:
* They are such a cute and fluffy couple.
* Although Lu Si Cheng was so cold and distant in the beginning, the chemistry was ‘so there’! This man, he is husband material let alone boyfriend.
* Their initial trip to the store was so cute and from this point on, I knew it was going to be just the kind of fluffy show that I like.
* The episode where he came down to check on her throughout the night when she was practising and he brought her milk, covers her eyes with his hand so she will stop crying. My heart! Bless them.
* Then, when she was on her period and he looks after her! I melted at this episode. When he goes to get her a hot water bottle! The thought! The care! The fact that the bottle was so little just made it even more cute and he also chose the one with his picture on! She’s Smiling, but I’m melting XD
* When Tong Yao says they should go buy a fish and the scene is split so we see both of them getting ready and they’re putting in so much effort! I could. not. Handle. (The fact that Pancake actually ate one of Lu Si Cheng’s fish is priceless. Also, why did Tong Yao put a Nemo in the tank!? XD Girl, he is going to notice! And then he caught her red-handed. Her reflection in the glass when she realised he was standing behind her had me XD).
* When she falls over, he catches her, and they lock eyes and he says, ‘Are you done staring?’ Bruh! You were staring right back at her! Stop flirting! Jks, I’m kidding XD Please keep flirting!
* The ending of episode 20 had me swooning so hard, and then the continuation in episode 21. Lu Si Cheng was trying so hard and he confessed to her it was so cute! ‘Try me’ Ughhhh
* He tells her she only has a few hours to make a decision. It’s 8:58pm and she hears Lu Si Cheng come home and runs out the door to greet him. And omfg he has the cat! I repeat he has the goddamn kitty! And then they hug! Ugh this was just the cutest scene I have ever seen! The amount of smiling he is doing now really lives up to the name of the show. It couldn’t be more suited!
* There are so many hand holding moments that I cannot comprehend, let alone the kissing scenes. Don’t even get me STARTED on the head pats. Fhsjgksghfkgnd
* I love how the guys know what’s up. And her friend too! When she tells her friend she’s got big news. She’s like, ‘big news? I sense gossip.’ Girl knows what’s up

The Crew:
* Old K - I liked his character although he was cold and stand-offish towards Tong Yao in the beginning. It was so sweet when they started to bond and he became supportive of her.
* Xiao Pang - He was like a lil puppy! I just wanted to give him a big hug! I don’t know why he was so surprised when he actually saw Lu Si Cheng and Tong Yao kissing; like the whole crew knew what was up and yet he was still surprised? I guess he was in a state of shock. Also, love the fact that he always saw them in the suspicious situations.
* Lu Yue - When he first came into the picture I didn’t think he was going to stay. The little streak of blue hair he had always bothered me and he reminded me so much of Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot and Curious George. However, over time his personality grew on me and I didn’t mind his presence so much. He was very juvenile and likes to cause some trouble. Whenever he would whip out his phone, I thought of Gossip Girl ‘cause that’s what everyone does when they spot a hot topic.
* Old Cat - Stern face. Don’t have a lot to say about him, other than why did him and Old K have a fight about literally nothing? Or am I missing something here?

Xiao Rui and Ming God were an interesting pair. Xiao Rui reminded me of Ross from ‘Friends.’ I just see a likeness.

The funniest episode BY FAR was when Lu Si Cheng was set-up with that girl on a date his Mum prepared. He was having none of it. The date hadn’t even started and he was already asking her to leave XD. It makes me LOL just thinking about it. Lu Si Cheng is a savage.

Okay, if I write anymore I’ll just be reiterating the whole show so I will stop. Definitely worth the watch! A huge plus if you like watching people play games. Lots of cuteness and fluff that will have you ‘smiling’ for days.

-E

Read More

Too many thoughts on this drama

Where do I begin? I feel like I have so many thoughts about this drama but I can't list them all without relaying the entire show.

As soon as the theme song began I was like, 'yeah, this is gonna be good.' For the most part I really enjoyed watching it but I cannot say it's one of my favs.

The plot was pretty basic with some minor twists and turns, making it very easy to watch. There are quite a lot of episodes that I think if I had have missed a few, it wouldn't have mattered.

Xiao Nai was such a smooth talker, but the way he looked at Weiwei gave me the feels. And the final episode omg! Also, the way he would kiss Weiwei was like WOW. Like he reallyyyyy knew what he was doing. On the other hand XD, Weiwei kind of always just stood there. I read a review where someone said she looked like a dead fish standing there and now I can't get that out of my brain. Also, why do some actors keep their eyes open???

Weiwei was your pure and innocent typical nice girl. There was something about the actress that kept throwing me off. The way she would sigh and move her eyes over the screen when she was playing the game reminded me of an anime character. Also, every time she spoke, it didn't look like what she was saying matched up with the movement of her mouth (if that makes sense; the sound was disjointed). Maybe I just have a dodgy computer, but I didn't notice this with any of the other characters.

I really liked Weiwei's friend Erxi; she is too cute! I felt so sad and sorry for her when she broke down after everyone kept mistaking her for being Luwei Weiwei. The girls who came to her workplace were so mean. It made me tear up at one point.

I also like all of Xiao Nai's friends. They seemed like really good guys and they were always happy and fun.

I found it very hard to wrap my head around the fact that people can think just because they're married in a game, means that they're into the person on the other side of the screen. Like what? It's just a game. People get wayyyy too invested in it lmao.

Cao Guang is on a whole another level. Like, 'IT'S A GAME!' He got so fixated on the thought that Weiwei was Erxi's avatar. When he confronted Weiwei and she was like, 'bruh, what are you even talking about?' I was lmao like exactly. He's all, 'Why are you two-timing people?' Honey, one - you don't even know her; and two - you're referring to an in-game spouse. A game!!! I just can't.

Boy was I glad when Weiwei bet all of them girls at the meetup and proved that she was Luewi weiwei, and then when Xiao Nai arrives to pick her up. Damn, that was so good!

I thought the game characters were developed well, in the sense that they looked like they were part of a game. If this had have been some high fantasy drama, I would have thought the effects were bad. It really did seem like they were game characters.

I felt like it was a bit cringe at times, especially in the beginning, but it never really let up for me. When Weiwei and Xiao Nai officially met, of course it was going to be a little awkward, but I feel like the awkwardness carried on a for while.

Can we talk about the amount of staring we have to go through? It is just unreal. Minutes on end I watched people staring into one another's eyes. I swear this drama could have been cut down by one whole episode if someone had have done some editing.

I was satisfied with the ending. I liked how it wrapped up in the place where Xiao Nai first noticed Weiwei and we got to see the flashback. That was cute.

Overall, I'm glad I watched this iconic masterpiece, if you will. I feel like I have so many more thoughts but this is enough to share.

-E

Read More

Started strong but soon fizzled out; kinda picks up again at episode 16

For the most part I thought this drama was good, but on reflection it lacked the effect of keeping me gripped.

I feel like it started off strong but soon fizzled out. It was another typical office romance with nothing particularly special about it. I feel like the main difference between this drama and other ones is that the romance was focused more heavily from the male lead's perspective.

Don't get me wrong, I liked both the male and female lead as they were nice, charming and cute etc., however, because they were mundane and nothing was particularly special about them, it didn't make it as interesting to watch.

I think the casting crew knew what they were doing when they chose Rowoon for the male lead. Ngl, I probably wouldn't have had it on high priority if he wasn't in it.

I had a really hard time caring about Jae-shin and Hyo-joo's relationship. Initially I did think Jae-shin was awful and like, "how could he do that to poor Song-ah," but once you find out some backstory it all starts to make sense. I ended up feeling sorry for the dude.

I liked both of Hyung-seung's sisters. I was glad when Ji-seung coupled with Jae-woon, and he was so cute in the final episode! Almost had me crying.

Hyung-seung's other sister, Yeon-seung had to go through a lot and I felt bad for her. Ha-eun was cute and such a smart little cookie. It was sad to see her upset about her parents divorce, and it was awkward with her Dad.

The final episode was my favourite and most enjoyable to watch. We got to see a whole bunch of fluff which was really cute! However, the every ending left me a little underwhelmed. I was hoping to see an actual wedding but instead we just saw them trying on their wedding outfits.

Acting was great, good cast - I liked most characters.

I don't imagine I would be reaching to watch this one again, at least not anytime soon.

-E

Read More

The first season is better than the second

Sadly, I did not enjoy this season as much as the first.

I was so disappointed and shocked that Yi-Nah left. I had no idea that was going to happen and it was really hard for me as she was one of my top two favourite characters!

It took me ages to get used to the fact that Eun-Jae was portrayed by another actress. That threw me right off, and why did she and the other dude stop dating? So disappointing.

I did not like Eun in the beginning. I thought she was rude and it didn't feel like she was ever going to fit in with the rest of the housemates. Thankfully that changed. I liked how she and the landlord became a couple. They were really cute.

I was disappointed that we didn't get to see Jin-Myung and Jae-Wan in it. They were so sweet together and I thought that sweetness would show through more in season two.

Don't get me started on the K-pop group and how they tried to portray that. Ugh, it was such a flop. I personally didn't feel sorry for that dude. He pissed me right off.

I could not believe they spent the majority of the first entire episode just driving around in Yi-nah's car. It was ridiculous how bad she was at driving. Cute car though.

Ji-Won wasn't as boy crazy in this season, however I so wanted her and Sung-Min to get together. Unfortunately, they did not. *cries*

All of the abuse and weird torture in this show doesn't really fit the vibe in my opinion. Yes, it is good to portray certain topics, but at the same time, like the first season, this wasn't what I signed up for.

The whole mystery with Ji-Won's friend was unnerving but I'm glad we finally found out what happened. To begin with, I thought it was Ji-Won's Dad who had abused her friend Hyo-Jin.

There were points where I did get a bit bored and that is why I didn't rate this season as high as the first. By episode 12 I felt like it was dragging. Especially during the episode where they were apple picking. I felt like this was just a filler episode.

I'd probably watch the first season again, but leave it at that.

-E

Read More

Deeper than I was expecting

This drama had me in tears. I thought it was going to be light-hearted and fluffy, but unexpectedly it touched on some very serious topics.

I loved all of the five main girls. They all had different backstories and secrets which made the show more interesting than I thought it was going to be.

It started off with Eun-Jae moving into the share house so I thought it was mainly going to focus on her, but then the second episode starts and it's all about Yi-Nah being a prostitute. Ooof, wasn't expecting to see this in a K-drama. However, I liked Yi-Nah's character as she had a powerful presence and liked to stick up for her girls.

The relationship that formed between Jin-Myung and Jae-Wan was so sweet. Jin-Myung's boss at the restaurant was a real creep and I wasn't expecting the show to take the path it did there. That was the first instance when I realised it was going to be more serious than I thought. Her Mum killing her brother was not a shock but it still made me sad.

Eun-Jae's relationship was also sweet, and the height difference between them was just!!! Ugh! She's so smol that it's cute! The secret about her 'killing' her Dad was odd and it didn't really feel like her character. Her backstory seemed weird.

I really like Ye-Eun and was not expecting her boyfriend to turn crazy abusive towards the end.

Poor Ji-Won - I felt sorry for her because she seemed like the third-wheel type person. It was especially hard/sad to watch when the girls were at the hospital and all of their mans come in to see them and she has no one. But when she calls the guy she relies on, he answers her but then hangs up! I hope to see her in a relationship by the second series - she deserves it.

The ending where they were all worried about the whereabouts of Eun-Jae had me shedding a tear, and it was so sweet when they all hugged her when she came home. The friendship between them all grew so much stronger throughout the show. I loved this!

I really hope series two is just as good and if not better!

I definitely picture myself rewatching this in the future.

-E

Read More

I have mixed feelings for this one

I have such mixed feelings about this one! I liked it... but at the same time there were things that I just didn't like.

For more than half the season they're in high school and that same goddamn classroom. I was really hanging out for a change of scenery.

The story didn't seem that original or like it had anything that would make it really stand out from other dramas.

It was obvious how Jiang Chen began to like Xiaoxi and their relationship slowly grew closer but, for some reason I feel like them being 'an item' happened too quickly. Like one minute he wasn't all that into her and showed her no signs of liking her, and the next they're together? Like bruh, did you even ask her to be your girlfriend? I mean we all know she would have said yes but that's not the point. I don't know, the pace of this show was just off for me. I was glad when he did finally make a move but at the same time I didn't like how he kissed her when she was drunk.

I don't know if I zoned out when Xiaoxi left the hospital after they 'broke up' because I still feel slightly confused as to why they were suddenly separated. I mean, Xiaoxi didn't even give Jiang Chen a chance to explain, and he didn't even want the training opportunity at the other hospital anyway. I don't know why he had to be a little bitch and leave her and expect her to follow him. That was just whack.

I was so shocked when three years had passed. I thought this was gonna be the first drama I watch where the couple don't even end up together. I find it hard to believe how they parted ways when they never properly spoke about anything. For him to really have feelings for her and just run away from the situation was low-key juvenile.

I'm torn as to whether to like or dislike Jiang Chen's character. Towards the end of the series he is obviously sweet and blah blah, but all the time before that something just seemed off about him. I didn't like the moments where he was controlling - it threw me off. Like when he didn't want Xiaoxi to get a summer job.

On the other hand, I really like Xiaoxi's character and she was so adorable. The episode where she was dressed up in the dinosaur costume whilst handing out flyers was just the end for me.

The side characters were okay, but I wasn't really interested in their story, especially Wu Bo Song. I guess it was cute how Lin Jing Xiao and Lu Yang got married in the end - they did make a cute couple.

I think the first time I swooned was when Jiang Chen picked Xiaoxi down from cleaning the window. However, this was more controlling behaviour. It was mean but cute when Jiang Chen put the book she wanted on the top shelf out of her reach.

I liked the theme songs - especially the end song as it's really pretty and the strings are just *chef's kiss.*

The acting was good - I didn't have a problem with any of it.

I was glad they made the characters look older, especially Xiaoxi. She looked so little and reminded me of Dora the Explorer until the end of the season.

I don't have plans on rewatching, but who's to say I might not give it a go again in the future? I may skip the first half of the season though just to get the boring parts out of the way.

That's another point! Although the episodes are shorter, why is the series 24 episodes long? I think they could have cut at least 5-6 of the first ones down - they seemed like filler episodes to me.

Final thoughts - I wasn't satisfied with the ending. In saying that, I liked how we got to hear all of Jiang Chen's thoughts throughout the years, however the main story just faded out and then it was 'the end.'

Unless there is another season somewhere, I must have imagined them actually getting married. Speaking of another season, why did the last episode end with, 'to be continued?' Am I missing something here?

Overall It was really easy to watch, light-hearted and fun I guess?

-E

Read More

Cute but gets repetitive

I was definitely gripped from the get-go, however the story does feels like the kind of thing I might have written about for a school writing project. Nevertheless, it was unique and intriguing.

I was really enjoying this show until it occurred to me that the story kept repeating itself; the characters would lose their memories and they would have to find their ego again. Towards the end of the show I started to wonder what Haru's actual purpose was because he kind of came from nowhere and was just this mysterious guy from the beginning. I know we discovered that he was in love with Dan-oh in the 'Trumpet Creeper,' but even in that, did I miss what his purpose was?

I'm not quite sure what the characters actually did in their spare time - they were always just at school. I guess their was the love triangle between Dan-oh, Haru and Gyeong that made the plot line a bit interesting. However, their characters were all pretty one-dimensional. Btw Gyeong was an ass. I did not like him; he was so rude and mean to Dan-oh. Even though this was the writer's doing, it was still harsh and uncomfortable to watch.

On reflection there were definitely many flaws of the show, but if you just watch it at face value and don't read too much into it, then it is enjoyable and easy to watch.

Taking it back to the first episodes - Oh boy, by the second episode where Dan-oh fell down the stairs and we still didn't get to see Haru's face, I was so disappointed and I just wanted to know who he was. The ending of episode two was, in my opinion, *chefs kiss* perfect! Seeing Haru's face appear through the umbrella was so beautiful and a memorable moment of the show. I really liked all the interactions between Dan-oh and Haru. They make a very cute couple.

I loved every scene where Dan-oh would get disgruntled at the writer for making everything about Ju-dah and Nam-ju, hence the fact that she wasn't the protagonist. I found the scene funny where she knocked over the statue in art class just to get people to focus on her. And then the writer rewrote the scene anyway XD.

I really liked the side characters i.e. Ju-dah and Dan-oh's friend (the one who was mean to Ju-dah). Although she is mean and a bully, she was still a funny character. I liked Ju-dah's sass and energy towards the later episodes where she developed her ego. I was really glad that she liked Do-Hwa as well. Speaking of Do-Hwa, he is such a cutie and in the final episode he made me laugh so much. The scene where he spots Dan-oh with the paper chain around her neck and he comes in flapping his arms trying to make her remember the butterfly. He is an emotional boy and I love him for that. I feel like the only characters that had any real progression or growth were Gyeong and Judah.

I was getting concerned when I only had five minutes left to go and nothing was wrapping up. I feel like yes, how it ended worked, but at the same time I just didn't feel way satisfied with the ending. For me, I wish I had have paid more attention to the tree scene in the previous episode when Dan-oh said to meet at the tree on October 10th, in order to always find each other. I feel like if you forget this scene and finish the show, you'd be like what just happened? I personally would have liked an actual flashback to the tree scene in order to emphasise their memories a bit more, rather than using the voiceover of what was said in the past.

I really liked the soundtrack for each moment in the show; when it was sad and emotional, or dark and intense. I am obsessed with the First Love song! I've never really been able to sing Korean but this one I can! XD

The acting was great - no qualms there.

Overall I rate it 9 because it was enjoyable and cute to watch. I think its downfall lies in the plot as on reflection there wasn't a great deal that happened and it kept repeating itself.

-E

Read More

My thoughts on Squid Game

This drama started out really strong. I was definitely gripped by the first episode but then it kind of got boring.

•My favourite game was obviously Red Light, Green Light, although that giant doll was the most creepiest thing for me to witness. I also enjoyed watching the one where they had to step on the correct piece of glass.
•The honeycomb challenge was disgusting - all that sweat and licking was ew!
•The marble game was boring and the tug of war game made me too tense. I didn't like to see them dangling on the rope waiting to fall to their death. It was better in the glass game because it was more instant rather than dragging it out.

I was a bit upset when Sae-byeok died, but we know she had to go as the main guy was obviously going to win. That's the thing I don't like about these shows, is when you know that the main lead has to get through the challenges, needless to say I was never worried about him.

The old man was weird and the ending confused me.

It would be good to know why the 'triangles', 'squares', and 'circles' were all in on it. Which reminds me - I loved the scene where Mi-nyeo really needed the bathroom (aka her cigarette) and she said to the triangle that she wanted to see their superior i.e. the square, and then out popped its head. The only funny part of the show in my opinion.

I can only give the acting a 9.0 because the Americans were so terrible. Their acting really brought down the overall production quality of the show.

The music was creepy which was fitting so I thought that was good.

In the end it just fizzled out into nothing really. A guy won a ton of money because he got through challenges whilst everyone else died. What happened with his daughter? Like we need answers but weren't given any.

If there was a second season I really doubt I'd bother to watch it.

-E

Read More

Could a rom-com be any more perfect!?

I ate this show right up! I don't normally binge-watch anything, but this show had me hooked right from the get-go! To me this drama was pretty much perfect. I really don't have anything to criticise. If you want to immerse yourself in a swoon-sworthy drama then this is the one to watch!

Having finished it just now, I'm still weeping a bit. The ending was perfect! I couldn't ask for more; it's left me feeling wholesome and happy.

There is so much I loved about it! To begin, the characters were just great. Secretary Kim was perfect at her job and Vice Chairman a typical arrogant ass. A great character you say? Yes, although a narcissist is usually a red flag, his character fitted so well for the story. I loved how Vice Chairman's character progressed as his feelings grew for Mi So and he become soft around her. The whole series there were so many cute moments captured between the two. If I listed them all we'd be here for hours!

After working together for nine years, Secretary Kim decides she will resign and Vice Chairman practically goes into shock at the thought of not being able to cope without her by his side. He slowly (and I mean the right amount of slowly) falls in love with her. I mean really he surely must have had this underlying love for her his whole life considering their backstory. So the plot of the show progresses throughout the month that Secretary Kim is preparing before resigning and so Vice Chairman thinks of ways to keep her at his side.

There is a dark past that haunts the pair, and also involves a confusion of memories between Vice Chairman and his older brother. Every time it flashed back to when they were little I got confused because as the viewer, I was like, yes that's Vice Chairman; but then all the characters were saying it was his older brother. Once this confusion was cleared I was glad because it left me bazzled!

I thought it was soooo sweet when Vice Chairman was beside Mi So in hospital and telling her all that he remembered whilst she was asleep. The fact that he remembered her and knew who she was when she applied for the job was so beautiful. When it flashed back to the work drinks where he sat beside her and asked if she knew who he was Ahhh!! He was asking her because HE remembered HER! This was just too cute!

The children who played the characters' younger selves were so adorable and did a really good job for their parts. The fact that Mi So wanted him to promise that he would marry her was just too much for my heart!

In this drama I actually really enjoyed the shared amount of screen time for the other couples in the show. Chief Secretary Bong was always hilarious. Ji-Ah was so innocent and sweet, and even though I didn't like the guy she fell for, I was still happy how the show ended with them together.

Towards the end of the final episode where Mi So is there with her sisters and they are talking about their Mum made me sad.

I don't know if I normally talk about music in TV shows, but the backing track to this was so soothing and sweet. The simple piano melody fitted so well at each romantic moment between the pair. My heart literally swooned each time.

I will definitely watch again at some stage as it was just so light and happy! Exactly something you need to escape from reality. I think it is a really great rom-com to immerse yourself in if you're feeling a bit down and need some light in your life.

I can only hope to find more dramas like this one!

-E

Read More

Neither good or bad

I really don’t get the hype with this one. It’s neither good or bad. Or maybe I just really cannot get into historical dramas (but was this even that historical aside from the costumes and set?)

Because it was so short I did not feel invested and the characters weren’t interesting.

The good parts:
-acting
-had ‘some’ funny moments
-cute child
-decent costumes

The not so good parts:
-I did not sense any chemistry between the leads. They felt more like good long lost friends than destined lovers.
-There wasn't much to the plot.
-Girl was shot in the heart with an arrow and survived?
-Man was stabbed, but was he stabbed? The acting showed no fake blood so that was very poor.

-E

Read More

A comfort watch I could keep on repeat

This was an absolute comfort to watch. The romance between You Nian and Miao Miao was so cute and sweet. You Nian was always so nice to Miao Miao and was boyfriend goals! I can’t remember watching a show where the male lead is so nice all of the time.

I really enjoyed the very beginning when we were just getting to know the characters and Miao Miao was first crushing on You Nian - it was pure innocence! Their time spent at the lighthouse was cute, so it was nice how the show wrapped up with them looking back at the lighthouse because it’s kind of like 'that’s where it all started.'

I loved how we got to see how You Nian’s started to realise his feelings for Miao Miao, and his confession to her was tear worthy. It was no surprise that he wanted to be the one to confess to her first.

Seeing Miao Miao grow into a smart young woman was so nice, and I’m glad she stood her ground and switched to the major she actually wanted to do.

The only thing that really bothered me about the story, apart from the timeline towards the end, was Miao Miao’s reason for breaking up with You Nian - it just seemed very lacklustre. There needs to be a better reason for the breakup. I know all of these stories need to have a complication (or do they?), so the writers should at least make it a good one.

He Xin, my girl, God bless her, but why did they make her want Kaituo so desperately? It was beginning to get quite unbearable to watch. Towards the end when the story was wrapping up it seemed so weird to me that they took yet another year to be together.

Kaituo was a troubled character but you do come around to him in the end, although I do think He Xin should have found someone better.

Another thing that did actually bother me is how they never aged up Miao Miao’s little sister. This show must have spanned what, at least 5 years and that child did not age! I was expecting there to be an actor switch, but nope.

I liked the soundtrack and in particular I liked the song played at the end of each episode.

Although this one had many episodes, they are short so it felt more manageable to watch and it is a great little one if you’re feeling down and just want something comforting.

-E

Read More

Far-fetched, but I came around to it

I really couldn’t make up my mind about this drama. I think watching it so disjointedly didn’t do it justice as I kept thinking it was a drag/boring. Initially I was put off by the really long episodes, and I had to watch it at a faster speed anyway just to push through it at times. Alas, once I got back into it and picked it up from episode 11, I was quite engrossed.

A major downfall is derived from the show’s title. I haven’t bothered to read any other reviews but I am sure people have beef with this: the scene that involves Se-ri crash-landing in North Korea and those that follow. Now it’s a drama, so I get the fact that they are ‘dramatic,’ and this would have been acceptable in my eyes if the scenes had have been done right! Oh my gosh! Where do I start!? Imma just copy and paste my thoughts that I wrote straight after witnessing one of the worst moments in filming history!

The beginning when the tornado struck and the tractor and cow? Was floating in the air. Also, the way Se-ri was doing circles in her paraglider - like, it’s not believable at all.

Lmao where did the parachute COME from and WHY/HOW is it perfectly in tact!? Did she WASH her purple jumpsuit? The grip this man has on her while they’re FLOATING down - it’s literally defying physics! If anyone should be clinging on, it should be HIM to HER, not the other way around lmao!! This is SO beyond far fetched! I mean he has one hand RESTING on her head, and the other RESTING on her shoulder!! ?? Like that’s. Not. Going. To. Support. You.

This couple’s composure during all of this - wtf!

Soooo they got back safely and he rocks up at a market??

Honestly, the only people I like in this show at this point are the group of soldiers Se-ri is hanging out with. Edit: this low-key still kinda stands true. Don’t get me wrong, I came around to Se-ri eventually, but in the beginning she was a really hard character to warm to and I’m assuming that was the director’s intention. By the end of the show we grew to love her and obviously this just proves the self-development of her character which is always a good thing to see.

My last rant is about the staring. The amount. Of. Staring. Omg - I hate the really dramatic staring into each others eyes that just goes on and on that I actually have to keep pressing the 10 second button!

Okay, onto the characters - so I liked Jeong-hyeok from the beginning despite that one terrible scene *cries*. I liked how he handled Se-ri and he taught her things that she didn’t appear to know.

As just mentioned, I grew to like Se-ri. Her character was quite funny which made up for the serious tone of the show.

Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok’s relationship had good chemistry (and how could they not seeing as the actors are married now1)

The other couple intrigued me and I grew to like them more and more so it is an understatement to say I was sad when Seung-jun died and Dan showed emotion. It made me cry! I was really rooting for them by the second last episode so was sad to see him go.

The boys/the gang whatever you may call it, were so funny and endearing. I could just watch them on repeat. In the second half of the drama when they were in South Korea, it was so amusing to see their reactions to everything they weren’t quite familiar with or aware of.

Overall I guess I did end up liking it. It’s nowhere near the top of my list, but it also isn’t at the bottom.

-E

Read More

Easy-going Slice of Life

I was torn between liking this show and not liking it, but I ended up enjoying it in the end. The first episode I thought set the show up really well, and it was just light-hearted and funny. Throughout the next few episodes it was okay. Nothing too special, but I feel like it started to pick up by episode 6 and I was more invested than I thought.

I really like the relationship that formed between Do-hyeon and Song-i - they are so cute.

I don't like the bitch Tae-oh is with.

I don't really care all that much for the third couple.

I feel that the emphasis is on Tae-oh, Do-hyeon and Song-i and that it will turn into more of a love triangle because the bitch Tae-oh is with won't stick around and at the end of the final episode Tae-oh was jealous of Do-hyeon anyway. However, I really don't want Tae-on and Song-i to be together. I get that they have known each other since they were 3 and all, but Do-hyeon is so nice and him and Song-i just go perfectly together.

I honestly don't have any guesses at how it is going to pan out in season 2, or maybe I just don't want to think about it because it isn't going to go the way I want it to. Alas, as I am invested now, I am keen to see which way it leads!

Very easy to watch and probably a good drama to start with if you're just getting into them.

-E

Read More