Not a FUSE but this wasn't all bad (slight spoiler)

As you can see, I gave this title a 5.5/10. It wasn't all bad but it wasn't good as well. To be honest, I was going to give it a 5 but the fact that they raised my expectations earned the half point.

The story was fine. For a mini-drama, the introduction to the characters were sufficient. Episode 1 was actually the best of the all the episodes. However the ending just made it seem rushed. It's almost like they had no more time or budget to film so they just cut the plot off and tried to wrap things up as quickly as possible. The plot was also hella predictable, and I felt like some of the characters were just unnecessary to the plot. Also this drama went by so fast that even when the drama ended, I still didn't know the names of the characters other than Alex. Found on Youtube (https://youtu.be/y4CEhUeEEgw), the intros and outros of the videos were honestly WAY too long.

The characters were cute, but the acting was less than mediocre. Then again, I don't expect much to come from idol acting. I came to support this webdrama after I heard that ONF were acting altogether, which is hard to find as idols usually act solo, even though I am not a FUSE. I really liked Seung Hyun and his personality, but the drama had to set Alex up with another guy.

Overall, I would NOT recommend unless you are up for a quick hour binge.

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Heartwarming...

As a person who understands Chinese, it made me really happy to see the members trying to learn Chinese. Although the Chinese was barely understandable without captions, it was so nice to see the members trying to interact with Renjun and Chenle in Chinese. I love the competitiveness of my bias Doyoung. I watched the videos on YouTube and Jungwoo's mike seemed to be malfunctioning. I don't know if it's just a problem on my end though. I feel like there were a LOT of cut scenes that would have been nice to include. Props to the editor and the person who makes the captions though. I would recommend if you're an NCTzen ?

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The ending was... an odd one.

The cast was great. I felt like they all fit the character except the gatekeeper of Samdo; she gave too many mixed signals. The storyline was kinda slow especially near the end. I watched it as it aired but I would have dropped it at episode 12. I honestly only finished it so I could mark it as "complete." The ending was redundant and I wouldn't even be mad if they let Lee Yeon perish. They had to make it a good ending so they put way too many twists. At this point, I just felt like the characters were just sacrificing lives back and forth to revive other characters. It had such a great build-up/rising action but the ending was redundant and unsatisfying.

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Came for Jung Hae In, stayed for everything else~

This drama did not receive the amount of attention it should have. Maybe it is because I find military movies and dramas very fascinating because of the absence of mandatory military enlistment in my country, but this feels slightly novel and brings to light a (not new but) slightly controversial topic.

Storyline was just how I liked it. It quickly introduces the main character and shows us his values in life through unrelated events. It then quickens up and introduces the second main character not long after. It is fast-paced and does not drag on. It introduces a new issues every one or two episodes. The only reason why this wasn't a 9 out of 10 was because I thought it was a shame that this drama only had 6 episodes.

I don't even think I have to evaluate the cast. Jung Hae In did not disappoint at all. Koo Kyo Hwan is a surprisingly more versatile than I expected after seeing his role in "Peninsula." I expect to see more of him around, and I expect great things.

Overall, I would RECCOMEND this drama.

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True to its genre.

It has a right amount of creepy, revenge, eerie, and suspense. However, this was quite hard to understand as the way the timeline was set all wrong. The audience was never told how much time had passed and sometimes I wondered to myself if the scene was a flashback, a nightmare or reality. I came for Son Ye-jin, and I can assure you that I only stayed because of her. I think the script was written well, but the execution in terms of editing and prioritizing scenes was messed-up. The characters were hard to tell apart at first, but I eventually got used to it. The plot was VERY unpredictable; the build-up dragged a lot but the ending was semi worth it. The build-up also did not do some of the characters justice in terms of the screen time each of them deserved. Overall, do not reccomend.

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The Standard for Crime Movies

I actually came for the cast; I haven't heard praises of this movie for it's plot. I definitely thought that all the cast was fit for their role. One thing that concerns me is the amount of characters. I think there were just some characters that didn't add any value but were just there because the actor/actress who played that character was famous. However, I think the plot was quite clear-cut and concise. At times, I wanted to skip ahead a few minutes, but overall the movie was great! As the tags were crime, thriller and political, I can't say I was disappointed. I think this movie is perfect and the standard for it's genre.

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Gang violence dramatically portrayed!

This drama was honestly such a pleasant surprise for someone who has been k-drama sober for a few months. The plot was amazing, unexpected but amazing. Actors were also top tier. The only thing that made it drop to a 8.5 is the unnecessary sex scene Netflix dramas often have.

Let's start with the plot. We have a pretty stable plot, with an introduction to the two (but not all) of the main characters in the first episode. It's quick, but not too quick where it doesn't lay the foundation for its character. It quickly build the antagonist but tears down this assumption we had throughout near the end. I love it for it's simplicity and quick wrap-up of 8 episodes.

Moving on to the actors. Literally 10/10. Let's start with Han So Hee. I knew her as a soft, easy-to-manipulate girl from "Nevertheless," so at first, I thought she wouldn't play this bad-ass role well. I was wrong. She showed her resilience by proving that she could act these roles. Moving on to Park Hee Soon, this is the first time I've seen his work. I'm very very impressed by how well he pulled off his character and his character's seemingly mysterious aura. Lastly, we have Ahn Bo Hyun. He really does the best in this genre; he pulls off his role as a policeman very very well. The chemistry he had with our main character wasn't the best thing ever but also wasn't the worst thing ever. I feel like it could have developed better if the drama was a bit longer, but I'm thankful that they didn't force more episodes to include romance (The random sex scene made it a lot worse.)

Overall, I highly recommend this!

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Imbalanced. Awkward.

Whoever wrote this webtoon had a really good idea to start the plot but didn't know how to end it.

Cast-wise, I thought that the female lead carried this show. She was perfectly awkward like the character suggested, and she looked genuinely in love with the male lead. As for the male lead, his personality was really bland. What made it even worse was that the male lead fell in love with the female lead because she wasn't confident. Because most of the dramas I watch have a 'strong female lead,' I find it unsettling in the amount of involvement the male lead has in the female lead's life.

Overall, I do NOT recommend.

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Addicting

I'd like to keep this review short and 'sweet.' Firstly, if you have triggers of ||implied rape, sexual assault, cults, violence, blood, suicide|| and more, please do not watch this drama!

The storyline is not really complex, but it still gets you to feel like it is complex. The only problem I have with the storyline is that sometimes I felt like it was dragged out (with some filler episodes); if this was remade into a movie or originally was a movie, I would not be complaining at all. (That is the main reason that this is short 1 point from 10 stars). The only thing I enjoyed about it NOT being a movie is the amount of Seo Yeji, Taecyeon, and Woo Dohwan we got. Moving on to the cast and characters, I think Seo Yeji portrayed Sang Mi perfectly. All the supporting and side characters were also perfect. I'm honestly kind of sick of seeing Jo Jae Yoon everywhere/hj, and his character in this one makes it worse.

Anyways, this drama made me crave more Seo Yeji and Woo Dohwan. I highly RECCOMEND this, but it is not for the weak-hearted.

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Not your typical drama

Warning. If you are easily triggered by discussion of||rape, sexual assault, abuse (physical, mental, emotional, verbal, sexual), child abuse/pedophilia, self-injurious behavior (self-harm, eating disorders, etc.), suicide, excessive or gratuitous violence, depiction of pornography, thieving, death, pregnancy, abortion, blood, mental illness, bullying and A LOT MORE||, I strongly suggest that you DO NOT watch or read any comments/reviews about this drama.


Let's begin. First of all, I love how the writers decided that each (one or two) episode(s) would be a mini story in itself. It is a rather unusual but effective approach as it is able to cover many topics that are usually tough to talk about without have character conflicts (e.g. making the characters seem unrealistic). Even though it doesn't talk about all of societal/school problems that exist, I have to give them credit for covering *a lot* of it. I loved how the writers made the story semi-supernatural without having the focus on it like a science fiction drama would have because that's just not my favourite genre. The only and main problem I have with the entire drama is that after a certain episode, the supernatural things began to look more cruel than address the problem.

Moving on to the cast, I just want to say that they casted the perfect main character and side characters. The side characters had relatively "easy-to-forget" faces but memorable characters so rather than the audience remembering the cast, they remember the message behind what is happening onscreen. As for Nanno, Kitty Chicha Amatayakul ชิชา อมาตยกุล is such a good actress~ perfectly embodying the craziness of the written character. (The character reminds me of an younger, more extreme, non-romantic version of Ko Moon Young from the Korean drama 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay.')

Overall, I would DEFINITELY RECCOMEND this.

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Clean but Questionable

The story was clean but typical. It's the typical enemies to lovers trope, except it's not really as exciting as it usually is. Both leads are rather mild, and the character's personalities just don't much spice to the relationship. I love how the writer tried to include different lines of story regarding the male lead's background as well, however, there were many problems that came with it. All the characters were slightly annoying, very obsessive, and had little to no character development and then a sudden character change near the end. I felt like all the relationships were based on attraction and the male wanting to "protect" the female.

As for the cast, the acting was (well...) not so enjoyable. I don't know if the characters were written that way, but the chemistry among all the characters was just off! The hugs and kisses were awkward, and the fights were awkward and mild. For all the main characters: Whojoon, Geunyoung, Jaejoon, and Inhyung-- I feel like they were all hired because of their visuals. The best in this cast was probably the MiJung (Geunyoung's best friend), Chaeyun (Whojoon's fan) or PD Han and Writer Noh.

Overall, I would NOT RECCOMEND because this was a huge letdown compared to the Chinese movie with Chanyeol; it just felt dragged out and unnecessary.

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Such a good drama.

This drama is not something I would rave about, but it was really good. Please check out my bio for how I rate dramas (yes, you will meet a very detailed bio). My friend recommended it to me, and I do not doubt their taste at all now.

Firstly, the story was unique. I don't think it's been done before and even if it has, the quality would not have matched this one. Although the introduction of the characters was a bit faster than I would like, they definitely made up for it as it went on. It's not as heavy and sad of a drama compared to the ones I usually watch. Even though the storyline is completely different from Weightlifting Fair Kim Bok Joo, I would say it radiates the same chaotic but fluffy energy. P.S. I did cry for some reason though. This drama is really hard to review without spoiling anything so after you read this, go watch it immediately if you haven't already so you can understand what I am getting at.

Moving on to the characters and cast~ I don't even think I have to dissect the acting because there was no hole. What I mean is that the level of acting was all the same level--there was not one actor or actress significantly weaker or stronger than the others; I think this cast complements each other well. This drama introduced Lee Dohyun to me even if I've heard of him before. Right away, he sprung up my actor list, if you see my bio. The only problem I have with the characters is that I got some second lead syndrome regarding Jihoon, the baseball player, and Jasung, the bully. Eventually, I saw that the writer did a good job with Sia's pairing because there was little to no character development with Jasung; it was more of a character switch and that's why I was very satisfied with Jiho. Regarding Jihoon though, I just think he matches the female lead more in terms of personality, success, etc. Also I find myself cringing whenever the young male lead has intimate scenes with the female lead.

Overall, I would RECCOMEND.

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It's a season 2.

Here are some things I want to stress about a 10/10 drama for me. It has to be captivating from beginning to end; it has to have a high rewatch value; it has to not have a part where I want to spam the "skip 10 seconds" button.

I am a firm believer that tv shows should not last more than three seasons and is best when kept at one season. Kdramas are usually one season, which is the main reason I fell for them. However for Penthouse, I wasn't as worried as other people were when season 2 was announced. Seeing how the cliffhanger in season 1 was really good, I just KNEW they had a predetermined plot. Was I disappointed? Not really. Was I impressed? Also not really. It might because I watched this one as it aired and didn't wait for it to finish so I could binge, but the first season is much better for me. Here are the reasons why this season was not up to par. 1) It had way too many plot twists that at one point, my mind just got used to it. 2) Too unrealistic [corresponding with 1]. 3) Too many new introductions of characters in the last few episodes, so it seemed rushed. 4) Not really a big one but there is too much product placement. Like every 10 minutes, they are either advertising 'Nespresso,' healthy nuts, or herbal drinks. I mean...it is effective, but it's just so annoying because last season it was just one product and not that often, but because the drama blew up, they got a lot more sponsors. And they make it so damn obvious when they are advertising too T-T

Now onto the characters and actors. I will stand with what I said in season 1. Here: {{Now, let's talk about the cast and acting. Just want to give a props to the staff for a casting well done!
We'll start with the character Shim Soo Ryun~ quiet, but deadly- caring, but revengeful. There is no better suit for this role than Lee Ji Ah. After watching it all, I don't think I could imagine another actress playing that role.
Then we have Cheon Seo Jin~ covetous and goal-oriented. Nothing can stop her. Not going to lie, at one point in time, I actually admired her. Same situation as the other mentioned character. Kim So Yeon fits the role to the tea. Also, her hoarse screams and rapid-fire rants complete the table!
Next, we have Oh Yoon Hee. I HATED THIS CHARACTER. I spent about 10 minutes ranting to my laptop about why the writers would have the audience see her point of view when she was just going to be evil. Same as the above~ Eugene was a great actress! She definitely made me cry (more than thrice)!
Moving on to Joo Dan Tae. He's just a perfect villain. The character was well developed. That's all there is to it. If I see Uhm Ki Joon act in another drama as the innocent protagonist, I'll probably throw hands. There is no way I can unsee his villainous acting here.
Ooooh--Dr. Ha. This is the one which lost the 0.5 in the acting and cast category. Character? Not badly developed. Don't know if it's the acting or that's just his character, but this guy really gets on my nerves. He literally argues like a two year-old. You know when you watch someone act and you can tell it's acting-- that's BAD acting. He literally sticks his frickin chin out when he's mad. He literally only knows how to communicated by smashing glass (even though all the characters have a fair amount of smashing of glass). Throughout the entire drama, I think the only facial expressions I've seen or at least, remembered, from him is "anger with the chin out."
As for Kang Ma Ri, Lee Gyu Jin and Go Sang Ah, I felt like they fit the role. Not as much as the previous characters other than Dr. Ha, but I mean, they're not really schemers. The comedic relief definitely did it's job. Same goes for the other "suck-ups" to the rich people. They weren't exceptional in both character and acting but not half bad. The maid, Yang Mi Ok/Kim Ro Sa, has pretty good acting as well. It lets the audience know that she is faking it, but it is still believable that the characters in the drama fell for it.
Last but not least, Anna. The staff really played with me. During the first two episodes, I literally thought that Bae Ro Na and Anna were the same person. They looked wayyyy too alike. Her acting was on point though. The staff also played with my damned heart! You can't just build up a character and then make her die. I literally sobbed when she died.
Finally for the cast, let's talk about the kids. Kim Young Dae is on a roll these days. I'm watching one of his other dramas (Cheat on Me if You Can) and have watched many others. Ok>ok. Let's just say: I FELL FOR HIM TT! It literally took me the first 8 episodes to get over Joo Seok Hoon and see him as a bully and then what does he backstab me with: *I like Ro Na*. Ugh. Seok Kyung? Han Ji Hyun was perfect for the role. Ha Eun Byul? Same. She definitely embodied the mental illness that they diagnosed her with. **Addition: I can't believe this is her first TV series.** Yoo Jenny? This one was ok. It's just another one of those stuck-up girls. Lee Minhyuk? The character was just a side one. But, damn, this guy screams *third gen idol acting*. I just knew from his visuals that he was an idol! Finally, Bae Ro Na. Um God, how is Kim Hyun Soo 20 years old!?? Putting that aside, her acting was super impressive and stood out to me among all the "children."}} *Addition: Too many new introductions of characters in the last few episodes, so it seemed rushed--as I said in the previous paragraphs. Also I didn't like how they had famous people guest in the show with no additive at all.

Overall, this is a definite RECCOMEND.

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Nothing exceptional but it was GOOD

Yes, I did come from Ro Woon but trust me, everything in this drama won my heart.

Firstly, the story line was great. It wasn't fully predictable, although it did hint at some things that only sharp-minded people (like me keke) would get. The character development was great although some characters did give me mixed signals. The only thing that kept me motivated to watch the drama were the side relationships though. The main relationship was very predictable so I just focused my attention elsewhere. The ending was satifying; not to the fullest, but the best I've had in a while. If you check out my activity on MDL, you will see the dramas that I have most recently reviewed.

As for the characters, this is where I have a lot to say. Won Jin Ah's acting was good. It wasn't spectacular but it wasn't an utter fail as well. As for RoWoon, I would give the same feedback I as I said previously for JinAh. Although many viewers say that the chemistry between them is iffy, I think the chemistry is not bad. But then again, I didn't really pay attention to the main couple after a certain amount of episodes when I could predict the ending. Everyone else was perfect for their roles. The characters Lee Jae Shin, Lee Hyo Joo, and Lee Jae Woon always gave me mixed signals. I think this was part of the screenwriting, so I thoroughly enjoyed it like that and think they did a great job of portraying the characters. One of my two favourite characters and actor/actress is Chae Yun Seung/Ha Yoon Kyung. Her character was such a cute and heart breaking one--wherefore, YoonKyung played it perfectly. This is the character that made me bawl the most, so I think that plays a factor in my choosing her as my favourite. My second favourite is her daughter, Kang Ha Eun/Park So Yi--and for almost the exact reasons.

Only good enough dramas can make me cry (not that I don't cry easily), but this one certainly had me bawling more than a few times. Overall, I would RECCOMEND it.

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