1
manicmuse
NYC!
There are plenty of moments, specifically Yun Yu Seon & Sung Dong Il's romance, that offer some ridiculous comic relief. Sometimes I had a hard time following how the mythology of the gumiho's story linked to Park Dong Joo character, but that didn't stop me from being entertained by his manipulation. I'm sure there were flaws in the Gumiho story, but it really didn't matter to me. I also absolutely hated Park Soo Jin's character, which means she played her well.
This is one of my favorite dramas so far, so I definitely recommend it, and will rewatch it. The song "Fox Rain" is now one of my absolute favorite kdrama ost songs, and whenever I see a sunshower I can't help but sing it in my head.
Don't watch on an empty stomach, or you will probably start to crave beef.
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This is definitely not a Rom-Com.
I'll start this by saying that Jeon Yeo Bin is definitely the reason I decided to watch this movie. I was going through withdrawals waiting for the next episode of "Vincenzo" to come out when Netflix's suggestion that I may like this finally got to me. Extremely violent crime/action films aren't usually my go-to genre but the trailer was intriguing. I was also excited to see Yeo Bin in a different role and this confirmed her status as a new favorite of mine for sure. She and the rest of the cast are amazing in this, they made this wild ride of a story super compelling and more than extreme stylized violence, and revenge clichés.The most important point that needs to be made upfront, without spoilers, is that this is in no way a romcom or a romantic movie... at all. I say this only because the title and promotional photos seem to give off that impression. I think the purpose is to give the impression of dark things under the surface in a beautiful relaxing setting but this story is pretty brutal from beginning to end. Trigger Warning... literally... because I know Korea isn't known for epic gunfights but this has a lot, A WHOLE LOT, of gun violence in it. The violence is also not subtle, so be aware of this if you are squeamish at the sight of blood.
As a story, I think this is extremely well done. It centers around Uhm Tae Goo as Park Tae Goo (guess he was made for the role lol), a high-level gangster who gets caught in between a power grab with an opposing boss wanting him to change sides. As expected with a gang-themed story there is revenge, betrayal, and ruthless bad guys. What Tae Goo does so well is he brings such humanity and hurt to the character that I was immediately sucked into his struggle. Then he forms an odd connection with Jeon Yeo Bin as Jae Yun, and although I definitely did say this is not a romance, there is still a kind of chemistry between them that works so well. Jae Yun is such a great character, and I was shocked at how different and equally impressive Yeo Bin was as a completely different female lead. Once Jae Yun is introduced she shares the lead status and becomes just as intriguing as the main male lead, not just the girl sidekick (which I appreciate). In fact, she steals many scenes and stands strong among a predominantly male cast without having to play up being sexy, or super fragile.
The rest of the cast is filled with familiar faces in ways I haven't really seen before. Like Cha Seung Won, who although his charm is pretty much the same as it always is, there is an extra sinister edge to Director Ma. I liked the idea that none of the gangsters seemed like caricatures to me. Even characters with no real redeeming qualities had some depth. I also liked that there really are no true good guys in this story which gives this film license to reach such a disturbing climax... and yes, I did found the end disturbing, but I felt like it also ended perfectly.
Would I watch this again? Definitely. More than once. I already did. For me, the violent scenes can be hard to watch, but the dynamics between the characters and the performances make my rewatch score high. The story isn't very complicated either, or plot twist-ridden, but the pace of the story is so great, and so much of the suspense in this is waiting for the inevitable to finally happen. About halfway into the movie both leads make choices that seal their fate and the suspense is built on that. It's hard to speak about specific scenes without spoilers, but watching certain scenes again after knowing how the story ends, made me like this film even more.
Overall, the amount of violence may understandably keep some viewers away, but if you're open to a compelling story and can appreciate a movie that's dark without breaks for comedy (beyond a few random jokes) or romance, there is a lot to like about this movie. There are also a lot of great action sequences for those afraid that this movie is slow paced and moody all the way through. The movie is also beautifully shot in spite of the ugliness it portrays. I do think Jeon Yeo Bin is a true star in this role, and I can't wait for whatever she is in next, including the next episode of Vincenzo. This movie was a not so pleasant pleasant surprise. Thanks Netflix, you were actually right. :)
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Scam-Likely just got real! o.O
It's been a while since I watched a good Korean Horror/Thriller so I was excited to see this. It may not be perfect but it won't disappoint fans of the genre. "The Call" plays on "when the past meets the future" tropes but I think the story is really fun (if you find creepy scares fun) and pretty original. It stars Park Shin Hye as Seo Yeon, who returns home resentfully to care for her sick mother. She loses her phone on the way there and so she starts using her landline phone at home. That's when things start to get interesting.Park Shin Hye is good. I have found her performances to be a little boring lately, but she delivers on the tears and scared gasps necessary. She doesn't necessarily bring anything special to the role, but she does play it well. In contrast,
Jeon Jong Seo as Oh Yeong Sook is amazing! It's hard to say too much without giving the story away but she is the highlight and true star of this film. I will also give an honorable mention to Lee El for being just the right amount of sinister as Yeong Sook's mother. I loved how mysterious the past scenes were, especially in the beginning, but some of the beginning phone calls may seem like they drag for a horror movie. Just trust that it will all come together and the pace will definitely pick up to feel more like a traditional horror movie.
The rest of the cast is great too, although they definitely play up some of the campy and cheesy moments. It was nice to see actors I love in bit parts (like Oh Jung Se) too. Another cheesy aspect is the direction at times which relied on some pretty corny special effects. It didn't ruin it for me, they were still effective, but it made it less scary.
Would I watch this again? Yes! This is the kind of story that makes me want to rewatch it after knowing the ending. It's also fun to yell at the screen at all the stupid choices made and it doesn't lose that fun with repeat viewing. I admit that part of the story is slightly confusing and may be inconsistent, but I think it's well-told all the way through to the credits.
Overall, I can see this becoming a horror classic. It's not the best I've seen but it's memorable and fun, especially if you love amazing villains like I do! It's not too predictable and definitely delivers on thrilling and frightening moments. There's lots of violence but most of the gore is implied, which I prefer. If you look for flaws in the story timeline you can definitely find some, but I chose to just accept the fun of the story instead, especially the end. I say grab some gummy bear heads and enjoy the ride. Also, like a twisted "It's a wonderful life" this may even make you appreciate the life you have a little more. It will definitely make you think twice about talking to strangers on the phone.
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I'm only here for Jung Hae In.
After watching "One Spring Night" I almost felt obligated to watch "Something in The Rain" too. The main reason I wanted to watch was to see more of Jung Hae-in who I have a newfound appreciation for, even if these dramas aren't actually new. I loved him so much in "One Spring Night", and I knew this was similar, so I wanted to see him in this too. In that respect, I definitely wasn't disappointed. Unlike "A Piece of Your Mind", where I thought his talent was wasted, I think he really shines in this one. I'm definitely glad I watched and got hooked pretty quickly, but he is literally the only thing that made me want to keep watching... and I know that's ironic considering who's in my profile pic!I will just start with this drama's biggest flaw for me, and that's Son Ye Jin as Yoon Jin Ah. It's hard to get into a romantic story when the main character irritates you as much as Jin Ah irritated me. Not only was she written to be selfish, immature, and annoying, but Son Ye Jin kept trying to play her as cute and silly and quirky which just made her even more annoying. She just seemed way too mature in age to be acing so childishly, which was a huge contrast to baby faced Hae In acting more mature in comparison. Maybe that's intentional but it was definitely hard to root for, even if their chemistry was amazing. It also could be cultural since I can't relate to how controlled by her parents she was as a grown-up, or how classism was so normalized. I usually like flawed characters too but It was hard to find redeeming qualities in Jin Ah. Joon Hee is a flawed character too, but I just kept wanting him to dump her and date someone better.
The supporting cast is generally good, but because the story is so weak I wasn't too impressed. My favorite member of the supporting cast was Jang So Yeon, she was great as sister and BFF, I just wish she had more of her own storyline. Jin Ah's family had some good performances, especially Kil Hae Yeon playing such a different mom from "One Spring Night", but the writing made her so repetitive that her performance just became an overdone trope, all she needed was a money envelope and to throw water in someone face. The writing definitely made me underwhelmed by certain performances. Oh Ryoong as her boyfriend at the beginning of the drama was pretty bad, but that also could be blamed on bad writing. There was also a lot of the story and many characters that I didn't care about at all, especially at her job.
To be honest, this whole story could have been a movie, but instead, it's drawn out into 16 episodes. The good thing is that watching their relationship build is entertaining. There are lots of cute, sexy, and romantic scenes to fill the time. There is also a random plot about sexual harassment that drags and feels like filler. No part of that story was interesting to me, and the whole coffee company subplot felt like product placement, not the empowering story it was meant to be, but that could be my cultural bias too. I know this is the exact same writer and director as "One Spring Night", but I definitely feel like the story and direction are not as good in this drama, and I don't think that would have changed if I saw this first. The direction is still great, with some beautiful shots, but not as moving.
Would I watch this again? No. I would watch a few scenes again, but I definitely couldn't sit through all 16 episodes without skipping most of it. The most annoying thing would be hearing "Save the Last Dance" and "Stand by Your Man" over and over again ad nauseam! It didn't help that in my head I kept changing the lyrics to "Stand By Your Man" to "Please Date her friend" (meaning Bo Ra), but the obnoxiously played English soundtrack is another thing this drama has in common with "One Spring Night". Some of the songs were good, but too often were misused in a distracting way.
Overall, if you're a fan of Jung Hae In this is still worth watching. I think this is his first starring role, and his babyfaced charm is perfect for a Noona-romance lead! Maybe bigger fans of Son Ye Jin will like her in this role as well, but I just couldn't empathize with her at all, nor understand what he even liked about her. If you are looking for chemistry, that is this dramas main appeal! If you're looking for an original story, you won't find much originality here. This writer also seems to want to tackle serious issues like abuse and sexism, but the evil male caricatures make these plots hard to take seriously. "Something In The Rain" has passion but no plot. The ending also didn't feel very satisfying after so many frustrating episodes. It has attractive leads in a story that goes nowhere slowly, which may be enough for some viewers. I think this was supposed to be Jin Ah's journey to independence but in reality, I didn't see much growth with her character, it was more about me waiting for more scenes with Joon Hee and rooting for him to finally move on. Every scene with him was worth watching, and I now officially consider him an actor favorite. Without him, this drama is easily dropable. Maybe constantly playing "Stand by your Man" was subliminally keeping me watching after all. However, "La la la... laaa ..." how I wished it would've ended 6 episodes sooner. I really wanted to like this drama much more based on how it started but I was definitely ready to leave it all behind by the end and await whatever is next for Jung Hae In.
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I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch an action based drama when I started this one, but each episode ended with such great cliff hangers that I couldn't help but become a fan. The story had so many great twists that I wasn't bored once while watching. The cast was great! Kim Sang Joong is amazing as the father who raises him for revenge. Kim Mi Sook broke my heart as his mom. Lee Joon Hyuk was good because he was so annoying, and frustrating to watch as the prosecutor. Park Min Young was cute as City Hunters love interest, but she started to become less interesting during the last episodes. As an ensemble the cast was top notch.
I would recommend City Hunter to anyone looking for a highly addictive drama. I don't know that it would be as exciting when rewatched since suspense is such a big part of the story. For those who are worried about too much action, there are also many cute (though typical) romantic moments, and some humor. The one horrible thing about City Hunter is, in spite of an epic ending to all of the action, the way they resolve everything at the end is extremely disappointing. It almost seemed like they were setting things up for a 2nd season, and surprisingly, 20 episodes later, I was hoping for one.
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Brilliantly Brutal
"Squid Game" is a tough watch. Really tough. If you don't like extreme violence, or seeing blood, this drama is not for you. What I loved about "Squid Game" is that it isn't just mindless violence. In this case, the violence is important to the story, and the story is much more than the brutality of all of the games. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I will avoid talking about the games specifically, but the childish and cutesy presentation of each game juxtaposed to how anxiety-filled and traumatizing they were is definitely a highlight of this season, and probably the main reason for its popularity. It is definitely what initially sucked me in, but it was the characters that kept me watching.The main lead is Lee Jung Jae as Seong Gi Hoon (or #456). We get to know him as a likable screwup with a gambling problem and a divorced father of a young daughter. He is easy to root for from the start even when his choices are frustrating. I love that through him we can see how good people can make bad, damaging, and even selfish decisions, and it helps that he is extremely relatable. He is approached by Gong Yoo in a brilliant cameo that leads to him joining these mysterious games.
The games are where we meet the majority of the rest of the cast. They are a random group of people desperate for money that we soon learn to love and hate. Yes, many of the players are the equivalent of the "red shirts" on Star Trek, but there are also many memorable players. Besides the obvious leads like Park Hae Soo as Cho Sang Woo (#218), Gi Hoon's childhood friend now turned desperate failed small-town success, or Jung Ho Yeon as Kang Sae Byeok (#67), North Korean refugee turned master thief, there are quite a few characters that stand out and kept me invested while watching. I absolutely loved Anupam Tripathi as Ali Abdul (#199) and Oh Young Soo as older and wiser Oh Il Nam (#1). I think of them as the main squid-squad.
I do think the thug characters were a bit stereotypical but also well played. especially the dynamic between #101 & #212. Of course, I can't forget Wi Ha Joon as Officer Hwang Joon, who I also liked and I appreciated that on his obligatory quest for the truth he didn't make many silly decisions, and was clever instead of going for the too emotionally invested to be smart trope. Then there is Lee Yoo Mi as #240 who is another amazing standout player. The only characters that were bad... really bad... were the spectators. Their scenes were so long for the acting was so terrible. Distractingly terrible. I know English-speaking characters in KDramas are usually pretty bad but I wish for such significant roles that they could have been better.
Would I watch this again? Definitely, and that's saying a lot considering the extreme violence. It's insanely popular for a reason, and I'm sure I will pick up things I missed when watching it again. I am also curious about watching the dubbed version (Which I never do normally). There are a few times when the script's pace slows, but being such a short series it's easy to just binge watch in a day or two. I was intrigued and engaged the whole time and only took a break from watching when the episodes became more emotional (episode 6 had me ugly crying), but was also my favorite episode. There are also countless theories to explore to keep you viewing some things very differently.
The suspense is consistent throughout this drama, even if some parts of the story felt stronger than other parts. There was one major plot twist that I expected from the beginning, and another that took me by surprise until the moment it was revealed, but either way, it was entertaining watching how it would all be revealed. I do wish they gave it a more definitive ending than just leaving it open-ended, possibly for a season 2, or maybe just to keep us thinking. The lack of a neat ending made it a more haunting story which works too. You can definitely say that the plot isn't perfectly neat, or even completely original... (you know the comparisons already "Hunger Games"..."Battle Royale"..."As God Wills"...), but the execution of the plot (No pun intended lol) is where it excels. Just the idea of us watching the games just like the VIP observers in the show is very meta and disturbing. This drama is disturbing.
Overall, "Squid Game" is a great dystopian spin on capitalism and greed, and human nature/survival instincts. I love stories that explore the good and bad of humanity, and this takes those questions to the extreme. I also love stories that make the viewer question what they would do if the stakes were extremely high, and that's where this drama more than succeeds. Plus it's visually iconic. The sweatsuits, the guards, the giant girl at the tree, those stairs... so many images are now permanently a part of pop culture because of the brilliant direction. I'll never look at shapes the same way again!
I still don't quite understand how you play the Squid Game... it looked kinda like full contact hopscotch gone sumo on a mini baseball field lol! Now that I think about it, children's games can get pretty rough! But I do know that as far as dramas that live up to the #1 on Netflix hype goes, this one definitely wins a spot on my KDrama favorites list!
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This show basically is about stalking, so if you don't find stalking cute/romantic, then you will probably hate this drama. It takes the opposites attract theory to the extreme, but as the story progressed their relationship started to make more sense. I haven't seen the other versions, or read the manga, so I can't compare it. I wouldn't call Playful Kiss one of my favorites, but it is worth watching.
*beware of fan commenting, especially if you are unfamiliar with the story, because they end up spoiling everything!*
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Slow Burn Sageuk
"Our Blooming Youth" is a tough drama to review. On one hand, it is one of the few political power-based sageuks that had a story that kept me interested, but the story and romance, and mysteries all happen at a snail's pace. Thankfully the cast is great, the leads are charming and likable, and there are entertaining comedic moments, otherwise, this drama would have been extremely boring for way too many episodes. The plot often took too long to explain the obvious, and the corruption plot was very confusing to me until the final episodes because they waited so long to show backstories. Still, I think the slow pace also gave us time to get to know all of the characters better and I really did grow to care about many of the characters.The show stars Park Hyung Sik as the charming prince and he is perfectly cast. He is matched with Jeon So Nee as Jae Yi who meets him in disguise in order to clear her name. From the beginning, I loved that they were both clever and brave fighters, which made their chemistry seem natural and evenly matched. There were definitely times when her actions frustrated me, and also times I wished their relationship would progress more, but they did stay true to the tragic mystery and corruption plot instead of just taking a full romance detour, which I can appreciate too. The rest of the main characters are just as charming.
Pyo Ye Jin and Lee Tae Sun had their own cute chemistry as master and apprentice. Yoon Jong Seok played loyal and stoic well, and Heo Won Seo was super cute and one of my favorites in this drama.
Another favorite of mine was Jung Woong In who just plays evil so flawlessly. Just his creepy smile alone is epic.
There are no weak links in this entire cast except for maybe Im Han Bin as the younger prince, but I'm going to blame that on his awful wigs, not his performance. You know the cast is good when you genuinely care about what will happen to minor characters as much as you care about the leads. I also appreciated that the story gave these characters fuller storylines that helped create well-rounded characters not just cliches you expect to see. I empathized with some villains as much as I empathized with the heroes. Not a single character felt like filler. That's one thing the writers did very well.
What I wish the writers did better was make a less confusing mystery plot. It was only in the last 2 episodes that I was finally able to understand what had happened in the 18 episodes before. This plot had poisonings, massacres, ghost stories, revenge, gaslighting, betrayals, and a rag-tag mystery-solving squad but so many scenes went over my head as I struggled to make sense of it all. I think that's the main thing that stopped me from loving this drama even if it all made sense by the end.
Would I watch this again? Maybe. It is so slow-paced, but maybe binging it would help. I think knowing the full story may help me pick up on things I missed if I watched for a 2nd time. There are also cute and funny scenes but I'm not convinced there were enough to make me want to watch this all again. Knowing what will happen also dulls a lot of the initial excitement.
Overall, this is a good historical drama but you have to really be in the mood for a slow-to-reveal mystery. There is romance, it's one of the main plots of the story, but don't expect too many actual romantic moments, which may disappoint romance fans. If you are a Park Hyung Sik fan he will not disappoint. Royalty looks good on him. If you watched enough sageuks a lot of the plot will feel familiar but the overall story is original enough to stand on its own. I am curious to know what the CDrama version is like, but I'm not sure I'm curious enough to actually watch it. I would recommend "Our Blooming Youth", even if I still don't understand the title, and just tell folks to grab plenty of popcorn for the slow pace and trust all roads to lead somewhere satisfying eventually. I also loved the themes of trust, loyalty, and true friendship! Like an act of well-planned revenge, give this story time to build to make the best impact. Dragging or not this drama definitely made me glad I watched by the end.
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Very cute Romance. Meh... everything else.
Dali and the Cocky Prince is a classic opposites-attract RomCom that sucked me in from the start. It's also partially a mystery which both underwhelmed and bored me. This drama doesn't take long to jump into the romantic chemistry part which I loved, and the two leads are quirky in the best way (shout out to whoever styled both character's outfits), but unfortunately, too much of the drama revolves around a mediocre corruption plot that was so uninteresting and repetitive that I was tempted to skip a lot of those scenes, at least the non-comedic ones. The best parts of this drama are when it doesn't take itself seriously.Park Gyu Young plays Kim Da Li, a rich but odd art expert. It's my first time seeing her as the main female lead, not a supporting lead with unrequited or unfulfilled love (It's Okay to Not Be Okay, The Devil Judge), and she played the role well. It was nice to hear her show off some English fluency and really great outfits, but I did have some issues with the way her character was written. I honestly wondered if Da Li might be slightly autistic at some points. I understand that the character was meant to be sheltered, eccentric, and naive but her extremes were just too intense at times. The innocent wide-eyed blank stare that I've seen Gyu Young do in other dramas didn't help. It made her seem less cute and more "undiagnosed" or "too heavily medicated" or just waaaay off. I liked Da Li but her naiveté and stubbornness also frustrated me A LOT! Speaking of extremes, she is matched with Kim Min Jae as Jin Moo Hak who is super confident, outspoken, and stylishly tacky (although I loved his suits too). Even though his character is meant to be obnoxious, his charm and smile are what stood out the most. Maybe I'm biased because he has my birthday (#teamscorpio), but he was by far my favorite character! He played right at the line of being unapologetically cocky where it was admirable instead of annoying. Together they were a great match, and even at their cheesiest (and it gets very cheesy). They were cute without being too childish and they are what kept me watching. That's a warning to anyone who doesn't like their odd banter from the start, complete with sound effects, arguments, awkward smiles and giggles... if that's the case then you should probably give up on this drama. These are the best parts in my opinion.
There are other good performances in this drama too. Moo Hak's family (especially his Dad), the nosey Museum staff, the nosey restaurant staff, a 2nd lead for each lead, a classic greedy businessman, and a creepy rich ex... most are pretty cliché but the characters are great. My favorite among the supporting cast was Hwang Bo Ra and Moo Hak's secretary. Yes, the roles she plays are often similar (even with short hair and a suit this time), but she is always hilarious. I thought she and Moo Hak made a great team. I do think Kwon Yool as Jang Tae Jin is worth mentioning as well. I think he did a good job too, but I just wish he was a little less dull. I still don't understand why Da Li ever liked him in the first place, or why he was so enamored by her. Maybe if his character was a little creepier, or more charming, I would have been less bored by the rest of that story. Not that I blame him completely. I just think that part of the story wasn't strong enough on its own. Other characters, like both 2nd leads, and Moo Hak's stepbrother could have had slightly stronger storylines to make them feel less like filler characters, but maybe less of them wasn't so bad. I'm glad they weren't used too much to distract from the main couple. I'm glad this drama avoided drawn-out love triangles... besides the main one, which was more a third wheel plot than a real triangle.
The non-romance part of the story is filled with the usual corruption and greed tropes and involves Da Li's dad's death leaving her with a mess of bills, responsibilities, and unanswered questions. When everything starts going wrong for Da Li, instead of actually caring, I was just waiting for Moo Hak to show up. There are no real big plot twists or surprises, just characters finally realizing what's obvious. It is all resolved pretty neatly by the end, which was nice, but the love story is still all I cared about.
Would I watch this again? Sure! Because what I enjoyed the most was the main couple's antics I can see myself rewatching them and just skipping or zoning out during the other parts, Maybe that's too harsh, since some of the other characters are entertaining too, but I think just focusing on the romance would be my only reason to rewatch this. It's also a light drama, which is perfect if you're in between dramas and if you're not in the mood for something too emotionally heavy or serious.
And the soundtrack is pretty good. I didn't fall in love with any of the songs but they fit the drama's mood perfectly. The "don't take it so hard" lyric always seemed to come in right at the perfect time. I also liked the whistled version of the Habanera from Carmen.
Overall, this is a surprisingly good romance drama for what it was, and I would definitely recommend it to light romcom fans. I loved that this felt like a classic romcom, but the leads didn't necessarily follow the predictable romance drama path, even if lots of popular romcom tropes were in full effect throughout. They could have explored classism a little more deeply but that probably would have made the story too serious. Although the premise is a high end spoiled art-world elite vs a low brow hard-working nouveau riche entrepreneur it's really about making a genuine connection unexpectedly and having someone who truly will be there to support you no matter what ( a ride-or-die if you will) who seems all wrong but compliments you perfectly. The take on the art world was a bonus, and also played up for comedy in a way I thought was hilarious, It seemed to be done as a comedic love letter to the art crowd. If this drama was a painting I wouldn't call it a masterpiece by any means but it is the kind of painting that makes me smile when I see it, and that was enough for me.
Oh, and if art isn't your thing, maybe pork is? There's plenty of pork appreciation too lol! I can appreciate both! Win-Win!
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I came for the chemistry and stayed for the Female Lead!
I was looking for a drama featuring great chemistry and Hyena came highly recommended. I wasn't excited by the rival lawyers synopsis, which I thought would be boring, but Kim Hye Soo as Jung Geum Ja is so dynamic that I was never bored. This is the epitome of a strong female lead drama. She's a grown woman and she does whatever she wants! It's refreshing to see it, even when her methods are super sketchy. It took a few episodes for me to really get into the story but once I did I was hooked. Yes, this is a romance with great chemistry too, but it's mainly about Jung Geum Ja being unapologetically bad@ss and unconventionally sexy. Almost Sexy-"Signal" lol"Hyena" doesn't quite reinvent the wheel and follows the usual cliché of rivals turning into teammates and more but it does have a unique beginning. Their initial scenes together truthfully didn't seem all that interesting, but soon it all comes together in a way I didn't expect, so I won't spoil it. Sure, some moments are a little corny, but it was fun watching the leads play off of each other. Geum Ja is ambitious, ruthless, and rulesless and is matched with Joo Ji Hoon as Yoon Hee Jae an arrogant and blunt high-end lawyer who is not used to losing. I loved that he also has a clear sensitive/petty side as well, which made him feel less like a stereotypical character. They are definitely well matched, and both characters I wanted to root for, even when on opposing sides.
Another plus this drama has is that the entire ensemble is great! There are many memorable supporting cast members that I liked, even with much smaller parts, especially as they learned to work together as a team. Some of the clients and rival lawyers were less interesting, but once Jung Geum Ja was involved no scene was ever boring. I definitely have to shout out Oh Kyung Hwa as he secretary Lee Ji Eun who was my favorite of the supporting cast, and a great side kick/ride or die character. I loved her subtle reactions from the sidelines too.
If you are not the biggest fan of courtroom dramas or business corruption dramas, like me, don't worry too much since most of this story is character driven there's an even balance. It's not just about the cases and clients and is often more about how the main characters rise to each challenge. It did help that their cases involved the same related characters, so there's no overload of unnecessary new storylines. There are some scenes that I didn't care as much for but they were never long enough to make the story drag. I do wish Geum Ja's personal story got a little more attention, but what they did show was still enough to understand her. The pacing of the episodes are really good and actually get better as the story progresses, building up to a satisfying ending.
Would I watch this again? Maybe. The banter between the leads and Geum Ja's antics are good for a second viewing, but I would be tempted to skip too many scenes without them since I know how it all turns out. There aren't many specific rewatch worthy scenes either . However, I would definitely be interested in this writer creating a new strong female lead drama. We need more!
Final verdict? This drama met my chemistry expectations and surprised me with a character I won't soon forget. I didn't love it enough to add it to my favorites list but I would definitely recommend it as worth watching. This is a grown up drama for people who like to root for a flawed anti-heroine. It has some suspense elements but it's still mainly a rom-com as much as it's a court drama. I didn't mean to binge watch this so fast but I could not stop watching! Did I care about who worked where, and who owned/lead what business? Not even a little bit. Neither did the Geum Ja though... which was fun to watch. She cared about winning, and win this drama does.
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The cast was great. Kim So Yeon is great as the by the book Sun Jeong. She was the polar opposite of her role in Prosecutor Princess, which I hated her in,so that was already a plus for me. Jung Kyung Ho, as the revenge driven Min Ho, was also great. Although their chemistry is a little more reserved, I loved watching their developing romance, and they did have great chemistry. I thought Yoon Hyun Min was good too, and made for a great love triangle initially, but eventually his character became such a cliché that it was hard to take him too seriously. This is also one of these dramas where the supporting characters really stand out. Jo Eun Ji (my favorite Kdrama bff), Lee Shi Eon, and Ahn Suk Hwan were just as engaging as the leads to me. Their relationships to the main characters were some of my favorite moments in the show, and Ahn Suk Hwan was the only actor who actually made me tear up. I also liked the mysterious Han Ji Hyun, for her subtly sinister addition to the cast of characters.
Would I watch this drama again? Possible, but not likely. There are far too many frustrating moments, so I would probably just skip to the parts I liked. Also, knowing for sure what will happen next, makes the predictable parts even harder to sit through.
The last episode was satisfying, but a bit melodramatic. I also think it was the perfect length, not too long or short, and no moments that the story dragged (I watched the entire show in a few days).
Overall, I would recommend this drama for romance fans, though not as enthusiastically as I would recommend others. The humor and suspense also makes it good for those viewers who don't want to strictly watch a love story. I would call this a light romantic melodrama, and a good show to watch if you want a break from more intense shows, without going for straight fluff. That's exactly why I watched, and I'm glad I did.
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First, I disagree with all comparisons to Innocent Man, which I enjoyed. The only similarity is that both main characters go to jail for a crime they didn't commit, sacrificing their aspirations so that the person they love can follow their dreams. Other than that, the stories and characters are completely different. Secret Love lacks all the excitement of most revenge after betrayal stories by waiting way too long to get to that part of the story. The majority of the episodes are about horrible things happening to the painfully passive main character Kang Yoo Jung, and watching her cry too much, and then smile like everything is ok. Kudos to Hwang Jung Eum for being able to switch emotions so well, but it didn't make me care at all about her poorly written character. She was way too much of a doormat for me to root for her.
I was also let down by the romance. To me, it just didn't make any sense. Why did these two fall in love? Pity? And where was the chemistry? Ok, maybe they had one or two cute moments, but that's it. I really wanted to like Ji Sung as Jo Min Hyuk, but his character's transformation felt really forced to me, and so did the romance. In fact, it felt so forced that they had the 'rapey'-est first kiss I ever saw in any K-Drama. Even though he was my favorite in the cast, It didn't change the creepy factor of his overall stalking, and aggressive behavior. I'm surprised this couple got so much praise, because I just don't get it.
Now on to the rest of the cast.. The bad guys Ahn Do Hoon, and Shin Se Yeon, were very boring. Both had a few good character moments, but most of their scenes were skippable. And the idea that Ahn Do Hoon & Kang Yoo Jung were ever really in love, never came across. They had zero chemistry, so it was hard to care about their relationship falling apart. The rest of the supporting cast were pretty good. I liked Kang Yoo Jung's prison buddies, and Ahn Do Hoon's parents. There were times when they were more interesting than the main characters. That's probably because the main characters did so much crying and feeling sorry for themselves, that it became annoying to watch after a while.
Overall I had a really hard time getting through the first episodes, and didn't start to have any interest until about episode 6. The director got some good artsy shots in, and the music wasn't bad, just a tad too melodramatic at times. Still, nothing could save the story that dragged, and the "secrets" that were pretty predictable. I had to force myself to finish this drama, just because I was curious to see if I would like it more by the end. The answer? No.
I know this drama has a lot of fans, and usually I'm a fan of this genre of drama, but maybe this much melodrama is just not my cup of tea. My advice? If you start watching, and you aren't loving it, move on to the next drama.
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Although this is an ensemble cast effort, and Song Kang Ho is clearly marketed at the star of the film, the real star of this story, in my opinion, is Choi Woo Shik as Kim Gi Woo. Gi Woo is the catalyst for everything that happens in this film and I thought he was really great as the idealistically naive but ingeniously calculating son of the family. Song Kang Ho as the impulsive father, Park So Dam as the extremely clever sister, and Jang Hye Jin as the supportive mom with an edge complete the family. The Kim family is the epitome of poor and struggling and seeing how they make their situation work is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. They have amazing chemistry as a family which made me laugh and even cry and made it very easy to root for them no matter what they did. They are contrasted with the well off and extremely privileged Park family. I've loved Lee Sun Kyun since Coffee Prince, so I really liked seeing him as less of the nice guy character I am used to seeing him as. I also loved Cho Yeo Jung as the "gullible because she's privileged enough to be" wife who is very nice but also obliviously elitist. However, I liked that she never played her as too stupid, which makes what the Kims are able to accomplish even more plausible and hilariously impressive. The way the two families played off of each other, from the most subtle gestures to the more extreme moments were amazing.
But my favorite actor in the ensemble is Lee Jung Eun as the Park family's maid. She is so good at saying so much with just her expression, and then some. I won't say more because I don't want to give anything away about the story at all. The less you know about Parasite before watching the better.
What I will say about the story is that the Park family literally and figuratively live far above the Kim family. In spite of this they seem nice enough to not be reduced to stereotypical hateful rich caricatures which made any conflict between the two families seem less about good or bad people and more about the dynamics classism creates and how the lines it builds defines who we are but at the same time how easily those lines can blur with some manipulation. The events are also sometimes funny even at their worst and it's so entertaining that it takes some of the seemingly most mundane things like cooking a meal or carrying fruit and makes watching that like watching a fast-paced action thriller. There are no boring parts in this film even during the less eventful scenes, and it has so much great symbolism without relying more on that than an actual story with a coherent plot. It excels when it comes to symbolism and storytelling equally. There are no real plotholes either, all the weirdness made complete sense in this film's world.
Would I watch it again? Of Course. This is a movie that I thought was beautiful and fun to watch. Knowing what will happen will definitely lessen the suspense but it's so beautifully shot with such great scenes and performances that that is enough to put the rewatch rating at a 10. I also would love to maybe catch some things that I maybe missed the first time.
Overall, Parasite is a satire with an extreme yet simple story and it stayed with me emotionally long after the film was over, but not in a sappy overly sentimental way. I laughed a lot while watching it, so despite the theme, this is far from just a downer. Parts of this film may not be for everyone, and the ending may not be either, but I really think this is the type of story that I want to recommend to everyone just so we can talk about it! This is definitely the kind of storytelling that gets folks talking, and I really doubt you will see many bad reviews (although one person in the theater I saw it in was audibly unhappy at the end). This movie is art down to the details but it's also an entertaining story that leaves you thinking without having to be super preachy or depressing. This is also exciting and unpredictable from start to finish, and if you love movies where you can't guess what will happen next no matter how obvious and inevitable the unraveling seems to be, then you definitely won't be disappointed. Who knew that a constant "something bad is gonna happen" feeling could be so much fun. My anxiety was on high, and I liked it. I would never say it's one of the greatest films of all time, but it is definitely one of the most unique films I have ever seen.
Also, I will never look at a peach the same way again.
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Ji Sung is absolutely amazing to watch in this drama. I've liked him in dramas in the past (like Protect the Boss), even when I wasn't really a fan of the drama itself (like "Secret", but umm... more on that later), but this role gave him the opportunity to really show his range. Each personality he played was a completely different, and believable, character. So many of the characters were so entertaining, that I looked forward (almost to the point of cheering) when they would return. It's clear that JI Sung has the skill to make me laugh, cry, or both, whether he's rocking guy-liner, or wearing a huge bow. He's definitely now on my top k-drama actors list.
Hwang Jung Eum also deserves a lot of praise for her portrayal of Oh Ri Jin. Fans of "Secret" should get a kick out of these two reuniting, but as a non-fan, I wasn't expecting much. Much to my surprise, I loved every moment they shared on screen. She played such a pitiful character in "Secret", that it was really hard for me to root for her, or their semi-abusive romance. Oh Ri Jin, however, is completely different from her doormat character in "Secret". She's smart, super silly, vulnerable, but still able to take defend herself confidently. It also helps that this show is so well written, and the characters are so multi-dimensional, that they have a much better vehicle to show their range. Their romantic chemistry is amazing and just gets stronger as the show continues, even during their silliest moments. I fell completely in love with their complicated love story. Park Seo Joon's charm is added to the mix, as Oh Ri On (2nd lead MVP), and you have an irresistible cast of main characters. The entire cast is great, but these 3 make the show addictive.
The appeal of "Kill Me, Heal Me" is not just about the cast. This story is extremely entertaining, and so well written. Many dramas get less exciting during the last episodes, as secrets are revealed, but this drama does the exact opposite. In the beginning, I was a little confused, but eventually, even the smallest details are explained and have great meaning. There is a lot of melodrama, and some moments are definitely over the top, but writer Jin Soo-Wan made all the elements work so that everything makes sense. There is also a great balance between hilarious moments and use a full tissue box cry-worthy moments. Even the sometimes excessively repeated flashbacks made sense to me because they helped illustrate the pain and confusion involved in trying to make sense of the past and reconcile with the present. No episode or moment seemed wasted. Director Kim Jin-Man deserves credit for that too.
It's really hard for me to think of anything I disliked about this drama (except the title, though it makes sense). I even loved the soundtrack, which I only subtracted half a point from, because of the number of times certain songs were repeated. I already want to watch this drama again, and I think knowing the plot would give it a different, but still entertaining perspective, especially because of the cast - and the one-man cast of characters that is Ji Sung. Of course, knowing how everything turns out would make it less suspenseful the second time around, but it would still be engaging, and you may even pick up things that you missed on the first viewing.
Honestly, I'm not sure how medically accurate their D.I.D. portrayal was, but I think they were respectful, while still being entertaining. It definitely left me dealing with a range of my own emotions.
I would definitely recommend this as having a little something for everyone, but also as one of the best romantic k-dramas I've seen so far. It's a completely original spin on the cliché chaebol who's family fights over power while hiding horrible secrets story. It's also much more than a story about a crazy guy with all these wacky personalities. Even the romance has more depth than your average k-drama romance. These are the reasons I'd suggest putting this on the top of your 'to watch' list. The 20 episodes will seem like they're over too soon, and In my opinion, this multiple personalities story is absolutely multiple views worthy. It may even give you a slightly different perspective on what's important in life...
Remember this time. Written today, at exactly 10:15 pm. That's when you read this review and decided to watch this drama. You're welcome.
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An ambitious drama... but maybe too ambitious
I'll start this review by admitting that I am normally not a big fan of plots about greedy rich family members fighting over power positions but once I saw Song Joong Ki I knew I would have to watch this. He never disappoints, even in dramas I don't love, and this unfortunately was one of those dramas. Don't get me wrong, there are some really great things about "Born Rich" and I say this knowing nothing about the book it's based on. The rivalries are intense and keeping up with the lead character's wins and losses flavored with Korean nostalgia was fun each week. This was largely due to Lee Sung Min as Jin Yang Cheol, the family patriarch at the center of all the greed and corruption.Jin Do Joon and Jin Yang Cheol's relationship are what makes this drama so exciting. There are other great characters as well but watching them match wits eclipses everything else. The main story is a pretty standard revenge plot with a retro twist, and clever Do Joon is easy to root for, but what I liked more was the feeling of watching an intense game of chess between two fierce rivals who clearly admire each other. I was less interested in the war between siblings, even with some impressive actors in those roles. The terrible rich people being terrible trope is just not as engaging after a while, and too many of the family members were 2 dimmensional awful people.
One part of the story that really did not work well is the romance plot. I think in this case it wasn't just the writing but Shin Hyun Bin's performance that made this storyline fall flat. Her choice to play Seo Min Young as cold, guarded, and robotic throughout left no room for any romance scenario that made sense. I felt myself rolling my eyes whenever her character showed up, and that's not a good look for a love interest.
Another problem I had with "Born Rich" is that there were a lot of times I had a hard time following what was going on and who was who. There are a lot of characters with agendas, and a lot of agendas conflict and overlap. Add to that a lot of significant Korean history moments going over my head and me likely missing a lot of important details. Thankfully the music helped me know when something sinister was about to go down. lol
Would I watch this again? Maybe. Now that I know the ending I would be slightly interested in seeing it from the beginning with that in mind. However, the episodes are so long that I think without the suspense they may not be fun to watch anymore. I was satified with seeing the main character's evolution and I think that's enough for me to move on from this for now. I know a lot of people didn't like the direction the story went towards the end but I appreciated the twist and what it said about the blind pursuit of wealth and power.
Overall, "Born Rich" didn't disappoint but it did fall a little short. It just felt too inconsistent. By the end of episode 15, I was really excited about this drama's ending, but it kinda fizzled and turned predictable by the very end. Is it worth watching just to watch Song Joong Ki? Yes. Is this as good as some of his other famous roles? Definitely not. Even his infamous charming smirks seemed more low key in this one. If you didn't read the synopsis, good! Don't! I'm glad I started watching knowing nothing from the very beginning. The conflict for me is that I liked the story more than how it was told. I loved the suspense and cliff hangers but hated the repetitive scenes with shadey characters staring suspiciously at each other. Be aware that this is a plot that stays true to one genre and focuses on Politics, Power, and Revenge. If you find people discussing plots and schemes tedious this is not the drama for you.
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