1
manicmuse
NYC!
One issue is that I think there are too many main characters to focus on, making the story initially confusing, and it took way too long to set up all the relationships. It didn't help that I didn't find the characters lives very interesting until much later, and I think the cast is partially to blame.
I had a lot of problems with the overacting, and almost every cast member is guilty of it. Kim In Kwon and Kim Soo Ro are both charming in their roles, and I love their bromance, but they barely have screen time compared to the rest of the cast even though it's their story. Instead we have to rely on Rain and Oh Yeon Seo, who also have good chemistry, and are super cute eye candy, but their overacting multiplies by a million when they are together.
The only person I recognized in the main cast (and that was barely) is Rain. Rain looks so physically different that I didn't realize it was him, and I can't forgive his hairstylist for it. I loved Rain's cuteness in Full House, so I thought that would be a good sign. He has a lot of charming and adorable moments, but his dramatic moments were pretty bad. On the other hand, I did not remember Lee Min Jung being in Big, because I tried to block that show from my brain forever. She is equally unimpressive in this. She does share a few cute moments with Rain (very tame romance), and the cast playing her family (which I loved), but her dramatic moments were mostly a bore. Little Lee Re was the opposite, and made me cry several times. She was a much stronger actress than most of the adults. She should probably give her drama mom some lessons.
Oh Yeon Seo was hands down my favorite cast member, and I think she stood out as the only one able to handle the comedic and emotional scenes. Lee Ha Nui on the other hand was my least favorite. She is gorgeous, but her acting is comedically bad. I often laughed while she cried, making it hard to sympathize with her. Her character was also annoyingly arrogant, which doesn't help. Together they had a little bit of chemistry, but since it was so obvious that the show would stay far away from anything that came close to resembling a lesbian relationship, they never seemed like two people who actually loved each other. Then there's Choi Won Young as the one note bad guy, and the perfect bad acting match for Lee Ha Nui. I think I mentally skipped all of their scenes together. I would rather watch Lee Tae Hwan stand there... that would've been much more captivating
The other problem is that the story is super ambitious... unfinished business and revenge, 2 love triangles, gangster rivalries, family drama, family secrets, celebrity scandal, a chaebol war, oh and the whole afterlife thing... and it takes a long time to get it all straight. The writers do a good job of making all the pieces fit together eventually, but It wasn't until the halfway point that the story started getting interesting to me. There were a few moments when the writers managed to get me in the feels too, in spite of my not being that into the story, and I did tear up more than once. The fact that this drama did get more interesting as it progressed, instead of getting worse, is impressive though, and having a pretty good ending made me not regret watching it till the end. I also think it might even be better to watch it again after knowing all the characters, and the plot twists.
My favorite part of the show may actually be the soundtrack, which had a lot of tracks that I really liked on it. The Moonlight track in particular, which grew on me like the show did.
Overall, "Please Come Back, Mister" was not bad, but it's not good enough for me to recommend either. I don't think those who dropped it like I did are missing anything. I also understand why those who like the beginning episodes, and kept watching, gave it such high ratings. If you do decide to watch it, and you love the first 4 episodes, you will probably really love it by the end. Otherwise, I recommend lowering any expectations of greatness. I'd say don't take the story too seriously, trust that everything will eventually make sense, ignore minor plot holes, and give in to the bad acting moments.
For me it was the perfect filler drama to watch while waiting on episodes from more intense on air dramas - Oh, and Rain is often shirtless, so that's a definite BONUS. At the heart of this drama is a lighthearted look at how we live our lives, and how we effect those we leave behind when we go. Sometimes we may need to yell at the screen about what a stupid way to die that was, then relax and watch a drama like this, in order to remind ourselves what is truly important.
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In honor of Lee Sun Kyun... one of the reasons I fell in love with dramas.
I've recently taken a break from dramas and writing reviews while mourning the loss of someone very close to me but it was learning about the tragic passing of Lee Sun Kyun that kept me up tonight and ironically led to me staying up to watch "Sleep". I have been a fan of Lee Sun Kyun since "Coffee Prince", and missed all of the recent scandal and drama while caught up in my own personal sadness, so this has been a truly shocking evening. Maybe that's why this simple yet disturbing psychological horror story resonated with me. How your mind can play tricks on you when you're in a heightened emotional state is always a concept that fascinates me and adding a sleep disorder to that makes it even more interesting. This drama walks the fine line between familiar horror tropes that just work well with direction and visuals that are fresh and memorable. It was also the perfect film for the mood I'm currently in... something sadly disturbing and haunting.Lee Sun Kyun has portrayed so many roles that I have loved and this one isn't necessarily a standout among them, but he is definitely in his element. He plays Hyun Soo, an aspiring Actor who lives with his super supportive and very pregnant wife Soo Jin played by Jung Yu Mi. Their relationship seems pretty ideal until Hyun Soo's disturbing actions while asleep put major stress on their lives. I love that the way things slowly evolve is so realistic and that's what made it so disturbing to me. Yes, there are some classic horror moments including possibly animals and kids being hurt, but that's pretty much par for the course in a horror movie as far as I'm concerned, although this movie never goes overboard with over-the-top blood or comes close to anything truly gorey. In true psychological horror fashion, it's more about setting up a creepy atmosphere with many of the horrors implied and without being so abstract that you lose the actual story.
As for the story, I thought it was well told, with an ending that will probably leave a lot of room for debate. I thought I knew exactly how the story would go, but the start of Act 3 caught me off guard. I wouldn't call it a mindblowing ending by any means but it was an interesting ride and for me a satisfying conclusion... at least my interpretation of what happened.
Would I watch this again? Yes. I am a fan of horror and this is one that was entertaining to watch with a great cast and great direction even if it's not necessarily groundbreaking. Other Lee Sun Kyun fans may not be in the mood to see him playing someone going through so much mental agony just yet, which I understand too.
Overall, I am glad I stayed up to watch "Sleep". It reminded me of classic horror movies like "Rosemary's Baby", with quite a few images that will keep me up a little longer. People looking for a horror film with epic twists, major jumpscares, or diabolical villains will likely be disappointed. I liked the concept of one's mind possibly being the real horror... or not. Or the horror of not having control over your actions, which legit freaks me out. Could there have been improvements? Sure. Could some parts of the story use some more depth and explanation? Sure. But as is, I think this movie still delivers.
***Thank you Lee Sun Kyun, for bringing such ease of talent to so many great roles. You will be missed. Sleep in Peace : (
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Yoo Ah In plays Lee Sun Jae, a music prodigy that accidentally catches the attention of a professor at a prestigious music school, and is thrust into a world where his raw talent is in demand, although he comes from a very different world. Sun Jae's story is the only thing I cared about in this drama, and he comes across as so genuine, impulsive, and passionate, that it makes total sense that Kim Hee Ae as Oh Hye Won would fall for him. The problem is that their chemistry is what is supposed to carry this whole drama and it got old for me very quickly. Yoo Ah In is just an amazing actor, so he handles the range of emotions required for the role, even the most melodramatic moments, in a way that still felt real. I cannot say the same about Kim Hee Ae. At times I couldn't tell if I didn't like her performance, or how the character was written, but I think it's both. Oh Hye Won is meant to be cold and business-minded until she awakens her passion with Sun Jae. I think they did that well in the beginning but eventually, she just becomes so wish-washy and whiney and honestly hard to sympathize with. They also didn't seem to have much chemistry beyond physically and musically, which makes such a controversial relationship hard for me to root for. I got more surrogate mom vibes which got very Oedipusy and weird. Eventually, they relied too heavily on flashbacks too, so the romance in the drama felt stale.
As for the supporting cast, the performances were fine but the corrupt school storyline bored me completely. This takes up a lot of the drama, and I guess was meant to show off the strength of the female lead, but she was so overly melodramatic, and they were so stereotypical, that I zoned out during all of those scenes. Many of the corruption scenes felt repetitive anyway, full of frustrating character choices, so I probably could have skipped most of them and I wouldn't have missed much.
The only supporting character that I really liked a lot was Kyung Soo Jin as Park Da Mi. I loved her being the aggressive voice of reason, which is funny since she initially annoyed me. She was also one of the only characters that showed any growth.
Would I watch this again? Definitely not. The only reason I didn't drop it was because I wanted to see how things would turn out for Sun Jae. Even during the lead actress's big speech in the last episode I was ready to finally give up because I felt nothing. It was her moment and I cared more Ah In's reaction shots. His longing puppy eyes kept me watching, but they couldn't make up for scenes that dragged, musical interludes that felt way too long, and way too many flashbacks. To me, it felt like 4 episodes worth of story stretched out to be 16.
Overall I was ready to like this drama way more than I did. I know many people were more into the music and forbidden romance than I was, so I would say that if you aren't excited about this couple in the beginning, don't expect it to get any better. It wasn't even the extreme age difference that bothered me or their physical chemistry, but they seemed to focus more on mood than developing their relationship. They actually listened to a whole Billy Joel song which took up more time than any real character or story development. That's what this drama felt like to me... a mood that you have to be into more than a story with anything to offer beyond the synopsis. I think that maybe you have to be in a sip wine and listen to classical music mood to watch this drama and enjoy it, otherwise, there are better things to watch than this not even very secret love affair.
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Gong Hyo Jin and Jo In Sung are romcom MVPs. Hyo Jin is one of my favorites, and has had the good fortune of starring with some truly amazing male leads (including my kdrama baes So Ji Sub & Gong Yoo), but this match manages to rank high even on that list. In the beginning their banter went over my head, but I instantly loved watching them together. The way Jo In Sung would look and smile at her, to their tit for tat moments, made me swoon and cheer them on! Their chemistry was palpable, and their love story felt so real. Their flirting, their irrational fights, their struggle with their personal demons, their struggle to figure out how they fit in each other's lives... This drama manages to take a situation that would probably be a true mess in real life, and turn it into one of my favorite KDrama couples. It's also a mature adult relationship, which gave it an intimacy that many other KDrama romances lack. Yes, this story is primarily a love story, but there's also some suspense, a little melodrama, and a hilarious supporting cast.
Sung Dong Il and Lee Kwang Soo, at least to me, should be considered main characters. That's how important they are to the story. Watching the four of them in that house was awesome. I love the idea of friends who are like family, and who choose to live supporting each other. It's probably not ethical, but you have to throw all ethics away to enjoy this kind of drama... Hey, "It's ok, it's kdrama".
All of the minor characters are also multidimensional, no one is completely good or bad, which makes them feel more realistic and interesting.
I also have to mention Do Kyung Soo, who was so good that he broke my heart a few times as Kang Woo. He had his own great chemistry with Jo In Sung, which really made the character work well.
Even though I thought the main story was excellent, there were a few things that I didn't love, which stopped me from giving it a perfect score.
First, I understood the purpose of the patient stories, and introducing different disorders, but I didn't find them all that interesting. I think some of that is cultural. Some of what triggers the minor (and main) characters just didn't seem like a big deal to me. I could empathize, because the acting was good, but the story line itself still wasn't interesting to me. I did like the overall idea of introducing the disorders specifically, normalizing them like any sickness, and removing the stigma associated with them. It was also not done heavy handedly, which makes it more effective.
The other weak spot for me was Soo Kwang and Oh So Nyeo's relationship. They were great in their roles, but I just didn't like their relationship at all. Even though he was adorkable, he kept giving me dirty older dude vibes. Eventually they grew on me enough for me not to not be annoyed by their scenes, but I still never quite rooted for them. Part of the beauty of the show is that all the love relationships are messy, so it still worked, and that is a large part of the shows appeal.
The direction, I think, was perfect. There are certain scenes that are so well done visually that they were haunting. It's the same writer director team as "Padam Padam..." , and the "That Winter, the Wind Blows", so I am definitely a fan.
The music was great, and not your normal kdrama ost, but worked really well to enhance the story telling.
So would I watch this again? Duh! I knew what would happen, but I was still just as excited watching. Watching this again, like it was the first time, was like knowing a joke's punchline and still finding it completely hilarious. There are psychological elements, and a some twists, but knowing them doesn't ruin the show. I also totally missed the characters at the end, so that's enough of a reason alone to rewatch.
Overall, I think this is a must see drama. It's about how beautiful love can be in spite of major complications, and I loved it from the intriguing first episode to the awesome last episode. If you are in a difficult relationship, it may trigger some feelings, which may trigger some Dramnesia... (which I now suspect was what caused mine lol), but in the end, it's a really inspiring and entertaining story about trying to make relationships with each other work (whether romantic or platonic). If you normally find KDrama romance too cheesy, I think this drama is perfect for you. If you love to squeel at cutesy KDrama romcom moments, I think this drama is perfect for you. If you don't like romance at all, I think this may not be the perfect drama for you, but you should totally watch it anyway. There's a reason why the reviews are so high.
I will be adding it to my favorites list now, so I won't be able to forget it again.
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In a lot of ways this is a conventional rom-com, but the love stories themselves are definitely unconventional. Sure there is a love triangle, that turns into a rectangle, but it's a refreshing approach that got me more invested with each episode. There's also one main character, who doesn't say a word, who was the true star of this love story, at least to me.
The cast is really awesome, though I will admit that my least favorite was Uee. She did a good job, but I just didn't like her as much as the other main characters. I admit that her "revised" look was distracting. I can't really say anything bad about her performance, but I was only interested in seeing her on screen with Choi Woo Shik, who she did have great chemistry with.
Choi Woo Shik, on the other hand, totally won me over. I thought he would be too silly to take seriously, at first, but he was the perfect balance of sweetness, and seriousness, to make me fall for Hoo Goo's charm. Im Seul Ong won me over too, when I swore I would hate him. Kang Cheol flips conventional arrogance on it's head, which makes him an awesome character. My favorite cast member turned out to be Lee Soo Kyung, who I was surprised to see was so much younger than the rest of the cast. She was so good as Ho Gyeong, also the only character that I liked from the very beginning, and I am looking forward to seeing much more from her.
I should also give an honorable mention to Ho Goo's parents, who I thought were really great too! The cast, as a whole, really had great chemistry too!
Even though I loved the cast, and the love stories, I could not give the story a super high score. To me, even with all it's originality, there were a few too many clichés, and preachy moments. Though I would consider this a light drama, it does touch on some very serious topics, though only lightly. I'm sure certain topics are more serious when considering Korean culture. I wonder if any controversial moments went over my head because of cultural differences. I am sure being American is what made some of the moments feel so preachy to me.
The music? Well, it didn't really stand out to me, which makes it neither good, nor bad.
Would I watch it again? Sure! Some of the charm will be lost, now that I know what's happening, but there are so many moments that I could watch again. Immediately after the last episode, I had the urge to flash back to my favorite scenes (I'm still laughing about one kiss reaction in particular).
Overall, I would recommend this drama, especially to those looking for a good love story. It's also a much funnier, and lighter drama than the subject matter suggests. They don't take certain topics as far as they could have gone, but I applaud them for going there at all. I also liked the ending, and what it had to say about relationships in general.
I say, give it a chance, and wait until at least episode 5, if you're not convinced that you will like it. It took me about that long to really get into it, and now that it's over, I really miss it. Add me among those who consider this an underrated drama. I'm so glad I found out about it.
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This review may contain spoilers
I'm kinda in shock over how good this drama turned out to be considering how long I've been avoiding watching it. I knew the ratings were high, but because there were 51 episodes (which is enough to scare me away) it lived forever on my planning to watch cue. My advice is to not let episode-count-a-phobia stop you from watching this AMAZING drama. The impressive cast and the intriguing story make every episode worth watching, and before I knew it I was finished. By the end I even found myself oddly craving more, because I'd grown so attached to the world of "Empress Ki".First, this is definitely one of the best cast ensembles I have ever seen in drama. I admit that I didn't check the cast list at all before watching, so there were so many pleasant surprises as far as actors I've loved in other dramas. Ha Ji Won is one of my favorites ("Secret Garden" being my actual favorite drama of all time). She's the ultimate sweet but bad@ss leading lady, and this character is perfect for even her. The story follows her journey from gender-bending youth to Empress (not a spoiler, so don't worry). She goes through such a range in this story that I was impressed with her from beginning to end. She is matched with Joo Jin Mo, who charmed me in the mediocre drama "Woman with a Suitcase", and super impressive Ji Chang Wook from "Healer" (another favorite of mine). I think each of their performances, and the chemistry between these three characters, were flawless. Jin Mo is perfectly cast as charming and heroic. Chang Wook's character is so emotionally complicated that his performance was one of my favorites of all, and so different than his acting in "Healer". This is the kind of dramatic love story that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster... Flirtation, Mistrust, Passion, Betrayal, Obsession, Loyalty... and they made me believe every moment of it. What I love about all of the characters is that they were so developed, with flaws and vulnerabilities, that it all felt real, even when the plot got outrageous.
I get overwhelmed when I think of everyone in the cast who deserves to be mentioned for giving such excellent performances, but I will only mention a few. Jung Woong is so good at playing complicated villains, like the one I loved so much in "I Hear Your Voice". Sometimes he gave me chills he's so good in this. Jun Gook Hwan is also an impressive villain, the kind you sometimes secretly root for just so you can keep watching them be evil. His sons were hotties, but Kim Jung Hyun deserves a special shout out for being the Duracell Bunny of evil... (he kept going and going and going). Baek Jin Hee was so slapable she was perfect. The Empress Dowager frustrated me the most because she was so good at being duplicitous. Kim Ji Han, with his sexy Alan Richman-esque voice, was also a standout for me. But honestly, I could just run down the entire cast list and praise everyone, from the servants, to the soldiers, to the royals. I love the bromances between the heroes, the catty smirks between the ladies, the nail biting fight scenes between almost everyone, even the kids... This is a cast with not only no weak links, but so many memorable performances.
As far as the story, it is really hard to keep a drama with so many long episodes interesting, but this drama absolutely does. This is a shakespearean level saeguk, with so many twists it's impossible to see them all coming. I also loved that the the drama starts near the end point, so you see where everything will lead first and then are glued to the screen watching how everything will finally get to that point. It also covers a lot of genres. There's romance, and action, and of course revenge, with even a few supernatural moments. There are also comedic moments, but know that this drama is definitely more tragedy than comedy, and often times frustrating and depressing (in an entertaining way) the further along the story gets. I also like that after being less enthusiastic about some of the middle episodes, the pace starts to pick up again near the end so much that I literally could not stop watching.
My critiques of this drama are very few. One is that the circumstances are so unbelievable at times that I almost wanted to laugh inappropriately, but the actors always made the story work no matter how crazy the plot got. Another issue for me was that I was bored by certain parts of the story, towards the middle, although they added to the character development, and made sense to the story as a whole, I was just personally less interested in some of the political rivalries and wars (especially in Wang Yoo's storyline). There are also tropes you find in a lot of dramas, but the storytelling is so engaging that it never feels cliché.
As for the ending, I thought it was simple and perfect. The last 2 episodes pack so much in that it was a little overwhelming, but I felt like there were no loose ends at all, and the very last moment kinda ends with a haunting question... at least that's how I interpreted it, which made the whole story complete.
Would I watch this again? DEFINITELY! It's now tied for my favorite Saeguk with "The Princess' Man". I'd probably take my time with a rewatch, and enjoy the performances, instead of rushing to finish in order to know what happens.
Overall, The characters will haunt me for a while. Every villain was sympathetic, and every hero/heroine pissed me off, which made the power struggles so much more compelling. I love stories like these that make me actually curious about the real people that inspired them. I know very little about the actual history, so I can't reference what is real vs what was made up. I can only assume that there's only a small amount of this story that's based actual events. However, like every good makjang drama, the more unrealistic the better.
I definitely recommend this one as a must watch! I was addicted by episode one. It's certainly not a lighthearted drama, so arm yourself with enough tissues, and be ready to curse at the screen, and clutch at your broken heart. Trust the ratings and reviews on this one, it really is THAT good. If you're a big fan of anyone in the cast, you don't want to miss them in this. 51+ hours later I don't think you will regret it.
Wow, This drama may have finally cured my episode-count-a-phobia!
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I'll start with the romance, which is really the heart of the story, but was my least favorite part. Although the romance was written well, I just never really connected with the main couple the way I usually do when sucked into a K-drama. Jo Yoon Hee is super perky, and Lee Jin Wook knows how to look aloof & hot, but the chemistry between the two of them was lacking in my opinion. Jo Yoon Hee's cuteness was not enough to carry her through emotional scenes, and Lee Jin Wook (although a stronger actor than his co-star) too often seemed emotionless, even with all that his character goes through in the story. I wanted to fall in love with the love story much more than I did. Towards the end I cared a little more, but that's due to the great writing, not their performances.
In general, I think the acting in the entire show was ok, but not stellar. Some of the supporting cast had more personality than the main characters. Still, I can't say that anyone in the cast was really bad... well, except for Jeong Dong Hwan. The stupid faces he made as Choi Jin Cheol were so cartoonishly bad that it was starting to piss me off. He started to remind me of Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone.
I think the true star of this drama is the story. Once I got through the set up episodes, the story was non stop surprise revelations & plot twists, which I love. This is the kind of story that will leave you sleepless, as you marathon it, just so you can see what happens next. The story doesn't lose steam towards the end like most dramas do either, which is impressive. It also had the kind of ending that made me want to immediately re-watch the whole story from the beginning, although there weren't any real 'stand out' moments that I wanted to necessarily watch again. I'd re-watch just to see if knowing the ending would change how I see the rest of the drama.
If you're not a fan of open endings, consider this a warning. Still I loved the ending, which made me think, and I don't think was that ambiguous. I believe it was way better than if everything was spelled out clearly or tied up with a corny happily ever after bow. There also weren't any glaring loose ends, which considering how complicated the story gets, was enough closure for me.
I had no idea, based on the premise, that this would be one of the best written, and surprisingly believable, time travel k-dramas that I've seen. (and there are A LOT of time travel K-dramas!) With a different cast my score would have been much higher, which is the only reason why Nine: Nine Times Time Travel didn't quite make an "9" overall score from me.
My review may not be as high as everyone else's, but I understand why there are so many fans, and would definitely recommend it, because who needs sleep? lol!
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What really drives the story is the romance between Seo Yoo Kyung and the new chef. From the moment they first meet, I knew I would love this drama. Their flirty mentor-apprentice relationship was fun to watch for the entire 20 episodes, especially because of Lee Sun Gyun. I knew he was good after watching him in Coffee Prince, but now he is officially one of my favorites. I was glad to see him as the romantic lead this time, and swooned over his flirt-spertise. This is also the 3rd drama I've seen staring Gong Hyo Jin, who gives another great performance as a determined aspiring chef. If played by lesser actors, their characters could have easily come across as unbearably mean, or annoyingly stupid. Instead, their characters had depth, which helped the often predictable plot feel realistic, and their "do it again"/"yes chef" relationship became endearing. Another thing I loved about the romance plot is the other members of the "love square", played by Lee Honey and Chu Alex, were actually likable, and sympathetic. As far as Kdrama romances go, this one felt different, and was refreshing.
On the other hand, the restaurant drama was mostly fun to watch, but it was always pretty obvious what would happen next. Rivalries & schemes describe the atmosphere at La Sfera, and there are plenty of scenes showing the cooks working and feuding in the kitchen. I was never bored, but I would have preferred less kitchen bickering, and more of the main couple. I also would not suggest watching any episode on an empty stomach, since the food they make has such a major role in the show.
I really enjoyed Pasta, and I definitely recommend it. It may not be one of my absolute favorites, but it definitely suits my taste.
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I will start with Shin Hye Sun, who I loved as such an innocent character in Thirty But Seventeen, but in this drama, she is completely different in the best way! As Lee Yeon Seo she is smart, no-nonsense, and always one step ahead of what's expected of her, and even though she is extremely temperamental it was hard not to like and root for her. In a lot of ways, she plays the role the male lead usually plays in this kind of romcom (rich, mean, but misunderstood), while L plays the role usually given to women (cute and thoughtful enough to win her over). L really is perfectly cast as a charming angel, and although I understand people critiquing some of his more dramatic scenes, I think that what he did right outshined his weaker acting moments... also his dimples... who can deny the power of that dimple whenever he smiled?!! Together I think they had great chemistry, and I especially loved their banter in the beginning. Their melodramatic scenes were less interesting, but I still loved seeing them together, no matter what.
The rest of the cast was filled with great performances and mediocre performances. I think Lee Dong Gun is a master at playing a sinister 2nd lead, but I feel like he was a better actor than what was written for his character. Woo Hee Jin was great too as the maid/surrogate family. A lot of the villainous characters were made to be super campy and were hard to take seriously because of that. I think the sisters Ni Na and Ru Na were good at playing extreme opposites, but because both characters were so one-note I didn't feel much for them, and they are both major parts of the plot so I should have cared a lot more than I did.
Besides Yeon Seo, the best character and the real MVP of this drama is Kim In Kwon as Archangel Hoo! Not only was he hilarious, but he also had one of the few moments in the drama that actually made me tear up. His chemistry with L was just as entertaining as the main couple in my opinion, and he kept this drama entertaining when the plot and couple drama started to get repetitive and boring. He was definitely a scene stealer and a major highlight in this drama.
I think the plot is where this drama lost its way, which is very disappointing because the early episodes were so strong. Without giving too much away, I will say that I was intrigued by the angel on a mission plot. The set up for this drama did have its fair share of clichés, but I thought the story, in the beginning, was well told. I thought certain elements were very creative (the feather handkerchief especially), and I liked the angel mythology in general. Unfortunately, I don't think the conclusion of this drama was well thought out and so the last half of this drama started to drag and became super redundant and boring by the end. It was also annoying to have so many "rehearsal" scenes when it was clear that Shin Hye Sun is not a great dancer in real life. The earlier dance scenes with Kim Bo Mi, who obviously has ballet experience, made more sense but watching long scenes where Shin Hye Sun would "emote" when she should have been dancing was annoying, and felt like filler to drag out the story more. If this drama was shorter I would have liked it much more, even with a vague ending, but watching the same crying scenes over and over again and the same arguments on repeat made it very hard for me to want to keep watching. I also wonder if the writer got talked out of the original ending because the last episodes definitely seemed thrown together.
Would I watch this again? Maybe. I can see myself watching the beginning and then skipping most scenes until getting to the end. There were many scenes and moments that I liked enough to want to see them again. I also thought the soundtrack was perfect but I still didn't love it enough to want to hear the songs again now that the show is over.
With a couple this cute, I thought this drama would be added to my favorites list for sure. I love a good cheesy fairytale that tugs at the heartstrings! The problem with this drama is that it didn't tug at my heart. I wish I cared more, but by the end, I was just waiting for it to be over. I do think that there is enough good in Angel's Last Mission: Love to justify a recommendation for romance fans. It's not the best this year, but it's far from the worst. It's "tragic romance-lite" for those who like melodrama but don't want to watch something too heavy. Also, did I mention the dimples? I can overlook a lot of plotholes just to see those dimples. They deserve their own drama. If you're looking to find deep meaning at the end of this drama then set your expectations much lower. If you're a ballet fan maybe you will appreciate how the "Giselle" performance parallels with the romance between Angel Dan and Yeon Seo, but to me, the connection felt forced and overdone. The crime plot is also very weak, the explanation for Angel's mission is messy, too many things were left unresolved (seriously, what was up with the crazy dance teacher?), but the love story, even with its flaws, still delivers. At the very least, I hope this sparks a trend for more female lead roles like this! I think their dynamic was a refreshing twist on the same ole thing I love.
So, in the end, I'm glad I completed the mission of watching this till the end, but I won't declare my love! I'd say this drama is more like a summer crush than real love, and I'm satisfied with that.
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Most reviews compare the story to Romeo & Juliet, but I think that is an understatement. Though the story does revolve around two "star-crossed lovers" from opposing families, it's also about ruthless political ambition, best friends becoming archenemies, family betrayal, unlikely heroes, and revenge. Like many Shakespearean plays, the story embellishes some historical events, & figures, which helps to make it feel authentic. Every character is expertly played, and written. The end of every episode had me anxious to watch the next one. I was sometimes frustrated by characters, and situations, but never bored. I was a little disappointed, and frustrated, by the ending, but I was also impressed that it didn't take the expected route. I was tempted to give this drama a 9 because of the ending, but I decided it was just too good for that.
The cast was definitely outstanding. The characters really had great depth, and real character arcs. The heroes were flawed, and the villains showed vulnerability. You can actually see the characters change (for better or worse) as the show progresses. Kim Yeong Cheol made me actually empathize with his merciless, and unbearably stubborn, portrayal of Prince Suyang/King Sejo. There are too many great characters to name them all individually, but I have to mention Lee Min Woo who had such an unexpected effect on me as Jung Jong, with his goofy smile. He was the first character to bring me to boo-hoo tears. The friendship between Seung Yoo, Jong, and Officer Shin was just as heartbreakingly tragic as the main romance.
The multiple stories were balanced perfectly, and never made the plot drag, or feel like mere filler. The romance is, however, the heart of the story, and Park Shi Hoo's awesome performance is what ultimately holds the show together - I mean, he is the Princess' Man after all.
I can't say enough good things about Park Shi Hoo. Whether a scene called for romance, action, comedy, or tender emotion, he handled it all flawlessly. As for Moon Chae Won, I didn't even realize that she was the obsessed girl in Shining Inheritance/Brilliant Legacy, which I think says a lot about her ability to lose herself in a distinct role. I also appreciated that she was a just as strong as the male lead, in her own way. I think they had great chemistry, and worked very well together, especially when considering the grand scope of their romance in this drama, and the range of their feelings for each other.
The direction, the cinematography, and the music made every episode feel like a movie to me. I did initially think the opening theme sounded a bit too much like a korean "carol of the bells", but it soon added to my excitement for the coming episode.
I highly recommend this drama as having something for everyone, but this is definitely a tragic one. If you're looking for a cute/feel good drama, look elsewhere. For fans of historical drama, this is a must. For non fans of historical drama, this one is worth giving a try. I would love to watch this again, even knowing the kinda frustrating conclusion. It's such a good story, that knowing what will happen doesn't ruin it, and in some ways may make it better.
The Princess' Man is one of my new favorites for sure. The 24+ hours spent watching it were so worth it!
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Obviously, the person in this cast deserving of the most praise is Yoon Hyun Min in the dual role of the lone tech genius Nan Do and the ultimate supportive ai hologram Holo. He really made them feel like two completely different characters and I completely sympathized with both of them. Sometimes scenes with actors talking to themselves can feel cheesy but Nan Do and Holo's scenes always felt very realistic. He is matched with Go Sung Hee as the socially awkward Han So Yun who was also so good and easy to sympathize with. They definitely have great chemistry, and this drama certainly centers around romance, but I like that there are also themes about self-acceptance and supportive friendships that are just as strong. This certainly isn't the first drama about a robot/ai/hologram that directly or indirectly teaches humans how to connect with each other but that doesn't stop this from being a memorable story with great characters.
The supporting cast is great, and I loved that some of the bad guys were sympathetic and some of the good guys weren't always likable. The duality of some of the main supporting characters made them way more interesting and realistic and helped to make the story less predictable. However, there is one character who stayed pretty much one-note, Nam Myung Ryul as the ruthless and moralless Baek Nam Gyu, but he was just so good at being evil that it worked well. The story is definitely over the top in some ways and melodramatic at some points but I still think that it all comes across as completely plausible because the cast is so good.
Would I watch this again? Yup. I'm glad all of the episodes were released at once because it was fun just watching them without interruption. It's also the kind of story that I would enjoy watching again even if I already know how the story ends, especially because of So Yun, Holo, and Nan Do. It also is well told, and concise without much filler, so the episodes feel like they breeze by, while still providing the right amount of action, butterflies, and feels, and a very satisfying ending.
Overall, It kinda reminded me of a long Korean "Black Mirror" episode, but I felt much more emotionally invested. In many ways it's a look at how disconnected we have become due to the convenience of technology and the value of true human connections. I laughed, I cried, I got frustrated, I felt inspired. If you ever felt shy, insecure, emotionally guarded, or distrusting of humans in general, I think these characters will resonate at least a little. From the beginning to the very end (and I really loved the ending) this story is well told and had me hooked, which made me forgive any flaws in the logic, possible plot holes, or extra cheesy moments. This is a great sci-fi romance, and although it doesn't quite match some of my current favorites, it comes very close because it's so much fun to watch. It's certainly worth watching just to see Yoon Hyun Min be a second lead ina triangle with himself (impressive), and the pretty imaginative special effects. If you're looking for a drama that's binge-tastic you found one! I think if you give it a chance you may be as pleasantly surprised as I was. This drama has a more than meets the eye quality that I appreciated, and that's not necessarily a Holo glasses nod, but if the glasses fit... watch it ; )
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The story itself has a lot of familiar thriller elements. There's a murder mystery, a kidnapping, a race against time, and a cunning criminal behind it all. Ryoo Seung Bum is great as the subtle, and unsuspecting, mastermind Lee Seong Hyo. I liked that he wasn't a crazy over the top villain. It made him seem more sinister. He is matched against forensic expert Kang played by Sol Kyung Gu, and tenacious rookie detective Min Seo-yeong played by Han Hye Jin. Sol Kyung Gu was great, but I was a little less impressed with Min Seo-yeong. There was nothing wrong with how she played the character, but she just seemed a little timid and forgettable for my taste. There was also an obnoxious cop, who seemed too much like comic relief to me. Still, the entire cast was pretty solid, although the real star of this movie is the script.
In the beginning the plot is pretty slow, but trust me when I say that you'll want to pay attention to all that's going on. I was reminded of other thrillers that I love (Silence of the Lambs, Se7en, Primal Fear) but I think No Mercy is still an original. I had no idea how it would all end until the very end. Now that I know the whole story, I am curious to watch it again from that perspective, but I admit that some of the suspense will be gone. I also want to warn viewers that there are some very graphic moments, but nothing explicit without a reason.
I know it gets compared to Old Boy a lot, even by the friend who recommended it to me, but unlike Old Boy's over the top revenge ending, this ending was just brutally haunting.
I think this is a must see for any fan of revenge thrillers, or if you just want to be told a great story (even if it's not a happy one).
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Way too much time is spent on characters whining about money. They whine about not having enough, who's getting it, and how to get more of it. I was tempted to fast forward through some scenes with particular characters, but I was afraid I'd miss too many key plot points. I would have preferred it if Lee Seung Ki, and Han Hyo Joo had more screen time together instead.
Though I loved watching Lee Seung Ki's character's transformation the most, the entire cast impressed me. Of course Kim Mi Sook stands out as the epitome of a wicked stepmother, but she could have had less screen time in my opinion. Quite a few of the characters have really good epic crying scenes, though I personally was never moved to tears by the story. Still, the actor that impressed me the most overall was actually Yun Joon Suk, who was so believable that I initially thought he was autistic.
I am glad that I decided to stick with it, and watched the whole thing. There are definitely a few moments that I already want to watch again, but I don't know if I could ever watch all 28 episodes again.
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Meh.
First, I will start by saying this drama is not good. It's pretty terrible honestly, but it was somehow still amusing enough for me to want to keep watching. This is a romance with an unconvincing love story. It's a good concept with a weak plot. What kept me watching? The characters and the promise of a funny love story kept me wanting to watch each new episode, and I really hoped that the romance would eventually get better. It doesn't. It's like they threw a bunch of my favorite ingredients into a pot but the final dish was at best... just edible.The first issue I had is with the leads. I love Kim Ji Suk & Jung So Min individually. Both are in kdramas that I consider my all-time favorites, and both are a part of couples that are among my favorite kdrama couples of all time. The problem I have is that they just didn't seem to pair well with each other. Kim Ji Suk is comedic and ridiculous, which is what I loved about him in "Oh Hae Young Again", and Jung So Min is great when it comes to emotion, which is why I loved her in "The Smile has Left Your Eyes". The problem here is that "Monthly Magazine Home" is a pretty silly comedy, not a serious drama, and it really seemed like they were acting in 2 different kinds of dramas at times. I think Kim Ji Suk was well cast as Yoo Ja Sung because of his over-the-top personality, but I could not take him seriously in any of the more dramatic, romantic, or emotional moments. Jung So Min is great and relatable as determined Editor Na and does have some funny moments, but she just doesn’t match the complete silliness of the rest of the cast and spends too much of this drama looking upset, apologetic, and out of place. They did have some good banter in the early episodes, and I liked their initial awkward scenes together, and Ja Sung's random motivational moments, so I thought they would have better chemistry but their dynamic becomes more cringy than cute over time. Ja Sung's weird “in love” smile and Editor Na looking like a confused hostage in their most romantic moments was a huge disappointment. I liked their characters individually but not together. I wasn't even convinced they really liked each other.
The rest of the cast was amusing, but definitely playing more for laughs than depth. The feel was a little (ok a lot-tle lol) like “The Office”, finding humor in the dynamics between these quirky work characters, lead by an egotistical boss who never quite gets it. These are the pettiest coworkers on earth, and how they support and then quickly turn on each other is the main joke. That gets pretty repetitive, and sometimes annoying, but I did grow to like them enough that I still found it mostly funny. What didn't work as well for me were the more serious moments between these characters, which included some pretty bad acting moments, especially Chae Jung An. I adore "Coffee Prince" but her acting here is really not on everyone else's level. Meanwhile, Kim Won Hae is always funny in any drama he's in, including this one, and Ahn Chang Hwan was a comedy standout as well. Sometimes his antics went overboard, but he was consistently good in his role.
I also feel the need to shout out Jung Gun Joo as Shin Gyeom, the obligatory 2nd lead. He's everything you could want in a 2nd lead... cute, understanding, rich, dimples... but boring. It's not his fault, his acting is fine, but it's like they gave up on his character midway and just had him react to the two leads instead of having a strong character of his own. He's a metaphor for the rest of this drama, It's like they gave up on everything midway.
Would I watch this again? No. It was fine for one viewing, but the story just kept getting worse. By the last episode, I kept pausing out of frustration and the better scenes did not involve the leads. There weren’t enough good moments in this drama to make me want to sit through this ever again, although I did appreciate the episode that paid homage to “Parasite”. Plus the ending was a complete letdown and included one of THE MOST frustrating final episode tropes. They definitely tried to rush to tie loose ends, but the story still felt unfinished. I didn’t care enough to want it to continue. In fact, it took me longer to finish this drama because I forgot I was watching it.
The soundtrack is kinda cute. Also forgettable, but cute.
Overall, this is not a horrible drama but it’s definitely a skippable one. I liked hearing the realistic savings and real estate tips, and getting a tour of some amazing Korean homes, and I appreciated Na Young Won’s determination to own a home of her own, but as a romance this just isn’t up to par. I don’t even mind the date your boss cliché, but at least do the cliché justice. As an office comedy it’s decent, but not LOL funny. The theme about what makes a home and the frustrations that come with securing a home was a good concept, but these stories didn’t get me to invest emotionally into it. This was definitely a dish that looked good on the menu but was unimpressive once I took a bite. I wouldn’t order it again or recommend anyone else eat it, unless you’re just hungry for anything, then his may assuage your hunger in the meantime. I guess I should have use a "home" analogy... umm... This drama is a home in a nice neighborhood that seems perfect for you initially but once you move in you realize how in desperate need of repairs it is, but you will make the best out of it for now until you can find a better place to live and can finally move on.
I’m ready to move to a better drama home.
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Cha Hong Do and Ko Yi Seok’s chemistry was so unexpected that my jaw literally dropped. I started watching assuming I knew how the story would go… Awkward “unattractive” girl with issues and obnoxious rich guy with family drama… so many KDramas follow this storyline, but this one deviates from what’s expected. I hated their dynamic in the beginning, but by episode 4 everything completely changed! Chun Jung Myung and Choi Kang Hee were so good together that their relationship felt real, and I couldn’t stop myself from watching them. I remember liking Choi Kang Hee in “Protect the Boss”, and some of that no nonsense attitude showed up sometimes in this drama too. I remember Chun Jung Myung from “What’s up Fox”, and even though that was made almost 10 years ago, he had the same unexpected sexiness mixed with cuteness which makes him a perfect KDrama romantic lead. They may not look the part of an epic kdramaland couple, but his babyface adorableness, and her uniqueness, completely won me over, and was seriously steamy. If you’re still looking for eye candy, Lee Jae Yoon fills that role very well, even with the dumb hair. I’m still missing his character from “I Have a Lover”, so I was happy to see him in something else, with a much more significant role (I will be stalking… I mean watching his other dramas for sure). He’s equally charming too, which makes for an awesomely complicated love triangle… which turns into an odd love pentagon at one point, but that speaks to the uniqueness of this drama.
I give a definite 10 rating for the main actors, and for all of the supporting actors, except one. Yi Seok’s father is bad, like really bad. So bad I have to write it in the review, even though he is barely in any scenes. So bad I had to take half a point away. I really liked Detective Yang, and thought Chairman Grandpa was great. The person who I literally thought was useless until the later episodes was So Hee. I know she’s an idol, and I think she did a good job, but she was still annoying. She kept behaving in a way that I guess was supposed to be cute, and I didn’t find her, or it, cute at all. She also seemed extremely childish, so it was hard for me to take her in a relationship seriously, especially not a real relationship with Detective Eye Candy. The show is written so well that even she started to grow on me, and I eventually stopped thinking of her character as useless. That’s another thing I loved about this drama. There were really no throwaway/filler moments or characters.
I really do have to applaud the writer and director. I loved that each episode starts with what will happen later in the episode, which instantly won my automatic interest from the very beginning. I loved sometimes seeing things from the character’s point of view. They were able to incorporate a lot of cool storytelling styles without being too gimmicky. I also loved how they approached the theme of Love, what it is, what it can endure, and with characters really being honest about how they feel (which isn’t always good). I can’t really say anything bad about the story, only that it switches genres, almost completely, about halfway through. Suddenly it goes from RomCom to Family Melodrama, and although it makes sense to the story, it is still a different tone than the beginning, which some viewers may not like. The family drama was not my favorite part, but it did bring depth to the characters that I liked a lot.
About the music, the soundtrack is as quirky as the show. I liked some songs, and hated others, but every song matched the story well, even the ringtones!
Is “Heart to Heart” rewatchable? Definitely! I finished the last episode and immediately started to rewatch episodes 4 & 5. I know I will watch this all again at some point, and I can even endure the less interesting parts, because they still add to the overall story.
This drama definitely won my heart over completely. Whenever I thought I could predict which drama cliché would be used next, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s also refreshing to see unconditional love stories, where flaws aren’t deal breakers (I’ll give just one spoiler - There is no amazing make over, which also made me happy). I definitely recommend this drama, and I recommend watching it with an open mind. You have to ignore things like therapist ethics violations, police brutality, identity fraud, and of course stalking, and just embrace the knowledge that some things are ok in Kdramaland. I also recommend waiting until episode 4 before deciding to drop it, because the first few episodes are not a good gauge for how the rest of the show will be. It’s also binge-watch friendly (It took me 3 days to complete). By the end of the last episode I was completely satisfied, and inspired by love and all it’s possibilities.
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