moonmystery
THIS SHOW IS HONESTLY AT THE LEVEL OF MASTER'S SUN, YWCFTS, AND HEALER. It is one of the best so far for 2015.
At a first glance, this show may seem like a mess. When I began watching this show I had VERY low expectations because of the description -- rich chaebol with memory lapses and 7 different personalities falling in love with a docto......... it sounded like a recipe for disaster.
But, don't worry because the writing and production team turned KMHM into a masterpiece with the help of main actor Ji Sung. ALSO, the title Kill Me, Heal Me is beautifully illustrated in the show--I cried tears of happiness when I saw the meaning.
Not only is the show itself well-written, it is CONSISTENTLY GOOD. Where many other dramas slowly fall apart half-way through the series, this show managed to keep delivering quality episodes from start to finish. the actors also flesh out their characters and fill the show with meaningful symbolism.
ACTING: Ji Sung is, hands down, the BEST ACTOR I have ever seen in a Korean drama. (My opinion only--pls don't be offended) He makes me laugh with him and then immediately cry a few seconds later. If that isn't superb acting ability, I don't know what is. The screen romantic chemistry between the two leads are also OFF THE CHARTS. They are amazing together because this is the 2nd time they've acted together! :-) Anyhow, I have only praise for the acting in this drama.
MUSIC: 1/3 of the reason why I cry every episode is the music. The main OST, Auditory Hallucination, is a perfect mixture of rap and soft singing, and this contrast between soft and rough reminds me of the doctor's healing and the main character's tragic anger. After watching the first two episodes, I've been listening to this song every single day for the past 2 months. In fact, tears are rolling as I write this--I'm listening to it right now. The other songs are also perfectly timed, although they didn't leave as heavy of an impact on me.
PLOT:
Multiple-personality disorder is a sensitive and controversial issue that can easily be misrepresented or shown with a lack of seriousness. KMHM manages to avoid this problem despite its hilarity. The plot successfully transitions from comedy to tragedy in mere seconds, and this is the reason for its success: by having light comedy first, it then forces us to look at the sad situation of personality disorders without us looking away.
Many people, including me, dislike pure melodrama--and KMHM did a great job of softening the blow while maintaining its seriousness. I promise you there ARE hilarious situations every episode, but overall the show leaves you wondering about what the main character had to go through in his life. This show makes us feel pity for the characters without using cheap tricks.
An evidence of this show's success would be when fans of this show fundraised over $3000 in a week (american dollars) for a cause after watching the show.
REWATCH: YES YES YES. I personally watched this 2 times before writing a review. I plan on watching it again in a couple of months.
NOW, time for my CRITICISMS:
- One thing this show overdid was its flashbacks. This can get a bit annoying after 14 episodes, so make sure to skip ahead if you ever get tired of it. (skipping some flashbacks will help you have a good experience with this drama)
- The main female lead's high pitched screaming can be very loud and irritating---especially for people with sensitive ears. Be careful with the volume control, guys and girls. I personally got used to it, but I know some people who couldn't stand her voice.
Was this review helpful to you?
The male lead is hilariously stiff almost all the time, which is a reference to all the horrible dramas that failed due to the main guy's lack of emotions. And the people of Dramaworld freeze momentarily every time they have a "flashback." The second male lead is literally a flower boy working at a flower shop. The murder mysteries. The background music inserts. K-drama car U-turns. The clueless main female leads. It's got a little of everything cliche smoothly sewn into the show.
So meta. SO SO META.
I wasn't going to watch this show, but now I'm SO happy I did. Boys Over Flower American version ruined my expectations for American shows with K-drama influence, and this seemed to be really dumb at first. But guess what? It is actually hilariously entertaining and it's beautifully short! I never get bored! Not even one second.
Objectively speaking, this show rocks the comedy department, but everything else is below average. The romance is not convincing. Dialogue is strange. Each episode is too short. BUT THAT'S THE POINT. This show is about pointing out the ridiculous cliches in Korean drama. And it succeeds 100%.
The sheer amount of tropes, gags, and shade thrown at K-drama just makes me gleefully happy. I found myself clapping and laughing like a child who found a treasure trove of candies. The actresses were all really skillful and believable, but the main actor's stiffness was so consistent i don't know if it's intentional or just bad acting. Anyhow, doesn't matter. He's hot.
In conclusion, watch this if you're bored. But watch with low expectations, and just relax, sit back, and don't let the cliches annoy you. Enjoy spotting them instead!
Was this review helpful to you?
The chemistry between the two main characters is great--- I found myself chuckling over and over just thinking about them.
And guess what? Although yes the scary parts can get a bit frightening, it has a cute ending that involves potential happiness for even the ghosts!!
Also, the main guy with magician make up is gorgeous...
Was this review helpful to you?
The original series = unique post-apocalyptic world where people of all races end up caged in a set of walls, and characters are deep and intriguing as they choose to fight the impossible odds.
This film = monster feature movie with a bunch of puny humans running around horrified.
The BEST parts of this movie are the naked titans. They were the real stars of the show--the sound effects, gore, and tears were wonderful. The actual plot, on the other hand, is somewhat ... unresolved and scattered. The actors were great, but the characters they portrayed were stripped of their original values and importance. Instead, they were mainly the background for the real focus of this film: HORROR. This movie is a bit like Godzilla in that the main character is not the humans, but the monsters being featured.
I didn't like this as much as i liked the anime/manga series, but I recognize the amount of work put into this film. The special effects make up department deserves a round of applause, and the actors were good too. BUT I'D LIKE TO MURDER THE SCRIPT WRITER, wherever he may be.
Basically, as the directors of this film have previously stated, treat this movie as a horror film featuring giant naked people.
Was this review helpful to you?
But, I had trouble staying through with the characters... Every one of them just got very annoying eventually and I just couldn't take it any longer. The bike scene was cute though, btw.
Nonetheless, don't let my ranting discourage you. For many, this drama will prove to be a phenomenal experience. It just didn't affect me in that way, that's all.
Was this review helpful to you?
P.S. Partner stands for Phone Sex Partner (it's not a cute and cuddly film, so children beware!) and as the title suggests, there are some quite erotic moments and flashes of nudity. He he he, but coming from an American TV show background--this much was nothing. ^///^
To me, this story was not philosophical or deep. Rather, it seemed like a hopeful message to anyone stranded by undesirable relationships (u will know what I mean once u watch!). THE BEST part of this entire film was when Ji Sung, the main lead, sang the OST "Show Me Your Underwear."
That was a great song, LOL.
Anyways, don't decide anything yet before watching this film! It probably won't seem like a masterpiece, but it definitely is enjoyable--and it won't only be for flashes of porn alone.
Was this review helpful to you?
However, the script writers sucked.
Why, oh why. . . WHY would any sane person randomly insert 5 episodes of a different timeline without ever referring back to the main plot? This decision resulted in a cheesy, messy, and cringe-worthy filler set in ancient . . . China? Korea? . . . Anyways.
Aside from the 5-episodes long filler, this story was decent. Yes, it was cheesy. Yes, there are many, MANY cliches. But at the end of the day, cuteness slayed. If not for the fillers, I would rate this 7.5/10 just because of the main leads.
Give this a try, but beware the sudden transition into ancient Korea!
Was this review helpful to you?
Honestly, this show will probably be pretty cheesy for a lot of people. Some of the scenes are downright cringeworthy--especially with the forced love pentagon, and many parts will seem pretty childish. (I guess that's why I enjoyed it as a kid, huh.) The main girl has always annoyed me since I was little because of the exaggerated acting, but I think that was encouraged back when this drama was first released.
Nonetheless, Smiling Pasta did manage to make me smile and laugh on multiple occasions even when I rewatched it! It also made me crave spaghetti.... :( Now I really need some of that pasta in my mouth.
So, if you are bored with nothing else to do, you might as well give this buddy a try! Who knows? You might find yourself a secret fan of cheesiness as I am! ;)
Was this review helpful to you?
This drama is definitely a guilty "pleasure" in that I love to rewatch it and then hate on any part that I can find. It's a nasty hobby, I know. I gave this 10/10 on rewatch because I laugh so hard every single time I see an episode, ANY episode.
On a serious note, don't watch this drama for complexity, originality, or realistic character growth. It is definitely not original since it is a remake of a Japanese comic, and the characters are easy to dismiss. Watch this show if you want to see a cute and fashionable remake of a modern Cinderella story. This show is pretty easy to swallow down despite the messiness later on, and who doesn't love a handsome gang of four rich bastards?
BUT THE TWO MAIN GUYS HAVE THE WORST HAIR, hands down. They need an award for that disaster, I swear to Buddha.
Anyways, this show is pretty cliche but it is a must watch nonetheless simply because of the Korean friends you have who are obsessed with LMH. :-)
Enjoy it.
Was this review helpful to you?
