6
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virgievirgie
Lost in Dramaland
A second-chance at being a Good mother, but still ended being a Good Bad mother.
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25
I wanted to like “The Good Bad Mother’ and I did until I started losing interest towards the second half of the drama. In short, this drama has excellent acting from the youngest to the oldest. The mother/son relationship is the central focus and takes me on a rollercoaster ride. Unfortunately, the revenge plot lost me in the second half and I just don’t care for it anymore.
The title of the drama aptly describes what this show is all about. It’s tough to be a good mother. You want your child’s best interest but how you show your (tough) love and convey that message to your children are the most difficult part. We witness how hard Jin Young Soon (mom) tries to be the best mother she could be, after her husband passed away. As a single mother, she worked hard, cared for her son, ensured he had the best future as a prosecutor. But it was hard watching her executing her parenting plans. You can even say she’s an abusive mother. When she was given a second chance to do it all over again, she seized the opportunity to right the wrong and be a better mother. It was heartbreaking to watch her interaction with Kang Ho (son), when he expressed the same frustrations as not being able to choose what he wants, that he’s always pleasing his mother and doing what she asks him too. The shock and traumatic experience on Jin Young Soon’s face said it all. History repeated itself.
Despite a tumultuous relationship, there’s a lot of joy in this drama. It was lovely seeing an adorable Lee do Hyun. He might not be the most handsome actor out there, but every time I see him (no matter what role he plays), you can’t help but like him. He plays an excellent Choi Kang Ho and is a worthy partner to Ra Mi Ran’s excellent and heartbreaking portrayal of Jin Young Soon. The cast is full of veterans that we’ve seen in many Kdramas. Their acting skills are undeniable and make you love and hate them at the same time. The villagers are not as annoying as I worried, but a few of the side plots or characters don’t really contribute much to the general plot. I have to say, the kids are adorable! Such smartypants and they do provide some great comedic moments when the drama gets a little more emotional. Oh, how can I forget about the cute little pigs! It’s rare to see a drama about a pig drama and I like this uniqueness.
Unfortunately, the revenge plot is not exciting enough. We’ve seen enough illegal dealings by the two villains. There’s no suspense and them trying to kill and scheme against each other become repetitive and boring. I would have liked to see the amnesia go away sooner. Then the drama can focus on healing, rekindling romance, re-adjusting to new life, and better writing in revenge.
The romance is a very small part of the drama. There are some sweet moments. I just would have liked to see more complicated feelings from Lee Mi Joo when he met Cho Kang Ho again. I want more semi-avoidance, more confusion and more interaction between them. When the secret is out, their resolution is too quick and too anti-climatic.
I do like the ending after the trial. It was emotional and bittersweet. A fitting ending to a drama that gives us such an emotional rollercoaster ride. I can see why “The Good Bad Mother” is so highly rated, but it’s just missing the mark a little for it for me personally. I was going to give a solid 8.5 in the first half, but will end up giving this an 8.25 instead.
Completed: 6/7/2024 - Review #449
I wanted to like “The Good Bad Mother’ and I did until I started losing interest towards the second half of the drama. In short, this drama has excellent acting from the youngest to the oldest. The mother/son relationship is the central focus and takes me on a rollercoaster ride. Unfortunately, the revenge plot lost me in the second half and I just don’t care for it anymore.
The title of the drama aptly describes what this show is all about. It’s tough to be a good mother. You want your child’s best interest but how you show your (tough) love and convey that message to your children are the most difficult part. We witness how hard Jin Young Soon (mom) tries to be the best mother she could be, after her husband passed away. As a single mother, she worked hard, cared for her son, ensured he had the best future as a prosecutor. But it was hard watching her executing her parenting plans. You can even say she’s an abusive mother. When she was given a second chance to do it all over again, she seized the opportunity to right the wrong and be a better mother. It was heartbreaking to watch her interaction with Kang Ho (son), when he expressed the same frustrations as not being able to choose what he wants, that he’s always pleasing his mother and doing what she asks him too. The shock and traumatic experience on Jin Young Soon’s face said it all. History repeated itself.
Despite a tumultuous relationship, there’s a lot of joy in this drama. It was lovely seeing an adorable Lee do Hyun. He might not be the most handsome actor out there, but every time I see him (no matter what role he plays), you can’t help but like him. He plays an excellent Choi Kang Ho and is a worthy partner to Ra Mi Ran’s excellent and heartbreaking portrayal of Jin Young Soon. The cast is full of veterans that we’ve seen in many Kdramas. Their acting skills are undeniable and make you love and hate them at the same time. The villagers are not as annoying as I worried, but a few of the side plots or characters don’t really contribute much to the general plot. I have to say, the kids are adorable! Such smartypants and they do provide some great comedic moments when the drama gets a little more emotional. Oh, how can I forget about the cute little pigs! It’s rare to see a drama about a pig drama and I like this uniqueness.
Unfortunately, the revenge plot is not exciting enough. We’ve seen enough illegal dealings by the two villains. There’s no suspense and them trying to kill and scheme against each other become repetitive and boring. I would have liked to see the amnesia go away sooner. Then the drama can focus on healing, rekindling romance, re-adjusting to new life, and better writing in revenge.
The romance is a very small part of the drama. There are some sweet moments. I just would have liked to see more complicated feelings from Lee Mi Joo when he met Cho Kang Ho again. I want more semi-avoidance, more confusion and more interaction between them. When the secret is out, their resolution is too quick and too anti-climatic.
I do like the ending after the trial. It was emotional and bittersweet. A fitting ending to a drama that gives us such an emotional rollercoaster ride. I can see why “The Good Bad Mother” is so highly rated, but it’s just missing the mark a little for it for me personally. I was going to give a solid 8.5 in the first half, but will end up giving this an 8.25 instead.
Completed: 6/7/2024 - Review #449
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