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xXabsintheXx
독일 ~ Where the waves gush against your windows
The summary sounds like every other crime drama out there and I won't say it's different from others either. But in the end it depends on the script writing and the execution - and the acting, of course.
So Jang Hyuk's and Lee Ha Na's characters team up to catch a killer that murdered their family members. Both of them work at the emergency call center. That doesn't sound quite thrilling now, but let me tell you that the producers did a great job to get you excited about it immediately. Because the Golden Time (the first hours after a crime occurred and is reported to the emergency center) is one of the most crucial parts in hopefully solving a crime or prevent worse ones (i.e. kidnapping cases). And what is special here, is Lee Ha Na's character's ability to hear more than others. Due to an accident she developed some kind of supernatural hearing that allows her to hear more than others - even through headphones.
Right from the beginning the drama holds the suspense on a level that definitely makes your heart race. Fast camera movements and a good timing of scene editing ensure that.
I can't say that this drama doesn't have any problems. It's still a k-drama and there are some flaws and again sometimes the police just looked stupid. You also have those characters who you want to punch because their behavior is so wrong when it comes to being professionals. But! There are also characters that I didn't like but who grew on me during the story, no matter that their behavior went into opposite directions.
I also must admit that the story had some problems in the middle and lost some of its speed. I also think that the killer's identity was revealed too early in the drama which caused a big slow down as the story went a bit into some shady business themes. Although this doesn't mean that the killer's charisma wasn't engaging. He was a great psycho who gives you goosebumps.
The whole acting of the cast was fantastic. From the leads to supporting characters to guest roles. Especially the latter. They captivated me during their short appearances in the drama and made every single case into something special. I never found them boring. They were thrilling and emotionally moving. At some point they were even more interesting than the main plot.
The finale completely made up for the the middle part though. It picked up the speed and suspense again and let the drama end in an enthralling way.
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Overall, it's not really a horror movie. It starts like one, with all the suspense, dark corners and those special asian girls crawling on the floor, all wet hair and moving strangely. At some point I thought it was something like 'A Tale of Two Sisters', but it's not.
But the turn in the middle of the story was quite a surprise and left me less anxious. I was more relaxed while watching but it was nevertheless still exciting. In fact I enjoyed it even more. The beginning was a bit too calm and maybe a bit boring. I guess the producers were trying to create a really oppressive atmosphere but that didn't work out that well. Therefore the second half of the movie was more interesting (although a little more suspense couldn't have hurt).
Focusing on the little details... The scenery/setting was quite nice. I enjoyed looking at the places and the school. Also the make-up. It didn't show much but it was effective, well placed and did add to the atmosphere.
The acting of the girls was also a plus (not the principal though - too hollow). I'm starting to recognize Park Bo Young's skills. I already saw her in 'Oh My Ghostess' and 'Don't Click' and I liked her acting so far. And since I didn't watch 'A Werewolf Boy' yet, I guess I have to continue with that one.
Don't mind my rewatch value. It was a good movie but I don't think I will watch it again.
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If the only thing that keeps you from watching this drama is the title, just ignore it. Give it a chance and you may be surprised by it. It's a story that tells about doctors who try to protect their ~romantic ideals and about doctors who yet have to come to their own ones as they grow with their difficult tasks day by day (and sometimes have to be pushed into the right direction). It's a story that shows what doctors can be like if society and power-ruling wouldn't interfere and darken single souls. Though this doesn't mean the drama is free from money-driven betrayals that go along with the main plot. It's still a k-drama thing.
Some of you may already know Han Seok Kyu and some of his works. If so, you might already belong to his fans. If not, this drama would be an excellent first try to get to know this wonderful, brilliant actor. His acting alone is worth a 10 and I have no doubt that he will also cast a spell over you - like he did with me some time ago.
His co-actors and co-actresses shouldn't be disregarded either. Though they might not yet reach the level of this acting senior, they did a very good job themselves in supporting the story. I liked many of the face to face dialogues as they gave special light to the respective characters and left quite the impact sometimes. But what I really loved and appreciated in this drama were all those small cases that happened all the time (and that helped keeping the pace and suspense of the story). Most times the guest actors were great with their short appearances and their stories really touched my heart. And I was pleased to see doctors deeply care for their patients in a way I imagine a doctor to be.
But although the drama itself was pretty good, I just had to take off a point. I got irritated every time an emergency occurred and they just stood there, arguing with themselves, arguing with others, having the whole staff watching them while nobody is actually working. I do get that doctors are humans, too, and they can have a bad day or feel bad or whatever. But the whole thing doesn't work when everyone plays along and nobody sees the actual emergency right in front of their eyes. A problem many medical dramas face and sadly, Romantic Doctor couldn't escape that cliché either. Although it's not as bad as I've already seen it in other dramas - this one is still bearable.
So, overall a great show worth watching - either you get bothered by the flaws mentioned above or you just ignore them. Your choice on missing out this wonderful drama or not ;)
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And I'm so glad I started this.
The story itself is nothing special or unique actually. You have your usual tropes, clichés and unbelievable problems, but the writers still managed to pull off a captivating and engaging script that doesn't let go - in addition a cast that did an amazing job with their assigned roles.
Each one of them gets slowly introduced to you, some earlier and others a bit later. I liked the pace they kept with those because it helped building up my sympathy for them and made me care for their backgrounds and problems - why they acted the way they did and whether I could relate to them or not.
I was quite happy to finally see Kim Jung Hyun in a leading role. After his impressive appearances in Jealousy Incarnate and Rebel Who Stole The People, he deserved a good script and the opportunity to shine more. And he did! He was cocky, wicked, short-tempered, smart, childish, funny, charming, lovely. The perfect hard shell with a soft core. He twisted me around his little finger way too fast - not that I mind.
Kim Se Jung. I think I was never more impressed with a young new actress who doesn't have much experience so far as this seems to be her very first decent role after acting school (there's only one guest role listed on her profile and I don't want to count that one in).
She blew me off, if I may say so. She pulled off the role of a feisty, strong-willed young female student who fights for her dreams and friends with such confidence, that you might think she did acting ever since she was born. Believe me, I'm not exaggerating. Kim Se Jung has great potential and I'm sure she will become one of the big ones one day.
Jang Dong Yoon was another new face for me and like the other ones, he convinced me with his acting from beginning to end. I'm already excited to see more of him in the near future. Same praise goes to the rest of the cast as well who harmonized quite well with each other. You start to like some of them more and other less, but that's the plan anyways, right?
Most of the teachers are already experienced Sunbaes, so it's not surprising that I can't point out someone who actually failed at his or her performance. Their characters' bad behavior spiced up the story, of course, although not all of them were bad people. But I'm a little sad that most of them stayed flat with their stereotype impression of your usual villains.
The part that actually made me deduct points in my rating was the final 'battle' and the fact that they sketched ALL the rich people as the power abusing, unreasonable jerks we already know from other dramas. I would have loved to see at least one or two exceptions.
So, overall a highly enjoyable drama that encourages you to root along with the good guys and maledict the bad ones, while a sweet and caring storyline completes this average yet exceptional drama. If you're looking for something lighthearted that manages to raise your blood pressure in a good way nonetheless, this is definitely the right choice.
Oh, and before I forget to mention this:
Skinship looks very natural as well. The leads had chemistry that got even me excited.
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The first reason why people would actually get interested in this movie must be that beautiful poster. Hands down, they did a great job with that. But don't get your hopes up if you expect something epic.
The story is quite simple. A business man is developing a new area and in the process is killing mermaids whose existence he of course doesn't know of. Therefore the mermaids send their most beautiful girl to kill him. That doesn't go so well because she falls in love with him - and he with her. Of course.
Well, storytelling is as fast as a high-speed train (write off authentic feelings). The scenes are completely exaggerated and (in the beginning) went over the top. After a while though it achieves a balance and holds its ground to a point where the jokes are getting quite funny. There are some hilarious moments that really stuck in my mind. And suddenly the story turns from comical to sober within seconds. The movie takes on a new perspective and shows some really nice action scenes and drama. Adding some beautiful sceneries and sometimes well done CGI and it was easy to go on with the film and finish it.
Like this the movie managed to keep me watching till the end despite all the flaws, and the leads were also kinda charming.
To summon it up:
I went from "Oh sh**, what's that?!" to "Oh well, it's nice and sweet and stupid but enjoyable."
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A Shallow Pond
This one was easy to marathon because of its small amount of episodes, and with a duration of 45 min each, they kept even those kinda short.The title is dope. Can't deny this, I'm a sucker for those things. And it fits, too.
As for the story... I'm always in for a nice Sci fi plot (as a writer you can let your imagination run wild and create so many things, as long as you can make them believable) and the basic idea here is indeed interesting. But when you look at every element, there sadly is nothing new. The overall story is very similar to The Expanse (some of you might be familiar with that show) and some other interstellar movies. The storyline and the characters are very stereotype and predictable. There's the team leader who wouldn't move and wants to finish the mission, the rebellious biologist, the spy and a mix of some different crew members. The politician who is a follower of capitalism and confidentiality, and a hidden third party.
The thing that annoyed me the most was the technical execution. It's set in the future, there should be a certain digital and technical progress in everything. Some things did indeed look that way, but then again there were so many things that didn't fit in. Usually I like to overlook things like that but in these kinds of shows I want to see the progress in every little detail, no matter how small it might be. I want to admire them. I want to ~feel that the story is located in the future. Not to mention the medical parts. Come on, the doc only needs one look at a patient and already knows what's wrong with him. Yeah, right...
There are things happening and decisions made that seem weird. You want to know why they did what they did, but you don't get an exact answer.
So, with all the criticism above I couldn't decide whether the show was either too long or too short. The second half felt dragging (funny considering that it has only 8 eps in total), yet I wish they would have added more episodes to explain every single puzzle in more detail.
The inaccuracies turned The Silent Sea into a shallow pond.
I do praise the cast, they at least did a fantastic job with an otherwise lacking script. Some extra points for them, the cinematography and the idea. This doesn't mean it was a complete failure though. It had its good parts as well, I did enjoy certain things and also completed the show.
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I'm normally not a fan of comedy dramas, but I made an exception for this one since it captured my heart in an instant. The producers were some smart dudes, when I think of how they displayed the comedy parts. Of course there are your obvious jokes, but it still manages to not look too exaggerated. Then there's comedy that is subtle and looks like it doesn't want to be funny, but it is nonetheless. And then there are hilarious incidents within all the seriousness and you can't help but laugh about it, but at the same time you feel something like pride and satisfaction.
Nevertheless, this show is about corruption and it is certainly not only made of happy and/or amusing moments. It also has a knack for creating suspense in its very own way. It's hard to explain but once you watch it, you'll understand.
You don't like business dramas? There's no romance, why start this thing?
Let me tell you some reasons:
- Nam Gung Min
- Lee Jun Ho
- Jeong Hye Seong
- Dong Ha
- Im Hwa Young
- Kim Won Hae
- Jung Moon Sung
- ...
... I could probably list the whole cast but I think you get my intention.
...
- clever, well done comedy
- an unusual bromance you'll adore to the core
- strong female characters
- strong side and guest characters
(- of course also strong male characters - don't let us forget about them either)
- many surprising, unexpected, freaky turn of events
- a business story about corruption that is well executed an told with a good balance between comedy and seriousness
- maybe one or two lessons for life itself
One word to describe this show? Rewarding. In every way possible. A surprise drama and highly recommended.
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I enjoyed the start but while the story went on, it started to become a really bad and ridiculous makjang. I mean, you can create really evil people who make you pull out your hair or want to pull out theirs and STILL respect them as well written characters. And then there are these people here who provoke the same reactions but their actions are just way over the top (and I actually liked the evil female second lead at first).
There's also the thing with story development. People argue and promise and threaten to do and/or say/reveal things, but right after that the story seems to completely forget about that and only remembers to mention it like 4 episodes later - and still without results. In the second half NOTHING actually happens, there's no progress at all.
At the end most of the bad guys have a sudden change of heart and start to act out of character. And everything is a happy ever after. The worst thing though were the bad dialogues in the last episodes. Every conversation sounded like a cliché advise for life, the cheesy ones that make you roll your eyes. And they didn't feel like conversations between close friends or family either. More like interviews between the actors. As if they've totally forgotten about their characters.
The last episode was the biggest waste of time. It went from one conversation to another without anything happening, except for that last incident which was nonsense and totally unnecessary.
I wish they would have shown more about the public reaction in the second half. They almost completely forgot about it, even though they made it a big point in the beginning. I wanted to see how the public's view changed throughout the drama.
Most of the BG music was kinda annoying at times as well. It constantly reminded me of Final Fantasy (the game) whenever you have to run through the fields to hunt monsters or visit villages (I don't get annoyed by that in the game, but it was unnerving in the drama).
BUT special points for Chun Jung Myung's cutesy in this one. He surprised me quite well.
And there was one really nice song.
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So, yes. This drama was hyped alot and now that it's finished, opinion is deeply divided on this issue. I think the only problem is that the more you label something as perfect, the more you'll get disappointed when it doesn't reach your expectations in the end. You know the saying 'Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.' That perfectly describes what went wrong here. So yes, everyone said it was perfect in the beginning. As it went further, the excitement and hype expanded and many people said it was flawless, so it HAD to be flawless. Not letting in even one mistake.
Maybe it's overrated as some people say. But that doesn't mean it was a bad drama. It was still great and many people enjoyed the ride. Because there WERE great parts in it. Parts that filled us with excitement, with joy, with happiness and with sadness, frustration and anger.
So, what was so great here?
The bromance. Two totally different guys being the best buddies you've ever seen.
The romance. Refreshingly no love triangles, instead you can ship not only one but two couples wholeheartedly and not be afraid of some twists within their relationships as those we have already experienced in other dramas. You can enjoy the sincere feelings, the genuine caring and worrying and loving. There's chemistry between all of them and you can feel that the actors also felt proud to be part of something so special like this. The whole team is complementing each other.
The comedy. You have to admit, you laughed your butts off. Hilarious scenes all over the place.
The side characters (the good guys): It's not the first drama but there aren't THAT many dramas out there, where you actually sympathize with every character that appears in one show. Regarding that, it never gets boring.
The scenery: Not the usual korean areas around here but something new and refreshing. Beautiful landscapes and impressions.
As to where we took a hit: In my opinion it was the story. It wasn't bad. And until reaching a certain point it was quite entertaining. I would have liked it more if there had been one big story running like a golden thread through the whole drama. Not those many smaller stories following one after another - as interesting as they were in their own. But what really created some headaches (at least for me) where some issues that didn't add up to a logical process. And that was what made me kinda disappointed because those flaws were obvious. It seemed like all the effort they built in the beginning subsided towards the end and made some scenes seem ridiculous.
As for the bad guys... Well, that's an issue per se. They weren't that bad. They did a decent job and gave off thrilling moods, although sometimes it seemed a bit overdramatized. Maybe because most of them were foreign villains. And as we all know, foreigners in a korean drama just seem weird most times. Plus the foreign languages. Well, I wasn't really bothered by it. We are happy when they can actually pull that off better than what we'd expect. But we're also not disappointed because that's just the korean 'style'.
The OST was great because it created a unique feeling and beautiful atmosphere for the drama. Definitely on my mp3 list, soon.
So, nevertheless of all the critiques... Descendants of the Sun is by far not the most perfect drama out there. But it still manages to entertain us in many, many ways and often throws us in some big thrilling turmoil, what shouldn't be disregarded. And of course at some point it made us all hooked up.
Although I had some disappointed moments myself, I still enjoyed the drama. I will definitely rewatch this one as I want to re-feel all the emotions I run through during the first watch, but this time without having to wait until next week.
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For those who don't have any idea of what they might get themselves into, here's a short comparison:
Imagine your favorite horror folklore movie paired with your favorite horror folklore game (i.e. "Project Zero" - if you remember that game, you definitely belong to the older generation :p), then get a 16 hour extension of that, and you'll get "Guest". That's how I felt about the story.
(And I was also reminded of The Wailing and The Priests, if that makes it a bit clearer for you)
What makes this drama different from other ones is also its major input of Christianity. I don't recall many shows that use this in such a way. It has always been mentioned here and there, of course. But The Guest is one of the few which utilizes its traits more intensely and combines it successfully with Korea's folklore. The result displays a well balanced mix of Western and Eastern culture.
If you look at the overall tale, the story might be nothing new. Humans' weaknesses lure the devil. It's been a believe since the year one. But the production team still manages to make you involved in the story, be moved by its characters and let the legend get to you (or because we just can't resist watching others fall for their weaknesses). It's hard to not exaggerate, but the visual effects, the setting, the atmosphere, the music... Everything works so well together and lets you enter a totally different yet somewhat familiar world (since we always seek to overcome our own faults/the darkness - or get tricked by evil spirits and fall into despair/snap). In the end it all circles back to us, the human.
Besides its message, the drama tells the story of three individuals who each experienced great tragedy in their past. While trying to deal with and overcome their miseries, they eventually clash years later, not knowing the connection they bear to each other. While pursuing their own goals and always trying to push the other parties out, circumstances force them to work together nonetheless, which in the end results in an unexpected friendship. Due to their pasts, they had chosen to be alone all their lives. But having experienced the same calamity and chasing a mutual enemy ultimately binds them together. A precious, unbreakable bond emerges which is not defined by words but through actions and expressions. You can see and feel how much they cherish each other and how much they would sacrifice.
I actually don't want to write about acting performances and such things, because it's kind of too technical for this review. Let me just say that every one of them did a brilliant job with their character (every supporting role included, even the period ones).
The story telling is neat and follows a wide path without any detours. Of course, you have single cases as well, but all of them are part of the bigger picture. Unexpected twists and turns confuse you all the time and the major mystery stays hidden until the very last moment. But if you keep a close eye, all your questions will be answered when the credits show up. I've heard people say that there are major plot holes. Well, I didn't see them. I noticed some minor things, but those were circumstantial and didn't lessen my excitement.
I'm glad I started this drama. I would have missed a true gem otherwise. If you're scared to watch this, well... I was as well. The first two episodes are the most powerful ones because you don't know what's awaiting you. But the rest is slightly less frightening and you get used to the horror style. Having experienced other OCN dramas, you'll know that they don't hold back with gore elements. There's quite a noticeable amount of it. And despite the crucial parts being blurred out, it actually stimulates your fantasy even more.
Thus, the overall composition with perfectly timed horror elements presents you a lasting adventure whose core doesn't depict a scary legend but what great sadness, despair, willpower and self-sacrifice can unleash.
That being said: Switch off the light, get yourselves some candles and have a great time!
(if you're daring enough - horror gurus might even find this one a relaxing watch)
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First thing I imagine when I read the title, is something flashy, magical and colorful. "A Korean Odyssey" definitely scores a hit in that category. Bright colors and places that make the world our characters are living in seem a little extraordinary. On the other hand (and my personal complaints) is the way those elements were executed. You might disagree with me and say that if the story itself is good, one can overlook failed CGI effects. Well, for me it's a really important factor because well done special effects can lift the quality and increase the impact of a certain moment a lot. You can probably imagine how I had to cringe whenever such a scene occurred - most of all in the finale.
Despite that though! When it came down to the really important things which involved feelings, difficult decisions, realizations etc, you can say that the job was done neatly. They were even able to offer some killer minutes of emotional torture.
Looking at the story, yes, the first half didn't feel like having a clear structure or a straight path to follow. It seemed uneven and tortuous. The second half though was more focused on progressing the actual story and preparing for the finale. As you can see, I liked the plot. The cast was great and fun to watch. Lee Seung Gi had great chemistry with all his co-actors, esp with Chae Seung Won (it's a matter of fact that these two are a match made in heaven - literally) and Oh Yeon Seo. I was worried about some awkward kisses between them and they were indeed a little coy at first, but in the end they did really, REALLY well.
What else to like... I became a big fan of the supporting roles in this drama and the one who needs to be mentioned so much is Lee Se Young. In "The Best Hit" she didn't leave a lasting impression, rather the opposite. That's why I was even more surprised when I finally spotted her in this. Yes, it took me a while to even recognize her and if you haven't watched the drama yet, you will get what I'm talking about right then. Let me applaud to that girl, she was a real bombshell.
My second favorite was/were Fairy Ha and Winter General. Two characters, two genders but one actor. Sung Hyuk was incredible. He pulled off these two totally different and yet so similar personalities, made both appear with their own aura and was able to touch my heart with their story.
Lee Hong Ki aka PK. I enjoyed his character the more I saw of him. Just like all the other heavenly creatures he was flawed, self-centered and never left out an advantageous opportunity (even though he was interrupted most times). But he had his heart in the right place and defended that one friend he got impulsively - although not always with the most clever methods.
My happiest moments while watching "Hwayugi" were whenever I noticed certain elements of other mangas. Yes, you did read right. It doesn't sound nice, I know. But believe me, it's not meant in a bad way. It's exactly the opposite because there were so many different things packed in this one drama, that they became a sweet additional ingredient. Some examples are Inuyusha, Kamisama Hajimemashita, Sailor Moon and Naruto. Feel free to search for other ones. It's definitely a fun side game.
I mentioned "striking flaws" earlier and I already noted the most annoying things for me. If I were to add one more thing it would be the music. Don't get me wrong, the songs were a beautiful mood supporter. But whenever they changed scenes, they cut off the tune so brutally, that they ruined my special moments and gave me a hard time getting into the new scene.
This being said... I don't know about others (although I saw that not everyone was satisfied and expectations were shattered cruelly), I for myself had a great time watching "A Korean Odyssey". I was not able to overlook its blunders, but they were not overwhelming enough either and didn't diminish my enjoyment. Call it guilty pleasure or whatever. I had a great time.
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Every case started with a ghostly incident and I admit that those were kind of creepy. Especially when you watch them at night, alone. Unfortunately each one of them couldn't hold the tension. Of course, they had their interesting parts. But I got bored many times during one episode and just wished for them to be solved already. The suspense falls by the wayside. Sadly, that pattern doesn't get better until most of the drama is already over. Only one third of it got me hooked, honestly.
It's a shame that the ghosts become something like bystanders who almost disappear after their introduction at the beginning of every episode. They should have gotten bigger parts, it's a drama about a ghost-seeing detective after all. That one student ghost who accompanies the police is just not enough. Though I like the actress and the character she's playing... She couldn't save the day either.
The main story is evolving almost too late, considering that the drama has only 10 episodes. The saddest thing though is that is has almost nothing to do with ghosts. Solely speaking of the basic concept of that certain case, it WAS interesting. But it still missed the point and had so many flaws in its execution. Again, it should involve ghosts... There was so much potential and so many wasted opportunities in the last episode where they could have integrated those things.
I had also a hard time with scene editing, story telling, sudden conclusions that appeared out of nowhere, confusing plot twists and the way they portrayed Korean police. Like there's only this one police squad of five people that doesn't call for back-up while storming a secret gathering? Or experienced officers who mess up a crime scene? Yeah, whatever... I know that it's somewhat like a drama cliché. But there are dramas where it doesn't look so bad.
Acting was solid most times. Not too bad, nothing special either. But I had a hard time with that new female member they introduced in this season. She had her good parts, too, but still couldn't win me over in the end.
I don't regret watching this since there were also some very funny parts, but all those flaws mentioned earlier didn't allow me to rate it any higher.
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I actually didn't want to write a review about this because there are already so many of them out there which capture the magic of this drama quite well. But there are so many things I liked and loved in this drama that I somehow needed to write all these things down myself.
There is quite a large amount of crime and suspense dramas out there lately, that it's hard to find some distraction with a good rom-com, and I was hesitant with this because of Yoo Seung Ho. He has already proven that he can act with other dramas but he's also the master of crying - and that not always to his advantage. Whether directors demand him to cry to his heart's content or not, sometimes it's just too much for the drama. But with his latest project it seems as if I discovered him all anew and he did won me over with this big time.
The story evolves around Kim Min Kyu who is allergic to humans. One slight touch results in life-threatening consequences, and because there doesn't seem to be a cure yet, he has to be very careful to never touch another person. Therefore he lives in isolation and loneliness and has developed some kind of friendship with his cleaning robots over the years. Just then he finds out about this new human robot with an AI and decides to test it out.
There is nothing like a unique and new idea in this world and people might be reminded of "AI", "I Robot" or "Bicentennial Man" with this show. But when it comes to K-dramas, "I'm Not a Robot" is still a fresh concept. It won't focus too much on the AI topic, but more on the romance part, and therefore doesn't dive too deep into "conscientious invention for the next generation", even though it might graze those things in a very superficial way as well. For example, there are the geeks who invent for the sake of creating new things that can be helpful for humanity in a peaceful way, or the evil guys who only see money and war toys.
Whether Kim Min Kyu's illness might be too far fetched or not is hard to judge. Maybe it sounds unbelievable the first time you hear it but... ever since I started working in the medical field, I developed this thought that we will never be able to know of all the diseases in the world. There are so many which are not yet discovered or very rare illnesses the majority of people don't know of. And who knows, maybe there really is someone like Kim Min Kyu, too. For me, the drama was able to deliver that subject well enough to buy its story.
Of course, it's not free of clichés and it's very predictable. But in a good way. You know what will happen, you anticipate it and you're happy when it's indeed happening in the end. This drama doesn't always follow reality, it's still a fantasy (and Korean!) drama. Sometimes it might also have some logistic miracles, but seriously, who cares. It's too much fun watching Kim Min Kyu and his experiences with this very human "robot". When I say, you will laugh your ass off, you definitely will. It's been a while since I myself laughed that hard, that often.
What makes this drama so great are its characters and the cast who did an incredibly smashing job. You will find yourself attached to most of them in no time, and you will have this constant grin on your face whenever you see the leads, the research team (and it was so much fun seeing Uhm Ki Joon play a good guy for a change, too) or that little robot that reminded me so much of Little Groot! Too sad it didn't have much screen-time. The female lead's friend and also her family added a lot to the fluff and comedy, and even though I didn't like the brother in the beginning, his timid behavior grew on me quite fast, too.
As I mentioned before, Yoo Seung Ho literally blew me away in this. His looks/styling were dashing and his acting was cuteness overload without getting too cheesy. He managed to show a plausible transformation from a lonesome boy who fears the contact with other people to a guy who slowly learns to build a relationship with another person. His reactions to new experiences was heartwarming and once in love he became endlessly cute. His crying which I always fear in dramas, were kept in line. It was well balanced most of the time and only one or two times where it was a tiny bit too much, but I don't want to nitpick. I'm more than happy with what everything else he gave me here. And wow, he had such an amazing chemistry with Chae Soo Bin. I loved her in Rebel and was excited to see her in this drama. Both of them delivered beyond my expectations. Especially Chae Soo Bin must be praised for her performance of her human character Jo Ji Ah and the robot Aji 3. I was able to tell them apart very easily and create a bond with both of them individually. I'm even a little sad that the robot didn't have that much screen-time. I would have loved to see more of her.
I usually don't mention kisses but I was quite fixated on them here. I don't even know why, maybe because I can't remember Yoo Seung Ho's previous drama kisses or because I'm always nervous about them in general because they can either be a hit or miss. But don't worry! They were a pleasure to the eyes and to the heart. Lively and cute at the same time.
The only ones I was a little disappoint in, were the bad guys. Kang Ki Young for example. I liked his acting whenever I saw him in a drama. But here he was... how shall I put it... too bland? It didn't reach me, it felt subdued. As if he wanted to show that he can also take on other more serious roles but failed to express the necessary emotions. His character was kind of "flabby". Maybe he is better off playing funny guys. Same goes for the whole conspiracy plot in this drama. I wasn't convinced even one second. The major problem was probably that it didn't get enough screen-time to build a proper ground. On the other hand I won't complain much about it either because I was way more happy to see the leads all the time. I know, it's a contradiction but I can't help it. And since this drama is just another rom-com, I didn't expect much depth in its evil side anyway.
Phew, I wanted to keep myself short on this but ended up going too much into detail. If you were able to read through all of this, let me thank you for enduring this long text. I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts and maybe will start this drama yourself~
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Then you'll probably get a good idea about the time this movie is playing in. A Korean citizen (or Joseon person as it was called back then) who joined the Japanese forces and became a high-ranking police officer. And a group of Joseon citizen who secretly fight for their country's independence.
What I noticed about those kind of Korean movies is that they take their time to tell their story. It is very slow paced as the first half of the film is being used to set every detail in its proper place and to build the overall construction. So, don't let yourself be fooled by this phony silence that only tries to hide the inevitable threats that lie in the shadows. They will explode once in a while and keep you excited.
Although I could sympathize with people who get bored because of its long and calm progress... If you allow yourself to dive into this foggy story you will be rewarded at the end. You won't see it coming until it's already happening. Then you just sit there, watch blankly and feel that undeniable pressure in your chest.
As the movie shines with many ~high-ranking actors, there's only one that truly outclasses everyone else here. And that's Song Kang Ho. I already watched some of his other movies but never was I captivated by him the way I was here, with this performance. I didn't notice it immediately. But suddenly one scene, one moment, one gesture. And he killed it. And me. He caught me off guard and brought me to tears.
Sadly, I can't say the same for Gong Yoo. He was good, no doubt. And he also had moments where his character shined but his overall personality stayed too shallow. Even Lee Byung Hun's short appearance had more impact on me.
If there's one other thing I would complain about, then it would be that I missed some more light on the actual situation of the Joseon people during that time.
Altogether:
Recommended for those who have patience and don't mind slowly enveloping stories. People, who are interested in this period of time. And for people who don't mind a little blood. There's no exaggerating amount of it but some scenes make me advise you to not eat while watching if you're sensible to those things.
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I feel bad for rating a drama so low because I know that the actors and directors and producers usually put alot of effort in their projects. But I couldn't help myself and I should have known better after seeing the first action scene in the first episode.
So, where to start...
Well, first of all: The drama didn't seem to know what genre it was in. Crime? Suspense? Romance? Comedy? Ridiculous twists? Nothing matched the other. Even if a drama has various genres combined, there should at least be some common vibe during the whole drama. But that wasn't the case.
The plot.
At the beginning it seemed interesting but as it continued it looked like the writers only thought about the next episode but not about the bigger picture. So, everything looked kinda messed up. There were plot-holes and strange behavior by side characters and turns of events that didn't make sense at all. As it went further ahead it just couldn't pull off the excitement and suspense because of all those absurd things that happened as the story continued.
The cast/The acting.
I really, really wanted to give them a chance. It's Park Shi Hoo finally again, dammit. But even he couldn't convince me at at all in the end. His acting wasn't what it used to be back then (That doesn't mean I won't try out other new projects of him though)
I got annoyed by many ridiculous, shallow characters, but most of all by Seo Ahn played by Choi Yoon So. It seemed like she only had one facial expression. She had ALWAYS the same stare. Furthermore, since she was supposed to be the love interest for Baek Shi Hoon (Park Shi Hoo), she had no chemistry with her co-actor. NOTHING.
Choi Chan Gyu was just dump. The actor himself even admitted that he played a dump character who's only good at running. (Well, I'm sure he meant that in a good way. Not me though)
Writer Bae played by Kwon Yu Ri... well, she was average. She had my support regarding a possible love interest but she couldn't keep that up as her character didn't develop at all. But there was definitely more chemistry between her and Park Shi Hoo than with Seo Ahn.
The only one I really, really liked here (among some other side characters) was police officer In Tae Ho (Jo Sung Ha) and his family. All of them were very adorable. He was the only one who actually showed reasonable inner conflicts and a change of heart in the end.
Also, that one bad guy. Yoon Sang Min (Yoon Tae Young) showed more than just one side of him and the actor was convincing in his role.
I'm not blaming all of it on the acting. I'm partly putting the responsibility for the drama's failure on the directing and script. They didn't do a proper job here and they certainly didn't use the full potential of all those (usually) very good actors. There were scenes where they could have shown more emotion whereas in some other moments half of it would have been sufficient.
Action scenes/cinematography:
Bad. Just bad. Camera movements were too shaky. I know that it's also a method to create some mood but in this show it was too much and made the action scenes become either very blurry or just too vivid (not realistic). It also made the fighting scenes look visibly staged or out of focus.
Music:
Well, it wasn't bad but sometimes it was kinda over-dramatized.
Re-watch value.
Not. At. All. Wasted time in my opinion.
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