Reviews

Funny and Sweet

As an office romance based on a Josei Manga that got REALLY spicy, I approve how they tackled the NC scenes. It was comedic and gave fun and playful in a way that wasn't making fun of but having fun with. it was a shy, quiet female lead with self confidence issues, which is a common staple in Japanese shows. The good thing is she does grow as a character and stand for what she wants.

The male lead is a genuine good guy and the relationship has bumps and such, but they communicate through it in a healthy realistic manner.

If you want a break from overwrought drama, i can totally recommend this and a good resting place.

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Talentless but not useless

No doubt about it. "Talentless Takano" is not just talentless. She is as dumb as a sack of doorknobs. It's a miracle that she remembers to breathe. She's not a savant or a secret genius but rather goes through the show as a serendipity magnet whose vexing idiocy is misunderstood in absurd or creative ways. Yes, it's over the top. But the OTT is what is funny as long as you can accept it for what it is and don't try to read into it intentions that aren't there.

The producers cast a competent ensemble of actors for both ordinary and silly characters. I liked how they took Nanao, who is an icon of glamour and often plays one, and let her go through a whole show without her looks being noted or having any meaning. Nanao herself seems to be having fun playing a deadpan character who makes lame platitudes and blank stares appear profound and wise.

I thought that neither the story nor the characters needed piles of development. They get the correct amount to keep them a bit interesting without asking the audience to identify or invest. The writing added enough depth to keep any characters from being one-dimensional. The ending, however, was a bit weak. It's not out of character for the series but I'd have hoped for something more satisfying. On that note, don't expect too much in the romance department.

The upbeat soundtrack is hardly my cup of tea as music goes but I found it appropriate and sensibly put together.

Should you watch it? I don't know. Takano offers the sort of detached amusement that helps me wind down and have a chuckle before bedtime. These things are hard to find for me so that may have earned it an extra point in my rating. YMMV but you can count on it being consistent. So if you didn't like episode 1 you will not like the rest and should watch something else. If episode 1 works for you you should keep going. That simple.

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Nothing New but Worth the watch in Intrigue!!!

I don't like long reviews so here is a short one.....

"Women should not be so assertive,assertive women will not be happy" Ep20

We have all watched these Makjang type dramas where the woman is trying to set herself free from the confines of marriage and the limitations that it puts on career and life choices for women. This story is no different as our FL was once a brilliant lawyer who gives up her career to be a housewife manipulated by her husband with anger issues. Of course there is always cheating and a crazy mistress that doesn't want to give up either.
What I liked about this drama is how even with 24 episodes, there is no moment to waste.If you watch cdramas you know how they can be sometimes with wasting time. The pacing was very good, there are a few episodes that were draggy but I mostly liked it.The only parts I hated were the FL's workmates who were feather brained for people that are supposedly lawyers. The ML's parent's plot was also a bit annoying, but thankfully it was shortlived.

The ML was very good actor, he was able to switch on the hot cold character very well. He even scared me sometimes with his coldness and those eyes.The FL wasn't that convincing though both as a weak and strong woman. I find it unbelievable that she never found her husband's behavior weird, her plotting also wasn't portrayed very well either. The kid actor was so exceptionally good, his crying scene for dad was gut-wrenching and he was cute overall. I maybe biased but I think Chinese child actors are advanced,professional little beings (so good).

Overall : It's not a new story line, but still very entertaining drama that kept me intrigued and waiting for more. I watched most of it in a day. That's how much it motivated me to watch it.

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Up There with TMOPB

If you are a fan of xianxia dramas, or any kind of good romances, then this is the one to watch. I got hooked on the xianxia genre after having come across the Chinese TV series Three Lives Three Worlds and Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, renamed Eternal Love on Netflix. I was so impressed with that series, that I worried I wouldn't find something that good again. I was wrong. I was sucked into the world of heavenly beings and their adventures completely in Ancient Love Poetry because the writing, production and performances were that good.

Once again we have a world of heavenly gods, demons, and lower immortals that co-exist happily, and otherwise, in a realm filled with beauty. If Heaven were like this, I would truly never want to leave. The landscapes, though CGI created, are stunning to behold, pulling you right into their world and to the story. Here we have two young people who gradually fall in love as they navigate hardships and responsibilities. Bai Jue, masterfully played by Xu Kai, is the serious, heavenly god who keeps to himself, preferring a simple and peaceful life to the lively social scene in the heavenly realm--earning himself the title "Ice Cube" by his peers. He is forced out of seclusion when he is tasked with the duty of training a new chief goddess by the name of ShangGu. ShangGu is his polar opposite--unruly, spoiled, unserious and full of mischief. Her efforts to lighten him up exasperates him to no end, as her relentlessness slowly breaks through his barriers and into his heart.

ShangGu, played by the breathtaking Zhou Dongyu, knows she has a big responsibility but she would rather spend her days being idle and sleeping late, much to the chagrin of her very strict master Bai Jue. She resorts to coming up with all kinds of mockery to revenge herself on her exasperatingly handsome, wet blanket of a teacher. Egging her on are her close friends Tian Qi ( Liu Xue Yi) and Yue Mi (Luo Qiu Yun). When war threatens the heavenly realm, ShangGu is forced to grow up and take her responsibilities seriously. She comes to learn quickly that the future of the world lays squarely on her shoulders as the life she envisions for herself could be in jeopardy.

The twists and turns of this drama keep you glued to your seat and the 40 minute episodes make it completely binge-worthy. There are some slow episodes and Liu Xue Yi, one of my favorite C-drama actors, is sorely underused, but all deliver remarkable and memorable performances that stay with you. I can't say enough about Zhou Dongyu's performance as ShangGu. She is perfection in looks and talent. She doesn't just act. She becomes, and that is a rare gift. She made me cry so many times and made me deeply care for her character. Bravo! Xu Kai was sublime. His performances are so understated and simple in a way that draws him into your heart. He knows how to make you see his inner struggles. That is the mark of a person that truly knows his craft. I am very impressed by his talent and can't wait to see what he does next.

The OST is gorgeous and captivates the romantic nature of the show perfectly. ( Looking forward to adding to my my C-drama playlist.). I highly recommend this beautiful production for anyone who wants to great romance they can get lost in.

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The female lead character is rage quit level annoying

6/10 is the rating.This is a 2019 South Korean crime drama.  It has 16, 70 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Ryeong (Moon Geun-young) is a traffic cop who desperately wants to work with the subway crime unit.  Despite being ignored by investigators at the time, she is convinced her twin sister was a victim of a serial killer they call the subway ghost.  Go Ji-Seok (Kim Seon-ho) was promoted to be a metro police officer partially due to how handsome he is.  But he was also an extremely talented officer who could have clmbed the ladder if it weren’t for his responsibilities with his mother who had severe dementia or alzheimers. The metro freuqently bolsters their image by highlighting the metro police officers and their successes in fighting crime on the train system, so a good looking police officer in a prestigious position is considered a bonus for the optics of the force.  He tends to be very cautious and by the book.  Which is why when out for justice at any cost Ryeong starts "solving" cases to try to impress him, he is reluctant to have the over the top officer join his team.  She wears him down though as her steadfast ability to root out criminals has him joining in to deliver justice.  The unlikely pair soon find themselves not just tackling the string of robberies that have "haunted" Ji-Seok's team but crossing over into the business of the crime unit and pursuing the subway ghost.  Can Ryeong prove that her sister was the victim of the infamous subway ghost?  Can the two solve the case and stop the brutal killer?

Review

I thought, from the title that this would be a supernaturl story. But the “ghost”is a serial killer the nicknamed the ghost. I liked the overall premise but found the way the female lead character was written very annoying. I would not watch this again, found it only mildly interesting the first watch, and do not recommend it unless you are scraping toward the bottom of the barrel for serial kiler dramas, are interested in the subway police slice, or are big fans of one of the actors.

Spoilers

Ryeong was supposed to be a gutsy cop who would get so blinded by justice she cut corners. I think that is what the writers were going for. Instead it seemed she decided in any situation what the right course of action was and be dammed the consequences for everyone around her. She got Jiseok, the male lead character, in trouble multiple times and only showed minimal remorse. Then she would just turn around and do it again. It made no sense to me that he found her attractive with her doing that to him on regular. I would not like someone that continually got me in trouble with my superiors. Jiseok was her boss but she rarely listeed to him and jst did whatever she wanted. I really did not like when she stole the keys from him. It was sneaky and dishonest.

I also thought the leads were very mismatched on the attractiveness scale. A female or male lead can be less attractive if they have something that balances that like a really great personality or wealth. But she had neither. So, I could not by him liking her so much when she was not super beautiful and was constantly getting him in trouble.

To me it was also weird he was having this relationship with someone who was his subordinate and he called “the rooky.” Most professionals keep a separation between themselves and those they supervise.

The lead female character also put herself in grave danger time and again and got others hurt because she would blaze in without being able to take care of the situation. Like she goes in the tunnel where she thinks the serial killer is hanging out, he attacks her, and she just hovers in fear into the main guy saves her. That made her character seem not very bright and extremely foolish.

#CatchTheGhost #MoonGeunyoung  #KimSeonHo #JoJaeYoon #AhnSeungGyun

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Beautiful delinquents

After being disappointed by other recent series with insanely high ratings I was a little scared to start this one but, boy I'm glad I did.

I started yesterday and within the first 5 minutes I already knew I was going to like it. I'm 7 episodes in and I might sacrifice sleep tonight because I can't stop, I need to know more.

I assume that at some point Shin is going to forgive Saint and I'll be happy when he does but , If he doesn't Wouldn't be mad, it wasn't a misunderstanding or a mistake nor was he forced to do it, He did it because He want it to because He is that selfish and although He shows remorse and seems to really love Shin, Does he really deserve forgiveness?We'll see...

Also it says Bromance, but, Aren't all bromances just a little bit gay?

Did I end the first half of my review by saying that this was a bromance with a little gay in it??
Because no it is not it love 100% without any doubts these two boys are madly in love with each other and it's so satisfying to watch.

"I'm not mad at you because you broke my leg, I'm hurt because you chose to walk away"...just one of my favorite lines in this show.

Beautiful delinquents is what I chose to name tittle this review, because it's the first impression I got, it's a school full of troubled kids all of them ridiculously good looking it reminded me of when I was 13-14 and turned on the tv to watch Dawson's creek and Buffy (yes I am that old). And it's that nostalgia that first got to me but then I stayed for the story, The characters are all so good I fell in love with all of them.

I watched all 16 episodes without skipping anything, eyes glued to the screen with a big smile on my face.

The only reason I am not giving this show a 10/10 review is because it dragged a bit towards the middle, they kept having the same fight over and over between Shin and Saint, same discussion same outcome every time, insteadbof that I would've preferred to see more of the supporting characters as I said they were all so good, the actors did an amazing job so it's a shame that they didn't get enough screen time. Also we're told that Saint used to be this vicious bully but aside from that one flashback we really didn't get to see him be that horrible person, I would've liked to see a bit more of that in the past to contrast to this sweet puppy faced dummy that we're seeing in the present.

The twins shone here it's the best I've seen of them up until now and I would absolutely love in the future to see either one of them, but preferably both play a main antagonist like the big bad irredeemable people that we can't help Bute hate. I am a 100% sure they would nail a part like that.

In conclusion this show is absolutely amazing I loved it and I would recommend it to people and I will rewatch a bunch of times.

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Unique, edgy and brilliant

One of my top ten favourite kdramas from the past few years. Unforgettably sad, unforgettably funny. Also, an excellent introduction to the pressures of life in Korea, some of which are universal but some of which are unique to the history and sociological culture of the peninsula.

A fusion fantasy/scifi/healing drama about an understaffed, experimental and not very gentle team of Grim Reapers tasked with easing the pressure that Korea's high suicide rate is putting on an overcrowded Hell. A Korean Hell just for Koreans, by the way -- one of my favourite scenes has the head of the Grim Reaper Escort Team, Park Joong Gil (played by Lee Soo Hyuk), rescuing a group of Korean souls during WWII who were being stolen off to a Japanese Hell by a pair of Japanese Reapers!

Euphemistically named the Risk Management Team of the Jumadeung Corporation, the Team Manager is a parolee from Hell, Koo Ryeon (played by Kim Hee Sun), who has a tough love approach to her work. For example scaring silly a van full of would-be suicides using online instructions, by driving the wrong way through traffic until they beg to be allowed to live. When this fails she uses her supernatural powers.

Her only employee is Lim Ryung Gu (played by Yun Ji On) who refuses to work more than his 8 hr shift (so rebellious in SK context!). The Jade Emperor(ess), the CEO of the squeakily antiseptic white-walled corporate Jumadeung skyscraper, decides to add a recently comatose soul wandering freely as a temporary worker to the team. Choi Jun Woong (played by Kim Seok Woo a.k.a. Rowoon) had just begged the heavens to give him an employee ID card by any means, when he fell off a Han River bridge trying to stop a suicide jumper.

The Team is alerted to each case by a 'negative energy' alert monitor app and they use a variety of scifi methods to investigate each one: entering the subject's dreams or their memories (with very Matrix-like FX), observations of their work environments along with persuasion on a personal level.

Jun Woong slowly transforms Koo Ryeon's approach to suicide prevention as he matures from a bumbling and irrepressible newbie into a hugely compassionate and effective intervention agent. The absolute and pure warmth of Rowoon's performance elevates what would have been a grittily comic Reaper story into something only Korea could have produced, a full length (16 eps at 1hr ea.) clear-eyed depiction of the cascade of forces which drive a person to fear tomorrow more than death.

I stopped at over two dozen listing all of the misfortunes woven into the stories of the dozen or so individual cases the Team handles, Each crisis is developed in original ways, often with an interesting point of view.

One woman feels so guilty over not believing the stories of the suffering of the Korean 'comfort women' enslaved into prostitution by the Japanese Army of WWII because her best friend was taken by them, that she contemplates taking her life. The Team asks her to meet with another sufferer who wanted to see someone who had known their mutual friend before she passed away, and so their pain is sweetly dissolved through tears.

The IMF crisis which deprived so many families of their livelihoods is seen through the eyes of a little child who only remembers a miraculous birthday, and the fried chicken event staged by the team helps to save him as an adult struggling with exam failure. The threads connecting the past with the present have seldom been so delicately indicated,

The show balances the unchanged penalty for suicide in the afterworld as a crime with deeply moving episodes portraying individual suffering which elicit compassion from the viewer. The joy of Tomorrow is two-fold; to watch Koo Ryeon stomping the bejeezus out of all the cruel and thoughtless people who torment others to make themselves feel better is exhilarating, and Rowoon's unique ability to project sincere love, care and compassion is the one true message of this beautiful show.

A StudioN/MBC show, with the composers Jo Seung Woo and Won Ho Kyung. Writers -- Park Ran, Park Ja Kyung and Kim Yu Jin.

On my top ten best ever kdramas list as of 12/24: Goblin, Hwayugi, Because This Is My First Life, Just between Lovers; the K2, Run On, Doom at Your Service; Tomorrow, Alchemy of Souls (earliest to latest) and Mr. Plankton .

The creators of the show, the writers and the directors deserve enormous credit. Hoping to see more of their work.

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Not better than the original but swoony, fluffy and charming in its own way. Worth a watch.

Full disclosure, I have seen and loved the original Chinese series "Go Ahead" from which Family By Choice is an adaptation. Therefore my review and appreciation of this version of the story, is bound to be influenced by my feelings on the original drama. Overall, even if I prefer the original series, I truly enjoy this version of this found family tale. There are even things I think the South Korean version accomplished in a neater way. Not better, but like if you would put a pretty bow on things while the Chinese drama had a less fluffy vibe, much grittier, less rom-com, more slice-of-life. I appreciate they took another approach but I cannot say that I found it better. Just different.

The South Korean series hits properly most of the beats of the original story, with some changes on storylines as well as quicker pace (which is unavoidable given that the South Korean version is made of 16 episodes of 1 hour while the Chinese version is made of 40 episodes of 45 minutes). There are some iconic elements of the original story that are missing which I found a bit of a shame but I appreciated some of the cuts they took on some of the side stories / characters. The main flaw of the story resides in its pacing : some traumatic events lived through by the characters felt too quick with the story moving on expeditiously and handling a bit too easily redemptions...Despite those flaws (which I must admit are linked to me comparing both occurrences of the story), the overall plot is still very good and I truly enjoyed the romance as well as the family arc. The trio of main characters are really likeable and form a trio that I loved throughout the full show. I will miss them for sure.

The casting was very good. I adore Hwang In Youp and I found him excellent here. He gave me butterflies in my stomach. His character felt to me like the heart of the story, even more than the heroine. She is of course key to the story and Jung Chae Yeon is super luminous in portraying her. It was my first time seeing her in a series and I will need to see her in a different role to which I'm less attached to form a clearer opinion on her acting. I was also happy to (re-)discovered Bae Hyeon Seong thanks to this drama. He did not leave me with a lasting memory from his support role in Hospital Playlist but here, he made a strong impression on me. The filial bond between him and his adoptive father is one of the best part of the series. Both actors playing fathers (Choi Won Young and Choi Moo Sung), as well as the child actress Oh Eun Seo are worth a shout out as they were amazing in those support roles.

The production value is really good. There are so many scenes that are mesmerizing, decors with flowers, pastel and bright colors participating in creating dreamy and romantic pictures. The soundtrack is really beautiful as well. There are a couple of songs that I will for sure keep listening to.

I would recommend this to people that love romantic story and found-family trope. If you enjoy protective, caring and ambiguous "big brother" character, you are in for a treat. The story is not without flaws and it pales a bit the comparison to the original drama...Still, it is worth watching if you enjoy rom-com with swoony moments, supported by a charming cast and solid production value.

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A story of friendship, healing, self-discovery and love

I finally finished this drama... I really loved it from beginning to end. The cinematography is the best I have ever seen in a serie, even films rarely have this stunning aesthetic. The costumes are incredible ! The characters are great and they all have interesting stories and evolution, even the minor characters. The acting is impeccable, I can't believe some are not professional actors/actresses ! (special congratulation to the child). The OST is so good also. And I really like the subtext, the philosophy of the plot . That being said the show is not totally perfect, the plot is sometimes chaotic and some scene are too dragging (though unlike some, I didn't mind at all the slow pacing). But overall it's very good and I recommend it. I already miss the team, I wish their adventures would never end !

And this is my favourite new song : https://youtu.be/XzDJ-2M_1BQ?si=6uwHU-OmeYB5EbPr

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is it worth it?

so i have only watched two adaptation Playful Kiss and this one. i grow up watching Asian dramas ( Cdrama Thai drama filipin drama Taiwanese drama Indian drama Hong Kong drama Jdrama..) so i'm not new to how each country act and their different culture and norm.

First dont get me wrong i love the Korean version too and i have rewatched that many times already.

And yes i like this version way more than the Korean one for similar reason as the others is that you can feel the ML more and it is quite realistic and main leads interaction and emotion just flow so well and if you watch the second season it is even more natural.

And of course they have more skinship than the Korean one for a common reason of cultural differences between the two countries so the interaction went to different degree to be relatable to the audiences of each country.

and yes WATCH IT just watch it dont question this if you like this classic story Itazura na kiss. i would watch other adaptation too but this one i would come back anytime.

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Watching without expectation

I watched this without expectation whatsoever, just wanting to see Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin.

The premise was interesting, and they executed it quite well. This drama is not everyone's cup of tea, but I truly enjoyed it. It might be not that extraordinary, plot wise, but acting wise, it was superb.

Gong Yoo and Seo Hyunjin really showed up and acted!!!! I also loved the one who played Seo Yeon, she potrated her role as a crazy broken woman really well.

Overall it is a good watch if you're looking for melancholy dark slow drama with adult romance.

Note: Gong Yoo be looking really so damn good here.

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I didn’t want this to end

At first, the first 4 episodes were tiring for me to watch as I don’t really do well with extreme violence like that but I’m so glad I stuck with it.

This show further proves that you don’t need intimate scenes to establish a bond between lovers. Yes I call them lovers cos normal friendship cannot be like this. But if yours is like this, then kudos to you and your friend. hehe..

I love how they were able to break through. Not just the main leads, but the other characters too did well. They really defined what true friendship meant. The teachers were awesome as well. Really portrayed how amazing some teachers are irl.

The story is fantastic. They really did justice to the original version - School 2013. Love the OST and was really proud of SkyNani for singing the OST to the drama. Their vocals are truly wonderful.

Would highly recommend this drama. It’s really a masterpiece

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