This review may contain spoilers
Why?
Too much abuse for a show that wasn't even about abuse. So why did I hang on as long as I did? Because I liked the story and all the characters/actors, except the FL. I can't keep watching because of her. I'm soooo sick of TSTL female characters!! Why?! Oh, cuz we can't have two good, strong female characters in the same show. The sister is all we needed but we kept getting yelled at and punched in the face by the FL.All she does is punch the ML. Now I know ppl sometimes don't press charges, and I also know that the violence was supposed to be funny, but dammit to hell...you're a friggin adult and a cop, you can't go around hitting this guy every time you see him just because he doesn't remember you or like you (can't imagine why), and because he's a waaaaaay better detective than you'll ever be. Once again, let's get some perspective here, if a guy was abusing a girl like this (and I mean seriously kicking and punching, enough that she could have broken bones and cracked her skull when she hits the ground), no one would laugh. No one should laugh now either. It's not funny. A judo match? Fine. Do that. Do that shit all day. What this character does is criminal assault. And other cops witness her doing this and just shrug it off. But when it's time to put those skills to use and beat up the bad guy, you can't. Da fuq?! Close the door and pretend he's that guy you've liked your whole life. Bwahahaha!! Really tho, you watched this dude murder the guy in the hospital bed, you didn't try to disconnect the IV, you get up to stop him but he easily thwarts you. Um, no, tv show, you will not do this to me! I saw her knock a guy off his motorcycle with her shoe, but this guy gets out of the room? I also saw her parkour her way up a building and run faster than the Flash, but this guy is faster and more nimble than her? Ok. Moving on.
This chick is the worst cop/detective ever! She's obsessed with the ML so she routinely and royally screws up the one case she works on for the whole season, and she enters ML's business/home unlawfully, which leads to another...wait for ittt....wait for ittttttt...assault on the ML. Good times. I quit watching when she arrested him...because he didn't like her, I guess. No other reason as it seemed like he'd already told her the story of her brother's death, so why was she still asking questions about that? Then she forced him into hypnosis (shouldn't she be in court-ordered therapy by now?) which lead to another...wait for ittt....wait for ittttttt...assault on the ML. And the hypnotist (I'm guessing he also works in law enforcement) saw nothing wrong with this. Of course not. That's some mighty fine police work right there.
I don't understand how things work in Korea, but she should have had her badge taken away in ep 2. A behavior shift and attempt at redemption while actually investigating, not obsessing over the ML and not having tunnel vision which makes her ignore tips/advice/leads/evidence/guidance from experienced seniors (the ML and her team) would've made for a much better character and a better show which I would've been able to finish. I'm just glad I didn't stick around for the forced romance with the abuser. And why more than one man liked her is the true mystery here. The FL should not have existed in this drama. The relationships of the ML and his awesome chosen family was more than enough to carry the show.
The stars are for the cast and characters I really did enjoy, they just weren't enough to undercome the horrible FL, both the character and the actress.
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Good, but had to drop it
It is my first time writing a review because I feel I really have to.I am a huge fan of Seo In Guk, and as in every Drama his acting is top and it looks like they had a lot of fun shooting this Drama. I also like all the other cast, especially the Cafe Minamdang Gang. The storyline and the comedy part were also on top. I really enjoyed watching, except for one part; the female lead.
I don't know where to start, but I can't stand her. I could bear it at the beginning, but after certain episodes, I had to skip the part where she appeared until it was unbearable and I had to drop it.
Let's start with the visual, her appearance doesn't fit the age gap that she and the ML should have. She looks like she is in her 40s, while the ML is in his 30s.
I am not sure, what she did with her lips or if she did plastic surgery, but her lips are irritating me as well.
Her acting was stubborn, overreacting, and narrow-minded, she disturbed or destroyed good investigation and in her world everything is the ML fault. And then like magic, she started liking him.
The chemistry between ML and FL felt so forced, so unnatural, and as a Watcher, I didn't have the feeling that romance fit in this Drama in general.
I think that a male detective, with a bromance comedy factor, would fit this drama much better, than a forced Romance.
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Somehow manages to be boring. Lots of missed potential with this one.
The storyline centers around a rather uncreative and *serious* serial killer murder mystery. Personally, I was looking forward to a comedy-- not another police procedural about another serial killer killing young women and something something corrupt politicians.The comedy seems to take second fiddle. This is actually the first Seo In Guk drama where I've been let down by the humour. The slapstick comedy style isn't for me. Everyone passing out from someone's stinky feet isn't funny to me... but that's just me, it doesn't make it bad-- just not my style of humour.
The romantic line between the leads is incredibly forced. Mind you, it's hard to generate chemistry when the FL is written/directed to be sullen and grumpy.
A sassy, funny, clever, over-the-top FL to face off in friendly competition against the ML would have generated so much more romantic tension, been so much more entertaining, and would have had so much more comedy potential.
As someone else said, I'd love someone to do a post mortem on this show and why it "doesn't work" because I can't quite put my finger on it. Overall, the show is kind of boring and I can see why a lot of people have dropped it already.
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This review may contain spoilers
No I didn't come to watch this because of the 'drool' factor. I'm no longer a hopeless romantic teenager thank goodness. So I'm not basing my review off of looks. I came to watch this because of Jung Man Shik. I like this guy ever since I saw him in Man To Man. I will watch anything he's in. Same goes for Heo Jae Ho and Cha Tae Hyun-even though he's only in one episode. I like the main male lead but for some odd reason I'm not digging his character choice in this drama.My goal was to watch this when it was completed but I jumped the gun and started watching before it's done. The worse thing was that I made it to episode 10 before I realized that was the last one until the others aired. Stopping the drama and going back to it made it worse.
The first few episodes almost made me drop this. Here's why: the comedic elements at times were just too over the top. When it tries too hard to be funny it's usually not.
The second ML. who played as the cop who got let go. He started off promising but ended up looking like a weak slow witted chicken. I don't care for characters like that.
The other supporting male lead who had the green hair...that is truly disturbing to look at because he don't look right.
Now to the main FL...O....M....G....I really hate ragging on female Korean actresses but it can't be helped. When she entered on to the scene they made her look bad a** and I was digging it. I was thinking finally another female Korean actress who can fight and is tough....Nope...she is turning out to be that love sick dimwitted female I've come to despise! The fact that she constantly bullies the main ML and is constantly arresting him for no reason makes my blood boil! If that's not police brutality I don't know what is. Plus I'm a bit confused...In a flashback she's younger than the main ML. Now all of a sudden they're like the same age but she looks way older than the main ML! Her annoying sense of duty makes me want to punch her in her botox looking lips!!!
When I went back to watching, episode 11, I can't decide if I want to watch the rest of this drama. I am curious as to who the guilty culprit is but all of the over the top comedic scenes and the annoying main FL is making it easier for me to skip the rest. I also can pretty much deduce the last episode will most likely be a let down anyway. Last episodes of Korean dramas usually are.
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Can’t hook my interest
Tried really hard to give this series a chance but I eventually dropped it. Artists were all great. It might be the story just didn’t hook me at all.It’s too far out there for me probably and sometimes the scenes didn’t make sense.
I might return to it in the future and change this rating if I have the incentive to try watching it again.
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Great Premise, Mediocre Execution
The premise of Café Minamdang caught my attention. A former criminal profiler is pretending to be a shaman with the help of his sister, a genius hacker, and brother, a private detective. This promised to be a lot of fun. However, the execution seems to have ruined whatever uniqueness there could have been in this story.As soon as I started watching episode one, I felt a strong sense of déjà vu. I was introduced to a rich, eccentric, handsome, slightly narcissistic guy, a strong, independent woman, incompetent detectives, and a murder case. Sounds familiar? Well, this is essentially Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. Shaman Nam Han Joon gives the precise same vibes as CEO Ahn Min Hyuk – same exaggerated mannerisms, same ability to analyze people and figure things out quicker than the police, same tendency to fall in love at first with a woman who beat up several bad guys because she is strong and can protect him. The two main characters have, of course, also known each other when they were younger because K-drama scriptwriters consider it unthinkable that two people might have a romantic relationship without having a past together. I can go on pointing out similarities, but I think that you get my point.
Instead of centering the narrative around Nam Han Joon and his gang's scam, the production team went for what has been done many times: a murder investigation, which probably ends with an underwhelming revelation, and a little romance on the side. The comedy element is not funny in the slightest.
As if all of this was not enough, this series features the worst female lead that I have ever seen. I usually try to focus on the positive qualities of each character and do not judge them quickly, but I can confidently say that Han Jae Hee is a b*tch. Her character is an insult to women. She is the worst possible version of a Mary Sue, and this makes her not only uninteresting, but also incredibly annoying.
In a time when positive representation of women has become an important issue, it is discouraging to learn that women are still characterized like that. A woman who can stand up for herself and has proved to be a skilled professional in her field should not be depicted as rude, insensitive, and frustratingly narrow-minded. A woman detective should not be portrayed as someone who stalks and uses physical violence against civilians while claiming that the law must be followed. When Nam Han Joon told her that she was not cut out to be a detective, he was right. It is great that the story does not focus on their relationship because if I had to see more of her, I would have dropped this series.
Overall, scenes with Han Jae Hee aside, this series is sometimes entertaining, but it is nothing special. I keep watching for Nam Han Joon, who has become likeable despite being too much in episode one, and his gang. However, I will probably drop it and plead justice for Seo In Guk – he deserves to work with better scripts.
Edit: I dropped this series at episode seven.
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Boring and too predictable
The only reason I watched this in entirity is because I am travelling and this is the only thing I downloaded on netflix.Idk what the makers of this show were thinking. I suppose it went: what should we do? should we make a generic villain? should we make a cliche villain mindset? should we drag it out? should we make it as dramatic as possible even though it will make people loose interest in the show...........and someone went "YES".
It was so predictable that I had an idea from episode 3-4, who the villain would be. They tried really hard to convince the viewers but all they managed to do was make viewers go..."ah let me guess, it's him/her right? heh".
Also there are so many loopholes.
The only saving grace for this show is it's cast and music.
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comedy, friendship
All of them can bring the happiness to who are watching this dramaThe plot is you can't guess what is happening to them until the end
For me its new version
I enjoyed i hope for you all
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I do not recommend it.
I'm an official Seo In Guk anty-fan but I decided to give him a chance to prove himself as he is paired with lovely Oh Yeon-Seo. Unfortunately even she couldn't pull him up in my likings. Drama ended up at the bottom of my drama list - https://my-asian-dramas.blogspot.com/p/k-dramas-i-watched.htmlWhat I was most afraid, has happened. Stupid faces, clowning and poor-comedy moves of Seo In Guk destroyed the last hope for this serie. I felt that it will happen to this drama. He's acting the same as he does in Shopaholic Louie which doesn't fit the theme of Café Minamdang! 😠 I understand that the producers wanted to introduce some humor to this series but this was too much and out of place ... flying characters with one kick or throw a shoe? I beg of you .... It was more pitiful than entertaining. Screen editing was poor and there was too many "funny" flash-ups that aggravated me.
About leads as couple... THERE IS ZERO CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THEM, they are mismatched characters and both have quite and annoying roles. These two should never be in the same show together. Oh Yeon Seo had a great role in My Sassy Girl and a brilliant one in Korean Odyssey .... but here .... eh low. You can feel she was trying. Her character along with hacker Nam Hye-Jun and commentator Jang Du-Jin were the best characters in the drama. I also like the handsome Jo Na-Dan, but he didn't play a big role in the series. He was a typical supporting character but gave more heart and authenticity into it than Seo In-Guk in the leading role. Saddening.
Although the last episodes were better than the first ones, I still can't say that I liked the series. An interesting scenario was poorly acted and even the best ending did not improve it. I don't want to say much about the ending so I'll just say that like the killer, it was pretty predictable. A lot of things in this series were like that so at least they keep the level 😅
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The perfect fusion of humour into a serious story arc
The minamdang gang is pure fun! I had a great time laughing along with the actors - the cast & crew did an especially great job of fusing humour without ridiculing the seriousness of the story arc.Seo In Guk is an absolute treat to watch! Loved his acting & expressions throughout. This drama is a lovely destressor without giving up on the great story & acting.
The few cons I found were easy to overlook in light of the acting. Any scene with Seo In Guk was an absolute joy to watch.
This is going to be one of the dramas I rewatch as a mood lifter in the future.
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Full of action , comedy , mystery and a lot of fun
This one is so packed with action and fast paced scenes that even before you know it, you will be enjoying the ride.The little glimpse of justice and them wanting to help the innocent from bad and evil keeps adding to that soft touch in the crime investigation process.
The comic characters make it all fun, like an amusement park ride.
Traditional korean tunes and "shaman" music is refreshing.
This show is also a subtle reference to the dark times in Korean history when even educated and powerful were blind enough to think that shamans and talismans can cover up for their wrong deeds when in reality they had to eventually pay for their crimes.
The dark subject is blended with the comedy. Nam siblings also seem to have a history of once being the victims of those rich criminals, they will take their revenge but meanwhile let's not forget to laugh and enjoy it.
This one is going to hit very close to heart.
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This review may contain spoilers
Apparently Cops Breaking the Law is Cute
Cast does a great job in this drama but the characterization of the female officer turns what could have been a funny and intriguing new show into an unwatchable disappointment. I have two major problems that I tried to just push through until the final events of the second episode. Then, the female lead's actions were a bridge too far - or in her case, a doorway too far.First, writers need to stop depicting female-on-male unprovoked physical violence as a form of comedy or girl power. It is not cute or funny in any context. Here, a cop repeatedly assaults an unarmed, unthreatening citizen. If your actions upset a cop, is it somehow alright for them to kick you? You disappoint a cop's expectation and the cop can throw you over their shoulder and hurl you to the pavement? In what world is that remotely acceptable? That officer should be immediately fired and sued. But here somehow there are no repercussions or even a hint that anyone in this universe thinks her actions were wrong to commit physical violence against a citizen she dislikes! It's ridiculous. Okay cool, way to go venting your anger like an absolute child who should not have any of the power or responsibility entrusted with law enforcement. It's criminal. She could absolutely have been arrested for her actions.
Second, a related point, writers need to stop allowing the "good guy" cops to break the law and get away with it/frame it as fine as long as it's in pursuit of the greater good! The female lead seems to have admired and looked up to the male lead during his past as an officer. He explicitly told her that police protected both victims and criminals within the bounds of the law. Has she taken any of that to heart? Obviously not if she believes the presence of a victim would justify the cops illegally gaining evidence against the perpetrator. Or if she believes she can physically attack those who have differing views or sides than her. Or if she believes she is justified to break into a citizen's home because she perceives him as a barrier to her. She's not police at this point she's a criminal herself. Two wrongs don't make a right. Her sense of morality and faith in the law "blessing" people seem to only apply when others break the law - not herself. Now I love a morally grey character! But, not when it's a cop trying to arrest people without following the proper procedure demanded by law and the show frames this person to be the good guy acting for the greater good.
For these reasons, I am quitting what may otherwise be a gem of a drama. The flagrant criminal actions of the female lead police offer prevent me from continuing. I could be absolutely wrong and the show will address my concerns in subsequent episodes. Even if it doesn't, it still may well be a lovely drama viewing experience. I am not trying to dissuade anyone from watching the drama. In this review, I merely wanted to highlight these two important issues that I believe should not be brushed over blithely with a comedic tone.
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