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Completed
Alchemy of Souls
3 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Sep 5, 2022
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

FAVORITE. WORTH IT. SO EXCITING.

Was initially interested in this one because of Lee Jae Wook (way to redeem him from Dodosolsollalasol!), and totally won with the fact that he was alongside the very amazing Jung So Min (and can we talk about how elegant she moves with her sword????)!!!

The show was actually lighter than I expected and the story was well-balanced — comedy, romance, and plot —, save for the last few episodes which sort of felt like there were a lot of filler moments that didn't really add much to the main storyline. My only negative comment about this though is probably how in the first few episodes, characters would often think out loud and converse about very sensitive topics with people nearby, but it got better eventually (or I probably got used to it by that point).

Characters were complicated and I love them for it, and the storyline overall was just so fresh and unique. Hilariously, I walked into this one completely blind and ignorant to the story and I literally watched it for the actors, but it was well worth it. I'm so excited for the next season! Apparently Jung So Min won't be there but I'm actually quite excited to see the original Nak Su played by Go Yoon Jung. The ending trailer just had me so hyped and ready and I CANNOT WAIT!!

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Completed
Sh**ting Stars
3 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Jun 20, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Perfect no-brainer, feel-good, stress relief

It's a light and feel-good show. I'd categorize it with Weightlifting Fairy: Kim Bok Joo (which is "coincidentally" Lee Sung Kyung's show also) and Business Proposal.

I have no complaints with how the story unfolded, including how the last 2 episodes were literally almost useless and didn't carry much plot apart from being like a 2-hour ad and epilogue. I'm actually really happy with it since the supporting characters got more time and we see how the relationships developed.

My only opposition with the series is probablu Ho Young and Yoo Seong. I didn't see much chemistry in the beginning so when it came out that Ho Young has a crush on Yoo Seong, it was really surprising and not exactly in a good way. I would've paired Da Hye and Yoo Seong, then Ho Young and Si Deok.

The Yu Na-Jae Hyun pairing is def my fave out of all, but wow, I have no idea what to feel about the progression of their relationship HAHA it felt reckless and chaotic and something I wouldn't do, but hey, it's a drama.

Overall: worth the watch, great comfort show, and will probs be one of the series I watch when I'm looking to relieve stress and fatigue. Also grateful that everyone ended up with someone so everyone's happy which makes me happy (and thank you for giving Soo Hyuk a woman! I was actually scared I'd have another second male lead syndrome if he wasn't happy in the end HAHA)

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Completed
When I Fly Towards You
3 people found this review helpful
by Mara
11 days ago
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

perfect from start to finish

It actually breaks my heart for the series to end because I just wanted to keep going. It was cute and wholesome and nostalgic of high school life. It had enough conflict to push the story forward but not so much that it was stressful and overwhelming. Though set in high school, I’m grateful there weren’t many (if at all) stupid decisions and misunderstandings rooted in teenage angst and hormones. I could turn off my brain and just have fun watching how their life progressed through the different stages of growth. It’s the type of show I’ll pick up any day simply because it was just full of sunshine. Would recommend and would reward, for sure!

PS: I can’t believe that Zhang Lurang here is Ai Jia from Falling Into Your Smile! His range is surprisingly amazing. 10/10 fr

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Completed
My Roommate Is a Gumiho
2 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Jan 24, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 10

New romcom fave but could've been better

This was so hilarious that I ended up rewatching the whole show shortly after finishing it for the first time. It was funny, had an equally unique and cliche plot which had a lot of my favorite romcom tropes (living together, contract relationships, serious guy and laid back girl, etc.) but also fresh in its own way, swoon-worthy, and just perfect. The OST was slightly lackluster to me, and I think it was around Episode 9/10 when things started going slower than before and I felt like it lost tension and conflict, but all in all, I loved it. It was funny and definitely something I'm running back to when I'm looking for something to cheer me up.

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Completed
Love in Contract
2 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Dec 1, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Had me feeling many things—and not in a good way

Was initially interested in this one because I expected a fun and very light-hearted romcom where I'd be laughing and falling in love over and over (and I did get it for about 8 episodes???). Instead, I got a plot-heavy drama with a deus ex machina to solve all their problems in the end, some plot device established early then was forgotten for many episodes then somehow just came back again to add more drama, and not to mention a selfish second male lead whom I blame for quite a lot of the problems that happened in the show (though I do end up forgiving him in the end).

At one point, I considered just skipping to the end because everyone and everything was just so frustrating to watch. I didn't sign up for this. Not to mention how the ending—for the leads and the side characters—wasn't as satisfying as it could've been for quite a lot of reasons (for me).

All in all, it was good but I'm not sure if it's one I'd recommend nor one I'd rewatch so soon. The actors were amazing though! I love them all.

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Completed
Backstreet Rookie
2 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Sep 29, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

Light, wholesome, fun. Worth it.

It took me a while to finish this one because after the first episode, I didn't find myself hooked into it. I picked it up again recently when I've run out of shows to watch and it was actually worth it.

It's very, very light and wholesome and chaotic; I found myself tearing up and giggling a lot. The graphics actually annoyed me a few times, more so in the first episode, it felt cringe HAHA but it's actually quite tolerable along the way.

Definitely something to watch when looking for a no-brainer and something fun.

[minor spoilers ahead, be warned]

I guess my only comment is that I hope there could've been more about Seung-joon's character; I feel like I didn't get much closure with his story and he just suddenly disappeared. Same with the bullies, were they just off the hook like that?

All in all, however, the show was fun and has definitely earned its spot in my rewatch list.

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Completed
She and Her Perfect Husband
1 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Sep 15, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
She And Her Perfect Husband is a fun show to watch — equally comedic, romantic, dramatic, and intriguing. It kicks off funny and light and then eventually escalates to touch on the reality of the weight and consequences of decisions and actions.

It’s a show that’s worth the watch and also worth rewatching, though I guess not so often since it’s not overall light and feel-good and because it’s 40 episodes long (I can’t finish this in one sitting even on a long weekend), but the cast is amazing that I’d watch it all over again just to see them all work their way through the story.

The characters have depth and are complex (as realistic as the most complicated people can get), and how your rivals and frienemies can eventually become your best allies. Not to mention the casting is actually perfect in my opinion. Everyone played their part well and put their heart into their characters.

I started this wanting to watch Xu Kai after Falling Into Your Smile but it actually took a bit longer than I would’ve liked before I actually got to see him on screen, which already gave me an idea that this was going to be more about the life and story of the girl than it is about the guy and their relationship.

This show made me a fan of Yang Mi. She’s an amazing actress and she carries this role well. It’s frustratingly amazing how she has chemistry with the cast in all the right ways.

- - - VAGUE SPOILERS AHEAD - - -

I guess the show writing falls short at a few parts like with how cases just end abruptly with little to no conclusion, and how storylines and sub-plots just get forgotten. I feel like they wanted to do a lot of things that, though met the bare minimum and did not become plot holes along the way, still could’ve been written and executed better.

The last episode felt just a little rushed for me. I guess I would’ve liked to know more context and details about what happened and basically everything else that we didn’t get to see on-screen, but I guess overall it was satisfying enough.

I guess my most major comment is how Tang Jing Mei deserved more screen-time, and I actually thought she’d get her own partner in the end. But I love Li Dai as a character and TJM did so well to bring her to life.

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Completed
Search: WWW
1 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Feb 5, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

well-written women-centric K-drama and unique main plot!

I loved it but I also think it's not for everyone. If you're looking for fluffy romcom, this probably isn't it because you'll end up getting impatient over the lack of romcom scenes since it focused more on the life and work of Bae Ta Mi as a career woman in the industry—which I did end up falling in love with.

I think the overall plot is amazing and I ended up loving it more than I expected. There's just so much to commend about this, specifically in the story writing.

I initially wanted to watch this for the romcom of it (Jang Ki-yong ftw) but I stayed for the story established from the very beginning (the Netflix preview had me hooked and I just had to watch it). Amazing story writing. The characters were realistic and the story went full-circle for everyone. I didn't feel like they established something early on only to forget it halfway. Everything was closed, thankfully.

I love that everyone had a distinct character, personality, and individual screen time that made you appreciate them and actually see them as beings and not as mere side characters. Though others were probably just plot devices to push the story forward, I like that they still had depth and their own stories. All the mini arcs of the characters in the TF team made me tear up and I was so happy for everyone.

Bae Ta Mi and Scarlett's friendship is one people should aspire to have at work—someone who'd constantly support you and back you when they know it's necessary, but also challenge your decisions to your face, not shying away from confrontation and correction.

Song Ga Gyeong was also a character you can't exactly hate from the very beginning. Her backstory was established early on which made her choices make sense. She definitely had the most character development out of the three female leads.

I also want to note Na In Gyeong who switched sides in the end which helped Song Ga Gyeong win the case and so cause the downfall of KU Group. It was satisfying and fulfilling, and I love that they redeemed her character even though it wasn't really necessary.

Episode 13 was the climax and I'm glad the ending was extremely satisfying. The plot was so perfect from start to finish that I almost ended up dreading the romance subplot because I was more invested in the lives of the three women than in Bae Ta Mi's relationship with Park Morgan. ?

This was obviously a women empowerment show but I also like that the antagonist(s) was(/were) female as well. I also love how it was done in such a way that the characters were still imperfect, making them human and not mere Mary Sues, and the other character filling their lack.

A few personal preferences regarding how the individual character arcs ended:
- I hope Bae Ta Mi would've come to want to get married in the end or at least implied that she's ready to open up her heart/mind for it. I just think it would've completed her "full circle". But I also understand and like that it ended that she was still against it because it adds to the human aspect of the character that there are some beliefs that are just hard to let go.
- I hope Song Ga Gyeong would've ended up with her ex-husband, that after the divorce was official, they'd end up dating and starting over; but why they didn't also made sense and it brought a bittersweet feeling that hurt but still felt good.

My only real negative comment about this is probably, as someone with background knowledge in film, many shots were unpleasant to *my* eyes. Aesthetically, they were wonderful to look at; but technically speaking, some shots were just wrongfully directed in the sense that I hope they would've been more consistent in which side and direction characters were in each scene. One scene that comes to mind is their first meeting in the arcade wherein I had a hard time figuring out whose hands and face they were showing on the screen because the sides and direction were inconsistent with Bae Ta Mi initially being on the right but shots of Park Morgan cut into the shots also being on the right side, so the inconsistency gave me a minor *metaphorical* headache. But I still stayed.

Overlooking the technicality aspect of it, it was interestingly written and I like how it didn't give too much too early and slowly unpacked each necessary detail right at the perfect moment. It was perfectly paced and exciting. Wonderful. Satisfying.

+ I was surprised to see Lee Jae-wook become a consistent side character! I thought he was just a guest. I was so happy ?

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Completed
Love Between Fairy and Devil
1 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Dec 7, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0

top-tier show!!

Tried watching this last year and dropped it by episode 4 because I couldn’t take the CGI seriously. I’m glad I got around to picking it up and trying it again this year.

The universe is huge. The story has so many layers to it and so required much building up. There were lots of things to cover and yet there were little to no plotholes at all. They started something and made sure to keep it up to the end. Though I guess there were some loose ends for me that I wish had more closure and explanation. I think Chinese dramas could do a little bit better with their minor characters arcs (or maybe it’s the subtitles that lacked better translation).

I love that everything had significance which unfolded beautifully by the end. My eyes were glued to the screen the entire time; I couldn’t even pick up my phone because I was just too engrossed. The story was fairly consistent to what they started and I’m so amazed by how they achieved this somewhat ambitious feat. The writing and acting were amazing (more so during their body switching!!), but I guess my only negative comment about it is the CGI. Hands down a top-tier show still though

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Completed
Sweet Trap
0 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Apr 12, 2024
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 10

fun and light-hearted, perfect for bingeing

I picked this up completely by chance just because I saw it when I was looking for something to watch while eating. Safe to say it’s easy to get hooked into it as I found myself bingeing through the night to early morning even on a work day.

It’s nicely written for those just looking for cheesy, borderline cringe, but light-hearted shows to keep the stress of life at bay. There’s just enough conflict and plot to keep the story going but not enough to make your blood boil. It has the perfect amount of story, comedy, and romance for me. Not much feedback apart from it being something I’d recommend even to myself to watch again.

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Completed
Falling into Your Smile
0 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Nov 6, 2022
31 of 31 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5
I walked into this one completely blind and I initially gave it a shot simply because it's romance and e-games in one — which I found to be an interesting and fresh new watch. Funnily enough, my brother fell into this one with me as we're both gamers. It's a good combination of reality and fiction about the life of (professional and casual) gamers.

I really like that the show was wonderfully written in terms of story arcs and pacing compared to other Mainland China dramas I've watched. Some scenes felt too far-fetched, others were way too cheesy, but this one easily falls into my favorites list for sure and is definitely worth the watch if you're interested in gaming (+ romance).

I love the characters (all of them!!!) and I wish the side characters were given more depth/story and screentime. Other than that, I loved it very much and would highly recommend it to gaming enthusiasts looking to watch something light and fluffy.

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Completed
Soundtrack #1
0 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Sep 11, 2022
4 of 4 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

As wholesome as K-dramas get

I need more K-drama shorts like this one — it was brief and nicely written and was enough to hook and invest me into the characters. There were very few things happening and very few involved, and some days, we just need something as light and sweet as this. It was direct to the point, and being short, had little to no plotholes since everything was a plot device to move the story forward.

(spoiler ahead)
My favorite detail is probably how Eun Soo was the one to confess her feelings first and how she said she couldn't swallow it like how Sun Woo has been doing all this time. I liked it because it was a nod to a statement she made in the first episode when she was wondering about unrequited love and why people don't just blurt out their feelings when they like someone. The details goes to show how different their personalities and characters are, and also adds to the fact that they were consistent in the characters established in the beginning.

It was a carefully written story and as it should be since it was so short! Imagine ruining a series that literally had 4 episodes. Careful thought and consideration were noticeably invested into the show and it's a wonderful comfort show that one could simply watch over and over again.

I hope we get more shows like this moving forward — short, sweet, and comforting, like a shorter version of Hometown Cha-cha-cha or Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo.

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Completed
Moonshine
0 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Sep 8, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Worth the watch if looking for something light...

I badly wanted to love this because it had Yoo Seung Ho (I'm Not a Robot) and Lee Hye Ri (My Roommate is a Gumiho), but a lot of the time I was just zoning out and not paying attention.

I didn't have a hard time stopping between episodes compared to other series that made me go: "Just one more episode". It was fun and funny; I liked that the show shared my humor when there are really sad moments that I cry but they allow room for comedy and so I'm a crying/laughing wreck watching the scene.

Overall, it was okay. I love the plot twist, it caught me by surprise so kudos to that, but I was really more invested in the stories of the side characters (Crown Princess, Minister of War's daughter, the Queen, the two servants, Gye Sang Mok and his crew, the head gisaeng and the assassin) rather than the main ones or the main storyline. Once the plot twist was revealed, everything just seemed predictable after that. It was still fun to watch though. The last 2 episodes was a rollercoaster of emotions that I dearly loved, but leading up to that felt sort of slow and dragged out.

It was light, a complete no-brainer that had its own charms, but it just couldn't hook me as much as I initially hoped.

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Completed
All of Us Are Dead
0 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Feb 3, 2022
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

A bit overhyped but expectant for Season 2

I loved the beginning and the ending, but the in between felt a bit dragging and it was like we were going in circles with what was happening. It's a fun show to watch with friends and family, if everyone's into zombies and gore, but in terms of writing, I think they could've done a better job with the pacing or they could've just shortened it to like 5-8 episodes or just opted for a movie.

I appreciate the morals of it as well as giving the creator of the virus an actual motivation that makes you think about things in a different perspective. It's an okay show but I somewhat think it was overhyped.

The leading characters were also a bit confusing to me. Were they trying to go for something like FRIENDS wherein everyone was the leading character? Because if they were, I think they somewhat failed because Nam-ra and Su-hyeok had more main character energy and presence than anyone else in the cast (no offense though).

But despite all this, I'm definitely sticking around for a Season 2.

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Completed
Doom at Your Service
0 people found this review helpful
by Mara
Jan 24, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Perfect combination of romcom and drama

It was lighter than I expected, but it kept me at the edge of my seat. I was hooked immediately by the first episode and I was glued until the very end. Pacing was good, the writing was consistently progressive, and I love its portrayal of the reality of how fickle human emotion can be (I think it was between Episodes 1-4). I found myself laughing really hard, ugly crying at some parts, and swooning over so many scenes. It's near the likes of Goblin and some details reminded me of My Roommate is A Gumiho (though this was released first), but it was unique in its own way and I think I like this a tad bit more. Plus, casting was perfect and so was the distinct OST. Masterpiece. I love it so much and definitely something I'm recommending to friends.

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