Another show finally coming to a close. Secret Garden, to me, was a show that I mainly watched just due to its popularity. It's another one of those works that are mentioned a lot to new drama watchers as a good show to start/go off of with. And after completing it, I can see why. Maybe not with the most favorable view, but I can see where people are coming from.

Story 〆(・∀・＠): The story in itself sounds extremely simple. A rich man and poor woman switch bodies and experience how different their lives are. The problem is that even though this show is being marketed as a big body-switching adventure full of misunderstandings and shenanigans, body-switching seems like a secondary problem. They do switch bodies a few times (don't get me wrong), but it's not nearly enough times as I would have liked. The writers focused so much on family drama and other meaningless plot points that it made the story feel dragged out. Common tropes were constantly repeated even if they didn't fit within the story. It's as if the writers had some trope checklist and were knocking things off as they go. So instead of going in-depth with body-switching and making conflicts that have much higher stakes, they spent too much time just trying to come up with situations where familiar tropes would fit in. So when watching, just know that the body-switching is gonna take time to start and won't last incredibly long, which is a shame for a show so dedicated to it. Another point in the writing that nagged at me was the character themselves. The actors did terrific with what they were given, so my qualm rests with how the characters were written. You have your average cold rich guy and a tough, independent poor girl. Yet, coming out of the show, I can't say I connected with them. As a matter of fact, I am leaning closer to disliking them and their relationship.
Were there cute moments? Yes.
Did they make me laugh at times? Yes.
Did they have interesting aspects? Yes.
Did they do questionable things that make me doubt their relationship? Yes.
This whole show possessed a lot of rinse and repeat type events. The two main characters are prime victims of it; they had so many moments between them that got used over and over again. Eventually, I just wanted them to get together, not for the romance, but so that we can move past their weird and unnecessary arguments.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: Similar to the last show I watched, the acting in the Secret Garden was one of its strongest and leading points. I can honestly go as far as to say that it was the saving grace of this show. With body-switching, actors have to act like two different people. Everything from the way of speaking to posture has to be noted in order for it to be believable. And after watching Hyun Bin and Ha Ji-Won act like each other, all I can say is I wish we got more of it! Hyun Bin especially was absolutely hilarious when acting as Gil Ra-Im. Vice versa for Ji-Won when acting like Kim Joo-Won. Even when they weren't in each other's characters, they still provided comedic, heartfelt, and enjoyable moments. Despite my not loving the characters, it's because of the actors I was able to enjoy something. The side characters were also delightful. Yoon Sang-Hyun as a playboy singer was one of my favorite parts. In the end, I found myself rooting for him more than anyone. So thank you, Sang-Hyun, for your priceless reactions and odd actions!!!

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: Again, I'm not able to say much about it. There was one song that caught my attention for a moment, but other than that, it was all average to me—sad songs for sad moments, upbeat songs for pleasant ones. And although one of the main characters was a singer, I wasn't necessarily in love with any of those songs either. It's not that big of a problem considering the show isn't focused on just the music industry. But in short, the music wasn't anything end-game.

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: For those of you who are watching this show for the body-switching, I just want to mention a few other things. When talking about the story, I commented on how it was weirdly neglected even though it was a show advertised for that very plot point. I'm not going to go on about that disappointment, but I am going to mention how the rules themselves never made any sense to me. I'm incredibly focused on rules in regards to fantasy-related dramas. I like knowing the logic and meaning behind things. This show left me with a lot of questions about the swap and the actual reason for it. They make some rules about the switch happening when it rains, but that's as far as they go to actually set up anything. The exact reason behind it and how it was solved precisely didn't make much sense to me. If I try hard, I might be able to puzzle something together, but that would just be me coming to a conclusion rather than the show wrapping up what they started properly—another reason on why this show was a bit of a hit on me.

Ending of this review, I'm glad I'm done and will probably never rewatch it. If you're into the rich man / poor woman trope with a bunch of family drama, then you'll love this. And if you're new to Asian dramas (like me) than this is a good introduction to things that you'll see in the future. But if you're watching this solely for the body-swapping aspect, then you might be disappointed. You'll have to wait a bit, and you might get bored in between, but it's not something you'll want to drop right away. With that being said...
Happy Watching <3

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I know that my rating on the show is definitely much lower than most. I even debated whether I should go a bit lower, but stuck with what I initially put in the end.
But hear me out!
Coming out of this show, I can really appreciate the satisfying and heartwarming ending that our cast has given us. Looking back on all the growth these characters had is fantastic (more on it in the story evaluation) and left me feeling complete. But that isn't to say I was on board the entire time. The show definitely hit a few road bumps that hurt my final opinion and put me in somewhat of a daze while watching.

Story 〆(・∀・＠): I'm just going to get this out of the way... I get bored of slice of life shows pretty quickly. That's probably one reason why I didn't fall for this show as hard as others have. So if you're a massive slice of life fan, then my rating shouldn't bug you as much, since it's because of that genre that I had some problems. The plot was straightforward in a good way. All the conflicts had a reason and were resolved reasonably without being dragged on for 5 - 10 episodes. All the characters were special in their own right. Nobody was just a cookie-cutter stereotype that the writers added to increase the number of people. Each character had their own issues and their own way of doing things, which made them so much more believable. That was one thing this show did really well: make the situations and people involved actually feel real. There wasn't a perfect character, but even the "antagonistic" characters weren't necessarily evil. In fact, my favorite character coming out of the show started as my least favorite one. So that just goes to show how smoothly and satisfying the writers wrote out their development. What hit me the wrong way was the subplots. You either love them or hate them. Due to each character being written independently and rounded out well, they also had their own issues that didn't revolve around the main characters. This made them feel like real people but at the same time bored me quite a bit. I really did struggle to watch a large handful of scenes just because I wasn't invested in them. And sometimes I'd lose interest so fast that I would miss the cute romance moments that I've been waiting for. Yes, the problems were real and not too over the top, but they seemed similar to each other, all while not sticking with me. This was one of my main issues, and has been with other slice of life shows I've seen: the problems just don't captivate me or pull me to watch more. I ended up going on my phone at some parts just to keep myself occupied—something I really hate to happen during a show.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: The acting was done so well by everyone, not just our two leads Lee Sung-Kyung and Nam Joon-Hyuk. Before going into Weightlifting Fairy, I haven't watched anything with Sung-Kyung, but I have watched something with Joon-Hyuk. My first impressions in the past of him were extremely different from how I see him now. He was remarkable in playing a happy-go-lucky swimmer while also staying true to his struggling self. The moments where he was joking around made you feel so light and cheery, but in the moments where he switched gears to show Joon-Hyung's pain just hit me like a ton of bricks. He definitely made me see him in a different light, and when being accompanied by Sung-Kyung, the duo just felt right and worked together in every way. It wasn't only the two leads that made me feel good. As mentioned earlier, every character was rounded out so well. I enjoyed the banter of Bok-Joo's two friends as well as the relationship between her father and his brother. But my favorite character by far was Shi-Ho. She started to be nothing but a needy ex-girlfriend to me, although, in the end, I was able to connect with her the most. She was the one who went through the most hardships, suffered the most mentally, and was still able to walk out of it all with a smile. Kyung Soo-Jin did amazing and made my heart root for her! So much so that I just wished to see her more in the final, but at least I knew she ended satisfyingly.

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: Whoop whoop here comes my least favorite subject. I'll keep it extremely nice and simple. The soundtrack was definitely not the strong point of the show. Am I saying it was bad? No, not at all. It just never stood out to me in the slightest. Not even one line in any of the music stuck out to me (I don't even remember if the songs had words...) Sad songs came on at sad moments and happy ones at happy moments, but that's it. But it's a show about sports majors..... not music majors. XD
Just don't expect anything special.

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: I am not an athlete in the slightest. I struggle to keep a ball in the air during a simple game of catch. But this show somehow managed to get me interested in individual sports. Or more specifically, it got me interested in what athletes have to go through / experience while pursuing their respective paths. It was incredibly eye-opening for me to see what goes on behind the scenes, especially in sports like rhythmic gymnastics. I was also interested to see weightlifting in a new light since I really aware of it before starting Weightlifting Fairy out. Even if you don't like sports or you're just naturally not connected with it, seeing how things are done through the eyes of a pro athlete makes you more understanding and curious about it. It's just something this show did really well, and I felt it needed recognition for it.

Although this show had so much good in it, I really can't give it all the praise as some others just because of the amount of times I got bored. It really had some interesting characters and issues but at the same time had a lot of problems I could care less for. The acting, concepts, and romance were all really amazing, I just wished that some smaller subplots had more impact and didn't put me to sleep in such a way.
But hey, everyone's different. What might be a dull slice of life to me could be something special for you.
I'd really recommend it for people who like the genre but if you're more of an action junkie like me, then this might not be your cup of tea (haha that rhymes).
Anyway....
Happy Watching <3

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Mental Health and it's true dangers

I'm going to start by saying I have never suffered through any significant mental issues.
I am also grateful to say that none of my friends and family have experienced anything major.
But regardless of that fact, I have always been interested in mental health. I often watch YouTubers talk about their conditions and all the misinformation that has been spread around.
(Some really good channels are: DissocialDID, Johnny Benjamin 1, and EDucating Shanny)
So whenever I watch a show or movie with mental health as one of the main topics, I'm always a bit skeptical since I know how wrong the mainstream media can get things.
But with this show, I was pleasantly surprised by all the truths it brought.
Stuff like how hard it can be for the family, the harm it can bring the patient, and all the changes that can happen in a person's life were all portrayed nicely.
So looking at the medical part of this show, I am delighted with it. But some things ruined the experience...
So let's move on from this long introduction and get on with the details...

Story 〆(・∀・＠): I was really excited about the medical parts of this drama as well as all the romantic ones. Two of my favorite genres were put together; how could I not be ecstatic!? So I went into this show with a very positive mindset, and the beginning seemed to support it immensely. You get a good look at the characters, their relationships, and a hint on their upcoming development. So even though it wasn't the most exciting beginning, you never felt bored since it was like getting an appetizer before the main course...
Unfortunately, that main course took a bit too long to come to the table...
Hints of the main issue were dropped throughout the show, but it seemed to take forever to actually get there. I'm not going to lie; I enjoyed seeing our psychiatrists help mentally struggling patients, but other than that, the story seemed extremely repetitive.
The main couple got into a fight ---> They make up for a short amount of time ----> They get into another fight.
Yeah yeah yeah, I know couples fight, but our main one just kept doing it over the stupidest things. Even the main female protagonist, Ji Hae-soo, admits that she tends to act like a bish. Sure she had her "reasons," but it was irritating as a watcher and something I don't want to have to sit through again.
What saved the show for me was the ending. Things were wrapped up nicely, and the final few episodes were interesting for their entirety. Ji Hae-soo became somewhat likable only for her family to become the new bishes.
Like seriously!!!! Why can't there be a time where I like everyone!?
As for the side couples, I didn't really care about them. The second main duo's relationship kinda sprung out of nowhere. They kept arguing and after one big fight... BOOM.... they just got together.....
I mean... sorry if I missed something... but what???
So all in all, the romance was very meh for me.
I'd say this show's strongest points was in friendship and the realities of mental health. You see people break down and hit the lowest point in their lives but are helped out of it by those close to them. You see people fighting to have normal lives and can't help but cheer them on through it all!!!!

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: Acting was phenomenal!!!!! That's really all I need to say.
I mentioned that the characters had a tendency to get on my nerves, but that is solely due to the writing and not the actors themselves. When needed, they can tug at all the heartstrings and make you want to cry along with them. Jo In-sung is a fantastic example of how much talent these people have.
He appeared as such a happy go lucky guy all while showing how damaging it can be to force out a fake persona. His ability to show a character at the highest and lowest point in their life was breathtaking.
I could fully believe his struggles through his rough mental state and cheered him on with every step he made towards recovery!
Besides him, everyone had their moments to shine. There was not one particular actor that was carrying everything, and everybody seemed to work well together. The couples' chemistry may not have been the best due to writing, but the actors all seemed comfortable with each other and showed how important friendship can be.
So fantastic job everyone!! I hope to see you all again!!

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: This part of the show was absolutely hilarious.
I liked a lot of the music and always found myself paying attention to the translated lyrics (even though surprisingly, some of the songs were entirely in English). So music, in my eyes, was exceptional this time around.
What I think is funny is where the editors decided to put some of the songs.
Usually, you'd play a sad song during a sad scene and a happy one during a happy scene, but oh boy, these editors wanted to change things up. I loved watching a young boy get beat by his father to a cheery tune of someone singing about sunflowers or happiness (I don't remember the topic exactly). It really fit the scene of a suffering child
* sarcasm *
I don't know why they were added at such times, but it was interesting, nonetheless.
I don't know if I should hate it or love it, so I'll stay safe and neutral by saying it was definitely an experience...

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Since I, along with all my close ones, have never experienced anything significant in the mental department, I can't confirm or deny the legitimacy of some things.
From what I learned on my own, the show did seem true to many of the patients' conditions, and the writers didn't seem to add any un-needed dramatic flairs. Conditions seemed more severe and real in that sense.
So it's tough for me to talk about how accurate things are. If it was about physical health problems, I might have more to say, but that isn't the case.
I'm sure there are people who are much closer to the subject than I am and can give a more in-depth analysis.
So I'll end this part of the review here.

All in all, the show is a mix of love and hate.
I love how honest it is about mental conditions and how the writers don't try to add anything unnecessary for the sake of entertainment. What I hate about it is stuff like the romance and some of the character decisions that were made. I found myself bored and irritated for much longer than I'd ever want to be.
So when asked if I recommend it, I would have a different answer depending on the person.
If you're interested in medical shows, then go for it 100%!
But if that isn't your cup of tea and you are more focused on the romance, then I might be a bit more hesitant.
This show has a lot of strengths and weaknesses, so I recommend thinking a bit about it before giving it a shot.
Happy Watching <3

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I started watching this after finishing up the show W, which also had the same actor, Lee Jong Suk, as the lead. After reading the synopsis, I was definitely interested but was a little worried after reading a handful of reviews. Thinking that everybody's taste is different, I continued on with it, which is something I wish I hadn't done. For if I hadn't, I probably wouldn't have had to feel such frustration and disappointment.
Obviously, this is classified as a medical drama, but all the doctors and staff that work at the main hospital can only be seen as insane. And it's not even just the medical team, but also the show's antagonists can be considered psychotic. Nothing made sense in regards to the "big master plan" or any of the characters' motives. I get in dramas things have to be exaggerated and exciting, so not everything can be 100% logical. The main character Park Hoon, for example, had some god-given gift to diagnose any heart condition in seconds just by putting his hand to the patient's chest. And I'll admit that I'm a sucker for genius characters, so I didn't mind them exaggerating ones ability. I also don't mind when "villains" make over the top plans to get his/her's goals in motion since it can provide interesting plot points. But the writers clearly thought exaggerating things to titanic heights will make a "good" show. Therefore the antagonist becomes some immature child that keeps adding and changing things all for the audience to feel surprised or intrigued. But instead, you get people watching, wondering, "when did that happen?" or "why would they do that?"
You got characters magically disappearing than reappearing and others that just do nothing but feed the flames of frustration. The main love interest for Hoon, Jae-hee, can only be described as the single most annoying human in the freaking universe. Along with every other character, she practically does nothing but make stupid decisions but says they're "justified" even though she never thoroughly explains how. In fact, I even finished the show and STILL can't figure out why she did some things. She's by far not the only one, but she's the one that made me have to pause and contemplate if this is actually going anywhere.
But I still tried to look for some positives among the ocean of depression. I'll admit that there were a few moments that had my interest (coincidentally those moments didn't actually relate to the main plot.) There were some goofy moments that genuinely made me smile. And I really wished I could have seen more of Dr. Hoon treating people instead of this constant competition between the hospital staff that is not just frustrating but questions if the people at that hospital have any morals! Like seriously!? People are more focused on using patients' illnesses and problems for competition rather than... I don't know.... treating them normally! And if by some miracle, a doctor besides the protagonist, shows sympathy, it becomes some unbelievable game changer. But even after that, the characters still will go back to their old selves after an episode only for the cycle to repeat again and again.
Although there are many more things I would love to rant about in regards to this show, most of them would be considered spoilers. But don't worry, if you still decide to watch this show (Although I'm not in full support of that call) you'll figure it out eventually. It might take eighteen hours, but you'll get there. I wish you the best of luck on your ventures! Happy watching - (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞

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Right off the bat, my review is much higher than others I've seen.
And I'll admit that a lot of the things I liked about this show were circumstantial stuff... What do I mean by that?
The past few shows I've watched were very "light" ones that I could easily predict, so I was in such a mood for something heavier and more thought-provoking. This show brought that to me along with a bunch of other... things -_-
Let me just get straight to the point...

Story 〆(・∀・＠): I was so excited about this show before I watched it. It had a bunch of actors I was familiar with, the premise of parallel worlds was hella interesting, and just the whole aesthetic was beautiful. I waited till after it finished airing, so I didn't have to wait for a new episode each week, but that left me time to hear other people's reviews on it.
And that's when a big red flag was raised on how this show might now be what I expected. I ignored it and went on with it regardless, but after wrapping it up, I could see what everyone means.
The beginning, to me, was not that bad. I really loved the world-building and all the characters that were introduced. Sure the story's main conflict wasn't revealed until much later, but for some reason, I didn't mind watching this beautiful world come together. I mean seriously!! I would love to watch a show all about the Kingdom of Corea and the world it resides in. Sure there were some questionable character choices but nothing too out of the ordinary.
The problem with this show comes in the second half... more specifically, episode 13 and beyond.
The show could be a little confusing since the setting was continually changing from one world to the next without any clear way of knowing which is which. Unless it's explicitly stated or some prominent symbol is shown, you can get confused about exactly where the character is. So you always have to pay attention and use your head—something I wanted in a show at that specific time. But even with all the other not so clear choices and events that happened, the show didn't become difficult for me to comprehend until they brought in time travel.
THAT is when things went wrong for me.
The writers just kept adding new things into the already full supernatural mix. You already had parallel universes, but now there is time travel, alternate timelines (I think), and moments that I still can't understand even after doing so much research!!! Like... why writers!?
The characters started becoming unpredictable (not in a good way), and so many things were added just for a dramatic flair without consideration of what was already standing.
* sigh * It was like having to solve some complex math equation.
But then again, I always found a way to explain things to myself and even went out of my way to look up other people's theories and explanations. I think just doing that was somehow really enjoyable for me.
(I sound messed up... right) XD
I'd also like to mention how the scene order for this show makes NO SENSE!!! What I mean is that an episode will end on a cliffhanger, and then the next one will begin god knows where. They try and build things up while leaving other stuff a mystery. An example is how they'll show a scene, you watch it through and think it's done, but then two episodes later they'll cut back to it with whole new dialog that the writers wanted to be left a surprise...
like... NO... that's not how scenes work!!
Putting together everything I just said: the beginning was enjoyable since I personally enjoy fantasy world-building, but other stuff got incredibly confusing towards the end. After research and just talking to myself, I can put together 98% of the scattered pieces, but I know most people won't go out of their way to do that. So instead, this show is going to seem like an incredible unplanned out mess.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: As I mentioned earlier, most of my problems are in the writing and filming itself. I personally enjoyed the actors a lot. I didn't always like the characters, but that's because of the writing rather than the actors. I've seen these people in other works and know that most of them are incredibly talented. And when having to show it, they can.
For example, Woo Do-hwan had to be two different people with two different personalities. He pulled it off really well, and everything from posture to just tone of voice was carefully portrayed.
So I know that the flatness and unpredictability of a character comes from the writing instead of the actors.
Of course, some people may know more than me since I'm not an expert on acting, but using what I saw from the past, I know that these people have talent and don't want to say they don't because of this show's poor writing.
They tried hard in my eyes.
The relationship chemistry was... okay, I guess.
The romance kind of just popped up out of nowhere and shocked me a bit, but it was cute to watch nevertheless.
I liked the bromance and trust between some characters much more than the couple stuff.
Too bad the show was too focused on it, which ended up sacrificing a lot of what I loved...

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: I really did like the music. I think the music and all the scenery fit well together.
There were those happy songs that played at happy moments and sad ones during sad moments.
What made me raise the score a bit was the songs that played during the opening and ending portions of the show.
I could honestly re-watch the opening over and over again! The music and the whole abstract editing bit looked so flipping cool.
I know that doesn't connect much to music, but It was just soooo cool!
Overall, music was more enjoyable than those from other shows I've watched, but nothing revolutionary.

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Oooooof
Where do I begin with this mess?
I'm just going to repeat that I didn't mind having to solve a lot of the loopholes. For some reason, I found it fun and brain-racking, which was something I wanted in a show at that specific moment.
I was still irritated since it definitely was much messier than I would've liked, but not so much to where I wanted to drop the show.
The parallel universes bit wasn't the part that was hard to grasp... it was everything else. What the legendary flute could do, the boy who likes yoyo's, memories from alternate times, just the whole shebang was so disorganized.
From that disorganization comes so many unanswered questions and plot lines that just don't make one ounce of sense.
I will not say which ones, but just be warned that past episode thirteen, your brain will want to explode.

Although I've listed so many problems (that were major ones), I still couldn't give the show that low of a score.
I did like a lot of it and would watch it again one day. Maybe if I watch it again, then things will finally make more sense XD
I'm a huge fan of world-building, and TKEM brought me something so interesting that I just wanted to know more about the kingdom and its monarchy.
I don't think I'd recommend it since the main things I loved about this show are more focused on my interests rather than what I'd think most people would like. In fact, I wouldn't recommend it to any curious person.
This show had so much potential and was beautiful in all things except the writing and editing.
If you're ready to use all your brain power, then go for it. But otherwise... run
Happy Watching <3

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I know, I know... This is like the fifth time I gave a show the score 8.0... in a row...
I swear I'm not trying to be lazy, but for some reason, that's just my score for average shows. Which matches perfectly to what this is to me: Average.
I'm glad to have it completed, although I'm a bit irritated over certain things.
But even with the irritation, I found myself really enjoying other parts, making so much good and bad to deliberate over.
So let's cut into the turkey!

Story 〆(・∀・＠): I'm not a huge historical person, so that part of the show isn't what drew me in. I went in not expecting much and was already surprised by how the show begins. It starts in the past, but not in a flashback type of way. The first few episodes illustrate the conflicts and introduce the characters (their child versions that is). I was a bit unsure about it, but believe me when I say that the beginning is probably one of my favorite parts of the show. It started so strong, and the child actors all did amazing. One of them even did better than their adult counterpart, which I'll discuss later. This made my average expectations turn into overloading excitement. METS had one of my favorite beginnings. And getting to watch Heo Yeon-woo "die" was enjoyable. I'm not trying to sound like a cold-blooded monster, but just seeing everyone's acting and the emotional turmoil so early on made me feel extremely invested. She didn't actually die, so maybe that's why I liked it so much.
The excitement slowly died in the middle, though. Everything felt so flat, and all the hopes I had for it turned into boredom. It was never too severe, and I still found a way to enjoy it, but it definitely does not hold a candle to the emotional beginning. The second half picked the pace back up, but it still never felt the same. The characters slowly got more irritating to me, and the unused potential it had made me feel bad. Regardless of that, I still found myself liking the show quite a bit. There was more good than bad in the final few episodes, which is why I'm a bit more forgiving. But not enough to where I can feel the same investment I once felt.
I also feel that it should be known that this is a romance through and through. The whole political aspect didn't feel as enforced and seemed like a side story to the leads' romantic journey. Everything centers around the two lovers, and all their decisions were made with the other one in mind. I'm all for an undying romance, but it becomes a bit of an issue when that makes the characters into flat pieces of cardboard. There were still a lot of cute moments with emotional ones not far behind. The two leads did have a chemistry that I can get behind, but I wished the writers exceeded them.
But as much as I keep ragging on METS, I will admit that the heartwarming moments did manage to reach me. There was so much passion put into it by the actors and made the dull moments somehow likable. If you're into romance, then this is your show, but if not, I wouldn't recommend it.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: I wish I could say that all the actors did flawlessly. To be honest, 90% of them did do a fantastic job. You have to consider that they had to find child and adult actors that had some sort of resemblance to each other, so there was a pretty big limitation put up. But casting wise, they did spectacular. Some characters didn't look exactly the same, but close enough to where I could believe it. For example, the two actors playing Princess Min-hwa (Jin Ji-hee and Nam Bo-ra) could honestly be sisters. They were just one of the many pairs of successful casting that I witnessed. So massive round of applause in that department!!
Without appearance in mind, the acting was also done really well. As I mentioned earlier, there were many emotional scenes that only hit the mark due to its cast of talented actors. Most of them I already knew, so I had a lot of faith that they could do anything the writers gave them. The only one I had a problem with is Han Ga-in. I don't blame her entirely since the writers had a hand in worsening her character, but she just felt like an emotionless piece of bread to me. Her younger self was a much more established character with a much more likable personality.
Yeah yeah, I know she loses her memories which is why she becomes a bit boring, but even when Yeon-woo regained them, she didn't recover any of the spunk her child actor self brought. It was kind of disappointing. Not my favorite female lead, but what can you do? At least Kim Soo-hyun swooped in and saved the day a bit. Jung II-woo was also a big help in the acting side of things. Good job boys and nice try Ga-in.

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: If you like traditional Korean music, then you'll like the soundtrack a lot. And by soundtrack, I mean the opening song. It was a charming tune to listen too and suited the show really well. Other than that, nothing hit me as impressive. The background songs were all the same to me and did their jobs just fine. They helped set the mood but nothing else. Nothing for hardcore music fans but never out of place.
A completely average show music wise.

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Yes, there was supernatural stuff. And a whole bunch of it too.
The show brought in the idea of spiritual magic and shamans who can use it. I can't talk about loopholes since the whole magic side of things was extremely open-ended. It's one of those things where the world is so open that anything can happen, making all the questions okay without answers. Did I have a few of them? Yeah, but not too many.
Nothing was plot threatening or confusing. In fact, everything was laid out pretty well.
The magic stuff never felt too overpowering and seemed like a helping hand in making the show unique. It didn't even look like a cheap plot cop-out and was only used to help strengthen the main events. Something I can entirely get behind!

My last thoughts on METS is that it's a waste of potential that I still found myself enjoying.
I'd recommend it to those who love romance but not to anyone else.
And if I could see myself maybe going back to watch a few more of the gut-wrenching scenes. I might even rewatch it if I'm ever bored or going through a show hole phase. But no promises since I might not want to sit through the boring middle again.
I just wish it could have kept up with the fantastic pace that was laid out in the beginning.
But I guess beggars can't be choosers...
Happy Watching <3

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Why did I like this show so much?
I'm still trying to answer that question.
It's just a music-based slice-of-life, which are both genres that don't interest me in the slightest.
I really only watched it due to a strong "recommendation" from a friend.
But now... sitting here... writing a review... I-I have to admit that I grew extremely fond of it.
How on earth did this happen?
Here's what I know....

Story 〆(・∀・＠): What hasn't been said yet?
This show takes place in a school dedicated to helping kids become stars, so the entirety of the story is centered around personal growth. Because of that, it was a straightforward show to watch. It was a story that had a few heavy topics in mind but always addressed it in a more calming manner. That way, you could see some dark truths but never feel the show losing its calm slice-of-life vibe.
What I think Dream High's strongest point is that everything ran like a well-oiled machine. No topic hung around too long, and every problem hit its climax and resolution at a perfect time. I applaud the writers for being able to do this since, in a lot of high school shows, misunderstandings tend to be taken out of proportion. It's this smooth writing style that might have had such a substantial impact on my opinion with the show.
Another thing is the side stories. As you can see in the title picture, there is a large group of protagonists. And of course, they each have their own challenges to face, which brings quite a few sub-plots. But here's the weird part...
I liked the sub-plots more than the actual one.
Of course, the main one was strong (more in the end than in the beginning), but I could connect with the side stories more than anything else. This also relates to how I liked the side-main characters more than the main main ones.
Does that make sense?
An example being Pil-Sook and Jason (IU and Jang Woo-young). I loved watching them more than anybody else, and they weren't the show's prime focus.
What I'm trying to say is that all the characters are likable in their own way. Maybe not at all times (I'm looking at you Go Hye-min) but enough to find yourself wanting to watch what life has in store for them.
It's a really empowering show in that way.
Buuuuut, since it is a slice of life, I have to be honest and admit I did get bored a few times. Just a few though...
The show provided enough moments to where my undivided attention was brought. So congratulations show!
You've done what other feel-good school shows couldn't. Not even Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo could do it.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: eeeek. Alright...
I've never had such a problem with acting before. It's rare to find a show where every single cast member is perfect. But usually, it's up to the leads to pull through and help the viewer overlook it. Yet, in Dream High, it was the side characters that seemed to do the pulling. Bae Suzy.... girl... Where do I start with you?
She was one of my main issues with this show. I've seen her in more recent works, and I can confirm she has definitely improved. But in this show, I was really disappointed. She just couldn't show emotion.
When she's angry she'd yell, when she's sad she'd cry, and when she's happy she'll smile.
But what else does she have to do? I feel like she couldn't answer this question. So much of the show was just her lifeless eyes spouting out lines. Although she'd do those things to show emotion, there never felt to be any sincerity. It even became a joke in the show how Hye-min was so emotionless. And I know this type of acting wasn't purposeful since I saw scenes where other actors were giving it 110% but she just.... I dunno.... smiled lifelessly?
She was irritating, that's for sure, but not enough to where I was miserable.
Other actors were okay. A lot of them were just pretty faces. I never had an issue with anybody else the way I did with Suzy, but I did feel like some would only say their lines with emotion yet not fully put themselves out there.
The one who truly blew my mind was the actor who was the only one not an idol. Yet his acting made it look like he had the most experience. So fantastic job Kim Soo-Hyun!!!
But in short, the acting is okay. It's extreme eye candy, that's for sure, but nothing to win an award with.

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪ / Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Usually I keep the music and the other sections of the review separate, but this time they were so close in content that I just thought it would be easier to lump together.
For the first time in Kdrama history, I can actually talk about the music without scavenging for something to say.
I also need to preface that I am not a Kpop fan. I don't dislike the music, but I'm not a fan of any one band and have only bought a few songs. But regardless of that, I still found some really catchy tunes. What helped me appreciate the music part of this show was how much variety there was. There were some slow-paced ones, catchy pop ones, and maybe one or two light rock ones. Most of the melodies themselves were terrific on their own. I can't say there was a particular song that I fell for, and I'll most likely never listen to the songs again. But that doesn't mean they were terrible.
If you're a Kpop fan, than this show will be a gift to the ears!
And when you see some of the dance moves that these idol actors can do.... it.... it just blows my mind!
I wish I could've seen more of the dancing since it was just so mesmerizing.
All in all, the whole musical part of this show was pulled off really well. There was an equal distribution of music and drama, so one side never felt too overpowering. It was so fun to watch that I even had the urge to brush up my old piano skills (something I haven't done since I was 8). So yay for the empowerment!!

To summarize everything up in a neat little conclusion, I enjoyed this show more than I thought I would.
It was so easy-going and enjoyable while still having that slight worry of who's going to make it.
The character development was amazing to watch, and each side-story connected to the bigger picture.
The romance was cute ( I wished there was a bit more ).
The ending was heartwarming.
There wasn't too much action or tragedy, yet your heart strings were still pulled.
It's a show I'll recommend even though I wouldn't watch it again.
Happy Watching <3

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Super Star Academy.....
That happened. I watched it.
Do I regret watching it? A bit.
It's one of those shows where it's so bad that it becomes somewhat enjoyable. It's just... the best way to describe this show is that it feels as if it was written by a twelve-year-old, shot by a high school film team, and all the special effects were added by some free app on the App Store.
It's a mess.
Let me go into more detail on what kind of mess this is....

Story 〆(・∀・＠): As I mentioned earlier, it is a story that feels as if it came from some twelve-year-old fanfic that was written on Wattpad. So... girl. Average girl, (It says she got bullied but I feel like she's fine up until coming to the school. I think it's just one of those things the writers added in to make her relatable... I dunno anymore) she goes to this magic school because she made magic noodles (wish I can say I'm kidding) and meets a group of extremely odd characters. Not gonna lie, I enjoyed some of them. Some were weird in a likable way, and some were just outright good looking. Anyway, with the story... It was extremely basic. They stuffed in so many magic school tropes that have been used a countless amount of times. And when it came to them wanting to add a major conflict, I felt like nothing was at stake because nothing made any flipping sense! I ended up being just confused and sitting there with the feeling of my IQ plummeting to the ground. The one thing I can appreciate is that the writers probably knew how garbage the show was and did not take themselves seriously. And even when they did try and make a moment with the hopes of pulling on the heartstrings, I found myself laughing at how ridiculous it was. Maybe the writers meant to do this? I really don't know. All of it was just a hot middle school Wattpad fanfictiony mess.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: These actors.... they feel to me as if this was their first production. A lot of them are idols and are apart of bands. They also (at the time of this show being produced) don't seem to have a lot of experience under their belt. The only actor I heard of before starting this show was Sean Xiao. The acting in itself was hilarious in ways it shouldn't have been. The show became so much more enjoyable because the acting was just........ bad. I'm not saying everyone was terrible. All I know is that moments, where I should have been emotional or saddened were actually just me laughing it up because I couldn't take the acting seriously. I'm not going to go into any specific moment because *cough* it's a spoiler-free review. But let me just say that in the end, in the moments where I'm supposed to feel something, I just burst out laughing because of everyone's facial expressions. This show does seem like an excellent place to get a person's name out. So I definitely see it as a beginner's project. But in no way was the acting even close to award-winning and was just so unusual that I ended up taking so much delight in it.

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: This is the one thing that I think the show did very well with. Maybe it's just my personal taste, but the opening songs (there were two of them) were just...... jams. I had a blast listening to them every time the episode started. I usually watch opening sequences for shows just to see the effects or set up they have going. Rarely do I watch an opening for the music itself. But in Super Star Academy, I just closed my eyes and listened to the opening songs. Background music, on the other hand, was nothing special. They did what they were meant to do in regards to setting a mood so I'll give it credit. The opening songs, on the other hand, were the real show stoppers. *claps*

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: The supernatural stuff... time to talk about that. I'm not going to touch on the special effects themselves since it's kind of depressing to talk about. But the whole premise with people being born under a particular zodiac and having powers just..... I was just.... it was confusing. I do not understand who gets powers and who doesn't. Clearly, everyone has a zodiac. But who gets powers? It's set in the modern-day world, and nobody seems fully aware of these super-powered people, but none of them even tried to hide themselves. All while the school itself having small classes (tiny in respect to the classroom sizes in America), so I'm just confused about who gets powers and who doesn't. Also, the superpowers themselves were confusing. Besides their quick introduction in the beginning, I struggled to remember which zodiac could to what. Even when I think I have it down *BOOM* someone who can predict the future just made some kind of magic energy blast. I could never keep up with what people can do. Even the main female protagonist, Cheng Zhi Er, gave me a headache with her "superpower." Magic noodles? Does nobody ever question that!? No. Because again, this seems like a twelve-year-old Wattpad writer who doesn't know how to tie up loose ends.

It's really the only way I know how to describe this show: it being such garbage that I found myself continuously watching it.
Did I get bored while watching it? Yes. (Some scenes were just too stupid for me)
But I never got so bored that I ended up dropping it.
What helped me get through it was just imagining it as a high school film assignment (but then again I might be giving this show too much credit)
I will finish off by saying I don't regret watching it. There were some hilarious moments that, for some reason, kept me from playing the dropped button.
So if your ever looking for a show where you don't need any brain cells (and don't mind losing a few while you're at it), then, by all means, go for it. This show is perfect in the art of dumbing one down a bit. And with summer on the way, why not start early? It's also not that long, so it doesn't feel like too much of a commitment.
Definitely give it a shot if your bored, wanting to feel stupid, and don't mind watching garbage.
Happy watching <3

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Alrighty then! I've completed the journey that is "Oh My Ghostess," and all I can say is.... welp.... wow. That's not necessarily meant in a good way, but I don't wanna pin it to negativity either. This show put me in a lot of places. Some of those places were me questioning if I should continue on. After finishing it, I'm glad I did, but that isn't to say I've forgiven this show entirely.

Story 〆(・∀・＠): This was one of the main issues I had with this show. I was already shaky going into it since I worried about the upcoming love triangle. And sadly - something that hardly ever happens - I was right. The story seemed to pause and hover over certain moments and plot points. In the beginning, the show was so focused on the ghost, Soon-ae, and then in the next half of the show, it was so concentrated on Bong-sun. The same situation happened with the story's mood. In the beginning, it's light-hearted and overdramatic in regards to its comedy, but then it switches to something of a "thriller." As a fan of action-packed dramas, I wish they evenly distributed these plot points instead of separating the show as if there is some wall. Thus making me have to wait until near the end to be able to enjoy it fully. It felt like the story wasn't taking off quite yet, which bored me to a certain point. I'm not going to deny it, there are some funny jokes (and if you like more sexual related ones, then you're in luck), but I, personally, am not the biggest fan of that type of humor. But since the ending was extremely entertaining and got me excited to push the "play next episode" button, I'll bump up the score a bit.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: The acting, by-far, was one of the shows strongest features. Park Bo-Young was absolutely incredible. The issue with her character is that there were two different souls in her body; Two souls with remarkably different personalities. But she played it off as if it was nothing. It was so amazing to see her jump from a shy and timid girl to one yelling and talking about sex. The change was so believable, and so much heart was put in that I can't do anything but give a standing ovation. Kim Seul-Gi was also impressive when her character wasn't in Bong-sun's body. Although I wish she was given more time, Seul-Gi took what she had and made it work. The ghost's feelings were so lively and, at times, utterly heartbreaking. Jo Jung-Suk pulled off the male lead perfectly, allowing for the main romantic leads to omit such a loving chemistry.

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: Music is something I struggle to judge since I don't have much experience in anything related to it. Nothing caught my attention, which is the only thing that I really look for. The music was calming and matched its respective scenes, but you won't find me going out to look for the soundtrack.

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: I'm not going to spoil anything, but I do want to mention that some parts of the romance.... well... they made me feel a bit uncomfortable. The main couple was cute, but there were moments I didn't like where the show was going. As mentioned earlier, some characters got too much attention causing me to question how it was going to turn out in the end. Another point that frustrated me a bit was the ghost rules. This is the one thing that I really pay attention to. I'm a stickler for rules when it comes to a supernatural drama since I want to be able to understand what can and cannot happen. This show laid out its ghost rules, but I can't say they kept to it 100%. Not saying that it's incredibly distracting, but this isn't exactly a show with a strict rule book.

Closing up, I'm glad I finished the show. It's a particular case where the ending was so much stronger and more enjoyable than the beginning. I also love the cooking aspects of it and the teamwork of the leading group of chefs. I would say it's a bit overhyped, but that doesn't mean it was entirely unenjoyable. I can see the appeal and can understand why so many people enjoyed it. Everyone has their tastes in how things run. So give this show a shot if it suites your fancy.
Happy watching <3

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Gah!!
Why show!?
I wanted to love you so much!!!
I was so excited to watch He is Psychometric once I read the synopsis. It had everything I love: action, romance, and something supernaturally special about it. I usually fall head over heels with this time of show, but I couldn't this time around for some reason.
Here's the breakdown...

Story 〆(・∀・＠): This is going to be extremely difficult since a large portion of the problems I have with this show are definitely spoiler worthy. So please excuse me if I sound a bit broad.
Not gonna lie, the story started extremely slow. It did an excellent job in building up the characters and their backstories, so I didn't necessarily mind it. Better get the boring stuff out of the way early, right? But after a few episodes went by with not that much progress, I did get a bit bored. It wasn't too bad, but it was a rough start.
Jumping from that, I'll admit that the second half get's more exciting. I never got tired of what was happening and was genuinely invested in where things were going. Even though I was interested, I didn't necessarily like where things ended up. I was more watching to see the results rather than the journey. I can confirm that this show does things that I haven't seen others do. It really pulled the rug of comfort from under my feet and beat me repeatedly. Some decisions were incredibly unique and exciting, while others just made me feel.... sad. But I guess that makes a good twist so maybe I'm just a big baby.
The romance was meh for me. The relationship-building happened at the beginning, which was pleasant to watch, but it got swept aside in the second half. The chemistry itself was also pretty average. I enjoyed the two leads but felt way more invested with the love between other characters rather than them. In fact, I was more invested with others rather than Lee Ahn and Yoon Jae-in. The acting wasn't bad; it's just the characters themselves I guess. I can't put my finger on what bothered me, but I just never enjoyed it like I thought I would.
With all the negativity out of the way, I can admit that I was entertained with the overall story. There were some cute comedic bits and dark story twists, but they never felt forced into each other. And just because I didn't like how some things turned out, doesn't mean that the writing was terrible. I'm just salty.... moving on!!!

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: I was genuinely surprised. That's a good way of starting this.
I didn't have any problems with the leading actors, nor with any of the side ones. The beginning did an excellent job of building up the characters so that the actors had more time to really connect with them.
I'll also say that I haven't watched any previous works with this group of actors in them. The two mains Park Jin-young and Shin Ye-eun, didn't have much under their belt either. But both of them did amazing! I didn't always connect with their characters, but that's more due to the writing. They both conveyed emotion beautifully, especially Jin-young. Like god... please give him more lead roles!! He truly deserves it.
I'm not gonna talk about anybody else for.... reasons... but I'll admit that the actors considered everything. What seems like a poor acting choice connects to the grand scheme of things and becomes rather impressive.
I guess the reason I can't give it a 10 / 10 is due to some minor background characters. Sometimes they felt just a bit too out-there. I don't know if it's the actors or the writing, but a few pushed my buttons.
Nothing to fret over though! :D

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: Quick and easy! That is my goal for this dreadful review portion.
Everything was very mediocre—happy songs at happy parts and sad songs during depressing ones. There wasn't any song that seemed unique or exciting but nothing out of place either—just your run of the mill background music.
I'll admit that during the creepy, more suspenseful scenes, had a song choice that made me feel a bit spooked.
Especially when you're watching it at night, so I guess that's a plus.
But other than that, nothing unusual in the music department.

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: The psychometric ability was delightful.
It was a nice twist that the main lead didn't have it entirely under control and instead developed it over time.
It was also interesting to include objects with things he can see through since it made the ability feel more unique to this show. There weren't many loopholes either. Near the end, the writers sprung something up that would have been best left alone, which was a bit annoying. It wasn't a big plot hole but definitely left me with questions.
What also bugged me a bit is that the ability was underused. Yes, Lee Ahn did use his talent in every episode, and it did have a significant role in discovering specific vital points. But the writers brought other issues that were much more delved into. This show could honestly get rid of the psychometric stuff and focus on (can't say it but... another character thing) which would have also made for a great show.
So if they maybe focused more on Ahn's ability and brought up the issue they saved till the last minute, then perhaps I wouldn't feel so uneasy.
Then again, these aren't problems you'd worry about while watching. I'm just incredibly picky with this type of stuff...

Finishing up the review, I'm leaving a bit salty and upset.
I'm glad I watched it, and I might recommend it to a few people, but I doubt I'll purposely watch it again.
Maybe if someone I know wants to watch it with me, then I might tag along, but never alone.
The story was entertaining, but at the same time a letdown, the acting was tremendous yet the characters weren't always on the same page with me, and the overall ending wrapped up everything but left me disappointed
This show does things that I've hardly seen done so I'll commend it.
But it's not what I thought it would be. I guess I put all my eggs in the basket too soon.
Womp womp
Happy Watching <3

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Noooooo...
I'm so sad it had to end...
I-I just want a season two even though I know it's pretty impossible. One can dream though.
I was so tempted to put this show as one of my all-time favorites but ended up going against it. As much as I love love loved it, some things need to be said.
So let's go on and say it...

Story 〆(・∀・＠): This show is a mystery with supernatural aspects to it. That's a no brainer.
But I love how they incorporated the superpowers into everyday society. Usually, the special person has to hide their abilities, but this show decided against that, which I ultimately loved. I also loved the mystery itself. There were so many twists and turns, which made it so hard for me to put the puzzle pieces together.
I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
I'm not an avid mystery/investigation drama watcher. In all honesty, I watched this show to see some super-powered action as well as for Yoo Seung-ho (I'm a sucker for him). But I was delightfully surprised to find myself just itching to watch the next episode.
And as much as I can go on about everything I loved, there were a few negative things...
First is that there were so many names and faces. I struggle to remember Korean names if so many are thrown at me during a short period. I can handle the central protagonists/antagonists' names, but in mysteries, there are a lot of witnesses, suspects, and just a lot of other people. They'll come into the story then leave, so sometimes if you don't remember their name, it's difficult to feel the same shock when something surprising is revealed.
Another thing is that there were so many routes the story took. Similar to real life, there are a lot of dead ends in criminal cases. This show made sure to show it. There were so many unnecessary scenes that were added in all to throw the viewer off. While that's fine once or twice, doing it regularly makes it a bit trickier to follow.
With those two main things being said, I didn't particularly mind it. I did have to use a recap website to understand everything properly, but it never ruined my enjoyment for the show. That's why I can't bring myself to give it too low of a score.
I just had so much fun watching it! :D

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: Oh boy here we go.
I just wanna give everyone a round of applause. *stands and claps*
There were so many emotional, mentally disturbed, and comedic characters that were involved. And pretty much every actor gave it their all. Yoo Seung-ho was flawless in my eyes and made it so easy to connect with Dong Baek. Even in the first episode, I found myself cheering him on! Lee Se-young also did fantastic in portraying the reserved Han Sun-mi. Usually, with more logical and conserved characters, it's harder to connect with them since it takes longer for them to open up. Although Se-young managed to rock it!!!
I also wanna give a special shout out to Jo Han-chul!!! My god was he amazing.
Even though he wasn't introduced in the beginning and wasn't apart of the main gang, I ended the show with Jin Jae-gyung as my favorite character. I don't wanna say why since it'll spoil too much. But know that the crazy characters.... well... their actors brought and owned it!!!

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: Same old situation for the music category.
The show is mystery based, so most of the background songs were just there to provide a suspenseful feeling. It worked, don't get me wrong. I genuinely felt anxious during some scenes. So the music did its job. I just didn't care much for it, which is why the score isn't as high. The ending song was interesting, though, so I'll give that credit.
But overall, this isn't a show you'd watch just for the soundtrack.

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Supernatural stuff. Let's talk about it!
It's so hard to discuss specific details cause then we'd be walking into the spoiler zone. And although I'd love to rant, I write reviews with people who don't like spoilers in mind. But that makes this show a bit more trickier to explain.
Dong Baek can see into people's memories. A very straight forward gift.
Yes, it was used to forward plot but not so much to where it felt forced. I really loved how it was able to fit in with everything. I did have some questions, but the show managed to end with answering most of them. I can't say what they were, but I will admit that there were one or two things that never fully got cleared up.
Thus this show didn't end with no plot holes. There were quite a few but nothing too significant.
I also liked how this show didn't rely on just the same group of police. There were different branches and roles, and the ways they interacted with each other made you question which side you're on.
Something I can really appreciate.

I think the main reason I can't add this to my favorites list is because I don't think I'd watch it again.
So much of it is a mystery, and rewatching investigation shows is just not the same the second time.
Although it can be fun to see small details you missed, this show just had a lot of story routes that led nowhere, and I don't want to have to go through them again.
But the characters and overarching plot stole my heart!
I would do anything for a second season since I'm not ready to part with it.
I 100% recommend this to anyone who likes anything related to the supernatural, mystery related things, or is just in the mood to watch something new.
It's definitely something I'll remember... let's just hope nobody wipes it ;)
Happy watching <3

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やった！
I was finally able to finish up Coffee Prince. The last show I watched shared the plot point of a rich guy falling in love with a girl who was hiding a big secret. Kinda funny how similar the storylines were.
I'm not going to go into a comparison (and no, it was none of the remakes), but I'm just glad that I was able to finish it up.
I feel like I'm making myself sound bored and relieved of the shows ending...
(Guess the gloomy weathers getting to me)
In actuality, It was a sweet show that I would recommend to anyone.
Here's some more about it...

Story 〆(・∀・＠): I'm not going to review the synopsis since... you know... it's right up there. I'm going to admit that the love story is so refreshing, and I adore it so much. It's not just about a guy loving a girl but two people loving each other despite their gender. Yeah, I know that it's still a story about a male and a female, but they started liking each other before one found out. They tackled the struggle some people have of same-sex relationships as well as not relying too much on the rich guy/poor women trope that is practically plastered in every show. The side characters were also lovable. All the staff at the Coffee Prince were unique and defined, which allowed you to grow attached easily. Each had their own desires and problems that didn't center around the leading duo. Even so, they had a connection with each other that made it seem like they're really just friends going through love troubles.
They were also pretty cute, so the girly side of me very much approved.
I wasn't a big fan of all the side stories though. Sometimes it felt like the writers wanted to keep side plots going along with the main one but didn't have enough material to do so. Therefore there was a feeling of repetitively to them. I would've loved it if the stories were a bit more diverse and exciting so that I wouldn't have had lost interest.
This problem started to affect the show in the latter half too—just the constant sense of being repetitive. But the show made up for it by providing cute squeal-worthy romance moments and friendly interactions that made you just want to sit and watch for hours.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: In my last review, I spent waaaay to much time talking about the actors, so hopefully I can keep this short and sweet. The two leads fit their characters perfectly. I'm already a huge Gong Yoo fan, so I had high expectations for him. Expectations that he met quite easily. He has a knack for playing characters that develop over time. His expressions and mannerisms match Choi Han-gyul to a tea. Yoon Eun-hye was also perfect for her role. She really was able to pull off the whole fake manliness thing. I've seen shows where the girl pretending to be a boy but looks too feminine and unbelievable. But Eun-hye had the body language, looks, and personality of someone truly resembling a male. But when she needs to, she can end up looking like a beautiful woman. Just the vast amount of possibilities with her appearance fits the character. Together, the two leads had fantastic chemistry and showed what love truly is. The side characters, as I mentioned earlier, all were interesting in their way. That's all thanks to the actors. I could see how comfortable they were with each other, which made the show feel more real.

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: Duh Duh DAH!!! Music time baby!
I'm not going to say I liked all the music. It was all average sounding to me. But the reason I'll give it credit is because it matches the setting so well. It wasn't just happy and sad music that played when needed. It had somewhat of a calming sense to it, which is something you'd actually find in a coffee shop. I'm sure there were different types of songs that I'm just not remembering, but that usually means that they were nothing special. The opening song was light and cheery, but one line kind of sounded like something else. Nothing terrible but every time I heard it I thought the singers were saying: ♪ Just how much did that mustard pray for you ♪
It doesn't make sense and isn't relevant to this review at all... but I nonstop thought of it, so now I shall spread the confusion. :)

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: I usually use this portion of the review to voice my opinion on the show's topic. For example, I talked about the supernatural part of the show when reviewing Oh My Ghostess. I've never worked at a cafe or had a job in that type of business. But I'll admit that its nice to see the coffee shop rise from nothing. It's like watching a kid grow up (maybe not as life-changing, but still an enjoyable growth sequence). The show is pretty overdramatic with a few things, but it never makes it feel like too much. It's a very down to earth relaxing show that you never have to tear your hair out about. So a toast to that!

For the first time, I feel like my review is at a decent length.
Will that happen again? Let's hope so!
In all fairness, this show is nothing surprising and doesn't have much of a heavy bone. The romance is cute, and the characters are sweet. A perfect show if you just want to relax..... with... let's say a cup of coffee.
I recommend it to anyone interested in romance.
As for me, I'm gonna go catch up on some much-needed crime thrillers.
Happy Watching <3

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Yay, It's review time!
The moment I completed the final episode, I jumped onto here to share my thoughts. The reason for this review enthusiasm probably comes from the dislike / like relationship I'm currently going through.
( not strong enough to say it's a love/hate type one )
I can best describe this show as a roller coaster in the best and the worst ways. I know I'm going back and forth with my words a lot, so let me just cut to the chase...

Story 〆(・∀・＠): The synopsis, in the beginning, already handed me a plate of good feelings. And the trailer was merely the cherry on top. It seemed so light-hearted and comedic, which is what I thought it would be for most of the show. The beginning matched my expectations, but the mood completely took a 180 in the middle. It became less of a romcom and more of a melodrama. The reasoning behind everything made sense, so it didn't feel forced, but it kind of saddened me to see the characters upset for such a long time. Every time I thought some resolution came, another problem just popped into existence. The show's mood then did another 180 near the end, which bought a bit more of the comedic aspects back. Even though I didn't have that big of an issue with the sudden mood changes, It is definitely surprising considering how I thought everything would play out. Another thing is the questions that I had to ask myself. In the beginning, a lot of stuff just kinda happened, and they wouldn't fully explain things. I had to make educated guesses only to have the answer revealed to me halfway through the show. That doesn't mean there were many plot holes in the end, but it was still a bit irritating to have to deal with. Other than those two things, I didn't have an issue with the story. It was touching to see the characters grow and the impact they had on each other. It makes you value family and the people around you so much more.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: Crying... so much crying. I use the same symbol face for whenever I talk about acting, but this time it really reflects what was happening. The acting was phenomenal, especially by the three main leads. I'm not going to lie, this was the first time I encountered these actors. I didn't have an opinion on them going in, but I'm speechless now that I'm out. Yoo Sueng-ho, just.... so much emotions. He cried enough to flood a city but smiled so brightly that is dried up before causing any damage. Sueng-ho was so fantastic at conveying the character's emotions to the point... I just don't really know how to explain it. Not only did he put his heart and soul into this character, but he mastered the development that came with it. How he entered and left the show was so different but in the best ways. I can honestly go as far as to say he became one of my favorite actors. Chae Soo-bin was also spectacular. Her whole appearance just suited that of a robot ( not in a bad way, of course ). She just has such a doll-like face. In my opinion, at least. Besides her looks, the girl is talented beyond belief. Like Sueng-ho, Soo-bin had to show a character slowly put pieces of a puzzle together and change each time she got closer to the finish. It doesn't make much sense when I say it, but the small changes she showed as the story progressed were gratifying to watch. And finally, the mad scientist himself. I particularly liked how Uhm Ki-joon took on the character of Hong Baek-gyun. He wasn't your run-of-the-mill genius scientist and showed himself to have insecurities too. All three of them worked so well together. So props to them all. What brings the score down was the foreign actors. I don't understand why one of the antagonists needed to be from a different country. He could've been Korean, which wouldn't have changed much besides making the show a bit less awkward. I am a native English speaker (despite my sucky writing), and I felt a bit uneasy at some parts. Just the delivery in some lines was so awkward, and they didn't seem like experienced actors. I also had to listen to Korean men speak English. I get English isn't an easy language to pronounce, so I felt bad for some of the actors who clearly didn't have much experience. I could barely make out what some were saying and just looked towards my English speaking villain who seems like a tourist they brought off the street.

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: The acting part of this review was a bit too long... I know. I'll make the music portion a bit more quick and straight to the point. There was bubbly and upbeat music at happy times and slow emotional ones during sad times. There was one song that I thought had a few refreshing versus, but nothing too exciting. It was just really basic background music. No need to go looking for it on.... I dunno... Spotify?

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Gaaaahhhh! Here is the part where I need to vent a bit. But don't worry, no spoilers. The robot part of the relationship..... aaaah. So much of this show was Kim Min-kyu and the "robot" Aji-3. The chemistry was adorable, not going to lie, but I couldn't find myself appreciating it as much. To me, it seemed like a relationship entirely built off of lies. Although they do discuss this later on, so much of the show was just me itching at the chance to jump into my laptop and fix things. I know that it's very much impossible, but it still bugged me regardless. And for the robot looking exactly like someone's ex-girlfriend. That made me a bit... uncomfortable. Not too much, but it definitely made me hover a bit.

Although this review is a bit all over the place, thanks to my messy brain, I hope this made sense.
I never got bored while watching, but I did get irritated and confused a lot. The romance is sweet, but it is also so much more emotional than what I'd thought it would be. I guess the sudden changes in the show's overall mood made me feel a bit more on edge.
I'll be heading out now but do give this show a try. It's different than other romcoms, but it also holds such a deep meaning on family and the relationships you can have with others.
So although I may have been shocked a bit, I can finish off by saying I did enjoy watching this.
And hopefully, you'll be the same.
Happy Watching <3

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My heart...
my poor poor single heart.
This show was no masterpiece, but for some reason, I found myself immediately jumping from one episode to the next. One of the reasons this could be is due to how unique this basic storyline is. It's confusing... I know... but I don't know how else to explain it. So let me organize it....

Story 〆(・∀・＠): Here is where I am a bit confused. The story is a sweet classic romance between an arrogant CEO and his always reliable secretary who decides she wants to leave. Of course, romance ensues blah blah blah... but at the same time, it's so much more than that. The plot is unique in the ways that it's driven by things that happened in the past rather than a forwarding present conflict. So much of the characters and why they do things stems from what happened in their childhoods. I have yet to encounter a plot quite like this one in that regard. Another thing is that it's a mystery that I couldn't figure out for the life of me. In most shows, unless it's specifically written as a show with a lot of twists and secrets, I can usually figure things out pretty fast. And with romances, I can generally puzzle their quick little mysteries after one or two episodes. But with this show, I genuinely couldn't figure things out until the very end, which was incredibly refreshing for me. It's true that I could just be an idiot and couldn't figure it out, but I was indeed on the edge of my seat (not in a thriller way but in the way of wanting to find out more). This show also twists a whole bunch of tropes to make them more enjoyable for me. Making the rich family the more accepting group and making the arrogant CEO into the more understanding one between the two leads, are both examples of things that were changed much to my liking. I'll admit that this show is a.... well... it definitely a romance! There were so many cute scenes that just had me crying to myself. A lot of those added moments were definitely added in with fan service in mind. Towards the end of the show, it became VERY romantic, which is something I love, so I didn't have any issue with it for even a second. But even if you are a romance fan, if you're not one that enjoys cheesy scenes, then there might be a few moments of struggle for you. Again, it's a show that's very romantic... not just regular romantic. Something I love, but I know might want to be warned about.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: Ahhhh the acting!!! Where do I start!? fuuu okay! I love both the main lead actors to death. I have seen quite a few works with Park Min-Young and Park Seo-Joon as the leads, so when they came together.... let's just say I loved them before the show started. Seo-Joon has this way of making you fall in love with his arrogant and jerky characters, while Min-Young is not only stunning but has a face that can pull off various amounts of emotions. Both of them came in with their characters and made you feel heartbroken when they had to leave. Their chemistry was flawless and made my single self feel shamed. But it wasn't just the main two that brought the heat, but it was all the side characters around them. I can wholeheartedly say that I fell in love with each member of the office. They each had their own personalities, and the actors made it look like they were enjoying every second of it. Some went over the top while others were more silently quirky, but the differences between them made each of their subplots so much more enjoyable to follow. (My heart goes out to Kim Ji-Ah. I loved that character so much for some reason!)

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: duh duh duh here comes the boring part of the review! Or at least for me anyway.
I hate repeating myself with the shows I review, but this is all I can say: happy songs at happy times while sad songs during sad times. No off-putting music was put in, and everything worked together nicely. They added a nice feeling to each of the scenes, but I never paid attention to them. They were extremely basic and were something I'd never want to listen to in my free time. The one thing that was funny to me was that one of the songs kept repeating a word that sounded like a particular curse word. I'm not going to say it since I couldn't find anybody else who thought the same.... so I guess it's just my dirty mind. It was funny regardless though XD

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Office workers. I haven't watched as many shows that center around them, and the ones I have always angered me just a tiny bit. The CEO is always wealthy from the money he makes at his company, but at the same time, I never see him work. It's always him sitting at his desk (maybe reading a paper or two), but usually, he's thinking or doing something with the female lead. That's one thing that I can reeeeallly appreciate. The CEO was actually working!! In fact, one of the main conflicts both the leads had was how they manage their relationship within their work setting. Even though the CEO had a few moments of just wanting to hang out with his secretary, it never overtook him, and he still was able to get some work done, which is a small detail I found myself appreciating. Other than that, the work environment was very comforting. The characters were a bit more dramatic than I presume regular office workers are, but I always found myself enjoying the office scenes the most. I could watch a drama on what goes on there. Something that definitely contributed to my love for the show.

Would I say that this is my favorite show? No.
But I can assure you that I'll be rewatching a few moments over again through YouTube. One of the show's main beauties was that it's a basic plot with an underlying secret that I couldn't figure out. But now that I know, I doubt that I'll want to watch it again. But even with that said, it's a perfect show for just wanting something fluffy and romantic. It's nothing too serious and makes you feel good the entire way through.
So even though it isn't my favorite, it's definitely up there in the ranks for me.
Happy watching <3

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Agh.... my heart.....
Honestly, this show was able to pull on my heartstrings harder than most of the previous shows I watched. It was cute and had some light comedy, but what made it give me a lasting impression was the romance. In fact, the romance was so adorable that I won't be surprised if I find myself on YouTube rewatching certain scenes so that I can fall in love again. But hey...... there is more to this show than just romance. A few other disappointing elements...

Story 〆(・∀・＠): This is where the majority of my problems lay: the story. In short, the story was extremely messy at first. So much was happening to so many different characters, and you just had to follow along. Not that it was necessarily confusing since each plot point was straightforward, but it instead started to hurt the show in the long run. Because of all the side stories, the writers had to try and wrap them up to make way for the main plot. But that instead just left us with unsatisfying closures and a plethora of characters that have nothing to do. It's these very unwanted characters that stopped the show from being much higher on my list. When a side-characters story is over, they just hover around and do stupid things to try and keep the comedy alive. In the beginning, the humor was so strong. I haven't burst out laughing as many times as I had during the first few episodes (a major feat since I don't consider myself someone who laughs a lot). But as the show went on, some parts got heavier to match the darker plot. Yet to the writers, that just seemed like a call to add as much humor as they possibly can. So now we get needed characters doing stupid things that neither farther the plot or keep you interested. It was a huge downer and bored me so many times. I would have brought the story score down much more if it wasn't for the main couple. They were the most well-written and sweetest little things! Everything they did was so meaningful without the writers forwarding their relationship via troupe checklist. The main rich guy, Ahn Min-Hyuk, is a prime example of the show creating something new and enjoyable. Yes, he was the rich and lonely character, but at the same time, if we were to strip him from his wealth, not much would change. He did have his shopping sprees and cool gadgets, but his character was so much more than having a company and a bank account. His personality was so likable and flowed so nicely with the story. There were other characters that were written well like this, but he is just the first person that comes to my mind.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: I honestly love/hate the casting done on this show. I have no problem with any of the main characters. Park Bo-Young played the little King Kong, Bong-Soon, so well. Bo-Young just naturally can make any character so cute you just wanna hold your heart and never let go. But despite her everlasting cuteness, she was able to pull off serious and heavy moments as well. I think she was the perfect fit both physically and personality-wise, which made you want to root for right-of-the-bat. I already talked about how much I loved Min-Hyuk as a character, but without Park Hyung-Shik, I don't think it would ever be the same. Similar to Bo-Young, Hyung-Shik fits his character perfectly to the point where I can never see anyone else in that role. Just his smile alone was enough to melt me twenty times over. That smile partnered with Bong-Soon's cuteness just killed me over and over again. Those two did so well in the romance aspect, making them probably my favorite couple to date. Ji-Soo also did an outstanding job with the gold-hearted police role. He was humorous at the start and heart-wrenching at the end. Which only ended up making the love triangle harder to watch. With my praise out of the way... I need to make light of a few casting issues. Like seriously...... in the world of Korean actors they couldn't find someone who didn't look over 30 to play a high school character!? That was one of the funniest things for me. And on top of that, all the gangers were also a little odd. Not that they didn't fit the appearance, but none of them really caught my attention and just seemed like actors trying to get through the script without showing much. And the ones that did try their hardest were just a little too much for me....

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: I usually hate talking about the music since I am no expert and struggle to evaluate it properly. Yet I can confidently say that I loved the music from this show. Well.... love is a strong word. I wouldn't go and look for the soundtrack, but when I was watching the show, I enjoyed listening to it so much. It was so unique to this show that if I were to be asked which show does this song belongs to, I would be able to identify it in a heartbeat. Not just the main opening theme was recognizable. Many of the background songs helped the scene carry more meaning and were just as catchy to listen too. It's in no way near the most spectacular music, but it is incredibly delightful to listen while watching.

Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: *sigh* ...... that's really all I can start with. I loved the idea of a tiny girl having super strength, so It was delightful to watch play out. But - I'm sorry to bring it up - the rules just didn't make itself apparent to me. As I always say, I am a stickler for supernatural laws and love knowing what can and cannot happen. But it's just super strength, what else needs to be clear? If it were just strength, then I wouldn't have an issue. It's just that this show made the idea of losing one's powers a terrible thing. And I get it. They have to stop people like Bong-Soon's mother from using it in the wrong way. But how exactly is the meaning behind an action judged? I initially thought one would lose their powers if they did something with a dark intention behind it, but apparently, that isn't the case. That brings to question about all of the stuff did with previous strength holders. Did the ones who kept their strength really not accidentally harm a person? It's just the show tried to make some kind of line to keep the supernatural women in check, but it just left me a bit more confused. Nothing to pull your hair over, but something I would have definitely loved answered.

Time to wrap things up! This review is a bit long, so sorry about that, but I just needed to get some things off my chest. All in all, the story was enjoyable. I wouldn't say this is my favorite show, but I will say that this had my favorite couple. The love story was the main saving grace and kept me with the show when I was starting to falter. Without such a well-written duo, I would have never enjoyed it as much and would have most likely considered dropping it. So if your a romance fan (more specifically a fan of cute and fluffy love stories) than this show is for you!!!
Will there be some tedious and frustrating things? Yep. But it's all worth it to see Bong-Soon and Min-Hyuk smile at each other with the most sweetest puppy dog eyes.
Happy Watching <3

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