A sophisticated take of what love is - watch without judgement to enjoy!

A lot of the frustration from viewers about this story lies perhaps in their wish to admire characters from the get go and/or expectations of growth. I found it beautifully poetic in its portrayal of the faults of people. People do not live their whole lives watching themselves on screen. They do many things in the moment, with the wisdom (or lack thereof) they possess then. This story breaks down the little moments of rapture and anguish of young lives navigating young love clumsily. More mature (not age! but those with life experiences) audiences will appreciate it and be more understanding (& less judgemental) of Na-bi and Jae-On’s push and pull. One more episode left - will life serve these two (& us) great lessons for (self) love with a side of heartbreak nevertheless?

PS. en pointe music direction. Every track was beautiful in its own right but paired with the scenes… breathtaking.

Read More

Revenge is best served cold.

Every moment of the 8 episodes had purpose, was intentional and added to this story of seeking redemption for years of pain and lost of honour.

MDE (the Female Lead) played by Song Hye Kyo and Jung Ji So had all the believable traits of tortured, fearful, hopeless youth to lifeless yet focused vengeful adult. I liked how the character evolved over time and how the writer skillfully showed that transition in a short period of 1-2 episodes. I am mildly surprised that SHK could pull off silent rage so well. I hope we see the full range of rage from her in the next chapter of the story. I still don’t feel sure of how she would show up given the wreck that was NWABU.

The casting has been great - from the ever in control husband, to the dysfunctional solidarity and toxic relationships of the gang - each aspect has been believably portrayed. It’s terrifying how youth, in its fearlessness and naïveté can be so cruel.

What does it look like to dedicate your existence to revenge? What does it take to be violent? Do these stories exist among us? These gripping, thought-provoking and entertaining 8 episodes are totally worth your time.

ps. still not sure what the role of LDH’s character is. Apart from teaching MDE Go… the emotional connection and her willingness to bare all is a bit of a leap. Knowing her, this too might be part of her master plan after all.

Read More

Breathtaking music, wardrobe and shots but story lacked emotional connection

Set, wardrobe, camera shots - breathtaking. Direction and screenplay - intriguing and full of suspense.

But after 16 episodes, not much resonated…

Think the writers wanted us to think about finding true self and discovery, it didn’t quite come through via the central murder plot.

I loved the theme of strong women supporting each but the murder plot almost made them seem like distinct stories that should be told separately. Was it mystery? Was it a thriller? Was it heartfelt? I couldn’t decide at the end and therefore wouldn’t rewatch it as it’s strength was really suspense!

Read More

Depressingly comforting - a real take on life’s ups and downs

Story
A story of mediocrity, suffering and human weakness - sure to tug at your deepest fears.

My Mister explores the layers of everyday people. The slow pace was deliberate and meticulous forcing you to feel the frustration and complexity of human decisions. It is uncomfortable in its real-ness where the viewer cannot simply draw the line between good, bad, admiration or abomination.

This drama explores themes such as:

1. An adverse childhood and how it shapes adult demeanour and decision-making
2. The hopelessness of a stale marriage and decisions it drives
3. Love and piety to family
4. Seeing yourself in another disguised as compassion for their suffering
5. Finding meaning in living and being content
6. A mother’s unconditional love and support

Acting:
I enjoyed Lee Sun-Kyun’s restrained portrayal of Park Dong Hoon. Best scene - confronting his wife with his bottled up anger and despair on full display.

Also intrigued by IU’s take on her character. The coldness and steeliness one would need to survive the harsh realities having nothing.

Reflections and learning:
In the greyest moments of your life, there is hope, solidarity and love. You only need to take a closer look.

Read More

Insane chemistry of the Couple and Bromance is fun and heartwarming

Actors:
This is my first drama starring Jung Ryeo Won - and her adorable interpretation of Sae-U and her chemistry with Junho was so much fun to watch. They brought us along their journey of growth, love and support of each other. Her character was written to be admired - a lady who has a mind of her own yet still retain her cheerfulness. Loyal and independent. And she’s beautiful!

Junho has serious acting chops. I always enjoy watching his acting. Not sure why he doesn’t get bigger roles since his range is so broad. He does underdog roles and romance well - something in his eyes and expression that’s so subtle and sincere.

The chemistry of the couple is so insane! They managed to portray such a believable process of finding love after failed marriages - and all predicated on building a friendship first. Their couple conversations were so honest and raw, the script played a big role in this.

You’d almost think they really cared for each other!

Characters and story:
I loved how they weaved the 3 main characters together, and in the process, addressed issues of social background, finding love beyond divorce and loyalty between friends. Overall very heartwarming.

It’s shortcoming is mainly the pace which got really slow and repetitive in the middle. Some scenes were too long too. I think it would have been great as a 12-16 episode series.

Fun factor:
I thought the series would be cheesy and passé from the title alone but, so glad I gave it a chance. Learnt a little about Chinese food preparation, tried to guess if they were using body doubles for the wok scenes or they were performed by the actors’ themselves (my guess - it’s the latter) and entertained by the romance, the family and the gangsters’ side stories.

Read More

You’d fall for K drama if this was your virgin drama!

2011 - yes the fashion was dated, there were some cheesy parts but the story is such a classic feel-good! With a perfect cast. Jinguk’s character was my favorite - for his sweetness, maturity and love for his friends and family. Completely not how I would expect the writers to do for his character given Taecyeon’s built and good looks. They really managed to make that secondary and write a beautiful character. My favorite pairing has got to be Jason and Pil-Sook. Overall this show didn’t bow down to tropes as much as I expected it to given this was produced 10 years ago. It’s a good watch, embodying all the fun that comes with K Drama. Enjoy!

Read More

Every adult finding themselves should watch this series

On the surface, this drama was a treat to the senses: beautifully composed shots, an OST that accentuates the emotion of the scenes and gorgeous leads.

It'll take some patience to get through to the first 2 episodes but I thought it was appropriate in helping the viewer piece the connectedness of the characters. It's a complex and mature script without the usual tropes which is both refreshing yet touching.

What is the story about? Love stories which are vessels for exploring self-love and self-worth and how these impact relationships.

Explosive chemistry between Kim Ji Won and Ji Chang Wook and on their own, very nuanced performances. Along with the beautiful script, I felt every gut-wrenching moment of despair of the male lead and the insecurities of the female lead. I also loved both the side stories of the other couples - the standout scenes for me from them were Rin-i & Kyeongjun's break up (mad respect for someone who knows her worth!) and Kang Geon and Sun-Young's closure.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who's been trying to find and love themselves. If you're not on that journey, you might find this bland but oh! what a gem you'd have missed.

Read More