Left me confused

I have to admit, Grid started off really strong but towards the end, it lost it's steam and the ending was just confusing. I'm all for mysteries but the audience should have some understanding of where the plot is going even if you want to end on a cliffhanger.

Grid is an electromagnetic field around the Earth created to protect life from harmful solar winds. The mystery surrounds a "Ghost" woman who appeared out of nowhere and created the shield just in time to save humanity. However, in the process, she left a man dead by burning him with a futuristic device leaving his minor son in trauma. Decades later an Administration Bureau is created to monitor and maintain the grid. Behind the scenes, the team has also been investigating the "Ghost" and trying to capture her throughout the decades whenever she emerges.

This series is slow-moving for the most part with the story being revealed in bits with every episode and revealing more about the Ghost. By the 8th episode, the story starts moving at great speeds but fails to explain a lot of things by the finale leaving you to come with with theories about what could be happening. In a normal mystery it is fine to do but in the case of a sci-fi, time travel story, you, the director, have to provide at least some clues to build a basic level of understanding for your audience. Instead I am left with more questions and confusion wondering if I missed something because of the incorrect translation or if it was the series itself. If I find a satisfactory explanation, I might upgrade my review.

Just a plus point to the story were the visuals which is what attracted me to the show to begin with. I also enjoyed the acting of the main cast overall. The problem more or less lies with the progression of the show. I hope season 2 will release soon and will redeem this series.

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Messy plot twist and lots of plot holes

The first episode frankly was boring until the time travel element started. But it was getting better until the "plot twist" that ruined the entire show. Even the comedy was good at the beginning and then the series became serious and senseless.

The grandfather made no sense to me. Why was he cruel to the ML's mother? Then why was he cruel to the ML's step mother and her son? Why did he think the ML was deserving but not his step brother? Why was he obsessed with the painting? Why was he kind to the FL and then later wanted nothing to do with her? Why did he need the ML to be married? The step mother being the villain made more of a sense than the grandfather. It felt like poor writing to force a last minute twist on the audience without explaining why.

The FL time travelled and thought ML was her husband. Then she got confirmation later that he was the reincarnation of her deceased husband. Later she time travels back to the past again and stays away from the past version of her husband because she is in love with his future reincarnation but acts like they are two different people. They could have let the past version die sooner instead of this confusing behaviour from the FL. The past ML died thinking his wife was in love with another man. The other man being him in the future. Bizarre!

The lady who controlled the time travel disappeared from the story after the FL travel in the past. There was no explanation why she vanished. Why did the servant girl/sister not travel back along with the FL? Why did everyone retain memory of the FL after she returned to the past? Meanwhile in the past, FL's mother forgot about the servant girl's existence. The same amount of time that FL lived in the past, passed by in the future. FL falls in the water and reappears in the future out of thin air completely dry. The man who killed her in the past - no elaboration on whether he got punished. FL's parents would have still been heartbroken that their daughter was killed or committed suicide the second time. The rules of the time travel were truly vague.

The actions of the past characters made more sense than that of the future. For example, the man working with the step mother had grievance with the grandfather but was trying to kill the FL and then the ML instead of the man who was actually the problem - the grandfather.

ML was destined to die if the FL stayed in the future. When she leaves, he is magically cured. But when she returns, his illness doesn't return. No explanation on what the rules were for this to happen.

I found these things made the plot really weak and ruined the essence of the show that seemed to be decent initially.

The positives where the leads chemistry, some of the earlier comedy when FL is adjusting to the future, the OST and theme are stunning, the designs are pretty, the FL's savvy servant girl, and the ML's assistant's smart sister who I wish had more of a role. Even the step brother was an interesting and neglected character.

I wish I could rate this higher but too much of the series made no sense towards the end. If you don't mind illogical storylines, you might be able to enjoy this. But this is one of the weakest shows if you are a time travel plot lover. I would suggest to skip this one.

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Beautiful but Incomplete

Twinkling Watermelon has a lot to love about it. I love Time Travel tropes already and I am happy they chose to introduce deaf characters and depicting family bonds and friendships. Despite it having several heart touching moments there is still something missing.

Ha Eun Gyeol is the only hearing member of his family. He has seen a lot of struggles as well as had to put aside his own dreams for the sake of his family. He is carrying burdens and is scarred without realizing what he means to his family. Travelling back in time helps put a lot of things in perspective and he hopes it is also an opportunity to save his father. It is only when he goes back in time, he realizes that his father was also once a teenager who had dreams of his own as well as struggles of his own. The same with his mother and he still desires to carry his family's burdens. But in the process he also ends up sharing a strong bond with his father, Yi Chan. One that he never expected. His moments with Yi Chan are the highlight of the show so the ending does leave you with a little more to be desired.

With regards to his mother, Cheong Ah, again he forms a protective relationship and a lot of instances made me tear up. The depictions are beautiful. Yet again, the ending speed runs through their reintroduction.

Eun Gyeol also meets Eun Yu. I found the chemistry between them quite lacking unlike Yi Chan and Cheong Ah's. The former's relationship didn't really develop well and felt quite choatic. We also don't see Eun Yu overcoming her own trauma rather running away from it. The series also completely skips over Eun Yu's family reunion which was disappointing.

There were moments that felt like the series was dragging and if they had simply reduced those, they would have had the time to give us a more complete picture and then I could surely rate it a 10.

The OST is nice but other than the final song, nothing really blew me away which is disappointing since music is such an important aspect of the plot. The final song is catchy but not exceptional.

Overall, the series is good and heartwarming. The actors have done a fine job in their portrayals and make this series worth watching.

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Pulls at your heart strings

A slice of life drama that almost doesn't feel as one so it's perfect for those who dislike this kind of genre or feel like it won't appeal to you. You'll be surprised!

The story is about a mother who first loses her husband and farm and raises her son alone is then forced to look after her adult son all over again when an accident not only debilitates him physically but also sends him into his childhood mentally. This plot might feel depressing but the beautiful way in which it is presented, it actually has more light moments than you would expect. And one of the reasons is the naughty twins and their little interaction with Kang Ho. The series is not trying to get you to cry but to show how people live and enjoy life despite their circumstances. We also get two unlikely funny characters that work for the bad guy and their scenes make you laugh.

As the title suggests, there are many moments where you feel that Kang Ho's mother is horrible to her son, both during his childhood and when he is unwell. But you also understand why she is the way she is. And with their interactions you understand the bond between these two characters which you fully feel towards the end of the show.

There is also a revenge plot taking place but it is not the focus of the series. It's just enough to keep you hooked till the end. Though there isn't much romance, you certainly won't be starved.

I picked up The Good Bad Mother for Lee Do Hyun and am glad I did. The show is quite uplifting and beautiful. I have not yet been disappointed by the project Lee Do Hyun picked that I chose to watch. He manages to become each character in such a perfect way. A man of many many talents! So if for no one else, watch it for his portrayal.

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Watch for the character Jayden Lee

I can honestly say I enjoyed the start and the end of the series the most. The show slows down a bit towards the middle albeit I won't say that it's bad but at didn't excite me during those times and I was not eagerly awaiting the next episode.

Basic plot summary:
Han Yihan is a cardiothoracic surgeon and an exceptional one at that. Unfortunately for him, the head of the hospital uses him for his son's ghost doctor secretly when he is in trouble in the operating room. One day a patient that Han Yihan operated on tragically dies the next morning due to questionable circumstances. The hospital decides to place the entire blame on Yihan under the accusation of medical negligence. With no one on his side and no proof, he is forced to accept blame and his medical license is revoked. 4 years later he emerges as a lawyer who specialises in medical malpractice. This is where our story truly begins.

Review:
The plot has a very strong start but the story might seem a little cliche as revenge dramas go. But, the true hero of the story is this mysterious character by the name of Jayden Lee who adds unpredictability and spice into the show. Where Han Yihan's seriousness and lack of charisma can lead to detachment from the character and the female lead (prosecutor) leaves much to be desired, Jayden brings drama and suspense. No one really knows or understands his motives. Is he a good guy? Is he pretending? And it is also because of him and the dilemma that he adds that you feel more supportive towards Han Yihan.

There is no real romance in this drama from the main leads but Jayden and the second female lead, Im Yoona, have a fun chemistry. Add some jealousy to the mix.

I won't give away the finale but the last two episodes, in my opinion, were edge of the seat entertaining. And that is part of the reason why I am willing to give this show a 9. Shows like these deserve an ending on a high note.

I don't usually comment on the OST, but Freedom is a nice exciting track. I enjoyed it. Didn't listen to the others.

Regarding rewatch value, I would probably speed watch the show or select some of the major episodes to watch. It's not that high on my priority list. Then again there has only been one revenge drama I've seen twice and that is Taxi Driver which I love and there aren't many shows I would actually watch as of now. I would still recommend Doctor Lawyer at least once for Jayden Lee.

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Magic, mystery and plenty of music

The series reminded me of the musical Mary Poppins but instead of a nanny, Yoon Ah Yi meets a mysterious magician who keeps trying to get her to believe in magic whenever she's at her lowest thereby alleviating a little bit of her misery.

Yoon Ah Yi is a highschool student struggling to look after herself and her younger sister after her parents abandoned them when they were children due to debt. Ah Yi is a meek child who longs for the return of her parents or to grow up. Due to having no guardian in her life, she is forced to work odd jobs while trying to do her best at school. In trying to pay the rent and provide for herself and her sister, she lands herself in trouble and makes uncomfortable deals.

The positives:
- Her classmate and also the topper, Na Il Deung, begins to have feelings for Ah Yi but finds it difficult to express them. Those moments and the ups and downs of their relationship is interesting with cute moments.
- The magic depicted has both stage level magic and fantastical elements. So when the magician asks, "do you believe in magic", you want to believe him.
- The mystery element added as a side plot is intriguing.
- Unlike Mary Poppins, there are some very nasty natures of people depicted and it's very realistic and a contrasting element.
- Several good messages are shared throughout the series especially the end.

The negatives:
- The story slows down several times throughout the show. Some episodes have a lot happening and are enjoyable but other episodes seem to be dragging.
- I generally enjoy the soundtrack of shows. Unfortunately didn't enjoy this one as it's quite slow and brings the story to a standstill many times and I had to skip ahead.
- The idea that parents can simply abandon their young children and leave them to fend for themselves in their home is infuriating. There is no explanation how Yoon Ah Yi survived all these years. She seemed under 10 years of age and her sister might have been 3-4 years old. It was bizarre storyline.
- There is no explanation of what happened to the mother.
- Bella, the parrot. Watch till the end to understand why.

Overall, I liked the drama but with so many dramas releasing, I would probably not come to this one except maybe to parts of the last episode as I enjoyed some of the dialogues. Very meaningful.

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Lovely - if I say so it is!

It was one of the best shows currently airing and a breath of fresh air. The plot of pretty simple really - FL can hear lies in real time and ML is overly cautious of people.

I enjoyed figuring out the mystery behind the ML and the whole what-happened or who-dun-it scenario. Though I figured it out relatively quick, it didn't seem obvious to others so it's a decent mystery.

Watched this for Hyung Min Hyun. His role is similar to that of Alchemy Of Souls where he is a quiet and decent guy who falls in love. We get some nice action sequence initially as well and I hope he does such roles in the future too. I also enjoyed his cute comedy.

Kim So Hyun - I loved her line - if I say so it is. I started using it in real life for fun. I liked her strong yet soft personality. She has empathy for others. The leads had good chemistry.

I love mix genres that mix romance with mystery and if you're like me you might like this as well.

The OST is nice and there are lots of different songs included since it covers a music company and Min Hyun plays a songwriter.

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Brilliant cast and edge of your seat suspense

The emotional rollercoaster this show has taken me on has been spectacular! Though the second part was a tad slow at first, the writers managed to keep us in suspense until the very last 2 episodes on how everything will come together. So for those watching and worrying, just sit back and let go of your anxiety and have fun with every moment.

Go Youn Jung had very big shoes to fill after Jung So Min charmed us with her sass and wit in season 1. But this season is not about the actress replacing the other. It is about growth and change. What you will get it hints of the same character yet different. And the main moments are the chemistry between the male and female lead. We also see hints of the special connection she has with the other male characters.

Crown Prince Go Won has been a lovely character once again. And Jin Mu has been the bad guy this show needed.

The only flaws with the show are the slow momentum, much less action and CGI. However, the ending will still leave you satisfied.

The OST of this show is one of the best! I can listen to it on repeat endlessly.

This show is worth rewatching and probably one of the few shows that I actually went back and saw multiple times in the process of waiting. Will definitely recommend it and whoever I did recommend the series to, have thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you do too!

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Excelled in every aspect

From the plot, the acting, the cast, the production, the CGI, the action sequences, the comedy, the romance and the OST have all been top notch.

I consumed this drama so quickly, it was hard waiting for more episodes to come. It is ideal to binge watch because you can't stop once you start watching.

I enjoyed the strong FL and mature depiction of affection between the two leads. But romance is more subtle and the story deals more with the responsibility these two characters carry. It had a strong start and I don't believe any point of the plot did I find the story boring. There are some interesting plot twists so avoid spoilers. Some of the comedy towards the end was most enjoyable. The action sequences paired with the OST is thrilling. The CGI is quite beautiful in those moments as well.

I enjoyed most of the secondary characters as well especially a female character towards the end - lady in red. But Shen Li definitely is the show stealer and it is nice to see a female given such a strong role.

I happened to watch this drama by chance and I'm glad I started it. Will definitely be recommending to others as well.

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Sweet but could have been better

Being a remake of a cdrama, naturally this series will be compared a lot to the original. The Thai remake is far from being a perfect adaptation but in many ways, I find that to be a good thing.

One of the aspects that I disliked in the original is that I grew tired of how many episodes the series had and how long they kept the main leads separated. The SML had more of a presence in the original. Though he was a better character than this version, it still irked me to have to wait for the leads to find each other again. This was the biggest negative of the original for me. Made me feel like watching that series was pointless. But because the Thai version has cut down episodes to 16 instead of 41, I quite enjoyed the pace of the series.

The other thing I disliked in the original is the FL's brother, who original was a wonderful character and I loved the siblings together, turned into a massive hypocrite regarding his sister's relationship. Though the brother's character was not as fleshed out in the Thai, at least you don't start to hate him. At least I didn't. He showed growth towards the end.

The negatives of the Thai drama are that the chemistry is not great between the couples. The best moment was when the FL got drunk. And no, there is no RAPE scene or non-consensual sex happening in this show. All will be cleared regarding that situation if you continue watching.

My favourite secondary characters were the office staff. The leads also did a good job considering the script.

I loved the OST - I'm Missing You. It's really beautiful!

Hope people give this version a chance.

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A gem!

I didn't expect to love it so much.

It's a very simple series about two people struggling with mental illness and the friendship that forms between them. It gives one insight into how people feel and how leaning on another can make things a bit easier. You also get to see how their families are dealing with their own issues.

The actors did a good job, especially the male actor. I really understood how he must have felt with the circumstances he was dealt. He did a great job emoting. There is a little bit of humour in the show as well which is cute.

I really loved the title and the message this show is trying to send. I hope this show finds more viewers!

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Complicated with good moments and plotholes

I wish I could say I was enthralled with this series like so many others but something kept me from falling in love with it. One of the main reasons was not being able to understand every single business/political element to the story and there is plenty of it which is what adds to the thrill. So if you cannot completely comprehend some of those "wins", it gives a very dull effect. Something the writers should have considered and tried to explain or simplify. You can still enjoy the show. Just not to the full effect.

Best moments:
1. There are many shocking moments and revelations that you can't anticipate and were enjoyable.
2. The fantasy element that adds a twist and is a major part of the story.
3. The relationship between Do Jun and his grandfather were truly some of the best moments.
4. The way Do Jun makes his way through the hurdles armed with the knowledge of his past life.
5. Seeing the Jin family fail and fight amongst themselves was amusing.

Not so great moments:
1. No one noticing that Yoon Hyun Woo and Jin Do Jun look EXACTLY alike.
2. Not being able to understand some of the "lingo" fully.
3. Do Jin ignoring his family after his real mother's death even when he could have.
4. The romance is practically non-existent and although I would not care otherwise, it feels like they built up a story for no reason.
5. The conclusion. Part of it does not make sense. You are rooting for a character and in the end, everything feels a bit bland and unsatisfactory.

Up until the 14th episode my rating was 8.5 for this show. I'm changing that now to a 7.5 based on the last episode. I am not likely to rewatch this show but it's a decent show. There are plenty of good reasons to watch it.

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Not much content in the story till the end

When I first started watching, I really enjoyed the show. Finally a couple that was more mature and not acting silly. Then they introduced the second couple who started acting like children. Can't stand them together. Also there doesn't seem much to the story. No progress episode to episode means they have left everything for the last or last 2 episodes.

To be honest, I don't really care much for the main couple's slow burn romance either. I do like all the cast members as individuals. However, the romance is not depicted well. Only the last few episodes of their romance was decent.

Another frustrating aspect was that the detective brother keeps preventing the female lead from remembering anything or doing anything. Nor does he do anything. I didn't understand why. The female detective is so underutilised.

I'm glad this is only 12 episodes long but perhaps the story could have been wound up in 6 - 8. After the first 4 episodes, it would be better to just skip to episode 10. Story picks up from there and gets a bit interesting.

The drama is okay for a one time watch.

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A Good Unique Take

I enjoy time loops dramas. This isn't the best but it's certainly an interesting one. Unlike most time loops shows and movies that I've watched, the thing that stood out the most is it is not one or two people that are stuck in an endless loop. It's the entire office. In the sense that one by one, all of the office members are working together to figure out what caused this them to end up in this predicament.

Although there is no great murder mystery or life they need to save, it is still good enough to make you curious. And it's fun to see how each person goes around trying to convince the other about the time loop.

I was at a tad disadvantage as none of the text nor the scenes of the manga pages were translated. Although it was visually beautiful, I was watching quite cluelessly. If there are more complete subs in the near future, I'll attempt to rewatch the portions I missed out on and adjust my review as well.

It's not a long film and if you enjoy time loops, you can certainly give this one a try.

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Very Slow and Doesn't Achieve Its Goal

The first episode started off fine but in between Heartbeat started to drag a lot. I disliked watching the struggle of the teokbokki restaurant owning vampire and the tarot card reading vampire. Man Hwi and Rose were the most interesting support characters and I liked them the best. I enjoyed scenes with them in it the most as well.

The show was about a vampire who wanted to experience his heart beating for love which is why he wanted to become human. I am not sure if we really got that. It seems the writers wrote themselves into a corner and decided the viewers will be satisfied with that. They could have done this same ending in fewer episodes and it would be less disappointing. It just made me glad that I binged a lot of the episodes together instead of watching weekly as it was not worth watching something this slow moving only for a semi-satisfying ending.

The main leads didn't even get enough romantic moments together. Too many distractions and running around. Second male lead and second female lead were also all right. I'd say most of the characters are very muted.

One can keep guessing if the ending was real or imagined. I thought it was just okay. Not what I had hoped for at least.

The comedy tag doesn't suit this show either. I can't remember one moment that I felt was funny.

If you like the leads, you might enjoy this series otherwise, it's best to pass. It's average.

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