Funnier than I expected

Kyou wa Kaisha Yasumimasu, also known as I'm Taking The Day Off is well named and a good show.

Aoishi Hanae is a woman about to turn 30 and has never been in a romantic relationship before. She is out drinking with some of her work colleagues when a 21 year old intern, Tanokura Yuto, at her company finds out that it is her 30th birthday shortly after the others have left. He decides to make it special for her and asks her to hang out with him that night. Despite her awkwardness, she decides to spend time with him.

Hanae has always lived in fear which kept her from experiencing romantic relationships but her awkwardness. worries and inexperience keep weighing on her along with the doubts of being in a relationship with a man 9 years younger than her. I found it to be portrayed extremely well and the situations are quite realistic. The whole story is from her perspective so that we get to experience her firsts along with her. Since Tanokura has been in relationships, he is better equipped at handling Hanae's insecurities and quelling her fears. In this way, he comes across as the more mature person in the relationship. He is also very sorted and an upright individual and slowly but surely the trust develops with plenty of ups and downs.

The second male lead, Asao Yuu, also adds an interesting dynamic to their relationship. Asao is fascinated by Hanae's imperfections and a unique friendship develops between the pair. On many occasions, I did find myself thinking he might be better suited for her. It is very easy for a man to be portrayed as pushy and overbearing but luckily this drama understands consent and though they play on cliches, they never overstep boundaries which was important. We also see this when Kagami is trying to express his interest in Ookawa Hitomi

This series has plenty of funny and light-hearted moments. A lot of it coming from Hanae's colleagues, her dad, and also her niece. I also appreciated the positive work environment Hanae is lucky to be a part of, especially for having a very considerate boss who lets her "take the day off" (hence the name of the show) several times at the last minute. This title is also appropriate because Hanae is known to never use her paid vacation days.

My only negative points about this show is that it does not explore beyond the early relationship. I would have liked to know how the couple dealt with obstacles that arose in the future due to the age gap as this was also something that used to worry Hanae. Also, she never overcame the discomfort of communicating what bothered her which would have been nice to see.

Overall I really enjoyed the show for it's simplicity and it was done well. There was room for improvement.

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Do not recommend

I can understand the intention and the message behind the series. While the message is a good one, the delivery and impact of the show is unimpressive.

My main issue is how slow moving the story is. And at the end, you feel a bit cheated because you are investing your time in hopes of a good pay off. There are certainly better ways of revealing information pertinent to the message.

I also have issues with a character towards the end. The elderly nurse. That was problematic.

I liked some of the characters but overall this is below average for me. There are much better short series in contrast to this one.

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Surprisingly good

I know there is controversy surrounding the male lead however the plot was enticing and I don't regret watching it.

Both the female and male leads did a wonderful job with their potrayals. Lee Seo Won did well with the contrasting characters of Ji Sul Woo and his doppelganger, Yoon Dong Joon. Though it would be more realistic if his issues were more to do with dealing with the negative side of fame which was also brought up rather than merely hating the way he looks. I am glad I watched this series because Han Seung Yeon tugged at my heart strings with her character, Baek Se. The moment where she talks to her friend made me well up. Beautifully portrayed moments.

Since Dong Jong was made to play the part of the romance star, Ji Sul Woo, lots of light hearted moments came from reenacting famous romance scenes. Though there are no laugh out loud moments, it's still entertaining. Two 1 hour episodes makes it an easy watch and the story ending was well done.

It's unfortunate that Lee Seo Won misbehaved and threatened a female. He seems to be a good actor. It just goes to show that just because someone is talented, they may not be a good person and as the audience we only see their onscreen persona and the side they want us to see. Nonetheless, my rating is based on the story and the combined effort of all the actors and the work put in. Their efforts and talent should be recognised and should not have to suffer in the process for someone else's actions.

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Disappointing

Though I enjoyed the plot theme, I really had high expectations from the characters and the story. The counters and the other world partners are shown to be pretty weak considering the incredible powers they actually possess.

To begin with, Wi Gen, the other world partner nearly died as she began aimlessly searching for a body to enter. When she finally does collid with So Moon's body, the ensuing scene is comical and almost silly.

Also, the writers probably wanted to create a powerful adversary but it just ended up making all the counters look incredibly weak and helpless. The other world partners also seem to be dishing out unjust punishments to the counters which was upsetting. Some of the aspects in the lead up to as well as the final battle itself were frustrating to watch (eg. The car scene).

The story started off pretty strong but towards the end, I started to lose interest. I completed it nonetheless. Probably not a show I would watch again nor recommend as there are a lot of better options.

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Action, comedy, mystery, romance rolled in one

Watched this back in 2020 lock down. Exit is the kind of movie that can be enjoyed by the masses as it has a bit of everything. It also has the thrills without getting too dark despite being a disaster survival movie.

The story builds up slowly by introducing the male lead and his family being frustrated and disappointed with him. Story moves to a site of a family function where the disaster happens and a mysterious gas leak occurs. The female lead and ML's love interest happens to be a staff working there. The situation shows the ways in which people react and try to survive in order to escape the deadly situation. Mostly panic as one can expect. And then there are some that go to extrordinary lengths to survive using knowledge and skill. This is what builds excitement.

Since the leads are rock climbers and are trying to escape, a lot of the action involves climbing, running, and jumping. This might be different from what people who enjoy action movies usually love (eg. Fight scenes, car chases, etc). There are some funny dialogues, happy moments as well as plenty of nail-biting scenes. If you prefer proper romance plots then you might be disappointed but you will get to see the chemistry between the leads given the situation.

I would definitely recommend people give it a watch!

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Intense and loved it!

Finally completed the series and what an incredible part 1 it was. Can't wait for part 2!

Some things that really stood out to me:
- The intro theme is just so stunning visually with the haunting music and the clues. Also love the lavender colour scheme!
- The bullying in the beginning is horrid and I genuinely hope there are no real cases of people like this. I cannot imagine them as normal human beings. However, this should not dissuade anyone from watching. It's awful but still watchable as they do not linger on such scenes.
- The female lead, despite going through a terribly traumatic experience, managed to still maintain her kindness and we see hints of that. Even though she is out for revenge, she is still more moral than her bullies.
- Loved the early interactions of the intern and the female lead.
- Episode 6 ending brought tears to my eyes. I hope this ends in the best possible way.
- Even though the terrible trauma, two women manage to bond. I loved those scenes and both actresses.
- The doctor's back story is a plot twist I didn't anticipate. It explains his decision moving forward. It's also nice to see Lee Do Hyun in a different sort of character.
- I am interested to see the position the husband takes in this revenge plot.
- Are children more cruel than adults or do the adults just have more to lose? The bullies were far worse as teens. Definitely more menacing. Not sure if the student actors just did a better job or it's because the punishment as adults makes them more careful. I'm not sure if it was a directorial decision or just talent. I can't decide.
- Song Hye Kyo as Moon Dong Eun is perfect. Yes, she is more sure of herself and her plan but we see through her in her weak moments. This is a person who never overcame their trauma. Not all wounds are external. I'm glad we see these so as to not forgot why she is doing this.

It was a little ironic to see Shin Ye Eun as the bully, Park Yeon Jin, in The Glory after seeing her seeking revenge for the murder of her twin in Revenge Of Others. She definitely knows how to play both contrasting roles well. Props to her!

I would have given this show a 10/10 if it was complete but it leaves us hanging in anticipation for part 2. It was still a 9.5 as it kept me hooked for every second. I enjoyed the pacing overall. Perhaps a little slow in the final episode (I didn't mind) but that's mostly because the show was split up post-production. I have high expectations for the remainder of the show. There is a hint of a romance but not really. It's mostly a very focused plan that we are led through. The stage is set. I am ready for the revenge to be served.

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A strong finish!

I love the cast and am absolutely biased towards Lee Je Hoon aka Kim Do Ki. The characters he plays is alone worth watching for. However, I can't rate this 10/10. Taxi Driver 2 is a little less intense compared to season 1 so not all the episodes have the same shock value and psychos of season 1. But towards the later episodes, you do get that stress and thrill of season 1.

On Ha Jun's character is a bit more subtle than I would have liked it to be. But there is a bit more focus on him at the end.

The team is great but I missed the constant engineering that went on to improve the car and equip it with new features. However, in this season, everyone is more involved in the actual cases which is nice. We see some great chemistry between Ahn Go Eun and Do Ki. But no real romance for anyone that was hoping for some. Personally, I don't think every show needs a couple. But you get some sweet moments.

The last few episodes were the best. The team, like last season, deals with a situation that they did not anticipate and it was what the series was building up to. What I loved in season 1 was the hand to hand combat by Kim Do Ki. We get some action sequences throughout season 2 as well with major fights in the last two episodes.

I wish there was more of Madam Lim Bok Ja though

Prior to the finale, I had rated the show at 8.5, but the finale did blow me away and gave me everything I was hoping for. Luckily it concludes nicely and there is no cliffhanger. Although they may have teased a 3rd season in future. Let's see if they decide to follow through.

I LOVE the Rainbow Taxi team and I'm glad they gave us so much more variety than the first season. The way everything came together was also fantastic. First season is still superior but season 2 finishes strong!

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A let down

I generally love crime thrillers but Decoy bored me so I will just list some of the reasons I disliked the series first.

1. There is so much back and forth time jumps. Aft first, I found it hard to keep track on how far they were going back as the story takes you back to different years following the story of both the victims of the scam as well as the fraudsters. After a while, I just stopped caring and just wanted the story to move forward.
2. Most of the story takes place in flashback. It would be easier if we got the back story and then saw the person in the present. They would show you a dead body and you would have no idea who they are. Then after awhile they would go backwards in time with reference to the dead person and I found myself thinking. "Okay, this person is dead so why do I need to care what their role was?" I wasn't invested in them anymore. I wish we got to see their back story first.
3. The whole tone of the show is dull. The scenes shot in the present have a blue filter and the past is in a yellow/orange filter. The way the actors speak all feel a bit monotonous especially our lead detective.
4. Again because the story is working backwards, I didn't feel a connection to the victims early on. I wasn't fully empathetic to their suffering. Instead I was impatient to figure out if they will get their justice in the present but instead I was forced to go back to the past every time something interesting happened in the present.
5. It also adds to the frustration that the lead detective keeps undermining the victims of scam saying it's not a big deal compared to murder and refusing to look into any possible connection to things happening in the present. At the same time, he wants to get information out of them while also name-calling them. The last thing you want the male lead to be is a jerk and those are the vibes that I got from him.
6. Just when the series was getting somewhere in the present, it ended. I am okay with splitting shows up but for Decoy, it doesn't work in it's favour. Maybe my impression of the show would be better if it was complete rather than being divided in this way.

What I liked:
1. The female lead who plays the reporter. She is clearly a smart character. Smarter than the detective in fact and she picks up on things fairly quickly. Acts in the nick of time and was the main reason I enjoyed this series.
2. The only person I developed some sympathy for was the "oppa" of the female lead even though he didn't get much of a role. Rather there were only glimpses of him.
3. No Sang Cheon, the con artist. Loved his character. He feels more like a grey character than a pure bad guy. To some extent, I admire his wits for catching on to a scam. That's a different matter that he turns into a scamster himself. He also seems to be the only character that actually portrays the widest range of emotions and has enthusiasm when he speaks.

Even 6 episodes took me a long time to cover as I would start feeling sleepy so to prevent that I had to watch the show in 2x. I will watch part 2 just for the conclusion and I hope it will be more focused on the present for a change.

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Nice and chill with a hint of thrill

I don't have great complaints from 'Delivery Man' but it isn't a super unique or exciting show. It has borrowed elements from ghost, crime and suspense dramas and created a mash which is nice to watch.

The series is about the son of a female taxi driver who was murdered so he takes over the taxi service. He has the ability to see ghosts and starts helping them fulfill their last wishes in exchange for money. One such ghost is the female lead and her story is the main background plot as she doesn't remember her past. She's also his first customer.

What you can expect:
- Mystery surrounding the identity of the female lead
- Mystery surrounding the death of the male lead's mother
- New cases every few episodes

What you shouldn't expect:
- Fast paced action drama (that's a different Taxi Driver ;) )
- Extraordinary CGI - barely any in fact despite it being about ghosts
- Romance (there's a hint of it but nothing to write home/MDL about)

The main leads are nice and their chemistry is sweet. I enjoyed seeing some of the flashbacks of the female lead. The other characters I liked were the grandmother, and the other female taxi driver. There are flashbacks of the ML's mother but it's a very small role.

The few complaints that I do have are mainly limited to episode 11 - poor judgement on the ML's part and police's inadequacy.

After watching the final episode's last moments, I felt that if it had more of that energy, this would be a far better drama. It missed the excitement and left it all for the end. I would actually like to see a spin-off or a second season from this point.

Delivery Man is good for a one time watch.

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Captivating Story-telling

DP Season 2 has certainly outdone season 1. The way they have shed a light on the horrors within the military service in South Korea, I don't believe any country has even attempted such stories or would ever be inclined to attempt to admonish the evils within their military. For that, I have to applaud South Korea. Without checks and balances, the system perpetuates injustice.

This series is a dark one but the directors have managed to bring some humour and light moments in between into the story-telling. These are stories of different individuals in difficult circumstances. They didn't choose to serve. They were forced to and what's worse is having to deal with humiliation and abuse on a regular, if not daily basis. Their only choice is escape. The DP team are not actually heroes. They have just one job. To force the deserters to return without actually rectifying the situation that causes many of the deserters to flee in the first place. However, this season seeks to change that. After seeing the errors in the way the military functions and the worsening situations of the victims and the results of the violence and humiliation they endured, the DP team starts to see a real problem with the way things are run and the corruption within the system that is creating more and more victims by sweeping incidents under the rug. However, in the process of creating a change, there are still many who could not be saved.

Every story is heart-breaking. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if it is a flicker.

Hope everyone looks beyond this as a story and considers what stories are not being told in our own countries and how many victims are created because of lack of a voice and change. This series certainly made me think beyond what was depicted.

It is not an easy watch, but DP Season 2 certainly is a must-watch.

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Ate It Up!

Celebrity was an excellent binge.

Seo Ari was a rich girl who became a door to door cosmetics salesperson after her father went bankrupt. One day she ends up tangled in the world of instagram celebrities and finds herself gaining attention and lets her curiosity of the world get the better of her.

What I enjoyed:
- Every episode had a lot happening. Very fast paced which I love.
- The characters which may seem over the top but not unbelievable because I have actually come across such people.
- The production was clearly top notch on this.
- The intro (theme) is gorgeous.
- The story-telling is certainly intriguing and I am a sucker for mysterious hidden characters and trying to figure out who dun it.
- Having heard of a few friends turn into rivalries among celebs and youtubers, the plot was quite believable. The way people end up exposing each other. The following unfollowing drama. The rumours and the fans defending and trolling and the public reactions. It's all well known facts about these celebs. The plot was a good run-down of how some of these people act on and off-screen.
- Though there is no proper romance, there is some really fascinating chemistry between Seo Ari and Jun Kyung that made for a fun experience.
- I love me a bit of a revenge plot so this show was right up my alley!

What could have been better:
Although I have already rated this a 10, the one thing that was distracting was that a lot of the online comments and DMs were not being translated and so I would occasionally translate them myself since some of it was a huge part of the story. Obviously, this isn't an issue of the plot itself. Rather, for whatever reason, the subbing was lacking.

I would definitely recommend watching this show even if you are not fascinated by celebrities and influencers as it has a lot going for it.

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Great but incomplete

I honestly enjoyed every minute of the series except maybe for the very end. We waited so long for the conclusion of the series and they leave some questions unanswered in anticipation of another season which I suspect might never get made. That is why it makes me more annoyed that the current season got split up to begin with. It might have received a better reception as a whole.

I genuinely loved the character development of all our three leads as well as the student. A depth is added to their personalities and the story continues. There is no romance but there is chemistry between Van and Won Min Ho. Plenty of nice action sequences especially including Priest Yohan. Really good CGI. The story moves faster for the most part.

The biggest drawback is that we get left on a cliffhanger so it's not really a satisfactory conclusion although it's not as bad as to feel incomplete either. I just wish all lose ends were tied up in a clean way.

The series is quite enjoyable. I hope more people view it so that we can all ask for another season with a conclusive story line.

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Funny and addictive

Ignore the cheesy title of the show. I found the drama by accident and was hooked instantly. The female lead plays multiple comic book characters usually as the evil secondary character except due to a bug she enters a romance story as a sad and pitiful female lead. Being the vamp that she is, her fiery personality leads to the plot going haywire while she tries her best to fix it.

If you're tired of the usual romance drama tropes then you'll love watching 'Night Of Love With You' tear into them mercilessly and will make you laugh.

This female character is certainly a breath of fresh air compared to the innocent goody two shoes plain Jane female leads. Sit back and relax and enjoy this gem of a drama.

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Thrilling start to finish

Basic plot: Why Her is the story of a talented lawyer Oh Soo Jae who rises to fame in TK Law Firm. However, her story is not simple. Her journey was one of a righteous young lawyer who goes through tragedy and hardship and makes revenge her ultimate goal by turning herself into the most sought out cut-throat lawyer that that clean up the messiest of cases. However, due to the shocking death in a case, she is forced to take time off and become a professor at a law school. This is where she meets an eager and helpful law student, Gong Chan. As fate would have it, this is not a chance encounter and they would discover just how they know each other while working together on cases.

Review: This is a rare drama where the thrill is maintained in every episode.

Oh Soo Jae is an elegant lawyer who knows exactly how to deal with misogyny in the workplace. She knows she is the best out there and she doesn't care for the opinions of others. She keeps her cards close to her chest. And her character is true to life in many such work places that are dominated by men.

Perhaps the noona romance is not to everyone's liking, however, both characters are adult and the attachment of Dong Chan to Soo Jae is understandable and justified. Similarly, Soo Jae is actually very lonely even when she may not show it and this romance depicts a softer side to her. Dong Chan gives her strength. However the romance element is not a huge part of the show even though I would have loved to see more of it. There is also an additional element of a love triangle with Choi Yoon Sang. His attachment is also understandable as they have known each other for long and he also plays a stong supporting role. My only disappointment was that this character was cut a bit shorter than I would have liked.

Choi Tae Gook is the main negative character. He is also owns TK Law Firm. This is a powerful and daunting character. My only criticism of this role is that we do not see him in action in any case whatsoever. He merely pulls strings in the background in his favour. He along with Assemblyman Lee In Soo and Han Seong Beom plot and plan and help each other rise further in their career ambitions. However, the brains of Choi Tae Gook are unmatched and he has other plans.

The show also has a number of lovely supporting characters that give life to the drama.

Final points: I for one do not understand the harsh criticisms of Why Her. Feels almost like they watched an entirely different show. The finale also keeps you guessing whether the show will end the way we want it to. I hope this review allays any concerns about the show and helps you decide to watch it. I have tried to provide just enough information without giving anything away. I would definitely give this a watch again.

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