DBSK
Norway
In one word this drama is raw. I am writing this review a minute after finishing the drama and there are all these emotions that I need to let out. It has been an amazing journey, and by the end I could truly tell how attached I got to the characters.
STORY: 8.5/10
We follow Gil Soo Hyun, an FBI officer whom is back in his home country and receives an offer from the police to join a special investigation team. He joins Oh Dae Yeong and Jin Seo Joon as they embark on solving missing cases with special circumstances. I can't say much about the story since the drama is episodic, which means we are met with a new case in (almost) every episode. I would also point out that Soo Hyun's background story is a key point, and slowly unfolded as the drama proceeds.
My rating is not higher because it's difficult to rate a drama with a different setting for each episode. I found some episodes to be extremely intriguing, while one or two in the middle of the drama were rather predictable. The beginning however, was phenomenal, as we got a two episode cameo from the very talented Kang Ha Neul who brought so much life to drama. Some cases are very unique, like the painting one. Watch the drama to find out what that's all about ;)
ACTING/CAST: 10/10
My gem, the great Kim Kang Woo. I cannot praise this man's acting enough. Somehow I feel like he's an unappreciated actor in the Korean industry - correct me if I'm wrong. I first 'met' him in Haeundae Lovers, where he played the role of a prosecutor. That is obviously where I fell for him, and I have been anticipating his upcoming projects ever since. Kim did a phenomenal job in Missing Noir M as he portrayed a strong and competent character despite his wounds. Would the drama be the same without him? Probably not.
Park Hee Soon portrayed the talented police officer Oh Dae Yeong. This is the character that brought life to the drama, through his 'feeling like feeling' and phone ringtone. Overall the impression you'll get of him will be one of delight. He also has the cutest relationship with his wife, which also brings colour to a dark themed show. I also loved him for loving the victims with all he had.I like that he went from All About My Romance to OCN's Missing Noir M. It was nice to see him in a new light.
Jin Seo Joon was portrayed by the rising actress Jo Bo Ah (congratulations on the dating news!). Jin (as officer Oh calls her) is a hacker, and you can tell the team wouldn't get too far without her. She is highly intelligent, and I loved seeing her. The only complaint I have is that I wanted to see more of her. In a very male dominating drama, I wish she would've have gotten more spotlight. She deserves all the praise, and Jo Bo Ah as an actress has come a very long way since Shut Up! Flower Boy Band.
Another lady is the medical examiner Kang Yoo Yeong (Park So Hyun). We also see very little of her, but again - she plays a vital role as she is the one who conducts autopsies.
For the side characters who played a big part in each story, you'll find them in the cast list. Among the known actors and actresses is the very cute Shim Yi Young (Ji Yeon, officer Oh's wife), Yoon Ye Joo (Ellie from SBS' Angel Eyes), L.Joe (from the boy band Teen Top) and Park Hae Joon (Mr. Chun from Misaeng).
MUSIC: 10/10
Their main OST called Lucid Dream (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzF4DODg-K0) by Kim Yuna, and featuring rapper Olltii has seriously become one of my favourites ones. I listened to this while waiting for new episodes. I'm also an avid supporter of Korean rappers, and knowing that Olltii (Show Me The Money 3) featured in this song was very exciting. Lucid Dream is dark, filled with amazing vocals. It fits the drama perfectly.
REWATCH VALUE: 9/10
I think I'll rewatch this drama when the withdrawal symptoms arrive. Being episodic, it is quite simple to click on whatever episode and watch. Though you need to watch the whole drama the first time since you'll miss out on the protagonist's story if you don't.
OVERALL: 9/10
I cannot recommend this enough. My sister always tells me Korean dramas are boring and repetitive, and for people like her, this drama is a definite counterargument.
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Another thing that makes this drama watchable is the friendship between Cha Ji Heon and Cha Moo Won (played by Kim Jaejoong). They start out as "enemies" (but not really, they're cousins). Slowly, while hitting and insulting each other, and even being involved in a love triangle, they grow closer. I find this part of the drama absolutely beautiful.
I would love to talk about the girls now. We have Secretary. No, No Eun Seol; the female lead. Then we have Seo Na Yoon, the second female lead. They come from two different classes, but throughout the drama they learn more about each other and even share miserable and happy moments together. I believe that their friendship was portrayed in a very realistic way. Na Yoon was a lovable character. She was charming and very affectionate. As for our main girl, No Eun Seol; hands down, one of the best female leads I've seen in any drama. No Eun Seol is very realistic and knows her boundaries and work well.
I've given the story a 9, just because I feel like it was a little repetitive and slow at the very end. However, I'm not disappointed with the ending!
People that gave the music 8, why? Jaejoong's I'll Protect You became a bit hit after the drama. 10++ for him (not biased though). It was a song that brightened up the drama!
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I knew about Ryu Seung Ryong and how famous he was, but I had never seen him in work. After this movie, I won't miss a single one of his works. I'm mind blown by how he played the role of Yong Goo. The same goes for the child actress, Kal So Won.
I would like to point out how deeply I loved the cellmates. Like you guys don't even know how much I love them. The way their characters developed was crazy. Their loyalty came out and out shadowed every little flaw they had in the past.
Miracle in Cell No.7, a movie you can't miss out on! (My eyes are still so sore from all the bawling ;;)
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The story is mysterious and things that you wouldn't imagine happen, even though things become more and more clear in the middle of the drama. The revenge part is really interesting and all these twists made this drama perfect. If I could pick on ONE thing in the story, it would be the father. He was just..he did a lot of things he shouldn't have done and even though we can now see him differently, he was really the one character I couldn't connect with. Same goes for Song Hwa, but with her it was different - she actually changed so much that I started liking her towards the end.
Park Bok-Nyeo, the suspicious housekeeper, has become one of my favourite drama characters ever. And all the credit for this goes to the amazing actress, Choi Jiwoo. Seriously, this is my first time watching her act and she blew me away. Bok-Nyeo is a very strict and hurt character and the way Choi displayed this was extremely admirable. Despite her promise of not laughing, you could tell by her eyes; when she was happy and when she wasn't. The last episode had a part that had me laughing so much. She's a character I will never forget.
The younger cast was very well chosen! There was a lot of chemistry between the siblings, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Talking about chemistry, there wasn't much between the father and Bok-Nyeo, but it got better. I also loved Soo Hyuk sunbae. In the beginning I was extremely against him and leaned towards Woo Jae, but in the end I was all about Soo Hyuk ;u;
The relationship between the children's aunt and Lee Dong-shik was also extremely cute and added a sweeter touch to the drama.
Oh, and the music!! I realised after listening that Kim Yerim was behind one of the OSTs. The soundtrack, I'm Asking You (I'm requesting you) was my favourite soundtrack along with the ending score.
The Suspicious Housekeeper has become one of my favourite dramas and I would really recommend it to everyone!
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This drama is the opposite of that. Ugi, the male lead, is afraid of rain. At first it was difficult for me to understand how you can even dislike rain, but his situation was understandable and if I had been through something like that, it would haunt me too.
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This review may contain spoilers
Han Gong Ju is a high school student. The movie starts with Gong Ju being transferred to another school. The reason seems to be unknown. Her previous homeroom teacher, Mr. Lee, is helping her with enrolment at the new school. He also pleads his mother, who lives close to the new school, to let Gong Ju stay with her for a week. The mother hesitates. Back in her hometown, an investigation is taking place. The movie discusses pain, growth, friendship, broken families and above all - survival.
Here is a trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsQyHhusuP4
I would recommend anyone who is easily triggered by violence to read some comments and reviews on the movie before watching it. I will have a spoiler at the end of the commentary if you want to know about the triggering topic discussed in the movie. Is you want to know what kind of triggering topic that is discussed, click "Keep reading" on the post titled "Han Gong Ju - Thoughts and review": http://banghae.tumblr.com/tagged/hang-gong-ju
STORY/ACTING
I went into this expecting nothing, but ended up rating it a 10. I think it was extremely well put. It was pleasing to the eyes and if you search for gifs from the movie on tumblr, you’ll see how gorgeous the scenery was. This was an independent movie, but gained a lot of attention and the main lead, Chun Woo Hee, who portrayed Han Gong Ju, won Best Actress at the 35th Blue Dragon Film Awards. She has also won several other awards. She is now a much anticipated actress and recently came back to the big screen with Cart, which I also watched and enjoyed quite a bit.
I have never watched anything as raw and devastating as Han Gong Ju. Gong Ju is a fragile character and does not trust people easily. Chun Woo Hee did an excellent job at portraying such a scared and vulnerable human being.
I also found Kim Hyun Joon's acting to be very realistic. Min Ho is not a character you want to be around and I have so much rage in my heart because of him. Eun Hee (Jung In Sun) was a friend Gong Ju needed.
MUSIC
Gong Ju shows an interest in music throughout the movie and I loved the one song she sang. I'm currently listening to it as well. Woo Hee has a very sweet and mellow voice.
REWATCH VALUE
The rewatch value needs to a bit lower as there is a lot to take in here. The movie is based on the well known Milyang junior high school case: http://netizenbuzz.blogspot.no/2014/12/pann-movie-han-gong-ju-scandal-based.html
Watch with English subtitles: http://myasiantv.com/movie/han-gong-ju/
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Story:
5/10 - The story was actually nothing special. It was funny and the characters were even more hilarious, but I have to say that it didn't stand out one bit. It's basically about a family and its many internal struggles. The drama touches upon a lot of topics - mental illnesses, weight problems, an old couple's struggles, puberty etc.
Acting:
9/10 - The acting was great. All of them did a phenomenal job. The reason I didn't give it 10 however, is because one of the actresses annoyed me way too much. I won't spoil, but if you listen to the way she speaks, you'll know.
Music:
7/10 - There really wasn't a lot of music and the two songs that were there, were okay. I gave it a seven because the one Seulbi sings is actually quite the song.
Rewatch Value:
8/10 - I'm going to be honest and say that I was up late and that it was the reason why I decided to watch it. By the end of it, the drama did get a little repetitive, hence the 8.
Overall:
7.5/10 - It's worth watching. The characters are fun and the story, heart warming. If you're having a bad day, this is a good pick!
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Before I start, here is a teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QodEjU7peWc and here is a press conference with the adorable and talented cast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QodEjU7peWc .
STORY: 9/10
In Yub is the daughter of a noble, but when he dies in the hands of (watch the drama to find out), she is forced into a household as a maid.
This is the story of maids, their struggles and above all - how your status says nothing about who you are and what your purpose is.
The story is original and unlike anything I have watched before. I believe this to be the reason I became so attached to the drama. I was not much of a historical drama fan, but this one changed my mind. I did not skip anything in the first 15 episodes. I watched The Moon that Embraces the Sun before Maids and though I do not wish to compare (because they're entirely different), this one was still a lot more interesting. That might be because this story is more realistic and realistic dramas are usually my favourite ones.
As the drama goes on however, it slows down. They get stuck on the conflict between Moo Myeong (played by Oh Ji Ho) and the people he belongs to and this lasts from about episode 14/15 up until 18/19.
ACTING/CAST: 9.5/10
If I could comment this in word, it would be 'amazing'. Every single person acted to their fullest ability. Some even surprised me. I'll comment on a few, and I'm sorry if it gets a bit long.
Jung Yoo Mi as Gook In Yub - YES! First of all, Yoo Mi did not impress me when I watched Rooftop Prince. Her role and her voice together were a bad combination for me. But this drama changed everything for me. The In Yub before she became a maid and In Yub as a maid are so easy to differentiate between - and that's what I think makes her the perfect person for the role. Her voice is something I still have to get used to, but she did really well. And I agree, she needs that best actress award. In Yub is a very strong and admirable woman and her character development is spot on. Loved her.
Oh Ji Ho as Moo Myeong - *Sigh* I really liked Moo Myeong, I did. But Oh Ji Ho as an actor was a first for me and I don't know what to say. I'm not saying he's a bad actor, rather he's very...monotone. Maybe I should give him a second chance. For Moo Myeong, I'd recommend not reading the synopsis. I didn't and found myself viewing him differently. I don't think I would have reacted the same way If I had read it. Moo Myeong is formed by his childhood, his experience, his strength. Moo Myeong is strength, Moo Myeong is human in the truest form and Moo Myeong is gentleness.
Kim Dong Wook as Kim Eun Gi - 'Orabonim!!' The first impression you'll get of him is that of a typical nice guy. He's the dreamy character. Eun Gi is In Yub's long time fiancé, and first love. Of course he will suffer from a major character development, but that one matched his heart's condition. I don't remember seeing Kim Dong Wook in Coffee Prince (I only watched a few episodes), but he really impressed me in this drama. He also has an amazing voice. I was surprised when I first heard him talk! Eun Gi is extremely strong, yet fragile.
For the secondary cast, I'd like to say, it's my favourite part of the cast (/roles). Thank you to the casting director because the actors and actresses did a phenomenal job.
Jun So Min as Dan Ji - Dan Ji, described as young and beautiful, is one of the maids in the household In Yub enters. She is also linked with the son of this household. Dan Ji was born and raised in this household and has been a maid for the longest time. I loved this character. She is the maid that will make you both love and hate her at the same time. She changes a lot, maybe the most, throughout.
Lee Yi Kyung as Heo Yoon Seo - Of course I know about this actor. He acted in School 2013! He is 26 years old (would you believe it). The character he portrays, Yoon Seo, is a hilarious, yet immature and childish son of the Defence Minister in Goryeo. He is spoiled, simply put. As Yi Kyung put it in the press conference, 'the character has a wife, yet loves Dan Ji, and is easily attracted to women'. He is an interesting character and will bring out lots of laughter. Dan Ji and his story was at times more interesting than the main - and this is no surprise in drama land.
Lee Cho Hee as Sa Wol - 'The only thing I have is loyalty.' Sa Wol is In Yub's main maid, the one that follows her everywhere. She's beautiful inside and out and can put everything on the line for her master. I loved Cho Hee's character in My Lovable Girl and though Sa Wol is much different from that role, she doesn't fail to deliver. Someone said she should get plastic surgery and I'd like to say 'shame on you' to that person. She is beautiful just the way she is.
I'd also like to mention Ahn Nae Sang (Lee Bang Won) whom is my favourite older actor, Lee El (Lady Kang, Yoon Seo's wife) because I loved her acting and voice, Kim Hye Na (Ok Ki) and Jung Soo Jin (Ga Dong Yi) as characters who brought life to the show.
MUSIC: 10/10
As far as I know, the music contained no vocals, but it still was beautifully chosen. There were no need for lyrics because the story was filling for the most part.
REWATCH VALUE: 9/10
I'd love to rewatch this anytime. I already miss it.
I tried to make this review as unbiased as possible. Sorry for any misspelling, but this was long and I don't think I can proofread.
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