Mango0519
visually stunning filler
I just have to shout out that intro. Never skipped and even replayed it sometimes. The visuals and vibes go too hard.I'll be honest, I wasn't on board with the show until about ep 4, but that proposal really sped things up for me. The story has your typical problematic chaebol family but some twists here and there. The jokes weren't landing in the beginning but I thought things became funnier as this progressed.
The acting was ok. The FL carried hard. Everyone is right. The visual chemistry is insane, and the romantic chemistry is good too. I'm still on the fence about SK’s abilities as an actor. Either the roles he's getting aren't challenging or he simply doesn't have the range. Either way he wasn’t the best here and at times I thought he forgot how to act. KYJ has such a charming face. The directors knew what they were doing casting her in this. She just has the right look. Same with SK. Seok Hoon, Madam Ju, and Seok Min’s actors were good. Everyone else was just ok.
This was def better than I thought it was gonna be. I actually found myself looking forward to the ep drops. Def pick this up if you're looking for something nice with little complications.
Was this review helpful to you?
cute movie
Ok so like 10 minutes in I thought about switching this off but I tell myself to just wait and see how things play out cause I did like the premise. I eventually finished and am surprised that the writer committed to that ending. Instead of pleasing the audience with a happy ending, we were given a realistic one and I can't be mad about that.The plot was extremely easy to follow and even seemed a bit too easy at times. I wanted an event or character to come in and mix things up to create some good conflict but that didn't happen. Then I realized that this movie didn't need conflict. It was perfect the way it was. It really boils down to how people can come in and out of your life, some staying longer than others, but some people can have such an effect on you that they end up changing your life for the better. In terms of the movie, Seunghee had came into Wooyeon's life at a time where he was lost and didn't have a single sense of direction. Their friendship and his eventual feelings developing for her caused him to have a new outlook on life, and suddenly he began to think seriously about his future. Although Seunghee never knew found out about Wooyeon's feelings for her, he at least got to tell her after all those years that it was really because of her that he can now live a good life and be confident about it, and he only wishes her a good life and happiness in return. Yet even after this confession you I felt a twinge of regret from Wooyeon at Seunghee's wedding ceremony. The ending was sad but very much like life so that made the ending beautiful. 7/10.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
MAGNIFICENT START BUT MESSY END
THE PLOT - I’m always down for a revenge drama. Especially if it’s a makjang show. The premise is definitely enough to suck you in. What kept me watching was finding out exactly who Ra El was going after because it isn’t clear in the beginning. The whole revenge plan was really strategic and had me questioning how far a person would go to avenge the death of a loved one. There were times throughout the show where I thought Ra El went too far, but I think it was decided from the beginning that nothing would stand in the way of her revenge.THE CHARACTERS - I have to agree with the majority here and state that Han So Ra is the best one out of the bunch. What a character she was! The times she made me laugh out loud lmao.Not to excuse her unacceptable behavior but she had no real guidance. From what I observed it seems like she is a tool used by her father when it’s beneficial to him. Otherwise he can't be bothered with her. He is so cold to her and dismisses her even when she genuinely needs ya know, her father. Yes she is a miserable wretched woman but I do think it's sad how the only men in her life don't give her genuine love. Even the assistant she was sleeping with doesn't actually love her, he's just there to boost her ego, but there were times I felt he was genuinely concerned for her. It’s unfortunate that her henchman cared for her more than her own father. She is a tragic case but she was merely a product of her environment. Han Pan Ro was a good villain. He was very cruel and that was established with that dog scene in the first episode. The contrast with him being an old man was done well. Yoon Gyum was probably the worst in terms of acting. It was excruciating to watch him during certain scenes, especially the intimate ones. Like bro fix your face! The age difference between his and Ra El’s character threw me off when they had certain scenes together. Gye Young was good. Eun Pyung was a sweet character with a good backstory. The romance between him and LE should’ve been dealt with but the writers chose to leave it open ended.. And last but not least Seo Yeji. I watched this for her and I was not disappointed in her performance. She is excellent at portraying such heavy emotions. You really felt her dedication to the role. I hope she gets more projects after this.
Overall I’d say this show started off great and then lost me towards the end. The first 8 episodes are def the strongest. The last act felt rushed and there were quite a few plot holes. Like what happened to Han So Ra’s kids? I liked how Yoon Gyum chose to help LE in the end. However rather than having him commit suicide I think he should’ve been killed another way. I get that he was done but I don’t think suicide was the answer. Anyways I’d def recommend this show if you like revenge and chaebol family mess, but mind the inconsistencies as you watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
THE MAIN CAST was good. Shin Hye Sun easily gave the best performance. She had so much emotion. Her aunt could've acted better because she wasn't as intimidating as her character entails. L was ok. He's not the best at acting but he's an idol so I wasn't expecting something great from him. At times I thought he was overacting but he was serious when he needed to be and delivered emotional scenes quite well. He was very cute so I won’t be too harsh on him. The leads had good chemistry but SHS carried the romantic scenes. Nina’s character could have been better. I also wouldn’t mind if there were more scenes with Kang Woo. I found him so intriguing.
THE MUSIC suited this drama beautifully. Very elegant. My favorite OST is “Because of You” by Huh Gak
OVERALL I give this drama a 9.0. I really enjoyed this drama despite the two issues I mentioned above. I might watch this again sometime.
Was this review helpful to you?
Everybody is worth of human decency
"If calling someone ugly was enough to kill someone then everyone in this country would be dead"What a line.
Well this did not go the way I thought. At least up until ep 2. Ngl I considered dropping when I got to that point cause I wasn't seeing where they were gonna take this but in ep 3 things got more interesting. MoMi's journey definitely had some surprises. Her story didn't develop the way I thought I would but in the superficial sense, she is a reflection of what many people deal with irl. With South Korea being the plastic surgery capital of the world and how common beautifying procedures are there, I've noticed a lack of empathy and cruelty towards those who are different and fit an ultra specific mold of beauty. All the main women here have tragic ends but I found it fitting to end the series with the first we saw of MoMi: a happy young girl that wanted people to love her back. The character-threaded episodes and how everyone's backstory leads them to Mo Mi was done well. Though the lookism commentary could've been a little stronger, I like the points that were brought up. Simply put, attractive people will always have an advantage but a person's value doesn't lie solely in their appearance. One thing I noticed while watching Nam Joo's mother's long and tiring revenge was that she used Christianity as some sort of twisted justification for her plan. She also never once reflected on her son's life or the events that led up to his death, which would've provided some context that perhaps could've led her down a different path.
SPOILER ALERT:
Why didn't Bomi just tell Nam Joo's mom that the reason why she killed her son was bc he tried to rape her? There was a bit of rage but it was mostly self defense. His mom would've still been angry but all she knew was that some girl killed her son and she ran with that.
Was this review helpful to you?
the romance was so precious here!
What a beautiful way to tell a story about the precious time that passes between people that are in love.I can totally understand why some would think the time logic is confusing but after exposition from the FL I pretty much understood it. The acting was good. Fukushi Sota was so cute as Minamiyamai. His performance from the beginning was so endearing and you could really feel his love for Fukuju through the screen and that was amazing. Komatsu Nana was also good tho I liked Fukushi’s acting more. At first I wondered why it seemed like Minamiyamai liked her more than she liked him, even one sided at times. After her secret was revealed her behavior made much more sense and you saw exactly how much Minamiyamai meant to her. That ending was so abrupt bc I really loved every moment the leads were together and wanted to see more of them but I am happy we got to see their timelines collide again as we know they do have a happy ending.
I def recommend this movie if you’re new to Japanese movies/shows and you're a big fan of romance or destiny-trope stuff. I was quite pleased with this and loved the romance aspect here. Am open to watching this again in the future.
Was this review helpful to you?
Ending was predictable yet not…
The concept was so intriguing and I'm currently in my Kento Yamazaki phase so I had to watch. I ended up finishing this over the span of a few days.Todome no Kiss is my first jdrama, but its premise is one of the weirdest I've seen from an Asian show. The production value looks hella dated(this show is from 2018) and some parts are a bit cheesy but I'm not above cheese if the show pays off. I think this did. I will say the last two episodes were a little draggy and could've easily been reduced to one hour-and-a-half finale that ties up loose ends. This show is predictable yet unpredictable. Some things you see coming and some things you don't. I was pleasantly surprised at how this turned out. I love how a person that only cares about themself learns to value other people and ends up sacrificing their happiness for the chance that someone else will have it. Good stuff.
Now unto the CHARACTERS. Kento Yamazaki as Otaro, though not impressive acting-wise, was entertaining and charismatic in the role. I also have to gush a little about the man's visuals cause Yamazaki is FINE ASF. This is the best he's ever looked. There were times where I wanted to be seduced by him cause damn. Anyway his redemption arc was great and felt very natural considering how hopelessly selfish and hedonistic he was throughout the show. Ngl towards the end I was kinda losing hope that he could be redeemed lol. Mikoto felt more like a plot device than an actual person and I blame the writers. And why was she so aloof at times? Saiko was ok but she was stale and cartoonist at times. Mackenyu's character storyline was kinda interesting but got a little annoying towards the end. He's intrigued me so now I will add some of his projects to me PTW.
Def recommend this if you're new to jdramas or need something fun to watch in between serious shows.
Was this review helpful to you?
Cute musical bits and cheesy fun
This was nowhere near as bad as the reviews said this was gonna be. I thought the musical parts were enchanting and super cute. The CGI bits were ehh but nothing too crusty. Mitsuki's voice is quite beautiful and I'm impressed at her contributing so much vocals to the film. Her acting was ok. The critics however were right about Kento Yamazaki. He is just eye candy here and his acting is non-existent but he looks so mf good in a suit and glasses that I'm ok with it. He was the only reason I watched aside from the premise but I may look into the FL's music and other works as her voice impressed me at least. I knew exactly the kind of movie I was signing up for with this one and I wasn't disappointed. It's good for a movie to know what it wants to be and be aware of its purpose at that. The only thing I didn't like was I think Narumi's boss. His voice was really annoying. Def gonna watch the anime soon!Was this review helpful to you?
THE STORY - The blending of law into a prestigious school full of privileged kids with clear-cut agendas. As a matter of fact I think the strongest parts of the show were those little probings disguised as lessons between Mr. Temporary and the Verida 4 in the classroom. They were entertaining and we got more of a feel of the main kids and their personalities. Wish I could say the same about the others. I do wish that other students or the student body as a whole got more focus outside the Verida 4.
THE CHARACTERS - LJY as Beom Jin was undoubtedly the standout. What a performance. He looked familiar as I watched but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was an actor. My only complaint with his character is that very abrupt ending. I’m not saying it’s not less of what he deserved but I so badly wanted to see him in handcuffs after being recognized for what he did. His murder felt like a cop-out though you could see it as him getting his commuppance.
Tae Ra’s demise is not what I expected at all but tbh I would’ve liked it better if she and her mother were exposed for fabricating her academic rewards and records. She was just as rotten as the other 3 but the way she went out was…wow.
Kyu Jin really was down bad for Su Ah, to the point where he started making irrational decisions that had him looking crazy. He had the strongest arc out of the bunch and was able to somewhat redeem himself(could’ve done way more) but he got off way too easy for that SA incident and the stalking. I was getting vibes that he was only upset about what happened between Soo Ah and BJ’s dad but he did apologize for the role he played with her so idk. I get that the victim is dead but not even a suspension or getting kicked out of that club? Yeri started with her 3 buddies and ended up alone which is rather fitting for her character. She also got exposed for her online crimes and lost out on debuting so she got her payback. I did think it was weird that she didn’t appear to be that sad when her supposed best friend Tae Ra died so suddenly but perhaps she was so caught up in her own ambitions it didn’t hit her until long after the fact.
Now unto the adult mains: Temporary was such a fun character. I enjoyed his screentime so much and relished in his ability to take whatever the kids threw at him. He was no fool and he didn’t underestimate them for one second. I think he realized the first day of his job that he would have to get into a basket of vipers to get to the truth. Ngl I was kinda scared for him cause man was being way to bold dancing around these powerful people. However he proved multiple times he could hold his own and that nothing was going to stand in the way of his goal. The teacher lady was so annoying and didn’t think before she did things which was super frustrating. I get her being mad about Moo Hyuk lying about his identity but she didn’t even really try to get to the bottom of it and find out why. I couldn’t wait or them to just join forces and move on with the story cause the constant misunderstandings and jumping to conclusions was starting to piss me off.
P.S The guy who played Lee Tae Seok did the part way too well. He has that…face lol.
Overall this was a really great show. I do think there should’ve been one more episode to even things out and get a follow up with the characters but the last scenes were satisfactory enough for me to be content with. The ending was incredibly satisfying and I will def watch this again just for the thrill of it all. I think the overall theme was just as Gi Gang Jae said: Finding out the truth is more important than winning the case. Of course irl things aren’t that straightforward, as corruption eventually seeps into those places where justice is supposed to prevail. I may not become a lawyer but that saying however did give me a new perspective for when I view cases as an outsider, low profile or high profile
Was this review helpful to you?
wasted potential for a larger conversation
This drama really wrecked me, in a good way and bad way. Actually after concluding this show I still haven’t been able to watch a crime drama. I think it’s safe to say this show scarred me in a way that I can’t properly explain. It both enthralled me and exhausted me at the same time. I had to take breaks in between increments of episodes because it was very intense, even for me, a person who likes this genre. As much as this show captivated me, it's not to forget the problems I had with it.The first episode did an excellent job of explaining the back story of our main characters, but not revealing too much to the point where the twists became obvious. In the first ep we are introduced to a society where psychopaths can be detected at birth. This does indeed cause a stir amongst new mothers because the possibility of your child being born as such creates a real fear. The issue I have with this is jumping to conclusions. Not all psychopaths turn into killers, but once your child gets that label, you're going to deny them the TLC that every child needs? That aspect of the show was a huge and misleading generalization, and perhaps if handled differently, could’ve saved a lot of people from public isolation and demise. On a parenting level I think Ba Reum’s mother failed him miserably. I found it incredibly sad that she chose to distance herself from her son–her blood–instead of giving him the attention that she should’ve given him. That church scene was a cry to God.
Moochi was entertaining at first but his messiness and slowness to piece things together got very repetitive. Looking back I don’t understand how he kept getting cases. His obsession with catching his family’s killer turned into a nasty alcohol addiction and just not being fit for crime work in general. He might’ve been a great detective when he started but his grief and the stress of the job obviously caused him to get lazy and leave loose ends which led to more tragedy.
I liked Sung Yohan’s character but I feel like he could’ve been utilized better. The female characters were forgettable.
Even though the second half of the show was convoluted I really put all my might into trying to follow the story and keep up to date with all the plots. I did think that towards the end it became more about just finding out who the culprit than figuring out every little thing. Yall, my head started to hurt after every episode because I was literally using all of my brain power to work through this enigma of a show. Was the ending worth it to me? For the most part, yes. Ba Reum being the big bad wasn’t as shocking as the writer wanted it to be, but I was so exhausted from the mouse chase that I was ok with just about anything at that point. Him being the real serial made logical sense in my head considering the brain transplant surgery and the weird hallucinations Ba Reum saw which were his actual gruesome crimes. Ngl the visions kinda gave it away but the whole brain surgery thing was CRAZY. The villain subplot to make a military-like army of psychopaths was stupid and I didn’t care about it one bit. There were so many other things you could’ve made a secret organization do. I would’ve been more forgiving of the plot holes if the core of the show was better. The theme of living in a world where psychopaths are detectable from an early stage is an interesting idea, but the drama didn’t flesh out this concept as much as it could've. Your morals will definitely be challenged watching this and you will definitely get mentally involved if not emotionally.
Was this review helpful to you?
DONT UNDERESTIMATE ANYONE!
PLOT - Def better than I thought it was gonna be but a bit boring at times and this was quite a chore for me to finish. I really do like the idea though. Not sure why there will be a season two since I feel like things could’ve easily been wrapped up with one go. Guess the ratings in Korea were really good. My last complaint is the different court cases. After the first 3 eps I stopped paying attention to them as they didn’t interest me as much as the characters did. Almost all of them had no significance to the main plot, but they were able to showcase Woo’s intelligence and skills as a lawyer.CHARACTERS - PEB as Attorney Woo was great! I know there was some talk about the way in which she went about portraying an autistic person however I think she did very well. As a person who went to a school with quite a few kids on the spectrum I thought her performance was very detailed and spot on. Imo nothing about her acting was mocking or disrespectful towards autistic people, and I think PEB felt pressured to make sure she was as accurate as possible as a non-autistic individual. Kang Tae Oh is very likable, at least out of the two I’ve seen him in. I love the way his relationship with Attorney Woo develops. He never insults her intelligence or is condescending in any way unlike the other lawyers. He doesn’t always understand her thinking but he is patient and kind enough to trust the process because he genuinely believes in her abilities. The whole revolving door technique he taught her was so thoughtful and cute I was gushing. Now I understand why people call Junho a green flag lol.
Jung Myung Seok was iffy and he had no backbone. Soo Yeon was seemingly cold and harsh, but under all that was concern for her friend. I like how she stood up for Woo behind her back and didn’t cave when others were against her. As for Min Woo, I didn’t hate him but being against Attorney Woo seemed pointless in the end. At first it made sense but after a while it felt like he was an antagonist just to be an antagonist. I think I really started to dislike him when he tried to get Woo fired. Overall as a group I like the comradery this group exhibited when together. Certain people were against Woo, but when it came to business differences were able to be put aside for the most part.
REWATCH VALUE - Thai show was cute but I would not watch this again nor will I be tuning in for the second installment. I like the plot but it felt very draggy at times.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
THE DEVIL IS NOT WHO YOU THINK...
When the show was good it was really good but when it was bad it was really bad. The first 8 episodes are undoubtedly the strongest from the show. The first episode itself had enough political intrigue and theatrics to convince the viewer that watching this to the end was worth it.PLOT - The plot was definitely enough to peak my interests and convince me to enter this dystopian world. Ironically enough most of the corruption that was displayed by the political figures and business men are happening in our world today. That made sinking into this setting all the more realistic.
CHARACTERS - I'll start with Ga On. He's my favorite character. Those side eyes bed give KHY TOOK ME OUT. Of course I still have my issues with him but I like the do-gooder passionate side that craves true justice. There were times however when he was too naive to the point of being obnoxious. It's like he's in this fantasy world where everyone has good intentions and no sinister motives and that was annoying to watch. He got so caught up in KYH's business that he failed to notice himself being used as a pawn in Sun Ah's plan. Jin Joo was so unbelievably oblivious it got stupid. Almost every scene with her was confusion. It was unclear to me if she actually wanted to be a judge or a pathway to being a celebrity. Towards the end she decided to work in the juvenile court but tbh I thought she cared more about the glitz and glamor of the court show. Jung Sun Ah was no doubt a dangerous individual and was alluring at first but I soon grew tired of her temptress tricks and that silly saccharine smirk she has plastered in her face every scene. What didn't make sense to me was when she broke down after finding out about the human subjects for the president's secret project. You literally killed people and showed no remorse but children is what makes you show emotion? Get out of here. I also get down with the fact that she based her entire life on the delusionaI notion of being with KYH one day. Given everything that she did up to ep 16 it didn't compute with me. I was so mad when she killed herself. It was such a cop out and I wanted the satisfaction of her living to see herself in ruins. The president's character was a bit overdone but we got the message. Elijah was cute and added the lighthearted humor the show needed at times. Watching her relationship with Ga On and KYH develop was sweet. Soohyun was good but imo her and Ga On were better as friends. Their relationship was rushed and they really made them kiss only to kill her off. I thoroughly enjoyed Minister Cha. I was sad she ended her life cause she was too good of a character. Minister Jungho was a plot twist I did not see coming and that really hurt me lol. The betrayal I tell u! And Finally Kang Yohan. I must say that his character was written so well. I think it was obvious at a certain point that he wasn't the devil everyone was making him out to be, but the unfolding process was well worth it. When the truth was revealed I was mind blown. The buildup was so artfully done and it all made sense. I don't watch Jisung much but his performance in this was great.
I will say the finale felt messy and rushed but they tied up most of the important subplots and left me satisfied with the finished product. Judt watch for the rollercoaster ride.
Was this review helpful to you?
entertaining but that climax NOPE!
This was good. The first show I’ve seen where a girl goes after her father’s killer. They set that and the organization up pretty well.The characters were good. Han So Hee really shines bright in this. I loved how badass and independent she was. She really had fire in her eyes and nailed the anguish and anger that Jiwoo felt. It’s impressive that the actress chose to gain weight and go to action school for the role as that shows her dedication. The scenes where she interacted with the organization were always satisfying to watch. Choi Moo Jin was a scene stealer for sure. Park Hee Soon was mesmerizing in the role and I wouldn’t mind him playing a mafia boss again in the future because he’s just that good. Lee Hak Joo was good in TWOTM but I like him much better here. He was the charming and loyal right hand man to Mujin yet he had a humane and soft side that was pleasant to see. It’s almost like sometimes he regretted certain actions but you were never really sure. Pil Do was a good support system for Jiwoo. He didn’t fully understand her but he did recognize that she had to complete her mission and offered to help her.
All 8 episodes were enjoyable in their own right but I have to admit that things got repetitive after a while: Jiwoo would be told a piece of information that she thought would get her closer to the killer only to find out the info was a loose end and she would start again. I wanna note that the intimate scene between Jiwoo and Pildo was special. It wasn’t overly sexual but relevant to the story because that was the first time Jiwoo found someone that understood her pain and allowed her to let her guard down. It was beautiful actually. The payoff wasn’t worth it imo. We never got an actual reason as to why Mujin lied to Jiwoo in the first place and it irked me even upon second viewing. My best guess is that he wanted to see if Jiwoo would become like him during the process of finding her father’s killer, so stooping as low as he does would make her worthy or something. Idk yall. That angered me. Jiwoo literally threw away her life and a great future only to discover her mentor and trusted ally was the perpetrator. I was just as livid as he tbh. Overall, entertaining show.
Was this review helpful to you?
A bit boring but great metaphor for wives
The strongest part of the show is the metaphor about goldfish. Like pets, humans need love and care in order to thrive. Without TLC any relationship is bound to fail.Tbh the only wife I cared about was the fishbowl one. The goldfish boy was cute. The other wives just didn't interest me that much. I ended up skipping a lot of scenes to finish quickly. Not the best infidelity drama I've seen but it was my first real Japanese drama.
The ending was ok. Kinda bummed the fishbowl wife didn't end up with her fling but I'm glad she was able to reconcile with her husband and start anew. For some couples it goes to show that sometimes you can get back to a happy relationship if you work at it and truly listen to your partner's needs. Not everyone needs the same thing but there has to be compromise and balance for things to be healthy.
Was this review helpful to you?
well-written story and great acting!
Ngl I went into this thinking it was gonna be boring asf and hard to follow but I liked this show way more than I had anticipated. I avoid historical dramas like the plague but I watched this because a friend recommended it and I thought my mom would like it and decided to watch along with her. And I gotta admit, I like the show WAY more than I anticipated and I would actually consider rewatching this in the future. The plot is undoubtedly the strongest element of this show. The first two episodes are easily the strongest ones. The child actors who played young Hwi and Dani were really good. They absolutely deserve a shout-out.CHARACTERS - Park Eunbin undoubtedly had the hardest job out of the entire cast. She plays both the Crown Prince Hwi and Dami, but she does both personas well. I didn’t think she’d be able to play a man but she was believable enough. I think a part of it is because approaches the role with a regal aura which contributed to how well she portrayed her role. There were times when she clearly sounded feminine and was seen looking like a woman but if her secret identity was found out early there would be no story. Even so, I still think it was kinda dragged out, and as expected, there were multiple times where Dami's identity should've been revealed. PEB also portrayed the torture and anguish of being trapped in someone else's life so beautifully. Now unto Rowoon. He was better than I expected. Especially with the emotional scenes, even though he could still improve. For an idol actor, he actually did a decent job. Nam Yoon Su was also good. Not my favorite side character that he played but he was cute for sure. I like the support he portrayed towards Prince Hwi. I also absolutely love the guy who played the grandpa. He was a trip! But he was very entertaining to watch.
Overall this was a very satisfactory watch. It also may have some replay value for me. I’d definitely recommend this show if you love historical dramas or as a show to watch in between shows.
Was this review helpful to you?
