Mitta
Viewers will need to get used to connecting the three different versions of Hyun Soo/Eun Ho and Eun Dong/Jung Eun played by six different actors/actresses. I may be in the minority but I feel the Eun Dong played by Yoon So Hee is a tad different compared to the young Eun Dong played by Lee Ja In and the mature Eun Dong Kim Sa Rang, which threw me off slightly but not enough to detract from the main story.
I have no problem with Hyun Soo’s character. I could easily believe the transition from the teen Hyun Soo (Park Jin Young) to the adult Hyun Soo (Baek Soon Hyun) to the ultimate megastar Hyun Soo/Eun Ho (Joo Jin Mo).
Nonetheless, once you get past the fact that these are played by different actors/actresses, the love story is one that rivals Romeo and Juliet. This is a story of star crossed love and the journey of one man’s steadfast search for his one and only true love. He never gives up hope that he will find his Eun Dong one day despite the lost years and the absence of knowledge of her whereabouts and status; is she alive or dead? Is she married or single? It may seem impossible and coincidental but the Show succeeded in making me care and believe in Eun Ho's journey.
It wouldn’t be a makjang without your usual parade of unforgivable antagonists, betrayals, birth secret, amnesia and hateful in-laws. This show will make you cry, it will make you cringe, it will make you angry and it will even make you question the writer. But ultimately it is a great love story.
Kudos to all the casts for a great performance. All of them acted beautifully. Can’t say enough about the two leads. Kim Sa Rang and Joo Jin Mo ooze instant chemistry and make us root for them from the get go.
Unlike many kdramas, there isn’t any over the top acting throughout the entire show. It is tasteful and utterly believable. Kim Tae Hoon is fast becoming the man to hate in kdramas. His portrayal of crippled Choi Jae Ho is well done and despite being a hateful character, he shows us the many layers of a man struggling between right and wrong.
If you want to watch a romantic love story with a hopper full of twists and turns, this one is it. It is about enduring love, about two people finding each other despite decades separating them,
The OST blends in very nicely and this one is a definite rewatch if your heart can take it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Falling for Innocence is one of those dramas that makes me feel conflicted when it comes to writing a review. Usually I am very clear how I feel about each drama. I am either ecstatic and can’t wait to share my excitement with everyone that cares to listen or it just doesn’t do anything for me. Or when a show has to make me work hard to like it, those are the ones I will ultimately drop.So did I enjoy this drama? Yes and No. There were a few times I was ready to walk away from it but it did have enough punch to keep me watching.
The number one reason I stayed through the end was due to the leads. The show’s strongest attributes were its casts. Jung Kyung Ho made me mad, made me laugh, made me sad, made me cringe, but ultimately he made me root for Min Ho. His performance was multifaceted and he was able to pull it off and made me a believer. I might have cringed at some of his expressions and showmanship if delivered by other lesser actors as it could easily have come across as contrived and childish.
The number of times his hair changed or got a makeover made me laughed too. To me, it seemed like the stylist paid more attention to his hair than So Yeon’s which had remained constant throughout the show.
So Yeon was stellar. Her performance was consistently good as the loving fiancee and prospective daughter in law. She did a great job portraying Sung Jung’s inner struggles between loyalty for Dong Wook versus her newfound love for Min Ho.
Hyun Min was as good as it gets for a villain. He made it easy for us to hate Joon Hee by delivering the emotions of a man scorned by his first and only love, someone treated like a dog with little to no respect from the Chairman; both of which ultimately led to his greed for power as the answer to all his woes.
Jo Eun Ji as Wendy and Lee Si-Un as Woo Sik were perfect supporting casts with a cute love line of their own.
I also enjoyed seeing strong female characters; Sung Jung was not afraid to speak her mind and followed her conviction and her heart. Same with Wendy for pushing for what she believed is right and just in a workplace dominated by powerful and corrupted men. Even the secretary pool of Yoo Mi and Mi Roo also depicted strong female traits rather than the conventional silly airheads of many kdramas.
What got me annoyed and almost made me gave up was the plot. I didn’t mind the premise of the corporate M&A theme but the constant re-use of the same plot devices got a bit tiring episode after episode. Instead of one main story arc spanning the entire 16 episodes, it felt like the same story arc got repeated over and over again albeit with slightly different ingredients thrown in. The writer did make us guess all the way to the end but all that angst culminated in one rather quick episode which also made it too tidy and a tad rushed.
The music is good and complements the show nicely but nothing to write home about.
For the above mentioned reasons, it is not a re-watch for me.
But overall, it is a decent drama. The romance is fun, cute and touching. I can’t say enough about Jung Kyung Ho. His performance made all the difference for me.
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Kim Hee Sun is a gem! I have not seen any of her work prior to this and was thoroughly impressed. Not sure how many actresses can seamlessly transform from an overprotective mom to high school kick ass heroine and make it believable. Her stellar performance was supported by superb casting all way round. No one seemed to be out of character which is a huge credit to the production for the coherent ensemble.
The mother daughter chemistry had the right amount of banter and sappy moments. There were a few tear jerker scenes which any mother with a teenage daughter would understand and cherish.
The family dynamic was also superbly done and not over the top. The kdrama staple of the evil mother in law plot device and undeserving husband get a nice twist; very pleasant surprise here.
All other protagonists were equally stellar. Kim Yoo Jung as Ah Ran was both strong and vulnerable; wanting to protect the people she love against the evil force but at the same time feeling lost and powerless.
Ji Soo is clearly the new heartthrob but as other reviewers have said, he can act and is not just a pretty face. His portrayal as the lovesick teenager was endearing. His struggles between wanting to protect Bang Wol and wanting to hate her guts were masterfully acted.
Kim Hee Won must be a pro at playing the villain. I saw him in Misaeng and he made me cringe and he successfully delivered here too. His Ahn Dong Chil character was a conflicted one and the writer did a phenomenal job bringing out his humanistic side in an explainable and meaningful manner.
At first I was afraid Princess Han and her minions would make me cringe at their shenanigans but again, this show proved me wrong. Go Su Hee as Han Gong Joo was the perfect fit as Kang Ja’s best friend and confidante and her role was pivotal to the story.
Ji Hyun Woo as Park No Ah did his part but he definitely was not the standout as the top male lead. Perhaps the writer did not give his character enough substance or others simply outshone him. Same goes for Kim Tae Hoon as the ultimate villain Do Jeong Woo. He did make it easy for us to hate him.
As with any kdrama, there are always exaggerations, over-dramatizations and loopholes but these were easy to overlook and forgiven. For example the characterization of the vice principal for an elite high school a tad unrealistic? Not a big deal.
Overall, the pace was excellent; the layers were revealed in appropriate dosages keeping the audience interested without frustrating them. In spite of its dark subject matter depicting many gritty, dirty humanity, it has brilliance of light hearted humour nicely woven into key moments. The level of suspense and cliffhangers, typical of dramas, were not out of place and tastefully executed.
The music did its part by blending in seamlessly and making the scenes impactful but I wouldn’t say they were memorable. It was not the star but accomplished its feat.
Angry Mom is a highly, highly recommended watch for first timers. But for someone like me who loves sappy romantic moments, I will probably not re-watch it again for nostalgic reason but will happily re-watch with friends and families for none other than social reasons.
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It is a tale of childhood romances and sacrifices made by a young boy to save a girl he loves but having to live a life of lies thereafter. Yes, it has its share of kdrama makjang but it is rightfully sentimental, intensely heart rending and purposefully melancholy for the right reasons.
The first four episodes may drag out for some people since it focuses solely on the childhood lives of the two main characters. The child actors were outstanding especially young Eun-young. This is one of those dramas where I can relate the young actors to their adult equivalent. Young Eun-young was breathtakingly beautiful with her wide-eyed innocence and expressive acting talents. The adult Eun-young was equally beautiful and came across as very warm, caring, self sacrificing earnest type.
The story thereafter took place fifteen years later when their paths cross again amidst new identities and blurred memories of their childhood; he the cold, introvert, renowned pianist and she, a bubbly, aspiring designer. That scene in the train in Austria was one I could rewind and re-watch again and again.
The plots are certainly kdrama cliches where mysteries and secrets tend to drag out towards the end with one too many coincidental missed opportunities to reveal the truth. Having said that, Spring Waltz is truly a romantic’s dream with its fair share of lovely leads, deserving second lead, slightly evil antagonists that eventually redeemed themselves and generally beautiful acting surrounded by scintillating music and beautiful cinematography. The OST and background score were all mesmerizing and soothing to listen to.
It is a definite must watch for any hopeless romantics out there. As for re-watch value, I may speed watch some scenes but yes, I would sit through it again.
Spring Waltz is almost a decade old and is reflective of its age when it comes to kdrama trends. If you are ones that crave glitz, action packed scenes, fast paced storytelling, novelty themes, then maybe this is not for you. But if you feel nostalgic for some makjang done well, Spring Waltz will surprise you.
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This drama satisfied me on three fronts; the surgical room mystique, a physician dilemma “to save a life or not to save a life” and a heartwarming romance from two very likeable actors with a nice twist of the jerk with a heart of gold plot device; except the jerk in this case was the female lead.
Ji Sung’s character was bubbly and kind; nothing seemed to be able to get him down; his glass was always half full. Kim Min Jun’s character was the haughty female resident whose biological father happened to be the Chairman. She grew up wanting to prove her worth to him and therefore came across as cold, uncaring and ambitious. These two balanced each other out nicely and eventually learned to see from each other’s perspectives.
It has its share of hospital politics and infighting but not crazily overdone. The moral of this medical drama is mostly about the question of ethics and a doctor’s true calling. Cho Jae-hyun played a stubborn, idealistic doctor who did not care for hospital politics and protocols. His only mission in life was to save his patients but at what cost? His conviction and dedication to his profession almost caused him his career, his wife and children.
This is a touching drama that gives rise to many thought provoking questions about the profession and human nature. The pace is fast and subplots get resolved in one or two episodes but all building up nicely towards a satisfactory conclusion.
If makes for a good intro to this genre if you haven't tried medical dramas before. It may be a bit dated but is still worth watching.
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I picked this one up because I liked Bae Yong Jun in Winter Sonata and Hotelier. This is an artistic movie about forbidden love, morals, betrayals and friendship. It reminds me so much of Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood in "The Bridges of Madison County" or Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung in "In the Mood for Love".
There is hardly any dialogue; the pace is methodical and purposefully slow, subtle background music, and flashbacks but excellent acting by the two leads and very restraint directing.
This movie is all about the little things; the gazes, the touches, the unspoken words, the guilt and the what ifs.
The love scenes were tastefully done and actually quite beautiful. The music plays a secondary but important role to set the mood but there isn't something that is memorable that I would download to my playlist.
Is it a re-watch? Not likely given the abundance of choices we all have before us. But if you can appreciate its artistic value and do not expect a heart wrenching melo, or cute romantic plots then this may be worth your time.
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Hanoi Bride happens to be my cup of tea. It is short, only 2 episodes! Even if you end up disliking it, you haven’t wasted too much of your time.
It’s got some beautiful sceneries in and around Hanoi including the breathtakingly beautiful Ha Long Bay. The scene where Tiv and Eun Woo found each other and kissed was shot overlooking the Bay and it made for great cinematic effect. Even the countryside scenes in South Korea were a nice change.
Kim Ok Vin was quite convincing as a Korean/Vietnamese girl. She even looked the part and she was absolutely beautiful. I could feel her pain especially in the second episode. The story was predictable with its usual doses of misunderstandings, in law interference and purposeful revenge but these plot lines were not exaggerated.
At first the drama might come across as a love triangle but it really wasn’t the case since Suk Woo was never in love with Tiv. This was a story about overcoming prejudices, stereotypes and traditions. As a doctor Eun Woo was expected to marry well whereas his brother, a 40 year old farmer, was not expected to find a good match in a society where social order prevails. Tiv, a poor Vietnamese girl, was therefore good enough for Suk Woo but not for Eun Woo.
Lee Won Jong was stellar as the kind, and supportive brother. The second plot line between Suk Woo and III Ran was nicely done to show reverse discrimination.
I especially liked that scene in the hospital where the two in laws finally acknowledged their misgivings. “Marriage is like buying a pair of comfortable shoes. If it doesn’t fit, it’s no use even though others think it is splendid.” Wow, those lines resonated with me. I am sure it has a lot more depth in Korean but even with the translation I was touched.
Lee Dong Wook was handsome and engaging as usual as the main lead but I have to say Ok Vin and Won Jong’s characters stood out more for me.
The OST was soothing and catchy especially the main theme song “I will always” which has a nice blend of Vietnamese sounding tunes.
Is it a re-watch? For me, definitely a “Yes”; it is just the right time filler whenever I want a short, easy, feel good drama to relive some nostalgic moments.
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I found it fascinating the things I learned about the operations of a world class airport. The drama was peppered with a series of action/crime plot lines typical of American programming and some of these scenes were a bit clunky but they served only as a backdrop and did not deter me from enjoying the drama at all.
I was also intrigued by the secret agent, black ops theme. There is always something mysterious about such occupation and Lee Jung Jae was both charismatic and enigmatic in that role. Choi Ji Woo was right on as the confident professional brought in to run the airport. The only minor complaint I had was her language skills. Her character was supposed to be fluent in 5 languages but she clearly struggled with the English scripts.
The romance was my taste with the hate at first sight, misunderstood theme and the chemistry between the leads was icing on the cake. The human struggles also shone through. I could identify with the choices Ji Sung had to make between his duty, guilt for Myung Woo and his love for Do Kyung. And of course, there was a very deserving second lead to spice it up.
I won't give away the ending but I have to say it was one that still gives me goosebumps to this day.
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Thank You does not have the glitz of the popular kdramas but it is a wonderfully well scripted, and well acted production. This is also one of my few favourite kdramas where the female leads are the stars of the show. I fell in love with eight year old Bom and her mother Young Shin. I watched in awe at the incredible acting skills of both.
Yes, it is a tear jerker but it is exceptionally well done, not overly melodramatic and it has its share of tragedies versus realistic outcomes; a perfect balance between sadness and happiness.
It has many of the staples of a kdrama; triangle love story, birth secrets, and serious illnesses but all woven beautifully together. It is a drama about family, love, conviction, and perseverance. It is a gem and is well deserving of my 10 rating.
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As much as I love my usual rom-coms, Misaeng completely took me by surprise and gave me thrills and heart wrenching moments in every single episode. Some people find the pace slow, but it worked for me. I was engrossed with each and every character and every single plot. I laughed and cried with the trio from Sales Team #3 and its group of supporting casts. It has unexpected moments and original story telling that is rarely seen. I absolutely loved it!
Give it a try. If nothing else, you will walk away with a few valuable life lessons.
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