SheJudge
THE LEAD COUPLE'S CHEMISTRY SAVES THIS DRAMA
It's extremely disappointing when a good concept, a good story, and great characters are WASTED AWAY because of LAZY writing. The drama should've finished at ep. 30. The last 6 episodes are just an extended epilogue, and were so completely unnecessary. ??What saved this drama, was the lead couple's chemistry. THOSE TWO WERE SUCH A TREAT FOR THE EYES. And I loved that their romance was not all sugary sweet, but with a lot of tiffs between them and quite competitive from the get go. And their acting never felt fake, although Luo Yun Xi was a little too camera conscious for me at times (his poses are too picture perfect and don't look natural after a point).
The 2nd couple's romance was just meh. Initially I liked it, I thought the Opposites Attract theme would develop more, but the characters fell flat after some episodes. And that's where the character development went down... The girl, Xi Li was an absolute whiner, and the guy, Li Xiao Chan was just a cardboard character (who is he as an individual, his life in college, we don't know anything except that Xiu Li liked him from the get go). Xiao Chan and Yuan Shuai's brotherly camaraderie was not bad.
Finally, COULD THEY HAVE ANY MORE PRODUCTS TO ADVERTISE IN THIS DRAMA?! I get it that there is the occasional product placement, but why so much and so evidently???? Wearing CHANEL earrings or showing MIHOO face masks AT EVERY OTHER EPISODE was just too much.
Then there was the character of Du Lei. He was such a lovely character, he was the most layered one with different personality traits, had a proper history, and a believable character growth arc, I was legit suffering from the 2nd lead syndrome after seeing his side of the love triangle. But nope, the writers had to treat him unfair, and they had to ruin his character at the end. It was just so frickin' unfair.
Lastly, the sub plot resolutions were so hurried and untidy and inconsistent. Felt as if they wrote a shabby draft overnight just to meet with the deadlines.
I wish they were more consistent with the writing, and dealt with the story with a little more care and EFFORT as they had put in the first couple of episodes. Overall, just watch it for the lead couple's chemistry.
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Music Conquers All
This is an old drama, and I was extremely intrigued by the plot, so decided to give it a go. The first episode was quite confusing for me, the characters just come and go on in the screen, and no explanations are given as to who is whom. The overall pace of the drama was also a little slow. The editing was also quite jarred, so there were times when the scene cuts were very random. Also the way each episode ended was so annoying, with it stopping at one random scene, and that loud piano shaking the viewer out of their senses. Not necessary to end each episode with a loud BAM on the piano.The acting, on the other hand, was superb. Top notch acting from all the actors. Yoo Ah In deserves special mention for the absolutely brilliant job that he's done here. The facial expressions of the actors while playing the piano were a bit too loud and exaggerated, but that's okay I guess... It's an old drama, and a melodrama at that. So this much leeway the show deserves I guess. Apart from the lead characters, the rest of the characters felt very unidimensional to me. They were just rich and bitchy. I was annoyed with the Seo family till the very end. Despite these flaws, the actors acted their parts well. No qualms on the acting department.
However, the main star of the show is its OST. It's very rare that k-drama OSTs are musically good. They are either too kpop-ish or they're just loud. But this one does such a brilliant job of maintaining the "Forbidden Affair" theme musically. The music is taut with tension, and so measured, and yet packs so much passion into it.
The ending of the drama was a bit meh, I didn't like the way it ended. The pace was also inconsistent, it got slow at parts, but it still managed to hold the attention of the audience. And that was just because of the OST that stringed each scene and character so well with the progress of the story.
Overall, watch it for the lead couple's acting, and for the interesting subject matter. The lead actors acted really well, and the director treated their romance with care and consideration. It never felt overtly raunchy or oedipal. A decent one time watch.
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INTENSE AND DAMN GOOD
I generally watch k-dramas because they have a way of easing the viewer into topics, even though the topics dealt with in the shows might be intense and serious. This one does nothing of that sort, and it just continues to hit you in the face (in a very good way). And it's kudos to the actors, the director, and the writer for that. This has been an intense watch right from episode 1. The topics dealt with in this series are intense (bullying, drug abuse, parental abuse etc), but that does not mean that the show gets boring. It is the writer's credit for keeping the audience glued to the story despite having a pretty dark and gloomy setup, right from the get go. We have the protagonist, Yeom Si-eun, who is the topper of his class, but a loner; there's Ahn Soo-ho, who's always asleep in class, but the chirpiest (of the 3); and there's the newcomer Oh In-beom, who changed schools because he was bullied in his old school. The three become fast friends, and the rest of the drama is the story of their friendship. The first few episodes kinda ease you into watching the drama for the characters. The acting of all the characters are just top notch, each one packs a punch in their own ways. Anything more might appear as a spoiler, so this is all there is to it.All that I can say about this drama is, the drama blurb is quite misleading. The story takes its own turns and gut punches you in its own ways. Was it a satisfying watch? Nope. Was it a quality watch? Fuck yes, absolutely. I am extremely glad that the director did not succumb to the demands of the formulaic high school drama, and stayed true to the characters till the very end. Kudos for having the courage to do that.
Overall, a 10/10.
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Action packed
This drama promised action, and action it had, from the get go. The action choreography was just out of this world, *chef's kiss*. The acting was also quite good, with Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi being the best action pair one could ask for. I loved how the women were also quite well equipped to handle their own, and not mere sidekicks. I just wished Kim Sae Ron didn't have this abrupt exit though.Let me just take a moment here to shower praises on the lead actors' bodies. They have WORKED OUT FOR IT, and it shows... Every muscle, every sinew in their bodies are so fucking well sculpted, it was a feast for the eyes ? I was particularly impressed by their running shots - most of them were taken in a single shot, and they sprinted the whole time. Just goes on to show how FIT AND ATHLETIC the actors were for this role. It was a short watch, but packed with a lot of suspense. Till the last half of the last episode, I was unsure if it will get over in one season or if there will be a 2nd season chasing the villain. Also Park Sung Woong as the villain was a delight to watch. Cold, killer eyes and that maniacal smile was enough to protray all the malice that his character demanded. This was quite the refreshing watch after a series of average to bad Cdramas binge sessions. Overall, would totally recommend it for the action scenes and the easy camaraderie between the two lead men.
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As for the cast, of course, I chose to watch this drama for my darling Wooky! He's such a lovely thing to watch on screen. I just don't get WHY he does not choose more meaty roles, and ALWAYS plays it safe. Going by the blurb of the series and his image in the poster, I really thought that he would be an anti-hero sort of character, like Seon Seok-goo in My Liberation Notes. But the blurb was all that was faulty with him. All throughout the series, he was the NICEST boy there could ever be, who was so unfairly wronged by the system, that one would think that he was a puppy without any agency of his own. It's alright if the director wanted to show him as a nice guy, but don't make the blurb SO misleading, please? It wasn't fair for the character tbh. His romance angle with Choi Soo Young was also meh, it was so extremely predictable, there was nothing worth rooting for. I actually ended up liking the doctor, he was this understated character, but quite sensible. Even if his character didn't have much screen time, he did a pretty decent job playing an introverted doctor. This might come up as offensive, but I did not like Song Dong Il as Kang Tae Shik - both the actor and the character were too much for me to take.
One thing that I really liked was the drama's investment in the hospice staff, which was quite good. Although all the stories eventually ended up being preachy, kudos to the script-writer for showing other stories other than the main characters' stories. I don't know what happened with Ha Joon Kyung and Jang Seok Joon, as I didn't finish the whole thing. I was interested to know, but the overtly preachy tone overshadowed everything else, and I lost interest.
The OST was nothing to write home about. The mini-play in the middle of the drama was SO STUPID AND UNNECESSARY. The only reward received from watching the entire mini-play nonsense was seeing Ji Chang Wook looking absolutely stunning in a suit. But then he looks good in anything, without anything, in whichever way he comes on screen really. So yeah, too little returns for too much investment.
Finally, using animals to persuade the viewer to tears was NOT CALLED FOR. Overall, not a binge-able drama. If you have time to spare, and you are REALLY in love with Ji Chang wook, then watch it. Otherwise can miss it.
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B.O.R.I.N.G.
I am currently on a Luo Yunxi marathon and decided to watch this drama solely because of the poster. He sports fringes and wears glasses AND LOOKS SO CUTE. But that was all that was to this drama. This guy is a good actor and even when he can't save the drama, you know the drama's just BAD. The FL, Cheng Xiao, CANNOT ACT. How can a person have the same facial expression irrespective of whatever emotions she's emoting? Even when she's crying she looks the same.The ML is supposedly a disabled character, he does not have his lower leg. But what disability, where disability, which disability? He uses the walking stick like a fucking prop and not as a support... At least limp while walking? What is this superhuman portrayal of a disabled character? One badminton match lasts TEN MINUTES in an episode... WHYYYY??? And
This brings me to the pace of the drama. This drama is SO SLOW, I get it that you want to take time to build the characters and the setup and all that. But it's just unnaturally slow. A watcher like me, who does not skip even 10 seconds of an episode, was skipping MINUTES to just get through to what happens next. Because there's literally NOTHING GOING ON IN THE LARGE PART OF THE EPISODE. The story wasn't that bad actually. If it was paced well and sped up to 5 times faster, then it would've gained traction with the viewers. But the pace was so abysmally slow, I just lost interest at the end and gave up on it.
The chemistry between the leads was also so meh; they had none, actually. And this is saying quite a lot, given how charming and flirty LYX can be onscreen. The two leads are just too self-absorbed and expressionless to react to anything that the other person is doing. In comparison, I liked Chu Chu's character far better. She had more sass and acted better as well. The third friend, Oscar, was a cardboard cutout character. And he's dressed like Elvis Presley for over half the time because he's a Rock and Roll singer? WAAAOOOOOO, talk about a caricature character... *eye roll* *smh*.
The OST was also dumb; who writes a song with the lyrics, "I love you, I need you"? How old was the songwriter? Thirteen?? Everything was just so wrong. There was nothing to invest in this drama. NOT WORTH THE WATCH. Watch Love is Sweet or Till the End of the Moon instead. They're eons better than this snooze fest of a drama.
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This Drama is ALL THE GOOD FEELS
I don't know what it was about this drama, but it just called out to me. And I drifted towards it like a siren song... just soaking and absorbing all the good feelings that this drama had to provide. This reminded me, once again, why I come back to K-dramas again and again and again to energize myself.The premise of the story was pretty simple. A city person escapes to a small town to escape from her life and her work and meets kindred souls in the small town, all of whom help each other heal.
The FL, Kim Seolhyun, is a normal 9 to 5 working lady in Seoul, but due to various circumstances, feels drained out and numbed out by life. That's how she lands up in Angok. Then we have the ML, Im Siwan, who has his personal inner demons to fight, and he's working as a librarian in Angok. There are other characters from the coastal town, each with their own stories and struggles. The characters are well fleshed out, and each character had their own trajectories to follow, which was so well done. The pace of the story was rightfully slow to encapsulate the easygoing pace of the town and the life of the FL.
The romance between the lead pair was also lovely and mature to watch. There were no over-the-top, exaggerated romantic gestures, no corny lines, nothing strange either. What made the romance even better was the representation of introverted characters. Both the lead characters were shown as introverts who would rather sit in comfortable silence next to each other than make bold gestures of love and go out on extremely ACTIVE dates. For an introvert, a date that is a bucket list of things to do is a NIGHTMARE (Speaking as a fellow introvert). The writers understood that pain so well, so here we have dates that are quiet, peaceful, and just spending time together in silence. HEAVENLY!
The subplots were a little extra, but that much drama is permissible. Otherwise, it would run the risk of being too boring. The music was soothing to the ears, nothing great to write home about, but not harsh and jarring either.
Coming to the actors now... I am officially in love with Im Siwan. I watched his Run On earlier and had heard of his performance in Hell is for Other People, but with Summer Strike, I am totally sold. That guy is so adorable and has the most beautiful and expressive eyes. Kim Seolhyun also did a beautiful job. Her character demanded her to be a quiet and laidback person, which she delivered. I personally could not relate to the sisterly bond between Seolhyun's Yeoreum and Shin Eun Soo's Bom, it felt a little too giggly and happy. But in times of distress, their support for each other felt pretty real. So that's okay, I guess.
But can I take a moment here to hail all praises to the writers of the webtoon/show for depicting the ML in the story as A Ph.D. RESEARCHER?! THANK YOU for showing research/ a researcher with all his frustrations and anxieties regarding work. WE GOT REPRESENTED FINALLY (cries happy tears)!
As I said earlier, there's nothing grand in this drama, it's the small things happening here and there that are the proper show-stealers. And these small realizations verbalized through Seolhyun's monologues in the background are what make the drama so worthwhile. Hearing the most relatable life facts stated in a drama like this left me with wispy eyes and a smile on my face even after this drama ended.
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Pros-
Bai Lu. She was a dream to watch. She was able to express the different nuances to her role so beautifully. And I was so glad that her character wasn't those over-the-top cutesy, loud and whiny female characters who are busier acting the kawai damsel in distress than actually doing something about her situation. This was one character who took charge at every incarnation she had, and I loved it.
Tantai Jin. His character arc was beautiful to watch. From being an evil Devil God to transforming into a "nicer" person to being a considerate Devil God, his narrative was very well executed.
Acting and Cast. Ye Bin Chang was this brilliantly flawed character, and the actress did a really good job at playing this delicate "flower of evil" kinda role. The other actors were also pretty good in their roles.
The worldbuilding. In one word, it was STUNNING. Generally Xianxia dramas pay a lot of attention to the graphics and everything, but the fantasy world was so real and believable, absolute feast for the eyes. The costumes, the set designs, the VFX, and even the fancy flying fight sequences and all, were quite well executed. This experience was made for a big screen, I feel. The OST was also quite good. It's still stuck in my head.
Cons-
Luo Yun Xi as the Male Lead. Honestly, I didn't like him in the first watch, but maybe a rewatch after sometime might change my opinion. In my opinion, he was TOO THIN. I get it that one aspect of his character demanded him to be sickly and thin, but for me, his stick figure thin body just stood out like a sore thumb. And his long, flowy costumes didn't work for him either, made him look thinner. I was SORELY missing Dylan Wang in this regard, because he looked like a BOMB as the Devil in LBFAD. Even his acting felt a bit wooden to me in parts, but maybe that's his character's demand. Again, hoping that a rewatch might change my opinions.
Editing. It was choppy in parts, sometimes the scenes would just transition from one to the next without any connection between the two. Quite irritating that was. Also, the additional villains were just stupid and unnecessary.
Ending. I do not like dramas that do not provide closure at the end. AND THIS WAS ONE SUCH DRAMA WITHOUT ANY CLOSURE. I legit went back to search if there are extra episodes after the 40th one, because THE ENDING WAS SO INCOMPLETE. I get it about sad endings and all that, but keeping it open ended without any explanations and so abrupt was just ANNOYING.
Overall, the lead couple's love story and their chemistry was what shone the best in this series. This made me watch Love is Sweet, because I was vouching for them so much. Although I didn't like the look of Lui Yun Xi in this drama, I loved his character. But Dylan Wang will still be my favorite Devil. Give it a watch, it is a decent one.
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