Great ingredients gone astray

More often than not, a rating of 8.7 or higher on MDL equals something that delivers. This however, did not. I can see that the screenwriter, actors, and director have talent. Unfortunately, the individual elements just didn't work. What a disappointing ride.

First, the positives:

Every line was delivered naturally by charismatic actors. Lee Sung Kyung as Bok Joo played her part naturally (as much as she could), and I enjoyed her expressive way of acting in this character. Nam Joo Hyuk as Joon Hyung was super earnest in his portrayal of the young, fun swimmer. I also applaud a show focused on a female lead who is supposed to break the norm of appearance and gender stereotypes, especially in a society that focuses so much on gender roles. Finally, the script included straightforward lines that were endearing in their honesty, even if they were overdone sometimes.

Now, the negatives:

The entire plot was based on immature and silly misunderstandings and dramatic twists that didn't fit. It was as if the writer didn't know how to create challenges naturally so they resorted to making up far-fetched dramatic build-up for the characters to get tangled in. Instead of simply presenting unrequited love, they had Bok Joo make excuses and steal away to the clinic and have friends cover up and then get in trouble from coaches and parents for it all. Instead of letting Joon Hyung's childhood trauma play out naturally, the writer added lies that the adopted family kept up for years, tried to tie this to his relationship with his adoptive brother, and had the parent return to cause more drama. The list of ways in which natural drama could have built up and how each character could have grown as they dealt with it was completely wasted. And the heap of random characters and side plots were brief and distracting.

What could have made this show great:

- Focus on Bok Joo and have the drama in her life revolve around: sick father, working on accepting her unconventional appearance and value as a weightlifter, slowly falling for Joon Hyung, and of course, her actual training and competition hardships (which were handled so minimally and poorly in the show)
- Focus on Joon Hyung and have his story revolve around: abandonment, inability to start races, maybe throw in a rival swimmer to push him forward in swimming, and slowly falling for Bok Joo
- Get rid of all the rest of the meaningless characters and random tiny dramas and let the athletes actually show us what it's like to be an athlete: train hard, win and lose, get injured, pick themselves up again, have conversations about all of this, and sprinkle in a bit of drama and romance

All the ingredients above are things we've seen in dramas before. Even if they were handled in conventional ways, it would have yielded great results: deep conversations, personal growth, and inspiration. Unfortunately, we are left with the opposite.

Read More

Weak writing and surface-level characterizations

I enjoy deep, meaningful slice of life interactions such as those in When The Camellia Blooms, Hospital Playlist, and Because This Is My First Life. In comparison, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha was a failed attempt. The script was written without the use of metaphors or stories, only direct, curt lines that are delivered as if spoken by an immature teen. There is zero wit, description, or complexity, which is the whole point of character-driven dramas. The only breath of fresh air was the backdrop of the beautiful seaside town of Pohang, which provided a light, airy feeling to each camera shot.

The directing and writing suffers from flawed execution. Either the cheese factor is overdone and cringey, or an unnatural indifference washes over the characters. For instance, when someone is in tears and pain, the other character just watches them in silence for five seconds before any kind of touch happens and even then, it's the type of pat you give someone who dropped their ice cream, not when there is actual trauma. Characters respond with trivial lines that sound something like, "It will be OK," and that's it. There are no further connections, words of wisdom, or stories shared in those meaningful moments. Characters are robbed of the chance to show how they are feeling, how they have grown, or how they are affected by what is going on. We are left to wonder what else they are thinking in their heads.

The lack of characterization also affects the story itself. The plot challenges in the first 3/4 of the show feel trivial because of the lack of follow-through on character growth and reflection. Even serious issues are glossed over and cut short. It isn't until the last few episodes that the writer suddenly decides to explore dramatic back stories and character development. The time in the first part of the show is wasted.

The actors try hard, but I bet even they were cringing at the script. Shin Min Ah plays Hye Jin as your classic cool-but-conceited woman, which could have worked had we actually been shown her inner thoughts and transformations. However, I like that in this role and others, she plays a smart person as opposed to a damsel in distress. Kim Seon Ho as Doo Shik comes across as overly breezy, hollow, and idealistic for far too much of the story, until the end bits. When we finally learn about his past, the weak script and characterization lets us down once again with more meaningless, "It will be OK,"*pat*pat* lines. I enjoyed Lee Sang Yi as the TV producer. He brought charisma and energy to his flat character. I liked that both male leads were good people. Finally, a shout-out goes to supporting actors In Gyo Jin as the bumbling District Head, and his strong, kind ex-wife played by Lee Bong Ryun. Of all the characters, they had the greatest number of heartfelt, meaningful interactions. The rest of the townspeople were one dimensional or just plain annoying. What a shame that this was the case.

In the end, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha paints with hollow, cringey, sepia-sweet colors to create nothing more than a postcard with no message. Although the actors tried to deliver, the writing, directing, and lack of characterization ruined its potential.

Read More

Lots of slapstick without much growth

If you like slapstick comedy and silly misunderstandings as the basis for relationships, then this will fit the bill. This type of set-up isn't my cup of tea and I find it rather annoying because it doesn't fuel much depth or growth in or between characters. I don't mind a little, especially at the beginning of a show, but then I prefer a show to move into more meaningful interactions as characters build relationships with each other and share their stories and thoughts with us.

Even with the overuse of slapstick and misunderstandings, this show could have been great if each resolution to a misunderstanding included a script with depth in which the characters share their true feelings, insights, and histories with each other. Unfortunately, the interactions and dialogue stayed very shallow. We never get to understand the characters' perspectives on their family drama, their own insecurities, or their feelings for each other. This simply isn't written into the script.

Despite the high ratings, this was a disappointment for me. I kept waiting for a deep conversation where the characters actually learn about each other, have heartfelt conversations with their families, and grow more in love, but it never came.

Read More

Glorified toxicity

Many viewers have written about how this drama endorses toxic, abusive, manipulative relationships. I agree with them, and the main reasons why are because of the way in which the relationship is portrayed, and the audience for which this show is intended.

Film and television is an art form and with it, comes freedom of expression and the ability to capture the worst aspects of humanity. I enjoy my fair share of messed-up characters and stories, something for which Korean cinema is well-known, especially when you consider its long history of great films like Lady Vengeance, Oldboy, Thirst, and more recently, Parasite. These works of art portray terrible aspects of human nature, but do so with the intent to make us understand what is wrong in the world. In the case of Nevertheless, some viewers are trying to defend this work on the premise that it's just a portrayal of harm that the creators should have the freedom to show. Furthermore, they argue there have been many instances of MLs that hurt their partners and still end up with them in happy relationships, and yet viewers let these examples slide.

To counter the artistic license argument, I offer that in most cases including classic K-cinema, harmful relationships are clearly portrayed as negative. The creators do not excuse dangerous behaviour. It is clear from the history of the format and the 40+ years of high quality productions, that a strong moral stance lies at heart of kdramas. Furthermore, the intended audience for kdramas like Nevertheless is youngish females. Many modern dramas take a stance on abusive relationships in light of what we know and understand about their harmful outcomes and the impact of systemic portrayals of unhealthy relationships. I know that as an insecure teen/20-something, I would have absolutely been swept away by a manipulator with charisma who could make me second guess myself and confuse it with excitement and sexual tension, like the FL in this show. Making it seem like the ML suddenly changes with teary eyes when he has just physically hurt the FL the night before, without even an acknowledgement of it, is inexcusable. Seeing no growth as the couple smiles their way into the final scene sends the absolute wrong message, even with the addition of a couple subtle pieces of dialogue and actions that tell us there is still something amiss. At the end of the day, they look like two beautiful people on a postcard in a happy ending with an overlay of romantic, catchy music.

Finally, there are many kdramas that excuse abusive relationships and MLs behaving badly. Some people let this slide, and in kdramas harmful tropes are still pervasive, but this does not make it right. Especially with the rise of Me Too, anti-racism, LGBTQII, and other movements, we must take a stand now. Since the creators of Nevertheless chose to take a progressive stance on other aspects of society by exploring a non-fairytale sex-based relationship and a lesbian couple, there is no excuse for them not to take the same progressive stance on the relationship of the main characters.

On a technical note, as an art piece, I enjoyed the cinematography and production values which were skillful and gave an intimate feel (no pun intended). I thought the music was very well chosen. The subtle and confused dialogue created the feeling of tension and gave us a glimpse of the layers beneath. And unlike some viewers, I liked the acting and performances of the entire cast.

However, the message is all wrong. I hope the creators realize they have endorsed something we should all be fighting against.

Read More

Disjointed and messy

Even the ever-charismatic Lee Je Hoon couldn't save this mess of a show. His grounded acting style was wasted on weak material. This show didn't know whether it wanted to be a cheesy romance or an exciting take-charge adventure, and in the end, it failed at both.

Lee Je Hoon's time travelling So Joon is introduced as a closed off character with a tragic past, but he transforms much too quickly and is mostly good from the start, so there is very little growth. And Shin Min Ah's Ma Rin is written as helpless, ignorant, and rather blank until late in the show, which is both annoying and cringey. The characters get stuck talking in circles or hiding the same secrets from each other for multiple episodes while the exciting elements of the plot are underutilized. Furthermore, the characters' back stories are not fleshed out so we don't care much about what happens to them. The leads both come across as one-dimensional.

The most fun I had was watching Kang Gi Doong in his supporting role as So Joon's best friend and ally. I feel he carried the majority of the show's emotional weight. On the other hand, the antagonists were annoying and angsty, which made it hard to buy in to the major conflicts they created.

Right away, I was turned off by how the main relationship begins. It is so unbelievable, strange, and cheesy that you wonder whether it was taken from a different drama. In the end, I believe the root of the problem is the show's poor writing and direction. The scenes showing the characters' reactions and aftermath of big, dramatic events is frequently cut short or so poorly done that we don't get to see how these events help the characters develop, nor do we even have the chance to emote or find connections with them. The second half was a bit better after time travel became the focus and the entire show switched gears, but it was too little too late.

Read More

Thanks for introducing us to this very special profession

I have huge praise for screenwriter Yoon Ji Ryun for creating a show about trauma cleaners, a profession I didn't know existed. Especially in a culture that is fairly judgemental about people's jobs and superstitious about death, it's doubly important to tell stories about it. Not only does it address trauma cleaners and humanize the dead, but it also tries to portray people with ASD as valuable, capable, and human.

The story is simple and easy to digest. Each character has one main conflict plotline that is punctuated by each encounter with a deceased person as the team cleans up their belongings and learns about their life. The simple treatment is actually why I don't think the show deserves a high overall rating. It is simply too conventional. The conflicts and challenges the characters face and their resulting transformations are too predictable. The dialogue and interactions that show character transformations, though well written and well delivered, are too perfect. The flashbacks of Geu Ru and his father are too smoothly heartwarming. I feel that this show could have taken the highly engaging material and challenged us as viewers. It could have pushed us to rethink what we already know, and asked us to question what it means to live, love, and die, what intelligence is, what family means to us, and what we are willing to sacrifice. Instead, it gives us something to pat ourselves on the back with because most of us already believe what the show is trying to tell us.

Furthermore, one big issue is the show's treatment of Geu Ru. It gets some of the mechanics right about his abilities, but exploits his character to help others learn lessons or change their thinking. I found this to be behind the times in terms of how shows should portray neurodiverse people. We hardly get to know him as a person. We don't understand his inner thoughts at all. If the year was 1980, perhaps this show would have been groundbreaking (in case you didn't know, Rain Man was released in 1988). But alas, it is 2021 and we expect better.

The acting is outstanding, especially Lee Je Hoon as our conflicted underground fighter Sang Gu. I feel he played the sensitive uncle with depth and understanding. I also really enjoyed Hong Seung Hee as Na Mu. She never overplayed her energetic character, despite the fact that her role was basically written as "the responsible nag". Finally, Tang Jun Sang's performance as Geu Ru was understated and he really connected with the other characters even when his character had differing goals.

I will be along for the ride next season, and I sincerely hope this show will grow and challenge us further.

Also, if you are interested in this theme, read The Embalmer, a well crafted manga by Mitsukazu Mihara, which tries to break superstitions and judgement about death and this particular way of preserving the dead.

Read More

Method actor in action

Surprisingly, this drama delivers great depth in the character interactions. I mean, from the title and knowing it's based on the Hollywood movie, we already know the entire story. And despite the premise, this show doesn't overdo the silly circumstantial humor, which is something I'm not fond of. Instead, it portrays deep character interactions to make the story come to life.

Many have written about the outstanding acting of Lee Do Hyun playing a man in a teenager's body. I've read interviews that mention he is a method actor. This seems spot on considering his overwhelming intensity and charisma. He fills the screen with energy and truly becomes the father's character. He steals every scene he's in, and he makes this show what it is. He is one of the most talented actors I've seen and considering how young and new he is on the k-drama scene (he is only 25 yo in this role), it is impressive!

Some reviewers have complained about the way Dae Young is treated in the story. He shoulders pretty much all the blamed for the failure of his marriage and everything that has gone wrong with his family. I agree that the writing is lacking in this area. Dae Young and Da Jung never have the chance to deeply discuss the elements of their marriage. They also don't get a chance to heal Dae Young's feelings about giving up his dreams for his family. Where the beautiful depth of interaction lies is between Dae Young and his children. They are given many opportunities to interact with each other when Dae Young becomes their teenage friend. These moments are so lovely and well done that you almost wish they could stay friends this way forever. Roh Jeong Eui and Ryeoun play Dae Young's children so well. They are a joy to watch.

There are a few other flaws as well. The biggest are the distracting sub-plots that go nowhere: the stalker, the internet troll, the car crash, and the corrupt coach. These events are silly, brief, and pointless. I believe it's mostly a writing issue, but Kim Ha Neul as Da Jung comes off as too pouty. She isn't given much to do, other than switching back and forth between strong reporter/mother to pouty woman. And disappointingly, there is a scene where a character is at a cosplay event dressed as Aladdin with slightly darker face make-up. It's racist even if the intent wasn't there.

Despite the silly sub-plots, I was OK with the tiny love triangle where Da Jung is wooed by the baseball player Ji Hoon, and supports him as he navigates issues of raising a kid on his own. However, this could have been done with more meaning and deeper conversations between the two of them. And speaking of lacking meaning, I also thought that the treatment of Da Jung as a divorcee who was a teen mom was heavy handed. It's a big missed opportunity to truly deal with the issue beyond simply going with what public opinion of her was from day to day.

I must end by mentioning Lee Mi Do who plays Da Jung's lawyer friend, and Kim Kang Hyun who plays Dae Young's friend who pretends to be his father. Both have amazing comedic talents and despite the over-the-top situations they find themselves in, they never lose empathy for their characters or go overboard with the hysterics. Instead, they balance their characters out really well. And finally, if you've seen the show, you will have noticed the set and costume designers' love of pastel colors. It was fun to see them throughout the show in the school, the office elevator, and in Da Jung's wardrobe. I'm not sure what it was meant to symbolize, but it was a fun addition.

All in all, this was a treat to watch because of Lee Do Hyun's complete transformation. Even though we know how it ends, it was a fun ride getting there.

Read More

Classic tropes now out of date

This is a classic and maybe it was one of the first to feature these now common themes and tropes in k dramas (like the evil MIL, love triangles, and self-sacrifice), so that's why it's so popular. It was one of the first dramas I ever watched. I recently watched it again and decided I am no longer a fan of it.

I do like Ha Ji Won and I see that she is a strong female lead actress. I also liked Yoon Sang Hyun's portrayal of his character. He was romantic and lovely. Surprisingly, I thought Hyun Bin's performance was one-dimensional and uninteresting, but I believe it was due to the writing and script.

The leads don't have romantic chemistry at all. It was written that way and it simply doesn't work. There is no reason for the two to be in a relationship. I can't stand the continuous physical and sexual harassment that happens throughout the show. While it is still prevalent in some current shows, it is pretty unacceptable. The bro love is strong and the dialogue between the two guys is interesting and well written, but the delivery is pretty much yelling at each other the entire time. Ra Im and Oska have the strongest performances, but they are wasted on their lovers because of such a lack of chemistry. One thing the show does have is endless twists and turns in the plot so it doesn't get boring that way.

All in all, I would not recommend this show except to see what dramas used to be like and how far they have come.

Read More

Messy and unsatisfying

This show had an interesting premise with people trying to figure out who they are and how they are connected over lifetimes. The real-life historical incidents could have given it some interesting and valuable dramatic aspects as well as relational intersections between the characters.

However, the show just didn't deliver. The beginning was littered with silly, over the top misunderstandings that lead all the characters to dislike each other. Furthermore, the characters are one dimensional and flat. They never share enough with us through dialogue or action, about who they are, what they think, and the challenges they face. Then suddenly, all the characters start to care about each other but we're not sure why. At this point the baddies start doing bad things, but we never really figure out the depth of why either. And then finally, there are a bunch of melodramatic scenes as they sacrifice for each other, in sort of a love triangle version of Romeo & Juliet.

The relationships between the characters never solidified. The historical story could have been so much richer, depicting the danger and risks they were taking and the suffering they were living. And then in the present day, we could have seen the characters overcome their personal challenges and grow their relationships and support each other.

Instead, there is not much for us to care about because there is so little depth. It was a waste of time.

And finally, the most memorable thing I have to comment on in this drama is that Yoo Ah In's super short haircut in the present day was completely the wrong style for him. His longer style in the historical scenes was spot on.

Read More

Can clichés soar?

Kudos to the creators for putting an elderly man in the front seat of a major drama. We need more stories featuring older people. And it's great to make a story that breaks gender stereotypes, especially in such a patriarchal society. However, that's pretty much where the praise ends.

Unfortunately, the story is nothing but clichés and predictableness. It wouldn't have been so terrible if the challenges faced by each character were presented with more depth, but on top of the clichés, the script was so generic that it seemed like every character was saying the same thing over and over again. Every person was simply there to tell us to "do what we truly want to do". Our ballerinos, the former doctor, the failed politician, the ex-football player, the white collar worker, his counsellor wife, and their daughter seeking her first job, had the same challenges and the same script.

Of course, Park In Hwan as our grandpa ballerino is the obvious highlight. Despite the terrible script, he delivered each line with wisdom and quiet, thoughtful strength. His talent came out but he deserved so much better material to showcase what he has to offer. Song Kang as our young ballerino Chae Rok was directed to play his part with too much annoying angst at the beginning and then his transformation didn't even get to breathe. One day he just changes, and the transformation of the entire cast is presented in the same way. There is no real progression. Kim Kwon as the blonde haired punk did well too, despite the shoddy script and lack of dimension in his character. The scene where he is leaning over Chae Rok in the stairwell gave us a glimpse of his acting talents. Finally, the relationship between ballet instructors Seung Joo and So Ri was the only one that provided a tiny bit of interest, but only a few drops.

I started watching this one night when I was absolutely exhausted and wanted something that demanded nothing from me. However, the lack of depth and the absolutely terrible script made it hard to get through. In the end, the talent and time was wasted even though I did smile and tear up a few times. And watching the professional dancers was a treat.

Read More

Understated and thoughtful

I enjoyed the way in which this drama brought me on an exploration of internal human struggles in a mature way. From office politics to abusive relationships to just hanging on through daily struggles, it handled these issues with a quiet, understated, and thoughtful approach.

Lee Sun Kyun plays his upright but anxious white collar character with depth, and IU plays the struggling young secretary in a way that resists manipulating our heartstrings just for the sake of easy sympathy. I appreciate the writing and directing to this end, making it more realistic and a true exploration of the characters for their own sakes, not for the audience's sake. Some would call the execution of this show boring because of the lack of overt emotional manipulation, but if you watch closely, you get absorbed into the quiet struggles of each character. So you need to be in the mood for the pace and details in order to enjoy it.

One thing I loved about the show was the element of the supporting characters who meet at the community bar to drink together. Their collective nostalgia and comradery is used as a blanket to support each other, and they warmly adopt IU's Lee Ji Ahn into their circle. Despite their hardships, they care for each other with unspoken kindness.

This was a slower paced, detailed, and satisfying show. There is rewatch value here in which you could do detailed character studies and notice the way in which the dialogue shows character growth and personal insights.

Read More

Amateur with a capital A

I used to watch the original Power Rangers with my younger brother. All the heroes were good and all the baddies were bad. The characters were stilted and simple, but somehow the show wasn't cringey enough for me to grab the remote and fight to change the channel. This is what The Uncanny Counter reminds me of.

Like the Power Rangers of yore, the protagonists are always together. Every fight is basically the same, and done to the same degree. Because our heroes are almost always together, they have little opportunity to show who they really are through their actions. In addition, the writers break a cardinal rule of "telling" us instead of "showing" us the story.

My favorite actor here is Yeom Hye Ran as the motherly noodle chef. Her experience shows, and she delivers in every role she plays. Yoo Joon Sang plays the ex-detective with heaps of care and concern. Kim Se Jeong plays the closed and tormented Ha Na well. She is the only character who is written with a tiny a pinch of mystery. Ahn Suk Hwan is fun as the cool rich dude. And finally, Cho Byeong Kyu plays So Moon as a sensitive and tearful teen. I liked that he expressed a lot of emotion throughout the show. It's great that a guy can cry. On top of this, a huge shout-out goes to So Moon's best friends played by Kim Eun Soo and Lee Ji Won. They radiate care for him and are rightfully described as his pseudo-parents. Choi Yoon Young also plays her role as the police officer standing up to corruption in a delicate balancing act. She deserved more screen time. I appreciate that our main actors worked so hard to deliver their lines with as much depth as they could muster through the generic and terribly written script. Even the baddies did well in this respect. On the other hand, the afterlife characters in Yong really struggled.

The entire production is clearly an amateur undertaking. The unrefined camera angles and awkward blocking affects every scene. The script and writing is bland. The direction is lacking and inexperienced, but then again, they didn't have much to work with besides great actors. When I think about the Power Rangers, at least I knew they had their own way of speaking and individual interests. Here, they have these heartfelt scenes without layered context. We only care (a bit) because the actors are so good. The flow and rhythm of the story is simply devoid of characterization. The plot just keeps hurtling at the protagonists. One minute they're eating noodles and the next minute they're fighting. It's as if the story is being done to them and they are just there to react constantly. There is no build-up in between scenes. There is no foreshadowing to help us anticipate what comes next. There is no exploration of our heroes' pasts in order to push the story forward. There were only fragmented flashbacks without purpose. The whole show is campy and unsatisfying.

And let's talk about the violence for a second. How many scenes can you film of people stomping on other people's heads and beating them up? And murdering people with lots of blood? After a while it has no meaning, even for a teenage audience. Stop already.

In the end, I am surprised that I actually finished season 1. I can't quite pinpoint why. It has a youthful spirit. And I like a middle aged lady who can take down evil spirits. I didn't expect the depth of Stranger Things, but I at least expected better production values. Maybe I like Power Rangers more than I care to admit.

Read More

Surprisingly mature, with incredible depth

Based on the show's poster, you'd think this kdrama features silly, immature people in over-the-top situations, which does not suit my taste. If you are like me, I've got great news for you: Ignore the posters. Mad For Each Other has surprisingly mature, well-developed characters and relationships, as well as one of the the most tightly written screenplays in kdramaland.

Jung Woo was made for his role as Hwi Oh, the tormented but ever-responsible cop with anger issues, while Oh Yeon Seo plays the suffering Min Kyung with just the right touch of anxiety-ridden ice that warms up layer by layer as the story progresses. The humor as well as the bumpy interactions are heartwarming, not crass or slapstick. They work off an impressive screenplay by Ah Kung who deserves an award for her genius. I am wowed by the way in which the script gets to the point so quickly, yet expresses endless depth in each interaction. I have never seen a show pack so much into just 13 episodes of 30 minutes each. Furthermore, the supporting characters featuring a snooping band of ahjummas, an over-worked part-timer, Hwi Oh's cop friends, and a mysterious young person in the neighbourhood, are fleshed out as much as they are in many shows that take up more than double the run time.

Thirty minutes may seem short, yet the story itself takes steady breaths, with expert pacing and balanced emphasis that focuses first and foremost, on the personal growth of the leads. We see their healing and learning as individuals rather than focusing on romance as an end goal. On top of this, we are given visibility into our leads' internal mental states and changes in their perspectives, rather than simplified, preachy messages about the injustices they face. This is the only drama I've seen in which a man learns how to become a true ally to women. Min Kyung pointedly explains to him why she couldn't just "stand up for herself" and he understands.

I highly recommend Mad For Each Other, a deftly executed gem where screenwriter Ah Kung and director Lee Tae Gon mix together well-known kdrama ingredients into something so slick, tight, and thoughtful that you feel like you've spent an hour in-depth with the characters each episode. This may be the best kdrama of 2021.

Read More

Annnnnnnnd those outfits!

What a fun ride this was! The dark mood and music made it really enjoyable, and all three leads showed us their masterful talents. I especially applaud Oh Jung Se for the hard work he put into his portrayal of Sang Tae. He is a talented and heartwarming actor. I also want to mention Kang Gi Doong's portrayal of Gang Tae's best friend and life raft in the lovely Jae Soo. He is a fantastic supporting actor in all his roles.

Much has already been said about the acting talents of our main couple. Of course, Kim Soo Hyun is always such a thoughtful actor. You can tell he works extremely hard. And I was blown away by Seo Ye Ji's outstanding performance as Ko Moon Young. The costume designer certainly deserves a ton of praise as well. Those outfits were a real highlight.

A few things weren't quiiiiiite there for me though, especially near the end of the show, which was a letdown after the first 75% was just about perfect. First, I felt that the big reveal around head nurse Park Haeng Ja was done a bit sloppily. If you found out that a killer was running your hospital, wouldn't you move a bit faster, call the authorities, protect Moon Young, and all the rest? This didn't seem to happen. Secondly, when Moon Young finds out about her mother and what she did to Sang Tae and Gang Tae's mom, her reaction seems not to match the shock and pain of knowing. I felt her first 'breakdown' episode after thinking that Park Ok Ran was her mother matched the intensity of the revelation much better. And the way in which she 'healed' after learning about her real mother didn't quite fit either. I was expecting her healing to involve those who care about her as a way of showing she can open up to people through her growth over the course of the show.

A couple other more minor criticisms I have are:
1. The storybook that Sang Tae and Moon Young were working on was so important throughout the process but after a while it faded to lesser status. I thought it would play a major part in both of their healing journeys.
2. The cute couple Sang In and Joo Ri had potential but never took off. It was frustrating to watch them.
3. Moon Young's relationship with her father (and mother) wasn't explored with enough depth. The flashbacks of the past were mostly just scary images of both of them. Was he truly an evil person? Does Moon Young find some kind of closure around their relationship?

Overall, this is great show. The moodiness serves it well and the acting is fantastic.

Read More

They've perfected the formula

This is the drama I will recommend to friends who have never watched a k-drama. It's the gateway drama that will get them hooked. CLOY is the embodiment of the most skilled execution of the k-drama formula: dramatic scenes + heartfelt humor + swoon worthy love story. Writer Park Ji Eun and director Lee Jeong Hyo should write a textbook on how they made this show.

I have read various reviews that complain this show provides nothing new to the k-drama scene and is predictable. My response is that they are correct. CLOY is simply the formula done to perfection, and that is a hard thing to do.

My favorite characters are the crew of soldiers. Their fish-out-of-water act in the second half of the show had me laughing and loving them even more than I did in the first half. Likewise, their counterparts in the band of ahjummas were vital to the show, and they came to life under the leadership of Wol Seok. I have so much respect for actress Kim Sun Young. She seems to be in her element playing tough ahjummas with heart. And a special mention goes out to Kim Young Min for his portrayal of the anguished spy, as well as Yang Kyung Won as the first sergeant under Jung Hyuk. Both of them added dimension to characters that could have fallen too far into flat caricatures.

I have to say that Son Ye Jin is one fantastic actress. Her energy fills the screen and she's lovely to watch. Despite a bit of weak writing around her role, she carried it where it needed to go. I wasn't a fan of Hyun Bin in Secret Garden, but it seems like the character of Jung Hyuk was written just for him. He was perfect as the quiet, stoic, sometimes clueless man. Finally, I know many people agree that Kim Jung Hyun and Seo Ji Hye often stole the show as the second couple. In many ways, they were more exciting to watch than our main couple.

The rewatch value is high with this one. It's like a favourite movie that you want to watch any time you have the chance. It doesn't ask the viewer for much and rewards you with happy feelings.

Read More