cassey
Easy breezy slice of life family drama full of warmth
No wonder this is such a hit, an easy breezy slice of life family drama, Go Ahead is the happy pill for gloomy 2020. Whatever you're going through right now, or missing your family so damn much, this is the perfect comfort watch, complete with comfort food porn.Such a charming ensemble cast oozing with chemistry helmed by Seven Tan, who is such a natural actress and comedic talent, Song Wei Long who is drop dead gorgeous, relatively greener but held his own, and Steven Zhang who really shone in this drama. I love his Zi Qi! Sun Yi as bff Ming Yue also did well. And the most adorable dad ever Hai Chao played by Tu Song Yan.
I'm not a fan of the Ling Xiao-Jian Jian romance, maybe it's second lead syndrome, their feelings are deep-rooted since childhood, but I'd prefer a more gradual transition from adopted siblings to romance, than stolen kisses as confession of feelings. I appreciate though there's no overwrought love triangle. But this drama is not about romance anyway, its strength lies in tackling relatable family matters and great friendships.
With a 40 episode drama, there is a slight drag in the middle. The probably only stressful stuff in this drama is the 'mother' issue, but the drama balances that with warm scenes. Thank you for the endless warmth, Go Ahead, and the reminder to push forward whatever hardships we're going through, there's always someone to hold your hand, as there are bonds even stronger than those tied by blood.
Was this review helpful to you?
Good suspense with engrossing romance
Deserves the hype! You know it's a good suspense thriller when stakes are high, it's just the right amount of bonkers crazy, and you're worried as heck about the fate of the leads on the show that you can't stop playing that next episode.
I admit I'm weak for this type of romance, a bit messed up, high stakes, tortured misunderstood hero and the love and trust of a good woman despite the odds, and everybody even fate are turning their backs on him. He obviously cares for his family and jumps hoops for them, but he can't express it as we do.
Ji Won understandably felt very betrayed by all the lies, but later on remembers all the everyday little things her husband does for her. The way he takes care of Eun Ha, he cooks for them, comforts her when she is stressed out at work, it doesn't need to be grand. He was always there for her.
I have to say Moo Jin has to be my fave character on the show. His frenemy relationship with Hyun Su (Lee Jun Ki) is both comical and fascinating. He half-hates Hyun Su but assists all the time, he just can't help it, and gets caught up in all the Do siblings troubles. Never expected it to be like that, after their first tense encounter. And his rekindled romance with Hae Soo, I ship them so badly.
Kim Ji Hoon definitely needs to be in more dramas again, looking crazy good with that long hair. (spoilers) Because of the highs of the show, I'm a bit underwhelmed by the ending, I understand why the writer gave Hyun Su some memory loss, it's a chance for him to be reborn without all the burdens. But the execution was a bit chunky. Oh well, it's been a good run, and hopefully serves as reminder to look beyond initial prejudice and biases.
Was this review helpful to you?
Fun and creative
I'm so glad I finished this after putting it on hold for years! This has to be one of the most creative Hong sisters drama in years. I want to pick up cdramas for some time now because they always have dramas about deities, monsters, and immortal love, while you find this rare in kdramas where it's usually supernatural- lite.
There's even a scene where it looks like it came from a xianxia (cdrama) and I wanted to watch that show! I've heard of the tale of Chinese odyssey for a long time, and I'm amazed by how the Hong sisters made that story into a modern Korean twist complete with a memorable love story.
They made me like and appreciate each of the characters. I'm first also iffy about the love potion aspect of the geumganggo, but in the end it was executed in a satisfying manner. (Slight spoilers:) What is not satisfying is that ending , but oh well kdrama writers do not want us to have nice things. I'm not as mad as others, maybe because I'm already spoiled by it, I hated how they executed the death, but I'm ok with the ending overall.
I wished Lee Seung Gi and Oh Yeon Seo have more of a sizzling chemistry, but they portrayed their characters well, esp. LSG he embodied Son Oh Gong's cranky, playful monkey really well, a twist on the bad boy falling for the good girl trope.
LSG and Cha Seung Won as Ma Wang have great chemistry tho, no wonder this is their 2nd drama. Their love hate bromance is so comical and cannot be missed. Lee Se Yeong playing as dual character really shone here.
The drama does go on a bit too long, but I don't mind hanging out with this special ragtag group of monsters. It was so much fun. When you leave the drama missing all the characters from adorable Oh Jeong to capricious Pal Gye, you know the drama has done its job well.
Was this review helpful to you?
Even some actors I fell in love with at first, but once they hit it big, they seem stagnant or disengaged from acting as they move from one project to another. She certainly held her own against acclaimed actor Yeo Jin Goo (who is good as always), and she even shone more because Jang Man Weol is a role of a lifetime.
The relationship of JMW and KCS was what I wished IOTNBO romance to be with the tortured heroine and good hearted hero, albeit I wished they had more romantic chemistry like IOTNBO leads, then it would have been perfect.
I really love the role reversal here. YJG even have that tropey damsel in distress scene, he puts himself in danger, and JMW has to save him all the time lol. The cases are otherworldly but heartfelt, and tackle how we all deal with the pains of grief, forgiveness, acceptance, and letting go.
Spoilers to follow:
The ending was sad, but it actually fits with the message of the drama, and I appreciate that the overall outlook the drama wants to leave is still hopeful and positive, despite all the goodbyes. I would have loved if it ended with JMW on the bridge to the afterlife looking back, happy and fulfilled, with no more burdens. The drama is balanced overall, but Jang Man Weol is Hotel Del Luna, and it is she who we will remember it by.
Was this review helpful to you?
I've a soft spot for Kim Soo Hyun since loving him as Sam Dong in Dream High so I'm a bit let down that he is the straight guy here as Moon Gang Tae, as compared to meaty roles of Seo Ye Ji as Ko Mun Yeong or Oh Jung Se as Sang Tae. But when a drama is produced so well, you know you're in good hands.
A healing drama with fairytale elements and mysterious gothic feels, how did it all work so well? And for those who are curious, the psychological issues are tackled thoughtfully and there's nothing too depressing or graphic.
This drama might have catapulted Kim Soo Hyun, esp. Seo Ye Ji to more fame. I wanted to fall head over heels over the OTP (they look so good though and those kisses!), but maybe I expected more fire from KSH in some acting aspects (he remains the best crier though), and SYJ in the comedic aspect.
It's probably a blasphemy for IOTNBO fans, but
Sang Tae is the runaway best part of the drama for me. Oh Jung Se is a gem. That bromance is so heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. That scene when Sang Tae confronted Gang Tae about a painful 'icy' encounter between the brothers from the past. Drama GOLD.
Aside from the OTP role reversal, the story might be nothing new from starcrossed lovers, to ill fated brothers. But Jo Yong's writing make you care for all her characters, even the supporting ones. It was so satisfying to go through their growth, with each tear and each laugh. It all came full circle. The whole ensemble cast is precious. Kim Joo Heon as CEO Lee Sang In is a great discovery!
This is another drama that will now fall easily as one of the kdrama romcom classics. 2020 has been tough for all of us, and IONTBO came at the the right place at the right time, like the Moon-Ko family, telling us it's ok to not be ok.
Was this review helpful to you?
Writer Choi Ran presents you this big puzzle, giving bits of clues here and there, slowly letting you earn and piece together a few at a time, and get a clearer picture with each episode. Even that early standalone episode about the 2 kids, ugh, I'm still bothered and outraged by it. If I have one hangup, she goes overboard with her twists, it's one too many for me. Twists keep things exciting but should still be reasonable within the story.
I was also initially misled by misconceptions about Song Seung Heon and Go Ara's acting. Yes, SSH may struggle a bit with melo scenes, and Go Ara can go overboard at times, but SSH really suited Black, he is the classic k-hero we love with a supernatural twist and oozing with charm. Black is that standoffish, arrogant, unfeeling Reaper 444, just collecting the souls of humans who just tragically died, without any pity at all.
It was such a delight to see his cold heart gradually melt, and it's not only because of Haram, that turning point when he saw the heartless way the husband and wife (who lost their kid in Mujin Mall collapse) were killed. He tried to keep distant but cannot stay as casual observer anymore. SSH also has good comedic chops, it was a hoot to watch Black trying to resist his growing empathy, and even falling for a measly human he used to look down on.
I wished SSH and Go Ara had more romantic chemistry though (Mr. Director, those are the most awkward kdrama kisses ever!), but I like how the OTP's friendship grew. Go Ara also surprised me, she has quiet crying moments that were heartfelt. But of course, this drama cannot escape that trope of the heroine putting herself in danger for others, and Black will be in trouble because of it. The supporting characters were also mutifaceted, memorable, and tragic.
Supernatural dramas are right up my alley, and I'm happy to say Black satisfied those buttons. Yes, it has less supernatural elements than more big budget grim reaper shows like Along with the Gods or Goblin. But the way Choi Ran presents the best and ugly, very ugly faces of humanity, it will touch and hurt you at the same time. The story and life lessons of Black, Haram, and their world will stay with me for awhile. As they should.
Was this review helpful to you?
Spoilers:
As with all time travel dramas, be prepared to be confused as heck, that's a given. Then when things start to unravel and you put two and two together, the writers unleash some 'no no' scenarios during time travel stories. Like two Li Zi Wei's meeting one another, and doppelgangers also add to confusion. I love the concept, but wished it was laid out clearer.
Those twists near the end are brilliant! The reveal that the killer also has a time travelling doppelganger, and Chen Ru overpowering Yu Xuan for control of her own body, and impersonating as her to earn Li Zi Wei's affections. Simply wow. I cannot help but commend Alice Ke for this role.
You cannot blame Chen Ru though, there's something not right about the way Li Zi Wei and Huang Yu Xuan took over Wang Quang Sheng and Chen Ru's bodies, that felt a bit like body snatchers. The drama did provide a good resolution for that, and I have to admit one of the best drama endings I've seen in awhile (yes I'm giving you the side-eye kdramas!).
We got a good angsty solid romance here, and as we travel with the lovers though time and space, we got a little bit of everything from different stages in their lives, and the issues associated with it, whether its high school, college, or adult life.
I wish there are more heartfelt dramas like this out there exploring and pushing the boundaries. These are the types of dramas that give kdramas a run for their money. Not to mention, watching an 'oh so charming' Greg Hsu is like the cherry on top of a delightful drama treat.
Was this review helpful to you?
Cruel City tackles the dark world of druglords and undercover agents. It's crime noir, a genre I'm not usually invested in, but nonetheless Baksa and his tragic story gripped me. He is almost superhero like here, saving his loved ones, fighting 10, 20 men at once, and looking stylishly cool doing so.
That OST Hurt will haunt me, it's so good! You can feel the pain of our protagonist's life in Kim Yong Jin's voice. For the romance with Soo Min, I love the concept, but maybe it's their pairing, or how little scenes they have together, and I was not swept away by it. I was more invested in Baksa's true friendship with Soo, Jin Sook despite all the lies, (I'm mesmerized by her beauty, why isn't she in more dramas) and even his complicated relationship with Safari.
That's what's good about this show, it's always grey, it's never black and white. Are the prosecutors and the police really the good guys? Are their enemies really the bad ones? It's way more complicated than that, and sadly that's life for you.
Was this review helpful to you?
I find it refreshing Kim Eun Hee wrote such an imperfect vulnerable Crown Prince. He's not a superhero that will just swoop in and save the day. As his background is a scholar, he's not used to the military machinations, but it's good to see his growth, even with the pains, as he needed to grew up quickly for his people.
Spoilers:
And that last sacrifice, that is the test of a true leader, when the well-being of your people is more important to you than any throne.
He sacrificed for the healing of the nation, as opposed to the Cho clan who committed such despicable acts to desperately hang on to power.
If I have one hang up about Kingdom, I have to say I wanted more emotional punch from the deaths, as the shock factor is there, but because of the fast paced nature of the story and the short seasons, we don't have enough time to linger on the relationships. Regardless, I'm one of those eagerly salivating for that Jeon Ji Hyun + Joo Ji Hoon pairing for s3.
Was this review helpful to you?
Spoilers to follow:
Every episode is in two parts: 2017, as we figure out what happened in the past, between the two brothers, and 2037, as we bridge who is who in the future, which is my new fave trope. This is kbromance at its finest. In 2017, you sympathize with Yeo Jin Goo's Woo Jin as he carries the burden of what's happening to his brother. Then switch to 2037, and you wonder what in the world happened in between those years, and it's now the older twin Joon Hyuk looking for the missing Woo Jin. That's refreshing, usually the viewer will only follow one sibling's point of view the whole story.
What a great ensemble cast helmed by Yeo Jin Goo (who was so amazing here) and Kim Kang Woo, to great discovery gorgeous Gong Seung Yeon, she's suited to be a badass action movie star. Lee Gi Kwang and Ahn Woo Yeon also did well. They're all so good I didn't even miss that there's just subtle suggestive romance between the four leads lol.
That penultimate episode when finally "the two worlds", 2017 blended into 2037, and we discovered Woo Jin has already died, was simply heartbreaking. I didn't know whether to applaud or cry. So sad yet so well done. A tragic ending for all the suffering the twins went through. Yes, they did a cop out and he still lived through a clone, but it's not the same. It's a fascinating question the drama tackles about clones but there's just not enough time.
I'm a bit blue this show is underrated, it deserves more hype than it had. This scifi thriller tackles a lot of ethical questions in the field of progress and science, and is a must watch for all scifi and kdrama fans out there. Looks like there's no follow up project yet from the Circle PD's, but I'll definitely be waiting for more from them.
Was this review helpful to you?
Prison Playbook is a hangout show, similar to US sitcom show How I Met Your Mother. In contrast to how kdramas became worldwide phenomenon as addictive bingeable watch, Prison Playbook and other creations by Reply PD's, are familiar friends you want to hang out with everyday, to see how they're doing. Basically, the drama is Je Hyeok being a fairy godmother granting wishes here and there lol.
It was slow at the start, as the drama sets up all the characters, and Reply PD's always want to put the most unflattering UGLY haircuts on the cast, but once the ragtag gang of boisterous prison inmates are all together, I'm already invested. The best part of the drama is when they're all in their cell with their hilarious shenanigans, whether it's just getting hot water for ramen, or distributing the food. This drama is not only about the big heartwarming moments, but the small quiet ones as well.
Great big cast and lots of cameos, esp. the prisoners. My favorites has to be Loony and the ever smiling warden lol. LOONY. Why Prison Playbook, why?! I'll forever be salty.
Another regret I have is probably Jung Kyung Ho's role. I've been amazed by his talent since Falling for Innocence, and his role here is not meaty enough, it's always an extension of Je Hyeok. I appreciated their friendship and felt that hug in the end, but I wanted more from his story outside of being Je Hyeok's best friend.
Lieutenant Paeng even shone more in his role as grumpy but empathetic correction officer. I love it that actors that are usually typecast as villains, are flipped here.
I don't know if it's because of the infamous Reply shipping wars, but the PD has made conscious effort to veer away from that. The drama has realistic uncomplicated relationships, but not memorable in the long run. Maybe they want to highlight the prison life and not romance. But why not have it all, right?
They showed just a gist of the harsh reality of prison life, and it shows that there are lots of reasons a person can get imprisoned. It's not always because they are guilty, sometimes it's just life, or plain bad luck. A person can still have a new life after, it should not be a death sentence. At the end of the day, prison should be a place for repentance and reform.
Was this review helpful to you?
First, the source material parallel worlds is a fascinating topic, but needs good execution to make it not confusing. The production group should have made the differentiation of the two worlds more obvious.
Second, casting is definitely crucial in all projects, that's why stars are getting paid big bucks to bring the audience in. Sadly, Lee Min Ho looks more suited to action genres like City Hunter, which I enjoyed him in, than as the King, he has the regal presence but failed to bring more oomph to the role.
He's better on the 2nd half of the show, but he doesn't have romantic chemistry with Kim Go Eun at all, and kfans can be very forgiving for plot holes as long as the OTP is sizzling on screen.
Woo Do Hwan & Lee Min Ho pairing has potential, but there was a lack of back story for Yeong aside from being the Unbreakable Sword. But omg Woo Do Hwan. I stan! I probably need to watch all his dramas now. Him playing dual roles, Eun Sup trying to be stoic like Yeong and Yeong trying to be fun Eun Sup is comedy GOLD. He is wasted on all these serious roles. Can someone cast him in a romcom soon, with Kim Yong Ji pretty pls. Why isn't she in more projects?
The support cast is strong from Lee Lim to the Prime Minister, Kim Kyung Nam, esp. is a pleasant discovery from this show. Why did we get so little screen time with Lee Min Ho, Woo Do Hwan, and Kim Kyung Nam on screen, oh the lost potential.
Still, live watching and analyzing Kim Eun Sook dramas are always worldwide kfan events, I enjoyed the parallel worlds, and the concept of having a 'clone' in another world, and figuring the heck out who is who. Hopefully not being a breakout success won't affect the big budget investment on these types of fantasy genre dramas, as they always push the boundaries of what kdramas can be.
Was this review helpful to you?
Nine has romance that is oh so good yet oh so painful, omg that pining! Samchun sniff. Kdrama male leads need to pine more! Lee Jin Wook's smiling eyes charmed my socks off, and his chemistry with Jo Yoon Hee sizzles. Ok ok Park Sun Woo is a jerk. All writer Song Jae Jung male leads are probably like that. But she loves torturing her heroes to the brink, and in the course of following the tragic sacrifices Sun Woo got into for his loved ones and the heroine, and you find yourself again hopelessly rooting for that jerk.
I appreciate how the story amidst all the angst ended with a positive outlook. Despite trying their best not to, our OTP fell for each other again, even in another time, and they probably will, again and again. Sometimes you keep on trying to change something but the path is already laid out. As Sun Woo said, why concentrate on what awful things happened in the past, or worry about what more godawful things will happen in the future. All one can do is be decent, make good choices and stand by them, love whom we love, pray and live our life without all those excess burdens, hope for the best, and enjoy the ride.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
It's easy to see why this is such a hit. It has the winning formula that made "My Love from Another Star" a phenomenon mixed with a twist on the North and South Korea's "it's complicated" relationship. Not to mention the two gorgeous leads that act well, oozing with chemistry and charisma. The second Otp though kind of feels forced.
I find myself more invested in the side characters, esp. the North Korean village ahjummas (who are a hoot) and of course Captain Ri's fun troop of soldiers, maybe include Rat there (another amazingly written character). And Captain Ri's dad, he is badass and kind of saved the day.
In other dramas it will all be about the hero and his awesomeness, but I love how writer Park Ji Eun writes her heroines, and puts her in centerstage where she belongs, and not as a side character or love interest only. Seri is not the typical sunshine heroine, she's smart, kind, but she's not perfect and it's ok to be complicated as real people are. She can be boastful or full of bluster, and was also depressed. I'm just disappointed that almost 3 eps are spent on her being sick, but that's probably due to real life circumstances?
The writer also did her best in balancing aspects of North and South Korea. North Korea may be way different from what we're used to as the capitalist way of living, but it's not that North people are all bad or South are all good. Even if I was not head over heels with this drama, it's a satisfyingly good watch, and will certainly go down as a kdrama romcom classic that can be recommended to all fans and newbies to k-ent out there.
Was this review helpful to you?
