WTF Did I Just Watch?

Wow! I have been watching K-dramas since 2010 and NEVER have I seen one like this. I went into this drama completely blind and what a find! I love dramas that flow from episode to episode (as they should) and this one was seamless. There are only eight episodes which was the perfect number to tell the well-written, cohesive story with great characters while maintaining INTENSITY throughout. I gave it 9.5/10 only because of the violence. This is the most violent K-drama that I have ever seen bar none and those scenes are quite graphic so be forewarned. Squid Game has NOTHING on this. I had to look away several times. It's not a criticism per se, but I had never seen a K-drama get down like that, so it was shocking. Excellent acting all around. Loved it!

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YES GAWD!!!

Absolute perfection! If this drama isn't worthy of 10 stars, I don't what is. Brillant writing, acting, but most of all casting. I don't think people give enough credit to those who cast dramas because without the OFF THE CHARTS chemistry between Lee Jae-Wook and Jung So-Min, as well as the unbelievably great supporting cast, this drama might have been good, but it would not be the masterpiece that it is. Hwang Min-Hyun reminds me so much of V from BTS which was an unexpected bonus.

They also nailed the right number of episodes. There was never a dull moment nor any episodes that felt like fillers. Every one of the 20 episodes "counted" and transitioned beautifully into the next. The ending was SPECTACULAR! I was screaming! The ending IS NOT a cliffhanger, but rather an intermission before the next act. Alchemy of Souls is a flawless blend of drama, fantasy, romance, and comedy. It is the best drama I've seen since Empress Ki, and more recently, Word of Honor (so underrated). I cannot wait for Season 2!!!

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Started So Strong But Lost Its Way

I have an autistic nephew and let me assure you that Park Eun-Bin gives the performance of a lifetime. Imagine what it took to not only remember all those lines of legal jargon, but to deliver them so concisely and quickly. Woo Young-Woo was so brilliant, sweet, innocent, awkward, and endearing. You couldn't help but like her; however her romance with Lee Jun-Ho (Kang Tae Oh) was kind of blah. NOT because her character had autism and his didn't, but because I found their chemistry a bit lacking.

In Alchemy of Souls, Lee Jae-Wook and Jung So-Min were so hot they damn near melted the screen. Woo Young-Woo and Lee Jun-Ho were cute together, but I was never fully invested in them as a couple. I was rooting for her, not necessarily for them. Unfortunately, the drama fell off after episode 12. I do not understand why they shifted gears when her backstory was beginning to unfold. The drama ended on a high note, but they really dropped the ball by bailing on an intriguing storyline. The redirection of the plot in episodes 13-15 made absolutely no sense.

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Synopsis: After a car accident, Zhang Xiao time travels from modern-day China back to the 18th century as 16-year-old Maertai Rouxi, the daughter of a Manchu general, during the Qing Dynasty. She forms deep bonds with the 8th Prince, 4th Prince, and 13th prince resulting in complex relationships.
IMO, the 2016 K-drama version (Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Goryeo) doesn't hold a candle to this Chinese original. Scarlet Heart (aka Startling by Each Step and Bu Bu Jing Xin) was The Untamed before The Untamed. This is a beautiful, heart-wrenching, completely engrossing drama with great acting. The 35 episodes were over before I knew it. I loved it.

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I had to take time to write a brief review on this movie. I had never heard of it and decided to watch it based solely on seemed like an interesting premise. There is nothing better than going into a movie blind and with zero expectations and being BLOWN AWAY. Firstly, the CGI is the best I have ever seen in a Chinese production. The special effects are pretty amazing, but the story is what sells this movie.

I am not a woman who needs to see romance in order to enjoy a movie/drama, but when romance is done right I understand why it's almost a must-have for so many. The couple in this film really pulled at my heartstrings. Despite their obvious differences, their love was so genuine and pure and their story moved me to tears. I loved this movie and I am so glad I just watched it instead of reading reviews that don't do it justice.

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*****This Reviews contains SPOILERS****

I discovered Korean dramas after discovering and falling in love with Rain in 2010. I've seen many a k-drama and Misty is now the best drama I have seen in my 8-year k-drama life. IMO, it is perfection from the beginning to the last frame.

Every episode of this masterpiece is brilliantly written and acted. From a super compelling who-dun-it to complex, multi layered relationships. not only betweeen Go Hye Ran and Kang Tae Wook, but between Go Hye Ran and her younger rival Ha Ji Won, her boss/director, a female colleague, the protagonist Kevin Lee, and the devoted Byun Woo Hyun. Kang Ki-Joon, the tenacious homicide investigator, is one of the very best of the great supporting cast. This is a mature, sophisticated, complex, suspenseful drama that tackles marital strife, revenge, obsession, freedom of speech, corruption, class, justice, and workplace politics. I feel privileged to have seen it and I LOVED THE ENDING.

While everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, I find many drama lovers' need for some bullshit happy ending idiotic and infantile. The ending of Misty is 100% consistent with the narrative of the 15 episodes that got us there. I mean, did you really think they were going to move overseas and live happily-ever-after given ALL that occurred? Seriously, WTF did these people complaining about the ending expect? IMO, it really could not have ended better or any other way without compromising its integrity and greatness.

Again, best drama I have ever seen and I have no idea what I am going to watch next. CANNOT RECOMMEND HIGHLY ENOUGH.

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Not Great, But Still Very Good

I did enjoy this drama. The cast was flawless! Its not often that a drama's lead and second lead couples are equally strong and with the added bonus of a bromance that was every bit as compelling as the romances. The story is beautiful and well told, yet something about it just misses the mark for me.

I guess I didn't quite understand why the Goblin was being punished so severely. And is it me, but was there A LOT of crying? I felt like I cried A LOT. I don't mind "the feels", but by episode 9 it started to feel almost gratuitous. Goblin had many funny scenes as well. The casting was superb! But was there one episode where at least one character did not cry?

I must mention that the OST is AMAZING and definitely contributed to "the feels". I looked forward to hearing Never Far Away each and every episode. 16 episodes was perfect and Gobllin is definitely worth a watch, but this is not a drama I would rewatch, not even for certain scenes. Solid drama, but it's one and done for me.

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Holy cow! IMO, Hwayi: a monster boy is one of the greatest movies of all time. While Coin Locker Girl is not quite on that level, it is a very good movie. This movie is a cross between Hwayi and Killer Girl K., which if you haven't seen, RUN, DON'T WALK to Dramafever and watch it. Killer Girl K. is the very definition of a must-see.

The mistreatment and hard lives of children is always tough for me to watch and I found this movie even more heartbreaking than Hwayi. As an American, it's also interesting to see depictions of Korea's seedy, criminal underbelly. Sadly, there are cruel, heartless, violent people no matter where you go. That written, Mother is one of the most intriguing characters I've ever seen on film.

I definitely recommend this movie, but unlike Hwayi, it's not a movie I would ever watch again.

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It was AWESOME to see Song Joong Ki in a drama again and Song Hye Gyo is one of my favorite actresses. They are clearly an attractive couple, but DOTS on the whole is very average to me. IMO, it isn't nearly as good as its ratings and popularity suggest. It's not a bad drama by any means. I just don't think it's anything special.

For those of you who have not yet seen DOTS, but plan to watch, the most helpful comment I can provide is go into it with an open mind, tempered expectations, and judge for yourself. You may love DOTS as so many do, but don't assume that or you might be disappointed. I doubt most of us went into episode 1 of our all-time favorite dramas EXPECTING them to become our all-time favorites.

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As always, I will keep my comments short and sweet. Charming92 posted a wonderfully in depth review if you are interested in a "deep dive".

Come Back, Mister is a brilliantly acted, laugh out loud funny, and deeply heartfelt drama. I cannot say enough good things about it. It's difficult to pull off unique and original these days because there are SO many dramas that everything has just about been done at least once. Yet somehow Come Back, Mister succeeds in doing just that.

Rain has some of the best acting skills out there bar none (and he looks better than ever!). Oh Yeon-seo? O-M-G-! Spectacular performance! The chemistry between her character and Honey Lee's, was really something to behold especially in k-drama land! If this woman does not get recognized come award season, something is seriously amiss.

While I am anxiously awaiting for Yoon Shi Yoon's return in Mirror of the Witch, Come Back, Mister is the best drama of the year hands down for me thus far. : ) Highly recommend!

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