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Completed
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
9 people found this review helpful
Jan 12, 2017
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers
For a show that I had no intention of watching because it didn't sound like anything I'd remotely enjoy, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo turned out to be a really sweet romance and I enjoyed it so much. It was warm and full of heart. The awkwardness of youth and first loves felt real. The characters were on point. There is nothing to complain about in this drama. For a fluffy youthful rom-com, this is up there as one of the cutest and sweetest ones I've watched.

I loved both Kim Bok Joo and Jung Joon Hyeong. They were spectacularly adorable together. Joon Hyeong is like a puppy that just wants Bok Joo's attention at first. Or a little boy that likes a girl so he pulls her pony tail. But, as their friendship grows, he realizes that he is falling for her. And he moves from being the pesky puppy to an adoring boyfriend. He respects Kim Bok Joo and her dreams. He admires her strength. The problems they and the side characters face all feel very real. I enjoyed each character in this show, not just the main leads. There were no missteps in this story and they cleared up misunderstandings quickly and do not drag anything out needlessly. It also perfectly showed the nostalgic days of ones youth and how we grow and mature.

I'm not a big re-watcher, but I could totally see me watching this again one day. It is just a completely feel good romance that isn't just pure fluff. If the whole weightlifting thing is putting you off, don't let it. Just give it a chance and I believe that you will be pleasantly surprised at how this show and the characters touch your heart. Everything flowed along so nicely and each episode made me feel good and happy to watch it. I'm not saying that it's some masterpiece that broke the mold on dramas, just that it mixed all the right elements to make a fairly flawless romance and friendship story.

***ETA - slight spoilers ahead***
Rewatched end of 2022. This one didn't hold the same appeal on rewatch. It was still a sweet romance, but there was so much crying in the first 2/3 - I didn't remember it that way. I also thought the ex-gf was completely unnecessary and a bit boring.

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Twenty-Five Twenty-One
8 people found this review helpful
Apr 3, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0

Unexpectedly beautiful with a bittersweet ending

I wasn't expecting much going into this show. I honestly felt like I would watch about half an episode and give it up. But, as she did in Mr. Sunshine, Kim Tae Ri sucked me in with her beautiful acting. Na Hee Do was such a dynamic character, and KTR played her so perfectly. The nostalgia will hit hard in this one if you are a certain age, and the memories of youth, best friends, and first loves may stir within you. That feeling of freedom as you are about to embark upon adulthood and all the promise it holds. If you are a fan of the Reply series, you may well enjoy this as it invokes those same nostalgic feelings. The growing friendship between Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin that bloomed from friendship to love caused us to all root for them desperately, even knowing that it seems that something disrupts the trajectory of their pure love for one another.

The acting and depth of character was what kept me going. Kim Tae Ri is simply a captivating actress. She was completely believable as a high school student despite the actress actually being 30. Nam Ji Hyuk's performance was quite improved since I saw him last, as was Bona. This was probably the best performance I've seen from Bona thus far. She usually comes off as whiny and immature, but her acting is much improved. Choi Hyun Wook was a new face for me. I saw somewhere that he was compared as a young Park Seo Jun and I can see it, so I hope to see more of him in the future. Lee Joo Myung was also new for me, but I enjoyed her character as well. Although she was more of a fifth wheel in the group, I would have liked to have seen more development for her character and more of a connection within the group.

I'm rating this drama as a 9 because I looked forward to every episode, got a lot of enjoyment from it, and it was such a surprise bit of beauty. I adored the friendship/ rivalry between Hee Do and Yu Rim - almost the same amount as I loved the romance between Hee Do and Yi Jin. I loved the group dynamic of all the friends together, and was invested in how they grew and changed as they moved from high school into adulthood. The challenges they overcame, the sacrifices they made, and the passion they had in their youth. I was not expecting this drama to move me so much with it's simple beauty.

I was fully expecting to give this show a 10, and only failed to do so because I was hoping, rather foolishly, for a different ending. But in the absence of that, I felt that the ending was a bit rushed with the closure. I also felt that in the end, it wasn't necessary to have even had the two timelines (past and present) as it added nothing to the story. And although she did a fine job, I didn't think that it was necessary to change the actress playing Na Hee Do in the present day. She lacked the same depth that Kim Tae Ri brought to the character, and caused me to feel disconnected from her during those parts. The past was not connected to the present in any meaningful way at all.
I still think it is a very worthwhile watch, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that is interested in a drama about friendship and first love that was handled with a lot of maturity.

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Completed
One More Happy Ending
4 people found this review helpful
Apr 29, 2016
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
Overall, I found this show to be somewhat of a bait and switch. I thought the romance was cute, but the first episode promised a lot of humor and didn't really deliver as much comedy as the set-up seemed to make you believe was coming after that. It got pretty angsty in the middle part, but it seemed to keep coming back around to funny and cute before it got too sad. I think I would have liked to have seen it extended by 1 episode because I wasn't totally satisfied by the ending (needed some epilogue moments!) I also enjoyed the cameo by Conan O'Brien - talk about unexpected! I did enjoy the side stories of Mi Mo's friends and I did like Mi Mo's romance, but I felt that the story could have been handled better and there should have been more funny and cute moments than we actually got. Oddly enough, I most liked the story between Da Jeong and her husband. Even though it was the "quietest" story, it was the most moving. Poor Dong Mi's romance was the saddest, and Ae Ran's was the most unique (those 2 had an interesting relationship) Each relationship is very different, and so the telling of each brings something different to the story.
I enjoyed this for a one time watch, but will probably not watch again.

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Completed
Queen of the Ring
7 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2017
21 of 21 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.5
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 2.0
I realize this was a short web series, but I don't think the story was well-developed. I was excited to watch this because, same as most others, I wanted to see Kim Seul Gi in a lead role. I wish it had been in something better than this.

Kim Seul Gi was adorable as usual, so her acting carried this show. Ahn Hyo Seop was just a pretty face without much substance, and the same for Yeon So Hee. Pretty much all of my acting points are given solely because of KSG.

I think the story really failed to teach the moral that it seemed to set out to do. I read that someone compared it to 'Shallow Hal', and in theory I thought that would have been a good comparison. However, the characters did not evolve much past the "beauty is everything" mindset. I think this story could have so much better, but the writers blew it. There were two good ways they could have handled the "true beauty is on the inside" moral, and they did neither. I was pretty frustrated with the main male lead and his character's basically non-existent growth. I feel like Mo Nan Hee had a tiny bit of growth, but only related to her own sense of self-worth and not in how she, herself, saw her object of desire. She was almost as superficial as the guy.

The music I didn't notice much, so it must have been serviceable.

I won't rewatch this.

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Completed
Another Miss Oh
7 people found this review helpful
Jul 10, 2016
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
I'm not entirely sure I even know where to start writing a review for this show - so many thoughts. It was so layered and tightly written. The only thing that knocked off that half point for me was that there were a couple of episodes in the middle where it got a little draggy, but not enough to ruin it for me.

This story is about choosing love over fear, loving someone unreservedly, living without regrets, how ones perspective can impact one in ways you don't even realize, and how the decisions made can change your fate The layers of perspective make it meaningful, and the writer was able to tie in things that you would not have thought important at first look. I experienced the emotions of the characters with them and felt all the heartbreak, tension, and giddiness along with them. Despite any shortcomings this drama may have had, the characters were its strongest draw. The main couple had intensity and and passion. My advice would be to not judge the characters motivations and actions too quickly on this one. (Perspective, remember!) What you see at the beginning may not be a full picture, so you need to watch it unfold. Also, because Do Kyung's job was to do sound for movies and such, I started to become hyper-aware of the sounds in the show. It was pretty cool actually. It was a pretty interesting addition to the storyline to see a little BTS magic, but was also relevant to the story. The cinematography was also beautiful. I thought that there was a good closure at the end and lots of good resolution that the characters needed.

While so many drama characters are black and white, good or bad, hero or villain - the characters here are more shades of gray, imperfect, messy, a little dysfunctional, and sometimes selfish. They were interesting and against type. This is not just a romance, but a little slice of life as well. You almost feel like a voyeur peeping in on their developing relationship because they have an off the charts chemistry and hold the tension so well. The characters (nearly all of them) experienced growth throughout the show. The main romance was not the only love relationship either. There was a 2nd and 3rd romance, as well as family love. They were all realistic and raw and make mistakes. Our Oh Hae Young was emotional and honest. She can also be petty, jealous, and quick tempered, but is quick to admit when she has been wrong. She cut right through to Do Kyung's core and took down his walls brick by brick and unlocked his heart. (And I would just like to say that our leads should give kissing lessons to the rest of dramaland because WOWZA! That's how you kiss!) Do Kyung is thoughtful, but so reserved and introspective. His feelings come out in his actions long before he allows himself to express them in words.

The secondary characters are also well done. Do Kyung's sister, Soo Kyung, is such a strange character when you first meet her. At first you will believe she is just there simply for comedic effect, but you soon learn what motivates her as well. She became one of my favorite characters next to the main leads. In fact I loved every one of DK's family, save his mother (who was pretty much the worst mother ever. She barely had a shred of anything resembling maternal in her). Speaking of secondary characters, I have to say that OHY's parents may be my favorite drama parents ever. Mama Oh especially is like a mama bear with her cub, OHY. She may seem harsh and quick tempered, but she loves her daughter so much and always does the right thing for her in the end. And Papa Oh is a quiet support for them both. He doesn't say a lot, but he always knows when to jump in with his support. In fact, OHY's parents characterizations seem to parallel OHY and DK. The 2nd leads aren't even really 2nd leads, though, and their impact on the story does not equate with their portion of screen time. But honestly, I didn't really want to know more about them.

The casting was well done, and I felt that each part was done believably. I was swept up into their world.
The music went very well with each scene as if they were written for it, and the main theme was cute, if a little overplayed. I think it was very well done even though I don't always notice the music so much.

Would I re-watch this? I think I would. I think the layering of the story makes a great re-watch because you catch even more the 2nd or 3rd watch-through.

Overall, I was thoroughly entertained by this show. I do not expect my characters to always act realistic and the way that you would expect people to act in real life. But they do still manage to make them feel real and relatable. If you dropped this drama before the back half, you really have missed out and I think you should give it a second chance. While this was a romance that maybe should "never have been", at the same time you feel like it's the only way it could have been.

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Completed
My Liberation Notes
6 people found this review helpful
May 30, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
I had no idea I would love this so much. I'm sad that it's over now. I'm not even mad about the 'openness' of the ending. I think it ended the way it needed to even though I happily would have watched more.
Son Seok Koo -- I absolutely want to see him on screen again, but I doubt any character he plays will be as smoldering sexy as Gu. This was the first time I've taken notice of his acting (that I knew of at the time), but I thought that he hit it out of the park. Saying a million things with just a look.
Kim Ji Won, Lee El, and Lee Min Ki all did a wonderful job playing the Yeom siblings in a relatable and sympathetic way. I enjoyed watching each of them grow and evolve.

I tend to love slice of life dramas. I watched this in the middle of 3 such shows that were more melo than I am usually on board with. I thought for sure that I would need to break up this trio with a comedy, but I never did. MLN has been my favorite of them. I looked forward to new episodes every week. Even when it seemed like there was barely any movement in the story, as each episode was just so quiet. It relaxed me to see the siblings living their lives and trying to break free from the monotony their lives had become. It was just so dang relatable on this basic level that I was sucked in, wanting to see what choices they would make. What would change in their lives to allow some joy to come through in their exhausted drudgery of life they were living.

It was just a beautiful drama.
If you can handle the quiet, slice of life style, this one should be on your list.

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Completed
When the Weather Is Fine
6 people found this review helpful
Apr 10, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Somehow relaxing

I'm glad I had a change of heart and watched this drama. While there were a few things I would have changed, overall I ended up really enjoying it mostly. The pace is slow but it has a relaxing feeling. I so loved the feeling of the community and the ordinary lives of the characters. And yet, there was also some underlying seriously dark issues that the drama dealt with, while still maintaining a warmth that kept me coming back.

PMY and SKJ were wonderfully cast as the leads and had a surprisingly palpable chemistry. The showed their acting chops as they both had to convey a lot of emotion sometimes with little dialogue.

The music was lovely, and fit the mood of the show well.

Don't miss the epilogue for each episode where the ML writes a bit in his journal. It's probably the biggest insight into his mind that you'll get! :)

I would definitely recommend for people that can handle slower paced dramas and/or slice of life style shows. But not if you prefer constant action or big dramatic scenes.

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Completed
The King: Eternal Monarch
5 people found this review helpful
Jun 13, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
I was excited to start this drama because I was expecting something epic. However, I ended up very confused for more than half the drama. The machinations of our villain, Lee Lim, were not explained well in the beginning. I didn't understand why he was doing what he was doing - how he was choosing some of the people and for what reasons. Things slowly started to be explained, but it seemed like a lot was being left out. The story wasn't tight and there were plot-holes aplenty! I thought that at the end it would have made a good re-watch to have the knowledge that I didn't have before - that maybe things would be more clear with all the puzzle pieces in place. But I don't have the desire now to go back and see it happen. The product placement was pretty cringe-y and in your face also. I'm guessing the big budget required a lot of PPL, but it was not integrated very well and almost seemed like a complete commercial break to promote this or that product. The last episode was a good wrap up, seeing how the changes in the past changed and re-shaped the characters in the future. I actually did enjoy that part, even if it took up a lot of the last episode. Some people would say that this was a waste of time, but I liked it in this instance (and I always love a good epilogue in both dramas and books!).

Woo Do Hwan was the scene stealer of this whole drama. He nailed his dual role - I could legit believe they were two different characters. You never had to wonder if it was Yeong or Eun Seop in the scene. WDH needs his own lead role STAT! Kim Kyung Nam continues to impress me as well. I am always sold on his emotional scenes - I'd really like to see him take a lead role soon also but he seems relegated to supporting actor. I know that this was LMH's comeback drama and he was supposed to be the shining star of the show, but LMH's acting skills just never "wow" me. He seems to have one expression and sometimes a little glisten of an unshed tear when he needs to be emotional, but he does not sell it to me. He's somewhat pretty, but a pretty face isn't all it takes to carry a big budget drama. I think he's relied on that too long and hasn't developed his acting skills. Kim Go Eun did a decent job of her acting, except for the change over to her doppelgänger "Luna". If it hadn't been for the bad wig and the freckles they added, her second character would have been virtually indistinguishable from her main character. And then to add insult to injury, the writer then completely butchered Tae Eul by turning her into a weepy mess instead of the strong bada$$ we had gotten to know once she "fell in love". And speaking of which.....

The insta-love in this drama was so unbelievable. I thought it was going to be a slow build to romance-town for Tae-Eul and Lee Gon, but instead the writers rushed it and had the couple confessing their feelings before they even really got to know each other. That was one of my biggest peeves in the storyline other than Tae Eul's abrupt personality change.

The drama also set up too many things that they just dropped with no explanation. Sometimes a character was left in one spot, doing a thing, and the drama just moved on to the next scenes and never got back to what the side characters were supposed to be doing. They just left them in limbo. And there were a few characters seemed wholly unnecessary, and too much time was spent on them without having a connection to the plot.

I know it seems like I have so many criticisms for this show that I didn't enjoy it at all which isn't completely true. I was entertained to a point, but there were definitely certain aspects of the show that bothered me. Without being super spoiler-y, I don't feel like I can mention many of those here. It's an ok watch, but not the epic masterpiece I was expecting. They dressed the show up real pretty, but it didn't fail to hide the inconsistencies or fill in the holes in the plot. I am neither encouraging, nor discouraging viewers. There are parts you'll really like, and I think parts you'll really hate, but I think it's best to go into it with your expectations firmly in check.

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Completed
Girls' Generation 1979
5 people found this review helpful
Oct 5, 2017
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
I really, really enjoyed this show, and wish it had been a full length drama instead of only 8 episodes. I think they really could have fleshed this story out wonderfully in 16 episodes. The shortened storyline caused some questions to be unanswered, but not annoyingly so. As has been mentioned already, it definitely had a Reply series feel to it. The nostalgia of friendships and first loves and that all-important timing. The romances are very innocent.

I enjoyed all the characters, and maybe only wish that Jung Her wasn't quite so prickly with Hye Joo (in the beginning) and Dong Moon. The weakest of the main characters, for me, was the actor playing Son Jin. He was a little flat for me, but otherwise, the cast was spot on.

The music was exceptional. There were several songs that were popular in the U.S. during that time period as well as some lovely Korean songs. The music really did a lot to add to the feel of the show.

I would rewatch this again without hesitation.

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Completed
Hyde, Jekyll, Me
5 people found this review helpful
Dec 7, 2016
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 6.0
Honestly, I don't think this show deserved as much hate as it has received on here. I've been on a Hyun Bin run the last few weeks, and was reluctant to watch this because of all the bad reviews. I was expecting a total disaster that I was going to give up on in the first few episodes. But as I watched I kept waiting for it to take a nose-dive and it didn't ever really do that. That being said, just because it didn't fall to low expectations, it didn't rise up and "wow" me either.

Now, Hyun Bin's acting, as I've discovered is very good. He plays double roles very well, making it believable he is different characters. He did basically the same in Secret Garden. (I really wish he'd choose some better roles so I can see him in something worthy of his skills.) This was the first real role I've seen Han Ji Min in (other than her Jealousy Incarnate cameo), and she did an okay job. There was something I liked about her.. Sung Joon can be hit or miss for me, but I actually liked him in this even though the character could have been scripted better. Hye Ri was cute, but fairly unnecessary in this show.

My main gripe with this story was the amount of time that Hyun Bin spent as Robin compared to his time as Seo Jin. Yes, Robin was heroic and happy and nice, while Seo Jin was...well his polar opposite. Yes, they are both different sides of the same person, even if Hyun Bin did an amazing job at making you feel like they were two separate men, not sharing one body. I would have liked to have had more time with Seo Jin and Ha Na interacting and getting to the bottom of his illness. I felt really sorry for Seo Jin and how he was treated compared to Robin. I did like the way that Ha Na's interaction with them "both" helped Seo Jin through his past and work through Robin to heal him. I just wish I had gotten to see more of his change through HIS eyes, and also that they had resolved the problem of Robin earlier in order that Ha Na and Seo Jin AS Seo Jin could have had more screen time together getting closer. And maybe that's the crux of what didn't work for a lot of people. Even though Seo Jin and Robin were the same man, it would have been nice to have seen more of the REAL man, Seo Jin as opposed to his alter, Robin - who was just a "symptom" of his DID.

The music was fairly good, enjoyable and appropriate.

I don't see me watching this again, but it really wasn't as horrible as so many reviewers make it out to be. There just wasn't enough of what I wanted to see...it was crammed in at the very last few minutes so I felt a bit cheated somehow (even though they were the same person).

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Completed
Queen In Hyun's Man
5 people found this review helpful
Oct 8, 2016
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This show was pure amazing fantasy romance. It may have been one of the most romantic dramas I have watched up until now. I wasn't sure how I felt about the main male lead before I got into this, even though I knew I liked Yoo In Na. However, he blew me away - he was perfect for this role.

The story was pure fantasy, and it pulled at my heart. Kim Boong Do is pulled 300 years into the future when a talisman made by the chief monk and given to him by a woman who has been praying for his safety as a political tug of war is going on in the palace of King Suk Jong. In our present time, he meets actress Choi Hee Jin. Kim Boong Do is a scholar and remarkably smart and perceptive. He picks up things in this future world quickly, allowing him to blend in to modern society when he needs to. However, he has unfinished business back in Joseon. The talisman carries him back and forth, risking his life each time to come back to Hee Jin and going back in order to further his cause. The love that develops with our couple is tender and fraught with obstacles. "To live is to die and to die is to live."

The actors had chemistry galore, and it was probably helped by the fact that these two reportedly started dating during the filming of this show. The kisses were way better than the cliched wide eyed staring kisses - they looked real and passionate. You In Na was adorably cute - both in her funny scenes and when she was sad. You just wanted to hug her and make her feel better. Ji Hyun Woo made me flutter a bit (and to think a year ago I thought he wasn't attractive at all) in this role. He was the perfect romantic lead - he was caring and considerate. If you are looking for a realistic love story, look somewhere else. This is a fairy tale romance in every way. Just settle back and enjoy what they are serving here because your heart will thank you. :) Anyone that is a sucker for romance will love this show.

The music wasn't really noticeable to me until later on in the show. The first couple of episodes seemed somewhat quiet (little to no music)....but in a good way.

I can't rate this show less than a 10, and I absolutely could see myself watching this again some rainy long weekend.
Queen In Hyun's Man gave me tons of romantic feels, and hit every note just right. From the cute and funny moments, to the heartbreak and tears, to the action and tension of how Kim Boong Do would escape with his life once more.

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Completed
Chicago Typewriter
10 people found this review helpful
Jun 4, 2017
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I am almost at a loss for words after watching this gorgeous show. Chicago Typewriter is just beautiful - the cast, the story, the music, the cinematography....every note is golden. The whole production was swoon-worthy, and I would sit right down and watch it again in a heartbeat. Someone commented about the show that it felt like a novel, and it does unfold exactly that way. The show seamlessly blended the past and the present timelines into something stunning. The love and friendship between the three main characters and how they reconcile their past lives under a Japanese controlled Joseon with their present day lives in liberated Seoul (Joseon) was handled expertly. The pacing of the story was slower, but steady, keeping viewers wrapped up in the tale. I eagerly awaited each episode, and was never left disappointed - save wanting more right away. :)

Yoo Ah In, Im Soo Jung, and Go Kyung Po were all amazing in their dual roles, both past and present. I was captivated by them instantly and was sad to let them go as the credits faded away. You know the writers have crafted something great when you are reluctant to see the end. Yoo Ah In and Im Soo Jung had a sizzling chemistry together and enacted one of the best kissing scenes I've seen to date. (Toe curling would be an apt description!) Go Kyung Po was the master of the puppy eyed looks that twisted my heart in sadness for him. They all three wrung tears from me during the course of the show. The love, the comraderie, the longing, their happiness and sadness - I truly felt them all. The acting from everyone was impeccable. I'd also like to mention that Kwak Shi Yang, as the antagonist, did an especially good job as well. He was very convincing in his role and was able to somehow portray both innocence and evil in turn.

The OST was amazing. If you've read many of my reviews, you will notice that the music is often something peripheral to me. There have been rare exceptions, and this is absolutely one of them. The song Satellite, by Saltnpaper, is stunning and they used it so effectively in several scenes. In fact, all of the music almost seemed to be written specifically for these characters and this story. There have been many theme songs that were only moving to me during the story and not on their own, but Satellite is a great song even separate from the drama. (I've noticed that Saltnpaper is the performer of many drama songs that have caught my attention.) The music director did an outstanding job choosing effective mood-setting music.

Rewatch? That is a given. This story stole my heart and feels like a favorite book now that I want to go back and revisit from time to time.

You should absolutely give this show a chance and you will almost certainly fall in love with the characters and the story as I have. :)

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Thirty but Seventeen
5 people found this review helpful
Sep 19, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
I went into this drama not expecting a lot, because honestly, after Temperature of Love I was not a Yang Se Jong fan. I do love Shin Hye Sun though and wanted to see her in a romantic lead role. This show ended up blowing all my expectations out of the water. Thirty But Seventeen was such a sweet romance and I loved every bit of it.

So, Yang Se Jong did a good job in this show of redeeming himself. (I still don't like his "moppy" hair, but that's neither here nor there! LOL) I found myself really liking his character despite myself. And Shin Hye Sun was perfectly cast as a bouncy, happy young woman who wakes up from a 13 year coma thinking she's still a 17 year old schoolgirl. You can really tell the differences in her as she grows into her "adult-ness" (yes, I made up that word bc 'adulthood' just didn't feel right) over the course of the series. Ye Ji Won, as per usual, is a scene stealer - her role of "robotic" Jennifer was expertly done. Ahn Hyo Sub as Chan was a delight as well. His character did a lot of growing up during the show - and he was the 'glue' that held their little makeshift family together. I have nothing but good things to say about the main cast. Even the younger counterparts cast for Woo Jin and Seo Ri were well done and embodied the spirit of the characters - sometimes I could almost even see a physical resemblance! Great casting choices!

The writing was fairly tight, with few unnecessary scenes. I felt like some of the scenes in the last two episodes were added solely for the rounding out of the remaining time, but I wasn't mad at them. I loved how the writer connected everything together and feel like it was a well thought out script. The way that the characters wrapped up their storylines was fitting and showed good growth. The characters were so pure-hearted and that was one of the things I loved the most about them. They were also very mature and always had healthy responses to a situation where other dramas might have created chaos and frustration. It made the show relaxing and enjoyable to watch, and was never boring.

The violin music is the standout in this show, as far as that goes and it really made me want to listen to more.

This show is absolutely suited to a re-watch because it was such a joy to watch. If you love sweet innocent romance, you will want to add this one to your list pronto! :)

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Go Back Couple
5 people found this review helpful
Nov 19, 2017
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
I'm not sure what I was expecting when I went into watching this show, but I'm sure that I wasn't expecting my heart to be touched so much by it. It seems like nearly every episode turned on the waterworks for me, but there were laughs as well.
The cast is outstanding - Jang Na Ra never fails to illicit an emotional response from me. And Kim Mi Kyung is always an excellent addition to the cast. I loved her in this. Son Ho Jun, even though I've only seen him in Reply 1994 before, completely impressed me also. The side characters were well used and also cast well.

For me, this show was very nearly perfect. I could see myself rewatching this very easily.
Be prepared with a couple of tissues for this one, but I know you won't regret watching it!

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Completed
Mr. Queen
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 16, 2021
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 7.0

This is the kind of historical I can actually enjoy!

Anyone who knows my tastes in dramas knows I don't really do historical dramas due to the politics. I generally just find politics BORING! However, a time travel, and a comedy? Now *that* I can get behind, politics notwithstanding! :)
I'll be straight up honest - I watched this for Shin Hye Sun, one of my favorite actresses. I've loved her in everything I've watched her in. And she did NOT disappoint. Frankly, she carried this drama on her back, and I'm so proud of her! Her comedic timing was impeccable. Her portrayal as Bong Hwan in the Queen's body was perfection! The mannerisms and everything were just utterly perfect. Even if you don't normally watch historical dramas, I am going to wholly recommend this one. Due to my usual avoidance of historicals I was a bit confused in the beginning - all the ministers and their roles and deeds sort of got jumbled in my mind, but by the second half of the drama, when the action started to amp up, I was well and truly invested and things began to clear up and I was enjoying it even more.

Kim Jung Hyun as the king did a good job - his role was really just to complement the queen I believe. While they could have chosen someone with more gravitas for the role, I feel like he worked really well with SHS and the chemistry between them was good. And maybe that's why he was chosen - because this was really Shin Hye Sun's show and they didn't want someone stealing the spotlight from her. So for that, he was a good pick. I enjoyed the 'good guys' side characters and appropriately despised the 'bad guys' side characters. As a whole, everyone should be proud of their work on this show.

The music was nice, and I enjoyed it.
I would say if you are a 're-watcher' that this could make a good re-watch. Even knowing the ending, the comedy was still gold and I would almost assuredly laugh at all the hilariousness again.

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