silent_whispers
Dramaland
At this point I can't remember which Police Story got me into the franchise. (Pretty sure it was number 1 or 2.) However, I remember New Police Story with the fondness. Not only for feeding my love of this series and Jackie! But for introducing me to full blown man candy obsession (AKA Asian dream boat) through Tse Necholas as Frank. Wowza!
That aside it also brought the franchise on pare to the level of the current action movies world wide at the time. The graphics were decent enough, but it ruled over the practical effects making it a real treat as stunt doubles and cheap computer effects become more prolific in American stuff. (Practical effects are where it's at if you didn't notice my franchises of choice.)
The story may be over the top, but at least it tried! Don't you miss that? When action movies knew they were clichés, but still always tried for something new and unique!!?
Now I will address the female side characters sins of the action movie that, while I ignored them, need to be addressed. The female lead's love interest was a damsel, it is balanced out by herself sacrificing . . . but she's there to be a hostage. The police girl is cute and fun--yes I enjoyed her. But she's in the role of computer tech nerd . . . that doesn't get to do much. The villainess lead is of course the weak link and there to show us just how evil the main villain is. I was so disappointed by how and where her character ended up.
That said it's a ton of fun! The hero becomes the underdog and has to go up against the world. Of course despite everyone blaming him and breaking his pride, they truly support him. The action is Jackie great and as always I love seeing the bloopers at the end. (When that glass case fell on him prematurely I couldn't believe it. If his costar hadn't caught it things could have gone really bad.) A typical plot, but with fun new hijinks.
The plot has holes. Jackie's character was a bit unsympathetic to how he treated his fiancée. Plus, rich gamer kids? That's something different for villains! I applaud the writers for trying to make the dastardly villain have a backstory and relatability. Attempting to address physical and psychological abuse. It's affects on a person. Not to mention that moving little backstory and character connection.
That said the music didn't do much for me except the song in the credits. Visually it's great for its time. I have and will be rewatching this again.
Overall if you love classic action movies this is a great place to start. Technically you don't have to be familiar with the franchise because this has nothing to do with the first 4 movies. (As technically the 4th one as supposed to be part of the franchise.) Jackie plays a new character from the original. No longer is the Police Story comedic action. This one brought it into the era with grit and angst. I miss original concepts and ideas, but this was still brilliant. Jackie and his costars to great stunt work! The shots are ambitious and I'm impressed by the director. They couldn't bring May or the original concept back, so they took a risk. It paid off big time! Yeah!
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In the States I found this under Police Story: LOCKDOWN. That should have been my first cool that this was not going to have the key element to the Police Story franchise: Comedy.
Even with New Police Story rebranding the franchise it kept some humorous aspects. Made the character sympathetic and human. This latest entry sadly does what American action movies think you need. Super inhuman and unsympathetic heroes. Basically trying to create an anti-hero. Jackie's characters always tend to get hurt and react to pain, but I didn't feel like this happened.
Overall I think the actors did what they could for the script. Their work was the best. However, the writers decided to add lots of jumping and flashbacks to build the story. While I liked the slight "twist" as to why the guy was holding them hostage and what truly happened. Flashbacks may be popular, but they are hard to utilize affectively. Most of the time leaving the story sketching and sloppy at best.
Visually this was cool and honestly I can't remember the music running through out the movie except for a few annoying songs. The end OST playing through the credits was lovely though.
I'm a little baffled as to why they didn't utilize Chan's awesome fighting stunts more. At the very least to cover up the lack of decent writing. Because our hero Zhong Wen was unlikable. Which is a huge loss to any story, especially this franchise. I believe they were trying to make him world weary. To bring grit and a lot of the "modern" trappings into the franchise. Oh, well. I'm happy Chan is still in demand, I just hope they do better if they continue to build on this franchise. (Please, don't kill it and reboot like Die Hard.)
Another thing is that each installment into the franchise before kept pushing the boundary for stunts. All of the ones before have stunts that are legendary Jackie Chan stunts of gloriousness. For anyone thinking of going into the franchise I'd watch them in order. The first three are classics and tie in well. The 4th loses its way to international marketing, but still is great. New Police Story is a great reboot, remember it's a new character though. In my heart I think the first 3 movies will always be "it". I enjoyed New Police Story, but I think it is at heart a standalone. Using the name of the franchise to mooch.
Side note: Police Story 2 and 3 are my all time faves!
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As mentioned the plot isn't that brilliant. Right from the beginning when the 9 years later popped on the screen I knew the entire plot. So the twist was a bust. However, the real meat of Skiptrace is the journey from Russia to China. Showcasing the people in all the countries and highlighting their cultures! The humor was great! Especially singing to "pass" on the stairs. (You'll get it when you watch it.)
The true power here is the bromance! Any drama fan can tell you that's where it's at. Jackie Chan and Johnny Knoxville have amazing chemistry as (respectively) Benny Chan and Connor Watts. The police and the thief (again respectively). Too be honest I had no idea who actor/writer Johnny Knoxville is and I don't really care about his past projects. This put him on the map for me. He played well off of Jackie Chan and I loved-loved-loved-loved them. They made this movie so good. From the running Russian lady joke, river rafting on big skins, spooning in caves, and so on.
The music did not make me take note except for the Mongolians singing Rolling in the Deep. That made my life.
Oh, yeah. I will be rewatching this in the future! This is tons of fun and I think Chan Jackie fans will enjoy this immensely. Not to mention non-fans will find something to enjoy. You could tell the budget was a little low, but they did a great job making it look good. The practical affects were great. (Though the CGI was . . . low.) I loved the multicultural outlook/blending and hope more movies like this can be made.
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Another Miss Oh definitely was a surprise drama of the year. When I first read the synopsis it sounded like a hot mess. When the updates came in from other friends who decided to watch this one, I picked My Beautiful Gong Shim instead, they claimed it was amazing surprise that surpassed most of the dramas this year. After caving (and being disappointed by my Beautiful Gong Shim in the later episodes) I soon found they were totally right! Another Miss Oh is a unique and wonderful find.
There's a lot going on here. Tons of ideas and concepts used and explored. Yet the writer masterfully introduces and utilizes them. The crazy idea of Park Do Kyeong being able to see glimpses into the future transforms into one of the most beautiful love stories I've been able to enjoy in a drama. The whole idea that he ruined Oh Hae Yeong #1's current life because of mistaken idintity was even handled well. Having the same name as someone else even turned into an amazing story of self love and being happy with who and what you have. There's so many amazing elements that I can't cover them all, and I don't want to spoil them.
The side characters and stories were also fabulous. Oh Hae Yeong #1's parents where epic! Instead of being this cold or cruel things, or just parent figures for the sake of parent figures they were real people. I loved seeing the echoes of Park Do Kyeong and Oh Hae Yeong in her parents relationship. The idea that Oh Hae Yeong did pick someone like her dad was epic. The scene where her parents take her to karaoke to help her heal was funny, moving, and one of the best drama scenes ever.
Park Do Kyeong and Oh Hae Yeong aren't the only quirky romance going on. There's two more that I absolutely loved and I won't spoil anything. Just be aware it's there and it's awesome.
Oh Hae Yeong #1 is a complex lead and while she seems like the standard clumsy girl you soon find yourself realating to her and completely becoming wrapped up in her. She's fearless and even after being beaten down by love she fearlessly goes all in again. Despite doubts, fears, and reasons not to she choses to go all in. Because she never wants to say that she had regrets.
So the must noisy girl about love finds herself falling in love with Park Do Kyeong. A man who isn't in touch with his emotions, has super amounts of pride, and is quite the quiet one. Who better to awaken his emotions and realizing how much of his life he'd regret then her? Hmmmmmm?
Their love is beautiful and in the end fearless. Even with others opinions frowning down upon them they remain brave.
That said I did have some issues with the drama. First is that no one even mentions that Oh Hae Yeong is pretty much a drunk. I was really bored with how the first half of the drama kept showing her drunk and that the other characters were aware that she gets that way even when she isn't being dumped/miserable. That was probably why I felt disconnected despite all the amazing character building. I'm not someone who likes to get drunk and I don't care to watch drunks. Especially as getting drunk resulted in her doing things that made her miserable. When she quits drinking because she finds happiness I'm pretty sure her amount of alcohol consumption would lead to alcohol withdrawals. (It needed to be said.) I do give points to the writer for emphasizing that you are the biggest factor in staying miserable and sad. No matter what happens you can always be reborn again and move on.
Secondly was the pacing. So we spend a lot of time with drunken Oh Hae Yeong, lots of dramatic crying, staring/longing/dramatic moments of contemplation. There was one scene where we just watched Oh Hae Yeong watch the train leave the station over and over again. These moments felt like a waste as they lost their impact due to boredom and it took away from developing the story! No really I think it would have been good to use that time to let the side characters/stories shine more!
About episode 11ish I felt a shift in the drama, like the writer suddenly decided to add some new elements. It soon became almost like a dedication to someone. A bigger idea and you really have to pay close attention to catch and realize that it was there the whole time.
The music and cinematography were amazing. Considering that Park Do Kyeong works in sound production for movies I believe that having an amazing OST was very key for this drama. Well it is one of my top OSTs for the year! The sound team on Another Miss Oh did such a wonderful job that everything made a bigger impact by what music was playing. Even if you thought it wouldn't have worked it did.
Rewatch? Well I know I really want to see this crazy cast again! The slow bits make me a little leery and I really disliked how stupid OH Hae Yeong was drunk. I think way down the line after many years I'd want to revisit this unique drama. For now I'll just watch my favorite parts only.
Despite all the fabulously crazy ways it gets to it the message of Another Miss Oh is of finding happiness, never living with regret, saying what you wanna say, and that every action will have a reaction. I firmly believe that this breaks down many stereotypes of dramas! From side characters, to how female leads should be, cold male leads aren't that simple, parents are people too, and so on! Another Miss Oh should not be missed.
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Sounds good. Until suddenly the science fiction is all over the place. Such as Do Min Joon's powers. So time moves slower on his planet and it's fast on earth. Meaning he never ages and can freeze time. Not only that he can teleport, levitate things with his mind (so telekinesis), has the abilities to electrically kill and start things, and so on. Psychically he's faster (I'm assuming do to his time abilities), stronger, better eye sight, and his hearing is so amazing he can even hear through sound proof walls and pin point someone through an entire city to long distances. Pin point one person by sound. The whole thing is based on superior aliens who can teleport not being able to duplicate their powers and create their own teleportation device. “BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!” They don't want to alert humans to them, so they have to do it stealthy. That's just touching the tip of the sci/fi and basic questions here. Yes, plot holes.
Enter the female lead who immediately rubbed me the wrong way. She's kind of clueless (read brainless), loud and obnoxious. So on. On paper You Who Came From the Stars sounds good and then as I began to watch it started to play out in a way that I would normally dislike. Cold male lead, annoying female, and silly world building to support it's sci-fi theme that is just a romance story. The first episode I could understand why the fans did liketh. Then as I kept watching my episode ratings increased. Because the writer kept doing what I have wanted many drama writers to do: grow their characters.
It didn't hurt that the humor is amazing and Jeon Ji Hyeon is truly an amazing comedic actress. As the writing and Jeon Ji Hyeon were able to take hold of Song Yi and develop her I soon went from being annoyed to feeling really fond of her. Like Do Min Joon I soon fell in love with her. Song Yi may be clueless about somethings, clearly studies were not her strong point, but she has heart. She doesn't lie to herself she realizes that she's a diva and spoiled, but that's who she is why should she hide! If you're her person, and there's few of them, she is loyal. Soon her inner depths are revealed and I appreciate it anytime that a well developed female lead graces the screen.
Do Min Joon develops out of his cold male lead stereotype. As flashbacks into the past show us some of his experiences of why he no longer feels compelled to help the common man. Despite his words he still has helped. His best friend Jang Young Mok is someone he got involved with despite his big words about staying out of the affairs of people and just wait to return to his Star. Yong Mok and Min Joon's relationship is so wonderful and I love that this show has hidden depths of emotion and relationships. Do Min Joon is pretty funny himself and I urge everyone to give this a chance. Especially wait to get a kick out of the drunken flashback . . . oh gosh! While Do Min Joon originally dislikes Song Yi and only is truly drawn to her because she was the girl . . . that looked like someone from the past, he is the one that enters the love zone first. Or starts to at least crush first. Not to mention that actor Kim Soo Hyun is simply amazing.
It showcases the fickleness of super stardom and how quickly fans will turn on you. (Maybe a commentary on the Korean news media and the so called fans.) Shows how stardom can affect the people around you; friends and family. Being a star has it's own issues.
The villain is pretty awesome and it can be argued that Lee Jae Kyung is evil for the sake of being the villain here. However, the actor, Shin Sung Rok, does it swell. If you don't watch this look up Lee Jae Kyung in the red suit. * fans self * Lee Hui Kyung is the bad guy's unsuspecting brother and of course the third wheel to the love story. He should have been soooooo annoying as this stupid guy who follows Song Yi around. She's told him no, but he will and never leaves her. Yet the writing again develops his character and you understand him and are heartbroken with him. Respect. I thought Do Min Joon was beyond stupid trying to protect Song Yi from Lee Jae Kyung, but Lee Hui Kyung not only turns around and gathers evidence, but he does the cop and Do Min Joon's jobs. It's very overlooked, and not acknowledge by the other characters, that he saves the day. Sure Do Min Joon was called in to use his powers, but if push came to shove I'm sure Lee Hui Kyung could have done it himself.
Even the girl friend turning out to be a jealous friend was handled well! (Song Yi's friend!) See solid writing can turn a hated trope into a good thing. You can understand Se Mi and where she is coming from. What I liked even more is that she eventually grows up. I really loved the actress and hope to see her in some leading roles. (Apparently Goblin???) Other actors and relationships I enjoyed would be actor Ahn Jae Hyun! Oh, I've been watching his stuff backwards, but I'm happy to see his “debut”. I loved his relationship with his sister and her fame, and shockingly Do Min Joon! His crush/hero worship of Do Min Joon is another great thing. I also enjoyed Song Yi's family as we learn how broken they are and by the end come together. Oh, and Song Yi has a real friend and I loved their relationship so much!
While I probably won't be rewatchng the whole show anytime soon I will be watching favorite scenes over and over again. The music is all right and while nothing truly pops up while watching I did sing along with the OST. Though if pressed I couldn't sing it to you now. Out of my head already. The instrumental pieces were simple and fit well, but I won't go out of my way to get the soundtrack. Visually it's stunning and I thought the affects were done well enough! It is a TV show and they budgeted well.
You Who Came From the Star pretty much has the frame work of world building and ignores some of the obvious questions about its science fiction aspects. This is a fated across time love story with aliens. All of the regular tropes tossed in and written well enough that it's not annoying (most of the time). While I'm worried about certain alien and human incompatibilities not being addressed at the end. (To which my alternate ending idea would have fixed. Someone needs to hire me. ^_-) Not to mention the explanation to the ending, I have to be honest that this worked. The writer focuses on the things that turns You Who Came From the Stars into a pretty fun show. Character development, fantastic and clever humor, a build up to love (no instalove thank you), and turning unrealistic characters to realistic/relatable ones. By episode 5 I believe viewers will fully know if this show is for them. Some might not be able to turn a blind eye to the glaring plot holes, maybe even find things slowing down as the show was slated for 16 episodes and dragged out to 21 (though I think they did a pretty good job only 2 episodes truly lagged), and might not be able to click with the female lead. However, I think if you let the writing take hold and simply enjoy it's all well worth it.
I enjoyed myself and I'm glad I did.
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No really. I savored this thing. I started watching May 19, 2016 and dragged it out until November 10, 2016. Yes, Signal was so good that I did find myself binge watching episodes numerous times, but it was so fabulously wonderful that I would gain control of myself control so that I could savor.
The writing. Oh, my gosh the writing! Never have I given (especially now that I've got my rating scale down) a first episode a 10. Ever. Not even my favorite shows like Healer, Faith, I Hear Your voice, and etcetera. They've always had to work to lead up to that 10 rating. Signal nailed it on the first episode and I still have no words to describe that absolute bliss that accompanied such heights of writing. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain it. Though here is what I titled my episode one review: "One of the best first episodes I've ever seen."
The writer perfectly balanced the small arcs of crime cases to the larger arcs. We're introduced to the concept of these walkie-talkies (aka radios) connecting two cops through time. Using a seemingly inconsequential kidnapping case to pull them together and start them working together. There are some real life events pulled in and given their own twists. Most known is the famous Hwaseong serial murders, which I had heard would be the focus way back when word of the initial concept had dropped. So I was a bit baffled as to where the show would go, and stay strong, without the case. The writer is so confidant and amazing that the arc of the Hwaseong serial murders is epic! Holly cow amazing, but the other cases and the bigger arcs never falter after. In fact, the big arcs—sorry guys I'm trying not to spoil a thing especially if you haven't seen Frequency—are never far away. They're constantly being hinted and developed. So by the time its the forefront and focus of the show I was practically foaming at the mouth.
Even better is that the actions of the characters have consequences. Big ones. Even if they're willing and strong enough to try and change the past, lives are altered in the present and past. People who lived before die, others who died lived. Would that have happened if they hadn't intervened? There are many scary moments when you don't know if things will actually be changed, and moments of hope when you pray that they will be.
The actors did a wonderful job. Hands down some of the best acting I have seen in a drama and the proof of their abilities is in how many dramas these actors have landed since Signal. Performances by the leads and supporting characters never faltered. Their interactions are so real. Even the guest roles to play the victims and criminals did flawless work. If you asked me about any of the characters I'd probably have nothing but praise for them, even if it was the old lady collecting card board and garbage in one scene. All three leads did such an amazing job that I don't have words for them. They're just awesome.
The set designer and wardrobe/makeup people hit it on point. You didn't need the years flashed across the screen to know whether you were in the present day or the past. It was so consistent that I hope Signal wins tons of awards for that alone.
The music is well done and I really love the opening OST for the drama—even if it smacks heavily of another shows OST from America. Hey, it fit Signal perfectly. I thought the OST was well done and fit the show well. A nice balance for a show that spanned two time periods.
Signal's biggest ambition is that addresses the corruption of not just cops, but society. Addressing that those with power and money do get away with things, but if the people stay true and never give up justice can be served. There's many other topic addressed here as well. The blaming of rape victims, the emotions of the criminal and the victim. The consequences of actions and many more ideas.
The emotional impact and cleverness of the Signal still astounds me looking back and I made sure before I even finished it that I owned it for future rewatching. Director Kim Won-Suk truly surprised me, and I look forward to future dramas. Writer Kim Eun-Hee is officially on my stalk list! Future dramas will be a must and I've already started looking into the older ones. Overall I would say that Signal is a drama everyone should see. Especially if you've been starved for something that isn't just another stereotypical K-drama. Even if you are one who only likes the stereotypical drama fodder, try this! Because Signal is not only one of the best dramas I've seen, it's one of the best TV shows I've seen.
My review/words will never be adequate enough to describe or praise Signal. But I had to try.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is one of the rare times that I will actually say that the drama NEEDED to be longer. AND that I totally believe the writers could have pulled it off. However, how could they have with this being pre-shot? They took a gamble with 20. That's the drawback of doing that, it did make the storyline and pacing pretty awesome. A show with no filler is all my heart truly yearns for. Sadly in Korea from what I Googled later episodes never took off, so I'm sure the people backing it are happy they only did 20 episodes. Which saddens me as it looks else where it had “favorable response”. What's up Korea? (I will not get on my soap box. I will not. ^_-) Apparently one of the bigger reasons for the lack of interest and ratings was due to the actors. Actually, I really only heard grumbling about IU and Byun Baek Hyun. Byun Baek Hyun plays the cheerful and child like 10th Prince. IU the lead female Soo Hae. For me I thought they did a great job, in fact the whole cast was stellar. There wasn't a single performance that didn't move me in some way.
I will address IU. This is not my first time watching her. Nope it's my second. I first watched her in Dream High and I enjoyed her. Clearly it was her first gig, but I enjoyed her and have always meant to see her in some of her other roles. Even in Dream High I knew she would make a great leading lady. The vast difference from her first acting gig to Moon Lovers was awesome. I think IU is a fantastic actress and she had wonderful chemistry with the entire cast. Most importantly all of the Princes. I believed the ones who fell in love with her, how could they resist?
It's hard to emphasis how amazing the actors are. I will make some highlights. Ji Soo as Wang Jeong (14th Prince) was awesome and I loved him with Baek Hyun, they were such a wonderful duo. I do feel like poor Ji Soo's character got back seated again. Kang Ha Neul as Wook (8th Prince) was really good. I'm a fan. Kang Han Na as the 8th Prince's sister did such an amazing job! She may have been more villain, but I did find myself cheering her on. Even if it meant beloved characters got hurt. However, my new actor obsession has been born. Lee Joon Gi. He was A-mazing to watch. His character was so complex that I was blown away by how Lee Joon Gi pulled it all off.
The story at times was predictable, but many times it surprised me! Which I loved. As I mentioned I felt like it could have been longer. Due to how much AWESOME things are in here I felt like certain aspects were overlooked or not developed enough. The one powerful thing about Moon Lovers is that the character development is off the charts! Whether they're "villains" or the good guys. In fact, a lot of times the good guys became villainous. You could understand where everyone was coming from.
There are A LOT of time jumps! Besides the jump to the past!! Ha-ha. Those 20 episodes cover a huge span of time. There are no rooms for fillers. The writers knew the story they had to cover and tried the best they could to convey where everyone was at the times. I was impressed. Sometimes it was hard to tell how much time was actually passing for the non-time-jumps. So that felt a bit off.
There were some annoying tropes used. The first kiss of a certain love pair actually left me feeling hollow and disappointed at first. Yet every time the writers saved it. Some of the characters are so complex and while even in a trope you understood why that particular character would do it. So it eased the blow.
What I loved most is that while the era is romantic and lovely, it's brutal. For a K-drama I thought that the reality and harshness of the time period was done well. Characters die and are even tortured/maimed. I was a little disappointed by when the Princes finally started dying, but only because the show was short did it feel late. In truth I was happy for the time I had with my princes. (No I won't say who goes first or anything. Avoid all spoilers I tell you!)
The romances are so complex and wonderful. I love that Soo Hae doesn't just have one romance. Life is messy and the heart can (and will) fall in love and grow many times. I also love how the writers emphasis all the kinds of different loves there are. Betrayal, choosing who to trust, bravery, courage, kindness, and so on. I love it when things are complex.
The music was a bit odd at first. Like this electronic feel to it mixed with classical Korean. After a while I was quite fond of it and it fit the series well. The OSTs with vocals were wonderful as well and I loved whenever they were utilized.
Will I rewatch it? Um, yeah. In fact, I started rewatching episodes as they aired. More than once.
This is one of those Dramas you will know right away whether you're in or out! Honestly I don't think I can explain enough or write enough about how awesome it all was for me. Character depth and growth, great interactions, writing that most of the time blew me away, even if some tropes were used they were well used, and the princes weren't just man candy. The female characters are amazing and so well developed. Tragically awesome romances and just a heads up: the last episode will probably destroy you. You will cry! So don't late night binge that because you may not function for the next day. Give it time to soak in. Though I would suggest watching this when you have time to binge most of it! Because once Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo grabs hold of you it won't let go. Enjoy the addiction.
(Now I'm super curious about the original drama! Oh, and FYI I actually really liked how it ended.)
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Outrageous fits this movie well. Outrageously funny is even more accurate. To be honest I'm not that familiar with these actors playing the leads. (Yeah. I KNOW who they are, but have been exposed to almost none of their work except for Kang Ha Neul.) The writing weaved a fabulous friendship that started over an unlikely event, but I believe that's how great friendships start. You just fall into it. The actors do a great job making me feel their friendship.
Really I don't want to give away too much of the story. However, I will say it has a nice awkwardness to the humor that comes from being real life. Come on. It's totally relatable. Even though you’re thinking “that's outrageous” it's totally believable. It deals with the awkwardness of the early twenties. Facing the reality that you are at a fork in the road where your life has to go on after school. Will you still have the same beliefs, how will you change, and of course how will your friendships change?
Honestly if these 3 guys ended up being in a male Sex in the City I would be on board. In a strange way I felt like the totally upfront and frank talks these guys had about sex and life actually had kinship to aforementioned show. Which is probably why I liked it so much! So Chi Ho (actor Kim Woo Bin) would be Samantha. Gyeong Jae (actor Kang Ha Neul) would be Charlotte. Miranda would be Kang Dong Woo (actor Lee Jun Ho). At least to me. (Sorry no Carries!)
The female cast is just as awesome and important. I loved Gyeong Jae's little sister! She's such a force and I love that she went for what she wanted. The other females where just as complicated and fabulous and held their own with the male cast. The parents that were present and the “adult” figures also did great jobs.
The music fit the movie well, but overall I've already forgotten most of it. I do know while viewing there were many times I thought: “that fits so perfectly!”
Oh, yeah. I would totally rewatch this again. It's too fun not to dust off for multiple views.
This is a more adult and frank real life type of Korean movie. Which I love. Actually I think if you like My PS Partner you will appreciate this one. No nudity . . . was there a naked butt? Lot's of sexual content! Chi Ho's player and sexy times there's not much in that graphic nature. Still be warned. I loved the story and humor. It feels out there, but it's relatable in the story of growing up. Especially as an early twenty something. Check it out. I dare you not to laugh your butt off.
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Love O2O gave me a break from the tiring tropes of K-dramaland. Wei Wei and Xiao Nai seem like stereotypical leads for dramaland. Xiao Nai is the perfect and aloof male lead who seems so cold. Wei Wei . . . actually I haven't run into her character that much. She's the school's second beauty, only because of some shady stuff did she lose first, and she is used to getting confessed to a lot. Just like the male lead. She's smart and confidant. Able to handle and make her own decisions. While it seems silly that Xiao Nai falls in love with her and asks her to marry him in the game, they quickly discover each others personalities. Leading to an unshakeable trust between the two and being able to know each other so well that others' schemes can't shake their relationship. They talk immediately about issues and don't hide anything.
Xiao Nai is up front that he knew who she truly was and that he persude her. Instead of hiding it and having some stupid misunderstanding. In fact, between the leads the “misunderstandings” that usual drive me nuts in most dramas aren't present. Because they COMMUNICATE!
The leads aren't the only ones well developed. The side cast is so well done. Xiao Nai's bros are so awesome and the way they interacted left no doubt of their friendship in my mind. In fact, I was almost moved to tears at one point. What was even better was Wei Wei's friendship with her dorm mates, especially her best friend Er Xi. Now female friendships in K-dramas are something that either get benched or don't exist. Normally it's the female lead against all the other evil female characters. That's one thing I've found I like about Chinese dramas, and especially about Love O2O. Each female friend stood out. While Er Xi may be the overly cute and excitable type, I had no doubt of the friendship between her and Wei Wei. Even their fight and eventual makeup felt authentic. Watching them together was just as enjoyable as watching Xiao Nai and Wei Wei fall in love.
The parents of both characters weren't present all that much, but when they were there I bought it and loved that they had personalities. Many scenes of them meeting the parents and their reactions to their children where wonderful. I enjoyed that the villains and love rivals that where present didn't always stay conniving people. In fact, the “villains” grew and felt remorse. Reflecting on their life and actions.
That said I was slightly disappointed about Hao Mei (one of Xiao Nai's bros, AKA Mr. Beauty) and KO. Their relationship fascinated me from the get go. It was basically bromance at first sight, and I was convinced something more for KO as he hacked Hao Mei's computer. Then began to stalk and insert himself into Hao Mei's life. Before the time jump KO “back doors” (don't get dirty on me) his way into living with Hao Mei. Then they're never mentioned in the time jump what happened between the two. Er Xi and her love interest are at least given a bit of time, I felt cheated out of a very interesting story. In truth I probably never could have gotten enough of Hao Mei and KO. At least I'll always have the lovely image of KO in that suit.
I feel odd saying this but I actually found that the actor doing the aloof and cold Xiao Nai brought so much warmth to his character. I feel odd because I thought Wei Wei ended up feeling colder. It could be a big part of the director wanting to emphasize that Wei Wei changed Xiao Nai into a warm blooded male and that she was shy. However, Xiao Nai—actor Yang Yang—blew my mind with his intense kissing techniques. While Wei Wei was pretty much cold through out. I think the blurred affects were done to make Wei Wei seem passionate in the later kissing scenes. However, I never thought Wei Wei's actress did that great a job. She swooned well and did the embarrassed face stuff well. But it was often the same facial expressions over and over to convey things. Every once in a while I felt like she really fell into the role, but it never lasted long.
Er Xi's actress did a wonderful job and I loved the energy she brought. The other girls were great, but I felt like the males of Love O2O did the best. They interacted well together. I debated about giving the acting a 7 due to Wei Wei feeling really awkward at times, but I couldn't do it to everyone else.
Yang Yang gets a 10 for his skills in bringing Xiao Nai to life. Oh, my gosh. Some of his facial expressions slayed me. Especially when Wei Wei bit him . . . then the scene helping her dress for a wedding . . . and so many other bits!
The visuals for when the characters are the game characters were brilliant! They felt like a game and looked stunning. From the scenery to the wardrobes. There was an awkward instant where they used CGI to create a mall scene, but I bet they did it to lower costs on shutting the place down for the scene. Other than that Love O2O is a beautifully shot drama.
The music was fun and I liked how some of the sounds simulated old video game noises. While I'm not the biggest gamer I do know somethings. The music fit the drama well and had a fun light style to it. Nothing to brag about though.
This was fun and unique enough that in a couple of years I'm sure I will want to experience it all over again! Whimsical and lighthearted dramas are so hard to come by. How could I say know to smiling for 30 episodes?
Overall I think Love O2O is the perfect thing to chase away the K-drama blues. Or at least wash the stereotypes and drama tropes out of your mind. Also, a great place to introduce yourself to Chinese dramas. This isn't my first C-drama, but I've had great luck so far and Love O2O is only building my love more for them. There pacing is great and there's no dragging. Only a few slightly slower plot points such as the business world of gaming and competition against other business. (AKA a little corporate espionage drama.) Not enough to ruin it though. The cast of character are wonderful and it's not just about the romance of Wei Wie and Xiao Nai. Both the friendships of the girls and bros are wonderful and I loved that just as much as the official romance. Love O2O was a satisfying viewing experience and wrapped up nicely. It's a fun and unique time all around, and despite it all remained a very realistic drama.
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So yeah. I was excited. Not to mention the other cast members.
Doctors has some of the best flashback story I have ever scene. The first 3 episodes are setting up Hye Jung's past and her connections to the other cast. It was so exciting! Fresh! I had no idea how they'd jump back to the future and make that story better then those first 3 episodes. Because that story was engaging and I would have been happy with the story progressing from there. Yes, I had issues with Hye Jung and Ji Hong having a teacher/student romance. However, I could not deny the chemistry these two characters had together.
The jump happened, it's a 13 year gap between the present story and the past. The writer created an interesting cast and the new characters as well as the ones from Hye Jung's past were all unique and fun. It seemed like Doctors was doing it! The jump to present day was exciting! There was WOMANCE between Hye Jung and her long time friend Soon Hee. Soon Hee was so great and I was excited for a female lead to have a great FEMALE FRIEND. A rarely embraced thing in dramaland. Ji Hong and Hye Jung's picked up their romance! It felt beautiful and the rain dancing scene will be an iconic thing for me, but I feel like it will be for dramaland period.
There were so many possibilities with this show! Fabulous side characters and . . . it only lasted until about episode 8, where this show peaked for me. Then after that it slowly declined as stupid drama tropes swept in to kill this drama. Such as hospital takeover politics, and Hye Jung obsessing about getting an apology for her grandmother's wrongful death. Which leads to a very dragged out boring plot in which we all know the villain will have to have surgery from the people he has wronged.
Sure the drama tried to hold on up to episode 14, but then it's like the writer gave up. The side characters were completely forsaken. The WOMANCE was only seen in brief glimpses and Soon Hee was given the ax. Other characters that were brought in and developed where either totally forgotten or given a few scenes towards the end. Basically the networks and writers don't realize that what makes the shows are their characters. The tropes that they feel the need to shove in and kill the dramas are the things that fans hate! There never had to be a hospital politics to make this drama interesting!! Hye Jung's story of becoming a Doctor and overcoming realistic every day odds would have been better. Focusing on the stellar cast, their chemistry together, and their lives would have been interesting. I know the writer wanted to go there as most of the episodes started and ended with a monologue from a character. Which was clearly inspired by Grey's Anatomy format.
Truth is I felt like all the effort and amazing aspects of this show were put into the first 8 episodes. Then someone said, hey we have our audience let's phone it in. I think the writer kept trying from episodes 9 to 14, but the show just got away. Plot lines were started and then never explored. The writer clearly knew how to start the show, but didn't quite have enough skills to take it to the end. Opting out to do hospital politics and lame revenge stories that only hindered Doctors in the long run.
It even hindered the romance! Hye Jung and Ji Hong actually grew stale and I felt like they're relationship never grew. Back hugs and cute little scenes of smiling does not a romantic development make. By the end of the drama I didn't care about them getting together. The issues they discussed where never explored and Hye Jung changed, but Ji Hong just stayed the same. Hye Jung striking him out when he did things they discussed they wouldn't do was a joke. When I thought the story was taking them somewhere it was all taken back.
As to date this is my favorite role for Hye Jung. She really put the effort in to learn how to fight and those scenes were flawless. Sadly her character cried a lot, she had reason. But I've just seen so much of Park Shin Hye's roles as water work fests that I have a very low tolerence to how much I can stand seeing her cry. There's other ways to show sadness.
The side characters and cast did an amazing job! Though I feel like all the interesting characters were wasted! Not to mention Yoon Do. It wasn't so bad with him, but I feel like they could have taken him to even better places. I do enjoy that Seo Woo was redeemed and decided to live better. Actress Lee Sung Kyung did a great job and I hope to see her in roles outside of her mean girl ones. There were a lot of great characters and their actors did well with what little time they were given.
It baffled me that Kang Soo, played by Kim Min Suk, was given so much plot time. But they chose to do a very long and boring plot device that they then used on another character. Why?
Moon Ji In was one of my favorite actress discoveries and I loved her character! She was such a force on screen and as I mentioned had a WOMANCE with Hye Jung. It's another crime that she was abandoned in favor of the dull plot lines. Not to mention the way we're supposed to believe Soon Hee will have someone. It was cold.
The music went like the whole drama. They did some 90s stuff to flavor the flashback and then to connect Ji Hong and Hye Jung together. It was amazing!!! Then of course that too was abandoned, as I assume it was to much effort and not important with the boring plot line. (Yeah, I'm bitter guys.) The OST is really fun and the songs were pretty great! They matched the drama well, but towards the end I thought some of the song/music placements were odd.
Rewatch? Hmmmmm, I'd probably rewatch the first 8 episodes and then make up the story from there. The next few episodes weren't bad and I could live with them up to 10. However, the majority of the drama is boring and the unique and amazing parts saved the first half of it. In my bitterness I don't think I'd rewatch. Simply because while watching the good episodes I'd feel rage about how this series became yet another great idea that was a waste in the end.
If someone was looking to watch this I'd say watch the first 8, or the very least watch the first 3 episodes to see how amazing Park Shin Hye did for the role. Then I would caution that the drama declines and doesn't pan out. Also, I'd probably keep an eye out for writer Ha Myung Hee's work. Besides Doctors she's done High Society, which is another drama that started out strong but went boring. For me this has always been a curse of K-dramas. They have unique ideas but no follow through and become very boring. This year has been a revolution in dramas with Signal and quite a few others. Sadly there are still step backs like Doctors.
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Grinning like a fool, smiling, warm and fuzzies are all words/descriptions I used a lot when reviewing episodes for Lucky Romance. Not to mention insanely crazy! Lucky Romance is a totally over the top drama and that's where it's power is. It doesn't take itself too seriously. Which is good because there's so many plot holes this thing is Swiss. ^_-
The main idea is that Bo Nui's sister is in a comma. She believes that she is unlucky and bad spirits surround her so she's become very superstitious. All in the hope that by doing these actions her sister will some day wake up. It's madness, and I had a hard time connecting with Bo Nui at first. However, I thought the writer did a good job in showing that because of all these horrible events she felt powerless. By doing this she could “help” her sister. Bo Nui's belief that she causes everything bad around her can be frustrating, but at least you understand it.
The real insanity of Lucky Romance is it's plot. Which you can't really wrap up in the synopsis. The plot shouldn't work, but it does!!! Suspend belief and just go with the goofy. It does have a more dramatic tone with Bo Nui's sister, but this is very much a comedy.
Su Ho started out as the typical cold character. Quite honestly I thought he was just going to be another jerk that they disguised by being a genius and leave him at that. But he's so warm and adorable! I would watch a video of just all his scenes. He was the main reason I pretty much had a smile during the entire show!
The side characters were so much fun especially Bo Nui and Su Ho's best friends, respectively Dal Nim and Ryang Ha. Watching them finally realize they liked each other was perfect. Though it annoys me that Dal Nim had to get a makeover to get the guy. However, if I think about it they were the only other characters that truly get fleshed out.
Gary and Amy were just love obstacles and besides being part of the game the leads are working on together through most of the show I don’t think they added much. Even with back stories they were just love drama add ins. The parents of Su Ho as well. I really liked the Zeze team, Su Ho's employees, but they were utilized to the bare minimum. Which was a shame the time we got with them was great and I really enjoyed their personalities.
It's an odd observation but I also liked the look of this drama because of the cast. Sometimes the actors and actresses look so much a like. However, everyone has a very unique look and I never confused anyone. I know it's odd to say but sometimes I feel like they pick the actors based on a check box of mandatory features. Much like Kpop groups. So I just feel so happy to have a different gorgeous/handsome/whatever to look at.
The music is fun and while I don't need to have the OST, if I hear it you bet I'll sing a long with it. I did like the customized ring tones. They added such character to the characters!
Would I rewatch it. Well I would for Su Ho scenes.
To be honest this drama borders on a 5 rating from me. However, certain aspects elevate past it's failing episodes. Such as the Su Ho treating Bo Nui so well. It was refreshing. Not only that but he thinks she's beautiful and he doesn't hold back once he starts realizing he's falling for her. It's also a great tale of people who don't know much about love finding it and exploring it together. In all the insanity I think that's what was captured the best.
Overall Lucky Romance is a very feel good drama. The last episodes sadly disappointed, but the rest of the drama truly entertained. This seemed like a very hit or miss with viewers, but if you're like me and give it a chance it may grow on you. There's plenty of plot holes, especially with those horrible later episodes, but with a synopsis like that you kind of expect that going in. This drama is a great filler drama to have fun with while waiting for other dramas. Or simply a pallet cleanser. It's easy and unique! Who doesn't enjoy a good campy romance? This is an adorable drama and you'll be making odd cute noises along with the characters. Be prepared to feel good.
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Honestly it was an awkward start. It took a while for the drama to find it's footing, and the director felt like a newbie at first. Once it found its way I was captivated. All of the characters were wonderful and everything felt so heartfelt. I was moved again and again. There's skinship totally shocked me! But I LOVED it and it was done so well. Enough so that it felt very real. You could see and feel the emotions of the characters as they forged a bond of trust in that moment. Even better is that even though they slept together it wasn't a guarantee that they would be a couple. They didn't love each other yet and I enjoyed seeing their emotions grow and develop. Though it did grate on my nerves when the main love interest would call her ugly. Even in the end.
Heart to Heart was on it's way to being one of my top favorite dramas. Until the last 5 or 6 episodes. In which a typical drama plot came in to affect. In which the leads actually new each other from the past and of course there was this whole horrible mystery. It killed this drama. What I don't understand is why writers or the networks believe that they have to add drama plot tropes in such as corporate espionage or take overs, kidnappings, amnesia, and so on. We're here for the characters and unless that story is written in well to the overall plot it only ruins the drama. I really had to force myself to watch this and mainly so I could see how my beloved characters would end up. Though to be honest I ended up skipping a lot due to extreme boredom. This is a drama where I ended up sticking through to see how the side characters ended up more then the main couple.
I also found how some of the mental illnesses where handled to be incorrect at times and a very shallow reflection of serious issues. Don't get me wrong the hilarity of the two suicides at the beginning did have it's own points and merits. A different take on many very serious issues. At times I could applaud Heart to Heart for adding that comedic edge to the issues. At other times I felt like the writer just didn't quite understand.
The actors were great! Choi Kang Hee is brilliant as Hong Do and I really look forward to seeing her in future dramas. The depth of feeling and nuances she brought to Hong Do were both refreshing and precocious. I hope to find more female leads that are this well developed. Chun Jung Myung and I have a somewhat sordid past. I watched him in Cinderella's Sister and I feel like were just destined to part on bad terms. He's a fun actor! I just wish I could see him in a drama I love. His character isn't exactly the best guy, in fact he's kind of scum. But he owns it and like the lead we end up falling in love with him.
Actor Lee Jae Yoon was a surprise find! I've already become quite obsessed with him and hope in the future he'll land that lead role he deserves. His character Doo Soo is definitely the right guy at first. Until you realize that he over thinks things until someone else wants them. (Yes, I am referring to Hong Do.) I enjoyed that he seemed like the perfect white knight, but as we get to know him we see that in his own way he is just as bad as Yi Seok. So it's up for debate who is the better man.
That's where the charm is. Despite the over the top nature and seeming unrealisticness of the drama. The characters are very human and flawed. Giving the drama a more down to earth quality. I love flawed characters because as humans that's what we are. There aren't perfect guys and flawless ladies.
The music is brilliant! I love, love, love the OST. Certain songs were fun and others totally moving. The music was so unique and fit the drama well.
I really loved the fashion of this drama as it emphasizes Hong Do's illness. Using clothing and items to hide behind. Her style doesn't change that much, but I loved the use of clothing to emphasize how she hid from the world. I also thought Yi Seok's suits where daaaaaang smexy.
Would I rewatch it again? Huh. I'd watch key moments, but considering the slightly rough start the and inevitable boredom of the last 5 to 6 episodes it's not likely.
Overall I think Heart to Heart is a very charming drama. I feel greatly disappointed that the director and writer chose to botch the final episodes. Because Heart to Heart is a very character driven series and I thought many ideas and concepts where lost to simply fulfill a required trope check off list. I wish more writers would be brave enough to keep their original ideas going. I know a lot of it probably has to do with the networks. However, the majority of this drama was moving and beautiful. The take the writer tried to convey on mental illness and the power to heal others was refreshing. Not to mention how well developed the characters are and that none of them were stereotypes, they were outside the box. Which I am very grateful for. They've made a lasting impression.
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What I found was that with great writing two episodes is all you need to create an amazing story. No really. Not only was this a time travel, but a gender bender. Splash Splash Love does suffer from fillers or slow pacing. The writer hit the perfect balance of typical drama story with her on unique take. Not to mention her own magical brand of humor combined with Kim Seul Gi's comedic skills.
I also loved all of the historical ties. Well done! The danger for woman in that time period especially for a stranger was very real and I commend the writer for not making it all romantic and roses.
My biggest thing about this drama was how amazing Yoon Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi were together. They had such chemistry and I felt more invested in their love story then many other long winded dramas out there. Not to mention that the kiss scenes (YES, MORE THAN ONE KISSING SCENE).
The look of this drama was stunning, especially how the director envisioned all the water and rain scenes. As water plays a very important role and I feel like it is its own character.
The entire cast was great and I loved the parallels between the modern versions and historical versions.
The music is top notch. At times the OSTs are very campy, and other times the rock ballads were epic. Especially in the final episode. The musical score is fun and at many times lovely as it mimics the rain.
Oh, yeah I would rewatch this again and again. I did the first episode already when I decided to finally finish this drama. (Internet issues kept me away from it. ;_;)
One of my favorite dramas. Because the writing is so good two episodes were perfect. The humor, character development, world building, and so on all did what other long winded series failed to achieve. Kim Seul Gi showed off her talents beautifully. I also really want to see Yoon Doo Joon in more things! No, I'm not speaking as a BEAST fan. The man can act. Most importantly I will be keeping an eye out for this writers work. There's a bright future ahead of her.
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The story started out very oddly. Seemingly just tossing all kinds of tropes and concepts in. Such s Dan Tae's ability to see things in slow mow, which was convientaly utilzed and then forgotten though out the series. Once the story founds it's legs, I was blow away!!
Gong Shim was both hilarous and moving. She may have not have had high self esteem, but she was strong. I enjoyed that she stood up for herself. Even telling the male lead not to boss her around, it was "her choice" whether she wanted to do something. Though in the end I she did allow herself to be shelved by the man. Becasue she loved him enough to be abused.
Many interesting storylines were introduced pulling inspiration from Beauty and the Beast. I also think Cinderella themes. On inner beauty, outer beauty, self worth and so on. I loved it.
Sadly the plot of Dan Tae discovery he was the heir to Star Group took over. A plot that I thought the writer realized needed to be on the back burner. By episode 10 it came into full affect. It was uninteresting becasue veiwers knew right away what had happpened. The show quickly went from inavated and refreshing, do another dull drama. Not to mention that it felt like the writer forgot that it was Gong Shim's name in the title. It was the Dan Tae show and lost all of the interesting threads.
When things started out Joon Soo was the better love interest and I realy wanted him to get Gong Shim. Dan Tae warmed up as a love interest and I really loved him as well. It became clear that he would be IT and poor Joon Soo was almost fed to the wolves. To be honest I still think he should have gotten the girl. Dan Tae did some pretty crappy things. Though I will give mad props out to Dan Tae and Joon Soo's relationship. It was all so magical.
Even more annoying was that Gong Mi was pretty much abandoned. Despite that her as a villian was more interesting then the kidnapper and villian of the Star Group Heir arc. There were endless posiblities for the relationship between Gong Shim and Gong Mi. Sadly it was only brought up every now and then when the writer realized she was boring her viewers to tears. If I was actress Seo Hyo Rim I would be ticked.
I think the cast did an amazing job. The two fathers, Joon Soo's and Gong Shim's, turned out to be surprising story lines and the best part of the last episode.
The music was both fun, cheesey, and at times terrible. But more fun than anything. Honestly I don't remember most of the music and songs now, but I know while watching I had fun. Though I won't be tracking down the OST anytime soon.
Rewatch. This is tough. I'd probably watch certain parts again, espeically the first half of the series. However, the show became so mind numbingly boring that there is no way I'd revisit it. Probably a "Best scenes of Beautiful Gong Shim" on Youtube.
In the end Beautiful Gong Shim burned so bright when it found it's feet, that it burnt out. One of the biggest disappointing drama turn outs for this year for me. Mainly because it just couldn't maintian it's great concepts and like all Lee Hee-Myung dramas quickly deterated into another boring typical drama. One that disspoints it's characters. I will always value Gong Shim as a refreshing female lead, and despite the writers attempts to ruin her I'll hold on to that.
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At first glance Oh My Ghost is just a super silly show about Sun Ae, a ghost, who is holding a grudge and not moving on to the next life because she is a virgin ghost! Ha-ha. However, Oh My Ghost's writer quickly establishes that there are darker elements and that something bad happened. Even linking to Seon Woo's, THE male lead, sister's accident. It was a breathtaking balance as the show stayed mostly on the warm, light, and funny side. Most of the time I was totally smiling my face off! However, very human moments about death and how we live our lives creates poignant moments. What are regrets? If we died would something hold us back that we needed to resolve?
There were some big plot holes, I won't lie. Some small ones that most shows make that I won't begrudge it. Yet, the biggest one I couldn't quite over look. After all it center around Bong Seon one of your leads. Bong Seon can see ghosts. The ability comes from her shamanic grandma. Strangely enough it's not really touched upon why Bong Seon couldn't seem to adjust to seeing them. If people believed her grandma was a shaman, wouldn't they think the daughter had talent? How come her grandma couldn't teach her how to handle it? Wouldn't it be a comfort to have someone else with that kind of gift? Wouldn't she know more about seeing ghosts being raised by a shaman? I mean I could go on! AND ON! It baffled me why that wasn't touched on. Especially as Bong Seon is apparently a great vessel for possession. It didn't help that Bong Seon didn't truly get developed until later in the show. Sun Ae was definitely the star. Which makes sense as she is the ghost in the title.
Other than that I thought the story was great. At times there were a lot of elements, but they all fitted well together. I enjoyed that the writing established that something was fishy with Seong Jae and that there was a darker mystery. The other characters and their stories fit in well. In fact, they fit so well that I didn't feel like any of them were gimmicks and that they all contributed something great to the story.
The acting for Oh My Ghost was phenomenal. At first I was disappointed that Kim Seul Gi wasn't technically the lead. She is a main role playing the ghost Sun Ae. However, the true star of the show is Park Bo Young playing the girl who can see ghosts Bong Seon, and the one who gets possessed by Sun Ae. As a die hard fan of actress Kim Seul Gi it was hard letting go the dream. However, Park Bo Young won me over as she has to play Bong Seon and then a Bong Seon possessed by Sun Ae! You could tell who was in residence of her body just from the acting! Each character had their own tick and she figured them out to show them in the role! Not to mention that Bong Seon was an introverted weakling dealing with being haunted by ghosts, then a girl dealing with the horror of being possessed, and then someone who grows into who they were meant to be. Not to mention way in your face Sun Ae! Any character played by Kim Seul Gi is going to be really loud, funny, and expressive. Because even though I was won over by another actress Kim Seul Gi did an amazing job. Seul Gi displayed amazing range. Her role was very heart felt, and towards the end when she cried I did too.
These fabulous ladies aren't the only ones to do wonderful jobs! Seon Woo ended up being a very complex male lead, and in the end a total softy. Which is good as he started out as one of those cold bullies. Seon Woo turned out to be adorable and I love how he handled things once he found out the truth. Because Bong Seon doesn't keep lying to him, she confesses everything to him. They actually have frank discussions about the whole situation and in the end Seon Woo even jokes about how he was in a love triangle with a ghost. What's more is he realized when he was with Bong Seon and then when it was Sun Ae. Even admitting that he had feelings for both girls to some degree.
As I said before the other characters were great! From the shaman that tries to exorcise Sun Ae and ends up helping her with her virgin grudge! To the adorable kitchen crew in Seon Woo's shop. What I love more is that there isn't another lead falling in love with Bong Seon causing unnecessary triangles every where. Technically there was another love interest for Seon Woo, but it was handled beautifully. Showcasing what friendship is and what happens when you fall so much in love that silly crushes can be left behind. Not to mention Sun Ae's family! Her father was just amazing, and her brother a good comedic relief. Seon Woo's sister was adorable and I truly loved her. The only person I didn't care for was Seon Woo's mother, but I think it had more to do with the personality the writer gave her than the actress.
The music really fit the drama well and I loved the warm feeling of it. The “danger” music even had a certain quality to it. The singers they got to sing for the OST were great and I enjoyed the more lively music to the boring ballads other shows have.
Rewatch? Oh, yes! There is no doubt that one viewing is enough. There were too many things to love about this drama and why would you only want to experience the fun once!
Personally I thought the writer did a wonderful job at hinting to the darker tones behind this romantic comedy. Obviously something more was going on behind Sun Ae's death. So when the build up to episode 14, and especially 15 hit, it wasn't that much of a shock. Apparently other viewers did not agree with me, so I guess here's a warning. Both actresses did an amazing job and I really was impressed by the quality of the writing. What truly hit after I started this drama is that the female leads love each other and end up genuinely caring for one another. They're friendship was beautiful and was a love I was so happy to see in dramaland. Too many times the female leads, and pretty much all the females subsequently, tend to be enemies! I love that this is a story of all kinds of different loves and friendships. Most importantly is that Oh My Ghost is a truly fun time. The pacing is excellent and has no room for boring moments. Not to mention that the ending was perfect! D-Day time! ^_-
Honestly I don't think my review truly covers it, however I did review each episode so you can either follow along or check out what I thought in more detail(s) there!
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