uenorie
Gaksital’s genre is not a genre I’m usually inclined to, but I was immediately captivated when I first read about its synopsis. At that time, I knew this drama was going to be phenomenal, and I was right. I started watching it as soon as it aired, and I never looked back. Gaksital made every single week of its run memorable for me. I don’t think I could ever forget the mental and emotional memories this drama has given me. It gave me so many feelings that I don’t think I know which is which anymore.
What made this drama so intense was the conflict between the two male leads. Kangto and Shunji defined Gaksital. They were the heart of the show, and I don’t think this drama would have been that successful without those two. Joo Won and Park Ki Woong definitely deserve some awards for their outstanding portrayals of these intricate characters.
Action-packed and beautifully written, Gaksital is a once in a lifetime drama that would surely strike one’s heart.
Was this review helpful to you?
Three words: Stunning. Poignant. Unforgettable.
Was this review helpful to you?
I really like this kind of stories: about revenge, betrayals, and such. So I was really surprised to find myself disappointed along the way. The revenge didn’t feel much like revenge at all until the last few episodes. The romance was cute during the first time leap. But during the second one, it felt like everything would have worked out just fine even without the presence of Ji Won. Her character became useless. I cursed Soo Mi to death, but I’ll have to admit that her character has way more substance than Jiwon’s. But the character who really helped me endure all of this was none other than Jang Il. Yup, it’s Jang Il and not Sun Woo. Whereas I’ve always anticipated watching the bad guys go down, I really felt sympathy towards Jang Il. This character left me this feeling which is kind of difficult to explain. Perhaps you’ll know this feeling once you finish watching this drama.
The acting was great. It was nice to see different sides of the characters. The bad ones were able to send tears to my eyes, and the good ones were able to make me curse at them. I never thought Uhm Tae Woong was this good. I’ve seen him in the past, and I think I might have underestimated him then. But the actor I’d like to praise more is Lee Joon Hyuk. I’m really impressed at how he was able to flawlessly portray such complicated character. I’d love to see more of his projects when he comes back from the army. Maybe another prosecutor role, no? But he does look good as a prosecutor. Overall, the casting was okay aside from the fact that I was bothered by the age difference between Joon Hyuk and Tae Woong. They were supposed to look like same-aged, but the age difference really showed in the drama. Oh and the kids were amazing too! I’m really looking forward to Lee Hyun Woo’s projects. At his age, I’m really fascinated at how good an actor he is.
Music. Okay I had a lot of issues with this one. I didn’t like the music. It was so plain and so boring. Also, the music kind of magically fades away during the key points in the drama. I don’t know about others, but I really want hearing thrilling music during climactic points in the drama so I was really disappointed.
There’ll be only two reasons why I would decide to rewatch this. Lee Hyun Woo and Lee Joon Hyuk. Their acting was superb (and they’re the good-looking ones, in my opinion).
The story was good, but I didn’t like how they executed some parts of the story which ended up being dragging. Nevertheless, this drama is worth the watch if you can endure watching some boring parts in exchange of witnessing a beautiful once-in-a-lifetime friendship cruelly tested by painful circumstances.
Was this review helpful to you?
This drama had a really brilliant start. The conflicts were well-defined, the storyline seemed to have a clear direction, and the kids were so amazing. But somewhere along the way, the greatly established conflicts didn’t feel so great anymore, and the storyline seemed confused about which way it should go. Also, there were characters that could have been explored more. For example, what happened to Eun-joo exactly? Wasn’t she supposed to be the second female lead? The drama was so focused on the love triangle and the revenge when in fact; there were other interesting conflicts to deal with. On top of it all, the adults weren’t as amazing as the kids. I did enjoy watching the adults for a while, but as time went by, I suddenly lost the desire to watch this drama. I would have stopped watching if not for Yoo Seung Ho’s stellar acting. He is indeed one hell of an actor. Yoochun and Yoon Eun Hye are “good” actors, but they fail to deliver the heartfelt emotions I’m looking for when watching a drama. Only Yoo Seung Ho, and the kids were able to deliver these emotions and moved me with their performance.
I did enjoy the music which is a mix of overdramatic and lighthearted songs. There would only be two reasons for me to make myself suffer again by rewatching this drama, and I guess they’re pretty obvious: the kids, and Yoo Seung Ho.
As a fan of melodramas, I’m kind of disappointed by this one. They made a point right from the start that this is a melodrama, and a drama is not a melodrama without tears. But seriously, there has been too much tears in this drama that it felt like it’s just one big slog of tears. It’s trying so hard to make its viewers cry, which is annoying. In my opinion, a true melodrama can make its viewers cry even without showing off the tears, right? And so I’m giving this drama a score of 7: 5 for Yoo Seung Ho and 2 for the kids, because they were totally the gems of this show.
Was this review helpful to you?
The romance was cute. And the chemistry was to die for. I really love how Son Ye Jin’s able to match up with her co-stars who are younger than her that I barely notice the age differences.
With a crazy set-up accompanied by compelling and quirky leads, this movie was able to tug my heart with just enough dosage of sweetness and pure wackiness at its best.
Was this review helpful to you?
Story is okay, it's not original of course, since it's just a remake, but I did like how the story progressed. The pacing was just right, not too fast nor too slow. I loved the side stories better though than the main plot itself.
The cast was lovely, but the lead couple's acting was so-so. I'm a Shawol, but I kinda find Minho's acting annoying at times. Sulli was bearable for me though. This is the first time I got more interested with the supporting characters rather than the lead couple. The supporting characters had more substance in them. I'd especially like to commend Lee Hyun Woo. That kid really really really really really knows how to act. It was him who carried the entire show, in my opinion. He knows how to be cute when he needs to be cute, and knows how to be sad when needed. He can portray well whatever he needs to portray, and I was really awed by his great talent at such a young age as that. Honestly, I don't think I'd manage to finish this drama if not for Hyun Woo's adorableness.
The music was great. Well it's really no surprise since the production company's SM entertainment and it'd be really disappointing if the music turned out to be bad.
Overall, the drama's only visually attractive, but not so substantial, so if you're looking for something pretty to look at then you could try this one out.
Was this review helpful to you?
I don’t know why I decided to watch this drama, but I don’t regret a thing. It made me happy somehow, and made my mind relax because of its lightness. I was watching this along with Gaksital when the latter was still airing and it really helped ease my mind from so many mindblowing happenings in Gaksital. More than the story and the cast, I think I liked the music more. The music is really good, and there was this song by Kang Min Kyung which haunted me for a week, I think.
Overall, Haeundae Lovers is a fluffy drama that I think should be watched if and only if you’re a fan of the actors in it, or if you want to revisit drama clichés all in one drama, or if you’re just looking for something light to watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
The drama may have had a slow start, but I loved the story. I love every part of it. It’s not something new since time travel seems to be the trend these days, but the way time travel was incorporated in the drama was really admirable. I loved how the drama not only dwelled in the past or in the present, but in both time periods. The connection between the past and the present, and how changes in the past affect the present were really refreshing to watch. The conflicts as well as the respective resolutions were well-developed. Some dramas tend to drag because of too many ridiculous conflicts, but this drama managed to keep its charm despite the numerous conflicts.
The cast did a good job. Characters were well-portrayed, and there never was a moment where I felt annoyed by their acting. They were able to showcase different emotions effectively. They made me laugh when I needed to, and made me cry even when I tried not to. And the chemistry between the two leads is overflowing that I could drown. I’ve seen various Kdrama couples with really amazing chemistry, but this is the first time I’ve seen a couple which seemed so real. Oh wait, the two leads did fall in love while filming the drama. No wonder everything felt so real.
The music was lovely. To be honest, I’ve never been into details when it comes to music. But when I learned about the titles of the song playing, I suddenly got curious. The music was a great reflection of the story. It’s like you could just listen to the song, and you’ll have an idea of what the story’s all about. But there’s this one song title that could perfectly describe this drama: “Under the Same Sky, In a Different Time”
I could rewatch this a million times if only there were a fewer scenes from the past. I can endure watching them, but I’m not really a fan of historical dramas. But don’t get me wrong, this drama won’t be that great if not for the adorable mixture of the past and the present. The amount of scenes in both time periods was just right.
I’m out of words, so let me just say three things this drama reminded me of: faith, hope and love.
Was this review helpful to you?
The story is amazingly simple. Yes, the plot just revolved around the problems kids and teachers are facing at school, but the way this drama portrayed this story really struck through the heart. Through the various characters in the drama, the viewers were given a reflection of the sometimes harsh, sometimes bright realities happening at school. The only thing I may not have liked about the story was how it mostly focused on reviving Nam-soon and Heung-soo's friendship. I did find their friendship wonderful, but I think there were other characters that could've been explored more (like Kang-joo). I commend the actors though for their believable acting (although most of them were rookies, I was surprised that they're not that bad at all).
In dramaland where almost everything that happens doesn't seem to really happen in everyday life, this drama proves to be different from the rest. It breathes reality.
Was this review helpful to you?
Words aren’t enough in order to describe the cast and their acting. Both major and minor characters were given brilliant portrayals by the actors. But I’ll only be mentioning the three leads here due to time constraint. First, Park Si Yeon. She’s a decent actress, but I still feel a lack of connection with her. When I watch her act, I can’t fully receive the emotions she’s trying to deliver. It’s like I only receive about 70-80% of the emotions I was supposed to receive from her. Nonetheless, she’s good and the role suits her well. Honestly, I prefer her having bitchy roles like this than being the heroine, because she’s better as a bitch. Next, Moon Chae Won. If I’m not mistaken, I believe this is the first time I ever encountered her, but I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about her. And my ears definitely heard right. I was really impressed by her strong acting. How she was able to switch back and forth from the icy bitch Eungi to the soft and innocent Eungi was really commendable. And finally, the love of my life. Good things do come to those who wait. After waiting for such a long time, I rejoiced when I found out Joong Ki was cast as a lead in a drama. It’s been tiring seeing him as a supporting actor, because I know he’s too good for supporting roles. I’m really thankful that Joong Ki finally got the recognition as a drama lead. His acting was really really really flawless. From beginning to end, he was able to maintain the intensity of his acting. He was so passionate in acting that sometimes it felt like Kang Maru exists in real life. I felt like Song Joong Ki does not exist, only Kang Maru. Song Joong Ki really did an excellent portrayal of Kang Maru, one of the most tragic and unforgettable characters in Kdramaland.
I may not have been addicted to the music, but the music was nostalgic and suits the drama well. I especially like Junsu’s song. Just by listening to that song, all the emotions I had with Nice Guy suddenly rushes back to me.
I would rewatch this over and over again if only I had the time. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dramas waiting in line for me to watch, so until I finish those, Nice Guy has to wait.
For someone who’s madly in love with sappy melodramas, I initially wondered whether this drama could win the hearts of the people. Because let’s face it: successful dramas nowadays come from either the rom-com or the saeguk genre. Melodramas were iconic once upon a time. Then suddenly, people weren’t so interested in them anymore, and so the melodrama genre slightly turned bland. But I never lost interest in them. I'm glad I didn't, or I never would have ended up watching this once-in-a-lifetime drama. Filled with breathtaking sceneries and beautiful narrations, this drama not only brought melodrama to an entirely new level, but also left one important life lesson: Nothing is ever too late.
Was this review helpful to you?
There's nothing really special about the story. It's the same old family drama with all the adulteries, birth secrets and such. But what makes this drama special is the way it touched not just my heart, but also the entirety of my soul. It just struck through my heart effortlessly. Perhaps that's thanks to the cast who gave a pretty solid acting. But it was indeed Yoon Shi Yoon who stood out. His portrayal of the determined Kim Tak Goo who rises over and over again despite how many times he has been trampled upon on was really beautiful to watch. Not many young actors today can exhibit such stellar acting that could truly move people's hearts.
Inspiring. Deep. Heartwarming. That is "King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo."
Was this review helpful to you?
Three words: Beautiful. Stellar. Heartbreaking.
Was this review helpful to you?
Quality-wise, this drama had an awful story. Seokhyun and Yeolmae’s relationship really really really annoyed me to death. This is the first time I hated a good-looking character so much. Lee Jin Wook’s charming, but his character sucked big time. I just wanted to punch him in the face all the time. I also wanted to slap the hell out of Yeolmae. How could she love this kind of guy? I don’t care whatever reason or excuse he had for pushing her away and being such a jerk because in the end, doesn’t love make everything simple? Isn’t love the most important thing? Unfortunately, the heroine’s quite foolish to return to his side over and over again.
Thank goodness the side stories were fun to watch. I especially found Jihee’s story amusing, and it helped make up for the nuisance (that is Seokhyun and Yeolmae’s relationship). I also loved the friendship between the three ladies. They were always there for one another through thick and thin.
But most importantly, thank you drama gods for having a character like Jihoon. Seriously, I wouldn’t have made it alive after this drama if not for that guy. How can there be such a perfect man like him? He’s got it all: the looks, the charm, the passion, and everything else one could ever wish for. He’s the type of guy no parent could ever refuse for their daughter. I wish every Korean drama had a Jihoon.
The acting’s good. The feelings strike through the heart. I hated it to death when Seokhyun had his sad moments and such, but I have to admit I was moved at times. But it’s got to do with Lee Jin Wook’s acting, and not because Seokhyun's pitiful. He was never pitiful in my eyes. Jung Yoo Mi was adorable. She was able to portray a cheeky and at times heartbroken woman longing for love. Oh and Mr. Perfect Jihoon was well-portrayed by Kim Ji Suk. I’m not so good with words, but he was really amazing. I still wonder how he’s able to make hearts explode with just one smile.
The music’s okay. I actually find myself at times humming that song by 10cm. It’s surprisingly addictive.
It wouldn’t hurt to rewatch this one if only I could stand watching Seokhyun and Yeolmae’s out-of-this-world relationship. Unfortunately, I can’t. But I might make an exception someday when I miss Mr. Perfect. He’ll be the only reason why I would even bother rewatch this.
I’m a sucker for dramas with lots of sweet and cutesy and adorable and heart-fluttering moments, so no matter how much I hated Seokhyun and Yeolmae’s relationship, at least they had given my heart a reason to flutter with all those cute moments. But not as much as my heart fluttered for Yeolmae and Jihoon. Their love was to die for. There was never a scene between them that I hated. Every scene was wonderful. Then again, I loved this pairing as much as I hated the other pairing so it’s not really a surprise that I loved every scene they were together in.
Overall, the drama’s pleasing and adorable to watch. But beware, because the way the story progresses is such a bitch.
Was this review helpful to you?
The story wasn’t really so original, though there are some hints of originality in it. The story loosely reminds me of 49 Days because of the idea of a mission in order to receive a reward. But I liked the story anyhow, because the concept was somehow original in a lovely way. The fantasy element was just daebak. I so love the fantasy. I love it, I love it, I love it! The fantasy really carried this drama up to the end. Also, I love the side stories. This drama has got to be one of those with great side stories.
The cast was amazing. They were convincing enough to make my heart break into pieces and put those pieces back together again each time. I never found Lee Jun Ki attractive, but why is he so damn gorgeous here (or is it just me who thinks that way?)? I guess I’m starting to believe the theory that post-army look is agfjhkljhklfjlgkjglkjgkjhdfljgksd so much better than their pre-army one. Moving on, Lee Jun Ki’s attractiveness is not really my main point, but the fact that he’s such a good actor. The guy knows how to act and I was really surprised with how good he is. Then there’s Shin Min Ah, who I think is really a perfect catch when the drama involves a mythical creature or any of that sort, so I wasn’t really surprised when she was cast in this drama. Oh, and how I adored her in this! She gave me a different feeling here than when she was a Gumiho, and I love this feeling. As for Yun Woo Jin, it’s the first time I’ve encountered him, but he has a lot of potential in acting. He may not be as good as the other two, but he had those moments where he shined, at least for me. Oh, and I’m gonna miss those adorable puppy eyes. As for the supporting cast, they’re too many for me to write about each one of them, but I just want to say how I adored all characters. Each character had good substance and it really helped a lot that those characters were well-portrayed, so I commend the actors for that.
Beautifully twisted and awe-inspiring, this is truly an endearing drama that may have some forgettable moments, but the feeling it gives will surely linger on.
Was this review helpful to you?
The story’s not really original since it used the favorite cliché of all time: first love. But it worked. First love always works for me, so it wasn’t really a big deal. I liked how almost, if not all relevant characters had their own moments all throughout the drama. I loved that the drama did not focus on one story. I loved that it had various major stories which made it more interesting. Other Kdramas usually have one major story and a few side stories. Also, the going back and forth through time was effective. It added up to the drama’s spark and made it kind of mysterious though it’s apparent who’ll end up with whom.
The cast was impressive. The acting was really good and believable although some rookies still show minor signs of being new to acting.
The music was daebak. I suddenly started searching Korean songs from the 90s, ballads especially. The music’s kind of addictive.
The drama’s full of funny and lighthearted moments so I don’t think it’ll hurt to rewatch it over and over again, but not too much.
After watching this drama, I finally understood what the hype was all about. I finally understood how on earth this drama was able to win the hearts of many Kdrama viewers. However it didn’t really win my heart since this drama’s not my style. I prefer sappy dramas, which leads me back to the typical Kdrama zone. I guess that’ll always be where I belong. But this drama’s really good and I enjoyed it so much; it’s just not my style. It may not have won my heart, but it did win much of my admiration.
Was this review helpful to you?
