Reviews

An Entertaining Watch Indeed

At first glance, “We Are” seems like a cliché bubblegum show without much substance, however, as you delve deeper into the show, without any cynicism it is pure swoon worthy romance and presents a genre I quite like which is equivalent to the early 2000s chick flicks. Although it doesn’t have much to say or has no edge, it gives us heartwarming love stories, actual courtship and although there are elements of slow burn romance in some of the couples, the show balances it out by giving us different solid story lines to follow that are all wholesome and you can’t help but root for each single couple. Comfort shows with low stakes, that are written to make the audience feel good are severely underrated and its easy to write them off as bubblegum shows that lose flavor quickly, however, you cannot deny that when they are sweet, they are indeed sweet.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/01/we-are-series-first-impressions-ep-1-to-4/

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Brainless Behaviour

This drama was a constant coin toss for me, swinging between great and bad throughout, this included the story, characters, jokes, and, in particular, cases. Every case related to one or multiple subjects around neuroscience for the doctor to talk about, however, some subjects were poorly executed and questionable. These ones were totally forced and stretched thin just for the sake of including them. Other cases were actually interesting. The humor as well was a big hit or miss, especially with the male leads. The drama placed too much focus on the male leads while neglecting the remainder of the cast dynamic. On the other hand, the detective wife didn't fit quite well and it took until the last few episodes for her character to finally blend. The drama had its good moments with its witty humor but it lacked in many areas to be a solid drama.

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An Emotional Rollercoaster

The drama was exceptional, excelling in plot, acting, and music. It stands out particularly for its realistic fighting scenes, a refreshing departure from other dramas with awkward CGI. The music, while great overall, occasionally veered into being overly loud during battle scenes, making it hard to hear dialogue without adjusting the volume frequently. Despite this, the acting was top-notch, which was expected given the talented lineup. Watching the main leads for the first time was a pleasant surprise, especially in how they conveyed emotions that many other dramas fail to capture. Both actors are seasoned professionals, adept at drawing out genuine feelings from their characters.

One minor critique is that at times, Mo Fang's acting felt slightly awkward, particularly towards the end of the series. Nevertheless, it didn't detract significantly from the overall experience. Another highlight was the portrayal of the female lead as a relatable character rather than an all-powerful figure constantly reliant on the male lead. The dynamic between the leads was well-written, showcasing effective communication and mutual reliance.

I highly recommend this drama to fans of epic battle scenes and nuanced performances, as it delivers both with finesse.

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Came for Kim Soo Hyun stayed for Kim Soo Hyun

This is the perfect example of how a mediocre plot/story/screenwriting can become a masterpiece with the right cast.
Queen of Tears is your average storyline, more like the stories of the 2010s, revolving around the traditional plot lines of, a rich girl and poor boy, terminal illness following the ML and FL rekindling their lost love, finding a miraculous cure and finally a happily ever after. Add to that there is the typical villain who is manipulative and makes your teeth itch wanting to beat them to death.

There was character and story development, but in the end, it all was just average. But oh BOY!! didn't the cast do a brilliant job?? Like every actor /actress was amazing, taking out their full potential to bring out the oh-so-average characters. If this drama was acted out by anyone else, it would not have been as successful, so kudos to the cast. It was a Brilliant performance.

This is one of that rare moments where I came for the actors and stayed for them cuz the plot did not engage me as I was hoping it would be.

This 8/10 from me is entirely for the cast and none for the plot/screenwriter.

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Actually Deceitful

The drama fell short of its promising premise, stumbling through a maze of poorly executed plotlines and lackluster character development. It didn't take more than a few episodes, after the first couple of cases, to show its cracks, the narrative was disjointed, as if the writers couldn't decide which direction to take. Once the main case with Kyung Ja & Jay was brought to the front, the story went haywire. The drama failed to maintain a cohesive storyline after that. The main antagonists motivations were a total joke of a writing, let alone, the unhinged obsession of an adult over a little girl. While it's clear the creators aimed for a clever blend of mystery and drama, the execution fell flat, leaving more frustration than entertainment.

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Embarassment With No Fulfillment

I've seen cringe before. I mean it's bl for fuck' sake. The cliches, the characters and even the plot don't always make sense; despite this, they always manage to evoke some feeling in you. This series did the opposite for me. I tried to get through the first few episodes with minimal skips... and I did succeed (for the most part) and I kept expecting it to get better eventually, until I realized, this is as good as it gets.

Honestly, I had hope when watching this. I mean I had watched "SCOY" - which had an almost equal amount of cringe - and rather enjoyed it. I was expecting something along those lines only to be met with disappointment. It's such a shame because this could have been one of the best bls of 2023 (I mean they had JaFirst for heavens sake). But they were all over the place with the writing and simply failed to deliver.

I am so disappointed! I almost cried at the hours I wasted on this series the moment I finished it. I think from now on, I'm going to be more selective with the series I choose to watch....

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So much love, so little budget.

In all honesty, it wasn't that good.
(A) The PLOT, the idea, wasn't bad at all. I hate sad endings that are usually associated with paranormal/supernatural love stories, so I really liked the early twist (ML was comatose, not dead) which lead me to believe there would be a happy ending.
(B) Too many characters, too many sub-plots. There's no need for that. Some support characters really didn't need that much screen time.
(C) The ACTING was pretty much amateur. The characters were most of the time either not emotionally invested or overreacting to everything and anything (think "extra", like really extra!). I would usually blame to the young age, but this is not the case. The coaches (all of them) were specially bad, and the Director was borderline campy. The guy playing "Jedi" (Oat Pasakorn Sanrattana) was the only one who seemed more natural, which is sad, because is the ML who has the least amount of time on screen.
(D) The AUDIO was terrible sometimes, and the english SUBTITLES (Line TV) even worse.

It was an OK show. I think the same story could easily be told in 7 or 8 episodes.

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The In Between

The story and stories within the 6 episodes of this show far exceeded my expectations. We all have loved ones, friends and family, arguments and happiness, internal conflicts, external conflicts, dreams and ideals, thoughts and convictions, worries and fears... That's obvious. However, what isn't obvious, is the in-between....

Watching each flight arrive and each case being handled with the utmost respect, care, and genuine humanity was truly something to watch; it shook me to my core through and through. Some stories are a little harder to watch than others, so keep that in mind as you watch; but each story has importance, and relevance, and watching the Angel's Hearse team take care of each person, each soul, was truly an artform.

The cast assembled was perfect for this one-of-a-kind, most extraordinary show told by an incredible cast. Each member seems to have their own story of why they joined the company, Angel's Hearse, and the mystery behind those reasons for each character helped to fuel the curiosity of each episode; the expectation of what may come or what would happen. As I continued to watch, it truly felt like the "celebrity" of the actors fell away and they devoted their entire self to creating a "happy ending" for each soul coming home.

Watching as Takaki Rinko grew through the episodes to "find her place" in her new job was very relatable. Not everyone has a place to belong but slowly, with each new experience, and cautious step, she creates a space that is all her own. Taking care of the deceased is not an easy job, no matter the relation or reason they passed or job connection or whatever else, to be close to any deceased of any time for any reason is difficult and gutwrenching; to be able to do Angel Hearse's job, even as actors with written scripts, was not only extraordinarily incredible but also fascinating. This show expertly shows the reality of anger, depression, fear, joy, doubt, and human connection. The writing is most definitely unique and truly special, absolutely and equivocally a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking show full of stories that show how life can go from the mundane to the extreme, from pure bliss to complete sadness, from knowing everything to the confusion of so many unanswered questions.

This story is one of the most relatable, true-to-life shows I have ever watched. Unfortunately, there is one worry: a cliffhanger. Each episode is full of laughter, tears, and epic storytelling. Honestly, it was like watching a true life story. I would love to watch more of this show, to see more of these characters' doing their utmost best to take care of each lost soul returning home.

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Give it a try, it's not like they say.

Just to clarify, I'm giving this a full score so as to fight back some outrageous ratings down below; but even if not for that reason, my score would still be as high.

"Goodbye Earth" does not tell us a story about how people try to avoid or find a way to stop the asteroid from hitting the planet but about how the people left behind cope with the situation and choose to spend their last days on Earth. How some people will turn to evil while other people will get together with their families and friends and share their worries and hope for a better tomorrow. It can be a slow-paced story for most of the audience, and it may look like nothing is really happening there, but it is. We see people cry, love, fight each other and fight for each other; we see people break down. Things and situations that makes us wonder what would we do if we were in that same situation. Can a intent of doing good outweigh a bad action? Can a person still be the same under pressure or if caught up in a nerve-wracking situation? Even though I would've loved to see the original version, and a lot more of Yoo Ah In's performance, I can't say I'm disappointed. He shined in every scene and gave us something to look foward to. And as the story progresses focusing especially on the female lead and the folks from the neighborhood, in some way, it give us a better chance to relate and understand each of their actions. A different but not worse point of view.

The cast is outstanding and their acting really puts the show together. The story may not be the most impressive, but it sure is interesting. The shots are beautiful, and even though the editing could be a little bit better, it does not hinder the experience. It may have its flaws, but it's still worthy to give it a watch.

Just give it a chance and you may like it as much as I did.

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Improved screenplay over previous installment

The major box office success of The Roundup series has brought us here to the fourth installment of the franchise, Punishment. Similar structure to the previous one, it had lesser action scenes and more towards story focus, but somehow this one is twice as much better than the lukewarm effort in No Way Out. All thanks to its improved screenplay and smoother flow of plot, it is much more cohesive than before, and the digital gambling case is interesting enough to provide a great hook for audiences. The cast is also much more favorable here, we have the return of Park Ji Hwan and his performance is simply too magnificent, till a point he almost carried the whole second half of the movie. Then we have new villains, Hyun Bong Sik is surprisingly underrated and his presence is massive even though he's just the villain sidekick, and finally needless to say, Kim Moo Yeol as the main villain is the ultimate right choice, he's freaking intimidating and quick at stunts too. Meanwhile the choice of ending is a little too weak because they've made the villain look thoughtless given how he ended up at the final fight location, but nonetheless they've regained their reputation this time around as the most prominent movie franchise in Korean action cinema.

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K-Trauma not a K-Drama

Knew what was coming from the very first episode , but i still couldnt prepare myself for it.
The last few episodes were so painfully beautifull and heart-crushing... The ending was so painfull and this show turned out to be one of the first Tv shows/movie to make me cry

There was nothing about this Drama i Mean Truma that dissapointed me. The plot line was never boring, The acting from Suzy and Woo Bin was absolutely amazing and the Music Cues were on point.

This has to and will remain to be one of my 10/10s and would Definitely Force/Encourage people to watch it ( Though idk if i should cause no one should watch such a sad ending)
This show is guaranteed to make everyone and everything cry.
The only reason the rewatch rating of this show is low is because there is no way Me(or Anyone ) can handle watching this masterpeice again.

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