Reviews

Thanks for nothing...

I don’t really get why people are so hyped over this movie and why it has so many positive reviews. I was too before I watched it but the more I think about it, the more frustrated I feel. Not just because it’s disappointing, it also gives us nothing of real value (except for Kang Ha Neul’s and Jung So Min’s performance maybe). This review contains spoiler so let’s begin!

Story 4/10
Not just the cast of this movie caught my interest but also the premise. It sounded very interesting and I still think it had a lot of potential. That being said, you start to notice something is off right off the bat when the movie starts with our female lead calling off her wedding (or rather leaving her husband-to-be at the altar I guess? What a nice thing to do already!) on the day of the wedding while the male lead is being miserable (and not doing anything about it). And I know it’s used for comedic purpose but other than that (aside from not really being funny or entertaining) it provides NOTHING for the audience – we don’t even get a context for it. There was no real purpose for her having another wedding before except 1.) so her other wedding would be smaller and 2.) maybe showing that she’s not capable of marriage. Because let’s be honest… If you take the step to get married and call it off – run away - on the day of your wedding for someone else, almost on a whim, that’s not a good sign. But there was no real reason this story needed this other wedding (Jung So Min looks beautiful in that dress but it’s not a good writing choice. Then just have her wear it at her one and only wedding). The humor from the rest of the movie was mostly funny (not everything) but I had my fair share of laughs. So in this regard it’s not horrible but it might be in any other aspect.

I’m not even mad they exaggerated the hate they started to feel for each other… No, actually I am mad about it because I don’t know what’s funny about them wanting to kill each other (literally and I’m not making it up). It’s also a little disgusting and intellectually undemanding to be honest. Like I knew what I was getting myself into but then I watched this and felt like… There’s no way these people would have been married in real life with how they hated each other. Because not even in the beginning when she ditched her first fiance (whom we never saw) did it seem like they really cared/loved each other. Just make it seem like they had a relationship and cared for one another before that. Give us a reason why they wanted to stay together for the rest of their lives. And the message of this story is also kind of mixed but I’ll get to that in a moment. And then they both lose their memories due to an accident which might be cliché but I was hoping for something with a little depth while still using some comedic relief. But instead of growing as people or as a couple it was just a bunch of awkwardness, meddling families and physical aspects. How it ended must be one of the most stupid endings I’ve ever seen in K-Drama history. Yes, give them their cliché of the male lead running after her to the airport scene but ha ha ha, wait. Mess it up by having the male lead giving a monologue, talking about his deep feelings, just for the female lead to wear earphones and not hearing a single word he said. I’m sorry, but you can’t tell me if a person you are supposed to love follows you to the airport you’d let your earphones in instead of listening to what the person has to say. That’s not funny but sad and stupid at the same time. And that’s what’s wrong with this movie. No, they don’t work on more open communication. No, they don’t try to accept each other with their flaws while actively working on themselves and their marriage. This is not a romance story. It’s a lovers-to-enemy trope until the very end. With nothing good to take away from it (except for the fact they got amazing actors for this).

Characters 3/10
Something else that’s insufferable. None of these characters (!) None (!) Has any redeeming quality whatsoever. I get that nobody is perfect. But the female lead is outright crazy and the male lead is rather useless (and I hate to use this word because I think no person really is. But seems like you can write them this way). Also both of them are horrible spouses. And yes, that’s the entire purpose of the movie but you don’t see any character development, no growth, nothing. The only aspect that changes throughout the movie is their memory loss but the writer doesn’t do anything with it but decides to limit marriage to physical components instead. Wow. I personally feel like the actors had a good natural chemistry but it was completely destroyed by the way their characters were written. They were toxic at the start and toxic at the end. On top of that they hinted at both of them cheating on each other but then never brought it up again like this is nothing. Honestly, I think they should stick with their divorce if they both don’t value their relationship more. Also maybe the scene at the end was a reflection of the first scene when he promised to come for her next time and that’s what they did but if they wanted to do a call-back to it they should have done a better job. I don’t like any of the characters. I love the actors but it’s rare to find so awfully written characters.

Overall/Enjoyment 5/10
Actually I think 5 is too generous for this movie but the acting was good and also the humor was decent for most of the time. Especially from some of the side characters. Given what they had to work with they did a good job. I normally love the Korean over the top humor but not if it’s mixed with this seemingly new trend to include jokes or lines that seem to be adapted from western shows/movies (like it seems to be the trend with some K-Dramas nowadays). I don’t get it… Korean shows and movies are so popular and great for a reason. I don’t know why they try to make it like a stereotypical American show or movie. The irony is that I feel like they tried to make something similar to the movie “Just Married” with Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher which somehow worked better back in 2003 when it was released. But I kind of expected and hoped for something closer to the series “Go Back Couple” except it’s not a time travel but they lose their memories and start to fall in love with each other again while working on their issues. Together. If they would learn something along the way and learn from their mistakes to improve their marriage it could still have had some jokes and comedic relief in it while giving us something valuable. When I heard this movie would come out I was really excited. Maybe too much since I expected and hoped for more than we got. Personally I don’t get why this movie is already so popular and high-ranked when it’s nothing but disgrace to all the movies/shows that did a better job at portraying marriage isn’t always easy and you have to work hard to make it work. This just sends the opposite message as if it doesn’t matter. And even if many people will disagree with my statement I’ll stick with it that overall it’s bad movie. Not the worst I’ve ever watched but nothing compared to the usual Korean standards.

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Nothing special

Too much focusing one particular charecter. Like football match everyone running after football. But in this case they don't know why they running after football. Because name football.
Main female lead protect him from childhood . This indicates like his parents or mother. Relationships with her is nonsense.
A lot of main characters but it only focusing one charecter. Story name should be changed like bodyguard of a nonsense idiot
It os like tiger and crane. But that Story is 1000 times better than that . At least Story present in it.
I don't like the main lead .
Disappointed with the Story specifically morality.
Story should be at least morality little story. action.. romantic etc.. means all in balance
As dr Strang full movie is based on protecting of that girl
In here all series with focusing nonsense act of the main lead
I don't like the drama

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It had potential

In the first 9 episodes this series was addicting. After that, it became a little bit boring and I really lost any interest in Mews and Tops story.I think the last three episodes could been shorten into two or even one. Or they could written a better storyline with Boeing.

First of all, I didn't forgive Top and I don't feel like he actually redeemed himself enough, but maybe it realistic that Mew forgave him anyways. But I still felt really annoyed watching their cute scenes after they became a couple again.

Secondly, the Boeing storyline was really weird. It would have been interesting if he actually had wanted to date Mew, but instead he was a one-dimensional bag guy. Also, It was really unnecessary that he tried to get together with Sand. And why did Sand just accept it? I feel like this should have been resolved better, as it seemed like sand wasn't sure if he should pick Ray over Boieng.


Anyways, I still like Sand and Ray together, even though it was unrealistic that Ray suddenly became a better person and suddenly forgot his trauma. To be fair though it makes sense, as Ray is very impulsive and changes his mind easily, I still feel like him improving this quickly should have backfired.
Another "couple" was Boston and Nick. In my opinion, they were the best written couple, even though they broke up, which was the perfect end for them. Boston couldn't have changed that quickly and he didn't. Also, I liked watching Nick's character development!

Would I recommend watching it? Actually, I would, if you like messy drama. It may not be the best written story, but it sure was entertaining.

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One Suspenseful Ride

Warning: If you are looking for an average and fluffy BL storyline, this series is not for you.

Overall, this was an awesome series. Then again, I am a sucker for suspense filled paranormal storylines. I also loved this series because it was a paranormal/mystery drama first with underlining gay storylines incorporated into it. The script was excellent and had me immediately hooked by the first episode. This had so many twists and turns that will keep you guessing what’s going to happen next. However, I’m not a fan of how the series ended. All of the actors did an amazing job with portraying their characters. The cinematography and special effects were outstanding. They also did a great job using different screen formats to establish the changing time lines to reduce possible confusion.

Random Notes:
My only criticism is the ending was too ambiguous which left too many questions unanswered.

Don’t stop watching after the ending credits in episode 14 because there are additional scenes after it.

Although there are no standardized directions on giving it, the way Brother Anurak used the Rorschach inkblot test was very random.

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Therapeutic dating show

I'm not a fan of dating shows, but I loved this one. I started watching it because it was compared to His Man. In my opinion, this one is much better. It may not have such a spectacular love story, but it has so much more.
The participants were surprising. They were completely different from the first impression they gave.
One who looked boring and rough, but was actually hiding so much emotion.
One who seemed confident and sociable, but actually felt inferior to the others.
One who seemed so perfect that others didn't dare enter into a relationship with him.
One who acted friendly and like a big kid, but looked after others all the time.
One who seemed to have nothing to hide from other people, but was in fact shy.
One who seemed too direct to others, but deep down was lost.
One who was still very young, but surpassed everyone else in maturity and put too much pressure on himself.
One who seemed carefree and sociable to everyone, but experienced loneliness in such a way that others did not notice.
Watching each episode, I felt like I was attending a therapy session where I was taught to love myself.
At one point in my viewing, I noticed that I stopped caring at all about who would form a couple with whom. I only cared about how the bond between the participants developed. Watching the friendship form between them was the most important part of the show.
It was therapeutic, relaxing and brought me peace of mind.

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Couldn't shine, remained mad and crazy!

Ignore the ending, the prologue itself was appalling and distasteful enough to eliminate my expectations despite the drama having Jang Hyuk on deck. Speaking of which, once again, Jang Hyuk is playing the same character from The Slave Hunters (2010), if you've seen that one then you know what's up. Characters, while initially intriguing, suffered from inconsistent development. The pacing felt uneven, with moments of rushed storytelling followed by prolonged and uneventful sequences, disrupting the overall momentum of the show. The whole poison plot was painful to tolerate and sit through. The story was so terrible it just kept getting worse with every episode. The last 4 episodes in particular were poorly planed, marking them as the worst part of the drama. Once again, Jang Hyuk wasn't enough to save this drama although he was the only highlight.

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I'm your father

It's the usually daily format so temper your expectations accordingly before proceeding any further. Both Seo Hyun Jin and her character contributed a lot to the drama to keep it decent enough. Her interactions were the most memorable. On the other hand, the writer robbed off Seo Woo from making her a decent character, writing wise. Meanwhile, Jo Hyun Jae was as static as always throughout his entire career, the man would rather die than changing his expression. There's no justification for the long runtime other than they were contractually obligated to follow the template dedicated to this time slot. At least give the high moments more time to sink in. Especially the ending, there was no need to make it this short, they had the time to take a more relaxed approach.

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Storytelling that takes risks

Exquisitely directed with sumptuous and poetic writing. Watch to the end of episode 4 to understand the real dilemma at play for these characters. This drama shows such maturity about two adults falling in love. I was left breathless by the confession scene. All the romance gently unfurls from the yearning by the FL and subsequent grovelling/ chasing by ML (he’s such a dummy over her). The one fail was early kiss scenes are clumsy (for romance reasons) but I hope it doesn’t send too many away from watching on. Although, when will cdrama writers discover that intimacy co-ordinators exist and unsolicited kisses can move the conflict forward without being semi-violent?! Nevertheless, this drama has shot to the top of my ‘best of 2023’ list with a bullet. I feel the pay off will be in last eps when we see what reaching ‘10/10 level’ love really means. Can’t wait!

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The cursed, the remake

A slightly different take on Jang Hee Bin. The drama suffers from the exact same problems any profession focused historical drama attempt. Very similar to Goddess of Fire with its storytelling, transformation, progress and conclusion. The drama didn't deserve to be longer than 16 episodes at best for the amount of material it had to offer. Quickly enough, they deviated from fashion design in favor of typical bland drama antics. They kept all the details of fashion design to minimum. Looking at the cast it seemed promising but it turned out to be quite disappointing. This drama and its other remakes were all equally as problematic and disappointing. Maybe Jang Hee Bin as a historical character is cursed to be portrayed in media.

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Kidsters

Literal kids playing mafia. Anyway, the drama was full of cardboard characters and you may expect an amateur level of performance, editing and writing to match it. The plot felt convoluted and disjointed, struggling to maintain a coherent narrative throughout the show. Characters lacked depth and development, making it challenging to emotionally invest in their arcs or connect with their journeys. Their personal relationships didn't intertwine well with the story either. I was looking forward to see Uhm Tae Goo but the drama wasn't worth it. I find this period and setting of Japan/Korea to be the worst to watch through any media. They "almost" don't know how to go on about it. I could count a few rare exceptions on one hand.

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The circus

It's a villainess drama which we don't get to see a lot of. Knowing Kdrama, they generally give the same immature treatment for 99% of all villains ever. Even when we have a villain lead like this drama, they don't break the rule to have a better portrayal of a good villain character. Instead we get a silly dumbed down version of a baddie. You may as well add squeaky sound effects and air it on Sunday morning cartoons. To boil it down, you'll be watching 50-episodes of this king and concubine being clowns until they reach their demise because the drama ran out of episodes. I was hoping for a smart cunning play but we got a reckless uncalculated short-sighted arrogant one. Also, the drama had this habit of re-using the same evil tricks over and over instead of coming with something creative. Setting up the same traps is a case in point. On the bright side, Kim Hyun Joo was keeping the drama afloat.

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A broken pot

This drama didn't deserve to be longer than 10-12 episodes at best for the amount of material it had to offer. Quickly enough, they deviated from pottery making in favor of typical bland drama antics. Pottery making was its selling point but we barely got a slight tiny glimpse of that field. They kept all details and technicalities to minimum, how do they expect the viewer to care? I guess having a love square is more important to them. Looking at the cast it seemed promising but it turned out to be quite disappointing. Nonetheless, did we really need that awful nasty 17-years timeskip before the end credits? Massive yikes!!

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Horsing around

Why the hell do we need a love square in a horse/medical drama?! Really trying to inflate the 50-episodes runtime as much as possible for such a straightforward material. The drama itself was too vanilla and bland. I wish there was more to the drama than that, maybe exploring more interesting medical cases/areas. Speaking of medical, this is another drama with a godlike doctor and a godlike acupuncture skills that can resurrect the dead and create new life with little to no room in having reasonable stakes. Other dramas with godlike acupuncture skills that comes to mind are: Heaven's Order (2013) and Hur Jun (1999)/the Original Story (2013).

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DOA

The late-2000s/early-2010s extreme edgy vibes were too damn strong with this one, from the awful OST and soundfx to the comical acrobatics and the pretentious attitude. Moreover, an obvious poor job from the directing department worth a slap on the wrist for their empty shots, lousy compositions, hasty transitions and un-cinematic pretentious edits with no purpose trying to mimic cinema as if they were following a template. This is not how you create a slow-burn. The leads story, their entangled relationship and their journey to fall in love all were the furthest thing from being natural and smooth. If the edgy writing full of cringe was playing against them then the directing was the cherry on top to cross the point of no return.

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RUN!

The kid was pulling this drama together from the very beginning. While the chase was interesting to follow at first but soon enough it became tiring and boring and a change of scenery was due at that point which took longer than expected to get to. The drama had some nice side characters which didn't become overbearing, namely So Baek and her father which provided a little distraction from the long wait for the story to move. There were a lot of elements I didn't like in this drama but I probably will remember this drama for the kid. However, there was one particular major issue the drama suffered from and that is the godly impervious plot armor eliminating any sense of danger or stakes driving the drama in an extremely predictable bland route.

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