Reviews

Dorian Gray in Grand Amsterdam Hotel

If you are looking for horror, you are in the wrong place in spite of the genre mentioned on this drama's page. It is a murder mystery, comedy and fantasy but not horror: horror is scary, gives you nightmares. Here, except for a very sexy serial killer, there is nothing to be jumpy about. Unless the sexy serial killers give you nightmares.

The plot in this drama is reminiscent of those many c dramas where the FL falls into a novel and has to find a way out. The FL here is an editor in an online publishing company. When her boss, on whom she has a crush, disappears, she goes looking for him and discover the existence of magic laptops: when you write a person's name on it, that person disappears into the novel the laptop writes all by itself. So the FL writes herself into the novel and while trying to save her boss's life, she discovers the truth behind the writer and the laptop.

How far are you willing to go in order to succeed as a writer? Sell your soul to the devil? There are parts of Dr Faustus and Dorian Gray in this drama. There is also a slight criticism of the writers' system ruling the korean entertainment world: when one writer rebelled against the constant harassment by her writer boss, she was immediately blacklisted in the whole community. When you touch the bottom, you either sell your soul or sink deeper but they never realize that by selling their soul they would inevitably sink deeper! The choice is only superficial!

The hotel setting of the novel reminded me very much of Wes Andersons' film Grand Amsterdam Hotel with the exterior aesthetics and with its quirky staff (well here we only get to see the receptionist but he is bizarre enough!).

I found the FL very annoying in the first couple of episodes, with her swooning over her boss who does not notice her, batting eyelashes at him and speaking like a little girl. But she is actually very smart and, with the help from a couple of coworkers, she eventually figures out how to get everyone out of the novel.

This is a well written drama with the plot which survives scrutiny: no major plotholes noticed: every question gets an answer in the last episode. The acting is correct, the music is there. Except for the jazzy bar singer: she was good and the songs steamy!

An exceptionally good short drama, definitely worth your time!

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Funny mini series

I love mini C-dramas; this one was seriously funny. I do not always laugh out loud, nor do I leave reviews, but since no one reviewed this, and I did laugh out loud more than once, I wanted to leave one for the peopleeeee!

The two leads were both really funny, especially about halfway through; you can tell they have great off-screen chemistry and similar humor by the way they act. The storyline is a typical mini-series storyline. Lol, nothing to brag about, but the leads were so funny together, you'll see what I am talking about after the couple 'makes up.' I will say I am always impatient and fast-forward through things when I am bored, lol, so I did that once in this series & that's probably a personal problem (meee), not the fault of the show (..◜ᴗ◝..)

A really quick, cute, and funny story. The love-letter trope is not something I typically see, so I liked that as well! All in all, I would give this an 8.5, but bc of re-watch value, especially when I am doing other things, definitely a 10/10, so I rated this an overall 9. I cannotttt go higher than the 8.5/9 bc the only annoying thing is that the music overpowers the voices on certain episodes which was annoying. Anyway, I am pretty sure if you like mini-c-dramas you'll like this one ᵕ̈

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Real-life crush VS gaming crush in complications

The show started on a good note as FL likes ML in real life while he likes her in gaming ..both are gaming enthusiasts working towards the gaming industries in their own way.. the concept was cute, especially as he gets jealous of himself unknowingly when he here's about FL's crush ( who is he himself in real life) ... There is soft romance ..healthy jealousy... Sparking chemistry with almost enough comedy between the two.
I must say Zhou ye was the perfect choice for FL role she is my fav and I love watching her in playful roles. ML character compliment it even better (but I live for the FL here 🤗)
Coming back to plot the only thing I felt missing they added very less scenes about the process of creating games ... These days people don't watch drama just for the sake of love story but they actually look into the purpose/profession of characters. I wish they could have elaborated the process of game programming or something ... Rest is well directed ...

A soft delight to watch ..you can definitely go for it.

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When nothing seems to go right, that is probably when God gives you a vacation

As a die-hard romance drama fan, this is one in the few drama makes it to my list of all time favorite dramas ever.
There is no big plot twist, no cliche drama, no intricate conflict or tragedy but a very original and engaging romance that is healing and heart-warming between the two main characters when they go through a challenging time in life together.
It started when 30years-old Minami, miserable and broke after being left behind by her groom on her very wedding day, has no choice but to start sharing the same house with Sena, a shy 24 years old piano majored graduate who is at a crossroad pondering over his uncertain future as a pianist. Cheerful, easygoing, earnest and outspoken, Minami often finds herself being belittled at first by Sena, who is sensible, but shy and restrained. A seemingly impossible romance began to brew when they slowly found solace in each other’s companion to overcome their low time and find their own answers and happiness for future. The plot is simple, the story feels very real, nothing too dramatic but still incredibly engaging and enchanting.
I love all the characters here, from supporting to the leads. A boyish, shy but very manly Sena, a cheerful, outspoken but always acting strong and mature Minami, a naive but brave and earnest Ryoko, a seeming playboy but sincere at heart Shinji, a dependent but loving Rumiko; a seemingly slow but unexpectedly sharp when it comes to romance Momoko; and a mature and sensible Sugiyama; all are very well-built and their interaction and conversations attract viewers and add depth to the story.
The drama is quite fast paced and engaging as a whole with beautiful and unforgettable soundtracks to enhance emotional scenes.
The opening theme is definitely one of my fav song. Needless to say, the casts, especially the ML and FL delivered splendid performance. I think I started to watch Kimura Takuya drama because of his impressive acting here.

I first watched the drama in my early 20s and immediately fell in love with it. But it was just a good romance drama for me then. I had chance to watch it again before turning 30, just around the same age as the female character. That was when the drama hit me hard as I can resonate deeper with Minami and came to understand why the characters acted that way.

Though it was released in 1996, the drama withstands the test of time as it continues to prove its position as one of the most favorite drama to viewers in Japan and Asia in general.
If you are looking for a light-hearted romance drama or a healing drama, do give it a try :)

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Felt like a math of finding 'X'

The main story was about taewoon's being X and other's finding the 'X'.

Story:
I didn't know i'd like this drama after finishing it. But the story made me to like it. Some of the screenwritings were boring in the last few episodes. But the ending filled out the lacking.

Cast:
The casting was so good. Not only the main lead. I liked the principal's acting from the supporting actors the most. Dae-hwi's acting disappointed me a little though. He could've done better. But i was glad he was reunited with nam joo.

Music: I personally loved the music. Not so special, but enjoyable.

Rewatch value: Don't mind my rewatch value. I don't usually rewatch any drama. but i rewatched it one time.

The hot topic 'KISSING':
All viewers (including me) expected a kissing scene between tae woon & eun ho. But unfortunately there was none. Maybe because they're high schoolers. But who told that high schoolers can't kiss? Like that's so back-minded. But yeah, we got a kiss scene between two teachers Mr.Shim & Ms.Han.

*Was it worth watching?'
A BIG YES. Because i personally like a drama when there is a happy ending. And it had a happy ending. The finishing of every episode will make you watch the next episode. But the first half of ep 16 was so boring. But as i said the ending will make you feel that 'it was worth watching'.

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Wonderful fantasy costume production

This is a wonderful fantasy costume production with great actors and a storyline that keeps you engaged in the love story between a human and an immortal spirit. The story is heartwarming, funny, mysterious and a little heart wrenching.
So if you love a mostly lighthearted, good fantasy love story with some twists and turns, this is definitely well worth watching.

The summary should have rather been something like this:
FL is the future immortal spirit Queen but that causes her to be quite lonely. One day she wishes for a friend and meets ML, a human boy. In order to save him, she gives him her spirit Orb, breaking the rules of her race. So, 10 human years later, she goes to find the now grown man - only to find that he is now a fierce spirit hunter and that retrieving the Orb isn’t that simple. To have a chance to retrieve it, she has to join the organization of spirit hunters he is a part of, starting a wonderful love story.

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Only friends who kiss every other friend!!

As my heading suggests, this drama is one crazy kind where all characters are busy kissing or f***ing each other... Like literally!!

Don't expect moral values like honesty, commitment, loyalty etc while watching this show, you will be highly disappointed.

The star cast is too good and you will find all GMMTV actors here playing small to micro second roles which are amusing to watch.

The chemistry of all actors are great especially Sand and Ray.. they both are fire in this.
I didn't personally like Top.. I find him too stiff as an actor with limited expressions and dead face.
Boston's character was actually sl*tty and he played it too well, so much that you will literally hate him.
Rest all characters were also good.

WARNING:
Every episode has a kissing scene or s*x scene with great sounds so better watch it with your earbuds plugged in.
Enjoy this messed up show and learn how not to be "only friends" with your friends :D 😂

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Not the Worst

This started out super cute. The idea of the story was good. The actors all did a great job using their direction.

BUT…

The dialogue was awful! It was like an amateur scriptwriter got his first job.

Also, what was this director thinking? There was so much to work with.

Piuno is an actor. He couldn’t “act” on the job? Why did he have to look so disgusted all the time? The director’s choice?

Things were rushed. There was no hint of romance until they were kissing. This just left the chemistry non existent. If there had been some hints, the hugging would have been so much more impactful. The crying scene would have been over the top emotional.

Why were there no customers or dogs in the “dog” cafe? Why was the show named love like a cat when it was about dogs? Wasn’t the whole story about unconditional love from dogs?

I sound like I didn’t like the show but I did. I’m just mad because I know it could have been one of the best. But it was just cute and bad at the same time.

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Offers a gripping and thought-provoking experience

>>>Story and Themes

"The 8 Show" centers on a reality competition where eight participants endure harsh conditions for a significant cash prize. The show's premise initially draws comparisons to survival games, but it sets itself apart by focusing more on psychological and moral dilemmas than on physical violence. The series explores themes of greed, desperation, and the impact of money on human behavior, offering a nuanced look at how different personalities cope under extreme stress.

>>>Characters and Performances

The characters are diverse, each bringing unique backgrounds and motivations to the game. Ryu Jun-yeol's portrayal of Bae Jin Soo and Chun Woo-hee's performance as Song Se Ra stand out, providing depth and relatability. The actors deliver strong performances that help the audience empathize with their struggles and moral conflicts. The character development throughout the series is compelling, showing a broad spectrum of human emotions and reactions.

>>> Direction and Cinematography

Directed by Han Jae-rim, the show is visually striking with a high level of artistic direction. The use of classical music as the background score adds an unexpected yet effective layer to the storytelling, enhancing the overall atmosphere. The cinematography captures the bleakness and intensity of the game, making viewers feel the isolation and pressure faced by the contestants.

>>> Pacing and Structure

With only eight episodes, "The 8 Show" is tightly paced, ensuring that each episode is impactful and contributes to the overall narrative. This concise structure is a strength, as it avoids the common issue of unnecessary filler episodes. The series wraps up its storyline effectively, providing a satisfying conclusion without dragging on.

>>> Critique

While the show excels in many areas, some viewers might find its focus on psychological tension rather than action to be a drawback if they were expecting more traditional survival game elements. Additionally, the moral and ethical questions posed by the show might not resonate with everyone, particularly if one prefers more straightforward storytelling.

>>>Overall Impression

Overall, "The 8 Show" is a standout addition to Netflix's Korean drama lineup. It combines strong performances, a thought-provoking narrative, and high production values to create a memorable viewing experience. It's a must-watch for fans of psychological thrillers and those interested in stories that delve into human nature and morality.

In conclusion, "The 8 Show" is not just another survival game drama; it’s a deep dive into the complexities of human behavior under pressure. Its unique approach and artistic execution make it a notable series worth watching.

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The drama is full of suspicious.

In my opinion, before watching the second season, it's better to watch the first season first.

Having caused trouble before, the old cop was transferred to a division with less field work. But still for him, it is very boring for doing nothing on his desk. He will continue to look for ways to continue working with his previous division (first season).

After the first season he was disliked by his coworkers, meanwhile in this season he is suspected by his coworkers. So on, the old policeman also suspects the head of his division. They are suspicious of each other. Until finally everything is solved.

I don't think this kind of storyline is boring at all. Moreover, the background of this story is played with the situation of a policeman who is about to retire. Then before that he had never been promoted.

I have watched this since it aired, then I watched it again because I was bored with the current story. It turns out that the story still makes an impression on me.

Moreover, this genre is my favorite. Maybe it's because the genre, storyline, and casts are all my favorites so I don't feel bored.

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Unexpected pot twists

I have seen a lot of negative comments on this series but to me this series is truly amazing. It's well written with actual good plot twists that kept me on my toes. The actors did such a fantastic job. They truly delivered the emotions well. I laughed so hard at the funny scenes, I don't remember laughing this much for any series. I feel like because it was a lot relatable as a shipper lol. But tbh they portrayed the shipper mentality so well and even though the scenes are super cringy it never made me cringe. I had cried my heart out at the emotional scenes. I cried so much. Every single one of them did a great job. First is such a great actor. The way he portrayed both Kim and Pan in a single story, it's very hard to do. Ohm really knows how to express himself through his eyes. His airplane fixing scene made me cry so hard. Phriking as well. I also wan to mention View and Piploy doing extremely amazing job. I have seen View in different roles and she is a versatile actress. First time saw her as a villain and holy she did so great. I had no idea Piploy is such a great actress. She carried the episodes for me in her own way. I loved the cinematography as well. It's cute. Every episode was unexpected. I loved how they also highlighted how extreme shipping can ruin a lot of things including the shippers. It was such a rollercoster ride with great plot, good acting, amazing scenes,

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A Lavish Production With Great World Building

Shooting Stars is a lavish and well made production that promises much. The acting is first rate and the world building regarding the Republican Era, second to none.

At its heart is a very strong theme that people and relationships matter. Camaraderie is important and working together to achieve the greater good is a worthy goal to aspire to. Family in its different forms is shown too. The conflict between brothers a vital cog in how the plot unfolds.

The first 16 episodes were superb. There were a range of scenarios regarding who might be good and who might be bad. It was also intersecting re the portrayal of the police force at this time, the rise of the different political factions and the evilness of the Japanese menace. Show used actual footage from events that occurred at that time, deftly weaving our characters into what happened.

However, in the second half of the story, the patriotic fervour was a bit overdone. On some occasions it was over sentimentalised. Chen Hao as the face of such idealism was overdone. I was wasn’t convinced of his relationship with Miss Shi, but she was a fabulous character. His friendship with Yuan Sheng was a key part of the story, but I found its execution so so at times.

Our lead couple were very good. I liked their relationship. So much was against them, but their genuineness shone through. Min Min was a delight: delicate but strong and very loyal. Yuan Sheng needed to lighten up a bit 😂

Overall, Shooting Stars is worth a look. The set design, wardrobe and old vehicles are worth watching for these aspects alone.

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PERFECTTTTT

STRAY KIDS MENTIONED?!🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️💯💯💯💯💯WTF IS HEIGHT?! ‼️‼️‼️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🐺🐰🐷🐿️🐥🐶🦊RAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH🔥🔥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥4TH GEN LEADERS!!!!😍😍😍😍😍🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🌪️🌪️🌪️🌪️🌪️BANGCHAN BEST LEADER🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺💥💥💥LEE KNOW BEST DANCER🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰‼️‼️‼️‼️CHANGBIN AND HAN BEST RAPPERS🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐷🐷🐷🐷🐷💥💥💥💥💥HYUNJIN FAVORITE DRAMA QUEEN 🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🥟🥟🥟🥟💯💯💯FELIX OUR DEEP VOICED SUNSHINEEEEEE RAAAAH🐥🐥🐥🐥🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥💥💥‼️‼️‼️SEUNGMIN IN THE BUILDING?! 🔥🔥🔥NAH, SEUNGMIN IN MY HEARTTTT!!!🐶🐶🐶🗣️🗣️🗣️‼️‼️‼️🔥🔥🔥💥💥🌪️🌪️YANG JEONGIN RAAAAH🔥🔥‼️‼️😍😍😍😍MAKNAE ON TOPPPP🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳💥💥💥💥💥💥🗣️🗣️🗣️🦊🦊🦊🦊🦊GRRRAH WOLFGANG AH!‼️‼️🔥🔥💓💓💓🩷❤️🧡💛❤️🩵💙❤️🧡💛💚💜❤️🖤❤️💙STAN STRAY KIDS🩷🩷💥💥💥💥💥UN DEUX TROIS RUN ALONG WITH THE GODS☄️☄️☄️☄️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🥇🥇🥇🥇🎼🎼🎼🎼LALALALA LA LALALALA JUST FEEL THE ROCK💿💿💿💿💿⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊SWERVING IM SPEEDING ON SERPENT ROAD🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥‼️‼️‼️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️THIS IS THE SOUND?!!!?!?🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊📸📸📸📸📸📸📸🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥MANIACCCC MANIACC HAHAH👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹💚💚💚💚💚💚🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️💥💥💥💥💥🥇🥇🥇☄️☄️☄️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥DU DU DU DU DU DU👹👹👹👹👹🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️💥💥💥💥💥💥‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️☄️☄️🔥🔥🔥🔥STRAY KIDS HOO🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥💥💥‼️‼️🔊👹👹📸📸📸📸📸WTF IS BAD MUSIC⁉️⁉️⁉️‼️‼️‼️‼️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄☄️☄️☄️☄️☄️☄️☄️💚💚💚💚💚

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Fun enough to keep me watching

The plot is very light and comedic, mainly revolves around the building of relationship between the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli, amidst the lingering espionage from neighbouring warring country. Hua Liuli is a daughter of prominent general of the nation and had been crowned as princess for her parents’ military contributions, and invited to live in the capital, where in reality she was actually held as political hostage because the emperor was wary of how big an influence both her parents wield as mighty generals and worry that they might steal the throne with their huge army. Upon her arrival at the capital, she acted like a weak, sickly maiden to avoid people (especially the emperor) from getting wary of her, where in reality she was quick witted and very good in martial art.

The palace drama in the harem and the political conspiracy is minimal with ridiculously comedic kind of vibe so they tend to look stupid.

I didnt like how the ML (crown prince) look. He looked like a gaunt porcelain statue whose face been dabbed with too much fair coloured foundations and he had very weird face expressions. He tried too hard to look like a calculative, evil, indifferent crown prince. I think FL did okay although the part she acted as a sickly maiden is rather exaggerated (not sure if they intend to do it this way as it is a comedy). The acting is mediocre and they include so many awkward moments of proximity between the ML and FL which I failed to find the spark. I find them pretty lame.

The costume is sooooo over the top with ridiculous-looking dangling hair accessories and ugly flowy dress. Colour combination of the female dresses are botched too. The female’s makeup looks weird too as they put the blusher around the eyes instead of cheeks, and they drew the eyebrow wayyy across the temple.

I just realized everytime they want to portray a character of being sick, it’s always with the slight fake coughing. It’s like even when the character says,”i have a headache/stomach ache,” they would always cough. It’s so annoying.

The first kiss being on the forehead is pretty sweet though. I’m getting sick of lip-kissing between two yet-to-profess-their-love persons. It’s unrealistic in the ancient society that doesn’t even let females and males to mingle freely.

Towards the end the FL became rather stupid though, the plot also became rather ridiculous. So there’s a revolt going to happen and they know when the rebels will take action, one wouldve thought they had prepared backup properly. But nooooo, they had to make it dramatic by going about on how Liuli was going to mobilize the whole Hua army from outside the capital to storm into the palace as backup. Even funnier thing is that the emperor also knows about the plot and feigned sickness, and only came out when the mastermind revealed herself. Interestingly, the emperor conveniently forgets that a band of murderous assassins are pursuing his Crown Prince outside the palace while he was having a chat with the mastermind. I wouldve thought it’d be a brilliant plan by the scheming Crown Prince or even the quickwitted Liuli. It was big disappointment instead.

The show ended with a wedding of course.

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