Reviews

Beautiful (Another one I'll be adding to my rewatch list)

First of all, what a gorgeous ensemble cast. This drama is especially a treat for all the romance readers out there. "We all have but one dream, to be sucked into the our favorite books."

Both the ML and FL did such a good job of portraying their characters. It was a bit draggy when the ML thought that everything was FL's fault, even when it didn't make sense. That lasted far too long for me. Apart from that their relationship was wow! Wow, as in, the chemistry between the two is just mind-blowing. When these two characters locked lips, sparks flew. All their intimate scenes were so well done.

SML was such a adorable and great guy. I was hoping to see his real-life counterpart once ML regained his memories, but that didn't happen. At least he got the happy ending he wanted.

Chuchu was one of the most annoying characters in here. Her one-dimensional character and childish voice just made it difficult to listen to her dialogues. (I also skipped most of the scenes with ML's family and their disputes over the company and fortunes, that part just wasn't fun for me.)

Despite that, this is pretty drama. No regrets on the time spent watching this.

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Why I didn't hear about this before?

Why hasn’t it gained more success? This show was outstanding, prompting me to share my thoughts. The storyline, acting, and even the OST were exceptional. The actors conveyed emotions so vividly that I found myself immersed, experiencing a range from anger to anxiety and sadness. The drama held me from start to finish, a rare feat in my binge-watching history. Now that it’s over, I’m left with a void, wondering what to watch next.

Regarding the love interests, I felt torn between the ML and SFL, craving more of their interaction. Yet, the FL and ML displayed a profound, genuine love that went beyond a mere crush.

Can we talk about SFL ? I mean Oh Yu Jin. No, because she giving. ? And the outfit, always on point. I need to see her in more drama pls.

Returning to the main plot, the story was masterfully written, and the episode count felt just right. Every character’s perspective was well understood, though the ending left a bittersweet taste. I understood the repercussions of the golden spoon but I still felt sad for SeungChun. But by the look of Juhee, I can imagine he's going to reconnect with the people who loved him and whom he loved.

This drama is worth recommending to everyone. It’s a gem that deserves more recognition.

Now I am going to watch the TikTok edits, ITW, BTS and stalk the actors.

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One Tough Cookie Brought Up By a Mysterious Uncle: Thrilling With Suspension of Disbelief

My final review of what I believe is the first season of this thriller drama (although no announcement of a sequel at the time I was writing this review). This plot is about the survival of the Female Lead Jeong Ji An, being targeted by professional killers, taking shelter in her uncle's house. How and why it happens is slowly unraveled through past events. Warning: this is not a comedy like the parent story.

STORY:

First of all, I didn't watch the parent story The Killer's Shopping List, nor read the novel under the same title "The Killer's Shopping List" (살인자의 쇼핑목록) by Kang Ji Young (강지영). Some comments said that there is no connection between this drama and the so-called parent story, only written by the same author. This is a survival story of our heroine, Jeong Ji An (Kim Hye Joon), because of what happened to her supposedly dead uncle Jeong Jin Man (Lee Dong Wook). Since little, after the deaths of her grandmother and her parents, Jeong Jin Man has been her sole guardian. He brought her up with a survivalist mind and tough love. During her grandmother's funeral, he made her watch a gruesome TV scene of a lion killed by a group of hyenas: "Only the weak bark, the strong don't. You must become strong to make your opponent bark. Don't be scared. Whatever makes you scared keep your eyes open and face it." When Jin Man took Ji An in after her parents's death and she fell on the ground, he didn't pick her up but said "Listen up, Jian. I'm not your parent and I can never be. Which means I can't do the things your parents did for you."

The fact that Jeong Jin Man prepares his niece in such a way as to be strong, independent, and capable of guarding herself makes sense later as the drama title is explained. Jeong Jin Man established an underground online business as the title says, a shop for killers. He not only sold guns but other weapons and chemicals as well. Jin Man was very secretive about himself and his customers so he gave them codes and even put himself and his niece in a special code: Code Green (I will describe the codes in the end under the spoiler).

I'm usually a generous rater, and am easily pleased, as long as a drama wowed me from the beginning till the end, I will rate it 10 (you can find out the dramas I rated 10 in my custom list). The reason I only gave this drama a 9.5 is because of the questionable details I saw along the way. If this is a fantasy genre I will ignore it, but the fact it builds upon modern survival and mercenary plots, it's dubious. I won't spoil them to you for this final review, you just watch the drama to find out. Basically, if you want to enjoy this story, you have to suspend your disbelief.

I will put the spoilers at the bottom of my review (you need to scroll down if you want to know, otherwise stop after the Visual)

CHARACTER AND ACTING:

Lee Dong Wook played the mysterious Uncle Jeong Jin Man with his usual traits: cold, aloof, but charming. We see more of Jin Man's actions in past flashbacks.

Kim Hye Joon played the survivalist niece Jeong Ji An. I stated above how her uncle brought her up, so we see the same cold and aloof trait in his niece. Some comments on the drama page stated that Ji An is too stupid when reacting to the attacks, but I have to defend her since she is not professionally trained and practically implemented for all that happened. Even all she did for survival is just based on her instinct to stay alive while remembering what her uncle and her master taught.

I won't spoil you with information on the supporting characters. The drama is too short to show much more about them. We learned about their background and how they came to know Jin Man, but the info about them is not enough to show that they are three-dimensional characters. I would love to see more (perhaps in the second season) about how Jin Man brought up Brother, Pasin's life (how a Thai man came and worked in South Korea), Min Hye's life after she was saved (her interactions with Jin Man, Honda, Brother, and Pasin) and how she got to know the villains, etc.

VISUAL (CINEMATOGRAPHY, COSTUME, MAKEUP, SET)

As usual, the Kdrama visuals for this dark thriller are amazing: the daring escapes, the gunfire and bomb explosions, the bullet movements, etc. Even the hyena CGI is acceptable. I kinda questioned Jin Man's home which seems so normal and humble but its walls, windows, and furniture are strong enough able to hold the gunfires and bombs to a certain degree. I assume Jin Man fortified his home strong enough for survival, perhaps having an underground bunker, too.

I will put spoilers down below about the Codes and the ending.

SPOILERS (Scroll down below)


















CODES:
- Code Red: for killers (assassins) - they can only buy guns, weapons, bombs, and poisons.
- Code Purple: for spies (buy and sell info) - they can only buy listening devices and cameras. Also, simple weapons to be used to kill themselves when their cover is blown.
- Code Yellow: for clean-up crew - they can only buy drugs, detergents, and cleaning tools needed for body disposal and clean-up, and administrative service to evade the law.
- Code Green: for Jin Man and Ji An (though she didn't know before) - the other codes could never attack them. If they did, other Code holders have to risk their lives to protect Code Green.

ENDING:
- Ji Ahn and her uncle are alive. As I suspected, Jin Man faked his death (though are not shown what he did to 'kill' himself and why he did it if not just leave his niece to have her own show). He shows up in the end riding a taxi. He's all wound up, probably he had a duel with the top killer.
- A bunch of killers are dead. The top killer Bale and the Babylon company head are (probably) still alive if they want to make Season 2.
- Pasin and Brother are alive. Min Hye is probably alive, only shown her gun came off her hand but doesn't mean she's dead. I believe if watchers found her too attractive and charismatic to be dead, the screenwriter will revive her for Season 2.

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A well-told story about the irreplaceable legacy of a sect leader after a selfless self-destruction

This was my very first watching a Chinese drama that was a non-romantic genre that hooked me all the way. A drama that has a substance in which the underlying conflicts, twists, and turns in the development of the story hardly made me stop watching it continuously. There were some predictable scenes at some point in the episodes however; it did not weaken the flow of the story.

The selection of casts was great. Joseph Zeng was particularly outstanding here. His performance in this drama went beyond Cheng Yi’s acting as the main lead. His characterization stood out among the rest and was noticeable in the entire drama. I recently watched him in “Romance on the Farm” and he already captured my attention there with his baby face looks, not so much of the acting yet. But in this drama, he properly delivered the role and saw in him a promising actor to watch for.

The component of humor I think also brought this drama receptive to viewers. The shift of tone to make a certain dialogue or scene funny by adding background sound effects was amazingly done by the technical and editing team which indeed made me laugh. Well, the fighting scenes were given for the wuxia enthusiasts and I also enjoyed watching those sharp moves.

I was absolutely satisfied after relying on my choice to watch it from one of the many approving reviews I have read.

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THESE DRAMA NEEDS OSCAR!

The episodes captivate viewers from beginning to end, delivering a riveting narrative filled with numerous plot twists. The storyline intricately weaves through many philosophical situations and moral dilemmas, compelling the audience to engage in profound contemplation. Moreover, the series offers a unique perspective on the afterlife, exploring the consequences of choosing death before it naturally arrives to greet us.

However, the narrative tends to adopt a somewhat preachy tone, heavily laden with religious elements. Regrettably, it falls short of addressing the core issue of suicide – the deteriorating mental health of individuals. The storyline neglects a profound exploration of societal challenges that drive people to resort to such drastic measures. Furthermore, it seemingly disregards the protagonist’s internal struggles, focusing solely on the repercussions of his actions on others. Adding to the complexity, what initially set out as a contemplation on life and death quickly transforms into a revenge-driven narrative, significantly veering away from its original thematic essence.

Death's Game Part 2 Review: Entertaining Yet Struggles to Strike the Right Balance Amidst Heavy-Handed Preaching
Nevertheless, the narrative is undeniably captivating, to say the least. It unfolds with a myriad of crucial facets that shed light on unique scenarios, providing us with insights into situations we might have never contemplated before. Beyond its informative elements, the storyline proves to be thoroughly entertaining, drawing viewers into its rich tapestry.
The commendable performances of the cast contribute significantly to its allure, with Kim Ji-hoon standing out prominently. His portrayal is particularly noteworthy, infusing the character with depth and nuance. Equally praiseworthy is Seo In-guk, who consistently embodies his role, immersing himself completely in the narrative and adding layers of authenticity to the overall storytelling experience.

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Very disappointing and underwhelming - don't bother watching

Putting soundtrack #1 to the side for a moment... soundtrack #2 was NOT good. Story concept-bad. Acting-bad. Music!-bad. I don't understand how they made such a bad drama. Truly, it escapes my understanding.

Now, with s#1 in the picture... how can they even place this drama in the same 'universe'?!?! The filming, music, and acting styles were all totally different to the 'original' amazing show that captivated me and got me to watch it 3 times. I have many songs from the OST saved, but the songs in this show made me want to skip ahead. The acting was so-so. It could either be because of their skills, editing, or the lacking story and character development.

Overall I'm very disappointed. I stopped at ep.3 after struggling to watch through those first eps. for a couple of days. Weeks later I came back and tried again, having to jump through the other 3 eps to finish it.

This show is not salvageable and would need a complete redo to be worth watching in my opinion. Wish it was good, truly, but it isn't. Better just rewatch s#1.

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My Own Thoughts

Dr. Romantic 3 has undoubtedly raised the bar for the series, introducing a fresh and engaging cast that adds a new dynamic to the beloved medical drama. The intricate storytelling and complex characters continue to be the show's strengths, keeping viewers hooked from episode to episode.

While the addition of new characters breathed life into the series, the portrayal of Eunjae and Woojin's relationship left something to be desired. The constant challenges thrown at Woojin felt relentless, denying him moments of respite and growth. It would have been more satisfying to see a more balanced exploration of their relationship, allowing for moments of joy and connection amidst the trials.

The depiction of Eunjae's character, too, raised some concerns. The decision to portray her with some negative aspects might have been an attempt to add depth, but it left some viewers feeling uneasy. There was a missed opportunity to showcase her and Woojin enjoying simple, romantic moments like going on a date, which would have added a more wholesome layer to their relationship.

Despite these critiques, Dr. Romantic 3 remains a stellar Korean drama that deserves a 10/10 rating. The compelling narrative, exceptional performances by the cast, and the intense medical cases keep audiences eagerly anticipating each episode. It's a series that not only entertains but also delves into the complexities of human relationships and the challenges faced by those in the medical profession.

In conclusion, Dr. Romantic 3 is a must-watch for K-drama enthusiasts, offering a riveting storyline that outweighs its minor shortcomings. The outstanding performances and captivating plot make it an excellent addition to the Dr. Romantic series.

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Directionless plot, slow, use of tropes and the classic ignorance of how a teen behaves

Before starting this drama I was already skeptical about the deserted island setting. I feel it's something that can't really work much as a plot device if the story is set in modern times, and this show didn't prove me wrong.
Mostly we have to take this whole story as pure fantasy, but even in the constraints of plausibility in a fantastical world, here there are things that simply don't work and that are just left as plotholes and the rest is just a collection of unrealistic situations that will make you facepalm very hard or that you'll have to brush off to move on with the story.

I find with this series there is a lack of a focus in the plot. Sure, we have a FL and the plot seems to follow her from the start mostly, only that it gets sidetracked multiple times along the way and ultimately feels like her story line didn't progress much nor it made much the impact it could have. The abusive father of ML is the only constant linear plot line in this show, even though if still with a dose of unrealistic-ness and quite dragged.

The start was good and overall it was so much more interesting and I was more invested in the story line in the beginning. I think this is mostly as well because I thought the young actors did such a better job at the characters than the older ones. I don't understand why it's a constant issue that if someone older plays like they're stuck in their teen years mentally they have to do some weird overacting that it's just immensely cringe. Don't they remember their teen years? This is becoming a new trope I absolutely despise.
What was the point of her being stuck in that island anyway? This is only used as a plot device in a couple of occasions as flashbacks and any other setting could have been used anyway. It's a small part of the plot and I don't think adds anything. She should be so much more mature precisely because of her life experiences in that island but as it's mentioned in the show itself, she's childish like that because she didn't continue her education.... excuse me what?

The love story in this show is quite anticlimactic and the "love triangle" if it can even be called that, it's unnecessary as always.
A lot of the plot points are just like that because the script said so, otherwise they make no sense, like Ki-ho hiding his identity to her knowing she's looking for him, like so much could have been avoided if he had told her straight away and told her the situation and to keep it secret. It's just so silly. Also he goes from that to then wanting her to be famous like all of a sudden he doesn't care anymore.

The biggest middle chunk of the show the attention is mostly on Ran Joo's character more than the FL, to the point the whole premise of her career as a singer is put to the side. At this point I lost most of the interest I still had for the story. Ran Joo's character is not bad but it's not great either and if I was supposed to feel sorry for her I didn't because her situation could be so much worse, especially when compared with the Kang family whose dynamics, by the way, were of the best of the show.

I think overall for a short drama it didn't have a clear idea of what it wanted to focus on, there were multiple subplots and the execution of them was not done in the best way, the story progressed in chunks of focusing on one thing or another what I get why they did it that way but it just added more to the unrealistc-ness of it all. Moreover, some of the characters would also keep changing from one side to the other what would do or undo the plot as it goes. The worst of all of this is that it makes you lose interest as it changes because most plot lines become very dragged as a result. Points for having so many story lines and characters at the same time and somehow still manage to make it boring.
There were a few conversations between characters that were engaging and I shared their sentiments but most of the others were very uninteresting and added nothing to the story or character development.
FL is cringe, ML is background character, couldn't care for Ran Joo, second ML (Woo Hak) has more screen time than the first and yet his personal story goes really nowhere (and he had more chemistry with FL too), and I have no idea why Lee Seo Joon is considered main character, he spent the series going in circles. Kang parents were great and I wish we got more of Mo Rae since she seemed somewhat interesting.

No more amnesia trope PLEASE. I'm so done with it, let's just leave it back in the past where it should remain. It was annoying at the time and it's even more annoying now.
This is also labelled as "comedy" here but I really don't know why, there are zero comedy moments unless people laughs at FL accent and "teen" attitude what it's actually insulting because it perpetuates this idea that certain accents/dialects mean the person is ignorant and dumb, she even somewhat drops it in the last episode, because now she's a *proper singer*... meh.

I debated giving this a 5 because I've seen worse and it had some nice moments, but writing this review and thinking about the series really stopped me. It is watchable if there is nothing else to watch and some of the songs were nice but I generally can't recommend. It doesn't know what it wants to be and manages to do everything half way in a dragged and boring way.

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It kept me interested.

I wasn't expecting too much based 9n the review rating and some of the comments but overall I really enjoyed this. It starts off a bit silly but as feelings start to build, I really began to feel for the characters and I absolutely was curious for the outcome of this love triangle. This isn't a complicated story and I felt like it was kept simple and emotionally honest. I could feel the frustration and I could understand why emotions and feelings went unsaid for so long. It just felt authentic to me. I do have mixed feelings about the ending and I do feel like things got a bit rushed, naturally considering this story had to be packed into 5 episodes but I feel like a good story was told here and it was certainly worth the few hours of my binge time.

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If you're looking for fluff, you're in the wrong place...

I feel like I have watched a different show from everyone else because I actually really, really loved this? and binged it within a day…?
To start off, this show is more on the mature side, so if you’re looking for fluff or if you’re here for cutesy BL moments DBK is probably not the show for you. I feel like nowadays BL shows have veered into a different type of cinematography (sometimes aiming for spectacularity over substance) while this one stays focused on the characters and their growth, the plot heavily driven by their interactions (although there are some serious scenographic shots/lovely scenes scattered around), therefore there are little to no flat moments.

Overall the characters feel genuine and not like some caricature as it often happens in more comedic shows, most of the actors are able to deliver their intentions convincingly without overdoing it. This is my first time watching TayNew and I’m honestly impressed by their performance? Especially for Tay, I feel like Pete had less screen time than Kao but every time he’s on the scene he manages to steal the spotlight from the others with his fierceness and his charisma. Yes, we can argue that Pete is very intense, hothead and often unreasonable, but in my opinion a “””bad””” person does not necessarily make for a bad character. In his case it’s quite the opposite. (And props to sweet Kao as well, my boy can be dense but he’s just doing his best!)

Usually I’m not a fan of contents with established relationships but DBK was able to keep me hooked - I was actually obsessed - with the magnetic portrayal of PK love story, the show was able to sell them as an authentic (gay) couple. Like, the chemistry is chemistrying. They flirt, they argue, they make up, they have a healthy sex life, they support each other and are each other’s best friend above all, they respect each other’s families and push each other to grow and become better persons. It may seem like their relationship is a bit unbalanced but that feels authentic to me as well. To quote the show, in a relationship you can’t always split the bill evenly, as loving does not come with receipts and people are, by nature, flawed. You-give-me-this-I-give-you-that-and-we-are-even does not work in real life!

On the other hand, we get to witness a fiery second couple flourish. Although their acting is not as flavourful as the main leads, I was actually enthralled by their charming arc and, at times, loved it just as much. After all, hate-to-love relationships never fail to deliver!
[Side note, but as I happened to watch Be My Favourite, Not Me and Dark Blue Kiss is this exact order, it was entertaining seeing Gawin’s acting going backwards from his charming portrayal of Pisaeng to his rookie representation of Mork. At this point, sad-closeted-gay-boy is his trademark lol.]

Beside great characterisation (remarkably Rain, Pete’s father and Kao’s mother are awe-inspiring personalities), as I mentioned DBK managed to engage me because it deals compellingly with mature topics of family and relationship dynamics, personal growth and acceptance, fear of meeting expectations and peer pressure, social issues like power structures, middle class struggles, lgbtqia+ rights, the contrast between earned respect and curtesy imposed by authority, and many other. Personally, I believe the show does a spectacular job at portraying real life issues in such a poignant, uplifting and nuanced way.

Spoiler Alert in parentheses!
[Some of my favourite moments were:
- Pete’s dad being so open and accepting with Pete sexuality to the point of approaching him to verify whether he is practicing safe seggs with Kao (the condoms lmao).
- Kao caving in and telling his mother he won’t be tutoring Non any longer, only after she told him she would finally get a promotion. That was kind of heartbreaking… My poor hardworking, family boy. :(
- Rain and Mork being the best of friends and being so supportive and understanding of each other; Rain standing up to Sun by demanding that he owns up to his mistakes and apologises to Mork about his paternalistic and proud behaviour. Go bestie!
- Pete and Kao domesticity after they reconcile. <33333]

So, is the story worth a watch? In my opinion, definitely.
I may be biased because I kind of love a bit of spice and controversy, but DBK is able to deliver just the right amount to keep the story going without dragging pointless misunderstandings into dreary melodrama. Sh*t happens and these boys are just stubborn! But they come around in the end!! :))

As I feel there is a tendency to disregard older BL shows for the sole reason of being kind of old-fashioned, I’m glad I actually give this one a shot and found an hidden gem, as it was very easy to get into the story and catch up with the plot, despite not having watched the previous instalments. DBK aims for straightforward rather than grandiose, but its message remains timeless and manages to drive its point home touchingly and convincingly.

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one time watch

this was the first family drama for me that contains a huge amount of annoying people like this ??
specially parents of both sides , grandmother, the elder son's wife and the middle sister

their character was in-between stubborn , selfish and weak in a very annoying way


the younger sister and the elder sister stories were the best for me

all young males in this drama were so cute and nice


the main idea that the drama was based on was very weak for me to make the 1st ML do all that and canceled his brain and do childish acts like this and made him forgot about mercy

specially after knowing the reason that the Father did all this for,
all what he did was just stealing the name to protect his family

but the ML acted as if he killed his father

so I saw a huge exaggeration from both the Father and the ML in their reactions

the middle sister's character wasn't smooth for me
annoying, weak in many situations, stubborn with no need in others,

the events and the dialogue were repetitive
the whole episode can contain only one or two maximum new event

the stories weren't go parallel and weren't connected well together

the whole mother's family (grandmother,brother,his wife and their son ) they can cut their roles and reduce the no. of episodes

the second ML's parents (the husband of the elder sister)
their story was too detailed in a very boring way
and the mother in law was unbearable

what annoys me the most was the main Father
he had a very weak character which made me mad as hell

And as usual they should make any one got sick with cancer to add some tragedy to the drama which was annoying also

What was really good about this drama that they were loving each other and supporting eachother always
Which I loved the most

thank god I finished
for me it's just a one time watch drama

this should be really maximum 32 episodes

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A Pleasant moment, well played and quite romantic.

“Twilight” with Hong Kong sauce, with Danson Tang.

Not all vampire stories are like Twilight, but here, we have:
- the university / school context
- rivalries within the school
- the good vampires and the villains (not werewolves, but vampires gone bad).
- sweet romance

BUT :
+ Only 9 ep. (Was there a season 2 planned??) and the way of filming is very special (jerky actions, in particular).
+ The actors are excellent and I became a fan of the 2 leads.
+ The OSTs are excellent too.
+ The story is quite coherent and approaches another point of view than Twilight, more psychological, more philosophical (what is the meaning of life when you have lived 200 years?).
- On the other hand, the special effects are "low-budget".

=> Pleasant moment, well played and quite romantic.
******************************************************************************
"Twilight" sauce Hong-Kong, avec Danson Tang.

Toutes les histoires de vampires ne ressemblent pas à Twilight, mais ici on a :
- le contexte universitaire
- les rivalités au sein de l'école
- les gentils vampires et les villains (pas de loups-garous, mais des vampires qui ont mal tourné).
- la sweet romance

MAIS :
+ Seulement 9 ép. (Y avait-il une saison 2 de prévue ??) et la façon de filmer est très spéciale (actions saccadées, notamment).
+ Les acteurs sont excellents et je suis devenue une fan des 2 leads.
+ Les OST sont excellentes.
+ La story est assez cohérente et aborde un autre point de vue que Twilight, plus psychologique, plus philosophe (quel est le sens de la vie quand on a vécu 200 ans ?).
- Par contre, les effets spéciaux font "low-budget".

=> Agréable moment, bien joué et assez romantique.

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