Reviews

What a masterpiece: a brilliantly acted out and feel-good piece of work!

Every recommendation list I ever saw, I always saw this show. Now I know why.


I actually started this once, saw the first 2 episodes (not completely) and as soon as I saw her walking towards the weight loss clinic, I gave up thinking it’s the same old fat-shaming crap. Two years later, I dedice to give this show another chance as it still keeps popping up on every single list I see. Started it from the very start once again, and oh my god, I binge watch the whole thing over two all-nighters. It’s safe to say, I absolutely loved it. Every single aspect of this show.

I usually don’t leave comments/reviews. Where I have, they’re usually pretty long and detailed. But when I sit down to jot down my review for this, I’m lost. What do I ever say? I can’t find faults. The acting by ALL the actors is supreme. I love the friendships this show focuses on, whether it be between the girls or the leads. I absolutely love the romance, NJH and LSK have such a great chemistry, cannot even beging to describe without swooning. I love the team spirit between the weightlifting team and how they celebrate together and are there for one another. I also love the family bonds that they depict in this show. I mean, can we find anything not to love in this show? And it’s safe to say, I also love the character who one might even come off as evil at some point. Every body has given their absolute best to this show and I’m all for it.

One thing I would like to touch upon is the aspect of body positivity that this show promotes, which hilariously having misunderstood was my reason for dropping the show. I love how the weight loss clinic does not play into the otherwise usual unhealthy trope and focuses on healthy ways of losing weight. We often forget the kind of impact pop culture and media has on youngsters, so it’s good that the show did not propogate bad eating habits or anything of that sort. Yes, the gymnastic team scenes were hard, but hey, I’m not one to comment on the requirements of a sport. Even when we see Bok Joo bothered by her appearance, she never once dehumanises it and explains the ask of the sport well so that there are no misunderstandings. That is one aspect I appreciate about this show. Also love Joon Hyeong for loving Bok Joo for who she is, how she is. They spread so much positivity around and how he lifts her up when she feels down about her own self, love it!!!!

Just one thing I didn’t like (not dislike but just didn’t like as much) was the OST. It just didn’t stand out for me. Like, usually a song holds to much importance for me. I am a fan of some shows just because of the OST. However, in this show, I can’t recall a single tune. They acting, the story and everything was so fun and engaging that I just never caught the OST which goes to show it wasn’t very engaging for me. For me personally, that’s a let down because I’m a total OST person and hence that’s one place where I can’t give marks.

A definite recommendation from my side, all you rom-com fans (and others) should definitely give this a try. The show is very light-hearted and feel good even though it touches upon few deep issues. A must watch for all k-drama lovers (or not) for sure!

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The execution was all over the place!

The only saving grace for this drama is the phenomenal delivery by our leads and the OSTs.
These 2 reasons are why I picked this drama up after I dropped it after ep 13. I just had to see the end of it.

The love story between Haein and Hyunwoo is beautiful. I find it lacking in the overall execution just like the rest of the drama. Even though the feelings that we needed to see were beautifully conveyed by the acting of Ji Won and Soo Hyun, there were a lot of misses in the direction and writing.

The side plots weren't interesting enough for me tbh, I could have done without some of them. They needed to be properly developed and woven into the main story seamlessly!

The villains, Eun Sang and his mother didn't get the ending they deserved! It was rushed
I think giving Dahye and Grace redemption arcs was a poor decision. Not everybody needed to sing "Kumbayah"

I understand this is fiction, but some choices and decisions that Soo Cheol made were unrealistic and made zero sense. They were just written as part of "a great love story" that failed to hit the mark. It was plain idiocy!

The dramatic effects in this drama were more prioritised than making a great drama that made sense and followed a natural progression. It was just one bad decision after the other.

I could list everything wrong with this drama but frankly, I'm too disappointed and over everything that could have been better done in this drama.
The anticipation I felt for this drama from the moment the leads and main plot were announced was completely let down. If I were to rate it based on my disappointment, I would rate it a 5/10.

It's getting an overall 7.5/10 score because the acting from our leads needs to be praised and the OSTs were so beautiful!

And lastly, the hype this drama received is due to the acting of the main leads, and their unbelievable chemistry and because of that I can't in good conscience say the drama was totally overhyped.

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a steamy start to what prmises to be an adorable romance

Sexy Inspector M from Manner of Death and our adorable Tofu from Miracle of Teddy bear? Whoever decided to pair these two up knew exactly what they were doing, I was ready for this chemistry as soon as I saw the poster. So far we're only one episode in and they do not disappoint-- great start to a promising series.

The story is simple enough, cocky boxer meets his match outside the ring, a doctor who has no patience for his attitude. He runs into our drunk heartbroken doctor a few days later and takes him home, just for the doctor to drag him inside for some sexy fun. The question is, will the one night stand turn into more?

The acting is great too, even though their looks are enough to grab your attention, these two lead actors have a lot of depth to them, and all the side actors are all decent as well.

Production quality is good, looks like they got good funding.

I'm optimistic! It's becoming a trend to throw together a smutty series with a poor storyline and b-list acting skills because they know people will watch it for the NC scenes, but so far this is not that type of show, im excited for more. This review is based on episode one and will be edited as more are released.

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Disappointed

this was one of the most boring season I’ve ever watched, I’m so disappointed.
s1 had such a unique vibe, the characters all brought something to the show they were all very interesting. whereas in s2 they added pointless characters that we could’ve cared less.
half of the og charcters either died or got forgotten. the main character was gone for like half of the season, same with sangwook (the gangster) which is my favourite character, but at least he is still alive ig and yikyeong who came back with a grown kid.
some charcters looked also so much alike, like the priest and sang wook. it showed how desperate the writers were to get us attached to the new ones.
the monsters in s1 used to be individual, and in s2 they all look alike?? the monsters attacked in groups and were literal clones. you transform yourself from desires/fears so why are they the exact same?? this took the point of the show away.
the storyline was as boring as the characters. eunyu walking around for 3 episodes trying to find her brother was pointless. they could’ve made it so much interesting.
same with chief ji, we never knew what she was hiding and why she was acting like that.
thankfully the ending looked more promising for a better season.

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A sincere drama, that may probably leave you unsatisfied

Because of the mixed reviews, I was hesitant to watch this drama. In the end, I did watch it only because IU (Cindy) co-stars in it. In that regard, I may be biased : she was stunningly beautiful in every scene. The vulnerable-yet-strong persona suits her beautifully. If you are fans of IU and watch this drama, you probably won't be disappointed.

I liked The Producers, but I was left with the frustrating sentiment that it could have been so much better.
This is not, by any means, a bad drama. Both the writing and acting are sincere. The characters are flawed in very relatable ways, and the depiction of their interactions, aka the story, mostly steers clear of the heavy-handed tropes (unlikely coincidences, misunderstandings, unrealistic change of character,...) that tend to plague k-drama. The comedic moments were hit-and-miss, but most were light-handed enough, and some were hilarious enough, that I did indeed laugh out loud once in a while. Kim Soo Hyun (Baek Seung Chan) truly shone in that regard.

The first few episodes felt like a Korean take on The Office, and the newbie's confrontation with the "real", petty world of business felt, at least in a comedic sense, right: because his own reasons for joining this world were so childish and misguided, his ordeals were funny. I can't spoil the show, just let me say that this arc becomes far reaching (not as a character arc, more as the conceptual arc of making life-defining choices based on the ground of love) in a scenaristically brilliant turn of events.

What makes me sad about this drama is that, while it is always respectful of its audience, it did not commit to writing a meaningful resolution for its characters.. There were so many dots let to be connected.

My guess would be that the writer had the perfect drama in mind, but that, ironically, some producer ruined it.
Or, maybe, it was the writer's intention that so many characters likable should be left hanging. A slice of life...?

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An easy binge, fun characters and interesting takes on marriage

An easy binge that shows a whole lot of relationships and ways to approach the issue of marriage... Be it facing the pressure to get married, finding ones own path or the whole system of marriage.

To be honest it does get a bit preachy at times and seems to have a very clear agenda telling the viewers to question the restrains the institution of marriage often brings.

It also has a whole lot of interesting discussions about healthy and less healthy relationships as well as the diffrence between slight jealousy and possessiveness driven by male rivalry. While slight jealousy can be cute and may have elements of love possessiveness does not. There is also an interesing show of different perspectives to the same situation. And while a lot of western shows will show women desperate to get married it is kind of refreshing to see men try to hold on to the institution of marriage while the women are the ones to try to oppose it.

The characters in this are lovely, while there are a lot of "eeeh" the over the top comedy is held to a minimum.

The found family, friendships and ways they talk about life in general can get to be a bit draggy and is not what I would say revolutionary but it is pretty ok and holds an okay balance between fluff, prechyness and just a slice of life in general.

A decent watch, that even htough it has some episodic elements is still easy to watch and has a decent red thread that runs through it...

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Best acting of 2024 as of now with a "could be better " plot wise!

To be fair, for me the rating is actually something like 8.8/10.

As i said earlier, the acting is really good on this one, the whole cast did a FANTASTIC JOB, but the LEAD COUPLE was really really well casted! a round of applause to them, i think they actually carried this drama, i hope they will win a lot of awards, they deserve it.

There were too many cliches, i hope this drama was more original, less predictable....
Some characters were unrealistic, like come on, in real life this would have never happened.
The villain could have been written better. I hope Park Sung Hoon will get the recognition he deserves and maybe play the good guy next time lol.

I actually recommend it, watch it and make your own opinion of it, don't be swayed by the bad reviews. It is not the perfect drama but it is enjoyable, and Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won are the lead! like come on, what else do you need to give it a try!?

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Kim Baek Du Swag!!

Wow, what an underrated gem! This show truly captured my heart and deserves so much more recognition. The storyline was incredibly refreshing and heartwarming, and I couldn't help but fall in love with all the genuine characters, especially our main character, Kim Baek Du. He reminded me so much of Kim Bok Joo from Weightlifting Fairy, which just added to the charm! We definitely need more dramas like this one. While the story may have been slow-paced, that's what made it so special and captivating. I'm usually not a fan of adding murder mysteries to feel-good shows, but this one was surprisingly okay. They didn't dwell too much on it, which I appreciated. Instead, I found myself completely engrossed in the adorable interactions between our two main characters. They were just too cute together! And let's give a big shoutout to Jang Dong Yoon for his dedication to the role, gaining weight to truly embody the character. I had never heard of or seen this sport before, but he portrayed it so convincingly that it piqued my interest. Kudos to the entire cast and crew for delivering such an unforgettable experience!

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I was enjoying it until.....then dropped it

WARNING: This is my biased personal review and a rather exceptional one. I am sad because I had to drop this one.

As a BL enthusiast, who watches almost all BLs and specially never miss the Taiwanese ones just because they are soo good, dropping this one was just hurtful. I dropped this series not because it was bad , not because the direction was bad, not because the actors were not upto the par.......😔
It's just because the story made me extremely uncomfortable , to keep watching it anymore.

Romanticized relationship between siblings are just really uncomfortable for me to watch. Well, yes it's established that they were not blood related, but how does it matter if blood related or not siblings are siblings right.

Well yes, might have been easier if it was the case for stepbrothers or stepsisters who were of age but in case if it's someone with whom you grew up with(like Yuan and Qian), meant that your relationship was always fake... The question should not be is this okay, the question should be is it right?..The worst part is that what if the other person never reciprocated your feelings, a family is broken , affecting not only them but other members of the family as well.

So, I was wondering if it was right to gamble your family for your feelings and found it really selfish to do so. This is why I just couldn't continue keep watching it anymore.

Overall: It must be a good drama to watch , but you can only watch it if you have no issue with this storyline.

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Orphans, Birth Secrets, & Corporate Greed: Extremely Entertaining Easy Watch

You know almost everything and you're just watching to see how and when the characters find out. It starts off slow, but then the drama escalates exponentially. A lot of absurd, hilarious, and shocking moments. Barely any romance; just a few touching moments.

It's an ensemble cast with a lot of characters, but because of the amount of episodes you get to know each one without getting confused. The acting from the adults and kids is great and the writing makes even the villains understandable.

Jung Da Jung's character is written super annoying at the beginning; perhaps to show how much she grows throughout the show.

JDJ got on my nerves; so I was team Kang Delulu Se Ran from beginning to end.
Yes! ; She deserves all the slaps and she took them like a champ!

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Absolutely the best! Will keep you guessing until the very end

The Director shots were so professional and very much so better than the usual short drama direction. 10,000 times better. The costumes wardrobe everything was tailored and not the same three dresses that have been recycled in multiple dramas repeatedly! They put some money for special effects, which came out really great! Nothing with sloppy! The plot was absolutely intriguing and the tension never stops for this one. I don’t find myself crying from anger at the female lead for her stupidity and I don’t find myself feeling disgusted by the protagonist may lead because of duplicity and abuse scenes.
The show made me laugh, and the show made me cry. This show gave me hope and the shell gave me the biggest thrill I’ve ever had watching a short drama from China. I have to say these actors are on my top 10 list of favorite Chinese actors in short dramas… they never leave me disappointed…
Congratulations on a great win!! I am on my toes with excitement for season two!! 🎊🎊🎊

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its "10 things I hate about you"

Halfway through the series and it's already one I'm keeping in my pocket.

Boys be brave is a cute youre-really-not-my-type-but-for-some-reason-i-love-you story. Jinwoo is particular about everything, and he doesn't do anything he doesn't want to-- that includes asking the guy he likes to date. It's clear that Kisub isn't cut out for a monogamous relationship, he's a carefree guy who dates whoever he wants, and though he likes them he's never been in love. When he found out that Jinwoo won't date him even though he's in love with him, is it just curiosity that keeps him running after Jinwoo, or are his feelings growing into more?

I'm pretty sure this is going to end up as a cute story with a happy ending since it's already showing a lot of progress, but I'll update the review as needed once all the episodes release.

Story isn't terribly original but it's cute, it has major Semantic Error vibes, but the characters and storyline are slightly different. The characters are cute and the actors are too, the scenes are really well done, and overall production quality is high.

This seems like it will be a short and sweet watch, I'll edit this when the last episodes come out on the 16th!

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A strange Overlord

It was a beautiful series that I can say was extraordinary. It was a series with a very good story and, according to him, very well constructed, acted and directed. I especially congratulate the Japanese players. I congratulate the director separately. Likewise the fiction.
First of all, the story was very good. The atmosphere and life of that time, especially the missionary movements, and the harmony or perspective of foreigners and local people are reflected beautifully. In addition, sections from Japan's administrative order and social life at that time are also given. It satisfied me in terms of credibility and reality. They have given everything in its place. Missionary movements and sectarian concepts, and therefore the fights and hostilities that arose, disturbed me a little. It connoted something like Christian propaganda. I felt uncomfortable. That's why I made a note. Otherwise, it was a perfect series, ten out of ten for me. This introduction of Christianity and its sectarian concepts was not pleasant. I think they wanted to give missionary movements as well. They wanted to show its positive effects on the people there. They even specifically included the initiative of a noblewoman to serve the church as a nun. I didn't like these. But I said it might also reflect the events of the time. A time when feudalism dominated.
The actors, the Japanese actors, were very successful. The little man became a giant with Hiroyuki Sanada's play, the Shogun image was very good. It looks good. He played very well. I liked Anna Sawai very much. I think his role was superior to all of them and he nailed it. I really liked Asamo Tadanobu. He became a person with a personality and charisma. These players were very remarkable. Of course Cosmo Jarvis. He showed a good appearance in this series, but his acting is questionable. I watched him for the first time. I did not like. But it remained normal within this story and game.
I recommend everyone to watch it.

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