Reviews

A High Quality Drama But The Emotional Weight Is Not As Consistently Strong As You Would Hope.

I’ll start by saying I put off watching this one. I purposely did not watch it while it was airing. There are certain dramas that I know I won’t get the most out of them if I don’t watch them at a time I am most receptive to them.

Disclaimer * I don’t think this was the most receptive time either, even though I enjoyed watching it. I plan to watch it again in the future to see if I can get more out of it.

That said, for now I think it is a 9/10 drama and not a 9.5 or a 10/10 drama. The positives for me are what makes it a 9/10 and not the usual 8.5/10 that I give to solid k-dramas is that it is a heartfelt story, the plot is pretty solid and the acting is pretty good. The reason I won’t elaborate on the positives is because I’ll be honest; apart from recognising it as a solid production, this story did not get me as deep as it ought to have. I’ll go into why I think this was.

Starting from episode 2, although I was aware that time travelling was involved, the abrupt introduction of the time traveling element at the end of ep 2 felt like a sharp turn transition wise. It was not smooth at all. It was like being in a race car and suddenly making an extreme turn with little to no preparation, except this was done with the theme. Usually in dramas that include fantasy, they sprinkle a little bit of the fantasy elements in the lead up to the full blown reveal of the fantastical part of the drama. With this one, it was almost two full hours of a slice of life family drama that seemed rudely interrupted by the fantasy element suddenly being dropped in. And this was my reaction as someone who WAS waiting and expecting the fantasy element.

Another thing was, I couldn’t help but feel like this drama was an amalgamation of several movies, music and popular culture storylines and references, all pieced together. It made a huge chunk of the drama feel like a knock-off, ensuring that I could never really get into it as all I could think was, “they’re copying so and so”. I don’t mind things serving as an inspiration for others but you really have to make it your own and create something new with it, but with this drama, a lot of the concepts and scenes seemed borrowed. Whenever I was drawn into the drama, I’d notice that a scene or concept resembled something else and it would immediately take me out of it.

I have a minor point to make about the way the scenes were cut together. It didn’t affect the majority of the drama much, as it fit that youth-indie style type of film but when it came to the emotional scenes, it felt somewhat choppy aka not-so-smooth transitions. It meant that the emotions didn’t hit hard enough because the viewers weren’t able to sit with those scenes and absorb the depths of emotions before it suddenly changed to another scene. Typically for emotional scenes to work best, there needs to be a build up of emotional tension that is finally released and the cameras should not cut away in the middle of that emotion being expressed. For example, the cameras should not cut away in the middle of someone’s heartbreaking crying scene as it’s like cutting off the climax of emotions right at the top, which results in an immediate plateauing of the emotional weight when shifted to a new scene. Instead it should be like a hill with a slow rise to the climatic bump and a smooth decent to the other side of that intense emotion. This must be done in order to properly build the emotional weight of what the characters are experiencing and their plight, to help forge the bond between the viewer and the character and to allow the viewer to really connect to what the character is feeling.

This fourth reason was the most jarring for me. I have to preface this by saying I’m not trying to assume what’s best for the hearing impaired community, I’m coming at this solely from the perspective of someone who knows what storytelling mechanisms resonate with an audience. That being said, the thing about this drama that made it the hardest for me to get into it was the fact that they dubbed the deaf characters. I can understand from a practical pov why this was done but surely someone in the creative chair should have known how much of the connection and the power of the performances of the actors playing the deaf characters would have been lost by doing this. If you don’t understand what I mean, go watch CODA and tell me that by having the focus of communication solely on the deaf characters’ facial expressions, their sign language and only the silence to convey their lines; you didn’t feel everything they signed just a little bit more deeply. That you didn’t feel the hard hitting angry signing or the soft signing in tender moments that much more. That you couldn’t feel the frustration of the characters through their hands more than with a dubbed voice overlayed on top to explain what they are saying. It’s my opinion that some of the power of the actors’ performances were lost through the dubbing. I’m sure it was useful for Korean viewers not having to read subtitles but I’d argue they lost something potentially powerful through this.

If at the end of this you are wondering why I rated it so highly if I found so much wrong with it. It’s because of three things. One, this drama had excellent characterisation. Like truly excellent. Two, I did enjoy watching it. It won’t make it on my favourites list but I really did enjoy it. And three, I like to give dramas and movies their dues. Even if I don’t fall in love with a drama, I still rate them objectively by what they have to offer and what they do well. This drama was a solid, above average and at times, truly above average, drama.

If you ask me what could have made it a 10/10, I’d say, not rushing past the emotional scenes too quickly, not dubbing the deaf characters and finally, trusting the foundation of the story more, which was a story about a boy’s love for his father and vice versa while grappling with the difficulties of being a CODA. If they did this without trying to emulate other films, dramas, music or American popular culture; it could have been a 10/10 drama that stayed with me forever.

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Failed Potential

Let me start by saying that I am sucker for ghost stories, even though I am really scared of the paranormal entity. I went into this movie hoping for a good dose of fear and ghosts, but was left severely disappointed by the storytelling and pacing.

First and foremost, the movie is divided into three parts that take place at one university, but they have nothing in common.
The pacing for all stories was very slow, and overall it didn’t have any horror feels, but instead, for some reason, the movie had melancholic feels. They tried to play the feeling card so many times that I got bored in the middle of it. The ghosts were... well, there, but there was no further information about them.

The acting was very good, and I feel that it wasted potential for the actors, as the script failed them very badly.

Overall, it was pure chaos, and I do not recommend it. The below-average subtitles also didn’t do any good for the quality, so if you can, please avoid this movie, as it doesn’t bring anything new to the table or anything exciting.

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As more episodes are coming, you'll find it worth watching

I've have been a fan of YayaMark love team since "Kleun Cheewit". I've also watch "Tawan Deard" since I can't get over with their chemistry. Same reason why I've also currently watching "Love at First Night".

I understand why a lot of people said they don't like it. At earlier episodes, I am also hesitant to continue watching it.
But knowing the fact that it was Yaya & Mark, I've watched more episodes, & currently I am at episode 16. I'm glad I made that decision, as more episodes has been released I had fun watching. I had laugh, cried & feel their love and chemistry. All of the characters have their own charm in the film.

To all the people who might probably read this, I hope you can still continue & finish watching this Lakorn. Let's gave Yaya, Mark & all of the casts a chance to prove how good they are in this film. I am hoping this will not be the last film we can see them together on-screen.

Thank you & happy watching♥️

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2023 was not that bad with My Dearest !!

Where do I even start?? I started many dramas from 2023 and 2024, and either I put them on hold, or I was so disappointed. This one is an exception. Maybe it's because it has just 10 episodes, but those 10 episodes were worth every single minute.

The cinematography, production, and aesthetics were outstanding. Even though it was set during wartime, the locations were beautiful and calming.
The plot was amazing, and I was never bored. Each character added depth to the drama, showing what Joseon was like at that time—people’s beliefs, how women were taught, and how they should act during war.

Gil Chae and Jang Hyun were the exceptions to the rule; they were a match made in heaven. They had different beliefs and perspectives on life, not caring about what others thought of them.

Goong Min was the actor that pushed me to start this drama. He's one of my favorite actors and just knows his stuff. I can't imagine anyone else playing this character; it was made for him. His interactions with Gil Chae were so sweet—always teasing her, promising her, searching for her, finding her, helping her, and protecting her!

The songs that Ryang Eum sang were just so mesmerizing! They're stuck in my head.

As expected, the end of this part was dramatic, with the main leads having to separate. They added that last scene with the bounty hunter, making us wonder if he would fall for another woman.

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Choice A or Choice B, live life without regrets

This is not your typical rom-com. The drama’s concept of “what if” is that the female lead is at a crossroad and has to choose between two paths. The drama shows us how these two choices play out at the same time in a parallel sort of way (think the USA movie Sliding Doors). In episode 3, the drama splits in two. Timeline 1, the female lead gets off the bus and stays at her small town with her loving boyfriend. Timeline 2, the female lead stays on the bus and moves to the big city for work. Both timelines are real.

Note, this is a female centric drama so the whole story focuses on Zhong Chu Xi two characters. There are two male leads Liu Xue Yi (small town boyfriend) and Lin Yu Shen (boss in the big city) which I felt shared almost equal screen time.

“Live life without regrets” is the message of the drama that the writers executed perfectly. The best thing about this drama is that it doesn’t sugar coat anything. It shows us the realistic and very human side of life. Relationships are not perfect, they are messy, filled with miscommunication, confusion but also love and warmth. Life is not perfect either and we should cherish the happiness we have, even if sometimes it’s only a little bliss. No choice is wrong or right, we just have to take it all in and navigate through the ups and downs of life.

POSITIVE:
- Realistic story about flawed characters with relatable and real life issues.
- No sugar coating. The drama always keeps it real to make sure we remember that sometimes real life does not work like a cute rom-com.
- Unique plot with deeper meaning about life behind it.
- Real life problems. The drama shows us raw and flawed communication between people that might not be considered healthy but it’s very much authentic to real life.
- Cute romantic scenes.
- No fillers or side stories. Almost all scenes show the main lead’s story (the female lead and her two male leads).
- No cheating. Even though there are two male leads in the story, the female lead doesn’t cheat and there are no love triangles.
- Realistic portrayal of life's highs and lows.
- Blend between daily mundane life in a small time vs a lavishing lifestyle in the big city.
- A mix of very sad and very heartwarming moments.

NEGATIVE:
- Melodrama vibe. The characters were constantly going through many challenges which made the drama very stressful to watch at times.
- Third party vibes. There is no cheating and no love triangles however the female lead does end up dating another man in one of the timelines so for some people that might be difficult to watch.
- Transitions between the two timelines are not always clear and sometimes it takes a few moments to realise we are watching the other timeline. You really have to pay close attention to not confuse the two timelines. It would have been better if the two timelines were more distinguishable, whether with different colours or the female lead’s appearance.
- Female lead being the scapegoat. The writers wanted to create more engaging drama for the viewers but at the cost of their female lead. Unfortunately, a lot of the times I felt all the problems and conflicts steamed from the female lead.
- Happy ending for both timelines however it also felt a bit open. I wish the drama showed us a few years into the future in each of the timelines.

OVERALL:
If you want a melodrama vibe, with a realistic story about flawed characters and the raw portrayal of messy relationships, watch this drama.

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
“We should cherish the happiness we have, even if it’s a little bliss”
“Whatever road you may choose, you may regret. But once you decide, you have to go on. It will end well”

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Só tornou facilmente minha série favorita

O apego que senti com essa série não acontece com frequência comigo. A última vez que fiquei tão apaixonada por uma história assim foi quando assisti 2521, e isso me gerou alguns traumas (rs). Coração quentinho do começo ao fim, muitas mensagens bonitas, atores incríveis e cenas cativantes. Amei! Vale todo o hype e todo o tempo investido.
A história da família é tão bonita e o final é de derreter qualquer coração. É legal pensarmos no quanto as vezes pensamos que conhecemos nossos pais quando na verdade existem diversos aspectos da história deles que não fazemos ideia.

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lovely Escapism

I don’t really know why I love that drama so much. I watched it as palate cleanser after my CLOY-obsession, a friend recommended it. And it was so amazing. I am not even interested in technology. Yoon Hyun Min was great as the ML, he is really eyecandy and there was a lot to see of him😉 Also, he dressed so well. My heart went out to him as Ko Nan Do and I also liked the FL. She was struggling so hard but overcame a lot. There could have been more kissing, but the romance was sweet and tore on my heartstrings somehow. I love my Tsundere hero with a heart of gold.

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Last of the Original Live Action Movies

Another completely biased review from me to you.

I am still wondering why they made this one and the New Generation one too, 10 years after the originals. And if they were going to make them, damn it make them better than this! This review is all very spoilery, I just did a stream of conscience while watching. Read at your own risk 😉

First 10+ minutes or so I thought maybe the streaming platform had screwed up and I was actually watching the Netflix version? I've seen worse beginnings to movies but wow, what was this? This story takes place 10 years after the original live action movies from 2006-2008.

Then nice, a picture of Light, and picture of L. Then a short clip of Light which makes absolutely no sense as far as the previous movies go. Isn't he dead already, pretty definitively? 😕 Then the Death Note Task Force is out to catch a new holder of the Death Note Book. They are disguising themselves (very badly) by wearing sunglasses and having scarves on so she won't see their names using the reaper's eyes. So lame! Does it get better? Nope.

So, Ryuzaki is a clone of L? He's rather boorish and irritating without any of the charms of L.

Beppo was a disappointing looking reaper. Arma makes up for it.

More 'video' of Light/Kira that disguised a virus to take down all computer systems. Too funny.

Misa! 😭

What a twist ending! Ok, made the ride halfway decent. However, sorry, but I was rooting for Shien here as the new Kira. Seriously, Suda Masaki was simply adorable. They did him wrong.

Anyhow, I suppose if you are going to do like I did and decide to watch all the Death Note live actions (except for the Netflix one, gods why did they do that?) they are ok to watch. Sadly the only one I would really recommend is the one that started it all, Death Note from 2006. Also, the series from 2015 is pretty darn good. I'll be watching that one next.

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Awesome Screenplay, Acting

The main motive of the leads is to stop the production of harmful things from a company while fighting against the company's evil psycho CEO. It has a plain story of a mafia fighting against evil jang han seok and things facing on the way. Good projection of story, acting, roles and events unfolding. Theme was affected a little when Jang han seo died. As they tried to show some emotional feel but actually it affected the Vincenzo portrait. He could've taken turn in attacking han seok, while saving han seo and stopped Hong cha yong from a shot. And for the last 4 episodes Hong cha yong doesn't have much screentime I guess. All main leads did an awesome job. And I personally liked Agent ahn ki seok's performance. Events unfolded very smoothly.

And I m giving this a 9 as I really got disappointed when Vincenzo was not Vincenzo-ing at the time of jang han seo's dead as he could've done much better if not for the storyline of han seo to be dead.

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A refreshing drama with hint of comedy

Honestly this drama is so good. At first I did not have much expectation as I just finished watching twinkling watermelon and other time travel dramas but this one was just so good.

The story is about the girl Im Sol who lost her leg in an unfortunate accident. She resented the person who saved her and thought she was better off dead but turns out that her idol who gave her the motivation to live Ryu Sun Jae is the one who saved her. When Ryu Sun Jae commits suicide Im Sol is devastated and just wants to save Sun Jae and somehow she ends up coming back to year 2008 where Ryu Sun Jae is her neighbour!! She is determined to change their fate but that is not all turns out that from high school Sun Jae has always liked Sol!!
The way they added a sense of humor in it (especially that c*ndom scene) was hilarious.
The story is good too I didn't ven realise that I finished watching 12 episodes in 2 days!!
As for cast...this drama is just eye candy because all the cast are so pretty. Byeon woo seok just stole the whole show with his visuals and his acting? Excuse me but it was so good the female lead too I watched her other drama too like extraordinary you and I have to say she did not disappoint!! All in all this is a must watch drama!!

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Do Bae Man is A Horrible Dude you Cannot and Should not Root For in this poorly written Affair.

The ML is a scumbag full stop. Im all for redemption Arcs but when your starting point is bowing down before a voilent series rapist and promising you'll get him off while the victim is barely coping with the terror of repercussion then well its hard to redeem. (The rape was horrendous btw)The fact then there is basically no redemption arc makes my mind boggle. Literally immediately the apparently righteous FL (who is the one supporting the rape victim along with the MLs aunt who is a detective investigating his case) is smiling and having Chemistry with the ML. He has now gone pro rape victim not because he cares one bit but because FL reveals to him the rapists family killed his parents. This revelation makes him sad and angry (again not because he cares about the poor terrified woman who has just been raped and is living in fear of reprisal because she had the guts to go to the police and is terrified a scumbag like the ML will get her violent scumbag rapist off) no its because it affects him it makes him angry he happily got on his knees for this dirtbag but now Seemingly he is righteous and all is well Eh no its not, not by a long shot. I cannot understand anyone who could root for a scumbag ML like this and then having him have "chemistry" with the badass FL Just totally demeans her. Seriously i will never watch one of this writers dramas again on principle. What a waste of Jo Bo Ahs character. If she was written as using the ML but also planning on teachimg him a lesson maybe but that does not happen. God its one parhetic show.
AVOID IT ALL COSTS Unless you like pure stupidity and crassness.

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