It was definitely the two leads that kept me watching. Jun Ji Hyun & Kim Soo Hyun played off of each other very well. Do Min Joon, though stoic most of the time, was a character with some unexpected depth. Chun Song Yi was the epitome of the spoiled Hallyu star on the surface, but was surprisingly likable, relatable, and hilarious! I had so many literal lol moments during the drama because of Jun Ji Hyun's performance. I was also impressed by Kim Soo Hyun's ability to pull off playing a character with so much maturity considering how much younger he is. To me, the best parts of the drama were when they were together, although I didn't cry once for them (and I can be a big crybaby). I was much more amused by them than really emotionally invested.
The supporting cast was also very good, but the other storylines just weren't as strong, and sometimes felt more like filler. The rest of the drama was pretty standard (devious villains, jealous friends, family greed, unrequited love, a crushable second lead...), and not as intriguing as the main couple. Still, I was entertained the whole time while watching, even during slower parts during the last few episodes. I also had no idea what the ending would be, and really liked what it turned out to be, even though it was slightly unsatisfying. The story does end with some questions left unanswered (like who in the world were they talking to? lol.), but I think the writers answered most of the ones that really counted.
Overall I really liked this drama for what it was and enjoyed watching it, but It never gave me that 'can't wait for the next episode feeling'. It's certainly not the best drama I've seen, yet there are aspects of this drama that I liked more than most. I'm not sure If I would rewatch more than a few select clips, but It's possible that I might watch it again one day, although I'm honestly not sure if I could handle listening to "You ARE my destiny..." anymore.
If you're generally a fan of romances about 2 people reluctantly falling in love, then I definitely recommend this one. Just think of the alien thing as a bonus.
***update*** I recently rewatched it and I was still very entertained so I bumped up my initial rating a little. Yes, "You ARE my destiny" is still annoying!
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Simply overrated
It’s a typical fictional story. Nothing special. Lead female character is seriously annoying. Plot mystery kept me watching and portrayal of actors and actress was good. The character of the FL could have been adjusted to make it a little more believable since the story is already a fiction. Ending is a bit weird that didn’t seem to fit in the story. I believe if this was adjusted and a little of reality was added, it could have been perfect. Still a good watch if you have nothing else to watch.Was this review helpful to you?
The acting was pretty good. I think the cast got along well off screen too, which I think is important to any drama. If people are not getting along well together then it shows on screen.
The music was very good. I will for sure be watching this drama again.
Just watch this drama. It's worth every minute.
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Jeon Ji Hyeon played her role superbly. how many times i laughed in most of her scenes. she has so many unpredictable hilarious scenes! although she really looks mature in her role, i was by NO means bothered by it because she was perfect for that role.
now about the drama, although i find it a little bit dragging, all in all it was exceptional. if i"m going to watch it again, i will just skip on the scenes they were not in.
Love it and i love "My Destiny" their ost.
I'm gonna miss this drama!
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This review may contain spoilers
WARNING : SPOILER ALERT (I'm trying not to, but I kinda have to give out some elements to explain myself. So read this after completing/dropping the drama please) Story : 6/10
Honestly I think the story started out GREAT. The first half of the drama was really interesting. But then I have the impression that the writer lost track of her own story.
1 - Some elements were forsaken, like the "long lost love reincarnation possibility". When he saved her from that truck, she said the exact same thing the girl said 400 years ago, and she felt sad and weird after seeing the old hairpin. So there was something planned, it wasn't just random. And then, after a few episodes, it was like none of this ever happened.
2 - I feel the "alien" thing wasn't used to its full extend. I mean in the end, we hardly know anything about his world and his family, if he has one!
3 - The last 5 episodes reminded me a bit too much of My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, so the ending wasn't any surprising at all. You just had the same story: He wants to save her; he loves her, if he stays with her he dies, so he disappear, she tries to get over him but she can’t, then when all seems lost, he comes back and they get their happy ending.
Acting : 7/10
The leads were good together, but the evil characters were not charismatic enough. The bromance was great, sure, but not enough to have me give a high rating. Still, my award goes to Jun Ji Hyun, who gave a really good performance. It’s refreshing to see such strong and nicely flawed female lead. She’s not the perfect hard-working Mary Sue you see in most kdramas.
Music : 5/10
“You AAAARE My Destiny!” No comment.
But still, the OST wasn’t completely annoying, so 5.
Rewatch Value : 6/10
Honestly I won’t rewatch it (and yet I’m a rewatcher) but this isn’t the kind of drama you can only watch once because the pleasure is all about the mystery and suspense, so I guess it’s rewatchable. And some scenes were really funny, so you could actually enjoy it. But personally I don’t think I’ll miss the characters enough to even want to rewatch that drama.
Overall: 6/10
It was a good drama, but sadly I think the writer took a lot of shortcuts and added clichés because she was obviously not prepared enough (that or she was forced to change the story after a few weeks). It was entertaining but not addictive. I enjoyed it, and sure it’s not often you see aliens in a kdrama (most of the time it’s more like ghost or gumihos), but it wasn’t really that original. So I can’t help but being a bit disappointed. Still, you can watch it and enjoy it.
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Starting with story, there were two different storylines going on, one being Jae Kyeong's terrifying murders, and the main being, obviously, the story between Min Joon and Song Yi. The story is typical and a cliched plot, but it was extremely well done, and it never had me bored. Around the last bit, it definitely could have been cut, and the last few episodes all kind of mush together, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
There were some things that didn't get tied up around the ending of this though. The original thing that had been so focused on was completely forgotten, that being the fact that it was Min Joon who saved Song Yi twelve years ago, and how she looked exactly like the girl he knew during the Joseon period. That was a completely dropped fact. The other thing that we never really were told was anything about his world. It's really kind of a shame that it ends with such little information on his world, when the entire last part of the drama is focused on him returning to it.
The entire cast was great. Kim Soo Hyun made the perfect indifferent alien falling in love, and Jun Ji Hyun made that typical female antagonist character into a main that we all loved. Shin Sung Rok as well, played a chilling but awesome character. It felt like he was oozing evil constantly, plotting the deaths of everyone in his way with a smile on his face. Still, I loved Jae Kyeong as a character; he was so terrifying.
The second leads were good too, but they disappear at points of time, and don't get quite enough time for their characters to develop. They were very much used as plot-pushers.
The characters were just great though. I felt like, while they were archetypes of every other character we all know in dramas, they were so quirky in their individual ways that it brought a fresh start with character cliches. Do Min Joon was the 'typical cold guy', but even with warming up to Song Yi, his personality doesn't make this drastic change in the name of love, which is what we usually see. The way their relationship progresses and they develop is what I found the best, since it didn't feel like a typical drama to me.
I enjoyed the OST, and thought it fit well most of the time, or simply faded into background music. There wasn't any point where it sounded horribly off, and I liked the songs.
I am not a rewatcher, but I can see the appeal in watching this over, maybe just for certain scenes.
Overall, the ending was a bit weird, but it was great. There was nothing that really frustrated me to the point of anger either, which happens sometimes. The characters and the actors playing them were really the best. This drama is something that ends with satisfaction. I didn't feel like it needed more, and I didn't feel sick like with the usually-cliche happy endings. It was a satisfactory watch, and I would suggest it if you have some sort of interest in great acting and a cute story.
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By the way, I did not watch this based on movie actors and actresses... I don't even know them, I watched purely for the story and it got me hooked.
Bottom line, fun, light, funny, little drama (not too heavy) and romance, so if you are looking for the next ROMCOM to watch, this will fit the bill. =)
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I really like science fiction movies, dramas, super powers :)
This drama has everything that I love - comedy, romance, super powers, good actors and story.
I love both main actors. JJH and KSH both was great. Their chemistry was daebak :) I cryed and laughed together with them.
I also liked Shin Sung Rok acting. He was scary and I will miss his ring :D :D :D
Also DMJ and YJ Bromance was so good :D
The music was nice. Loved all songs.
This drama was the best korean drama i have ever watched.
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The plot was interesting, he was an alien, she was a famous actress and they were linked by a past 'together'. In the meanwhile an accident to another actress happened, and so we have the main characters involved with a bad guy.
So ok, the story is just wow.
However I felt like from the 12 ep on it was lacking in something.
You have basically two main topics in the drama: the romance and the bad guy interfering with the detectives trying to solve the case and so on, but while the romance is well balanced, sometimes you just feel that the other part of the story is NOT going on.
Anyway, it is addicting because in every episode they put something that makes you say "wow, maybe in the next episode something big would happen", or "maybe this thing is related to this and that, we'll see in the next ep.".
The problem is, your doubts are not solved.
For me that was the only bad thing.
Nothing to say about the acting. Everyone was perfect. From Ji Hyun to her fictional brother.
In the end I recommend this, it is well done indeed!
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The most overrated and wasted show
Absolute waste of time, energy, efforts by everyone who contributed to this drama. The FL destroys it for everyone else because unfortunately the whole show rests on her and her severely lacking acting chops. Please do not try comedy - it reveals your poor talent. She was plain annoying here.Looks much older than the ML yet acts cutie pie.
They have no chemistry. The ML behaves like he's a 900 year old rock - with no expression or romance.
Regionally these two may be hot stars but for the global audience this had zero appeal.
It struggled to be funny and romantic. How they managed to drag it through sixteen episodes is a miracle.........
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