Jim Jong Jun

All Bark and No Bite

For all the hype this show had it just isn't really hitting that hard. I don't really care much about the intro being made with AI and all that stuff but it's the editing and characters of the drama that is somewhat of a letdown.

I wanted to see an ML who is grey, clever and ready to go scorched earth after all the pain he went through but all I see is a zero self respect love struck idiot who is still naive and weak when it comes to planning and plotting plus keeps getting played again and again. One tear from FL and in a second he loses his manhood and anger only to give in to her words, it's quite pathetic to watch. One of the most pathetic male lead characters I have ever seen. I really hoped they will make a man out of ML by the end but he was the same old pussy.

The show really did ruin FL's character too, they wanted to show her all tragic and some one who is mission focused but only ended up showing her as a selfish and extremely toxic woman. Frankly by the end you will be guessing did she even love ml or only wanted a zero self respect doormat of a man who keeps licking her shoes no matter how many times she ruins his life or worse she treats him.

This is one of the dramas where I cared more for the side characters than the main leads. I loved Li Boze , Qingyu, Zi Hong characters and really rooted for them. Frankly even the antagonists were more interesting to watch than the leads.

The story is decent and too some extent keeps you engaged but it's the character arcs that are a mess overall. The acting is decent by everyone nothing too great but not too bad. The cinematography is average and VFX is simply bad for a big budget drama it was promoted as.

Read More

Action sequences are the only saving grace of this draggy and repetitive drama

Summary of drama :
ML is a guy suffering from past trauma meets people just like him

Goes to fight injustice
Beats up a few people
They strike back and kick his ass badly
Give him trauma both physical/mental
Cries about it but gets back up on his feet

Goes back to fight injustice again
Beats up a few people again
They strike back and kick his ass badly again
Give him trauma both physical/mental again
Cries about it but gets back up on his feet again

........The Loop Continues

The storyline and so repetitive, that you can already guess what will go down in the next ep. This drama could have been kept upto 12 eps at max but instead was turned into a total drag. Even the action isn't that entertaining anymore with how crappy things get.

- The ending was decent and so were the last 2-3 eps but over all it was a letdown.

-The cast did their job be it acting or action well but the screen play and writing just wasn't good. The leads have almost little to no chemistry and it's not their acting that screws things up but their character and relationship progression. Park Bogum had more chemistry with Lee Sang Yi than with So Hyun.

- (6.5/10)

Read More

Only Watch If You Are A Fan Of The Leads Otherwise You Can Skip It

Story:
It is decent to say the best with nothing new or out of the box. The story is quite similar to many other past lover reunion tropes you have seen in many Chinese dramas before.

Pace:
The pacing of the drama is a little draggy as this entire drama could have been done in 16 eps had they not added some unnecessary story arcs.

Characters:
Frankly I found almost every female lead annoying and overbearing other than Duan Yu (Shi Qin) especially the female lead. Each lead character has their own flaws but their growth is shown while FL for most of the drama is still the same she was in the start. Male lead on other hand is a guy who is ready to do anything even screw his dreams if it means to stay with FL while she doesn't want to compromise even the slightest. It is only in the last few eps, you start seeing signs of improvement after she starts to heal from her scars.

Other lead characters especially the third couple has a cute story and makes you want to root for them alot.

Actors:
Each actor did their job fairly well whether it is the leads or side. LYR and XRH have really good chemistry and both suite each other well. Even the antagonists have done a good job in looking annoying.

Overall it is a one time watch. If you are a fan of the cast and past lover tropes, then go ahead and watch it but if you are looking for something much interesting then you can skip it.

Read More

Annoying leads in a mediocre storyline with nothing new to offer

I had huge hopes from this drama but it turned out to be absolute generic and dud. This is one of those drama where things get sorted out in last 2 eps and till then all you get is an immature, obnoxius and bratty FL and a doormat of a nostalgia clingy ML who just can't take NO for an answer and also not move on. At this point it is not even funny but annoying to see when the two are together. This is one of those dramas where I would rather have the leads not end up together. The chemistry between them is mediocre to say the best, hell FL has better chemistry with 2ML and even their conversations are somewhat decent to watch.

The issue with the drama is that things between the leads makes you so frustrated that even when they get together you won't feel any spark or butterflies watching them. It simply bores you and does nothing else.

The cast is good but got screwed by the mediocre and draggy story

Read More

How to ruin a really good show in last 4 episodes

I will keep it simple and short , the show started good, continued even better but coming near the end went straight downhill.
The entire character of FL was ruined at made folks hate her even more than SFL.
Looks like the writers did avoid the cheating trope in the original but still managed to ruin the female lead's character.

The actors did justice to their roles be it the leads or the side characters, who didn't do justice were the writers who could have done a way better job with the ending .
This show could have been an extremely good love story about two mature people but went quite an opposite way ruining the mood. Still better then the original Japanese version which was even way worse.

Read More

Starts with a Bang but diffuses by the end

Just like it's prequel the show starts off with a bang. Ahn Bo Hyun as always was the perfect casting for Jin Isoo with his charm and comedic timing. As much as it sucks to not have Park Ji Hyun in this one, Jung Eun Chae as the strict and commanding senior really does take the mantle of being the badass female lead in this drama. The dynamics have changed, first season it was ML getting under FL's skin and now it's vice versa.

Story so far is engaging and thrilling for most part plus the humor hits right on point. Another thing I love about the drama is that doesn't shy away from even touching topics that are still a taboo in SK like LGBTQ. The drama in it's later half becomes quite predictable where you can deduce who the killer is supposed to be easily.

The biggest let down of this season is the main antagonist, Yoo Seung Ho who fails to hit the mark by a long gap. He might be a good actor but damn he sucks in portraying a cold psychotic killer and the writing + lack of build of for his character and not delving into his family dynamics only ruined it. Not once do I get the eerie vibes when he is on screen nor felt the dread when he is interacting with his victims. He acts more like a rich brat who kills for fun instead of a multi layered sadistic killer.

The sequel may not match upto how good the first season was but is still a good watch. Also the last minute intro for the next antagonist had me psyched as he as an actor who can pull it off well.

Read More

Only a Devil can kill a Monster

A cool Mafia consigliere and a chaotic lawyer team up to take down a huge business cartel run by a vicious and psychotic monster. In the process several secrets are revealed, masks fall off and the true self of many are shown, friends turn into foes and foes into friends.
The cast was great and did justice to their characters be it the leads or the bad folks. You really do end up hating their guts till the end. The chemistry between the leads was too good, they didn't need much romantic scenes to show on how much they suited each other.
The story was catchy and engaging with good humor, though there were instances where it felt dragged and unnecessary stuff added to it overall it didn't bore me.
I really liked the soundtrack of the show especially "Adrenaline" and "Always by your side".

Read More

A good concept ruined by poor storytelling

Drama started so well but went downhill by the last few eps.

--This drama could have done so well and shown a mentally broken person with DID healing from past scars but they turned it into a total romantic past lover reunion melodrama bullshit.

--Even Shin Hye Sun's acting and Truck kun won't be able to save this one.
--KJY's character is here to suffer. Major Second Lead Syndrome incoming.
--JHJ's character has no character development and is only there for gag.
--LJW needs to go to acting school.

The leads especially the male lead is a huge miscast. His role needed a guy who can act well with his eyes and even show the subtle emotions well but all we get is a bland and blank LJW who is so crappy with his acting. He was decent is Bulgasal but was horrible in this one. Shin Hye Sun and Kang Ju Yeon did so well with their roles but sadly the story writing was so poor that their amazing acting can't save this drama. SHS always nails her roles no matter the genre and even this time she was phenomenal.

Story writing is the biggest drawback of this drama.

Read More

Just a generic rom com dud with mediocre chemistry and not worth your time.

Just another drama added to list of cliche generic duds with nothing new to offer. The leads have little to no chemistry and it's funny that for a drama titled "Dynamite Kiss" they literally had leads kissing like dead fishes. I still wonder why they even for the leads actors and what spark they saw in these two.

The latter half of the drama is literally ripped from King The land but only worse plus added that cliche breakup before final episode crap. Even KTL wasn't something new and was generic to say the best but damn the leads had some serious chemistry also a healthy relationship built on trust where both of them chose to deal with issues together instead of breaking up.

The second leads too have almost zero progression when it comes to romance so far and I am sure their plot too will be rushed just to give a happy ending.

I don't even need to waste my time to watch the last 2 eps to know how it will end.

Read More

A wholesome sometimes chaotic drama that shows the values of having family and friends

A good wholesome heartwarming story that shows you can withstand everything when your family is by your side.
A girl who loses everything in an instant unwillingly goes back to her hometown and slowly gains back her confidence and rises up again to face the world. In the process old scars are healed, broken relationships are fixed, the love that was once lost blooms up again.

Shin Hye Sun nails it again just like she has done in every drama she has starred in. Be it portraying a strong and ambitious photographer Eun Hye or the girl behind that strong persona who is just trying to run away from her painful past. She manages to show all the emotions spot on.

Ji Chang Wook is one hell of a versatile actor. From portraying a monstrous grey character in "The Worst Of Evil" to the sweet yet chaotic guy next door in this show, he shines brightly. Him as Yong Pil is one big green flag of a guy who is always there for his loved ones and is ready to sacrifice anytime for their happiness.

The chemistry between the leads as two childhood sweethearts turned ex is amazing. Be it their childish banter or making up for regrets, everything is done beautifully. It isn't just the leads but also the side characters that make it even more fun to watch. Each and every character is placed well in the story and are quite enjoyable to watch.

The show has plenty of cute, funny, chaotic, emotional and uplifting moments making it a really good watch and worth your time.

Read More

A decent take on a topic like emotional cheating

The drama delves into the topic of emotional cheating mostly from the female lead's point of view. A woman who is going through a rough patch in her married life which only becomes rougher due to her in laws interferences, lack of privacy for the couple and lack of communication with her husband who is himself going through shit. It is actually quite a realistic approach a topic like this and isn't your generic infidelity dramas where the first thing leads do is jump in beds with other people due to misunderstandings.

The topic of cheating is quite polarizing and has screwed many good dramas (J dramas mostly) simply because the way they use the trope but here is somewhat of a mature approach to it and you won't really hate the female lead for her actions.
The character development in the drama of both the leads is done really well.

The cast have done a really good job with their roles. Jasper Liu needs no intro when it comes to acting while Ko Chia Yen really did well portraying the role of a woman trying to get through her marriage with issues and temptations everywhere.

Read More

Starts of great, decent for most part but deflects from the novel and ruins the ending

Just another cliche one time watch romance chinese drama with the whole CEO and middle class girl plotline and how he makes her dreams come true with aviation industry settings. I think I have lost count of how many times I have seen Miles Wei play the same CEO type of roles but then again it suits him well. Li Xie Ning did extremely well with her role plus her portrayal of a air hostess turned pilot was great.

The storyline is nothing new or out of the box with the strong point of the entire drama being the chemistry between the leads and second leads. The pacing was decent and didn't feel over stretched and draggy at all, the humor at times was also on point.

-----------------------SPOILERS BELOW------------------------
Here comes the biggest shitshow of this drama. The one thing that I loved about the novel was how the relation between the leads progressed and how they both were there for one another during the tough times. There was no unnecessary breakup something the drama forcefully added for no reason. They literally turn FL's character into a coward who at the very first instance of trouble turned her back towards the man who literally was there during her toughest times both professionally and personally. I do get she loves flying and how hard she has worked for it but instead of trusting her partner and herself, she simply dumps the man out of nowhere. Even when the whole mess is solved and knowing she screwed up and hurt the person who loved her, she still doesn't take a single step to mend things other than giving a bullshit emotional speech and simply moves on while he is the one making all the sacrifices and taking steps towards her. They literally made FL just like her mother. Even before this shitshow during their entire relation arc it was clear it was the guy who was head over heels while she was the one taking everything for granted.


FL and her broken relationship with her mom was a big part of novel and her character development something this drama fucked again. FL resents her mom for abandoning them and moving on with her new family. While some of the resentment was born from a misunderstanding where as a kid ,FL thought she was cheating with but it turns out he was only her manager and it is cleared by the end something FL does apologize for but the main thing was in the story her mother never once accepted FL as her daughter in front of others and behaved like strangers while showering love on her step daughter. She was never there in the past after FL's dad died leaving FL struggling for herself and her dreams while the mother was busy with her new marriage. By the end FL makes it clear that while she is wrong for thinking her mom cheated, she can't forgive the fact her mother was never there for her all her life while she was poor and struggling and now that FL has everything she wants, be it money or a loving boyfriend it is too late to make amends. She makes it clear she will be her daughter but only in the name and wants nothing more to do with her and rightfully so. All the confrontations that happened between them were so beautifully done.

While this drama goes the full cliche forgive the selfish parents no matter how horrible they were just for the sake of happy ending. The whole reunion between them literally had me facepalming but then again they did turn FL' character into a selfish coward just like her mom so wonder she forgave her mother and was all lovey dovey. I literally skipped through the last eps since looking at it made my blood boil.

A good drama ruined by the ending.

Read More

Jeong Seo is the main highlight of this movie.

The action was damn good and Jong seo nailed it. It isn't some extraordinary storyline just a raw revenge story with gore and satisfying ending to all the assholes. The story was fast paced without much drag and after every few minutes someone was dying . I liked it how they just killed off the drug lord in an instant even if he was the main boss of the syndicate without dragging it (he was right in front of her , she shot him........BOOM!! he is dead).

Kim Ji hoon as a BDSM addict psychopath did a good job too, you do end up hating him as much as you liked him in MHK.

The only problem I have was the camera cuts in some fights were too shaky and fast. Rest its a good one time watch action movie.

Read More

Starts strong but then goes full cliche by the end it straight up free falls

Storyline:
The storyline isn't something out of the box but something we have seen time and again before too, the whole reunion of leads after years, hidden pain and traumas popping up and them slowly working together t heal each other. The drama did start strong but totally went downhill by the end and filled with nonsensical plots and cliche shit. There are times where it will even get under your skin especially the decisions made by the leads at times. The last ep literally has you scratching your head of what exactly was the point of the shit that happened before. Show fell flat on it's face and makes you facepalm.

Pace:
The pacing is decent with the plot not being a total drag for most part. Things move on at a good speed whether it is them dealing with their inner feelings or past hidden scars, it is done in a really nice way and won't make you feel bored.
There are at times later in the drama where things are unnecessary added eg: E9, the whole episode is a total filler and watching a cliche plot in the last 2 eps makes you think what exactly was the need to show it.

Characters:
The characters are quite fun to watch be it the leads or side ones. A chaotic FL with a composed and teasing ML is a great combo also the second couple of the famous actress and a struggling actor too is quite interesting to watch. Both of them have such opposite lives and yet both are miserable.
The lead characters may at times get under your skin and make you think how come a grown up makes such idiotic decisions especially ML be it regards to his family or love life but other than these few hiccups they still leave a good impression. Each actor has done a great job with their roles. The antagonists though were extremely good and really makes you hate them and root for their downfall.

Overall:
It is a one time watch drama and only watch if you are a fan of the cast or have too much time to spend on cliche rom com.

Read More

Starts engaging, muddles in the middle and freefalls in the end with no proper closure for viewers.

LIKED:

- Go Youn Jung really pulled off the characters Cha Mu Hee /Do Ra Mi so good. Kim Seon Ho needs no introduction on how good of an actor he is and the way he acts with his eyes is beautiful to watch.

- The chemistry between both of them was exactly how it should have been that is not too intense, raw and passionate but slow and warm with both breaking each other out of their cages.

- Fukushi Sota was fun to watch especially his character being charming at times while other times him being a funny melodrama queen.

- Not going for the generic love triangle trope. Normally you would expect SML to be someone who keeps crossing lines and act all possessive and how badly he wants the FL but the drama did nothing of that sorts and gave us a green flag of a guy who despite being bratty sometimes knows his limits and when to back off. A total gentleman who you would root for his success in life.

- WS and YD's relation arc although fast paced and appeared for quite less time but was still fun to watch.

- The locations were beautiful and matched the vibe of drama. The costumes and dresses too were beautiful to look at.

DISLIKED:

- After looking at the trailer I wasn't expecting something out of the box but the same old generic korean romance drama so my expectations weren't too high to say the best and I am glad I kept it that way. It always baffles me how majority of korean dramas screw things up when it comes to mental health.

- The drama starts fun in start but in the middle of it becomes somewhat dull with generic arcs being pulled that we have seen many times before . The same old leads having trouble confessing, same old breakup for stupid reasons, same old living in agony. Thank god they did well with the love triangle stuff and kept it light.

- The final part of the drama was just TERRIBLE. The way FL's past and family arc is dealt with is just terrible and gives no closure to us as viewers at all. All this could have been done over episodes instead of rushing and shoving everything in the last episode. The generic breakup before leaving because one lead needs to deal with some shit all by themselves and then getting back together in last 5 minutes is just tiresome to watch again and again.

- Out of nowhere adding the twists that FL's parents are alive in the last half an hour was plain stupid. It was unnecessary if they think doing that would have been a good way of giving closure if anything it only makes thing worse.

- It was clearly visible writers had no idea on how to keep a proper pace of things over entire course and conclusion of this drama.

WISHED:

- I would have loved had they gotten together by E8 and then taken time to figure out the FL's past trauma properly with her healing from it slowly over last 4 eps. No need to add all the parents being alive after all these years bullshit in the end but showing her journey towards healing properly from all the pain her family caused, her parents death and her coming to terms with it is what I wanted to see in the last episodes.

Read More