Perfect balance of angst, romance and vengeance

The last quarter of 2023 saw a rise in time travel coupled with fake marriage k-dramas. Perfect Marriage Revenge is one of these. The kdrama blends romance and revenge but how does it set apart from the other shows?

The story follows Han Yi Joo (played by Jung Yoo Min) a naive and trusting woman who taught everything in her life is picture perfect. After learning her husband is in love with her stepsister and her stepmother is only using her, she suddenly dies in a tragic car accident. Moments later, she woke up but seemingly travelled back in time 1 year prior and she is now determined to take revenge on the people who have wronged her.

Jung Yoo Min effortlessly play the innocent and demure character as well as the fierce and strongheaded woman she has become when she was given a second chance in life. Watching Yi Joo get deceived and trampled by her stepmother and stepsister will remind of every cinderella remakes. But what I appreciate the most about this show is how Yi Joo came to realize her worth and she is not a damsel in distress who needs saving. She is determined in changing her destiny and living a life full of love instead. Yi Joo transforming from the naive girl into a girlboss will make the viewers rooting for her.

Seo Do Guk (played by Sung Hoon) is the epitome of a leading man - tall, deep voice and toned body. On top of that the way he talks and acts around Yoo Min just exudes good masculine vibes. He protects Yoo Min not because she is weak but because she is important to him. There is also a power balance here as Do Guk turns out to have a traumatic past that still haunts him. Later in the story, we learned that there is an invisible string between the two of them.

On top of that, there is also a palpable and sizzling chemistry between the leads which will keep you glued to the screen. Every time Yi Joo and Do Guk has a scene together, I bet viewers will be left with heart-shaped eyes.

This show was surprisingly entertaining and addicting to watch even if the plot is one that we have seen many times. There is lots of melodramatic turns that keeps you on the edge of your seats and drooling over Sung Hoon's deep manly voice.

The show also sometimes gives off classic sitcom vibes despite the turbulence going on in romance, revenge, sibling rivalry and traumatic pasts. It also offers larger-than-life stepmothers and their flamboyant dresses. Seeing them clash and go head-to-head is another hidden gem of this series. We have a wicked stepmother trying to look sophisticated but in truth, she's rotten and evil inside. Then, we have another stepmother who has a penchant for flashy color dresses but tries her best to treat all her children equally.

Conflicts and misunderstandings are also not dragged for too long. It's refreshing to see how smart and witty leads are able to catch up with the villain's evil plans.

All in all, Perfect Marriage Revenge is definitely a guilty pleasure watch with the perfect running time. It keeps the storyline short and easy to follow yet contains all your favorite romantic tropes and, of course, irritating villains. This show is certainly not groundbreaking but Sung Hoon and Yoo Min's earnest portrayal of a couple who will go against all odds and even destiny will keep you running back for more.

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Red flag with a face card is still a red flag. No excuses!

If a guy never listens to you, constantly talks about himself, takes you for granted and is self-centered, would you still stay with him? Without a doubt, the answer should be no. But if he has a charming face, all his bad qualities will vanish into thin air. But that shouldn't be the case, right? We shouldn't be bewitched by someone's looks. The same goes with this TV special.

The k-drama opens with Oh Jin (played by Shin Ye Eun) getting greeted by her boyfriend Cha Min Jae (played by Kang Tae Oh) with passionate kisses the moment she steps into his house. At first, this might seem romantic and sweet but Oh Jin stops kissing Min Jae midway and insists to put away the beer and freshen up first. He didn't even ask how was her day and instead asked why she was late. Min Jae then grabbed her to continue making out but she protested again to which he didn't listen to and wanted to do it his way.

It was pretty obvious from the opening scene that this relationship is doomed to end. Min Jae constantly dismisses Oh Jin's thoughts and feelings and would always point out that she's being too emotional. Oh Jin only realizes this when her boyfriend flicked her forehead too hard after losing in a bet. The finger flick is a wake-up call to Oh Jin that perhaps she deserves better than this. What was once little cracks in their relationship started to develop into a tremor that will make or break their connection.

Shin Ye Eun portayed Oh Jin with naturalism and nuance. We empathized with her as she navigates a breaking point in her relationship. It broke our hearts when she come to realize that her boyfriend is not cherishing and treating her right the way she should be. Ye Eun channels Oh Jin's confusion and ambivalence toward her boyfriend and a budding romance with the PE teacher. Ye Eun's maturity was also shown as the story progresses.

Tae Oh adopts a smug and broody approach to depict a self-centered and insensitive boyfriend. In reality, a possessive and cold-hearted guy turns out not to be hot at all. He constantly turns the tables and puts all the blame to Oh Jin for being too emotional. Thankfully, Oh Jin sticks to her guts and was firm on her decision.

Meanwhile, Hong Kyung plays Koo Won Bin, a PE teacher who is harboring a crush on Oh Jin. He is very soft-spoken and is straightforward about his feelings, a stark contrast to Min Jae's personality. He is sheepish yet has a way with words and it feels as though he is straight out of fiction books.

Overall, this is a quick, nice watch with a compelling storyline. This kdrama is not about getting pissed off over a finger flick, it's highlighting growing out of love and also touches on gaslighting which is a prominent issue nowadays in relationships. Watching this can also be a wake-up call to viewers that loving someone can just be something that is done out of habit without us realizing it. This sounds painful but it is the reality of love. The fact that this special episode was able to narrate a heartbreaking yet light-hearted story in a short amount of time is such a feat and is all the more reason for watching.

PS. If you were rooting for Kang Tae Oh, there is seriously something wrong with you. I bet you rooted for Song Kang in Nevertheless, too.

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'Destined with You' review: a spellbinding romcom falls flat with a lackluster story

With the number of psychopaths in this kdrama, its title should have been "Obsessed with You" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Destined with You revolves around Hong Jo, a civil servant, whose life unexpectedly got tangled up with Shin Yu, a renown corporate lawyer. A mysterious box and several encounters later, they find themselves stuck with one another and they discover their unbreakable connection.

For starters, the plot was messy, loaded with uninteresting supporting characters and subplots. The series can't even create two episodes which tackles the same thing. Every episode is unrelated to one another. It is very important for a fantasy k-drama to steadily build the mystery and keep the thrill. Adding more confusion and questions to the bunch is certainly not one of the ways to do that.

Most of the episodes were merely fillers and keeps poking around the central conflict of the show. I'm not even sure if the main characters only have one main problem since they, too, are not searching for answers. The antagonists mostly did the work to keep the momentum going.

At the very beginning, the story is about spells and a century-old curse. Then, halfway through the show it became a secret office romance. Once again it changed course, the story became a thriller and that's the moment I knew the writers screwed up big time. It tries to have all genres at once. Honestly, the kdrama's only saving grace is Rowoon's visuals and his striking suits. At least the fashion department knew how to get the right work done.

Anyways, Rowoon and Jo Bo Ah had an undeniable chemistry here. Rowoon throwing funny puns while keeping a straight and handsome face certainly deserves a daesang. As for Jo Bo Ah, I kind of wished her character were more smart and strong. Hong Joo falls under the weak female lead stereotype category and I find damsels in distress intolerable. Her struggles of working and living alone definitely pulled some heartstrings. She also had some character development at the end but it felt too formulaic for my liking. Maybe it's just me who saw this issue. Perhaps I simply prefer smart female leads over the ones who needs saving and longs for a hero to realize her true worth.

On the other hand, I wish it had gone the same route as 'Extraordinary You' where the leads had one goal in mind and then conflicts appeared and the answers unfold one after another. We are solving the puzzle together with the main characters. That's the most simple structure of a fantasy drama.

In Destined with You's case, we don't even know what Shin Yu and Hong Jo want to do with their lives. They're simply flirting and encountering lunatics, that's it. The plot had so much potential. If only they stayed picked a lane, this fantasy k-drama could have been interesting and gripping.

This series could have also been way more short if it solely focused on Shin Yu and Hong Jo's past lives and their unbreakable connection. Up to now, I still can't figure if the spells were real or not. Shin Yu got better so the spell transcends through time? But why was Hong Jo never able to cast a spell if she were a direct descendant or even the reincarnation of Aeng Cho? We'll never know the answers to these questions because the show didn't even bother to acknowledge and answer them.

Episode 14 was not the resolution I was expecting. They could have given us glimpses of their past lives bit by bit throughout the series. However, they decided to dump the whole Joseon period in one go. I got emotionally invested in that episode but the sudden return to the present day only left me hanging. Aside from the talisman box, the show could have given more reasons why ML and FL were bound together by fate and how they gravitate towards one another even if they stay out of each other's lives.

Overall, 'Destined with You' both had its highs and lows. It was fun and swoon-worthy. However, the lackluster script made this show messy and incoherent. If only this story were written right, it could have been at par with What's Wrong with Secretary Kim and Business Proposal and will go down in the record books as one of the inventive and spellbinding office rom-com. The series is entertaining but doesn't quite put you under its spell.

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Spectacular dresses and world-building but falls short on screenwriting

Sadly, Hotel del Luna's fanciness couldn't make up for the story's lack of coherence and sincerity.

The extravagant hotel for the ghosts and the splendid clothes of its owner didn't quite impress me. Each episode has the same dreary pattern of spirits struggling and protagonists babbling at the end. After the first half of the show, I found myself neither interested nor thrilled.

The answers were already laid out so I didn't get the point of dragging out the story. The antagonists which I once thought of as formidable opponents were easily gulled and defeated. Indeed, there is a fine line between a show with a high-caliber script and one with a mere show-off wardrobe.

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Thrilling, fast-paced and loaded with gripping action sequences, Vagabond has certainly raised the bar for action-packed kdramas.

Vagabond starts off slow and sloppy with subtle plot holes and unimpressive lead characters. If only there were less talking and more of swift buildup on the first half, the pacing of the story would have been far from faulty. However, the flaws went unseen as the veteran actors help elevate this series while Seung Gi and Suzy Bae show off their charisma and chemistry. There are also fleeting touches of humour which made it a lot more fun to watch.

On the other hand, the elegance and visual coherence of the set pieces have given this kdrama a discernible impression. Although the big-deal stunts aren't that many, they will still make you jump up and down with exuberance.

Overall, Vagabond is a gratifyingly clever, booby-trapped thriller with the right amount of fun and swoon. Lastly, to those who are skeptical on watching this series, I will give you a piece of advice: don't let the first half's boring dialogues get into your nerves because the exciting action awaits on the later part.

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Interesting Concept but Poorly Written Story

Love Alarm's dull narrative voice and excessive flashbacks undermine the interesting concept the story has.

This series might have been better if it had more episodes to slowly unravel the plot and to let the viewers sympathize more with the characters. However, everything feels so hastened, from falling in love with a stranger to breaking up with hardly a closure that could have been easily fixed.

This drama is overhyped, to say the least. Sun Oh gives me chills because he is like one of those nice-looking stalkers. His stalking and unrelenting efforts to make Jo Jo his girlfriend should have terrified the viewers but it has done the exact opposite. Sadly, I was among those who fell completely under his spell. If it weren't for Song Kang's mesmerizing eyes and abs, this drama would have been a total flop so kudos to him.

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'Linlang' review: gaslight gatekeep girlboss in thriller drama form

When it comes to infidelity our first instinct is to blame the husband — he must have been the one who cheated or neglected his family.

Rarely it happens in real life and in shows that the wife is the one who is in the wrong. Hence, Linlang's plot comes to me as a fresh narrative as it revolves around Juliana, our female lead, breaking everyone's lives, hearts and trusts.

This series is divided into three acts and I must say the last act is my least favorite. It felt anticlimactic and rushed.

The last few episodes didn't live up to my expectations. The story should have stuck up on being a makjang. I certainly enjoyed the dramatic plot twists and heightened feelings. All the rage and fury dissipated by the time we got near the ending. They also gave us a glimpse of the younger sister's dating life which no one asked for and is irrelevant and bland.

Despite these shortcomings, I must commend how the four main leads never fail to deliver great performance. What struck me the most is the pile of lies and betrayal and how each character stood their ground even if they are in the wrong. How audacious of them. The characters/actors made quite an impression to me and that's what I appreciate in this series the most.

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While Flower of Evil is sometimes less than the sum of its impressive parts, gripping performances from Joon Gi and Chae Won make this k-drama worth watching.

The premise of Flower of Evil is so promising that I expected it to have a never-ending cycle of entangled truths, lies, and deceits. However, this isn't a crime thriller but rather a melodrama romance. With an intriguing start and unpredictable plot, I was caught off guard when things went downhill after the first half. The last episodes are heavily laden with melodramatic turns. The narrative suddenly became formulaic and mawkish.

Despite the series' mediocre direction and perfunctory screenplay, the easy and quiet chemistry between the leads will keep you glued to the screen. Joon Gi inhabits the psychopathic role with every nerve in his body. He still exudes charisma as he plays his chilling character. It is also refreshing to see Chae Won completely turning the tables and putting damsels in distress to shame.

Ultimately, Flower of Evil may have failed to constantly deliver thrills-and-spills but it will certainly pull on some heartstrings.

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Navigating one-sided love has never been this earnest and relatable

Don't get fooled by the kdrama's poster thinking this will just be about a girl continuously pining for her crush and then moving on and starting a brand new life without him. There is more to the More than Friend's story than meets the eye.

The plot revolves around Kyung Woo Yeon having a one sided-love for 10 years over her high school classmate Lee Soo. She seemingly gets over him after meeting the handsome and charming bookstore CEO Ohn Joon Soo. But fate seems to be playing cruel tricks on them as Woo Yeon and Lee Soo are brought together once again and old feelings have come to resurface.

For years, there has been a debate whether a man and a woman can be platonic friends. Is it really possible to maintain friendship without developing feelings for another? This show definitely answered this question although the ending was not entirely what I imagined it to be.

This was surprisingly an easy watch. Finishing an episode feels like you are just overhearing a conversation from a nearby table in a restaurant. Although I can understand if some viewers are not able to stand watching Woo Yeon and Lee Soo constantly crossing paths and eventually ignoring each other's existence. Lee Soo has his reasons but this does not hide the fact that his character is annoying yet intriguing.

As we know there are different flags in dating – red, yellow and green. Lee Soo is a yellow flag. He's not trying to control or manipulate Woo Yeon. But he still wants her to be always by his side. He's made it clear that he just wanted to be friends with her although she wants more. He constantly confuses Woo Yeon so he's definitely a yellow flag, being straightforward with his feelings but his actions are saying the opposite. He also never explains to Woo Yeon why he deeply cares for her which constantly catches her off guard. As someone who always puts malices in people's actions, I can relate to Woo Yeon haha.

Another thing I like on this show is how all of the characters are complex and well-written. Each of them faces struggles which they deal on their own without the ML and FL's inputs. The supporting characters have their own lives and they're not solely existing to just be a side-kick.

The trio of friends was also fun to watch as they portray the different stages of being in a relationship. Jin Joo being single but accomplished in life yet she feels lonely is so relatable. Woo Yeon always mingling and dating and never seems to be moving on from her first love is something that can also resonate with viewers. Young Hee is in a long-term relationship but her boyfriend doesn't have a clue on the real condition of her family.

Each character has their own arcs, own aspiration and their own complex personality. They are all fleshed out and you're never gonna know what their next move is just like how the people we know in real life are sometimes unpredictable. This is precisely why this kdrama is very entertaining to watch. It's a slice-of-life disguised as a love triangle. It has so much to offer and it got me very interested on how these characters will navigate their lives in their 20s.

The conflicts also don't seem forced. They look like a natural product of misunderstandings and selfishness. Nothing looks cheesy or corny because the characters are speaking from their hearts and stick to their personality. We watch them grow and realize their wrongdoings.

Watching how all the characters grow and learn before our eyes is very satisfying. Not that we want them to be perfect and faultless human beings, we just want characters who are sensible and who think rationally.

Another thing why I enjoy this show is because OSTs are not constantly blasting on every scene. It's not playing as if on cue. The way Shin Ye Eun speaks is so relaxing for some reason. Her character is always straightforward and speaks what's her on mind. Not interrupting these scenes with over-the-top soundtracks let us the viewers resonate with her feelings. Her confrontation scenes with the two male leads feels like the centerpoint of this show.

There is lots to love on this show. More than Friends is more than just romance. It celebrates camaraderie of strong friendship, strangeness of familial love, setbacks and bouts of sadness that comes along with it and the long arduous path of chasing your dreams and doing what you love. It is a one of a kind and relatable journey, one that I will be delighted to watch over and over again.

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'Nevertheless' review: FUBU and red flags but make it aesthetic and artsy

This was an almost realistic portrayal of how red flag gaslights and manipulates us. Except the writers decided to write episode 10 and flip the whole thing.

Nevertheless revolves around the no-label and f*ck buddy relationship of Nabi and Jae Eon. For starters, Nabi is fresh off a break-up from her toxic and manipulative boyfriend.

So is Jae Eon different and better than his ex? No. They are practically the same except Jae Eon is younger, so handsome that his face and body should be displayed in a museum, and tries to make it seem like he's asking for her consent when he's not. He persists until she gives in.

Before I list down the million reasons why Park Jae Eon is a dangerous predator trying to disguise himself as a gentle and innocent lamb, let me point out some things I did like in this show. The every day montage of Nabi and Jae Eon sleeping will go down in history as one of the best cinematic experience in kdrama. Nevertheless' cinematography and soundtrack ate and left no crumbs.

Nabi's actions may seem foolish and delusional but it's the reality of our feelings. Feelings waver most of the times and are incoherent. We always get our hope up over simple actions of people we like.

Han So Hee realistically portrayed the roller coaster of emotions when we fall for the wrong guy. The cycle of emotional manipulation is very vicious and at one point Nabi even questioned her own values and worth. She thinks Potato Boy doesn't deserve someone like her.

The first thing you will notice about Jae Eon is his gaze. It's very hypnotizing. It's like he's inviting you to go with him in the shadows. I hate to admit it but I can't take my eyes off him once he comes into my sight. That's how powerful he is.

Whenever he and Nabi fight, he always tries to act cool and calm. He twists Nabi's words so that at the end he gets the upper hand and gets what he want from her.

Jae Eon's gaslighting skills never cease to amaze me. In one episode, Jae eon said he always keeps his guard up because he doesn't want to hurt other people's feelings. That's really ironic since manipulating and messing other people's feelings and minds is what he does on his every affair.

He knew Nabi was broken inside the moment he saw her in the exhibit. But he still went after her just for fun and fling. He's so psycho. I'm aware that FUBU and FWB exist and are acceptable for others but is distorting the truth part of such relationships? He should have been clear from the get-go that he only wants sexual relationship and nothing more.

The episodes about Jae Eon's inner thoughts are so contradicting. It tries to paint him as a broken guy who just needs love and affection. Redeeming his character is the most unrealistic thing in this show. He is literally the ultimate manipulative sad boy.

Jae Eon towards the end of the show is literally the behavior of a gaslighter who is mad over losing his control and power over his victim. He can't believe he lost his own game and to get back at Nabi, he fakes his sincerity just to win her over again.

People rooting for him may have distorted perceptions of reality. I cant blame them since Jae Eon playing the victim looks so bewitching. This is the very reason why Na bi feels confused, anxious, and unable to trust herself.

I believe Nabi's feelings left for Jae Eon is withdrawal symptoms. It's her brain missing the thrill and danger of treading on egg shells. She's missing Jae Eon's mysterious facade and unpredictable behavior. She's missing not knowing what comes next because she's always anxious and confused and horny.

Nabi taking a chance again with Jae Eon even though she knows he will cause her pain is just so masochist of her. Until the very end, we got nothing from Jae Eon. Still can't believe Nabi did all the talking in Episode 10. It's Jae eEon who should have expressed his thoughts and feelings. Just because a jerk cries in front of you doesn't mean all of his wrongdoings will be gone in a blink of an eye.

Putting aside the criticisms for this kdrama, I genuinely think Song Kang totally nailed his role as a red flag who constantly has you wrapped around his finger. Who would not fall for that kind of face anyway? Who can even refuse him?

The mind games he play with Nabi was seriously unsettling and made me queasy yet addicting. He's like a drug you can't resist or can't say no to. You know he's bad for your health but you do it blindly.

I just wished they didn't write Episode 10 the way they did. Nevertheless could have been an impactful and realistic portrayal of a push and pull relationship. It could have educated its viewers about how damaging having a manipulative and gaslighting partner. It's such a let down how they wasted this opportunity.

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A sappily charmed romance that is simply irresistible

One of the things I like about C-dramas is that their stories are relatively simple yet the relatable characters draw you in. Hidden Love is no exception.

Hidden Love revolves around Sang Zhi who has a crush on her brother's friend Duan Jia Xu. From the get-go, you know that the major conflict from this story is their age gap but this suprisingly this C-drama has more to offer.

The story follows Sang Zhi (played by Zhao Lu Si) throughout her high school and college days. We watched how her feelings evolve through time. What was once a harmless crush turned into an undeniable affection and beautiful love. I was impressed by how Lu Si was able to pull of the 13-year-old school girl look similar to how Kim Tae Ri effortlessly portrayed her role in Twenty Five Twenty One.

Sang Zhi's object of affection is Duan Ji Xau (played by Chen Zhe Yuan). I initially thought his character would be just one-dimensional, a male lead who only exists to be handsome and serve as the eye candy of the show. As the story progresses, Ji Xau's back story is revealed which ultimately affected the relationship dynamics between him and Sang Zhi.

In another note, this Cdrama reminds me so much of Twenty Five Twenty One sans the sports and slice of life theme. Hidden Love heavily focuses on romance while 25 21 revolves on ML and FL chasing their dreams. They may have different narratives but I must commend how they both handled well the age gap between the leads including the right time and the transition for the romance to bloom.

It is no easy feat to weave compassionate male characters in shows like these. It comes as no surprise when I learned that the director and writer of Hidden Love are women. Because of the female gaze, viewers like me were able to empathize and follow along Sang Zhi's journey as she learns more about her emotions and intimacy with Duan Ji Xau. It helped a lot that both our main leads did not rush their relationship and instead made efforts to get to know each other's feelings and intentions. It was a good slow-burn romance, one that keeps you at the edge of your seat while you can't stop giggling and swooning over the characters.

Although the show started at a slow pace, it successfully drew viewers into Sang Zhi's experience of first love and heartbreak. The show also portrayed the green flags of a relationship as both Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu constantly communicates their worries and dreams for each other.

Overall, Hidden Love contains familiar tropes but perfectly delivers a sincere and pure love supplemented by charming performances. This show is far from perfect but the absence of annoying villains and over-the-top conflicts makes this rom-com a comfort watch.

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I can't even explain what I was feeling right after I finished the last episode. It was overwhelming, disappointing, and confusing at the same time.

In this drama, we follow the unpredictable lives and interesting love story of Joon Young and Young Jae. The first half is adorable and swoon-worthy as it mostly focuses on the feelings of being in love for the first time and also the fights and make-ups in a relationship. I liked it because I have never understood how relationships work. Little did I know that everything is all about compromise. The second half blows my mind away as I didn't expect any of it. The drama suddenly changes its atmosphere from being romcom to melodrama and my heart is found in a ditch shredded into pieces. However, I notice that Young Jae always seems to be the one who faces hardships and struggles and Joon Young always ends up wandering every time they break up. I somehow wished the writer was fair in giving them hardships and recoveries from their broken hearts. I know it's for the sake of narration but it's just unfair on Young Jae's part. Nevertheless, everything is so realistic from the misunderstandings to the raw emotions of the characters.

The ending somehow felt right as Young Jae is still in the process healing and Joon Young might be confused about what he feels whether it's pity or love towards Young Jae. So I'm giving wishful thinking that after some time they will still end up being together.

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For starters, I watched this drama because of Kyungsoo as I am an EXO-L but he exceeded my expectations.

I didn't even immediately notice that the plot is one of those overused stories. KYUNGSOO IS SO DAMN GOOD IN THIS DRAMA I'M TELLING YOU GUYS. The chemistry of the leads is so natural. The only thing that I did not like about this drama is how it exaggerated the 100 days of Lee Yol in the village. I somehow got sick with their cute fights. The last two episodes are also a disappointment as the Vice Premier's reasons were ludicrous. I felt like they squeezed everything in those 2 episodes just to run the drama in 16 episodes. Overall, I think I got carried away with Kyungsoo's acting that is why I gave this drama a high rating but I promise it is still worth watching.

PS I only gave 8 stars to its soundtrack as they are repetitive. I only heard Gummy and Chen throughout the drama. It's kind of tiring to hear them over and over again whenever an episode ends.

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A delicious, addictive time-travel drama marred by a third lackluster villain

At first glance, Marry My Husband might just be a new addition to the ever growing list of time travel k-drama released this year. However, powerful and electrifying performances from Park Min Young and Song Ha Yoon will keep you running back for more.

The story revolves around Kang Ji Won (Park Min Young) getting killed by her husband Park Min Hwan (Lee Yi Kyung) after she learns he's having an affair with her best friend Jung Soo Min (Song Ha Yoon).

As if by miracle, Ji Won wakes up 10 years earlier and she is now determined to change her life and get back to those who have wronged her. She also gains an unexpected ally Yoo Ji Hyuk, played by Na In Woo and together they execute her revenge plan and transfer her fate to Soo Min.

The blood-boiling villains is one of the highlights of this k-drama. Min Hwan and Soo Min has constantly kept me at the edge of my seat and made me want to choke them through the screen. Every move they make, every word they speak will leave you seething with rage and will keep you rooting for Ji Won. This villanious duo never runs out of tricks up their sleeves.

The first act is over the top and melodramatic with its twists and turns. However, it failed to deliver interesting plots on the last four episodes. The story could have explored more variables regarding the rules of time travel and transferring of destinies to other people instead of adding another one-dimensional antagonist. We did not even get answers as to why Ji Won can easily pass her fate to someone else without any repercussions. It felt like Ji Won and Ji Hyuk can change anything to their heart's desires.

Once Ji Hyuk's fiancée O Yu Ra (played by BoA) took center stage, my curiosity to the show has diminished. She is nowhere near Soo Min's two-faced character whose actions are unpredictable and can seamlessly act kind or wicked as the situation calls for. Yu Ra is just a chaebol who kills people just for fun and to kill time. Her character is not even properly set up and she just came out of the blue.

Overall, this was very entertaining albeit only for its first act. The story is not trying to break new grounds but still strives on being a guilty pleasure watch. However, one thing is for certain—Soo Min will go down as one of the best villains in the k-drama world at par with The Penthouse's Cheon Seo Jin.

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'Yumi's Cells' review: Back for a second chance at love and dreams

Is love sweeter the second time around or more cruel?

Yumi's Cells Season 2 tells the story of Yumi and Babi's relationship from her brain cells' point of view. Will she get her happy ending this time or will another heartbreak be added to her list?

For starters, Yumi's Cells illuminates Yumi's conflicted emotional life with superb storytelling, animation and performances. This k-drama is very inventive and psychologically astute, witty, imaginative, and utterly relatable.

What sticked to me the most from Season 1 was the seamless transition between the animation and the reality. However, for this new season the show hardly shed light on Babi's cells. His thoughts and true intentions remained a mystery throughout the run time. Perhaps this was a plot device to keep the audience glued to their screens and constantly wonder if Babi is her endgame.

In contrast to Season 2, Woong's cell village had a fair share of screentime. Woong and Babi's personalities are in opposite spectrum after all. Woong is an introvert and is not expressive. Babi on the other hand is a straightfoward guy and always speaks his mind to avoid confusions and misunderstandings.

Woong ponders a lot before talking that's why the cell village can discuss what tactic to take on. He doesn't even have that much cells because almost everything acts according to an program That speaks volume to how intelligent Woong is.

However, Babi is very eloquent with words (he's actually a marketing specialist) but we don't get to see enough decision making going in on at his cell village. We don't even get to see his naughty cell. All that Yumi's love cell saw in his village is that he is very romantic and sincere. Babi was at a very disadvantageous point because no one really knows what's going on in his head.

The two seasons also highlighted different concepts. Season 1 pointed out that opposites attract while season 2 condemns this by telling that same people attract each other. Woong and Yumi do not share the same interests, hobbies and group of friends. Interestingly, Yumi and Babi had a lot in common. This is what essentially draws Yumi to Babi. They both like reading books and listening to the same type of music. It seems logical that they attract each other as they think similarly. The absence of AI in Babi's village cell attests to this.

Going back to Babi's character development, I still had tons of questions about it. When the story reached its dilemmas, Babi's change of heart suddenly doesn't make sense to me.

Babi is someone who speaks his mind and it is very unlikely of him to hide secrets and get swayed by a young intern. Those were my first thoughts. However, looking back at Babi's past actions and relationships, it seems like he's not the green flag guy we all thought he is. He's actually the opposite.

If one can remember, Babi actually developed his feelings for Yumi even while they were both in a relationship. Reason and sensitivity cells tried so hard to hide this fact from Yumi. The alarming red flag about Babi is that he gets wavered easily whenever his girlfriend is not around which is a very unfaithful thing to do. I really felt defeated and saddened by this realization because who on earth can resist Babi's charming and alluring presence? He's simply irresistable and attractive.

I can't help but notice the similarities between Babi and Yijin from Twenty Five Twenty One. Everyone keeps telling that Yijin is a green flag for being a supportive and understanding boyfriend to Heedo. The same thing can be applied to Babi.

Both guys are very considerate towards their partners. However, kindness is not the foundation of being a green flag. Both main leads failed to be consistent, honest and maintain an open communication. Babi and Yijin kept secrets from their partners — the former not telling Yumi how he got affected by an intern's confession as well as when he got in an accident; while the latter not telling his SO that he is going through a rough patch and he doesn't want to share his burden, pain and sorrows.

Still, one can't help but feel that the writers did dirty on Babi by the second half of the show. The sweet and romantic moments between Babi and Yumi were actually based on Yumi and Soonrok's scenes in the webtoon. The directors and writers purposefully led us to the thinking that Babi is a wonderful and dreamy partner. We, the audience, got fooled and disappointed at the end. I personally really felt that it was hard to let go someone like Babi.

As for the performance, Kim Go Eun and Jinyoung's chemistry was insane to say the least. They portray immense love for each on-screen and it's undeniable that they would make such a great couple in real life. Their soft face features compliment each other. I hope that they can work on a project soon with a HEA.

Overall, Yumi's Cells is a lovely kdrama which transforms emotional conflict into an adventure. There's a beauty and care in every scene of this k-drama. As we tag along Yumi's self-actualization journey, we learn about the pain of growing up, heartbreaks and handling big, new emotions as they come and go.

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