Suspend all expectations and appreciate it as short duration fluff and it is ok

7/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 South Korean romantic comedy series with 12, relatively short, 11 to 20 minute episodes. Also known under the title “Gaduri Restaurant”

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Ga Doo Ri (Lee Joo bin)’s life was on track when she was dating the man she thought she would wind up marrying. She was the college campus “Goddess” and was used to people assuming she was given things due to her beauty. As an adult she went to work as an assistant producer at an entertainment company where she was bullied by co workers who assumed she was able to bring in big names in the industry by using her looks rather than her talent. After a scandal created by those who were incredibly jealous, Doori abandons her successful endeavors in the entertainment industry to set out on her own. She opens a Sushi bar which becomes very popular for uniquely combining excellent food with a center for dating advice. Her business is under some apartments where she lives and also is neighbors with a very unusual and seemingly socially awkward neighbor, Cha Woo bin (Hyuk; Han Sang Hyuk). To disguise that he is a highly successful CEO of an undergarment company, Woobin dresses up in heavy framed glasses and track suits. Doori’s heart was completely shattered in the past when her long term boyfriend and best friend have become romantically involved and is not very trustful of men so she does not first see Woobin as a romantic possibility even though he steps in several times to pretend to be her boyfriend to keep her from getting bullied. Will two such different individuals find lasting love with each other?

Review

I would have liked this I think if it had been developed into a more standard length series. All of the elements for a good story were there but with such short episodes, none of the plot elements were able to progress at a pace that was believable. I would recommend this for those that are able to suspend their expectations of a well developed plot and characters with depth. If you are just looking for a quick piece of fluff to fit in while waiting for another series to become available, this might be it. I would not rewatch it, there just isn’t enough substance to merit rewatching for me.

Spoilers

Woobin wears a track suit and nerdy looking glasses and I surmised he was doing it to disguise his identity as a handsome young CEO that likely has some celebrity. But they never fully explain or clarify why he chooses to present himself in such an unbecoming manner.

From the descriptions, reviews and synopsis in various sites, Doori is supposed to be some super star dating and relationship consult but that doesn’t come through very strong in the short series. There is one main case where she helps the girl identify her boyfriend is cheating but it didn’t seem like her involvement in that was very outstanding. It wasn’t too hard to figure out the friend was the cheater just based on the way she was acting.

I think what makes this worth a watch despite all the comedic moments around Mo Tae Kyung (Woo Bin's secretary; Jung Jin hwan). His overly dramatic response to everything was hilarious.When he hung out with Doori he seemed like the type of fun to be around character that many people would enjoy hanging out with. I would have liked having more time with that character and that would have happened if the series were longer.

Everything felt rushed. What you were just mad at the guy and now you are madly in love with him? What you just agreed to date and now you are passionately kissing? You just encountered your bully who pushed you around for years and pushes you around in the first scenes but you suddenly are standing up?

In short this was a mini series that would have been much better had it been developed to a full length series. All of the aspects that fell short of the mark were due to how abbreviated it was and that made them unable to fully pursue plot lines and develop the characters.



#GaduriRestaurant

#GaDooRiSushiRestaurant

#Hyuk

#LeeJooBin

#JungJiHwan

#HanSangHyuk

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Answers all the questions and beautifully continues and nicely ends the story

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2022/2023 South Korean Action, Fantasy romance drama with 10, 69-87 minute episodes

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review

Synopsis

If you watched the first season and experienced the cliff hanger and tragedy that was the ending, be reassured season two will resolve all that. One could just let things end where they did but why? This continues the story. Jang uk (Lee Jae wook) survived but is now dressed and acts in a very dark manner (shadow). As the most powerful mage in Daeho, he is charged with hunting down and executing soul shifters. Doing so takes an additional emotional tax on him as he is able to see who that person was before going “wild” and erects rock cairns to honor the departed. His nights are spent being “haunted” by wraiths and the memories of his love he lost. When chasing a soul shifter into Jinyowon leads to a chance encounter with Jin Bu yeon (Go Youn Jung) the recently found daughter of Jin Ho Gyeong (Park Eun Hye), the two form an unlikely alliance. Bu Yeon has spent the last 3 years locked in Jinyowon to hide her true identity from the other mages. Jang uk knows that if he can get rid of the ice stone his life will end and he believes Jin Bu yeon will be able to do that. Jin Bu yeon wants freedom as her mother’s plan is to keep her locked away yet have her marry and produce offspring to continue the Jinyowon.

Season two continues the story with all the characters and you find out what happened with them in the three years since the events that happened at the end of Season 1.

Review

I loved this series. I highly recommend it and will watch it again. I am a huge fan of Star Wars and Star Trek and other such otherwordly shows so the complete other world built in this seres greatly appealed to me. I was concerned that the main actress in this second season was different than the primary actress in the first but in the context of this show it makes perfect sense. It did not disrupt my like or feeling for that character at all i just found myself waiting for the aspects that were Naksu like to emerge.

Spoilers

I seriously liked the complexity of the soul shifters in this series. In Season 1, Mu deok (Jung so min) is a character unlike either her original self, Cho Yeong, the assassin Naksu (Go Youn Jung) nor the soul from the body she inhabits, Jin Bu yeon. It was so skillful both in the script and in the way the actresses portrayed these characters how you could, at times, see aspects of each of those souls and, other times, see a individual that was all of them and none of them. Finding out, towards the end, that because Jin Bu yeon lived and didn’t die as a stillbirth only because Seol ran, the original and very powerful priestess actually controlled a lot of what happened with those souls. It is why Bu yeon was born blind as Seol ran was blind, and also why she was more powerful than any of the priestesses in her blood line.

It was my fond wish that others would learn the truth about Naksu and I was very happy that it was revealed that she was tricked into being an assassin and then used as a murder weapon through sorcery by Jin Mu (Jo jae yoon). There was so much hatred toward even her memory that I found that incredibly tragic. I was sad that Seo Yul (Hwang Min-hyun) had planned to kill Bu yeon when he discovered she had the soul of Naksu as his view on the situation was so cut and dry. It made sense for his character to thin that way and actually was the reason I felt less sad he never got to be with the girl he loved. He was one of the few loose ends in the story as it would have been even better if he would have found someone who loved him enough he would get over Cho Yeong (young Naksu).

I have to commend Do Sang-woo the actor who played the soul shifted Jin Mu. The expressions on his face and even his voice transformed to Jin mu and that took a lot of acting skill to carry that off so well. He was an annoying side character as Seo Yun oh that was power hungry and arrogant and was able to kick that up to the level of Jin mu’s evil sorcerer level in a very believable way.

The friendships that developed were such a wonderful part of this series. Jang uk was already close with his childhood friends Seo Yul and Park Dang-gu (Yoo In-soo). But, as the series develops his relationship with Crown Prince, Go Won (Shin Seung ho) becomes closer and friend/family like (and he is sort of the cousin of the Crown Prince depending on whether you consider the father the soul or the body. Go Won seems destined to befriend Naksu as he is intrigued by, and befriends her, in her many forms.

I really liked that he became the King and that Jang uk wanted him to be the king and fully supported him. The writers and creators had an well executed twist when they led viewers to think that Go won had joined Jin Mu’s dark plans.

There are a lot of flashbacks that seem unnecessary and disrupt the flow of the show but that is just Netflix. When these shows are created or sponsored on any of the streaming platforms I expect there will be certain deviations from the formula that has made Asian dramas so successful. There will be flashbacks galore (that does happen in the Asian shows but it is an order of magnitude), the scenes with kissing or skin contract will be a degree more risque and it will end with question if there will be additional seasons or not. I read that the Hong Sisters themselves indicated they did not plan beyond Season 2 so I think any indicators of a Season 3 are likely rumors. There is so much they could do with Daeho, prequels and side stories, but I hope they let the main story remain completed as it is.

I could continue on about this excellent series but will stop there. I just finished Season 2 and miss Daeho already.

#LeeJaeWook

#GoYounJung

#AlchemyofSouls2

#ShinSeungHo

#DoSangWoo

#JungSoMin

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How did they make a fascinating premise so boring in parts?

7/10 is my rating. This is a 2023/2024 South Korean supernatural romance drama with 16, 67 (average) minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Do Do Hee (Kim You Jung) is the adopted daughter and heir apparent to a conglomerate company called the “Future Group”. She is known as a devilish, hard hitting, and “take no prisoners” executive who has won many awards. Her adopted mother, Joo Chun Sook (Kim Hae Sook) made it clear, when she was alive, that Do Hee would take over after she passed. This does not endear Do Hee to Chun Sook’s children who consider it their right to inherit all of their mother’s assets. The obvious solution to some of them is to get rid of the problem. In this case the problem is Do Hee. When a serial killer is hired to kill Do Hee, he nearly succeeds until Jung Koo Won (Song Kang) appears in his role as a Demon who strikes deals with mortals by granting wishings in return for their trip to Hell 10 years later. He originally plans to only save Do Hee if she enters into an agreement but then agrees to save her and then talk about the agreement. In the chaos that follows they both wind up nearly drowning and the tattoo that gives Koo Won his supernatural powers, transfers to Do Hee. Koo Won finds that he can still perform his role and have access to his power by holding Do Hee’s wrist where the tattoo is located. When Jun Sook tragically dies a condition of inheriting the business is Do Hee must marry within a year. Koo Won agrees to a contract marriage for mutual benefit, he needs to be close to her to touch her tattoo and she needs a husband to secure her inheritance. The two have twisted fate in the present, but things get even more fate based when it appears they also had a connection in the past.

Review

When I looked at reviews there seemed to be those that really loved this series but there was a near equal number that did not like it well. I am in the “did not like it well” camp. I think it is worth watching for the two talented actors, great chemistry and interesting premise if you can relax your expectations for a sensible plot. I was actually bored at times because the progress would hit a stall. I would recommend drama fans watch it once but I wouldn’t rush out to watch it.

Spoilers

I have seen hundreds of dramas at this point and that could be why I am among those that found this one very underwhelming. The main couple got together too early in my opinion. Then was no sense of anticipation. It did not make sense to me that she was so driven and determined to be the heir and then she just gave it up. I know they were trying for the “anything for love” angle, that she was willing to give up all the power and money to protect herself and the person she loved but it was out of character in my opinion.

The serial killer bad guy who was hunting her died too early. I was wondering what they were going to have happen next. It was just odd to have that particular bad guy gone so early in the story.

Two very annoying things in this one. Usually you feel somewhat sorry for 2nd girl or guy and I did like second guy but the 2nd girl was one of the most annoying I have experienced to date. They tried hard to gain our sympathy for her in showing how he saved her from abuse but, even that, did not excuse her toxic behavior later. She even tried to get main girl to drink poison so that the main guy, who is a demon who already lived hundreds of years, could live. Although she had hung around him for over a decade and he showed no interest she still blamed main girl for wrecking her chance. What chance? Her jealousy was misplaced and annoying.

The other annoying thing was the romance between the elder couple. It was fine they liked each other, even cute, but them hiding it for so long became ridiculous. I think it was supposed to be funny and they definitely did the big reveal where they thought they were hiding it but everyone already knew. Oh ha ha! Like we have never seen that play out before. It was unoriginal and just not funny.

When Netflix gets ahold of something I know it is going to be drawn out too much and there will be way too many flashbacks. That was the case in this one. The plot would already be dragging because so many of the major conflicts and reveals already happened and then, oh great, let’s rehash the whole script again.

They, of course, had to do the separating from you for your own good trope. I don’t like that trope. It is right up there with the amnesia trope for me.

I believe it was confirmed the leads were dating in real life and they definitely had that level of chemistry. It is not their fault the script was just awful at some points. Their acting was excellent but the content was off.

There was so much potential in this one. With a great cast and interesting premise this could have been a great addition to the supernatural genre. I am not sure how they managed to make it so drawn out and boring except the pacing and when they chose to do reveals.

#MyDemon

#SongKang

#KimYouJung

#KimHaeSook

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Celebrity Panelist mentioned Cupid visited this season and I have to agree

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 Chinese dating reality show with 21, 95-122 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis
This is the Chinese version of the Korean reality dating show of the same name. The show starts with six singles, three men and three women who enter the chosen house location one at a time the first day. They cohabit the “signal house” (which changes each season) with the women sharing one bedroom and the men sharing two bedrooms. The overall goal of the show is for the singles to go about their daily lives while freely flirting/sending signals with the other occupants of the house. There are few organized activities, the main focus is on them living together and getting to know each other more naturally. At the end of each day they send a signal (an anonymous text) to the opposite sex single of their choosing and the detectives must determine who will send a signal/text to whom.

Celebrity Panel/Detectives

Angelababy formerly known as Angela Yeung Wing. Hong Kong actress, businesswoman, investor, model, and singer. She was born as Yang Ying and later went under mostly her stage name. Her birth year us 1989.
Meng Ziyi  is an actress. She was born in actress. She was born in 1995.

Sikence Wang, Wang Sulong, is a Chinese pop singer-songwriter and record producer. He was birn in 1989..

Wu Xin also known as Orfila. She is an actress and television host. Born in 1983.

Lee Seung Hyun (English name: Nathan) is a Korean-American pop singer and actor. He is a former member of the disbanded group TAKE. He currently works in China as an actor. He is married to Chinese actress/singer Stephy Qi, and they have a daughter and a son. Born in 1984.

Seungri known more formally as Lee Seung-hyun is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, and former member of the South Korean boy band BigBang. His career took a nose dive when he was brought up on criminal charges and served time in prison..

Chen Linong (Nongnong) Guest panelist episodes 5 to 8. He is a Taiwanese actor born in 2000.

Du Hai Tao Guest panelist episodes 7 to 10. He is an actor born in 1987.

SINGLES

FEMALES

Li Nie Shuang Yu - Lena Bear. Futures contracts. Researcher of Macro Aggregate of a financial institution. BA in accounting, Michigan State University. MBA in marketing strategy at Imperial College London. Born 1997. 25 years old.

Wang Qiuyi - Autumn Potato Consulting in life sciences. Senior Consultant in Anyong China. Double degree in Financial Economics and Visual Arts from Columbia University. Born in 1995. 27 years old.

Li Wanqian - Secret Media Blogger. BA in Mass Communications from Penn State. Master in Digital Marketing King’s College London. Born in 1996. 26 years old.

Jin JiaYue Graduated from communication University of China. Sports event host. Born in 1998. 24 years old.

MALES

Xue Zheyang - A Tall Sheep Wealth Management Business Strategist in a European Bank. BA in Finance at Penn State. MBAs in Finance at John Hopkins University. Born in 1995. 27 years old.
Haoran - Leo6 Musical Actor. BA in Opera at Central Academy of a Drama. Born 1998. 24 years old.
Zhang Genyuan - Eat More Vegetables/broccoli Investment and Financing Consultant and Manager at a local bank. BA in economics at NYU. Born in 1999. 23 years old.
Chen Zonglun (Jolan) BS in German studies from Shanghai International studies University. Worked as a Customer Service Manager at a major accounting firm. Born in 1996.
Sun Xin (Xuao Pai). Patrick. Double degree in computer science and statistics from University of Waterloo. Product manager with a dot com company. MA in Information Systems Management from Hong Kong University. 26 years old.

Review
This is my favorite Heart Signal season so far out of both the Korean and Chinese version and my all time favorite couple from this one. The heartwarming romance between some of the singles is a joy to watch. It will confirm that love is alive and still one of the most beautiful human emotions. They all got along really well and there were tears among all when the show ended because they formed such a strong bond in such a short time. I highly recommend this show for anyone that likes romance and particularly reality dating shows. It is a must watch in that genre.

Spoilers
I skipped to this Season after watching all of the Korean seasons up to date and the Chinese versions up to Season 2. I could not find Season 3 or 4 in any easily accessible format. Some have suggested watching it where TenCent posts on You Tube and then having it auto translate but auto translate was turned off for me. It is hard to find anything about the Chinese version likely due to all the discussions would be on Chinese media platforms and not likely translated. What little I could find was that one of the singles had a criminal history so they had to edit their scenes out of the show. But that doesn’t explain why the other season is really hard to find. Maybe due to the pandemic? Maybe the CCP censored it for some reason? If anyone reading this knows why these two seasons are harder to find, pleas note in comments.



#LiNieShuang
#LenaBear
#WangQiuyi
#HeartSignal5
#LiWamqian
#JinJiaYue
#XueZheyang
#GuoHaoran
#ZhangGenyuan
#ChenZonglun
#SunXin
#Jolan
#SunXin
#XiaoPai

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If you liked season 1 this does continue the story

8/10 is my rating. This the second season of a popular South Korean Horror, Action Fantasy series with Apocalyptic overtones. It was released in 2023 and has eight 62-85 minute episodes

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then Review

Synopsis

The remaining residents of the apartment complex had to move when the military arrived. Cha Hyun Soo (Song Kang) originally travels with another monster human hybrid but is voluntarily taken by the military. The rest of the group, are originally destined for a shelter that is supposedly ran for the survivors. They quickly realize the military and others mean to exterminate everyone for fear they have been infected. On their journey to find a new place for themselves, they battle monsters, the hybrids, the military as well as other survivors. This is a journey through their epic struggle for survival.

Characters (Main Cast)

ChaHyunSoo (Song Kang) Teenager who wound up living in the apartment complex after losing his family in a tragic car accident. He was infected but was able to resist losing his humanity and saved the humans multiple times in the First season.

Seo Yi Kyun (Lee Si young) She is a former special forces in the military and most recently was a firefighter. Her fiancé was one of the lead scientists on the monsterization experiments but was declared dead by the military.

LeeEunWoo (Go Min Si) A teenager with a chip on her shoulder. She is one of the few that do not see Hyun Soo as primarily a monster.

Pyeon Sang Wook (Lee Jin Wook) originally a thuggish gangster who they discovered was not as bad as he at first seemed. He had reasons. He is taken over by one of the hybrid monsters and now is host to multiple human and monster presences.

Park Chan Young (Jung Jin Young) A soldier who does not agree with some of his superiors and counterparts’ treatment of civilians.

Dr. Lim (Oh Jung Se) An unethical scientist willing to sacrifice “subjects” to create the ultimate human monster hybrids.

Kim Young Soo (Choi Go) They youngest of the group of survivors. The adults took him in when his father tragically fell to his death while trying to save his children.

Kim Soo Young (HeoYool) The second to youngest of the survivor group. She is Young Soo’s older sister.

Yoon Ji Su (Park Gyu Young) An edgy young woman who plays the guitar and tragically lost her boyfriend to suicide. She was depressed and people mistook that for being a loaner.

Review

The first season focused on an introduction to the monsterization concept and a group of people in one apartment complex as a set of them went from strangers to a family like group. It was surviving in a world turned upside down but in a very succinct environment. This season all of the residents from the complex before are out in the larger area but wind up settled in a stadium with a bunch of new people and are kept safe by an elite group of soldiers who journey out to secure resources and guard the survivors living in the stadium. The lines between good and evil and monster and human are very blurry. Some of the questions from the first season are answered but a whole new set of questions are revealed. As expected it ends on yet another cliff hanger. Which is typical Netflix they always want to leave it open so they can maximize profit. It ruins one thing I really liked about Korean shows, they were, for the most part, concluded in one season. Even if additional seasons were on the horizon, they would still end the first season wrapped up, in most of them. But you let United States based streaming platforms get ahold of them and all of a sudden we have these series that could go on for a long time. I heard there is a 3rd season. And will that be it? It’s like the “song that never ends.” I could deal with multiple seasons if it was known exactly how many seasons they plan. But, since they don‘t even know, it’s all about whether or not they make profit, it is frustrating that you don’t know how long it will run.

Overall it’s a compelling and interesting story, and you do learn more about monsterization. But don’t expect it to end neatly wrapped up or necessarily happy. It is very “Game of Thrones” in that, just because a character is popular, doesn’t necessarily mean they will survive. It is a great addition to a genre that doesn’t have a lot of offerings. I would recommend it to science fiction fans.

Spoilers

I ended this one with even less hope for humanity. So many characters are lost in this it seems everyone will either be turned monster or be killed by monsters. Characters are slowly picked off one by one.

Even after two seasons I still do not fully understand why there is some much variety in monsters. Why are there whole sets of the same type of monster? Why is this one hideous and that one looks more human? I know it has something to do with human desire and emotions but it is never fully explained.

It has some romantic hints but no real romantic elements so anyone looking for that should look elsewhere. Which is good if you want to watch something with someone who is allergic to romance. I think if there was some romance in it then there would be a sense of hope for humanity. As it is, it sees very hopeless and that becomes a bit of a downer.

My main complaint is just the way Netflix leaves things hanging with no guarantee of additional seasons. At the end of this you have the firefighter and former special services character who just got monsterized and is some kind of half human and half monster manifestation who seems to have an interesting duality of hating all monsters and yet embracing them at the same time. There are the soldiers that went to the old military research facility to rescue their brother in arms and are now trapped or at least in the process of being turned into something else. The former leader of the complex and angsty teenager turned angry young woman’s brother has finally emerged and you want to know if he has retained his humanity. What about Hyunsoo? His monster side is fully in control and he is not at all acting like himself after discovering in a vision that all the monsters are happy.

I really like the one youngest soldier and he has a thing it seems for the angsty ballet dancing teenage girl turned angry young woman looking for her brother. He never reveals his feelings for her though and leaves her to go back to the stadium. She, on the other hand, seems to have feelings for Hyunsoo which creates a weird love triangle. Will they dig into that in the 3rd season or just keep dancing around all the potential relationships? Usually in end of the world type scenarios more people couple up. So, it would make sense. But these survivors do not seem at all interested in continuing the species.

I am very interested to see where things will go just frustrated that Netflix is able to hold the audience hostage with no commitment to finish the series. I would be happier if each season would wrap up with all the current questions. The concept could still be extended in the next season as there is so much to expand on. But I don’t like a cliff hanger at the end of every season with no assurance they will continue as unfinished stories feel like a waste of time.

#ParkGyuYoung

#SongKang

#LeeSiYoung

#GoMinSi

#LeeJinWook

#YooOhSung

#OhJungSe

#JungJinYoung

#ParkGyuYoung

#KimMuYeol

#SweetHome2

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Good but lacks some elements that would have made it great

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2020;2021 mystery, action thriller with 16, 70 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

28 years ago an odd series of murders happened in a village that were labeled the “white night” incident. They never fully unravelled why people were committing murder in a gleeful melee. It is happening again and Do Jung-woo (Namkoong Min) who leads a special task force of homicide detectives, is determined to unravel the mysterious events unfolding currently and determine how they tie to the past occurrences. Jung woo is brilliant but unconventional and yet has the admiration of those around him for his ability to discern the nearly indiscernible. At times he knows things that FBI profiler, Jamie Leighton (Lee Chung ah) grows to suspect could only be known by the killer. Jamie was born in South Korea but adopted into an American family and only recently returned to South Korea. She is hired to help the special team in investigating and profiling these unusual cases. Not all is as it seems and as the two very different detectives work together they remember a shared connection they had as children.

Review

This is a good addition to this trope and if you are looking for something that focuses more on crime, mystery and action than romance this is it. It is fast paced and kept me interested the whole way through. I would recommend this to someone that likes crime shows with a supernatural component. It ends well and happy.

Spoilers

The start of the series is very complex with a lot happening so that if you can’t focus completely on it you are likely to miss things. It would lose me sometimes just because I am not one that likes to have to focus that intently for such a long period. For some that complexity would be part of the charm.

The former FBI team member from the United States was not entirely credible. She spoke English well but with such a heavy accent it was hard to believe she spent such a significant amount of time in the United States. It may not have been as big of deal but they emphasized her “Americanness” enough that it highlighted t and not in a good way. I think the script would have been fine if they made it so she went to the US but didn’t make it like she was essentially American.

I was a little irritated that Jamie, and other team members, would not let go of their suspicion that Jung Woo was the culprit when virtually every fact pointed away from him. They were like “yeah he wasn’t there but he probably did it remotely.” Based on what? How did they come to believe so strongly that the lucid dreaming could be influenced remotely?

I get that South Korean ‘s are very filial but totally looking away from a parent that commits the murder of hundreds of innocents? I don’t think even a child that lived in a culture where respect of elders is key could forgive and accept that. And they kept saying/implying if you show remorse then things can just be forgiven. No they can’t. Having seen over 300 Asian series at this point I have seen several where the parent has done something so egregious the children write them off. If committing mass murder isn’t one of them I don’t know what is.

They set a bomb or series of bombs to go off at the secret research facility with a timer set for five minutes. Why? They knew their people and others were in there and should have suspected something could go wrong where they couldn’t get out in that timeframe. There was no program kill switch? These people were brilliant and yet they can’t figure out how to abort the bomb detonation? I found that to be not bey believable as the super geniuses from the program should have been smart enough to undo that trigger and/or to foresee that things could go wrong.

So the super genius level scientists can’t figure out that there is no plan to use their work for the betterment of humanity but rather for a few very elite people? If they had just portrayed that they were really super evil and didn’t care at all that would have been one thing but they made it out like they really thought their work would do good. So they tried to make them more sympathetic characters than I felt they deserved.

It did end well and mostly happy but I really wanted to see the young woman detective and our main guy get together. It was so obvious they had feelings for each other but they danced around that possibility with the plot. And, at the end, she sees him and goes chasing after but he is gone. Like smoke. So it is obvious it is being left open for another season. I don’t like that. Make another season or don’t. Holding your viewers hostage or making them decide how things went after, I don’t like that. I don’t think it was enough to say don’t watch it, but I definitely find the more nebulous endings annoying. I don’t want to tel the story myself, I want you to tell it to me screen writers.

#Awaken

#LeeChungAh

#NoomkoongMin

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A strange premise but it works

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023/2024 South Korean Fantasy, Romantic comedy. There are 14 regular episodes with one special episode. Each episode has about 70 minute run time. It is based on a webtoon of the same name.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Hae na / Mak soon: (Park Gyunyoung) teaches Korean language to high school students. Teaching is a profession that provides good cover for someone living under a family curse that results in her turning into a dog if she kisses anyone. Teachers work day hours which is a must when you turn into a dog from midnight to 6 AM. The only way ti reverse the curse is for then same person kissed to turn into a dog kisses the person in dog form. Ha nae is sweet and attractive and has had semi serious relationships in the past but they end when she refuses to kiss them. Bo gyeom / San-p sin (Lee Hyun Woo) teaches Korean History at the same school and Hae na has a huge crush on him. She has been looking for an opportunity to express her feelings and winds up kissing him when she gets too drunk at a group gathering. Only it was not her crush, it was his friend and their fellow teacher, Jin Seo won / Soo hyun (Cha Eun Woo) she kissed. And it so happens that Seo won is terrified of dogs due to childhood trauma. Which presents a huge issue because, nit inly does he show no romantic interest in her, she has to get him to kiss her when she us a dog, the very thing he is terrified of. To further complicate things not only does Seo won seemingly have no romantic interest in Hae na, he appears to actively dislike her. All of which results in some very comedic situations as Ha nea tries to trick Seo won into kissing her. She gets help from an unlikely source, Min Ji ah (Kim Yi kyung), Seo won’s nephew, who is also one of her students. ji ah accidentally discovers her curse and since he has a crush on her, is very willing to help her break the curse. As if a dog curse is not enough, things are not as they seem and these “strangers” may have a much deeper past than they, at first, are aware. Did she accidentally kiss the right (fated) guy?

Review

If you read the Webtoon, you will find no major surprises as they did not deviate much from the webtoon. I liked the rendition a lot. They somehow made her changing into a dog a little bit less silly than in the webtoon. One thing I was not a fan of though was the number of flashbacks, there were entirely too many flashbacks and I found that they could’ve cut out at least an episode if they just gotten rid of some flashbacks. You can’t ever go wrong watching Cha Eun Woo though, he’s an awesome actor. The romance was heartwarming, believable and well paced. It has a great blend of fantasy, romance, mystery and suspense. I recommend it and would rewatch if someone had it on.

Spoilers

Many say it drags in the last part. I agree. There was a point, having read the Webtoon, I wondered what they had left to tell. I forgot about the memory being wiped. I am not a fan of the amnesia trope. I was glad it was her that lost her memory and not him. She had already gone through so much in getting him kiss her when she was a dog, I would really have been frustrated if she had to start all over again. I was glad she lost her memories and he had to win her back rather than the other way around,

I don’t know what the special episode was about or why they had it. Knowing that would have helped in determining whether to watch it or not. Since we didn’t know what that special episode was, we started watching some of it then determined it was the same thing just strung all together rather than being broken into episodes. Like one huge, extended, flashback. I don’t know if that’s really what it is because I didn’t watch the entire thing we watched maybe a quarter of it then fast forwarded through some more and got less than halfway and determined it was just more of the same. Since we only watched portions of that special episode, I can’t conclusively say it is nothing new but I can say the part we watched wasn’t worth watching for us .

#ParkGyungYoung

#LeeHyunWoo

#ChaEunWoo

#AGoodDayToBeADog

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A good offering in this genre if you are okay with cliffhanger endings

7.5/10 os my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean dark fantasy, horror series with 6, 42 to 60 minute episodes. It is based on a webtoon of the same title.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

The main part of the story is set in the years 2022–27 in South Korea. During this timeframe, people start to see am ethereal face, purported to be an angel that prophesies the exact date and time of the person’s untimely death. The individual is targeted for a very violent end where these large demonic looking minsters carry out what is tantamount to a public execution. They end their demonstration by incinerating the targeted individual, who is then sent to be further tormented in hell. A cult leader, Jeong Jin soo (Yoo Ah in), warns his followers and the public at large that these demonstrations are intended to show people the err of their spiritual ways. Dubious of the credibility of these incidents and convinced something far more human based and sinister is going on. A detective, Jin Kyeong hoon (Yang Ik june) and an attorney who is a warrior for victims Min Hye jin Kim Hyun joo) team up to determine what is really going on. Turns out a religious cult, the New Truth and another organization called The Arrowhead group fan the flames to instill the fear of God and mete out their own form of moral justice.

Review

Overall it is a very good horror series with strong mystery and fantasy elements. If you realize, they are already planning another season then the ending, which ends with a lot of questions, will not be as disappointing. It is a gorefest. And characters you may like may not survive. So if you are prepared for those things you will likely enjoy the short series. I wanted some more insight so looked for the webtoon.  The live action version follows the webtoon precisely so there is little additional information to derive from reading the webtoon. If you like supernatural and horror content this is a good one in those genre. It is a good one to watch with those who are looking for something that has little to no romantic component and prefer more action based dramas. I would rewatch it if someone had it on simply because there are a lot of complex plot elements that you may pick up on after having watched it once.

 

Spoilers

 

They allude to the fact that the “angel’ and creatures were identified as such by “The New Truth” and there was never a deep dive into what they might be by anyone else. As it becomes apparent that the targets are not always sinners, or at least not sinners we as viewers can identify, the entire God’s punishment angel begins to fall apart. And it leaves you wondering why and how the targets are selected. If “The New Truth” believes it is God’s will why do they call on Arrowhead to go after those they identify as sinners.  Who is Arrowhead and how did “The New Truth” find a band of psychopaths that are so ready to mete out punishment in the form of brutal beatings up to death.

 

How did the baby live? The target of the incineration is always the subject and the white light glowed from between the parents so it would have originated at the baby. How did the beings “miss” burning the baby? Then, when the baby survived, they left without accomplishing their intent. How does that work? Do they just leave the target alone if they are able to survive a period of time after the date?

 

If those that have been incinerated are brought back, why were they incinerated in the first place? Do they come back fully as their former selves?

I read that it was approved for another season but it seems if that is the plan there are huge delays. As time passes it becomes less likely they will carry through with a second season but I will remain alert for another season, If you are not okay with a cliff hanger that may never be resolved with additional content, you might bypass this one or wait for when and if there is a second season.

#Hellbound

#UhmHingSik

#YooAhIn

#KimHyunJoo

#ParkJeongMin

#WonJinAh

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If you like sci fi,, action and dystopian situations this is an excellent option

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 science fiction action dram series with 6, 46-59 minute episodes

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

In the future, 5-8 (Kim woo Bin) is an elite delivery driver in a dystopian era. After a comet hit the Earth polluting and destroying the atmosphere, the remaining survivors must depend on deliveries of precious oxygen to survive the scarce and toxic air. Deliverymen must be special forces level capability to survive attacks from those that would steal deliveries. One deliveryman, is legendary among the poorest class of people who are forced to live like refugees. He goes only by his deliveryman name which is 5 dash 8. He must counter the power hungry, greedy measures of the wealthy heir to a corporate group, Ryu Seok (Song Seung heon). In their stratified society, only those at the very top receive full access to scarce resource although deliveryman are rewarded with the same even if they come from the lowest, refugee, class. Jeong Seol ah (Choi Seung hoon) is a refugee boy who dreams of following in 5 dash 8’s footsteps to become a deliveryman and not only improve his own life but also help his people. He was adopted by his sister, Jeong Seol ah (Esom) who is also secretly making moves for the better of the people. While the deliveryman work for the evil conglomerate, many of them are working against it to secure a better life for all the people. It is a futuristic battle of good versus evil. Who will prevail?

Review

Ot is a great, dystopian, good versus evil, futuristic thriller. The deliverymen were more like elite special forces. It had some “Dune” and “Mad Max vibes but it was definitely all its own thing. I was able to watch it with my guy who is allergic to romance shows. This had the action and intrigue that he likes. If you are looking for something faced pace, with a great and unique premise, this is for you. It is well acted and Kim Woo Bin is a talented actor who is always a joy to watch.

Spoilers

Slight detractors was people, such as the kid, making decisions to move the plot along that aren’t decisions someone would usually make. Like your friend just dies, you know the bad guys are coming, but you do not go and they capture you.

When the kid finally made it and became a deliveryman he was doing inappropriate things like giving his friends rides, and it was as if no one noticed when previously the deliveryman could not deviate from their assigned route and schedule.

I was surprised, given it was on a streaming platform, that the bad guys used a vaccine to commit genocide. They also had people in masks when the villain was the one spreading the pollution that necessitated them. It was an accurate portrayal of such elements currently happening and it was easy to see the parallels

#BlackKnight

#choiSeungHoon

#KimWooBin

#SungSeungHeon

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Fans of the South Korean version will appreciate the cultural nuances

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2018 Chinese reality dating show with 10, 85 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

This is the Chinese version of the Korean reality dating show of the same name. With some subtle differences mentioned below and the inherent cultural differences, the show is essentially the same in form and content. The show starts with six singles, three men and three women who enter the chosen house location one at a time the first day. They cohabit the “signal house” (which changes each season) with the women sharing one bedroom and the men sharing two bedrooms. The overall goal of the show is for the singles to go about their daily lives while freely flirting/sending signals with the other occupants of the house. There are few organized activities, the main focus is on them living together and getting to know each other more naturally. At the end of each day they send a signal (an anonymous text) to the opposite sex single of their choosing and the detectives must determine who will send a signal/text to whom.

Signal House rules

>Singles must return to Signal House each night

>Singles cannot reveal their age or occupation until the 2nd day

>Singles cannot directly confess their like or love at any time during their stay

>At the end of the day, singles can send an anonymous text to one other house member

>Singles can go on one official date but each female picks a location without revealing her choice and the males choose the location they prefer.

Detectives

*Note I say they were this profession or that because people change careers so this represents what they were doing at the time. This is true of the singles as well.

*Zhu Yawen Born in 1984. He would have been 33 when the show was filmed. He was an actor.

*Zhang Yugi Also known as Kitty Zhang.Born in 1987. She would have been about 30 when the show was filmed. She was an actress

*Yang Chaoyue Born in 1998. She would have been 19 at the time of filming. She wasan actress and singer. A member of the Rocket Girls, girl music group.

*Jiang Sida. Born in 1993. He would have been 24 at the time the series was filmed. He was a presenter and had a television show.

*Guan Hong. Also known as Darren Chen. Born in 1995. He would have been about 22 when the series was filmed. He was an actor and model.

*Jiang Zhenyu. Born in 1996. She would have been about 21 when the series was filmed. She was an actress, singer and dancer.

Singles

Females

*Xiang Tiange Student. Born in about 1993. 25 years when the show was filmed. Salesperson in the securities industry. Sales options. Has a masters from Columbia where she studied applied statistics. Works for one of the best security companies in China.

*Hu Jimming Born in 1994. She would have been about 24 when it filmed. Also known under the English name Diana. A kindergarten online English Teacher.

*Li Junjie Born in 1994. She would have been about 24 when the show was filmed. Drama major at a performance arts college. Served in the military for two years,

*Wang Jinwen. Dance teacher.

Males

*Zhou You Founder and CEO of an interior design company (Renew Design Company/UpdateStudio). Je was born in about 1986 and was 32 when the show was filmed. He majored in architecture and minored in design management Pratt Institute.

*Jiang Mingliang Also known as Oscar. He was 23 when the show was filmed. He was a model.

*Liu Zexuan. Born in 1989. 29 at the time of filming. Race car Driver. CEO of racing team.

*Guo Rubin. Founder of 17hiAPP

Korean Heart Signal Versus Chinese Heart Signal

In the Korean version they call those that comment and try to guess outcomes based on signals the celebrity panel or romance experts. In the Chinese version they call them detectives.

The “gem” the detectives get for right answers look like the plastic hearts you might get out of a coin machine. The detectives even make a joke about it and one pretends to eat it. In the Korean version the gems are much more elaborate and look more expensive. Since it is a reward for predicting right, the nicer gems would be a better reward.

There is a lot of flirty behavior going on with the detectives in the Chinese version. There are sexual innuendos and jokes about other detectives. In the Korean version there is little to no flirty behavior among the celebrity panel.

Among the detectives there is a clear leader that says when they watch, what and how they vote, and just generally steers the activity. In the Korean show they take turns leading the celebrity panel group.

When the singles first enter the house they arrive one at a time and the Koreans are visibly nervous and they talk to each other relatively nervously and very guardedly. I was surprised how quickly the Chinese singles started talking to each other.

The Chinese singles essentially have two names, an American like name and their Chinese name. Because my native language is English it makes it a little easier for me to keep track of who is who. But it can also make it more challenging as they intermix the two names for each single. Koreans do sometimes have multiple names, especially if they are an idol, but often totally adopt the nickname.

Astrology is big in the Chinese Heart signal version, they talk about astrological signs a lot. Koreans focus more on Myers Briggs personality type and blood type but even that is not a huge focus.

In the Chinese version they are more likely to stick with whomever they get associated with. Switching and dating around seems less accepted.

Review

If you are a fan of Korean Heart Signal you should watch the Chinese version as tge cultural differences create some interesting nuances.

I watched this after the Korean Heart Signal 4 which I found to be one of the most frustrating seasons of heart signal. It made the Chinese version all the more refreshing as they didn't as radically and dramatically change.

If you are a fan of Korean Heart signal you will definitely get more of what you love.

Spoilers

I loved that Jimming and Zhou You pretty consistently picked each other and were a final couple. That was a frustrating rarity in Korean Heart Signal.

I was so frustrated with Junjie’s fixation with Oscar. She was such a perfect fit with Guo Rubin and he was so sweet to her. Oscar made it clear he was more interested in Tiange. I wish she would have given up on Oscar when he was avoiding her. She called him on it. So she noticed it.

I think the show manipulated the selection date too much so the relatively new woman, Jinwen, would get a date. She was supposed to be a catfish and I thought if she could not captivate someone that was on her. Forgive me but I think some females use their tears to manipulate. She cried and made the other females feel so bad for yer that she ultimately got Jungie to bless her selecting Guo Rubin. He so obviously was not interested her in that way. They did not have a great date because Rubin was so disappointed it was not Jungie. So Jungie goes with Oscar and that derails the fragile relationship that was developing with Rubin. Then Jinwen more or less blames Jingie for her bad date with Rubin saying if they knew they wanted to go together they should have made it clear.

I think the situation would be incredibly hard to navigate emotionally without getting hurt and without hurting others. It’s such a unique situation for somebody to be in a place where there’s so many perfect choices that you have two people you know you could have a good relationship with and they’re great for different reasons. What a hard choice to make. You would have regrets either way. No matter what you do you know someone’s gonna be hurt and it makes it even harder when you like all the people in the house and feel like they’re at least friends.

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Takes the cold executive trope too far for too long

8.5/10 is my rating.This is a 2023 Chinese romantic drama with 36, 45 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

As a reporter Zheng Shu Yi (Bai Lui) has a specialized and unique writing angle as a writer for a financial news publication. She is highly capable and career driven and her goal is to get enough headline articles that she can pursue digital platforming the publications to pull her magazine into the modern era. When the opportunity arises to land an exclusive with a young CEO who is rising in the financial investment world, it is the perfect chance to get a headline. Everyone is curious to know more about the cold but exceptional Shi-Yan (Dylan Wang). In fact Shu Yi’s arch rival, who is equally ambitious, is so determined to land the interview she even cheats in an attempt to get the exclusive. But Shi-Yan was more intrigued by Shu-Yi’s outline than her rivals so she still lands the interview. Once in his realm, Shu Yi decides she likes the handsome Shi Yan for more than just an interview subject, Can the determined journalist melt the heart of the cold young CEO?

Review

If you like the cold chief executive officer (CEO) trope then this is definitely a solid addition to that category. Overall I liked it. I recommend it for anyone that is fans of either lead or supporting actors as they all act their roles very well. If you like cold executives, romance and/or want a slice of the financial reporting or technological investment realms, you would find this interesting. There were some aspects that were not really interesting to me and some frustrating slow spots. It is not one I would rewatch in the immediate future, with so many choices available. I found the length of time he was “cold” and the parts about financial investments, tedious.

Spoilers

I think they take the cold executive trope a bit too far in this one. He is not just cold to her but I think his behavior borders on abusive. When she is trying to connect with him, if she doesn’t say exactly what he wants her to say, when and how he wants her to say it, he walks away or kicks her out. He says he does not like to talk business on his personal time and will shut her down even if she is doing it as a common interest to carry the conversation. And that would be one thing, but he seems to break the “do not mix business and personal” any time he feels like it. He doesn’t even say what she did that he didn’t like, he just shuts her out emotionally and often literally. His friends and family even find him difficult to deal with.

Usually by three fourths of the way through the series, the ice cube CEO has thawed and is now all warm and fuzzy, at least to the main girl. In his case, other than the briefest thaw before getting break up mad at her, he remained cold until the last few episodes. Which, to me, was entirely too long.

Okay so she approached him originally to get the story. So what? She is a reporter it is what she does. But she was using him to get back at the cheaters? I felt like they decided to twist it that way later because that was not a motivation she revealed in any of her abundant internal dialogues early on. But still, he should not have been so hung up on why she approached him originally, but where they went from there. I thought the level of cold shoulder she got from that was over the top. Then several commented later that he let her off easy. She was so heart broken she landed in the hospital multiple times, that is not letting anyone off easy. And I dd nit think she did anything so horrible to him to deserve his cold shoulder, yet again, anyway. Supposedly he still loved her but had no problem seeing how he was completely devastating her emotionally.

The second guy in this I thought was her perfect match. He noticed when she was sad and did everything to cheer her up. He let her talk work whenever, and even helped her find new opportunities. Through his actions and words he indicated how wonderful he thought she was. He was smart, handsome, successful and extremely kind to the main girl. She was happy and laughed a lot when she was with 2nd guy, so of course she liked the absolute opposite guy. I was disappointed he did not at least get someone else wonderful.

Other reviewers said her best friend gave her terrible advice and, early on, I disagreed. She gave great advice on how to catch his interest. But I found they were right later when she was advising on how to save her relationship. Continue to lie and deceive him until he is so in love with you he easily forgives? Main girl should have known better. In the book on being petty and holding a grudge (pretending such thing exists) there would be a picture of him. They never explained what made him so he assumed the worst in relationships but that definitely characterizes his reactions. Deceiving him was absolutely the worst thing with him and anyone that knew him well would know that. So the friend’s advice was so far from right with him. It was frustrating she kept following the friend’s advice and kept hiding things. Main girl should have known him well enough by then to know he would not forgive being deceived easily.

I found all of the “business talk” boring. Financial investment in technological companies just was not that intriguing. Reporting was more interesting but all the investment speak was a yawn fest. And it just made the main guy look less capable.

The side couples’ romances were all super heart warming and they spent just the right amount of time on them. I thought the triple wedding idea was great.

I know people love when the couples spend seconds to minutes just gazing at each other but it is not my favorite. I have never seen anyone do that in real life.

#OnlyForLove

#DylanWang

#BaiLiu

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A Good Science Fiction Series, but not well wrapped up, typical Netfix

7/19 is my rating. This is a 2021/2022 South Korean science fiction mystery thriller with 8, 39-51/minute episodes.

In the not so distant future, Earth has nearly run out if water causing large sections of the planet to turn to desert. Water is strictly rationed but not necessarily fairly so. Despite these difficult times (or perhaps because of them) a team Is sent to the Balhae Research Station confusing to recover some mysterious samples. Some go on the mission for the science, some to discover what happened during a tragic accident that ended 117 lives and others have mysterious, and perhaps nefarious motives. Song Ji‑An (Bae Doona) is one that does not believe the official story of how her sister died 5 years prior. Dr. Song is a gifted Astro biologist so she is invited as a critical part of the recovery team. Han Yun‑Jae (Gong Yoo), is the Captain of the team and a soldier in the space agency. He is not the only soldier on the mission as Lieutenant Ryu Tae‑seok (Lee Joon) from the Ministry of National Defense is also a team member.

Once they reach the research station Dr. Song quickly discovers that nothing is as it seems. Lies were not only told about the current mission but the tragedy was also completely misrepresented. The sample, they discover, may look like water but when it comes in contact with a living organism it multiplies like a virus. They also discover that not everyone died and as they seek to understand what really happened they must avoid the water and survive violent attacks from a girl with superhuman abilities. The lunar water affects everyone except for their aggressor who is immune to the new elements effects. Deception, aggression and lies must be overcome as the team attempts to unravel the past and determine the true purpose of their current mission.

Review

Overall it is worth the watch as a really good, intriguing science fiction series. I rate it down as the ending left things open and I did not like how many died. I like happy endings and this fell short of happy. As Netflix seems to like to do they left the end open for another season but they may never do another season. I would recommend it to science fiction fans and may rewatch it in the future.

Spoilers

So much was not explained about the Lunar water ?. Like why was it expanding when there were no living cells? Dr. Song showed how it did not expand until it came in contact with blood and stopped when the cells started to die. But it flooded the whole station and was expanding when all the people it was in contact with were dead.

Too many of the party died and it felt unnecessary. I really thought Captain Han’s (Gong Yoo) death was unnecessary. When they found he was blown out when the water rushed out, it would have been perfect if he survived after all. I thought he and Dr. Song were developing feelings and it would have been a happier ending to leave that possibility open.

They never explained Captain Han’s tattoo. It is not common for South Korean’s to have tattoos particularly in such a visible place. They never explained why he had the tattoo and if it had meaning. I read on it after and Gong Yoo said, in an interview, Captain Han was a military veteran and the tattoo was of his military unit. It was intended to give him that tough, rugged appearance.

What will happen with Captain Han’s daughter?

They spent so much time, once they left the station, looking for Luna then watching her with Captain Han, how did they know they would be rescued in time?

I liked Doc Hong (Kim Sun Young) but it seemed like they intentionally chose to have only the women survive. There were eleven people on the mission nine men and two women. And it was not like the men were over protecting the women most of the time. Well except for in the the final scenes of the series where Captain Han realizes the decompression chamber cannot be activated from inside so he sacrifices himself by locking himself on the other side of the door to activate the decompression before the water reaches them.

I really wanted to know what happened with Luna 73 (Kim Si-ah). Who was she cloned from? The sister had given Dr. Song the message “Find Luna” but we do not know what she wanted her to do with Luna.

Who picked the survivors up? If it was the same as who sent them on the mission then how do they think they will survive once they return? Dr. Song mentioned keeping Luna and the sample in space at that international biological research station but how were they going to get there?

#BaeDoona

#TheSilentSea

#GongJoo

#KimSunYoung

#KimSiAh

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If you like dramas about idols it is a good one just do not expect much from the romance

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 Japanese romance drama with 10, 57 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Asuka Nakamachi (Tsubasa Honda) takes a job as a dorm mother for struggling boy band 8loom. It is a departure from her original dream which was a teacher that was a sunny spot for her students but, when that dream fell through, she was desperate to move out of her sister’s honeymoon house. Her background may be the perfect fit to help the seven-member boy group find their path to success. As the unwavering cheer base, she may even help the leader of the group, her former student, Dan Sagami (Fumiya Takahashi) hit his stride.

Members of 8LOOM

See also: § 8LOOM

Dan Sagami (Fumiya Takahashi). He is the center of the band. The main songwriter. The only group member that knew Asuka before.

Daijirō Naruse (Ryūbi Miyase). Knickname Naru. He is the youngest member. Still goes to high school.

3. Yukiya Furumachi (Keito Tsuna) He is the oldest member of the group.

4. Ēji Ichinose (Rintarō Hachimura) A college student.

5. Ryūsei Hiyama (Shūto Mori)

6. Takumi Kurushima (Noa)

7. Takara Onodera ( Kōki Yamashita)

Review

I like idol dramas especially dramas that are about idol groups. This does a good job of conveying the many ups and downs on the very bumpy road to success. It is more about the group and the process than it is about the romance. It ends happy but not completely clear in terms of their relationship.

Spoilers

I was disappointed that Asuka’s teaching career ended as it did. I think they left a lot if details out but it seemed like she took on too much then let criticism tear her down. It seemed like a weak way out.

Naru looked the part the most. He just had that overall pop look and demeanor. He was one of my favorites through the majority of the show so I was very disappointed when it turned out he turned in Dan and Asuka like he did. He even went so far as to encourage the band to go on without Dan. I was really disappointed in his behavior and it seemed out of character.

There was not a lot to the romance and it ended on a nebulous note. I thought Dan took a step back from 8loom to pursue her but he left her as she was supposedly happy in her new teaching role. I realize that is probably closer to reality for pop stars but it would have been an improvement on reality for him to fully get with Asuka. All of the build up led to a very soft pairing at the end.

I am always drawn to shows about idols and idol groups because it is such a difficult path. For all their emotional and physical sacrifice, few even make it to true fame. I feel so sorry that they become prisoners of their fans and cannot pursue romance and other dreams.

#FumiyaTakahashi

#8loom

#IWillBeYourBloom

#TsubasaHonda

#RyūbiMiyase

#KeitoTsuna

#RintarōHachimura

#ShūtoMori

#Noa

#KōkiYamashita

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What Girl Would Not Want the Choice?

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2016 Japanese romance movie 1 hour and 32 minutes in length. There was a short, 2 episode , mini series released in 2015 which was meant to promote the film. It is based in a popular Shoji manga series, “Kurosaki-kun no Iinari ni Nante Naranai”.

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review

Synopsis

Yu Akabane (Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu; portrayed by: Nana Komatsu) changes not only schools but her entire demeanor after being bullied. Things do not exactly go smoothly at her new school as she immediately gets on the bad side of Haruto Kurosaki (Voiced by: Kaito Ishikawa; portrayed by: Kento Nakajima) when an accident leads her to cut some of his hair. Known as the black night, his punishment for Yu is to make her be he indentured servant. Annoyed with his constant arrogance and demands, Yu knicknames him black demon. Haruto’s best friend, Takumi Shirakawa, (Voiced by: Kensho Ono; portrayed by: Yudai Chiba) is called the white knight because of his fairer looks and kind demeanor. Once he realizes Haruto is actually interested in Yu, he decides to compete for her favor. The boys have always competed with each other in things. What starts as a game becomes a more serious rivalry when both boys determine they have feelings for Yu.

Review

If you did not watch the 2 episode series, the movie seems to start abruptly and you may wonder if you skipped some scenes. While it is not necessary to watch the 2 episodes prior to the movie, it does explain where it picks up. But if you stick with the movie it does return to what happened before and you catch up.

Overall I enjoyed the movie and my main criticism is the abrupt way it begins. Even with the two episodes out, they could have duplicated the story from the 2 episodes in the opening of the movie.

It ended happy and well.

Spoilers

As with a lot of Japanese shows, it is much “sexier” than most Korean and Chinese shows. It was not over done though. There were some intense kissing scenes but nothing beyond that. Just enough shown in the shower scene to illustrate the physical attraction without showing too much and leaving you wondering if you are watching porn. I liked that about this one.

I appreciated that they valued their friendships enough to give up on their love if it meant ending a long term friendship. But I liked that the friends were not so selfish that they expected their friends to give up just because they too liked the person.

#TheBlackDevilandtheWhitePrince

#MikakoKamatsu

#NanaKomatsu

#KatoIshikawa

#KentoNakajima

#KenshoOno

#YudaiChiba

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Cute Enough for what it is

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 Japanese Romantic comedy with 9, 30 minute episodes. Japanese title: "Ore No Kawaii wa Mousugu Shohikigen?"

Few people stay cute, pretty, and/or super attractive forever. Still, it came as a surprise to 29 year old Maruya Kosuke (Yamada Ryosuke) when a stranger pointed out he would not be cute forever. Sanada Izumi (Yoshine Kyoko) is a brilliant data analyst and was an ace product developer but her inability to manage others resulted in her taking the blame for others.

Review

It is worth the watch for how cute Maruya Kosuke is. There isn't enough to it that I would watch it again. It ends nebulous with a question as to their status as a couple. It is not an unhappy ending just not a very well wrapped up ending.

MyCutenessisAbouttoExpire

#YamadaRyosuke

#YoshineKyoko

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