Enjoy your life
This review may contain spoilers
You should cherish what you have
I feel this is a beautiful and sad story telling a mother’s uncommitted love to her children, especially Ki-kang whom she felt sorry to. Perhaps she was still a traditional woman who believed that eldest son must carry the family name, and Ki-kang also tend to get into trouble, which made her to be more worried about Ki-kang. Despite having poor health (she had heart disease) and being an illiterate, Soon-ok relentlessly went around finding ways to reduce Ki-kang’s sentence. It is heart-wrenching to know she was not able to visit Ki-kang several times despite making a long trip from her island home, and I really teared when Ki-kang was looking forward to meeting his mother but only learnt of his mother’s death. This is another story not just to praise a mother’s love, but also to remind us to treasure our loved ones before it is too late.♡Was this review helpful to you?
Prison Playbook‘s plot is primarily driven by its characters, focusing on their internal strifes to propel the drama forward. These serve as intriguingly damning social commentary on two overarching themes: a flawed justice system that unjustifiably ends up punishing the innocent and political corruption. Many other K-dramas that aim to uncover these just end up getting bogged down by convoluted side-plots, but Prison Playbook suffers from none of that. Most of the various major storyline threads flow organically into each other, interspersed with side-splitting dark comedy and remarkably engaging tension.
Characters :
For me, the characters in the story were unique, and each character has a special feature and a story in drama .. For me, all the characters complement each other in an amazing way. If you deleted one of the characters in prison, the story would be incomplete ..
Performance:
Any story would suffer from a poor lead but Prison Playbook had no such issues — Park Hae-soo was perfect for the role. Kim Jehyuk was his first role as a lead actor but he was able to pull off a suitably nuanced performance as the wide-eyed fallen hero. This was a role that needed someone who was not only likable but could also believably handle the ever-shifting power dynamics in prison. Park Hae-soo easily ticked off those checkboxes. Furthermore, he was able to establish an incredible onscreen rapport with every character with whom his character formed an alliance. The result is a drama that made me emotionally invested in everyone who was on his side, even the ones who had once committed terrible, hard-to-forgive crimes.
Music :
The music that accompanied Prison Playbook isn’t likely to be the sort that sticks with you but neither is it all that distracting. Instead, it’s sort of a happy in-between. Suitably tense instrumental music helped enhance the drama’s narrative progression but none of it truly stood out. Its OST album featured major figures such as Heize, Zion.T, Eric Nam, as well as Winner’s Mino but they were mostly just there.
Cinematography :
One would expect a drama about prison life to be underlined by completely muted colour palettes but Prison Playbook seemed quite determined to challenge every expectation. Although the prison walls themselves were as dreary as it gets, Prison Playbook‘s cinematography was subtly underlined by crisp pops of colour that were made possible by props within each mise-en-scène. Consider the scenes shot within Jehyuk’s shared prison cell after he was transferred. The inmates have been there for so long that they’ve practically made some semblance of home for themselves by adding brightly coloured storage spaces, books, and other knick-knacks. This stands parallel to the almost overwhelmingly bright colour palettes outside prison walls as if these items were needed to keep the inmates hold onto any shred of hope or signs of humanity. It’s details like this that make this such an outstanding drama.
It was a great drama and I regret being late to watch it, but it is better than not watching it so happy that I followed it ^ ^ And if I am hesitant then watch it and you will not regret ..
Finally, I hope my review helps you
Was this review helpful to you?
Ancient Swords Meet Time Travel In This Fun Epic
Writer-director Choi Dong-hoon (Assassination) reaches into every corner of the film landscape to concoct Alienoid. Like many films of its ilk, Alienoid is action-packed, full of laughs, and capable of a major twist, but what sets it apart from other films is the right dose of time travel. Juggling several storylines at once, Alienoid is not perfect, but it is always working toward its goal. Except for some out-of-place robots, the CGI in Alienoid is more than serviceable. The story is very high concept and the tone is completely aware of itself, leading to a truly enjoyable experience.Alienoid is, in many ways, the best parts of the greatest genre films. Combining the wire work of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with the action and CGI of a Marvel movie is certainly a recipe for success. The performances and directing all seem to be on the same page tone-wise, seamlessly shifting from epic to absurd on a whim. There is also the combination of present and future technology, like guns being used in 4th century Korea, that feels more natural than it should. The ambitious swings taken by Choi often hit, and the misses come in different parts of the film. There is something oh so sweet about a historical warrior going toe-to-toe with a man in a Tom Ford suit.
The CGI in Alienoid is mostly great, making the lesser scenes stand out. The Guard is an alien in human form, but he is the fighting model of his kind. This prompts an all-black metal suit when he is in battle, which has a great design and looks even better in action. The alien bad guys also have inventive designs. Though they resemble the average interpretation of an alien, two things set them apart from the norm. They are several feet taller and more muscular than the average human and when they are in alien form their human hosts float above them like creepy balloons. However, these aspects all fit neatly into the aesthetic of the film. Other choices, however, do not fare as well. There is a massive outbreak of poisonous red bubbles that look very cool and super stylized, but seem out of place. Even worse, when the Guard fights his counterpart, a red robot with plans to release the prisoners, the contrast could not be greater. If this was a level in Portal, the red robot would look perfect, but set against a world of fully fleshed-out motion graphics, the execution comes off as unfinished.
Alienoid bends genre, tone, and story to create a fascinating new world. Though some of the CGI is choppy, most of the sci-fi elements of the story look quite good. The dialogue never really needs to sing because the plot is the engine of the film and Choi is having a great time in front of and behind the camera. Alienoid has grand ambitions and meets almost all of them....
Alienoid is action-packed, full of laughs, and capable of a major twist, but what sets it apart from other films is the right dose of time travel.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
For me, the story was not cliche and I liked it very much .. This drama was characterized by sincerity, spontaneity and charisma and gave a funny picture of the love triangle, which is a big problem in most of the drama .. Also the cast was more distinguished and gave the drama a good taste .. and The drama was also marked by beautiful Ost. In general, I enjoyed this drama. Sorry about my weak English. I'll try to strengthen it over time.
Was this review helpful to you?
interesting movie
Amnesia has often been a key element in actions films and Yoon Jae-keun’s work also makes use of it to an entertaining effect here. The protagonist’s dilemma of trying to recall who he is while moving bodies is however a unique one and puts a fresh spin not just on the memory loss notion but on body swap too. The issue of identity, of course, is a key theme here as the hero tries to hold on to tiny threads to figure out his own true self, to emotions and memories that make him “him”. This is all rather high-concept in nature but Yoon doesn’t aim to rewrite the genre rulebook here and besides a few minor plotholes, manages to make the straight-forward story narration flow at a fast pace. Throw in one of Korean cinema’s favourite element, bureaucratic corruption, and it results in a decent mix.“Spiritwalker” comes to life as soon as the action sequences start. Hand-to-hand combat, gun fights, car chases, foot chases- you name it, “Spiritwalker” has got it and got it good. If the close quarters fight sequence remind of the similarly amnesia themed The Bourne series, the large-scale action set pieces show off the production’s lavish scope. In general, the feature’s cinematography follows Hollywood standards but plays a big part in heightening the impact of the action sequences by keeping flowing camera movements and minimal edits which help highlight the stunt work. The climactic shootout particularly underlines these aspects well, in addition to showing off the impressive action choreography. The music also has an adequate but familiar feel,reminding of similar works in the genre.
Yoon Kye-sang was last seen in an action film as the antagonist in the smash-hit “The Outlaws” and the producers of that film clearly saw merit in his performance there, casting him in yet another production of theirs here. If his performance doesn’t have the dramatic effect that it did in the 2017 film, he fares a lot better in the action department. His portrayal of the confused man figuring out many things at once is believable and Yoon makes him likeable and easy to follow around, but it stops short of being memorable. The action, however, ensures that his work here remains impactful. Lim Ji-yeong gets a couple action sequences herself as Moon Jin-ah, the mysterious woman our protagonist’s story is somehow tied to. Park Yong-woo is mostly watchable as the antagonist Park, but an odd writing choice near the end makes the character, and thus Park’s performance, lose necessary gravitas.
Korean cinema seems to be on a mission to reinvent and make a name for itself in the action genre in recent years. “Spiritwalker” successfully manages to be an absorbing watch that takes an overused plot device and gives it a fresh spin and, in the process, manages to have its name registered alongside the select few impressive productions in the genre in recent years from the country.
Was this review helpful to you?
Simple and humble movie
Kyu-Man Lee directed The Policeman's Lineage, which stars Choi Woo-Shik, Cho Jin-Woong, Park Hee Soon, Kwon Yul, and others. The story follows a by-the-book police officer, Choi, played by Choi Woo-Shik, assigned to secretly investigate a team leader, Park (Cho Jin-Woong), who believes that the rules shouldn’t stop an investigation. As he investigates the officer further, he grows closer to him and starts questioning what to believe.The film was, at best, generic. It had some good parts to it, but ultimately, the bad parts just overshadowed the good ones. Now, for the good parts...
》The Good《
☆1. Cho Jin-Woong Giving His Best
This film would have been dreadful if Cho Jin-Woong had not given a strong performance as the leader of a team of investigators. The film presents itself with two lead characters, the first whom played by Choi Woo-Shik, who was okay at moments and bad at others, but Jin-Woong, on the other hand, was consistent and solid throughout. Whenever he was onscreen, the scene instantly got better. His efforts were reflected in the script as well. While other characters were just generic police officers, they crafted his character brilliantly and made him intrigue to go along with his performance. And he was committed to the role. He gave his best to make you like, hate, and feel sympathy for him all in one film.
☆2. Solid Idea for A Film
It must be difficult to come up with a new premise for a film about cops, criminals, corruption, or any other topic relating to law enforcement. However, the screenplay writers for this film managed to find one. Focusing on the donations and funds South Korean police officers receive from sponsorship and how they have been used for and not for the purpose of investigation was quite unique. If only it were executed well enough. Speaking of executions...
》The Bad《
☆1. Muddled Execution
A solid idea comes to nothing if isn’t carried out well. For some unknown reason, the filmmaker did a poor job of delivering the message of the film. The message and the premise were there to be seen. It was obvious, but they decided to dance around it and added scenes that just don’t add anything to the overall story. The film should have been 30 minutes shorter as the story itself demanded such a runtime. But the filmmaker decided to make a 2-hour film, and to make it even worse, those 2-hours wasn’t even filled with moments of side characters development. A chunk of scenes from the film felt long and not needed and that muddled the execution of a solid idea.
☆2. Just A Blend World
If you have ever seen any police centric film from South Korea, then you have seen this film. Besides its strong core idea, the rest of the film was mediocre. The world presented to us was dull and uninteresting. On top of that, you have several police officers’ characters that are just so shallow and don’t bring anything to the film. Even the score was forgettable. The action was poorly crafted and shot. Basically, nothing about this film, other than the story itself and one good performance, was outstanding. This was saddening to watch, as it makes the film feel cheap despite the budget it might have had, considering the blatant product placement shown throughout the film. In general, the film had this blended way of presentation.
☆3. Who was The Villain?
In any film ever made, there will always be a villain or an antagonist to spoil the hero’s plan. This film sort of has a villain in Na Young-bin, played by Kwon Yul. He did his best to bring the character to life, but the script department let him down. The character was just there to fill in a check mark that a police-centric film needs a drug kingpin to be taken down. Indeed, you can’t write a perfect villain for every film. But all you needed to do was make him an obstacle for our heroes to overcome. The more difficulty the heroes face, the more likable they become. If that is not an option, then make us hate him with despicable actions and decisions so we can like the heroes who come in and try to stop him. Instead, we get a one-dimensional villain. Sure, the film tried to present the idea of whether the police are really the heroes in the story when they themselves use questionable methods to prevent crimes, but even that part was poorly executed. All the audience that would be left after watching this film would be someone they could truly hate and feel happy about seeing them receive their comeuppance.
》Overall Thoughts《
As mentioned earlier, you will forgot you have ever watched this film once the end of the year came. Despite a solid performance from one of the actors and a solid idea, the poor execution and poor writing resulted in a mediocre and forgettable film.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Watch and enjoy
, or its Korean title, , is a crime film revolving around voice phishing scams, and I’m not sure as to why they decided to have a different English title from the Korean, as the Korean title is also in English… Nevertheless, both fit the movie and its narrative well, but I’ll refer to the film as , as that’s the official English title.》The Good《
Right off the bat, Kim Mu Yeol was absolutely incredible. He fit his role so well, and made it really believable that he was a con artist. I can’t say that all roles were good fits, or that all actors gave their best performances, but I can for sure say that Kim Mu Yeol was extraordinary. He’s an astounding actor and his performance in this was the best I’ve seen of his in recent years.
Stepping back a little and looking at the film on a more macro sense, is about an ex-cop taking revenge. Does that sound familiar? , , and all have a similar overall theme. Of course, there are numerous differences and identifying details that make each movie what it is, but they all fall under the umbrella of ex-authority going after evil and getting revenge.
And zooming in on a micro sense, this is a small detail but the opening title sequence left a noteworthy impression on me. It was like an American crime drama series opening, with its text, music, and transitions. Moreover, there were a few chuckle-worthy points in the film, but overall the movie didn’t have much humor.
And most importantly, does an incredible job showcasing in a very realistic way how voice phishing scams take advantage of vulnerable people during unstable states. It’s extremely cruel. There’s a quote in the film that goes something like “Let’s show them a taste of hell,” and this is quite literally the case, as the scammers display a short glimpse of happiness and joy to the victims, but it’s actually cold-blooded evil in disguise. Extremely cruel and gruesome, and makes you wonder how a human being can do such wicked acts to another human. The scary thing is, this is all true and happening in real life. There are victims every day of these scams every day.
》The Bad《
With about 30 minutes left, the movie kind of goes south all of a sudden. It felt like they rushed to conclude, which is quite unfortunate because I feel like what they were able to accomplish prior was quite good. Nevertheless, I will also say that the overall progression was on the faster side. A sequence, after a sequence, after a sequence, without much deeper engagement. So I guess that’s why it felt like the movie rushed to finish even more, since the overall momentum of the film was on the quicker side.
Furthermore, it’s sad to say, but the ending was pretty unlikely, or very unlikely. However, with a movie like this, a hopeful ending and conclusion is almost kind of necessary. It’s just that it’s probably really unlikely in real life that victims will get their money back in whole.
There were also other parts that didn’t make sense. Minus small details, there were also parts that had me questioning some parts, like how Korean cops are taking the lead, especially when entering the call center building, when they’re in China. Shouldn’t the Chinese authorities be in charge?
And lastly, I said Kim Mu Yeol was incredible, but I can’t say that all casting were good. Most notably, Park Myung Hoon. Park Myung Hoon had his breakout performance in , who played the man that lived in the basement of the Park family’s home. He has a freaky look in his eyes, which shined in , and he had it partially in this as well, but it wasn’t half as notable. Personally, I think it was a missed casting call with him, as we weren’t able to see him at his full potential. He didn’t leave a big impression in this, and was like a comedic/parody character from .
》Verdict《
Good action, thrill, an intriguing storyline, and suspenseful moments were all found in . Movies like these are needed to raise awareness. The more aware people are, the less victims there will be falling for voice phishing scams. If the movie helped prevent even one more person from falling victim to these scams, one less victim, then I say job well done. If you are a fan of crime actions, or the main leads Byun Yo Han and especially Kim Mu Yeol, I recommend giving this a go. (○_<)
Was this review helpful to you?
“Are kids born from parents who don’t love each other undeserving of love…?”
is a movie that really hits you in the feels. Prior to watching the film, I thought the movie would be a semi-thriller drama that offers some thought-provoking ideas. I mean, after all it is based on true events. Yes, the movie had these elements; but it also offered so much more.☆The Good☆
Right off the bat, the acting by the two child actors was amazing. It was almost unbelievable how great they were. Their ability to emotional connect with the audience, making the viewers laugh and cry, was skilled not only for child actors, but was on the level of some elite actors. Also, Lee Dong-Hwi was amazing as always. The potential he has as an actor is truly incredible, with his own, original style that I don’t think anyone else can copy. The type of humor that he emanates is something only he possesses with his expressions and mannerism. I loved him in the the 2016 K-drama , loved him in this, and appreciate all of this other works as well.
Furthermore, another great aspect of the film was its ability to ride the fine line between drama, thriller, and comedy. The occasional humor scattered throughout the duration kept it from being too dark, and the balance it had between the different elements gave it a great mood and good shifts in tone when it transitioned from one to another. It had a similar vibe to that of ; it was less gruesome in its depictions, but the messages it conveyed were very significant. It definitely had more humor than , which I believe is what kept it from being an extremely dark film..
As briefly mentioned above, the movie conveys some crucial messages, more specifically societal messages on child abuse and the broken law system that’s currently implemented. It showed what the law can’t protect, how it needs to improve, and how easily it can be manipulated. One of the key messages I took away from the movie was the significance of adults and the role that adults need to play in children’s lives.
And the last piece of comment I would like to make in this portion of the review is that the cinematography was extraordinary. The movie was beautifully shot.
☆The Bad☆
The biggest negative of was its slow progression. It took an hour for the real plot to begin. I’m not necessarily saying that the story wasn’t good, but it did take a little too long in its early development. In addition to its slow progression, the film’s progression was also rather predictable. If you’ve seen the trailer, you basically know the overall story, and it doesn’t really move out of your thought bubble.
As I said in my review of and , these types of movies aren’t for everyone. The film goes over some serious issues and pressing matters, which inevitably leads the movie to be relatively dark. I understand and acknowledge that this won’t suit everyone’s preferences, and so if you are not interested in/prefer darker movies, I wouldn’t recommend this film.
☆Verdict☆
It’s very heartbreaking to think that the story of was based on a true story, and that this is the reality we live in. The movie does a great time showing how really messed up the system is.. It truly shows the dark side of humans and how ugly we can be.
Was this review helpful to you?
It is an interesting movie and worth your time to watch
The movie starts off with a bang. It gets your heart going from the beginning, and with its background music, the atmosphere is really well made. As mentioned briefly in the synopsis, the movie gets real, real quick after the first explosion. It does a great job at placing you in the shoes of the protagonist, and begs the question, “What would you do?” I’m sure I, as well as probably majority of other people, would think the unknown caller to be a scam as well. But once you find out the situation you’re in is real, how would you react?And I think it’s because it begs these questions that makes the movie very thrilling and real. The situation is something that you and I, and every average person can find themselves in. It’s relatable, and you’re able to easily place yourself in the shoes of the protagonist.
Also, because majority of the movie takes place in the vehicle, there are limitations of what can be done with the setting. However, I think they did a great job at building on those barriers and not letting it restrict the movie. The use of camera movements, angles, the shots it had, and just the cinematography overall was good and enhanced that action-heavy, suspenseful mood.
Furthermore, I thought that the casting was done great. Jo Woo-Jin played minor and supporting roles prior to this, and this was, I believe, his first time in a main, leading role. And I must say, he did a great job. And it isn’t just him that was good, but the acting by the cast members were overall great; from the daughter role, to the antagonist role, and the smaller, minor roles, there wasn’t anything to really complain about the movie in terms of acting.
However, the movie wasn’t without anything to complain about. Let’s move along to take a look at what I found to be the negatives about the film.
Before going into the movie, I was worried that they gave away too much from the trailers. And ultimately, I think it did give away too much, or more-so too much of the “good” parts. Because it gave so much of the good parts away in the trailers (hence, the first half or so), it gets loose after about an hour in. As the film progresses, it also gets a little too cringe and there were forced emotions. It was as if they were begging you to shed a tear, which makes even the tears that were going to come out, go back in. Very unnatural.
Moreover, the story itself was pretty generic and nothing too special or out of the ordinary. Long story short, predictable.
And I can’t not mention this because I think practically everyone that saw this movie, or even the trailers, would think this. And I can’t include this in the good parts, because it isn’t a good thing about the movie, but nor is it necessarily a bad thing. When watching you get the impression that this is a two hour long commercial for Genesis. I mean, I’m sure the Genesis GV80 was a product-placement, but it wasn’t just a regular PPL; it was literally like a prolonged, extended advertisement for the vehicle. That, and the city of Busan; an endorsement for those two things.
Overall, the movie was good for the first hour or so. There were lots of suspenseful moments and they were great when they were there. However, it gets loose after about an hour in, and there were forced emotions and was cringe as it progressed further into the story. The takeaway? Let’s buy a Genesis and plan a trip to Busan! (Jk) But with the limited action and thriller films we’ve had out of Korea, or I should say good ones, then this is up there in relative terms..
Was this review helpful to you?
Touching story
I’m a sucker for any film that’s going to make me cry and I knew as soon as I read the description for A Melody to Remember (오빠 생각), also know as Thinking of Elder Brother (the literal translation of the Korean title), I knew I was going to cry buckets. And the film didn’t disappoint.In fact, it was much better than I was expecting due to how real the characters seemed, how easy it was to connect to them and the story, and the complexities shown. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
**Warning: There may be spoiler so read at your own risk if you haven’t seen the film.**
My Thoughts
The film starts out depicting not just the stark horror of war but the terribleness of a country fighting itself and neighbours fighting neighbours. I think the realities of war are hard to truly grasp for those of us who have never served or seen war outside of history books but the starkness, the death and the emotional devastation in the film seemed realistic to me. If you caught one of the trailers of the film that just shows the cute kids singing, the film, especially the first 15 minutes or so, will be a bit of a shock as it is a war film – just one that also tells the story of hope and redemption.
And that’s what sets the film apart from other war films I’ve seen is the contrast of the sweetness and lost innocence of the orphans with the horrors of war. The hope and the desire to rebuild oneself that the children engender in those around them creates a bond. The fact that caring for someone other than themselves helps many of the characters, primarily two of the main ones – Lieutenant Han and Dong Gu – to rise above the misery and seek something more. Plus, many of the kids are just cute. Scenes like the little girl who attaches herself to the Lieutenant because her deceased father was also one are at once sweet and poignant, as are when the orphans do a group hug to the Lieutenant after one of his nightmares.
You might have noticed that I’m talking more about the characters than the story, and that’s because it’s the characters that truly brought the film alive for me. Some of the characters simply made you smile but it was the complexity of the Lieutenant’s character that made the film for me, despite how very much I didn’t want Dong Gu to die. In fact, it was the Lieutenant, played by Siwan (시완) and Dong Gu, played by Jung Joon Won (정준원), whose depth of character and caring of others that often made tears run freely.
Even the villain in film, Galgori or Hook as he was also know, played by Lee Hee Joon (이희준) was multi-dimensional and while he had no problems stealing or putting young children to work for him, there were lines he wouldn’t cross. He was bad but the rich kid was truly evil.
All in all, it was a bittersweet film that had many of the elements I enjoy in cinema – characters one can connect with, scenes that make one laugh and scenes that make one cry, as well as some complexity in the story.
Final Thoughts
Bring tissues. Seriously! There is no way you’ll make it through the film without crying and if you’re someone like me that tears up easily, you’ll sob buckets. Other than the tears, it’s a good film based on a true story with characters you can connect with. And no, you don’t need any knowledge about Korea or Korean culture to enjoy the film, other than the fact that there was a Korean War (which was a civil war).
Was this review helpful to you?
Love can make you happier than you have ever been^^
It was pretty refreshing to be able to watch Korea’s rendition of it, which featured a spectacular star-studded cast list including Kim Kang Woo, Yoo In Na, Yoo Yeon Seok, Lee Yeon Hee, Lee Dong Hwi, Chen Du Ling, Yeom Hye Ran, Girls’ Generation’s Choi Soo Young and Yoo Teo.I shall not go into the details of the story (as it would be a spoiler) but in simple words – it is a pretty lighthearted movie, capable of making you relate to it somehow. It touched on many small but important aspects of life, covering stories with themes relating to breakups, loneliness, healing, multicultural-marriage, and also the search for life’s meaning. The simple everyday moments definitely makes it relatable and could possibly make you feel reflective as well.
Another aspect of the film which I truly enjoyed was that I could re-live the travel memories while watching the film. Being travel-deprived for the past one year, watching scenes and locations of Seoul on the big screen (with Namsan Tower in the background) definitely brought some warmth to my heart and reminded me how much I wished I was there. There was another story with a ski field setting and it reminded me of snow and my skiing experiences. Furthermore, the cast even flew to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina for the movie! There were many beautiful destinations featured, including the famous and majestic Iguazu Falls. I’m not sure about you but it felt really good to enjoy ‘traveling’ while watching a movie.
Whether you are a rom-com fan or someone looking for a feel-good movie, this is definitely a good pick and the eye candies are really pretty too!
Was this review helpful to you?
Featured movie ♡
“Pawn” is an enjoyable outing by Dae Gyu-kang that often feels a little too ambitious for its own good, its narrative suffering as a result. In the same vein as Lee Hwan-kyung’s beloved “Miracle In Cell No. 7”, as well as Gyu-kang’s first feature “Harmony”, the film is built on the thematic basis of family, and the idea that it is a concept that reaches beyond blood. It’s unfortunate, then, that in an attempt to create a sprawling, years-long narrative, the film loses sight of the characters that are meant to represent its thematic intentions.Gyu-kang rushes through plot points so hastily – expect a montage – that he ends up bypassing the relationship we should be most invested in: Doo-seok and Seung-mi. While the excellent lead performances make a lot out of a little, key character moments, that could flesh out the nuances of this relationship, are left on the cutting room floor, leaving us rooting for this unlikely duo, but not completely invested in their individual characters. Instead, Gyu-kang spends much of the runtime, specifically in the second half, searching for payoffs that don’t always feel earned – for the aforementioned reason. He churns out act-of-god-like contrivances after another in order to incentivise emotional catharsis from the characters, and therefore, the audience.
Fortunately, Director Dae’s heart is in the right place, as are the actors he has trusted with these characters. For all its narrative wonkiness and eye-rolling emotional coercion, the film is saved by earnest performances and an underlying message that, yes, is unremarkable, but carries a seasonal relevance that is hard not to be enamoured with.
Sung Dong-il snuggles into his role perfectly as the life-weary father-figure with a heart of gold, while Kim Yun-jin – Myung-ha, a mother at the end of her tether – and Ha Ji-won – Seung-mi, all grown up – are tasked with handling much of the film’s emotional baggage, which they do with admirable sincerity. Kim Hee-won is one-note as the archetypically slapstick Jong-bae, providing fine comic relief but is mainly there as third wheel to Doo-seok and Seung-mi’s father/daughter dynamic, which takes all priority. Though it’s Park So-yi as plucky young Seung-mi that really steals the show, brightening every scene she’s in with adorable expressions and playful dialogue that makes her the perfect Yin to Doo-seok’s cynical Yang. The heart of the picture, it’s no coincidence that the movie loses some of its entertainment value in the second half, once her all-too-short screen time is up.
“Pawn” proves to be a narratively wonky but heart-warming, chuckle-worthy tearjerker to watch with the family on a lazy Sunday afternoon, even if the second half of the film becomes the equivalent of an I Dare You Not To Cry video compilation. Like the best holiday films, “Pawn” will, if for a precious hour or two, bring your family closer together, whether they’re blood relatives, an all-woman prison choir, or apparently, your childhood kidnappers.^^
Overall, was such a heartwarming film that gives that feel-good vibes. I found myself smiling frequently, but also on the verge of tearing up as well. It’s a perfect family movie to watch with your loved ones.♡
Was this review helpful to you?
When the Camellia Blooms Korean
I was pretty hesitant going into When the Camellia Blooms. I knew it was a hit with fans both in South Korea and internationally, but I’m so picky with more simple dramas like this. But thankfully, I loved it!And I can totally see why they chose Gong Hyo Jin for this role. She seems so natural as she plays these realistic and slightly awkward characters. Her mannerisms are just so spot on.
The town is then filled with so many great supporting characters including the gossiping women, the man vying for Dong Baek’s attention, that man’s wife who is onto his games, the woman always looking to get money, Yong Sik’s mother, as well as Dong Baek’s son and mother. Talk about a wonderful group!
ways with its focus on the characters and their relationships. Yes, it had the mystery surrounding the serial killer, but that felt like more of a subplot for the bulk of the drama. And this is a prime example of how a simple story like this can be just exciting as any more complex series or an action drama.
The show is written incredibly well, and it handled everything so beautifully. It peeled back the layers of the characters and their stories in just the right manner for maximum impact. It also dropped small hints at a variety of things early on and then tied everything together later in very satisfying ways. It pulled on all kinds of heartstrings!
I was thoroughly invested in these characters and their lives, so their experiences captivated me. This drama held my attention and charmed me from start to finish. What a lovely surprise it was!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I wanted something on the fluffy side, so Meow, the Secret Boy looked like a good fit. I ended up having mixed feelings towards the drama though. It’s a cute show overall with a side of angst to round things out. The story is decent but quite basic being centered around a cat who can transform into a human and what ensues as he lives a double life trying to be with her.There’s some fun to be had as Hong Jo adjusts to human life. We also watch as his and Sol Ah’s relationship develop. It has some cute couple moments as well as some heartwarming ones as he always tries to be there for her.
We then have to deal with Sol Ah’s past issues with Jae Sun. There’s some mystery around why their relationship ended, and both of these people are dealing with a lot of pain for different reasons. Some communication could have went a long way to prevent some of their troubles though.
The characters themselves were interesting, but I did find them a bit flat. They seemed pretty one note for the most part. There is a tad bit of growth for them as the drama progresses with the most notable being for Jae Sun as he has a lot of emotional baggage to unpack. He’s pretty closed off for most of the drama though, and it takes until those last few episodes to really make progress.
This is the kind of drama that also seems to just kind of mosey along. From start to finish I found it to be on the slow side. It kind of takes its time and just casually moves ahead with the story. Things definitely progress, it just wasn’t the kind of show that had me itching to go onto the next episode right away.
It should also be noted that this isn’t a drama that should be looked at too seriously. We have a cat changing into a human because of a girl. That pretty much sums of the why and the how. It does dig a little deeper into the situation, but it’s not some grand mystery with a huge purpose. It’s more just a cute scenario with the challenges that come with it needing to be explored and dealt with. The ending may leave some rolling their eyes too.
So overall, I found Meow the Secret Boy to be in the okay range. The story was basic and a bit slow, but it did have some humor, heart, emotional situations for our characters, and a cute romance. A decent enough watch for the most part.
Was this review helpful to you?
