Sets a high bar for Chinese historical dramas

After watching Nirvana in Fire (which was really great, I still hold upon my review for this show), this drama was what was the most recommened follow up to watch within the same genre. And when I read its synopsis of having a revenge story in a historical setting, I was already hooked. Initially, I watched this for its revenge plot, not knowing what lied ahead.

Chinese FLs tend to be meek, submissive, overtly cute-sy, just a typical Cinderella complex type of character. This is what was on my mind prior to watching this drama. After all, this was based on what I read while scrolling in this review site. It was also one of the reasons why I avoided Chinese dramas for so long. However, Wei Yingluo was the totally opposite of what was mentioned. She came to the Forbidden City with an identity, and remained there still with her identity intact. She didn't allowed the behemoth number of obstacles to fail her mission. She was smart, cunning, cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Genius is a gross understatement for her character.

What I also loved about this drama is its pacing and plot development. The numerous conflicts in the royal harem all throughout its 70-episode run, on paper, could've been boring since it was formulaic at times, but the execution were done really well. There wasn't any deux ex machina involved and the plot twists, were realistic in that a smart person could figure it out, and Yingluo is one such smart person, so... Intriguing is a gross understatement for the story's pacing.

Furthermore, the characters were really fleshed out. One special mention would be Royal Consort Gao, who was as villanous as one can be. But in depth, there was a reason why she was who she was. Her characterization was really thought out well, and she is someone who I will not forget anytime soon. Interesting is a gross understatement for the characters.

Production-wise, this was really one of the better Chinese productions and is comparable to Korean high-budgeted dramas. Its technical aspects (cinematography, lighting, camerawork, music) were aesthetically-pleasing, and enough for a drama. The CGI was actually very decent. But one aspect that I really commend was the wardrobe. It was just divine to watch, and was really able to capture the essence of Qing dynasty fashion. Qing dynasty was not the best among the Chinese dynasties fashion-wise, but this show represented its best attributes very well. It was just ethereal and magnetic in the eyes, except the men hairstyles.

My slight criticism for this drama is that it wasn't able to maintain the intense tension for its last episode. It was still cleverly written since it circled back to the reason why Yingluo entered the Forbidden City in the first place. But, it could've been more impactful, which was what I was expecting. Nevertheless, the ending was still very great, wonderful even.

This show solidified my awe and admiration for Chinese historical dramas. They are as straightforward as they can be. No unneccessary back stories, and focuses on the present dilemmas. There are a plenty of royal shenanigans and betrayals, which is a staple for this genre. Story of Yanxi Palace, for one, sets a high bar for Chinese historical dramas.

Read More

Starts absolutely confusing, yet ends absolutely riveting

This is the first Chinese drama that I've ever watched, so I am really new to everything about their storytelling style. Yet, after watching the last episode, I was just left to ask: "What took me so long to watch it?"

A really common comment about this show is on how really confusing it is during the first 5 episodes. It was very confusing in that I had to search for a "relationship tree" picture between the characters to get the context. Furthermore, the story at that point can be understood, but for the most part, I was just clueless about what was happening, who's who, and why is that happening.

However, what made me start to invest here is that it isn't shy in focusing more on the main story (which is in contrast with Korean dramas that adds subplots to further add the story). The pacing here was neither fast nor slow burn. It really took its time in developing the events surrounding the main character, and then wraps up with heavy impact. Also, it did not relied on plot twists and deus ex machina, which made it more realistic in terms of the characters' decision-making. It was just refreshing to me as a viewer to see letting the story flow on its own organically.

One would think that this show's 54-episode run can be a turn off especially when there is only one main story. The erratic cliffhangers were just enough to really make my scratch my head, wanting for more episodes. KDramas and its dramatic cliffhangers just cannot compete here.

Speaking of the story, I absolutely loved how great it is. Once I was able to grasp the details around it, I was frequently reminded of "Game of Thrones" and was just in awe in terms of the parallelism and the context similarities of the two. Both are equally great in giving tension, drama, and royal politics, but this show in particular, was in top notch in portraying royal politics well. It wasn't too complex, yet it also wasn't too cliché. It still gave room for the watcher like me to think profoundly about their actions, and still enjoy its entertainment value at the same time. Also, the action and martial arts was just top notch, and the fighting skills are just chef's kiss.

The ending was what I expected it to be, but I would have appreciated it more had it followed the Korean 1-hour episode format. I found it to be too condensed though it was able to answer the questions and close the story pretty well.

Given all the praises, why would I not rate this drama a 10? Well, here comes a disadvantage when watching a show focused on a single major story - it tends to become redundant. There were quite many flashback scenes (particularly of the Chiyan army 13 years prior the story setting), and at a point, I was already tired seeing it. The scheming of plans also tended to move slow, despite the brilliant outcomes. It was more emphasis on talk, therefore more screentime and less on the action. But when the action scenes came, I wasn't able to think anything but be speechless.

Since this is the first time I am watching a Chinese drama, I don't have any idea how to perceive this show in the grand scheme of things. Nevertheless, I will set this show as the standard for my future Cdrama endeavors. Can't wait to watch more shows like Nirvana in Fire that starts absolutely confusing, yet ends absolutely riveting.

Read More

Still funny and entertaining as the first movie. But honestly, this can already stop here.

It was as if Sang-sook (Ra Mi-ran) has already changed for the better, but old habits just die hard. Until karma hit her again, and this time, much harder than before.

I was initially apprehensive for this sequel, since the first movie was already adequate with its story and ended with a closure. This time, I am glad that it was still able to retain the foundations of its predecessor that made it funny in the first place, for the most part.

Sang-sook was as kooky as ever, and Hee-cheol (Kim Mu-yeol), as loyal as he is to her, was just as entertaining as well to watch. Their dynamic was explored more here, and it, being this story's core, was one of the better points of this movie, if not its highlight. Individually, they were already funny, and together, it was truly comical.

One thing to note is that the comedy this time was more superficial and toned down compared to the first one. Maybe it was because it was set on a provincial setting which is not as robust as the capital Seoul, but it was still enjoyable. I just laughed with their foolishness at the beginning, then towards the "return of the curse" at the middle, until the "plot twist" at the end. Also maybe, because I was just in the mood to watch a mindless comedy film in that this movie just clicked with me.

The pacing and story direction were satisfactory as well. New characters and settings were introduced here, and it was quite good how it was drawn out. Pony (Park Jin-joo) could've been more fleshed out, since the actress really shines in comedic dramas. Her character could've been given a bigger role on the story.

In terms of pacing, there weren't filler scenes all througout the movie, but since the story events were already predictable, the screenwriter and director had to bank on proper comedic timing to really make this sequel as interesting as the first one, and they were mostly successful on that aspect.

In terms of production, I was amazed on the CGI effects on one scene about the long term goals of a certain entity (I have to make this spoiler-free hehe). There weren't really standout production and screenplay value here, but nonetheless, it was coherently done.

The ending was more or less the same, bringing up again the possibly of another sequel. I, for one, though found this one to be still funny and entertaining as the first movie. But honestly, this can already stop here.

Read More

Could've easily become Jeon Wick, but ultimately ended up being Just Weak

When a well-known, brutal, 100% target- rate female assassin does not eliminate her target due to personal circumstances, she becomes the target herself.

Kill Boksoon (길복순) is a movie that is very much the love child between the action, dark comedy, and a little bit of art-house genres of cinema. The opening confrontation was just pure art, as with the other action scenes. The cinematography was not just top-notch, but its spontaneity and fluid flow was really able to capture the essence of what the action scenes were all about. Added with spanish background music element, the production team was really able to infuse moments that I would never forget for the rest of my "watching movies as a hobby" time.

Furthermore, Jeon Do-yeon was, as expected, exquisite in her role as the titular Gil Bok-soon. The wordplay of her last name to be incorporated with the english word "kill" was very witty context-wise. Fresh from watching her play as a single mom on CCiR, and another in this movie, I am glad that she picked this project despite playing very similarly at her last role. For this movie, she was able to show another, yet secretive side of motherhood that will do anything for her child. But her also being secretive here resulted to another problem, a quite common one in the parent-child relationship dynamic - often miscommunication.

As mentioned earlier, this movie has some art house film elements. There were 2 specifically. One was underexplored (LGBT subplot), while one was unneccesary (incest subplot). The former might be understandable given the nature of youth and it is progressive actually in Korean standards, but the latter did not gave substance to the story. It was questionable at best, cringe at worst.

Outside the captivating action scenes and great cinematography, the movie was dull. It's quite interesting to see a fast-paced action scene, followed by a slow-paced dialogue that takes too much screentime. This movie's quality could've been improved had it focused more on the action rather than the "mind games".

Morality was also tackled here, albeit grey. The concept of an "agency" handling "shows" for these trained assassins was unique. But the case that was the catalyst for the main lead to rethink about her chosen profession was rather forgettable. It would've been more impactful for her had the case itself be closer to her child's situation, rather just because the target was just close to her daughter age-wise.

It is already expected that Korean movies also explore the human side of a story, or the point of view of a character/s. In this case, it is about Bok-soon's duality as an apathetic killer and an overempathetic mother. But I was just disappointed that it wasn't executed properly here. One might think that was subtle and had to be given a deeper meaning, but given this movie's long screentime, it just ended up as incoherent, if not messy.

The ending was quite sufficient, but it was lacking of a climax. How was I to know whether this part of the movie is to be its most exciting part, when there was little indication to it. And the littlest of clue was already predictable story-wise. Good thing, it was filled-up with nice action scenes. The action itself could've been more appreciated if there was better lighting. A shocking plot twist could've added more flavor in this story. There was an attempt though, and the answer to said twist was even vague.

Nevertheless, the trailer with that spontaneous and seemingly effortless (but actually was done with utmost effort, production-wise) action scene made me excited about this, but the outcome turned out to be the opposite. Still, there were some positive aspects that deserves to be praised.

It has the similarities as John Wick, and this movie could've easily become Jeon Wick, but ultimately ended up being Just Weak.

P.S. It still funny to think that the flashback and current Nam Haeng-seons were together in this movie. Their action scene was just art, and the camerawork there was chef's kiss.

Read More

Messes the viewer's psyche, but also messes its story's logic

This is the second Jdrama that I have ever watched, so I really don't have a solid opinion about their storytelling technique as of now. But based on my "background knowledge" on animes, I have come to conclude that Jdramas, especially for this genre, know how to portray gore and violence well. This show was not an exception.

Fundamentally, it shares the same root as Squid Game in that it is a survival show where morality is often questioned and often times, it's grey. They both focus on how the main lead would push through several challenges/games, and ethical dilemmas along the way, then ultimately survive in the end. However, the best distinctive characteristic for this particular show is that it focuses more on the narrative and its story, rather than the people around said narrative and story (which is not the case for SG). My opinion for SG is that it focused too much on the characters rather than the story, and that is what I loved on its Japanese counterpart.

The best episode for this show has got to be the 3rd episode. I won't be sharing how the events happened for this specific episode, but it was just messed up, to say the least. And it being messed up and its unexpected outcome was just brilliant in the storytelling perspective. I utterly gasped as the credits rolled, and just couldn't properly function for some time.

Moving forward though, there were some illogical events and inconsistencies on its story. The screenwriter was not able to properly grasped the game's complexities, therefore some plot holes appeared here and there. I want to make this review spoiler-free, and to be honest, said inconsistencies are not that obvious on its first watch. But then again, when it is becoming quite prevalent, one would question whether it is really just a coincidence or already an inconsistency.

Furthermore, I was just impressed on the male lead's character development. Arisu (Yamazaki Kento) came a long way from being a wimpy loser into a strategic and mature person. But at the same time, was quite disappointed with the female lead's character development. Usagi (Tsuchiya Tao) fell prey on the "strong FL at first, but became dependent on the ML later on" syndrome, and I was quite disappointed on that. I hope it changes on the 2nd season since the dynamic between them is already great. By the way, I am already predicting a romantic subplot later on.

But, the most obvious letdown here is the plot twist as to who the game master is. I was appalled when the person's identity was revealed at the end. Yes, it was surprising and shocking. But unlike its Korean counterpart, the show did not invested some story and emotions on said person, yet I am hoping that this would be tackled more on the next episodes.

Despite all that, Alice in Borderland (今際の国のアリス) is still better than SG in that it was consistent on the story that it wanted to tell. The gore and violence was much extreme and bloody, which in my opinion, made this series more thrilling and gripping. Each episode was just different, and the level on shock increases as more that I watch this. Still, I just can't visibly omit my criticisms for this series and also can't say that it's miles better than SG. Overall, this Jdrama messes the viewer's psyche, but also messes its story's logic.

Read More

Slapstick comedy that really slaps

Prior to watching this kdrama, I honestly expected it to be one of those typical slapstick comedies that would be redundant towards the end. Yes, this show is a slap-stick comedy, but redundant it is not.

Gaus Electronics (가우스전자) has the elements of office romance, eccentric characters, name double meanings (which I found really funny and witty), and the nonending chaebol dramedy. What I liked about this show is that it was not shy in portraying parodies, which if not executed properly, would have become boring. One such great example is the parody of the chaebol romance with Kimchi slaps. Just watch the show to get this reference. Basically, the parodies here were very funny.

Although promising, the first 2 episodes weren't quite entertaining. One might be discouraged to finish it, but since it was promising, I gave it a chance. And it really bloomed plot-wise after the dots were finally connected, and I was able to distinguish the characters, their relationships, and dynamics.

Lee Sang-sik (Kwak Dong-yeon) really is the highlight for this story. His clumsiness might get along the way for his team, but also what made me root for him and his story as well. He has the naivety of a child, and the prudence of a working professional together. He just wants to do his job in a high-quality yet nonsensical manner. And the acting was just spot-on. Lee Sang-sik was really written for Kwak Dong-yeon.

The pacing was good too. There wasn't a solid direction that the story wanted to go aside from the main plot, and for this kdrama, it was good since it was able to create a spontaneous and fluid story flow where it just wants to tell the day-to-day lives of the Gaus Electronics Marketing Team 3. The 12-episode run, honestly, was too short for me. But it is because I was beyond entertained for this series.

The post-credit scenes/advertisements were not only delightful but very witty as well. Of course the laughs were already expected, but its wit was just at another level. Very smart addition by the story writers on this series.

What I just didn't liked is the finale episode, since it wanted to compress all the stories and give them all an ending just in 1 episode. It was still funny, up to a point, but it could've been better had it already set the tone of some stories on the previous episode so that the main story be given better closing here. Nevertheless, it was all still good.

Overall, this Kdrama is a great intersection of office life with comedy with a sprinkle of wordplays and romance. But the best thing that has come out from Gaus Electronics is its slapstick comedy that really slaps.

Read More

Death can also be elegant and dignified, as this movie truly personified

Right off the bat, "Departures" already knew the story it wanted to tell. The opening scene was intriguing, and there was an essence of mystery that made it more interesting, wanting to be unfolded.

Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) returned to his hometown after his orchestra disbanded in Tokyo, accompanied by his wife, Mika (Ryoko Hirosue). I really liked that despite her husband's failure, she was supportive and wanted to go along with him. Now, coming back to Yamagata, his life was about to change.

Personally, I didn't have any background on the stigma surrounding the job that Daigo chose. It was appalling for me at first when his childhood friend, Yamashita (Tetta Sugimoto), avoided him after he knew what his job was.

But despite that, Daigo still chose the job of "assisting departures" under the tutelage of Sasaki (Tsutomo Yamazaki). At first, he was surprised by what the job entailed. But later on, he was able to witness the elegant, almost artistic process of noukan (encoffining). The comfort this process gave to the bereaved families and the appreciation they would give to him after doing it was the catalyst for him to grow on this job and on himself as a person.

What I really admired in this movie is that it tackled the human connection and the well-discussed concept of death. Death is a normal part of the life process; some may be afraid of it, but it makes us appreciate life more. It showed that death is the end of this life but not life itself, since it only serves as a gate for the next. Death isn't something to be afraid of; it is something to be expected. For some, including myself, this might not have hit us at home yet, but this movie opened our eyes to its inevitability and how we can handle and cope with it. 

Also, what I appreciated deeply was how intricate and greatly detailed this movie imparted about the Japanese death rituals. It was shown as if it is very spontaneous yet accurate and professional, and most especially the amount of respect they give to those who have departed and their grieving families as well. This was very true for the family shown in the first part, where it was very emotional and could've easily turned the ritual into a mess, but they respected the views of the dead. 

The second half might be overly emotional, but being overly emotional was its core, and it was conveyed exceptionally well. The several bereaved families that Daigo and Sasaki helped through the nobility of their utterly stigmatized and disgusted profession were such a huge proof of why they do what they do. And this job greatly helped Daigo and, to some extent, Mika grow as a couple and as individuals. Notice that Daigo now plays his cello with more life and expresses his happiness in a jollier way compared to the beginning. He was now happy at this point.

The one thing that I found lacking, and the reason why I won't give a perfect 10 on an otherwise outstanding film, is because of its rushed execution of forgiveness and reconciliation at the end. I was able to get the message the movie conveyed. The whole duration of this film tugged at my heartstrings, but the last few minutes did not do as much as I wanted them to. It felt like it was just something that they had to finally put a closure on, and that went for the movie as well. But then again, it was just adequate. 

Masahiro Motoki was just a delight with how superb his acting was. At times he was just hilarious, but his portrayal of professionalism and seriousness in his job, despite initially feeling icky about it, was just amazing. The scenes where he played the cello were just outstanding, as if he were a professional cellist. And the music itself just gave more power and flow to the movie. This film did not have any magnificent cinematography, but the music really stood out and helped in conveying the emotions and mood properly, if not exceedingly.

"Departures" really told us that there is more to death than just grief. It can also be an avenue for reconciliation and forgiveness, and at the same time, it gives a deeper understanding and appreciation of what life truly is. Death can also be elegant and dignified, as this movie truly personified.

Read More

"If my husband is a spy, then I'm the wife of a spy"

Initially, one would ask as to how was this movie greenlit given the Japanese' generally denialist stance on the events of World War II? Then again, it is also refreshing to see their perspective regarding this bitter and painful event of human history. It's even more refreshing that this movie slowly tries to recognize their gruesome role on the war and maybe it can lead to future movies telling the truth of its horror but something that should be remembered for generations to come.

"Wife of a Spy" circles around a married couple - a busy businessman Yusaku (Takahashi Issei) and Satoko (Aoi Yu), amidst the changing and turbulent 1940 Japan. What's more is that the wife's childhood friend, Taiji (Higashide Masahiro), now a squad leader in the military police, is suspecting the husband of being a spy for being "too Westernized".

The first half was a tad bit too long. There could've been scenes removed since it just made me lost on some parts. Yet at the same time, it was intriguing to know what the real story is. But still, its early somber mood was important for what's coming next. This part really showed that ignorance is bliss.

Then, the big reveal happened. Although the incident that was being referred was too vague (in terms of the real historical event), yet it is still important to know that until now, Japan still refuses to fully admit its war crimes.

The clip on an internment camp that was shown, despite brief, but really gave me chills as to how inhumane their military did to the innocent people at that time. It's very ironic to see the smiling barbaric Japanese scientists at one frame yet transitions to the angry but hopeless war prisoners at the next. There was only few violence shown onscreen, but one doesn't have to imagine what dreadfulness that the Japanese empire did to its enemies, even if it was its own people.

But at the same time, I really liked how the music at the second part upped the tension and thrill on the succeeding scenes. This is despite the no to little background music at the start. This could've balanced out the storyline and created equal tension already.

The last 30 minutes of this movie was just too exhilarating for me as the viewer, but nerve-wracking for the leads. Each scene was just brilliant, and the plot twist shook me to say the least. It was truly gripping and enthralling.

It's ending might be quite melodramatic, which was a sudden shift from the high tension it had earlier, but was still done well. The note at the end was tricky for sure, as I thought I was watching a biopic but is not.

My biggest gripe for an otherwise great movie is its production value. Originally, this is a TV movie so budget isn't really the main priority, but still, there were very visible production errors noticed:

First, is the sound mixing which was uneven and at times, there was static heard. Second is the setting itself particularly the storage area, where it was obvious that there were modern speakers near the screen. Third, the exterior set was inadequate for a wartime period film. Though for the third point, it may be understandable as Japan is still new in producing movies set in the 40's.

My next gripe was the terrible borderline funny acting of the English-speaking characters, though I do understand that it's because of the availability of actors, but still.

Nevertheless, it's amazing to see that Japan is now ready to face its not-so-good role during the war, even with some nationalism still interjected.

The story maybe focused more on the characters rather than the plot itself, but there's one line from this movie that really stood out for me and perfectly encapsulated this movie's essence: "If my husband is a spy, then I'm the wife of a spy."

Read More

Will Dong-eun be able to get her glory?

A very sorrowful and heartbreaking portrayal of bullying shown on the first episode was enough to make me grip my hands to take my own version of revenge, I mean, to make me invested with this show right away. At times, I forgot that it was not me being bullied with how ecstatic they were whenever they bullied Dong-eun. It was as if it was me being bullied instead of her, and sadness is truly an understatement.

That's why Dong-eun meticulously planned her revenge to get back to them. It was utterly easy for her to just give up, but her determination was just gritting, and personally, I just couldn't feel anything but be inspired with her. In a technical sense, I loved how the pacing was done from her being kicked out of the school towards the present. Her growth as amply shown and her "love letters" to Yeon-jin just added intensity and vigor for her inevitable revenge.

This show is divided into 2 parts, with here focusing on the backstory and the planning stage of the revenge itself. Initially, I was not a fan of the split release but after watching the first part's ending with a cliffhanger and a shocking plot twist, I was able to get why they did it in the first place - to maintain the momentum of the increased tension and enthrall going in the second part. It was very successful at that aspect.

For now, I'm not as emotionally-invested on Yeo-joong's (Lee Do-hyun) story as with Dong-eun's (Song Hye-kyo). There's massive story potential shown in the first part and I know quite well that it will be tackled more on the second part. Furthermore, Yeo-joong's role at this part isn't as significant as Dong-eun, so this is why I will restrict this review on the main story.

On the other hand, this role has got to be Song Hye-kyo's best acting role as of the moment. She was really able to personify Dong-eun the best. Maybe it's because this is entirely different from her previous roles, but the stoic, almost emotionless personality was perfectly-written for this actress and she was also able to portray it very well. This project basically squashed the recurring criticism that Song Hye-kyo is a one-dimensional actress. Wasn't a big fan of hers prior, but she is able to own it and I'm being converted as a fan as of this moment. But can she transpose it on her next projects or was she lucky that a one-dimensional character suited her very well?

My other comments will be reserved for the second part, since it will be more cathartic, if not gruesome (I hope). Still, this 8-episode first part was greatly done in setting the tone for the overall show. The first part doesn't need all of the big twists and shocking events, yet I'm expecting it on the next.

The big question now lies: will Dong-eun be able to get her glory?

Read More

Find love and comfort through this Kdrama once again

Aside from the slow, if not confusing, first few episodes, and the overbearing Ok-boon (Cha Hwa-yeon) at the beginning, this show proved once again why family-themed Kdramas should not be easily glanced and just skipped right away.

The clue to enjoy Kdramas with a family-centered story consisting of many storylines with overlapping connections, is to have a spontaneous pacing and flow. This show was successful on those aspects, and it was able to make me glue my eyes on the screen throughout its 50-episode run.

Of course, the production value is not on par with the more famous 16 or 20-episode dramas. One of my recurring issues here was the inconsistency of the frames on several scenes contributing to production lapses. Some were subtle errors where I had to rewind a few seconds earlier to confirm said errors, yet some were quite obvious. Will not spoil them for the next viewers to be able to enjoy this show more than I did.

But this is easily forgotten by the great and heartwarming story shared by the Song family and its ever expanding members. The main story of the separation of 2 siblings serves as its highlight. Even though it was dragging and too makjang-y at some point, its pinnacle was just worth it, if not totally gratifying.

There were also aplenty of romances of some sort. Most, I agree and rooted with except one where I expected the screenwriter to explore more, only to end as a footnote on the overall story. I was also rooting for them, but just why? Still, this show was not short of showing and sharing love on one another.

If I were to pick my favorite character here, it has to be Jae-seok (Lee Sang-yi). His development all throughout has overturned his immaturity at the start of the show. He was also consistent with his character and his smile and laugh are just contagious. His story was also one where I was emotionally-invested the most.

Speaking of character developments, I was glad that the mother was also able to have one. She was the one I hated the most with her haughty character, not caring or even trying to understand the perspective of others aside from herself. But then again, it's a family-themed Kdrama so the best outcomes are to be expected.

Lastly, I just found the Song family to be comforting, in that despite their situations, they were able to still push through and how they handled it were very typical in a family. I liked how this show portrayed a family (the Song family in this case), in the most realistic manner. It showed that no family is perfect, but at the end of the day, they still find comfort with one another. I also found comfort along with them.

Not thinking about some noticable flaws in the story and looking for something heartwarming and just good feels, one can find love and comfort through this Kdrama once again.

Read More

Crash Course in Romance? More like crash course in blotchy mystery featuring romance as a side dish

일타 스캔들/Crash Course in Romance, as a social commentary, showed the unfortunate norm of hypercompetitive education in the Korean society well. Although it was not groundbreaking since there are already shows that only focused this issue, but it was still distinct on its own in that it added some flavor to the story literally and figuratively, especially the cuisine, romance, and towards the latter part, mystery/thriller.

The budding romance between the star teacher Choi Chi-yeol (Jung Kyung-ho) and the nation's best side dish maker Nam Haeng-seon (Jeon Do-yeon) is as typical as a Korean rom-com story can be. There were some clichés as expected, but for this show, its edge is that it was a middle-age adult romance done realistically. What also added to the successful execution of the romance part was the chemistry between the actors themselves. They knew how to act their characters well and their emotions and mannerisms were just amazing onscreen. There were issues regarding the FL's age and fashion that honestly didn't made sense with me as someone who doesn't like pure rom-com Kdramas. I am more concerned with the romantic connection and not the petty unrelated stuff.

The plot was well built-up. There were several substories in the beginning and the later episodes that were portrayed well and thus, making the pacing exemplary on the 1st half. Won't be spoiling them but basically, it was just entertaining to see everything, from the different side dishes, to the dizzying world of math (shows how weak I am on this subject LOL). In terms of flavor, the romance and proper pacing on the 1st half represents the sweetness.

Speaking of sides, the side characters were just as entertaining to watch as well, most notably, Su-a's mom. She really epitomizes the tiger mom "I don't give a damn as long as I'm the #1" attitude with just 1 goal. She may not be as dark as the FL in Sky Castle, but she too, had her almost dark moments. In terms of flavor, she represents the bitterness.

But why won't I give a perfect 10 rating on the story?

First and foremost is the mystery. As mentioned, the story was well built-up and that includes the mystery part. There were some plot twists and misleads, but it still added some tension and grit, in a way. It's just that after the shift from romance to mystery in the 11th episode there were little to no moments on the relationship anymore. I wanted to know more about them, and the mystery was a necessary for this show to hit 16 episodes. Still, I was accepting with how it stole the screentime, thinking that it may be a turning point of some sort. Yet it only culminated in just a splash, literally. It was disappointing and blotchy with how it ended. In terms of flavor, the mystery represent the sourness.

Also, is the out-of-the-blue almost slapstick "romance" between 2 side characters. It was just a "stop trying to make fetch happen" Regina George to Gretchen Wieners moment. It wasn't needed since it was obvious that it was more logical for them to have a brother-and-sister relationship, and it was just better if it didnt happen. Although in real life, I won't be complaining since I can't control their feelings. However for this show, I was salty about it, hence the salty flavor it represents.

The finale tried to salvage the messy thriller somewhat successfully, but it was already predictable at that point. It gave the boost needed from the mediocre previous episode. The charm was still there, and it wrapped the story as necessary. There was fluff and redemption from various characters, albeit some were rushed.

Contrary to some, the last "obstacle" for me was expected and was not contrived at all. It was a decisive moment for Haeng-seon and Hae-e's relationship and love for each other.

Then again, this show was more on being a social commentary about Korean education rather than just a pure romcom. It was not expected to fix the system overnight, but this show was quite successful in conveying its message across.

With that in mind, Crash Course in Romance? More like crash course in blotchy mystery featuring romance as a side dish.

Read More

A horrid and depressing story of revenge

The first scene was just anguish overload. It introduced a grief-stricken Il-woo (Park Jin-young) seeking to avenge his twin brother's death. Park Jin-young's conveying raw emotions of grief and anger during the first 5 minutes was just flawless. It was just applauding that he was able to get rid of his flower boy Kpop idol persona and transform into a dirty, gritty, and morally-ambiguous character. "A Christmas Carol" is the pinnacle of his acting chops and just proved his versality. Basically, PJY is the highlight of this movie and deserves an award nomination at least.

For the plot, it had a stable direction while it focused much of its first half on the violence/revenge part then addressing the problem on the second half. There are several trigger warnings and some people won't be able to digest or feel the same rage as me while watching it. If one could be able to get past through the first hour without having the urge to end it, the second half, although darker, would be interesting to watch.

It was emotionally-investing to see Il-woo's journey in achieving justice for his brother's death. The flashback scenes shed some light but at the same time, just felt utter pity towards Wol-woo's plight. Il-woo's realization later on was just heart-breaking, as with most scenes towards the ending.

Could've been better in terms of tension build up especially when it was revealing who was behind the crime. The reveal was still good, it was somewhat surprising but it also felt disjointed in terms of its execution. But when everything was then connected, it now all made sense, and it being gory is such an understatement. For seasoned movie watchers though, the "plot twist" could be already seen a mile away.

Even with all the horrible events all throughout the movie, the ending still provided a glimpse of light. Only a glimpse, since it doesn't yet evoke a societal-level change and the court verdict was questionable, but still a glimpse, since it triggered a talk, if not a controversy about this movie and its story. Maybe it can be a catalyst for such gruesome incidents to be stopped and prevented in the future. With that in mind, I think this movie was able to tell its message to the viewers quite well aside from few wonky sequences and story telling on the later part.

It's not obvious based on the final outcome, but this movie actually faced severe restrictions from the Korean movie board and had to be revised four times before being finally released. Yet despite the fact, 크리스마스캐롤 ("A Christmas Carol") was still able to portray a horrid and depressing story of revenge.

Read More

It may have some minor subplot issues, but is still an utterly underrated Kdrama

Go Ah-in (Lee Bu-young) is a no nonsense woman whose only purpose is to do her job as a creative director in an advertising agency in the most perfect and flawless possible. At first glance, she was able to finally achieve her ultimate career goal when she was promoted as the first woman to be an executive director (Chief Creative Officer/CCO) at her company. However, Choi Chang-soo (Jo Sung-ha), Go Ah-in's superior had another plan in mind.

At first glance, 대행사 (Agency) is an office drama comparable to Misaeng, but given with a company director's POV instead of an employee's. Both are great in their respective stories, and just love them both.

But for this show specifically, I love that it has a fast-paced flow and deals with the intricate office politics and complex world of the creative industry well, especially for people without creative industry background like me. Each episode increases tension between the main characters, and their rivalry really makes the plot interesting. One may think that this "rivalry" may be tiring for the remaining episodes, but with the addition of new stories and characters along the way, the story just keeps more interesting as more layers are being uncovered.

It's also great to know their respective characteristics and alliances on each factions in the office politics drawn early on. It may be seen as boring as we already know which side a side character is, but it didn't bothered me as much.

Jo Eun-jung (Jeon Hye-jin) is the most "fleshed out" character other than Go Ah-in in terms of her background story. It's quite remarkable to see how she is able to balance out her duties in the office, despite her son's disapproval for his mother to work and resign instead. Also, it's great to show that despite her dilemma, she is fully backed with support by her husband and mother-in-law. With this stigma against working mothers in a conservative yet competitive Korean society, it's quite good, if not refreshing, to know how this show addresses this issue. But then again, I didn't like that the MIL and the father wasn't that helpful to Eun-jung in convincing the son for her to work.

Personally, I knew what the outcomes would be, but would is still gagged with how each outcome are shown. It's like knowing that there would be a plot twist, but doesn't know what that plot twist would be. This is true most particularly with the presentation cliffhanger at episode 8.

The only production lapse that I noticed was during a throwback scene on the second ep where the creative office used modern-type computer monitors when it was set in 2004.

After the 1st half, this show now focused to complex corporate drama and chaebol problems care of Kang Han-na (Son Na-eun). She has an eccentric character and seems reckless on the outside, but is actually smart, if not cunning on the inside.

One complaint is that it would have been better pacing-wise had Han-na be developed into someone who can stand on her own despite facing failures, rejection, despair and loneliness. The romance subplot was just too transactional and there were virtually no chemistry between her and Park 부장. But if the writers really decided to insert this storyline, it would have made more sense had it was inserted towards the end (at least the last 2 episodes). I would have no complaints even if it was rushed since then again, I can't see the chemistry of said romance.

Being nit-picky as well, there were some things that this show failed to explained more. First, is Ah-in and her mother's story. After the episode 12 confrontation, I really hoped that there is more to be discussed and more emotions be shown to really have a a fulfilling closure on their issue. It ended even only through a text, which was appalling since it was built-up very well on the earlier episodes. Second, Ah-in and the budding romance with the CEO of a gaming company. The spark was already there and Ah-in could've enjoyed said romance, but it was just forgotten midway. What happened?

The ending was satisfying in a way that it wrapped the main stories very well, in a compelling but not overdramatic fashion. Yes, it was expected, but then again it was executed perfectly in such that it was not boring. The last episode was very engaging in terms of portraying the cooperation of Ah-in and Han-na for their "common enemies". It was the definition of women empowerment in a society where men are still dominant in many corporate aspects.

Still, every episode ended with a bang. I think the reason why it has a lower MDL rating is due to its delayed subbing. It's very surprising how this is not picked up yet by major international streaming platforms given its high ratings in Korea. It may have minor subplot issues, but is still an utterly underrated Kdrama.

SIDE NOTE:
It will be an unforgettable watching experience for the last 2 episodes. At times, I was reading English subtitles, and at others, it was Indonesian. I was really able to maximize my Korean and Indonesian skills just to get the gist of what they were saying. Still, it is a very rewatchable Kdrama and I enjoyed watching it despite some minor subplot issues.

Read More

Not so entertaining to watch, except the last two episodes

Go Youn-jung's "replacement" as the main female lead was actually done very well. Initially, I was ready to be disappointed with this shift, but her mannerisms and innocent-looking amnesiac aura made me realize that she was fit for the role. Even I was able to recognize her as Naksu immediately. She was able to retain the charm of Jung So-min while portraying the character of Mu-deok/Naksu (of course, as the role of Naksu was written for Youn-jung). But then again, I was frustrated that she was again relegated to be fragile and more of an eye-candy when in fact, Naksu was a vicious, merciless, yet skillful person in the first place. The amnesia shouldn't have been an excuse. Besides that, She (the actress) definitely was the surprise for this season.

Other than that, I was generally disappointed with how this season turned out. Yes, it was able to answer the fundamental questions from the first season which is the reason why my score for the story is not that low. But, it was full of plot conveniences that initially confused me (Seo Yul's blood parasite problem being solved right away), followed by prolonged dragging of cliches (amnesia, passive aggresive romance, and noble sacrifice being the top culprits) that could've been compressed by at least 2 episodes, and ended with noticeable plot holes that buffered my brain (Park Jin being able to close the door of Jinyowon despite him not being part of the Jin family, among others). The story shifted for the majority of this season, and it only decided to return to the main story during the last 2 episodes.

I was also upset for that it only had few, but still memorable action scenes in this season, partly because of the prolonged building up of tension rather than the action itself. Although, it was vindicated by the last 2 episodes, as the action scenes were breath taking, still I wanted more. The CGI were also top-notch, but it felt that it was only reserved for said last 2 episodes, and budget was only an afterthought for the rest of the season. The wardrobe here were not as sophisticated as the 1st season, but the accessories and the props (relics) were definitely an upgrade.

Speaking of the prolonged tension build up, it was baffling in that everything could've been solved right away, and even the "ultimate" battle was just finished easily. Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook) was not even sweating during that "battle". Again, deux ex machina overload all over, which definitely killed the ending's potential to be a future classic. It was as if there was more talk than action. Personally, it might be due to the overexposure of the romance plot and its cliches which felt like filler rather than building blocks of the main story. Still, the last 2 episodes are the saving grace for this series all things considered.

Another gripe is Jin Mu (Jo Jae-yoon). How is he still not captured or even dead already? I wasn't really convinced with the reason behind that, and he just was a plot armor. Not a memorable villain as a character, but great delivery of lines and emotions as an actor.

There were still positive comments here, most notably the improved acting of the Hwang Min-hyeok as Seo Yul. He was now able to expand his acting range here compared to the one-dimensional emotionless acting on the first season. Still, there is room for improvement. Also, it was hilarious to think that the Crown Prince Go Won (Shin Seung-ho) had an unexpected character development. Not only that it was lowkey funny, but it was refreshing for me thinking about it due to its being unforeseen.

All in all, still a disappoinment with how this season turned out. Despite my lackluster reception for the first season, I was still optimistic here because of that cliffhanger. However after watching this, I was able to conclude that this season felt that it had a separate story from its predecessor, and as a series, it looked like it has two stories in one.

My review title for the first season was that it was entertaining to watch...at 2x speed. Here, it would be: not so entertaining to watch, except the last two episodes.

Read More

A precautionary tale for possible bioterrorism, but a mindless one

A bluish, hazy lens flare focuses to a young man inquiring about a flight that would have the most passengers in the busy Incheon airport on a busy summer day was not the strongest opening for a disaster movie. Yes, one might be curious for that young man's intentions, but the camerawork obstructed me from focusing on the screen. Instead, I just couldn't wait for a normal camera angle and coloring.

However, it redeemed itself with the succeeding scenes once the lens toned down. The tension about the apparent "attack" is now building up as the said young man is now trying to pull out the trigger for a what seems to be a bio terror attack on a plane bound for Honolulu. Also, the passengers of said plane whom he would victimize are now being introduced on the screen. I felt pity towards them being innocent on what would happen next, but at the same time, I couldn't take it much seriously knowing that there were also teenagers aboard wearing their uniforms on their way to vacation.

This disaster movie, as with most disasters, is divided into 2 parts: the 1st half talks about the disaster itself and its victims; and the 2nd half is about the consequences of that disaster to its victims, and the society to an extent.

The 1st half was purely genius in terms of balancing grit, suspense, and thrill. The outcome was already predictable, yet it felt that it was not. Im Si-wan's portrayal as the young man mentioned earlier named Ryu Jin-seok was absolutely terrific in terms of characterization. He really was fit for the role of an innocent-looking yet dangerous and narcissistic terrorist, and he was able to convey the necessary emotions well. Also, the plane attack in itself was brilliant in terms of how carefully-planned it was. The pacing from the first scene at the airport towards the attack itself was spot on, if not top notch. The attack though, felt too abrupt when it was done, and I was wanting for more intense scenes.

Meanwhile, the 2nd half now focused on the consequences of said bio terror attack and how the passengers and air crew dealt with it. It had the same pandemonic vibes as "Train to Busan", but unfortunately, this movie took the story potential for the worse. It attempted to compress several actions into one big story which dragged the movie's run time. The events that occured post-attack felt too emotional and illogical, even for the basic movie viewer like me. It seemed that there was a different approach for the direction, but ultimately turned out to be unnecessary.

The movie could have been more impactful had it been more explicitly tragedic. A sad outcome based on the events of the attack and its consequences to all of the plane's passengers and crew would have been more logical and acceptable. The "vague" ending in itself felt safe to be open for interpretation. As the credits rolled, my first thought was that this movie wasted immense potential and that it could've reached the same critical response as "Train to Busan" or even beyond, but it did not.

On the other hand, I have to commend the well-shot scenes inside the plane. The movie showed different angles and perspectives of the plane on air, and added tension to the impending disaster. Korean disaster movies are really world-class in terms of showcasing the disaster itself and really convinces the viewer with its great camera work aside from the mentioned earlier.

비상선언 (Emergency Declaration) overall was like the air turbulence shown in the movie, it was bumpy. It tried to incorporate several genres within a disaster movie, but it was not successful in doing so. It wasn't able to maintain the amount of thrill and suspense it had at the first half, but was still able to portray action thanks to its talented star-studded cast, despite some ending up being under utilized.

In the end, this movie served its purpose - to be a precautionary tale for possible bioterrorism, but a mindless one.

Read More