I really enjoyed this Drama

I have read a lot of negative reviews relating to this drama and though it may not be perfect it still rates high on my list , for the storyline , acting and presentation .
A beautiful picture of the deep friendship between three women who have known each other since they were teenagers , who have laughed ,cried , got drunk together , helped each other over all these years . Then something happened to one of them for which none of them were prepared for nor had experienced before . Suddenly their world is thrown upside down and they have to find a way to adjust , cope , understand and deal with it , while life is going on around them as normal . The story is told by one of them Mi-Jo who takes charge and is trying to stay positive , upbeat and not always succeeding . Anyone who has seen someone dear to them die of cancer , will know that one tries to be strong for them , to be there , to remain hopeful , to stay positive . But it take its toll on you . They also have their own life to live and work to manage . It is this juggling of death amid life and life in death that concentrates their focus and energy . They are supported in the many facets of their lives by three admirable young men who care , who are understanding , patient and loving although they themselves have other issues to deal with . I do not mind having a brief look at these issues even if they are not dealt with fully because we know there is a future for them all . The acting is superb . One laughs , cries , feels . I would have liked to be one of these friends . They all dealt with this phase in their lives with dignity , compassion friendship and love .

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Pretentious !

Not one of the best for me . Fortunately it only has 9 episodes so it made it easier to watch .
It is a bit of a cliché , young bright student leaves his town to come to Seoul to study and falls for a type of " femme fatale " girl who happens to live in the same house .
She has problems and issues , she smokes a lot . He thinks he can help and so they fall for each other . He discovers "love " or rather " sexual attraction " , She distracts him a lot and I wonder when he ever found the time to study ! There was little chemistry between the lead actors . He is sullen , she is exhausted most of the time !
His ex-girlfriend is a nice friendly girl who has feelings for him but he rejects her .
The story goes back and forth , not all the issues are resolved , and whether they are still together at the end or not does not bother me . I am glad not to have to see any of them again .

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A hard show to watch

I cannot say I enjoyed this drama. I watched it till the end because it had only 14 episodes . I do not think I could have watched more . I found it oppressive , unbearable at times , distasteful , and packed with too much melodrama . For a person ill with grade 4 cancer the Mother managed very well ( when you've had cancer you know you lack stamina and energy ) , to the point that I thought she must have been misdiagnosed . The Mother is driven in her mission , which is understandable , but the wild ways she goes about it , are most unpleasant . She is abusive ( the scene by the river made me physically sick , ) and her bouts of humiliation are shameful and corruptive . How her son Choi Kang-ho could have turned out to be so bright , and loving , does not seem to fit .
The other characters in the village are irritating , although they are meant to be unsophisticated , and good neighbours , which they prove to be , but they are more farcical than amusing . I could hardly relate to any characters except Mi Joo , and the twins are absolutely adorable from beginning to end especially Gi So Yoo as Ye Jin . What a wonderful actress ! I hope she sticks to acting. She was also in Unlock my boss and Our Blues keeping up the same high standards . However the cast was superb and congratulations to Lee Do Hyun who plays the two different Kang Ho so beautifully !

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Drearily dull drama

I gave a sigh of relief when finally Ep50 landed on our screen . No more of this family saga of cardboard characters with no backbones and with insipid smiles . I did not like it but wanted to see if it improved with the development of the story but it never did . It dragged on and on . There was no chemistry between the two main characters . Heavens know why they fell in love ! They stand apart and look at each other with languor , or sit side by side in their matching pyjamas pretending to be a couple ! Baek Jin Hee as Yeon-doo spends her time apologising right left and centre to everyone ! False humility becomes sickening . He , as Tae Kyung , lacks not only charisma , but clout and resolve to escape from the control of his family. Only the older characters as mothers and grandmother have a bit of fire in them . As to the villains of the play , they are so unlikable , you can't wait to see the back of them . A waste of time . Not re watchable .

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Annara Sumanara

I loved it ! A fantasy with real issues dealt with great sensitivity and brilliantly acted . The music is wonderful , the ending spectacular , and it left me with a smile on my face , a spring in my steps and melodies in my ears .
I watched it twice and was not disappointed . There could not have been a better Magician than JCW . An unusual role for him but one he performs to perfection . His face is so expressive , you can feel the pain , you can read the joy , the insecurity , the relief in his eyes . You share his sorrow, you condemn the malice and injustice that the world is putting on the young , the innocent and the vulnerable . One finds relief in the wonderful music and magic and find hope .
A truly memorable and inspiring drama .
I do not know if a second series is necessary and not unless all the original cast can be in it .

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Rain or Shine

Another successful K Drama .
Good story , brilliant acting . Nothing is glossed over , it shows the plain reality of traumatic experiences and how to survive them in a harsh world where money and power often dictate . The past always catching up with one is a common theme in Korean drama . The likeable characters all impact of one another and manage to bring the best in one another through kindness and sheer determination to make things better for all. At the end they embrace the future positively and move forward through love , friendship and humour ! A great show . May require a box of tissues at hand !

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Do you like Brahms ?

The answer to the question is yes I love Brahms and I only continued watching the series because of the music .
I am hardly ever critical of K Drama series but this one irritated me . In spite of the lovely story and important issues raised , I could not engage with the main characters all as stiff as poles , especially the character of Park Eun-bin . Whether she was directed to play like this the gauche , introvert , shy musician , she was so slow , so unexpressive , so lifeless , I found myself shouting at her , " answer , move , say something ... " and wanted to shake her by the shoulders to bring some life into her . She seemed to go through the series half comatose . Too many long pauses , too many languid looks , too many stiff standing pauses , very slow pace . Those do not help to make a good drama. I welcomed the positive ending of the romance but on many occasions I thought Kim min Jae as the talented pianist deserved better, as it must have been difficult to play opposite such a lifeless character. I did not feel these two had a lot of chemistry between them . I did not feel any passion , nor intensity of feeling . I am sad to say this .

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Not the best

This drama did not do much for me . It is enjoyable , well put together and beautifully filmed , but it failed to grab me .
The story line of the traumatic experiences that the past leaves you with is the kingpin of Korean Drama , and has been done before and better . The acting was not impressive either . Long silences and doleful looks , bland faces unable to express emotions . Sure they can cry and be tearful but their pretty faces do not always convey the intensity of their emotions .
I preferred the characters when they were teenagers , they had a bit more life in them then . As they grew more mature they seemed to have lost their stamina . The sub stories were far more interesting and entertaining and the comedy they provided very necessary . The story of friend Kim -Ji-woong grabbed me most . You could sense the tension , the agony , the struggle in him and I would have liked that story line to be better developed . The ending was rushed and cobbled together , loose ends Not satisfactory .

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Not a favourite !

I am sorry I have to say I stopped after three episodes . I did not like it one bit and Shin Hye Sun got on my nerves . She was excellent in My Golden Life , but I think this part did not suit her . I had finished watching " The Man who guards me , the Black Knight " about a similar theme of Karma and past lives and which was highly superior to that one . I could not form any empathy with any of the characters which is disappointing . Better to be watched by people who really like it . I would really have had to persist with it but I did not find it interesting enough . It seems that people are divided about this drama , which would suggest some flaws .

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A masterpiece of storytelling

This is a gripping drama , half Sci-Fi , half thriller , dealing with the real life of ordinary contemporary people living in South Korea today , while debating the big issues of Life , Death , the After life , Rebirth and Life Eternal . It is ingenious and comforting , moving , overwhelming , always deeply serious and authentic ( The Comfort Women for example ) and utterly believable as well as enjoyable .
There is an amazing cast with good chemistry between them .
The Rookie Grim Reaper played by Rowoon is adorable and you identify with him wholeheartedly . Kim Hee Sun is wonderful in her part and Kim Hae-Sook the Jade Emperor the very person you would like to meet after Death .
I will watch it again to appreciate the dialogue even more ( very well written script ) but I have watched the last scene several times and love the ending . All will be well on Earth and in Heaven .

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Unappealing series

People already talk about a Season 4 . If there is one , I will not be watching .
Considering all the excellent K dramas coming up this year why waste time on Love Marriage and Divorce . I hated it and resent wasting my time watching it , always hoping that it will have some redeeming features in the Finale . I was wrong . I was left more confused , angry and frustrated . It is not even a good Black comedy or drama . It has no depth . The new cast did not improve it because the script is so bad . The actors show very little emotions . The women seem to go round stiffly with a frozen smile on their faces in order to pretend to be blissfully happy . There is very little chemistry between the actors . The step mother from hell has finally be caught , the only action in the drama . Now spirits from the Underworld who do not want to leave this world cause some havoc in it for the people around them . I would have some respect for Rebirth or Reincarnation themes but these are badly dealt with . The whole series is a mess , a superficial mess far from romantic , or funny , or groundbreaking .

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I loved this series

I find it hard to understand the negative comments about this drama and the controversy about the age gap between the two main characters . It is a light hearted romcom , a bit of a farce verging on the satire . It is brilliantly acted with clever action scenes . As usual in Korean dramas it shows two aspects of society , the rich and powerful , who think they can do anything to keep to their status , and the less fortunate , who have to struggle to make ends meet , fight daily against fraud and bullying and carry the stigma , but who manage to keep their integrity and , at the end of the day show themselves more capable than their counterparts in the executive world , because they care about each other and help each other and believe in their worth .
Dae-hyun played beautifully by Ji Chang Wook belongs to both worlds and understands how both work and so can make his choice of a less glamorous life in order to be with friends , family , with honest and hard working people whom he knows he can trust . As everyone says " he is a good man " . We need someone like him these days . I laughed a great deal , I felt emotional and applauded the witty ending mixing behind the scenes with the make believe of filming . They did not even kiss at the end , but who cares . Let your imagination work for you , as these two Dae-hyun and Saet-byu are made for each other and will be a couple for as long as they live .

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Queenmaker

I thought I was going to be bored , instead I binge watch this series , sitting on the edge of my seat unable to let go .
A deep provoking series in the behind the scenes of politics . Since we are heading for elections in my country and other countries around the world , it is fascinating to see how fraudulent the world of politics can be or is, and how the electorate is being manipulated through fake news, the Internet and AI , and good pretence . Big money controls it all , nothing much to do with democracy , more with ideology to profit those in power and to sell a dream to the people , knowing full well that once elected they will do whatever serves their interests and not those of the people . But justice prevails, good wins against evil, truth against lies and one feels a breath of fresh air beginning to chase the rot . The script is superb , the acting stupendous , and the whole series moves at a fast pace ! The open ending ( slightly mysterious ) leads itself to a second series ( ?) .

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Not the best of K Drama

Cute , mildly enjoyable , light hearted , easy to watch if you have nothing better to watch , but far too long .
The teenage years dragged on to the point that SoJu Yeon ( good in Lovestruck in the city ) became quite boring although kind hearted and well meaning . As to Kim Yo Han he never really grew up , he looked the same at 30 as he was at 15 . They did not managed to age him or make him look more mature . And then the story jumps and the adult years went at a pace without any real character development . The reason why she broke up with him was badly managed and I lost patience with the whole lot of them but continued watching to see how they would end it . Only after 23 episodes most of the issues were tied up . so not the best of dramas but some good acting from the cast and the dance at the wedding was probably the best scene of the series !!

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