ColourMePurple

Not predictable but not exceptional - trigger warnings discussed

I enjoyed the series considering a lot of people didn't. Most didn't seem to like the directing style which didn't bother me. The show wasn't boring at any point but the focus of the show seemed to shift drastically towards the middle with the male lead being sidelined. The other characters are also interesting but it felt odd by the end. The story direction took away the impact of their lead.

The other thing that bothered me is there is a blaring female full frontal nude scene disguised as a sex scene. Meanwhile the male is cleverly hidden and wearing full clothes. It felt like a cheap attempt at gaining viewership. Such a Netflix thing. There aren't any strong female characters in the series unfortunately or at least not for very long. Mostly the women are side characters. The show does deal with sexual assault but despite being a show surrounding justice, the audience isn't given much time to empathize with the victims. They are almost secondary to the plot. The story just skips over quickly to the next case. It feels like the production didn't care too much about those victims. The focus was mainly on the men and their way of handling situation.

Another trigger warning for those sensitive to such topics - suicide and attempted suicide has been depicted. Sadly I can't really applaud them for the way it has been presented as it doesn't really deep dive into the emotions of the characters. Everything is shown in bites and then the story moves on.

The gore is just bearable, I'd say. They somewhat toned down the brutality of the murders by slowing scenes down or cutting to a different moment in time, imposing other shots in between to take you away from the moment of horror. The story also showed less and less on how murders impacted the male lead and his psyche. There was a drastic shift from his world view to story of the other characters.

I binged the series in about a day. It's got a decent pace for the most part. But if you enjoy thrillers or plots revolving around killers, vigilantes, and justice, etc, then this show is one of the weakest since it leaves you longing for something more. Nothing exceptional has been presented here. However, if you do watch, you certainly won't be bored.

Nothing really stood out from the OST for me.

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Beautiful but Incomplete

Twinkling Watermelon has a lot to love about it. I love Time Travel tropes already and I am happy they chose to introduce deaf characters and depicting family bonds and friendships. Despite it having several heart touching moments there is still something missing.

Ha Eun Gyeol is the only hearing member of his family. He has seen a lot of struggles as well as had to put aside his own dreams for the sake of his family. He is carrying burdens and is scarred without realizing what he means to his family. Travelling back in time helps put a lot of things in perspective and he hopes it is also an opportunity to save his father. It is only when he goes back in time, he realizes that his father was also once a teenager who had dreams of his own as well as struggles of his own. The same with his mother and he still desires to carry his family's burdens. But in the process he also ends up sharing a strong bond with his father, Yi Chan. One that he never expected. His moments with Yi Chan are the highlight of the show so the ending does leave you with a little more to be desired.

With regards to his mother, Cheong Ah, again he forms a protective relationship and a lot of instances made me tear up. The depictions are beautiful. Yet again, the ending speed runs through their reintroduction.

Eun Gyeol also meets Eun Yu. I found the chemistry between them quite lacking unlike Yi Chan and Cheong Ah's. The former's relationship didn't really develop well and felt quite choatic. We also don't see Eun Yu overcoming her own trauma rather running away from it. The series also completely skips over Eun Yu's family reunion which was disappointing.

There were moments that felt like the series was dragging and if they had simply reduced those, they would have had the time to give us a more complete picture and then I could surely rate it a 10.

The OST is nice but other than the final song, nothing really blew me away which is disappointing since music is such an important aspect of the plot. The final song is catchy but not exceptional.

Overall, the series is good and heartwarming. The actors have done a fine job in their portrayals and make this series worth watching.

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Couldn't Connect

I was extremely excited for this season after enjoying the first season but somewhere in the middle I lost interest in the plot.

The story seemed to be all over the place. They killed off a character which I didn't quite understand the rationale behind. The show was still all right till that point albeit a bit slow for my liking. Story in between is forgettable. Then one by one new characters came out of the blue. One to serve as replacement to complete the trio but it just wasn't the same. I must have fallen asleep at some point because I don't understand why a certain character came into the picture. Convenient placement?

I liked that they added the autopsy scenes but it wasn't as impressive compared to the firefighting of the earlier season. They didn't really highlight a lot of medical and technical advancements.

The shows certainly goes for the shock value towards the end with the final criminal. Some incorrect medical statements were also made. I'm not sure how the system works in South Korea but since they are working with bombs, shouldn't a different department have jurisdiction? In that case, it would have been earlier to find the seller using legal means. I might also be mistaken but it takes less work to access the dark net which is why so many criminals can frequent it in the first place and nothing can be done about it.

Part of my interest dwindled when I had figured out the mystery of the final story so I couldn't enjoy it as much. It wrapped up quick which was good. I rolled my eyes at the US officials being certain of the result of a trial that hasn't even taken place. It's not like perpetrators ever get away through a mistrial or lack of evidence, right?

I wish I could score this higher but at the same time don't want to rate it too low since the actors did portray their characters well. They did try with the story. It just didn't strike a chord with me the way I wished it had and I don't have the patience to rewatch for now.

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A gem!

I didn't expect to love it so much.

It's a very simple series about two people struggling with mental illness and the friendship that forms between them. It gives one insight into how people feel and how leaning on another can make things a bit easier. You also get to see how their families are dealing with their own issues.

The actors did a good job, especially the male actor. I really understood how he must have felt with the circumstances he was dealt. He did a great job emoting. There is a little bit of humour in the show as well which is cute.

I really loved the title and the message this show is trying to send. I hope this show finds more viewers!

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Left me confused

I have to admit, Grid started off really strong but towards the end, it lost it's steam and the ending was just confusing. I'm all for mysteries but the audience should have some understanding of where the plot is going even if you want to end on a cliffhanger.

Grid is an electromagnetic field around the Earth created to protect life from harmful solar winds. The mystery surrounds a "Ghost" woman who appeared out of nowhere and created the shield just in time to save humanity. However, in the process, she left a man dead by burning him with a futuristic device leaving his minor son in trauma. Decades later an Administration Bureau is created to monitor and maintain the grid. Behind the scenes, the team has also been investigating the "Ghost" and trying to capture her throughout the decades whenever she emerges.

This series is slow-moving for the most part with the story being revealed in bits with every episode and revealing more about the Ghost. By the 8th episode, the story starts moving at great speeds but fails to explain a lot of things by the finale leaving you to come with with theories about what could be happening. In a normal mystery it is fine to do but in the case of a sci-fi, time travel story, you, the director, have to provide at least some clues to build a basic level of understanding for your audience. Instead I am left with more questions and confusion wondering if I missed something because of the incorrect translation or if it was the series itself. If I find a satisfactory explanation, I might upgrade my review.

Just a plus point to the story were the visuals which is what attracted me to the show to begin with. I also enjoyed the acting of the main cast overall. The problem more or less lies with the progression of the show. I hope season 2 will release soon and will redeem this series.

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Charming, great acting, an exciting journey!

Despite having watched the kdrama and knowing the entire plot, this was quite entertaining and fun to watch. That should speak for itself. The story moves pretty quickly right from episode 1 and also builds each character up quite well.

Every actor performed well and personally I found the Japanese version quite charming. The female lead was quite impressive with the two different personalities she portrayed. The female in the negative role also performs exceptionally well. There are moments where you can feel her pain as well and what led to her being the way she is. This is important since not many villains get a backstory but it adds so many layers to a character and why they act the way they do.

So even if you have watched the Korean version, it's well worth your time to give this a shot as well. Plus it is always fun to see a woman stand up for herself and her happiness.

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Crying Fest

From episodes 3 through 6, I have just been crying so much. So if you have lost someone close to you or know what that's like, this might hit you hard as well.
I had been waiting for this for a while now and it certainly didn't disappoint. I didn't really read much about it and just let it take me on a ride with it's storytelling. If possible, try to do the same. For that reason I will avoid getting into any details.
The leads had great chemistry. I genuinely loved the female lead. The show sets a great contrast and the female lead portrays it so well especially her past and present.
There was something I was curious about and I think they left us hints and that makes me a bit sadder.
Overall, I really loved how they not only depict the main leads but also the supporting characters and insight into their experience. It's not an easy watch if you are an emotional person but it's certainly worth it.
The OST is quite beautiful too.

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Main Lead is an Abuser

The story starts with a ML who has amnesia for the last 3 years. He is married to the FL (not explained how this happened) who he was in love with but forgot all memories of her. He thinks her father tried to kill him and another girl who is obsessed with him saved him and is his true love.

It is one thing that he cannot remember the person he was in love with but he actively physically and even sexually abuses his wife who is mute btw. He introduces her as his secretary in front of clients and allows them to disrespect her. Even their staff bad mouth her at home.

When the show depicts their flashbacks, he is supposed to be this kind caring man. But now suddenly he is an abuser and nearly rapes his helpless wife. It is only after 3 years of torturing her and using her as a blood donor he realises he's being too harsh when his client drugs and nearly rapes his already weak wife.

They should have given him brain damage if they wanted us to believe in such a personality change. After what he put his wife through, there is no reason to root for this couple. Plus there was a decent SML who cared for the FL and never tried to pressure her or act inappropriately. That would have made for a better ending. Not create a story where a woman forgives her assaulter.

The story is terribly misogynistic but the developments held my interest. I was just sorely disappointed with the romanticising of a toxic person.

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Gets Progressively Worse

Disappointing is an understatement for this series. It starts off interesting and you enjoy the bonding of the 4 main characters but slowly you start to lose your patience. It became hard to watch and I had to leave half the episodes for the end to binge which I watched on 2x and it still felt too slow.

There really isn't much for me to say about this show. It doesn't have comedy but maybe a few moments that make you smile. Romance is barely there. It's best not to pick up this show for that reason. The mystery isn't really worth watching for either. There aren't any extraordinary fight scenes. The leads are charming. The only other good thing is watching their friendship and bonding in the first few episodes of the show.

The ending was okay. I wasn't blown away by it nor did it redeem the second half. The chips just coincidentally fall into place.

The OST is alright.

There is a suggestion that there might be a second season but I really hope they don't bother. There is nothing left to be told that would be of any interest.

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Under Awful Circumstances

I have seen Win in F4 Thailand and Enigma but this might be his worst body of work. The dialogues were cheesy and clichéd. The acting was pretty bad from both leads. It somewhat gets better in the second half but only for a little bit. I was really not buying their chemistry. I couldn't understand why Parin was getting drunk instead of looking for his mother. And what kind of hotel has a suite but does not have a concierge service? Or at the very least, a male staff should be the one to assist a drunk man to his room? And expecting your female staff member to take care of a drunk guest and be at his beck and call all by herself is not only unethical but also putting her at risk of harassment. No wonder they are understaffed. Who would want to work in such conditions?

I'm not sure if this was a low budget production or it was just so bad that it comes off that way.

The ending is also very clichéd and disappointing. I found it pretty boring to watch. Clearly it wasn't a movie for me.

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Imaculate Cast

Lee Je Hoon being one of my favourite actors, I simply could not resist watching this movie. I loved Koo Kyo Hwan in DP and this is similar role except on the North Korean side of the tale. There were also a few actors that have worked with LJH in Taxi Driver so that was a fun discovery! I was also surprised to see Song Kang. So the cast in this movie are another plus point.

The plot is quite simple. It is about a man's planning involved in defecting to South Korea. The main thrill lies in how difficult that plan actually is to execute. There are some predictable moments and a few that feel unbelievable. But the movie is engrossing despite that. It does have some incredible moments and a few comical ones.

I also liked the message behind the movie about having the freedom to choose. That is something everyone can connect with.

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Worth The Watch

The title was what caught my attention at first since I enjoyed the kdrama Sell Your Haunted House. Haunted House For Sale has some similar elements but it's not the same story. If you'd prefer some details on the similarities, I have added spoiler free ones at the end.

This series is about a woman working at a real estate agent who is asked to work on selling stigmatised properties (places where a death has occurred). The male lead who is undecided on what to do in life decides to join her team. One thing he doesn't mention is that he can see ghosts.

The series has a decent mystery element introduced along with multiple cases attached to each property visited. As a horror, the show is very mild. The CGI effects are alright. The main selling point is the plot and the characters. The leads do a great job portraying the characters. Didn't feel bored at any point. The OST is lovely. There is some romance but it is not the focus of the show. Don't let this be your main reason for watching or it might feel disappointing.

If you'd like to know how it's similar to Sell Your Haunted House, the female lead in both are the main character and both are the serious type, the male leads are more jovial and the mediums, we learn about each ghost and in both series there is a mystery surrounding a parent of the FL. There is also a similar CGI effect in both which I found interesting. SYHH is probably a bigger and better production so it's definitely a better show in terms of CGI and horror as well as the plot development but HHFS is quite entertaining and hopefully the kdrama fans will enjoy this one as well.

Whether you've seen the kdrama or not, I hope everyone gives this series a shot.

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Slow-moving and sparse

Lies Hidden In My Garden started off on a strong note. It even had a good build-up when it came to the suspense and a couple of decent plot twists. But when you look at it by the end, you are left feeling underwhelmed.

The story begins in a luxurious home where the husband is a doctor, the wife is a house-wife and they have a teenage son. They moved from the city into a suburb because the wife is unwell due to her dealing with her sister's untimely death. One day, the wife starts to smell a strange stench which her husband denies smelling.

On the flip side, there is another wife who lives in a shabby apartment with her abusive husband. She is pregnant. Her husband decides to take her to the doctor's house one day and meets with his wife. One the way to the house, she notices a phone in her husband's car with a bejeweled floral case that he attempts to hide. On arrival, from the car, she notices that both she and the doctor's wife wear the same scarf.

The issue with the plot began when it started to drag it's heels midway. There are literal moments of silence and slow responses and just staring. The reason being, there isn't much to the story. And despite that, questions were left unanswered such as the scarves both wives wore and the doctor's wife's sister's death. Why was she killed?

The ending was not amazing though the cinematography is. But visuals alone do not make for a great drama. I feel a bit misled. Still it has it's good moments and there is character development shown with the doctor's wife. I also enjoyed the mother and son's relationship even though it wasn't explored in great detail. I also appreciated the neighbour's character and the story behind her husband's death. All the actors also portrayed their characters well and created the much needed drama.

It's an intense series yet lacking. Good for a one time watch.

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Pulls at your heart strings

A slice of life drama that almost doesn't feel as one so it's perfect for those who dislike this kind of genre or feel like it won't appeal to you. You'll be surprised!

The story is about a mother who first loses her husband and farm and raises her son alone is then forced to look after her adult son all over again when an accident not only debilitates him physically but also sends him into his childhood mentally. This plot might feel depressing but the beautiful way in which it is presented, it actually has more light moments than you would expect. And one of the reasons is the naughty twins and their little interaction with Kang Ho. The series is not trying to get you to cry but to show how people live and enjoy life despite their circumstances. We also get two unlikely funny characters that work for the bad guy and their scenes make you laugh.

As the title suggests, there are many moments where you feel that Kang Ho's mother is horrible to her son, both during his childhood and when he is unwell. But you also understand why she is the way she is. And with their interactions you understand the bond between these two characters which you fully feel towards the end of the show.

There is also a revenge plot taking place but it is not the focus of the series. It's just enough to keep you hooked till the end. Though there isn't much romance, you certainly won't be starved.

I picked up The Good Bad Mother for Lee Do Hyun and am glad I did. The show is quite uplifting and beautiful. I have not yet been disappointed by the project Lee Do Hyun picked that I chose to watch. He manages to become each character in such a perfect way. A man of many many talents! So if for no one else, watch it for his portrayal.

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Magic, mystery and plenty of music

The series reminded me of the musical Mary Poppins but instead of a nanny, Yoon Ah Yi meets a mysterious magician who keeps trying to get her to believe in magic whenever she's at her lowest thereby alleviating a little bit of her misery.

Yoon Ah Yi is a highschool student struggling to look after herself and her younger sister after her parents abandoned them when they were children due to debt. Ah Yi is a meek child who longs for the return of her parents or to grow up. Due to having no guardian in her life, she is forced to work odd jobs while trying to do her best at school. In trying to pay the rent and provide for herself and her sister, she lands herself in trouble and makes uncomfortable deals.

The positives:
- Her classmate and also the topper, Na Il Deung, begins to have feelings for Ah Yi but finds it difficult to express them. Those moments and the ups and downs of their relationship is interesting with cute moments.
- The magic depicted has both stage level magic and fantastical elements. So when the magician asks, "do you believe in magic", you want to believe him.
- The mystery element added as a side plot is intriguing.
- Unlike Mary Poppins, there are some very nasty natures of people depicted and it's very realistic and a contrasting element.
- Several good messages are shared throughout the series especially the end.

The negatives:
- The story slows down several times throughout the show. Some episodes have a lot happening and are enjoyable but other episodes seem to be dragging.
- I generally enjoy the soundtrack of shows. Unfortunately didn't enjoy this one as it's quite slow and brings the story to a standstill many times and I had to skip ahead.
- The idea that parents can simply abandon their young children and leave them to fend for themselves in their home is infuriating. There is no explanation how Yoon Ah Yi survived all these years. She seemed under 10 years of age and her sister might have been 3-4 years old. It was bizarre storyline.
- There is no explanation of what happened to the mother.
- Bella, the parrot. Watch till the end to understand why.

Overall, I liked the drama but with so many dramas releasing, I would probably not come to this one except maybe to parts of the last episode as I enjoyed some of the dialogues. Very meaningful.

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