Too bad about The Scarecrow; I think it had the most nominations but, apart from the brilliant Park Hae Soo, it didn’t win as many awards as I’d hoped; I’m very, very happy for Shin Hae Sun – she was truly outstanding.
It really did come out of the blue, as they say! Best wishes to you and your husband! Now enjoy your life together and build something beautiful and unique – there’s always time for work... My heartfelt congratulations! 💞
In my opinion, everything that needed to be done in "Goblin" has been achieved; the narrative arc is perfect; all the themes, the plot twists and all the main characters have followed their logical paths (and reached their respective conclusions); it’s all perfectly balanced – otherwise it wouldn’t even have earned that well-deserved top rating; any ‘reboot’ of the story would only lead to redundancy, helping to spoil the series’ aura; I’d love to see the cast reunited for another drama, of course, but "Goblin 2" isn’t going to happen – at least, I hope not...
Happy Birthday So Ri! 🎉🎂 You may not realise it, but you were my first real introduction to Korean cinema, thanks to "A Good Lawyer’s Wife" (I went on to catch up on your earlier films); thank you for directing me towards this cinematic universe! 🌺
Hiya!!! 🤗I truly appreciate how insightful and comprehensive your evaluations are. 🫶🏻I always find them…
But thank you for your lovely words, really! This drama has kept me busy for weeks – literally! I went back and reviewed the shifts in perspective several times, particularly for the introduction, and the first draft I produced was actually even longer than this final version; I found myself adding details, episode after episode, but certain series really are worth it, given the depth of their writing; knowing that you appreciate this review makes all the time I’ve put in worthwhile – truly! 감사합니다 ! 🌺
What wonderful news that she can finally return to her passion, free from everything that has happened to her... I watched the interview with Je Suk and she is truly extraordinary – such courage, sincerity and willpower. A very warm welcome back indeed! ❤️
Apart from the excellent programme choices, I still can’t help feeling that two truly remarkable series – “Aema” and “Low Life” – have been somewhat overlooked or, at the very least, gone largely unnoticed, even here on MDL, to be honest; they’re genuinely excellent, both in terms of their production values and the undeniable – and proven – talent of their respective casts; do catch up on them, because they’re truly worth it!
I'm very introverted. For me, staying at home IS the fun. I'm surrounded by people all day, so a quiet night at…
Absolutely, of course, I really don’t think it should be seen in a negative light. 🌺When I look back on my own somewhat ‘turbulent’ youth, I can laugh about it now; my teenage nieces love the stories I retell them – in a much toned-down version – whilst these days I’m much more of a homebody, for many reasons (besides, I don’t even drink alcohol anymore, so… ) but I was quite struck by this intimate side of the actress; Compared to her other colleagues, other interviews, she seems to have found her ideal setting and perfect balance; By speaking openly about her vulnerabilities, she comes across as more authentic, free from social conditioning or masks... I think that for her mum, reading or hearing her daughter’s words about her in public must be truly moving...
She seems to be a woman of a curious and extremely interesting nature, quite apart from her exceptional status as an actress; One might wonder whether it is introversion or shyness, reading certain passages of the interview (though one should to see the whole thing, of course). What is truly fascinating in her case is the distinction between the real person and her technical acting ability. Sometimes one might fail to grasp the detachment that is, in fact, the hallmark of her artistry, the actor’s own skill... Yet she really ought to go out and have more fun – she seems too much of a workaholic, but does she have no female colleagues or friends? ...“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” ...
I don’t know what’s more remarkable: the meticulous reconstruction work you’re doing (I did it myself when…
Many dramas have a knack for getting off to a good start, creating the right atmosphere through a thick layer of ambiguity, with plenty of grey areas that help build the main characters effectively, even within a complex framework; but in some cases – for example, recently in ‘Siren’s Kiss’ – the conclusion tends to trivialise all the ambiguity and the layers created, reducing everything to a more reassuring, even conciliatory, conclusion, as if to please the average viewer: “Everything must fall into place” needs to be “explained” and, paradoxically, the ambiguity that until recently was the driving force behind the drama becomes something to be resolved, precisely so as not to frustrate the viewer; there is a tendency towards a certain “linearity” which, to me personally, is disturbing; the truth can be ambiguous, incomplete, bittersweet; it must not completely exonerate the main character and turn the whole thing into a “linear” revenge; the truth revealed/the culprit punished/the protagonist “free” (even emotionally); it is a pattern we have seen far too many times; I want consistency, but also ‘pain’ and consequences, even if the ending is ‘morally uncomfortable’; I really loved a series like ‘Climax’ precisely because it doesn’t redefine, simplify or even moralise, and this opens the door to multiple interpretations: “The Art of Sarah” is another drama which, rather than opting for an amoral ending, after some excellent character development that builds considerable anticipation and strong ambiguity, tends towards a morally tidy conclusion, as if the system were bound to restore a balance, even if it means making belated corrections (heaven forbid a “new character” should appear halfway through the series with the aim of shaking things up!) I’ve mentioned three series that I’ve reviewed recently, for that matter…
I’m very, very happy for Shin Hae Sun – she was truly outstanding.
Best wishes to you and your husband!
Now enjoy your life together and build something beautiful and unique
– there’s always time for work...
My heartfelt congratulations! 💞
Lee Chang Dong ("Possible Love") will be in the competition—and just look at that cast—
let’s hope they can all make it to the event!
https://www.labiennale.org/it/cinema/2026/venezia-83-concorso/ga-neung-han-sa-rang-possible-love
well, my memory of this wonderful drama is still very vivid ❤️
Thank You!
Please come back very soon ❤️
the narrative arc is perfect; all the themes, the plot twists and all the main characters have followed their logical paths (and reached their respective conclusions);
it’s all perfectly balanced – otherwise it wouldn’t even have earned that well-deserved top rating; any ‘reboot’ of the story would only lead to redundancy, helping to spoil the series’ aura;
I’d love to see the cast reunited for another drama, of course, but "Goblin 2" isn’t going to happen – at least, I hope not...
Happy Birthday Soo Bin! 🎂🎉❤️
You may not realise it, but you were my first real introduction to Korean cinema,
thanks to "A Good Lawyer’s Wife" (I went on to catch up on your earlier films);
thank you for directing me towards this cinematic universe! 🌺
This drama has kept me busy for weeks – literally! I went back and reviewed the shifts in perspective several times, particularly for the introduction, and the first draft I produced was actually even longer than this final version;
I found myself adding details, episode after episode, but certain series really are worth it, given the depth of their writing; knowing that you appreciate this review makes all the time I’ve put in worthwhile – truly!
감사합니다 ! 🌺
❤️🌺🎉🎂Happy Birthday Kim Hee Sun!❤️🌺🎉🎂
A very warm welcome back indeed! ❤️
they’re genuinely excellent, both in terms of their production values and the undeniable – and proven – talent of their respective casts; do catch up on them, because they’re truly worth it!
Compared to her other colleagues, other interviews, she seems to have found her ideal setting and perfect balance;
By speaking openly about her vulnerabilities, she comes across as more authentic, free from social conditioning or masks...
I think that for her mum, reading or hearing her daughter’s words about her in public must be truly moving...
One might wonder whether it is introversion or shyness, reading certain passages of the interview (though one should to see the whole thing, of course).
What is truly fascinating in her case is the distinction between the real person and her technical acting ability. Sometimes one might fail to grasp the detachment that is, in fact, the hallmark of her artistry, the actor’s own skill...
Yet she really ought to go out and have more fun – she seems too much of a workaholic, but does she have no female colleagues or friends?
...“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” ...
but in some cases – for example, recently in ‘Siren’s Kiss’ – the conclusion tends to trivialise all the ambiguity and the layers created, reducing everything to a more reassuring, even conciliatory, conclusion, as if to please the average viewer:
“Everything must fall into place” needs to be “explained” and, paradoxically, the ambiguity that until recently was the driving force behind the drama becomes something to be resolved, precisely so as not to frustrate the viewer;
there is a tendency towards a certain “linearity” which, to me personally, is disturbing; the truth can be ambiguous, incomplete, bittersweet; it must not completely exonerate the main character and turn the whole thing into a “linear” revenge; the truth revealed/the culprit punished/the protagonist “free” (even emotionally); it is a pattern we have seen far too many times;
I want consistency, but also ‘pain’ and consequences, even if the ending is ‘morally uncomfortable’; I really loved a series like ‘Climax’ precisely because it doesn’t redefine, simplify or even moralise, and this opens the door to multiple interpretations:
“The Art of Sarah” is another drama which, rather than opting for an amoral ending, after some excellent character development that builds considerable anticipation and strong ambiguity, tends towards a morally tidy conclusion, as if the system were bound to restore a balance, even if it means making belated corrections (heaven forbid a “new character” should appear halfway through the series with the aim of shaking things up!)
I’ve mentioned three series that I’ve reviewed recently, for that matter…