Jinyoungie
This review may contain spoilers
Starts out well, but loses it's way
Strongest Deliveryman I remember seeing all over my recommended on my streaming services when it first came out years ago and I am only now having watched it after having been stuck on Kim Seon Ho in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.To me the strongest elements of this drama were prevalent in the first half or so, the comedy and dialogue was fun and entertaining and it was interesting seeing how the characters meshed with each other. It wasn't clear where relationships would end up and how people would come together and over the first few episodes, seeing characters come to understand each other and see the value in each other was a hopeful set up. However, as things went on the lost potential became clear.
I would argue that Kang Soo & Jin Gyu's relationship was a large element laying the framework to the drama's first big conflict, their relationship sparked a lot of intrigue and seemed to indicate that it would be a steady constant throughout. They started out immediately butting heads coming from two completely different backgrounds, to becoming quick friends with a mutual respect learned on the job, to feelings of betrayal and desperation. Their budding bromance was special & heartwarming, making the inevitable conflict all the more heart wrenching and exciting. It seemed clear they both had things to learn from the other and yet once that first major conflict between them was resolved they slowly had less and less scenes together. I understand that the storyline shifted, but there was a lot lost when there ought not to have been. I also am a sucker for a good bromance, so to see that this potential was there and that both characters had a really fun banter, well it was more than disappointing that the writer's left this unexplored. All in all the relationship between the two felt like a great set up with little pay off.
Kang Soo & Jin Gyu's interactions weren't the only ones that seemed to have a great foundation to only be abandoned later. Dan Ah & Jin Gyu as well had an interesting dynamic and meaningful relationship which was tossed to the sidelines later. I mean Dan Ah literally saved Jin Gyu's life and witnessed him at some of his most vulnerable points, she even defended him when no one else would. And then flip was switched and suddenly she no longer had a care or worry for the struggling, emotionally damaged human that suffered through some really horrible familial abuse and suicide.
At a certain point the writer's seemed to want to completely shift the audience's attention and care to the romance between Kang Soo & Dan Ah, but beyond their playful banter I found their romantic relationship forced and quite honestly uncomfortable to watch. The chemistry for me wasn't there and to make things worse their dialogue became so cliched and shallow that I started to cringe every scene they had together. Needless to say it wasn't a good thing when the attention shifted to spotlight their relationship.
Alongside the increased screen time for Kang Soo and Dan Ah's relationship meant the lessening of screen time for our other main leads. This was odd to me for a couple of reasons. One, Jin Gyu's character was raw and his struggles real and begged sympathy from the audience, thus making every emotional break through his character had quite impactful. He went through some extremely difficult life hurdles only to continue to surprise us with a renewed verve and hope for living a good life despite all of his past trauma and regrets. All of that growth coming with little to no support from anyone else. Also, considering he was nearly beaten to death seemingly on multiple occasions by his father, couldn't his character have had more justice then him just having the ability to walk out on his father's offer to join the company? It just seemed like he had too much of a stake in the beginning of the drama for the writer's to drop him off at the half way point as just the remaining love interest for Ji Yoon and then to have no major scenes any time after. (Don't get me wrong, as a couple Jin Gyu & Ji Yoon were surprisingly cute & believable together). This brings me to Ji Yoon, who I found super annoying in the beginning but once the writer's shifted her direction onto Jin Gyu she seemed to mature leaps and bounds and her puppy love and endless support and care for him seemed so genuine. Some of her scenes with him were so outlandishly hilarious but made her seem like a real person for how weird and raw they were. Her character, like Jin Gyu's, seemed like she could've become much more integral to the plotline or at least have had more screen time as she had to make some pretty difficult life choices herself, like completely emancipating herself from her parents and starting her own career.
Overall, this was enjoyable, but I felt a lot of potential lost and I feel like the message was also muddled a few times between a disconnected romance and imbalance of character development and storyline.
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Artistic, Therapeutic, Beautiful Drama
A drama with artistic & therapeutic themes that scream at you through it's painfully real characters and their complicated stories. It's Okay to Not Be Okay is a beautifully orchestrated drama with fresh, creative characters that come alive as they each learn what it means to truly love themselves and each other and in this way they find healing and happiness alongside each other.One of my favorite quotes of the entire drama, "Hurtful, painful memories. Only those with such memories buried in their hearts can become stronger, more passionate, and emotionally flexible. And only those can attain happiness."
I have to say, wholly impressed by our cast and their acting abilities. There were many friendly faces for me in this drama, actors & actresses that I have already seen and liked, but even still, I was shocked at the level of talent that was portrayed. Kim Soo Hyun as Moon Gang Tae, had such a gentle, nurturing aura as he tirelessly gives and gives to those around him; supports everyone with very little support in return. But his character held such silent power and strength as well, which made him so appealing. Moon Gang Tae's care for/relationship with his brother made me tear up constantly. Seo Ye Ji as Ko Moon Young is fierce and wild. It is no overstatement to say that she commands the screen with her presence. I loved watching her sly demeanor and quick wit run wild, especially as she interacted with Gang Tae; her unabashed confidence and aggressive pursuit of him (and his body lol) was hilarious at times and also made for some extremely captivating romantic moments. You could feel the chemistry between Gang Tae & Moon Young even as Gang Tae was wise to be cautious of interacting with our admittedly unpredictable, sometimes dangerous Moon Young. My first drama with Seo Ye Ji and I hope to be seeing more of her! And now this brings me to Moon Sang Tae played by Oh Jung Se. *STANDING OVATION* Wow. The way he portrayed Sang Tae's mannerisms, his posture, his speech, every movement of his hands and glance of his eyes was exceptional. I think a lesser actor could have very easily over or under emphasized some of Sang Tae's persona but Oh Jung Se had the perfect balance. I loved that Sang Tae was an an integral part of the drama throughout, that he wasn't cast aside when emotions and drama heated up between our main couple, but rather he became the rock that both Gang Tae & Moon Young needed; Sang Tae, the one that everyone thought was the weakest, rose up and became the strongest for all of them.
Moving on from the cast, (although all were amazing I don't have it in me to write for each) I have to say the dialogue in It's Okay to Not Be Okay was very strongly and creatively written. Every interaction between the cast was meaningful and either strengthened relationships or corresponded with the overarching storyline. The stories in Ko Moon Young's books were so disturbingly captivating and had such hard truth to them, not to mention the illustrations in the books was breathtakingly creepy. I am so glad they put so much emphasis on her books as her fairytales were ways of seeing into her mind and understanding why her character was so twisted. I have to say the psychological aspect to this drama was definitely the most intriguing part, and there was a depth and heaviness to many of the emotional scenes because that is where the mind leads us sometimes, to dark and heavy places. But the momentum and the chemistry between the characters kept things exciting and kept me feeling renewed because even when characters had to go through some really intense and difficult internal struggles, they rarely had to go through them alone; and afterwards, they arose stronger and braver than they were before.
I will probably edit this review as I want to add more as I have so much more left to say; but in the event that I don't, I strongly recommend this drama if you enjoy the psychological aspect of things, mental health, things of that nature. The romance also heavily drives the drama and the one between Kim Soo Hyun & Seo Ye Ji's characters is quite thrilling and entertaining. Personally, I loved every minute of this drama and am crushed that I have finished it. Between my laughing, giggling, crying, wailing, grinning, and beaming, this drama solidified itself as one of my all times favorites and thus has landed on my Favorite K-Drama's List.
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What this drama does well is the relationship between Song Soo Hyuk and Han Mi Mo. Jung Kyung Ho. The more kdramas I watch with him, the more I see him as an actor that consistently has great chemistry with his co-stars; whether it be romantic chemistry or simply platonic, Jung Kyung Ho always meshes well. Jung Kyung Ho and Jang Na Ra are a fantastic combination. Song Soo Hyuk and Han Mi Mo have a playful banter with an underlying attraction that can be felt through the screen. Their relationship drives the show and their scenes were the highlight. Jung Kyung Ho plays cute but totally hilarious and sassy so well! He is literally like a squish-able puppy on screen! His character Song Soo Hyuk is adorable and witty, but he is also grounded and responsible. His relationship with his son Min Woo is beyond precious and that is the other highlight of this show. Jang Na Ra's character Han Mi Mo is a little flighty, a little frustratingly air-headed at times, but she is also optimistic and fun-loving and has enough spunk and self-confidence to make wise decisions and make her a likeable leading lady.
Overall, I think One More Happy Ending could have been vastly improved had it focused more on Song Soo Hyuk and Han Mi Mo's relationship. I never grew tired of their scenes and was left wanting more of them which was a feeling I didn't have for a vast majority of the other characters. I also would've appreciated more scenes with father and son, Soo Hyuk and Min Woo. I felt like Soo Hyuk being a single dad was meant to be such a framework for the storyline and yet the scenes between father and son were so few and far between. This was especially frustrating since their scenes were always very meaningful and heartwarming to watch.
I like a good love-triangle, yes it can be overused in kdramas, but if it is done well and the characters are empathetic and their actions plausible then I'm all for it. But the balance was all off in this one. It was obvious to the audience from square one that Soo Hyuk was best for Mi Mo and more than that, it quickly became very obvious that Hae Joon was not. But beyond even that, Hae Joon as a character was too cookie cutter. There wasn't anything that made him unique or like-able. He was one dimensionally manipulative and dominant, and somehow still managed to be boring!
As for the other angel's members, I felt disconnected to their stories. I don't think any of their story-lines were developed enough for me to become attached to their characters. And beyond that their story-lines were so predictable that as we hopped from one woman's relationship to the next I just couldn't seem to engage.
If you like romantic comedies, I would recommend watching this for the main couple. Song Soo Hyuk and Han Mi Mo are adorable and have great chemistry! The story is pretty basic, and everything else kind of blurs together into this category of "meh". I will probably never rewatch this, but I have already gone back and rewatched scenes of the main couple.
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Going into Life on Mars, I'll admit it, I had high expectations. I mean the reviews and ratings were stellar, and I love both Jung Kyung Ho and Park Sung Woong; but after the first few episodes I felt let down. The beginning didn't seem well orchestrated and I felt as though the first couple episodes did a poor job of laying the framework for the general plot. But now here I am, giving it a 9.0 rating.
I have to start with Jung Kyung Ho because he is one of the main reasons I picked up this drama and the reason I stuck it out at the beginning. Jung Kyung Ho does a phenomenal job (I'm not surprised). Even with his character's cool stoic disposition he manages to capture even the subtle emotions and minute expressions that easily could've been overacted or not emphasized enough. He also mastered some of Tae Joo's pretty intense maniac outbursts. To describe our lead man, Han Tae Joo is a rough around the edges. His personality is prickly and he is very reserved and strict. He's a man who cares about following procedures and trusts science and logic more than anything or anyone else. To be honest there were a lot of times that I just wanted Tae Joo to let go a little. I was pining for him to, I don't know, crack a smile for god's sake, maybe even let out a little laugh?? But as the story progressed I came to understand Tae Joo's character and I realized that the beauty of Tae Joo as a character and Life on Mars as a whole, is Han Tae Joo's quest to discover what the truth really is, what his reality is. Recognizing what it is and who it is, that makes him truly happy. Plus I have to say that his hard, stubborn personality was the perfect addition to the whole police squad, but specifically Tae Joo was the yin to our beloved police captain, Kang Dong Cheol played by Park Sung Woong. With Han Tae Joo's level-headedness and Kang Dong Cheol's spontaneous ferocity, they made the perfect police duo but also the sweetest of comrades, and of friends.
The relationships between the characters and the small ways they each individually developed opinions, judgments, and feelings for Tae Joo from the early beginnings to the very end was so touching and realistically executed. I loved the little nuances that we get with each character, the different little ways that they initially show respect or a lack of respect (*ahem* Lee Yong Gi) for our police chief Han Tae Joo and how these little nuances grew into sustainable real relationships. Jo Nam Sik our youngest member of the crew, who demonstrates a quiet but albeit present glow of respect and awe of Tae Joo, the ways Nam Sik acknowledges Tae Joo's presence when he enters a room, the way he earnestly reports information, you can see he recognizes Tae Joo as his authority, but also as the hard-working, clever, deserving police chief that he is. Ms Yoon or Yoon Na Young, whose bright mind and diligence is first recognized by Tae Joo, as she extends her warm smile and helpful hand without hesitation and shows her admiration without restraint. Then we have Lee Yong Gi who shows immediate distaste and doubt in Tae Joo, expressed in his snide comments and quiet grumblings. And last, but not least, no not least, we have Captain Kang Dong Cheol who shows more maturity than Yong Gi but is also skeptical of our lead Han Tae Joo who enters their police team with an air of quiet pride and dignity, who looks and approaches cases from a much different perspective than their norm. But Dong Cheol quickly alters his initial judgment when he sees that Tae Joo puts just as much care and dedication into his job as he does, if not more.
And of course on the flip side, I like the slow evolution that we see from Tae Joo's end. He is, under the circumstances, understandably distant and closed off from his coworkers. He doesn't care what their opinions are of him, he acts as he always does and doesn't let their current culture or ways of doing things influence his own methods and personality. When other coworkers make judgments of him he doesn't show the need to defend himself, he only desires to follow procedures and work towards solving cases. However, one of the things that impressed me and made me like Tae Joo as a character early on, is the respect and encouragement he gives Ms Yoon. Ms Yoon is not recognized as an equal member of the police squad. She is essentially the errand girl, the little secretary answering phones and the one to "fetch us some coffee". A lot of this is probably because of the time period, so I can't fault our other characters/members of the police squad too much. But Tae Joo on the other hand, treats Ms. Yoon as he would anyone else, as an equal which in turn, begins to influence others to treat her the same. He gives Ms. Yoon a fair shot yes, but he also recognizes her potential. He sees how invested she is in cases, the diligence and attention she puts into even the small things, and he notices that she has valuable, evidence based judgments and a quick-wit. Then we have Nam Sik, who Tae Joo treats as an adult despite his young age and short time on the force. Tae Joo knows Nam Sik looks up to him but doesn't let that go to his head and continues to be a consistent role model for Nam Sik. And even when Yong Gi is being a complete tool, 9 times out of 10, Tae Joo maintains his maturity and doesn't let it bother him, the only time he says something is when it directly involves a case. And with Kang Dong Cheol, the leader and most outspoken one of the squad, Tae Joo collaborates. He doesn't belittle him when he knows nothing about Forensics and science, but he taps into Dong Cheol's own unique strengths as a charismatic leader, a people person with a lot of on-the-job experience. As slow as the progression may be, we see that Tae Joo genuinely cares for each member on his police squad. And Han Tae Joo does what he so vehemently fought against, when everything comes crashing down, he trusts them. **Spoiler** That is the moment where it becomes evident that these are not just coworkers, no these are not hallucinations, these people, Nam Sik, Yong Gi, Yoon Na Young, Dong Cheol, are his friends.
In conclusion, would I recommend you watch it? Well, the episodes are definitely true to the genres of investigation and detective work as each one generally revolves around/includes solving a case so keep that in mind. But even within that there are things that make this drama unique, it takes place in a different time period and it's got the psychological twist to it. And of course the relationships, the slow progression that forms solid relationships between the different characters is very organic and realistic which I think makes it all the more heartwarming at the end. If these are factors that interest you, then yes Life on Mars is definitely worth the watch.
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The reasons I picked this drama up: 1. all of the raving reviews/high ratings, and 2. Jung Kyung Ho is a main cast. I have to say I was a little disappointed that Jung Kyung Ho wasn't the main lead, but eventually I accepted that and warmed up to Park Hae Soo who played our star, Kim Je Hyuk. Kim Je Hyuk was a bit of an enigma at first. He seems quiet, reserved, faint-hearted, in fact, everything about his personality screams pushover! Seeing this, I was like I don't know if I can take 16 episodes of this guy. But come to find out, he's totally not! Rather he lets things play out, carefully analyzing the situation and the unforeseen dangers that lie therein and when the appropriate time comes, he strikes! Park Hae Soo's driving factors that makes him the lead we want to root for, is his thoughtful kindness and sacrificial nature. Being a star baseball player, Je Hyuk is not proud, but let's his fame motivate him to help others. He is humble but still knows his worth. No matter how hard I think about it, I can't compare his personality accurately to any other male lead I've seen in a drama before. Needless to say Park Hae Soo did a great job portraying the subtleties of our quiet and kind, yet brave and gutsy character Kim Je Hyuk.
Jung Kyung Ho I wasn't worried about and, as always, he delivers. His character, Lee Joon Ho, is really Kim Je Hyuk's savior in a lot of the early on conflicts so of course every time he showed up on screen it was not only, yay I get to see Jung Kyung Ho's face, but also a much needed relief for the story. There weren't as many opportunities for Jung Kyung Ho to showcase his acting range as his character, being a corrections officer, wasn't super involved in the daily conflicts that Park Hae Soo's character was as an inmate. Despite this, Lee Joon Ho has presence on screen, and Jung Kyung Ho made his character interesting and dynamic, and had great chemistry and bromance with Kim Je Hyuk. Lee Joon Ho always looks out for Kim Je Hyuk's best interests and holds him in high esteem, even when it would've been easy to blur the lines in their relationship with the extreme difference in power, i.e., their roles as correction officer and prisoner.
Lieutenant Paeng played by Jung Woong In was another character that the writers enjoyed playing with us a bit. He seems like a complete, insensitive jerk, but you soon come to find out that he genuinely cares for our beloved cellmates and all of the other inmates he oversees. He treats them all like humans and friends. Through his time as a corrections officer he has learned that everyone has a story to tell, and a circumstance that led them to prison, whether justly or unjustly. Lieutenant Paeng's personality is rough around the edges but a total softy! Literally an angel from heaven to our cellmates. Jung Woong In I had only ever seen as our infamous Min Joon Gook, but going forward I will remember him as this love-able, soft-hearted sweetheart.
Other favorite cast members would be all of the cellmates in cell 2, room 6, but special shout outs would be Looney/Yoo Han played by Lee Kyu Hyung and Kaist/Kang Chul Doo played by Park Ho San. Their characters really delivered in the comedy department and every scene they had together was shockingly hilarious. Looney because he carries himself in a way that makes him seem like a total whimp when he is actually the most brazen, gutsy character ever, who calls out Kaist (and any/all others) on their crap. It not only feels like sweet justice, but it is completely ridiculous and hilarious when he does. Partly because although he says the truth, he says it in the rudest way possible! His scenes with Kaist in particular but also with Jung Woo/Captain Yoo (Jung Hae In) were always my favorites!
As for the story, I think the pacing was kept really well. There was the overall storyline of Je Hyuk serving his time in prison, training diligently in hopes of returning to the mound as the star pitcher of the Nexens but each episode also had an obstacle to conquer and focused in on another cellmate. Each inmate from cell 2 had an individual story that transformed their characters from punishment deserving criminals, to flawed people who either made mistakes or were horribly unlucky. I loved each of the cellmates and I appreciated that we were given background as to who they were as people and why they arrived at Seobu Penitentiary, but at times it was hard for me to be emotionally invested in each one equally. I sympathized with each of them for sure, but I didn't become as attached to them and their struggles as I think I was meant to. With a lot of my favorite dramas I have become so attached to the characters that I cry or laugh at the drop of a hat, but I didn't experience quite that level of emotion with this one.
Prison Playbook is original and our main characters are smart, those two factors in and of itself make for a promising K-Drama. This was a very different watch for me than other dramas I've seen and I liked that. Even with hour and a half episodes, I didn't feel bored and that deserves recognition! Since so many people have watched and loved this drama I definitely think it deserves a watch.
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This KDrama proves to me that you never quite know what your tastes are; that there are exceptions to every rule. Personally, I lean towards romcoms with romances that warms my heart and comedy that gives me the giggles. Action and crime dramas are not my preference at all. But Cruel City... was the PERFECT exception.
Heart-pounding, blood-boiling, mind-racing: these are the words I would use to describe how I felt the duration of Cruel City, from the first episode to the absolute last second. Captivating action and suspense scenes that had me literally clutching my heart and mysterious characters that had me constantly analyzing whether I was meant to root for them or against. Plot-wise, full of twists and unexpected scenes which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Villains that made me feel sick to my stomach. You will be shocked and surprised while watching this and you’ll never be quite sure what the outcome will be. I both loved and hated this aspect of the drama, as there were times where I felt so stressed without the confirmation of knowing what was going to happen to my favorite characters but then the momentary relief after a scene was over could be so satisfying.
What drew me into watching Cruel City, after it had been sitting in my plan to watch list for years, is Jung Kyung Ho. After watching him in Falling For Innocence and in episodes of Hospital Playlist, I knew I was addicted and, looking for another excuse to watch Jung Kyung Ho, Cruel City became the perfect candidate. I've only recently discovered Jung Kyung Ho after having watched KDramas for about 6 years which totally frustrates me as I am just now witnessing how completely flawless he is. Jung Kyung Ho is one of those actors who can completely submerge themselves into a role. His talent is such that you almost get tricked into believing that his character exists in real life. Jung Shi Hyun, Doctor's Son, is a character that I think will haunt me for ages now that I’ve finished Cruel City. Jung Shi Hyun, like most of the other characters in this drama, had an aura of mystery; but in the most appealing and addictive way. He is masculine and threatening, harsh and cold. There were times where looking through the screen into his eyes even scared me. But his unmatched loyalty for those he cares about, his fierce resolve to stand tall and sacrifice himself for his loved ones in every situation, makes his character so powerful and breathtaking to watch. He does not allow his constant inner turmoil between what he is meant to do and what he wants to do break him; but rather it motivates him to fight with everything he has. I heard others raving about this being Jung Kyung Ho’s best role, and now I can understand why. The mask that he wears as Doctor’s Son with his emotionless, calculated gaze, contrasts so well with the highly intense moments wherein he is forced to let his true heart and inner spirit burst forth. Jung Kyung Ho was consistently the scene-stealer. I was completely impressed/satisfied with all of the other actors' performances as well, special shout out to Yoon Hyun Min as Soo and Kim Yoo Mi as Lee Jin Suk, who both slayed their roles.
Looking at this drama critically, there were a couple things that I wish had been done differently that would’ve brought my rating up to a 10 and coincidentally they all are in the last episode. The main thing that bothered me is in the last episode an unusual amount of characters acted in ways that were out-of-character. Characters who, for the whole 19 episodes, were meticulous planners, consistently exercised sound judgment, who were always two-steps ahead, were suddenly brash and short cited. Okay, so no one's perfect all the time, of course characters will sometimes make mistakes and act unusually, however, a majority of these characters all making these oversights at the same time? Idk. Moving on, I also felt the ending was rushed/incomplete and lacked closure, for frankly, all of the characters. Everything was kept up until the last minute, last second really, which to me, is a double edged sword. On one hand I completely agree that this was one of the charms of Cruel City, the fact that they do not drag things out and that episodes are kept consistently fast paced and forward driving. However, being that this was the last episode, I think they should’ve made an exception to that pattern. I felt a twinge of bitterness lingering at the end; it seemed like they cut everything off while I still hadn’t had a chance to finish processing my emotions resulting from some highly climactic scenes. My other “beef” with Cruel City comes in the last episode as well. The revenge theme in this drama was sought after so hard by so many characters in this drama, it is unarguably an essential ingredient in each episode, but then at the end of it all, when revenge should’ve been the sweetest, it felt so unfinished and lackluster. In lieu of the name “Cruel City” I would be a fool if I believed everything would end perfectly, wrapped with a big red bow on top, but the final climactic moment seemed unpolished.
I would say that you have to be a fan of action, crime and suspense to love this KDrama, but I do not typically prefer those genres myself and I loved this. The romance in this is also pretty steamy which of course I didn’t mind. This is the type of drama to exhaust you but I mean that in the BEST sense. It is captivating and compelling and after each episode I felt like I had been holding my breath for too long as my heart would just be racing. Yes I would 100% recommend this drama. If it's not your usual genre, just keep yourself open. Despite my reservations, it's now one of my favorites, and I'm sure it will remain in my head and my heart (cheesy I know) for a long time.
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Kang. Min. Ho. A phenomenally well-written character played by Jung Kyung Ho who has so much charm and charisma you wouldn't believe it. Kang Min Ho is one of those male leads that you know will be stuck in your head and your heart for a long time after the drama ends. No, he is not the stereotypical cold and harsh CEO that he plays in the first two episodes, he is not, so do not be fooled. Kang Min Ho has such an immensely captivating personality and possesses the perfect blend of characteristics. He is hilarious and quick-witted, he is fierce and formidable, he is refreshingly optimistic and reliable. Sometimes an adorable puppy dog and at other times an opponent and an authority with a threatening disposition. I love how Jung Kyung Ho portrayed his character's journey from harsh, revengeful Kang Min Ho, to caring and self-sacrificing Kang Min Ho. The writers as well did a really great job of slowly transforming his character without making you panic that he was suddenly turning into a different person. I could really see the attention to detail that went into his transformation and that continued on as eventually his personality blended with Ma Dong Wook to apparently create the perfect person that is Kang Min Ho. I cannot say enough how well written his character was and how masterfully Jung Kyung Ho performed.
Kim So Yeon had a hard task to keep up with her co-lead Jung Kyung Ho but I think she succeeded. With Jung Kyung Ho being such a strong lead I think there easily could've been a disconnect but Jung Kyung Ho and Kim So Yeon had amazing chemistry. Kim Soon Jung is a strong female lead and has an unmatched loyalty and positive demeanor. I loved the role she took of protecting and cheering him on to be the best man he could be. While, Kang Min Ho is consistent in his affections for Kim Soon Jung and never wavers from being head over heels in love. Their relationship, filled with camaraderie, hilarious banter and amorous teasing, was so enjoyable to watch and I wish they had had more scenes together, 16 episodes wasn't enough. Having fun was the essence of their relationship and that's what made it really believable.
Supporting cast, well done! Dong Wook's father, Ma Tae Suk, played by actor Ahn Suk Hwan was a character that I really appreciated. He was definitely the wise and caring father figure for both Kim Soon Jung and Kang Min Ho, and whenever he opened his mouth I knew that he was going to say something the leads needed to hear. He was supportive, loving, and most of all, realistic! He didn't manipulate and overreact to things, but kept a level understanding outlook even in the darkest of situations. There was a time when Kim Soon Jung is confused and isn't thinking straight when he tells her exactly what she needs to hear. "Dong Wook wanted to protect you and you want to protect CEO Kang, you love them in different ways." I loved Kang Min Ho's interactions with literally everyone, but the relationship between Kang Min Ho and Ma Tae Suk was so sweet n' precious while also being laugh out loud hilarious, they made me smile so much!
Oh Woo Sik, played by Lee Si Eon, is my other honorable mention (as I do not want to go through the entire cast). He added just the right doses of humor to every scenario! Kang Min Ho and Oh Woo Sik bounced off of each other so well, the amount of sass they gave each other, the woman advice that Woo Sik kept giving Min Ho, priceless! Also the prank they play on Soon Jung, "Who are you? I'm your dad." Like how did they even think of that lol - beyond hilarious.
Oh and the whole Captain Hook, Wendy (Jo Eun Ji) & Tinker Bell nickname thing was so just the cherry on top of a perfect trio.
There are so many parts of the plot that on paper, could have been so cheesy, but execution is everything and this drama really demonstrates that. Falling for Innocence reminded me what I love so much about KDramas, and it is that when done well, even the most unrealistic of happenings can seem so fathomable and understandable. There were predictable parts but there were also parts that threw me off, I am not going to say the plot was the most original because it wasn't, but it didn't have to be. A standard plot done well easily surpasses an original plot done poorly. The characters are what makes this drama great and they are what sets it apart as something original. I also have to applaud this one for keeping the pacing. This KDrama does not drag and at the end I was left wanting more, which should always be the case.
This drama sat in my plan to watch list for way too long and I am so glad I finally went ahead and watched it. If you are a fan of romance I STRONGLY recommend this one.
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A slow, melancholic drama with some gratifying moments scattered throughout.
When the Weather is Fine is simply not my preference. There are a number of ways you could describe the pacing of this drama and the events that transpire in each episode but personally, I struggle to find a word that is less harsh than boring. Maybe uneventful? The overarching past story-line was interesting, but the drama mostly revolves around the day to day lives of characters who are damaged, scarred, & pained because of past events. A majority of the characters i.e. the main cast, are individuals who have become tired and depressed, living in a trance, they are unable or simply unwilling to communicate with each other. There are triumphs, there are moments that I smiled and grinned about, but I would say those moments are not heavily prevalent; which I understand considering the past, but it just didn't appeal to me.The reason I chose to watch this KDrama in the first place was Seo Kang Joon, so maybe I should've considered other factors. But I also love a good romance, so that drew me in as well. Seo Kang Joon plays Im Eun Sub who is quiet and thoughtful. He is not good at expressing his emotions and does not share his feelings and moods easily. He is a man of few words who has a caring nature but can come across cold because of his lack of outward emotion. At times he seems quite warm, and at other times his character's actions or lack thereof, makes him seem distant and closed-off. There were many moments where I was thinking, does he even like Hae Won? as he seemed so cool and reserved. (Ironic as she ends up having the exact same doubts at one point.) Park Min Young plays Mok Hae Won, who was a hard character for me to like at the beginning. She, like Eun Sub, was very quiet and withdrawn but she seemed to have no relationships or prospects. Eventually she starts to warm up as her life becomes less miserable, and you begin to see that there is life in her. She can at times be quite bold and open, but it is also evident that she has a justified bitterness to her. Her relationships with her family are distant and unsatisfying to watch. It takes time to understand their characters however and that might be why I felt it hard to enjoy the Drama until episode 7 or so. Their romance was slow going, but they did have some really sweet moments together and I did root for them. Seo Kang Joon & Park Min Young did a great job, I genuinely thought they performed well, but I just didn't fall in love with the characters that they played.
Lee Jang Woo & Ji Eun Sil were polar opposites of Im Eun Sub & Mok Hae Won. Their relationship is something that the writers tease you with the whooole Drama as they don't get much focus, but they were definitely a highlight point for me. I loved Eun Sil's straightforward cheery disposition and Jang Woo's awkward foolishly in love persona.
Im Hwi is another character that, because she is young and untouched by the hardships that the main characters dealt with, is quite refreshing. At first I found her obnoxious and immature, but I started liking her more and more as the episodes went on. Her carefree, honest, crazy and outspoken demeanor was just what I needed and I think my favorite relationship throughout the whole Drama was the relationship she shares with her non-biological brother, Eun Sub. Eun Sub shows such kindness and generosity to his sister and Im Hwi with her blunt honesty is so healing to Eun Sub and you could see how, without even knowing, Im Hwi reaches the coldest, most frozen parts of his heart. My favorite scene of the entire Drama stars these two. I think Eun Sub's relationship with his whole family is special to see, they fought for him and he remained loyal.
I had a hard time settling on a rating for this one since I didn't really get into it until about half way through and then the last couple episodes tapered off for me as well. There were some scenes in this drama that I loved, scenes that made me cry because they felt so real, scenes that I went back and searched up on Youtube just to rewatch, but I need more than "some" scenes in a 16 episode Drama.
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Is there any hope for a better life?
While watching I felt myself gripped with this sad melancholic feeling as there were just so many instances that are just too unfortunate and hopeless for Dongbaek (the main female lead Gong Hyo Jin) to withstand. She encounters seemingly endless obstacles and is beaten up and dragged down by all the people in her life that take advantage of her. Many of the supporting characters in this drama are quite unlikable at first. They either take advantage of Dongbaek’s kindness and soft-spoken nature or verbally abuse her and judge her for circumstances she has been placed in that have been out of her control. To have no one on your side, that is what loneliness is. The triumphs in this drama are few and far between but when they arise they are intensely strong and rejuvenating for the characters as well as us, the viewers. These triumphs are almost always related to Yong-Sik (Kang Ha Neul).This drama is a slow burn. It takes 3 episodes to really commit to it but everything picks up speed around that point. I remember browsing through the comments after having watched the first couple episodes looking for some confirmation that I should continue watching, and that was the comment many made. I also noticed comments saying how great of a character Yong Sik was and that he would turn the whole drama around. AND HE DOES! Yong Sik is the sweetest, most caring, thoughtful, endearing, precious character ever!! He is the sunshine of Ongsan and the only one who consistently stands by Dongbaek’s side. He defends her, encourages her, and instills in her self worth. He reassures her that she does matter and that she deserves to be loved and to love herself. Dongbaek’s character could frustrate some as she is on the more timid side, but once you come to understand her story and see the multitude of little ways that she persists and conquers her own life you see that she is much stronger than she appears.
In this drama there were slow moments, there were weak moments, but there were also intensely powerful moments, lessons about self worth and perseverance, and real struggles and stories that show what life can really be like sometimes. Life is unfair. It’s hard. It’s full of judgment from others and pain. But to have someone, even one person, to be there for you along the way can give you so much strength. One person can give you the strength to not only triumph over life’s obstacles, but to be happy while you’re enduring them.
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Wow, just wow.
With really good dramas you can just tell right away, like almost always at some point in the first episode I'm like yup, this is it. This was definitely one of those times.If you like the bad boy then Kim Moo Young will have you literally dying from being heart struck. I loooved Seo In Guk's portrayal of Kim Moo Young. The first time he nonchalantly waltzes on screen with his ever so slight smirk, smooth walk and cool confident gaze there was no going back. Kim Moo Young is complicated. His character's persona isn't obviously good or obviously bad but his choices lead both ways. He is a multi-dimensional character without much of a moral compass who views others as pieces to a game, a form of entertainment in this strange world. He is a flawed individual that eventually stumbles upon past trauma and becomes broken because of it. He is intriguing because you never quite know what his response will be to a situation. A very powerful male lead who led the drama well.
Jin Kang (Jung So Min) was the PERFECT match for Moo Young. Initially cautious of Moo Young, she slowly became entangled in his life and as past storylines unfold, it's very clear why. Jin Kang challenged Kim Moo Young. She didn't fawn over him as every other woman had ever done and she didn't excuse his behavior. She also didn't parent him or patronize him. She put her faith in him to be better and she believed in him even when from the outside perspective she maybe shouldn't have. She instilled love and goodness in an otherwise cold dead heart. She held onto him and never gave up on him. Jin Kang was strong and kind and had her wits about her.
Jin Kang’s older brother, Yoo Jin Gook (Park Sung Woong) is the other main character who does everything in his power to care for and protect his sister. She means the world to him and their relationship is truly heartwarming to watch. Sometimes his protectiveness went over the top to the point of harming his beloved sister, but as much as I didn't like to admit it, I always understood his point of view even when I too thought he crossed a line. I thought Park Sung Woong was perfect for the role of her brother, because he can look very intimidating and formidable but when he smiles and talks he looks like a teddy bear.
Suspense and melodrama are heavy themes in this drama. My concern is always that as a drama progresses the story will plummet and we'll be left in a cliche last few episodes of nothingness. This was not the case. Up to the very last second of this drama I was hoping there would be more. Usually at the second to last episode you can tell things are on their way to resolve and wrap up but I was left on the edge of my seat till the end. Fitting of a melodrama, this is a dark storyline. Every conflict is not resolved perfectly and wrapped up with a golden ribbon. It’s a drama with pained characters who are trying to continue on even when everything in their lives comes crashing down. The relationships and how they evolve are what makes this drama so special. I tend to stay away from heavier dramas that I know are going to bring on the tears, but I would 100% recommend this one.
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Part of the reason I love this drama so much is the fact that it revolves around college students at a University and currently going through college myself, I found this quite intriguing. What I also love about this drama is the array of characters it revolves around. Hong Seol does not have the spunky & fearless personality that I (and I think many others), tend to look for in a female lead. She has, in my opinion, a refreshingly new personality that sets her apart from all of the other main female leads I've seen before. My main concern whenever watching a new kdrama is that the main female lead will either be super over the top obnoxious or a spineless doormat. I would describe Hong Seol as an introvert who although dislikes being the center of attention, is still able to confront the people in her life who need to be confronted while also being the most supportive, thoughtful, and kind friend to those she cares about. She's not bold and fearless, but she is smart and assertive. I loved watch her relationships unfold with both Yoo Jung and Baek In Ho as she was able to enrich each of their lives with her caring nature. I love how Kim Go Eun played her.
Yoo Jung (actor Park Hae Jin) was a hard character for me to like, at least the first time I watched this (this is the 2nd time watching it through). The reason being, I don't feel his character is explained as well as he should be. But then again, I feel like the mystery that surrounds his character is supposed to be a part of the allure. I only wish towards the end of the drama they would give a bit more explanation as to why his actions were sometimes so harsh. There was a specific flashback scene with Baek In Ho that was a huge turning point in their relationship where I thought Yoo Jung significantly crossed the line of humanity and they never addressed it concretely enough for me to understand why it was something to be understood. Yoo Jung is an interesting character though and I did find him difficult to try and figure out but for the most part I think I did. He was constantly judged and treated as if he was someone to be pitied for being what others labeled as "abnormal." He was taken advantage of throughout his growing years all for the sake of his father's reputation; I can understand how that would mess with your psyche. Especially if it meant finding out that those closest to you looked at you strangely. I just wish the writers would have put a bit more emphasis on the ways he was hurt/how he was hurting in certain parts later on in the drama since he appeared unnecessarily cold (specifically towards one individual).
Baek. In. Ho. Easily my favorite character in this drama, the all-star champ of Cheese in the Trap in my opinion. (Hats off to you Seo Kang Joon). Heart completely torn out for his character. I don't think there was ever a moment in this entire drama where I was ever not rooting for him. He defended those closest to him. He chose to better himself and the people around him. He accepted the hard life he was given and ran with it. He lost so much, his dreams, his friends and family, his home and way of living and yet was able to come back as a stronger, kinder person. His relationship with Hong Seol is one of my favorite relationships in a kdrama. Their friendship is one where they are able to see when the other is hurting and know whether to distract the other, or to get the other to a place where they are able to share their burden. Baek In Ho is able to cheer Hong Seol up and pester her just enough so that she can forget her troubles and see the light in all of it. He encourages her and respects her opinions. The writers literally made me sympathize with Baek In Ho so much and I think this is what makes me love and hate this drama. Baek In Ho is a character that to me is written perfectly, while Yoo Jung almost seems to have been left incomplete and I just am unable to see how I'm supposed to root for Yoo Jung when Baek In Ho genuinely seems like a better person than Yoo Jung. I one could argue that Yoo Jung needs Hong Seol more because he is someone who is a little harder to love and forgive and it would be harder for Yoo Jung to find someone else who could see the good in him. Regardless, I wish the writers would have given a little more closure for all the characters in the last episode but specifically Baek In Ho because I feel like the amount of hardships he had to go through should've justified a better ending for his character's story.
Cheese in the Trap was written with some excellent characters and has stellar actors to back it up. The dynamics between the characters is believable and the story-line is fresh. The story revolves around university life, describing the hardships and stress that's piled onto college students. The ability for a college student to relate to this drama for is pretty high, at least it was for me.
Kdrama OSTs rarely disappoint me and in this one they do not. I listen to the instrumentals purely to be transported back into the vibe that is Cheese in the Trap.
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Am I glad I picked it back up? Yes, although I can't agree that every episode is a masterpiece.
Obviously this drama is beautiful and it has a unique spin of nostalgia in it and anyone who watches it I'm sure can attest to that. Easily my most favorite parts of this drama were those that took place in the past. Sometimes I found myself just waiting for the flashbacks to happen because I knew I would love them. It was exciting seeing the past unfold and inspiring seeing a group of friends so passionately and fearlessly fighting for their independence.
Unfortunately here's the flip side of loving the past story line so much. No matter how hard I tried, I could not make myself love the present story line nearly as much. There was so much more weight and meaning in the past story line that just wasn't there in the present. Although that may have been the point in order to give the watcher a break and/or to show how much times have changed, the balance just felt off for me. I couldn't engage in the present until much later on in the episode progression. For one, I really just disliked Se Ju as a character for a solid chunk of the first episodes. He was sporadically angry in a way that was annoying when I think it was supposed to be funny. Jeon Seol I felt really disconnected to for quite a while (although in the end I loved her) and Yoo Jin Oh was just a catalyst for Se Ju's emotional outbursts. I do feel that things went uphill at a certain point, I just wish it would've went uphill sooner and faster than it seemed to.
Although I came to love and care about each of the main cast, Yoo Jin Oh I rooted for the most. His character's journey I found the most special. His battle between his emotions and obligations brought tears to my eyes and had me questioning my own strength. I commend Yoo Ah In, Im Soo Jung and Go Kyung Pyo's acting but I was specifically impressed with Kwak Shi Yang. I had no idea he was so capable.
The music, oh my god, the music! Every track is so purely breathtaking. The most emotional scenes are perfectly topped with some of the best tracks I've heard. The music added so much to Chicago Typewriter and it just wouldn't have been the same without that aspect.
I'm still unsure if 8.5 is the right rating for Chicago Typewriter because I was so torn in loving some moments and finding others to be pretty lack luster. I just feel like the present time story paled immensely to the past which made it boring for me at times. I will agree that Chicago Typewriter is well done and deserves a watch but these are just my own conflicting thoughts on why I couldn't give it a 10.
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BUT what makes this worth watching is some of the cast members. *ahem* Ryu Joon Yeol
Cast: Ryu Joon Yeol as Je Soo Ho is BEYOND adorable. Of course I’m superficial and initially I was unsure about him but he was amazing. I liked him almost immediately. I loved the way he played his character. Ryu Joon Yeol made Je Soo Ho into a really unique male lead and that made him the most refreshing part of Lucky Romance. Watching him fall in love was the cutest thing and it made me sooo jealous of Shim Bo Nui. Ryu Joon Yeol is what makes this drama worth watching. Also, his smile is cuteness overload!!
My other two favorites were Hang Ryang Ha by Jung Sang Hoon and Dal Nim by Lee Cho Hee. Ryang Ha was the perrrfect comic relief. He was so hilarious and I loved his relationship with Je Soo Ho. I love a good bromance. I wish he had had more screen time because his scenes were always a highlight for me. That brings me to Dal Nim who is also super adorable! I feel like her character would have been the annoying supporting character if not played by Lee Cho Hee. She made Dal Nim so precious and I just wanted to be best friends with her and protect her from the world. Together they were super precious.
Shim Bo Nui… I don’t know, it’s not that I minded her character all the time but there were whole episodes were I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. She was super cute with Je Soo Ho when she wasn’t being an idiot. I just couldn’t handle that she was a constant worrier and was always needing to be talked back into reality. Maybe it drove me crazy because I’m that way but I could not handle how dumb she was. The writers made her character almost seem mentally ill with how far they took the whole bad luck thing. Je Soo Ho basically became her babysitter and was constantly having to drag her back to reality. Hwang Jung Eum did her best to portray her as likeable but Bo Nui was just too unstable.
Plot: I don’t really need to go into detail but basically the plot is not very original. There isn’t really anything that sets it apart as being unique besides a few well written characters. It definitely starts out slow as many of the reviews mention and it quickly picks up momentum as the main couple’s relationship progresses. I could not handle the last couple episodes though as they revolve around Bo Nui being sooo stupid. Ugh, I’m sorry but I just don’t have the patience for stupid characters. And that last kiss though I have some serious beef with that!
I would recommend this if you like romance and super cute male leads. Just be aware that this is a pretty basic kdrama and it definitely has it’s frustrating cliche moments. Also, the first couple and last couple episodes are not that great.
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What I love most about this drama is the characters and the actors who played them. Seo Kang Joon was spectacular. He made Nam Sin III robotic but in the most adorable way! Whenever Nam Sin III smiled I literally melted. Even the way he blinked was so spot on. I'm not sure how the writers managed to make a robot interesting,hilarious, and completely endearing but that's exactly what they did. Never a more pure hearted main male lead, literally a puppy dog. And of course Nam Sin the human was such a brat and I wanted to slap his beautiful face so many times. Seo Kang Joon played the two roles so well from the way he stood to the way he spoke. I was also impressed with Gong Seung Yeon as Kang So Bong. Even though her character was supposed to be annoying sometimes, Seung Yeon played her in a way where even when I was super frustrated with her, I still didn't dislike her character. I also really enjoyed Park Young Kyoo as Nam Sin's grandfather. He was really entertaining to watch and I liked the way the writers blurred his character so I was never really sure whether I was supposed to like him or hate him. I enjoyed all of the cast but lastly I want to mention, Lee Joon Hyuk as Ji Yeong Hoon. I think his character easily could have become super boring but he totally wasn't and I think that was due to Lee Joon Hyuk's acting. He was sort of a father figure to both Nam Sin III and Nam Sin and it was encouraging to see the way he protected them both. It was also so refreshing that he always said and did the smartest thing. His character was brave and loyal and level headed. Exactly the kind of character this dramatic drama needed.
The writers/director did a really good job of keeping the story going and shifting the momentum of the story in ways that I didn't notice until later on. 18 episodes can be a huge mistake but in this case every episode was deliberate and necessary. Also, who would have thought that a robot could work as the main character! That's honestly what I was most worried about but somehow Kang So Bong and Nam Sin III were cuteness overload nearly every episode. Despite logic, I ship them so hard. I also really appreciated Nam Sin III's journey as a robot learning what humans are like and learning to stick up for himself. It broke my heart when others abused him and took advantage of him but with Kang So Bong's help he came to think of himself as more than just metal parts. Watching his growth and self acceptance was inspiring.
I really enjoyed most of the ost's but I loved The Longing Dance and Milagro. They really added to the intensity of the drama.
There were a few plot points that bugged me but not enough to ruin my enjoyment or the flow.
I would definitely recommend this and am so sad that it's over!
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Kim So Hyun as Kim Hyun Ji was adorable. She really was. Her character was full of energy and spunk and I felt like she was really strong in her role as leading lady. I also enjoyed watching Taecyeon (Park Bong Pal) on screen but it felt like he was holding back a little, and not as strong in his role as the main lead should be. But I still found him entertaining and I cheered him on while watching. As a couple Hyun Ji and Bong Pal had really good chemistry and they had such a cute puppy love kind of relationship! I really liked their scenes together and found myself grinning a lot while watching. I could feel how much fun they had filming while watching.
I also loved Kang Ki Young as Cheon Sang and Lee David as In Rang. I love Kang Ki Young, he is seriously one of the funniest actors that I've seen in kdramas and he and Lee David really carried this drama for me in a lot of ways. Ki Young just knows how to really let loose and is not afraid of being over the top with his characters. His acting is really natural despite him acting so extra. Cheon Sang's interactions with In Rang were super funny and their friendship was so goofy and fun to watch. Lee David I was impressed with as well. I've never seen him in this kind of comedic role but he made his character was really adorkable and lovable! Cheon Sang and Lee David were my favorite characters in this whole drama.
So for the things I didn't like: The flipping Monk!!!! There's also a lot of the annoying kdrama cliches in this and I mean the frustrating kind. *Spoilers* As in the parent figure overstepping their boundaries and controlling the main leads life and the classic I'm gonna break up with you and lie about why because it's for your own good. It was just unnecessary drama and kind of soured the whole cute fun-loving vibe that this drama was succeeding at. There are also a lot of plot holes in this drama, so you have to just acknowledge that there are and move on. I also feel like this drama starts off really slow, and I personally didn't really get into it until episode 7 and that's almost halfway through. It didn't help that I'd watched Oh My Ghostess before this (it's impossible not to compare them), so the fact that I've seen that and loved it, I just kept finding myself comparing some really similar plot points and just finding this to be not as well done. The villain in this wasn't well written and smart either. Yes he was creepy, but that's about it.
So, if you like the whole ghosts genre, light romance, or action and comedy then you'll probably like this. I did enjoy the watch overall, but it took me a while to get into it and I can't say it set itself apart as anything original.
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