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Completed
Yu Yu Hakusho
0 people found this review helpful
Dec 23, 2023
5 of 5 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10

Fast and fun

December 2023
Wow! I love fantasy and action, which this has by the bucket full.

Very fast paced once the action starts (that doesn't take too long), violent, at times gory, but it gets away with it, as it's such comic hero stuff.

I loved the bizarre characters, the weird fashion of Yusuke and Kazuma (kind of 80s) and the quirky feel that J-dramas like this almost always have; I mean, a pacifier sucking Jnr God? Fabulous.

I read a lot of on-line Chinese fantasy novels and many include Beasts that can transform into human form, which are also in this, so really my thing.

Aspects (a gambling part especially), reminded me of Squid Game (or perhaps that should be the other way around, seeing as the Manga debuted in 1991 and the anime a year later), but only for that relatively small content.

The VFX are sometimes a little bumpy, but overall it's pretty good.

I just loved that it's fast, furious and fun. The 'hero', Urameshi Yusuki, is labelled a delinquent, but is a perfect example of attitude, and the book's cover, not representing the true story. People are quick to judge and lump people together (especially when in the negative, or different/more powerful, which leads to fear and hate) and that's certainly addressed here. Keiko, Yusuke's childhood friend, can certainly hold her own too and isn't the usual simpering female we often see in certain J-dramas.

I ended up besotted with the character Kurama / Minamino Shuichi (Shison Jun). Totally delicious!

At only 5 episodes, it's certainly worth a go. I wonder if there will be more.

(I've not read or seen them, but understand the manga and anime, sadly, got wrapped up quite suddenly in 1994, with less than satisfactory endings, due to affects the pressures put on the writer by his publishers, had on his health.)

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Completed
Castaway Diva
0 people found this review helpful
Dec 23, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10

Feelgood series, perfect for Christmas viewing!

December 2023
First off, I like that Netflix has started calling one-off dramas that won't have a S2 or more, 'Limited'. As they seem to be pushing the western style of multiple series onto many K-dramas they make, it helps distinguish those made in the traditional K-drama format of 1 series (although they often seem to have fewer eps per series; 12 or even less, not 16).
I do wish they wouldn't mess with stuff!

So, on with the review :~)

I loved this; the cast were great and Park Eun-bin has yet to disappoint. I also loved both young actors (Moon Woo-jin and Lee Re) who portrayed younger versions of older main characters. Chae Jong Hyeop and Cha Hak Yeon were both a pleasure to watch, too.

It is very funny at times, but there are also moments of true angst and some tears.

Seriously far fetched, but it somehow gets away with that and I am sure it's totally down to PEB's acting and how she (and her young counterpart) portray the character stranded on an island, plus the other MCs and supporting cast.

The episodes flew by and the story is neatly told in the less-than-usual number of them; I'd have happily let it be stretched out for one or two more... I rarely say that!

Definitely worth watching, especially over Christmas, as it's such a feel-good series about having faith, self-belief, never giving up and staying true to one's self.

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Completed
Ballerina
0 people found this review helpful
Nov 11, 2023
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

Hell hath no fury....

Nov 2023

TW: Sexual assault, suicide references

Very fast paced, violent, bloody, with a couple of real "OH!!!" moments.

The background story is provided whilst playing out in the present. The character of the Ballerina in question, Min-hee, is sweet, quirky and never came across as weak, but an incident in her relatively young life proved too much.

I got a strong feeling that the seemingly lonely girl she befriended, Ok-ju, actually loved her. There was just something in the way she looked at her at times.

That friend, an ex bodyguard with no ties and seemingly nothing to lose, takes up a challenge left by her friend and, basically, WW3 breaks out not long after!

At its heart this is purely an action thriller, not deep or realistic. However, the seedier side of life that Min-hee gets tangled up in, over the last few years in S.Korea (and elsewhere), has proven to be all too real, in one form or another. That makes for a very uncomfortable and quite sickening watch at times.

In many ways it's also quite a satisfying watch, especially when the main characters are women who take no 5hit, are tough, capable and exceptionally determined.

My brain didn't even have time to register when things got OTT, because it was too busy being stunned!

Jeon Jong Seo, as the Best Friend, Jang Ok Ju, was superb. God she must be fit, as it was a very physical role. She rarely smiled, wasn't noisy or overly emotional, yet neither was she miserable, depressing or emotionless. Her immediate reaction to loss was very real to me.

Kim Ji Hoon, as Choi Pro, is an actor I've come to love. He is so much more than his looks and unlike many actors, isn't typecast, so when he appears, one doesn't know if he's friend or enemy. He has no qualms taking on really unpalatable characters, or sweeter, fluffy roles.

Whilst adding a little dark humour to proceedings, which I like, at the same time I found the weapons dealers suggested to Ok-ju by her ex-boss, to be a bit daft in terms of what they were offering; was her ex-boss trying to get her to fail?! It didn't sit right, even though it was amusing. Great supporting role for Kim Young-ok, however. I love this senior actress.

There were references to corrupt police and powerful people in this, but they were not seen or, more annoyingly, held accountable, as is too often the case in K-dramas and film. That, as usual, irritated me.

Overall, it felt like a very quick watch and, I felt, quite different in its story and vibe; but it certainly won't be for everyone.

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Completed
Bloodhounds
0 people found this review helpful
Oct 21, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Tough and nail biting

Oct 2023
The very early episodes that lay the foundations for this very violent, gripping and fast paced drama, go from causing feelings of mild anxiousness to all out threat, fairly quickly.
It is not easy watching ordinary people being strong armed out of their livelihoods, all their savings and conned into crippling debts they'll never be able to repay.
The ferocity with which the strong-arm gangs operate is sickening. That people could do this to others, totally blows my mind (gang wars happen in real life).
We are then moved on to Geon-woo (Woo Do-hwan) and his new found friend from boxing, Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), getting drawn ever deeper into conflict with the legitimate business fronted, highly successful and wealthy loan shark, Myung-gil (Park Sung-woong ~ always a brilliant villain).
The story sees them joining forces with someone whose past has a strong connection to Myung-gil. Then, together with characters involved with one another as veterans and members of the Marines (their military service), they decide they have no choice but to take him and his entire organisation, down.
The fight scenes are something else and the efforts both WDH and LSY must have gone to, to get as fit as they look in this, don't bear thinking about!
In terms of how characters are dealt with by the drama/writer, it reminded me of the early days of The Walking Dead... no one is safe and there are shocks aplenty. The sudden departure of one character in particular was very odd but might be to do with the actress.
Excellent writing, as some very witty dialogue and interactions pepper most episodes, which counters the angst and violence.
I love the cast and was really surprised to see Choi Siwan (didn't even realise he was in it), in a very different and [to me] surprising role for him.
Much of it is very OTT in terms of being a long way from what's possible, but, this is an action and justice/revenge drama, not a slice- of-real-life story or a documentary. It's entertainment and I loved it!
The ending held some shocks and I wasn't disappointed, but (why's there always a but?
;-D ), I would have loved to see some characters actually suffer the consequences of their disgusting deeds, and get legally punished by the system, with a nightmare life behind bars!
The most hateful character for me was In-beom, MG's muscle and right-hand man... what a mindless neanderthal. One of my favourites was the quirky and unflappable Oh Da-min, who makes her appearance in later episodes.
If the brutal treatment of others and quite high levels of threat are not for you, then the drama probably won't be either, but otherwise, it's a great and compact watch.

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Completed
My Lovely Liar
0 people found this review helpful
Oct 12, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

Truth or Lie ~ sometimes it was hard to tell

Oct 2023
I find Hwang Min-hyun a joy to watch, so I'll be honest, I've a feeling I might have got a bit frustrated with parts of this, if the lead hadn't held my attention quite as much! (and no, I don't follow him as an Idol).

Nice cast; loved both Seo Ji-hoon and Yun Ji-on's portrayals of their characters too; the latter especially. Both tugged at my heart strings.

The ladies held their own as well and whilst I am not a big fan of Kim So-hyun (I can't quite explain why there are aspects of her acting, that just don't click with me), I quite liked her in this. A favourite character was Cassandra / Yoon Ye Seul (a Tarot reader and friend/colleague of Sol-hee in their coffee shop). Character Hwang Cho-rok was definitely my least favourite. I just found her irritating and the drama wouldn't have suffered without her 🫣 The mothers of both lead characters were awful, too. Do-ha's should have been locked up! :~D Sol-hee's was yet another leeching parent who blames all her woes on her daughter. I am honestly so tired of K-drama parents that use their kids (and kids being targeted for things their parents did, like owing money, or going to prison). The originality is gone, it's old and writers need to up their game.

However, the story is both fun at times and touching, with a murder mystery, pinch of corruption and some threat thrown in for good measure. Several episodes into the drama, I had an inkling who the culprit might be, but I was never 100% sure about it, which is good.

I wasn't convinced by the leads' chemistry, but they were not a dreadful match either. I have to say, HMH's somehow vulnerable and withdrawn character in this, captivated me and sometimes he reminded me a teeny bit of Cha Eun-woo.

I did find the sound effects for when Sol-hee heard the truth or a lie, to be very confusing; maybe that's just me though. Also, there were times when Do-ha's anxiety around wearing a mask got forgotten completely and it got a bit silly; I was glad when he got rid of it altogether.

The OST fit nicely and HMH also sings a track in it (it's called Alarm).

At the end of the day this is a light drama that makes an enjoyable enough watch, with a neatly wrapped up ending.

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Completed
Navillera
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 27, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 3.0

Warm and feel good over realistic

Sep 2023
I thought this was a touching, often amusing, positive and unusual drama.

Dementia is not often featured, to any extent, in S.Korean dramas, in the same way 'natural' gay, disabled or ASD characters are not either. Their industry, seemingly like many within their population, still appear to be more uncomfortable with such things, than not.

Anyone who cares for, or is close to, someone that suffers from dementia or Alzheimers in a far more negative and aggressive way, may find the representation in this a little too saccharin.

However, it is still quite a moving story. How the family of the elderly central character, who is determined to realise a dream he wasn't allowed to in his youth, learn from him, overcome their prejudices and grow, has a very feel good factor.

Deok-chul's family's characters are all quite different from one another and well portrayed by a cast I liked, but I honestly didn't get the father of Chae-rok (Song Kang's character) at all. I found that aspect of the story quite weak; as was the story around Ho-beom (Chae-rok's ex-friend). I didn't really feel like either lent anything extra to the story at all. That's certainly no reflection on the actors though, who were not the issue.

I read that Song Kang took ballet lessons for 6 months prior to filming and it shows. Apart from the very complex moves (where the camera focuses on purely legs, feet etc), which used a professional stand-in, he danced himself. I thought he looked beautiful, strong, graceful and convincing.

If you can put aside the fact that several aspects of the story are terribly unlikely and just watch it for the satisfaction of characters overcoming adversity, pushing their limits, taking responsibility, realising dreams and many becoming better people for it, then you will surely enjoy this, as I did.

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Completed
Dangerous Drugs of Sex
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 15, 2023
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Too many trigger warnings to mention!

Sep 2023
I had read various reviews, but a friend with similar viewing tastes to me, said it was actually a really good story... warped and shocking, but excellently done. So, in I stepped.
Along with the captive, Makoto, the viewer is assaulted pretty quickly.
Chained to a gurney and bound, so begins a relentless regime of horrendous sexual abuse, using a variety of sex aids and the captor's own fingers.
Makoto is kept clean, spends a lot of time alone and is quickly allowed to move around enough (though chained by one ankle), to reach a toilet and table containing water and nutrient / vitamin tabs; no food is given.
Beyond the scenes of assault, we learn what lead Katsuragi Makoto to attempting a drunken suicide, from which he is saved by his captor, Yoda Ryoji.
We also learn why Ryoji appears to be numb to the suffering his intolerable levels of abuse cause, for what he sees as a therapy to awaken Makoto's senses and make him want to live.
It surfaces that both are suffering crushing levels of guilt for similar reasons.
Over time, Makoto begins to form a weird but inescapable bond with Ryoji; it's almost like he has become addicted to the intense pleasure he ultimately experiences, even though at the same time, he is visibly disgusted, shamed and hurt physically by it (for obvious reasons ~ he's a straight guy, so it's going to hurt).
As time goes on, however, and the pain diminishes, he seems to lose the shame and humiliation he felt, too. Ryoji tells him that his desire to live is there (basically, suicide should never have been an option ~ he didn't really want to die).
How this ended, I kind of saw coming and wasn't surprised.
Whilst Ryoji sexually assaulted Makoto multiple times, he actually raped him once and that was the culmination of his 'therapy'. He was then left alone and realises it appears he is able to leave.
The ending is poignant and I find that utterly bizarre; yet it is.
I mean, this should be an impossible piece of work to watch. I actually hate scenes of intense bullying and/or where a character is walked all over and too weak to do anything about it. I've dropped dramas like that, which are actually like a kid's programme compared to this.
So I cannot explain why I felt I just had to finish this and, more to the point, could!
Perhaps it's because there isn't any actual cruelty from Ryoji. He is calm throughout, and explains his actions, even though what he's doing is appalling. He never verbally humiliates Makoto and is totally clinical in his attitude. There is no violence with the sexual acts at all; he does not go out of his way to hurt Makoto (in fact there's an instance where he himself was totally vulnerable).
It really is the most visceral, disturbing and yet compelling thing I've ever watched.
It is not simply BDSM porn, that's for sure.
Totally and utterly warped, but it gets away with it. Just.
I could never watch it again though.

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Completed
Hot Stove League
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 20, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 2.0

You don't need to like baseball to enjoy this drama

Although I'd read the synopsis, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect and not being a fan of any sport (except figure skating on occasion), I wondered if I'd get into it. However, being a Namgoong Min fan, I decided to give it a try.
Much of the story centred around the statistics, strategies and personalities within the game, so I was surprised when it nevertheless kept both my attention and interest.
That was due entirely to the excellent cast who all portrayed the many characters in this drama, so well.
Namgoong Min as the hyper intelligent, unflappable, no nonsense new Manager, whose appointment shocked everyone at team Dreams.
Never having been a player, many looked down on him and thought he'd be a pushover ~ he was anything but. I loved his lazy way of talking and poker face.
Park Eun-bin as the only female to be appointed as any team's Operations Manager, was perfect. She balanced being feisty and just the right level of tough (as a female in a male dominated environment), whilst retaining an even temperament. Too often women in important positions are portrayed as hard, cold, bitchy and lacking emotion. She was none of those things and that was honestly a breath of fresh of air.
So many other actors' portrayals of their characters made an impression on me as well. Too many to list!
There are so many stories intertwined into the main one, which is the club striving to turn their dismal record of losses around, and giving them a fighting chance of actually winning the league.
We also get corporate politics, with the conglomerate that owns the club (helmed by an old and manipulative Chairman), having a hidden agenda. There's in-fighting within both the club's staff and players. Jealousies, arrogance, misunderstandings and struggles with both fitness and confidence.
Then there are the personal problems many characters contend with, which are revealed as the drama plays out. Some are quite tragic and shed a new light on what drives some of them.
All in all, there is a lot of story that is so well wrapped up in 16 episodes.
Whilst I will admit that some of the scenes involving the strategies and stats of the game and its players, went over my head, that didn't spoil my overall enjoyment and surprise at how good this drama was. Even the ending was well thought out and realistic.
An intelligent and fulfilling watch for sure!

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Completed
The Heavenly Idol
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 15, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 2.0

Light and enjoyable

Overall I enjoyed this drama. The synopsis on here is a little 'off' because a big factor in the story is Rembrary wanting to return to his realm and needing to figure out what caused his expulsion in the first place and why. Also some characters are incorrectly named, like The Evil One.
The genre is definitely teen, supernatural, comedy, romance, with some emotional and action content; in that order.
The acting was fine, with a watchable cast and story that kept me engaged.
Loved Park Sang-nam as Sa Gam-jae.
Kim Min-Gue (Kue/Gyu/Kyu!) carried the ML role well, making some scenes I would usually find too cringeworthy, bearable.
I would love to see him head up a more substantial drama/role one day... soon I hope.
I am not that familiar with FL, Go Bo-gyeol (playing Kim Dal), but she fit the character well and their chemistry suited their roles, as both were inexperienced and innocent in terms of romance, so it was never going to be 'sizzling'.
The only actors I felt seemed a little uncomfortable in their characters, were Lee Jang-woo (The Evil One) and Cha Joo-young (as the deity, Redrin).
I didn't find it a struggle to finish this at all, so for my personal benchmark, that means it wasn't bad. It's light and easy to watch.
As mentioned before, it does have a 'young' feel, so if you're looking for something a bit deeper, with a more substantial plot, it might miss the mark.

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Completed
Revenant
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

Jealousy and greed attract very unwanted attention.

I thoroughly enjoyed this twisty-turny story, with not a few butt clenching moments ;D
Oh Jung-se really suited the role of Yeom Hae-sang and the more I see of him in such diverse roles, the more I love him (his autistic character in It's OK to Not Be OK is still a favourite).
Kim Tae-ri is always good and I loved Hong-kyung as the young Detective.
The entire cast were actually very good and there are several well known supporting actors I always enjoy watching, which helps!
The characters' journeys to discovering the mysteries surrounding an academic's investigation into crimes with a supernatural base and spanning many decades, are gripping.
There are shocks, tragedies and a very dark and brutal catalyst to everything that happens subsequent.
There are, unfortunately, also the usual issues of characters not listening, acting alone, making decisions for others and just not communicating in instances when 99.999999% recurring, of people would.
It's a drama and the story needs that to move forward I suppose, but the writer could have thought of more engaging alternatives in those instances.
I also found Kim Tae-ri's character's attitude towards Oh Jung-se's, later in the drama, to be utterly ridiculous, given everything they'd gone through upto that point and given her own predicament.
I wasn't scared by this drama (although it takes a lot to frighten me), but, as said, it did have its moments.
Cases of people that are already wicked or bad in some way, attracting angry/hungry spirits to them, seems to be becoming a trope (that's not a complaint).
There are instances of child abuse, however, so anyone for whom that's a trigger, needs to be forewarned.
I probably wouldn't watch it again, but am by no means sorry I picked it.
It is worth watching.

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Completed
Homestay
0 people found this review helpful
Jul 26, 2023
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 3.0

Different; engaging; surprising

Not at all what I was expecting. I thought it might be some kind of supernatural, light, action/mild horror, comedy. Apart from supernatural, it's none of those.
From the moment Shiro/Makoto wakes up from death, on a slab, in hospital, with no memory of any past events, the story is abruptly explained.
We are introduced to a Guardian, who tells Shiro he has died, now inhabits this body and to stay in it and get a second chance at life, he must find out why that person died too. He's given 100 days and 3 chances at answering the question.
The film then follows Shiro's journey as he gets to know the person behind the body he is inhabiting, and struggles to find out why he passed away.
He meets Makoto's disconnected family, a close friend and a crush.
School life is nondescript and it becomes apparent that Makoto was pretty much invisible, with a quiet, socially awkward and weak spirited personality.
Shiro is nothing like that and this is where the story faulters. Apart from 1 character (who still treats it like no big deal), no one seems the slightest bit surprised by the difference.
He's meant to have total memory loss, of which his family and close friend are aware, yet everyone still expects him to know stuff and the interactions don't fit at all.
Due to what Shiro was told about himself, by the Guardian, I also expected his character to be very different and that puzzled me for the whole film, until it was addressed towards the end. In that respect, the story's direction was not at all obvious and pretty engaging.
The outcome was quite a surprise. I think it's intended to make people think, take stock of themselves and their reality, especially when life gets dark.
I actually felt it was quite harsh and yet it offers another perspective that I've never seen before and perhaps when one's mind is not in a place of reason, a person could miss this themselves.
It isn't a film I'd watch again, but the charm and gentleness that Nagao Kento brought to the main character, and the nicely acted supporting roles, lead me to not regetting having watched it one bit.

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Completed
She Would Never Know
0 people found this review helpful
Jul 24, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 2.0

Went on too long

I thought the cast was great and the leads fit well together. Rowoon is an actor who's really growing on me. He is very good at playing gentle, thoughtful, yet no characters, but they aren't pushovers.
The friends, family and colleagues surrounding the MC were a diverse bunch with only a few stereotypes.
I loved Kwon Sung-yeon (played by Ahn Se-ha), a member of the Klar cosmetics team. I also liked Chae Ji-sung, 1 of 2 sisters of the ML, who was intelligent, considerate and pretty independent ~ also very classy.
I did feel for the FL, Song-ah. A strong and capable character who was deceived and messed about, but, after taking ages to make a decision, she then backtracked... she didn't seem to think anything through, or know what she wanted. My sympathy evaporated.
Characters I honestly had a major problem with, but were so well portrayed...
• The company director's sister, Lee Hyo-joo ~ utterly delusional. What she puts another character through and then complains to about their attitude, is eye rolling, to say the least. She totally needs professional help!
• Whilst I felt a little sorry for her partner, it was hard because although he is used and abused, he did also deceive others.
• FL's mother ~ The way this character was developed and handled, I found really weak and annoying too; it so played down the affects of her condition and personalities like that, on those closest to them and almost made it seem like that's just how it is, so put up with it.
• ML's other sister, Chae Yun-seung ~ married with a precocious daughter (fabulously played by a great child actress, Park So-yi), who spends all her time making snide, hurtful remarks and berating her siblings, telling them they need to marry EVERY TIME she's with them. She gets loud and petulant or plays hurt and childish, if she finds out they meet without her. She has a blunt, thoughtlessly nasty mouth with everyone, but is annoyingly enabled by those around her, as they just take it. How her character is developed, is just weird. It was like by making her acceptance of a situation, as though she was some open-minded saint, would make all the other stuff ok... nope. It did feel like divine retribution to be honest. I really like the actress who played her so convincingly, however (she's just been in See You In My 19th Life).
It was an OK watch. I wasn't blown away by it. Sometimes I just got so bored though and it took me ages to get through it.
The later story arc around the FL, felt a lot like it was just to pad out the drama.
I guess it's mostly about relationships (not just romantic ones, but familial, work and personal as well), following instinct, not being dictated to by society's 'norms'.
I didn't hate it and was happy to dip in and out as the mood took, but was so glad to finish it.

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Completed
Joseon Attorney: A Morality
0 people found this review helpful
Jul 24, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
Such a good cast ~ you really can't go wrong watching Woo Do-hwan; plus the FL and everyone else included, really made for enjoyable viewing.
I so liked Song Geon-hee in this, playing the King/Princess's brother; I'd not watched him in anything since Missing: The Other Side (S1 ~ I've yet to watch S2) ~ he's Thomas.
The plot is quite fresh ~ a common man who's an attorney, motivated by money, also seeking vengeance, who 'finds himself', a conscience and love ~ though the latter creeps up on him and comes complete with several surprises and a fair bit of angst.
As with many historical dramas, there is, of course, plenty of corruption, power crazy officials, a puppet king struggling to regain the monarchy's power and intrigue by the bucket full.
Being something of a rom-com with a modern feel, kept it light, although there were more than a few scenes that were sad, tragic and with a touch of action thrown in.
The pace was pretty good overall and I was kept engaged. Occasionally, the story did ramble a little, with overly long pauses and the usual irritation of characters acting on their own, not divulging crucial info and thinking they know what's best for everyone. It's forgivable and doesn't spoil things too much. It gets a little cheesy at times though.
I found the ending one that succeeds in leaving the drama's audience satisfied, but after the build-up to it in the penultimate episode, it also felt like a means to that end.
One character's reasons for staying hidden, were never even remotely discussed with the main person affected by their decision ~ if that's not being included as part of the story, leave that kind of reasoning out, rather than have the issue ignored, because there isn't room to address it.
Honestly though, it's not a huge deal, but is something that poked at me!
The music was varied with some quite rocky pieces, but they fit OK for the most part. Even if I didn't think the choices were always appropriate, the music in itself was very good, with some nice ballads too.
A little bit of reality is also included, with the rewritten laws, protecting all, that's focussed on at the end.
Nice drama to welcome Woo Do-hwan back after his military service.

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Bad Prosecutor
0 people found this review helpful
May 25, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 5.0

Totally OTT but an engrossing, exhilirating watch.

Full of great action, with many genuinely funny scenes and a tongue planted firmly in cheek. Such a good cast with Do Kyung-soo heading it perfectly. I love his acting and how he always seems to really immerse himself into character. His role in this reminds me a bit of 'K' in Bad and Crazy.
Some typecasting in the form of Kim Chang-wan as CE, Seo Hyun-kyu, as well, as I'm sure I've seen him in a very similar role, but I just can't think of the drama.
Whilst it's total fiction, there were a few occasions when I felt the writing became lazy and how characters behaved in some scenes was eye rolling; like walking into situations alone and seemingly unprepared, or going to a secret rendezvous with no concept of being tailed (which she was).
I liked the character of Ah-ra, but got irritated when she was made out to be defenseless, when in fact she was an excellent fighter. So, when she sat back and did absolutely nothing in a rooftop fight scene, even when the baddies had legged it and the others were desperately struggling to pull someone back from falling off said roof, I got very irritated. No one would do that.
Ep7 had the most flaws for me and I noticed more weak writing (or direction?) after that.
However, overall I still really enjoyed the action and entire cast.
Totally OTT at times, but a great ride! Worth watching for sure.

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Completed
Ameiro Paradox
0 people found this review helpful
May 23, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 5.0

Sweet but a little too soft

aka: Candy Colour Paradox
Sweet story and I liked the casting. I don't know the Manga, so can't say how it measures up.
I found the repetitive intro of each ML at the start of all episodes a bit redundant.
Their scoop projects were varied and pretty relevant, but with short and few eps, there could never be any depth to them. Also, considering the fact Yakuza and crime syndicates were mentioned more than once, it feels a little unreal that there were no thugs or threats of the consequences for their scoops.
The naive half of the duo, Onowe, might be just that, but he's far from stupid. I actually see it more as an innocence ~ he's well aware of the dark side of life, but chooses to believe in people until he's proven wrong, at which point he has no qualms about facing up to reality.
Our more jaded other half, Kaburagi, who must have had some really bad experiences of being let down to be so cynical at a relatively young age, appears to need Onowe... like a light in the dark.
They are both dreadful at communicating their feelings, so at times their interactions are frustrating, but they would be irl with 2 such emotionally introverted people getting together. They both start opening up in the latter part of the drama and we get an insight into Onoe. It is a real shame we didn't get to see more of that and background on Kaburagi.
However, if you are looking for a short, sweet romance with opposite characters that is all about the couple, which isn't deep or have a strong back-storyline , this is perfect.

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