Thrilling
A film that builds and gains momentum with every scene.I found the plot a little different, with some surprises. Through 'Dorothy', the relationships and personalities of the crew aboard The Victory develop and grow.
It's witty, action packed, emotional and very entertaining.
I loved the diverse nationalities of the cast and different languages, which sounded very natural; often a rarity in Korean productions ~ not one to watch dubbed. Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Seon-kyu and the wonderful little Park Ye-rin are excellent, as are the supporting actors bringing wonderful characters to life.
Excellent sfx, filming and direction give this a proper big budget feel.
Great viewing and worth watching more than once!
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Loved the OST.
June 2026.I found this fantasy drama quite entertaining; it has funny and also moving content.
Main cast members take on multiple roles however, which I sometimes found confusing.
Characters hidden without being aware, diversions, deceit, betrayal, and stand-ins... a lot is packed into the story.
There are Nine-tailed Foxes, dragons, snakes, and butterfly demons... it's quite the menagerie! A very attractive cast.
Sometimes it was drawn out, but a more than decent watch overall.
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Complex main characters, slow pace.
April 2026.I had high hopes for this drama, as I love Jin-young's acting. I actually thought both leads gave good performances, as both characters were incredibly complex, and with reason.
This will definitely not be for everyone, and I imagine it splitting opinion quite widely, just like 'My Liberation Notes' did (which I didn't enjoy).
I thought this was well written; there were no real extremes in the story, and it felt quite true to life, in terms of the ordinariness of the every day.
The ML character has, what feels like, the weight of the world resting on him ~ he feels overwhelming responsibility for his family, seeing himself as the most able provider.
He is often withdrawn, doesn't say unnecessary things, and doesn't talk about how he feels, to anyone.
The FL character also feels similarly about family responsibility, but for very different reasons. She is somewhat more outgoing, but at the same time has no friends.
The two connect whilst nearing the end of High School, sharing a study space, and become close friends. They seem drawn together and provide one another with often unspoken comfort.
The pace may be crippling for some, and the story at times stagnant. I personally felt that fit. They were healing slowly and beginning to think of themselves more ~ Eun-A was definitely a shining light for Tae-so; and Tae-seo a rock and guiding light, for Eun-A
At this point I liked her character; quirky and quite focussed. However, some actions towards an adult female character earlier in the story, especially when coupled with later behaviour as an adult, made her seem an incredibly selfish character, to me, byvthe end of the drama She put herself first, and I got the distinct impression she was desperate for a way out of her young adult life, which she was successful in getting ~ again through someone else's guidance and involvement.
The two grow apart, as happens, with college/Uni and maturing. They reconnect later, and it's from this point I really grew to dislike Eun-A. I felt she used people, from beginning to end~ maybe it wasn't intentional, but the feelings of others were secondary to her, from where I was sitting, it was mostly about her own aspirations, and needs. Yet she allowed herself to be pushed around in work settings. Infuriating.
The ending, I thought, was fitting.
Made me want nothing but love for Tae-seo in his future, and for Eun-A to grow up and think of others, as well as herself.
If you don't mind an at times snail pace, with a contemplative focus, you might like this. I didn't dislke it at all, but watched alongside others, as it aired, which I think helped. Not one I could binge, nor would I revisit it.
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OK, but not a memorable story.
April 2026.I watched this as it aired ~ definitely not one I could binge watch, and tbh, it hasn't been memorable.
I didn't dislike it, but I wasn't wowed either.
Nice cast, and an interesting twist on the usual Gumiho stories.
I found the second Gumiho's storyline (and character), to be weak and somewhat pointless to an extent.
I didn't find anything particularly funny, moving, or gripping.
Not bad, certainly not perfect, but worth a look, perhaps as a filler.
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.....mostly, is the answer.
April 2026.I enjoyed this drama overall with a good cast and characters.
There were aspects of the plot not to my taste, mainly parts I felt dragged, or weren't convincing, and seemed somehow out of place.
It also got quickly wrapped up, and the storyline around the ex, I found bizarre for a number of reasons (not to be confused with "I didn't understand it" ☺️).
Nice locations, and I liked it more than didn't,
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Worth a look.
Feb 2026I admit I watched purely as a fan of LJW, although the story did intrigue me.
The story is centred on happenings within the leads' families, and also between the lead characters themselves, which shapes their future.
We are also introduced to friends and work colleagues, as well as family, as the story unfolds.
I got a bit confused at one point, as there is a lot of going back to various points in time, as key events are recounted when reminiscing (for both positive and negative reasons).
I found the FL character really annoying in the early episodes, but she did mellow, and grew on me.
I thought a key aspect of the story, in terms of her relationship with the 'distance brother', was somewhat overdone, and it frustrated me.
Other characters were ok; the distance brother's female colleague was yawningly predictable ~ a plot line that has been overused, and is frankly outdated.
I liked the lawyer, Seo-hyuk, too, who was pretty cool and knew when to back off gracefully.
I akso liked their friends, couple O Seung-taek and I Seul, but was very disappointed in how their plot line was handled ~ it made it seem like disability is not something able-bodied people should, or rather could, live with.
It actually angered me. I felt like the drama was making a statement about physically able people having to make too great a sacrifice, to love someone disabled.
That might be the case for some, but given how too many dramas show S.Koreans' attitudes to any disability as far less than in a favourable light, it would have been refreshing to see a mixed relationship of that type, portrayed as strong and successful.
Certain aspects of the plot got dragged out, whilst others might gave been made more of. There were some very emotional moments, as well.
Overall it was a decent watch, and I love LJW's acting ~ he can captivate me enough to keep me interested in most stories, although this one did manage that alone.
I liked his chemistry with CSE, and neither the actress nor her portrayal of the FL character, were the norm.
Not disappointed I watched it, at all, but probably not one I'd revisit.
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Lost its way
June 2025Epic fantasy story of survival, revenge, love, hate, abuse, and eveything in-between, plus travelling in time, and dream worlds.
A sumptuous watch, with very good CGI, costumes, makeup and sets. A beautiful cast too and plenty of characters.
It started well and got straight into things, laying the plot's foundations. It is quite bloody at times; I don't think I've ever seen characters cough up blood (something cultivators do when their energy, or qi, is damaged, or they over-exert themselves) as much, in one drama, in my life!
Unfortunately, it started to stall for me. The flip between different incarnations of the main characters when in different lives, was somewhat clumsily handled. This confused me at times, although I did find my attention flagging, so perhaps that's my fault.
Whilst strong, focussed and undeniably beautiful, given her remit, I found the attitude of the FL character (Li Su Su / Ye Xi Wu, played by Bai Lu) to her 'target', character Tantai Jin (Luo Yun Xi), really frustrating.
After travelling back in time, she ends up as his wife; a nasty, malicious character, in a miserable marriage. It has to be assumed they looked the same, as no reference was made to this. She is nothing like that person, and so her behaviour towards him and others is very different. This is blamed on good old memory loss.
On the one hand she's thinking that he could be prevented from turning into a devil, or rather the Demon King, and on the other, it's that she has to kill him. The story see-saws back and forth on this, and that irritated me.
Given Tantai Jin's backstory, it didn't surprise me he lacked emotion and a moral compass, one day becoming the revenge driven Demon King. As his wife has 'changed', however, he very slowly begins to see and respond to her differently, as she treats him better. It gives hope he could be saved if nurtured.
However, instead of building on this, and even though she sees the hell, poor conditions, humiliation, and abuse he's lived with since being a child, she has almost zero empathy. It was startling. I disliked her character immensely at those times.
We then get this same roller-coaster of hate/love/kill/save, throughout the drama. Almost all his evil reactions stem from her poor choices, lack of communication, and deception.
Key nasty characters (and there are more than a few), get listened to and have influence, time and again. It's infuriating. The capacity of some characters to forgive, is both unfulfilling and utterly misplaced. One in particular, regardless of her atrocious crimes, ends up walking about and back in the thick of things, like nothing happened.... in more than one of her guises!
There is a lot of tragedy, but I only got really moved in episodes depicting Tantai Jin's early life; his mistreatment and his numerous betrayals by people he trusted.
That's the main reason Li Su Su / Ye Xi Wu's character didn't add up. She could have changed him, but instead fuelled his mistrust, jealousy (caused by that mistrust) and evil thoughts, by lying to and deceiving him, so many times. She does make a sacrifice, but even then, her poor handling of it all later, ruins it.
We end up kind of back where we started, but earlier in that time. Sadly, past mistakes are not learned from, nothing from tge oast is shared, as Li Su Su stays silent, and we get an ending that I thought predictable. Certainly not satisfying.
I enjoyed a lot of it, but will be perfectly honest in that it was one of my favourite C-drama actors, Luo Yun Xi, that kept me invested. I find him stunning to watch, as he has great screen presence and rarely, if ever, overacts.
At certain times I found the soundtrack too loud, swamping the dialogue. If I didn't watch with subtitles, it would have spoiled my viewing.
This drama could have been brilliant, but sadly fell short due to the poor writing. It is still worth a look though, as it's otherwise wonderfully put together, with a great cast and commanding characters.
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Pace too slow and unlikeable characters
Aug 2019I really like the cast in this drama, but not the characters...
Jung Hae In (love him), Han Ji Min and Kim Joon Han are leads. A lovely child actor in it too, Ha Yi An, as Yoo Eun Woo.
It centres around characters Ji-min and Joon-han re-evaluating their stagnant, long-term relationship, when the former meets Hae-in's character, who unsettles her and changes her feelings towards her boyfriend.
Of course her relationship also has to have further problems in the form of her overbearing, repulsive father, and his boss, the wealthy father of... yep, her boyfriend.
This is a slow paced, simmering drama that I felt tries to address certain stigmas.
The acting was good, but I struggled with the pace at times and, as usual, how disgusting behaviour seems to be, pretty much, acceptable.
I neither hated nor liked it, but would never watch it again.
I do love Jung Hae-in's acting - he has a knack for making his characters very real and believable. Without him I'd have loathed it.
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Not what it seems
Feb 2025I think many who dislike scary dramas, might be put off by the first couple of episodes, and that would be a crying shame.
Early on, even I (who loves horror stories, dramas and films), found it very spooky, with some gripping, tense scenes. However, as the story and characters reveal themselves, it becomes so, so much more; and less scary.
Anyone who can't handle the hide-behind-the-pillow bits, 'gently' use the ffwd!
I often found this drama so very touching. It was a surprise ~ emotional, and very tender.
We see how the different characters, drawn to the Light Shop, located down a dark and forebidding alley, find themselves there. Some are drawn, others led.
It is not always an easy watch. There is a little humour, but it isn't a funny drama, or fluffy, or upbeat, or fast paced. It is very human, so well acted by a terrific cast. I couldn't stop, watching in one go. There is a pretty good twist of sorts, which didn't completely surprise me, as I had my suspicions.
It felt left open for a S2, but I read the story concluded within the 8 eps (it's based on a webtoon), and I can get that. Those who do what they do, be it offering direction, protecting, or policing; will continue to do so.
It's an oddly comforting watch, in a strange kind of way, and I was engrossed from start to end. It won't be for everyone though.
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A whirlwind; NOT the usual medical drama!
Feb 2025This is an exhilirating, very fast paced and often incredibly human, drama.
Aspects of the storyline reminded me of *Dr Romantic S3. However, as the Naver webtoon Trauma Code is based on, came out in 2019, maybe some of their* ideas actually came from that! (Not the other way around.)
It is very graphic, but for some reason wasn't stomach churning, at least not to me. Even though, through the character of surgeon Baek Gang-hyeok, there's a superhero feel to it all, there are also enough more realistic aspects to keep it from being totally ridiculous (seeing as that isn't the drama's genre).
Very real and shocking attitudes, towards costs and targets taking preference over human lives, are central to the entire drama. It seems dramas like this might be an indication of where many S.Koreans fear their hospital care is heading.
We also get some of Gang-hyeok's colourful history, which could actually fill another drama in itself!!! A prequel, perhaps? 😉
There are many fresh aspects to this story, which I'd not seen in any of the medical K-dramas that I've watched before. I'd actually love to read the webtoon, if there's a translated version out there.
Many great supporting characters, and I particularly enjoyed Kim Won-hae's acting; as well as Kim Sun-young, who portrayed the Minister of Health and Welfare, just right!
As long as you don't expect everyday realism, and just let yourself get immersed in the tornado of a character that is fabulously interpreted by Ju Ji-hoon, then he's sure to sweep you into his world, just like he does all the suffering characters around him!
Laughs, the odd tear, and some anger inducing moments.
Apparently, the series was written with 3 seasons in mind and, as it seems to be doing well, I've read S2 is expected in 2026 ~ here's hoping! It will be criminal if we don't get it.
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Hugely enjoyable!
Absolutely loved it! I laughed in almost every episode, but also so enjoyed the action and double life of the excellent FL character.It felt unusual to cast a more mature actress in the role, but I thought she was brilliant.
Her maturity gave weight to the character's background, which was quite tragic.
A favourite actress, Kim Mi-kyung, plays her ascerbic, status conscious mother-in-law ~ whilst often overly harsh with Yeo-hwa, I couldn't completely dislike her. Her life wasn't easy and she had a lot to come to terms with, especially as the story unfolds..
Our ML character also had an unhappy back story, which led to him being a little different. I liked him a lot, too. LJW fit the character well, as he portrayed a vulnerable side at times, even though he was intelligent with strong convictions.
However, whilst very well played by LJW, the actor didn't really feel like the right match for the female lead actress, or vice versa.
This was not a character problem, but a casting one.
Never mind how well LJW and LHN acted in their respective roles, they just didn't gel in a romantic way, at all, in my eyes.
There wasn't that spark, especially from LHN. I thought their end scene really highlighted this, in a big way.
It would have been far better to pitch them as opposites-to-besties ~ a little flirtatious perhaps, but no actual love interest... then it would've been perfect!
Having said that, the romance aspect was relatively low key within the story in terms of physical contact, so it wasn't a huge bug bear, but I noticed.
The story really shows how unfairly women got (and get) treated; especially when it came to widowhood (or in this century, god forbid, divorce!)
The drama rides on how Cho Yeo-hwa handles her 'lot', and the actress conveyed every ounce of it with relish. I loved her!
There are shocking revelations, some very sad moments and great humour.
Excellent supporting cast and characters ~ I liked and enjoyed Su-ho's 'brother-not-brother', Park Yoon-hak, although not straight away.
The overall bad guy was loathsome and there was no level to which he wouldn't stoop.
A really great watch, that I thoroughly enjoyed, even with the mismatch.
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Messy
March 2024Time travel and solar event drama that, once started, I realised I'd actually watched before, but forgot about. So watched again and realised why, sadly.
It has a few exciting moments, but most of the roles, including the leads, are pretty bland really.
The acting is fine and I liked Jim Ah-joong a lot and her police detective character, Jung Sae-byuk, a straight forward, no nonsense, sensible woman, superior to all her male colleagues, yet not arrogant, although she could act that way if necessary.
Keo Sang-joon gave a good performance too; in fact there was no poor acting, just disappointing characters, as mentioned.
The plot is quite clever, but gets very confusing the more episodes into the story we get. All kinds of stuff happens and cracks in the plot start to show, when some characters remember things, whilst others don't. Logically, any changes made to the past should impact the future, not just in ways that are obvious, but in relation to countless butterfly effects.
However, there seemed to be no rules or consequences. The parameters kept changing and it just got too messy for me.
It wasn't a bad watch overall, but there were lots of unanswered questions and no real conclusion. It felt like a S2 is a fairly good possibility. I'd watch if that happened, but it's not something I'm bothered about really. It wasn't quite gripping enough for me and became too convoluted.
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Too much story for too few episodes
Feb 2024The story pretty much takes us straight into the mood of this gritty and dark drama, which is heavy, unsettling and pretty dreary.
There are no particularly nice characters at all.
Detective Choi Seong Jun is probably the only one I found ok, but his reaction to something in his past and lack of doing anything about it, knocked him down in my eyes, too.
There is zero humour in this, at all.
The creepy events that the death of the owner of land with a family burial site on it, sets in motion, are really mysterious.
There are gripping scenes and the feelings of threat rarely let up. It's not as violent as some recent dramas, by far, yet it still manages to shock at times.
The final reveal of the cause of the events following Yoon Seo-ha's inheritance, are a real twist.
I found her central character very hard to like. Some of her actions should have had consequences and her personality was so fake, just like her patience, which was actually supressed anger hidden behind a sycophantic lifeless smile. She stands up to her slimy husband, but not to someone she works for, who basically uses her.
Supposedly intelligent, yet her utter cluelessness and trust in people most of us would see as totally dodgy, was eye rolling.
I also got irritated by the character's stunted and emotionless response to things, which just wasn't believable.
Then there's the police unit tasked with solving the strange goings on, which like in EVERY other K-drama, it seems, cannot be totally effective.
There's a lazy does nothing but approve stuff Chief and an inept Police Captain, who has tunnel vision and history with Seong-jun. This creates additional tension to an already fraught relationship between the two and does nothing for the investigation either. I found it really frustrating.
Another plot line involving Seong-jun was unnecessary in its depth and only a vehicle for the main story. It just wasted time.
A lot (too much really), was crammed into 6 episodes, all less than 1 hour long. The story was told and concluded, but consequently lacked substance.
Overall it was an OK watch and pretty clever, but I was far from blown away.
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Harrowing at times
Feb 2024Another I watched in one sitting, because I was so into it. If I'd had to wait for eps, I would have been driven bat poop.
Set during the latter part of Japanese rule in Korea, when the country was whole (so mid 40s), you can expect the disrespect and appalling treatment of Koreans by many of the Japanese, and the resistance to it, that goes hand-in-hand with dramas set in that period.
Whilst a fantasy/action, it turns out that this is nevertheless also an incredibly provoking watch. I saw many obvious similarities between that treatment, and the exploitation and attitudes to Koreans as sub-human by the Japanese, and that of the Germans towards the Jews. There is no way of not seeing it, if you have any knowledge of WW2 at all.
Whilst the attempted systematic destruction of the Jews by Hitler's dictatorship is well catalogued and known about all over the world and by all ages; the mistreatment and horrors of what the Japanese rulers inflicted on Korea for over 35 years, is not. I honestly felt like this drama was also a vehicle to make people see it. They suffered just as horribly, if not worst.
Whilst it didn't overshadow the drama completely, it was never far from my mind.
Besides some harrowing scenes and images, however, there is also plenty of wit, action and low key (but lovely) romance.
The creature is something else and made me think a little of Alien at times. I would actually have liked to have seen a little more of it and it's conception/history.
PSJ's character is successful and tougher than he appears on the surface; intelligent, very business savvy and portrays a selfish, couldn't care less image. The pawn shop/business he owns is a veritable Aladdin's cave. His inner circle, who all assist in the business, are great characters and compliment him well. A favourite actress, Kim Hae-sook is amongst them.
Another, a trusted close friend (Wi Ha-joon, looking gorgeous as ever), he has a warm, but competitive relationship with.
I also really felt for the character of troubled, quiet and (I think), PTSD-suffering artist, Sachimoto (Woo Ji-hyun).
Tested loyalties, intimidation, manipulation, interrogation, emotion.... all the 'tions' are here! ;~)
The casting, characters, pace and script, are all spot on; only on a couple of occasions did I think "for God's sake get a move on!", when some just seemed utterly oblivious to the urgency of situations.
The acting is outstanding as far as I'm concerned. Some of the scenes must have been incredibly hard to do, for all involved.
A very satisfying watch and I have little doubt S2 will be as riveting, as long as they pick up the carrots left dangling to tempt us, from this run. Cannot wait and adding to my list of favourites.
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Positive, feel good, fun!
Feb 2024I absolutely loved every episode of this clever, joyful, positive and mysterious K-drama.
Each character brought something to the story. Most were high school students, with supporting adult characters, many of whom could learn a thing or 2 from the youngsters!
As the time-travelling mystery centres around a group of high school students that form a band, eventually called Watermelon Sugar, expect a fair amount of music, as the group and individuals rehearse, play and write.
I loved the cast, who were believable in their roles, had excellent chemistry and sucked me right in.
The present day characters within the central family are warm, challenged, close, but not without their issues.
Characters from the past are very varied; ranging from mysterious, to goofy, aloof, mean and frankly evil.
There are references to child abuse, bullying, threat and suicide, but those scenes sit within a story that is overwhelmingly positive, often funny and also emotional. I laughed, wanted to punch people's lights out and cried, throughout the 16 episodes, which flew by.
This drama can just be enjoyed for what it is, a feel good, happy and positive watch; but within it there are also several messages that can be found if wanted and related to, as well.
Very few plot holes and any I noticed were easily forgiven within an overall well thought out and refreshingly positive watch.
I also loved that the issue of deafness and mutism is so maturely addressed. It didn't seek to make a pity party out of the drama, with the emphasis far more on the family attempting to fit in, support themselves, and be accepted as equals.
Of course, there were characters who attempted to take advantage, bullied and treated them as though they were stupid, but there were also positive friendships too.
There is a scene near the end where a female mature character has travelled back to S.K. from abroad and remarks that things are improving [in how those with deafness are responded to/treated]. I found that very telling.
The romances (yes, plural) are very sweet. A main feature, but at the same time not in a way that overshadows the rest of the story, even though they are an integral part of it.
One of the best characters has to be Grandma, fabulously played by Go Doo-shim. Her personality, attitude and relationship with her grandson, were a joy! Loved the name of their guesthouse too.
Choi Hyun-wook as Yi Chan, was probably my favourite character overall. He just grew on me and I totally loved him.
If I had to name something I thought could have made it even better, it would be more of the latter part of his young story with Cheong-ah. Also a little more of their lives in the present day, after their return from the past (especially that of Se-kyung).
Choi Won-young made a great Dad and I loved Chun Ho-jin (a favourite mature actor), as a music shop owner. The kids who played younger versions of central characters, were great too, especially Jung Hyun Joon (as Ha Eun Gyeol).
There are flaws, but for me, none that I couldn't forgive. I really loved that actions had consequences and that parent/child relationships were widely covered.
Would very happily watch this again and I LOVED the soundtrack (link attached for msin tracks).
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