Chemistry on Fire

Love at first night is the first Thai Lakorn that I watched while it was still airing. My reason for watching is because I like Mark and Yaya in Waves of Life. The toxic fighting of their characters Jee and Sathit made me fall in love with their chemistry. So far, Love at First Night is subpar drama compared to Waves of Life. It lacks the storyline that would engage watchers. They also have some unecessary wacky scenes. But, despite this poor storyline and concept, Mark and Yayas's acting were on a different level. They give a very fresh take on Apo and Mueang. Their chemistry still delivers from the screen on to the viewers hearts.

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Another boring human-fell for a supernatural-drama

I was excited when I first heard of this, knowing that Netflix produces promising and really interesting shows. However, the drama just fell flat and did not show anything new. The story is about a woman (KYJ) who fell in love with a Demon (SK) because some circumstances forced them to marry each other.

Cast was very promising. Kim Yoo Jung, I believe, is one of the best actresses of her generation. I mean the girl is acting since she was a child. And, she's one of the reasons why I was excited for this drama. She actually delivered Do Do Hee to the audience very well. Song Kang, hmmm, well his robotic acting did not help him on this one. I mean, I watched Love Alarm and was rooting for him, but his acting hasn't evolve yet. He was just not able to show emotions on specific scenes. Some scenes expects him to be scary, nope same face. Another scene needed him to show grief, nope same face. I still believe in him, maybe this is just a wrong project for him.

The plot is like a combination of fictional love story cliches. The family drama is also not that interesting and a bit over the top. I get it children is fighting to get the business their mother built but, is it worth killing each other? The plot twist was very obvious. However, I really find the eldest son really scary.

I actually am very disappointed with this one. I was just able to finish this because of a long holiday vacation, out of boredom.

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Episodes 1-10 Reaction

The trailers were very misleading. Before watching the show, I thought this will be a CLOY type of romcom, but this show is just making me cry every episode. I feel the grief and regret of each and every character. What more if they know of Hae in's illness?

Baek Hyun Woo and Hong Hae In are two flawed characters. I like that the protagonists are that way since they portray a very realistic type of relationship between two people. It is very real that a relationship can easily fall apart between married couples, specially if there is lack of communication and understanding. Despite this, the love story between this couple works and I just can't get enough of this two. Hae In, her love for Hyun Woo, the guy who mattered the most to her, she will live or die depending on Hyun Woo. She's a very cold person because of her upbringing, but when it comes to her husband, she just melts like ice. Same as Hyun woo, he may have develop hate towards Hae In after 3 years of marriage, but once he realized that he really do love her. He always save her and her family despite their mistreatment of him.

I can say that 10 episodes in, it is already a masterpiece. This drama is making me laugh, cry, bawl and fall in love so far. It is very deserving of the hype that surrounds the show. More people need to watch this.

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The much-awaited conclusion to a masterpiece

It was very entertaining, exciting and really enjoyable. The movie is very action-packed. Though, the sequel had its downs, still, it was able to wrap-up the two huge movies together.

The story was not as perfect as the first one. Maybe because the first one ended at a very high note and a huge revelation. This one immediately started from a recap and then the repercussions from the first movie. New characters were introduced in this one, however they were weaker characters than those who were introduced in the first one. The story picks up again when Mu reuk and Lee An met again. I actually find the chemistry between these two characters the best in the movie. The idea that Lee An softens and able to show care to Mu Reuk when she learned he was her long-lost childhood friend (very Kdrama). Then, the BIG PLOT TWIST happens. And, this is where everything becomes exciting again. The huge action-sequences were well-choreographed. All the characters fighting as one against the big bad to save the world, Whoo! I can say this can be at par with the Hollywood's action movies. The movie ended with a perfect conclusion for the two large masterpieces.

In the end, I still recommend this movie. I love Mu Reuk, he's funny, quirky, loyal and very lovable. And the BIG PLOT TWIST was VERY shocking. You thought you already knew what was happening just because you watched the first one, NO YOU WERE WRONG. Lol.

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A Truly MOVING Story Served Avengers’ Style

Moving is a very unique from all the kdramas I’ve watched before. It encompasses all the genres it promised to deliver and I think it is perfect. Moving hit all the emotional points while delivering the best action sequences I’v seen. The family dynamics was also very on point and became the heart and soul of the story.

Casting was perfect. Jo In Sung was the coolest black agent and the most adorable dad to Bongseok. Han Hyo Joo, was the perfect partner to the cool black agent. All of their romantic scenes were embedded on my mind. Their chemistry was amazing, even though there love story was just told in 2 episodes. Han Hyo Joo also delivered as the strong mom who takes care of her son. They were just the perfect parents. Ryu Seung Ryong was the best! I have watched some of his hits but he really delivered in this one. The soft-hearted, loving “Monster” Jang Joo Won just captured my heart in all his scenes from funny, to action, to sad scenes. I’m not gonna expand more in the casting, but they were all perfect for their characters. Especially, the very cute Bongseok-ah.

Story-telling was also good. The timeline was a little bit confusing at first, since it is not told chronologically. But as you continue watching the series, the story was told like that for a reason. Kang Full the writer of the webtoon and the series did a great job, no episodes were boring and each character was given a spotlight in the series. The show was written in a character-driven way that’s why Ioved the story. I also like the use of parallelism in the beginning and end of the drama. It showed how the characters evolved and remained true to themselves.

Cinematography was amazing. You will be hooked to all the action-scenes. My favorite was Kim Doo Shik’s, when he single-handedly raid the North Korean base. That was just mind blowing. They were also able to emphasize all the powers of the superhumans, especially with Lee Mi Hyun’s “super-sense”, which is I think the hardest to do.

To summarize, I really recommend this drama. This is a must-watch series that will totally make anyone laugh, cry, happy and sad. I hope a lot of people watch it because I want a season 2. Haha. It did open-up new story lines in the end credits scenes.

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A korean “Tarantino-like” film

The Night Owl is a movie that took a small part of Korean history and was told in a very different way. It was a similar style with Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino’s films such as Inglorious Bastards and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It’s very refreshing and exciting retelling of what happened to the kidnapped crown prince who died just a few days after he came back to Joseon.

The acting was really good with Ryu Jun Yeol as the “light-blind” acupuncturist/doctor. It is not the first time I saw Ryu in a saeguk (Alienoid) and he delivered very well in this movie with a different take and was really convincing with his role. Yoo Hae-Jin as the mad King Injo also was very good and showed how flexible of an actor he is.

The cinematography of the film was really dark since they have to use dark sets, however there was no problem with seeing the small details while watching night scenes. The screenplay was also good and the flow of story was smooth even it is a thriller genre in the historical period. The best scene for me was when the crown princess went to the King to tell the story of “the witness”, the realization of who really killed the crown prince was amazing.

All in all, I recommend this movie. It is very thrilling movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Also, this movie really won a lot of Baeksang awards (Best Film, Best New Director and Best Actor), thus it is a must watch!

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One hell of a ride

This is a start of something new. A new franchise? Maybe?

The movie was action-packed and ver entertaining. It has no boring storylines. And every character was very well woven in one tapestry.

Actors were perfectly picked. Kim Woo Bin portrayed each character very well. Hope he comes back in the sequel. Kim Tae Ri is the new sci-fi movie queen and Ryu Joon Yeol in his element. I love the funny yet very charismatic character or Mu Reok.

The story was unique and my expectations for this movie was even exceeded.

I recommend this movie. I’ll be waiting for the sequel.

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Binge-worthy with a timely life lesson

This is the first kdrama this year that I’ve watched every episode in one sitting. Its 8 ep run is very entertaining and the story was wrapped perfectly.

Yoon Shi Yoon shines as the main protagonist with a very low self esteem. His portrayal was so convincing and was just right for me not get annoyed with all the self-pity of the character. He’s such a good actor that I kept rooting for Do Yong Shik all through out. Yoon Shi Yoon was still able to embody a character that is so loveable (Some of my faves from him are Enrique in Flower Boys Next Door and Da Bong in Hit the Top). It was the first time I was introduced to Ahn Hee Yeon. She had good chemistry with Yoon Shin Yoon. I love the facial reactions she made while portraying Lee Ru Da.

The plot was unique and tackles a relatively sensitive topic for a “conservative” people. There was a double meaning with the title “You Raise Me Up”. It was not only talking about the main character’s erectile dysfunction but also how he was able to develop confidence and self-love through the series. It has a timely message for some who had doubts due to the pandemic right now.

The music in this drama was great. Gonna check them out.

All in all, it was binge-worthy. And, it delivers a heart-warming message to everyone. To always believe in oneself and not to judge other people. Also, to find happiness even in little things. :)

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Bamboo Forest was a series of stories that supplements Mr. Queen. It was very enjoyable spin-off made by the production for the fans. It explained the beginning and ending of the main show. Some may not like how they end things on the main show, however this explained 2 things: (1) King likes So Yong even before Bong Hwan. (2) 2 souls were really inside the queen and they can both control the body.

The spinoff also had every character that I enjoyed in the main show had a highlight except probably for the Second Male Lead, which was already explained by the actor why his story is removed. (The pain he caused us is simply enough in the main story.)

All in all, it was an enjoyable very short thank you gift from the production of Mr. Queen. I would really miss the drama. Also, it deserve every praise they're getting because they made a drama that is unique and gave laughs to a lot of viewers. :)

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A Well Perfectly-Balanced Show.

Search came out at the right time for me. I was having a hard time getting over another drama (It’s Okay to Not Be Okay), when Search came along. This drama has been in my radar since last year and was curious by how it will turn out.

It is a fast-paced drama since it only had 10 episodes. Each episode was really entertaining. I knew that this drama will be a military-thriller but the romance, comedy, birth-secret, hidden-identity was a surprise for me. They’ve really made a well-rounded show.

The casting was perfect. Jang Dong Yoon is so natural. I watched some of his previous works and I can really say that the he really emerges into the characters he portrays. Just the transition from Jeon Nokdu into Seargent Yong Dong Jin is amazing. Jung Soo Jung casting was a little surprise for me, I only saw her in The Heirs and I can’t imagine her playing Son Ye Rim however, she really did pull off playing a cold, strong female character. I was actually surprised by JDY and JSJ’s good chemistry. Their banters were so funny and sweet that it’s making me ask for more scenes of them. I hope JDY and JSJ can work again together in a Rom-Com. Another good chemistry was between JDY and the dogs (lol), their scenes displayed his love for dogs.

The scoring was also good that it became a very intrinsic part of its thriller/horror genre. The eerie sound in the intro really represents what the show is all about. Search may not have an ost but their song choices in some “romantic” parts of the drama were perfect.

The ending was not rushed and was very well-executed. It was thrilling up until the end. I thought there should have been Season 2 but, all the story lines were tied and everything already explained.

All in all, it is a very engaging. I recommend this drama, despite some bad CGIs in the beginning. It has a perfect pace and has multiple genres. If you’re looking for something different, go watch this one.

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A Very Heart-warming Fairy Tale

I want to start my review by saying this is the very first time I’ll be rating a drama with a perfect 10. I’ve been watching dramas for 14 years and I’ve never felt invested and addicted to one before.

The story-telling was very unique and the writing is so polished. It has a typical story-line with other kdramas but it used a creative way of story-telling. The incorporation of fairy tales in each episode was what made this drama distinct from others. This drama made me felt different emotions while watching; sad and crying from one scene then, laughing out loud at the next. There are also some scenes that made me scared like watching a horror movie.

All characters are perfectly casted. Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Ye Ji has the best chemistry I’ve seen from co-stars before. All their staring scenes from earlier episodes was just exploding with sexual tension (and, that’s just all from staring how much more from a kissing scene *wink*). KSH still have the power to break my heart just by crying, still showing that he’s still one of the best actors out there. SYJ showed a different side of her. I’ve watched her other dramas and I’m glad that she’s being noticed now. I empathized with Moon Young and felt for her so much. Everytime Moon Young cries, I cry as well. This is her best work yet. And of course, our Sang Tae-oppa, Oh Jung Se shined in every scene he’s in. He was able to embody a character so pure and innocent and make me laugh and cry.

The ending was so beautiful and we’re able to see all 3 of them heal and be happy. They found family, friendship, love and learned to love themselves first. I felt like I’m with them as they go on with their journey.

Overall, this drama is just perfect. I will miss this drama. This drama will go down as one of my personal favorites. And, I hope to whomever watches this drama, may you heal with the characters as they heal from their own heartaches and traumas.

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Born again started as a crime thriller and ended up as a revenge story. I stopped watching it at the middle when I felt like there will be no redemption story and there will only be past repeats itself. However, the story-telling changed right after I stopped watching it. So, I continued watching it out of curiosity.

I like all the redemption arcs. KSH becomes a lawyer for people wrongly accused for murders. He apologized for all the wrong doings before. CJB becomes a human and not a monster. This is with the help of JSB. His story kinda reminds me of Joker film (2019). In which, a mentally-ill man was misunderstood and was judged by the society. Only, in this kdrama, there is 1 person (or 2) who tried to understand him and also loved him. Thus, the proper ending for him. (Because you know, in the Joker film, if only Joker had that 1 person who tried to understand him, he would’ve not snapped and became batman’s ultimate villain.)

As for JSB, the character was annoying and hate-able for many. I also felt the same way as I watched the series. She cannot make up her mind between the two men. But, I remember this is a LOVE TRIANGLE. A story in which a character will be confused who he/she likes between two other characters.

On the 1980’s story, Ha Eun was clearly in love with Hyung Bin. This love made her confused of JSB’s feelings with KSH in the present because, they are reincarnation of the two lovers. In the present, JSB was drawn with CJB’s personality. He was broken and misunderstood and JSB empathized with him. These made her confused between the two men. Once, she was able to separate her feelings in the past from the present, she sorted out her feelings and chose CJB.

In the end, the story has a very good premise but, the writers was not able to follow up on it. I also think the story will be a better without the LOVE TRIANGLE arc it had. This made watchers hate the show. It has good osts. Is it rewatch-able? Depends. if you want to go back to digest each scene.

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Memorist is a great show to watch during this long quarantine days. I watched it weekly and its cliffhangers really left me hanging. It gives shocking revelations and it is a show that made me think. It is refreshing since, almost all of my kdramas watched centered on romance plots. Some watchers wanted a romance plot however the show was able to stand without it (maybe the're are tiny bits of hints). There is great chemistry between YSH and LSY, and honestly, sometimes I kinda wished there's a romance plot.

The overall acting in this drama is so good. YSH is always good in playing the handsome hero. LSY gave a different performance this time. I watched her in Hit the Top, in which I love very much, and gave a different performance in this one. I've read some hatred on her character but I love my strong, independent women characters. I understand she has to act that way because she is in a high position at a very young age (she's a genius). The two cop characters beside dong Baek are also funny and was able to give lighter emotions to watchers. My personal favorite is Jin Jae Gyu. He's so good, I was so creeped by his premonitions and how he delivers it.

I may not rewatch this for a while since, watching the show weekly not knowing the shocking revelations gave me excitement to watch it.

Overall, I recommend this drama if you want a break from romance centered plots and want something darker and mind blowing. I'm glad I watched the drama during quarantine.

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Kill It is very well-paced drama. Only having 12 episodes, the writers did a good job in unraveling the story on each 12 of them. However, I did find the 1st ep. boring, too much setting up for the whole series happened. The 2nd ep picked up the pace, and the drama was good from then. Until the middle, where it gets slightly confusing. I still continued watching it and everything was explained on the next episodes. I kinda knew how it's gonna end since, it has a dark, tragic feel from the start.

This is my first time watching a drama without a Romance genre and I really saw chemistry between the male lead lead and female lead. It was nice that they were able to touch a little of romance to it. I understand that the it was not the focus of the drama, and if it is a 16-20 ep drama they might be able to tackle it. Still, they were able to establish the relationship between the two that made their "Last Scene" (spoiler alert) together very effective.

All in all, it was a good drama. I liked the action scenes. I had a City Hunter feel on it. It is not as re-watchable as other good dramas. Still, I recommend people watching it. Not a waste of time. :)

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Let me start this review by saying that this is my favorite Korean Drama of all time. This also marked the beginning of my never ending love of kdramas.

Story wise, this is the first one (for me) that ever tackled a fictional Korean monarchy that is situated in the present time. I love the premise and the idea of an ordinary high school girl, due to some difficult circumstances, be involved in an arrange marriage to the crown prince of Korea. I first watched this drama when I was a teenager and was just starting high school, so I just love the idea of a cinderella-type story. However, this drama does not only focus on how Cinderella became a princess and fell in love with the prince. It also depicts the negative aspect of being a monarch. The sacrifices that Shin Chae-kyung have to make being the crown princess of her country; the difficulties of Lee Shin being raised inside the Palace; and the palace life of the other characters.

Characters. The characters of this drama was perfectly written by the writers. There is character development for all of them. I remember when I first watch this drama, I fell in love with Lee Yul first before Lee Shin. The typical premise in which the 2nd male lead is the one nicer to the female lead and not the male lead. However, as the story evolves, the love story of the two main characters was so perfect. The two characters grew to love each other. The main actors portrayed their characters so well. The energetic and bubbly Shin Chae-kyung and the cold, stoic Lee Shin.

The music in this drama is also so perfect. Whenever I hear them, nostalgia comes with it. Sometimes, I still catch myself humming the main theme of goong.

Overall, this is still the best drama of all time for me (again.) It is still the most re-watchable. I still rewatch some scenes or sometimes the whole drama whenever I miss this. I also think that any remake of this drama will be a failure. Haha. Sorry, I just watched some episodes of the Thai remake and it was awful. It's just not the same.

I recommend this drama. I'm sure your not gonna regret this one. :)

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