This review may contain spoilers
Warm as a hug
I saw insanely negative reviews and knew I had to step up my game. This drama was never meant for romance lovers. The romance was a subplot which blew out of proportion because of edits. The leads had barely five minutes of screen time together in the early episodes. What made this drama one of my favorites of the year was the overall vibe. It became my companion during one of the most stressful periods of my life. The real highlight was the ensemble cast. There were no weak links. The chemistry among the entire cast was amazing, and no one felt like the odd one out. I have a secret soft spot for 90s nostalgia bite Asian dramas, so this made me tune in. However, there were clear issues with the writing. I didn’t have the same problem others did with the story going in circles with Kang Tae Pung getting scammed seven days a week. That carefree behavior was in character. For me, the real stumbling block was O Mi Seon. Around the midpoint of the drama, her character became somewhat useless. It's as if her sole purpose was to be the love interest. Until almost the final episode, she never stepped out of her comfort zone neither in her professional ambitions nor in her personal relationships. This situation frustrated me, because she had so much potential early on, and Kim Min Ha is a great actress who deserved more than what the writing gave her work on.In conclusion, if you’re into slice of life in the 90s with a touch of romance, this drama is meant for you.
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can music carry the series?
this drama is carried by two things: the acting, and the music. unlike other people, i personally see music part is more of a weakness. the heavy reliance on music makes the dialogue between characters feel a bit monotone, especially since the story itself is quite straightforward and easy to follow. the performances especially by the lead actors are strong and give the story emotional weight in slice of life genre, making the characters believable and easy to connect with. also, their on screen chemistry is another highlight in this series. i'd recommend this drama to anyone who likes music centered stories with a tip of slice of life.Was this review helpful to you?
what about my mental health?
this is a story that revolves around the complicated relationship between a father and daughter. the drama's plot is simple, yet effective. i had a few crying sessions over the course of series, so writer better pay for my therapy bill. overall, acting was outstanding, and song choices complemented the emotional tone of the show.Was this review helpful to you?
addictive mess
let me start by saying that i loved how messy this series was in the beginning- emphasis on the beginning. it lost me because the male lead turned out to be the dumbest man who ever lived. i felt bad not only for the female lead (whose life was destroyed) but also for the child of the second female lead and the male lead. Imagine having a spineless dad and a psycho mom as parents. the best parts of this series were the acting (everyone delivered peak telenovela-level performances), the editing, and the camerawork, all of which helped bring out the drama's genre. i really hope we get another revenge jdrama with slightly better writing in the future.Was this review helpful to you?
don't go into this drama expecting something extraordinary
despite good acting, portrayal of characters is heavily biased. all the morally grey or outright negative characters are non-communists, while communists are uniformly depicted as virtuous and compassionate (usual propaganda). this lack of nuance detracts from the realism of the story, as no group is entirely free of flaws. another thing that really bothered me was the handling of a romantic relationships. if screenwriter intends to tease romantic subplots, it would be better not to do that. these tiny moments make watching experience more frustrating. despite WWs being overused theme in cdramas, this drama is able to stand on its ownWas this review helpful to you?
How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies
1 people found this review helpful
emotional value is this film's selling point
this film's plot is quite simple, but acting and directing ended up pulling on my heart strings. it also made me think of my grandma (who passed away) and how significant role do grandmothers actually play in family dynamics. after finishing the film, i got quite emotional. hopefully, oscar voters see this film's uniqeness in portraying complicated emotions and it scores a nomWas this review helpful to you?
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too much going on for it just to be a film
i'm going to keep it sweet and short and say that this film had a mini series potential. there were a lot of things that i wish we would've seen. i feel like we got a half-baked conclusion for all the main story lines. yes, wonderland helped all of them to move on, but i really need them to find their true happiness outside of AI bubble. even the main couple's (TY and JI) story feels incomplete.overall the concept of portraying AI as an device to deal with grieving/ reconnecting was interesting. writers would've gone more in dept with the wonderland, if it was a series. they could only portray the positive side of AI in the film , but i was curious about the negative side. fake remains fake in the end.
here is the list of scenes i wish that we would've seen
- how did wonderland's developers come up with an idea?
- did TY and JI ended up together?
- how is BL's family dealing with her death?
- HM's funeral (this grandma was the most precious character in the whole film)
one thing that bothered me personally was the amount of cameos. it was hard to focus on the film since it's filled with a lot of well known actors
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definitely one of the best dramas released this year
call it lee hanee effect, but whatever this woman touches turms into gold. don't get me wrong, everyone involved in this drama has done an excellent job, but carrying the lead role especially so complex kind is amazing. i have zero complaints about the series besides the music. i've been waiting months for another drama struck me like storm like this drama didWas this review helpful to you?
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Happy ending but...
A lot of people seem to have issues with this season because of nostalgia, and lack of references to earlier seasons. My only real complaint is the hint at a U.S. spin-off in the last scene. I'm going to pretend as it doesn't exist. Overall, they did a great job introducing new characters and handling the storytelling. The baby plot annoyed me a bit, but considering Japan’s low birthrate, I have a feeling this trope is here to stay. In addition, it wasn't nearly as annoying it was in a Squid Game. The standout newcomers for me were the actors who played Rei, Yuna, and Tetsu. I also really appreciated how they included the old characters with special cameos that felt natural. All in all, I'm glad that they managed to conclude the series on a happy note. Writers need to normalize happy endings.Was this review helpful to you?
some dramas are just not meant to be
i know this review is going to make a lot of viewers mad, but hear me out before going full keyboard warrior on me. this drama lacks a lot. contrary to popular opinion, i don’t think jisoo is the weak link in the acting. that being said, this genre just doesn't suit her. she would shine more in slice-of-life and melodramas. now, my biggest issue with this drama is the writing. not everyone is meant to write comedy, and this is a perfect example of why. i generally hate when characters are dumbed down just for laughs. i can't stand watching these fish-brained men—it feels like my IQ drops every time.Was this review helpful to you?
stop using female violence as a shock factor tool
this drama uses graphic content to an uncomfortable degree. it makes me wonder about the screenwriter's intentions, as some scenes feel unnecessarily excessive. imo this series could have been far more impactful without these scenes. while the acting delivers, the writing falls short and feels disjointed. If you are easily triggered by violence especially against women, I would advise not to watch this dramaWas this review helpful to you?
A Questionable Message
The storytelling in this drama is really weak. It felt like the writer was trying to create a narrative where the kids were right to quit school, but it simply didn't work for me. That was definitely the weakest part of the script. However, kudos to the actors, especially the child actors, who made me stick around until the end.Was this review helpful to you?
Office Life Done Right
Starting this review by saying that this drama is like every accountant stereotype put into one serie in a complimentary way. However, what this drama lacks is nuance. It starts off strong, but by the end of the story it feels like the main characters haven't really grown as people compared to people around them. Despite that, it's still a really enjoyable slice-of-life drama that reflects the realities of today's workplace.I'd recommend this drama to anyone who enjoys feel-good, slice-of-life office jdramas.
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Perfect for Killing Time
Let me start off by saying that Im Ji Yeon is a national treasure and must be protected at all costs. Without her, this drama simply would’ve fallen apart. There’s an incredible intensity to her performances. It’s always a pleasure to watch her on screen. She was also the main reason I struggled to rate this series.The writing was unhinged from the very beginning, so I don’t really understand why so many other reviews mention a decline after episode 10. I’d even go as far as to say that this drama is perfect if you’re just looking to kill time. There’s always something happening, but it still follows plenty of kdrama clichés.
Overall, the rest of the cast delivered decent performances.
I’d recommend this drama to anyone who’s still experiencing withdrawal symptoms from mid-2010s kdramas.
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An Easy Watch
I took some time to really think about how I feel about this series. The plot is definitely not bad, but it isn’t excellent either. What I loved most was the cast’s overall vibe. Not to mention, Urumi Shizuka is a simple yet colorful protagonist who brings a lot of charm to the story.However, I think the writer dumbed her character down too much just to create weird comedic moments, and most of the time they felt out of place. I don’t think she grew as a person during the series, although she did become more confident in her role as a teacher. Overall, the cast was great. My biggest issue with the writing is that I wish some scenes had been written more realistically.
I’d recommend this drama to anyone looking for an easy watch centered around school life and its students.
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