1
Lia
Under the blankets
pleasantly surprised
I started watching the drama solely for Jin Ki Joo and the time travel aspect of the plot. But sci-fi dramas, especially when it's around time travel, tend to fall apart pretty quicky so I decided not to get my hopes up. Which might be why I'm left with this warm feeling while finishing up with the last episode.The relationships between the characters' past versions and the leads were really interesting to see develop, and the murder mystery was entertaining enough to stay engaged in the story.
I loved the fact that the romance wasn't at the front, but rather developed in the background, although I didn't really feel the chemistry between the two. I felt the same way Find Me In Your Memory, and I think I'm just having a hard time getting used to Kim Dong Wook's acting.
There were a few things left out at the end that I would've liked to have an answer to, but overall I was surprised with how solid the story was compared to what I thought at first.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's actually been a while since I finished the drama. Started it when it was airing... And couldn't bear to keep watching the debacle that it was.Going through the reviews, it was shocking to me how many people enjoyed it. And I can see the visual appeal, for all its faults the drama is gorgeous. I didn't search for the place the drama was shot - because everything surrounding this watching experience is downright traumatic at this point - but it really is stunning. The synopsis was also quite interesting and promising. The story was simply not what we had been expecting.
First off, so many things were unrealistic. The Main Lead, for example, is supposed to be CEO (from what I remember) and becomes a firefighter while still having the same responsibilities ? I get that Miryeong was part of his new project but that doesn't mean he has the time to have an entire other job, right ? Speaking of the Miryeong Project, it seemed only very briefly explained for the major part of the drama, when it was the main point of the story. Worse, the main character put everything on the line for it, when he didn't himself know what they were after - the discovery comes much, much later on in the story. But maybe that's just me not remembering correctly, I'll let it slide.
Aside from that, throughout the entire drama, plotlines were dropped and picked up episodes later, when we have forgotten why it's important in the first place. If it is that essential to the situation, why not show it to the viewer ? Instead, it was put to the side for when there might be a use to it, it felt very unnatural to watch.
Not to mention the introduction of new characters we are expected to care for in the last part of the story. Characters who were essential to the story. The main reason San Hyuk was bearing a trauma was the death of his sister. We learned that in the last episodes. Instead of being uncovered gradually, the trauma plot line was dropped for a while and came back for the last part. Does it sound terrible to you ? Because it is.
Let's move on to the characters. Which, for the most part, were majorly dislikable. I don't remember being particularly impressed by the acting, but it's been a while so I won't say anything about that.
I found both of the leads very prideful and pretentious. Young Jae was at times completely dismissive of other people's feelings, or traumas. San Hyuk was appallingly manipulative throughout the whole story, put his business project before anything else ; and stayed that way until maybe the very end of the drama. The whole purpose of this kind of story is to show the character's evolution, their thought process slowly shifting. We didn't get that, and it's a pity because it would have made a huge impact on the story.
Doctor Park - who worked at Miryeong hospital - was despicable, continuously refused to treat his patients, was filled with jealousy towards Young Jae and treated her badly for, well, basically being there.
The two likable characters would be Oh Bo Mi and Choi Chang. From what I remember their story line was cute, and it was a much needed breath of fresh air in the drama.
Finally, we come to the last episodes. Where their traumas simply disappear and are never heard of again. Granted, I don't work in the medical field. I'm just, you know, an average educated citizen who knows that psychology doesn't work that way. Facing your trauma doesn't mean it will magically disappear in a day. It takes work, effort, and a lot of patience. And even in the best case scenario, you would still have traces of it. They threw logic out of the window to prioritize the rebirth idea, which can work fine for other viewers, I understand that completely, but it honestly pissed me off.
I'll end with the one positive thing about the drama - aside from the seriously stunning scenery. The OST was quite nice, and I applaud the artists involved for uplifting the drama a bit. I only remember the main track if I'm being honest, but I'll just do myself a favor and presume the whole track list was fire.
I understand people wanting to give it a go, and there are a lot who seem to be enjoying it so it's a matter of opinion I guess. To me it was unbearable, the same way another drama I enjoyed would be terrible to someone else. What I can recommend, though, is that you give it a try and if you feel it's not your thing, then it's okay, you can just move on to another story which will be much more compelling to you.
I also applaud the co-watchers who were in as much pain as I was. Their comments were gold, and maybe the reason why I stuck with this drama.
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But then I started My Ajusshi, which portrayed - once again - messed up characters and unbearing pasts, though in a very different way.
What is truly wonderful about this drama is the realistic way everyone is described. The point isn't to simplify or beautify, but rather to show us raw emotions. People in their weakest moments to understand how they're inclined to react differently or where their strengths and weaknesses are coming from. There is a darkness lying deep in each character, being intensified by equally gloomy environments, and that's what I love about it. The conflictual thoughts and desperate actions. The will to help and protect facing the sense of self-preservation. This is partly what human nature is made of, and it's good to be reminded of that once in a while.
The most faithful representation of this idea in this drama would be Kwang Il. The duality in this character made him one of my favorite protagonists in this show - maybe even of all dramas combined. He truly was a captivating character, conflicted between his old memories and his current situation. The way he found to cope with this duality was wrong in so many levels, and made me wonder even more what he could have been.
As the story goes on, we learn more and more about the characters, pieces of information being given to us progressively until, getting deeper into the story, we finally grasp the whole picture.
This is why IU has done such a great job portraying Lee Ji An. We knew very little about her in the beginning and her repulsive actions could have made her really dislikable. But somehow she managed to pique our interest. And there was so much more to this character than her cold demeanor. Constantly trying to push people away, she conveyed such strong emotions while maintaining her blank face, I could never understand it. Whether it be an attempt to appear strong or to hide the feelings or thoughts tormenting her, we could almost always see past the surface and perceive the purpose of her actions.
All the characters influence each other at one point or another, and the relationships forming are so complex that it wouldn't be right to try and put a label on it. Lee Ji An and Park Dong Hoon have had a rough start, but their strength is that they understand the other and recognize the purpose in each of their actions.
In the end we're left to feel like we've grown along with the protagonists, and it is one of the main reasons why I would recommend this drama. Well, along with the beautiful OST and the unique characters depicted.
This drama is definitely worth it.
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The plot was refreshing and really well developed. I was impressed by how the backstory was used, not only to add depth to the characters, but also and essentially to serve the plot. Most (not all of them, thankfully) of the dramas I have seen only gave them a painful backstory so that we could either understand why the main guy was being so mean to the girl he liked, or why they were destined to be with each other.
In this case, what happened to them still had significant consequences. One of the reasons I liked this drama so much is that these consequences were never really solved, which makes the story more realistic. Going through something traumatizing does leave an imprint on you, the aftermath can be devastating and it doesn't just go away, as it is too often depicted in Korean dramas. It wasn't about being completely healed, but more about getting better and learn to cope with it. The main characters viewed the world differently because of it, and they understood each other in a way that probably no one else could. They stuck to each other in the hardest times, even when the other pushed her/him away.
Junho was a revelation in this role. He was really impressive, the way he portrayed Kang Doo's pain and distress left me in awe. He conveyed such strong emotions while keeping a blank face, I didn't even know it was possible. I feel like the drama wouldn't have been as good without him. Like, really, he was MADE for this role.
And Kang Doo will probably be my favorite character of all dramas. He was broken from the beginning and went through so much (okay, I may have a thing with problematic guys and painful pasts, I don't know why it just draws me in... And let's be honest I'm not the only one here...). It really made the story complete, because he dealt with things differently and didn't know how to love someone when his life and his mind were a complete mess.
In conclusion : if the depth of this drama isn't enough for you, then Lee Junho will make you fall in love with the drama for sure.
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What truly amazed me was the camera work. I don't who takes credit for that, but it was brilliantly done. I don't think I've ever seen a drama with such elaborate shots and transitions. It really added to the story and it was done in a really unique way. It was just so good.
Aside from that, it has to be the first time where I don't have any flaw to point out. There are some things that do need clarification from the writer/director, but even these felt intentional. There's a phone charger coming into play for a bit of the story, and this scene is open to interpretation, but I don't think they would have integrated it to the story if it didn't have purpose. Whether it be to add to the atmosphere, or simply to show a character forcing an encounter, I'm dying to know what the meaning behind this scene is.
The ending was also incredibly chilling. One of the major advantages of the show was the completely unpredictable future of any given character. That to me was amazing, and the ending really fit the story.
The Actors :
- This was my first time encountering Im Shi Wan, who plays the lead character. He was really impressive in his role, it really made me feel like the plot wasn't just a story. Like we were witnessing someone else's daily life. It really was amazing to watch him as the main character. You could sense the character's unease turning to pure fear, and the 9th episode will forever remain one of the most intense episode I've seen in my life.
I can't elaborate without giving away some spoilers, so I'll leave it at that, but he really made quite an impression in this drama.
- Lee Dong Wook was made for this role. I had seen him in Blade Man before this, and consciously avoided anything he was in after that. But to me this role attested his talent as an actor. It says a lot, because this has to be a really hard character to play. The chilling sensation you have when he appears on screen, this was a complete surprise to me. I feel like the drama wouldn't be the same without him playing Moon Jo.
Every actor aside from them was remarkable, and I had the pleasant surprise to see the girl from DAY6's music videos cast in this drama. It was nice to see more of her.
The story also had perfect OST to complement it, the songs really fit the drama, and were also amazing on their own. (Yes I am biased, The Rose are fantastic what can I say)
That said, if you have trouble watching bloody / gory scenes, this drama probably isn't the best thing for you. I advise you to skip a few scenes if you're determined to watch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Disappointing
I'm on a Tazza run right now, so I thought I'd watch the newest one as well.Sadly it did not live up to my expectations.
Here are the most noticeable flaws:
- The acting was pretty iffy, but overall I think the directing was the bigger issue.
- The lack of tension, especially at times when the viewer should feel it.
- To add to the previous point, the lack of music. Usually background music helps build the tension a lot. But in quite a few scenes where they should have added it, there was none, which I feel was very detrimental to the atmosphere of the movie.
Going with no music at all could actually be very interesting, but the acting and directing has to be solid for it to work, in my opinion.
- A lot of crucial scenes were omitted.
Characters were getting kidnapped without showing the actual scene.
We were lacking some insight into the characters' thoughts at times.
- The finale felt very dumb and lackluster. Realistically speaking, nothing guarantees that the opponents will keep their word if they lost so it all felt pointless.
I was intrigued by Ozawa's story the most, but I'm not satisfied with how they chose to portray it either.
The first half was at least enjoyable, and the movie being quite short there wasn't much left after that.
If you do want to start it, I would just advise you to not go in with any expectations and just enjoy the ride!
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Short and entertaining
It's a light-hearted miniseries, very easy to watch.We're following 4 characters through their daily lives at the library, which is an interesting concept in itself. There isn't much to it, which is why it is so short, but there are some interesting subjects as well.
The acting isn't as bad as I thought it would be, the editing was okay as well. It's not stellar but didn't hinder my viewing experience at all.
If you're looking for something short and light, I'd recommend you give this a try! Although do be aware that there is an episode revolving around a character doing pretty bad mentally, it can be triggering for some.
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If you're looking for a light drama or a short one, then I'd recommend this one. Just don't expect too much from the acting, otherwise it will probably bother you during the whole drama.
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