Kayosai
Exceedingly chill
I love the Wooga Squad members, but there just wasn't enough content to fill up the time.It was nice to see the dynamic, although many seemed very conscious of the cameras. They seemed super chill together. Considering the Wooga origin story came from gaming though, I'm surprised they didn't have a gaming setup available to them! Is that why they were sleeping all the time on the show?
Anyway, I was glad to see the IRL personalities of some of my favourite actors. Give them a longer trip next time, I dare you!!
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Wholesome, BUT...
Oh, Hospital Playlist. It's wholesome and heartwarming, and ends in a way that's oh so lovely to watch during the holidays (i.e. with a Christmas episode). The five friends are all so lovely (in fact, there really wasn't a single annoying character in the whole series!). I like music, food, and subtle references and jokes to past works / pop culture.However, this drama suffers from its ties to Netflix, and the awful habit of western shows to drag things on for multiple seasons. My favourite thing about the kdrama format is that shows tend to be contained in 12-20 episodes. I hate that this show ended with a bunch of loose ends and cliffhangers. Only one character had his storyline tied up neatly, argh!! Maybe I should've just waited for season 2 to come out before watching.
The pacing is a bit slow, and I had to hide my face during the operation scenes (because I'm a bit squeamish). But otherwise, this show has all the best characteristics of a Shin Won Ho / Lee Woo Jung collab. There are meaningful scenes set up for maximum payoff later on, some nostalgia, and a wonderful group of friends. Worth a watch for sure.
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(Too) short and sweet!
I lament that this show was only four episodes. It's effectively movie-length when you add all the parts together, so don't expect some wildly complex (or even heartwrenching) plot. It was simple and straightforward all the way through.Naturally, one of the primary selling points of this show was watching Park Hyungsik and Han So Hee pleasantly grace our screens. Unfortunately, the chemistry didn't quite sizzle between them — the show was more muted and understated as a whole. Perhaps it was a consequence of the short format? Regardless, somehow I didn't feel too invested in their story.
If you're in the mood for something warm and cozy to brighten up a chilly day, this show might be the one for you. At a mere four episodes, you really don't have anything to lose by giving it a shot.
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This review may contain spoilers
LA LA LA LA LA ~ RO~MAN~TIC SUNDAY~~
This show brings fluffy sweet scenes and tropes galore! You'll enjoy it as long as you don't take it too seriously. You'll find corny wrist grabs and stumbles, sudden fevers, childhood connections, and even a white truck of doom. That being said, even hearing the opening notes of "La la la la la Romantic Sundaaaay" instantly brightened up my weekends over the past couple of months. Kim Seon Ho brings all his Good Boy charms here, down to his soft spot for a local halmeoni.At its best, this show delivered emotional scenes depicting all sorts of interpersonal relationships. Bora's Umma stole the show during the typhoon, and I-Jun stole my heart during his moment in the park. I never expected this show to elicit tears from me, but here we are. Gongjin is a charming small town with a whole slew of excitable busybodies. Whether you find yourself squealing over DOS (dare I say... "In the Soop"?!) or clapping along with the town's festivals or parties, anyone can easily find a home in this little seaside town.
My main gripe with the show comes from the minimal conflict. After roughly the halfway point, the plot dragged for a while. The Ji PD storyline was such a non-issue; I don't know a single person who felt SLS for him. We knew where things were going, and we only had the PROMISE of three mysteries to keep us going: Why did Hwa Jeong and Young Guk divorce? What happened to Dushik during the five years he lived away from Gongjin? Who won the lottery? ...And each of these were resolved right near the end, with just a little bit of time devoted to each. I wish we got more on Dushik especially — his story ultimately made sense, but I wish we got to see him wrestle with these demons more. It almost felt like he fled and compartmentalized everything instead of learning to cope with his demons head-on. I didn't appreciate the resentment from the other parties; their non-apologies fell flat to me. Imagine if he had a scene with Do Ha's father directly!
Instead of dangling these plot points in front of us for episodes without a conclusion, I wish we got there sooner and then spent time exploring the fact that Hye Jin and Dushik came from pretty different worlds. We saw shades of their compromises: Dushik putting in effort with Hye Jin's "friends" on the golf course, and Hye Jin setting other opportunities aside. While that may be realistic, the feminist in me was hoping that SHE hoped for more. Her compromises felt way bigger than his, and I wish we saw a bit more give-and-take, or at least a bit more of the moments that changed their perceptions and goals.
|| SPOILER: I wish that the ending of ep 15 actually set Dushik free, so that he would be energized to try again in Seoul. Practically, it would've made sense to me if their careers flourished there, especially considering the fact that their (future) children would've had more opportunities in the big city — yes, I was hoping for a time-skip that involved kids. Of course, this alternate ending in my mind would've still involved frequent trips to Gongjin. I think I merely wanted Hye Jin and Dushik's lives to open up a bit more as a result of their connection, but I suppose I'll have to recognize that not everyone has such lofty dreams. Some people are content to live in a small town surrounded by a doting found-family, and I suppose I can respect the coziness in that slower walk of life. ||
Still, this show offered some thoughtful messages beneath its bright, shiny exterior. I especially liked the sentiment that small actions can make a world of difference to others, like a simple text message or call during a time of turmoil; the fact that asking for help can actually support the giver more than the recipient (@ both Nam Sook and Dushik); and the powerful role that bystanders can play in someone's life (like helping someone smile in a photo that will eventually mean the world or calling to help a stranger and making sure they are safe before driving away). Sometimes kindness comes from ignoring someone's feelings rather than acknowledging them (@ Cho Hui). But beneath it all, empathy and care for one another is truly what brings a community together.
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Fun
I'm not surprised by the low ratings (the topic is controversial after all), but I'm glad I watched this one. I heard there was a twist coming, but I didn't predict it. It made for an excellent reveal at the end, and I think it's the right message for this story.The whole security guard addition was puzzling and unnecessary. Otherwise, the story was tight. I like the characterization of our two main leads. Krystal was meh as usual, and so was Lee Jang Hyeok at the beginning. But the idea of this wary couple, trying so earnestly but struggling from an endless commute and overwork? So relatable, and portrayed so well too.
I also like the parallelism at the end and the choices our protagonists made. It's not clear who drove who away, or who's more at fault. How'd we end up here? Excellent question.
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Absolutely beautiful
If you want to watch absolutely beautiful people in highly aesthetically pleasing settings, this is the show for you. Park Bo-Gum, stop making me fall in love with you! After just watching you as Choi Taek, it was such a treat to see you grow up before my very eyes.The sweet/cute moments were perfect, but the obstacles got tiring at times. Thankfully, the most angsty parts were short-lived — you just need to endure ~2 episodes or so. This story was like a more consistent Something in the Rain; the highs weren't QUITE as high, but the lows NEVER reached the depths of frustration and despair I felt from SITR.
I did have a few gripes with this show. One was the chemistry: people often tout "negative chemistry," and while I don't think this show was atrocious in that regard (I also wasn't actively following during the whole Song-Song media storm at the time), it wasn't exceptional. Another was the side characters: beyond our two leads, most of them were pretty flat, and I never cared too much what happened to them. Many were awfully black-and-white as well, and the spoken explanations by people like Chairman Kim came too little, too late. Finally, one aspect of the message: an 11th hour change of heart is absolutely common in these types of dramas, and while I fully anticipated it, I think it negatively impacted the narrative. One of the most important parts of this story was the idea of a steadfast love. The whole 11th hour flip-flipping just made me frustrated, and made me question what one of the leads even SAW in the other lead to begin with (seriously, what made that person so appealing to make the other lead willing to endure such pain?!).
As a super minor note, this show is susceptible to quite a few kdrama tropes. It's nice and fresh for newer viewers, but a little tired otherwise. Think wrist-grabs, predictable plot points, and ridiculously shoehorned PPL. Another way of looking at it is "tried-and-true," and I came to embrace all the highly out-of-place discussions people had while eating Subway.
At the end of the day though, this show delivered on several key fronts — the eye-candy, acting talent, witty dialogue, a banging OST, and absolutely stunning cinematography. The heart-fluttering moments were far more frequent than the hair-pulling ones, and that made this show a worthwhile and fulfilling watch on balance.
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All the right nostalgic notes!
Wah, my heart is so gooey and FULL. I felt nostalgic for a time I didn't even really experience. I can only imagine how hard this show hit for people who grew up in this precise timeframe; those who graduated university around the IMF crisis and went from a fully analog to digital world. The voiceovers hit all the right notes, and the sweet family and friendship moments are the ones where this series shines best.Other highlights: Samcheonpo and Yoon Jin on the boat at sunrise, those who remembered the December 31, 1999 promise, the Reply 1997 cameos, Binggeure's moment of filling in the blanks, and Chillbong's interview shout-outs. This show highlighted how strong bonds can be after living together, and I can only imagine how special that would be in a boarding house with parental figures to boot.
My main complaint was that this show dragged a big TOO LONG, particularly the husband mystery. I think it would've completely benefitted from a tighter 16-episode story. We also didn't get enough relationship progress with the main couple, although this result seemed inevitable. Still, this show gave us major, major second-lead syndrome (it possibly even invented this term?). I still find it hard to understand why Najung made the choice she did, but it was justified well enough. There would've been something realistic about timing playing a factor in everything... but ultimately, I think the story ended the way it should've. Plus, the moment of realization that the second lead had to "let her go" hit all the right notes. You can't make someone love you, after all. My only other gripe was the basketball fangirling — it didn't feel necessary to the story at all (although Seo Taiji and the Boys DEFINITELY did).
This story was sweet overall. It didn't have the highest highs nor the lowest lows (unlike Reply 1997), but was consistently solid. I think I liked all the people better overall, or perhaps I just related to them better as someone in my 20s feeling optimistic and earnest. I am glad I watched the show and got a better sense of Korean culture during such an interesting period. One can only hope that writers will one day cater to my generation with a Reply 2008 or even a Reply 2020 (because this year is a WILD one).
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How did the writers manage to make me hate all these characters and then root for them at the end? To some extent, I really wanted to see them wreck themselves. I was certain 11th hour redemption would have fallen short, but here we are.
The one thing I felt wasn't fleshed out well enough was Seo Jin's motive, according to Coach Kim. Coach Kim's actions could be explained if it were true that Seo Jin really was the monster pushing Ye Suh to focus on academics. However, it is proven time and time again that Seo Jin didn't think SNU was worth working with Coach Kim. But Yeh Suh was the one who refused, because she herself was so driven to succeed. I think it's fair to believe that some kids really are intrinsically motivated, or otherwise have goals for themselves. I believe that Seo Jin was consistent in her motives: to do what was best for her child, and help Ye Suh achieve her own goals. You could argue that Ye Suh was a product of her upbringing, but at the same time... sometimes, kids really do focus too much on the structure of the system and their perceived notions of "success" all on their own.
I wasn't too happy with the fate of all these kids at the end either. I'm not convinced this was the strongest message to send, nor the most realistic. I think Woojoo tipped the scales here. I can see how his upbringing and his inflection point caused him to make the decision he did, but it doesn't add up considering how self-motivated he had been to that point.
This review isn't totally cohesive. Overall: the story was great, minus a couple plot points. It was a bit too long — I think episodes 17 and 18 could've practically been cut out altogether, and the drama would've been better for it. But all of these actors and actresses truly KILLED IT, and it was a pleasure to see them embody such unique characters. I will always expect "We All Lie" to show up during any suspenseful moment (it was practically the only song in the whole OST!). "Hero" by Family of the Year was the other notable song to me, and it was the perfect soundtrack to wrap up this story. SKY Castle was crazy and intense, so I don't think I'll rewatch it any time soon. This also made it incredibly difficult to binge watch. But at the end of the day, it was entertaining, different, and a spectacle to watch. What a roller coaster.
PS: I will forever ship Suh Joon and Ye Suh. Ki Joon, take the hint!
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A western take on Korean history
I loved Min Jin Lee's original book. It would've been almost impossible for this adaptation to compare. So let's not put it on such a pedestal.Is it unfair to judge a western show off its first season, recognizing that western-style shows are serial rather than self-contained? Regardless, this eight-episode stint is all that's out now, and it felt incomplete. We didn't close the loop on the relevance of pachinko as a metaphor. We only got introduced to Noa as a character in the LAST episode. We had a whole episode on Hansu's backstory — admittedly, richer than what we knew about him from the book — but it felt jarring and out of place (dare I say, it felt like... filler, if the point was to focus on Sunja's story here).
My friend is friends with a producer of the Apple TV+ series, and was told that their intention is for the story of Pachinko to be told over four seasons. I think I understand the rationale since the book spans across four generations. I liked the way this one followed Sunja and Solomon's stories in parallel. I understand that the source material is meaty. But ugh, the western show format of keeping things open-ended in hopes of renewal for the next season really irks me. It makes me wish that I had waited until the whole thing is out! But if people don't watch as it comes out, it won't get renewed — and the story will remain unfinished. It's all a ploy to keep people subscribed. Perhaps I'm feeling particularly cynical after watching such a cynical show. Is life just a game after all, rigged to keep us putting in our energy for the smallest wins? Watch Pachinko and see if that message resonates.
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This is a story about Jin-ah's journey, but I wish she had a bit more growth. Joon Hee is as great as they come, and I would love nothing more than to have my own Jung Hae In (seriously, this character warped my expectations for love like crazy!).
Perhaps I don't fully understand all the cultural implications and taboos here, although I suppose I could put in some proxies. I wish Jin-ah stood up to her parents more, and communicated better during crucial times, but I suppose this story was heartbreaking because of its realism (especially re: the workplace resolution). The ending was lukewarm though, and that was the unsatisfying part. If it were more definitive in either direction (happy or sad, forever or never), I would've possibly come around to the message that the writer was trying to convey. Instead, I'm left wondering: does love really conquer all, or do we have to come to accept the consequences of our actions? To be honest, it makes me feel a little empty inside. I'll surely come to revisit some of the cute scenes from episodes 3-6 sometime though. Episode 5 was probably the most deliriously happy episode I've ever seen in a kdrdama.
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Seo Dan and Gu Seung-Jun were redeemable too, although I truly think Seo Dan got the shortest end of the stick out of everyone. My only qualm in general was that ending — after all their trials and tribulations, it simply was NOT enough!! I suppose it was realistic though, so I can't dock any points for it.
I laughed, cried, and loved it all. This was one of those stories that I blasted through, only to slow down dramatically at the end in hopes of being able to prolong it just a bit more. What a lovely tale. This series has definitely opened my heart up for a whole new WORLD of entertainment.
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The side characters were so cute as well. It took me a while to warm up to Ms Bong and Mr Ko, but by the end, I was rooting them all on. I'm glad that every loose end got tied up neatly, and every small fragment came full circle by the end (e.g. the flowers! What kind of DETAIL?). The "hero" music had me rolling in the absurdity at times.
I'm very glad that I watched this show after seeing a few others now. It was so fun seeing our favourite Because This Is My First Life characters make cameos. And I'm so glad Ji Ah got a happier ending than this actress got in Fight For My Way — for a while there, I was worried!
I was a huge fan of the kidnapping subplot, because it was so formative to their lives. Plus, it was clearly written in as part of the "plan" from the first episode. It wasn't dragged out too long, and I'm glad there were still conflicts to handle thereafter. This drama felt a lot more like western TV shows, in the sense that after the kidnapping subplot, each episode had its own conflict that was wrapped up at the end.
Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young are so beautiful and such good actors. They seemed to be having so much fun throughout, so I'm glad they got to have this script to carry out for us fans. It was a pleasure to watch this love story!
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I can see the appeal, but it wasn't for me
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon is a classic, but it didn't quite do it for me. I loved the show at first — Park Hyungsik and Park Bo Young have "it," you know? And the dialogue was laugh-out-loud funny! But around the halfway mark, the show started to drag for me... to the point that I was falling asleep in EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. There was just so much fluff and filler! I could've done without the entire gangster, temple, young thug, and neighbourhood ahjumma storylines.Wait a second, that's almost all the show, isn't it? But wait, I disliked the whole serial killer premise too! It was so scary and unnecessarily at odds with the rest of this cheery show. I understood why we had it — without that plotline, we'd just have an entire show of episode 16 (the princess saves Min Min and they live happily ever after). And yes, I fell asleep for part of the fluffy last episode too. The scenes at Ahn Min Hyuk's place were my favourite. I finally got to see the ICONIC giggly bed texting scene in all its glory!
I disliked how Do Bong Soon was largely helpless for a lot of the show, despite her strength. I recognize the police were intentionally painted as incompetent, but CEO Ahn Min Hyuk felt too helpless too. C'mon dude, use your goodies, resources, and tricks! He did (eventually), but for the longest time, I couldn't believe that he wasn't able to catch the villain. Also, what happened to Ahn Min Hyuk's whole family storyline? That felt weirdly open to me, unless I just missed something (not only did I fall asleep in half the episodes, but I also took a looooong break before finally finishing this show today).
Watch this show for the actors. They click, they're fun, and they're charming. Park Bo Young couldn't cry well. But if you can look past that, the characters are absolutely endearing.
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The present is a gift
Oh my god, swooooooon! I have come to realize that a show just needs to have the poem "The Visitor" by Jeong Hyeonjong (정현종) for me to love it. Kidding — but I did almost fall out of my chair when I heard that opening line, "Having someone walk into your life is an incredible thing..." towards the end of this show. It was one of my favourite parts of my favourite drama of all time (Because This Is My First Life), so what were the odds that it'd be used in this drama too? In fact, Tomorrow With You technically used it first, although both shows aired in 2017. I guess writers were really in their feels about living for the present at the time, with acknowledgement of the relationship between past, present, and future. The usage in this drama was perfectly sweet and comical though.ASIDE FROM THE POEM, let's talk about the absolute best aspect of this show: the chemistry. I'm not the biggest fan of Shin Minah, but she and Lee Je Hoon portray newlyweds PERFECTLY. The hula hoop scene is a highlight, but more than that, the love shines through in the little moments of affection, worry, and happiness. The moments they smile and laugh together over mundane things, captured on Marin's home videos, are the best of them all.
You come to love all the side characters too. Ki Doong and Seyoung; Sori and even Gun Sook; Marin's parents; coworkers like Secretary Hwang and Min Joon... these are all the people that make up a fulfilling life, aren't they? I somehow left wanting all of them to be happy. AND we have to talk about Kim Yong Jin. That guy knows how to play a villain. There are some villains out there who are irritating to watch; who make a viewing experience worse. That is not the case here. You love to hate Kim Yong Jin; you pity him; you become fascinated watching his descent into madness. The acting is what makes this show shine.
The story itself is suspenseful and interesting, but it's nothing PARTICULARLY special. I binged this show fast despite being super busy these days, so that's a testament to how good it is (or perhaps how good it is at ENDING EPISODES IN CLIFFHANGERS). I was proud to guess a "big reveal" before it happened, but it was deeply foreshadowed so I probably can't take too much credit. Speaking of foreshadowing, it is done masterfully and used as a central plot device. As the saying goes, it's all about the journey, not the destination. We learn about shocking things before they happen, and when they come to pass in "the present," we get to learn the underlying motivations. The show uses great colour-grading to distinguish between the warm, nostalgic past, the "normal" present, and the cold, eerie future. The theme of this show is to live for the present, with some hints of a deterministic worldview — sometimes, it's just someone's time. And sometimes, we can "barter with the universe" with unexpected births or deaths. However, this message got a little muddled by too many random actions that changed people's fates (both big and small).
The only thing stopping this show from being a perfect 10 was literally the last few minutes of the show — I spoiled myself on the last plot point and thought it would be exciting to watch unfold, but the execution didn't live up to the idea. Our time traveler boy also never seemed to learn his lesson; his connection to the future should've ended at the climax. Also, BABIES?! I'll stop there to prevent any spoilers. If you want to know more, you'll just have to watch the show. :)
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A passionate tale
Chicago Typewriter has so much going for it. By far, the best quality is that none of the characters (that matter) are annoying and our three leads can seriously ACT. Plus, the story is intriguing — dual timeline shows can feel choppy, but somehow the past and present were weaved together smoothly.This is a story of passion: passion for one's country, passionate love for the ages, and passionate youth burning brightly. It strikes deep chords of nostalgia and showcases unbridled joy in the midst of chaos. It's hopeful and full of life. Above all, the friendship was worth witnessing. It's true that this show may be a bit frustrating in the first six episodes, but it really does pick up steam. I'm glad I stuck with it.
There were a few minor lowlights. There were a few too many flashbacks and repeat scenes — or perhaps it felt that way since I binged the show instead of watching it week-to-week. I felt that the stalker's subplot was left hanging. I wish we got some hope for Seol's friend, who just wanted to be loved. Then again, all the other characters were less compelling and less fleshed out (thinking of people like: the Shaman, Han Se Ju's dad, his agent, etc.). The story was so complex that I'm glad the show focused on its leads above all else.
I laughed out loud and I cried. What more could you want from a show, really?
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