NutsyNoona
Dramaland
The only valid explanation I see for Ex-Girlfriend Club's low ratings is that it doesn't have any "epic love" nor any "bad-to-the-bone villain". It is simply a heartfelt story with a generous sprinkle of fluff and hilarity, as its OST can corroborate. Although the story is unpretentious, the characters are all layered. Flawed yet lovable, the characters are more than just love interests and whatnot; each of them is his/her own person. The genuineness the characters give off is enhanced by the great acting. The cast did a flawless job, Bun Yo Han was especially shining in this drama. The ones behind the cast wouldn't have been able to find a more perfect fit for Myung Soo, even if they had tried. Not to mention how believable Song Ji Hyo and him were at acting as a couple, they were simply the cutest.
This drama, free of the usual draggy angst, can be watched over and over without losing much of its charm. To put it in a nutshell, Ex-Girlfriend Club is the perfect drama to watch if you want to uplift your current mood.
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What I enjoyed the most about it is that - FOR ONCE - even though one of the main characters starts overweight, the moral of the story is NOT that "skinny = happiness". The moral of the story is that your physical appearance alone doesn't define you.
Of course, your outward appearance matters, since it's the first feature people can see and judge, but who you are as a person is just as important. You're not any less worthy of living/being successful because your physical appearance doesn't match society's expectations. You shouldn't have to change your physical appearance for others.
It's really nice to see this kind of moral, especially in a Kdrama (even tho The Miracle is only a web drama per se).
Unfortunately, that point alone is not enough to disregard completely the flaws of this drama.
Mainly the main romance. It was too hasty, too shallow, too cliché. Even if it was cute, it fell flat. For a seemingly romance-focused drama, it's a bit unsatisfactory to say the least. Also the story had a lot of potential, but due to its short format, most of it was cut short.
The acting was also not outstanding, but I did nonetheless really much enjoy the performance of the two sisters, as well as the one Yang Hak Jin gave. Their acting had a kind of "rough authenticity" feel to it, which i personally liked.
As for the soundtrack, the songs are pleasing to the ear, but even so nothing memorable.
Overall, The Miracle is refreshing, sweet, full of positivity...and short; you can basically view those 12 episodes in about 3 hours. So if you're looking for an uplifter, and don't mind turning a blind eye on apparent flaws, look no further.
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STORY: There's no point denying it, I'm more of a romantic comedy kind of girl. Mainly because melodramas are often black and white and revolve about people crying about everything and anything instead of actually doing something about it and the end isn't always worth all this pain. That's why I think Secret Love is so perfect: you can either see it as a sad -okay tragic- romantic comedy or a hilarious melodrama. You just get the best of both genres. The writing plays obviously a big role in it. The characters are layered and feel authentic so you can't help but being drawn to them, drawn to the story itself.
Bonus point, it definitely makes you want to read Wuthering Heights and anyone that promotes -good- literature has my approval.
ACTING/CAST: The cornerstone of a drama is its two main leads. They need to be good actors since they carry the show and to have chemistry together. The one behind Secret Love's casting couldn't have done a better job. I don't see anyobdy who could have played MinHyuk better than JiSung did, showing both his tenderly sulky side and his ruthless side. It's his acting that makes MH's character so lovable. HwangJungEum -oh HJE- it's the first drama I see her in and I hope it's not the last. I don't know how to put it into words, her character would usually be one that annoys me to no end but from the start I just really cared about her. When she cried -and man does she cry- it doesn't annoy you, it just breaks your heart and when she smiles, it's just like "yes, yes do get some happiness for once girl, you deserve it!". Don't even get me started on the chemistry between these two. Just their first scene together screamed OTP. Let's not forget BaeSuBin who did an amazing job as AhnDoHoon. He is just as perfect at playing nice guys as he is at playing scheming ones. I love the actor but man did I want to punch ADH in the face more than just once. I think I could rant on every single actor that starred in this drama so I'm gonna stop with the main three. I'm just going to add that with IHYV and now Secret Love LeeDaHee keeps growing more and more on me and I hope to see her play in more dramas.
MUSIC: The soundtrack of the drama may be its weakest point. Don't get me wrong I love it but the track Secret Love (why autotune WHY) doesn't really match the mood and the lyrics of Ailee's song (well the English verse really) sounds a bit cheap. I have both these songs and the rest of the soundtrack on my phone but yeah you have to call a spade a spade. Also since JiSung sang for the soundtrack -which I defintely won't complain about- I would have liked to also have a track sang by HJE -I mean she was a SINGER before turning actress- or even better both of them doing a duet. Oh well maybe I'm just being too greedy.
REWATCH VALUE: Like I said earlier the characters are layered and the writing isn't just one hot mess. The acting is great and the soundtrack just fits. Also I utterly loved the ending. So yeah I could definitely watch it over and over.
OVERALL: A well-written story, so well-written that I'm actually keeping an eye on ChoiHoChul (I mean if his first screenplay was THAT good, can you imagine the ones that will follow!?). It doesn't matter if you are more drawn to melodramas or romantic comedies. The bottom line is there's a high chance for you to love it.
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Surprisingly, what I really cared about the most wasn't the main couple but EVERYONE. All the characters were important in my eyes *whispers* especially Kim Min Ki. That drama is more than "and they rekindled their romance". It's about accepting past mistakes (yours as well as others') confronting your fears and moving forwards (toward your very own happiness). It's about taking care of the people you love and understanding them.
You will laugh, you will shed a few tears (or buckets) and in the end, once the drama is finished, you will happily say goodbye to these 21 hours of well spent time. Because yes, maybe Emergency Couple is not a piece of art per say but it is the kind of drama that makes you feel good about life, that reminds you that whatever mistake you made in the past, it doesn't and shouldn't define you and if that you try hard, you can succeed in anything.
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The OST was really the main reason I started this drama. I felt that if the drama had such a strong ost with songs like "Reset" and others by Baechigi and Younha, it was just not possible that the drama could be anything but (very) good.
Acting-wise there is nothing to complain about, especially with Kim So Hyun and Jo Soo Hyang nailing it. Nam Joo Hyuk's acting was maybe a bit stiff but nothing alarming and it's pretty promising knowing that's it's only the second drama he has played in.
The story was well-thought and pretty different from your usual teen dramas. Even if there were some (small) plotholes here and there and the two last episodes were somehow rushed, in the end the plotline was coherent, consistant and very enjoyable, which can be hard especially when you know that the issue about bullying was paramount in the drama. Nothing feels better than when everything nicely unfolds like it's the case here, so I feel pretty grateful to Who Are You School 2015 to have been worth my time from the beginning to the end.
Overall, this drama that I didn't feel interested in watching has revealed itself to be a little gem story/ost/acting/characters-wise. I promise it's worth your time..just don't let the ship wars ruin the drama for you.
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STORY: The storyline is pretty simple and I even thought there were some "holes" in it but -as I said before- the -frightening- existencial question behind it draws the viewer's attention and makes him wonder "what if...".
ACTING/CAST: The acting is pretty average but it's actually a good thing because if the actors had acted too well the movie would have been unbearable to watch (I still shiver when I think of the delirious smile of the students-turned-crazy-murderers).
MUSIC: What I liked the more about the music isn't the music itself but its use. Classical music when used in a movie/series about normal-people-turning-cray-because-they-have-to-face-death adds something twisted/dark/cynical to it. The use of the slow, peaceful and beautiful music contrasts with what is happening and helps build this almost suffacating athmosphere.
REWATCH VALUE: I don't think this movie could be watched on a daily basis "just for fun". Like I said, the movie in itself isn't that good but it's this question behind it.
OVERALL: The movie is definitely a must-watch (except if you are already a freaking murderer or murderer-to-be). Points of view may differ but I believe the "best" part of it all isn't the blood and the killing but the way each character faced this bloody game and thus it makes us reflect on us.
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STORY: The story may be flawed (just tiny flaws but still you have to call a spade a spade), however it so bright and fresh that you cannot NOT be touched by it. The story is simple, I dare say even childish, but in the end it gives you this warm feeling that life is life, you can't change the past but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy the future. In short, the story is simple, full of life, a bit different from your lambda movie and with a sweet moral. I really think this movie has for goal to make people go forward in life and it kinda does.
ACTING/CAST: The only actor I "knew" was the young version of Tae Hoon -Yu Geon played in Prosecutor Princess- and it was a nice surprise to see him play here (I'm shallow.Sue.Me). He played the nerdy character so well it was hard for me not to forget he was the hottie from PP, which means that his acting was pretty damn good.
I did see the adult version of Tae Hoon play in More Than Blue but honestly MTB was a joke, a blank one at that, so of course it's not surprising that he looks a hundred times more dashing here.
The woman who played Jeong Ju's mother stole my heart. I don't know if it was the way the actress played the mother or the actress's charisma but the character gave me a lot of feelings.
Overall the actors did a very good job with their characters and one should give credits to the people who held the casting since except maybe Tae Hoon, the actors playing the older versions really look like the older versions of the actors playing the younger ones (omg I don't know how to explain it well but I hope you managed to understand anyway).
MUSIC: The music was good, quite catchy in fact but nothing exceptional either.
REWATCH VALUE: It's the kind of movie that you should rewatch when you think your life is a disaster because you didn't make the "right choice" because it gives you hope and strengh to believe in yourself.
OVERALL: If it wasn't clear enough, I really like this movie. It is bound to brighten one's mood. Of course, if you are some kind of old man who hates happiness and hope, you shouldn't watch it...but if you're not you defintely should (watch this movie I mean, not go all grumpy).
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This review may contain spoilers
I'm not gonna lie, the only reason I considered watching this movie was because I was thrilled to see that a Korean movie was playing in the movie theaters of my city (which is not something that happens a lot). And even more when I saw that several actors, which I knew and liked, starred in it. That being said, I have but very little interest in apocalypse movies. Especially zombie movies. So, I wasn't expecting much from Train to Busan. And that may be why this movie left such a great impression on me.
(It's hard to praise this movie without including any spoilers so I'm just gonna do a check list of everything I loved about Train to Busan)
Layered characters? Check. Character development? Check. Action-packed? Check. Suspenseful? Check. Funny moments? Check. Sad scenes? Check. A great moral? CHECK.
To sum it up, GO WATCH THIS MOVIE. It's not just for zombie fans. You won't regret it.
Just a warning: Be prepared to be emotionally involved (and maybe don't watch it just before taking the train)
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Most people love rain because even if it's pouring, its sound still soothes you. The same goes for this drama: even if it revolves around two people coping with a beloved one's tragic death, it still manage to soothe your soul.
Land of the Rain may only be one hour long and its characters may not be that talkative, however it is everything but boring. The acting is just right, it's simple while still managing to convey all the right emotions. What amazes me the most is that the music isn't actually made of songs (okay maybe one or two instrumentals...at most) but of water-related sounds and of silence, yet it's actually the perfect "soundtrack". The more I think of it and the more this drama sounds like the embodiment of the rain: it's simple yet so powerful.
So to sum up, Land of Rain will probably not do if you're in want of some action pack movie or an epic love story but if you are looking for someting to calm your soul the way the rain does, well stop wasting your time and go watch it.
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STORY: The story is simple but the way it is unwinding prevents it from being a random story just for the sake of making a movie. The way the story handles the people of the village's daily life (though it's more about the students and teachers) and the unrequited love of both the young teacher and the student is raw but smooth at the same time. There's like a touch of poetry in this movie that makes the viewer continue watching it even if it may be long and kind of bittersweet. And the way the movie begins and then ends is just perfect...at least it was for me.
ACTING/CAST: I think the cast was just perfect. Seriously, while watching the movie I really thought this could be a documentary. Every single character has its flaws and qualities that were depicted with such...realness. Yes realness is the right word.
MUSIC: Though the movie is Korean and the story takes place in 1963, the main songs we hear are old songs in English. This is quite surprising but in a good way, what better way to begin a movie about unrequited love than with “Don't Break My Heart"? I am personally a huge sucker for "old songs" so I truly appreciated the soundtrack. Of course they are songs in Korean too and the song played when the ending credits roll stayed in my head for quite a long time. In fact, I loved all the songs in this movie and if I could I would have every single of them on my Ipod.
REWATCH VALUE: I don't think this is a movie one will watch on a daily basis especially because of its length but still THIMM is a movie you can easily watch if you have time and feel nostalgic about your childhood with your crush on your teacher or just to admire the amazing actors in this movie.
OVERALL: The movie is very well done. It may have flaws but it doesn't prevent it from being very lovable. I think everyone should watch it at least once. The movie may be long but you definitely won't regret the time spent in front of it. You may not love it but you definitely cannot not like it.
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If I had to describe this drama in just one word, it would be foodporn. There's nothing like some actual -gorgeous- footage of food and a gourmet (Goo Dae Young) that doesn't allow anyone to badmouth his precious dishes to make a show entertaining. Speaking of GDY, Doojoon did a wonderful work portraying his character. It's not the first time an idol gets a main role but it's definitely the first time I manage to forget it's the case. Right until the very end, I could only think "wow what a promising actor" instead of the usual "meh they only cast him because he is famous / he did a great job for an idol". Yeah it was THAT good. Actually, the whole cast was great but Doojoon and Shim Hyuk Tak's performances were just outstanding here. Let's be honest, the drama wouldn't be so loveable if it wasn't for the cast and their characters' undying love for food. It doesn't mean the story alone isn't interessing, far from it. Let's Eat manages to be an hearty comedy with an adorkable main couple as well as side characters while still involving a mysterious murder case and that's not something many dramas can brag about.
Caution though: there's a lot of slurping throughout the drama so it may not be for everyone's liking. You've been warned.
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In France, there is this expression "brasser du vent" and I think this idiom fits this drama like a glove. All the characters do is talk but all this talking is just fruitless words.
Also the "plot twists" are obvious to the point that it's annoying (and let me tell you I'm usually a very gullible viewer).
The main problem however isn't the story itself but the characters, especially the main ones. When I first read the summary of the drama and of its three main characters, I was thrilled but then I watched the first episode and I felt betrayed. Where the hell were the characters I was rooting for? You know something is wrong when the main couple is the thing you despise the most about the drama and something was clearly wrong because from the start I was just waiting for the two to die and to stop annoying me with their presence on screen, hoping they would die sooner than later was actually the only thing that excited me about this drama. A white blank page would be more layered than these characters. Let's not forget that the writers kept trying to shove the male lead's greatness down my throat but they didn't bother showing me why. The writing was clearly not strong enough to carry the show on its own so why didn't the people behind the casting make a better job?
Overall the acting was rather good but the main two actors didn't fit their characters nor did they manage to make me -the viewer- care about them. On the contrary, even if I wanted to love the characters, everytime I saw the actors on my screen, I was plainly annoyed. Also there was not even a spark of chemistry between them. The leads should be able to carry a show but these two just dragged it down.
The soundtrack however is a little gem. It is a candy for the ears as well as perfectly fitting the mood -overall sad- of this drama. Song of the Sun and the Moon is definitely one of my favourite things about this drama, if not the only thing I truly enjoyed.
I don't think I will ever rewatch this drama, it was already painful enough watching it once, why even bother watching it twice? The only reason I see would be for "historical" purpose. And even that....meh.
I don't know if Conspiracy in the Court is overrated or if the romance prevented me from truly enjoying it but one thing is clear if you don't think Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet would be a great crossover, just don't watch it (I have to admit that I just can't stand the R&J vibes).
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It may not be the most rememberable movie out there, however it's the kind of movie you will never mind watching again and again. There's no brainkiller here, it's a simple yet funny movie with just a dash of angst and a happy ending for everyone.
Watch it, enjoy it and don't fall into debt!
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STORY: Let's be honest, the first few minutes of this drama were (and will be) for many a turn off and even cringeworthy but what follows is oh so totally worth the pain! I can't add anything more for fear of inadvertently spoiling the whole story but let's just say that the story in itself has everything you could hope for in a drama.
ACTING/CAST: I could dwell for hours about Im Joo Hwan's brilliant acting and I'm definitely not the only one (Team Park Kyu!). No one could have portrayed Park Kyu better than him. Same goes for his female counterpart. I know not everyone will agree with me but I actually love Seo Woo's portraying of Beo Jin. She gives her character this childish innocence that makes you forgive all her "brainless actions" even if she tends to cry and not see the pain she causes others. I'm not gonna lie, Im Joo Hwan and Seo Woo's chemistry gives me butterflies and just for that the casting director has all my love and then some more. The acting is also very strong from Kim Mi Kyun's part because even tho she may play a secondary character, she gives BeoJin's mother such "raw depth" that you cannot not end up loving her character. The rest of the cast didn't stand out as much but it was good nonetheless....except for the "non-Korean" actors. Watching this drama makes you feel like Korea doesn't have a lot of foreigners and definitely none of them are decent actors. Pierre Deporte's acting (well the fact that it's a French portraying an Englishman with blonde-dyed hair doesn't help) was the most painful thing to watch for me. As a character, I actually like William a lot but Pierre Deporte just doesn't fit the part. Thankfully the pain gets somewhat numbened throughout the drama though I'm not sure if it's because his acting gets better or if it's just because you get used to it.
MUSIC: The whole soundtrack is pretty strong. You can enjoy the whole ost without having to watch Tamra the Island but both of them blend so well that it would be a shame not to enjoy its use on the show. Especially "Your Tears" (main theme), which makes me want to drown in an ocean of feels.
REWATCH VALUE: As I said earlier, the foreigners of this show make me want to punch myself in the face. This drama has some flaws but my real problem will always be the foreigners and especially William. However, this show is (thank god) not focused on him. In a way this drama is a tribute to Tamra (actual Jeju) and its inhabitants. You get attached to all these characters and in the end even your aversion to William's character can't overpower that. 16 or 21-episode long doesn't matter. Everything is Tamra the Island and nothing hurts.
OVERALL: Yes Tamra the Island has flaws but everything the drama stands for and how it is handled offset it. It's a little gem and like most of them, it's not very popular because many people don't feel like looking past the cover and miss an opportunity. Don't be one of them, watch it! And if for some unknown reason you end up disliking this drama, well at least you would have learned some history thanks to it.
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I can already hear some of you thinking "A sad movie about students falling in love, well that's a first...". Don't be fooled by the movie's summary, even if at first Secret looks like your average romance, it's not. Obviously it's a romantic movie starring students so you won't escape the mushiness BUT (thankfully) the way the story was handled is far more interesting and makes the movie stand out. At the end of the movie you finally get some things that you thought were iffy and most of your questions are answered, leaving just a few things unsettled. Not that the lack of answers is a bad thing, on the contrary it makes room for your imagination (and also yes a little bit of brain) without detriment to the plot. The flaws, if there are any, are pretty much trivial. And let's be honest this movie is an eye-candy.
The acting is good but the cast is not paramount. You could alter it and still enjoy the movie. The same however could not be said of the soundtrack. Music is the essence of this movie. The right song is played at the right time, music and pictures just fit each other perfectly.
Overall Secret is a movie that is eye- and ear-candy and it allows your brain to work a little so yes you should definitely watch it, especially a day you don't have anything to do so you can enjoy it fully.
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