NutsyNoona
Dramaland
And I won't lie, at first I was not sold. AT. ALL. KSG’s character is supposed to be ugly, so ugly there’s no way anyone would fall in love with her, especially not a “pretty boy”. It would have made more sense to describe her character as “average” but irradiating such a low self-confidence that it would impact her relationships and how others see her. Also her character keeps wallowing in self-pity, especially at the beginning of the drama. It was just very cringeworthy.
However, once I passed the first half mark, I started really getting into this drama. After all, the aim of this series is pretty sweet: it essentially criticizes the fact that “beauty” is so predominant in our society - and in this case especially in South Korea. Also they managed to wrap up the drama in a sweet way, instead of the hot mess I was dreading.
So yes, it was far from perfect, but I still don’t regret watching this drama. Actually, I may even rewatch it, bc I’m cheesy trash.
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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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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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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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At first, I liked this drama best for its fun simplicity. It was "warm and cozy" at the beginning as well as at the end. The OST was also nice to listen to, almost soothing. This drama feels like an open love letter to Jeju-do with food as its main theme. What not to like really?!
Unfortunately, problems reared their heads around episode 10 and stayed until episode 14 or so. All the dragginess and useless overcomplication made the drama lose most of its appeal. It felt as if the writers were suddenly displeased with doing simple and decided to overdramatize everything. A 12-episode format would have fitted this drama way better in my opinion.
Because of these problems, it's easy to get frustrated by the main couple but thankfully other characters are here to save the show. Except Mok Ji Won who is awfully one-dimensional, her character is so awful that I'm not sure if the actress that played her was really bad or if she did really well with what she was given. Overall the acting was good but I wasn't totally sold by it; my main complaint lied with the kiss scenes that felt so stiff it took away most of the charm of the scenes (thankfully it got better in the end).
To conclude, the Hong sisters didn't try very hard with the plot and although there are a few gems here and there, the drama is "warm and cozy" but in a very forgettable way. It's an enjoyable watch during a lazy summer week, nothing more. A nice little summer fling.
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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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This drama is a ball of fluffy nonsense. Far from flawless, it still manages to grow on you nonetheless and to leave you in a cheerful mood.
Story-wise, it is pretty simple and consistent, so don't expect any major plot twist. The story is centered around the main couple's relationship and their loved-ones. That's it. A no-brainer (except of course if you take into account the "angsty" moments of this drama that are quite far-stretched to say the least).
As for the acting, yes it was over-the-top (especially with Liang Liang, the female lead, her friend Princess, and Dean) but since it fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the drama, somehow you end up getting used to it (and even enjoying it). Also can we talk about how great the chemistry between the leads was?!
The soundtrack of Just You is my favorite thing right now, tho it's rather a question of taste. My only complaint is that during some scenes of the drama, the songs played didn't always fit the mood.
Overall, it's a light romantic comedy, which is full of crazy and fluffy. It might not end up in your Top 5 Dramas but it will certainly find a special place into your heart if you're ready to look past its flaws and extravagance.
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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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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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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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This may not be the best drama out there but it sure does have many positive qualities that make it both addictive and endearing. Looking for this one strong and independent main female that Korean dramas seem to leave aside? Your prayers have been answered for Hwang Tae Hee is literally a queen. She knows what she wants and what she doesn't, she has pride, she is good-hearted. She is flawed but that makes her even more likable. Actually all the characters feel authentic. Every relationship as well. That is maybe why even if you want Hwang Tae Hee to end up with Goo Yong Shik, you actually wouldn't mind it that much if she were to rekindle her relationship with her husband. There is no manichean portrayal. The portrayal of the daily life of these characters -although obviously focusing mainly on Hwang Tae Hee- is thus simple and you have real life drama. That is to say no misunderstandings that drag for 10 episodes, no main lead finding out he has a cancer and dies leaving his girl crying on his grave, no one falling in love with his long lost sister and thankfully no psycho ex-girlfriend making a scene everytime she is on-screen. This is a simple story that portrays the reversal in Hwang Tae Hee's life and it is refreshing.
The actors did a great job portraying their characters. Even Chae Jung An, which I never could manage to stand was it on Coffee Prince or Cain & Abel, succeeded in making me like -little by little- her shallow-looking character. As for Kim Nam Joo, she was shining here as Hwang Tae Hee (though from time to time I felt like burning her wardrobe down). She managed to make a seemingly haughty ice queen a lovable character, which is not as easy as it sounds.
The soundtrack fits the drama. The tracks are not awe-strucking but you end up liking them nonetheless, maybe even putting three or four of them on your phone because they are catchy or just give you the warm feeling especially on a cold winter day.
Even though time flies while watching QoR, 31 episodes is still a lot of episodes to digest. I loved this drama and I don't regret any second spent watching it, yet it is true that the fact there is no big plot twist, no mystery to undiscover, no epic romance probably makes it harder to rewatch this drama daily.
To conclude, Queen of Reversals is a drama that you should at least see once because it is refreshing and well-written and warm and -bonus point- you have a strong female lead that knows her worth and doesn't let people messing with her.
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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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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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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: I won't lie the "lifetime best friends fall for each other" kinda plot is not what I would call my cup of tea. That's one of the reasons the Kdrama 9 Ends 2 Out didn't strike me as more than average. This is the kind of story that needs to be handled carefully for the viewer to accept that there's more to the friendship that the two friends are willing to admit (and by that I mean a romantic vibe), to understand why they didn't act on their feelings so far and thus to root for them. In Time With You handled it flawlessly. I felt like there were some few holes in the plot, the story seems a bit rushed near the end BUT overall the screenwriter(s)did a pretty brilliant job. The story has a "genuine" touch that makes it even more endearing. You just end up invested in this drama and all the characters. It even gets a bit infuriating at times because you feel like they don't tell you enough about the supporting characters when you just want to know everything. Is that too much to ask dammit! I guess that's the price you have to pay when your drama is only 13-episode long.
ACTING/CAST: Ariel Lin and Joe Cheng's chemistry made you drown in an ocean of feels since It Started With a Kiss and you can't picture her with anyone else? Well, I'm glad to inform you that the day has finally come. Ariel Lin and Chen Bo Lin's chemistry is just undeniable. The acting is just as strong both from the leads and the supporting characters. The actors make you "feel" for their characters and that's what makes this drama so "human".
MUSIC: I personally love it. Simple and soothing, yet also bittersweet, it gives a "mature" kind of vibe that fits the drama like a glove. It's definitely one of those soundtracks you don't get tired of easily.
REWATCH VALUE: Like I said earlier, I feel like the drama was a bit rushed near the end, there was so much more I wanted to see but except for that I loved ITWY to pieces. This tiny issue however will still be there to annoy me even if I watch the drama for 3 or even 100 times...
OVERALL: I'm not usually a big fan of Taiwan dramas but In Time With You has definitely won me over. It's both sophisticated and childish. There's no useless scenes. There's no useless complications. It's just a simple drama about love and understanding. Now please tell me where I can find my very own Li Da Ren.
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