PHope

Suspicious Partner started seriously strong. The mystery was interesting and thrilling, with gripping trial cases, though the main one was the lead, since the main characters were involved. The romance was strong as well as entertaining, with the two characters having chemistry and tension enough to make the love story interesting. However, towards the end, the drama couldn't hold the interest high. The mystery-murder case was solved too early or rather the drama should have been shorter by a few episodes. Especially the final episode was aimless, as the story had already concluded a few episodes ago. The romance got tiring and bleak as well. In addition, the leading lady's character got a bit annoying. Not that I dislike the actress, she did a great job with her performance and I loved her in her previous works, but here, the character was annoying. So, 6 out of 10.

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Not Good Enough

Korean Drama "Love All Play" had potential with the sports theme and the tragic figure that was the main lead, but they were all wasted.

The story was boring and the pattern of breaking up and making up, again and again, was tiring. The main couple, moreover, was cute at first, but they didn't have enough chemistry to support the whole thing. The second couple were better, but they didn't have enough screentime. Also, the main lead's tragic story got unbearable and almost idiotic, as she let everyone treat her badly without even acting up. Her relationship with her mother should have been further reviewed as well.

At least the performances were enjoyable.

So, overall, four out of ten.

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If you're Kento's fan, or even if you just like japanese movies, you'll know that his speciality is high schoolers. He plays a high school boy (again) this time though not in a romantic shoujo comedy. Rather, it's about four students who are trying to solve a mystery of the past. The mystery itself isn't that interesting, though the story is kind of entertaining, with the flashbacks and the small other cases that are solved. Other than that, the movie hasn't anything else to offer. Basicly, there is no romance, no friendship dynamics, no slice of life high school nostalgia, no deep character development. So, why watch it? For the small mysteries the students are solving, and maybe if you're a Kento fan.

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Probably the only thing I enjoed about this drama was the character changing his personality. So, I guess the performances from both male leads. That said, the female lead's performances wasn't that bad either, as some may point out. I wasn't really annoyed by her and for me, she added something interesting to the plot. Now, the plot. It was okay at first. However, the big mystery was not strong enough to hold the interest high throughout the drama. Which is unfortunate because otherwise it was okay. So, because it really got boring after episode 16, 3 out of 10.

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After DOTS, Goblin finally took the title of most popular drama. And it's true that everyone talks about this drama. In my opinion, that because of two things: the OST and the cinematography. The soundtrack was really good and the songs as atmospheric as they should be, creating the right mood for every scene. Then, the cinematography was amazing, with the first episode introducing breathtaking shots of battles and palaces. The great cinematography continues on to the rest of the episodes as well, aiding when the drama hit standstills. In addition the theme is very original, as the plot wasn't clearly introduced to the audience, making you curious to want to see what's the buzz about this drama. Well, the story is very fairy tale like, a man is turned into a goblin and he is waiting for centuries to find the girl who will be destined to be his "bride", which will also mean that she will be able to pull the sword out of his body and kill him. Meanwhile, a grim ripper moves into his house and he falls in love with a human. And here is where it becomes complicated, as the concepts of reincarnation and four lives are introduced. Fortunately, they are clearly explained, so one can't easily be confused. Now, about the negatives: -the duration was way too long and that led to countless flashbacks to be thrown into each episode to make it longer. -the romance was a little blunt. The performances were great, and the second romantic story was really good, with the chemistry between the couple obvious. Maybe it was the age difference of the main couple (the girl was still in school) or the fact that the girl didn't actually treat the idea of being the goblin bride seriously; more like she used it as means to survive. It got better towards the end, fortunately, but till then it was awkward. -the main story could have been better presented -the ending was weak -the advertisements were too many!! Other than that, it was an enjoyable drama (still too long though!) and the side stories were the best of it. So, 5 out of 10.

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This drama reminds me of two others : Manhole and Go back couple. However, even though those two dramas had a solid plot and purpose of why they were made, this drama failed to deliver. I'm not concerned on it not being original. If the plot is good, why not watch it again with other characters? The main minus, however, that I've found is that the drama pretty much finished in episode 12. The rest of episodes were some unreasonable and meaningless plot twists, happy ever afters and just cute family life. It felt like the writers didn't know what to do with their story and just rushed to add something to fill the hours that were remaining.
Part from that major setback, the performances by the cast were great by all the actors and actresses and they pulled it off nicely. Also, the drama up to the 12th episode, was very good and interesting.

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Usually, I don't watch dramas that have so many episodes. But this one seemed interesting. The story is okay, with the fantasy element all over the place. However, the specially effects didn't help give this drama that really good epic quality it deserved, as they were almost fake and didn't help the actors act along them as well. The acting was nice (considering the low quality graphics) and Luhan performance was, as always, okay. My main concern was the romance that didn't have the intensity it should have, as the chemistry between the two actors was weak. Finally, the costumes were really beautiful. So, overall, 3.5 out of 10.

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" The Great Show " was okay but just not original.

What was nice and entertaining about this show was the family. They created a nice family environment, with a nice web of human relationships. The character development was pretty good and well made as well, with the switch from career goals to family goals for the main character. The performances were really good too.

However, the story was predictable and so the twists were easy to guess. It was also a plot that has been made into a drama countless of times, just with a few other genres in the mix. The pace got slower towards the ending and so there were some boring scenes.

So, overall, five out of ten.

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Not Good Enough

Korean Drama '' Squid Game Season 2 '' is the long awaited sequel to the highly popular Netflix survival drama.

The series this time was a hot mess, with the story not being cohesive and being divided into three parts: A) the one where the main hero was trying to find a way in, B) the one where the hero is in and it serves as a reminder of what the first season offered and C) the big heist-like revolution. That final part was when things got interesting, but, alas, it ended too suddenly, hence, it made the whole season feel like a blunt prequel to the action second season that is yet to come, especially since part one and two were boring and had nothing new to offer.

Finally, the performances were all enjoyable by everyone in the stellar cast.

So, overall, five out of ten.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama " Song of the Bandits " is an edgy historical drama that resembles the western films.

The story is about a freed slave who creates a team of misfits in order to strike back at those who want to take over.

The drama has an edgy cinematography, with beautiful shots and lighting, as well as a soundtrack that feels just right for the mood of the drama. The costumes and CGI were also spot on.

On the other hand, the story isn't well handled, with some twists being repeated and some dramatic scenes not being convincing. Also, some storylines needed more time to be fully developed, when others were tragic enough to keep things interesting and the characters to be easily sympathized with.

Finally, the performances were enjoyable by everyone in the cast.

So, overall, five out of ten.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama " Curtain Call " is a family melodrama with a sweet and emotional story.

The drama does a great job of presenting the relationship between the grandmother who is trying to heal her old wounds, and her fake grandson, who discovers that he is yearning for a family as well.

On the other hand, there were some things that the drama handled awkwardly. The romance, for instance. It was unnecessary and shifted the focus from the family drama to the couple, who were cute together, yes, but most of the time the female lead thought that the male lead was A) her cousin, and B) a married man. The love triangle was, moreover, doomed from the start.

Also, the situation with the real grandson was oddly managed. For some reason, and even though the drama kept pointing out that he wasn't really a bad person, they also wanted the audience to love the male lead more than him. At least, they gave an almost proper ending for everyone in the end.

The performances, finally, were all great by everyone in the cast.

So, overall, six out of ten.

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Good Enough

Japanese Drama " Alice in Bordeland Season Two " keeps the same atmosphere of the first season, but it's not as intense.

The main problem with the sequel is the tempo. When they present the games and the emotional impact of the whole situation on the characters, the series is pretty interesting and enjoyable. However, most of the games are rushed by in fast paced edits, while the whole story feels incohesive, jumping from one storyline to another.

The ending, on the other hand, was masterfully handled and quite dark but hopeful at the same time.

The performances, finally, were all great, just like the first season.

So, overall, six out of ten.

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Good Enough

Korean movie " 20th Century Girl " is a romantic comedy with a bittersweet feeling.

The story is masterfully presented, by utilizing the misunderstanding twist and making it work. It is youthful, nostalgic, and presents a sweet love story.

The performances, in addition, were all great by all the actors and actresses in the cast. But the leading lady stole the show admittedly.

However, the ending could have been handled better, as it left a lot of plot holes and it wasn't as good as the rest of the movie. Not that the conclusion wasn't interesting, but it wasn't explained. Rather, it was rushed.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

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